Welcome back to Prophecy of Masks! Last time, the Albino Joker unveiled his grand plan, trapping Spyro in the most dangerous game, fighting the Albino Joker's forces to save dragonkind from extinction. His first known opponent, Kamen Rider Garren. Diend stays to fight with him, while Blade and Cynder, forced out of the arena head off to execute Blade's strategy to stop the Albino Joker. So there are a lot of questions left here. What is Blade's plan? Why has Garren seemingly betrayed them? And where are the other Riders, Chalice and Leangle? Read on to discover...

(Our story resumes with Spyro and Diend, staring down Garren and the Albino Joker)

Albino Joker: Well then... are you ready to begin?

(Neither Spyro nor Diend respond)

Albino Joker: I'll take that as a yes! Time to make things fun! (Hits Garren's back) Get in there! Or else.

(With that, Garren sighs and walks into battle, truly not wanting to do this. Spyro and Diend just observe his approach, as Diend readies his gun, which Spyro sees, stopping him from raising it too far)

Diend: (Trying to raise his gun) What are you doing?

Spyro: He's being forced into this.

Diend: You think I don't know that? (Pointing out the Albino Joker with his head) I'm aiming for it.

Spyro: (Seeing the angle) Fair enough.

(At this point, Garren charges forward, as Spyro and Diend ready themselves for battle. But just as the battle is about to begin, we transition somewhere else, a cliffside overlooking the sea, with someone in a khaki jacket, white shirt, black pants and a belt with a red heart like design split down the middle sitting there, seemingly in peace, just as we transition to the back of the scene, where Blade and Cynder have entered)

Cynder: So... that guy's your plan?

Blade: Yep. Hajime Aikawa.

Cynder: Didn't the Albino Joker say something about having him covered?

Blade: If anyone's going to be able to convince him to come back into this game, it's me.

Cynder: (Still trying to figure the plan out, then sighs) Okay then, let's see if this works.

(Just as Blade and Cynder attempt to approach, the figure has already picked upon the fact that he's not alone)

Chalice: You know I know you two are there, right?

Blade: (Surprised) Were we that obvious?

Chalice: We're both Jokers. I can tell where you are as easily as you can with me.

Cynder: What does that even mean?

Chalice: Jokers are a specific class of Undead, representing death rather than a lifeform. The wild card in the Battle Fight. But Kenzaki here was the real wild card, turning into another Joker to stop the world from resetting. Now that is a long story.

Cynder: A story we don't have time for. We've got to stop the third Joker.

Chalice: I had a feeling that's why you were here. And my answer? Not happening.

Blade: (Slightly taken aback) Wait what?

Chalice: I'm finally out of this fight, and I've got a good reason to not go back in.

Cynder: Is this personal peace worth risking two entire species?

Chalice: As glad as I am to not have to worry about my cursed Joker fate, that's not my reason! I could care less about that!

Blade: Then help us out here!

Chalice: I can't! That monster has made a play I can't stop against me!

Cynder: Then let us help you!

Blade: If not for us, then for Amane at least!

Chalice: (With eyes almost popping out of his head and nostrils flaring) If you two don't get out of my face about this, I'll kill you!

(With rage on his face, Chalice takes out a card, yet another Ace, but this time that of the Suit of Hearts, with "Change Mantis" written on it, showing a Mantis contained in a heart of pink amber.)

Chalice: Henshin!

(Chalice then scans the card through the split in the heart on his belt buckle, causing a shadowy energy to engulf him, consolidating into a black and gold armor with a mantis style head, with the heart symbol acting as a compound-eye style visor, carrying a bow)

Chalice Rouzer: Change!

Blade: Hajime, we're not going to fight you.

(Without saying a word, Chalice draws back his bow, seemingly aimed at Blade and Cynder.)

Chalice: I'm telling you. Do not get me involved in his fight. You won't like the consequences.

Cynder: Look, Hajime. Whatever this is, we can get you out of it. Just let us help you.

