Where They Cannot

By Mardrena

"It's only been a matter of days since the harrowing events which had the city on lockdown and residents huddled in their homes. Yet already the people of Toyama are fast at work getting their lives back on track," the female reporter spoke as she paced along the sidewalk glancing from the camera to the people milling about on the sidewalk behind her.

"While the military released an official statement claiming experimental unmanned-craft malfunctioned, there are a few die-hard skeptics who insist that the ordeal was the result of an extra-terrestrial attack, as you can see here," the reporter nodded over her shoulder at a throng of people holding aloft hastily-scribbled signs reading "They R Out There!" and "We R Not Alone!" Several of them jeered and pointed at the camera, waving their signs.

"Whatever the viewer chooses to believe, one thing's for certain; This city has weathered a lot in the past and bounced back every time thanks to the tireless efforts of public workers. Ooh! Look, there's a member of the city board!" The reporter pointed to a short balding man with white hair and a bulbous nose. "Excuse me! Councilman! Sir! Could we trouble you for a statement regarding the events of this week?" The reporter held the mic out to the man as he turned around. "What are your thoughts concerning the cause of damage done to the city?"

"Cause? Cause? I'll tell you who caused it! It's those confounded Ronin Warriors! Armored arsonists! This always happens whenever they embark on their so-called 'crusade against evil'! I wouldn't be surprised if they're actually benefiting from all this somehow!" Neither he nor the reporter noticed the trio of men walking behind them carrying a large length of pipe.

"Oh hey! Look, we're on tv!" a blue-haired man with a cross-shaped scar over one eye said.

"Hii!" a man with pale skin and green hair waved energetically with one hand.

"Hiii!" a man with long white hair and a patch over one eye waved at the camera as well.

"Hiii," Rowen said with a grin and waved at the TV screen from where he sat on the sofa. "They certainly are keeping those guys busy," he chuckled.

"We're lucky the only damage done was to buildings," Rowen looked over his shoulder and saw Ryo standing behind the sofa. "If the Thunthen hadn't been so distracted by the Dynasty, things could've turned out a lot worse. It's weird being thankful to Talpa for anything…"

"You think the Dynasty will try attacking again?" Rowen asked softly.

"C'mon, Rowen, you know the Dynasty. It takes resources for Mal Daggur to sustain his fleet. All it takes for Talpa to replenish his armies is bad vibes, which seem to be in no short supply," Ryo scowled at the TV screen as the councilman continued ranting into the mic despite the reporter trying to gently tug it away from him. It was pretty rough; dealing with Mal Daggur and his Thunthen army. We barely pulled through with the help of our allies, the Thangiens, as well as some new allies. Bak Thraplek and his crew of Thunthen defectors helped turn the tide just enough to ultimately send Mal Daggur packing, but Talpa's still here. He's always still here…and just as before, we'll always be the ones fighting him.

That's how it's always been since the beginning. The burden of battle has always rest on our shoulders, because who else can be asked to fight such a powerful evil? No one else has the strength or courage to fight evil as we do. Well…there IS Mia…and Yulie…Shannon and Roxi I guess…Danae…okay I'm getting off track. The point is, WE'RE the ones with the mystic armor. It's OUR battle. Who could we expect to take on such a burden?

"True…speaking of…how the heck does Talpa make all his guys? Like, I know he uses evil spirits and all, but where do they actually come from? Does he have a mail-order catalogue he orders in bulk from or what?" The two of them broke out laughing.

"No, wait wait, I got a better one: Okay, where do Nether Spirits come from?" Ryo waved a hand. Rowen shrugged, helplessly trying to stifle giggles. "From Bautan's spooky bu-"


"Bah, look at the mortals, scurrying and sniffing about like vermin seeking to glean secrets from the fallen armaments of the dragonmen!" Bautan snorted disdainfully at the images being played on the viewing screen of hazmat workers sifting through rubble.

"The dragonmen were careless, but now those secrets belong to the Dynasty, and WE shall make of them our own!" Lord Tchnetun proclaimed.

"Neither they nor their great vessels have been sighted in the Heavens, and the 'Thangiens' seem to have given chase. Now would be the perfect time to strike!" Duratir stated.

"Be not so hasty, brother. Do not forget the Ronin have dragonmen allies as well; their strength and number remain yet unknown to us," Duratin cautioned.

"It matters not how many count themselves allies of the Ronin Warriors," Talpa rumbled from his throne. "Look how quickly the mortal cattle turn their ire to their very 'saviors'. Such animosity strengthens me while it enervates the Ronin. As long as mortals remain so fickle and foul, my armies remain endless. The dragonmen fled quickly, clearly their might is inferior."

"Your armies stand ready, my Emperor. By your command, we will march forth and crush the mortals under heel," Duratir thumped a fist against his chest and bowed.

"Armies would fare poorly against the Ronin and their mystical powers. No, this time, I have something far more effective in mind. Kylyra, come forth," Talpa spoke softly.

