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Convergance
The wind roved across the land with jagged teeth. It cut into what it could and forgot what resisted it. Anubis felt the wind as he saw the silouetted figures of Dais, Sehkmet and Kale approach. They had known where he was, of course. Anubis didn't really understand how the process worked, even after briefly donning the clothes of the Ancient. A twinge on the strings of his perception caused him to look up into the sky. There was...something there. He didn't know what it was. Far beyond the sky, beyond the planets, something. Anubis then knew the reason why he had been allowed to keep his armor, the Armor of the Ogre which was Kayura's and which he meant for Dani. Little Dani, the child of the future, learning the ways of the past.

"Anubis." Kale shrugged as if to say, I knew it. "You've been waiting for us."

"I have been waiting." Anubis said. The other warlords might lack his perception, might not have sensed what was beyond the planets, so Anubis did not feel the need to tell them. Before he had expanded his mind through the discipline of Buddhism, which he had since given up, his life was a swimmer flailing about in an unkind, stormy ocean. He had struggled for peace, sought happiness only to find himself losing his strength, gradually yielding the torrent of misfortune which life engendered by its very nature.

"Then, you know." Dais remarked. "We still have our armors."

"I am aware." Anubis replied. "There is a reason, for it, no doubt."

"Another coming danger, you know." Kale laughed. "It's always the same thing in this universe, isn't it? Here comes the evil, and then the good guys are expected to whiz, bang! Save the day!"

"We're the good guys this time?" Sehkmet wondered aloud. "Last time, we were the bad guys."

"Not by our own choice, you remember. Talpa had a lot to do with that." Dais looked at his fellow warlord through his one good eye. "Now we're free of his control. Free to do what we will."

"Freedom is not something that can be spoken into existence." Anubis said. "It is something that must be earned, fought for, protected. The freedom to live as we wish is something that is always being threatened. In a way, you're right, Kale. There is always an evil threating life in this world.

"It is something I have given some thought to. By their agents, I have discovered that there are two forces in this universe. They are commonly called good and evil. These terms, while apt, are not a complete description. Talpa, I believe, was but an agent of the greater force who has taken in an interest in our continued resistance and is coming himself to put it down. I don't know what manner of creature this force is, but I have sensed it, far away, on the shores of many distant stars. He is coming."

"So, what does that mean for us, then?" Dais asked. "Are we supposed to fight this thing, this person, or whatever's on the way? If what you say is true, then we have no way to combat him and succeed. If Talpa was but his servant, than it stands to reason his power is far greater. It also stands to reason that he will not be alone, that he will bring his finest warriors with him. Is that not so?"

"It is so." Anubis nodded. "Your logic does you credit. It is the way in which every conqueror has proceeded since the world began, perhaps even since the universe began. Strength does not mean strength of arms alone; it also means strength of the subordinates below you, the strength of your mind, and the strength of your willpower. This last is the most important. Staying alive means having a will that wants to keep life around. It is this upon this basic truth that all life in the universe operates."

"And this force, who you have not named as yet," Sehkmet commented, "Seeks to destroy life? Is that not counter-productive? Even Talpa did not destroy- he merely converted human beings into a kind of energy he could use, the energy of suffering, of pain. He used these, as well as the Netherspirits under Badamon, to create the Dynasty Towers. What is the reason, then, that we should fight this overlord of darkness?"

"I do not know what he will do when he arrives." Anubis admitted. "It may simply be that he, being witness to the continued victory of good on this planet has decided to discover what sort of power we possess, and claim that power for his own use. I know for certain that we are not the only planet to bear mystical armor. Nine sets of nine on this world, eighty-one in all, exist. There was once, one Great Armor, with the powers of all eighty-one, that was split into nine. These nine was similary split into sets themselves. Talpa possessed a second-level armor, one below the Great Armor, before the Ancient One divided it apart. I have only discovered twenty-five armors in this world. The other fifty-six are either in hiding or are no longer on this world. It is possible that Talpa's former master has some of these."

"What about the Inferno, and the Black Inferno Armors? They have nothing to do with these sets of nine you spoke of." Kale reasoned. "I also find it hard to believe that Talpa, with the combined powers of our armors, as well as those of the Ronin Warriors, was defeated so easily by the Inferno."

"The first time Ryo of the Wildfire confronted Talpa with the Inferno Armor, Talpa did not die." Anubis said. "I myself was witness to it, although I did not discover what the result of the battle was until Talpa relinquished the Armors, and the bearers thereof. He had not expected an armor combination to take place, and, therefore, he withdrew to strengthen his own position for the day when he might possess the Inferno Armor.

