Chapter 16: The Guardians Emerge, Transformed
Alcaster stood in the foyer of the Master's house, listening to the battles coming from inside each room. He had attended many times before as others went through the very same procedure; some were able to endure the onslaught, but most caved under the pressure from the Advance Masters. Alcaster became worried when he began hearing explosions and feeling the house shake. Plaster fell from the ceiling, making him cast a barrier spell to protect himself. Then everything became as still as a graveyard; nothing was moving. The doors opened simultaneously as the Advance Masters escorted The Guardians to the foyer. Roberia approached Alcaster with a smile on her face.
"Master Alcaster. These fine men and women hath proven themselves worthy of our training. Prithee inform the masters that in two hours, we shall return from the rift; we would like them present for the final ceremony." She said in a commanding voice. Alcaster nodded and headed for the ship to deliver his message. Rene addressed the group.
"We shall go to Ludibrum, where you will learn new abilities." She said, gathering the five at the center of a tile mosaic sun on the floor. The Advance Masters gathered around them and began reciting what sounded like a transport spell to Helen. Light engulfed them and settled quickly, revealing them outside what Matthew thought to be the Eos Tower. The city was just as the game had portrayed, except the studded streets were cobblestone roads. The city was far more vast than just a few houses and the central Clock tower. It stretched for over 300 miles, just far enough that the tower opposite them, Helios tower, could barely be seen in the distance. Sure he had been here before, but never on a high point to see all of Ludibrum.
"Lord Matthew, are you coming?" Tylus asked as Matthew drug his eyes away from the sight before him and followed them into Eos tower. Inside, stiff toy-looking soldiers waited on either side of a door with golden name plates hanging on their chests: Delv and Olson.
"Halt, who are you?" Delv demanded, raising his stiff arm to stop Arec.
"We are here to use the temporal distortion and train these young people."
"That is not allowed. Emperor Alishar has decreed it so. No soul shall enter this room." Olson chimed in loudly.
"Since when has Alishar returned from hiding?" Rene asked.
"He returned not long after the rise of the Black Mage, Miss Rene. He seemed different to tell the truth, much different." Delv offered.
"Where is Emperor Alishar?" Pedro asked with a smirk in his voice.
"He is currently in his throne room, but I would stay away if I were you."
"Why is that?" Rene demanded.
"He's brought creatures from the other dimension to guard his hallway. We've tried to get through it several times, but those ferocious creatures won't let us through." Arec pursed his lips and thought for a few moments.
"We can defeat them," Helen said, firmly setting the end of her staff on the ground. Jack nodded as he tightened the belts of the Psychotic Edges and then checked his Hades one last time. Olsen cracked his knuckles, Jenny rolled her shoulders, and Matthew drew his Tiger's Fang.
"Then go. Be warned; while we go with thee, thou shalt face the beasts alone." Robeira cautioned. 'The Five' looked at one another, silently checking to make sure they knew the stakes before nodding to the masters as they set off to find Alishar's throne. Many darker hallways crossed and re-crossed each other, each echoing with strange sounds as they walked through them.
"Hello there! Are you searching for Emperor Alishar's throne room?" a voice asked from the dark. Jenny looked around with her bow drawn, looking from left to right as she slowly compressed some mana into a bomb arrow.
"Put that dangerous thing away, young lady. I'm here to help." the voice exclaimed. Matthew lowered his hand as Jenny released the tension on her bow. Matthew unleashed a Solar Scythe into the dark, revealing a red balloon tied to a nail on the wall.
"So it was you?" Matthew asked with a snort.
"Yes yes. Now, to find the next path, you must take the second. There my brother Orange will tell you the next step. Go on!" it urged. Carefully the group followed the balloon's instructions, turning down the second left, where another voice greeted them.
"Hello! My brother Red must have sent you. Keep walking down this way until it ends, where you will meet my brother Lime. He will give you more instructions." Quickly the group jogged down the hallway, but when they reached their turn, the hall was pitch black. Nothing could be seen except three pairs of eyes, bobbing up and down like something was walking in the blackness.
Jack and Matthew looked at each other, nodded, and charged. Jack launched into a corkscrew at one pair of eyes while Matthew used a Light Step to propel him into the second. Before they hit, all the eyes disappeared, and both plunged into the inky darkness. No noises could be heard for a moment except for a growl as if rabid wolves surrounded them until an explosion of clangs, gunfire, punches, and slices came from the darkness.
Matthew and Jack were thrown from the cloud, landing hard on the cobblestone path. Again the pairs of eyes appeared to them, seeming even angrier than before. Helen was next to try, walking up to the blackness and concentrating there for a moment. Tiny fairies floated down from cuts in the air, pouring a bowl of golden liquid energy over her head while a fizzing orb gathered in her hand.
One of the beasts neared, lowering its eyes to watch the swirling energy as it danced in her hand. Helen hurled the plasma bolt right at the beast, hitting it square in the face. It howled with a high-pitched scream, falling back and disappearing into the darkness. Helen gathered another ball of plasma and headed into the blackness, where flashes of dull light appeared until a solid sound sent Helen careening out. Jack slid into place with open arms, catching her before she hit the floor.
Jenny made her next move by readying a Spine Arrow as a small gust of wind curled around her arms and shoulders, glowing as if a blue flame surrounded them. Olsen stood ready, trying something he wasn't sure he'd be able to pull off as Quartz power wrapped around his arm and shuriken. All at once, all three pairs of eyes opened in a straight line. Jenny let her arrow go at the first she saw, aiming for the other two in quick succession. Olsen grunted under his armor's weight, hurling three shurikens into the cloud.
The arrows and the stars hit their marks as liquid spurted from where they hit, sizzling on the ground like acid. The eyes of the beasts slowly shut while the darkness dissipated. The black mist revealed the creatures with slimy, thin pale skin. All three appeared severely emaciated while their hands and feet sported sharp claws. Just beyond where they had made a struggle, the Lime Balloon greeted them, telling them the next set of instructions to meet his brother Sky.
Sky instructed them about the correct path through a series of rooms connected by standing on a pad numbered 1-3 to meet his brother Black. It took them a while since sometimes they would stand on the wrong pad and be sent back to the beginning, but they finally made it through all five rooms, where they were greeted by Black and told the next set of instructions to meet Blue. Once there, Blue pointed them down the last hallway where the throne room rested.
"Jeeze, it must have taken an hour to get through all that," Jack whined as they walked up to the door.
"Yes, but think of it this way; at least it was not as complicated as Maplestory's Ludibrum Party Quest," Helen said as they pushed through the doors where their goal waited.
"Who dares come to Emperor Alishar unannounced?!" a voice boomed, stopping them all. Somewhere in the distance, feet patting heavily on the ground echoed throughout the chamber.
"It is we, the Advance Masters! We wish to speak with Alishar so that we may enter the temporal distortion to train these fine young people!" Tylus called. The voice laughed as it came into the light shining through the windows while two glowing blue lights bounced with each step. It revealed a massively fat creature standing nearly 12 feet tall, whose teeth jutted from under its lips. A dark blue cloak covered the top half of his head, flowing down to the floor and covering his arms. The only other garment he wore was a leather belt, underwear sporting a ring of keys, and a large pocket watch hanging from it. On his head was a large grandfather clock that creaked and clattered with each movement of its arm.
"I am Alishar! And I say that none shall pass through the door! My Master decrees it so!" Jenny became skeptical: she knew many things were different from the game to the actual world, but something seemed off about this situation: Alishar had no master in the game's lore.
"Who is your master?" Jenny boldly asked. Alishar looked down at her as he made a strange noise in his throat.
"My master is none of your concern, little girl." He said in a low voice, staring her down with a darker light in his eyes.
"Masters? What do we do?" Matthew asked, turning back to Tylus, hoping for some guidance.
