A/N: I know, finally, another chapter. I have been working on some original works which took me away from this story for a while. The good news is that I finished the chapter following this one and just need to edit it. Wait, this is Chapter 23? This first book is almost done? Well dang.

Thanks again to everyone who has supported this series. Your words of encouragement and your constructive criticism helped make this story more than I ever expected it to be. It is a story in a niche fandom, but I'm glad that many of you with little to no knowledge of Puzzle and Dragons decided to give this story a shot. And to those of you who play the game, I also hope you are enjoying what I have done with the monsters that so desperately needed worlds to call their own.

As an added note: I am so glad that they turned Puzzle and Dragons into an anime. When I had first planned this story, I did not expect it to actually happen. But now the monsters have more than just one place to call home and even more stories to tell.

I recommend checking out this site and others to find even more Puzzle and Dragons worlds to explore. Puzzle and Dragons is growing in more ways than one, and I find it to be a truly wonderful thing.


"The strongest are those who effectively reconfigure the formula for risk and time." -Erenheim

Chapter 23- Spirit

The Virtual World

Pirugan Continent, Rhea-Themis Temple

In-Game Timer: Day 28

7:36 PM

Yukiko settled herself down on the sandstone steps that led to the entrance of Rhea-Themis temple. The tall stone door stood agape behind her and she could feel a light breeze lift her red hair off her shoulders. It was as if the temple was breathing steadily in a sleep. She closed her eyes and let the air wash over her. It brought her a sense of calm.

At the base of the temple was the source that had brought her and the other Players and monsters here. It was a massive crater, much like the one they had witnessed back at the capital city of Fluorestris. The masked Players of Depths Legion were still at work bringing panic to the continent as they threw its inhabitants, and nature itself, into disarray from all the destruction.

A portion at the base of the temple had been sucked into the whirlpool of dirt, stone, and vegetation. A few sandstone pillars lay broken and flaming at the crater's center. The flames had been another cause for concern. It was as if with each new crater, the magic was intensifying.

Yukiko settled her katana on her lap and examined the blade. It was still slick with fresh blood.

Upon arriving at the temple, the guild members of the Grand Hunters had met resistance from the typical demons that inhabited the area. Some held strong titles that indicated multiple evolutions, while others hadn't even grown their wings and were simply fodder, a buffer to keep the stronger monsters in the fight for a longer duration to deal more damage. However, they hadn't been the real threat.

Standing at the top of the temple was a knight donning pitch-black armor with gold horns protruding from his helmet. At first, everyone had assumed that this knight was just perhaps a more advanced form of the dark mystic knight forces common to Depths Legion. But this knight had quelled any of these assumptions with his first attack. His incredible sword had defied physical laws and extended to an impossible length of dozens of meters and nearly killed a Player, piercing his chest just inches below the heart and flinging him through the air like a rag doll. To have such precision with this fantastical weapon and to maintain its balance should have been an impossible feat. It had discerned a Player from the group, the heart of a team, and singled him out knowing that his monster partners would vanish along with him to respawn at a previous unique location.

That was how these sorts of games worked. Upon death, a Player respawns, but in this game there was a price: the steep loss of experience, levels, and possible stat abilities. It was a devastating tradeoff right at the offset.

Then there had been another surprise. A flood of monsters emerged from the side entrances of the temple, and a great, bloody battle was waged. These creatures were foreign to the Players who were used to monsters from the original Puzzle and Dragons game. The lanky creatures with sharply angled appendages that emerged from the temple were known as Devil Mantis. They certainly did appear much like a humanoid form of the nearly extinct praying mantis the Players were used to of their world. The Devil Mantis walked on two bulky legs with their arms shaped in what appeared to be welded hooks with small, barely noticeable pincers at the ends. They let out piercing shrieks when their mouths opened to reveal three layers of teeth receding back all the way down the throat.

However, these creatures did not seem to belong to the dark knight that stood atop the temple. The Mantis opened their backs to reveal two pairs of translucent wings and they flew to the top of the temple to also attack the black knight. It was assumed afterwards that the crater had agitated a nest of the creatures that resided below the Rhea-Themis temple. After all, the temple had mostly been abandoned since the first war of monsters.

