Okay. Brace yourselves. Have tissues ready, either to wipe your eyes or to chuck at your screen. Or both. Time for everything to go right – or everything to go horribly wrong. Or, again, both.

Thepreciousthing, this one's for you.

Enjoy!


And the world will be better for this:
That one man scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star.
– Miguel de Cervantes

-==OOO==-

Max couldn't breathe. He could feel something in his chest that was heavy and strange, and his lungs seemed full of water.

The armor of Talpa let the latest body fall into the arms of a Dynasty soldier for disposal and strode over, heavy feet echoing on the wooden floor. It set the fledgling Crystal of Souls in the coals of the fire beside Max, and the flames instantly changed color to a strange, unnaturally dark hue. Max could feel the fire, splattered with blood, feeding more strength into the crystal. He wondered if it was his own.

"Of course it is. How the mighty have fallen. I could let you die now, Chosen One." The armor ran a hand over Max's chest, barely touching it, but Max could feel something swirling around him.

"Go…for it…" Max managed.

"Your lungs fill with your own blood. You will drown soon enough. But that would spoil the fun, don't you think?"

Let me die. Please.

Darkness poured from the eyes within the armor and engulfed Max like a cocoon. A flash of hot and cold made every nerve tremble and Max vaguely wondered if this was what it felt like to have a seizure. When the darkness retreated, he could breathe again, though the rest of his body was as broken as before.

"The more powerful I become, the easier it will be for me to keep your body alive," Skullmaster said almost casually. "And as you continue to take in my evil, you may find it changes you. Perhaps one day you will willingly offer me your soul, your powers. Not because I have broken you, but because your spirit has been molded to become mine."

Max remembered Dragon Island and shuddered.

Is that it? Either I become evil or I eventually give up? Is that all that's left?

Either way, at least it'll be over. And I'll never have to pretend to be a hero again.

-==OOO==-

The portal back to Toyama arrived over the moat against which the less-defensible back of the castle had been built. It was the one angle of attack that was not guarded because the Dynasty soldiers would sink.

"How is this gonna work, though?" Kento had asked immediately before the group enetered the portal. "There was a barrier around the whole place before, remember?"

"But there was none when we congregated on the lawn," Virgil pointed out. "It stands to reason that Skullmaster has grown so powerful, he no longer needs to expend energy to defend his stronghold."

What no one had voiced was the fear that the other reason the barrier had been down had to do with Skullmaster's plans for the innocent civilians he was using against the Mighty One.

So the six warriors, one tiger, and one Lemurian entered the final portal that would drop them into the deep moat of Toyama Castle. Virgil had calculated that the exit portal would actually open under the surface of the still water due to the heavy spring rains that had raised the water level more than usual. He advised everyone to hold their breath and try to surface away from the portal as silently as possible.

Of course, Virgil himself couldn't swim, so just before they emerged from the portal, Norman clamped an arm around him. And then they were in the dark water, no light from the sky penetrating the cold and empty man-made basin. Virgil shut his eyes and held onto Norman, counting his heart-beats while the Guardian swam with the speed and silence of an eel, the five Ronins following after.

They emerged from the water right next to the stone wall beneath the castle's central tower. Norman was careful to pull Virgil's head above water slowly, giving the Lemurian time to take a careful breath rather than a loud gasp. Even White Blaze was silent as his head broke the water's surface.

Norman pointed upwards, earning nods from the others. Then he pushed Virgil onto his back and the wet fowl wrapped his shaking fingers around the various holds Norman's own armor provided. As he could not help climb, he opted to keep a lookout, peering through the shadows for anything that might give away their position.

The Ronins climbed from the water as well, moving steadily along the wet, slippery wall. They knew one missed handhold would send them crashing back into the moat – and making enough noise to alert Skullmaster as to their presence. So all five grit their teeth and focused on hands and feet and their muscles protesting the unexpected frigid bath. Wet or not, they could not afford to be distracted, to fall, to fail.

White Blaze remained in the water for now – either to help one of them if he fell, or, more importantly, to wait until the last possible instant to join them at the tower. White Blaze could ascend the castle in seconds, but he could not erupt from the moat silently. He watched them carefully as they moved upward, biding his time until he was needed above.

