Present Preserved
By Mardrena
Previously on Ronin Warriors: Spacequake...
"Who do you work for?! Who is your master? Who do you serve!?"
History is history. Past is past, for better or worse. Trying to "do things over" or "make things right" is a selfish folly that only ends in sorrow. I don't think Greytorata is being on-the-level with us... It seems like these "shadows" are after more than just sabotaging the timeline. They seem hell-bent on creating a world without Ronin Warriors...
"Cye...I don't think its a matter of pushing buttons: that guy's whole system is haywire!"
Mardrena can't pursue her destiny as long as she remains anchored to a miserable marriage. Rowen and Sage won't have it easy dealing with a shadow in their midst. Things escalate quickly on Cye and Tanya's end as minor setbacks only feed irrational anger.
"They're all around us! SHIT! I DIDN'T EVEN HEAR THEM COMING!"
Things are coming down to the wire, and time is running short...
Rowen kept the towel wrapped tight around his hair and tapped his toe impatiently. His face lit up when he saw Sage approach. "Oh thank goodness you're back! What took you so long?" he hissed as Sage handed him the jar of stove black. Sage leaned his shoulder against the wall next to him and rapped his fingers against his upper arms while Rowen scooped out a glob of black and began rubbing it through his hair, raking his fingers through to make sure he distributed color evenly. Sage worked his jaw to the side and leaned close as Rowen finished and wiped his fingers clean with the towel.
"We have a problem..." Sage hissed. Rowen paused and stared at him, bewildered. "Ellis is dead!"
"What?! When!? How? We just saw him yesterday, he was just fine!" Rowen exclaimed.
"It must've happened while we were in the hangar last night. Killer made sure to stash the body where no one would look. Looked like a broken neck; big lug didn't stand a chance."
"...Mia said he was listed as KIA...so that would mean..."
"Oy, Ellis! Fine o' ya to join us this mornin'!" The two heard Harwin shout a greeting and glanced to the side. It wore Ellis' guise, and to the other Silver Saviors, appeared perfectly normal, but Rowen and Sage of course could see the seething black skin and jagged teeth. It walked past casually and flashed them a smile. It saw them, and they saw it, knowing full well neither could act without revealing themselves. "Ellis" sauntered on over to join the rest of the Saviors as they serviced their craft.
"This...complicates things..." Sage muttered. The two looked down the strip when they heard the sound of an approaching engine. The vehicle parked off to the side and Aleksander hopped out.
"SAVIORS!" he bellowed. Rowen and Sage walked out to join the others as they jumped to attention. "Orders just came down. Cargo is on the way. Take-off is in one hour, get ready!" The airstrip swarmed with activity as mechanics pushed planes into position one by one: Harwin's Silver Seductress with its rather eye-catching metal-skinned maiden, the Twin's Silver Pot and Kettle, Ellis' Silver Stag depicting a rampant hart, Avens' Silver Shield, and of course Silver Bullet and Silver Knight. "Hold off on suiting up just yet," Aleksander said before the pilots zipped up their jackets. "Press is here," he rolled his eyes and nodded to the side. Gage had the unfortunate honor of escorting the rather bubbly photographer who offered Aleksander an energetic handshake then began directing the pilots into position for a group photo.
"Guess it's time for our 'photo of fate'," Sage joked. Aleksander, Gage, and Victor stood proudly in the back row while Harwin, Phillip and Collin, "Ellis", "David" and "Jacob" stood in the fore. "Ellis" hooked a meaty arm around Rowen's shoulders, giving the appearance of an amiable squeeze.
"Neither one of you Ronin will make it out of this alive..." the shadow taunted, grinning toothily.
"We'll see about that," Rowen growled back in reply.
"Smile for the camera!" the photographer barked and Rowen managed a crooked grin as the bulb flashed, capturing the Silver Saviors in their final image together; the same photo Mia had in her possession that set all of this into motion in the first place. Gage looked relieved as the photographer finally took his leave and took off just as a truck arrived. Rowen and Sage watched as several nervous-looking men disembarked, some dressed neatly, others looking bedraggled. They couldn't see any shadows among the scientists as they filed aboard the B-17, seating themselves awkwardly in the modified interior. Rowen threw a glance at Gage, wishing he could explain the situation to him, but events had to unfold a specific way, like it or not.
The Saviors finished suiting up and seated themselves in their respective craft, awaiting the order for takeoff. Rowen and Sage watched anxiously as all four of The Ark's engines roared to life one by one with a guttural rattle, exhaust billowing into the air. The great B-17 taxied onto the runway and prepared for takeoff. The pilots and gunners on board didn't seem to be members of either escort squadron since Rowen didn't know them, but they likewise appeared normal. He glanced out the canopy of his craft at Sage, who seemed anxious.
"I can't believe we're doing this..." he grumbled over the private radio line.
"Just relax. It's not that different from driving a car." Rowen assured. Sage didn't seem that enthused. "Maybe you shouldn't pass up game night all the time. A good flight simulator might've helped..." Sage rolled his eyes. "Hey Sage...'Revvin up your engine, listen to her howlin' roar'..."
"What!? No! No, no!" Sage complained, not in the mood for Rowen's notoriously bad singing.
"'Metal under tension, beggin' you to touch and go'..."
"Stop...Rowen, stoooooop!" Sage squeezed his eyes shut, annoyed.
"'Highway to the Danger Zone, ride into the Danger Zone...'" Rowen merrily crooned.
"No, noooo, stop, stoooop..."
"Hey you two knuckleheads! Quiet on coms during takeoff!"
"...Captain Aleksander...?" Sage raised both eyebrows.
"...How did you find this frequency?" Rowen grimaced awkwardly.
"You can joke around all you want after mission's completed. Until then, I strongly recommend you cease with the serenade: 'Rowen'!" Aleksander growled firmly then left the channel. Rowen and Sage glanced around their respective cockpits, remaining quiet for several seconds.
"IfGreytoratasaysanythingI'mblamingyou," Sage stated quickly over the private line. Rowen furrowed his brow in a nervous scowl. Engines of the P-40's roared to life with Captains Vanstandtvoort and Wendell taking off followed by the other Saviors. The rival squadron "Cloud-break Cavaliers" followed them up into the air and the escort group settled into formation around the B-17.
"I have a bad feeling about this...why just send one shadow into the air?" Rowen muttered and kept an eagle eye on "Ellis'" Silver Stag. "What are they planning? If they wanted to kill the captains they could've done so easily at any time..."
"You suppose we'll run into trouble? There might be other shadows working on the Axis side."
"We're currently flying over Ireland. There's no way we'd run into enemies up here-"
"BOGEYS INCOMING THREE O'CLOCK!" Harwin shouted over the main radio line.
