So this is chapter seven of my fanfiction

/*-*/

Amalia's feet were killing her, "How much longer?"

Scribble squeaked, "Twenty minutes at this pace your highness. Goodness, if Yugo were here you wouldn't ask nearly as much. Or maybe he would just keep me rolled up. Either wor-mmph." Eva squished the scrolled back together.

Dally spoke up, "Relax Ami, exercise is good for a princess." He always kept his spirits up.

Ruel called out, "Wait up… please!" the old enutrof was panting. His body did seem to be wearing out. Bones had begun to creak, muscle were sore upon waking up in the morning. Ruel's adventuring days were numbered. His eyes widened at the thought. Not just adventuring. Ruel shook his head.

Eva turned to face the Enutrof. In all his flaws, Eva knew he was still a member of the brotherhood, still family, and his aging was not a misplaced thought in her mind.

Dally joked, "You're getting slowly old man."

Eva muttered, "it's slower Dally."

Ruel shook himself, and began to walk upright, "I'm fine, just a rock in my shoe. Learn to respect your elders Dally-o." He walked like he was hiding an injury.

Eva and Amalia looked at each other, "He didn't milk us for kamas?"

Amilia nodded in concern. Eva understood.

Eva called out, "Hey, can we take a break, I am getting a little woozy."

Dally turned to Eva, surprised, "Woozy, This is nothing compared to-"

Eva elbowed him in the ribs.

Dally got the message, "Right, I guess good rest is necessary for my warrior body."

Ruel muttered lowly, "If you insist." He sat down on a rock, and kicked off his shoes, stretching in the process. His foot odor rose, causing Amalia to gag, and Evangeline to pinch her nose. Dally was, of course, unaffected.

Dally leaned back against a tree right next to Eva. It would have been romantic, if he hadn't leaned over to her ear and asked, "Why are we going to Bonta again?"

Eva sighed. Her poor husband hadn't improved his memory. He had made some progress, but he was still the goofy young man he had been since the day they met.

Eva explained, "Bonta has had some strange events happening, with villages have spontaneous fires and people disappearing. This could just be a series of clumsy accidents and animal attacks, but it's the best we have."

Dally nodded, "Huh, Why didn't we just use a Zaap portal?"

Eva blinked, surprised at both her husband's genius and her own stupidity. Amalia also looked surprised. They had been so caught up in the logistics of trying to get all the food, water and stops planned out, they had completely forgotten about Zaap portals.

Ruel spoke up, "What's the matter, can't your young bodies keep up with this feeble old man? We don't need a Zaap portal, those cost valuable kamas that could be better spent elsewhere."

Amalia eye lay half lidded in disbelief, "And by 'better spent elsewhere' you mean in your bank account."

Ruel snorted, "I don't trust banks, they steal your kamas when you aren't looking."

Eva just shook her head, while Dally jolted up in surprise, "Are you serious, who knows how much is left in… oh no!"

Eva looked up at Percedal, "What's wrong Iop head?"

Tristepin ran his fingers through his red hair, "I left all of our kamas in a bank fund. The guy said it would triple on a good decade. I didn't know how long a decade was or what 'triple' but it sounded like a lot so I said sure. I wanted Flopin and Elely to do really well when they got older, but I- I'm sorry."

Eva calmly placed a hand on Dally's shoulder, "Dally, you lovable idiot, the bank doesn't 'steal' your kamas, they invest them, and give you more money back. The only thing you did wrong was buy into that 'triple in a good decade'. We aren't getting three times our money in ten years. Your gullible, but not stupid."

Percedal smiled, and pulled his wife into a loving kiss.

Ruel stood up, "save it for the road you two."

Tristepin broke the kiss, "We are on the road. Dummy."

Eva was breathing heavily. Even after five years, his kiss still made heart thump in the most explosive of ways.

Their thoughts were cut off by a cry for help. Smoke rose in the distance.

Only Percedal was happy, "Finally, some action!"

Eva smiled at her lovable idiot of a husband. Some things would never change.

Ruel carefully stood up as to not throw a hip. Amalia was already on the move. He began to trudge forward, following the footsteps of the others, as their youthful vigor had gave them hasty steps. Ruel simply had to make due with his old bones.

What Dally saw as he came to the village was burning buildings, and strange black, beastly men. Their skin was shiny and the color of coal, with horns protruding out the back of their heads. Their hands were like humans, only they had talons like hawks. A sharp tail protruded out the rear end, coiling and lashing as they leap around, violently waving spears and clubs.

