Disclaimer: Yoroiden Samurai Troopers is the property of Sunrise. Ronin Warriors is the property of Bandai Entertainment.

Author's Note: Wow, I seriously didn't think I was gonna make it. THIS CHAPTER IS OVER 6,700 WORDS! Very happy I made it, though, and I won't waste any more time because I'm sure you are anxious to get to it after Friday's cliffhanger.

Enjoy, and please review.

Beta's Note: Yes, this did take a while to proofread, for anyone who was wondering. 16 pages on iWorks Safari. This took two days for me to read and carefully go over (a typical chapter usually takes a few hours). I know, I know, you probably don't care about my "pain." Ah, well.

Anyway, the point is: if I missed anything, I apologize.

The Wicked Knights
by Jake the Fearless Leader

Chapter Thirteen
"Empathy's Saving Grace"

Tensions were high as Kayura considered the best course of action. They had arrived too late to stop Sage from killing someone, but there was still a chance they could get through to him. Kayura wasn't ready to give up on him. Or Cye, for that matter. It didn't matter what the Warlords or Aiden said. She was determined to help the Ronins save their friends. She'd be a failure to her entire clan if she didn't.

The remaining soldiers had rushed forward to back up the Wicked Knight of Dawn. They stood huddled at the edge of the crowd, casting eager glances at the blonde teenager. It was clear that they were waiting for Sage's orders before attacking.

The three Warlords had donned their armors and drawn their weapons the moment Sage made his threat. They didn't want to take any chances. Aiden and Zion glanced around the club, looking for the civilians. Most of them had moved back against the walls in an attempt to make themselves invisible. And they were terrified. The heroes were going to have to defuse the situation as quickly as possible to prevent the loss of any more lives.

Rowen took a cautious step towards Sage. Behind him, Ryo and Kento exchanged nervous looks.

"Sage, I don't want to fight you. I just want to talk," said Rowen.

"Talk — to you? I don't think so," snarked the Wicked Knight.

Rowen continued, anyway. "We figured out what happened to you, Sage. We know you're an Empath."

Sage smirked. "So, you did your homework," Sage said with a smirk.

"We also know that you weren't ready for it. You're losing control," said Rowen.

Instantly, Sage's smirk was gone, replaced with a dark glare. "I'm in total control."

"And who told you that, Zankoku? Cause something tells me that guy doesn't have your best interests at heart," said Kento, crossing over to Rowen.

"It's okay to admit you're struggling," said Rowen.

"Yeah, man, friends don't judge," agreed Kento.

Ryo walked over to join the other two. "Please, Sage, let us help you."

Sage slowly approached the Ronins, moving away from the dead girl. "What makes you think I either want or need your help?" he sneered.

"Gee, I don't know, maybe because you're killing people!" exclaimed Kento.

"This isn't who you are, Sage. The Nether Realm is changing you, turning you into something you're not."

"How would you know, Strata?" countered Sage. "We've only known each other, what, a couple months? How do you know this isn't the real me?"

"Because I've fought with you, side-by-side. We've been sharing a room. I know what's in your heart. And it's not this," Rowen replied. "You're the kind of guy who would take the fall to save your opponent, even when he hasn't been playing by the rules. You wouldn't hurt anyone unless they were truly evil. The real you would have never done that to an innocent girl."

Rowen pointed over to the body. Sage followed the gesture, looking at it impassively.

"You're right. The old me never would have thought about killing her." His pale purple eyes flicked back over to the Ronins. "Good thing the old me is gone."

Kento sighed. "Well, that didn't work."

Ryo shook his head. "I don't believe that, Sage. The person you are isn't really gone."

"You think so?"

"I know it," said Ryo confidently. "The Sage who's our friend? He's buried under all that hatred and anger you're channeling from the demons that live here."

"Wrong," Sage said. "The Sage you knew isn't buried. I'm not keeping him locked up. It's just me."

"No, it's not," insisted Kento.

"I'm not saying you have to like it," said Sage with a shrug. "You can hate me, for all I care."