"Psst! Cye! Wake up! There's something going down at the temple. I'm on my way, meet me there!" Cye roused from sleep when he heard Tanya's voice and sat up in time to see the wooden window shutter clattering on its hinge. He quickly donned his monk outfit and pushed the door open, peeking outside. The village itself seemed relatively quiet with a few lit lanterns hanging outside residences. Cye took off running up the road towards the stairs leading to the grounds.
"How dare they call us 'unworthy'? We are the strongest warriors of our clans! This insult will not go unpunished!" a burly warrior in lacquered armor growled as he and a dozen other armored warriors gathered around the displayed Guardian Armor. The bodies of slain monks and guards lay strewn about the interior. "We shall see who is 'unworthy'!" he reached out and grabbed the helmet. His cohorts cried out in shock as a flash of golden energy erupted from the Armor, enveloping the brash warrior. They gasped in horror as empty armor clattered to the floor atop a pile of powdery ash.
"What!? This is no 'holy armor'! It is cursed! What have these frauds created?"
"It must be destroyed!" a shadow disguised as a warrior crowed.
"Yes! Destroy the evil armor!" another goaded. Two more warriors stepped forward and raised swords to slash the Guardian Armor. The second their blades touched the shoulders, they met with a similar fate to their cohort. The head of a morning star ricochet off the gilded mask and straight into the face of its master. The rims of the eye holes seemed to glint with mischief.
"No weapon can touch it! We must burn it! Burn this entire place down!" a warrior wrapped a torch and prepared to light it. Other warriors moved to set lit torches against the walls.
"Burn it all! Burn it all down!" the disguised shadows hissed. They cried out when small blades struck them in the throats, their bodies dissolving until only empty armor remained. More blades struck the hands of those holding torches. Some of the intruders panicked and fled.
"YAAAHHHH!" Cye howled and used a doused brazier as a makeshift trident, pinning an intruder's arm against the wall and confiscating his lit torch.
"Why do you protect this unholy instrument?" the warrior argued, eyes bulging in hysteria. Cye frowned: he couldn't necessarily blame the man for fearing the Armor, but at the same time the intruders had unjustly murdered innocent monks. A shuriken to the throat silenced the intruder and Cye withdrew, letting the ruffian collapse to the floor in a gurgling heap.
"I heard fighting! What happened here?" Cye looked over his shoulder to see Arago and his brother enter the sanctum. "By the gods...such slaughter..." the other monk lamented.
"I recognize these armaments...these...these were some of the aspirants from this morning! What have they done?" Arago paced around the bodies of the slain monks.
"The rest fled. I managed to stop them from setting fire to the walls, but not in time to save the others," Cye offered meekly, bowing solemnly.
"...H-H-How DARE they! We extended invitations in good faith, and this is how they conduct themselves?" Arago snarled, fists clenched and arms shaking.
"It seems the Guardian Armor defended itself admirably thanks to its enchantments. The intruders could neither abscond with it nor damage it," the other monk assured. He raised an eyebrow, noticing the two sets of abandoned armor far from the Guardian Armor. The presence of discarded shuriken among the shells as well as the throats of some of the attackers puzzled him.
"This is inexcusable! To have spilled blood in this sacred shrine...the Guardian requires a stalwart, noble spirit to properly wield it! Is there no such warrior in the land? Are they all such cowardly, craven, contemptible mongrels? Blithering, base, barbarians!" Arago sneered.
"Take heart, brother. The wicked did not win this day. We shall continue the search for a worthy master, no matter how long it takes. For now, let us tend to the fallen and administer proper rites..." the other monk offered and gave a comforting pat. Arago remained inconsolable and stood infront of the Armor. He placed a hand on the shoulder plate, able to touch it freely without ill effect.
"...Perhaps there is no such worthy warrior out there...perhaps the Armor's true master is already here..." Cye commented absently, low enough for only Arago to hear. The older man looked startled at first before narrowing his eyes. Cye left to assist the other monk, glancing over his shoulder at at the man as he gazed upon the Armor. Easy-to-push buttons indeed... he frowned.
"What n' th' hell d'these things want wit' me? I ne'er wronged'em!" Murdina protested as she drew her sword and stood with her back to a tree. Ryo and Kento took up positions infront of her.
"They fear the destiny ahead of you," Ryo said over his shoulder.
"What 'destiny'?! I'm a crofter's wife!" Murdina squawked in reply, exasperated. Kento glanced about, hair bristled and muscles tense. The shadows had apparently learned from their earlier mistakes.
"No sign of 'em?" Ryo asked. Kento replied with a disappointed grunt. "You can run much faster than I can: Grab Mard and make a break for it. I'll try to hold 'em off and buy you some time."
"Gotcha, Ryo," Kento nodded and turned around, leaning down to scoop up Murdina in his arms moving one arm behind her knees and the other behind her shoulders.
"Touch me an' I 'll geld ye!" Murdina warned, squaring her shoulders and clenching her fist. Kento's eyes popped wide open and he turned back around, resuming his earlier stance.
"...yeah, that's not happening..." he mumbled. Ryo rolled his eyes, but he didn't have time to admonish Murdina for her stubbornness. The two Ronin glanced about the brush, wondering if each rustle of leaves or crackle of twigs would bring the impending attack.
Silence, not sound, caused alarm, and Ryo tilted his head back abruptly. "ABOVE US!" A dozen shadows hissed with glee as they dropped down from the branches of the tree. Ryo dispatched one with a series of well-placed kicks while Kento caught another in the face with a jab. Murdina-to her credit-put her worn iron sword to use taking out another. Ryo whirled around when he heard her cry out and saw a shadow disarm Murdina with ease and scoop her up in its arms before taking off with her.
"AFTER HER! I GOT THIS!" Kento insisted, having learned his own lesson from the last time. He relied on speed instead of strength and easily dodged slashing claws as he tangled with the remaining shadows. Ryo hesitated a moment, reluctant to leave Kento alone, but set his jaw and took off running after the kidnapper. The shadow pelted through the forest until it arrived at a steep cliff overlooking a deep, roiling, rushing river. It kept Murdina's arms pinned at her sides with with ropes of squirming shadow and raised a hand to her throat as Ryo arrived a few feet away.
"Not one step closer, Ronin Leader, or the woman dies!" the shadow hissed. Ryo blinked and frowned: if it intended on killing Murdina, it easily could've done so at any point before now. Ryo glanced from Murdina to the shadow then tilted his head back and nudged his chin forward.
"Well go on. Go ahead: kill her," he dared. Murdina threw him such a look but winced as the shadow jolted her with its other arm, brandishing its claws threateningly but keeping them away from her throat. They need her alive for something...but what? Murdina seemed to catch on to what Ryo noticed and relaxed, waiting for Ryo to make his move. The three of them glanced to the side sharply as Kento's megaroar echoed through the forest, shaking nearby branches. "My friend's already disposed of your cronies. You might as well give up now," Ryo stated. The shadow hissed petulantly, unwilling to surrender its captive. It glanced from Ryo to the forest then narrowed its red eyes.
