Dark Moon & Midnight Shadows
ch 18
Argo stepped back slightly in surprise. "We saw that Badamon destroyed you three..."
"Actually, what you saw, was only an illusion, a mere parlor trick. To be quiet honest with you Argo, I'm very surprised that you were so easy to convince of that deception, more so than the troopers." Lao replied with an arrogant smirk.
Argo's eyes flared with such anger that when he reached his power level the whole place started to shake, and then it stopped. "What the? Is he that crazy? What is he trying to do, bring the whole place down on top of us?" Shu asked in annoyance as he quickly made his way back to the others.
Touma took a quick look around, and then a frown came upon his face. "No, I don't think that's Lao's intent Shu."
Shu glances towards him in confusion. "Then what does that crazy maniac have in mind?"
"Look down at the ground and tell me what you see." Touma replied as he motioned to the long and deep crevices that covered every inch of the ground. Deep
down into these crevices, fire burst through the bigger areas, causing more of the ground to give way, and fall into the molten lava.
'I'm not going to look, I'm not going to look..'Shu looked down and there was crawling out of the molten abyss was a dragon made completely of fire. 'I had to look, damn.'
"You looked didn't you?" Touma asked as he glanced over at him. "I told you not to look."
"Hey, mind cutting out the I told you so until later. In case you've forgotten, we're in major trouble here." Shu replied as he got ready to fight.
"Ok, anyone have an idea of how we're suppose to fight those three, Argo, Badamon, and that thing, and still stay alive?" Kasura asked as they all formed a circle with their backs to each other.
"No question, we're going to need the Inferno." Seji replied as he kept his eyes on them.
"I agree, but what effect will it have on us in our weakened state?" Ryo asked in concern.
"We'll worry about that later, but right now, I think that we have to call it, or we won't live to find out the answer." Seji replied as he was ready. The others nodded and then sent their powers into Ryo. Shortly, the Inferno armor was created.
"That was definitely not expected." Lao mused as he looked over to them. "I didn't think that was possible, but it doesn't matter..."
"What do you mean, it doesn't matter? Of course it does! They have more power on their side!" Meih asked in disbelief.
"Don't you see? They only have one shot at using the Inferno's power, but they have to decide on which is more of a threat, Argo, or my fire dragon. Either way, they won't win." Lao replied with a smirk, as he sent his fire dragon to attack the troopers and Kasura.
"Everyone, get behind me!" Ryo said as he got into defensive position.
"Nani!? Ryo, are you out of your mind?" Kasura asked in disbelief.
"At the moment, it's the only idea that's keeping us alive. Besides, I'll be able to take most of the attack." Ryo replied as he glanced back.
"Kasura, he's right, his armor is the Rekka, so fire won't phase him, it'll only make him stronger." Seji explained.
"I still think that you are totally out of your mind." Kasura replied as she glanced over at Ryo as she and the others got behind him. When Ryo knew that they were all behind him, he got into defensive position and was ready for whatever Lao and his dragon had in mind. Lao made a few quick motions and then his dragon attacked them. Swooping up and around, creating a circle of fire. Then as it was high in the air, it started to dive bomb them, and then at the absolute last second, Lao turned the dragon from them and onto Argo. "Rekka, call upon the Inferno's power!"
Ryo gave a quick nod, and then called out, "rage of Inferno!" as the attack followed that of the fire dragon's.
"What!?" Argo asked in a surprised tone. He started to put up a force field to fend off from the attack, but it was too late. Lao and his dragon, along with Ryo's Inferno, laid out Argo fast. The troopers and Kasura couldn't believe their eyes.
"What, why would he..?" Seji asked in totally confusion.
"No way! That's all it took for Argo to get killed off?!" Touma asked in disbelief.
"Looks like it." Shin replied as the Inferno started to fade away.
"Wha..What going on?!" Ryo asked in surprise.
A sound of evil laughter rang out. "What's the matter, troopers? You look so surprised." Lao asked with a grin on his face as he, Meih and Tahi turned around to face them.
"What's going on? Why is the Inferno fading?" Seji asked back as they glared at them.
"See, when Ryo called upon the Inferno's attack, well let's just say that my fire dragon absorbed all of the power from the armor, and well, to say the least, it left all of you rather powerless." Lao replied with a laugh. "Now I suggest that you all say goodbye to this world, for none of you will see the light of day ever again!" Lao had his fire dragon turn around and face the troopers and Kasura. Then it started to slowly advance towards them, and as it was getting closer, the fire dragon's speed increased, until it was nothing but a stream of fire.
