Kamen Rider Page

by Blackvvater

When a struggling writer stumbles across an ancient book, he finds himself drawn into a conflict from a thousand years ago. With the help of a medieval knight, he works to stop the monsters unleashed on an unsuspecting world and to correct the mistakes of an era long passed.

52. Session 49

Session 49

J.J. hesitated, glancing furtively between Blake and Agnar, trying to decide whether he could make a move towards the Black Seraph before the knight had a chance to react. Agnar was standing in a relaxed pose, but he also knew how fast the black knight could move. Before he could act, however, Blake sat back on his throne, holding one hand up.

"Hold on, J.J.," he said soothingly, lowering his hands back down to the crown. "This doesn't need to end in violence. In fact, I would rather it didn't. Would you be willing to hear me out?"

J.J. glanced over his shoulder at Gwen, who shook her head vigorously. J.J. turned back around slowly, and he noticed Agnar tensing up, his fingers sliding from the pommel towards the hilt of his greatsword. J.J. chewed the inside of his cheek, considering his options. He looked back at Blake and noticed that he was slowly turning the crown in his hands. As he peered closer, he realized that the crown was still missing two jewels, meaning they weren't too late to take it from him. I guess Tristan was right, then, he thought ruefully. But he would still need Tristan's help, he mused. The longer he could keep Blake talking, the more likely it was Tristan would finally join them. His best option was to stall for time.

J.J. nodded and slowly lowered his sword, folding his arms over his chest. "Alright. First, though, I've got a question. How did Agnar get down here so fast?"

Blake chuckled lightly as he sat back, folding his hands in his lap. "He's been here the entire time. In fact, I called him back here once that thief finally stopped lurking in the area. I figured he was going to get you and Tristan." J.J. felt his blood run cold as the Black Seraph leaned forward slightly. "Did you think I hadn't noticed him?"

"No, actually," J.J. said in a deadpan voice, his tone laced with annoyance. Blake chuckled again.

"I was aware of him from the start," Blake explained. "He's the one that wanted revenge for his brother, right? The one who was put in a coma? I'm betting he saw you and Sir Tristan as his best chance to get back at us by helping you?"

J.J. sighed, smacking his forehead into his palm. Blake let out another chuckle.

"As I'm sure you've guessed, we fed him that information," Blake explained. "We wanted to get you down here so that we could talk. Sir Agnar is here to ensure things remain civil. Fortunately, unlike Sir Trsitan, you're quite level-headed, J.J., so I'd like to work this out peacefully. I'll ask again – will you hear me out?"

"…Fine," J.J. said reluctantly, after a long pause. "What do you want?"

Blake leaned forward again, resting his elbows on his thighs. "I'd like to ask you to surrender Gwen's gem to me."

J.J. stared at Blake silently in shock. Beside him, Gwen shouted, "Hell no!"

J.J. managed to recover a few moments later, holding his hand up to Gwen. "Why do you want her D-former?" he asked, keeping his tone calm. Gwen tilted her head at him, and he shook his head slightly in reply. He wasn't planning to give up her jewel, but he needed to buy more time.

Blake laced his fingers together again, looking down at the floor. "As I'm sure the thief relayed to you, the Crown of Almencia requires only one more jewel before I can activate it… aside from my own, which is why you see two open slots. That said, I've spent the years since I was revived doing research and experimenting with alchemy, and I've concluded that we can't simply use any D-formers to active the crown."

"What, you're actually trying to avoid destroying everything this time?" J.J. asked sardonically. "That'd be a switch."

"I think you're misunderstanding, Page," Blake replied. "Almencia was my homeland, just as it was Sir Tristan's and Sir Agnar's. I never wanted to see it destroyed." He sighed, looking up at the ceiling. "When the Crown was used the first time, my father made the mistake of using imperfect, incomplete D-formers, which caused a… malfunction, one could say, though that's seriously underplaying the severity of what happened. Our greatest king was left severely injured, a broken shell of his former self. Thousands were killed or mutated into Diemons, and what was left of Almencia was thrown into chaos. It was a tragic cataclysm brought about by the best of intentions, and one none of us could have foreseen."

"What, you mean that trying to change an entire island with alchemy didn't work out for you?" J.J. retorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "My word, who could have seen that coming?!"

"You have to understand, Page, we didn't realize what would happen at the time," Blake replied softly. "Everything Lord Quintus had ever invented had worked flawlessly. To us, it was like if the sun suddenly went dark – we were so used to his inventions simply working that we couldn't imagine failure. And it was that arrogance that cost us our civilization."

J.J. scowled, folding his arms over his chest and letting out a soft sigh. "And you said this was brought about by using incomplete D-formers in the crown? So… that's why you've been so obsessed with collecting D-formers from people who have achieved Apotheosis? Those are what you'd call complete D-formers?"

"Precisely," the Black Seraph nodded. "I discovered that D-formers from those that had reached Apotheosis were far stronger and far more stable. Thus, I requested that my retainers encourage the development of those who I had given my jewels to, so that we could use fully matured D-formers in the crown."

"What about the Fool, then?" J.J. pointed out, suddenly remembering something the clown had said. "He was intentionally collecting incomplete D-formers. Hell, he was actively trying to avoid pushing people into Apotheosis so that he had D-formers that were at specific stages of power, so he could replicate the first time the crown was used. He figured that creating a second cataclysm with the same parameters as the first one would somehow let him restore his mind. Were you not aware of this?"

"No, I was," Blake replied with a shrug. "Or, at least, I was aware that he was gathering imperfect D-formers. I wasn't aware of his plans for the crown until he stole it."

"But why did you even let him get that far?" J.J. asked. "If he was actively going against your orders, why keep him around?"

"A couple of reasons," Blake replied. "For one, he was still a useful retainer. Even in his broken state, he was very powerful. I'd rather have had him as an ally than an enemy, and if I'd hindered his efforts to collect D-formers, it would have turned him against me. Besides, I had no use for incomplete D-formers, and like I said, I wasn't aware of his plans for the crown, so I didn't see any harm in letting him collect them. Especially after you became more powerful after picking up a few spares," he added, chuckling lightly while motioning towards J.J.'s Driver. "I'd figured he was doing me a favor. I was mistaken. So, thank you for taking care of a serious threat to both of us," he said, inclining his head politely towards J.J.

"Happy to help," J.J. replied sardonically.

"Then why do you want my gemstone?" Gwen snarled. "Unless you think I'm gonna achieve Apotheosis too? If so, you've really gone off the deep end."

"Of course not," Blake said, laughing airily. "No, what I want is your help, Gwen. See, your gemstone has special properties, just like mine does."

"What're you talking about?" Gwen snarled.

