Guardian Souls
By: Ghost of the Dawn

Chapter Twenty: Darkest Prison

Mia heard and felt the tremors in the castle just the same as everyone else did. But while all the servants of the castle whimpered and fell to the ground, she ran through the corridors towards the sound. All the castle's guards were either dead by Akuma's hands or too confused to know how to react. But Mia knew. This wasn't the first crisis she had faced and she was sure it wouldn't be her last. She knew exactly what was causing the whole castle to shake and she wasn't afraid.
She reached the stairs that led to one of the four tall towers on the corners of the castle. At the base sat a young servant girl, shivering near a pillar and watching the stair way with wide eyes. The stairs were dirty, covered in debris and dirt. More kept raining down on them in small doses from somewhere near the top. That was where Kento was, and he was fighting, Mia knew that much. She also knew she couldn't let him fight alone.
"Don't go up there," Anubis' voice said behind her. "There's nothing you can do to help him."
"I have to, Anubis. Kento's all by himself up there. I have to do something!"
Anubis shook his head. "With the power I'm sensing, there is nothing you could do that would even make a difference."
Mia shot him a hard look and then turned and ran for the tower stairs.
"Mia!" Anubis barked at her. He lurched to grab her arm and hold her back, but his ghostly hand passed right through her. He made a growl of frustration as he watched her disappear up the shaky stairs and then followed her.
****************

A flash of steel came from the sky and in an instant, Akuma's hold on Kento was no more. The black bindings that held him fell to the ground, melting into the stone as they were severed from their host's body. Kento gasped and sputtered, trying to get air back into his lungs. Between him and the demon stood the protective form of Ryo in full battle armor. Two other armored forms dropped from above, Rowen and Cye, on either side of him.
"Kento, buddy, you okay?" Rowen asked as he grabbed his arm.
"You look bloody awful," Cye added. "Can you stand?"
The two each grabbed an arm and pulled him to shaky feet.
"Man, am I glad to see you guys," Kento coughed, his voice hoarse. "I was starting to think my ancestors were calling me."
"Heh, not yet," Rowen grinned back. "You ain't getting out of this that easy."
"Look alive you guys," Ryo called to them, not turning away from Akuma's grinning face. "This guy looks dangerous."
"Right," Cye nodded. "We've got Kento in case he attacks."
"How'd you guys get here so quick anyway?" Kento rasped. He coughed again. "Sage said you wouldn't be able to make it back for another few days."
To this, Ryo did glance back in surprise.
"Sage?" Rowen demanded. "He's already here? Robyn, too?"
"Where are they?" Cye continued the questions. "Are they okay?"
Kento looked darkly at their foe. Akuma took a step towards them, black tendrils snaking from his skin and whipping all around him.
"They're better off than we are right now, trust me."
"Watch out! Here it comes!" Ryo announced.
On that mark, Akuma took another step forward and the number of razor sharp tendrils doubled, all flying towards them. Cye and Rowen dodged, pulling Kento out the way. Ryo stood his ground, deflecting several of the sharp tips with his swords. An arrow fell from the sky, embedding in Akuma's arm. He jerked a bit, but otherwise didn't respond. Three more forms fell from above: Diana, Myune, and Miniko.
"Wow, you brought everyone!" Kento quipped.
"Pays to be prepared," Cye commented back.
"That arrow didn't even hurt him," Diana said to Ryo. "I'm sure he's more demon than man at this point. It's going to be tricky defeating him."
"He's also got the queen," Kento said as he tried to stand up. "She's laying over there. I tried to get past him, but he's pretty quick."
"We'll find a way," Ryo vowed, his swords at the ready.
"Look at how many of you came," Akuma announced. "I'm so glad! It was a bit disappointing fighting just one of you. But now all of you can die together."
On his word, more black tendrils raced from his body. They came from his face and his arms; ripping the material of his robe as they emerged from all over his body. The ground beneath the warrior's feet began to crumble as even more came up from below. Everyone scattered, dodging the razor sharp edges the best they could. Pieces of the terrace were starting to collapse below them. The castle was slowly falling apart.
At the already decimated tower, Mia used all her force to push away the debris sitting in front of the door. Once opened, she gasped at the sight. Black, worm-like tendrils snaked every which way; debris and bodies flying. The place was in utter chaos. A blur of red flew near Mia's feet and she gasped as Ryo tried to pick himself up.
"Ryo, are you okay? What's going on?"
