Ronin Warriors Fan Fiction ❯ Ronin Warriors: Dragon's Wrath ❯ The Luminance from the Heavens ( Chapter 13 )

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

Ryo erupted in his aura again as he shot into the air, above Navcase. Two red boots locked together over both his feet, as a white plate locked into place over each. Two pieces came from either side, forming his shin guards. Two more locked into place over his thighs. Joints shot from the lower part of his thigh plates to the upper part of his shin plates, covering up his knee completely. Two pieces came from behind and in front, and formed a skirt armor around his waist. A piece came in from behind him, and attached itself to his back, as another came from the front, making up his torso. His upper arms were surrounded by twin panels that came from either side, and a white armor followed by blue gauntlets with a red fin attached to each of his forearms. His shoulder guards attached from behind and in front, as two pieces came from the lateral and medial sides of his hands, locking into place, and then armor protracting over his fingers and thumbs, forming his gloves. His helmet came from behind his head and locked into place, as the faceplate locked into place as well, forming his helmet. A part came down over his eyes and the bottom of his face plate closed up from both sides like his old armor did, causing him to look the spitting image of Wing Zero Custom. His wings of Flame became metal, completing the illusion.

The Ronins stood there, gasping, their jaws dropped at the sight as Ryo touched down. Navcase started to show worry in his face.

"Now Navcase..." Ryo said from behind his helmet. "We're even."

Navcase charged at Ryo with all his might, but Ryo punched him, knocking him back. He rose into the air and hovered, charging at Navcase, pummeling him with punch after punch. Navcase dodged left and right, back and back again, desperately trying to escape Ryo's wrath.

"Whohoo! Ryo's in the zone!" Kento cheered.
"Now to take you down." Ryo said.

His Machinecannons opened up, forcing Navcase to take a defensive stance to protect himself from the bullets. However, several still hit him, cutting his arms and legs, along with his clothing.

Navcase thought hard as the bullets struck him. He tried to think of what technique he could use to break through this onslaught. Ryu Tsui Sen was out of the question; Ryo could see it coming and would use the time it took for him to descend to counter it. He could not get close enough for most of the moves. His only hope was to use the blinding speed of the style to evade Ryo's bullets until they ran out.

He dodged Ryo relentlessly, appearing to teleport as he led Ryo's non-stop barrage towards him, and then to his new position.

"He's just dodging?" Sage thought. "He's dead now."
"I don't think so Sage...I think he's doing it deliberately." Rowen said.

After several minutes of non-stop dodging, Ryo's weapons clicked as they spun, depleted of bullets. Navcase then stopped.

"Fool. I used the godlike speed associated with Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, in an effort to deplete your supply of ammunition. Now you are completely vulnerable."

Navcase turned to one side and brought his sword arm back and bent at the knees, and flew at Ryo with Gatousu, first stance once again. But there was one thing Navcase was unprepared for. Ryo brought out a new Twin Buster Rifle and aimed it as he charged. The crosshairs lined up and Ryo fired.

Navcase cut off in mid charge, launching himself into the air. He breathed a sigh of relief that the weapon was not in Blast Everything to Hell Mode. He had to get him now.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu! Ryu Tsui-Sho Sen!" Navcase shouted.

He came crashing down with the hammering blow of Ryu Tsui Sen, using his weight and gravity to accelerate himself into Ryo, before landing and slashing upwards with the Ryu Sho Sen technique. Ryo was caught off guard and fell back. He put up his metal wings to block.

Navcase smiled. It reminded him of a fight he had observed back in Kyoto during the 11th Year of the Meiji Restoration, when a warrior named Usui had done the same thing. Perhaps what had worked back then would work now...

Ryo gasped in pain as Navcase penetrated his wings with his sword, slicing cleanly through them and piercing part of his armor. His friends watched in horror. Navcase had performed an attack at point blank range, with almost no explanation as to where the power for it came from.

"The Hiratsuki Technique, developed by the great strategist of the Shinsengumi, second in command Toshizou Hijikata, has no weak points. Furthermore, the Gatousu technique, an adaptation of the Hiratsuki by third division captain, Hajime Saitou, has even less. There are different attacks for different circumstances, naturally. The first is the usual method. The Second is from striking diagonally from above. The third is to counter attacks from above."

He extracted his sword and strode away, sheathing his sword.

"And the technique I just demonstrated, which strikes at point blank range with power that comes from nowhere, is the Zero Method."

Ryo doubled over in pain. Navcase was dangerous. Very dangerous. His mastery of two different techniques proved that. Only a truly gifted swordsman could do that. There had to be a way to stop him. Ryo bowed his head as he sighed, noticing that he could see his face in his armor, in fact, in his wings as well...of course! The armor was called White Reflection, was it not?

