(POV: Third)
Doble's sword burned with intense flames as he charged Sinblade head on. Meglax readied his bow as his wrapped two fingers around the bowstring. Energy began to take form at his fingertips as he pulled back. His bow appeared to be enchanted beyond the laws of Earthly physics, for a golden arrow of magical energy materialized at Meglax's fingertips. This was only one of many as he launched a flurry of arrows towards the foe. The arrows seemed to weave and dance right by Doble as they nearly reached their intended target. With two swings of his sword, Sinblade deflected the incoming arrows. Seeing an opening, Doble readied his sword and unleashed a tremendous swing. He roared proudly, but Sinblade managed to block the incoming attack. Rikka followed suit, preparing a massive punch towards Sinblade. Using his free hand, Sinblade grasped Rikka's metal-coated hand, blocking the attack.
That was not the end for them; Rikka and Doble continued to release a flurry of attacks, leaving Sinblade at their mercy. However, the demonic dragon did not falter. With each block, he managed to weave and evade the incoming attacks, keeping himself from harm. He eyed Meglax, noticing that the humanoid dragon was unleashing another flurry of arrows. Sinblade leaped away, landing on top of a parked car. He watched as the magical arrows landed nearby him before vanishing into nothingness. He pondered for a moment as he watched the three Cavalry members draw closer to him.
He took the offensive. He rushed forward and weaved his way around Doble and Rikka effortlessly. Doble and Rikka attempted to brutally maul the demon dragon, but it was like the dragon knew every move the two would make. They were just too slow for him. By the time Meglax realized he was in danger, it was nearly too late. He fired an arrow which Sinblade ducked under. Once he noticed that Sinblade was too close to him, Meglax rushed back and leaped to the windowsill on the second story of a nearby building. Securing new high ground, he aimed back and watched as Sinblade took no head to Meglax's evasive maneuvers. Sinblade was about to leap up, but he soon felt Rikka's fist press against his left cheek. The dragon was no longer on target. He managed to land feet first on the wall before leaping back down to the street. He growled lowly from the pain as he brushed his right claw against his cheek. He scowled at Rikka, glaring at her as she landed before him. Doble was rushing to her side when, all of a sudden, the dragon was swung his armed arm. With it came a stream of flames straight from purgatory. The dark and violet flames scorched the area, leaving Rikka no choice but to get back. Sinblade looked up and noticed Meglax eying him down. Meglax prepared himself to release another flurry of hours, firing aimed and precise shots at the foe. Unfortunately, Sinblade managed to sprint in another direction, evading the first two shots. Even when Meglax attempted to lead his shots, Sinblade seemed to know what to expect. He would swiftly change his trajectory and direction, evading the materialized arrows while Doble was left in complete shock by the dragon's performance. Doble was infuriated at what he was seeing; the armored dragon looked like he was just toying with them. Doble gritted his teeth, making a move out of pure instinct.
He rushed forward with his broadsword at the ready. Sinblade braced for the incoming blow before. This was not like last time. Effortlessly, he evaded the incoming attack. Doble, once again, allowed his anger to take over his actions. The two continued to exchange blows, with Sinblade deflecting most of the incoming attacks. It was then that Doble made a fatal error. As the battle waged on, he started to visualize himself completely overpowering the enemy. The one thing he wanted most was this dragon to be defeated and at his mercy. He did not want his buddy or Meglax to be nearly killed like before. He prepared an overhead swing, and that was when Doble realized that Sinblade had been conserving his energy. With one quick jab from his left hand, Sinblade unleashed a comet of a left hook. His fist appeared to dig into Doble's stomach. Any harder and the dragon would've coughed up his own intestines. Rikka and Meglax's offensive tactics only intensified once they noticed Doble falling to his knees. One hit from Sinblade was all it took for the confident dragon to fall. Almost out of mercy, Sinblade attempted to swing his sword at Doble, hoping to slash through him and have the dragon return to his card state. However, the physics of Earth would not save Doble for long; destroying the card would destroy him too. Doble could not afford to let that happen. It was like a twitch, but Doble managed to tumble away. Rikka intervened and let go a hard right jab. Sinblade attempted to block the incoming attack but, because of how he dodged, Rikka managed to hit his armed hand. Sinblade retracted his arm, watching as his sword fell to the side.
Victory was still not in their grasp. Rikka proudly smirked at Sinblade. "What's wrong, big guy? Am I too much for you?" Almost on cue, Sinblade countered back at her with a punch from the side. Even though Rikka managed to block it, the intense strength behind it was more than enough to force his way through her. She slid back from the pure strength of that jab alone. Now that it was just Sinblade and her, nothing was forcing him to split his strength between two sources. The previous assault knocked Rikka off her footing, allowing Sinblade to get in another attack at her. He jabbed the right side of her face, sending her face first into the pavement. She was a human. Out of all the beings there, the fact that she was a resident of Earth put her in the most danger of death. The sound of her body hitting the pavement hit Doble's ear with a horrifying thud. He looked over, watching as his buddy was struggling to even get herself back on her knees.
Doble growled as he attempted to grasp his blade. "You son of a-" He was cut off. As Sinblade dodged more incoming arrows, he returned to Doble and kicked him in the face, nearly knocking the poor fighter unconscious. The two physical fighters were taken care of for the time being. The arrows, although they were just barely missing him, were still a danger to him. Now was Sinblade's chance. He sprinted at Meglax full speed, sending Meglax into a panic. He attempted to leap up the building, but Sinblade caught up to him. The demonic dragon grasped onto Meglax's armor before swinging him, with all of his strength, towards the pavement. Meglax almost made an indent in the concrete as he slammed right shoulder first into the ground. He cried out in pain, dropping his magical bow.
Rikka finally managed to get back to her feet. However, her eyes trembled with fear as she watched Sinblade and slowly approaced the sword she disarmed. Sinblade walked over to his blade, which was two dozen yards away from Rikka, fortunately. If she had only knocked the sword away by a few feet, nothing would have stopped Sinblade from using that sword on Meglax. Still, this was not good for her. Her right shoulder quivered from a sharp, intense pain. Almost effortlessly, Doble and Meglax were sent to the ground, barely able to move. For all she knew, she was the last one standing and able to fight against Sinblade, the one that nearly killed all three of them only a short while ago. To her, she was staring in the face of the Grim Reaper.
Rikka's fingers dug into the pits of her fists. Sinblade stood before her, seemingly dismissing the fighter entirely. Sinblade figured that there was no further contest; the Cavalry Dragons fighting beside her were defeated, swiftly like before. History was repeating itself, and she couldn't do anything about it. She glanced to her fallen allies as they struggled to even turn to their sides to look at her. She truly was the only one left that could fight. Her allies were taken down so easily that she could hardly fathom that this was her reality. "Doble, Meglax, leave this to me," Rikka admitted. "Get outta here!"
Doble snarled angrily. "Don't be crazy! You are the most in danger!"
"If he forces you back into your card form, he'll just destroy the card," Rikka retorted. She braced herself, bending her knees as she held her armor clad fists just before her. "You're just as fragile as me, so don't be throwing me under the bus just yet!"
Meglax wearily turned to Doble, groaning from the assault. "Brother, I can't have you stay here."
"I'm not leaving her!" Doble pained as he attempted to roar. "Rikka, don't be an idiot. Just leave; we'll recover and hold him off."
