Going Against the flow: Chapter 6- Saved From the Darkness

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Rys was hungry. He had been in the basement dungeon of the Shadowkeepers Temple for the last two days and he was only given water since his arrival. His sword has been taken away and now Rys's only option was to wait. His cellmate wasn't that well of either. He was put in a cell with another Black Pantara ninja. They were the only two in the dungeon. They tried talking now and then, but mostly silence reigned down here. But he had learned qite a bit over two days. His cell mate's name was Rorik. He explained that the Black Pantara was a group of black panther ninja and owed allegience to no one. They mostly did undercover work for whoever paid the highest price. But one day Moo appeared to the leader of the sect, Shakahn. He offered gold and riches in exchange for loyalty. Shakahn was always a greedy leader and took him up on his offer. Rorik and a few others dissaproved, so they were thrown down into the dungeon. One by one his friends had whithered away. He told of being tortured, getting only one meal a week, and getting drink of water a day. He said that it's not so bad, once you get past the torturing part. Lorin and Silve hid in the forests surrounding the temple. They had arrived here that morning, but needed the cover of night before they could move. "Hold on Rys." Lorin thought. "You'll be out soon." The door to the dungeon opened and Shakahn walked through, followed by two ninja. One of them opened the door to the cell and Shakahn walked over to Rys. Rys stood, but the ninja forced him down to one knee. Shakahn spoke. "So. The last of the Leo wants revenge. Moo knows about you. And it seems that your Cheetal friend also saved a Rentok that Moo needed desperately. You two are nothing but trouble to him. But Moo wants to talk to you personally. But I want to know one thing. What's your name?" Rys remained silent and instead kept his thoughts to himself. "A Rentok? I thought they were all killed!" Shakahn motioned toward Rys and one of the ninja slashed Rys's his right shoulder with a ninja knife. "Aaaagh!" Rys screamed. Shakahn chuckled to himself. "I didn't think that you would speak up. No matter. Moo will arrive in a couple days and he will get some answers from you. Come!" Shakahn and his two ninja closed the door to the cell and left. Rys held a hand to his wound and the blood dripped down his arm. Rorik looked at him. "You alright? That's their main method of interregation. Pain. That's nothing compared to what they'll do later." Rorik stood, faced his back toward Rys, and lifted his shirt. Rys could see many slash marks and bruises where the black fur had been ripped out. He wondered how long he had to live. Night had fallen an hour ago. Lorin amd Silve slowly made their way to the wall surrounding the compound. Lorin seacrched the wall for a foot hold. Finding one, he started his climb. About half way up, he looked down at Silve. "Well? Aren't you coming?" Silve then started to float up the face of the wall. As he passed by, Lorin thought he saw a smile on Silve's face. "Show off." He climbed up the wall and jumped down the other side. The two quickly ran to the wall of the temple and paused. "Shhh." Lorin explained. "There's someone there." He poked his head around the corner and saw a ninja walking away from him. Lorin unsheathed a sword, ran up, and stabbed the panther through the heart. He turned into a Lost Disk. Lorin motioned toward Silva. "Come on." They walked around another corner and saw a window. They cautiously climbed in and started to move down the hall. Lorin stopped again as they approached a corner and peeked around it. Another ninja was standing guard at a door. Silva whispered. "I'll handle this." He looked at the ninja from his hidden position. "Spirits of time, stop all movement. Crystal Stop!" The ninja's body started to glow and a vacant look spread across his face. Lorin walked up and waved his hand across the panther's face. "Stopped cold. That's an awsome spell. Now, let's see what he was guarding." He opened the door and met with a spectacular sight. Money was everywhere, along with jewels and gold. Lorin whistled. "What a load. Huh?" A long, slender object caught his eye and he picked it up. It was a sword with an uncut emerald in its handle. "Rys's sword! Now I know I'm in the right place." He exited the room