After all the panic and commotion caused by Kyra’s diversion, many hours later
she was captured. They took off the garments she was wearing and made her wear a
long evening gown that was all too revealing.

The cloth was thin, but not too thin to make it see-through. It clung to her
skin, bringing out her curves. Julien entered, and licked his lips
appreciatively at her. He held a whip made of metal chain links.

Her eyes widened as he brought a burning rod and forced it on her back, flicking
the whip at the same time on her body. She cried out in pain, blood gushing in
fountains. After a few seconds he dumped her in what resembled a bacta tank.

He closed the lid and watched as the water went red. “Commence Sub-Zero
Freezing Process.” He said to one of his warlords and turned to face the tank. A
woman appeared next to him. Her hair was ash-blue with hinted black and eyes the
color gold.

She wore a white tube top and leather pants. Julien turned to her and said;
“Don’t worry, Kayla soon we’ll both get what we want. It’s just a matter of time
on their behalf.”

Chapter Seventy-One: A Mysterious Item

They decided to spend the night in the stables. They all huddled together near
Mage Blade, one of Luke’s champion dragons and the sire of many powerful
hatchlings like Morrigan of The Fens, Loki The Mountain Spawn, or Matatzi
Storm-Child.

Anubis had enthusiastically told them about the clan’s history as dragon
breeders. Rowan dozed through the whole ordeal, not paying attention to what the
young Warlord said.

As they settled for the night, Rowan tried to sleep, but couldn’t, so he fell in
restless slumber. One hour later, he saw a soft glow in his mind. Getting up,
he searched through the economy-sized bedding provided for dragons.

He found something and held it in his palm. It was a silver circle with black
opal embroidered on the dragon-like design. He didn’t know why, but it gave him
hope.

Fumbling around his neck, he found a silver chain, which Sage had given him for
his fifteenth birthday. It was a simple silver chain, but when Rowan slid the
ring on it before putting it on again, it became a beacon of hope.

Chapter Seventy-Two: Calling of The Oppressed

Rowan couldn’t sleep. Something prevented his well-earned slumber. He got up and
decided to take a walk. It was after-hours and all sentries settled down for the
night. He walked until he reached the underground dynasty dungeons.

He stepped into a room filled with tanks full of water. Both roof and floor were
covered. He stared in awe at the sight. How come the Warlords didn’t tell them
about this room? Dais who had been following him for a while now, stood with his
jaw dropped.

Rowan, realizing he was not alone, beckoned to Dais to come forward. He pointed
to a lone tank hanging just slightly above them. Suddenly, Rowan’s kanji came to
life on his forehead.

His kanji wasn’t the only one though, as the ring on his chain started to glow.
Just as it started, it stopped. They looked at each other, and went back to the
stalls via teleport.

When they got there, they opted to go there with the rest in the morning to
investigate. For there was life in that tank and it was in dire peril of blood
loss.

Chapter Seventy-Three: Room of the Tanks

They entered a series of staircases that led to underground torture rooms. They
went inside a door in basement level 3 that was branded “HYDROTHERAPY”. Inside,
they saw room covered with tanks.

Both floor and ceiling had the tanks arranged in such a morbid manner that Rowan
thought that he was being watched by the remainders of the dead. Suddenly, light
flared from the ring on his chain.

It emitted a subtle white glow and hovered upwards. “Ryo, the tank is frozen.
Try to defrost it.” Said Rowan. Ryo concentrated on his element; he focused on
melting the icecaps and turning them to slush.

A silent sploosh was heard in the dungeon. Rowan flew up carrying Sage with
Anubis close behind with Dais. Dais closed his eyes and concentrated. An image
formed in his mind.

At first it was fuzzy, but soon it gave way to the truth. Dais’s insides turned
to knots. He couldn’t say anything, for the image was a hidden nightmare waiting
to happen. A frozen blood colored tank was the true image.

It had been at least a few 1 or 2 days since the torture, according to the
blood. The person who rested in the tank didn’t have much chances of living.

Yet…the ring Rowan found…it seemed to be some sort of beacon or similar,
because it was still glowing when he took off the illusion.

Only the glow turned gold and glowed even brighter. “Anubis… he said drawing a
breath sharply. “There’s someone in the tank, and by the looks of it, still
alive.” When he finished he was met with surprised looks of shock and anxiety.

What kind of person could withstand losing so much blood? And if he/she could,
could it be possible that he/she wasn’t human?

Chapter Seventy-Four: Reunion and Vengeance

Rowan opened the lid and scrunched his face in disgust at the water. He stuck
his arm in it and searched blindly through it. Suddenly, he thought he felt
something and grabbed it. He pulled it out.

It was an arm. They helped him pull the body out. When Rowan looked at it he
threw himself upon it, tears threatening to come out. His Kyra. His beloved Kyra
was wounded terribly.

He laid a kiss on her lips and forehead. He stroked her hair even though it
smelled of blood. He looked at the armor ring in his chain. He took it out and
put it on her right middle finger. He laid her down on the floor and left.

When they found her, all of them returned to Leviathan’s Dwelling in the Meimon
Waterway. In all the time he knew Rowan, Sage had never seen a day when he
looked so…crushed. And many other things. The pain was too much for his friend
to bear. He had to heal Kyra or Rowan would fall to darkness and never return.

Chapter Seventy-Five: Hidden Pain

Rowan slowly opened his eyes. He was surprised to find himself chained to a
wall, wearing naught but his boxers (silk dark blue boxers) and in a room that
resembled a harem’s abode.

His friends weren’t better off. Anubis, Dais and Sekhmet were also in their
color-coded silk boxers (maroon, olive-green, and black-gold). He looked to his
right to see Cye, Sage, Ryo, and Kento (light-blue, green, red, and orange).

The last thing he remembered was getting ambushed and knocked out. He heard
groans. Cye and Cale were up. “Where are we?” “Dynasty, I think.” “Where’s our
clothes?” said a voice. They saw that Sage was up.

“No idea, man.” “Shh! I hear something.” Voices were heard not far off. “Well,
how do you feel today, Kayla?” “I feel I’m going to enjoy myself immensely
today, my lord.” “So do I, my darling seductress. Have a great time.”

“I will.” The door opened to reveal a scantily clad woman carrying a bullwhip
and chains. She smiled an evil smile as her eyes eyed the nine men’s bodies
hungrily. “Oh, come on, I won’t hit…hard.” she said sweetly.

She released Rowan from his bonds. Rowan was cut off from massaging his wrists
by Kayla tying ropes on wrists and ankles. She traced circles on his bare chest
with her nail. She ripped the boxers off and licked her lips appreciatively.

The others shut their eyes as the scene before them turned to massacre. The
screams of agony and evil rang across the walls. Blood lay in scattered puddles
across the floor. Just as it started, it stopped.

She untied him and left the room. Silence hung in the air. Cye was the first to
speak. “Rowan… are you alright?” The reply was a groan as Rowan got up,
whimpering. No sooner did he take one step towards them he crashed on his knees,
screaming.

Anubis managed to free himself and hold Rowan. Rowan couldn’t take it anymore.
He let his tears flow freely as Anubis patted his back and looked at the others
with a troubled look. They had to end this. Fast.