Disclaimer: I don't own Ronin Warriors. If I did Ryo would have fought with the Inferno more because, let's face it, that armor is way too awesome to be used so little.

Chapter 11

Frozen in Time

It was mid-day. There had been no fights ever since Kale and Dais had come. The Ronins – more specifically Ryo – were given a chance to rest. But even though there were no battles to be fought, the Ronins found themselves growing uneasy. In a future that was dominated by Talpa, they felt it wasn't normal to have peace this long. It felt almost as if something was gearing up and whatever it was wasn't going to be easy.

Kento looked to the side. His stomach grumbled again. The group had eaten most of the food they had gathered from when they had come across the abandoned place. River had started rationing the food in hopes of it being able to last until they found another place to restock their supply.

Hardrock wasn't happy that River wouldn't let him eat more at breakfast. He was starving. It felt as if he was going to drop dead if he didn't eat soon. When he looked at his friends, they seemed as if they weren't starving like him.

"River, when are we going to get more food?" Kento asked for what seemed the tenth time since breakfast.

"Kento, cool it," Rowen told his friend, "River doesn't know where any is."

Kento grumbled under his breath with words that suspiciously sounded like 'sorry' and 'hungry'. Ryo just smiled from where he was walking near the purple-haired boy. It wasn't a secret that Kento loved to eat.

Sage looked to the side. "I think I see something," he told the others.

Ryo immediately tensed up as if gearing himself up to fight. It can't be the Dynasty, he thought, I don't feel any nearby.

"Oh, yeah!" Kento exclaimed. "Food here I come!"

The black-haired boy looked where Sage was pointing. He saw a building a ways away. It didn't look like an abandoned town. What is it? Ryo silently asked.

Hardrock went running towards it. Cye followed behind him. River led the others – including Ryo, Sage and Rowen – to the building. When they reached it they saw what it was: a factory.

Ryo didn't know what type of factory it was. He also didn't know if there were still people there. I heard that Rowen and the others fought bandits while I was asleep, Ryo remembered. Is there any inside the place? Wildfire wasn't worried. He knew that he and the other Ronins could easily fight any bandits. The only thing he didn't like was the fact that they would be fighting humans.

The black-haired boy felt relief when the group found the place devoid of people. River broke his people into smaller groups to find some food. He told them to take any canned goods as it was the easiest to carry. The Ronins spread out to guard the place while the others looked.

This time, much to Ryo's relief, the Ronins didn't need to fight. The group left the abandoned factory with as much food as they could carry. Kento wore a smile the entire time they walked. Hardrock was happy. This time he could eat more when the group stopped for the night.

It wasn't long until the group heard a war cry. The people froze in fear. The Ronins, however, just looked at each other as if to say why them?. They went before River and his people. The boys waited for the enemy to come into view.

"Bandits!" Kento groaned. "Why bandits again?"

The one in front of the enemy group held up his sword. "We know you've got food," he told the group. "Hand it over and we won't hurt anyone."

For some reason Ryo found the situation funny. He started laughing. Kento looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "This isn't the time to be laughing," he told Ryo.

Ryo stopped but couldn't stop smiling. "Sorry," he apologized, "for some reason this is funny."

The leader of the bandits frowned. Was the boy mocking them? Even the others who wore the same funny clothes seemed relaxed. It was almost as if they weren't scared of him and the other bandits.

"I said hand over the food! We saw you take some from that factory," he ordered the group.

The people huddled behind the Ronins as if the boys were a shield. River just stood where he had stopped walking. The young man wasn't scared. He knew that the Ronins could take care of this easily. He remembered the last time bandits had come. The boys made it look easy when they knocked those people out.

"Hand over the food!" The bandit's leader about yelled. "I know you have it! If you don't give it to us in 4 seconds we will kill you!"

The group didn't move.

"Well," Cye said, "I guess this is our cue."

Ryo nodded. "Let's go, guys," he told the other Ronins.

The bandits weren't expecting the reaction they received from their threat. Every time they had used it before the people they had ambushed would always give them whatever they wanted. This was the first time someone actually resisted them.

