Chapter 8

    ~ Katelynn, are you okay? ~ Stardust asked nudging the girl sprawled on the ground.
    "Hm...." Katelynn mumbled waking up a bit.
    ~ I'll take that as a yes. ~  Stardust stated looking around, ~ We're in the mountains somewhere, don't know where though ~
    "That would explain why it's so cold." Katelynn said as her teeth chattered and she pulled her cloak tighter around her.
    ~ It's not that cold, Katelynn. ~ Stardust scolded her nudging her to stand up.
    "You have fur! I don't!" Katelynn exclaimed as she stood up and looked around, "There might be a village near the valley, so if we go down..."
    ~ Down? Why would we do a stupid thing like that? ~ Stardust asked looking up the mountain.
    "Why would we want to go up?!" Katelynn asked looking at Stardust in shock.
    ~ More then likely we came here, cause when you teleported, you were thinking of Tenku.  So, he must be around here somewhere. ~ Stardust explained.
    "Touma... He's smart, he wouldn't make us climb a mountain!" Katelynn countered.
    ~ No, but Tenku would.  It wouldn't care, just so the wearer was where they needed to be. ~ Stardust replied back.  Katelynn looked around and noticed a small stream of smoke swirl up into the sky.
    "I'm gonna go find out where that smoke's coming from." Katelynn said heading off in that direction.
    ~ What do you think your doing?? ~ Stardust asked as she jumped in front of her way
    "I'm going to go find out where that smoke is coming from." Katelynn stated looking at Stardust with a confused look.
    ~ You are no longer a princess.  You can't just go wave your name around and expect people to know you. ~ Stardust exclaimed like a mother.
    "I know that Stardust.  I can take care of myself though.  I don't need you to watch over me every second.  This is my world.  I know it better then you." Katelynn said as she walked around the tiger and towards the smoke.
    ~ Just be careful, Please! ~ Stardust pleaded.
    "Don't worry!" Katelynn replied glancing back at the tiger.

    After Sarah composed herself, she and Mia were able to get the guys inside to rest.  They were beaten up pretty bad, and a few were awake in a few hours.  Sage had hit his head pretty hard, but was otherwise okay.  Ryo had several bruises that would heal in time.  Rowen had a few cuts that Sarah had clumsily bandaged.  Kento, on the other hand, was still unconscious.  Sarah felt it was her fault the guys were as they are.  She blamed herself for not leaving when Kento first called.  Mia had told her time and time again that it wasn't her fault, and somewhere inside she new Mia was right, but she truly believed different.  She knew she could have done something.  She looked out the window at the moon's reflection in the lake and wondered what was going to happen.  She looked down at Kento, who lay in the bed next to the chair she sat in.
    Rowen walked into the room and looked at the girl in the chair.  She was pale, tired, and weak, and she refused to go to bed.  He had to do something, anything. She needed her rest just like the rest of them.
    "How are you doing?" He asked handing her a cup and kneeling down next to her.
    "I'm fine." Sarah said taking a sip of the warm tea.
    "Look, I'm sorry.  For everything."  Rowen said looking down at his hands.
    "Why are you apologizing?" Sarah asked looking at him surprised, "It wasn't your fault.  It wasn't any of yours fault.  It was a spell."
    "I know, but I still feel I should apologize." Rowen stated following her gaze out to the lake.
    "What's.... your life like?" Sarah asked looking at him, taking another sip of her tea.  Rowen looked up at her surprised, "Never mind. It was a stupid question.
    "The only stupid question is the one not asked." Rowen replied smiling, "My life... is different."
    "Different? What do you mean?"
    "Well, you see, I live with my mother.  My father left when I was little.  I never really had any friends until I met the others.  I would stay home and study." Rowen clarified.
    "Are you ever afraid that you'll lose someone close to you?" Sarah asked stifling a yawn.
    "Every time we go into battle.  I'm afraid I'll lose the only friends I've ever had.  I think that's why what happened bothers me so much." Rowen replied.
    "So... your glad that you received the armor?"
    "No, I could of lived without the armor and all the fighting, but if I had the choice of not having the armor or my friends, and having them both.  I would choose the armor." Rowen replied, "Sarah, why don't you get some sleep.  I'll watch over him."
    "No, I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway." Sarah replied rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
   "Sarah you need to get some sleep, or you'll never be able to fight at your best." Rowen stated standing up.
    "How do you sleep when you know Cye is out there?" Sarah asked, looking up at him.
    "Sarah the question to ask is what would Cye do if he was here now?" Sarah looked at him puzzled, "I know what Cye would do.  He wouldn't go to sleep until you did.  He'd do anything to get you to go to sleep.  Even if that meant putting sleeping pills in your tea."
    "You didn't..." Sarah asked looking down at the now empty cup.
    "They were left here when we were still fighting Talpa.  Cye used them to get Ryo to sleep." Rowen looked down at Sarah who was fighting to keep her eyes open.  "Shh.. Just go to sleep." Sarah slowly closed her eyes for she could no longer keep them open. "You are a stubborn one aren't you?" Rowen asked as he carried her to his room and laid her in the bed.  He covered her up and moved a stray piece of hair from her face.  "Don't worry, everything will turn out fine." He said as he kissed her on the forehead, and walked back to Kento's room to keep watch.

