Mystery of the Soul
Ch 8
Rowen walked over to the widow that looked out back. He frowned deeply as he saw that Cye was still out there with Kento's and Kaye's bodies. Cye hadn't moved from there since Ryo and Sage left. Rowen could understand how Cye felt. The same emotions and thoughts flowed within him as well.
Rowen reflected on how he felt when Sage and the others were taken to they Dynasty. He felt like he was going to go insane, but he knew that he had to be strong no matter what happened. Eventually, they did get back together and defeated Talpa, more than once. So that is what he based his decision on now. He knew that Ryo and Sage were going to get the items that were needed to bring back their friends' souls so Jia Li and Shen could bring them back from the spirit nexus.
"Hey," Rowen greeted as he came out with a hot mug of tea and handed it to him.
Cye nodded, "Thanks Rowen." and then took it from him.
Rowen gave a sigh as he looked up at the sky and frowned deeply. "They'll pull it off Cye, you know they will."
Cye kept quiet for a while and then took a drink. "Yea, I know they will, it's just…" He trailed off as he looked over at Kento's and Kaye's motionless bodies. "Why them!? Why did it have to be them Rowen?! It isn't fair!"
"I don't know Cye, I wish that I could give you a reason for what happened, but I can't. I agree with you, it isn't fair. But according to Jia Li and Shen, it was in the prophecy…" Rowen started to try and comfort him. He frowned deeply, who was he kidding, he didn't even believe his own words. So how'd he expect Cye to?
"I don't care about some bloody prophecy!" Cye yelled in anger as he scowled. He looked up into the sky, "I hope that you hear me! This whole thing, is wrong! It's wrong! What gave you the right to take their lives and play with them any way that you wanted!?"
"Cye, calm down…" Rowen said as he tried to get the torrent bearer calmed.
Cye whirled around and looked straight at Rowen, dead in the eyes. "Calm down? You want me to calm down?"
"Yes, look, we have to keep our heads. It won't do Kento and Kaye any good if we lose our grip now." Rowen replied as he tried to reason with him. Cye started to shake with a mix of anger and grief. He pulled back, and was about to chuck the mug that he held, but then he set it down and just buried his head into his hands. Rowen looked into the sky again, 'Ryo, Sage, hurry back you two.'
Ryo stood there with a slight frown. He looked over where Sage was, and could tell that he thought the same thing. "Are you going to continue, or do you want to stay there for the rest of your life?" Murdock asked as he raised his brow in annoyance towards Ryo. "The clock is ticking, remember."
"You don't have to remind me." Ryo replied in an annoyed tone. He looked ahead towards his next obstacle. Ahead of him was a small corridor, on the floor, ceiling, and both walls were stone carvings of multi colored eyes. Behind him was one giant stone carved eye. 'Ok, now this is just too easy. I don't see anything that seems to be worse off than what I already went through.' Ryo mused with a frown as he looked at his new obstacle.
Maverick smirked when he saw the expression on Ryo's face. "Don't be so sure that this will be that easy. Take a step forward and see what I mean."
Ryo looked at him in curiosity and then shook his head and took a step forward. Just as he put his foot down, blue fire shot out from the side. Ryo pulled back in surprise. "What the!?"
Maverick laughed, "Oh, it seemed that I forgot to tell you, try and not to get hit by the blue fire. Because if you do, then whatever part gets hit, turns into sapphire. I'd suggest that you'd get going, or that giant stone eye behind you will crush your bones into the ground."
Ryo glanced back and saw that what Maverick told him was actually moving towards him. He quickly looked forward and started to move quickly, but as soon as he started to move, the stone eyes on the ground started to rotate and switch colors. "Hey, that's not fair!" Sage exclaimed while he glared at the guild master.
"I never said that it was going to be fair now did I?" Maverick sneered with an amused grin.
'Why you.." Sage growled in annoyance, and then a sound like sliding metal came from the other end. "Ryo, it's closing!"
