Rosario Vampire: Brightest Darkness Act VI

by A.G. Fanfics

Mankind has declared war on the monster world, Tsukune is struggling to control his vampire urges while kept in isolation, and a great evil is preparing to conquer everything. Moka and the group must now try to prevent war between the two worlds while defending against the growing darkness that approaches them all.

33. I'm A Monster

"The Fairy Tale killer?" Felucia shouted out, the group looking at Kyouko with surprise as the girl was showing a nervous expression while the doll demon was staring at her with shock and anger. Dark looked at Kyouko carefully while Mizore and Arial glanced from him to Felucia questionably.

"Um, who's the Fairy Tale killer?" Arial asked. Felucia shook her head and looked at Kyouko with an accusing stare.

"That's not possible, that bastard is dead," she argued firmly.

"Again, who is this Fairy Tale killer?" Rason asked. Dark glanced to him then to Kyouko.

"Are you sure about this Kyouko?" he asked carefully. She nodded and looked to him with worried eyes.

"We're sure, we saw him up close at the academy, and Akua and Kahlua came by to find Moka and Kokoa, they both recognized the description of him," she said.

"My sisters came to the academy looking for us?" Kokoa asked.

"Yes, they said they were coming to find you and bring you home during this crisis. Before they left we told them about the boy we saw; green eyes, short dark hair, wings and blades that came from his arms, both of which looked just like Alucard's skin," Kyouko said looking to Dark. The demon showed a slightly surprised expression as Felucia shook her head with disbelief.

"No way, he can't be alive, that fucker's dead!" she yelled out.

"Wings and blades like Alucard's?" Razico asked cautiously. Kyouko nodded and looked to him.

"He has demonic wings, and blades that come out above his hands, they both look to be made of the same stuff that Alucard was made of, they looked like… metal and flesh melded together," she said with concern.

"That's him… he really is still alive," Felucia said looking down with shock.

"Talon Ryashen, the Fairy Tale killer," Dark said carefully.

"Once more, who is this guy?" Rason asked.

"Just as the name says Rason, he's someone who hunted and killed anyone who worked at Fairy Tale when it was still around. He was one of their experiments with bioengineering gone to hell," Dark said cautiously. Felucia shook her head with a scoff.

"Oh, it was worse than that, he killed everyone he could find, agent and non-agent alike. The guy was on a killing spree within the organization, he was a bloodthirsty monster," she said with hatred.

"So he was somebody who fought against Fairy Tale as well, that's a good thing right?" Ahakon said hopefully. Falla shook her head and looked to Kyouko with a slightly remorseful expression.

"I'm afraid it's not entirely a good thing Ahakon. He's blind with anger and vengeance against Fairy Tale; they infused him with Alucard's blood and turned him into a monster. He went mad with rage and slaughtered everyone he could find within the organization, even those who didn't know what was really going on behind closed doors or never harmed anyone themselves. We even confronted him about his motives at the academy, he didn't hide anything; he was looking to find and kill Dark," she said looking to the shadow demon. The group looked to him with a jump as the demon was still looking down with a cautious expression.

"What?" Mizore said looking back to Falla with surprise.

"He was looking to kill Dark?" Arial said with wide eyes. Falla nodded with a concerned expression.

"Dark was Fairy Tale's top agent, Talon knew him very well, and was looking to spill his blood," she said carefully.

"Why was he after Dark? He helped stop Fairy Tale and even Alucard, he's a hero!" Arial cried out. Falla shook her head and looked to her with remorse.

"It doesn't matter, Talon's consumed with his quest for revenge. Anyone who worked at Fairy Tale, whether they were truly evil or not, is on his hit list. That means that Dark, Felucia, Akua, and Kahlua are all his targets," she explained. Felucia slammed her hands down on the table and stood up while glaring at Falla with frustration.

"If you knew what he was and what he was after why didn't you kill him? Why didn't you tell anyone, why didn't you put a stop to him for good?" she demanded. Falla sighed and looked to Kyouko with a dull stare.

"Because somebody insisted that he wasn't a truly evil monster, that he could be reasoned with," she said dryly with an accusing tone. The group looked to Kyouko, the girl showing a nervous expression now.

"What? You didn't want to kill him after you knew what he was going to do?" Felucia yelled out. Kyouko waved her hands around franticly in front of her.

"He's not an evil monster Felucia, he's just angry for what Fairy Tale did to him. He lost everything because of them turning him into a monster. His humanity, his family, his whole life was taken away because of what they did to him, he has every right to be angry," she pleaded.

"He was human?" Gabriel asked with surprise. Kyouko nodded at him with worried eyes.

"He was, now he's a hybrid, a monster like Akua and Kahlua. But he's not evil at heart, he's just angry at those who did what they did to him," she reasoned. Felucia looked at the girl with shock and anger then growled loudly.

"Angry? He's more than angry; he's gone off the deep end Kyouko. I had a friend who was receptionist at Fairy Tale, never used a gun in her life, and never harmed anyone. You know what that bastard did to her? He gutted her open like a fish, slaughtered her like an animal. She didn't deserve that at all, but he murdered her like he's being doing to everyone he could find in that company. I know Fairy Tale was evil, and many of those who worked there were real monsters, but not all of them were. Some of them had no idea they were being used, some of them made fucking mistakes and tried to correct them, but he doesn't care, he only wants to kill us all like the weapon he is!" she shouted out.

"He's not a weapon, he's a real person!" Kyouko shouted back at her with tears forming in her eyes. She shook her head and looked around at the group as everyone was watching her carefully.

"He's not a bad guy, he really isn't. You know what he did when he first came to the academy? He didn't kill anyone, he didn't cause trouble, he even kept some jerk at the academy from hitting on me; he was nice to me!" she cried out. Falla sighed and shook her head.

"If he wasn't there I would have stopped Saizo myself Kyouko, you know that right?" she said flatly.

"Saizo tried to hit on Kyouko? She's Tsukune's cousin, just how stupid is that guy?" Kurumu asked with a raised eyebrow. Kyouko nodded and looked down with watery eyes.

"He did, but then Talon scared him off. And then he just left, peacefully. He didn't cause any trouble. Then the next day I found him, wounded and unable to move near the cliffs. Something seriously hurt him, he was in horrible condition. So I brought him back to the academy to get fixed up," she said softly.

"Is that why you're wearing a nurse's outfit?" Render asked pointing to the girl. She nodded and looked down to her clothing.

"I wanted to thank him for being so nice to me, so I tried to nurse him back to health. He told us about what happened to him; how his own family cast him out because of what he turned into. But he's not evil, he's just hurt inside. He's lost everything; he needs help to get back up again, to stop his anger. There's still the human he was inside of him, I just know it," she said softly.

"Are you out of your mind? He's a bloody murderer!" Felucia yelled out. Kyouko growled with frustration then looked to her with a teary eyed glare.

"Weren't you the same? Or Dark? Or Akua, Kahlua, and even Falla? You all made mistakes in your past, you all have blood on your hands, but you're not evil. Why is he to be condemned while you're forgiven? Why is he an absolute evil after the way he was treated by Fairy Tale?" she snapped back. Felucia looked at her with disbelief as the human stood up and clenched her fists with frustration.

"You just act like he's the devil and you're angels, but that's not true! You were just like him before, yet here you are with us as a good soul. Why can you change but he can't? If you saw reason then so can he!" she shouted out.

"He doesn't see reason Kyouko, he only sees red like a wild bull, he's just out for blood and that's all there is to him!" Felucia shouted back.

"Felucia, stop," Dark said, the girl looking to him with surprise.

"But Dark, you know I'm right, you know I am. That monster is out for blood, your blood, he's not like us at all," she said shaking her head. Dark held his hand up to silence her, the girl then slowly sitting back down in her chair while watching him with worried eyes. The boy then looked to Kyouko with a careful eye.

"I'm not going to claim I'm an angel Kyouko, there is blood on my hands, Arial's included," he started, with the group watching him as Kyouko slowly sat back down in her seat.

"However, I know this monster well, and he isn't one who listens to reason from those who have tried to talk to him. His vengeance was well-known within Fairy Tale, hence why he was dubbed with his nickname. He does not stop with his killings, he does not show mercy, and he does not listen to anyone," Dark continued. Kyouko opened her mouth to speak before Mizore held her hand up to silence her just like Dark would have. Kyouko looked to her then to Dark as the demon looked down at the table with a solemn gaze.

"You say he can be reasoned with, that there's still a human within that monster. When we see him again we will give him one last chance to stop, however if he does not heed that final warning we will put him down. If he really will not abandon his crusade and refuses to stop being a weapon of war, then it's over for him," he finished. Kyouko looked at him worriedly then down as she prayed that Talon would see reason before his quest for revenge got him killed.

