Music Choice—RISE—Katy Perry

I won't just survive, oh you will see me thrive

Can't write my story, I'm beyond the archetype

I won't just conform, no matter how you shake my core

Cause my roots they run deep


I moved swiftly towards Zeek. Raising my glaive up high. I was ready to hit him full force.

He raised his hands sending a flurry of lightning bolts at me. "Not a chance, Avatar!"

I redirected my steps and jumped onto the railing that led away from the stairs and ran on top of it instead. Ducking down and flipping in order to dodge his attacks.

He was relentless. At one point he threw a strong bolt at me. But before it could even prickle my skin I twirled my glaive and caught it.

His attack now surged into the blade of my weapon and he was about to get it back.

A growl of frustration left him as he continued throwing his attack spells at me.

I hopped from the railing and flipped side ways into the air. Angling my body to miss one of his blows. It passed my ear in mere inches.

Rolling onto the ground I ended up in a kneel.

He whipped his head around to me and was about to throw another bolt but I swung my glaive causing the attack spell of his to go flying right into him.

He violently slid against the ground. His body breaking the floor until he burst through a far wall, making it crumble and dust to fall.

I stood up. Staring after him.

I felt a cautious hand on my wounded torso. I'd regained most of my strength since the fire ball explosion. I could already feel it healing.

Not quick enough though. I would have to be careful while fighting Zeek or else I could risk reopening the healed skin. Truth be told I would much rather heal it using my magic but that would take time. Time that I didn't have given the situation.

I looked up to see how Yogi was doing in his own fight with Zaphora.

They both had fire balls aiming at each other. Clashing in red and purple flames. The heat wave between their combat was intense. Only because they both had elements over fire. She was hit with one of his flames, knocking her back a few steps, but that didn't stop her from making a come back.

She had her whip out and slung it around his leg. She then pulled him up in mid air before throwing his body to the floor on the opposite side of her.

His sword slid away from him on impact. He attempted to reach for it only to be howled up in the air again by her whip. She flung him back to the cobblestone .

He yelled out from the pain.

"Dammit, Yogi," I cursed under my breath. I made a move to go and help him only to be struck by static. I went flying to the floor until I rolled to a stop.

It hadn't hurt me but it did kick enough punch to knock me off my feet.

I opened my eyes instantly noticing that my glaive had fallen from my grasp. I looked up and saw it a few feet away. "Shit," I hissed.

My ears twitched when I heard footsteps quickly running towards me.

My eyes darted towards my opponent and saw him right above me, aiming down a fist swarming with static.

But I caught it and flung his entire body aside. Zeek fell beside me and I took the chance to elbow him in his chin twice as hard to ensure he would stay on the ground while I regained my stance. I then moved to stand up only to have him kick my feet from beneath me. I went falling on my back with him on top of me.

He gripped my neck with one hand, punching me in the face with the other. I began to taste blood.

He got three good licks in before I gripped his fist. Clenching it hard. Ice began to slither up his arm and he fought to pull away from me. But I didn't let him.

His face twisted up. I couldn't help but smirk. "It. . .hurts doesn't it?" I choked out, struggling to breathe with his hand around my neck.

Finally, to get away from me he let go of my neck but not without giving me one last punch.

I let go of his frozen fist and watched him stand up. Looking at what I'd done to his arm. He shook with rage.

"You son of a—ugh!"

I controlled my glaive with a flick of a finger and sent the butt of it against his cheek, smacking him hard with it. I moved to my feet, grabbing it and swung it at him. He stepped back at the last second.

The very tip of my blade slid into the first layer of his abdomen. Not deep enough to kill him. I kept swinging. Each time he took a step back I took a step forward swinging hard and fast.

My patience was wearing thin with his actions. He wanted to be a coward. Fine. But I'd be damned if he was going to be one with me.

I fought with people who had the balls to fight back. He was beginning to piss me off.

I jumped up and swung down on him. He stepped back once more until I landed before swinging his frozen fist. Knocking me square in the face. I kneeled down to catch my footing and that was when he took another hit at the back of my head.

Everything went black as I hit the ground.

Next thing I knew when I opened my eyes Zeek was standing over me with his sword raised above my head.

"Looks like you weren't as strong as you thought," he said. "Gotta hand it to you though. You were a great opponent while it lasted. But now it has to end. Good thing is, you won't be alone in the after life. Yogi will be up there soon enough."

"No!" I lurched up and shoved him off with such a force he went sprawling into a pillar all the way across the hall. His body knocking it over. I reached forward and summoned my glaive into my hand and pointed it at him. "Don't you ever say that to me!" I growled. "I'm not going to let you kill him."

He detached himself from the pillar and gave me a dark look. "You both had it coming the moment he teleported my sister and I back here. What a nice ability that amulet has. Vileus no longer needs it but maybe I could put it up for good use. What do you think? Huh?"

I focused my magic into my glaive causing it to spark with blue static. "I say hell no. It'll be over my dead body first."

He whipped out his sword and pointed it at me. "Let me make that a reality then." He sprinted at me, I ducked one of his swings before straightening back up. Meeting his blade with mine.

I held my glaive with both hands. Pushing against his sword. Both of us coming face to face with nothing but menace written over them. I shoved forward, pushing him back. Running towards him I jabbed my weapon forward. I got him in the shoulder.

He grunted before taking a step at me with another strike. I ducked backwards, grabbing firmly on his wrist, I placed my back against his chest before howling him over my shoulders causing him to flip onto the floor.

I then pulled my glaive up and stabbed downwards at his chest. Before I could penetrate his heart he sent static against my stomach.

I fell back as if a burst of wind had pushed me. I landed against the stair railing once again but this time they broke from the impact and now half of my body was hanging over a long drop down. My glaive had fallen from my grip.