At the top of the wall, Norman braced his feet and extended an arm to the nearest of the others. Ryo gripped Norman's arm and accepted the Guardian's help hoisting him up to the lowest roof-line of the Castle. From there, Ryo perched on the edge of the roof, alternately keeping watch at the windows nearby and offering a hand to the next to be propelled upward. Only when all five Ronins were safely on the lowest roof did Norman haul himself up easily and silently with one hand. From there, the Guardian led the way along the black roof tiles to where the slope angled upwards to the next story, an easy climb up the tower.

Virgil suddenly poked Norman hard and pointed at a pair of the Dynasty guards who were standing watch on the edge of the second-story roof. Norman nodded and eased Virgil from his back to the roof-tiles before he swiftly made the leap up to the pair of guards.

Rather than risk the ringing sound of metal on metal, Norman dispatched them by the simple expedient of ripping their helmets off.

While the demons inside dissipated silently, Norman eased the armors to lie on the roof-tiles, catching the chain weapon one had carried and using it to tie them in place so they would not slide off. Virgil waited patiently for Norman to give the signal for the rest to continue on, not entirely surprised when Kento pulled the Lemurian onto his own back to make the climb so Norman could stand ready for an attack.

In moments, they stood outside the broad windows of the room in the tower where they knew Skullmaster waited.

Ryo glanced at his team. Even silent, the others could hear the question in his mind. Are we really ready for this?

Kento gave him a thumbs-up and flashed a smile. Ready when you are.

Rowen nodded. We're with you.

Sage quirked a slight smile. We won't give up, no matter what.

And Cye squeezed Ryo's shoulder briefly. I believe in you and I believe in us.

In the meantime, Virgil had extended an arm to Norman and the Viking correctly interpreted his wordless request and lifted him from Kento's back so they would enter together. Though there was a slight film of dark energy clinging to the window, Virgil pressed close enough to the barrier to peer through the slats into the room beyond.

What he saw was blood and the evidence of mangled bodies.

Virgil turned, stricken, to Norman. The Guardian's face closed down entirely into a mask of such rage and violence Virgil felt his own heart skip a beat. But he eased himself against Norman for balance while the Ronins took their place at the center of the window.

This was the part of the plan that even Virgil could not say for sure would actually work.

The five Ronins edged around on the little ledge until they were all stable. And at the expression on Virgil's face, they silently agreed not to look into the room until they had no choice.

Ryo closed his eyes and thought through Rowen's speculation from the jungle.

"There's a barrier around the tower, but everything's different now. That barrier has some the energy of our armors in it, but we still have the powers of the guiding virtues with us. It's possible that we can use them to change the barrier's polarity, reverse it. Turn the barrier into our own cage to keep Skullmaster from escaping. It'll take everything we've got and it might not work at all, but it's worth a try. Most likely we'll at least break a hole in it so we can get inside."

Okay. Righteousness.

Ryo felt himself begin to fall into the power of the virtue that had once infused Wildfire. It felt like sunlight streaming through him, like the wash of heat after a cold wind.

Righteousness. Wildfire. I am Ryo of Righteousness. Ryo of Wildfire.

And I am not afraid to fight. I am not afraid to fail.

I will do the right thing no matter what it takes. And I will defeat Talpa's armor again.

I swear.

Let my heart be Righteous. Let evil fear my soul.

Ryo's eyes were closed but he could tell he was glowing with a red light, could feel the burning kanji on his forehead. And beside him, the other four were illuminated by their own virtues just as powerfully.

Ryo felt the snap as all five guiding virtues aligned.

Now!

Ryo shoved his hands and all his willpower forward into the barrier, moving in perfect unity with Rowen and Sage and Cye and Kento. Five colors, five virtues, five spirits hit the barrier with pure, determined power.

The window flew apart.

-==OOO==-

Max sensed the explosion of power just before the window shattered inward. He cracked open his hot, swollen eyes and felt sure for an instant that he was hallucinating.

The sight of Norman, Virgil, and the Ronins was so welcome he could barely believe it had happened at all.

"What is this?" Skullmaster roared with surprise. "How did you get in?" Then he turned towards the door where the soldiers had recently vanished to acquire another civilian. "Guards!"