'No, I can't let it end this way. It's not right!' Kasura thought in desperation. Just before the fire dragon was going to attack, a silver light emanated around Kasura
and then it shot up and created a field around her and the troopers. The dragon hit the field and it vaporized, Lao, Meih, and Tahi couldn't believe their eyes as his creation evaporated into nothing.
"How...How could this be possible?! They should be powerless..." Meih asked in surprise as Kasura's field faded from around them.
"Kasura!" Shu said in alarm as he caught her before she fell to the ground.
"Shu...You're al ok." Kasura replied quietly as she looked over towards him as he held onto her.
"Yeah, we're all ok." Shu said with a reassuring smile.
"Unless..." Tahi started to say as she mused over the possibility.
"Unless what, Tahi?" Meih asked in annoyance.
"It's only a long shot, but I believe that they were able to be protected from Lao's dragon was because the Gaijin's armor doesn't come from Argos, but the troopers do." Tahi explained as she looked between them.
"Sounds logical to me, so then, do you have any ideas of how to get rid of them?" Meih asked as she was getting majorly angry.
"They are the least of your worries...You should be more worried about what I'm going to do to you." Badamon replied as he was powering up.
"Wha...Master, but why?" Lao asked as they turned around and faced him.
"Your usefulness to me is over. Now, you die." Badamon replied as he shot an attack towards them. Lao, Meih, and Tahi braced themselves for the attack. They stood unwavering, knowing that this was it for them. But at the very last second, something deflected his attack. Badamon's eyes flared angrily as he was looking around the room trying to see what happened. Lao, Meih, and Tahi were also in confusion.
"Who.." Lao asked as he looked over to where the troopers and Kasura were standing. "I don't believe it, she was the one?"
"But why...I don't understand, why did she save us, even after everything that we did to her?" Meih asked in confusion.
"Because, even though you three are close to evil incarnate, you're in some minute way are still human...But you're no where as evil as him." Kasura replied as she
motioned over to Badamon.
"How good of you to notice, Tora...As soon as I'm done with all of you, then the Dynasty and the Earth realm will both be mine!" Badamon said as he started to chant.
"He's joking...He's got to be joking, right?" Shu asked in disbelief.
"It doesn't look like it Shu." Touma replied as he got into defensive position.
"I was afraid that you were going to say that." Shu said as he and the others followed Touma's lead.
"Nether spirits....Come!" Badamon ordered as his eyes snapped open and he finished his chant.
The nether spirits flew out of every nook and cranny of where they were. "Any one have any bright ideas? Because, we could use them right about now." Seji asked
as the nether spirits started to circle them. Lao looked on with a frown, he knew that he came to a decision, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to come to terms with what he had to do.
'I don't have a choice, if I don't do this, then we're all history. Besides, I have a debt to repay, and I hate having debts.' Lao thought as he got ready.
"Lao, what are you doing?" Meih asked as she saw him take out a dagger.
"I'm saving their lives." Lao replied as his eyes narrowed at her.
"You're what?! Why!?" Meih asked in disbelief.
"You know why, Meih, now either you and Tahi can help me or I'll do it myself. So, what's it going to be?" Lao asked back.
Meih frowned as she looked towards Lao, and then turned her attention towards the troopers and Kasura as they were trying to fight the nether spirits. "Alright, I'll help you."
"Thank you, Meih. Tahi, what about you?" Lao asked as he looked over towards her.
"Fine. I'm in as well, but don't think that I'm doing it because I'm helping them, I'm doing it because you asked me to." Tahi replied in a huff.
"That's good enough for me. Now I suggest that you two get into position. I'm going to use the binding spell, and then we'll take it from there." Lao explained, "are you two ready?" Meih and Tahi looked at each other, and then at Lao, they nodded and got quickly into position.
"What the? Hey, what are they doing?!" Shin asked as he noticed that the three were in a triangle formation.
"I don't know, but it looks like to me that Lao has something in mind." Touma replied as he and the others glanced over towards them.
"Badamon! You're finished!" Lao said with conviction as he made a long cut along his arm and just let his blood run down.
"What!? You dare to defy me!? Well then, your bold move shall be your undoing!" Badamon replied as he concentrated now on Lao, Meih, and Tahi.
"Don't bet on it!" Meih said with anger in her eyes. The three started to glow as Lao was chanting.
