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Authors Note:
I do not "have it out" for any of the Ronins. When I
write, I just write. I don't plan things out. The way things resulted
in this chapter, the final part of Not Even Goodbye are just a
result of my natural writing process. I don't have anything against
Sage or Kento, of anyone else, except Talpa… That and attack
naming is not…how to say it…my forte. ^^* You'll know
what I'm talking about later on, but you cannot say I didn't warn
you. That and I finished writing this before I saw the last episode
like a month ago, the second time the season ran on Toonami, so
any parallels are coincidental.
"So Rowan, what's the plan?"
Kento looked to his fellow Ronins a pile of empty armors gathering
around him.
"Well, I figured that it was about time to make a strategic
withdrawal."
"How?"
Rowan grinned at Dais's question and looked up towards the ceiling.
Sekhmaet smiled.
"That will cost Talpa a fortune to repair."
"If he survives." Ryo grinned ruthlessly.
"ARROW….SHOCK…WAVE!"
Having blasted a hole through the roof, all nine warriors made
their exit, running along the edges of the roof, solders hot in
pursuit.
With a growl, White Blaze appeared beside them bearing Yuli on
his back.
"YULI!" Ryo's eyes were wide in surprise but his steps
did not slow as he ran along.
"Talpa got Mia and Anubis. The floor was melting away, and
since Anubis couldn't pull her out of the floor, he went with
her. White Blaze grabbed me and pulled me here with him before
the floor went completely solid again."
"Talpa has Mia?" Sage hadn't wanted to believe it had
happened, when he had seen the note, but now he had to face the
truth. "If he hurts her, Anubis and Talpa will die."
"Come now, Halo, do you really think I would allow harm to
come to her?" Anubis landed in the center of the roof, inside
the circle of warriors, and set Mia down on the roof. "Careful,
you don't want to loose your balance."
Mia nodded and smiled as White Blaze butted his hear against her
hand, then tilted his head back motioning towards his back. Obligingly
Mia climbed on behind Yuli as Talpa's laughter, maniacal as always
filled the air.
"You really make this too easy for me. All of you on one
place, right where I want you, and my lovely prize is here too."
Before Mia knew what had happened she felt herself being lifted
of White Blazes back, and drifting skyward towards the highest
floor of Talpa's castle. And Before Anubis and Sage could react
Cye grabbed Mia, pulling her back to the ground, resisting the
magnetic pull of Talpa's magic.
"Cye, I don't want to die." Mia's voice was soft as
she was pulled slowly pulled from the iron grip of the Ronin,
till only her hands were clasped with his, and she was pulling
him off of the ground.
"You won't die, I already told you that Mia." Anubis
spoke softly and motioned with his hands then the staff rings
clattered.
Ching…ching…ching…
Mia fell, like a rock when it is dropped from a high place, off
the edge of the roof, pulling Cye down with her. Her downward
descent stopped as Kento grabbed Cye's feet, anchoring him to
the roof, and Cye's stomach hung over the edge and he and Mia
dangled over 100 feet of sheer rock, sharp and jagged.
"Cye…"
"Look what you did!" Sage exploded and Anubis who looked
grim.
"Its better than her begin a t Talpa's mercy."
"Dais that isn't helping any!" Mia called out as she
swung, clutching at Cye's with all of her strength. "Cye,
my arms are going numb. I cannot hold on much longer."
Well guys, you'd better get her up here fast, company's arrived."
Sage glared to Anubis then turned from one enemy to another. "just
remember Anubis. I will get you for all of the harm you have brought
upon her, and the danger she is in because of you."
"You may try, Halo, but you shall fail." Anubis replied
coldly as he battled side by side with his rival.
Mia felt armored hands around
her ankles, and she screamed as she was jerked downward as her
hands were torn from Cye's grasp."
"CYE!!!'
"MIA!" Cye's scream was echoed by Anubis and Sage as
they appeared at the roof's edge in time to see Mia's body slammed
into the stone wall then dragged inside of Talpa's castle through
a window.
"TALPA!!!" Anubis roared, his armor appearing on his
body, his staff in hand, rage, and fear emanating through every
fiber of his being. "GIVE HER BACK!"
"Come and get her Anubis, you know where she can be found."
Anubis paled, his worst fears being played out before him as he
looked to his friends, the warlords.
"The sacrifice room."
