SailorStar9: Figured you guys wanted this chapter out and I'm making up for lost time. So here it is. This is Chapter 6. Read and review.
Disclaimers: Nothing here are mine, well, except the plot.
Chapter 6: The Counter Attack
"Churns beneath the Swirling Salt..." Ryo recited from the poem.
"Spring!" Yuli interjected as the said word appeared.
"Naruto?" Sage echoed.
"The 'swirling salt' must refer to Cye of the Torrent." Mia replied.
"Cye's lying beneath Naruto Strait." Ryo agreed.
"You think Cye's in that whirlpool?" Yuli asked as the group arrived at the Straits.
"Yeah, he should be resting up good in those whirlpools." Ryo replied.
"But how do we get him out?" Yuli asked.
"I'll get him out in a jiffy in my undergear." Ryo assured the young boy.
"Ryo, you take care of Cye. We'll go ahead." Sage told the Warrior of Fire.
"You're getting Kento right?" Yuli asked.
"Yup." Sage nodded. "With Talpa on our heels, it's best we find the others as quickly as possible."
"Ryo, are you sure you're alright?" Mia asked in concern.
"I'm fine." Ryo assured her. "As soon as I have Cye, we'll head straight up to Hokkaido."
"I'm here too, so there two of us!" Yuli protested mildly.
Whiteblaze roared as he leapt between the two.
"And of course Whiteblaze will help too." Yuli added nervously.
Everyone else laughed as Yuli pacified the tiger.
"I can't let anymore of them revive." Sekhmet remarked as he stood aside. "The one in Naruto Strait."
"And they know of another in the north." he added as Mia and Sage drove off. "With each one of they revive, they all get stronger. There's no telling what power they'll have when there's five. But first, I must inform Master Talpa of their presence."
Back in Talpa's castle, Talpa was giving orders, "Sekhmet, this time you must finish off Ryo of the Wildfire and Sage of the Halo."
"Master Talpa, allow me to finish off Halo who has now headed to the north." Anubis pleaded for another chance.
"You don't give up do you Anubis?" Cale mocked.
Turning to Talpa, he bowed, "I would like to have the privilege. Allow me the honor."
Talpa laughed, "Very well Cale, you may deal with this problem."
"Yuli, Athena, always stay close to Whiteblaze." Ryo told the two as he prepared to jump into the water.
With that, he leapt into the water.
Are you down there, Cye? Ryo wondered as he neared the whirlpools. His swim was interrupted by Talpa's soldiers.
Talpa's goons. So they showed up huh? Ryo thought as the said soldiers dropped into the water.
If I waste time here, I'll run out of breath. I'll just have to deal with them. Ryo thought as he dodged every one of the spears.
Quickly dispersing the demon soldiers, Ryo swum back up to the surface.
"Ryo!" Yuli exclaimed as Ryo's fight re-entered the water.
"We've got to help him, Whiteblaze." he told the white tiger.
As Yuli and Whiteblaze ran off to aid Ryo, Athena sighed and closed her eyes, her hands clasped in prayer. Her Cosmo flared as she started praying.
Meanwhile, Cye had sensed Ryo's presence, but was unable to wake himself up from the suspended animation. He was surrounded by the three whirlpools, several hundred fish, and an orca more, all of them seemed intent on keeping him safe.
Ryo continued fighting in the water and quickly found himself outmatched in his undergear. Tossing off the soldier who had got him by surprise, Ryo swum off to safety.
I'm just have to transform and finish them off. Ryo thought.
"Armor of Wildfire, Tao Jin!" Ryo droned on his armor.
He leapt out of the water and quickly dispatched of the soldiers in the water.
"Whiteblaze, go get those guys now." Yuli told the white tiger and the overgrown feline attacked the archers on shore.
After wiping out the soldiers, Ryo sunk back into the water.
He thought, The armor slows me down in water. Time to find Cye. And he swum off.
Back on the surface, Sekhmet was watching in great amusement.
"Ryo of Wildfire, you're not even aware that your armor will be your undoing." the Warlord chuckled. "Naruto Strait should be your grave."
With that, he dove into the water.
"That was Sekhmet." Yuli gasped.
"Careful Ryo!" he shouted a warning.
Back in the water, Ryo was swimming towards the whirlpools when Ryo stopped short.
What is going on? The Warrior of Fire wondered. It hurts.
Wincing, he quickly landed on the bottom of the lake.
What's going on with my armor? Ryo wondered.
