Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Pitch Black ❯ Out Of Time ( Chapter 8 )

Pitch Black

 

Chapter Eight: Out Of Time

By: Demon Priestess Saturn

 

“Sage you have to go get it.” Rowen said as he set his breakfast on the table. Sage sighed heavily and sat down a crossed from him at the large dining room table. They both were up earlier than usual and both had decided not to wait for Cye to get up and make breakfast. Rowen talked Sage into cooking seeing as every time he tried to make anything it almost always ended in disaster. Rowen was just not one you could leave in the kitchen and have a good ending.

“But I just don't want to have to go where I would have to go to get it.” Sage said calmly.

“Why not? It's just your parent's house.” Rowen looked strangely at him.

“I haven't been there in two years.” Sage argued.

“So what.” Rowen shrugged and took a bite of his toast.

“You don't understand.” Sage folded his arms and looked away.

“Well maybe I would if you'd tell me what's going on.” Rowen eyed him.

“I don't want to talk about it.” Sage said coldly.

“You never had a problem with telling me things before.” Rowen looked worried.

“It's not that.” Sage looked at him. “I still trust you guys I just…”

“What's the matter? You have been acting weird since you got back.” Rowen looked into Sage's lavender eyes looking for an answer.

“I don't know what's wrong with me.” Sage put his hand to his forehead.

“Either way if you're right about the dynasty we are going to have another war to fight. We're going to need all five armors including yours. You have to go get it.” Rowen tried to reason with him.

“Damn it.” Sage kicked the leg of the table. “This is so annoying. Why couldn't I have found it some where else?”

“I don't know. It's just how it happened. I guess.” Rowen picked at his eggs.

“Alright… I'll leave as soon as I'm done eating.” Sage sighed and started eating his breakfast.

“You want me to come with you?” Rowen asked.

“No.” Sage said quickly which almost made Rowen jump. “I'll be fine. I can get it myself.”

“Are you sure?” Rowen looked worried again.

“Yes.” Sage nodded and continued eating.

“Listen… If you're in trouble I want you to tell me.” Rowen stared at him.

“I'm not in trouble. Why would you think of something like that?” Sage looked him in the eyes.

“I don't know… You seem so nervous.” Rowen looked down. Sage reached over and placed his hand on Rowen's. Rowen looked up at him and Sage smiled.

“Don't worry so much. I'm fine.” Sage reassured him but Rowen was not convinced.

“Good morning. You two are up early.” Cye said as he walked down the stairs. Sage pulled his arm away and leaned back in his chair.

“Morning.” Rowen smiled.

“Don't tell me you made breakfast.” Cye looked at Rowen with almost a horrid look.

“Hey.” Rowen frowned. “Don't give me that look. Besides Sage was the one who cooked not me.”

“Oh good.” Cye sighed in relief. Sage couldn't help but smile.

“That's mean Cye.” Rowen looked away from Cye with a playful upset look.

“Well I better get going. I have a big day a head of me.” Sage said as he stood up.

“You're leaving? But you just got here.” Cye looked curiously at him.

“I'm coming back. I'm just the only one of us who hasn't gotten his armor yet. So I need to go get it that's all.” Sage smiled and grabbed his black leather jacket.

“So you're going to go get it?” Cye stared at him.

“Yeah.” Sage frowned.

“Are you sure you should be going by yourself after everything that's happened?” Cye asked.

“Who's the one who was taking care of them before I told you guys? I'll be just fine.” Sage tilted his head to the side letting his blonde hair fall a little out of his face.

“Okay. But be careful.” Cye rolled his eyes and turned to walk into the kitchen.

“I'll be back before midnight. Or at least I should be anyways.” Sage looked at Rowen.

“Okay bye.” Rowen smiled as Sage grabbed his keys off the table and walked out the front door. Rowen frowned and his heart began to race. Why did he have the feeling that Sage wasn't going to come back?

 

………………….

 

~Flashback~

 

“Sage! Watch out!” Ryo yelled. Sage turned just as Tina-Marie pushed him over the side of the cliff. Sage's eyes went wide as he stared up at her sinister face as she got smaller and smaller. Then he hit the ground. Pain shot throughout his body. He felt his bones snap into pieces and soon he felt the sharp stabbing pains inside his crippled body. The pain was intense and he knew his injuries were fatal. He slowly opened his eyes and stared up the cliff. His vision blurring in and out he could hear voices off to his left. He turned his head slowly and saw two women walking up to him. As they approached they stopped and looked at down at him.

