Dreams and Nightmares

Part 8

By Devon Masterson

Kayura stood on a large bluff over looking Talpa’s palace. She knew the other’s had to be held there. She would have to summon her true power once more. She held the staff passed down to her by the Ancient and closed her eyes. A soft golden aura surrounded the staff then ceased, as the staff became medallion.

"This is it," she sighed as she fashioned the medallion around her neck. A fierce wind blew upwards and tore through her. Kayura stood holding her Star Swords, surrounded by a violet aura. "It is time."

Talan stood up and cross his arms. "Make your choice, Xalan, Lady Kayura is on her way here."

Mia looked at her friends then nodded. "It’s now or never." She formed a sphere of energy in her hands and threw it. Talan merely stood there as he was engulfed in the energy.

"Xalan, we are twins remember. Our power comes from the same place, you can’t hurt me," he tisked as stood beside her. "But you proved you can’t be trusted, so you’ll just have to hang around while I execute your friends." Talan waved his hand and Mia appeared chained from the ceiling.

"Mia," Ryo cried as he saw her struggling to get out. He looked towards Talan. "This is how you treat your own sister!"

"Yeah well, we all have our ups," Talan snickered as he looked at Mia then at Sae, "and downs."

"You Bastard!" Sage exclaimed as he pulled at his chains. "I’ll fight you myself."

"Trying to impress Sae?" Talan asked. "Don’t waste your breath, Halo, they are numbered."

Sage growled as he struggled.

"Star Swords Scream!"

"Oh good we have company," Talan remarked as the wall east of him blew apart. "Welcome, Lady Kayura," he greeted as she walked in through the dust.

"Let them go," Kayura commanded as she held her twin sais prepared to strike.

Talan began to circle her slowly. "I like them where they are, perhaps you’d like to join them," he replied as he let out a blast of energy.

Kayura jumped into the air to dodge it and pushed off at the wall. As she started to spin, Talan teleported. He appeared behind her and hit her in the back. She grunted in pain as she hit the floor. Talan laughed as he stood over her. "You’re still just a child," he remarked. "You should’ve just stayed home."

"And you shouldn’t under estimate me," she replied as she grabbed him by the neck with her legs and threw him across the room.

Talan flew into the wall near the Ronins and they’re bonds immediately released them. Ryo ran to catch Mia from the ceiling. "You all right?" he asked at he looked at her.

"I’m fine," she answered as she wiped blood from the corner of her mouth.

Talan emerged from the rubble. "You surprised me, Kayura," he grinned as he sent out a blast of energy towards her. Kayura put up her swords in a cross block to absorb some of the impact. The blast of power pushed her back, making deep trenches in the ground.

"Take this, Talan," Rowen called as he did his signature spinning attack. He knocked Talan into another wall.

Mia grunted and wiped more blood from her lip. "This is not getting anywhere."

"Web of deception!" Dais called as he hurled his weapons talons at the wall causing it to crumble and fall on top of Talan.

Mia fell to her knees as she coughed up blood.

"Stop! You’re hurting her," Ryo exclaimed to the others as knelt beside her.

The wall blew apart and an angry Talan stood there breathing hard. "You were stronger than I expected," he replied. He stood up straight and sneered. "Join me sister."

"No," Mia whispered as she started to slide towards Talan.

"I’ve got you," Ryo said as he grabbed her hand.

"I can’t resist him, he’s too strong," she replied. "Destroy me!"

"No way," he answered emphatically. "I’m not letting you go."

"Do it!" Mia commanded as she disappeared in a pink mist.

A bright white light surrounded Talan.

"Oh shit," Sae commented as she watched Talan’s increase in power raise dramatically through her visor.

"We need the Armor of Inferno," Rowen yelled.

"I’ll hurt Mia," Ryo replied.

"We don’t have a choice, Wildfire," Cale retorted. "He’s too powerful."
Ryo looked at the others and they nodded reluctantly. He looked at the newly armored warrior standing before him as the heat in his body began to rage out of control. He let it consume him totally as his subarmor blackened and his armor changed. "You’re going down, Talan" Ryo called as his transformation completed.

"Oh really?" a deep voice asked. "Now that I am whole, do you think you’re strong enough?"

"We’ll always be stronger," Ryo sneered as he brandished the sword of Ferber. "Let’s get on."

"Ha ha ha. Let’s just do that," Gemini remarked as he pulled out his chains. "Castor and Pollux ‘s power was nothing compared to mine!"

"Enough talk," Ryo screamed as he jumped in the air to attack. Gemini met him halfway and clashed swords. The two pushed against each other in a stalemate.

"You can’t win," Gemini uttered as his aura gathered around him. He pushed Ryo to his knees.

"He’s too strong!" Sage sighed as he and the others looked on.

"I can’t let this happen," Sae remarked. She started to step in when Sage grabbed her.

"Getting killed is not going to help him," he remarked as he looked on at the battle.

"I refuse to let you win," Ryo grunted as he tried to rise to his knees.

"Pathetic," Gemini sneered as his knee began to glow. He kicked Ryo into a near by wall.

"Ryo," they all called.