"Not gonna work, big guy," Kento taunted. "This space is ours."

Max shifted his gaze slightly so he could see the doorway and, sure enough, though he could hear pounding from outside, the door stood firm as a steel wall in spite of the fact that it wasn't even barred.

"Mighty One!" Virgil cried out with anguish, speeding across the floor towards his boy.

"You will all die!" Skullmaster's voice boomed.

Norman, looking utterly insane with rage, charged to where Talpa's armor was aiming for Virgil and slammed into it like a bellowing, rampaging elephant. But Talpa's armor recovered quickly and spat black fire across the room.

Virgil was rescued from disaster by Cye who caught him around the waist and pulled him behind one of the heavy wooden pillars in the room for cover. The other Ronins also ducked. Norman merely charged through it, barely singed and more livid than ever.

A moment later, White Blaze burst into the tower from the window and sped impossibly quickly to the fallen Mighty One.

"Is he alive?" Virgil demanded over Skullmaster's bellowing fire and Norman's furious shouting. He very nearly threw Cye's grip from him, but the young man held firm. "Is he alive?"

White Blaze had reached Max. Max blinked dully at the tiger, almost not comprehending. "…buddy…?" he whispered.

"He's alive," Cye caught the word in spite of the chaos. "Virgil, he's not dead."

I wish I were. I should be. Max flopped his head towards the pile, the actual pile of body parts from Skullmaster's victims, all of whom had been slaughtered because of his own refusal, his own powerlessness. His own failure. I failed. I failed and they died. I can't

Suddenly White Blaze snarled. He pivoted on his front feet and neatly kicked the cloud of darkness that had been creeping over Max's body from the fire since he'd been dropped on the floor. As the tiger's paws hit the mist, it vanished.

Max felt a tiny piece of his mind return. Skullmaster's power. In my head. That was how

And then White Blaze stretched out beside Max's broken body and settled to the ground, curling himself over the Mighty One.

"He'll take care of him him!" Ryo told the others and tried to reassure Virgil. "We've got to take out Skullmaster while we've got the chance!"

The five Ronin Warriors abandoned their positions and rushed for the suit of armor that Norman was hacking at with all his strength. As they ran, they picked up items from the room around them – a discarded sword, a length of chain, a decorative spear from the wall – anything that could be used as a weapon. They rushed into the hurricane battle between Norman and Skullmaster, not caring that what they carried had as much chance against Talpa's armor as a feather.

Because, charged with their virtues, anything in their hands would be stronger than it seemed.

Kento arrived first with a heavy metal chain, which he struck against the armor's shoulder. When the blow caused Talpa's armor to momentarily freeze as a flash of orange filled his vision, he grinned.

"It'll work!"

"Of course it'll work!" Rowen shot back, landing a lateral strike with a discarded spear.

"Talpa's armor never could handle us!" Ryo yelled, slamming a piece of wood into the armor's side.

"Not when we work together!" Cye jabbed the business end of a broken naginata at the armor's back.

"My turn!" Sage shouted, and the other Ronins cleared out of the way of the master swordsman – though Norman had not let up his assault yet and barely seemed to notice their presences. Sage raised a pilfered katana above his head and struck, a bright flash of green momentarily filling the tower.

Talpa's armor stumbled and Skullmaster shrieked in pain. But he spun away from all of them and sprinted across the room, heading to where Max lay tucked against White Blaze.

"Your pitiful strength is nothing to my power!" Skullmaster shouted. "Without the Ronin armors, you can do nothing to harm me!" The head of Talpa's armor pinned Norman with eyes that blazed. "And you, Guardian, are as helpless as the child you failed to protect!"

And suddenly a burst of white light erupted from the floor.

Everyone, even Skullmaster, had to look away for a moment. When they looked back, White Blaze was breathing heavily, barely able to stand. But Max climbed to his feet unsteadily.

He was still hurt – that much was obvious. The worst of his broken bones had been set, but Virgil's eagle-eye spotted multiple places that the bones were not quite aligned. Bai Huo has done less healing than it seems, but has certainly blocked much of his pain. The Mighty One must be littered with fractures. But he can move. Is that the power of White Blaze, or the Mighty One himself?

