Chapter 3
The Voice From the Door

"No please… ah… stop it!" Sai begged, trying to calm the piercing pain. Then, he fainted from the injury and attacking pain.

Anubis cackled: "Well Torrent, you aren't going anywhere soon. That leaves me to go and kill off your friends then. No wait… I will let my Warlord pals toy with your friends, and I guess I will sit back, relax, and have a scrumptious meal." He laughed loudly and went out.

Sai's eyes were watered, but they did not cry. It was too hard to cry at the moment. Just this moment.

Ryo groaned and pulled out his swords and threw one at Sage. They had to use their weapons whether it was puny or not. His hands flew and battled with the Warlord, Sekhmet, who was beating him by the millions. He felt very helpless but he just knew Sai was even more helpless and hapless.

Kento, giving him macho fist-punch, took the cue to give out a call, "Ryo… Sage… Rowen… the window!"

Everyone got the idea right away. Each of them would stand or sit on top of one another, with the strongest on the bottom, and the top person would run at them and jump right into that window. It was possible.
Rowen immediately said, "No… it is my fault. I will go after him. I have the responsibility."

Sage countered, "That is not right. You cannot fight Anubis just like that, Rowen. You are into some big trouble if you try. You use the bow and arrows, remember? We will need you out here. I will go in."

"No, it is MY idea and I should be the one to go. Sai is my best friend and I should have kept guard anyway. I will go in," Kento argued.

Ryo shook his head, "We cannot argue. Kento, we need you on ground for to get up that open window, we need your strength. I say we let Sage go in this time around. Rowen, you keep guard in case Sage needs a sidekick and make sure to keep that Warlord, Cale, busy as a millipede! NOW!"
Rowen stood on top of Ryo's shoulder, as Kento was their foot power. As Kento ran with the two on him, Sage ran after them, end up calling, "HEY! WAIT UP!" He jumped on top of each of them as stairways and then gave one tremendous leap into the window. Kento, who was panting like a sick puppy, was relieved when Rowen and Ryo jumped off. Sliding, Sage nearly fell and missed the sill. When Sage crawled up, he gave a wink and a thumbs-up at them, as if saying, "Here I go now, guys. Good luck!" He hurried away.

After nearly a whole hour, Sai started to hear this patient and calm voice. It sounded like a friend was there, but he did not recognize the voice. The voice called, softly, "Sai… Sai… could you hear me?" This voice did not feel like a ghost for its hand was on Sai's head, going through his hair gently. It repeated nearly five times when Sai managed to awaken.

As Sai's eyes opened, the figure's hand and self-backed up a little to give him more room to breathe. Sai whispered, so softly it was nearly inaudible, "Who are… you? Please go… don't spend your time trying to save little old me here."

"You aren't a little old thing. Your spirit and age is very young to give up," the figure persuaded and snapped off the cuffs as if like a button on a shirt. He took Sai by the left arm and put it over his right shoulder and around and lifted him. Sai was just too weak to look at who it was. In fact, he still could not see.
Bravely, he repeated himself, "Who are you… my friend?"

The person answered, "Yes, I am your friend. No need to be afraid. I am… your mother's friend."

Sai's own voice exclaimed, "You are? How… did you find…?" His tone trailed and the intense pain grasped him once again.

The person told him, "Don't think of that pain of yours young one. It is what your mind thinks of it that causes the feel of pain and suffers. If you do not make yourself suffer, you would not suffer."

Sai paused a bit but then explained, "I… I am sorry, sir. But… I cannot see."
Sage's mind went blank as he made an erupting stop as he saw what was happening. This unusual, unknown man freed Sai. Sage turned quickly and saw Anubis snoring asleep. That man must have done something to Anubis. He dared not disturb what was happening at the moment. His mind stirred as he tried to figure where in the world they were then. He only could make out a person was there that freed Sai, but that was it.
"No need to be sorry. Someone gave you a fatal death all right… but you aren't hopeless. The only way to return your sight is to trust in yourself. The Ancient once told you to and I shall repeat those words again, 'Trust yourself…' young one… and perhaps the world would not seem so narrow…" The hand dropped him on a cool, dry grassy land and then let go…

Sai cried, "Don't leave me! Please! You cannot leave like this!"

The voice was fade, "Trust yourself… or you will not find your hero."

Sai thought desperately, "My hero?"

"Sai! There you are! Who was that guy anyway?" Sage cried in triumph, running toward his fish friend.

