Walking forward was a group of people who traveled under the cover of darkness. They were heading through the recovering Whispering Woods. There were quite a few of them, coupling in the dozens. Men, women, and children all made up the load of refugees.
"This place we are going to… It is called Brightmoon, is it not?"
Her hair was a long golden blonde. A bright red cloak covered her body, a black suit on underneath with a red tie around her neck. Her bat-like eyes shone underneath the many moons of Etheria, as the refugees traveled under the night.
"That is correct, Your Highness. This place will serve as our sanctuary."
"We should have stayed and fought for our home… It is my fault we are in this predicament."
"It is not your fault, my lady. The Dark Kiva's power is too great, even for you."
"But if I had stayed and fought…"
"You would have most likely died. And would not be on your way to taking back the power that belongs to you by birthright."
"I see…" She looked down at the ground for a moment. The girl wished she could have done more for her people, but there were only so many people who were able to flee the Hidden Kingdom before the borders became completely closed off. "Kivat, why can't we transform?"
"I've told you again and again, the power of Kiva was taken away from us. All you can do is become the Bat Fangire, and fight in that form." Kivat replied, looking down. He landed on her shoulder and sighed.
"But with Kiva's power we might stand a chance against my father!" The girl replied, before getting a stone cold look in her eye. "That's why we must convince these people in Brightmoon to give back our power." She looked down and fished something out of her pocket. It was a watch with the year 2001 emblazoned on it. "This is our bargaining chip. If this does not get us what we need, then we may need to take it by force."
"These people do not even know we exist. For now we must hold our cards, and play them well." Kivat said, looking down at the watch. "These powers, contained within these watches, must be returned to their original owners. And that includes Kiva's power. Lady Ana, you must know that is true."
"I know," Ana replied, looking up at the sky. "The door to the universe promised us a new home. Away from Earth, and all the people who feared us. But now… I guess I miss the stars."
"Don't we all, my lady." Kivat replied, looking up at the sky with a rather forlorn expression. "Etheria does not know we exist. And that is why our kingdom was hidden within the fog. But now that your father is here, he may reveal to the world that we exist. The Horde… The Rebellion… They will not react lightly to a third party attempting to take over the world."
"The Fangires came here to live in peace. Not to fight another stupid war in the name of the King." Ana looked forward. "We're nearing the place, are we not?"
Kivat flew up into the air and scouted ahead. He was small enough that nobody would be able to discern him from a common animal.
"My Princess, have you decided which Watch you will seek to obtain next?" Woz asked.
Chronera was in her room, looking over the Ridewatches she had gathered so far. Including her own, she now had Kiva, Drive, Kabuto, and now Blade.
That was six Ridewatches in total. She still had 14 more to collect according to Woz. Fortunately, some of them were in the possession of the other princesses. It should be easy to ask for them, but Chronera did not believe it would be that simple. There would be conditions since the Ridewatches had been passed down in their families and they were pretty much protecting them. Also, she doubted they would willingly give them up to someone who was descended from a Demon King.
Chronera glanced at her advisor, for that was Woz was. He was also a fanatical worshipper of her ancestor, Oma Zi-O. That made her curious. She wondered how Woz, a sorcerer of Mystacor, ended up becoming so enamored with the previous Demon King. After all, Oma Zi-O had perished over a thousand years ago, had he not?
"Woz, can I ask you about my ancestor?" Chronera asked.
"Oh, you wish to learn about your glorious ancestor," Woz smiled as he flipped open his book. "Well, I can start with his origin. Once a young high school student-"
"No, that's not it," Chronera interrupted. "I want to know why you worship someone like him so much. After everything he's done, it's just odd that you look up to him and yet you're a member of the Rebellion. I just want to know how you can support someone like that."
"Ah," Woz slammed his book shut. "I see. So you want to know why I look up to the Great Demon King, My Princess."
"That's right," Chronera said and Woz sat down.
"It was during my studies in Mystacor," Woz began. "Back then I went by a different name."
"You had a different name?"
"Yes, I was known as 'Time Keeper'."
Young Time Keeper was studying in Mystacor's library. He had numerous tomes stacked beside him on the table. As the magical capital of Etheria, Mystacor's collection was both vaste and ancient.
Time Keeper was not just a student of magic, but of history. He wished to unlock the secrets of the past and learn from ages past. He hoped that from learning from the past that they could perhaps prosper in the present and future.