"Wait, that was him we saw," Luna said looking to Ceal. The group looked to them as the catalyst mage nodded with a cautious expression.

"You saw him?" Felucia asked. Luna nodded then looked to Kyouko.

"When we arrived at the remains of the academy, there was somebody with strange metallic wings who managed to survive the chaos. I was too busy freaking out about what had happened to Falla, but I remember him now. Those wings looked just like Alucard's, that was Talon we saw," she said with wonder.

"Is he alright? Where is he?" Kyouko asked urgently.

"He flew off into the sky; we don't know where he went. He wasn't in the best condition though, I'm not sure if he's still alive or not," Ceal said with a shrug.

"Dammit, figures he would survive even a school blowing up around him, that bastard just doesn't go down!" Felucia shouted out with anger.

"So we have a Fairy Tale killer on the loose as well as a siren who has the last key to Pandora's Box flying around in the monster world somewhere, this is turning into more of a mess than before," Rason said with a groan as he looked up.

"We have to find my sister, please, she's going to be alone and scared in the monster world and now there's a murderer running around where she is," Ran pleaded.

"Talon's not a murderer! He's just… misunderstood. Besides, your sister is the real dangerous one of the two, she destroyed the whole school!" Kyouko shot back.

"Don't talk about Rin like she's the same as some Fairy Tale killer! My sister… my sister isn't a murderer, she isn't! It's not her fault she was brainwashed by Falla!" Ran cried out before breaking down into tears, with Ahakon holding her worriedly while Falla cringed with remorse. Kyouko looked at her with a pained expression then to Falla, the chronofly holding her head while looking down with closed eyes.

"Goddammit, I really hate how I used to be," she said softly.

"You changed Falla, you became a better person. Perhaps this Talon can do the same," Luna said gently.

"Yeah, let's just hit him on the head and make him forget he was ever a killer, sounds simple enough," Kokoa said with a shrug. Kou nodded and squeaked in agreement. Gin gave a slight smirk at his girlfriend then looked to Ran as the siren whimpered while holding her hands in front of her face.

"Rin… oh god, please come back to me," Ran sobbed while the group watched her with concern.

"Uh oh," Ruby said worriedly. The group looked to her as she slowly shook her head.

"Um, if this Talon person is after those who worked at Fairy Tale, doesn't that mean he's going to go after Akua and Kahlua?" she asked.

"He'd have to be an idiot to take on both of my sisters in a fight. Two S-Class daughters of a vampire lord against him? That's just suicide," Kokoa said shaking her head.

"Yeah, Akua and Kahlua are tough fighters, I'm sure they can handle this guy no problem," Kurumu said in agreement.

"Don't be so sure," Felucia said cautiously. The group looked to her as she slowly shook her head.

"That guy was turned into a real weapon, just like Fairy Tale wanted. He knows how to kill, he's done it with ease against many agents from the organization, all of which he butchered as if they were nothing. Akua and Kahlua may be S-Class, but they turned Talon into something that would easily reach that ranking as well," she warned.

"My sisters won't fall to this guy, not a chance in hell," Kokoa snapped with a stern expression. Mizore nodded then glanced to Felucia.

"There's two of them, and only one of him. He wouldn't be so foolish as to attack them all alone," she reasoned shaking her head.

---

Underground inside the Fairy Tale storage bunker Talon was standing before three girls, all of whom were looking at him with wonder. Rin then showed a confused expression while Jovian and Jacqueline smiled at their master with a nod in agreement.

"As you wish master," they said in unison.

"Um, wait, what did he say?" Rin asked. The sisters looked to her with raised eyebrows as Talon watched her with a curious eye.

"Master, who is this one? Is she your friend?" Jovian asked glancing to Talon. The hybrid walked towards Rin who looked around at seeing the three watching her carefully.

"What's going on, who are all of you? Where am I?" she asked nervously.

"What's wrong with her?" Jacqueline asked.

"She appears to be suffering a form of amnesia, she doesn't seem to remember who she is or where she's been, she forgets anything you tell her after a short while," Talon said while looking at the siren with a careful eye. He then glanced to the witch sisters while Rin backed up nervously against a wall while watching the three with fearful eyes.

"Tell me, what manner of summoned beings are you?" he asked. The sisters smiled at him and gave a polite curtsey.

"We are witches, forged from a powerful spell and the blood of a great destroyer. Your wish and will are our command," they said together in unison. Rin looked at them curiously and tilted her head.

"Wow, how did you two say that together like that?" she asked with wonder. Talon looked at the witches carefully then to Rin and pointed to her, the girl staring at him with worried eyes now.

"If you are magical casters, see if you can cure her mind. I don't want her wandering the world in a stupor, she won't last long at all," he ordered. Jovian and Jacqueline nodded then walked towards Rin, with the girl shaking her head while watching them with fearful eyes.

"What are you doing, why are you all looking at me like that?" she asked nervously.

"It's alright, we're going to help you," Jovian said with a kind smile.

"Help me? Help me with what?" Rin asked.

"Please, let us try to help you think properly again," Jacqueline said as they approached the siren. Rin shook her head then ran past them, the girl then being grabbed by the arm and halted by Talon. Rin looked to him with a yelp as the boy turned her to stare into her eyes.

"Please, let me go," Rin begged.

"What's your name?" Talon asked. Rin paused then slowly shook her head.

"I don't know," she said softly.

"Where did you come from?" he asked.

"I… I don't know," she said worriedly.

"What are you?" Talon asked again. Rin looked down as she relaxed in his grip and shook her head.

"I don't know, I can't remember anything," she said sadly.

"Then let us help you remember," Talon said looking to the witch sisters. They walked over and stood on both sides of Rin, gently holding her hands and placing a hand on each side of her head.

"We're not going to hurt you, I promise," Jovian said kindly.

"Just relax, you'll feel whole again soon," Jacqueline said with a nod. Rin looked to each of them then to Talon, the boy backing up and watching her with a calm expression.

"Close your eyes," he said with a nod. Rin paused for a moment then closed her eyes. Jovian and Jacqueline focused their magic, their hands glowing with a swirling colorful light that matched their eyes. Slowly the glow grew and covered Rin's head, the siren showing a strained expression while her hands gripped the witch sisters' tightly.

"There's a spell over her mind master, it's locking away… everything," Jovian said with wonder.

"Her memories, her past; everything about her is hidden away," Jacqueline said curiously.

"Can you remove the spell over her?" Talon asked.

"We shall try," the sisters said as the glow swirled around Rin's head, the colors of the two witches mixing and blending with odd radiances as the siren felt her mind racing and going blank again and again. She started to hear echoing voices, see hazy images in her mind, feeling strange senses of anger, sorrow, and fear washing over her.

"Try to remember who you are," Jovian said gently.

Rin started to shake a bit, her mind putting together a hazy picture about something from her past.

"Rin…" a woman's voice said in her mind.

"Try to remember what you are," Jacqueline said kindly.

Rin started to whimper as her mind ached, strange memories swirling around in her head that weren't connecting right.

"What are you doing Rin?" a man's voice asked worriedly.

"Rin…" the siren said softly.

"Rin? Is that your name?" Jovian asked.

"Good, try to remember more Rin," Jacqueline urged hopefully.

"No…" Rin said as cringed slightly.

An image of two older sirens backing away from her inside a home flashed before her mind, the two looking at Rin with surprise and fear.

"No…" Rin said as she started to feel a chill run down her spine.

She remembered singing a chaotic and dark song, the melody of heavy metal music echoing in her mind along with her voice which sounded angry and cold.

"Wait… stop," Rin said as she started to shake.

"What's wrong?" Jovian asked.

"Is something the matter?" Jacqueline asked worriedly.

"Rin, what are you remembering?" Talon asked carefully.

Rin shut her eyes tightly as she trembled, the images flashing before her mind becoming more detailed and lifelike to her. She saw her parents, the two sirens who loved and cared for her, stumbling back and knocking over a table and chair as the house around them lit on fire, the flames searing around across the furniture and ceiling as the young girl's singing escalated.

"Rin, what are you doing? Stop!" her mother cried out.

"What's come over you, what are you singing?" her father called out as the air around the room started to ripple and distort slightly.

Rin started to thrash about, struggling to block out the memory that was etching into her mind. She could feel her parents' fear from her, the heat from the living room of her home on that day, the icy cold feeling she had in her heart as she sang her heavy and dark melody. This memory was real, painfully real, something that she didn't want to remember.

