Note: Hawkeye and Kevin's classes (at least one of them) will be seen here, along with an alternate one for Riesz.

Also, as you'll see here, this is what I mean when I say I'm going to put in all the classes in this story, and it's why I made it so that the characters have to call upon them. It also ties into what they're feeling at the time and how they deal with different situations.

I hope that it doesn't dissuade you from reading further, though!

Bill and Ben and Zehnoa Part 1

Suddenly, Bill and Ben leaped through the fireplace's mouth; the fire had died down and become a gaping, black hole. "Get back here!" Riesz called out, chasing after the two, stopping at the mouth. Nothing was inside from what she could see; a dark void had absorbed the two. Then, a hand seized her by her arm and dragged her inside.

"Riesz!" Everyone collectively called out, rushing over to the mouth of the structure. Hawkeye drew closest, being grabbed and dragged in through the blackened void.

Duran leaped forward, only to meet a solid surface; he stumbled back from the sheer force of the impact. So much for a heroic rescue. Angela and Eliza drew forward towards the fallen soldier while Kevin and Charlotte hung in the back, the rectangular, toothed structure, then looked down at the four individuals.

"Ze…" a deep, rumbling voice echoed from deep within its blackened 'mouth' "Zehn…" then, out of nowhere, the floor's surface began to change, chunks of stone being twisted and transformed into spikes, Kevin and Charlotte pulling Angela, Duran, and Eliza back before the spikes forming underneath could impale them. "Zehnoa!"

Riesz tumbled forward, rolling until she came to a stop. From what she could see, she was in a small, brick room, the 'fireplace' no longer visible. It was as if she had just been transported through the wall. She then felt herself being knocked over, looking to see that Hawkeye too had joined her, Ben having tossed him to the side after he too was grabbed.

"Oh, uh, fancy us dropping in together." the violet-haired thief greeted.

"Yes," Riesz grunted, rising to her feet. Her attention was centered on no one else but the two ninjas before her. "You two…" she snarled, readying herself. "You won't best me again."

"Bill! Ben!" Hawkeye cried out. "C'mon, guys, snap out of it! Don't you recognize me?!"

"Oh yes, we recognize you," Bill answered.

"We recognize you as the killer of Eagle," Ben added.

Hawkeye's eyes widened in terror, his blood running cold. He damn well thought that his heart would stop when Riesz looked at him. "What?" she asked, unable to process what she was hearing. "What are they talking about?"

The thief shook his head. "Riesz...Riesz, I never." he stammered, unlike his usual, confident self. He then looked back to Bill and Ben. "Guys, you KNOW I would never! But, come on! Somewhere in there, you KNOW that I didn't!"

Bill and Ben remained quiet, looking at each other. "Well...either way, it doesn't matter," Bill said.

"Because either way, your lives will be ended…." Ben added.

The two then drew out their daggers. "With both our blades!" they said together. Then, they looked at each other. "Fusion Technique!" The two ninjas then ran in a perfect circle mere inches away from the other until their speed picked up, and they became nothing more than blue and green blurs. Then, in a flash, where there were once two ninjas now stood only one, garbed in red. "Fusion complete!" the ninja cried out, sounding as if both Bill and Ben were speaking at once. "Two now becomes one!" they said, eyeing Hawkeye and Riesz. "We shall strike you both down with our combined power!" then, the fused ninjas retrieved two shurikens from their belts and threw them with lightning speed at the two, the spinning blades aiming right for their skulls.


More spikes manifested from the floor; everyone was forced to separate to keep themselves from being run through, Duran and Charlotte on one side while Kevin, Angela, and Eliza were on the other.

"Now's the time!" Faerie cried out. "Call upon your Mana energy!"

If there was any time to do so, now was the time. Concentrating, the three members of the party that had taken from the Stone called upon their inner energy and, in a flash of light, transformed into a new class, Kevin's being unique.

