Chapter 15: A mystery challenger
"LANCAR! Do you read? Lancar, are you there? Over!" Cliff asked frantically over the communicator in the New Diplo while his assistants tried their best to establish connection.
"No good, Captain…" One assistant said. "There is nothing but static, and no sort of connection whatsoever."
"Damn, how is that so?" Cliff asked. "Our ship is equipped with the best communication devices available! We should have been able to gotten through to them hours ago!"
"Cliff… maybe they're still in Daemoneum?" Sophia said with concern. "Maybe they're not back yet…"
"But we talked to them last over two days ago! If everything went according to plan, they should have been out of there hours ago…" Cliff said with a sigh. "There mission should have been complete… don't tell me they didn't make it out?"
"It's probably taking them longer than expected…" Sophia replied. "We can't give up hope, Cliff. We all know how strong they are… I'm very sure that they're safe!"
"Shit…" Cliff cursed in disgusted voice as he walked away from the static that was coming from the communicator. "We better hope that you're right…"
"Captain! We got new information from Edifice… Edifice… has been completely destroyed!" an Assistant yelled in panic. "We're getting no response from the investigation team that went down there hours ago... we've… lost signal…"
"WHAT?" Cliff yelled, "I know it was an Underdeveloped Planet, but how can they take it out so quickly?"
"It looks like the demons took control of the planet's own defense system technologies…" the Assistant replied. "Edifice was known to have many ancient ruins with traces of advanced technology… It is our belief that the demons manipulated them to use it against their own planet…"
"No… Maria…" Sophia muttered in disbelief.
"Captain! Intelligence team in the Vanguard system reports that there's been new sighting of Demons confirmed in Vanguard III!" Another Assistant reported. "Our ships have been forced to retreat from Hyda system… there's too many of them… and Expellian forces have been forced to retreat to the Cross continent! It's matter of time before they're done for! They're… everywhere!"
"Oh no…." Sophia said in very concerned voice, both her hands covering her mouth.
"DAMN!" Cliff cursed again. "This is even worse than what happened two years ago! Come on! Lancar… Where are you?"
"Ugh…" Clair moaned as she slowly opened her eyes to the blazing sunshine high above in the sky. "What… where…" She wondered as she looked around.
"Ah… What happened…" Albel asked as he got up from the ground full of sand. "And where the hell are we…"
"Err… is everybody okay…" Farleen asked as she got up also, helping Roger up to his feet.
"Damn… so where did that demon go?" Lancar asked as he got up to look around. What he saw was completely different from what they have remembered seeing moments ago; they were in middle of an Island surrounded by a deep blue sea and ocean waves, with the sand on its ground glittering from the sunshine that was coming down from the clear blue sky.
"How the hell… did we get here?" Albel asked, totally confused.
"I… I did open the gates of the transporter again, when we were beaten by that demon…" Clair said. "He was about to deal the critical blow… I had to get us out of there, or we would have been…"
"That's okay!" Roger said with confidence. "We just have to go back in there again then! And this time we'll beat him!"
"I… I don't have the relic anymore!" Clair said in surprise as nothing was found in her hand or in her pocket. "It's not on the ground… did we lose it?"
"WHAT?" Albel yelled in disgust. "You mean we can't go back in there again, and we're just stuck here in this little Island that we have no idea about? Gah!"
"Where are we…" Farleen asked… "We're back in our dimension… but shouldn't we be in Greeton still? Why are we on some Island?"
"…Damn… no response." Lancar cursed, as he tried to contact Cliff via his communicator. "I've lost signal with Cliff… what's happened to them… even if they went to Edifice, the connection should be fine…"
"That demon…" Clair pondered in thought. "Why couldn't we hurt it? It was as if… he wasn't even there… we stood no chance from the start."
"Beh… it's because we weren't coordinated in our attacks!" Albel was convinced. "He just probably avoided all our attacks with an illusion or some type of fake image. He was able to hurt us, so we should be able to hurt him!"
"Well… he looked pretty real if you ask me…" Lancar said. "I don't think it was much of our own fault, but rather his strength and skill… he downed all of us with one single blow."
