"Kaosu!" Saberstryke called out, running over to the monk. "I sense
you found the threat."
The Ancient One smiled ironically, "The threat is the Inferno that you were looking for."
The youja unsheathed his sword but held it at his side. "And if the rumors about its strength are true, why are you not helping them?"
Angry at his condition, Kaosu said irritably, "Because I will burden them further. Youja and those with nether curses are the most susceptible to the Inferno's charm. Do you feel the presence of the Inferno?"
Saberstryke nodded, "Yes." The Inferno made him desire battle but his training towards self-control prevented him from giving in. Then, he inquired worriedly as he pointed with his sword, "Do you see that strange person approaching the castle? He appears to be changing shape."
The Inferno made Hariel walk stiffly out of Hitomaro's castle, past the ashes of the two murdered guards, and into the open grassy field. The Inferno kept no secrets; it needed no secrets. Hariel knew everything. His mysterious protector ran towards them. Hariel knew the man's name was Yellow Flame, but Yellow Flame was more than a mere mortal. Yellow Flame was an extension of the Inferno and served the Inferno. Protecting Hariel was the Inferno's plan to lead him to it and then enslave him. Either the Inferno or Hariel (at some points they were indistinguishable) tensed expectantly as Yellow Flame changed into his true form.
The muscles of the arms and legs thickened as orange and black fur sprouted, covering him. The hands shortened into feet and grew fierce claws. The mouth stretched out into a sharp toothy muzzle. The eyes became cat-like and piercing. The back hunched over onto four legs as a protective suit of armor with two swords in their sheaths on top emerged.
Vaguely hearing the Ronin Warriors run outside, Hariel begged silently, "Please, please, don't let me be like this," as the Inferno made him approach Yellow Flame. However, the Inferno quickly silenced him. Gripping the Soul Swords of Fervor, the White Inferno became complete. Its power surged to unimaginable proportions.
The Ronin Warriors then surrounded Hariel in a circular fashion. Hariel's arms jerked convulsively, fighting the Inferno's overwhelming urge to kill the Ronins.
"I don't think he wants to hurt us," Shiro of Halo said to himself, "And the Inferno is a fire element." Stating the facts no matter how obvious helped him to plan and to think clearly.
Ashura of Hardrock, unfortunately, heard Shiro's words and viewed that as a hint to take an obvious action. "Morhiko, douse the scoundrel."
Morhiko of Torrent aimed his trident at Hariel and focused on his armor's power, trusting Ashura's judgment. "Super Wave Smasher!" The water hit Hariel's unsuspecting form.
When the water slid off harmlessly, the movements solidified. The Inferno promptly turned around, facing Morhiko with the Soul Swords of Fervor in perfect position. "!!!Rage of Inferno!!!"
The Inferno attacked before the Ronin Warriors could flinch. The furious rage flamed its way towards the helpless commoner. The Ronin Warrior of Trust, like the others, froze in terror and awe of the Inferno's speed and strength. He felt the extreme heat of the Inferno's lethal surekill before it fired.
Something suddenly slammed into Morhiko's side, shoving him to the ground. The water molecules in the Torrent armor boiled and bubbled although the Inferno's surekill missed its target.
Morhiko glanced up to see White Blaze rise off him to his feet. The tiger roared in pain; the Inferno's attack charred his entire right shoulder to the bone. Then, the tiger began to approach the Inferno. He had to avenge the death of Tekaku!
"No, Rekka!" Black Blaze shouted out, jumping in front of the other tiger. "You are much too weak to fight the Inferno let alone survive. Now that the Inferno has the Soul Swords of Fervor, Yellow Flame lost his power. We now have the ability to kill Yellow Flame! Quick, follow me."
White Blaze snarled, glancing from the Inferno to Black Blaze indecisively. He had to avenge Tekaku! However, the other tiger spoke truth. White Blaze followed.
"Shit!" Shiro exclaimed after the Inferno's surekill nearly killed Morhiko. "Ashura, you idiot! We don't know enough about the Inferno to plan an effective attack!"
"We don't have the time to plan!" Ashura snapped in response. "The Inferno is ready to kill us now!"
Was the Inferno truly ready to attack again? Nazaka examined the Inferno's stolid stance and then he examined the blackened kanjis of the other Ronin Warriors, paralyzed by the evil. The Inferno attacked them through an indirect possession. All mortals had the potential for good and evil. In the vast majority of people, good and evil coexist equally and blend as one. The Inferno dug into the spirits of the Ronin Warriors, covered up the good and elevated the evil inside of them. Nazaka was unaffected because Piety, his armor's virtuous trait, was sympathetic and understanding. Evil had neither sympathy nor understanding so Nazaka's skill with Piety rendered him immune to the Inferno.
White Blaze swung his claws at Yellow Flame's throat, but missed barely. Yellow Flame then dealt a successful blow to White Blaze's head. Blood dripped down.
With a growl, Black Blaze pounced on Yellow Flame. A flurry of blows, snarls, and growls followed. Black Blaze aimed for the eyes repeatedly and finally succeeded in slicing Yellow Flame's right eye. Then, the two tigers began to circle each other. Blood matted their faces from where their hits were successful.
White Blaze charged towards Yellow Flame. Yellow Flame spun around ferociously, digging his claws into White Blaze's burnt shoulder. Then, Black Blaze sliced open Yellow Flame's other eye, blinding him completely. Black Blaze grinned. Now, he could kill his rival.
The Inferno made Hariel turn towards Nazaka. The Ronin Warrior of Piety backed away cautiously, placing his feet silently on the grass so not to provoke Hariel and the Inferno to sudden action. Nazaka placed two of his katanas in front of himself and let go; they floated towards him as he stepped away. Inferno/Hariel examined him curiously. Nazaka placed a third and fourth katana on top of the first two. When the Inferno would decide to attack, Nazaka would need to use his surekill immediately; he could not think of another plan for survival. Inferno/Hariel started to approach him.
The Ronin Warrior of Piety placed a fifth and sixth katana on top of the third and fourth. Focus on the three words, he told himself. Poison Hariel with the six snake swords. Aim for the eyes to disable him and to make him an easy target. Nazaka sweated profusely from the deadly heat emanating from the Inferno. Wait, he told himself, wait.