Rikka felt her nerves shaking her. She gave one more look to her buddies. Doble's eyes showed true fear, the same kind he revealed when he was close to losing her. She simply grinned, shaking her head before turning to face the enemy. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her Dark Core Deck Case, with Meglax and Doble immediately tensing up. Doble shouted to her. "NO! Don't use it! We'll lose you!" Rikka disobeyed. She reached into her other pocket, revealing four cards. 'Dragoguts!' Ever since she heard about CJ's tale, she always secretly wanted a Dark Core Deck Case for herself. She wanted to discover the sort of strength that even Arkaid warned not to use. It was like a stroke of fortune when, silently, she thanked the rogue criminal for being dumb enough to taunt her.
Rikka snickered at the demonic dragon. Sinblade's crimson eyes faltered for a moment. Something wasn't right to him. Rikka was about to do the unthinkable. "I see you remember what CJ did to you. I was always curious about the Disaster Force and how I'd use it. Also, what happens if you force the Disaster Force to make four cards real all at once?"
Meglax could only turn away. His words meant nothing now. Doble put two and two together as he remembered CJ's tale. Using the Disaster Force in conjunction with one copy of 'Dragoguts' meant that the body is being administered a huge shot of adrenaline. Rikka was about to insert four shots into her own body. Without a doubt, even if she did win, there was no telling if she would survive the blowback. "Please, don't do this!"
"I'm already going to." The Dark Core Deck Case resonated with her feelings. The device activated, soon enveloping her with a cold, dark aura. At first, she shivered from the sudden eruption of power. However, as the Disaster Force coated her being, she felt lighter and stronger. She grinned menacingly as Sinblade's sword trembled with fear. Rikka held the four copies of 'Dragoguts!' All at once, the cards began to glow. "You really think this punk will hold me back?"
"Rikka… please," Doble finally whimpered. "You mean too much to me. Just … why?"
"Exactly what you said." Rikka's cards continued to give off an intense glow of power. She quickly placed them back in her pocket as she felt the Dark Core Deck Case shake and crack. The device was growing more unstable; too much was asked of the device all at once. She remembered how CJ mentioned that the device was low on power after a lot of use, so she wanted to make sure she used every last drop of it. Without a doubt of her mind, the device was going to be unusable after this battle, but she didn't care; she only wanted to do it once. She felt her body embrace the gamble as flames coated her very being like a phoenix. Doble and Meglax watched as their comrade transcended beyond their comprehension. The will of countless dragons warred within her heart and soul. Her pink hair weaved and flowed as her invigorated aura emitted gusts of powerful winds. Doble stared in awe as the fighter he chose only a few months ago became the very warrior standing from afar. Rikka gave off a smirk as the purple aura vanished, being replaced with a fiery color. Her heart rate accelerated; she felt her breathing become too much to handle. It was then that the Dark Core Deck Case disintegrated, but it didn't matter; the power was already Rikka's for the time being. The gem of the deck case broke apart and fizzled into dust. Rikka's muscles intensified, bragging to Sinblade the complete and total increase in power. Despite this, she was lean, and her beauty was unmatched. She showed no possible signs of loss in speed. She closed her eyes, taking in one last breath. Upon opening them, Sinblade gazed into horrifying eyes; his own eyes. Rikka's face exemplified pure determination to protect her comrades. "The Fifth Omni Cavalry is the only family I have. I will protect it!"
Speed rivaling that of a rocket, she propelled herself forward as scorch marks were left behind her. She gritted her teeth as Sinblade braced himself for impact. To ensure the demon's defeat, she projected onto the beast the person that she truly and utterly hated the most. To her, Sinblade was only a punk. She had already seen a true demon, and she came from her.
(8 Years Ago)
Rikka was only twelve years old then. She knew so little, but her mind experienced much. She knew of the bullies plaguing her school, so she often sought a means of protecting herself. She started boxing when she was little, and most adults knew that she was going to be a somebody. Only twelve years old, and she was already defeating most teenagers two, even four years older than her. She had a particular spark in her personality that no one else had seen all too often. She didn't care that she stood out; she wanted to be able to fight off any of the bullies that even dared touch her or her friends.
But then she heard that bullies went around her by going after her little brother. He was only two years younger than her sister, but he never saw himself as a true fighter. He was always pushed around, hoping that they would just grow up and get bored with bullying him. The hearings involving bullying promoted the idea that simply ignoring the bullying would make the bullies grow bored. As expected in the mind of Tomeo Saki, the bullies never grew bored. It infuriated him on the inside, and Rikka knew this two. She decided to bring him under her wing and educate him in boxing, hoping that he will grow stronger over time.
It was getting closer to the end of the session. Tomeo was showing improvement, for his strides and weight shifting improved the momentum and, in the end, overall power of his punches. He struck Rikka with a great amount of force, almost propelling her backwards. However, she performed a counter strike and managed to hit Tomeo square in the face. Rikka tensed up as she realized her move, feeling regret as soon as she watched her brother fall to the floor of the ring. He grunted as Rikka quickly approached him, watching as the little kid was smiling. Rikka was relieved; she honestly thought that she had hurt him. "You're denser than I thought."
Tomeo chuckled to himself, but soon tensed up again. His body was still sore from the previous days of training, leaving him rather exhausted. "They're worse. Way worse."
"Maybe it's cuz your sister did it," Rikka chuckled. She took off her right glove and extended her hand. She grasped her brother's arm, soon pulling him up to her side. He tumbled a little bit, but managed to regain his footing. "Or maybe since it's practice? When in school, you truly feel it."
Tomeo seemed to understand what she was saying. There was a certain tone in the atmosphere when he realized that he was just training with his sister. However, at school, he was surrounded by countless pairs of hateful eyes. The pain at school felt so much worse, but he loved the fact that things were going to be different now. He was going to be ready. "I'm getting hungry. Can we go?"
"Yeah, it's about dinner time. I wonder what Mom and her boyfriend are going to make."
It was only three years since their parents' divorce. She remembered her mother acting aggressive towards the father, striking and beating him away. He didn't want to take it anymore and just decided to leave the next morning. Of course, he couldn't prove anything to the lawyers, so custody of the children was left to the mother. However, over the years, Rikka couldn't help but feel like the mother didn't want them. It was difficult for Rikka, because she knew the truth. She was young, but she pieced together everything. However, she was too young to be taken seriously, and she despised that fact for years. Her brother still loved their mother, so Rikka tried really hard to love the mother in return. Despite that, she still can't force herself to forgive such a parent. She was so bossy towards her father, and it was because of him that she initially found boxing too. To her, her father was the true master, but she hasn't seen him in years. She never found out why.
The two children finally came back home, but they were greeted with chaos. From just outside the door to their small home in a rural neighborhood, she was able to listen in to an argument between her mom and the boyfriend. As Rikka and Tomeo peeked through the small window in the door, they heard their mother's voice. "You can't be serious?! Now? Why did you wait?!"
"I'm sorry. I thought I'd get used to it!" The boyfriend returned. "But kids? I still can't bring myself to take in that responsibility!"
The mother swore back at the boyfriend. It was then that Rikka heard a strong smack. Tomeo and Rikka saw the boyfriend tumbling backward into view from the other side of the door. As the husband tried crawling away, the mother followed with a pan in hand. "You toyed with my heart! Get out!" Rikka and Tomeo quickly moved themselves to the side, allowing the boyfriend to flee. He rushed out with a slight indent on his forehead. He looked back, watching as Rikka and Tomeo stared at the man in complete confusion. He continued running away until he was completely out of sight.
