Tackler5rb: Damn what an intense chapter! I have a feeling Fie will kick Rean's ass when all is said and done
Lowkey will, I can already see it XD.
Speedkarate: So that's cool meet Kanaede at Black Workshop which is awesome. I am looking forward to this and this arc it is so epic by the way.
Wanted to add some references from Cold Steel 4 now to set up for what's to come. And I'm glad you've been enjoying this :)
ZeroSaga: Hey is reta going to be in cold steel 2, 3, and 4?
I hope she gets a cure for her disease soon.
Can't say too much but I will she she's pivotal in the story.
Shinn: HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!
Andrew: The full chapter isn't done due to Shinn being busy with college and whatnot but this is his present on this momentous day!
Relon's Group
Landing in an untouched portion of the forest, all look around to see Aidios-Relon push Krovanh a good distance away.
"What kind of Goddess lies?!"
"One that isn't at 100 percent but you already knew that." She retorts, her aura fading as she stumbles to a knee.
"Relon!" Laura says, her and he others rushing to his side.
That's it, huh...? The voice of Relon says mentally.
Closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath.
"Yes..." She answers from his mind panting slightly. Her mind going to their previous talk.
"This plan of yours has more risks than rewards." Aidios notes.
"You're right but I don't want to let this chance go. Not without doing serious damage to Ishmelga and Senate."
"You understand that the little power I have left is keeping me here in your body on Earth. Should I use what's left then not only will I return to the Beyond but you will be left defenseless should Ishmelga and Senate attack! If you are captured or worse, die, then this plan will have been in vain."
"Aidios, don't worry."
"How can I not worry?! I'm responsible for your safety! There is no other choice aside from letting both sides withdraw! It's the safest option."
"... You remember, don't you? The day of Noro's birthday I fought Osborne." His words causing her to stop. "Even at my best, he easily countered Nameless, Pippin, and I. Though it wasn't him being a tough opponent that made the battle difficult. It was his belief. A clash of ideologies you could say."
"..."
"You're right in the safe move being to let the weakened Ishmelga retreat. But I believe in other options being available. We just can't see it. Not yet at least."
"What are you insinuating...?"
"I'm saying that if you're handed a bad hand then you have to make a good one. Sometimes you really can't make a third choice. Sometimes life deals you a shitty hand and you really can't do nothing about it. Today has opened my eyes to that..."
"Relon..."
"But still...! I still believe in an alternative that can lead us to really dealing some damage! So please, Aidios, help me out!"
"... What can you possibly say that could change my mind?"
Opening her eyes, Aidios looks to find herself in Relon's subconscious. Nameless, Pippin, and Relon himself standing/floating across from her. Looking at the male in the middle, many thoughts go through her mind over their time together. Beratements she believes he deserves, words of gratitude for teaching her about life as well as herself, and so much more.
Opening her mouth about to say the first thing that come to mind, Relon beats her to it.
"Don't worry." He says. "It's as I said earlier. I can't die. I have a list of things I still have to do. That includes knocking some sense into the real you as well as seeing this you again."
Speechless, a twinge of a warm sensation hits her beating heart. Placing a hand to it, she fully understands smiling peacefully.
"I'm glad. As the Goddess- no. As the living being that I am, I'm grateful to have not only met you but chosen you." She happily says, particles beginning.
"Same here, Aidios."
Feeling her time coming to an end, Aidios glances down at her hand now transparent. About to relieve herself, a new thought enters her mind.
"Hey Relon, I have one favor to ask." She calls over for the boy to look on inquisitively. "Give me a name."
"A name? How come?"
"I've always been called Aidios and since I'm going back to my main body, I figured it could be a parting gift." She shrugs. "Just please don't name me Peppen, Poppon, or Puppun. No offense, Pippin." The sword dismissing the concerning sentiment in understanding.
"Jeez, I'm not that tactless. Hmm..." He crosses his arms pondering as the young girl rocks side to side.
Looking at her, he takes in her attitude, appearance, as his experience with her. Gazing at the girl, he lowers his arms.