"That's not exactly true," interjected Kayura, stepping forward. "You're an Empath now, which means you can feel how worried they are about you. And it's hurting you because the last thing you ever wanted to do was cause your friends pain. That's the real reason you're pushing them away… because you don't want to feel it anymore."

Sage glared at her.

"It doesn't have to be this way," she continued. "You can learn how to truly control your gift. I can show you how."

"I told you, I know how to control it," the Wicked Knight growled. "So, the only thing you can show me is if an immortal can bleed."

Sage raised his sword and advanced towards her. The Warlords closed in, quickly surrounding Kayura in a protective semi-circle.

"You want her, you're gonna have to go through us," warned Kale.

"Seriously? Do you not remember me wiping the floor with you three?" asked Sage incredulously.

"You don't want to hurt Kayura, Sage. You don't want to hurt any of us," insisted Rowen, drawing the lavender gaze back to himself. "And we don't want to hurt you. We're your friends."

"Friends? Please, don't make me laugh," scoffed Sage.

"This isn't right. You don't want this. You never did. And I know you realized it the second you stabbed that girl," said Rowen. "You felt her emotions when she died, didn't you? I doubt you liked what you felt. It's tearing you apart, isn't it?"

"Do you think Strata's right?" Zion asked her boyfriend, her eyes locked on her allies.

"I don't know, maybe," acknowledged Aiden. "It's one thing to kill when you're only feeling the thrill of being the predator, but actually knowing what your victim is feeling when they take their final breath… I can't imagine what that must be like."

"Wow, you really are desperate," Sage said, shaking his head. "Let me set the record straight. I did channel that bitch's feelings when she died, and I loved every second of it." He smirked. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm just fine. Well, actually, I'm starting to feel a little pissed off." He grinned deviously. "Lucky for me, you just volunteered to be my punching bag."

In a flash, Sage summoned his sub-armor, an act that automatically dismissed his blade. It didn't matter. All he needed was his fists. He charged at Rowen, catching him completely off guard with a swift kick to his knee that nearly knocked him over. The soldiers, following his lead, also rushed in to commence the fighting.

The Warlords and Kayura were quickly surrounded. Aiden and Zion hurried over to lend a hand. Together, the six proceeded to tear apart the soldiers. That left the three Ronins to square off with the Wicked Knight. Sage wasted no time in striking out with his fist, only to be blocked by Kento. The blonde warrior countered by slamming his other fist into Hardrock's gut and knocking him back. He quickly moved on to Ryo, landing a roundhouse kick on the Ronin leader. In the midst of the chaos, the terrified patrons were cowering, watching the fighting with wide eyes. A few had noticed that the doors were left unguarded and had started to make their way out of the club.

Rowen and Kento charged forward as they tried to tackle Sage to the ground, but he swiftly dodged out of their way. He gripped Strata by the arm, punched him in the face, and tossed him onto the nearby pool table. Kento grabbed the Wicked Knight from behind only to be unceremoniously thrown back towards the dance floor. Ryo ran in, fists flying, and managed to catch Sage off guard. Wildfire's punch temporarily knocked the wind out of the blonde warrior, but it didn't take him long to recover. Quickly, he launched himself at Ryo, easily overpowering him. The Warrior of Fire struggled as Sage wrapped his hand tightly around the younger teen's throat, choking the life out of him.

Kayura had just finished off the last of the soldiers she'd been facing off against. Glancing around the battlefield, she saw that the Ronins were losing against the Wicked Knight. She bolted towards the dance floor, raising the Staff of the Ancient One. It emitted a bright glow that distracted Sage. His grip on Wildfire weakened, allowing Kayura to knock the Wicked Knight back with the staff. Ryo dropped to the ground, coughing harshly as oxygen returned to his lungs.

Sage leveled an annoyed look at her. "Don't interfere, Kayura," he sneered.

"You need to stop, before someone else gets hurt," she insisted.

In one swift move, Sage backhanded her. Kayura staggered backwards into Kale, who had stepped forward to steady her. She winced at the pain in her cheek, but could already tell it was superficial.

