The horn of the ferry trumpeted a greeting to the waiting dock as it cut through the water steadily. Engines thrummed patiently as the boat slowed its speed until its hull got within proper distance of the dock. As soon as the vessel came to a full stop, the ramps lowered and passengers and vehicles began to disembark. Ordinary citizens filtered from the ship but three people in particular left rather quickly.
     "Well," the middle person, a stocky young man with blue-gray hair clapped his hands on the shoulders of his companions. "Here we are in lovely Okinawa..." his eyes locked onto a pair of young women walking past and winked charmingly when they noticed him. "For some much needed rest and relaxation."
     "Wrong. A vacation can wait till later. We're here to train and learn about our new armors," the tall blue-haired man corrected and waggled his finger.
     "Yeah...it's always about the armors. Here I thought all that was behind us, and it comes back to bite us in our proverbial asses," a young brown-haired man with sad blue-green eyes sighed in an English accent. The stocky man clapped him on the back heartily.
     "Cyyyyyyeee, c'mon bud, don't be so glum." The brown-haired man threw a "gimme a break" look at his friend. The stocky man's lips spread in an ear to ear grin and he knocked him in the shoulder with a knuckle. "That's what Ryo's for."
     "Speaking of which...hey Ryo!" the blue-haired man hollered to someone he spotted leaning against a column. The person-a young man with shaggy black hair hanging down the back of his neck-looked up at the approaching trio with his brilliant blue eyes. A bag with change of clothes for several days and all the necessities lay at his feet. The clothes he wore, however, looked worn and considerably scuffed. "Jeez Ryo, you swim all the way here?"
     "No. I took the ferry just like you did, Rowen," the black-haired man replied curtly.
     "Then how did you get from Toyama to the port so fast? You run in armor?"
     "Yeah Ryo. I know you live by yourself and all, and no offense, but even you can afford a long distance subway pass," the brown-haired man chided.
     "Hey, we're charged with the duty of safeguarding this world and have mystical armors and powers to do it. What need have we for the conventional methods of transportation employed by normal man?" the black-haired man countered smugly. The stocky man's face wrinkled in thought and he glanced at the ceiling.
     "Snack carts and free continental breakfast?" he beamed in reply. The brown-haired man smacked a hand against his face and sighed. The blue-haired man rubbed his fingers against his brow. The black-haired man snickered and shook his head.
     "In all honesty, Kento," the group of four looked as the owner of the voice; a young man with a luxuriant bush of golden blonde hair and sharp indigo eyes, approached. "Is food the only thing you think about?" The stocky man blinked innocently. "...can't you think about girls and sports like normal people?" the blonde man chuckled.
     "But hey, we're not normal people, now are we?" The brown-haired man bit his lip as he noticed the newcomer's crisp attire.
     "Um...Sage...the letter did say this was going to be a casual trip, therefore implying casual attire," he politely reminded.
     "Well think of it this way; my good taste balances out with Ryo's...um...questionable choice," the newcomer reasoned. The black-haired man scowled and quietly flipped him the bird in retaliation.
     "Allright kids, we're all here, we all know where to go, so let's get goin'," the blue-haired man said. The black-haired man nodded solemnly and picked up his bag by slipping his toe under the shoulder strap, kicking it up, and grabbing it with his hand. He slung it over his shoulder and turned around as the five of them took off walking, shoulder to shoulder with him at the front and center.
Other people almost parted way for them, they seemed to exude importance. Who were these five young men, who knew each other so well and had such a long history together? Simple.
     They were the Ronin Warriors.

