Blazing Steel and Freezing Bullets

by Shinn of Destiny

Left alone in a blazing forest, Relon is soon saved and the path before him opens. With much to learn about such as his past, family, friends, even the very people trying to destroy the peace and him to an extent, his enrollment at Thors will be anything but normal.

51. Warzone

FireExorcist0: Am reading this and am like what's going on now?! ever since chapter 46 also might want to try adjusting Rean's relationship with Fie both are out of character, Fie takes longer to trust and Rean always plays oblivious and dodges these stuff they feel forced unlike Relon and Claire man I wonder how long it would take Aurelia to realize why Laura is hostile towards Claire considering that Laura is possibly her best friend lol.

Took a trip back to when both bos were "out of comission." Yes,they're different because I'm shaping their personalities to be as such to match the pace of the story. As mentioned at the beginning, characters may feel OOC. Laura and Claire are either besties or something else when it comes to Relon. Aurelia can only wonder, lol.

tackler5rb: Fie's entrance cracked me up, it's just so her xD

THAT'S WHAT I SAID! Thought... You know what I mean.

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Shinn: Jesus Christ I'm finally back. Though I never really left if that makes sense.

Andrew: When did you last update this story?

Shinn: November freaking 25th.

Andrew: JESUS SHINN!

Shinn: OKAY LISTEN UP! I WANTED THIS BIG CHAPTER OUT BY CHRISTMAS BUT STUFF CAME UP! THEN I TRIED NEWS YEARS BUT MORE STUFF CAME UP! THEN SCHOOL HAPPENED AND IS STILL HAPPENING!

Andrew: Uh-huh...

Shinn: And I decided, screw it, I'll just keep working on it along with my other projects. BTW, I MADE GUNDAM, RWBY, YUGIOH, GENSHIN, & NARUTO STORIES FOR ANY INTERESTED. Totally self promoting without a shred of dignity because of how long this thing took.

Andrew: You sound like you were at war for decades.

Shinn: Felt like eons. I'm just glad to be back. That long break in uploads hopefully won't be happening again.

Andrew: Anything else you wanna say?

Shinn: One word.

Andrew: Which is?

Shinn: BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

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Discord: discord. gg /GZM5HRMntp

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Clearing

"They just made our job a hell of a lot easier!" The legendary man snarls.

"Prepare yourselves, villains! You aren't getting away!" Cecily glares raising her pike.

"That's the signal!" Lechter notes.

"ALL TROOPS...!" Prince Olivert begins raising a hand.

"ADVAAAAANNNNCCCEEE!" Osborne bellows.

"You humans truly struggle until the bitter end." Sephiroth notes with clear annoyance taking hold of the returning blade. "Very well. If you are fine with losing all of your lives, then so be it!" He raises his sword. "Senate... end this farce! Jotaro!"

Raising a hand, one of the Leaguients snap their fingers for the bottoms of the ships to open. Hundreds of archaisms descending towards the area.

"That… doesn't look good." Sara mutters taking aim with her gun.

"Grunoja!" Yujiro roars to the beast at the edge of the clearing. Help them with the machines!" With a grunt and nod, the beast turns charging into the forest.

"All troops, open fire!" Osborne orders.

Taking aim, Sara, Claire, the soldiers, and tanks fire. Explosions and debris descending along with returning fire from the archaisms.

"Demeter." Sephiroth calls looking at the chaos. "To make up for your ill blunder, retrieve my children. Failure is not an option. Do remember to stick to our plan"

"Yes… my lord.. I swear it shall be done." She bows, her severed hand regrowing as she glares before standing upright.

Chanting in witch tongue, an arrow zooms towards her for Asuma to intercept it to see Cecily with her bow in hand.

"I said you aren't leaving! Yujiro!" She shouts, Senate looking to see the man punching in their direction unleashing a blast of air ripping the ground.

Narrowing his eyes, Sephiroth appears in front of Senate cutting through the attack causing it to blow through the edge of the clearing knocking over dozens of trees selges out.

"Truly, you're the second after the boy's mother to be of such a nuisance, Wandering Beast!"

"Let's see if I can top her after I break that mask and wring your neck with my bare hands!" Yujiro snarls back.

"Hm. I'd like to see. You. Try." Sephiroth walks forward with Goro in hand as does Yujiro. "Grimiore, make certain your faces remain hidden."

"Yes, sir!" Another female acknowledges raising a glowing hand before a veil of light washes over every Leaguient.

"Now then…" Sephiroth begins ignoring the machinery and gunfire going on around. "Let us-"

"RA!" Yujiro roars blitzing the leader throwing a punch which Sephiroth blocks, sending the villain zooming over his group into the woods with Yujiro jumping after him.

"Alright, Senate, you heard him." Asuma speaks. "Let's kill-" Blocking another arrow, Asuma clicks his tongue in annoyance. "Do all you Namikazes interrupt when someone is speaking?" He questions glancing at Demeter chanting once more.

"Only those we don't care for." She retorts, firing multiple arrows curving at different angles towards Senate.

"Hmpf!" He blasts away the arrows for Cecily to appear in front of him bringing down her pike. "Charging alone into an army as deadly as ours is just stupid!" Asuma grunts, blocking the blow to push the woman off into the air.

Firing a stream of flames, Cecily splits it in twoit away with sweep of her pike to continue her rotation, grabbing an arrow and hurling it with her bare hand at high speed.

"Simple wooden arrows won't work!" Asuma roars about to punch to incoming attack for it to curve narrowly avoiding the man's punch.

Widening, he attempts to grab the fleeting arrow for his finger to brush against the end as it flies at Demeter.

Stopping her chant to widen, a cloaked Leaguient appears in front with a blue and white circular shield blocking the attack. The force sending the two sliding back.

"Allow me to be your shield, Demeter." The hooded man speaks, his shield smoking from the impact of the arrow.

"Obelisk… Very well." She nods, returning to her chanting.

Landing, Cecily narrows her eyes in irritation as Asuma locks eyes with her.

That arrow shifted its trajectory so slightly and at such a velocity, I couldn't even trace it with my heightened perception in Stage two… The rumors didn't give the Weapon Collector enough credit. She's equally as dangerous as the Wandering Beast.

Flaring up with flames being ignited on the ground around him, Asuma punches his knuckles together.

"You're quite something, I'll give you that. But that's the only compliment you're getting out of me."

"I never asked for your words. But I'll happily take your head and mount it."

"Quite the declaration. What makes you believe that, Weapon Collector?"

"See, that's where your error lies. I'm not fighting you as the Weapon Collector. Unlike many others I know, I could care little for a title. You hurt my home, my family, my children. You're fighting Cecily Namikaze; the mother. And do you know what they say about a mother in regards to her family?" She flexes her grip on her pike.

"Sadly I never had one so I couldn't understand nor do I care." He shrugs, the hooded members all moving forward to line up along Asuma with some in the rear. "Kill em dead."

"We got incoming!" Sara shouts, slashing a round machine in its mechanical skull as she takes sight of the approaching threat.

"And that's where having parents would come in handy…" Cecily murmurs leaning forward and charging.

"You must have a death wish charging alone!" He exclaims firing a blast of fire as the other Leaguients reveal their weapons. "Shoot her down!" Complying, the Leaguients known as Rossweisse and Grimoire fly just above their fellow Leaguients' heads, their hands outstretched, before firing blasts of pink and blue magic respectively.

Fire, magic. Cecily thinks shifting from left to right continues her charge.

Another Leaguient joins in snapping their own bow from its fold before firing to which Cecily slashes it away.

A bow and arrow…

Once more, another takes a knee withdrawing a black-scoped rifle following Cecily's movement.

An orbal sniper rifle...

Firing, an ear-shattering shot rings out as the spot in front of Cecily kicks up. Gazing at the smoke for a moment, Asuma narrows.

"She's still alive!" At his call, out of the smoke jumps Cecily who descends bringing down her pike upon the group.

