Frozen in Time

By Pathfinder

Episode Five: The Sacred Sword

Karissa nervously paced back and fourth in her room. The Warlords and remaining Ronins were all over the apartment for the night, Ryo and Anubis suggesting a good nights sleep before they attempted any form of rescue. Karissa couldn’t sleep, so she retorted to pacing back and fourth. This wasn’t doing her much good.

She heard a knock at the door. "Come in," she said. The door slowly opened and in walked Cye, nervously blinking. "Cye. What are you doing up?"

"Couldn’t sleep, and I could tell that you couldn’t either," said Cye. Karissa pulled up two chairs and offered Cye a seat. Cye smiled and sat down. "Um, during our, discussion, you kept looking at me oddly. Why? Is it because I’m not Japanese like the others are? Well, Kento is Chinese and Sage is half-American, but, you know what I mean. Not of the Orient."

Karissa sighed. "Partially. . ."

Cye gulped. "What does that mean?"

"Well, for starters, where are you from?"

"England."

Karissa nodded her head slowly. "About three hundred fifty years ago Shogun destroyed the entire island and part of Europe."

Cye became silent and bowed his head. Karissa guessed that, at least, from his country of birth, that he was of the ancient religion Christianity, most of which had been wiped out. The position he took was very often taken by the people of that religious order during prayer. "I’m sorry for your loss."

"No, that’s all right. Anyone I knew would have been long gone by then. The only thing I would’ve lost would have been some great-great-great-great-"

"Grandchildren?" asked Karissa, cocking an eyebrow in surprise.

Cye shook his head, laughing. "No, nieces and nephews. I never married or had any form of sexual relations with anyone, so no, I did not loose any immediate offspring."

"Oh, just checking," said Karissa. "Anybody else?"

"I don’t think so. The Warlords, maybe, I mean, they were already pushing four hundred and fifty when we were frozen, so they’ve had time to make some long term relationships, but I think they would’ve mentioned that to us sooner. From what I know, the only one who ever had any children was Rowen and we all know what happened to her," said Cye, gesturing to Karissa. "But, now that I think about it, we missed out on a lot. I’ll never know how my mother reacted when she found out I was missing, and Kento’s parents, dear Lord! Ryo was lucky, I guess, he had no relatives. I had a mum and a sister, Kento had a bunch of relatives, Sage had parents, two sisters, and a grandfather he was VERY close with. Your father’s parents were divorced and he wasn’t really close with any of them, and I think the only people he was ever close with was your mother and us." The bearer of Torrent sighed heavily.

"I feel guilty about loosing Rowen on you guys," said Karissa.

"No, no, it wasn’t your fault, no way you could have prevented it," said Cye.

"Yes, if I had gotten there sooner I could have!" said Karissa.

Cye placed a hand on her shoulder. "Please, just calm down. He’ll be all right. Shogun will use him as bait, so we have to be careful about the rescue."

"I was considering using Anubis as a major player in the rescue, since he can use the Staff almost as well as myself or my mother could," said Karissa. "If I distracted Shogun, then Anubis could sneak in and use the Staff."

"I think Ryo had something similar to that in mind, only I’ll bet HE wanted to be the bait," said Cye with a chuckle. He stood up, brushed back some auburn hair. "I’d best get back to bed. We’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

"A very long day," said Karissa. "Good night."

Cye smiled, exiting the room. "G’night."

Cye woke up the following morning remembering the conversation he and Karissa had the previous evening. Karissa was so much like her mother and a little like her father, and she definitely looked like them both. Such a good blend of their traits. A perfect mix of Rowen and Kayura’s hair, Rowen’s eyes, Kayura’s smile and nose, and her personality was definitely Kayura through and through. She did have some of Rowen’s habits, though. Little things, like how she ate, her walk, small stuff.

The bearer of Torrent was suddenly struck by a thought. Kayura was never one to stay put when told to. "Oh God, she didn’t!"
He heard two grumbles in different areas of the room. Sehkment and Kento were just waking up. "Wha?" asked Sehkment, his green hair a mess.

"Cye, what are you talking about?" asked Kento.

"I think I’d better go check on Karissa-"

"Cye if ya got her-" Sehkment started before Cye shot him a death look.

