Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Insanity's Requiem ❯ Insanity's Requiem-Battle ( Chapter 17 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I don't own any of them, and that's that. I own Lena, Lethias and the other various characters I introduced for my amusement, so there! Hehehe, happy now? I made the disclaimer! ^_^

Alight, here comes the next chapter. I am thinking that this will be the final one, but it's possible that it isn't. Not sure yet. Of course, either way, I do intend for there to be an epilogue of sorts, then a sequel, if I can actually make it alright enough. Let us all pray for that and for those of you in the USA reading this, Happy Fourth! More stuff to say at the end of the chapter!

Insanity's Requiem

Chapter 17: Insanity's Requiem-Battle

“Guys, what should I do?” Lena whispered, looking at each of them. Her sight took in so much she had never noticed before. Life forces of all of her friends, the auras they had, even that which ran in the stone of the ground itself and the sparkles that made itself known in the air. Frankly, it was getting to be a bit much as she glanced around at each of them, blinking rapidly.

Kayura took notice, and stepped forward, her mind taking into account the fact of what was going on, and the battle itself. Reaching forward, “Ignore what you are seeing right now. It makes you look like you have a palsy, and I doubt that you really want that. I'll show you control a little later, but for now, just listen to what it is that the spirits tell you to do.”

Lena nodded as the others either joined her in encouragement or looked totally clueless as to the matter. Taking a couple guesses, Kento and Sehkmet were the ones that remained clueless. It was just over their head, all the spiritual stuff, thus they paid more attention to the battle.

“Guys! Ryo is getting creamed! We gotta help him!” Kento shouted from where he stood as Black Blaze roared out in agreement.

“Crap, hardhead is right!” Sage said, peaking around from the boulders they used as shields. Cye nodded, “I don't like this, mate.”

“Who does? But what can we do? As it is, we sent all our power to Ryo for Inferno. How are we supposed to help him? We'll only get in the way,” Rowen said, his voice full of the irony of the situation.

“Well, then we make an opportunity!” Kento shouted out.

“Be reasonable Hardrock. You know as well as the others that you can't do it,” Dais said calmly, looking up at the Orange armored warrior with a shake of his head. Kayura nodded her agreement as Kale smirked silently. Kento just seethed.

Mia looked at each of the warriors in turn with a small shake of her head, her own mind calculating as much of a plan that she would be able to give. Nothing she came up with made too much sense on the situation. The fact that the armors were still present despite the fact that Inferno was in action was incredible enough.

The battle waged on furiously.

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Ryo grunted, slamming forth as vigorously as he could. The power he now wielded was enormous, but it didn't help the fact that with each Nether Spirit's release, Lethias grew stronger. Wasn't the idiot strong enough? Thank god the guys had been able to react fast enough to avoid the boulders, he couldn't offer much more of his attention to them at the moment.

Lethias, true to what Ryo believed, was gaining in strength, however slowly it seemed. When something of his power was taken, the Nether Spirits worked to replace it. The system was beautiful in design, since, after all, he had made it himself. Grinning maliciously as was his nature, he darted forward with his dark sword, bearing down on Ryo's as they came body to body. A swift kick dodged as he responded in kind, swinging his own foot up to knock Ryo aside.

Ryo cried out, hitting the wall with a wince of pain. His eyes slinked open slowly as he pulled himself up into a sitting position, then standing, “Oh yea? Your mother wear's army boots!”

Lethias's face was priceless. He nearly stopped, confused for a moment at the crack as he shook off the strangeness, “Ok and that meant what? I think the battle is mine to win now. Already, insanity creeps up on you!”

Ryo bit his lip, and then readied himself for the next attack as the sound of a roar from a tiger filled the area, followed by the haunting sounds of a flute, “Huh? What's that?”

Lethias cursed, rushing forward, “You're finished!”

“Not quite, bucket head!” Someone yelled as arrows landed in Lethias's path. The demon dodged to the side as four figures landed out beside Ryo, grins plastered on each of their faces. Cye looked over his shoulder at Ryo, “Thought you could use some help, buddy!”

