Previously on the Monado Arc...

"What are you three still doing in the colony?"

"Hello there, Sharla. We're the warriors of destiny."

"It was me who helped you get this far in the first place."

"Have you made your choice? Will you face the odds against you and your friends and be the heroine and savior you're meant to be?"

"We will free our world from Zanza's curse!"

Monado Arc Chapter 15: Onward! Battle Within the Heart!

I sat inside Junks as it flew swiftly through the night, feeling it swing around to head toward the Bionis' chest. I gripped my Battle Gem tightly, striving to remain calm even as I wondered if I'd ever see Juju or anyone back at the colony again.

The others sat in silence as well, all awake save for Fiora, who dozed off and on, her head resting on Shulk's shoulder. He let her be, knowing we would need all our strength for the battles that laid ahead of us.

Eventually, Junks slowed, and all of us rose, gathering weapons and supplies and preparing ourselves for what was to come. Miqol had Shulk stay behind for a bit as the ship stopped and we all headed for the deck, but he caught up with the rest of us as we stepped inside the Bionis.

It was different than the last time we had passed through. The path ran straight ahead, two streams of liquid ether flowing sluggishly on either side, but it was not just the difference in location that could account for the change; everything was green, and there seemed to be a living energy quivering under my feet, trembling in the little growths that clung to my boots, that hovered in the too-rich air.

I noticed that it no longer felt like a dormant place, it felt reawakened.

And that's not even accounting the fact that most of us have never been here before now. I thought to myself.

"It's the inside of the Bionis." Sae said.

"It sure looks different from when we got in through the marsh." Zellium noted, hunching his shoulders in unease.

"The Bionis is regaining its biological functions." I muttered.

"Probably because Zanza woke it up." Croclos theorized.

Shulk raised his face determinedly. "Then we find Zanza and stop him."

We set off, the ground squishing unpleasantly underfoot. None of us wanted to become too separated, so we clustered together as we walked through the now alive and functioning lung.

Somehow, we made it through, reaching a small opening and entering a narrow tunnel. We followed it out into a cavern far larger than any other.

We stepped out onto a pathway leading on around and up, branching and converging into dozens of different walkways, all suspended over a great drop to the liquid ether below. I could see more of those translucent creatures we saw throughout the lung moving about, and large red circular particles flowed through the air in a definite path.

Th-Thud

But all of us stared ahead at the great organ pulsing rhythmically as it beat, its steady thudding clearly audible. We were looking at the Bionis' heart.

I noticed Kinoko tremble slightly as he reached back and brushed his fingers against his battle braid.

Th-Thud

An unusually low female voice laughed suddenly. "You look well, Your Highness."

All of us halted, searching for the source of the voice.

"That voice..." Melia murmured. "It's Lorithia! Show yourself!"

"Look at that." Lorithia continued. "The heart of the Bionis. The pulsating life of Lord Zanza!"

"Shut your damn mouth and show yourself!" Tatsuno shouted.

We spotted her then, standing on a platform right next to the heart, Shoku, Kenko, Seiyo, and Saki behind her.

"I await Your Highness here." The researcher said. "There is something I wish to show you. Your friends are welcome to join you. That is, if they survive."

She blew a kiss down to us and then, with a laugh, she turned and walked towards the heart with Ajia's clubmates following close behind her.

"Lorithia!" Melia hissed, shaking her head. "What are you and Ajia planning?!"

Shulk turned towards her. "Forget them for now. We must push on to the heart."

"All right." The empress agreed, her voice subdued.

But as we continued walking, I noticed Jelivane looking away from the rest of us. I figured she wanted to talk once we'd stop to rest for the night. It wouldn't be until the next morning that she would come to me upon accepting her bowl of food from Fiora.

"Sharla, can we talk for a bit? Just you and me?" She asked.

I smiled softly. "I suppose so, if it'll make you feel better."

The two of us stayed near the others but from a distance they wouldn't hear us from. For a while, we quietly ate before I decided to speak up.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" I asked.

"You see..." Jelivane began. "I'm capable of a lot more than what you've seen so far."

"What do you mean?" I wondered.

"Being the only warrior of destiny who represents two powers of the protectors has caused unstable consequences." The green haired girl admitted. "So, Brigitte gave me what is considered the only thing capable of taming such power."

"Really?"

"Yes, in fact, I want you to hold onto this."

Jelivane reached into the pocket of her trench coat and pulled out a lime green circular box resembling a jellyfish's dome decorated with silver rhinestones and put it into my hands.