He watched as Navcase went out of his trot and turned back around, drawing his sword, before charging at Ryo, going airborne and prepared for Gatousu type two. As he descended, Ryo brought his wing into the sunlight and reflected it like a mirror. Navcase screamed in pain as the light hit his eyes, breaking his concentration and causing him to fall to the ground in pain. He slowly struggled to his feet, limped over to Ryuujin, and climbed back inside.

"You've won this battle Wildfire...or should I say, Tsubasa no Hi...but Ceiphied and I will win the war! Round one goes to you...Let us see who wins round two..."

The armor closed around him as Navcase blasted into the sky, flying back towards the base with the other minions, at least those who were still alive.

"Yeah! And stay away!" Kento shouted after them.

Ryo stood there, and the others watched as the armor on his body vanished in a brilliant flash of light, leaving only him and his wings of flame, and his glowing purple aura. The flames soon died down, however, as did the aura fade, and Ryo collapsed face first. The others rushed to his side.

"Hariel, find any energists the Draconai may have missed and destroy them." Anubis ordered.
"You got it." Hariel responded.

After several hours had passed, Ryo's eyes slowly opened. The room came into focus as he found his friends around him, with Mia tending to him.

"What happened..." Ryo wondered.

"A great deal, actually. After you died, Ceiphied became relentless on us. He sent each of his five generals, one by one, to test and hopefully defeat us. I myself was consumed by a demon of vengeance and became powered up. Although this power is very dangerous, it is one that has ensured that we made it this far, to talk with you." Anubis explained.

Kento broke the tone of the meeting instantly.

"WHOA RYO!!!! What was that thing you did?"
"What thing..." Ryo asked, still quite out of it.
"That thing you did where you got flaming wings and a cool armor and kicked Navcase's ass? Can you teach me how?" asked.
"That is impossible Kento." Kayura said as she entered.

Kayura was dressed in the traditional robes of the Ancient. She walked towards where Ryo was lying on the floor.

"During the confrontation, you called yourself Tsubasa no Hi. That is prophesied in the ancient texts." she explained.
"The Legend of the Seven Seishi, correct? I read a little on this up when I was training with Amaterasu. I never thought I was one of them."
"I know you are weak Ryo, but can you show me this power again? I want to make sure." Kayura said.
"I'll try." Ryo said.

He and the others walked outside to a clearing, far from anything combustible, in the event that Ryo lost control. Kento called his armor and stepped forward to serve as a target.

"Okay Ryo, let's light this candle." Kento said.

Ryo closed his eyes and began to focus. He tried to search for this power that had manifested itself so dramatically. He dug deeper and deeper into his chi, and it exploded out. A purple aura erupted around him, and slowly, his flaming wings made their presence known again, as his Seishi wardrobe came forth.

Kento charged towards the unarmed Ryo, ready for action. Ryo could not be that good...

"Tsubasa no Hi! Ken En!" Ryo called out, as his wings sent flame from them to his hands, forming blades of pure flame. He blocked Kento's attack with one blade, and slashed with the other, burning him and knocking him back.

"Tsubasa no Hi! En Jin!" Ryo called out. His wings wrapped around his arms, forming tonfa-like blades, which he used to slash several times at Kento, weakening him with every blow. The flames disappeared from his arms and returned to his back as he rose into the air.

"Tsubasa no Hi! Renzoku Dan En!" Ryo shouted.

His wings began launching rapid fire balls of flame that Kento attempted to dodge, but he was unable to dodge them all. He fell and declared he gave up. Ryo descended and alighted, the wings fading away, and his aura dropped down to normal range, leaving him still clothed in his Seishi garb. Ryo doubled over as the energy drain hit him. The others rushed to Ryo, but he motioned to them.

"I'm okay. I'll get used to this power." he explained.

"Ryo, as for that armor, you should use it sparingly. It is quite powerful and easily knocked you out from the output. That, and it is dangerous for you at close range, without any melee weapons, such as your Swords of Wildfire." she explained.

"Perhaps, where this could be a Mecha Armor version of Inferno, Saber Strike already has the weapons."

Suddenly Mia ran in.

"Guys, it's bad. Ceiphied's at it again. He's attacking Toyama with Navcase again."
"Apparently he's already healed himself from when we fought him last. We better get going." Rowen said.

The Ronins and Warlords went through the usual motions to call upon their armors. But when the sequences ended, only Ryo was without armor.

"Um, Ryo, get into your armor..." Sai whispered to him.

Ryo focused all his power, went through the motions again. But his armor never came. There was no black background behind him. Nor were there bolls of silk. Nor Cherry Blossoms. Only Ryo, and his Seishi garb.