"How about this, then?!" A male states rushing and swinging their arms for chains to come from their sleeves grabbing ahold of Cecily's wrists to her sudden shock.

Realizing her predicament, Cecily releases her pike quickly twirling the chains into a knot as with a snap, she shatters her grip to them.

"Tch!" Rosseise clicks, glyphs appearing around her as she opens fire.

Grabbing her pike, Cecily refocuses on the group slashing away at the attacks as she plummets to the ground.

"DISPERSE!" Asuma shouts, all jumping back as Cecily mentally smirks, switching to her bow firing three arrows at Demeter. "Damn, another feint!" Asuma curses.

"Don't stop chanting!" Obelisk's gruffy voice orders as the woman looks on at the incoming arrows.

Watching the first arrow cereen their way, both watch as it hits the second bouncing into the air over them as the second arrow hits the shield pushing the two back a bit. Recovering from the brunt attack, both look to the first arrow hit the third sending it bouncing towards Demeters back.

She altered the arrow to approach from our blindspot?! Obelisk thinks turning to Demeter.

In a split second, a pink crescent cuts the arrow in half. Looking back to the hooded figure holding her sword in its sheath, Obelisk nods.

"You have my thanks, Narmaya." He thanks the hooded woman who nods in return looking back to Cecily crash causing the ground to tremble as dust kicks up once again.

From the dust, multiple arrows fire out at four of the Leaguients.

She's not aiming at me?! Asuma questions to widen in realization as he watches the four barely defend against the attack, sending them skidding to the ground.

"Sephiroth never taught you proper etiquette when holding a conversation it seems." Cecily's voice calls through the smoke gaining Asuma's attention.

As it clears, it shows her standing upright with her pike in her hand once more.

"Otherwise you would have learned… Mess with a mother and her family, and you'll face a foe worse than death itself!" A hard glare matching her angered tone.

"I could learn a few things from her." Sara notes not looking to slash two machines with her blade.

"We all could." Claire retorts, shooting a group of scattered machines hovering off of the ground.

"Less awing, more destroying!" Lechter reminds ducking and piercing a bulky machine his size with three-pronged grips as it attempts to grab him. "She's keeping all of Senate in check so the sooner we deal with these robots, the sooner we can help out!"

"Hmpf!" Osborne grunts, slashing the arms off of three bulky machines before slicing them all horizontally with a spin. "We'd only get in the way." He voices.

"Boss, you sure about that?"

"Quite. Don't forget. She too is a Namikaze. And we know they are ones you shouldn't underestimate." He returns to fighting off more machines.

"They just keep coming and coming!" Mueller grunts, slashing at multiple robots to reappear behind Olivert cutting down another archaism.

"Then we keep fighting! Cross Crusade!" Olivert shouts annihilating a group of incoming machines in heavenly light. "We've been through worse, have we not?"

"I believe Estelle and Joshua would agree with me in this one being ranked near the highest if not the highest! Ha!" Mueller retorts.

"Well, we'll have to get their opinions the next time we see them!" He fires at a large archaism raising its static arms to stagger back for Meuller to deliver the final blow.

"Tell Schera while we're at it!"

"That's the spirit, my friend!"

"Now isn't the time to act like you're enjoying it!"

Landing back-to-back with Claire, Sara and her can only sweatdrop at the two's antics.

"Reminds me of us." The supposed non-alcoholic quips looking to block bullets with her sword to retaliate by firing from her pistol gunning down more archaisms. "I am so gonna need a drink after this is all over with."

"Duck!" Claire pushes her down, dodging a beam of condensed energy to fire a charged shot of her own at the archaism as it explodes resulting in a chain reaction of smaller explosions from the nearby machinery. "I'd chide you for always bringing up your love for alcohol but at least get out of this alive first!"

"That's what I was referring to obviously!" Sara argues back, pushing Claire to both roll as she fires shooting down incoming machines.

"You could have fooled me!" Claire responds by ceasing her cast. "Frost Edge!" She shouts, launching shards of ice lodging into numerous machines.

"Those two seriously can't stop arguing even in the fight of our lives." Lechter says in disbelief rolling out of the way of an archaisms arm smacking the ground where he once stood for it to be sliced in two revealing Osborne behind it. "Are we the only normal ones here?"

"No one here is normal, Lechter." Osborne corrects lowering his stances as symbols dance around him. "Trifecta!" He declares unleashing three black whips to strike savagely through machine after machine resulting in numerous explosions.

"Heh, whatever you say." Lechter chuckles, ending his own cast. "Spiral Flare!" Arrows made of pure fire swirl barreling through and piercing a row.

Listening to the destruction all around her as well as seeing what she can with her peripheral vision, Cecily's eyes remain locked on Asuma.

The others are too occupied with the machines to help. I only have a few arrows left too. I need to make the most of this opportunity.

Readying herself, Cecily and everyone stops as the ground rumbles.

"W-Whoa!" Lechter gasps, injecting his rapier into a machine to stabilize his footing.

"Seems Yujiro's battle is even more hectic than ours." Olivert mentions going back-to-back with Meuller.

"I don't know whether that's good news or bad!" He retorts, both dashing to destroy more robots.

"Seems things are picking up for them." Asuma murmurs looking to his long-ranged allies slowly recovering.

Sensing Cecily on the move, he refocuses taking sight of the woman closing the distance. Extending a fist, he fires a torrent of flames for Cecily to dodges continuing forth.

"Fine. If she wants to die an idiot, we'll grant it." Bursting forth with the others close behind, Cecily and Asuma clash.

Pushing for dominance, both push away.

She's matching my own strength?! In that case…!

Reading herself of the incoming enemies, she begins rotating her pike as the first reveals a katana followed by another with gloves of his own. Parrying the quick succession of attacks around her, Cecily pushes away the swordsman to turn in time blocking a flurry of punches sending her skidding away. Catching herself, she takes note of her shadow for a Leaguient to shoot out from it. Their hand coated in what she can only guess to be darkness itself.

"Ha!"He shouts, firing said darkness.

Jumping back, Cecily widens as she takes sight of two Leaguients moving into position with twin spears and a lance respectively poised at her incoming position. Reaching for her back, she withdraws her bow, snapping it to block the spears and her pike the lance as she lands.

"It be a pleasure to slay one as grand as yourself, madam!" The spearman greets.

"Too bad you're on the wrong side!" The lance-user adds, Cecily gritting her teeth as Asuma blitzes directly in front of her.

Quickly shifting her footing, Cecily latches onto the spears with her bow moving him in front blocking Asuma as she kicks the lance-user away.

"That won't slow me down!" Hitting the ground, Asuma dashes past his ally spotting Cecily as he rears his hand back to widen as she brings her pike down hitting the ground for dirt and dust to kick up. "Grr!" Blasting through the dust, he finds his target missing.

Snapping past him, he sees Cecily on the move towards the other Leaguients.

"Where ya going, toots?!" Snapping her own head to the side, she blocks a hard punch sending her towards a Leaguient reeling back a large jagged blade.

Clicking her tongue, Cecily arches her back to face the incoming foe upside-down as she jams her pike into the ground, the sudden halt in motion causing her body to fling into the air as she grabs her pike sailing safely over the Leaguient.

A swordsman, a lancer, a spearman, and another martial artist? No. Judging by that stance, I'd guess he's a boxer. And his presence concealment is something else if it wasn't for his killing intent giving him away. He's the most bloodthirsty aside from Asuma and Sephiroth. She gauges to look at Demeter still chanting. That scepter truly made her incantations short. Glancing at her remaining arrows, she exhales a deep breath through her nostrils. Whipping her remaining five arrows, she fires two at Demeter and Obelisk and the last three into the air.

"Not this time!" Obelisk mutters, throwing his shield as it hits the first arrow altering its trajectory to hit the second for their collision to hurl it back into Obelisk's grip.

