Chapter Five - He Will Never Die
"I can't take this anymore!" a deep voice cried out in pain.
"No! Do not give in! We will not be his pawns again!" another voice cried out in equal anguish.
"I don't know how much longer we can hold out! His evil does not end!" a final voice said. The three remaining warlords of the Dynasty, waist-deep in what seemed like molten lava, being attacked by nether spirits. It was Talpa's pit of evil, his demons strengthening his once dark generals, overtaking their minds and bodies, filling them with evil once again.
"I am sorry, my brothers, this is my own fault," Dais admitted painfully.
"Nonsense! You cannot blame yourself for Talpa's endless evil!" Cale responded weakly.
"Yes, but if I had not fallen into his trap, he would not have been able to use my armor's illusionary powers," he replied, growing ever weaker.
"It no longer matters who is at fault! We are in a dire situation now, and we must focus our attention upon it! There is no time for regret!" Sekhmet bellowed.
"Why?! Why does he continue to torment us?!" Dais ached. A single nether spirit was not enough to overtake any one of them, for their wills and their hearts have grown much too strong. A number of spirits were beginning to shove themselves into the warriors' souls.
Another spirit had just forged its way into Cale's body as he cried out in the hot anguish. His tense shoulders grew weak and his body limp; bent at the waist he fell face-front into the lava.
"Cale! No, you have to fight it!" Sekhmet scolded, but to no avail. Cale was exhausted; there would be no point in words. Taking advantage of his prone situation, spirit after spirit entered Cale's body. The other warlords wouldn't have admitted it, but Cale's encouraging words were truly aiding them and now with him first to fall, their will had taken a plunge.
"I can't take this anymore! Ugh!" Dais screamed out as a spirit had entered, causing him to collapse as well.
Sekhmet was the only one left; he redoubled his will now. "Kayura... still has the staff... there is hope yet still." He winced, seemingly ready to give in.
"I would not be so foolish as to believe that," a dark voice echoed.
"Talpa! Show your hideous face so I may spit in your accursed eyes!" Sekhmet hollered.
Talpa's dark mask appeared before Sekhmet in a vaporous form. Sekhmet seemed to jolt back at the appearance, but the anger swelled in his face tremendously.
"There is nothing for you to hope for, Sekhmet; give in and return to my former glory!" Talpa scoffed.
"How dare you mock my intelligence by offering me your false promises again!" Sekhmet retorted angrily.
"They are not false promises, Warlord of Venom; the only reason my ideals had not come to pass is for your own traitorous reasons. If you had remained loyal to me, I would not be fighting my way back from damnation and the Dynasty would be ruling both the mortal and nether realms!"
"There will be redemption, you evil scoundrel! The Ancient's staff holds for a beacon of light! A light of hope! You shall not win!" his aching voice responded.
"But what use is that staff, if there is not one of pure soul to use it?" he mocked evilly. Just then a female scream was heard, crying out in agony. It sounded like it could be heard in every world.
"You... you sadistic harpy! She is a mere girl! How can your heart even be this cruel?!" Sekhmet scolded.
Talpa cackled darkly. "You are a hypocrite, Demon of Venom! You heart was just as dark and stained as my own. You turn against me and you fancy yourself some form of warrior of light. Stop being untrue to your soul! You seek to poison those who stand against you and rule over them just as I!"
Sekhmet gasped in shock. "That's a lie! I may have been deceived by your evil ways once before, but I - augh!" Sekhmet collapsed into the lava as the spirits hoarded him like scavengers.
"It is over, Warlords! You are mine once again! And soon, with your power, I shall have all nine of the Ronin armors in my possession!" Talpa cackled, ever so delighted.
"Don't celebrate... your victory yet... you hell-spawned demon!" a struggling weak voice protested.
"What?! How is it that you are resisting my spirits?! This cannot be!" Talpa yelled in disdain.
Dais was recovering himself; however impossible it may have seemed, Dais was fighting off the spirits overtaking his body. "The armors of the Ronins... and the Hariel armor are gone... you have lost... " he stated weakly.
"You lying fool! Do you believe you can deceive me?!" Talpa retorted angrily.
"See... for yourself... demon... " was his last statement before he collapsed into the lava. Talpa let out an insidious grunt as he dematerialized from the scene.
"Why... have you told him... such a thing?" Cale asked, trying to keep conscious with the demons flowing into him.
"He is... a coward and a... fool," Sekhmet answered in his place. "He will send... a soldier to draw out... the Ronins to see if... they live... At least that way... they will know... he is returning," Sekhmet stated, correctly deducing Dais's plan.