Inferno/Hariel paused abruptly and looked in the direction of Hitomaro's castle. The Ronin Warriors stumbled back as the Inferno momentarily abandoned its control over them. They shuddered with revulsion and glanced around confusedly. Nazaka exhaled his deep tension as his friends were freed, but he still kept his swords ready for his surekill. His relief was short-lived as Shiro and Jiguro began shouting at whom the Inferno watched. With a tear-streaked face, Yuki had stepped out of Hitomaro's castle near the battle.
Exhausted and bloodied, White Blaze collapsed on the grass. His right shoulder, in addition to the burns, was now dislocated and hung stiffly, dragging his body down. Yellow Flame was dead. If White Blaze was more alive than dead, he would rejoice at the death of one of his most hated enemies. Unfortunately, Hariel and the Inferno still lived in perfect condition and innocent Yuki put herself in the midst of the danger.
Black Blaze sat down next to him. Cleaning Yellow Flame's blood off his paws, he said to the other tiger, "Tell me, Rekka. What is the true nature of Jewel of Life? What are the powers that it possesses? What strength does it give its user?"
Struggling to stay conscious, White Blaze replied weakly, "It can only be used by a pure and innocent soul unless it is used to transform a person into a proper form for the betterment of mankind. like me. It turned me into the Guardian of Virtue and I must protect the rightful bearer of Wildfire until he is able to protect himself." White Blaze sighed, letting his words and his purpose grant him extra strength to stay conscious.
Black Blaze asked him, "And what does the Jewel of Life give to a pure and innocent soul?"
".The same powers that the warrior monks and the Ronin Warriors share."
"I see," Black Blaze said as though he found the final clue that solved a mystery.
Slow and solemn, Yuki walked quietly towards the battle. The Ancient One once told her that the Jewel of Life was the most powerful relic in existence and that only a special person with a pure and innocent heart could properly access its power. Yuki knew she was not special, but the Ronin Warriors were certainly special! They cared for her and helped her! She wanted to help them in return for their unkindness no matter what.
Hariel in the Inferno faced her directly. The swords were in preparation for its surekill. Yuki wanted to insult Hariel, wanted to punish him with words, wanted to say something heroic and defiant, but being only six years old, her vocabulary was rather limited so she simply told Hariel, "You're a bad man. You're worse than the people who work at the tavern!"
Jiguro ran towards Yuki to pull her out of the battle and into safety, but the Inferno fired a sharp tendril of flame at him before he could reach her. Yuki's thoughts were simple: Jiguro was a nice man and did not deserve to be hurt. The Jewel of Life reacted to her thoughts and created a shield around Jiguro. Unfortunately, the Inferno was stronger than Yuki's innocence. The fire hit the hastily-made shield and shoved Jiguro into the dirt. The Ronin Warrior of Serenity was dizzy, but he survived without any injuries.
There was a fine line between innocence and selfishness that everyone tossed away as the duality of good and evil merged inside them. The Jewel's reaction to Yuki's thoughts enabled her to realize the existence of the fine line. When Shiro was dying, she thought only about her own inadequacy to help him, not about Shiro.
Then, Hariel in the Inferno pounced on Yuki. Terrified and angsty, Yuki grappled with the fine line of innocence and selfishness as the Soul Swords of Fervor cut into her arms. The Jewel of Life glowed hesitantly. The blackened kanji for Virtue shone on Hariel's forehead.
The Jewel whose trait was innocence affected and brought forth the trait of Wildfire and helped clear the minds of the other Ronin Warriors. Watching the kanji and the Jewel, Shiro thought of a wonderful plan. The Ronin Warrior of Wisdom shouted, "Everyone, direct your armor's trait to the Virtue of the Wildfire armor! Wildfire is inside the Inferno! If we aim our traits to Wildfire's trait, Wildfire will be able to gain control over the Inferno!"
The Ronin Warriors obeyed instantly. They stretched out their arms together towards Wildfire inside of the Inferno as energy the color of their armors emanated from their hands. The kanji of their traits glowed brightly, giving them their power. Shiro, Wisdom. Ashura, Justice. Morhiko, Trust. Hitomaro, Life. Toshiten, Loyalty. Jiguro, Serenity. Idoju, Obedience. Nazaka, Piety.
The eight virtuous traits connected with the Perfect Virtue of Wildfire. The kanji on Hariel's forehead reddened to the color of Wildfire. Tears streaming down his cheeks, Hariel screamed, as again his soul became a battleground between good and evil. The Inferno used his anger to gain the upper hand again. The Inferno made Hariel spin around and send tendrils of flame at the bearers of the seasonal armors. Toshiten, Jiguro, Idoju, and Nazaka fell unconscious.
Then, Yuki did the unexpected. She hugged Hariel and pitied him for his tears. Seeing his tears, she realized that Hariel was a tool of the Inferno and she wanted his pain to end and she wanted him to stop causing pain for the Ronin Warriors. At that moment, their souls touched in a fashion similar to the first step that Tekaku used in his suicidal attack to kill the previous wearer of the Inferno.
"Everything's so quiet here," Hariel commented in amazement. The souls of Hariel and Yuki were isolated from every outside distraction. The continuing influence of the elemental armor's traits aided their peaceful isolation.
Yuki nodded, "Everything's so nice and calm here."
"I certainly feel calm."
"Me too."
Hariel sighed, "What's going on?"
Yuki looked at their confinement. She knew instinctively where they were. "I think I put us here, but I think we're stuck here. We can't go back."
"Why should we want to go back?" Hariel wondered. He also knew instinctively where they were. "That- that armor - Wildfire- it changed me. I- I think I like the changes. I don't know though. If we do go back, I'll still be in that accursed Inferno armor and I'll be a slave to it. I don't want to be a slave anymore. I'm ready for the next life."
"Okay," Yuki replied. She knew that as the bearer of the Jewel of Life, she had to take Hariel's soul to the afterlife for reincarnation, but once there she would never return and would also be reincarnated. Her own life was unimportant. She wanted the Ronin Warriors to live and in order to save them; she should kill the bearer of the Inferno.
