The cab came to a stop just outside the Koji residence and the back passenger side seat swung open. "Arigato!" Brianna called cheerfully to the driver after she paid him then shut the door and jogged towards the porch. She paused when she heard the sound of metal on metal and walked around the house, looking for the source.

"HEY! I said no acid bolts!" Rowen shouted and skidded back from the attack.

"You said you wanted real combat training," Sehkmet shrugged.

"Not when we have an audience," Rowen argued and pointed at Roxi and Shannon, who sat by a tree observing the match.

"They can just leave, you know…"

"I'm not using any charged shots, so you shouldn't use acid."

"Fine! Wuss…" Sehkmet muttered and took a step back, rearing like a cobra for the next strike. Rowen used his bow to block one strike but had to shift and dodge another.

"Hey girls, what's all this about?" Brit asked and walked over and sat down on the grass.

"Just Rowen doing some practice with Sehkmet," Shannon shrugged.

"Why doesn't Rowen just fly up and shoot?" Brit asked and raised an eyebrow.

"That's the thing: Rowen's just fine at ranged, but melee isn't his strong point. He asked Sehkmet to help him train, since he's one of the best melee fighters," Roxi explained. Sehkmet paused and glanced over his shoulder at her and grinned at the compliment before resuming his attack on Rowen.

"Ohhh, okay…hey, does anyone know where Cye is? I wanted to ask him something."

"He went with Sage and Anubis into town for some shopping. He won't be back for another hour," Rowen said as he deflected Sehkmet's swords using his bow to parry and block.

"What? Damn, I knew I should have called earlier…" Brit snapped her fingers.

"Why's that?"

"Well, I have kind of a conundrum at my apartment…these are going to get cold too, and he likes them warm…" Brit set to rummaging around her backpack and pulled out a plastic container and a thermos and stack of paper cups. "You see, the management offices got caught fudging their books, so now the complex is being shut down and everyone's getting evicted…"

"Why don't you see if you can move in here?" Shannon suggested.

"I thought about that! But there's so many people already living here, I wouldn't want to impose. Mia already does so much. No, I already scouted out a decent looking place, and it's pretty affordable, though a bit out in the boonies… I just need help moving. Cookies and juice anyone? Rowen, Sehk?" Brit asked cheerfully. Rowen and Sehkmet paused and looked at her.

"Sure, I could do with a refreshment or two," Rowen said and gratefully accepted a cup of fruit juice and a cookie. Sehkmet lowered his arms and snorted.

"Bah, a true warrior has no need of 'snacks'," he commented disdainfully.

"Well, a 'true warrior' also needs to keep his strength up by eating," Brianna countered in a mocking tone and held a cookie out at Sehkmet, who eyed it warily. "Go on. It's butter-oatmeal-raisin." Sehkmet's gaze went from the girl to the offered cookie. He bit his lip and sheathed his swords then reached out and gingerly pinched it by the top. Brit smiled and turned around and knelt down and started pouring cups for the two girls while Sehkmet cautiously raised the cookie to his mouth.

"You could just save yourself the trouble of moving somewhere else run-down and unfamiliar. Why don't you come stay at my cabin?" Roxi suggested suddenly.

"I thought you lived by yourself there," Brit said. Behind Rowen, Sehkmet sniffed at the cookie, raising an eyebrow in confusion. Then he slowly stuck out his tongue and tasted it briefly. Both eyebrows went up and he made a muffled moan.

"Hey! This is pretty good!" Sehkmet exclaimed and took a large bite, swaying back so suddenly he almost fell over before regaining his balance. Rowen and Brit glanced at him before looking back at Roxi. "Mmm! Mmm, I've died and gone to heaven…"

"It's a deceptively spacious place, so I've seen," Rowen commented.

"It has three bedrooms, and I only ever use one for myself."

"Hey, can I have another?" Sehkmet asked. Brit gladly pulled a cookie out of the container and tossed it to Sehk, who caught it easily and eagerly set to nibbling.

"Are you sure? I know you like your privacy…"

"Pfft," Roxi snorted and waved dismissively. "I'd like the company, to be honest. And there is such a thing as too much peace and quiet. I won't charge rent or anything. You just have to pull your own weight, if you're okay with that…"

"Oh, I'd be glad to! I can pitch in for food and other things!"

"Problem solved then!" Rowen said cheerfully and gave Brit a pat on the shoulder before turning around. "Hey Sehk, break time's over. C'mon!"

"And I thought Kento was the only one who had food-gasms…" Shannon commented.

"Hey, I hadn't tasted anything that good in over three hundred years!"

"He's being entirely serious too, I can tell," Brit giggled. Roxi took her gaze off the two Ronin as they prepared for another round and leaned to the side, looking behind the tree she leaned against at the forest canopy. Sunlight barely penetrated the thick boughs, and only sound she heard came from the wind rustling the leaves.

"When he first started, Rowen was doing pretty badly, but now, I'd say he's improved quite a bit," Shannon commented. Roxi frowned and turned back to the front.

"I wonder if the guys somehow gain strength by having us close by…like even though we can't fight, we can still help them in battle," Brianna mused.

"I imagine they do," Shannon said and smiled. Roxi looked behind the tree again and scowled, her gaze roaming over the trees. Shannon noticed this and raised an eyebrow. "You okay?" Roxi didn't answer and returned her gaze forward. She stood up slowly and took a step towards the right, turning around till she faced the forest.

Brianna's eyes widened when she saw Roxi reach under the denim jacket she wore and pulled out two shining revolvers. Shannon heard the grinding click of the hammer and the whisper of the trigger as Roxi squeezed, aiming the muzzle of each weapon at the trees. Rowen jumped at the report, and Sehkmet almost dropped his swords. Both of them looked towards Roxi, who fired shot after shot into the canopy.

"Roxi! Roxi, hon! Stop it! Stop, stop!" Rowen shouted and ran over to her, wrapping his arms around her and forcing her to lower the weapons. "What'd ya do that for? What's gotten into you?" he demanded. He blinked when he saw Roxi's gaze hadn't shifted from the trees. Rowen followed her gaze, trying to see what had alarmed her. Sehkmet kept his swords ready and Shannon and Brianna remained in their seats.

Something large and furry leapt from the branches in an eruption of leaves and twigs, arcing high into the air. Rowen grabbed Roxi by the shoulders and carried her as he sprang back out of the way of the werewolf-like creature. The beast dropped to all fours and snarled angrily at Roxi then glanced to the side and saw Shannon as she and Brit tried to scoot away. Instead of drawing the cutlass it wore at its waist, the werewolf crouched and sprang into the air, claws outstretched to rip out Shannon's throat.

It only took Roxi half as many seconds to reach under her shirt, pull something out by a thin chain, pop it out of its socket, and load it into her revolver. She took aim at the werewolf's chest and fired. Rowen jerked his head back slightly in shock when the shot sent the werewolf skidding to the side, as if it were struck by a rocket rather than a small bullet. The werewolf whined pitifully and tried to stand.

Roxi set her jaw and reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a handful of bullets, which she slid into the chambers of one revolver and took aim, shooting repeatedly, each shot forcing the werewolf to creep back a step. The werewolf barked and snarled angrily, and much to everyone else's surprise, Roxi stepped forward, backing him further and further away from Shannon. The hammer clicked on an empty chamber. Roxi glanced from the muzzle to the beast. The werewolf tensed, as if ready to pounce, then sank towards the ground, whimpering. It crouched and leapt up into the trees.

"I'll get it!" Sehkmet shouted as he chased after the beast.

"Was that a-a real werewolf?" Brianna stammered.

"In broad daylight? Nah, it's one of Dygra's Demon Warriors. But even so, only magical or holy weapons can harm something like that…" Rowen muttered and glanced at Roxi. The markswoman smiled and turned her revolvers around in her hand, displaying the inscriptions along the barrel and hammer.

"What a girl. Trust Roxi to carry silver bullets and guns blessed by the Church," Shannon chuckled and stood up. She looked to the side when Sehkmet returned.

"I lost the damn thing. Either it's really fast or the little bugger teleported."