The Horde had become quite a problem in Etheria as they tried to expand their influence. It was only due to Mystacor's hidden status that their army had not invaded. That was a blessing.
However, Time Keeper did not believe they could hide for long. He also believed they could do more good for Etheria if they used their power to help the Rebellion.
One of the subjects of interest for Time Keeper was the First Ones. There were many myths and legends written about them, but during his search he found a book that caught his eye.
It was called the 'Oma Advent Calendar' and it had been written by a prophet named 'Woz'. Time Keeper was absorbed by it and read it obsessively. The book told Time Keeper of the Great Demon King Oma Zi-O. It told him of his great power, his triumphs and his victories. The more Time Keeper studied about Oma Zi-O, the more he wanted to meet him in-person. Unfortunately, Oma Zi-O had perished long ago.
But then, in the book, Time Keeper learned that Oma Zi-O might have an heir. His eyes widened with glee.
"Oma Zi-O will live again," Time Keeper whispered.
"So I took the name 'Woz' and left Mystacor in search for Oma Zi-O's heir. I even managed to find the Ziku-Driver which was given to you," Woz finished.
"You became a devout follower of Oma Zi-O from reading a book?" Chronera asked in disbelief.
"Yes, because only Oma Zi-O's power can save Etheria from the Horde!" Woz proclaimed.
Chronera did not know what to think. It sounded crazy. In fact, Woz's fanatical devotion to Oma Zi-O was pretty frightening, but it did explain his mannerism. He believed that Etheria needed Oma Zi-O but Chronera did not intend to be a tyrant. She did not want to be the next Demon King.
However, if her destiny was inevitable, then she would be her own kind of Demon King.
"If we do plan on claiming another Ridewatch, we should discuss our plans with Queen Angella and the others," Chronera said.
"As you wish, My Princess."
Queen Angella was sitting in her seat at the Princess Alliance table. Also seated around the table were Glimmer, Adora, Bow and Chronera. Woz stood beside his princess with a smile.
"So, you wish to claim the Watches under the protection of the other princesses," Angella summarised.
"I just thought we could approach Princess Perfuma, Princess Mermista and Princess Frosta and ask for them, Your Majesty," Chronera explained. "I understand that the Watches belong to the kingdoms, but I need to collect them and soon. So I request permission to go to the other princesses and request the Watches from them."
"You know, Chronera, the other princesses are our friends," Glimmer reminded her. "I'm sure they wouldn't mind giving up those Watches."
"But you could try some diplomacy," Bow said. "Your usual approach may not work."
"What do you mean?" Chronera asked, unsure of what her friends meant.
"They mean you can't demand the Watches from them if they say no," Adora translated.
"But Lady She-Ra, the Watches are hers by birthright!" Woz said. "It is only right that the princesses surrender the Ridewatches to the Future King of Time and Space!"
"I won't demand anything. I will just ask politely and be diplomatic," Chronera said and everyone averted their gaze. "What?"
"You're not very good at diplomacy. You're good at fighting and giving people a scary glare," Bow said nervously.
"And when things don't go your way, you kinda blow up," Adora reminded.
Chronera wanted to protest when a guard barged into the Alliance chamber.
"Queen Angella, we have… what looks like refugees waiting outside of Brightmoon!" one of the guards reported, taking a few deep breaths. Since the defeat of the Horde within the Whispering Woods, the once lusciously thick woods was finally growing back and making itself hidden once more. Before he could say anything more, the doors to the room opened. Adora and her friends turned their heads to witness Ana walk forward with Kivat fluttering behind her. Her deathly glare was almost petrifying.
"So you are this Rebellion's leader…" Ana tilted her head forward. "I apologize for our intrusion. However, at our utmost urgency I had to enter here." Angella was confused for a moment. However, she didn't miss a beat in the tone of the girl's voice. She seemed to be around the same age as Glimmer and the others, but something seemed off about her. Her eyes were that of a bat's. She was followed by a man wearing clothes similar to that of Kenzaki's but it was a lot furrier. He wore a pair of sunglasses over his eyes, covering them up.
Chronera could feel the pressure coming off of the man. He seemed to be a bodyguard, but then Kivat caught her eye. The bat was similar to… her Kiva armor. Before Angella could say anything more, Chronera turned her head to the queen.