Blake sat back, folding his hands serenely over his chest. "A D-former can be seen as a battery of sorts that powers a metamorphosis, which changes a person's body to better suit their desired role in life. The more determined a person becomes to achieve their goal, the stronger the D-former becomes. Apotheosis is the epitome of that change, where a person has committed themselves fully to their desired role. The D-former reacts by providing them with boundless energy to live out their lives to the fullest. The completed gems can be described as physical, crystallized will. However, they're still only sources of energy. That's why we also create the alchemical sheets that direct the form that willpower takes – what leads them to become Diemons. Without being shaped, controlled, it's nothing but raw energy that can spell disaster if not carefully directed.

"Our D-formers, on the other hand, Gwen, contain the essence of who we are. Or, rather, what our father made us to be. They're not merely bits of crystallized energy, but our very souls. As such, they possess special properties that allow us to shape and manipulate alchemical sources, which is why we can create D-formers and Diemons in the first place. In your case, Gwen, you manifest people's traits as they are at that moment. You are, in essence, the personification of 'reality.' I, on the other hand, can help them on their way towards pursuing the roles they want out of life, allowing them to modify themselves to better suit their dreams and desires. You could call me the personification of 'potential.' Now, consider what would happen if we were to combine our powers together and amplify them with the raw, stable power of as many completed D-formers as possible. The projection of 'potential' upon 'reality,' resulting in stable, maximized potential for all. Together, we can reshape the world."

Gwen was silent for several long moments. Then she asked softly, "And this tower? I assume it has some part to play in your plans. You wouldn't spend decades making a crystal tower like this if it didn't have something to do with your grand scheme."

"You're correct. It serves a few purposes," Blake nodded. "For one, unpowered crystal is as hard as diamond and makes for an excellent defensive structure. I was also able to provide Sir Agnar with a training ground after he was revived, similar to what you had in mind when you transported the Almencian ruins over here for Sir Tristan. I shouldn't be surprised we think so much alike," he laughed. "And the training grounds I provided him with double as excellent obstacles to deter invaders… as you two are well aware. However, the main purpose of the tower is to further amplify the effects of the crown, extending its range exponentially. The crown alone was able to change the entire populace of one island. With this tower… it'll take some time, but I believe I can use it to influence the world."

"Why?!" J.J. exclaimed. "The last time someone tried using that crown, it destroyed your entire civilization! I don't care how much research you claim to have done, why would you risk doing it again to the entire world?!"

Blake looked down at his hands again, and J.J. noticed he was trembling slightly. "The destruction of Almencia… I am to blame for that," he said softly. "My father constructed me so that everyone on the island could take on any role they wished. My role was to give them the tools necessary to achieve their dreams while also making them as competent as possible. A farmer who wanted to be a warrior wouldn't have to worry about being too weak to serve. A blind woman who wished to be a healer could feel the human body and use her alchemical abilities to mend it. It was a wonderful, altruistic goal, and I was proud to be a part of my father's vision.

"The reason for its failure lay with me, however. The changes I brought to people continued to spiral out of control until the people I changed were consumed by them. They became obsessed with their roles, and their bodies mutated in horrific ways, turning them into monsters. I don't blame Sir Tristan for attempting to seal me the first time," he chuckled bitterly. "Still, my father believed in me, believed that my power could still be used for good, which is why he constructed the crown – to properly channel my powers for the sake of the people of Almencia, and eventually the world. The fact that it backfired was tragic, not just because it took many lives and destroyed our civilization, but because of what the world could have been. We could have created a utopia, but instead we were reduced to ashes, wiped from the pages of history, and our grand goal forgotten for a millennium, save for a little-known legend, a few descendants scattered across the world, and a couple of out-of-place alchemical remnants.

"When I was revived, I decided that my father's work couldn't die with him," the Black Seraph explained, sitting forward a bit, and lacing his fingers together. "I was determined to see it through, both to atone for my sins, and to finally lead the world into the future it deserved. That's why I've fought so hard to see my dream come to fruition – for the good of everyone, and to provide them with the utopia they deserve."

"That's a pretty noble goal for someone who remorselessly murdered several people just so he could have their completed D-formers," J.J. said coldly.

Blake shook his head, looking down again. "I regret their deaths, and I wish there was another way to attain the D-formers I needed. I tried everything – experimenting with my powers, using the Farri forge, poring over every alchemical book I could find. There was no other way." He looked up again, resolve creeping its way into his voice. "But sacrifices had to be made-"

"-for the greater good, yeah," J.J. interrupted. "The tagline of every tyrant in history. If you really wanted to change the world, there were other ways you could have gone about it, you know."

"I tried!" the Black Seraph replied, raising his voice a bit. "Have you forgotten that past personas of mine have been mayors of this city? I built Marville into what it is using my – and Gwen's – fortunes because I wanted the citizens of the city to prosper! That's always been my goal! And I was elated when the first republics rose. I hated the corrupt monarchies of the past, you know. I saw the republics as the perfect way for people to finally have self-determination, to fill any role in society that they wished." A bitter laugh escaped his lips as he shook his head. "But no… even though republics are an improvement, they're still imperfect. More people can now live fulfilling lives compared to when feudalism was the dominant system, but those lives are built on the backs of thousands more who can't, thousands who are oppressed and whose labor is used to fill the coffers of bloated ticks who do nothing with their hoarded wealth except watch it expand without using it to better their own society." Blake looked down again, shaking his head sadly. "There have been times when great men and women have taken the reins of society and guided it towards a brighter future, but inevitably, those efforts are always overridden by greedy, power-hungry sociopaths who take advantage of those reforms for their own selfish ends." Blake looked up again, pinning J.J. with a furious look, even from behind his mask. "This society is poisoned, Page, and even my own vast wealth can't fix it. No, my method is the only solution to help the billions who can't live their lives the way they deserve to, who are forced to walk broken, meaningless paths through life simply because they have no other way to survive."

J.J. was silent for several long moments, overwhelmed by the passion in Blake's voice. However, he then shook his head slowly. "Still, you're justifying atrocities in the name of a nebulous 'greater good' that might still destroy everything."

"I've taken every precaution this time," Blake replied, his voice brimming with conviction. "I've run the tests, and I'm certain that my conclusion is accurate. All I need from you, Page, is for you to hand me my sister's jewel."

J.J. looked down towards his diary, pulling it off his belt and turning it over in his hand. He stared at the white jewel lodged in the back cover of his book, then looked up again and shook his head. "Sorry, but I can't do that," he replied. "This isn't my jewel to give away. This is Gwen's decision more than mine."