Landing, finding herself now surrounded, she discards her arrow satchel. The satchel itself causing a huge thud as it kicks up some dust.

"Weighted equipment…?" Asuma questions.

"It would seem so." The hooded Leaguient speaks next to him with a feminine voice.

"Less yappin', more murderin'!" The boxer says, spitting at the ground. "I've been itchin for sum action and by George my body's rarin' to go so what say we get to it?!"

"Easy, Porunga. Slow and steady or else the enemy will be ready~."

"Shut your trap, Heina! I'll deck you in the-"

"Enough! Kill her and then you can kill as many as you want until dad gets done with the Wandering Beast." Asuma readies himself.

"Hmpf, now you're speaking my language!"

Readying herself, Cecily notes of the knocked down Leaguients now recovered.

"Good of you all to join us once more~." The hooded member known as Heina greets with a wave. "Now we all can have fun together~." The young-sounding Leaguient hums in delight withdrawing a ship's anchor.

You don't see that everyday. Cecily raises her eyebrows in disbelief for a moment as another tremor occurs.

Catching her footing, Cecily looks up to the Leaguients finding Heina gone. Widening, she pivots behind swinging her pike to be sent away by the anchor.

Such speed and power! She winces, flipping to her feet. She's the same as Porunga but stronger!

"Awe~. You're good~." The hooded girl compliments twisting finger digging at her cheek.

"For a child, I have to admit you are as well. But…" Cecily's tone grows low, a piercing sound gaining their attention to look up at three objects descending.

"Demeter!" Obelisk grunts, pushing her out of the way, halting her chant as she gasps in shock for three loud bangs in quick repetition to sound resulting in a small crater, more so a narrow hole, being where Obelisk once stood.

"Tch, those arrows are weighted as well, aren't they?!" Demeter shouts, Heina widening as Cecily disappears in a blur reappearing in front of her.

Reacting in a split moment, she brings up her anchor to guard for Cecily to feint behind striking at her back. Rotating her body to the ground with her anchor barely meeting the sharp blade, Heina is sent like a golf ball fast through the air. Zooming in the air, Rossweisse catches her ally though the force sends the two stumbling back.

Yujiro always trained with the creatures so when it came to training, using weighted weaponry and clothing always helped out. And since I'm no longer weighed down by such things… Cecily looks round at the Leaguients readying themselves, her sights locked on Asuma and Demeter as with a single step, she's upon them.

"I can back up my words!"

Eryn

"Don't tell me... he's a Thors student?!" Rinwell exclaims for the channel to cut out. 'Wait, why'd it cut to static?!"

"I don't know!" A villager says looking at the television as they and a few others try to fix it.

"Can't you guys use magic to bring back the channel?" She asks for those accountable to shake their heads.

"Gandolf hasn't come back from his orbal trip outside the village and he took his other workers with him." Another explains.

"Oh, come on!" Rinwell exclaims, rushing outside the atelier to look around the village. "Oh, where did you go Grandmother?!" She wonders taking off in search. "Both sides looked as though they were fighting. Wait, then does that mean Emma's in trouble?! What about Relon, my supposed cousin?!"

"Hoot hoot hoot!" Hootle exclaims flying in front of her face.

"You're right… I need to take a deep breath and think. I didn't see Celine on the broadcast so I can only guess she isn't with Emma. And I didn't see Emma so she may not even be there." A nod from her familiar. "But, people are in trouble… And potentially a family member. Like, did you see how fast Grandmother teleported?! She never leaves so abruptly unless it's an emergency!"

"Hoot!"

"Which is why I should stay put?"

"Hoot."

"But what if-"

"Hoot."

"Not even if we-"

"Hoot hoot."

"Then what about-"

"Hoot. Hoot. Hoot."

"Hootle, look! I know we're supposed to be in secrecy since you know, we're witches and all but just because we didn't see Emma doesn't mean she's not in trouble!" Her words causing the tiny owl to mull the thought over. "Hear me out, if Grandmother went ahead of us, then we'll simply meet up with her, help Emma and my supposed cousin Relon and be back in time for supper! Plus, we get to show off our stuff!" She ends with her arms in the air for Hootle to respond with a deadpanned expression. "Oh, come on!"

"Hoot. Hoot hoot?"

"How do I plan to even find them? Uh… oh! Our pendants!" She exclaims revealing the accessory from under her hoodie around her neck. "Grandmother gave this to Emma and I in case either of us ever got separated. With this, we can find each other with no trouble at all!"

"Hoot…"

"Come on, Hootle!" She takes off.

"Hoot? Hoot hoot hoot!"

"Can't hear you! Racing to possibly save my sister and her friends!" She calls behind.

Running through the village and down a path, she stops before a thin monolith with a light blue insignia. Catching up, Hootle lands atop her shoulder as with a gentle touch, both are teleported away in a purple light. Stepping forward out of the light, Rinwell looks.

"We're in the Eerie Woods now. Let's see which way it wants us to go." Rinwell hums to herself holding up the pendant before slowly spinning around. Beginning to glow a dim pink, it brightens before dimming once more. "This way!" She points to begin their trek. "Dark woods with cyan particles in the air and a faint illumination from the scattered lanterns. I still don't get why Grandmother bothered to name this place the obvious."

"Hoot…"

Reaching an intersection, she gazes at the middle path.

"That leads to Saint-Gral Labyrinth." Looking at the pendant not glowing, she averts her attention to the other paths. "No need to go that way. I doubt even Grandmother went there." She dismisses to follow the pendant once more.

Walking along the curved path to another teleporter, Rinwell touches it as the duo is once again bathed in a purple light before vanishing.

"Okay, we took the North entrance just as Emma did for going to her school so we should do the same most likely."

Looking all around at the numerous waterfalls sound in rhythmic harmony, their beauty mesmerizing due to the dancing particles with the splashing water, Rinwell and Hootle continue on.

"Wow, look at all those fish, Hootle!"

"Hoot…"

"Hey, you just ate!"

Pressing on, both stop in their tracks as they take sight of monsters before them. Six-legged green spherical-shaped insects with small snouts and four wings atop their body acting as a spine.

"Weed Beetles." Rinwell says, Hootle going into her hoodie as she opens her tome. "Ugly insects that dwell in the netherworld. Emma told me their polluted breaths can infect all organs of the body."

Looking at the three in front of her ready themselves with a buzzing sound, Rinwell gets into a stance of her own. Looking as the first jumps into the air, she jumps back missing its body slam. Copying the first, the two also lunge for Rinwell to jump back once more as the three bugs unleash a rainbow-colored breath.

"Think that's gonna touch me?" She smirks with a hand over her tome as it gains a green hue. "Dance in the wind! Air Thrust!" Rinwell chants as four disks of pure wind girate at high speeds before slicing through the rainbow mist as well as the Weed Beetles as they vanish in a poof of dark particles.

Closing her tome with one hand, the other resting at her hip, Rinwell smiles at her work.

"See, Hootle? No problems whatsoever."

"... Hoot…"

"What do you mean 'yet?'" She scoffs lightly as they continue their trek.

Reaching a small clearing opened by the cliffs with lifeless trees and their branches tangled amongst each other, she takes sight of the familiar incline. Looking over the path at the lake below, she turns back hearing growling.

"Now what?" She says in slight annoyance to take sight of two quadruped creatures with rock-like shiny skin and purple claws, said creature resembling a dog of some sort. "Dog Mummies. Raised from the dead by fell energy. They're just as aggressive and strong as when they were alive." She notes for said creatures to pounce.

Readying her tome, it glows green as she points her other finger like a gun.

"Photon Flash!" She shouts, a small yellow sphere shooting from her fingertips to disperse into an electrical shock upon contact whipping the two creatures out as their particles pass through Rinwell. "You okay, Hootle?"

"Hoot hoot!"

"Good, let's go."

Returning, it isn't long before they come to another fork in their path.

