Top of the volcano, Sunday dawn, 0:20am

"Did you see him?"

Kento shook his head.

"Just this" He held up a glowing orb.

"Ryo's kanji ball" Sage smashed into a rock. "Damn!"

"It glowed like a campfire." Kento sighed. "I think, the Armor knows, that his master is in danger."

"Up here!" A voice rang in Halo's and Hardrock's mind.

"Rowen! Did you find him?"

"Yes! Come up here!"

It took only a few leaps to the top of the rocks.

"Where?"

"There" Strata showed.

Ryo stood on a rock, just above the lava pit. The red glow illuminated his body. He was staring into the boiling hell of the volcano.

"Guys, where are you?" Torrent's voice rang trough the mental channel.

"Top of the reddish rocks, Cye. Ryo's here."

After a few seconds, the ronins noticed a light-blue fleck on the opposite side of the crater.

"Ryo!" Ôkami screamed. "No!"

"Ôkami?" Ryo looked up. A gentle, sad smile spread on his features when he noticed the girl who was kneeling on the edge of a cliff. The cold wind played with her copper hair.

"You shouldn't be here." Ryo said. " I don't want you to see me die."

"Stay with me!" Ôkami sobbed. " Don't let me here alone!"

"You will find a boy, who will love you even more than I did. This last step of mine is going to give you my greatest gift: your freedom. You and your family deserve it well."

"I don't wanna be free if this means loosing you!"

Ryo just smiled and shook his head.

"You will understand it in the next night, when you don't need to hunt anymore."

"But the word needs you, Ryo of the Wildfire! And your friends need you too!"

"I saved the world and it's safe now. The time has come for you to be safe as well. And don't worry, the other ronins will understand. They're my best friends. Tell them, that I'm sorry that I had to deceive them. Farewell my angel. I love you."
 
 

The tiger-blue eyes closed… The midnight hair stirred in the wind… one step forward…
 
 

"NOOOOO!!"
 
 

The hellish light took him into its arms as he fell down without a sound. His slim body disappeared in the pit.

There was silence for a heartbeat. Than…
 
 

"RYO!!"

Before Halo or Hardrock could have move, Strata jumped up. A blue bubble of light formed around him and he threw himself after the leader. The azure eyes were full of tears. Only one thought throbbed in the Ronin of Life's mind: must find him… must save him…
 
 

Ôkami jumped up on the cliff's edge and was ready to follow the boy but Torrent held her back.

"Let me go!" The girl screamed. "Let me join him!"

"If you die too, his sacrifice was in vain." Cye said hardly able to fight with his own grief. "Come…“ He held the sobbing girl tight.

"Ryo… oh Ryo… my love…"

Torrent couldn't speak. He lowered his head on the girl's shoulder and gave free way for his own tears.
 
 

Halo stared at the pit. He didn't move, he didn't speak, just kneeled there.

"Sage…" Kento asked frightened. " Are you okay man?"

The Ronin of Light slowly shook his head.
 
 

Rowen floated above the melted stone. The heat was almost unbearable but he gritted his teeth and kept searching.

"Where are you?" He hissed. " Come on, show up…!"

His armor was almost glowing when Strata noticed a motionless figure floating on the top of the boiling lava between two large rocks. Rowen couldn't believe his eyes. Deep in his mind, he knew that he can't find Ryo but his greatest hope seemed to be fulfilled. The black-haired boy was there and the lava didn't burn him.

Strata pounced on his best friend's body like a hawk. He snatched him from the fluid flames and flew up, holding him tightly.
 
 

"Sage!"

Halo looked up and his violet eyes widened.

"He didn't make it" Hardrock whispered. " Rowen didn't find him."

"He did…" The blonde breathed. His senses were sharper than Kento's, he saw, that Rowen is not alone… He just holds the another one so close that they seem to be one creature…

Halo stood up.

"His body becomes one with the clear blue sky." He whispered.
 
 

Rowen sobbed. He held Ryo's weary body as tight as he could and his tears flowed like a river.

"Ryo! Please, open your eyes! Don't leave me! Don't leave us!" Strata buried his face into the thick black mane. It smelled like hot rock but wasn't burned.

"Ro… wen… “

"YOU'RE ALIVE!" Strata almost lost his control on his armor.

"It… hurts… so… much… “

"But… you're not burned!"

"Fire… didn't… hurt me… but… it… hit me…"

"Don't speak. Save your strength." Rowen smiled trough his tears. "Everything is gonna be all right."

Ryo chuckled weakly.

"Need… to die… have to… meet… the angel… angel… of… light…"
 
 

"Sage?"

Kento stared at his friend. Halo stood up. His eyes were shining and he smiled. Kento's mouth opened. He never saw such a smile before. Sage was so… extremely handsome… His noble features were the picture of peace and harmony. He looked like a supernatural creature. Like an angel.

Halo threw back his head. Golden green aura began to glow around his body and right before Hardrock's eyes, the light formed into a pair of wings.