Ryo took a moment to shake himself before noticing Mia was there.
"What are you doing here?!" he demanded. "This is too dangerous! Get out of here!"
Right as he said that, a tendril climbed up, grabbing his ankle. A second flew out to wrap around him, pinning one of his arms at his side, though he refused to drop his swords.
"Ryo!" Mia cried, running for him.
"No! Get back!" Ryo yelled. "I told you to get out of here! Hariel! Get Mia some place safe and watch her!"
Mia didn't even see the white haired man on the battle field. But before she could even draw an extra breath, Hariel was right in front of her. He grabbed her arm, firm but gentle, and backed her up back through the door. She felt him flinch a bit when he did so, but she didn't care. Mia was about to tell him what for and to let her go when she realized she was no longer in the tower. She was suddenly in a small study room; quiet and empty.
"Hariel! What is this? What did you do?" she demanded, hands on hips.
"Ryo told me to get you out and somewhere safe." Hariel replied calmly. "This place does it very well."
"I can't be in here!" Mia argued. "They're fighting for their lives out there! I have to help them! You can't stop me from trying to help them!"
She looked around the door for the exit, but there wasn't one. There wasn't a single door in that entire room. Mia looked around, dumbfounded. Why would a room not have any doors? Then she looked to Hariel accusingly.
"Ryo told me to keep you out of it," he informed her.
"And do you always do what Ryo says?" Mia mocked.
"Yes, which is more than you can say for yourself."
Mia opened her mouth to argue the point, but then shut it again and folded her arms stubbornly.
Anubis' form appeared between them.
"Here you are," he said to Mia. "Took my a while to figure out where you went."
Hariel shrugged in apology.
"Yeah well now he won't let me out of here!" Mia barked. "I'm can't do anything trapped in here!"
"As opposed to how much good you'll do out there?" Hariel ventured as he hopped up on a desk and crosses his legs. "Like what? Last time you had the jewel of life. What do you have now that could save them all from that demon? You really think that right now you being there yelling at them would be more helpful to them than their weapons or their armors?"
Mia's argument shrank right there. Hariel seemed pretty easy going, but he could sure push his point when he wanted to. Anubis turned to hide his smile. He was secretly happy Mia was being held out of danger himself.
"But I–I want to help them!" Mia argued desperately. "Even if I can't do anything, I just want them to know they're not alone out there! I want to be there for them! I–I..."
"It's alright," Hariel replied in a soothing voice. "I understand. It's hard for me to watch, too."
*****************

Sage was so mad. He couldn't believe he got sent to the basement--again! He hated the place. It smelled of dust and it was kind of cold. There were no windows and it made weird sounds. But he wouldn't have to be in there if it wasn't for his stupid grandfather. The old man was always on his case, no matter what he did. Yayoi was older, why didn't he pick on her more? Why was it always him? He was hardly eight years old and already he was getting tired of being told he was the only son and that he had so many responsibilities. He was just a kid! He was trying his best. But it was never good enough for that stupid old man!
Positively riddled with frustration, Sage let out an angry cry and kicked at anything that was near him. Boxes toppled over. An old wooden chair snapped and clattered as he threw it against the wall. The world wasn't fair. Outside his family with his looks, inside because of his station; they all treated him differently. Why couldn't they just once pretend he was normal and treat him the same?
"What's all this ruckus down here?"
Sage froze, wide eyed, worried he was in trouble again. Light footsteps descended slowly down the dark staircase. A small hunched form was slightly silhouetted by the little bit of light that squeezed down from upstairs. Sharp, aged eyes wandered over the mess Sage had made.
"Sunshine, what are you doing?"
Sage looked away. His grandmother was the only person in the world whom he didn't mind to call him such things. But he would still feel properly chastised when she asked him in that tone. His grandmother pulled the light cord hanging from the ceiling and the middle of the basement was bathed in a dusty, yellow glow.
"Why do you always insist on punishing yourself further by keeping the lights off down here?"
When Sage didn't answer, she sighed.
"Come here, Sunshine," she said as she carefully sat herself on the floor.
Sage hurried over to climb into her lap. It wouldn't be too much longer until he would be too big for this. Especially since his grandmother was getting more feeble by the day since she got sick.
"Alright now, I want you to tell me exactly why you thought that old chair over there deserved the fate you gave it, hm?" She pointed to the chair he had earlier smashed into the wall in his anger.
Sage stared at it a while and then sniffed. He tried to fight it, but the tears came anyway.