"As we said, we are here to train you in advanced techniques and abilities. Each of you told us that you would defeat the Black Mage. Show us that resolve." Tylus challenged. Jack eyed Alishar for a while, noticing something strange about the clock atop his head.
"Jenny, you have better eyes than I; can you see something floating around that clock?" Jenny concentrated on the clock for a few moments, letting her eyes adjust to the dark, seeing a cloud of something rising from it.
"Yes, it's like a black cloud. Why?"
"If my memory serves right, that is the same kind of cloud emanating from the machines in the Toy Factory and the toy maker's machinery in the Pandergeist Mansion. I'll bet you that whatever that cloud is, has something to do with how Alishar is acting." Jenny nodded in agreement when Alishar noticed them and his eyes went red.
"What are you still doing here? I told you to leave!" He thundered. Helen stepped forwards to distract him while Matthew, Jack, and Olsen talked low over a strategy once Jack relayed what he saw.
"Olsen, can you get close enough to that clock to see what is making that aura?" Matthew asked.
"Done." Olsen nodded as he disappeared and began maneuvering his way above Alishar.
"The rest of us will keep his attention on us to give Olsen the space he needs." Matthew finished, Jack and Jenny nodding their understanding.
"Why are you mites still here!? I told you to leave!" Alishar boomed when he saw the others walk up beside Helen.
"We're not going anywhere!" Jack shouted in return, drawing his pistol and cocking back the hammer. The rest of them readied for what might come while Alishar focused his attention on Jenny. Alishar raised his stumpy arms as blue light swirled from the clock face. Another more enormous clock appeared, coming apart layer by layer as the hands counted backward to noon. Once there, it activated a powerful beam of time magic that Jenny barely managed to avoid; the floor where she once stood became brittle and dusty.
"Don't let that stuff hit you! It's just like the Chrono's Magic only more potent!" Helen shouted. Matthew drew his Tiger's Fang, transforming his cloak into a serrated edge. It began pulsing hard as light gathered at the hilt and propelled the sword forwards. The swing missed Alishar by a hair's breadth when the great creature glided away from its path, turning and preparing another blast of Time Magic. Before Alishar fired his spell, Helen teleported Matthew away as the ground became old and brittle. In the time Alishar took to register what happened to his target, Jack rushed in, hitting the giant creature with a thunderous punch that left his fist smoking.
The impact threw Alishar to his throne and pushed it over to the floor. For a moment, Alishar didn't move. In a blur, he sat up with his eyes glowing a dark red. Jack was about to rush in when the time magic circle appeared. Jack skidded to a stop, leaping back to avoid the deadly magic. Above them, Olsen watched with keen eyes, quietly jumping from place to place for a better view. He jumped from the ledge he stood on, falling onto Alishar's head and hanging onto the clock by digging his dagger into the wood.
Peeking inside the clock, he couldn't find anything until he tightened his grip and looked closer. Deep within the primary drive gears was something shining, reflecting the light of Alishar's attacks. It was a single gear made of a black, glass-like substance producing the aura they saw. He was about to reach for it when Alishar flipped over onto his head, the clock's gears changing position, making the hands of the clock turn faster.
"You dust mites ARE BEGINNING TO GET ON MY NERVES." he thundered. A seal appeared as before, but this time the outer ring spun to the left, the inner ring spun right, and the hands on the face spun in opposite directions. They spun faster and faster until the energy gathered turned a bright red. All ran for cover as the beam fired, leaving a giant hole in the wall where they had once stood, turning the bricks to dust. Olsen tapped Jack on the shoulder as they were about to come out from cover.
"What'd you see?" Jack asked as they ducked behind a pillar.
"There's a black gear inside the clock making the aura. If we can get it out, he might return to normal." Olsen was interrupted by a beam rocketing through the hall next to them. As he ducked in and out of cover, Olsen informed the others about the gear. Drawing his pistol, Jack switched clips for armor-piercing rounds and compressed mana into his hand to create a grenade. He waited for Alishar to stop firing and then ran out from behind a pillar, pulling the pin and tossing the grenade at Alishar's feet. He then fired rounds at the clock on his head, blowing holes the size of baseballs into the wooden case. Despite this, Alishar seemed unfazed.
"Helen! Can that cloak block Time Magic?" Matthew shouted over the roar of gunfire, looking between her and Alishar for an opening.
"I can try." Helen stepped out and pulled up her cloak. Alishar focused on her and released another powerful blast, engulfing her in a bright blue beam of light. Thankfully the magic flowed around her, leaving her untouched. Matthew exhaled, relieved that his guess worked, allowing Olsen to get into a different flanking position.
"JENNY! Get a fix on that gear!" Olsen called. The noise made Alishar turn until Helen held her staff and palm forward. She hit the giant in the chest with a blast of flames hard enough that it knocked him to the ground. Jenny looked around where Olsen had been before, her sharp eyes trying to see the gear but having little time once Alishar began flailing and getting up. Matthew rushed forwards with a mighty swing, whistling as it moved, tearing through Alishar's cloak and pulling a large chunk of it out, making the giant stop and look for a moment.
"SURROUND HIM AND KEEP HIM BUSY! OLSEN! GO AGAIN! TAKE OUT THE CASING!" Matthew roared. Olsen flitted from here to there, avoiding the beams of magic that tore through the air, finally giving him the opening he needed to land and hack away at the clock's casing, exposing the black gear. This time Alishar writhed, stomping around from the pain as though the case were a part of his body.
"HELEN! JENNY! TAKE OUT THAT GEAR!" Helen drew her Sacred Arrow, Jenny her Spine, both waiting for the right moment. Alishar thrashed until he stepped on a spot that had been severely aged by his magic, tossing Olsen to the side. Helen and Jenny released their arrows and hit the gear out of the cog set. It sparked off the floor as it hit the ground and the aura dissipated from around the clock, knocking Alishar out cold. The only sound was the gear rocking around on the floor until it lay flat. There was absolute silence as each of them looked at the shiny cog.
"What is it?" Jack asked, bending down to run his hands over the polished surface when Pedro stopped him.
"Don't touch that. It's a gear made from Black Crystal. It is very similar to the Dark Crystal. However, the Black Crystal is found by extracting it from the corpses of infected Golems of the Sharenien Temples. The energy contained with it can easily corrupt anyone or anything which isn't prepared and has a monumentally strong will," Pedro stated. Alishar sat up and rubbed his head as the case to the clock reformed, creaking and crackling until every splinter was back in place.
"My my, what was it that… Tylus! Rene! My friends! It is so good to see you again finally! Who was it that removed that horrid Black Gear from my clock?" He called when Matthew held his hand out to Jenny and Helen as they timidly knelt before him.
"You? But you are just children. How could you have…"
"You are mistaken, Alishar. These children are the Guardians of Ossyria." Tylus answered. Alishar looked back to the five youths as they looked around his throne room.
"My my, what an honor it is to have you five in my presence! Please excuse my earlier demeanor." He grumbled, bowing low to them.
"Apology accepted, Lord Alishar. I now a request for you to hear, my Lord," Robeira stated, stepping forward and bowing her head slightly in greeting.
"Yes, what you ask of me?"
"We wish to train these young people in the Temporal Distortion chamber. Time grows short to train them in a normal way." Arec finished. Alishar nodded to them and smiled, his enormous teeth looking like a zipper.
"It would be my honor! I will personally be your guard." he grinned, escorting them to the chamber.
"Tell me, old friend, what were you doing in the other dimension? I heard you went there to hide." Rene asked as they walked. Alishar raised his eyebrow.
"Hiding? Why would I need to hide? The citizens called me there on an urgent matter. What you know as the Other Dimension is the home of the Cronos. But somehow, on my way back, I was caught by some strange force where that strange gear implanted in my clock." He said, reaching up and rubbing the side of the case as though it were still sore. Once they had arrived at the rift, Alishar instructed Delv and Olson to help him keep watch. Each pair of Guardian and Master would disappear into a dollhouse-like structure within the swirling energy. Once everyone had entered, Alishar and the guards closed, setting down and preparing for the possible long wait that lay before them.
