Wildfire

By Mardrena

"The signs are perfectly clear, Ryo. It cannot be ignored," Anubis calmly stated.

"She's just a kid, Anubis!" Ryo argued as he paced alongside the conference table. "She's younger than Yulie, for crying out loud! How can we expect her to fight the Dynasty?"

"…How old were you when you first started fighting Talpa?" Anubis asked abruptly. Ryo folded his arms over his chest and turned away quickly, snorting in frustration and rolling his eyes. "Let me tell you something; when I was no older than Yulie is now, I set out into the world intent on doing three things: Conquering rivals, fate, and women." Ryo did a double take and made a face at that remark. "And I can assure you I accomplished all three before I reached adulthood." Ryo stared at Anubis out the corner of his eye and sighed.

"I thought that was the whole point behind us Ronin Warriors," he grumbled. "For us to do the fighting so no one else has to."

"And yet we're increasingly finding ourselves faced by threats we cannot face, even as a team. Our roster goes beyond just those that wear armor, just as our enemy does not limit their attacks to the Ronin Warriors alone. If we are to triumph in this ongoing battle, everyone must take up arms, not just us. Even young Yulie has contributed his own effort in battle."

"Danae told me he and Wind took out twice as many Thunthen fighters as she did during Mal Daggur's attack…" Ryo let out a soft chuckle and shook his head.

"We no longer have merely the Dynasty to contend with, and Talpa is driven ever more desperate with the knowledge that there are those who can challenge and match his power directly. Plenty of Nether Lords vied for control after his defeat; none had the spine to challenge him outright…" Anubis folded one arm over his chest and thumbed his chin then shrugged. "Well, except perhaps Sabrestryke, but you know how THAT turned out…"

Ryo leaned forward and rest his palms against his place tile, staring into his reflection for several moments before looking up at Anubis. "She's innocent…she shouldn't have to fight."

"There are no innocents in war, Ryo," Anubis replied sadly and shook his head. "There are those who sit on the sidelines, and those who take a stand." With that, he turned to leave.

"What about those who get caught in the middle?" Ryo called after him and pushed away from the table. Anubis paused and looked over his shoulder at him.

"That's why they're supposed to take a stand," he stated crisply and exited the room. Ryo sighed again and looked down at the red yo-yo with the Wildfire insignia. He furrowed his brow then reached out and grabbed it off the table.


"So what am I supposed to say to her?" Ryo grumbled as he walked through the park with Whiteblaze padding alongside him. "'Hey! Guess what! You're destined to fight the forces of evil when you really should be going to school or sitting at home playing games with your friends!'" The tiger glanced at him and twitched his ears. "I mean, it's not like I have any regrets, but being a Ronin Warrior shouldn't be a first career choice…"

"Hey mister! You're back!" Ryo looked up and saw the young girl jogging down the gravel path waving at him. He waved back and smiled and came to a stop as she approached. "Hi Whiteblaze! Looook aaat whaaaat I gooot forrrr youuuuu," she sang and retrieved something from her waist pack and carefully unwrapped it while Whiteblaze waited patiently. "It's a sandwich." She held it out towards Whiteblaze, who leaned forward and sniffed at it. "It's chicken. I figured you'd wanna try something different." Whiteblaze eagerly took a bite out of the sandwich and the girl held the remainder in one hand while she patted Whiteblaze's head with the other. Whiteblaze finished the rest of the sandwich and butted the girl in the chest gently, purring. The girl laughed richly and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You know what, mister? He might've almost scared the actual pants off of me the other day, but I really, really like your cat," the girl said and nuzzled Whiteblaze.

"He seems to really like you too," Ryo replied, smiling. "Uh…" he frowned and made a face. "…you know what, everything happened so fast, I don't even know your name."

"Oh!" the girl blinked and raised both eyebrows. She cupped Whiteblaze's chin and turned his face towards her. "Well I know his name. It's Whiteblaze. I heard it while you were yelling at him to stop chasing me," she stated and hugged Whiteblaze again.

"Sanada Ryo," Ryo introduced himself formally.

"Oh, I forgot you people do that over here. Um…uh…err…" the girl scratched her head then sighed and shrugged. "I'm Emma Coburn," she replied, sticking what she felt familiar with.

"Coburn? You're American?" Ryo raised an eyebrow.

"Yup. I'm from Montana. I used to live with Mom while Dad worked over here, but…well she was in a car accident…" Emma admitted sadly, and Whiteblaze nuzzled her comfortingly. "So Dad brought me over her to live with him. He used to work for one of those big tech corporations, but he resigned, so now he outsources as a consultant for other big companies. He spends a lot of his time working, but I know it's to support us here."