"Kill them!" The bandit's leader ordered.

"Yes, Boss!" they cried.

The bandits ran at the boys. They held their swords as if to attack them.

"Yaaaaaah!" Ryo yelled. His fist struck the shoulder of the nearest bandit and the guy turned as if he had been hit by a block of stone.

Cye's arm stopped a bandit's sword. The guy watched wide-eyed as the brunette made a face. "Sorry," the boy softly said. Much to the guy's surprise, the boy sounded genuinely sorry. The bandit's sword was easily pushed back and Cye disarmed him.

Kento smiled at his opponent. "Thanks for the fun. You made today not boring."

"What?" Kento's opponent said.

Kento threw the guy back.

Rowen punched the bandit attacking him in the face. "Sorry!" He quickly apologized. "I don't want to hurt you guys."

"'Don't want to'!?" The guy responded. "What the heck's that kind of response?"

The side of Sage's hand hit the guy behind the neck. The bandit fell at his feet, unconscious. The blonde made a face. "I don't like this," he commented. "It's too easy."

"Well, they are human after all," Rowen pointed out. "They aren't as strong as Dynasty Soldiers and you know the Dynasty Soldiers aren't nearly as strong as Anubis and the other Warlords."

Icy fear went down the leader's back. They've met the Warlords? How are they still alive now?

"Fall back!" The bandit's leader called. "They're too strong!"

The other bandits turned tail. All of them ran from the group, leaving those unconscious still lying on the ground. Some of them threw terrified glances at the Ronins. It was as if they thought the boys would kill them.

Ryo looked at Cye. "Are we that scary?" He asked Torrent.

The brunette shrugged. "I don't think so," he answered.

Sage shook his head. "I think Rowen scared them when he pointed out that we've fought Anubis and the other Warlords before," he explained.

"But what's the big deal about it?" Kento asked.

"Don't you remember, Kento? We're the only ones who can fight the Warlords. Everyone else is just killed because they can't even defend themselves," Ryo reminded the purple-haired boy.

"Oh, yeah," Kento responded. "I kinda forgot that."

River shook his head. They make it sound as if fighting the Warlords isn't a big deal. River rethought his words. Actually it's more like it's not a big deal because they can fight them.

"Let's get going," River told his people and the Ronins.

The group resumed walking. Their leader didn't have to explain his reason; all of them agreed with it. None of the people with the Ronins wanted to be anywhere near where the bandits had attacked. River had them walk until nightfall.

After dinner, River took out Mia's research from his backpack. He opened the folder and shuffled through the paper inside. He had read over half of the papers already.

"This is interesting," River said as he looked up. "It says here that the places that we found you sleeping at would 'recharge' your armors if it was ever needed."

Rowen shrugged in response as if he already knew that.

"We've felt it since we woke up," Ryo explained. "The first time we fought a Dynasty Soldier after Talpa came, we almost lost."

"Yeah, if Ryo hadn't used his special attack we would have died," Cye added.

"Man, you should have seen it. A huge building was literally cut in half," Kento explained.

"A building was cut in half?" River asked in a voice that just screamed I doubt it.

"Hey, it's true!" Kento defended himself. "We saw the building behind it!"

Ryo patted the purple-haired boy's arm. "I doubt he'd believe us," he gently told his friend.

Sage nodded. "If someone had told me about it before Talpa came, I wouldn't have believed it either."

Cye looked thoughtful. "But River did see the damage that the Inferno caused when Ryo used its 'Rage of Inferno'. Wouldn't that give an indication of just how far the damage we can create can go?"

Ryo's eyes lit up. "I used 'Flare Up Now' once at Koji Village," he remembered. He looked at River. "Did you ever see that area that had been destroyed by the town?" River looked thoughtful. The young man remembered seeing it. "That's the same thing I used the first time we fought."

The young man shook his head in disbelief. That had been caused by Ryo's 'Flare Up Now'? It was unbelievable. If the person hadn't shown it to him, he wouldn't have believed that kind of destruction was possible. "That was an amazing sight," River said. "I've never seen destruction like that."

