Disclaimer: Yoroiden Samurai Troopers is the property of Sunrise. Ronin Warriors is the property of Bandai Entertainment. "Holding Out For A Hero" was written by Jim Steinman and Dean Pitchford, released by Colombia Records, and originally recorded by Bonnie Tyler. This particular arrangement of the song was featured in the fourth season of Glee, with lead vocals performed by Becca Tobin and Melissa Benoist.
Author's Note: So... I miscounted. This chapter ended up being 19 PAGES LONG! And it's finally posted. Again, I apologize for the delay with this chapter. I won't keep you from reading it any longer, so I'll see you next Tuesday for the final chapter.
Enjoy, and please review.
Beta's Note: Oh. My. God. I did not expect to have to proof this chapter again, but last minute rewrites are always unexpected. It was really my fault that this chapter was late. I didn't have a lot of free time this week, due to my work schedule. So I, too, am sorry for the long wait. I can guarantee that Chapter 20 will be up on time, though, and that there will be no issues on my end, which means you can look forward to the conclusion being posted on time. See y'all then!
The Wicked Knights
by Jake the Fearless Leader
Chapter Nineteen
"Clash of the Warriors"
The Maranwe Statue wasn't exactly hard to spot. Made of black and gold marble, it stood on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. A large wheel with eight spokes was attached to a four foot pillar, resembling the wheel of a ship. Upon closer inspection, one could see that there were images carved on two of the spokes. On the right spoke was carved an ankh, the symbol of Life. On the left spoke was carved a skull, the symbol of Death. The structure was intimidating, especially up close.
Cye and Clara approached the statue. Their objective was to perform the ritual and awaken the power within the Maranwe Statue. According to Zankoku, the text was very clear. They were the only ones who could do it.
The Wicked Knight and the Fae were both clad in casual attire. Cye wore a ripped silver tank top covered by a black leather vest and black pants with cerulean blue ripped details. He also had on a pair of black boots. The iridescent twin trident necklace his father had given him was still around his neck, only it wasn't tucked into his shirt. As for Clara, she was wearing a black shirt under a dark pink crop jacket, dark pink jeans, and black battered combat boots. The Fae accessorized the outfit with a black fingerless glove on her left hand. Around her neck was an obsidian necklace. The pendant matched the electric blue tattoo on the inside of her left wrist — a dragon in flight.
"Okay, ritual time. Once we finish it, there's no going back." Clara looked over at her partner. "You ready?"
"Do it," said Cye.
Clara nodded and turned her head back towards the statue. She raised her right arm, palm pointing at the wheel.
"Devaron, Lord of Fate, we invoke thy ancient power… Awaken now from the Divine Realm and grant us our desire…"
An electric blue aura surrounded Clara as mystical energy built around her. She leaned down and, with her left hand, pulled a dagger out of her boot.
"Cleanse the Mortal Realm of purity and light… Let corruption and darkness reign forever more."
Clara brought the obsidian blade to the palm of her left hand and drew it across her skin swiftly. Blood instantly welled up along the cut. The Fae lifted her hand to the left spoke. She pressed her bloodied palm against the skull carving. Instantly, a bolt of lightning crashed into the ocean just beyond the statue. The water was sent blasting up into the air. The Maranwe Statue began to glow with an ethereal plum-colored aura at the same time as Clara's own aura disappeared.
Satisfied, the Fae stepped back from the radiating structure and wordlessly held her dagger out to the Wicked Knight. Cye took it with his right hand. With one fluid motion, he slashed the blade across his left palm. He passed the weapon back to her before crossing over to the statue. He raised his arm to add his blood to the skull carving.
"Cye!"
Clara spun around to see Ryo and Kayura running towards them. The two heroes stopped cold, however, as they took in the scene before them.
Slowly, Cye turned to face them. He rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Wildfire, Kayura. Why am I not surprised? We'd love to talk, but as you can see, we're a little busy at the moment."
Ryo stood frozen, staring in horror. If the armor link hadn't told him that he was looking at his friend, he'd never have recognized him. Inky black hair and bangs tipped with a silvery-blue ombre, blood red eyes, a deathly white complexion… Cye's very presence was practically demonic.
"You look terrible," said Ryo, his voice practically a whisper.
"I'll take that as a compliment," said Cye.
"It must be a side effect of the tonic," Kayura tried to assure the Ronin.
The Wicked Knight of Tsunami gave them a twisted grin. "I no longer need the tonic."
"What do you mean?" demanded Kayura.
"He means Lord Zankoku knew better than to rely solely on Melaina," clarified the Fae of Disaster as she stepped forward to stand beside Cye. "She may be skilled with potions, but even her best tonic would have failed eventually. That's why he called in a Black Caster to perform a little spell."
"What kind of a spell?" Ryo asked.
