Chapter Twenty-Four: Confrontation

Anubis, Mia, and Ariel left us soon after we lost Yuli and rescued Kojiro. "Kojiro, think you're ready for Talpa himself?" asked Rowen.

"I can handle him!" said Kojiro. "So, this Inferno thing, its gonna be me and my armor and Ryo in the Inferno verses Talpa, right?"
"Plus the Staff," said Anubis. "It's more powerful than it looks."

"Well duh," said Kojiro. "Is Icefire strong enough?"

"Hopefully it will be," said Anubis. "And it will mostly be the Inferno anyways."

"Ah, I see," said Kojiro, smiling to himself. He looked at me. "Do YOU want to do this?"

"Huh?" I asked, blinking in curiosity.

"If you get yourself killed, Ariel doesn't have a father anymore. Are you willing to do this?" asked Kojiro.

"We won't let him get killed. Only because of Ariel do I want at least Cye to walk out of this. Under any other circumstances we'd all risk our lives, but if things get back, I give you permission with understanding to back out," said Ryo.

"I'm not going to back out. I'd rather be killed them let Ariel live the rest of her life knowing that her father chickened out of a fight that could have killed his friends," I said.

"Wow, bold words, dude, but you DO have to understand that things are different," said Kento. "I'll try and take some hits for ya."

"And if you do and you live you'll never taste my cooking again," I said sternly.

"Hey, it's been a torturous four YEARS without your cooking and you're threatening to make that PERMANENT!? The horror, the horror!" Kento said, of course he was being melodramatic. I laughed.

"Thank you for the offer, though," I said.

"No sweat, dude," said Kento with a sly grin on his face. "Are you planning on coming home after this?"
"I'm not sure," I said.

"Because you know that Mia will probably be more than happy to let you, Ariel, and Kojiro stay with us, you know," said Kento.

"They live together?" asked Kojiro.

"Rent's dirt cheap and you get the meals for free," said Rowen.

"I'm in," said Kojiro. "But, only if Cye goes."

"I'll think about it, Kojiro. I'm still used to living on my own with Ariel and-" I started.

"We're almost outside. Once we get out there I won't be surprised if we find Talpa," said Ryo. The rest of us nodded. "Anubis, please tell us you wont' try that whole suicide thing again."

"No, I won't," said Anubis. "The Staff knows Kayura pretty well, so it'll free her with only half as much power. It won't be nearly enough to kill me again."

"AGAIN!?"

"I'll explain it later, Kojiro."

Ryo was right. Talpa WAS just about waiting for us. "Well, well, well, Ronin Warriors. I see you've finally decided to show up," said Talpa. He was just as ugly as I remembered him.

"Okay, how is this gonna work?" asked Kojiro.

"Ronin Warriors, to ARMS! Armor of the Wildfire, DAO JIN!"

"Armor of the Halo, DAO CHI!"
"Armor of the Torrent, DAO SHIN!"
"Armor of the Hardrock, DAO GI!"
"Armor of the Strata, DAO INOCHI!"
"Armor of the Icefire, DAO KINOSEI!"

Once again we stood in our armors. White Blaze was hit by lightening and was transformed into Black Blaze. Anubis just twirled the Staff around and was in a greenish armor with a sword that had a hilt with the six rings of the Staff.

Kojiro looked around. "Cool armors," he said. "Hiya Talpa! I see you didn't like my make-over."

We all turned to stare at Kojiro. "Make-over?!" I asked. "We were worried sick about you and you gave Talpa a MAKE-OVER!?"
"Fuschia is his color," said Kojiro, grinning like a mad-man as he took a practice swing with his battle ax.

"I don't want to know," said Rowen, shaking his head.

"Fuschia?" asked Kento.

"That little brat dyed my fuschia!" said Talpa.

We all thought about this, then, even Anubis, cracked up. Kojiro grinned to himself.

"IT WAS NOT FUNNY!" screamed Talpa.

"Yes it was!" said Kojiro. Talpa got mad and took a swing at him. "WAHHH!! YOU COULD POKE SOMEBODY'S EYE OUT WITH THAT THING!"

"I know," said Talpa. "Now let me finish you off NOW!"
"Guys, donate your powers, NOW!" called Rowen. A bright blue bubble surrounded him and he went to Ryo. Sage and Kento followed suit.

Why couldn't I!?

"Anubis, this isn't working! I can't donate Ryo my power!" I said.

"What!?" asked Anubis.

"What do you- AH!" screamed Kojiro, and before I knew it, a deep purple bubble joined my friends. I watched as Ryo formed the Inferno. Without me. He drew the Soul Swords of Fervor from Black Blaze and stood poised for battle. I took my yari and prepared to defend myself.

"Things are NOT going my way," I said to myself.

"Try to relax and go with the flow," said Anubis. He held the sword at the ready. The two of us stood back as Ryo and Talpa had their bought. Anubis and I were awestruck, just watching the battle from afar.

That was when the terrible thing hit.

"STAR SWORDS SCREAM!"

"BLACK LIGHTENING SLASH!"

"WEB OF DECEPTION!"

"VINE WHIP EVOLUTION!"

"QUAKE WITH FEAR!!!"
"NETHER SPIRITS, ATTACK!!!!!"
"RYO! RUN!" I screamed. Ryo looked over his shoulder in time to see what had to be thousands- no, MILLIONS- of Nether Spirits flying towards him as well as the living Warlords, one of whom was presumably this mysterious Osiris. They were all led by Lord Badamon. Ryo screamed. In a second, so it seemed, my friends had separated and were held in ball of Nether Energy. All of them looked weak and hurt.

Talpa laughed. "Well, well, well, Anubis, Cye of the Torrent, what do you think of my victory?"

"You haven't won yet!"

We looked up. Yuli! "Yuli!" I cried. "You're all right!"
"I only have a few minutes to render him helpless, then YOU'VE got to put him in his place!"

"Me!?" I asked.

"You have the power in you. Your armor is going to a whole new level! Don't attack until I leave! Anubis, go protect Ariel and Mia! SILENCE TIME SLICE!" Yuli cried, slicing at Talpa. Talpa cried and out tried to swat at Yuli, who literally flying around him like some sort of a demented firefly. Well, a firefly that was trying to kill you, but Talpa was sure having trouble hitting him.

Anubis blinked. He went back into the Ancient's robes. "I'm going to go protect Mia and your daughter now," he said. "CALE! DON'T YOU DARE GO OVER THERE! YOU TOO, DAIS!"

All I could do was sit and watch.