"You knew that Reann was going to turn traitor!" Tento yelled enraged.

"What!? Are you out of your mind? I didn't know that she was going to switch

sides!" Katie yelled back.

"What's with all of the yelling in here?" Maguyser asked as he entered the

room. He looked around and saw only two instead of three of his fighters.

"Where's Reann?" Katie and Tento cringed a bit, because both of them knew

that they had to inform him, or otherwise he would find out for himself.

"Master...Reann switched sides. She's with the Ronins now as we speak."

Tento replied as he braced himself for Maguyser to release his anger.

"It doesn't matter, she was useless anyway. I have what I want, but

unfortunately, only part of my revenge is completed." Maguyser said as he

paced through the candle lit room.

"Only part, master?" Katie asked in slight confusion.

"Yes, the only part of my revenge that's missing is the destruction of the

Ronin Warriors. I have my warrior back, and I have the one person that can

change that being held captive in the dream of tortures. It's been a while

since I've used that particular spell. I'm surprised that it actually

works." Maguyser replied with a laugh.

~~~***~~~

Fuming as he was pacing the room, trying to calm himself down, but he knew

that he wouldn't calm down until he had Kaye back safe and sound. Reann

watched Kento as he paced, Kento saw that she was watching him. So he threw

her an angry glare and a low growl in his own way that he doesn't trust her

at all.

Reann looked away, and Kento continued to pace. "I don't blame him. Why

would he want to trust someone that hurt the one that he cares about. I know

that I wouldn't want to either." Reann thought to herself.

"So now what? We can't just stay here and keep hidden!" Sage asked as he was

starting to get just a little annoyed.

"I know, Sage, but until we come up with how to find Kaye, and get her and

Katie back, we're staying." Ryo replied as he closed his eyes.

"But Ryo, the only one that can get Katie back is Kaye." Cye said as he

glanced over towards Kento. As soon as her name was said, he stopped pacing

and slammed his fist into the wall.

"Damn!" Kento swore angrily as he pulled out his hand from the giant hole.

"Kento!" Rowen scolded with a slight frown.

"What! I'm not going to apologize for my actions, Rowen, so forget it!"

Kento replied as he glanced over at him.

"Guys knock it off! We can't afford to fight among us. That's exactly what

they want us to do. Don't you see that?" Cye asked as he was trying to calm

them down.

"Yea." Kento replied as he sighed. "Sorry, Rowen."

"I'm sorry too, Kento. I...We all know how concerned you are about Kaye, so

are we. Don't worry, we'll find her, ok." Rowen said as he looked over to

him. Kento nodded to show that he understood.

"We might as well assume that Maguyser knows that Kaye is the only one that

can bring Katie back, right." Sage said as he decided to change the

conversation a bit.

"Yea, so then that doesn't give us much time." Ryo replied as he finally

stood up.

"Wait, you're not thinking of going out there and trying to find them on

your own, are you?" Reann asked urgently.

"Yea, what's it to you anyway?" Kento snapped back.

"It's just that I think that it'll be quicker if I helped you find your way

around here, that's all." Reann replied as she got in front of them.

"Yea right. like we're going to trust you! As far as we know, you'll turn on

us as soon as you get the chance!" Kento said angrily.

"Look, I don't care that you trust me or not! I didn't have to save your

friend's life back there! I could have just let her kill him off, but I

didn't!" Reann snapped back.

"Hey, hey! That's enough! We're wasting more and more time standing here and

listening to the two of you argue! Now either you two can bury it or we can

just waste even more time! It's your choice, so what's it going to be?" Ryo

asked as he was more than just a little annoyed.

"Alright, alright, but if you even think of betraying us, then you'll be

sorry, you got me." Kento warned as he glared at her.

"Yea I got ya. Now let's go already. I'm getting bored just standing here."

Reann replied as she lead them out.

~~~***~~~

In Kaye's mind...Smoky images of people glided all around her like ghosts.

Some of those images passing through her, making her become cold. Kaye

dropped to her knees as she wrapped her arms around herself, shuddering from

the immense cold. She tries to get up, but each time Kaye does, she falls

back down again. Haunting voices of people being in pain and suffering echo

through out her mind. "Stop it! Please, no more!" Kaye pleads in a shaky

voice as she keeps on trying to stand. Just then, Kaye's kanji of

determination started to glow. The smoky images started to back away into

the shadows. As soon as they were far enough away, Kaye finally could stand.

She started to walk again in no particular direction. She knew that this was

only the beginning of what Maguyser had planned. But what did he have

planned anyway? She wasn't sure, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to find

out.

