Disclaimer: See previous chapters

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Chap. 60

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Japan

Despite all the chaos happening in the world around and beyond, the dense forest was a scene of calm and serenity. If not for the events that brought her here, Lady Kayura would have relaxed in the atmosphere. But as it was, she couldn't do so.

She had too much to worry about to relax...

Trudging through the woodland, the lone warrioress walked onward, heading toward destination unknown. And it was that fact alone that made this all the more difficult for her. Nevertheless, she would continue on, trusting if nothing else, her instincts. However, for that very same reason, she decided on taking this part of the journey...alone.

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Back, a few minutes ago

"By yourself?"

On the bridge of the Sunstreamer, Kayura had just informed the crew of her plan to continue on alone to...wherever she was going.

"Yes. I believe it is best that way."

But isn't that dangerous. After all the attacks we've been under.

"That's why we need to separate for the time being. So far, their attacks have only come upon me, so you should be safe enough."

That however, wasn't the only reason. Kayura was still uncertain as to where she was going or what she was to do when she got there. Only her instinct and feelings were all she had. Her beloved staff was even absent from her control, for unknown reasons. Because of this, she didn't know if her journey was even safe. So to keep them safe, she would have to go alone.

"We can't just leave you to go alone." Sally protested.

The warrior priestess shook her head. "You must. I need you to find and retrieve the other Ronins, starting with Ryo. If the Dynasty gets a hold of him and the others, than all will be lost."

Howard stoked his beard. "How are we going to find Ryo without you?"

At this, Kayura smiled lightly and turned toward the boy on the side. "Yuli."

At this, Yuli's eyes brightened as he hopped up. "Yeah. We know where to find Ryo. Whiteblaze found it before and I was there too."

"I'll be counting on you, Yuli." Kayura placed a hand on his shoulder and then Whiteblaze's head. "Both of you."

"Right. Leave it to us."

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Present, Volcano

Kayura wasn't the only one to be travelling through woodland territory. In the forest beneath Mt. Fuji, Yuli, Sally and Whiteblaze trudged through the trees toward the volcano. Actually, it was Whiteblaze trudging through while Yuli and Sally rode on his back, with Sally still trying to get used to the fact that she was riding atop the white tiger.

"How much further is it?"

"Just a little more." Yuli answered, just as Whiteblaze leaped over a brush of foliage. "We have to get to the top to get to Ryo."

The trees soon cleared away, revealing the rocky slopes of the dormant volcano. The pair slid off of Whiteblaze and gazed up at the fiery mountain. Whiteblaze soon moved on ahead and they followed the tiger up. A good distance up and Whiteblaze reached an open cave on the side of the volcano that was close to the crater itself. The tiger paused for a moment, allowing Yuli and Sally to catch up to him before entering the cave. Leading once more, the three soon reached the interior of the volcano. Hot lava boiled beneath their feet and light ash and smoke lifted into the air.

"Look! There he is!"

Yuli pointed directly toward the lava pool, where a shimmering sphere flickered in the center. Within it was the unconscious form of Ryo, encased and protected by his armor of Wildfire. Sally gave a slight smile, but then as she looked around, she saw that there was absolutely no way of reaching him, not without melting in the lava. 'I guess I'll have to call in Howard and see if he can pick him up out of there.' At the least, the Dynasty hadn't reached him.

Then it got...cold...

That immediately gained the attention of everyone there as a rush of ice-cold air rushed around the inside of the cavern. As Yuli and Sally held their arms together both in cold and surprise, Whiteblaze roared aloud at the volcano crater above and the two looked up at the target of the white tiger's rage.

The dark Celestial of ice... Zechs of the Arctic...

"Wildfire..."

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'So this is the place...'

Underwater, somewhere on Earth, Phoenix stood motionless on a rocky crop overlooking an underwater valley; her mask and armor keeping her alive and breathing under the seawater. Behind her, Dynasty soldiers moved about, seemingly in search for something. While they searched, Phoenix waited, pondering over this location as her gaze lifted up, looking past the surface and into the sky.

'This would be the place. The crash descent follows along with the Libra.'

Libra...the Eve Wars... Seems like such a short time ago, when she was in a battle to determine the fate of the Earth and the colonies. A war that put her on opposite sides of the one person she cared for and trusted more than anything. But now a new war was coming, and this time, she and Zechs was on the same side. It was what she always wanted. To be by his side.

-Faith-

Once again, the symbol shimmered, causing her to hold her head. This was getting on her nerves. Every time she thought about Zechs or something along those lines, this would happen. It was as though she was fighting an internal war in addition to the one she was fighting now. The sensations died soon after and Phoenix was alerted by one of her minions.

"Lady Phoenix. We believe we found it."

The Celestial immediately turned with the soldier and followed them to the designated area. Soon enough, she and her troops reached a low area in the seabed, almost like a ditch. Upon wider examination, it seemed at though something had crashed here, hard. As the soldiers encircled the area, Phoenix bent down to the edge of the ground and brushed away at the dirt. Her hand soon found it; a piece of shrapnel metal

Gundamium alloy...

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"Wildfire..."

Arctic glared coldly down into the steaming volcano, eyeing the silent Ronin in the center. Below him, Yuli and Sally looked up shock and Whiteblaze roared continuously. His saber gleamed hungrily in his grip as he gaze continued to remain on Ryo.