"Wha...I don't recognize this!?" Badamon said in disbelief as he looked around at the three, as the gates of the triangle started to encase him and the three that surrounded him. "If you continue this, then you'll all perish as well. Are you ready to accept that fate?"
"We know, and we're more than ready to accept that fate, even if it means we perish along with you!" Lao replied with conviction. As they talked the triangle started to change color and raise even higher.
"Hey, something's happening..." Ryo said as he looked around.
"The nether spirits, they're disappearing!" Touma replied as they were fading one by one.
"NO! You can't do this!" Badamon exclaimed as the triangle hit as high as it's going to go, and then the top of it started to close.
"Badamon, I've got news for you...It's being done! Say goodbye!" Lao replied angrily as he narrowed his eyes and finished his spell. Badamon, as well as Lao, Meih, and Tahi yelled in excruciating pain, a bright light emitted from the triangle, and then vanished completely, leaving nothing but a large triangle shape was carved into the floor and smoke rising from the ground. The nether spirits were finally gone, and the troopers along with Kasura breathed a sigh of relief.
"Is it over?" Kasura asked as she looked over to Shu.
"Yeah, it's over." Shu replied as he looked around to the others as he pulled her close to him.
"Let's go home." Ryo said as he lead them away.
A few days later...
"So, this is what your life is like." Kasura said as she looked up at the moon from the balcony.
"Yeah, pretty much." Shu replied as he was starting to get a little nervous about the conversation. He was wondering where she was going with it. Was she trying to find a way to tell him that she's going to leave? Or something else entirely?
"I see." Kasura said quietly.
"Kasura...I have to know, where are you going with this conversation? Do...Do you want to leave? Is that why you're asking?" Shu asked in curiosity.
Kasura waited a few minutes before answering. The few minutes felt like eternity for Shu as he anxiously waited for her answer. She took a deep breath, "Shu, no, I don't want to leave. I want to stay with you, but if you don't want me to, then I'll understand." Kasura replied as she glanced over to him.
"You...You want to stay?" Shu asked, "what? No, of course I want you to stay...You're the best thing that happened in my life, and I wouldn't know what to do if you weren't in it. So please, Kasura, don't leave."
"Shu.." Kasura replied as she turned to face him. The two slowly approached each other, and then as they got close enough, they embraced each other and kissed passionately under the full moon.
ch 18
Argo stepped back slightly in surprise. "We saw that Badamon destroyed you three..."
"Actually, what you saw, was only an illusion, a mere parlor trick. To be quiet honest with you Argo, I'm very surprised that you were so easy to convince of that deception, more so than the troopers." Lao replied with an arrogant smirk.
Argo's eyes flared with such anger that when he reached his power level the whole place started to shake, and then it stopped. "What the? Is he that crazy? What is he trying to do, bring the whole place down on top of us?" Shu asked in annoyance as he quickly made his way back to the others.
Touma took a quick look around, and then a frown came upon his face. "No, I don't think that's Lao's intent Shu."
Shu glances towards him in confusion. "Then what does that crazy maniac have in mind?"
"Look down at the ground and tell me what you see." Touma replied as he motioned to the long and deep crevices that covered every inch of the ground. Deep
down into these crevices, fire burst through the bigger areas, causing more of the ground to give way, and fall into the molten lava.
'I'm not going to look, I'm not going to look..'Shu looked down and there was crawling out of the molten abyss was a dragon made completely of fire. 'I had to look, damn.'
"You looked didn't you?" Touma asked as he glanced over at him. "I told you not to look."
"Hey, mind cutting out the I told you so until later. In case you've forgotten, we're in major trouble here." Shu replied as he got ready to fight.
"Ok, anyone have an idea of how we're suppose to fight those three, Argo, Badamon, and that thing, and still stay alive?" Kasura asked as they all formed a circle with their backs to each other.
"No question, we're going to need the Inferno." Seji replied as he kept his eyes on them.
"I agree, but what effect will it have on us in our weakened state?" Ryo asked in concern.
"We'll worry about that later, but right now, I think that we have to call it, or we won't live to find out the answer." Seji replied as he was ready. The others nodded and then sent their powers into Ryo. Shortly, the Inferno armor was created.
"That was definitely not expected." Lao mused as he looked over to them. "I didn't think that was possible, but it doesn't matter..."
"What do you mean, it doesn't matter? Of course it does! They have more power on their side!" Meih asked in disbelief.
"Don't you see? They only have one shot at using the Inferno's power, but they have to decide on which is more of a threat, Argo, or my fire dragon. Either way, they won't win." Lao replied with a smirk, as he sent his fire dragon to attack the troopers and Kasura.