The Grand Hunters had emerged victorious, but with a crippling price. Three Players had been killed and whisked away along with their monsters and a number of NPC mercenary soldiers recruited by the guild also perished permanently from the world. The unknown black knight had vanished during the fight.

Yukiko hoped that the cost was worth it. Their guild had become weaker while Depths Legion had left behind their dirty deed and a mess to be cleaned up by those unlucky enough to show up at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Yuikiko forced away the thoughts of the battle. It was done. No sense in brooding over what was beyond fixing.

She pulled a non-abrasive cloth from a pouch hanging on her belt and went to work cleaning her blade with the fine fibers. It had already been prepared as a ritual to settle her thoughts. It was important to focus on nothing but the blade that would save its wielder later. She then produced a white, soft powder ball that would assist her in the next step. It was called an uchiko in her world. She couldn't quite recall its name in this world.

A male voice came from behind her. "Got a minute?"

Yukiko sighed in irritation at having her ritual interrupted. She increased the pace of her cleaning with the mineral oil on the cloth but didn't answer until her work was complete. She sheathed the blade and observed the person standing behind her.

It was one of the commanders of the guild. She believed his name was Ruslin. It was difficult to get everyone's names down. They hadn't been acquainted for long, but she did recall that his monsters were Amaterasu and Cao Cao. For some reason it was easier to associate her comrades with their monster partners.

"What can I do for you?" she asked. She didn't bother standing up as she addressed him.

The young man ran a tired hand through his curly black hair. "We found an open dungeon hidden in the temple. Looks like Depths Legion left in a hurry. We think it may lead to the source of this magic. We've already informed your monsters."

Yukiko lifted an eyebrow at this news and rose from her seat on the steps. Without another word she followed him into the temple.

They were silent as they entered the main hall. The room was lit with torches to reveal what appeared to be models of citadels and other towering structures. A number of stairways led into many rooms that were interconnected by halls and high walkways. There was no way to explore the entire place in a single day. Maybe not even two.

They traveled down into the depths of the earth and traversed more winding corridors. Statues with humanoid bodies and animal heads lined the walls with eye sockets imbued with various jewels that seemed to come alive and follow the two Players who forged on in the deepening silence.

After a short time they entered a chamber with walls and ceiling adorned with tapestries and banners depicting the attribute orbs.

One of the tapestries was depicted a monster that was familiar to Yukiko. The monster presented in the wall hanging was an Egyptian god monster. The monster wore bulky, striped dark purple and violet armor with a helm and mask covering his face. In one hand was a crystalline scepter and in the other was a flaming broadsword.

A muffled voice from the end of the chamber caught her attention and she made her way to its source. Standing next to a female Player with raven-black hair was the exact same monster depicted in the banner Yukiko had just been examining.

"I told them to take these down years ago," the monster said. He was clearly annoyed. "I hate having my face shown all over the place."

"Technically, it isn't your face," the female said jokingly.

"Wear your armor long enough and it becomes your second skin," Ra said. "Ask Siegfried, Cu Chulain, Verche, or any of those other sun recluses and they will back me up on this."

The female laughed. "Alright alright. You win. For a deity of the sun, you sure do hide from it a lot."

Ra rubbed the lower portion of his mask with his free hand as he considered this. "Huh, good point. Might be why my armor isn't gold anymore. Ah, now see, I told you the armor is a part of me. It is a reflection of my lifestyle."

"It doesn't sound healthy."

Ra and the female Player stopped their conversation as they noticed Ruslin and Yukiko approach. They nodded in greeting.

"Speaking of Verche," Ra mused as he recognized Yukiko. "How is my friendly Knight of the Sky?"

Yukiko shrugged. "He seems satisfied with his partner at least."

The other female clasped her hands together when she also realized what monster team they were discussing. "Wait, Verche was the first monster rescued from the dungeons. You're friends with his Player? I heard rumors."

"Rumors tend to become embellished, but yes, Verche was the first." Then she added. "Right. Friends."

