Why are we driven to fight? Many reasons present themselves, but none other than one's ideals can be thought of as a valiant reason to stand up against a foe and pit yourself bitterly against them. Surely, ideals are not always agreed upon by all, but when one person holds one strongly enough at their core and are willing to fight for it, that will make them all the stronger.
However, not all ideals are born of a pure heart. Those who base themselves in vengeance, the desire to inflict pain upon others, or any other vile and selfish reason may have an ideal at their core but are weakened by the presence of maliciousness with the fortitude of their soul broken by their lack of sound morals.
But what, then, denotes an ideal born from a pure heart?
Rylar's transgressions within his relationship with Akari flashed before his eyes. This could not be how it ended. Not with his entire life treating her poorly to selfishly protect himself. But there was nothing he could do. He was simply a human who had done nothing but push her away. She deserved better than him. It did not matter that he cared about her. Even his suddenly newfound willingness to admit it served no purpose in this moment.
Many may toil over this thought, but the important item to notice is that there is no such existence as a pure heart. No being is perfect - that is why ideals are a foolish context to think within. One must find their internal drive to do what they feel is right. If that drive is ever-present, there is no need for the context of an ideal.
None of the past mattered - Rylar knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't change - right here, right now. Rylar's eyes shot open as he exited his contemplative state, a newfound fire within them.
"Lynx! Let her go!"
Lynx looked a bit surprised and smirked upon processing Rylar's demand. "And why should I do that?"
The drive to protect is perhaps the strongest drive of them all. When someone finds an entity that they are willing to do anything for, only death will quell the fire that burns behind that passion. Those willing to do so are formidable in their stature, and when they recognize this truth, they become a force that strikes fear into any enemy they may face.
"Because if you don't, I will make sure that you do."
Akari shrieked in disbelief at this sight of Rylar, about to plead for him to save himself. "Rylar, what the hell are you talking about? You can't..."
"Girl, shut up! Let the boy do as he pleases! I'd be more than willing to slit two throats instead of one. It makes the job easier. This would be fun!" Lynx removed his claw from Akari's throat, and with one corner of his mouth drawn up, he exhibited a cocky smirk.
"Dragon, is it the same way as in the stories?"
"I am not sure what stories you refer to, but if they are based on reality, the process has not changed since the times of Geo Stelar."
"Got it. Anything else?"
"He's quick, but not powerful. If you defend with the Wood Shield, using the Earthen Katanas as a counterattack should be viable."
"I have no idea what that means."
"You'll figure it out as you go."
"You better be right about that one."
Lynx spoke up and feigned a yawn for the sarcastic effect. "Are you done talking into your wrist over there? I'm getting bored. I could just go back to what I was doing if you don't hurry up and come at me."
Rylar gripped the Star Car between his pointer and middle finger and raised it above his head, swiping down into the card slot of the ModAtt.
"Star Card, Slot-IN!"
A bright white light began pouring from the real wave display, but stopped at a bubble awaiting the final words that were needed to finalize the process.
"EM Wave Change! Rylar Skywood, On The Air!"
Suddenly, light burst forth from Rylar's wrist and engulfed him entirely. Within the light, a black bodysuit encased his whole body up to his nose, leaving only the eyes and above exposed. Plates of light armor began to clasp themselves around his legs, with armored green and gold boots up to just below the knee, with a golden knee pad atop each kneecap. The remainder of the legs were left untouched, and the plating resumed at the chest, where an emerald-green chestplate fastened itself to Rylar both under the arms and over the shoulders, outlined with a gold trim. Along the topside of each arm, there were green and gold alternating plates that stood on an angle and nestled underneath each other, resembling large, metal scales that were lightweight, yet protective. This continued down each arm. On the right hand was a black glove with a golden rectangular plate on the back of the hand. At this moment, Rylar instinctively clenched his left hand, on which Dragon Sky's head appeared in place of the fist. Atop his head, a helmet formulated itself, resembling a dragon's head severed between the jaw, as just the top half was present. The long snout sat in an overhang above Rylar's face where two menacing, golden fangs protruded out. The transformation was complete when the golden shooting star insignia implanted itself upon the center of his breast. When this occurred, the white light dissipated with a great burst of energy, and there stood Rylar in his wave changed state.
Lynx burst out in maniacal laughter. "HAHAHA! Now this is what I was looking for! This is great! Not only do I get to kill two humans..." His face adjusted from a smirk to a snarl.
"...but I get to take credit for Dragon Sky's deletion as well!"
Lynx did not hesitate to pounce on the new fighter, hurtling at Rylar with intense speed. Remembering Dragon's words, he tried to summon the Wood Shield by thinking about it and pushing his palms out, but for some reason was unable to do so. Lynx landed a hit with his claw to Rylar's left upper arm, gashing through the armor and bodysuit. Rylar screamed out in immense pain and fell to a knee as he dodged to the side, holding where he was just struck. He looked at the wound and saw red data scattering from the gashes in his arm.
"What the hell was that crap? I thought you would do at least something!" Lynx laughed.
Rylar gritted his teeth. "Dragon, why the hell did the shield not materialize?"
"You didn't call out its name. You're still a beginner; summoning attacks without calling their name first is difficult because you don't know how to focus your entire mind on the attack. Calling out the attack is the best way to do this."
Rylar grunted that he understood. Well, he would be predictable, but at least he'd now be able to defend himself.
"Now the real fight begins, Lynx!"
Lynx let out a howl and then began the same charge attack as before. Rylar, now knowing how to summon the attacks, waited for the perfect timing. He needed Lynx to get close enough to make a sword attack hit home. Closer...closer...closer...
Lynx was a few feet from Rylar; so close in fact, that Rylar could make out the vile grin plastered across his feline face.
Now!
"Wood Shield!" Rylar instinctually extended his arms in front of him with his right hand opened in a blocking attempt. Suddenly, a piece of wood akin to a large, thick piece of tree bark sprung from the ground between them. The obstacle was only a few inches thick, but Lynx's claws contacted the shield and were stuck penetrating through it.
"What the hell?!"
"Now, Rylar!"
"Earthen Katanas!"
Rylar kicked himself off the ground to about six feet in the air, traveling head-first toward the top of the Wood Shield. As he did so, Dragon's head disappeared and replaced itself with a thin, curved, golden wave sword, while Rylar's right hand transformed in the exact same blade in a shade of green. Rylar just barely cleared the top of the shield and as he did so, he slashed one strike each at Lynx, nailing him with each sword, dealing massive damage with each blow. Lynx, through pain and exasperation, finally gathered the ability to rip his claws out of the obstacle and howled in pain.
"Urrghh, I suppose I underestimated you, kid. But I'm not done. I'll make sure to tell Leo Kingdom and Pegasus Magic of your skills. You'd best be ready." He laughed while seething with pain.
Rylar was ready to mount another attack with the Earthen Katanas, but Lynx made a jump to the wave road above and hightailed it away from the scene. He would have followed, but there were a few matters that now had to be dealt with here.