"Luna. Short for Lunamaria."
"Lunamaria..." She mutters. "Pfft, you got that based off of the park." She giggles for a tic mark to form on the boy's head.
"I DID NOT!"
"Definitely need work still..." Nameless jots down, Pippin nodding.
"HEY!" Relon barks at the two.
"Relon." Turning back around, he's met with a pair of arms in robes wrapping around him.
(Thank you.) She whispers, the particles erupting in greater mass. (I love it.) The faintest of blushes form at her cheeks until her body fully becomes particles rising to the air.
Looking up, Relon's slightly saddened expression shifts to a wry smile.
"Anytime, Lunamaria."
Blinking, his eyes meet the dirt. Raising them, he finds himself surrounded by his friends. All except Rean.
"Relon?" Laura asks with worry.
"The one and only." He slowly raises up.
"Grr." All look to see Krovanh recovering.
"Do you want me to use an art on you?"
"Can you still fight?"
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I am now." He looks to Krovanh before Nameless gains his attention.
Rean is that way.
Looking over to his 3'oclock, he narrows his eyes.
"Sephiroth cut off the branch that would have teleported all of us together."
"What should we do?" Aurelia questions. "Should some of us go to assist him?"
That won't be necessary. I sense multiple familiar heartbeat closing in on him.
"No." Relon says, his grip on Pippin tightening. "Backup is on the way for him." Just as his sentence finishes, the ground rumbles.
"It seems the main battle is underway!" Laura notes.
"Hey, Laura, everyone." Relon calls calmly still eyeing Krovanh slowly getting to his feet. "Sorry. For all of this."
"Relon, you don't-"
"Hold on, Elliot." He raises his free hand. "Let me finish. This whole time I've been fighting was so that none of you would get hurt or worse. I couldn't stand the thought of anything happening to my friends. It's why I swore to get stronger so that I wouldn't make that mistake again."
"Relon..."
"But I've realized something. I'm still not strong enough to do everything on my own. Plus we're students of Thors Military Academy. This is how we get stronger so I ask you four; will you help this idiot?"
"I will not front, I've been perturbed over the whole situation." Laura begins. "But it seems I can finally be relieved of this bottling emotion."
"Count us in, Relon."
"Thanks, everyone."
"REEELLOOOOOOON!" A roar comes followed by a massive heatwave, Krovanh glaring at the group with gritted teeth.
"Alright then." Stepping forward, he explodes in fire transforming. "Class VII Group A, our mission is to suppressed the enemy target! You all ready?!" At his beckoning question, the four forms links with one another.
"YES/YEAH!"
"First I'll kill you all and then I'm taking back that scepter!"
"Elliot, hold on to that scepter!" Said ginger nodding putting away the scepter in his pocket. "Here he comes! Protect Elliot at all costs!"
Rean
"Oof!" Rean grunts landing followed by another thud.
Quickly shaking his head, he looks to see Agria, the girl taking sight of him to widen.
"What did you do?!" She demands rushing to see something out the corner of her eye forcing the girl to jump back as Pappan careens back around hovering in front of Rean.
"Nothing much. Just made our fight a lot easier. Though in truth it was Relon's idea." He notes readying himself.
"Damn you...! Damn you, damn you, damn you! I'll make you regret everything if it's the last thing I do!" She bursts forth.
In the second state, her reflexes are sharper. This isn't going to be easy.
"Back me up, Pappan!" He shouts, the sword poising itself at the girl before both meet her head on.
Launching a jet of flames, Pappan elevates off the ground for Rean to jump using the sword as a platform as he summersaults over the attack.
"Arc Slash!"
"Lucinance Art: Flare Spark!"
Both attacks collide resulting in a plume of smoke. Bursting from it, Rean strikes for Agria to duck with ease. A condescending smirk on her face as she spins attempting to pierce the male. Before she can, her senses go off as she rolls out of the way as Pappan misses the girl.
With her separated from Krovanh, she can't use Overdrive to boost her parameters any further.
