Liberation from the Sun
A/N: Ronin Warriorswas one of the first anime series I watched while growing up, and it was amazing. It was also almost 100% faithful to the original Japanese version, a rarity nowadays. The Legend of the Inferno Armor (the 2nd OVA of the series) was (without a doubt) the best of the three and easily rivals some of the best moments in the original series. It had a good plot, an awesome antagonist (who wasn't "evil" per se), great music, and some pretty rad fight scenes.
My goal is to show the events of the OVA from Mukala's perspective and give a method to his madness. Some of the info is improvised, but the jist of it comes from the actual OVA and complementary sources. Naturally, it's supposed to be tragic, but I'm not aiming for overly tear-jerking.
I'm truly sorry, but this may be somewhat long. I kind of overdid it (or at least, I thought that I did).
Disclaimer: I don't own Ronin Warriors. Ronin Warriors (Yoroiden Samurai Troopers) and all respective elements are copyright Sunrise, "Hajima Yatate", and Ryuichi Hoshino. I may own this particular fan-fict, but that may be a far cry.
He was supposed to be a hero. A beacon of hope for an ailing tribe. As the head warrior of the Tauragi tribe in his native Tanzania, he was supposed to be that unbreakable pillar that everyone could lean on.
But look at him now. Reduced to nothing more than a marionette. A pawn in a galactic game of chess. How could he be a source of strength for his people if he couldn't even summon the power to free himself from his shackles?
He remembered it clearly; the time when the cogs of chaos and despair slowly started to turn...
He was no more than fourteen when he inherited the title of head warrior from his sickly father. While he wasn't a proponent of violence, the boy knew that it had to be done. It was for the good of his people. His family.
On that day, the white-haired African was christened "Mukala of the Sun". He was then asked to choose a bride from his village.
Naturally, there was only one person who came to the young man's head. Oh, his sweet, sweet, aqua-haired, emerald-eyed Nadia.
He remembered when he first laid eyes on that fair maiden. It would be a lie to say that he wasn't smitten by her goddess-like beauty, but the thing that he loved the most about Nadia was her kind and gentle nature.
Seeing that beautiful girl smile was enough to ease his pain and purge his mind of whatever doubts he had about himself. The boy felt relaxed whenever he was near her.
He was always the strong, silent type, far more demure than one should be for his age. Yet, he always seemed to indulge in mindless drivel around Nadia.
He always appreciated the company of Nadia. There, he didn't have to be "Mukala of the Sun", the cold-blooded, majestic warrior who usually kept to himself. The strong chain that held everything together. When he was with her, he could take a momentary reprieve from the daily burdens he had to carry. There, he was simply Mukala, the calm, insightful young man who cared deeply for his friends and family.
Naturally, the feeling was mutual on Nadia's part, and she accepted the warrior's offer. While the rest of the tribe wanted the two to "tie the knot" at that very moment, the male refused. He wanted her, but he felt that it would awkward for them at such a young age. While there was some disdain in regard to his decision, there wasn't much that the tribe could do; he was the head warrior after all.
Three years passed and the warrior had still postponed the inevitable wedding. His reasons? They were not yet of age.
His people were baffled, claiming that his head was filled with "crazy American ideas" and that it would be perfectly fine for him to wed Nadia at this time. He merely waved them off.
It was around that time that the priestesses of the village had sensed a disturbance coming from a nearby valley. Not wanting to endanger the lives on any of his kin, the youth volunteered to scout out the peculiar phenomena by himself.
With a mammoth black boomerang in hand and the fate of his tribe resting on his shoulders, the white-haired warrior set out on his journey. On-rout, he was intercepted by none other than his fiancée.
"Mukala, something's not right. I don't think that you should go. I'm worried about your safety." But he persisted. He must go. He had to go. It was his duty.
Nadia whimpered and the male's eyes widened as he saw tears drop from her eyes. What an insensitive jerk he was. How could he be so blind to her own well-being? Gently wiping the tears away from her eyes, he assured his love that he would be back. Holding the woman's frame against his own and kissing her lightly on the head, the male departed.
The youth made his way into a desolate valley. He was certain that he had been at this place once before. Ah, yes, he remembered it clearly. It was several years back and he had had the honor of accompanying his father on a hunting trip.
But this place... it was not how he remembered it. Jagged black crystalline structures poked from out of the terrain, forming an unnatural shrine of sorts. Uncertain of what laid within, the man tightened his grip on his weapon and ventured inside.
Light. A blinding light was all that he could see. The light spiraled around him in the form of multiple butterflies. It was both beautiful and chilling. Nadia was right; he could sense that something was amiss here.
Suddenly, the ambiance increased in intensity. A disembodied voice whispered in his ears.