I moved to sit up only to be roughly shoved back down over the edge. Zeek's hands tightened around my neck. His body on top of mine making it harder to sit back up.

I held onto both his wrists and began freezing his limbs but he didn't give in this time. He kept his hands latched around my neck.

It grew hard for me to breathe real quick. My lungs spasmed for a gasp of air, soon starting to burn. I glared right into his eyes as my vision turned blurry.

The world around me faded into ink that mixed in the scenes. I could barely see his face but I did see his lips and the words he said sent me on edge.

I couldn't hear them but the way his lips moved I could form the words out in my head.

"Your comrade is dying next."

I closed my eyes. My body getting ready to give in but my resolve kicked in once the thought of letting down Yogi crossed my mind. What would happen if I died here know when I promised to myself that my fate would be to help him save his kingdom.

Nothing else mattered but him. If I let him down I would be ashamed of myself in the after life.

I started to think about all the good and bad moments we had. As if my life had flashed before my eyes but was mostly centered around Yogi.

They were strong and emotional, even for me. I got a heavy feeling in my heart from the sadness.

I couldn't let it end here. Not ever. Not as a guardian. I was strong. I was meant to protect, not die. Leaving my guardian link for the after life wasn't what Ivy and Ashanova passed down their titles to me for. I would live and fight as a guardian and an Avatar. Fighting was in my blood.

My eyes began to sting from uncontrollable tears that fell heavily down my face. I felt an immense surge of power course through my body.

My eyes flew wide open. Glowing bright blue as beams of electricity unleashed from them in a powerful burst of energy.

I aimed them strait into Zeek's eyes and he screamed. I put all of my emotions into them leaving no room for surprise at the fact that lasers were shooting from my eyes.

I broke his arms free from my neck and sat up. Continuing to shoot him in his eyes until both lasers entered his skull and out the back of his head. More tears streamed down my cheeks.

"Don't take my life away from me!" I yelled anger making my heart race.

His body slumped to it's knees before falling dead on the ground. But I kept shooting him for all that I was worth.

The lasers ceased with my control.

"Die!" I grabbed his sword, bending on my knees stabbing him repeatedly. Each hit heavy and fast.

I closed my eyes. Letting the pain and sadness take over me. "Just fucking die!" I cried. My eyes burned with new tears.

I struck down again. Blood splatters slapped onto my face.

A hand landed on top of mine. The one I held the sword with. It forced me to stop. I opened my eyes breathing heavily. I slowly looked at Yogi who kneeled beside me looking concerned.

"It's over, Gareki," he said softly. Carefully he removed the sword from my tight grasp and sat it aside.

I sat there starring at him. Clarity smacking me back into reality. The anger fell away from me. I'd lost my mind before but I hadn't thought it would happen again until now. This whole war was making me crazy.

Looking at him made the new tears slide down my cheeks. I closed my eyes and sank my head down. Crying hard now. No shame for doing so. No embarrassment that I was balling out like a baby in front of my guardian link. I didn't care.

I needed to cry my sadness away. I couldn't keep it stuffed inside anymore.

I cried because I didn't want to die and lose the one thing important to me. And that was Yogi.

He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his warm chest. Wresting his chin on top of my head while he rubbed my arm. Silently consoling me.

"It's over," he said again.

I covered my burning eyes with a hand. Wiping my tears away. I regained my barrings. The mission at hand putting me back into focus. I just had a quick melt down but it was over now.

I sighed, looking up at Zaphora's dead body a couple feet away. The fight with Zeek and his sister was over but this war wasn't. "It isn't over unless we kill, Vileus," I said seriously. "He's the key to all of this coming to an end."

He stayed silent for a few seconds. "I saw what you did."

I paused. Now that I could make sense of everything again I realized the impact of what I had just done. Full on lasers shooting from my eyes. I didn't even know how I'd done it or if I could control them again. It just happened. It had happened fast too.

"I find it ironic considering earlier today I was joking about this happening to you with, Avia." He continued.

I pulled away from him only to stare at his face curiously. "You jinxed me?"

"Seems that way. But we're even now. I can breathe fire and you shoot electricity from your eyes. Crazy."

"It's weird." I countered.

"It's both."

"When were you going to tell me you could breathe fire?"

He shook his head. "Figured you'd figure it out at some point."

I furrowed my brows at him. "How long has it been happening?"

"Since Dampis," he breathed. " after we left Lim Fay. I was angry with you at the time and it just suddenly came out."

"That long ago?" I muttered to myself.

"How'd it happen with you," he asked.

It was just like I'd thought before. Everything had happened too quickly to comprehend how it happened. The only thing I could recall on was feeling angry. Which would be a similarity between how Yogi and my sudden ability commenced.

"I was emotional," I responded.

He looked like he anticipated that answer.

We both stood up and just when he went to say something a violent vibration rocked us. Our hands braced against the wall for support.

"What the hell is that?" I yelled, picking up my glaive.

"No idea," he yelled back. "But I have a hunch."

"Vileus?" I inquired as the sealing and floor began to crumble.

"Yes."

"We need to go and face him."

"Already had that in mind." He grabbed my hand and ran with me down the hall.

0+0+0+0+0+0+

I stepped before the intimidatingly large metal doors of Vileus's throne room. All four guards that'd been standing on either side lay dead from Gareki who insisted on taking them all on.

I wanted to assist him but he had handled himself perfectly fine without my help.

He twirled his glaive easily with one hand as he fell into step beside me. Looking up at the doors as well. The vibrations had stopped a while back when we were running here.

The damage was minimal. We had gotten lucky that nothing had fallen on us or blocked our way here.

