I tried to get this next chapter done as soon as I could. Also, I realized that I never explained what Overheat does in the last chapter. Basically, it's a spell in which the more a fire wizard remains in combat, the more energy is built up for Overheat to increase their attack power and speed and when Overheat is activated that energy is released. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

The members of the Bladed Foxes were surrounding the guild hall to get to the civilians and many of Phoenix Dawn's other wizards were fending them off, trying to make sure none of them could get in.

"Damn, there are a lot more of these guys than I thought." Eden said to Lionel, who was standing back to back with him.

"These guys are nothing." Lionel smirked. "I just hope one of the big cheeses of these guys comes out and fights us."

"I just hope it doesn't come to that." Heart said.

Heart lifted up a few of the weapons from the fallen Bladed Foxes wizards with her mind and hurled them toward the dark wizards approaching her. After a couple more minutes of fighting, Blaise exited the guild hall and looked up toward the airship above them.

"Listen up!" Blaise said loud enough for her guild to hear. "I'm going to take down the Guild Master of the Bladed Foxes! My guess is he's up there on that airship! While I take care of him, you all make sure to protect the civilians!"

"Right!" Everyone else nodded.

A red magic circle appeared on Blaise's back and phoenix-like wings of fire came sprouting from it. She used those wings to fly up toward the airship at great speed. She searched all over the sides of the airship to find an entrance and eventually she found one, used her fire magic to melt the locked door and went into it.

Elsewhere in town, Aqua was blocking Le Rouge's knife attacks with her water sword. At one point, Aqua managed to parry one of her attacks and create an opening in which she slashed Le Rouge across the torso. However, it seemed like the attack fazed right through her.

*What the…* Aqua thought.

Le Rouge tried to counterattack, but Aqua flipped backwards a bit to create some distance.

*How did she do that?* Aqua continued thinking. *I'm absolutely sure my attack hit.*

Le Rouge charged in for another attack and Aqua prepared to block it, but without any sort of warning Le Rouge disappeared and reappeared behind Aqua and stabbed her in the shoulder with one of her knives. Aqua fell to the ground in pain and clutched her injured shoulder.

*What the heck is she?!* Aqua thought. *The interval between her disappearance and reappearance was too small even for the fastest speed spells. Wait a minute…*

Le Rouge took one of her knives and pointed it directly toward the back of Aqua's neck. "Farewell."

Le Rouge brought the knife down, but Aqua quickly rolled out of the way and upon standing up a ring of water surrounded her.

"Aqua Fluctus!"

The ring spread out from Aqua in the form of a wave and shot a wave of water in all directions around her. When the wave hit Le Rouge, she disappeared and Aqua could notice another Le Rouge leaping off from a building.

"Got you!" Aqua exclaimed as a stream of water shot out of her right hand and toward Le Rouge. "Aqua Jaculator!"

The stream of water shot Le Rouge out of the air and as she fell, Aqua charged right for her.

*I knew it!* Aqua thought as she leaped toward Le Rouge with her water sword. *She was using some kind of Illusion Magic that affected all of my senses, but in order to maintain that near perfect illusion she has to remain completely still. And now I've got her!* "Aqua Gladius!"

Aqua slashed Le Rouge with her water sword and landed on her feet while Le Rouge fell down completely unconscious with some cuts on her body from the last attack. Aqua looked down at Le Rouge as she panted from the intensity of the fight, then she noticed something about her own body.

"Looks like all those wounds were afflicted by the illusion." Aqua said to herself as she couldn't feel any blood, pain or cuts on her shoulder. She then turned her attention toward the guild hall and the airship flying above it. "I hope the others are okay."

"Aqua!"

Aqua turned to see Jason walking up to her.

"Jason, glad to see you're all right." She said.

"Same to you." Jason said then looking at the unconscious body of Dream Le Rouge. "Was she one of the Bladed Foxes?"

"Yeah." Aqua nodded in response. "She called herself one of the Hexagon Swords. Simply based on that fight alone, they all must be pretty tough."

"I think I may have taken one of them out, too." Jason said. "If they're a lot stronger than the grunts and you and I each took one out already, there must be at least four remaining."

"Make it three." Another familiar voice spoke.

Jason and Aqua looked over to see Haru walking toward them with a sullen look on her face.

"Haru, you're okay!" Aqua said as she ran over to Haru.

"You mean you took out one of the Hexagon Swords?" Jason asked.

Jason and Aqua then noticed that Haru wasn't acting like her usual, upbeat self. To them it was almost as if she her puppy had died.

"Uh, Aqua, I think we shouldn't ask Haru any more questions." Jason said.

Aqua wanted to say something back, but she decided to remain quiet. "All right. Let's go and check up on the guild."

"Exactly what I was thinking." Jason said as he cracked his knuckles.

Outside the city, Hikari and Sakura were still fighting against Omar Wolf and his ghost wyvern. The ghost wyvern breathed ghastly purple flames at Hikari.

"Photon Wall!" Hikari formed a barrier of light in front of her, turned her body around and pressed her back against the wall.

