_______________

Note: This is the last chapter, I wanted to finish it, its been almost a year since I last wrote something for this and I figured it was time to finish the story off so I can go off to start more ones...and of course finish others.

It hurts when your left in the dark about something. You want to help, to say something to make it all better, but you can't not knowing what's going on is a real pain in the ass. What happens if you say something wrong and hurt your friend even more. When all there looking for is something to encourage them to make there life make sense again.

I didn't know what to do, so I ignored the problem. I thought it would go away. Rowen has been depressed before, and he always found his way back. No matter what the circumstance, Rowen was strong in mind and spirit. I always admired that in Rowen.

This time was different, he didn't pull himself out has fast has he usually does. I checked his spirit, and saw disturbing thoughts that I would never have imagined Rowen to think of. Now for my incompetence to help in the beginning he is ill.

Sage sate there watching Rowen laying on the bed. After he opened Rowen's door to see him unconscious he called the others to help. Sage felt useless, he didn't know what to do for his friend and now is was killing him inside.

"God Rowen, what did you do to yourself." He muttered lowly. His heart felt like it weight ten pounds more then it does, all filled with anguish, guilt and shame. For everything he could have done to maybe have saved Rowen.

He moved his hand to Rowen's face to feel if he was still hot, when they found him lying unconscious he head felt a bit feverish. Sage's finger barely touched Rowen's forehead before he pulled his hand away. /My god!/ Sage thought has he looked at his fingers, red from the heat that was illuminating off of Rowen's head. /He feels like he's on fire. He's way hotter then he was before./ Sage was getting worried, this was unlike any fever he's ever seen. Rowen was scorching hot, yet he was not sweating, hell his body was in no way reacting with the fever.

Sage got up and got some cold water and a wash rag, hopping it would cool Rowen off a bit. Soaking the rag he imminently placed it on Rowen's head. After a few seconds the water on the rag turned to steam leaving the cloth dry. Sage couldn't believe what he saw. He was frozen, he feared what would happen to Rowen if he did not get to the hospital fast. /What the hell is wrong?!/

"How is he?" Sai asked, standing by the door way. Sage turned around and looked down. "I think we should get him to a hospital." Sage answered trying to sound has stable has he could. Sai looked confused. "Why? Is there something god offal wrong with him?" Sage got up and grabbed Sai's hand and put it on Rowen's Forehead. Sai pulled it away quickly. "Rowen's burning up." Sai exclaimed with the 'au' sound in his voice. Sage grabbed the cloth, and said "Watch this." He put the wet rag back on Rowen's head, and it did exactly what it did previously. Sai stood there with the concerned look that he so often shows.

/Where am I?/ Rowen thought to himself. He looked around, he stood in a large open field. /Doesn't look familiar, but somehow I feel safe here, like I belong./ He noticed to side of him that someone was walking towards him. A young man who had short black hair that covered his right eye. The only eye that showed was a mysterious looking gray color. Over all the man that walked toward him was relatively good looking. Rowen turned to face the strange character.

"Who are you?" Rowen asked. The person smiled at him sweetly and said, "Why Armor...no Rowen, I am Eadem." Eadem continued to walk at him. "Eadem?" Rowen started. "Where the hell am I? What did you do to me?!" Rowen shouted. Eadem put his hands on both of Rowen's shoulders. "That doesn't matter. All that matters is your wish will be fulfilled." Rowen pushed Eadem away.

"No! You can't kill my friends!" Rowen Yelled.

"You have no say, I am now you. I control you. This is your subconscious." He smiled at Rowen again. "We are one. You no longer have the burden of having to socialize, you can eternally be alone." His head moved closer to Rowen's ear and whispered, "I know what you want, and I can give it to you at any time." Eadem kissed Rowen's cheek. Rowen again pushed Eadem away. "W-WHAT?!" Rowen yelled.

"Did you not hear me? I am you. I know of everything you have ever desired. Maybe a certain blond haired man comes to mind." Eadem looked at Rowen.