"What is it?" I asked, closely inspecting the box.

"An important item I can't risk losing. I believe it might help you." The green haired girl responded before she got up, having finished eating. "We better get going. We're almost there."

"Right." I agreed, catching up with the others as we gathered our things and continued on, following the path as it wound upward.

Sae's keen eye assisted in finding the most direct path as we walked, getting closer and closer to the heart, until we reached the platform where Lorithia, Shoku, Kenko, Seiyo, and Saki had been the day before.

I glanced at Melia, noticing the desperate way she clutched her staff, eyes wide, mouth set in an angry line. There was no denying it, Kallian must be inside the heart as well.

Given what we saw when we last saw him, I doubt he's completely OK. I thought to myself as we strided towards the heart and into it.

The inside of the heart was a large flesh-walled chamber, sizable pools of ether in each corner occasionally jetting fountains of the green liquid upward. All of us walked down a narrow path between two of the pools to the middle of the heart, where five familiar figures waited.

"Welcome to my world." Lorithia said as we approached. "I must say, I am surprised. Zanza's vessel truly does have a will of its own. And looking quite spritely."

Shulk tensed up from the way she looked at him. "I'm still alive. I won't die. Not yet. And that's why we're here."

"Everyone who lives in this world has a life." Fiora said, her anger rising. "So, it shouldn't be threatened by anyone. We'll never give in to Zanza."

The researcher's smile became thoughtful and condescending. "Hm, so full of passion. Well, if it's life you're looking for, we'll show you true life!"

She raised her free arm, and a massive Telethia dropped down from above. All of us who could transform instinctively did so and we drew out our weapons.

"It's..!" I muttered.

The Telethia crashed down, allowing all of us to see the man's face still visible on the creature's front.

"K-Kallian!" Zellium gasped.

"Brother!" Melia cried out, hastening forward.

Lorithia raised a hand. "There is no use in calling. It worked before, but now his transformation is complete. He is my adorable servant."

She stroked Kallian's face affectionately, tilting it back slightly, and then, bringing her own face close, kissed him on the lips.

The empress gasped, outraged. The researcher drew away from the prince, looking at us with amusement and then, as the Telethia rose into the air, she sat just above him. Blinding light radiated from the Telethia, causing us to shield our eyes.

"Do you know the meaning of the word 'Telethia'?" She asked as she began melting into the creature. "It means that which eliminates impure life. Impure life just like you. That which Lord Zanza does not require shall be extinguished from this world!"

The light faded, and we stared upward at the Telethia. Lorithia had become a part of it, her head protruding from the creature's front just above Kallian's. Shoku, Kenko, Seiyo, and Saki stepped forward with devilish smirks on their faces.

The four of them then each pulled out a strange silver device that was circular in shape with a see-through orb in the center which appear as a slot for something. They placed them on their waists as they formed black straps around them, holding them in place.

Bestia Driver!

Jelivane gasped in shock. "No way..!"

They then pulled out orb-shaped gems with metallic silver rims around them and the face of an animal inside them. Shoku's was red with a falcon, Kenko's was green with a mantis, Seiyo's was grey with a hedgehog, and Saki's was light blue with a penguin.

"You are a threat to this world." Shoku said before he pressed a finger on the top of his orb, causing it to light up for a moment and a female voice echoed from it.

Falcon!

"With the power of the Chimera Orbs, we will defeat you!" Kenko shouted before pressing the top of his newly named Chimera Orb.

Kamakiri!

"Even if this cost us our lives..." Seiyo muttered, pressing the activation switch.

Harinezumi!

"We will show you the extent of true power!" Saki finished, following the lead of the others.

Penguin!

The four of them inserted their respective Chimera Orbs into their Bestia Drivers and prepared to trigger what was about to happen next.

"Henshin!" All of them shouted in unison as they closed the open slots on their belts, their animals' faces appearing in the center orb.

BeastRise!

Projections of a falcon, mantis, hedgehog, and penguin then appeared and merged with their respective users, transforming into bits of armour which attached themselves to their bodies as auras matching the colors of their Chimera Orbs covered them. The aura dissipated, leaving us to look on at the armour now covering their entire bodies.

Falcon Wing Gear!

Mantis Blade Gear!

Hedgehog Spine Gear!

Penguin Wind Gear!

All of them now wore black bodysuits with silver lining going down their arms and legs. What made each of them stand out from each other was the armour based on their animal.

