Chapter 5: Ancient Horrors

After dealing with the bandit stronghold, the group managed to arrive in Serafew.

"We're approaching Serafew, at the border of Renais and Grado. Once we cross, we'll be in Grado...Renvall won't be much further." Seth informed the group.

"That is...assuming we can cross the border without mishap..." Eirika said.

"From what we've seen, I don't think we'll make it there without running into trouble." Kairi said.

"Kairi's right, though. We best be prepared just in case if we ran into Grado soldiers." Sento nodded.

"Oh! Look! Over there!"

Eirika points to the strange figures that has been scattered throughout Serafew.

"Those strange figures...What...what are they?" Eirika asked. "Are they human?"

"I've never seen anything like it. What could they be?" Seth wondered.

"Whatever it is, we must not let these monsters run rampant on this village!" Sento said.

"Couldn't agree with you more..." Kairi said as he takes out the Red Dial Fighter.

Sento slots in the Ninja and Comic FullBottle into the Build Driver while Kairi slots in the Red Dial Fighter into the VS Changer.

NINJA! COMIC! BEST MATCH!

RED!

Then, Sento starts cranking the lever while Kairi twists the knob of the Red Dial Fighter. Afterwards, he twists the gun so that the Dial Fighter is now in the upper position of the gun.

0-1-0! MASQUERAISE! KAITOU CHANGE!

ARE YOU READY?

"Henshin!" Sento shouted.

"Kaitou Change!" Kairi shouted.

SHINOBI NO ENTERTAINER! NINNIN COMIC! YEAH!

LUPINRANGER~!

And with that, Sento and Kairi transformed into Kamen Rider Build: NinninComic Form and Lupin Red, respectively.

"W-Wow, they actually transformed..." Colm was impressed.

"Sento, is that a new Best Match form?" Eirika asked.

"Yep. I called this the Ninnin Comic Form. It's been a while since I've last used this form." Sento answered.

"Heh. You never failed to impress me, Sento." Eirika chuckled.

"Wait, Kairi uses a completely different device to transform..." Neimi noticed.

"Yeah, why is that?" Colm added.

"That's because we're from two different...factions, I should say." Sento tried explaining. "I'm a Kamen Rider and he's...uh...what are you called again?"

"I don't know. A Sentai Ranger, I guess..." Kairi answered.

"Right. I'm a Kamen Rider and he's a Sentai Ranger." Sento repeated.

"Is that so?" Eirika asked.

"Wait, something's coming this way." Gilliam noticed someone coming in their direction.

"Travelers, you must listen to me! The ancient forest of Za'ha is dangerous." The man told them. "Head south and pass through this place before the fiends surround you!"

"Who are you?" Eirika asked the man.

"My name is Artur." The man introduced himself. "The temple has assigned me the task of cleansing the forest of these...things. There are so many of the fiends, though. I wonder if I stand much chance alone."

"So, if you would, please flee now while you have the chance." Artur ordered the group.

"Fiends? You're not talking about the same fiends that served the ancient Demon King? That can't be right...They're nothing but legends and fairy tales..." Eirika asked.

"Yes, I felt the same when I heard. And yet here they are. This place is filled with them." Artur answered. "I wonder how far they've spread...Surely they're not in Renais alone."

"But...why are they here? How?" Eirika asked.

"Beware, Your Highness! Something approaches!" Seth told her.

One of the monsters approached the group.

"Please allow me to deal with this." Artur said to the group. "Evil shade! May the blessed light drive you from this land!"

Then, we see Artur used a lightning tome and summons a bolt of lightning at the monster. The monster was defeated easily.

"So, you're a magic user, huh. Well, at least you're not using rings to perform a spell." Sento was quite impressed.

"...Or a phone." Kairi added.

"We ought to help. He can't fight them all alone. Do you have orders?" Seth asked Eirika.

Before Eirika could issue an order, Artur interrupts them.

"One of my companions is in that village to the south. If any of you can get there swiftly, I implore you to watch over her safety." Artur told them.

"Right. But which one of us can get there without engaging these fiends?" Eirika asked.

"I'll do it." Kairi told her. "I should be able to get into the other side without engaging these monsters."

"Alright, I'm counting on you, Kairi." Eirika agreed to the plan. "The rest of us should help Artur take out the fiends."

"Now, shall we begin the experiment?" Sento said his usual catchphrase.

And with that, Kairi left the group to find Artur's companion while the rest engages the fiends. As the battle started, three more people showed up in the other side of the field. One's a female troubadour with green hair and white armor, the second is a man with green hair and is wearing a bulky armor. And finally, there's a man with brown hair wearing a brown jacket with a blue cloth underneath.

"Oh my! Those travelers are besieged by the agents of evil!" The girl said.

"Ha ha ha! Right you are, Lady L'Arachel!" The berserker laughed.

"I cannot allow this to happen! Come! We must charge down these cliffs and rush to their aid!" The girl said.

"We charge down these cliffs, and the only thing we'll be rushing to is death." The brown-haired man told her. "How about we find us a nice, gentle path down, hm?"

"Ah, yes. Well, let us hurry nonetheless. I simpy cannot abide those wicked beasts running amok!" The girl told them.

Meanwhile, Kairi managed to get to the village where Artur's companion is.

"So, this is it..." Kairi said before entering the village.

There, he finds that the village remained intact, despite being surrounded by fiends. While wandering around, he finds a girl with purple hair approaching him.