"Mom! Dad!" Rin cried out. The witch sisters looked to each other then to Rin with worry as they continued to use their magic on her mind.

"What's wrong Rin?" Jovian asked.

"Your parents? What about them?" Jacqueline asked.

Rin shook her head and screamed, seeing the image of her home erupting into a firestorm around her while thunder and lightning echoed in the sky outside. She started breathing heavily as she saw the expressions of her parents, her view being from herself when she was slowly walking towards them while singing her chaotic song.

"Rin…" her mother breathed out.

"Stop, please," her father said with worried eyes.

Jovian and Jacqueline watched Rin tremble and shake while whimpering then looked to Talon.

"She's suffering master, something in her past is causing her distress," Jovian said worriedly.

"What should we do?" Jacqueline asked. Talon watched the siren shaking and crying with a careful eye.

"We can't run from the past, can't bury it and pretend it never happened. Keep going. Whatever happened to her, whatever led to her being here, she deserves to know the truth," he said. The witch sisters nodded then watched Rin as the siren was struggling in their grip, both sisters holding onto her arms while using their magic on her head.

"You must know the truth Rin, do not run from it," Jovian urged.

"You will be fine, we're right here with you," Jacqueline said with a nod.

Rin screamed as the images kept pouring into her mind. She saw a village of sirens, her home, being destroyed by a vicious storm. She saw large trees with siren houses collapsing down into splintered ruins while fire and ash flew about in the air along with the rain. Fellow sirens were struck down by falling debris, the entire village decimated as the haunting echo of her dark song filled the air.

"No, no!" Rin cried out.

She saw another siren, with blue eyes and long blue hair which was tied back in a polka-dotted ribbon. She was wearing a ragged brown shawl and worn light blue dress, white feathered wings behind her keeping her in the air while she was apparently looking at Rin who was watching her. The other siren let out a powerful shriek, the sound wave distorting the air around her and knocking Rin back while lightning crackled and shot down around them. Rin saw the world spinning around through the eyes of her tumbling self before she reoriented and faced the opposing fighter. Rin then struck a low note with her song, causing a thunderous boom followed by a powerful gust of wind, sending the other siren flying back into a tumble. Before the fighter could regain herself Rin switched her tone up to a high note, causing a powerful explosion of fire from a shockwave around her, the swirling flames expanding out and incinerating a few passing sirens while a large tree to her other side was carved right through by the destructive wave. The opposing siren darted up as the flames missed her, with Rin watching as she then flew up towards and grabbed the girl by the neck. She saw the other siren struggling in her grip before Rin let out another powerful shriek, the opposing siren looking at her with a shocked expression as blood dripped out her ears and mouth. Rin then threw the stunned girl away into a tumble before letting out another powerful shriek, in doing so causing a powerful tornado to form around her and catch the injured siren. The helpless girl swirled around while debris and rain was caught in the whirlwind, with Rin then looking up at seeing thunder and lightning above in the center of the funnel. After a moment she sang her darker melody with a faster pace, the storm around her intensifying before a powerful bolt of lightning struck down into and around through the whirlwind. When it hit the ground far below it exploded into a loud bang with charred debris and sparks that flew around wildly. She felt her anger growing from something, her rage at everyone boiling over, and the heavy metal music echoed in her mind as she saw the village, the place she knew to be her home, annihilated by her storm.

"Make it stop! No! No!" Rin cried out as she shut her eyes. She shook her head furiously as she saw her home being ravaged by her magic, her song killing sirens all over the village while the trees and homes were destroyed by the raging storm.

"No… I can't be… I can't be!" she cried out as something started to take form in her mind.

"We almost have the spell removed," Jovian said with concern.

"You need to face the past Rin, it cannot be changed," Jacqueline said shaking her head.

"Please! I don't want to remember, I don't want to know!" Rin cried out.

"You must know who and what you are Rin, we can't hide from the truth of what we are in this world," Talon said while watching the girl.

Rin let out a loud scream as she went wide eyed, her mind suddenly being freed as a bright flash erupted around her head. All at once memories flooded into her mind, the girl watching her whole life play out from start to finish while she felt her heart ache at the sight. She saw herself with her sisters flying through the forest when they were little, when she blanked out her mind and fell through the air while her father chased after her, when she was taken to the chronofly kingdom to be cured of her self-inflicted spell, when Falla had her headphones enchanted and the healers place the curse into her subconscious behind her own forgetting spell, when her parents were watching her with fear as she was triggered for the first time.

And when she had annihilated her home with a powerful cry, her voice not only destroying the place where she had lived all her life but also her parents as well, both of the elder sirens being seen clear as day to Rin now as they were splattered across the floor and wall moments before the entire building was detonated by the powerful shockwave.

"NO!" Rin screamed, her voice echoing out throughout the corridors of the Fairy Tale bunker as Jovian and Jacqueline slowly stepped back from her. The siren gripped her head as tears started to overflow and drop down her cheeks, the girl having her memory fully restored. She knew her name, what she was, where she came from, and what had happened to her. She remembered everything, every dark and horrible detail about her life, everything she had been forced to do by both her old master in the darkness, and her own hands when she had listened to heavy metal music. Her home was destroyed because of her, her parents met their end because of her, and Yokai Academy was destroyed because of her. Everything hit her like a wave, the girl shakily looking down with wide eyes full of tears as she trembled and whimpered.

"Rin?" Jovian asked carefully.

"What did you remember?" Jacqueline asked.

"What are you Rin?" Talon asked. The siren slowly shook her head then looked to him with horrified eyes.

"I'm a monster!" she cried out, the girl then dropping to her knees sobbing as she realized that she was the monster from long ago, the one that she hated for taking her home and parents away on that fateful day.

---

Inside the villa the group was looking at the three keys to Pandora's Box that they had on the table, three of the four mystical relics that they needed to solve a problem they were currently facing.

"Whether or not Talon is still alive or even remotely around Yokai Academy isn't our primary concern. Right now our only goal is finding a way to get to Rin, she has the last key and our only reliable ticket of getting Arial, Complica, and Felucia back to heaven," Rason said carefully.

"How are we going to get to her? She's somewhere in the monster world, who knows where she went during her rampage or how far she traveled, not to mention we're still stuck here in the human world," Kurumu asked.

"Can't Hex take us to the monster world? He took Luna and Ceal there without any problem," Yukari suggested. Hex chuckled and shook his head.

"I told you all before I'm not your ferryman, don't assume that I'll just take you wherever you please just like that," he commented.

"But you have the power to take us there even with the barriers closed, we need to go find Rin and the key. Besides, you need us to find that key anyway, it's the only way you'll have a chance at your sister being freed," Ruby reasoned. Hex looked to her with an accusing stare and slight smile.

"I helped Luna find Falla because I needed her help with freeing my sister from her box. However it seems that Falla has refused to help me, so that trip was a waste for me. As for the key, yes, having the box opened would be another chance for my sister to be free, however again I must remind you that I have no idea where this siren has fled to with it," he pointed out.

"Then just take us to the remains of Yokai Academy, we'll find her on our own," Kurumu said confidently. Hex laughed and shook his head.

"I have no guarantee of that, not to mention that I've done more than enough 'favors' for you people. If you want me to do anything more then you'll have to roll for it," he said holding up his dice between three fingers. The group looked at him carefully as he glanced to Apoch.

"No more freebies with my magic, I'm under no obligation to do so for any of you and frankly not even supposed to be here with my father searching for Luna now," he continued before glancing to Ran.

"I rescued her from my father's dungeon, I allowed her to come see you all against my better wishes for her safety, I allowed her to move behind reality as you know it to bring back her sister, I've given you all enough for free," he said, then glanced to Falla.

"So if any of you want me to help you in anyway, then you'll have to play by my rules," he said before looking around at the group with a challenging smile. Luna looked at him worriedly then down while she nodded, the group looking to her with disbelief.

"And you love this guy?" Kokoa asked flatly. Luna growled then glared at her.

"Do you have any idea what it was like for me in that dungeon Kokoa?" she snapped. The vampire showed a worried expression as the chronofly looked around at the group with discontent.

"He has every right to ask for a fair game after all he's done for us. If it wasn't for him I would be in that dungeon still, you all would have been killed by the humans, and Falla and Kyouko would be dead at Yokai Academy. And yes, I love him! I admit it; I love him even though he's the son of that evil king. He's done more for me than ever could have been expected or asked of from anyone, he's done the impossible for me! I owe him everything!" she shouted out. Again Gabriel felt a pain in his heart from her words, the angel looking at her with remorse then to Hex as the reality bender was watching Luna looking down with closed eyes as she apparently was trying to calm down. The group watched as she took a moment to calm her emotions before she looked around at them with an accusing stare.