    Katelynn came to the source of the smoke to find a small mountain village.  She took a deep breath and walked into town.  Everyone she passed looked at her like she was a ghost or something,  Katelynn passed it off thinking that not many travelers come around these parts.  She walked into what looked like a store to buy something to eat.  She walked up to the counter and prayed that he could speak English.
    "Excuse me..." Katelynn started.
    "You are very lucky, that I can speak English.  I am the only one in the area that does." The clerk stated wiping off the counter.
    "Well, could you tell me where I am?" Katelynn stated raising an eyebrow at his statement.
    "You are in the Himalayas." The clerk replied glaring at Katelynn
    "The HIMALAYAS??" Katelynn exclaimed
    "You seem a bit too surprised at that.  In fact you're nearly half way up it's tallest peak." The clerk informed her as he walked towards the back of the store, "I tend to wonder how you got here, since you don't remember it."
    "It's a long story.  To long to bother you with it." Katelynn replied back in the same tone.
    "Normally I wouldn't do anything about it, and tell you to leave, but the people of the village have been good to me since I've been here.  I wish not to be found."
    "What did you do?"
    "That is none of your business.  My past is behind me, that's all you should care about." The clerk replied sharply dropping a few pieces of meat on the counter, "Take it.  It's all you'll get from me." Katelynn didn't argue and took the meat.  She left the store and looked one more time at the man, and then headed back the way she came.  She wouldn't be there much longer.
    Katelynn walked up to where she left Stardust to find her asleep next to a nearby stream.  Katelynn tiptoed up to her, going to try and scare her.
    ~ I wouldn't try that if I were you. ~ Stardust stated as she lifted her head and looked up at her.
    "How did you hear me??!" Katelynn pouted dropping to the ground.
    ~ I'm a cat, Katelynn.  I hear everything. ~ Stardust explained standing up, ~ You better get a fire started if you want to eat. ~
    "How'd you know I had food on me?" Katelynn asked again standing to collect wood.
    ~ I can smell it. ~ Stardust laughed looking back at Katelynn as she also went to hunt down some wood.

    "Rowen, It's morning.  Wake up." Ryo yelled into the room.  When the figure in the bed didn't move Ryo walked over and started to shake him, when he noticed a head of brown hair instead of blue.
    "I put her there last night." Rowen said yawning from the doorway.
    "I thought she was in Kento's room." Ryo asked looking down at the sleeping figure.
    "She was, but she needed some sleep.  So I used some of Cye's sleeping pills, and put her in here." Rowen explained.
    "Right.. those..." Ryo whispered remembering when they were used on him.
    "She's been asleep for a bit, but we shouldn't wake her." Rowen said stepping a bit out of the room, gesturing for them to leave when Yuli ran up to them.
    "Kento's waking up!" He announced skidding to a stop.
    "Should we wake her?" Ryo asked looking down at Sarah again.
    "No, let her sleep." Rowen stated as he headed down to Kento's room.
    Everyone was in Kento's room when Ryo arrived.  Kento was still laying in bed his eyes barley open.  Mia was next to the bed checking some of his bandages.
    "How are ya doing?" Ryo asked walking up to the bed.
    "Okay, I guess.   Did anyone get the number of that Mac truck?" Kento asked as he tried to sit up, but found he couldn't.
    "Just stay down.  Your still not well enough." Mia said pushing him back down.
    "What happened back there? I just remember Sarah coming from the woods.. but nothing after that." Kento said wincing as Mia retied one of the bandages on his arm.
    "I didn't know whether to tell you or let Sarah,  I don't know all the details, but I do know that Sarah said she fought Cye." Mia stated looking down at the bandage she just tied.
    "I couldn't fight him" Sarah whispered from where she stood in the door.  Everyone jumped not expecting her to be there, and turned to see a few tears escape her eyes.
    "Nobody expected you to be able to." Sage said walking over to her and putting his arm around her shoulders.
    "He's right.  Nobody would have been able to." Rowen added sitting down in a chair in the corner.
    "I wonder how long they've had him." Ryo wondered looking over at Kento who was trying to sit up again.
    "Last week..." Sarah sighed as she wiped the tears from her face.
    "Sarah?" Kento asked
    "Later that night, after you first called, Kento.   I was at work and I felt something.  Something was ripped from me, leaving nothing.  I knew they had Cye then." Sarah explained taking deep breaths to keep from crying again.
    "Why didn't you tell us?" Mia asked, "Kento had talked to you several times."
    "I didn't want to believe it.  I tried to convince myself it didn't happen." Sarah whispered as fresh tears came to her eyes.  Sage held onto her and when she could no longer stand on her own he helped her down, but never let go.

