(Hi guys. Welcome back to the next installment. I know I had you guys on the ropes with the new arrival on the battlefield last time. So hope you're ready to see where this goes.)
Last time after receiving intel of Felix, Johan, and Omaddon causing havoc, the girls and their warrior friends rushed right over to deal with the three. Things were going well in their favor, until a new dark warrior appeared going by name of Blaze Shadow. Where does this warrior's loyalties truly reside?
"Blaze Shadow?" Twilight asked as she looked at the other warriors who shrugged their shoulders.
"Hey bub, butt out of our business." Johan told the newcomer off.
"Now is that any way to talk to someone who's here to help?" Blaze asked as he walked around the group.
"Help?" Omaddon asked puzzled.
"Yeah." Blaze smirked and as quick as a flash he tackled Elroy onto the ground.
"Oh that hurt!" Elroy groaned while clutching his stomach.
"Whoa, he's fast!" Rainbow gasped.
Felix and the duo were jaw agape as Blaze continued fighting the guys, "Shadow Shot!" he fired his attack at Aria and Eu who narrowly avoided the attack.
"That was too close." Eu gasped.
"Yeah. Whoever this Blaze is he's no pushover." Aria started.
"Pushover or not, if he's fighting with us, than he's against us." Dean said as he and Alistair got ready and attacked Blaze.
"Your moves are good, but I'm in a different league." Blaze said as suddenly shadows started surrounding him and became armor on his body.
"This is new." Alistair said in surprise as Blaze started striking at the two who were dodging as much as they could while throwing their own attacks, only to get blocked.
"Yah!" Blaze did a spin kick at the two knocking them to the ground.
Applejack frowned, "All right varmint! No one messes with mah friends!" she charged at him and attempted to fight him, only to come to a grapple.
"I don't make it a habit to fight non warriors, but I suppose since you're asking for it. I'll oblige!' Blaze broke the grapple and swatted Applejack in Wild and Muse.
"If we keep this up we're gonna get creamed." Jethro said.
"Actually I think we're getting creamed already." Ralph put in.
"We have to get out of here." Eu said whipping out her staff.
"We're running away?" Rainbow asked in outrage.
"It's called a tactical retreat." Alicia explained as Eu used her magic to open a portal and they all retreated into it before it closed.
Felix and the duo looked seeing this new dark warrior made them run in fear. Smirking, Felix approached, "Well, Blaze Shadow is it?"
Blaze looked at the older dark warrior yoko, "That's my name."
"Well it's nice to meet you. I'm Felix Fox." he extended his hand out.
Blaze looked at Felix's hand questionably before shaking it, "Nice to meet you." he noticed the duo.
"And with me are Johan and Omaddon the..."
"Chaos Duo." Felix answered for him.
"Correct." Johan answered.
"That was an impressive feat you pulled off there against those others." Felix admitted.
"Wasn't that hard." Felix answered stoically.
"Indeed," Felix answered while secretly envying how he managed to do more damage to them than he and the duo were doing, "Anyway, how would you like to join our entourage? My employer is in need of assistance. And you have just the kind of prowess he could use."
"I see," Blaze answered in interest, "Take me to this employer of yours." Felix smirked.
Elsewhere, the group exited the portal on top of a building. They all started catching their breath before Zimmer spoke, "Ok, at what point did we suddenly lose control back there?"
"That was brutal." Alistair gasped as he flexed his arm to get the feeling back in it.
"That Blaze just kicked us around like we were nothing." Topher said.
"Whoever he is, he fights rough." Alice added.
"What do we do now?" Fluttershy asked in worry.
"I think we should talk to Darius." Dustin suggested.
"Good idea, let's go." Aria said as the warriors flew the pony/humans, and Spike off to the Mikael Hotel.
Once they arrived they were meeting with Darius, Burai, Xever, and their friends, "So that's what happened." Alistair finished explaining the ordeal they went through.
"My goodness." Darius gasped.
"How come we've never heard of a Blaze Shadow before?" Jethro asked, "Did any of you know of a dark warrior by that name?" he turned to the older warriors.
"Nothing." Xever answered.
"So what now?" Rainbow asked opened for suggestions.
"We'll see if we can find any info on Blaze Shadow." Mitsukai began.
"In the meantime I suggest you all take the rest of the day to recover." Darius suggested.