A red cap took the place of his blue hat, yet it could not contain his wild, blonde hair, resting atop a crown of yellow fibers. A necklace of beads rested around his neck and an armlet on his left arm. On his upper half was a tribal-like top draped over his right shoulder, his left bare, the top secured at the waist by a blue sash and a black belt, its lower portion decorated in diamond-shaped markings. His yellow pants with blue tiger stripes still rested on his legs, and his feet were bare with bandages tied around them going up to his ankles, yet applications were now tied around his wrists as well, black, tightly wound threads covering them on both wrists and ankles.

As Kevin tapped into the power he'd received from the stone, he had been half afraid of discovering something akin to his beast form. Namely, great power which he could not control. But, curiously, he found something very different. He found calming energies which helped to center and ground him and a sense of understanding. He saw his heart and soul, troubled though they were, and the strength he could derive from them. He also found a revelation: that only what force was justified by the nature of the threat must be brought to bear, and he took this precept upon himself as a vow he must uphold. He also saw that, though his heart and soul were sources of great power, they were unformed and troubled, so he must temper them. He must build his willpower, understand his motivations and beliefs truly and train his convictions just as undoubtedly as he did his body. He would face the world's challenges and overcome them, not with anger or brute strength, but by mastering and improving himself to face any threat.

A word sprang to his lips that acted as the summation for what he was now: "Monk."

Eliza stood there in awe at what she was seeing. True, she had heard of them receiving power from the Stone, yet seeing it firsthand was an experience. She couldn't help but ponder what transformation her Captain was going through at the moment, as well as that thief that had been dragged into the mouth of the demonic creature.

Seeing the transformed three: gladiator, mysticist, priestess, and monk, the demonic gate, presumably called Zehnoa, released a bellowing roar, several places underneath everyone's feet rumbling as spikes were mere moments away from coming up.


Now that he had it, it was time to test it out! He and Riesz leaped clear of the Fused Ninja's shuriken, the deadly spinning metal whistling past, while he tried to focus the energy and do something useful with it! Then, much to his amazement, the energy coursed into him, and, as with the others, his clothes began to change. Too amazed to even lament the loss of his, in his opinion, more stylish original look, he saw that his lilac headband had been replaced by a green one while a red scarf now encircled his neck. A green jerkin with short sleeves banded with leather appeared on his torso, a black jerkin lying beneath while a line of buttons descended from the center. Gloves of dark leather riveted with iron plate ran from his fingertips to his elbows while white trousers vanished into high leather boots and rose nearly to his knees. An array of pouches, filled with scraps he'd never seen before and yet knew how to use, festooned his belt.

Hawkeye should have been startled, if not by how dramatic the change was, then by the speed. But, all he felt instead was a sudden awareness of his surroundings. He could smell the unnatural stench of the witch's spells upon the Citadel, and his former friends drowned out the smell of ash and sweat. He could hear the clash of steel, yet every bang and clatter told him who was fighting and where rather than simply drowning his senses in noise. He could see the veins bulging in the Fused Ninja's eyes. And he could feel how every detail painted a picture of what was happening and what to do in response. Though his flight from Nevarl and his vow to rescue Jessica had been foremost on his mind, he only now realized how much he had discovered along the way. Woodlore, navigating underground, traveling amidst the thinner air of lofty peaks, using stars and moon to guide, and many other mysteries that had never touched him in the deserts of his homeland.

He had learned much, and he wanted to know more. Of the flora and fauna that filled the world, how to use the land around him to his advantage, and how to use craft and cunning to befuddle, entrap, and conquer his foes. His pouches contained flower petals that could put enemies to sleep, spike traps that could be easily concealed and triggered by a careless step, and other devices he could use to tip the balance in favor of him and his friends. But, in nature, the sole law was survival of the fittest. And, however mighty the witch's magic might be, she was no match for the power of the wilds.

A word sprang to his lips that acted as the summation for what he was now: "Ranger."