Matthew's new techniques
When they first arrived, Matthew stumbled, feeling heavier than ever and unable to focus.
"Are you feeling alright, Lord Matthew?" Tylus asked, pulling off his cloak and dropping it to the side, revealing massive armor decorated with thousands of tiny runes decorating the edges. Matthew eventually nodded, standing back up as the feeling passed.
"Very well. Ready yourself." the old warrior commanded.
"The Warrior's Overcharge is fundamental to every technique you will learn from this point forward. It captures a small portion of the energy released when using any attack, harnessed by the Overcharge, and stored in an orb. This orb feeds energy back into your body, increasing your strength and speed. Each attack recharges the first orb and creates a new Orb, further enhancing your strength."
"How many orbs can I create?" Matthew asked, his eyes becoming wide with excitement.
"At the creation of this technique, there was no limit, so long as the warrior using it could mentally maintain it. However, Minerva found students of this technique could easily overtax their bodies if they used too many orbs too soon. She then created a new technique, limiting the orbs to no more than five." After telling Matthew the seal's formula, the young warrior repeated it in his head as a swirling light appeared on his wrist.
Tylus raised his hand, creating a target dummy for Matthew, which he attacked without hesitation. Instantly an orb appeared, circling his wrist. He felt more powerful than he ever had. Quickly the next dummy appeared, and he attacked, his sword sparking on the ground while another orb appeared. This second orb made him feel even more powerful!
Tylus summoned a third dummy, and Matthew attacked again, creating the third orb, making Matthew shiver. Tylus noticed the seal beginning the waiver and bend, unbeknownst to Matthew, a sign that his concentration was lax. When Matthew made a fourth attack, the seal broke, and all the orbs disappeared with a small puff of wind.
"What happened?" Matthew asked, feeling worn down as if he had used the Mana Overdrive.
"You lost your concentration; do it again!" Tylus commanded, bringing up more dummies and sending Matthew through the same drill when a light surrounded Matthew just as he was making an attack.
Helen's new techniques
It felt similar to her teleportation as Helen and Robeira appeared in a strange dimension. Robeira tossed aside her cloak, revealing an elegant dress beneath.
"Art thou feeling well?" She asked. Helen thought for a moment as waves of something like motion sickness wafted over her but soon passed, allowing her to nod.
"Very well. The first I shall teach thee is Wings of Light. It may seem easy to thee, but be thou warned, 'tis much different than thou thinkest. Primarily, thou must concentrate mana in earnest to thy back betwixt thy shoulders." Helen closed her eyes, letting the feel of her mana become clear, gathering it on her back, just as Robeira instructed.
"Well done; next, give it form. I find the form of bird's wings is best suited for this, but the form is thine own choice," Roberia said as she called up ten target dummies with a wave of her hand. Helen breathed deeply, imagining the form of great eagle's wings. She felt pressure building in her back, resisting her desired state. She kept pushing, willing the Mana into the desired shape as the pressure continued to mount. Just as the feathers formed, the spell fell apart, leaving Helen panting and heaving from breath while the mana hung in a cloud all around her.
"Well done in thy initial attempt. Repeat it, and it shall become easier for thee." Helen again gathered her mana and continued to push past the ever-increasing pressure in her back until, on the fifth try, her wings had fully formed. Once sure that Helen's wings were stable, Roberia summoned a bank of target dummies.
"Use the feathers of thy wings to hit these targets," she commanded. Helen opened her eyes, aiming at the dummies and imagining the 'feathers' hurling from the wings. As the feathers began to move, the spell disintegrated in a plume of blue haze.
"Why is this so difficult?" Helen asked, catching her breath as she gathered mana at her back again.
"Thou must manage the form of thy mana and concentrate upon multiple enemies. Thy mind is pulled in all manner of directions."
"Then what's with the pressure I keep feeling in my back? It's like something is trying to escape."
"That is what thy mana wants. It is a part of your body, and you are 'creating' wings under thy skin that, once formed, push outwards as water through cloth." Helen calmed herself with a breath as she gathered her mana again, shaping her wings and pushing through the pressure until they formed. She could only fire a few feathers before the technique disintegrated again. Growling in frustration, Helen gathered her mana, pushed her wings out, and was about to launch more feathers when a light surrounded her.
Olsen's New Techniques
Once they arrived, it was as if they had already understood one another, knowing nothing would stand in their way. Only pure, uninterrupted training waited for them.
"Your father, Dark Lord Jin, has taught you well in the sacred art of the Ninja. I will teach you to become something even more. For that, you must first learn one of the hardest techniques in a Ninja's arsenal: the Shadow Double."
"What makes it so difficult?" Olsen questioned as Arec motioned for him to take off his dagger and claw.
"Part of the difficulty is splitting your Life Force into a second you. But most of the effort comes in keeping those two parts separate while feeding it enough mana to perform attacks. To split your Life Force, you must drive mana through the middle of it, then using said mana as the mold for your double." Olsen closed his eyes, reaching out with his mind's eye to see his life force which appeared to him as a river.
With some difficulty, he gathered a portion of mana at the head of that river, parting it for just a moment. The feeling was as strange as it was terrifying as another person suddenly appeared in his mind. As he was about to push the two parts of his Life Force apart, he lost strength, and the technique collapsed.
The two halves of his Life Force slapped together so hard that Olsen felt jarred. Arec nodded as if telling him to try again. Olsen tensed his body, splitting his life force once again and slowly pushing the two halves apart. When he felt the halves had stabilized, he created a mold of himself when a shiver pulsed through his being. Arec summoned a mirror, revealing slightly beside him stood a second Olsen; every move and action he made was repeated exactly by the double.
"Now that you have successfully done this, dismiss it and repeat the technique until you can perform it at will without any effort." Time and time again, Olsen would call up the double and disperse it, each time getting easier. After two hours, Arec told him to strap the claw onto his arm when Olsen felt as if someone was punching him in the stomach and collapsing the double.
"What the heck was that?" Olsen asked, his head spinning and his heart racing.
"That happens when you add something to your body without collapsing the double first. The technique becomes harder as you need mana to create the Double and supply the needed mana for skills, but you must also use mana to create your dagger, claw, and shuriken. Stay relaxed. This is a difficult technique." Olsen growled, beginning to split his Life Force and making his equipment until his mana ran dry. After a rest, he started again until a glow steadily surrounded his body.
Jenny's New Techniques
Jenny and Rene zipped into existence, Jenny looking around at the vast and strange energy that surrounded them.
"This is one place I definitely don't remember being in the game," Jenny commented as she looked around.
"Remember, this isn't a game." Rene reminded her as she swept her hood back once more.
"From what I can see, your mother Athena taught you well in the way of the bow. However, to face and defeat the Black Mage, you are going to need stronger techniques, much stronger techniques. We have all the time in the world here. You could spend an entire year training, and only a day will have gone by." Rene explained, waving her hand to the side before turning back to Jenny and folding her hands.
"The first of many techniques I will teach you is the Rain of Arrows: A deadly technique that, when fully mastered, can do the work of 100 archers. It begins as a Spine Arrow fired into the sky. This Spine Arrow will take far more mana, however. Once it reaches its apex of ascent, you will shatter the arrow into a hundred arrows before it comes down."
"That doesn't sound too hard. I bet I could do it on the first try." Jenny said as she drew a Spine Arrow and shot it into the swirling 'sky' above her. When she thought it had reached its apex, the arrow disintegrated into a sparkling dust cloud.
"For what it's worth, you do have the shattering down. But shattering a Spine Arrow into 100 arrows takes more than aiming and firing. You must ensure enough mana is provided for each arrow to remain intact until it hits the ground. Now do it again." Jenny tried again, pushing more mana into the Spine Arrow. Once it reached the apex, the arrow shattered and began coming down in a sheet. But before most of them hit the ground, they vaporized and turned to dust.