Sai beamed and blushed, "Hey ya Sage!" They started to chat about everything and went downhill to find their friends. At the riverbed, Sai stretched and smiled. He seems to have forgotten there was a battle. In fact, he had forgotten everything! When Sage playfully hit his shoulder, Shin noticed a big, bloody wound on his friend's side and started to scold at Sage in a worried matter, "Sage! You're hurt! Look at that bloody thing of yours! It's infected and filled with puss! Gosh darn it! How come you did not put something on there to stop it?" He then got close enough and "innocently" poked the wound.
The puss came out, and Sage wailed and threatened Sai, "SAI! WHY did you do THAT? You want to kill me? I will get you for this…"

"Heee hee... cause I am INNOCENT!" Sai said. Then Sage noticed something and then hugged his friend, tightly and nearly suffocated him. Sai scowled, "SAGE! Stop it! You're hurt! And so am I! What is the matter with you? It seems like you haven't seen me in ages or something!"

Sage exclaimed, "The pain does not bother me now! Don't you see? You could see now Sai! You can! It's a miracle!"

Sai, from the sudden shock, fell backwards in happiness. So THAT was what Sage was so happy about! Looking at himself, he did not blink but looked at the sun and everything around him. It was a blessing to see once again and Sai loved every bit of it. Then, his eyes struck to a terrorized sight.

A bloody mark left when a whip slashed Rowen over and over again. His poor Strata friend was trying to endure the harsh treatment. Sai did not feel his wounds at all now… but all he could feel was his friends'. His Halo friend shouted for him to stop and come back, but Shin's mind set to save Rowen. He ran… hard… toward the battle.

Rowen looked from his side and saw Sai running to save him, "Sai… go. Go save yourself."

The energized Sai raced over Sekhmet's weapon and dodged under the sword of Cale's. Dais had his filthy hands ready to make the end of Rowen when Sai cried "NO!" and plummeted at his friend, landing on the side but then roll over, protectively, to his friend.
Dais made his deadly strike but it did not seethe through Sai. Something protected him. A small, shelled layer covered over him. Sai knew it was the same person who saved him from the last demise. He grabbed Rowen's bow and told Ro, "Rowen, build the force shield. I will help you!"

Rowen used his last ounce of energy to build a force shield around them as Sai helped energize him. Dais then wasn't able to hit any of them.

Cale bellowed, "Somehow it must be Strata's lucky day to get the golden boy's help!" Sekhmet confirmed, "Yeah, but he should have been killed by now. Something was preventing him from getting struck by Dais!"

Dais sneered, "Ronins! You cannot hide in your small compact force field for long! I will wait till you get out and when you do, I will rip your…"

Sage called, holding his datchi now, "Hey ugly! Check this out! Thunderbolt… Cut!" "Hey beauty! How about this? Quake with Fear!" a voice called, cruelly. A whipping quake raged at Sage and Sage's attack was ready to blemish the other two Warlords. Sage's eyes became wide, "Oh no… god…!"

Then, two voices summoned their attacks. It was the 'Flare up Now!' and 'Iron Rock Crusher!'
All of the attacks mixed together and were confused to go where. The three Warlords and Ronins were desperately trying to keep the forces off their side. Ryo and Kento were both extremely weak and were trying to bear the seconds. They could only last but a few seconds with this counter.

A spear broke the chain and both were blasted and backfired. Sai had to just do it before it worsened; he then fell beside Rowen, gasping to breathe. His wounds were animated and all were revealing. His wrists were dotted with red and cuts were deeply infected. His arm was incredibly numb, and his head was bruised on the side, which a big, nasty bump shown. Only his legs were well enough, though scraped, to walk.

Cale, the nearest Warlord, approached him by crawling to him with his sword. His eyes were filled with evil to the bitter end. Sage then grabbed Cale by the arm and wrestled with him to keep him away from the injured Sai.
Ryo, numbly, condemned, "Sai, why did you have to break us like this? I could have had them!"

"You probably had not… have him… Ryo… I did this for your own good…" Sai growled.

Kento then argued but Sai denied everything. Then a golden-ringed staff glowed in front of all of them. An elder voice yelled, "Stop this at once! All of you!"

The Ancient was angry; his frown said so. He spoke, firmly, "Warlords and Ronins. You were not meant to fight one another. You were all to be reunited. From confusion and destruction, you do not know what is right or wrong. You want to kill and that is what all of you are good for! To kill! Listen to yourselves speak."

Then, a large cackling voice echoed, "Well Ancient! Finally you have arrived! I have been waiting all of these years!" Talpa smirked.