"The Inferno is the wildcard armor of the set we know of, the Ronins' Armors and our own. A wildcard armor can be formed by any combination of five of the nine. You will remember, perhaps, that you yourselves once contributed to the making of an Inferno. Each time the Inferno is made, it is different depending on what armors contribute to it. The five Ronin Armors always made the same Inferno, although you made a different sort, with different powers. The appearance is the same, the functionality is not. The Black Inferno was a wildcard from another set of nine, although the bearer of it did not understand anything about armor sets. I do not know whether he bore another armor himself- it is not necessary to do so in order to bear a wildcard. It is not necessary to overlap armors to wear them. There are seven more wildcards out there, each with power enough to destroy planets. It is impossible to tell how much power the Great Armor had, although. Just imagine nine Infernos fusing together. That is possibly the power that this force from the stars is seeking."

"Then, our best course would be prevent him from attaining the armors you know of. That, at least, would prevent him from forming the Great Armor once more." Kale said. "Is that not so?"

"There may be nothing we can do." Anubis said. "As I explained, there is one wildcard for every set of nine. There are four sets and two armors missing from this world. If the force from the stars has four sets, he can form four wildcards and join them together. That power of the armor that results would be more anyone can handle. I daresay it would border on god-like powers. Preventing him from taking the armors that on Earth will not stop him, then."

"You don't know this for certain, do you?" Dais asked. "This is all conjecture."

"Indeed, I am grasping at straws." Anubis said. "It is not so unlikely, though, that if someone has a power lust, they should seek to attain all the power they can. The armors are the greatest power available now. Even the power of science, despite all the great leaps it has made, is still very primitive before one with mystical powers. No, the only course I can suggest is to seek out the blacksmith of the Great Armor."

"Who is this blacksmith?" Kale asked. "I have never heard of any being who could imbue such powers as you describe into any inanimate object."

"That is because, Kale," Anubis said, "The blacksmith is not from this world. Clearly, the mortals on this planet have their limits. I do not say that he is from another planet, perhaps only that is from another when. There are already armors out there which can manipulate time and space. It is not difficult to believe that the Great Armor was capable of traveling through time."

"If he's from the future, then we can't find him." Sehkmet said. "Anubis, I am enjoying hearing you speak of the legends of the Armors, but this avails us nothing if we can not apply the knowledge. How are we to travel through time?"

"We don't need to." Anubis said. "I would not suggest an impossible course. As you may know, an armor can not function without a bearer. There are powers inlaid into an armor, but they must be drawn out. I believe that when the Great Armor came into our world, it came with someone from the future, or, if not that, then a being from another planet. It is even possible the blacksmith could be a parallel universe where armors such as his are common, because the rules of that universe are different. Whatever the case, his information, should we find him, is likely to be enlightening."

"Then, how do we go about finding him?" Dais asked. "He is immortal if he was once an armor bearer, without question, and has likely taken recluse from the world. While singers croon their off-key notes and while politicians scheme their petty schemes, those who bear armor see into the greater matters of the world, and beyond the world. It is in isolation that a greater understanding can be made. You yourself know this from your period as a monk."

"I remember clearly how much my understanding increased from meditation." Anubis said. "Once I became an armor-bearer, I gained a mystical key to unlock the mystical armor. I began to know how the powers worked, how to use them. The powers increase with time, and, as you said, Dais, with solitude. Yes, you are correct, the blacksmith will be alone."

"We will never find him then!" Sehkmet despaired. "It would take ages to search every corner of this planet, and, even after those ages, we still may not succeed, for he could be on the move."

"I have been searching for the last thirty years. Ever since the tournament in which the Ronins involved themselves in was over, I first hit upon the idea of the Armor sets. Then, if all the armors could be combined into one, there had to be someone who constructed that one. It was for him I searched, the blacksmith." Anubis paused, collecting his thoughts. "The only thing I am certain of is that he on this continent, this Australia, hiding somewhere."

"We will have to start with the power of science." Kale said. "We'll need a dune buggy, I think to cross the deserts. And then we'll hire detectives to search the eastern coastland. I don't think searching the big cities will be necessary, so that makes things far easier."

"I have already undertaken to hire detectives. In fact, I have convinced the Australian police that the man is responsible for unsolved crime six months ago, a cyber-theft in which the government lost six hundred thousand dollars. They are very quietly, but very methodically, searching for him. As far as a dune buggy, that will not be necessary. I have a private jet. It is about half a mile away, parked in the desert so as to avoid rust." Anubis pointed in the direction. "We'll get on the jet and go to Sydney first. I will speak with the detective agency to see what they have discovered. You three are to pose as hired mercenaries. They are common in Australia, and no questions will be raised as your peculair appearances- espicially why your hair is green, Sehkmet."