"What Ryo, are you beyond armor or something?" Kento joked.
"In a word, yes. The ancient texts speak of the Seishi being able to fly with their chi alone." Kayura said.
"Like the Z Fighters." Ryo said.
"Exactly." Kayura said.

The Ronins and Warlords fired up their thrusters and took to the air. Ryo began to concentrate. Harder and harder. If the Z fighters such as Goku could do it, then so could he. Without realizing it, he rose into the sky, and joined his friends. Together they rocketed forward towards Ceiphied.

As they reached the city, they spotted Navcase and the Draconai blasting their way through a city block, injuring or killing innocent people, with Ceiphied himself supervising. Ryo's mind flared with anger, and his wings emerged, and a rapid fire volley of flame blasts rained down on the Draconai. The Ronins and Warlords touched down.

"Okay, Rowen, you and the others see if you can hold off the other Draconai. Kale, Sekhmet, Dais, cut off their escape route. Ryo, stay here and see if you can help me with Navcase." Anubis said.

Anubis concentrated and began to focus his power. "I know this is dangerous...but I need your power to defeat him..." Anubis thought.

The demon smiled as Anubis once again called out the command words and the added metal cloak panels attached and the armor changed slightly. Anubis charged with all his fury at Navcase with his scythe, but Navcase parried with Ryu Sho Sen.

"Your anger makes you weak...and the demon weaker. You may be strong, but you fight three battles...one with me, one with the demon that gives you that power...and the third with the hidden power within you, that seeks to defeat the demon." Navcase explained. "As a master of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, I can read your ki like a book."

With a flourish of his hand, he fired several blasts, each of which flew at a particular one of the good guys. One by one they turned in horror or were cut down by the blasts. Navcase smiled evilly. He knew what would happen next.

"KI-SAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Anubis screamed at the top of his lungs, his eyes glowing white. He transformed into the demon once again and landed blow after blow on Navcase, knocking him back. He picked up the swordsman and slammed him into the wall holding him by his feet, brought his fists together and hit him from above, hurled him into the air, grabbed him in midair and body slammed him, but Navcase got up.

"Pathetic. Rage cannot defeat focused power." Navcase explained.

The enraged beast threw him at a wall, but Navcase kicked off and flew towards him.

"Thank you so much Anubis. Ryu Kan Sen! Arashi!" Navcase shouted.

He went into a forward roll that brought his sword slamming into Anubis' head, knocking him back a few feet.

"I have one parting gift for you." Navcase shouted.

He raised his sword above his head, and Chi began to gather.

"Aoyama Technique!" he called out.

He swung his sword, causing waves of energy to lash out at Anubis, driving him into another wall and causing him to power down.

Ryo watched as his friends fell. He watched as Anubis was knocked backward by a strange attack from Navcase. He had not heard of this move. It did not seem to be of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, otherwise Hiko would have demonstrated it on him. But Navcase still had to be stopped.

"Now to finish you off, Anubis." Navcase said.

He prepared to fire his emerald blasts once again, and they flew towards an unconscious Anubis. Navcase gasped in surprise as Ryo leapt in front of the blasts. Ryo focused hard. His soul lit with power. He had to stop the blasts.

The emerald attacks slammed into a wall of energy that seemed to come from nowhere, nullifying them. When it was done, Ryo was standing there, his aura still glowing.

"I'll be your opponent now." Ryo said.
"Well, round two." Navcase said.
"I have to try..." Ryo thought. "One last time..."
"ARMOR OF ZERO WILDFIRE!!!! TAO JIN!!!!!!" Ryo shouted.

Nothing happened.

Putting everything he had into it, he focused again, and began the motions.

"ARMOR OF WHITE NEO WILDFIRE!!!!! TAO JIN JIN!!!!!!!"

Again, nothing happened. Navcase took his sword and charged Ryo, inflicting blow after blow. He used Ryu Sho Sen to send Ryo flying upward and crashing down nearby.

"Okay, that's it. Now or never." Ryo said. "ARMOR OF WHITE REFLECTION!!!!!!!!!!!"

In a dramatic display as before, the armor's components attached to him one by one. He stood ready to fight him again.

But he still had no blades. His Wings could not produce them. Navcase took advantage of that, hitting him time and time again with Ryuujin's power. The armor was strong, and managed to protect Ryo. But with every blow, the armor began to slowly weaken. He needed a miracle. With one good emerald blast Navcase sent Ryo flying for a loop.

"Round two goes to me. I won't give you a final one." Navcase said, charging his emeralds.