"Rowen!" Rowen glanced towards the house and saw Ryo and Mia run over. "Rowen, what happened? We heard the girls scream," Ryo asked.

"One of Dygra's 'hounds' tried to get up close and personal with Shannon."

"But we heard gunshots…" Mia began and looked about.

"Oh, that was her. She's actually the one that chased that thing off. Sent it packing with its tail literally between its legs," Brit grinned and jerked a thumb at Roxi.

"Whoa, wait…you carry guns with you all the time?" Mia raised an eyebrow.

"Well now I do, especially after what happened at Halloween…" Roxi trailed off and pulled spent casings out of the chambers. Mia blinked slowly and scowled.

"Roxi…I'm going to have to ask you to please not bring your weapons to my house in the future. Leave them in your car, or at home, but not at my house," Mia stated sharply.

"Why's this a problem all of a sudden? You have the guys with their swords around here all the time?" Roxi shrugged and lazily gestured to Rowen and Sehkmet.

"That's different. They know how to use their weapons properly-"

"And you're saying I somehow don't?" Roxi challenged, placing a knuckle on her hip.

"There's always a chance you could miss and a stray bullet could hurt someone."

"I. Don't. Miss," Roxi growled. Ryo glanced between the two, wanting to break up the tension but unsure of what to say.

"I. Don't. Care. Either don't bring your guns, or don't come here at all," Mia reiterated and narrowed her eyes. Roxi glared at Mia coldly, breathing hard through her nose. For a brief moment, Ryo worried that she might attack her, but Roxi snorted angrily and holstered her guns under her jacket and shrugged her sleeves.

"I'm outta here. I'll be waiting at the cabin, Brit," Roxi said over her shoulder as she walked off to where she parked her truck. Rowen watched her leave, utterly stunned.

"Mia…for gosh sakes," he began. Mia whirled on him and raised a finger.

"Rowen, don't start with me! I'm not in the mood! This is my property; I set the rules around here!" with that, Mia stormed back to the house. Ryo let out a low whistle.

"I think we're done for today…" Sehkmet said and sheathed his swords.

"It was after me…if I hadn't been here today, Roxi wouldn't have had to…"

"That's not the problem, Shannon," Ryo interrupted and folded his arms over his chest. "The problem is that it came here. They're getting bolder…" Rowen and Sehkmet exchanged troubled glances. "They're not going to wait for us to meet them in battle. They're going to come for us. That's what upsets Mia the most…"

"I'll have Kayura and the others come over. Maybe she'll have a solution, some wards or spells, something," Sehkmet suggested and shrugged, rubbing the back of his head.

"Sounds good," Ryo nodded in approval and gazed off into the forest. Behind him, Shannon declined Rowen's offer to take her home, preferring to wait for Sage. Brianna fretted about how angry Roxi must feel. Ryo narrowed his eyes in concern, wondering just how many more "hounds" Dygra had under her command…

*****

"Hold….still! You whiny little bitch!" Black Hawk snarled in exasperation as she poked a feather knife through the thick gray fur and into the skin around the many bullet wounds that riddled Don Marquin's body, trying to dig out metal fragments. The werewolf whined and squirmed as Scar, Balthazar, and Chaizar held him down.

"But…he's a guy," Balthazar commented. Black Hawk glanced at him.

"Well where I come from, it goes both ways." Black Hawk used the knife like a scalpel, trying to hook out the bullets lodged firmly in Don Marquin's flesh. "There! Got it!" Black Hawk crowed triumphantly and held the shining metal nub with two fingers. "OW!" she hissed and dropped it on the floor, shaking her hand. "Damn thing burnt my hand," Black Hawk muttered and looked at her scorched fingertips.

The gleaming bullet rolled about on the floor before coming to stop against a boot toe. Fingers tipped with silver claw plates picked up the bullet. Dygra held it up and examined it. "Blessed silver…fired from a consecrated weapon," she remarked.

"Someone shot him with a holy silver bullet?" Chaizar raised an eyebrow.

"There's only one person I can think of who carries that kind of weapon," Black Hawk stood up and turned towards the viewing panel, which slid down from the ceiling. Dygra turned to look at the image of the blue-haired woman. "Strata's girl, Roxi Hirochner," Black Hawk sneered and folded her arms over her chest.

"She must die!" Cerberus triple-growled as he entered the room. "Mistress Dygra, allow us to exact revenge for this affront!"

"I will not," Dygra replied calmly and turned and stepped towards her throne, ignoring Cerberus' protests. "It was Don Marquin's error that he suffered injury."

"Saw…me…first…" Dygra paused and turned around. The Night Warlords backed away to give Don Marquin room as he sat up shakily. "Shot…me…first! Not even…the Ronin Warriors sensed my presence!" The Night Warlords muttered amongst themselves, while Dygra turned to face the viewing screen.

"Show me," she said simply, and images began to play out like a movie, showing the two Ronin training from Don Marquin's perspective. The blue-haired woman, Roxi, leaned to the side and looked at his general direction once, then several moments later again, and shortly after stood up and started firing, at that point Don Marquin ducked in an effort to dodge the gunfire then leapt down to attempt to kill the Guardian.

"Unbelievable!" "It's like she's got a sixth sense!" "Or keen instincts…"

"This wouldn't be the first time she's meddled in our affairs, either. Observe," Black Hawk waved her hand through the air and images from her memory played on the screen: Roxi brazenly shooting Pharaohn in the shoulder with her rifle, and blasting a hole in Black Hawk's wing, as well as the barrage she used to keep her at bay while the Guardian tended to a wounded Lady Ronin.

"She foiled my efforts to kill Strata," Scar brought up.

"Don't forget her trickery at Halloween!" Balthazar added.

"Look! Even now, in her spare time, she further hones herself against us!" Chaizar pointed at the image of Roxi outside her cabin, shooting at skeet.

"Quite the daring soul…she is as much a nuisance than the older female ally," Dygra muttered. Cerberus watched her expectantly. "Cerberus, you have my leave to pursue your vendetta. Inebriate yourselves with her blood," Dygra said calmly. Cerberus' three mouths spread in gleeful grins, saliva oozing between the teeth.

"Oh, we shall do more than that," he rumbled.

"'We'?" Black Hawk raised an eyebrow. Cerberus didn't answer and threw back all three heads, letting out a series of deep, echoing howls. Balthazar cringed in fear and Chaizar scowled in dread. Black Hawk looked to the side when she saw shadowy forms emerge from behind the pillars.

Though not related by blood, the members of Cerberus' pack considered themselves brothers and sisters. Each hailed from a different nation, but they shared the same lust for power and strength, amplified tenfold through the Transatia's potion.

Kilhotah came from the deserts of America where he practiced his twisted magic in solitude, and from his natural hardiness, Dygra endowed him with the form of a coyote.

Maulubis specialized in necromancy. In ancient Egypt, he plundered tombs of paupers and pharaohs. He'd embraced the form of a jackal, favored animal of the God of Death.

Slayena hailed from the untamed savannahs of Africa. A bold and savage hunter, preying on the strong and weak with impunity, Dygra gave to her the shape of a hyena.

Vula excelled in stealth and trickery. In rural Europe, nothing evaded plunder by her quick hands. The form of a fox suited her quite well.

Wargal-like Slayena-came from a rough, wild land. In Australia he survived by hunting both animals and humans. He bore the characteristics of a hardy dingo.

Dair had stalked the mountains and cold north of Europe and Asia, constantly testing his strength and skill. He only cared for battle, and so he became a savage dire wolf.

Chaizar backed up a step and raised a hand to cover his mouth. He never liked Cerberus and his 'were-pack' much, even though they'd drunk from the same cauldron that he and the other Night Warlords had. He and the others retained the desirable aspects of their humanity as well as the strength of their beast forms, but at least they didn't smell like the were-pack. And Black Hawk, she looked beautiful and deadly, unlike the more homely Slayena and Vula. Cerberus and his brethren indulged in a deeper level of depravity than even Balthazar or Scar to willingly take the forms of were-beasts…

"Brothers and sisters! We go to avenge our fallen brother! Let us hunt!" Cerberus announced and howled again. The other pack-members joined in the chilling chorus and bounded out of the throne room on all fours.