"Damn it, don't you see what's happening here?" demanded Kale.

"You're resisting when you should be accepting the inevitable?" suggested Sage.

"You're trying to kill your friends, the people who care about you," Kale said.

"Spare me the platitudes," said the blonde, rolling his eyes.

"Come on, Halo, we're only trying to help," said Sekhmet.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I don't need help?" the Wicked Knight exclaimed.

"You do need help, Halo, whether you want to admit it or not," Dais said frankly. "I know you think you're in control, that you can handle this new power, but the simple fact is you can't. It's destroying your mind. And by pushing us away, you're letting it happen. Halo, you have the strength you need to gain real control over your power. You can make the pain go away."

For the first time, Sage's expression softened. It seemed as though the Warlord of Illusion had gotten his attention. "Really?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, and without having to sacrifice everyone important to you. Your friends will be there to support you."

"And so will we," added Kayura.

Pale purple eyes instantly narrowed. "You? Is that some kind of a joke?" Sage scoffed. "It must be. The four of you wanted me dead up until a couple months ago. You honestly expect me to believe that you suddenly care about me?"

"That's enough, Sage. You've made your point," Rowen interrupted, stepping forward.

"No, I don't think I have," said Sage.

For a long moment, no one spoke. The Wicked Knight of Dawn and the Warrior of Air stood facing each other, squaring off. Sage's eyes were filled with a twisted gleam. Rowen's shined with the determination to save his friend.

"I said I don't want to fight you," reminded Strata.

"So, don't," Sage told him.

He thrusted his fist towards the Ronin, aiming to punch him in the nose. Rowen grabbed Sage's wrist at the last minute, spun around fast, and send the Empath flying across the room. Sage landed hard on a pool table, smashing it.

"Just because I don't want to do this doesn't mean I won't," Rowen declared.

Sage pushed himself back on his feet, his entire focus now solely on the youngest of the Ronins. He was glaring furiously.

"Have it your way, then. Armor of Halo!"

"Armor of Strata!"

In a flash of cherry blossoms and ribbons, the two had donned their armors. Sage brandished the Halo Sword menacingly, the blade now cleansed of the girl's blood. Rowen raised his bow in response, though he didn't prepare an arrow. At this distance, he wouldn't have enough time to fire a shot off before the blade struck him, but it would make for an excellent shield.

"You can still walk away, you know," said Sage.

"Not an option," Rowen said.

Sage shrugged slightly. "Suit yourself. It's no skin off my back. Lord Zankoku wants you out of his way, and nothing would please him more than your death."

"Whoa, Rowen, wait a minute, man," said Kento, trying to intervene.

"What are you thinking? It's Sage! You can't fight him!" exclaimed Ryo.

"It's alright, guys. I know what I'm doing," Rowen reassured them.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that if I were you, Strata," Sage sneered.

"You've never underestimated me before," said Rowen. "Don't start now."

Sage swung his sword Rowen, who quickly used his bow to block it. He shoved the blonde away and jumped onto the stage behind him. Rowen fast secured an arrow to his bow and fired. Sage caught the golden projectile, letting it drop harmlessly to the ground beside him. Smirking, the Wicked Knight raised his sword into the air and surrounded it with pure light. With a swift movement, he slashed his sword, unleashing his power as an orb of light. Rowen managed to dodge out of the way of the full impact, but was still blasted to the ground by the shockwave.

Sage stalked over to the stage. He grabbed Strata by the boot of his armor and dragged him forcefully down to the dance floor. Rowen landed with a grunt, glaring up at the Wicked Knight. He tried to push himself up, but Sage stomped a single foot on his chest, keeping the younger teen flat on the ground. The blonde cackled softly as he carefully slashed his sword. Blood began to pool out of the cut that formed on Rowen's left cheek where the blade had sliced him open.

Swinging his bow horizontally, Rowen used it to unbalance Sage, knocking the blonde off his feet. He took advantage the momentary distraction to push himself up. Strata quickly back away from the aggravated Wicked Knight.