 

“It seems Tina-Marie has gotten a little carried away.” A woman with long curly golden blonde hair walked to the other side of Sage and knelt down beside him. Her long white dress flowed with her as she leaned down. She reminded Sage of a swan except her eyes were a deep blue and seemed to be as cold as ice. She stared down and him with an expressionless face and her rosy lips curled into a sadistic smile.

“Yes… Eliza would be furious with her if she were here.” The other woman replied. Sage glanced slightly in her direction. She looked creeping than the other woman with her long flowing back dress and eccentric jewelry. She wore a large headdress on the top of her head. She had platinum blonde hair that was done up in the shape of a half circle around the headdress. Her skin was as white as snow and her eyes were a dark blue. She had a long white cape connected to her dress. She had long fingers with long red pointed fingernails. Her lips were a dark shade of purple, which Sage could only assume, was lipstick.

“Should we snap his neck?” The woman next to Sage asked as she looked up at her companion.

“And ruin the plan?” The other woman stated calmly.

“If he dies that will ruin the plan. But if we use some of your powers…” The woman with the white dress smiled.

“Then we have a chance.” The other woman looked down at him. She knelt down beside Sage and tossed her long white cape to the side and extended her hand out to him. Sage's kanji flashed brightly on his forehead and shocked the woman. She pulled back her snow-white hands and looked at the woman in the white dress. “His powers wont let me touch him.”

“I guess we are going to have to do this the other way.” The woman in the white dress frowned.

“That is a cruel thing to do to a human. He will have problems given his powers.” The pale woman looked at her.

“What does that matter for? Besides we don't have a choice. We need him alive, well for the most part.” The woman in the white dress looked down at Sage and smiled. “I shall end your suffering. Pretty one…” She reached over and took his head in her hands. Sage felt his head jerk to the side suddenly and then nothing.

 

~End Flashback~

 

Sage turned onto the street he used to call home. As he pulled up to his parent's house he stared at the large cherry trees surrounding the small shrine. He parked his bike and got off pulling off his helmet he sighed. He really didn't want to be here. He walked a crossed the bridge leading up to the small shrine and stepped onto the porch. For a moment he stood there thinking about his childhood and how he and his sisters used to play in the front yard. Finally after he pushed the memories out of his head he knocked on the door. When he received no answer he slowly opened the door. He stepped inside and looked at the old traditional style home and smiled. His feet hit the tan hard wood floor and he looked at the bamboo tree next to the door. Taking off his shoes he wondered into the kitchen. It was still the same old white kitchen with white cabinets and a window looking out into his grandfather's training field. As he walked out of the kitchen he headed into the living room. Glancing at the little table in the middle of the room he noticed it had a bouquet of lilies in a vase at the center of the table. He headed into the hall and glanced into his sister's room as he past the door. Looking at the end of the hall he could see that his parent's bedroom door was shut. He approached the door and cracked it open softly. His mother lay in her bed with her back facing the door. Sage smiled to himself and quietly shut the door so not to disturb her. He hadn't seen his mom in a long time. But as much as he missed her he wasn't about to let her catch him in the house. He quickly walked over to the basement door and opened it. A shiver went up his spine and tried to forget the last time he was down here. He grumbled to himself about how dark and gloomy it was before he slowly walked down the stairs swallowing his fear as he went. He headed over to a corner of the basement. He moved a large brown box out from in front of a little brown self. Which revealed a small red box with gold lining on top of it. He pulled the little box off the self and quickly brushed the thick layer of dust off the top. He opened the box and looked down at the small green orb with the symbol of grace in it. He picked up the small orb and stared at it with an almost distant look. The orb looked as it always did but for some reason the light that Sage always used to feel around it appeared to be gone.

 

“Sage?” He turned to see a short woman wearing a white kimono and little wooden shoes staring at him. Sage stared into her lavender eyes and could see the shock expression in her delicate features. He long black hair was pulled back into a bun. She looked like a china doll in the lighting with her pale skin.

“Mother.” Sage said as he walked over to her.

“Oh my.” She put a hand to her face and stepped down off the stairs and hugged him. “Why did you stay away so long?” She pulled away and looked into his eyes.

“I…” Sage looked away from her. “I didn't wake you up did I?”

“You know I'm a light sleeper I heard you shut the door.” His mother said as he looked up at her.

“I'm sorry.” Sage apologized. “Are you the only one here?”

