The group was standing by the cliffs near Yokai Academy, the red waves crashing into the rocks below while the night sky was lit up by the moon. Everybody was staring in surprise at Kokoa who was kneeling before Tsukune, the vampire moments ago having pledged her life to him. Moka stared at her little sister in disbelief.

'She couldn't have meant that…'

"Kokoa… what do you mean by that?" Tsukune asked nervously as the others exchanged quick glances.

"Just what I said. I swear my life to you; I will serve you however you see fit Tsukune. It's only fair after all the pain and torment I've caused," Kokoa said calmly while looking up at the boy. Moka flinched at that comment.

'She doesn't mean it. She can't…'

"Kokoa, I don't think that's necessary, really. Let's just be friends and-" Tsukune started before the redhead stood back up and shook her head furiously.

"No! It is necessary Tsukune. I owe my life to you; this is my choice to make. I've taken so much from you; I've screwed up so badly. This is the first step for me to recover my pride, I need to make things right with the one I've wronged the most, and that's you. So please, allow me to be yours Tsukune. Slave, servant, guardian, whatever you choose, I am giving you my life Tsukune to do as you see fit," Kokoa said proudly. Tsukune and the others blinked and stared at her in disbelief while Moka looked at her with wonder.

'She does… she does mean it.'

'I don't believe it; Kokoa would really go so far for Tsukune?'

'It's not just for him; she's doing this for herself too. She's willing to do whatever it takes to reclaim her vampire pride.'

'To serve our mate… I'm not so sure about this.'

'We can't interfere with another vampire's choice regarding this matter, you know that.'

'She crossed the line with the Eia Dreahl, she kissed our mate. She's not one to follow vampire law.'

'Technically that was the ghoul, so she didn't really-'

'It doesn't matter! This is not acceptable, especially for our sister!'

'What can we do? It's not our choice to make.'

Tsukune looked at the redhead with surprise as she stood there, the girl looking proudly at the boy with a calm smile. Slowly he glanced over to Moka who was looking at Kokoa with curious eyes.

"Um… Moka? A little help here?" he asked nervously. The pink haired vampire glanced to him then shook her head gently.

"I'm sorry Tsukune, but if a vampire wishes to dedicate themselves to somebody it's up to them, nobody else can interfere with that decision," she said solemnly. Tsukune looked at her with surprise then to Kokoa who nodded at him.

"So… Kokoa wants to be Tsukune's bitch?" Kurumu said with a snicker. The redhead twitched at that then glared at the succubus with rage.

"Watch your mouth or else I'll rip out your tongue. You should only be so lucky to serve someone as great as Tsukune," she hissed. The succubus blinked and backed away as the young vampire's aura flared around her for an instant.

"Um, can't Tsukune just say no?" Rason added.

"Would he want to?" Gin asked with a sly grin as he gazed over the young vampire's body.

"Yes, that's it. Kokoa, I'm saying no. Let's just be friends ok?" Tsukune asked anxiously and nervously. Kokoa shook her head and looked to him with pleading eyes.

"Please Tsukune, let me do this. I have to, I have to make things right again. I promise I won't screw this up, honest. I'll be good to you, with whatever you need," she said with hopeful eyes. Tsukune looked at her, not knowing what to say, then over to Moka. The vampire sighed and walked over to her sister.

"Kokoa, are you sure this is what you want to do? It's not necessary, there has to be another way for you to feel better about what has happened," she asked softly. Kokoa looked to her with determination and nodded.

"This is what I want big sister. I can't live my life knowing I caused all this and did nothing to make amends. I'm responsible for Dark's death, for that ghoul existing at all. My vampire pride is in ruin, I need to correct my mistakes now. And this is my first step," she said confidently. Moka looked at her then to Tsukune.

"Well… I guess…" she said hesitantly.

"But I don't want her to do this! Doesn't what I say matter? Kokoa, if I were to be your master I would just order you to be free, I don't want you living your life like that," Tsukune said with a gentle expression.

"Please Tsukune, let me do this. Not just for you, but for me as well. I have to reclaim my life," Kokoa pleaded softly as she looked down and struggled to remain calm. Tsukune looked at her then around at his friends.

"Well… I mean if she wants to…" Kurumu said with a cautious look at her.

"I'm staying out of this one," Ruby said simply.

"Not quite what I had in mind for her, but whatever," Gin said with a shrug.

