“So what do you suggest?” Kento mumbled, groveling all the food he could into his mouth.

Sage tapped and thoughtfully said, “Well, we don’t want it to happen again. So, we cannot stay in one spot then. We should stay somewhere else.”

Kento: “And where do you think we should, Mr. Smart…”

Rowen interrupted, “No, that’s actually a good idea. We have to buy time for Sai… so that he’ll heal more efficiently from that knife wound. But I ask the same. WHERE should we go? Talpa could follow us anywhere!”
“To the waterfall,” came a voice, which was Ryo’s, with a bowl of broth. “WATERFALL?” bellowed Rowen and Kento, which sputtered milk. Ryo nodded;

Sage then agreed, reluctantly, and said, “Yes, the place where I meditate. That’s a good place. I know a secret tunnel even Cale doesn’t know of.”

Kento then became into real action, “What if they find us there, then where?”

Ryo replied, “We’ll make that up along the way.”
Rowen suddenly blurted, “Guys, I don’t get it.”

Sage shook Ro’s shoulder, “Get what?”

He responded, “I forgot to tell you this guys so listen…” while Ryo left, he explained “Sekhmet told me, they weren’t there to KILL him exactly. One of the Dynasty soldiers also said everything I said that was bad to…”

Sage finished, “Sai, huh? That’s really strange how that soldier knew. But I’ve a feeling that Sai, himself, have something that could rebel against the Inferno Armor. This is only a thought, people.”
Ryo dipped the spoon into the soup, stirring it as he walked to Sai, which was on the bed. Ryo took Sai by the side and lifted him up in a sitting position, his head back. Pulling a small stool over, he placed the warm bowl onto the stool and set himself on the edge of the bed, holding Sai up with one hand, having a spoon in the other. He spoke with concerned smile, “Sai, I’m going to give you broth to drink, so you could take a herb capsule that Sage had brought with him.” He immersed the spoon into the broth, blowing it; he held it to Sai’s mouth. Gently, he placed the spoon into Sai’s mouth, but while doing such attempt, Sai didn’t swallow and didn’t even keep it in his mouth.
“Sai…! Please Sai, swallow it! You’ll never get better! You’ll develop a high fever if you don’t! SAI! PLEASE!” Ryo begged.

That was when Sage came in to check Sai. He took out the medical kit he brought for such emergencies. Looking over the items inside it, he pulled out a couple of items, and then he went over to Ryo, giving him instructions. Ryo gave Sage the bowl of broth and the capsule/pill and sat on the stool, looking over Sai’s face and feeling his forehead. He had already started to gain a mild fever. Sage inserted the capsule in first instead.

Ryo started, “Sage, aren’t you suppose to…” but with a comforting interruption, he said, “It’s all right. This herb has special antidotes that will later allow Sai to drink his water. But don’t be worried. Sai IS Sai, and since he’s Torrent, he’ll recover quicker… I think.”
“AAACCCCCK!” Sai gasped, turning into a tight ball. The Ancient had to think very fast; he flared his staff and hit Sai on the shoulder, lightly, with it. The staff penetrated a great deal of power and energy right then to him, while the rings of the stick clanged loudly at this process. He emerged into great torture.
Ryo noticed the uncomforted face Sai had and the hardship that he couldn’t swallow; taking Sai by the shoulder, he swiftly blew into Sai’s half-opened mouth, making the capsule easily slide down Sai’s throat.

Sai suddenly gasped and coughed, hard, and his heat and temperature went skyrocket! Sage hit Sai’s back a couple of times, letting the cough die down. But his fever didn’t die but survived! Sage hollered for Kento and Rowen, trying to hide his worries. Ryo asked, rapidly, “Sage! SAGE! What should we do? We can’t do anything, right? We have to do something!”
Sage helplessly cried, “I can’t! Not until I know what’s going on with Sai will I know how to help him!” Rowen and Kento burst into the room, heading straight to Sai. Kento was flustered by the look Sage and Ryo had. But Rowen, less shocked, went over and touched Sai on the forehead, which was hot. He went into the bathroom across the hall, coming back with a wet, cold hand-cloth. Putting it slowly on Sai’s forehead, he swallowed hard and said, “We better think NOW. We’ve only a couple of minutes.”
The Ancient finally lowered his staff, watching Sai uncurl, but rather shaky and emotionless, replying, “I cannot let you stay like that for long. The black forces, and now Talpa, all know that if they do this again, you’ll be under their hands. This is risky but is decided by you. You could either leave and go back to your own world or stay one more time.”