"I want Complica to go back to her home in heaven; I don't want her anywhere near this world when this war starts up. But I have absolutely no right to expect Hex to just give me that; nobody could just give that to us without a cost. Pandora has her rules and so does Hex, if we want him to help us then we have to play his game, there are no exceptions to his rules, not even with me," she declared. The group looked to each other then to Hex, the boy watching Luna with a curious smile.

"Very nicely put Luna," Hex said kindly. Luna blushed and looked down with a slight smile.

"Your game Hex, your rules," she said softly.

"Then what do we do now? I'm not playing his game, no way," Yukari said shaking her head.

"As much as I would like to save them as well, I'm not gambling with my heart if that's what he would want from me," Kurumu said watching Hex cautiously.

"We're not touching his dice at all," Apoch and Astreal said shaking their heads.

"I'll play his game," Fang Fang said raising his hand. The group looked to him as he watched the reality bender with a careful eye.

"If I were to make a wager that you would create a gateway to the monster world for us should I win your little game of dice, what would you ask of in return should I lose?" Fang Fang asked. Hex looked up in thought as the group watched him carefully. After a moment Hex looked to Fang Fang and smirked.

"Well, to allow so many to pass from one realm to another can be done, but is obviously no small order. If that's your wager for this game then I'll ask for something of great value as well. You wish to cheat the rules of dimensions and cross over to another realm that is sealed away, should you lose my game then you'll be forever barred from that world even should the barrier around it be removed," he said calmly. The group looked at him with surprise while he tilted his head slightly.

"Those are the stakes, what do you say?" he asked simply.

"What? We'll never be allowed to return to the monster world?" Kurumu said with shock.

"How is that a fair trade? That's horrible, we can't be denied returning to our home, we have friends and family on the other side," Yukari said worriedly.

"My whole family lives in the monster world, you can't keep me from ever seeing them again," Kokoa said with anger. Hex laughed and looked at her amusedly.

"I'm not keeping you from seeing anyone, however should my game be played that would be done from his choice, not mine," he reasoned while pointing to Fang Fang.

"This is crazy, you ask for something that we can't gamble with in all your games, we're not playing with those kinds of stakes," Ruby said with discontent.

"Then don't play, I'm not forcing you into anything. You're the ones who want me to do something for you, the ones who came to me to make their wish come true. You're the ones who are choosing whether or not to play, not me," Hex said casually. Falla looked at him with disbelief then to Luna, the green eyed chronofly looking down at the table and nodding.

"Luna? You're agreeing with his terms?" Falla said shaking her head. Luna glanced to her and nodded once.

"Yes, like I said it's his game, his rules. We're the ones who want the impossible to become possible for us, we have to be prepared to pay a fair price in exchange," she stated.

"Pandora's Box is in the monster world, if we're denied ever returning to it then that means nobody will be opening it, you'll lose your chance of the box being opened and your sister being freed," Razico pointed out expectedly. Hex chuckled and shook his head.

"Luna will not be barred since she has already agreed to help me free my sister, she will be able to return to the monster world and by action Pandora's Box, she is going to be helping me free Pandora one way or another after all," he started as he glanced to Luna, the girl looking to Razico and nodding in agreement. Hex smirked then looked back to the warlock with a shrug.

"Also, the keys, although cannot be used by me, can be taken back to the monster realm. I'm quite sure there are others who seek the relic and would love the chance to claim a wish of their greatest desires. If you will not be able to open Pandora's Box then we'll find others who could," he reasoned casually.

"If we're staying here then so are the keys, they're not going anywhere without us," Leon asserted firmly.

"We're the only ones who will be opening that box buddy," Render added with a stern expression at the reality bender. Falla narrowed her eyes then instantly was holding the keys in her hand after having grabbed them during a time shift.

"These keys are staying with us; we're the only ones who are opening that box. Now enough of this crap, you want that thing opened just as much as we do, so quit wasting our time and take us to the monster world so we can find Rin and the last key. We're not playing your games," she said sternly. Hex smirked and stood up, looking to Falla who was glaring at him.

"I don't know what you are and I don't care, we need to open that box for that wish and you yourself want us to on the off chance we'll die by Pandora's pets. So let's just get this over with, take us to the monster world right now," Falla ordered.

"Three things to note here Falla," Hex said holding his hand down towards the table while watching her with a sharp eye. The group watched with surprise as Falla was suddenly thrown forward with a yelp onto the table, sliding towards the middle before coming to a quick halt as the keys flew out of her hand and into the air in front of her.

"One, do not order me around, I am neither your servant nor slave in any regard," Hex said firmly. She looked to him as he waved his hand to the side, the girl then spinning around with a scream as the keys flew around in a circle above her. Hex waved his hand down, causing the keys to strike down into the table around her. She stopped her spin just as one key went between her legs while two others landed near her shoulders, the girl staring at the reality bender with wide eyes as he held his hand out to face her. The group stared at Falla with surprise as she had the keys struck into the table around her while Luna was looking at her with worried eyes.

"Secondly, although my power is limited in some ways with dealing with those around me I am not incapable of action when necessary. I am not helpless as you seem to think I am, my dice are not the only way I can use my power in this world, and you are never in a position to threaten me," Hex stated. Falla was suddenly lifted up onto her feet on the table as the keys yanked out around her, the relics spinning around then stopping in front of her as she stared at Hex with shock.

"Third, you should care very much about what I am, I'm the reason you and your human friend are alive right now. If you wish to hang onto those keys then please do so, however if you have no intention of using them nor are capable of doing so then they will be given to those who could be of use to me. Now it would be kind of you to offer an apology for you and your friends' behavior on how you've been treating me, I don't care for rude beings such as yourself," the boy said with a dull stare at the girl. Falla trembled then glanced to Ceal, the mage glaring at Hex as his reptilian hand gave off a dark hue. Luna held a hand up to him to keep him from attacking and looked at Falla with an accusing stare.

"Say you're sorry sister, right now," she ordered.

"Are you kidding me? For god's sake I can't move and he's holding me with his magic, do something!" Falla cried out.

"Falla, do it, right now," Ruby warned. Falla looked to her as the witch was shaking her head slowly while watching Hex, the woman holding her wand in her hand while it wasn't glowing at all.

"What? Why are you agreeing with this?" Falla demanded.

"Because I can't stop his power, I can't cast anything to help you," Ruby said nervously. Falla looked at her puzzled then around at the group. Apoch and Astreal were standing up but looking to their hands cautiously, Razico was holding his hand out towards Hex but nothing was happening, Yukari had her wand out but it wasn't glowing, Leon was watching Hex closely but wasn't making a move, and Ceal wasn't summoning Xarai.

"I can't use my magic. How?" Apoch said with disbelief while staring at her hand.

"Ms. Falla, offer your apology, I can't even summon any energy at all right now," Astreal warned. Falla looked at them with wide eyes then to Razico, the man shaking his head slowly.

"My magic isn't working either, I can't do anything," he said cautiously.

"My washtubs aren't working, what the heck is this?" Yukari said waving her wand at Hex franticly.

"Whatever this is I can't copy it Falla," Leon said cautiously. Falla looked at them with growing fear then to Ceal, the mage glancing to her and shaking his head.

"I can't summon Xarai, he's being blocked off by something," he warned before glaring at Hex. Falla looked around at her friends with disbelief then to Hex as the boy was watching her with a sharp eye.

"What's going on, what are you?" she cried out.

"Falla, say you're sorry, you were out of line," Luna urged. Falla looked to her with fearful eyes then to Hex. Fang Fang held his hand down as he tried to summon a creature, his magic failing to even erect a casting circle.

"How can this be, he's suppressing all our monster energy," he said looking to the reality bender with disbelief.

"He's what?" Falla cried out. She strained herself to shift into time, her magic not responding at all as the group watched her worriedly. The girl struggled to move as she started to breathe heavily in a panic.

"I can't shift into time, what the hell is this?" she cried out. Arial held her hand out towards Hex, her power not responding at all as she stared at her hand with disbelief.

"It's just like how it was in the dark world, we can't use any monster energy or magic," she said nervously. Complica looked at Hex worriedly then to Falla as the girl was staring at the reality bender with fright. Hex watched Falla and tilted his head slightly with an accusing stare.

"I didn't come here to fight any of you; if you want any remote assistance from me at all then you need to behave yourselves. Now, if you want me to grant you any wishes then you will play my game like everybody else does, otherwise I will not be granting you such things simply because you have the keys with you. If you try to threaten me again you will regret it, do you understand?" he stated. Falla nodded with a whimper.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please," she said quickly. Hex smirked and glanced to Complica.