"Pimp," Rason said pointing to Tsukune. Moka looked at her boyfriend then to her sister.

"Ok Kokoa. If this is really how you want to handle this, I can't say no for him," she said as she looked down. Kokoa nodded at her then walked up to Tsukune.

"I promise I'll make things right again, let me do this," she asked softly. The boy looked around then to the young girl. She was pledging her life to him, ready to give up all free will if it meant she could atone for what she did. Tsukune looked at her as she stood before him, seeing her hair flowing with the wind coming from the sea. Her emerald eyes gazed deeply into his, begging for him to accept her request. He looked at her for a moment then sighed softly.

"Ok. But I don't have to order you around do I?" he asked cautiously. The girl smirked and giggled at him.

"You can have me do whatever you want, I can't say no to you Tsukune," she said innocently. Moka twitched then glared at her accusingly.

"There are boundaries Kokoa," she growled. Kokoa looked to her with a happy smile.

"Don't tell me, tell my master. Whatever he asks of me I have to do without question, no matter what it may be," she said with a glance to the boy. He jumped at that and waved his hands around in front of him.

"Don't call me that! Just call me by my name! And I'm not going to have you do anything Kokoa!" he cried out in fear. The young vampire looked back to him with a curious expression.

"Are you sure? It doesn't bother me at all master," she said softy. Tsukune looked at her like she was crazy and shook his head franticly.

"No, just call me by my name!" he said in a panic. Kokoa nodded and smiled at him.

"Sure thing Tsukune," she said with a soft giggle. Moka's eyebrow twitched then glanced to Tsukune, the boy looking at her sister with worried eyes.

'If she's allowed to do anything he asks for…'

'Don't think like that. Tsukune wouldn't use her for any of that kind of filth.'

'Does that mean you trust her alone with him?'

'Not on your life.'

"Well, this has been an interesting night. I think we should all turn in and get some rest," Ruby said softly as she turned to walk back.

"Hold it," Tsukune said sternly. The witch blinked then looked back to see Tsukune glaring at her with the rest of the group.

"What… what is it?" she asked nervously as Tsukune walked up to her.

"Take us to the headmaster. Now," he said in a commanding tone. Ruby looked at him puzzled then smiled weakly.

"Um, it is late and he is attending to other important matters at the moment. I'll have you meet with him tomorrow," she said nervously. She blinked then watched with surprise as Tsukune's eyes turned crimson, his aura flaring up around him.

"He sent us out there into a war. He sent us out not telling us what we were getting into, knowing full well what would be waiting for us. He used us as pawns!" the boy yelled out furiously. Ruby looked at him then glanced around at the group. Everybody was glaring at her and nodding in agreement.

"I can't really speak on his behalf, but I'm sure he'll answer all your questions tomorrow," Ruby said with a somewhat professional tone, her voice wavering in fear from the boy's aura. Tsukune glanced back to his friends with a focused look.

"Kurumu. Rason. Fly to the girls' dorms and see what's going on with Yukari and Mizore. Let them know I'm alright and tell them to meet us at the headmaster's office right now," he said in a commanding voice. The two flyers nodded then took off into the sky.

"Um… we can't go there right now…" Ruby said softly as she looked around nervously.

"The rest of us will go to his office now, I have a few questions I need to ask him," Tsukune said as he turned his gaze back to the witch. She looked at him worriedly then with a determined expression.

"I'm sorry, but he is busy right now with important matters Tsukune. I'm your friend, and I will let you see him when he's able. But right now he needs to handle this Fairy Tale crisis," she said professionally with confidence.

"We've been handling it all this time for him. We want answers, and we will have them tonight," Moka said as she walked up next to her boyfriend.

"I'm not really in the sleeping mood right now, I think I would like an explanation myself as to why my friends were thrown into a war without warning," Gin said as he walked up next to them.

"You heard Tsukune, let's go," Kokoa said as she crossed her arms before the witch with her usual look of discontent.

"But… now is not a good time…" Ruby said as she looked at the group nervously.

"Kokoa, persuade Ruby for us," Tsukune said calmly. The redhead nodded and walked up to the trembling witch, the vampire's aura flaring up as she cracked her knuckles.

"As you wish Tsukune," she said with a wicked smile.