Mia awoke to pitch blackness, and she could feel Talpa's evil all around her, trying to seep into her soul. What had Anubis said to her and Yuli that day, when he said they could come with him to the dynasty, about her and Yuli…
There are no hearts that are as pure as the both of yours are…
"Talpa will not win, his
darkness will not triumph, I shall not allow it." Mia used
Anubis' own words, words which he had used when saving her once
before.
Mia stood, her entire body seemed weighed down. Frowning she
noticed she wore a formal kimono, in the color scheme of the Ancient's
robes, which Anubis now donned.
Where did these clothes come from?" Mia wondered aloud and
Talpa answered her as he stepped out of the darkness.
"They came form me my dear, a final gift before I kill you.
It is a pity that I have to kill you. There are so many ways I
could use you for revenge against the Ronin's, so many things
you could have accomplished for me, but with my new armor, I shall
not need you.
"You will not get your new armor, Talpa." Mia placed
as much courage as she could into her voice, not wanting to cower
in fear in from of the dynasty emperor. "That would first
involve killing me, which I assure you will not be an easy task."
"Your picking up Anubis' arrogance I see…" Talpa
laughed. "I can almost see what he might see in you to give
his loyalty to, but you are much to weak for me."
Mia smiled thinly. " I am relieved to hear that…"
She forced herself to remain confident, using her friends as a
beacon in your mind. I have to remain strong, I cannot let him
beat me…
I cannot let you die… Anubis
had looked so vulnerable as he spoke those words, and their implied
meaning filled Mia with as much warmth at their remembrance as
they had when he first said them.
"They will come for me Talpa, then you will pay."
"I am counting on their arrival, Mia my dear, otherwise you
would be dead right now."
Mia could hear the telltale
signs of battle as she waited in the darkness, the only light
the red glow from Talpa's eyes…
Anubis…remember what you said. I dot want to die."
"FLARE UP NOW!"
"WEB OF DECEPTION!"
Yet another wave of dynasty soldiers was demolished and other
set of doors was blasted through. NO one was in the mood for extend
battle since Mia's life was on the line.
Anubis was…distraught, and angry. It was his fault she had
been taken in the first place. If he had been a little more attentive
he would have sensed Talpa's presence a lot sooner, and neither
of them would be here now.
Sage had every intention of killing Anubis once Mia was safe and
she would be saved…
The children are almost here,
Mia, so I am going to put you out of harms way, for the moment."
Talpa chuckled to himself and Mia was moved from the spot she
stood in, up a flight of stairs, and to an altar if sorts.
As soon as Talpa stepped away from her, metal bars popped up,
trapping her inside.
"Oh, and Mia. I wouldn't touch the bars if I were you. It
would be unfortunate if you died before I was ready."
Mai froze, her hands hovering over the bars, her eyes wide. "Why
should I believe you?" She brought her trembling hands down
to her side, digging her nails into her skin, hiding them inside
the bountiful sleeves of her robe, determined not to show her
fear.
"You have no reason to believe me, my dear but do you want
to take the risk?"
Mia frowned as she looked to the bars then towards the alter and
frowned even more. With a Hmm she settled down into the floor,
not touching either.
"Your not as dumb as you look…" Talpa called as
walked own the steps. It isn't every day my victims realize the
danger they are in. Touch either and you will me linked to my
nether spirits until the take complete control of your body. Now
be a goo little prisoner ad await your death…"
Minutes passes, and then seconds
added to those minutes. Mia grew nervous, drumming her fingers
on her knee. She realized that they were all involved in a battle
but what was taking them so long?
At long last the doors to the room burst open and all ten of the
warriors, a tiger and a young boy entered the sacrifice room.
"MIA!" Sage called out, rushing towards her, but he
stopped dead in his tracks as Talpa materialize din from of him
holding a black sword blazing with raw demon energy.
"Where do you think your going, Sage of the Halo?" Talpa
growled.
"To rescue Mia. Where id you think I was going?"
"I thought, for a moment, that you had realized just how
futile your efforts are You see the room is surrounded by my loyal
soldiers. Resistance is futile."
"There is no way you can beat us Talpa…we are sending
you back to the astral plain where you belong." Sage brought
his sword up in front of him, his entire demeanor and posture
challenging Talpa. "Are you ready to loose Talpa?"
"Are you ready to die insolent boy?"
"Ha, I like to see you try to kill me."