Gwen looked up at him, her expression unreadable behind her golden mask, but her wings stretched slightly in a threatening fashion as she turned towards her brother. "I'm not giving it to you, Blake," she said coldly. "I haven't spent a thousand years trying to stop you from carrying out this mad scheme just to surrender to you because you spun a sob story and then asked nicely. J.J.'s right. Are you even aware of how many people you've hurt by doing this?"

Blake stared at Gwen silently, then replied in a soft voice, "I hardly think you're one to talk about hurting people in the pursuit of your goals, sister."

"I beg your pardon?" Gwen hissed, lowering her head slightly.

"Answer me this: how many people have you hurt?" Blake replied simply. "Or rather, how deeply have you hurt them? Yes… I've taken lives, and I accept that their blood is on my hands. I'm not proud of it, nor am I happy about it, but I will take responsibility for my part in it. You, on the other hand, seem intent on taking the moral high ground on me when you've been just as manipulative as I have. Worse, even, since you went out of your way to cultivate a personal relationship with your pawns while keeping them in the dark about the dangers you were making them face, and your role in them."

"I'm sorry that I actually care about the people I get involved in our mess!" Gwen snapped.

"Do you?" Blake replied coolly. "Let's consider your first champion, then. Sir Martin, wasn't it? He was an excellent choice, you know, in terms of people who could have posed a threat to me. Powerful, intelligent, charming… I can see why you liked him. You had good instincts. But when he became a threat to you, you decided that you didn't want him around anymore. You hated the fact that you couldn't control him."

"It's not that I couldn't control him!" Gwen protested. "He was a danger to everyone! He was power-mad, and would have-!"

"Then, frankly, killing him would have been kinder than what you did," Blake replied coldly. "You couldn't even bring yourself to do him that courtesy. Instead, you locked him away, imprisoning him indefinitely. I'd consider that a fate worse than death, myself. Honestly, I can't tell if you did that just so you had a contingency plan if you changed your mind and decided that I was, in fact, the bigger threat, or if you did it out of spite, to prove to him that you could control him. It might have been a bit of both, but I'm inclined to believe the latter."

"That's not-!" Gwen cried.

"And then there was your second champion," Blake continued, ignoring her interruption. "Your work on J.J. was… masterful. It was art. A monument to emotional manipulation, one that should be studied by abusers the world over. First off, smart move, picking someone who was more docile than Martin. And not only did you give him his powers, indebting him to you for saving his life, but you went one step beyond. You became personally involved with him, starting a faux relationship, so that he had unquestioning loyalty to you." Blake chuckled, shaking his head. "You were never able to command respect the way I was, yet you found a way to ensure that he would always fight for you and never betray you. I'm being sincere when I say that I'm impressed by how much effort you put into ensuring he was always at your beck and call. He might not be as powerful as Martin was, but he's certainly more loyal. Bravo, Gwen."

Gwen glanced at J.J., her stance pleading. J.J. shook his head slightly, assuring her that he wasn't buying into what the Black Seraph was saying, and her posture relaxed slightly. Blake continued, ignoring their silent interaction.

"Not only did you rope him into this war against his will and then manipulate him into fighting for you, you didn't even tell him who you were until you were backed into a corner and forced to!" Blake exclaimed. "I was always honest with my vassals about who I was and what my intentions were. They followed me because they believed in my cause, not because of trickery and guile. You're lucky Page decided to continue helping you despite knowing how you used him for months. That speaks more to his character than yours… or perhaps you just have that strong of a hold on him."

"Enough," J.J. growled.

"And that's not even counting the other people you hurt," Blake continued, ignoring J.J.'s warning. "I recall that one girl in the hospital… you're the one that put her there, aren't you?"

"Leave Kelsie out of this!" J.J. snapped, holding his arm out, as if to shield Gwen from her brother's biting words. "She was injured because of me!"

"She was injured because my sister created a hero who couldn't protect her properly," Blake replied coldly. "I applaud you for taking responsibility for her, Page, but my sister needs to bear some of the blame as well. And that's to say nothing of the girl's mother. She was driven to seek me out directly because of that girl's death. If it weren't for you, I would have never met that woman, much less given her a D-former. She was so close to achieving Apotheosis, too…."

"What is your point?!" Gwen shouted.

Blake sighed, sitting back in his chair and folding his hands again. "My point, Gwen, is that you've done nothing but hurt people since this war began, and it's all been for nothing," he replied. He motioned to the tower around him. "I have nearly everything I need to see our father's dream come to fruition. The only thing I need to ensure it succeeds is your gemstone." He leaned forward, his voice soft, entreating. "You're both right to be cautious about this. I was as well, which is why done everything in my power to ensure that it won't backfire again. When we've succeeded, we can usher the world in to a new age. You'll be hailed as a hero, Gwen. You've been selfish. You've made mistakes. You've hurt so many people. But if you have a chance to atone for all of that. You just need to do the right thing." He extended his hand towards her, gazing at her quietly from behind his mask. "Please… help me fix this world."

Gwen's shoulders slumped, and she glanced over at J.J., then turned back to her brother. Slowly, she shook her head. "You always had a gift for persuasion," she murmured. "Yes, I've screwed up in the past. I've hurt the people closest to me for my own goals, and I've cost people their lives. Nothing I do will ever bring them back." She raised her head a bit more, meeting her brother's gaze. "But the only way I can atone is by doing what I know is right. And while you were attacking me for my faults, you were casually glossing over your own crimes. You can justify this any way you want, but the bottom line is that you've remorselessly hurt and slain several people to get what you want. Yes, I've manipulated others, and I've done horrible things, but I wouldn't have done any of it if you weren't so dead-set on reviving a long-dead kingdom and threatening the lives of everyone in the world by chasing a stupid dream that's almost certain to fail. So, no. I'm not giving you my gemstone."

J.J. nodded over at Gwen as she straightened up a bit more, her own voice softening. "Now, I'm going to offer you the chance to put an end to all of this before it's too late," she said. "Abandon this mad dream. Take your D-formers back, call off the Shards, and stop sacrificing people for the sake of a vision that's already destroyed everything we love once before. If you want to change the world, do it some other way. Your intentions might be noble, Blake, but I can't support what you've done to achieve them. Please… give us the crown, let us destroy it. Don't make the same mistake twice."

Blake stared at Gwen silently for several long moments before turning his gaze towards J.J. "Do you feel the same way?" he asked softly.

