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, this story is rated PG13, so don't say I didn't warn ya.

Two days.

It'd been two excrutiatingly long days since Rowen's mysterious disappearance. And it was tearing his friends' lives apart.

For the most part, the residents of Ronin Mansion just tried to stay busy. The four remaining Ronins even dragged themselves to school that morning, a Monday. But there was only so much they could do, and no one could help but worry and wonder over their missing friend.

"Had ta be Dynasty. I just know it!" Kento concluded.

"The Dynasty's gone. Talpa's dead, Kento. We were all there. We saw it happen," Cye said softly.

"So he's back! It could happen. B'sides, who else coulda done it?" he tried to reason.

"No way, Kento. I'm not buying it. We would've known if it was the Dynasty," Ryo spoke up, ever so slightly softer than the usual.

"How d'ya figure?"

"Well...that is, I-"

"I'm lis'nin'...."

"I don't know! We just would've!"

"Oh, that's-" Kento was cut off by the front door slamming, followed by hurried footsteps that went upstairs, then another slam.

A few moments of silence followed, then Ryo said, "Guys, we have to find Ro. It's tearin' me up inside. And no one's takin' it as hard as Sage is. Dammit, he won't even talk to anyone! We have to do something, and fast. There's no telling what Rowen's going through. It...it might even be too late-"

"Don't you say that, Ryo! Don't ever say that! He's alive somewhere. I can feel it! And he's depending on us. We can't lose hope, we can't!" Cye pleaded desperately, tears brimming in his sea-blue eyes.

"I-I won't Cye...I promise..." Ryo vowed softly as he watched Kento try his best to comfort his best friend.

Upstairs in his room, Sage sat on his best friend's bed, knees hugged tightly to his chest as he silently rocked himself back and forth. He could hear the mumbling of his friends' conversation from downstairs, but he wished desperately that he couldn't.

He felt....as though a part of his soul had been torn out, leaving behind a void of nothingness that longed to consume him. Rowen was the best friend - the closest friend - he'd ever had. And as his pain and depression ran wild, he couldn't help but feel like it was his fault that Rowen was missing. If only he'd gotten there sooner. If only he'd been able to help him. If only......if only he'd listened.

"Sage..."

"What is it, Ro?"

"I.....nothin'. Sage?"

"Yeah?"

"Be careful. I...I've been feelin' something weird lately. I think...I just think we should watch out for awhile."

"'Kay, Ro. Whatever you say, man."

Sage remembered their conversation, not one week ago, with bitterness. He had listened. That was the problem. That was why he'd been out in the woods that morning, instead of at home with Rowen. And it was why he hadn't spoken a word for the last two days. He just didn't know what he could say that would make a difference, that would matter.

"Sage?"

He turned his head to the side, finding Mia standing next to the bed, an expression of pure worry cursing her fine features. "Sage?" she asked again, sitting on the edge of the bed with him. Suddenly Sage threw himself into her arms, unleashing every hurtful emotion in him into a burst of tears and sobs. Mia wrapped her arms around his shoulders tenderly as he cried deeply into her blouse. Caressing and comforting him as only a woman could, Mia let him cry into her.

"Mia?" Cye peeked his head in through the doorway.

"It's okay, Cye. I'll take care of him," she answered softly. Cye did as she meant and left them alone, warning the others to do the same. For the longest time, she cradled Sage in her arms, whispering softly to him. "It's all right, Sage. Let it all out. I'm here for you. Just get it all out."

Finally, after what felt like hours to the two, Sage stopped, his emotions and his energy spent, and the two fell asleep in each other's arms.

Rowen snapped awake as the sound of the heavy door opening seemed to blare in the previously silent cell. He kept his head down and eyes closed, however, determined to take the opportunity to learn something about his captors.

"You needn't pretend for me, Strata. I know you're awake," a strong, low feminine voice said icily from in front of him.

Rowen opened his eyes and raised his gaze to meet hers.

"Ah, now isn't that better?" she cooed evilly. Rowen just stared her evenly in the eyes, though he strayed just far enough to inspect the stranger. She was tall and slender, curves in all the right places, and muscle, too. Long, forest green hair fell evenly to her waist and her clear, bright green eyes sparkled with malice. Her skin was somewhat pale, set off even more by the tight black leather she wore. Black leather pants with high heeled boots, a long sleeved leather top and a black whip held in her left hand. The end of it was split into three strands, each strand holding onto a small shard of metal that glared threateningly in the candlelight.

"I'm impressed, Strata. Two days, almost three. No food, no water, no company. And still you're as stubborn as ever. Pity, it won't last you longer, for you'll have need of it," she said, laying her cold right hand on his cheek. Inwardly, she marveled at the reserve of inner strength he must have. By the touch she found him to be burning with fever, and she knew that he would be severely dehydrated and craving food by now. His breathing was heavy and somewhat labored. A large, painful-looking gash and its dried trails adorned his left temple and an even worse-off wound, which went much deeper, stained his left side. Lesser men had died under such circumstances. Under any other circumstances, she'd have been apalled by his condition. Instead, she felt nothing for the boy, and when he jerked his head away from her touch, she slapped him, a manical smile twisting her features.

