CHAPTER 9: REDEEMING RESOLVE.

(POV: Jas0-?.)

As James, Emily, Gordon and Henry were busy in their respective paired up fights, Tamaki, Edward, Percy, and Toby were helping Lux-Aurea, Lady, Billster Timothy and the Older Thomas against Lux-Tenebris. As Tamaki clashed blades with the goddess of darkness, Tenebris sneered devilishly as if she was amused.

"What's so funny?" Quizzed Thomas and Lady's future great grandson.

"The fact that you don't realize the time that the altar has in order to travel more than a few years in the future." The goddess replied. "The more time you dilly dally here, the lower your chances of ever returning home are."

"Darn! She's right!" Tamaki muttered under his breath. "But what can I do?! I can't leave now!"

"KLANG!" Sounded the goddess's blade, as Billster then parried it away.

"Tamaki! Go! We'll be fine here! Just hurry to the altar and get home!"

Tamaki first looked on worriedly before turning stern and nodding in reply. The teen then sheathed his two dragon swords and darted off leaving Lux-Tenebris scowling in frustration.

"You dare interrupt my fight you blue pest?!"

"KLANG!"

"ARGH!"

"THUDD!"

"Time for you to die!" The goddess said as she raised her sword over the boy.

"Not if we can help it!" Cried a certain saddle tank driver as he, Edward and Toby went in for a group strike.

"Futile!"

"KLANG!"

"ARGH!"

"THUDD!"

"How many must get in my way towards my victory!" Bellowed Lux-Tenebris as her scowl only got bigger.

"Only enough so we can trap you!" Lady replied. "Billster! Timothy! Thomas! Now!"

"ELEMENTAL RELEASE!"

As all swords of Lady, Billster, Timothy and the older Thomas glowed their colors, a twister of Gold-Dust, Blue flames, Demonic frost and Lightning began to swirl around Lux-Tenebris. The goddess's eyes widened as she saw herself being imprisoned once more.

"No!" She cried. "No! I will not be defeated like this! I will have my victory! I will have my revenge! I will have my world!"

"Not today!" Lady replied back. "And not ever!"

"Accept it Lux-Tenebris!" Billster added.

"Your defeat is here!" Timothy remarked.

"The world will never be yours!" The older Thomas finished as the barrier started to form stronger than ever.

"No! No! No!" Lux-Tenebris cried. "I won't have this!"

As the 4 mages continued to form the barrier, they didn't know that it was at this moment when Alfred had defeated Gordon and Henry and was now heading straight towards them. As the former B12 driver saw what was happening, he gave a sneer and charged at Lady. Lady then fell to the ground with a great thud as the barrier's ritual was then cut short, allowing the dark goddess to escape, following Tamaki. As Billster, Timothy, and the older Thomas prepared to fight, Alfred gave a sneer.

"Nuh uh uh." He said to the three. "Not if you want them to live."

Alfred snapped his fingers as then the huge hoard of shadowed soldiers arrived with all the sorcerer-knights as prisoners. As the man in apple green chackled, Lux-Aurea shuddered with clear hesitation, for she had no choice but to give the very next order.

"Forgive me my daughter..." She said as she looked at Lady. "Alfred we surrender."

"Good." Alfred sneered in triumph. "Now you there! Find that puffball! I want to kill him myself."

As the soldier then walked off, he searched the vehicles one by one. Eventually he found the one that Alfred was hoping to find as Annie and Clarabel fell to ground with a thud, and Thomas was rolled out. As everyone then watched on with worry, Alfred scoffed as he inspected Lady's husband.

"So, the great Thomas has become a vegetable in our last encounter?!" He exclaimed in amusement. "What a joke!"

He then began sneer as kicked the wheelchair down. Thomas went onto the ground with a thud as he then tried to reach for Caliburn which fell out of his hands. Alfred's sneer only got bigger as he then saw this.

"So you can move?!" He exclaimed. "Well then, maybe you CAN defend yourself."

Alfred lifted Thomas off of the ground and was just about to swing his broadsword at him, when Lady drew her rapier and charged at him.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" She cried.

"Idiot!" Alfred cried back as he parried Lady's blade out of her hand and held her up by her neck.

As he held her, a smirk came across Alfred's face as a clear devious idea came to him.

"Maybe instead of killing him. Maybe Thomas will wake up IF I kill you. That should get him moving, right?!"

As Lady began to shed tears, the older Thomas scowled and clenched his fists.

(POV: Thomas {The regretful King})

As I saw the Lady of this timestream being held up by Alfred, I KNEW that I had to do something for Alfred was the one who killed Lady in my timeline and caused me to kill my friends.

"What should I do?" I asked myself, as then a certain voice gave me the answer.

"Do what you always have done. For you are still the number 1 deep down inside. Thomas... Now's the time."

"Lady... Please... Help me in this. If I'm to sacrifice myself, I want to do it right!"

My wife's spirit nodded as she then helped me link up with the Island's mana circuits with those of Lady, Billster and Timothy. As I then looked at my younger self, I exhaled as I gave him my final message as a living being.

"It's your turn now. Protect those I couldn't protect. Save those whom I could save. You are the one to put it all right so take all of mine that is to be yours!"

I then turned my attention towards the Lady of this timeline and charged straight at Alfred, as I then made him lose his grip on her. Normally I would be able to defeat him with ease, but... with the fact that I gave up almost all of my strength in an effort to wake my younger self up, I was much weaker than before. As he then slashed me fatally, my swords broke and I fell onto the ground. As I felt my blood gushing out of my wound, I saw this timeline's Lady hold on to me as my life faded away.

"Didn't I say to not worry about me? I'm not YOUR Thomas after all."

"I know." She replied to me as tears came from her eyes. "But please at least let me bring you some comfort in your final moments"

I sighed in defeat as I then looked towards my left, spotting MY Lady's spirit looking on with a smile. As I saw this I knew what this meant.

"I did it. Didn't I?"

My vision got darker and darker until there was nothing at all. Then before I knew it, I was holding hands with the Lady that I had married. Nothing was needing to be said to me at this point. I had just died, and to be fair, it was a great end, one that eased me on many fronts.

(POV: Jaso*?.)

As the body of the older Thomas disappeared, I began to notice something strange about Billster, Timothy, and Lady. Their souls were linked up to that of the Thomas of this timeline, and so was the older one before he had died. It then occurred to me.

"Was the alternate version of Thomas the one behind all of these sudden connections to his younger self? If that's the case then his motive is very clear."

I let off a sigh, as I inhaled some courage with me.

"It may sadden him a bit, but... I MUST help him! I must help Thomas wake up!"

As I then entered into Thomas, I could sense that he was having a nightmare of some sort.

(To be continued...)