Inside the headmaster's office it was obvious that something was going on in the outside world. His office was normally already very cluttered with a desk that was always buried under paperwork and reports, with his bookshelves and tables filled with tombs and strange relics. The man would always sit at his desk with a calm grin on his face, his glowing eyes all that were seen of his face from under his hood. He wore the normal white robes for his position and was known for having great insight of the world around him, almost like he knew what was going to happen before it did. Nothing ever really surprised this man, well not completely anyway.

"I must say, I'm a bit surprised Mr. Aono, I wasn't expecting to see you fully recovered and in fine shape," the man chuckled from his desk. He had his hands pointed up near his face with his fingers interlaced as he peered over at the group. Across from him Tsukune and Moka were standing with narrowed eyes at the man. Next to them Kokoa was standing with a look of discontent on her face and her hands held at her hips. In one hand a rope was held, a rope that led to the bound and bruised witch that stood next to her. Ruby had a few lumps on her head and was tied up, having been persuaded by Kokoa to take them to see the headmaster right away under Tsukune's order.

"My friends took care of me; we actually care about each other. You however have some explaining to do about sending us out into that war," Tsukune growled as his crimson eyes glared at the headmaster. The man laughed a bit and tilted his head.

"You barge in here unannounced with my assistant bound in ropes, you leave my guards outside battered and unconscious for asking you to wait, and you say I have some explaining to do?" he said simply. Tsukune growled and glanced behind him. The doors to the office were hanging off their hinges as Kokoa had busted the doors open in her rage. The two guards that attempted to not only get them to leave but to free the bound witch were knocked out cold by Tsukune and his girlfriend, the two vampires easily sending a quick hit to their heads before they could unsheathe their swords.

"Yes, we had a deal. We brought back our friends, now you have to tell us everything you know," Moka said sternly. The man laughed a bit then looked to his assistant, the witch looking down with a saddened expression.

"I see you handled the situation well my dear Ruby. It appears this boy has made a full recovery," he said calmly.

"Yes… our friend Rason brought back a Holy Lock from heaven. It's able to suppress the ghoul's power inside of Tsukune completely," Ruby said with a professional tone and calm look.

"I see, how interesting. Certainly a lucky break, don't you agree Mr. Aono?" the headmaster said as he looked back to the boy. Tsukune growled and stepped forward.

"Enough! What is going on here headmaster? Why did you send us out there like we were soldiers?" he yelled out.

"You volunteered Mr. Aono. You wanted to see your friend again, I merely provided you with a ride," the headmaster said with an eerie smile.

"You had us train all this time to prepare for this. You wanted us to take care of that village didn't you?" Moka demanded accusingly.

"Now now, I told you before Ms. Akashiya that I only had you train to prepare you for whatever may come your way. And, it would appear that it paid off splendidly," the man said with a chuckle. Moka growled at the man while Tsukune tried to control his anger.

"Then why didn't you tell us what was happening out there? We had a right to know if our homes were under attack!" Kokoa barked out.

"All in the interest of keeping you focused with what you could handle Ms. Shuzen. We wanted to avoid a school-wide panic for as long as possible," the man said as he kept his hands locked in front of him with a calm gaze.

"We've been worried sick this whole time. What if Fairy Tale attacked our home too? We wouldn't have known!" Moka cried out. Ruby flinched at that then looked over to her with a nervous smile.

"Um… about that…" she said weakly. Moka and Kokoa looked at her for a moment then gave the witch a deep glare.

"What about that… what Ruby?" Kokoa said slowly.

"We did get reports that Fairy Tale was attempting to attack the vampire hometown as well," Ruby said nervously. Both vampire sisters jumped in shock then glared with unbelievable fury at the witch.

"What?" the sisters yelled out in unison.

"You mean our home was under attack this whole time, and you never told us?" Moka roared out. Kokoa snarled and glared at the witch, then glanced back to Tsukune with fire in her eyes.

"Please allow me to kill this witch Tsukune, I beg of you," she growled. The boy walked up to Ruby and glared deep into her eyes.

"You say you're our friend, yet it's all secrets with you. Give me one good reason I shouldn't let these two beat you into the ground right now," he said with anger.

"Well, I was going to tell you, but we've been sort of busy tonight with other matters. And also, if it makes you feel better Fairy Tale failed horribly with their attempt," Ruby said with fright, not sure of who to be more scared of; Tsukune or the vampire sisters. The three vampires looked at her cautiously while the witch glanced around with fear.