"What brings you here? What is it that you seek?" The question was too cryptic. Instead of replying, the warrior merely stood upright, intent on listening to his mysterious guest.
"Hm... I can see it now. You are a warrior. So then, is it power that you seek?" The voice continued to murmur to the warrior. He merely shook his head. Power corrupts. That was an absolute.
"Don't be foolish. I can see into the very depths of your mind, body, heart and soul." Was this the truth? Could this being... this thing delve into his very essence?
"You claim to be steadfastly against violence, but I know you. Your kind. Your qualities. Why else would you be carrying that weapon in your hand?" It was true that he took up arms to protect his fellow man, but the youth didn't carry his boomerang around because he was constantly looking for someone to pick a fight with. Just who did this being think it was?
"Who am I? That's a foolhardy question to ask in your predicament, mortal. I am power incarnate. I have existed for thousands of your human years." Impossible. This being had to have been jesting.
"Believe me, 'Mukala of the Sun', I'm telling the truth." But they were lies. Deceptions! It would not be until much later that the white-haired man would be able to see through this farce...
"I know of your ambition for power because I can feel the desire emanating from your very core. But, I admire your bravado. You want power to protect your loved ones, yes? Especially that 'Nadia' women, correct? Then power, I will give to you."
Before he could even react, the ethereal butterflies began to circle around the youth. They latched around his body and then shined brightly. When the glow had finally died down, the warrior was clad in some sort of black armor.
"Consider it a gift." And with that the voice was gone. He had felt an odd vibe, but the man figured that since the voice had left, the so-called "disturbance" would disappear as well.
Upon returning to the village, the warrior received a plethora of odd reactions: Nadia was appalled, her mother and grandmother said that "a great omen would befall the Tauragi", and the rest of the tribe heralded him as a god. Not the kind of "warm welcome" he was expecting.
Over the next few months, the white-haired young man began to feel strange. During the hunts, he began to relish the sensation of battle. His ferocity and viciousness in battle increased to startling levels, and he became aloof and reserved to the point of selective mutism. Something was wrong, but the man had no clue of how to stop it.
One day, the voice came back. "So do you like the 'gift' I gave you? Of course, you should have known that it comes with a price. Your humanity." He was shocked. He had never asked for this.
"Oh, but you DID." The voice, now lodged inside of his head, quipped at him. "I fulfilled your wishes, and now, you will aid me in my endeavors." No. That was out of the question. He would not give in to this presence.
"You don't have a choice in the matter. Your body has already been lost to me, and soon your mind will succumb as well." This thingwas no god. It didn't deserve the laudation that the Tauragi gave it. It was a demon, no doubt about it. Was this the "omen" Nadia's family had foreseen?
"That armor I gave you, the Black Inferno Armor, is the physical manifestation of my power. However, I am not the only one. Like Yin and Yang, I have a counterpart. My sibling has also crossed in your plane of existence, and as fate would have it, we are destined to duel one another. Now go, my vessel, and destroy the White Inferno Armor!" As much as he wanted to refuse the demand, he had no other choice. The Black Inferno Armor had invaded the recesses of his frail mind. He was no more than a mere slave.
He left in the middle of the night so that no one could track him. He could only imagine Nadia's horrified reaction to what he was slowly becoming. He traveled the lands, meandering across the world while under the influence of the Black Armor.
Sometime later he would find himself in an eastern country, with unfamiliar structures and people. However, the sheer evil of the Black Armor had caused the natural balance of this land to fluctuate. Vines and trees sprouted throughout the land and covered everything in sight. Illusions of animals native to his homeland waned in and out of reality. The sun scorched the earth with the intensity of one thousand white-hot suns. The terrain was in shambles, as if a tremor had rolled through the earth.
The longer he stayed, the more risk this land would be at. Sadly, the warrior was powerless to do anything about it.
"The channeler of my sibling's power is here. I can feel it." Surely, enough he came across a young man, isolated in the middle of this strange land. The warrior could feel it too; this was his target. May the gods have pity on his soul.
With that, he began to attack the mysterious youth. In response, his prey summoned an odd red-colored armor. "Ah... now I see. The White Inferno Armor's power is divided among him and four others. He is just the avatar for its powers. Interesting indeed. Nevertheless, kill him."
And so, the assault continued. As the voice said, the red-clad warrior was not alone. Four other warriors and even a white tiger came to his aid. It was now that he was urged to call upon the Black Armor's power.
"Noubezaaya, Iijizuuri, Zuuamaumaa, Muunmi!" Those were the words he chanted. Just like in the valley, the ethereal butterflies wrapped around his body, transfiguring to form the cursed armor.