Feeling tears of relief on his face, Virgil swept the Cosmic Cap from within his robes and sent it spinning into the air. "Mighty One!"

Max looked up and managed a half-smile even as he snagged the Cap out of the air and set it on his head once more. "Thanks, Virg. I needed that!"

The Cap had never been so welcome, and Max had never felt so unworthy to wear it.

But if I'm going to do anything, I need it. Maybe...maybe the Cap-Bearer can succeed where the Mighty One failed.

Skullmaster started to charge for the boy, but Norman intercepted him and re-engaged in their vicious battle.

"White Blaze!" Ryo cried, and the Ronins broke off their attack to reach the tiger who had half-crawled towards them.

"I think he's okay," Rowen said as he ran a hand over the tiger's body. "Just exhausted from helping Max."

"What's the plan!" Max yelled across the tower to Virgil – he couldn't get any closer without having to dodge past Skullmaster, and there was nothing on earth that could give him the courage to do that, not right now, not yet. Maybe not ever.

Please have a plan, Virg. Please. I can't do this. Just tell me what to do and I'll do it. Anything to stop him. Just don't trust me to be able to do it on my own. I can't.

"I…I am not sure, Mighty One," Virgil admitted from his own place. He, too, yearned to get to his boy, but he was stopped by the furious battle in the center of the floor. "We hoped that the guiding virtues held by the Ronins would be able to overcome Talpa's armor."

"Ha!" Skullmaster crowed. "I always did outplay you in chess, old friend." He kicked at Norman and sent him careening into a corner. "My armor's power is linked to that of the seed crystal, and that has been absorbing souls by the thousands and blood by the gallon. Even those paltry human virtues will never be able to prevent me from raising a dark power to rival that of my Master!"

And finally, finally Max understood what he needed to do.

As sudden confidence washed through him, bringing with it the power of destiny he knew so well, Max bolted for the small crystal cooking in the embers behind the battle.

"No!" Skullmaster roared, turning the armor's head, but Norman threw a heavy chair that tangled in Skullmaster's legs, allowing Max to beat him to it.

"Hey guys!" Max yelled. He spared just one instant to brace himself before he plunged his hands into the coals. The heat – and also the evil magic – burned his flesh with a searing pain that echoed through his very bones.

But Max grit his teeth and pulled out the crystal anyway.

"Time to decide if you want those armors back!" Max yelled. But while his voice was nearly alight as usual, his heart was darker than it had ever been.

Please just let me get through this without them knowing. Without them seeing. I don't want them to try to stop me. Not this time.

Skullmaster laughed, rising from the broken pieces of chair. "Yes, Cap-Bearer. Return their armors and you return their evil and my power over them!"

Max shook his head, affecting more courage than he felt. "I don't think so, Boneface. You already took all that evil into your own armor to make it stronger. Which means as long as the armors have pure virtues to latch onto, there's no reason for them to carry evil anymore ever again!"

Skullmaster lunged for Max with a bellow and Max dove out of the way.

He looked up to where the five Ronin Warriors stood, staring. He had to unstick his throat, but he managed the jaunty words, "Guys, now's the time!"

He squeezed his hands around the crystal for a brief instant, in spite of the fact that they felt charred to the bone. The pain didn't matter anymore, not in comparison with everything else.

Please. Please give them back their powers and set the people free. Please undo what I've done. I give you my life even though it isn't enough to make up for everything. Take my soul – I'll offer it freely. Just please make this right.

Max let the crystal fall and sensed his inborn power amassing with a shuddering sort of finality.

Skullmaster in Talpa's armor was sprinting towards him.

The crystal hit the floor dully with a heavy, thick sound.

Max closed his eyes. This is all I can do.

Skullmaster howled.

And Max smashed his foot down on the crystal as hard as he could, his heart alight in hope and fear and dreadful, dreadful sorrow.

The crystal exploded.

The blast knocked Max backwards and punched the air from his lungs. He could tell even with his eyes closed that light was streaming from the crystal's shards, and he could hear the voices of thousands and thousands of souls shouting in relief as they were released.

"Mighty One!" Virgil was calling worriedly.