"It's true; they never got past the borders of your town. The vampire homeland is perfectly safe," she said quickly. Tsukune looked back to see Kokoa and Moka's rage die down a bit.

"Well, that is good to hear," Moka said reluctantly.

"Of course our hometown would be fine. Who would be stupid enough to fight against an army of vampires, especially when our father is a dark lord," Kokoa said arrogantly.

"I'm sorry, I wanted to tell you this before when you were here last, but I couldn't. But no harm came of this, your homes are safe, I swear," Ruby said apologetically. Tsukune shook his head at the witch and looked at her with discontent.

"No more lies Ruby, or else," he demanded. She nodded and looked down ashamed, the bound witch holding back her tears.

"I promise Tsukune," she said softly.

"As you can see Mr. Aono, it would seem you going to Snow Woman Village worked out rather well. I'd think the snow people wouldn't have been as fortunate as the vampires in their battle without you," the headmaster said with a slight laugh. The group looked to him with discontent.

"Yeah… what an amazing coincidence. If I didn't know any better I'd say you let Mizore's folks take her back, knowing Dark and Tsukune would follow closely after," Gin said as he walked in with his hands in his pockets.

"Where did you go?" Kokoa asked curiously.

"I was waiting for Kurumu and Rason to show up outside, but I got bored. Besides, I thought you would want some private time with the man for a bit. I heard the last part about your hometown though; it makes sense he wouldn't have told us about that. We would have gone there and not had to help at all, a waste of our talents really," the wolf said carefully as he eyed the headmaster.

"A coincidence indeed if there ever was one," the headmaster chuckled to himself.

"Headmaster sir… is that true? Did you let Mizore go with her parents to have her act as bait for the rest of the group?" Ruby asked surprised.

"It was never my intention to put a student in harm's way Ms. Tojo, but I could not say no to her parents after all, it was their choice. It just so happens that their choice worked out well for them in the end," he said with a calm smile.

"Don't give us that, you knew Dark alone would fight back against Fairy Tale, not to mention that all of us would follow after. You knew we would go there, and with all the training you've been having us do here, you knew we would fight back," Tsukune said with his fists clenched.

"What was this? Some sort of sick test?" Kokoa asked in disgust at the thought. Ruby flinched at that.

"They are the best chance we have to deal with this. Consider this a test for them. I'm sure they will pass and show themselves to be capable of this task," the headmaster said calmly.

'A test… that's what it was indeed.'

"Are you upset with the results? My reports say you freed the village from Fairy Tale, not to mention caused a bit of trouble for them in Ashton City. Sounds like you handled yourselves well out there," the headmaster said with a slow nod.

"Kurumu died in that city. Mizore was raped in her hometown. We've gone through hell out there, don't treat this like it's some sort of game!" Tsukune roared out.

"Odd, Ms. Kurono seemed alive and well earlier today," the headmaster said with a smirk.

"Rason is a miracle worker, what can we say," Moka said simply as she had her arms crossed before her.

"Indeed, so very glad to have an angel on our side, wouldn't you agree?" the man replied with a sly grin.

"You have no idea the horrors we've seen from Fairy Tale, or what we've gone through because of you," Tsukune said with rage.

"Because of me? Come now, you chose to find your friend. You chose to fight back. You chose to go to Ashton City and cause a stir in the human world as well. I've done nothing to direct or control you, you wanted this. And you're right, I'm not sure of what Fairy Tale has been up to out there, care to enlighten me? Any info you could provide would be useful to our efforts," the man said as he tilted his curiously.

"We're not your spies. We're not your soldiers. We're just students here," Tsukune growled. The headmaster chuckled and shook his head.

"No no my dear boy. You left here as students, but you've become so much more. Word has spread far into the monster world of you and your efforts. Fairy Tale is indeed a bit angry with your interference while others are calling you heroes in your own right. So no Mr. Aono, but I'm afraid you are all soldiers in this war now," the man said calmly.

"Just like you wanted us to be, right?" Moka said with a glare.

"Again, no. You made the choice to fight. It just so happens that you are all good at fighting. Perhaps it was destiny itself that you found this calling," he said with a laugh.

"I doubt that, and I know a thing or two about destiny," Kurumu said as she and Rason walked into the office.

"I see you persuaded not only Ruby, but the guards outside," Rason said as he eyed the tied up witch curiously.

"Tsukune told me to. And to be honest I loved every second of it," Kokoa said with a smirk.