The bearer of Hardrock, Kento, looked in front of him, “Oh yea! I'm so energized! Fired up and ready to go!”

“Calm down. You are such a moron,” Rowen grumbled as Sage laughed, “Let him have his fun.”

“Guys?” Ryo asked dumbfounded, speaking over the eerie music of the flute, “What are you doing here?”

“We got power again! And we are here to help you fight!” Kento grinned wildly as Ryo sighed; feeling as if some sort of flame suddenly surrounded him, feeding his armor like the wildfire itself. Inferno was recharged, and he decided not to ask how just yet.

Leaning down, each of them readied themselves for the battle, “Alright! Round two!”

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The guys watched everything clash against the other. Lethias and Ryo's battle really held the interest of them all. Grimaces were given as wounds were felt, and their exhaustion from power donation riddled their minds. The girls hung back behind Kayura, watching quietly from atop Black Blaze's back per orders of the Ronins.

Lena sighed, listening to what was going on around them, but hearing the voice of the spirits who answered her plea to help.

Look. You don't have the training just yet to summon us with just your mind. Use your flute…

Flute?

Yes! The spirit didn't have you play it for nothing in the first place! Come on now! Don't act stupid. Just because you are there to help us, doesn't mean we have to deal with idiocy. Use the flute to call the spirits you need…

How? I can't do that…

Hogwash. You can if you wanted to. Their armors are fed by the elements…just call on the spirits of those!

Lena nodded to herself, looking at each of the guys. She could feel it in their auras, the want to fight back the evil. She had to do it…though she had no clue where the damn flute was!

Sage leaned back, his cal façade in place as Kento beat the rocks before him with hardened fists. Cye was obviously tense as Rowen calculated ways for them all to win the battle at hand. Kayura concentrated on her staff as Dais, Kale and Sehkmet all did their best to keep look out for the dangers that may still come. However, each of them heard the tune. Haunting, yet familiar, at least to two of them, each of the warriors whirled around to look at the source with wide eyes.

Standing in place, stood Lena, a simple yet elegant flute in her hands, resembling that of a bamboo flute. Her fingers ran along the holes delicately as she angled it before her. Each of the warriors glanced around wildly, as they heard…no…felt the powers surging about them.

“I'm summoning the spirits of your elements, guys. Accept the power they bring you, and fight!” Lena's mind hit like a knife on the link between them all. Each of them nodded, accepting what was to be given, and in return, they found their own strength to fight on with a valiant courage. The armors themselves need to glow as Rowen spotted the trouble first. No one questioned why it worked the way it had, but merely sprang into action with the best entrance they could muster.

Rowen fired off his arrows rapidly as each of them leapt down to land beside their Leader in white armor, offering their aid. Kayura, Mia and the others nodded approval. Her warlords and Kayura herself would wait out this battle, to see when they would be needed.

All played to the tunes from the flute, where Lena sat tall upon the back of Black Blaze, eyes closed, her concentration solely upon the flute in her hands as Sehkmet glared at it, “Damn it! That was the flute I was trying to find!”

Mia just coughed at the irony.

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Ryo stood tall before his friends, his swords in front of him as his armor seemed to glow brightly. He smiled, his exhaustion a thing in the past as he felt the power of fire flow through his veins. He couldn't see them, but the spirits of fire seemed to hug closely to him in a blanket sort of gesture. Each of the warriors seemed to feel the same thing as they readied themselves for the battle.

“You guys can't hope to beat me! I have the nether spirits behind me, and my power is far more then yours!” Lethias seemed confident as he rushed forward, Ryo meeting the rush.

“You are way too confident for a person who is now fighting five warriors who are pulling the same thing as you!” Ryo yelled out, slashing his other sword forward as Kento rushed forward, hardheaded as always as he swung his Bo out at the monster before him, “You are going down!”

The weapon made contact, causing the demon to wince. Cye took his opportunity to attack as his Yari slashed forward with wicked precision, followed by the powerful stroke of Sage's no-datchi. Wave after wave after wave of attack rushed forward as Lethias forced some back, landing hits upon one of the warriors only to be beaten back by another. His eyes widened, puzzled at the new found strength, but knowing that the flute was the reason of it all. Damn them!

