SailorStar9: With Chapter 33 uploaded, I present Chapter 34 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 34: The Warriors Return


"Anubis, why did you come?" Ryo asked, the two Ronin Warriors having been momentarily revived due to Athena's healing Cosmo.

"In order to save everyone." Anubis replied. "The one who must really be saved are those whose souls have been taken by the Dynasty."

"That's enough of your silly sentiments." Kayura retorted.

"Watch out, Ryo." Rowen warned. "She's a tough one."

"Anubis, take care of Athena, Mia nad Yuli." Ryo instructed and jumped to parley against Kayura.

A swing from Kayura's sword sent the still weakened Warrior of Fire back onto the boat.

"Ryo!" Rowen shouted, the outsurge of energy erupting from the clash destroyed the boat Ryo and Kayura were on.

"What an incredible power." Ryo landed on a nearby roof.

"Watch out, Ryo!" Rowen barked, taking out a Dynasty soldier that was about to strike Ryo from the back. "Don't push it."


In Talpa's throne room...

"The nine armors have finally gathered in the Dynasty." Badamon informed Talpa.

"You must be looking forward to offering them to the nine towers that you are about to complete." Talpa remarked.

"I could not be happier, Master Talpa." Badamon bowed. "The power of the Nether Spirits is also in the process of purifying the spirits of the three Warlords."

"You take care of those three armors." Talpa instructed. "After all, they are useful tools for my ambition."

"Perhaps I shall awaken them now." Badamon offered.


Back to the fight...

Two boats of Dynasty soldiers cornered the boat Anubis' group was on.

Anubis ducked under a tossed chain scythe and swatted the attacking Dynasty soldier away.

Whiteblaze jumped to dodge the weapons thrust at him by the second group of Dynasty soldiers before tackling the front-most solider to the ground. He bit onto a tossed chain scythe by a soldier from the back and engaged in a tug-of-war with said soldier.

A swing from the Nike Staff broke the stand-still, allowing Whiteblaze to break free. The War Goddess herself, jumped into action, landing right in the middle of the army of soldiers and purified the possessed armors with a swing from the Nike Staff.

Whiteblaze, too, leapt into action, using the stolen scythe to take down the soldiers before him. With the last of the soldiers dispatched, the white tiger let out a victorious roar, resulting in him dropping his weapon into the water.

"Where is Wildfire?" Anubis wondered.


With Ryo and Rowen...

Both Ronin Warriors were fighting off their own share of Dynasty soldiers on the roof.

"There is no end to this." Ryo cursed.

"Patience, Ryo." Rowen soothed. "It's only a little further to Talpa's throne room. We can expect their defenses to get tougher."

"But while we're messing around, Sage and the others are..." Ryo reminded.

"Wildfire, Strata!" Kayura joined the fight. "I'll have you dance in the light of the Dynasty." she let loose a rain of starlight beams from one of her swords. "Something wrong, Wildfire?" she clashed with Ryo. "The dance of the Dynasty is only just beginning." the outsurge of energy blew all three into the building they were fighting on.

"Ryo, get away!" Rowen barked, jumping to dodge the energy blast from Kayura.

Kayura backflipped, kicking Ryo on the chin as she dodged the fired arrows. A detached pommel from one of the Starlight Swords sent Rowen against a wall.

"It's no good." Rowen winced. "We're no match for her power. To defeat her, we need to combine the powers of all five. We must rescue Sage and the others and unite as one."

"I hope you are ready." Kayura declared. "This shall be the final act."

"Don't you underestimate the Ronin Warriors!" Rowen snapped. "Kayura, prepare yourself."

"Fool." Kayura tsked.

"Ultra Ballistic Arrow Shockwave!" Rowen fired off his attack, blowing Kayura out of the building into the air.

"You seem desperate, Strata." Kayura chuckled, engaging the airborne Rowen in combat.

"Shut up!" Rowen snapped, Kayura easily ducking under his swung fist.

"The Strata of Life, huh?" Kayura scoffed. "That's it for you." she charged up her crossed swords and sent Rowen flying upwards.

Rowen summoned an energy bubble to slow down his descend and landed on an enemy boat.

The gathered soldiers took advantage of the weakened Ronin Warrior and took him out with an unison stab of their weapons. With Rowen now captured, the soldiers transported him to where the other three Ronin Warriors were.

"Damn, I can't let Rowen be taken away." Ryo cursed and went after the transport boat.

Kayura jumped in to intercept, only to have Anubis cut in.

"Wildfire, leave this one to me and go to Strata." Anubis stated. "You're the only one who can save the others."

"All right." Ryo nodded. "I'll leave this to you."