Rikka turned back to face her mother. She was outside now with her bare feet, ignoring the cold. The young children wanted to ask her something, but she didn't answer. Rikka saw it in the mother's eyes; a dull, empty and depressing void.
(Present)
The raw power of Rikka's punch sent Sinblade reeling backward, tumbling across the pavement. His armor pricked pieces of concrete as it became scratched and cut. By the time he managed to raise his head and expect another attack, Rikka was already in front of him. Doble was completely speechless as Rikka exemplified incredible feats of strength and speed. Rikka punched downward at Sinblade, but the being just barely managed to catch her right hook. He needed both of his hands to do so.
He pushed her back as he brought himself back to his feet. His sword was useless for the time being. He knew that the only way to fight her was with hand to hand combat. If Rikka could punch her in less time than he could swing a sword, then nothing was going to come out of it. Rikka made the first assault. The two exchanged blows, Sinblade only barely able to evade most of her jabs. Rikka reeled back for a massive punch. Sinblade braced himself by holding his forearms in front of him. He could feel Rikka's fist digging into his arms. Such ferocious willpower and strength was overpowering him too quickly.
Doble finally managed to bring himself back to his feet. He attempted to grasp his sword when Meglax grasped his armor, stopping him in his tracks. The red dragon quickly turned to his recovering ally, watching as Meglax shook his head. "We would only get in the way."
"But she's fighting alone!" Doble yelled. "It isn't right!"
"You and I both know that she's fighting with the strength of all three of us," Meglax continued. "Look at her; the Disaster Force has given her the strength to topple all sorts of strength. Our intervention would only ruin her offense. She's moving too quickly that I can't even assist with my bow without fearing I could hit her. She isn't staying still. Her movements are that which even I cannot predict."
"You're saying that we should just sit here…."
"We need to recover our strength, brother," Meglax replied. "Hopefully, we can recover long enough to continue the fight. That's if she doesn't."
"If she keeps this up, no doubt will she be able to finish him off," Doble uttered. Despite such a confident statement, his eyes went unsteady and turned to the ground. "But the blowback from 'Dragoguts,' and four on top of that, … that scares me."
Rikka was relentless. Images of the one she hated the most kept coming back to her, each time strengthening her punch. Her speed did not diminish; she even appeared to be moving faster, assisted by the flames that fueled her very being. It was truly like she fluttered and swung wings of a phoenix to propel and weave around every attack she would deal and dodge. Her inextinguishable rage made her stronger. She finally managed to land a clean blow against Sinblade's face, knocking him to his feet. She went down on him, striking him in the chest. The warrior was on top of the world once again. The eyes she was now looking at—eyes that expressed regret and pain—were the same eyes she saw back then.
(7 Years Ago)
Her mother never seemed to be the same after that day. Watching the last relationship she held dearly just vanish away after so much… it must have destroyed her. However, for one day, for one horrible day, she appeared to have completely shifted back to her old self. Rikka and Tomeo were back home from training. Things were starting to get better for Rikka's brother. The bullies targeted him less and less, and the ones that even dared to try were met with a fight. Tomeo was not completely as skilled as his older sister, but he could put up a fight. Even though Tomeo does lose sometimes, he still feels happy that he isn't seen as a complete weakling. Progress; that's what he loved. However, everything just went wrong when their mother came back to the house. It was around dinnertime once again when she appeared rather happy, which Tomeo was excited and cheerful about. Rikka remained skeptical, yet she lowered her barriers so that she could experience this fun moment with her brother. The mother came in with a few gift cards to a restaurant about ten miles away. It was going to be about a fifteen-minute drive and, according to Rikka's mother, the place was actually very fancy. She said she got the gift cards from a friend at work. Looking back at that moment, Rikka wanted to kick her younger self in the face for being so naïve.
After showering up and getting dressed, the three of them took their car and headed off into the night. Everything seemed fun and joyful at first, with Tomeo getting eager to eat to his fill. Rikka just looked out the window to her right, watching as the trees appeared to whiz by the car. It was getting really dark out, and soon the trees were barely visible behind the window. She was sitting in the front seat with her mother to her left. Rikka noticed that there was a paper bag around her mother's feet. At first, she paid no mind to it. She turned to the back seat and saw her little brother fiddling with some cards. He started to want a buddy monster of his own, so he hoped that one would join him one day. Rikka chuckled at the display. "What World?"
Tomeo curiously looked back to her. "What do you mean?"
"What world do you want your buddy monster to be from?" Rikka asked. "Dragon World's very popular, but maybe you'd like to go with Legend World? I know you love those fairy tales."
"Actually, I don't really mind what world my buddy is from," Tomeo returned. He gave Rikka an innocent smile before looking at his cards once again. "I just a buddy that's a good friend. One that has my back. I'm sure I would have his."
"You'd be strong to, no doubt," Rikka added. "Just keep training with me. Hopefully, we'll both get buddies." Rikka settled herself back in her seat. Her eyes, almost acting on their own, looked back at the paper bag. She couldn't help but focus on it, for it was just in a weird place. Why would her mother hide something her legs while driving the car? It was impractical. If the bag tumbled, then the driver would have a harder time with the pedals with a bag in the way. Rikka figured that her mother must be hiding something pretty important. Maybe it was gift, for her own birthday was coming around. "Mom, what's in the bag?"
"It's a surprise," she replied. "I'll show you later." At that moment, Rikka finally looked into her mother's eyes. Once again, they returned to their empty, dull state. She didn't seem chipper or joyful, or even eager when she replied. It was empty, almost soulless. It was making Rikka a bit uncomfortable. She looked back to Tomeo, only to see him still fiddling with his small collection of cards with knights, anthropomorphic beasts of varying species, as well as fairy tale creatures and dragons. She was almost lulled back to a state of ease upon seeing her brother act so innocent, but she was soon driven back to reality when the car ran over something. Possibly a branch? Rikka could remember. Either way, the bag tipped over, revealing a dark, metallic-looking object. The moon's shine deflected some light off of the item, revealing the general shape of it. Almost instinctively, the mother started slowing the car down.
Rikka was able to piece together what she had just seen. As the car was slowing down, the item's name was barking and warring with her mind. She started questioning the reality of the situation. Her mind tried telling her that there was no way her mother could be thinking of doing something with that. Rikka fell back into her seat, watching as the mother continued slowing the car down. Tomeo was removed from his innocent lull when he realized the car was slowing. "Mom? Why are we stopping?" He didn't receive an answer. The mother remained silent. Rikka's heart rate accelerated rapidly as her mind raced. No. No. Her mother wouldn't. There was no way she would do this. Not now. Rikka and Tomeo were so young to witness something like this. What the hell?
Finally, the car came to a stop. Tomeo looked over to his sister for comfort, but he was only greeted with another panicked soul. He turned to his mother. Something told him to unlock the door. Before the mother could put on child lock, Tomeo popped the door open. Rikka soon attempted to follow, but her mother grabbed her arm. Using her free hand, her mother reached into the bag, pulling out the thing that Rikka feared. It was pistol. It was a gun. A small sound left the adult's depressed lips. "I'm sorry." A sudden burst of adrenaline was enough to have Rikka pull herself free. She almost tumbled out of the door, for it was already open; Tomeo opened the door for her. He dragged her out of the car as the mother maniacally tried to grasp her once again, failing as the two children continued to sprint into the woods. Rikka was soon pulling onto her brother, for she was faster.