Ryo pondered the best way to explain things to Emma while Whiteblaze indulged in the attention. Emma knelt down on the path and buried her face in the striped fur. "Mmmm, he feels like laundry fresh out of the dryer! Oooh noo noo noo noo," she hummed and rocked from side to side slightly, reaching up with one hand and rubbing Whiteblaze's ears. The tiger gave Ryo a look that seemed to say "How come you never rub me like this anymore." Ryo made a face and tilted his head to one side. He glanced to the horizon as the sun began rising.

"I…guess you should be heading home so you can get ready for school," Ryo commented.

"Oh I don't go to school here. I'm homeschooled," Emma stated.

"Really? How come? You could make lots of friends at school," Ryo said with a smile. Emma frowned and averted her gaze, and Ryo saw a flicker of anger across her face.

"Well…you know how you people have a word you use for people like me?" Ryo frowned sadly. "I got called that. A lot," Emma explained stiffly.

"Oh wow…that's terrible. I-I'm so sorry. Usually people here are very polite."

"I know, it's just I seemed to get stuck with the really snooty ones. You know, the ones that give you that look, like you don't deserve to be breathing the same air as they do…" Emma narrowed her eyes at the ground then looked back at Whiteblaze and rubbed noses with him. "But who needs friends at school when I can be friends with an awesome cool tiger. How about this: you come here tomorrow, and I'll bring you another sandwich. I can't cook as well as Mom used to, but I can make a meeeeaaaaan sandwich!" Emma rubbed Whiteblaze's cheeks.

"Deal. I really need to take him walking more frequently. He gets a little fat just lounging around the house," Ryo joked. Emma stood up and dusted her knees off then gave Whiteblaze a farewell pat before resuming her early morning jog. She turned and waved goodbye. Ryo waved back but grunted when Whiteblaze butted him in the back of the thigh suddenly. "What?" Whiteblaze stared at him, apparently upset about something besides the fat comment. "Look, I'm not going to force this on her. It should be her choice," Ryo stated firmly, ignoring the persistent humming from the yo-yo in his pocket now that Emma had left. Whiteblaze kept his peace and glanced at the departing Emma, folding his ears worriedly.


The polished stone sections of the device swung open like the petals of a nightmarish lotus. Violet energy crackled between the layers as Kylyra stepped out wearing her armor as well as intact flesh. She held out one arm and turned it over, inspecting the smooth, pale skin. Satisfied, she hopped down from the pedestal and walked out of the room and into the hall. Soldiers on watch stood at attention as she passed by on her way to the throne room. She entered and approached the throne to stand beside General Duratir. He greeted her with a curt nod.

"I do not understand what concerns you so greatly, Bautan," Talpa rumbled from his throne.

"Ryo of the Wildfire has gone out of his way to meet with that girl quite often as of late," Bautan explained and called down the viewing screen, showing images of the Ronin Leader chatting with the young girl named Emma Coburn. "The Ronin Warriors seldom socialize with anyone beyond their immediate company, and the Ronin Leader has never before ventured out into this particular area until recently. It cannot be a coincidence so soon after their defeat."

"She hardly seems capable of posing a threat," General Duratin harrumphed.

"Such a small one pales in comparison to the fearsome Outworlders," Admiral Duratin added.

"And yet, you forget a Thangien girl not much older very nearly dealt a grievous blow to the Master himself. We must observe closely and remain alert," Bautan reminded.

"It takes more than brazen defiance to threaten me, Bautan. Surely your concerns run deeper than a mere mortal child," Talpa commented. Bautan grimaced and raised a hand.

"Well…there is… um, a power that has been aiding the Ronin in secret as of late. Even they are not aware of it." Kylyra made a face and blinked several times, glancing from side to side. Despite not having facial features, the Brothers looked similarly confused. Talpa's fearsome fanged visage managed to convey perplexity and frustration as well.

"…Perhaps, Bautan…if you would deign to be somewhat less obscure…" Talpa growled.

"I-um-er-well, I sensed it first during the Thangien girl's escape, a second time during the Thangiens' siege, and again after the Nether Bomb failed to launch properly. I believe it is Outworlder in origin, extremely powerful and omniscient," Bautan explained.

"If this 'power' is so great, then why does it not face me directly?" Talpa demanded.

"It is…difficult to say. It may be that it is prohibited from intervening openly, or that it merely chooses not to. Whatever the case, it clearly intends to hinder your designs-"

"ENOUGH OF THIS!" Talpa bellowed and rose from his throne. Bautan cringed and the Brothers and Kylyra bowed their heads. "I will not allow such pitiful fears to impede my goals! If this 'power' is so mighty, so omnipotent, then let it challenge me here and now! Let it strike me where I stand!" Talpa raised his fist in challenge, but the air in the throne room remained still. "As I suspected…such fears are baseless. We shall bolster our forces and prepare for an assault of the likes this pathetic mortal city has never seen! We shall rain terror from the heavens! All who oppose me-just as that monk did- shall meet their punishment in the Void!"