"I'm going to let you do the honors of knocking." He offered.

"With pleasure," I said willingly. "But before we go in I should tell you that Vileus is going to be killed by me. Only me. I hope you understand that even though you wanted to help me bring him down."

He looked at me as if he wanted to object but caught himself. "Whatever. This isn't my fight. You've had your beef with this guy for the longest. Do what you gotta do."

" I appriciate you doing this for me." I eyed him before averting my eyes back onto the doors. The moment was here. The time to avenge my parents. I was going to fight hard for the things and the people I had lost.

I walked forward. Placing my hands against the solid surface of the doors, shoving them open. A gust of wind breezed against my face as they opened inwards.

I dropped my hands to my sides. Making sure my sword was out in one of them.

We waited for the doors to open all the way before stepping inside. Once we did I found that the air smelled stale like a basement.

Just as Gareki walked up beside me both doors slammed shut from behind and plundged us into darkness.

His eyes and tattoos instantly glowed to life and so did my own eyes.

We both turned to the door, weapons raised. "I doubt that was coincidence," he whispered when we found nothing out of the ordinary.

Suddenly the sound of flames igniting made us turn back around.

A single red flame floated above the ground in the center of the room. It brightened up the whole space but not enough to dispell the shadows in the corners.

It was still far too dark with no other light source. I looked at our surroundings.

The exspanse was rectangular with pillars lining around it's perimeter as well as stairs that circled around the room.

I didn't see Vileus anywhere. But that didn't mean he wasn't here. He was probably waiting to get the drop on me.

Gareki lowered his weapon and cocked his head at the floating flame. "What the fuck is that supposed to be? Some sort of trap?"

I eyed it warily. It seemed like a trap no matter how harmless it looked. But I did want to know what Vileus was getting at with this.

"There's nothing else here." I turned to him. "I think our best bet is to see what that flame is about."

He looked at me like I was crazy. "Don't tell me you're serious. Yogi it's a trap. It's so obvious it's plain as day."

"I know. But what else is there for us to do?"

He didn't say anything. Which proved my point.

"Exactly," I said, stepping my way down the five steps. He reluctantly followed me.

I walked slowly up to the fire. It was right above me. I gave Gareki a short glance before turning back to it. My hand lifted towards it.

I felt my fingertips warm at it's radiance. I reached a couple more inches and that was when it sucked into itself and exploded into a flash of gold and red. A current of wind blasted Gareki and I to the vibrating floor.

I landed on my front while he ended up on his back. I blinked rapidly from the bright streaks in my vision caused by the explosion. I then pushed myself up on my elbows and turned to the orange ball where the flame had been. It was glowing and emitting a pulse of red and gold.

It was like a force field. A powerful one.

I lifted my hand to block some of the brightness. A strong wind blew against us as we laid there on the floor.

Gareki sat up and stared at the orange ball of light. "What is it doing?" He shouted over the wind.

I had an idea but I didn't say it aloud to him. We would both see it soon enough.

A black blob of shadows exspanded from the orange ball. Morphing into a masculine built figure with black armor. His legs formed before his arms and head. His body swarmed with a vibrant red aura of powerful magic. Lastly his eyes flew open glowing nothing but that same hue of red surrounding him.

Vileus stood before us just like I'd expected him to. Anger boiled through me instantly.

The breeze of wind stopped blowing. Gareki and I took the chance to stand up.

I clenched my sword for safe measures. "It's him,"I said deeply.

Gareki stepped next to me and glared at the figure in front of us.

Vileus levatated to the ground. Looking at his arms with clenched fists as if he were apreciating the power coming off of him. He was.

That was all he cared about. Power and taking charge over the things that didn't belong to him.

He finally looked up at us and pulled on a black look.

He eyed me first before Gareki.

"So you've finally made it back, huh?" the bass of his voice was low and rugged.

"You knew I would be coming to kill you." My voice held no room for pleasantries.

His dark look brightened slightly with a smirk. "That's funny. You wish to kill me in the state that you're in." His red eyes moved to Gareki. "You brought some help for the job. Pitiful."

"Yeah he's here to help me but I'm the one whose going to end your life." My eyes never left his.

He shook his head at me. "You stand before me thinking you can take me on with only half of your prescious amulet and a sword. It's pathetic."

"You'd be surprised by how evolved I got during my departcher in the world you forced me to fall into."

I took a quick glance at his morphed form finding that he was a bit more bulkier than he had been the last time I'd seen him. As well as taller. But I had confidence I could still handle him depite how intimadating he looked.

He squinted at me. "What are you talking about."

"You'll find out,"I said provocativly. "I'm going to get the other half of my amulet back no matter what and get payback for what you did to my kingdom and parents."

His smirk widened. "Your parents were weak. I still remember killing your father myself. He put up a good fight but I was more stronger than him. Far more. . .powerful but not to an exstent I wanted."

My ears felt numb at what he was saying. Realization hit me hard. "You killed my father!?" I yelled with rage. All these years I thought one of his henchmen had taken his life but it had been him all along.

"You're dead!" I shoved my sword into it's sheath before sprinting at him in lightning speed. My hands covered in flames, clenching into fists. I pulled one of them back before throwing it against his face in the most powerful punch I could muster.

The impact of it crashing into another strong current of wind. His feet skidded against the floor but he didn't fall over. He didn't even look fazed. His shoulders shook with silent laughter.

He looked up at me smiling like a maniac. "You call that a punch? This is a punch."

In a blink of an eye he was in front of me, his fist ready. A crushing force hit me hard in my stomach sending me off in mid air. I hit the ground hard causing my breath to escape my mouth.