Sehkmet laughed. "Then let us go, and let the search begin!"

"Why not just call them?" Kale asked as they were walking towards the plane. "Surely if you have a private jet, you have a cell-phone. Would it not be easier to give them a ring?"

"Easier only in the short-term." Anubis said. "I have found it is more to my benefit to talk to someone face-to-face, rather than talk to a secretary, have her transfer me to their chief and see what progress they've made. A phone call does not give him the message that I expect results. A personal appearance, espicially when my address is listed in Melbourne, lets him know that it is truly important. The bonus I promised him upon capture serves as additional motivation. No, I do not mind getting extra flyer miles if it means a more speedy process."

"You have a description." Dais said. "They would not be able to search without one. You have a photograph of what the man looks like, don't you?"

"I do." Anubis said. "It's in my laptop inside the jet. I don't know whether sending the authorities, private and governmental both, after him was a good idea. I spefically instructed them not to post his image on television in the hopes that someone might call in. This would only alert the blacksmith that he is being sought, and, knowing this, he would flee into even deeper hiding.

"INTERPOL also has a case file. On the hunch that he might leave Australia for whatever reason, I have the international police looking for him. They are not aware of it, but there has not been such a concentrated effort to find one man, ever. The CIA and FBI of America have been tipped. They are not actively searching, but they will know if they find him."

"And if the authorities find the blacksmith first, we are screwed." Sehkmet said. They could see the jet clearly now. "Nice Lear."

"Yes, it is." Anubis commented. "The first thing they will do is break the television silence and announce it on all the news stations across the world. Each organization has a different crime they are pursuing him for, and, when they put their heads together, they will realize what an incredible capture they have made. If we are inattentive, or misinformed, there will likely be a big deal made about his trial, since many extradition laws are to be involved. The blacksmith is immortal, but I doubt if he retains any of the powers of the Great Armor. He will not be able to escape confinement. We will have to break him out, and then, we will be in a position to extract whatever knowledge he has about the force from the stars, and how to stop him."

"What if he escapes confinement?" Dais asked. "That would only delay our efforts, and, if I read your expression, our time is running out."

"We have at least a year." Anubis said. "I cannot say for certain, but that is my estimate."

"If you are doing all of this, Anubis," Kale conjectured, "What do you need us for? Why did you draw us here?"

"I always answer a good question." Anubis said as he stood underneath the jet. The rampway lowered to admit them inside.

"Beyond the simple fact that you three are armor-bearers," Anubis said after they had sat down inside the plane and had been served drinks from the stewardess, "You have a part to play in this drama as yet. For good or ill, I cannot tell. I would rather have you on the side of good, so you are here."

"How do you know this?" Sehkmet said. "You've been saying a lot of things that don't make any sense to me. I don't know how you know these things, or how you came by the knowledge. I have been in recluse for the past thirty years, and I have discovered nothing of what you're telling us. So, I ask you, how you do know what you know?"

"While you have been in recluse, I have been active." Anubis took a sip from a fruit smoothie, a strawberry one. "Thirty years is a long time to find things out. There are libraries in the world, walk-in libraries as well as cyber-libraries, in which any form of information is available. Stories about the incidents in Japan in 1988, as well as the incidents that followed afterwards, have gained something of a cult following. This following is like a magnet, attracting other stories to them, some of them true, others false, in which people 'like those seen in Japan,' are mentioned. The other sixteen armor-bearers have been very active, apparently. The first place I went was Shinshei University, the place where Dr. Coji, an expert in ancient myths, studied. He had more information about the armors than anyone. I was surprised to discover that, despite the fact that Ryo claimed the building in which worked was destroyed, by you, Sehkmet, incidentally, it was intact. I stole my way into the building at night and snuck into Dr. Coji's office. His computer was still there, with its files perfectly intact. No one had moved his belongings, although the staff I spoke to the next day said that he had been on-campus for some time. This did not surprise them, for he often went on sabbaticals to do field work. He was not actually a teacher, just someone doing private research. All of this was shortly after I 'came to back to life' after apparently dying while trying to free the Ronin Warriors from Talpa's grip. In fact, I had not died, as in evidence by my presence here.