*****

     "Okay, again! One! Two! Three!" The black haired man shouted as he fended off his attackers with his twin swords. Instead of the worn clothing from earlier, he now wore a stylized samurai armor colored silver with bright red accents. He had taken his helmet off and set it down in the grass by his bag. He ducked and danced around to avoid the attacks from his sparring partners. They also had their helmets off, and even though they handled real weapons, they practiced restraint and professionalism. The blonde-haired man, who wore silver and green armor, wielded an elegant long sword: the nodatchi, his weapon of choice, and the weapon of his Armor of Halo. The stocky man, who wore orange and silver armor attacked with a long metal shaft, colored black with a decorated silver sphere at each end. It lacked the versatility of the weapon from his old Armor of Hardrock, but it worked just as effectively.
     The blue-haired man stood several feet away next to a modified tennis ball machine. The machine fired off a round of five balls, so fast if they had been used for tennis practice, a normal person wouldn't be able to catch them. But this man did, only he used a golden longbow. Each ball dropped to the ground with a golden arrow through the direct center. The blue-haired man, clad in dark blue and silver armor, lowered his bow and smirked.
     So here we are, back in action again. And why is that? Our armors were totally destroyed. Were they? No. Even though they had lost their physical form, their essence remained, within each of us. All they needed was to be given new form, and they were. Suzunagi-so traumatized in her childhood because of the ignorance of the time-used her newfound powers to create new armors with the intent of resurrecting the Inferno Armor to destroy all existence, not only to destroy all life but suffering itself. It took the revived memory and love of her mother to bring her to her senses, and as a parting gift she left us these new armors.
     In a strange way she was telling us our duty wasn't over. But wasn't it? The great evil in our lives had been the evil Dynasty, and since then, except for the incident in New York, we hadn't confronted any new enemy. Still, for our line of work, it doesn't hurt to be prepared, and with our new powers and armors, we must be.
     So who are we? We're the Ronin Warriors of course. My name's Ryo Sanada, otherwise known as Ryo of the Wildfire. I may be grown, but I guess I can say I'm still the hot-head of the group, and the leader. There isn't a written rule that says that, it just is. As the Warrior of Fire, I guide the others with the spirit of Virtue.
     That guy over there is Kento Rei Faun. He's a bit on the goofy side but he's a strong fighter and a fun guy to hang out with. He wears the Armor of Hardrock, and as the Warrior of the Earth, he wields his strength on the side of Justice.
     If there is such a thing as a gentleman Ronin Warrior, that would be Sage Date. He came from a formal family with an extensive history, and it is from that family he inherited the Armor of Halo. Warrior of Light, he guides the lost with his Wisdom.
     Rowen Hashiba is the genius of the group, and my right hand man. His cool thinking has helped us out of a crisis more than once. He is the Warrior of Air and as such uses his superb skills and the Armor of Strata to safeguard Life in this world.
     Cye Mouri went off to the shore by himself. It's no small wonder: he's the Warrior of Water. He's a nice guy with the spirit of Trust, but he can get pretty intense when it comes to his friends. He wields the Armor of Torrent in defense of his loved ones.
     So we're out here, just the five of us, trying to find ourselves after this new duty was given to us. It's been, what, six months? The only evil in this world is the evil commonplace in man, mundane conflicts between nations and peoples of all backgrounds. We haven't fought any demons or sorcerers. It's been relatively quiet. I just hope it stays that way...
     "Whoo..." Ryo sat on a rock and splashed a bit of water from his canteen over his face before taking a swig. Water dripped from his bangs as he tilted his head back.
     "If I didn't know any better, Ryo, I'd say you're getting a bit rusty," Kento taunted as he munched on a snack bar. Ryo snorted and glanced at him.
     "If I didn't know any better, Kento, I'd say you're getting a bit slow."
     "Hey!"
     "We're all out of practice. It's nothing to be ashamed of, not like we thought we'd be doing this again," Sage tried to pacify the two of them.
     "Ahh, archery is archery to me, with or without this particular bow," Rowen shrugged his shoulder where he had his weapon slung by its bowstring. Ryo nodded at him.
     "Your aim's improved."
     "Yeah. It's amazing how much these new armors amplify our natural abilities. If any new evil shows up, we'll be more than ready." At that, everyone else went silent, brooding over that reality and the memory of past experiences. Kento toyed with the wrapper. Ryo fastened the cap back on his canteen. Sage stuck the tip of his nodatchi in the ground and twisted it by its grip.
     "That's how it's always been: the five of us," Ryo whispered solemnly.
     "Always and ever, bro," Kento reminded cheerfully. Ryo smiled and raised his canteen to his friend slightly, as if toasting that thought.
     The four of them looked in the direction of the shore when they heard and saw a jet of water shoot up into the air, followed by two more. "Well, looks like Cye's having fun by himself," Sage commented from his seat on another rock.
     "Yeah. He always goes overboard when he's near water. I think it gives him a high or something," Kento snickered. Rowen chuckled and glanced at the streams again. Then he began to notice they came in some sort of sequence. He frowned as the sequence continued. His eyes widened when he realized what the sequence meant.
     "That's not showin' off...that's an SOS! He needs help!" Rowen shouted and grabbed his helmet. The others immediately stood to attention and donned their helmets.
     "Let's go!" Ryo cried and took off running. Rowen crouched and sprang into the air, his new armor allowing him to fly with ease. On the ground, the other three sped towards the beach, darting through forest and over rock. They saw the lone Warrior of Water, clad in his light blue and silver armor, and ran over. Rowen hovered in the air a few feet away.
     "Cye, we saw your signal. What's wrong?" Rowen asked. Cye turned to look at them, worry in his sea-blue eyes.
     "The problem isn't with me. I'm just fine, but you all should really take a look at this." He looked at all of them. "You aren't gonna believe this," he said and turned towards the sea. The others followed his gaze and saw what had concerned him so badly.

"...is...that who...I think it is?" Kento whispered in disbelief.
     "It's Mia!"
     "What's she doing all the way out here?" The five whispered amongst themselves as they saw their long time friend driving a motor boat over the surf. Mia Koji, a well respected member of Toyama's college community, had been trapped in the wrong place at the right time during the First Dynasty War. She and her grandfather were the only two amongst the civilian populace with critical knowledge of the Ronin Armors, and after Talpa's minions assassinated Professor Koji, she took it upon herself to travel with the Ronin and aid them using her wits and trusty laptop to provide crucial insight. Typically a calm, rational woman, but she now looked as if she raced for her life. She kept looking over her shoulder at something and tried to take pictures with a camera.
     "Whoa!" Ryo whispered in awe when he saw what she fled from. A massive wake rolled out as something moved beneath the waves. The Ronin caught glimpses of spongy, pale flesh and long tentacles that lashed out in an effort to seize the little boat. Mia had the throttle up full, but couldn't outrun this unknown creature. "That thing's gaining on her. She needs our help. Ronin to Arms!"
     Mia looked over her shoulder and held the camera up and hastily snapped a few pictures as the thing half rose out of the water and heaved itself towards her. The little boat somehow managed to stay just ahead of its bulk. She looked back to the front. Almost there; just a little bit more and she could drive the boat onto shore and run where the beast couldn't follow. Just a bit further...
     Without warning, a long whip-like tentacle snapped up from under the boat and threw it into the air. Mia screamed as she flew out from the helm. She somehow managed to keep her grip on the camera strap, but it didn't matter. The beast's tentacles roiled in eager anticipation as it prepared to catch her and devour her alive. She wouldn't get a chance to report this to the authorities.
     A blue and silver form swooped down and caught her, bearing her out of the beast's grasp and flew towards the shore. Mia blinked and looked up at the face of her savior. "R-Rowen?!" The Ronin of Strata looked down at her and winked.
     "Don't you worry ma'am. Just hold on and enjoy the ride." Mia still looked a bit shaken. She squeaked when the camera rolled off her lap and caught it by the strap before it fell to the ground. "Mia, your life's more important, you know," Rowen commented.
     "You don't understand, there's more to this than-" Mia was cut off when she heard sounds of battle as the beast moved into shallow water, now fully exposed. Even so, it had lost none of its ferocity as its tentacles lashed about in anger at being denied. She saw the other four Ronin, friends of old, attacking the creature with their new weapons. Sage lopped off any feeling tentacles that tried going after Rowen. Ryo moved his blades in a flurry of strikes that left deep scars in the beast's hide. Kento had grabbed onto one of the whip tentacles and held on like a cowboy on a rampaging bull.
     "Whoo hoo!" he howled and raised his bo. One of the ends clicked and opened up into a claw. It shot off, attached to a thick black cable, and plunged into the beast's eye. The beast squealed in rage and flinched. The claw retracted back to the bo and closed up. "Huh...didn't know it could do that-WHOA!" Kento mused just before the whip lashed around and flung him into the shore.
     "Kento!" Cye cried out and glared at the beast. "Why you...!" He hefted his trident in one hand and pulled back. He hurled the weapon at the creature with all the strength of Poseidon. The blades dug deep into its flesh and the weapon, tiny in comparison with the rest of its body, stuck out like a toothpick. The creature roared in anger.
     All of a sudden it seemed as if the flesh around the wound puckered and swelled, spitting the trident out back towards Cye. He leaned to the side and caught it, gazing at the beast in disbelief. Ryo and Sage gasped as the tentacles they had severed grew back and the cuts they'd inflicted sealed up. "That thing has some sort of rapid regeneration! Watch out!" Rowen howled in warning.
     "Let's see it regenerate from this!" Ryo snapped his swords together at the pommel and raised them over his head. "Flare...up. NO-" he paused invoking his armor's supreme power all of a sudden when he felt something strange. The plates of his armor rattled and there seemed to be a hum in the air.
     "Hey, why does my armor feel funny?" Kento asked himself from where he sat in a body-shaped indention in the sand. The five watched in confusion as the beast pulled away all of a sudden and slipped into the water. They could see its shadow as it swam away into the deep then passed out of view.
     "Not that I'm ungrateful or anything, but what are you guys doing here?" Mia asked as everything seemed to calm down. Ryo glanced at her.
     "We were about to ask you the same thing."
     "We're here to train and find ourselves. What's your excuse?" Kento demanded and glowered at her with a comical suspicious look. Mia hefted her camera in one hand.
     "I think you should all come with me to the research station. I'll explain everything."