"YES MASTER TALPA!" The Brothers and Kylyra proclaimed, but Bautan's reply came out more subdued. He frowned in concern, and Kylyra glanced at him out the corner of her eye.


"No one ever appreciates my efforts," Bautan moaned as he stooped over his worktable. Kylyra had accompanied him to his laboratory and currently leaned against the wall with one heel propped against the wall. Her gaze followed Bautan as he floated back and forth between shelves filled with musty parchments and vials of indeterminate substances. "Try as I might, I just cannot match the greatness of my fallen mentor…"

Kylyra watched with mild interest as Bautan summoned ten glass flasks to his table off their shelf from the opposite side of the room. She tilted her head out of the way as the flasks bobbed through the air past her and alighted on the surface. Bautan then reached under his table and pulled a large packet from a small alcove. He pulled a scroll and a roll of blank parchment from another cubbyhole. He unfurled the blank parchment on the table and tore it into ten pieces of equal size. Then he held the inscribed scroll in the air and let go, where it remained there as if tacked up on a wall. The scroll unfurled on its own, displaying arcane text.

"Master Talpa did not stay his hand on a whim. Something, some being intervened on behalf of the Thangien girl. I could not quite see it…but I sensed it…" Bautan muttered as he placed a fingertip on the scroll then pointed at the ten blank pieces. They flashed briefly then dimmed, revealing copies of the original spell. "Not only that, I believe there are multiple powers at work! A completely different one addressed me directly in the city! That voice…booming in my head! The Emperor just does not understand!"

Bautan arranged the flasks in a row before him and unsealed the packet. He carefully poured out a small, equal amount of black sand into each flask before resealing the packet and tucking it back under his table. He paused and looked over his shoulder, tapping his chin with a skinny finger, trying to remember something. He gasped in recollection and pointed at a skinny jug made of black metal then beckoned with one finger. The jug rose off its shelf and floated towards the table. Bautan grabbed the curved handle and poured an equal amount of a dark gray-and-purple fluid into each flask then sent the jug back to its shelf when finished.

"Of course you care about none of this," Bautan sniffed, talking to Kylyra. "You merely seek an opportunity to cause further harm upon the Ronin." Kylyra smirked in acknowledgement. "The next time the Ronin Leader ventures out in the early morn, you shall intercept both him and this girl. Destroy, or at best cripple Ryo of the Wildfire, and bring this girl to the castle for interrogation. Now, being that this is 'off the record', neither the General nor the Admiral can be troubled for additional troops. To that end, I will provide you with these."

Bautan took up the first of the ten copies of the spell and rolled it up before stuffing it down the neck of a flask, all the while chanting under his breath. The mixture of black sand and purple fluid boiled and frothed, and the glass darkened, becoming almost opaque. Bautan finished reciting his spell and placed the scroll back in its alcove. He tapped each flask with a finger.

"Wildfire, Strata, Hardrock, Halo, Torrent, Typhoon, Cruelty, Illusion, Venom, Corruption." The flasks' contents changed to shades of red, blue, orange, green, light blue, pink, golden yellow, maroon, dark green, and gray. Bautan picked up the dark red flask, turned around, and hurled it to the floor. Kylyra grimaced in protest and skipped back, narrowly avoiding droplets splashing towards the wall as the flask shattered against the tiles, spilling its contents into a puddle. Bautan threw the other flasks onto the floor as well, and ten puddles sat in a row.

Black mist rose up from the puddles, and the liquid swelled and surged upwards, gradually taking on an almost humanoid appearance. Heads formed first, and glowing red eyes gazed out as the bodies continued developing. Kylyra watched intrigued as the puddles transformed into ten figures, each the size of a child. Tattered rags bound with cord covered their arms, chest, waist, and legs, and torn hoods covered their heads. A different color of clothing distinguished each one: red, blue, orange, green, light blue, pink, golden yellow, maroon, dark green, and gray. A sword hung in a scabbard across each one's back.

"These are my Kagemousha. While they can only mimic the strength of the Ronin, they are no less deadly in combat. They will assist you in your mission. You," Bautan pointed to the red-clothed Kagemousha. "You will accompany Kylyra into the city."

"I will do as you command," the red Kagemousha hissed, narrowing glowing red eyes.

"Most impressive, Bautan, but you seem to have forgotten about other weapons the Ronin have at their disposal," Kylyra commented. Bautan raised a finger and floated over to a huge pot.

