Chapter 16: Darkness into Light

'Just a few more flights and I'm there.'

"Hey Bann."

'Gearfried, good to see you.'

"Same with you. I have a bad feeling."

'So do I, but we need to continue.'

"Dar… Dark Magician Girl? Pikeru?"

"Master! You are awake!"

Zakei turned his head slightly to see Dark Magician Girl's blood soaked hand. She held a long skinny dagger in it.

'What happened to me?'

"A dark aura overcame Tiamat and he stabbed you. You mustn't move. Pikeru is healing your wounds."

'Alright. Tell me something. I didn't summon either of you. How did you appear?'

"I think that as your power grows, so do we."

"Right." 'I remember now. During the duel with Avicenna, you and Dark Magician spoke to me. How is that possible? Can my own power be giving you life?'

"It's possible."

"I have to… get up…"

"Master, you are still too weak."

"I'm fine. I can walk at least. Besides, my friends need help also. Pikeru, tend to Morgen. I will help Tiamat."

Pikeru hopped off to Morgen and started to cast her healing spell on him. Zakei slowly got up with the help of Dark Magician Girl. He rubbed his gut where the wound had been. Pikeru hadn't finished healing it so it was still quite soar, but at least it was closed. He walked over to Tiamat and started to cast his own healing spell. It wasn't strong, but he would at least revive him.

"Zakei."

"Wa… whoa," Zakei fell backwards. "Warrior Dai Grepher? You aren't in my Creepool."

"Since you too can interact with your Cree, I can now interact with you. Please, you must heal Master Tiamat. He didn't mean to cause such harm."

"I know. I'll do what I can."

"Thank you."

Zakei started to recite the spell again and looked over at Pikeru, who was contently talking to Masaki while she healed Morgen.

"So you guys can talk to each other too. Hmm, what do you talk about?"

"Whatever pops into our heads. We know what you know," Dark Magician Girl answered him.

'Oh, well just don't give away my secrets,' Zakei thought to her, giving her a wink.

Dark Magician Girl blushed and walked over to Pikeru. Pikeru looked like quite the chatterbox, and she was cute too. She also was quite handy with her healing charm, since Morgen started to sputter and woke up.

"Pikeru, give Morgen enough energy to walk and then help me here, please."

She turned and gave Zakei a smile. "Okay."

"Get up Jigen."

A boy with red hair and silver armor, covered with large, blue, eye-shaped gems. He sat at Jigen's side, nudging him to get up.

"Come on Jigen."

"It's no good. I can't get Recks up either."

"We have to keep trying. Hey, maybe the others can help us. You stay here and I'll look for them."

"Alright, go ahead Dimensional Warrior."

"Seeya!" Dimensional Warrior waved at Cave Girl as he jumped through a portal and vanished.

"Hurry up. Recks, hang on."

"One soul, huh? I don't know how you do your math, so let's figure it out. I activate Zero Recovery to Special Summon Mercury."

Rooko's blue angel reappeared on the field. It was kneeling down and it crossed its arms over its chest to protect itself.

"Another weak move by a weak opponent. My turn and I summon my Shadowknight Archfiend!"

A dark skeletal knight appeared on the field. Long blue hair flowed from his head and long glowing red blade replaced his right arm. His left arm was shield-like with a large glowing red claw at the bottom.

"Attack Mercury."

Mercury didn't stand a chance and Shadowknight sliced right through him.

"Cast two spells and end turn."

"My turn. Good, I cast two spells and summon the Agent of Force, Mars." 'Right now it has no attack power, but hopefully, I can change that.' "I end my turn."

A red angel appeared on the field. He held a long-handled hammer and had bluish wings with a red tint. A red tunic adorned his muscular body.

"Good, my turn. I activate Archfiend's Oath and pay some of my life to add more Cree to my mind. Monster Cree."

A dark red aura wrapped around Sinwraith. It moved towards his hands, which he cupped as it collected into a red orb of concentrated dark energy.

"Now I summon the Cree I just collected."

Sinwraith lifted his right arm. In it, the orb of energy sat and lifted in the air, exploding in a flash of bright red. As the light faded, a large skeletal demon stood up. He had a bulbous head that looked like a crown and long, red robes draping his body. In his black hands, he held a dark blue sword. His eyes glowed in the same red light as the orb.

"Meet Terrokind Archfiend."

"You fool. If you don't beat me now, then you will lose."

"Trust me, you will lose. I activate Double Attack. I transfer the power of Skull Archfiend of Lightning to my Terrorking to let him attack twice. Then I sacrifice my knight so I can strike the final blow with my king."