Ryo was down and out. He struggled to get up, but he was still weak from when he fought Navcase and Kento earlier. His armor was heavy, too. He could not break out the cannon to fire it. It would do nothing. Navcase would just knock it back at him. He needed a miracle, something that could make Navcase turn back. He smiled as he heard the telltale whistle of incoming missiles.

An explosion ensued as Navcase was knocked off his feet as several missiles landed near him. As he got to his feet, a large metal machine landed in the street, looming thirty feet above him. The Forgotten Souls leapt off and headed over to help the Ronins and Warlords.

"Hey Ryo! Mind if we join the party?" Hariel asked.
"We got our RSVP's late. Mail's screwed up." Saranbo added.
"I can see why, the guest of honor's quite ugly." Sun Devil added.

Saber Strike felt a strange feeling come over him. He seemed drawn to Ryo. He walked over to him. As the distance decreased, both he and the armor began to glow. When there was nothing between them, they glowed brightly, as if the two were reacting. When the light faded, Saber Strike's armor had changed, and he had twin sheaths on his back for the Swords of Light. He kneeled before Ryo, who pulled the swords out slowly, and instinctively held the blades above his head. They began to crackle with energy, and it began to leap from blade to blade, traveling up to the tip.

Navcase watched this attack. He had never seen this one before. Ryo's special technique involved placing the blades end to end. This was a new one. But he could feel the intense energy from it. He then gasped as Ryo pointed the blades towards him.

"Luminance from the Heavens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Ryo screamed.

The energy leapt from the blades and shot a white hot beam of energy towards Navcase. The distance was cut between them, and he screamed in pain as the blast hit him. But the pain was greater for his mind than it was for his body. He began to see colorless images.

"Shinta-chan! Run! Don't let them get y-" he heard his mother say.

He watched in horror as a swordsman drove his sword into his mother's chest, and pulled it out violently, her falling to the floor in a heap of blood. He saw his younger self run to his mother's side.

"Shinta-chan..." she said. She placed her hand across her young son's face, before passing on and her hand falling lifelessly to the floor.

"BASTARD!!!!!!!!!!!!" he heard a voice shout. It was that of his father, Tomokazu Tennomi. He was a tall, intimidating man, with hair that stopped at his nose. He watched his father draw his sword and charge, only to be cut down by his mother's killer. He watched as his younger self lay between his slain parents, cowering in fear.

He remembered that night vividly. He remembered being so terrified by the swordsman's kenki, yet wanting so badly to hurt the man who had slain both his parents.

"Ah, a witness. Can't leave you around." he heard the swordsman say.
"That's enough." another, deeper voice said.

He, along with his younger self, saw the swordsman turn around to view a tall, even scarier man, standing in the doorway. He had four strands of hair that fell over his face, the rest was tied behind him in a ponytail. He wore a large cape over his shoulders.

"Who are you, asshole?" he heard the killer say.

The stranger drew his sword from under his cape, and held it in front of him. The man spoke with a tone that frightened Navcase, even now, his younger self, and the killer.

"You will not live long enough to know my name. I know of a very safe place to run...it's called hell."

The man went into a move that struck all nine vital points one by one with blinding speed...Navcase remembered their names...Karatake, a downward stroke, Kesagiri, a strike to the shoulders, reverse Kesagiri, right and left Nagi, the belly stroke and the reverse, right upward cut, left upward cut, Sakaze, the upward stroke, and Tsuki, which pierces the chest. The man bled to death and fell in a heap before this man who sheathed his sword.

"You there!" this man called out.

His younger self pointed to himself.

"Yes you, boy. Come with me. We're going to bury your parents."

Navcase watched as the large man dug a grave for them both, and placed his beautiful mother, Yumi Tennomi, within one and his father, noble to the end, within the other. He covered them up and began to dig a third.

"Sir, what are you doing?" he heard his younger self ask.
"This one's you. Can't let them find out you're still alive. What's your name boy?" he asked.
"Shinta...Shinta Tennomi." his younger self stammered.

The man laughed at it. He saw his younger self become sad.

"That's no name, for a boy who's about to become a swordsman. From now on...your name will be..."

He later learned that the long pause was because he could not think of one. He had heard from this man later, that he had looked to the stars for an answer, and a voice whispered in his ear the name he now bared...

"Well, something tells me we should call you Navcase." the man said.
"Navcase?" his younger self said.
"My name is Seijirou Hiko, and I am the 4th Successor of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu Style. It will be tough, but I believe you've got potential kid. Let's go."

The scene changed, and He watched himself and a young girl sitting together under the stars on a hill. Something seemed to remind him that he was nine at the time and still training with the 4th Hiko, and she was eight. Her voice seemed to echo across time.

