Warning: A bit of blood and gore at the end of the chapter.

Chapter 7: The Icy Flame Knight

At the apartment, in the Okamoto Twins' shared bedroom, Ray was tossing and turning in his bed as he started to have a strange dream.

[Dream]

Ray found himself in a misty void. "Where am I?" He asked. "We are in a void created by your dream, Raiden Okamoto." A voice said from behind. Ray turned around and saw a mysterious creature in dark grey armor. Icy fire was coming out from the armor. "Who are you? And how do you know me?" Ray asked. "My name is Heatfroster. And I know you and your sister because you both wield the Azurite of Ancient One." The creature, Heatfroster, explained. Ray looked at the Azurite around his neck. "Your destiny will come, Raiden Okamoto. Soon…you will save the entire universes, alongside your sister and friends." Heatfroster explained. He held out his hand and presented a strange device, colored crimson and forest green, to Ray. "This will help you achieve your destiny." Ray took a moment of staring at the device before taking it in his hand as it unleashed a bright light.

[Dream End]

Ray woke up, panting heavily and drenched in sweat. "What a weird dream." He said, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He looked over at his night stand and saw the device Heatfroster gave him in his dream. He picked it up and stared at it. "What could this possibly mean?" He asked as he stared at the device.


(Intro)


The next day, Ray brought the device to the Kaijudo temple and presented it to Nadia for her inspection. "So, do you know what this device is, Master Nadia?" He asked as Nadia inspected the device. "I'm afraid not, Ray. I have never seen a device like this before." Nadia said as she gave the device back to Ray. "But it's clearly not Choten tech. You said that a strange armored creature gave it to you in your dream?" She asked. "Yes. And when I woke up, it was right there on my night stand. Do you know who this creature is, Master?" Ray asked. "This creature is likely from an ancient legend in the Creature Realm." Nigel said as he walked up. "Ancient legend?" Ray asked. "The legend goes that there was a select group of creatures known as the Guardian Spirits, lost in legend for millennium." Nigel explained. "Was one of those Guardian Spirits named Heatfroster?" Ray asked. "Heatfroster was the leader of the Guardian Spirits. He was one of the most powerful of them all, possessed with the powerful elements of fire and ice." Nigel explained. That got Ray to start thinking.

For the next few days, Ray spent his time studying up on Heatfroster and the Guardian Spirits. He read through every scroll he could find about them. "After the great war, the Guardian Spirits were put to rest in several different locations that remain to this day, unknown to anyone, human or creature." He read. As he turned to the next scroll, he discovered a seal shaped like a blue fire. "The Blue Flame, the symbol of the final resting place of Heatfroster." He read. Just then, the Azurite started to glow and showed him a vision.

[Vision]

The scene zips through the forest outside the city and comes up to a cave. Inside was a shrine with the Blue Flame symbol.

[Vision End]

Ray gasped as the vision ended. "That shrine. It must be where Heatfroster's resting place is." He deduced, knowing that's where he needed to go.

Meanwhile, the Duel Masters, the kids and the Kazamas were investigating tremor activity going on underneath the city. They found a series of tunnels underneath the city and entered them to investigate what created them. "Be on high alert, students." Nigel whispered strictly. "Keep digging!" A familiar voice exclaimed from deep in the tunnels. "Did anyone else hear that?" Allie asked in a whisper. "That sounded like Morticia's voice." Sakura whispered. "This way." Nigel whispered. As they walked down the tunnel, they came across a horrible sight. Morticia and a few Choten goons were controlling a group of Den Gorgers, Rot Worms from the Darkness Civilization. They were digging upwards. "It is Morticia!" Greta whispered. "But what's she doing with these Den Gorgers?" Kimora asked. "Keep digging! Lord Choten said that the GenTech facility is directly under us! I will not be delayed!" Morticia exclaimed. "Figures she'd be on another one of her revenge runs." Allie whispered. "And with the Choten's goons of all people." Terry whispered. "We must stop them at once." Nigel said as he started marching towards the enemy. "Master Brightmore! Wait! We need a plan!" Nadia protested. But as Nigel walked towards them, Morticia turned around and noticed him. "Well, well, well, it would appear we have unwanted guests." She said, turning her Den Gorger towards him. The other Duel Masters, the kids and the Kazamas joined Nigel, and readied their gauntlets, preparing to duel.

