"Lonely Heart," chapter 25

Title: Lonely Heart (Chapter 25)
Fandom: Ronin Warriors
Characters/Pairing: All five Ronins, all four Warlords, Sayoko Mouri, Mia Koji, Luna, Saberstryke, the Ancient One, White Blaze, OCs
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Not mine, anything mentioned here by name isn't mine
Warnings: Violence, referenced canonical minor character death/familial death.
Notes: More slice-of-life/remake AU!

“Believe it or not, our situation is improving,” Mia assured the boys as she drove them to where Cye had told them Sage was hiding. “Now we know where Sage is, all we have to do is rescue him.”

“Mia, you need to stop using so many ‘we’ pronouns when you strategize.” Ryo’s expression was concerned, but his tone was resolute. “You’re not going to save Sage. The Ronin Warriors are.”

Mia adjusted her rearview mirror to gauge the reactions of the other three. They all looked worried and guilty… but their silence spoke for itself. They were all on Ryo’s side in this case.

“Oh, so everyone else gets a vengeance quest but me,” she spat out as she turned a little too sharply. Usually, she prided herself on not letting her emotions get the better of her. But her grandfather was dead and Sage was going to die and she was being told once again that she had no control over the situation. “Because my role is to play mother to all of you until you all decide to sacrifice yourself for the greater good and then—and then leave me alone.”

“Mia.” Cye’s voice was as gentle as the summer waves. “Please stop the car for a moment.” She didn’t want to, but it was clear that her foul mood was affecting her ability to drive safely. She found a spot on the side of the road to park.

“We have never seen you as that, I promise.” Cye’s voice was still soft.

“He’s right,” Rowen added with a nod. “I mean, you rescued me after Haru and Ume kidnapped me. You also helped me defeat Cale.”

“As far as we’re concerned, you’re a Ronin Warrior in every sense except having Armor,” Kento continued. “But… you don’t have Armor. Or anything to protect you. And I don’t think any of us could handle it if we lost you.”

Ryo placed a hand on her shoulder. “I understand only too well wanting to hurt the people who hurt your loved ones. But I also understand how fragile life is—we’re not going to let Luna or Sayoko go with us either if that helps. If this Hariel is half as bogus as Cye says he is, I doubt he’d have qualms with killing anyone. At least our Armor gives us a fighting chance.” He gave Mia a weak smile. “Please stay behind. We… I don’t want to risk losing anyone else ever again.”

Mia desperately wanted to remain angry, but… she couldn’t when all her friends wanted was to keep her safe. “All right. I’ll drive you to where Sage is and then you four can rescue him.”

Ryo offered her thanks. Rowen and Kento groaned in relief. Cye frowned slightly as Mia’s mood was suddenly a little too neutral considering her earlier anger. However, he refused to read her mind without express permission (and there was no way to ask without advertising that he suspected her of plotting to tag along). He would just have to keep an eye on her.

… His grandparents had died before he was born, so he’d never realized how, well, fun it was to have a grandfather until he met Professor Koji. He was able to talk about things with him that he never dared to mention to Sayoko. He’d let Cye essentially take over the kitchen and borrow any books he wanted for as long as he wanted. He didn’t dare to think his grief over the professor’s death matched Mia’s in any form, but it was still very real. He would do what he could to honor Professor Koji’s memory.

The professor’s last act had been protecting Mia. Cye refused to let that action be in vain.

“I’m glad you’re here.” Luna grabbed Ryo in a hug, kissing his cheek. “Everyone’s behaving, but it’s still wild that I’m working with the guy who poisoned you.”

“Wow,” Ryo said in shock, one arm around her waist. “So, does that mean that Sekhmet’s behaving?”

Luna laughed. “He tried the ‘I’m totally the Warlord of Venom and do what I feel like’ thing around my mom once, and she gave him the lecture of doom. I might be overly optimistic, but I think that lecture did him some serious good.” She pointed in Sekhmet’s direction, who was dutifully assisting Mrs. Watson to arrange the stones around Dais.

Ryo took a moment to process what he was witnessing. “Wild indeed.”

“Wildfire.” Cale, clad in his Armor but sans helmet, approached him. Ryo tensed but reminded himself that they were currently allies. “Saberstryke and his minions have agreed to watch over the humans while we retrieve Halo.”

“The Ronin Warriors are going, not you three,” Ryo countered. Before Cale could protest, Ryo added, “Cye filled me in on how Hariel is planning to smite the wicked. You three, ah, have had your wicked moments.”