"Yes sir." Dustin nodded as the group took their leave.
As the younger warriors left Darius looked worried, which didn't go unnoticed by his oldest students, "Sir, is everything all right?" Belmont asked.
"Yes, Belmont. I just worry about them. I trained them the say way I trained all of you. The fact this Blaze was able to take them down without breaking a sweat means he's very strong. Maybe too strong for them to handle on their own."
"So do you think we should keep an eye on them." Mitsukai suggested.
"Please do so." Darius nodded.
"Then we will." Burai said as the older warriors left their former teacher.
Meanwhile at Felix's hideout, he, Clyde, and the duo were off to the side as Blaze stood before Ebon's mirror. Ebon's gaze studied Blaze as the dark warrior himself stood still not showing an ounce of fear or sign of being intimidated, "So Blaze, do you understand why I could use you in my plan?"
"Yes, King Ebon," Blaze began, "You require enough terror from the people in this city in order to reform your body. While at the same time you need others to do away with the bearers of the Elements of Harmony." he listed all Ebon told him.
"Exactly. Join us and when I regain my form I shall give you whatever your heart desires." Ebon tempted him.
"Very tempting," Blaze admitted, "Very well I'll join your brigade."
"Excellent choice." Felix smirked.
"Welcome to the group bucko!" Omaddon patted his back, only for Blaze to grab his wrist and started twisting it.
"Don't touch me." he warned him as he released Omaddon's wrist.
"Touchy much?" Clyde whispered to Johan.
"I'm going out for the night. You'll see me tomorrow." Blaze said as he opened a portal and went through it.
Ebon smirked, "Ruthless, merciless, cunning. A truth warrior if I ever saw one."
"We're right here ya know?" Felix reminded him, but Ebon paid no mind.
That night at Dustin's place, Dustin was pacing in his room unable to sleep due to the events that happened, 'Man how is it this guy just comes out of nowhere and plows through us? There must be more to him than meets the eye.' he thought, until his spirit energy started stirring, "Huh?" he went out his balcony and looked into the distance sensing a figure flying off, "Him." he said firmly as he flew off into the night.
As Blaze was flying through the night he felt a presence behind him. He turned as saw Dustin flying after him, "Nice night huh?" Dustin asked.
"Indeed it is. Now what do you want?" Blaze asked.
"A rematch," Dustin began, "You disrupted our fight with Felix. And now it's gonna be me and you."
"You're not gonna let me go are you?" Blaze asked.
"Never." Dustin frowned.
"All right, a little aerial battle will do." Blaze said as he prepared himself, as did Dustin.
Dustin flew at Blaze as the two exchanged blows through the night sky, high enough so no one would see them, "What're you after huh?" Dustin asked.
"After?" Blaze asked puzzled.
"You show up out of nowhere and attacks us, what's your motive?" Dustin demanded as he blocked a punch from Blaze, and knocked him back before he regained altitude.
"You think there's always a motive for every act?" Blaze asked.
"With all my experience, yes." Dustin answered.
"Well I do have a goal in mind. I'm looking to be known as the Shadow master." he answered.
"Shadow Master?" Dustin asked in confusion.
"Yes, a title which has been known to be granted to the strongest dark warrior around. Seven years I've been training for that goal. And I aim to reach it by fighting powerful opponents. I hoped you and your friends would be enough of a challenge, but I guess I was wrong." Blaze mocked him.
Dustin frowned, "You caught us off guard because we were in the middle of a fight."
"I find that excuse highly unlikely." Blaze rebuffed it.
Dustin frowned at Blaze mockery and continued to attack, "Well now you'll deal with me when I'm at my full strength!" he continued fighting back against Blaze who was dodging his blows, and fighting back as well.
The two ended up flying downward and landed on a roof top, where they made it to their feet and continued their rumble. Dustin summoned his spirit saber, "Hope you're ready to be sliced and diced."
"I think not." Blaze answered as he concentrated energy in both his hands. Appearing in his right hand was a shadow weapon in the form of a key like sword, and in his left hand was a spirit energy weapon that was also a key like sword.
"Keyblade spirit weapons?" Dustin gasped having recalled the famous game in which they were from.
"Correct." Blaze answered as he engaged in battle against Dustin.
