"How did you get in here?" asked a voice that sounded very much like Tsubasa's.
"I live here!" Hikaru pleaded, "You know me! Hikaru, your brother-in-law…"
"Hikaru-sensei," Tsubasa's voice answered, "You've been gone for a long time. Times have changed now. So have I."
"Tsubasa, what are you talking about?"
"I despise the darkness," he whispered, "yet it's this darkness that keeps me alive!"
Tsubasa stepped out into what light there was. He was wearing a golden jacket, a pair of leather pants, and an odd, silver earring shaped like a demon bird. His hair was spiked, and there seemed to be emptiness in his eyes. All of a sudden, the silver earring started talking with a screechy, yet deep voice that caused Smoky to recoil into his lamp in fear.
"He's a Makai Knight now," spoke the earring, "and I am Tsubara. Once Horrors have been unleashed upon the world, the rest of your family dispersed, and dad turned evil again, you have to consider your options. Sure, you could say we're Dark Magic, but at least we're fighting for a purpose, aren't we?"
"Tsubasa, I never thought I'd see this from you," Hikaru gasped.
"Run while you still can!" Tsubasa growled.
"See you at the top, Hikaru-sensei!" joked Tsubara.
"Master, I'm coming with you!" Smoky absorbed Urara into the MagiLamp, keeping her safe as best he could. The MagiLamp hovered around Hikaru like a satellite.
"Goolu Luludo!" Hikaru clipped one ticket from his jacket pocket, vanishing in a burst of golden light accompanied by a fading Saint Circle. He was standing outside the Ozu house now. Except for the constant full moon and the neverending darkness, a starless sky above, things looked pretty normal. The moon appeared to flash with a bright light as it projected a silver Madou Circle on the ground. The voice of Isamu Ozu echoed through the night.
"Uuza…Ujira!" A shapeless mass of silver light rose from the circle, taking the shape of Wolzard. He turned around, the light reflecting off his armor. Where he had once been crimson red was now dark silver. The outer edges of his blade and shield, once silver, were now deep purple, and the gold "W" on his chest had turned a pearl color. The edges of his visor were more accentuated, sharper, and his mouthpiece resembled a pair of fangs waiting to strike. He held the WolSaber outward.
"Bragel!" Hikaru said, relieved, "What's going on? The world's…"
"Born in the moonlight…living in the moonlight….Madou Knight….Werewolzard!" Wolzard turned around as the Madou Circle that shone behind him morphed into the full moon. "You don't belong here."
"Bragel, what's happened to you?" Hikaru asked in fright, "Infershia…"
"Infershia was defeated when N. Ma absorbed Sphinx, Dagon and Sleipnir for his own means. He tried to get Nai and Mea, but nobody knows where they vanished to. This cleared the way for the Order of the Full Moon…and I joined them!"
"Order of the Full Moon, that sounds familiar," Hikaru thought, narrowly dodging Werewolzard's sword, "Now's not the time." He called his GripPhone to his hand in a flash of golden light, punching a MagiTicket in the center. "Tenkuu Henshin!" The ticket was held skyward, "Goolu Golu Goludiiro!"
A beam of moonlight shot down from the heavens and transformed into a golden ray, spinning around Hikaru's body in a triangular shape. His true from of Sungel briefly flashed underneath the rotating light show before he donned the blue-and-gold armor, red cape blowing in the wind, of MagiShine. Hikaru reached for the sky, performing his pose as he drew his sword out of the air with golden radiance.
"The Shining Sun Element! Heavenly Hero, MagiShine!" Werewolzard was temporarily blinded by the light, leaving Hikaru enough time to cross blades with the silver warrior. A black aura surrounded Werewolzard, and a golden one surrounded Hikaru. Back and forth they fought, neither one willing to give in. Werewolzard opened his shield, revealing a moon-like orb where the Eye of N. Ma used to be. Under his breath, he chanted a spell.