The Jewel of Life's pink aura engulfed Yuki and Hariel, and hid them from sight. When the aura dissipated, the Inferno armor faded away, revealing Yuki and Hariel who was still wearing the Wildfire armor. They collapsed lifelessly on the ground. Then, Wildfire elevated above Hariel, condensed into its armor orb, and rested on his chest.
Shiro twitched nervously at the sight, at first too exhausted from the strain and fear of the battle to comprehend what happened. As the fear faded away from his mind, terror of a different kind set in immediately. With a heavy heart and a dry mouth, he hurried towards his adopted sister. His entire body ached painfully from the agony of his worries.
When he reached her body, the world slowed down for him. He would not allow the thoughts or the suggestions of what happened to enter his head. "C'mon, Yuki. Wake up," he tried to sound teasing as he bent down and nudged her. No reaction. "Yuki?" Gently he brushed aside a few strands of hair on her face. Then, he picked her up and cradled her in his arms.
Hitomaro rested his hand on Shiro's shoulder to comfort his despondent friend. Lord Mitoma Hitomaro was responsible for Yuki's death. If he never bought that accursed armor, Hariel would not be interested in it and Yuki would not sacrifice her life to save everyone from the Inferno. The guilt of Yuki's death would haunt him for the rest of his own life.
Hearing footsteps, Hitomaro glanced around him. The Ronin Warriors, except for those who were unconscious, surrounded them. The Ancient One healed the unconscious seasonal Ronin Warriors. Saberstryke walked over to Hariel's body.
"So that was the power of the Inferno," the youja mused, picking the Soul Swords of Fervor out of Hariel's lifeless hands, "It is a shame that the Inferno was destroyed. The Inferno would have been a powerful tool against Talpa. I suppose these swords will be just as effective." Then, Saberstryke walked over to the dead body of Yellow Flame. He ripped the sword sheaths off the dead tiger and placed them on top of Black Blaze. Then, he set the swords in the sheaths.
Jiguro awoke disoriented but relaxed because finally his nightmares ceased.
"Congratulations," Idoju said sourly as Jiguro stood up. "We won."
The Ronin Warrior of Serenity glanced around, bewildered, not knowing from Idoju's tone whether to be happy or angry. Everyone appeared sad and isolated. The Ancient One stood a long distance away from the group, his back facing them and his shoulders drooping. Morhiko tried to comfort Shiro over something that he could not hear. Toshiten tended to White Blaze's bloody wounds.
Confused, Jiguro asked the Ronin Warrior of Obedience, "Where's Yuki?"
Idoju sighed, turning his head away from Jiguro's face. "We're taking her to the village for burial."
"What?"
"The Ancient One said the Jewel of Life enabled her to kill Hariel by separating his soul from his body and taking him into the afterlife. The only downside was that she had to go with Hariel."
Weeks passed. During which the village was rebuilt. Although everyone wore the traditional robes of mourning, Jiguro and Shiro were the most inconsolable. Shiro moved into Jiguro's and Keiko's house. He rarely left his room and never exited the house. Jiguro left the house only for gardening and fishing to supply his family with dinner. He neither visited nor spoke with the Ancient One.
The other Ronin Warriors were deeply concerned about them but were afraid to see their pathetic conditions and were afraid of their anger so they unanimously elected Morhiko to speak with them.
Mouri Morhiko nervously knocked on the door to the hut. He did not want to visit such depressed individuals, but he worried about them and he knew that if they were left alone, their mental conditions would deteriorate. Jiguro's sweet-tempered wife opened the door. "Hello, Keiko. I was wondering if Jiguro and Shiro were home."
Keiko spoke bluntly, "Come in. I can't comfort them because I understand their pain and their anger, and to a certain extent, I agree with Jiguro."
"Thank you," Morhiko said quietly, entering. Jiguro worked on making a candle at the table. Morhiko sat in front of him. "Jiguro, I know you're upset with the Ancient One. We're all a little upset with him." Jiguro ignored him, not even glancing in his direction. Sighing, he held his head in his hands and tried a different approach, "Jiguro, stop being so depressed and angry. We're all angry and sad, but you're taking it to the extreme. Do you know what happens to the eternally depressed and furious? They're ripe targets for evil spirits."
Jiguro glared at him sharply. "The Ancient One is no different than Talpa." He smirked and watched with satisfaction as Morhiko exited the building dejectedly. Jiguro tried for his entire life to avoid the nether curse and to stay on the side of the Ancient One, but if the Ancient One and Talpa were the same, what was the point in avoiding the curse?
Keiko took Morhiko's spot and sat in front of her husband. She spoke sternly yet also sympathetically, "Yuki wanted us to live. That was why she sacrificed herself. Yuki loved us so much that she was willing to give up her life so that we could have ours. You should feel honored to have a daughter like her although she was adopted and although we only raised her for a few weeks. I certainly feel honored."
Jiguro frowned somberly and cast his eyes down. After a few moments, he started to cry and his mourning began.
Shiro was more difficult to help through the mourning process. Keiko believed that talking to him about Yuki would loosen and eventually break his depression.
"You know how little kids need to eat a lot," Keiko began one story about Yuki, "I knew that so about every hour or two hours, I asked Yuki if she was angry and she always replied 'no.' Then, during breakfast, lunch, and dinner, she would eat half of the entire meal. She always spoke so fearfully. When she first told me that she was hungry, she then acted like I was going to beat her. Poor child."
After hearing the story, Shiro stormed out of the room and slammed the door. He then avoided Keiko.
Eventually, Shiro began spending more time with his friends. Unfortunately, he fell victim to random bouts of depression and anger. One day while Shiro and Toshiten were picking out fruits at the marketplace, they encountered Yuki's biological mother.
Yuki's biological mother asked Shiro, "Where's the brat? Did you finally get tired of her whining all the time?"
Toshiten sensed his friend's discomfort and replied to the woman, "She died."
"Good riddance!" exclaimed Yuki's biological mother. "I swear all children need to die. That brat was good for nothing!"
Toshiten scowled as he watched her pass by, but Shiro's expression was absolutely bloodthirsty.