"Where are the others? Didn't you find them?" Moka asked as she looked behind them curiously.

"No, Mizore's room was empty. They aren't in the girls' dorm building or outside anywhere that we can see from flying around outside," Kurumu said with a worried expression.

"Where could they have gone? Mizore, Yukari, and Felucia all missing," Tsukune said to himself.

"I believe that new girl took them for a ride," the headmaster said calmly while looking towards the window.

"What? For a ride?" Kokoa asked confused.

"Yes, my guards outside had the pleasure of meeting that strange girl. Seems she's difficult to kill, even by accident," the man said with a laugh.

"Yeah, we've noticed," Rason said simply.

"Where did they go?" Tsukune demanded sternly. The headmaster laughed and held his arms up at his sides in question.

"How should I know? I don't know everything my dear boy. The guards said they all took off in a car driven by the strange girl. They did not tell my men where they were going though," he said simply. The group looked to each other curiously.

"Where could they have gone at a time like this?" Moka asked worriedly.

Down a darkened and snowy road a blue sports car raced along the mountain side, the headlights shining ahead in the dark winter land. They were the only light source for a great distance and were seen clearly speeding as they raced towards Snow Woman Village. Inside the car three girls were focused on their task ahead of them.

"Are we there yet?" Yukari whined in the backseat.

"We'll get there when we get there! How many times do I have to tell you that?" Felucia barked back. Mizore was looking down at the mp3 player in her hands, the blood stains reminding her of her fallen beloved.

"Please hurry Felucia," she said softly as she caressed the player gently. The doll demon nodded and looked ahead with a focused expression.

"Going as fast as we can without flying off the road, we are driving on snow after all," she said simply.

"I hope somebody in the village knows where that wizard came from," Yukari said softly.

"Me too, but let's stay optimistic here. We'll find that spell then Dark will be back with us once again," Felucia said with a hopeful smile. Yukari nodded and looked around the snowy mountains with wonder.

"Last time we were out here Dark was already waiting for us in the village, he saved us all from Fairy Tale," she said with a gentle smile.

"Now it's our turn to save him. I won't let him suffer in hell any longer," Mizore said as she held back her tears.

"Suffer? Dark? Who are you kidding? Think about it, knowing your boyfriend, I think he can handle hell just fine. I mean, I came from the place personally, so I doubt he's in any trouble," Felucia said confidently. Mizore looked at her curiously.

"What was it like there? I mean, you're a demon from hell, so… were you tortured there until you left?" she asked with her same tone.

"Not quite. You see, a demon that's born or created in hell isn't tortured. We exist in hell to live our lives or to torture others. I myself just lived part of my life down there, but even so, it wasn't all that great. As a doll demon we're created to act as servants, slaves… toys. Much happier up here where I can have some fun," she said with a gentle expression.

"Toys?" Yukari asked worriedly.

"Yeah, but don't worry. I wasn't used as a concubine or anything; I was more of a demon lord's eye candy. Still, boring as shit not being allowed to do anything but sit around as his own doll. After a while he created others, became more engrossed with them, and forgot about me, so I just slipped away," Felucia said casually. Mizore nodded then looked back down to the player in her hands.

"I see. I wonder if Dark is really doing ok down there…" she said softly. Felucia glanced to her then to the road again.

"Dark is a shadow demon. He's made from the essence of hatred and fear. In a way, he's made up of countless souls and spirits from hell. So when he dies, one of two things would happen," the doll demon said cautiously. The two girls looked to her curiously as she paused for a moment.

"One, he would be sent there to be tortured, as any demon that dies on earth would normally be cast down for, much like your friend Kurumu. Or two…" she said softly.

"Two?" Mizore asked anxiously.

"Two, his essence returns to the hellish rift and flows back into hell. In a way he dissolves back into the dark void until summoned again," she continued.

"Like Apoch and Astreal with their magical essence," Yukari said with a nod. She gasped and looked ahead in fear.

"Wait, if he dissolved, then… would he remember anything if we summoned him back?" she asked worriedly. The girls blinked and looked to each other nervously.

"I don't know. He's a unique case, so I'm not sure what happened to him to begin with. But that is true; your witch friends had fragmented memories of you. Dark may be the same," Felucia said worriedly. Mizore shook her head and looked to the player in her hands with teary eyes.

"No, he can't be gone like that. We can summon him back, I know we can. We have to. We just have to," she said softly as she started to cry.

