Thunder rumbled overhead, and lightning flickered within the thick overcast. He stood alone at the foot of the grave, raincoat flaring in the wind. He gazed down at the name engraved into the black granite. He remembered him so fondly as both friend and mentor...in a sense, like a brother...but he died years ago, sacrificing his life to save one in greater need. Another gust of wind shifted his bangs out from infront of his eyes, the drops from a fledgling shower mixing with his tears.
     He frowned and took a step back when he felt a rumbling from deep within the consecrated ground. Bits of dust trickled out of aged cracks in the angel statue directly behind the gravestone. It appeared as if the angel wept. The rumbling became a loud groan and gravestones across the cemetery tipped over entirely.
     All of a sudden the ground split and peeled away, and he had to leap back to avoid the hulking black mass that rose up out of the gash. He lost his balance and stumbled onto the ground and sat up, gazing in awe and horror at the risen creature.
     It resembled a black dragon. Scales clung to rotting sheets of hide draped over the exposed skeleton. Strips of decaying tissue hung between its teeth and dried organs threatened to spill out of the ribcage. He had to put a hand over his mouth and nose to stifle the horrid stench as the dragon flapped its tattered wings, corruption and decay wafting over the once quiet graveyard. It lashed its bony tail, driving a blade-like growth on the tail tip into the ground like a pickaxe. The dragon shook its neck and shoulders as if trying to relax itself, but it only succeeded in sending a rain of dried, rotten flesh over the graveyard.
     He waited cautiously as the dragon locked its empty sockets on him. It stood on its rear legs for several moments, gazing down at the lone man. He scowled when he thought he heard a mournful groan echo from the decomposing windpipe. He lowered his arms, not sensing any hostility from the undead dragon and trying to convey the same emotion.
     He tensed up again when the dragon threw its head back and shrieked, a dry, unearthly sound it could not have possibly produced in its current state. He watched wide-eyed as the dragon seemed to transform. Organs regenerated and pulled upwards while newly grown muscle tissue bound them back inside the ribcage. Strips of flesh sprang across bare bones and tattered flesh and broken scale stitched together rapidly. The dragon's body swelled with new strength and its roar became more animal-like as its body regenerated.
     The transition from dead to living didn't end there. He raised an eyebrow when he thought he saw armor forming over the dragon's body. Gauntlets, shin plates, pauldrons, a black steel cuirass with a silver chevron over the breast. Golden light wrapped over the dragon's chest and shoulders, forming a massive coat that furled out like its wings. Black and red plate coated its wedge-shaped head, and for the first time he noticed the long silver horns that jutted out the back of its skull.
     The resurrected dragon towered over him ominously. He almost summoned his armor, but paused when the dragon moaned, its tone pleading and desperate. The restored malachite eyes stared down at him sadly. He still couldn't tell why this dragon had appeared, but something about it seemed frighteningly familiar...
     The eyes flashed red abruptly and the dragon reared back. The way it jerked, it seemed as if someone strangled it. The dragon lurched forward and he saw her perched in the gap between the top of its head and the base of its horns. She held two black cords tightly in her cruel silver claws. The brow of her black spiked crown came down low over her brow, reinforcing her commanding gaze. She reached forward with one hand, fingers splayed at first, then curled her claws and turned her hand palm upward, as if wrenching something. The dragon screamed in response to some unseen pain and the violent crimson glow in its eyes intensified. It spread its wings wide, casting a shadow for several blocks all around. The exposed tips of its wing ribs gleamed like newly forged steel and it lashed its tail infront of itself, waving the bladed tip like an axe.
     He raised his fist infront of his face but blinked, surprised to see himself holding one of his swords. He looked down, further surprised to see himself clad in full Armor, when he couldn't recall ever summoning it. It didn't matter at the moment. Only the armored dragon and the witch subverting its will mattered. He didn't want to fight, but what choice did he have...
     The sound of metal rasping against loose soil drew his attention to the armored figure that stepped up beside him. She drew her swords out of their scabbards and readied them, then gazed at him with her bronze-brown eyes and nodded. He would not have to fight alone. He smiled gratefully then returned his attention to the dragon. Its eyes burned with a hatred not of its own choosing, its throat belting forth screams of rage not of its own desire. The cruel mistress clenched her fist around the cords and jerked them sharply, and the dragon lunged forward. The two sprang forward to meet it in battle, but in their hearts they still held on to the hope of salvation for the reborn dragon...

*****

Ryo's eyes popped open and he lay in bed on his side for several moments before sitting up slowly. His brow wrinkled in worry. Ryo looked towards the window, trying to make sense of the dream. The sun had already risen, the others would be up and eating breakfast or training. The drawn curtains blocked the glare of the sun as he dwelled on what he had seen during his slumber.
     He heard thunder...he remembered, it sounded so real. The warrior at his side no doubt represented his newly returned sister, but the black dragon...what did that represent...who did it represent?...

*****

     Chaizar had stood there in the throne room for several minutes, head bowed out of respect but every once in a while he glanced up to observe his mistress. For the past five minutes she had stood by the balcony holding a small white dove in one hand while she felt through its soft down with her silver talons. Every so often she would pluck out one of the down feathers, gently though, and this seemed rather peculiar for the Beast Warden of the Dynasty. She held the feather delicately out at arms length, then released it, watching it as it drifted down towards the floor, and at the same time whispering some sort of incantation. She made a soft dissatisfied hum, then repeated the process and plucked out a fresh down feather.
     The dove on the other hand didn't seem all thrilled at having its feathers plucked, however "gently", but it didn't remain in place because of the silver talons. In fact, her fingers clasped rather loosely around its small body. It remained seized by fear. Chaizar tried to guess how long before not a single feather remained. She began "testing" another feather.
     "Perfect," she said when the feather landed on the floor. She reached out with a hand and made a beckoning gesture to the feather. It slowly fluttered off the tiles and into her waiting hand. Chaizar stiffened and returned his gaze to the floor as she turned and began walking towards him.
     "Chaizar? I want you to release this dove, unharmed," Dygra ordered crisply and deposited the frightened bird into the warlord's waiting hands. He stared at it and blinked a few times. "And when I say unharmed, I mean unharmed. If it is maimed in any way, shape, or form, I will be looking for a replacement for you very soon." Before Chaizar even had a chance to gulp, she vanished into the night, carrying the "perfect" feather in a small lacquered case. Chaizar hurriedly walked over to the balcony rail and gently sat the dove down. It flopped to one side, as if paralyzed.
     "Go on. Shoo!" he hissed. The pitiful bird cooed a few times then slowly staggered forward and dropped off the rail. Chaizar winced and for moment thought he would have to rescue the wayward bird, but it managed to catch itself and sped off over the Dark Territory, wings flapping as if it couldn't fly fast enough.