*****

"The Kraken: a legendary beast of the ancient times that terrorized sailors all over the world. Capable of devouring entire crews and splintering a fleet of ships with a single strike," Mia stated as she compared a developed photograph of the creature that had assaulted her and a copy of an old ink drawing depicting a huge beast attacking fishermen.
     "So we're up against a giant squid," Rowen said and rubbed his chin. The five Ronin had powered down into casual wear and stood around the table. Kento blinked and scratched his head.
     "A giant squid, huh? Thinking about squid makes me think about calamari...and thinking about calamari makes me hungry...I need to eat something," he muttered and wandered off in search of sustenance. Cye looked skyward and muttered something. Mia continued explaining about giant squids while Kento fished around in the small refrigerator. "Miaaa! Are scientists on fast or somethin'? There's nothin' to eat in here!" he whined as he found the fridge nearly bare.
     "Check in the cupboard, first up to your right!" Mia called. Kento did so, but to his further dismay found only a single can of mixed nuts. He picked it up and rattled it. Sounded half full. He shrugged and peeled off the lid. It would have to do for now. He returned to the table and picked nuts out of the can. When he'd gathered a handful, he popped them all into his mouth then offered the can to Sage. He glanced at it.
     "Ah, thank you-" he began but paused in dipping his hand into the can when he saw that Kento had taken everything except the almonds. For some reason the Bottomless Pit that was Hardrock's stomach couldn't stand almonds, and even though Sage did like almonds, he liked a little variety. He blinked slowly then quietly withdrew his hand and glanced at Kento before folding his arms over his chest and shaking his head.
     "That still doesn't explain why you're here by yourself. I know you didn't come down here to look at giant squids," Ryo pressed. Mia's expression became grim and she clasped her hands together on the table and looked down.
     "The university had sent a team to meet with groups from other colleges to map and study a new archeological site that had been uncovered off the shore of Okinawa. After a week we stopped hearing reports from the teams, and the board of directors began to get worried. They assembled a second team to investigate what had happened, and for a while we'd encountered no problems. We found the research the first team had gathered and picked up where they left off, trying to piece together the events that had led to their disappearance." Mia pulled out a map printout and spread it over the table top. The Ronin studied it. "This is what the underwater site looks like. This area was the main point of interest, and so that's where we focused our study.
     "Then members began vanishing, one by one, without a trace. We all had the means to communicate in event of emergency, but we heard nothing." Mia wrinkled her brow, as if she were going to cry. "The last I heard from my partner was two days ago. I'm the only one left now." The other Ronin gasped and whispered in protest and horror.
     "Mia! What were you thinking going out there by yourself! If we hadn't been here to save you, you would've been killed!" Ryo scolded. Mia glared at him sharply.
     "Don't you dare speak to me in that tone, Ryo Sanada. I'm older than you and I've been able to take care of myself in worse situations," she snapped. Ryo frowned, looking almost saddened.
     "I'm sorry Mia, I didn't mean it like that, but you know how much you mean to all of us. It would kill us if anything bad happened to you. You're too good a person to be eaten by some squid." Mia saw how the others looked worried and sad. Her expression softened and she smiled warmly.
     "I know. But hey, maybe it was fate that I was saved by real knights in shining armor," she said.
     "Group hug!" Kento cried all of a sudden and gathered Cye and Mia in his arms and pulled them close. The two oofed upon being squeezed so tightly but smiled anyway. The Ronin all hugged Mia after that, renewing their friendship of old. She was like an older sister to them, comforting when in need, helping when in danger. They were brothers in arms and she was family in their eyes.
     "We're all glad you made it this far, Mia. But that still leaves us with the problem of that creature. If it's behind the disappearance of your teammates, it's too dangerous to leave alone out there," Cye said.
     "We have to destroy it," Rowen stated grimly.
     "What? No, Rowen, you can't! That thing's a wonder of nature. We can't just kill it because it exists!" Mia protested.
     "I'm sorry, Mia, but we have no choice." Before Mia could argue any further, Rowen continued speaking. "Giant squids live deep in the ocean and they don't come up to the surface unless they're dead. They certainly don't get that big even in the wild." The other Ronin listened attentively to Rowen's theory. "The vibration we felt in our armors was a low frequency signal. That thing's being controlled by someone, and my guess is they plan to use it to attack major port cities."
     "Great, just what we need: another little freak bent on ruling the world," Ryo grumbled and folded his arms over his chest.
     "If that area on the map is the center of activity, I'll bet that's where our enemy has his headquarters," Cye theorized.
     "Then let's go down there and beat him up before he attacks again!" Kento said and smacked his fist into his palm.
     "Guys!" Mia's stern tone drew the Ronin's attentions. "I am not going to let you go down there and use your powers in a reckless manner like you tend to often do. That is an extremely delicate archeological site and more than likely you'll end up destroying it in the process of attacking your enemy. The smart thing to do is let the kraken make its appearance so you can destroy it first then go after whoever's behind all this.
     "Too many people have died for their work to go to waste, and just because some evil nutcase is using this site as his base is no excuse to damage it more than what time has already done. There's another boat at the center's docks, so we can use that to transport you wherever this creature appears. The only reason it attacked me was because I was out there alone and I knew too much. My guess is it'll try attacking a much more important target, either a port or a ship, so I'll have all frequencies open in the center's radio room incase an alert is broadcasted. Now, does everybody agree?"
     "Sounds good..."
     "Yep..."
     "Mmmhmm..." the others agreed without hesitation.
     "It's getting late right now and unless you wanted to get in some more training, it would probably be best to turn in for the night and recover your strength. I'll take the first shift in the radio room. I'm still a little shaken up after that attack to sleep."
     "Don't you worry, Mia. If that squid shows its ugly mug anywhere, we'll have it fried and served on a platter before you can say 'Flare Up Now'," Kento boasted.
     "Mia does have a point. We should go ahead and hit the sack," Rowen said and turned to leave. The others moved to follow.
     "Whoa, wait a minute guys. Where are you going?" Mia demanded.
     "We had planned to do our training by the shore and camp out there at night," Ryo explained. Mia laughed and shook her head.
     "Guys, you should know better. As long as you're with me, you'll always have a nice place to sleep. There are spare rooms in the center. You can use those in the meantime. This isn't the Dynasty War. You shouldn't have to sleep outside," she chided.
     "Thanks Mia. Thanks for being such a big help to us," Ryo said with a smile.
     "Well before we hit the hay, shouldn't we have some dinner before we go to bed?"
     "Oh for crying out loud, Kento, there's some sandwiches in my bag. You can eat those if they'll shut you up for the night!"
     "Thanks Cye!" The mood at the center amongst the team lightened up for the night, but elsewhere darker allies calculated their next move...