"Inside his files were many of the things I told you, some of them dating back as far as four thousand years. There was, legend claims, activity in the Dynasty in the time of pre-feudal Japan, when the nation was just beginning to get to its cultural feet. The knowledge retained from these times is astounding. There was also so much of it. Inside Dr. Coji's computer was a painting of a man, with the signature 'blacksmith' in the bottom left corner. It was this painting that I gave to the authorities. They believed them when I said that the man was elusive and that I alone had seen him, if only for a brief instant. When I said I also was originally from Japan, their doubt completely fell away. The Japanese, by their very nature, are artisans, much like the Italians some four hundred years ago.

"What I also learned from Dr. Coji's computer was a prophecy of sorts. It goes:

"'When from the sky comes the flame,
"'Seek the one who before man came,
"'The key is his, four to unlock,
"'Those of previous evil's stock.'"

"So, what does that have to do with us?" Dais leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head. The back of his right foot scratched his left leg absent-mindedly. "I assume that four is us, is it not?"

"I think it is. The line 'Those of previous evil's stock' is the most convincing." Anubis explained. "The line 'Seek the one, who before man came' can be interpreted as saying, 'Seek the one who was civilized before civilazation existed.' Look the the word 'man' as meaning human beings, instead of just one person. The only person I know, through all of my research, capable of fulfilling this prophecy is the blacksmith. The line about the flame from the sky can mean a ship appearing in a red streak on entry into the atmosphere."

"Who wrote this prophecy?" Dais asked. He shifted into a position of deeper relaxation- he put his feet on the table. "Surely not a human."

"Surely not. Perhaps the blacksmith himself, perhaps another, I do not know." Anubis said. "The trouble with prophecies is that they are usually accurate, even when written by a madman, while veiling their author is mystery. I can not answer that, so I can not say one way or the other whether this prophecy is authentic or not. It is the reason you are here, because I believe you can be 'unlocked' if we meet the blacksmith."

"As well as everything else." Sehkmet said. "I wouldn't like to be this man, this forger or armors. You're expecting so much of him, you're placing the burden of worlds upon his shoulders. Would he not simply seek to shrug them off?"

"I have already considered this." Anubis glanced back at the pilots, who were waiting for instruction. "Hold on, one moment." Anbuis instructed them to take off and told them their destination.

"All right." He said, after sitting down at the table. A small smile came across his face when he saw Dais' feet. "I do not care what he wishes to do, I will simply have to convince him that his creation may make another appearance in the world in the hands of Talpa's former master. That, I believe, will be motivation enough."

Suddenly, the plane started moving. "We'll have to strap ourselves in." Anubis said.

Dais took his feet of the table and hooked himself into the chair. He then took a yoroi crystal of out his pocket and laid it on the table. It was not the Armor of the Spider.

"What armor is that?" Kale asked of his friend. "I have not seen it before."

"It is the Armor of Holy." Dais said. "I once fought its bearer, Batrias, and nearly killed him. In fact, he would have died if not for the usual heroic interference you find in any good battle."

"Then, Batrias is..." Anubis shook his head.

"Yes, the bearer of Holy is dead." Dais said. "I was with him, four years ago, when he decided that he had lived long enough. He wanted me to help him commit seppuku. You are familiar with what that is, are you not?"

"One person stabs themselves while another cuts their head off. It is a feudal Japanese ritual which has since gone out of practice." Anubis continued, "But seppuku is usually done from a sense of shame or dishonor. What had marred Holy's life so much that he wanted it to end?"

"Reverence for the celestial spirits, Izanami and Izanagi, into which the Emperors traced their lineage is also an ancient Japanese custom." Dais explained. "He told me that in his immortality he was usurping the place of the celestial spirits, thereby negating the rightful claim of over one hundred ancestors to the throne of Japan. This was the shame he could not live with. You see, he was very modern, but at the same time, he was also very Japanese. I helped him end his life, and he entrusted me with his armor."

"Of what set is Holy a part of? Do you know, Anubis?" Kale looked across the table.

"Of the set that is incomplete on Earth." Anubis answered. "I told you that on this planet, there are twenty-five armors. The have three complete sets, there must be twenty-seven. Holy was a part of the set that is missing two."

"Then, that set can call a wildcard, that same type of armor as the Inferno." Kale concluded. He closed his eyes and thought.

"Holy will have to find another bearer if we are to have any chance is the coming conflict." Sehkmet took a gulp of Mountain Dew. He belched. "Ah, excuse me. We'll have to visit a dojo to enlist a good fighter and get him to join us."

Anubis picked up the crystal and closed his palm around it. "I'm sorry, Batrias," He said under his breath, "You understood better than I did."