Lunging for Rean, Agria swings her weapon ablaze in fire for her and Pappan to clash. Blitzing to the side, he unleashes a horizontal slice for the girl to pivot her body causing Rean to clash with her and Pappan to his shock as she grins maniacally. Her scissor blade coming ablaze to Rean's shock as another explosion erupts. The force sending Rean far into the forest. Digging his tachi into the ground, he skids to a halt. Pappan floating down to hover beside him.
Honestly, we lucked out. But that doesn't make things are any easier with just us two. If I go all out now, what will happen?
"Kukuku, is that all you got? Let's heat things up shall we?!" She laughs, one eye bigger than the other as Agria digs her weapon into the ground for symbols to swirl around her. "Lucinance Art: Phoenix Flower!" Aiming the handle of her scissor blade at Rean, a red sphere appears before firing off mini fireballs.
Steeling his gaze, Rean cuts down the incoming volleys as others stray nearby causing small explosions. Hearing one close near him, Rean quickly glances to widen at a large tree beginning to tumble over. Snapping to Agria rushing his way, he turns on his heel kicking off into a blitz with Pappan next to him. Zigzagging between trees avoiding streams of fire, he jumps running along the tumbling tree.
"Where do you think you're going?!"
"Down!" Reaching the tree's canopy, he cuts through the foliage jumping through and over.
"What?!" Reaching to where he once was, she looks to growl at the boy flying away on Pappan. "You're not getting away!" She prepares to unleash a blast of fire for Rean to throw an arc slash forcing her to dodge as the tree collides with the ground resulting in a large tremor of falling leaves and dust.
Lowering himself to the ground and hopping off Pappan, Rean surveys the area. From the epicenter, a dim glow appears for Rean to widen. Blasting through the smoke, a large blast of fire hurtles towards the sword practitioner.
I can't dodge this! Rean thinks, flames conjuring on his tachi as steel collides with the fire. The raw force behind the elemental attack sending him skidding through the forest. Shooting past him, Pappan pushes against his back slowing him down slightly.
There's so much! I can't push against this forever...!
Feeling his grip weaken, Rean grits his teeth retightening his weapon.
"HAAAAAAAAA!" He roars dividing the flamed jet in two past him.
Panting heavily, he falls to a knee catching his breath. The area around him littered with flames.
"Kukuku, not bad." He snaps up, his breath still to meet Agria walking towards him.
"You know..." Rean begins panting less. "One moment you're mad... and the next you're condescending... Which is it?"
"Hmm, you're not wrong. But the same could be said about yourself, punk. You and your measly percentage of Ishmelga's power. One moment you're all ' I fight for my friends' with my stupid cousin and the next you're using the literal devil's power." She notes stop mere feet before him, her weapon's three pronged blade pointing at him as Pappan floats in front of him defensively.
"So? You're with a man that murdered his own people." Rean spits for Agria's visage to turn to that of a scowl.
"It's too bad. You were cute." She says coldly as her arm becomes engulfed in flames, Pappan steadying its aim. "Now, you're dead."
"We'll see about that...!" His vile energy begins to become more dense as Agria prepares to fire for something to sound far off gaining both combatants' attention as Agria jumps away.
Raising their heads up, they see a shadowy figure right over their heads fire a barrage of bullets forcing Agria to jump back.
"Tch, now what?!" Jumping towards the ground flipping into a perfect landing, the figure raises their head standing at the ready. Twin gunswords in both hands.
"Fie?!"
"Sup."
"What are you doing here?! Wait, forget that! Get away!" He pleads rising to his feet.
"Better do as your boyfriend says unless you wanna get burned!"
"Crazed attitude, fire everywhere, odd markings, a weapon that seems pretty alive, and corny fire puns? Wow, you really are like Relon." She smirks with droopy eyes.
"Grrr, I am NOTHING like that Goddess lover!" Agria screeches firing a blast of fire.
Quickly reaching into her pocket, Fie pulls out her grapple as Rean grips Pappan, both shooting into the canopy avoiding the attack. Both kneeling on a branch looking down at the fiery girl.