Chalice: (Seeing something appearing behind Blade and Cynder) I'm sorry...

(With that, Chalice releases his bow, firing a bolt of energy which Blade and Cynder dodge, only to see the bolt was caught by a person in a black shirt and pants wearing a dark grey jacket, and eyes closed.)

Blade: (Completely caught off guard) Mutsuki?

Chalice: That is what I was trying to warn you about! That monster turned him into his thrall, and said if I fought this battle, I'd have to kill him.

Leangle: (Opening his eyes, revealing they are a familiar shade of purple, then in a voice not his own) I'm disappointed in you, Chalice. I would have figured turning this ally of yours to my side would stop you. Guess I really should have gone for Kenzaki instead. Oh well.

(Seeing this, Leangle pulls out a gold and violet buckle with a clear plastic sleeve on one side, and another card, the fourth Ace, Ace of Clubs, showing a green and violet spider marked with the Club symbol, with the text "Change Spider" written upon it. The card is then immediately placed into the sleeve on the buckle before placing it on his waist)

Leangle: Henshin.

(With that, Leangle hits the side of the belt, opening it up, revealing a purple Club symbol)

Leangle Buckle: Open Up!

(As the Club symbol is revealed, a violet energy card with the same spider symbol on it emerges and covers Leangle, generating his green and gold suit with a bishop style helmet and a case of some sort on his right hip, holding a giant staff with a counter similar to Blade's sword and Garren's gun, with a giant club symbol on the end of it)

Leangle: (Tapping the staff on his other hand, in a voice not his own) Now then, time to show you who really is the strongest.

Blade: (To Cynder and Chalice) Either of you have a plan?

Chalice: (Facepalms) Remind me how you became a Kamen Rider with an attitude like that?

Blade: Honest question.

Cynder: I know what needs to be done, I just need you guys to hold him back while I charge up.

Chalice: (To Blade) You sure about this?

Blade: No. But do we have much choice?

Chalice: We're doomed.

(And just like that, Leangle charges, about to take Cynder's head off with his staff before Blade blocks him with his sword)

Blade: Mutsuki! You have to snap out of it!

Leangle: (In a voice not his own) Mutsuki's not here anymore!

(As Blade throws Leangle off of him, Chalice takes aim with his bow again, managing to knock the staff out of his hand before unfurling what looks like a series of cards around the hilt, and draws two, a 2 of Spades labelled "Slash Lizard" and showing a lizard with a sword for a tail and a 6 of Spades labelled "Thunder Deer" showing a deer with lightning between it's antlers respectively)

Blade: Let's hope this works!

(With that, Blade scans the cards through a groove on the side of his sword)

Blade Rouzer: Slash! Thunder!

(This announcement projects energy versions of the cards just scanned, imbuing the Blade Rouzer with power)

Blade Rouzer: Lightning Slash!

(As the Rouzer announces the finisher, Blade's sword is engulfed with static electricity before unleashing it straight onto Leangle, leaving him paralyzed long enough for Chalice to draw three cards, throwing one to Blade, a 10 of Hearts with a picture of a centipede labelled "Shuffle Centipede", before revealing the two in his hand, a 3 of Hearts with a hammerhead shark labelled "Chop Head" and an 7 of Hearts with some kind of plant monster labelled "Bio Plant", before taking the Chalice Rouzer off his waist and placing it in the bow and scanning the cards)

Chalice Rouzer: Chop! Bio!

Chalice: My turn!

(With his cards activated, Chalice runs in and karate chops Leangle across the chest before ejecting vines from the front of his bow, holding Leangle in place)

Chalice: Whatever you're going to do, do it now!

Cynder: Way ahead of you!

(With that, Cynder releases a stream of Dark Aether straight into Leangle, which appears to burn away a dark aura rather than the Rider himself, but still leaves Leangle on the ground in minutes just as Blade rejoins the scene, scanning the 10 of Hearts through the Blade Rouzer)

Blade Rouzer: Shuffle!