"I admire your cunning and strategic abilities, my brethren," Cale said before he gave out and collapsed. The others followed suit.
"No, they all have fallen... this... this can't be..." Kayura pleaded to herself, chained to a wall. Her old battle armor, though not very protective, was torn and ripped in many places. She was the hardest to capture of the remaining warlords and thus she would receive the greatest amount of punishment. The evil energy was coursing through her body, charging her every cell with pain. "I cannot wield the Staff of the Ancients like this... but there was only one other I knew who could possibly... I must try!"
Kayura summoned up enough strength to call for the Ancient's staff she had hidden from the rising forces of Talpa. It appeared encased in light before her, but her bound hands could no take hold of it. "Ancient spirits, souls of old... I know it is much to ask but, it was not his time... and this is a dire situation... Please, Ancients, just this once... grant me the power... grant my wish... Anubis! Please! Live once again to fend off this evil! The Ronins need you!"
As Kayura had commanded, the staff shot off into the yellow-clouded sky and searched for its previous bearer. Soaring through the sky, it took a straight nose-dive towards a bridge and stabbed into a large slab of stone. It was not an ordinary stone, for it was the memorial of one of the greatest warriors to walk both the mortal and nether realm. Anubis, former Warlord of Cruelty. It was not what Kayura had hoped it to be in standards of memorializing a great man, but it was hard to find beauty in a world created by one man's evil will.
The staff, however, brought a brilliant glow to each fracture it had made. The rings rattled loudly and the resounding echoes of the light seemed to span the entire Dynasty world. Soon after, all was quiet. In the silence, the river water bubbled lightly, then streamed up in mass panic until suddenly a figure had emerge gasping for breath, eyes wide with surprise, fear, and shock. "Anubis has risen..." Kayura stated to herself proudly.
"What... what is this? How can this be possible?" Anubis was still wearing his old Ancient garments, though thoroughly soaked and torn. He shakily got to his feet and peered over the landscape in disgust. This was not the first place he would have chosen to awaken. "Yet still, I am alive; how is this possible?" he asked himself with uncharacteristic calmness.
He turned to find the Ancient's staff gorged into the headstone. "Kayura... I would have thought you would have known better than this," he sighed. Upon grasping the rattling staff, all seemed to become clear to him, the entire situation. "Talpa... you evil miscreant. I shall not allow you to rise once more!"
Ryo, Mina and Yuli were riding on the back of White Blaze, charging down the dirt path on the side of the highway. However, on the highway was a small jeep crammed with Mia and the other Ronin Warriors.
"Yeah! White Blaze always outruns Mia's jeep!" Yuli shouted excitedly.
"Yeah, but he should slow down; Mia is the only one who knows where this carnival is," Ryo replied lightly.
"Um, Ryo? It's right over there." Mina pointed over his shoulder at the large yellow tents with the rising balloons.
"Looks like they found a shortcut," Rowen said, looking out the passenger side of the window.
"Aw, man, they're going to beat us there!" Kento whined, squirming in his seat.
"They'll wait for us, Kento, relax already," Mia said in her mother- scolding-child way.
Kento gruffed and folded his arms. "Ryo gets the girl, he gets the carnival, he's got the fast tiger. All I get is a buncha cracks in the head!"
Sage looked over, a little annoyed. "You want another? We'll all be happy to oblige," he said disdainfully.
"When are they going to get here?!" Yuli whined, standing by a tree.
"They'll be here soon enough, Yuli; just relax and enjoy the fresh air," Ryo replied, leaning against the same tree with his arms around Mina's waist.
Sure enough, the red jeep pulled around into the clearing and the five passengers piled out to greet them. "Its about time you got here, Yuli was about to have a coronary," Ryo joked.
"He matches Kento perfectly," Sai retaliated.
"Oh my God!" Mia shouted. The guys instinctively turned, expecting a horde of demons or something of the like. Instead they found Mia with her jaw dropped, reading the pricing sign. "That is way more than I have! Even the children's pricing is outrageous!" she protested.
The guys began to empty their pockets for any cash they had on them, but overall they didn't have nearly enough for the eight of them. "Oh man! This is... this sucks!" Kento bellowed. "There's gotta be something we can do!"
At that, Ryo began to look around in the distance. He saw a rear entrance with some carnival acts filing in. "Hey, Mina, you remember about six years ago at the Yamanashi Carnival?"
Mina looked up at him with curious eyes, but she smiled as the memories returned to her. "You think that will work again?"
The others turned in thought that Ryo had a way to get them in. "All right, everyone, follow my lead," he directed. He removed his belt, then placed it around White Blaze's neck like a leash and patted him on the head and led him back to the rear entrance.