Hawkeye looked to see that Riesz had become a valkyrie once again, yet despite the bold title, he couldn't help but notice a new element in her usually composed, blue eyes. He couldn't say for sure yet, but he grew nervous upon seeing it.

"So, you HAVE gained some new skills since we last met." the fused Bill and Ben said. "But it doesn't matter." the singular being then raised its daggers. "We shall cut you down all the same!"


"Watch out!" Faerie shouted, leaping to avoid more spikes protruding from underneath them.

"They just keep coming!" Angela noted. "Soon, the entire floor will be full of spikes!"

"Then all the more reason to take this thing out right here and now!" Duran said, trying to run forward, yet was stopped by more spikes manifesting right in front of him, preventing him from continuing. Damn! He could barely get close enough to do anything!

"Uh, hello?" Angela then said. "I'm right here!" Suddenly, a whirlwind formed underneath Duran.

"Whoa, hey! HEY! The hell are you doing?!"

"Giving you a little lift-off! Now hold still!"

He didn't even have time to protest as he was lifted off the ground and hurled forward, drawing closer and closer to the doorway until he landed right on the groove that ran along its upper half.

"Zeh?" The doorway shifted its eyes to the gladiator, surprised that he was there, yet it now made it its goal to get him off. "Zehnoa!" It could use the wind to its advantage as well!

A gust of wind expelled from the gaping mouth of Zehnoa, sending everyone flying back and Duran clinging for dear life. Not good! He thought. Must strike it somehow! But where?! It was then that he noticed the doorway's eyes were focusing on the others, its attention drawn away from him altogether.

Now was the time! Keeping as good a grip as he could, Duran held on with one arm on the 'eyelid' of the doorway and brought up his sword. Zehnoa turned its eye to see the wild-haired young man, yet it was already too late by then.

STAB!

The sword pierced its eye, crashing through it and the eyeball splintering like glass. The gust of winds stopped, and Zehnoa released a guttural, bellowing roar that threatened to make Duran and everyone else go deaf nearly. Unfortunately, Duran could hold on no longer; he was thrown off by the last of the strong gusts. Eliza and Kevin rushed to try and catch him, yet it was more like he was thrown against them, they all tumbling to the ground as he slammed into their incoming forms, knocking them to the floor. They had to recover fast, though, as Zehnoa was seemingly recovering from its injury, gazing upon the five with abject fury. A blazing fire began to form from within its maw, smoke and heat trailing out and everyone's skin growing warm from the exposure. Then, collections of fire were blasted out of the great mouth, and everyone was forced to separate and jump out of the way, the spot that the fireball struck turning into a smoldering area of blackened stone with fiery cracks and crevices throughout.


"Dirt Diversion Technique!" BillBen (the combined form of the two ninjas) struck the ground with a clenched fist, rocking the entire room. The ground beneath the ranger and valkyrie split open, sharpened stalagmites rising from the ground, ready to impale them.

Hawkeye and Riesz got out of the way, two shurikens being thrown in their directions. This momentary distraction allowed BillBen to charge forward and swing their blades at Riesz. The blonde brought up her spear; the sharpened weapons made contact with her sturdy handle. 'Not this time!' the young woman inwardly snarled, twisting this way to match the fused ninjas' movements to keep them from dislodging her only means of defense from her hands. Yet when they did a mighty twist to the left, Riesz found her feet sliding. 'No…not this time." they continued to press their weight on her. Like it or not, she had to deal with the strength of two men instead of just one. She was outmatched, and they knew it. They were planning on bringing her down to the ground.

Then, growing impatient with how long it was taking for her to go down, BillBen took the opportunity to kick her legs out from under her; she then fell to the ground on her back.

"Damn!" She hissed aloud, the red-clothed ninja about to run their daggers right through her, yet she brought up her spear and held it above her, keeping the blades just mere inches away from her.

Though they kept pushing their doubled weight down, down, down, slowly inching closer and closer to the valkyrie's throat, the shining piece of metal ready to plunge in and the coat itself red with her blood.

CLANG!