"Douza Uru ZAZAADO!" The moon orb shone brightly as two silvery-black wolves of dark magic shot out of it, knocking Hikaru back across the sky. He was saved in midair by a soft, silky surface. He looked down to see that it was Skarpet. Gaining his ground, Hikaru stood upright on the magic carpet and flew as far away as he could. He had to see what had happened to everyone else.
"We'll meet again, Heavenly Hero," Werewolzard slid his WolSaber into his Jagun Shield and teleported away. There was a faint trace of fire on the ground where he left, which ignited a pile of leaves on the side of the house. It outshone everything else in the darkness, the wind keeping it alive, however little.
Hikaru knew his next location. Aniki Farms, where Makito worked alongside his girlfriend, Eriko. Skarpet coasted overhead and Hikaru looked down. Rows and rows of dead plants lined the farms, and no one was in sight. The only clue of life was a green tree, surrounded by a mass of flowers, directly in the middle of the garden. Hikaru swooped down and retracted his armor, checking to make sure the MagiLamp was still hovering beside him. Smoky lifted his head from the lamp and nodded that Urara was safe.
"Makito?" he asked, his voice echoing over the fields, "Makito?"
"Yes, Hikaru-sensei?" Makito's weary voice rose. A shadowed figure appeared on the horizon with a rake and a hoe in hand. He stepped forward, revealing himself as Makito in tattered gardening clothes. His hair was caked with dirt, as was his body. Eriko was beside him, looking not much better. Her glasses, broken, were slipping from her sweat-covered face. Makito held her close, trying to keep her warm.
"What's happened to you?"
"It was them," Makito panted. Hikaru knew who he was referring to, "Eriko and I have been at work in the fields for days. Little to sleep and not much more to eat. All we have is each other." Eriko looked down at herself.
"I look pathetic," she said.
"Eriko, it will get better!" Makito pumped his fist in the air, "I still have my magic…and as long as we can keep alive, there's hope!"
"They never give us a break!" Eriko coughed, causing dirt to fall from her hair.
"Hikaru-sensei!" Makito exclaimed, "Go and find the rest of our family! They'll tell you what to do. I'm just a lowly farmer…but they hold the secrets! Don't stop until you reach Magitopia!"
"Thank you, Makito," Hikaru climbed back on Skarpet, "Smoky, let's go!"
As Hikaru flew out of sight, there was a flash of prismatic light in the dark sky. Something, rather like a streamlined boat turned upside down, distorted to the form of a train, came shooting out of the sky. Light formed its railways as it coasted along them through the dark clouds. It knew where it was going as the steam from its engine created a cloud-like veil around it to shield it from the eyes of the unknowing on the surface below.
Hikaru came to the city block where many of the Magiranger's battles had taken place, and noticed something shining bright on the ground below. Skarpet dived downward, Hikaru coasting a few inches above the ground. When he neared the shining, flaming being, he was surprised to see that it was Kai. Except not as he remembered. Silver gloves and boots, forged from the strongest steel, adorned Kai's arms and legs; his entire body was made of a half-solidified molten rock resembling an ogre.
"Maaji Maji Maji Majiiro!" Kai chanted as he saw Hikaru approaching. A bright red Saint Circle passed over his body as he transformed into Legend MagiRed. Hikaru approached the Red Magician, wondering why he had entered into his armored state upon his advance.
"Hikaru-sensei…" Kai gasped, "It's you. We haven't seen you in a year."
"A year?" Hikaru asked.
"It was the day you and Urara were getting married…all I remember is that N. Ma sent the world into darkness and began his rule at the core of the Earth. Then the werewolves….I barely recall. I blacked out from fear. When I awoke, I used what I had of my Legend Power. Without you there to ground me, I became a Saint. There's no being Kai Ozu anymore. I'm Figel now."
"Kai, you didn't have to do that," Hikaru transformed from his human state to Sungel, "I know what happened to Makito…to Tsubasa…" he wondered what Tsubasa was up to, "…but what about the others? Where's Rin? Where's Miyuki? Where's Houka?"
