Chapter 15: The Final Dream
White Blaze roared at Orios, commanding him to release Strata.
Orios merely replied by lifting his free hand and sending an energy bolt in the tiger's direction, a nearly-invisible ripple of energy with enough force behind it to destroy an unprotected person as a hammer could an egg; with equal the mess.
White Blaze dodged, but it still lashed his fur back with its passing. The bolt continued on into the stone wall further on, obliterating it and creating a passage into the chamber beyond. The rocks that rained down from the explosion had been reduced to sizes no bigger than a crabapple. The white tiger continued to growl, unfazed by this show of strength.
"Flare Up Now!"
"Thunder Bolt Cut!"
The two attacks entwined around each other as they sped, with deadly force and accuracy, towards Orios.
Orios redirected all his energy to a shield, his only defense, which he was able to pull up a split second before he was hit.
Rowen was freed when this happened and ran over to stand with the other Ronins to watch the remaining energy from the attacks dissipate. Orios remained standing, grin still spread across his face. He was completely unscathed.
"Inferno," The Ronins chorused one-by-one and Ryo agreed as the other four simultaneously gave up their powers.
Ryo felt the dragon sleeping in the back of his mind stir and awaken. The dragon, the sense of power and strength that always accompanied the Inferno when he called it. The dragon that had nearly consumed him the first time he'd used the white armor. In time he had learned to tame it, though at a great cost, and now it was pulling at its chains, eager to be free of its restraints to feed upon the blood and death that was always forthcoming.
Power flooded into Ryo as he drew the soul swords from their sheaths on his tiger's back and stood ready.
All during his transformation, Orios had been gathering strength; preparing to create an energy bolt larger than any he'd ever made before. This he aimed at Ryo and let it loose as soon as he thought the bearer of Inferno was most vulnerable and unsuspecting.
Ryo raised and crossed his twin katanas, bracing himself for the inevitable impact. It hit him hard and even though he leaned into it, it forced him backwards; his boots leaving furrows in the floor as he was pushed painfully through the cavern walls at his back.
The other Ronins could do nothing could do nothing to aide their leader as long as he was in possession of their armor's powers, though they cried out when Ryo disappeared through another wall.
The force behind the energy bolt began to wane finally after several painful moments. Realizing this, he sighed but did not drop his guard or his swords, as he knew his first chance to strike back would be immediately after this assault; Orios would be vulnerable until he could regain his breath and his energy.
The air cleared of energy and Ryo took his opportunity, leaping into the air and bringing the soul swords of fervor together in front of him. If he could help it, this battle would be a quick one.
"Rage of Inferno!"
Flames bloomed all around the warriors, appearing from nothing and feeding off of nothing. Orios was caught in the middle, unable to escape the searing heat, and though he tried desperately to protect himself it was fruitless.
Ryo returned to the earth, breathing heavily but none the worse for wear. He was pleased with himself for eliminating the threat before it could eliminate him. Risking a quick smile, he watched the fire from his attack wane and die before him.
"Damn!"
Orios still stood, albeit he was hunched over and scorched by the fury of Ryo's attack. Skin and flesh hung in melted strips from his body, half his face was burned so badly the bone beneath it could be seen, and the smell of charred tissue was overpowering.
Ryo covered his mouth and nose with his hand in an attempt to ward off the awful stench.
"I sincerely hope you didn't think I'd go down that easy." Orios' speech was slurred but not in the least bit sluggish.
"No, I was hoping I'd get a little sport out of you." Ryo responded coolly, hoping that his tone didn't betray how unnerved he actually was.
Looking around, Ryo finally realized where he was. Déjà vu had been nagging at him since this battle began and only now did the bearer of Inferno get a really good look at his new surroundings. He was back in the tunnel where Sage and Cye had been knocked into the veritable den of demons in the adjoining chamber. The hole in the opposite wall was testament to that.
Ideas, plans, immediately began springing to mind.
Orios visibly gathered himself. "Die!" He screamed as he leapt at Ryo.
The warrior of virtue brought his swords up in defense, blocking Orios' bare hands with the sharp edges of the blades but failing to make any impression. The seared skin was too tough for the swords to cut.