'Dark… please come back to me… I need you.'

They raced down the road towards Snow Woman Village as fast as they could, all three girls eager to find the lost spell and resummon the demon they all cared about. After a long drive the car reached the edge of the mountainside where Mizore's hometown was located. They drove up past the ski resort that was still closed down and towards the village on the other side of the hill.

"Ok, let's head to the snow palace first, perhaps the snow priestess would know something, then we'll ask the snow villagers if any of them remember where the wizard came from," Mizore said as she looked at the mountain sides around them.

"You people just put 'snow' in front of everything, don't you?" Felucia said dryly. The car rounded the hill and drove towards the village, the girls staring in shock at the sight before them.

"What the hell?" Felucia yelled out.

"Oh no… Mizore…" Yukari said with wide eyes.

"My… home…" Mizore said with horror as they drove towards the red glow in front of them. Several houses were on fire as villagers were running around franticly. Chaos seemed to be erupting in the town as explosions and gunfire echoed out. The car drove through the busy streets as the girls looked around in surprise.

"What's going on here?" Felucia cried out. From in front of them an ogre blasted through the wall of a house out into the streets, the beast having black pants on with a twin tails insignia on it.

"No… it can't be," Yukari said in disbelief.

"Fairy Tale!" Mizore cried out as the ogre roared out fury and swung at some villagers. They dodged to the side and fired ice shards at the beast, the monster getting impaled in the chest and arms then tumbling back into the destroyed building.

"What are they doing here?" Felucia said as she swerved the car around the villagers. Suddenly a scaled lizard man jumped out and charged the vehicle, the doll demon glaring at the monster then flooring the gas pedal. The lizard lunged towards the car and jumped onto the hood.

"Where do you think you're going?" he hissed as he smashed a fist through the windshield and grabbed onto the wheel. Felucia struggled to keep the car driving steady while Mizore fired an ice shard out through the glass, the spire impaling the lizard and sending off into a house nearby with a fierce crash. The doll demon looked ahead and gasped, then slamming on the brakes hard. The car swerved violently then tumbled into a roll, the vehicle bouncing a few times then jumping over a frightened little snow girl and landing on the other side of her. The sports car smashed into the wall of a house and crashed through the window. The girls inside the battered vehicle got out shakily and looked around in a daze.

"Tell me I didn't hit the kid… tell me I didn't hit that kid," Felucia said as her world slowly stopped spinning. She looked out to the streets to see the little snow girl watching them with wonder.

"Oh thank the heavens, she's alright," Yukari said with relief.

In a flash a fireball flew down from the sky and slammed into the ground behind the snow girl, her scream of surprise falling short as the fire engulfed her and the surrounding area.

"NO!" Mizore yelled out as the area outside burned brightly from the blast.

"GODDAMN FAIRY TALE ASSHOLES! SHE WAS JUST A KID!" Felucia roared out. Yukari looked with horror as the fire died down and the burnt body of the little girl was seen on the road.

"No… NO! Why is this happening?" Yukari cried out.

"They came back; damn it all they came back after we left!" Mizore yelled out in anger.

"C'mon, we have to help fend them off!" Felucia yelled as the girls raced outside of the damaged house.

"I can't do anything though, I don't have a wand!" Yukari cried out in frustration. From behind her two soldiers ran out into the streets and aimed their rifles at them.

"There's more of them! Fire!" one of them called out. Mizore quickly fired off a few ice kunai at them, the blades striking their chests and hands. They staggered back in pain as Felucia ran towards them and sent a fierce punch to one, the man flying off with a shattered skull.

"Die you bastards!" she roared as she kicked the other, the man stumbling back before shifting to his monster form. He had a large bulbous lizard's body with an enlarged reptile head. His arms and legs were stout and muscular and his eyes glowed red.

"Burn you bitch," it hissed as it opened its mouth. Felucia watched in surprise as the monster blasted a stream of superheated fire at her, the wave engulfing and burning the doll to a crisp. The monster then aimed the blast towards the other two girls. They dodged to the side as the fire struck the car behind them, the vehicle blasting into a fireball and destroying the side of the house in a large explosion.

"Dammit!" Mizore yelled out in anger as she fired off more ice spires, the blades shattering on the agent's body or burning up before they reached him. In front of him a charred body began to shift and reform on the ground as the monster walked past, the lizard laughing loudly as he eyed the two girls in front of him.