"That takes care of that," Gemini replied as he turned towards the warriors. He extended his hand to reveal an orb. "Come." All of the warriors kanji’s brightened and dissipated as the orb captured their armors.

"No," Rowen cried out, as he and the others became powerless.

"That leaves only us," Kayura commented as she looked at Sae. "We’ve got to get that orb."

"Right," Sae replied as she stood as Sailor Mercury.

"Star Sword Scream!" Kayura called out as she charged Gemini.

"You are an annoying brat," Gemini commented as he caught Kayura by the neck. "Shut-up." He squeezed her tightly and then put her through what was left of the wall.

"Torrential Rain!" Sae called as ice shards hit Gemini in the back.

"Now is not the time for love taps," Gemini chuckled.

Sae narrowed her eyes and jumped into the air. Gemini smacked her away. She lifted on to her hands and did a spinning top move, throwing him back a few feet. "Don’t make me hurt you," he thundered as he picked her up by her neck. "You’re friends are defenseless and you are weak. Give it up."

"Let me go," she gargled.

Gemini was about to answer when he was dropped kicked. "Didn’t see that coming did ya’?" Sage asked as he helped Sae up.

"Nice timing," she replied as she touched her neck.

Gemini growled. "Die," he uttered half crazed. He started to let out a blast of energy when he fell to his knees. "Sae, you have to kill me. He can’t survive without me and I can’t without him."

"Mia…"

"Do it! I can’t control him for very long it’s a constant battle," Gemini replied as she struggled to her knees. "You’ll never be safe while we’re both alive."

"Mia," Ryo called.

Gemini turned her head quickly and lost control again. "Not giving you the chance," he replied as he fired a blast at Sae and Sage.

"Shining Aqua Illusion," Sae called as wall of water rushed to help block some of the impact. The attack held back for a brief moment, ripped through tsunami and threw the two of them.

Gemini laughed and brandished the orb before the warriors taunting them.

"Feel the cry of the stars," Kayura called as she threw one her sais at the orb and broke it then passed out.

Each other warriors glowed as their armors joined them once more. They were about to charge when Ryo stuck out his hand. "This one is mine," he said lowly as the fire consumed him again. "This ends now."

"The do let us get this over with," Gemini remarked as he held his chains.

Ryo charged him again and they locked swords once more.

"My this is familiar," Gemini commented evilly as he pushed Ryo to his knees once more.

"Not this time," Ryo replied as the flame raged. The ground seeped in from his heat. He struggled to his feet and started to push back.

"Impossible," Gemini growled.

"Oh yea it is," Ryo retorted as he did a roundhouse.

Gemini teetered sideways. "You will not win this!" he exclaimed as he punched Ryo and knocked him backwards. He started to move forwards to attack again. "Good-bye, Wildfire It’s been real," he snickered as he started to spin his chains.

Gemini suddenly dropped her chains. "Strike now, Ryo, before I lose control like last time. "

Ryo gritted his teeth. He could think of no other way to save her. He snapped the hilts of his twin kitanas together. "Mia, I…"

"I know," she replied as she started to shake violently. "He’s trying to break free again. Do it NOW!"

Ryo looked away as he let the heat surge through his body and empower him. He jumped into the air. "Armor of Inferno…."

Gemini fell to her knees trying hold on.

"….Flare Up…"

"No, Xalan!"

"…Now!" Ryo called as he came down on Gemini with his sure kill. Gemini became consumed in flames. A quantum of light flashed as the two twins separated and started to burn. "Thank you, Ryo," Mia called as he spirit was released.

Ryo turned away as a single tear fell from his eyes. "You’re welcome my love."

%%%

Ryo sat on the beach watching the tide roll in. White Blaze leaned up against him trying to comfort him, but it wasn’t working.

"You did all you could for her," Sae said softly.

"I know."

"Then why are you beating yourself up?"

"Because in the back of my mind I wonder if there was something I could have did different," he answered as he played with a handful of sand.

"My mother watched her first love die," Sae commented. "The Negaverse just decided that he out lived is usefulness since he wasn’t with them anymore. There was nothing she could do for him."

"At least she knows how I feel."

Sae kneeled down and took his hand. "She told me never to isolate myself from the ones I love, because then the ones you lost begin to mourn you and they can’t be happy." She placed a small case in his hand.

"What’s this?" he asked.

"It’s a small holo-image of Mia. It’s three dimensional," she commented as she stood. "I thought it would help you remember her."

"Thanks," he smiled.

"Remember what I said," she replied as she smiled and went back to the house.

"How is he doing?" Sage asked as she came in.

"I think he’ll be ok now," she answered. She walked over to hall mirror. "Mom."

"What are you doing?" Sage asked as he looked at her strangely.

"Through all this drama, I never told my parents that I made it here safely and things are ok now," she answered. "Who knows how much time passed. I’ve been here 5 days."

"So then you’re leaving," he sighed.

"Sage…"

"Hi, Sae," a males voice greeted.

Sae looked at sixteen-year-old boy with ocean blue eyes and blue hair. "Are you one of my mother’s students? Where’s my mother?"

"Mom’s at the crystal palace visiting Aunt Serena."

"Mom?"

The boy blushed. "Oh yeah, I’m your brother, Kento. Call me Ken."