"Shinta-chan?" she said.
"Yes Yuriko?" he heard his younger self say.
"When we get older, let's get married." she said.
"Married?" he heard himself say, with a confused look on his face.
"It's what grownups are supposed to do when they love each other." she said.
"It is?" his younger self said.
"Uh-huh." she said.
"Yuriko?" his younger self asked.
"Yes?" she said, slightly starry eyed.
"What's love?" his younger self asked.

She instantly got a evil look across her face and smacked him, before pinning him down trying to kiss him.

"I remember that..."

The scene changed, and he saw her again. She was older now, and the years had been good to her. Something told him that this was when he was seventeen and she was sixteen. She had grown into a beautiful young woman. He also recalled he had gone off for a few days, deep into the woods, to train with his master. Since he was six, he had been training with Hiko. He had arranged for him to stay with a family he knew in Kyoto, the Toumahama's. They were very friendly and had a young daughter named Yuriko. When they first met, her face was colored red. When he asked what was wrong, she had smacked him. Although Hiko had introduced him as Navcase, she soon found out his original name, and loved to tease him about being named Shinta. He insisted that his name was Navcase, as it was what Hiko named him. But she did not seem to care. When he would go off to train with Hiko, when he came back she was so ecstatic that she tackled him as soon as he entered the home. He assumed that she was just very happy to see him. He was confused when she had made him promise to marry him one day. But the years taught him why; even from that young age, she loved him from the moment she had first set eyes on him.

"Yuriko?" he heard his now much older self say.

The next thing he knew, he saw himself get tackled by Yuriko as usual.

"Shinta-chan! You're home!" she said happily. "How did the training go?"
"Very well. I am now the 5th Successor of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu style." he heard himself say.
"That's wonderful! As far back as I can remember, you've always talked so highly of him. I want to thank him for what he's made you." Yuriko said.
"That's not possible...as per tradition...he died from complications, shortly after teaching me the succession technique. That is the fate of all who practice Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu."
"Oh..." she said, sadly, but understanding what he was saying.
"He said that the name Seijirou Hiko is passed down from master to master...the name is taken on by each successor. His final act as Hiko the 4th was very strange..." he said.
"What was it?"
"His dying words were, 'I, Hiko the 4th, decree that no other apprentice of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu style EVER BE NAMED SHINTA!!!!! Navcase, it is your responsibility to pass this knowledge on. It may become useful someday, to a man named Nobuhiro Watsuki.'"
"Is he a successor too?"
"No, but he said he will write about the travels of the 14th student of the style..." he said.

(Yuriko goes over and whacks the writer)

Destonus: Hey!
Yuriko: How dare you make my Shinta-chan say an anachronism! That's the last time you spend the weekend watching that series!
Destonus: Sorry...moving on...

...

"Anyway...does this mean I can't call you Navcase anymore?" she asked.
"No...I took the title but I refuse to use it. You can still call me Navcase." he said.

She got an evil grin across her face.

"I like Shinta-chan better." she said, tackling him to the floor again, trying to kiss him.
"Yuriko! Please! Get off me!" he said, struggling to get free.

The scene changed again. Both he and Yuriko were older. Shortly after the previous event, her father had asked him to serve as one of his personal samurai. Navcase accepted. Between that time, he had been traveling on a mission for his daimyo, when a strange man dressed like a monk had asked him to retrieve the Armor of Ryuujin. He had broken into the Nether World and retrieved it, and helped him lock it away. A few years later, her father gave him his blessing to marry his daughter. The wedding was to take place in a few months. Navcase grimaced. These were the memories he tried so hard to forget...

"Toumahama-sama! Toumahama-sama!" a voice shouted. Navcase watched a young man, clad in samurai armor rush into the room.

"What is it, Hirotaka?" Toumahama asked.
"Demons! They're coming from the sky and attacking the house!" he shouted, terrified.
"Navcase-san, go to Yuriko immediately. She is my daughter, and your fiancee. You must protect her. Seta, Koyasu, Nobutoshi, Seki! Go out and defend the mansion!"
"It will be done." Navcase said, running off, only to be ambushed by a group of Draconai, led by the Fire Clan.
"Navcase..." Kouen growled. "So you're the famous thief. Time for you to pay!" he shouted.

Navcase fought his way through soldier after soldier, who had cleverly led him in the opposite direction. And then he heard a sound, which pained him even now.

Yuriko's scream.

He watched as his younger self ran as fast as his legs could carry him toward her room, cutting down every Draconai in his path, thrusting the doors open, only to find her room empty, except for a note.

Ceiphied, Lord of the Draconai, had taken her captive, it had said. He was to go to the Nether World to face him. Navcase had gone.

