As the Warlords returned, the Ronins did as well.
"Did you get any of the crystals?" Anubis asked.
"Any? We got 'em all!" Kento exclaimed.
"Took us long enough." Ryo said.
"At least you succeeded. We ended up almost getting killed by the Senshi,
and Dais swears that this strange guy in blue who freezes stuff helped him."
Sekhmet said.
"It's true! He told me that he thinks that someone from his Realm is coming
to take over the world, and they are coming from the armor." Dais explained
in vain.
Meanwhile, Sub-Zero was trying to make sense of what was going on. Fujin had indeed sent him, thinking something was wrong, but he was still skeptical of the new guardian of Earth Realm was actually right. After all, he and his companions had nearly killed his brother years before. His thoughts were scattered by a voice.
"You will never succeed, ninja."
Sub-Zero whirled around to find Talpa.
"For the billionth time, I am not a ninja, nor a Lin Kuei. I am a free agent."
he said.
"Your profession or affiliation does not concern me. I simply wish to know
how good a fighter you are." Talpa said, readying his sword and shrinking
down to Sub-Zero's level.
Sub-Zero took a fighting stance. Talpa swiped with his sword, but Sub-Zero leaped back, freezing Talpa with an ice blast in the air. He ripped into a combo, sending Talpa flying. Talpa grew and took a few swings at the ex-ninja, who gracefully slid between his legs and attempted to flee. But suddenly he could not move, as Talpa used his telekinesis to float Sub-Zero to him. Suddenly a bolt of energy struck Talpa, freeing Sub-Zero from his grip. A new form appeared. It was Rayden, adorned in the richest robes, finer than any garments worn by the lesser deities. It was typical of his current status as an Elder God. Talpa and Sub-Zero bowed to show homage to the ex-thunder god.
"Talpa, I am ashamed that you have attempted to destroy the only entity that
can possibly hope to destroy whatever being is summoned by the armor." Rayden
said.
"And what makes you so certain that the being coming will fall under your
jurisdiction?" Talpa questioned.
"I am an Elder God. Trust me, I know these things." Rayden said.
"Then let us see how you are as a fighter." Talpa said.
"I don't fight." Rayden replied.
Fujin, a god now clad in Rayden's robes, which now bore the Japanese character for wind, appeared. He had a long white ponytail, and like Rayden, he had no eyes.
"But I would be honored to face the great Talpa in combat." Fujin said.
He removed his robes and handed them to Sub Zero. He was now in his pants and blue shirt, and wearing a red cape. Talpa charged, but Fujin went airborne. He lifted his hand, and Talpa rose in a gust of wind. Fujin then grabbed him and slammed him into the ground. Fujin then spun like a tornado, knocking Talpa miles away upon contact. Talpa managed to get back.
Fujin alighted.
"Tell me why you are interested in Sub-Zero." Fujin demanded.
"Never!" Talpa vowed.
"I feel a surge coming on..." Rayden began to say as lighting began to crisscross
his body.
"Fine then! I wished to tell Sub-Zero about the lost Cryos Armor."
"The Armor of Cryos!" Rayden exclaimed. "Only us deities are supposed to
know about it! Fujin, did you tell him? If you did I'll..."
"No, Lord Rayden. I never told any mortals about it."
"I am a demon from the Nether Realm. I feed off of hate and suffering. I
am immortal, and have been around for at least 1000 years. Of course I've
heard of it."
"1000 years? Ha! That's close to mortality where I come from." Rayden laughed.
"Believe what you will, Thunder God. I know of the Cryos Armor."
"But why give it to this insignificant mortal?" Rayden asked.
Sub-Zero was about to speak up about him not being insignificant, but Rayden told him to shut up and continued his discussion with Talpa.
"To answer your question, if he is going to die in the great battle ahead,
at least let him do it in style." Talpa said.
"He has a point." Sub-Zero said.
"Shut up!" The immortals said simultaneously.
"Fine. Because I can not hope to stop you Talpa, I will allow you to tell
Sub-Zero where the armor is located so that he can help your allies." Rayden
decreed.
He grabbed Talpa by the weapons on his chest.
"But if I am to catch you trying to kill other mortal in this Realm, I will
be very grumpy. And you don't want to see me grumpy." Rayden said.
"Trust me, you don't." Sub-Zero said.
With that Rayden and Fujin left, with Rayden muttering something about what possessed him to send his brother into the Netherealm in the first place.
"So, what is this Cryos Armor you came to tell me about." Sub-Zero demanded.
"It is a powerful armor that increases the freezing abilities of a warrior
such as yourself. With it you might be able to withstand the forces that
may possibly come to this Realm."
"So where is it?" Sub-Zero asked.
"It is kept in my palace...that is, the map that leads to it." Talpa said.
"You don't know where it is exactly?" Sub-Zero shouted.
"I have never needed to use it myself. Your special powers are the key to
it's retrieval, and only you can get by the guards that protect it."
"I see."
"Hurry. The forces here cannot hold the evil back for long."
The two left Earth immediately.
Meanwhile, the Ronins had placed the Torrent Crystal on top of a building, and took positions to attack. That way, when the Senshi came to retrieve it, they might be able to stop them. In seconds, all the Senshi appeared, with Michiru in Sailor Neptune form. As she reached out to pick up the crystal, she was restrained by Anubis' kama.
"We have you all now." he said.
Lita wasted no time touching the chain and sending an electric current surging back into Anubis, sending him flying. Michiru picked up the crystal, but before she could activate it, Rowen flew by and snatched it from her hands.
"Gotcha." Rowen said.
Raye went airborne and used her armor's sure-kill to knock it out of his hands and into Haruka's.
"We have it now."
Suddenly a blade from Dais' Naginata flashed out and retrieved the crystal.
"Ours now."
He was quickly blasted in the back by Ami, who retrieved the crystal.
"Thank you so much."
Sai grabbed it with his staff.
"No, thank you."
Serena charged Sai, but her clumsiness caused her to trip over herself and knock the crystal out of Sai's hands. It slid along the rooftop, somehow bounced over the ledge, and fell to the ground. Suddenly it came up, caught by Kale.
"I have it."
Suddenly it was taken from his hands by the Crossform Senshi!
"It is mine now."
Suddenly the crystal began to glow with power.
"What's...going...on!?" she tried to say.
"The Crossform Senshi's powers must be incompatible with the crystals." Ryo deduced.
It began to transform at an alarming rate.
"Whatever it's becoming," Sage began, "It's sure to give us a problem."
It's transformation was finally complete.
"Oh no!" Kento said. "It's..."
To Be Continued...