"...Gustav" Blaze said quietly. There he stood, in the blowing wind, his black cape billowing gently. He looked the same as he always did, with his wrinkled face and tall, imposing, bulky body. He started to snigger.
"...So, you finally decided to return" he said slowly. His voice was shrill and made everyone shiver slightly inside. Straight away, he turned his attention towards Tinder. "And I see you have gained a couple of new allies"
"This injustice must end!" Wolfgang shouted. Tinder remained still.
"I waited until the very last moment...and now that time has come" he said quietly. "Gustav...you will not win"
Gustav then erupted into a sickening cackle, putting a wrinkled large hand to his broad chest. He quickly calmed down and stared at Tinder with an evil smile.
"Empty words, Tinder" he retorted. "I, too, have waited until the final moment...so I could reveal the final resort...the blade that would ensure my victory!"
Suddenly, his hand fell upon his sword, hidden in a scabbard, and he drew it, raising it into the air. Everyone felt a cold rush as they saw the demon sword that was held in Gustav's hand. The Hestia Blade. With a dark blue, well patterned blade, it resembled a rapier of sorts, with a dark blue mist emanating from the edges of its deadly sharp blade.
"The...Hestia Blade..." Blaze said quietly.
"I...I can feel its power from here!" Silver remarked. Gustav looked at the group before settling his eyes back on Tinder.
"...The power of this blade has been unlocked" Gustav announced. "I possess omnipotence. There is no chance you can succeed!"
Tinder took a few steps forward, fists clenched.
"No...I will defeat you" he replied. Blaze took a step forward, knowing that feat was impossible.
"Tinder, you can't!" she shouted. But Gustav's head suddenly turned and he flashed his sword at the group. Suddenly, ice cages appeared around Blaze, Silver and Wolfgang, trapping them. They beat against the icy walls inside, trying to break free, but it was as hard as titanium.
"Gustav, you bastard!" Blaze screamed. Gustav started to laugh as he heard the three struggling, before turning his head back towards Tinder.
"So you too wish to stage a foolish betrayal as well?" he asked. "I simply am shocked. My own aide...I didn't think you were capable of such a petty thing" he insulted.
"Your insults mean nothing!" Tinder shouted back. "For all the trouble that you caused...you will pay for your crimes!"
Gustav started to laugh once more.
"...So that's it, hm?" he questioned. "If my logic is correct...when you joined the ranks of the castle and rose be my aide and the Primary Commander...there was no way you could know about...all that has happened" he explained. "And I can feel a...familiar...burning power inside you...heh heh heh!"
Blaze realised at that point something that she hadn't realised before in her life. Something that changed her life at that moment.
Tinder's fists clenched tightly and he roared. Out of nowhere, a sea of flames burst around him, stemming from all over his body. His eyes became red as the flames frantically threw themselves around him. Blaze could remember what Sol said, and she could only draw one conclusion from what she said. But it just couldn't be true, it had to be false.
"...It's time for me to finish what I started" Tinder said quietly.
"You cur..." Gustav retorted. "...You finally reveal your true identity...you were the man I tried to impersonate...Blaze's father!"
Blaze felt a tear come to her eye. It was true, Tinder was her father. All this time she thought he had vanished, and he was standing right in front of her, with small flames and a great power emanating from him. This great and proud man...it couldn't have been anyone better.
"...Dad..." she uttered. Tinder turned to his side and looked at Blaze.
"Blaze..." he said back.
"Why...why couldn't you have just told me?" Blaze pleaded. Tinder sighed and looked down.
"I couldn't...I needed to be in a position where I could know Gustav the closest. And if I revealed my true identity to anyone, even you...it would have been the end" he explained.
"But you couldn't hide it" Gustav butted in. "Because you're cursed. With those damn flames!" he shouted. Tinder turned back around to Gustav.
"...You caused me and my fiancée so much pain and suffering..." Tinder growled. "You fooled Blaze into thinking that you were her own father...but you're nothing. Nothing but a worthless, son of a..." Tinder shouted.
"That's enough!" Gustav yelled in a powerful commanding voice. Tinder fell silent, growling silently. "You're pathetic, Tinder. Nothing but an empty shell of a man. And with Elaine...you used to be on top of the world, didn't you? But not anymore. Instead of just being a good obedient little general, and following orders like you were told to do back in army school, you had to try and be a rebel! And now, you will pay!" Gustav shouted.
Tinder yelled and started to run at Gustav in a flurry of flames, ready to attack. But Gustav quickly sidestepped and tripped Tinder, causing him to fall onto his front. He quickly got up to be punched right in the face by Gustav. Blaze screamed as he watched Tinder reel from the hit. Gustav laughed and sheathed the Hestia Blade, before grabbing Tinder by his collar and spitting in his face. He then threw him to the ground.
"What's wrong?" he taunted. "Can't take the pain? You pathetic worthless asshole!"
He brutally kicked Tinder in the chest, causing him to yell and flinch in pain. Gustav quickly kicked him again before grabbing him by his hair and lifting him to his feet. Tinder could feel the power pulsing from Gustav; he just couldn't fight back against such an incredible force.
With his free hand, Gustav started to strike Tinder in the face and abdomen, causing him to yell and grunt with every hit. After a few punches, he threw Tinder back to the floor.
Blaze was becoming furious with what she was seeing. Her tears stung in her eyes, to see her father being tortured in such a way, it was heart wrenching to watch. As Tinder fell to the floor, Gustav put a boot to his head.
"You're worthless. Had I known better, I would have had you on sanitary duty for every second of your stupid, waste of a life!" He kicked viciously at Tinder's head, causing him to fall near limp to the floor. Gustav then drew the Hestia Blade and held it in the air, ready to impale Tinder and kill him.
"You are like a bug" Gustav growled. "...There is no use for you in my world!"
There was a great shattering sound, and Gustav quickly turned to his side, only to feel a great winding in his chest as a projectile hit it. He was sent reeling back, just able to hold onto the Hestia Blade, as he tried to focus on who had hit him.
"What the?" he yelled as he stumbled back. He regained his footing and saw what had hit him. It was Blaze, with a great flurry of flames circling her. She had transformed into her super form. Gustav looked at her, angry.
"You..." he grunted.
"I won't let you hurt my father anymore!" Blaze shouted. "It's time to end this Gustav!"
Tinder started to crawl away as the two stood off against each other. Blaze looked at the Sol Emeralds that her body and watched as they started to circle around her hands. They suddenly forged together to create a rapier which shone with the colours of the rainbow. Blaze looked at it, feeling the immense power coming from the blade, before wielding it and turning to Gustav.
"I will not lose" she assured. Gustav started to cackle a little.
"I knew you'd be coming back" Gustav said quietly. "The only things that can defeat me are the Sol Emeralds, which are in your possession" he explained. "But you're just a little girl! You don't know how to fully appreciate the power of the Sol Emeralds! I have been in possession of the Hestia Blade for thirteen years, and I have learnt to understand the power it has granted me!"
"The Hestia Blade...was once wielded by an evil demon named Galvaria" Blaze replied. "An ice demon...and he was sealed in that sword by the hero Volstead. I will make sure that you are doomed to repeat its history!"
"That means nothing to me" Gustav said quickly, drawing the Hestia Blade once more. "Once I defeat you, I will use the powers of this blade, the powers of Galvaria, to shape this world into something which will be of worth for once" He then looked at his blade, and entered a fighting stance.
"And it starts with your defeat! En garde!"
The big battle is at the next chapter! Will Blaze defeat Gustav? Or will Gustav's dreams of world domination come true? And how long will the next chapter be? The showdown begins on Chapter 25!