Author's Note: Answer time! Or is it. . .
The End?
"Super Wave Smasher!" Cye cried, still kneeling on the hard floor. He'd never used his power like this. He'd never even used this much of it in one shot. He was already as exhausted as he'd been when they were first learning to harness the Inferno armor! He'd just started, yet it was paying off. Water slowly rose underfoot, but the fire was burning his arms now as it rushed down the wall and he cried out. Finally, the water won, swirling around him completely, comforting him as it pulled him away from the searching, burning cold. Away from consciousness. He was so tired. As he drifted, the water began to brighten. He saw the surface and the sun and wanted to go to them, but he felt so heavy. The light reminded him of something. . . something he had to do? No. Someone. Or, more specifically, someones. Four someones he had to see. Realization fell upon him like a wave on a cliff and he struggled painfully to the surface against the weight that held him down, not drowning him, of course, but holding him none the less. He did his best to shrug off the fatigue as he strove to reach the pure, warm light. It wasn't until he broke the peaceful surface that he opened his eyes. He was lying on his back in a dark, wooden room, soaking wet, but the only sign of the flood he'd just generated was a small puddle beneath him. Warm arms lifted him as he looked up into concerned blue eyes."What took you so long this time, mate?" Cye asked a little blearily as he was being helped to his unsteady feet with a wry smile.
"Cye, I may regret asking this, but why are you lying in a puddle?" A raven haired youth hesitantly queried.
"No offense, Ryo, but water puts out fire, and I was just in a frozen inferno, of sorts."
"None taken, but I can't wait to hear this story. As for my excuse, I was unavoidably detained by some new friends who were very persuasive in asking me to dinner and figured you could entertain yourself."
"Someone's been spending too much time with either Sage or Rowen, I can't tell who. As much as I'd like to hear about this, since it's been so much fun, let's get out of here and not try this at home." Cye joked weekly.
"I think that's the best idea I've heard all night." Ryo returned with a boyish grin.
The conversation died away as Ryo supported Cye and the two labored up the stairs. Then Cye finally asked the question that had been weighing on his heart. "How are the other's?"
"Sage is hurt. None of his wounds were deep, but I'll bet he's lost a lot of blood. He's going after Kento. You're going upstairs to help him, and I'm staying here to find Rowen, because quite frankly Cye, I'd be hard pressed to believe you could swat a fly right now."
"Actually, I probably got off easy. I'm not hurt, just tired." The auburn haired boy sighed with relief. "You sure you can manage on you're own?"
"Yeah, no prob. Rowen, I'm pretty sure, is just around the corner. I spotted you first, but there's a weird trap door back that I'm sure he went through."
Cye was light headed and stumbled on the broken stairs since his armor was slick with water. He made it upstairs in time to watch Sage coming down. It would have been quite comical, had they not known how deathly serious this development had to be. Sage's tall, thin, arguably feminine form, lacking all outward appearance of strength, now adorned in sub armor, was not only supporting, but carrying a limp Kento of Hardrock. The orange clad, fully armored Ronin was cradled in Sage's arms, the latter's violet eyes flashing with determination, and perhaps, guilt.
"Is. . .is he all right?" Cye stammered after the initial shock had worn off in the awkward silence.
"Yeah. His wounds have pretty much healed, he's just resting now."
"It's quite a sight to see you carry him like that. Can't wait to hear what Kento's going to think of it when he wakes up!" The water Ronin tried to joke, but his voice cracked, and his hollow laughter buried itself in the now pervasive quiet of the house.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. But don't worry. We won't let him live it down!" The blond replied with a twinkle in his tired eyes, finally getting a chuckle out of his brown haired friend, but doubt still weighed heavily on their hearts. Why weren't they being harassed further? The situation didn't seem to bode well for the last member of their little team.
-----
Once again, Ryo found himself running to the air Ronin's rescue. He also found himself praying that this time would be easier than last time. Odd how history kept repeating itself. He remembered when they'd been the last two left, all that Rowen had done for him. All the times the taller boy had risked himself for his friends, for Ryo. In a way, Rowen was his closest friend. "There will be no more sacrifices!" The Ronin leader swore to the air. But he had no further time to think. He had found the trap door he'd seen earlier. But, why wouldn't it budge?! Somehow he knew Rowen was in there, but Ryo couldn't get to him! "Why are you doing this?!" Ryo called, unsheathing his katana and striking at the obsidian barrier. "Where is Rowen? I won't let you hurt him! Let go of my friend."
"Oh, but I've already hurt him, little tiger. The rest of you freed yourselves. He'll just have to do the same. I can't have you bursting in and spoiling my fun. The little blue jay will need to learn to fly all by himself if he wants to get out of my cage." Her voice was weak; it seemed tired, even. It had gotten scratchy, as if with age. The apparent weakness of their opponent gave Ryo hope as he continued to pound all the more furiously upon the final wall that kept him from his comrade. He wasn't giving up!
-----
Rowen awoke once more, blearily eyeing his captor.
"Hush now, little blue jay. You're mine. All mine. You're friends are gone. Abandoned you. There's nothing left to hope for. I'll let you go to sweet oblivion. No more pain, no more of the cage of the body. You can fly to death, now. Nothing to stop you." The witch cooed, as if calming a child after a nightmare, or a frightened wild animal before trying to heal it. It was so twisted. Such a gentle tone to spoke such cruel words.
"My friends would never abandon me, just as I'd never leave them. I will get out of here, lady, and so will they. We'll beat you, you'll see."
"My, such a big voice for such a tiny, frightened bird. Just like a Jay to imitate a Hawk. If you want to join you're friends so much, I'll tell you a little secret. They're waiting for you, in the next world!"