Hissing and gnashing of teeth seemed to be the only sound that left their lips. Dally was excited. Eva, on the other hand, looked horrified. The entire village was devastated, and people were being hunted like animals. Elely and Flopin enter her mind, as she though about what would happen if these monsters ever came to her home.

Amalia noticed the ground, how the grass turned an unhealthy yellow where ever the monsters walked. The trees were shedding their leaves too soon. Nature itself cried in agony. Birds weren't in the trees, mice weren't in the fields. As the beasts trudged forward, it seemed like even the sun didn't want to be present, as clouds covered overhead. These creatures would destroy the entire Sadida people if left unchecked.

Amalia spoke with fire in her veins, "We have to stop them now!"

/*-*/

Yugo dove behind a stone pillar, avoiding Nora's wakfu beam. He leaned around the corner, only to find she was gone.

He felt a light tap on his shoulder, and the Eliatrope turned to see Nora flashing a grin before smacking him in the face.

"That's game!" Asis shouted, residing against one of the marble pillars. It would have been normal, if he weren't floating fifty feet off the ground.

Yugo rubbed his sensitive sniffer, she really got him.

Asis blinked down into the area, and the terrain began to melt into a brown mush before turning green, restructuring itself into the shape of a jungle, "Yugo, you rely far too much on your eyes. You must have been told at one point to use all of your senses. Your opponents won't always be honorable, and they won't always be openly hostile."

Yugo rolled his nose, snorting in a few times, "Yeah, but how many eliatropes am going fight?"

Asis smiled, "You never know, you might have to fight them all at one point."

Yugo wasn't impressed, "Have you ever had to fight a god?"

Asis blinked his eyes at Yugo.

Yugo nodded, realizing who he was talking to, "Bad example."

Asis nodded, "Yes, I first fought Venix the dark god. He won the fight so bad I woke in cold sweats for three weeks after his victory. Then I fought him again, and I lost, again. And again. And again. Until I beat him, brutally. I learned the hard lessons that I am trying to teach you, and yet you seem to think you have more experience than I do in combat."

Yugo straighten up, "I don't think… I know you have more experience than I do, but…" He trailed off.

Asis frowned, his ears seeming to wiggle, as though listening to something disturbing. He suddenly whipped around and fired a beam at the roof. A blue figured dropped down, chuckling, steaming, hurting, and probably furious.

The figure stood up, but still had a hunched over posture, "Hehehe, yep, you're an Alatreon alright. Hoho, that one really hurt."

Asis snarled, "You are trespassing, I should destroy you right now!"

The blue figure had a skull that seemed to always express his emotions, "hehe, hey now, I am just passing through. Though I do have some interesting information."

Asis crossed his arms, "You are still under review, you know that right?"

"Yes-yes, I know, now did you know that little black creatures are attacking a village. Now if my sources are correct, aren't you looking for a little creature that causes trouble in villages."

Asis stiffened, "Yes, so I assume you have purpose behind this meeting?"

The man stuck a long, snaky tongue out, laughing, "No, just showing how useful I am."

Asis nodded, "It means nothing to be useful to me."

A chuckle started rupturing from the mouth of the figure, "Ah yes, because you are completely meritocratic. You have no nepotism in you at all. Sure." The figure began to dissolve, "See you around, god-killer."

Asis stopped for a moment, leaving the Eliatropes in wonder. The silence was crushing as Yugo and Nora looked to each other then back to him.

Finally, Asis spoke, "Yes, I guess should check just in case."

Yugo blinked, "Who are you-"

Asis suddenly blinked in a golden flash of light.

Yugo looked left and right, wondering where he had gone. Chino spoke up, "Alright, back to lessons. Both of you run in different direc-"

Asis suddenly appeared in the room again, "There are shadows on the planet."

Chino stopped, and produced a growling sound, "Well I think I can handl-"

Asis interrupted, "You are my servant, you know you can't go. If you went, you would have to acknowledge my existence, and you know the rules."

Chino growled, "I guess I won't see any action this time."

Asis shrugged, "Besides, it looks like other heroes are already engaging them. They are doing poorly, but perhaps they can win, or at least buy us some more time."

Yugo perked up, "WAIT! Who's fighting these 'Shadows'?"