"Again," Rene demanded as Jenny repeatedly fired, trying to overcome the vast concentration needed for so many arrows. As she fired, a steady glow began to surround her.
Jack's New Techniques
As if a lightning strike hit the ground, Jack and Pedro appeared in the dimension, making Jack chuckle as he looked around at the surrounding expanse.
"So I take it this is where we're going to be for the next two months?" Jack asked, checking the clip in his Hades. Pedro pulled back his hood as his violet eyes seemed to laugh in the strange light.
"Actually, we're only going to be here for about two hours. But to you, it will feel like two months. Time passes quickly here, completin' lotsa training in hours." Pedro explained, his smile fading into a severe expression.
"I have always respected your mother as a powerful fighter, and because of that, I have high expectations of you to surpass her one day and defeat the terrible Black Mage. For this purpose, I will teach you skills and techniques to push you toward that goal."
"Alright, so where do we start?" Jack asked excitedly, rubbing his hands together in thick anticipation.
"The first technique is Hyper Fist. It gives you lots of power, but only briefly since it uses up all your mana." Pedro answered, demonstrating how the form appeared. His white hair stood on end in an unseen updraft as his eyes started glowing white, and his body became engulfed with a golden glow. He hummed with power as each breath sounded like a flame flaring on a gas burner.
"This is what I will teach you," Pedro said, his voice sounding strange, as if another person with a deeper voice were speaking with him. The glow stopped at once, and Pedro dropped to the ground.
"So, how do I do that?" Jack asked impatiently.
"You must first understand that this technique is like opening a faucet of mana within your body. Imagine your mana is supplied to your body by a spigot. As of right now, let's say that spigot is one-eighth of the way open. This technique opens that valve all the way, allowing the mana to rush from your Life Force into your body at an unrestricted level, giving you strength beyond what you have ever known. But you will run out of mana within a few seconds with your current mana supply, so you can't keep this up forever." Jack pulled his lips to the side as he thought of the gains that would outweigh the costs.
"What about Crystal Power? Can't I use that when my Mana runs out?" Pedro shook his head.
"Trust me, stick with me, and you will see why." Pedro taught him the seal for releasing the mana and then stood back as Jack repeated the seal in his mind as a blue haze began seeping from his skin like smoke.
"Good, now find where your mana is being held back and release it!" For thirty minutes, Jack searched his inner being for that valve with no luck until he began tracing back his flow of mana through his Life Force. He reached something that seemed to be holding back his mana and repeated the spell. In his mind's eye, he watched the valve open, letting his mana flood his body. Jack began to hover as a golden glow surrounded him; his eyes became white as his hair stood on end, and his body flashed into a gold color. Jack could only stare at himself as the overwhelming feeling of power roared through his body until the glow stopped. The unexpected cut in power made him land on the ground flatfooted, the shockwave rippling up his spine.
"What happened? I was just… oh man…" an extreme feeling of sore muscles rolled through his entire body, making him collapse to the ground, groaning in pain.
"Now multiply that feeling by 1000, and that's what would have happened if you had used crystal power. Rest for a while and then try again." Pedro instructed. It was a good 20 minutes before Jack's mana came back. When he tried again, he attempted to regulate his mana while still keeping the Hyper Fist powered until a white glow surrounded him, and he found himself dressed in heavy armor, swinging down his sword through a target dummy. At the same time, a strange seal whirled around his wrist.
"What the… What just happened? A second ago, I was getting ready to go into Hyper Fist. " Jack asked, thinking back. He tried thinking of some of the skills he had learned as a Pirate, but sword fighting techniques and styles had replaced everything.
"What you are experiencing is what we Advance Masters call Cumulative Training. Every so often, this place will put you in another of your friend's positions to learn each other's strengths and weaknesses by fighting and training with their skills and abilities. Without this form of training, you can become a strong fighting force, but not one that knows everything about each other. This way, you will know each other in and out. What you learn will be passed back to the original host." Tylus answered.
"So what you're saying is that one of the guys could be in my body?! JACK! YOU BETTER KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF MY BODY!" Helen screamed, finding herself in Olsen's place with figure-hugging armor.
"No, Helen, your experience has changed, not your mind. Right now, you are learning as though you had been the Guardian Ninja from the beginning. Whoever is in your place is learning as though they were a Mage. Body and mind haven't changed; existence is the only thing that has changed."
"So what happens to the stuff I learn here as the Archer? Does it stay with me?" Matthew asked, looking over the bow and finding it strange that it all seemed so natural.
"Yes: but what you learn is shared with the original person. You are merely learning to understand what it is truly like to be your comrades and know when and where you need to be. We found that experiencing others' abilities is the best way to understand strengths, weaknesses, and needs." Rene replied to Matthew. Olsen nodded to Pedro's explanation as he looked over his equipment as a pirate, liking the fact that now he wasn't so scrawny.
"Well then, let's get to it!" he shouted, again trying to activate the Hyper Fist with a climbing yell.
Dragonoir watched as his most significant embarrassment walked into the Eos Tower, where they would become more powerful. Of course, he had been training, refusing to let their next encounter have the same result. Attacking with a heavy assault as they came out would be a perfect time, as they would no doubt be tired. Beneath him, he could feel Phoenix shuddering in anticipation.
"Steady Phoenix, you will have your chance. For now, I want those brats to relish their last moment before their demise." Draonoir said with a smirk.
Athena sleepily wandered into the marketplace, slowly sipping a cup of her favorite rose and fern tea. The cool morning air and still sounds before dawn comforted her, but that wasn't what she seemed to enjoy most. The past months left her puzzled; a stirring within her soul appeared after returning here to Ossyria and Herb Town. At first, she passed it off as joy for returning to her home of Ossyria but found that wasn't it. Athena guessed then that it might have been after seeing her long-time friend Aran after so many centuries, bet even then, that wasn't it.
Looking up from her tea, she saw the leading battalion of Eckhart's Night Walkers behind her. With a glance, she immediately spotted Eckhart among them and waved, smiling as she watched them trudge back to their huts, half asleep. As she turned back to her tea, she was surprised to see Mir sitting down across from her, leaning on her elbows with a sly smirk on her face.
"Waving to Eckhart's battalion again?" Mir asked, shifting her wings slightly.
"Yes, I am. The Nightwalkers deserve some welcome and thanks for their lonely service during the night." Athena answered.
"That is true. But I've noticed that you seem to wait here for Eckhart's battalion every morning for the past week. What are you after?" Mir teased. Athena sighed sadly, reaching to a pocket on the side of her quiver and pulling out a faded photo of her, Caleb, and Jenny as a toddler, sliding it over to Mir. The Dragoness picked it up and studied it for a short while, holding it further into the shade to better see the faded features when her eyes widened and looked back to the distant group of Nightwalkers.
"No! It can't be!" Mir said in a breathless murmur.
"Yes, I believe it is." Athena smiled, taking the picture back from Mir and looking it over with a conflicted stare.
"I believe that Eckhart is Caleb in this world. I know Eckhart doesn't share any of Caleb's memories, but it is enough to watch him and know that my Caleb still lives in some form."
"Then let him know what it is you feel. If Minerva gave you this second chance, don't let it slip away."
"I don't want to force him to become something he isn't. It will only lead to heartache."
"Then don't think of him as Caleb. Think of him as another person entirely. You may lose him forever if you don't do anything about it now." Mir shot back, taking the picture from Athena once more and holding it up to compare Eckhart and Caleb.
"You sound like you speak from experience Mir." Athena smiled. Mir wiggled her head as if shaken from a trance, her eyes wide and confused.
"How do you mean?" she asked, handing the picture back and absently running her fingers through her gold and black hair while her wings fidgeted.