J.J. sighed, folding his arms over his chest. "Personally? I agree with her, yes. You can call me brainwashed by her or whatever, but I can't see it any other way. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, Blake, and you're racing headlong down that road. Even if you could give us a guarantee that this idea of yours won't reduce Marville – if not more – to a smoldering, monster-filled crater, I still couldn't support the monumental changes you're proposing. Would you turn everyone into a Diemon? And even if you didn't, how would you reconcile people's conflicting desires? What if multiple people want to do the same thing, but there's no way everyone can? Whose desires are more important then? Or, more importantly, who would guide this new world towards your supposed brighter future? If everyone's roles are equally valid, who would be the leader, and why would that role be more important than anyone else's? What authority would they have? Why should anyone listen to them? What if multiple people felt their role was to rule? How would we decide whose claim was strongest? Would they fight for it? Would you be alright knowing you started a war between monsters? Could you live with that blood on your hands?" He shook his head. "There are too many unknown factors, too many variables." He then smiled faintly over at Gwen from behind his helmet. "Beyond all of that, though… as I said, this is Gwen's life you're asking for, not mine, and if she says that she's not giving up her gemstone, then I'll do everything in my power to protect her. That's all the reason I need."

"Then I'm afraid we're at an impasse," Blake sighed. He glanced over at Agnar, who was still standing silently beside his crystal throne. "And unfortunately, there's only one way we can settle this." He turned back to Gwen, pinning her with a cold stare. "I, the Black Seraph, challenge you, the White Seraph, to a formal duel for ownership of your D-former and the Crown of Almencia. Your champion shall fight mine, and the winner shall claim both trophies as their prize."

J.J. snarled behind his helmet, glancing over at Gwen. "Gwen is not an object to be won!" he snapped. "Besides, what makes you think I would agree to that?"

"You hardly have a choice," Blake replied simply, sitting back again, resting his hands on the arms of his chair. "For one thing, I don't have to extend you this courtesy. Might I remind you invaded my domain? By right, I could order Sir Agnar to kill you and take the gemstone anyways. However, I doubt that you'd simply let him do that without a fight. This is simply formalizing the inevitable." The Seraph chuckled slightly. "You've earned our respect, and as such deserve to be afforded this honor. By offering you this duel, I'm allowing you to set terms for what's going to happen regardless." He held one hand up in a light shrug. "But if you'd like this to be a brutal brawl with no rules, no stipulations, we can certainly arrange for that instead."

J.J. growled to himself as he glanced over at Gwen. She sighed lightly, nodding to him reluctantly. "This is the best offer we're going to get," she murmured to him.

"If I accept, I have to duel him one-on-one, right?" he asked softly. "I can't rely on Tristan, even if he shows up?"

"No. If he were to interfere, all bets are off, and Agnar would probably try to kill or capture me instead of bothering to fight you two, even if you attacked him together," Gwen said. "At least this way, you can be sure Agnar will only focus on you. Unfortunately, there's still no sign of Tristan. We can't assume he'll show up anytime soon. Blake's also right – there's nothing stopping Agnar from attacking you right now to take your D-former. At least this way, you know what's coming, and you can set some boundaries for what is and isn't allowed. I hate to say it, but accepting the duel is our best bet right now."

"Mm. So fighting the insane berserker one-on-one is the good option?" J.J. quipped, eyeing Agnar warily.

"Yeah. It's a sign of how well Blake out-maneuvered us," Gwen admitted.

"If only one of us had the good sense to recognize a trap and try to warn the others," J.J. said sarcastically, glaring at her out of the corner of his eye. "But surely that voice of reason would be completely ignored by those that know better."

"Yes, yes, you were right," Gwen agreed. "Though in my defense, Tristan was the one insisting we go. I was kind of following along."

"Fair enough," J.J. sighed. He glanced towards Agnar again, who was loosening his muscles by rolling his neck and stretching his arms out. "Alright. What're the terms of this duel?" he asked Agnar.

"As the challenged, you would normally be permitted to select the location. However, as the location has already been determined by your actions, I shall grant you a boon and instead allow you to place a restriction on any action that does not hinder my choice of weaponry, as that is my prerogative as the challenger," Agnar explained.

J.J. bit the inside of his cheek, considering Agnar's proposal. He slowly looked around the room, then glanced past Agnar towards the Black Seraph. An idea suddenly struck him, and he slowly grinned behind his helmet. "Alright then. The Black Seraph has to remain on his throne," he said. "He's not allowed to interfere in the fight in any way, including giving you advice."

Agnar stared at J.J. silently for several moments, as if trying to discern his intentions, but then he reluctantly nodded. "Very well, I accept your terms. As for the choice of weaponry – we may use any weapon in our arsenal including any of our jewels."

"Of course you'd pick that," J.J. muttered under his breath, staring warily at the black armor Agnar was clad in. "Alright. Not like I have any choice in the matter."

"Very good," Agnar said gruffly. "We shall begin once your preparations are complete."

J.J. walked back over to Gwen, who stared up at him. She put her ivory hands on his shoulders, squeezing them, as her golden masked face stared up at him. "Please be careful," she murmured to him. "You're badly outmatched here."

"Let me ask you something," he said. Gwen tilted her head as he leaned in and whispered something in her ear. She let out a soft gasp, then shook her head at him.

"I don't… know," she replied quietly.

"Do you think Agnar knows that, then?" he asked, his grin widening behind his mask.

"Possibly? Probably not? I don't think he's ever asked, since I doubt it crossed his mind," Gwen murmured. "But you're not seriously going to-?!"

"I'm willing to use any little advantage I have," J.J. replied firmly. "Tristan already said that sort of thing was fair game."

"True. Just… keep in mind, Agnar might do the same to you," Gwen warned him.

"I'm aware, but I don't think he will," J.J. chuckled. "Why do you think I told Blake to sit there and shut up?"

"Mm… alright, just don't let him catch on to your idea," Gwen muttered. "Still, it's a better strategy than trying to take him head-on."

"Be honest with me, Gwen," J.J. said suddenly, looking down towards the shimmering floor. "How much of a chance do you think I have?"

Gwen lowered her eyes as well, then slowly shook her head. "I'd say that you've got maybe a five percent chance of pulling this off," she admitted.

J.J. laughed cheerfully, surprising her. As she looked up at him, he shrugged. "I've just got to roll a natural twenty, then? I can work with that."

Gwen stared at him, and then she laughed softly as well, gripping his shoulders again. "Be careful," she whispered.

"Aren't I always?" J.J. replied, keeping his tone far more relaxed than he felt. He nodded to her, then turned around to face Agnar, who was waiting patiently with his sword resting across his shoulder, his stance neutral and his helmeted face betraying nothing.

"Are you prepared?" he asked.

J.J. took a deep breath, then turned his diary around and slotted it again so that Gwen's white D-former was facing outwards. He then dropped his fingers to her gem, and after a moment's hesitation, gave it a quick spin.