"Haha, I barely felt that. You snow people can't harm me, I'm far too hot to hit with such cold attacks," he hissed. As he walked the ground around him sizzled and smoked, the snow around him burning away quickly.

"It's not fair, if only I had my wand," Yukari growled as the beast prepared to fire again at them. They dodged to the side and ran from the fire stream as it fired forth once again, the lizard launching a continuous blast of flame from his mouth at them. From behind Felucia got up slowly and glared at the monster.

"You'll pay for that you fucker," she growled. She grabbed the fallen soldier's gun from the ground and open fired at the beast from behind, the bullets striking his hardened scales like pellets.

"Ouch! That stings you bitch!" he roared as he looked back to her.

"Dammit, his skin is too tough," she cursed as she took off running as well. The monster roared out and fired off a fire attack towards the demon, the girl running around the streets as the fire engulfed the ground closely behind her. The three girls rounded a corner as the fire blast shot around the building, the structure bursting into flame.

"The village is going to burn down to the ground at this rate!" Yukari cried out as she looked around. Fires were starting everywhere as villagers were running around screaming.

"This is horrible, I can't believe they came back here like this," Mizore said as she looked down in frustration.

"So now what? Guns and ice don't work on this thing," Felucia said as she peeked around the corner. She dodged back as fire blasted around the edge, the corner of the building melting away and burning up. Mizore backed up from the heat and shielded herself with her arm.

"Not good… my people are going to die at this rate," she said worriedly.

Suddenly they heard a furious howl of pain and agony from around the corner.

"What was that?" Yukari asked worriedly. Felucia once again peeked around the corner and looked down the street.

"What the…" she said as she walked out.

"Are you crazy? Get back here!" Yukari cried out.

"Look," the demon said as she pointed to something. The two girls walked out into the street and looked with curious eyes. The beast was lying down on the ground with multiple slice marks all over his body, his red blood spilling onto the snow around him.

"He's… dead," Felucia said as they walked up to him.

"Wow, did one of the villagers get him?" Yukari asked in amazement.

"I don't know. It wasn't with ice though, look at those cuts. He was sliced apart with something razor sharp," Felucia said as she examined the dead monster.

"Mizore!" a voice called from behind. They turned to see two snow villagers running towards them.

"Mother! Father!" Mizore called out happily. The two snow people ran up and smiled at the group.

"There you are, we've been looking everywhere for you dear," Tsurara said with a relieved smile.

"What? But we just arrived now. How did you know we were even here?" Mizore asked in wonder. Her parents looked at each other curiously then to their daughter. Suddenly a rocket flew past them and crashed into a nearby building, the place blowing to pieces with a fierce explosion.

"Dammit, why have they come back here all of a sudden?" Mizore's father yelled as two soldiers took aim from across the street at them. One of them loaded his rocket launcher while the other aimed his rifle.

"There's more of them!" one of them yelled out as he prepared to fire.

"Such annoying pests," a boy's voice called out from behind the group. Suddenly a bolt of lightning crashed down through the sky above and blasted the two soldiers, the men being zapped by the surge of electricity. They wavered there as their bodies smoked while the group looked behind them. A young boy was walking towards them from the snowy street. He wore brown leather boots with black pants, a brown sweater, and a red cape flowing behind him. His blue eyes glared at the soldiers while his short red hair flowed in the snowy breeze. He stood about as tall as Yukari and walked past the group with a calm stride.

"I told you Fairy Tale bastards I would hunt you all down," he said with a growl. He held his hands in front of him and a red glow built up in his palms. The group watched as he focused and a red fireball formed in his hands, the boy showing some signs of straining himself.

"Now taste the wrath of a mage!" he yelled as a fireball flew out and blasted into the two soldiers, the men being thrown back into a tumble trailing smoke. The boy chuckled then looked back to the group.

"Are you people ok?" he asked proudly.

"Yeah… um, who are you?" Tsurara asked curiously. The boy laughed and stood proudly with his hands held at his hips.

"I am the great mage Ahakon Maradoza! And I will be your savior tonight!" he cheered out enthusiastically.

"A mage? Here?" Mizore's father asked curiously. The boy nodded and looked around with a focused gaze.

"Yeah, I was in the neighborhood so I thought I would help out. Besides, I've got a score to settle with these jerks," he said arrogantly. From down the road two more agents ran out, the two muscular brutes staring at the group with glowing yellow eyes.