"I almost feel sorry…" Black Hawk heard Balthazar mutter.

"For who? Strata or the girl?" Scar queried.

"Both."

*****

The launcher *thunked* each time it sent a clay disc spinning into the air. The discs exploded a few seconds after, raining broken ceramic on the ground. Roxi paused to reload but stopped and looked over her shoulder when she heard a car engine and spotted the red and white jeep the Ronin commonly used. She smiled when she saw Brianna hop out from the passenger side and Rowen from the drivers' side.

"Heyyy, you made it!" Roxi greeted and let her rifle hang in the crook of her arm.

"Wow, it's like a whole other country here…" Brit remarked and turned around, surveying the tall trees and thick forest.

"I hope you're not the only guy who came," Roxi commented and glanced at Rowen.

"Naw, I brought a little muscle to help with the unpacking," Rowen chuckled and jerked a thumb at the jeep. As if on cue, the back seat passenger door opened.

"That'd be me! Ha ha!" Kento said cheerfully and flexed his arms. Roxi shook her head and smiled then started to turn towards the cabin.

"Oh, Roxi. Hey, I don't mean to offend ya or anything, but my friend Kento here doesn't believe that you can shoot a moving target at a thousand yards," Rowen leaned close to Roxi and spoke in her ear. Roxi rest her knuckles against her hips and shot Kento an incredulous look. "Yeah, that's what I said."

"I'm not saying you're not good at what you do, it just seems too unlikely," Kento began and started scratching his ear while Roxi stooped over and fiddled with the skeet launcher. "I mean, there's things like gravity, and angles, and wind, not to mention stuff in the way like trees and…and…" Kento trailed off when Roxi sent a disc hurtling out into the distance and swung her rifle up, aiming at it directly at first then aiming a bit lower. The report echoed through the forest and Roxi swung the rifle to the side to ease the recoil. Rowen, Brianna, and Kento heard the clink several seconds after they saw the distant pinprick of the disk shatter.

Roxi held her rifle in the crook of her arm with the muzzle towards the ground and turned to face Kento, her eyes closed and face absolutely beaming. No one said a word except for Brit mouthing a "wow" and Rowen nodding in approval. Kento blinked stupidly several times, his mouth drawn tight and eyes wide. He started nodding slowly. "Wow…that….that was actually pretty good…" he stammered and blinked some more.

"C'mon, daylight's wastin'. We have to be back at the estate later," Rowen reminded and headed over to the jeep. Kento followed and the two set to unloading things. While Roxi cleared the ground of any ceramic bits and bullets, storing them in a small metal can, Brianna took three backpacks out of the front passenger side and shouldered two of them, carrying the other on her arm. Kento and Rowen took out the larger boxes.

"We might have to make two trips. I didn't have any furniture, but some of that stuff is quite…heavy…" Brit trailed off when she saw Rowen pick up two large boxes, one under his arm and the other balanced on that and his shoulder. He reached out and grabbed a large shopping bag stuffed with clothes and looped it over his wrist and picked up another small plastic box with a handle and set off towards the cabin. Kento took the three remaining boxes, holding the first between his hip and his arm and stacking the smaller two atop that with unexpected deftness, leaving nothing else in the jeep belonging to Brianna. "Oh…well, I guess that'll work," Brit muttered to herself and followed.

While the guys helped her get situated, Roxi set to making lunch, frying and stirring something in a skillet and letting something else cook in another. Brit kept wandering out of her designated room and into the large hallway and living room. "Wow…I had no idea how vast your collection was! You ever consider opening up some sort of museum?"

"Out here? Pfft," Roxi snorted and set plates on the dining room table. "Besides, my grandfather intended this place for people that could appreciate antique firearms, and there seems to be few of those in Japan." Brianna winced, assuming Roxi meant Mia's comments from that morning and decided not to continue the subject. "Hey, you two hungry? Food's ready," Roxi called. Brit had to edge out of the way as Kento all but sprinted into the dining area, with Rowen following at a less hurried pace.

"Oh man, am I!" Kento sat down and waited eagerly.

"Here ya go," Roxi deposited something small and white on Kento's plate with a spatula. Kento blinked and peered down at the thing. It didn't look like a rice ball, or a rice cake for that matter, but looked a few inches long and about two inches thick.

"…what's this?"

"It's a taquito."

"What's a tuhkeeto?"

"Tah-qui-toh. It's bacon, potato, and scrambled eggs rolled up in a tortilla," Roxi explained as she served Rowen and Brianna before serving herself.

"Wait, what's a tore-tilla?" Roxi all but banged a glass full of juice on the table.

"Just eat it," she grumbled. Kento eyed the taquito warily, even reached up and poked it, as if it would suddenly squirm or leap off of his plate. Rowen bit into his taquito with gusto, looking very pleased, while Brianna nibbled at hers daintily.

"I'm gonna need, like, three of these, ya know. I'm sure Rowen's told you about my 'legendary' appetite," Kento smirked.

"One should be enough to satisfy your infamous appetite," Roxi grinned.

"Don't say I didn't warn ya," Kento shrugged and picked up the taquito.

*5 minutes later….*

"…I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes…" Brit stammered.

"Yeah. He's…he's….full," Rowen remarked as the two stared at the almost unconscious Kento. The typically active Ronin leaned back in his chair with his head tilted back, eyes closed and mouth hanging open. "Kento's never full! I mean, you can satisfy him for a short while, but he's always hungry for more!"

"Heh, poor fella, looks like he went into a food coma," Roxi chuckled.

"There really such a thing?" Brit asked.

"Oh yeah. Comfy chair, warm room, good meal, and you go out like a light." Roxi began gathering up dishes and putting them in the sink. Rowen fidgeted in his seat then reached into his pocket and pulled out a thin black marker and leaned forward.

"Whoa, wait, what are you doing?" Brianna asked, confused.

"I'm just gonna put a little-" Rowen began and reached over the table, marker in hand.

"What?! No! Stop that!" Brit exclaimed and started swatting Rowen's arm.

"Ow! Ow! Okay! Fine! I won't!" Rowen protested and put the cap back on the marker while Brit scolded him, calling him immature. She kept bopping his shoulder until he put the marker back in his pocket. "Yeesh, now I know why you took up with Cye; Both of you are no fun," he grumbled and folded his arms over his chest.

*snort* "Huh? Wha'd I miss?" Kento roused suddenly and looked about sleepily. Rowen stifled a laugh but Brianna still looked irritated. Suddenly Kento winced and put a hand on his chest. Brit's eyes went wide when she heard a rumbling gurgle.

"Uh oh," Rowen looked worried and promptly plugged his ears with his fingertips.

"What's going on?" Brianna asked. Rowen unplugged one ear and glanced at her.

"You'll hear it," he said and plugged his ear back up then took his finger out again. "Or feel it, rather," he added and covered his ear once more. Brit looked unsure but put her hands over her ears when she heard another unpleasant-sounding gurgle coming from Kento's stomach. Roxi looked over her shoulder from where she scrubbed dishes and raised an eyebrow, curious.

Outside the cabin, the glass windows rattled suddenly in their frames and the metal can Roxi had stored her spent bullets bounced up slightly before catching on the seam between planks and tipping over, spilling its contents onto the porch.

"Dahahahaaaaaayyymmmm!" a voice drawled from inside the cabin.

"Woooww….."

*****

Kayura sat by herself on one sofa with Ryo seated across from her. The Staff Bearer had her eyes closed and head bowed. Cale and Dais stood behind her, like solemn sentries. Sehkmet stood to one side with his hands in his pockets. Anubis and Sage stood behind Ryo and looked puzzled. Ryo glanced at Sehkmet, who shrugged innocently. Kayura still didn't say anything, but surely Sehkmet had told her about the attack that morning… The pendulum of the grandfather clock swung loudly in the quiet.

"I think, it's time we revive the AnimArmors," Kayura spoke suddenly and opened her eyes just as Ryo opened his mouth.