Meanwhile, after leaving the temple, Ray headed into the forest and reached the cave he saw in his vision. "The shrine must be in there." He said before walking in. Unknown to him, someone was following him. As he entered the cave, he started to look around for anything that might resemble a shrine. "Now where would I find a shrine in this place?" He asked himself. Just then, he turned to the corner and saw it. The shrine of Heatfroster. It resembled a statue of Heatfroster standing on an altar. The Blue Flame symbol was on the shrine's top. Ray walked up to the shrine as he stared at it in awe. Unknown to him, the one who followed him started taking pictures of the shrine. "The things you must've seen." Ray said as he rubbed the statue's foot. Suddenly, a beeping noise came from his pocket. He reached in and pulled out his strange device, revealing it to be beeping. Suddenly, the Blue Flame symbol on the shrine started to glow. And then, the symbol shattered to pieces and released a spirit, taking the form of Heatfroster's armor. As Ray was surprised by this, the unknown follower continued taking pictures. "I have been waiting for you, Raiden Okamoto." The spirit of Heatfroster said. "For me? Why?" Ray asked. "Because you, your sister and your friends are destined to reunite our 2 worlds and undo the damage that has been done." Heatfroster said. "I've heard that once before." Ray said, remembering his vision from the temple, shared with Jen. "My friends and I will help you and your friends fulfill this destiny." Heatfroster said. "How?" Ray asked. "Hold up your K-Tector." Heatfroster said. Ray held up his device, apparently called a K-Tector, and Heatfroster's spirit was suddenly transferred into it. Ray looked on in amazement as the K-Tector powered up.

"I'll be taking that." A girl's voice said. Ray turned around in surprise to see the one who followed him standing in the shadows. Her right hand was armed with a tech gauntlet. "Who are you?" He asked. "Someone who will win the favor of the Choten when I deliver him that little device and the Guardian Spirit inside it." The girl said. As Ray listened, he found something familiar about her voice. "You sound familiar. Have we met before?" Ray asked. "No. You don't know me. But you did know…my brother." The girl said as she stepped out of the shadows, revealing her face. Ray gasped. She had a bit of a resemblance to Fingers, except she wore glasses. "You're Fingers' sister." He said. "Yes. Name's Merida. But you can call me Glasses." The girl introduced, gesturing to her glasses. "Well, Glasses, you're no doubt aware of what I did to your brother. So, I suggest you get out of my way before the same thing happens to you." Ray warned. "Oh, I don't think so. You see, Fingers kept tabs with me about his mission with the Choten and about Kaijudo. And I intend to prove myself in hopes of bringing my brother back…by getting rid of you." Glasses said. She fired her gauntlet's claws and ripped open a portal. "Saber Mantis!" She forced a giant mantis creature with big saber claws through the portal and readied to duel.


Ray glared as he prepared to get his dueling glove. "Ray, use your K-Tector." Heatfroster's voice spoke. Ray froze in shock when he heard his voice. "Use your K-Tector. Activate it and call out 'Execute. Guardian Spirit Evolution'." Heatfroster instructed. Ray looked at his K-Tector and nodded, knowing what he had to do. He activated the K-Tector. "Execute! Guardian Spirit Evolution!" He called as Heatfroster's spirit appeared behind him. His entire body started to glow with mana as he started to transform and became Heatfroster. Glasses was shocked by what she witnessed, having also got her camera and took pictures. "One chance, Glasses, leave or suffer." Heatfroster said with both his and Ray's voices. "Never. Saber Mantis, attack!" Glasses exclaimed, motioning her hand. Saber Mantis leapt forward to attack. But Heatfroster raised his right hand and fired a frozen flame attack. The attack hit Saber Mantis and made it disappear. Glasses was shocked at how easily her creature was defeated. Seeing no other choice, she turned and ran off. "Whoa! That was amazing! How'd I even do that?" Ray's voice asked. "When you activated your K-Tector and transformed into me, we linked our minds. Now we know everything we think of." Heatfroster explained. "Speaking of which, I sense something bad." Ray said. "I know. Your friends are in danger." Heatfroster said. "We gotta go help them." Ray said. "On it." Heatfroster said before taking off out of the cave.

Meanwhile, the Masters, kids and Kazamas were getting clobbered by the Choten's forces. One by one, their creatures were beaten by the Den Gorgers. They couldn't summon any other creatures due to their mana being used up for their mana shields. After the kids' last creature was defeated, the Choten goons surrounded them with the Den Gorgers. "You were warned not to interfere the last time we met. Guess I'll have to make my intentions a little clearer this time." Morticia said as she controlled her Den Gorger, looming it over the Duel Masters, kids and Kazamas. But as she prepared to finish the job, Heatfroster appeared and leapt in between the Rot Worms and their prey. Everyone was shocked by his sudden appearance. "Ray?" Allie said in shock. "GET HIM!" Morticia ordered, motioning her hand. As the Den Gorgers started to attack, Heatfroster raised his arms and started building up energy. "FREEZER BLAST BURN!" He shouted as he unleashed a powerful attack, freeze burning the Rot Worms and making them all disappear. Everyone was shocked by what happened. "Retreat!" Morticia ordered, seeing no other choice. She led the goons out of the tunnels as they ran. As Heatfroster sighed in relief, he transformed back into Ray. "That was some power." He said before collapsing. "Ray!" Jen and Allie cried as everyone rushed over to check on him.