"Thankfully, the one who assisted in your 'birth' foresaw such a predicament," Bautan stated and removed the lid to the pot then carefully reached inside. He grimaced and yelped girlishly before managing to gingerly retrieve something and place it inside a velvet bag. He floated over to Kylyra and handed her the pouch. "Use this in the event your charms fail-be careful!" Bautan snapped a warning when Kylyra tried to open the mouth of the pouch and peer inside. "Do not handle it with your bare hands, there is no telling whether it will gorge upon your essence or not."

"Very well then, Bautan," Kylyra tightened the draw string and swung the pouch around her index finger. Something squirming inside gurgled in protest until she cupped the pouch in her hand. "I will do this service for you; for my own amusement, of course."

"Of course," Bautan grinned and Kylyra giggled sinisterly. All the while the Kagemousha stood at attention, awaiting the command to spill blood; civilian, or Ronin…


Emma Coburn nodded greetings towards people she passed on the way to the park; mostly workers opening up their businesses or waiting for their daily commute. While most joggers tended to immerse themselves using music players, Emma thought of her footsteps and breathing as music in itself, focusing on the rhythm and keeping a steady pace and remaining alert. Her thick braid bounced from shoulder to shoulder as she entered her favorite haunt. Partway through her route, she stopped for a break and sat down on a bench. She pulled a small bottle out of her waist pack and downed several gulps of water before wiping her mouth with her arm. She then fished out a small plastic-wrapped packet and peeled it open to munch on the crackers inside. She rolled up the wrapping into a tight wad when she finished snacking and tossed it into a nearby trash bin. She leaned back on the bench and took a few deep breaths.

"You are possessed of much confidence." Emma blinked and looked to her right, spotting someone sitting on the bench she hadn't quite noticed before…as if he'd just appeared suddenly. "To come here alone, at such an early hour…you brave many dangers…" he said in a hissy voice. What looked like a shabby red hoodie covered most of his face. "Robbery…assault...abduction…" Emma wrinkled her nose: what a creepy-sounding kid… Emma scooted away from the young person slightly. Not like she carried any cash on her ever…

The "kid" turned to face her, and Emma's eyes widened when she saw a featureless pitch-black face. Glowing red eyes stared at her. Emma got off the bench and backed away a few steps before turning to walk away swiftly. She glanced over her shoulder and saw the small figure stand up and walk after her. She broke into a jog then into a full dash, and when she glanced behind her again, she saw the figure pursuing her swiftly.

Growing up in Montana, Emma had grown up on those cheesy martial-arts films. She adored them not for the over-the-top action, but for the idea of physical discipline. Before her move to Japan, she'd garnered a reputation in her old school for quite literally running like the wind, racking up district championships for her team season after season. Never before now did all that practice and conditioning help her in a time of dire need. She tore through the park, winding around obstacles and sharp turns to evade the weirdo in the red hoodie. She rounded the corner of the hedge maze and skidded to a stop when she nearly bowled over a young girl.

"Gaag! Sorry! Listen, you might wanna be careful. There's this guy back there and I think he's serious trouble. The street's that way, we can-" Emma panted to catch her breath and looked over her shoulder then looked at the girl with the long black hair and funny dark eyes. The girl looked about ten, but she smiled in a way that gave Emma the heebie-jeebies. Emma's relieved grin turned quickly into a frown when she saw what looked like metal armor covering the girl's chest, arms, and shins, and two handles of some sort poked out through the hair draping down her back. The girl had her hands clasped behind her back and cocked her head to one side.

Emma's shoes scraped against gravel as she scrambled to get away from the strange girl. The girl did not give chase right away, watching Emma flee with an amused smirk. She crouched then broke into a full sprint. Emma felt her heart pounding in her chest and her throat burn from the stress, but she fought exhaustion down and kept running as fast as her body permitted.

Ryo walked down the path accompanied by Whiteblaze. Whiteblaze paused and raised both ears in alarm before Ryo heard it: "HELP! HEEEEEEELP!" a young girl shrieked.

"EMMA!" Ryo cried and took off running towards the sound.

Kylyra's confident smirk had gradually melted into a sneer of frustration, as despite her superior strength, the girl somehow managed to keep well ahead of her. Kylyra skidded to a stop when she realized she'd lost sight of her quarry. She swore under her breath and glanced around in all directions before crouching and springing to the top of a nearby lamppost.

"EMMA!" Hope flared in her heart when she heard the familiar voice.

"MR. SANADA!" Emma shouted and gasped in relief when she saw him running towards her. She blinked several times, not sure what to think when one second she saw him wearing normal clothes, and in the blink of an eye he now wore a strange red-and-black metallic suit. He came to a stop infront of her and looked down the path behind her.

"What's wrong?" he asked. Emma heaved from exhaustion before gathering her wits.