Clara snorted. "Right, like I'd tell you."
The Ronin figured that would be her response. Instead of pushing the Fae for a direct answer, he decided to just confront the Wicked Knight.
"Cye, please. You have to listen to me," Ryo said.
"Not like I have much of a choice. Your thoughts are very loud," said Cye.
Wildfire nodded. "I know, and I'm sorry."
The Wicked Knight looked at him curiously. "Sorry for what? You're not the one who gave me this power. It's not your problem."
"We're friends. Anything that hurts you hurts me, too," said Ryo. "And what you're about to do? That's not going to help you. It'll just make you feel worse."
"How do you know?" countered Cye.
"Because I know you," Ryo answered sincerely.
Cye scoffed. "No, you don't. Not the real me. There's no way you could. I haven't told you everything. You don't know my darkest secrets."
"So, tell me now," encouraged the Ronin leader.
"Why, so history can just repeat itself? No, I won't let that happen, not again. I think I finally get it. Humans are twisted. They're cruel. They're heartless. There's no point trying to save them. They deserve what's coming to them. Trust me, it's better this way."
"You don't mean that," Ryo insisted.
"Sure, I do. I can hear them, all of them," said Cye. "Someone has to put these humans in their place. And those who don't bow down might as well not exist."
"You know we won't let you complete that ritual," Kayura declared. "Stand down, Cye. Let us help you."
"You're the one who needs to back down, Kayura," warned Clara.
"I say we just kill them both now," Cye said to her.
Kayura gave the Wicked Knight an incredulous look. "You would really kill one of your friends?"
"I'll gladly kill anyone who gets in my way," Cye responded.
"Friendship isn't all it's cracked up to be," smirked Clara, "especially when you have Shadow Magic on your side."
"Shadow Magic?!" gasped Kayura, her eyes widening.
That would certainly explain a lot. For Cye's appearance to have changed that much in such a short amount of time, Zankoku had to have taken drastic action. Almost too drastic. Mixing Wraith Blood with Shadow Magic was a risk not many would take. If the demon was that desperate, could it be possible that Cye wasn't as far gone as they had all thought?
Ryo took a cautious step forward. "Cye, you don't want to do this. I know you're struggling to control your power. But you can't give in to Zankoku. He's using your power to turn you into someone you're not."
For a split second, Cye's crimson eyes glowed menacingly. "You want to know who Cye Mouri is? He's a freak! Just ask anyone! All of his classmates, even his own sister! They'd be only too happy to bad-mouth me!"
"That's not true," argued Ryo.
"Yes, it is. I don't need to hear their thoughts to know that. No one's exactly shy about it." The Wicked Knight smirked. "But now I get to make them suffer. God knows they deserve it."
"I can certainly understand why you think that, Cye, but you're wrong," said Kayura. "Not all of humanity deserves this. If you go through with the ritual, you'll be hurting a lot of innocent people."
Cye scoffed. "No such thing."
"Of course there is, and we can prove it to you," said Kayura.
"How?" demanded Cye.
"Search our thoughts. You have the power. Listen to Ryo, listen to me… and then compare that to what you hear from her." Kayura pointed at the Fae.
Clara laughed. "Seriously? You think that's gonna make a difference? Newsflash: it won't! That was kind of the point of using Shadow Magic."
Kayura stared impassively at Clara. The Fae sounded so confident. Was it possible she didn't know Shadow Magic's weakness?
"Enough of this," the Wicked Knight interrupted. "We have work to do. And the two of you are just in the way."
"We're not leaving, Cye," said Ryo.
"Suit yourselves," Cye said with a shrug. "Armor up, Clara."
Both the Wicked Knight and the Fae pulled their armor orbs out of their pockets. Simultaneously, they tossed them into the air and leaped up after them. Within moments, their casual attire had vanished, replaced by their sub-armor. Cye and Clara landed on the ground in a crouch, and then raised themselves to their full heights.
"You take Kayura. The Ronin is mine," said Cye, not taking his eyes off of Ryo.
"Sounds good to me," agreed Clara, a wicked smile gracing her pretty face. She was itching for a fight just as much as he was.
The Sinister Fae of Disaster waltzed over to Kayura. The last of the Ancient's clan shifted into a fighting stance. Kayura was ready for anything that Clara had to throw at her. As the two girls prepared to face off, Cye moved closer towards Ryo.
"You know, I've been looking for a good excuse to kick your ass, Wildfire," the Wicked Knight sneered. He was practically radiating with excitement.
"We don't have to fight," Ryo said.
"How'd you think this was gonna go? Did you really believe you could stop me with some boring speech? That was never going to happen."
The two warriors had started slowly circling one another, determined blue eyes locking onto devilish red irises.
"It doesn't have to be this way," insisted Ryo.
Cye smirked. "It does, actually."