"If we cannot have her, then neither shall you!" it declared and pushed Murdina over the edge and morphed itself into a ball tethered to her ankles.
"HEY!" Ryo protested and tried to grab Murdina by her arm, his grasp missing her by inches. Murdina cried out as she plunged into the froth.
"Okay, that's the last of'em. Where's Mard?" Kento asked as he arrived, his outfit looking much worse for wear but otherwise uninjured.
"It threw her into the river! You have to go after her!" Ryo moved behind Kento and nudged him towards the cliff edge.
"B-b-but, I'm a terrible swimmer!" Kento argued.
"The current's too strong; I'd get swept away! You'll sink! Just go!" Ryo shoved Kento's back and Kento allowed himself to tip forward and drop into the current. He sank beneath the surface and blinked several times to adjust his vision. Sure enough, he could feel the current pressing against him.
MARD! Kento frowned when he spotted Murdina thrashing near the bottom, her ankles weighed down by the shadow's body. He descended slowly until his feet touched the gravel and managed to trudge forward against the current. Hang on Mard! I'm coming! Murdina flinched, apparently startled to hear him. Try as she might, the river tore the breath out of her lungs and a cluster of air billowed from her mouth. Kento reached down and wrapped one arm around her back and reached down with the other, tearing the tether apart, sending the remains of the last shadow scattering into the river.
He crouched down, carrying her securely in his arms, and sprang up in a powerful bound. The surface erupted with a splash as he leapt out of the river and landed on the bank. "There, you're safe now..." Kento laid Murdina down on the grass. Kento gently shook her by the shoulder, but she remained unresponsive, water dripping from her hair and sodden clothes. "Um...Ryo...got a problem here: she's not breathing..." Kento stated and tilted his head up in Ryo's direction from where he hunkered over her limp form. "RYO?!" Kento's eyes widened in horror.
Ryo lay sprawled on his side limply, his eyes blank. His entire body crackled and flickered like a faulty television screen.
"Rowen! What the hell is going on? All I'm hearing over the radio is 'bogey' and 'kraut'!"
"Those are Messerschmidt Bf-109's!"
"Anything I should know about'em?"
"They're more maneuverable than the P-40!"
"Oh that's reassuring..."
"It's him! He's here! He's here! Six o'clock! It's the Black Maw!" Harwin shouted on the main line. Rowen dared a glimpse over his shoulder and spotted a plane painted all black, but instead of the cartoonish shark mouth most fighters sported, the teeth looked long and sharp like a demon.
"Saviors! Stay in formation! Our priority is The Ark. Let Gartlett and the Cavaliers handle this," Captain Vanstandtvoort ordered.
"How in the Sam Hill did they know where to find us? Someone leaked intel!" Avens snarled.
"Cap'n, Cavaliers 're gettin' torn to bits!" Phillip fretted.
"Ugh...Gartlett you idiot...Gage, Victor, Harwin, Ellis, you're with me. The rest of you stay in formation," Silver Archangel, Seraph, Shield, Seductress, and Stag peeled away. Even though they couldn't exactly see each other, Rowen and Sage glanced in each others direction.
"Come at me loves! I'll send ya to mum faster n' ya can say Bob's yer Uncle!" Harwin crowed.
"Jeez, this guy's accent is thick! It's worse than Cye's..." Sage commented over the private line.
"I know, right?"
"Hey, check it out Pip! Northern Lights!" Collin marveled as he spotted distant chromatic tendrils.
"I didn't think they appeared this far south," Phillip commented.
"That looks more like a Transgalactic Rift to me..." Rowen muttered. Silver Bullet and Knight peeled away from the Twins.
"Oy! Bahmert, Markham, what're ya doin'!?" Collin protested.
Aleksander's focus remained on the massacre going on infront of him. He maneuvered to intercept and moved his thumb over the trigger. He flinched when he heard the sound of gunfire and saw trails streaking past dangerously close to his wing. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Silver Fang.
"Whoa! Friendly fire! Friendly fire!" Harwin shouted. Silver Archangel banked to avoid but Silver Stag pursued. More gunfire barely missed the wing.
"Ellis! What the hell are you doing?" No matter which way Aleksander flew, "Ellis" seemed intent on harrying him. "Ellis! Knock it off! Ellis! Ellis, stop! STOP!"
"What's gotten into him?" Gage muttered. "Hmm?" he looked up when he spotted movement from the side as Silver Bullet and Silver Knight came in from on high. Twin streaks of gunfire skewered Silver Stag and sent the ruined P-40 spiraling towards the ground.
"ELLIS! NO!" Aleksander wailed in despair. He struggled to process what had just happened, he didn't think about berating "Bahmert" and "Markham" for disobeying orders. "I-I don't understand! What-what on Earth happened? We've flown over a dozen missions together! We've known each other for months! What possessed him to go off like that?"
"That wasn't Ellis, Captain. That was an enemy agent that had taken his place," Rowen answered.
"...mercy alive...has their reach grown that far?"
"...The Enemy's evil knows no bounds..." Sage replied solemnly.
"That's the last of 'em. Captain Aleksander, Gartlett and what's left of the Cavaliers are limping on home. We're on our own now," Avens reported as they returned to the B-17's side.
"Anyone seen the Black Maw?" Harwin asked, sounding nervous.
"Probably cut an' run once we mopped up here. I bet that phony 'Ellis' was our mole. How else would they have known exactly where our flight path would take us?" Gage theorized.
"I'm sorry for your loss, Captain Aleksander..." Rowen offered.
"You...you did what you had to... We can mourn the dead once mission's completed..."
"MARKHAM! WATCH YOUR SIX!" Sage jumped in his seat when he heard Harwin's frantic warning. He didn't have time to react as a stray Bf-109 burst out of the clouds from behind. Silver Knight shuddered as gunfire peppered the chassis beneath him, barely missing his legs but tearing apart the engine and controls. The Captains retaliated swiftly, harrying it and shooting it down, but the damage had been done. Sage glanced about the cockpit, noticing multiple gauges falling.
"Markham, your fuel's been hit! You need to bail out NOW!" Captain Wendell shouted. Sure enough, the controls refused to respond and the engine sputtered pathetically. The propeller slowed and the nose started to dip. Sage hurriedly shouldered his parachute and pushed open the emergency release clasps for the canopy. Rowen could only watch helplessly as Sage tumbled out of the cockpit, his back grazing the tail of his plunging craft.
The two carefully turned slain monks over and placed their hands over their stomachs. Cye remained silent as the other monk administered last rites. Arago still had not moved from where he stood. The other monk frowned and walked over, reaching for his shoulder.
"Brother, it does no good to dwell on the past. We must honor the fallen and prepare for tomorrow-"
"THERE IS NO TOMORROW!" Arago backhanded the monk hard enough to split open the side of his left eye socket. "There will be no more trials! There are no more 'aspirants'! Can you not see? It has already started! The rot has taken root, and must be expunged!" The other monk sprawled on the floor, unconscious. Arago turned his gaze to the Guardian Armor and set his jaw. "I realize now what must be done...I must take up this burden. I must wield this power for the sake of the Realm!"