"These two people! Chasing me! One kid in a mask and red jacket, and another girl with black hair…she-" Emma looked over her shoulder then glanced back at the suit Ryo wore. "What's going on?" she stammered. Ryo opened his mouth to speak but scowled and moved to one side.

"Ahh, good morning Ryo of the Wildfire," Emma's heart sank when she heard the voice and Ryo moved to place himself between her and the girl with the long black hair.

"Back off, Kylyra," Ryo warned, clenching his fists.

"So, she is important to you then? Perhaps Bautan's concerns are not without merit." Ryo tensed and looked over his shoulder when he heard the crunch of grass and saw a small figure with black skin and tattered cloth armor land behind them a few feet away. Emma grabbed Ryo's arm and moved close to him when the black figure drew a long blade from a scabbard.

"You won't lay one finger on her!" Ryo held one arm forward, displaying a ring made of gold and onyx. "LION!" The suit he wore changed to red-and-white, and Emma's eyes widened when she thought she saw a lion with red fur and a blazing orange mane appear infront of Ryo. The lion seemed to peel apart, and in a flash Ryo wore a suit of metal armor that made him look like the lion standing upright. A long tufted tail swished behind him, brushing against Emma. Ryo took a step forward, digging the metallic claws into the ground.

Ryo turned around to look at Emma, and she saw his face through a helmet that looked like the gaping maw of a lion. "Here, take this. Use it to defend yourself from these creeps," Ryo said and handed her what looked like a plastic red yo-yo. Emma turned it over in her hand and examined the emblem that looked like four squares arranged in a diamond.

"What do I do with it?" she asked and shrugged. Ryo opened his mouth to speak but paused and let his mouth remain open several moments. His brow furrowed and his eyes flicked from side to side. A strangled hum came from the back of his mouth and he glanced back at her.

"…I actually have no idea…" he admitted and winced.

"I see what you plan, Wildfire. You think you can use this armor to evade my power," Kylyra commented and narrowed her eyes. Ryo raised a shield that looked like a snarling lion's face and scowled. "While I have every confidence in my ability to beat you senseless anyway, I honestly cannot be troubled for the effort. Bautan gave me this to use, and so I will." Kylyra held up a velvet pouch and tugged it open, peeling the cloth away to reveal a quivering round blob with six stubby legs. "Ohhh, a Kyuuban! How darling!" Kylyra cooed and waved her hand over the blob. The stubby tentacles reached up towards her hand, just short of touching. "They love feasting upon magical energy. Here, I think it wants to play!" Kylyra hurled the creature at Ryo.

Ryo tried swatting it away with his shield, but it stuck onto the surface. A web of red light crackled over his body briefly then vanished, along with the blob. Ryo cried out and convulsed, and Emma's eyes widened in horror when Ryo dropped to his knees then collapsed onto his stomach. His eyes fluttered open before closing and he let out a raspy sigh.

"You will be made to kneel before the Emperor!" Emma whirled around and saw the black figure leaping towards her. "Gaah!" it hissed when Whiteblaze tackled it from the side. Emma felt relieved to see the large tiger fighting but remembered Ryo and knelt down beside him.

"Mr. Sanada? Mr. Sanada! Please, wake up! Oh!" Emma scrambled away and stepped back several steps when Kylyra sauntered forward and stooped over the fallen man.

"The sad thing about Kyuuban is they tend to gorge themselves; often fatally. Oh well…at least it died happy." Kylyra leaned back up and fixed her glittering dark eyes on Emma. "As for you…what will it be? Serve the Dynasty," Kylyra pulled a narrow blade from a scabbard on her back and held it infront of her. The sword lengthened in a burst of purple smoke. "Or die."

"How about…RUN LIKE THE DICKENS!" Emma turned heel and bolted.

"Running is not an option for you!" Kylyra shot out a small spike attached to a thin wire from the pommel of her sword. The spike stuck into the ground and Emma tripped on the wire, landing on her face. She rolled onto her back and tried scooting away with heels and palms as Kylyra stepped towards her slowly. Emma's gaze snapped to the side when she heard a growling grunt and saw Whiteblaze collapse onto his side after suffering a blow to the side of the head from the shadow-warrior's sword hilt. Emma scrambled to her feet and glanced at each of them. Her fists clenched from stress, and the hard object in her right hand reminded her of the yo-yo Ryo had given her. Without taking her gaze from her attackers, she slipped her middle finger through the loop of string. Kylyra and the shadow-warrior stalked closer.

"I won't go down without a fight!" Emma unfurled the yo-yo. She'd planned on using it as a weapon to club one of them in the head. She didn't count on it bursting into flames. Emma felt many things in a short period of time; flabbergasted, scared, shocked, frustrated, and confused as instead of dying out, the flames from the yo-yo expanded like a sheet and swept over her. She raised her arms reflexively to shield herself as the fire enveloped her entirely.