Rowen looked at the sky. It's getting late, he realized. "Hey, guys, it's getting late," he informed the others. "We probably should get some sleep."

Ryo nodded. The Ronins stood and went to their sleeping bags while River doused the fire. Ryo unzipped his sleeping bag. White Blaze lay down on his side and Ryo snuggled into his tiger's side. The sleeping bag was draped over him like a blanket.

River also crawled into his own sleeping bag.

…

Sun Devil watched from afar.

"So these are the ones that my master is so worried about," he commented to himself. "He wishes for me to see how strong one is."

The armor was covered in a brown cloak with a hood that only his eyes shown out of.

"I must see if my master's fears are founded," the armor said.

The cloaked armor disappeared from his position above the earth.

…

Ryo and Rowen looked to the sky. Not again, they thought.

"Hey, guys, you feel that?" Rowen asked the other Ronins.

Cye looked up also. "I can feel something coming closer," he answered.

"It's the Dynasty," Ryo stated. "Someone's coming."

River's heart skipped a beat. Again? He thought. It hadn't been that long since the last one. Just how popular are they? He sarcastically thought.

"Get ready, guys," Ryo said when he saw a figure materializing near them.

Ryo couldn't see what the new enemy looked like because of the cloak. "What do you want?" He asked.

"That's none of your business, boy," the figure spat.

Yeah, definitely from the Dynasty, Ryo confirmed.

The eyes glowed for a couple of seconds. "I have come to see the armor," the armor stated.

Sage looked at Cye. "Which one?" The blonde cautiously asked.

Sun Devil ignored Sage's question. "Who holds the white armor?"

Cye knew exactly what the armor wanted.

"Why don't you name yourself first?" Ryo all but ordered.

"I am Sun Devil. I have come on my master's orders," the armor answered.

"Who is this master of yours?" Ryo asked.

Sun Devil gave the same response as before. "That's none of your business, boy."

Ryo was quickly getting tired of this. It seemed as if every person from the Dynasty wanted the Inferno.

"I do not wish to attack weak humans," Sun Devil said as he looked at River. The Ronins knew who these 'humans' were. "But I will kill them if the one who holds the white armor does not come forward."

Ryo took a step forward. Rowen grabbed his shoulder. "Don't go," he whispered. "We don't know what he wants with the Inferno."

"But, Rowen, River and the others will get killed if I don't."

"Don't worry, Ryo," Cye whispered to Wildfire. "We can fight him without it."

All the Ronins raised their arms.

"ARMOR OF WILDFIRE, DAO JIN!"

"ARMOR OF HALO, DAO CHI!"

"ARMOR OF STRATA, DAO INOCHI!"

"ARMOR OF HARDROCK, DAO GI!"

"ARMOR OF TORRENT, DAO SHIN!"

"Will you show me what I seek now?" Sun Devil asked.

"We'll destroy you before you see it," Sage shot back.

"Very well," the armor stated.

Sun Devil took off his cloak. The Ronins were surprised at how ugly the new Dynasty lord looked. Saranbo and Saberstryke at least looked cool.

The armor unwound his whip from around his neck. He cracked it beside himself once. The whip then flew to the Ronins. The boys thought it would hit one of them. They moved from there spots.

Ryo and the others weren't ready for it to break into 5 strands. "Watch out!" One warned.

The warning was too late. The ends of the whip hit them in the chest. The Ronins were blown back. They hit the ground, winded. Ryo made an ugh sound. Wildfire slowly stood. The rest of the Ronins followed.

"Show me the white armor," Sun Devil commanded.

None of the Ronins moved. They weren't going to 'grace' him with it. They knew they could kill him without it.

The whip flew at them again. The boys tried to dodge it but it still found their chest. Again, the Ronins flew back. Ryo coughed before standing. His hand went to his chest. Ow, he thought.