Rikka looked back, watching as the mother finally got out of the car. She aimed her pistol, and Rikka didn't dare to look back anymore. She shoved Tomeo in front of her, hoping that the mother would hit her first. Suddenly, a large boom filled the area. Rikka felt something whiz right by her shoulder. Her heart skipped at least two beats as the two children were embraced by the welcoming and protecting trees.
The two children continued sprinting as fast as their small legs could carry them. They rushed brushes and trees as the sounds of footsteps echoed throughout the territory of wild animals. Ferocious beasts could jump out and get them, but they were okay with that risk. They couldn't go back now. Not while they knew that their mother was out to get them. Tomeo panted heavily. Rikka grasped onto her sibling's arm and soon felt his weight dragging her down. Tomeo couldn't keep up with her. His mouth begged for air as he weakly exhaled. Already, it was like he was being choked. Rikka started to feel a similar situation, but they could not afford to stop, not now.
They pressed on. Sprinting up and down the forest inclines. Weaving through thickets. Jumping over overturned logs. Looking back, only to see nothing. Was the mother done? Did she give up? Tomeo believed so. Finally, he fell to his knees, unable to run anymore. The two children had been running for ten minutes straight, but Rikka still felt like they were in danger. She didn't want Tomeo to stop. "Please! We need to go! You can't stop!"
Tomeo heaved and breathed heavier as he fell forward. Rikka caught him before his fall. She had no choice but to stop. Honestly, she wanted the break too; she felt her lungs being burned as her chest cramped by her rapid heartbeats. She couldn't imagine what her brother felt in his body. She couldn't imagine what her brother was going through. He was fortunate to be able to get this far with her at all.
Rikka sat herself next to her exhausted brother. He finally managed to set himself up after two more minutes of rest. He motioned himself towards a log and sat there with his head hanging back. His stomach expanded with each deep breath. Not once did his mouth close. However, even though he didn't appear to sweat all that much, his eyes watered. Sadness overcame him. He couldn't truly rest as his heart died. "Why … why would she do this?" Rikka knew the answer; she didn't want them anymore. Though, something must have kept her from just dropping them off at an adoption center. No. Maybe, in some insane way, she thought killing us would save them from the pain. Rikka couldn't fathom it, but it, somehow, was the only thing that made sense to her. Looking back, remembering the eyes her mother had just before… remembering the eyes the mother had when her boyfriend left… Rikka saw that same empty look. Logic was no longer acceptable to the mother. No. The mother had logic, but it was a warped and disgusting sense of the word.
The young girl shook her head as she managed to catch her breath. "We can't stay here for too long. She'll get us."
Tomeo shook his head. He said the one phrase she didn't want to hear. "Then go."
"W-what?" Rikka stammered, unable to accept that her younger brother said such words. "Don't ever say that again."
"Rikka… please," Tomeo whimpered quietly. "I don't want you to die."
"I'm not going to leave you," Rikka promised. "Never. We're both getting out of this. You want to have a buddy, right? A true best friend? Me too!"
Tomeo sighed deeply. He still couldn't catch his breath. His heart ached, his limbs begged him to stay still. The pain was too much for him. He truly could not bring himself to move, no matter how hard his mind and heart wanted him to. "Don't do this… Rikka."
"We'll find the police," Rikka explained. "We're not too far out. We can find help! I know we can!"
"Rikka, I-"
Their voices, as well as their dulled senses, must have left them ignorant to any other noise. They didn't hear the threat drawing near. The only thing, the one thing that finally told them that the end was near, was a giant bang. Rikka's body stiffened. She quickly looked to the source, watching as a familiar, darkened figure had her left arm holding herself against a tree. In the figure's right hand was a smoking gun. The figure gasped, realizing the true consequences of her actions. Maybe it all sounded better in her head. Whatever the case was, upon actually seeing the consequences of her plan, the mother was so overcome with emotion that her body collapsed. The gun tumbled away at her side. She was heaving intensely; she must have been sprinting too, just barely able to reach the children.
Rikka, realizing what must have happened, looked back to her brother. Her mind went silent. At the center of Tomeo's chest was a large, red stain. It was growing bigger with each moment. A hole was in the center, marking the horrible deed. Tomeo's head was still hanging back, but his eyes were unfocused and blank. Rikka tumbled backward as she watched the crimson stain take over the child's shirt until most of it was drenched in the horrible liquid. Rikka couldn't control herself anymore. Her vision blurred. She turned to the assailant, watching as the demon wept and begged for forgiveness. Something took over Rikka that moment. She stood up and slowly approached the weeping figure, staring her in the eyes. It was then that the mother grasped the gun with her right hand. However, she pointed it on herself. "I'm sorry," the mother uttered quietly.
No. Rikka kicked the gun out of her mother's hand. Yes. The gun tumbled and fell down the decline in the forest. Rikka's mother looked back, watching as the gun left her vision. It was too dark no; she couldn't see it. The mother turned back to her daughter, watching as something overcame Rikka. The young girl kicked the mother in the neck. She could hear the mother gasp as she rolled back, feeling sticks and rocks scratch her arms and legs. Rikka followed her, soon grasping rocks with both hands as she watched her mother, no, the murderer, becomes the victim. The mother looked up to her daughter one last time, watching as Rikka pulled back her arms, readying her assault. The mother trembled. Her one thing that gave her the advantage before was no longer in her hand. Rikka didn't need a gun.
(Present)
Rikka could look back on how she ruthlessly assaulted the enemy that day. Her hands were like boulders as she struck Sinblade continuously. The demon was no match for her. Her body was too quick and too strong. Each blow was a one that rattled Sinblade's armor. However, he still continued to stand. Even though he could not extract the Disaster Force that once empowered Rikka's boost in strength, he was able to keep his ground. He fought hard, meeting each of Rikka's punches with another, barely landing a blow each time, however. Sinblade finally landed a clean one on Rikka's right cheek, forcing her backward. She tumbled, but quickly got back on her feet.
She smirked as she wiped away a bit of blood. Sinblade's gauntlets sported sharp blades that cut at Rikka's face. Despite that, she continued to smirk with overwhelming confidence. Rikka slowly approached Sinblade, watching as everything started to become fuzzy. After ten minutes of raw fighting power, she was starting to feel the end of it. Her heart rate slowed. Doble cried out for her as the flames that once fueled Rikka's soul went up in smoke. She started heaving, catching her breath as her eyes reverted back to their old color. She coughed, spitting out a drop of blood. "No… not yet," Rikka gasped, wiping away the blood. Everything started going white. The only thing that went through her mind then was the one thing that made her keep going. It was one of the happiest days of her life. As her body fell forward, her mind drifted off as Doble's cried echoed and left her ears.
(Three Months Ago)
It had been years since that horrible incident. She was forced into an adoption center. With no legal guardian present willing to take her in, with no other living relative around, she lived her remaining teen years in the adoption center. Her will to keep training continued on as the image of her horrible mother remained ingrained in the back of her head. It was that image that made her able to go on. It was that image that reminded her of the kind of force she wanted to fight against. It was that image that made her able to survive in the fights since then.