"Yup. Definitely related to Relon."
"Fie!"
"Wassup?" She turns to him tilting her head curiously.
"Why are you here?!"
"To back you guys up. Is that Pippin? Its coloring is different."
"No, that's Pappan."
"Sup." She greets, the sword nodding in response.
"A lot has happened- and don't change the subject! She's too dangerous! You need to retreat and are the others here?"
"Yup." She nods, Rean blinking trying to process everything. "First things first, you could use a breather." She says pushing him off with surprising strength as he lands on Pappan. "Pappan, take him that way." She points. "Our classmates are in that direction. Get going." She demands for the sword to take off.
"FIE, WAIT!" Rean can only shout as the girl's tiny figure shrinks in seconds, the burning parts of the forest once more becoming green in a blur.
Smiling at the departing boy until he's out of sight, she sighs.
"I really need to tell him one of these days..."
Looking down to the approaching Agria walking her way, Fie steps off descending from her grappling hook before touching down and depositing it.
"That was the wrong move, girlie. He and I were getting very acquainted you see."
"Was he? Didn't look like that to me." Fie notes withdrawing her gunswords. "Looks like you were readying an execution." Fie narrows for Agria to cackle.
"Awe, what's wrong? Mad that your stupid boyfriend almost perished? I don't know what he sees in a tiny flatty like you."
"One; you're not that much taller. Two, have you not looked in a mirror? Yours aren't exactly worthy of praise let alone interest. Three; Rean isn't my boyfriend... yet."
"Ugh, anything else?"
"Yeah," Fie responds, her guns clicking as she lowers her stance. "And four; you'll regret hurting both Rean and my friends."
She blitzes forward to Agria's shock firing bullets. Deflecting the few she can, Agria unleashes a wave of fire for both to jump back.
"Well is that so? Kukuku, I'd love to see you make me!" Both burst forth.
Relon
"Ha!" Aurelia shouts bringing down her blade from above.
"Tch!" Krovanh clicks jumping back. "Out of my way!"
"Needle Shoot!" Turning to his side, he raises his twin blade slicing the moderately-sized boulder in half just to widen as he barely catches the follow-up arrow.
Senses flaring, he looks up to see the three Arseid students descending on him.
"Flame/Earth Cleaver!" They slam the ground as he backflips away, the ground rupturing as flame pillars rise towards him.
Spinning his twin blade all around him, Krovanh lands to unleash an upwards flame slash. The ground ripping apart as yellow flames collides with earth imbued red flames.
They're relentless! Krovanh curses to widen as Pippin zooms through the clashing elements to his shock. I need to get that scepter!
Bringing his raised blade back down, Pippin barrels out of the way causing the teen to look back before he senses his opponents above. Looking up, he sees Relon amd Laura.
They jumped on it then over the attacks! He realizes readying a counter.
"Laura!" Relon shouts, Laura wordlessly acknowledging as she boosts Relon downwards with a swing of her greatsword. "Flare Blitz!"
Igniting his blade in flames once more, Krovanh swings it as metal meets metal for an explosion to erupt sending both back. Relon landing in front of the ceasing flames and Krovanh further back.
"Armor Breaker!" Laura roars moving forward to Krovanh's surprise as he remembers her snapping up.
"Damn it!" He unleashes a blast of fire.
"I don't think so!" Relon cuts in, Pippin shooting out of nowhere to zoom ahead of the spinning Arseid piercing through the flames for Krovanh to click jumping back.
"That won't save you!" Laura shouts flipping forward before slamming her blade with the ground. "Earth Cleaver!"
The earth itself upheaving in a wide array towards the Lucinance's retreating form. Taking a moment to look from the chasing attack to the duo and sword, he widens as both tilt their heads as a single arrow speeds past their heads.
"Again?!" Slashing the arrow, Krovanh realizes his mistake as the shift of his heavy blade alters his trajectory making him land right in front of the earth attack. "You bastards!" He shouts, his twin blade coating in fire before hammering the earth for a plume of fire to rise to the air catching the canopy on fire.
