Disclaimer: I think you can guess.
Note: This story takes place about one year after Talpa's defeat. Due to instances of violence, language, and sexual innuendos, I'm rating this story PG13, so don't say I didn't warn ya.

"Anything?" Mia asked hopefully.

"Nope. Still no contact with Kayura or any of the others," Ryo said glumly.

"What could have happened to them? You don't think whoever attacked Rowen got them, too?" Cye asked worriedly.

"I don't know, Cye. I really don't have a clue. But I think it's about time we did something about it."

"You better believe it's freakin' time, Ryo! I've been tellin' ya so for the last week and a half!" Kento put in.

"What about Anubis?" Sage spoke up, for the first time that day.

Ryo regarded him for a moment. No one had mentioned his outburst with Mia since it happened. He still wouldn't talk very much, but at least he was communicating at all. "No. He doesn't know anything about it. Says he can't find them or make any contact, and he doesn't have a clue who might've taken Rowen. He did say that he felt an evil within the Dynasty, but he couldn't place it."

"Ryo? What is it?" Mia asked, knowing that look on him that said there was something more.

"I...I don't know. Probably nothing. It just seems like we're missing something. Something that's right under our noses. I don' know. Maybe I'm just looking too hard."

"No, wait a second. Ryo, I think you've got something. Look at what's happened, everything up to this point," Cye started.

"Yeah, so?" Kento said impatiently.

"Just think about it. Whoever it was picked a time when everybody was too far away to help. But somebody else was here. Rowen wasn't alone because White Blaze was here too. Has anybody even seen him since all of this?"

Everyone shook their heads or something to the same effect, and Kento said, "What're ya gettin' at, Cye?"

"What I'm gettin' at, is that it was all planned. Somebody knew, or even made sure, that only Rowen and White Blaze would be here. They must've wanted to take Rowen by surprise, so they got Blaze out of the way, too. Hell, they probably took Blaze when he was hunting that morning!"

"Then who was here in his place?"

"An imposter."

"And that means that whoever it was wanted Rowen, and only Rowen. But for what?" Mia asked to no one in particular.

"I suppose we'll find out," Ryo said, that all-too familiar look in his eyes. How couldn't I have noticed that Blaze was missing, too?

"You wanna track 'em down, then?" Cye asked.

"You better believe it."

Rowen was beyond pain.

All he knew was the anguish he was wallowing in. And he didn't care anymore.

He wouldn't give up, that wasn't an option. But all the same, he just gave up caring what happened to himself. Had days ago. His body had become no more than an object of abuse for various types and degrees of torture. Only now his mind was beginning to feel it, too.

For days and days on end, he'd been subjected to the ruthless brutality of the Lady Syria, and on occasion the new Dark Warlord of Illusions, Lapin. He'd felt and experienced kinds of pain he never knew existed, ones he'd never imagined in his most horrible nightmares. There was no escaping it, either. Awake, asleep, conscious or unconscious, it was all one constant, never-ending nightmare. The only thing that kept him from going completely insane was his hope. He'd been able to contact Sage, even if only for a minute, and that gave him strength. He knew that his friends were, or at least had been, free, and they were trying to find him. He knew that Talpa wanted him to stay alive, not to just torture him to death, seeing as he'd been given just enough food and water to live on.

Still, he was always hungry, his throat painfully dry. It was times like now he wished he'd listened all those times when Sage had tried to teach him about seperating his mind from his body to gain strength. It had worked for awhile, but he'd been here for what felt an eternity, and that strength had long since failed him. He was on his last reserves, and they were going all too fast.

Any progress with Strata?

"Huh?" Rowen couldn't believe it. He was picking up on Talpa telepathically?!

No, my Lord. He has weakened immensely, but his resolve is still intact.

Azrael, take him to the Pools. I believe it's high time we finish this. My Warlords need a leader, after all.

Yes, my Lord.

After a few moments, he heard more. Syria.

Yes, Lord?

What is your...suggestion, for the treacherous Kayura and her pet Warlords?

Well, Sir, I believe that a slow, painful death is appropriate in this particular situation. Rowen could just see her malicous grin.

Very well, then. As soon as Strata is finished, you have my full authority in the obliteration of my former Dark Warlords.

Rowen didn't get the chance to hear anymore as the all-too familiar sound of the door behind him opening broke his concentration. He was unsurprised when Azrael stepped in front of him, unceremoniously punching him and sending him, once again, plunging back into the blackness that was his nightmares.

"Kay-ur-ah! When're we gonna get out of here?" Cale whined for the tenth time in the last hour.

"Cale! Stop pestering me! I don't know when, or even how we're going to escape. So just shut up already!" Lady Kayura answered him for the tenth time that hour. I don't know what's worse, being a prisoner of the Dynasty, or being a prisoner of the Dynasty with Cale as one of your cellmates! Wait, what am I saying? Of course Cale's worse! Aaaaahhhhh! I don't know how long I can take this!

She'd been stuck in a cell with nothing to do, with three whiny grown men, and she was chained so she couldn't even slap anyone! "If I get my hands on those lousy, no-good excuses for Warlords...!" she grumbled under her breath.

Kayura, this is no time to let your anger get the better of you. Now stop cursing the dark and light a damn candle! she scolded herself in rememberance of what her mother had always said to her as a child. All right, first the facts. If I'm not mistaken, we've been here for slightly under two weeks. The scum who jumped us say they're under Talpa's orders, but he hasn't bothered to show himself as of yet. Our armors have been stolen from us somehow, but we aren't dead, so that theory's out of the picture. Although eternity like this WOULD be an impressive sort of Hell.....

Anyway, there's been no live contact whatsoever except for that annoying bastard Lapin bringing us food and water - and horrible food, at that - but he hasn't said or done anything to us yet. Talpa obviously has some major plan cooking, but he's either buying his time, or we aren't included just yet. My best guess, is that he's after the Ronins. Maybe...maybe, he's going to employ one of the plans we had waiting before...but wait, that wouldn't make sense. Most wouldn't work anymore and even those that would, I or one of the other Warlords is aware of. And Talpa doesn't like unnecsesary risks where none are needed.... I just hope the Ronins can handle this before things go too far.....I have a bad feeling about them...especially Strata....

"Kay-ur-ah!!!!!!" Cale whined piteously.

"SHUT UP, CALE!!!!" all three trapped with him yelled in unison.

Well, that's this chapter!! It's actually a lot shorter than I'd usually like, but it just seemed like the right spot in the plot to stop for now. And if you've thought Rowen's been treated bad so far, just wait until you read his next part!!!! BWA-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!!!

Uh, gomen. Anyway, don't look for the end anytime soon, 'cause I'm just getting started with this baby! Stay tuned for the next episode. Same batty time, same batty channel!

Aleksa ~~~<~~@
"Everybody's weird from somebody's point of view." & "Everyone is crazy until proven otherwise." ~ my buddy Tai-chan