Chapter Sixteen

"You gave them twelve hours?"

"Should be enough time for us all, brother."

"You lost your wig."

"But not my mask. They still don't know who we are. We hold the advantage."

His brother nodded, "True enough. Everything is in place now." Setting the two magenta vials down he picked up the large bottle filled with a grey-green smoke. "Shikaisen tried far too hard last time. He never did take the time to study his targets before acquiring them."

"Indeed. Those girls know they will come for them, but they do not know what comes next. Nor do I think we should tell them."

"I agree. They don't need to know of our kind gesture to them, forgetting everything that's happened to them over the past few years with these warriors is a blessing. They can continue on with their lives," he smirked behind his mask, "Until we take over that is."

"Yes, brother." The red-haired sorcerer swirled the smoke filled bottle, "Then we shall take all the unnecessary memories from them as well. It will be easier to control them that way."

This was getting her nowhere. Sileny hadn't been able to break the windows with any of the books and the only heavy thing in the room that might have really done the trick was the desk, and she couldn't get it to budge. The door wasn't opening either. It wasn't just locked in the tradition sense but in an annoying magical way too, had to be. The knob wouldn't budge and no matter how many times or ways she kicked at the door it wouldn't break.

A door that was a few decades old should be able to break easier than this! She was getting more and more frustrated with the situation, not to mention scared. Not so much for herself, no-stupid as that was, she was afraid of what was going to happen next.

Sileny had no real idea just where she was. An abandoned building of some sort out in a forest, or a really big park, with a city off in the distance. She could see the lights but there was no way that the city was Tokyo, there wasn't a bright enough city glow for that. The chances of her being near Tokyo were still high but they didn't know if there was a limit to how far she could go without Rowen being able to sense her.

She paced the room trying to figure out what to do. Nothing was really coming to mind. Rachel was in this building somewhere. There was a small degree of comfort in that, even though it was setting off her protective instincts.

Ever since that night when she first met the guys; learned who and what they were, this had become a fear of hers. Being used against them. Well that was a half-truth, she was more afraid of Rachel being caught and used against them. Rachel had always been much closer to the guys than she had been. What's more, her friend had more to offer than she did.

The more she thought about it, the more she hated this feeling of helplessness. She was in danger and couldn't do a damn thing about it. Just sit here and wait for the trap to spring.

They would come there was no doubt about that.

And she wasn't sure how she felt about that.

The last two battles had gone about pretty much the same way. A rescue mission then they'd fight the big baddy and go along their way. Not without several bumps and bruises. This felt different. This time the enemy had been bold enough to attack in broad daylight, they had not made their intentions clear, and they had attacked right in the midst of the public.

She leaned on the desk and stared ahead at the darkness in front of her. The arrowhead felt heavy on her chest. Rowen, you guys better be really careful...

The troopers stood on the roof of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, one of the tallest buildings in the city. From here they could see the whole city and not be disturbed.

"We have eleven hours left," Kento checked his watch. "Is the elevation helping at all?" He looked at the archer.

Rowen had spent a good ten minutes, focusing everything he had into at least finding a direction. He'd turn one way and then the other. It shouldn't have been this hard! He could sense Sileny easily, not to mention feel her anxiety, just not the direction.

"This isn't working." Sage glared.

"How is it that you can sense her but not where she is? Not trying to add on any pressure, but seriously, it's weird."

"It's pissing me off." The archer admitted.

Cye hesitated then, "I hate to ask, but how is she?"

"Not good." He paused trying to think of the words to use, "She's angry and scared. It's like when we watched that horror movie a few weeks ago, that bit with the kids in the sewers and you just know this isn't going to end well. That's what it feels like right now."

Kento cringed, "They know we'll come."

"So does the enemy." Ryo looked at his friend. He watched Rowen move around like a bird circling something. It looked like he was about to explode (they all felt that way). If this was how Sileny felt…Rachel must feel that way too. They had to get them out.

Wait. WAIT. He stopped, "Hang on." Turning back to his left he felt a stronger pull, like something tugging on the sleeve of his shirt.

"Got something?"

"Maybe." He looked at his friends, "It's faint, but it's there. I think they are to the west of us, I can't tell exactly where though."

Sage looked to the west, "That's more than we had before."

"Still not enough," Rowen bitterly responded.

"Think they could be using some kind of magic to block us from finding them?" Cye suggested.

"Not sure what they would gain from doing that at this point. They want us to find them."

Ryo looked west, "So we head this way but for how long? They could be as close as Fuchu or as far off as the other side of Japan."

"I might not know how close they are, but I'm pretty sure they aren't on the other side of the country."

"If we just keep going that way at a dead run-"

"We'd be too tired to fight once we actually got there."

"Rowen could you fly on ahead?"

"I could but you'd all fall behind; as much as I want to get them out of there, I'm not going into this trap alone. And I'm not even going to try to carry one of you with me."

"So then what do we do?" Kento glared, "There's isn't much to go on and it's not looking like we could get there in time."

"If we head that way the signal should get stronger, right Rowen?"

He looked at the swordsman, "Yeah but there's no telling how long that will take."

This was getting them nowhere fast. The hell with it. "Guys," Ryo looked at them, "Maybe we better call for help."

Noboru nodded once they had finished, "So you believe they are somewhere to the west? But you have no way of knowing for sure unless you head in the direction?"

"That sums it up. We don't have much time and no way of knowing what they will do to them."