The Ancient's spirit backed off, "You again? Talpa, this is getting old now! Since when were you granted to live in immortality?"

Talpa roared, "Not yet Ancient! Not till I could bear your Torrent's wish can I ever be! HE will grant me my wish from YOU! HA, HA!"

Sai stood, vulnerably, "And since when I would ever give it to YOU Talpa? What wish?" His eyes then became bewildered. "Now I know. The headband you showed me. I am the only to use it, am I? But why would no one would tell me?" Sai was in a way starting to heat up. The Ancient should not have hid such a secret behind him. And why would he want to be another troublemaker with some fascinating powers?
The Ancient was too occupied to speak. He and the beastly Talpa were fighting at full force. Talpa had given the Warlords more black magic for this fight. As for Ryo, Kento, Sage, and himself, the Ancient gave energy to them. Rowen… why wouldn't the Ancient give energy to Rowen? Sai did not know how to ask energy from the Ancient to help Rowen… but he had to find a way to keep Rowen safe without the shield. Rowen… he risked his life to save Sai… now Sai had to repay him once again. Sai was determined to do it whether his life could afford it. He then summoned the Torrent Armor and his energy raged among him.

Kento hooted, "All right Sai! Let's kick butt! We might be able to use the Inferno as well!"
Sai did not answered immediately. His hands always went to defense and had no chance to attack for the Warlords were really quick and skillful. He could not bear to hurt neither his friends nor the Warlords. The Warlords were once his friends! His mind thought and thought but nothing could go through him. He carelessly did not prevent a sudden hit from Dais, but he did not feel the deep cut. Everyone was in a lousy quarrel and there was no way to find out what was right and wrong. He shivered at the thought. His memories went to flashbacks. His fights… his recent years… then his childhood. And… his father… he could now imagine him. It was such a sweet image to remember.
He could remember the suit that always hung by his mother's chest. The suit his father always wore. His mother always told him he always looked like his father in peculiar, unusual ways. Sai adored the memory but then it faded when he saw everyone in the stance to cast his fatality attacks. He gasped and was totally confused. What was he to do?
Then, the voice called, "It is only when your heart is sure and your circle is closed… when the power will come to your hands. The ball is in your court Sai."

That voice… the same voice who saved him one right after another. Now, that quote sounded so familiar. Someone always said that softly to him. Someone had now he could not think whom. His mind drained to think who it was that said it to him. The voice continued, "Don't force yourself to think. Let it sink in. Sai… hold on. I will help you… somehow."

Sai refused, "No… friend, I cannot let you! It cannot work like this! I do not want help… I want to help myself!" He then, somberly, added, "I wish." All of the sudden, everything came to him.
Sai pulled out a pie wrapped with foil and gently took it out. Then with all his anger, he clobbered the cherry pie at the whole group, which all its juice spurted out at everyone. Stomping, he shouted, loudly, "Dingbats! Why are you all fighting one another like scared chicks? I do not understand, but the more you fight, the more it makes me angry!" "Oh, shut up, octopus! You are not the one who caused it!" Cale countered, slamming his weapon to the ground.

"Well," Sai began, "if I was the one who started it, then how come I am stopping it, oh mighty Corruption! That's exactly what you are! You corrupt everyone's minds and do not think about yourself OR anyone but your master! The master's OBEDIENT student certainly needs to zip his mouth!"

Cale snorted, "In that case, who is the master's OBEDIENT student?"

Sai answered, "Dumbbell! It is YOU!" Cale turned red, and his head went down from embarrassment. Kento and Ryo were snickering, quietly.
"And YOU Kento! Why do you and Ryo always have to show you are the strongest and never solve a conflict without a fight! Get real, the Ronins aren't the only ones who could fight. Including you Talpa! I may sound like a sore "octopus" but maybe a cool one! I was greedy to ask and hunger for such magic like you! I could have done better and be happy the way I am! In fact, I now wish I did not have such powers! And all of you! You are just a bunch of lousy friends I got! If you want to blame someone! Blame on no one! Not even…" Sai casually took out a limp, yellow object and took it out by the stem, "… this little banana."

Rowen shook his head as he leaned against a huge rock, "You have gone bananas Sai."