Just then, Sekhmet landed in front of him.
"Sekhmet!" Ryo hissed, poising to strike.
"Get ready, Ryo of Wildfire!" the smirking Warlord declared. Pulling out his swords, he unleashed his poison in the water.
Jumping, Sekhmet attacked Ryo who dodged the attack.
This isn't right. Something's wrong with my armor. Ryo thought, his armor spouting off pinkish colored sparks.
Next, we see Sekhmet's poison taking effect as the fish that came in contact with the venom die and started floating upwards.
"Ryo of Wildfire, I might have failed to destroy you back in Yamiguchi, but this time, I'm sure to finish you off." Sekhmet grinned.
He jumped and clashed with Ryo in a sword battle.
I can't... I can't get any strength... Ryo thought miserably.
Sekhmet laughed as the aftereffects of their previous battle took its toil.
But why? Ryo wondered.
"You must be wondering why." Sekhmet smirked.
"What?" Ryo demanded.
"You mustn't underestimate the poison of the Warlord of Venom." Sekhmet told him.
"Poison?" Ryo echoed.
"That's right." Sekhmet sneered.
"This is the end of you." he added, encasing Ryo within his poison bubble.
With a quick twist of his sword, Sekhmet flung Ryo away.
"What is this?" Ryo finally noticed the pink sparks on his armor.
"I get it." he realized as he recalled the previous battle against Sekhmet. "My injury from last time."
"You finally understand." Sekhmet smirked. "But it's too late. Slowly the pain you feel will consume you and I, Sekhmet, Warlord of Venom, will be the one to finish you off."
"Why you!" Ryo hissed as he painfully stood up and kneeling back down seconds later.
"And this water helps my poison cause more damage to your armor." Sekhmet informed him. "This is the end of you boy. I have to finish you off before Cye of the Torrents revives."
"What? I won't let you!" Ryo challenged.
"Do you think you can stop me now?" Sekhmet mocked. "You're too weak. Prepare to take my ultimate blow!"
"Snake Fang Strike!" the Warlord unleashed his attack. "Die!"
The attack hit Ryo head on and coupled with his previous injury, Ryo was blasted off, his twin swords flinging out of his hands.
With Ryo seemingly dead, Sekhmet went off to find and destroy Cye.
Back on shore, Athena's eyes widened as she felt Ryo's Cosmo fade off.
"Wildfire..." she muttered in worry.
"I found you, Torrent." Sekhmet smirked as he landed before Cye's resting place.
"Are these fish trying to protect him? Sekhmet sneered as a wall of fish blocked his path.
"Outta my way!" he cursed, trying to slice the fish wall.
Angered, he unleashed his poison on them, causing the wall to disappear as the fish died from his poison.
"I'll finish you once and for all." Sekhmet smirked, landing in front of the sleeping Torrent.
A killer whale? He frowned as the said mammal attacked him.
With a loud cry, the whale dove at him again.
"Annoying pest." Sekhmet scorned. "Stay outta my way."
The orca cried and dove at him again but this time, Sekhmet used his poison on it, blasting the mammal away.
Just then, Ryo's katanas flew towards the still sleeping Cye, the symbol of Trust appearing on the auburn-haired teen's forehead.
The katanas circled the light blue bubble Cye was in, the kanji of Trust glowing brighter and the bubble dispelled.
Sekhmet turned his attention to the awakened Cye.
He's been revived huh? The Warlord wondered.
"Torrent." Sekhmet told the newly awakened warrior. "You awoke just in time to be buried along with Ryo of the Wildfire."
"What? You killed Ryo?" Cye demanded.
This is Ryo's sword. He wondered, one of the Wildfire katanas falling into his hand. And all these dead fish...
"What have you done?" the Warrior of Water demanded.
"I gave them a taste of my poison." Sekhmet smirked.
"What?" Cye demanded harshly. His anger erupted and using his advantage in water, Cye used his armor's power to create a whirlpool that blew Sekhmet away.
"What's going on down there?" Yuli asked in shock as the calm waters started to churn.
Out of the whirlpool, Cye jumped up to the surface, with the unconscious Ryo over his shoulder.
"It's Cye!" Yuli beamed.
"Is Ryo going to be okay?" he asked once Cye placed Ryo on the bridge.
"Yeah." Cye replied. "But he wouldn't have made it if he stayed there any longer. He should recover in time."
Cye's conversation was cut off when he sensed a powerful aura coming towards them.