The Ronin leader's fists clenched. "Guess I don't have a choice, then. This is the only way to save you."
(Doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo, doo, doo, doo
Ah. Ah.)
"You still think I need saving?"
"I know you don't see it, Cye, but you need help," Ryo responded. "That evil bastard is destroying you."
Cye's smirk instantly melted off his face. His crimson eyes went completely dead. Insulting Zankoku again was the last straw.
"You're dead," the Wicked Knight growled darkly.
Where have all the good men gone,
And where are all the gods?
Where's the street-wise Hercules
To fight the rising odds?
Isn't there a white knight
Upon a fiery steed?
Late at night, I toss and I turn
And I dream of what I need.
Cye struck out, his movement lightning fast. His fist would have connected with Ryo's nose had he not seen it coming and dodged at the last second. Even so, it had been close. Wildfire had no idea making that crack about Zankoku would have such an extreme effect. But he had very little time to think about it. The Wicked Knight was already attacking again, twirling around and attempting to backfist the Ronin. Ryo blocked the move, then retaliated with a punch of his own. Cye effortlessly sidestepped the blow.
Ryo aimed a punch at the Wicked Knight's torso. Cye lifted his arm up to block it. The Ronin tried again and was met with the exact same results. The next strike was aimed right at Cye's face. He leaned back slightly, avoiding taking any damage. The Wicked Knight of Tsunami retaliated with another backhand. Ryo barely managed to block it in time. Unfortunately, he wasn't prepared for Cye to spin back around and backfist him from the other side, the blow making contact with the Ronin's cheek. Wildfire grunted, but didn't let the pain distract him. He swung his arm at Cye's head. The Wicked Knight ducked to avoid the strike, and then he countered with a low punch to the stomach. Ryo again managed to block the hit. A second hit followed, but this was merely a distraction. Cye's real goal was to punch the Ronin square in the jaw. Ryo only just managed to duck out of the way. Wildfire jabbed his fist forward and was countered by the Wicked Knight's arm. Instinctively, Ryo lashed out. An agonized gasp escaped Cye as the Ronin's fist made contact with his face.
It was only then that Ryo figured it out. Cye's moves were extremely precise. Brutal, but calculated. And he had blocked all of Ryo's attacks except that last one. It was the one time the Ronin had acted without thinking.
Cye's power was telepathy. He was reading Ryo's mind and adjusting his attacks accordingly.
Unfortunately, knowing that wasn't going to make this fight any easier. The Ronin had no clue how he was supposed to shield his mind from the psychic invasion, and the Wicked Knight wasn't about to give him a chance to figure it out.
I need a hero.
I'm holding out for a hero
'Til the end of the night.
He's gotta be strong,
And he's gotta be fast,
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight.
Cye grabbed Ryo by the arm. Spinning around, he attempted to toss Ryo off the cliff. The Ronin fought to maintain his balance. Once he was free of the Wicked Knight's grip, Wildfire retaliated with another punch, which Cye easily blocked. Cye changed tactics, aiming a kick at Ryo's legs. Ryo leapt into the air to avoid the strike. Reacting, the Wicked Knight aimed a high kick, and Ryo quickly ducked down. Ryo countered with a kick directly to Cye's torso. The Wicked Knight blocked the blow with his forearm. Ryo tried again with a spin kick, but Cye stepped back to get out of range. Cye reached out and grabbed Ryo's upper arms tightly. This prevented him from blocking when Cye thrusted his knee into the Ronin leader's torso. Wildfire wrenched himself out of the Wicked Knight's grasp. He launched another spin kick, this time catching Cye in the shoulder and forcing him to back off.
I need a hero.
(Hero)
I'm holding out for a hero
'Til the morning light.
('Til the morning light)
He's gotta be sure,
And it's gotta be soon,
And he's gotta be larger than life.
Larger than life.
Cye recovered quickly, aiming a low kick at Ryo's shin. The Ronin inhaled sharply at the flash of pain. Before he could counter, Cye was charging at him once more and tackling him to the ground. Ryo quickly shoved the Wicked Knight off of him. He stood up and attempted to put some distance between them, but Cye was faster. With a single kick, he managed to knock Wildfire's legs out from under him once again. Ryo hit the ground hard, his head slamming into the earth beneath him. The Wicked Knight took this opportunity to get back to his feet. As Ryo rolled over onto his side, Cye grabbed him around the chest and hauled him upward. He had every intention of throwing Ryo off the side of the cliff. However, the Warrior of Fire elbowed him in the ribs and broke free.
(Doo, doo, doo, doo
Doo, doo, doo, doo)
Oh, whoa!
(Doo, doo, doo, doo)
Oh!
Yeah!
(Ah. Ah.)