Shoku has red armour with a falcon's face with yellow eyes on his helmet, armour around his chest resembling that of a large bird, shoulderpads akin to falcon wings, and curved armour around half of his upper legs resembling talons.

Kenko had green armour surrounding his feet, some parts of his legs, and his chest, curved armour around his lower arms similar to the claws of a mantis, and a face plate with antennas and red eyes on his helmet.

Seiyo's grey armour was spiked much like a hedgehog with his helmet also having blue eyes, and Saki had light blue penguin flippers as shoulderpads that reach her wrists as well as on her feet, and her helmet had the face of a penguin with green eyes.

"They transformed?!" Sae gasped.

"Is it really that strange?" Seiyo snarked. "Turns out Brigitte created a fully functioning Rider system to enable those without Battle Gems to transform and Ajia just gave us the chance to use it for ourselves."

"We are Kamen Riders." Shoku said.

This is insane! I would watch Kamen Rider every once in a while, but still! A full functioning Rider system in real life? Seriously?! I thought to myself as we prepared to fight.

"Enjoy this battle, for it will be your last." Lorithia said as the Telethia moved towards us.

Shulk ran forward, swinging the Monado replica at the massive creature. But though the blade struck, it barely managed to penetrate the iridescent hide.

The four newly revealed Riders charged towards different targets. Seiyo shot a barrage of needle-like bullets at Sae, and she barely created a barrier in time to block the attack. Shoku targeted me, but I raised my rifle, took aim, and shot at him, causing him land back onto the ground leaning to one side. Fiora and Tatsuno slashed at Kenko, and Riki went after Saki. But there was no way to avoid the Telethia.

"Pay homage to eternal power!" Lorithia called, light gathering around the Telethia.

Shulk struck again, and while he did very little damage, he managed to disrupt the attack. The researcher glared at him, and then the Telethia crashed into him, sending him flying.

He cried out as he landed, his sword falling from his hand. He glanced back to see his left foot in one of the pools of ether. He drew it out, trying to scramble upright, but the massive Telethia bore down on him, trying to push him further into the deadly liquid. But then an arrow of energy went through the Telethia.

"You'll pay for your insolence!" Lorithia yelled as the creature turned to the source of the attack.

Jelivane walked up towards me, her bow at the ready. "Sharla, you and the others take care of Lorithia. Leave the Riders to me."

It was then that she pulled out a lime green Chimera Orb with a jellyfish on it, surprising me.

"Jelivane, are you..?!" I muttered in disbelief.

"I have my reasons for trusting you with that item. For now..." The green haired girl said, gazing at all four Riders. "I will liberate them."

She pressed on the activation switch, alerting everyone to what was happening.

Jellyfish!

Jelivane inserted the Chimera Orb in the center of her bow before pulling the string back as an arrow of energy I haven't seen before materialized and aimed. I held my breath as I mentally prepared myself for what would happen next.

"Henshin!" She shouted before she fired the arrow.

StormRise!

The arrow struck all four Riders before flying back towards Jelivane as she punched it with her free arm, causing the energy to form armour around her before it attached itself onto her body.

Aquatic Material. Ocean Metal. Kamen Rider Lumina!

The armour was primarily white and lime green in color and metallic in appearance. The lime green parts covered her chest, shoulders, wrists, and her legs up to her knees. A silver belt was around her waist and some armour pieces were the same color. Her helmet had a white faceplate with silver eyes, a lime green jellyfish dome and long matching tentacles flowing down to her waist. Jelivane had become... Kamen Rider Lumina.

Lorithia was about to charge at this new threat, but a torrent of white-gold light went ripping through the Telethia. The creature rounded on Melia, who stood defiantly before it, staff in hand.

"Melia!" Shulk yelled in concern, scrambling up and snatching up his weapon.

The empress summoned fire and flung it at the Telethia, then lightning, and then she caused shards of ice to erupt underneath the creature. It roared angrily, but she didn't back down, meeting Lorithia's enraged expression.

I flew up into the air to get a better view of what was going on. Lumina was managing to hold her own against all four Riders, letting the others focus on the Telethia before she subdued all four of her foes with her tentacles and activated a trigger on her bow.

Jellyfish Storming Strike!

She pulled the string back, charging up an energy arrow, and fired. The arrow split into four different arrows and struck all four targets, knocking them backwards and out of their transformations. The researcher didn't seem to care if her servants were already taken out of the fight, as all of her attention was fixed on Melia, who threw herself aside as a beam of light struck where she had just been. The empress dodged another attack, but wasn't so lucky with the third, which grazed her side and caused her to double over.