"Grandpa hates me!" he cried as he threw his arms around her petite shoulders and sobbed.
"Oh, there, there sweetheart," his grandmother chuckled as she patted his back. "Your grandfather doesn't hate you. Don't be so silly."
Sage pulled back and sniffled, wiping his nose on his sleeve. "Then why is nothing I do good enough for him? Why doesn't he just leave me alone?"
His grandmother smiled gently at him as she brushed her slender fingers through his hair, revealing both his eyes.
"Oh, young one, you are just as stubborn as he is. The two of you will be the death of each other yet," she chuckled. "I promise you, your grandfather does not hate you, in fact he cares for you very much. He just has a different way of showing it. You're so wild and unpredictable, Sunshine. He worries you won't grow up proper with so much rebellious fire in your spirit. He doesn't get to see the sweet little boy you show me. He just wants you to grow up to be a proper young man."
"Well I'm tired of doing what he says!" Sage yelled as he pushed away. "What if I don't want to be head of the family? No one even ASKED me!"
His grandmother continued to sit and regarded him calmly despite his outburst.
"You'll soon learn in life that we are often given difficult tasks without warning and without being asked. And it is what we do with those tasks that we have been given that truly show the kind of person we have become. Your grandfather is stern because he wants you to grow into the kind of person who make the right decision when the time comes."
Sage folded his arms stubbornly. "I can do it without his help. I can do it without ANYONE'S help! Grandpa always tells me a real warrior is strong in mind, body, and spirit. I already know this. I can be strong on my own. I don't need him!"
"Is that what you believe, my grandson?" she spoke quietly. "That a warrior, that any person of worth, must work on only three elements to make him whole?"
Sage looked at her blankly. "What else is there?"
Her mouth moved as she spoke her reply, but no sound came out.
"What was that grandma? I didn't hear you." He leaned closer to catch what she was saying.
Again, she spoke but there was no sound.
"Grandma, speak louder. I can't hear you!"
Sage was getting impatient. This was important! Why wasn't she saying it loud enough for him? Then, the basement grew darker and Sage's heart lurched in panic as his precious grandmother was pulled away from him.
"Grandma, wait! Wait!"
He moved to reach for her, but she had disappeared into the shadows. Then the scenery changed. He was dressed in black and he and all his relatives were standing in a cemetery. He watched as they laid his grandmother's ashes to rest and a part of him grew dead inside. He had lost the one person who truly understood him.
It had been bright and sunny that day. Very inappropriate for how he felt inside. Why couldn't it rain like it always did in the movies? Why couldn't the world outside be dreary like his world on the inside?
After the services, he found himself a quiet corner to sit where he could hide and be out of the way. He could hear the adults. Sometimes they talked about him. It was mentioned that he used to be so wild and he had been calming down lately. They credited it to his grandfather's work and to the bamboo flute lessons he had started taking. They didn't know anything. His grandfather didn't have anything to do with it. His reason to fight was gone. They thought it was his grandfather or the flute that did it, but it was her. She had been his sunshine and now all that was left was darkness. It was she who took his spark. When his grandmother died, she took his fire and left an empty shell.
He didn't have the will to be his own person any more. If he did, there was no one left to understand him. So he disappeared and left a proper, obedient child in his place. And no one ever realized a part of him had been lost.
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine...
A breeze picked up out of nowhere. Sage was suddenly standing in a field and he wasn't a child any more.
You make me happy when skies are grey...
Sage swung his head around and he saw her sitting among the wild grass with her back to him, her red hair blowing in the breeze. He heard her voice sing sweetly, carried on the wind all around him.
You'll never know dear, how much I love you.
It was then Sage was reminded where he was and what he was doing. He wasn't in his own world here, he was stuck in Robyn's consciousness and it was confusing him. He needed to get back on track and do what he had come there to do.
Please don't take my sunshine away.
Sage tried to block it all out and concentrate. As he did, the field and Robyn vanished and it was black all around him once more. A dim light began to grow in front of him, revealing a very familiar suit of armor.
You have called me to you again...
Sage took a step back, surprised to hear the armor speak to him. Though as soon as he heard it, he was sure he had heard the voice of that armor before. And he remembered that night in the basement. When he had forced himself to sit in the dark and it had glowed in front of him.
You call me to you in this dark place, it had said to him all those years ago. Choose me and I will cast a never ending light on you where no darkness can touch. I will show you a great and difficult destiny far more than your forefathers had ever dreamed for you. There might be times when you hate and distrust me. I do not have the power to make you all that you want to be. But I promise you this: I will always protect those you most care about. And I will always return if you call. This I will do if you accept me.