(With this announcement, Blade's cards glow briefly, before he hands the card back to Chalice)

Blade: Thanks for the shuffle.

Chalice: No problem. We need all of our abilities at full stock. (Eyeing Leangle) Is he going to be okay?

Cynder: Should be getting up any minute now.

(And as if on cue, Leangle starts getting back up, still in a bit of pain, and appearing confused)

Leangle: What... what happened? (Seeing Blade and Chalice) What are you two doing here?

Blade: It's a long story, Mutsuki.

Cynder: And one we have no time to tell. We've got to stop the Albino Joker before he ends both our species.

Blade: And I've got just the thing to do it.

Leangle: (Pulling out a black box of some sort) Is this it? That Joker creep must've had me holding on to it.

Blade: My Rouze Absorber! That's it alright!

(With Leangle back on their side, we transition back to Spyro and Diend, still fighting off Garren. All the while, Spyro is trying to figure out why Garren is doing this)

Albino Joker: (Seeing the battle unfold) This battle's getting boring! Garren, pick it up!

(Begrudgingly, Garren starts fighting harder at this command, knocking Diend into a corner before going after Spyro.)

Spyro: What happened to you, Garren?! You're a Kamen Rider! You're supposed to defend the innocent from these monsters, not fight for them!

Garren: (Forcing Spyro off him) I have to fight, since because of him, my body is falling apart!

Spyro: (Genuinely confused) What does that even mean?!

Garren: That... that thing remade a design flaw in my Rider System. If I don't finish you guys off, I'm going to die!

(Now seeing what's going on, Spyro gets an idea. Diend sees this and thinks he realizes what Spyro is up to, getting back up as he does. As this happens, Spyro pulls Garren into a headlock, and whispers something into his ear)

Spyro: (Whispers) Keep the fight convincing. I've got a plan.

Garren: (Hearing this, then whispering) What's the plan?

Spyro: (Whispers) You'll know it when you see it.

(At this point, Spyro lets go of Garren's neck, and starts charging up a blast of Aether. Not wanting the Albino Joker to figure out what's going on, Garren charges at Spyro, who then releases the Aether into the Garren Buckle, sending energy flowing through Garren's suit, causing him to hit the ground. But ultimately, realizing what just happened, gets up and points his gun at Spyro, prompting Diend to go into standoff mode, but Spyro stops him, winks to Garren, who would easily be seen as winking back if he wasn't wearing a helmet, before turning around and shooting the Albino Joker in the shoulder)

Albino Joker: You dare?!

Spyro: Looks like you really don't understand how Purple Dragons work. That energy blast has undone the damage you did to Garren's gear.

Garren: Leaving me no reason to fight on your side!

Albino Joker: Well then, if you think you're so clever. But all of you are still trapped here. And if I end all of you, humans and dragons cease to exist!

(And just as the Albino Joker relishes his victory, the barrier he put up around the ruins starts to fade, allowing an energy bolt to hit him in the chest, as Cynder, Blade, Chalice, and Leangle enter the scene)

Blade: Looks like your odds just got worse.

Albino Joker: (Seeing everything is turning against him) You forget, I have one more ace up my sleeve!

(With that, the Albino Joker pulls out what looks like the Leangle Buckle, but is red and gold. Diend, seeing this instinctively shoots it out of his hand, destroying the object)

Diend: Nice try. The power of Glaive isn't on your side. (Pulls out a card, much like one of Decade's, but for a Rider named "Glaive") But it is on mine.

(Seizing his chance, Diend puts the card into his Neo Diendriver and extends the barrel)

Neo Diendriver: Kamen Ride! Glaive!

(With the announcement made, Diend pulls the trigger, conjuring three figures in the classic RGB format, before they consolidate into a black and gold rider with A-themed armor consolidating with a red gem for an eyepiece, and wearing a belt similar to the device the Albino Joker just lost.)

Blade: Glaive?

Diend: You didn't know I had my brother's card?

Albino Joker: You dare use my own power against me?!

Diend: You lost all privileges to it ages ago.