"Hah! The Ronin Warriors are too strong to be beaten by the likes of you." He once again struggled valiantly against the chains. It felt different this time! She was weakening, and it was as though he was getting stronger. He could almost hear Ryo calling to him, begging him to have strength enough to beat this. He felt like the others were behind him, too, lending him their strength. This time, when the chains broke, he tried a new approach. He pushed away their replacements by calling on the air itself to aid him. He stood in the eye of a great windstorm that swept the monster and her tricks away with an earsplitting scream. Somehow, he felt it was finally over, he couldn't help but think they had won as he collapsed into red armor plaited arms.
"I got ya, Ro. It's okay now."
"I know, Ryo. What took ya, anyway?"
"Did I miss the memo about that being the "question of the day", or is it just understood by now that you guys need me to save your necks?"
"Both. But thanks for asking. It's good that we have that all cleared up for next time. I'd hate to have to waste all that energy saving myself."
"Yeah, wouldn't that be a shame."
-----
At last the wait was over, as Sage saw Ryo's coming first. Cye quickly turned and followed his eyes, giving a little cry of relief. Kento was finally conscious, but his face was pale. It had been a long night.
"So, are we agreed we'll never do this again? I don't think I could if I wanted." Rowen gave a lopsided grin as greeting.
"Especially not in you're current condition, little jay." Ryo teased. While Rowen had taken a bad beating, he'd managed the stairs without needing Ryo's support. Barely. Mainly because Ryo was in no shape to support him. The wound's the fire Ronin had gotten from those tiger-like creatures, though he'd never admit it, were slowing him down.
"Ryo. I love you like a brother. But if you ever call me that again, I'll hurt you. You are Ryo, right?" A look of doubt and slight fear crossed his face as the air Ronin remembered how he'd gotten into that mess with the chains in the first place.
"Duh, I'm Ryo. Who else would I be?" Ryo gave the blue-haired boy a look of concern. A question ran behind the intense blue eyes, something along the lines of "how hard did Rowen get hit on the head down there?".
"Then how'd you know she called me little blue jay?" Rowen continued, keeping an inconspicuous distance between himself and his companion, still sporting a somewhat distrusting frown.
"She called you that when I was trying to save you. What's you're problem? Are you sure you're okay?"
"She won." Rowen said quietly, out of the blue, with a weary smile.
"What?!" Four voices asked in wondering unison.
"This whole time she was trying to turn me against you, make me distrust you, and she did it. Despite it all, I didn't really recognize Ryo, because I didn't believe it was him. I fell for it. I doubted you for a moment. That's a victory for her. I doubted you guys." He felt hollow, almost near tears, when a pair of small, cool hands took his left hand and Cye guided him gently up the last stairs.
"Hey, we've all had doubts, buddy." Kento tentatively soothed. "We all stumbled a little at one point or another during our fight with Tulpa. You were overdue for you're turn. Don't worry about it." The husky boy's voice got steadier as he reminded himself of the truth in his own words, remembering his own doubts after Dais had toyed with his mind about the armors origins. He remembered finding Cye and Ryo, after they'd been tricked into attacking each other. Even though Sage had eventually seen through the warlord's illusion, the light ronin had gotten in some stinging blows before beating the trap, by letting Kento hit him. He tried not to think about the two battles with Tulpa. The Ronins had all fallen into mistrust of themselves and their friend's at least once.
"We should get out of here. I think a change of scenery is in order. So much for the party." Cye stated softly, hoping to change the subject from such heavy concerns after an already tiring night. Once the fatigue lost it's hold on Rowen's mind, Cye hoped his normally clear thinking comrade would be better able to deal with his emotions.
"Can't argue with that. A tactical retreat is decidedly in order. But, we do need to find out what we fought today. Five Ronins wounded, that's a pretty tough customer." Ryo said darkly.
"Agreed." Sage nodded as he got to his feet. He continued to support Kento. Cye stumbled along on his own. Ryo had been leaning his weight against the wall at the top of the stairs. When he pushed away, though, he lost his balance. Rowen caught him and continued to let Ryo lean on him out the door.
"This is a switch. So this is how it feels to be you." The red clad boy mused.
"Watch it. I don't need your help that often."
"Oh really." Everything was going to be okay. Ryo was sure of it, and, as if in proof of his thoughts, the house seemed completely normal from the outside, making it hard to believe it had been such a nightmare. Or perhaps that's exactly what it seemed like, a bad dream that was burned away like mist by the morning sun. Even their wounds didn't seem real. As they exited the house, the actual damage seemed to mend, though much of the pain and stiffness remained.
"Well, since things seem back to normal, who wants to call Mia for a ride home?" Kento said as cheerily as he could.
"I wonder whatever happened to the other guests, or was that a trick, too?" Sage asked the inevitable question none of them had wanted to face, for fear of the implication. Could that many innocents have been hurt or killed because of them? Could they do anything about it? Could they have done. . . better not to wonder. But no sooner were the words spoken, the house began to flicker, then shift from black to brown. The decorations were suddenly corny, the whole place just seemed. . . normal. A grey white mist hovered above it and then surrounded them, burned them with ice cold flames as a female figure formed above the huddled group. She had long, white hair, streaked with steel grey, flying loose behind flowing, blue-white robes, and pale, ice blue eyes.
"You have not won yet, my little pets. I may still claim you."
----------------
I honestly hope you're hating me now.Well, actuallyI'm hoping you consider this enough of a cliffhanger to want to hate me. Either way, I'd like to hear about it.