Cye's eyes widened. He had no idea things would escalate this quickly, but he decided to capitalize on this sudden outburst. "Yes...Yes! The Armor is attuned to you! You know it like no other! You can hear it, can you not? It calls to you, it knows you!" Am I really saying this? Is this really me? No one hijacked his body and spoke with his voice. This all came from him.
"The Armor cannot be trusted to any man of lesser will. I see it now...the only way to truly defeat evil...is to become evil! I must become an evil so powerful, so absolute, all others will be subordinate! Only then will there truly be peace: under my dark shroud!" Arago declared.
"Yes! Go on! Claim the power which is yours by right!" Cye goaded with wicked glee.
"It should be mine! It must be mine! It belongs to me!" Arago growled as he approached the gilded Armor. "There cannot be absolute good without absolute evil! Brother, you must be my rival! You must oppose me with all of your heart and all of your spirit to drive my strength to greater heights, only then will true balance be achieved!" Arago stated as he removed pieces of the Armor from its display and began slipping it over his body. Cye hung back, watching awestruck as a tarnish seemed to spread over the Armor, creeping in from the edges and rivets.
Gold became gray, pearl became onyx, patches of blood-red appeared on the silver face mask. The guardian spirits on the knees and chest morphed into demonic skulls. The breastplate seemed to fit perfectly over his imposing frame. "Yes, I see it now...this is my true destiny! This is my true place in the world!" The grayish hair slowly faded into pure white as Arago slipped the helmet over his head. Shadow seemed to envelop his face from within, completely obscuring his eyes and mouth. He raised his arms and curled his fingers. The gauntlets creaked and seemed to tighten over his hands, the fingertips narrowing almost like claws. The last of the original sheen faded, and the entire Armor became gray and black with steel accents. Two eye-shaped slits opened up above the sword rack.
"I will become the pillar that bridges Realms, I will become a dark savior. This Armor, MY ARMOR shall become an avenging machine against which no other will stand!" The voice deepened, taking on a hollow growl. Metal bulged out on the 'lips' of the face mask, lengthening into fangs. "I SHALL RULE THIS MORTAL REALM! AS EMPEROR!" He threw his arms wide and tossed his head, reveling in his dark rebirth. Rumbling, sinister laughter issued from the fanged mouth.
Oh no...something about Mard affects Ryo! If she goes, so does he! Kento fretted as Ryo's form became increasingly incorporeal. He couldn't even pick up any thoughts from him. Kento looked down at Murdina then at his clawed hands. If he attempted CPR like this, he might kill her. He squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated, reverting to normal so quickly he felt fatigued at first, as if having sat down for too long and stood up abruptly. He shrugged off exhaustion and scooted over to kneel next to Murdina, rolling her onto her back and gently reaching over and pulling her mouth open by her lips.
He began the first round of chest compressions, pausing to force air into her mouth before resuming. Even in normal form, he had to restrain himself: the slightest miscalculation might inadvertently crush her ribs. He fretted whether he might use too much pressure or too little. "C'mon, Mard! You can't go out like this!" Kento muttered as he tried exhaling again into her mouth. Still no response. "You're too strong to die! You have to pull through! Everyone's depending on you! If you die, then so does...so does...that guy! That guy over there!" Kento shook his head. He couldn't even remember the name. Nervous sweat mixed with the river water still clinging to his skin as he alternated between breaths and compressions.
Murdina suddenly reached up and slapped him across the face hard enough to send him sprawling. Kento propped himself up on one elbow and rubbed his cheek in time to see her roll onto her side and struggle to push herself up on her palms, faltering briefly before vomiting up what seemed like a gallon of cloudy river water. She hiccoughed again and again before stabilizing and wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "I-I *cough* STRONGLY advise...*cough* not ta do that again, laddie!" she croaked, thumping her chest with her fist and spitting up pesky bits of gravel.
"Oh c'mooon, it wasn't that bad!" Kento protested.
"What matters is you're alive," Ryo spoke up from behind Kento as he rose to his feet.
"Hey! You're back!" Kento beamed. Murdina sat on the grass shuddering from the cold, her fiery locks plastered against her back and shoulders. She squinted and frowned.
"...ye...ye look...different, lad..." she muttered. Kento flinched and threw a panicked glance at Ryo, who shrugged helplessly. "Yuir not a mountain giant, are ye?" Murdina purred and arched an eyebrow.
The two men exchanged glances then shook their heads. "Nope." "Nuh uh..." they admitted.
"It's a long story. We might want to find a place to sit..." Ryo said. They returned to the standing stones where they had first met and Ryo sat on a slab opposite of Murdina while Kento leaned against one of the intact megaliths. "Our mission wasn't just to protect you from those creatures, but to ensure you seek the destiny foretold by our elder. Your path lies east, towards the Rising Sun, and the wind will be both your guide and weapon. The people there will see you as a protector, not a stranger or submissive maid. You must leave your home behind to make a new future for yourself."
"When th' Lord calls, ye canna ignore Him...but...what about Jessie? What about my daughter?"
"...your...daughter?" Ryo raised an eyebrow. He hadn't seen nor heard anyone else at the farm besides Murdina and her husband. Murdina nodded shakily.
"Andrew refuses ta let her outside. Tis why I go out n' about, ta try an' bring th' world ta her. I'll bring odds n' ends. Tis her only window ta th' world..."
"Um...juuuust a second..." Ryo raised a finger and stood up and walked over to Kento. "She has a daughter!?" he hissed through his teeth, exasperated and jerked a thumb over his shoulder.
"Um...yeah...I think I remember Tanya saying something about that once...but she died pretty young. I don't think she even made it to her 20's..." Kento replied and shrugged, keeping his voice low. Murdina seemed patient enough to wait for them to consult. Ryo raked his fingers through his hair.
"I don't believe this...how can we justify leaving the daughter with the husband after the way he treated Murdina in the first place?" Kento's gaze roved about as he pondered.
"Ohhh noo..." he moaned and his eyes widened in realization. "She's an Edith Keeler!"
"...a what?" Ryo made a face.
"Edith Keeler! Star Trek: Original Series 'The City on the Edge of Forever'!" Ryo stared back blankly with an expression that indicated whatever Kento had said caused his brain to stop working. "Don't give me that look, Ryo! I'm being completely serious here!" Kento scolded matter-of-factly and folded his arms over his chest. "Look...This is Yun's sort of thing...he could explain it better...
"Greytorata didn't just pop up out of the blue one day and decide to send us all on adventures in time and hijinks ensued. Basically there's nothing happening right now that hasn't already happened, we're just completing the circle. Long and short of it: In order for time to progress the way it's supposed to, Mard has to leave her daughter behind, and her daughter has to die!" Kento explained with chilling coherence. Ryo stared at him, feeling sick to his stomach. This upset him on a personal level, not just as a husband himself, but as a father. He glanced at Murdina before taking a deep breath.