Yet, in an instant, they drew their attention away from Riesz and whirled around to block an incoming attack from Hawkeye, the two clashing their daggers together. "You hesitated," BillBen spoke, both ninjas' voices speaking together. "Surprising, seeing as how you so readily plunged into Eagle's throat."

Again, Riesz listened intently to what the fused ninjas were saying, analyzing Hawkeye's expressions. He bore a twisted grimace of disgust and sadness, looking as if he were doing everything in his power to contain himself. Yet she noted a sense of guilt that rested on his features.

"I...I don't know what Isabella's told you, but that witch is a liar!" the thief shouted, BillBen pushing him back and proceeding to slice and slash in his direction, Hawkeye forced to go on the defensive and back up.

"That's Mistress Belladonna to you!" BillBen answered. "No longer does she have any use for that human name!" Then, they managed to catch a moment when the thief was left open, a dagger slashing at his side. This allowed them to deliver a brutal blow to Hawkeye's gut, sending him flying back against the wall, his head hitting the brick and making him see stars.

Riesz raced over to him, assisting him in getting up. She then directed her attention to BillBen. "Human name?" she questioned. "What do you mean?"

BillBen smirked under their mask. "Mistress is not of this world," they answered. "She is of Mavolia, the Demon World. Below the Earth and a step above Hell."

Hawkeye's brows furrowed. "So she's a demon…fits her well."

"She has resided in this world long and seeks to open the way to the Sanctuary of Mana in the name of his Dark Majesty," BillBen said.

"Dark Majesty?" Riesz pondered this name, as well as Hawkeye. Dark Majesty? Indeed no one good had a title like that. Yet, at the same time, it also bore a mysterious feeling.

"The Dark Prince." BillBen further clarified. "Come to relieve this plane of existence from the control of humans and the Goddess and give it to the denizens of Mavolia. And to do that, he must acquire the Sword of Mana."

"So, this 'Dark Majesty' is also our enemy." Riesz snarled, Hawkeye sensing something changing with her. He then noticed her valkyrie form beginning to phase in and out, something else being seen replacing her currently worn armor.

"We suppose you could think of it like that...Queen Riesz." Riesz balled up her fist; they were taunting her. Then, again, Hawkeye noticed she began changing. "Oh, sorry. You're still not used to that title, are you?"

She was about to step forward, yet Hawkeye seized her arm. "We can't defeat them one on one," he told her. "Both of us will have to get them at the same time."

"I've come to the same conclusion." the valkyrie snarled, though it seemed that she would not be a valkyrie much longer, the phasing growing more and more prominent. She directed her attention back to BillBen. "As unforgivable as it is...war requires that you bring enemy defenses down," she said, teeth grinding together; she was doing everything in her power not to shed any tears, let alone show any signs of weakness. "Yet why involve an innocent, little boy? What crime has he committed against any of you?"

BillBen folded their arms. "He is exceptional. His Majesty selected him specifically to shape the future of the world."

"What for?" Riesz demanded.

"We're taking good care of him if you want to know."

"What. For?" she repeated.

BillBen scoffed. "If you can get through us, you're free to ask Mistress Belladonna."

Riesz lowered her head. "Then we shall ask." she took a step forward, her body being consumed by light. "And you shall take us to her!"

Once the light had died down, Hawkeye's eyes widened as he saw the young woman's transformation. Teal armor replaced her silver-green pauldrons and tassets, while golden scrollwork now bedecked her poleyns, greaves, sabatons, and gauntlets. Red gloves emerged from the gauntlets while sturdy belts secured her armor to her lithe but powerful form. The green ribbon around her right wrist had paled to silver, and the feathers of her headdress had bled to dark mahogany. A dark green leotard covered her torso while a length of woven fillet adorned with a sigil known to the Amazons, and regarded warily, dangled to her navel. A length of golden beads wound from her right shoulder to her left midriff.