Sage ran at Sun Devil. He wanted the armor dead. Ryo still had problems with the Inferno. He knew that his friend was getting used to handling it but Sage just didn't want to chance it. Something told him that it would be bad if Ryo transformed into the Inferno. The blonde wasn't going to let that 'bad' happen.

Ryo was right behind Sage. If Sage missed, he would kill Sun Devil. The black-haired boy didn't want to fight in the Inferno. He didn't want to feel tired anymore. That tiredness was completely gone now.

Rowen knocked an arrow. He jumped into the air. "Hey, ugly!" He yelled. The arrow flew. Strata knew Sun Devil would get hurt. There was a smile on his face. It immediately disappeared when the arrow missed.

Cye's trident moved. He intended to kill Sun Devil in one move. He had a feeling like Sage that Ryo shouldn't use the Inferno. He didn't want his friend to use it if they still hadn't 'mastered' it yet.

Kento's staff swung. He was closer than Cye. Sun Devil side-stepped it. Kento almost lost his balance. "Will you hold still!?" He growled.

There was a noise from Sun Devil's non-existent throat.

"Show me the white armor," he ordered again.

Ryo shook his head. "Don't need it," he told the Dynasty lord. "We can kill you without it."

"That's what you think, boy," Sun Devil hissed.

The whip hit the Ronins again. All 5 boys hit the ground. River watched in terror when they didn't stand right away. At this rate they'll die, he realized. Why won't Ryo fight in the Inferno?

"Ryo, use the Inferno!" River screamed. "You guys will die if you don't!"

There was a laugh. "So Ryo of Wildfire has it," Sun Devil commented. "That is good."

Sage looked at Ryo with a don't do it look. Ryo ignored his friend.

"If you want to so bad," he bit out, "you'll see it."

"Ryo, don't!" Sage yelled.

"He needs to, Sage!" Rowen stated. "It's our only hope now!"

"Go for it, Ryo!" Kento told the black-haired boy.

Cye was silent. He was ready to give his power. He knew that Rowen was right.

The 4 Ronins' armors began to glow. Ryo automatically held his arms out. Rowen moved his bow forward. Sage threw his arms to his sides. Kento's staff pointed down at his side. Cye's trident went perpendicular to his side.

The 4 lights hit Ryo one by one.

Like every time before, fire consumed Ryo's body. When it disappeared, the boy was wearing the white armor. Black Blaze came to him. He unsheathed the Swords of Fervor from the tiger's sides. He crossed the swords.

Sun Devil just laughed at the sight. "So it's true," he stated. "It is Ryo of Wildfire who holds it." The armor took several steps back.

"Are you really a coward?" Kento asked. "Just one look and your running away scared."

Sun Devil stopped. "Are you calling me a 'coward', boy?"

Kento threw him a grin. "Totally," he cheerfully answered.

There was a growl from the armor. "You will regret that, boy."

Sun Devil split into 5 images. Each was a different color. Those images showed before the 5 Ronins. Thick, black ice formed at the Ronins' feet.

"What the-" Ryo began.

The black ice was too fast for the Ronins to react. It went over their feet then raced up their legs. Their torso was incased before they knew it. The Ronins were staring ahead when the black ice went over their heads.

The ice spread from them.

…

River was beyond terrified as he watched the Ronins be covered in the black ice. Is this the end?

There was a terrified scream when Sun Devil disappeared.

"Did he leave?" River asked no one.

"Look there!" Kyle screamed.

River saw where the middle-aged man was pointing. Sun Devil had appeared again. This time, though, the enemy was a lot closer to them.

A terrified thought ran through River's head. Are we going to die?

…

No, Ryo slowly thought, I won't let it end this way.

Wildfire could feel himself slowly falling asleep.

We have to break free, he slowly told himself. We have to protect River and the others.

…

"RYO, HELP!" River screamed.

The young man backed away from his soon-to-be-killer. He did not want to die yet. He knew if Ryo and the others didn't somehow break free everyone would die.

…

River, wait. We're coming.

Lights began to glow around the Ronins.