*****

In meteorological centers all over the city, technicians and scientists marveled at the spectacular electrical storm. The storm line slogged through the city, halting every once and a while to deposit a few more inches of rain. In one part of the city, however, no rain fell, but lighting streaked the sky.
     Flashes cast shadows of the shrouded angel on the ground. Another flash erupted and it seemed as if the shadow had grown horns or crests. A shape stepped out from behind the statue and paced around until it stopped at the foot of the grave. Dark eyes ran across the name on the tombstone, painstakingly engraved in an ornate font.
     "A warrior's death you desired and a hero's funeral they bestowed. You erred greatly in siding with them, but you will regain your rightful place in the Dynasty," Dygra muttered and took a step back. She opened the casing and took out the dove feather, pinching it delicately between her thumb and forefinger tips. She held the feather out at arms length over the gravesite then released it and began speaking aloud. "I call upon this grave I see, A soul I wish for here to be," lightning flashed overhead, illuminating each letter of the name engraved on the tombstone.
     A "Flesh will mend, bone be sealed,"
     N "Return your body for you to wield,"
     U "Mind swept clean of all dissent,"
     B "Heart be cleansed of sentiment,"
     I "I call you back from the End,"
     S "ANUBIS, Hear me! RISE AGAIN!" Dygra shrieked as the feather landed on the grass. Several bolts of lightning forked down and struck the ground in a circle around the gravesite. One bolt struck at the very center, and as it faded, the ground shattered.
Dygra stood there and watched in quiet anticipation. She saw an arm erupt from the hole. Crusted soil and tatters of white cloth clung to the crumbling flesh. Lightning flashed, revealing an arm covered with new flesh. A rising mass forced the hole wider as a vaguely humanoid form heaved itself out of the buried coffin. Lightning flashed on bare, dirt-covered ribs. When it subsided, a new heart beat powerfully in a chest heaving with gulp after gulp of new breath. Lightning flashed on crumbling teeth, shrunken sockets, and the surprising amount of reddish hair that still clung to the scalp. When it faded, the being's head bowed, shoulders rising up and down as it panted heavily. Fingers clutched the grass around the hole, newly grown nails digging into the loosened dirt. The hair that draped over its back and shoulders and hung down its chest looked clean and shiny now. The rags it had once worn now restored to the clean white robe it had been buried with.
     The man remained waist deep in that hole, panting from exhaustion, occasionally whining piteously. Dygra didn't care for any of that. Her spell yielded the desired result, and she sniffed, satisfied. "Welcome back...Anubis."
     The man gazed up at her. At first his sharp green eyes glared at her irritably. Then they changed color from green to a deep crimson. He scowled, no longer filled with anger at Dygra, but the thirst for blood...

*****

"YAAAHH!" Tanya cried out as she worked feverishly to deflect each heavy strike. Ryo heard her voice even while getting dressed and could see the rest of his friends taking turns sparring with his sister out by the edge of the woods from where he stood on the front balcony. She first faced Sage, and despite her much-vaunted skill with her armor, the master swordsman definitely gave her what for. One thing Sage noticed is that no only did Tanya seem comfortable fighting with one sword, she seemed to lean towards more of a Western style.
     If the Ancient trained her, then where does that come from? he mused as he struck again. The Lady Ronin occasionally switched to using half of her chakaram as a sort of shield or to parry blows. Ryo watched from the balcony and quietly sipped some herbal tea. At first it seemed like the match would go on until one of the participants keeled over from exhaustion.
     Then Tanya did something unexpected. She drew out one of her daggers while she fended off his nodatchi with one Swirlwind Sword then bashed his sword hand with the pommel of the Windblade Dagger. The move caught him off guard and he lost his grip on his weapon. Tanya quickly snatched up the sword, swung it around, and plunged the blade tip into the ground, but it didn't end there. Amazingly enough, the Lady Ronin managed to lift her entire body off the ground using the planted Halo Sword to support herself as she lashed out with her feet and neatly plucked Sage's helmet clean off his head, lifting it with her toes by the golden crests. She twisted around, grabbed the helmet as she lowered her feet, then held it up with one hand as her feet touched the ground. She then raised both her arms and displayed her prizes proudly.
     Rowen raised an eyebrow and whistled in amazement. Cye and Kento clapped, the latter snickering slightly after seeing the Date Warrior humbled. Tanya bowed once then handed the pilfered helm and sword back to their owner. Sage gazed at her, both annoyed and impressed. "Hey Tanya," he began as he slipped his helmet back on. "Just out of curiosity, how much do you weigh anyway?" Even with the light weight and durability of an Armor similar to the Nine, he found it difficult to understand how she could have lifted herself up like that without causing the sword to tip over. Tanya finished sheathing her weapons and shrugged.
     "I dunno...110-115-"
     "115?!" Sage and Tanya both looked at Kento. "Geez! You're...tiny!" he blurted and wrinkled his nose. "ACK!" he barely had time to duck as Tanya's chakaram buried itself nearly half way into the tree trunk where his head had been.
     "YOU WANT TO SAY THAT AGAIN, FAT BOY!?" Tanya demanded angrily and had one hand on a dagger.
     "no." Kento whispered meekly and stared up at the weapon with wide eyes. Ryo nearly choked on his tea and snickered merrily.
     "She's a piece of work, that's for sure," a voice spoke up from behind. Ryo looked over his shoulder and blinked tears of mirth from his eyes.
     "Oh you're still not mad about her flipping you off, are you?"
     "Of course not. You know I'm above such things," Mia replied and walked up to the balcony alongside Ryo. "But you have to admit, she is rather rough around the edges."
     "She just needs time...and some new friends," Ryo whispered and went back to watching the sparring match.
     "So who's next?" Tanya queried and slid the halves of her chakaram under her sword scabbards. Kento hadn't moved an inch when she used her grapple line to reclaim her weapon. "What about you, mister loud-mouth." Kento blinked and pointed at himself.
     "me?" he asked in a tiny voice.
     "Yeah, I think it's your turn, now," Rowen said. Kento pulled himself up in his seat.
     "Nah. I wouldn't want to put her in the hospital early or anything," he said smugly, not noticing the burning glare coming from the Lady Ronin. "It's Cye's turn."
     "The bloody hell-You're just trying to pass the buck on me!" Cye accused
     "I take it that means you don't think you can take her on? I'll bet you're afraid after the way she manhandled Sage!" Kento shot.
     "I'm sorry, what was that? I could've sworn I felt someone stabbing me in the back," Sage said aloud to no one in particular. Rowen stood up.
     "I'll go, since you ladies are too scared," he teased and stepped forward to take Sage's place. Sage went to sit down by the tree and Rowen readied his bow.
     "Isn't that a bit slow?" Tanya asked and raised an eyebrow. Rowen smirked and put an arrow to the string.
     "You'd be surprised..." Tanya stood there and watched, still confused as he pulled back on the bowstring. Her eyes widened when all of a sudden she had five arrows coming for her as Rowen fired in quick succession. She squeaked and hurriedly deflected arrows with her dagger. Rowen continued firing at an inhuman attack rate, but watched, intrigued as Tanya managed to deflect the arrows with one dagger while she used half of her chakaram to swat more away. Then she sheathed the chakaram and drew out the other dagger and began spinning them infront of her at arms length. The resulting dagger wheels acted like a blade shield to deflect each incoming arrow. Rowen stopped firing and lowered his bow, eyebrows raised.
     "Well I have to say that's the first time I've had something like that happen." Tanya snorted and grinned as she sheathed the daggers. "Of course one would have to take into consideration the level of skill to maintain that speed. I'm impressed."
     "Didn't someone do something like that on 'Robin Hood: Men in Tights'?" Kento asked aloud. He had to duck again as one of Tanya's daggers plunged into the tree trunk.
     "NO COMMENTS FROM THE MONKEY GALLERY!" Tanya screamed.
     "B-But I was just-!" Kento had to duck down further, almost till his back pressed against the ground as the second dagger struck the tree with a grinding crunch.
     "You want to die young, don't you?" Cye queried calmly. Kento made a strangled whimper as he stared up at the daggers.
     Rowen walked back over to the tree. "Stick a fork in me, I'm done. Next!" Cye gave his friend a reassuring pat on the shoulder then stood up to face the Lady Ronin. Meanwhile Ryo and Mia watched to see if another Ronin would be one-upped or not.
     "Ryo, I have some shopping I want to do later on, but I also wanted to ask if you think Tanya would feel comfortable in the city. I figure we can take her out to eat, maybe get some new things. She barely has any clothes or possessions of her own," Mia suggested.
     "Tanya trained with The Ancient for three years. She's used to a frugal life, but yeah, I guess she does need some new stuff if she's gonna be living with us. After this next match, we'll get ready," he said as he watched Tanya use fancy blade work to snatch Cye's trident right out of his hands. She tossed it back and forth with her swords like an expert chef with diced food then flipped it up in the air and grabbed it.
     "You want this back?" Tanya asked and held the trident out to Cye.
     "NO!" Cye squawked, as if she presented a live snake. "I mean-Yes! Give me thaaat!" he snapped and snatched back his weapon. "It's your turn, Kento," he said as he went back to sit down and sulk. Kento blinked then stood up. He took a deep breath and marched out to confront the Lady Ronin. He readied his bo but frowned when he noticed the look Tanya gave him. Her bronze-brown eyes narrowed and upper lip curled in a slight sneer. She drew out one of her swords and pointed the blade at the ground. The plate covering her palm creaked as she tightened her grip on the weapon.
     Whoa...I guess she's still mad about yesterday... Her words from that morning rattled him. Isn't there a saying for this? "Once bitten"? No, that's something else... "Hell has no fury"? Tanya reached behind her and drew out a chakaram half. Kento gulped. Definitely "Hell has no fury"...
     "Come on, mate! What's the hold up!" Cye egged. 
     "Yeah, you were so confident about beating her earlier," Rowen taunted.
     "Back off guys! I'm just..." Kento rolled his shoulders to settle his armor. "Sizing up my opponent, that's all," he muttered and glanced back at the Lady Ronin. Something about her eyes arrested his gaze. Ryo's eyes glow with the fire of the sun, Tanya's shine with the fire of the forge- Where the hell did that come from!?
     "Power down guys!" Ryo hollered from the balcony.
     "Put some nice clothes on. We're taking Tanya out to the city," Mia added.
     "Sweet," Rowen said and stood. Kento let his shoulders sag and sighed in relief. He looked up and blinked when he saw Tanya walk towards him. She stopped a few feet away then swung one sword up and pointed the tip at his nose.
     "You were touched by an angel, mister!" she snapped then headed towards the house. He stood there for a while, watching her, then finally headed inside.