Sai whispered, “Why are they doing this to me? What’s wrong with the Warlords?” The Ancient didn’t answer, but then stared at the small headpiece (actually turned into a neckpiece).
Kento murmured, “We shouldn’t have even left him like this.”

Sage then made a face, “His fever died down again. Come on. We better hurry and get to the waterfall fast while we can. Pack all we need. NOW.”
Their journey was just about to begin.

Rowen furiously packed all he could into his knapsack and handbag. They had to go, for Talpa could come any minute! ANY minute! But the question was… why is Talpa after SAI? That was very strange. Talpa would most likely be after for Ryo who is the bearer of the White Inferno, right?

Kento gathered enough rations of food right then to get going for at least a week. Taking their bags, knapsacks, satchel, and other stuff, they headed out the door. At first, Sage was taking the lead, but many times were blocked with an obstacle. It was like the city was trying to defeat them! This was absurd. Kento, rashly, nearly exploded and took his own path, leading them to a highly trenched area.

"Kento! You know the waterfall isn't that way!" Sage hollered, stumbling after him. Kento called back, "Well, your way is even harder than mine! We're going to the river!"
Ryo and Rowen were so tired (well, they ARE the ones who are practically carrying Sai so what else?) that they were nearly to fall over. Laying Sai onto the ground, they collapsed onto the rocks, staring.

Rowen panted, "If… if we go to the river… where will we settle?"

Sage then suddenly calmed and quietly answered, "What Kento has in mind is to hide him INSIDE the water."

Kento sarcastically pointed out, "Well, he's safer in water than he is on land, guys! You know that!"
Ryo putted in, "Well let's get into shelter before it starts to storm! You know the clouds are ready to pour! Let's get to the river!" Sailing the decisions to himself, Ryo knew only few precious hours were left and time was being wasted with arguments. He knew if Sai were to get conscious and better, he knew Sai could hear them, even without notion. Then, three ninjas were ahead of them with swords in their hands. One had a chain lapsing in the air in a circular movement. One of them spoke, "We came to collect the Torrent/Suiko. It has come to the time we should."

"That is not true!" exclaimed Kento, with one of his arms on Sai's shoulder protectively, "You came to kill him! You want to torture him to collect his Armor!"
The other replied harshly, "We have more business than to claim his powerful Suiko/Torrent Armor. You know that." He peered over his head for cue from his fellow ninjas.

Ryo blurted, "WELL ATTACK FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!" Yes, indeed they did once Ryo said it. He was just too angry to keep this in him. It was a painful thing to try to do. He summoned his katanas and struck with his heavy strength. Sage carefully went ahead, escaping the battlefield, so Sai would not get hurt. He was in a run for it. One of the ninja, sneakily, tossed a great mist bomb, which exploded, blinding everyone.

Rowen echoed, "You don't go hiding now you freaking ninjas! Come and fight us!"

Sage, being blinded himself, lost balance and fell. His hand could not stop and anxious arms from taking Sai away. A horse made a call and the ninja who had Sai ordered, "YAY!" and the big stallion started off in full gallop.
Sai came back to conscious… but not for a long time. He scolded, "GET AWAY FROM ME! LET ME GO!"

Struggling with all his might, the ninja explained in a quiet matter, "I did not came to take your armor or your friends… we meant no…"

Sai interrupted, "No you have not. I know what you guys are up to now let me be!" His arms escaped the ninja's and soon enough, he began to fall backwards… off the speeding horse. The ninja had no reflex to catch Sai before he landed… on a mess of boulders. Rowen had shot a crowd of arrows before he even had the chance.
Kento was first to reach Sai, filled with worries and hatred in his heart; he just knew Sai was a very crippled person and soon will be permanent if they don't be more careful with the weak, fish critter.

Sage and Ryo came from behind, very injured but not enough to make them stop walking. "I should have known better. This is my entire fault. I should have been brave enough to stop the ninja while I had the chance."

"Nothing worse could of happened," suggested Sage, trying to cheer him up, "He could have been killed by him!"

Rowen commanded, "Enough of this! Sai is hurt, so what is the big deal? We all get hurt. It was our entire fault. Simple. We should of all been more successful and careful with him. We all forgot he was still weak. Now let's get going on our path. We might make it before sundown."
Rowen was right. That was the only way around… was to blame on no one but himself or herself. But little did they know that Sai had been bleeding… on the back of his head at the fall. It was rather small to notice such a bump but big enough to cause something that they had never expected.

