Michael and Shae found themselves in some trouble when Lumiere and Kuroi arrived. Athena tried to help out Michael, but she was quickly shot down. She revealed her feelings towards Michael. Filled with anger towards himself, Michael attacked Lumiere. In a fierce collision of light, Michael ended up defeating Lumiere and the first enemy dragon slayer was defeated. Kuroi stopped his fight with Shae and could sense what happened to him.
"I don't believe it... Lumiere was actually defeated? How can this be?" Kuroi said. This was the first time that one of them has actually fallen in battle.
"After seeing that series of light exploded, I say Michael was the one who did it." Shae said. "I better follow his lead and take you down." Kuroi was astonished and sad for what happened to Lumiere, but he needed to brush is aside for now and focus on his own fight.
"Try as much as you like, but you won't defeat me." Kuroi said. "I thought I made it clear before that you can't defeat me. You are just shadows, but I'm darkness."
"I'm sure that's what your friend thought and look what just happened to him." Shae said as he readied himself. He moved carefully for he knows he can't make a mistake against this guy. Kuroi just waited for him to make the first move. Shae was the first to move as he tried to strike him, but Kuroi stepped to the side and avoided his attack. Kuroi swung his leg around and smashed his leg against Shae and knocked him back.
"I might not know how Lumiere was defeated, but I'm more levelheaded than he was." Kuroi said. "Defeating someone like me will be a real challenge."
"Sabertooth lives for a challenge." Shae said as he jumped at him again. "Shadow Dragon Slash!" Shae tried attacking Kuroi again, but Kuroi easily caught his attack. Kuroi grabbed a hold of him and smashed him to the ground. He kept a hold on Shae and wouldn't let him go.
"I'm well aware you have the ability to become a shadow, but if I just hold you down, you're unable to escape." Kuroi said.
"Who said I planned on escaping." Shae claimed. He swung his leg up and kicked him right in the head and got out. Shae put some distance between them and took a deep breath. "Shadow Dragon Roar!" He breathed out his roar, but Kuroi didn't even flinch.
"Dark Dragon Void." Kuroi held out his hand and formed a small black vortex and the attack was absorbed in.
"What?" Shae said as he wasn't sure what that was. He figured his own element wouldn't do much against this guy, but he didn't expect his attack being absorbed. He figured he test something. Shae roared against the ground and caused rocks to fly at him, but Kuroi used that same vortex and they all were absorbed inside.
"Using your surroundings to fight me? You might be adapting, but it's not enough to defeat the likes of me." Kuroi claimed.
"What was that attack you just used?" Shae questioned. "I thought you couldn't use any kind of spatial magic. That's why you didn't use it when you broke into Rose Garden."
"It's not spatial." Kuroi claimed. "Well, it would be more accurate to say that it's not for the living. It is the void of the dark dragon. Inside is cold, dark, and devoid of air. Nothing living could survive very long in there. You may use shadows, but you don't know darkness."
"Wouldn't that be a good thing?" Shae questioned "It means I wouldn't give into evil powers or something. I won't become evil myself."
"A common misconception." Kuroi said. "People believe that darkness represents evil, but that's not the case. People fear the dark because it's concealing, blinding, and illusive. You can't tell where something is going to come out of. It makes it harder for one to see, even with what's right in front of them. That means you would be open for an attack or such, and no one would be able tell what happened until it was too late. Being surrounded by it can make one feel uneasy for those very reasons. It's because of the feelings that people come to fear the darkness. It is a suitable environment for those who wish to operate in a manner. I've taken the darkness and took its power as my own. I'm well aware of how you probably see me, but I am not evil. One is not evil because they use darkness, but how they choose to use it."
"So what do you mean when you said I don't know darkness?" Shae questioned.
"I use darkness itself." Kuroi said. "Your form of magic is just a variation of my own power. My power is darkness itself, half of a power that lies within everyone. The other half is of course light. In other words, what I'm trying to say is simply this: your power pales in comparison to mine and there's no way you can defeat me."
"You think so? I'm sure your buddy felt the same and look at what just happened to him." Shae said. "We won't know if I'm not able to beat you unless you actually prove that."
"So be it." Kuroi said. Kuroi was the first one to attack this time. Shae tried to strike him, but Kuroi vanished. Shae could tell what he was going to do and jumped away and high into the air.
"I'm not falling for that!" Shae claimed.
"Too late." Kuroi said as he appeared right behind Shae. He struck Shae in the back and tossed him all the way to the ground. Kuroi came down at Shae, but Shae turned into a shadow and slipped out of the way just in time. "You can run and avoid me all you like, but a mere shadow alone could never overcome that vastness of true darkness."
"Keep blabbing like that." Shae said as he wasn't afraid or loosing his courage. "It will be my pleasure to show you just how wrong you are." Shae refused to back down to the likes of Kuroi. He turned himself into a shadow and tried attacking Kuroi through there.