The evil armor glowed as it summoned the red warrior towards him against the youth's will. Three of the remaining four warriors attempted to save their friend. The white-haired man noticed that one was hesitant; a warrior in sky blue armor. Perhaps he too was an unwilling player in this duel of fate.
It was a futile effort. By that time, he had trapped both the red warrior and his green-garbed ally (who had tried desperately to reclaim his friend) and subsequently whisked them away in a black vortex...
When Mukala warped back to his homeland, he was greeted by no other than Nadia. Yet, this wasn't the warm and friendly woman he was accustomed to. Nadia merely gave the man an icy stare. It was then that he knew; she saw the evil in his heart.
Come daybreak, the hunt resumed. The warrior began to pick up inhuman levels of speed as he gunned down the two strangers, one by one. With a mighty swing of his boomerang, both warriors were down for the count, the shattered remains of their helmets lying in the grass beside them.
Satisfied with the results, the voice commanded the youth to drag his prey. Standing in his way was Nadia yet again with the same dull glare. "Are these the two that you brought from the eastern country?" No answer. "Why are you doing this? Is this the will of the Black Armor?" He so dearly wanted to embrace her, kiss her, and tell her that everything was going to be all right, but alas, the Black Armor had already robbed him of speech. Without a double-take, he strolled by her with much sorrow.
It would be nightfall when he'd confront the two warriors again. It seemed that Nadia had aided in their escape. Another fierce battle transpired. Seeing that they were outmatched and had no other choice, the two armored figures pooled together their powers in a last-shot attack. "FURY OF WILDFIRE!" "LIGHTNING STRIKE!" Red and green energy zipped through the air and collided with the youth.
But, hell be damned, it wasn't enough. The Black Armor wouldn't allow death to take him. Not yet. The battle resumed.
Nadia screamed at him. "Please Mukala! Please stop! There's no point in fighting! It will only result in death!" Oh, how he wished that he could.
It was then that the crimson warrior halted his assault. Joining his swords together by the hilt, he slammed his weapon into the dirt. He had given up his cause to fight. "This battle will only cause death and destruction. I won't stand for that. Justice is my virtue!" The warrior clad in red armor outstretched his arms as if he wanted the white-haired youth to strike him down. The Black Armor eagerly complied.
Next was the armored warrior in green. Anger flared up in his eyes. He wanted the warrior to pay dearly for attacking his friend. As soon as he began to summon energy for another attack, he stopped. So, he had realized it too. The will to do battle was not of their own accord. It was the Inferno Armors that were pulling the strings.
The warrior struggled to pry his hands off of his sword. With much effort, the large blade finally fell to the ground. "Do what you want. I follow my heart. I won't be controlled by you or by anyone." Likewise, the Black Armor knocked this one out without the slightest hesitation.
The next morning, the ceremony began. Leading the still-unconscious warriors to a rock bed covered by crystals, the Black Armor began to torment the pair. The youth was astonished by what he saw next: strange, undecipherable symbols lit up on the heads of the two.
It was then that he was interrupted by yet another armored warrior, one in orange. He hurled his boomerang at the orange-clad man, who proceeded to effortlessly knock it away. The warrior tried again. This time, the confident youth was knocked to the ground. And with that, yet another battle ensued.
The cries of a young male caught the attention of the white-haired vessel in the midst of the battle. "Kento! Something's strange! Your armor, it's scary!" He saw it too. How he was able to do so, he did not know. But what he saw was real. The orange armor's hue had darkened considerably. When the bearer of the armor spoke, his voice was noticeably deeper and much more sinister. Was this the will of the White Inferno Armor as well?
A few minutes later, he was cut off again as an energy arrow sparked on the ground near his feet. He looked up to see another warrior; an archer in navy. "You are a warrior. You're reason for this is that we do not know. I expect you're not the type of person who wishes for battle. If it's purely battle, can you parry without limit? But this fight... It is one of something other than the power of our volition. I have to intervene."
Nadia called out to him once more. "They have hearts that cannot be influenced by the armors who seek battle. Mukala, you don't have that heart." So that was it. It all came down to that. The Black Armor, as twisted as its desires were, was speaking the truth. Deep down, he really did crave for battle.
Calling upon the hellish armor once again, the slave did battle. The boy cried out again in horror. "Kento! Rowen! There's something strange! Your armor!" The two blankly stared back at the child. Then, lucidity struck the two. It was just like with the green one; they had figured it out. "This blasted armor! Do you think that I'm easy meat?!" "Kento! Undo the armor!" With a great deal of pain, the two released their armors. They both collapsed as the armor simply floated around their lifeless bodies.
Rain started to fall. Bending on one knee, the man began to cackle hysterically. On the inside, however, he could have very well been bawling like a baby. What a wretched monster he had become! Who could live with themselves after committing such atrocities?