“No!” He cried out, his voice lashing out as he slashed Kento, giving him a painful gash from collarbone to stomach. Kento cried out in pain as he jerked back, nearly dropping his weapon as Cye went to him, catching his friend before he pounded into the wall. Sage snarled out, whipping his blade up and back furiously, forcing the demon back as Rowen shot arrow after arrow at the thing.

Lethias dodged and whipped around, his spirits not replenishing enough of his power to make a credible difference from their rapid onslaught. A terrible thought occurred to him. He may actually loose this. His anguish shouted out as he began to throw energy balls at the Ronins, who dodged them as best as they could.

“Ronins! Fire!” Ryo shouted out a command to them as they all figured out what to do. One by one, they each stood, battered, as they raised their weapons.

“Arrow Shock Wave!” The onslaught was released as the air cried out in response.

“Super Wave Smasher!” The spirits of water responded, their anger at Lethias answered through them.

“Thunderbolt Cut!” Light was given its path as true as it could, it's course guided by the spirits.

“Iron Rock Crusher!” Earth shook, its strength regained as the quakes symbolized its own cry for vengeance.

“Rage of Inferno!” Ryo's cry was heard above the rest, louder then the guys, more noticeable then the flute of music at Lena's lips. The spirits of fire screamed their rage, released at last as they combined their attack with that of the other five, sending it all into the black demon.

Lethias was jolted back against the wall, a cough escaping his lips as he winced terribly, blood sputtering from his lips in black driblets as he sank to the floor, his eyes blank as the fire, light, water, earth and air itself swept him up. When the rage ended, he was gone. The pole itself was destroyed, the door closed once more and the hall empty of all but those who had just witnessed the battle.

Ryo panted out, standing amongst the guys, his eyes searching theirs as Mia lead the way to their heroes. His whispered voice betrayed the exhaustion he now felt at the battle's end, “Thank you spirits. But…is it all over now?”

Sage shrugged, using his sword as a cane in a sense, “It had better be…”

Ryo nodded as the others turned to greet their over enthusiastic cheering squad, looking at each of his warriors. They were all tired, that much was sure. But it seemed like the battle was won.

Lena hopped off Black Blaze, who changed as the Ronins did out of their armor. Smiling, she held the flute to her chest, a bit tired herself as she looked up at the ceiling, thinking, `Thank you spirits…you helped us a great deal. The battle is over.'

Nay child. The battles have only just begun. The road is long…we just made it a bit easier for you.

Lena smiled, looking up at the guys. She met their gazes, nodding in return to each of them, suddenly feeling closer to them then she ever had before. They had become like family, and she didn't begrudge it, “Thanks guys.”

They looked up at her, shrugged, and then smiled in their various ways. The battle was over.

~end~

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Author's note: Ok, well, here is the final chapter. I will write an epilogue for this story, so don't worry about that. There are a few loose ends to this to tie up, since there are three more months to get through before the end of her trip. Anyways, I just wanted to give special thanks and dedicate this chapter to one of my loyal reviewers, Inda. The calling of the various spirits to empower the Ronins was her idea, and I liked it a lot! So, I felt she should get mention in that. Anyways, another side note is that I will begin work on getting those one-shots up! I hope others want to participate in that, or at least partially. I'll figure out how that works in a little while. Meanwhile, I'm headed to bed! Ja Ne for now!

Hikaru

Comments from Beta Reader: The Sacred Bovine: ~*You slugs shall fear my Salt of Justice for I am the Slug Hunter!!*~

Reviews: Thank you all so much for sending them my way!

JJ: I'm glad you think that of my story. I truly, truly appreciate that. I'll keep trying. Some days I'm better at it then others. Anyways, I plan to keep it up!

Inda: Well, I hope your trip went well for you! I really do! And thanks for rooting for me like you have been! The ideas, well I wanted to thank you for them somehow, so I decided that this was kinda a good way to do it! The ideas are really good you know, so thanks!