*****

"First I need to withdraw some cash from my account, then we'll head to the mall to do some shopping," Mia stated as she searched around in her purse for her keys.
     "Can we go to the food court first?"
     "No, Kento. That can wait." Tanya, meanwhile, stood off to one side studying the small red jeep.
     "There's no WAY we're all gonna fit in that," she said.
     "It's been done before," Rowen laughed and patted her on the shoulder. Tanya threw him a skeptical look then stared at the car.
     "Relax, Tanya. You can ride with me if you want," Sage offered as he opened the door to his own car. Tanya mouthed a silent thank you skyward and walked over. Mia looked up and saw for the first time what the Lady Ronin wore.
     "Tanya, I told you to put nice clothes on," she scolded.
     "These ARE my nice clothes," Tanya said with a tone like she wanted to deck Mia just for speaking to her. Mia blinked slowly as she stared at the worn jeans and faded pink shirt and gray windbreaker that had clearly seen too many summers.
     "We definitely need to do some clothes shopping," she muttered and rubbed her brow with her fingertips.

*****

She sat bolt upright in bed, drawing air in sharp breaths, on the verge of hyperventilating. She blinked several times and gazed around the apartment, eyes wide with fear. The others slept soundly in their respective beds. She placed one hand on her chest and clutched folds of her nightgown, fingers curling and uncurling. The sensation came so sudden, she couldn't identify the source right away, but it felt as though something stripped away a part of her very being...

*****

"You revived him?! The most infamous traitor in Dynasty history! It appalls me that you would waste any of your precious energy bringing back that useless scum!" Balthazar exclaimed, trying to sound flattering at the same time. Dygra sat calmly on her throne, unfazed by the remark. Chaizar and Scar stood off to one side, awed and intrigued by the person kneeling before the throne.
     "He will prove very useful...once he is restored with this..." Dygra looked up when she saw the golden-colored crystal orb materialize midair. The orb glowed brightly at first, then the glow intensified as it floated over to the man. "You know what this is?" The man nodded slowly. "Then arise, and reclaim that which is yours by right!" Dygra proclaimed and curled her silver claws.
     The three Night Warlords watched as the man stood up and held his arms out infront of him, fingers spread and palms facing towards each other. It appeared as though he welcomed the glowing orb, like a long-lost companion. The orb darted towards him, embedding itself in the front of the white robe and sinking into his chest. Golden light erupted from his fingertips in bright beams then became flat discs of light that moved up his arms and over his body. The discs swept down past his feet and vanished, leaving behind dark blue plate. The man clenched his fists and squared his shoulders. He held his arms at his sides and took a deep breath, reveling in his restored power.
     "Bah! Even with his armor, how will he fare any better against the Ronin Warriors and their new armors?" Balthazar scoffed.
     "Strange, such words ringing with cowardice coming from a so-called Dynasty general," the man spoke as he turned around slowly and glared at the loud-mouthed warlord. "You three failed against the Ronin because your armors are merely sad, fragile mockeries of the Nine. You could never hope to achieve the sort of power I wield," the man stated, his green eyes glowing faint red.
     "You would dare insult me, traitor?! You forsook your duty to Emperor Talpa and willingly sided with the Ronin Leader and his cohorts! How can you be trusted to be of any service to Mistress Dygra?" Balthazar spat and pointed at the warlord accusingly.
     Without warning, the man lunged forward swiftly and gripped Balthazar by the throat, reducing any protest to a feeble "blurp". Chaizar and Scar better remembered their places and made no effort to aid their foolish comrade.
     "Anubis, as you should know, was once the most feared and ruthless among Talpa's elite Dark Warlords. Despite his transgressions, he is still a master of tactics and delights in torture. He will serve the Dynasty well. My spell of command will ensure that," Dygra stated. Now Balthazar's eyes started to bug out and he began kicking and scrabbling, trying to loosen the warlord's grip. "Anubis, you may release him."
     Anubis hesitated for a moment, trying to prolong Balthazar's suffering just a bit more, then calmly opened his fingers, letting the warlord fall to the floor on his butt. Balthazar rubbed his neck and took several deep breaths. He glared up at Anubis, his anger seething, yet even he knew when to bide his time.
     "Anubis?" The resurrected warlord snapped to attention and turned to face the Beast Warden. "You will join the other Night Warlords in a raid on the city. This plan should sound very familiar to you...You will lure the Ronin out to attack, but this time, they will not be your initial targets..." Dygra gestured to the viewing screen. Anubis turned around to examine the images being displayed. A rather sinister grin came onto his face, and the glow in his eyes intensified, totally drowning out their natural color.