The two fought like true masters of swordsmanship, until Dustin left himself wide opened and Blaze knocked him off his feet and onto the ground. Dustin groaned until he saw Blaze stand before him with his spirit and shadow weapons in hand. Dustin felt he was done for, until Blaze offered him his hand, "On your feet."
Dustin was confused out of his mind as he was brought to his feet, "You're not going to finish me?"
"Why would I want to?" Blaze asked.
"Uh A, because you're an enemy, and B, you aided Felix in attacking us!" Dustin listed his reasons.
"Good reasons, but the fact of the matter is I'm not your enemy." Blaze explained.
"Huh?" Dustin asked, "What're you talking about?"
"Exactly what I said. I'm you're ally." the dark warrior answered.
"What do you take me for, a complete idiot?!" Dustin asked feeling insulted.
"I don't want too," Blaze admitted, "But it's true. I'm a double agent."
"You are?" Dustin asked puzzled.
"Correct. I came here overhearing about all the stuff that's been going on with Felix Fox and these other beings wielding powers that were unlike spirit and dark energy." Blaze stated.
"Yeah you got that." Dustin admitted.
"So I decided to stage today just so I could get close to Felix and find out what's going on." the dark warrior continued, "Sorry that my staging was painful, but as you know deception is the key to fooling you're enemies."
"Well you happen to be too good at deception." Dustin noted on the damage he dealt his friends.
"It's a field I've worked hard at." Blaze replied.
"Ok say I do believe you. Why didn't you come to us earlier and explain things to us before engaging us in combat so we'd be better prepared for this?" Dustin questioned him.
"As I've mentioned before deception is a key element to fooling your enemies," Blaze explained, "I feel the best way to truly fool your enemies is that no one, not even your allies know where your loyalties reside."
"Sounds risky isn't it?" Dustin asked.
"True, but you know on missions or in fights risky actions are a necessity." Blaze explained.
"Well I'll give ya that," Dustin admitted, "So what info did you find on Felix or Ebon?"
"Only that Ebon still needs more fear to assimilate to reform his body," Blaze began, "And if Felix and his flunkies keep going at this rate, it won't be much longer."
"Oh great." Dustin sighed.
"But I can help in taking them down, if you trust me." Blaze spoke up.
"What do you have in mind?" Dustin inquired.
"Sorry, but as I said before it's best you don't know. I can't risk blowing my cover." Blaze answered.
"You don't trust me?" Dustin asked in outrage, "How can I be expected to trust somebody who doesn't trust me?"
"As I told you, I work better when no one knows." Blaze answered cooly, which was driving Dustin mad before he calmed down and spoke again.
"Then tell me this. How're you able to utilize spirit energy, when you're a dark warrior?" the spike head asked curiously.
Blaze answered, "Well you know how some warrior either spirit or dark are born from parents who are a dark warrior or spirit warrior separately?"
"Yeah?"
"Well in some families, a warrior born dark can utilize spirit energy to an extent, while one born spirit can utilize dark energy to an extent. But this is a rare thing in families. Not every warrior with both a dark warrior or spirit warrior for parents has the power to utilize both." he explained.
"So how were you able to?" Dustin inquired more.
"My mother was a spirit warrior and my dad was a dark warrior," Blaze continued, "after they passed away years ago I was on my own training like crazy. I trained myself, because that's how I wanted it. I personally don't like following orders from others I deem unworthy to lead. For those of my family remaining they told me I got my rebellious side from my dad."
"I see," Dustin answered, "What if I were to tell your story to my friends?"
"It would make no difference, because I still wouldn't hold back," Blaze answered, "And next we meet I expect you and your friends to not hold back as well otherwise you'll blow my cover."
Dustin held his hand out, "Swear to me on your life as a dark warrior you are indeed our ally."
Blaze abiding to Dustin's request shook his hand and spoke, "I swear that I Blaze Shadow am your ally."
The two broke as Blaze opened a portal and went through it vanishing. Dustin was left to himself and sighed, "I hope to God the others believe me when I tell them." he took off back to his place.
(And that's the chapter. The guys got a beating from this guy who has joined forces with Felix and Ebon. Only for Dustin to discover he is merely a mole to gain information on the dark king. Can Dustin trust the risky deceptive dark warrior or will he come to regret it and put his friends in danger? Tune in next time.)