Sage clenched his fists at his side. He didn't quiet understand back then, but he had accepted anyway.
I offer you the same promise I have before, Halo then spoke to him in the present. Will you accept me once again?
Sage just stood there. He hardly heard a word. All he could think of was that memory in his grandfather's basement. He remembered his grandmother trying to tell him that one thing. But why couldn't he remember what it was? If it was so important, why had he forgotten and not lived some of the last teachings she had every given him? He recalled her mouth movements and tried to copy them with his own; trying to sound out what words she might have used.
The words were coming slowly. Sage was sure he had figured them out, but they puzzled him.
"Heart..." he mumbled to himself. "A balanced warrior has a strong mind, body, spirit and heart."
Then he remembered that day, after his grandmother's funeral. When everyone had paid their last respects and gone home. He had passed his grandfather's room and the door was slightly open. Sage had noticed his grandfather was inside, kneeling on the floor. Quietly, he peeked in; and there he saw his grandfather break down and weep alone at the loss of his beloved wife.
When he was little, Sage thought he saw only weakness that day. Now that he was older, Sage realized he had seen his grandfather act more like a man than he ever had before. His grandfather WAS a good man. Very much unlike himself.
Do you accept me once more? the Halo armor asked him again.
Sage stared the armor down, his fists trembling.
"Why me?" he demanded, his voice rising. "Why do you want me? What am I to you? Wisdom, what is that?! I don't know anything! I don't understand anything!" He slapped his palm to his chest. "I don't feel anything in here! There's nothing! I'm not a balanced warrior! Why did you choose me for this? Is it because I'm cold, like you?"
The armor was silent for a moment.
These are not the reasons, it then said.
"Then what?" Sage cried. "Tell me why you chose me!"
He sensed confusion from the armor.
....These are not the reasons.
Sage sighed to himself. "Fine," he relented. "It doesn't matter. I need you anyway so come to me, Halo. We will protect and we will be incomplete together if that's what you wish."
The Halo armor moved towards him.
Sage was engulfed in the familiar light and power of his armor. Halo truly had become a part of him. Even when taken away, it readily came back when called. They were one whether Sage liked it or not. The armors listened to no one else but their masters. Yet, there were times when they seemed content in the hands of another. Such as when they had all held the Wildfire sword among them; why?
For some reason, the words of his grandmother popped into his head again. Then Sage experienced a moment of clarity where he finally understood.
***********

The battle seemed to be at a standstill. Warriors and priestesses alike attacked their foe from every side, but Akuma could sense them all. All attacks were blocked, all defenses were shattered. Kento, slowed by his wounds, caught the heavy swing of on black tentacle in the gut and was thrust into one of the tower walls. Without his sub armor, the impact easily knocked the breath out of him and his world was sent swimming.
When his vision cleared, Kento noticed his earlier discarded naginata was near his feet. Grunting, Kento stood, ignoring the screaming muscles in his wounded leg. Akuma was otherwise distracted by Ryo and Myune's contact attacks. As quiet and swift as he could, Kento heaved his weapon like a spear towards the enemy's body. It flew through the air undetected and pierced the enemy through.
Akuma lurched at impact and stopped to stare at the blade now pointing out the front of his abdomen. But it hardly slowed him down. As two of his tendrils went to work pulling out the weapon, Akuma turned and set his sights on Kento.
"You can't stop me," he hissed. "I am indestructible!"
Kento stared at the monster with wide eyes. If they couldn't even hurt him when they did land a blow, how did they hope to beat him?
A deep rumble came from somewhere inside the castle. Myune began to glow a pale green. Ryo just stopped and stared at her. The silhouette was shaped like the Halo armor and the apparition slowly began to sink into the castle stones at her feet.
"No!" Myune cried. "He can't call you back! You listen to me!"
But the glowing form of the armor wasn't listening. It sank out of sight and moments later, a louder rumble and then a thick, blinding light shot from one of the castle windows and high into the sky.
"It's Sage!" Rowen exclaimed, grinning. "He's got his armor back!"
The burst of light drew higher above them and then came careening down. It passed all the warriors on the roof and landed lightly on the ground next to the castle gate. Slowly, the pillar of bright light subsided, leaving a fully armored Sage in its wake.
