SailorStar9: This chapter is officially rewritten. So this is the revamped Chapter 14. Read and review.

Disclaimers: Nothing here are mine, well, except the plot.

Chapter 14: Armor of Life


Back in Talpa's castle, Anubis was banished into the dungeon where Talpa had ordered the Nether Spirits to force their powers into him.

"Stop! Stop!" Anubis cried out, struggling against the lava strands that held him down. "I don't need your powers anymore. Let me out!"

"Anubis , your heart is no longer with the power of the Dynasty." Talpa told him. "I will return you to my side. The Nether Spirits are training you, so that you will be a hardened warrior living only for battle. With your new strength, you will bury the Ronin Warriors along with Athena. I want you to show me the true nature of the Warlord of Cruelty. Nether Spirits, let it be done!"

At his command, the Nether Spirits flared up their power.

"No!" Anubis screamed as the power of the Nether Spirits was forced into him. With the evil power coursing through him, Anubis let out a war cry, breaking free of the lava threads.

"Anubis, go!" Talpa ordered his powered-up Warlord. Anubis' eyes glowed an eerie red as he headed out to accomplish his mission.


Back with Ronins, Sage and his group had taken a quick break in an abandoned amusement park.

"Mia, my mom and dad used to bring me her ea lot." Yuli told the older woman. "We had fun."

"Yuli, don't worry." Mia assured him. "Everyone's fighting hard, believing in the power of their armor."

"Let's hope that happens soon, Mia." Yuli replied.

"Yuli, don't worry." Sage told him. "The Ronin Warriors will regroup and take Talpa down."

Yuli nodded. Climbing onto Whiteblaze he beamed, "But first, I'll going to have some fun. Come on Whiteblaze!"

"But it'll get worse before it gets better." Mia remarked.

"We'll take down Talpa and find Yuli's parents too." Sage assured her.

"Yeah! Yahoo! Run!" Yuli cried out happily as Whiteblaze ran through the amusement park.

Just then, Whiteblaze stopped in his tracks as he noticed the Ferris Wheel moving.

"The Ferris Wheel is moving on its own." Yuli noted.

"It's Talpa!" Mia exclaimed.

"Oh no!" Sage gasped in realization.

Out of a sudden, a spear flew towards Yuli and the boy screamed. Sage managed to grab the weapon before it hit Yuli. After a while, Dynasty Soldiers appeared on top of each of the Ferris Wheel's boxes.

"Whiteblaze, take care of Yuli!" Sage shouted as the white tiger took the boy away from the battlefield and not a moment too soon as two of the Dynasty Soldiers came down on him, weapons drawn. Sage lifted the spear in his hands to black the attack. Realizing that he was surrounded, Sage led the Dynasty Soldiers away from non-combatants. Along the way, he slapped the weighted chain that was thrown at him. As another Dynasty Soldier came down on him with its sword, Sage lifted the spear to defend himself, only to have the spear cut into half. His back bending over a ticket counter, Sage kicked the Soldier away and quickly knocked down another Soldier coming his way. However, Sage found himself deadlocked by a surprise attack from a Soldier that had emerged from the sewers. Another two Soldiers closed in on the trapped Sage, weapons drawn but they were knocked down by a flying horse. With the two Soldiers down, Sage grabbed the Soldier behind him by the wrist, tossing him away. Smiling knowingly, he looked up at his rescuers.

"Ryo of Wildfire, en garde!" Ryo announced.

Beside him, Cye declared, "Cye of Torrent, en garde!"

"It's Ryo!" Yuli beamed.

"And Cye's with him too." Mia noted.

Grabbing two cables, the newcomers swung down into battle as Sage readied himself.

"Are you all okay?" Ryo asked.

"Of course! I was protecting them." Sage retorted. "How did you find us?"

"Athena. Her aura's like a fricking beacon." Ryo replied, his thumb pointing to the direction where Athena was kneeling and praying, her Holy Cosmo radiating around her.

Cye let out a small smile. A split second later, the three leapt into action, beating down the Dynasty Soldiers.

"Sage!" Yuli called out, as he and Mia came running towards him.

"The others?" Sage asked.

"Over there!" Mia pointed to the subway. "They're giving chase."

Back underground, Ryo was finishing off the last of the Soldiers.

"Ryo! Cye!" Sage called out.

"Sage, we're here." Cye replied.

"Ryo, are you alright?" Sage asked.

"Yeah." Ryo replied. "But it's getting more difficult now."

"We're just being overwhelmed." Cye agreed. "We've got to hurry and find Kento and Rowen."

"Don't worry about that!" Rowen called out. "I found Kento."

"Rowen." Sage breathed in relief at his best friend as the navy-blue clad warrior jumped down from the perch above.

"The five armors are united again." Cye remarked.

"Thank goodness everyone's alright." Ryo noted.

"Looks like Talpa's run out of pawns." Sage remarked, kneeling down to survey the fallen Soldier.

"There's not much to them." Ryo agreed.

"Maybe I'll be his next pawn." Kento added.