"Your feelings toward Evan must be strong, or your words wouldn't have such conviction." Mir looked away, swallowing hard and thrumming in her throat.
"Th-that's impossible," Mir stuttered. "Master Evan is my master. I am by his side no matter what comes our way." Mir said shortly, turning away from her as her wings fidgeted more and more. Athena sighed long, setting her tea down and tucking the picture back in its pocket.
"Is you bound to him the only reason for staying by his side? The Empress and Shinsoo share a stronger bond than you, yet he doesn't abide by the Empress as you do Evan," Athena asked. Mir turned and looked Athena in the eye, her pupils narrowing to slits as her cheeks blushed and her eyes relaxed.
"I… that is… I don't know." Mir flipped her tail around agitatedly as she thought about Athena's words: Her? Love her master? That was preposterous! She was a dragon, and Evan was a human. But, she could take on human form. Mir had observed human rituals of affection; frankly, she almost preferred them to the dragon ways of showing love, especially an action called a kiss. She had seen many people around the village perform this and even watched as Lilin and Aran performed this small ritual. She often wondered what it would be like to receive a 'kiss.' Evan's voice cut through her thoughts as he walked up to them.
"Mir! There you are; I've been looking all over for you. Come on; we must head to the training ground to practice more. I think the Guardians will need our help soon." He said with a smile. Mir jumped a bit when he spoke, putting aside her thoughts with a quick shake of her head.
"Yes, Master, I'm coming." Mir jumped off the barrel she had been using as a chair and was about to follow after Evan when Athena's words stopped her.
"So you do love him after all," Athena said in a low tone. Mir could only hope that the heat in her cheeks would die away soon as she left, walking after Evan to their secluded training area. Mir noticed as they walked that some of the human females would come up to him, talking to him in a friendly way. The longer they lingered, the more she noticed a hot feeling in her chest. What was it that was making her feel this? Was there a buildup of her fire breath? No, that wasn't it. Was there something in the air she was allergic to? No, that wasn't it, either. Then what was it? What in Minerva's name was making her feel this way?!
"Mir? Are you alright?" Evan asked, touching her shoulder but jerking his hand back when a power shock sparked on his finger. Mir jumped a bit as she was broken away from her momentary trance and looked into her master's face.
"Uh… yes, I was just… remembering something." She fumbled, thinking to herself that it was a poor excuse. But Evan accepted her reason, turning to walk again to the training area.
"At least I won't have to think during training." she thought. Unfortunately, things were no better; all during their practice, Mir felt distracted by her master's touch against her neck as they flew. It caused her to miss her timing as Evan cast a spell or nearly hit obstacles in her path. She would often miss fire or completely forget to use her power, making their practice more like a ride on a choppy sea. After a couple of hours, Evan jumped off and stood before her.
"Mir, what's the matter? Your timing is way off, as is your power usage." Evan asked. Mir looked up at him in her dragon form, only to look away in embarrassment and worry that her scales would reveal her burning cheeks.
"I think that's enough for one day. We'll try again tomorrow." Evan said with a frustrated brush of his hair.
"Why? Why am I so unable to focus!? No matter how many times I try, the thought of Evan always gets in the way and makes me lose focus again, and again, and again." She thought as she collapsed to the ground and reverted to her Human form when Athena's words came back to her:
"So you do love him." Mir looked up at Evan as he walked away, feeling the same hot pressure in her chest from before as another woman came up to him and began chatting carelessly with him.
"No, get away from him! Master Evan belongs with me! He's my… he's… my…" But she cut her thought short. Did her master mean more to her than she first thought? Was what she felt the feeling humans called love? Could such a thing exist between a human and a dragon? Oh, how she wished Afrien was still alive so that she could ask her what experiences she went through. Slowly she got up and followed after Evan; there had to be some simple reason for her acting like this towards her Master. She didn't want him to be just her master, but what else was there?
In the final minutes of training, explosions from inside the Temporal Distortion rocked Helios tower as each Guardian grasped their new skills, steadily grasping how to replace or mix the Crystal power with their mana and not be completely exhausted. Jenny had been training as a Swordsman for the past hour and had a newfound respect for Matthew. She was unaware of the sheer weight of his armor and weapons, appreciating his brute strength after going through Helen's, Jack's, and Olsen's existences, each one giving her a new respect for her friends.
Helen was going through the paces of an archer, realizing that Jenny didn't have the luxury of just looking and casting a spell where desired. Jack trained as a Ninja and understood why Olsen was always at a distance until he decided to attack: although deadly, the tools of a Ninja required precision, not brute force. Olsen found himself in awe of Helen after experiencing her power, knowing why he often saw her reading some old book or sitting alone in a quiet place meditating.
Matthew now had great respect for his comrades, especially Jack, since he couldn't have heavy armor weighing him down. Just as they finished their last attacks from running through a mass of mana clones, A flash of light brought them to a single room where Roberia waited, returning to their original skill set.
"Thou hast completed thy training. Two final tests remain for thee before you are given a new weapon. Some still need polish, but thou art a fine group of well-trained warriors. Matthew, thou might need this. It is a gift from Glimmer of Masteria." she said, hovering down to Matthew and handing him a rather large-headed spear with the name Sunlight on the handle.
"This test, in particular, may seem easy in action. But trust me when I say it will be harder than anything you've faced." Pedro said with a stern tone.
"Your task is this; bring us a pendant made of a dark gem. What you will face to bring us this item I don't know. Everyone who passed this test has said it was hard for them, so you have been warned." Rene continued, walking up and tapping each of them on the forehead, sending them to the unique dimension used to perform this test.
"Will there be any that cannot finish this test?" Rene asked no one.
"What if this test is something that will happen to them along their journey?" Pedro asked.
"No, they will succeed. They must succeed." Tylus grunted.
"But is such hope too much of a burden on their shoulders?" Roberia asked.
"They are strong in body, but most do not face this kind of brutal reality at such a young age," Arec said. All five turned and faced one another, catching the other's gaze. None of them wanted to utter the words, but they all thought about it: was this the right thing to do? Was having these five children face The Black Mage in place of Minerva the salvation said to come? What of them? Would the coming battle rend their souls?
Within minutes the five of them reappeared in the tower. All had looks of horror, despair, or disbelief on their faces. Arec walked among them, looking over each of them and taking in their expressions and relief that their significant other was still alive. The Five all looked around momentarily when Jenny ran to Olsen, holding each other desperately. Jack quickly walked to Helen, putting a hand on her jaw and breathing a ragged sigh of relief before wrapping her in his arms. Matthew was left alone to think about what he had done. In his mind, he saw how easily he had reduced the Lillianne in that place to mush.
"The test is a possibility you may face in the coming battle with the Black Mage. It may have been easier…" Arec was interrupted when Jack grabbed his collar and pinned him against the wall.
"Easy? EASY? You think it was easy when I obliterated Helen's heart?!" Jack thundered, threads of mana buzzing around him. Arec lowered his brow, pulling Jack's hands from his robe.
"If such a situation arises, you must do your best to complete what is asked of you, even at the cost of your beloved or friend."
"Are you telling me that trying to save them from the Black Mage's grip is not a worthy cause?" Matthew asked with clenched teeth. Rene answered him sternly, pulling her gaze upward to meet his.
"That is the noblest of causes. But think of this world and those you would be putting in danger if you choose one over the whole. The Black Mage is not some villain from your world of games. He is a mighty foe and will use anything at his disposal to see his goal through." Olsen put his arm around Jenny's waist and turned to them.
"Then tell me this, oh great masters; Is Jenny here my love, my comrade, or a disposable commodity?" he asked with a dark tone, glaring at Roberia and Tylus from under his lowered brow. Tylus turned to him as all five of the master's faces fell, and their demeanor became heavy.