Right then, another light came. The ground cracked and thin rays of orange light spurted from it. The ground shuttered and parted as Robyn's body slowly rose up. The ground closed again beneath her feet and she opened her eyes to see Sage standing before her. Sage had been hoping for something different when he set eyes on this form this time. But she still regarded him as cold as ever; if not a bit surprised.
"So, you got Halo back, did you?" she asked, a bemused smiled starting to spread across her face.
Sage looked at her for a while, weighing all this thoughts and options in his mind. He held the Halo sword in both hands and looked down at the shining blade. He really had missed that sword. While he sometimes questioned the armor, that sword had never let him down. And it was still beautiful beyond all others he had laid eyes on.
Now came the time he had worried about. Now that he had the sword, what was he going to do with it? He looked from the shining blade to Robyn's face. It was a face he knew, but the soul behind it, he wasn't sure he trusted. But now he was left with little choice but to go with his instincts.
Slowly, he held the sword on both palms to Robyn. To his surprise, she actually held back.
"You sure this is what you want, Halo?" she questioned.
He nodded and she smiled at him, reaching for the sword. Halo's weapon made no protest of its own to stop her. She held it upright and looked at the craftsmanship.
"I think," Sage said, gathering her attention. "I understand now why you can use this sword. It was quite convenient for you that your spirit returned the way it did."
"Destiny works in ways we can only imagine," Robyn replied cryptically. "To break it brings us only more mystery."
She reached up to kiss him lightly on the side of the mouth. Sage could only stand there, dumbfounded as she turned and ran for the castle, taking the Halo sword with her. Sage's eyes widened as she ran right up the stone wall towards the top.
"Hey, wait! Wait!" Sage called, but she was already half way up.
He frowned at her and then ran inside the castle.
************

The light from the armor of Halo had left everyone a bit blinded and had interrupted the fight for a moment. It was too dark to see what was going on below the castle; and it wasn't like anyone had time to look. But it did mean Sage would be joining the fight, soon.
"Impossible!" Myune's voice rang out, gathering most of the attention. "Halo shouldn't listen any more! How did he get it back? Why did it return to him?"
Unfortunately, she also drew the attention of her enemy in her tirade. Cye noticed far sooner than Myune did. Even though he didn't like her; even though he knew it would be easier without her, he threw himself in front of her. Myune just gaped at the light blue warrior with wide eyes as his body now stood as a shield to protect her from the painful end she would surely meet otherwise.
Cye closed his eyes, waiting for the blow. He heard Akuma's tendril hit something solid, but he never felt any pain. He opened his eyes to see another body had stepped in front of him and the sharp tip had pierced her through.
"No!' Cye cried. "Diana!"
Diana's body hung limp for a moment, but then she came to life again. Not a drop of blood came from her wounds, nor did she seem to be in any pain. Instead, she smiled and gripped the tentacle running through her chest.
"Gotcha," she grinned.
A blue light came from her hands and ran up the black tendril to the host. He shrieked and writhed in pain when it reached him. Some of the blackness on his body began to disperse and he started to look like a normal man again.
"NO!" his throaty voice wailed. "Spirit witch! You cannot heal THIS soul! I will not allow it!"
With his remaining strength, Akuma sent several more waves of black tendrils at Diana's body.
"Diana!" Cye cried again as he helplessly watched as more tendrils forced their way into her body.
More came and wrapped around her body, arms and legs. They lifted her into the air and began to tear at her in all different directions. Everyone just watched in frozen horror. It was like watching a doll being torn apart. Diana didn't scream and there wasn't any blood, but something about the sight was still very unsettling.
Her arm ripped off first, then one of her legs. Akuma tossed the limbs aside one by one and then set about strangling what was left of the body. Cye worked his mouth up and down as he watched. He wanted to scream to someone to stop it, but he couldn't find his voice. Nothing would come out. His body was losing all strength at the retched sight and he fell to his knees, unable to stand.
Akuma saw this and laughed as he threw the mangled body in Cye's direction so he could get a closer look. The body rolled to lay next to him; half of Diana's face was gone. Cye just stared at her, afraid to even touch with the damage that had been inflicted on her. The body was still.
"Diana?" Cye asked in a raspy voice.
Her remaining eye rolled over in Cye's direction.
"What's that face for?" she asked in a quiet voice. "Don't worry, I don't feel anything. I told you, remember? I was already dead before I started."