"Your highness, I believe… Well these people…"
"We are known as the Fangire." Ana finished. She looked to Angella, and held out the Agito Ridewatch. "You have something similar to this, no? The only difference is that yours should read the numbers 2-0-0-8."
"Fangire!" Woz interrupted, walking out in front of them all. "My queen, this would be the race tied to the Kiva Watch! I would guess, as much, as that they have come to reclaim it."
"The Kiva Watch? Why would you need such a thing?" Angella asked, raising one her eyebrows as she looked down at the three new interlopers. Kivat flew forward, perching himself onto Ana's shoulder.
"Allow me to explain as such, Queen Angella." Kivat said, looking up towards her. "Quite some time ago, we existed on another planet. One called Earth. For you see our race wanted to enter a new age of peace, so eons ago we moved our peoples here to Etheria. Within our hidden kingdom, we lived peacefully away from all the war and destruction."
"Away from the Horde?"
"Correct. We did not wish to impose our powers upon anyone else, so we fought to remain hidden away within the deepest parts of the Whispering Woods. However, it seemed that one person wanted that to change. The King, once exiled for his ridiculous ideas, subjugated my father, Kivat the Second, to force him to transform into the being we call Dark Kiva." Kivat continued on. "Dark Kiva has the ability to force people into serving him. He forced us from our homes, and used our own soldiers to do so."
"So I beg of you, please, return Kiva's powers to us at once." Ana tilted her head forward again. "Only so many of our people managed to escape the villages and follow us out of the limits of our kingdom. Please, give us Kiva's power…"
"I'm afraid we cannot do that!" Woz said, walking in front of Ana. "For you see, Kiva's power is needed for my princess, Zi-O. She has already claimed it for her own, defeated the Another Rider with its power, so it rightfully belongs to her. And if she were to lose said power, then we would have no way of eventually defeating the Horde!" Woz poked Ana on the nose. "Do you understand? Your royal standing has no sway here."
Ana batted Woz's hand away and looked to Queen Angella.
"You cannot be serious in letting this fool speak for you." Ana said.
"Fool? Me?" Woz asked, looking over to Chronera, who simply shrugged. He was exasperated a bit, as Angella shook her head a bit.
"I'm afraid I cannot say. The Kiva Watch has been in Brightmoon's protection for quite some time. And now it is in Chronera's protection. I will not make the final decision in this matter, but you, Chronera, will."
"M-me?" Chronera pointed at herself. Oh geez, she thought to herself, she had to deal with this?
"Yes, it will be good practice dealing with diplomatic issues." The Queen said as Chronera groaned internally. She was barely good with people she knew, let alone complete strangers.
"Good luck with that, Chronera." Glimmer said, patting Chronera on the back a bit. "You'll need it!"
"W-what? What about you three?"
"Well, diplomatic issues are pretty boring." Glimmer confessed, with extra emphasis on the 'pretty.' She, Bow, and Adora gave her the thumbs up as they slipped away, leaving the princess of time alone.
"Come with me." Ana commanded, grabbing onto Chronera's hand and dragging her out of the room. Chronera was not looking forward to this, in the slightest. "Where's your room?"
"My room?" Chronera asked as Ana continued to drag her along.
"Yes, so we may speak in private."
Chronera did not like the idea of bringing a stranger to her room. However, she was not totally defenseless. She had her Ziku-Driver and training as a royal guard. If Ana tried something, she was confident she could subdue the foreign princess.
"Over here," Chronera said as she led the way.
Chronera took Ana to her bedroom and the Princess of the Fangires. Kivat flew in and perched herself on his princess' shoulder. As soon as Ana stepped into Chronera's bedroom, the first thing she noticed was all the clocks on Chronera's wall. It was almost amazing how many clocks were just hanging there.
"You have a lot of clocks," Ana stated, walking up towards them. So many clocks of different makes. No one she knew had this many, some of them being high end enough for Fangire royalty.
"I collect and fix them," Chronera said. "I enjoy it. One of the few things I really enjoy doing in my little free time.
Ana then spotted the Ridewatch rack on Chronera's table and found the Kiva Watch. She made her way toward it but Chronera blocked her way. She knew it wouldn't be that easy.
"Please, move aside," Ana commanded, putting her arm out towards the Ridewatches.
"No," Chronera denied. "You came here to talk. Let's talk." Chronera sat down, offering a place for Ana to sit.
Ana sighed. She nearly forgot her manners. The blonde girl nodded and sat down near Chronera, and looked her in the eyes.