Later, as he recovered, he saw that he was on an examination table, being looked over by Nadia. "How are you feeling, Ray?" Nadia asked as she helped him sit up. "I…I feel…a little light-headed." Ray said. "What do you remember?" Nadia asked. "I remember…everything. I found Heatfroster's shrine in a cave in the forest. After I met Heatfroster, his spirit transferred itself inside my device, which he called a K-Tector." Ray explained, handing Nadia his K-Tector. "There's something else. Fingers' sister ambushed me." He said. "We never knew Fingers had a sister. What happened after?" Nadia asked. "Heatfroster's spirit spoke to me and told me to use my K-Tector. I activated it and transformed into him." Ray explained. Nadia was surprised to hear this. "When I became him, I was able to beat her creature with a single blast." Ray said. "Heatfroster was one of the strongest Guardian Spirits ever known. That's how you were able to beat her creature and those Den Gorgers." Nadia said. "Do you think there are any other shrines out there?" Ray asked. "Perhaps. But if there are, these shrines were well hidden. And even though you were lucky to find Heatfroster's shrine, there's no guarantee that you won't find the others so easily or if they're on Earth or in the Creature Realm." Nadia said as she handed Ray back his K-Tector. "Then I guess if we're going to be taking on the Choten's forces, we'll need to make it a side mission to find these shrines and secure the other Guardian Spirits." Ray said. "Perhaps you should inform the Masters of your intensions, Ray." Nadia suggested. "No. It's not that I don't rely on your teachings, but I think we should keep this quiet. At least for now. Until we know who we can trust." Ray said. Nadia nodded with understanding.

The next day, the kids and the Kazamas were just leaving school as class ended. Ray told them everything about his K-Tector and the Guardian Spirits. "Wow, Ray, that's really amazing." Allie said. "And if we're destined for reuniting Earth and the Creature Realm, we're all for it." Terry said. As they headed home, Jen's handkerchief blew out of her pocket and was carried away by the wind. She noticed it and chased after it. As it blew into an alley, she caught up to it and picked it up. As she was about to head back to her twin brother and friends, she stopped in her tracks upon hearing something down the alley. She headed down the alley and witnessed something horrible. A young man just murdered a man with a blood-stained sword. "You won't hurt anyone ever again." The young swordsman said, coldly. As he turned to walk away, he saw Jen standing there. Horrified from what she saw, Jen turned around and ran off. As she ran far from the alley, she turned back to see if she was being followed. There wasn't anyone there. But when she turned back, the young swordsman was standing right behind her. She tried to run, but the young man grabbed her, slammed her against the wall and held his sword to her throat. "If you struggle, I'll kill you the same way I killed that man." He threatened. Jen was scared at first, but then she saw how handsome he was as she looked at him.

"Let her go." A voice said. Jen and the young swordsman looked over and saw another young man dressed like a goth standing under the shade of a tree, like he was avoiding the sun's light. "Let her go, and let me talk to her." The young goth said. The young swordsman let Jen go. "Come here. I want to talk to you." The young goth said. Jen walked over to the tree as the young swordsman followed. "What you just witnessed was my friend here getting rid of that man due to his selfish desires. Do not get involved or you will be next." The young goth warned calmly, yet coldly. Jen remained silent as she watched the 2 young men walk into a dark mist and disappeared. "Jen!" Ray called. Jen turned around and saw Ray and the others run up to her. "We were worried about you. You were gone for a while." Greta said. "Are you alright? What happened?" Ray asked. "Nothing. I…just got a little lost." She lied, not wanting to mention the 2 young men she met. "Well, come on. Let's head back home." Allie said. As they started walking back home, Jen was still a bit shaken up by those 2 guys. She kept wondering if she wants to see them again or not want to see them again. But she did know one thing. They were pretty scary.

Oh my God. That was intense. Ray just took a new turn in his upcoming destiny. He learns of a group of creatures known as the Guardian Spirits and discovers a shrine to their great leader, Heatfroster. Ray receives a device that allowed him to receive Heatfroster's spirit and transform into him. Together, they managed to foil another one of the Choten's plans and Morticia's attempts at revenge. And on a side note, Jen had a strange encounter with 2 young men after witnessing one of them kill a selfish man. Who were these young men? How many Guardian Spirit shrines are out there? Leave a review if you'd like.

Special thanks to FoxyKhai0209 for the Guardian Spirits and the 2 young men.