…

Sun Devil laughed as he came near. It was time to kill the people. He knew that his master had not given him instructions to do so. He knew, but the urge was too strong to resist. They were like helpless sheep.

There was a sudden, strange feeling coming from where the Ronins were at. The armor looked at the frozen Ronins.

There were lights around the boys.

"WHAT!?" Sun Devil screamed.

The black ice shattered.

…

Ryo could feel the black ice crack.

"WHAT?!" he heard Sun Devil scream.

The black ice shattered.

Ryo crossed the Swords of Fervor.

"You're dead," the boy hissed.

"Impossible! How did you break free!?" Sun Devil screamed.

Wildfire didn't answer.

"RAGE OF INFERNO!"

A huge white light hit Sun Devil.

"What…incredible…power! No wonder my master is worried."

Sun Devil disappeared in the Inferno's attack.

The light died.

Ryo looked at his friends and the others. He saw the confusion on the other Ronin's faces. It was the looks that River and the other people gave him that made him want to blush. Again with those looks, Ryo thought.

Rowen patted his friend's shoulders. "Don't worry about it," Strata whispered. "I think they'll always be like that every time you use the Inferno."

Ryo shook his head. "It's embarrassing," he whispered back. "It feels almost as if they're worshipping me or something."

Ryo remembered he was wearing the Inferno. He returned to his Wildfire armor, giving back the other Ronins' power. Then he shed his armor. The force of the tiredness that hit him almost made him sway.

"Not again," Ryo whined.

The other Ronins shed their armor.

"Ryo, what's wrong?" Rowen asked with concern.

"I think I'm going to pass out," he answered.

Sage's arm caught Ryo as the boy sagged. Halo gently lowered his friend to the ground. Much to the blonde's – as well as the other 3 Ronins' – amazement Ryo was still conscious. He was conscious, yes, but it was barely so.

"That must have taken a lot out of him," Sage commented.

White Blaze came to Ryo. The tiger licked his human's face. Ryo made a grumbling noise.

"Let's leave him alone, White Blaze," Sage told the tiger.

White Blaze whined as if to protest.

"Is Ryo okay?" River asked when he was close enough.

Rowen nodded. "He's just tired," he told the young man.

River gave a silent sigh of relief. "What happened?" He asked. He didn't have to elaborate on what he was asking about. The 4 Ronins knew what he wanted to know.

"Ryo hasn't ever worn the Inferno this long before," Cye answered for everyone.

"The extra time must have taken more of his strength than his body's used to," Rowen added.

"Give him time," Cye told River. "He'll recover."

"…eventually," Kento added under his breath.

Cye softly laughed from his position near his purple-haired friend. None of the others heard Kento as they were too far away.

"Can Ryo walk?" River asked them, "I want to leave here in case they comeback for some reason."

"You mean like the Warlords?" Cye asked.

"I doubt they'll be showing up anytime soon," Sage told River.

Slight fear still gripped the young man's heart. The word 'Warlord' still scared him. It wasn't nearly as much as before since the Ronins were here. But that still didn't stop the fear from coming.

"Let's get Ryo on White Blaze's back," Sage suggested to his friends.

Rowen nodded. He, Sage, Cye and Kento moved to do so. White Blaze stepped in front of Ryo as if warning the others stay away. Sage shook his head.

"We need to keep going," Cye softly told the tiger.

"Ryo is going to be riding on your back," Sage added. "Ryo would be resting as we walk if you're carrying him."

White Blaze gave a soft growl.

"It's okay, boy," Cye tried to pacify the tiger. "We'll protect Ryo if there's another fight."

White Blaze moved. Ryo was set on his tiger's back. The boy practically fell asleep sitting there. He was on his stomach with his hands holding onto the fur on his tiger's sides.

The group walked silently for the rest of the day. Ryo didn't wake up until they stopped for the night. All the boy did was slide off his tiger's back, grab a sleeping bag then proceeded to fall asleep against White Blaze's side where the tiger had laid down.