"So, you have claimed the powers of Kiva," Ana said, raising an eyebrow. Kiva was her birthright, and it made no sense that Brightmoon would somehow be in control of it. But she had to do as much as she could to get the Ridewatch back.
"Yes, it was given to me by Queen Angella. That's why I am reluctant to part with it," Chronera said, looking to the Ridewatches. "It was the first Ridewatch I collected, and Queen Angella fully entrusted its safety to me… I cannot lose it."
"The powers of Kiva belong to the Fangires," Ana said firmly. "You must relinquish it."
"I cannot do that," Chronera denied. "I need to collect them all so I have the power to fight the Horde."
"And I need Kiva's power to save my kingdom. Please, you must understand." Ana bowed her head down slightly. She bit her lips nervously. She had to get Dark Kiva off the throne no matter the cost.
"I do," Chronera admitted. "Your home was taken from you and you feel like you have nowhere else to go." Her eyes went down a bit. The muscular princess ran a hand through her short hair as she sighed.
"Yes, so you do understand." Ana replied, tilting her head a little bit.
"I do, because the Horde took everything from me." Chronera hated telling this story, but with Ana it seemed like the best course of action.
Chronera then told Ana about her past, about how she lived with her parents who were simple people who fixed clocks for a living. Then the Horde came and she ended up as the only survivor of her village.
"That is why I need power. I can't let the Horde continue to make people suffer," Chronera finished, getting up and walking towards the Ridewatches. She looked at them with a longing look.
Ana was sympathetic. Chronera had lost her home, her family, so all she had was her desire to avenge them.
Both princesses knew what it was like to feel powerless. Claiming the power of all of the Ridewatches was Chronera's goal. But Ana needed Kiva's power.
"I'm sorry for what happened to you, but I can't leave without Kiva's power," Ana said. "I'm even ready to trade you this for it."
Ana showed Chronera the Agito Ridewatch, surprising the Princess of Time. So, the Fangire Princess was ready to bargain for Kiva's power with the powers of another Rider. However, that would still leave Chronera with an incomplete set if she gave Kiva's power in exchange for Agito's.
Chronera glanced at the Kiva Watch then looked back at Ana.
"You may not have to leave without it," Chronera said. "But I have one condition."
Bow, Adora and Glimmer were waiting outside of Chronera's door. It had been quite a while since Ana and Chronera went in. Ana's bodyguard was with them as well. Bow felt quite intimidated by the man, who was simply leaning against the wall, staring at the three of them.
"So… what's your name?" Bow tried to ask.
"... Jiro." Jiro said rather simply, looking at them and analyzing them from behind his glasses.
"So… you're one of these Fangire things?" Glimmer asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No… My race was called the Wolfen. A previous heir to Kiva wiped out my people, leaving me the sole survivor. But I owe my life to another Kiva, so I serve every Kiva down the bloodline." He looked down to Glimmer. "No matter where you go, you can't outrun your past, so I make it plain as day to be as transparent as possible."
"Huh…" Bow honestly didn't know what to say. This guy exuded the kind of pressure that no one ever wanted to deal with. He just seemed to not want to be bothered, so the trio took the hint and stood quietly and awkwardly, waiting for Chronera and Ana to finish their meeting.
The door opened and the three friends backed away from it. Chronera gave them a glance as she was used to them eavesdropping by now. Ana stepped out with her.
Chronera and Ana both met with Queen Angella in her throne room. It seemed that negotiations actually went well.
"After some discussion, Princess Chronera and I have come to an agreement," Ana informed Queen Angella.
"Your Majesty, I request permission to go with Princess Ana to help liberate her kingdom." Chronera said, bowing her head down towards Queen Angella.
Queen Angella looked at both princesses who wore masks of resolve on their faces. Clearly, Chronera felt strongly about liberating a kingdom from a tyrant. This was also a chance to start diplomatic relations with a new kingdom which would lead them to joining the Princess Alliance and Rebellion.
"Very well, Princess Chronera. You have my permission," Queen Angella allowed. "Although I warn you to be quite careful. You may have bested those Another Riders, but this Dark Kiva has power we don't know much about."
"Don't worry, Your Majesty, I will be as careful as possible." Chronera nodded her head to the queen, who simply nodded in return. Queen Angella soon turned her attention to Ana.
"You must be tired from your long journey, Princess Ana. You should stay and rest here in the palace before you return to your kingdom," Queen Angella said.
