Once the group came to the Zionne Mines to drop off the metal armed man, he and his cohort immediately escorted the woman imprisoned on the transport off the Galaxy King and into the mines. That left the man in the Iron Mask with the group.
"Hey." the man said. "I can tell you're all curious about that woman."
"Back on the train, I did sense a surge of dark energy." Magress said. "Shortly before you and the others arrived, David."
"Yeah. When one of the knights on the train went to touch her, he sounded like he was screaming in pain." David said. "Just what is it about this woman that makes people act like that on contact? Wait, hold on. I got a glimpse of something. Like…thorns? No, she's not a plant person, so those thorns couldn't be a part of her body, could they?"
"Perhaps not physically if they only appear when someone touches her." Leon said.
"Could it be something like a curse?" Miriam asked.
"A curse? From what?" Zacian asked.
"I'm not quite sure. I'm just as stumped on this as everyone else is." David said.
"Well, maybe we should just ask her what's up?" Mark suggested.
"Good luck with that. I don't think she's intent on letting anyone near her." Sectonia said.
"Well, then why don't we start by entering the mines and getting questions from the people who had the clear reason of taking her?" the masked man asked.
"Sounds good. I guess you wanna come too?" Hope asked.
"I want to find things out myself, and maybe that woman holds all the answers." the man replied. "So I'm coming, if you don't mind me."
"Not at all. We'd be happy to have you with us." Ace said before noticing the iron bar the masked man had. "Though maybe you could use a proper weapon."
"Here." Miriam said, materializing a long sword and handing it to the masked man.
Weapon in hand, the masked man then joined the company as they ventured into the mines.
"So, who are these guys anyway? And why are they so interested in this girl?" Gemini asked.
"I recall one of the soldiers referring to the name 'Crimson Crows'." Magress remembered. "Raine, do you by chance know of them?"
"From the sound of it…they're a Dahnan resistance group." Raine said.
"Yeah, I can imagine that after 300 years of Renan rule, a few of those would crop up eventually." Magnamon said.
"Then… Could that girl be a Renan?" Sachiko asked.
"It is the best possible explanation. I mean, those knights were very intent on capturing her." David said. "I think she doesn't like the way the Renan Lords are running things around here."
"Wouldn't that mean they'll be sending more guys after her?" Jet asked.
"Undoubtedly. And now that they saw our faces, us too." Sectonia said.
"Well, not all of our…" Hope said as they felt the mines shake.
"Looks like they're about to see the rest." Mark said. "Ambush!"
"Stop right there!" a Renan soldier ordered as they appeared in front of them. "You all, where's the Renan girl who was here?"
"You expect us to just tell you?" David asked.
"Considering the alternative, I suggest that you do!" the soldier said, pointing his sword at them to get his point across.
"How's this for an alternative - go to hell!" the masked man declared as he leveled his borrowed sword into a battle stance. "Rising Wyvern!" he called out as he performed an upward slash on the soldier, taking them down. "Whoa…I…actually beat one of them."
"Whoa, that was nice." David said. "(I gotta remember that one. It might come in handy later.)"
"Nice going, Iron Mask!" Bow complimented.
"What?" Catra said.
"Hey, we gotta call him something." Bow said.
"Well, better than nothing, I guess." Mayumi said.
"We should try and find that woman. She's the reason these Renan soldiers are here." Hope said.
"Right. We got your back, Iron Mask." Stahn said, readying Dymlos.
They ran further in to find the girl battling against a couple of the armored soldiers with just her gun.
"Shionne Vymer Imeris Daymore!" one of the soldiers addressed her. "I hereby detain you in the name of His Excellency Lord Balseph! Throw down your weapon!"
"I'd rather not." the girl known as Shionne said, aiming her rifle.
"We call dibs!" Amethyst called out as she and Garnet dashed forward and knocked the two soldiers back across the cavern floor.
"Are you unharmed?" Magress asked, walking up next to Shionne.
"You're the disguised soldier from the train." Shionne remembered. "What are you after? None of you are Renan, so what do you have to gain from helping me?"
"What, do we need a reason to help you? We saw you run from them, so we're helping you out. Plain and simple." David said.
"He is correct. Nothing more, nothing less. Just know that we have a common enemy." Magress said, stabbing Leomurg into the ground.
"...I suppose we do." Shionne said, her expression still suspicious. "But don't think I'm some delicate flower. I can fight."
"The thought of calling you delicate has never crossed our minds." Sectonia said.
"Indeed. For now, let us clear away the rabble." Magress said as a dark magic circle appeared in front of him. "Shadow Needles!" he called, unleashing needles composed of concentrated darkness onto another soldier.
They quickly dealt with the soldiers before running out to where the man with the metal arm was. However, also waiting for them, was a large blockade of Renan soldiers.
"Oh man. That's a lot of soldiers." David said.
"Stay where you are, dissients!" the lead soldier barked at the group.
"Just look at all these soldiers…" the metal-armed man said. "How badly do they want this girl?"
"It's like a whole battalion over here!" Sectonia said.
"Apprehend the traitor! Slaughter the rest!" The lead soldier ordered his troops as they took aim with their crossbows and opened fire on the group.