"Hm?" Kairi wondered why she approached him.

"You're a rather strange one. I've never seen someone like you, are you perhaps not from around here?" She asked.

"Uhh..." Kairi couldn't respond at all.

"Nevertheless, your flesh shows no sign of putrefaction. It seems you're not a revenant." The girl concluded. "I've decided to join you in battle now."

"Wait, are you the companion of Artur?" Kairi asked.

"Yes." The girl nodded. "My name is Lute. I'm a mage of superior wisdom and rare ability. I've been reading up on these revenants. They are, quite simply, no match for me. I am superior after all."

And with that, the girl named Lute goes outside the village to deal with the fiends.

"What a weird kid..." Kairi said before following Lute.

Meanwhile, the battle still continues. The group managed to take out some of the fiends, however, as Sento and Eirika defeated the fiends in front of them, a group of them surrounded the two. However, they were easily decimated by the timely arrival of Lute and Kairi.

"Looks like you guys could use a little help..." Kairi told them.

"Thanks, Kairi. I owe you one." Sento thanked him.

Then, the group gathered around and discuss the fiends that they just fought.

"We've killed all the monsters. Still, we'd best burn the bones to ash to be sure they don't return." Seth informed.

"I still can't believe what we've been fighting here...I'd thought those fiends nothing more than myth and legend." Eirika said.

"Those revenants are said to be the least of the dark creatures. And yet, the weakest of them could outmatch any normal man. We cannot take this enemy lightly."

"Oh, yes. There are much worse than those revenants and the entombed..." Lute said. "Let's see, there's the bonewalkers, mauthe doogs, gargoyles, baels... Why, I'll bet you just about any creature of lore could be walking again."

"Well, thankfully, Kairi and I are getting used to fighting these kinds of monsters, so this should pose no threat to us." Sento said.

"O divine light, show me...Is this a sign of dark days to come?" Artur wondered.

"Princess Eirika, perhaps it would be wise to return to Frelia and regroup. Pressing forward seems foolish in light of recent events." Seth told her. "We cannot face both Grado's forces and more of those terrible things."

"Seth, I follow your point, and nothing would please me more than running for safety. But what of my brother? He and his men are trapped in the same situation we are. I know full well that I may be leading us into even greater danger, but with Sento and Kairi around, I'm pretty sure we're gonna find my brother in no time. Please try to understand."

"I do, my princess, and I vow to see you through this safely." Seth answered.

Then, all of a sudden, the three people that watched the battle recently has arrived.

"Aha! Foul creatures, beware! I, L'Arachel, bestow upon you the honor of banishment at my blessed hands!" The girl said.

"Uh..." Sento couldn't react to what she says.

"Oh, where are the monsters?" The girl asked them.

"Well, we just finished..." Eirika answered.

"Ah, glad tidings indeed! The heavens must be rejoicing! I am...a tad disappointed however." The girl said. "After all, I did rush all the way here to show you the splendor of my might."

"Gwah ha ha! It's a real shame, innit, Lady L'Arachel?!" The berserker laughed once again.

"What's shameful is the way you drag us around the countryside." The brown-haired man added.

"Pardon me, but...who are you?" Eirika asked.

"Since you ask, please allow me to introduce myself." The girl answered. "It is I, the true light and glory of the sacred realm of Rausten..."

"Stop! Lady L'Arachel, you mustn't continue! You cannot reveal your true identity here!" The berserker told her.

"Oh, yes, you're right. Oh, I get so careless sometimes!" L'Arachel said. "Now, I must ride off in anonymity. Oh, how beautifully romantic!"

"Uh...Right." Eirika nodded.

"Fare thee well, strangers. Perhaps our paths will cross again." L'Arachel said to them before the three left.

"What was that about?" Eirika asked.

"I have no idea..." Sento answered.

Sento and Kairi - C Support

We see Kairi cleaning up his VS Changer and the Red Dial Fighter while sitting down in the camp. Then, Sento approached him, as if he has something to say.

"Kairi, do you have a minute?" Sento asked.

"Uh, yeah. What is it?" Kairi asked back.

"How are things in your end?" Sento asked.

"Well, a lot of things happened." Kairi answered. "Aside from getting more Lupin Collection pieces, we've managed to beat the Gangler with 5 locks."

"And by we, you mean the Lupinrangers and Patrangers?" Sento asked.

"Yeah...as much as I hate to admit..." Kairi answered.

"So, you and Keiichiro still don't get along?" Sento asked.

"Perhaps, but I feel like he has grown to trust us, especially after we team up for the second time." Kairi answered.

"That's great. Maybe one day, you and Keiichiro might actually get along for real and you two might grow to become the best of friends."

"But that still doesn't change the fact that he's still hot-blooded." Kairi said.

"Well, that's one thing you can't take away from a person..." Sento agreed.

"Well, it's nighttime already. How about we continue this discussion tomorrow?" Kairi suggested.

"Yeah, you're right." Sento nodded.

A/N: And that's it for Chapter 5. Yeah, not a lot has happened in this chapter, other than they recruited Artur and the MLG mage, Lute. (or xX_L00T_Xx)

And yeah, I added a support conversation between Sento and Kairi, because why not? Also, can you spot a reference to a certain Kamen Rider and Super Sentai show in this chapter?

That's it for now and I'll be seeing you in Chapter 6.