Ryo snapped his head up and saw what Sage told him was true. "Aww man, I don't believe this." He could feel and hear the giant stone eye moving in on him, as well as the stone eyes that switched colors on the floor. "There's no other choice." Ryo took a deep breath and just ran straight for the small opening. As he ran, the blue fire spewed out from various points from both sides. His eyes widened as he saw that there was only a very small area that was opened. So he did the only thing possible, he dove right through and rolled as the giant stone eye crashed into the wall behind him. Ryo looked back and breathed a sigh of relief. "There has to be an easier way than this." He said as he got up and wondered what was next, even though he wasn't sure if he really wanted to know.
The three spirit hunters looked around in amazement. They couldn't believe that the two they were hunting actually got away. "I don't believe this! How could you let them get away like that, they were right there!?" Rajak yelled as he glared at Javas.
"What! Hey, it isn't like you did any better! You missed too when you swooped down towards them. So don't go blaming me!" Javas yelled back angrily.
"Enough! I've had it with the two of you constantly bickering like children! Do you realize what Dark Harpy would do to us if we came back empty handed?!" Balin asked outraged while he glanced between them.
"So then what do you expect us to do? Go after them?" Javas asked in annoyance as they tried to keep their dragons under control.
Balin nodded, "That's exactly what I'm saying."
Java and Rajak glanced down to where Kento and Kay fell, then at each other, and finally back towards Balin. "But that's where the fire bird lives. Anyone that ventured down there never came back." Rajak replied with a concerned look.
"Alright, answer me this. Who would you rather face, a so called legend that's only told to weaker spirits to keep in line; or Dark Harpy? Me? I'd rather face some legend than her, I don't know about you two." Balin reasoned as he pulled back on his reins that made his dragon soar a little higher.
"You know, he does have a point." Javas agreed with a nod and a frown.
Rajak growled as he looked over at the cliff again. "Ok, ok fine, I'm coming too. But don't blame me if we get incinerated by the fire bird."
"Right." Javas smirked and then looked up. "Hey Balin, wait for us!" Javas pulled back on his reins and followed Balin, Rajak did the same.
A blue moon with dark shadows, hovered in the dark navy sky. A few notches below and to the left of the moon, were a small-thin blanket of clouds. Just under the clouds, was a narrow-horizontal path of yellow and white light.
Two very jagged mountains seemed to tower high into the sky. A valley separated them, making just enough room for a small cavalcade to travel both ways. Also in the area was a very strange and unusual mist. It rose almost as high as the mountains. Small portals of light were sparsely divided in the mist. When these small portals erupted, fire shot out of them, and then settled back. The lights from the portals shimmered onto both mountains, which made them even more eerie. A loud shrill cry resonated through out the air, waking the two that fell into its domain.
"Kento…Where are you?" Kaye asked as she carefully was getting herself to stand. "Kento!"
"I'm right here Kaye." Kento answered back as he steadied himself and looked over towards her. "Are you hurt?"
Kaye shook her head, "I seem to be ok." She replied as she looked back at him. "Are you?"
"I seem to be all here, wherever here is." Kento told her while they looked around. The same shrill cry sounded a second time. "What was that?!"
"I'm not sure if I want to stick around to find out. Do you?" Kaye replied with a concerned frown.
"I don't think we exactly have a choice in the matter." Kento said as he motioned to something that was flying above them.
A huge bird with red and yellow flames that intertwined with each other were its wings and tail. The body of the bird was jet black with a touch of white in a few areas. Its claws and beak were golden in color. The bird looked down at them. "What are you doing here in my domain!?"
"We're sorry, we didn't mean any harm by coming here. We fell from up there." Kento replied as he motioned up towards the jagged cliff.
The fire bird glared at them as it hovered in the air. "I don't care, you're trespassing in my domain!"
"Please, hear us out. The spirit hunters are after us, and so is the Dark Harpy.." Kaye started to explain.
"I'll repeat myself, I don't care! You're in my domain!" the fire bird replied in a very angry tone.
"Hey, you have no right to talk to my wife like that! I don't care who you are!" Kento growled as he narrowed his eyes at the fire bird.
"Kento, just forget it, we'll find a way out. Then we'll take care of Dark Harpy and her spirit hunters." Kaye interjected as she tried to pull him away.
"Did you say that you two are going to take on Dark Harpy and her hunters?" the fire bird inquired with interest.
"Yea so, what's it to you anyway?" Kento asked in slight annoyance.