The other female Player was about to pose further questions when she was interrupted by an alert on Yukiko's database. Yukiko noted the mail symbol on the left of the holographic screen.

"Speaking of Ray..." She pressed the symbol and opened the private message that Ray had sent her.

She skimmed the first few bits and frowned at the news he sent her.

"...Leilan and Verche have insisted that we head south towards Vesta Cave in the southern Bakke Mountains. I'm not sure if private messages are considered safe, so I can't go into too much detail about it, but I will say that it is crucial for the war. We will first stop and see Sophie and Desdon in Sarkast. My armor got pretty beaten up so I am going to need it repaired or replaced. Hope everything is going well with the guild. Keep me posted..."

The message was rather brief, and Yukiko was about to close it when she realized that the message went on further. The scroll bar on the side had a small bit of faded space so she could read further down the message.

Yukiko shifted on her feet as she read the last bit.

"Oh right! The fight that got my armor messed up was against Athena. So I have a full party of monsters now. Woot woot! :3

Yukiko allowed herself a relieved grin and shook her head as she composed herself. What was with the shift in tone of the message with the silly emoji? He had inserted the last bit as an afterthought when most people wouldn't be able to stop bragging about it. He was far too humble. Or maybe he was just seriously absentminded.

It was incredible though! Ray had a full team of monsters. She always knew there was something about him that felt different from the other Players she met. It was like he had some sort of hidden energy and passion for this world that dwarfed everyone else. He also had a habit of drawing danger to him like a magnet.

Wow, Yukiko thought.

She was about to tell her comrades the news when an excited voice from the other end of the chamber echoed off the walls and beat her to it.

"Hey Yukiko! Ray has his third monster! The guild leaders are gonna be kicking themselves when they hear it!"

Yukiko wasn't surprised when she saw Kurt waving enthusiastically at her with the humanoid cat monster, Bastet, in tow. Bastet was hitting him in the side of the head with her paws and yelling at him to stop making such a racket. A short ways behind them was the stoic Ceres, her white hair was lifting off her shoulders as she channeled magic that allowed her to float. Yukiko noticed that a soft white outline traced the contours of Kurt's body. It looked like it was some sort of thin barrier conjured from Ceres's Shower of Healing active skill. Perhaps Bastet had been hitting Kurt so much that Ceres felt the need to heal her Player.

Shortly after, Yukiko's monster partners appeared. Parvati was riding on top of the Bengal tiger, Somanandi, as per usual. The tiger squeezed its way out of the hallway and into the chamber with the help of Liu Bei. Liu Bei plucked off some of the fur that stuck to his emerald armor and glared at the tiger.

"It smells bad enough in here. You really had to do that?" Liu Bei pulled more fur from his long white hair.

Somanandi's breathing intensified and he let out a few short gasps of what sounded almost like laughter. What looked like a slight grin curled on its face. Yukiko could have sworn the tiger was a prankster sometimes.

Kurt hunched over and rested his hands on his knees as he gasped for breath. It wasn't until he lifted his head that he noticed Ruslin standing off to the side with a wicked grin on his face.

"Oh, crap," Kurt gasped. It was audible enough for Ruslin to hear.

Ruslin waved him off and laughed. "Don't worry about it. I was one of the two who wanted him to join."

Kurt let out a relieved sigh. "Oh, well, that's good to hear."

The female Player with Ra leaned forward with clear interest. "Wow, so someone has a full team. That's crazy." She then added, "Ray Andylon op. Please nerf."

Kurt and Ruslin laughed at the gamer joke while Yukiko tilted her head in confusion.

"Ah, right." The female extended her hand to both Kurt and Yukiko. "I haven't introduced myself. My name's Rina."

Kurt and Yukiko both greeted her in kind.

"I feel like I know you," Kurt said. "Have we met somewhere?"

Rina smiled pleasantly. "Oh boy. Yeah, you might. My full name is Rina Nakamura."

"The singer? Holy crap!"

Yukiko crossed her arms in irritation. Once again, they were being put on hold for pointless talk. Although, they were still waiting for Ruslin's monsters to arrive. Curiosity started getting the best of her.

"Singer, huh."