However, the others were reluctant. "What's he doing?" Sai asked worriedly.
"If it gets us in, I don't care!" Kento exclaimed, chasing after Ryo.
"You'll just have to trust Ryo on this," Mina stated, walking off after Kento. The rest shrugged and followed.
"Hey, kid, this is a restricted area, you have to pay at the front," the guard said, halting Ryo's advance.
"I'm sorry we're late, we're the animal act," Ryo convincingly stated again, patting White Blaze on the head. The others behind him were surprised but had to hide it for it would give away Ryo's plan.
"Animal act? I don't remember any other animal act," the guard said, scratching his head under his hat.
"We've just been signed. The papers should be in the offices," Ryo retorted, knowing full well this guard didn't have any idea of what he was talking about.
"Well... all right, you be careful now," he said, un-assured.
"Thank you. Oh, and please, don't tell the boss we were late; it doesn't make a good impression first day on the job," Ryo topped off.
"Sure, just be on time tomorrow," was the last reply.
They filed in slowly, and after Ryo left off White Blaze in the tent with the other tigers, they all were simply amazed that they got away with it. Mina cuddled in close to Ryo with a giddy little smile, remembering the last time he pulled that ruse off. "Ryo, you are so bad!" she whispered in his ear. He smiled, turning to her, and kissed her cheek.
"Hey, lovebirds! Let's get going!" Kento yelled, peering at all the games to play. The first thing he sighted was a test of strength meter. Kento ran to it eagerly, ready to show off, but it was Sai who stopped him. "What'd you stop me for, dude?" he asked, a little annoyed.
"Let Ryo have the first shot, it's too academic to pass up!" he answered in a whisper. Kento agreed to the plan, even though he wasn't all for it.
They called Ryo over to the large device and Ryo, accompanied by Mina, bought a ticket at Sai and Kento's persuasion. Ryo lifted the hammer and took his place, ready to strike the board. Naturally, as any of the Ronins could do, he struck the bell and won Mina a cute stuffed animal she picked out.
"Ha! My turn!" Kento exclaimed, itching to get his hands on the large hammer. He spit on his palms and clasped them together and effortlessly lifted the large hammer above his head. He struck down so tremendously hard that the bell rang throughout the carnival. He chuckled almost sadistically as it fell back down to the panel. Upon his success he bought a stream of tickets and pounded away at the panel, never tiring yet seemingly getting stronger with each shot. Soon a large group of spectators surrounded him as he gave away the stuffed animals to small children and fairly attractive women.
Finally realizing that Kento would vastly enjoy this attention for the rest of the day, the other Ronins set out without him. Mina pointed out a small booth with some other stuffed animals lined on the top shelf. Ryo cringed a little when he saw that it was an archery booth. "Please, Ryo? For me?" Mina pleaded, hugging his arm.
Ryo simply melted as he put down some money for a bow and arrow. He tried to recall everything that Rowen had showed him. He pulled off a decent opening stance and fired off the arrow rather well, but it missed the bull's-eye by three rings.
"This really is more Rowen's forté," he said as he handed the two remaining arrows over to him. Rowen shrugged and nonchalantly fired a shot in a split second, dead center of the bull's-eye. Even the archer in the booth was impressed.
Rowen took the second arrow and shot the arrow down the center for a second bull's-eye. Rowen handed over the stuffed animal to Mina that Ryo had failed to win her and bought a ticket for himself. He was getting bull's-eye after bull's-eye and the booth moderator was losing arrows, but there was a crowd forming.
Rowen was going to finish off his last arrow, but a loud female scream distracted his concentration as he let loose the arrow. Despite the distraction, he had landed only a half-inch away from the center, but at that moment, none of those arrows mattered. Hordes of panicked people were running away from a fiery scene. Stands were crashing down and being burned. As the bystanding people cleared out, a green Dynasty soldier wreaking havoc on the carnival came into view.
"No... no! Not again!" Ryo exclaimed to himself. Ryo turned to Mia with a glance, and Mia knew exactly what he wanted her to do.
"Mina, we better get out of here," she calmly explained, urging her towards the exit.
The two started off, but Mina immediately halted as she realized Ryo was running in a different direction. "Wait! Ryo's not here!" she exclaimed.
Mia tugged on her arm a second time and led her out of the carnival. "They're going to get Kento; don't worry, they're always all right."
Physically, yes the Ronins always pulled out ahead, but emotionally they were destroyed inside. All this evil that they thought they destroyed once already, all the pain and anguish they had gone through and put behind them, resurfacing with the appearance of one soldier of darkness.