"Reroll! Prestige Class: Loremaster!" his Driver shouted. An angelic choir sang a few wordless notes that resounded off the pristine walls of the room, and a holographic, alabaster die appeared around him, which began spinning rapidly. As it did, his leather armor hardened and shifted. When the spinning stopped, he was clad in a suit of half-plate armor, over which he wore a loose white robe trimmed with silver cloth and Almencian runes. His short feather saber had extended into a full-sized longsword, which he gripped tightly in his right hand. He ignored the fact that his arm was shaking as he raised his head and met Agnar's eyes from behind his mask.

"Alea iacta est," he replied in answer to Agnar's question. The black knight nodded and slowly pulled his sword away from his shoulders, lowering it into a two-handed ready stance. J.J., likewise, raised his blade in a poised, one-handed fencing stance. The two men then began slowly circling around each other, their eyes locked on one another as they began tentatively feeling each other out, searching for any sign of an opening.

As they circled, they slowly closed the distance between each other. J.J. was watching Agnar carefully, analyzing every move the black knight made. From his experience, the greatsword he used had a few inches of reach on his own blade, but it was heavier and slower. It would do more damage if it connected, but J.J. suspected that he had an edge in speed. The problem was that it wasn't a significant edge, and he would still have to close the distance if he wanted to land any attacks on Agnar. No matter what he tried, in melee combat, Agnar had a clear advantage.

Agnar suddenly jabbed at J.J. with a two-handed thrust. J.J. quickly brought his sword up and batted the attack away, but in the exchange, he could feel the strength in Agnar's arms. It had only been a testing blow, but he'd still only barely managed to deflect the blade away from his body.

Agnar seemed to realize this as well, and his second attack had more force behind it. J.J. parried this blow as well, but was careful to shift his stance so that his body was well out of the way of the attack. Sensing weakness, Agnar suddenly turned his grip and slashed inwards towards J.J.'s body, but J.J. managed to brace his sword against his arm and block the blow firmly. The edge of Agnar's blade didn't touch his body, but the difference in strength was made far more obvious.

Seeming satisfied, Agnar withdrew his blade, but before he could follow it up with another attack, J.J. stepped in with two quick thrusts of his own. Agnar seemed surprised, as he stepped back to avoid the attacks. The first stab missed completely, but the feint left Agnar open for the second attack. Sparks erupted from where the tip of J.J.'s sword scratched across his armor. It didn't leave a mark, and Agnar hardly seemed aware that he'd been hit, but J.J. smiled to himself behind his mask nonetheless. At least he'd drawn the first blood in the fight, so to speak.

"You've become a skilled swordsman," Agnar commented, glancing down at his dark armor for a moment before looking back up. "Your strikes are confident and have weight behind them. You have come far, Sir J.J."

"I'm flattered," J.J. replied, not being sarcastic for once. "You're a hell of a fighter too, Agnar. It's just a shame you're still on the wrong side."

"You seek to sway me from my cause," Agnar admonished him. "Or you test my resolve. Your attempt is fruitless in either case."

Before J.J. could respond, Agnar suddenly slashed at him with a heavy diagonal cut. J.J. barely brought his sword up in time to deflect the blow, but the weight of the attack sent him skidding backwards across the smooth diamond floor. He grit his teeth as Agnar stepped in with an attack from the opposite side. J.J. couldn't dodge, so instead he stepped back and tried to dart inside Agnar's his surprise, Agnar didn't try to retract his sword and defend himself. Instead, he let J.J. close the distance before raising his hand and backhanding him across the face. J.J. was caught off-guard by the maneuver, and while it didn't hurt, it was so surprising that he was left open for a sudden counterstrike that raked across his torso.

J.J. grunted as sparks erupted from his armor, and he stumbled out of Agnar's range. He backpedaled to a safe distance before gingerly touching his chest and frowning. A black mark had been burned across his chest, but otherwise the blow seemed to be shallow. He was fine, though he reminded himself that even if he hadn't been hurt, he still had to be aware of how much health his suit had left.

J.J. began slowly backing away from Agnar, warily watching the black knight as his opponent advanced. He kept his sword in front of him, occasionally jabbing to keep Agnar at bay, but the knight was undeterred, casually batting away his light strikes. J.J. felt his heel touch something, and he glanced over his shoulder for a split second to see that he had backed into a pillar. He glanced up again in time to see Agnar bringing his sword up over his shoulder and swinging it around in a short, deadly arc.

J.J. immediately ducked low, diving beneath Agnar's sword. The heavy black blade slammed into the crystal pillar, and a resounding ringing sound like a glass bell echoed throughout the room. Agnar's arms snapped backward from the recoil, and J.J. glanced over his shoulder briefly. He noticed that the pillar was undamaged, and he let out a low whistle. Blake hadn't been lying when he'd said that his crystal was as hard as diamond.

J.J. took advantage of the break in Agnar's guard to dive in and stab him firmly in the stomach. Agnar took a step back from the force of the blow, but otherwise seemed to barely notice that he'd been hit. Growling, J.J. slashed at Agnar's legs, his blade briefly coated in a swirl of white light, but Agnar stepped back, avoiding the attack. J.J. looked up and swayed to the side as Agnar slashed at him again, then ducked under another follow-up attack, which once again struck the pillar. Agnar's guard faltered again under the recoil of his failed attack, and J.J. slashed him once more, scoring another hit along his breastplate.

Agnar let out a short growl of frustration as J.J. pressed his back against the pillar, daring Agnar to continue attacking him. While he lacked the strength to block Agnar's blows, as long as he kept close to the column, he could use it to deflect Agnar's sword instead. Agnar noticed that J.J. was loath to move away from the pillar, and he adjusted his stance accordingly, taking a tighter, more defensive posture, daring J.J. to make the next move. J.J. let out a short sigh of annoyance; he'd been hoping that Agnar would throw at least one more wild swing his way so that he could continue taking advantage, but of course Agnar was too skilled of a warrior to let that happen, he thought with a bitter smile.

J.J. glanced down at Agnar's legs and smirked to himself for a moment, then disappeared, reappearing behind the black knight. Agnar turned to face him, but as he did, his knee gave out as his foot refused to turn, and he dropped to a crouch. Looking down, he saw that J.J. had frozen his leg to the floor when he had slashed with his previous low attack. J.J. smirked as Agnar pulled his leg free, but he was too late to raise his guard, and J.J. slashed him across the face, letting out a short cry as he did, his saber bathed in shining white light. The blow caused Agnar's head to snap to the side, and J.J. thought he heard the man grunt for a moment before he turned back around.

To his chagrin, Agnar recovered quickly enough to grip his sword with both hands and swing it wildly around again. J.J. skipped backwards and felt the wind from the missed attack, then closed his eyes for a moment. When he reopened them, he had created six illusionary clones around Agnar. The knight considered his options for a moment, then swung his sword around in a tight circle. The images all stepped back, and while Agnar swung his blade around in a clean, wide arc, J.J.s sword began flickering with white flames. His clones' swords did the same, and at the same time, they pointed their blades at the figure in the center of the circle, engulfing Agnar in fire. J.J. gasped as he felt his energy draining from how many spells he was casting in quick succession, but he ignored the building fatigue and poured as much energy as he could into the stream of flames erupting from the end of his saber.

