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Kayura walked forward, ignoring the others. "It's about time. Let's rock."

***

Arrow McKenzie had found what she was looking for, after much searching. An old book spoke of a cave with glowing rocks, which had since passed into the same category with UFOs. Geology had no explanation for a rock that glowed, but Arrow knew better. After her conversation with Batrias on the island of Tonga, she had an idea of what was really going on. This cave had to have something to do with the armors.

She was riding a motorcycle she had stolen, a Suzuki motorcycle that sounded quiet as she rode it across the Japanese countryside. She liked the quiet, but she liked the feeling of wind moving through her hair better. She was wearing blue jeans and a white tank top. A shotgun was strapped to her back, and a knife hung sheathed on her belt. She had wanted to see Batrias again, but she was sure that she would see that weird guy, Kale, again. She knew that she had to be prepared.

She slowed her motorcycle, pulling over to the shoulder of the road. She pulled a map out of her pocket and checked it. She had been driving for a while, and the cave in question was still a ways away. Arrow knew that her feeling of impatience was somewhat irrational, but she felt it nonetheless. Her heart told her that seeing Batrias would be the right thing to do.

If only her mind wouldn't keep telling her how dangerous it was.

***

The Blacksmith, after sending his army away, had decided to seek out this person, Tusuki, whoever she was. He had a feeling for where the armors were, and they were converging again, as they always did. The Blacksmith, with his dragon's brain, saw things quite differently than humans. To gather or not to gather was to survive or not to survive. The Blacksmith knew, better than anyone, that to bear an armor was to invite battle.

He flew towards the cave. His eyes beheld a strange creature below him. It looked like...some kind of insect? But it was moving nearly as fast as he was. And the insect was heading in the same direction.

Kanita just shrugged on her behalf as she turned and followed the others. Staying silent, she had crossed her arms and caught up with Lena. The girl never really understood this plan, but yet she could not help but to tag along and help the three out.

Lena felt her ears p***k, her senses suddenly picking up on some aura or another. Leaning against the wall next to Kayura, she nodded, unfurling the Shukusen in her hand. Flicking them open silently, she grinned, clenching her Ofuda in hand. SHe wasn't going to let Sehkmet pull those stupid tricks on her again.

"Right!" Was Lena shout as she threw ofudas out, sending out a purifying feel to the walls themselves, helping to negate the dark energy.

"Never mind that now!" Kayura shouted. "Charge Tusuki!"

Tusuki, however, was waiting for them. She rushed into Kale, knocking him over, and backhanded Kayura across the face. "What do you think you can do? You're powerless without your staff!"

Tusuki felt the energy trap her, momentarily. She had let her guard down, going after Kayura, and hadn't noticed Lena. Hadn't Lena been on her side? What had happened since then?

Tusuki shattered the energy cage with a flex of her mind. Then, she put one hand against the cave wall. The walls, which had previously glowed different colors, now became infected with black.

"In this place, I can concentrate my energy into the stone," Tusuki said, "And you will succumb again to my dark power."

Tusuki forced her dark power into Lena. She felt resistance, and there was some kind of interference. But Tusuki's will forced the darkness into Lena, and Lena fell to the ground.

"Now, one more piece remains," Tusuki said. "Come to me, King of Dragons!"

There was a swirl of fire around Tusuki. The walls fluctuated between black and white. The ground rumbled, and it seemed that the entire cave would have to collapse from an earthquake. Tusuki, fearing for Dais' life, which was her life as well, in a way, held a hand and sucked in all the energy she could. She knew she would need it, very soon.

***

"Ryo," Rowen said, noticing the cave shake. "Have they done it? Have they killed Tusuki?"

"Only in bad cartoons does the structure collapse when the villain dies," Ryo remarked. "I kind of think that something bad has happened."

"Shouldn't we go then?" Kento asked.

"Yeah, let's go," Ryo said. "It's our turn to fight."

***

Kale aimed his sword at Tusuki and charged. He was trying to pierce her heart. But, when his sword made contact with the aura around Tusuki, it shattered. The sword of darkness, which Kale had used since he first got his armor, broke apart into so many small pieces from the least touch of the energy surrounding his mortal enemy.

Kayura, meanwhile, had managed to grab the Staff of the Ancients. She was concentrating her energy on stopping Tusuki from doing...whatever it was that she was doing. She knew that something far more dangerous than any of them imagined lay sleeping a little ways below the cave, something that provided the energy for the cave to heal whoever was in it...something...that should not be awakened.

"Grant me the power, Ancient One, to stop Talpa from coming alive again," Kayura said. "Grant me the strength I need."

But, before she could exercise any strength, the shaking of the cave stopped and Tusuki was standing side-by-side with the Blacksmith, the King of Dragons.

"You need not strain yourself, foolish one," Tusuki said to Kayura. "After today, your life is over."

Kanita blinked rapidly as she removed both her weapon and foot from Sekhmet. "This is not good." She whispered as she rushed forward towards Lena. "Come on Onna snap out of it." She stated as she was kneeling beside the girl.

Kanita could not help but to watch the others. Should she go and help them or should she stay with Lena? Shaking her head the girl began to wish that she had her book bag iwht her, but seeing it as she had left it at the house, she could do nothing but to watch.