…

Talpa watched as Sun Devil died. He had sent his scout to find the Ronins then bring back their locations. He hadn't expected his scout to engage the 5 boys in battle.

The ruler of the Dynasty was being to wonder if he should send more than just 2 of his Warlords next time. Kale and Dais had been defeated and almost died when he had sent them last time. This time Sun Devil had died.

The Ronins are growing stronger each day, Talpa thought as he watched the Ronins and the others continue walking. If they are not killed soon, they may become too strong for even I.

Talpa felt a presence coming to him. Ah, that would be Sekhmet.

The door opened to the throne room. Sekhmet stepped in and bowed, putting his closed fist over his heart.

"And what may I do for you, Sekhmet?" Talpa asked.

"Sire, I wish to fight the Ronins," the green-haired man said after he straightened and lowered his fist. "It has been a long time since I have fought them."

Talpa considered his Warlord's request. "Very well," he told the man, "I will send you in the next attack. You must wait, though, as I do not know where they are."

Sekhmet bowed again. "Thank you, Sire," the man said. The Warlord of Venom bowed once more and left the throne room.

…

It was peaceful the next few days. There were no attacks by the Dynasty and the group had not come across bandits. Ryo had been given the chance to rest during this time.

Unfortunately, life had a way of not letting the Ronins rest for long between fights.

This time was no exception.

…

A dark armor watched the Ronins from afar. He had seen their power over the last couple of fights. He knew if he did not kill the Ronin who wore the white armor soon, his entire homeland would be destroyed.

He is strong, the armor thought. But I am much stronger.

There was a whirlwind of flame around him. When it dissipated, the dark armor was gone.

…

Rowen looked to the sky. He felt something in the sky above them.

"Hey, guys…do you feel that?" Rowen asked the other Ronins.

Sage looked up. "Yeah," he answered. "But it's different than before. I guess more sinister."

"I don't like this, man," Kento nervously said.

River was watching the interactions of his charges. Is something wrong? The young man was almost too afraid to ask. It was as if they were having the same reaction whenever the –

Please don't let it be the Dynasty, he begged who ever might be listening. Not only for me – the Ronins also need a break from the fighting. They will tire out if things keep going at this rate.

A pillar of fire hit the ground in front of the group. When it dissipated, a lone armor stood in front of them. This time the armor was a dark color.

"What do you want?" Ryo asked.

"I have come to kill the one who wears the Inferno," the armor said.

"And who might you be?" Ryo bit out.

"I am Lord Altha," the armor introduced. "Who is the one who bears the Inferno?"

"Why do you want to know?" Cye asked.

"Yeah, why?" Kento asked.

"Will one of you boys tell me, or not? I do not have the patience to wait."

Ryo took a step forward only once before Rowen grabbed his shoulder. Strata shook his head and quietly whispered "don't say anything."

Ryo shrugged off the blue-haired boy's hand. "I know," the black-haired boy hissed back. "But I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"Don't worry," Rowen assured his friend, "we can fight him without you using the Inferno."

"But, Rowen…." Ryo's protest died.

"We won't tell you," Sage shot back at Altha.

Cye nodded. "We won't waste the Inferno on you."

Altha laughed. "You think so, boy? I am much stronger than those who have gone before."

Kento snorted. "Yeah, right," he muttered. Altha didn't react – it was as if the Dynasty lord hadn't heard the purple-haired boy.

"Will you tell me or not?" Altha asked. "If you do not tell me, then I will kill you one by one until I find it."

"Try it," Cye told the Dynasty lord.

"Very well then," Altha said. "I will kill you one by one until I find what I seek."

The Ronins' arms went up.

"ARMOR OF WILDFIRE, DAO JIN!"

"ARMOR OF STRATA, DAO INOCHI!"

"ARMOR OF TORRENT, DAO SHIN!"

"ARMOR OF HALO, DAO CHI!"

"ARMOR OF HARDROCK, DAO GI!"

Ryo crossed his swords in front of him. Sage held his sword in one hand. Cye held his trident. Kento held his staff in both hands. Rowen knocked an arrow.