“And you’re convinced that he shan’t harm you four?” Cale’s tone was icy.

“No. But Cye also told me that Sage is still in there, and he can be reached. Hopefully, the four of us working together can snap him out of it.”

“Listen to the kid, Cale.” Dais was still in his kimono, but he had a blade by his side. “Hariel defeated you once. There’s no point in throwing yourself at an opponent you cannot beat.”

Cale bristled. “But I’m the reason this disaster has unfolded in the first place. Duty demands that I—”

“Cale.” Dais grabbed his hand. “You told me once that you wanted me to live… and now I want you to live as well.”

Ryo tried not to shout in surprise when Cale blushed at that.

“Now, be a good little wolf and tell the runt what you’ve been wanting to say,” Dais continued with a smirk. “I can’t provide moral support all day. They need me to open the portal soon.”

“Very well.” Cale took a breath, regaining his composure. “First, I apologize for what has happened to Halo. I was desperate to destroy the demon that was corrupting the realm I think of as my home, not realizing that I was using the same tactics on Halo that Talpa used on me to warp my spirit. Also, if we survive this and we can all work together to defeat Talpa… you should know that I have no plans to become the emperor now.”

“… I see,” was all Ryo could manage.

“Hey,” Luna grabbed his arm. “We need to talk to Saberstryke and my mom before you head off. Ryo nodded, and they left Cale and Dais alone.

“So, you’re not going to be emperor. Interesting.” Dais eyed Cale thoughtfully. “So, what are you going to do about the power vacuum once Talpa’s gone?”

“I’ve had the chance to speak with Saberstryke and his minions. While I knew that they could never be as horrible as Talpa claimed they were, I was impressed by how friendly they were to me, not to mention seasoned warriors. I was also ashamed for never considering an alliance with them in the first place. The rebels never had a chance on their own, but with three Warlords on their side, not to mention the Ronin Warriors…”

“Not even Talpa could stand against that,” Dais admitted with a shrug. “Okay, now what about when the battle’s over? Who becomes the new emperor?”

“Ideally no one,” Cale said. “I’m hoping that Sekhmet, the rebels, and I can work on an agreement where we all rule rather than one absolute monarch.”

“What if it turns out that Lady Kayura does exist? Talpa’s loyalists would back her.”

“Then we will negotiate with her. But I refuse to allow one person to rule over the Nether Realm ever again. Power corrupts, whether it be Talpa or Hariel.”

“Hmm.” Dais tapped his chin. “Sounds like you’re going to be a busy man. You may even need a strategist.”

“You’re not going to tell me that it’s too dangerous and I need to stay home?” Cye sheathed his tanto knife as he spoke.

“I’d love to.” Sayoko swung her war hammer around a few times to work any kinks out of her muscles. “But if there’s one thing that I’ve learned over the past few months is that you’re a young man who’s capable of making his own decisions.”

Cye frowned. “I don’t feel like it. Honestly, I feel more scared than ever.”

“Welcome to being a grownup, little brother!” Sayoko patted his shoulder. “Being terrified of a thing but doing it anyways is the defining trait of adulthood.” She laughed as Cye struck out his tongue at that revelation.

“You’re right, though. I’m scared, but I’m still going to help save Sage.” He refused to accept any other possibilities. “But listen, could you do something for me?”

“Name it.”

“Make sure Mia doesn’t do anything rash while we’re gone. She wants to help us find Sage, but she’d only get hurt and if something happened to her I would just—why are you laughing at that?!”

“I’m—I’m sorry—” Sayoko wheezed. “It’s just after years of listening to you whine about me being overprotective, you—oh my God, you’re doing the same bloody thing!” She grabbed her gut as she guffawed.

“Well, excuse me for wanting to keep my friends safe!”

“It’s good to keep your friends safe, Cye. That’s why you became Torrent, after all,” she managed as she tousled Cye’s hair (the helmet was resting on a nearby bench). “I’ll keep an eye on Mia.”

Kento strode over to Rowen, who’d been quiet even by Rowen standards since they’d spoken to Mia. “Hey, bro. Don’t worry. I’ll drag Sage home by his hair if I need to.”

To Kento’s relief, Rowen almost smiled at that. “Thanks, but I think I have a plan to break Hariel’s hold on Sage.”

And that was the best news Kento had heard all day. “Details. Now.”