"We did NOTHING of the sort!" he said. "I couldn’t sleep. We’re all worried about Rowen and mourning the loss of Kayura, and so is she. I heard her moving around so I went and talked with her then left. How dare you suggest such an action!"

"So does this mean you have the same opinion as to what Rowen did?" asked Sehkment.

"Rowen knew Kayura for a year or so at the time Karissa was conceived. Second of all, there was no doubt that they had feelings for each other even before the incident. You even said that Kayura had a crush on Rowen. I hardly know Karissa, but I DO know she has her mother’s ambitions and I think she might’ve gone off to go fight Shogun."
Sehkment’s eyes widened. "You mean fight Shogun. . . alone?"

Ryo walked in wearing one of the bathrobes Mya had provided. "Hey, anybody seen Anubis this morning?"

"Oh great," said Kento. "She’s worse than I am! Dragging someone else along for the ride as well!"

"Karissa, I honestly don’t think this is such a good idea," said Anubis and Karissa dragged him towards the general direction of Shogun’s fortress.

"Relax, I got it all figured out," said Karissa, smiling.

Anubis sighed heavily. Somehow he figured that she had missed a rather BIG loop hole. But still, she had somehow managed to convince him it was a good idea. "Where are we going?"
"You’ll see, ‘Nubis," said Karissa.

"Why do I get the feeling you aren’t telling me something?"

"Because. . . it’s a surprise!" said Karissa, grinning madly. She led him to what Anubis realized was the Temple of the Ancients. Or, what was LEFT of it. Most of the buildings had been burned or knocked down and only one pedestal remained.

Anubis gasped. "By the soul of the Ancient what happened here?"
"Shogun," said Karissa. She placed the Staff up against the pedestal. "I hope this works. Oh, and Anubis? Do not speak of this to anyone, unless absolutely necessary. As in during a rescue attempt. Got it?"

"Uh, whatever," said Anubis. (Note: Dixxy takes over after this point) Karissa began to chant some chants Anubis had never heard. The Staff began to glow, then it looked like it was splitting. "What are you DOING!?"
"Getting the secret treasure," said Karissa. The Staff stopped glowing and next to it lay a beautifully crafted golden sword. The hilt of the sword consisted of the same rings as the staff did. "This is the Sacred Sword of the Ancient. It is the same weapon used to defeat Talpa nearly two thousand years ago. Use it carefully, I’m entrusting it in your hands."

"What do you mean?" asked Anubis.

"When you vowed to take the Staff, you became a part of the Ancient One’s clan. Only a male can use this sword and since you’re the last male that isn’t captured-"

Anubis held up his hand. "Whoa, whoa, slow down. Are you saying I am a part of the Ancient’s clan? And are you suggesting that Rowen is as well?"

"Hey, it’s his blood pumping through my veins, I’d say he is," said Karissa. "There are many laws to the Ancient’s clan. Many laws that many of the past members have never even known. Most of these unknown laws have to do with members such as yourself."

Anubis nodded. "How do I use it?"

"How should I know?" asked Karissa. "I only know how to get it and that it exists, which is pretty obvious at this point. I never found an instruction manual."

Anubis nodded. He picked up the sword and took a few practice swings with it. Using the techniques he’d learned with the Staff, he willed it away and practiced calling it back a few times.

After he put it away he sensed something. "Karissa, behind me! Armor of Spring, Tao CHU!" In a flash Anubis stood in his smoky blue subarmor, looking around for the opponent he had sensed.

"ANUBIS!" screamed Karissa. Anubis looked behind to see a demon that looked a LOT like Talpa with a white face and red hair holding Karissa.

"Talpa! You-" Anubis started.

"I am not that fool Talpa. I am Shogun, ruler of this realm. Karissa and the Ancient One’s Staff are now mine, and there is nothing you can do to get them back," said Shogun, laughing as he teleported away.

POP!

That was the only way to describe the sound. Rowen sat up from his laying down position and blinked. After his torture session, he’d been sent to a dungeon, his armor orbe in Shogun’s control. He blinked, surprised. What was that weird sound? It was too dark to see with his eyes. Cale would’ve been better at what he was trying to accomplish, but Cale wasn’t available.