"Jenny is nothing less than your love and your comrade. This test was not to show you that your comrades are disposable. It was to ask if you have the strength to let them go. Even at your strongest, releasing someone from the Black Mage's grip will take time, something I doubt you will have much of." Tylus answered as Olsen relaxed his brow and turned back to Jenny, leaning his head against hers, closing his eyes, and breathing in deeply.
"So far, thou hath done well. There is but one final test waiting for thee in El Nath." Roberia said, holding her arms wide to gather The Guardians and the Advance Masters. With another transporting spell, they appeared in El Nath, where The Masters, Aran, Lillianne, Cygnus, her knights, and the apprentices waited to witness the final test events. Matthew caught sight of Lillianne waiting for him and went to her, holding her tightly enough that she found breathing difficult.
"Matthew, what's wrong?" she asked softly.
"Nothing, it's just good to see you again," Matthew said, easing his grip and resting his head in the crook of her neck for a few moments. Shortly after, The Guardians ate while they recovered their strength physically and mentally before facing their final test. Once Aran was sure they had regained their strength, he stood before them and became very solemn.
"You have gone through many trials, making you into the warriors that you are today. This final test will grant you a weapon unlike any other. If you fail, you must prove that you are worthy of the weapon by defeating your advance master. Only then will you be given your new weapon." Each of the Advance masters then took their respective pupils to a room where a door was closed and bolted shut.
"Grendal, do you think this is a wise idea?" Dances asked, watching the now closed and silent doors their children now stood behind.
"Only time will tell if these guardians are truly ready, Dances," Grendal replied.
"But no other student has ever passed a test like this before. Don't you think it's a bit unfair?" Kyrin asked, looking to Athena for the backing of her opinion.
"We should believe in them. I fear that whoever doesn't pass will not survive if we do not be." Irena surmised. Eckhart jumped up to the ledge where Olsen entered, placing a hand on the door.
"They will pass." He said flatly, Jin nodding in agreement.
"Archer Guardian of Ossyria. There is power here in this world; power that, if used correctly, can be made to do anything." Rene said. Holding her hands to Jenny, her tone of voice became solemn.
"Which hand in this room can wield that power?" Jenny looked from Rene's left to her right, then raised her hand to make her choice.
"Remember, the instant you choose wrong, you will be in for a fight for your life until you defeat me," Rene warned. Jenny hesitated, reached a few times, but reconsidered her choices: left or right? She only had two choices to make, one of which would launch her into an epic battle. Which one held power? Each Guardian was asked the same question. Time seemed to stretch into eternity: Right or left? Helen thought it through, trying to find some answer in the question and then realizing that maybe there was a third answer.
Matthew and Jack struggled: never in their life had they had to think so hard, not even on a pre-calculus test. Olsen continued to think, trying to find the answer by watching Arec's hands, looking for some hint. Outside the masters, the Empress and her knights waited in deathly silence as time passed. And then the first of them immerged, wearing a big smile on his face as Arec led Olsen to the floor.
"Master Olsen has chosen correctly." He said with a satisfied smile when Helen came out, having chosen correctly, followed by Jenny and Matthew, who replayed their choice by showing the Advance Masters their hands, the hand that genuinely held the world's power. Jack, however, remained in his room. Which hand held the most power? At first, he was about to pick Pedro's right, as that one gripped his pistol, but then he decided to go with the left since that was the one he used for a power punch in a fight. But again, that didn't seem right either; which one, which one!? He decided it would be best to try for an answer: he reached forwards, ready to touch Pedro's left hand, but hesitated: something in the air made him reconsider his answer before making the final choice. But he pushed it aside and tapped on Pedro's left hand.
"Is that your final answer?" Jack thought about the answer that was to come next: something in his tone of voice sounded disappointed, almost saddened by his choice.
"No, that isn't. Let me think about it one more time." He said, seriously thinking about what he was going to choose.
"Urg! What's taking him so long?" Growled Helen as she paced impatiently, almost wearing a path into the hardwood floors of the mansion while Matthew smiled and chuckled slightly.
"Helen, calm down. I'm sure that…" the door to Pedro's room blew off its hinges as Jack landed and skidded backward, a small trickle of blood running down his lip. Pedro stepped to the broken door and looked down at Jack, who charged at Pedro. Helen was about to cast a freezing spell when Robiera stopped her.
"Thou cannot interfere in this battle. Let them alone." She said sternly. Helen was about to push past her when she saw the speed and ferocity Pedro and Jack fought with and was glad Roberia told her not to get involved.
Loud explosions erupted as the two opponents collided, exchanging blows all around the mansion. Gunfire and shrapnel would fly as they shot at each other, zipping past everyone's heads on snapping from the magical barriers around them. Time and time again, all anyone could see were quick stills of the two brawlers. Jack was hurled to the ground by one of Pedro's powerful right hooks. Jack rolled from his back to his knees, grunting and groaning as he did, catching his breath. Pedro stood atop the second-floor balcony with a cocky smirk on his face.
"Are you giving up so easily?" Pedro asked as Jack looked up with fire in his eyes.
"Hardly; I'm just getting warmed up!" He said as a rooster tail followed his footsteps, launching the two of them into another furious battle, blow after thunderous blow echoing through the air. Jack switched to Hawkeye's techniques as bolts of lightning struck the floorboards until Jack sprawled to the ground.
"You know that you can't win, Jack." Pedro prodded.
"Yes… I… CAN!" with a scream, Jack opened his mana gates and transformed into the Hyper Fist being, moving faster and striking harder than before. It wasn't long until the technique drained him of his mana, again ending by being hurled to the ground.
"You've got perseverance; I'll give you that," Pedro growled as Jack stood again, dizzy from being hit and thrown to the ground so many times.
"Stay down. You've already got a least a week's worth of injuries to keep Helen busy." Pedro taunted.
"I will not quit because I'm injured. I will push on until I have won!" Pedro nodded at his words and smiled, relaxing his stance.
"Well done, Jack, you've…" Pedro moved away as the air felt thick with static clawing at his skin.
"Jack, what are you doing!?" Pedro shouted as he watched Jack take the stance as if he were activating the Hyper Fist again. Pedro rushed to him in a flash, pulling his arm up to stop him. The thick air made Pedro realize he wasn't using mana; he planned to use Crystal Power.
"Don't try that until you have mastered the Ultra Hyper Fist; only then can you possibly stand a chance of using the crystal power in place of your mana. You've already proven to me that you are worthy of continuing your journey." Jack let out a weary breath and bowed his head, nodding. Slowly, Pedro let his arm down and backed away with a smile.
"Now, only one thing remains. You will visit the Sacred Stone of Warriors, putting the pendant and your current weapon on its altar. It will then transform it into a weapon unlike any other." He said, holding his hand out to the front door. Skeptically, the Guardians followed the Advance Masters through the valleys and hills into the Mountains.
A large, straight-edged stone stood among the trees, similar to an obelisk made of pure onyx. A symbol glowed near the top, and a platform made out of stone surrounded its base. Helen walked to the stone first, setting her Thorns staff and pendant on the platform, where a voice hummed from the Obelisk.
"This staff has seen many battles; it has provided its wielder with many spells." The voice said with thoughtful grandeur. The staff and pendent floated up from the platform, transforming into pure light. As the light faded, her new staff began to emerge. The shaft appeared as a twisted silver rope. The head took the shape of a small skull while three golden feathers hung where the shaft and head met.
"This staff, The Ritual of Darkness, has been granted to the Guardian Mage of Ossyria. Use it wisely." The voice said as Helen carefully lifted the new staff from the platform and given her robes to change into brought by the Masters. Jack was the next to go, drawing his Hades and unclasping his Psychotic Edges, placing them on the same alter with the pendant.
"These weapons, too, have seen many a battle and have been used to their full extent. But now this Pirate must have newer weapons. Otherwise, his strength will shatter them." The voice said as if whoever was speaking was smiling. As with the staff, the Knucklers and gun both transformed into nothing but light. When they settled, the light revealed stiff steel gloves with four large studs protruding from the top of the bracer portion, and the gun became a fine revolver. The thick gold plating on either side of the handle wrapped around the cylinder and inlaid into the maple wood handle.