Ryo didn't hesitate. He performed a spin kick, one Cye didn't have time to block. The Wicked Knight took the blow to his chest with a painful groan. Wildfire kicked him again, but this time Cye easily blocked it. Ryo changed tactics and aimed a punch at his upper chest. Cye grabbed the offending limb and used the Ronin's momentum to flip him over his shoulder. Seeing that Cye was about to stomp his foot into his gut, Ryo swiftly rolled out of the way. Cye growled angrily as his foot missed the mark, leaving a mark in the dirt. The Ronin leapt back onto his feet, though he was given no time to launch another attack before Cye was on him. The Wicked Knight of Tsunami launched a high kick, smacking Wildfire back down to the ground. Pain laced through him, but Ryo wasn't done yet. He pushed himself back onto his feet. Cye came at him with a spin kick, and though Ryo dodged it, it seemed to be only a distraction. The Wicked Knight grabbed his arm again, only this time he used it to maneuver himself behind the Ronin. Cye now had Ryo locked into a tight hold from behind.
Somewhere after midnight,
In my wildest fantasy.
Somewhere just beyond my reach,
There's someone reaching back for me.
Racing on the thunder
And rising with the heat.
It's gonna take a superman
To sweep me off my feet.
"You can't win, you know. Might as well just call it quits," Cye sneered.
Wildfire didn't waste time responding. He used the Wicked Knight's distraction to thrust his elbow into his stomach. This had the desired effect of breaking Cye's grip on him. Ryo pulled away and whirled around quickly to face his opponent. Grabbing Cye by the arm, he threw him back towards the Maranwe Statue. Cye pushed himself up, softly groaning in pain. He put his back to the statue as he glared coldly at Ryo. The Ronin tried not to flinch as he watched Cye's irises glow crimson.
"I'm not giving up on you," Ryo declared defiantly.
Oh!
I need a hero.
I'm holding out for a hero
'Til the end of the night.
He's gotta be strong,
And he's gotta be fast,
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight.
Growling under his breath, the Wicked Knight of Tsunami charged the Ronin leader. He threw a punch and hit Ryo again in the jaw. Wildfire reacted automatically, his own punch striking Cye's cheekbone. Cye kicked his foot into Ryo's shin. While the pain distracted him, the Wicked Knight dropped and performed a low spinning sweep kick. Wildfire landed on the ground hard, but once again didn't stay down for long. As soon as he was back on his feet, Ryo attempted to land a roundhouse kick. Cye swiftly jumped back and out of harm's way. The Wicked Knight struck out with his fist. This time, however, Ryo managed to avoid the hit. Before Cye could attack again, the Ronin kicked his legs out from under him. Cye fell to the ground, and Ryo quickly stepped on his wrist to keep him pinned.
I need a hero.
(Hero)
I'm holding out for a hero
'Til the morning light.
('Til the morning light)
He's gotta be sure,
And it's gotta be soon,
And he's gotta be larger than life.
"It's over, Cye. Let's go home. Everyone's waiting for us," said Ryo gently.
The hateful look in Cye's eyes made the Ronin leader suddenly thankful that looks couldn't actually kill a person. The Wicked Knight wrenched his arm out from underneath Ryo's foot, and he rolled away from Wildfire the second he was free. He got back to his feet, still glaring darkly.
"This is far from over," Cye growled.
"Cye, please."
Ryo approached him, but Cye backed away, keeping distance between them. His eyes had gone cold once more.
"Time to armor up," he said. "Armor of Torrent!"
"Armor of Wildfire!"
Ryo may have been an optimist, but he wasn't stupid. If he didn't summon his armor now, he was dead.
I need a hero.
I'm holding out for a hero
'Til the end of the night.
Cye smirked. "So, you donned your armor, too. Good. I was worried this wouldn't be as much fun." He held the black trident confidently in his hands, the Torrent Spear no where in sight. His eyes glowed blood red. "Ready to go again?"
Meanwhile, Kayura and Clara had wasted no time in summoning their armors. The two were giving it their all, and they were evenly matched. The Fae's combat skills were impressive. Armed with a short sword, Clara was proving that she was quite the force to be reckoned with. Kayura rushed at the Fae, swinging her staff. Clara swiftly parried the blow. She jabbed her blade at the last of the Ancient's clan. Kayura just barely managed to dodge the hit. She deftly moved towards Clara, striking her in the leg. The Fae went down on one knee with a grunt.
"Okay, ow." Clara glared fiercely as she stood up. She twirled her sword, poised for another assault.
As the Fae of Disaster lunged at her, Kayura swiped the Ancient's staff and smacked her in the head. Clara staggered back, momentarily stunned.
"I will defeat you, Clara. No matter what it takes," said Kayura defiantly.
She looked at the staff in her hand. She closed her eyes and focused on a single wish, praying that the weapon would heed her will. With a golden glow, the Ancient's staff shifted it's form, becoming a golden sai.