"Dirty trick, Ronin," Sage growled.

The blonde got up and slashed his sword at Rowen with enough force to send the warrior flying backwards. The Ronin of Wisdom recovered quickly, moving into a defensive stance.

"I'm not giving up on you, Sage," said Rowen defiantly.

"What does it take to convince you people that I don't need saving?" Sage exclaimed in frustration.

He slammed his fist into Rowen's jaw, splitting the youngest Ronin's lip. Strata lifted his hand up to his face to try and feel the damage, not surprised when his white-armored fingertips came away a little bloody. Still, he ignored it and turned his attention back to the Wicked Knight of Dawn.

"Guess killing you really is the only way to get you off my back. And, hey, that's just fine with me. Lord Zankoku won't mind if I take the initiative," said Sage with a cruel gleam in his eyes. He raised his sword up high, striking a familiar pose.

"No, Sage, don't!" called out Kayura.

"This is the end for all of you!" Sage shouted. "Lightning Strike!"

The Halo Sword was suddenly surrounded by a bright burst of light, radiating the entire area. As Sage swung the blade, streaks of light flew all over the room, striking everything in sight. Windows shattered and alcohol bottles exploded, sending glass flying. The entire club trembled as though it was being torn apart by an earthquake. The remaining club patrons screamed in terror and stampeded out of the building.

The Ronins, the Warlords, Kayura, Aiden, and Zion weren't as lucky. They were trapped with no where to go and no time to evade the bolts of pure light energy that struck them. The pain was intense and agonizing. A sensation of burning heat filled them inside and out. They all screamed as they were brought to their knees. Hearing their cries, Sage cackled gleefully.

Ryo had been hit by the Lightning Strike before, by enemies who used Sage's power against the Ronins. Each of those times, he'd been hurt by the attack, but his armor had always managed to protect him from the brunt of the pain. Not this time, though. It was excruciating, and it didn't stop after the attack finally died out. Wildfire couldn't move, not even to shift off of his knees. His arms were twitching, which probably meant his legs probably were, too. Maybe being temporarily paralyzed was a blessing in disguise.

The others were experiencing similar side effects from the assault.

"What… the hell… was that?" demanded Kale, panting.

"The Halo Armor… he's starting to lose control of it," responded Kayura breathlessly. "His empathic ability is affecting his armor power. The more he feels, the worse it will get."

"Not dead yet? No problem. I've got all night," said Sage He lifted his sword up once again, which began to illuminate with the power of his armor. "And the best part of this is, none of you can stop me. Lightning Strike!"

The power of the Armor of Halo flashed around the room as the nine were once again struck with the Wicked Knight's attack. This time, they'd had enough time to brace themselves for it, not that it helped all that much. Rowen tried to fight through the pain, to get back on his feet, but he only managed to push himself up into a crouched position.

Across the club, Aiden and Zion were clutching each other's arms, trying to offer each other support in their shared agony. The Alfirin struggled to lift his head, attempting to look at the Wicked Knight. He was hoping to find an opening, something he could exploit, and he found it. The blonde's cruel smile was now more of a grimace, and the ecstasy was fading from his pale purple eyes. The more he watched, the more Aiden observed. The shaking of the teen's limbs… the light sheen of sweat covering his forehead… the pained expression that suddenly overcame his face…

"He's fading…" Aiden managed to say.

"He's what?" demanded Sekhmet, trying and failing to glance over at his ally.

Aiden didn't respond. He didn't have to. It was quickly becoming apparent what he meant.

Sage really looked feverish now, and that was nothing compared to how he felt. He struggled to keep his composure as wave after wave of crippling pain assaulted him. He could feel everyone in the room, their agony becoming a part of him as if it were his own. He might as well have just been attacking himself tenfold. Eventually, he lost the internal battle within himself and fell forward, hard, onto all fours with a gut-wrenching cry.

Instantly, the attack died out. The group took a moment to recover, though some heads had already turned to the weakened Wicked Knight of Dawn. Kayura and Rowen shakily got to their feet. Aiden followed suit, supporting Zion as the two stood upright. Rowen turned to help his friends and the Warlords. Kayura slowly made her way over to Sage, who glared up at her.