*****

"So what do you think of the city, Tanya?" Cye asked.
     "It's nice," she replied lazily.
     "I'll bet it's changed a lot from what you remember," Ryo said.
     "Look, guys, I'm not some backwards isolated girl. I've been here before. In that bar the other day, in fact," Tanya said and pointed to said bar across the street as they walked. Inside, some men saw her and ducked down, hoping she wouldn't notice them. Mia's face brightened when she noticed an ATM further down the sidewalk.
     "Excellent! Hold on guys, this won't take long," she said and stepped infront of it. The others leaned against the wall or stood off to one side. Rowen, Cye, and Ryo chatted idly about various subjects. Kento sat on the edge of a windowsill and kicked his heels against the wall. He looked up and raised an eyebrow when he saw what the Lady Ronin did to pass the time.
     The shop they stood outside of had opted for a brick sidewalk to better fit in with the friendly home setting of the interior. The sidewalk looked unassuming, but Tanya's antics intrigued Kento. She had her eyes half closed and her hands in her pockets and would take random steps forward, back, or to either side, stepping daintily onto each brick. She seemed to be performing some sort of dance, quiet and in her own world. She paused, standing on one brick with one foot raised and braced against her other leg, then spun around and placed her toe on another brick.
     Kento scratched the back of his ear. He wanted to say something to apologize for that incident the other day and earlier in the morning. He opened his mouth to speak, then frowned and decided against it, instead opting to observe with idle curiosity. The Lady Ronin seemed quick to take offense, and with him being on thin ice with her already, even carefully chosen words could backfire.
     Sage leaned against the wall with one foot braced against the brick. He had his gaze down at first, then glanced up slowly when he heard a faint voice calling his name. "Hnn?" he grunted and looked across the street. His eyes widened slightly when he saw a young girl hopping up and down and waving at him from the sidewalk across the street. He glanced at Mia, who had yet to finish her transaction. "Mia, can you please hurry up?" he asked softly, a worried tone in his voice.
     "Sage, I would think you of all people could be patient enough to let me finish at my own pace," Mia chided, not looking at him.
     "But Mia!" he hissed. Mia looked up at him. Sage averted his gaze to across the street and nodded in that direction. He glanced at her then nodded again. Mia frowned and followed his gaze. Her eyes widened when she saw the girl-late teens, dressed in bright tacky clothes and cheap costume jewelry-waving at Sage fervently. She stood by the crosswalk, and the light would change soon...
     "Wuh-oh! Bogey, 12 o'clock!" Ryo exclaimed when he noticed the girl also.
     "I think I'm done here..." Mia whispered and withdrew her card, tucking the cash safely away in her purse. Tanya raised an eyebrow, not comprehending the situation, but followed the others as they took off walking swiftly. The light changed.
     The group had barely stopped at the edge of the sidewalk when the girl jogged over the crosswalk and caught up to them. "Hi Sage!" the girl chirped and bumped Tanya to one side. The Lady Ronin hissed in protest, but since this girl seemed to know Sage, she kept her peace and glanced at him. "It IS you! I wasn't sure, but then again that marvelous hair of yours is unmistakable! You remember me from high school, right? Karla? I sat behind you in class, remember?"
     "Of course...how could I forget," Sage mumbled in a deadpan tone as he continued walking. Tanya observed the entire scene with an eyebrow raised.
     "We don't know him," Kento whispered to Cye. Tanya noticed how the others seemed to be keeping a distance from Sage as the obsessive girl continued prattling. Sage wouldn't outright dismiss someone, Tanya knew that, but despite his polite nature, she could tell this girl quickly wore out her welcome. The girl continued tagging along like sea weed, babbling about school and how he was missed and how there was no one cooler in the entire world, while Sage continued to look awkward.
     Tanya rose up on one foot, spun around on her toe, and tripped the girl by hooking her ankle around the girl's leg. Karla "eeped" as she hung in midair a moment before falling on her stomach. By the time she pushed herself up, Sage had vanished into the crowd.
Sage glanced over his shoulder at the girl then looked at Tanya. "...you know, not every situation has to be solved with violence, Tanya," he chided. Tanya had her eyes closed and continued walking without speaking for a few moments.
     "I'm sorry Sage, but airheads give me the willies," she said indifferently. Ryo burst out laughing and slapped his leg. Mia elbowed him in the ribs sharply and hissed. Ryo hunched his shoulders, looking sheepish. Tanya smirked and snorted. Her brother had certainly surrounded himself with odd friends.
     "So Tanya, any preferences on where you'd like to start shopping?" Mia asked as they entered the mall and passed through a department store.
     "Don't know, don't care," Tanya mumbled and shrugged. Now they entered the food court on the ground level of the mall. Kento started to stray off to one side but Cye caught him by his arm and pulled him back. The second level housed most of the retail stores and they headed for the stairs up ahead.
     "Fine, if you're going to have that sort of attitude. I know the perfect place to look. It has a lot of casual wear that would fit your style." As they continued walking, they didn't notice the commotion up ahead as a brazen young man darted through the crowd.
     "Hey kid! No skateboards allowed indoors!" a mall security guard yelled.
     "Just try and stop me!" the boy taunted. He leapt up and proceeded to grind down the rail of the stairs, just as the Ronin began their ascent. Ryo looked up when he heard a scraping noise and gasped when he saw the boy. The boy got startled and lost his balance, nearly colliding with them, and slipped off the rail, his board clattering to the floor. He almost landed face first on the tile, but a strong hand grabbed him by his belt and held him up. The boy looked up at his captor and began to squirm. "Kento! Put me down! This is embarrassing!" the boy protested, recognizing the Ronin Warrior.
     "Well, if it isn't our old friend-" Kento paused when he heard the angry voice of the pursuing security guard. He set the boy down and tried to position himself to hide him from the guard. All of a sudden, Tanya stepped infront of both of them and swished out her windbreaker, as if stretching her arms while using the cloth to conceal the boy's face. The frustrated guard ran past, thinking the boy had gone into the food court. When the guard passed out of range, she lowered her arms and turned around.
     "So who's this little scamp?" she queried.
     "Who you calling little?!" the boy squawked in protest. Ryo chuckled and stepped forward and placed a hand on the boy's shoulders.
     "Hey sis, I want you to meet an old friend of ours. Tanya, Yulie Yamano. Yulie, I'd like you to meet my sister," Ryo introduced. Yulie raised an eyebrow.
     "You have a sister?"
     "That's what we said," Cye snickered.
     "Yulie's been a friend of the team since the beginning of the Dynasty Wars. He traveled with us when we were-" Ryo began.
     "You let a kid tag along with you when you were fighting the Dynasty?!" Tanya exclaimed. "Geez Ryo! Dad would be spinning in his grave if he knew how irresponsible you were!" Ryo blinked, a bit surprised by the accusation, and waved his hands.
     "Whoa sis, it wasn't like that at all."
     "Yulie's held his own in dangerous situations. He even saved our butts on several occasions," Rowen explained. Tanya raised an eyebrow and looked at the kid. He had to be twelve or so, kind of stringy with a mop of brownish hair.
     "So you're no stranger to danger, huh? Maybe when you're old enough you can be an Armor Heir," Tanya commented. Yulie cocked his head to one side.
     "Armor Heir? What's that?"
     "When I trained with The Ancient, he told me that an Armor Heir is a person chosen to take the place of a Ronin Warrior if the current bearer buys the farm. He told me an Armor's attribute can Ignite in a suitable candidate during times of great peril, and sometimes an Heir can manifest without even realizing it." Yulie's eyes widened upon hearing that.
     "You mean...I could...be a Ronin Warrior?"
     "Maybe when you're old enough," Tanya began.
     "But not now. He's still a kid and you shouldn't be filling his head with these sorts of ideas," Ryo hissed as he leaned close to his sister. Tanya frowned. Apparently what she said struck some sort of nerve. Cye, sensing the discomfort, tried changing the subject and gestured to Yulie's skateboard, which he held under his arm.
     "So Yulie, what ever happened to your old board? You know, the blue one?"
     "That old thing? Pshah, after everything it's been through, I retired it. Have it mounted on my wall now."
     "With a bronze plaque reading 'this skateboard has been recognized for it's lifetime of service against the Forces of Evil'?" Kento suggested and made a frame in the air with his fingers. Most of them had a good laugh about that. Where they stood in the mall, frosted glass brick comprised the wall facing the street. No one thought anything off when a flock of police cars and a couple of ambulances sped down the street.
     "So, have you been keeping up with your kendo practice?" Sage asked. Yulie looked startled for a moment then bowed, remembering his manners.
     "Yes sir," he replied.
     "That's good to hear-" Before Sage could continue, a massive explosion from behind a building further down the street drew everyone's attention. People rushed over to the glass wall to try and see what had happened.
     "What the bloody hell was that?!"
     "I think it may be a Dynasty attack!"
     "Attacking the city in broad daylight? They got some nerve..."
     "Then let's remind them that they're not welcome!" Tanya took off towards the nearest exit and bolted out the doors towards the street. She reached under her windbreaker and drew out her rose-colored armor orb. She raised her arm and prepared to invoke her armor's power, when a hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her arm back.
     "Whoa hold on, Tanya! What do you think you're doing?!" Ryo snapped.
     "Changing into my armor! What does it look like?" she said and struggled against his grip. Ryo held on tight and placed his other hand on her shoulder.
     "We can't transform in public!"
     "Why the hell not?!"
     "Because," Tanya looked up at Sage when she heard the others arrive. "Even though Mia told most of the world that we exist, people have a habit of fearing and attacking what they don't understand. People don't know who we are, and we can't transform out here like this without taking that risk," he explained gently.
     "Yeah! Last time we armored up in public, we ended up with fifty helicopters shooting missiles at us and stuff!" Kento added. Tanya frowned and Ryo relaxed his grip.
     "Oh allright..." Ryo released her and the Ronin took off to find a secluded area. "Just don't ask me to squeeze into a phone booth with anyone."