As the light faded, it revealed eyes alight with rage. She saw fire and blood. And death. True, she knew such tragedies would happen, as Alma and her father's experiences in the Peddan War could testify, but that did not soften the blow of seeing it before her very eyes. That it had happened to her, Captain of the Guard, daughter, and heiress to King Joster, Crown Princess, and future Queen of Laurent, was a failure that would haunt her all her days and which burned all the hotter as she recalled the Fused Ninja, who had taken her brother earlier, had bested her again mere moments before.

But now, she could rectify this, for, in that loss, she learned a fundamental truth.

The ways of the Amazon could not prevail. At least not alone. Just as there was always light and darkness, there would always be war, and war rarely lent itself to mercy. Riesz understood that she would have to shed blood where she'd wish not to, but her heart hardened with determination to do what was needed to defend her people. She became calm at the notion, focussed, and implacable as she devised tactics that would have repulsed her but days before. She would induce her foes' blood to congeal in their weapon arms to addle their strikes, use the air to strangle their lungs so her blows would land surer and bite more profound, and fill their minds with fog to weaken their spells. They had taken her family and her home. She would take their lives and would do so with as little mercy as her enemies had shown.

A word sprang to her lips that acted as the summation for what she was now: "Rune Maiden."

Hawkeye and BillBen gazed upon the transformed young woman, unsure what to make of it. What had just happened? Had she somehow changed her Mana energy somewhat? And if so, how did that work? Regardless, there was no time for such questions now, as the battle had to continue. Rising from the floor, Hawkeye readied himself, eyeing BillBen, though he couldn't help but notice the sheer rage in Riesz's blue eyes.

"I...I get it." Hawkeye then said. "I do. But please." he urged. "Don't hurt them too badly."

Riesz only remained silent, eyes locked onto BillBen.

Then, simultaneously, the three figures all rushed towards each other, weapons ready and eager to clash against one another.


"Damn, how many of these is this thing gonna send out?!" Angela shouted, ducking underneath more fireballs that came their way.

Duran's sword had been encased in a sheen of ice that sliced through the incoming, fiery projectiles while everyone was forced to stay back and take cover. Kevin's fists burnt from trying to take on a fireball heading in Charlotte's direction. While she and Angela found that Holy Bolt did a decent job at dispelling them, they only seemed to decrease their size as they still came and burnt the ground underneath their feet. Eliza was feeling quite useless at the moment, in awe at the powers the other four were displaying while she was left with nothing more than a spear. And who knew what her Captain and that thief were going through at the moment. What good was she doing in this situation?

"It's no use!" Angela said. "We can't get close!"

"Weww...what now?" Charlotte asked.

Then, the continuous barrage of fireballs stopped, leaving several singed spots on the stone floor. Everyone was grateful that they had stopped, yet it left them anxious, as Zehnoa had undoubtedly done so for a reason. Then, everyone saw a great fire developing from within the gaping, toothed mouth, the doorway resembling a demonic fireplace. "What's it doing?" Charlotte asked, slowly inching her way towards Kevin.

Duran backed up, sword and shield at the ready, yet he sensed that this wouldn't be the same as slashing through fireballs with an ice-covered sword. Then, from Zehnoa's gaping maw shot forth a massive wall of flame, the fire towering and nearly going up to the ceiling. Then, the flames formed a wall and slowly began to inch towards the group.

"Shit!" Duran hissed, already feeling the heat due to how much closer he was compared to everyone else. He had to back away lest his flesh gets sizzled. The flames continued to inch closer. "The bastard plans to deep fry us!"

"Clearly!" Angela shouted. "You've got an ice sword! Use it!"

He went forward and began slashing at the flames, only managing to create small openings that were quickly swallowed up after a few moments. Duran continued to slice and hack at the fire wall, yet the results were the same. Then, a flare saw fit to lick his forearm, the gladiator wincing and drawing back, the place that had been touched already red and blistering. Finally, he was forced to fall back, going to where everyone else was at the end of the room. Then, the exit was sealed up, a wall of spikes forming and jamming themselves at the top of the doorframe, trapping them in this small space. There was no way out.