"That's enough, now. Come with us, Sage. I can help you," she said to him.

"You still don't get it, do you? I don't need your help." He struggled to stand as he spoke. "I'm doing just fine on my own."

"We both know that's a lie," said Kayura, shaking her head. "I can see it in your eyes. You're about to lose what little control you have."

"What makes you think you'll be able to do anything to stop it?" demanded Sage.

"I don't know for sure, but I do believe that the power I inherited from the Ancient One can help," said Kayura.

Sage stared at her, an impassive look on his face. "Why do you care so much, Lady Kayura? It's not like we're friends. We barely know each other. This doesn't concern you."

"Of course it does," she replied. "As a Ronin Warrior, you're an ally in the battle against the forces of evil. I would be involved even if you and I hadn't met before this very moment. And I'm not the only one who's concerned for you."

"She's right, Sage," said Rowen, crossing over to stand next to Kayura. "Please, let us help you."

Sage shifted his gaze over to Strata. A melancholy expression came over him. "You can't help me. You don't know what it's like."

"Then, tell me," said Rowen gently.

He shook his head, averting his gaze. "I don't think I can… It's hard to explain." Sage lifted his hand up to his chest. "The emotions? They're everywhere, and I can't get away from them. They're - they're inside me. And it's not just you guys, it's all of them, out there." He jerked his head towards the broken windows. "Those people, those demons… I can't escape their cruelty, their fears, their doubts… No!" Sage quickly backed up as he saw Rowen take a step towards him. "Don't come near me, it'll just make it worse!"

"Whoa. Okay. I'm not moving," said Rowen soothingly, raising his arms in a pacifying manner.

The Wicked Knight grimaced as he felt a fresh wave of sympathy and disquiet course through him. "Oh, God, it hurts" he groaned, wincing his eyes shut and gripping his head tightly with his hands. "I can barely concentrate… I can feel you, all of you… You - you need to stop…" Sage's eyes flew wide open, his pupils constricted. "It's… it's too much… I - I can't take it…"

"I know, Sage, and you shouldn't have to," said Kayura. She risked moving closer to him. "It can all stop, right here, right now."

Sage went silent, thinking about what she said. He slowly looked up. "You're right…" he whispered.

Everyone was watching the blonde warrior, the hearts of the three Ronins skipping several beats. Finally, they were getting through to him.

"I understand now. I can stop it," Sage continued, bringing his hands away from his head. "I know what I have to do."

Kayura froze. She did not like the sound of that. "Sage —"

"I have to end it, all of it," Sage said, more determined than he was before. "It's not just you humans. It's the demons, too. You're all filled with nothing but misery and hatred." He gave a small, twisted grin. "But I can fix it."

"No, Sage, that's not the answer!" said Kayura, alarmed.

"Wait, what's he talking about? What does he have to end?" asked Kento, confused. He glanced around the room. The Warlords, Aiden, and Zion wore matching solemn looks. Rowen's expression was hard to see from where Hardrock was standing, but Ryo was very obviously horrified.

"The world, Kento of Hardrock," Zion explained bluntly. "He's going to destroy both realms."

Kento's eyes widened. "Oh, God…" he said quietly.

"The armors have the power to do that?" asked Aiden.

"According to the legends, the nine armors originated from the demon Talpa," Zion responded. "So, yes, they have the power to wipe out an entire realm, possibly even two simultaneously."

"Super," muttered Aiden sarcastically. "That's gonna do wonders for the balance between Harmony and Chaos."

The Alfirin is not wrong. This cannot be allowed to happen.

A sudden calm came over Rowen. He moved as though his body had been set on auto-pilot, reaching back to grab an arrow. At the same time, Ryo stepped forward.

"Stop, Sage! Please, don't do this!"

"Who's going to stop me? You definitely won't. You decided to let Talpa win after we begged you not to because you couldn't bear the thought of killing us, too. Am I supposed believe that you'd actually be willing to kill me now?"