Immediately after that incident, Shiro remained in counsel with the Ancient One for days. No one knew what they discussed, but the Ronin Warriors hoped that Shiro's condition would soon improve. After three days, the Ancient One gathered up the Ronin Warriors with the news that Shiro had an announcement to make.
"I hate this," Shiro swore as the Ronin Warriors gathered in a semi- circle around him. "I swear I hate this, but, okay, I'm a'tired of keeping my mouth shut. Toshiten, you say that you're an orphan and that you don't know who your parents are. Well, we might be brothers. Seriously." Shiro sighed and clenched his teeth. "I know my father's a foreigner because I appear foreign but I know my mom is Japanese. Yuki is the same as me because we both don't know who our fathers are and our mothers are in the, uh, in the same profession. There, anyone happy that I revealed my big, dark secret? Anyone wanna beat the crap outta me like the kids from my childhood did?"
No one said a word. Their somber, unexpected silence made Shiro uncomfortable. Lapsing again into his old accent, Shiro sighed and stood up, "There's somethin' else that I hafta tell ya. I already discussed this with the Ancient One. I'm leaving in two days to go to the Date clan. The Ancient One believes they'll accept me as instructor on swordsmanship. I dunno. I guess a change of occupation is good. The Ancient One says they'll treat me with courtesy and respect. Well, I guess we'll gonna leave to go to our homes soon and we probly won't see each other for the rest of our lives."
Dateki Shiro, the first Ronin Warrior of Wisdom, lived out the rest of his life training students in the Date clan. Although he never worshipped any formal religion, he developed a philosophy to guide his life that also helped certain members of the Date clan to accept him as a trainer. The Ancient One counseled him periodically after his 35th year, which helped to smooth his transition from a commoner's lifestyle to a nobleman's lifestyle. He died without any descendents and his armor passed into the Date clan and eventually to Sage Date, 500 years later.
Mitoma Hitomaro, the first Ronin Warrior of Life, died a tragic death due to Talpa's influence nearly fifty years after the battle with the Inferno. Hitomaro's grandson, the heir to his land, believed he could glorify his land and his family by gaining power and superiority as one of Talpa's warlords. Enraged at his grandson's beliefs, Hitomaro killed him and then took his own life. Without an heir to lead them, the descendents of Hitomaro engaged in a succession war. A woman fled Hitomaro's castle with the Strata armor, entered, and married into the Hideyoshi clan, which became the Habashi clan. Rowen Habashi is descended from that woman, but it is unclear if the woman was a descendent of Hitomaro or came from another family and was originally a concubine of one of Hitomaro's sons.
Karei Ashura, the first Ronin Warrior of Justice, died unaware of Talpa's approach. He passed down the story of his armor to his children and grandchildren. His grandchildren dispersed around Asia once news of Talpa's manipulations in Japan reached them. One grandchild, carrying the armor, married into the Rei Faun clan. It is unclear if Kento Rei Faun is descended from Ashura or if he merely received his armor from a highly respected neighbor in the clan.
Mouri Morhiko, the first Ronin Warrior of Trust, also died unaware of the threat of Talpa. It is also unclear if Sai Mouri is descended from Morhiko or from Morhiko's older brother, Idashin. Sai may be descended from both, which is the general belief concerning his heritage. During the threat of Talpa, a child (either of Morhiko or Idashin) hid the armor in an underwater cave. When reports of nether soldiers in Japan spread through the village, the child committed suicide to prevent capture and torture, which would force the location of the armor to be revealed.
Koma Toshiten, the first Ronin Warrior of Loyalty, died at the early age of 35. His only child passed down the armor but not the legend to Anubis Koma, Toshiten's grandson, who became power-hungry and eventually became a warlord of Talpa. As war broke out across Japan, the Ancient One struggled to find Anubis and the armor, but his efforts were useless and he had to focus his attention on the other armors.
Sasaki Idoju, the first Ronin Warrior of Obedience, lived under strained relations for his new lord due to his previous dishonor, not being able to protect his new lord's father. His children and grandchildren were born with his dishonor. Idoju's grandson, Kale Sasaki, became a warlord of Talpa to gain power and prestige.
Kuroda Jiguro, the first Ronin Warrior of Serenity, had three children. His children were born with his nether curse and were instinctively evil. Jiguro and Keiko struggled to raise them on the good side. Two children unfortunately died before reaching their sixth birthday. Dais Kuroda, Jiguro's grandson, was also born with the nether curse but to a lesser extent, so little training was required to keep him on the good side. Dais never received the holy education that Jiguro received under the Ancient One's tutelage. Dais was angry at the world during the period of constant warfare and felt oppressed by his lord for always forcing him to fight. Dais unfortunately became a warlord of Talpa to gain power over his lord.
Yamanouchi Nazaka, the first Ronin Warrior of Piety, lived out the rest of his life under constant warfare against the snake demons, which poisoned his father and threatened his village. He had two children, a son and a daughter. His son died in battle. His daughter was raped by a snake demon and Sekhmet Yamanouchi was the result. His daughter later killed herself in despair. Nazaka struggled to raise Sekhmet among the hostile surroundings. Nazaka died in the decisive battle against the snake demons when Sekhmet was nine. Sekhmet then ran away with his grandfather's armor and was hunted by Naga, the leader of the snake demons. Sekhmet eventually fell under Naga's control. Sekhmet forgot parts of his grandfather's teachings and agreed to be a warlord of Talpa so that Naga would no longer control him.
The children and grandchildren of Sanada Hariel lived in constant disgrace due to Hariel's evil actions and his possession by the Inferno. They spread lies about him to honor their family. They said that Hariel was the true first Ronin Warrior. Their lie became very popular and widespread, which caused people to doubt and to lose hope in the true legend. The perverted stories about Hariel and the Ronin Warriors are responsible to a certain extent for the descendents of the seasonal Ronin Warriors to become warlords. It is uncertain if Ryo Sanada, the first Ronin Warrior of Virtue, was descended from Hariel.
Unaware of the true nature of the armor, the five Ronin Warriors 500 years later repeatedly bowed down to the power of the White Inferno until it lead to the destruction of their armors. During every major battle, they called out for Ryo to summon the Inferno. After the destruction of the elemental Ronin armors, they returned home, disgraced but the world was still in danger.