*****

Police already ushered civilians out of the danger zone. As they fled, some of them began screaming, not from what they fled, but from what they saw approaching, and parted to either side to get out of the way.
     "Whoa people! Calm down! You don't have to be afraid of us!" Ryo yelled as he and the other Ronin ran towards the attack zone in full Armor.
     "We're, like, wearing positive colors. Can't they tell we're the good guys?" Kento mumbled. Men scrambled backwards looking ready to wet themselves and women held onto their children, frightened by the armored warriors.
     "You know, maybe you guys should invest in a PR agent or something," Tanya commented as they continued running. They couldn't run at full speed without plowing into fleeing civilians, and that certainly wouldn't help their image...
     "Hey!" Rowen blinked and paused when he heard the loud voice. The others stopped too when they saw a young boy, about seven, run up to him. "You're that guy! The...the guy I saw! Hey Mom! Look, it's that guy I saw flying!" The boy pointed at Rowen.
     "Looks like someone has a fan," Ryo teased.
     "Rnnnn..." Rowen moaned and smacked a hand against his forehead. Tanya stepped forward and knelt infront of the boy.
     "Hey kid, you see what happened over there?" she asked and gestured to the still smoking building further down the street. The boy's eyes widened. He remembered seeing reports on TV about the "Ronin Warriors", but he had never heard of a girl Ronin Warrior. "Can you tell us if you saw just your run-of-the-mill Dynasty Soldier, or were there any other bad guys with them?"

"Uh...there were a lot of armored guys, they all looked the same, but there were also some other guys, four guys in different armor," the boy stuttered. Tanya patted him on the back and stood up.
     "Thanks for your help. Now go with your mom. There's gonna be a fight, and it won't be pretty." The boy nodded jerkily a few times then scampered away.
     "So we know Chaizar and the rest of the Night Warlords are there."
     "Ryo, you sure we can handle this big an attack?" Tanya brought up.
     "Chaizar and his buddies may have kicked our butts the first time we fought them, but we're prepared this time. Besides, you're with us, so it shouldn't be too hard."
     "That's not my point. That kid said there were four warlords." Ryo glanced at his sister and raised an eyebrow, unsure of her concern. "I thought there were only three."
     Ryo's eyes widened in realization. A fourth warlord? Tanya's arrival had certainly thrown a wrench into Dygra's plans, so it made sense she would deploy a new minion against them. The Ronin Leader frowned then looked at the wrecked area of the city.

*****

"Keep firing!" a senior cop ordered as he and his men loosed a hail of bullets on the advancing otherworldly troops. The bullets merely bounced off the armored soldiers.
     "Bwa hahaahah! Do these fools not realize their pitiful weapons have no effect on us? No wonder Master Talpa only picked the most intelligent and worthy of humans to be his champions. The rest are absolute idiots!" Chaizar crowed.
     "We're just not causing any damage at all, sir!" a younger cop whined from where he sat on the pavement, ducked behind a disabled car.
     "Well unless a miracle comes along, we're the only hope against these freaks!" the senior cop replied. Most of them looked up when they heard a loud crash of metal as several forms landed on the top of the cars being used as bulwarks.
     "What's the situation guys?" A young man in red and silver armor asked. He and his companions had their weapons drawn, prepared to take on the invading Dynasty.
     "Not...what I had in mind..." the senior cop groaned.
     "Oh sheez, not these guys again," the younger cop moaned.
     "We're not the enemy! They are!" the red-armored man squawked in protest and pointed a sword blade at the Dynasty and the pommel of his other sword at himself.
     "Just pull your men back, we'll handle this," Rowen assured. The police glanced at each other then holstered their weapons and got into their cars.
     "Just try not to blow up too much," one cop sneered.
     "Talk about bulls in a china shop..." Another cop muttered as he buckled up. Tanya raised one hand, prepared to give them the bird as they backed up and began driving away, but Cye placed a hand on her arm and pushed it back down.
     "Don't bother."
     "Well if it isn't the Ronin Warriors come to save the day. As usual," Chaizar teased.
     "Hey Halo, you compensating for something?" Balthazar taunted. The Warrior of Light bristled at the comment.
     "Well I dunno, Balthazar. Maybe it's relative. Like your weenie dagger means yours is-" Ryo elbowed his sister in the ribs before she could finish the remark, but that alone enraged the cocky warlord.
     "Quiet yourself, fool!" Chaizar snapped before Balthazar could fire off a retort.
     "Let's get this over with. You attacking innocent civilians in broad daylight doesn't sit well with us, so you can do one of two things: Leave now, or we kick your butts," Ryo said sternly and tightened his grip on his swords.
     "Well, terrorizing the populace is good for us and all, but there is another reason we came," Chaizar began.
     "We brought a guest, and we would very much like for you to meet him," Scar spoke in his deep, raspy voice. Ryo frowned. Did they mean that fourth warlord?... The Ronin watched and waited as they saw movement from within the Dynasty ranks. Soldiers stepped to either side as something approached, but Scar and Chaizar's armor crests blocked the view. Then they stepped aside.
     Ryo drew in a sharp breath, air rattling in his throat, eyes widening as he saw the person that stepped to the front of the Dynasty Army. Tanya saw his expression out the corner of his eye and frowned.

"Ryo, what's wrong?"

"No...no way...it...it can't be..." Ryo stammered.

"Tell me that isn't who I think it is," Kento moaned.

"Guys! What's going on!" Tanya demanded.

"I...I think that's Anubis!" Rowen exclaimed.

"Who?!" It looked unmistakably like the Ogre formerly worn by the deceased Dark Warlord leader and one-time Staff Bearer. The current Staff Bearer, Kayura, had taken ownership of the Armor at the end of the Second Dynasty War, but this individual most certainly did not resemble the slim and beautiful former Dynasty Priestess.

