SailorStar9: With Chapter 29 uploaded, I present Chapter 30 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.

Disclaimers: I only own the plot.

Chapter 30: Legend of the White Armor


"Ryo, join forces and break through." Rowen suggested, realizing their individual attacks were not doing much damage.

"Right." Ryo nodded and used Rowen's rain of arrows as cover to cut a path through.

"Strata and Wildfire, I appreciate that you made it all this way." Daala mocked, the two Ronin Warriors managed to make their way to him. "My sword." he retrieved his new weapon from a Dynasty soldier. "I was getting tired of waiting." jumping off his chariot, he leapt down to engage both Ronin Warriors himself.

"Careful, Ryo." Rowen warned, seeing a single strike from the Sword of Doom break apart a stone pillar.

"This guy..." Ryo frowned, Daala managing to fight him to a stalemate. "A great power emanates from that sword."

"His sword?" Rowen echoed. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know." Ryo admitted. "But it repelled my sword."

"Indeed." Daala concurred. "This is no ordinary sword. Within this sword dwells the power of your friends' armor: that of Hardrock, Torrent and Halo."

"Their armors' power?" Rowen parroted.

"That's right." Daala declared. "Those three face a long and peaceful sleep deep down in the castle's dungeons."


In the castle's basement...

"Damn!" Kento cursed, trying to break his chains.

"Stop it, Kento." Sage chided. "Even you can't break those chains. You'll just be wasting your strength."

"Come to think of it, it feels like my strength is draining away." Kento admitted.

"I bet this tower is sucking the power out of us." Cye surmised.

"We have to save our strength until we need it." Sage advised.


In Talpa's throne room...

"Wildfire and Strata are slowing approaching." Dais spoke. "It's only a matter of time before they make it to the city."

"If that were to happen, the armors of Torrent, Halo and Hardrock will resonate with them and manifest the white armor." Cale added.

"If that happens, not even the three of us stand a chance a defeating them." Sekhmet remarked.

"We should destroy Wildfire and Strata while we have the chance." Dais urged.

"Don't panic." Talpa replied. "What are you afraid of? Halo and the others are in our hands. They can't summon the white armor so easily right now."

"But this is the best time to destroy them." Sekhmet insisted.

"If we were to miss it, we may face terrible consequences later." Cale was worried.

"I have a plan." Talpa chuckled. "And I have everything in place to set it in motion. Am I right, Badamon?"

"At your service, Master Talpa." Badamon presented himself.

"Badamon, Lord of the Nether Spirits." Dais gaped.

"It's been a while, my Warlords." the priest-like spirit greeted.

"Badamon, the three seem to fear the white armor." Talpa stated.

"Master, I would not call it fear." Sekhmet corrected. "If we could just crush..."

"Enough." Talpa cut the Warlord of Venom off. "Badamon, tell them about the white armor and how it can be used."

"Firstly, that white armor is called the Inferno Armor." Badamon stated. "It was created in a very ancient time. A time unknown to any. Legend says it was created as one who brought light in a time when the world was ruled by the darkness and hatred dwelling in the human spirit."


On the battlefield...

"What's the matter?" Daala mocked, clashing with Ryo. "Why don't you bring out your white Inferno Armor?"

"Inferno Armor?" Ryo echoed.

"I'm talking about your new armor." Daala clarified.

"Is that white armor called the Inferno Armor?" Rowen frowned.

"Apparently." Daala parried Ryo off. "But the way you are now, you're not able to activate that armor." he deflected Rowen's arrows.

"How can you be so sure?" Ryo demanded.

"I know." Daala insisted. "If your armor were to be activated, you would be sucking the power out of your three captured friends. What will happen to those weak little insects?"


In Talpa's throne room...

"As to why the Inferno Armor is called the Legendary Armor, I'm sure you have seen it, that awesome power." Badamon added.

"That armor certainly has a power of destruction worthy of legend." Cale admitted.

"But what you saw was only a small part of its power." Badamon chuckled.

"Then, what is it's true power?" Sekhmet was shocked.

"Even I don't know that." Badamon confessed. "No one has seen it. But according to the legend, when the white armor reveals its true power, the mortal world will face its end."

"That's crazy." Sekhmet stammered. "The Inferno Armor brings forth the light."

"That's what you said before." Dais agreed.

"I did say that." Badamon concurred. "The darkness that humans crave, the evil that dwells in the human spirit, the only way to erase that is to return everything to nothing. As such, the light of the Inferno Armor will destroy everything."

"It doesn't bring light to darkness?" Cale gasped.

"Rather than save people, that armor destroys people?" even Sekhmet was shell-shocked.

"Destruction leads to nothingness." Badamon continued. "And people will be created from nothing. Every several hundred years, no, thousand years, that process repeats itself."

