Ronin Warriors:  The Second War
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"Hariel Returns."

Ryo, Kento, Sage, Sai, Rowen, Mia, and Yuli are on the beach surrounding the lake in which the Jewel of Life was hidden. All seem to be enjoying the fact that no one has had to use the armors again, and Ryo seems to be particularly thankful, as he disliked having to draw power from the others to form the Inferno armor.

Mia was sunbathing. She rolled over and looked into the sky, seeming to wish that the day could go on forever. Ryo was beside her, telling Yuli how to perform some martial arts movements. Sudenly, Mia saw something black fly across the sky, and said with fear, "Ryo, what is that?"

"I don't know, Mia. What do you think, Sage?"

"I'm not sure, but I know it's not good. It feels like it has a power like Talpa's."

All five warriors jumped up with a start. They all now felt the same thing Sage felt. Since this disturbed them deeply, they tried to follow the black streak across the sky. After following it for nearly an hour, the Ronins realize that they are now in Toyama. Ryo senses something coming up behind them, so he turns around to look. It looks to be four people walking toward the Ronins. A group of enemies? Ryo calls the others. They armor up, and charge at the four figures.

"That can't be! One of them has the Ancient's Magic Staff!" Sai screamed.

"Calm down, guys. It's only Kayura and the Warlords," Yuli said, running in front of the four figures, who were still under just enough shadow cover that their faces could not be seen. The one carrying the Ancient's staff steps forward into the light, revealing its true form to Ryo. It really is Kayura!

"It's good to see you again, Ryo," she said.

"It's good to see you again, too, Kayura."

Mia interrupts, calling all nine's attention to the city. A Black, empty armor was decimating buildings with attacks similar to those of Ryo's Inferno armor. Kayura, realizing what is going on, tries to keep the other Ronins back.

"Trust me, warriors! The nine of us alone cannot defeat it. We are just specs of dust in comparison. Even Ryo's Inferno armor isn't powerful to stop it."

Sai asks in an unusually serious tone, "Then what can we do?"

Kayura thinks for a moment before responding. "Maybe we'd stand a chance if all of us transferred our armors' powers to Ryo. Then we'd have a supercharged Inferno, plus my power. We might stand a chance then."

Ryo looks at Kayura, stunned. "Are you sure I can handle that kind of power?"

"Your world depends on it."

"I'll try. Give me your power."

All nine armors start to glow. Ryo absorbs the other eight powers, causing the Armor of Wildfire to splinter. The Armor of Inferno appeared before Ryo, then turned into a white light which circled him. The gauntlets form, charge, and flame. The rest of the armor forms around him, leaving him dresssed completely in the White Armor. White Blaze appears, then transforms into Black Blaze. His armor then appears, bearing Ryo's Soul Swords of Fervor.

Ryo pulls the Soul Swords from their sheaths on Blaze’s armor. Ryo feels the power flowing through his body and his swords. The Black Armor saw Ryo power up, and decides to attack. Kayura sheds her Armor of Cruelty, given to her by Anubis when he sacrificed himself to save her, to regain the full power of her clan. Being the last descendant of the Ancient’s clan, Kayura had special powers that lended themselves to situations like this.

As the Black Inferno attacked Ryo, he jumped up and called for his special attack, “Rage of Inferno!” The balst hit Balck Inferno, knocking it back a bit. Kayura drew her Starlight Swords, crying, “Feel the scream of my Starlight Swords. Star Sword Scream!” The blast had little, if any, effect. The Black Inferno jumped up just like Ryo had previously, moved its swords in exactly the same way as Ryo did, and produced a wall of flames twice the size of Ryo’s Rage of Inferno attack. Ryo flew back from the force of the blast. Kayura was hit, as well, but she suffered only minor singing of her clothes.

Seeing Kayura’s attack as an act of insolence, the Black Inferno walked toward her, trying to stick a sword straight through her. She jumped and landed on the sword it held in its right hand. The Magic Staff appears in her hand, and she holds it up, unsure of why it was there. It starts to glow, weakening Black Inferno. She slid off its sword, landing firmly on the ground. She pressed on, focusing more of her clan’s energy into the staff, causing it to glow brighter and brighter. Ryo, seeing that Kayura can fend off the Armor with pure light, focuses his armor’s spirit to increase his power. Ryo then transfers his newfound focus to the Black Armor. This weakened the Black Armor even further.

Suddenly, all nine Ronin stop in their tracks, Kayura’s staff still glowing as brightly as ever, holding the Black Inferno still. They all hear a voice from beyond. It says, “Ronin Warriors, Dark Warlords, Lady Kayura, listen carefully. I am Hariel, the Warlord of Inferno. If you can hold the Black Inferno Armor and weaken it enough, I can overcome its control and regain a physical form. You must trust me, warriors. If you do not allow me to take control of the Black Inferno, you will not survive to protect the mortal world. There are new, more powerful enemies that can be defeated only by using the nine armors, the Black Inferno, and Lady Kayura’s powers combined. Hurry! There is not much time!”

“Is that really Hariel?” Rowen questions.

Kayura answers, “I don’t know, but whoever he is is right. There are more powerful enemies just waiting for an opportunity to crush our world and take the White Inferno. We have to trust that spirit, if only for now. Let’s do it!”

Ryo says, “I can help you, Kayura, but I need all nine spirits to do it. We all need to focus our armors’ spirits to weaken this new Inferno. Hurry!”

All nine focus their powers on the Black Inferno.

“Justice!”

“Life!”

“Wisdom!”

“Trust!”

“Loyalty!”

“Piety!”

“Serenity!”

“Obedience!”

“Virtue!”

Lady Kayura then says, “Ancients before me, I need your strength to hold the Black Armor for Hariel! Help me now!”

Suddenly, the Ancient’s staff starts to glow even brighter. The Black Armor starts smoking as if it were a Dynasty soldier who had just been sliced in half. Its pieces fall to the ground, glowing with the kanji that we all know and recognize as representing the spirits of the nine armors. With this, the Black Inferno turns white, becoming pure once again.

All nine warriors wait for Hariel's spirit to take over the armor, but nothing happens. Kayura says, "It looks like we'll have to summon Hariel from the spirit world oursleves. Mia's house would be the best place to do this. Is that alright with you, Mia?"

"Yeah," Mia replies, "as long as the house doesn't get burned down."

Ryo powers down to the Armor of Wildfire, then asks the other warriors to pick up a piece of the formerly Black Armor. Ryo picked up the helmet, Sage and Kale each took a sword, Kento and Dais grabbed the gauntlets, Rowen and Sai carried the leg pieces, Kayura held the skirt, and Sekhmet took the armor’s torso plate. They took the armor to Mia’s house, where Kayura prepared to call Hariel’s spirit to wield the power of the new Inferno.

After two days of chants, Kayura finally summoned the legendary warlord back to the mortal world. Upon entering the new Inferno Armor, Hariel commented, “Thank you warriors. You have just saved the mortal world. There will be many tough battles ahead, but they will be tremendously easier due to the fact that you have allowed me to command the new Inferno. It is much more powerful than I could’ve imagined. All nine of your armors combined are not enough to defeat this armor! Imagine the advantage you will have now.”

“Hariel, what about when we are through fighting? Will you be able to take your previous physical form?”

“No, Kayura, I will not. I will rest in the Volcano of Inferno to keep my strength up so you can continue to have me as an ally. You would be wise to call Anubis back as soon as possible, too. He may have been easily corrupted in his last life, but with your guidance, Kayura, he will be fine. Just do this quickly, before it’s too late. We need all the help we can get!”