"We're going to make you wish you stayed dead, you tin can!" Rowen bellowed as he formed his sub-armor. All five suited up and ruthlessly hammered away at the soldier, yet this time he had not fallen so easily; worse yet, he was still alive.
"Blast! Talpa is really playing with our heads! Take a look at the weapon that cretin is holding!" Sai pointed out.
Sage was the first one to point it out, as he was the most well- acquainted with the blade. "I'd recognize that black lightning-filled blade anywhere! That's Cale's sword!"
"Déjà vu, huh? We can play that game too! You guys ready to send this bucket-head back to the black hole he came from?!" Ryo asked enthusiastically.
"Yeah!" they all cried in unison.
"Armor of Wildfire! Dao Jin!"
"Armor of Halo! Dao Chi!"
"Armor of Torrent! Dao Shin!"
"Armor of Hardrock! Dao Gi!"
"Armor of Strata! Dao Inochi!"
The Ronins, the circle of light, had resurfaced. The warriors that bore the armor, once filled with angst, depression and disgust, now just couldn't help but smile. The ultimate force rising once again to face the evil. Best friends reuniting in a new way, new spirits, new souls... for a new battle.
"Let's send 'em a message, guys!" Ryo proclaimed with a beaming smile, connecting the hilts of his swords.
"Yeah! Don't mess with the Human World!" Rowen replied, pulling out an arrow and taking aim.
"If you do, you're going to get burned!" Kento proclaimed, taking his stance.
"Because the Ronin Warriors will always be there to protect it!" Sage added while keeping his concentration on his attack.
"And leave us alone!" Sai finished, pointing his trident. "Let's kick it!"
"Arrow... Shock..."
"Iron... Rock..."
"Super... Wave..."
"Thunder... Bolt..."
"Flare... Up..."
Fully charged, in armor, with eager eyes, almost sadistic smiles, hearts beating rapidly.
"Wave!"
"Crusher!"
"Smasher!"
"Cut!"
"No-w!"
In a brilliant flash of light, the tremendous power did indeed send the message that the warriors had wished. The Dynasty soldier was reduced to smoldering ash, and the only object that was caught in the beam that remained at all intact was Cale's sword. Burning smoke rising from the ground; the warriors' smiles began to dim into a grimace. It was going to begin again. They all felt it, and peering at Cale's blade vanishing back to its master, they knew all too well that it was already started.
"Why? Why can't it all just be over? Why can't it all just go away?" Sai asked himself quietly. With the desertion of the park and the dead silence of the others, his words were heard loud and clear.
Kento put a hand to his best friend's shoulder and as he turned gave him a thumbs-up and a wink. "Hey, buddy, don't worry! It's just getting started again, so it's got to be pretty weak, right? No sweat! We'll have this beat in a week! Tops!"
Sai looked away slowly enough to let Kento know he was smiling, but Sai knew it wasn't really going to be as easy as Kento liked to put it.
Sage was about to make a statement when Ryo immediately removed his armor and ran off with obvious distress. "What's the matter with him? Too good to share a victory moment with us?" Kento stated atypically.
"Ease off him, Kento," Rowen replied. "He's going to been more paranoid than ever with Mina in the midst of all this."
Sage seemed to get a little disgruntled and gruffed while folding his arms.
"What was that about?" Sai asked at the sight.
"What was what about?" Sage replied coldly.
"You don't seem too happy with Ryo."
Sage looked around a little at the others staring at him. He removed his armor and began to walk off, and the others followed suit. "You guys remember the Inferno Armor fiasco?" Sage asked his friends without acknowledging any of them.
"Yeah, but I wouldn't call it a fiasco," Rowen replied, unsure.
"Ryo was kicking himself over everything. His swords, Lord Saberstrike, White Blaze, the Armor. When we tried to fix it, he ran off into the forest. He was just lucky that Saberstrike was an honorable warrior, because if it was Talpa, we'd all be long gone by now." Sage finished his explanation without any notation as the others just watched him walk with that concern.
Why was he being so harsh? most of them thought to themselves. They all knew, however, everything he said was true, and it was dangerous. He wasn't cold-hearted, he just was looking out for the safety of his friends. It's not his fault if he can't express it in a more positive manner.
"Well, in any case, we'll keep Mina under wraps. I'm sure Ryo would agree with that," Rowen offered the silent Ronins. They stopped in their tracks as they came across the others, Ryo and Mina wrapped tightly in each other's arms.
"You can't help but to envy them, at least sometimes," Sai remarked.
As the four came up to the others, Ryo and Mina released their embrace; Ryo kept one hand around Mina's waist as he turned to his friends. "Come on, guys, let's go home..."