"Kento, what are you talking about?" Ryo asked.

When Kento did not answer, Athena turned to Rowen, "What is this all about, Rowen?"

"Seems something happened when we were separated." Rowen replied.

"Why are you saying that you might become Talpa's pawn?" Ryo demanded.

"Kento?" he pressed when Kento remained silent.

Sensing something, Sage silenced them.

"A warlord?" he inquired as he heard footsteps closing in.

"I think so." Rowen replied.

"Anubis!" the warrior of Strata gasped as the Warlord, minus his helmet, came into view.

"Anubis? That's Anubis?" Ryo echoed.

"Yeah." Rowen replied. "He's an armored warrior."

Human... Kento mentally gasped. He's a human being!

"Anubis was really a human being?" Ryo questioned in disbelief.

"To think Talpa had a human vessel." Sage remarked.

"Good, all of you are here." Anubis grinned. "I can finish you all off at once. I want you all to have a taste of my overflowing power."

"He's human. I can't believe he is human." Kento gasped.

"Human or not, if they submit to Talpa, they're just as evil!" Rowen retorted and leapt at Anubis. The Warlord sidestepped and threw a punch at Rowen. The Warrior of Strata was blew away by Anubis' evil power.

"Rowen." Ryo gasped.

"The power of evil is brimming in him." Sage remarked.

"We're not holding back just because you're human." Rowen retorted.

"Anubis!" Ryo growled and called forth his armor. "Armor of Wildfire, Tao Jin!"

"Armor of Halo, Tao Rei!" Sage followed his leader's example.

"Armor of Strata, Tao Inochi!" Rowen called his transformation phase.

"Armor of Torrent, Tao Shin!" Cye droned on his armor.

"Kento!" Ryo turned to the Warrior of Hardrock. "Kento, what's wrong?"

"He's what I'll end up becoming." Kento replied.

"Kento!?" Ryo gasped as Sage and Rowen blinked at him.

"Kento, get over it and arm yourself!" Rowen scolded.

Kento nodded, "Armor of Hardrock, Tao Gi!"

Nothing happened.

"Kento..." Mia gasped.

Why? Kento questioned himself.

"Here goes!" Anubis declared, swinging his chain and tossing it at Kento.

"Kento!" Rowen called out in warning, standing in front of his comrade, taking the blow for him.

Sage charged at Anubis, sword drawn, but Anubis throw him away easily like a rag doll.

"Anubis!" Rowen growled, firing an arrow at him.

Anubis dodged the attack, only to have Cye and Ryo attack him together. The Warlord merely lifted his chain to defend himself.

"Why aren't you in your armor?" Sage asked the untransformed Kento.

"I just can't..." Kento replied. "I don't know why."

"Kento, trust your armor." Rowen told him.

"A cursed armor?" Kento replied. "I... I just thought it got stronger the more I fought. I just thought it was power. When you think of it, armor is a weapon. The more you fight, the more you awaken your evil side."

"Believe in your armor!" Rowen rebuked.

"You're being duped!" Sage scolded.

"I'll fight without it." Kento replied and leapt into battle. Anubis smirked and easily knocked him away with a single punch.

"Kento, what are you doing?" Ryo called out. "You can't fight him without your armor."

"Mia, why won't Kento wear his armor?" Yuli asked. "He's going to get killed!"

"Unless they wear the armor together and join forces, they'll be defeated on at a time." Mia told him.

"Finished with your quarreling? I'm coming at you!" Anubis grinned. Just as he was about to toss his weapon at them, the weighted scythe overflowing with evil energy.

The Ronin Warriors screamed as they were blown away as Anubis laughed triumphantly.

"Hardrock is completely useless to them." Talpa grinned. "As long as one is down, I can crush the power of the remainder. It's only a matter of time now. Even though he's backed by the Nether power, Anubis' armor's power has been nurtured as well."

With the subway literally ripped apart, the battle was taken topside.

Sage attacked first, with Anubis clashing with him with his chain. The moment Sage's sword made contact, the Warrior of Halo disappeared.

"Got you!" Sage shouted from behind him.

Anubis easily dodged the attack, causing Sage's sword to miss its target and hit the ground. With a simple punch, Anubis knocked Sage away.

Cye was next, but he was easily beaten back by Anubis' overwhelming power.

Ryo took the stage, jumping at Anubis, both his katanas drawn.

"Fall!" Anubis declared, dodging the attack, tossing his chain at Ryo who jumped. Undefended in mid-air, the Ronin leader was knocked back by another of Anubis' chains.

"Useless! All of them!" Anubis laughed.

"How dare you do this to us!" Kento growled angrily.

"Then, perhaps you'd like a taste of my power without your armor on." Anubis taunted and tossed his chain at him.

Kento dodged the attack, making the weighted chain hit the road and causing the dislocated debris to fly out. The energy backlash hit Yuli, causing him to be thrown off his feet.

"Yuli!" Mia gasped, lifting the boy up.