The fire swirled around Agnar in a small vortex, enveloping him to the point where he briefly vanished from J.J.'s sight. A few moments later, however, the black knight let out a grunt and swung his sword around, blowing the fire out with the wind from his attack. He stepped through the dimming flames and brought his sword over his head, slashing viciously at J.J., who barely managed to jump back in time. The black knight shook his head, growling with irritation.

"While I confess that you have grown stronger, Sir J.J., you still lack the power necessary to deliver a decisive blow," he said in a low voice. "This is not a battle in which you can prevail, and you merely delay the inevitable."

"You've gotten rather chatty lately," J.J. taunted Agnar, continuing to back away as he tried to catch his breath. "Do you miss having someone to talk to? Does Blake make you stand there quietly while he monologues to himself in an otherwise empty room? He loves the sound of his own voice so much, it wouldn't surprise me."

"Do not disparage my lord, Page!" Agnar snapped.

"Why? I'm calling it as it is," J.J. replied with a shrug, skirting around to place a pillar between him and Agnar so they could continue talking. He didn't want Agnar taking advantage of his lowered guard while he was speaking. "You've been serving him loyally this entire time, but what's he given you in return?"

"He has bestowed boons upon me, such as Lord Quintus' manor and the survivors of Almencia, as you saw," Agnar pointed out. "But most importantly, he's given me hope," Agnar relaxed his stance slightly, recognizing J.J.'s stalling tactic for what it was, and tacitly allowing him a brief rest. "And that is all I require from him."

"What if it's false hope?" J.J. asked simply.

"It is not," Agnar replied confidently. "I trust him to remain true to his word, as he does is all he grants favors."

"Really? How devoted to him are you?" J.J. asked.

"Wholly," Agnar replied firmly. "Do you doubt my loyalty?"

"…No," J.J. replied simply. He took a deep breath, then resumed backing away from Agnar, continuing to circle around him as he put more distance between himself and his opponent. He glanced over his shoulder for a moment, then paused as he felt his heel hit something again.

Agnar took advantage of his hesitation to charge in, bringing his sword over his head and swing it violently down. J.J. simply tilted his head, shifting to the side, a slight smile crossing his lips. Agnar's eyes widened, and he suddenly strained his muscles to stop the attack as he abruptly realized where he was. The edge of the blade came to a halt less than an inch from the Black Seraph's golden-masked face.

J.J. took advantage of Agnar's hesitation to deliver two quick, hard slashes to his midriff. Agnar took a step back, seeming unharmed by the blows, but J.J. saw his arms shaking at the realization of what he had almost done to his own lord. J.J. smiled grimly and brought his sword up into a two-handed ready stance, daring Agnar to come at him again, keeping his back to the Black Seraph. For the first time, he saw Agnar hesitate, unsure of what to do.

J.J. took advantage of the black knight's hesitation. He stepped in and thrusted with a long-range, one-handed attack. The tip of his blade caught Agnar in the stomach, and though the black knight once again didn't indicate that he had even felt the blow, J.J. felt a measure of pride at the shower of sparks that erupted from the point of impact. Agnar brought his sword up to attack again, drawing it over his shoulder, but J.J. responded by angling his body slightly, once again revealing the Black Seraph sitting placidly behind him. Agnar hesitated again, and J.J. dove in to slash at his shoulder, before dancing backwards to avoid a counter.

Agnar let out a hiss of frustration as he lowered his sword into a more defensive position. "You are dishonoring the sanctity of this duel!" he growled.

"You're really going to call me out for pressing my advantage?" J.J. shot back, scowling behind his mask. "Didn't Blake arrange this duel so that you didn't have to worry about Tristan barging in and fighting us two on one? So that you'd have the advantage? We both know you're stronger than I am, so why should I give you even more of an edge?"

Agnar snarled as he glanced past J.J., his eyes fixing on Gwen behind his helmet. Slowly, he shifted his stance, as if considering leaving J.J. alone and going after Gwen.

"You won't," J.J. said simply, not bothering to attack Agnar as the black knight began skirting around him. Agnar paused, and J.J. could see the wheels turning in his head. J.J. was certain Agnar wasn't going to follow through on his threat. For one, if he went after Gwen, he would be leaving the Black Seraph open for J.J. to attack. J.J. had specifically asked Gwen if she thought her brother's shield could hold under a sustained attack from a Kamen Rider, and she didn't even know, so Agnar almost certainly didn't. What's more, the stipulation of the duel was that Blake had to remain seated, meaning that if J.J. was going to attack him, and Blake and Agnar honored the rules of the duel, he would have to sit there and let J.J. attack, while Agnar would be forced to chase Gwen around. Even if Agnar was stronger than him, J.J. doubted that he could catch Gwen before J.J. battered down the Black Seraph's shield.

Beyond all of that, though, was Agnar's sense of honor. J.J. was confident that even if the opportunity presented itself, Agnar wouldn't turn his attention to an opponent who wasn't part of the duel, even if it gave him an advantage. His target was J.J., and his honor demanded that he beat his opponent and protect his lord – going after Gwen was a tertiary concern. Thus, J.J. had decided to play on Agnar's sense of honor to limit his movements and his options. He knew it was underhanded, but since he couldn't rely on the terrain or other factors to help him win, he had to create an advantage. After all, Blake had done the same to them, he thought bitterly.

Agnar hissed as he lunged at J.J., who jumped out of the way, narrowly avoiding Agnar's wild swing. Agnar brought his sword up short, inches from Blake's throat, though the Black Seraph didn't even flinch. It was a mark of trust between them, J.J. realized. Blake utterly believed that Agnar would never hurt him, even by accident, which was why he was comfortable sitting and watching. Agnar seemed to realize this too, as he brought his sword up and slashed at J.J. again, forcing him to backpedal away from the throne. J.J. quickly circled so that he was in front of Agnar, who stood in front of Blake, protecting him with his sword raised in a defensive stance.

J.J. clicked his tongue thoughtfully, his blade momentarily flickering with white flames, but then he shook his head. He flicked his wrist and separated his sword vertically, folding it out into its longbow form. He then put his hand on the string and pulled it back, drawing a shining white arrow, which he pointed at Agnar. The black knight began to skirt out of the way, but then J.J. glanced over at Blake. Agnar quickly scrambled back in front of the Black Seraph, and in that moment, J.J. loosed the arrow. The white bolt slammed into Agnar's chest, exploding into several white fractals on impact, but J.J. blithely ignored his successful hit and simply drew another arrow. His next bolt impacted Agnar's chin and disappeared into fractals again, and he drew a third arrow, continuing to fire. This time, Agnar managed to bring his sword up and block the attack, and then he jumped forward, slashing at J.J.