"Hmph!… he won't stand a chance next time, and when I do meet him next, I won't leave the bloody place until I have his head!" Albel said confidently.
"But how are we going to fight him again?" Farleen asked. "The relics are gone… we have no way to enter the Daemoneum… we are still not even sure of where we are right now!"
"Yeah… we need to get out of here for now! Then we'll think about… huh?" Roger stopped mid-sentence as he noticed a sound coming from something behind the rocks. He had heard a human voice.
"Wha…. There are people here? I didn't know there was anybody else that came to this Island except for me…" The voice said as the mystery man came out to show himself. He was a young teenager about Albel's height, with spiky blue hair, a shoulder pad with cape draping down from it, as well as a sword attached to his belt.
"Who are you people?" The mysterious teenager asked. "Hmm… you guys are all armed… don't tell me you guys come here to train, too? I thought I was the only one!"
"To train?" Clair asked.
"Enough babbling, worm." Albel said, as he reached back to his Katana. "You just tell us where we are right now, and I might spare your life… or if not, I'll be happy to force it out of you before killing you."
"Albel, you didn't have to say that… there is no need to fight!" Clair said, as she tried to intervene.
"Huh? Are you serious? Are you guys stranded or something? And that sword… you guys are fighters too, eh…" The mysterious teenager said, thinking about something for a second. "Perfect! I'll make a deal with you; if you beat me in a duel, then I'll tell you where we are!" The mysterious teenager challenged Albel, reaching back and unsheathing his Long Sword with excitement.
"Heh… another maggot that doesn't know his place," Albel sneered as he got ready for battle. "Fine, I suppose I can play with you for a while until you are in pain and begging me to stop."
"So that's a yes? Alright! You sure do look like a true fighter… don't disappoint me now!" The blue-haired teenager said as he charged towards Albel. "Then let's GO!"
"SHUT UP, WORM!" Albel yelled as he also charged toward at the boy. "KYAAA!"
Albel and the blue-haired teenager furiously exchanged numerous blows with their swords, matching each other slash by slash. Whatever Albel threw at the boy, he blocked, and whatever the boy threw at Albel, Albel blocked as well.
"… Whoa! You're not bad!" The teenager complimented Albel as he blocked another slash from Albel with his sword. "Haven't met anyone with your level of skill in ages!"
"Gahh… quiet, you!" Albel yelled, frustrated but certainly impressed at the level of the boy's skill as well. Eventually, he cornered the boy against the wall, seemingly in total control.
"Not bad, I admit," Albel said, readying to strike at the boy. "but you got nowhere to go now, worm. Now answer our question before I really kill you!"
"Heh… you haven't won YET!" The boy said as he slipped something down at Albel's feet without moving his arms or legs at all. It hooked itself up around Albel's ankles then pulled, tripping him and throwing him down on the ground.
"Gah… how dare you…" Albel cursed as he got up again. "Now I'm really going to… what the HELL?…" Albel yelled in surprise as he stared down at the blue-haired boy. There was something extending out from behind the man, something long and… furry.
"A Tail?" Roger yelled in surprise. "He has a tail?"
"I sure do. So what?" The mysterious boy said cockily as he jumped back and got ready for another attack. "You know what, you're pretty good…"
"So I think I'm gonna get pretty serious now. I'd dodge this if I were you… or you might really get hurt!" The boy said as he held his sword high and back, then slashing it towards where Albel was standing over in the distance. "AIR SLASH!"
"…WHAT?" Albel yelled in disbelief as he dodged the wind blast just in time, "How the hell?"
"Did… did he just do what I thought he did?" Lancar asked to rest of the group. "That's the same technique that Albel uses!"
"Crap, he dodged it! He really IS good!" the boy said in disappointment.
"I don't know how you managed to do that… but THIS is how you do it!" Albel yelled as he swung his katana back and slashed towards the boy. "AIR SLASH!"
"HUH?" The boy yelled as he jumped up to avoid the wind blast barely. "How… how do you know that technique?"
"Time to finish you, fool!" Albel yelled as he ran towards the boy with sword ready to strike.
