SailorStar9: Figured I needed to get this chapter out before you guys hunt me down and really kill me. With Chapter 17 uploaded, this is Chapter 18 of this fic. For everyone who put this fic on your favorited and followed lists and/or story alerts, thank you, but remember everyone, a lot of authors (myself included) sustain on readers' reviews. As of now on, I'll be using the subbed version of the anime; character and attack names will still remain in dubbed version, though.
Disclaimers: Nothing here are mine, well, except the plot.
Chapter 18: Talpa's Triumph
Talpa's next energy blast from his sword broke apart the roof Ryo was standing on, forcing the Warrior of Wildfire to jump to dodge the crumbling tiles and land on a sole pillar.
"I have missed you, my armor." Talpa droned, feeling the power of his armor returned. Raising his blade, he split the clouds as a display of his power. "You have done well to prepare my armor. The power of the power, nurtured through battle, is indeed impressive. It is all thanks to you Ronin Warriors for possessing the armors. I am grateful to you."
"Talpa..." Ryo hissed, recalling how the other Ronin Warriors had fought to keep him safe. "You guys gave yourselves up in order to save me. If only I had been stronger... the fools... you guys are fools. Why would you sacrifice yourselves to protect me? That's why Talpa was able to absorb your powers. Rowen, Cye, Kento, Sage... damn it!"
"You are the last, Ryo of Wildfire." Talpa declared. "It is now the time for your power to become a part of me. Wildfire, give up your resistance and become part of my armor."
"What are you talking about?" Ryo snapped. "For the sake of the four who protected me, there's no way I can die now." his 'Righteousness' kanji lighting up on his forehead and powering him up, he leapt at Talpa, twin katana drawn. Dodging Talpa's grab, he ran up the armored spirit's arm. "Prepare yourself!" he held his blades in reverse grip, only to have Talpa throw him off with a swipe.
"Foolish one." Talpa loomed over the fallen Ryo. "You're not getting away." he jumped onto the eave Ryo was lying on, forcing Ryo to jump to avoid getting crushed by Talpa's foot.
Talpa simply swung his sword at the direction Ryo landed, the energy blade completely breaking the tiles apart, along with the Wildfire warrior.
Ryo shifted slightly to avoid getting hit by Talpa's sword thrust, said weapon embedding itself on a tall spike and totally destroying it.
"Fury of the Wildfire!" Ryo took the opening to fire off his attack, the large pillar of power engulfed Talpa and the building he was standing on. "He didn't even budge." he was shocked to find Talpa was unscathed.
"You fool." Talpa reprimanded. "Don't you understand? I possess eight of the nine armors. You think you can defeat me with your own armor?" stretching out his hand, he grabbed the falling Ryo. "The time has finally come when all the armors shall be mine." he bragged. Wildfire, you will also become a part of my armor. You will live forever. Isn't that wonderful?"
"I'll never serve you!" Ryo snapped, trying to struggle out of Talpa's grip when the evil overlord suddenly stopped.
His body paralyzed, Talpa was forced to drop Ryo.
"What is this?" Ryo breathed. "You guys are alive."
"So, you've figured it out." Talpa remarked, using his power to suppress the other Ronin Warriors' consciousness. "Your foolish friends; they try to resist even while I have complete control over them. But that will be over once I finish you off. Once I absorb all the armors, my body and spirit will become one and even Athena, with her Divine Cloth, will be hard-pressed to defeat me."
"I see." Ryo jumped out of Talpa's grasp. "Those four are still alive. They're living within Talpa." but how can I fight? He wondered. If I defeat Talpa, I might kill everyone trapped inside him. How am I supposed to fight?
"What's the matter, Wildfire?" Talpa taunted, chasing after the fleeing Ryo. "You can't fight me if you keep running away. Don't you want to try to save your friends? Don't you want to relieve Athena of her burden? There is nothing left for you, Wildfire." he cornered Ryo. "Give up and become a part of me. You will then be reunited with your friends as well."
"You think I'm going to serve you?" Ryo retorted.
"You fool!" Talpa roared. "What do you think you can do on your own? Prepare yourself, Wildfire!" he raised his sword for the kill.