    "Are we there yet?" Katelynn whined as her and Stardust trekked up the mountain.
    ~ We're not even half way ~ Stardust stated.
    "How far are we going?" Katelynn asked stopping.
    ~ To the top ~ Stardust replied.
    "The top. Stardust, this is the biggest mountain in the world. It'll take several days to reach the top." Katelynn exclaimed dropping to her knees.
    ~ Katelynn, do you want to find your friends? ~ Stardust asked looking back. Katelynn nodded her head. ~ Then come on. ~ Katelynn sighed and stood up to follow.

    Later in the morning everyone decided to relax and heal up before the big battles.   Sarah and Rowen sat out on the porch and watched the lake.
    "Sarah, could you see any weakness in Cye?" Rowen asked breaking the silence.
    "no, I couldn't even sense him." Sarah replied looking down.
    "What do you mean?" Rowen asked interested.
    "He had thrown me into the water.  I think it has to do with the armor, but I couldn't hold my breath and I couldn't keep tack of him.  I usually can tell where you all are." Sarah explained, "Kento is making his way to the kitchen, even though he's still too weak, Sage is meditating over that way, and Ryo is attempting to stay awake." Rowen glanced in the window Sarah sat in front and saw Kento sneaking past Ryo who had dozed off in a chair.  " I don't know where Cye is.  That's the empty Feeling I was talking about." Sarah stated.  Rowen not knowing what to say just squeezed her hand to reassure her everything would end up okay.

    And it was, as Katelynn had stated.  It took several days to reach the peak.
    "I can't believe we finally made it." Katelynn said as she looked at the view.
    ~ Amazing isn't it? ~ Stardust agreed, ~ Come on, we have t find your friend. ~ Katelynn looked at the view one more time and then followed Stardust.  They walked around the peak of the mountain looking for any sign of the wearer of Tenku.
    "This is pointless.  It's going to take forever to find him. "Katelynn sighed flopping down.
    ~ Don't give up hope.  You have the orb that calls his armor.  Use it to find the wearer. ~ Katelynn pulled out the dark blue orb and held it up to her face.  The orb was warm in her hand even though the pouch on her hip was cold.  She held the orb out in front of her and it stated to glow brighter.  They followed the glow of the orb and came to a snowy ledge.  Katelynn swept some of the snow away and found a crevasse.  Katelynn closed her eyes and the symbol for honor appeared on her brow as Life flared even brighter in the orb.  The crack responded to the call of the orb and widened to let the ex-princess in.  Katelynn walked slowly into the cave.  It was very dark and cold, she felt along the walls to find her way, and at one point noticed the walls started to get warmer.  Farther down the tunnel she could see a faint blue light.  As she came upon the light she found another opening, when she walked through it, she emerged into another larger cavern.  The cavern was huge, there was no ceiling, but the cave opened up into the clear black night sky dotted with millions of stars.  In the center of the cavern was a dark blue sphere, inside was Touma.  Katelynn ran to the sphere and about fell into a crevasse right below it.  Katelynn held out the crystal and it glowed even brighter.  The sphere and the orb pulsated in time and then the sphere expanded to engulf all that was around it.
    Stardust tromped around in the snow trying to keep warm and awake.  She looked through the crack that had closed behind Katelynn when she saw a blue light make its way toward her.  She backed away as the light shot out from the crack bright enough to make Stardust close her eyes and hide her head.  The light slowly died down and Katelynn came walking out with Touma right behind her.
    ~ You made it! ~ Stardust exclaimed as she opened her eyes.
    "Yes, now we only have three more to find. Katelynn exclaimed.
    "Three? But there are five of us." Touma stated confused.
    "Red Wing has Shin.  he's on their side now." Katelynn said looking down.
    "Princess, I'm sorry.  I didn't know." Touma said putting a hand on her shoulder.
    "Call me Katelynn." Katelynn said smiling up at Touma, " I'm not a princess anymore.  I gave up my heritage when I left home to find you all."
    ~ Katelynn, we need to get going.  Please teleport us to he next place. ~ Stardust instructed.
    "Right, Stardust." Katelynn agreed.
    "Who's Stardust?" Katelynn agreed.
    "This is." Katelynn gestured to the tiger.
    "But... you were talking to it?" Touma asked a bit puzzled.
    "She can talk back, mentally.  But only to who she wants to, and only one person at a time." Katelynn explained.  Touma nodded, figuring it was better not to go farther.  Katelynn closed her eyes and concentrated on the next warrior.