"I'll be fine." Yuli replied weakly.

"Damn!" Ryo let out a curse.

Anubis laughed, "This is the end of your existence, Ronin Warriors and your pathetic Goddess."

"Quake With Fear!" he unleashed his surekill on them. The sheer power of the attack was more than enough to blow all four Ronins away.

"Go to hell!" Anubis laughed.

"Let's see." he mocked at the four fallen warriors. "I'll finish you off one at a time."

Just then, the Ancient's voice came. Ronin Warriors, you must believe in the power of the armor. The armor will submit to the virtue you carry in your heart and will even die if it is your will.

"Ryo!" Kento shouted as Anubis stopped in front of the Ronin leader. Just as he was about to dispatch the fallen warrior, his attention was caught by a strong flare of power.

"What?" Anubis gasped as the golden aura flooded the battlefield. "Who does this great power belong to?"

His eyes was drawn to the blue-haired girl who had came forward.

"Athena..." Ryo gasped as he struggled to get up.

"It's dangerous for you to come out now." Sage added.

"So, this girl is Athena." Anubis realized.

"Anubis, I hope you can hear what I have to say. This way, you'll know what you and the other Warlords is wrong." Athena commented.

"What we're doing is wrong?" Anubis scoffed. "All that Master Talpa does is right!"

Athena sighed before she added, "Anubis, please listen to what I have to say."

"I believe you should know, which of us is right and which of us is evil." she added, her Cosmo radiating around her.

This girl, she lets me feel such an tremendous aura. What is this strength? Even in the Netherworld, there shouldn't be anyone who has such a power. If this girl has a power stronger even than Master Talpa... Anubis pondered.

What is... this? He gasped as he saw a vision of Pallas Athena behind the girl.

"That can't be..." Anubis was stunned.

"Do you understand now Anubis?" Athena inquired. "If you are a true warrior and truly deserving of your armor, the one you should defeat isn't us, but Talpa."

"Do you have evidence to prove it?" Anubis asked. "If what you've said is true, I hope you can bring out the evidence to prove that you're indeed Athena."

If you're truly Athena, you should be able to neutralize my attack by right. Anubis thought.

"What do you think you're doing to her?" Rowen demanded as he and the other three Ronin Warriors stood up.

"Are you willing to prove?" Anubis asked as Athena shut her eyes.

"Alright, I will take your attack." Athena replied as she stretched out her arms.

"Come Anubis." she remarked. "Let's see if your attack can pierce through my chest."

Anubis stood poised to attack.

"Anubis, how could you simply attack a girl just to prove the truth?" Ryo shouted.

"Wildfire, to me, this isn't just simply to prove the truth." Anubis told him.

"What's there to prove if you truly believe a person?" Cye pressed.

"I just need the proof." Anubis replied.

"Anubis." Athena interrupted. "It doesn't matter if you're the only one who accepts this."

Don't hesitate Anubis. The Warlord told himself. If this girl is truly Athena, then my attack won't be able to hurt her.

"You son of a..." Kento hissed, his 'kanji' burning brightly on his forehead. "No matter how surprised you are, you can't use your surekill on a girl."

"Armor of Hardrock, Tao Gi!" he called forth his armor.

"Quake With Fear!" Anubis unleashed his attack, sending a powered-up chain at the girl.

Athena then gasped as she saw the armored Kento in front of her, taking the attack for her.

"What?" Anubis gasped, surprised when he saw Kento was able to hold off his attack single-handedly.

"Kento..." Athena gaped.

"Hardrock's able to block off my attack with only one hand?" Anubis was stunned.

"Anubis, I'm your opponent! Come at me!" Kento declared.

"I'll send you to hell first." Anubis retorted.

"Of course..." the Warlord noted after some clashes. "The most brutal armor of all the Ronin Warriors."

"Silence!" Kento retorted. "Now I know what true bravery means, Athena... she taught me that. I believe in the power of my armor. Come on Anubis!"

"Quake With Fear!" Anubis unleashed his attack.

"Iron Rock Crasher!" Kento retaliated. The power of the attack clashed onto Anubis and the Warlord screamed. The energy overload was too much for his body to handle and he fainted.

"Kento." Ryo smiled at the newly-revived warrior of Hardrock. Kento smiled back at his leader before turning his attention back on Anubis.

"It's hard to believe a human would submit to Talpa." Ryo noted.

"Anubis, I will not hand you over to them." Talpa remarked.

"Return to me!" he ordered, sending red flashes from his eyes to retrieve Anubis.

The Ancient's staff clanged as its orb glowed a silvery blue. The Ancient's power intercepted Talpa, bringing the fallen Warlord to his arms.

"What?" Talpa demanded.

"That's..." Ryo gasped.

"Ancient..." Sage added.

"You've come to help us, Ancient One." Ryo remarked.

"You've all matured all as the five Ronin Warriors." Ancient noted.

"That Ancient!" Talpa growled. "I will... I will bring all of the armors into my possession."


SailorStar9: The Ancient finally appears. Read and review.