"If I remember right from when Grandmother took Emma and I to look at Trista some time ago, we took this way." Checking for reassurance, she smiles as the pendant does indeed point to the right path. "I begged Grandmother to walk us there instead of teleporting us since we rarely get to come into the Eerie Woods." She chuckles.

"H-Hoot…"

Now traversing the path at a steady incline downwards spiraling around numerous small cliffs and heightened landforms, Rinwell and Hootle eventually reach a spot under a waterfall where another small monolith stands. Touching it, they disappear.

Stepping once again out of the faint light encompassing her vision, Rinwell is met with the bright sunny rays from the entrance of the cave she finds herself in now. Exiting through the shrubbery hiding the teleporter, she looks around to find nothing of the ordinary. Seeing the path far up ahead, she quickly gets on it before beginning her trek once again. Eventually coming to a familiar burial, she notes the name.

"Minato Namikaze. Yup, we're in Lunaria Park outside of Celdic. That nice Cryptid isn't here to greet us like last time though." Glancing at the burial once more, she turns to depart only for the ground to rumble, knocking the girl to her feet.

"W-Whoa!"

"Hoot hoot?!"

"I'm okay!" She quickly answers getting to her feet. "You don't think that broadcast was from here, do you? Lunaria Park doesn't have any clearings that large if memory serves me correctly…"

Looking at her pendant, it glows.

"This way." She hurries at a brisk pace to stop widening in horor. "What…the hell…?!"

Slowly creeping at a walk, her eyes scan the small clearing littered with machines in pieces as far as the eye can see. Trees and shrubbery lying mixed in as well.

"What… happened?" She wonders, looking to easily the largest of all the machines lying motionless. "Why is this- no…Who would bring this here…? It's as if a battle took place!" At the mention, Rinwell widens looking at her pendant shine brighter than before. "Sis is close! Which means…!" Widening in realization, her body begins to tremble for the girl to grip her fists, shaking the fear away best she can. "No. I came here to help her and that's what I'm going to do. I can't get cold feet now."

"Hoot… Hoot…" The owl chirps flapping out of Rinwell's hoodie.

"Let's go, Hootle! Emma needs us!"

Taking off at a dead sprint, Hootle flies after her towards the burnt section of the forest.

Emma, Relon, everyone, hang on!

Forest

Numerous sounds of banging, the air being sliced, and grunting can be heard as trees are knocked over.

Digging his gloved hand into the dirt, Yujiro slides to a halt just to blitz back, clashing his fist with Sephroth's flame infused blade. The friction causing a heatwave to wash over the surrounding area.

"Hmpf!" Parrying the fist, Yujiro leans forward while Sephiroth rotates his blade for it to glide toward Yujiro's neck.

"Nice try!" The Wandering Beast roars, opening his mouth and catching the blade by his teeth to Sephroth's surprise.

In awe, Sephiroth barely notices the fist aimed for his abdomen. Blocking with his arm, the force sends him shooting through tree after tree. The momentum eventually lodging him into a tree which catches on fire.

"Truly, he is a rabid beast." Sephiroth mutters looking in the direction he came.

Extending his gauntlet, Sephiroth absorbs the nearby flames.

He's readying another big one. Yujiro thinks taking notice of the flames being drawn in.

Sucking in a large amount of air, he unleashes a powerful piercing blast of air ripping the trees apart.

Sensing the incoming attack, he releases Goro to intercept it for Yujiro to appear before them, grabbing Goro by the handle and swinging it at Sephiroth.

"Goro, halt!"

"Not gonna work!" Yujiro growls.

"Tch!' Crossing his arms coated in green flames, Sephiroth takes the blow sending him through the tree and towards the ground.

Rotating still in the air, Yujiro throws Goro into the sky before spitting a gust of air sending him to the ground as he watches his earlier wind attack burst overhead. Pulling himself out of his crash site, Sephiroth senses the earlier threat to release a green flamethrower.

The air bullet cutting through the flames for Sephiroth to repel the attack as he's sent sliding through the forest. Senses acting up once more, he looks behind him to see Yujiro swinging a ginormous tree like a bat towards him.

"GrrrrrrrrrrAAAAAAAHHHH!"

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

Flying through the air in recoil, Yujiro lands on a tree looking at the Senate Leader in an expanding veil of flames. As the smoke dies down, along with Yujiro jumping to the ground to see the surrounding trees burnt to ashes, he takes note of the now familiar presence.

"Finally entering that form like the others, huh?"

Not responding, Sephiroth exhales a long breath of visible hot air while running a hand through his hair.

"Yes." He turns around, his mask's eye sockets revealing a now slitted green eye. "Ishmelga's power was one you could handle evenly and as much as I dislike admitting it, my base power cannot measure up to yours." Goro flies downwards being caught by Sephiroth. "Though it is a blessing we Lucinances have such an unfair ability over you humans." He notes inspecting Goro's blade.

"Relon mentioned there being stages to this transformation I've seen more than a handful of times."

"Yes. I am personally curious as to who will go to the next stage first." He pauses eerily tilting his head to look at Yujiro who remains firm only narrowing his eyes. "Myself… or you?"

"... One way to find out." Yujiro readies himself for Sephiroth to vanish to his surprise only to snap his elbow behind meeting Goro's blade but no Sephiroth.

Widening, he back-steps out of the way of a wave of green flames sliding to a halt only for another surge of flames to come at him. Growling, Yujiro reers back a hand to plunge it at the ground causing the earth to rise around him shielding from the flames. Taking a leisurely walk to the risen earth structure, Sephiroth stops as with a mighty blow, the wall is sent hurling towards him.

Cutting it faster than the human eye can follow, he does the same to the incoming earth plates with ease ending with a diagonal one-handed slash colliding with Yujiro's fist. The man's ghastly breath causing slight discomfort as they push away.

"You're more tame unlike Ishmelga."

"You noticed? He often doesn't take over let alone practice at all. He simply compiles my experience making it his own. But I must commend you, Yujiro Namikaze." He speaks clapping to stop after only three. "You're the second human to force me to transform. The first being the boy's mother. You're both truly amazing."

"I could care less about your words. She failed to finish the job so I'll just one up her as I planned from the start."

"Oh, is that so? I eagerly-"

Appearing in front of the man, Yujiro launches a kick which is blocked by Goro.

Sighing drolely, Sephiroth returns to his stance.

"You Namikazes adore interrupting people, don't you?"

"No." Yujiro answers, both mens' auras flaring. "We just don't give a damn what you people have to say!" Trees are knocked/burned away as they near the other resuming their battle with a mighty rumble.

Fie

Moving from tree to tree while under fire (literally), the petite gunsword-user retaliates with a volley of ammunition.

"Kukuku, I thought you were gonna make me pay?! What happened to all that bravado a second ago, huuuuuuuuuuh?!"

Blasting a torrent of flames, it hurtles towards the tree Fie is hiding behind. Seeing the blazing light brown flames inch closer, she withdraws her grappling hook just as an explosion rings out.

Smirking at her handiwork, Agria pauses for a moment as her victorious smoke lessens to an irritated scowl.

"I know you're up there!"

At her callout, another barrage of blues fly forcing the Lucinance to jump back deflecting the few that would hit her as she watches Fie run down the body of the tree before swinging to another unharmed by the green flames.

Landing in a crouched position, the two flatties eye the other.

"Hmpf. Seems someone lost one of their weapons!" Agria grins lunging into the air at Fie.

Retaliating with bullets, they do little as Agria knocks them away with her tri-pronged scissor blade before throwing out a hand to spew more flames.

Clicking her tongue, Fie leans back pushing off the branch flipping to the ground, before taking off.

"Wanna do more of this game of cat and mouse, huh? You humans sure love this game! But let's add a twist, shall we?! Chimeriad!" She grins landing on the branch to jump into the air reeling her arm back to toss her weapon.