However, before the Telethia could finish her off, Sae threw herself between them, catching the attack with a barrier. Then Croclos rushed towards the creature with Tatsuno diving from above, both of them attacking fiercely. Lorithia cried out, the Telethia trying to swat them away, but then I fired, and then Shulk stabbed, his blade now managing to pierce the iridescent hide.

Melia forced herself upright while my Monado Recover healed the burning pain at her side, focusing all her attention on the Telethia, trying to ignore Kallian's face and instead focusing on Lorithia's.

The researcher glared down at her, preparing another attack. I knew there was no way she could avoid it, so once she flung out one last orb of fire, I used Monado Shield at the same time Shulk did, deflecting the attack towards the empress.

Lorithia was panicking now, and the Telethia's attacks grew more and more wild. It swept Sae to the side, and she crashed down with a groan while Kinoko tried to push her upright. Beams of light struck Shulk, Croclos and Popi, and Fiora and Summer slammed down as the creature smashed into them, but me, Lumina, and Riki continued to fight, the others joining in as they managed to pick themselves up.

Brilliant light built in Melia's hand, and she very deliberately met Lorithia's eyes before flinging out the white-gold light.

The light tore through the huge Telethia, and it cried out. All of us tried to shield themselves as the creature began to shine with a blinding light. Even Shoku, Kenko, Seiyo, and Saki covered their eyes as it began to tear apart.

"Brother!" Melia screamed as the light blasted out.

Dragon Xross Geki!

Upon hearing that sound from my left, I turned to see a female figure in blue and silver armour that appeared to be dragonic, a silver and gold Driver around her waist holding three katanas with the blades enveloped in blue energy in each hand.

A Kamen Rider? Those weapons look like... No way... I thought to myself as the mysterious Rider slashed at the Telethia, the energy slashes going through it.

"No! My Telethia!" Lorithia howled as the light continued to consume the creature before glaring at Melia. "You! What have you done?!"

"I have done nothing." The empress responded coldly and grimly, meeting the researcher's gaze unflinchingly. "This is your destiny. Accept it with dignity!"

The traitorous High Entia cried out in anger and pain, the light ripping out from the Telethia. "My body! NO! I was promised... immortality!"

She gave one final scream, and then the Telethia blasted apart. I flew down towards Shoku, Kenko, Seiyo, and Saki, my healing aura enabling them to get back up on their feet.

"You guys should really pick your friends better." I snarked.

"We were forced into this situation in the first place, but you're right." Shoku said.

I gazed at the Rider as she spoke up. "Thank you for sparing my friends. I am Kamen Rider Arashi, and the next time we meet, we will fight each other."

Her voice... It sounds a lot like... This is strange... What reason would she help me for? I thought to myself as Arashi disappeared in a flash of blue light.

I walked up to others, all of them having transformed back to normal as they stood by silently, watching as Melia hugged Riki. Me, Shulk, and Zellium could hardly believe that this was the same person we had found Makna Forest, the same person who had so deliberately hid any emotions, now weeping into Riki's fur.

"Melia..." Fiora muttered eventually.

The empress released the Nopon and stood, her face perfectly composed. "Thank you for your concern. I am all right. Let us go and secure the future my brother so hoped for."

"We will." Shulk vowed. "Together."

A man and woman laughed cruelly before the man spoke. "Such a brave princess."

Melia gasped and all of us turned towards the center of the heart, looking at the man and woman standing before a column of darkness and light that had not been there moments ago.

"Dickson! Murakumo!" I whispered sharply.

"Don't look at us like that!" Murakumo said. "We take the time to get you guys to a nice place, and this is how you welcome us?"

"What do you mean?" Zellium demanded.

"We'll be waiting at Prison Island." Dickson continued. "I've picked out a lovely place to return your flesh and blood to the Bionis. Don't keep us waiting!"

The manga artist began walking towards the column of darkness and light. The bladesmith turned to follow her, pausing long enough to wave. "See you later!"

With another laugh, the two of them strode into the column and vanished.

"I'm gonna..!" Croclos snarled.

"Come on, everyone!" Summer yelled. "We've got to get to Prison Island!"

"OK!" Shulk agreed.

"Before you guys go, can you tell us how to get to Colony 6?" Shoku asked.

I gave him a map indicating the path back to Junks. "Here, Beshi and the others looking for you. They need all the help they can get. Tell Miqol that I sent you, stay safe out there."