"I can't take this anymore!" a deep voice cried out in pain.
"No! Do not give in! We will not be his pawns again!" another voice cried out in equal anguish.
"I don't know how much longer we can hold out! His evil does not end!" a final voice said. The three remaining warlords of the Dynasty, waist-deep in what seemed like molten lava, being attacked by nether spirits. It was Talpa's pit of evil, his demons strengthening his once dark generals, overtaking their minds and bodies, filling them with evil once again.
"I am sorry, my brothers, this is my own fault," Dais admitted painfully.
"Nonsense! You cannot blame yourself for Talpa's endless evil!" Cale responded weakly.
"Yes, but if I had not fallen into his trap, he would not have been able to use my armor's illusionary powers," he replied, growing ever weaker.
"It no longer matters who is at fault! We are in a dire situation now, and we must focus our attention upon it! There is no time for regret!" Sekhmet bellowed.
"Why?! Why does he continue to torment us?!" Dais ached. A single nether spirit was not enough to overtake any one of them, for their wills and their hearts have grown much too strong. A number of spirits were beginning to shove themselves into the warriors' souls.
Another spirit had just forged its way into Cale's body as he cried out in the hot anguish. His tense shoulders grew weak and his body limp; bent at the waist he fell face-front into the lava.
"Cale! No, you have to fight it!" Sekhmet scolded, but to no avail. Cale was exhausted; there would be no point in words. Taking advantage of his prone situation, spirit after spirit entered Cale's body. The other warlords wouldn't have admitted it, but Cale's encouraging words were truly aiding them and now with him first to fall, their will had taken a plunge.
"I can't take this anymore! Ugh!" Dais screamed out as a spirit had entered, causing him to collapse as well.
Sekhmet was the only one left; he redoubled his will now. "Kayura... still has the staff... there is hope yet still." He winced, seemingly ready to give in.
"I would not be so foolish as to believe that," a dark voice echoed.
"Talpa! Show your hideous face so I may spit in your accursed eyes!" Sekhmet hollered.
Talpa's dark mask appeared before Sekhmet in a vaporous form. Sekhmet seemed to jolt back at the appearance, but the anger swelled in his face tremendously.
"There is nothing for you to hope for, Sekhmet; give in and return to my former glory!" Talpa scoffed.
"How dare you mock my intelligence by offering me your false promises again!" Sekhmet retorted angrily.
"They are not false promises, Warlord of Venom; the only reason my ideals had not come to pass is for your own traitorous reasons. If you had remained loyal to me, I would not be fighting my way back from damnation and the Dynasty would be ruling both the mortal and nether realms!"
"There will be redemption, you evil scoundrel! The Ancient's staff holds for a beacon of light! A light of hope! You shall not win!" his aching voice responded.
"But what use is that staff, if there is not one of pure soul to use it?" he mocked evilly. Just then a female scream was heard, crying out in agony. It sounded like it could be heard in every world.
"You... you sadistic harpy! She is a mere girl! How can your heart even be this cruel?!" Sekhmet scolded.
Talpa cackled darkly. "You are a hypocrite, Demon of Venom! You heart was just as dark and stained as my own. You turn against me and you fancy yourself some form of warrior of light. Stop being untrue to your soul! You seek to poison those who stand against you and rule over them just as I!"
Sekhmet gasped in shock. "That's a lie! I may have been deceived by your evil ways once before, but I - augh!" Sekhmet collapsed into the lava as the spirits hoarded him like scavengers.
"It is over, Warlords! You are mine once again! And soon, with your power, I shall have all nine of the Ronin armors in my possession!" Talpa cackled, ever so delighted.
"Don't celebrate... your victory yet... you hell-spawned demon!" a struggling weak voice protested.
"What?! How is it that you are resisting my spirits?! This cannot be!" Talpa yelled in disdain.
Dais was recovering himself; however impossible it may have seemed, Dais was fighting off the spirits overtaking his body. "The armors of the Ronins... and the Hariel armor are gone... you have lost... " he stated weakly.
"You lying fool! Do you believe you can deceive me?!" Talpa retorted angrily.
"See... for yourself... demon... " was his last statement before he collapsed into the lava. Talpa let out an insidious grunt as he dematerialized from the scene.
"Why... have you told him... such a thing?" Cale asked, trying to keep conscious with the demons flowing into him.
"He is... a coward and a... fool," Sekhmet answered in his place. "He will send... a soldier to draw out... the Ronins to see if... they live... At least that way... they will know... he is returning," Sekhmet stated, correctly deducing Dais's plan.
