Chapter Thirty Six

Kayura saw the endless sea of stars in every direction. She realized she was in the nether realm and she heard the sound of a bell. She turned and saw a golden light in the distance and decided to walk towards it. The water she walked on was still enough to capture the familiar stars as she walked towards the golden light. She saw a familiar face and he said, "its time to wake, Kay."

Kayura felt the fire flooding her veins. It wasn't the fire she felt earlier, it was different. It was like eating a warm bowl of Miso on a cold evening and feeling the chill spread through her bones. She heard someone yell out her name and her eyes snapped open. She saw the warlords leaning over her, snapped out of their daze and sadness in their eyes but it was Steve who was holding her with tears in his. The remembered Maria stabbing her with blade vaguely, "don't worry, it'll take a lot more than that to kill me."

Steve held her close, "what did she do..."

"What needed to be done," she said kissing his cheek and whispered in his ear, "take them with you Steve, they need a hero of their own..."

"Kay," he asked as he saw the tiger move towards her.

White Blaze picked up the blood covered blade and his stripes became black as night and eyes glows deep yellow as a white armor spread across him. He could hear the crystals chiming and the sword turned black. Dais helped Kay up, "you don't have to do this child."

"Sure I do," she said, "what good is an ancient who doesn't fight to the very end?"

"Well I was tired of Earth anyways," said Kale crossing his arms.

"Yes, poisons aren't as lush here," added Skeh with a rattle of the tongue.

Kayura felt Steve standing firm, "I said go be a hero."

"I have to do one thing first," he paused to look at Dais. "Watashi wa kekkon de kanojo no te o shitaidesu. (I want her hand in marriage.)"

"Nani," Kayura said turning scarlet and looking at him with big eyes.

Dais barked out a laugh as Steve explained, "I realized a while back that this is what my life is, that no normal girl would ever be able to urk it out with me. I missed my opportunity before, I won't miss it again. Besides, it gives you a reason to come back to me."

Dais looked at the other two warlords, "well, I don't see why not. She could have done worse. She could have married Ryo."

She frowned at the silver haired man, "thanks old man."

"That's nice and all, but what did that do other than break the inferno's hold on them," Kunito interrupted as she threw the young man with the armor of Strata out of the way.

Maria smiled, "I made her a conduit. There's a reason why the armor didn't go to Elimu. Years ago, the armors died to protect Nadia and Mukala. The inferno would never touch them again. The inferno chose a new bearer, it just needed to know who supported her."

Kayura gave Steve a kiss, "I said get them out of here."

He nodded as he walked back to Maria, Elimu was laying in pain from a punch he returned him. Leah was still out, he picked her up. Her armor was ridiculously heavy but he wouldn't put her down. Maria helped Elimu stand and yelled at Junko and Seito, "get Cye and Kento, we're heading for the jet."

Kayura took the sword from Black Blaze, "Kunito, no more."

She grinned ear to ear, "the inferno would never choose you!"

Loyalty burned brightly in her forehead as Dais, Sekh, and Kale came to her side each with their respective virtues burning bright. Steve looked back as all four were engulfed with brilliant light, unlike anything he had seen from the armors. He her the crystals chiming again and saw the brilliant light coming from them. Kayura stood alone when the light faded, she wore an all black armor that unlike anything he had seen before. It was terrifying but beautiful at the same time, "that's the inferno?"

"Yes, lets go lover boy," Maria ordered as she ran with him and Elimu.

"Oh," Kunito laughed, "I wasn't planning for that to happen. Darn that Heart, always one step ahead."

Kayura turned the black katana into a large blade with a swish to the left and charged the woman, "you aren't going to do anything to this realm."

Kunito dodged her attack and summoned a shield to block her other attacks, "always a pain in my ass."

Kayura jumped at the woman, "I don't know what happened in your realm but I won't let it happen here."

"Don't you see, it already is!"

Kayura slammed the sword on the shield, "because of you!"

"You fool," Kunito roared summoning a sword and slashing back.

"Flare up now," Kayura roared jumping in the air. She could feel the spirits of the warlords with her, guiding every move. Showing her weaknesses with their centuries of battle experience. The ground ripped open as Kunito summoned her shield.

"Using that armor will reign destruction, you know that," Kunito laughed. "Either way your world is doomed."

"That's the thing, I know how to open the doors to the nether realm and seal them so tight that even I won't be able to leave," she said quietly. "I sure as hell will fight with you for all eternity if that's what it takes."

"You'd do that for them?"

"Yes, I messed up once, I won't do that again," she yelled slamming her back. "Flare UP NOW!"

Kunito yelled as the woman hit her again with an attack stronger than the first which slammed her into the ground. The air chimed, and the ground shook heavily with the impact. Kayura stabbed the blade deep into her stomach and saw red blood, there was the sound of bells in the air as Kunito struggled. "No, stop this! You can't do this to me! I was so close!"

Kayura closed her eyes as she felt the energy course through the blade and into the blood, "hiraku! (Open!)"

There was the sound of bells as a door appeared. It opened wide and Kunito saw the golden beast step through, "hello, Kunito? Did you miss me?"

"No," she yelled, "your wrong, this is wrong! We could have made it through!"

The golden creature leaned over and kissed her forehead, "its time to sleep now. You tried your best, but you lost..."

"No, we could have done this together."

"I'm sure we could have," she said looking at Kay. "Its time to go."

Kayura nodded shedding the armor in a million rays of light that fluttered around like butterflies. Each one landed on Kunito's skin, and as each one landed her skin turned black like it was charred. She screamed until there was nothing left to scream with and only cinders remained. The golden beast stood up and held out a hand to Kayura, the warlords had appeared and fallen to the ground. Dais smiled, "give em hell."

She nodded, "you know, I will."

Kayura took the beast's hand and walked though with her. The door slammed shut and tight and vanished. Dais felt the connection break and he yelled out in pain. He saw a small red haired child standing in the ash of the fallen god, "you passed her test you know."

"Dare, (who?)" Dais urked.

"The heart," she smiled, "I promise you she will be back but when she returns be prepared for a long battle, Masho. You need to get your warriors together soon, and your queen ready for war, the war of the armors is on its way..."

Dais felt pain of all sorts flow through him and blackness set in.