With the combine efforts of Mermaid Heel and Sabertooth, Salus misfired at the Nevira tribe and the tribe was safe, but it was only a temporary solution. Salus is going to fire again, but the alliance now has a way to fight back. Thanks to Chief Nakaru, they learned that the source of Salus' power are six crystals feeding it magic power and then gathering it in the core. They have to destroy all the crystals and the core itself to stop Salus. The six wizards are dealing with the crystal as we speak.
"There's one." Kagura said as she already found hers. Placed before her was a large diamond blue crystal. With one swift and powerful movement of her sword, the crystal was shattered. "That's one. I hope the others are having better luck."
...
Rogue
"Shadow Dragon Roar!" Rogue was able to find his crystal and was able to destroy it as well.
"You did it, Rogue!" Frosch cheered.
"But it won't matter if the others aren't able to pull this off." Rogue said. "Even with one destroyed crystal, this thing could still fire, and he have only fifteen minutes left." Even with two destroyed crystals, Salus could still fire. The rest is now up to Phoenix Flame.
...
Maru
Meanwhile, Maru went straight for the core, but that meant facing Dante again in his weakened state. Maru was having a difficult time against him, but then Celina appeared and seemed to have protected Maru.
"Celina?" Maru said. "What's going on? What are you doing here?"
"What is the meaning of this?" Dante questioned. "Are you attempting to finish what you started and try to destroy Salus by destroying the core?" Maru was a little surprised to hear that, but didn't quite get it.
"Maru, I know you must be surprised to see me, but know that I am here to help." Celina said.
"And I'm suppose to believe that?" Maru questioned.
"It's the truth." Celina said. "I want to help stop Salus and save the Neviras. I understand that you don't trust me, but I'm not the same as I was before. I was attempting to destroy Salus earlier, but I failed. Now, I want to help you and your friends."
"Don't try to trick me!" Maru said as he grabbed her by the collar and forced her to look at him. "Usually, I am an easygoing guy that wants to believe in others, but that's not an easy thing to do when I see how you are towards my friends. I was there when you and Aster faced each other back in Willow. You completely betrayed him, betrayed your friendship. You did it all in some crazy pursuit for power. That isn't something to easily forgive. Now, you're saying you're not the same person as before? You expect me to believe that after all that you did?!" Celina didn't expect Maru to really believe her, but she had to try something. Just then, she noticed Dante was about to attack.
"How boring. You picked a lousy time to start a fight." Dante said. He fired a dark blast right at them while they were busy arguing.
"Maru, move!" Celina said as she pushed him out of the way and used herself like a shield. She took the full force of the attack with no time for a defensive enchantment. Maru was a little surprised to see Celina do that. That certainly wouldn't be something the Celina he saw back in Willow would do. Celina was badly injured after and fell to the ground.
"You...protected me...?" Maru questioned.
"I understand if you hate me and can't trust me, but we do have a common enemy." Celina said. "I did many horrible things that are unforgivable, but Aster helped me see the light, gave me the will to keep going. He thinks you can defeat Dante, but you're already hurt. That's why I'm here." She said as she held out her hand and gathered her magic power around it. "I can enchant your wounds and transfer them to me so that you can fight with all your strength."
"You can really do that?" Maru questioned.
"Yes. Your friends are probably fighting hard despite how they're injured. I think it's time I do the same." Celina said. All Maru would have to do is take her hand and he could be healed, but can he trust her enough to do it?
"But you're already greatly injured yourself." Maru said. "Why would you do this?"
"I'm not asking for forgiveness." Celina said. "I just simply want to help because...I know you can do it. Aster believes in you more than anyone, so I will, too." Maru was hesitant to take her help, but if Aster is willing to give her another chance, Maru will as well. He took Celina's hand and her magic was working. All of Maru's injuries were transferring over to her. She suddenly found her whole body in pain, but she endured it because Maru is their only hope now. "We're counting on you."
"Thank you." Maru said as he felt so much better. Celina risked a lot to help him, even though they were enemies. He can't let it be for nothing now.
"So, you're so desperate to defeat me, you took the aid of someone you saw as your enemy. How pitiful." Dante claimed.
"I wouldn't say that. People who truly regret their past actions should have a chance to redeem themselves. If Aster can trust her enough to help, so will I." Maru claimed. "Specially since she just gave me what I need to beat a creep like you!" He jumped right at Dante and hit in him in the gut with so much power that Dante really felt that one. Maru's power appears to be even greater than before. After that, he grabbed Dante and threw him across the room and against a wall. Dante attempted another blast at him, but Maru deflected it, much to Dante's shock. Then, Maru attacked him an assault of strikes. Dante attempted to fight back as he swung his leg up, but Maru dodged it. Moving quickly, he got behind him and firing a blast of light that knocked Dante into the ceiling.
'Where is all this power coming from?' Dante thought as he fell out of the ceiling. It was then he noticed something different about Maru. He had glowing markings over his body, and his magic power is even more powerful.
...
Mary
Celina and Maru weren't the only ones that were fighting as hard as they could despite their injuries. Mary was doing her best as well. She had to lean against the wall for support, but kept moving. Luckily, she wasn't alone. Sandy was with her.
"Mary, you aren't looking so good. Maybe you should rest." Sandy said.
"I... I can't." Mary said as she kept going. "There's no time. We have to destroy at least one crystal before it's too late. I... I can make it." She told herself as she kept trying to force herself to go. "Although, I have to admit that once we get there, I'm not sure I have the strength to break it."
"Then, what are you going to do?" Sandy said.