The flames hit the other side of the wall and split apart upon contact, causing the two streams to go around the barrier and Hikari barely avoided them.

Sakura was still struggling a little against Omar and he once again threw his chain scythe at her. She ducked and avoided the attack and pink cherry blossom petals formed around her arm in a claw shape.

"Forest Dragon Thorn Claw!"

Sakura cut the chain of the scythe with her cherry blossom claw and surrounded her entire body in cherry blossom petals.

"Forest Dragon Oak Crash!"

Sakura charged at Omar and struck him head on, sending him flying backwards a bit. While still in midair, Omar opened his eyes and saw the outcome of the fight between his ghost wyvern and Hikari.

While Hikari was keeping shelter behind her wall of light, she was charging a sphere of light in her hands and threw it up in the air.

"Photon Comet!"

The orb of light expanded in size and crashed on top of the wyvern. The intense light caused it to vanish and Omar was left blinded.

"Gah! Can't see!" Omar grunted.

Sakura, with her eyes closed and following Omar's scent, charged right at him until she was right in front of the midair Omar.

"Forest Dragon Roar!"

Omar was completely engulfed in the breath attack and upon hitting the ground he had lost consciousness.

"Aha ha!" Sakura laughed as she walked over to Hikari. "You weren't bad at all, Hikari! That training must really be paying off!"

"You think so?" Hikari asked.

"If Spiral were here to this this, I'm sure he'd be proud." Sakura said.

"He would?" Hikari muttered as her thoughts began to drift. The more she thought, the more her face turned red and a silly grin crept on her face.

Sakura and Flora just looked at her in confusion with an eyebrow raised.

"I see you've handled the situation over here."

"That voice…" Sakura said, recognizing the voice she just heard. She turned to see that it was Foster.

Hikari was still lost in her… amorous daydream.

"I'm impressed that you and your friend have managed to defeat one of the Hexagon Swords." Foster said. "That leaves only two of them left, including the Guild Master."

"They were taken out already?!" Flora asked somewhat surprised.

"Your friends are all holding their own against the Bladed Foxes and all of the civilians have taken shelter within the guild hall." Foster continued. "Since you all seem to have the situation under control, there's no reason for me to be here. Oh, before I forget… Sakura, did you get that thing I asked for?"

"Oh, yeah, I did!" Sakura answered as she reached into one of the pockets tied to her sash and pulled out a small bag. "Just one question: Why did you ask me to get you this? It's not like it would have been suspicious if you went to the-"

"I…" Foster interrupted her as he took the small bag. "I don't want to be punished again."

"… Hm?" Sakura and Flora were both confused by Foster's last comment.

"Anyway, thanks a lot." Foster said. "I hope we can meet again someday."

Foster walked away as Sakura just looked back at him.

"… I think he just wanted to avoid answering our question." Sakura said.

"You think?" Flora asked sarcastically, then turning her attention to Hikari.

Hikari was now sitting on the ground with her face completely red, that goody grin still on her face and steam was rising from her body.

"Oh… wow…" Hikari muttered while still in her daydream.

"How far did your imagination take you?!" Flora questioned.

In front of the guild hall, most of the grunts of the Bladed Foxes had already been taken out by the Phoenix Dawn wizards.

"Only a few dozen more left!" Azusa said as she swung her greatsword at several dark wizards and took them out.

"This is hardly even a challenge anymore!" Lionel said.

"Don't jinx things now!" Volt said.

Just then something was falling from the airship. When that thing landed on the ground on its feet, it was revealed to be a man with brown hair wearing black chainmail and carrying a large sword with a shiny, black blade.

"Wizards of Phoenix Dawn!" He said lough enough for everyone nearby to hear. "Our Guild Master and I commend you for defeating our forces, including four of our Hexagon Swords! But now I, Obsidian Duke (Age 37), the second strongest member of the Bladed Foxes, shall crush your entire guild in one fell swoop!"

"Heh, I've been waiting for a guy like this to show up!" Lionel said as he cracked his knuckles.

"No!" Azusa shouted as she walked up to Obsidian Duke. "The rest of you make sure none of the grunts get into the guild hall! I've got this guy!"

"Come oooon!" Lionel groaned.

"Let it go, Lionel." Eden and Volt said at the same time.

"My opponent is a little girl?" Obsidian asked.

Azusa readied her greatsword like it didn't weigh much at all. "Don't underestimate me."

"… Well, if you can carry that large sword with minimal effort…" Obsidian smirked. "Heheh… Then come at me!"

Obsidian pulled up his large sword and took up a battle stance. He and Azusa stared each other down for a few minutes waiting for the other to make a move while the others were fighting around them. After those minutes had passed, the two charged at each other and their massive swords clashed.

A/N: Only two members of the Hexagon Swords left! These next two chapters are going to be pretty intense! By the way, can you guess what Foster asked Sakura to get for him? I won't officially reveal it until much later in the story (like during the conclusion of the Grand Magic Games later), but it might be fun to speculate. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and stay tuned for next time!