Altha took his sword from on his side. He threw himself at Sage. He knew that the Inferno's weapon was a sword. Sage was the only one who had a single sword. If the Dynasty lord killed Sage, his desire would be fulfilled.

Sage's sword hit Altha's sword before it came too close. Why did he attack me when Ryo was closer to him? Altha's sword swung across in front of the blonde. Halo jumped. He rolled on the floor and stood a little ways away.

"Will you not fight, Ronin?" Altha asked. "I know that Inferno's weapon is a sword."

'Sword'? Doesn't he mean swords? Sage did not understand. It was as if Altha believed the Inferno fought with a single sword. Well, it's better than him going after Ryo. Ryo's still tired.

An arrow shot by Sage's shoulder. The blonde automatically jumped to the other side.

"Sorry, Sage!" Rowen apologized. He knocked another arrow. "You were too close to him!"

Sage's hand tightened on his sword's hilt. He threw himself at Altha.

Cye's trident came from Sage's other side. The trident hit Altha's arm. The Dynasty lord did not even flinch.

"Is that the best you can do?" Altha taunted.

"Cye, move!" Sage yelled to the brunette. Cye moved away from the armor.

Sage's sword moved above him.

"THUNDER…BOLT CUT!"

Pure light shot from Sage. The boy jumped into the air. The light followed him to Altha. Sage's sword went before him.

Altha just stepped to the side.

"ARROW SHOCK WAVE!" Rowen immediately shouted. He had seen Sage's special attack miss.

The golden light from Rowen's arrow also missed. What's going on?

"IRON ROCK CRUSHER!"

Altha jumped high in the air. He landed outside of the destruction.

"FLARE UP NOW!"

Altha quickly moved to the side.

"STAY PUT!" Kento yelled at the Dynasty lord.

Cye was the last to try.

"SUPER WAVE SMASHER!"

Even Cye's special attack missed.

Altha laughed was if it was hilarious. "Can you not touch me, Ronins?" The armor asked.

Despair went through the Ronins. Can they not kill the Dynasty lord?

"Why don't I come to you?" Altha nonchalantly asked.

Ryo unconsciously took a step back. What is he going to do? Ryo thought.

"FLAMES OF DARKNESS!"

Pure black flames shot from Altha's sword. It reminded Sage of Kale's special attack. If it's the same, surely I can block the same, Sage concluded.

Sage's sword went up. He went to strike the black flames. Altha's flames just went around him. Sage almost dropped his sword when he heard Ryo scream. The blonde wanted to check on his friend but the attack going around him wouldn't let him.

"Ryo, run!" Kento screamed.

"Ryo!" Cye yelled.

Rowen jumped out of the way in time. Cye rolled away and Kento dodged to the side. Ryo, however, just ran. Normally, fire soothed Ryo. This time it sent shivers through him. The flames were cold. Ryo would have healed some if the flames were warm.

Altha's special attack stopped. The Dynasty lord's sword pointed down.

"Still alive I see," Altha commented. His voice sounded almost disappointed. "Shall I try again?"

Sage was about to answer.

"FLAMES OF DARKNESS!"

This time all the Ronins were covered in it. Protective bubbles formed around them. It was if their armors were trying a last-ditch effort to save them. The bubbles almost didn't make it to the end.

When the flames cleared, Ryo looked to Rowen. The Ronin saw the mirrored image of his despair written on his friend's face.

"He's too powerful," Ryo whispered.

Altha laughed again. "Giving up already, Ronins?" He taunted. "I'm disappointed in you."

For the first time, the Ronins knew that they could not kill a Dynasty lord.

It terrified them.

RME: wanna know something funny? I realized after I wrote the fight with Saberstryke, I actually liked the guy. Maybe it's because he had some honor even though he was a Dynasty lord? And yet, I only found Saranbo interesting and Sun Devil always annoyed me for some reason.

Relyan: thanks for the review. Forcing the Ronins to fight wouldn't leave me alone and a story was born from it. It's being posted alongside this story if you'd like to read it.