"I'm…I'm okay. Stay put, Virg." Please don't put yourself into danger again. Not for me. Not now that I just sold my life away because it's all I had left to offer…and it will never be enough.

Max pushed his eyes open with an effort. Amidst the escaping souls and where the armor of Talpa appeared frozen as the worst of its power was draining away, Max could see the five Ronins with their hands outstretched. Tiny, winking lights hovered before each, and Max was too far away and probably too concussed to make out what exactly they looked like – but he knew what he would have seen.

At least it worked and they're okay. It's over. He let his eyes slide closed and waited for the end.

Across the room, no one was aware of anything but the humming potential hovering around the five young men. Like tiny stars, the talismans glowed with light, the crests of the five elements shining: Hardrock's crescent, Torrent's yin-yang, Halo's lightning bolt, Strata's shooting star, and Wildfire's four jewels. But though they had returned to their once-bearers, they still held themselves apart.

"They feel different," Cye whispered wonderingly.

"They're free of Talpa's evil forever," Rowen's voice was low.

Kento made a grab for his and it slipped through his grasp. "Then why can't we use them?"

"Perfect elements for perfect virtues," Sage said. "They only belong to the pure of heart now."

Ryo looked at his own, the symbol for Wildfire measuring him somehow. I bet if Max were more awake right now, it would be going to him and his Righteousness instead of mine, he thought. In fact, Rowen's seemed almost unsteady, shifting in the air between Rowen and where Virgil was not far off. Kento's seemed similarly uncertain, edging away from him and towards Norman. But Sage's and Cye's were steady.

Ryo wondered if he should let the armor go to the Cap-Bearer after all.

"Don't," came Virgil's voice suddenly. Ryo looked at where the ancient fowl was approaching them, his eyes flicking to where Max had collapsed. But he stopped beside the five young men because he could not leave something of this import undone.

Sure enough, Rowen's shifted until it hung between them.

Rowen met Virgil's knowing eyes with a nod.

"They are your destiny, not ours" Virgil said. "They are yours by right, not by birth or by your deeds, but because they are your gifts. You can refuse your destiny if you wish. They will find other bearers in that case. But they are yours first."

"And you better decide fast," Norman put in. The crystal was starting to dim as the last souls were drawn from it, and Skullmaster in Talpa's armor was beginning to move again.

Ryo glanced at the others. "It's all or nothing, guys. Either we all take them right now or we let them go. But we have to do this as a team. We have to choose this as a team."

Rowen, Sage, and Kento all exchanged uneasy glances.

It was Cye who let out a long, suddenly relieved breath. "He's right. This is exactly where we belong." Then, turning his eyes on the others, he actually winked. "And since I really do have Faith in all of you…"

His forehead began to glow. As the kanji flashed to life, the color of the power of Faith washed from his skin to the talisman until both shone with a warm light.

"Armor of Torrent! Dao Shin!"

"All right!" Kento cheered as his own forehead began to glow. "Armor of Hardrock! Dao Gi!"

"Well, it's about time," Rowen grinned, the light in his eyes as bright as the kanji on his brow. "Armor of Strata! Dao Chi!"

Sage shot Ryo his own private smile. "I suppose you got your answer, Ryo. I hope you can live with it. Armor of Halo! Dao Rei!"

"Yeah," Ryo felt himself fill with joy and gratitude and a sense of duty that was no longer so heavy. "I definitely can live with this." And the heat that flared into him was the warmest, purest light he'd ever known. "Armor of Wildfire! Dao Jin!"

The five crests vanished in a burst of radiance.

And when the glow dimmed, the five Ronin Warriors stood, fully armored and never as united or as powerful. The shadow was gone from the armors, the evil purged for all time. They were incandescent with the power of their elements and virtues. The power of the very world they had sworn to protect.

The power of the bond that held them, and the brotherhood they had forged.

"You better get out of Talpa's leftovers, Skullmaster!" Ryo declared. "'Cause when we're through, there won't be enough left to armor an ant!"

"Destroying the armor won't destroy me, you fools!" Skullmaster's voice still boomed, but the Ronins could hear that it was weaker now.

"We don't have to destroy you," Sage told him. "That's not our job."