"...A...Anubis?" Ryo whispered hoarsely.

"Attack!" Chaizar howled and the Dynasty minions rushed forth like a flood. Ryo stood there, stunned, while his friends lunged forth to repel the attackers. Kento immediately locked horns with a soldier while Rowen rained a hail of gold arrows from above. Sage sliced three in half with one stroke of his nodatchi while Cye speared one in the chest and slammed it into another soldier. The Night Warlords seemed content to stand back and let their subordinates battle unaided. They could call in dozens of reinforcements on a whim if needed, but with the way the Lady Ronin mowed down several with a single toss of her chakaram, reinforcements would be needed.
     Ryo remained frozen in place, paralyzed with shock. The battle seemed to slow as the mysterious person wearing the Ogre Armor stalked towards him, each footfall leaving a deep imprint in the pavement. The long coiled chain of the kusari-gama, the Ogre's signature weapon, rattled as the weighted claw on the tip bobbed up and down. Sunlight gleamed off the wicked scythe attached to the other end. "Anubis..." Ryo whispered. The person's pace quickened, and he raised the scythe slowly. "Anubis, is that you?" The corners of the person's lips curled up slightly in a smirk. "Anubis! Answer me!" Ryo screamed.
     The person clenched the coiled chain between two fingers then reached up with his thumb and forefinger and grasped the brow of his helmet. He slipped it off smoothly and held it at his side, reddish hair falling down his shoulders. Ryo's eyes widened when he saw that face, his worst fear confirmed. "Look upon my face, Ryo of the Wildfire, so it will be the last thing you see before you die!" Anubis raised the scythe and swung down.
     Ryo scowled and let go of his shock, instincts overriding his initial fear. He slashed up with one sword, aiming to block the scythe. The blade struck the weapon where the scythe connected to the metal shaft, then rattled upwards, bumping against something as it passed through the blade. The illusion distorted and Ryo saw his true foe.
     "Die, Wildfire!" Scar howled and swung with his mace again. The blow caught Ryo in the chest and sent him crashing against the abandoned police car. The impact jolted him out of his stupor and his eyes widened in dawning realization.
     "Pull back!" Ryo howled at the top of his lungs. The other Ronin paused in battle and glanced at him. "Fall back! Break away! Break away! Mia and Yulie are in trouble!" he screamed and scrambled to his feet and took off running. The other guys glanced at Rowen, who shrugged, then ran after their leader.
     "Hey! Where do you think you're going?!" Balthazar squawked.
     "This wasn't part of the plan! Scar, what did you do?!" Chaizar snapped.
     "Hey guys, don't forget about me." The Night Warlords turned around when they heard the smug voice. The Lady Ronin stood in the middle of the street with the Dynasty minions infront of her like pins in a bowling alley.
     "...crap in a hat..." Balthazar muttered.
     "TYPHOON BLAST!" Wind whipped up violently and swept the Dynasty soldiers into a furious horizontal storm. Windows shattered and loose bits of debris flew into the mix. The three Night Warlords howled in dismay as the funnel swept upward and flung them high into the air and out of sight. Tanya separated her swords and held them at her sides as she surveyed the battlefield. "oooh yeah, I think I get that 'bull in a china shop' comment now...um..." she turned around. Luckily most of the civilians had already evacuated, and the authorities had long since fled the area. "Well that's a relief...but who was that guy that freaked the guys out so much? Hmm...If Ryo's right and Mia and that kid are in trouble, they won't get there fast enough..." She raised her arm and jerked her wrist slightly. Air built up pressure then hissed as it discharged and the golden blade tip of the grapple line shot into the air, plunging into the roof of a building. The mechanism within the launcher whirred as the cord retracted, lifting the Lady Ronin into the air rapidly. She swung up, braced her feet against the wall, then leapt away. As she did so, the blade disengaged and the line whipped back into the launcher. Tanya fired again while in midair, and the blade shot off into the distance, catching another rooftop. She continued swinging from building to building using this method, becoming a pink blur in a race against time.

*****

"Where are your parents?" Mia panted as she and Yulie ran towards the parked jeep.

"Mom's at home, and Dad's across town at a conference. He dropped me off at the mall so I could wait there until he came to pick me up."

"Well, knowing how violent things can get when there's a Dynasty attack, it would be better if you came home with me. You can call your parents from there," Mia began as she searched for her keys. She barely had time to register the rasping metallic sound but immediately registered the pain as she felt something bite into her calf. She cried out and dropped her purse, collapsing to the ground on her side. Yulie gasped when he saw the gaping wound in Mia's left leg and looked up when he heard the approaching heavy footsteps of the attacker. His eyes widened, terror and confusion filling his mind.
     The warlord retracted his chain and coiled it up again, keeping the loop at his side as he walked down the street wards them. Mia propped herself up on one elbow and looked over her shoulder. "Anubis?" The former Ronin of Loyalty had removed his helmet. With such easy prey, he didn't need the protection, and it seemed just the sight of his face alone instilled fear more potent then the blood-red mask of his helmet. Yulie blinked a few times then shook his head, trying to compose himself and fight back his fear.               "Yulie!" Mia protested and reached out as the boy ran towards the warlord.
     "Anubis! What's wrong with you! Why did you attack Mia like that! She didn't do anything to you! What happened to you!? I thought you were dead!" Yulie demanded. He stood no more than a couple of feet away from Anubis, yet the warlord made no move to strike him...at first. Anubis stared down at Yulie, his gaze meeting the boy's. Just then did Yulie notice how his eyes appeared red, not the stern, yet kindly green he remembered.
     The reddish glow in his eyes seemed ominous, yet the warlord's gaze almost looked remorseful. Yulie stood there and made no move to dodge or flee as the warlord raised his arm. He moved to backhand the boy at first so he would strike him with the spikes on his gauntlet, but struck Yulie in the cheek with his palm at the last second instead, the blow hard enough to send the boy flying back and skidding against the pavement until he bumped into the crippled Mia.
     "Yulie! Don't worry about me! Get out of here! Now!" Mia ordered. Anubis began whipping his chain at his side, the weighted claw building momentum. Yulie stood up as the chain moved faster and faster. "Yulie!" Mia pleaded. Anubis smirked wickedly then hurled the claw at her. Yulie darted to the side and placed himself in the path of the chain, between it and Mia. The chain flew low, originally aiming for her head, but would likely pierce the boy in the gut... "YULIE!"
     Two long blades skewered the chain, passing through two of the links and stopping it cold. Yulie looked up in awe when he saw the pink armored form hovering in the air. Tanya held her weight up with the swords then jerked her arms to either side, shattering the chain as she wrenched it in two. She landed on her feet and stood up as Anubis jerked the broken chain back to his side. He coiled it up and stood there staring at her.
     "Yulie, grab a hold of my waist and hold on tight!" Tanya ordered as she sheathed her swords then knelt down and scooped up Mia in her arms. Yulie obeyed and wrapped his arms around the Lady Ronin's torso as she stood up. Tanya draped one of Mia's arms over her shoulder and had one arm around her waist while she raised her other arm and fired her grapple line. The line found purchase and Tanya leapt into the air and let the line carry her away. Yulie cried out, the same thrill that normally came from a roller coaster filling his body as the Lady Ronin sailed through the air. She swung around then to the side, landing behind the corner of another building. She set Mia down and Yulie let go and knelt by her side. "You two stay out of sight. I'll take care of this guy," Tanya said and ran back to the street to face the new warlord. Yulie ran over to the corner and Mia staggered to her feet and limped after him. The two peeked around the corner to watch the battle.
     "I know the Dynasty has no limits when it comes to cruelty, but attacking an unarmed woman and child really is disgusting! The others sounded like they knew you, but all I see is a monster serving the Dynasty," Tanya sneered and drew out her swords.
     Anubis remained silent for a few moments. He almost looked surprised to see Tanya, then smirked. "Foolish Lady Ronin...you should know better," he purred and turned the scythe around in his grip so the blade hung upside down. "I am Cruelty Incarnate!"
     "Tanya! Watch out!" Yulie shouted.
     "That's his Blade Pulse attack!" Mia hollered. Tanya looked over her shoulder at them, confused, then glanced at Anubis. The warlord jerked the weapon slightly as if firing a gun. Golden bolts of energy danced along the blade before erupting in a discharge that sped over the pavement, shredding the ground as it hurtled towards the Lady Ronin. Tanya gasped then sheathed her swords quickly. She then took out the halves of her chakaram, joined them together, pulled the weapon back, then pushed it forward. The pulse struck the chakaram and bounced back, but the force still sent Tanya flying back-first into the side of the jeep. Anubis' eyes widened and his form distorted as he vanished, avoiding the reflected attack. Mia and Yulie hurried over to the Lady Ronin's side as she sat up and shook her head. "Tanya, are you allright!?"