Rina laced her hands behind her back, sensing Yukiko's impatience. "Yeah, um, just a few songs so far. I sing the opening theme for this game. Well, it was a game until..."

She trailed off to prevent herself from saying too much and glanced around the chamber as if she would be able to pick out the invisible cameras following them. The cameras from the people of their world to show off their efforts as entertainment.

I see, Yukiko thought. She knows more than I expected. The knowledge of this world might be spreading too fast.

She was about to ask what was taking Ruslin's monsters so long when a circle of pale white light appeared just behind him near the dungeon's entrance. A series of Japanese characters appeared along its outer rim and two figures began to take form at its center. More distinct limbs materialized and in a burst of dusty light, two god monsters appeared.

The first was a strong male donning heavy crimson armor with two broadswords crossed behind his back in thick sheaths. He thrust his arm next to him to still the matching cape that lifted at his side as the magic of the teleportation built up and receded. He had a heavy scowl on his face as he rubbed his jaw covered by a thin brown beard.

The second monster was a female with long white hair wearing a shrine maiden outfit over a red dress of fine silk. In her hands was a bow that was as long as she was tall. Two large quivers brimming with sizable arrows were hoisted on her back. Her young, charming face held an expression completely opposite of her fellow monster.

"Oh wow! Look at all the new friends," the female monster greeted them with an enthusiastic bow. "I am Amaterasu. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The male monster in the heavy armor planted his hands on his hips and said in a gruff voice, "Cao Cao."

"Your shining personality always lifts spirits." Amaterasu's smile didn't waver as she lightly placed a hand over her mouth. Then she added, "Pun intended. I think that's what it's called?"

Cao Cao grunted.

Ra chuckled at the two monsters. "An amusing pair." Then he addressed Amaterasu directly, "Two deities of the sun on the same expedition. How fitting."

"Indeed. Though it seems you have been spending more time in the underworld," Amaterasu teased.

"Geez, I'm getting that a lot today."

"In any case." Ruslin stepped in to get the task at hand underway. "Now that we have everyone present, I say it's time we began our trip into the dungeon. I would like for us to finally discover some explanation for these absurd spikes in magical power."

Everyone nodded their assent and the atmosphere took on a heavier, more serious tone.

Yukiko was glad that Ruslin had the courage to step up as leader despite the fairly intimidating god monsters that stood around them who were the true veterans of this world.

They entered the narrow passage into the dungeon, with hopes that what they sought would be revealed below. They also hoped that no new enemies lurked in the shadows.


The dungeon had started typical enough compared to the others the Players and monsters had faced. The usual generic winding corridors and walkways weren't all that unfamiliar in nature. After thirty minutes of uneventful travel, they came upon a winding staircase that disappeared deeper into the darkness. The dark was almost suffocating as it was accompanied by a musty smell of decay. They quickened their steps as the air worsened and came upon a lighted tunnel at the base of the stairs.

Ra led the group and extended a hand behind him. His companions obeyed. It took a few extra seconds for Yukiko to understand what was troubling the sun deity. This light was not normal. Thin strands of silver floated within the yellow. They disappeared into the stone floor while others seemed to appear from nowhere.

"Dead magic," Ra said.

Amaterasu noticed the confusion of the Players and explained, "When magic is released it leaves a solidified byproduct that dissolves back into the earth. Usually it is impossible to see unless it is used in large surges."

"It's been a while since that crater formed," Ruslin commented. "This may be something else."

"We might not be alone," Ra concluded.

The monsters took the lead and cleared any branching corridors they came across. The air thickened until it felt as if they were breathing in salt. Ra assured them that it was normal and there were no side effects from being exposed to the depleted magical byproduct.

A large pair of double doors signaled the end of the corridor. A massive gold knocker with the symbol of the light attribute blazed fiercely as they approached.

"Aren't you supposed to be a native of this place?" Rina addressed her monster partner. "You seem lost."

"No. Can't be," Ra whispered. He didn't seem to hear her.

He planted his hands on the doors and distributed all the strength to his legs. The doors groaned in protest as they pushed inward to reveal a massive chamber. Fading torches lined the walls and frisked the dancing shadows on the rough surfaces in unison.