"Ceiphied!!!!!!!!" he heard his younger self scream. "Come out!"

Navcase watched as the Lord of the Draconai came forward. He was about as ugly then as he was now.

"Ah, Navcase. I trust you got my message."
"GIVE HER BACK!!!!!!" his younger self demanded.

Ceiphied motioned. Yuriko stepped out. He and his younger self gasped at the horror that Ceiphied had concocted. He had turned her into a Draconai.

"If you defeat me, I break the curse and you can live with her peacefully. But if I win...you BOTH belong to me."

He had remembered how angry he was during that fight, and the battle raged, with Ceiphied as the victor. Even without his armor, he was still powerful.

"O' powers of supreme evil in the Nether World...O' ancient lord of the Nether Dragons, heed my command..." Ceiphied said.

The sky above the base turned completely black, and thunder and lightning crashed as Ceiphied continued.

"Bestow upon these unfortunate weaklings, the curse of the Draconai!!!!" Ceiphied roared.

He watched his younger self scream in pain as his heart became an energist. But he was not a full Draconai.

"I've placed a special curse on you. I only gave you enough of the curse so that you may survive without a human heart. I'll let you suffer on earth, without your beloved."

Navcase returned to earth, empty-handed. His surrogate father, furious that he had not returned with his daughter, threw him out on the street, forcing him to fend for himself. He wandered, for many years, until he had found a young man, eager to learn. He had passed the technique to him, as his master had before. This man became the 6th Hiko. But Navcase still survived, the Draconai bio-regeneration healing him. He had wandered the world, coming back to Kyoto years later, for the funeral of Toumahama. He did this with a heavy heart, for he had not brought back his daughter; his own fiancee. Although this man had thrown him to the dogs, he had still raised him, taught him about the world. He owed at least that to him. He returned to Kyoto again, years later during the Bakamatsu, where he learned of the Shinsengumi and the third division captain's specialty. Over the course of the years, he learned the four forms of this technique, knowing full well he would need them for Ceiphied, someday. But he did not go to Ceiphied; rather, Ceiphied had come to him, and imprisoned him, torturing him daily, never letting him see his beloved. He broke free though, and flew to Toyama to help the Ronins, before Ceiphied kept his promise. But he heard another voice in his head.

"Shinta...my dear Shinta..." it said.
"Mother?" he asked.
"Yes. Though your heart has much pain within...it is time to act upon it. Remember, that I will always be here for you, even now..."
"Shinta. I'm very proud of what you've become." another voice said.
"Father?" he called out.
"Shinta, do you know why our family is named, "Tennomi?" If you break down the syllables, it means, "Sword of Heaven." I, and my father before him, and his father, have all been swordsmen. Our family has a natural learning curve towards kenjutsu. It's almost as if, it's heaven's will that our family become swordsmen. It is not that our skill with our sword is natural and as though a gift from the heavens, it is that we believe that it is heaven's will that we wield swords for all eternally. Now, it's your turn, Shinta."
"Navcase!" another voice shouted.
"Hiko-sama?"
"Did you know that the name of our sword style means, "Sword of the Soaring Heavens?" It's ironic that your name also means "Sword of Heaven." The Sword of the Soaring Heavens wielded by a Sword of Heaven...a lucky combination, don't you think? Our style is one that protects others. You must protect the Ronins and their friends. It is your duty as a successor of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu. Now show them what we can do!
"Mother...Father...Teacher...I understand." Navcase said.

The next thing he knew, he was standing there, in the Armor of Ryuujin.

"Huh? What happened?" he said out loud.
"Navcase?..." Ryo asked.

Ryo had focused everything he had into Luminance from the Heavens. Amaterasu had told him while he was there, that the attack was so named that it would shed light on minds that had been clouded by darkness. He hoped it would work this time.

"Yes, Wildfire?" Navcase replied.

Ryo was surprised. Gone was his evil tone. For all he could tell, he was still a Draconai, but his mission had been accomplished.

"You back now?" he asked.
"I am. Now let's show Ceiphied what we can do." Navcase said.

Anubis woke up and got to his feet. He was ready to blast Navcase though.

"Anubis, I see you've woken up. I don't blame you. I was out of it too. To think, My parents and teacher scolded me. Oh well, the way I see it, we've got to win, or they'll scold me in the afterlife." Navcase said.

Anubis nodded and called upon his Deathscythe Hell again. Ryo brandished the Swords of Light. And Navcase took the Shinken no Kamae stance, popular with those practicing Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu.

Then, they charged Ceiphied, who smiled evilly. He used his claw to parry Anubis' scythe, only to be forced to use the other to stop Ryo's swords. But he then heard the cry of Navcase calling out his attack, as he slammed down from above with Ryu Tsui Sen.

