Thank you XV-Dragon (We'll see if she can), Nemrut (Maybe we'll have to see), KnightofFaerun (Yes she has hasn't she), TCTK (The fights have begun), CCRox4Eva (I've got something in mind), J()e i)o (Yes indeed it has) for the reviews and support and I hope you all enjoy Chapter 36.
"This is taking too long," Akatsuki says calmly. He did not understand why Mitsunari did not let him come up with the deployment decisions. The ninja definitely knew how to defend the castle and placing Cyan in the center was a great mistake. Even with the cyborg's incredible weaponry she could not utilize most of it within the structure without detrimentally damaging the structure itself.
"Don't worry," Morphea says calmly, "Cyan will crush them. Then nothing will stand in our way, though I am still confused about those explosions that occurred earlier."
"They were probably just some kind of aftershock from Hay Lin's attack," Akatsuki says quickly though in a questioning tone as to not give Mizu away.
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"We can't keep this up forever," Taranee says as the girls avoid another powerful beam projectile.
"Maybe if we separate into different groups," Will says quickly, "and try different ways in."
"Since going through the top doesn't seem to work," Irma says as a large black beam nearly slams into her. The group then nods to each other as the separate into two groups and gets out of the effective area of Cyan's weaponry. Will, Irma, and Taranee went for what appeared to be the main gate while Cornelia and Caleb flew into an open window.
"Mizu," Cyan says placing her hand up to the communication device on her ear, "the Guardians are inside now."
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"That's good," Mizu thinks to herself while finishing securing a kantana to her waist. She then drew the dull rusted blade and smiled happily before returning it to its sheath and then proceeded to remove the black ribbon attached to the sword's hilt and tie her hair back into a long ponytail.
"What if we encounter that kyuubi," the small five headed snake hisses in her head.
"Who cares," Mizu says grabbing her coat and throwing it into the air. Then in a flash of light the coat is cut into thousands of shreds while the woman sheaths the blade. "The Demon of the Ainu and Hero of the Nile is back and more powerful than ever."
"I still say you should exorcise caution," the snake says quickly.
"Don't I always Yamato," Mizu says as she quickly leaves her room in search of Mitsunari.
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Hay Lin had flown in through the courtyard during that set of explosions that shook the castle. She realized that those "friends" of hers did make a good distraction for her, but she hoped that the cyborg didn't kill Irma. That was her job after she obtained that power.
"I do not know how you found this castle," a voice shakes Hay Lin from behind as a blade that seemed to be connected by chains wraps around her body and squeezes tight enough to hold her still, "but the offer to join us still stands Air Guardian."
"I regret to inform you," Hay Lin says turning to look at Mitsunari, "that I'm here to kill every last Dark Enigma member."
"That would prove difficult," Mitsunari says with a chuckle, "most if not all are at least A class warriors."
"Then this should be easy," Hay Lin says with a grin.
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"Okay," Caleb says as he and Cornelia land somewhere in the castle, "our first priority should be finding where they are keeping Elyon and your sister."
"Yeah," Cornelia says, "that shouldn't be too hard since we only have to search an entire castle."
"The people you are looking for are in a room underneath the courtyard," Cyan says as she appears behind the two. "If you hurry one of you can get there, but unfortunately even Mizu wants me to slow you down."
"Isn't Mizu the name of that former Water Guardian," Cornelia asks quickly, "what does she have to do with this?"
"That's for me to know," Cyan says with an evil grin while pointing a large white cannon at the two, "and for you two to take to your graves." She then fires a large black beam of light at the two but it splits and slices through the walls as it meets the great sword that had been removed from Caleb's back.
"Caleb," Cornelia says before the rebel leader pulls her into a kiss.
"Go get Elyon and Lillian," he says turning back to look at the cybernetic woman, "I'll handle her." The blonde girl nods at this and quickly flies off to find the room that Cyan mentioned, if it existed.
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"That was a lot easier than expected," Will says as the group of three walks slowly through the main gates of the massive castle.
"Do not put our defenses off as light Guardians," a whisper echoes though the opening.
"It's that shadow chick again," Taranee says as her hands start to glow. Suddenly, the fire maiden is double over clutching her gut as the figure of Akatsuki appears in front of her.
"And ninja boy too," Will says getting ready for a fight.
"You might want to hurry along Water Guardian," Akatsuki says calmly and quickly, "there is much to be done in such a short amount of time." Irma just looked at the man with a hint of confusion in her blue eyes.
"He's right Irma," Taranee says as the air returns to her lungs. "Go and see if you can find Elyon, Lillian, and Alchemy. We'll handle the two here and catch up with you."
"Okay," Irma says taking off down one of the halls in the castle.
"Why did you let her escape Akatsuki," Morphea hisses as she pulls herself from the ground.
"I did not wish to be outnumbered," Akatsuki responds as Taranee returns to her feet.