"I don't know if you can hear me, but please hurry, Kento." Kaye thought as

her kanji faded.

"Kaye?" Kento asked quietly as he suddenly stopped, making them run into

him.

"Kento?" Cye asked as he looked at him with concern.

"I heard her, or at least I think I did." Kento replied as he slightly

frowned.

"This way." Reann said as she directed them down a corridor that lead to

where Kaye is being held. As she glanced back she noticed that they were

still standing there. "Well, are you coming or what? You want your friend

back right?"

"Yea, of course we do. What kind of question is that?" Rowen asked in slight

annoyance.

"Never mind." Reann replied as she shook her head and continued to lead

them. They went a bit further down the corridor, until they came upon a door

that seemed to be blocking them from continuing on any further.

"Great, so now what?" Kento asked as he rolled his eyes.

"Now we go in, it was open." Reann replied as she pushed the door open. The

huge metal door creaked, as it slowly opened.

The guys cringed as the door creaked.

"Loud enough?" Sage asked sarcastically as they went inside.

"It's too dark, and too quiet, I don't like this at all." Rowen said with a

bit of uneasiness.

"I know what you mean, Rowen. I don't like it either." Sage replied as they

all cautiously continued their way inside.

"What the..?" Kento asked as he squinted in order to see. "Kaye?"

"Kento, wait!" Ryo called out to him as Kento ran over to her. Ignoring Ryo,

Kento kept running towards her. When he finally made it to Kaye, he stopped.

"Don't worry, angel, everything is going to be alright." Kento whispered her

nickname to her as he was looking for a key, or anything that would free

her. As he continued to look, he noticed that she gave no indication of a

response, verbal or otherwise. "Angel? Guys, something’s wrong!"

The others quickly ran over to them. "Kento, what's wrong?" Cye asked in

concern.

"Kaye's not responding." Kento replied quietly.

"Kento, move." Sage said as he guided him out of the way. Sage frowned

slightly as he began to look her over. He couldn't really see anything wrong

with her per say. But when he got to her eyes, he backed away.

"Sage?" Ryo asked in concern.

"Her eyes..." Sage replied in shock.

"What about her eyes Sage?" Cye asked as he looked at him. "Sage?"

"See for yourself." Sage replied quietly.

Cye frowned at him, and then he looked closely at Kaye's eyes. "Oh

God...She's not..."

"No, Torrent, Dream Walker isn't dead. Well, not yet anyway, we'll see what

happens when the master is done with her, then we'll see if she's dead or

not." Tento replied as he and Katie came in blocking their only way out.

Maguyser laughed wickedly as Tento and Katie stood by his side. Tento

smirked smugly at the Ronins about something he obviously knew of. Katie

stood wearing the same ninja outfit she had on before as she placed a hand

on her hip and smiled at the Ronins, happy that her new play toys had come

back to play. Kento growled and took a step towards the three. "What did you

do to Kaye?!" he demanded to know.

"The Dream Walker? I just put her in an endless dream of tortures, nothing

to worry about." Maguyser replied calmly and laughed more.

Kento growled more at his statement, balling his hand into a fist at his

side. This guy was seriously starting to push his buttons to the limit,

"Release her now!"

Maguyser and his two minions laughed at his comment, "Well, you are good for

something Hardrock, a laugh that is." Maguyser said, smiling at the glare

Kento gave him.

Katie took a step towards the Ronins and Reann, still smiling brightly about

something only she knew of, "Well Reann, what's it like being on the losing

side?"

Reann squared her shoulders and looked Katie directly in the eye, "The way I

see it, you're the one on the losing side so why don't you ask yourself that

question, Katie?"

"That's enough out of you, Reann! Tento, Katie kill them all!" Maguyser

shouted his orders and vanished from the room.

Katie took her sais from her sides and twirled them, laying cold eyes on

Reann as she pointed the one in her right hand at her, "You're mine, Reann."

Reann took a fighting stance and held her challenging look, "Bring it if you

got it, Katie."

Katie couldn't help but let a predatory smile curl at her lips at Reann's

less than confident challenge. Reann could be such a fool at times and her

foolishness was going to get her killed ---right her and right now. "You're

going to die, and by my blade, Reann." she threatened her, "Then I'll get the

rest of them when I'm done with you." She pointed her sai in the general

direction of the Ronins.

Reann couldn't help but laugh at her. Her words held so much confidence but

no action to back it up with. Sure she could say she was going to take them

all down but in reality, she wasn't even going to come close to it. Katie

had no idea of what was in store for her. "Your pride has always been your

downfall, Katie." she calmly stated to her, "You can say whatever you want

to, but in reality --it's not going to happen."