Murdina glanced up from where she'd been staring at the grass when she saw Ryo return to his seat across from her. He braced his hands against his knees, taking a moment to search for words. "Look...let's be honest here: as soon as your daughter comes of age, your husband won't waste anytime marrying her off to some guy. He'll get a nice cozy dowry and hopefully she'll end up with someone who treats her less like shit. And what would you do? Hang around an empty house until he discards you like a worn-out tool? Keep popping out babies until you can't anymore? Your place isn't here, Murdina. You have a chance to shape the future and build a world where girls like your daughter can live better, more meaningful lives. Fate has marked you for far greater deeds than a small farm in the middle of the highlands. And if fate has you return years from now, maybe by then your husband will learn to be less of an a-hole..." Ryo explained softly. Murdina stared back at him, digesting his words quietly. "Go East, Murdina. Follow the Rising Sun. Your destiny waits for you there..."
They'd returned to the farm while Andrew was away and Jessie napped in her bed. Murdina left her worn dress on the bed and raided her husband's drawers for a tunic, vest, belt, trousers, and boots. She set her worn old sword against the bedpost and grabbed hold of the nice polished blade he used for himself. She gathered a few provisions into a satchel and took up her small set of bagpipes, pausing at the bed of her slumbering daughter to stoop down and give her a parting kiss on the forehead. Shouldering everything, she took off walking down the road, now wearing proper adventurer attire.
Murdina Lockehart paused and looked over her shoulder at the two men seeing her off. Kento waved earnestly while Ryo raised his hand weakly. Murdina threw them a wistful smile before resuming her trek, the wind urging her on. "You think she'll remember us?" Kento asked.
You mean the two strangers who conned her into abandoning her daughter? Kento couldn't hear that comment since he'd reverted to normal. "Doubt it. Tanya never mentioned anything..."
"...Ryo...I know how hard that had to be for you..." Kento comforted.
"Do you?" Ryo threw him a sideways glare, and Kento looked irritated at first before relaxing, sympathetic to Ryo's anguish. "...She'll never see her daughter again. By the time she returns to Scotland to fight the gorgon...her daughter will be long dead..." Ryo heard his voice crack. He took a few deep breaths to compose himself, reminding himself that in their time, Mardrena had been many centuries dead. Perhaps in the Afterworld, mother and daughter finally reunited...
"Whoa! Ryo! Why are we glowing?!" Kento asked and held up his hands. Soft golden light enveloped them both. Ryo looked at his own palm.
"...Guess this means mission complete..." he muttered and the two faded out of sight.
Rowen sighed in relief when Sage pulled his parachute and the fabric billowed out behind him, catching a gust and braking his fall. Sage tilted his head up, watching the departing escort. "He'll be fine. We're over the coast of Ireland right now. He'll be able to make a safe landing," Captain Vanstandtvoort assured. Rowen thought he spotted movement out the corner of his eye.
Everything happened so fast, his mind took several seconds to process things. He saw a streak of black, heard the gunfire, saw Sage convulse in his parachute harness before hanging limp. Rowen's eyes widened as he slowly realized what had just happened. He opened his mouth to scream.
"AAAIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAIIIIIGH!" Rowen flinched in his seat and nearly tore off his headset when he heard the ear-splitting scream coming from Aleksander. A cry like no other... The sounds tearing over the radio sounded eerily similar to what he'd heard once from the record of the Battle of Banguk. "FIEND! BASTARD! HIS CHUTE WAS OUT! HE WAS OUT OF COMBAT! I'LL KILL YOU! DIEEEEEE!" Rowen watched awestruck as Silver Archangel dove into the clouds in hot pursuit of the Black Maw, spewing white-hot vengeance, Aleksander screaming incoherently over the radio. Rowen banked Silver Bullet to the side and turned to go after the drifting chute.
"Bahmert, get back in formation!" Rowen glanced over his shoulder and saw Silver Seraph following close behind. "He's already dead. There's nothing you can do for him..."
"NO! NO, HE CAN'T BE DEAD!" Rowen wailed, tears blurring his vision.
"You know I can't let you leave like this..." Gage stated grimly, moving his thumb over the trigger. Protocol demanded deserters be shot on sight.
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! WE HAVE TO GO BACK TOGETHER! WE'RE NOT EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE HERE! WE DON'T BELONG IN THIS TIME!" Gage listened to the man named David Bahmert rant, and in any other situation it'd sound like grief-crazed rambling, but something in his voice rang true. He sighed and lowered his thumb from the trigger. Rowen heard the growl of a distant engine and looked to the side in time to see Silver Seraph peel away and turn back towards the distant squadron, spotting Gage flicking two fingers in salute.
"Go, find your friend Bahmert. God keep and save you," and with that, Silver Seraph vanished into the clouds, where Gage would soon embark on his Flight into Fate.
"...thank you...Captain Wendell..." Rowen brought Silver Bullet below the clouds and circled briefly until he spotted the telltale colors of a deployed chute stuck in a tree. He brought the P-40 around for a landing in a field and the second the landing gear touched down, he shoved open the canopy and sprang out, bolting for the treeline while the Curtiss kept on rolling until it finally came to a stop on its own. He didn't have time to worry about how angry the farmer might be at finding his crops crushed by a landed fighter. He pelted across the field as fast as his long stride could carry him, finding a single limp body hanging from a harness snared in the branches. Rowen fumbled in his pocket for his knife and sprang up, wrapping one arm around Sage's back while slashing at the cords, severing them neatly. He landed on the ground and propped Sage up against the tree trunk.
He hastily unzipped Sage's bloodied jacket and peeled it open, horrified to see the severity of his wounds. "Sage! Sage! C'mon...don't die on me!" Rowen hissed and began administering first aid.
Sage opened his eyes to see a sunny, cloudy sky overhead. He sat up in the grass and looked down to see himself clad in his Halo Armor. Last thing he remembered was pulling his chute then feeling a stinging pain through his body. Did he return to the modern age already?
"Yo! You need help or somethin'?" Sage blinked and looked up when he spotted the legs of a horse come up beside him. His gaze moved up to the individual seated in the saddle. He spotted ornate blue lacquered armor with white and gold accents. A wide curving crescent crest adorned the helmet that looked eerily familiar. Messy brown hair poked out from under the helmet. The man kept his slender arms folded over his chest and regarded Sage with a single eye, the other covered with a metal patch. Sage's eyes widened in dawning realization. He'd seen these armaments before...
"...M-M-Masamune Date...'One-Eyed-Dragon'..." Sage whispered.