"Wait, the what armors?" Cale asked, surprised by the word. Kayura bit her lip, thinking for several moments.

"The Ancient One wasn't the only man of his time learned in the mystic arts and the workings of the world. There were others like him, from other lands, who understood the threats facing civilization. They joined forces, forming the Mystic Alliance, charged with safeguarding against evils like the Dynasty and-" Kayura paused and shook her head before continuing. "They built the Armor of Typhoon and the Ronin Cross among other artifacts to counteract Talpa's growing influence."

"So what are the 'AnimArmors'?" Ryo asked.

"When I took up the Staff, I was able to view some of the Ancient's memories. It was once his dream to create other armors, similar to the Nine, but completely independent. They were to be responsible for parts of the globe, but the effort involved proved far too daunting for conventional means. The Armor of Typhoon alone took the Alliance's combined efforts six years to build from scratch. With Talpa's armies growing in strength and the Four lost to the darkness, they couldn't afford to spend that much time making as many suits of armor as the Ancient required. So they devised a…'shortcut', if you will.

"The armors were to be bound to forces of nature, but instead of forging the individual armors by hand, they utilized…different materials. The Ancient traveled the globe, seeking out representatives of beasts in each continent, choosing only the most intelligent, noble, and powerful. He made a deal with these animals, that by serving his cause, he would give them immortality and the ability to protect their respective habitats, for evil does not discriminate between man and beast.

"The Mystic Alliance used their skills to turn these creatures into living armors; Able to walk beside their wearers as companions, but turn themselves into powerful suits of armor when needed. Because they are formed from spirits, these armors always change with the times, their strengths and abilities equal or even surpassing the abilities of the current age.

"From what I know, the AnimArmors weren't widely used in the past, and are currently kept in a secret temple located in the mountains, in an area called Dragon's Yawn. I believe now is the right time to awaken them, and the need is just. With these powerful spirit beasts at your side, the balance should lean heavily in your favor."

Ryo leaned forward in his seat and set his elbows on his knees and wove his fingers infront of his mouth. Armors that live?...Armors that can evolve?

"Only the Staff of Ancients can reveal the secret temple. I suggest you gather the others, Typhoon too. We'll set off today."

*****

"Hey Roxi, I'm heading out for groceries. Anything in particular you'd like me to fetch?" Brit asked as she passed by Roxi's room. She paused and backtracked and walked inside when she saw Roxi hunched over some apparatus on a worktable.

"Since when have you been able to drive stick?"

"Oh, I asked Cye to show me last week…is…are those what I think they are?"

"Yup," Roxi replied as she poured the contents of a small ladle into the opening in a rectangular object. Off to one side sat a dozen small gleaming silver objects in a padded box. Roxi waited a couple minutes before taking a small hammer and tapping the metal rectangular box on the side until it popped open. A shining metal nub dropped out and rolled over the table before Roxi picked it up quickly and set it in a shallow pan. She then set a silvery cylinder in a socket on some sort of large tool with a turn handle on one side. She then took a paper funnel, set the opening above the cylinder, and spooned a grayish powder inside, tapping just the right amount into the cylinder. Brit watched quietly as Roxi took a pair of forceps, plucked the silvery nub from the pan, and carefully set it atop the cylinder. Roxi had to put her weight into turning the handle of the device, and a section at the top came down, pressing the nub firmly into the cylinder. The handle unwound and Roxi took out the perfect silver bullet.

"Amazing! I didn't know you made your own ammunition!"

"It's almost a lost art, making them by hand like this. Did you know," Roxi began as she set the new bullet with its predecessors in the padded box. "That in the fifteenth century, a scientist's experiment with water created a new type of musket ball by accident? That of course was superseded by cone-shaped bullets nowadays, but it still made a difference in hundreds of conflicts." Roxi scooped up another load of molten silver with the tiny ladle and poured it into the re-sealed mold.

"Wow…oh! Well, I'd better get on my way if I want to get back early," Brit shook herself out of her trance. "I should be back before sun starts going down."

"Take your time. I'm not going anywhere," Roxi replied idly.

Outside in the forest surrounding the cabin, hidden in thick bushes, three pairs of eyes watched the small woman haul herself into the large vehicle and drive off. Three sets of lips spread in hungry grins. Close by, other pairs of eyes glowed in anticipation.

*****

"Man, this place is almost as far out as Roxi's place," Kento remarked. The ten Ronin stood gathered in what looked like a large dried lake-bed. "Dragon's Yawn" indeed looked like the open jaws of a colossal beast. Kayura walked off a short distance and scuffed about in the loose sand with her toe. She tapped something with her heel and looked at the Ronin.

"This is where it should be. I'll need you to start digging and uncover the foundation."

"You want us to what now?" Dais wrinkled his nose. Kayura walked over to him and whacked him in the shin with the end of the Staff. Dais yelped and started hopping on the other foot. Even through sub-armor, the blow smarted.

"DIG!" Kayura ordered and pointed at the patch of ground. Within minutes the Ronin crawled about on hands and knees, brushing sand off the tops of shallow stone pits and corners. Ryo expected some hidden doorway, but he saw only grooves and slabs spanning the size of a small house.

"Hey! Kayura! I think I found something!" Tanya called from the south end of the site and waved the Staff Bearer over. She'd uncovered a large square slab with markings along the top and a stone cylinder poking out from the middle. Kayura knelt down and ran her fingers over the markings while the others gathered around to observe. Kayura grabbed the top of the cylinder and pulled it out, revealing a narrow opening, just a bit thicker than the bottom of the Staff. She glanced at the excavated site then at the hole.

"Everyone, back away from the foundation," she warned and stood up and positioned the Staff over the opening. She slid the Staff down about halfway then turned it to the side. Nothing happened at first until a sudden grinding crunch startled some of them. Cye stood closest to the edge of the stone slabs and skipped back as some sank slightly and started shifting. A series of crunching and scraping sounds emanated from the seams as the slabs started tilting, and the Ronin watched in awe as the temple revealed itself in parts, a few sections rising up from the earth and others flipping back. Sand and rock bits slid off in showers as the sections settled into their proper positions. A great archway appeared at the front, revealing a hallway into the dark depths of the complex.

"Ugh, Leonardo and his silly designs…." Kayura sighed and shook her head, rubbing her brow before walking towards the entrance. Rowen jerked his head back in bewilderment.

"As in DaVinci?!" he exclaimed. Tanya glanced at him and shrugged.

"Duh, who else? I heard he designed Typhoon's launchers," she commented absently.

"Follow me. The Incarnations await," Kayura gestured to the hallway. She held out the Staff to bar the Elder Ronin's way when they tried to follow. "You four stay out here. These are meant for the younger Ronin," Kayura explained before continuing.

"What? That's not fair! How come they get fancy new armors?" Cale protested.

"Because…they were made while we were evil?" Sehkmet replied and scratched his head absently.

"What are we here for then? Just sit around and pass the time?" Dais grumbled. Neither of the Elder Ronin noticed the immense circular plate on the ground behind the temple, half-covered with dust. A strong breeze blew some of the dust about. From above it looked like a black and gold design of a long sinuous neck, topped by a horned head looking down over its extended wing.

*****

Only the barest bits of sunlight peeked through seams in the structure, leaving the inner chamber nearly pitch-dark. Kayura thumped the Staff on the floor, and flames sprang up in braziers scattered throughout the room.

"Whoa!" Ryo exclaimed when he saw several rows of altars, six in each row. Most of the surfaces looked empty, but large stone statues sat atop a few.

"How come they're all scattered?" Tanya asked.

"Believe it or not, the Ancient once planned to create entire teams of AnimArmor warriors. What you're seeing now are the only suits that were completed. There were to be a Wildfire, Strata, Halo, Hardrock, Torrent, and even Typhoon for each continent."

"Hey! Ya hear that, Cye! We wouldn't have been alone!" Kento slapped his friend on the shoulder heartily. Cye frowned.

"How come they weren't finished? Why were they left here?"

"I'm not sure…I think something or someone attacked the Mystic Alliance, killing the majority of its members. The Ancient was one of the few to survive and only by retreating into seclusion until the onset of the First Dynasty War."