Cye swallowed. He couldn't stop his body from shaking. "I know, but--- to go like this...it isn't--"
"I don't mind," she said calmly. "I was brought back here for the purpose of serving you. And I did. So there's nothing to regret. It's just another lifetime; just another battle." Her voice grew weaker as the spell holding her spirit in the faux body began to diminish. My only real regret is I never found out what happened to Minami." She smiled faintly. "Though I guess now I'll be able to ask her when I reach the other side."
"Minami isn't there."
Cye looked up. Robyn was standing at his side, Halo sword in her hand.
Diana looked at her. "Do you know where she is?" she rasped.
Robyn looked down at the slowly departing spirit. "Minami lives. She's been alive since the beginning, living in this world just as everyone else."
Diana closed her eye, feeling tired as her energy faded. "Really," she said in a weak voice. "So I won't see her so soon. Is she...happy where she is?"
Robyn smiled a very genuine, very kind smile down at Diana. "She is."
Diana smiled back. "I see. Maybe I will go visit her then."
"I think she'll like that," Robyn nodded.
Diana closed her remaining eye and out of the cracked surfaces of her body, a light began to grow. It seeped out of its shell and gathered together into a ball, floating upward towards the sky.
"No!" Cye cried, still on his knees. "Diana! DIANA!"
Robyn placed a hand on his head. "Don't worry about it," she smiled at him now. "She's where she'll be happy. It will be okay." She looked over at Akuma, her expression darkening. "But now there's still one last thing to do."
Akuma eyed her in amusement. "You came all the way back from the dead just to hunt me again? Don't you get tired of losing?"
She flashed the blade and Cye's eyes widened with realization.
"No, Robyn! Don't do it!"
"No Torrent," she shook her head as her gaze stayed level with Akuma's. "Let this be my fight. I should end it. There is so much the rest of you can live for. This body's already had enough."
It took a moment for that statement to seep in. When it did, Cye felt his heart drop into his stomach and he was paralyzed.
Ryo must have heard the comment, too, for he raced for Robyn with the intent of holding her back. But she flung a hand in his direction and the stones beneath his feet shook in a rippled pattern, causing him and Miniko, who was behind him, to both loose their footing and fall.
"I will end this," Cye heard Robyn vow before she sprinted after Akuma, sword poised to kill.
The demon saw her coming and he chuckled, sending his usual barrage of black tentacles after her. Robyn artfully parried and dodged, but was making no more progress than any of the others who had tried before her. Rowen was fighting to get closer to her to help, but Akuma had noticed him and attacked on his side as well.
"Not him, demon, you better be watching me!" Robyn announced. She slid under an assault of sharp spines, getting closer than anyone had gotten yet. She dodged the attacks easier with her smaller, faster, unarmed body.
Akuma sent out another wave. Robyn continued avoid them; then she lurched forward, eyes wide and mouth agape. She looked down at the sharp, black point protruding a few inches from her chest. Akuma had sent one tendril to come at her from behind when she wasn't looking..
Several pairs of eyes stared in shock and disbelief. Voices screamed out her name, but Robyn didn't hear them. It was as if all sound had disappeared. All she was aware of was Akuma's maddening smile. The body jerked as he ran her through with several more spines from the front. It made a horrible tearing sound as blood splattered on the stones around her. Then more tendrils came out to wrap around her and drag the body towards him.
Miniko and Myune were taking full advantage of this. While Akuma was otherwise distracted, they ran for the forgotten body of the queen. Even the Ronins were too busy fighting their way through the gruesome scene to take notice.
For a moment, Robyn's body fought against the binds piercing and pulling her. But her energy faded quickly and her head dropped to her chest. Her arms fell lifelessly at her side.
"So not even you could stop me," Akuma cackled. His victim was no more than a few feet from him now. Her hand clung stubbornly to the Halo sword, scraping it on the ground as she was drug.
Akuma ignored all the angry cries and all the threats that were being thrown at him. He studied the still face.
"This world has no space for two doomed souls; two monsters. You–"
Robyn growled as she came to life, gripping the Halo sword tighter. Like lightning, she stood and ran the demon through. With her Hardrock strength, she pushed him back, running him through to almost the hilt and pinning him against the tower wall despite the amount of tendrils still piercing her body.
Akuma looked surprised at first, but then smiled again. That attack did not hurt him either.
"You're right," Robyn said in a raspy voice. Her lungs were slowly filling with liquid. "There should only be one monster here. So I will cleanse your soul, My Lord."