"Now! Hit him with everything you've got!" Navcase shouted.

Anubis started things off by twirling his scythe above his head, and driving it into the ground, causing flames to erupt from the ground, scorching Ceiphied. Navcase sent an emerald blast screaming at the dark lord, causing him to scream in even more pain. Ryo finished the set up with a searing blast from the Swords of Light. A large explosion ensued.

As Anubis fought off the Demon, he hoped his attack had worked. The demon was gaining a foothold quickly, and he would not have enough strength to perform another and still be able to fight him off.

Navcase stood there, panting. He had hit Ceiphied with everything he had. He had done as his parents had instructed. Now Ceiphied would be dead, and Yuriko free of his control and curse, as would all the others who had been cursed.

Ryo was weaker than the rest. He had used most of his power to free Navcase using Luminance of the Heavens. It would not be strong enough to bring Ceiphied to the side of good, but it would destroy him. At least, he hoped it would.

The next thing the three heard was Ceiphied's laugh. The dust settled down, and a barrier much like the one Ryo had generated now surrounded Ceiphied.

"You are no match for me." Ceiphied said. He fired two blasts, one that hit Anubis and knocked him out, and the second that knocked out Ryo, leaving only Navcase.
"It's time we settled this." he said.
"Indeed." Navcase said, preparing his sword.

He rocketed towards Ceiphied, who parried with his claws again and again.

"Fool. You couldn't beat me then, nor can you defeat me now." Ceiphied said, slashing at Navcase, knocking away the Sword of Ryuujin. When Navcase went for it, Ceiphied fired, knocking the hero away from it, and picking it up himself. Suddenly, Ryuujin disappeared, and Navcase was left in only his clothing, still a Draconai, but parts of scale had vanished.

"How..." Navcase wondered.
"Obviously, you didn't know that any Draconai can use Ryuujin. Especially me."

In horror, he watched as the Armor reappeared on Ceiphied!

"Now, let's do this for real." Ceiphied said.

Navcase assumed Gatousu first stance, and flew at Ceiphied, but he rocketed skyward, landing behind the hero and slashing at him. Navcase used his speed to dodge and strike with Ryu Kan Sen, nailing Ceiphied in the back of the head. Ceiphied grabbed him by his sword and threw him over his head, but Navcase recovered and kicked up above him, prepared to crash down on top of him.

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu! Ryu Tsui Se-" Navcase shouted before Ceiphied uppercutted him and knocked him aside. Navcase got to his feet and performed Dou Ryu Sen, but Ceiphied blasted the stones with his emeralds before walking up and slashing, Navcase barely parrying. Navcase flipped Back, and leapt into the air, landing an attack with Ryu Kan Sen Tsumuji, followed by Arashi, before stepping to the ground for a brief second and lunging forward with Gatousu Zero Stance. Ceiphied stumbled backward, and then backhanded Navcase away. As he went into Ryu Sou Sen, Ceiphied stopped every blow, and knocked Navcase back with his emerald blasts, but Navcase landed and flew into a technique that only Ryo could possibly stop...

"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, Kuzu Ryu Sen!!!" he shouted, becoming a bolt of energy and flying towards him at breakneck speed. But with one swipe of his sword, he was knocked away. Navcase used his sword to help him to his feet. There was only one hope left. Kuzu Ryu Sen had failed. So had Gatousu. There was only one move left that could possibly defeat Ceiphied. He went into Battou-Jutsu stance, and led with his left as he began his slash...the slash went past Ceiphied, cutting part of his helmet, as he thrust the sword of Ryuujin through his chest, with Navcase gasping for breath, with only blood coming out. Ceiphied violently extracted the sword, and stepped away, before grabbing Navcase's OWN sword, and driving it into him, then punching it in the rest of the way, before leaving Navcase to die. Ryo, Hariel, and Anubis rushed to his side. The other two had just woken up.

"Navcase, are you all right?" Anubis asked.
"I've been better...Ryo...It was an honor to fight with you..."
"It was an honor for me too. You've got some real kick-ass fighting skills." Ryo explained.
"You-you've really grown in power since I first met you...appropriate for Tsubasa no Hi..."
"It was good to see you again Hariel...thanks for helping me..." he said weakly. "Take care of them...Ceiphied plans to call..."

Suddenly, Navcase began to fade away slowly soon he was gone.

"Navcase...NAVCASE!!!!!!" Hariel screamed.

The other Ronins began to shed tears for their fallen comerade...except Anubis.

"Deathsycthe Hell, command Line. Maximum Firepower." Anubis said, firing everything he had at Ceiphied, who simply flew away.