Looking over her shoulder, Fie widens at said weapon opening its pincers as it nears her. Reaching into her pocket, it closes in as an explosion of dirt and smoke erupts. Narrowing her eyes, Agria lands back on the branch to raise an arm as Chimeriad shoots from the top of the smoke back to its owner's hand.

"A smoke bomb, huh? Seems she has a few more tricks up her sleeve. No matter. I have some as well!" Releasing Chimeriad, it zooms back into the smoke lodging itself into the ground. "Let's see how you handle this!" She smirks clasping her hand together as symbols dance around her, a light from the smoke steadily growing brighter. "Lucinance Art: Scorch Field!"

From the dispersing smoke, a light brown forcefield begins to enlarge. As it does, Agria narrows her eyes to widen at the sight of an empty area.

What?! Sensing the familiar heartbeat, Agria snaps around to Fie swinging from under the branch with her gunsword in hand.

"Gotcha!" Slashing downwards, Agria can only release her hands raising them to fire for the blade to cut into one of her palms.

"Ack!" Jumping away reaching for her returning weapon, Fie slices at said hand forcing the girl to yank her arm back as to not lose it. "Tch, why you!" Leaping back onto the body of another tree, she extends her unharmed arm as it spews light brown flames.

Diving for the ground into a slide with the flames mere inches from her face, Fie stops at the foot of the tree firing at the girl forcing Agria to jump over into the air grabbing Chimeriad. A small flicker of a flame burning on her injured hand as with a confident smirk and clasp, she charges at the upside down student.

"Payback time!" She grins maniacally as Fie reaches into her pocket.

"Arc Slash!" Snapping her head, Agria backflips away as the crescent shockwave passes by cutting a tree in half.

Rolling over to her feet, both take sight of Rean landing between them.

"Back so soon? We were just getting to the best part."

"You know, we seriously need to talk to Relon about Pappan." Rean says looking to Fie readying herself next to him.

"What are you doing back?! You shouldn't have come back much less in that form! You know the risks!"

"Yeah, well, you don't know this but a lot has happened within the last few hours! Also, brace yourself!"

"What are you- Whoa!" Fie gasps as in a sudden moment, Rean sheathes his tachi picking the girl bridal-style as the ends of the connecting branch are cut in two dropping the three to the ground.

Jumping off the branch to land safely, both watch as Agria does the same.

"No more tree fighting, huh? I was actually enjoying it!"

Setting Fie down, both ready themselves for Agria's smirk to falter.

"Where's Pappan?"

"Stopped moving all of a sudden so I came back."

"You just left it? Relon is so gonna be mad." At her words, both dodge a blast of fire.

"Talking so nonchalantly in front of me, you two are so dead!" Agria roars burst ahead.

"Now guys!" Rean exclaims as Agria widens now realizing the numerous heartbeats around her.

"Ethereal Edge!"

Looking to her left, Agria contorts her body to face the incoming blades of light to be sent away from the duo as she blocks each successfully.

"Gale Stinger!"

Snapping her head behind her, she swipes to knock away a gust of wind. In doing so, Agria's senses scream as she continues her momentum doing a full 360 spin as flames envelope her blade to clash with Rean.

He's faster!

Pushing each other off, she slides to a halt.

BANG!

Moving her head, she grits her teeth as in a single instant, Agria turns facing the direction of the sound to swipe at the slow-moving bullet. The tip of Chimeriad's blade touches it resulting in a small plume of smoke.

Smoke?! Ending her thought, she senses one last heartbeat closing in. Pesky rats, just- Widening, she looks back at her arm to see it and her weapon encased in stone.

"Ha!" She shouts raising her other hand for another bullet to obscure her vision as that arm too is enveloped in stone. "No way!"

"Treasure Sword!"

"Now what?!" Gasping in shock as her body from the ground up is enveloped in ice.

Frantically looking around, she looks directly ahead as a red and blond blur attacks, slicing the ice for the force to shatter sending the now free girl away skidding along the ground to correct herself sliding for her senses to draw her eyes to the trees as Fie unloads another clip.

Deflecting the bullets as they ricochet around the area forcing the girl back, Fie uses her free hand to toss a flash grenade.

A grenade? No, they're not that stupid!

BANG!

Reeling in agony from the bright flash followed by the ear-piercing ringing, she drops Chimeriad to jump away. Said weapon flying close in front of her defensively.

Damn it! Stage Two made the effects from that flash grenade worse! Grr! She mentally curses firing flames blindly as she retreats slowly due to the disorientation.

"Don't stop!" Fie shouts, the Gaius and Jusis appearing at the Eight Leaves' position as he takes point before the three dodge the volleys of flames.

"It's moving much like Pippin!" Gaius speaks.

"Not to mention that girl! She's a Lucinance, isn't she?!" Jusis barks.

"Yeah!" Rean nods, slicing a flame as he continues on. "Be careful, she's in her second state so her flames and ocular perception are heightened!"

"So fighting individually is a bad idea!" Gaius calls out.

Barely making out their outlines, Agria jumps back onto a branch shaking her head as the ringing and her distorted vision lingers. Reaching into her pocket as Emma and Machias regroup with her, Fie pulls out a trigger.

"Gotcha." She mutters pressing the button.

Hearing the faintest sound of a clicking mechanism a distance away, Agria turns in the direction of the burning forest she's razed.

BANG!

Feeling a sharp pain pierce her back, Agria's back arches inward as she gasps hunching over holding her abdomen reaching out for Chimeriad.

"Arc Slash/Gale Thrust!" Slicing the ari sending out a crescent shockwave, it is propelled at an accelerated rate with the gust of wind slamming into the scissor blade sending it away causing Agria to wince from the constant pain falling off the branch and toward the ground.

That bullet… it came from the position that twerp was hiding when I blasted her earlier…! Widening her eyes to the glimmer of her other gunsword with some wiring around it, Agria hits the ground. She had that set up from the beginning…! Wincing once more, she begins to slowly pull herself up. If Ishmelga's host hadn't saved her… The image of the bullet piercing her skull makes her hot blood boil as her fingers scrunch grabbing the dirt.

"Be wary." Jusis cautions as they approach.

(You… bastards…!)

"Get back!" Rean shouts, sheathing his tachi turning on a dime to push the two back as an explosion goes off.

Wiping the smoke away along with their coughing, the six look to widen at the girl hunched over on her feet once again. Exuding a visible breath of hot air, Agria begins to stomp the ground creating a small crater with every stomp.

"You filthy… barbaric… annoying… pieces of SHITS!" One final stomp as another plume of flames explode in all directions.

Dispelling itself, all gaze at the young Lucinance glaring deadly daggers at them. Blood dripping to the ground as with a snap of her arm out to her side, Chimeriad zooms into it. The gunshot wound vanishing with the flicker of a flame.

"I DON'T GIVE A RAT'S ASS IF YOU HAVE ISHMELGA'S POWER! I'M BURNING YOU ALL TO THE GROUND, DO YOU HEAR ME?!"

Out of nowhere, the sound of gunshots gains all's attention as Agria whips her head to deflect them before narrowing her fiery glare upwards.

"Starting with you…!" Her eyes locking onto Fie poised with both gunswords once more.

Unleashing a blast of fire, Fie uses her grapple to dodge soaring overhead to land with the others having regrouped.

"You shouldn't go running off ahead of us, Fie!" Emma scolds.

"Honestly, I'm glad she did." Rean says, gaining their attention. "I was in a hard spot had it not been for her."

"Let's cut the chit chat, Relon's crazy evil cousin demands our attention!"

"Albarea's right for once. Ready yourselves!"

"Alright Class VII Group B. Our goal is to take down Agria!"

"UNDERSTOOD!" All resound in agreement, links forming between Rean and Fie, Gaius and Emma, and finally Jusis and Machias.

"May the winds lead us to victory!"

"The only one that'll be leading you is me and it's to your death-" Stopping herself, her eyes trace the group to land on Emma, Pappan attached to her back. "You." She points, the others raising their guards. "You're a witch, ain't ya?"