He nodded before he, Kenko, Seiyo, and Saki walked towards the exit of the heart. Now that those guys were safe, we could continue onwards to Prison Island. With my healing bullets letting us recover from the more severe injuries of the battle, we hurried towards the column and stepped through.

Wait for us Arashi, we're coming! I thought to myself.

Beshi, Dora, Kiba, Nessa, Melony, and Allister watched as Junks landed in the small lake it was stationed in inside Colony 6. They approached as four figures stepped out onto the deck.

"Thanks goodness you four are safe." Beshi said.

"Yeah, sorry for worrying you girls." Seiyo apologized.

"We're just glad you made it here, loves." Dora snarked.

Their reunion wouldn't last long, however, as a siren rang out without warning. All of them gasped, knowing what it meant.

"The Telethia are here!" Nessa yelled. "Let's move!"

"Right!" Everyone responded as they ran for the colony's entrance.

Once outside, they looked around to see the hundreds of Telethia above them. Shoku, Kenko, Seiyo, and Saki, with their Bestia Drivers already equipped, wasted no time in transforming.

Falcon Wing Gear!

Mantis Blade Gear!

Hedgehog Spine Gear!

Penguin Wind Gear!

Now transformed into their Rider forms, they charged forward, taking out the first few Telethia as they did. Nessa, Melony, and Allister looked on in amazement.

"Put these on and follow our lead." Beshi commanded as she each gave them a Bestia Driver and three Chimera Orbs with Nessa getting a teal one with a shark's face in it, Melony getting a white one with a bear's face, and Allister getting a purple one with a spider.

She, Dora, and Kiba then put their own Bestia Drivers onto their waists, letting the belt form around them before pulling out a Chimera Orb. The bassist held a green orb with a peafowl in it, the drummer had a yellow one with a hornet, and the keyboard artist had a purple one with a scorpion, and all of them pressed on the activation switch.

Kujaku!

Hornet!

Scorpion!

They inserted the orbs into their Drivers before closing the slots, causing their respective animals to appear in the center.

BeastRise!

"Henshin!" The three shouted as projections of a peafowl, hornet, and scorpion appeared and merged with their respective users.

Peafowl Shield Gear!

Hornet Thunder Gear!

Scorpion Poison Gear!

Aside the black bodysuits that all Bestia Driver users wore, each girl's armour was modeled after their respective animal. Like Shoku, Beshi had green armour akin to a large bird with the exception of the face plate modeled after a peafowl with orange eyes, and green and blue cape simulating peafowl feathers. Dora had yellow armour similar to honeycombs on her arms and chest which was also appears like a hornet's wings which she had on her back, a stinger went down her right leg, and her faceplate had anttennae on it along with light blue eyes. Kiba's purple armour was scaled in a similar way to a scorpion around her chest, upper arms and legs, and her faceplate has a scorpion tail with a silver end alongside yellow eyes.

They charged forward to join the others in fighting off the Telethia. Nessa, Melony, and Allister looked at each other before gaining a determined look on their face and equipping their Bestia Drivers.

"Let's do this!" Nessa said as they pressed on the Chimera Orbs' activation switches.

Shark!

Shirokuma!

Spider!

Inserting them into the open slots on their Drivers, they closed the slots before shouting the word that both Kamen Riders and Battle Gem users almost always said before transforming.

BeastRise!

"HENSHIN!"

Projections of a shark, polar bear, and spider appeared and merged with their users as teal, white, and purple auras covered them.

Shark Fang Gear!

Polar Bear Blizzard Gear!

Spider Trap Gear!

Nessa's teal armour had shark fins on her wrists and lower legs, diamond-like armour covered her chest and shoulders, and her faceplate had the front of a shark's face with dark pink eyes. Melony's ice blue armor simulated ice with the pieces on her chest and shoulders being slightly transparent and was present on her hands, arms, feet, and around her neck. Her faceplate was a bear's face with yellow eyes. Allister's purple armour simulated spider legs around his shoulders, arms, chest, and upper legs, his faceplate was pointed on both sides with lime green eyes.

They looked at themselves, amazed by the amount of power they could feel coursing through their bodies. They charged into the fight with weapons drawn, ready to take on the threat ahead so Sharla and her allies could defeat Zanza.

Whatever it takes, they will ensure that the world is safe.

Next time on the Disciple Arc...

"They're here!"

"When do you intend to make your move, Gokuhara?"

'We shouldn't falter now!'

"Let's give Murakumo a taste of her own medicine."

"You're no longer an asset to Zanza's plans."

Disciple Arc Chapter 16: Attack on Prison Island