The Ancient One smiled ironically, "The threat is the Inferno that you were looking for."
The youja unsheathed his sword but held it at his side. "And if the rumors about its strength are true, why are you not helping them?"
Angry at his condition, Kaosu said irritably, "Because I will burden them further. Youja and those with nether curses are the most susceptible to the Inferno's charm. Do you feel the presence of the Inferno?"
Saberstryke nodded, "Yes." The Inferno made him desire battle but his training towards self-control prevented him from giving in. Then, he inquired worriedly as he pointed with his sword, "Do you see that strange person approaching the castle? He appears to be changing shape."
The Inferno made Hariel walk stiffly out of Hitomaro's castle, past the ashes of the two murdered guards, and into the open grassy field. The Inferno kept no secrets; it needed no secrets. Hariel knew everything. His mysterious protector ran towards them. Hariel knew the man's name was Yellow Flame, but Yellow Flame was more than a mere mortal. Yellow Flame was an extension of the Inferno and served the Inferno. Protecting Hariel was the Inferno's plan to lead him to it and then enslave him. Either the Inferno or Hariel (at some points they were indistinguishable) tensed expectantly as Yellow Flame changed into his true form.
The muscles of the arms and legs thickened as orange and black fur sprouted, covering him. The hands shortened into feet and grew fierce claws. The mouth stretched out into a sharp toothy muzzle. The eyes became cat-like and piercing. The back hunched over onto four legs as a protective suit of armor with two swords in their sheaths on top emerged.
Vaguely hearing the Ronin Warriors run outside, Hariel begged silently, "Please, please, don't let me be like this," as the Inferno made him approach Yellow Flame. However, the Inferno quickly silenced him. Gripping the Soul Swords of Fervor, the White Inferno became complete. Its power surged to unimaginable proportions.
The Ronin Warriors then surrounded Hariel in a circular fashion. Hariel's arms jerked convulsively, fighting the Inferno's overwhelming urge to kill the Ronins.
"I don't think he wants to hurt us," Shiro of Halo said to himself, "And the Inferno is a fire element." Stating the facts no matter how obvious helped him to plan and to think clearly.
Ashura of Hardrock, unfortunately, heard Shiro's words and viewed that as a hint to take an obvious action. "Morhiko, douse the scoundrel."
Morhiko of Torrent aimed his trident at Hariel and focused on his armor's power, trusting Ashura's judgment. "Super Wave Smasher!" The water hit Hariel's unsuspecting form.
When the water slid off harmlessly, the movements solidified. The Inferno promptly turned around, facing Morhiko with the Soul Swords of Fervor in perfect position. "!!!Rage of Inferno!!!"
The Inferno attacked before the Ronin Warriors could flinch. The furious rage flamed its way towards the helpless commoner. The Ronin Warrior of Trust, like the others, froze in terror and awe of the Inferno's speed and strength. He felt the extreme heat of the Inferno's lethal surekill before it fired.
Something suddenly slammed into Morhiko's side, shoving him to the ground. The water molecules in the Torrent armor boiled and bubbled although the Inferno's surekill missed its target.
Morhiko glanced up to see White Blaze rise off him to his feet. The tiger roared in pain; the Inferno's attack charred his entire right shoulder to the bone. Then, the tiger began to approach the Inferno. He had to avenge the death of Tekaku!
"No, Rekka!" Black Blaze shouted out, jumping in front of the other tiger. "You are much too weak to fight the Inferno let alone survive. Now that the Inferno has the Soul Swords of Fervor, Yellow Flame lost his power. We now have the ability to kill Yellow Flame! Quick, follow me."
White Blaze snarled, glancing from the Inferno to Black Blaze indecisively. He had to avenge Tekaku! However, the other tiger spoke truth. White Blaze followed.
"Shit!" Shiro exclaimed after the Inferno's surekill nearly killed Morhiko. "Ashura, you idiot! We don't know enough about the Inferno to plan an effective attack!"
"We don't have the time to plan!" Ashura snapped in response. "The Inferno is ready to kill us now!"
Was the Inferno truly ready to attack again? Nazaka examined the Inferno's stolid stance and then he examined the blackened kanjis of the other Ronin Warriors, paralyzed by the evil. The Inferno attacked them through an indirect possession. All mortals had the potential for good and evil. In the vast majority of people, good and evil coexist equally and blend as one. The Inferno dug into the spirits of the Ronin Warriors, covered up the good and elevated the evil inside of them. Nazaka was unaffected because Piety, his armor's virtuous trait, was sympathetic and understanding. Evil had neither sympathy nor understanding so Nazaka's skill with Piety rendered him immune to the Inferno.
White Blaze swung his claws at Yellow Flame's throat, but missed barely. Yellow Flame then dealt a successful blow to White Blaze's head. Blood dripped down.
With a growl, Black Blaze pounced on Yellow Flame. A flurry of blows, snarls, and growls followed. Black Blaze aimed for the eyes repeatedly and finally succeeded in slicing Yellow Flame's right eye. Then, the two tigers began to circle each other. Blood matted their faces from where their hits were successful.
White Blaze charged towards Yellow Flame. Yellow Flame spun around ferociously, digging his claws into White Blaze's burnt shoulder. Then, Black Blaze sliced open Yellow Flame's other eye, blinding him completely. Black Blaze grinned. Now, he could kill his rival.
The Inferno made Hariel turn towards Nazaka. The Ronin Warrior of Piety backed away cautiously, placing his feet silently on the grass so not to provoke Hariel and the Inferno to sudden action. Nazaka placed two of his katanas in front of himself and let go; they floated towards him as he stepped away. Inferno/Hariel examined him curiously. Nazaka placed a third and fourth katana on top of the first two. When the Inferno would decide to attack, Nazaka would need to use his surekill immediately; he could not think of another plan for survival. Inferno/Hariel started to approach him.
The Ronin Warrior of Piety placed a fifth and sixth katana on top of the third and fourth. Focus on the three words, he told himself. Poison Hariel with the six snake swords. Aim for the eyes to disable him and to make him an easy target. Nazaka sweated profusely from the deadly heat emanating from the Inferno. Wait, he told himself, wait.