"Gotcha!" Krovanh once again snaps his head up to Relon on Pippin already absorbing the flame in is right hand with his left aimed at the villain before unleashing the large stream of heat.
"You weakling, those flames no longer work!" Krovanh smirks raising a hand ready to absorb the element for the force behind the attack to force the teen to buckle in surprise.
"You're right but that doesn't mean you can't absorb the force itself! Now you guys!"
"Switch!" Female voices calls for Krovanh to look back forward at the two Arseid students rushing him, their new link lighting up for a second.
"You fools! I'm not a hybrid!" Krovanh notes using his other hand holding his blade to fire a yellow jet of flames.
"Oh, we remembered!" Aurelia smirks, both dividing to both sides.
"Grr!"
Both lunge as Krovanh reveals his smirk to both's shock. His weapon having zoomed from his hand to block both girls.
"I have a few tricks of my own, you know!" He grins maniacally, his now weaponless hand raises to his face revealing a yellow flame as he slams it to the ground.
"Not good!" Relon ceases his attack, both he and Pippin zooming to the group.
"Blast Burn!" Krovanh shouts, fire seeping into the ground as yellow lights emerge all over the area.
"Elliot!" Alisa shouts.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Multiple explosions go off one after another before one final blast razes the area.
Panting heavily with hands on his knees, Krovanh begins to cackle as his appearance returns to normal. Looking up to the blazing/obliterated woodland, he gives a satisfied hmpf. Scattered on the ground all of class VII. Relon's downed form along with Pippin in from of the Arseid practitioners followed by Alisa and Elliot in the back leaning motionless against a burning tree. All with varying injuries to their skin accompanied by singe marks to their clothing.
"Finally... Now... to end-" He's stopped mid sentence as he takes note of Laura's twitching hand followed by Aurelia's and then Alisa's. "How...? HOW CAN YOU... STILL BE STANDING?!" He bellows in anger.
"You didn't realize it..." Laura begins slowly reaching for her blade as does Aurelia.
"But throughout our fight..." Aurelia continues, both slowly getting to a knee.
"Elliot was bestowing his art upon us." Alisa picks up, both on their feet
"One that not only bolsters our defenses physically, but..." Laura notes.
Krovanh widens as their burn marks and injuries begin to fade.
"It also heals us overtime!" Aurelia ends, signs clearly indicating she can go on once more.
"All we could do was defend against that explosive onslaught but it was Relon who took the brunt of that last one." Laura notes checking on the downed boy before gripping her sword glaring at Krovanh.
"Resounding Beat." Alisa adds. "He couldn't cast one more on himself and instead shielded me from those explosions." She says checking on the unconscious boy before standing up and walking next to the girls. "Ready?"
"Yes. This ends now." Laura states poising her blade at the ready. "Go!" Both swordswomen rush forward as Krovanh remains motionless.
"Even for a Lucinance like yourself, using a technique as massive as that must leave you vulnerable!" Aurelia concludes.
"Don't... underestimate... meeeeeee!" The remaining male roars struggling to move, his sword preparing to intercept them.
"ALISA!" Both call, the blonde sliding to a halt.
"What?!"
Looking past them, Krovanh grits his teeth at the girl reeling back multiple arrows alit in a combination of red and yellow flames.
"Thanks for the ammo!" She calls out. "Molten Storm!" Letting the string go, all of the arrows fire before plummeting downwards towards the angry Lucinance.
"Hundred!" He calls, his weapon moving overhead before spinning as it blocks the barrage.
"Got you!" He widens in realization of his mistake, his front now wide open to the two.
"N-No!" He struggles attempting to jump away to barely retreat even five feet.
"You're not going anywhere!" Laura shouts with the flat side of her blade in front of her poised upwards, a blue energy emanating from the girl as everything in the vicinity is sucked in including Krovanh.
"You bastards...!" He attempts to release fire to widen in panic as nothing comes out.
Falling to the ground, he turns over digging his hands into the ground as he's slowly sucked in.
