Ronin Warriors: The Second War
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Chapter Seven: "The Dark Warlords Return

Lady Lial sat in ther throne in the Dynasty castle. She looked up from a small globe in front of her to see a Nether Spirit approaching the throne.

"What do you wish to speak with me about, Master?"

"What is your progress with the prisoners?"

"The former Dark Warlords are being easily, with the exception of Kayura. She is unbelieveably strong-willed. It will take much more power for her to be converted. The Ronins and Hariel are being just as difficult to convert as Kayura. They are very strong-willed."

"Keep up the work. I need five Armors by tonight. Master Talpa's only chance to reclaim his throne is sundown in Toyama tonight."

"Yes, Lady Lial. I will instruct the other Nether Spirits to use all the Dark Power they need to convert the Armors and their bearers."

"Very well. Do not waste any more valuable time. I need those Armors! Go now and finish your work!"

"Yes, Master."

Lady Kayura sat in a pool of lava, dressed only in her subarmor. Ten Nether Spirits surrounded her, chanting inaudibly. Their power was being reflected from her body.

"What's happening here? I know I'm in the Dynasty, but I can't tell anything else. Wait! My Starlight Swords are missing! What's happening here?"

"Kayura, my love. I hope you can hear me-"

"Anubis! I thought you were gone forever!"

"Not possible. The Ancient's Staff protects me. Anyway, I have some important news for you. Lady Lial has taken your Starlight Swords for herself. You must free yourself from this lava den and free the others. Hurry!"

"Alright. I'll try."

"Armor of Curelty! Tao chi!"

After the Armor formed, Kayura jumped up out of the pit. She landed on a patch of grass inside the castle walls. She fought off some old-model soldiers, then started looking for the places where the other warriors were being held.

"Quake With Fear!"

As chains flew from the ground, Kayura pulled back on the chain in her hand. The other chains reacted, destroying the ground they were in. A huge crater revealed six holes leading to pits. Kayura descanded into each pit and dispelled the Nether Spirits. Each warrior revived, leaving Kayura with five Ronin Warriors and Hariel.

"Quake With Fear!"

Again, Kayura used the Armor of Cruelty to destroy the ground of the Nether Realm. Three more holes were revealed.

"Hurry! They must be terribly close to being converted!"

"Armor of Wildfire!"

"Armor of Torrent!"

"Armor of Hardrock!"

"Armor of Strata!"

"Armor of Halo!"

"Armor of Light! Tao chi!"

The warriors descended into the pits. Kayura and Sai went together and ended up in Dais's pit. Ryo, Rowen, and Sage landed in Kale's pit. Hariel and Kento found Sekhmet.

"Welcome, Kento of Hardrock and Hariel of Light. I shall enjoy this!" Sekhmet cried as he drew his swords. "Snake Fang Strike!"

Both Hariel and Kento were thrown back and sustained damage to their Armors. Kento called out, "Hey, Sekhmet, I thought you were on our side!"

"I was until Lady Lial and the Nether Spirits helped me see the truth. I have picked the winning side! Snake Fang Strike!" He charged Kento, who had managed to get to his feet and bleck the charge with his staff just in time. Hariel drew twin katanas from sheaths on his back. He charged Sekhmet, who dodged, giving Kento time to call on his Armor's power.

"Iron Rock Crusher!"

Sekhmet was thrpown back and disapeared into the darkenss.

Meanwhile, in one of the other pits, Ryo, Rowen and Sage were meeting up with Kale.

"Hey, Kale. I'm glad we found you. There's not much time. We gotta get outta here so we can go kick Lady Lial into the same afterlife we sent her father!"

"I'm not in the mood for this today, Ryo of Wildfire. Black Lightning Slash!"

"Thunderbolt Cut!"

"Arrow Shock Wave!"

"Flare Up Now!"

Sage's attack neutralized Kale's, while the other attacks sent Kale into the black area far behind him, where he disappeared.

Kayura and Sai met with similar resistance.

"Welcome, Lady Kayura and Sai of the Torrent. Web of Deception!"

An illusion started forming around them.

"Super Wave Smasher!"

Dais's illusion proved too convincing for Sai, as his attack missed Dais by at least fifty feet. Kayura was ready to try her hand at Dais.

"Quake With Fear!"

A flurry of chains emerged from the ground, ensnaring Dias.

"Super Wave Smasher!"

Sai's attach shot straight toward Dais, knocking him backwards into the darkness, as well.

All nine warriors exited the pits they chose. Upon meeting, they tried to discuss their predicament, but were unable to as there was a rather large regiment of soldiers approaching, all duplicates of either the Inferno Armor or the Armor of Light.