"As you wish…"
Sage was no match for Talpa,
and everyone knew this but Sage.
"Sage!" Ryo called out to his friend but the effort
was useless, Sage would not listen.
"Sage…your going to get hurt." Mia's voice was
soft and she whirled around startled as she heard movement behind
her. Mia's eyes widened. "Anubis…"
With the clashing of the swords no one heard her quiet exclamation,
but Anubis heard and he smile.
"I shall rescue you now Mia, I shall not allow my promise
to you to be broken. It is my fault you are here in the first
place."
Mia shook her head in denial and stood avoiding touching either
the altar of the bars. "How are you going to free me from
this Anubis? Talpa did something to the bars."
"He did." Anubis confirmed and smiled. "But I have
something which Talpa doesn't have."
"A brain?" Cye chimed in as he to appeared at Mia's
cage.
"That…an this staff." Anubis smiled. " I shall
have you out of there in a moment."
Sage was the first to fall victim
to Talpa as his sword hit the Ronin flat across the temple.
"SAGE!" Rowan Ryo and Kento called out."
"Talpa, you are gonna pay for that." Kento balled up
a fist and shook it at Talpa then brought his weapon into his
hand, spinning it around.
"IRON ROCK CRUSHER!"
Talpa laughed and lifted his sword, absorbing the attack into
his own sword then he sliced at Kento, flinging his own attack
back at him threefold. The attack slammed Kento into the wall,
revealing a huge indention as the warrior fell limp to the ground
and tried to rise but fell back down, moaning in pain.
"Kento…" Cye's
voice was soft.
"Cye if you want to go to him, go and help. I trust Anubis
with my life."
"That is exactly what is at stake here Mia, your life."
Anubis lay his staff horizontally across the bars and quietly
began to chant.
"It's not that I don't trust Anubis Mia." Cye smiled.
"I just don't want anything to happen to you."
Mia nodded.
"Who's next?" Talpa
smiled, then frowned as the bars to the cage clattered to the
ground. "Anubis you know you cant do that." Talpa appeared
directly behind his former warlord, his sword raised to strike
Anubis down.
"ANUBIS!" Mia screamed. Before her eyes in a matter
of fractions of seconds Cye use his trident to block the attack
with Talpa initiate and smile at Anubis."
"I'm counting on you to keep her safe Anubis, ad if she is
hurt, Sage wont be the only upset Ronin."
"You can count to me, Torrent." Anubis smiled back at
the young man as he move protectively in front of Mia.
"You are very brave, Cye of the Torrent… you know you
cannot beat me but you are willing to suffer as you attempt to
save her."
"Some things, Talpa, are worth suffering for."
Anubis seized the opportunity to grab Mia by the waist and leap
to safety, well away from the lethal strike of Talpa's sword.
Talpa's sword sizzled with energy as it bore against Cye's trident,
an his energy leapt into Cye's armor.
His skin burned. His head, his muscles went lax and no matter
what he did to prevent it, Cye collapsed to the ground.
"Its up to you now…" Cye's gaze bore directly into
Anubis who nodded solemnly.
Talpa then turned toward the seven remaining warriors and his
intended victim. "This is really to easy. I'm tired of playing
with amateurs like yourselves…
"DEEP NIGHT SLUMBER!" A mist darker than night flowed
from Talpa's sword, swirling around everyone an everything in
the room, slowly pushing all breathable air away.
Talpa's red eyes glowed with pleasure as each warrior fell, one
by one.
Mia clutched her throat, falling to her knees, her eyes wide with
fright as she looked to Anubis who slumped against his staff for
support. The staff, and Anubis each emitted a soft white glow,
growing to envelop the two.
Mia saw Anubis smile weakly own at her, and she trembled smiling
back, noting the air was slowly returning to the room, the blackness
fading away.
Looking around she say Ryo, Rowan, Sekhmaet, Dais, Cale and Kayura
each immobile on the floor, barley breathing and White Blaze laying
atop Yuli, shielding the boy till the very en when he too fell
victim to the evil black mist.
"Anubis…" Mia weakly stood and leaned against the
shoulder he offered, Anubis still standing protectively between
the two. "We have to do something…'
"I will admit, that staff is an inconvenience, but the girls
life will still be mine."
"Never Talpa. She shall ever be yours, just like this staff
shall never part from me. But if you dislike the staff so much,
I have other weapons which I may yield…" With a grin
Anubis produced in his other hand his warlord weapon.