*****

"Of all the luck, that woman is friends with the Ronin Warriors! I have come too far to let them spoil my mistress' plans! Cochran, prepare to initiate the next stage!" a darkened figure robed in black and crimson ordered from where he stood hunched over a scrying bowl. His power allowed him to see the Ronin as they readied for bed.
     "I would advise against making such hasty decisions. Our little pet is quite delicate for all its strength, and may not be ready for the next set of treatments," a brown-haired man with wire-frame glasses advised from his seat at a computer.
     "You are being paid to do as I ask, nothing more, nothing less. As far as any risks, my magics will sustain the beast long enough to withstand the treatments. If I am to succeed in my plan, the creature must be strong enough to combat these Ronin Warriors. However, it probably would be wise to tip the scales further in our favor. All I need is an opportunity...ah hah! There!" the robed man noticed how the blonde-haired Ronin Warrior seemed to have trouble sleeping, and had left a note on the door before going outside to the beach. Apparently he intended to do a little solo training, as he changed into his armor and readied his sword.
     "Hold that last order, Cochran. My servant can complete one more errand before his little upgrade..."

*****

I have a feeling this encounter isn't going to be an isolated one. Who ever is controlling the Kraken is in turn being controlled by a greater power, Sage told himself as he went through a series of maneuvers. I also have a feeling if this turns out to be some remnant of the renegade Dynasty Warlords, they won't be our only enemy. Sage stood on a rocky outcropping close to the surf. Whenever he paused during his routine, he seemed to take on the form of a living statue. He looked quite graceful and elegant standing there with his sword raised. Why is it these things always happen to us? It's not like we're the ones looking for trouble, it always seems to come at us, or to our loved ones. Sage twisted his sword around in his grip and shifted his position. I think I can sympathize with how Cye must've felt during that incident in Africa. No matter how we try to live our lives or where we are, evil beyond mortal man's ability to handle will always attack this world, and we'll be the ones to fight it... Sage stood up straight and plunged the tip of his sword into the bare rock.
     "Let them come," Sage Date challenged to the air. He stood there staring out into the moonlit waters as the tide churned and threw froth up at his perch.
     "Huh?" he looked down when he saw a shape, a shadow darker than shadow rising up beneath the waves. "What the-" He had no time to react as the kraken burst out of the tide and lashed out with its tentacles. He tried to flee, but the creature's whip tentacles wrapped around his chest and ankles and raised him up into the air. He screamed as he felt the kraken's grip tighten and it felt like it tried to snap him in two. Then it pulled back sharply and dragged him under the surf, slipping back into the darkness...

*****

Ryo's eyes snapped open and he sat up in bed. He looked towards the window and saw the sun barely beginning to peek over the horizon. Something's not right...
     "Oooh yeah, man. Just what we need: a hero's breakfast before we go out squid hunting!" Kento said as he waited anxiously for Cye to finish cooking breakfast. Mia had gone into town to restock the center's depleted food stores. All through her watch she hadn't heard anything unusual on the radio. Ryo walked into the kitchen with a worried expression on his face. He saw Rowen standing by the other table looking over the topography map of the site, and Kento sat at the dining table practically salivating in anticipation. Mia had returned to the radio room. Ryo scowled.
     "Where's Sage?"
     "There was a note on his door. He went out for some training by himself this morning," Kento shrugged.
     "Can you be sure? It could've been this morning or last night," Ryo said with a hard edge to his voice. Kento glanced at him, a bit surprised by his tone, and watched as Ryo slipped on his jacket and promptly went outside. Cye looked over his shoulder at the Ronin Leader and raised an eyebrow after hearing the commotion.
     Ryo stalked outside and headed towards the original planned campsite. He remembered a rock ledge overlooked the surf where he suspected...no, where he knew Sage had gone. He found the ledge and studied the ground. He heard someone walk up behind.
     "Ryo, what was all that about back there?" Rowen asked, concerned.
     "He has Sage."