"Neat, I got a fan-club. Hey, can someone get this guy a horse?" the man hollered off to the side. Sage blinked when he felt strong hands grab him by the shoulders and hoist him into the saddle of a horse. "Here, ya can ride with us until you reach your destination. Let's gun it!" with that, the column took off over the field. Sage held the reins clumsily and glanced to the side, noticing how Masamune sat upright in the saddle with his arms folded tightly over his chest confidently. "...What?" he noticed Sage's baffled look and scowled.
"Uh-nothing! It's just...how can you do that?"
"It's all a matter of balance m'boy!" Masamune replied and smirked. "So, what's your name?" Sage hesitated, not sure how he should answer that.
"Um...Sage..." Somehow he never imagined his ancestor sounding so gruff...
"Cool name. Your Armor looks familiar, but I can't quite place it. I had ya pegged for a Date, just can't figure out from where...or when..." Masamune threw a suspicious glance at Sage. Sage felt uneasy: it seemed like he knew more than he let on...
"Lord Masamune, someone approaches!" a scout alerted. The column came to a halt and Sage and Masamune dismounted.
"Nice! Could do with some action!" Sage didn't seem to have his sword with him, but he blinked in surprise when he looked to the side and saw Masamune draw six swords from a set of wing-shaped scabbards at his waist, holding the hilts between his fingers. Masamune noticed his surprise. "...What?"
"Oh! Uh...nothing...it's just...I've never seen...that particular style before..."
"Good! Seeing as how I invented it!" Masamune smirked and tensed for battle.
"LORD MASAMUNE!" They looked up at a tall bluff overlooking the path. Sage spotted a lone man clad in red-colored reinforced leather armor. Oddly enough, he wielded two spears-one in each hand-and sported short light-brown hair.
I don't believe it...Yukimura Sanada! This is Ryo's ancestor! Sage marveled as the man sprang down into the path and pointed a spear at Masamune.
"Oh. It's just you..." Masamune sighed and sheathed his swords fluidly. "Hey Yuki, wassup?"
"One-Eyed-Dragon! Today we shall settle our long-standing rivalry!"
"Not right now, Yuki. Maybe another day," Masamune dismissed and hopped back into the saddle.
"What! Lord Masamune, what is the meaning of this slight!" Yukimura demanded, exasperated.
"It's no slight. We're on a mission." Just then, Yukimura glanced to the side and noticed Sage. "His name's Sage...he's from the future." Sage stiffened and glanced at him sharply. "What? Just cuz I've got one eye doesn't mean I can't put two n' two together," Masamune shrugged.
"...verily so?" Yukimura stared at Sage, bewildered. "...perchance, do you know how I meet my end?" He asked so nonchalantly, it caught Sage off-guard.
"uh...uh...um..." Sage didn't know how this might affect the timeline and glanced at Masamune, who shrugged absently, apparently seeing no harm in divulging the truth. "Uh...you get killed at the Siege of Osaka..." Yukimura actually looked ecstatic like a little kid. "...and you get decapitated."
"I get decapitated! WOO HOO!" Yukimura turned around and dropped to his knees, pumping his fists. Sage stared at him, dumbstruck.
"He's like that," Masamune replied. "Here's a spare horse, Yuki. You can tag along with us until we find this guy's destination." The column resumed course, dust and grass flying up from thundering hooves. "Hey, future me!" Sage glanced to the side when addressed. "In the time you come from, am I still known as a badass?"
"...you're considered one of the most brilliant and iconic generals in national history..."
"Really? Sweet!" Masamune grinned toothily.
"And you perfected the recipe for tofu."
"Really now? Huh, how come I didn't think of that..." All of a sudden, Sage's horse skidded to a stop, nearly throwing him from the saddle. "Whoa! Whoa! Hey dude, you okay?"
"Uhh..." Sage hunched over, having to prop himself up with a palm braced on the saddle. He felt something oozing in his mouth and tasted something metallic. He glanced down to see holes in his chestplate and blood trickling out, staining the metal. His arms and legs throbbed with pain and he pitched to the side and tumbled out of the saddle, landing back-first on the ground.
"Ahhh, looks like you've reached your destination," Masamune and Yukimura dismounted and walked over to stand next to Sage. They stared down at him warmly, not moving to help him stand as he bled out on the ground. "Stay cool, my friend!" Masamune flicked a salute at him, smiling.
Sage stirred and opened his eyes. "...Reiou...was right...my ancestor...was kind of a dick...but...also kind of a badass..." Sage raised his eyebrows, his eyes glassy.
"There ya are! Welcome back! Don't talk too much; you've got a perforated lung!"
"R-R-Rowen...W-W-Why...Why are we still here...?"
"To save the world, you know that..."
"No...I mean...why...why are we still here?" Sage whispered, blood trickling out the corner of his mouth. Rowen glanced at him, puzzled. "We completed the mission...the Captains took their Flight into Fate...so...why are we still here?" Sage gurgled. Rowen frowned and put a hand on his knee.
"...I haven't made my phone call of fate yet..." he realized and looked over his shoulder at Silver Bullet. "Stay here. I'll be right back," Rowen bundled up his jacket and slipped it behind Sage's back before standing up and jogging over to the abandoned P-40. He clambered onto the wing and leaned into the cockpit, picking up the discarded headset and turning the dial to find a clear frequency.
"Annalaise...I'm sorry! I won't be coming home to you! AAAAAGH!" Rowen's eyes widened when he thought he heard Aleksander's frantic voice: His last transmission before he entered the rift... Rowen ran his tongue over his lips, trying to remember exactly how that recording went. He couldn't think straight, so he had to trust whatever he said would be correct.
"This is David Bahmert requesting immediate assistance! I had to make an emergency landing in a field along the coast of Ireland. If anyone receives this, Captains Vanstandtvoort and Wendell are missing. I repeat: Captains Vanstandtvoort and Wendell are missing! The remaining squadron and the Ark made it out safely. Ellis is KIA, Avens is MIA. Jacob Markham is badly wounded!" Rowen finished and set down the headset just as a soft golden glow crept over his body. The cockpit of the abandoned Silver Bullet appeared empty. Back by the tree, a discarded bomber jacket and empty parachute harness lay strewn on the ground beneath the remains of the tangled parachute.
"I received word of an attack! What is going on? What is the meaning of all this?" a hysterical Badamon demanded as he arrived at the temple with his retinue of priests and personal soldiers in tow. A collective gasp arose among the men as they saw the towering armored figure.
"Badamon! Old friend! JOIN ME! Drink in this power I have discovered!" Arago detached one of the swords from his back and pointed it at Badamon. A bolt of crimson energy shot out and struck the hapless wizened man. "Revel in its dark ecstasy! Be reborn, as I have!" Badamon's skin seemed to melt off of his skull before greenish-blue matter congealed over his bones, reforming his flesh as the First of the Nether Spirits. He arched his back and threw his arms wide, cackling giddily in wicked glee. Cye gasped in horror and backed up closer to the far wall, alarmed at how quickly the change had happened. Badamon didn't even have a chance to resist...either that, or he chose not to...