"Err… take this!" The boy also yelled as he charged towards Albel also.
"DOUBLE SLASH!" Albel yelled, at the exact time the boy yelled "TWIN SLASH!". Both fighters made the powerful up-and-down swinging motion with their sword, canceling out each other's blows.
"What the?" Albel yelled again in bewilderment.
"How… how can you know… Okay, that's enough! Time out! Stop the fight!" The Blue-haired teenager said as he stopped fighting.
"Hmph! Backing out?" Albel taunted as the boy stepped back, his tail wagging in excitement and curiousity.
"Yeah… whatever… let's say you won then. But I have a question…" The boy asked. "How do you know those skills?"
"My old man taught me how to fight when I was young," Albel answered. "But that has nothing to do with the matter at hand. Tell us where we are, fool."
"From your father? So is he a top rank Federation Official or something?" The boy asked again. "Not many people these days know about the Edarlken sword style… only a privileged few can learn it!"
"Edarl…ken?" Albel asked. "What the hell is that?"
"Hey kid, did you say… Federation? How do you know about that?" Lancar asked.
"Err… you guys joking or something? Of course I know… who doesn't?" The boy said, confused on why Lancar asked the question. "You guys really have no idea where you are, huh? Fine… I'll tell you where we are… we're on a Deserted Island southeast of Sylvalant. I usually come here to train."
"Syl…valant?" Where is that?" Clair asked. "A city in Greeton?"
"Greeton?... I have no idea what you're talking about…" The boy said. "You guys are REALLY lost huh? Did your spaceship crash here or something? If it did, then you're on Planet Roak, for your information."
"ROAK?" Lancar asked in disbelief. "We're on… Roak?"
"Yes you are…" the boy said. "Oh, yeah, where are my manners… my name is Raditz Farrence by the way. Pleased to meet ya all."
Chapter 16: A new plan
"So let me get this straight…" Lancar asked, as everybody gathered under the blazing sun. "You mean we just traveled couple hundred light years, here… to Roak… instantly, just like that?"
"I don't really know about traveling instantly or anything," Raditz answered, "but this is definitely Roak… I can assure you. Where are YOU guys from, anyway?"
"Well, I'm a Klausian, myself," Lancar answered. "But rest of the group here are Elicoorians… they come from the Planet Elicoor II."
"Klausians, I've heard of, but… Eli…coor you say?…. I've never ever heard of a planet like that." Raditz said, scratching his head.
"That's natural…" Lancar said, "It's an Underdeveloped Planet. So not many people would know about it."
"…Um… I've heard from Nel about there being many other worlds out there…" Clair said, confused. "but I still can't really understand what happened…"
"From what this boy says, it's simple." Albel answered. "We somehow transported to another planet, far away from our own world."
"So you guys are really serious huh… you guys somehow just traveled… couple hundred light years in an instant?" Raditz asked, "Maybe it had something to do with this Island, then… the legend says that this Island used to be an entrance to Daemoneum… a Demon world, hundreds of years ago. That's why nobody comes to this Island anymore."
"Did you just say Daemoneum?" Farleen asked, with her and everybody else in total surprise. "We just came out of the Daemoneum! We were just there!"
"HUH?" Raditz yelled, stunned by what Farleen had just said. "You guys are seriously joking here, aren't you?"
"I'm afraid not." Lancar said. "Let me explain…"
"… So that's what happened to you guys…" Raditz commented quietly as Lancar had finished telling him the entire story. "I did hear the news about Demons breaking out in the other planets recently and that the Federation was fighting them… but I didn't actually think that the legend was true! There's really a place called the Daemoneum?"
"That's right." Clair said. "And the Demons in there are powerful… more powerful than anything we have imagined."
"If this legend is true… then… the story must be true too!" Raditz said, wagging his tail with excitement. "I never believed it myself… but… if you're telling the truth, the story has to be true, too!"
"The story?" Albel asked. "Care to explain?"
"There is a story that had been passed down from our ancestors from generations way back, about 700 years ago…" Raditz explained. "The story is that our ancestors travelled through time using something called the Time Gate, then entered the Daemoneum to defeat Asmodeus, the king of the demons!"