"Oh please." Kuroi said as he was unimpressed. Kuroi was able to become a shadow himself. That's how he was able to get the drop on Shae before. The two shadows clashed against each other, but it's impossible to tell who is who or what is truly happening. Shae emerged out of the ground and it looked like he got the worst of it.
"Damn. I've never fought anyone who could fight in the same manner as I do." Shae said.
"I've been trying to tell you that it's pointless." Kuroi said as he emerged out of the ground himself. "How much simpler could I put this other than that anything you can do, I can do better?"
"We'll see about that." Shae said. He refuses to give up as he went into the ground as a shadow again. Kuroi followed after him and went into the ground himself. When entering in the shadows, Shae was moving through his own space. He tried flying through that space as best as he could, but it seemed like Kuroi was moving much faster. Kuroi was able to attack him from every direction. It was like they were moving in the ocean where Kuroi is the shark and Shae is the prey. Shae tried fighting back, but Kuroi was moving too fast.
"I keep telling you that it's pointless!" Kuroi shouted. He appeared in front of Shae and gave him a powerful uppercut. The attack knocked Shae right out of the shadows and crashed against the ground.
'Damn... It's like he knows every trick I know.' Shae thought. 'How am I going to beat him when none of my usual attacks seem to work on him?' Shae didn't see a way for him to get out of this one.
"Shae!" Shae knew that voice and it was a bad thing that person would be here. He looked behind him and saw Calleen running in his direction. "Shae! Are you okay?!"
"No, Calleen! Get back!" Shae called as he feared what might happen to her if she gets too close.
"What's going on?!" Calleen called as she was moving closer to him, but she got her answer. Kuroi emerged out of the ground and appeared right in front of her. She was so scared of his sudden appearance that she fell back. "You're the guy who broke into Rose Graden!"
"You should have stayed away. It's not a good idea for you to be here." Kuroi warned with Calleen getting scared.
"Get away from my sister!" Shae called as he circled around and tried to attack him, but Shae jumped back. "Calleen, you better get out of here while you can."
"No way! I'm not leaving you with him!" Calleen said. "Especially since you just called me your sister."
"Calleen, maybe you can hold your own in a fight, but this guy is far beyond anything you can handle." Shae said. "Please, as your brother, just do what I say and leave."
"I'm afraid you or she won't be leaving that easily." Kuroi said as he held out his arms and his cape flowed in the wind. "Dark Dragon Lightless World!" Darkness emitted from Kuroi himself. It began to surround the area with Calleen and Shae getting caught in it. It formed a black dome and isolated all them from the outside world. On the inside, there was nothing except darkness. Shae couldn't really see a thing.
"Calleen?!" Shae called as he didn't see her anywhere.
"Shae? Where are you? I can hear you, but I can't see you." Calleen said. Her voice sounded like she was right next to him. Nothing could be seen in that place. Shae lifted his hand and placed it against his face to check. He could feel it, but he couldn't see it.
'This spell has completely blocked out my sight.' Shae thought. 'I can't even see my own hand and it's right in front of my face.' Shae could tell he could be in real trouble with this spell.
"This spell completely blocks out light." Kuroi claimed. They could hear him, but they can't see him anywhere. "This is the nature of darkness itself. You can't tell where I am. I could be right next to you. I could attack at any moment and you won't be able to stop it."
"Calleen, try to block out his voice. He's trying to get in our heads and scare us." Shae warned. He knew Kuroi was trying to taunt them, but Shae was doing his best to stay calm.
"Okay, but he's right. It's so dark. I can't tell where he is." Calleen said. This isn't looking good at all for them.
"You don't know where I am, but I can tell where you are without any problems." Kuroi said. "I am one with the dark. I can't be beaten like this." Shae tried keeping his guard up, but it wasn't doing any good. Kuroi started attacking Shae. Shae could feel the impact of Kuroi's attacks against his body, but he can't tell where the attacks are coming from until it's too late. When he felt one attack strike his gut, he dropped to his knees. He wanted to rage out and fight back, but he knew it would be pointless.
'Stay calm. I can't fight blindly. There's got to be something I can do, but what?' Shae thought. He was trying to think of a way out of this, but he is coming up with nothing. 'It's no use. I can't beat him on my own.' Shae was in a serious situation. He saw no way out until one was formed. Somehow an opening was made in the darkness and light began to shine through with them all seeing.
"What?! Where did that come from?!" Kuroi questioned.
"Calleen! Shae! Hurry!" Shae knew that voice as well. Shae was able to see Calleen again. When he did, he wasted no time as he grabbed her and they hurried to the light and made it out. Seeing no point to keep the spell going, Kuroi caused the darkness to fade away.
"Who did that?!" Kuroi said.
"That would have been me." Shae and Calleen looked and saw it was Rona that saved him. "You don't mind if I join in this fight, do you?" Shae could see he couldn't fight this opponent alone, but Rona is here to help. There might be a way for Kuroi's darkness to fade away for good after all.