"Let me out you jerk!" Apparently, Rowen decided, Shogun had kidnapped a girl and had teleported her to the cell.

He heard Shogun’s evil laughter echo throughout the dungeon. "Never! You will never leave this place, Karissa of the Ancient’s Clan. Never. . ."

Rowen held back a gasp. That slime had gone near his daughter?! If he had his armor, then Shogun would get it good. He stood up and heard sobs. Shogun had "left" and Rowen knew that his daughter was in distress. He slowly and carefully walked over to the sound of the sobs. He saw a fairly short girl was blue hair, his old headband, and a medium blue kimono curled up against the wall.

Rowen saw down next to her and began to lightly stroke her head. "It’s all right, Karissa, it’s okay."

Karissa slowly looked up. Rowen almost cried. She looked so much like Kayura, so much like him. There was no doubting she was his daughter.

"Daddy?" she asked.

Rowen felt his heart soften at the mention of the name he knew he’d have to get used to. "It’s okay, Karissa, I’m here, don’t be afraid."

Karissa hugged him tightly, and Rowen returned the hug, feeling tears stream down his face. Karissa began to bawl into his shoulder and he gently rubbed her back, trying to soothe the emotional pain she was under. "I’m sorry, I’m so sorry."

"What are you sorry for?" asked Rowen. "I should be the one who’s sorry. I missed watching you grow up, you must hate me."

"No, you couldn’t help it. Mama told me when I was little that my daddy couldn’t see me but that I’d meet him when I was older," said Karissa. "If I had gotten to you before Shogun had we wouldn’t be here and he wouldn’t’ have your armor of the Staff-"

"He’s got WHAT!?" asked Rowen in alarm.

"The Staff. I had it with me when he captured me. Anubis tried to help me but he wasn’t fast enough. I just hope he can find the others and go get help," said Karissa. She relaxed in her father’s arms, Rowen still subconsciously rubbing his back.

"Well, it doesn’t look like we’re in trouble for now, so I think we can relax a little bit," said Rowen. "So, what have I missed over the past nine hundred fifteen years?"

Anubis ran for all he was worth back to the entrance to Mya’s underground apartment. "Ryo is going to kill me for letting her get caught, he’s going to kill me, he’s going to kill me-"

"There you are!" said the voice of Dais. His fellow Warlord looked at him. Dais, like he, was in subarmor. "What happened? Where’s Karissa?"

"Shogun has her," said Anubis. "We’re got to find the others pronto!"

"Shogun has Karissa?!" asked the voice of Kento in alarm.

Anubis nodded. "Yes, she dragged me out of bed early this morning to show me something. I sensed a dark force but by the time I realized what it was it was too late. Shogun is exceptionally fast. That, or he’s a very advanced teleporter. That’s how he got away. Teleportation."

"So Shogun can TELEPORT!?" said Dais. "This is not good. This is NOT good at all."

"Tell me about it," grumbled Anubis. "Our best bet is to regroup and find the others before he gets to anyone else."

"Did Shogun already get someone?" The three Ronins looked up to see a worried looking Ryo and the ever present White Blaze (Who REALLY missed Ryo) standing before them.

"Shogun not only has Rowen, but he’s also got Karissa and the Ancient’s Staff," said Kento. "If we don’t act fast then we’ll start dropping like flies!"

"Don’t say that!" said Dais. "We can’t let him know we’re afraid."

"I’m not afraid of Shogun!" said Kento.

"Kento, you’re forgetting that you are now nine hundred and thirty-one years old. You are only nine hundred and thirty-one years old because Shogun turned you into a Popsicle for the past nine hundred and fifteen years. I think we have a good REASON to be scared," said Dais.

"Enough!" said Ryo. "Kento is right, we need to be careful. We have to let Shogun know we’re weary of him and that we’re taking precautions, that way he won’t over estimate us. Dais is right in that we can’t let him think we’re a bunch of cowering chickens, we need to act but we need to act safely. Let’s go find the others and hope that we can come up with something, all right?"
"All right," said Dais and Kento in unison.

Anubis looked at Ryo. "You handled that very well. I’m impressed," he said.

Ryo laughed. "Thanks, ‘Nubis," he said.

"No problem."