The energy cascaded from Badamon through the gathered retainers, penetrating their chests and reshaping them into Nether Spirits and Nether Soldiers. "Now...as for you...it is time for your reward..." Arago purred and turned around only to see a discarded hat lying on the floor. "Hmm...it seems my young friend lacked the conviction of his words...no matter." Arago strode out of the temple, flanked by Badamon and his new troops. He raised the sword and pointed it at the gate, unleashing crimson light. The gate distorted and grew, morphing into a Nether Gate. The blood-red doors swung open slowly.
"First, we shall forge a kingdom of darkness, a sanctuary of shadow. Once my armies are established, I shall return and liberate this Realm from its frailties. Go forth, warriors!" The newly-created specters sallied through the gate, first led by Badamon. Arago followed at the rear, the steel talons of his boots crunching into the ground of the courtyard. "Go forth...my evil Dynasty!"
"BROTHER! NO! NOOOO!" the other monk regained consciousness and staggered out of the ruined temple in time to catch a glimpse of Arago's back as he strode through the portal. The gate vanished behind him, leaving the ruined frame.
"Thanks for the save," Cye said over his shoulder from where he and Tanya hid up among the rafters inside the shrine. "I don't think Brit would've appreciated it if I came back a soulless servant of darkness..." The two dropped down from their hiding place and surveyed the wreckage.
"You! You two! Foreigners! Intruders! You did this!" the surviving monk accused. Cye realized his hat had fallen off, exposing his hair. "You put these ideas into his mind! You drove him mad!" Blood trickled out of the wound on the side of his eye. The skin around the eye socket looked swollen.
"Sir, with all due respect, he kind of went zero to sixty on his own..." Tanya began.
"Silence witch!" the monk stabbed a finger at her angrily. Tanya looked more annoyed than angry.
"I'm truly sorry for your loss, but as difficult as it sounds, your brother was unfortunately marked by fate to take the path of darkness," Cye offered.
"Liar! I refuse to believe that! He was a good man! He was my brother! Because of you, he has become twisted beyond all hope of redemption! No one will remember him as I did. His name will be forgotten to time, forever known as darkness incarnate: a manifestation of wicked desire! Now I must rededicate what remains of my clan to putting a stop to his madness... And as for YOU!" the monk pointed at Cye, sneering bitterly. "Pray long and hard for forgiveness, for you shall have none from me!" with that, the monk stormed out of the ruined grounds.
"'Sow deeply the seeds of ambition'...he's right...we completed our mission...all it took was destroying a kind man..." Cye lamented. Tanya placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder.
"Cye...I think those seeds were planted long before we arrived...they just needed watering." Cye said nothing in reply, and clenched his fists. He couldn't tell what upset him more: how easily Arago had given into his anger, or the fact that Tanya might be right. The monks and priests hadn't poured their hopes and wishes for peace and prosperity into the Guardian Armor...they'd infused it with their anger, their anxiety, their frustration. Their desire for power...
"His name will be forgotten to time, forever known as darkness incarnate..."
A manifestation of desires...a talpa... Cye scowled grimly.
"What the fu-" Cye remained so lost in thought he didn't pay attention to Tanya's muttered swears or notice the golden light creeping over their bodies.
"RYO!" Anubis and Mia shouted and reached out towards the six Ronin as they faded from view. No more than a second later, Ryo and Kento reappeared in the room where they'd been standing, clad in their medieval outfits. Anubis blinked, mightily confused, and lowered his arm.
"...Ryo? Y-You just left!" Anubis remarked, startled.
"T...Ti...Time is relative," Greytorata intoned.
"Ryo! What on Earth happened to you two? Where did you go?" Mia demanded. Ryo shrugged and replied lazily in language Mia couldn't make heads or tails of.
"...Ryo...are-are you speaking Gaelic?!" Anubis stammered. Ryo made a face and glanced from side to side before making a puzzled remark and raising an eyebrow. Greytorata waved her hand.
"The others should return shortly," she stated. Ryo rubbed his throat, looking not entirely sure what just happened. He looked to the side when he saw Cye and Tanya reappear: Cye clad in antiquated monk robes and Tanya in form-fitting black garb.
"Cye! You're back! How'd your mission go?" Ryo asked energetically, his voice back to normal.
"Ehh...we got to meet Talpa before he became famous...didn't exactly feel like sticking around for an autograph," Cye replied and rubbed the back of his head. Ryo noticed the haunted look in his eyes. He didn't seem willing to go into detail about their adventures.
"Jeez Tanya, you mug a ninja or something?" Kento commented. Tanya threw him a look and snorted. She seemed uncharacteristically somber.
"So that just leaves Rowen and Sage...where are they, they should be back by now, right?" Ryo asked and looked about the room. A soft golden light appeared close by and faded to reveal the missing two Ronin. "Rowen! Sage! You're back! How did-" Ryo trailed off, his eyes widening in horror.
"SAGE!" No one had a chance to tease Rowen about his black hair or Sage for his mangled golden locks. They only saw Rowen supporting a bloodied Sage by the shoulder.
"What the hell happened! You two look like you were in a literal dogfight!" Tanya exclaimed.
"That's because we were! He's lost a lot of blood! Hurry, we need to get him to the infirmary!" Rowen stated. Anubis rushed over and draped Sage's other arm over his shoulder. The two had barely taken a step when it seemed as if Greytorata glided infront of them, blocking their path.
"UNNECESSARY!" she boomed and waved her hand lazily. The others watched with a mixture of surprise and unease as not only did the blood vanish from Sage's military clothing, but his wounds healed up instantaneously. His hair seemed to crawl out of his scalp, sprouting into an unkempt bush. He opened his eyes and blinked several times, as disconcerted by the sensation as the others looked from having witnessed it. It only took a practiced toss of his head to shake his hair back into its original style. Anubis and Rowen stepped away, allowing him to stand on his own. Sage patted himself over several times. The bullet holes remained in his clothing, but otherwise he'd been completely restored.
"What happens if those things try again? What's to stop them from attacking different points in history?" Cye argued.
"T...Th...They will not. They expended much resources into attempting this gambit. They had everything to gain a...an...and everything to lose. Theirs was a mission they could not afford to fail, and yet they did thanks to your intervention. Time resumes its proper course. Y...Yo...You have my thanks, Ronin Warriors. I must return now to my watch." Greytorata turned as if to leave.
"Wait! Hold up!" Ryo shouted and raised his hand.
"...HMM?" Greytorata rumbled as she turned her head to the side slowly, glancing at Ryo out the corner of her eye with a warning look as if it offended her that Ryo addressed her. The others grimaced uneasily, remembering what happened the last time with Roth.
"These things weren't just attacking random points in history. They were attacking our past, our future!" Ryo clapped a hand over his chest. "If they couldn't kill us, they wanted to control us. They wanted to create a future without Ronin Warriors to protect the world."