Inferno/Hariel paused abruptly and looked in the direction of Hitomaro's castle. The Ronin Warriors stumbled back as the Inferno momentarily abandoned its control over them. They shuddered with revulsion and glanced around confusedly. Nazaka exhaled his deep tension as his friends were freed, but he still kept his swords ready for his surekill. His relief was short-lived as Shiro and Jiguro began shouting at whom the Inferno watched. With a tear-streaked face, Yuki had stepped out of Hitomaro's castle near the battle.
Exhausted and bloodied, White Blaze collapsed on the grass. His right shoulder, in addition to the burns, was now dislocated and hung stiffly, dragging his body down. Yellow Flame was dead. If White Blaze was more alive than dead, he would rejoice at the death of one of his most hated enemies. Unfortunately, Hariel and the Inferno still lived in perfect condition and innocent Yuki put herself in the midst of the danger.
Black Blaze sat down next to him. Cleaning Yellow Flame's blood off his paws, he said to the other tiger, "Tell me, Rekka. What is the true nature of Jewel of Life? What are the powers that it possesses? What strength does it give its user?"
Struggling to stay conscious, White Blaze replied weakly, "It can only be used by a pure and innocent soul unless it is used to transform a person into a proper form for the betterment of mankind. like me. It turned me into the Guardian of Virtue and I must protect the rightful bearer of Wildfire until he is able to protect himself." White Blaze sighed, letting his words and his purpose grant him extra strength to stay conscious.
Black Blaze asked him, "And what does the Jewel of Life give to a pure and innocent soul?"
".The same powers that the warrior monks and the Ronin Warriors share."
"I see," Black Blaze said as though he found the final clue that solved a mystery.
Slow and solemn, Yuki walked quietly towards the battle. The Ancient One once told her that the Jewel of Life was the most powerful relic in existence and that only a special person with a pure and innocent heart could properly access its power. Yuki knew she was not special, but the Ronin Warriors were certainly special! They cared for her and helped her! She wanted to help them in return for their unkindness no matter what.
Hariel in the Inferno faced her directly. The swords were in preparation for its surekill. Yuki wanted to insult Hariel, wanted to punish him with words, wanted to say something heroic and defiant, but being only six years old, her vocabulary was rather limited so she simply told Hariel, "You're a bad man. You're worse than the people who work at the tavern!"
Jiguro ran towards Yuki to pull her out of the battle and into safety, but the Inferno fired a sharp tendril of flame at him before he could reach her. Yuki's thoughts were simple: Jiguro was a nice man and did not deserve to be hurt. The Jewel of Life reacted to her thoughts and created a shield around Jiguro. Unfortunately, the Inferno was stronger than Yuki's innocence. The fire hit the hastily-made shield and shoved Jiguro into the dirt. The Ronin Warrior of Serenity was dizzy, but he survived without any injuries.
There was a fine line between innocence and selfishness that everyone tossed away as the duality of good and evil merged inside them. The Jewel's reaction to Yuki's thoughts enabled her to realize the existence of the fine line. When Shiro was dying, she thought only about her own inadequacy to help him, not about Shiro.
Then, Hariel in the Inferno pounced on Yuki. Terrified and angsty, Yuki grappled with the fine line of innocence and selfishness as the Soul Swords of Fervor cut into her arms. The Jewel of Life glowed hesitantly. The blackened kanji for Virtue shone on Hariel's forehead.
The Jewel whose trait was innocence affected and brought forth the trait of Wildfire and helped clear the minds of the other Ronin Warriors. Watching the kanji and the Jewel, Shiro thought of a wonderful plan. The Ronin Warrior of Wisdom shouted, "Everyone, direct your armor's trait to the Virtue of the Wildfire armor! Wildfire is inside the Inferno! If we aim our traits to Wildfire's trait, Wildfire will be able to gain control over the Inferno!"
The Ronin Warriors obeyed instantly. They stretched out their arms together towards Wildfire inside of the Inferno as energy the color of their armors emanated from their hands. The kanji of their traits glowed brightly, giving them their power. Shiro, Wisdom. Ashura, Justice. Morhiko, Trust. Hitomaro, Life. Toshiten, Loyalty. Jiguro, Serenity. Idoju, Obedience. Nazaka, Piety.
The eight virtuous traits connected with the Perfect Virtue of Wildfire. The kanji on Hariel's forehead reddened to the color of Wildfire. Tears streaming down his cheeks, Hariel screamed, as again his soul became a battleground between good and evil. The Inferno used his anger to gain the upper hand again. The Inferno made Hariel spin around and send tendrils of flame at the bearers of the seasonal armors. Toshiten, Jiguro, Idoju, and Nazaka fell unconscious.
Then, Yuki did the unexpected. She hugged Hariel and pitied him for his tears. Seeing his tears, she realized that Hariel was a tool of the Inferno and she wanted his pain to end and she wanted him to stop causing pain for the Ronin Warriors. At that moment, their souls touched in a fashion similar to the first step that Tekaku used in his suicidal attack to kill the previous wearer of the Inferno.
"Everything's so quiet here," Hariel commented in amazement. The souls of Hariel and Yuki were isolated from every outside distraction. The continuing influence of the elemental armor's traits aided their peaceful isolation.
Yuki nodded, "Everything's so nice and calm here."
"I certainly feel calm."
"Me too."
Hariel sighed, "What's going on?"
Yuki looked at their confinement. She knew instinctively where they were. "I think I put us here, but I think we're stuck here. We can't go back."
"Why should we want to go back?" Hariel wondered. He also knew instinctively where they were. "That- that armor - Wildfire- it changed me. I- I think I like the changes. I don't know though. If we do go back, I'll still be in that accursed Inferno armor and I'll be a slave to it. I don't want to be a slave anymore. I'm ready for the next life."
"Okay," Yuki replied. She knew that as the bearer of the Jewel of Life, she had to take Hariel's soul to the afterlife for reincarnation, but once there she would never return and would also be reincarnated. Her own life was unimportant. She wanted the Ronin Warriors to live and in order to save them; she should kill the bearer of the Inferno.