At her words, Rean widens but before he can glance at Emma for confirmation, Agria is upon them.

"You mentioned that sword no longer moving. That means my idiot cousin is down for the count! Seems my brother took out him and your other puny friends! About time I do the same!"

"Tch!" Machias clicks, raising his shotgun firing a scattering round which Agria retaliates by blasting flames.

All widening, Gaius bursts to the front twirling his cross-shaped spear at incredible speeds barely fighting back the flames.

"Turbulence!" The wind worshiper roars, the spiral gust increasing in power.

"Fie, Jusis, Machias!" Emma shouts, green symbols around her.
"I'm on it/I know!" The three respond, they too surrounded in green symbols.

"Aerial!" Emma says pointing her orbal staff at the nearing flames as a second spiraling whirlwind conjoins with Gaius' increasing its size and ferocity.

"Like that'll help!" Agria roars pouring more power once again pushing the wind back.

"Air Strike!" Both shout in unison firing condensed wind propelling the continuous burning element back two notches.

"Machias!"

"Earth Lance!" The class vice president announces, Agria sensing something beneath her feet for small spires to shoot out lifting her foot up forcing her flames up.

Jumping off of the spire, she refocuses widening at the incoming whirlwind.

"HAAAAAAAAA!" Gaius roars spinning with all his might.

I can't dodge! Agria mentally growls crossing her arms as she's sent crashing into a large tree as both are pummeled by the gusts of wind, small cuts appearing over the tree and Agria.

"Chi… meriad!" Agria calls through the deafening winds releasing said weapon as it zooms forward opening its pincers.

"I don't think so!" Fie says firing through the wind as the increased speed of the bullets batter it though it remains persistent pushing through.

"Keep it up!" Machias shouts, raising his shotgun. "Try to move after this! Break Shot!" He fires a sole bullet with a sharpened tip zooming amongst the rubble-infused whirlwind as Chimeriad zooms directly into its line of fire.

Moving through the pincers, it hits the weapon's epicenter sending it flipping back along the turbulence towards Agria. Widening at the incoming weapon amongst the bullet storm and debris, she tries to move out of the way for a pain to erupt at her abdomen. The surface behind her beginning to crack as she takes notice to further widen as an explosion of flames goes off. Finally stopping his spinning, Gaius pants as does Emma slightly.

"Did that do it?" Machias questions looking through the destruction.

"I… don't think so." Gaius breathes flexing his hands to regrip his spear as he readies himself.

On the ground, Agria looks at the ripped and slightly burnt tree with a hole in it. Behind her; Chimeriad floating off of the ground.

Had I not broken a hole, Chimeriad would have impaled me…

Getting to her feet, she looks through the descending leaves at the class. Flames around her being sucked in as Chimeriad reaches her hand. A scowl on her face once more. They think that was powerful? Pah! I'll show them what power really looks like! She thinks, reeling her hand back for her senses to go off as she snaps her hand up and Chimeriad pointed to her flank.

Above her, Fie on a branch pointed at her and to her side, Rean low to the ground unsheathing his blade, both jumping out of the way as fire and fireballs blast at them.

"You two again!" Agria growls. "You just don't know when to quit!"

"Go!" Both shout landing next to each other before bursting forward.

Encasing its pincers in flames, Agria dashes mirroring the two. Kicking the ground once more, Rean meets her first clashing for Agria to release a hand readying a blast of fire at his face.

Gritting his teeth, she grins for Fie to appear jumping from his flank to the side with her gunswords poised at the Lucinance. Scowling once more, she pushes Rean into the line of fire.

Forcing their blades downwards, Rean steps away as Agria is met with another bomb.

Not this time! Agria thinks grabbing the flash bang tossing it back at the girl while readying a blast of fire for smoke to disperse. A feint?! She gasps sensing the heartbeat signatures all around her to suddenly sense Rean coming behind her.

Pivoting on a dime, she blocks his blade once more in a reverse grip. Pushing off he vanishes into the smoke as from another direction, Fie and Jusis appear slashing for Agria to block and dodge as they too jump out.

Clicking her tongue in annoyance, she raises her hand to fire at the ground attempting to scorch everything in sight for a sharp pain in her abdomen. Holding the area with a hand, her transformation flickers off for a mere moment as she coughs out blood to whip Chimeriad out to block Gaius' downward strike. The force causing the smokescreen to disperse showing all aimed at her.

Taking sight of her weakened state as noted by her transformation flickering between stage two and her base form.

Just a little more! She's almost exhausted her strength!

"You're gonna have to try harder than that!" She proclaims pushing Gaius off with surprising power as he lands on his feet.

"En Garde!" Jusis responds as he, Gaius, Rean, and Fie rush the girl from all sides. A link forming between Gaius and Jusis.

"When we're together, no one can stop us!" The voice of Krovanh speaks.

"Kukuku, even apart, we can't lose. We're daddy's children after all."

"Don't get overconfident. Just because you are Lucinances, have cryptids, weapons, and can transform doesn't make you two invincible. The closest time you'll feel that is when you're either influenced by Ishmelga's power or you're together." The voice of Asuma speaks. "If you ever find yourselves separated, do whatever it takes to reunite. Lucinances are feared not for their power alone but when united together. Especially when it's a man and woman. Only a man can dish out such raw power, especially once they reach stage three and a woman can only further power themselves and their partners with the use of Overdrive. Keep that in mind, you two. You'll need a level head to get out of a sticky situation."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Krovanh waves dismissively.

"We hear you loud and clear, Asuma." Agria smirks for the man to sigh in exasperation.

"You two, I swear. Those cocky attitudes are gonna get you killed if you don't shape up…"

Breathing heavily, her breath slows as Agria calms herself as the memory departs from her mind. Feeling her body lighten, a burst of flames explode around her forcing Class VII to block as they're sent back. Exhaling a long hot breath, she fixes the few strands of hair out of the way of her vision. Gripping Chimeriad, she looks to the others.

"The hell?! She looked tired just a moment ago!" Machias says in bewilderment as the others recover.

"Her second wind, perhaps?" Gaius wonders.

"No. Something's different." Rean says. "It's as if the air around her changed."

"Not just that. But herself too."

"I'm going to kill you all and then regroup with my brother." She states calmly wiping blood away at the corner of her mouth to point Chimeriad in no direction in particular before turning it on herself to their confusion.

Watching its pincers close in, she jams it into her abdomen to the shock of everyone as she fumbles it around before stopping as blood drips to the ground. Slowly pulling it out, flames appear for a moment before fading. In her blooding weapon's grip, the bullet fired previously.

"Smart of you to use such a bullet." Agria commends inspecting it. "Not too sharp to fully penetrate me but a painful nuisance since I closed the entryway." She ends glancing to Fie for Rean to widen as like a coin, Agria flicks it to burst at her.

Barely making it in time, Rean pushes Fie out of the way deflecting the bullet as the force sends him skidding against the ground to hit a tree.

"Come." She raises a hand in a gesture. "My brother needs me."

"And our friends… need us!" Rean winces walking back before bursting forward as do the others.

Not looking to Rean, Agria fires a blast of fire with her free hand for the Eight Leaves practitioner to move out of the way as Jusis thrusts at her head for Agria to step forward rotating to the left raising his blade up with Chimeriad exposing his front to his shock.

Before she can further attack, Fie comes rushing in from her flank along with Rean for Agria to spin Jusis towards them.

Widening, Fie catches the teen as Rean meets Agria. Their eyes locking as they both vanish as sparks fly around the five.

"Gaius, switch!" Rean reappears locking blades with Agria.

Quickly doing so, Gaius becomes Rean's linked partner as Fie becomes Emma's.

"Tri Attack!" Agria says slashing the air forming a flaming triangle before launching it.

