Chapter 11: Clashing Cutlasses

Marine continued to make her way through the cavern in search of her missing friends. She grew more and more worried about their situation as it may be tied to the premonition she witnessed. "Tails? Cream?"

Soon enough, the raccoon found herself at the mouth of the cave leading to daylight. Here lied what remained of the USS Marine from earlier.

"My ship!" She runs for the ship only to be suddenly stopped by a cutlass. "You!"

Ardin stood before her blade to her neck. "So you think your little friends are on what's left of your ship. Well, I'll be happy to let you search…for a price."

Marine backs away pulling her own cutlass out. "What price?"

"It's obvious you are more of a match with me as a mover, but what about as a swordsmaster?"

"You're on. I win, I get my crew back."

"Fair enough,…but if you lose I get the Chaos Emerald you found."

Marine narrows her eyes. "Make your move."

Ardin immediately swipes at her with his cutlass.

The raccoon blocks the swipe with her own cutlass holding it steady.

"Lucky block." He pushes forward as their blades separate.

Marine lunges at the feline just missing him.

Ardin leaps up onto a nearby boulder. "Nice try."

"I'm just getting started." She jumps up and comes down with a thrust.

The feline blocks her downward thrust sending her back down.

Marine began exchanging clang after clang with Ardin with neither one of them landing a single blow.

"Such a nuisance!" He kicks her into shallow water below her and then jumps down spinning his cutlass.

The raccoon holds her blade up blocking his spin attack just in time. "This is getting us nowhere, Ardin. Just stand down, ya bloke."

"Never! Our vision will become reality!"

"You won't be helping the world! You'll only destroy it!"

"I'm counting on that. When the world is reduced to ashes, it will be us to forge a better one."

Marine swings at him slicing into his hood.

Ardin looks down at the gash. "Nice one."

"You've lost it completely, Ardin. Ever since your Chimera Legion fell you've been more obsessed with your goal than ever."

"The Chimera Legion means nothing to me anymore. All that matters is that you've cost me the one I care for most. I'll never see her again."

"Dione moved on, Ardin. What happened is behind her, and she's better for it. Why can't you do the same?"

Ardin clenches his fists as a tear rolls down his face. "I have nothing else to fight for. Everything was taken from me. This is all I have." He lunges at her again with his cutlass.

Marine jumps up and swipes at his blade breaking it at the hilt.

"No!"

The raccoon turns her cutlass and strikes Ardin with the back end sending him down into the water. "Looks like I win." She then uses the water to bring herself onto the deck of the ship. "Tails? Cream?"

A faint voice could be heard. "Down here."

Marine heads inside of the ship following the sound of the voice looking for her friends. She looks around for a few minutes before finding them tied to a pole below deck.

Cream looks up at her. "Ms. Marine!"

Tails smiles. "Thank goodness you found us."

Marine burns the rope off of them releasing them. "Let's get Gemerl and get out of here."

"He's still active?"

"I'll bring you too him."

Cream helps Tails up as she follows Marine out of the ship. "How will we get home?"

"The remains of the other ship down here are still in tact. We can us that to get us home." The raccoon got them all on deck only to have a massive fire pillar appear in front of them.

Ardin steps out of the pillar as he was engulfed in blue flames.

Marine was in a bit of shock. "What the…?"

"You've left me no choice! Behold, my true power over flames!"

"Take Marine and leave, Tails."

The fox was a bit panicked. "What about you?"

"I'll come back for you two. Just go. Now!"

Tails grabs Cream as he flies away with her to safety.

"Let's end this once and for all, Ardin."

Ardin's eyes were engulfed in flames as he growls. "This will be the end of you, multi-mover!"