The next morning, Nadia came to him, urging him to end the madness before things got out of hand. The Black Armor waved for her to be put into prison. The man was appalled. Here he was, motioning for his own wife to be imprisoned!
The warrior made his way to the valley where it had all began. There, a black tiger appeared to him and entrusted four crystals that held the armors of the youths. With that, the beast vanished. With the final armor in hand, the warrior summoned the five armors into crystalline prisons. Finally, he called upon the Black Armor, which vented an eerily mist as it formed behind him.
By that time, the five warriors had arrived. Their armors glowed as the White Inferno Armor finally revealed itself. Breaking out of its prison and summoning two blades, the armor leapt on top of a pillar. In the sky, the moon and sun overlapped, forming a solar eclipse. All Hell broke loose as towers of fire surrounded the valley. What madness was this?
The five warriors called upon their armors to do battle with the White Armor. Yet, every time they attacked, they were pushed back without doing so much as scratching the phantom armor.
The red warrior then spoke up. "We can't defeat him by force alone. But... the power of the heart, it's indestructible!" With that, the peculiar symbols appeared on the foreheads of the five youths. Separating from the warriors, the lights slammed into the White Armor, cleansing it of any malicious intent. The White Armor slumped down as its blades fell to the ground.
The white-haired man was shocked. He recalled Nadia's words to him earlier. As he turned around, he was face-to-face with the Black Armor. Perhaps he was hallucinating, but the armor seemed to be giving him a devilish smile. "Leaving so soon? It's not over yet, my host. You still have one more task to complete..." Everything went blurry for him as the evil suit of armor possessed his body once more.
In response to this, his opponents called upon the White Inferno Armor. He could see it. The one warrior who was using the power; he was in pain as the hellfire surged over him, forming the white antithesis to his black evil. One with such a noble heart did not want to resort to using such power. The youth didn't want to fight as much as he did. But he had no options. It was over for him.
The two armors bolted at each other in a furious deadlock. "Open your eyes! You're being controlled!" The call fell on deaf ears as the Black Armor insisted on continuing the fight at all costs. The weapons and armors themselves shattered as the bloody struggle continued. The armors broke from the standstill and prepared for one last blow.
Then, he saw it out of the corner of his eye. Riding on a white tiger towards the scene of the battle was Nadia. "Mukala! Stop this! Please! I beg of you! Cease this before everything around you is destroyed!"
It was too late. As the two armors collided, an eruption of energy decimated their surroundings. Nadia was caught in the crossfire and vaporized before his very eyes.
When the backlash cleared, all that remained was a wasteland and two tattered armors. The armor bearer of the immaculate armor wondered how this would end without destroying the world in the process.
The warrior looked down in his black-clad hand. Clenched tightly in it was Nadia's yellow scarf. It was all that he had left of her. The black-garbed warrior screamed in anguish. What was the point? He had lost it. He had lost it all.
It was then that he felt a glimmer of light shine in his fractured mind. There, standing before him were the five warriors he had tried so ardently to eradicate. They offered their hands. He willingly accepted as a bright glow surrounded them.
With the light had receded, the armors were gone. All seven of them. He was back in control of himself. The vessel had broken free once more. But so many sacrifices were made to help restore his sanity. How could he go on if he had lost the one person in the world who he had truly loved? The grief-stricken man could barely control himself as he lamented over Nadia.
Power... he wanted it to protect his loved ones, his family. But in the end, that power swallowed him up whole. He was so helpless to stop it. For the first time, he cursed the Sun and the Mother Earth. And above all, he hated that despicable Black Inferno Armor. That damned black armor! It could burn in the fiery pits of Hell for all he cared! It had caused him so much suffering. He just wanted it to end.
He looked to the heavens as a luminous white light shined down. He saw what he believed to be five armored figures, hurdled together in a small circle. They then exploded into petals of light, revealing the very same white feline that Nadia was riding on. It rose and moved away.
No. He could not believe his eyes. He had to be dreaming. Yet, there she was. The form of his beautiful Nadia was lying on the ground in front of him. Without any thought, he dragged his feet towards her. The white-haired man praised the gods for this moment. He had been to Hell and back, and now he was glad that it was finally over.
The youth had finally reached his love. Nothing would ever separate them again. Never again would he bend to the will of anything other than his heart. Of those two things, he was certain. He extended his calloused hand towards her, and, for the first time in ages, called her name. "Nadia."
A/N: I definitely think that Mukala deserved his happy ending. Honestly, it's never made clear (with the exception of Mukala's viewing of the Ronins' battle with the White Inferno Armor) if Mukala had any control over his actions, but I think that it's better for the story that Mukala had a sort of "out-of-body experience" with the Black Inferno Armor. So then... what do you think? :)