Now that she was 20, she had to start living on her own. Fortunately, she was able to find a job at a local gym, allowing her the chance to afford a relatively cheap apartment with the help of teaching people how to box on the side. It was good for her; training to get her mind off her mother, as well as remembering the face of her brother to keep reminding her of the people she wished to protect. She didn't want anyone else to have to go through that. She was always open to talk to her students, almost like a therapist. Besides that, her immense strength was what made her incredibly marketable to the gym. Information about her strength was also what made her get noticed to a certain group of individuals.
Rikka was training on her own; it was close to closing time and she was the one assigned to locking the place up. With her boxing gloves on, while also sporting her boxing uniform, she relentlessly unleashed a barrage of coordinated, powerful attacks on a fighting dummy. The dummy seemed to cry and weep with mercy as she continued releasing all of her fury on it. The sounds of her punches echoed throughout the gymnasium, alerting to the group watching of where to look for her.
She finished waling on the durable dummy. Rikka caught her breath relatively quickly when she heard rather heavy steps approach from behind her. She began to hear their voices. There were three of them, with a rather confident and casual voice having a certain strength to it that attracted her somewhat. "I'm telling you, she's the kind of buddy you want."
The comment was met with a voice resembling that of a regal woman. She spoke with a higher dialect while maintaining a calm demeanor unparalleled to most of the people that would even enter the gym. "I'm not entirely certain; our group of protectors definitely already has enough barbarians within it. I'd rather have someone such as Melanie, for at least she admires the intricacies of magic."
The confident voice spoke up again. "Meglax, come on, tell her otherwise."
The last speaker was a calm male. Although not as regal sounding as the woman, he spoke eloquently and calmly. It felt like he formulated each of his statements with deep caution before continuing on, showing that he was cautious to never offend. "Please, do not drag me in to this affair, brother. I do not wish to undermine your choice, but you must at least respect Arkaid's wishes."
Finally, Rikka spoke up. She sighed with an annoyed tone, for her shift was almost over and she didn't exactly want more company. "We're closing in a few minutes. If you really need to work out, come tomorrow." She turned around, soon pausing as she realized who her company is. Before her, the regal woman was identified as a light-blue scaled, humanoid dragon. She wore a complete set of armor that resembled that of the attire of a wizard. The confident voice originated from a red dragon with long, spiky blonde hair. His crimson scales reflected on his rather wild personality. The last speaker was colored with a down to earth green tone, with his armor resembling that of Robin Hood. "You're definitely not from around here. Which world? I'm guessing Dragon World?"
The red-scaled dragon sighed, partially annoyed. "You'd think more people would know about us. Right, Arkaid?"
Arkaid returned with a calm sigh, though her voice detailed some protest. "Doble, the ones who do know us also see us as worthless."
"Ah, whatever the hell," the dragon identified as Doble returned. He returned his attention to Rikka, observing her closely. He hummed to himself. "I'm really liking what I see here. You definitely are the kind of type I want."
Rikka rolled her eyes. "You hitting on me, dragon-boy?"
"Feisty," Doble replied. "I heard that you fought some of the Hundred Demons a few months back, too."
Rikka nodded. She definitely recalled incidents. Not so long ago, a terrifying beast known as Yamigedo threatened the very fabric of this world. During that time, Yamigedo's servants, known as the Hundred Demons, emerged one by one. However, it was not too quick, and there was a time when Yamigedo's servants struggled. While officers and buddyfighters managed to take out some of them, Rikka also had some experience of her own. Dragonic beings and demons from different Hells confronted her, and she fought them every single time. "I didn't beat 'em all," she explained. "Some were just too strong for me."
Meglax nodded. "You're smart, too," he added. "It is always beneficial to know when and where to pick your fights. Knowing the best time to retreat is also the sign of a warrior who understands good tactics."
"A warrior?"
Doble intervened. "Do you remember Gao Mikado?"
Rikka nodded back. Who could not hear of the boy? The child wonder that teamed up with his buddy and managed to take out Yamigedo with the help of… it was then that Rikka remembered who these guys were. The Fifth Omni Cavalry Dragons, assistants to the Fifth Omni Dragon Lord, Tenbu. "Right… now I remember. You guys are members of the Fifth Omni Cavalry. I've been hearing some stories about you guys."
Arkaid somberly sighed. "Horrid ones, I fear."
"Yeah, but fuck 'em." The three cavalry members were taken aback, startled that someone would have said such a thing. She was on their side? "Those same people did nothing when they were in danger. Regardless of who helped you, you guys were the main fighting force against Yamigedo. Anyone who doubts your strength doesn't even factor the fact that you had the will to actually fight."
Doble's smirk stretched his entire face. "I dig you a lot. You must be my buddy."
"Buddy?" Now Rikka was the one confused. "Seriously? You want me as your buddy."
Doble cleared his throat. He was looking somewhat as Arkaid and Meglax watched him attempt to speak. He looked away from Rikka for a moment, looking back at his comrades behind him. They too knew the truth. "I… I heard what happened to your brother." That comment stuck with Rikka. She lowered her head, remembering the one person she wished she could've protected. However, Doble managed to put on a confident grin once again. However, he was actually nervous as he spoke. "That's why…. I… I want you to see you joining us as something more than joining a group. When you join me, I want you to think of it as being a member of our family."
"Family?" Rikka asked, completely bewildered.
Family…
Family…
Family…
(Present)
"My … family…." Rikka fell to the ground. Although the action barely made a sound, it echoed in Doble's head. His eyes were locked on to his buddy as she remained motionless on the ground. Her hair acted as a veil as it covered her head. Sinblade bellowed with a heartless chuckle as he started for his sword, ready to finish the job. However, all of a sudden, he fell to his knees. He gasped for air. Rikka did more of a number on him than he originally thought. He scowled at the girl as he continued forward, hoping to end it.
"No …" Doble whimpered. He struggled to stand himself back up, but now his will was weak. Meglax was right; they should've fled. They should've looked for reinforcements. Meglax turned to his brother, defeated. He couldn't protect Doble and his buddy. He failed…. They both failed….
Doble and Meglax's vision turned white. The weight of exhaustion that held them down was lifted. Before they knew it, they were able to stand once more. Doble's eyes darted around the room as Meglax tried to make sense of it all. The two of them were away from everything, existing in a separate, completely white space. Doble panicked, for Rikka was nowhere in sight. "Rikka!" His voice boomed echoed throughout the plane of existence. He found himself spooked from how shocked his voice was.
Meglax pondered to himself. "What the heck is this place?" He began. "We're definitely not of this world anymore."
A disembodied voice answered. The voice of a regal woman echoed throughout the plane, but her tone was much lower. She truly displayed the age and maturity in her tone as she spoke. "That is correct." Doble and Meglax tried to find the source of it. They spun around as their eyes scanned the place in all directions, but no figure was shown. Finally, their eyes caught on another pair. Two large, dragonic eyes were shown before them. "You are now within your mind. I have reached you in your time of need."
Doble remained speechless, yet Meglax willed himself forward. His amazed eyes gazed forward in awe. "That voice… Dynamis."
"You are correct. I am the Founder of the Armordragons, Dynamis." Her eyes had a cold feeling to them, intimidating to say the least. She gazed at the two cavalry dragons until her pupils caught the focus on Doble. "And you are surely in an unfortunate situation."
The red humanoid dragon kneeled before the pair of eyes. He begged to her. "Y-Yes, Dynamis! Please! I need the strength to save my buddy! Rikka… she's too important for me to lose!"