"Want to see a magic trick? For you, free of charge," he mused with a wink. Complica looked at him worriedly as the boy turned his eyes back onto Falla while readying to snap his fingers with his hand which was held out towards her. Falla shook her head quickly as the group watched Hex with growing concern.

"Wait, I said I was sorry, I'm sorry!" Falla cried out. Hex snapped his fingers, with Falla instantly disappearing and reappearing in her seat. The girl was staring straight ahead with wide eyes while trembling slightly, the group looking to her as she slowly glanced around and seeing that she was sitting in her seat again.

"Sister?" Complica asked.

"She just… but… how…" Gin said looking from where Falla was to where the stunned chronofly was now seated.

"What… just happened?" Falla asked nervously.

"How did…" Kokoa said as the group looked back to Hex. The boy chuckled then waved his hand around, the floating keys then gently drifting over to Render, Leon, and Ceal. The boys looked at the keys suspended before them then to Hex as he looked to each of them with a calm smile.

"Go ahead, take them, I want you to open my sister's box after all. Don't be afraid gentlemen, I know you're all eager to open my sister's box, surely three floating keys won't scare you," he said casually. The three boys slowly took hold of the keys as Falla looked to Hex with fearful eyes while trying to steady her breathing. Luna walked over to Falla's side and rested her hand on her shoulder, the girl looking to her nervously then to Hex as the boy was watching her with a slight smile.

"How… how did you…" Falla asked shakily. The boy shook his head then looked around at the group as all eyes were on him.

"Let me make this clear to you in case you haven't connected the dots yet, I owe you all nothing, I am not obligated to help you with this upcoming war or your petty problems at all. If you wish for me to change reality for you that's within my limits then you will play my game as are my rules, otherwise you will not assume that I shall grant you anything merely because you demand or require it," he stated, then looked to Falla and pointed to her, the girl backing up in her seat nervously while Luna watched the reality bender curiously.

"As for suppressing the magic in the area, I did so because of you, you foolish girl," he said with annoyance. Falla looked at him puzzled as the boy pointed up.

"My father is looking for you, you and your sister, that hasn't changed at all from the time we came here to discuss current events. When you used your magic to take the keys from the table that's when I put a stop to all magic in the room, to keep you from making that mistake again," he said firmly.

"Mistake?" Falla asked. Hex closed his eyes and sighed then looked at the girl with a dull expression.

"Your chrono magic, if it's detected being used by my father or his minions then your hidden location is no longer hidden, and he will be here to take you and Luna away for reasons I'm sure you can guess," he explained. Falla jumped a bit then looked to Luna as she was nodding at her.

"We can't use our magic Falla. That's why Hex stopped me from opening a rift into the time stream before I could go after you myself when Yokai Academy blew up, his father might have seen me," she said worriedly.

"How did you suppress all our magic and monster energy like that?" Razico asked shaking his head. Hex chuckled then glanced to him.

"Your magic is hardly magic for me, silencing your power within a short distance around me was no feat at all," he said casually.

"That's impossible, nobody, not even the headmaster, could cancel out all of our monster energy just like that," Ruby said with disbelief. Hex laughed and looked at her amusedly.

"I assure you I'm nothing like your headmaster from Yokai Academy, I would be embarrassed to be as 'powerful' as he is," he retorted with a smirk. Falla caught her breath then shakily pointed to the boy.

"You are just like her," she said nervously. The group looked to her as she slowly shook her head.

"Whatever Pandora was… she's not a monster at all, she even said so; she's… the goddess of chaos and calamity. You're just like her, you're not one of us at all, you're like some kind of god," she said fearfully. Hex laughed and looked at her with an amused smile.

"Well, we're not gods, at least not like the deities that you know and worship. My sister can be a bit dramatic with her power, but then again what little girl hasn't dreamed of being a princess or ruler of some form during their youth? But yes, you are correct with your reasoning that we're not like you, not even close," he reasoned casually. Luna looked at Hex with wonder then back to Falla.

"They're not immortal Falla; they can bleed and die just like we can. Pandora, Hex, and even their father can be killed," she explained. Hex nodded then looked around at the group.

"Now, are there going to be any further arguments about me not giving you charity wishes?" he asked plainly. The group looked to each other as the boy snapped his fingers, a small flicker of light flashing in the room as he did so. Ruby blinked then looked to her wand as the orbs started to glow again. She waved her wand and created a small burst of light that trailed behind the stick for a moment, then looked to Hex curiously. The boy smiled calmly at them then sat back down as everybody watched him carefully. Luna nodded then sat back down next to him while Falla looked to Ceal who was watching Hex with a close eye still. The catalyst mage held in his growl then looked to the key in his hand, the boy then looking to Complica as the young chronofly was watching Hex curiously still.

"I guess not," Leon said looking to his key. Render looked at his then to Hex with a careful eye.

"So you really can alter reality just like nothing, can't you?" he said cautiously.

"Within reason," Hex said with a shrug.

"And what wouldn't be within reason for you?" Rason asked.

"For one I cannot free my sister from her prison, even if somebody were to wish for it with my game. Secondly, I cannot stop my father's march into your world, in case any of you were thinking of that right now. There are just some things that are outside of my limits, just as Luna stated I am not a god after all," Hex said with a shrug. Gabriel looked up at the ceiling then back to him with a cautious expression.

"So you want us to open the box for you on the chance that Pandora will kill us and free herself, however you cannot actually take us to Rin or the last key without any of us playing your game, is that right?" he asked.

"Correct. I personally have no idea where she is, however if the wish was made to find her, then it would become reality," Hex said simply.

"And if my friends here do defeat Pandora and her pets, then they can wish for a gateway to heaven for our three wandering souls, right?" Gabriel asked carefully.

"That can be granted, yes," Hex said again. Gabriel nodded then looked down with a serious expression.

"Then I'll play your game, however I will wish for only Ceal, Render, Leon, and Falla to be taken to Rin. They're the ones who want to open the box and claim the wish. If I only wish for those four to be taken to Rin can you lessen your wager and not bar them all from the monster realm?" he asked. The group looked at him curiously as Hex showed an amused smile.

"Interesting, you wish to roll for only those four to be taken, I suppose that would require less effort from me on my part. It still would require something of real value to be wagered in return however, what you're asking of still a lot," he mused playfully. Gabriel looked to him with a focused expression.

"Then I ask that you only wager something against me and me alone, don't involve the others in this. I'm the one choosing to play your game, not them. I'm the only one who will need to pay a price should I lose," he stated firmly.

"Gabriel, what are you doing?" Rason asked. Gabriel held a hand up to silence him while still watching Hex, the reality bender raising an eyebrow at the angel.

"Name your price Hex, and I'll roll against it," Gabriel dared.

"Hmm, you wish to wager something that is worth four lives being allowed into the monster realm, I do wonder what it is you could offer me in return like that," Hex mused. He looked up thoughtfully for a while then to Gabriel again.

"Oh yes, I do believe I remember Moka speaking to the humans on the news about you. You're an angel from heaven, one who came down here to try to bring these two young souls back into the heavenly realm," he said curiously. Gabriel nodded as he waited for the reality bender to continue. Hex smirked and tilted his head while watching the angel with a sharp eye.

"Returning them back home must be very important to you if you're willing to bear the burden of defeat all by yourself," Hex pointed out.

"They're down here because of me; I wasn't watchful enough and let them slip by me. If there's anything I can do to atone for my carelessness with them then I'll do so, it's only fair," Gabriel stated. Arial and Complica looked to each other with concern then to the angel as Hex chuckled and nodded.

"I see, then why not wish for the gateway into heaven right now, why are you choosing to go after the siren on the gamble that your friends can defeat my sister?" he asked.

"Because we need to find Rin and make sure she's ok, and because Render, Leon, and Ceal need to find your sister and crush her monsters into the ground for their own wishes to come true. I have complete faith in them that they'll defeat her and earn the wish to send Complica, Arial, and Felucia back to heaven, the only gamble I'm taking is with you in trying to find Rin and the last key," Gabriel said confidently. Render and Leon smiled slightly at the angel while Ceal watched him with a blank expression. Hex glanced to the three hunters then to Gabriel with a shrug.

"Very well, I believe I can make this game interesting to me then. Should you win, I'll allow the four you chose to travel to the exact location of where the siren holding Pandora's final key is; I'll take them to her personally right away. However, should you lose the game angel, then you will never be allowed to return to your heaven again," he said slyly. The group jumped at that as Gabriel watched the boy with frustration.