"I don't know, but I'll think of something." Mary claimed. She wasn't the only doing her best. The rest of Phoenix Flame were doing their best despite how hurt they were. Their allies were also doing what they could to stop Salus despite how exhausted they felt. Hopefully, they can make it in time.
...
Aster
"Crystal-Make: Emerald Hammer!" Aster was able to make it to his crystal and smashed it to pieces. That makes three crystals destroyed. Aster has faith that the others will make it in time, but he could feel something has changed. A shift in the wind that tells him that something is different. "Maru..."
...
Maru
'That's the same power Maru used when he fought me.' Celina thought. Since now all of Maru's wounds are on her, all she could do was just lay there and watch, but she might have done all that was needed. Thanks to Celina, Maru might have a chance. The power he used to fight her last time has awakened once again, and it might be just what he needs to defeat Dante. 'I've never seen anything like it. I don't know how Maru awakened it, but that should give him the power to win this fight.'
"What is this?" Dante questioned as he got back up. "That's not dragon slayer magic, and it feels too pure to be this demon slayer magic I've heard about. So, what kind of power is this?"
"The kind of power that's going to beat you." Maru claimed.
"Your power might be impressive, but don't get ahead of yourself." Dante said. "With my own power added to the power Salus holds, I shall become unstoppable! The world will feel pain!" Dante unfolded his wings and took to the air only to come straight down above Maru, but Maru jumped out of the way. When that didn't work, Dante fired a series of dark blasts at him, but Maru kept moving around and avoided the attacks.
"Halo Rang!" Maru formed the large halo and threw it right at Dante, but Dante flew up and avoided it.
"Ha! You missed!" Dante taunted.
"Did I?" Maru said. The halo turned around like a boomerang with it hitting Dante right in the back and pushed him right into the wall. Despite that, Dante came out and flew right at Maru with Maru jumping right at him with the two colliding.
...
Tony
As for Tony and Ginger, there wasn't much they could do. Tony isn't a fighter, and Ginger doesn't have the power to destroy anything on her own. They just kept an eye on the head to see if it will fire again, but that's about all they can do.
"I don't like this. Ginger, is there really nothing we can do to help the others?" Tony questioned.
"I'm afraid not, Tony. At least not now." Ginger said. "Once this is over, you can use your healing skills to help everyone, but all we can do now is wait and see that they can make it in time." Tony certainly hopes so. Time is still ticking, and there's no any indication that his new friends have made it yet.
"Maru..." Tony mumbled in hopes that he can beat Dante.
...
Mary
Mary kept moving as best as she could. Eventually, she made it to where she needed to go. She could see the large crystal right before her. All she had to do now was destroy it, but does she even possess the strength and ability to do that in her state?
"There it is." Mary said.
"Great. You're almost there. Now summon Jupiter, Mars, or someone to smash that thing to bits." Sandy said.
"I would, but there's a problem I didn't mention." Mary said with her trying to hold herself up by leaning on her knees. "The truth is...I'm out of power. I don't think I have the strength to summon any of them."
"What?! If you can't, how are you going to destroy it?! All six have to be destroyed!" Sandy said.
"I don't know, but I'll think of something." Mary said as she kept trying. "I'm not going to give..." It looks like Mary couldn't make it with her collapsing. She was about to blackout, but then she felt herself leaning against something. Something caught her.
"I was moved by what you tried to do for Venus. The other olympians told me a lot about you." Mary and Sandy looked up and couldn't believe that it was actually Pluto.
"Pluto..." Mary said.
"It's that giant bat again! What's that thing doing here?!" Sandy questioned.
"You don't need to summon anything. Let me help you." Pluto said.
"Are you sure? You'll be defying Siena by doing this." Mary said. "She was already pretty angry with you after you disobeyed her."
"Let me worry about that." Pluto said as he made sure Mary could rest. "I'll shatter that crystal for you."
"Thank you." Mary said as she and Sandy were real grateful that Pluto would do something like this.
...
The Core
Maru and Dante kept on fighting, but it looked like an even fight so far. The two of them kept on trying to strike each other, but Dante soon got the upper hand. When Maru's last attack missed, Dante drove his fist right into Maru's gut. After that, he drove his elbow right into Maru's head and knocked him to the floor. Maru tried to get back up, but Dante gave him a powerful kick that knocked him away.
"Is that the best you can do? It would seem that even when you are at your best, you still can't defeat me." Dante mocked.
"Maru..." Celina mumbled with her still hoping he can win because he has to.
"Skull Legion's specialty is pain. Each of us suffered some form of pain that you couldn't understand what it felt like." Dante said. "In order for you to understand, the world has to feel the kind of pain it made us feel, if that's actually possible. You're fighting us out of sheer responsibility as a guild wizard. There's nothing personal for you in this fight. You can't win."
"That's where I disagree." Maru said with him getting back up. "It's not out simple responsibility. This is about what's right. I can't just simply give up. Everyone else is fighting, and placed their trust in me, so I can't let them down." He thought about all his allies, and how each of them have fought the best they could in this fight, as well as how they're doing everything they can. "You think we don't know what pain feels like. Maybe we understand more than you think, but we chose a better way to deal with it. I'm not going to let you destroy Tony's home or ruin lives just because you simply feel sorry for yourself." His drive was powering his magic and making his light shine even brighter.
"If only I could take this incredible power you hold for myself. Sadly, I think that's doable." Dante claimed. "In that case, my only option is to get rid of you!" Dante was gathering all the dark power he could. Maru did the same and gathered all the light power he could. There are only minutes left before Salus fires again. It's now or never.