Standard disclaimer: I don't own Breath of Fire.

AN: A new chapter for Timeline Vacation. Whee, and now, guess who's back? Oh, and the characters Shoki and Inaro belong to Catstar4.

Decisions

Rena stumbled back into her room. For some reason she felt faint and disoriented. The darkness that was increasing around the hotel was growing stronger. She was feeling the full effects of whatever was there. She could only wonder if Cat, Manna, or Vin felt the same way?

Rena moaned as she saw double of everything. She managed to make it over to her bed and fell down on it. She rolled over onto her back and stared vacantly at the ceiling. This was not the vacation she was expecting.

Rena gasped slightly when she felt an extremely powerful force snap in the back of her mind. She groaned and sat up, holding her head. She turned around and saw a figure dressed in a long, black trench coat with a hood that was covering their face. Rena slightly smirked.

"Hey," Rena smiled slightly as the figure crossed his arms.

"Hello Rena," the man said.

"It's been a bit since I saw you last," Rena said, looking slightly amused.

"I know," the man said.

"So, what brings you here?" Rena asked.

"He is coming."

"I thought he was already here?" Rena asked.

"No, he is coming. You must be ready."

"I thought we already were," Rena said, slightly annoyed.

"No, Dracen is coming for the Dragon Drive."

"Dragon Drive?" Rena asked as she turned to the man.

"Edo told you what it was, right?" the man asked.

"Yes. That bad?"

"…" the man remained silent. "I must go now."

And with that, the man vanished. Rena looked confused as she crossed her arms in annoyance. Rena shook her head. Rena leaned forward, but felt something suddenly plop in her chest. Her face screwed in pain as she felt the plopping in her chest become a painful throb.

She gasped in pain as she felt her heart hammering in her chest. She collapsed back on the bed as her chest arched violently. She screamed as she felt her heart pumping violently. She clutched her chest tightly as her breathing came out in weak gasps.

Rena heard the door to her room open. Rena's eyes weakly opened as she saw a blacked cloaked figure walk into her room and shut and locked the door. The man walked over to Rena's bed and made a gesture with his hand. Tendrils of energy laced around Rena, holding her tightly to the bed.

The man smirked as he walked over to the side of Rena's bed. He then knelt down and placed his hand on Rena's chest. Rena gave the man a bewildered look and was about to open her mouth in protest, but then she suddenly felt paralyzed.

Rena tried to open her mouth to scream but found only that weak, choking sounds come out instead. Rena growled as she tried to undo the binds. She felt her heart pounding against the man's hand.

"Yes," the man said. "Show me the power to defeat them."

Rena's eyes glazed over. Her heartbeat amplified and echoed throughout the room. Her heart started to beat faster and harder as she screamed in pain. The man growled as he felt Rena's tiresome heartbeat began to fade away.

The man growled as he felt Rena's heartbeat weaken.

She will need your help. If you don't live, she will die.

Rena's eyes snapped open. Her heart quickened.

She is your daughter. You are not suppose to know this yet, seeing that she is from the future. But she and the other children came here to save all that they love.

Rena's eyes rolled back as she felt the man let loose an electrical charge into her chest.

The Dragon Drive. HE will be after it. You must protect it from them.

Rena's eyes flashed gold as her hair changed from light blue to silver. Her heartbeat became louder and stronger. Rena's chest arched back as she let out a deafening scream. The binds on her broke. She righted herself and floated a few feet off of the ground.

The cloaked man growled in annoyance as he got into a battle stance. Rena's eyes flashed as she summoned the Starlight Staff. She sung the staff down and pointed it at the man.

"What is the meaning of this!" Rena growled, the room shaking with the echoing of her heartbeat.

"I thought you gave up your powers as a dragon!" the man growled.

"This is Ethereal!" Rena growled darkly. "TIME! TRANSCEND THE MORTAL PLANE TO DELIVER THY HOLY JUDGMENT!" Rena screamed.

The man swore as gold wings sprouted from Rena's back. The man jumped forward and thrust his hand through Rena's chest. Rena howled in agony as the man clutched Rena's heart in his hand. He felt her heart pound furiously against his hand.

"Not this time, White Mage," the man said.

Rena coughed up blood as blood oozed from the gaping hole in her chest. Her eyes narrowed as she swiped her hand against the man's chest. Rena gave the man a feral grin. "FINAL JUDGMENT!"