The Brothers, Lord Tchnetun, and Bautan turned around upon hearing the clacking of heels as the newcomer entered…skipping. A young girl with long black hair draping down to the back of her knees hummed musically as she capered down the red carpet. The Brothers stepped to either side to make way for her and watched as the girl scampered to a stop.

"You summoned me, and as always, I am ready to serve you Emperor Talpa," the girl smiled and bowed reverently. Her hair draped around two scabbards crossing her lower back.

"I am pleased to see you recovered well from the dragonman's attack."

"Indeed. Should the brute again cross my path, I will not be as forgiving," Kylyra stated and stood back up and folded her arms behind her back.

"The dragonmen have fled this Realm, and the 'Thangiens'," Talpa spoke the word with disgust. "Have departed after them. They are the only mortals aside from the Lady Ronin capable of withstanding the overwhelming power of the Dark Side."

"The Ronin are all alone?" Kylyra asked in a pouty tone and narrowed her eyes mischievously. "They need someone to play with, then." The corners of her lips turned up in a slight smile.

"Precisely. Do be a dear and keep the Ronin occupied…"

"I would be delighted to, my Emperor…" Kylyra fidgeted in place slightly, looking very eager, yet her jet-black pupils glittered with unfettered malice.


"Oh no! Not again, not again, not again!" a portly balding man in a expensive suit fled down the street, going so far as to shove other fleeing citizens out of the way in his frantic effort to outrun the attackers. He ignored the screams of captured victims and focused solely on his parked limo just a block ahead. He spotted the silhouette of his loyal driver through the tinted windows. He waved frantically, urging the councilman to run faster.

All of a sudden two towering constructs landed on the roof of the car, caving it in under their weight. The councilman stumbled back and landed on his butt, trying to scramble away as the constructs stepped off of the flattened luxury car and lumbered towards him, aiming weapons mounted on their arms at him. They stood nearly twice as tall as he and growled menacingly.

"Leave him be," a youthful female voice stated firmly. The two constructs lowered their weapons and stepped to either side to make way for a little girl who looked to be roughly ten years of age. "So much hatred towards the Ronin Warriors. A heart full of wickedness such as yours would serve the Dynasty far better free than enslaved," the girl said with a smile.

"L-L-Lady! Listen! I have no idea what you're talking about! I'm just a politician!" the balding man stammered and shook his head. The girl chuckled softly.

"Talpa send you to do his grocery shopping?" The councilman cringed and shielded his bald head as a weighted black claw smashed into the chest plate of one of the large constructs. A sword impaled the second in the face to no effect at first. Bright crimson fluid began dribbling onto the visor, causing the head to melt and cave in. Golden arrows and small crescent blades plowed through the chests of the lesser constructs holding civilians captive. While shrapnel and sparks flew to either side of her, the girl stood there calmly.

"He totally needs to lay off of souls. It's bad for his health," Kento of Hardrock stated.

"Yeah, too much and Talpa will end up just as fat," Dais of Illusion snickered. Kento blinked and frowned at that remark, glancing sideways at the Elder.

"Talpa should know full well by now as long as he exists, the Ronin Warriors will protect all mortals. Even the bad apples," Ryo of the Wildfire flicked a glance at the cowering politician and narrowed his eyes. The man gulped and scooted away with his palms. The girl kept her back turned to the ten warriors and closed her eyes. Her lips turned up in a smirk.

She lifted one leg to the side slightly and spun about on her heel, coming to face her challengers. She tilted her head up slightly and opened her eyes, smiling.

"What the-!" "Is that-is that Kayura?!" "From, like, five years ago…" the Ronin muttered amongst themselves in shock. Kylyra giggled musically and clasped her hands behind her back.

"My name is Kylyra, and I am Emperor Talpa's right hand. I would have liked to introduce myself sooner, but my previous playmate was quite rude."

"Talpa's tainted yet another soul beyond redemption! I'll drive all six of my swords through your poisoned heart!" Sehkmet shouted and recalled his sword from the face of the Destroyer.

"What?! Whoa, Sehk, we don't do that, even to Dynasty servants!" Ryo protested and grabbed Sehkmet by the shoulder. Sehkmet glared at him and shoved his hand away.

"Silence, boy!" Sehkmet spat. Ryo blinked, taken aback by the harsh remark. "I don't need you telling me what to do! Who died and made you Sun Emperor!?"

Ryo opened his mouth to protest. "He's right you know." Ryo looked to the side, surprised when Rowen spoke. "For a guy who likes to pretend he's in charge, you do a pretty lousy job."

"Oh like you could do better, Mr. Genius," Cye retorted. "You may be the Warrior of Life, but you could give two hoots about collateral damage!"

"Um, guys? Evil girl right over there…" Tanya pointed at Kylyra, who stood there smiling.

"This is absurd. Why the hell am I even bothering to continue fighting? I'm expecting a child, and I'd rather not waste what little of my life I have dealing with this farce!" Dais sneered.