"These new weapons, the Abyss Revolver and the Beia Crushers, are yours to wield. Protect Ossyria well with them." Jack picked up his new weapons excitedly as Kyrin gave him his actual suit, running into the house to change. Jenny timidly stepped forwards and placed her bows and pendant onto the platform, watching as they were instantly picked up into the air, already transforming.
"You, Archer, have seen many things: doubt hangs on these weapons. But the doubt has been conquered. For that, you are granted the Crimson Hinkal and the Gross Jaeger crossbow. Use these to guard us all." The Hinkal's center was circular, with two large topaz gems reaching up and down to claw-like braces where the sinews were tied. The Jaeger crossbow was of a simple, slender design, having two bayonets at the front of the handle, while steel tension arms reached back and out to the stock of the body.
Athena handed her the newly finished armor as Jenny reached for her new weapons. As she did, Jenny noticed something was bothering her. Once the training was over, she would make time to hang out with her mother, something she hadn't done in some time.
Matthew reverently placed his weapons onto the altar, setting down the pendant, the Tiger's Fang, and his Neocora. At first, the swords were engulfed in brilliant light, then hurled into the air beyond Matthew's sight as the pendant began to glow while the voice boomed from the stone.
"Warrior, your swords have been tested under your strength and have proven themselves worthy companions to you. Now you are granted weapons to match your strength." Lightning began tearing through the sky, striking the platform multiple times.
"Swordsman of Ossyria, you are granted the noble swords…" As Matthew looked up, something began appearing from the cloud, falling end over end until it stuck into the ground with a solid clang.
"The legendary Sword of Dume…" The colossal sword's flats were blackened while the sharpened cutting edges stood out boldly, reaching the entirety of the blade from guard to the point. Near the tip, the blade narrowed, and a long void sat in the middle with its edges sharpened. The sheath to the sword slowly appeared on the ground next to the Dume.
"…and the Katana of Blood." Another sword fell from the clouds in a burst of flames, sticking into the ground, glowing red hot for a moment. It was a katana no longer than Matthew's arm but with a finely designed hilt. As the blade cooled, the red glow remained. It looked as if it were alive, glowing with a mysterious red water-like jewel that moved with hypnotizing radiance, the same jewel set in the pummel.
Matthew reached for the Katana and began to sheath it on his belt out of habit as the sheath of the Neocora remolded itself to fit the new blade. The sheath of the Dume was weighty, making Matthew doubt that he could lift the heavy-looking sword. But when he grasped the handle, it pulsed as if it had a heartbeat. Bright blue veins reached down the length of the blade as if it were filling with some strange blood. Once the glowing veins came to the tip, Matthew lifted the sword with one hand, surprised by its light weight. He looked back to his father in confusion as Dances began to explain.
"This sword is one of Four Legendary Swords that defy its size. When you alone grasp the handle, the sword reacts to your touch and draws on a small part of your mana; doing so lightens the sword so that you may wield it easily. Your enemy will feel the true extent of its weight." Matthew stared in awe at the giant sword, swinging through a set of motions and stances.
"What happens if someone else tries to pick it up?" Matthew asked, putting the sword into the sheath on his back, grunting under the actual weight of the blade once he let go.
"The sword will only listen to you. If you so desire, whoever touches the handle will be able to wield the Dume. Only you have that choice. Now go; your true armor is waiting for you inside the mansion." Matthew bowed to his father while he turned and ran inside, eager to wear the lighter armor. Olsen presented his weapons to the altar, unclasping his claw and taking his belt off that held the sheath and his dagger.
"Ninja of Ossyria, these companions are indeed great. But the time has come for greater weapons to be granted." His claw and dagger began to glow, hovering in the air as the pendant disappeared into dust made of light. All at once, his weapons dematerialized into nothing but pure light, reforming into a fine black claw and a new dagger.
"The Onyx Scarab, and the dagger Golden River, shall serve as your near companions in battle." The Scarab had a hard case covering the top of his hand over his knuckles and forearm. Gold blades protruded on the case's sides and reached beyond his knuckles. Olsen strapped the new Claw to his hand, swinging through a few motions, getting used to the new weight clasped to his arm. As he turned the dagger around in his hand, he noticed a vial of golden liquid housed in the dagger's handle.
"What's this?" Olsen asked, showing the vial to Jin.
"That is the venom of the Popae Fish: a potent nerve poison that will kill a man within a minute. Twisting the handle will release the venom and cover the blade in the deadly substance." He said, Syl walking up behind him and hanging on his shoulder.
"I taught Jin how to use that dagger when we were trainees under my father," Syl said, smiling as Jin handed Olsen the proper armor promised him, quickly running back to the house and beginning to change into the fine, much lighter armor.
With dark eyes, Dragonior watched as their weapons manifested into something more powerful than they first had. As they donned their new armor, he watched with particular interest as Jenny changed into her new armor. Watching her made his mind wander back to the simple days he spent in Henesys with his brother and friend Camila before Evan became the Dragon Mage, and then he snorted to himself.
"Someone as powerful as I needs nothing of love." Phoenix walked beside him and thrummed low in his throat, waiting for his master's command to do whatever he wished, transforming back into his human form and waiting with thick anticipation. But all the same, he still missed Camila and her sweet smile.
Mir felt Phoenix transform and wanted to go after him, quickly standing and beginning to change when Evan forced a surge of mana through her body, making her transformation stop.
"Master Evan! We must go! Dragonoir is near the…"
"Mir! We are not going, not while you are still distracted. Even if we were to go, we'd be more of a burden than a help." Mir stopped resisting and looked back at her master in confusion: why was he being so stern with her? He had never been this way before. And then there was how she felt toward her master, which confused her even more. Over and over again, she would tell herself that he was just her master, but then she would question her feelings and the frustration she felt when another woman would talk to him. Evan looked hard at her for a moment and then let go of her arm as he walked back to the small cafe table.
"Mir, I have no idea what you are thinking. I may be a great mage, but I can't read a person's mind, let alone yours." Mir tried to sort out her thoughts and then felt a stirring in her chest, a longing she had never known.
"Since you hatched, I have often wondered what you were thinking, but now I have…"
"Master Evan, may we talk in private somewhere?" she interrupted. Mir kept her head down so that some of her long hair would hopefully cover her eyes. Evan sighed hard and accepted, looking around a bit before getting up and paying for his drink. Spotting a wooded area behind the marketplace, he stomped away with Mir close behind. Evan was worried; Mir rarely needed to talk to him privately about something, which was usually grave news.
"What's the matter Mir? What aren't you…" He was interrupted when Mir grabbed his shoulders and firmly shoved him against a tree. Evan stood wide-eyed and fearful: even in her human form, Mir was many times stronger than he was and could easily kill him. Just as he was about to question Mir, she pulled herself to him and pressed her lips to his.
Evan kept still in stunned silence; he could feel the power that swirled within her flow through him, making it hard to breathe. It felt like a tremendous fiery weight was pressing on his chest. Mir pulled away from him slowly with a ragged breath, opening her golden eyes and running her hands over his shoulders.
"These past few days have been playing torture with me and my mind. Many times I tried to make sense of what I thought and why it was every time you talked to another human female that my chest would feel hot. But now I know it's not because you are my Master. My heart is the one that has been talking to me. I don't just want you to be the master of my power; I want you to be the master of my heart and soul. Evan, si… si itov wux." Evan remained silent as he processed Mir's words, realizing why Mir had been acting so strange. He realized Mir felt trapped between her feelings and her sworn oath as a Dragon servant. Mir seemed almost fragile by the eager trembling touch and the intense light in her golden eyes. Gently, Evan pulled her in close, whispering into her ear.