"Probably the Dynasty. When they saw how powerful Typhoon turned out, they couldn't afford to have new Armors in the hands of humans," Rowen theorized. Ryo nodded in agreement and walked alongside a row, studying a statue occupying an altar there; that of a tall horned animal. A small gold ring sat in an indention close to the front. The symbol on the altar defined it as North American Hardrock. Ryo kept walking and stopped by the altar designated for North American Wildfire. He looked at the carving.

"What the-! A bear?! A grizzly bear?! That's supposed to be North American Wildfire?!" Ryo exclaimed in dismay. "What do bears have to do with fire?"

"Maybe it was based off that mascot of theirs. You know, 'only you can prevent forest fires'?" Tanya mocked in a deep tone.

"I don't prevent fires, I start them!"

"Well, bears have short tempers, and they're grouchy, like you…" Rowen began.

"They're also fat! Which is why I pegged them for someone more of Kento's type!" Ryo jerked a thumb at the aforementioned, who "ahem"ed loudly and folded his arms over his chest. Kayura chuckled richly and walked about the room, collecting the rings from the altars with statues. She carried the rings in her hand and walked back to where the Ronin stood. She picked up one ring and studied the gold filigree.

"Ryo, this is yours," Kayura handed Ryo the shining band set with a gold and onyx design of a lion, its mane curling about the edge of the circle. "The fierce and noble Lion was to be the Wildfire of Africa; master of the great grasslands."

African Wildfire…I wonder if Mukala was supposed to be one of these armor-bearers, Ryo thought and studied the ring.

"Put it on," Kayura prompted and gestured to Ryo, who cautiously slipped the ring on his finger. His sub-armor flashed and changed, replaced by red and white plates. The chest plate seemed to resemble the face of a lion.

"Cool!" "Incredible…" The others remarked in amazement. Ryo turned his arms over, studying the odd points on his wrist. Weapons of some kind, no doubt... He also noticed the armor seemed to have the same basic structure as the original sub-armors.

"Great White Shark was intended to be the Torrent of Australia," Kayura began as she handed Cye his ring. "Undisputed lord of the ocean; swift, deadly, and skilled…" Cye put his ring on and looked down at the new sub-armor, with the chest plate looking like the top of a shark's pointed head. Two long curved blades adorned each wrist.

"For you two, there are the Iguana and Jaguar," Kayura handed a ring to Sage and Tanya. "These were meant to be the Halo and Typhoon of South America; The Iguana, who dwells in light, and Jaguar, fast and fierce." Sage's sub-armor looked similar to Cye's, with a lizard's head instead of a shark, and Tanya's looked like Ryo's minus the "mane". Sage had tubes of some sort on his arms, while Tanya had three long narrow blades extending over the hand as well as three small cylinders attached to a larger barrel.

"Eagle and Mountain Ram were the Strata and Hardrock of North America. The Eagle should suit you well, Rowen, as he rules the sky unmatched. And you, Kento, the Mountain Ram who is as stubborn and hard-headed as you," Kayura said and grinned. Kento smirked in amusement and accepted his ring. Rowen put his ring on and held his arms out when he noticed fabric extending from his side all the way to his wrist. He sported two small tubes on each arm and his chest plate looked like the head and beak of a bird. Kento's armor made him look bulkier as the "horns" of the ram-shaped chest plate curved up over his shoulders and down under his arms. His arm-mounted weapon consisted of two blunt curved objects sandwiching a rectangular barrel.

"So, how do we summon full Armor?" Cye asked. Kayura bit her lip and turned and looked at the lion statue.

"That I'm not sure about…my guess is simply speaking the name of your Armor, but just to be safe, I think you should head out into the wilderness to practice in more open areas. These Armors haven't been used in centuries."

"Gotcha!" Kento closed his eyes and nodded. Ryo frowned and looked up at a large statue at the far back of the room that seemed to loom over all others.

"Kayura…what's that one supposed to be?" he asked.

"That is the Inferno Incarnation. Yes, there were to be Infernos for all the continents, too," Kayura said in response to the surprised gasps from some of the Ronin. "The Ancient envisioned the Incarnations being the absolute most powerful of each land. If you looked closer at the altars, you'd see some of the original concepts: Mastodon for North America, Amaru for South America, Bunyip for Australia, and so on…" Tanya mouthed "What the heck is a Bunyip?", but Kayura continued. "The Mystic Alliance feared they wouldn't have time to complete them all, so they decided, for the time being, to create a single, all-powerful Incarnation.

"The White Dragon, the ultimate Incarnation of Inferno. Dragons still existed at the time, and the Ancient bound the spirit of the strongest, and one of the few remaining. Ryo, I believe your Lion ring is tied to the Inferno. Try invoking the sub-armor. Twist the insignia on your ring to the side." Ryo looked confused but did as Kayura instructed, turning the gold and onyx disc at a 90° angle. Sage and Tanya had to step away slightly as Ryo's armor flashed and changed. The chest plate had two pointed plates jutting up past Ryo's neck and shoulders, and smaller detailed plates resembling eyes on his sides. His arms didn't have any recognizable weaponry, but instead sported what looked like leathery wings, big enough to put Rowen's to shame.

"Dang Ryo, if that's the sub-armor, I can't imagine what full Armor looks like," Tanya commented. Ryo smirked and turned the insignia back. The sub-armor reverted to Lion.

"You'll likely see it soon enough, as these Armors are meant to deter more brazen attacks like the one that occurred this morning. Go now. Get accustomed to summoning them. I'll remain here to study the other altars. Who knows, maybe someday they'll be finished," Kayura shrugged.

*****

"Any threes?" Anubis asked and studied his hand of cards.

"Go fish," Dais answered. Anubis scowled and slapped his cards onto the ground.

"Allright! Somebody's cheating and I demand to know who it is!" Anubis folded his arms over his chest.

"Not me!" Dais, Cale, and Sehkmet answered in unison. Anubis rolled his eyes.

"Let's try again then…any fives?"

"Go fish!" the others answered at the same time. Anubis stifled any protest he had in mind when he heard movement from inside the temple and looked over his shoulder. Cale clamped a hand over the card pool between them and Sehkmet watched as the Ronin ran out of the temple, wearing strange armors resembling original sub-armor.

"Those the new Armors?" Sehkmet asked as his thick green hair shifted from the whack of air when Ryo ran past quickly. Ryo looked over his shoulder.

"We'll chat later. We're going out to give these things a test drive," he called and ran out of sight. Sehkmet wrinkled his nose.

"Out? We're as far 'out' as one can get. How much 'out' does he need?"

Rowen leapt into the air on impulse and spread his arms. The material attached to his wrist and sides rippled, but held him aloft and he soared effortlessly above the others.

"Hey, how come you're always the one who gets to fly?" Ryo argued.

"Get a hint: I'm the Warrior of Air!" Rowen replied smugly.

"Then why can't I fly or anything? I'm the Warrior of the Wind," Tanya grumbled.

"Well, wind is fast. So are jaguars," Kento commented. Tanya scowled.

"…That's a cheetah, dumbass."

"Okay, I think we've got enough room out here," Ryo said and came to a skidding stop. The others stopped as well. "Let's give it a shot. Lion!" Ryo called and held up his arm, displaying the ring. The others followed his example.

"Eagle!" "Iguana!" "Mountain Ram!" "Great White Shark!" "Jaguar!"

The rings glowed briefly then dimmed. Nothing happened immediately.

"I think these Armors are duds…" Kento commented.

"Give them some time. Kayura said they hadn't been used for awhile, they could be a bit rusty," Rowen suggested. Ryo twisted his ring's insignia into the shape of the Dragon.

"White Dragon!" The ring flared and dimmed quickly. "We'll wait for awhile…"

*****

Kayura opened her eyes when she heard a loud crack. She'd been studying the carving of a Unicorn-European Inferno-when another crack drew her attention towards the altar with the Lion statue. Cracks spread over the stone, and bright red light spilled through the gaps. The cracks traveled up from the Lion's legs to the face then eyes. Kayura gasped and took an involuntary step back when the statue moved slightly, the head turning to the side and mouth trying to close. The stone over the eyes fell away and the eyes shone bright red. Stone came off in large flakes to reveal what hid beneath as the "statue" shrugged.