"What? You mean Sage? Me and him are only friends." Rowen defended.

"I can tell you want to be more then just friends. You can't lie to me." Eadem begun to walk away. "We can continue this when I am threw with your...'friends'."

"Get him the car." Ryo ordered Kento who was holding Rowen. Kento obeyed and lied Rowen in the back seat. Just has Kento was walking away a hand grabbed his arm. Kento turned and looked back to see Rowen. "Hey Rowen! The others will be glad you got up!" Ryo walked over there.

"What he's up? Ohh hey Rowen, how do you feel? You were scorchin' so we were going to bring you to the hospital." Ryo informed him. A wicked looking smile came across his face.

"That won't be necessary" Rowen/Eadem started. "I'm perfectly fine, however I do happen to have a few bugs to get ride of." Ryo looked confused. "What bugs? What are you saying?" Rowen/Eadem stood up and grabbed Ryo's head. "You pesky bugs called the Ronin Warriors!" Ryo tried to get away but the grip that Eadem placed on his head was great. "Rowen stop! What do you mean?!" Ryo yelled.

Kento grabbed Rowen/Eadem from behind and tried to pull him away from Ryo. Successfully he got Rowen away from Ryo, and now had him in a tight hug. Rowen/Eadem tried to squirm there way out to no success.

"What's going on?" Sai asked. Kento said, "He attacked Ryo."

Rowen/Eadem smiled, has he pulled Kento over his head and tossed him at Sai. Kento hit the ground with a 'thud.' "Rowen what the hell is wrong with you!" Sai yelled. Eadem didn't designate that with an answer, but instead pulled out Rowen armor crystal and begun to summon Strata.

"Eadem!" Rowen yelled. /I got to stop him from killing my friends, if I don't I could never live with myself./ Rowen continued to run aimlessly around the field.

"You can't leave." Eadem's voice echoed around him. "Stop you cannot hurt them!" Rowen yelled. He could feel everyone's pain, that was being inflicted by him. Rowen was feeling hopeless, and alone. A feeling he hadn't experienced since his parents divorce. Something he remembered he never wanted to feel again. Tears begun to fill his eyes has he fell to the ground landing on his knees. / No, god no, I-I can't do anything to save them./ Then it occurred to Rowen, why friends were so important. They are always there for you in good times and bad. They may hurt you sometimes, they may be down out cruel without even knowing it, but of course real friend never mean anything they do to hurt you. Having friends is something you get to experience even if you don't know it.

To bad for Rowen, he figured it out to late. Now he would have to pay the consequences for his stupidity. He pounded at the ground, has tears streamed down his face. He looked up and yelled, "Guys I'm so sorry! Please forgive what I have done!" Rowen looked down again. /This is what I wanted, to be alone, but not like this. Now I want to see my friends again, I want to make every day count. Time is limited./ Rowen stood up. "No, I am a Ronin Warriors. I will not give up so easily there must be a way!" The he whispered, "There has to be a way..."

"That's not Rowen!" Sage yelled. By now all the Ronins were in there armors fighting Eadem/Rowen, who was also in an armor.

"No, really?" Kento said sarcastically. Sage glanced at Kento for a second and went on, "There's something in there with him! I can still sense Rowen's presence, but something dark is controlling him." Sage informed.

"We can't hurt him." Sai said. "That is still Rowen's body, and if we do anything to it, Rowen will..." Sai trailed off. Eadem pulled out the Strata bow and pointed it at Sage. Eadem grinned. "You are correct Halo, I am not Rowen. He wanted me to come, he summoned me here to kill you all."

Sage did tell everyone that Rowen wanted to be alone and may even go to the extent to have something kill them, but he never thought he would ever really go through with this. /Rowen.../ Sage thought. It felt like his heart was ripped out of his chest. He and Rowen were very good friends, and Sage wanted it to go further, he always wished Rowen did has well. Sage admired a lot of Rowen's traits. Like his independence, his intellect, and his inability to give up. /No, Rowen would never do such a thing to his friends!/ Sage decided.