Sai made a deadly glare at Rowen "The problem isn't that I am crazy. The problem is that YOU would not see the true conflict. Your eyes are blinder than BATS." The poor guardian of water had no supporters yet to see the light and conflict he was seeing.
Talpa took this chance to confuse the puzzled samurais minds: "What this water jerk is saying to us is that we are just idiots and a bunch of wad to him. Think about it. Would a friend do something like that?" A strong hold of silence rose upon them and no one dared to speak a word. The Ancient, himself, was stuck in this terrible situation. Who were they to believe? Why would they believe Talpa? But Talpa had his statement with lots of proofs supporting it.
Kento then started to approach Sai, in an angry matter. No… this couldn't be! Kento… WHY him? Why did he believe that worthless piece of garbage? His best friend snarled, "You cannot mean it, Sai. Tell me…what that big guy is telling is true?" He grabbed to Sai's shoulders and shook his hard, "WHY? Sai… why are you doing this to us? You have changed… into someone else! Come on SAI! DON'T ACT LIKE THIS!"
Feeling the anger rising from his friend, he backed off, "Kento… I am the same Sai you have always seemed. I have only today began to speak what is needed to be done." Somehow, Sai felt that everyone has changed sides. They were all on Talpa's side… including that old monk! This was ridiculous! Maybe he should have kept his mouth shut. But what use will THAT be? WHAT use?
Rowen then shook his head in dismay "No… this isn't Sai. Where IS he?"
Cale added, bringing his blade up, "I know Sai. This is only a cloned one! Who has taken my samurai friend? Now… you will pay… 'Sai.' You will pay dearly. You tricked us into killing our friend! And now you dare come back and act as him!"
"You're a traitor to him! A murderer! Give him back to us!" Ryo shouted, connecting and bringing back his twin swords. Ryo… not him too. How could he think such an awful thing? He could smell the fiery flame around Ryo now… and saw his own friends in tears for nothing. Sai was gone to them. But really, Sai was there… watching them.
Sage clenched his fist. He could not hold his anger anymore, "THAT'S ENOUGH! I'VE HAD IT!" He could see Sage forming up his 'Thunderbolt Cut.'
"Sage! It is me! Why you would not trust me?" Sai stammered. His voice was shaky. That must have been part of the reason they were thinking this. Controlling his voice, he then countered, "If I weren't your friend, I would not have told you this at all. I only cared about you and wanted you to know what you are doing is wrong."
Dais snapped, "Shut up, whoever you are. You have no business to take his life!"
"HIS life?" Sai bellowed, "I am him! How could you believe Talpa? He's lying! I am Sai of the Torrent! Don't you see?" Sai was helpless. Their minds would not change. Then, he said, "If you kill me, you will regret it. And you will never see your Sai Mouri of the Torrent again."
Ryo roared, "WHERE is he? Tell us before I burn you into crisp!"
"He won't you tell you, Ryo. We're going to need to find it for ourselves," Sekhmet said, just when Sage let off his powerful Thunderbolt Cut.
Sai brought out his spear but then stopped. His eyes were filled with tears when he noticed how much he had to sacrifice for such a small incident. They were once saving him… now they were fighting against him. No one knew the real Sai anymore. The Thunderbolt Cut hit him, straight through. Then the piercing IronRock Crusher, followed the Quake with Fear. Sai, with his eyes closed, walked through all of the sure kills. The sure kills all turned into sparks of light from the sun. But blood ran down his left eye; the gift of sight had left him again. He stared as more of the sure kills came to him and lastly… the Ancient's staff came rushing at him.
It was Sai's decision. He could either defend or dodge out of the way of the staff or let his life go as if everyone was his entire fault. He felt the golden staff made its mark; the Ancient was so angry that he could feel him trying to force the power of the staff out at him. But the staff would not. It was not generate the power against him. Sai had to think fast before Talpa made his mark. What was he to do? He could not run… his legs were injured. He was blind again and could not do anything more.
Then he remembered the wish. The wish was his only hope now. He had to use it. And he was saving it to let himself see again. He wanted his sight. But if he used the wish to have his sight back, how would that stop the confusion?
He then clenched onto his orb. Talpa stopped the group, "Wait. He is going to surrender. Surrender the orb. Surrender!"
Sai shook his head, miserably. He could not surrender. Even if his friends now had hearts black as midnight, he could not let his friends go. Then, he thought, "I was right. I have no hero for me to count on. But they do have one. The hero is me. I have to save them… even if this means I cannot see or live again."
Rowen shouted an order, "We have to stop him! Let's do it! Arrow Shock… Wave!"
"Thunder… bolt… cut!"
"Flare Up… NOW!"
Sai shrieked and felt himself fall backwards and blood gush out. When the light blemished itself, he was lying on the ground, trying to get up. He started to crawl to them… like a helpless baby. Talpa cackled, "Watch him crawl. If he wants to crawl toward death he certainly can! CRAWL!"