“I was getting nowhere with researching Hariel, so I tried another tactic. I started looking into everything we know concerning the Strata Armor… and it appears that the samurai who first donned Strata was able to save his lord from a wicked spell by shooting him with an arrow imbued with lifeforce energy.”

Kento glanced around their surroundings. The purple-haired onna-musha, Ume, glanced at them before returning to listening to Haru and Cale discuss the next stage in their plan. Saberstryke and Mrs. Watson were going over the tech. Realizing they might (understandably) get weirded out if they realized that they were discussing shooting Sage with arrows, he dragged Rowen to a further away spot. “Can you do it?”

“I’m Strata. I don’t see why I couldn’t.”

“That’s not what I mean, man. Can you look Sage in the eye and shoot him?”

Rowen closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. “If that’s what it takes to break the spell, so be it.”

Mia was glaring at her laptop when she heard footfalls. She looked up, expecting that it’d be Luna or one of the guys… but no. It was Ume of all people.

“Good day, Ms. Koji.” Ume cleared her throat awkwardly. “I should apologize for what happened when we met.”

“Just Mia’s fine. And don’t worry about it. I wasn’t thrilled with what you did, but now I understand why you had no choice.”

Ume nodded. “It feels like I’ve never had a choice since my family died. I always had to resort to extremes to make sure the family I have now isn’t killed as well.” Her awkwardness faded as she gazed at Mia. “I suspect you’re feeling the same way.”

Mia scoffed “Yeah, but there’s not much I can do about it…” She stilled as Ume pressed one of Strata’s arrows into her palm.

“You’d be surprised what a magical weapon can do,” Ume whispered fiercely. “Especially a weapon linked to the Warrior of Life. I’ve heard it can even save a lost soul.”

“Ume…”

“I’ve enchanted the ice so even a mortal can dispel it, but keep in mind the arrow will fade into nothingness moments after you do so. You’ll have to act fast.”

“That’s not my style.” Mia’s fingers tightened around the arrow. “But I’ll adapt.”

“It’s strange that the Mouri woman trusts me enough to do this,” Dais remarked as Sayoko arranged the stones.

“The name’s Sayoko. And let’s be real. If you tried anything my hammer would find its way against your skull.”

“I stand corrected.” Dais grinned slightly as Sayoko finished her work. “Also, it’s good to know in these uncertain times that some things never change.”

Sayoko glared at him, but her expression softened when the Ronin Warriors appeared in their full Armor. “Okay, Cye.” She turned her attention to her brother. “The instant you boys have Sage back, send Dais a message. We’ll get you out of there.”

Cye nodded. “We’ll be back soon.” He smiled at Mia. “I promise.”

So, of course, that’s when Dynasty soldiers attacked. They were moving too fast for Sayoko to do a proper headcount, but she estimated there were at least a hundred.

“So, the false Emperor Talpa finally figured out what we were up to! Fantastic!” Sekhmet screamed in glee as he shielded Mrs. Watson from a soldier. He then plunged his blades into the soldier’s ‘heart.’ “This gives us something to do other than twiddling our thumbs!”

“Speak for yourself,” Luna retorted as she threw a knife into a soldier’s neck. “I was looking forward to twiddling my thumbs, thank you very much.”

Ryo took his katanas, ready to strike a soldier about to kill Dais—but Sayoko struck first, hitting the soldier with her hammer so hard that his head flew off. Like the others, he evaporated into red mist.

“Go,” she ordered him. “We’ll hold them off.”

Cye gripped his trident. “But Sayoko—” He yelped as she tossed him into the portal. Kento dashed after him a moment later.

“Be careful,” Rowen whispered to Sayoko before joining Cye and Kento.

“Three down, one to go,” Sayoko snarled as she bashed in the ‘brains’ of another grunt.

Ryo hated it, but… Sayoko was holding her own. So were Saberstryke and his vassals. Luna and Sekhmet were protecting Mrs. Watson. Cale was guarding Dais. They were doing everything they could so they could save Sage and stop Talpa. “You better not die!” Then Ryo disappeared into the portal and Dais collapsed to the ground.

Then right before the portal closed, Mia ran after Ryo.

“Mia!” The three soldiers charging her kept Sayoko from grabbing Mia by the collar of her jacket. She hated it, but she would just have to hope that Mia had enough sense to stay alive in Sage’s between realm.

Cale would have helped her out, but he was busy with two soldiers. “Do you think you’ll be able to do what Wildfire asked, Sayoko?” His tone was surprisingly even as he just barely defended himself from a soldier with a naginata.