"I know what he's talking about. The shadows could've gone after Aleksander and Gage at any time, but they seemed more interested in keeping them from flying through the rift rather than killing them."
"Yeah. They captured Mardrena, but went out of their way to avoid hurting her," Kento added.
"Now that you mention it, they went after Talpa's Armor, but not Talpa himself..." Cye muttered.
"What kind of enemy are we dealing with that has that kind of capability? Who would be interested in targeting us? Considering Sage almost got killed completing your 'mission', I think we deserve to know," Ryo demanded, scowling. Greytorata said nothing for several moments.
"...T...Th...That is something I am not at liberty to discuss..." she purred. "OR CARE TO", she thundered, narrowing her eyes and clenching her jaw. "You saved the day, Ronin Warriors. All is made right in the world. T...Ta...Take comfort in that. May our paths never cross again." With that, Greytorata turned her back to Ryo and golden light spiraled around her body like an hourglass. Instead of departing in a streak of light like Roth and the others had, she simply faded from view. Their eyes remained fixed on where she'd stood so much they didn't notice Blackblaze melt into the shadows.
"Somehow, I doubt that...," Ryo sniffed. "All that effort and we get left with more questions than answers..."
"So much for that. So, you two got to meet Mardrena? How was she?" Tanya asked Kento.
"Pretty cool! Except for her husband...almost beat him up...that's another thing, I kinda had a bad scare back there. For a second, I thought I was gonna lose Ryo when Mard almost drowned."
"The messed up part is I didn't know what was happening at the time. I just felt super tired all of a sudden and I couldn't move at all," Ryo admitted and rubbed the back of his head.
"Really? That's weird. The same thing almost happened with Tanya. At first I thought it was something I said..." Cye grimaced ruefully before composing himself. "But now I wonder if it might've happened at the same time as Ryo-well-maybe not at the same time, but for the same reason..."
"Hey Anubis, you knew Mard back in the day, right? Any idea what about her would affect both Ryo and Tanya?" Kento asked the former Dark Warlord. Anubis winced in alarm.
"Ah...we were at each other's throats all the time back in the day! How can I be expected to know anything about her personal life? I certainly know nothing about any potential dalliances she might have had with Hariel!" Anubis sputtered, blushing awkwardly.
"...no one said anything about Hariel..." Ryo and Tanya exchanged confused looks. "...Why are you so fidgety all of a sudden?" Anubis looked extremely uncomfortable just then and there.
Sage stood off to the side and calmly observed their antics. He frowned, wondering if his near-death experience really happened: if he'd hallucinated the entire episode, or if he'd somehow slipped through history by accident. The history books apparently left out a great deal. He couldn't help but imagine Masamune and Yukimura sitting next to each other enjoying some tofu, with Masamune commenting "Mmm, it's so tasty!" between mouthfuls and Yukimura adding "Verily so!"
Greytorata stood alone in the carved stone hall. She faced a large sequence of drawings depicting a chaotic battlefield: a dragon being shot through the heart, an immense sky vessel breaking in half, an army of shadows rushing into the fray, shambling stiff figures rushing forth to engage them, and above everything, colossal discs like upended cities looming in the sky. "...Y...Yo...You tried to game the odds in your favor..." she spoke to the image of the city-shaped craft. Behind her, a hulking shadow peeled away from the wall and materialized into Blackblaze. He padded over and seated himself at her side. Greytorata reached down and gently caressed the top of his helmet, not taking her eyes off of the drawing. Blackblaze gave a consoling chuff and lashed his tail. "You should know as well as I..."
"-A...AL...ALL ROADS LEAD TO THE END TIDE...-"
AOD Soundtrack
1. Takeoff-The Colonel-Two Steps From Hell
2. A Proper Master-Breath of Ran Gor-Two Steps From Hell
3. Calling the Bluff-Escapist-Nightwish
4. Flight into Fate-Men of Honor-Two Steps From Hell
5. Manifestation of Desire-Dark Harbor-Two Steps From Hell
6. Finding Destiny-Final Days of Rome-Two Steps From Hell
Run...just run! Her mind screamed, knowing full well she could do nothing against this creature, and yet her legs refused to move, determined to stand her ground. "I-I-If you want him...y-you'll have to go through me," Brianna heard herself speak.
"That can easily be arranged!" the monster lashed its arm, loosing a blast of energy at her. Brit stood stock-still, frozen in terror. The blast looked powerful enough to rip the flesh straight off of her bones. She stumbled back to land on her backside and raised her arm to shield her face futilely.
Something caught the blast and swatted it to the side effortlessly, sending it careening into the far wall of the cavern. "Hmm?" the monster growled, perplexed by this new turn of events.
Brit remained curled up on the floor, shuddering. "I strongly recommend you leave this place," a voice calmly stated. She stiffened: it sounded familiar...yet so different.
Brianna dared a glance forward, spotting two spindly-looking objects infront of her. They looked far too skinny to be legs, and yet they moved as the figure shifted its stance. For some reason they reminded her of the hind legs of a grasshopper. Her gaze slowly moved up, eyes widening in dawning horror. Her breath caught in her throat when she fully took in the being that had intervened.
Confluence
Author's Notes
Props to whoever gets the reference gag from Sage's dream! I'll gift a $25 World Anvil gift card to the first person who names it.
Greytorata isn't meant to be a recurring character since she mostly operates behind the scenes. She'll have at least one more major appearance where she helps the Ronin undo a catastrophic event. There was a scene planned where a certain spirit mage attempts to destroy the Prophecy Wall only for her to effortlessly reform the tunnel and admonish him, but not sure when this will take place. She might have a supporting role in the future "God Wars" mini-arc.
I got soured on a franchise I used to enjoy when the original loremaster retired and it seemed like the writing just went to shit. One story involved an ancient artifact and a young mage trying to piece it together secretly so she could use it to "make things right", only that might risk-oh I dunno-shattering the fabric of reality? Every senior mage and their literal mom kept warning against tampering with this artifact, and despite knowing full well what could happen, she uses it anyway because somehow her suffering is so much more important than the fabric of the universe. So predictably everything goes awry and afterward she's vewwy vewwy sowwy and understandably gets her ass expelled. Idiot.
Time travel is handled so sloppily these days when the classics did it so much better: H.G. Wells' "Time Machine", Stargate: Continuum, Babylon 5, even cartoons. I remember an episode of Gargoyles during the Avalon World Tour, Goliath is forced to use the Phoenix Gate to solve a mystery dating all the way back to World War II by bringing a lost hero forward through time. I've noticed nowadays time travel seems to have become a license to completely ruin stories and characters with "multiverses" and "alternate timelines" out the literal yin-yang.
Rowen's impression of Kenny Loggins is a reference gag to an old comic where the clanging of the Staff disrupts a battle between Ryo and Kayura, affecting them both. Then its revealed that Rowen is using it as a microphone and his singing is so legendarily bad, Kayura is forced to flee while Ryo plugs his ears and scolds Rowen angrily.