Clara rolled her eyes. "Like that'll save you," she jeered.
Kayura launched herself back into the fray, swinging her newly transformed blade at the Fae. Clara flew up to avoid the blow, but quickly returned to the ground to continue the fight. The two girls charged at each other, slashing their swords, metal clashing against metal. Kayura jabbed her blade at Clara's chest plate, which forced the Fae to step back. Clara fell into a more defensive position after this. She'd occasionally move to attack, but not nearly as often as she blocked or parried hits. Kayura decided to take advantage of this, and she sliced the Fae across the cheek. Clara gasped in pain.
"Do you yield, Clara?" asked Kayura.
Emerald green eyes narrowed. In a fluid motion, Clara dove into a roll past Kayura. Before she could even turn around, the Fae of Disaster was whipping her sword upward. The last of the Ancient's clan froze, surprised, as the cool metal pressed against the delicate skin on the side of her neck.
Clara smirked. She wasn't even breathing hard. "Yeah, no. Quitting — not an option. Least, not for me. You, on the other hand, should definitely yield, or whatever."
Kayura clenched her fist, not saying a word. Clara may have caught her off guard, but she wasn't as cornered as the Fae seemed to think.
Up where the mountains meet the heavens above,
Out where the lighting splits the sea,
I could swear there is someone somewhere watching me.
On the other side of the cliff, a hell of a battle was taking place. Cye wasn't pulling his punches, and his new trident was deadly. Ryo had been forced to go all out. He didn't want to. The Ronin leader knew the kind of damage the Wildfire and Torrent Armors could do, especially when their powers were combined. The last thing he wanted was to hurt his friend. Unfortunately, the Wicked Knight was out for blood.
The two warriors stood apart now, facing each other. They had each gotten a few good hits in, and they had the bruises to show for it. Ryo was bleeding from a cut on his temple. The wound stung, but otherwise, it wasn't that bad. By comparison, the laceration on Cye's left cheekbone was sluggishly bleeding, and yet he barely even feel it.
"Gotta say, Wildfire, I'm impressed. I thought for sure you'd be holding back on me. But, no, you're really giving it your all," Cye commented.
"It's not like I have a choice," Ryo said. "If I don't fight back, you'll kill me."
Through the wind and the chill and the rain
And the storm and the flood,
I can feel his approach like a fire in my blood.
Cye snickered. "You're not wrong. If you weren't even trying, you'd absolutely be dead by now. But don't think that will save you for long. Sooner or later, I will kill you."
"Not gonna happen," declared Ryo. He charged forward, ready to resume the fight.
(Like a fire in my blood
Like a fire in my blood
Like a fire in my blood
Like a fire in my —
Ah! Ah!)
Ryo slashed one of his swords at the Wicked Knight. Cye parried the blow with his trident, and then immediately jabbed it into the Ronin's right side. Ryo grunted, but shook it off. He aimed a strike at Cye's wrist, attempting to hurt him just enough to drop his weapon. The Wicked Knight stepped back slightly to avoid the hit. Taking inspiration from the Ronin, he swung his trident at Ryo's left hand. He was much more successful, managing to successfully send the sword flying across the battlefield. Wildfire lifted his foot up, kicking Cye's torso and forcing him back, before running after his fallen blade. The Wicked Knight grunted and pursued him.
With a swift motion, Ryo crouched down, grabbed the sword, and spun his body around just in time. A metallic clang filled the air as the Swords of Wildfire crossed and blocked a strike from the black trident. The two warriors struggled - Cye attempting to break the Ronin's guard, Ryo fighting to push the Wicked Knight's weapon away. Realizing that they were locked in a stalemate, Cye changed tactics. He jumped back, away from Wildfire, and shifted once again into an offensive position. Once Ryo had stood up from his crouched position, the Wicked Knight charged forward, aiming his trident at the Ronin's chest. Ryo sidestepped the strike before going back on the defensive.
Oh!
I need a hero.
(Hero)
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night.
He's gotta be strong, and he's gotta be fast,
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight.
Cye smirked. "What's the matter, Wildfire? Losing your nerve? Or have you finally realized that you can't stop the inevitable?"
He thrusted his trident at the Ronin. Ryo blocked it with one of his swords, then used the other one to counterattack.
"You're my friend, Cye. I will save you, no matter what it takes," Ryo said.
Wildfire slashed his blade across the Wicked Knight's ribs, making him stagger back. Cye retaliated by swiping his trident under the Ronin's legs and knocking him off his feet. Ryo push himself up onto his knees, only to freeze as Cye pressed the sharp points of the black trident against his throat.
"I am not your friend," the Wicked Knight said in a low voice.
