Demon and Dragon soared side by side high above the clouds, making their way straight toward the Temple of Time. Each kept to their own thoughts, simply enjoying each other's company until Magnus spoke. "Did you at least leave her a message?"

"Didn't see a point in it."

"We could fail," Magnus admitted. "We really should be taking out the commanders first."

"Getting cold feet? Magnus?" Damon said, amused, "This dimension isn't safe for either of us. The longer we stay here, the more potential there is for adventurers to find us. We will have no choice to deal with them, should that happen, so I'd rather end everything at once, as quickly as possible."

"I'm not sure what to think of your confidence…"

"I can feel the Transcendent's power in my fury, and judging by the size of that meteor shower back in Helisium, you've become very powerful, too. After this is done, you'll instantly be hailed as a hero and savior. "

"Magnus, Savior of Maple. I suppose it does sound better than 'Tyrant'." He chuckled.

"Actually…why did you insist coming with me, anyway? The Magnus I knew would have needed far better odds before he'd cast in his lot."

"The Magnus you knew, huh?" He was silent for a time, gathering his thoughts, before continuing. "How long have you lived, Damon?"

"Counting the time-"

"Not counting the time you were imprisoned."

"Well…around two hundred. Why?"

"I'm over four times your age, Damon, and the last good memory I have is of a hundred years ago, on the bridge to Helisium, fighting Kaiser."

Damon nodded, even though both were facing forward. They flew side by side, their shoulders in line. He could understand, he supposed, that one hundred years spent 'ruling' over a world with nothing but specters and servants would be an exercise in boredom. Did Magnus want to die, then? As soon as the question appeared in his head, he asked it, and the Nova dragon tossed his head back and bellowed in laughter.

"Really, Damon? You think I'd go to such lengths simply to end my existence? No, life's still far too sweet for me to do that. Although, I admit, its sweetness is diminishing. I thought about fleeing when I fought your brother, but a part of me just couldn't be bothered. Although, the rest of me just said that if I couldn't hold my own castle, maybe I deserved to die." Magnus shrugged. "I guess I'm here because I'm bored."

Damon grimaced at the mention of Damien. The memories of their last encounter flooded back. He had tried to kill his brother – no, they had tried to kill each other. With the same line of reasoning he'd applied to Aran and Luminous, he had wanted to liberate his brother from a life of hatred. But his most recent awakening had reminded him of something intrinsic to his race that he'd forgotten about; they thrived on hatred. Hatred was their power.

Then why was Mastema so different? Thinking to what Magnus had just told his subordinate, he asked.

"Magnus, what did you mean when you told Mastema that life always welcomes you back?"

The Nova made a sound akin to surprise. "Exactly that. You can screw up a million times, but, if you wait long enough, everything becomes nice and dandy again."

Damon rubbed his chin. "Why'd you say it? I mean, was it out of experience?"

"I'm not sure. It just seemed like an appropriate thing to say at the time."

"What…?"

"Come, now. Those things she was talking about; you would remember them as if they'd only happened a few years ago, because of the century you spent sealed up. She would remember everything even remotely connected to you, of course, because she's still very young for a demon who's imprinted on and nigh worships you."

Magnus paused, and suddenly Damon understood what his old partner was trying to say.

"Magnus…you forgot?"

"I didn't forget. It's just…I wouldn't be able to remember it on my own. Those memories are of such a transient stage of my life that they've simply been relegated somewhere deep, deep within; I mean, how long did we know each other for, back in the day? Five, ten years?"

"Something like that…"

"See, even you can't recall for certain. Tell me, Damon. Before Mastema nigh attached herself to you after your revival, did you ever spare her a thought?"

"…"

"I didn't think so, and don't just chalk it up to your demon heritage. Lets be generous and call it a decade that the three of us spent as the Black Mage's lapdogs. If those ten years are already hazy in your mind, imagine what it'd be like for me, who's had at least four times more experience to match it up against."

Damon's mouth was set in a hard line. "In other words, relatively speaking, ten years to me would only be like two and a half to you?" For the first time, Damon wondered if he'd ever become tired of life. He was surprised when an answer did not immediately present itself. Right now, he wanted to live for vengeance, more than anything else. After the Black Mage was dead…he'd spend some time with Mastema, but what then?

"Correct." The word came out harsher than Damon expected, and he glanced at his comrade's face. It was twisted in…sorrow?

"Is there something I should know that's troubling you?" Damon asked quietly. He'd never seen Magnus in a state of sadness before, and for some reason, he'd never imagined it.