"So do you want miss shadow puppet or the guy that sucker punched you," Will asks her friend through telepathy.
"Definitely the guy," Taranee responds as the two get ready for the fight.
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Hay Lin was knocked out of her elemental form by a blow from one of Mitsunari's swords. She didn't know how he did it but it was annoying.
"My swords Doyoukai and Fuuyoukai can hit you even in your precious elemental form," Mitsunari says with a snarl of disappointment. This girl supposedly killed Oak, a warrior that even he feared, but she wasn't putting up much of a fight.
"I figured that," Hay Lin says as he places one of the blades at her throat while coaxing her to stand.
"I'm disappointed in you," Mitsunari says raising the other blade to cleave the young guardian in two, "I hate disappointment." He then swings only to hear the clang of metal as blade met blade.
"Talk about cutting that one close," Mizu says landing next to her sword, "I had to throw my sword just to make it in time."
"What is this Mizu," Mitsunari growls, "your are supposed to be guarding the courtyard."
"I am," Mizu says as a questioning look appears on her face, "and why is that?"
"Because I ordered you to," Mitsunari says while watching the two women.
"Oh yea," Mizu says before pointing the rusted blade's tip at Mitsunari, "I quit. That good enough for you?"
"Did you not want to avenge your friends," Mitsunari says in a sour tone.
"Rule number six," Mizu says, "besides I helped fulfill their wishes anyway. Except one and that involved ending Dark Enigma."
"So you are siding with the Guardian," Mitsunari snarls with disdain.
"Those weaklings," Mizu chuckles evilly, "not a chance."
"Who are you calling weak," Hay Lin growls as currents of air start to whip through the hallway.
"The originals are always better," Mizu says turning to look at Hay Lin, "sorry to burst your bubble."
"Then I will kill you traitor," Mitsunari screams swinging his weapon at the warrior fairy only to have it again be stopped by Mizu's blade.
"If it were that easy," Mizu says shaking her head.
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"If I've got my directions right then I should be right about there," Cornelia says with a sigh as the flies down what she hoped was the corridor leading to the room in which the cybernetic woman told her was located beneath the courtyard.
"Where do you think you are going young guardian," a voice says while Cornelia's body suddenly stops working and she plummets to the ground.
"What the," the blonde woman responds as she shakily picks herself up. Her entire body felt as if it had just been completely frozen.
"You should know better than to wander the halls by yourself." Alecara sighs as he approaches Cornelia though keeps his distance. He wasn't much of a fighter but he should be able to handle one guardian, especially this mentally broken one. He knew how the human psyche worked and that most victims that were effected by the Tsukiyomi retained an innate fear of the color red coming in strait contact with their eyes.
"And you should know better than to get in my way," Cornelia growls looking up at the coat wearing individual.
"Such threats will not work on me," Alecara says while placing his hands together, "you see I am from a higher class of being. You are just the bottom of the food chain."
"I'll show you the bottom of the food chain," Cornelia says standing. Soon Alecara jumps and lands on the earthen spikes that jut out of the wall to skewer him.
"Not like that you won't," Alecara says as he moves his hands into a different position. "Yet this should be interesting." His eyes then flash a bright orange as he looks at Cornelia.
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The shaking of the castle had stirred the sleeping Phobos from his somewhat peaceful slumber. He couldn't help feel that Mizu was trying to lure him into a trap, but the promise of the powers of the universes greatest weapon was just too great.
As he awoke he noticed that the door to his cage was open and allowing for his escape. All was going just as the former Guardian had said. Now all he had to do was his part and then the universe would be his for the taking. Not even the Oracle himself could stand up to the powers he would have.
He quickly left the dungeon-like room and made his way down the hall to the room where his sister was being held along with the young Heart of Earth. He grinned at this realizing that after he claimed that immense power he would also have the hearts of two worlds just there to be siphoned, not to mention the other hearts that Dark Enigma had gathered.
He made it to the doors of the room quickly but didn't open them as he heard voices down the hall. One of them sounded angry but then turned fearful until he heard a horrifying scream.
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Irma had been flying around for a while and eventually ended up in the large courtyard. She landed and looked around the bleak thing before noticing the large sundial/ pedestal hybrid in the center. Something about the thing seemed so familiar to the young Water Guardian. As if the pedestal was once part of her.
"Hey do you have any idea what this thing is," Irma asks the nymph as she walks over and examines the small construct. She was shocked to see the jewels inside the grooves on the smooth top of the sundial. Underneath the indentations was a strange writing that at first Irma couldn't recognize but soon was able to make out the word, Candracar.
"I do not know," the nymph says calmly, "but it seems that it is what Dark Enigma needed all those hearts for."
"Looks like it," Irma sighs looking at the other indentations while running her hand over the writing and it glows vibrantly as she does so. "But why am I able to read the writing on it?"
"Again, I haven't got a clue," the nymph responds, "I only know what that word meant because you read it."