Yukiko swallowed heavily as she observed the incredible golden jewel at the chamber's center. Halos of light pulsed from its base and faded as it extended to the stone walls. The jewel had to be the size of a two-story building. Two loops of gold circled the jewel diagonally and ended in a sharp point at its base. Despite its size, the shape made it all too familiar.

It was a gigantic spirit jewel.

Standing and sitting casually atop the jewel were four masked Players with their monsters surrounding them. They stared at the new arrivals silently, as if they were expecting them.

Kurt instinctively raised his double-edged axe. Bastet rested a paw on his arm and urged him to lower his weapon.

"Forgot the rules, eh?"

Kurt's face betrayed a tinge of red as he realized his blunder and he lowered his axe.

The masked Player sitting at the center of the jewel rose and stared down at the Players and monsters of the Grand Hunters. His head shifted ever so slightly as he examined each of them. His interest was plain despite the mask that covered his face.

Yukiko recognized the ink design on the white mask.

Erenheim. Yukiko glowered at him.

The leader of the Players of Depths Legion made a twitch of his head as Yukiko and Kurt's faces registered.

"Ah, yes. I remember you. Flint Peak. Well met," he chuckled. His falsely good-natured tone grated on Yukiko's temper. "Your buddy, Ray, he's absent. What a shame. I was hoping to boast my good fortune."

One of the masked Players next to him cleared his throat and he stared at him quizzically.

"Oh! Yes, of course. How rude of me. Allow me to introduce my comrades." He gestured to his right. "This is Cassandra." The female masked one giggled. Erenheim then motioned to his left. "And this is Alphonse." The male masked one nodded.

"And behind me is Kaplin. You have already been acquainted with him on another occasion."

Kaplin remained silent and motionless.

Standing behind him in a similar stance was the feared Hades. Also present was a tall male monster in dark cerulean armor wielding a naginata with dual blades. A fierce look morphed on his face when he noticed the light god monsters below.

Yukiko recognized him as the god general, Lu Bu.

Erenheim spread his arms out dramatically. "Isn't it grand? A light spirit jewel containing enough magic to rival the destructive power of a nuclear bomb."

Ra moved himself to the front of his companions and planted the pole of his scepter into the floor. He clenched a fist as his rage built upon seeing this desecration of a cherished artifact.

"How dare you," Ra growled.

The light jewel pulsed violently in response to Ra's rage.

Erenheim lowered his hands into a calming gesture. "Now now, don't worry. I don't plan on releasing it. Such destruction would just be a waste."

Ruslin now stood next to Ra, feeling the need to speak on behalf of his comrades as the leader of the guild. "I suppose you wouldn't care to divulge your true intentions then."

"And ruin the surprise? Of course not," the man named Alphonse said.

The female masked one, Cassandra, snickered. "Carnage must be strategically placed."

The disappointment in Erenheim's tone upon his enemies' neutral reaction was plain as he took over the conversation once again. The edge in his voice seemed to stem from another reason as well. "A shame. None of you have a full party of monsters. I was hoping for a fight. What a shame."

What? Yukiko thought as she eyed the monsters around the jewel.

She scanned the Players with her database, which revealed their monster team setup. Cassandra and Alphonse's monsters were not currently present, but the scan revealed a few names and titles: Shining Goddess of Secrets, Kali; War Deity of the Night, Tsukuyomi; War Deity, Minerva; Surging Demon Lord, Belial. Two for each Player. Then there was Beelzebub and the other unknown monster they had met at Flint Peak on Erenheim's team. The second came up completely blank while the third only revealed a black silhouette. What was the third he was talking about?

A voice beside her answered her question. "Shit."

She stared at Kurt for a moment and followed his eyes up to the ceiling. Hanging upside down like a bat was a humanoid shape concealed in a thick shroud of black. A number of rigid spikes protruded from its shoulders with floating rings spinning around their base. Its lavender skin emitted a faint glow with a deep star engraved in its forehead. The creature felt Kurt and Yukiko's gaze on it and regarded them silently with its blank eyes.