Asis stopped and turned to Yugo, "The old Iop god, two women, and a strange old man whose clock has almost struck midnight. Quite the odd hero team, but they will give you more time to train."

Yugo felt the wind leave his lungs. He felt a sense of terror erupt in his heart, that they might die because he needed 'time'. Could he forgive himself if they got hurt, or even worse…

Yugo grabbed Asis's arm, pleading, "You have to let me help them!"

Asis shook his head, "I don't have to do anything, other than my job, and if you die, then all of the time spent training would have been lost. One of them already should belong to Venix anyway."

Yugo interlaced his fingers in a pleading motion and begged, "I can't let them get hurt. I need to help them. Please, send me alone, and Nora can-"

Asis shook his head suddenly becoming distant, "No, no they aren't ready."

Chino coughed, "My lords?"

Asis groaned, rolling his head in annoyance, "Not you too. They still need training."

Yugo walked up and tapped Asis's side, just above his hip.

Asis's eyes suddenly widened, "Holy crap, it's a miracle, all three of you agree on something."

Yugo tugged Asis's arm, "Um,-"

Asis finally looked down at him, "Well, I've convinced myself that this would be good practice for you. I will send you to them, and I will protect your loved ones."

Yugo's eyes lit up, "Thank you, I won't let you do-"

Asis interrupted, his face becoming far fiercer, "BUT! I have conditions."

Yugo nodded, "Okay, what do I need to do?"

Asis maintained the solid, unyielding face, "One, You will return after the fight. You still need a lot of training."

Yugo nodded, slumping down a bit.

Asis cleared his throat, "Two, You can not reveal anything about me. You can't even tell them my name, unless I chose to allow it."

Yugo blinked, "But why? How do I convince them to let me go without asking questions?"

Asis glared down at Yugo, and spoke in a low, dangerous voice, "Tell me, how would your world react to its sudden destruction?"

Yugo's throat felt dry and Nora walked up speaking for the first time, looking as fearful as Yugo, "I think people would get scared."

Asis nodded, "So how would they react to the news that their gods are weak compared to a being that could destroy this star system before they could register any pain."

Yugo realized, "It would be absolute panic."

Asis smiled, "Now you are getting it. I could glass this galaxy in a matter of hours. My intention no longer matters, because that level of power creates hysteria. So no one can know about me until the time is right."

Yugo nodded, "Anything else?"

Asis smiled, his hands began to glow purple, "Just one more thing: Stay alive."

Yugo and Nora suddenly flashed through a purple, spiraling vortex, getting ready to meet their foes.

/*-*/

Eva fired another arrow at the black armored beasts. Again it hit only to shatter and fizzle out.

Dally was doing much better, as he was struggling to muscle through the creatures' defenses with only one arm.

Amalia was crying, clutching her head. Earlier, she had tried to restrain the creature's with brambles, but when the black beasts were wrapped up, the brambles began to turn greyish yellow and die.

Ruel wasn't anywhere to be found. Probably for the best, as he wasn't exactly at a fighting age anymore.

Eva dove, avoid a tail stab by the skin on her teeth. Dally leapt, and they stood back to back.

Eva spoke, "So this is how it ends huh, right by you Iop head?"

Dally smiled, "My dearest Eva, that's the best way I would ever be ended."

Eva smiled, "Me too."

As the creatures began to approach them, a strange mist began to pour in from all directions. This mist was a deep purple, and had the strangest smell of tar. But even more strange was the reaction of the Black creatures. Their exoskeleton seemed to separate, and bristle, like a bowmeow when threaten.

The mist began to swirl around Dally and her, and as Eva looked over, she saw Amalia being encompassed by it.

After forming a circle, a flash occurred, and Amalia, Eva, Percedal and Ruel appeared just outside the village. The black beasts were hissing, as the center of the village seemed to draw in speckles of light. The light began to swirl, and become more violent and unstable as it swirled, tightening into a knot.

A light purple dome began to form around the village, with The brotherhood residing outside of it. The Swirling knot suddenly burst into a dark purple sphere, seeming to flawlessly cut the ground in a perfect dome, before exploding with energy out, dissipating at the border.

The black beasts were hissing and growling, their tails lashing. A familiar voice was heard from the crater, "Uh, that was awful."

A feminine voice responded, "Yeah, I don't think I like that kind of travel."

Eva and Amalia watched as from the crater emerged a familiar face.

"Now, lets show these guys what we are made of." Yugo said, balling his fist.