"I admire your cunning and strategic abilities, my brethren," Cale said before he gave out and collapsed. The others followed suit.
"No, they all have fallen... this... this can't be..." Kayura pleaded to herself, chained to a wall. Her old battle armor, though not very protective, was torn and ripped in many places. She was the hardest to capture of the remaining warlords and thus she would receive the greatest amount of punishment. The evil energy was coursing through her body, charging her every cell with pain. "I cannot wield the Staff of the Ancients like this... but there was only one other I knew who could possibly... I must try!"
Kayura summoned up enough strength to call for the Ancient's staff she had hidden from the rising forces of Talpa. It appeared encased in light before her, but her bound hands could no take hold of it. "Ancient spirits, souls of old... I know it is much to ask but, it was not his time... and this is a dire situation... Please, Ancients, just this once... grant me the power... grant my wish... Anubis! Please! Live once again to fend off this evil! The Ronins need you!"
As Kayura had commanded, the staff shot off into the yellow-clouded sky and searched for its previous bearer. Soaring through the sky, it took a straight nose-dive towards a bridge and stabbed into a large slab of stone. It was not an ordinary stone, for it was the memorial of one of the greatest warriors to walk both the mortal and nether realm. Anubis, former Warlord of Cruelty. It was not what Kayura had hoped it to be in standards of memorializing a great man, but it was hard to find beauty in a world created by one man's evil will.
The staff, however, brought a brilliant glow to each fracture it had made. The rings rattled loudly and the resounding echoes of the light seemed to span the entire Dynasty world. Soon after, all was quiet. In the silence, the river water bubbled lightly, then streamed up in mass panic until suddenly a figure had emerge gasping for breath, eyes wide with surprise, fear, and shock. "Anubis has risen..." Kayura stated to herself proudly.
"What... what is this? How can this be possible?" Anubis was still wearing his old Ancient garments, though thoroughly soaked and torn. He shakily got to his feet and peered over the landscape in disgust. This was not the first place he would have chosen to awaken. "Yet still, I am alive; how is this possible?" he asked himself with uncharacteristic calmness.
He turned to find the Ancient's staff gorged into the headstone. "Kayura... I would have thought you would have known better than this," he sighed. Upon grasping the rattling staff, all seemed to become clear to him, the entire situation. "Talpa... you evil miscreant. I shall not allow you to rise once more!"
Ryo, Mina and Yuli were riding on the back of White Blaze, charging down the dirt path on the side of the highway. However, on the highway was a small jeep crammed with Mia and the other Ronin Warriors.
"Yeah! White Blaze always outruns Mia's jeep!" Yuli shouted excitedly.
"Yeah, but he should slow down; Mia is the only one who knows where this carnival is," Ryo replied lightly.
"Um, Ryo? It's right over there." Mina pointed over his shoulder at the large yellow tents with the rising balloons.
"Looks like they found a shortcut," Rowen said, looking out the passenger side of the window.
"Aw, man, they're going to beat us there!" Kento whined, squirming in his seat.
"They'll wait for us, Kento, relax already," Mia said in her mother- scolding-child way.
Kento gruffed and folded his arms. "Ryo gets the girl, he gets the carnival, he's got the fast tiger. All I get is a buncha cracks in the head!"
Sage looked over, a little annoyed. "You want another? We'll all be happy to oblige," he said disdainfully.
"When are they going to get here?!" Yuli whined, standing by a tree.
"They'll be here soon enough, Yuli; just relax and enjoy the fresh air," Ryo replied, leaning against the same tree with his arms around Mina's waist.
Sure enough, the red jeep pulled around into the clearing and the five passengers piled out to greet them. "Its about time you got here, Yuli was about to have a coronary," Ryo joked.
"He matches Kento perfectly," Sai retaliated.
"Oh my God!" Mia shouted. The guys instinctively turned, expecting a horde of demons or something of the like. Instead they found Mia with her jaw dropped, reading the pricing sign. "That is way more than I have! Even the children's pricing is outrageous!" she protested.
The guys began to empty their pockets for any cash they had on them, but overall they didn't have nearly enough for the eight of them. "Oh man! This is... this sucks!" Kento bellowed. "There's gotta be something we can do!"
At that, Ryo began to look around in the distance. He saw a rear entrance with some carnival acts filing in. "Hey, Mina, you remember about six years ago at the Yamanashi Carnival?"
Mina looked up at him with curious eyes, but she smiled as the memories returned to her. "You think that will work again?"
The others turned in thought that Ryo had a way to get them in. "All right, everyone, follow my lead," he directed. He removed his belt, then placed it around White Blaze's neck like a leash and patted him on the head and led him back to the rear entrance.