"I had no idea you felt this way,"
"Am… am I presuming too much?" Mir asked, fear clutching her, realizing that Evan may not feel the same towards her. She was a dragon, after all, despite her having a human form.
"After all these years, I never even considered it a possibility. But, if you'll have me, I would be honored." Evan murmured, leaning down and pressing his lips to hers once more as Mir pulled her wings around them, pressing her body against him, losing herself in Evan's embrace.
The Guardians came out of the mansion, admiring their new lighter armor as it glistened or shone in the sun. Dragonoir tightened the reins of Phoenix and burst from his hiding place, the dragon unleashing a thunderous roar.
"GUARDIANS! I WILL WIPE YOU FROM THE FACE OF…" Aran hit him with a wave of ice, cutting his speech short and throwing them into a hill.
"Dragonoir! You shall face me." Aran shouted. Dragonoir growled as he hauled on Phoenix's reins to get Phoenix back on his feet. Jenny and Jack both reached for their weapons when Athena stopped them.
"Aran will be more than enough to deal with him. You five still need rest." Athena said, putting a hand on Jenny's shoulder.
"Isn't this the kind of thing that we've just finished our training for? This'd be the perfect time to use what we just learned!" Jenny argued as the other agreed with her, readying for battle. Dances walked up to them with a stern look on his brow.
"Athena is right, you may have the training, but you must give your body time to heal and rest after so much training." Jack looked back to his comrades, Lillianne included, silently asking if each were ready. They each reached for their weapons and readied their newest techniques.
"We may need rest, but we must fight a battle. We'll deal with the consequences later." Matthew growled. Dances lowered his head, knowing their recovery would take longer, but these young warriors were determined. Through all his years of teaching, he knew there was nothing more powerful than someone who was determined.
"Very well, show us what you have learned." Dances said, holding his hand out to the battle behind them. As they left, Grendal walked between Dances and Athena and spoke in a low tone to them.
"Is letting them fight like this going to harm them more than it will help?" he asked, looking back and forth as they watched the Guardians charge.
"No, but they will be in pain." Athena smiled, remembering her training so long ago, brought back to the present when a flash of light came from the battle. Aran skidded to a stop as he was thrown back beside them, having more trouble with this foe than he first thought.
"Perhaps it's time to consider hanging me up; time appears to be catching up with you, dear brother," Maha said, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Not today Maha. We still have…"
"JENNY! JACK! PUSH HIM BACK!" Matthew shouted, drawing his Katana. Jenny's bow began to ice over as her cloak transformed into the stiffening bars while Jack drew back his fist and launched forwards with the arrow. Both blazed past Aran, hitting Phoenix hard, shoving him back as his claws tore the ground. Helen then teleported behind him and released a cloud of poison vapors.
Dragonoir hauled on the reins, pulling Phoenix over the cloud. Olsen slammed into him from above, cutting Phoenix's belly in a flash of cuts and shoving them into the poisonous cloud. Helen teleported away as Jenny pummeled the cloud with sheets of arrows from the sky. Silence reigned as the cloud of poison and dust cleared, revealing Dragonoir holding a barrier above them, arrows embedded in it.
"You've grown stronger, but you still need far more power if you are to defeat me!" Dragonoir growled, snapping the heavy reins as Phoenix stood, turning to Helen, Lillianne, and Matthew with a growl as flames licked at his lips. The dragon's chest widened, breathing in and raising his head high. Olsen grit his teeth hard, streaking in front of his comrades and holding up his cloak as a flood of fire washed over them.
Matthew burst from the flames, drawing the Katana and striking Phoenix across the chest numerous times as orbs collected on his wrist. Lillianne began building momentum, swinging her halberd in a tight formation around her. When the Overcharge was complete, all five orbs sank into Matthew's wrist; Lillianne appeared next to Matthew, both swinging hard. Ice crackled from Lillianne's Halberd while bright green flames tore from Matthew's blade. Dragonoir hauled on the reigns, turning Phoenix to divert the attacks into the surrounding snow banks. Matthew quickly drew the Dume, raising it above his head while the veins stood out on the blade in bright blue threads.
"Try this on for size!" Matthew's growled, the sword appearing down on the ground as though he had finished as a shockwave ripped across the dirt. Tylus and Pedro both flew past them, hitting Dragonoir hard and sending him hurtling back.
"Why'd you do that? We had him." Matthew panted as the shock wave dissipated.
"Dragonoir prepared a reflection spell. Your shockwave would have been hurled right back at you. You may be stronger, but even you don't have enough skill to block or redirect the power you wield yet." Pedro said as Tylus turned to them with a smile on his face.
"You five are truly the Guardians. This is the true power that comes from working as one mind." He said as Lillianne came up to him and hugged Matthew tightly, giving him a quick kiss.
"I'm proud of you, Matthew." She said, hugging him tighter. Jenny beamed as Athena put her arm around her shoulders, looking at each of them as the masters gave appropriately earned praise. Arec stepped forward, calling the attention of The Five.
"Lord Matthew, Miss Jenny, Master Olsen, Lady Helen, and Sir Jack: you five have been the finest of any that have come to us for advanced training. Continue on this path; you shall be even greater masters than your parents. May Minerva guide you on your journeys to defeat the Black Mage." he said before escorting them all to Shank's ship. Each Advance Master waved to the group as they left El Nath, then turned to one another once the ship was out of sight.
"They are becoming mighty indeed…" Tylus mumbled.
"Almost as powerful as I was before Corus drained my mana," mumbled Rene.
"Even though I would rather that Corus's death was unnecessary, he has been too corrupted." Pedro smoothly said.
"And even if Corus were to find a way to save himself…" continued Arec,
"The evil of Black Magic hath permeated his heart. Not even I can reach him. The only path left for Corus is death. My most humble apology Corus for not being able to help thee, but thou art beyond own reach." finished Robiera as all five looked to a spot in the sky where the Black Mage watched through his Glass Ball. He clenched his bony fingers as he heard them speaking, tight enough that his hands creaked. The ball went dark with a silent wave of his hand, and a long hushed hiss from his throat echoed in the dark of his room. Eleanor stood by his chair and watched as he clenched his fist, then sensuously sat down across his lap and caressed his face, speaking in an alluring tone.
"Agitation doesn't suit you, master. The Oblivion Gauntlet is nearing completion, and the only Husk missing is the Emerald Crystal Husk. Once we have it, all we need do is wait for those brats to train the crystal's power. There will be nothing standing in your way." The Mage released his grip and relaxed as Eleanor spoke to him, making the tension in his shoulders disappear, nodding his agreement. Meanwhile, in a dungeon near the plains north of Edelstein, something paced back and forth, yellow eyes trained on the Oblivion Knights as they surrounded Checky.
A reddish-brown-haired beauty dressed in green clothes leaped from the dark and began firing arrows from her crossbow as if it were a machine gun. The Bolts tore through the Knight's armor, reducing them to scrap metal. Her pet panther bit into their chief and a few of the Knights, pulling them apart. Checky looked up from inside his cell and smiled.
"Belle! How'd you get in here?" the girl ran up to him and shot a Mana Arrow at the stocks and the chains holding his hands.
"I'll tell you later. Right now, we need to get out. Oh! And I brought your gun… what do you call it again?" Checky laughed as he ran to the Panther's saddle and began slamming together the pieces of a great machine he had been working on, pulling the strap over his shoulder. He hoisted it off the ground while he tightened a belt around his hips, fed the belt of large caliber bullets into the top, and pulled the bolt back hard, racking the first shot.
"It's called a Chain Gun." He smiled, rolling his neck as his white hair swayed in the light. The door burst down as even more Knights came barreling through the door.
"You might want to cover your ears, Belle." Checky grinned as he grabbed the rotating handle on the side and began cranking. Each of the six barrels turned around faster and faster until they ignited into a hail storm of bullets and flames: they were escaping, now!
Mir Translation: si itov wux = I love you