As
everyone landed in the mortal realm. Sekmet
and Dais as well as Cye and Kento were weakened as Hariel and the Inferno armor landed
with Black Blaze. Rowen, Cale, Kayura, and
Sage all landed nearby as Anubis dropped in the middle of them all with Mia tucked safely
in his arms.
As
the guys gathered, they could see the SilverRaven armor fading on their friend and her
regular clothes showing through.
As
the knife struck Mia, Ryo watched in horror as his friend fell in battle. The loss he felt after he felt Mia's life leave
her caused a cataclysmic change in the Ronin of Virtue as he reached out and grabbed the
four nearest armors to him. Everyone noted
the sudden power shift as they saw Ryo virtually explode out of his own armor and into the
Inferno armor.
His
fury was so great that he did not even use the soul swords, as he called on the armor's
sure-kill. The Rage of Inferno was so
powerful, enhanced as it was by Ryo's on unbridled fury that it completely destroyed the
void, dumping the warriors out and into their own world.
Everyone
left Ryo at a distance as they realized that he had to deal with his rage. The armor had not returned to the other four
warriors so they all knew that his fury must have been truly great to have held the energy
to hold onto the armor for this long.
As
they looked at Anubis, they noticed that the Warlords were stunned to see their onetime
comrade at arms with tears in his eyes. They
had known that he had loved Mia deeply, but they did not know that it would virtually
destroy the man they once knew to be the cruelest of them all.
No
one knew what to say to Anubis as he clutched the body of the woman they all loved in one
way or another. The Ronins had seen her as a
sister and friend. One of the best they would
have ever asked for. The Warlords and Kayura
had met her as a spirited woman in the battle against the Ronins. Her tenacity had won their respect and later after
the final battle with Talpa it had won their love as a good friend.
Anubis
had been the first to see beyond all that and into the heart of a good and caring woman. Her willingness to forgive him of his past crimes
endeared her to him and her genuine feelings for him only caused him to reciprocate. He
knew before that he would never be far from this woman's thoughts. He also knew that if he had it all to do over
again, he would not have changed anything, except how this one battle came out in the end.
~Ronin
and Warlord Warriors~ the voice whispered to
them. Ryo was the first to snap up. "Shut up. Listen."
~Ronin
Warriors, you were the best friends a person could ask for. Warlords, your pasts had been forgiven long ago. Now you have managed to forgive each other for
deeds of the past and you can move forward.~ the
voice continued to whisper.
Tears
in all of their eyes they all wondered how they would move on from this. Each of them felt like they had lost something
vital that day when they lost Mia.
"Tell
me, Just how do you expect us to go on. I
loved her. I still do, and now fate seems to
have taken her from me again." Anubis
spoke softly; his voice was choked with emotion as he questioned the voice. He had held the hope that there would be a way for
him to remain with Mia after the battle with the Obajan had finished. Now it was like he was half shadow again with out
the woman he loved there.
~Tell
me Anubis, Do you truly love her. Would you
sacrifice everything for her including your friends if necessary?~ The voice was a little stronger as the conviction
set in.
Anubis's
eyes widened as he heard the words. He could
not sacrifice the Ronins or the Warlords for this. But
a Black gloved and White Gauntleted hand came to rest on his shoulder. Looking up sharply, he noticed that Ryo had
regained the control over his own rage and had heard everything.
Looking
into the former warlord's eyes he nodded. Anubis
then knew that the warlords and Ronins were willing to give up everything to protect Mia
and keep her alive. Closing his eyes in
gratitude he spoke to the spirit. "I can
not sacrifice my friends and the people they care about to save one life. However they have let me know that they will
willingly give everything up to save Mia. Including
their lives."
~Your
friends are brave Anubis. They are strong
steadfast and they will never let you or each other down. This is a bravery and friendship that is rare and true. For this Friendship and the love that ties you all
together there is a way to bring your friend back. But
only of she wishes to return.~
Everyone
jumped up at that. They all knew that Mia
loved them all. But if they would get her
back then they would all help. "How do
we do this."
~Anubis. You must don the armor of Hariel of the Inferno. Only with its power combined with the power of the
staff of the Ancients will you be able to go to her to see her back if she wishes to
return.~
Anubis
was shocked. He did not think that he would
have to don armor again. His was the path of
peace, but the voice was right. He would need
the infinate abilities of the Inferno armor as well as the staff to get her back.
He
looked at Kayura who nodded and armored down out of the Ogre armor and passed the Crystal
back to its former owner. With no ceremony he
quietly surged into the Armor of Cruelty once more and looked at Ryo. Ryo nodded and as he focused the power of the
Inferno he felt his own armor leave with it to go to Anubis. ~Six Armors in the Inferno armor. Can Anubis handle it??~ he wondered to himself.
Anubis
felt the surge of the Inferno armor as it came to him. And he knew for the first time why it was so hard on the Ronin of Wildfire
the first time he used it. The power took a
bit of the person with it and as the power would leave him. Anubis knew that he too would be weakened or he might not even survive the
power down. All was worth it though if he
could get Mia back.
Warning. SilverRaven is mine. The ronins and Mia are not mine so take care. Flames QC&C go to Dragon Dagger