Katie chortled wickedly at her. An unnatural smile played on her lips,

"Talk, talk, talk and more talk is all you've ever been about, Reann. You're

a disgrace to the demon race and to Master Maguyser." She cockily remarked

to her.

Reann felt her blood start to boil at her comment. How dare she call her

that, she had been nothing but loyal to Maguyser all the years she had been

under his rule. Only now had she ever thought of betraying him and it was

all to save her. Katie, her one and only friend. No, this person was not her

friend. This person was a heartless warrior who could care less what

happened to her. "No." she said firmly, "You are the disgrace, Katie. A

disgrace to your brother, family and friends. Can't you see what you're

doing is wrong?"

"Enough talk." Tento said finally, "Talking won't save any of you from

dying."

"Just maybe delay it for a while." Katie added.

"Nobody's dying today." Ryo spoke up, "But you, Tento, and your master!"

Tento laughed at him. "Such silly words, but whatever keeps you going." He

smirked suddenly. "May I remind you, Wildfire, that you and Halo do not have

your armors. This fight will be pointless for you two."

Ryo's shoulders slumped at hearing the truth. He was right after all; he and

Sage really had no chance against him and Katie without the armors. If only

they could get them back somehow. Sage stepped up to stand next to Ryo, a

fierce light burned in his violet eyes. "It doesn't matter if we have those

armors or not Tento. We will defeat you," he replied in nothing more then

pure confidence.

"Whatever you say, it means nothing to me. It’s all just talk in my eyes."

Tento replied while grabbing the sword off his back. "Quit stalling and

start killing, Katie."

Katie glared at him in a threatening challenge. "Don't order me around,

Tento. May I remind you that you're lower ranking then I am, amigo." Her

words dripped with sarcasm and an almost daring look was in her eyes. It was

almost as if she were daring him to order her to do something again.

Tento backed down from saying anything else to her. Instead he turned his

attention on the Ronins. "Now let's see. Who shall I have the pleasure of

killing?" he thought to himself out loud.

"You're mine, Tento. I got a score to settle with you." Kento spoke, anger

evident in his voice.

"Well now, I at least have one already. Now who else?" Tento pondered to

himself.

"Reann, Wildfire and Halo are all mine. The rest are yours, touch any of the

ones I called and you will seriously regret it, Tento." Katie answered for

him.

"Fine," he replied, becoming annoyed with her and the fact that he had to

fight any of them. "You Ronins ready?"

Cye, Rowen, and Kento raised their weapons to ready positions, preparing to

engage in a fight with Tento. Kento smirked and narrowed his eyes at him, he

had a grudge against Tento and nothing was going to get in his way of taking

care of that; nothing. Rowen glanced over at Ryo and Sage. He was worried

about them, they had no armor and to make matters worse ---they had to fight

Katie. Before any of them could blink Tento had swooped down upon them and

the fight was on.

Katie twirled her sais in a bored fashion, while she kept her eyes glued to

Reann. This is what it all comes down to, she thought to herself. She could

take down Ryo and Sage no problem, but Reann may prove to be a little more

of a challenge. Lets just face it, Ryo and Sage are helpless without their

armors and to top it off ---they had no weapons either. Hand to hand combat

is what it would come down to with them and that, she thought with a smile,

would be the easiest way to kill them.

Reann took her usual fighting stance, keeping her eyes focused on Katie. The

number one key to winning a fight was to always maintain eye contact with

your foe. Break eye contact and you lose, that's the way she had been

taught. "Ryo, Sage, leave her to me." she coldly said to them while keeping

her back turned to them and her focus on Katie.

"What?" Sage responded, stunned at what she had said.

"You and Ryo have no armor and really stand no chance against her." she

explained to him, "Stay out of my way and leave her to me."

"No," Ryo said, standing his ground. "She's my sister and there for I have

to fight her. I can't let you do this on your own."

"Ryo,"

"No, Reann." he repeated, his eyes burning with an inner fire. "I don't care

what my odds are, I'm going to take them." He looked over at Sage who gave a

nod to what he was saying.

"How touching." Katie said, her words grating and cold. "Are you three done

yet or can I just start killing you all now?"

Reann turned her head to face her again, her eyes narrowed in a

not-so-amused glare. "Yea we can start now. You and me. Leave Ryo and Sage

out of this." she replied to her.