No... Not like this...! Me?! By weaklings like you?! I refuse! He did it! That bastard Relon did all the work!"
"You're right. His plan, his unyielding spirit, even his own body; all of it was used to get to this point! Now, get over here!" Laura roars, her energy flaring immensely as his grip weakens for the ground to give way. "Brilliant Spin!" Laura declares spinning in a 1080 before slicing at Krovanh's battle suit breaking a large chunk off sending the teen skidding against the ground while being belted by the debris.
"Out of all the mistakes Senate has made, messing with the lady Cecily and Relon's home was the biggest!" Aurelia's greatsword brimming in a yellow light. "Dynast Sunder!"
Still skidding like a ragdoll against the ground, Krovanh finally ceases his moment as he lodges himself into a large tree. Barely lifting his head, he can only look on at the debris pelting him before a blinding light enveils his vision sending him through the thick bark.
"Is it over?" Aurelia questions still ready.
PING!
Snapping their weapons at the ready, they take sight of Krovanh's sword now on the ground. An arrow next to it. Looking to Alisa, she winks for the two to then turn back to Krovanh who's head is barely raised before dropping back down.
"Now it's over." Alisa declares approaching the two. "Hey Laura, whenever Relon is asleep, does Pippin stop moving?"
"Usually Pippin rests long before Relon would but now that I think about it, it's possible that weapons like Pippin are rendered immobile once their owners are."
"Then all we have to do is tend to the boys and tie up Krovanh." Aurelia surmises.
After tying up Krovanh and his blade, the three tend to the boys where they now rest in an untouched area. The fierce battle's location just ahead of them.
"What what to do about these flames? I worry if Relon doesn't wake up soon then the flames will spread."
"Hmm." All three go into thought for something to catch Alisa's eye.
"Huh?" Walking over and kneeling down, both swordswomen look to her in curiosity.
"What is it?" Laura asks.
Standing and moving out of the way, they are taken aback by the appearance of the spore and mushroom creatures.
"They must have been in hiding while we were battling Krovanh." Aurelia notes.
"Hey there." Alisa greets with a smile, the creatures hopping about around her in response.
"We've done what we can for Relon and Elliot and although I am nay as worried for Relon, Elliot is a different matter." Laura mutters still in thought for her eyes to widen in remembrance of something.
"What is it, Laura?"
"If my memory serves, then these creatures are able to heal of certain ailments. At least, I believe that to be what Relon has once told me through our exchange of letters."
"Hey, if you can understand us, do you think you all could treat Relon and Elliot?" Alisa asks with sincerity. "They're hurt." Still jumping about, they halt to make odd noises between one another before hopping towards the boys.
Huddling around, both girls look on with hopeful looks only to turn to that of disgust as the spore and mushrooms swarm their bodies entirely.
"Ew, ew, ew! I seriously did not need to see that!"
"That is... an uncomfortable sight indeed."
"I second those opinions."
After a minute, the creatures remove themselves revealing both boys without signs of any injuries albeit their damaged clothing.
"Did it work?" Alisa wonders checking on the two with both girls now standing over the archer. "Yup, they're fine! Just resting." She confirms giving Laura and Aurelia a happy look.
"Thank Adios!"
"What a relief."
All three thank the creatures before watching them depart back into the forest. Settling down, they finally take their well deserved breather. Tremors every now and then going off.
"The battle is getting more and more fierce." Aurelia states leaning against a tree, both Alisa and Laura sitting on their knees with both boys resting against their things. "The Wandering Beast, Master Cecily, the prince, Mueller; a member of the Vander family who I've seen back when I trained in Heimdallr, the Blood and Iron chancellor, two Ironbloods, and Instructor Sara..."
"Not to mention all of those military units and tanks." Alisa adds looking down at Elliot and then up over her shoulder at the white-haired swordswoman. "Senate, Asuma, and Sephiroth against them don't seem even."
"I do not doubt that Mr. Yujiro can deal with all of Senate by himself." Laura chimes in, her gaze not leaving Relon's own. "But I do not believe the others can deal with Sephiroth. Not even Instructor Sara or Ms. Cecily."