Cye lifted the trident up, preparing to skewer the Ronin. Ryo swung his swords upwards. One hit the top of Cye's helmet and knocked it off his head. The other blade grazed his chin, drawing blood. Caught off guard, the Wicked Knight hesitated. Ryo took advantage of this and slammed his elbow into Cye's knee. Cye grunted in pain and stepped back, allowing Ryo to stand up.
I have to find a way to get through to him. I can't give up now.
"Fine by me, because giving up won't save you, anyway," sneered Cye as he swiftly moved forward, his weapon raised to strike.
The warriors clashed once more — slashing and parrying blows, attacking and counterattacking. The Ronin and the Wicked Knight were evenly matched.
I need a hero.
(Hero)
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light.
('Til the morning light)
He's gotta be sure, and it's gotta be soon,
And he's gotta be larger than life.
Ryo's mind was racing. He let his instincts take over in the fight while he tried to focus his thoughts. He hadn't spoken out loud. Cye had read his mind and reacted to what he heard. And unlike Sage, it didn't seem like his power was hindering him or causing him any pain. That was both good and bad. Cye wasn't close to losing control, which meant he wasn't in any mental anguish. But it was the lack of control that helped them connect to the Halo Armor and allowed them to rescue Sage. Wildfire wouldn't be able to pull off the same trick here.
"Come on, Cye," said Ryo, blocking an oncoming assault from the trident. "Let me help you."
"You sound like a broken record," spat Cye.
"I don't know why you think there's something wrong with you because it's not true. You're the best of us, Cye."
The Wicked Knight snorted. "Cut the crap, Wildfire. If you knew the truth, you'd ditch me. You all would!"
I need a hero.
(Hero)
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night.
He's gotta be strong, and he's gotta be fast,
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight.
Cye jumped back several feet. There was a feral look in his eyes. With a malignant grin, he raised his trident into a very familiar position.
"Crimson Aqua Vortex!"
A stream of scarlet water shot out of the tip of the trident, forming a horizontal pillar. Ryo gasped, his eyes wide. He hadn't thought that trident was capable of summoning the power the Torrent Armor. It caught him off guard. By the time he even thought to try blocking it, the Ronin was surrounded by water. He screamed as he was thrown backwards. His body slammed painfully against the base of the Maranwe Statue. If he hadn't been wearing his armor, he probably would have broken his spine.
Cye didn't wait for him to recover. The Wicked Knight was almost instantly standing over him, preparing to jab him in the gut. Wildfire pushed passed the pain, rolling sideways. The trident stabbed into the ground, missing the Ronin completely. Ryo used the distraction to get back up and move into a defensive position. Cye quickly wrenched his weapon free. He pressed on with the assault, lunging at the Ronin leader and attempting to stab him. Ryo quickly raised the Swords of Wildfire to block, then swiped one of the blades at Cye's leg to stagger him. He followed up with a low spin kick, which knocked the Wicked Knight off his feet.
Unfortunately, Cye didn't stay down for long. He was back up in record time and looking for a little payback. Wildfire was faster. The Ronin slashed both his swords at the Wicked Knight. Cye parried the strikes, landing a powerful blow to Ryo's shoulder. Ryo winced, dropping one of his swords so he could grip his shoulder. But he otherwise ignored the pain.
I need a hero!
"Like I said, you can't stop me," said Cye.
"This isn't who you are, Cye. You're one of my best friends. I know what's in your heart. And this?" Ryo nodded his head back towards the statue. "It's not this."
"You can't be serious." The Wicked Knight snickered. "Is this really your big master plan to 'save me' or whatever?"
Ryo shook his head. "I don't have a plan. I didn't know what I was going to say to you when I came here. Figured I'd just wing it."
"You're honest, I'll give you that," Cye commended.
"I won't lie to you," promised Ryo. He took a cautious step forward. "I know you're hurting. I can't imagine what you're going through. You must really be in a lot of pain to want to set off an apocalypse… because you don't have a mean bone in your body."
The Wicked Knight glared. "You have no idea what I'm capable of."
"I've known what you're capable of since we fought Sekhmet at the Naruto Straight. I would trust you with my life any day, and so would the guys. You're part of our team. We're not the Ronin Warriors without you. After everything we've been through, you can't just throw away our friendship. We want you to come home, Cye. I'm not leaving here without you."
Cye shook his head. "When you find out what I am, you won't want to be friends anymore. You'll leave me, all of you," he said softly.
"That will never happen. I won't ever abandon you." Ryo stepped closer. "You can trust me."
Cye's expression became feral, and his red eyes glowed bright crimson. "Liar!"
The Wicked Knight launched himself at the Ronin leader. There was no time to react — Ryo was standing too close. The two tumbled to the ground, Wildfire's helmet flying off his head. Ryo tried to get back up, but Cye had him pinned him in place.
"C-Cye, please, stop —"
"Shut up!" Cye screamed, slamming his fist into the Ronin's cheek. "You bastard! You're lying, and you know it!"
