Sakura stayed out of the way of the fight as she had promised. She noted Ryo's fighting style and the way he made sure that Mia and Yulie were out of harms way. Sekhmet had called upon her fathers Dynasty soldiers to help him with the fight. Ryo easily took care of them as Sekhmet threw his poisonous swords at him. Once again Ryo dodged the attacks, but one narrowly missed his head, sending drops of poison into his eyes. Ryo started to stumble about, attempting to still fight Sekhmet through his blindness that the poison had caused. Sakura watched as a feeling of pity washed over her.

'There is no way that he can win now.'  She thought. 'He got the poison in his eye. He will fail.'  Sekhmet was about to administer a fatal blow as White Blaze appeared and whisked Ryo out of harms way. Sakura let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding as Sekhmet's attack destroyed the entrance to the cave. Sakura moved from her vantage point to follow the white tiger and his injured master. White Blaze stopped next to a small stream as Ryo tried to wash the poison out of his eyes to no avail. Ryo summoned his armor as he attempted to find his comrade by the armors link. Ryo stumbled around as Sekhmet triumphantly watched like a cat toying with a mouse. Mia and Yulie shouted at Ryo to help Sage who was right behind him, not realizing his blindness. Sekhmet gave a cold laugh.

"He can not see. My poison has blinded him, and there is no way he will ever be able to see again!"

Mia and Yulie gave small gasps of horror as Ryo continued to pound on the rock he thought was imprisoning Sage. Finally having enough of his game, Sekhmet started attacking Ryo as he took each blow that was dealt to him. Sakura watched intently as Ryo collapsed to the ground. Ryo's defeat seemed unavoidable as Sage broke free of his rock prison, illuminating the cave with his light. Sage carried the blind Ryo outside and set him down, a safe distance from the fight as he took on Sekhmet. Mia and Yulie were still in the cave where Sage had instructed them to stay as Sakura jumped from her lookout point next to Ryo. Sakura stared at the blind warrior as he lay, propped up against the rock. Here was her chance. She could win a crucial armor for her father and kill him. And in killing him, she would eliminate the forbidden thoughts that still seemed to pop up in her mind, no matter how hard she fought them.  Sakura narrowed her eyes, as she stepped forward. This was her golden opportunity. Coming back with the armor of wildfire, her father would reward her with anything she wanted. With Sekhmet keeping Sage busy, and White Blaze guarding Mia and Yulie, Ryo was left unprotected. Sakura bent down in front of him as Ryo sensed a person in front of him.

"Who's there?" he demanded in a strong voice that belied his beat up condition. Sakura reached out and gently moved a strand of hair from his face. Ryo felt the gentle touch and moved his head, trying to feel more of it.

"You really can't see can you?" Sakura asked softly, knowing the answer. She had seen what Sekhmet's poison could do, and her father had warned her never to be careless when training with him. Sekhmet's poisons could do a lot worse than blindness, Ryo was lucky.

Ryo attempted to see who the owner of the voice was, as he felt the absence of the hand. Ryo gave a small smile as Sakura realized what she was doing. She stood up instantly and drew her sword.

"I should kill you now and be done with this." She said aloud as Ryo's smile turned to a fierce determination. Sakura touched Ryo's chin with the tip of her blade, tilting his head up.

'I should kill him now!' she thought. 'It would be only too easy…just a simple downward flick of the wrist and his throat would be cut.' Sakura stood there as she noticed that her hand was shaking. Ryo sensed her hesitation. Just then a shower of rocks filled the air as Sekhmet used his swords again. A huge rock hurtled through the air as Sakura instantly scooped up Ryo and moved him out of the rocks path. She set him down as the rock shattered to pieces as it hit the cave wall. Her breath came in fast gulps as Ryo realized what just happened.

"You saved me." He said quietly as Sakura quickly moved away from him. Her hands shaking in fear and shock. 'What have I done?'  She looked at Ryo again, clenching her hands into fists of frustration. 'Why can't I kill him!?'  She demanded of herself. Sakura shook her head, in horror over what she did, and fled.

"Wait" Ryo called in a futile attempt to bring his unknown savior back as he touched the place on his cheek where she had touched him so gently. Sakura waited as Sage managed to defeat Sekhmet. Sekhmet ran and appeared next to her.

"Let's go." He ordered as Sakura moved to follow him. She turned and gave one last look at the still blind Ryo and left.

Back in her father's throne room, Sakura and Sekhmet stood in front of Talpa, heads bowed in shame.

"You imbeciles!" he shouted as his eyes glowed red. "You have failed me! My own daughter and my warlord failed against a blind Ronin and another imprisoned in ROCK!"

"But master…"Sekhmet said in an attempt to explain when better judgment stopped him. Talpa sent Sekhmet to the lower levels of the dungeon while Sakura, thankful her father never saw her save Ryo, was sentenced to never leave her room and her practice was intensified to an almost unbearable level. Later, Sakura snuck out of her room and quietly made her way to the throne room. She cautiously made sure that no one was around as she ran in.  She stood before the giant screen that he father used to watch the Ronins progress on as she watched Sage restored Ryo's sight, by shining light into his eyes. Sakura clasped her hands together, holding them close to her chest, and fought a smile as a small tear forced itself out and trickled down her face.