J.J. leapt backwards, snarling to himself, but Agnar continued charging before he could loose another arrow. His blade sang as it cut through the air, and J.J. realized he couldn't dodge. He brought his bow up to block the attack, but the powerful slash carved into his shoulder and knocked him away. J.J. managed to land on his feet, but he hissed as pain lanced through his arm.

Agnar brought his blade up again, starting towards J.J., but then he stumbled, which surprised J.J. The black knight seemed equally surprised as he looked down at his body, almost confused. J.J. realized that his attacks must have been having more of an effect than he thought. He hesitated, considering whether he should push his advantage, but the pain in his arm reminded him that he had to make a move soon, or he'd risk taking even more hits with nothing to show for it.

Don't hesitate, a voice in the back of his mind told him. Don't overthink. Your opponent is in front of you. Focus on that.

J.J. set his jaw, dropping his hand to his D-former, and he gave it a quick spin. "Critical!" his Driver shouted, and a white crystal briefly coalesced around him, before settling on his blade. It began glowing with a white light, while flames and swirls of ice danced along the edges. He brought the blade up in a two-handed stance, then launched himself at Agnar with a short cry, catching the black knight off-guard.

Agnar managed to block his initial strike, but his blade exploded with elemental energy, overwhelming Agnar and sending him stumbling back. J.J. shifted his stance, stepping in with a one-handed strike that caught him in the chest and knocked him back another step or two. Agnar slashed at him, but J.J. disappeared, only to reappear at Agnar's side as he threw another strike, this one aimed at his throat. Agnar managed to tilt his head, but the attack still slammed into his helmet, which knocked Agnar's head backward, clearly dazing him. J.J. could feel his strength ebbing, but he gripped his sword in two hands and threw two more strikes at him. White flames and ice tore across Agnar's chest as the attacks landed, leaving deep cuts on his armor, at which point J.J. circled around behind the black knight. Agnar growled and swung his sword around in a short arc. J.J. braced his sword with one hand, blocking the blow, and then he darted up the length of the black knight's blade, slashing him one last time before sliding past him. He inhaled a deeply as his Critical faded, and the toll of his expended energy hit him. He dropped to one knee, panting, with his sword point resting on the ground. He took a moment to catch his breath, before pushing himself up to look over his shoulder at Agnar.

Agnar remained still for a few moments, his shoulders heaving, as J.J. watched him intently with bated breath. Then, slowly, the black knight turned around, gripping his sword. J.J. felt a cold pit form in his stomach as the knight rested his blade on his shoulder, nodding.

"An impressive display, Sir J.J.," he commented, starting to walk towards him, as J.J. slowly dropped into a defensive ready stance. "However, as I have already told you, you lack the power necessary to prevail. Allow me to demonstrate."

Agnar's hand dropped to his Driver, and he gave the black D-former in the pommel of the sword a spin. "Critical!" his Driver shouted, and he was briefly surrounded by an opaque gem, which coalesced around his body. A hazy outline of black fire surrounded him as he lowered his sword and started towards J.J., who took a step back. Seeing this, Agnar darted forward before J.J. could react, and he swung his sword around. An arc of glowing black light streaked along the knight's blade, and J.J. couldn't bring his blade up to parry the blow before it slammed into his shoulder. He was knocked sprawling across the floor, gasping in pain as he slowly climbed to his feet. Agnar was in front of him in an instant, jabbing his sword at J.J.'s torso. J.J. barely managed to jerk his navel out of the way, narrowly avoiding being impaled, but the black blade scraped along his armor and hip, leaving a deep gash. He cried out as a sharp, searing pain spread across his side from where he'd been struck.

Agnar pressed his attack, slashing down at J.J. from above with a heavy overhand swing that J.J. barely managed to dodge, but the blade still cut through his shoulder, and he cried out again in agony. He dropped to his knee as he looked up at Agnar, who stood over him, bringing his sword over his head.

Before he could slam his sword down, J.J. pushed off, tackling Agnar and knocking the black knight off-balance as his sword fell from his hand. J.J. rolled away from him, dropping into a one-handed fencing stance. Agnar straightened himself up, still coated in black flames, and idly walked over to his sword, plucking it off the ground. J.J. slowly backed away, feeling around until his back hit another pillar, at which point Agnar stepped forward again, swinging at J.J. vertically. J.J. ducked, and he winced as the heavy blade clanged off the crystal pillar. As he knelt down, however, Agnar brought his knee up, catching J.J. under the chin. J.J. felt his teeth click together as he was knocked into the air, and Agnar slammed the pommel of his sword into J.J.'s stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

J.J. coughed as he dropped to the ground, clutching his sword tightly in one hand. A shadow fell over him, and J.J. growled to himself, thrusting the point of his sword towards where Agnar stood. The black knight batted the attack aside almost lazily, then brought his sword around in a short, vicious arc. The edge of the blade caught J.J. in the side of the head, his helmet narrowly saving him from getting his skull cleaved in half. His head snapped to the side as he was sent sprawling across the clear, crystal floor, and he groaned in pain as Agnar stalked towards him. Vaguely, he could hear Gwen yelling.

"You have fought well, Sir J.J.," Agnar commented over Gwen's cries. "You are a worthy opponent, and it is with a heavy heart that I must dispatch you. I-"

Before the black knight could continue, the black flames surrounding him suddenly dissipated. Agnar stopped, staring down at himself in surprise, and J.J. raised his head, his eyes widening slightly behind his helmet. Had Agnar's berserker state always been this short? Still, he mused bitterly, all that meant was that Agnar was back to his base strength. He had no idea how much health Agnar's suit had left, but J.J. was definitely on his last legs. He could hardly call this a glimmer of hope.

Agnar, however, answered his question when he looked up at J.J. again. "It would seem that fortune favors you, Sir J.J.," he commented. "I shall grant you the boon of knowing that you have inflicted more damage upon me than I initially believed. I suspect that if we trade one more blow, a victor shall emerge." He dropped his hand to his Driver, adding in a colder voice, "But know that I intend to put all of my power behind this final exchange. I would advise that you do the same."

J.J. exhaled slowly, putting the tip of his sword into the smooth crystal floor, and slowly pushing himself to his feet. He managed to stand, his shoulders heaving with effort, as he slid his own hand down to his Driver, his fingers fumbling around until he felt the ridged surface of his white D-former beneath them. He took another deep breath and straightened up, meeting Agnar's eyes as the black knight nodded in approval. At the same time, both men gave their D-formers a spin.