"And when the Angel of Light embraces him…" Sage said on a crystal-clear voice, "… The evil light in the eyes will dim."

The green-armored figure rose up.
 
 

Strata suddenly understand everything as he saw his winged friend to fly to him. Sage's smile was gentle and his voice was calm as he reached out for Ryo's body.

"Give him to me, Rowen. Let me fulfill the quest."

"Here" Strata laughed wiping away his tears. " But don't drop him do you hear me?"

Sage smiled back and closed his leader's body into his arms.
 
 

"Ôkami…"

"?" The girl looked up, pale green eyes full of tears. Than, she followed Cye's gaze.

High above the pit, Sage floated in the air. He had beautiful golden light-wings and in his arms…

The girl collapsed without a sound. The shades on her body suddenly began to fade. After a few minutes, she lay naked in Cye's arms.

Torrent's face went crimson red. He closed his eyes, lifted the slim body up and teleported home.

***
 
 

Ronin Mansion, Sunday morning at 9am

"Ouch!"

Ryo Sanada opened his eyes and winced. Gray haze covered his mind and his whole body ached.

"Oh my… where am I?" He looked around and found himself in his room in his bed. Suddenly the door opened and four smiling faces appeared in the slit.

"Good morning, oh powerful leader of the Ronin Warriors!" Kento grinned.

"How do you feel after rising again like a Phoenix?" Sage chuckled.

"Awfully!" Ryo moaned. "What happened? And where's Ôkami?"

"Safe at home by Mom and Dad." Rowen said reassuringly. "Cye took her home after she changed back normal."

Cye blushed.

"Actually" He growled "Kento wanted to lay her next to you."

"Hey I would love to wake up with a naked woman by my side!" Kento protested.

"But… I'm alive" Ryo sighed. "The curse is still on the Yamino's… “

Rowen sat down on the edge of his leader's bed.

"Ryo, you had removed the curse. The prophecy fulfilled."

"But how…?"

"Let me explain." Sage sat down too. "You jumped into the lava pit and the lava didn't burn you, right?"

"Yes. But the ground hit me."

"To be exact, you crushed on the ground." Sage held up his hand. "Rowen threw himself after you and he found your body."

Ryo looked at the blue-haired boy.

"Thank you."

Rowen didn't answer but his eyes began to shine strangely.

"He brought you out but you were dying" Sage continued. "But in that moment, I looked up and I saw you. You two looked like you were the same creature because Rowen held you so tight. You became one with the "clear blue sky", Ryo."

"And then Sage grew light-wings!" Kento said. "He looked like a real angel! Too bad that he's not one… “

"He took you in his arms." Cye continued.

"And healed you." Rowen finished. "He was the Angel of Light."

Ryo turned to the blonde.

"How can I ever repay this for you?"

"Well actually, I don't know how was I able to heal you." Sage admitted. "My abilities have their borders and you had one foot in the grave. I… just held you and prayed for power. I was desperate… I didn't want to lose you."

"Maybe those Armors of ours brought much more power than we supposed." Cye added.

Kento shrugged.

"The Ancient didn't tell us much about them."

"This means, we have a lot to do until we fully understand the nature and abilities of our destinies." Cye pointed out. "We became the protectors of the world, which means that we have duties. But to be able to perform these duties we need to be strong and healthy! So let our leader have his rest. And Sage, you told me, that you fell down as you healed Ryo. You were surely exhausted. Leave Ryo sleep now and I'm going to cook a celebration meal for you."

"Don't forget my cake and the caramel!" Kento said on the leave.

Rowen put his hand on Ryo's.

"Good to have you here." He whispered than left.

"Sweet dreams!" Sage waved than went after the others.

"And for you, little mister" Cye smiled playfully "As the official Mom of the group, I have the right to give you house arrest for next week. Don't say a word!" He held up his hand as Ryo's mouth opened in protest. "You had fallen ill lately, you almost died… The world needs you, Wildfire." His smile softened. "We have an another duty too beside of saving the world. We need to take care of each other and to be there for each other. Right?"

"Absolutely." Ryo smiled back. "And thank you, Cye."

"You're welcome. Sleep well."
 
 

After a few minutes, Ryo Sanada fell into a deep sleep. He dreamed that his friends, his girlfriend and he went out to a great party and danced all night long. Everything was all right. The night was beautiful and Ôkami was wearing a white dress. She wasn't a creature of night anymore. Ryo felt himself wonderful - he was completely happy and satisfied. He had friends, a lover and enough power, courage and helping hands to be able to fulfill the mission he was chosen for.
 
 

Just for your information: the girl in the story and I are completely different persons. I'm not a vampire and I don't have Ryo as a boyfriend (Sniff…). I only named her after me, because the name suited her. Yami no ôkami means: wolf of darkness. I really don't like self-inject, because it makes me jealous. Besides, I don't owe any characters (except mines); they belong to Sunrise/Nagoya TV. Oh, yes. Hope you enjoyed!