"The Time Gate?" Roger asked in surprise.
"Yeah… you guys ever heard of that?" Raditz asked.
"…We just didn't hear about it… we've been there." Albel confirmed.
"What?" Raditz responded in surprise.
"…That's a long story. But let me get this straight… your ancestors were able to enter the Daemoneum and KILL their King?" Albel asked.
"That's right… that's what the legend says." Raditz confirmed. "And it must be true, if you guys really just came from the Daemoneum… the place really exists!"
"So that means it's possible to enter the Daemoneum from this land too!" Clair said in hope. "Raditz, do you know the detailed story about this legend? Details on how to enter this place?" she asked.
"Well, unfortunately no…" Raditz replied. "But you know what… I think I know exactly where to go for that. Just follow me… I'm gonna help you guys out."
"Really? Where are you going?" Farleen asked.
"We should go to Clatos, my hometown!" Raditz said. "There are memoirs written by our ancestors long time ago in the town library… there's probably more detailed information in there!"
"That's great!" Clair said, now full of hope. "Maybe we can find out how to defeat those demons, too."
"If you're really telling us the truth…" Albel said, "then I guess we'll come with you."
"Trust me! I'm positive!" Raditz assured him, while running towards the shore. "There has to be something in the memoirs! Come on, follow me… This way!"
As the group followed Raditz to the shore, they saw him going into a small boat, getting the boat ready so that they can leave; he waved the party in to hurry up and come in.
"Get in the boat… it might be kinda small for all of us, but I think we're going to be fine…" Raditz said, as he explained where they are going to go. "We'll first take this boat to Sylvalant, then catch the ship that takes us to the Astral continent. From there, we can take another ship that goes straight to Clatos."
"Alright." Albel said. "Then let's get going already."
"By the way… I didn't get your names." Raditz asked.
"My name is Clair… pleased to meet you." Clair said, with a bow.
"I'm Roger!" Roger replied proudly.
"My name is Farleen! Nice to meet you!" Farleen said with a smile.
"…The name's Albel." Albel said.
"Again, good to meet you all! Alright then, let's go!" Raditz yelled in excitement as the boat docked off the shores of the Deserted Island, heading towards Sylvalant Port.
"So, Raditz, can I ask you something?" Lancar asked as the group stepped out of the boat and made their way into Sylvalant City. "How come we have to go to this port… then take another ship? Roak is part of the Federation… I thought it was supposed to be… you know, more developed? You guys don't have any transporters or planes here?"
"Well, you see…" Raditz started explaining. "About 300 years ago, when our Planet joined the Old Pangalactic Federation, we decided to accept new technologies… but only the ones that we had to. We knew about the types of pollutions that the new technologies brought to planets like Earth and Resonia… how they eventually destroyed all of their natural environment and stuff. Our government didn't want that, so basically we only adopted technologies that we saw as essentials. Things like Transporters, Cars, or Planes were seen as novelties that weren't really necessary."
"I see what you mean." Lancar said. "That's why you guys still have a beautiful natural environment here… so what was deemed as essentials, anyway?"
"Defense technologies and interspace transportation, for the most part." Raditz replied. "Especially after our war against Resonia, we saw the need to protect ourselves from other planets… that's why we joined the Federation initially. But too bad these so-called defense systems and weapons couldn't do squat against those Executioners two years ago…"
"Heh… the fool's right about that. All these advanced crap just don't cut it." Albel agreed.
"That's right! Those fancy weapons didn't defeat them, we did!" Roger claimed with pride.
"You… what?" Raditz asked Roger, confused.
"Um… nothing… heh." Roger took his words back, as he realized that the truth was better left not said at the moment.
"Anyways, that is why I'm still honing my skill in traditional Edarl sword style!" Raditz said proudly, "They say that they don't really need any combat personnels anymore, but I still think that it is important to learn. Not many people master sword arts nowadays… that's why I challenged Albel back there, because its so hard to find another person who I can spar with!"
"You're right." Lancar said. "I'm a Combat Personnel myself, so I can understand that. We can be even more important in some situations than heavy artillery sometimes."