"No, I won't kill you. You're one of my best friends. But we were chosen to protect the world, not destroy it. I'm not just gonna stand around and let you do something you're gonna regret," declared Ryo.

"Always the hero… I guess I shouldn't be surprised," Sage said, shaking his head. "Still, even you have to appreciate the irony. Think about it, Wildfire. After everything we went through, it was all for nothing. Because we weren't saving the world, not really. We were just prolonging everyone's suffering."

"That's not true," Ryo said.

"Yes, it is. I can feel them, all their pain… It's too much for anyone to bear." For the first time since his powers emerged, Sage could feel his eyes watering. He quickly blinked the tears away, instead forcing a grin onto his face. "I know you can't accept that, Wildfire. You're a Ronin Warrior. You won't go down without a fight, and I'm happy to oblige."

Sage slashed his sword, and metal resounded as it made contact with Ryo's armored chest. Wildfire gasped as he was sent flying backward. He would have gone sailing into the wall had Kento not rushed forward to catch him.

"Ryo! You alright, man?" he asked.

Rowen raised his bow and drew back the string. Deep blue energy began to collect around the notched golden arrow.

"Heavens Shockwave!"

He loosed the glowing arrow, unleashing a huge energy wave formed from pure air. Ryo and Kento stared in shock as they watched the attack fly towards the blonde teen, aiming for his chest. If it hit the mark, it was certain to be fatal.

The Wicked Knight of Dawn narrowed his eyes. He lifted his sword quickly, using it as a shield. The moment the arrow struck the blade, an explosion of bright energy rocked the nightclub and temporarily blinded everyone in the room. Once the light faded, the group of eight slowly opened their eyes and looked back at their enemy. Sage stood in the center of the dance floor.

"Not bad," said Sage.

He raised his sword into the air. Instantly, it began to radiate with brilliant light.

"But not good enough."

Sage thrust the sword forward. A beam of light burst from it and shot straight at Strata. Rowen swiftly threw himself to the side. The bright beam collided instead with the left side of the bar, splintering the counter in half. Sage growled in annoyance and glared darkly at the Ronin. Rowen met his gaze, his own expression impassive. He raised his bow again and nocked another arrow.

"No, Rowen!" cried Ryo.

"What are you trying to do, kill him?" Kento exclaimed.

Rowen's blue eyes widened as the serene sensation that had taken hold of him shattered. He glanced slowly around the room, taking in the damage. The club was in shambles. A beam had collapsed from the ceiling. The bar was essentially destroyed, having been slashed through in several places. Broken glass littered the floor. Several light fixtures were still in tact, but many had been caught in the various blasts and were now sparking dangerously. The entire area looked like a war zone. Strata's hands trembled, weakening his grip on the bow. His chest felt like it had tightened, making it hard to breathe, and he felt sick to his stomach.

What… what did I just…?

Sage hadn't moved, merely watching Rowen's body language shift. He could feel the intense emotions that filled the Ronin — adamant determination with a hint of apathy, which had very suddenly morphed into shock and horror. The blonde winced visibly at the empathic intrusion, but did not let it distract him.

"Are you giving up?" asked Sage, stepping forward menacingly. "Did you finally realize that you can't win? Gotta say, it's about time."

"Sage, I… I - I didn't… I don't… I'm —" Rowen stuttered.

"Oh, God, don't tell me you're about to apologize. Are you really that pathetic?" Sage sneered. "Strata, you were trying to kill me. Don't deny it, own it. You want me dead."

"No, that's not true. I… I don't know what happened just now, but the last thing I want is to hurt you," Rowen insisted. "If you would just listen to me for a minute —"

Sage leveled a stony look at the Ronin. "I'm done listening."

Ryo pushed himself away from Kento's support as they watched Sage lift his sword into the air for what was clearly intended to be the final time. If they didn't act soon, they were all dead.

"Kento, we have to armor up," he said quietly.

"What? Why?" demanded Hardrock.