"Being able to freely wield that power would not only make it easy to destroy the human realm, I'll be able to claim the seat of the Gods." Talpa drawled. "I want it: the Inferno Armor. I want to get my hands on it."

"In due time, you will obtain the Inferno Armor and not only be able to control the human realm any way you please, you will gain the ability to topple the King of the Gods himself." Badamon assured.


On the battlefield...

As Ryo fought off Daala, Rowen was using his arrows to snipe the surrounding Dynasty soldiers.

"I'll go rescue the other three." the Warrior of Strata stole a horse and shot right through the army. "When the light of the four armors come, transform into the white armor without hesitation." he spurred the horse on.

"If I do that, Sage and the others will die." Ryo snapped, fending off Daala.

"Have faith in their strength." Rowen reminded.

"Have a taste of the sword made from the powers of your friends." Daala mocked, clashing with Ryo. "Must be exquisite."

"Whiteblaze!" Ryo shouted when the white tiger jumped Daala, only to be struck back by the Sword of Doom. "Take this!" he leapt into the air.

"Annoying." Daala sneered.

"Ultra Ballistic Flare Up Now!" Ryo fired his powered-up attack at the general.

"Don't you understand that whatever you do is useless?" Daala effortlessly blocked the attack with his sword's power and used the outsurge of energy to blast Ryo off. "How ironic. Do you understand the power of your friends? But the main act is only just beginning." laughing, he readied the 'Super Wave Smasher' stance and fired off said attack at Ryo. "Here's another." he released Kento's 'Iron Rock Crusher' at Ryo. Sage's 'Thunderbolt Cut' quickly followed suit.


In Talpa's throne room...

"But how do you plan to wield the power of the Inferno Armor?" Sekhmet inquired.

"The smallest mistake can destroy us as well." Dais reminded.

"That's right." Cale agreed. "We'll have to hold back the power of the armor. But that's not possible."

"It can be done." Badamon corrected. "With the power of the Nether Spirits, the power of the Inferno Armor can be controlled. Most importantly, that armor is not like yours at all. Although, we'll be taking risks, too."

"Right now, the question is how to activate the power of the Inferno Armor." Cale pointed out.

"Do not worry." Badamon assured. "The process is already in motion. You can all just sit still and watch."


On the battlefield...

"What's the matter, Wildfire?" Daala taunted. "Isn't it too soon to be giving up?"


In the castle's basement...

"What's happening?" Kento asked, the three Ronin Warriors' armors starting glowing.

"Our armors are resonating." Sage realized. "This is the proof."


Outside...

"I must hurry." Rowen reach the vantage point. "Arrow of mine," he notched an arrow on his bow. "Lead the way to Sage and the others. Ultra Ballistic Arrow Shockwave!" locating his target, he fired off the supercharged arrow, the attack blasting all the way into the basement and embedded on the floor in front of Sage.


In the castle's basement...

"That's Rowen's arrow." Sage instantly recognized the arrow.

"What's this?" Cye looked up at the glittering sky.

"It's Rowen's light." Kento remarked. "He's calling us."

"Let's do it." Sage nodded. "This is the chance we've been waiting for."

All three Ronin Warriors focused and sent out their energy.


Outside...

"All right." Rowen immediately noticed the rainbow-colored energy beam from the castle basement. "They understood. Here it comes, Ryo." he released his armor's power to join up with the others.


On the battlefield...

"Fools, don't do it!' Ryo exclaimed, seeing the streaks of light heading straight for him.

"Your friends are sacrificing themselves for you." Daala mocked.

"Stop it." Ryo begged. "You'll all die. Make them stop, Rowen."

"What a fool." Daala chuckled, forcing Ryo down the cliff they were fighting on.

With a scream as the four armors' powers entered him, Ryo donned on the Inferno Armor.

"So, there you are." Daala jumped down to engage Ryo. "This is the Inferno Armor, huh?" he mused, after Ryo drew the Swords of Fervor from Blackblaze. "I challenge you. What?" he gaped, the towering tornado of flames from the Swords of Fervor was drawing the Sword of Doom's energy away. "My sword is losing its power."

Ryo then struck down, the powerful energy beams that rained down blew Daala away.

Meanwhile, Rowen was caught in the Dynasty soldiers' chains when Blackblaze leapt in and freed the archer with the Sword of Fervor in its mouth.

"That's so unlike you to go off on your own like that." Ryo chided his second-in-command.

"I'm sure Sage and the others know we're here." Rowen stated firmly.


In his prayer chambers...

With the Nether Spirits surrounding him, Badamon started chanting as crackling energy centered on his body. With a cry, he sent down a bolt of energy on the tip of a ritual stone, infusing it with his power.


SailorStar9: This chapter is officially over. Read and review.