"It's so true!" Raditz agreed. "Even some of the greatest Federation heroes have background in our Edarl style… like the great Admiral Claude C. Kenni, who people say saved this galaxy from destruction many times!"
"Ah, that's right… I've heard of the legend many times in history textbooks!" Lancar said.
"My ambition is to become a great hero just like him." Raditz continued, "And also following in footsteps of one of my great ancestors… like I told you before, the legend says that he was able to defeat the Demon King Asmodeus and Cure the virus that was infecting our planet."
"Hmph. Ambition is nothing without action, fool" Albel commented. "If you wanted to become this so-called hero, why not do something, like joining their army?"
"I did… I joined Clatos Volunteer Corps. We fought against those executioners two years ago." Raditz explained. "But we just used advanced weapons and artillery back then… they weren't looking for combat personnels. So I quit..."
"Heh. How pathetic." Albel sneered.
"Still, you shouldn't have given up, Raditz." Clair told him. "If you really have what it takes… you have to keep going at it, even when you're unaccepted by others… and eventually your efforts will pay off. That's how I was able to follow in my father's footsteps."
"She's right, you know." Lancar agreed.
"I guess…" Raditz said, scratching his head. "Oh yeah… Albel was it? I was going to ask you… so how do you know the Edarl sty…" as Raditz was asking him the question, he was interrupted by the news showing from the TV screen from the main square of the city.
…Once again, the demons have already infested in many other planets around the universe, such as Earth, Expel, Hyda, Resonia and Klaus. The newscaster said. There have been no official sightings of any demons here in Roak at the moment, but the Planetary Defense Ministry have ordered all the nations in our world to be under cautious watch. The ministry has also agreed to send military assistance to other planets such as Expel, where the situation is said to be very grave at the moment…
"Shit…" Lancar cursed. "They're still increasing. We better get to the Daemoneum as fast as possible… before they show up here, too."
"You're right… let's hurry up!" Raditz agreed. "Let's go back to the Port now. I think our ship going to Tropp is about to leave pretty soon."
Chapter 17: The fight at sea
"WOW!" Farleen said, astonished. "This is the biggest ship that I've ever seen in my life! They don't have ships like this in Aquaria… It's so cool!"
"You're right Farleen… wow… this is truly everything beyond my imagination." Clair agreed, looking around the interior and the exteriors of the ship.
"Really? It's just an ordinary ship…" Raditz asked as the group got on board. "Oh yeah, Lancar, don't you guys have to abide by the UP3 or something like that? Cuz they really ARE from an Underdeveloped Planet from what it looks like… are you guys sure you're not breaking the law?"
"Well…" Lancar explained. "Let's just say that due to certain circumstances, an exception has been made."
"Ooookay… if you say so…" Raditz said, confused.
"Going off!" The Sailor yelled, as the Ship departed Sylvalant for Tropp.
Albel was looking out onto the cool, blue ocean with the warm sunlight shining onto his face, his elbows leaning against the rails on the edge of the ship. Realizing that this was his first alone time in a while, he started to go into deep thought.
'Damn… I can't believe I was beaten by that Demon back there… how could I allow something like that to happen… Was he strong, or was I weak… And that place… Daemoneum… what was it about that place… I was definitely… not myself. And how did we end up in this new world? How does that maggot know the same techniques as I do… bah!… there are… just too many questions! Why is all this happening, anyway?'
"Albel?" Clair asked as she stepped up besides him. "How's everything?"
"… I'm good as I can be after losing a battle. Disgusted of course. What brings you here…" Albel asked.
"I was just thinking that this is the first time in a while we've had the chance to relax…" Clair said, looking out to the sea. "May I join you, if you don't mind?"
"Whatever suits you." Albel said, not particularly interested.
"You know…" Clair began talking in sunlight. "When things are so calm and peaceful like this, it makes you think sometimes… why all these things are happening to us, and why everything has to be so confusing…"
"…There are no easy answers in this world." Albel said. "It's up to those who really want to find out the truth, to find them"
"You're right… but still…" Clair continued as her hair flowed beautifully through with the sea breeze. "In times like this, you really have to wonder why people have to go through so much tribulations… why everything is more complicated for everybody than it needs to be. I think sometimes we worry too much about our added needs and wants, and forget about the things that we appreciate the most…"
"People are greedy and selfish creatures, I told you before." Albel said. "No matter how many things they have, people will always want more. Essentials are not enough. It's in human nature, and it's why people ultimately kill each other."