The man screamed as the gold light lanced out of Rena's hand and right through the man's chest. He jerked around wildly and jerked his hand out of Rena's chest. He swore as he vanished in thin air.

Rena screamed as the wings folded back into her back and her hair and eye color changed back to normal. She moaned as she collapsed back onto the bed as blood flew everywhere. The amplified heartbeat faded as Rena laid on the bed and convulsed violently. Rena's heartbeat started to race in her chest as she placed her hand against her chest, over her heart.

She closed her eyes as a gold light formed in her hand and covered the wound over her chest. The light seeped into her chest and healed her wounds. As the light died down, Rena's heartbeat returned to a rhythmic pulse. She gasped slightly as she sat back up and looked around the room. She dismissed the Staff and stood up. Rena shook her head.

"So… Dracen's back, eh?" Rena muttered to herself. "Look's like I will just have to report this to hotel security."

"Dracen's back?" Ryu asked, giving his sister a confused look.

"Yes, and he tried to attack me," Rena smirked, but it didn't fair out too well."

"So, what's up now?" Rei muttered darkly, his hair still slightly smoking from where Nirra and Nina had used him for target practice with lightning bolts.

The three were sitting outside under the trees. Rena sighed. "For some odd reason, Dracen thought that I had the power to defeat him. He tried to trap me and tried to read my mind. I…uh… cast Final Judgment on him."

Both men shuttered violently. Final Judgment was an attack that only the highest-ranking Fuyrian could use. The fact that Rena could use it said something incredible about her power reserves.

"So, the game is on now?" the three looked up and saw Kane and Cat standing over them. They both sat down next to the three.

"T'would seem so," They looked up again to see Troy, Manna, Vin, and Kagumi standing around them.

"Dracen's trying to get payback?" Sora asked as she and Nina walked up. The rest of them sat down cross-legged.

""Isn't he suppose to be…dead?" Troy asked in confusion. "I thought that Ryu, Kane, and Rena killed him."

"Only sealed him," Ryu explained. "We didn't actually kill him."

"So, what do we do now?" Sora asked.

Manna sighed, "Nothing for now. We just bide our time until he shows himself."

Nearby, Nirra, Kipper, Rosco walked by, Kipper still holding Chance. The three overheard the sixth Cycle's group discussing something about a past enemy. Nirra quickly ran over behind a tree and listened in.

Kipper and Rosco shook their heads and went to join Nirra in her eavesdropping.

"…so we fight for real this time," Rena said.

"We have to take him out the box once and for all," Nina nodded.

"It took a lot to stop him the first time," Sora shuttered.

"We have new powers this time that he doesn't know about," Ryu grinned. "Plus, we are all fighting."

"So, who wants to come up with our award-winning strategy?" Manna asked. "Or, do the three hiding behind the trees want to contribute?"

Nirra, Rosco, and Kipper stood there, slack-jawed as everyone en masse turned their heads around and saw the three, plus baby Chance. They walked out from behind the trees and sheepishly grinned.

"Sorry about that," Nirra said. "But, we were wondering what you guys… all of you guys…" Nirra's eyes widened when she saw how many people were gathered. "Were talking about?"

"An enemy from our past, that is now here to kick us in the ass again," Rei grumbled darkly. "His name is Dracen. Really bad news guy."

"Anything we can do to help?" Nirra asked.

Manna looked at the three, "Hm…" Rena groaned when she saw that look on Manna's face. The look that said that she knew something, but was not going to discuss it with the rest.

She stood up and gestured for the three to follow her. "We'll be right back," Manna grinned as Kipper, Rosco, and Nirra followed Manna down the walkway.

"I'm… pretty sure that Manna has a good reason for what she is doing…" Rena said nervously.

"She can't seriously think that children can help us fight Dracen… can she?" Sora asked.

"Stranger things have happened," Nina grinned.

The three looked confused as Manna led them to the café. She sat down and gestured the three to do the same. "You three," Manna said to the young dragons. "Are really special. As are your friends Makas and Reina."

Nirra, Rosco, and Kipper looked at Manna in confusion as she continued talking.

"Five children, three dragons and two worens, fighting against a Guardian. And winning. Of course, you had the help of Teepo, and your fathers, but still. You faced darkness down and stood your ground. Never faltering."