"Incoming!" David said as the group took cover and used what techniques they had to block the arrows.
Iron Mask did his part to assist them, until he saw an arrow heading straight towards Shionne. "Look out!" he warned as he swung at the arrow…and missed by a hair's breadth, the projectile hitting the Renan girl in the chest. "Shionne!"
"Oh shoot! Gunner down!" ZS called out. "Medic!"
Before anyone could do anything, the situation escalated as flames erupted from the arrow as Shionne cried out in pain. Iron Mask rushed to her side, and without thinking twice despite her curse, grabbed the arrow and started pulling the arrow out, receiving so much more as he did.
"Wh-what's going on?" David asked as he saw a sword coming out of her chest. "What the…? What IS that?!"
"A sword composed of fire?" Vargas asked.
"That I get, but coming out of her chest? That's not normal." David said.
Iron Mask then swung the blade, incinerating a number of the soldiers as they were forced to flee.
The man fell to his knees as the burning blade transformed into an orange light that flowed back towards Shionne, back on her feet. More accurately, back to the small orb that glowed with orange light from within. When the light had been completely reabsorbed, the orb sank down into Shionne's chest.
"What was that?" Marta asked.
"I have no idea. So much was happening all at once." David said. "Wait, I thought Raine said the Renan Lords have the Master Cores. Why does she have one?"
"Maybe… That's why those knights are after her. Because she stole it." Sectonia said.
"You okay?" Iron Mask asked Shionne, rising to his feet. The Renan turned to answer, only to let out a gasp of shock.
"Your arms!" Shionne called out.
"Hm?" Iron Mask asked, just noticing his charred, orange-glowing arms. "Oh, yeah. How about that? Guess it's just as well that I can't feel it, huh?"
"Hold still." Shionne said, holding her hands over Iron Mask's wounds before a blue light washed over them, restoring them to normal. "It's one of my healing artes."
"He's not feeling any pain. So… He can safely touch her without getting hurt." David said.
"Hm, a man numb to pain, and a woman whose touch causes pain." Sir Saiyan noted. "Then the sword which burns the user, and a healing arte that mends them… quite the pair, wouldn't you agree?"
Yes…I would say so." the man with the armored arm said.
"A double-edged sword." Veigue said.
"These two… I can feel it." David said. "They are going to be the keys to changing the course of this world."
"Oh uh…sorry Mr…" Frosta said to the man.
"Zephyr." he said. "And don't worry. We have another base that the others escaped to." he said.
"Shall we go meet up with them?" Sectonia asked.
"Yeah…definitely." Zephyr II said.
Following Zephyr II, the group headed to an area where there was more fire and brimstone than anywhere else in the region.
"Hoo… This place is a little heated." David said.
"I don't see anything wrong with it." Kokoro said.
"Maybe because you're a dragon." Shantae said.
"Yeah, probably." Kokoro said.
"Whoa…" Natsu said seeing a large fiery rock.
"That's where the lord of this land, Balseph, resides." Shionne said.
"That crag? Hmm… It looks pretty high up." David said. "I'd imagine his chamber would be pretty heavily guarded too."
"Well, he is a Renan Lord, after all. Someone of that status should be expected to have a lot of guards protecting them." Leonora said.
"You got that right." Zephyr II nodded. "And that's not the only thing. See that wall next to it?" he asked, pointing to the large wall with a skull on it. "The Gates of Fire. Take a long look while you still can, because that's what we've come to tear down. The only thing standing between us and freedom."
"Freedom…" Iron Mask repeated.
"Yes. This will be our first step to taking back this world." Zacian said.
"I think we should get Iron Mask into proper clothes first." Mayumi said.
"Once we get to Ulzebek, we can get him fit for some new wares." Zephyr II said. "We just have to cross through this ravine. Hope you people don't mind handling the heat."
"Some of us wouldn't mind. We can handle this." Kurochi said.
"Yes. We have handled far worse." Himeno said.
"Yeah…besides…there are things we should get straight." Hope said, looking to Shionne.
"Yes. There are a few things we would like to ask you." David said.
"Let's start with the most important question." Zephyr said. "What business would a Renan have stealing a Master Core? And what's the deal with that Blazing Sword?"
"That Blazing Sword can only be created by me. As for my purpose…I am working to slay all of the Renan Lords." Shionne said.
"Slay them all? You can't be serious." Kabuki said.
"Oh, I know the look in her eyes. She is very serious." David said.
"I like the cut of her jib, even if she's a Renan." Zephyr II said. "And the first lord on the chopping block should be Balseph."
"Think it would be okay if we help you accomplish the goal of taking them all down?" Hope said.
"We may not look like it, but we can hold our own in a fight. Plus, we have our own reasons for wanting to defeat the Renan Lords." Sectonia said.
"Fine by me. After all, it sounds like we're after the same thing anyway." Shionne said.
"What about you, Iron Mask?" Adora asked.
"Honestly, I'm still a little confused by all this…but if it's a choice between this or going back to slavery... Then I choose to fight." the man said.
"Then it's settled. Together we'll overthrow the Renan Lords, starting with Balseph, the 'Wild Beast'." Zephyr II said.