"Who the hell is that?" Kurt whispered. "I've never seen that monster before."

Yukiko lifted up her database again for a more direct analysis. "Let's find out."

The database ran a scan of the monster. Yukiko frowned when only a name appeared on her screen. Usually it would have provided some stats, types, and lore, but all that appeared was a name and title: Star Eclipser, Shalim.

Yukiko noticed Amatersu peering over her shoulder. The monster shook her head as the name didn't register.

Strange. Yukiko thought. How is it that Depths Legion is getting their hands on so many monsters that not even denizens of this world are familiar with? Did the Abyssal tamper with some coding before the testing began?

Yukiko decided it was best not to brood on such thoughts since there was no evidence to work with. Only assumptions. Besides, they had bigger problems.

"Well," Erenheim continued. "Only one more site left until we begin the awakening. We won't keep you in suspense for much longer."

The chamber rumbled like the belly of a beast and debris showered around the two parties. Cackling laughter echoed off the walls of the chamber, the source being from a tunnel that was hidden behind the giant spirit jewel.

"Looks like Beelzebub has everything all set," Cassandra said. She opened her inventory and a luminescent crystal radiating a dark aura materialized in her hand.

Yukiko gritted her teeth as she recognized the item. It was rare. It worked much like the warp stones that could take a Player and his/her monsters from a non-hostile zone and teleport to the most recent key location. But this was an item of the highest rarity that could extract an entire party from a dungeon.

Bastards.

"They even get all the rare items!" Kurt shouted. "What a load of bull!"

A shrill shriek echoed off the chamber walls as the monsters and Players of Depths Legion vanished in a tornado of swirling light. At the base of the jewel appeared the praying mantis creatures they had fought only a few hours before.

Yukiko leveled her katana and braced herself for the onslaught of Devil Mantis. They weren't as big as the ones they had fought outside. They might have been lesser evolution versions.

But it was their numbers that made them so frightening. First it was a few dozen, then they multiplied into the hundreds as the mantis flew above the spirit jewel while those without wings crawled along the ceiling.

A line of mantis to the right of the jewel were obliterated in a particle line of yellow light from Ra's scepter. Amaterasu drew her bow and fired a volley of her harpoon-like arrows that ripped the heads off the mantis with deadly precision. Fountains of blood dripped down the sides of the gold spirit jewel and radiated a crimson light on the walls.

The mantis soon broke through the ranged defenses and moved to flank the group on either side. Yukiko cut down a pair of mantis that approached. She grabbed the sickle arm of one of the slain enemies and used it to parry an overhead strike from another adversary. She whirled about, sliced the creature's belly, and drove her sword through its spine for good measure.

Pinned against the wall was Kurt's group. He swung his double-edged axe in wide arcs to keep the enemy at bay while Bastet picked them off with the furious swipe of her claws. Ceres hung in the back to provide supportive healing while also casting spells of wind to fling enemies off course that dropped from above.

Bastet's unwavering focus transformed into a wicked grin as she pummeled a mantis into the stone floor. She sliced its throat and her claws now emanated a dark magical energy.

"Aw yeah!" Bastet shouted. "Now we're in business. Initiate active skill Spread Cats!"

Bastet cut through the air at an approaching mantis much like she had for the duration of the fight, but this time it continued through its body to dig into another mantis standing behind it. It even cut through the second to slice a third and fourth. The crowd of mantis had no choice but to spread out, which then inevitably left an opening for Bastet and her team to break away from their unfavorable position.

Despite the overwhelming odds, the battle was going well. 'But for how long?' was the question. The mantis were senseless when it came to battle, and no matter how many of their fellows went down, they pressed forward undeterred.

"We need to retreat!" Ruslin clamored and stabbed a mantis in the throat with his broadsword. As he was about to finish his swing to decapitate the monster he jerked back suddenly and twisted unnaturally a few inches off the ground.

Yukiko gasped as she saw a black blade transfix Ruslin's left shoulder. It emerged from seemingly nowhere. The blade was impossibly long and extended to the opposite side of the cavern where a black knight with gold horns on his helm stood on an overhang with his arm extended outward. He planted his feet firmly to prepare his weight and jerk the sword.