"Hey, you leave Ryo alone!" Yuli said after getting over his shock. Arctic slowly turned his gaze on the trio, causing Yuli to shrink back in fear slightly.

"Hmph. So you're here as well. Well, it means little in any case." His eyes returning to his target, he pointed his saber at Ryo. "I'm here for Wildfire."

Sally wasted no time as she withdrew her gun from the holster. "Hold it, Zechs!"

Again, Arctic turned to them after hearing the click of the gun. "Do you honestly believe such a weapon will affect me? Do not be absurd."

Even Sally knew better than that. Her weapon was completely useless against his mystical armor. Even if she could hit and injure him, that would only serve to anger the icy Celestial and he would direct that rage to them. And she had seen Zechs in battle during the gundam wars to know how fearful he can be when he's in battle rage. Nevertheless...

"Perhaps. But I won't just let you take Ryo."

"You make it sound as if the choice is yours." With that said, his blade began to circulate with cold energy, in spite the heat of the volcano. Arctic lifted his saber, the frigid winds growing greater and dispelling the rising heat. Sally and Yuli backed away from the cold, driven into the tunnel entrance that they had came through.

"Winter's Heart!"

The blast of cold flashed down along with the saber, colliding with the lava surrounding Ryo and instantly freezing it solid in ice. Both Sally and Yuli were thrown back into the cave entrance and the opening sealed up with ice. Yuli rose up first and began to bang his fists on the ice.

"Whiteblaze! Ryo!"

Meanwhile, in the now frozen crater of the volcano, Arctic made his way down to the icy terrain and toward the frozen lump that contained the armor of Wildfire and its bearer. Stopping in front of it, he lifted his blade to strike when an explosion stopped him in his tracks. Looking up at the area where the cave had frozen in, Whiteblaze emerged from the block of ice that he had been imprisoned in. Only...it wasn't Whiteblaze that came out. The shining white armor coupled with the shadowy black fur revealed that for a fact.

Blackblaze...

Arctic immediately leaped aside as the armored tiger savagely lunged at him. Blackblaze continued to growl, with his body stationed between the frozen Ronin and the dark Celestial. Arctic stared at the tiger as it continued to growl at him and take a defensive posture.

"Defending your master? I can respect that. But..."

Arctic suddenly dashed at Blackblaze and the tiger lunged at him in return. Their blows went quicker than the eye could see, but in the end, Blackblaze was knocked away by the force of Arctic's saber and slammed into the crevice above the ice. The tiger struggled to rise, but found his legs frozen still. Rising from his attack, Arctic gave the disabled tiger a backward glance.

"...You can not defy the will of Nanashi."

"Whiteblaze!"

Behind the ice, Yuli slammed his fists against the ice sealing them away from the interior of the volcano, but the ice didn't budge. Already, Sally had tried shooting through it with her gun, but the ice was solid even against that. Both of them were helpless to help and Arctic was already upon his prey.

"Ryo! Wake up!"

Suddenly, a glow of light caught their attention and Yuli looked down to see that it came from the Jewel of Life. The item spun around rapidly, becoming a singular ball of light. Then in a greater flash of energy, a ray of light shone out toward the ice barrier, shattering it completely.

"What?"

Arctic looked up in surprise as the light beam soared toward him. Arctic backed away quickly, but the ray never came to him. Instead, it struck the lump of ice that had Ryo contained within, causing the ice itself to shine and slowly cracking the ice beneath. Heat and steam began to lift from the rapidly cracking ice and Arctic quickly leaped up and away. The ice soon shattered completely, with the lava erupting free into the air. Arctic reached around the crater edge just before the blast of molten rock could touch him. The lava then settled back in the volcano and Arctic glanced back in, hoping that he could still reach his target.

But it was far too late for that...

Upon the liquid rock stood Ryo of Wildfire, fully revived and gazing up at the icy Celestial. His face was covered by his mask; an indication that his power was at its max. Reaching back, Ryo unsheathed his twin katana and readied himself to fight against him.

""Why don't you try picking on someone your own size!"

Arctic growled to himself, knowing that he had lost his opportunity. Fighting Ryo was one thing, but confronting a Ronin of his own terrain was a sure path to defeat. Like it or not, he would have to let the Ronin go...for now.

"Another time, Wildfire."

Arctic soon faded from view, retreating to the Netherrealm. At that point, Yuli and Sally returned to the volcano interior while Whiteblaze, relinquishing his dark armored persona and now free from the ice, made his way over with them. Seeing his friends on the side, Ryo leapt out of the lava pool and joined them.

"Welcome back, Ryo."

"Thanks." His face armor shifted away to reveal his features, which were slightly confused. "But...what happened? All I remember was...fighting...Nanashi caught me in some energy field...then...I woke up here."

The two of them blinked and Yuli was the first to ask. "So you don't remember...fighting Heero?"

The Ronin's eyes widened at this news. "What? I was fighting Heero? But how...why?"

"We'll tell you everything later." Sally interrupted. "Right now, we better get back to the ship."

With a nod, Ryo followed the pair and the tiger, with a million questions spiraling in his mind and no answers to silence them. Why would he fight Heero? How did he get back to Earth? Where are the others?

Was Mia okay?