"I had thought the armors were stronger than this? Maybe I overestimated things." The sorcerer looked like he was talking to himself there, yet his words were still harsh. "Perhaps you're thinking about this the wrong way?" He looked at them before settling his gaze on Rowen. "You can sense Sileny. What she is feeling, I'm sure she's afraid-"

Not the word I'd use.

"-Instead of trying to sense her, see if you can't sense the arrowhead instead. Could be easier to sense the object rather than the person."

"I tried. I've tried it before this happened just to see if it was possible. All I sense is her."

The sorcerer gave a small nod, "Interesting. Has anyone else tried to locate them?"

Cye answered, "Rowen's the only one who has well…a tracking device on them."

"That shouldn't matter," he saw the confusion on their faces and continued, "Those two have a small amount of magic and the five of you have been with them for a few years now. Your own magic should be able to tap into theirs. It shouldn't be unlike sensing one another. For example, Dais can sense Sekhmet all the way across the capital of the Neather Realm; it's easily the same size as Tokyo. They don't do that through their armors-the armor doesn't function like that." Turning his attention to Ryo he added, "I hear that's how Rachel found you when you all were captured last time."

"That was different." Ryo said.

"How so?"

"Rachel had a magical bon fire to look at; Kayura was there too, chanting something sort of spell." Kento answered.

"So I have been told. Rachel doesn't have a large amount of magic, Kayura likely amplified it somehow in that moment. Again, that shouldn't matter though when it comes to the five of you," He turned again to Ryo, "For lack of a better comparison, you are the magical bon fire. All of you are," he motioned to them. "Rachel found you because you are both fire elements, therefore you at least should be able to find her the same way." Now he looked to Rowen, "Which element is Sileny?"

"Same as me, air."

"Then you should be able to find her with or without this... tracking device thing. This sounds strange, I know, but try not using your armors for this. Rely on yourselves. You're all far more powerful than you realize."

Wildfire and Strata looked at each other a moment.

"I think you should try it first, Ryo."

That was not what he expected, "What? You're the one who already has a link with Sileny."

"Rachel found you without an established link. She had a visual aid with the fire pit, I don't even know how I'd go about making my own to track Sil down with. You find their location and I'll bring us in closer."

"You sure this is going to work?" Kento looked at Noboru.

"I'm never sure of anything when it comes to people using magic for the first time on their own."

Ryo lifted his hand and formed a ball of fire, "We have to try, Kento. We are on a goddamn time limit here and there's no telling what they'll do to the girls."

"How did she do this to find me exactly?"

The swordsman looked at his leader, "Kayura told her just to think about finding you and to focus on that."

Wildfire nodded then turned his attention to the fire in his hand. Can I really find her like this?

I think you can. The voice of his armor entered his mind. I can try and help. I want her back and safe too.

How did she find me?

She wanted to see you.

Ryo didn't just want to see her though, he wanted her right here next to him so he knew she was okay. If what Rowen said about Sileny was any indication… Rachel was likely terrified. I don't want to see her. I have to see her.

There was pulse through him. Loud and hot. He knew his friends were talking about something around him; his vision blurred and he felt dizzy.

That was when everything around him changed.

He wasn't on the roof anymore. Instead he was in a dense forest and in front of him was a huge abandoned building, it looked like a factory of some sort.

The scene changed. It was a pathway somewhere in this mountain range with a mileage sign on it. According to the sign the next city was Koshu. He saw the building in the distance.

Everything changed again. This time what he saw made his heart race.

It was an old office room with papers and books scattered all over the place. There was no light beyond what little moonlight came through the boarded windows. Rachel was trying to get the large door to open – with no success.

"Gottverdammt!" She shouted and slammed the side of her fist against the wall. Turning she leaned back against the door and slid down, eyes closed. "Ich mag das nicht… Ich mag es überhaupt nicht!" Her eyes opened and she glared at the floor.

Rachel!

Just as Ryo saw what he wanted to see, the dizziness got worse and overpowered him. The ronin lost his balance and the scene before him came crashing back into reality as Sage steadied him.

"Ryo! Are you alright?"

"Yeah I think so." He stood back upright, "Thanks."

"You just spaced out for ten minutes. You didn't respond to us or anything.

"Ten minutes? It felt a lot shorter than that." He took a breath and looked at his friends, "I don't know what I just did but I know where they are."

"Good job you did it!" Noboru clapped his hands, grinning.

"Where are they?" Rowen asked.

"In some kind of abandoned building in the forest over by Koshu. I didn't see its exact location; I did see Rachel. She's in some kind of old office alone."

"Koshu?" Rowen blinked. "That's almost two hours away at this time of night."

"Any reason they'd chose a place like Koshu?" Sage looked at Noboru.

He shook his head, "Nothing special about the city. As for an abandoned building, it'd be the perfect place to sit and not be bothered by anyone."

"In this traffic it'll be closer to three or four hours," Cye corrected as he looked in the direction of the city in question. "Rowen you still have that key to Sileny's car?"

"Of course I do."

"Rowen and I will lead the way on White Blaze, you guys follow us in the car."

"Sage, I hope you have good connections with the Tokyo Police through your dad, 'cause you're driving speedy." Cye looked at his friend.

"I don't and that hasn't stopped me before." He announced, "Let's go kick their ass and get the girls out of there."

"I can't go with you, but allow me to give the five of you some advice. You know their names, use that to your advantage. And you should prepare yourselves for anything."

"Thanks Noboru."

"Don't stand there thanking me. Get your butts moving!"