~ Just to let you know, I love cliffhangers...but I promise I won't be gone long...I have the rest written, I just have to get to it when I'm not working ~

~Don't be too sad though~

~Still want honest opinions on Leea, Ruby, and Raleigh, do they like any of the ronin boys? :3~

Chapter Thirty Seven

Rowen didn't even think twice as he started to run for the trickster who possessed Hoshi's body, but none of them were fast enough. The ax had enough momentum to take her head completely off. He slid in to grab her just as her head fell off, covering him in red. He didn't even feel his armor vanish, or the tears running down his face. It almost seemed like time had stopped.

I'm sorry, he heard whispered on the wind.

Ruby saw Rowen frozen with the girl in his arms. She turned her burning eyes on Baroness who stood calmly in the midst of their group. The singing of the creatures made her feel her grief like anger. She felt something burning in her hand, and she looked down to see the kanji for Rage light up on the other orb. The felt Opal shift from its cool feeling, and Onyx appeared. She felt her virtue of Passion turn to Rage, and all she felt was blood lust for Baroness. She could feel it pulsing from the others too. Under it, she felt their grief. They lunged for the warrior but a light blinded them and she felt her armor disappear. Standing in front of Baroness was Leea, her short silver hair was golden in color, and her blue eyes glowed with light. A virtue glowed on her forehead as armor slowly appeared piece by piece, the kanji read Empathy. A pair of wings spread from her back, and the light explode outward knocking them flat back.

"Leea," Ruby asked as teared welled up in her eyes. She knew the girl was the Light, she couldn't believe she had failed. She could see Rowen sobbing, she had failed him. She was going to protect Hoshi for him, and now ….and now.

"The void will be sealed for now," a soft voice said through Leea's mouth and pointed upward. "Your sacrifice of the oracle will not be wasted, but you will need much more to keep him from coming through. "

Hoshi's body began to slowly vanish, but her blood still stained Rowen and the ground around him.

"Heal your grief for the chosen, the dead do not cry," said the voice, "and prepare..."

There was another bright flash of light that blinded them and they heard the sound of what one of the dynasty gates sounded like. The light faded, and they were back in the human realm. At least the original ronins were, no Ruby, no Raleigh, no warlords, and no Baroness. The only person who remained was Leea as the light began to fade from around her, her armor vanished and she collapsed. Cye, who was closest, caught her. A small orb of light appeared above her and solidified into a golden orb that read Empathy. They were tears flowing down her face, but her hair remained gold and so did the wings.

There was a song on air of the lake as Mia ran out of the house to meet them, Yuli was with her and running out to them. However, Rowen heard only silence as his friends came over to him. His clothes were stained with blood still, her blood, and all he could think of was how he was going to get back to get her soul.