"COWARD!" Kento bellowed and seized Dais by the collar, lifting him off the ground. "I'LL SMASH YOU!" His eyes flickered white and his voice deepened.

"As usual, you're all threat and no thought. Mal Daggur didn't mess with your body; you were already messed up to begin with," Sage huffed disdainfully.

"Well look at the pretty pot calling the kettle dark," Cale snorted and pointed at Sage with his claw gauntlet. "You're far from being guiltless yourself, you know."

"Guys! What the hell are you all doing!?" Tanya exclaimed, simultaneously frustrated, stunned, and horrified at hearing such remarks from warriors that had-on many occasions- risked their lives for each other in the very recent past.

"Stand aside, Lady Ronin. I'll bring these fools back to their senses, even if I have to beat it back into them," Anubis growled and gathered up his chain. Tanya frowned in increasing worry. He sounded more like a Dark Warlord than a Ronin Warrior… Tanya glanced back and forth at the quarreling Ronin, appalled by the sudden violent outburst. Even Ryo reacted to Anubis' intervention with hostility, arguing that the Elder meant to 'usurp his authority'.

Tanya blinked and looked over her shoulder at Kylyra. The child-like minion's lips spread in a wide smirk, and her eyes narrowed. Her pupils seemed to shimmer like obsidian. "You! You're causing this!" Tanya drew both swords and joined them together at the pommel. The politician squealed in terror and pelted down one of the side streets when Tanya began spinning her blades. "Screw this! TYPHOON BLAST!" Tanya howled and unleashed her power point-blank at the ten year-old looking girl. The ferocious winds flayed pavement from ground and walls off of buildings. Glass and metal shards swept down the street, and cars tumbled about like toys.

Tanya parted her blades and let her arms hang at her sides, seething with anger. Dust hung thick in the air, and Tanya gasped when she barely made out a humanoid figure in the cloud. The dust began to settle, and Tanya's eyes widened in shock at what she saw.

"For someone who calls herself 'Lady Ronin', you certainly are not very lady-like," words came out of lips made of what appeared to be moving black stone polished mirror-smooth.

"What the…what…what are you?" Tanya stammered, suddenly feeling very ill. She blinked and turned away slightly, raising her arm to her face. The force of the Typhoon Blast had scoured away every bit of skin from the girl, revealing a petite figure seemingly carved from glittering black stone. Bolts of violet energy crackled over the surface periodically. The black hair had fallen away, leaving the head completely bald and smooth. The eyes glittered and crackled.

"Tanya! What have you done!?" Tanya looked over her shoulder when she heard Ryo. "How could you be so reckless and use your power like that?! You could've killed someone!"

"Ryo-I-" Tanya glanced from him to the ruined street. Thankfully everyone in the area had the sense to run the hell away when Tanya began her attack. He did have a point…but something in his voice sounded…wrong. Tanya glanced briefly at the crackling stone humanoid. The true form of Kylyra grinned wickedly. Tanya glanced back at Ryo and saw him stalking towards her.

"I've had enough of your going off half-cocked! You always do this! You never listen, always acting on your own. We're supposed to be a team; how can we do anything when you refuse to co-operate!" Ryo drew both swords. His voice had an unnatural tone to it. Tanya started to step back but hesitated when she remembered Kylyra still stood close by. The other Ronin could not help; they'd either been beaten unconscious by Anubis or each other or succumbed to the same sickness that affected Tanya. "When will you ever learn!? You-"

Just as Ryo raised one arm to strike, Tanya spun about and swung up with her heel, driving it into Ryo's armor-plated crotch with enough force to lift him two feet off the ground. He seemed to hover in midair several moments, suspended by the powerful blow. Ryo let out a gurgling sigh as he dropped onto his side with a clank. He coughed several times and convulsed before passing out, and Tanya turned to face the grinning crystalline monstrosity.

"Poor little Lady Ronin. All alone now. That is how things have always been for you, have they not? You never did quite get along with your fellow Ronin Warriors, did you? In many respects, you seem to prefer things that way." Tanya shook her head from the sudden pressure in her sinuses. She felt as if something weighed her down all over, and she had trouble keeping her vision focused. "Feeling a little ill are we? Oh, whatever could be the problem? I thought you were immune to the Dynasty's influence. That is the great power of all Lady Ronin, is it not?"

"You…won't…get away…with…ugh…" Tanya coughed and snorted several times, as if something clogged her breathing. Kylyra's glittering black eyes narrowed maliciously.

"KYLYRA!" A deep voice boomed from the suddenly overcast sky.

"Master!" Kylyra gasped and tilted her head skyward.

"KYLYRA, RETURN TO ME!" Talpa's voice ordered.

"Ohh, must I?" Kylyra whined in dismay.