"Hah! I suppose if I do die today, and you don't, you can learn from my mistakes. I took a human woman, when I was but a few decades young. I was much smaller, much rasher. She loved me, too, and I had cast a spell that would preserve her body in a constant state of youth. This is one of the oldest memories I have, but…I can no longer recall her face."

"Hold on. You know temporal magic?"

Magnus simply smiled sadly and answered, "It's one of the first things I set out to learn. Ironically, I had wanted to live forever."

"Had…?"

"Yes, because about a hundred years into our relationship, being with her had become an unbearable nightmare. She no longer knew my name, no longer recognized my face, and no longer possessed any semblance of intelligence. She may as well have been a well-crafted human puppet. Despite her body being preserved in a perpetuate state of 'now', age had eroded her mind, and I did not know how to heal that. I don't even remember any of our conversations, but I do remember the despair I felt as I ended her life, if her state of existence could even be called 'life' by then. There was no point in letting it continue."

Damon shivered. "But our brains are meant to live for at least a millennia; there's nothing to worry about. Isn't it the same with you Nova?"

Magnus simply grunted. "You might understand, in time." Then he perked up. "If you live past today, that is." He flashed a smile. It looked disturbingly genuine, given what he had just been talking about. Damon frowned. He never wanted to become like that. As cold-hearted as he was, there were things in life he was passionate about. For the time being, that was revenge. To reach a point in life where everything was perceived as 'just another occurrence' distressed him.

The Demon Slayer made no effort to return the friendly gesture; instead, he simply said. "After hearing that, I hope I never have to understand."

Magnus grew serious again. "You know, I'm almost jealous of you. Having such a pretty thing like Mastema always worrying about you…you take her too much for granted." Damon turned his head to face the Nova, but Magnus ignored him and continued, "Can't say I can tell what she sees in you."

What is he talking about?

Before he could continue down that line of thought, a familiar whirring noise prompted him to look over his shoulder. As he did, he realized his – their – mistake. They had become too absorbed in their conversation to keep track of their surroundings, and now the Lumiere was in hot pursuit.

...

"Yours highness, how are you feeling?" Phantom asked as he led Cygnus to the helm of his ship. She had insisted on leaving Shinsoo behind to rest and recover while the rest advanced on the Temple of Time. All five of her chief knights were aboard, and Luminous was also present, having recovered from the Demon Slayer's attack.

"I'm fine, Phantom, but…I'm so sorry; I can't bring Mercedes back to life. I don't have full control of my powers yet. You must be so…" Cygnus trailed off, her eyes downcast. She had left Shinsoo behind, because she cared about the holy dragon too much to allow it to risk itself for her again. She had noticed the looks Phantom and Mercedes often shared, and knew what they meant to each other. However…Phantom merely shook his head.

"Do not worry yourself over events beyond your control, highness, you shall find me more ready for battle than ever before." Phantom's voice was soft yet potent; reassuring. However, one who has not mastered the use of the mask can hardly become a legendary thief; he would kill the damned traitor. It was just his accursed luck. The only two women he'd ever loved had been killed through treachery. He, of all people, should have been able to foresee it, but alas, both times, he was too slow to act.

Aria trusted the Black Mage and paid for it with her life, Mercedes trusted the Demon Slayer, and was also betrayed. Fighting back a grimace, Phantom cursed himself for letting them trust so blindly. In hindsight, it was so obvious that people as intimate with darkness as those two would resort to trickery to achieve their ends, but he had still allowed himself the simple mistake of believing. He would never put so much faith in others' goodwill again. Aria had left one final legacy and that legacy now stood beside him. It was his last charge; he would protect Cygnus with his life. That's why…

He let go of the Empress's hand. "Have you looked out the window yet?" He spoke softly, but his eyes had not left the window since they had reached the helm, looking out with an intensity that betrayed his anger.

A sharp intake of breath indicated that she had done so only now. "Is that…?"

"Yes. It's him. The big one with the tail is Magnus. You've heard of him, right?" Phantom finally broke his gaze from the demon slayer's form, and looked at the newly awakened Transcendent of Life. Not for the first time, he felt pity for the girl. Aria had no children, and had perished so young; the only person who could rise to take her place was her young niece. Even knowing that she now possessed the unfathomable power of creation was not enough to sweep away the waves of concern and protectiveness he felt for her.

His question was answered by the look of unadulterated fear in her eyes, and the mouth that quivered as it uttered weakly "The Tyrant of Helisium."