"What?" Ryo paced along the ground, pointing to damp patches of soil and grass.

"He stood here, practicing, when the Kraken came out and grabbed him. It could've killed him but it didn't. Instead it pulled him under and took him to its lair to deliver to its master. He needs to interrogate Sage because he knows about us."
     "Ryo! Rowen!" The two turned around when they heard Mia's cry. "I just heard an alert over the radio. The Kraken just destroyed three members of a fishing fleet. It also attacked and crippled a luxury liner, but all four incidents happened in the same area. I think it's concentrating its attacks on that location. Should I start prepping the boat?"
     "Yeah. Sage is missing, but I think he's still safe, for now. We're gonna have to do this without him, so let's hope our power will be enough to stop it this time," Ryo said solemnly. The three ran back to the center to gather up the other two Ronin and head out. Ryo only prayed he was right about Sage...

*****

"Uhhnnn..." Sage mumbled as he stirred. He felt his arms raised, his wrists bound in iron manacles. His enemy had somehow managed to suppress his power and force him to change back into casual wear. Sage squirmed in his spot. His legs felt wet...
     "WAUGH!!" Sage screamed when he took in his surroundings. The water looked red, almost pasty and thick with blood. Bloodied human bones bobbed and floated about. Sage struggled to at least distance himself from the human remains. A skull seemed to stare at him, empty sockets glaring as though jealous of this living newcomer.
     "If you would pardon my little pet for its untidiness, for some reason it just can't process bones. The meat goes in just fine, though," a robed figure said. Sage glared up at his captor, who had left him chained up in the Kraken's larder.
     "You're as sick as they come, you know that?"
     "Yes I do. Now, I hope you are comfortable down there because I am going to be asking a lot of questions of you. First, what are you Ronin Warriors doing in this area?"
     "Well we were minding our own business training, but someone, had to go and unleash a giant squid on the populace..."
     "Your insolence will get you nowhere, boy. As long as you are chained, you are unable to summon your armor, and down there you shall remain while my servant disposes of your comrades," the hooded man sneered. Sage frowned.
     "What are you talking about?"
     "As we speak, my little pet is attacking more civilian ships, therefore luring your friends out to battle it. However, little do they know, my beast has become far more than they can handle. You see, I have enhanced its already considerable strength and endurance. Not even the supreme powers of your four friends alone will be enough to subdue it. Oh I am sure they will fight valiantly as is their nature to, but without the fifth member of the team to contribute his strength, they will eventually fail."
     "You're wrong. I will break free of these chains and come to the aid of my friends."
     "Foolish, pathetic boy. Without your armor, you are weak. You are as strong as the feeble human civilians who will soon bow to my master. The only thing you can do is wallow in that pool, not knowing whether your friends are alive or dead. However, once I am sure my pet is through with them, I will notify you myself. And when it returns, you will have the unique honor of being it's...dessert," With that, the robed man disappeared from view, leaving Sage alone, chained in that pool of carnage.

*****

"This is as far as I'll leave you guys. According to Coast Guard warnings, there have been two more major attacks since we left, so that tells us the Kraken is still in the general vicinity," Mia said as she stopped the boat. The four Ronin wore full armor.
     "Mia, as soon as we leave, I want you to go back to the research center. After what happened yesterday, I don't want to take any chances," Ryo warned.
     "I understand. Good luck, guys," she said.
     "Well, what are we waiting for! Banzai!" Kento howled and hopped into the churning water. His Hardrock armor caused him to sink faster, but his face mask still allowed him to breathe. Cye dove in a bit more gracefully, followed by Ryo. Rowen took to the air and hovered just above the water surface.
     "Mia, after we take care of the Kraken, you can escort us to that ancient temple since you know more of the layout. I wouldn't doubt it if the temple itself had some sort of air pocket which allowed this evil sorcerer to live in safely."
     "Just be careful. Without Sage, it will be considerably more difficult for you to put this thing down," Mia worried. Rowen waved at her reassuringly.
     "Don't worry. After everything we've been through, how hard can fighting a giant squid be?" With that, he slipped beneath the waves and joined the others. Mia stood alone at the helm and wrung her hands.
     "I hope you're right, Rowen, but for some reason I got a bad feeling about this..."