"What?" Ryo gasped when Talpa suddenly stopped in his step as four beams of light shot out of the spirit overlord's chest.
"You, again?" Talpa hissed. "Why you!" he surpassed the four captured Ronin Warriors again. "You annoying pests. Submit to me. Give me your power." he summoned more power, successfully keeping the four Ronin Warriors silent. "Look." he declared. "Observe as my power grows. The fear and hatred that human beings hold is the source that creates and nurtures my power. Soon, my power will spread throughout the human world."
"That's it." Ryo realized. "Talpa's power comes from the fear and hatred of the people. If their fears feed his power, his power will become enormous. So that's why he fears Athena so much; her power of love is a direct threat to his power. I have to defeat Talpa in order to save those people. But those guys are trapped within Talpa's body. What am I supposed to do?"
"Before you worry about that, consider yourself." Talpa reminded. "No matter what you do, you will not destroy me." he reached out a hand to grab Ryo, the Warrior of Wildfire slipping off the roof and out of his grasp.
Ryo reached a hand up to grab hold of an overlaying eave, managing to stop his fall.
"You gave me a fright." Talpa admitted. "I don't care if you die. But I don't want to lose that armor."
"I can't die until I've kill you first." Ryo fired back.
"You think you're capable of defeating me?" Talpa mocked. "If you destroy me, your friends will die along with me. Moreover, you no longer possess the strength to fight. You are barely able to hang on, after all. Wait there. I shall make it easy for you. Come to me, Armor of Wildfire." he closed in the distance. "Come and take your rightful place."
"I will never submit." Ryo swore, climbing up the eave.
"You have to learn some manners." Talpa chided. "Armor, come to me!"
Whiteblaze jumped in, carrying Ryo off before Talpa's sword could hit its mark.
"Thanks Whiteblaze." Ryo noted. "I need your power."
"Why you!" Talpa growled. "How dare you trifle with me."
Whiteblaze jumped to avoid Talpa's next strike.
"You can't save your friends by running around." Talpa mocked the fleeing pair. "Perhaps I'll have to show you the power of the Ronin Warriors within me, Wildfire. I will show you the power of your friends who were taken as they tried to protect you." he took on Rowen's attack pose. "First, the power of the Armor of the Strata. Arrow Shockwave!"
"How could this be?" Ryo was shocked, Whiteblaze jumping to dodge the energy beam.
"Don't be surprised yet, Wildfire." Talpa chuckled. "I'll show you the power of the Armor of Halo. Thunderbolt Cut! The power o the Armor of Torrent. Super Wave Smasher!" the blast of water finally sent Ryo to the ground. "And the power of the Armor of Hardrock." he jumped down to Ryo. "Iron Rock Crusher!"
Left with no choice, Whiteblaze grabbed Ryo to escape the attack zone, only to have the crumbling rubble knock the white tiger off its feet and Ryo onto the ground.
"Wildfire." Talpa taunted. "How was your taste of the power of the Ronin Warriors? Impressive, isn't it? I am going to use that power to kill Athena and rule to the world. And Wildfire, your power will be next. I apologize that I must use the power of your friends to destroy you. But, Wildfire, once you are mine, your armor's power will serve me well as a part of me."
Rowen, Cye, Sage, Kento, it's unfortunate, but it looks like I'll be with you all soon. Ryo was resigned to his fate when his kanji lit up and his armor glowed a fiery red outline. "What's happening to my body?" he gasped. "What is this power I'm feeling? What's that?" he turned to see Talpa immobilized once more as the evil overlord was held down by the other Ronin Warriors' powers.
"Why you!" Talpa spat. "How dare you armors defy me from within. How dare the likes of you!"
"Wait, you guys..." Ryo protested, the other four were forcing him into his attack stance. "I can't sacrifice you all just so I can defeat Talpa. Stop it! I'm sorry, guys. But I just can't finish you guys off." he broke free.
"What a fool." Talpa mocked, finding himself mobile again. "That might have been your last chance to defeat me. This is it. Give yourself up." pointing his charged-up sword at Ryo, he encased the emotionally drained teen within an energy bubble.
SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.