The Incarnation of African Wildfire threw back its head and roared grandly. It shook off the rest of the stone skin it had worn for centuries and sprang off the altar. Throughout the room, the other statues awoke. North American Strata spread its wings and screeched. South American Typhoon shrieked and stretched its lean body. Australian Torrent sank into a shimmering pool of water that seemed to follow it. South American Halo snapped its jaws and looked from side to side, uttering a gurgling growl. North American Hardrock bleated and leapt down onto the floor.

Kayura watched in awe as the Incarnations exited the main room, Eagle gliding and Shark swimming in its personal sea. Kayura looked over at the massive statue of the Inferno Dragon. It hadn't moved at all, yet she sensed Ryo call the Armor…

Raurgoth! Kayura realized with a start and ran towards the hall.

"Young people, always in such a rush…" Dais grumbled and tried to resume the game. Without warning, six colored forms ran past, one even leaping over all four of them, shooting off into the distance at incredible speed.

"Aww! Awww!" Cale groaned in dismay as the cards fluttered away in all directions, almost right after he'd lifted his hand. Anubis helped Cale recover some of the playing cards but Dais frowned and glanced at the ground when he felt a soft shudder. He glanced towards the temple, where the vibrations seemed to emanate. Sehkmet noticed the slight shuddering to when a card he reached for skittered away from his hand. Sand shifted and pebbles started skipping.

"…What's that?" Dais asked softly.

"Another building?" Cale suggested and stood up after retrieving the cards. The four of them walked around the temple to the other side, where the epicenter of the micro quakes seemed located. Sehkmet walked forward a distance but stopped when he heard his foot tap against something metallic. He looked down and saw the immense circular plate. He couldn't make out the design from where he and the others stood, but dust sloughed off to the sides as the vibrations became increasingly violent. Cale looked at the ground when he heard the plate split and saw a crack run from the center to just under his foot.

"I think something's coming out…" Dais whispered.

"A building would constitute for something, Dais," Sehkmet commented sarcastically.

"I don't think it's a building. I think something is coming out-"

Dais barely finished speaking when the plate split in multiple directions and shattered as a large white shape erupted from beneath. It looked like a tall white tower at first…but towers didn't roar. Towers didn't have large deadly sharp teeth the size of a man's forearm. Towers didn't have long, jutting, pointed horns.

A neck as long as two subway cars threw back a head the size of a large truck. The Elder Ronin had to retreat as more of the ground shattered, the hole widening as the entity moved its massive shoulders out of the cavernous opening.

The white form leaned back and pawed at the air, roaring in jubilation at its freedom. It leaned forward and slapped huge clawed hands down on the ground, first the right, then the left, with a large crash. The form leaned forward-the pointed, curved plate of scale tipping its nose almost touching the ground not too far from them-and ponderously pulled its left leg out of the hole and set a huge three-toed foot on the ground with a rumbling thud. It shifted to the side and pulled out its right leg, setting it down just as loudly. The immense creature shook its neck from side to side and stretched its back. Two huge limbs-each almost as long as the creature stood tall-extended from its back, stretching a thin shiny membrane between the smaller ribs.

The wings flapped once, sending a powerful draft towards the Ronin, forcing them to cover their faces to block the wave of dust. They heard loud creaks as the being stretched muscles that hadn't been moved in centuries. The being finished stretching its body and shook itself from side to side, shrugging off several hundreds of pounds of dirt that had accumulated around the row of white fin-shaped spines running from the head just behind its horns down its neck and back and along the tail, most of which remained hidden in the hole it had emerged from. It opened and closed its jaws and ran a thin pointed tongue over parched lips.

"What the crap is that!?" Cale exclaimed.

"That's a dragon! That's a very big dragon!" Dais shouted.

"Big? Big doesn't do it justice! That thing's freaking huge!" Sehkmet stammered. Broad, flat silvery scales ran from just behind its chin to the thick base of the tail. The wings appeared white on the upper side with glittering silver underneath.

"I…don't think it likes us," Cale whispered as the dragon glowered at the four tiny figures with golden-yellow eyes.

"SssssssSSSOOOOOOAAAth…." came the deep rumbling hiss.

"Anubis, let's go before that thing decides it wants a meal after waking up!" Sehkmet whined. Anubis didn't say anything right away. "Anubis, we have to leave, now!"

"Quiet yourself, Sehkmet. We're in no danger," Anubis said calmly and glanced over his shoulder at Sehkmet. Sehk's jaw dropped in shock. Then he growled angrily.

"That's it. I can tolerate you getting us in trouble with Mia, and you making that joke about me sleeping in a basket, but I have had it with your-your-you….uhh…" Sehkmet trailed off as the dragon lowered its head to the ground and stared at the Elder Ronin. Then it moved closer, stretching its neck towards them, keeping its chin almost parallel to the ground. The four Ronin stood frozen in place by awe as the large truck-sized head stopped merely a few feet away, the nose within touching distance.

"Ssssath! Ssssath!" Blasts of hot air from the dragon's nostrils sent their hair drifting back slightly. An echoing puzzled groan burbled up from the massive throat. Then the dragon opened its mouth and curled its lips up over its teeth. "RRRAAAALLLLGNNN…" the dragon rumbled and continued to study the Elders.

"They went that way," Sehkmet spoke up and pointed in the direction the other animals had gone. The dragon moved its head back slightly, closing its jaws before opening them again and belting out a deafening roar. It reminded them of the roar that dinosaur from the movie made…except several times louder…and very real.

"Uffgh, when was the last time that thing brushed!" Cale grimaced and clamped a hand over his mouth and nose, while Anubis rubbed the inside of his ear with the tip of his finger. The dragon lifted its head away and moved its left leg forward. One by one the dragon moved its thick, powerful limbs. Each step sent a shudder through the ground.

Kayura ran outside and looked up just in time to see the silvery underbelly of the dragon as it lumbered over the temple. She'd once been to a stadium with a moving roof and had watched in awe at the gigantic sheets of metal shifting and covering the building. Watching the dragon pass seemed very similar.

The four Elder Ronin watched as the rest of the tail slid out of the hole and swayed overhead slowly. The dragon's legs held its great belly high enough off the ground to avoid hitting the temple, and the tail whisked overhead gracefully. The absolute tip, however, came down and whipped Cale in the back and smashed him into the ground.

"Gaack!" Cale yelped while the others glanced at him and Dais snickered. "That hurt! That really did hurt!" Cale complained and hauled himself out of the body-shaped hole.

*****

Roxi set her tools down and glanced at the windows when she started to feel uneasy. The wind blew soundlessly outside, yet the air felt still. She stood up and walked over to the front door and made sure all the locks and security bolts looked snug. She started making a round of the walls, closing the windows and the thick wooden storm doors, clicking the metal clasps into place, unsure why exactly she felt compelled to do so.

Outside, something scampered quickly towards the last open window and leapt into the air just as Roxi swung the wooden shutters close and locked them. She only heard a rattling thump and stumbled back in surprise. The clasps held…for now.

"Curse her! This place is built like a fortress!" Dair growled and rubbed his muzzle after colliding with the sturdy window. The other were-beasts stepped up beside him.

"There may be other ways of entry…" Vula hummed and looked up at the chimney.

Roxi's heart spun in her chest when she heard the animalistic growls from outside. She gasped when she heard a loud thump on the roof and footsteps moving from the edge towards the chimney. Training overrode her fear and she scrambled towards the hearth, seizing a bottle of lighter fluid and a box of matches. She squirted until no more dripped from the bottle then struck a match.

Vula slipped into the stone chimney easily and scurried towards the light below. Amber eyes glittered in the dark with anticipation as Vula glimpsed the wrought iron bars and logs of the fireplace. She grinned when she saw the girl herself peek up the chimney. The grin quickly became a frown when Vula saw what Roxi held between her fingertips and the glistening on the logs.