“… Probably not,” she could finally admit now that Cye wasn’t here anymore. “But we can buy them time.” It was just so frustrating. If they had just a few more people, they could probably win—

A gleaming green sports car skidded to a stop. Five figures in kendo gear practically flew from the vehicle the instant it was parked. They didn’t have any mystical abilities (although the one who seemed to always predict his opponents’ movements was clearly psychic), but they culled enough soldiers in succession that the tide of battle gradually turned. A few moments ago, Sayoko was regretting that she’d never get to give her family a proper farewell. Now? She landed a killing blow against the remaining soldier.

“Yo.” One of the figures removed the mask, revealing a middle-aged man with thinning hair. “Seiji Date. I’m Sage’s father.” He motioned to the other figures also removing their masks. “My wife Sayuri, my daughters Yayoi and Satsuki, and my father-in-law, Soichiro.”

“Sayoko Mouri. I’m Cye’s sister.” Not wanting to show exhaustion, Sayoko leaned on her hammer in what she hoped was a cheerful manner.

“Where’s Sage?” The older daughter, Yayoi, dashed up to them. Her brown eyes were wide with fear. “I’m not leaving until we have Sage back.”

Sayoko frowned at where the portal used to be. “Hopefully, he’ll be here soon.”

Cye grabbed Mia by the shoulder. “Mia, what were you thinking?!”

She didn’t so much as flinch. “I was thinking the same as any of you. Sage needs his closest friends right now. I’ve known him since he was twelve. And before you say anything about how I can’t defend myself, I brought my sabre with me.”

Cye laughed bitterly. “Yes, because one little sword is going to protect you from the first Ronin Warrior.”

“You’re the one who defeated Anubis by asking him nicely to stop!”

“After we beat him nearly to death!”

“Okay, stop.” Ryo wedged himself between them. “Cye, I’m furious about this as well. But the deed is done.” He glared at Mia. “You’re staying behind us and not doing anything that would get Hariel’s attention.”

“Sure, unless it involves saving Sage. Then I’m doing whatever it takes.”

Cye was about to speak again, but Rowen held up a hand. “Guys, she did save my life. She can hold her own.”

“Excuse me?!” Cye balled his hands into fists, something Ryo noted was similar to what his sister did when she was upset. “Don’t tell me you’re on her side.”

“I’m on Sage’s side,” Rowen informed him coolly. “And the longer we argue, the longer Hariel has to complete his task.”

“Yep,” Kento concurred, even as he placed a hand on Cye’s back. “I can’t believe I’m the one saying this, but fighting is gonna get us nowhere.”

“Agreed.” Ryo turned his attention to Cye. “Can you pinpoint Sage?”

“I can’t give you a precise location just yet, but…” Cye motioned north and a small hill. “If we go that way, we’ll find him.”

“Thanks.” Ryo started walking. “C’mon, everyone. And no more arguing, okay? If we’re gonna save Sage, we have to do it as a team.”

So, they did just that, following Ryo quietly—although Cye was grumbling as he and Kento brought up the rear. “Honestly, Kento. Mia is so smart. What could she have been thinking running into danger headfirst?”

“Wow, someone running into dangerous situations on their own because they think it’s the right thing to do? Never heard of that before. I wonder where she learned it from,” Kento deadpanned.

Cye huffed, rolling his eyes.

“Ancient One,” Anubis bowed as he approached his teacher. “I’m not sure how to phrase this, but Halo has…” He frowned. “He hasn’t been corrupted, at least not in the way I was, but I cannot think of another way to describe it.”

There was no change in the Ancient One’s posture, but Anubis thought he saw a frown on his face. “I should have spoken to him again. I of all people should have known the anger in his heart.”

“Ancient One?”

“It is nothing, Anubis. I shall speak to Halo. You will remain here and focus on your training.”

“But surely having another Warrior by your side would prove beneficial in these circumstances.”

“Normally, yes,” The Ancient One agreed. “However, this battle will not be won by the sword. Besides, if I do fail, you will need to fulfill my mission for me.”

Ryo frowned at what seemed like endless cherry trees. Sharp branches brushed against his Armor no matter how he moved. It was more like trying to navigate through rose bushes (thorns and all) than a cherry tree grove. “Was it like this when you spoke to Sage, Cye?”

“Not at all.” Cye held a branch with pale pink buds thoughtfully. “It was beautiful. Now it’s a humid day and the trees have taken over.”