However, the others were reluctant. "What's he doing?" Sai asked worriedly.
"If it gets us in, I don't care!" Kento exclaimed, chasing after Ryo.
"You'll just have to trust Ryo on this," Mina stated, walking off after Kento. The rest shrugged and followed.
"Hey, kid, this is a restricted area, you have to pay at the front," the guard said, halting Ryo's advance.
"I'm sorry we're late, we're the animal act," Ryo convincingly stated again, patting White Blaze on the head. The others behind him were surprised but had to hide it for it would give away Ryo's plan.
"Animal act? I don't remember any other animal act," the guard said, scratching his head under his hat.
"We've just been signed. The papers should be in the offices," Ryo retorted, knowing full well this guard didn't have any idea of what he was talking about.
"Well... all right, you be careful now," he said, un-assured.
"Thank you. Oh, and please, don't tell the boss we were late; it doesn't make a good impression first day on the job," Ryo topped off.
"Sure, just be on time tomorrow," was the last reply.
They filed in slowly, and after Ryo left off White Blaze in the tent with the other tigers, they all were simply amazed that they got away with it. Mina cuddled in close to Ryo with a giddy little smile, remembering the last time he pulled that ruse off. "Ryo, you are so bad!" she whispered in his ear. He smiled, turning to her, and kissed her cheek.
"Hey, lovebirds! Let's get going!" Kento yelled, peering at all the games to play. The first thing he sighted was a test of strength meter. Kento ran to it eagerly, ready to show off, but it was Sai who stopped him. "What'd you stop me for, dude?" he asked, a little annoyed.
"Let Ryo have the first shot, it's too academic to pass up!" he answered in a whisper. Kento agreed to the plan, even though he wasn't all for it.
They called Ryo over to the large device and Ryo, accompanied by Mina, bought a ticket at Sai and Kento's persuasion. Ryo lifted the hammer and took his place, ready to strike the board. Naturally, as any of the Ronins could do, he struck the bell and won Mina a cute stuffed animal she picked out.
"Ha! My turn!" Kento exclaimed, itching to get his hands on the large hammer. He spit on his palms and clasped them together and effortlessly lifted the large hammer above his head. He struck down so tremendously hard that the bell rang throughout the carnival. He chuckled almost sadistically as it fell back down to the panel. Upon his success he bought a stream of tickets and pounded away at the panel, never tiring yet seemingly getting stronger with each shot. Soon a large group of spectators surrounded him as he gave away the stuffed animals to small children and fairly attractive women.
Finally realizing that Kento would vastly enjoy this attention for the rest of the day, the other Ronins set out without him. Mina pointed out a small booth with some other stuffed animals lined on the top shelf. Ryo cringed a little when he saw that it was an archery booth. "Please, Ryo? For me?" Mina pleaded, hugging his arm.
Ryo simply melted as he put down some money for a bow and arrow. He tried to recall everything that Rowen had showed him. He pulled off a decent opening stance and fired off the arrow rather well, but it missed the bull's-eye by three rings.
"This really is more Rowen's forté," he said as he handed the two remaining arrows over to him. Rowen shrugged and nonchalantly fired a shot in a split second, dead center of the bull's-eye. Even the archer in the booth was impressed.
Rowen took the second arrow and shot the arrow down the center for a second bull's-eye. Rowen handed over the stuffed animal to Mina that Ryo had failed to win her and bought a ticket for himself. He was getting bull's-eye after bull's-eye and the booth moderator was losing arrows, but there was a crowd forming.
Rowen was going to finish off his last arrow, but a loud female scream distracted his concentration as he let loose the arrow. Despite the distraction, he had landed only a half-inch away from the center, but at that moment, none of those arrows mattered. Hordes of panicked people were running away from a fiery scene. Stands were crashing down and being burned. As the bystanding people cleared out, a green Dynasty soldier wreaking havoc on the carnival came into view.
"No... no! Not again!" Ryo exclaimed to himself. Ryo turned to Mia with a glance, and Mia knew exactly what he wanted her to do.
"Mina, we better get out of here," she calmly explained, urging her towards the exit.
The two started off, but Mina immediately halted as she realized Ryo was running in a different direction. "Wait! Ryo's not here!" she exclaimed.
Mia tugged on her arm a second time and led her out of the carnival. "They're going to get Kento; don't worry, they're always all right."
Physically, yes the Ronins always pulled out ahead, but emotionally they were destroyed inside. All this evil that they thought they destroyed once already, all the pain and anguish they had gone through and put behind them, resurfacing with the appearance of one soldier of darkness.