“Yes. Your father and grandfather took your sisters to a tournament. I decided to stay home and watch the house.” His mother smiled at him.

“You really should go out and have some fun once in a while.” Sage looked at her.

“Stop worrying about me. I'm perfectly happy with my life.” She continued to smile at him. “Why did you come here?”

“Well.” He held up the little green orb. His mother frowned and looked at him.

“Sage… Are you in trouble again?” His mother asked.

“No.” Sage glanced up at her.

“You just look so pale.” She rested her hand on his cheek.

“You said that the last time I came home two years ago.” Sage smirked.

“Yes but you look worse. Are you sick?”

“No I'm fine.”

“Are you sure? You know that I am here for you if you need me.”

“Yes I assure you I'm fine. And I know you're here for me. You always have been.” Sage looked down.

“Then why haven't you come home? I know what happened two years ago wasn't good but we really miss you here.”

“Not father. And I don't know about grandfather.”

“Your grandfather forgives you.” Sage looked up at her suddenly. “He says he still wants you to take over the dojo after he's gone.”

“He does.” Sage looked shocked.

“Will you please come home?” She took his hands in hers and looked him in the eyes.

“I wish I could… But I can't. You understand don't you?” Sage looked at her. She smiled softly at him.

“Yes I understand.”

“Thanks.” Sage smiled. “Tell grandfather I will still run the dojo after he's gone. But until then I can't come back here.”

“I will tell him. Will you at least stay long enough for a cup of tea?”

“Yes.” Sage almost laughed.

“Good. Come on.” His mother lead them both back up the stairs.

 

………………….

 

“What's the matter Rowen? You've been staring out that window all day.” Ryo looked over his shoulder at the ronin of strata.

“I just have this feeling.” Rowen replied as he turned and walked back over to the other three ronins.

“Stop worrying so much. He'll come back in no time.” Kento said as he leaned back on the couch.

“Yeah and if it wasn't for him I wouldn't have come back the day I went to get my armor.” Rowen pointed out. “I shouldn't have let him go alone.”

“Is it just me or does Sage look like he's sick.” Ryo said suddenly.

“What?” Rowen looked at him.

“What do you mean Ryo?” Cye looked curiously at him.

“Ever since he ended up in his coma his skin seems to be getting paler every time I see him. I really noticed it yesterday when he came in house. He acts like he's okay but he just doesn't look it.” Ryo finished.

“He kind looks half dead.” Kento said calmly.

“Kento.” Rowen rolled his eyes.

“Well Ryo does have a point.” Cye leaned back in his chair.

“Actually Sage isn't exactly acting like himself.” Rowen looked at the floor. “I'm so worried about him, and you're right. He looks paler than his mom and they used to be about the same color.”

“Maybe something happened in that fall and he didn't tell us.” Ryo rested his chin on his hands.

“He said all he remembered was falling, hitting the ground, and waking up in his room three weeks later.” Kento looked at Ryo.

“I know that. But I feel like he's hiding something.” Ryo looked concerned for a moment.

“Why don't we talk to him when he gets back.” Cye suggested.

“That sounds like a good idea and then we should figure out what to do about Anubis.” Ryo looked at Cye. Then the phone rang in the kitchen.

“I'll get it.” Rowen walked over to the phone and answered it. As few minutes later Rowen came back in looking slightly relieved.

“What's up?” Ryo looked at him.

“That was Sage. He said he leaving his parent's house now and should be here with in a few hours.” Rowen replied.

“Good.” Ryo said calmly.

“Did he get his armor?” Cye asked.

“Yeah he said he did.” Rowen nodded.

“He did…” Ryo looked up at Rowen.

“Yeah why?” Rowen looked at him. “What's the matter?”

“Then why didn't we feel it?” Ryo looked confused. “When we were reunited last time we all felt it. Up until now we had been feeling our connection every time one of us found our armors.”

“He's right.” Cye looked at Rowen, who suddenly went pale.

“Oh no.” Rowen shook his head.

“What?” Kento looked at him.

“If we didn't feel it that means that Sage didn't really get his armor. And given what Sage said, that means Anubis must have already gotten it.” Rowen said quickly.

“And…” Kento was missing the point.

“That means Sage just… Walked into a trap.” Rowen grabbed his coat off the coat rack and grabbed his keys off the table. Ryo, Kento, and Cye quickly got up from their spots in the living room and soon followed Rowen out the door.

 

End Chapter Eight