"Everyone, get behind me!" Ryo said as he got into defensive position.
"Nani!? Ryo, are you out of your mind?" Kasura asked in disbelief.
"At the moment, it's the only idea that's keeping us alive. Besides, I'll be able to take most of the attack." Ryo replied as he glanced back.
"Kasura, he's right, his armor is the Rekka, so fire won't phase him, it'll only make him stronger." Seji explained.
"I still think that you are totally out of your mind." Kasura replied as she glanced over at Ryo as she and the others got behind him. When Ryo knew that they were all behind him, he got into defensive position and was ready for whatever Lao and his dragon had in mind. Lao made a few quick motions and then his dragon attacked them. Swooping up and around, creating a circle of fire. Then as it was high in the air, it started to dive bomb them, and then at the absolute last second, Lao turned the dragon from them and onto Argo. "Rekka, call upon the Inferno's power!"
Ryo gave a quick nod, and then called out, "rage of Inferno!" as the attack followed that of the fire dragon's.
"What!?" Argo asked in a surprised tone. He started to put up a force field to fend off from the attack, but it was too late. Lao and his dragon, along with Ryo's Inferno, laid out Argo fast. The troopers and Kasura couldn't believe their eyes.
"What, why would he..?" Seji asked in totally confusion.
"No way! That's all it took for Argo to get killed off?!" Touma asked in disbelief.
"Looks like it." Shin replied as the Inferno started to fade away.
"Wha..What going on?!" Ryo asked in surprise.
A sound of evil laughter rang out. "What's the matter, troopers? You look so surprised." Lao asked with a grin on his face as he, Meih and Tahi turned around to face them.
"What's going on? Why is the Inferno fading?" Seji asked back as they glared at them.
"See, when Ryo called upon the Inferno's attack, well let's just say that my fire dragon absorbed all of the power from the armor, and well, to say the least, it left all of you rather powerless." Lao replied with a laugh. "Now I suggest that you all say goodbye to this world, for none of you will see the light of day ever again!" Lao had his fire dragon turn around and face the troopers and Kasura. Then it started to slowly advance towards them, and as it was getting closer, the fire dragon's speed increased, until it was nothing but a stream of fire.
'No, I can't let it end this way. It's not right!' Kasura thought in desperation. Just before the fire dragon was going to attack, a silver light emanated around Kasura
and then it shot up and created a field around her and the troopers. The dragon hit the field and it vaporized, Lao, Meih, and Tahi couldn't believe their eyes as his creation evaporated into nothing.
"How...How could this be possible?! They should be powerless..." Meih asked in surprise as Kasura's field faded from around them.
"Kasura!" Shu said in alarm as he caught her before she fell to the ground.
"Shu...You're al ok." Kasura replied quietly as she looked over towards him as he held onto her.
"Yeah, we're all ok." Shu said with a reassuring smile.
"Unless..." Tahi started to say as she mused over the possibility.
"Unless what, Tahi?" Meih asked in annoyance.
"It's only a long shot, but I believe that they were able to be protected from Lao's dragon was because the Gaijin's armor doesn't come from Argos, but the troopers do." Tahi explained as she looked between them.
"Sounds logical to me, so then, do you have any ideas of how to get rid of them?" Meih asked as she was getting majorly angry.
"They are the least of your worries...You should be more worried about what I'm going to do to you." Badamon replied as he was powering up.
"Wha...Master, but why?" Lao asked as they turned around and faced him.
"Your usefulness to me is over. Now, you die." Badamon replied as he shot an attack towards them. Lao, Meih, and Tahi braced themselves for the attack. They stood unwavering, knowing that this was it for them. But at the very last second, something deflected his attack. Badamon's eyes flared angrily as he was looking around the room trying to see what happened. Lao, Meih, and Tahi were also in confusion.
"Who.." Lao asked as he looked over to where the troopers and Kasura were standing. "I don't believe it, she was the one?"
"But why...I don't understand, why did she save us, even after everything that we did to her?" Meih asked in confusion.
"Because, even though you three are close to evil incarnate, you're in some minute way are still human...But you're no where as evil as him." Kasura replied as she
motioned over to Badamon.
"How good of you to notice, Tora...As soon as I'm done with all of you, then the Dynasty and the Earth realm will both be mine!" Badamon said as he started to chant.
"He's joking...He's got to be joking, right?" Shu asked in disbelief.