(With that, Diend and the Glaive summon start battling the Albino Joker for about two minutes. After the two get in a really good punch, the Glaive summon disappears, leaving Diend the time to shoot the Albino Joker in the head)

Diend: Let's finish this creep off.

Blade: (Placing his Rouze Absorber on his arm) Agreed!

Garren: (Pulling out a second Rouze Absorber) Glad I kept this around.

Chalice: (Drawing a card, a King of Hearts that looks like an upgraded version of his Ace card, labelled "Evolution Paradoxa") We're all on the same page here

(Before the Albino Joker can recover, Blade and Garren remove cards from their Rouze Absorbers. Both take out a Queen of their suit, "Absorb Serpent" for the Queen of Diamonds and "Absorb Capricorn" for the Queen of Spades, but Garren grabs a Jack of Diamonds while Blade goes for the King of Spades, both placing their Queen cards in an empty slot near the top of the Rouze Absorbers)

Rouze Absorbers: Absorb Queen!

(Now seeing their opportunity, Garren scans his Jack of Diamonds, labelled "Fusion Peacock")

Rouze Absorber (Garren): Fusion Jack!

(Following suit, no pun intended, Blade scans his King of Spades, labelled " Evolution Caucasus")

Rouze Absorber (Blade): Evolution King!

(With this process complete, the Rouze Absorbers gain a covering unique to their Riders. Garren's gains a green and gold diamond plate with a peacock on it, while Blade's is a blue and gold spade plate with a giant beetle on it. As these plates form, Garren's chest armor and parts of his helmet turn gold, revealing the same peacock design on the chestplate as six prongs resembling peacock feathers appear on his back. Once these prongs settle into a pseudo cape, a bayonette like blade forms on the end of Garren's gun. Simultaneously, every card in the Spade suit surrounds Blade, turning all of his armor gold while settling themselves into certain points across his body before changing the structure of his helmet to include two crown like points projecting from the sides, in addition to replacing the Blade Rouzer with an absolutely massive blue and gold sword with the signature Spade on it.)

Chalice: Time to go wild.

(With his plan known, Chalice slides the card through the Chalice Rouzer)

Chalice Rouzer: Evolution!

(As this happens, all of the cards in the Heart suit consolidate into Chalice, and in a red haze change his armor from black and gold to red and gold, with green replacing his visor, implanting the symbol of his King card onto his chestplate, while giving a spiky quality to his armor and conjuring two small sickle like swords in his hands)

Albino Joker: You think I'm out of tricks?! Good luck with that!

(And just like that, a metric ton of Darkroaches swarm the stage prepared to attack)

Cynder: We get rid of him, all of this ends.

Spyro: Seven of us, one of him. This should be easy. Let's do this!

Blade: Straight to business! I like it!

(With the command known, everybody draws a series of cards. Diend even gets in on the action, drawing a blue and gold card of a logo designed like his helmet and sticking it in the Neo Diendriver)

Neo Diendriver: Final Kamen Ride! Diend!

(As this is going on, Chalice folds up the two sickle like blades, sticks them together and slots them into his bow, causing the Heart suit cards to come flying out of him and consolidating into one card marked "Wild", before he scans it against the gap in the two sickles)

Chalice Arrow: Wild!

(Meanwhile, Garren and Leangle have both drawn three cards, though we don't get to see their numbers or identifiers and scan them into their gun and staff respectively)

Garren Rouzer: (As each card is scanned) Drop! Fire! Gemini! Jack Burning Shot!

Leangle Rouzer: (As each card is scanned) Rush! Blizzard! Poison! Blizzard Venom!

(And all the while, Blade has pulled 5 cards from his armor and is inserting them into his giant sword)

King Rouzer: Spade Ten! Jack! Queen! King! Ace! Royal Straight Flush!