"There's that pesky kid!" one of them yelled out as they glared at him. The boy snickered and stood proudly before the group.

"You picked the wrong mage to make enemies with," he said with a cocky tone. The brutes charged him as the boy aimed his hand towards them.

"Lightning blast!" he called out. A bolt of energy flew from his hand and zapped a brute, the monster halting in place stunned as the other ran towards the boy.

"Die kid!" he roared out. He was instantly hit with several ice shards and fell back dead. The other brute shook off the shock and looked over to see a massive ice shard flying at him. The massive spire impaled him and sent him flying back into a tumble. The boy blinked then looked behind him.

"Not bad for a kid, but perhaps you should let us handle this," Tsurara said with a gentle smile.

"Hey, I'm not just some kid! I'm a proud mage!" the boy roared out as he jumped up and down.

"Yeah, but still, this is no place for you. You'll just get hurt," Felucia said with a teasing smile. Yukari watched the boy curiously while he stood there looking at the group with an agitated expression.

"I don't think your magic is strong enough to take them all on," Mizore's father added as he looked to the two fallen brutes. The boy snickered then looked towards the warzone.

"I know, I'm still young. But I have an ace up my sleeve. Something that will make you glad I'm here to save you all," he said proudly.

"Save us huh?" Mizore asked with a raised eyebrow.

From above a winged beast flew down and grabbed Mizore by the neck with one of his claws, the large hawk-like monster flying off to the ground across the street and pinning her down.

"Mizore!" Yukari cried out as the bird prepared to crush the snow maiden's throat. Mizore watched in surprise as the beast howled out and thrashed about, the monster stumbling back off of her. She scrambled back to her feet and stared wide eyed at the hawk monster as several slice marks raced across his body, the feathers and flesh of the monster being sliced into a bloody mess.

"What the…" Mizore said as she watched the monster fall down dead with a loud screech. The young mage laughed and looked around with a daring smile.

"Is that the best you can do Fairy Tale? I'm not just some lowly mage you know! Especially not with the latest spell I've learned!" Ahakon called out triumphantly. Mizore walked back to her friends with a bewildered expression, looking at the fallen hawk beast then to the mage.

"What was that?" she asked softly. The boy snickered and glanced to her with a cocky expression.

"You're welcome snow woman," he said proudly. She looked at him confused then down the road as two agents walked towards them. One was a larger minotaur, his horns on his head twisted and curled like a ram's. The other was a snake demon, the monster having a long slender neck and a flat head, his eyes glaring as his tongue hissed in front of him.

"You jerks picked the wrong mage to make enemies with, and I swear I'll hunt you down and kill you all," Ahakon said with hatred. The minotaur laughed at that comment.

"Oh? What's a little boy going to do against us?" he said with a dark glare.

"Simple, me and my buddy are going to bring you all to your knees," Ahakon said confidently.

"Really, and where is this buddy?" the snake demon hissed out with a laugh.

A black wisp flowed before the mage, the boy looking at the agents with a cool glare.

"Right here," he said with a laugh. The group watched with wide eyes as a boy slowly became visible before them.

"We thought you came back here with him," Tsurara said with wonder as the black wisp flowed around in front of the mage.

First his black shoes became visible as he walked forwards in the snow.

"It… it couldn't be…" Felucia said with wide eyes.

Next his blue jeans became visible as he walked with a calm stride.

"Is… is that…" Yukari said in awe.

Then his black t-shirt became visible with his arms, one of them holding a katana tightly in his grip.

"It… it's…" Mizore said as she looked with teary eyes of amazement.

Finally his head appeared, his short black hair flowing in the breeze as he looked at the two agents with a blank expression.

"Dark!" the three girls cried out. They stared in amazement as the shadow demon stood there holding a bloodied sword and staring down the agents from Fairy Tale. Yukari and Felucia smiled happily seeing the boy standing once again before them while Mizore felt her heart warm up. Tears of joy raced down her face as she watched her beloved stand there alive and well once again.

Ahakon continued to stare down the agents as he waved his hand, a bright glow coming from a bracelet he had over his wrist.

"Now then Fairy Tale, allow me to introduce you to my newest accomplice in your destruction…" he said coolly as the agents looked at the boy with caution. The group behind looked to the mage with surprise as he continued his proud speech.

"Say hello to my shadow demon, Amazing Joe!"