"What do we do?!" Kevin asked, Charlotte hugging tightly onto his leg.

"Try slashing again-" Angela was about to say, yet noticed Duran's burnt arm. She stared down at her wand, pondering what to do. "Holy Bolt!" she shouted, a beam of light shooting at the wall of flames. Seeing this, Charlotte got out and did the same, only for the same result: a small space was created only to be sealed up after a few moments. "Uh...Diamond Shards!" the mysticist shouted, several sharpened crystals forming and blasting through the flames, only for the same thing to happen. "Cyclone!"

This was the strategy that cemented they were doomed. The wind picked up the flames and created a whirlwind of fire that headed right in their direction, splitting the group in two, the wall of fire coming ever closer. Finally, the whirlwind came in Angela's direction, only to be stopped by an icy slash from Duran, despite his burnt arm.

This was it. She couldn't sit around anymore. "Hey," Duran looked to see that Eliza had approached him. She then noticed that the closer she got, her spear appeared to feel colder to her touch, tiny bits of ice forming on the blade and handle. "Can that sword...or whatever you've done to it, work with other weapons too?"

Duran was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Eliza said no more and brought her spear up, the head touching the blade. The icy sheen began to transfer to her weapon, coating it in thick ice. "Mana is something…" she mused aloud, then she looked to the wall of flames.

"Whoa, wait! WAIT!" Duran called out, yet the blue-haired amazon dashed forward.

She twisted and twirled her spear, allowing a larger space to be created in the flames that allowed her to leap through, though only for long enough before it closed up again. The wall was inching ever closer to the others. She had to act fast. Her brown eyes centered on the shattered eyeball of Zehnoa on one side, so she went to the other. Zehnoa saw the young woman raising her spear yet was helpless to do anything about it.

With one throw, she flew her spear, striking the eyeball and shattering it.

Zehnoa released a splintering cry, the incoming wall of flames dissipating, leaving the floor burnt and singed. Eliza surveyed her handiwork, picking up her spear that had fallen to the floor after she had struck the doorway's eye. It was a bit selfish, yet she was pretty pleased with herself, wishing her Captain could have seen it. From what she could see, everyone had been forced near the sealed-up doorway, just feet away from being burnt alive. Charlotte was mending Duran's arm; all the while, everyone kept their eyes on the demonic door. She was confused by the lack of relief in their eyes.

"What's wrong?" Eliza asked, her back to Zehnoa. Soon realized that this was her biggest mistake.

Sensing something behind her, she was surprised to see a surprisingly short, black, bipedal figure standing there. Its body seemed composed of slick, smooth material and bore only one golden eyeball (at least she assumed it was an eyeball). Its height only reached her knees. If it weren't for the situation that they were in, Eliza would've up and declared the thing cute. Then, before her and everyone else's eyes, it began to change its form, growing and developing features such as longer arms and legs, hair, and even separated eyes. It continued morphing itself like clay until it had taken to resembling a perfect replica of the amazon herself, only wholly coated in black with shining, golden eyes.

"What the-" unfortunately, Eliza got out no more, as a spear formed in the shape shifter's hand, stabbing the amazon right in her gut.


"Water Diversion!"

BillBen threw pellets on the floor, all in Riesz and Hawkeye's direction. Then, gusts of water sprung up, blinding the two with mist and continuous streams. BillBen seized the opportunity and sliced through the fog, gaining a hit on the rune maiden and ranger's shoulders. The two separated from each other, blood streaming down their arms.

"Fire Diversion!"

The combined ninjas twirled their daggers around until the swords caught fire, the blades separating and engulfed in flames. They dove for the two, Riesz meeting them head-on as they came down on her spear. She kept deflecting and blocking each of their moves, careful to keep the scorching metal blades away from her face, feeling the heat each time they thrust just mere inches away from her.

Now was the time to put their plan into action.