"She tries to escape!" the shadow-warrior hissed and slashed into the fire cloud. Instead of cleaving through, the blade clanged against something and would not budge any further. The flames spread and dispersed, revealing the figure within.

Black material with a metallic sheen covered her body from the neck down. Gold bracers encircled her ankles and wrists. Red metal plates covered her shoulders, chest, back, forearms, shins, and waist. The black-and-gold emblem of the four squares arranged in a diamond adorned her chest like a badge. The shadow-warrior's eyes widened in shock and it recoiled.

"Armor!?" Kylyra exclaimed.

"That what this stuff is?!" Emma squawked and pushed the sword away then stepped back, clenching her fists. She flapped one arm at her side warily. The black material felt surprisingly soft and cool against her skin, and metallic scales clinked on the outer layer.

"What are you waiting for? Kill her!" Kylyra shouted. The shadow-warrior lunged, aiming to stab Emma in the chest. Emma crouched, originally planning to hop back, but instead found herself landing quite some distance away, and the sword stuck into the soil instead. The shadow-warrior hissed in frustration and pulled the blade out and prepared to lunge again.

Emma clenched her right fist, but something pushed her fingers apart. She looked down and much to her surprise saw a ball of fire swirling in her palm. The ball contracted and lengthened into a thin rod with sharpened ends. It felt fully solid, yet it seethed with living fire. The shadow-warrior closed the distance, and words came to Emma's thoughts. She hefted the blazing spear with a practiced arm and tilted her body to the side and tensed her upper arm.

"SPEAR SCORCHER!" she hurled it forward, and it plunged through the shadow-warrior's stomach leaving a burning hole in the tattered red fabric and black gooey flesh underneath. The shadow-warrior staggered to a halt and looked down. Its red eyes widened when the fire licking at the edges of the hole began spreading outwards. It waved its arms frantically then choked and gagged as the flames consumed it entirely. The sword dropped to the ground with a thud, and wisps of black smoke hung in the air briefly. The sword disintegrated into black sand.

"An impressive display of power, but unlike that pathetic Kagemousha, I am your worst nightmare made flesh!" Kylyra sprang towards Emma and thrust with one sword. Her eyes widened when Emma tilted her head to the right and reached up with her left hand and grabbed the blade as it passed close to her head. Emma pushed the sword away then punched Kylyra square in the jaw, sending the Dynasty minion reeling. Emma didn't stop there and grabbed Kylyra's long black hair and yanked to the side before tossing Kylyra to the opposite side. While Kylyra tottered about to regain her balance, Emma steadied herself and clenched her fists.

"I don't know any of those fancy moves you do over here, but I know how to fight when I have to!" Emma shouted and relaxed her fist, summoning another flaming shaft.

"You will be made to serve!" Kylyra joined her swords together and began spinning them. She crouched and sprang into the air.

"SPEAR SCORCHER!" Emma launched another fiery projectile at Kylyra before she had a chance to unleash her attack. Kylyra rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the blast. "SPEAR SCORCHER!" Emma hurled a third javelin surprisingly fast. Kylyra tried to lean to the side but the blazing javelin grazed her right side. She cried out and dropped towards the ground, landing on her feet before sinking to one knee. She pushed herself to stand and clamped her hand over the smoldering gash in her armor.

"You will regret that…" Kylyra swatted the flames out and retrieved her weapons. "Huh?" she blinked when she smelled burning metal and looked down at the wound. The flames had reappeared suddenly and licked along the thin armor over her stomach. Kylyra swatted the area repeatedly until she saw not so much as a spark. She withdrew her hand, but just as quickly the fire popped out of seemingly nowhere and began burning through the armor and into the black stone underneath. "Oh! Oh! AHHH!" Kylyra yelped in terror and vanished in a shower of violet petals. Emma had another spear waiting in her hands but dismissed it when she saw Kylyra disappear. The back of her mind told her she would encounter the evil girl again…

Emma turned around when she heard clanking and saw Ryo shuffling towards her. "Okay…obviously…I have a lot of explaining to do," Ryo grimaced weakly.


"So that really did happen…" Emma muttered. She and Ryo sat on a park bench: Emma still wearing the strange lightweight armor and Ryo in the red-and-black 'sub-armor', as he called it. "I remember seeing news reports about the Toyama Disturbance back in the States…but I was so little at the time, I thought it was just one of those shows they import over and show early in the morning," Emma remarked and shrugged, brushing her braid over her shoulder.

"You mean the ones with the terrible dubbing?" Ryo asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh gosh, yes!" Emma clamped both hands over her face and leaned to one side. Just then a jogger came along the path and paused infront of them, skipping in place.