"Because if we don't slow him down, then we're never gonna get through to him," replied Ryo. "Just trust me, alright? Armor of Wildfire!"

"Armor of Hardrock!"

The two Ronins donned their armors just in time.

"Lightning Strike!"

A flash of bright light struck the blade of the Halo Sword. In an instant, Ryo rushed towards Rowen, tackling him out of the way, while Kento raised his iron bo staff over his head and started swinging it.

"Iron Rock Crusher!"

The two attacks collided, the light beam getting swallowed up by the massive earthquake and sending a cloud of dust and debris into the air. Sprawled on the floor, Ryo and Rowen quickly pushed themselves onto their knees. The two Ronins glanced up at Sage. He glowered at them, furious.

"You two have the annoying habit of butting in on things that don't concern you," growled the Wicked Knight. "Or are you just that eager to die? Because I'd be happy to speed this up, if that's what you want."

"You don't want to kill us, Sage," said Kento, glancing over his shoulder at his friends as they both got to their feet.

"Pretty sure I do," Sage said. "And, apparently, I'm not the only one contemplating murder in this room, am I? Talk about hypocrisy. You come in here, lecturing me about friendship… when in reality, you want to get rid of me just as much as I want to get rid of you. No, wait." The blonde closed his eyes tightly. "Sorry, these emotions aren't coming from you. They were from Strata for a while, but not anymore. No, these emotions… they belong to the Warlords… and the werewolf bitch and her boy toy vampire."

Aiden growled angrily. Zion placed a placating hand on his shoulder.

"No surprise there," Sage continued, opening his eyes and looking over at the three immortal men. "We've been enemies since the day we met. I guess old habits die hard."

"Halo —" Kale started to say.

Pale purple eyes flicked over to Aiden and Zion. "And I don't even know the two of you. So, no hard feelings. I mean, if I were in your shoes, I'd probably want to kill me, too. Difference is, I'd actually do something about it, not stand around and watch teenagers fight my battles for me."

"We are not your enemy, Sage of the Halo," said Zion.

"Not yet, at least. But if you come after us, I'll make sure you regret it," Aiden threatened with a low growl.

"Wow. Now, that was rude. We were having a conversation here," said Sage, seemingly offended.

"How much longer do you think you can last, Sage? You do not have as much control over your power as you think you do. Eventually, you'll get sloppy. You'll start making mistakes. Our emotions will overwhelm you, and you won't be able to bounce back from it as quickly as you have been. At this rate, you're going to collapse." Kayura moved closer to the Wicked Knight, even as he narrowed his gaze at her. "Sage, this needs to stop… before you accidentally hurt one of your friends."

"It stops when you're all dead… when the entire rainbow of human emotion ends. No, stop!" Sage shouted, taking a step back in response to Kayura's next step forward. "I told you before! Stay away from me!"

Kayura stayed perfectly still. Sage was shaking again, and there was a wild look in his eyes. He was breathing heavily. As she observed the Wicked Knight, he dropped his sword and wrapped his arms around himself in a protective manner, his fingers forming a vice grip on his upper arms. She realized instantly that Sage had finally reached the breaking point. This was it. It wouldn't be long before he was too far gone for her to reach. Kayura had to get through to him, right here and now.

"Easy, it's alright, I get it," she began slowly. "You're resisting what you're feeling. That's a natural instinct, Sage, but you shouldn't do it. To be able to control your power as an Empath, you must first accept your destiny. You have to look inside yourself, to a place where you can find inner peace of mind."

Sage shook his head. "I thought I had," he whispered, his voice cracking. "I've been meditating, every free moment I have, but it doesn't help. All the sorrow, the bitterness… It doesn't go away."

"I know, and I'm so sorry. You weren't supposed to have this power yet, not until you were ready," said Kayura.

"Please, don't… God, your pity, it hurts!" Sage cringed, retreating further away from her.

"Don't pull away from it, Sage, embrace it. You're still resisting, that's why you can't control your power. You have to stop fighting what you feel."