The Halo sword began to glow. As the power rose, Akuma's eyes widened in fear–fear from the real being inside him– and he began to cry out in agony. Light from the sword spilled in every direction, rising higher. Akuma screamed as the light continued to grow. Around the castle, it was almost as bright as day.
The demon was engulfed by a searing pillar of light so bright that it practically blinded everyone in the vicinity. For a moment, there was nothing else but blinding white everywhere.
************
"My Lord Prince, what is this? Why are you hiding in here? Everyone's been looking for you."
"Minami, I heard my parents talking about me to the Honored One. They fear the beast within me is growing. They're building a new castle for me, far away from here. It should be completed by my sixteenth birthday. There I will stay until the demon swallows me whole. They mean for that place to be my tomb."
"So what are you going to do about it, My Prince?"
"...Huh?"
"Are you going to sit and mope all day and go quietly? Or are you going to give it a good fight? There's no glory in a cowards death, My Lord."
"I am NOT a coward, Minami! You've always been my teacher, you should know that."
"I do, Lord Prince. So how about we give it a fight to remember? A true warrior never goes quietly into death."
"Minami? You have been the only one who has never been afraid of me or looked at me differently. I can't even say the same for my parents. So I will be with you until the end. I will give a good fight."
"Very good, My Lord."
"And Minami?
"Yes?"
"I want your word. If I should lose this battle, you will end my life. Even if it means the loss of my own soul. Promise me this and I promise you I will do everything in my power to make sure you do not have to keep your vow."
"Very well. As you wish, My Lord. To this, I swear."
*********

"There is no way to separate them," Shinsetsu repeated, his voice reflecting his fading patience. "The demon fused with the prince's soul the moment he was born. As I have told you, even when his Highness dies, he will have no escape from its clutches. The demon will take his soul. All we can do is put him somewhere safe with magical barriers and let him live out what life he has."
"NO!" Robin barked as she slammed her palms on the table. "I will not accept that! If I can't do anything for the prince in his life, then I'll be damned if he loses his eternal soul to the demon wold, too!"
Shinsetsu placed a hand on her shoulder. "Destiny is a cruel mistress sometimes. It demands without explanation and sometimes leaves us confused. But we cannot fight these powers and must learn to live with them. Not even someone with your strength has the power to break destiny, Lady Hardrock."
Robin frowned to herself. She wasn't Minami even though when she first appeared at the castle she said she was, but no one knew that. They also didn't know that since she wasn't the real Hardrock priestess, she wasn't bound by Minami's destiny. And maybe someone who had broken their own destiny could break another's...
"Honored one? Even just in theory, is there anything you could think of that might be able to separate a soul from a demon? Anything at all?"
The old man stroked his beard in thought.
"I suppose if there were an implement--sharp and untainted with no trace of darkness, it may be able to cleave a demon from a person's soul. Unfortunately, no amount of man's magic could create such a device pure enough.."
A bit discouraged, Robin looked down Shinsetsu's desk. It was cluttered with piles of notes the old man had about the armors and other such mystical things. A draft from the window fluttered a few pages of technical drawings in a book to a drawing of the Halo sword. Robin looked at it thoughtfully.
"What about something made by the gods?"
***********

The pillar of light faded and Akuma fell silent. His body drooped from where he was still pinned by the Halo sword. The glowing red eyes were gone, as was the black coating that covered much of his body. He now looked like the normal teenage boy he was never given a chance to be. Normal, human blood flowed freely from where he had been run through.
The young man took one last shuddering breath, blood trickling from the side of his mouth.
"One hundred years," he gurgled weakly. "I gave it a good fight."
"You did, My Lord, well done," Robyn whispered. "Your spirit is free from demons now. Go and rest, warrior."
"Thank you." The young prince managed a weak smile before his head dropped, never to be lifted again. All around the black tendrils turned to ooze and melted into the stone. The battle was done.
***********

"I have to go to the bathroom," Mia announced. "Make a door for me."
"No you don't," Hariel insisted. "Sit down."
Mia gaped at him for calling her a liar. Even if she had lied. Then she folded her arms and brooded. She was used to being told what to do, but she wasn't used to being forced to do what she was told.
Anubis smirked to himself. Mia's stubbornness was so endearing somehow. Even her cute, little pout when she didn't get her way.
From where he still at on the desk, Hariel took in a sharp breath. Mia and Anubis both felt the atmosphere in the room instantly darken. Hariel's expression sobered as well. That annoying grin of his hardened into a thin line.