*****

"Heeere fishfishfishfish," Kento called out to the deep.
     "Will you cut that out, Kento! Fish can't understand what you're saying! Besides, a squid isn't a fish, it's a cephalopod," Cye corrected.
     "Whatever...hey, why don't you try talking to it if it reacts to sound?"
     "Sound is greatly muffled underwater. The only reason the Kraken responded to its master's call was because he must've used an amplifier to strengthen the signal," Rowen theorized as the four swam deeper into the bay.
     "Some of our armors won't be at their greatest down here, but if we use our ultimate powers, it shouldn't be too hard to beat this thing," Ryo said. As they continued their descent, Kento glanced about idly. He blinked and did a double take when he thought he saw something shift at the very bottom of the bay.
     "Um...guys..."
     "I think I can manipulate the ocean enough to create a dry area where you can use your Wildfire Flare, Ryo..." Cye began. The shape seemed to crawl towards them.
     "Uhh...guuuuuyyys..."
     "Keep up, Kento. I'm not gonna be the one hauling your ass if you get left behind!"
     "Guys!"
     "What are you griping about no-BLOODY HE-" Cye couldn't finish his sentence as a dark shape pressed its bulk against the four and pushed them up to the surface.
     Seawater erupted in a large plume, flinging four metallic objects into the air. Two plunged back into the ocean, one came to a stop several feet above the waves, and the other actually stood on the water.
     "So, it decided to come to us instead, huh? Might as well give it the door prize." Rowen armed his longbow and aimed. The air thrummed and the surface of the water bubbled and skipped. The Kraken bobbed idly in the ocean some distance away, not at all worried about the motes of golden light that formed from the air and converged onto the tip of Rowen's arrow. Even though its eyes were merely dark orbs hidden under the layers of flesh that formed its head, it seemed to have a smug, taunting expression...
     "ARROW...SHOCK...WAVE!" Rowen howled as he invoked his armor's supreme power. The air shuddered as a wave of golden energy erupted from his bow. The Armor of Strata's ultimate power could crush anything in its path with such force capable of collapsing the strongest structures in mere seconds. The unpleasant result of a living victim would be quite nasty...
     The water around the Kraken erupted up in a circular wall, forming a brief crater in the ocean surface as the attack hit directly. The displaced water fell back with incredible crushing force, sending out massive consecutive wakes at first. Cye raised his trident and tamed the unruly waters, ensuring the tsunami-force waves wouldn't harm any civilians in the vicinity. Rowen lowered his bow and squinted to survey the result of his attack.
     The Kraken had sustained injury, sure enough; merely a gaping, sucking hole in its cap. "No way! It survived even an upgraded Strata Shock Wave?" Rowen exclaimed. Then he observed the rate of regeneration as the wound sealed up. He also noticed other differences from their last encounter with the Kraken: Longer tentacles, spines and fins along its cap, even slightly different coloration... "It's way more powerful than last time we fought it. This thing's been altered somehow, probably by dark magic!"
     "Now what do we do?" Cye asked from where he still stood on the water's surface.
     "All we can do is press the attack and wear it down. It takes a lot of energy for tissue to regenerate that quickly, and even with that ability it won't be able to keep up the fight for long if we keep hitting its vulnerable spots," Rowen announced.
     "Well that's just fine Rowen, but some of us here happen to be at a combat disadvantage," Ryo reminded harshly. He and Kento still floated in the water.
     "Leave that to me, my man!" Kento said cheerfully and took a deep breath before diving underwater abruptly. Ryo glanced at the spot where he'd been, confused by the proclamation. The Kraken seemed content to just float there, tentacles dragging through the water, enticing the Ronin to make the first move, confident in its superior strength. Ryo blinked and yelped in surprise when it seemed as if the earth itself rose up beneath his feet and lifted him out of the water. Cye shared the experience as a rock spire lifted him above the ocean's surface. Rowen watched from the air, amazed as a rough ring of earth rose up around the Kraken. The ring took on the form of a caldera as more ocean floor shifted, forming a bowl which held the creature high above the water. The earth shifted again, creating spikes of rock that lined the edge of the bowl like teeth. The exposed sea floor shifted once more, changing texture as soft sediment became hard shale.
     An orange and silver form sprang out of the water and skillfully hopped up to the rim of the newly formed bowl. Kento landed atop one of the rock teeth and raised his bo proudly. "Ohh yeah, who says I'm weak in water!"
     "Smart thinking, Kento! Now we literally have the home turf advantage!" Cye complemented.
     "The vulnerable parts of a squid are its eyes, the flesh under its cap, and its mouth at the center of its tentacles. That's where we can deal the most damage," Rowen said.
     "Eyes and throats, guys, eyes and throats," Ryo muttered as he drew his swords and crossed them. "YAAAAHHH!" he howled and sprang forward, intending to plunge his swords into the soft flesh of the Kraken.

*****

"Foolish Ronin! They think they can wear my creation down! Instead, it is they who shall lose this war of attrition. My creature is capable of outlasting any attacks, even their supreme powers! It is so powerful, it takes little effort to heal itself. Observe how it sits without worry as these pesky ants gnaw at its flesh. Once they exhaust their power, it will devour these tasty morsels and I will have fulfilled my promise to my master! Ah hah hah hah!" The robed man crowed as he stood over his scrying bowl.
     "Not to sound rude, but now that my end of the agreement is complete, I believe it is time for my payment..." The bespectacled scientist named Cochran prodded.
     "Ahh yes...your reward for your service..." the robed man glanced at Cochran with narrowed eyes. He reached under his robes and pulled out a small sack. "Tempted that I am to silence you to insure against any betrayal, your work proved beyond satisfactory, and the projected results surpassed even my master's expectations. You may yet serve the Dynasty again in the future, so I will permit you to live," he said and flung the hefty sack at Cochran. Cochran caught it in his palm, arm bowing down slightly from the weight. He stood back up and tossed it up and down in his hand a few times before opening it to examine the shiny contents.
     "Ahh...just what I wanted...money!" he grinned as he fingered the aged gold coins. In their time and age, they would've been worth little, but if presented to the right collectors, would be worth tens of thousands each. "I can assure you I will use these 'funds' to further my research in the event I am called upon again for my expertise," Cochran said.
     "How pathetic," a voice sneered from the shadows. The two Dynasty minions whirled around and saw the speaker as he emerged into the torchlight. "A frail lich, a mere shadow clinging to life, and a human conspirator, willing to surrender himself to the evil Dynasty for profit. And here I thought all humans were inherently good. I suppose in every basket there's a bad apple or two," Sage said calmly and glared at the men. "You were a fool to leave me alone like that. I'm well trained in the martial arts, and I was able to work my way out of those decaying chains in less than a minute after you left. Now that I know your plans, I'm debating whether to apprehend you, or execute you and put you out of your misery."
     Knowing full well who a Ronin Warrior was and what a Ronin Warrior could do, Cochran clutched his sack of coins and sprinted out of the scrying room as fast as he could. The robed man watched him leave out the corner of his eye and growled in frustration. "Looks like loyalty obtained through coin doesn't last as long as it used to."
     "He is of no concern right now! You may have escaped your prison quickly, but you failed to put on your armor. I command magics capable of destroying you before you can utter the first summoning command."
     "Well get a hint, Dynasty scum, I don't need my armor to dispose of the likes of you. I know your weakness, and I can defeat you easily. You forsook your very humanity and have thrived on the dark energies of the Dynasty for so long, you can't survive without it. The light of my pure soul alone can purge that darkness and utterly destroy you!"
     "Insolent boy! I will silence you and your comrades!" The robed man raised his hands, violet energy arcing between his palms. They gathered into a crackling orb of energy and he hurled it at the lone Ronin Warrior. Sage stood there calmly and closed his eyes. The robed man grinned in anticipation as the orb neared and when it struck, he thought he had won. His eyes widened when the orb fizzled out, blocked by an aura of soft emerald light that formed around the warrior rapidly and steadily increased in intensity. "Childish tricks! I will not let you stand in the way of my master's plans!" The minion conjured up another dark orb and hurled it. This time it seemed to shrink in size before it even touched the aura. Sage narrowed his eyes and began walking towards the man, the aura becoming brighter with each footstep. The Dynasty acolyte tried conjuring up more orbs, but when the fringe of the aura touched his hand, he cried out and jerked his arm back. "What trickery is this?!"
     The acolyte gripped his wrist and watched as the skin on his fingertips where the light had touched seemed to boil and melt away, leaving bloody exposed bone. "No! What are you doing?!" Sage didn't answer and kept walking closer. The hapless minion's eyes widened in fear and he tried to retreat. "Stop that! Get away from me! Stop!" Sage smiled then closed his eyes and stood still. He held his arms out to the side, fingers spread, palms forward, and tilted his head back. The minion held his hands together and called forth one final massive orb, the collection of all of his offensive energies, and hurled it at Sage. Sage cried out and his eyes snapped open. The aura surrounding him seemed to explode, bathing the scrying room in soft green light. The light completely consumed the dark orb. "NO! STOP! STOP!" The robed man screamed as he tried pitifully to hide in a corner of the room. The light expanded to fill the entire room, even leaking out into adjacent rooms of the underwater lair.
     "AAAHHH! AAAAAIIIAAAHHH!" The hopeless Dynasty follower screamed in agony as his skin began steaming and melting away. He scrabbled at his face, writhing from the pain as his flesh turned into dark liquid that dribbled down to the floor and vaporized in the light. Sage lowered his arms and the aura faded away slowly. He stood there and watched as the minion's flesh melted away entirely. The remaining skeleton also began to crumble into ash and twitched and wriggled until every last bone had disintegrated. All that remained of the minion were his robes and piles of ash. Sage frowned. He couldn't help but feel sorry for the pathetic wretch. Then he remembered something. He turned around and ran over to the pedestal holding the scrying bowl. He bent over it and examined the images it displayed.
     The other four Ronin Warriors fought a loosing battle, whether they realized it or not. Sage scowled. He had to do something fast. That area looked familiar, but could he get there in time to lend his power to the battle?