Pain soared through my body like a heartbeat. I hadn't felt pain like this in my life. He was stronger. Way stronger. But I hadn't come this far just to wallow and accept that.

I sat up with difficulty, holding my aching arm. I should've been dead from a punch like that. Yet here I was still breathing. Of course the pain was immense but oddly enough I could take it.

Not like I could before. . . before I was a guardian. Before I had even gotten this title I had been ordinary but now I was a guardian and could put my body up for new limitations. I doubted I was invincesible but I could tolerate a whole lot more now.

I looked up and saw Vileus walking towards me but Gareki blocked him with the length of his glaive.

He stopped and looked down at him. "Who the hell are you?"

"The name's, Gareki. I'm not going to let you pass." He gave Vileus a lethal glare, his eyes flaring up even more.

"You don't stand a chance against me so if I were you I'd step aside." He continued walking but Gareki swung his glaive up, hitting him hard under his jaw. He swung again and hit him on his head. Vileus bent down from the blow.

The air chilled around Gareki as he pointed his glaive down at his head. He spoke nonchalantly. "I have trouble listening to the enemy especially when called weak, so you'll have to forgive me for that."

I watched them carefully. This fight was sketchy. At any moment Vileus could snap and hit Gareki just as hard as he'd done with me.

Like I anticapated Vileus threw his arm out. My heart lurched as I opened my mouth to yell out a warning but Just before his fist could even make contact with him, Gareki jumped high and slammed down his glaive again only for his blade to clank loudly against Vileus's armored wrist band.

Vileus moved his other arm to punch him but Gareki used it as leverage to jump over. His boots made contact with the stone floor in a crouch before back flipping another attempted punch.

He was quick and alert on his feet which he used to a great advantage. Not to mention his flexability.

Vileus was begining to get fedup with his quick movements. Gareki round house kicked him in the face. The force almost knocking him off balance but he caught himself and turned to face Gareki again.

He winded his fist back and thrust it forward. But just when I thought once again that he would get hit, Gareki punched the ground sending a massive vibration of jagged ice that erupted from the floor to slam strait into Vileus, knocking him back 15 feet.

I frosty chilled breeze carressed my face from the impact.

Vileus regained his barrings and was pissed. He knocked away the jagged ice as he ran at Gareki who stood ready.

I moved to my feet. Finally having the pain in my abdomen subside. My hands swarmed with flames. I needed to be ready to protect Gareki if things went wrong.

When Vileus made it five feet away, Gareki inhaled deeply before blowing a puff of misty frost from his mouth which made his entire body freeze over into a statue. After doing that his eyes lit up entirely as he took a single step forward before shooting intence static lasers from his eyes right at Vileus's chest.

The lasers hit him so hard the ice encasing his body cracked and fell away and he went flying into the far wall. His body crashing into the bricks.

Gareki ceased the lasers and glowered at Vileus's body. "You're a lot easier to hit then I thought you'd be," he said abhorrently.

I stared at him a whole lot differently now. Vileus was a completely strong opponent. The strongest one we ever had to fight. Yet he took him down easily.

I stepped next to him.

"You okay?" He looked at the bleeding scratch on my bicep I got from sliding against the floor.

"Yeah,"I said. I eyed Vileus as he got back up. "You fought him good but he's not going to let you get away with it."

Just after I'd said that he darted towards us. His foot falls heavy.

I stepped infront of Gareki holding my amulet out focusing a shield around us. His fist slammed against it hard. It made the shield crack.

"It's not going to hold!" I yelled.

Vileus pulled his fist back again and punched the sheild with such a force it broke and the after shock caused Gareki and I to skid rapidly against the ground. We hit the stairs making them crumble.

My entire body hurt. It was increasingly hard to breathe. I wouldn't be surprised if one of my ribs were broken. But I attempted to sit up anyway. Once I had I cough up blood.

It dripped down my chin and onto my hands. That wasn't a good sign. I was getting my ass kicked by my enemy. The person that I worked so hard to get to just to take him down. He was winning. And this fight had just begun.

Was I going to let down my parents and kingdom again.

I didn't bother wiping the blood from my chin. I glanced over at Gareki who sat up holding his dislocated shoulder.

He was scratched up pretty badly like me with just as much of his own blood shed on his body.

Vileus chuckled at us. "I thought you were going to be more of a challenge with your said new abilities. Maybe you were lying to try and get me scared. So far,Yogi all I've seen you do is take hits from me. Wheres all that anger now?"

"This fight isn't over." I seethed. "As long as I'm still breathing my promise still stands."

"I should just kill you then," he said.

"That's not happening."

I turned back to Gareki finding him with a brick from the broken stairs in his hand. He hit himself hard in his dislocated shoulder. A loud crunch from his bones snapping back into place echoed. He threw away the brick before grasping his glaive and slowly stood back up only with slight difficulty.

Vileus eyed him. "What was that?" He growled.

Gareki stared at him dangerously. "I said that's not happening. You aren't going to kill him."

His red eyes flickered to me. "Is that so?" in a flash he stood right in front of Gareki. He snatched him up by the throat before throwing him harshly to the ground a couple meters away. The impact of his body making a crater.

I sat there in shock. It had happened too fast to even react.

Vileus glared down at me before turning and marched over to Gareki. Who surprisingly tried to sit up.

He was going to kill him.

Heat raged through my veins. I lurched to my feet ignoring the pain. A surging inferno of flames incased my hands. "Stop. Right. There." I demanded.

He stopped right before Gareki. He didn't turn to look at me. But the next thing he did made my heart stop in horror.

He lifted his foot and stomped on Gareki hard. Makeing the crater bigger from the force of it he then threw relentless lightning quick punches down on him. A yell of pure angst rang out. I realized it was me. I threw both the flames in my hands at him. Setting off four more fire balls floating above me and I went ahead and sent those flying at him too.