and spoke to Silve. "My friend is in here. Since you have the magic and can read minds, do you think...?" Silve nodded. "Folow me." Silve the preceded to lead the way through the fortress. They met up with ither ninja, but they were easily and quietly slain by Lorin. They eventually came to a stairway. "Through here." Silve motioned, and led the way. They came to a door with a huge lock that was guarded by two Black Pantara. "Time for another spell," Silve said. He closed his eyes. "Quiet the soul, make speech unknown!" He turned to Lorin. "Kill one, but hold on to the other." Lorin quickly jumped down the stairs and threw his sword at the ninja on his right. It embedded itself in the ninja's chest. Blood started to flow from the wound, but he quckly turned into a Lost Disk. Lorin ran up behind the other ninja and put his arm around the panther's throat. The Ninja tried so scream, but no sound came out. "Unlock the door. NOW!" Lorin barked. The ninja did as he was told. "Thank you." Lorin broke the guard's neck. He walked in and saw Rys, along with another ninja. Rys was sleeping. "Get up! We gotta go!" Rys mumbled. "Hmmm? Wha? Oh! Lorin! How did you...?" Lorin handed Rys his sword. "Later. Right now we have to get out of here." Rys stood and took hid sword. "Wait." He walked over to Rorik and put his hands around Rys's own neck. "Come on. We're getting out of here." Silve appeared through the doorway. Rys's eyes grew huge. "A Rentok! So Shakahn was right. You did save him from Moo's henchmen." Silve walked over and froze the lock. Rys shattered the brittle metal with a good kick. Rys looked at Silve. "Thanks, but we'll save the introductions for later. Let's go." "I don't think so." They looked toward the doorway. Shakahn stood there, along with about 13 ninjas, all in fighting stances and holding weapons. Swords, knives, and spears glinted with the light of the surrounding torches within the room. "I knew you would come and try to save your friend." He motioned toward the group and the ninja's attacked. Rys put down Rorik. He then took out his sword and held it in true samurai form. He held it with two hands at eye level, pointing the blade at his attackers. A white flame enveloped the blade. He parried attacks and slashed whenever he saw an opening. He heard a scream from Lorin. Lorin was holding his arm, blood seeping through his fingers. They has re-opened his wound on his arm. Rys suddenly barged through ninja, slashing as he ran, not paying any attention to his own safety. A ninja stood above Lorin, about to give the cheetah a final blow. Rys parried the blade and killed the ninja quickly. He saw flashes of light as Silve fried 5 more ninja with a bolt of lightning. Rys stood over Lorin, protecting his wounded friend as he fought off his attackers. As he fought and killed, the flame grew bigger. Blod flowed freely over the ground as more and more Lost Disks appeared. Finally, 3 ninja remained and ran towards Shakahn. Shakahn put forth his palm. "Shadow Energy!" A wide, black beam with black lightning swirling around it flew towards Rys. Rys started to spin his sword before him. "Holy Shield!" As the sword gained speed, it formed a round, whit shield before him. There was a loud boom as the beam crashed against the shield and fizzled out. Rys stopped his sword. It had never burned with such a bright flame. "Feel the pain of those you have killed without mercy! Holy Cannon!" Rys closed his eyes and held out his sword toward Shakahn. White orbs of energy flowed toward the blade as Rys's body stated to glow. A huge ball started to form on the sword, growing bigger every second. The ninja that remained ran out of the room, but Shakahn stayed. Rys opened his eyes and roared. The huge mass of gathered energy blasted forth and hit Shakahn with such force that he flew against the wall and was held in place. When the energy faded, all that remained was a Lost Disk. Rys quietly put his sword in its sheath and picked up Rorik again, who was unhurt thanks to Silve. He turned toward his friends. "Let's go." The group worked their way through the fortress. It seemed that the remaining ninja had turned tail and ran from the compound, so they met with no opposition. They exited the building and fled into the darkness of the woods, using the light of the moon to guide tham.

-- Celious (lionmage@hotmail.com), March 04, 2000

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