The Warrior of Torrent blinked as Athena knelt beside the fallen Warrior of Fire.
Placing a hand on his shoulder blade, Athena passed her healing Cosmo into Ryo.
"Athena..." Cye muttered.
"Yuli, Whiteblaze, take care of Ryo." he instructed.
"Where are you going Cye?" Yuli asked.
"I'm going to get rid of Sekhmet." Cye replied and jumped back into the water.
"Darn, so that must've been one of his armor's powers." Sekhmet cursed as he stood up.
Where did he get this power? The Warlord wondered as the enraged Torrent went back for him, his trident locking his swords.
If it's comes to this, then... Sekhmet frowned.
"Take this!" he shouted, swinging his poisoned swords at Cye.
"How do you like the taste of my poison huh?" the Warlord grinned.
"Sekhmet, your venom has no effect me right now." Cye told him, his armor dispelling the attack.
"I see." Sekhmet sneered. "Your armor is the Torrent. You think you're invincible in water."
"Sekhmet, I won't forgive this." Cye swore, his trident shooting forward and grasping Sekhmet's swords.
"What?" the Warlord demanded as Cye flipped him over.
But his victory was short-lived when Sekhmet used the momentum to flip Cye over and the Warlord took off back on land, carrying the Warrior of Water with him.
"You're not getting away Sekhmet." Cye informed him once the two landed on top of the pillar that supported the bridge.
"You're a fool. Your armor will lose its power once its out of the water." Sekhmet laughed.
"What?" Cye demanded.
Sekhmet snorted, "It's my turn now. Snake Fang Strike!"
That attack threw Cye off the bridge's support pillar.
"You still want to get up after taking a hit from my 'Snake Fang Strike'?" Sekhmet mocked the fallen Warrior of Water. "You want to see how many times you can get up?"
"Snake Fang Strike!" Sekhmet threw another attack at Cye.
"Cye!" Yuli shouted in horror.
"Cye..." Ryo muttered, his kanji of Jin glowed on his forehead.
"It's done." Athena muttered, removing her hand. "Hurry Wildfire."
Back on the battlefield, Cye was taking blow after blow from Sekhmet.
With one final strike, Cye was totally blown away. Sekhmet smirked as he looked at his handiwork. With the Torrent armor completely trashed, Cye collapsed to the ground.
"The armor of Torrent is nothing out of water. This is the end." Sekhmet declared.
"Wait Sekhmet." Ryo's declared, stopping Sekhmet's final blow on Cye.
"What?" Sekhmet turned to the revived Ryo. "You? You're still alive?"
Ryo winced as Sekhmet's poison from before attacked his armor.
Sekhmet hissed and threw another 'Snake Fang Strike' at Ryo who blocked it with his katanas.
"Take that!" he hollered, firing another of his 'Snake Fang Strike' at Ryo. Ryo was unable to block that attack and was hit full force.
"Cye..." the fallen Warrior of Fire muttered.
Ronin Warriors, remember that you're not alone. You have your friends battling with you. Don't forget that I too stand behind you. Now stand up with your own strength. Athena's encouraging voice entered their minds.
"Don't mess with me." Sekhmet smirked. "You're finished now."
However, his attention was turned when Cye stood back up.
"You think you can fight me in your condition?" Sekhmet mocked.
"The power of the armor?" the Warlord gasped in shock as Cye summoned the power of his armor.
"Super Wave Smasher!" Cye unleashed his attack on Sekhmet.
Sekhmet was taken into the air by the attack and was stunned when Ryo grabbed him from behind.
"Wildfire..." the Warlord stammered.
"Flare Up Now!" Ryo unleashed his attack just as Cye's attack closed in on them.
The combined attack tore a huge hole in the bridge.
"They're okay!" Yuli beamed when the dust settled. Cye was seen supporting Ryo on the other side of the bridge.
"One false move and we both would've been blown away." Cye remarked.
"The power of fire and water are incredible together." Ryo agreed before fainting.
"You idiots!" Talpa hollered, angered that another Ronin Warrior had been revived.
"I apologize." Sekhmet muttered.
"I cannot allow a failure like this! The rest of the Ronin Warriors must not be revived. See to it immediately!" Talpa ordered.
"Yes! " the rest of the Warlords chorused.
SailorStar9: Well Cye's revived. And speaking of which, I realized that Cye has a dagger on the back of his armor. Then why doesn't he use it?