"Hey…that that new thermal material for all weather?" he asked.

"Um…yeaahh…" Ryo replied uneasily.

"Neat. I need to get me a suit of that," the jogger commented and continued on his way.

"…Oh wow…did that guy seriously just…" Emma wrinkled her nose.

"I swear, people in this city are so dense…" Ryo muttered and shook his head. Whiteblaze lifted his head up from the ground from where he napped behind the bench. Apparently the jogger had mistaken him for either a rock or a cooler… "Look, I'm really sorry you had to get caught up in all of this. I wish you could go back to living a normal life-"

"I'm not!" Emma piped up. "Sorry that is. About getting attacked. Psh, not like I had a normal life to begin with," she snorted and clasped her hands behind her head. "I was scared at first, but when this stuff got on my body, I dunno, I felt like nothing could beat me! When that evil girl came at me, I just…I just boiled over, but I wasn't mad or anything!"

"You know what that means though, right? The Dynasty knows you're a threat, and there are other enemies of ours you might have to fight as well."

"You mean like that thing that almost crashed into the White Towers a couple weeks ago? I was wondering why this lady with purple hair on a flying horse shot it down before it hit."

"Ah, that'd be Danae. You'll probably meet her at some point. Hey, would you like to come to our base? There's quite a few people who'd like to meet you."

"You guys have a base!?" Emma swung her legs up until she straddled the bench seat and she gaped at Ryo in amazement, both eyebrows raised high.


Instead of introducing her to the other Ronin Warriors, Ryo had left Emma in the company of a human-sized dinosaur who called himself "Meez Pow-fan", while Ryo himself stood with two other Ronin and spoke to a man with long blue hair and strange cloth-strewn armor. Emma sat atop a huge stone table while the small creature waved a horseshoe-shaped instrument over her left arm and studied readouts in an alien language on a thin tablet screen.

Emma leaned to one side and studied the creature's face. He seemed utterly engrossed in his work, so he didn't notice when Emma reached over slowly and gently pinched one of the scaly orange fibers dangling from the tip of his chin. She tugged down slightly. "Ow!" he yelped and winced.

"Sorry!" Emma cringed and withdrew her hand quickly. "Normally I'm not such a spaz-case, it's just…I've never been face-to-face with a real live space alien before!"

Miz Paufan blinked repeatedly several times and flicked his gaze from side to side and up and down. He wrinkled his muzzle and furrowed his scaly brows then shrugged. "Eh, I suppose it's not as offensive as being called 'Outworlder'," he shrugged and returned his attention to his tablet.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you!" Emma ducked her head sheepishly.

"Oh no, it's quite allright. It's just…uh…" Miz let his jaw hang open, displaying his tiny sharpened teeth. He clicked his jaw shut and looked at Emma, grimacing. "I'm actually not used to being apologized to…" he confessed. Emma couldn't help but giggle at his sincerity. She looked out into the immense main cavern where Ryo and the others stood.

"Who's that guy with Ryo? He looks serious…"

"That's Azurotago: Skyblade. Chi Chi Lina, Azuro, Thanged's current Watch-Protector. Think of him as a sort of 'brigadier-general'," Miz replied.

"Unfortunately we lost sight of the fleet once we exited the asteroid belt. We suspect they may be hiding close to one of the gas giants or on one of the moons, but the gravity well of the fifth planet proved too great a hazard for the Pegasi to risk," Azuro admitted.

"Don't sweat it, Azuro. They're on the run; that means they're afraid," Kento shrugged.

"Hey Azuro…what's with the getup?" Ryo asked, cocking his head to one side. Instead of his traditional combat uniform, or even a variant of it, Azuro wore armor that vaguely resembled the sort worn by llaudaun performers, except with metal instead of wood and thicker fabric. Azuro cradled a helmet with a transparent visor and an arching crest like that of a Roman centurion. A thick cavity apparently designed to lock with the lower rim of the helmet sloped down the back past the shoulders. Azuro's long blue hair hung within the cavity. The chest armor looked bulkier, and a thick belt adorned with flickering lights circled the waist.

"Ah, this is armor fashioned by the High Forge. It is designed for deep-space combat. Maintaining an air shield for long periods of time quickly fatigues Pegasi, so riders wear this to conserve the strength of their steeds as well as proof against the cold of space."

While Azuro explained, Cye kept glancing from him to the girl Ryo had brought back to the Roost with him. The back of his mind kept telling him he spotted similarities between the two types, but so much cloth covered the joints and shoulders, Cye couldn't tell for certain.

"In light of the fleet's disappearance, The Watch Rider has expressed a desire to establish a permanent garrison on the Oldworld, though he bid me ask permission from you directly."