Rowen walked over to the widow that looked out back. He frowned deeply as he saw that Cye was still out there with Kento's and Kaye's bodies. Cye hadn't moved from there since Ryo and Sage left. Rowen could understand how Cye felt. The same emotions and thoughts flowed within him as well.
Rowen reflected on how he felt when Sage and the others were taken to they Dynasty. He felt like he was going to go insane, but he knew that he had to be strong no matter what happened. Eventually, they did get back together and defeated Talpa, more than once. So that is what he based his decision on now. He knew that Ryo and Sage were going to get the items that were needed to bring back their friends' souls so Jia Li and Shen could bring them back from the spirit nexus.
"Hey," Rowen greeted as he came out with a hot mug of tea and handed it to him.
Cye nodded, "Thanks Rowen." and then took it from him.
Rowen gave a sigh as he looked up at the sky and frowned deeply. "They'll pull it off Cye, you know they will."
Cye kept quiet for a while and then took a drink. "Yea, I know they will, it's just…" He trailed off as he looked over at Kento's and Kaye's motionless bodies. "Why them!? Why did it have to be them Rowen?! It isn't fair!"
"I don't know Cye, I wish that I could give you a reason for what happened, but I can't. I agree with you, it isn't fair. But according to Jia Li and Shen, it was in the prophecy…" Rowen started to try and comfort him. He frowned deeply, who was he kidding, he didn't even believe his own words. So how'd he expect Cye to?
"I don't care about some bloody prophecy!" Cye yelled in anger as he scowled. He looked up into the sky, "I hope that you hear me! This whole thing, is wrong! It's wrong! What gave you the right to take their lives and play with them any way that you wanted!?"
"Cye, calm down…" Rowen said as he tried to get the torrent bearer calmed.
Cye whirled around and looked straight at Rowen, dead in the eyes. "Calm down? You want me to calm down?"
"Yes, look, we have to keep our heads. It won't do Kento and Kaye any good if we lose our grip now." Rowen replied as he tried to reason with him. Cye started to shake with a mix of anger and grief. He pulled back, and was about to chuck the mug that he held, but then he set it down and just buried his head into his hands. Rowen looked into the sky again, 'Ryo, Sage, hurry back you two.'
Ryo stood there with a slight frown. He looked over where Sage was, and could tell that he thought the same thing. "Are you going to continue, or do you want to stay there for the rest of your life?" Murdock asked as he raised his brow in annoyance towards Ryo. "The clock is ticking, remember."
"You don't have to remind me." Ryo replied in an annoyed tone. He looked ahead towards his next obstacle. Ahead of him was a small corridor, on the floor, ceiling, and both walls were stone carvings of multi colored eyes. Behind him was one giant stone carved eye. 'Ok, now this is just too easy. I don't see anything that seems to be worse off than what I already went through.' Ryo mused with a frown as he looked at his new obstacle.
Maverick smirked when he saw the expression on Ryo's face. "Don't be so sure that this will be that easy. Take a step forward and see what I mean."
Ryo looked at him in curiosity and then shook his head and took a step forward. Just as he put his foot down, blue fire shot out from the side. Ryo pulled back in surprise. "What the!?"
Maverick laughed, "Oh, it seemed that I forgot to tell you, try and not to get hit by the blue fire. Because if you do, then whatever part gets hit, turns into sapphire. I'd suggest that you'd get going, or that giant stone eye behind you will crush your bones into the ground."
Ryo glanced back and saw that what Maverick told him was actually moving towards him. He quickly looked forward and started to move quickly, but as soon as he started to move, the stone eyes on the ground started to rotate and switch colors. "Hey, that's not fair!" Sage exclaimed while he glared at the guild master.
"I never said that it was going to be fair now did I?" Maverick sneered with an amused grin.
'Why you.." Sage growled in annoyance, and then a sound like sliding metal came from the other end. "Ryo, it's closing!"