They hit his back hard making him fall away from Gareki. I sprinted over to his disoriented body. He was alive which came as another surprise. I was thankful though. I kneeled next to him and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I needed to get him away from Vileus long enough so he could recuperate while I fought him.

He opened his blue eyes and cringed when he went to sit up on his own."Damn it." He hugged one arm over his torso.

"Gareki," I said with concern as I noticed when he pulled his arm away it was covered in blood. I quickly pulled up his shirt and saw the wound from earlier had reopened.

"This is going to ruin my whole day," he muttered, voice sounding strained from the pain I knew he was feeling.

Vileus's footsteps was closing in on us. No time to move Gareki. I would have to leave him here at least to heal himself while I distracted our opponent.

"Heal yourself. I'm taking on, Vileus," I said to him as I pulled out my sword.

"Try not to let him punch you again." He warned.

I nodded and made my way out of the crater to face him. He stood a few feet in front of me. Looking as if he were ready to fight me.

I eyed him carefully. Just along his neck that's where I saw it. The other half of my amulet. The once golden metal was brass now. It had morphed just like he had. It must've been his power source which meant I needed to take it off. He would turn weak no doubt.

But in order to do so I had to get close without him hitting me. A weak point on his body would help stun him while I retrieved it.

I looked discreetly for a weakness on him and thought of his legs and arms. That's where I would strike.

I stood in a fighting position. Sword pointing dead strait. "This is the day your rein over my kingdom dies, Vileus. I'm not leaving without killing you."

He smiled. But it wasn't pleasant. "I've noticed how mature you've gotten since the last time we were together. It's amusing. But you claim to have new abilities. I'm intrigued. I dare you to fight me with all you've got with them if you want to win your kingdom back so badly." He stood in a fighting stance. "Come at me."

Four balls of fire materialized above me, I sent them hurling down at him. They all exploded on impact with him creating an inferno. I made four more but held them off from shooting just yet.

I waited for him to do something behind the wall of fire.

My heart was thumping in my chest from the adrenaline rush of wanting to win this battle. I didn't know how this would turn out which only made my pulse quicken.

Finally, he lurched from the flames, running at me with my own fire following after him. He was planning on hitting me with it.

I out stretched my hand and formed a shield, putting all my concentrated magic into it in hopes it wouldn't break this time. He ran up to it and punched it hard. The impact making my feet slid backwards against the ground.

I kept my hand out stretched and my mind set on concentrating. If he broke a crack of my defenses I fixed it just as quickly.

Right after he punched my shield it didn't take long for the flames to come surging up against my defenses. It was like I was pushing against a wave of water.

I closed my eyes, having to put my sword back in it's sheath just to use both hands to keep my shield up. My feet slid even further against the ground. The current of flames was a lot more powerful then I'd thought. But it was my fault for making them that way.

I should've known he'd use my own attack against me.

My shield began to crack rapidly and this time I wasn't quick enough to fix them.

"Is this all you got, boy?" Vileus mocked.

"You can do this," my mother's voice said.

"Concentrate your power," came my father's.

My eyes flew open. I felt their soul's presence, they were near me.

It'd been a few days since I'd last heard there voices. I had thought they had fully passed on in the after life but they were still here. Watching over me. Watching me fight for what belonged to us.

I couldn't lose. Not now —not ever!

My shield fixed itself before pushing against Vileus and the flames. I took heavy steps forward and kept pushing it until he was propelled backwards. The flames died as he crashed to the ground. His body kicking up bricks.

I dropped my shield and panted. That had taken a lot of concentration and magic. My arms were tingling but I ignored it. Instead I kept my eyes pealed for Vileus's next move.

He got up from the ground. His black armor showing scrapes and dents. Black strands of hair had fallen in front of his glaring red eyes that were directed right at me.

I jerked out my sword and sprinted at him. I held it up and jabbed down on his shoulder but he smacked my arm away and back lashed me on the cheek.

I went falling to the ground. He bent over me and delivered several punches to my face. Painful hits that made my entire face hurt and go numb with bruises.

I wasn't going to lose. Not now. Not ever.

I scaled the ground reaching for my sword with a lost hand. Finally my fingers felt the harsh material of it's handle. I grabbed it and threw my arm at Vileus's left shoulder once again and stabbed him good and deep. It was enough to make his arm useless for him to use.

He growled at me and was about to hit me in the face again but suddenly Gareki's glaive went flying into his thigh. He yelled out long and loud before turning his head where Gareki sat healing himself. His eyes shot lasers right at Vileus's chest. He was thrown off of me.

I laid there, trying to let the aching on my face subside a little until my blurred vision refocused. I then moved to my feet and faced Vileus who struggled to stand up. Thanks to Gareki's glaive his right leg was no longer capable of standing.

He gripped the glaive's long black handle with his good arm and yanked it out of his thigh and threw it aside. His red eyes fell onto me.

"After I'm done with you I'll kill that partner of yours in the most horrible way."

"You're not going anywhere near him," I said venomously.

"Watch me," he said indifferently.

My sword was still stuck in his shoulder. I would have to rely on my magic to blow off the last two of his limbs. I scanned his body deciding on which one of the two I would take out next. His other leg was my best bet.

"So fire was the new ability you were talking about. Last time I checked you only had the element of sunlight."

"It's just like I said before." I raised my hands up on either side of me having both my elements surge into each hand."You sent me into a world that evolved me both physically and mentally." I pushed my arms forward and threw both elements at him.