"YOU CANNOT SURVIVE LONG IN THIS FORM. LEFT UNCHECKED, YOUR POWER WILL RIP YOU ASUNDER. RETURN TO ME, KYLYRA! I HAVE NO DESIRE TO LOSE YOU!" Kylyra's stone lips wrinkled in a pout and she looked back at Tanya.

"I have to go now, but I assure you," she grinned widely, bolts of energy arcing over her face. "I will return to play again soon. Very soon…" her form vanished in a spray of crackling darkness. Tanya shook her head as she felt the sickness leave her body.

She stood there staring up at the darkened sky for a few moments before remembering the other Ronin. She reached down and toggled audio link on her wrist-com. "WILDCAT TO THE RESCUE! WILDCAT TO THE RESCUE!" she shouted then glanced at the fallen Ronin and pressed another button. "Bak, I need you to get Shannon, Kayura, and Tar down here, fast! There's a lot of wounded, no idea how severely. Maybe even Michelle, too."

Tanya looked up when she heard the distant clanging and stepped forward to meet WILDCAT as she approached. WILDCAT looked startled to see the other nine Ronin strewn over the pavement. Tanya explained the situation softly and reached to open the built-in compartments that held emergency stores of Richtho leaves. Despite having no hands to assist, WILDCAT used her sensors to alert Tanya to those who needed treatment the most…


Kayura shut the door behind her and met Tanya out in the upstairs hall. "They're resting better now…their injuries seem to be more spiritual than physical…"

"Kay, what the hell was that out there? She looked the spitting image of you! Except…young…and evil…" Tanya wrinkled her nose. Kayura drew in a deep breath.

"That night…the night Dygra revived Talpa…when I asked the Ronin what it felt like; having their power taken…I did not ask out of idle curiosity." Tanya frowned in concern.

"…There's more you're not telling me, isn't there?" she asked softly and scowled.

"Yes, but it must wait until the others have recovered. They need to hear as well."

"That's another thing…when I exposed her, something about her started to make me physically sick. I felt ready to throw up just from looking at her," Tanya shook her head.

"I think I know what you mean. Young Australa described similar symptoms during her ordeal in Talpa's fortress. Your immunity to the Dark Power protected you to an extent, but just as too much dust can suffocate, so too can such overwhelming evil affect even you."

"Well that sucks…I'm supposed to be the Ronin's trump card against this sort of thing. What good am I if I can't stand against something like this?" Tanya sighed and rubbed her shoulder.

"The blame lies in me, not you. Once again, one of my loose threads has caused harm to the Ronin Warriors. I have disgraced the Ancients' Clan…" Kayura squeezed her eyes shut.

"Now that's not fair, Kayura. You have the Staff and all, but you're no psychic. You couldn't have known something like this would happen. You can't be too hard on yourself, anyway. You and the other Elders never were given any real chances to come back, unlike Black Hawk…shit, she was practically spoon-fed chances and she threw away each and every one…"

"Thank you…you're right. Nothing can be gained in hindsight. As always, we must adapt and strengthen our resolve. You said she requires her skin to contain her power? There's a glimmer of hope in that, at least." Tanya smirked at that remark and looked slightly relieved.


Cye groaned and opened his eyes slowly. He glanced about wearily and saw himself lying in bed, oddly enough wearing sub-armor. He scooted himself up against the headboard and rubbed his eyelids with his fingertips. He blinked again and looked about the room but much to his surprise instead of Kento sleeping in the other bed, he saw Sehkmet. The Elder Ronin also wore sub-armor, and looked as if he'd slept fitfully with the sheets tangled around his arms and draped over his shoulders. Cye scooted out from under the covers and tried to stand.

He tottered slightly, feeling dizzy until strength returned to his legs. He stepped towards the other bed and leaned over Sehkmet. "Sehk…hey…you okay? Do you-?"

Sehkmet's eyes snapped wide open and he seized Cye by his armor collar and pulled him close. His pupils contracted and his eyes looked bloodshot. "When will it end?! Huh! When will it end!?" Sehkmet shrieked, shaking Cye roughly. "How long will we be tormented by our pasts?! Will we ever be free from that evil!? Will it always linger in our hearts!?" Sehkmet's face contorted with grief and he began sobbing uncontrollably. All of a sudden Cye remembered everything that had happened the previous night…at least up until he'd been clubbed in the head by one of his fellow Ronin. He remembered saying things he thought himself incapable of saying.

Sehkmet continued whimpering and bawling. Cye slapped him across the face abruptly, and Sehkmet fell silent, blinking stupidly. "Get a hold of yourself, Sehkmet. You're a Ronin Warrior now, not a Dark Warlord. Fear is a luxury we can't afford," Cye said firmly and narrowed his eyes. Sehkmet sat there blinking several times and said nothing.