"I agree," Clair said. "I think it's because people these days only think about what they want more of, instead of what they simply… want."
"That's the reality." Albel said. "We don't live in an Utopian world. As long as there is human beings living in this universe, this reality won't change."
"… So what's is it that you want in life, Albel? Is there something that you really want for yourself in this world?" Clair asked.
"I want revenge." Albel replied. "I want to kill all those demon bastards."
"I didn't mean that…" Clair said, shaking her head. "I meant something that you want for yourself… not for anybody else, not for the fulfillment of your own ego… but just purely for your own soul..."
"Now what you're saying is just getting more vague and stupid…" Albel sneered.
"Well then, I can tell you what I mean by my own example then…" Clair said.
"Hmph. What's this 'example' of yours, then?" Albel asked.
"What I simply want… is this moment." Clair explained. "Me just being out here, breathing cool fresh air, enjoying being under a warm sun, surrounded by sea… with nothing but peace and quiet… this simple moment is what I want, and nothing else. Just like when I was a little child, playing with Nel and my other friends… I just want to enjoy the moment without a care in this world."
"Hmph. Like a child, you say." Albel commented.
"Yes… so… how was your childhood like, Albel?" Clair asked.
"… All I remember is Kirlsa." Albel replied. "All the way back to the time when I was about 6 years old. I remember running around that old man Woltar's mansion, and beating up some maggots on the street. I was different from who they were… and they couldn't accept it."
"Haha… so you were the same person as you are now…" Clair commented with a little smile and a laugh. "But maybe you're the one who didn't accept them, instead of other way around. Maybe it is friends that you want."
"Beh… don't be ridiculous." Albel said, annoyed. "I don't need these so called 'friends'. Never have and never will."
"Is that so?" Clair asked. "Lancar… Farleen… Roger… Raditz… and myself… right now to you we may only be your comrades, but I think we all know deep inside that it is more than that. Perhaps it was destiny… but I feel that we can all confide in each other more than an ordinary comrades can."
"Hmph, believe whatever you want. It doesn't apply to me." Albel said, turning his head away.
"Haha…" Clair smiled, as she continued. "So anyways… you said you remember your childhood, back to when you were 6 years old? What about before? You must have had some fond memories of your mother and father…"
"I don't remember anything before that age." Albel said. "I've never even seen this mother of mine… she supposedly died when I was younger."
"I'm sorry…" Clair Apologized. "but you don't even remember anything about your mother? Or before when you were 6?"
"Do you remember how you were born?" Albel asked. "That's how it was to me. Everything before that time is a complete blank. Of course, it's none of my concern anyway."
"I see…" Clair said, as she turned around.
Suddenly, with a loud impact, the ship started rocking violently. "M….monsters? No… they're…DEMONS?" the security guard yelled, as bunch of water demons emerged from the sea right onto the surface of the ship.
"Ack… Demons?" Raditz yelled as he ran down to the main deck with Lancar, Farleen and Roger to take care of the enemies.
"So the demons are finally here too, huh?" Raditz asked rhetorically as he unsheathed his Long Sword. "Alright then… I'll send them back to where they came from!" Raditz rushed over to several of the demons, slashing and hacking at the water demons. His attacks went through their bodies like knife through water… literally; as it didn't do any damage with the water demon just simply gaining back its original form.
"What the… they're like actual water?" Raditz commented in disbelief.
"Advanced fire-based runology spells would be the best attack against them…" Farleen commented, "But I can't use them without harming or destroying the ship… let me try something weaker!" she said as she charged up for a short spell.
"FIREBOLT!" Farleen yelled, as the ball of fire homed in towards the water demons. With the blast, it evaporated the enemies a bit, but nowhere close to evaporating them completely. "It… won't work! It's too weak!"