"Anubis, it's okay...we can ask Kayura to..." Rowen started.
"And what will THAT do? He'll just kill them again, and again!"

The Ronins froze. Anubis' voice was both entities.

"The carnage will not stop..." they continued, "UNTIL CEIPHIED IS DEAD!!!!" the demon roared, as Anubis transformed once again.

Up in the Heavens...

"Mom, it's bad." Sakura said.
"I know. Anubis has changed again. This has gone on long enough. The demon must be destroyed. And the only way to do it is with Luminance from the Heavens." she said.

As Ryo watched Anubis wreak havoc, he heard Amaterasu's voice in his head.

"Ryo...You must use Luminance from the Heavens on Anubis..."
"But I might kill him if I do that." Ryo said.
"It is a risk you must take. You must try."

Ryo reluctantly raised the swords to the sky once again, and began focusing. But Anubis came out of nowhere and punched him, sending him flying into a building. He got to his feet and prepared again.

"Everyone! Hold him off while I gather the energy!" Ryo shouted.

The others nodded and charged at Anubis with everything they had left. They hit him again and again. Ryo focused the energy once again. Power leaped from blade to blade as the charge grew. He had to focus, yet hurry at the same time. He watched as the others were knocked away as Anubis used his powered up Quake With Fear attack, and then came charging at Ryo.

"Luminance from the Heavens!!" Ryo screamed, firing the searing blast towards him.
"AAAAAAAAAAH!!!!" Anubis screamed in pain as the blast hit him. The demon howled in pain.

Deep within, Anubis knew he had to help. He could not hide it any longer. This power was evil, and it had to be stopped.

"I must help Ryo..." Anubis said. "AAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!" he screamed. As he began to focus his power, a kanji began to appear on the side of his neck, glowing purple...

The demon disintegrated into nothing, as the beam faded out and Ryo fell to his knees. The armor was destroyed. But Anubis was nowhere to be found. Disheartened, the heroes flew back to the Isle of Mists. Kayura and Mia were there to greet them.

"Mia, Kayura, we've got some bad news...Anubis is...dead." Ryo said.

The girls looked at him funny. He was surprised, even more so when they dragged them all to the Shrine of Amaterasu, where they found Anubis, fully alive!

"We heard him shouting, and when we got here, we found him lying here, very weak. He's doing a little better though."
"Did you happen to see Navcase?" Rowen asked, hoping that perhaps maybe, he survived too.
"No...I haven't seen him since Ryo fought him." Kayura explained sadly.

Up in the Heavens...

"WOHOO!!!!! THE DEMON'S BEEN DEFEATED!!!!" Suiren shouted.
"Yeah! Our guys showed him!" Yuri shouted.
"Too bad for Navcase though..." Ran said sadly.
"Um, guys, a little help here?" Ayame said from a distance, helping to drag a very bloody, and very injured and unconscious warrior into the room.
"NAVCASE?" Sakura exclaimed in disbelief.

Yuri ran over and helped him into a chair.

"This looks bad. That sword's in there pretty deep." Suiren observed.

Ayame focused her power. She could not let this noble warrior die in vain. Something told her he was needed. She burst into her full goddess form, and slowly pulled the sword out of him, dropping it on the floor. Sakura inspected the blade, disgusted at her twin's lack of sword care knowledge.

Ayame then placed her hands over the spot, and focused everything she had. She glowed with energy, and screamed as she slowly burnt out. She had failed. The other girls started to cry as Ayame threw herself over Navcase, sobbing her eyes out. Through her tears, Ran noticed Navcase's eyes open slowly.

"What...happened?" Navcase asked. "Sakura? Yuri? Suiren? Ran?" he said, remembering their names from when he had failed to enter their minds, or refused to. He then looked up at the girl crying on his chest.

"Ayame?" he said softly.

Ayame rose up, in disbelief, as the name shot through her body. She looked over, and saw Navcase slightly sitting up, confused.

"Are you okay?" she asked.
"I will be...once you get off me and let me sit up..." he asked.

As he sat up, she wrapped her arms around him, and hugged him to death.

"Don't ever do that to me again! I was really worried about you!" she shouted, starting to cry a little.

"Look Oneesan, the wounds have healed. She did it." Ran observed.
"That's not all...the scales are gone from that spot too!" Yuri exclaimed.

"We have no time to loose, my daughters." Amaterasu said. "We must prepare him at once."

The five nodded.

AMATERASU: Relieved at their newfound power in Ryo, the heroes launch an assault on Ceiphied once again...Ronin Warriors, Dragon's Wrath, Chapter 14: The Second Strike. Please watch for it.