Chapter Eighteen: The Beginning of The End

     "Crystal? Crystal, come on, open your eyes," said Ryo worriedly. The battle field was covered by the destroyed soldiers. Ryo was in his sub armor and was kneeling beside me. I opened my eyes slightly and saw three or four spinning versions of Ryo's head. I closed them again and breathed deeply. I heard the sound of paws hitting rock and hoofs hitting stone as White Blaze and Starlight walked over.

     "What is it White Blaze?" asked Ryo to his companion. White Blaze looked at Starlight and roared softly. Ryo was confused as by what his friend wanted him to do, but he stood up and brought Starlight closer to me. Her horn began to glow as she lowered her head toward my body. A white light surrounded me and the cuts on my sub armor disappeared and the pain subsided. She brought the horn above my face, which had a dark red blood caked streak across it. The cut began to glow and the blood disappeared. The glow subsided and Starlight collapsed to the ground. Ryo said to me,

    "She's exhausted and she couldn't finish healing you." I sat up, feeling fine.

    "What didn't she heal? I feel fine," I asked. Ryo just nodded his head to a small lake that was nearby. I walked over and looked at my reflection. I gave a gasp as I saw what he meant. I brought my hands up to my face and followed the long dark scar that started from just below my left eye. I followed down my face, below the nose and ended with it a little to the right of the right corner of my mouth. I sat there and stared at the face that was my reflection. I closed my eyes and let the tears slide silently down my face. I felt a hand on my shoulder.

     "It's not that bad. Besides, it's not permanent," said Ryo soothingly. I looked at him and said,

     "How is this not permanent?"

    "Well, I know a certain Ronin with healing powers that once cured me of blindness and could probably get that scar off your face in a jiffy," said Ryo with a sly smile and a wink.

     "Well then, lets go find them," I said standing up and wiping the tears from my eyes.

    "But where to look?" asked Ryo out loud to himself. I answered for him.

    "I'll find them."

    "How?"

    "Like this," I said, closing my eyes. I thought about nothing but my friends and the Ronin Warriors. Soon, I could see them. I started describing the place to Ryo.

    "I see them. They are in two different rooms divided by a hallway. All of them are in the same fashion. They are in a pedestal with five faces. They are suspended by the wrists and are still in their armor. That's it. The image is gone," I said, opening my eyes.

     "They are inside Talpa's castle. Can't he learn how to hold people captive like normal people in a dungeon," said Ryo with a smile.

    "I thought the dungeon look was out," I said smiling. Ryo turned his head and looked out at Talpa's castle. My smile dropped.

    "Sorry, but it will take some time to get used to it, until Sage fixes it at least," said Ryo. I accepted his apology and got on Starlight. Ryo got onto White Blaze and they starting running for Talpa's castle. Besides an occasional soldier, we ran into no trouble.

    "Something's not right. His defenses should be increasing, not decreasing," I said.

    "I wonder what he has planned," said Ryo. We soon found out. Ahead of us were thousands of soldiers. I pulled Starlight to a stop. Ryo was about to armor up, but I stopped him.

    "Let me take care of them," I said, hopping off of Starlight. He didn't stop me. I walked up to them in my sub armor and stopped a few dozen feet in front of them. I closed my eyes and concentrated. The soldiers started running at me, but they soon halted and retreated back at a slow pace. Around me, a purple glow emanated. I opened my eyes and in a blink of an eye, the soldiers were gone. I walked back to Ryo and got on Starlight.

    "What just happened?" he asked.

    "I used my powers and caused a giant whirlwind of energy to blow them to bits," I explained. Ryo just looked at me with a confused look, and was about to say something, but stopped himself.

     "What?" I asked him.

    "Nothing. Let's go!" he said. White Blaze started running and I put Starlight into a gallop to keep up. Soon we arrived at the door that led to Talpa's castle. Before opening the door, I said to Ryo,

    "The guys are to the right with the warlords. I'm going left to get my friends. Watch for Talpa, ok?"

    "Sure. And you keep an eye out for Scarbna," said Ryo. I nodded. I jumped as the doors slowly creaked opened. I looked at Ryo, whose face was pale from the shock. He quickly covered it up by winking at me before he and White Blaze ran off to the right. I hopped off of Starlight and we ran to the left.

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    Ryo and White Blaze stopped in front of a black door. There were no other doors. He opened the door slowly. White Blaze sniffed the air and darted in.

     "White Blaze!" whispered Ryo harshly. But it was too late. He was inside the door and out of ear shot. Ryo walked in and closed the door. He waited for his eyes to adjust to the dark. He felt along the wall for a switch of some kind. He found one and flipped it. Instantly, several torches lit up the room in an eerie glow.

    "Hey guys. What are you doing hanging around here for?" asked Ryo.

    "Stop with the jokes and get us down from here," said Kento. Ryo climbed up the pedestal and ripped the lock off of Kento's chains. Kento landed on his feet, rubbing his wrists.

    "I'm free! I'm free!" said Kento happily.

    "How about you help us down, Kento? Or else, who will cook for you?" asked Sai, slightly annoyed.

     "Oh yeah, right. Coming!"

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     Starlight's horn lit up the hallway well enough for me to find my way. Soon, in front of me, was a silver door. I opened it, and peeked inside. Torches lit the room and I saw my friends. I walked in and Starlight followed. I closed the door behind me.