"Your wrong!" Sage yelled at Eadem. "Rowen would never do anything so rash." Eadem laughed.

"You would like to think so. Sage wouldn't you. Since you still can't find it in your self to tell him how you feel. Are you really sure you know him like you should? Or does he space himself away from you has well." Eadem said.

Sage ignored him and yelled. "Rowen if you can hear me, fight it! Take control of your body again!"

Eadem laughed again. "He can't hear you.

"Sage what is he talking about?" Sai asked. Sage didn't look at Sai when he said, "It doesn't matter right now." A sad expression fell upon Sage's face

"Enough!" Eadem yelled. "You will all now die at the hands of your former comrade!" From that he pulled back the arrow from the Strata bow and it flew towards Sage.

Something has been tugging at Rowen's mind since Eadem said he wanted to be more then friends with Sage. Rowen has never really thought about it, but it makes sense to him. He loves Sage. /Why, why couldn't I figure that out sooner? no, I did know, I never wanted to admit it./

Eadem's voice suddenly echoed around him once again. "Being the friend that I am, I figured you would want to see your friends perish. It is what you wanted."

Rowen looked up. "you are not my friend." Rowen yelled. After Rowen said that he got visual from what was happening in the battle between Eadem and his friends. /Ohh god. There hurt./ Rowen thought. /They must not want to hit me./ He glanced over to the side, and saw Sage lying there wounded with an arrow. "No Sage!" Rowen yelled.

Sage started to move. He grabbed Eadem by the helmet. He was saying something but Rowen couldn't hear him. /I need to get control again. Sage, guys I'll help, I'll kill Eadem./

"Rowen..." Sage said weakly. "Rowen, please if you can hear me, I...I love you" He said and fell to the ground. Eadem just laughed at the pathetic seen in front of him. "You can't have Rowen, he's mine now, and forever." Eadem said has he kicked Sage away from him.

"Sage!" Ryo yelled. Eadem was beating up on Sage most of all. "You'll pay, bastard!" Ryo yelled at Eadem. Right then Eadem stopped fell to the ground. "No, NO! you cannot get your body back!" Eadem yelled. "Your mine now and no one else's!"

"It must be Rowen!" Sai exclaimed. Rowen's body fell limp on the ground. "W-what's going on?" Sage asked. Rowen's arm raised, "Sage..." He said. A small smile came across his face. "Guys... I'm sorry.." His hand fell to the ground.

"Rowen!" All of them yelled and ran up to him. Just has they reached him his body begun to shine, and something apparently split from his body, leaving him limp on the ground.

"Rowen..."Tears filled his usually tearless eyes. Sai looked over at Sage, his heart felt heavy, "Sage, he'll be alright." Sai assured him, hopping he was right.

"Look what you did!" The spirit of Eadem was hovering over Rowen's body. It begun to float away from them. like it was running.

"What the hell?!" Kento mumbled.

"Its what must have been controlling Rowen!" Ryo yelled. "Sage watch Rowen, we got are self a bit of a spirit infestation." Ryo said. Ryo looked at Sai and Kento, "Lets go." They both nodded and fallowed beside there leader.

Sage looked at Rowen, pale and limp on the ground. "Ohh gods Rowen." Tears fell from his eyes and to the ground. He picked up his unconscious friend. and lied him down on his lap. He moved Rowen's hair out of his eyes. "Please be okay."

Then Rowen's hand moved slightly and grabbed Sages. "Sage..." Rowen started. "No Rowen Save your strength." Sage told him. Rowen didn't listen, of course. "Sage, I, wanted to tell you." He stopped. "What is it Rowen?" Sage asked. "I'm sorry, and, and..." He paused again. "And Sage, I love you." Rowen finally said. Sage smiled, "Rowen I love you too." Sage answered back.

He still was crying but now for a different reason.

"Cute." Sai commented to Ryo and Kento.

"I think maybe we should leave them alone." Ryo said, and headed up to the door.

"Agreed." Kento and Sai both answered and went along with Ryo inside.