"Kayura," Hariel asked, "is there any way you can use the Ancient's Staff to get us home? I gave Mia and the boy the portal orb Sekhel gave me so they could return home safely."

"I don't know. I'll try."

A spear shot straight through Ryo's Armor at the outer edge of his left shoulder plate. Instantaneously, all five Ronin Armors and the Armor of Cruelty started glowing. Power streamed into Ryo, whose Armor splintered. The Armor of Inferno soon formed around Ryo's now midnight blue subarmor. As soon as her Armor stopped glowing, Kayura drew the Ancient's Staff and called for its power.

"Ancients, we need your power to return home, as we no longer have another alternative for doing so. Please, help me!"

"Rage of Inferno!"

"Super Wave Smasher!"

"Arrow Shock Wave!"

"Thunderbolt Cut!"

"Iron Rock Crusher!"

Hariel drew his katanas and placed them side-by-side. A burst of radiant light surrounded the katanas, which formed a nodatchi inside the light. He brandished the nodatchi, gathering focus and power. After a few moments, he jumped into the air.

"Wave of Light!"

He swung the sword in a full circle; the energy built up in the sword fell to the ground and expanded, wiping out some of the soldiers that the others' attacks did not. There were still, however, at least twenty thousand soldiers approaching. The Anicent's Staff glowed wildly; this light extended from the Staff until all seven of the warriors and Blaze were enveloped. The burst of light caved in on itself, leaving nothing behind.

All nine warriors revived in Mia's back yard. Yuli rushed out of the house to meet them.

"Hi guys! Did you win?!? Hey! Where are the other guys? What happened to the Dark Warlords?!?!"

Kayura wearily answered, "Lady Lial's forces have control of them now." She fell to the ground from her semi-kneeling position and instantly started sleeping. Ryo and the other Ronins stood up and powered down. Hariel soon followed suit. Sai reached down to Kayura's back and pressed the brace on the Armor of Cruelty's waist. The Armor disappeared, leaving Kayura in just her subarmor. He then picked her up and carried her tward the door. Sage ran ahead and held the door open. Sai's first stop was the living room sofa, where he gently lay Kayura's sleeping body.

The ramaining warriors soon gathered in the den, where Mia was slaving away in front of her computer, seeing if there was a way to find out anything else about Lial. Sekhel was giving as much help as he could.

"Lord Hairel, you've returned so soon? Then I assume your attack on the Dynasty was unsuccessful?"

"Yes, Sekhel. It was a dismal failure. We lost the former Dark Warlords to Lial and her troops, as well. The six of us and Lady Kayura are the only members of the raiding party still free of the Dynasty's power, and if not for Kayura, we'd all be under the Dynasty's control now."

A small, but heated, discussion ensued. Stratgeies, options, etc. were discussed enthusiastically.

Several hours later, after Lady Kayura had revived, Sai fixed a large supper for the group. Kento had a larger than usual feast, but, hey, he deserved it, right?

After supper, the warriors, Mia, and Yuli gathered in the living room, where they relaxed and reflected on the day's events. After a few minutes of this (no more than five or six), a large explosion sounded through the house, shaking it so badly that everything on the walls and most of the contents of the bookshelves fell to the floor. All nine people quickly rushed outside. Upon doing this, they all saw the Dark Warlords and Lady Lial, followed by a legion of soldiers.

"Armor of Wildifre! Tao chi!"

"Halo!"

"Strata!"

"Torrent!"

"Hardrock!"

"Armor of Light! Tao chi!"

"Armor of Cruelty! Tao chi!"

As the Armor formed around the warriors, the Dark Warlords and Lial charged them. Lial jumped into the air, calling for Kayura's former special attack.

"Star Sword Scream!"

The blast was ten times more powerful and twenty times larger than Kayura's version of it. It impacted all of the warriors, whose helmets had just formed. All the warriors were thrown back into what used to be the house, as the blast also hit the house. The only things not affected by the blast were Yuli and White Blaze.

Ryo stood up and looked through the pile of debris for Mia and the others. He saw Mia's singed and lifeless body laying over what used to be the den and became infuriated.

"MIA! NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

The Author's Psychotic Rants

Hello again, ladies and gentlemen. I have finally dragged my sorry butt back in front of the WordPerfect Suite to finish the seventh chpater to this fic. I told you guys that someone would die and that Kayura's Starlight Swords would become important, and I delivered on both promises.

So, how did you like this chapter? Lemme know! I need all the help I can get! Since I have ranted and raved for so long, I'll cut these rants short and let you guys go about your business.

Until next chapter, adios, sayonara, and whatever other ways anyone out there knows to say goodbye!

Beetles