"I don't know," Kai replied, "The longer I stay this way…the more I forget. My one goal in life is to destroy N. Ma and keep the balance of light and darkness. I have no family anymore." Kai gave a deep sigh and sprouted a pair of phoenix wings from his back. He took off towards Magitopia. It was then that Makito's words came to mind. Hikaru, under the cover of the shadows, no armor upon him, followed. The answers he was seeking were likely there.
Skarpet had never ascended to such heights before. So halfway through his climb, Hikaru called for Travelion and entered the cockpit. Smoky and Urara went back to one of the cars to rest and recover from hours in the lamp, but Hikaru wasn't giving up. Tired as he may have been, something wasn't right with the world, and he had to figure out why.
Kai took a sideways turn towards his volcano home once Travelion's cowcatcher pierced the clouds. Through the window of the engine, Hikaru could see Magitopia covered in darkness. It was almost never like this. He noticed, in front of the Great Hall, a pillar of silver-and-purple light. Travelion pulled in closer, and Hikaru leapt out onto Skarpet again. He approached the platform and saw several lanky humanoid wolves – Wolflings, he heard one of them call themselves – circling around a pedestal. Atop that pedestal was a full moon orb, much like the one in Werewolzard's Jagun Shield. Chained to the column…was Rin.
"This is terrible," Hikaru gasped, trying to stay out of the range of the Wolflings. He heard them talking below, and listened in. Surely what they had to say would've been important enough for him to piece together the big picture.
"As long as we keep her here," one Wolfling said, "it shall be eternal night." Rin caught her breath, and then screamed as her magic was channeled into the sky. It was worse than when Wolzard had held her captive in an attempt to open the gates. Hikaru could barely stand the sight. He drew his sword, the golden one held by a Saint, and descended downward. The shining blade sent out crescents of solar energy that struck the Wolflings, temporarily knocking them unconscious. Sunlight could do a lot, but not enough.
"Sungel!" Rin exclaimed, barely able to form the words, "Don't! I still have my magic, I can make it….I'll find a way. Get away from here! Now!"
"I can't allow that, Rin!" Hikaru ran his fingers down the broad side of his blade, "Solar Cutter!" A beam of radiant light hit Rin's chains, illuminating them. The chains superheated and broke away. Rin fell to her knees, exhausted. What remained of her magical energy flowed through her body, slowly helping her to recover. Hikaru flew her into the Great Hall, setting her beside Magiel's throne. He flew back out into Magitopia, aiming his sword towards the moon.
"Goolu Luuma Lujuna Goludo!" Hikaru fired a multitude of solar rays in the direction of the moon. In an instant, the moon faded away as the shining sun appeared overhead. Hikaru turned his back towards the sun and flew down to Earth. As he descended, he missed the musical whistle of DenLiner, now with four cars in blue, yellow and purple attached behind the first four in white and red. Black metallic rails traced a path down towards the exact destination Hikaru would land it. They knew.
"I need to take a load off my mind," thought Hikaru as he landed in front of the Milk Dipper. He grabbed the handle, opened the door, and walked in. As the door closed behind him, DenLiner came to a halt in midair. The young man from before, his hair now spiked out with a red streak in it, wearing a leather jacket, his eyes glowing red, leapt out of the train. His name was Ryotaro Nogami.
"Goolu Lujuna," a voice spoke out of the air beside him. A Saint Circle, shining in luminescent hues of red, blue, yellow, green and pink, descended The light took the form of a girl, 19 years old and Japanese in appearance. Her shoulder-length black hair shone in the morning sun and her iridescent eyes reflected the day's light. She was dressed in a light blue beachwear ensemble, a triangular design in the five colors on her left breast. A GripPhone like Hikaru's, except with her symbol in place of his and the case colored gold, was in her hands.
"Niji, we should inform him now," spoke Ryotaro, "Before the night falls."
"We've only got one chance to do this, you know," Niji spoke, her voice melodic and soothing, "Are we sure that it's not predestined?"
"Only one way to find out," Ryotaro cracked his knuckles as Momotaros' voice spoke from within, "Ore…sanjou!"