     "Long time, no see," I said.

    "Crystal? No way!" said Lita.

     "Great to see you, but can you get us down from here?" asked Amy. I shrugged my shoulders.

     "Do you really think I'd leave you hanging?" I said.

     "Crystal!" said everyone angrily at me. I closed my eyes and thought of the chains. They glowed purple and shattered into pieces. Amy, Rose, Selene, and Lita dropped to the ground.

    "Where are the others?" asked Selene worriedly.

     "Ryo has that covered," I said.

     "Ryo's ok? That's great!" said Lita happily.

    "You weren't worried about him, Lita, were you?" said Rose nudging Lita's ribs with her elbow.

    "I never said that," said Lita, turning beet red and getting angry.

     "Guys, come on, let's go meet up with Ryo and the guys," I said, breaking up the fight before it started.

    "You aren't going anywhere," said a female voice from behind us. We got ready to fight.

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    Sage dropped down from the pedestal after Ryo finally got his chains open. All that was left was to free the warlords and Kayura. Ryo looked tired from ripping locks off of chains, so Sage said,

     "I got this covered, Ryo." Ryo looked grateful. Sage pulled out his sword and jumped into air. He sliced through the chains with ease and Kayura, Kale, Dais, and Sekhmet jumped harmlessly to the ground.

    "About time you showed up, Ryo," said Sekhmet.

      "Yes, you took your time getting here," said Dais.

    "Well, Talpa had about five hundred thousand soldiers on us, ok. Give me a break!" said Ryo in an angered tone.

     "Dais means no remorse. He is grateful," said Kale to Ryo.

    "Yes, now lets get out of here while we still have our heads," said Kayura.

    "You will not go anywhere, Ronins, for I will win this time," said Talpa, stepping out of the shadows.

     "No matter how many times you say that, Talpa, we will always win," said Rowen.

     "Not really, foolish mortal," said Talpa as he stretched out one hand and stuck up his pointer finger and his middle finger, forming a V. Sage realized what he was doing and shoved Ryo behind the pedestal.

    "Sage, what are you doing?" asked Ryo.

    "If you get sucked into him, we have no hope. Ryo, you can still form the Inferno if we are inside Talpa, but not if you're in there," said Sage. From Talpa's fingers, purple energy spiraled out. Anything with armor was sucked in. Dais, Kale, Sekhmet, and Kayura disappeared. Rowen went next. Sai and Kento slammed their weapons into the ground to stop them from sliding into Talpa, but the force was too strong for them. Sage slammed his sword into the ground. He looked at Ryo with his violet eyes and said,

     "Cream Talpa this time. Don't worry about us dying or anything, because we won't," said Sage. He tried to hold back his tears, but a tiny one escaped Sage's eye and traveled down the contour of his face. Suddenly, his sword slipped out of the ground and he went flying toward Talpa. His eyes were full of sadness and of the hope he had in Ryo.

     "Sage! No!" screamed Ryo as Talpa closed his fist and laughed evilly. Then Talpa began to grow.

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     Scarbna stood before us in her silver armor and laughed at our futile attempts to fight her. She dodged every attack, every sure kill and delivered blows of her own. Amy, Lita, Selene, and Rose lay on the ground, nearly unconscious. I was extremely mad.

     "You want me, Scarbna? You got me. Armor of Psyche, Tao Chi!" I said. Purple light blasted up from the ground. When it left, I stood in my armor. I removed my swords from my sheaths. I brought my swords together and said,

     "Psychic Boom!" The swords glowed with golden energy and I slammed them into the ground. The ground ripped apart but it didn't phase Scarbna.

     "Is that the best you've got? Let me show you how it's done," she said pulling out her sword and slicing at me. I dodged her every thrust, but one hit me in the head. My helmet was knocked onto the ground.

    "Oh my, look what my little soldier did to your face. What a shame, and you were so pretty too. Who would want you now?" said Scarbna, enjoying my anger and pain and embarrassment. My swords glowed purple and I screamed,

     "I'll show you! Psychic Takedown!" I touched the tips of my swords together and purple energy slammed into Scarbna, sending her flying into the far wall. I picked up my helmet and placed it back on.

    "Crystal," said a faint voice. I looked down to see Selene, who was barely conscious.

    "Selene, are you ok?" I asked worriedly.

     "Crystal, I'm worried. No matter what happens to us, you must kill her," she said.

     "But what if she . . . " I couldn't finish the sentence.

    "So what if she does. You've got to do it," said Selene.

    "I won't hurt you guys in the process. You're my only friends," I said.

    "So I've noticed. I'll take them as well," said Scarbna, standing. She raised her hand above her head. Amy, Rose, Lita, and Selene began to glow. Then, one by one, they shot at Scarbna's hand, one light for each person. Selene left last.

    "No, guys. Come back!" I said through tears of sadness. Scarbna laughed at my weakness.

    "Stop laughing," I said. She just laughed harder. I rose and turned to her.

    "I'm SO terrified," she said sarcastically.

    "Prepare to die," I screamed, charging her. I won't let you have them. They were my friends, my only true friends. You can't have them, for as long as I'm alive and on the side of good, you will feel my pain. I will not let you WIN!!!