“Yeah, I noticed.” Ryo unsheathed a katana and started slicing branches. “Anyone with a blade, get to work. Everyone without a blade, stick close and feel free to break any you think you can.” Mia and Cye joined him, her sabre and his trident making quick work of the branches alongside Ryo’s katana. Kento and Rowen could only break them with their hands, but it was still helpful. If they had to cut their way to get to Sage, then so be it.

My friends came here for me.

“Because they don’t understand that you’re saving them. They don’t understand you.” Hariel kept his tone soft. He didn’t like hurting Sage like this in his final moments. But he deserved to know the truth. “They are more stubborn than I would have surmised, however. They’ll find us soon enough. I’ll need to fight them.”

I won’t let you kill my friends.

“I won’t,” Hariel assured Sage. “I will simply subdue them. Once the realms are merged and paradise is created, they’ll be safe and happy. Talpa will be no more than an unpleasant memory. So, go back to sleep. I know that you don’t want to fight them. Just let me handle everything.” Hariel relaxed as much as he dared as his candidate quieted down in his mind.

If he had to cut down children to create a world free of sin, then so be it.

They had been working in silence, so when Cye made a thoughtful sound, they all stilled. “Is it Sage?” It was one of those rare times Rowen had to fight to keep his voice steady.

“Yes,” Cye answered. “But it’s mostly Hariel now. If we’re going to reach Sage, we need to do so now.”

“Understood,” Ryo said. “So, how do we—” They all cried out as a bright light blinded them.

Cye had warned him that Sage had changed in appearance. Ryo had thought he was prepared for that. However, he found himself trembling at the sight of a young samurai in Armor the same shade as gioiko blossoms, with branches and flowers seemingly sprouting from the Armor. His blade was similarly decorated. He wore no helmet, which revealed his snow-white hair and cold violet eyes.

“Wildfire.” Hariel sounded much older than he looked. “Torrent. Hardrock. Strata. And one mortal girl. Do you truly believe that is enough to stop me?”

Ryo forced himself to remain calm and take an assessment of the situation. Kento and even Cye had their weapons ready. Mia was clinging to her bag for dear life. Rowen… Rowen’s eyes were glassy and his hands were shaking. Ryo understood why: Sage was his best friend, of course he would be terrified seeing what Hariel had done to him. But they would have to wait until later for the luxury of terror. Right now, they had a friend to save.

“Hariel,” Ryo said simply as he pointed a blade at the monster who’d stolen his friend. “Release Sage and we won’t harm you.”

“If I release him, you and countless innocents will be sacrificed to the wicked false Emperor Talpa. Sage understood this and chose to become my candidate. You must not disrespect his agency in this matter.”

“Sage was heartbroken and desperate. He would have agreed with anyone that promised a quick way to save his friends at that point,” Ryo snapped back.

“You don’t understand him as I do.” Hariel smiled down upon him seraphically. “No one did until me. It’s not just because we agree that this is the only way to stop Talpa that he’s chosen me over all of you. It’s because I didn’t hurt him. I never—”

“Shut up,” Ryo growled. No more lies. No more manipulation. “We’re human beings. We make mistakes and try to do better. Sage understands this.”

“Oh, Wildfire,” Hariel said soothingly. “Do you really think that a young man who dreams of demons and monsters is human?”

“Yes. I used to have nightmares of the demon that took my mother away from me every night. I… I thought I was going to have to fight all of them alone until I met Sage.” He could feel tears burning in his eyes. He didn’t bother to brush them away. “He was the first person my age who knew about demons. He never let me fight alone. He introduced me to Mia and Professor Koji. I may not be on his wavelength, but I damn well understand what he’s trying to accomplish.

“But Sage, all you’re going to do is break our hearts if we have to live in a world without you.”

When Hariel shuddered, Ryo realized they’d found his weakness. He glanced at Rowen, who nodded.

“Sage, you didn’t give up on me even when I gave up on myself,” Rowen added. “So, I will never give up on you.”

“Bro, you were the first dude that got why I was fighting all the time!” Kento was shouting and his eyes were bright. “I—I don’t wanna go back to a world where no one else understands.”

“I meant what I said before Sage.” Cye’s tone was resolute. “I refuse to allow you to make this sacrifice.”

“Sage,” Mia said simply. “You were my first real friend. I can’t lose you.”

Hariel groaned in pain, then muttered something about how the candidate would understand in time as he attacked the Ronin Warriors. Rowen tried to cover Mia, which lead to Hariel slashing his arms. Ryo cried out in shock as Rowen’s arm gauntlets were split open, revealing bloodied flesh—which gave Hariel an opening to attack Ryo. Ryo and Kento were on the defensive, but he noticed Mia dragging Rowen to the side. Cye joined them doing his best to heal Rowen’s wounds.