He was still here? Yukiko batted aside the arm of a mantis and stuck her sword through the creature's armpit as she rushed to assist her commander.

Rina was already there fending off the mantis that attempted to strike down the vulnerable Player. She deflected the attacks from her foes with dual short swords and dealt counterattacks that focused on immobilizing rather than killing. Going for the finishing blows would leave the captain open for attacks.

From nearby an angered voice roared, "Initiate active skill Carving One's Own Path!"

A figure enshrouded with fire burst into the fight and flung the mantis through the air. The monsters screamed as their skin seared and blood boiled. The crimson general, Cao Cao, drove his broadswords through the mantis and limbs splattered on the floor sickeningly. The majority exploded in a short pillar of fire as the sword unleashed its wrath within them. More mantis flew back as Cao Cao's Player engaged his barrier. As the shield activated, the blade in Ruslin's shoulder had no choice but to retract to its master.

"Th-Thanks guys," Ruslin gasped. Blood spewed from his wound as he struggled to make combinations of orbs.

"Amaterasu! Parvati! Focus fire on the knight! Keep him off us!" Rina shouted.

They didn't even need to be told. A blast of magic from Parvati's trident grazed the black knight's shoulder. The explosion from behind forced him forward and he embedded his extended sword into the wall to slow his fall. Amaterasu fired two arrows in quick succession along his path of descent, but they were intercepted by a carefully timed downward kick and a deflection from his wrist shield. His sword briefly shrunk to its original shape until he extended his arm out in a quick thrust towards Parvati. The sword narrowed and shot forward like a bullet.

Somanandi shifted to the side to avoid the attack and even managed to crush a couple of mantis under his large, sharp claws.

During this brief exchange the mantis had turned from an ocean of bodies to a tidal wave.

Some of them had died from unknown causes during the battle. It was as if they were newborn creatures that hadn't fully developed and were succumbing to the shock of movement from weak limbs and possibly bulimic organs. If it weren't for them being hostile and vicious it might have been a truly saddening thing to behold. But everyone was too focused on their own survival to really consider what was happening to the immature and malnourished creatures.

Yukiko activated her Player barrier as a large group of mantis converged on her from all sides. It was true. They needed to retreat before the sheer number of enemies drowned them. She made a few combinations of orbs to provide her monsters with power. They were next to her a second later to dispatch the remaining mantis that had avoided the activation of her barrier.

The rest of the team was setting up a line formation for their strategic retreat towards the doors of the chamber.

"Think it's about that time," Liu Bei muttered. He angled his sword for a two-prong attack that cut the enemy closest to him and one directly in line of his sword's swing. There was a brief hesitation before the mantis split open and spewed red.

Yukiko shifted her attention back to the stone wall where the black knight had attempted its assassination. He was nowhere to be found. It was as if he was a phantom that shifted from existence at will. No matter. It meant they wouldn't have to worry about being picked off.

Ra brought his scepter back and steadied his feet as everyone made their escape into the corridor.

"Initiate active skill Solar Lazer!" He swept his scepter in a horizontal arc and flaming light emerged to quell his victims in a semi-circle.

He backed into the corridor as the rest of the group worked together to seal the doors. They merged with a resounding clang that echoed through the halls of the temple. A reverberating tone of finality. It wouldn't hold forever, but it would be long enough to regroup outside where the rest of the guild awaited their arrival.


As expected, the mantis, in their mindless fervor, had followed Yukiko and company to the outside of the temple. They were quelled with little effort as some died from being exposed to the surface that their bodies were not prepared for. The result was a few minor injuries and green gore dripping down the front side of the temple.

Shortly after, a meeting was held which included the guild leaders and the team that made the discovery in the temple. Among the present guild leaders were the quiet Maya, and the steely Cynthia. Yukiko recalled that Cynthia was one of the main contributing factors that had prevented Ray from joining the guild. Kurt was still fuming about it, but miraculously, he somehow managed to contain himself around her.

"Damn them." Cynthia crossed her arms roughly and kicked up a plume of dirt. "What is this 'awakening' they were blathering about?"