"Yeah! The Mighty One's got that covered!" Kento added.

Cye smiled. "And when that time comes, Skullmaster, you don't stand a chance."

"But putting an end to Talpa once and for all is our job," Rowen said.

"So let's get to it!" Ryo stretched out his arms even as the other four Ronins opened their hearts. "Armor of Inferno!"

And as the Armor of Inferno, five powers as one, wrapped around him, Ryo could feel the difference a thousand times more keenly. Wildfire had felt alive and joyous and powerful now that it was free. The Armor of Inferno, with no guiding virtue of its own and driven by the strength of the five virtues that created it, had always been raw power and force.

Now, that rawness had become unity.

And when Ryo reached for where he knew Black Blaze would be and drew the Swords of Fervor, he also knew his power would never be the same. For the Inferno was not a focus for rage. Not anymore. And neither would it's attack.

Ryo raised his blades.

"Light of Inferno!"

The blaze of power was too much for even Ryo to withstand and he squeezed his eyes shut for a moment.

There was a horrible squeal of tortured metal.

And when the swords fell still in his hands, Ryo opened his eyes to see the last ashes of Talpa's armor crumbling to dust and blowing away in the wind that ripped through the hole in the tower's wall.

Ryo spun in place, his head thrown back in a triumphant cry. He could feel the last evil of Talpa leaving the world, could feel that which even the Ancient One hadn't been able to destroy slipping away for all time.

Ryo's hand met four other hands in a triumphant high-five. "We did it! We did it together!"

While the Ronins whooped and cheered their success at last, Virgil had already scrambled to Norman's side as the pair sped across the room to where Max lay like a broken doll. It hadn't seemed so bad a few moments ago, but now, somehow, they both knew.

Knew terribly and acutely that Mighty Max had no intention to rise again. Between one moment and the next, they could feel him pulling away from them.

How could they bear to lose him having only just found him again?

"Mighty One," Virgil whispered, dropping beside his boy as horror crept into his heart.

"No...not after everything…" Norman bent over Max, lifting his head with a hand as gentle as a butterfly. "Open your eyes, Mighty One."

Max stirred very slightly. "Let…let me go…" he whispered.

"Never," Norman's whisper was fierce and raw with emotion. He drew the boy more fully into his arms and held him against his chest. "We just got you back."

Virgil's feathered hands came up to touch Max's cheeks, brushing soot and dried blood away from the eyes that were still wet. "Mighty One…Max…you have the same choice they did." His voice was soft and kind. "I…I still don't want you to die. But if that is your will…"

"It's not your fault, Mighty One," Norman said. "None of what happened is your fault. You…you saved the world. Again."

Max revived a little at that, his slack face taking on a slight expression as his eyes leaked. "What…cost?" He shifted, the barest motion of shaking his head. "Call…another chosen one. I'm not…"

"You are!" Virgil was close to shouting. "You are the Cap-Bearer, the appointed Chosen Mighty One who will save this world time and again! You are worthy of it! No matter what evil happens, you are still a hero!"

"You promised us you were willing to live for the world," Norman said with urgent agony. "Don't…don't give up now."

"Too…late," Max whispered. "Gave up my…something…to smash the crystal."

"We can fix it."

Virgil's head swiveled to see the five Ronins, still in their full armor, looking down at the trio. Ryo had pulled off his helmet and he was regarding them with tears in his eyes.

"We can save him," Ryo said, "but it's got to be his choice."

"His heart is pure," Cye whispered. "The armors will heal him."

"But not without his will to live," Rowen finished.

"Hear that?" Norman could barely breathe. "Just…choose to stay. And you'll be okay."

"No," Max muttered. "Never…okay again."

"That may be true," Virgil felt his voice break. "But…" Virgil's hands lifted Max's head very slightly so he could duck under the brim of the Cap and bring their faces so close his beak was almost touching Max's nose. "But I…wish you would try."

The movement of the Cap seemed to trigger a cascade of memories as Max's fading thoughts spun.

But I'm just a kid…

A powerful spirit will overcome any obstacle.

His name…was Maximus.

You will know the meaning of pain, Cap-Bearer.

What is your fate, my final arrow?

I'm the Guardian! It's what I do!