"What? He'll never be allowed to go back?" Kurumu exclaimed with shock.

"That's not fair, he's a guardian angel, he belongs in heaven!" Kokoa shouted out at Hex.

"Don't do it, you can't gamble with that Gabriel," Yukari pleaded while shaking her head.

"Why would you be so cruel as to make those terms? That's horrible," Fang Fang said with disgust at the reality bender. Hex laughed and leaned back in his chair with a shrug.

"He wishes to do the impossible, and wants to carry the burden of defeat all by himself. If that's true then I believe such a sacrifice would be a fair trade for me changing reality for four others," he reasoned.

"He's not taking such a bet, that's not a fair trade at all," Rason argued sternly.

"I accept," Gabriel said while watching Hex with a sharp eye.

"What?" the group said looking to him with surprise.

"Don't do it Gabriel, it's not worth the risk," Complica said shaking her head.

"Please don't gamble with that for us, it's not your fault that I'm down here, really," Arial said worriedly. Gabriel shook his head and looked between the two with concern.

"Yes it is; I was in charge of watching over you two for the elder, you're my responsibility. This is the first step that's needed to set things right, both with returning you both to heaven and going after Pandora's Box. We need to find Rin, we need to settle things with getting Pandora out of our world and finishing what Ceal, Render, and Leon started, we have to deal with these problems now and quickly before this war is upon us," he reasoned, and then looked to Luna with remorse.

"I'm the one that failed, I need to atone for it," he said gently.

"Gabriel… you don't have to do this," Luna said shaking her head.

"Yes I do, this is my choice Luna, and I'm choosing to help you however I can," he said before looking to Hex with an accusing stare. Luna looked at him worriedly then to Hex as the boy toiled his dice in his hand in front of him.

"What are the rules to your game Hex?" Gabriel asked firmly. Hex chuckled then set the dice down on the table, sliding them over across the table to where Gabriel caught them.

"I play with the same rules in all my games. Roll two sixes and you win, roll a snake eyes and I win. Roll doubles of any other number and you can roll again, roll opposite numbers and your turn is over. We play until there is a winner or you take back your wager," Hex explained. Gabriel nodded and picked up the dice before Rason quickly reached over and grabbed his fist.

"Don't roll with this Gabriel, you can't risk such a thing, you're a guardian angel for crying out loud," Rason urged. Gabriel glanced to him then looked down at the table.

"I was, before I killed HDA soldiers in trying to save your friends, to save Arial and Complica from being harmed," he said softly, with the group watching him with concern.

"I was, before I exposed myself to the world as what I am when I risked my life saving that doll of Luna from being destroyed," he said shaking his head, with Luna looking at him with wonder at that. Gabriel closed his eyes and smirked slightly.

"I was a guardian angel, but not anymore," he said softly. He then removed Rason's hand from around his fist and looked to him with a faint smile.

"Now I'm like you," he said.

"Like me?" Rason asked. Gabriel nodded with a kind smile at his friend.

"Now I'm a monster too," he said, and then rolled the dice onto the table. The group watched with a jump as the cubes rolled to a stop, showing a six and one. Hex tapped his fingers on the table, causing the dice to roll over to him where he picked them up.

"Gabriel stop this, don't gamble away your right to return to heaven," Kurumu pleaded.

Hex rolled the dice, getting two threes. The boy chuckled and picked them up to roll again while the group was looking at Gabriel with wonder and concern.

"Call off the bet Gabriel, take it back right now," Ahakon begged.

"No," Gabriel said firmly as Hex rolled the dice, getting a five and six. The reality bender slid the dice over to Gabriel who picked them up and rattled them around in his hand.

"This isn't funny Gabriel, you'll never be able to return to heaven again if you lose," Rason said urgently. Gabriel nodded and rolled the dice, getting a two and four. Hex tapped his fingers on the table, causing the cubes to slide over to him while Luna watched them with worried eyes.

"Wait, I want to find my sister, but not like this," Ran said shaking her head.

"It's what we have to do, what I have to try to do," Gabriel said as Hex rolled the dice, getting a five and one. He slid the dice back across the table to Gabriel as the group watched him worriedly.

"Think about what you're doing Gabriel, it's not worth the risk," Falla begged.

"C'mon man, call off the bet, please," Render said worriedly.

"We'll find another way to get the last key, don't do this," Leon said shaking his head. Gabriel rolled the dice, getting two twos, and then picked them back up again. Falla looked at him with concern then to Luna.

"How can you just agree with Hex and his conditions, how can you be fine with this?" she asked with disbelief.

"Hex isn't making him roll, this is Gabriel's choice, the same way it would be anyone's choice to fight Pandora for a wish as well. There's no foul play involved, it's a fair game, we can't argue with that," Luna reasoned shaking her head. She didn't want Gabriel to lose his right to return to heaven, but couldn't find any reason to be mad at Hex for asking of such a wager. It was his game, his rules; if the group wanted to gamble to change reality then they had to be prepared to face the cost, and what they were asking of was something big.

"Gabriel," Mizore said looking to the angel with worried eyes. He glanced to her as she slowly shook her head.

"Are you sure you're ok with this? We're not asking you to play with these terms," she said softly. Gabriel looked to Arial, then to Complica, then to Felucia, all of them watching him with worried eyes as well.

"I know you're not asking me to do this, but I want to try. It's worth the risk," he said gently.

"No we're not, we're not Gabriel," Complica said shaking her head with a whimper. Gabriel smiled gently at her and nodded.

"Yes you are Complica, I would do this for any of you, you're all worth the risk to me," he said softly. He then rolled the dice as the group watched with worried eyes, the cubes bouncing on the table before coming to a stop.

"NO!" Kurumu cried out as the dice had rolled a snake eyes. The group stared at the dice with shock then looked to Gabriel as he staggered back a step, a faint glow coming off his body before swirling away in a wisp. The angel seemed to be dazed for a moment before shaking his head, his eyes focusing again before he looked at the dice with sorrow.

"No, Gabriel!" Complica cried out. Gabriel looked to his hands then slowly to Hex as the reality bender shrugged with a casual smile.

"I win," he said simply, tapping his fingers on the table and causing the dice to roll over to him.

"Oh no, Gabriel," Ruby said holding a hand over her mouth.

"Gabriel? Are you ok?" Gin asked worriedly. Gabriel slowly reached back and into his shirt while looking down, the group watching as he remained silent before he pulled out a few feathers from his back. They were gray and dull, the boy staring at them with remorse before he looked to Luna.

"I'm sorry Luna, I tried," he said with sorrow.

"Gabriel," Luna said softly.

"What happened to your feathers?" Kokoa asked worriedly.

"They look… dead," Yukari said nervously. Luna looked down then glanced to Hex, the boy shaking his head with a calm smile still.

"Looks like you're an angel no more," he said knowingly.

"What?" Ruby said with a jump.

"What does he mean, what happened to Gabriel?" Arial asked worriedly. Gabriel dropped the feathers on the table then slowly took off his shirt, with Falla and Kurumu then screaming and pointing to his back.

"Oh my god!" Falla cried out. Complica rushed around to see then screamed as she saw Gabriel's feathers turning black and falling off, the group watching as his wings decayed and withered.

"What the hell, what's happening to him?" Felucia asked with shock.

"Gabriel!" Complica cried out while grabbing her hair. Luna looked at Gabriel with remorse then down and away while closing her eyes. Rason slowly held a hand out to touch one of Gabriel's feathers, which then broke off and dropped to the ground before shriveling up.

"Gabriel… your wings…" Rason said under his breath.

"What happened to him, why did his feathers fall off?" Arial asked shaking her head.

"He's not an angel of heaven anymore, he lost his angelic wings," Ceal said solemnly as he saw the angel's wings reduced to featherless extensions. Gabriel looked down with closed eyes as the group stared at the sight with disbelief and remorse.

"Gabriel, why did you do that? We didn't want you to; we didn't want you to risk losing that!" Kurumu cried out. Gabriel nodded then looked to Complica with a faint smile.

"I told you, it was worth the risk to me," he said softly. Complica broke down crying then rushed over and hugged him, the angel holding her with one arm while she cried into his side.

"No Gabriel, I'm not worth that! I'm not! I didn't want you to do that!" Complica cried as she held onto him. Arial looked down with closed eyes as she started crying while Felucia watched Gabriel with remorse.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry my friend," Fang Fang said softly. Falla looked at Gabriel with remorse then to Hex with a glare.

"Are you happy now? Did you get your sick entertainment? You just took away his right as an angel, you took away everything from him!" she shouted out.