Ryo jumped back causing Orios to lean forward as the resistance that was Ryo fell away with his retreat. But, as the bearer of Inferno landed, he was once again upon him, moving and attacking with a speed unbefitting his seared body.
Once again locked in a battle embrace, Orios snuck his foot behind Ryo's armored one's and knocked him to his knees.
Surprised, Ryo faltered and dropped his blades for only a second.
Orios found his opening and charged, shouldering his opponent hard enough to knock him onto his back and disarm him as the katanas flew out of reach.
Ryo grunted as the air was forced out of his lungs with his impact with the ground. The situation was bad and only getting grimmer with every passing moment. Fortunately, the warrior of virtue still had one trick left…
Orios grinned cruelly, not a flattering action considering half his face was melted. He caught his enemy in 'check,' with one more move he could be disposed of. As for his friends, they would most certainly fall apart without their courageous leader and be easy prey for Orios and his master.
The disfigured servant lurched forward and prepared to take Ryo's life with one last fatal lunge.
Ryo had anticipated this and the split second Orios leapt he disengaged the Inferno and the Wildfire armors all in one swift moment. With the increased mobility of the sub armor, Ryo was able to bring his legs up between him and his attacker.
Helpless in the air, Orios sailed over his victim, guided by Ryo's feet, and glimpsed the bearer of Wildfire's self-satisfied smirk as he flew by.
Even after the support of Ryo's legs fell away, Orios continued to fly and soon grimly realized where he was headed and why his opponent had been so sure of himself as he sailed through the aperture in the wall and into the waiting jaws of the demons beyond.
At a disadvantage, surprised and exhausted, he was no match for the avenging jaws of the creatures he had held in brutal subjection for so long.
Ryo ran to the edge of the rent in the wall Orios had disappeared through just as the others, also in sub armor, raced to join him.
They were in time to be treated to the display of Orios' scorched body being torn apart by the merciless and gross savagery of the black demons below. Three had seized him and were in the process of tearing him, literally, apart. Blood spurted across the assemblage of creatures though they failed to notice, as they were only intent upon the living meat that had fallen from above.
The Ronins turned away; unable to watch anymore. Just the sound of the monsters gorging themselves was too much. They could hear a kind of wet tearing as well as the feral growls and roars of the demons as they vied for pieces of flesh that soon disappeared down other greedy throats.
"Let's find the Master of this palace." Ryo charged, distracting the grateful Ronins from the carnage below.
Donning their armor in anticipation of the battle ahead, they escaped up the tunnel, knowing exactly where they were going as Ryo, Kento, and Rowen had decided to take the nickel tour of the palace while trying to find where Sage and Cye had been imprisoned.
Upon reaching the entranceway to Talas Ar'Nakari's personal chamber, the five Ronins fell right into the jaws of a waiting trap as an explosion rocked the palace down to its foundations.
They hadn't known, how could they? The power Talas possessed was absolutely staggering and he had been able to hide so well that everyone had taken by surprise.
Out of the corner of his eye, Cye could just barely see the other Ronin Warriors through the blurry, red haze that veiled his vision. They were all covered in blood and their armors had all but shattered under the stress of the blow that had caught all five of them unaware. He was painfully aware that they were dead, a thought that made him cringe; but he knew that he would soon follow and that fact was undeniable. In a way it made him feel better to know he wouldn't have to carry on alone. A solitary tear rolled down his burned cheek.
Talas had just laughed when they fell; he never imagined it to be so easy. It was a laugh that made Cye wish he still had the strength to get up and punch Ar'Nakari's ugly face into next year. But he turned away, instantly forgetting about his so-called opposition, and faced the shrine placed in the back of the room.
At the predicted time the six-armed deity glowed and the six objects in its hands hummed slightly.
And, to think, all this had been made possible by the small crystal necklace that sat in one of the statue's many palms. Talas gave it an admiring glance, as without it he would never have been able to begin his invasion on the human world, but had to take a second look as the pale stone he had expected to see had been replaced by a ruddy colored rock. The same kind of sanguine building material, in fact, that he had used to construct his dungeons.
Growling savagely, he realized finally that Hyuri had done this, how, that was still a question. All he knew was that the small demon had cost him his one chance at the human world for another 800 years.
* * * * *
Thanks to all who reviewed!
Disclaimer: Zzzzzzzz… go.. 'way…