Cerberus and Wargal scowled when they saw Vula shoot up out of the chimney, screaming in rage, barely jumping clear of the gout of flame that surged up out of the passage. Vula didn't land neatly and ended up tumbling off the roof.

"I will end this farce quickly!" Kilhotah snarled and grabbed one of the many golden talismans that dangled from leather strips and chains all over his body.

"No you fool!" Cerberus grabbed Kilhotah's wrist and squeezed it tight, the latter yelping in protest. "You risk setting the place afire and destroying the girl! She will die only when we sink our fangs into her flesh!" Cerberus growled.

"A warm meal would be nice," Maulubis chuckled. Meanwhile Roxi sat on the floor close to the door and pressed her ear against the wood.

"I will not be satisfied until I hear her dying screams, until her final sight is us devouring the flesh from her bones while she clings to life! We must extract full vengeance for what she did to Don Marquin!"

Roxi scowled when she heard them talking, at first surprised that she understood them. Did this have to do with the creature she shot earlier that day?

"Spread out! There must be a weak spot somewhere. Keep pressuring!"

Roxi ran to her work table and scooped up handfuls of bullets. She grabbed her gun belt and wove it around her waist then loaded her revolver and thumbed bullets into the loops. She ran about the walls once more, double checking all the shutters. Her grandfather had built the cabin to be strong enough to withstand "everything but the end of days". Roxi yelped when she heard one of the creatures throw their bodies against the windows again, snapping the first pane, but not the reinforced glass or the wooden shutters. Her end of days seemed close at hand…

*****

"Look!" Rowen cried out and pointed at the six colored forms that approached quickly. Ryo took a step back when a lion with shimmering crimson fur and a thick orange mane bounded up to him. It extended its huge head towards the Ronin Leader, and at first Ryo hesitated in returning the greeting. The lion hummed reassuringly and Ryo heard a word in his mind.

Lyor… Ryo slowly reached out and placed his hand on top of Lyor's head and rubbed between the ears. "Nice to meet you, Lyor," Ryo said aloud.

Rowen held up his arm for a perch and the large blue-feathered eagle with golden beak and talons alighted neatly and folded its wings. "This guy says he's Razor Wing!"

The pink-furred jaguar with dark pink spots ringed in black padded over to Tanya and nuzzled her leg. "Oh aren't you the prettiest thing, Jaguaradina!" Tanya beamed and stroked the powerful neck and shoulders. "You know, I always envied Ryo for having a big kitty like Whiteblaze, but now I got you! Course, he's got two cats now…" Tanya glanced at Ryo, who chuckled.

"Boulderdash, eh? You look like a tough guy," Kento said to the stout orange-furred ram that walked up to him. Thick ridged horns curled out from the back of its head and over the shoulders and up again. "You're supposed to be North American Hardrock? Well I won't believe it unless you can knock me over. C'mon, gimme your best shot!" Kento taunted and pushed the ram's head. Boulderdash didn't budge. Then he stepped back and reared up on his hind hooves, lifting his chest and leaning his head back.

*KRAAAK!* Ryo, Rowen, and Tanya winced when Boulderdash brought his thick forehead down against Kento's, sending the Ronin Warrior sprawling backwards. Kento shook his head and stood up shakily.

"Hey, you're a tough little goat," he grinned and rubbed Boulderdash's neck.

"Actually, he's more of a mountain ram." Kento raised an eyebrow and glanced at Rowen, who stood close by. "Or more appropriately, a Bighorn Sheep. They're indigenous to the Rocky Mountains of North America, mostly inhabiting states like Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming-" Kento blinked slowly while Rowen continued rattling off facts about mountain rams habitat. Then Boulderdash turned to the side, reared up, and brought his head crashing against Rowen. "Gaack!" Rowen yelped and Razor Wing cawed in protest and fluttered into the air briefly.

"Heh heh…I'm gonna like this guy," Kento chuckled and rubbed Boulderdash's neck again. He glanced over at Cye, who knelt next to what looked like a pool of water. "How's he do that, Cye?" Kento asked and eyed the shadowy form under the surface.

"Well, he's a spirit animal. I guess he carries his own water around," Cye replied and dipped a hand into the water and rubbed the top of the light blue shark's head. "Foam Reaver's telling me some interesting things…He says he didn't join the Incarnations to be righteous and protect his home. He did it because the Ancient promised he could feast on souls rather than fish," Cye chuckled grimly. Tanya grimaced in disgust.

Sage stooped down and slipped his hands under the emerald-green iguana's arms and lifted it up off the ground. The large lizard seemed content to hang in Sage's grasp, its slender body dangling down and its tail, twice as long as its body, trailing onto the ground. Sage cocked his head to one side and wrinkled his nose. "Iguadalupen is my Incarnation?" Iguadalupen blinked slowly. "Why couldn't I get something cooler like a Komodo dragon?"

"Well, Komodos are from Indonesia, and I think Asia already has a set of Ronin Warriors," Rowen commented.

"Yeah, us!" Kento said matter-of-factly and jerked a thumb at his chest. Sage glanced at him then back at Iguadalupen. The large lizard opened his mouth slightly and gurgled.

Sage blinked when he saw movement from his left and looked over to see Kento poking the long folds of scaled flesh dangling from under Iguadalupen's jaw and neck. "What the heck do you think you're doing?" he demanded.

"Just checkin' out this flappy what-cha-ma-doodle here," Kento replied and kept poking. Iguadalupen didn't seem to mind and gurgled some more.

"It's called a dewlap. It's a large flap of skin some animals like cows and lizards have under their necks," Cye explained. "…Kind of like that thing you call a chin."

"Hey, c'mon!" Kento bristled at the remark and clenched his fists. "I don't got an ounce of loose flesh on me!"

"What do you call these then?!" Tanya suddenly grabbed Kento by his cheeks, digging her fingers in tight, bringing the blades of her wrist-weapons dangerously close to his head.

"Aaah! Aaah!" Kento cried in protest. Sage smirked and set Iguadalupen down on the ground while the others had a good laugh. A muffled ringing sound interrupted them abruptly and they looked at Sage.

"For crying out loud, Sage. Get a belt clip or something," Ryo moaned.

"Where would I put it?" Sage retorted and opened his cell while Ryo looked off to the side and shook his head in exasperation. The others went back to admiring their Incarnations. "Whoa, calm down!" Ryo glanced back at Sage when he heard him raise his voice. "Calm down, I can barely understand you! Wait….what? How many?..." Rowen raised an eyebrow and shifted Razor Wing's talons to his shoulder. Sage looked up and searched for Cye and glanced at him, eyebrows furrowed in worry. It's Brianna, he mouthed and returned his attention to the phone. "You're sure?... Okay, stay where you are, don't move, don't make a sound. We're coming!" Sage hung up and clicked the phone shut. "It's Roxi. Brianna says there's more than half a dozen more of those dog-beasts you described from this morning. They've got her trapped in her cabin."

"What?! Why? Why her!" Rowen exclaimed in dismay.

"Why are you surprised? They're going after her to get to you," Kento sneered and punched a fist into his palm.

"No." The guys looked at Tanya. Jaguaradina sat down by her feet and curled her tail idly. "This has nothing to do with you. It's Roxi they want. Think about it; How many civilians do we know that have attacked the Dynasty of their own initiative? Roxi's met them back with equal force, and won. The Dynasty doesn't like mortals that fight back, and they won't let a girl like her live."

"Well…they picked the wrong girl to go after," Rowen snarled darkly and turned towards the forest.

"Then what are we waiting around here for! Let's teleport over and save her!"

"If our old Armors couldn't teleport, I doubt these can, since they're based on the originals," Cye commented.

"We'll power down then," Ryo said and prepared to remove his ring. Lyor roared suddenly and took off running into the forest. Razor Wing took flight and Foam Reaver swam off after him. Jaguaradina jumped to all fours and Boulderdash took off alongside her. Iguadalupen scurried off as well.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think they're trying to tell us they got their own plan," Tanya commented.