(With their attacks ready, Garren's pseudo cape expands into wings, enabling him to fly. Icy energy begins to form around the tip of the Leangle Rouzer. Energy cards appear in front of Blade ready for him to slice through. Rotating circles of energy cards surround the barrel of the Neo Diendriver, Chalice draws back his Chalice Arrow, ready to fire, and all the while, Spyro and Cynder are charging up bursts of Aether and Dark Aether, all ready to strike. And within seconds they do. Garren fires massive flaming bullets at the Albino Joker, followed by Chalice's arrow and Diend's gunshot, Leangle charging in and slashing right through the Albino Joker, leaving him paralyzed from the poison in his strike. And to finish it off, Spyro and Cynder funnel their energy into Blade's King Rouzer, and with the surge of energy he charges straight into the Albino Joker, leaving more than enough room for spare Aether and Dark Aether energy to course through the beast)

Albino Joker: (As the Mark of Malefor glows upon his shoulder spike) It can't be... I've gone extinct!

(And with that, the Albino Joker's reign of terror ends as he fades into dust, leaving behind a blue and silver Ridewatch with Blade's face on it)

Cynder: And another one bites the dust.

(With that, everyone finally exits their Rider forms, all except Chalice who pulls out another card, which we can briefly see is a 2 of Hearts, and scans it through the Chalice Rouzer)

Chalice Rouzer: Spirit!

(And with that the energy that created Chalice's suit returns, allowing him to resume his human form, catching both Spyro and Cynder off guard)

Chalice: It's a long story.

Diend: One you can tell once we get these guys home.

(Not a minute after saying that, Diend summons an Aurora Curtain allowing the group to head to the Dragon Realms)

Spyro: I'm guessing this card madness has to do with you being a Joker.

Chalice: Looks like you got half the story. So here's the rest...

(But before we can hear the story, we transition back to the Dragon Temple, where Ignitus and Woz are talking as an Aurora Curtain forms, allowing the team to enter)

Chalice: And that's how my powers work.

Cynder: Huh. Fascinating.

Ignitus: So, how did the mission go?

Spyro: (Holding up the Blade Ridewatch) Pretty well, I'd say.

Woz: (Opening his book) Rejoice! Another of the Malefic Villains has fallen! And Lord Spyro and Lady Cynder have gained their newest Rider Allies, Kamen Riders Blade, Garren, Chalice, and Leangle! May their alliance last until the Battle Fight ends in darkness for all life! (Closes his book)

Cynder: I'll admit, that never gets old.

Woz: Thank you, milady.

Blade: So, this is your world eh? Looks like a great place.

Woz: Believe me, your fellow Riders all agree on that so far.

Chalice: Looks like I place I'd want to examine.

Garren: Things have been pretty quiet back home.

Leangle: Sweet! Vacation!

Blade: Vacation sounds good to me. (To Spyro and Cynder) But you two, don't be afraid to call on us if need be.

Spyro: You have no need to worry about that.

Woz: Great news though, if my numbers are correct, we are close to having bested half of the Malefic Villains!

Cynder: Really?

Woz: Surprisingly, yes.

Spyro: Maybe now they'll give us a break, to formulate some sort of new strategy.

Ignitus: Even so, always be on your guard. You never know when they're going to strike. Or where they'll be coming from.

(With that, we transition to a strange forest of some sort, where a blond haired man in strange silver armor with a flowing white cape is running through the scene, seemingly threatened by something, as the sound of a zipper opening echoes through the scene, revealing of all things a zipper in reality, heading straight to Spyro's world.)

Gaim: (As his pursuer nears) Looks like this is my only way out!

(With that, Gaim leaps through the zipper in reality and into Spyro's world, as our tale ends for today)

And that wraps up the Blade Arc! I admit, it wasn't exactly easy to get all the Blade memes in there. Leangle's was the hardest to shove in, but I made it. Anyways, next time, one of my favorite Riders of all time takes the stage: Kouta Kazuraba, Kamen Rider Gaim! Side note, I always thought Gaim's last name was Kazubara, not Kazuraba, but that's neither here nor there. So, what's going to happen? Tune in next time to find out! Same time... same channel!