But suddenly he darted at me despite his wounded leg. He was only slightly slower. A harsh shove to my stomach sent me rolling back and once I stopped I placed my hand against the ground causing long streaks of fire to go surging towards him.

He couldn't jump or out run it. He took the hit and smashed into the pillar.

I bit my lip when I went to stand up. That shove he'd given me hurt like hell. But I still made it to my feet. Breathing heavily. I was bruised and bleeding badly but I needed to finish this. What ever it took to avenge everything I had lost.

"Yogi, he's getting back up."

I looked over and eyed Gareki. He had healed himself but there was still blood on him.

I then turned towards Vileus who had gotten back onto his good leg.

"Take down his arm," I told him and we both ran forward. Gareki reaching him first. His glaive appeared in his hand and he went swinging it at Vileus's arm. But he swiftly angled his body so his glaive would miss. Once it had he punched him hard in the abdomen.

Air escaped his mouth as he went falling to the floor but before he could Vileus elbowed him twice in his face, grabbed his arm and flung his body harshly to the floor creating another crater.

He moved to sit up but fell unconscious and went falling back down.

"You're going to wish you hadn't done that." I ran up to Vileus and drop kicked him full force. We both went falling but I was quicker to get to my feet. I stepped over him and pulled back my fist that swarmed with flames and punched his chest. I then reached and tried to grab the other half of my amulet but he grabbed my wrist and flung me over his head.

In doing so I was able to grab my sword from his shoulder. Immediately I ripped it out just as I collided with the floor. I forced myself to my feet and sprinted towards him. Sword held tightly with two hands against my face ready to stab my target.

With a flick of his arm he sent large protruding rocks at me that erupted from the ground.

I switched my handling on my sword and cut through them all clean and swift. He wasn't getting away on my watch. I jumped from rock to rock until the very last where I jumped down and held my sword over my head ready to stab it into him.

I yelled out a battle cry. This was it. He would die. Now!

At the last possible second he righted himself. I landed and instead of stabbing him my sword stabbed the floor. The impact creating a breeze of flames.

I looked up right in time to see his fist flying down at my face. But I was quick to form a shield. He growled before swinging his leg at me next.

I disabled my shield and fell back before it could hit me.

My eyes were fast to scrutinize his wide open chest that he left unguarded. I took my chance. I spun my sword in my grasp until the blade pointed forward. I pulled my arm back and stabbed right into the center of his chest.

He froze and I pushed harder until the hilt was flat against his wound. I let go of a breath I didn't know I was holding. My pulse going fast in my chest still.

I forgot all about taking out his arm and leg as I spotted the other half of my amulet right there in front of me. It hung around his neck beckoning me to grab it. I reached for it but he kneed me in the gut. All air left my lungs. The next thing I knew my back had collided with the cold floor and I was hugging my stomach.

I was empty handed except for my sword that lay beside me covered in the blood of my enemy. I coughed harshly as I clawed at my abdomen. It was burning enough to send tears in my eyes.

"You really just tried to kill me. I'm surprised you got so far as to stabbing me. Good effort, but not enough."

I clenched my teeth from the aching in my stomach. My eyes found him and what I saw sent me into a state of shock.

His wounded arm and leg healed as well as the gash in his chest. It was as if all that hard fighting Gareki and I had done hadn't counted for anything.

"Now my boy, seems like someone needs to teach you how to kill properly," he whispered.

His footsteps echoed over to me in a casual manner. When he reached me he picked up my sword. I couldn't move. The pain was catching up to me. Even my guardian abilities couldn't hold it back.

I weakly inched my hand towards my sword. Not wanting him to take it.

"No,"I said weakly. He placed his foot on my chest and kicked me onto my back. Then he leaned my sword over my heart.

"You made a mistake by striking me in the chest. What you should've done was hit my heart. But you were too eager you didn't even realize your dumb mistake. Now you're going to die and for what? You lost this war and you failed everyone you hold dear. Not like you can get another chance at killing me."

He lashed down but I gripped the blade with both hands. The sharp medal cutting into my fingers causing blood to leak down my arms. "I'm not dying unless I kill you first!" I yelled angrily. "I won't die in vein! Not when my people are trapped under your dark spell. I'll kill you. I'll kill you, I swear!"

A blue flash shoved Vileus off of me. My sword fell from his grip and landed next to me. I grabbed it and tried to get up only to fall back down and yell out from the pain in my abdomen and chest.

I turned to see what the blue flash had been only to find out it was Gareki. He shot beams from his eyes sending Vileus sliding against the floor but it hadn't hurt him except make him stumble. Once he regained himself he went stampeding into Gareki who jumped over him and formed his glaive, angling it over Vileus's head to finish him off but he whirled around and caught it sending a wave of flames down the long handle before they connected with his hands.

Gareki fell against a pillar. Yelling at his burnt palms. Vileus ran up to him and kneed him in the gut. Gareki bent down and just when he did Vileus punched him hard against the pillar, making it crack. He continued punching him in the face on either side.

Gareki's nose started to bleed and so did his mouth. Finally he grabbed one of his fists and threw him to the ground where he gripped his face and began freezing it. He got down to freezing his neck when Vileus gripped his wrist forcing his hand away from his face. Both of them pushing against each other trying to deliver the last blow. Gareki shot out electricity from the hand Vileus was holding but the man grabbed him by the neck and slammed him down causing dust to kick up from the crumbled floor where his body had hit.

"Gareki," I breathed silently. I needed to get up and help him. I moved cautiously to my hands and knees trying not to disturb the pain in my abdomen. Once I made it to my feet I heard Gareki scream. My eyes snapped over to him only to find Vileus's glowing red hand flat on his stomach burning him.