Sensing someone was behind them, BillBen whirled around and met Hawkeye's blades. Then, they backed up from him, the flames on their daggers dying and smoke sizzling from them. "Thunder Technique!" The daggers were then enveloped in surging electricity, striking Hawkeye's weapons when he went up to block the hit.

ZAP!

The electricity transferred from one pair of daggers to another, Hawkeye's body being seized with painful stings and tremors that sent him flying back. He was forced to release his weapons to keep the electricity from frying him completely. Riesz was about to move forward yet noticed that the fused ninja's attention was centered on their 'friend.' Honestly, she wasn't sure what to believe anymore. Nevertheless, these two figures had to be stopped. She felt Mana energy swell up inside her, her legs growing quite spry and firm as if they could leap high into the air. She wondered…?

Hawkeye was sprawled out on the floor, looking to see BillBen approaching him. "Guys…" the thief weakly choked out, struggling to get up. "C'mon...you know me."

BillBen then paused. "...yes," they said. "We...we do."

The violet-haired thief's amber eyes widened with relief. "Oh...oh, thank Goddess! I knew it!" he said. "I knew that you were in there somewhere! I knew-"

"We know you as an enemy of our Dark Majesty and Mistress Belladonna!" they then raised their daggers. "Therefore, you must die!"

They never got the chance to do anything.

From up high, Riesz leaped upward, soaring at a height that was quite remarkable, both for a human and despite the size of the room, and slashed her spear downward, slicing the fused ninja down the back and creating a large, vertical gash on their lower back along the spine. It broke through a good few layers of skin, yet it didn't affect anything beyond that. Despite her anger, Riesz held herself back from doing anything more.

BillBen stumbled forward, and Hawkeye crawled and retrieved his daggers, not feeling any painful stings upon touching them. He looked at the fused ninjas, then to the rune maiden that had just saved him. She looked at him, sighing and shaking her head. He, too, sighed. It couldn't be helped as much as he wanted it to be. The thief then got up and felt a sudden surge of energy. Was this the power the Stone had given to him? Well, whatever the case may be, he certainly had to make use of it now!

His daggers began to glow bright orange, his hands warm and seemingly transferring heat to the blades. He focused on his target, hoping that the damage wouldn't be too bad but just enough to force the ninjas down. Hawkeye then slashed his blades up and down, several beams of dagger-shaped energy shooting out from the blades each time they sliced the air, all going in BillBen's direction. The energy beams struck the fused ninja, each time one met them feeling like a knife stuck in that particular place, yet no blood was drawn. Instead, the continuous stabbing sensations sent them back further, allowing both Riesz and Hawkeye to move on and strike.

The fused ninjas had to act fast and recover from the recoil from the multiple stabbing sensations, attacks coming in on all sides. So the rune maiden and ranger slashed and sliced, stabbed and jabbed, anything and everything to keep BillBen from retaliating. And to the fused ninja's horror, it was working.

Having had enough punishment, BillBen spun around, creating a whirlwind that knocked both Hawkeye and Riesz back, the two tumbling to the floor. "You both have improved since last we met," BillBen said. "But now, you shall see that we are just as skilled without our special technique!"

The single ninja began to spin around and around, a blur of red created until the color changed, and it became a blur of blue and green, BillBen having separated back into the individual Bill and Ben.

"Now then," Bill began, drawing out his daggers.

"We shall bring you both down," Ben said, then speaking in unison.

"AND SERVE YOUR HEADS ON PLATTERS FOR OUR MISTRESS!"

Note: Going to split this into two parts, as it'll run a little longer if I continue, as well as having to cram and shorten things that I don't wish to. Also, Koren will make a brief appearance later when the gang gets to Isabella, but I don't want to give that interaction too much attention, spoilers, and all.

But let's just say that I think you all will hate Isabella/Belladonna for what she pulls then (if she hasn't done enough already).

Anyhow, thank you for reading; please leave a review.

Thank you!