"You don't need 'permission', or whatever. Earth's as much your home as it is ours," Ryo stated and waved a hand, shrugging. "The question is; where…"

"Dude, you should totally try Mount Dojo National Park!" Kento spoke up eagerly. "It's pretty remote, and while it's good to take pictures at, no one actually ever goes up that high! There's lots of places in the mountains you can probably set up shop!"

"That sounds excellent. We would be honored if you would accompany us to the site," Kento nodded in acceptance. "We will also require the expertise of the Nobeyls' senior stone-shaper…" Cye's eyes widened upon hearing that and he snapped his gaze from Emma to Azuro.

"Oh, what's this?! Azuro, asking help from a Thunthen?" Cye snorted. Azuro blushed slightly and he ran a ringer through his hair over his ear, admitting that his feelings about the Ronin's Thunthen allies had mellowed somewhat. Ryo chuckled and shook his head.

"I'm sure Bau will be happy to help, since you asked so nicely. Bak should know where he and the Apprentices are," Ryo said to Kento, who nodded and walked away to find the Thunthen captain. Azuro turned to follow, and Emma-who still sat on the conference table-stared at the man in the regal armor as the cloth swirled around his body.

Azuro paused and looked over his shoulder, his eyes meeting Emma's for the first time. Emma sat up straight, startled by the sudden attention. Azuro had glimpsed her upon his arrival but never paid her any mind until now. Azuro drew his sword, Cloudrazor, and set the tip against the floor, leaning forward in a steep bow. Emma hunched her shoulders and blushed, ducking her head and rubbing her left ear. Azuro sheathed his blade and turned back around to leave.

"I'm finished here. You can go," Miz informed and stood up, offering a hand to help Emma down from the table. Emma gingerly grasped his scaly orange wrist and hopped off the stone slab and walked out to meet Ryo as he approached while Miz walked away into the cavern.

"Wow…so that guy is really from another planet?" Emma asked cautiously.

"Yup. He's the brother of the woman you saw near your home," Ryo replied.

"Whoa…and here I felt bad about being from another country…" Emma whispered.

"These are the sorts of diplomatic interactions you'll need to get used to as a Ronin Leader."

"Wait-what? I'm supposed to be a leader?" Emma blinked, startled. Ryo shrugged.

"Well…yeah…I think traditionally Ronin Leaders have been Wildfires. I think the first guy to do it before me started out as a Wildfire," Ryo commented.

"I think it has to do with the burden of responsibility helping to balance out a Wildfire's hot-headedness," Cye rested his left elbow on Ryo's right shoulder and jabbed him in the ribs with his right knuckle. Ryo laughed and shook his head. Emma gazed about the main cavern.

"So…there's others…like me, right?" she pointed at the Wildfire emblem on her chest.

"Yup. Nine more yo-yos, nine more kids to find. Hopefully we find them before the Dynasty, now that they've seen what you can do," Ryo said, sounding concerned.

"Well you won't have to worry about me. I'm more lukewarm-headed than anything," Emma placed her hands on the back of her head and shrugged, earning laughs from Ryo and Cye.

"How strange…" Bak Thraplek muttered to himself as he stood at the juncture of the residential hall and the main cavern while he watched the three talking between each other. "That the answer to the riddle of the objects be found in one so young…"

"Captain?" Bak turned his rectangular head to the side and looked down at the young Khamen as he approached meekly. "I finished the results of the initial test and…well...you should take a look at this…" Miz Paufan handed him the tablet screen. Bak took it in one hand and held it up to examine the readout. Miz frowned in worry when he noticed how Bak's brow furrowed and his pupils contracted. The nostrils flared abruptly.

"Where…" Bak drawled in a low tone. "Have our kinsmen been sent lately?"

"Peirolyth, from what I gathered. To labor under the auspices of the Lady of Flames…" Miz replied. Bak stared at the tablet for a few more seconds before handing it back to Miz.

"Delete this," he said quietly.

"Are-Are you sure?" Miz asked in a hushed stammer. "Shouldn't we tell them?"

"No! No, no we cannot," Bak hissed in reply and shook his head. He leaned close slightly. "I sense Her hand in this…I don't think She'd appreciate it if we tipped it for Her," he whispered. Miz stared up at him wide-eyed, almost terrified. He nodded shakily.

"…Ootonim…" he nodded and glanced down at the tablet.

If anyone had been close enough to read, they would've seen the Highscript writing underlining two identical diagrams. Each diagram showed a collection of orbs connected with lines; molecular compositions. If anyone had been able to understand Highscript, they would've read "rdgudaraaz"; Deres' Metal. Better known as dererium. Miz tapped the screen with a claw, and the screen went dark with a white bleep.