"I did no such thing; he did that to himself when he chose to play my game of chance. Everybody always seems to think they can blame me for their misfortune when they have nobody to blame but themselves. I didn't force him to play, he didn't have to roll if he didn't want to, yet he chose to on his own accord. I merely stated the price should he lose, and he accepted, I've done no wrong," Hex said simply with a shrug. Luna wiped a tear away and nodded while still looking down with closed eyes.

"He's right, he didn't do anything wrong. We can't blame him, we have no right to," she said before looking to Falla.

"Gabriel just lost his angelic wings! He can't go back to heaven!" Falla shouted out at her.

"It was his choice to play!" Luna shot back with frustration. Falla looked at her with disbelief then to Gabriel as the angel was holding Complica who was crying at his side still.

"Luna's right," Dark said, the group then looking to him as he was watching Gabriel with a slight amount of remorse.

"Gabriel chose to place his angelic power on the line to help us, he agreed to the rules set forth by Hex. As much as I hate seeing an angel lose his wings before me like that, I can't blame Hex for it at all," he said shaking his head slowly. He looked to Arial then back to Gabriel.

"Thank you Gabriel, for trying to help us like that, it was very noble of you," he said gently. Mizore nodded and lowered her head.

"Your sacrifice won't be forgotten, thank you Gabriel," she said softly.

"You're still an angel in my eyes, you always will be," Leon added.

"You risked more than any of us to help set things right, you truly are an angel," Fang Fang said in agreement.

"You gave up your wings to help find my sister, I'm never going to forget this," Ran said with a whimper. Falla looked at Gabriel with remorse then down to Complica as the young girl was holding onto the angel while crying. Gabriel looked down to her and smiled gently.

"It's alright Complica, I'm alright," he said softly. She looked up to him with teary eyes and shook her head.

"You're not an angel anymore, that's not alright at all," she whimpered. Gabriel gently wiped a tear away from her cheek and shook his head.

"I told you before it was worth the risk Complica. Both to help send you home and to find Rin, if I had the choice of doing that over again I would still make the same choice," he said gently. Complica looked down with closed eyes as Gabriel looked to the others with a remorseful smile.

"Sorry I didn't win, I gave it my best shot," he said regrettably.

"We're the ones who are sorry Gabriel, you just lost your angelic wings for nothing," Razico said with remorse. Gabriel shook his head as he looked down to his decayed feathers on the floor.

"It wasn't for nothing, it was for a greater purpose, it was worth the risk to me," he said softly. Complica looked at the feathers on the floor then knelt down to pick one up, the black and dull feather having lost all its angelic energy from reality changing from the game. She sniffled then stood up and looked to Gabriel with sorrow.

"Thank you Gabriel, for giving up so much to help me," she said softly. He smiled gently and nodded at her.

"I wanted to Complica, being an angel is… or what I was born to do," he said softly.

"You're still an angel to me, you always will be," she said holding the feather in her hands gently. Gabriel smiled at her then looked to Arial and Felucia, the two smiling sadly at him as well.

"Thank you Gabriel, I'll never forget this, ever," Arial said softly.

"Same here, you got a lot of guts for an angel," Felucia added. The group looked at Gabriel with remorseful smiles then to Hex as the boy was leaning back in his seat while toiling his dice around in his hand.

"Still going to try to blame me for his misfortune?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No Hex, your game, your rules. We understand that," Luna said shaking her head. The group glanced to each other then back to the reality bender.

"As mad as I am about what just happened, she's right. We gambled to change reality, this is just the outcome of that choice," Gin said looking down to the table.

"Still, I think we're going to pass on playing your games again Hex, we're not going to risk losing any more after this," Razico said carefully. Fang Fang nodded and looked to the feathers on the ground with sympathetic eyes.

"I have to agree with him on that one, denying an angel his right to return home is regrettable enough. Hex's game is just too risky, we could very well be adding much more to our losses playing on the mere concept of luck," he said in agreement. Gabriel nodded then looked down with closed eyes as Rason rested his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"But then what can we do? There's no way for us to get to Rin and Pandora's Box, we're stuck here in this world," Ahakon asked worriedly.

"Well we're not going to be changing reality to fix that, we have to figure something out on our own," Ruby said looking down with concern.

"Our only hope right now is that Moka can convince the HDA to stop this war. Then maybe the dark lords will be willing to open the gateways and discuss a possible truce between the worlds," Razico reasoned.

"Do you think she can really do that?" Render asked. Ruby shrugged and looked down with concern.

"I hope so. If she can just convince them to give us another chance, to prove that we're allies to them, then we just might have a shot of forming peace with this world," she said hopefully.

"Do you think the dark lords would even trust them after what happened? Or other monsters, ones that were harassed and arrested by the HDA, do you think our side would be willing to give peace a chance again?" Gin asked. Razico looked up at the ceiling with a cautious gaze.

"Monsters wanted peace with mankind; we never wanted a war or bloodshed to begin with. If the HDA would be willing to at least apologize for their rash behavior and offer a truce, then maybe the dark lords would listen. Those in the monster realm wanted peace, there's still hope of making that a reality. We just need a chance to prove to the humans that we don't want any trouble with them, that we never did," he reasoned.

---

Deep inside the Fairy Tale storage bunker the sounds of a girl crying echoed throughout the abandoned tunnels. In a room with a few neon lights flickering near the ceiling Rin was sobbing while on her knees, the siren mortified to remember what had happened to her parents and home. The spell that plagued her mind was removed, all her memories had returned as she had been cured of its forgetful curse, however she didn't want to remember what she had. The images of her home being destroyed, her parents dying by her hands, how she was the monster that she had spent years cursing every night, everything became crystal clear in her mind and caused her heart to break.

"I'm a monster!" she cried out as she held her hands to her face.

"Oh dear, she didn't even know that before? She really did have a memory problem," Jacqueline said with a curious expression.

"I believe she knew she was a monster, however I think she means she was a rather bad one," Jovian reasoned. Talon walked over and knelt down in front of Rin, the siren crying and shaking her head in sorrow.

"Rin, what is it that you remembered?" he asked. Rin sobbed and looked down while grabbing her hair.

"I killed everybody, I was the one who killed my village, my parents, everyone! Oh god, I'm a murderer!" she cried out. Jovian and Jacqueline looked at her curiously while Talon showed a cautious expression still. He held his hand out and rested it on her shoulder, the girl looking to him with watery eyes of fright.

"I'm a monster… I'm a horrible monster," she sobbed before breaking down into tears, holding her hands to her face again while Talon watched her carefully.

"Master, is this girl a friend of yours?" Jovian asked. Rin choked back her sobs then looked at Talon with watery eyes.

"Do you remember me?" he asked. She whimpered then nodded.

"Yes, you're… Talon… you're the Fairy Tale killer," she said softly.

"Talon?" Jovian asked.

"Fairy Tale killer?" Jacqueline asked. Talon nodded then looked at Rin closely, the girl backing up a bit nervously.

"You don't seem like a murderer, in fact when I saw you before at Yokai Academy you seemed very peaceful and timid," he mentioned. Rin looked at him worriedly then jumped with a gasp.

"Yokai Academy!" she cried out, the memory of what had happened to the school flashing before her eyes. She saw herself destroying the school from the inside out, her raging storm that she had summoned decimating everything around the academy, and how she even slaughtered a teacher at pointblank range with her voice. Rin screamed and looked down while shutting her eyes.

"No! No, not again! No!" she cried out.

"Master? What is going on here?" Jovian asked. Talon stood up and watched Rin as the siren wailed and shook her head.

"I did it again, oh god I remember everything!" she cried out. Jovian started to walk towards her before Talon held a hand up to stop her, the witch instantly halting and looking to him curiously.

"I saw you Rin, and what you did to that place," Talon said knowingly, with the siren shakily looking up to him with fright.

"You annihilated that school and everything around it, but you seemed different then, nothing like how you are now," he continued.

"I didn't mean to, I never wanted to do such a thing," Rin whimpered.

"Then why did you? What made you become the killer that you so despise? What made you level that place to the ground with extreme force?" Talon asked. Rin looked at him worriedly then to Jovian and Jacqueline, then back to him.

"I… I couldn't control myself, I… I could only hear…" she said before looking down with wonder.

"Hear what?" Talon asked.

Rin's eyes started to dart around as she connected the dots. She remembered going to the chronofly kingdom with her father, how a young princess named Falla was in charge of having her healed, how the princess talked to her healers about rigging the siren's headphones with a spell to cause her to go crazy with heavy metal music, how she was sent home with those headphones.

And what happened when she listened to the music at her home, and at Yokai Academy.

"The music," she said softly. She blinked then started to show extreme anger as she realized what had happened to her.