Heat relentlessly traveled through out my body from anger. I had had enough of him laying his hands on Gareki. I was behind Vileus in seconds. Wrapping my arms around his neck from behind I pulled him away from Gareki and flung him to the floor a few metered away.

He got up, running at me full force and so did I. My fist pulled back swarming with my amulet's power. He pulled his fist back making it swarm with dark magic. We clashed them together. The force of it making an immense gush of flames and light circle around us.

I glared strait into his red eyes with such a hatred and he did the same.

Both of our fists still clashed against each others emitting powerful currents of magic.

"You killed both my parents! You stole from me and kidnapped my sisters. You deserve to die! I will kill you, mark my words on both my parent's graves I will!"

"They had it coming," he said coldly. "I feel nothing. I got what I wanted from you and I'll be damned if you take it away from me!"

I felt a sharpness in my chest. I paused, my eyes widening. I stared strait into his eyes seeing the devilish smirk on his lips. The world around me went silent in slow motion.

Warm tears welled up in my eyes and cascaded down my cheeks. I looked down slowly and saw the dagger sticking from my heart. I stared at it for five heartbeats before looking up at Vileus again. He struck me when I wasn't looking.

I had lost. I failed everyone. I glared at him as I reached out with my last remaining strength and grasped the other half of my amulet hanging from his neck and as I fell to my knees the chain snapped. I landed on my back as it fell on my chest.

"NOOO!" I heard Gareki scream.

I stared up at the sealing with blurred vision. Tears escaping my eyes. I would miss him. . .

+0+0+0+0+0+

I laid there watching Yogi. The dagger sticking from his chest. My lungs felt tight and it was hard for me to breathe. My ears felt numb with the sudden constant buzzing echoing through them.

My eyes widened as I tried sucking in air from my parted lips but my breathing was raspy from screaming. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It wasn't over. . .it couldn't be. I didn't want to believe Yogi was dead.

My mind faded in and out of the horrific scene in front of me. "Yogi?" My voice came out dry and haggard. My heart felt heavy as I began to sense his magical pulse growing faint.

My eyes moved over to Vileus who leaned down to retrieve the other half of the amulet sitting on Yogi's chest.

I moved to my feet ignoring the burnt skin on my abdomen. But I fell back down on my hands and knees. My emotions beginning to grow heavy inside of me. It didn't take long for snow to begin falling around us and a chilled wind to start blowing.

Don't go near him!" I managed to say with warning.

He stopped and glanced at me. Noticing the snow and cold wind that swirled around my body.

I lifted my hand. It glowed to life in a blue hue. A ball of my ice magic formed in my palm.

He just smirked at me and turned back to Yogi before leaning down and reached for the amulet.

"I just said don't go near him!" I threw the ball at him and on impact it froze his body whole.

I breathed heavily before dropping my arm down to my side. I fell against the pillar, using it for support. I leaned my head back against it and closed my eyes trying to numb the burning on my side. I couldn't heal it like my other wounds.

Burns caused by fire took longer to heal by themselves.

I spat blood from my mouth. Looking over at Yogi I made my way over to him holding my wounded abdomen.

He wasn't dead. He just wasn't. I had to keep telling myself that.

As I got closer to him I tried to keep my emotions at bay but they fought their way through making the cold wind and snow that swarmed around me increase.

Once I reached him I sank to my knees. No sooner had I done it the entire floor and walls in the room frosted over in ice making the expanse feel like the Arctic.

My hair fell in front of my eyes as I stared down at him. He looked pale. Not only his skin but his hair too. It wasn't as golden blonde as it had been before. I could already see grey strands of it taking over.

I remembered him telling me that was a sign how a Rimahakkian died.

I closed my eyes tightly at the sting in my eyes. Tears welled up inside and I couldn't stop them. I laid my head in my hand, clenching my teeth tightly.

"No," I whimpered. " No, Yogi. Get up. Get back up please. . ."

I reached out to him and gripped his denim jacket before laying my head on his chest away from the dagger. Tear drops falling freely now. "You made a promise to kill Vileus and take back everything that belongs to you."

I leaned up and yelled at him," You made a promise to me! You would wait for my answer! How are you going to do that if can't get the fuck up, huh?!

You love me," I wiped away tears only to have them fall from my eyes even more. "You love me so prove it and get your ass up and fight with me. You're my guardian link. We're bound together! Please. . ." I closed my eyes, pushing back my hair. "Just get up."

I open my eyes and saw his hair become more grey.

My head sunk down.

I was too late. He was dead. It made me recall on all the unspoken emotions and feelings I had towards him. All he had wanted was for me to love him as much as he loved me but I let my fears get in the way instead of speaking about how I felt the same way. Now I was too late. The only person who loved and understood me and changed me for the better was gone.

He stuck by me despite how I treated him.

He forgave me for shit I wouldn't have forgiven myself for.

He made me feel emotions.

I realized now that I loved him just as much as he did with me.

I was stupid for not accepting him sooner. Trust, faith, care, and acceptance.

I paused and thought about that. Ivy said we were missing one last link that held us back from combining again. Maybe acceptance had been it.

If only I had accepted him sooner.

Reaching forward I grabbed the other piece of the amulet that had been with Vileus. It was still corrupted with his power.

I reached down with my other hand and grabbed Yogi's half. I brought them together and instantly they molded together in a flash of golden light. Vileus's half wasn't brass anymore. It turned into gold again.

A fresh breeze of wind brushed against my face from the connected pieces and a surge of magic I hadn't felt before coursed through out the amulet.

I placed it down over his heart before turning away from him. I didn't want to see him growing further to death. "I'm sorry, Yogi," I muttered. "I love you."