"The first thought that comes to mind is the summoning of a creature," Maya ventured solemnly. "Judging from the energy of just this one spirit jewel, well, it must be massive."

"Ra seemed to know about the spirit jewel," Rina said. "But I don't think even he knows what a spirit jewel like that could be used for. He was just angry about them messing with it."

Yukiko removed herself mentally from the conversation as the words only brought about more speculation.

They were dealing with a spirit jewel with the destructive power of a nuclear bomb. If tampered with, it would most likely bring the Rhea-Themis temple out of existence and anything within at least a three-kilometer radius. That wasn't even taking account of what might occur after the initial blast and residual energy. Depths Legion would make sure that they had fail-safes in place to prevent anyone from deactivating the spirit jewel by normal means. So how...

Yukiko shifted her attention back to her comrades when an unexpected voice interjected.

"What about draining the energy?"

It was Kurt. He had been sitting off to the side lost in thought. Yukiko had actually forgotten he was there. His face had an uncharacteristic expression as he pondered his words.

"What do you mean, Kurt?" Yukiko asked so that attention from the others wouldn't waver.

Kurt was silent for a few more seconds before answering, "Releasing it is obviously not an option. But magic is considered energy, right? I'm wondering if our laws of energy might be applied in this situation."

"You are going to need to get pretty detailed if you expect us to follow this." Ruslin laughed. He winced as his shoulder stung despite the healing magic that had been applied earlier.

"Has anyone ever heard of destructive interference?" Kurt asked.

Everyone stared at him with blank expressions with only a hint of recognition in their eyes.

"It's when waves of energy interact with the same amplitude and frequency cancel each other when out of phase-" Kurt started.

"Oh god, my brain," Rina moaned.

Kurt smiled as he continued his explanation. "What I'm saying is, we can't release it all at once by destroying it, so why not redirect it in a controlled manner somewhere else?"

"And how would we go about that?" Cynthia asked. "This is just a theory assuming that magic works the same as, say, kinetic energy."

Kurt momentarily forgot how much he hated her when she provided him with such an effective counterargument.

"There is another way."

They all turned to see Ra standing off to the side with the other monsters. He planted his scepter in the ground and sat on a nearby rock.

"Your theory is an interesting one, so I will view it as a slightly similar solution. The attributes of this world are all based of energy derived from the suns of this world. It is just converted when used. A phenomenon occurred during a rare eclipse sometime during the early years of this world's life. The name of this birth of attribute energies has been lost over time. However, one thing is confirmed, and it is that all of these energies have weaknesses and strengths against each other."

He leaned forward as he presented his conclusion. "That being said, light and dark are an anomaly. They are both weak and strong against each other. It depends how the energy is applied. Wood is always weak against fire, water against wood, and fire with water. No exceptions."

"So what you're saying is," Yukiko said as she caught on to where he was going next. "It doesn't matter how much energy you have, you just need energy of the opposite attribute when it comes to light and dark, depending on its method of being administered."

"When it comes to spirit jewels, yes. It's energy is in a static state. Magic manipulated by us monsters would be a different story since we control its method of distribution based on our own unique abilities."

Kurt punched a fist into the palm of his hand. "I see! The result between the collision would result in that dead magic we saw!"

"Which then returns to the earth and is revived," Ra added.

"But what if the other spirit jewels aren't light and dark then?" Maya asked.

Everyone was silent as the pertinent question sunk in. What indeed. The other attributes couldn't potentially cancel each other, only destroy and disperse. So then...

"It doesn't matter," Cynthia said. "They need all of the spirit jewels for this summoning, or whatever. As long as even one is disabled then we shouldn't have a problem."

"We would have to destroy it afterwards," Ra added gravely. The pain in his voice was palpable at the thought.

"Great! We have a plan." Ruslin rose from his seat with newfound energy. "We use a dark spirit jewel and cancel the energy!"

"So, I hate to be a downer," Rina interjected. "But does anyone have a dark spirit jewel we can use?"

Everyone went quiet. The energetic mood had died as swiftly as it appeared.

"Well shit," Kurt muttered.