"It doesn't look like it Shu." Touma replied as he got into defensive position.
"I was afraid that you were going to say that." Shu said as he and the others followed Touma's lead.
"Nether spirits....Come!" Badamon ordered as his eyes snapped open and he finished his chant.
The nether spirits flew out of every nook and cranny of where they were. "Any one have any bright ideas? Because, we could use them right about now." Seji asked
as the nether spirits started to circle them. Lao looked on with a frown, he knew that he came to a decision, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to come to terms with what he had to do.
'I don't have a choice, if I don't do this, then we're all history. Besides, I have a debt to repay, and I hate having debts.' Lao thought as he got ready.
"Lao, what are you doing?" Meih asked as she saw him take out a dagger.
"I'm saving their lives." Lao replied as his eyes narrowed at her.
"You're what?! Why!?" Meih asked in disbelief.
"You know why, Meih, now either you and Tahi can help me or I'll do it myself. So, what's it going to be?" Lao asked back.
Meih frowned as she looked towards Lao, and then turned her attention towards the troopers and Kasura as they were trying to fight the nether spirits. "Alright, I'll help you."
"Thank you, Meih. Tahi, what about you?" Lao asked as he looked over towards her.
"Fine. I'm in as well, but don't think that I'm doing it because I'm helping them, I'm doing it because you asked me to." Tahi replied in a huff.
"That's good enough for me. Now I suggest that you two get into position. I'm going to use the binding spell, and then we'll take it from there." Lao explained, "are you two ready?" Meih and Tahi looked at each other, and then at Lao, they nodded and got quickly into position.
"What the? Hey, what are they doing?!" Shin asked as he noticed that the three were in a triangle formation.
"I don't know, but it looks like to me that Lao has something in mind." Touma replied as he and the others glanced over towards them.
"Badamon! You're finished!" Lao said with conviction as he made a long cut along his arm and just let his blood run down.
"What!? You dare to defy me!? Well then, your bold move shall be your undoing!" Badamon replied as he concentrated now on Lao, Meih, and Tahi.
"Don't bet on it!" Meih said with anger in her eyes. The three started to glow as Lao was chanting.
"Wha...I don't recognize this!?" Badamon said in disbelief as he looked around at the three, as the gates of the triangle started to encase him and the three that surrounded him. "If you continue this, then you'll all perish as well. Are you ready to accept that fate?"
"We know, and we're more than ready to accept that fate, even if it means we perish along with you!" Lao replied with conviction. As they talked the triangle started to change color and raise even higher.
"Hey, something's happening..." Ryo said as he looked around.
"The nether spirits, they're disappearing!" Touma replied as they were fading one by one.
"NO! You can't do this!" Badamon exclaimed as the triangle hit as high as it's going to go, and then the top of it started to close.
"Badamon, I've got news for you...It's being done! Say goodbye!" Lao replied angrily as he narrowed his eyes and finished his spell. Badamon, as well as Lao, Meih, and Tahi yelled in excruciating pain, a bright light emitted from the triangle, and then vanished completely, leaving nothing but a large triangle shape was carved into the floor and smoke rising from the ground. The nether spirits were finally gone, and the troopers along with Kasura breathed a sigh of relief.
"Is it over?" Kasura asked as she looked over to Shu.
"Yeah, it's over." Shu replied as he looked around to the others as he pulled her close to him.
"Let's go home." Ryo said as he lead them away.
A few days later...
"So, this is what your life is like." Kasura said as she looked up at the moon from the balcony.
"Yeah, pretty much." Shu replied as he was starting to get a little nervous about the conversation. He was wondering where she was going with it. Was she trying to find a way to tell him that she's going to leave? Or something else entirely?
"I see." Kasura said quietly.
"Kasura...I have to know, where are you going with this conversation? Do...Do you want to leave? Is that why you're asking?" Shu asked in curiosity.
Kasura waited a few minutes before answering. The few minutes felt like eternity for Shu as he anxiously waited for her answer. She took a deep breath, "Shu, no, I don't want to leave. I want to stay with you, but if you don't want me to, then I'll understand." Kasura replied as she glanced over to him.
"You...You want to stay?" Shu asked, "what? No, of course I want you to stay...You're the best thing that happened in my life, and I wouldn't know what to do if you weren't in it. So please, Kasura, don't leave."
"Shu.." Kasura replied as she turned to face him. The two slowly approached each other, and then as they got close enough, they embraced each other and kissed passionately under the full moon.