*****

"Hah! Hyah! Haah!" Kento cried out with each strike as he bashed the Kraken's eyeball with his bo. Ryo had plunged one of his swords into the flesh at the rim of the cap, but had to struggle to pull his blade back out as the flesh sealed up quickly.
"This isn't working! We're not causing any major damage!"
     "We just gotta keep at it, dude. Not like it can fight back on dry land," Kento reasoned. All of a sudden it seemed the Kraken narrowed its eye at him. Cye had to jump out of the way as its tentacles snaked out towards the rim of the bowl imprisoning it. The tentacles flowed between each of the rocky teeth that lined the rim and gripped the rock tight with its suckers. It lifted itself up and its tentacles swelled, crushing the teeth into rubble. Slowly, it began scooting its bulk out of the bowl.
     "It's trying to escape! We have to stop it!" Ryo cried out.
     "Kento, can you seal the rock around it?" Cye asked.
     "That's as far as I can manipulate the earth, man!" Kento replied. Rowen frowned then slung his bow over his shoulder.
     "Guys, I hope your armors will protect you from this, but I'm gonna try something..." he flew up higher then stopped above the Kraken. He held forth one hand and spread his fingers. The others watched him, confused. Then they noticed a slight hum in the air.
     "What is he doing?" Ryo muttered. The Kraken twitched its tentacles idly. Then the hum became a chittering whine as Rowen curled his fingers. The whine increased in intensity and volume, turning into a piercing shriek. Kento slipped his fingers under his helmet and plugged the tips in his ears.
     "What the heck does Rowen think he's doing?"
     "He's trying to weaken it! He's causing the air molecules to vibrate at extremely high speeds, causing that sound!" Cye explained.
     "Look! It's working!" Ryo grinned as he saw the Kraken writhing in pain. It began roaring in protest as the scream of the air became unbearable. Blood began trickling out from under its fleshy cap and its mouth under its tentacles. "Keep it up, Rowen!"
     "I'll try..." Rowen muttered. Sweat ran down his forehead. This technique took all of his concentration. The Kraken screamed as cuts opened up in its cap and spewed blood. Rowen clenched his fist and the sound reached its pinnacle.
     "ROWEN! WATCH OUT!" Ryo cried as one of the whip tentacles lashed up and swatted the airborne Ronin into the water.
     "Guys, he didn't have his face mask on!" Kento pointed out, worriedly.
     "I'll get him!" Cye dove down into the ocean, his face mask clicking into place before he plunged under the waves. He spotted Rowen sinking into the deep, arms limp. Back on the rock bowl, the other two Ronin watched the impact zone anxiously. The water erupted as Cye leapt back up to the rim, supporting Rowen with his shoulder. "He's allright. His armor took most of the force."
     "Ryo, I may have weakened it enough, but I think our only chance now is a four point attack, everything goes," Rowen whispered as he stepped away from Cye, regaining his strength. Ryo nodded and pointed a sword to the side.
     "Take up positions along the rim! We're going all out!"
     "Right!" Rowen flew above the Kraken and put an arrow to the string. Ryo, Kento, and Cye put themselves in a triangular formation around the beast.
     "Everyone ready?" The others nodded. "Then let's do this!" Ryo joined his swords at the pommel and leapt into the air. The blades of his Wildfire swords glowed red hot and flames sprang up and danced along the edges. "FLARE...UP...NOOOOWWW!" he swept the double blade forward and sent forth a wave of flame.
     Cye swept his trident back, pointing at the surrounding ocean, then waved it up and down so it pointed at the Kraken. Pillars of water shot up high then arced down towards their target. "SUPER...WAVE...SMASHER!"
     Kento narrowed his eyes and held his hand out to the rock beneath the Kraken. He spread his fingers then curled them. The surface of the newly formed shale cracked and splintered, razor sharp shards rising up into the air. "IRON...ROCK...CRUSHER!"
     Motes of energy gathered at Rowen's command and flowed into the tip of his gold arrow. "ARROW SHOCK WAVE!" At once, all four Ronin super powers shot forth and struck the evil Kraken. The beast screamed and writhed as its skin was scorched by Wildfire, pummeled by Torrent, impaled by Hardrock, and blistered by Strata.
     Ryo's brow furrowed in concentration as he channeled all of his power. Even though the four supreme powers dealt devastating damage to the Kraken, it gave no indication of dying. It's not working! We're giving it everything but it's not going down!
     The Kraken scowled and its whip tentacles rose up, aiming to swat down Rowen. Rowen couldn't afford to break his concentration by dodging, but if he paused his attack, the others would soon suffer as well.
     "THUNDER...BOLT...CUT!" A shape fell down out of the bright sphere of the sun and thrust its sword into the thick fleshy cap. A deafening explosion echoed through the area as hot light filled the inner chamber of the cap, spreading out and inundating the Kraken with its cleansing force. A final sphere of light erupted and encompassed the rock bowl then exploded, shattering the stone and sending ripples of light out in all directions.
     The Ronin watched the light fade from where they floated in the water. The burning bulk of the Kraken still sat atop the ruins of the rock bowl. Ryo looked over his shoulder at the newly arrived Sage and gave him a thumbs up.
     "Great timing bud."
     "No way!" Cye exclaimed, drawing a startled glance from the others. The Ronin watched horrified as the burning heap of flesh began moving, sliding off of the rock. However, rather than move towards them, it slipped into the water and sank, the water cooling its flesh and extinguishing the flames.
     "Where's it going?" Kento asked aloud.
     "Its master is dead. It no longer has a reason to continue the fight," Sage began solemnly. The Kraken's eyes almost looked sad as it vanished beneath the waves, its shadow moving further and further away into the distance. "Now it's returning home where it belongs...in the deep."