Phantom placed a gloved hand gently under Cygnus's chin, his thumb resting on the crest just below her bottom lip. "Do you remember what I said to you when we met?"

Cygnus fumbled with her words. "I-I'm sorry."

"I prefer a woman with a smile on her face."

And with that, Cygnus dove into phantom's arms and wept. "I'm scared, Phantom. I know I must be strong, and that I'm the Transcendent of Life now, but… I feel something…something, coming from Magnus."

Phantom closed hugged her lightly and asked, "What do you mean?" Under normal circumstances, either one of them would be bad news, and the Demon Slayer together with Magnus would spell disaster. However, his ship was currently carrying over a half-dozen of Maple World's greatest champions. There was nothing to be afraid of.

"It's…I can't explain it. It's like a gut feeling that something evil doesn't belong here, and I need to get rid of it."

"Coming from Magnus?"

"Yes…I've been met the Demon Slayer many times before, and I've never gotten this feeling from him."

"That's not surprising. Many people would love to see that fiend disposed of. Is there anything more you can tell me about it?"

"I'm so sorry! I still don't understand my powers that much."

Phantom smiled warmly, pushing Cygnus gently away from him, until he held her at arms distance, his hands resting atop her small, bare shoulders. "Don't worry about it. You'll figure it out in time, I'm sure. Besides…an Empress should hardly be apologizing to her subject, don't you think? "

Cygnus clasped her hands together and smiled. "I'm so- what are we going to do, now?"

Phantom turned to look at the pair flying in front of the Lumiere, in time to catch the Demon Slayer glance back. Although the window they were behind was tinted from the outside, Phantom tensed. The Demon Slayer resumed his forward flying position, and Magnus checked back, too. The Nova dragon's beastly yellow eyes and his deathly grey complexion drove Phantom's hand instinctively to his cane. Why anyone would want to associate themselves with the Tyrant, he knew not. Then, the two of them sped up.

Feeling his ship surge from underneath them, to keep pace, he said "For now I've ordered us to simply follow them. They also seem to be headed for the Temple of Time. Unless, your highness, you wish for them to be dealt with immediately?"

Cygnus made a face. "Oh, it's really up to you, but I've never...fought in the air before."

Before Phantom responded, however, the decision was made for them.

...

"What's that!?" Magnus had to shout to be heard. They were flying at close to full speed, now, and the wind roared as it tore at their ears.

"The Lumiere! It's Phantom's ship. Damn it, I didn't want to run into him now."

"Phantom's the one that poisoned and knocked you out, yeah?"

"No, I think I knocked myself out when I crashed into the ground at full-speed. But he's an all-round attacker who can fight with a cane and throw cards." Damon didn't know why the Lumiere hadn't opened fire yet, given who they were, until a theory came to him.

"Magnus, if it's Phantom's ship, Aran's probably on there, too. Neither of them are aerial combatants, and the Lumiere's cannons have many blind spots. If I had to take a guess, I'd say they're waiting for us to land."

The Nova dragon contemplated the situation for a second, then said. "Alright, you've already had your fair share of fights lately, but my first real battle in a hundred years, and I almost bought it trying to swat an annoying fly. There's nowhere to run on a ship, though, so you go on ahead and wait for me at the Temple, I'll go warm up these old bones a bit."

Damon nodded. Given Magnus's size and strength, he would be able to inflict more damage to structures, anyway. Additionally, he had much greater mobility than the Lumiere, so if things got tough, he could give them the slip without much trouble. "Alright, be careful. Look out for a white-haired pole-arm wielder. His techniques give him a reach at least two and a half times the length of his pole-arm, so keep your distance or be prepared to block. There might also be an Elven archer and an all-round weaker version of the Black Mage; watch out for the arrows and remember to watch your surroundings."

Magnus unsheathed his blade, brandishing it, and grunted. "Alright. Don't you dare confront the old boss without me, though, you got it?"

Damon grinned. "Take your sweet time. Leech aura!"

The ancient Nova dragon pulled up, somersaulting in the air. "You'll make this too easy, Damon!" he shouted before turning and dropping down.

...

The fore of his ship splintered as Magnus landed with an enormous thud, and the hairs on Phantom's neck stood on end as a titanic roar shook the Lumiere. Cygnus let out a small cry. Her knights charged into the helm, and each fell silent as they beheld the Tyrant of Helisium extracting himself from the splintered wood. His wings were still beating, straining against the Lumiere as the ship's engine guttered and it began to slow. Phantom made a mental note of the Nova dragon's strength. A ray of light shot arced out from somewhere above, but bounced off the Tyrant's armor.