     "Yeah...I think so..." Tanya looked over her shoulder at the dent she had caused in the car. "oops...sorry 'bout that."

"Nevermind the car."
     "MIA! YULIE!" The three looked up when they saw the other Ronin arrive. "You two allright?" Ryo asked frantically.
     "They are now." Tanya assured.
     "What about Anubis? Where did he go?"
     "I think he teleported away. He's gone, for now," Mia said as she pulled herself up by the driver's side rear-view mirror. Blood still oozed out of her wound.
     "Whoa Mia, you shouldn't be moving with that serious a wound. Let me take care of that," Sage offered and knelt beside her.
     "There's a first aid kit in the back," she said. Cye went to retrieve the kit and the two worked to bandage her wound. Tanya walked over to her brother's side.
     "Ryo, who was that guy? You called him by name. Did you know him?" Ryo glanced at her sadly then looked up, staring off into space wistfully.
     He failed to notice the dark armored figure standing on a rooftop just across the street. The figure had his arms folded over his chest arrogantly. His face twisted into a sneer, reddish hair whipping about in the high breeze.
     "So, Mardrena...even through the span of ages, you still seek to mock me. I can sense your power has remained the same, but mine has increased greatly. My enemy, I will at last obtain the revenge denied me four hundred years ago..."

*****

Mia sat in bed with her back snuggled comfortably against several pillows. The guys had fetched every pillow they could find in the household. They're so sweet, she thought as she worked on editing some assignments from her students. Even when recovering she preferred to stay occupied. She paused mid-sip while drinking some tea when she heard a slight rap on her bedroom door. The door creaked open slightly and Ryo poked his head into the room meekly. "Hey there! Come on in, sit down," Mia invited and patted a spot on the comforter. Ryo walked over and slowly sat down. He remained quiet for a while then looked up at her.
     "Um...so...you doing okay?"
     "I've survived worse," Mia assured cheerfully. She frowned when she noticed how depressed Ryo looked. "Ryo? Are you okay?" Ryo sighed and closed his eyes.
     "I should've been there sooner...you could've been killed!"

"Ryo, things will happen, and you can't be everywhere in a heartbeat."
     "That's no excuse! I could've gotten there faster!"
     "Ryo, the guys told me how you stopped the battle when you sensed I was in danger. If you hadn't cried out like that, Tanya wouldn't have known to come as fast as she did. It's okay. Just let it go," Mia comforted and rubbed the back of his hand. Ryo placed his other hand on top of hers and squeezed it gently. Mia pulled her hand back after a while then went back to her work.
     "Mia...if someone has dreams...and think they mean something...does that mean they're crazy?" Ryo asked. Mia raised an eyebrow and put her pen down.
     "Well I don't think that's necessarily indicative of anything bad. Why do you ask?"
     "Well...when I woke up this morning, it was from this horrible dream...and...after what happened today, the more I thought about it, the more it started to make sense...Mia, I had a dream about Anubis being brought back from the dead!"
     "What?" Ryo shifted his position on the bed and began waving his hands slightly.
     "In my dream, I stood at the foot of a grave, crying, and it rained pretty heavily. Then the ground opens up and this dead black dragon comes out! It starts reviving and then it's wearing armor. The dragon didn't really want to attack me, but in the dream I saw Dygra and she controlled it. I saw Tanya and she offered to help me fight the dragon and try to save it, but then I woke up..." Mia opened her mouth but Ryo turned around and pulled something out from under his arm. "After we got back home, I checked out the paper to see if anything unusual had happened. Last night a storm front moved through, weather people reported several lightning strikes, particularly in this area of the city," Ryo pointed to a small map in the upper corner of the article. "That's the graveyard where we buried Anubis after the War! And that's not all.
     "Workers reported a desecration at one of the burial plots. They said that someone dug a hole in one of the graves, but forensics describe it as appearing as if something came out of the coffin! They didn't release the name of the person buried there, but a reporter took this picture of the site," Ryo pointed to a grainy photo of caution tape surrounding the site, and the statue of an angel behind it. "I saw that statue in my dream! That was where we buried Anubis! I had that dream the exact same time this happened! It can't be stress, because up until today I really hadn't thought much about Anubis' death!"
     Mia didn't know what to say at first. She chewed on her pen cap a moment then lowered her arm. "Well...I wouldn't doubt if this is tied to your new Armor. From what you described, all I can say is it means this wasn't Anubis' choice, and that there is hope we can save him. The question is how. You're not spell casters. Maybe Kayura would know, but we haven't heard from her in a while."
     Ryo gripped folds of the comforter in one hand and let the newspaper slide off the bed. He sighed and shook his head. "He was our friend...he may have been evil in the past but he became our friend and he helped us till the end...he doesn't deserve this!" Mia squeezed his hand again reassuringly.
     "We know Tanya's spirit is Hope. If she appeared in your dream then that means he can be helped, and would want to be helped. Even when he was controlled by Talpa, Anubis had a strong will. We can only hope that his will can overcome this spell."
     "I hope you're right, Mia, because even if he is our friend, if he endangers any more civilians, we'll have no choice...and I don't want him to die by my hand..."

*****

Anubis stalked through the halls of the fortress alone in search of a quiet room to meditate.
     "Stop right there, Traitor!" Anubis stiffened and turned around slowly to face his accuser. His face twisted into an annoyed sneer when he saw Balthazar. "I saw what happened after we returned to the citadel. We may have failed on our part in the end, but you had every chance to succeed! You waited too long to dispose of the woman and child, and that allowed the Lady Ronin time to intervene. Not only that, you allowed her to reflect your own attack. I think...you did that on purpose," Balthazar sneered as he began pacing around the warlord. "I think that was some faint whisper of your past life. In your heart you are still aligned with the Ronin, and even now you seek to undermine our efforts by being too lenient on your prey. Dygra may trust her magics, but I don't trust anyone who has been tainted by the Ancient's Will."
     Anubis stared at the warlord for several moments. Balthazar jumped slightly when he thought Anubis moved to strangle him again. Instead, Anubis leaned close until mere inches separated them. "I, do not answer to you, coward. I do not answer to Dygra..." Balthazar's eyes widened at that remark, but Anubis clamped one hand over his mouth and squeezed his cheeks tightly as if chastening a child. "I will do things in my own way, at my own pace, and not according to the whims of any other. Understand this...and stay out of my way!" With that, Anubis slammed Balthazar against the wall so hard, his head banged against the stone, rendering him unconscious. Anubis barely spared him another glance before walking away to some dark corner of the citadel.
     He didn't notice the shadow-shrouded figure standing behind the corner of the hall. Dygra stepped out into the hall and walked over to Balthazar quietly. She glanced down at him and sniffed in disgust then looked up at the departing warlord.

