Chapt.18. Hope.

Cye opened his eyes and glanced around. He was back in his nightmare, this time with a headache. He managed to get a look at his watch, seeing that it was after 11:00 A.M. He had no idea how long he had been out, but he was figuring it had been for quite awhile.

Where are the other Ronins? he wondered. They're my friends. They should have been here by now. I want to go home! But Cye was beginning to think he wouldn't be able to go home. He had been here since about 2:30 P.M. yesterday. And no one had shown up to help him. Cye was wondering if his friends had betrayed him.

But they couldn't have. They're my friends. Something must have kept them from helping me. After all it too Ryo and Rowen a week to rescue me, Sage, and Kento. They'll come for me. I know it.

He let out a sigh, wondering how he could stand to be so patient. Kento was totally different. He couldn't wait for anything, much like Ryo.

He heard footsteps and lifted his head. A soldier marched past, eyeing Cye as it did so. And the Cye saw someone else coming.

"Sekhmet!" he seethed angrily.

"Well, Torrent, how's it hanging?" Sekhmet laughed mockingly. "You and I have a score to settle you know."

Cye gulped when he opened the cell door and drew his Snake Fang Swords. His eyes widened with fear as Sekhmet began to call his surekill.

"Snake Fang Strike!"

Cye screamed loudly in pain, his voice echoing off the wall. Sekhmet was laughing with glee, his mind completely on destroying Torrent once and for all. But Master Talpa wanted Torrent alive. Very well, he wouldn't kill him. He would let Torrent kill himself.

He backed off, staring at Torrent. Cye was shaking and tears streamed down his face. "You might as well give in, Torrent. Your friends will never come."

Cye looked up and glared at his enemy. "Yes, they will come. I know it."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I have something you don't have. Hope."

Sekhmet rolled his eyes. "You are a fool, Torrent! I still don't see why Talpa won't let me finish you off now. It would be so easy. Just one strike and you'd be dead!"

"Then do it!" Cye suddenly screamed. "Kill me! Get it over with! I can't take suffering anymore!"

Sekhmet stepped back, a little shocked. "On second thought, I prefer you to suffer. And I must obey Master Talpa." With that he left the cell and locked it tightly.

Cye watched him go, smirking. Sucker. He shifted the best he could, and then suddenly sneezed. He wiped his mouth on his shoulder, and he looked out the bars.

And then he felt it. His kanji suddenly flared up on his forehead. The other Ronins! They've come at last! I'm getting out of here!

Chapt.19. A Desperate Attempt.

Ryo flew through several soldiers, striking them down with his swords, while Sage ran through more, swatting down soldiers with his nodatchi as if they were weeds. Rowen leapt through the air, firing arrows at more soldiers. Kento knocked down soldier after soldier, and finished them off with his three section staff. He was laughing.

"This is what you get for kidnapping my friend, Dynasty scum!" he yelled, and then twirled his weapon above his head. "Iron Rock Crusher!"

The ground shook and split open, the debris of the ground flew through the air, knocking down soldiers, destroying them until there were no more.

Rowen drew back his arrow on his bow. Light shone from the tip, and he drew power from it. "Arrow Shock Wave!" He let loose the arrow and it flew, trailing a powerful light behind it. It struck several soldiers who were coming into the battle, wiping them out.

Sage held his sword high above his head. "Thunder Bolt Cut!" His power went out and through the soldiers. They were gone.

"My turn!" Ryo shouted as he brought his swords together. "Flare Up Now!"

The heat from the blade went out. The soldiers tried to dodge, but it was no good. They were completely destroyed. That was the last of them.

Ryo sheathed his swords and turned around. "Let's go get Cye!"

"Yeah, let's do that!" Sage said.

"You bet!" Rowen said.

"Hang on, Cye! We're coming for you!" Kento cried happily.

All four ran in the direction of Talpa's castle. Along the way, they had to take out more soldiers who were trying their very best to keep the Ronins from getting into the castle.

"Talpa must be losing it," Ryo said as they ran. "All we get for a block is these lousy soldiers."

"I don't think that's the reason, Ryo," Rowen said as they leapt high over a building and onto the other side.