Ryo was so busy trying not to die that he almost didn’t notice Hariel trembling—or that his eyes flashed blue for just a moment. “No,” he whispered as if he was in terrible pain. “This… this was not part of the plan… I refuse…”

“He’s still in there,” Mia breathed. “Cye, when will Rowen be able to shoot an arrow?”

Cye’s eyes were squeezed shut in concentration, hands glowing as he magically sutured the wounds. “Ten minutes.”

“Not enough time,” she muttered, rummaging in her bag. Ryo slashed Hariel’s chest, cherry blossoms flying everywhere. Kento had landed a strike against Hariel’s skull. He was disorientated long enough for Mia to take the arrow Ume had gifted her and plunge it deep into Hariel’s heart.

Come back to us, Sage.

Sage (no, he wasn’t Sage anymore, he wasn’t, he refused to be Sage) was forced back to the surface, gasping for breath. Hariel was—he was gone. Any hope of stopping Talpa was gone. His friends were loud and asking and talking and they were going to die soon and he wouldn’t be able to stop Talpa, it was too late—

“No,” he breathed as the remaining cherry blossoms embedded in his Armor withered and died. The branches followed shortly. His Armor was turning green again. He held the jewel to his heart, willing Hariel back, but it was too late.

Ryo was reaching out to him. He screamed to be left alone as he created a silvery-white dome, shielding him from the others.

“I’m not Sage,” he whispered fiercely. “I’m Hariel.” Hariel could stop Talpa. He could save his friends. Sage was weak. No one could understand him. Freakish.

“You’re not,” a monk said bluntly as he suddenly appeared next to him in the small dome. “You’re Sage Date. Eccentric, perhaps, but direct and selfless.”

“Shut up!” He staggered upright and pointed what remained of his blade at the monk. “I am Hariel. How—how would you even know if I was not?”

“Because,” the monk said as he removed his hat, revealing violet eyes, “I am Hariel of the Inferno.”

He almost dropped his blade in shock. “But—but Hariel was a powerful warrior. He certainly would never become a simple monk. He would still be fighting for peace.”

“My young friend, life has many twists and turns.” Hariel sat down and patted a spot next to him. Without thinking, he joined Hariel. “And I still fight for peace, in my own way.”

“But why did you stop? You had the power to merge the realms, to stop Talpa.”

“I did have power, but the cost was too dear. Perhaps some context for my situation would prove helpful. When I was about your age, I was trained to protect my village from any supernatural threat. It was to be my life’s mission to protect my family and friends. Well, you can imagine my reaction when a demon named Talpa burned my village to the ground and killed all who lived there.”

He stilled at that revelation. “What did you do?”

“I killed Talpa and dismembered his corpse, creating nine Armors. I couldn’t completely dispel the evil in his body, but I infused each Armor with qualities that I hoped would keep them out of wicked hands However, that wasn’t enough. Demons are infamously hard to banish. So, I took the Armors with the qualities that ‘mesh well’ for lack of a better term, and created the Inferno Armor. With no loved one to soothe my heart, I waged war on the Dynasty as a furious samurai, with my hatred as my only master.”

“You were the first Ronin Warrior,” he realized.

Hariel smiled a little at that. “I suppose I was. I was a lot like you: not caring if I lived or died as long as the sinners were destroyed. I was the ideal candidate for such a mission: I had no family to mourn me if I died. I kept at my task, even as Talpa stole the remaining four Armors by seducing those who had awakened the Armors with promises of power and vengeance. I was just about to merge the realms when a little old man appeared and begged me to stop. You see, his son had been one of those Talpa had stolen away.”

“What did you do?”

“There was something about his plea—that he knew he had no right to ask, that he knew it was wrong to ask others to suffer for a son who had become a Warlord, but he loved his son too much to want to live with a world without him. He begged me to save his son. It didn’t have to be today, or even in his lifetime. He just pleaded that if I had a chance, to bring his son back to himself.

“Even in my grief and fury, his words touched my heart. For if one man was worried about his son being stolen by the Dynasty, countless other families must have felt the same but were not fortunate enough to stumble upon Hariel of the Inferno. So, I stopped. I sheltered the remaining Armors and assumed the identity of a simple monk named Kaosu. I then tried to purge myself of my darker desires with the Jewel of Life. You, unfortunately, were exposed to my fury and heartbreak.”