Ryo snapped his head up and saw what Sage told him was true. "Aww man, I don't believe this." He could feel and hear the giant stone eye moving in on him, as well as the stone eyes that switched colors on the floor. "There's no other choice." Ryo took a deep breath and just ran straight for the small opening. As he ran, the blue fire spewed out from various points from both sides. His eyes widened as he saw that there was only a very small area that was opened. So he did the only thing possible, he dove right through and rolled as the giant stone eye crashed into the wall behind him. Ryo looked back and breathed a sigh of relief. "There has to be an easier way than this." He said as he got up and wondered what was next, even though he wasn't sure if he really wanted to know.
The three spirit hunters looked around in amazement. They couldn't believe that the two they were hunting actually got away. "I don't believe this! How could you let them get away like that, they were right there!?" Rajak yelled as he glared at Javas.
"What! Hey, it isn't like you did any better! You missed too when you swooped down towards them. So don't go blaming me!" Javas yelled back angrily.
"Enough! I've had it with the two of you constantly bickering like children! Do you realize what Dark Harpy would do to us if we came back empty handed?!" Balin asked outraged while he glanced between them.
"So then what do you expect us to do? Go after them?" Javas asked in annoyance as they tried to keep their dragons under control.
Balin nodded, "That's exactly what I'm saying."
Java and Rajak glanced down to where Kento and Kay fell, then at each other, and finally back towards Balin. "But that's where the fire bird lives. Anyone that ventured down there never came back." Rajak replied with a concerned look.
"Alright, answer me this. Who would you rather face, a so called legend that's only told to weaker spirits to keep in line; or Dark Harpy? Me? I'd rather face some legend than her, I don't know about you two." Balin reasoned as he pulled back on his reins that made his dragon soar a little higher.
"You know, he does have a point." Javas agreed with a nod and a frown.
Rajak growled as he looked over at the cliff again. "Ok, ok fine, I'm coming too. But don't blame me if we get incinerated by the fire bird."
"Right." Javas smirked and then looked up. "Hey Balin, wait for us!" Javas pulled back on his reins and followed Balin, Rajak did the same.
A blue moon with dark shadows, hovered in the dark navy sky. A few notches below and to the left of the moon, were a small-thin blanket of clouds. Just under the clouds, was a narrow-horizontal path of yellow and white light.
Two very jagged mountains seemed to tower high into the sky. A valley separated them, making just enough room for a small cavalcade to travel both ways. Also in the area was a very strange and unusual mist. It rose almost as high as the mountains. Small portals of light were sparsely divided in the mist. When these small portals erupted, fire shot out of them, and then settled back. The lights from the portals shimmered onto both mountains, which made them even more eerie. A loud shrill cry resonated through out the air, waking the two that fell into its domain.
"Kento…Where are you?" Kaye asked as she carefully was getting herself to stand. "Kento!"
"I'm right here Kaye." Kento answered back as he steadied himself and looked over towards her. "Are you hurt?"
Kaye shook her head, "I seem to be ok." She replied as she looked back at him. "Are you?"
"I seem to be all here, wherever here is." Kento told her while they looked around. The same shrill cry sounded a second time. "What was that?!"
"I'm not sure if I want to stick around to find out. Do you?" Kaye replied with a concerned frown.
"I don't think we exactly have a choice in the matter." Kento said as he motioned to something that was flying above them.
A huge bird with red and yellow flames that intertwined with each other were its wings and tail. The body of the bird was jet black with a touch of white in a few areas. Its claws and beak were golden in color. The bird looked down at them. "What are you doing here in my domain!?"
"We're sorry, we didn't mean any harm by coming here. We fell from up there." Kento replied as he motioned up towards the jagged cliff.
The fire bird glared at them as it hovered in the air. "I don't care, you're trespassing in my domain!"
"Please, hear us out. The spirit hunters are after us, and so is the Dark Harpy.." Kaye started to explain.
"I'll repeat myself, I don't care! You're in my domain!" the fire bird replied in a very angry tone.
"Hey, you have no right to talk to my wife like that! I don't care who you are!" Kento growled as he narrowed his eyes at the fire bird.
"Kento, just forget it, we'll find a way out. Then we'll take care of Dark Harpy and her spirit hunters." Kaye interjected as she tried to pull him away.
"Did you say that you two are going to take on Dark Harpy and her hunters?" the fire bird inquired with interest.
"Yea so, what's it to you anyway?" Kento asked in slight annoyance.