"And if I help you, what would be gained?" Dyanmis mused. Doble gasped as his pupils trembled. "What will stop you from getting into this situation once again? There is no doubt in my mind; you cannot beat Sinblade the way you are now."
"Then please! Give me the strength to-"
"NAÏVE WARRIOR!" Dyanmis's voice boomed from her eyes. Gusts of wind shook the very plane around the three. Doble and Meglax braced themselves, nearly succumbing to the great deity's aura alone. "Have you no intelligence, you fool! Strength alone will get you nowhere!" The winds died down, but Doble lost the will to keep himself standing. He fell to his knees. Meglax quickly came to his friend's side. "You believed you had the strength to face Sinblade once again. What fruit was born from such a mindset? It left you vulnerable, unable to see that he too has grown stronger. The Retainers are not like you; they are the spawn of the diabolical dragon of darkness himself. Such beasts are out of your very league if you fight alone!"
Doble sighed. "But I have to fight Sinblade! Rikka's in danger!"
"How is she in danger?"
"Sinblade is-…" The cavalry dragon stopped himself. He lowered his head, feeling his blonde hair as it draped along his shoulders. As he was there, staring at the empty white space beneath him, he couldn't help but only think of Rikka. Rikka was fighting because he and Meglax could no longer do so. What could he have done to change this history? He then remembered Meglax's warning to him. "… No," he finally answered. "She wasn't put in danger because of that fiend." Doble turned to his brother, both of them sharing a strong look. "Brother, I'm sorry for doubting you."
Dyanmis's tone showed a hint of curiosity. "Oh?"
Doble nodded. "You're right," he muttered. He managed to bring himself to his feet without the assistance of his brother. He glared into the eyes of the deity before him, curling his hands into tight fists. Images of his buddy's story flashed into his mind. Remembering what Rikka told him… he had only known the general story about her past until she finally told him one day. The truth should have changed him. He should've learned more. "Meglax told me we should have retreated to get help. I… decided that we shouldn't."
"Why?"
"Because… vengeance took hold of me," Doble hesitantly returned. "Even though I knew Sinblade was a terrible threat, I was confident… no, I was cocky. I thought I was strong enough. And now… my buddy had to defend me alone."
Meglax shook his head. "You mean 'us,' and it's not entirely your fault, brother." He firmly grasped his brother's right shoulder. Doble turned to him, watching as Meglax lowered his head. "I took it upon myself to be the one to rein you in, just like I always do. But recently, I've been hesitant to even bother. I've doubted any reason to continue because I figured you'd keep protesting me. I should have tried harder."
"Meglax…."
"It won't be like that anymore, Doble," Meglax returned. "Rikka and Tenbu need us. Not only that, but the others need us to be strong and smart to fight alongside them." Meglax stood in front of his brother, staring at him dead in the eyes. "How can I even bother watch as you down-talk Arkaid's choice if you can't back up your word? You're supposed to be a man of your word!"
Doble pounded his chest. "Of course I am. I need to keep my comrades safe. We need to fight as one once again!"
Dynamis's voice echoed. "And you will have that chance." As soon as her voice was heard, a soft light began to surround both of the cavalry dragons. Doble and Meglax gasped as they felt all their pains evaporate from their souls. "I have seen enough. It is time for me to release you from your shackles, and reveal your true potential." The eyes gazed at Doble first. She watched as the dragon unleashed a triumphant roar. Power surged through his very being and flames erupted at his sides. His sword began to grow as his body began to change shape. "Doble. Red Dragon of hellish flames. You are released from your binds. Come forth and continue the fight, Fifth Omni Super Cavalry Dragon, Hellfire Sword Doble!" Dyanmis's eyes turned to face Meglax. The dragon's body became enveloped with green, strong and intense winds. He embraced it all. "Meglax. Green Dragon of the winds. Come forth and continue the fight, Fifth Omni Super Cavalry Dragon, Phoenix Bow Meglax!...
You have been entrusted with Tenbu's gift. Never cease. Never fall! Protect all!"
The two dragons were brought back. Sinblade could not help but become distracted. He watched as two beams of light enveloped the calvary dragons. It nearly blinded him. He had no choice but to draw back from the intense aura. When his sight returned, he was greeted with Doble and Meglax, but they were no longer the same dragons they were before. They stood taller, stronger, with their weapons held tightly at their sides. Doble's eyes contained the very flames from hell as he extended his great and mighty sword. "Touch Rikka and you will die a horrible death!"
Sinblade knew he couldn't continue. He sensed something drawing from both sides. He looked to his left, watching as Fernyiges flew towards him. "… Flee…." The dragon struggled roar. Below the flying, wounded beast was another group of cavalry members drawing near. Another source was sensed. To his right, more cavalry members were approaching. He knew he could not continue. He had to retreat. Quickly, he enveloped himself in his cape with every ounce of remaining power and evaporated from existence. He escaped.
(POV: First)
It was like Fernyiges was using every last bit of his power just to fly away. We had fought hard. Arkaid, Alliot and I had fought with everything we had. Even so, the dragon was able to have just enough strength to flee as far as he could. Ahead of us, we saw the great and terrifying beast, Sinblade Dragon, vanish from existence. Alliot growled, angry that another Retainer had escaped us. Upon him disappearing, we noticed Melanie, Merak, and Mizaru just ahead. They must have heard the commotion just like we did. As soon as we realized this, we took a look down the intersecting road. Based on how Sinblade directed himself, he appeared to be looking at something ahead of him before disappearing. That was when I saw two beings, powerful beings, standing before us. In the arms of the large red dragon was Rikka, completely unconscious.
Arkaid was the first to speak. We were all united in this warzone, glad to have survived to fight another day. "Everyone, group up!" Everyone else came to our sides. It was then that she picked up something that Alliot and I already had. Doble and Meglax were different, too different. They were no longer beings that resembled their old selves. They carried a certain about them. It was like they had reached a new level of power. However, Arkaid must have viewed that as secondary, for she went for information first. "What happened here?"
Doble answered in a strong tone. "Sinblade nearly wiped us out," he solemnly began. "Meglax and I had fallen… but Rikka used the Disaster Force and managed to hold Sinblade off."
"The Disaster Force?!" Arkaid barked out. "How?!"
"We ran into a guy who had it. Some crook," Meglax answered for her. "In the end, it was rather fortunate, really." He looked over to Doble. He never took his eyes off his buddy, even when the others were talking to him. He didn't care. He was just holding on to Rikka, watching her breath slowly. He was just so happy to see her still alive. "She did the same thing CJ did, but she used four 'Dragoguts' at once. The Dark Core Deck Case fell apart, but at that point she already received the power she needed."
Alliot interjected. "Yeah, speaking of power!" He approached Doble, observing him closely. He sneered a bit, watching the rival very closely. "Even I can sense that you two changed!"
I shook my head. "No, not sense it," I corrected. Arkaid and Alliot turned to me feeling intrigued and confused respectively. "No… I can feel it. The power you two now have… it's … tangible. How?"
"Dynamis," Doble muttered. "She came to us… and she saved us."
Before I could get another answer out of him, I heard footsteps from behind me. Everyone turned, watching as Tasuku and Jack led Watson and Count Dawn towards us. Tasuku looked incredibly worried as he rushed towards us. "Group up at HQ! Gale Minas and Eirik escaped!" Just as I feared; the man that joined Fernyiges was truly Master Eirik. Damn it! We lost Gale to him!