“So, all of that was just a ghost of Hariel,” he whispered to himself.

“It was,” Hariel assured him. “You know, the girl broke your connection to that ghost, but you could rebuild it in time. Will you? Will you merge the realms after all?”

“I… I have to,” he insisted. “I had a vision where Talpa killed them all. It’s the only way to save them.”

“Didn’t you have visions of your father being killed on duty, more than once? And you stopped that from happening every time?”

“Yes. But this is more than just a criminal. This is my chance to—”

“Show your friends how much you love them in a way anyone can understand,” Hariel finished for him gently. “Because love isn’t supposed to hurt. But Sage, your friends were willing to trade their lives to get you back. Love isn’t an end result for good people while bad people are left alone. People of mixed natures struggle to understand other people of mixed natures. That’s one of the reasons humans find love in all its forms so appealing. I… I know you’re very perceptive, but surely you must have felt that mix of awkwardness and happiness when you connected with someone you thought you could not.”

“No. Well, maybe,” he said with a sigh. “I’m not sure if this counts, but when I was six, I ran away from home.”

“I remember,” Hariel noted.

“I met a family of deer on that night. I was scared at first, but they were nice and kept me warm while I slept. I thought I liked them because they didn’t think mean things, but it was really because there was a Papa deer and a Mama deer and two young does. They reminded me of my family.”

“Family, hunh? I wonder what they’re up to.” Hariel held up a hand, revealing an image of Yayoi Date in kendo gear, pacing restlessly.

“Yayoi,” Sage breathed. “But she hates me.”

“She could never hate you, Sage. You’re her brother.” The image then revealed his parents, his
grandfather, and even Satsuki. They had all come to find him.

“It seems you have a choice. Merge the realms while your friends and family mourn you or stay and fight Talpa. The choice is yours.”

Sage ran a hand through his now messy blond hair. He closed his blue eyes, deep in thought. And then…

“I wouldn’t want to be left alone, even in paradise,” Sage said as he gave Hariel the Jewel of Life. “And if my friends could pull me back from the brink, I… I believe that we could stop even Talpa together.”

Hariel smirked. “Smart lad.”

“Of course I am; I’m the Warrior of Wisdom.” Sage took a breath and dispelled the dome. He was immediately tackled by all five of his friends crying and telling him that they loved him. He stilled and felt tears prick his own eyes. He… he’d never really felt loved, at least not in the way people said you were supposed to. He wasn’t sure if he was feeling it properly even now. But it was hard to argue with five teenagers screaming and crying all at the same time.

Once things had calmed down, Ryo pulled away just enough to glance at the Ancient One. “What are you doing here?”

The Ancient One shrugged. “Trying to keep Sage from making the mistake I did when I was younger.”

Sage nodded. “Everyone, I am so sorry. From now on—”

The pain was so intense that Sage fell to his knees. His scream was more like a sob. Rowen and Mia tried to calm him down, but the screaming only grew worse.

Cye all but fainted into Kento’s arms a moment later.

Even the Ancient One looked pale as he gripped his staff tightly. “Talpa is trying to take advantage of the fact that you five are alone and vulnerable.” He held out an arm in front of Ryo protectively. “Go. I’ll hold off Talpa.”

“No,” Ryo said firmly. He eyed the negative energy merging and meshing into a ghostly visage. The energy oozed down the hill and into what was left of the grove, turning into a gruesome cauldron of wicked magic. “No one else dies.”

I decide who lives and dies.

“You must be Talpa,” Ryo said to the false emperor. “I’m Ryo. And I’ve been wondering for some time about why you just didn’t kill us or your Warlords. We’re human. We’re unpredictable. After all, your Warlords betrayed you. Surely you have some demons and wraiths that you brainwashed to be ceaselessly loyal to you that could don the Armor instead.

“Then I realized something. It’s not just the Armor you need. You need our spirits. Our desire to protect others and make a better world. Even Sekhmet wants something better than the hand he was dealt. Our spirits put together could make you the ruler of all the realms… or stop you.”

Cye stirred. “Ryo, what are you—”

Ryo threw himself into Talpa’s being.

“What?!” But then Cye grew calmer as if he finally understood something. “Okay, Ryo. I trust you.” Despite Kento’s protests and attempts to stop him, Cye sprinted to the cauldron, diving in without a second thought.