"Arc Slash!" Both attacks collide resulting in a gust of smoke. "Behind you!" Rean says, the transfer wasting no time in spinning around to see Agria dropping her inflamed scissor blade to be blocked as Gaius sends her over him in between him and Rean.

Swinging horizontally for Agria to block, Gaius reals back spinning to thrust forward as Agria parries it for Rean to once again attack from her flank. Sidestepping to drop Gaius' spear to clash with Rean's sword, she watches as Fie appears jumping on the two's locked weapons before jumping into the air as Jusis appears from behind her thrusting once more. Agria catching the blade in between her free index and middle finger only for Jusis to smirk.

"Petrification Shot!" Machias shouts, firing a silver pellet at her feet as they are once again encased in stone.

Snapping up to the sound of unloading bullets, Agria reels Jusis back and over her as a shield for the teen to reel a fist back as she realizes the shots fired were blanks. Catching his thrown fist, she looks to see Gaius continuing his assault as Rean blitzes to her side grabbing Jusis out of her grip.

Aiming her hand to the ground, she unleashes a wave of fire in all directions as everyone jumps/backs away. Jumping after Gaius, Agria readies Chimeriad.

"Ethereal Edge!" Emma chants, firing more blades for Agria to turn blocking them as Gaius swings his spear knocking her down to the ground before she bursts to meet him.

"Hup!" Fie sounds stomping on the side of Chimeriad as Agria narrowly blocks the girl who clicks her guns aimed at the girl.

Just as she fires, Agria blasts flames from her supporting hand against Chimeriad as Fie narrowly dodges for Gaius, Rean, and Jusis to come at her from all sides.

Squatting, she jumps up and over the boys landing far away to lodge Chimeriad into the ground as red symbols dance around her.

With Angbar on that witch's back, that means Relon is unconscious which can only mean Krovanh has knocked him out. I'm getting nowhere since they're covering each other in coordination. I need to end this now!

Widening, Emma begins to focus on her orbal staff as she mumbles in an unfamiliar language.

"Lucinance Art: Searing Blast!" She casts raising Chimeriad up and behind as a red sphere forms in between its pincers as with a thrust, a beam of red fires at the widening group.

"Incoming!" Machias shouts as all prepare to react for Rean's aura to burst to greater proportions.

"Lux Velum (Light of Veil)!" Emma yells, a large and clear barrier appearing in front of Group B as it takes the brunt of the attack, flames dispersing in all directions.

"Emma!"

"What is this?!" Gaius questions as they look to the forcefield protecting them.

"I'm sorry!" She speaks, silencing the devil's host and company as she focuses on the barrier. "When you and my cousin revealed your secrets, I should have as well. If I had, I wouldn't have had to worry about anything and could go about my mission much easier." She turns her head to give her friends a sorrowful smile.

"Emma…" Fie murmurs.

"So what that crazy woman trying to burn us said is true?" Machias blinks in disbelief. "You're…"

"A witch. Considering what Relon is, the concept isn't so farfetched." Jusis says, the flamethrower attack increases to gain their attention as Emma's focus shifts to to forcefield.

"But now it is different! As a witch, I'll use everything in my power to protect you all!" She declares, her orbal staff's tip radiating a light as the white barrier shines in response.

So, she's using magic!

Letting go of Chimeriad as it continues its attack, Agria clasps her hands together as more red symbols appear around her.

"She's already casting another art!" Fie shouts for Machias to gasp buck-wide.

"SHE CAN DO THAT?!"

I don't have a choice! Rean grits placing a hand over his chest, his vile power surging once more.

"Don't Rean!" Emma speaks looking forward as he halts his action. "I know I don't deserve any of your trust and I don't blame any of you for questioning my purpose for even being here, but I need you to believe in me!"

"Lucinance Art: Pyro Enhancement!" Agria shouts extending a hand as a red sphere forms in her hand before it is shot into Chimeriad's core as the weapon glows in a red shade for the red beam to crash shaking the foundation itself as all stumble on their feet.

Looking back up, Rean looks not to the attack but to Emma glancing back at him awaiting an answer. Gazing at her mint blue eyes, his hand lowers as he answers with a nod.

"We're counting on you, Emma."

"Our lives are in your hands." Fie says nodding as do the rest.

Smiling softly, she turns back ahead as she begins to chant for a glyph to form under their feet.

Gritting her teeth as she continues to pour power into the attack, Agria's form once again flickers as too does the flames.

Damn it, she can defend against an attack like this?! Even with the enhancement effect?! At her thoughts, a crack emerges from the light shield to both side's surprise. Good, I knew it was too good to be true! Focusing, red symbols dance a third time.

"She's casting a third art!" Jusis says as all listen to Emma blur through an unknown tongue, the light on her staff and from the glyph increasing in brightness as more cracks from the shield begin to lengthen.

"At this rate, we'll…!" Machias growls stepping back from the barrier.

"The barrier won't hold much longer!" Gaius grits his teeth and his spear.

"Not much time left!"

"Believe in Emma!" Rean says, gripping his tachi as he too looks between the girl and the attack in worry. "She hasn't done wrong by us yet and I trust she'll come through!"

"Just die already! Lucinance Art: Chaos Blast!" Agria shouts, flickers of flames shooting out of her now glowing red body from all sides as she extends her free hand to the class.

"Here it comes! Do or die, guys!"

"Turn to ash!" Agria declares for the glow and dispersing flames to cease as she widens. "What the?! Where did my art go?!" Senses blaring all of a sudden, Agria feels an invisible force hit her sending her into the air.

Shaking the daze off, she flips correcting herself as she lands on her feet.

"What the hell?!"

Suddenly sensing someone, Rean snaps behind him with his tachi at do the rest for all to widen at a young teenage girl in a hoodie panting with a raised hand going to a now red glowing book.

"Looks… like we… made it!" Opening her eyes at the familiar voice, Emma turns her head to widen. "Rinwell?!"

Raising her head sporting a nervous grin, Hootle peeks from her hoodie nervously.

"Hey sis, sorry I'm late! Saw you could use some help!"

"Sis?!" The rest say in unison as Rinwell runs past them stopping next to Emma.

"Questions for later! We have a fight to finish!" Rinwell says for Emma to recover.

"Cancel out her attack and I'll take it from there!"

"You got it! Hey, I think you're missing this!" Rinwell calls out as both take a casting pose, the light barrier becoming a dark red as the cracks vanish in an instant.

Another witch?! And one that can take arts?!

"I'm pretty sure I heard you saying something along the lines of… Chaos Blast?!" She extends a hand forward, the barrier beginning to push against the condensed beam of flames as the shield expands vaporizing everything in the vicinity.

"She's pushing it back?!"

No, it's not that! Blast burn isn't that strong to the point of obliterating everything it touches! At the thought she widens in realization. Don't tell me… She steals arts and doubles their powers! Gripping both hands for light brown flames to ignite.

"Damn it!" Reeling back, she thrusts them forward merging with the condensed blast stopping the art.

"She's pushing her back with her own art!" Gaius says in bewilderment.

"I'm not done yet though!" Rinwell grins spinning as she flips to stop on a dime pointing at texts within her tome, her eyes glowing in accordance. "The waters of creation dance in mortal droplets! Tidal Wave!" She thrusts her arm as a surge of water begins to ripple before a wall of water rises as it's flooring rushes attacking Agria from all sides as she's sent spiraling bouncing off of the watery walls.

I can't… I won't…!

"GRRRRAAAHH!" An explosion of water and steam occurs as Agria huffs, all seeing the girl now reverted to normal.

"She's no longer transformed!"

"We're almost there now!"

"Nope! We're already there!" Rinwell smirks confidently, already casting her next spell. "Ready, Emma?"

"I'm ready!" She says snapping her eyes open as the light within and below shine even brighter.

"No…" Agria pants falling to a knee as she watches her weapon slowly lose the elemental attack struggle. "I can't…!" She grits getting to her feet, weak flames appearing around her hands as she fires forward weaker streams of flames compared to earlier.