"I'll deal with Wildfire later." Kayura was not too worried about letting her quarry get away. "But first, you. Annoying little traitor, you are. I'll give you a good taste of dance of death."

"We'll see." Anubis stated. "Try to see if your Dynasty powers will work on me."


With Mia and the others...

"Well, looks like Talpa's been very busy." Athena remarked, their boat was accosted by another boat full of soldiers. A quick snap of her wrist swapped out the Nike Staff with her battle spear and she and Whiteblaze stood ready to fight off the attacking soldiers.

"Aurora Sanctuary." Athena cast an area-of-effect energy attack, one rainbow-colored ring of light appeared above the soldiers surrounding Mia and Yuli and another similar light ring spread underneath the soldiers. A split second later, boosted by the Jewel of Life, the soldiers were bathed in the light rings' purifying light and the evil spirits within the armors instantly dispelled.


In Talpa's throne room...

"Those youths are not aware that the Jewel of Life is one of the three sacred treasures." Badamon reported to Talpa. "But there is no doubt that it spells danger for the Dynasty."

"Why are you so pessimistic, Badamon?" Talpa chided. "As you can see, only Athena knows how to properly use the Jewel of Life. The Inferno Armor, the Swords of Fervor and that Jewel of Life: we must offer up the armors to the towers before that wretch can harness the Jewel's power to its fullest."


With Anubis and Kayura...

"Get out of the way." Anubis snapped as Kayura prepared to engage him. "You're interfering, Kayura."

"You will not go any further." Kayura declared. "Take my ultimate technique: Star Storm Scream!"

Anubis steadied himself and took on the attack, the Ancient's staff completely nullifying the destructive energy storm. "It's not use, Kayura." he warned. "As long as I have this staff, powers of evil will not work. Kayura, prepare yourself!" he jumped, ready to strike the shell-shocked Kayura with the staff when the staff' stopped short inches from Kayura's head and the rings started ringing. Why? He was stunned by the staff's reluctance. Why will the staff not strike her down?


With Rowen...

The transport boat had dropped the Warrior of Air into the dungeon where the other three Ronin Warriors were being kept.

"These are..." Rowen pushed himself up from the shallow stream he was dropped in and saw the three petrified armors in front of him. "Talpa must've used his powers and sealed them away here. Did Athena anticipate this?" he realized the reason why Athena had imbued three of his arrows with her divine Cosmo. "Then..." he drew the three divine-blessed arrows from his quiver. "The power of the armors..." he prayed, igniting Athena's Cosmo that had been injected into the arrows' bullet points. "Accept Athena's sacred light and scatter the chains that restrain the others. Awaken, Sage, Cye, Kento!" he tossed the arrows at the three armors. "If we're not united, forget about Talpa, we can't even defeat Kayura."


Meanwhile...

Ryo was fighting his way towards Talpa's castle.

Entering the sliced door, he dashed along the running stream and jumped out, landing on the wooden platform on the ground. "Where are they?" the Warrior of Fire looked around.

"Who are you looking for?" Sekhmet appeared. "Ryo of Wildfire?"

"Shall we show you the way?" Cale added.

"To hell." Dais appeared in front of Ryo.

"There's..." Yuli gaped, he, Mia and Athena had also arrived on Whiteblaze's back. "Ryo's in trouble."

"Web of Deception!" Dais fired off his attack at Ryo.

"Damn!" Ryo cursed, the sic scythes anchored themselves on the ground and shot out the webbing to entangle Ryo.

"Snake Fang Strike!" Sekhmet tossed four of his swords at the trapped Ryo, burning him with a bubble of poison. Seeing Whiteblaze run towards the ensnared Ryo, Sekhmet threw one of his swords at the tiger's feet, blasting him back with a bubble of poison.

"Black Lightning Flash!" Cale concentrated his attack on Ryo.

"Your time is up, Wildfire!" Dais snapped.

"Life Ball: Circle!" Athena acted, locking Ryo in an energy barrier empowered by her Cosmo, the purifying energy melting off Dais' weapons and forcing the Warlords to shield their eyes at the overwhelming light.

"How pathetic." Kayura chided. "Step away, you pathetic three Warlords. A silly trick like that will not work on me. What do you think, Wildfire? Do you think you can fight me with that battle-injured body? This time will be the last. Wildfire, prepare yourself!" she barked, ready to finish off her fight with Ryo. She stopped short when four streaks of light shot up from the waters, revealing the revived Ronin Warriors.

"Sorry, we're late, Ryo." Rowen addressed their leader. "I've managed to save everyone."

"Kayura," Sage glared. "This time we won't fall for your tricks so easily."

"Now that the five are united, we'll be sure to show you the power of the Ronin Warriors." Rowen declared.


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