"…Thank you Cye…I needed that…" Cye seated himself on the bed and patted Sehkmet on the back sympathetically. In the other bedrooms, the other Ronin slowly recovered with the dreadful knowledge of what they had done to each other as Kylyra's power had dredged up old grudges long thought dead. They found it more disturbing that not only could she control them, she could do so with relative ease. Guilt had to wait, however, as Kayura summoned everyone into the living room to divulge the truth. Tanya stood at her side and while the other Ronin seated themselves either on the floor next to the coffee table or on the sofas.

"Centuries ago, Talpa enlisted Badamon and his Nether Priests to create special artifacts intended as a precaution in the event his Dark Warlords would betray him, and the Nine ally against him. He distilled the essence of all the wickedness the Dynasty had collected over the ages and created ten orbs of pure negative energy. These were dubbed the 'Spheres of Evil'.

"When Dygra stripped me of the Armor of Cruelty, a…piece of my soul 'peeled' away with it. I thought Dygra would have disposed of it, but clearly she anticipated some future purpose. I believe Talpa used it along with the Spheres of Evil to craft this…'golem' in my likeness. She appears innocent, but under that false flesh she is quite literally the purest essence of evil."

"Kayura…these spheres…if Talpa had used them directly on us…what would they have done?" Rowen asked cautiously. Kayura looked troubled by the thought and sighed.

"Against the Elders…because of their past history…they could have turned them wholly back to evil." Anubis, Dais, Sehkmet, and Cale looked distraught by the notion, especially after the burdens they'd suffered to overcome their former lives. "Against you younger Ronin, the spheres could have caused you to abandon all discipline and restraint, diluting your pure spirits. While it may have been possible to free you from such control, the actions you might have committed while under their influence would have been…irrevocable.

"Shaped into physical form such as Kylyra, this power has less magnitude but can be used much more frequently. Only Anubis' strong spiritual conditioning as a former Staff Bearer allowed him to retain a measure of control." Anubis only looked slightly comforted by that.

"I don't get it, how can she control us? Our armors were remade," Cye argued.

"Your armors' physical forms were destroyed, yes, but the essence remains the same, otherwise Dygra would not have been able to steal it to feed Talpa in the first place. Despite being cleansed, the tiniest bit of that original taint remains in each of the Armors, even yours," Kayura glanced at the younger Ronin. "That is what allows Kylyra to influence you."

"Guys…you know what this means right? This is an enemy we cannot fight. At least not in full armor…" Rowen commented.

"We'll just have to make do without. We've done it before," Sage reasoned.

"Hey, aren't you forgetting something? We're not just dealing with your run-of-the-mill aluminum goons anymore. These guys pack a lot of firepower," Kento reminded.

"So we can't fight Dynasty Droids without full armor, and we can't fight Kylyra with full armor…that definitely bites…" Ryo muttered.

"We could try using the AnimArmors since they're separate," Rowen suggested.

"But then that'd leave the Elders out of the action," Kento protested.

"We'll manage. We've been doing this a lot longer than your ancestors have been alive," Dais sniffed. Despite his outward confidence, he sounded reluctant.

"I kinda wish Azuro hadn't taken all of his forces with him. Yeah, I know they gotta keep after Mal Daggur's fleet and all, but it wouldn't have hurt to leave a few riders behind in case of emergency," Rowen grumbled. "I guess there's still Danae and Yulie…"

"Hello? Danae's pregnant and Yulie's just a kid," Cale argued.

"That 'kid' has done more than his fair share of fighting," Tanya countered. While the others tossed theories back and forth, Ryo leaned against the wall brooding.

He did a double-take when he spotted something out the corner of his eye and saw a long, rounded muzzle poking into the room. Miz Paufan looked quite sheepish but also urgent. Ryo excused himself from the group and headed for the door. He shut it behind him and met the youngest and smallest member of Bak Thraplek's Thunthen crew in the hall.

While Mia hadn't expressly forbidden the Thunthen from entering the estate, she'd made her displeasure quite apparent when the lumbering Nobles had nearly broken her doorframes with their shell spikes on their way to and from building the entry hall and cable lifts of the Roost. The Common fidgeted slightly as if the carpet made his feet itch.

"Hey Miz, what's up?" Ryo asked quietly.

"I heard what happened, and while I'm relieved everyone returned home safely, this is a most troubling turn of events," Miz whispered.

"Yeah…just when you think you have Talpa figured out, he whips out this little evil girl that uses evil mind control," Ryo huffed bitterly and folded his arms over his chest.

"I see…she must be using telepathy to impair the portions of the brain responsible for emotional control and rational thought…" Miz muttered and stroked his small beard thoughtfully, averting his gaze. Ryo made a face and glanced from side to side.

"Yeeeaahhh…so she uses evil mind control. So, um, what brings you up here?"

"Oh! Well…we've encountered a most unusual puzzle…see, sometime after you returned, the Apprentices spotted a set of items resting atop the conference table. No one knows how they got there or who put them there, and the Captain sent me to ask if you'd seen something like this before," Miz drew something from his shell and held it up for Ryo to see. Ryo looked down at the round object resting in Miz's outstretched palm and reached to grab it.