*****

"If only the university would believe me if I told them the truth about the sorcerer and the Kraken, then you guys could get the credit you deserve, but I don't think even speaking at the UN Council convinced everyone of your existence. If I had known right away, I could've contacted you and all those people wouldn't have died. Still, I suppose there really is no way to know the truth with the subtlety of evil," Mia said. She and the Ronin stood outside of the research center close to her parked car. The vehicle itself seemed a part of the team, having survived both Dynasty Wars and carried them in and out of danger.
     "We're really sorry about the loss of your teammates from the University. We can only hope some good can be cultivated out of this tragedy now that the sorcerer no longer controls that archeological site," Sage said. Ryo smiled then looked at Mia.
     "It was only because of fate that we saved you and found out about that creep's plan, but from now on we'll stay close, so we can always watch over you. You've always been a friend to us, and we won't let any harm come to you or civilians."
     "Guys...don't be strangers. You know you can always stay at my place. It's practically Ronin Headquarters," Mia offered.
     "We're grown now, Mia. We have our own homes. We shouldn't be imposing on you," Cye protested gently.
     "But you won't! You've always been welcome at my estate."
     "Thanks Mia. We'll stop by to visit more often," Rowen thanked.
     "I smell another group hug comin' on!" Kento cheered. Then he frowned and raised his arm and sniffed. "No...I think some of that squid got on me. Eww, it smells more like burnt tire than calamari." Cye chuckled and shook his head. The others all had a good laugh about that. It seemed like the old days when they shared their griefs and triumphs...
     "How adorable..." a feminine voice sneered from out of nowhere.
     "What?" Ryo scowled and searched for the source of the voice.
     "Up there!" Mia pointed to a form that appeared in the air. It looked like the upper torso of a woman, faded as if projected against the clouds by an unseen source. The woman wore a heavy black crown, lined with spikes with a rim that came down over the eyebrows. Her bright-almost fluorescent-green hair flowed down her back like a silken veil. A black leathery cape clasped around her neck and draped over her shoulders. She glared down at the group with dark emerald eyes.
     "As usual you Ronin Warriors ruin every plan the Dynasty has for invading this realm. You are supposed to be dead, stripped of your armors and powers, yet fate conspired against us and granted you renewed strength," the woman spat. "You may have vanquished my Kraken, but I command legions of evil beasts I can unleash on a whim to crush you and all you hold dear!" The image reached out with its hand. It wore leather gloves covered in silver claws that gleamed with wicked sharpness. The five Ronin growled and prepared to summon their armors once more.
     "However, you are protected by the Ancient's Will, and I cannot outright destroy you. No matter. My minions will make short work of you once I give the order for the kill."
     "Just who are you, lady?" Ryo demanded angrily.
     "Know this, little Ronin Leader: I am Dygra, Beast Warden of the Dynasty. I command the creatures used by Talpa to unleash terror into the world and subjugate mortals. My hounds grow impatient, and they hunger for flesh. Though you destroyed Talpa, his legacy will continue through his trusted lieutenants. Our emperor may be dead, but the Dynasty lives on!" Dygra proclaimed as her visage faded from view, leaving the six people to wonder about future perils to come.
     "Mia, I think we'll take you up on that offer to bunk at your place," Rowen said grimly. Now the Ronin knew the mastermind behind the Dynasty minion. Now they knew the name and face of their new enemy.
     Now they knew their duty remained... 

*****

I've lived alone for what seems like ages...forced out of my home by assassins who tried to kill me because of a power I wielded that I didn't even know about... For the past four years of my life, I have been trained and conditioned with the purpose of becoming the ultimate tool to combat the Dynasty's evil. For the past four years of my life...I have not seen my family. My father...my mother...my brother...to them, I am dead because they think the fire consumed me. But now the time has come for me to return to the world, to my family! Too long has the Dynasty dominated mortal man with fear and despair! Now the time has come to give back to man what they lost when the Dynasty invaded: HOPE!...

Next, on Ronin Warriors: Aftermath
Legend of the Lady Ronin