Ryo was completely thrown off by the ferocity in his tone. He wanted to protest, to reassure Cye. But he wasn't having any of it. He just kept pummeling the Ronin, fist flying insanely fast.
"You'll leave me! Just like everyone always has!"
There was nothing Ryo could do. He could barely defend himself, let alone try and talk Cye down.
"You deserve death!"
Suddenly, Wildfire realized what he had to do. The solution was so obvious, he mentally smacked himself for not thinking of it sooner. Ryo cleared his mind of everything except the one thing he knew Cye needed to hear.
I won't leave you.
"SHUT UP!" Cye roared, continuing his assault.
Ryo felt a surge of hope. That was a good sign. Cye had heard him. This could work. He just had to keep pushing.
Trust me.
Cye growled, baring his teeth in the process. He wrapped both hands tightly around the Ronin's neck and squeezed tightly. Instantly, Ryo started gasping for air. He reached up to grab the Wicked Knight's arms, but he couldn't break free. Above him, Cye's face was wild. It reminded Ryo of a cornered animal. So even though he was struggling for breath, he calmly repeated his telepathic message.
Trust me…
"Stop it," said Cye tremulously, tightening his grip.
Wildfire's vision was darkening. His arms, which had been clawing at Cye, dropped to the ground. He was about to pass out. It was now or never.
Trust me… Cye…
"S-Stop…"
Cye released his hold on the Ronin. He got to his feet and staggered backwards. Ryo didn't move for a moment, simply allowing himself to recover. Once he had caught his breath, he pushed himself up. Ryo looked at his friend. Cye was visibly trembling, but didn't shy away from his gaze. Slowly, Ryo approached him. Cye didn't even try to stop him. When he was close enough, Wildfire reached out and placed a hand gently on the older teen's shoulder.
"You can trust me, I promise," he said softly.
Righteousness.
The Armor of Wildfire responded, it's virtue blazing brightly on Ryo's forehead. However, unlike every other time the armors had connected, it encountered some resistance. To the Ronin leader, it felt like a thick blanket of smog. But his armor wasn't deterred in the slightest. It could sense the Torrent Armor buried deep down beneath that barrier. The Wildfire Armor obeyed the will of it's bearer, and it reached out to the Armor of Torrent. Light blue specks dimly flickered on Cye's forehead. The specks gradually became brighter as they formed into a familiar kanji.
Trust.
The Wildfire and Torrent Armors linked together, and the effect was instantaneous. Cye gasped softly, his eyes widening. Their crimson color was fading, returning to their normal blue-green. The black locks of hair with their slivery-blue ombre morphed back to light auburn. Color returned to his skin, his tone becoming more pink until his natural complexion was restored.
The spell was broken.
"R-Ryo…? I…" Cye's sea green eyes were already tearing up as the horror of what happened hit him. "What did I just — gah!"
The cacophony of disembodied voices had returned with a vengeance. Cye winced, a soft groan escaping his lips. He pressed his hands flat against his ears, but it was no use. He couldn't block out the noise.
"No…" he moaned. "Please, stop… it's too loud…"
Cye stumbled, which was the only indication Ryo needed to know he was about to lose his balance. He quickly grabbed hold of his friend's arms and guided them both down to their knees. Torrent shuddered, barely supporting his own weight. Wildfire suspected that if he were to let go, Cye would collapse.
"Easy, I got you," Ryo said softly.
Cye didn't seem to hear him. He was shaking and mumbling incoherently, and he didn't resist when Ryo pulled him closer. In fact, he was practically dead weight in Ryo's arms. The Ronin leader gently guided Torrent's head down until it rested on his shoulder. Ryo hoped he would be comforted by the gesture, but it didn't seem like Cye knew he was there.
"S-stop… h-hurts…"
Ryo winced sympathetically. "I know. Just hang in there."
Cye shuddered, a pained whimper escaping his parted lips. "P-please…"
Ryo tightened his grip on his friend. He was in way over his head. Cye's telepathic power was too strong for him to even attempt to control. There was only one person that could help.
"Kayura!"
The two girls had still been locked in combat when they heard Wildfire's call. They looked over, taking in the image of the two Ronins on the other side of the cliff.
Kayura smiled. "He did it!" she said joyfully.
Clara hissed. "Damn it. Zankoku won't be happy about this." She took to the air. "We'll have finish this another day, Lady Kayura."
With that, the Fae of Disaster flew off. Kayura watched her go before moving over to assist the two Ronins.
The battle wasn't going well for the Ronin Warriors and the Warlords. They weren't quite sure when the tide had turned in favor of the Sinister Fae, but knowing wouldn't have made a difference. The fact remained the heroes were now fighting a losing battle. The Fae weren't just well trained. Their armor power was much stronger, and that gave them the advantage. It was a small miracle that the heroes hadn't been killed yet. Turned out it was a good idea to tag team the Fae rather than face them individually.