*****

"So what's with this Anubis guy anyway? You all knew him some time ago?"
     "Sort of..." Rowen began. Ryo remained in Mia's room, but the others gathered at the dining table. Yulie sat off by himself on the sofa. "Anubis used to be the leader of the Dark Warlords. They served as Talpa's generals in the Dynasty Wars. Back then we got our butts handed to us in battle, and Anubis gave it to us on a silver platter. He was one of the most vicious enemies we'd ever faced."
     "But what we didn't know at the time was that the Ronin Armors and the armors worn by the four Dark Warlords were forged from Talpa's armor. Despite this common link to evil, the Armors on their own had the capacity for good or evil, depending on the wearer. Anubis was recruited from the feudal age where he served as a noble warrior in ancient Japan. Back then it was do or die, and those were the qualities Talpa saw in him and desired for the Armor of Cruelty," Sage continued.
     "Even though he was a real jerk, Anubis always seemed different from the other warlords. They always used tricks and stuff to get at us, but Anubis just took on us straight on, no tricks, just his own strength. He also rarely picked on an unarmed opponent unless ordered or unless he'd beat the solid crap out of him in battle. That was probably when he started realizing Talpa was wrong, but Talpa wasn't the type to allow any chance of rebellion. He tried to break Anubis' will and control him totally. We were still able to defeat him, and when The Ancient saved him, he finally began to understand his Armor and his spirit," Kento added.
     "The Warlord armors differed from ours in the sense that their powers derived from deeper human emotions, and the four seasons: Autumn, Winter, Spring, and Summer. Anubis' armor represented Spring, and it drew power from the fury of the battle. He could be called the Warrior of Rage, but he could also be considered the Ronin of Loyalty. When Talpa began his last campaign to collect the Nine, he captured everyone except Anubis and Ryo. Anubis could have escaped on his own, but he helped Ryo, and fought at his side until he was consumed," Cye finished.
     "Anubis returned shortly after Talpa had captured Kento, Sage, and Cye. He worked with Mia and Yulie to find a way to finally defeat Talpa, but he died freeing a woman called Kayura from Talpa's control. I think seeing Anubis reanimated like this really bothers Ryo. He considered Anubis more of a close friend," Rowen noted.
     "But if he's evil now, what are we gonna do if he attacks the city, or us, again?"
     "The same thing we do to all our enemies: destroy them," Rowen stated curtly.
     "Guys! You can't do that!" Yulie cried out, and jumped out of his seat. "You didn't see what I saw! Anubis never wanted to hurt me and Mia. He was being controlled! I could see it! He's under a spell or something, because his eyes were red!"
     "Yulie, that may be true, but we don't have the means of undoing that spell. If Anubis continues attacking, we'll have to kill him. Besides, I would think he'd rather be dead than serving the Dynasty against his will," Rowen explained solemnly. He knew Yulie considered Anubis a close friend too, but the Ronin could not allow such emotions to interfere if innocent lives hung in the balance. Yulie's shoulders sagged and he went back over to the sofa to brood. He felt the cushion shift as someone sat beside him. Tanya wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulders and hugged him slightly. Yulie looked up into her bronze-brown eyes, feeling comforted.
     Whiteblaze had barely moved from his spot on the floor, napping since the Ronin returned from the city. He would twitch his ears occasionally during the Ronin's discussion, but so far remained quiet. His eyes opened abruptly and he lay there on the floor for a while before rising to all fours and turning around. A low growl escaped his throat and his thick fur bristled.
     "What's his problem?" Kento muttered. Whiteblaze flattened his ears and bared his teeth, staring off at the north side of the house. Rowen frowned. Whiteblaze never reacted in such a way unless... Rowen's eyes widened and he rose out of his seat.
     "Oh man...he wouldn't..." They could hear it now, a faint crashing sound outside.
     "He would..." Cye whispered and they took off for the door leading outside. They ran out into the front yard and halted when they saw the figure walking towards them.
     "MARDRENA! Come out and face me, now!" Anubis screamed as he steadily approached. "I know you are here. We will finish our battle, and I will be the victor! Show yourself, now! Cowardess!"
     "Mardrena? Why does he want her?" Kento muttered.
     "He probably thinks you're her, but why?" Sage asked Tanya.
     "I-I'm not sure...I sure as hell have never met this guy before...but...Rowen, you said Anubis was from a long time ago, right?" Rowen nodded. "Mardrena wore the Armor of Typhoon during that time. It's possible she may have fought him back then."
     "And from the way Anubis is yelling, he must've lost...badly."
     "Mardrena! Are you too afraid to face me now? Where are you!" Anubis howled. Tanya glanced at the others then took a step forward gingerly.
     "Anubis, right? Look, Mardrena is dead. She's been dead for over four hundred years. My name is Tanya. I'm the new Lady Ronin now."
     "You send post-adolescent maids to serve as your emissaries? Where are you! We will finish our battle, tonight!" Anubis seemed to ignore Tanya.
     "Oooohkaaay...I may not know him real well, but I am going to kick his ass..." Tanya growled. Rowen turned around and cupped his hands around his mouth.
     "Ryo! Ryo! Get out here now! Anubis is here!" he hollered. The balcony door slid open and Ryo ran out onto the deck.
     "What?" He looked out and saw Anubis and scowled. He then crouched and leapt into the air, landing on the ground wearing sub-armor. "Anubis, you have no right coming here! As long as you serve the Dynasty, you're not welcome!"
     "My quarrel is with the Bearer of Typhoon, Ronin Leader, not you-" Anubis' eyes widened slightly when he sensed something.
     Anubis...what do you think you are doing? I did not give you permission to leave the Citadel to satisfy your personal grudges...
     Dygra...stay out of this. This is between the Lady Ronin and I. This does not concern you... Anubis flinched from a hidden pain and raised a hand to his head.
     Oh, but it does. I revived you so you could serve me in destroying the Ronin Warriors. You will serve that purpose, and no other.
     "My vengeance...takes greater priority...than your whims...I will...not be denied," Anubis growled. Ryo raised an eyebrow when it seemed Anubis talked to himself.
     Your will is of no consequence! You are mine, body and spirit! I command you now to attack that structure, and kill all who dwell there! Anubis clutched the sides of his head, armored fingers digging into his hair.
     "You do not command me! I serve my own fate!"
     "You serve me, and you will obey me!" Dygra proclaimed from her throne room and curled her claws. Golden energy crackled above her palm, mixing with violet energy. Back at the estate, Anubis arched his back and screamed.
     "Anubis!" Ryo cried out when he saw the warlord in obvious pain. "It's Dygra...she's trying to control him. Fight it! Anubis! Fight it!"
     "You...serve...the Dynasty...ALONE!" Dygra howled and clenched her fist. Anubis stood up straight all of a sudden, head bowed and eyes shadowed by his bangs.
     "Anubis?" Ryo whispered. Had he won the contest of will?
     "I serve only the Dynasty, and you will die, all of you, by my hand," Anubis spoke almost robotically and looked up at them. He uncoiled his chain and prepared to lash it.