You have failed!

Maybe I'll come back as a butterfly.

Every person has a gift, and in their gift lies their destiny.

Go, brave one. Be good.

You are a true hero.

Your gifts will bring destruction and death!

More than being willing to die for this, I'm willing to live for it!

Fear not the gifts that are offered to you, nor those you bear within.

You will bow before me, not only in the present, but in your memory and forevermore!

I can die trying!

Virgil could feel Max slipping away, could feel his body growing cold as his spirit surrendered. But not to the wounds of the battle and Skullmaster's tortures, though they were horrific enough. It was the damage done to Max's heart and soul that were killing him more cruelly than any blade.

Can this truly be the prophecy? For him to come so far, achieve so much, and for Skullmaster still to find a way to destroy the boy in the end? Virgil wondered with despair.

"Virgil…" Norman's voice was small and helpless. "Do something!"

Never moving an inch from Max's face, Virgil whispered back, "I cannot, Norman. It must be his choice." He closed his eyes against tears. "This isn't like before. If he gives up now, there's no power in any world that will call him back."

White Blaze, who had pushed himself closer to them in spite of his exhaustion and obvious strain, crouched down to where he could clearly see the boy around his guardians and began to whine low in his throat.

Suddenly Cye spoke, repeating Max's words from what felt like months before but was, in reality, only hours. "It's hard to keep up believing in yourself when you've got evidence right there that it isn't working out so well. Faith has to be earned." He gulped.

Sage bowed his head. "I believe in you, Mighty One."

"Me, too," Kento said.

"I can't make you believe in yourself, but I trust you, Max," Rowen's voice was tight.

"You've earned my trust, too," Cye whispered.

"If there's anything left inside you to believe us," Ryo's words were tinged with sorrow and hope mixed terribly together, "then fight. We need you. The world needs you. It won't be easy. It'll be the hardest thing you've ever done. And you'll want to give up again and again." A tear fell. "But you were brave even when I gave up. And I know you can be brave again."

Even White Blaze gave a little roar, a strange, echoingly solemn sound.

Max stirred slightly in Norman's arms, opening his eyes to meet Virgil's – the light within almost extinguished.

"Yes, Mighty One," Virgil whispered fervently. "I still believe in you. I would rest my life and the very world in your hands as always. You are still a true hero. And…you…mean a great deal to me, Max." He drew in a shuddering breath. "Please try, my boy."

Max shifted his weight, but Virgil and Norman knew his every twitch. Virgil drew back a few inches so Norman could tip Max up to meet his own eyes.

"You are the bravest, strongest warrior I have ever known," Norman said, his words true but his voice wretched with grief. "I will be your Guardian for all time and I…I will never leave you again. I will always believe in you."

If anything, Max's eyes clouded further. Norman stifled a gasp, fearing he was about to witness the end. But instead, the boy's eyes filled with tears.

He could barely speak above a whisper. "Not…worth it. But…"

Hope blazing in his chest, Virgil latched onto the boy's shoulders.

Max let his eyes slide closed. "Okay. Bring on…round three."

"Hurry!" Norman roared.

The Ronins needed no urging. The five of them gathered around the trio, each stretching an armored hand to the boy whose life was slipping away.

Ryo reached for the heart of his power. Righteousness

Kento focused on the desperate need for the Mighty One in the world. Justice.

Cye believed in Max with all his soul. Faith.

Rowen filled himself with the energy of life. Wisdom.

Sage was unashamed that he wept with gratitude. Grace.

Five symbols lit up brightly, five virtues solidified as almost tangible things surrounding each bearer of the armors. Five armors glowed intensely.

And a warm light washed over the Mighty One. When it retreated, his body was whole again.

"He'll sleep for a while," Rowen said after a moment. "He'll need it."

"He'll need a lot more than that," Sage said, looking at Virgil.

"We'll help if we can," Kento offered.

"But with time and help and loyal friends," Cye added, "he'll be all right in the end."

"He's strong enough to face anything," Ryo finished.

"Of course he is," Norman said, holding the precious boy and letting his tears of relief fall freely. "He's the Mighty One."

Virgil stepped back enough for Norman to rise, but he never took his hand from Max's. "He truly is."