"I haven't come here to be ignored all day," she stood back and waited as Rowen turned his gaze back to her, his stunning deep, stormy blue eyes blazing with hatred. "I have a proposal for you, from Talpa. If you agree now, your suffering will end. If not...well, I'm sure you can come up with that much on your own." She waited, but Rowen gave no indication of agreement or otherwise, so she continued. "His wish is that you, Rowen of Strata, will leave behind the mortal world, and join this one as leader of his Warlords. You will possess...unbelievable power and strength, and you will live forever. He can force you, but his will is that it is done with your consent."

Rowen looked at her as if shocked and apalled that they would even think that he'd willingly serve the Demon Lord. "....nev....er...." he managed to force through his tight, painfully dry throat.

"Very well, then. It's regrettable, but you've given me no other choice," she responded with hard unemotion. Then, before he knew what had happened, a hot, searing pain lashed across his chest causing him to cry out in pain, and he looked down in shock. A thick, long gash, trailed by three smaller, deeper ones, were stretched across his skin, blood seeping out slowly. He looked back up to the woman. She had moved incredibly fast and was standing several steps back from before and had a wild, bloodthirsty look on her face. Rowen just stared at her in hurt shock. He knew she was his enemy, that much was painfully obvious. But something wasn't right. This whole thing wasn't right. He couldn't find the words at the time, but she wasn't so evil inside, he could feel the contradiction in her soul.

"Why so surprised, Ronin? Am I really that trustworthy?" she said, striking him again on the 'that'. Rowen's body jerked involuntarily at the whip's contact. Over and over again, she struck him, occasionally kicking or hitting him, until at last, the blackness returned, and he drifted towards unconsiousness. Just before he blacked out, he heard her words, "My name is Lady Syria; remember it, Strata."

Then the blackness ruled.

Some time later, he awoke, but he was alone to think. What was wrong with him? He just couldn't get past this...feeling about the woman, Syria. Of course she was his enemy. And she was evil. So why did he feel like he should be siding with her, not against? It has to be the Dynasty's influence. Maybe that's her power, to make me doubt myself. There has to be some reason why Talpa sent her to ask me, and to torture me. he thought, the last words thought much more darkly, with so much more pain than the others.

He didn't have to look down at himself to know the multitude of cuts, slashes and bruises that were all over him. His left eye was nearly swollen shut from her strikes, and at least one rib had been cracked under her abuse. All his physical self knew was pain, and it was all he could do to keep that pain from his mental state. For he knew, that was where the real battle was being fought. The real fight was between his pain and his will. Nothing else would matter in the end. Sage had told him that.

Oh, God, Sage! What's happened to you? If they could get to me so easily, what's to keep them from you, too? From any of you? Or is it too late? Are all the Ronin Warriors already captive here? Or am I the only one? God, I'd give anything to see you, just to know you're all okay. Is that too much to ask? Sage, my best friend, why aren't you with me? You've always been there for me in the past. Why do I feel so alone now?

In the comfort of his own room, Sage awoke in the threshold of confusion and clarity.

Sage....why aren't you with me?

"Rowen?" Sage asked, his voice barely audible.

........Why do I feel so alone.........

Rowen? Ro, keep talkin' to me! he said in his mind.

Sa-sage? Is it really you? Rowen's voice in his mind sounded pained and exhausted, so much so that it almost hurt too much to hear it.

Yeah, Ro, it's me! Where are you? What happened before?

Sage! Please, you've got to get me out of here! I don't know how long I can take this!

Calm down, Ro! Where are you? What're they doing to you?

Silence.

Ro?'

ROOOOOWWWWENNNN!!!!!

�

Awwwwwww! Wasn't that just so sad? Especially Sage with the way he keeps blaming it all on himself... And Rowen a Warlord?? Could it ever happen? Who knows! (Well, *tee-hee* actually,I do!) Anyway, next chapter is where things really start to take off, so get ready! AND, I just wanna say, don't anybody dare say I must hate Rowen. Actually, he's my favorite character! I just have a really interesting way of showing it. And if you must know, the insight into it is truly to put his character to the test and see if he's got what it takes to persevere over the deadliest of opponents, one's own weaknesses. So ya see, it just looks like I love to see him suffer! There actually is a rhyme and a reason to my madness!

*yeah, that's what all the loons say!*

Oh, shut up you...you....conscience!

*make me!*

Oh, youuuuu!!!!

Aleksa, signing off to go re-squash her conscience and with it, her little remaining sanity....