The Jewel of Life's pink aura engulfed Yuki and Hariel, and hid them from sight. When the aura dissipated, the Inferno armor faded away, revealing Yuki and Hariel who was still wearing the Wildfire armor. They collapsed lifelessly on the ground. Then, Wildfire elevated above Hariel, condensed into its armor orb, and rested on his chest.
Shiro twitched nervously at the sight, at first too exhausted from the strain and fear of the battle to comprehend what happened. As the fear faded away from his mind, terror of a different kind set in immediately. With a heavy heart and a dry mouth, he hurried towards his adopted sister. His entire body ached painfully from the agony of his worries.
When he reached her body, the world slowed down for him. He would not allow the thoughts or the suggestions of what happened to enter his head. "C'mon, Yuki. Wake up," he tried to sound teasing as he bent down and nudged her. No reaction. "Yuki?" Gently he brushed aside a few strands of hair on her face. Then, he picked her up and cradled her in his arms.
Hitomaro rested his hand on Shiro's shoulder to comfort his despondent friend. Lord Mitoma Hitomaro was responsible for Yuki's death. If he never bought that accursed armor, Hariel would not be interested in it and Yuki would not sacrifice her life to save everyone from the Inferno. The guilt of Yuki's death would haunt him for the rest of his own life.
Hearing footsteps, Hitomaro glanced around him. The Ronin Warriors, except for those who were unconscious, surrounded them. The Ancient One healed the unconscious seasonal Ronin Warriors. Saberstryke walked over to Hariel's body.
"So that was the power of the Inferno," the youja mused, picking the Soul Swords of Fervor out of Hariel's lifeless hands, "It is a shame that the Inferno was destroyed. The Inferno would have been a powerful tool against Talpa. I suppose these swords will be just as effective." Then, Saberstryke walked over to the dead body of Yellow Flame. He ripped the sword sheaths off the dead tiger and placed them on top of Black Blaze. Then, he set the swords in the sheaths.
Jiguro awoke disoriented but relaxed because finally his nightmares ceased.
"Congratulations," Idoju said sourly as Jiguro stood up. "We won."
The Ronin Warrior of Serenity glanced around, bewildered, not knowing from Idoju's tone whether to be happy or angry. Everyone appeared sad and isolated. The Ancient One stood a long distance away from the group, his back facing them and his shoulders drooping. Morhiko tried to comfort Shiro over something that he could not hear. Toshiten tended to White Blaze's bloody wounds.
Confused, Jiguro asked the Ronin Warrior of Obedience, "Where's Yuki?"
Idoju sighed, turning his head away from Jiguro's face. "We're taking her to the village for burial."
"What?"
"The Ancient One said the Jewel of Life enabled her to kill Hariel by separating his soul from his body and taking him into the afterlife. The only downside was that she had to go with Hariel."
Weeks passed. During which the village was rebuilt. Although everyone wore the traditional robes of mourning, Jiguro and Shiro were the most inconsolable. Shiro moved into Jiguro's and Keiko's house. He rarely left his room and never exited the house. Jiguro left the house only for gardening and fishing to supply his family with dinner. He neither visited nor spoke with the Ancient One.
The other Ronin Warriors were deeply concerned about them but were afraid to see their pathetic conditions and were afraid of their anger so they unanimously elected Morhiko to speak with them.
Mouri Morhiko nervously knocked on the door to the hut. He did not want to visit such depressed individuals, but he worried about them and he knew that if they were left alone, their mental conditions would deteriorate. Jiguro's sweet-tempered wife opened the door. "Hello, Keiko. I was wondering if Jiguro and Shiro were home."
Keiko spoke bluntly, "Come in. I can't comfort them because I understand their pain and their anger, and to a certain extent, I agree with Jiguro."
"Thank you," Morhiko said quietly, entering. Jiguro worked on making a candle at the table. Morhiko sat in front of him. "Jiguro, I know you're upset with the Ancient One. We're all a little upset with him." Jiguro ignored him, not even glancing in his direction. Sighing, he held his head in his hands and tried a different approach, "Jiguro, stop being so depressed and angry. We're all angry and sad, but you're taking it to the extreme. Do you know what happens to the eternally depressed and furious? They're ripe targets for evil spirits."
Jiguro glared at him sharply. "The Ancient One is no different than Talpa." He smirked and watched with satisfaction as Morhiko exited the building dejectedly. Jiguro tried for his entire life to avoid the nether curse and to stay on the side of the Ancient One, but if the Ancient One and Talpa were the same, what was the point in avoiding the curse?
Keiko took Morhiko's spot and sat in front of her husband. She spoke sternly yet also sympathetically, "Yuki wanted us to live. That was why she sacrificed herself. Yuki loved us so much that she was willing to give up her life so that we could have ours. You should feel honored to have a daughter like her although she was adopted and although we only raised her for a few weeks. I certainly feel honored."
Jiguro frowned somberly and cast his eyes down. After a few moments, he started to cry and his mourning began.
Shiro was more difficult to help through the mourning process. Keiko believed that talking to him about Yuki would loosen and eventually break his depression.
"You know how little kids need to eat a lot," Keiko began one story about Yuki, "I knew that so about every hour or two hours, I asked Yuki if she was angry and she always replied 'no.' Then, during breakfast, lunch, and dinner, she would eat half of the entire meal. She always spoke so fearfully. When she first told me that she was hungry, she then acted like I was going to beat her. Poor child."
After hearing the story, Shiro stormed out of the room and slammed the door. He then avoided Keiko.
Eventually, Shiro began spending more time with his friends. Unfortunately, he fell victim to random bouts of depression and anger. One day while Shiro and Toshiten were picking out fruits at the marketplace, they encountered Yuki's biological mother.
Yuki's biological mother asked Shiro, "Where's the brat? Did you finally get tired of her whining all the time?"
Toshiten sensed his friend's discomfort and replied to the woman, "She died."
"Good riddance!" exclaimed Yuki's biological mother. "I swear all children need to die. That brat was good for nothing!"
Toshiten scowled as he watched her pass by, but Shiro's expression was absolutely bloodthirsty.