"Luminous, No!" Phantom screamed. Magnus wasn't someone to be taken on alone. The Tyrant's head jerked to the source of his voice, and with a mighty sweep of his blade, the window of the helm shattered.

Phantom did not wait for the glass to settle, and let loose a stream of cards towards where the Tyrant's head had last been. A series of metallic clangs told him his attack had failed. Wasting no time, he shot towards Magnus at an angle, flinging cards as quickly as he could. The debris was beginning to clear and he saw that his cards had all converged on thin air. The Tyrant had sidestepped, and was now moving to strike at him. Phantom disappeared in a swirl of cards, reappearing further back on the ship, but his escape was unnecessary.

A bombardment of steel and fire sent Magnus sprawling against the rails of his ship, and just as he got to his hands, and knees, Mihile and Hawkeye were on him, blade and fists striking in turns with practiced precision. The railing broke, and Magnus fell, along a trail of explosive swearing that grew more distant by the second.

Phantom looked back into the helm to see Cygnus emerge from Eckart's cloak. He relaxed, but only for a moment, for half the bow exploded in a cloud of wood and dust, a seething Magnus taking its place. Blood streaked his wings, and both his epaulets were chipped, but his eyes were positively glowing, and thick veins were visible, snaking around a massive forearm where the Tyrant had lost a gauntlet. Phantom's blood chilled at the sight. The Lumiere began to tilt forward.

He hefted his cane in preparation, and saw the Cygnus knights taking up their arms around him. A glow from off to his side told him that Luminous was also preparing to attack. Then, a young voice called "Stop!"

"You're highness!?" Phantom was shocked, but obeyed, as did the others. Cygnus strode forward with forced confidence, the ornament on her back rattling as she walked. Phantom could see her legs shaking, and he bolted to her side, barring her path with an arm. "Wait, highne-"

"It's all right, Phantom, I was wrong. The evil wasn't coming from Magnus."

"What!? Even so-" His voice caught as the Empress turned to face him fully. Upon her face sat a smile so beautiful and serene that he could not suppress a gasp: "Aria…" and his arm seemed to lower of its own accord. Turning toward Magnus again, the Empress said. "Trust me, please."

Magnus hovered in place where he had destroyed the bow of the Lumiere. Six…Seven…eight. This was significantly more people than Damon had predicted and warned him about, and all of those attacks had hurt, too. He could still feel his partner's leech aura in effect, however, and though blood from his head was seeping into his eyes, he could see with more clarity than he had for a long time. His heart was thumping, and his bloodlust high. He could feel the tingling as individual muscles in his body reactivated after decade upon decade of dormancy. He blinked and forgot all of that, however, when a slender girl who looked no older than nine or ten advanced forward from the group.

The card-thrower he'd determined as Phantom moved to stop her, but relented after a short exchange. Magnus lowered his sword. "I'm not here to kill unarmed children, or have you not the gall to face me, seven against one!?" He spat. He'd purposely left the little girl out of the count. None of them answered or so much as reacted, and inwardly, he commended them for their discipline. Whoever these people were, they were master combatants of incredible ability.

"Magnus, are you here to fight the Black Mage?" The voice came from the little girl.

Taken aback from both the authority in her voice as well as the direct question, he took a few seconds before responding, "I am, although I don't believe we have met."

"I am Cygnus, Empress of Maple World. These five are my chief knights and personal guard, and this is Phantom and Luminous." She said, gesturing towards them as they were announced. "If we have a common enemy here, I propose we join forces." The others behind her stiffened, and Phantom especially looked ready to explode.

"Empress of this world, huh?" Magnus chuckled. She looked different to what he remembered. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline your offer, child."

Cygnus looked confused. "Why? You're after the Black Mage, aren't you?"

"No, you misunderstand. Despite having a common enemy, the business I have with the Black Mage is personal. Right now, you're in my way, so that makes you the more immediate enemy."

The swordsman and Phantom immediately leapt between him and the empress. Magnus made no effort to raise his weapon, and simply shrugged. "So I have a proposal for you, too. Turn this ship around, and come back tomorrow. The Temple of Time will be cleared of vermin, and open for your perusal." He did his best to sound convincing, but his voice was not suited to persuasion.

Nevertheless, Cygnus began to speak, but stopped when Phantom turned. Magnus watched with interest as something caused the Empress's eyes to widen. She quickly said, "I'm sorry, that's not possible. We need to get to the temple immediately and you cannot go there."