Terrorking lifted his sword and flew at Rooko.

"I won't die. Light of Judgment!"

The sanctuary erupted in light. It shot upwards and crashed back down on Terrorking Archfiend. The intense light vaporized the creature of darkness.

"Don't you see? In this realm of chaos, we aren't equal anymore. Don't you see? If I strike you down now, I fear no risk to endanger myself. In fact, we are completely separate, but it is time for that separation to end. I was wrong to lock away my feelings. I was wrong about many things. But it is time to accept the darkness. Say goodbye Sinwraith."

"Quite the speech. But I will prove you wrong. I use Desrook Archfiend to revive my Terrorking. Then I cast a spell and end my turn."

'Damn. I was going to attack him with Mars. Our new difference in life gave him enough power to beat him in a direct strike. What should I do?' "I have to finish this now. My turn. I cast two spells and activate Beckoning Light."

The sanctuary glowed again, this time in a much fainter light. An orb of pure white light shined at the top like a lighthouse beacon. Archlord Zerato, Saturn, Mercury, and Venus appeared in front of the sanctuary and then vanished.

"Next, I sacrifice Mars to summon Saturn to the field."

Mars vanished from the field and Saturn, the violet angel, took its place.

"Now I can use Saturn's special ability to strike your soul directly, just like your Terroking did. However, the damage you receive will be equal to the difference between the amount of life we have left. Seeing as I have much more than you, prepare for the end."

Saturn's purple aura thickened. She vanished within it, leaving the field soaked in the black light.

"No, I can't be beaten. Not this way!"

Sinwraith's eyes widened and he laughed maliciously as he pulled out an oddly marked golden gun. He aimed it at Rooko… and fired.

BANG

The shot rang throughout the space they were in, hitting its target and dropping Rooko to the ground.

"You see? We are equal once again! We are one and the same!"

"I… am not the same as you. I activate Silent Doom, Special Summoning Warrior of Zera. Then I transform him into Archlord Zerato. Now, attack with Light Force!"

Zerato lifted his mighty sword, absorbing a vast amount of electricity into it, which it shot like a cannon at Terrorking.

"I wanted to make this fair. If you can defeat Zerato on the next turn, I will give up. But if you can't… you die, and I swear it."

"Good, good. You are truly starting to act like me. Your malice is unmatched. My turn, and I start with Archfiend's Roar. Now, at the cost of some more life, I can summon another Archfiend to the field. Meet my Skull Archfiend of Lightning. Next, I use Falling Down to take over your Archlord!"

Zerato transformed into Mazera and flew to the opposite side of the field.

"Now you die. Mazera DeVille, attack!"

Mazera lifted its mighty claw and flew at Rooko.

'I won't die.' "Activate Hallowed Life Barrier."

A barrier of light surrounded Rooko. Mazera's claw's bounced off the shield, purifying him and changing him back into Zerato.

"No, you knew I couldn't win. You knew and you set the trap for me."

Skull Archfiend crumbled and vanished into dust. Zerato turned around lifted its sword, and struck Sinwraith.

"Quickly, this way."

"Right behind you Zakei."

Zakei, Tiamat, and Morgen ran up three flights of steps and down a hallway leading to the turret base. Zakei had finally managed to heal both of them thanks to Pikeru. They were done sitting around hurried to help Bann and the others.

"Rooko? Rooko-sensei?"

"Zakei? Tiamat and Morgen too. Good, you are alright. From what the others told me, I feared the worst." Rooko explained as he turned toward them and gave them a faint smile.

"Rooko-sensei, you're injured."

"I'll be alright. It is Bann who needs your help now."

"Teacher, do wish some assistance?"

"No, no. I have other things I must attend to at the moment. You three must help the others. They are already on their way to the top of the tower. Go ahead. I will meet with you all later. Oh, you will need this. Lady Janime instructed me to give it to Bann, but I wasn't able to."

Rooko reached into his pocket and pulled out a small crest. It was an embroidered blue shield with two swords, a green star, and the letter "B" sewn into it.

"B for Bann, remember that. I must go," Rooko told them as he put the crest into Zakei's hand, pulled the hood of his cloak over his head, turned and walked off.

Zakei watched Rooko for a second, then looked at the crest, and placed it into his pocket. He then walked into the stairway and headed up the stairs. Tiamat and Morgen followed.

'Almost there. Just a little farther. There! I can see the end of the stairway.'

"We are ready at your side, Lord Bann," Gearfried ran just behind him, his Iron armor not tiring him one bit.

Bann reached the top, pushed open the trap door, and…

Next time on City of Fire: Dark Beginnings