"We're going to make you wish you stayed dead, you tin can!" Rowen bellowed as he formed his sub-armor. All five suited up and ruthlessly hammered away at the soldier, yet this time he had not fallen so easily; worse yet, he was still alive.
"Blast! Talpa is really playing with our heads! Take a look at the weapon that cretin is holding!" Sai pointed out.
Sage was the first one to point it out, as he was the most well- acquainted with the blade. "I'd recognize that black lightning-filled blade anywhere! That's Cale's sword!"
"Déjà vu, huh? We can play that game too! You guys ready to send this bucket-head back to the black hole he came from?!" Ryo asked enthusiastically.
"Yeah!" they all cried in unison.
"Armor of Wildfire! Dao Jin!"
"Armor of Halo! Dao Chi!"
"Armor of Torrent! Dao Shin!"
"Armor of Hardrock! Dao Gi!"
"Armor of Strata! Dao Inochi!"
The Ronins, the circle of light, had resurfaced. The warriors that bore the armor, once filled with angst, depression and disgust, now just couldn't help but smile. The ultimate force rising once again to face the evil. Best friends reuniting in a new way, new spirits, new souls... for a new battle.
"Let's send 'em a message, guys!" Ryo proclaimed with a beaming smile, connecting the hilts of his swords.
"Yeah! Don't mess with the Human World!" Rowen replied, pulling out an arrow and taking aim.
"If you do, you're going to get burned!" Kento proclaimed, taking his stance.
"Because the Ronin Warriors will always be there to protect it!" Sage added while keeping his concentration on his attack.
"And leave us alone!" Sai finished, pointing his trident. "Let's kick it!"
"Arrow... Shock..."
"Iron... Rock..."
"Super... Wave..."
"Thunder... Bolt..."
"Flare... Up..."
Fully charged, in armor, with eager eyes, almost sadistic smiles, hearts beating rapidly.
"Wave!"
"Crusher!"
"Smasher!"
"Cut!"
"No-w!"
In a brilliant flash of light, the tremendous power did indeed send the message that the warriors had wished. The Dynasty soldier was reduced to smoldering ash, and the only object that was caught in the beam that remained at all intact was Cale's sword. Burning smoke rising from the ground; the warriors' smiles began to dim into a grimace. It was going to begin again. They all felt it, and peering at Cale's blade vanishing back to its master, they knew all too well that it was already started.
"Why? Why can't it all just be over? Why can't it all just go away?" Sai asked himself quietly. With the desertion of the park and the dead silence of the others, his words were heard loud and clear.
Kento put a hand to his best friend's shoulder and as he turned gave him a thumbs-up and a wink. "Hey, buddy, don't worry! It's just getting started again, so it's got to be pretty weak, right? No sweat! We'll have this beat in a week! Tops!"
Sai looked away slowly enough to let Kento know he was smiling, but Sai knew it wasn't really going to be as easy as Kento liked to put it.
Sage was about to make a statement when Ryo immediately removed his armor and ran off with obvious distress. "What's the matter with him? Too good to share a victory moment with us?" Kento stated atypically.
"Ease off him, Kento," Rowen replied. "He's going to been more paranoid than ever with Mina in the midst of all this."
Sage seemed to get a little disgruntled and gruffed while folding his arms.
"What was that about?" Sai asked at the sight.
"What was what about?" Sage replied coldly.
"You don't seem too happy with Ryo."
Sage looked around a little at the others staring at him. He removed his armor and began to walk off, and the others followed suit. "You guys remember the Inferno Armor fiasco?" Sage asked his friends without acknowledging any of them.
"Yeah, but I wouldn't call it a fiasco," Rowen replied, unsure.
"Ryo was kicking himself over everything. His swords, Lord Saberstrike, White Blaze, the Armor. When we tried to fix it, he ran off into the forest. He was just lucky that Saberstrike was an honorable warrior, because if it was Talpa, we'd all be long gone by now." Sage finished his explanation without any notation as the others just watched him walk with that concern.
Why was he being so harsh? most of them thought to themselves. They all knew, however, everything he said was true, and it was dangerous. He wasn't cold-hearted, he just was looking out for the safety of his friends. It's not his fault if he can't express it in a more positive manner.
"Well, in any case, we'll keep Mina under wraps. I'm sure Ryo would agree with that," Rowen offered the silent Ronins. They stopped in their tracks as they came across the others, Ryo and Mina wrapped tightly in each other's arms.
"You can't help but to envy them, at least sometimes," Sai remarked.
As the four came up to the others, Ryo and Mina released their embrace; Ryo kept one hand around Mina's waist as he turned to his friends. "Come on, guys, let's go home..."