"She can stay with me." Chronera offered. Ana nodded back. The two were getting along well with one another, and Chronera didn't mind sharing her usually empty bedroom with someone else.
"Tomorrow we will travel back to our kingdom, and make our stand against my father." Ana nodded once more and bowed her head. "Thank you, though, for your generous hospitality." It was getting rather late, so the duo retired to Chronera's room after their audience with the Queen had been completed.
"Aww, that's so cute." Bow said, wiping his face a little bit. "I'm so proud of Chronera for actually making a friend on her own."
Chronera gave the archer a withering glare. It was a diplomatic negotiation. Making friends was part of diplomacy, was it not?
While Jiro led the refugees into a small camp outside of Brightmoon, with the promise of them taking back their homeland, Ana sat on a chair in Chronera's room. Her precious violin was carefully taken out of its case and she played it.
Chronera remained silent as she sat there and listened to the brilliance of the instrument. It was later now, and Chronera couldn't believe how beautiful the violin sounded. There was definitely no other instrument like it, not that Chronera had seen or heard. They sat there while Ana played a variety of songs from the Fangire homeworld. Chronera lost herself in the melodies that were being performed for her, as if it were her own private concert by a world-class violinist.
Soon enough Ana's song came to an end, and she smiled. Chronera didn't have much to say in response, simply sitting there with her mouth agape instead.
"That was beautiful," Chronera said as eloquently as she could. There were no other words to describe it.
"Thank you, Princess Chronera," Ana responded, blushing at the praise. "That song was written by my ancestor and passed down my family for generations along with this violin. It's called the Bloody Rose."
"Were you taught by your mother?" Chronera asked.
"Yes," Ana sighed sadly.
"What was she like?" Chronera asked. "If I may ask."
"She was a beautiful woman who ruled over our kingdom with love and compassion. Back then my father was a different man. But after she died, something changed within him," Ana explained.
The rest of the night was spent with Chronera walking Ana through the steps of clock repair. It wasn't as elegant or beautiful as Ana's violin playing, but Ana was incredibly enthralled with the process. The clocks were so intricately designed, down to the last gear.
"There's a beautiful harmony that goes into making a clock, don't you think?" Ana questioned as she examined the parts with Chronera.
"There's also order with each piece doing one thing that helps with the whole," Chronera replied. "Every little piece is important. If even the smallest piece is missing or damaged, then the whole thing would not work."
The two worked with them deep into the night, until finally the clock they were repairing was done.
"Alright, let's see if it works," said Chronera as she started up the clock. It was an old cuckoo clock with a unique design. It looked like a gothic castle.
Then the cuckoo bird popped out, but it was a bat instead.
Ana loved it.
Chronera gazed up at her clocks. It was getting pretty late.
"We should get to bed. We have a long journey ahead of us," Chronera said.
"Oh, alright," Ana said.
"You can have my bed. I'm fine sleeping on the floor," said Chronera as she took out a sleeping bag and unrolled it.
"Oh, I don't want to impose. We could share the bed. It looks big enough for the both of us."
"Are you sure?" Chronera asked. She still wasn't used to such a big and soft bed. It was why she preferred to sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor.
"I'm sure," Ana smiled.
During the night, while Chronera slept, Ana slipped out of bed and walked toward the Ridewatch Rack.
She looked at the Kiva Ridewatch. It would be so easy for her to grab it and sneak out. Then she and Jiro would return to the kingdom and reclaim it from her father.
However, the Princess of the Fangires hesitated and looked back at Chronera who was sleeping soundly. How was she better than her father if she betrayed an ally as soon as she could?
The next morning, Chronera found out that Ana was a hugger while she slept. Right now, the Princess of the Fangires had her arms wrapped tightly around her midsection.
It was a bit awkward, but it was rather nice as well. Chronera just allowed them to soak in the morning sunlight before the long journey ahead of them.
"So, how was spending the night with Princess Ana?" Glimmer asked.
"We had a pleasant time bonding over our interests. Did you know she was a musician?" Chronera said.
"Really?" Glimmer questioned. "How was it?"
"It was beautiful." Chronera said, looking forward at Glimmer. "The sound of her instrument is just so incredible, why don't we have anything like that here?" She sighed a little bit. She hoped after this was all over, she could hear it again from Ana.