"So, what does all of this have to do with this Dracen guy?" Kipper asked, slightly annoyed.

"Everything," Manna said. "Dracen is a Dark Dragon… or a Brood who was created to be a dark dragon. It's a long story, which I know that none of you want to hear, so I will just get to the point. Have you ever heard of something called the Dragon Drive?"

"No," Nirra said. "What is that?"

Manna… Manna frowned when she heard the voice in the back of her mind.

"Hmm… Rosco," Manna turned to Rosco. "You are the son of the Dragon Prince. A light dragon with the heart of a warrior. You refuse to let those you protect come to harm. You have an amazing destiny before you."

"Heh, so I get to play hero?" Rosco grinned, earning him a look of annoyance from his twin.

Manna grinned slightly. "Nirra," Manna turned to Nirra. "The princess of Wyndia. A powerful attack mage and a person who shows unconditional love to those around her. You never give up and are willing to give all to save all that you love."

Nirra smiled. Rosco rolled his eyes, earning him a look of annoyance from Kipper.

"Kipper," Manna turned to the young dark dragon. "A child born of two dark dragons, yet your heart is filled with the light. You have seen your dark side. Instead of running away from it, you accepted yourself as what you really are, and embraced your destiny."

"Okay…?" Rosco said, giving Manna a weird look. "And once again, what does this have to do with Dracen?"

Manna smirked again. "Everything, like I said. You think that all of you coming here were just random acts? No, it was not. This is a trial, not only for the sixth Cycle's group, but for all of you as well. Dracen is the embodiment of all that is evil. He is a being that has embraced the darkness, and now only wishes for extreme power, so he can destroy all that we love."

"Sounds like he's a really bad person," Nirra said. "What can we do against something like that?"

Manna nodded, "Stand your ground. Don't give up. And fight him with all you got." Manna looked at Kipper. "And don't hold back. He will sense that you are not using your full power, and use it against you."

"What if…" Kipper looked uncertain. "You cannot control your full power."

"That's why I am here… and I am telling you all of this," Manna said. "I can form a shield around the area and keep the powers within the shield, so it does not strike out in all directions. So, don't worry about your powers going out of control. They will stay in control."

"So, now what?" Nirra asked.

"Go and tell your friend and family that there will soon be a major boss fight. We'll fill you guys in on what Dracen can do later."

"Okay," Rosco said. "Sounds like a plan."

"There's someone that's going to fight us?" Rosco yelled as he, Nirra, and Kipper raced back to the hotel to tell their families what Manna had told them.

"Yeah!" Nirra said. "This isn't good!"

"So?" Kipper said. "It's not like we haven't dealt with anything like this before!"

"I know, but…?" Rosco stopped running. Nirra, Kipper, and Chance nearly ran into the light dragon.

"What's the big idea, Rosco?" Nirra demanded.

Rosco pointed in front of him, at the end of the pathway. In front of them stood a man in black armor. The man drew a sword and stepped forward.

"So, you think you can take me on and win?" the man laughed. "Think again!" The man lunged at the three, sword drawn.

"LIGHTNING!" Nirra screamed as she summoned her staff and let loose a bolt of thunder.

The man jumped back in annoyance as he watched Kipper take a step back and held Chance protectively against him. Rosco step forward as he and Nirra focused on their warrior dragon forms. The ground shook with the sounds of two amplified heartbeats.

The two changed and faced down the man. The man grinned as he let loose a bolt of dark energy, aimed right at the twin dragons. The two dodged and jumped up over the man's head and unleashed the most powerful Auras they had ever done.

The man screamed as the Aura hit him head on. He staggered back and swore. He jumped back and prepared for another strike. He lunged at the four, his sword arched high over his head. Just as he was right above them, a gold shield appeared around them, causing the man to be repelled by it.

"Yo sia ahnd!" a light formed in front of the young dragons. It formed into that of a man in a black trench coat, his face concealed by the hood.

"What ARE you!" the man roared.

"You have no power here!" the other man yelled. "They are under my protection."

"You…!" the armored man screamed as he lunged at the other. He slammed his sword forward, ready to strike him. Instead, however, the sword went right through him. The armored man recoiled in fear.

"What… ARE YOU!" he screamed.

"Ke'lios!" the man screamed. "Be gone with you!"