(POV: Third)
Master Eirik and Gale needed to group up with the Retainers. However, upon arriving back at his base of operations, he was quickly met with his wounded buddy. As Eirik and Gale left the portal, Eirik rushed over to the dragon's side. He felt Sinblade's heart race as the demonic dragon leaned on him for support. "Sinblade, take it easy; you've done more than enough. I cannot thank you enough." Sinblade's breathing became much more exhausting. Gale merely rolled his eyes, annoyed at the sight of such a pair. Eirik pulled up his sleeve, revealing his skin. Using his free hand, he activated the Dark Core Deck Case. Sinblade's heart raced as he sensed the Disaster Force once again. Eirik's body was enveloped in the dark, menacing aura. "Sinblade, please, take it."
The dragon shook his head. How could he do it do his own companion? His comrade? He could not willingly do it. He would rather suffer through it. "Master… no…." The silent dragon finally spoke. His voice was weakened, void of any strength. The battle with the Cavalry members took too much out of him. Without him knowing, Eirik took hold of Sinblade's sword, sticking the sword ever so slightly into his own arm. Sinblade watched as his buddy winced and coiled from the pain. "Master!" Eirik guided Sinblade's hand to the grip of the blade. Soon, the exhausted dragon felt power coursing through him once again. Eirik felt weak as the Dark Core Deck Case continued to lose power. Finally, just as Eirik was about to pass out, Sinblade removed the blade from his buddy's arm, ceasing the ritual.
Gale watched as Sinblade grasped onto Eirik tightly, keeping him on his feet. The ex-prisoner rolled his eyes at the display. "Don't pretend you didn't like it, you demon," Gale condemned the demonic dragon. "You're just like any buddy monster, except your display is much more literal; you are all blood-sucking animals."
Eirik ignored the comment. He greatly appreciated Gale's presence and he knew that he needed to take advantage of someone with such strength in the Disaster Force. Politely, he pushed away Sinblade's hand, allowing himself to stand on his own. "Alvis should be here already. What's taking him so long?"
"Didn't he have to get by other agents or something?"
"He said he'd have that covered," Eirik returned. "We now have you, our Puppet Master. Besides Sinblade getting so wounded, our plans are beginning to unfold rather nicely." Master Eirik turned to his buddy once again, observing the creature closely. "What happened out there? You were only supposed to make sure no one else got too close to the Buddy Police HQ. Who did you fight?"
"The cavalry dragons and that girl," Sinblade emphasized. "Rikka… that's what Doble called her…. That girl…. She did the unthinkable with the Dark Core Deck Case."
"Overloading it is always dangerous," Master Eirik sighed. "I'm just glad you're safe. We'll deal with them later. For right now, we need to ensure the protection of the other Retainers. Fernyiges looked absolutely spooked… and he enjoyed that."
"He must have sensed Chase's potential."
Gale shook his head. "I still think it would've been better to have him be at the DMW."
Master Eirik shrugged. "He needed to be there to see his Headquarters fall apart," he began. "Besides, Alvis didn't want Chase at the DMW if things went wrong. To be fair, fighting one Retainer is less hectic than fighting an army."
Knocks were heard from the door. Before Master Eirik or Gale could question the source of it, they recognized the voice. The voice was muffled, implying that the person was wearing some sort of disguise. "Code 1, 12, 22, 9, 19. Open the door!"
Gale chuckled to himself. "Why the hell?"
Master Eirik pondered to himself. He spoke quietly, but it was just loud enough for Gale to hear. "He said his name in numbers…. He must have someone else with him. We can't say his name, then." He rushed up to the door and opened it, revealing his brother, Alvis. "Bro! What happened? Why are you late?" The only quality of his brother that he could see was his brother's small bits of curly blonde hair that somehow worked their way through the black bandages covering his entire body. He was like a ninja of sorts, hiding his overall appearance and keeping his eyes behind a set of skiing goggles. Before Eirik could ask the question again, he found his answer.
On Alvis's back were two beings tied together. Master Eirik couldn't help but cackle to himself, for his plans were coming in fruition faster than he had intended. He loved the fact that his plan was working in such a seamless sequence. On Alvis's back was Liam Kieron, tied to his buddy Demios in SD form. Alvis quickly entered the room and plopped the pair on their side. The leader of the operation kept giggling to himself as Gale Minas whistled with piqued curiosity and interest. Alvis spoke up as he started unwinding the bandages. "I found him lurking in one of the bases. We almost got seen before we knocked him out. It could've been all over! I told you, we shouldn't have sent everyone; if I wasn't there, he would've made off with key information!"
Master Eirik lowered his head. "I'm deeply sorry, but I'm so glad; you made the best out of a horrible situation and plan!"
"Not really," Alvis sighed. "My boss called. She found out I wasn't at the DMW. I told her I was heading to the Buddy Police HQ to check on Chase, and she's probably on her way now."
"Dammit," Master Eirik mumbled. "If I didn't call back my forces so soon, you wouldn't have been…."
"No, its fine, bro," Alvis returned with a smile. "I knew there was a great chance of me getting fired during this operation anyways. That's the least of my worries. When we were in the base, I sorta had to make Sitri listen to me."
"What?"
"He didn't want to hurt Liam, but I told him he had no choice," Alvis continued before looking away. He stared at his Deck Case, where Sitri remained in his card form. "He's angry. He's not talking to me. The only way I got him to comply was that, if his gamble magic failed, which it mostly does, then they'd be fine. Fortunately for me, the few times it worked, it actually worked; it knocked these two clean out…. Look," Alvis sighed. "I know that he'll have to play the role back when I get to HQ, but I hope this incident doesn't get in the way of anything. I even reminded him of the importance of this, but that wasn't enough…."
"He'll come around, now get going!" Master Eirik continued. "If you're gonna get fired, then make sure you're there on time; I don't want you to be seen with connections to us. Now go!" His brother nodded before racing out of the room. He turned his head back and gave Master Eirik a reassuring nod. Everything was going to turn out okay. Master Eirik nodded back, and soon Alvis made a turn in the hallway, leaving his sight. Master Eirik went over to the unconscious leader of the Purgatory Knights, observing the fallen body. "If we kill him, CJ would never forgive us, even if Alvis begged for mercy." He pulled on Demios's body, hoisting the creature up. "I'll put him into storage for right now. That should leave things right for you, right?" Eirik sneered as he turned to face Gale Minas. He was soon met with devilish eyes.
Gale Minas knew exactly what to do. The Disaster Force activated, enveloping his body with the dangerous aura. As the group's puppet master, he soon reached into his pocket, pulling out the one card he knew he could use. An impact card that secured his win against Gao Mikado those weeks ago. However, he needed to ensure that Liam's mind was weakened. He sat Liam in a chair and quickly closed the door to the room, locking it. He had to make sure his methods were secret and could not be seen, especially since this card required a great amount of the Disaster Force to use. Only he, someone who had the ability to wield so much of it, could make use of the Force in such an incredible and horrific way.
The puppeteer secured Liam from head to feet, trapping the man and ensuring he had no chance of escaping. Finally, the man readied his head. Almost in a mocking manner, the man started slapping his free hand against Liam's face, soon noticing that the man was showing signs of discomfort. It did not take long for Liam to come to. Upon doing so, he immediately recognized the state of the situation. As soon as he felt the tightness of the ropes around him, he struggled to break free, gritting his teeth as he angrily stared at the floor. He continued swear loudly. Other criminals in the hallway would overhear the actions from behind the door, knowing well that Gale Minas was preparing another project, a spectacle for the criminals.