"Princess Chronera showed me how easy it was to repair a clock," Ana told Jiro. "I never knew that it could so beautiful. How each part works with another is like harmony."
Jiro grunted a little as he finished cooking food for the refugees.
"Sounds like you finally found someone you can relate to. That's good." Jiro said, poking at the fire a bit. Her happiness reminded him of simpler times. Better times. Hopefully after the King had fallen, things could return to a more relaxing time. He heard footsteps. Someone was coming into the camp and he stood up to see Chronera with a backpack and Woz.
"Princess Chronera," Ana smiled as she saw her new friend.
"Lady Ana," Chronera bowed. "I'm ready to leave."
"It'll be a long journey," Ana advised.
"Don't worry. Woz here says he has a way for us to travel quickly," Chronera said.
"Yes, for in my search, I have found Oma Zi-O's royal chariot!" Woz announced.
A portal opened up and a flying machine zoomed out of it. Its body was a gunmetal grey color with a slanted head that had glowing violet lines. A pair of arms were connected in the front by large slabs of metal while there were what looked like legs that connected in the back to form boosters.
"Rejoice! I present to you Ome Zi-O's Time Mazine!"
Chronera closed her gaping mouth and looked at Woz.
"Woz, how long have you had this?" Chronera asked.
"I've been waiting for the right time," said Woz as a ramp descended from the Time Mazine's underside. "Now, how about we step onboard?"
The Time Mazine's cockpit was rather small, with barely enough room for two people, let alone three. Two handles were connected to a rather large screen that seemed to be glitching out in some respects. The date listed was a bunch of gibberish as opposed to actual numbers, as Woz looked at it.
"With the total age of this machine, I don't expect it to be able to travel through time anymore. However, I have been able to get it to fly once again! How wonderful is that?!"
"You got this thing to fly? I gotta say, for once, I'm impressed with your work ethic." Chronera said, standing in the center of the cockpit, placing her hands on the handles.
"It is quite impressive in here, if not for all the wires and such. I apologize for calling you a fool earlier, when it is quite clear you are nothing of the sort." Ana said, looking over the impressive machine.
"Thank you, princess. Now to fly it, it's very similar to your bike, only you're controlling in several dimensions instead of just two. Up and down, left to right. I'm sure you'll get it in no time!" Woz said, smiling as he disembarked from the machine to make room for Ana. He would be able to get to the Fangire Kingdom anyways, no need for the Time Mazine.
"Alright. Here we go!" Chronera gulped a little, after she took off into the sky. It was a little shaky, and vomit inducing, at first but she managed to get the hang of it. Soon enough, they were cruising through the sky at a good enough speed. They would be at their destination soon enough.
Chronera and Ana soon arrived in the Fangire Kingdom's limits. Dark Kiva's ability to subjugate and control many peaceful Fangire to his will was dangerous. The duo, riding Chronera's bike were almost completely vulnerable. Ana informed Chronera of Dark Kiva's forced as they rode through the night.
The sky of the Fangire Kingdom was very different. It was blood red as it hung over the city which had a very dark and gothic design. The castle itself also surprised Chronera as it looked like someone had built it around a dragon.
Many Fangire were around, most subjugated out of fear as opposed to Dark Kiva's power. Some watched in quiet as the duo rode through the streets towards the kingdom's castle, where Dark Kiva was waiting. Ana looked up at the sky and wondered what she would do. What she would say when they arrived. She shuddered a bit, but braved on as Chronera rode towards the castle. Upon their arrival they saw a figure coming out of the shadowy entrance to the castle. The Time Mazine landed close by the gates of the castle, as Chronera and Ana disembarked from it.
"So this is your castle, huh?" Chronera asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Correct. Castle Doran has protected the Fangire Royal Family for generations. It's simply something to behold, is it not?" Ana replied, throwing off her cloak, and revealing the suit she wore underneath. Kivat floated by as well.
"Be warned, you two, the King is most likely waiting for us just inside the gates." Kivat replied, shivering a little bit. "He's already subjugated my father, let's hope the same doesn't happen to us!"
Chronera gulped a little, nodding to the floating bat as they entered through the gates toward the castle. It was quite creepy in the night sky, almost like a ghost story come to life. Ana patted Chronera on the shoulder.
"It's alright, the courtyard isn't too far ahead." Ana nodded a bit to the nervous Chronera, who felt calmed by Ana's very presence.