"What?" Mia demanded. "What's going on?"
Hariel looked up; obviously surprised he had allow his thoughts to be so transparent. Not trying to hide it now, he climbed off the desk and sighed. He stood there for a moment, dripping blood on the floor.
"My Lord," Anubis asked, surprised. "Do you bleed?"
Hariel looked at the gash Akuma had given him on the back of his arm when he had grabbed Mia.
"I do," he admitted. "I've already meddled in this too much for my own good. But there is still one thing left that I must do."
The way he said it, so sad, made Mia suddenly forget that she was mad at him. Now she suddenly wanted to give him a comforting hug.
"Hariel?" she asked softly.
He smiled at her, a sad smile. "I'm a bit scared, to be honest."
That made Mia's heart lurch for a moment.
"If you must go, I will stand with you, if you wish," Anubis offered. "I know it isn't much, but–"
"No," Hariel declined with a more genuine smile. "I want you to stay here. No sense including any more souls in this madness."
"Hariel, please take Anubis with you," Mia urged. "Whatever it is you need to do, you don't have to do it alone."
"Yes, I do," Hariel insisted.
With his bloodied hand, he clapped Anubis on the shoulder. His hand connected solidly with the ghost's body. The former warlord stared in disbelief as Hariel purposefully smeared his god's blood across Anubis' shoulder.
"Did–did you just–" he stuttered.
Mia walked over to touch his arm. Anubis was indeed solid. They both stared at each other, baffled at their own contact.
"Of course, now neither of you can get out," Hariel said with a smirk. "But I'm sure you'll find a way to pass the time until someone finds you."
Mia blushed as Hariel grinned at her. Then he disappeared right before their eyes.
*************

Sage burst through the tower door, ready for battle. To his surprise, everything was still. The fight was over. Through the torch light, he could see his friends where they stood in different positions on the roof. They were all looking at the same scene. And when Sage saw it, too, he was very alarmed at how many new injuries had been inflicted on Robyn's body within the past few minutes he had seen her last.
The Halo sword was still in Akuma's body, pinning him to the tower wall. Robyn was still holding the hilt, though it looked more like she was using it to keep herself standing. Blood was dripping heavily from all the open wounds on her body.
She looked up when Akuma's body suddenly spasmed. Not as if it were alive, but if something were moving inside the corpse. Robyn moved back, eyes wide as a deep, sinister laughter drifted from the body.
"Try as hard as you can, you pitiful mortals," a deep voice resounded in the night air. "You may have taken that boy's soul from me, but this world is still mine."
The body jerked again and the Halo sword was sent flying from its victim. Somehow, the dead body remained standing and from the gaping wound in the chest, a thick, black ooze poured out. Faster and thicker it poured. The ooze took a life of it's own and began to cover everything in its path. It shot out from the wound at an alarming rate; as if from a source that would never empty.
Robyn was the first to be swallowed up. She fought it off while she could, but was soon completely covered. The black rose higher and spread farther, faster than Akuma's tendrils ever moved. Rowen was the closest and it grabbed him, too. It spread to cover Cye and Kento, the priestesses and the still unconscious queen. It rose to take the towers, spilling over the side of the castle, slithering into all the cracks and windows. It took Ryo as it raced past the castle grounds, growing rapidly to engulf the whole countryside. And as the ooze took Sage as well, he saw the blackness reach up to swallow the sky.
**********

There was nothing. No light, no sound, no substance; no life. And yet, Ryo knew he still existed; somewhere, somehow. He sensed movement next to him and his instincts told him the others were there. Light slowly came from some unknown source. But it was weak. Just enough for him to see his friends; Cye, Kento, Rowen, and Sage standing with him. There was no one else.
The five of them looked around in confusion.
"Where are we?" Kento spoke aloud.
"You are in a place untouched by time," came a female voice. "For you, all time has stopped in this moment; the very breath before the end of the world."
The source of the voice stepped forward and Robyn came into the faint light. Her body was riddled with open wounds and her face was smeared with blood. Her expression remained placid as if she noticed none of this. The voice that spoke from Robyn's lips sounded nothing like her. The Ronins knew they were listening to the spirit that had possessed her.
"I never had any right to lay claim to the Hardrock title," the spirit explained. "But for some reason, it accepted me anyway. Another had been destined for it for all time and it ignored that and took me for its guardian. I never understood why until, at my death, I saw this place and its secret. The true secret of the armors. And now warriors, at the brink of your deaths, you shall see it, too."