Review from Inda : Thank-you for bringing Karala to my attention, I think I'll tone her down, at least a little bit, but sometimes the need to make her say smart ars comments is just too strong ! I got my mum to read it and she said the same. I tend to do the same in real life, so it's too easy to base Karala on me!

Chapter 10

The Dynasty ...

"You let them escape." Ayato's voice held no emotion. "Perhaps I was mistaken in my choice of bearers for the despair armours."

"Master, we didn't..."Charaka started.

"Didn't what?" Charaka fell silent.

"Master, we could capture them again, if you wish..." Syren asserted.

"I have no doubt of that, it is your ability to keep them here that I'm worried about. The Wildfire boy is necessary for our plans. Wanting to know about the girl was only a diversion for me testing him to be sure of who he was."

"And is he, master?" Rokayu asked.

Ayato smiled, a ghostly smile, almost as if he'd forgotten how. "Yes, he is. He has many giveaway traits in him, such as stubbornness, but most of his character comes from his mother, and the traits of loyalty, the ability to love, and so on. It is the few remnants of me and my character in him that we need to wake, so that he can come into his full power and defeat the Ancient warrior. It is vital that he stays here long enough to turn him to our side, which is why we need him back."

"Ryo, are you sure he didn't ask you anything else?" Karala was pacing the room, looking extremely worried.

"No, I'm positive he didn't. Why?"

"Because it doesn't make sense. They already know everything about me."

"How?" Kale asked, watching her face for any kind of sign that she wasn't telling the whole truth.

"Because I told them." Karala turned to look at the rest of them, her eyes haunted with memories that it was obvious she didn't want to remember. Kale suddenly became very interested in his feet.

"Kal, just so we know, what else did you tell them?" Sage asked. "If they know all about you and us nothing about them, then we're at a serious disadvantage."

"I told them how my attack works, which didn't help them much because they can't stop it. I might have told them a couple of the special functions of my armour, but I don't think I told them anything else."

Mia broke in suddenly. "Maybe there's something in my grandfathers files. I'll go check." She got up off her seat on the sofa armrest and headed towards the door. She turned back just before going through. "Oh, and Kal? Sorry for being such a bitch!"

Karala grinned. "Exactly what I was about to say to you!"

When Mia had gone upstairs, Karala turned to Kayura and said with an impish smile. "Happy now?"

Kayura raised an eyebrow. "Perfect. Now all we need to do is get rid of Ayato and his Warlords and we'll be fine!"

Sage got up. "I'm going to go meditate in the forest. Call me if Mia finds anything."

Cye got up as well. "I'll go get dinner."

The Ronins and former Warlords dispersed slowly. Karala was soon left on her own.

She turned to her tiger, who was watching her with an unquestionable twinkle in it's eye. Suddenly it opened it's mouth and spoke in a woman's voice.

"You didn't tell them half of it."

"Like what, exactly?"

"About me, about your ability to sprout wings, about who you are exactly."

"What do you mean, about who I am?"

"For crying out loud, Karala, on your father's side you're descended from the Lord of Heaven, and on your mother's from the Lady of the Dead. You're practically a goddess, for heaven's sake!"

"So you don't think it was coincidence, then, the fact that my parents feel in love at first sight, and that I bear the armour of the Ancient?"

"I don't believe in coincidence, no more than I believe that it was by chance that you were sent to the Ronin Warriors to live after your parents died. I cannot tell you what I know, but I don't think your falling in love with Ryo is coincidence either. Why do you push him away? You surely aren't so blind as to think he's not in love with you too."

"I don't know. There's something about him that seems to reject the fact that he's in love, that such a feeling can exist. I can't tell you exactly what it is, but he's not as completely on our side as the others are. That I do know."

They were interrupted by a yell from Mia, telling them all to get up there immediately or else.

Sooner than later they were all gathered in Mia's study.

"I found another prophecy, hidden in the files. It needed a password. Strangely enough, the password is 'Ancient'. Anyway, I'll read it out to you.

The darkness is coming, seen by none but the defenders of mankind. The dark will not triumph, as long as the son of dark joins the daughter of light in the struggle against his father. If the son falters in his resolve, the world will fail and die, and the gods will be cast down from their thrones, and his father will rule forever with him at his side. The only barrier to this fate is the daughter of the gods, the daughter of light, and if she fails, her enslavement will be eternal.

As foreseen by the Ancient, two days before his disappearance."

"Cheerful." Kento commented.

"Wait, there's another part. This time it's the Ancient writing himself.

My daughter, this is a great burden to place upon you, but I would like you to know that this prophecy was not of making, and if I could have spared you it, I would have. But only you can influence his choice. I am truly sorry for you, my great-grand-daughter. Be comforted in the knowledge that your family loves you, and will always be there for you. All of us."

Ok, revelations galore! I warn you, if you haven't figured out who the son is yet, then you're completely thick! It'll also explain the dream that both Karala and Ryo had. And now review!

Carline