The man raised his arm and a light formed in the palm of his hand. A gold light shot forward and struck the man, making him vanish. The other man nodded, then moaned weakly and fell to his knees, then to the ground.

Chance started to cry loudly as Rosco and Nirra changed back. The three ran over to the fallen man and the twins knelt down. Nirra and Rosco looked at each other. Kipper just stood there, unable to move. Chance looked up at his big brother and made a noise. Kipper looked down at Chance and smiled.

"It's okay, that man is gone," Kipper said.

"Yeah, but I think this guy's in trouble," Rosco said.

Nirra nodded and hesitated slightly. "Think that my hand will go through him?" she asked.

"Only one way to find out," Rosco said as he placed his hands on the man's back and pressed down slightly. "He's solid enough."

Nirra and Rosco turned the man over onto his back. Nirra nearly gasped as she noticed that the man's sides were bleeding profusely. She looked at Rosco as he shrugged and applied pressure to the wounds as he tried to get them to stop bleeding. Nirra looked at the hood. She gently lifted the man's head and took the hood off. The man looked no older than sixteen or seventeen years old. He was slightly tanned with short, messy black hair. His face was screwed up in pain. His lips were parted slightly as he drew in ragged breaths. Nirra laid the man's head back down as she made a small point of light on the end of her pointer finger. She pried open one of the man's eyes. She took notice that the man's skin was hot to the touch. She shined the light in the man's eyes. The pupil dilated slightly. Nirra nodded as she closed his eye. Nirra noticed the guy's chest rising and falling rapidly with each shaky breath he took. She placed her hand on his chest and felt his heart pumping franticly in his chest. Nirra turned back to Rosco and Kipper.

"He feels like he has a really high fever," Nirra said. "What are we suppose to do?"

"I don't know… huh?" Kipper said as he noticed the man's eyes open weakly.

He blinked rapidly as his eyes glazed over. He grunted as he tried to sit up, but Nirra and Rosco placed their hands on his shoulders and held him down on the ground. The man sighed in annoyance and stared up at the three.

"Ng…" the man moaned. "I'm fine. Let me up."

"No, you're not," Rosco said. "You are sick. What the heck happened do you, anyway?"

"No… time…" the man said weakly. He closed his eyes and moaned weakly. "Dracen… will… attack…… ……Steele…go….. after….. ……after……… …… …r…….ry…..u………ugn…" the man moaned as he jerked slightly.

"Hey," Nirra said. "HEY!"

The man moaned again as his body tensed up. The three looked nervous, and nearly jumped when they noticed a shadow loom over them. They turned around and groaned when they saw Robert Moon standing over them.

"Hm," Robert said. "Looks like we have a problem here."

"You again!" Rosco said, his left eye twitching.

Chance laughed and started to move his hands as if he was waving. Robert grinned and waved back at the baby. Kipper gave them a confused look, then turned to the unconscious man.

"What do we do about this guy?" Kipper said.

"Who is this guy, anyway?" Nirra said.

"Hm," Robert sighed. "Someone… nah. Someone who just got in way over his head, that's all." Robert knelt down and placed his hand on the teen's shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Kipper asked.

"I am going to get this guy out of here." Robert said. "Before Dracen comes back for him. Don't tell anyone what you saw here, or that you saw me."

"So, can you at least tell us the guy's name?" Nirra asked. "He did just save our lives."

"Valen," Robert said. "His name is Valen." Robert nodded and vanished with the unconscious man in tow. The three looked at each other in confusion, then shrugged.

"Why does that sound familiar?" Kipper asked.

"Tell our parents?" Nirra asked.

"Tell our parents," Rosco agreed.

Kane sighed as he looked out the window of his room. He glanced outside and saw Kipper, Nirra, and Rosco running back to the hotel. He groaned, holding his head. He never thought he'd see that guy alive ever again.

Its not every day that you see one of your best friends' heart get cleaved into pieces. He wasn't stupid. He knew that Manna had shown Nina those visions on what happened on Wysteria that day.

The coming of the Rouges, that herald the destruction of the Brood Empire. They had struck without warning. Their powers were unmatched and they had no equal. Even their God-Emperor Kaiser could not stand before them in the end.

Some called them gods. Others called them demons. He called them cowards. They had destroyed his friends, his family, his kingdom, and his life. They destroyed it all on that day. The Rouges' leader was a dark man. He had called himself Lucian. By his side were Solona and Zeipher. It was him, Lucian, that herald the destruction that would still haunt him even today.