“Cye,” Kento whispered in dread… but then he took a deep breath. “You once said that if I ran away, you would run away with me. It wouldn’t be just if I didn’t do the same for you.” He plunged into the depths.

Sage was suddenly silent like he was when he was meditating. Rowen took Mia’s hand.

“You two are going to join them, aren’t you,” Mia realized.

“It’s going to be okay,” Rowen promised. “We’ll come back.”

Sage gave her a weak smile, then hugged her. “As Ryo said, no one will die.”

He took some comfort in Hariel (Kaosu? The Ancient One?) protecting Mia. He also took comfort in his best friend Rowen at his side. Sage gazed down at the pool of negative energy. It was still mostly grey, but he could see wisps of red, blue, and orange. “Virtue. Trust. Justice,” he observed before glancing at Rowen. “And now wisdom merged with lifeforce.”

Rowen grabbed his hand, grinning. “Wisdom merged with lifeforce.”

They joined their friends together.

Talpa’s laughter chilled Mia to the deepest, darkest part of her soul, but she refused to give in. The Ronin Warriors… no. Her friends were the strongest men she had ever met, not counting her grandfather. They would win.

Sure enough, the laughter faded into howls of pain. Mia dared to open her eyes. She could see the kanji for ‘virtue’ superimposed on Talpa’s visage. Then ‘trust.’ Then ‘justice.’ Finally, ‘wisdom’ and ‘life,’ almost at the same time.

The last thing she saw before the Ancient One took them away was a samurai in white Armor striking Talpa down.

Ryo woke up to Luna smiling at him. He was surprised (in a good way) that his head was in her lap. “Hey, handsome. Guess who saved Sage and beat Talpa in one day?”

He closed his eyes and smiled. “White Blaze?” As if on cue, his tiger appeared and licked his face.

“Oh good, Ryo’s awake.” Cye was pale and wobbly as he trotted over to them. “I’ll heal you right now—”

“You will do no such thing,” Dais snarled, thwapping him on the head. “You’re this close to dying from psychic exhaustion. Again!”

Cye glared at Dais, rubbing where Dais had struck. “Well, let me at least take away Sage’s emotional pain.”

“For once, Cye, I agree with Spider-man,” Kento said. He looked tired as well, but not nearly as much as Cye looked or Ryo felt. “Besides, I think Sage is good for now.” The Date family (and Mia) were all hugging him at the same time.

“Perhaps,” Cye admitted glumly.“I would still feel better if I helped.”

“You need to learn to take care of yourself,” Dais huffed. “Look, if you run off to your sister and go home to take a nap, I’ll make sure that Sage has some nice dreams.”

Cye’s face brightened. “That’s wonderful, thanks! He likes deer, bunnies, and swords.” He hugged Dais (and despite his grumbling, Ryo noticed that Dais hugged him back). After a goodbye smile at Ryo, Cye left to join his sister.

“You see, Dais,” Kento began, “Spider-man is a comic book character. He also had a tokusatsu series. Although I should probably explain what comics books and TV shows are first—”

“I know what those things are. I researched them when I was trying to brainwash you. I just don’t care.” Kento bristled, checked that Ryo was okay, then stomped off to join his boyfriend.

“Kento’s mad,” Rowen noted as he joined them.

“Yes, that is something that only the most dangerous and clever of the Ronin Warriors would see,” Dais deadpanned, ignoring that now Rowen was bristling. “I’m off to talk to Cale.”

“For someone who’s had a redemption arc, he sure doesn’t act like it.”

Luna smirked at Rowen. “He’s almost as snarky as Cye.”

“Unfortunately, yes.” Rowen sat next to Ryo. “It seems I’m always thanking you for saving those dear to me.”

“I just kept him distracted while Mia did the real work.”

“I wasn’t talking about that,” Rowen whispered. “I was talking about the Inferno Armor.”

Ryo frowned. “Do you think that was what I donned?”

“What else could it be?” Rowen shrugged. “If Kaosu hadn't vanished, I could just ask. Well, with Talpa hopefully gone for good, I suppose I’ll have time to research it.”

“I’ll help,” Ryo promised. “But for now, let’s all just be glad that we made it out okay.”

Final Notes: Just pretend that the 2022 version of "Samurai Heart" is playing when Ryo jumps into the cauldron. ;P (And yes, that was not-so-subtly inspired by the Sailor Stars manga.)

Also, wow, two chapters left! As you probably noticed, there are still some hanging threads. The remaining two chapters are intentionally more chill, so hopefully, I will resolve at least most of them lol.