"Let's go after them, then!" Ryo shouted and tensed before sprinting.

*****

Brianna had cut the engine as soon as she drove up to the cabin and crouched down under the steering wheel when she returned to find the cabin under siege by several were-beasts. They didn't seem to notice her, as they focused more on trying to break inside the cabin, the largest hurling their shoulders against the doors and windows while the smaller creatures slunk around the walls, looking for weak spots. After she made her call to Sage, she ventured a peek above the dashboard. The creatures somewhat resembled the werewolf from that morning, but they had characteristics of different species like fox and jackal.

Inside, Roxi sat on the floor with her back against the wall, loaded revolver in the holster and a loaded rifle in her hands. She could hear the wood starting to crack. Even if the wood wouldn't yield right away, the incessant blows would cause the bolts to slide loose. At least she'd die with the satisfaction of taking three…maybe four, with her…

Brianna whimpered and took several deep breaths. She set her jaw and pushed herself onto the seat. Wargal's ears flipped up when he heard the shrill blaring sound and turned to the side and looked at the parked vehicle. Inside the truck, Brit screamed taunts and pounded her fist against the horn, not stopping even when her wrist started to feel sore. Maulubis snorted and took a step towards the truck. Vula and Slayena also turned towards it. Brit shrieked in terror when a bulky were-beast leapt onto the hood, denting the metal. It reached out and pushed down on the glass of the windshield, sending cracks out in a spider web. Brianna screamed again but kept pushing the horn. The were-fox came up by the door and leered at Brit, fogging the window with its breath.

Roxi frowned and raised her head when she heard the horn of her truck blaring almost non-stop. She jumped to her feet and ran over to the front door and swung the metal cover to the peep hole up and peered outside. The were-beasts seemed to have abandoned their efforts and turned their attention to the truck. Roxi narrowed her eyes in realization.

Cerberus grinned in delight as the windows to the vehicle started to bend inward. Soon they would break, and he and his brethren would have a nice appetizer before their main meal… His left head snapped its gaze to the side when he noticed movement and saw a blue-haired form dash off into the forest. "The girl! She is escaping! This one was trying to distract us! Forget her, after that one!" Cerberus bellowed. Vula glanced at Cerberus then back at Brianna, snarling in anger before leaping off the truck. The beasts took off bounding after Roxi, and Brianna shoved the door open and stumbled out shakily.

"ROXI! RUN! RUN, ROXI! RUUUN!" Brit screamed and screamed until she finally collapsed onto her knees, shaking in terror and spent.

Roxi heard them as they chased her. She kept her eyes forward and her legs moving. Every moment she'd spent learning how to move quickly, since childhood when she first learned how to use a gun, came to her in those few hurried seconds. Roxi didn't bother with the rifle, but she did take a few blind shots with the revolver, satisfied when she heard pained yelps. She remembered caves close by…if she could slip inside, she could make her stand there, rather than the cabin, where they'd be at her from all sides.

A traitorous root snagged her foot and Roxi stumbled forward. She scrambled to her feet, but she'd lost her lead already. She saw the were-dingo bounding towards her and raised her rifle to fire. Then something slammed into the beast from the side and sprang between them. Roxi fell back in surprise and sat up on the ground, not believing her own eyes.

It looked nothing like any Rocky Mountain sheep she'd ever seen with its bright orange fur, large curling horns, and sturdy lean legs. Wargal staggered to his feet and shook his head several times and glared at the great ram. The ram flicked its ears then reared up on its back legs and fell forward, bashing its forehead against Wargal's, knocking the beast unconscious.

"Baaa…" Roxi stood up shakily and watched the ram as it stepped towards her. There seemed to be something familiar about it… "Baaa." She looked over her shoulder when the ram walked behind her and ducked its head.

"Whooaa!" Roxi squawked when the ram stuck its head between her legs and lifted her up, almost tossing her onto its shoulders. "Woo…okay, this is…weird…"

"Baaa…" The ram turned around and looked over its shoulder up at Roxi, as if expecting something. Roxi cautiously grabbed clumps of its fur and held on tight. Her assumption proved correct as the ram took off just as the other were-beasts arrived.

"AFTER HER! DO NOT LET HER ESCAPE!" Cerberus roared. Roxi looked over her shoulder and gasped when she saw the were-hyena gaining on them. The ram did a fine job of avoiding obstacles so far. Roxi swung her rifle around and grabbed the ram's right horn firmly. She glanced at Slayena again and waited until she gathered up enough energy for an attack. Just as she loomed near, Roxi swung to the side and brought the muzzle of the rifle up, pulling the trigger and blasting Slayena in the chest. Slayena screamed in pain and frustration, but Roxi hadn't the time to make silver cartridges.

The ram tilted its head slightly from Roxi's weight. Roxi bit her lip and recalled training from when she did trick riding long ago. She swung her body to the side and thrust down with both feet, pushing herself up and leaping onto the ram's shoulders. The ram glanced at her again then forward. Roxi held on tight and glanced over her shoulder to check for any were-beasts.

When she looked forward again, her eyes widened as the forest opened up into a wide, deep rock quarry. Instead of changing course, however, the ram galloped faster. Roxi screamed and clamped her legs around the ram's midsection and held onto the horns tight as the ram came to the edge and brought its fore hooves down hard enough to crack the rock. Its back legs bunched up for the spring and pushed against the cliff edge, launching itself and Roxi into the air. The were-beasts skidded to a stop at the edge and watched in shock as the ram sailed over the gaping hole in the earth.

Roxi didn't know what else to do but scream and scream. The ram didn't have enough momentum to clear the gap. Her heart fell before her body as gravity took hold and the ram plummeted towards the bottom of the quarry. Roxi kept screaming, but the ram splayed its legs, bracing itself for impact. For a moment, Roxi didn't see herself on the back of a ram, but a person…

The ram landed on all fours with a loud crash, its body absorbing most of the impact. Roxi almost fell to the side but kept her grip, sagging against the ram's back, dizzy after the ordeal. A few seconds after their landing, the rock beneath them sank and cracked. "Baaa?" The ram glanced at Roxi. Satisfied she seemed allright, it walked out of the crater.

Roxi gasped when she heard snarls and barks as the were-beasts clambered down the cliff face after them. "There's no way out! We're trapped!" she cried. The ram seemed to think otherwise and trotted towards the opposite wall. It paused and ran around in a tight circle before crouching. Roxi almost bit her tongue but held on as the ram sprang up with surprising strength, setting its hooves against small corners and edges, actually managing to scale the sheer cliff face despite carrying Roxi's weight. Again-just for a moment-Roxi saw skilled hands grabbing the rock instead of hooves.

They arrived at the top of the cliff and the ram ran onto firm ground. It flicked its ears back at the sound of labored grunts and growls then took off running again into the forest. The forest opened up into a rocky clearing. Roxi smiled at the ram with pride. Wherever it had come from, it had successfully evaded the ravenous were-beasts, with no signs of tiring or stopping.

Then the ram stopped abruptly, skidding in a 180° turn. Roxi almost fell off and nudged the ram in the ribs with her knees. It wouldn't budge. "Come on! Move! Those things are still after us!" The ram glanced at her calmly then forward. Roxi's heart sank when she heard the were-beasts approaching. She remembered her weapons and reached down to her holster. Her dismay doubled when her hand moved through empty air. The clasp had popped open during their flight, and the revolver slipped out of its holster. The rifle wouldn't be as effective with only normal shot, but the ram seemed eager to fight.

"So…this is how it ends… but you know what?" Roxi smiled weakly. "I don't have any regrets. Not one… Knowing Rowen was the best thing I've ever experienced. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way…" Roxi whispered and relaxed in her seat. Then she blinked and looked at the ram. "Why am I telling you all of this?"

"Baaa?" The ram cocked its head to the side and flicked an ear before looking forward. The were-beasts emerged from the forest and slowed down, creeping towards the two.

"This does not concern you! Surrender the girl, and we promise to devour you last," Dair demanded.

"Baaa!" The ram struck a fore hoof against the graveled ground and shook its head.

"Stupid meddling goat!" Maulubis sneered.