The King was there waiting for them as they arrived in the courtyard, gallows prepared for his guilty daughter. He wore a dark red cloak over his clothing, keeping the duo from seeing what dirty tricks he had prepared. Chronera was quite astonished by the gallows, wondering how a parent could be that cruel to their child.
"So you've finally returned here, daughter. And you've brought a friend to feed on." The King said, walking forward. "Have you made the correct decision for you and your detractors to join the true King? So that we may conquer this pathetic backwater planet? Or will you continue to test my patience?"
Ana got off the bike and walked forward toward her father. Kivat batted his wings next to her as they looked at the King.
"Yeah, right. As if I would ever betray those I rule over!" Ana yelled, as Chronera got up as well and approached, but kept her distance. She didn't want to overstep any boundaries. This wasn't her fight in full.
"So you continue to be a traitor to the crown?" The King asked, cocking his head a bit.
"The crown? You've made a fool of the crown to all those before you! There's a reason you cannot rule, father. Why mother pass over the crown to me. Because you rule through fear. You miss the kindness and compassion needed to rule." She looked down for a moment. "I've thought that I was weak because of it… That that's why you were able to defeat me. But I've seen the error of my ways. I'm strong because of that kindness and compassion. And now I'm here to defeat you!"
"You really think you have what it takes to rule? You keep yourselves chained away from reality, far away from the rest of this pathetic planet. I've seen everything I needed to see." The King said, raising out his hand. He summoned the subjugated Kivat the Second to his hands. "And it seems you, dear daughter, need a lesson in what it means to be ruler."
The King forced Kivat the Second to open his mouth and bite his hand.
"Biting!" Kivat the Second yelled, black color filling the King's veins. Chains appeared around his waist, before giving rise to a black belt. He smiled as he held the bat in front of himself.
"Henshin!" The King yelled, glowing a bright green colored as his body morphed into the armor of Dark Kiva, which was incredibly similar to the original Kiva armor but mostly red and black in its stead.
"It's time for your extermination." Dark Kiva said, beginning to walk forward. Gulping a little, Chronera backed away, holding her arm out in front of the fallen Ana. She growled a bit, and looked to her pocket. Within it she withdrew the Kiva Ridewatch from it and dropped it into Ana's hands.
"Here," Chronera said, putting her arm down and pulling out her own Ziku Driver, turning to face Ana.
"Are you sure?" Ana asked reluctantly. It was what she wanted all this time, the power of Kiva, but now she wasn't so sure.
Chronera glanced at Dark Kiva who arrogantly looked down on them, as he approached them rather slowly.
"You are the rightful holder of Kiva's power," Chronera said as she helped the Fangire Princess up to her feet. "This is your kingdom. Now liberate it."
Ana smiled and nodded as she activated the Kiva Ridewatch.
Kiva!
Chains surrounded her waist, and they melted before reforming into the blood red Kiva belt. Kivat flew in, smiling.
"Alright, Ana! Now let's Kivatte Go!"
Ana took hold of Kivat as Chronera activated the Zi-O Ridewatch. Kivat opened his mouth and bit Ana's hand, filling her veins with the power that truly belonged to her.
"Bite!"
Zi-O!
"Henshin!" "Transform!" the two called together.
Armor Time!
The Agito Armor formed in front of Zi-O and she broke it apart with a punch. The pieces then flew back, combining with her suit. She now sported Agito's crest horns on her head with AGITO spelled across her visor. Her chestplate was gold as well with crest horns attached to her shoulders.
Agito!
Similar to Dark Kiva, Ana was covered in the same glow as her father. The armor soon broke onto her body, with chained up armor showing on her body. Kivat hung upside down on her belt, with her black undersuit being the only thing that wasn't chained up.
"So this… Kiva's power?" Kiva said, looking down at her arms. She placed her hands on her mask for a moment, before putting them down. "This power… This power is mine! And I'll show you that you're no longer needed here!" She pointed her hand at her father, who simply shook his head.
And right on cue, Woz appeared as he opened his book for his speech.
"Rejoice! She is the future ruler of time and space! Now she has inherited the power of another Rider! Her name is Kamen Rider Zi-O: Agito Armor! She has evolved and become stronger!"
"Does he do this all the time?" Kiva asked.
"Yes," Zi-O admitted with a smile. "Now, shall we finish this?"