Immediately after that incident, Shiro remained in counsel with the Ancient One for days. No one knew what they discussed, but the Ronin Warriors hoped that Shiro's condition would soon improve. After three days, the Ancient One gathered up the Ronin Warriors with the news that Shiro had an announcement to make.
"I hate this," Shiro swore as the Ronin Warriors gathered in a semi- circle around him. "I swear I hate this, but, okay, I'm a'tired of keeping my mouth shut. Toshiten, you say that you're an orphan and that you don't know who your parents are. Well, we might be brothers. Seriously." Shiro sighed and clenched his teeth. "I know my father's a foreigner because I appear foreign but I know my mom is Japanese. Yuki is the same as me because we both don't know who our fathers are and our mothers are in the, uh, in the same profession. There, anyone happy that I revealed my big, dark secret? Anyone wanna beat the crap outta me like the kids from my childhood did?"
No one said a word. Their somber, unexpected silence made Shiro uncomfortable. Lapsing again into his old accent, Shiro sighed and stood up, "There's somethin' else that I hafta tell ya. I already discussed this with the Ancient One. I'm leaving in two days to go to the Date clan. The Ancient One believes they'll accept me as instructor on swordsmanship. I dunno. I guess a change of occupation is good. The Ancient One says they'll treat me with courtesy and respect. Well, I guess we'll gonna leave to go to our homes soon and we probly won't see each other for the rest of our lives."
Dateki Shiro, the first Ronin Warrior of Wisdom, lived out the rest of his life training students in the Date clan. Although he never worshipped any formal religion, he developed a philosophy to guide his life that also helped certain members of the Date clan to accept him as a trainer. The Ancient One counseled him periodically after his 35th year, which helped to smooth his transition from a commoner's lifestyle to a nobleman's lifestyle. He died without any descendents and his armor passed into the Date clan and eventually to Sage Date, 500 years later.
Mitoma Hitomaro, the first Ronin Warrior of Life, died a tragic death due to Talpa's influence nearly fifty years after the battle with the Inferno. Hitomaro's grandson, the heir to his land, believed he could glorify his land and his family by gaining power and superiority as one of Talpa's warlords. Enraged at his grandson's beliefs, Hitomaro killed him and then took his own life. Without an heir to lead them, the descendents of Hitomaro engaged in a succession war. A woman fled Hitomaro's castle with the Strata armor, entered, and married into the Hideyoshi clan, which became the Habashi clan. Rowen Habashi is descended from that woman, but it is unclear if the woman was a descendent of Hitomaro or came from another family and was originally a concubine of one of Hitomaro's sons.
Karei Ashura, the first Ronin Warrior of Justice, died unaware of Talpa's approach. He passed down the story of his armor to his children and grandchildren. His grandchildren dispersed around Asia once news of Talpa's manipulations in Japan reached them. One grandchild, carrying the armor, married into the Rei Faun clan. It is unclear if Kento Rei Faun is descended from Ashura or if he merely received his armor from a highly respected neighbor in the clan.
Mouri Morhiko, the first Ronin Warrior of Trust, also died unaware of the threat of Talpa. It is also unclear if Sai Mouri is descended from Morhiko or from Morhiko's older brother, Idashin. Sai may be descended from both, which is the general belief concerning his heritage. During the threat of Talpa, a child (either of Morhiko or Idashin) hid the armor in an underwater cave. When reports of nether soldiers in Japan spread through the village, the child committed suicide to prevent capture and torture, which would force the location of the armor to be revealed.
Koma Toshiten, the first Ronin Warrior of Loyalty, died at the early age of 35. His only child passed down the armor but not the legend to Anubis Koma, Toshiten's grandson, who became power-hungry and eventually became a warlord of Talpa. As war broke out across Japan, the Ancient One struggled to find Anubis and the armor, but his efforts were useless and he had to focus his attention on the other armors.
Sasaki Idoju, the first Ronin Warrior of Obedience, lived under strained relations for his new lord due to his previous dishonor, not being able to protect his new lord's father. His children and grandchildren were born with his dishonor. Idoju's grandson, Kale Sasaki, became a warlord of Talpa to gain power and prestige.
Kuroda Jiguro, the first Ronin Warrior of Serenity, had three children. His children were born with his nether curse and were instinctively evil. Jiguro and Keiko struggled to raise them on the good side. Two children unfortunately died before reaching their sixth birthday. Dais Kuroda, Jiguro's grandson, was also born with the nether curse but to a lesser extent, so little training was required to keep him on the good side. Dais never received the holy education that Jiguro received under the Ancient One's tutelage. Dais was angry at the world during the period of constant warfare and felt oppressed by his lord for always forcing him to fight. Dais unfortunately became a warlord of Talpa to gain power over his lord.
Yamanouchi Nazaka, the first Ronin Warrior of Piety, lived out the rest of his life under constant warfare against the snake demons, which poisoned his father and threatened his village. He had two children, a son and a daughter. His son died in battle. His daughter was raped by a snake demon and Sekhmet Yamanouchi was the result. His daughter later killed herself in despair. Nazaka struggled to raise Sekhmet among the hostile surroundings. Nazaka died in the decisive battle against the snake demons when Sekhmet was nine. Sekhmet then ran away with his grandfather's armor and was hunted by Naga, the leader of the snake demons. Sekhmet eventually fell under Naga's control. Sekhmet forgot parts of his grandfather's teachings and agreed to be a warlord of Talpa so that Naga would no longer control him.
The children and grandchildren of Sanada Hariel lived in constant disgrace due to Hariel's evil actions and his possession by the Inferno. They spread lies about him to honor their family. They said that Hariel was the true first Ronin Warrior. Their lie became very popular and widespread, which caused people to doubt and to lose hope in the true legend. The perverted stories about Hariel and the Ronin Warriors are responsible to a certain extent for the descendents of the seasonal Ronin Warriors to become warlords. It is uncertain if Ryo Sanada, the first Ronin Warrior of Virtue, was descended from Hariel.
Unaware of the true nature of the armor, the five Ronin Warriors 500 years later repeatedly bowed down to the power of the White Inferno until it lead to the destruction of their armors. During every major battle, they called out for Ryo to summon the Inferno. After the destruction of the elemental Ronin armors, they returned home, disgraced but the world was still in danger.