It looked to be made of a solid, shiny red material with the Wildfire insignia adorning the flattened top and bottom. He turned it over and studied it, cocking his head from side to side. He reached up with his other hand and pinched a small loop of braided string and pulled it away from the notch running all along the middle of the object. He wove his middle finger through the loop and cupped the object in his palm then turned his hand over, letting the object drop until it reached the extent of the string and spun through the air.

"It's a yo-yo," Ryo answered and drew it back up into his palm expertly. "I used to have one as a kid," he explained, reminiscing and displaying some of the tricks he vaguely remembered.

"Sooo…it's a…toy?" Miz wrinkled his muzzle.

"Yup. So, what? Danae had her sister make these to commemorate our victory over Mal Daggur?" Ryo asked and unfurled the yo-yo again before withdrawing it and pulling the string from his finger and handing it back to Miz, who eyed it skeptically down his muzzle.

"Well…that would be a plausible theory if it wasn't emitting the same energy signature as your armor," Miz commented. Ryo's eyes widened in shock and he raised both eyebrows.

"Come again!?"


"In the time we've been living here," Miz explained on the way to the comm. room. "We've taken the liberty of studying the unique energy emitted by your armors. Originally it was done with the purpose of improving the effective range of the wrist-coms, in the event of a communications blackout such as the incident in the caverns." Ryo hummed and frowned. How much of that nightmare could've been avoided if they'd only been able to call for help? Miz approached the console and typed in commands, calling up various images and enlarging them. "This is the signature given off by the Armor of Wildfire." Miz nodded towards a graph showing a brilliant red pulsing wave that flickered occasionally.

"You guys can see that?" Ryo blinked in surprise. Miz nodded and hummed in reply. Ryo looked back at the screen, impressed that the Thunthen could 'detect' magic.

"And this is the signature given off by this object." Miz called up another image, of a similar wave only narrower and slightly dimmer. "Notice the similarities despite the reduced magnitude?" Miz pointed to various hills and valleys that seemed identical to the image above. "Their nature remains unclear, only they are somehow connected with your armors. Do you know where these could have come from?" Miz asked and looked at Ryo.

"…The Ancient One!" Ryo whispered in exclamation. Miz blinked in confusion. "Um…uh…" Ryo tried to remember the appropriate Thangien word Miz might be familiar with. "Tyatatiante," he said, and Miz made an "ahh" and nodded. "He defeated Talpa during his first invasion a thousand years ago, and created the Nine Armors to break up his power. He sacrificed himself to give us a chance at driving Talpa out of the Realm in the First Dynasty War. Even after all this time…." Ryo looked at the yo-yo. "He's still trying to help us…"


"Is this someone's idea of a joke?" Sehkmet asked as he cupped a dark green yo-yo decorated with the Venom insignia. The other Ronin stood in a loose circle in the upstairs living room, each one holding the yo-yo with their respective armor symbols in their palms. "No, seriously, is this someone's idea of a joke?" he asked again and looked up at the others, who shrugged.

"Why else would they have appeared now? It can't be a coincidence," Anubis argued.

"But how can we be sure The Ancient made these? He's been dead for years," Rowen added.

"It has to be him! The Thunthen said they just appeared out of thin air," Tanya said.

"Maybe Suzunagi sent them?" Cye brought up, looking hopeful.

"She departed to the Afterworld in peace and left the future in our hands. It's not in her nature. She placed her trust in us; she wouldn't renege on that promise," Sage countered.

"Either way, what are they? Are they armors? Are they meant to strengthen us against Kylyra? Kinda fits, with her being a kid…" Cale muttered.

"I can't sense anything, but Miz said it emits the same magic as Wildfire," Ryo stated.

"Well…maybe they're not meant to be used by us," Kento said. The others looked at him.

"What do you mean by that?" Dais asked.

"Well, the Continentals weren't designed for us, right? There were supposed to be other Ronin Warriors, only the ones we've been using were the only ones ever completed."

"Kayura? Do you know anything about another set of armors?" Sage asked.

"I haven't the slightest clue! I have access to all of The Ancient's memories, but I can't recall anything about him or the Mystic Alliance creating anything remotely related to these," Kayura shook her head and brushed hair away from her eyes.

"You suppose Leo made them? Maybe he thought using magic took too long, so he tried making 'artificial armors' when the Mystic Alliance were wiped out," Sehkmet theorized.

"Leo died before that happened, but it's entirely possible these could be some sort of 'side project' of his. He wasn't 'kept in the loop', so to speak. He mostly served as a technical consultant and theoretician," Anubis added. Sage looked over his shoulder when he spotted movement and saw Miz Paufan standing off to one side. The youngest of the Thunthen rubbed the scaled ridges between his nostrils and eyes with his thumb and index finger and had his eyes squeezed shut. Apparently such frequent use of the M words embarrassed him.

"Then how did they just pop up all of a sudden?"