"Oh don't worry." Katie said, smiling dangerously. "Once you're gone you

won't have to worry about what happens to them."

"I doubt that will happen."

Katie smirked, "I don't doubt, I just know." She replied and lunged at her,

sais outstretched and ready to strike.

Reann dodged her attack and came at her from the back. Katie was quicker and

slipped away from her with remarkable speed. Stunned, Reann didn't know how

to react ---Katie did though. While Reann was still trying to figure out

where she had gone to, Katie came at her from the back. Reann sensed her

oncoming attack and dodged her, just barely though. Reann jumped back away

from Katie to regroup her thoughts. She was good, armed she was even better,

but Reann knew her weaknesses. No wait, she knew the other Katie's

weaknesses. This Katie was not the same one she had known for so long. This

one was an imposter who knew no limits.

"This is just too easy." Katie gloated to herself, "Maybe I shouldn't even

use my sais. Give you more a chance maybe?"

"Afraid to fight me without them, Katie?" Reann taunted back, "You know

you'll lose without them don't you?"

Katie smirked and twirled her sais, replacing them back on her belt that

went around her waist. "I don't need any weapons to take care of you, Reann.

In fact, I think I'll get more satisfaction out of killing you with my own

two hands." she replied coldly, her eyes sparkling with an odd excitement.

Reann couldn't help but smile to herself at knowing her plan to get her to

unarm herself had worked. Now the odds are a little more even. She thought

to herself. "You ready to go down, Katie?" She asked her.

Katie grinned like a kid in a candy store and came at Reann again. This time

Reann was ready for her. She blocked her attack with her arm and then

brought her left foot up in an attempt to kick her. Katie foresaw her attack

and dodged it with ease, grabbing onto the arm she had blocked her first

attack with and swinging her around. Reann went with the flow of motion and

swung right back around to meet her face to face, throwing off what she had

planned. Instead she swung Katie's arm behind her and was about to ram her

into the wall when Katie used the momentum and scaled the wall,

somersaulting over Reann's shoulder ---ramming her into the wall and

listening to a sickening crack ring out, signaling she had dislocated

Reann's shoulder blade.

Reann cried out in agony making Katie grin in nothing more than glee from

hearing it. Desperate, Reann did the only thing she could think of to get

Katie away from her. Taking her left foot she hooked it around Katie's

ankle, trying to trip her. It worked, but not the way she had intended it

to. When she yanked her foot out from under her, Katie only caught herself

by backhand springing away from her. Didn't matter though. It gave Reann the

time she needed to snap her shoulder back into place. Gritting her teeth she

slammed her shoulder against the wall again, screaming as pain racked her

body again.

Shaking it off she turned back to face her appoint. Katie smiled at her

suffering, thoroughly enjoying herself. Reann came at her again with a

series of kicks and punches that Katie only either dodged or reflected.

Having enough of it being one sided; Katie spun around with a roundhouse

kick to the head aimed for Reann. Reann caught her foot and smirked at the

surprised expression she had on her face when she did.

"Had enough?" she asked her sweetly.

Katie smirked, and swung her body around. Kicking Reann in the face with her

other foot while she still held the other one. "I'm just getting started."

she replied low and dangerously to Reann who was now sprawled out on the

ground.

Reann shook her head to clear her vision of the fuzziness she was now

seeing. Looking over to her right she saw Tento. Nothing out of ordinary

about him, except for the two glowing orbs that protruded from his pocket.

Realizing what they were she got up in an attempt to get to him. So much for

that idea. Katie came out of nowhere and cut her off before she could even

take two steps towards him.

"Going somewhere?" Katie asked her calmly as if she were just having an

every day conversation with her.

Reann tried to elbow her, but Katie only dodged it and sunk her fist into her

stomach in a blow that knock the wind out of her, sending her to her knees.

Before Katie could deal the final blow someone knocked her to the ground.

That someone turned out to be Sage who held her to the ground in a tight

lock.

She wiggled and tried to break free but he only held onto her tighter. "She

Ok, Ryo?" he yelled over his shoulder.

Ryo knelt down next to Reann and looked her over. "Yea," he said finally, "I

think she'll be fine."

"Good." He responded and turned back to Katie who was not looking too happy

at the moment with her predicament. "Now as for you, I think its time you

snapped back to reality."

Katie smirked cockily at him. "And just how are you going to do that?" She

taunted him, "Awaken me with love's true kiss?" she laughed wickedly. "Wake

up and smell the roses, Romeo. She's gone so just give it up already. There's

nothing you can do to bring her back!"