"The music! THE MUSIC!" she screamed as she shook her head.

"What is she talking about?" Jacqueline asked with a raised eyebrow. Rin yelled out with anger as she stumbled to her feet, making the connection of the young princess named Falla and the older Falla that she had met at Yokai Academy.

"FALLA!" she screamed out.

"Falla?" Jovian asked. Rin stomped her foot down as she held her head, the girl's eyes glaring with tears and rage.

"It was her! She did this to me! She made me kill my parents, she made me kill everyone! She did this to me!" she screamed out.

"Falla? That other girl who was in the infirmary with you," Talon said carefully. Rin looked to him with frustration and nodded.

"She did something to my headphones when I was young, she was the one who turned me into that monster, she did this to me! I remember her now, I remember, she's the one who made me into this… this…" she said as she struggled not to scream out in agony.

"Weapon?" Talon finished with a raised eyebrow. Rin screamed as her wings arched back behind her, the girl's voice causing the lights above to crackle as the witch sisters watched her cautiously.

"Falla!" Rin yelled out with anger. Talon watched the girl carefully while the witch sisters glanced to him.

"Master?" they asked. Talon merely watched as Rin screamed and held her head, her voice causing the air around her to distort slightly as her wings twitched behind her. She understood now who the culprit behind her village's destruction was, why her parents were killed by her when she lost control of herself, and why Falla had kept insisting that they had met before.

"Falla! This is all your fault!" she yelled out with agony. She growled furiously as she cried, her tears dropping off her cheeks as she felt both rage and sorrow at the same time.

"My family, my home, everything was destroyed because you turned me into a monster!" she screamed out with anger. Talon nodded slowly while Jovian and Jacqueline watched the siren curiously.

"Master, what is she talking about?" Jovian asked.

"She's just like us Jovian," Talon said, with the sisters looking to him with wonder while Rin shook her head while screaming out of sorrow.

"Like us?" Jacqueline asked. Talon nodded then walked over and rested his hand on Rin's shoulder, the siren looking to him with teary eyes as she was breathing heavily.

"We're all weapons of war, those that were created by evil to be used as tools for their own gain," he said solemnly. Rin looked at him with watery eyes as he gently wiped a tear away from her cheek.

"You're like us, somebody who was turned into a killer against their will," he said gently.

"We're killers?" Jovian and Jacqueline asked with worry. Talon glanced back to them then around at the storage room.

"You both were created by a spell; one Fairy Tale had locked away in the shadows to hide from. Those monsters had you created to be killers, weapons that they would wield against those who stood against them," he explained. Jovian and Jacqueline looked around at the room with wonder while Rin wiped the tears from her eyes and sniffled. Talon nodded slowly then looked to the sisters with a solemn gaze.

"I summoned you, because like you I was turned into a weapon by Fairy Tale, a monster that they wanted to use as nothing more than another pawn in their ranks. I was once human, but now I'm something far worse. I lost everything because of them, my family, my life; everything was taken away when they turned me into their prized freak. But I didn't bow to them, I didn't let them get away with what they had done, I showed them just what kind of monster they created firsthand," he said coldly as he held up an arm, his wraith blade extending out as the girls watched him with wonder. He then pointed the blade at the sisters who jumped a bit.

"They will not hide from their sins of creating us, of turning us into living weapons for their battles. Although Fairy Tale has disbanded those that are guilty are still alive, so we're going to hunt them all down. We're going to deliver our vengeance onto them, make them pay for what they did to us and many others. You two were originally forged to serve them as slaves, now you will be their undoing alongside me," he declared. Jovian and Jacqueline looked at him with adoring eyes then nodded with smiles.

"Of course, we shall not fail you master," Jovian assured.

"We'll follow your command and kill every last one of those that used us for evil," Jacqueline said confidently. Talon nodded then looked to Rin, the siren looking down at the floor with despair.

"We are what we are Rin," he said, the girl slowly looking up to him as he retracted his blade.

"We're nothing but weapons, weapons that were created by true evil in this world," he said shaking his head. Rin sniffled then looked down with closed eyes. Talon watched her for a moment then glanced to the sisters.

"Let's be off, we have work to do after all," he ordered. The sisters stood at attention and nodded.

"Yes master," they said together.

"My name is Talon," Talon said shaking his head.

"Yes Master Talon," the sisters said together. Talon paused for a moment then breathed out quietly with annoyance.

"Just Talon," he said flatly. The girls looked at him curiously then nodded with smiles.

"Ok Master Talon," they said in unison. Talon drummed his fingers at his side then rolled his eyes.

"Never mind, just master then," he said dryly.

"Yes master," the sisters said together. Talon shook his head then walked past Rin, with the sisters following after him. They got to the door before Rin spoke up.

"Wait," she said softly. The sisters looked back to her as Talon merely glanced back to the siren. Rin paused for a moment then looked to them with a discontent.

"If I help you, with finding those that you hate, will you help me find the one that turned me into her weapon?" she asked. Talon turned to face her as the siren walked up towards him.

"Will you help me find her, so I can kill her?" she said with hatred. Jovian and Jacqueline looked at the girl with raised eyebrows then to Talon as the hybrid watched the siren with a blank expression. Rin glanced between all of them then shook her head.

"Falla turned me into a goddamned monster, she used me to destroy my entire village and kill my own parents. And now Yokai Academy is gone, it's all because of what she did to me! She made me into a bloody murderer, she needs to pay for what she's done!" she yelled out. Talon looked at the girl for a moment then glanced away while remaining silent. Rin looked at him with pleading eyes then down.

"I'm a weapon, just like you said. I can't go back to my sisters or friends, not after what I did, not after everything I've done. I have nothing left, nowhere else to go. Please, all I can do now is find the one responsible for turning me into a killer, and make her suffer for taking everything from me," she said shakily while clenching her fists. Talon hesitated for a moment then started walking out of the room, with the witch sisters following after him. Rin watched with worried eyes as they walked into the hallway, with Talon then stopping and looking back to her.

"If you wish to join us, then so be it. You help us kill those who were once part of Fairy Tale, and we'll see to it that you find Falla again. She'll be all yours to do with as you see fit," he said coolly. Rin nodded as she walked out to them, with Jovian and Jacqueline watching her curiously.

"I'll do whatever you say Talon," she said softly. She glanced to Jovian and Jacqueline as they smirked at her, the siren then looking back to Talon with a timid bow.

"I promise," she said softly.

The four walked down the corridors until they came to an exit, leading out into a rural wasteland outside the limits of the abandoned town the bunker was built underneath. As they walked out onto the parched ground Talon looked back to the entrance into the storage bunker.

"Jovian, Jacqueline, remove Fairy Tale from this area, once and for all," he ordered. The witch sisters nodded and turned to face the entrance, holding an arm out each towards the tunnel as multicolored glows that matched their eyes swirled around from their shoulders to their palms.

"As you wish master," they said together as they charged up their magic. They each fired out a powerful multicolored blast that shot into the tunnel with a sharp whistling sound. After a moment the area shook about before the abandoned town detonated from below as the witch sisters' magic exploded violently along with all the stored relics of power and weapon caches from Fairy Tale. The tunnels blasted apart as the witch sisters held their hands out and formed their colorful barriers around themselves, Talon, and Rin. They watched as the bunker's entrance erupted along with the surrounding area while the shields around them remained strong, blocking chunks of debris and the shockwave as the Fairy Tale facility was annihilated from the powerful explosion. Rin watched with wonder then looked to Jovian and Jacqueline as the sisters smiled confidently at Talon.

"All done master," they said together. Talon nodded as he watched the remains of the abandoned monster town collapse into the flaming ruins that was once the Fairy Tale storage bunker.

"No, we've just begun," he said with a focused gaze. He started walking away as the shields around them vanished.

"Let's go," he called out. Jovian and Jacqueline nodded then quickly ran over to his sides while Rin turned to see the remains of the destroyed town collapsing into the ground. She narrowed her eyes then followed after the others; running over to Jovian's side and walking alongside them as they headed off on their crusade. As they walked along she blinked then looked to her pocket as she felt something in it. She took out a golden key that had a black diamond gemstone on the end while the key itself was angular in shape.

"What's that?" Jovian asked looking at the key. Rin looked at the relic then ahead again as she pocketed it, knowing very well what it was and how valuable it would be to Falla.

"Something that's going to help me find her again," she said with a sharp glare. Talon and the witches glanced to her then looked ahead as the siren felt her anger at Falla rising by the second.

'Falla, you can run, but you can't hide. I'm going to find you, and when I do I'm going to sing you one last song.'