"Leo had his ways…"

"Um…excuse me, if you don't mind my asking; who's this 'Leo' you keep referring to?" Miz spoke up suddenly and took a step forward, raising a hand slightly.

"Leonardo da Vinci. He was a very influential figure in Earth's history," Rowen replied. "He devised a lot of principles and theories centuries ago that were decades ahead of their time. He helped lay the foundation for technology we take for granted today."

"Yeah. Imagine a guy three times older than Rowen and ten times smarter," Kento said with a grin, drawing an irritated scowl from Rowen, who folded his arms over his chest.

"He helped design the AnimArmors and the Armor of Typhoon," Ryo added.

"I see…" Miz muttered and tilted his muzzle down, scratching his beard thoughtfully.

"So what should we do with these for now? Let the Thunthen poke and prod?" Tanya asked.

"Nah, I think we should carry them around with us until their purpose is revealed. They popped out of thin air; they wouldn't have appeared now unless it had to do with Kylyra," Cye suggested. The others nodded in agreement and pocketed the yo-yos. They began to leave the room, some to train, some to eat, and others to go back to sleep.

"Hey Tanya, wait up sis." Tanya paused and turned around when she heard Ryo call her name. "Hey, I needed to ask you something…did you really have to kick me so hard?"

"Yes I did, and believe me; it hurt me to do it a lot more than it hurt you," Tanya said firmly and nodded before turning to leave. Ryo made a face at that statement and sighed. He left the room and headed downstairs. He reached the ground floor intending to go outside to train but paused when he spotted Whiteblaze curled up on his mat.

It just occurred to Ryo that he hadn't spent as much time with his tiger companion as he used to lately, mostly on account of struggling to stave off an invasion from hostile alien dinosaurs… Ryo jogged back upstairs to his room, leaving the tiger napping peacefully.

Whiteblaze twitched his ears when he heard the thump of fast footsteps and he opened his eyes when he sensed someone close by. "Hey Blaze, feel like going for a walk?" Whiteblaze lifted his head and glanced from Ryo to the large embossed leather collar Ryo held in his hands.


Of course it served a purely ornamental purpose, though Whiteblaze seemed to think it allowed him to keep track of Ryo rather than vice versa. The sun had another hour or two before rising, so Ryo used the narrow window to travel to the seaside park. No one else could be seen jogging the graveled pathways, and if people started wandering in, plenty of bushes nearby offered ample cover for the large feline. Whiteblaze padded along leisurely, clearly happy to be able to stretch his paws without sinking his claws into a Dynasty Droid.

A new team of Ronin Warriors? Why now? Why not when we fought Talpa, or Mal Daggur? Ryo thought and frowned. Ahhh, that'd probably be too easy. Fate certainly loves to throw us a curve ball from time to time. Whether this is another of The Ancient's backup plans or one of Leo's forgotten masterpieces, the bigger question is what sort of impact they'll have on-

"OOF!" Ryo had been walking alongside a tall hedge maze and had almost reached the corner when something collided with him, sending him staggering back a step. He shook his head and blinked then looked up to see a young girl with brown eyes wearing dark blue sweat pants and a white T-shirt. Her dark brown hair hung down her back, bound in a thick braid.

"Woops! Sorry mister! I shoulda slowed down before I passed the corner! Gosh, I am so sorry!" Ryo looked down at the girl and nodded reassuringly. The impact hadn't hurt him that much… "I get so caught up when running, I lose track of-uhhhhhhh!" The girl's eyes widened and she took a step back, her jaw opening and closing in shock.

Instead of making for the bushes like he normally did to avoid being seen, Whiteblaze moved out from behind Ryo and stepped close to the girl, bringing his nose within an inch of her face.

"THAT IS A BIG CAT! THAT IS A VERY BIG CAT!" the girl squawked and backed away a step, only for Whiteblaze to step closer, staring at her intently. Ryo glanced from the tiger to the girl, uncertain what to make of the behavior. "WAAUUUGH!" the girl turned around and pelted down the pathway faster than Ryo thought possible. Ryo gasped when Whiteblaze crouched and took off bounding after the girl, yanking the leash grip out of his hand.

"WHITEBLAZE! STOP! NO! WE DO NOT CHASE PEOPLE!" Ryo shouted to no avail. The fastest human athlete alive could not possibly hope to outrun a full-grown tiger, but the girl tried her darned hardest as she fled through the park screaming wildly, so much so Ryo found it difficult keeping up with them. "HALT! SIT! HEEL! DESIST! BAD TIGER! STOOOOP! STOOOOP!" The girl sprang over a park bench like a hurdle without losing momentum. Whiteblaze leapt over it with similar ease but steadily closed the distance, bounding playfully almost. To her credit, the girl kept her gaze ahead, focusing on obstacles in her path.