"You're wrong!" he replied stubbornly, not wanting to believe anything she

was saying to him.

"Fine," she said and shrugged lightly," I guess you're just one of those

guys who have to learn everything the hard way."

Reann looked over at Tento and the fight that was going on between him and

the other Ronins then back at Ryo. "Ryo, Tento has Sage’s and your armor

orbs."

"What? How?"

"I saw them." she continued, "They're in his pocket. If only I could get to

them somehow."

"No way. You're hurt as it is." Ryo replied with a shake of his head.

"Sage has Katie distracted at the moment so I won't have to worry about her.

If I can get to him before he knows what's happening then I can get them and

to you guys without him even knowing it."

"Reann, are you even listening to me?" he asked and then continued before she

could respond. "You can't do it; it's too dangerous."

"Ryo it's the only way," she replied. "You two need your armors."

"Yea but-"

"No buts," she said and stood up. "I'm getting them." Turning from him she

sought out Tento. Finding him in the middle of taking on Kento and Cye she

made her way stealthily towards him. Coming up from behind him while he was

busy she made a quick swipe for his pocket. Knocking the two glowing orbs

from the pocket she grabbed them, making a hasty retreat away from him.

Tento turned around in time to see what she had done but couldn't do

anything about it since he had three Ronins to attend to at that moment.

Forgetting about Reann and the orbs she had stolen from him he returned to

his battle.

Reann grinned from ear to ear and held up the orbs. "Hey guys!" She shouted

to gain Ryo and Sage's attention. "Did you guys want these?"

Ryo could only smile. Sage looked up at her and was amazed to see what it

was she was holding. Reann tossed the orbs to them. Almost at the same time,

they both latched onto their own orb and were clad in under armor in no

time. Katie got to her feet and cursed under her breath. Her plan to get rid

of Reann and the two Ronins had just now been shot all to pieces.

"And now the fun begins." Ryo said before he shouted his call to arms.

"Armor of Wildfire... Dao Jin!"

Sage followed suit after him shouting, "Armor of Halo.... Dao Chi!"

The Ronins who had been fighting stopped when the familiar call to arms rang

through out the room. Relief washed over them at the turn of events. Finally

things were starting to look on the bright side for them. With things the

way they had been going the bright side was sure a good side to see again.

Before anymore fighting could take place a blinding bright light came

through the ceiling of the room and hit the floor right in front of Ryo and

Sage. A small orb floated in the middle of the light. The orb glowed and

sailed over to Katie who looked a little more than baffled by its actions.

Everyone watched as the armor of Crystal formed its self on Katie without

her even summoning it. The last thing anyone saw was a bright light envelop

her and the entire room.

______________________________________________________________________

Where am I? What is this place? What happened to me?

It is time to come back and take rightful control back over. A voice said to

her.

Who's there? Show yourself!

A bright light shined in the distance and she looked over in that direction.

Curious as to what the light could be. The light almost seemed to be calling

to her, beckoning her over to it. The light seemed oddly familiar to her for

some reason. Cautiously she walked towards this glowing light. Not sure if

it was some kind of trick or not.

Do not be afraid, young one. It is time for you to come back. To come back to

the people who love you, the people who care about you and are very worried

about you.

How.... How do I do that?

Walk into the light and everything will be clear to you.

Trusting the voice she did as it had instructed her to do. Taking a deep

breath she stepped into the light and immediately felt renewed and restored.

It felt like she was falling forever in that light before the falling

stopped and she knew she had found her way back.

________________________________________________________________________

The light pulsed and then died down to nothing as it finally left. Leaving

behind a now free Katie in her Crystal armor. Feeling drained and exhausted

beyond belief the Crystal armor disappeared from her, leaving her in her

ninja outfit as she collapsed to the floor in one massive heap. Its job done

it was no longer needed nor could she sustain the armor in her weakened

state.

Not quite believing what had just happened everyone stood in shock for what

seemed like an eternity before Ryo finally broke from his stupor and ran to

his sister's side. "Katie!" he shouted, "Oh Gods, please let her be all

right."

Sage followed not shortly after him. Checking her over to make sure she had

a pulse. Finding one he thanked the Gods, "She has a pulse. I think she was

just overloaded. She'll be out for a while."

Ryo didn't even seem to have heard him. All he could do was hold his sister

in a tight hug, something that he hadn't been able to do in a while, as

tears of joy streamed down his face. Reann smiled lightly and collapsed to

the ground. Her whole body hurt and her legs were now too weak to sustain

her anymore.

Tento looked on in disbelief and then left before anything could have been

done to him.