"You will fall as all the others did, Anubis."
"Be careful, Anubis." Mia closed her eyes and leaned
against the staff he had entrusted to her care. Ancient, please
guide him…protect him from harm…"
Anubis didn't react as his staff brightly flared but Talpa did
and his efforts cost him a blow to the sword arm.
"Distracted Talpa? You cannot take the pressures of a real
battle?"
"This is not a battle, merely a warm-up. But with you out
of my way, the conquest of both worlds shall be complete."
My child, I can do nothing for
Anubis now…
Ancient is he going to die?
I know no. I am sorry my child.
Tears welled up in Mia's eyes. Is there anything I can do to prevent
what Talpa plans to do?
Mia you have the power, my power, to call upon the power of all
nine armors and unite them. You cannot wield them, but channel
it through my staff, passed onto you by Kayura. The goodness and
the purity of your heart wielding those powers is the only thing
which can destroy the evil armor Talpa strives to create. The
calling of the armors is the easy part, but using them against
Talpa…
"QUAKE WITH FEAR!!!"
Anubis' power radiated through the room, but the chains only bent
around the evil emperor never once touching him.
"That only works once, Anubis." Talpa smiled as he grabbed
the chains, his dark energy pulling them into his hands.
Moving faster than even Anubis though possible Talpa wrapped the
chains around Anubis, and with inhuman strength, twirled Anubis
around the room, slamming him into every wall numerous times.
The chains cut through his armor and into his skin.
With a bored sigh Talpa released the chains and Anubis dropped
to the ground, shuddering as he skidded to a stop at Mia's feet.
There he struggled to rise, but Mia lay a hand on his shoulder
pushing him gently back down.
"No…" She stepped in front of him, HER staff in
hand. " You have done enough Anubis… Talpa. You have
fought everyone but the prize that you wish to capture. Are your
ready to face me?"
"If you insist on this suicide I shall fight you, foolish
girl."
"Mia don't." Anubis pleaded, his voice a haggard whisper.
"I'm sorry Anubis…this is the only way."
But I shall be lost without you…
Anubis wanted to tell Mia these words with all of his heart, he
wanted it with every fiber of his being, but the words refused
to rise to his lips.
Mia closed her eyes concentrating
on the magic within her, calling the power of the nine armors
to her. Wisdom…Virtue…Life force…Justice…Trust…Piety…Serenity…Obedience…and
Loyalty. Each energy burst from the armors and spiraled around
Mia before entering her body, much as the powers did when forming
the Armor of the Inferno.
"Are you ready Talpa…" Mia advanced towards him,
a smile on her face. "This power I will give it to you."
"Mia…" Anubis could not believe what he was hearing.
Mai was offering Talpa the power of all nine armors along with
her power? He painstakingly stumbled over to her and pulled on
her arm. "Mia, you cant."
"I'm sorry Anubis, it is the only way." She turned towards
him, pain in his eyes and added in so low a voice that Anubis
doubted that he heard her correctly. "trust in the Ancient
Anubis. You gave me your loyalty, I shall not betray it…"
Then in a loud voice so Talpa could hear. "Now leave me alone…you
are pitiful and weak, all of you are." She pushed him away
and he could see the pain in her eyes, how hard it was for her
to do this…"Will you accept my gift Lord Talpa?"
"Finally, you have come to your senses…I finally get
what I deserve. But why?"
"As you said, you finally get what you deserve and I want
to be on the winning side when this happens." Mai asked again.
"Do you accept my gift?" Her eyes held a panicked look
that Talpa did not see as he finally nodded.
"The you shall have it." Mia stepped foreword and wrapped
her arms around Talpa in a reluctant embrace, pressing her staff
to his back. The powers swirled from her hands and through the
staff, tearing into his body ripping the demon armor apart, sending
back to whatever pit he had summoned them from.
"My armor!" Talpa's voce was a whisper, unbelieving.
"You did this to me?" Talpa looked to Mia, who stepped
away, her staff in hand, it's branded into his back.
"You finally get what you deserve Talpa." The world
disappeared around Mia, and all was returned to normal. She and
everyone else transporting them all back to her house, most still
unconscious.
"Its finally over…" Mai smiled at Anubis who swept
her up in a victory hug.
"You did it Mia."
"No, we all did."