______________________

Sage opened his eyes. 'What is going on in Rowen's person isn't good. I think I should talk to the others about it.' He stood up. 'I hope he's all right.'

"Rowen......" Sage mumbled as he headed towards the door to his room.

***

Outside of the Ronin manor a new presence was making itself be known, but to whom? Not all the Ronin's can see this mysterious transparent life form that is being lured here by wishful thoughts, so strong that it seemed to be beckoning the creature there.

***

"Woo wait a minute Sage, you say that Rowen is in some sort of depressed isolation?" Ryo asked sounding a little confused.

"Yes, but it seems there is much, much more then that." Sage answered.

"Like what?" Kento asked.

A silence entered the room has Sage tried to think of a way to put in words what he had sensed in Rowen.

"Well?" Ryo asked impatiently.

Sage took a deep breath." If you've noticed, recently Rowen is acting like a life less mannequin. Questioning everything he does, and everything that's happened to him in his life."

"Yeah so..." Kento commented.

"Where are you getting at Sage?" Sai asked a bit concerned.

Sage looked at everyone in the room." But more importantly, he's been questioning his armor, and us his friends." Sage paused. "But that's not the worst of it..."

***

'Something's not right 'Rowen thought. He turned his head and looked out the window. To his surprise something was moving through the forest. It has a ghostly shine to it, and it was hovering not walking like normal creatures do. ' What the hell is that? ' Rowen watched as it crept slowly towards the house.

When it was a few inches from the house it looked up towards Rowen's room window. Before Rowen even had a chance to react, it appeared in his room. With surprise Rowen fell back against a wall.

"Bearer of a mystical armor....." It started. Its mouth didn't move once, the thing's eyes were fixed on Rowen. Its voice was a low whisper, almost like it was traveling on the wind. "You are in need of something? No?" It asked.

Rowen was frozen, not with fear, but the intense gaze the creature constantly gave him. He stared at the creature's mystical eyes that appeared to be glowing more then its body was.

"I can get you anything you wish..." It moved towards him. " Anything at all, but there is a price..."

***

"What!?" All the Ronin's chorused except Sage asked.

"You mean to tell us that Rowen has an intense desire for a battle?" Ryo asked.

"Yeah so, we all need to kick someone's butt once and a while." Kento commented.

"No, Kento your not getting it" Sage scolded.

"Well, then please explain it to me, Mr. I'm so smart." Kento said sarcastically.

"Kento!" Sai yelled. "This is an important matter concerning one of comrades and friends mental static. So try to be more supportive, and less sarcastic." Kento mumbled something and sate back and crossed his arms in defeat.

"Would you guys cut it out?!" Ryo yelled, obviously getting angry. "Sage do explain exactly what you sense in Rowen" Ryo demanded.

"Well.." Sage started. " He has a lot of negative feelings towards everything, and I think he thinks the only way to get ride of these feelings is to destroy them. But being a Ronin Warrior is making his decision less difficult, you see, since he thinks that if there were to be an ultimate evil." Sage paused "That it could do it for him. Then when the jobs done we could destroy it."

"Why would he think of something like that?" Sai wondered out loud.

"There's more" Sage started. "But his main hatred emotions are towards us"

"Why?" Ryo demanded.

"But if he wants to destroy us, how will we destroy the evil he wants to create?" Sai asked.

"It seems" Sage began." He feels that we are in his way. He wants to do has he pleases, and not consider us when doing them."

"That's a selfish thought," Kento said. "but then again, Rowen did grow up by himself, practical."

"What do you mean?" Sai asked.

"Me and Rowen have known each other longer then we've known you guys. Although we didn't get along most of the time, I know that Ro's parents divorced when he was young. Since his father was a scientist of sorts he hardly took care of Rowen. His mother left and hardly visited. So he was by himself most of the time." Kento said.

"Really, how sad" Sai commented.

"Then that could mean he's accustomed to living on his own, and not having other people to get into his way." Ryo pointed out.

***

"Well?" The creature asked. It got closer to him. So close that Rowen was practically inside of its transparent body. Rowen thought for a second. 'Anything eh'? Hmm but I should see what the price is first. "If I tell you what I want, what would the price be?" He asked.

"It all depends, how much do you want this.... Are you willing to risk anything, for just one wish that you desire?" It said.