Ryo gave him a strange look. "What do you mean?"

"He wants to tire us out. That's why there's so many soldiers here. Talpa figures that if we get exhausted from fighting too many soldiers, his Warlords and Warladies will have an easier time defeating us."

Ryo understood."Alright, then. Let's not fight them. We'll run from them, so we can keep out strength. If it comes down to it, then we fight, and use out surekills. Got it?"

Everyone nodded.

They kept on running, dodging and sneaking their way around soldiers. They were getting closer to the castle. All of them had thought that going underground would work, but somehow their attempt had been found out.

I wonder if we can still get underneath the dungeon somehow, Ryo wondered as they jumped onto the roof of a building, and onto the next roof.

"Ryo, where do you think they're keeping Cye exactly?" Kento asked. "I mean I know they have him in the dungeon, but which one? They wouldn't put him in the Gargoyals would they?"

Ryo shook his head as they kept on running. "I don't know, Kento. for his sake I hope not."

"Cye's not in the Gargoyals," Sage said, firmly. "When I was captured I was put into a cell, and Cye was already there. Kento, don't you remember?"

Kento glared at him. "Hey, I tried to forget about that time!"

"Sorry!"

Rowen suddenly stopped, and Ryo smacked right into him. "Hey, Rowen, why'd you stop?"

"I can sense Cye," Rowen said.

The other three stood still. Their kanjis suddenly came to life on their foreheads. Yes. They could sense Cye too! But where was he?

Sage closed his eyes and raised his Halo sword high above his head. He concentrated, and let his soul search. The others were silent as they watched him. Ryo kept glancing around, keeping his guard up in case anyone not wanted should appear.

Sage finally opened his eyes. "He's somewhere underneath us," he said.

"Then, let's keep walking until his presence gets stronger," Ryo said. He turned and began walking with the others right behind him.

Cye's presence was getting stronger. They could feel it as their kanjis grew brighter and brighter.

"Boy, if our kanjis would appear when we wanted them to, we wouldn't need a flashlight at night," Ryo said.

"Could always have Sage light up."

"Kento, when we rescue Cye and get back to Mia's, remind me to kill you."

Kento gulped. "Come on, let's just find Cye!"

Rowen smiled as they ran on.

They came across a group of soldiers. The Ronins fought against them, destroying them with fierceness. No one was going to stop them from saving their friend!

Rowen leapt out of the way of a weighted chain and landed some feet away. He suddenly felt it. Cye. He was underneath his feet! "Alright!" Rowen cried happily. "We found him!"

He looked up, and kicked a soldier away from him, and flipped another over his shoulder. "Hey, guys! I found him! Cye's underneath me!"

Ryo swiped at a soldier, running it through with his Wildfire blades. "Hold that place, Rowen! We have to get rid of these soldiers first!"

Rowen fired his arrows. "No problem."

Sage saw a soldier sneaking behind his friend and quickly took it out. Rowen smiled at him. "Thanks."

Sage smiled back, then flipped his sword out and behind him, and right through the face of another soldier.

"Surekill time!" Ryo cried as he brought his swords together. "Flare Up Now!"

"My thoughts exactly!" Kento cheered. "Iron Rock Crusher!"

"Arrow Shock Wave!"

"Thunder Bolt Cut!"

The four powers went out, blasting away the soldiers until all were destroyed.. Ryo and Kento joined Sage and Rowen. Both could feel Cye's presence very strongly.

"So how do we get to him?" Kento wanted to know.

"We smash through, how else?"

Ryo shrugged. "Works for me!" With that he leaned down and began punching his fist into the ground. The other three joined him. The ground was cracking, slowly giving away. But one thing bothered them though. Why hadn't any of the Warlords and Warladies appeared?

Chapt.20. Freedom?

Cye felt the other Ronins' presence very strongly. He heard a crunching sound above him, and suddenly realized what was going on. They're coming in from above. I hope they make it soon, because I don't want...

His thoughts suddenly trailed off when he saw a very familiar person glaring at him. "So your friends found you, eh? Well, sorry, Torrent. They're going to lose you. Master Talpa wants you again."

