Stir of Shadows
by Queen of Sarab
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Chapter Six

Rowen was awoken by complete silence. “It’s quiet...too quiet,” he muttered, then laughed at himself. ”Oh, no, Rowen, that wasn’t at all cliche or corny...Ok, now I’m talking to myself. No, I’m not going crazy at all...”

Throwing on his clothes, the blue-haired archer raced down the stairs, expecting Sai at the stove cooking, everyone else seated around the table laughing and talking. But the kitchen was completely empty. As were the living room, the study...

“Looking for someone?”

Whirling around, Rowen automatically assumed a fighting stance. Kurai laughed at him.

“ You think you can stop me, Strata?” she smirked. “Oh, don’t look so suprised- I know you’re on to me, and I know all about you and your little friends fight for good. Pathetic, really. All this time and the Dynasty hasn’t made a dent in you, and it takes me half a day to take out four of you!”

“Who are you?” Rowen suddenly realized he was being backed against the wall, and cast about him for a way out.

“You suprise me, Rowen,” replyed Kurai smoothly. “Who am I? I am Kurai, of Shuzoku no mayonaka. Remember dreams, Strata- they tell you what is to come. You should have payed more attention to yours.”

By now, Rowen was completely against the wall. Suddenly, with one sudden, fluid movement, Rowen struck out with one leg, aiming to knock his opponent over- and found himself thrown against the wall.

“How..how did you...” Rowen gasped. “I mean, you didn’t..touch me...”

“Not physically,” laughed Kurai, clearly enjoying the whole thing. “See, that’s the great thing about the mind– it holds unimaginable power. Probably why you were my greatest opponent amongst the Ronins- you have the greatest brainpower.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Now to test it.”

A dot of light began in the amulet around her neck, growing larger and larger until it filled the room. Suddenly dizzy, Rowen felt his knees go out. He collapsed to the floor in a heap.

“Oh, come on, Strata! Put up a fight!” Kurai grinned wolfishly. “You know, I was only supposed to get your armor, but if put under my mind control I could gain five powerful warriors for us and probably would be well advanced.”

Rowen suddenly realized he could move again. She has to be concentrating on me to have control, he realized in amazement. His hand began inching towards the knife drawer.

“Would you like to have some fun before put under mind control, Strata? I know I need some amusement...” his opponent narrowed her eyes, her voice becoming more of a hiss. “And some revenge....you’ve evaded me longer than most, and I don’t like that. I want to see you hurt.”

Rowen stared up at her carefully in an effort to distract her from his hand, which was slowly pulling on the handle of the knife drawer. “What do you mean?” he asked guardedly.

“I’ll pit you against one of your friends,” the dark-haired girl replyed calmly. “Perhaps.... Wildfire? Yes, Wildfire it is....” Kurai snapped her fingers, and Ryo came bounding in the door several seconds later. Without even turning, Kurai ordered “Wildfire- fight him.”

Rowen tensed his muscles. The knife drawer was halfway opened, and he closed his hand around a small but deadly blade.

Suddenly, Ryo lunged forward, brandishing his twin datchi and barely missing beheading his archer friend. Leaping up, Rowen concealed the knife he held in one hand and leaped out of the way as Ryo again lunged at him.

Rowen pinned him to the floor. “Listen to me, Ryo,” he hissed. “This is not you. You are under Kurai’s control. You have to break through- I need your help. If you can understand me, you have to distract Kurai for me. Trust me on this. Please, Ryo.”

Something flickered in Ryo’s eyes, and Rowen thought he percieved a small nod. Rowen let his friend up. Ryo immediately stood and backed up a little.

“Wildfire!” Kurai growled. “I said fight him!”

Circling Rowen, Ryo muttered, “Sorry ‘bout this, man,” and then lunged at the archer, knocking him to the floor. Ryo lifted his datchi about his head as though he were about to strike at Rowen. Suddenly, before anyone could react, Ryo jumped up and sprinted straight for the door. Kurai quickly summed up the situation and with a jerk of her head knocked Ryo up against the wall. “Bad Wildfire,” she frowned. “No biscuit.” While she was distracted with his friend, Rowen silently lifted himself up and in two steps was across the room, his knife at her throat.

“Release your hold on my friends,” he said from between clenched teeth, “or die.”

“Die before surrender,” Kurai returned defiantly. “But do you really expect to defeat me physically like that?”

“Two heads are better than one.” With Kurai’s attention on Rowen, Ryo was able to cross to her other side, pressing his datchi agianst her chest.

Kurai closed her eyes and began speaking rapidly in an unidentifiable language, and before Rowen or Ryo could flinch, she was gone.

“Okay, um, what just happened, man?” Ryo furrowed his eyebrows.

Rowen shook his head.

Slowly, as if coming out of a daze, sound began to return to the Ronin Manor.

“She’ll be back, won’t she?” asked Ryo quietly.

“Definitely,” Rowen agreed, staring absently out the window. “She’ll be back.”

They sat in silence for a moment before Ryo spoke up. “Do you think the others...are normal again?”

Rowen’s eyes widened. “I dunno...I guess we’ll have to see. Come on– let’s go check on them.”

They took the stairs two at a time, slowly panicing as they realized that while sound had returned ot the world, there was no sound coming from upstairs.

Where Kento’s loud proclamations of hunger, Sai’s light British accent, and Sage’s laughter usually filled the house, it was silent.

They arrived at the room Rowen and Sage shared first.

“Was he there this morning?” hissed Ryo.

“Didn’t notice,” Rowen returned. “I wasn’t really paying attention.”

Ryo threw the door open. “Sage?”

They were met by silence.

Exchanging a worried look, Wildfire and Strata inched into the room.

“Sage?” Ryo called again.

Rowen strode over to Sage’s bed. It was empty– in fact, it looked as if it hadn’t even been slept in.

It was the same in Kento and Sai’s room– empty beds, completely neat and made up.

“Now that is a feat,” Ryo laughed nervously. “Kento never makes his bed.”

Rowen glanced at him. “We need to find Mia.” As Ryo nodded agreement, they headed to Mia’s room.

Author's note- Anyone see where this is going? Remember, e-mail me! [email protected]