During the walk, a storm became a mild shower. It was very risky for they might catch hypothermia if they weren't too careful or cautious about it. The lucky thing was everyone had a raincoat and the shower only lasted for about ten to twenty minutes, fortunately. On a valley, they wiped the sweat off their brows. Ryo and Rowen took turns giving Sai a piggyback ride since it was the fastest way to carry him. They finally had to stop under a tree and rest.
"Mmm… umm," a voice murmured softly. Sai was conscious! But he just HAD to pick the right time! Sai opened his eyes, feeling his head, "N…? Who bumped me on the ground? Why are we here?"

Ryo scrambled to Sai, smiling, "You're conscious Sai! You're conscious! Wow, this will make life easier! We're following Kento to the river! Then… we'll settle there and hide you…"

Sai suddenly glared, "Hide me? Where? WHAT are you talking about…?" He dropped his hand to his forehead. "… Man, what's wrong with me…? I can't… I can't… see. Is it really dark, guys? Where is this place?"

Kento flared and shook his hand in front of Sai's face, trying to grab his eye attention. It was no use.
Sage cried, "Are you sure, Sai? You can't see me?"

Sai squinted and squirmed, forcing his eyes to focus. It only brought worse results. Sage immediately stunned Sai with two fingers; then he looked in the back of Sai's head. There was the problem. His head had a big wound on the back. From what, no one knew. Sage whispered to everyone, "Don't tell him or mention to make him see. We don't want to hurt him…"

Rowen, for the first time in his life, pulled Sage at the collar and shook him, "YOU ARE TELLING ME THAT…!"

Sage pleaded, "Rowen… please… don't." He shook his head furiously, which made Rowen let go of him. This was the worst thing that could happen! How could this ever happen to him?
Kento, in his calmest voice, spoke, "Yes, it is rather dark… we do not have a lantern or a tinder box. So we are making our way by foot and feel. Sai, not noticing he was blind, "Oh… all right. Just help lead me. I think I could make it around some how." He rose to his foot and took baby steps toward the way he thought was the right way. Kento ended up trading with Ryo and Rowen to help Sai get around and… to not let him know these awful news.
A creepy noise of an owl spoke as they settled near a sheltered riverbank. Ryo sprayed and wiped his face with a clean white towel he brought. Rowen quietly tended a campfire as he rubbed Sai warmly on the back. Kento and Sage were on a blanket, snoozing. They were exhausted after reading and planning out their ideas and routes.

Sai had his eyes wide open that moment. He could hear the crackling of the fire and the splashing of the clear water. Sai suddenly buried his face into whoever was near him, which was Rowen, right then. Rowen became startled and scolded him, "SAI! QUIT IT! YOU ARE SUFFOCATING ME! Please!" Then he noticed the tears that rolled down Sai's innocent face.

The words crept to Sai, "If you only had the heart to tell me."

Those words, even though they were quiet, woke Kento and Sage up, immediately. Sage turned red and Kento clamped his hand over his mouth, giving Rowen a glance. Rowen, gently, petted Sai on the head, rubbing him close for the first time in his life. Ryo then finally caught a look at them and noticed what he had missed. Sai now knew and it came from no one but himself. His mind was strong and sensitive enough to pick enough information and evidences that the sky was not dark without stars or the bright shiny moon. It was because he could not see. This was very frightening and he just had to let out all his emotions. It was impossible to keep it in his mind and to keep the fact AWAY from him.
Rowen began, "Sai… I am so sorry to never have the heart to tell you. But it was so… frightening to. What would happen if you go commit suicide cause of it? That is what I have been thinking about. I promise to keep you safe and perhaps get your sight back if you promise me that. Please Sai…"

