To Be Free

The Invitation

   Saki watched over videos of Team Blade Breakers past matches. There wasn't much to see, honestly. Saki brushed her blue hair back and let out a sigh.

   Saki had light blue bangs while the rest of her hair was just plain blue. Her eyes were a blue violet. She wore a red crop top and slightly baggy black pants. Her shoes were black, high heeled boots. On her back was a tatoo of her special symbol she had made for herself so long ago. Four ovals connected into a north, south, east, west style. The north oval was blue, the south was red, the east was a very light shade of blue, and the west was green. It was all connected with gold around it. And in each of the spaces between the ovals was a purple circle.

   That same symbol could be seen in several places in this building. But only on the inside. On the outside, this was just a normal, run down home. It was just the way Saki liked it. This way no one suspected anything. As long as no one saw the basement, everything would be fine.

   Saki tapped her mouse and paused the video. It was just so boring. These Blade Breakers lacked talent. That Max was too childish, Ray lacked real power, and Tyson was, she would admit, mildly amusing. In the end, the only one really worth her time was Kai. Saki smiled and sat back. She wanted it. Oh how she wanted it. She wanted all of them. Dranzer and Dragoon and Drigger and Draciel.

   "Mistress Saki, do you wish for me to send the invitation?"

   Saki looked back to see her butler. She smirked and got to her feet. Then she pulled out her blade and stared at the bit.

   "Yes, you want this, don't you?" questioned Saki. "You want them as much as me." Then she looked up at her butler. "Send the invitation. And then, I'm thinking Chinese."

   "Yes, Mistress Saki," her butler said with a bow before leaving.

   "They can't match my power," Saki said. "No one can match my power. Oh, I can't wait for that thrill of power. They better hurry, I don't like waiting."

   As they were strategizing, there was a knock at the door.

   "Who could that be?" Kenny asked as he got up to answer it.

   Upon opening the door, Kenny saw no one. There was just a letter on the ground that he bent down to pick it up.

   "What is it Chief?" asked Tyson.

   "It's a letter," Kenny answered.

   "Well don't leave us hanging," Max told him. "Read it."

   Kenny opened the letter and read aloud, "Dear Blade Breakers. I have been watching your battles and I will admit you have some skill. If you wish to test it, come see me."

   "Sounds like a challenge," Ray commented.

   "We have to go!" Tyson shouted.

   "We can't," Kenny denied. "The Russian tournament is going to begin soon and we have to get to Russia!"

   "Hey Kenny, turn that over," Ray said.

   Kenny did. On the back of the letter was a map. The place they were to go was marked with a star. It was conveniently on their way to Russia.

   "Maybe we can get there," Kenny muttered.

   "What a great turn of luck," Tyson said excitedly. "And this will certainly make us stronger, won't it?"

   "Yeah, good practice for the tournament," Max agreed.

   "That said," Kai broke in, "whoever wrote this seems to be pretty confident of their skills."

   "You're right Kai," Kenny agreed.

   "Oh come on," Tyson said. "Quit being such a wet blanket. We can win. No problem at all."

   Two days later, when they arrived at the location, none of them were impressed. It was just some worn down building in the middle of nowhere.

   "Maybe we came to the wrong place," Ray suggested.

   But then the door creaked open. Standing there was Saki's butler.

   "Are you who invited us here?" Max asked.

   "No, that would be Mistress Saki," the butler denied. "Right this way."

   The butler led them inside. It was just as worn down as outside. Spider webs were in every corner.

   "Has no one heard of cleaning around here?" questioned Tyson.

   The butler opened up a hatch in the floor and pointed at a staircase leading down to the basement. Not knowing what else to do, Team Blade Breakers went down. The butler did not follow and shut the hatch tight and locked it.

   "You're late," came the voice of Saki. "Not good, not good."

   "Who's there?" questioned Kai.

   Saki stepped forward from the shadows.

   "I am Saki," she said. "And you are my captives."