Kiva turned to Dark Kiva who was coming at them. He fired off an energy blast which exploded, but then the two Riders leaped out of the smoke cloud and attacked. Kiva delivered a kick straight into Dark Kiva's chest, knocking him back. At the same time, Zi-O delivered a right hook across Dark Kiva's face.
Working together, the Princess of the Fangires and the Princess of Time attacked Dark Kiva relentlessly. He fought back, knocking them back, but they kept coming. He then sent a wave of darkness at Zi-O, sending her tumbling before grabbing Kiva by the throat.
Dark Kiva lifted her off the ground and she looked her in the eye.
"You think a weak child like you have what it takes to rule?" Dark Kiva questioned, preparing to punch Kiva with his free hand.
"She does!" Zi-O rose up.
"Stay out of this!" Dark Kiva yelled.
"No!" Zi-O denied. "Lady Ana, the kingdom is yours! It is yours by right! It is yours because it is your home and these are your people! Dark Kiva just wants power, but you want to help your people and have taken the responsibility with your own hands! Don't let him take what doesn't belong to him! Take it back!"
Kiva's fists clenched and she punched Dark Kiva hard in the face, with enough force to break his helmet. He recoiled and released her before she knocked him down with a sweep kick.
Kiva regrouped with Zi-O.
"It's time to dethrone a tyrant," Kiva said as she put the Wake Up Fuestle into Kivat's mouth.
"Wake Up!"
"Time to finish this," Zi-O pushed the buttons on her Ridewatches.
Finish Time! Agito! Ground Time Break!
The symbols of Kiva and Agito appeared under them and became energy that transferred into their right legs. The chains surrounding Kiva's iron boot shattered, spreading the wings and revealing the blood red lining with green gems.
The two princesses leaped into the air then performed a double flying kick. Dark Kiva formed his emblem to shield himself, but the two girls slammed into it, shattering it to pieces before their feet collided with Dark Kiva's chest. The King of the Fangires yelled loudly, as he flew backwards into a closeby tree. He groaned as some as his armor broke off of him, and Kivat the Second's eyes woke up. Whatever spell was put on Kivat's father was gone now, and the red and black bat creature flew up.
"Kiva's power… it is no longer yours, King." Kivat the Second said simply as he flew off towards Zi-O and Kiva. The King, panting, looked up at his daughter and Zi-O.
"I'll be back, you know… I am the King! You cannot… The likes of you cannot defeat me!" The King yelled, as he got up and lunged at the two. Kiva lifted up her fist and punched him as hard as she could across the face, causing him to fall to the ground, unconscious. Kiva snapped her fingers, and Jiro walked up to collect the fallen monarch.
"It's over." Jiro gritted his teeth as he kicked the unconscious King in the stomach.
"Lock him up in the dungeons. He'll pay for what he has done, Sir Jiro." Kiva said, as the armor retracted on her body, revealing the young woman once more. Zi-O did much of the same, as Chronera looked at Ana a bit. "It'll be alright. Now that he can no longer transform into Dark Kiva, he will be too weak to break free."
Chronera smiled a bit. She sure hoped so.
Chronera and Ana sat beneath the light of the night sky, as Ana looked up high towards it.
"You know I miss the stars a lot." Ana said, rather simply
"Stars?" Chronera asked.
"Yes… Where we come from there are many other lights in the skies we call stars." She went quiet for a moment, pointing up at the sky. "So many stars shining in the sky, with a singular moon! Oh it's absolutely wonderful! I wish you could have seen them."
"I'm sure I will one day… I hope." Chronera said, her hands on the ground on each side beside her. Ana put her hand down, one hand clasping over Chronera's.
"But this night sky… It isn't so bad, is it?" Ana said, looking over to Chronera. The warrior smiled and nodded. Ana took a chance and leaned her head beside Chronera's as they stared up at the sky together. For once in their crazy lives, this was a moment of pure peace and bliss.
Jiro walked through the dungeon of the castle, and looked around a bit. The Wolfen groaned a bit as he opened up the door to the room of the castle in which no one, but him, knew truly what was in there. He removed his sunglasses, pocketing them, before opening up one of the many storage boxes that was contained within. Removing the IXA Belt from it, he flung it over his shoulder.
"Never thought I'd need you again… But things are getting worse, and our Queen will need all the assistance we can give her."
To be continued in…
RIDER TIME: Kamen Rider Kiva
A/N: Thanks to Chrome as always for helping with this chapter. Please leave your thoughts in the reviews!