"If Mr. Yujiro and Sephiroth are fighting, then that leaves the 23 remaining Leaguients." Alisa notes. "That is if Demeter really did fix her hand."
"Don't forget, she is supposedly the strongest of Barbatos and Cabrakan. If that is indeed true, then imagine those above her. If a so-called witch is capable of altering one's location with a single utter or wave of her scepter, I fear what monsters the others are dealing with." Aurelia adds, her gaze looking towards the tremors' source.
"Speaking of..." Alisa muses pulling out said weapon from Elliot's pocket to examine it.
"Hm?" Aurelia hums turning back to Alisa. "What are you doing?"
"Now that we have a breather, I wanted a closer look at Demeter's scepter."
"Be wary, Alisa." Laura notes.
"Right." She nods looking over the weapon.
"Demeter was able to instant cast spells and arts with it, no" Aurelia asks.
"Indeed."
"There were times where she used her mouth and others where she just waved this thing around. Why use different methods?"
"Possibly due to a power output of some sort." Alisa speaks up looking at her fellow women. "Some arts don't cost as much mana while others do. The bigger the art, the longer it takes to cast. This scepter could have the ability to enhance the casting time for her more potent arts."
"That would explain her teleportation." Aurelia mentions. "An ability as potent as that must require an immense amount of power. Especially with how often she used it on us."
"So without it, she's heavily hindered."
"But not completely."
"Which leads me to question Senate as a whole." Alisa furrows her eyebrows in thought.
"What do you mean?"
"You're referring to the Leaguients' order in power." Laura estimates for Alisa to nod. "#26; Arentula who was defeated by Relon, Claire and their friend Lechter. #25; Barbatos who Relon defeated around an hour ago. #24; Cabrakan which was defeated by Relon and Rean. And #23; Demeter. Yet to be defeated. Blades, bare hands, shields, and now a scepter."
"Where are you going with this, Laura?"
"I'm stating that the Leaguients thus far have been... simple. Easy so to speak. Yet, with Demeter there is a sudden spike in skill levels."
"Now I get it. You're suggesting one of two possibilities. Either she is truly #24 and the those ahead of her are even more fearsome or..." Aurelia widens.
"Their number system is just a charade and she's further down the list in terms of strength!" Alisa exclaims.
"It is but a hazardous speculation but... I feel as though a number system such as theirs represents a level of difficulty."
"In which case, where does Demeter truly stand amongst Senate? Near the top? If so, why... argh! Now I understand why Relon becomes so frustrated at the constant questions!" Aurelia growls in anger to take a deep breath calming herself. "For now, we can only watch over the boys and keep that scepter away from Demeter."
"Yes/Yeah." Both nod looking down at the unconscious boys.
?
Once again, pitch-black is all that's visible. Slowly, light begins to seep into his vision again as a cave's ceiling becomes distinguishable. Several red lights visible around one half of his peripheral. What Relon is able to see begins to move.
... Huh?
"Waaaaaaaah!"
"Ah, damn it, Kanade's crying again!" A young teen's voice curses.
... Kanade? Looking around, he takes note of his stubby arms as well as the fact that he is pressed against something or moreso someone.
A boy with blue hair with pink highlights down to his shoulders in a t-shirt with shorts and a red jacket.
That voice... It's pitch is different, but... it's familiar...
Looking over, he sees another boy with blue hair and pink highlights in a buzzcut fashion.
"Heh, you know she hates being away from her brother, Asuma." The teen holding Relon snickers.
Relon widens at the mention.
"Put a sock in it, Alister! You're just lucky you got heads and not tails Mr. Indecisive! Seriously, you called it five times before the coin landed!"
Alister... and Asuma...?!
A/N: Welp, that ship sunk... for now hehe. Been teasing Andrew over the idea of Relon x Luna ahaha. His groans of irritation are music to ears XD. Also, Elliot MVP in both the games AND the story! Once again, Happy Thanksgiving everyone!