Chap. 11
Hang Me on a Loop of Crystal




Jumping over a bridge, he passed the territory of the atrium. His brown locks of hair flopped around, and his twilight eyes reflected the sun's rays. When he jumped over the railings of stone, he had reached out as if something was there for a sideways landing. A bunch of monstrous soldiers and hags collided at him as if he were a legion of barbarians! Sai slit the soldiers like marshmallows on a stick, cooking them nicely in the heat. But he wasn't aware that he was falling slowly into a trap. Very slowly…
Ryo shouted, "Why is that stupid boy idiotic enough to go by himself to face a 100% most likeable death?" He shivered a bit to think of Sai being dead… or any of his friends. He just wished he could PHYSICALLY help Sai… not in his mental mind. Within sight, Whiteblaze was pounding his paws to the ground, racing to his master, Ryo. Licking him, he growled and stared up in the sky.

Ryo gentled the Whiteblaze, "Easy now. Sai is all right…" --GROWL-- He very well couldn't lie to his big, white tiger. This tiger knew what he was thinking internally.
The Whiteblaze then turned into a fighting stance, where he faced a figure in the blinding light. Though his bright band on his head and short swift hair wandered through the wind, in full armor.

Sage cried, "ROWEN!" He jumped onto his feet, staring mournfully at his injury. Kento bellowed, "You've no right to do this Rowen of the Strata Armor! Prepare to be Chinese Toast!"

Rowen retorted, "Same to you, you plump cheeseburger. Dingbat. You're blinder than a bat!"

"Who are you talking to? You can't even…" Kento was about to march right at Rowen and slap him.
"Kento," Sage scolded, "Enough with it." He pushed Kento to the side, "Why you came here? I thought you were after Sai… not us."

Ryo's eyes glanced fiercely at Sage. He hissed, "SAGE… YOU shouldn't…"

Rowen answered with an ironic grin, "My Master will take care of that little twerp. Sai of the Torrent, not much of a Torrent he is. He won't even summon it against my master. In fact, I bet he forgotten how to or perhaps even thinks he doesn't need it…"
Ryo yelled, "You don't talk about Sai like that, Rowen! Your Strata Armor doesn't do much itself either. You don't even know how to get some sensible words into your " " " head!"

Rowen snorted loudly, "And you, Wildfire? You're too pathetic."

Kento was now pissed off. "You take that back!"

"Never."

"TAKE THAT BACK!"

"NO!"

BLAM. Kento was fisted into his stomach before he could even touch Rowen. Sage noticed a great change of Rowen… at least he thought it was Rowen. "Ryo… Kento… watch out! Remember he's not one of us. He has grown stronger than us through out the past days!" Though he didn't know Sai, was hearing everything that all of them were saying.
Sai wrenched himself as he heard Sage say, "… stronger than us through out the past days." He fell to the ground. Was he really going through nothing to save an unworthy warrior or a rebelled friend? Was he doing the right thing? Sai hid in a corner, watching as a group force some warriors forward. When Sai crept closer, he saw a mere image of the people. Sai really didn't know what to do. He then, as if throwing a dart at a board, shot his yari at the soldiers, fast enough that no one was able to catch or do anything to stop it from chopping the rope that caged them into their own well-drawn trap.
"You boy! If I ever get out, you'll pay for it dearly!" one of the soldiers shouted, nastily. Sai looked at it directly at the eye but said nothing. Within a strike, he blocked an out-of-the-bloom hit. Turning, he saw the Lt. Mars, with a rather 'dashing' sword. But personally, Sai thought he smelled awfully bad.

Sai quietly joked, "Man… he must had lit a bomb."

The Lt. Mars vowed, "WHAT DID YOU SAY?"

Sai frowned at him and cocked his head, "Nothing in particular. Except you might need a makeover."
"Torrent, Torrent… you don't know yet what you are facing. Enough with this chitchat… it’s show time boy!" Lt. Mars proclaimed.

Sai rose an eyebrow, amused "Well… you're certainly not the person I was waiting to face."

"Well… aren't you going to summon up for Armor, Torrent? Forgot how use it?" Lt. Mars insulted.

Sai sighed, "Why do I need my armor? Oh? So you want it? Here, take it." Sai passed him the orb, throwing it to the ground, intentionally. "Good, you done well, Torrent," Lt. Mars commented, unwillingly. He squatted to pick it up.
"Not too fast," Sai scowled, kicking the ugly thing between the eyes. Sai, grabbed its left arm, tumbled backwards, and threw it across the floor. He instantly took back his orb and yelled out his call for the sub-armor. Technically, he didn't want to wait and have this little object lost before he's done with it. Although, he was severely hurt by a minor blow at his left shoulder. It hurt enough that it started to react at his torn artery earlier. He gave a shrill, piercing cry that sounded the whole area. Sai felt the blood internally trickling through him and out. Blood once again came dripping out of his mouth.