Liam heard Gale snicker down at him. Liam grunted as he threw himself on his back, allowing him to stare at Gale right in his eyes. "You gobshite. You piece of shit!"
"Whoa, whoa," Gale mocking jested. "Watch the language, Liam. Are you mad your buddy's gone?"
"Wait? Demios?!" Liam called out for him, only to be given no answer. His heart rate picked up. His body tensed up. Soon, Gale noticed a few glimpses of the Disaster Force. It was just like how he remembered. Back when he was on the same team as Liam, he recalled Demios keeping a close eye on Liam. He had always wondered why, and the only answer Demios would give was that he needed to hold him back. It didn't take long for Gale to connect the pieces; Liam was straining to hold back the Disaster Force. "Gah! W-where is he? Where's my partner?!"
"He's gone," Gale casually spoke. He rolled his head around his neck. Out of the two of them, Gale was the only one who didn't appear to take situation seriously. He spoke in a casual tone, void of any emotion besides signs of laughter. He was enjoying himself as he toyed with Liam's strained mind. If Liam was not weak, then it was only fit for Gale to tire Liam's mind to the point of exhaustion. Only then would the chains holding him back be freed. "Flew away. Who knows where he went."
"Fucking liar!" Liam snarled back. His voice was filled with agony. Something about it struck Gale. He wasn't scared, or emotionally disturbed by it. However, Gale picked something up about Liam's tone. He wasn't replying like he truly knew Demios would return. He replied loudly, boisterously, almost like a wild, caged animal with nowhere left to run. It was like the volume of his words were trying to not only reach Gale, but also Liam himself. "What did you do to him?!"
"We didn't do anything," Gale Minas chuckled. "Well, actually, that's not specific. What I mean, we really couldn't." Gale continued with a sneer. "I mean, Demios is the Leader of the Purgatory Knights. Someone that strong, cunning, tactical… he wouldn't be the type to get caught so easily. I mean, he's a leader who leads the beings of purgatory, right?" Liam shook his head, angrily looking away. "But you… you're just a regular person with his gift. Without the Disaster Force, well… what are you, exactly?"
"You eejit."
"No, really, I'm actually curious," Gale continued. He began to play with the card from before. He fiddled with it playfully as Liam slowly became distracted by the card. The trapped man tried to recognize it, but Gale fiddled with it in such a manner that it was nearly impossible to recognize the card. His distracted mind was what made it so easy for Gale to knock Liam back, making the man fall from his chair. Liam swore again upon being shoved to the side. He was completely and utterly helpless. "Without any of that, without any true signs of strength, what could you offer such an amazing creature?"
"Stop toying with me, you gobshite piece of shit!" Liam roared as he tumbled and rolled on the floor. The pain of the Disaster Force was eating at him. The force had activated on its own; Liam no longer had any control. Gale knew more than enough to see that Liam was just trying to convince himself of a truth he would adore to see as a reality. 'If only he knew the truth,' Gale mused. Gale kept musing to himself as he watched the pathetic man roll around. If only he truly knew Demios's feelings. Because he didn't, Liam continued to struggle in vain. "Give me back my buddy?"
"I can't give you someone who's not here," Gale continued. He watched Liam's Disaster Force grow stronger, enveloping the poor soul. Liam cried out from the pain as the aura consumed him, taking over every fiber of his being. "I already know enough about you Liam. Namely, I know people who think like you; you see, it's usually the loudest people who have no idea what they're talking about; Hoshi was one of them." He continued to watch Liam as he struggled more and more. His screams would bring any person to a state of deafness. However, Liam continued until his lungs could not take it anymore! Liam gasped for air as Gale just laughed to himself. "Whoever killed him really did me a favor; I hated that man." Liam looked over to Gale, spitting in his direction. The spit landed on Gale's pointer finger. The insulted man only looked at the spit and laughed mockingly at it. "Oh, this?" He asked as he playfully wiped it against his shirt. "Oh, you wish you hadn't did that," he stated in a calm voice.
Finally, Liam was growing more silent. It was obvious to Gale that Liam was, subconsciously, holding something back. Based on what he assumed, he figured that Liam was acting in such a way to convince himself that Demios was still here. Well, he definitely wasn't going to save him. Gale covered Liam's eyes. It was time. Liam was too strained to fight anymore. The Disaster Force consumed Liam, bringing the man close to the insane state that most untrained users were. Finally, Gale Minas used the Disaster Force to bring the use of his impact card into fruition. "Become my puppet, Liam." The card activated, soon glowing. At the very last moment, Liam felt his consciousness slipping away as Gale muttered the card's name. "Nightmare Despair."
Everything went quiet. The Disaster Force completely faded from both beings. Gale found himself exhausted as he fell backwards, chuckling to himself as the ritual was completed. He smiled as he slowly forced himself back to his feet. He slowly untied Liam, but he wasn't struggling. No… he simply waited to be untied. Soon, Liam brought himself back to his feet, free from all pain. Gale smirked as he looked into Liam's eyes. He was now his. "So, how do you feel?"
"Gobshite," Liam chuckled. "You really have to ask me that? Jeez, like."
"Well, you certainly have a lot of confidence," Gale returned. "Anyways, I need to tell you your duty. You need to get your buddy Chase super pissed off. Can you do that?"
"… What?" Liam asked curiously. "Who?"
"Are you an idiot?" Gale Minas barked back. "Chase! Your friend! The dude you've been friends with. You're under my control, but lord almighty! You should still have your brain, you-"
"Ohhhh," Liam mused back. He looked into Gale's eyes with a mocking glare. "You mean Christian."
"Christian?" Gale was genuinely surprised. He laughed nervously as he just stumbled upon a goldmine of information. "Wait, I'm sorry, forget what I just said. You're no fool…. Just, please, tell me," he continued. He was genuinely so surprised that he was unable to speak without stating his points in a disjointed way. Without saying much, he was completely surprised by this new bit of information. "You said his name was… Christian."
"Christian Amino," Liam answered completed with a soft shrug. "That was his name. I know everything about him. He and I used to talk all the time, after all."
"Huh… this is interesting," Gale mused to himself. This puppet would certainly prove useful to him yet. "There must be a specific reason as to why he says he's another name."
"Like, Chase Hallows is his current legal name," Liam corrected.
"So he changed it, then?" Gale asked curiously. The pitch of his voice heightened due to how interested he suddenly was in this conversation. Previously, he doubted the chance of Master Eirik's plan bearing any fruit. However, any form of doubt was removed entirely. "There must be a reason why, correct?"
"Yeah, of course," Liam returned. "And, based on what I've seen, like, he hasn't told the others."
"Really?" Gale was smirking in the vilest way any creature could. "What kind of reasons?"
"Not too many," Liam returned. "Still, I know many things that he has definitely kept to himself. There's no way he told anyone about them."
"Them?"
"His old buddies," Liam returned. "And why they really left. CJ has never told a soul besides me. I wonder what would happen if I revealed such secrets?"
"That would certainly make things roll much more smoothly," Gale Minas mused. "I've changed my mind about you, Liam; you'll certainly be a great addition to this plan. However, I now have no need to direct you. I'm sure you are now interested in confronting your old friend."
"Absolutely," Liam sneered. "I'm offended you even assumed otherwise."