Despite her best efforts, Whiteblaze came up from behind and nudged her in the calf with his nose, sending the girl tumbling off the path and into the dew-laden grass. The girl tried to scramble to hands and knees only to be bowled over when Whiteblaze thrust his head against her chest and nuzzled her fiercely, pausing every few moments to lick her face.

"Uuugh! Gross!" the girl complained as Ryo arrived and came to a stop panting near the two. "Mister! Can you please tell your cat to quit it! I saw on the nature channel that cats don't do this cuz they like you; they do it cuz they're saying they own you!" the girl grumbled while trying to fend off Whiteblaze's persistent muzzle with her palms.

"Actually…in his case, it means he likes you…wow…wow, he really likes you…" Ryo blinked and glanced from his companion to the girl. She tried scooting away but Whiteblaze stepped after her, crooning happily. "I've never seen him react so well to a complete stranger."

"That's not much of a complement at all! No! Quit iiiiit! I don't need a bath yet!" the girl squawked in protest when Whiteblaze began washing her face.

"Okay, that does it. That's enough, Blaze," Ryo stooped down and wrapped his arms around the tiger's broad shoulders and tried to pull him away without much success. "What the-will you-quit it!" Ryo hissed and struggled to lift one of Whiteblaze's thick arms. He'd managed to move the paw a few inches off the ground before Whiteblaze slipped out of his grasp and set it back down, continuing to nuzzle the girl affectionately.

"I am reaaaaally sorry about all this," Ryo said to the girl. "Normally he's much better behaved than this…Will you just…no, stop it! Stop it! Ghk-just-quit it or I'll let Koi play with you!" Ryo hissed into Whiteblaze's ear. Whiteblaze promptly leaned back and sat down in the grass, coiling his tail about his haunches.

"Bwalgh! Ughhh!" the girl moaned and tried to wipe dew from the nearby grass to wash tiger saliva off her face. "Don't you need a permit to keep something like that in the city!? You from Vegas? I forget which one has the dark hair… Where you from anywho? I never seen you around here before. You must not come here a lot cuz I run every morning before sunup and I'm usually the only one here. Where you live?" the girl finally ended her battery of questions.

"Um…well…I…usually don't come here to begin with. We live outside city limits…"

"Ohhh, okay. That makes sense. I'd know if I'd met you before. I live in White Towers."

"White Towers?" Ryo asked as he and the girl rose to their feet simutaneously.

"Luxury high-rise apartments-sorta-thing. I live there with my dad. I moved here to live with him after…well, he resigned his old job…so…yeah…" the girl trailed off, sounding hesitant. Ryo could sense sadness in her words. "Hey, you wanna hear something funny? People call it 'White Towers' cuz supposedly a dragon crashed into the original building just before the grand opening last year. Otherwise I woulda been here sooner. Can you imagine that?"

"Huh…really…that's…strange…" Ryo grimaced, remembering all too well the sight of Raurgoth plunging back-first into a building after a failed attack. The two of them looked down when Whiteblaze stepped towards the girl again. The girl backed away, moving around Ryo.

"What!? What! What is it with you about me?" she fussed and stepped backwards, the two circumventing Ryo while he watched bewildered. "What, do you want food? Huh? Do you smell food? You smell food?" The girl paused and reached down to unzip a small pack strapped around her waist. She took out something wrapped in plastic and began peeling the corners away.

"Look! Look, here's some food! It's corned beef," she held a sandwich out at arm's length, as if offering to appease the tiger. Whiteblaze sniffed at the sandwich then took a large chomp and chewed contentedly. "Niiiiice tiger…good tiger…" the girl said and set the rest of the sandwich on the ground slowly then backed away step by step. Whiteblaze lunged forward suddenly and butted the girl in the chest gently, nuzzling her affectionately. The girl made a face and seemed to resign herself to the fact by patting Whiteblaze's broad head.

"Hah hah! I think it's safe to say you made a good impression with him," Ryo chuckled merrily. The girl made a half-smile and even reached up to rub Whiteblaze's ears. The three looked to the horizon when they saw orange start to stain the purple sky.

"Ok, I really should be heading back home. I'm sorry I bumped into you, sir. You two take care and have a good day!" the girl waved before running back to the gravel path.

"Goodbye," Ryo called and waved. Whiteblaze sat back down and twitched his whiskers. "Huh?" Ryo blinked when he thought he heard a faint humming. He glanced to either side and even over his shoulder before he realized it came from his pocket. He reached inside and pulled out the red yo-yo with the Wildfire emblem. The object gave off a reddish glow that pulsed strongly. Ryo glanced from it to the departing girl and noticed how the glow dimmed as she moved out of sight. Ryo's eyes widened and he looked from Whiteblaze to the distant path.

Whiteblaze stared into the distance, humming almost wistfully. His ears pressed down then flared open and his tail tip twitched. Ryo looked down at the yo-yo again, his brow furrowing in dawning realization. The purpose of the objects seemed to have been revealed at last, but the sickening dismay in his heart made him wish it hadn't.