"I don't want him," Cye muttered as Delia came in the cell. Four soldiers surrounded him, grabbing onto his arms as Delia loosened the cuffs. Cye suddenly kicked a soldier away, sending it into the wall, where it crumbled. He elbowed two more holding him, bruising his elbows, and flipped another one over his shoulder, before slamming it's head into the floor, destroying it. He leapt to his feet and bolted for the door when he was jerked back roughly.

"What do you think you're trying to prove, fishboy?" she snarled, holding him tightly. "Master Talpa wants you now!"

A loud crashing sound caused them both to turn around. Ryo, Sage, Kento, and Rowen glared at her.

Cye's face brightened.

"Lady, you better let our friend go, unless you want to get toasted!"

"Oh, really, Wildfire? I am so scared!" A sword suddenly appeared against Cye's throat, and he froze in terror.

The other Ronins stopped. They could see that Cye had gone pale, and that he was shaking. And they could also see the sword pressed against his throat.

"One step closer to me, Ronins, and Torrent dies!" Delia said. "And don't think of using your surekills! I'll make sure he's in the way!"

Ryo was thinking as fast as he could, while the others were praying that someone would come up with something. They watched in horror as Delia began to drag Cye up the hall.

"NO!" Kento shouted. He had stood still for long enough. No one was taking his best friend anywhere, especially to Talpa. He charged forward with the others right behind him.

Delia heard them coming, and lashed out with the flat of her sword, knocking Kento several feet backward, right into his friends. All four fell, their arms and legs in a tangle.

"Humph!" Delia snorted, then began to drag Cye again.

"Let me go!" Cye cried as he tried to pull loose. The sword reappeared at his throat, and he stopped.

"You will refrain from giving me a hard time, Torrent! Master Talpa wants you in throne room right now!"

A few minutes later Sage opened his eyes and groaned. He looked around, seeing that the lady and Cye were both gone. One by one the others woke up.

Ryo stood up. "Where's Cye?"

"Probably in Talpa's throne room by now," Sage said unhappily.

"Well, then what are we waiting for?" Kento said. "Let's get there and get Cye!"

"I don't think so, Ronins!"

Cye was trembling and tears of pain streamed down his face. The silver bindings were wrapped around his small frame and were sending electrical shocks into him, causing him to cry out in agony. He knew his friends were somewhere in the castle, and that comforted him, but Talpa had sent his warlords and that Delia after them, along with several soldiers, and he did not know whether or not they would be able to get to him in time.

Cye screamed again, his body thrashing violently. Badamon had a superior look on his face as he continued to torture the youngest Ronin.

"Please stop! I can't take it anymore!" Cye begged futilely.

Badamon only laughed in reply.

Kania watched sadly. Her heart ached him. Lately, the feelings she had for him were getting stronger, and it was all she could do not to cry for him. She turned her face away.

Talpa saw that. "Is something wrong, Kania? Don't you like my torture for Torrent?"

Kania did her best to nod. "It's just freaking me out the way he is screaming like that, my lord."

Talpa eyed her carefully, then glanced at an unconscious Torrent. Badamon was taking a break. He would torture Torrent further he awoke. But something bothered him. He had been noticing the pity looks Kania had been giving Torrent, and even knew that she had been visiting him without permission. She also fed him something he was not supposed to be fed.

But what to do about it. If he punished her, she could very well turn against him, and he did not want that. She was an excellent warrior, one he could not afford to lose. But what if he gave Torrent to her? She could very well be able to get him to switch sides. Yes, it just might work.

"Kania," he said, causing her to turn around and look directly at him. "I know you've had your eye on Torrent ever since I had him brought here." He did not fail to notice the scared look in her eyes. "So, I'm thinking of giving him to you."

Kania's eyes widened with delight. She could hardly believe it! Torrent would be hers, and forever! Oh, what luck! He is so good to me, she thought, glancing over at Cye's still body.

"Forget it!" someone snapped. "No one's having Cye at all!"

"WHAT?!" Talpa turned his head and nearly lost his jaw. Ryo of the Wildfire! He was here! But how? And where were the other three, and that stupid cat of Wildfire's? Wildfire was glaring at Talpa angrily, his blades held tightly and gleaming with deadliness.