Sai cried, "You do not understand! A life WITHOUT sight… and all those goons are after me! I would not be able to live! Why did the Ancient BOTHER to summon me to him? Why do I have to suffer like this?" He then backed away from Rowen and curled himself, his knees locked, in a corner… somewhere near Sage.
Sage tried to give Sai something to drink but he refused and Sai begged, "Leave me alone everyone. Please… you have become one of my strangers." Everyone knew that they had to give up on trying to comfort him. The only way to was to say nothing and let him recuperate himself. This task did seem easy but it was harsh for Sai. He started to become suspicious and quieter than he ever was. When everyone slept, he got up and felt the breeze. He could sense where the water was by its currents and splashes. Teardrops splattered on the ground as he picked himself up to go to the water. Then, he just could not go any further and stopped where he was… now right by Kento. Sai snug in his small spot and reluctantly went to sleep.
Kento woke up, stretching and yawning. He saw that Sai was NOT there. This made him panic as he searched the fields. He was GONE! Then during the hunt, he saw a white slip of bloody cloth on a dagger that was dug in the ground. Someone was there that very night. He quickly and roughly gathered everyone to wake up, kicking and yelling at them. "SAI IS GONE! WAKE UP YOU IDIOTS!" He chugged down his water jug. Everyone, almost immediately, got up and started off.

Rowen… happened to be slower than the rest… said: "This was my fault. I told him I would protect him. Now look at what I done! He has been kidnapped for my carelessness."

"Ro… this is not your fault. It is all of ours. One of us should of stayed awake to watch him. Now get going or this death will be murdering us forever!"

Ryo was very angry inside, "You guys, we cannot just run the direction we THINK we should be going. Let's split. All we know the killer has Sai and went this way! Now!" He left and jumped out of sight before anyone could stop him. Ro and Sage took the middle path while Kento went on his own too.

His hands were cuffed in the air and fastened to a board that was bolted on the wall. Some had a snapping and sizzling whip in his hand and already had done a couple of whaps. "Hand over yourself. We will SHOW you how to fight without sight."

Sai did not say a word. He then became breathless but something kept him from releasing his soul. It was the Ancient. He talked to Sai in his mind and helped Sai's pain, "You know who you are and why this has to happen. You also know if you have no trust in your armor… you cannot very well fight with your heart."

Sai contradicted, "The armor is different! What does that have to do with this blind bat business?"

The Ancient spoke slowly, "The armor works the very same as your sight works. You lost your sight for a painful reason but there is always a way to have your sense back. If only you trust in yourself and do not depend on your sight so… you could become who you are and fight those who wish to inherit and take it. Trusts in yourself… do not turn back and think any different than what I say. If you trust me… then trust YOURSELF!"
He was shocked back to his present action. Sai moaned, "Where am I…?" Then he remembered clearly, "Oh yeah… whipping. What a great life." He choked out, "You wish for me to hand over myself? Heh… you're just as bad as my Ronin friends are. Want this… take that… do this… see that… attack this…" He shook his head, "As I said… first come, first serve. In this case… you are not the first come."

The person, who it happened to be Anubis, snorted, "Then who, Torrent?"

With all his heart, he said, "Whoever that IS my hero." Anubis cackled and shrieked, "Well Torrent, you expect to find an ally around here who is your hero? Oh… like Superman! Yes… I got the idea!" Sai turned red.

Ryo sped over the valley, only finding someone waiting for him. He groaned, "Not now. Give us a break…"

Sekhmet roared, "Do not worry. My Warlord pal, Anubis, will nurse your precious Torrent friend. He is probably having fun too. Too bad I was not the one there… I would feed him with all the venom I got."

"Why you are here? Why you need him so badly? We would compromise if you had," Ryo replied, lamely. He started to hear some shrieks.

"Oh no need to fear. Dais and Cale probably got your Ronin buds right now."

Ryo saw Sage running down the hill with his armor on; Sage swerved immediately for to strike and did it successfully. Rowen was suffocating from the bow-to-the-neck hit. Kento was running toward them, also in his armor and threw out his "IronRock Crusher!" It stampeded at Dais but Cale was at his tail with his attack. With a knick of time, Ryo's face went to the dirt as Sekhmet toyed with him.

Sai screamed as the rusty, large hook was yanked into his shoulder and pierced at it as Anubis without any sign of mercy pulled it. His face turned pale and blood splattered to the ground. He could do nothing about it. There was no life in him to fight. And all his Ronin friends could feel the same piercing in them.

Anubis: "Frightened yet my dear boy? Do not worry, I could very well go for a finale attack if you like."

Sai laughed and then sighed which surprised Anubis: "I will call that the 'Frightening SIGH."

--------------------------- Black Dust Sky-------------------------------

Person: "Ancient, you think it is the time?"

The Ancient gave it a clear thinking before he answered. Finally he agreed, "This is the time. Go down and help him but do not say who you are."

The Person nodded gratefully and disappeared.
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