I went to stand up but a firm grasp on my hand held me back. I froze and turned around being met up with an aura of golden light fluttering around Yogi's body. He was sitting up and staring strait at me.

I stared right back. Speechless and surprised. He pulled me against him and whispered against my lips. "I love you too." He kissed me deeply sending a strong wave of goosebumps through my body. The cold wind and snow around us breezing in our hair. It pushed through our clothes making them ruffle.

My eyes widened with tears falling continuously down my cheeks. I closed my eyes, heart racing at the fact that he was alive. I held onto his jacket as he hugged me close and secure against his warm body. I kissed him back fully. Putting all my emotions into it.

It felt so good to kiss him with my feelings out in the open. I finally admitted it.

I didn't stop crying. They were happy tears. His hand brushed against my arm until he met up with my neck. He pulled away from me and set his forehead against mine.

I met his vibrant violet eyes that some how looked transformed to me. His hair was back to it's rightful hue. Golden streams of light circled around us making him appear as if his skin was glowing.

And oddly enough all the blood and wounds on him cleared up and I could see his clear face again. Suddenly the burn Vileus had given me didn't hurt anymore. Neither did the cut on my temple.

I reached up to my face and felt for blood but it was gone. All the blood on my body was.

The golden light was cleansing us. Clearing up all of our wounds.

He slid his hand against my neck until it met up with my cheek. He leaned into me and kissed my lips again. I could feel it.

The pulse of his magic vibrating against me. I could feel it like it was touching my skin. Unlike before when it'd felt some what blocked from my senses. Did this mean me figuring out the last link would help us combine again.

I pushed myself against him. Enjoying everything. From the touch of his skin, the feel of his lips, his closeness. Enough to want to kiss him all the time.

But we had to pull away at some point.

I looked down at his chest where the dagger had been. It wasn't there anymore. "How?" Was all I could say.

He lifted up his amulet that glowed to life lighting up his face. "This amulet is apart of my life. I swore an oath to it once I turned 19 and because of that it's life is mine. You fixed it and it's power brought me back to life."

I smiled slightly. "I'm glad you're alive."

"I'm glad you finally aren't holding back how you feel about me. I've waited a long time for you to finally come to terms about how you really feel."

"You and I have a purpose so I think we should be together." I held my hand up for him to grab. His fingers locked with mine.

"Agreed," he said and that's when my own body began to emit a blue aura. I could feel my strength coming back to me.

Our clothing began to glow as well. Mine highlighted into blue while his turned red. They then faded away into sparks that fluttered upwards revealing the same skin tight body suits that were our guardian transformations. Our hair had changed too.

Mine was silver while his was still blonde but with red tips.

I stared into his orange/red eyes as he stared into my teal blue ones. These were the same forms I had seen in one of my dreams on the air ship. I had been right, those were supposed to be our transformations.

"Is this the forms that you were telling me about?" He asked. Looking more amazing in reality then in my dream.

"Yeah," I said turning when I heard the sound of ice cracking. I had nearly forgotten all about Vileus. He was beginning to break out of the ice statue I trapped him in.

Yogi's face turned serious as we both stood up to face him.

No doubt we were a lot stronger now considering our transformed state. And no matter how much I wanted to kick Vileus's ass for nearly killing me this was Yogi's mission so it was his decision. "What's your plan?" I asked without turning to him.

Vileus broke free from his confinement and laid his eyes instantly on Yogi.

If he was shocked to see him still alive he didn't show it.

Yogi thought about his response. Finally he lifted his hand towards me. "I want you to combine with me. We're taking him out."

"I thought you wanted to kill him?"

"That was before this is now," he said, looking me strait in the eyes. "Plus you're my guardian link. We're doing this together."

I grabbed his hand, holding it tightly, he did the same.

A pulse of his magic reverberated into my body. My own magic crossing over to his arm. I felt the inferno inside him. Strong and waiting to be let out. His magic mirrored my own. I was itching to let it loose.

I'd nearly forgotten how it felt to combine with him. But now with it back I enjoyed the feel of his magic coursing through me like a cycle.

Vileus channeled his own power into his hands. He planned on hitting us with everything he had and we would do the same.

Yogi and I raised our intertwined hands strait at him. Coming back to back with each other. "Now," he said. We unleashed an immense spiralling beam of fire, sunlight, ice and electricity just as Vileus sent his beam of dark magic.

Both of them collided in a snap of white light that lit up the entire room. Sparks flew wildly as our combined magic pushed relentlessly against Vileus's.

"Hit him with everything you've got!" Yogi yelled.

With one more push of our magic Vileus's beam was eaten away by ours and he was hit full force with it. He yelled out as he fizzled away into ash.

Yogi and I let go of each other causing the beam to disperse.

The room grew silent. I turned to Yogi. "It's over. You won."

He stared at the black pile of ash that used to be his enemy.

"No," he said," we won. But we still have one more thing to do."

+0+0+0+0+0+0

We came outside standing in front of the entrance to Vileus's crumbling castle that would soon turn into rubble.

Gareki stepped next to me. We both looked out at the waste land that Vileus had created. It would soon be gone too.

I took off my amulet, giving Gareki a glance. He nodded silently for me to continue.

I faced forward and lifted up my amulet to the sky. I spoke in Rimahakkian.

"I Yogi, prince of the Sun Kingdom. Holder of the royal amulet, I order all evil to be banished away from this realm for I am soon to be king! Vileus's rein of power is over. The other half of this amulet is mine again. I am permanently it's ruler until I give up this power to some one else. Let this realm be cleansed from darkness the my power!"

My eyes glowed and so did my body and amulet.

A gust of magic from the amulet expanded across the land. Closing the world in sunlight and pushing out the fog, ash and fire.

My realm would soon come to be again.