"Critical!" the Drivers shouted at the same time, and an ivory and onyx die appeared around both fighters, spinning lazily. They raised their swords, and each slashed three times, twice diagonally and once horizontally. Opposing crescents of shining white and sinister black light sprang forth and slammed into each other, crackling and whining in the air. J.J. and Agnar continued staring at each other through the sparking lights, then both took a running start and leapt at the same time. J.J. began rotating as Agnar jumped straight ahead, and the two men met in the middle, letting out furious cries as they kicked their respective flashes of light. The fighters hovered in midair, J.J. gritting his teeth and straining as he poured all his energy into the attack, yelling as he did, while inches away, he heard Agnar do the same. He pushed a bit more, and felt his foot connect with something, and a split second later, he felt a blow to his torso. Then, all at once, there was an explosion of light, and a moment later, J.J. was standing next to Agnar, facing the opposite wall.

Pain tore through J.J.'s chest, and he suddenly pitched forward. A strong arm reached out and grabbed him across the chest, bracing him and keeping him from falling. J.J. slowly raised his hand. He saw spiderwebs of shining white light spreading up his arm towards his palm, and he looked down at his chest to see that the lines were extending from a single point in his sternum.

"Very close, Kamen Rider Page," Agnar said softly. "You struck me first… but sadly, you did not have the power necessary to strike a fatal blow."

J.J. chuckled bitterly, muttering in reply, "Why're you telling me this?"

Agnar paused, then murmured, "When I was standing before my lord, you could have bathed us both in fire or ice. You could have struck a powerful blow against my lord, even if you had not prevailed in this duel. Why did you instead use your bow and target me alone?"

J.J. smiled to himself behind his helmet. "You said you wanted the duel to be between the two of us, right? I did think about using a spell, since it would be the smart thing to do, but if I'd done that, I'd have broken the rules of the duel, and I couldn't bring myself to do that. I guess you and Tristan have rubbed off on me more than I thought."

"You did use my oath to my lord to control my movements," Agnar pointed out.

"And Blake lured us down here using the crown as bait. Do you find that dishonorable, or do you consider that good strategy?" J.J. retorted, grimacing as he watched the light on his arm brighten.

Agnar replied with a low chuckle, the first time he'd heard the black knight let out a genuine laugh. "A fair point. While I would not have done the same, I cannot deny that you fought valiantly, and with honor. I was right to knight you, Sir J.J."

J.J.'s suit suddenly exploded in a shower of blinding white fractals, and he slumped to the ground, unable to keep himself standing. Agnar stood over him for a moment, then readied his blade, raising it above his head. Before he could bring it down, however, Gwen suddenly launched herself between the two men, throwing up her white crystal shield. Agnar was knocked backwards a couple of steps as she crouched between them, glaring up at him from behind her golden mask, her wings extended to their limits around her.

"Don't touch him!" she hissed threateningly.

Agnar hesitated, lowering his blade. "Lady Marks, as the victor of this duel, I lay claim-!"

"I don't care! You're not killing him!" Gwen snarled.

"Sir Agnar!" Blake piped up from the throne. From his position, he could just make out the figure idly waving his hand. "Please remove her and retrieve the jewel for me. There's no need for further bloodshed."

Agnar hesitated, glancing towards J.J. "My lord, if we permit him to live, he will continue to pose a threat to you-" he began.

"I assure you, he won't," Blake said coolly. There was something sinister in his tone that set the hairs on the back of J.J.'s neck on end, something that went beyond simple arrogance. "Besides, he deserves to see what a true utopia looks like, and I have no desire to take lives unnecessarily. Simply bring me the jewel, if you would."

Agnar hesitated for a moment longer, then reached out to nudge Gwen aside. The crystal shield went up again, and Agnar sighed, before raising his claymore reluctantly. With a grunt, he swung his sword around, and as the flat of the blade impacted the side of it, Gwen was sent tumbling across the crystal floor, coming to a halt several feet away before lying still.

"Gwen!" J.J. cried, growling as he tried to push himself up. A heavy gauntlet closed around his neck, pinning him to the floor, and he tried to struggle, willing his limp muscles to work. Agnar ignored his futile wriggling as he plucked the white D-former from his diary. Releasing J.J., he then removed his black jewel, and his armor disappeared in a shower of fractals. He walked over to Blake and knelt in front of the throne as he presented both gems to the black angel.

"My lord," Agnar murmured.

The Black Seraph rose from his throne, reaching out and taking the jewels. He idly turned them over in his fingers, then nodded down at Agnar. "Well done, Sir Agnar," he said softly. "Let's not delay, then. The citizens have waited long enough."

The Seraph walked over to one of the walls as J.J. grunted and pushed himself to his hands and knees. He began crawling towards Gwen's limp body as the Seraph put one hand on the wall and lowered his head. At that moment, J.J. felt the ground shudder beneath him, and for a moment he feared that they were having an earthquake on top of everything else. Then, his stomach dropped, and he realized they were ascending. Outside the translucent crystal walls, he could see the earth shifting and moving as the tower began rising from the ground.

Great chunks of loamy earth fell away as the tower breached the surface of the hill, coming to a halt after over a minute. By that point, J.J. had managed to make his way over to Gwen. He gathered her into his arms, and she stirred as he moved her. She stared up at him from under her golden mask, then sat up with a start, gasping. Agnar shot them both a warning glance, but the Black Seraph ignored them as he strode towards one of the crystal walls. A door opened, and he stepped through it, walking calmly towards a growing crowd of curious and frightened onlookers that were gathering to gape at the tower.

As the Black Seraph appeared before them, a few people screamed, but he held his hands up to calm them. "Citizens of Marville," he announced, his voice booming across the landscape. "I am the Black Seraph. You have no reason to fear me, I assure you. After all, I'm one of you."

From his position behind the Seraph, J.J. could see his body disappear in an opaque black crystal, before reappearing in the form of Blake Marks. The people watching began murmuring to themselves as Blake disappeared again, resuming his Seraph form.

"You are all curious about this rather dramatic display. I understand," the Black Seraph continued. "But there's no need to be alarmed. Just as I have for years, I stand before you now bringing good news for you all."

He looked down at the crown in his hands, then at his sister's shining white jewel. He idly turned the crown over in his hands, then placed the white jewel in one of the open spaces, then placed his own midnight-black stone in the final open slot. From where he was sitting, cradling Gwen, J.J. saw the crown glow briefly, then become inert once more. The Black Seraph chuckled as he took the crown in both hands and placed it on his head, his black jewel resting squarely between his eyes.

"From this moment onward, you, the citizens of Marville, are now citizens of New Almencia," he announced. "And I, the Black Seraph… am your king."