--------- Mutant's Place-------

Mutant: "Lt. Mars has failed his mission. But he has done well. Slaughtering that poor fool will teach him a great lesson."
Captain: "Even if he's hurt… he still got his aura in him. What should we do? Once he's dead, we can't receive his orb or any of his power…"
Mutant: "He's not dead YET. Soon to be… his body will be hung on a noose… for he'll die the hard way… not the easy way."
The Captain sighed, doubting the Mutant's plan. Though, he dared not disagree with him… for then, he'll be toast.
---------------------

Ryo's forehead started to swell up from a sudden headache. Sage towered him, asking, "What's going on? You bumped your head or something?"

Ryo shrieked sourly, but then it was gone. Quickly, he jumped to his feet, gritting his teeth, "Kento… Sage… we're going to help him. Whiteblaze, let's go."

Kento scowled, "But we're gonna get there too late…"

Ryo interrupted, "It's better than sitting around and be idiots."
Sage finally said, "Okay. Kento, you stay here and fight this 'Rowen' here while we go. You think you'll be all right?"

Kento snorted hysterically, "He's only a mere pest to me. Don't worry, I'll be okay."
Sai groaned, "Why that barbaric… thing." Tearing to his feet, he scowled at himself. Then, a voice erupted, "SAI!"

Sai turned around, startled at first. "SAI!" the voice exclaimed again, except clearer, "Over here!" Sai glanced to the other direction and saw Rowen, looking at him, in that blue aura ball of light. "Rowen! You could talk! What…"

Rowen warned, "Don't get any closer! This is a trap!"

Sai contradicted, "But why… there's nothing."

"DON'T!" Rowen crowed, staring at Sai directly, "I need to tell you something. The Mutant is the person you're finding. He planned it all along to try to kill you and steal your aura."
"Why mine though? I'm the weakest but idiotic Ronin comparing to all of you!" Sai wailed.

Rowen shook his head, pleading "Don't say that. That's what he wants you to think and want you to freely give up yourself. Use all the wisdom and trust you've got. Don't crystallize yourself to stone. Sai…" he silently said, "kill me. No use to destroy the whole world to protect me. Fly as you did at Talpa, knowing Ryo will come back…"

Sai shook his head, greatly, covering his ears, "No! Don't say that to me! NO!"
Rowen roared, "I BEG YOU! DO IT!"

Sai's eyes turned to pools of tears. Flaring lightning then attacked him! Rowen's eyes became dark, a tear brushed him, "Sai… Sai?"

Sai looked up as the Mutant stepped on him. "Well, well, look at who we got here. Why, it's that Torrent boy."

He turned his head, shutting his eyes. As the Mutant chattered, power and strength built in him like thunder. "… And you… are the last I need."

Awaking, his power was reunited. His fist fled at his enemy, the Mutant, and crushed him like salami. When Sai was up to his feet again, a yari appeared in his right hand. The Mutant snickered, "So, you decided to despise me, ne?" He released his attack, the Thunder Strike Gale!

Sai became so bewildered he nearly forgot to defend. Jumping before it hit, He cried, spearing his yari, "Super-wave Smasher (Choryuuha)!" Blazing amount of silken water spluttered through, blasting the Mutant.
Though this fight won't be over. His armor would only control and defend underwater. This case, Sai had forgotten. But the Mutant had this advantage since he knew about it. Instead after his attack, his yari turned into a spear without warning.

Sai thought, "This isn't going to be such a sweet battle. What should I do? I still don't know!"
Sai rose his head looking in the sky, thinking. Then, he struck back to conscious and concentrated. Life was a very valuable thing. He couldn't let a peppercorn Mutant defeated him and takes his life and the others. He approached to another conclusion. It would be a risky one since he was already in an injured state. Sai would combine the entire Armors' power, including his Master's, and form another attack that'll be 'invincible.'
Although, this attack would decrease his immune and venerability against fatality attacks. It was possible this combination could do nothing. He strayed, trying to keep his attacks and defenses on even pace till he was backed up too far and fell.
Out of no notion, a noose hung him on the throat, making Sai loose his breath. The Mutant cackled with pleasure, "Well, Sai of the Torrent. Haven't you ever experienced with a rope at your neck? At the old ages, this happens a lot. Now back to business, if you give me your element willingly, I'll make you a deal. No harm will come to your friends and I'll release your Strata friend. If not, you'll have to face the noose."

Sai laughed, choking, "Whether or not, I'll have to face it, don't I? That leaves me no choice. Hang me on a noose and take my crystal, but you'll never have the life of the Ronins!"

(Over 47 pages. Am I going overboard? The story is still not to it's end!!)