He had learned a month ago that in the future, his children, Inaro and Shoki, would be fighting against Lucian, along with Elehaym, Rena's daughter. He had learned a lot of things. Things that he still knew nothing about.

"Kane?"

Kane looked up to see Cat standing at the entrance of the room. She walked in and over to Kane. She placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed it lighlty.

"Are you alright?"

"Nh," Kane sighed as he placed his hand over Cat's. "Not really sure, actually."

"What's wrong?" Cat asked him as she led him to the bed. She sat down on the edge of the bed as Kane sat down beside her and just hung his head.

"Hh," Kane said, finally. He looked at Cat. "I saw someone who I thought was long dead.

"Who?"

"His name was… is Valen," Kane sighed.

"Oh, I remember that name. Edo told us about him, didn't he?"

"Yes," Kane said. "I saw Dracen attack those dragon children… and just as I was about to act, I saw Valen appear and stop Dracen. I also saw him collapse."

Kane stood up and balled his hands up into fists. "Is it stupid! He shouldn't be here!"

"I don't understand," Cat said as she watched Kane pace the room.

"Valen… during the War of the Gods… the Brood were originally from one of Asparia's moons. Its called Wysteria. I am originally from there… just like Edo. The Brood Empire was at its peak thousands and thousands of years ago. It was a peaceful place. We had allies everywhere in the galaxy, among them the Furyians, as well as other races that are probably long gone. "

"Oh," Cat said.

"Oh, it gets better," Kane said bitterly. "I lived there. Back then, there was no such thing as a light dragon, or a dark dragon. We were just dragons. That didn't happen until the advent of Myria. Lucian came… they struck without warning…"

Kane turned around to face Cat. "They killed everything in their path. Edo and I fought back, along with our emperor, but it was for naught. The emperor's fiancée, Tolone, was killed in the attack. In that moment, the emperor hesitated, and was run through with Lucian's blade. Edo and I struck back, but Edo's arm and leg were cut clean off. I was ran through, and incased in chrysm ore. I was hurled to Asparia and trapped underground for thousands of years, before I was freed by my false parents. I couldn't remember anything, so they made me their son.

"When I saw Edo during that time, I think I started to remember, and that's why I struck at Solona with such hatred. Well, that's my past in a nutshell."

Cat looked annoyed. "But, you never did tell me who Valen is."

"Valen… is the true name of the God-Emperor of the Brood," Kane said. "He is the direct descendant of Ladon."

"I see…" Cat said as she stood up and laced her arms around Kane's waist. "I'm sorry that that happened, but we know that they will be made to pay, right?"

"Heh, right. Now, we just have the fun job of training Inaro and Shoki… after they are born, of course."

"Of course," Cat laughed.

"You enlisted the aid of CHILDREN to help us deal with Dracen!" Vin yelled in surprise.

"They are much stronger than they look." Manna sighed.

Manna and Vin were sitting outside at the café, Manna taking a long drink from her glass. Vin placed his head in his hands and groaned.

"Children, Manna, CHILDREN!" Vin yelled, groaning. "This isn't like Cat, or Rena. They are only eleven."

"The woren twins are seventeen. Nina is just sixteen. Kagumi's twelve. What's the problem?"

"… you are impossible…" Vin sighed as he grabbed up his drink and took a long draught.

"It's not Rena's group that I am really concerned with." Manna said as she placed her chin in her hand. "It's Elly and her group. You know, as well as I do that when Dracen is defeated, the Dragon Drive will finally activate."

"So… what does this have to do with Kipper's group?" Vin asked.

"Kipper's powers are the key." Manna said. "He is opposite to Infinity. With Ryu, Rena, and Kane's Infinity power, PLUS Kipper's Black Kaiser power, Dracen will get a not so pleasant surprise."

"Does anyone know that you rigged everything to work out like this?" Vin sighed. "Plus, how DID you get the tickets to King Ryu's time?"

"I didn't." Manna said. "That was someone else."

"Good lord…" Vin sighed. "We are all going to die, aren't we?"

"Only if everyone doesn't fight. We will need everyone for the Dragon Drive."

"Dragon Drive…" Vin sighed.

"So, I can now feel Dracen coming in full force." Manna said.

"It starts?"

"It starts."

To be Continued…

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