The Ronins and Warlords were all bruised and battered. There was a bloody cut on Rowen's chin. Kento's left cheek was burned from Melaina's toxins. And Sage was seriously struggling to maintain his composure. His empathic power was channeling the various injuries of his friends and allies, which only magnified his own pain. They couldn't keep this up much longer.
Zankoku was satisfied with this outcome, though he couldn't say he was surprised. He knew going into this battle that the Fae were going to overpower the Ronins and Warlords. It was only a matter of time. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that something had gone wrong. Cye and Clara should have completed the ritual by now. What was taking them so long?
He didn't have to wait for an answer. Clara was flying toward him at top speed. As she closed the distance between them, the youngest Fae skidded to a halt and immediately bowed. Zankoku frowned, annoyed by the sight of her.
"Clara, is there a reason you've abandoned your duty?"
"There was trouble. Wildfire and Kayura interrupted us," the Fae of Disaster reported.
"What about Cye? Did he retreat with you?" questioned Zankoku.
Clara shook her head. "Wildfire found a way to break the spell."
Zankoku managed to keep his composure, but internally, he was seething. Losing control of Cye was not part of the plan. It wasn't that he cared for the boy. No, it was just that the timing couldn't have been worse. Without him, there was no way to activate the Maranwe Statue. Zankoku would have to find another way to take over the Mortal Realm.
"Summon the gate, Clara." The order was given quite calmly, though Zankoku's eyes betrayed his rage. As the Fae of Disaster obeyed the command, the demon turned towards the battlefield. "Ladies! That's enough for one day. It's time to go."
The three Fae stopped fighting at once and looked up at their master.
"But, Lord Zankoku, the ritual hasn't been completed. Shouldn't we wait for —?"
"You dare to question me, Rochelle?" Zankoku interrupted, his tone suddenly menacing.
"N-no, my lord, o-of course not," stammered Rochelle as she bowed her head.
The three Fae hastily returned to the demon's side. Behind them, the giant door to the Nether Realm appeared, courtesy of Clara.
"Don't get too comfortable, Ronin Warriors," warned Zankoku. "You may have won this battle, but I intend to win the war. The next time we meet, you won't be so lucky. You'd best prepare yourselves for a world of hurt. You, and your Caster wenches."
The demon spun on his heels. He made his way through the gate back to the Nether Realm, the Sinister Fae following right behind. Once they were all through, the doors slammed shut and faded away once more.
For a brief moment, the heroes stood in stunned silence.
"Did we just… win?" asked Sekhmet.
"I wouldn't exactly call it a clean victory," responded Dais.
"We survived. That's what counts," Kale said, sheathing his sword.
Sage collapsed to his knees with a pained groan.
"Ah, come on, we kicked their asses all the way back to the Nether Realm! No way they're gonna mess with us again," crowed Kento with a big grin.
"You're wrong, Kento," Rowen corrected. "They would've beaten us if the fight lasted any longer. We got off easy."
Hardrock gave him an annoyed look, crossing his arms sullenly. Rowen laughed. He'd expected that reaction. He turned and moved towards Sage.
"Hey, you doing okay?" Strata asked as he knelt down.
The Empath shook his head. "Not really," he admitted.
Rowen winced slightly. "Yeah, I figured. Just take it easy, okay. You're safe with us."
Sage closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He tried to focus on what he was channeling. "I feel pain… Someone's hurting. And - and I also feel fear, but not from the same person. I think…" He opened his pale purple eyes, looking at his friend. "I think it's Cye and Ryo."
The others stared at him, taken aback by his declaration.
"You can tell from this far away?" asked Sekhmet incredulously.
"Kayura said Halo would be able to determine where an emotion was coming from as he started getting the hang of his power," said Dais.
"I'm surprised he can do it this soon," said Kale. "Still, this is a good sign, Halo. It means all of that meditation you've been doing is finally starting to pay off."
The blonde nodded his head, not trusting himself to speak. The Warlord meant well, but he had no idea how much Sage was fighting to stay in control. It was a small miracle he was still in his right mind.
"Alright. Strata, Dais, you two stay here with Halo. The rest of us will go check on the others," instructed Kale.
"Good idea," Dais said. He didn't even want to think about what would happen if they tried to keep Sage and Cye anywhere close to each other.
Kento placed his hand on Sage's shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly before following the two Warlords. Once the three were out of sight, Dais recommended that they start heading back to Toyama. Strata agreed, as he was concerned about his friend. They got the Warrior of Light back on his feet, and Rowen pulled Sage's arm over his shoulder. Together, they moved away from the battlefield, the afternoon sun shining down on them and illuminating the beauty of the Mortal Realm.