The Nova dragon's face darkened. There was a sense of finality in those words. If that was the case, there was no use in talking any further. Gathering his strength, he swept at the group. His blade caught two people. The red-cloaked wizard was flung from the Lumiere wordlessly, bottom half falling slightly faster the top, as her hood caught the air. The golden-haired swordsman who tried to guard was flung against the railing, a crunching sound filling the air as all manner of bones snapped and crumpled. His head tilted at an odd angle and blood began to ooze from between the plates of his armor. His sacrifice was in vain, however, as the girl he sought to protect had been whisked away by Phantom.

The Lumiere was silent for a split second, before a piercing cry shattered the heavens and Magnus found himself engulfed in a purple sphere. He swung his sword at his prison, but it glanced off the smooth surface. He rammed an armored elbow against it then kicked at it; also to no avail. A hail of arrows materialized within the sphere, and Magnus roared as he wrapped his wings around himself. His every sense exploded in a world of pain as the arrows tore at his wings. After the onslaught was over, he found himself half-sitting, half-leaning against the sphere, wings tattered and drooping uselessly. Outside, he could make out some worried words "Empress…" "Cygnus…" "Transcendent of Life…" "Such power…"

As clearly as his pain-racked mind would allow, he tried to make sense of the situation. Damon hadn't mentioned anyone with sealing magic, and he couldn't see them having used the Black Mage's seal on him. Baring his fangs, he roared and kicked brought a mighty hammer fist down at the base of the sphere. It shook, but held. Then, his purple prison began to shrink.

Bracing against it with all his might, Magnus knew that for once, his great strength was not enough. First his remaining horn snapped, then his left arm, and almost immediately, he felt his right knee and left ankle snap at the same time. Hot blood splashed his face, gagging him as his roars turned into gurgles. Forcing himself to focus, Magnus opened his right palm to call forth a meteor shower large enough to wipe out the Lumiere and reduce the surrounding square kilometer to burning rubble.

His prison immediately disappearing, he instinctively took hold of his massive sword, forcing his eyes open despite the pain. A wave of helplessness washed over him as he witnessed the awesome sight as Cygnus, eyes closed, made a waving gesture with her arms and his meteors exploded upon some kind of invisible field. Even the largest impacts were absorbed by the barrier with no indication of giving. The sound was deafening, and the sky suddenly alight with magma rain. He was falling fast – his wings could no longer able to keep him afloat – but he understood the situation.

Nobody could have guessed this would happen. Magnus gave one last glance at his – Kaiser's – sword and mentally thanked it for serving him so well for the past century. He tried to roar, but blood rushed up from within him, and all he managed was a choking croak. Despite that, he cocked his right arm backward to throw it, feral eyes trained on the Empress.

He never completed the action. Luminous leaned over the Lumiere's railing, and shouted "Ender!"

A huge spectral blade came into being directly above his midsection. Desperately willing his wings to work, his peripheral vision spied them still trailing in front of him uselessly as he plummeted through the air. Determined to look death in the eye as it came, Magnus shot one last flaming meteor from his mouth before the spectral blade eviscerated him, piercing through his armor, abdomen, and coming out the other side. The last thing he saw before clouds barred his vision was his final attack exploding like the others upon an invisible field. It did not reach its mark.

And then he fell, surrounded by the remnants of his Meteor shower and leaving a slow trail of blood in the air. "Is this...a Transcendent's power...?" He thought to himself, before hitting the ground with a wet squelch.

...

Thank you EnicaraCFenrir, Shihousama and Chibi Studios for your reviews :P I'm flattered by your praise xD

All that stuff about time and memories Damon and Magnus talk about might seem a bit boring/out of place, but it'll make sense later. And yes, Magnus gets rekt again. I don't really have anything against the guy...I reckon he's pretty cool, actually, but I dunno. It's fun writing it this way, haha.

And yeah, didn't really see a point in keeping the chief knights alive so I just killed off Oz and Mihile for the lulz. Magnus's gotta do SOMETHING of worth, hasn't he? :P

Anyway, those of you who know about cygnus's awakening will know what the purple sphere that traps magnus is about. Assuming cygnus can manipulate its size, being slowly crushed seemed like an...intense...(for lack of a better word) way to die. But nah, Magnus has is too awesome to just die like that.
"Ender" is a 4th job Luminous move that hits 7 times on bosses and 1h-ko's most mobs. But practicality reasons, the endurance of the characters in this fic can't be so high that incessant spamming of top-tier skills is required to bring them down, so yeah.