"I'm literally punching through water!" Lancar yelled out, his punches going through the water demons without any hint of damage. "I can't damage it!"
As each of the party members were only succeeding in containing the water demons by using weak fire-based spells, all of a sudden the water demons combined into a one huge water demon. It raised its pitchfork high up, charging up an attack and saying "Begone, humans! Let I, Poseidon, wipe you out clean off this world!"
"NOAH!" Poseidon yelled as a large tsunami of water swept over the deck of the ship, knocking everybody off their feet and making them gasp for breath.
"ACK! cough damn… cough …" Albel cursed as he and others were struggling in recovering from the powerful water blast.
"cough I have an idea…" Farleen yelled as she charged up for a runology spell. "This won't destroy the ship… TAKE THIS! DEEP FREEZE!"
The cold, arctic air immediately froze Poseidon into a thick block of ice, unable to move. Noticing this chance, Raditz came charging in, ready to deal the decisive blow. "Kyaaa! Die, demon!"
"TWIN SLASH!" Raditz yelled as he jumped up, swinging up then down at the Frozen Poseidon with his sword. Upon the heavy impact, Poseidon shattered into thousand pieces on the surface of the deck.
"I did it!" Raditz said proudly. "That should take care of that bastar…" He stopped as he watched the shattered pieces of ice gradually melting under the hot sunlight. After few moments, each drop of the melted water came together into one glob, forming Poseidon again just as he was before.
"It… It just melted and formed back together!" Farleen cried out in fear.
"…I think I have another idea." Clair said. "We need to dry it out, evaporate it."
"We already know that!" Roger said, deflecting a water jet attack with his fiery axe. "But our fire attacks are too weak, and stronger fire attacks will burn the ship down!"
"There's another method to do so besides fire…" Clair claimed as she dashed towards Poseidon, her runes reacting with energy being charged "I'm going to try it."
As everybody watched, Clair suddenly stopped right in front of the monster, and released the energy charged from her runes. "WHIRLWIND!" Clair yelled as her body became surrounded with a massive, scorching tornado. The massive tornado of hot air from the Whirlwind started drying away Poseidon, its size becoming smaller and smaller.
"I… can't keep this up for much longer…" Clair said as she began to tire out. "Albel… Raditz… use… that wind attack…"
"Alright! Hey, you ready there?" Raditz asked as he held his sword back in position.
"Just worry about your own move… and put all you got into it!" Albel shouted at Raditz, and he swung his sword back.
"AIR SLASH!" Both warriors yelled simultaneously as the two devastating wind blasts came together into one large gust, then continuing towards the monster. With the unbelievable gust of wind from the attack, Poseidon dried off completely into thin air.
"We got it!" Raditz yelled in triumph. "That was some smart thinking… it was amazing, Clair!"
"Thank…. You…" Clair responded with a smile, completely tired out from her attack. Farleen and Roger eventually had to help her up.
"Alright… let's tell all the sailors that it's safe to be on our way again." Raditz said, as he turned to Albel. "…Oh by the way… Albel, did you REALLY learn how fight from your father?"
"…You think I was lying?" Albel replied, annoyed. "I have no reason to lie to you... I was taught how to fight by my old man, that's all."
"Hmm…" Raditz pondered. "I'm just wondering if you really meant that, because seriously, only top ranking Federation officials get to train in Edarl style technique! And you're from a planet that isn't even part of the Federation… so it's just really baffling to me… especially since you seem know all of the advanced techniques…"
"If that's the case, how did YOU learn the style, fool?" Albel asked. "You told me you're a dropout… that means you're no high rank official."
"Well, Edarl Style Sword Art has been passed down my family for generations..." Raditz replied. "You can say it's inherited, even."
"…It has to be a coincidence." Lancar concluded. "You guys are from two different planets, so that's the only logical explanation… and it's possible for lots of various styles to be little similar! Besides, it doesn't really matter in the end, right? What matters is that you both have enough skills to go out there and beat the crap out of those demons!"
"Hehe… you're right Lancar… you're right. Sorry for asking." Raditz agreed, as the ship closed in toward the dock at the Port of Tropp.