"No, I can't… it's too much… I can't do it…"

"You can," Kayura insisted. "You're afraid, that's understandable. But you have been given an extraordinary opportunity — a chance to experience the world in a way very few have ever done. And, yes, there are a lot of people who are suffering… but there are also people who are really, truly happy. There is so much good in this world. Don't turn your back on it, Sage. We need you to protect that happiness, to keep the light from fading."

The room was silent. No one dared to move. This had to work, it had to, because if it didn't…

Sage lifted his head up to meet Kayura's eyes. The tears that he had been holding back finally spilled over, slowly making their way down his face. His gaze was much calmer now, more pained than murderous. In that moment, the last of the Ancient's clan knew the time had come to put their plan into action.

"Ronins, Warlords, we must combine our virtues," she instructed.

"Um, are you sure?" asked Sekhmet.

"Yes, now do as I say. Hurry," Kayura insisted as she closed her eyes.

"Okay," agreed Ryo.

The six warriors followed suit and closed their eyes. Together, they concentrated on the connection between the armors. It was going to be tough without the ninth armor, but even without the virtue of Trust, Kayura had no doubt that this would work. One by one, the armors began to resonate with each other.

Righteousness…

Wisdom…

Justice…

Loyalty…

Obedience…

Serenity…

Piety…

Connected as one, the seven armors reached out to the Armor of Halo, encouraging it to use it's healing power to erase the corruption from the mind of it's bearer.

Grace…

At once, a bright light filled all of their hearts. The Halo Armor had united with the others, and already the evil that had overtaken it was starting to disappear. Feelings of hatred and misery were replaced by love, friendship, and joyous laughter. For the first time in days, Sage felt like he could breathe easily. He could feel the concern of his friends and allies, but it didn't hurt.

The pain was gone…

… and it was warm.

Sitting upon his throne in the early hours of the morning, Lord Zankoku was nursing a goblet and eyeing it with an annoyed expression. Usually, a finely made chardonnay lifted his sour mood, but it just wasn't having the same effect this time. If he were a lesser demon, he would have been swearing and throwing things. Sometimes, he wished for the simplicity of the lower class.

The Ronin Warriors, Kayura, and the Warlords had managed to save Sage of the Halo. Zankoku knew he should have pressed when the boy had refused the tonic. He supposed it couldn't be helped, though. At least it wasn't a total loss. He still had Cye on his side. That knowledge was more than enough to cheer him up.

Speaking of which, the Wicked Knight of Tsunami had just come waltzing into the room. He approached the demon without hesitation and bowed before speaking. "You asked to see me, my liege?"

"Yes, Cye, I did," said Zankoku, taking in the boy's auburn and black streaked hair. "I assume you know the situation with Sage by now?"

"Clara informed me," confirmed Cye.

"Hmm, yes. And if there's one thing I can't stand, it's a traitor. Oh, the next time I see him, he'll be in for a very big scolding," said Zankoku, rising from his throne. "But, I did not summon you here simply to tell you that. No, no, I have something much more exciting in mind, which I think will really turn my frown upside down."

"What is it?" asked Cye, curiosity making his eyes light up.

Zankoku approached his remaining Wicked Knight. "Cye, I have been watching you very closely, and I have to say, I love what I've seen. You have a talent, my boy. I mean, killing four demons in one night, all while leaving no mark on the bodies? Even the Fae don't have that kind of restraint — well, except for Clara, of course."

"You saw all that?" Cye said, surprised.

"I did, and I was quite impressed. So impressed, in fact, that I want to offer you a promotion." Zankoku stepped right up to Cye, getting a bit into his personal space, though the young human didn't seem to mind. "How would you like to be my second-in-command?"

Cye stared at him for a moment, and then his lips formed a satisfied grin. "Oh, hell, yes."

Zankoku matched Cye's smile with one of his own. With a wave of his hand, the demon summoned a second, smaller chair. Appearing to the right of the dais, it was made of the same material as the throne. Zankoku indicated that Cye should take a seat. The Wicked Knight of Tsunami obeyed, moving silently to the new chair as the demon watched him.

Finally, things were back on track.