"This is for hurting my sister and her friends!" Rinwell shouts raising her hand to the sky as the light within the area dims. "Far beyond the darkest skies, I call upon thee!" Noticing the ground light up, all look not down to see the glyph by Emma, but rather up to the enormous sphere in the large sphere in the sky descending.

"What the hell is that?!" Machias exclaims, the rest only awed by the sight no longer holding their weapons at the ready but down at their sides.

"Rise great towers!" Emma chants now in a language they can understand as she raises her free arm and staff towards the sphere of darkened light.

At her call, the ground trembles as five glyphs appear connected to one another as from them, towers rise, each connected to one another by a glowing line along the ground. One line pointing to the epicenter where Agria stands forming a hexagon around said Lucinance. At the top of the five towers, a purplish light begins to take shape. Forming a sphere atop the five towers, each fires a purple beam toward the massive light sphere with a darkened center enlarging it further in size.

"No!" Agria grits her teeth firing at the towers for her flames to go through as in a panic, she notices the Blast Burn once again overtaking Chimeriad's beam. "No, no, no!" She says in refute firing at the oncoming barrier with one hand and at the enlarged sphere overtop her head with the other. Neither proving of much use. "No way…!" She cries out as the barrier connects with Chimeriad itself forcing the weapon to cancel its attack as the simple touch sends it shooting back.

Widening, Agria raises both hands to catch the barrier as with all her remaining might she tries to push it back while absorbing the attack.

"I refuse… to let you brats WIN!" She growls entering her second stage for her body to begin to wobble and ache. "This can't be!" She roars, flames bursting as she struggles to keep the burning barrier at bay.

"It can and it is!" Rinwell corrects closing her book to drop her hand.

"Lord Albireon!" Emma shouts pointing her staff at Agria.

"Shooting Star!" Rinwell calls after.

From the large star, it unleashes an ear-piercing purple blast towards Agria. The sheer power bending back all the trees as the star itself begins to descend. Widening, Agria reaches for Chimeriad as she thrusts it above her, fending off the beam as it scatters in all directions bouncing off her own Blast Burn.

"She's every bit as stubborn as Relon!" Jusis curses.

With every second, Agria can only watch as the dwindling star nears her. The presence as it nears the ground causes the ground to kick up as a crater begins to form under Agria's feet.

"I'm really… gonna… lose…?!" At her realization, the image of Krovanh and Asuma race through her mind.

"Rest in peace." Emma closes her eyes.

"Fall!" Rinwell shouts as in the next moment, the star touches the ground.

What comes next is an array of colors in a blinding light as the ground erupts followed by the sound of one final explosion before all is silent. Lowering the barrier, all open their eyes to the cleared out portion of the forest due to the sawed off ground leading to an enormous crater with a dense layer of smoke rising from it.

"Is it finally over?" Gaius wonders, the group walking through the battered area to stop at the crater.

Peering over, they look to see Agria lying unconscious at the bottom having reverted to normal. Beside her; Chimeriad. Finally breathing a sigh of relief, Rean exits his form.

"It's finally over." At his words, so too does relief finally show on the others.

"Victory is ours although…" Gaius muses as all look to Emma giving a stern look to Rinwell.

"It begs the two questions of who and what." Jusis notes.

"Hey, that's no way-"

"Rinwell!" Emma scolds, making the girl and the white owl jump from the tone in the witch's voice. "What are you doing here?!"

"Hey, don't be getting mad at me! I came here to help and from the looks of things only a few minutes ago, I'd say it was needed!"

"Please just answer my question." Emma closes her eyes as she crosses her arms awaiting her answer.

(I've never seen Emma mad before.) Fie whispers for the other to nod.

(Remind me to never get on her bad side.) Machias shivers.

Here I thought Emma was the only nice woman in our class. Machias mentally sweatdrops.

"Grandmother and I saw the broadcast earlier and she vanished with a snap so I decided to come and help. I honestly didn't expect to find you all so easily."

"Broadcast?" Jusis says in slight confusion. "What broadcast?"

"Senate's broadcast." Rean answers walking forward. "Most likely, they broadcasted to all of Erebonia if not further out."

"Senate? Who's that?" Gaius asks sharing the same look of inquiry as do the rest.

"In short, an organization that Relon has been fighting since he was younger. They've tried to abduct the prince and princess of the Royal Family twice already." His words making all widen especially Machias.

"You're talking about the Gigantic a few years back?!" Machias exclaims for Rean to nod.

"That was three years ago, which means… Relon was fighting people like her at the age of 14?!" Rean can only nod as he looks in a random direction.

"And the rest of Senate is fighting against Instructor Sara and the others as we speak."

"Something's not adding up." Jusis states crossing his arms at Rean. "You say Relon was fighting such villains at a young age, no?"

"What was Relon even doing at the time to have to fight against such an organization?" Gaius asks for Rean to not answer immediately.

"Wait a second…" Machias thinks slowly widening once more."The media told of the RMP and the princess' bodyguard dealing with the 'terrorist attemp…t!'"

"Regnitz, you seriously don't mean to say that-"

"He's right." Jusis and company snap their heads to Rean's stoic demeanor. "Rean was the princess' bodyguard for two years."

"Big job." Fie says taken slightly aback.

"But why is he at Thors?! Why give up such an important job when her family was attacked?!" Machias demands. "They could attack-"

"Machias!" Gaius interrupts placing a firm hand on the speckled teen's shoulder. "Let's just listen to Rean for the answer."

Looking at the transfer, Machias takes a short breath adjusting his glasses.

"I'm sorry. Why, Rean?"

"Simple." He places a hand to his chest in reminiscence. "He was inexperienced. He was frustrated. Even through the precautions taken, Senate still managed to abduct the princess and Relon couldn't forgive himself for it. He feared what would happen if the same mistake were to occur a second time." Rean continues lowering his hand looking directly at his friends. "So he went to train for the next three years until he felt like we was ready for the next step."

"That being Thors." Fie surmises for Rean to nod.

"But why not tell all of us the other night when you both revealed your powers?"

"Relon may not show it, but he prefers to keep a close circle of sorts in regards to who knows what. Laura and I being his closest friends for more reasons that one. It's nothing personal but if everyone knew everything, then there could be liabilities and it would be easier for say an enemy to harm someone within said group."

"So in the end, it's trust that he has trouble accepting from others." Jusis surmuses.

"Albeit a rather difficult level of trust." Gaius adds. "One that also takes our own safety into regard."

"If you think about it, it makes sense." All look to Fie.

"She's right." Emma speaks next. "Relon is only half human so his perception involving his life and the life of others may be vastly different from how you all may see it."

"Regardless, it goes back to an issue of trust. Although I personally have no problem with it." Jusis' words making everyone look to him with raised eyebrows. "I may make it seem like a bother but in truth, we've only known one another for barely two weeks. Compared to knowing you and Laura since childhood, we have little room to argue about such secrets." He ends.

"Jusis…" Rean murmurs in awe.

"He's right." Gaius nods. "If you look at it another way, Relon is looking out for us."

"Gaius…" Rean adds as they look to Machias.

"Why are you looking at me? What about Fie?!"

"I've been hanging with Rean, Relon, and Laura almost everyday since we started school, Captain Obvious." Fie droops for Machias to twitch in irritation.

"Y-You…!"

These guys are acting without a care just after fighting for their literal lives. Ss sure has an odd group of friends. Rinwell mentally chuckles for the sword on Emma's back to float.

"Hey, the sword is floating!" Rinwell gasps.

"Pappan!" Rean greets in joy. That must mean Relon is fine, right?" In response, the sword nods its handle.

"Hmpf. My answer's the same even if I don't like finding out like this by the way." Machias looks away crossing his eyes as the others chuckle at his stubbornness.

"But is it alright to tell us this, Rean?" Gaius asks.

"Honestly, I wouldn't under normal circumstances. But… things have happened since noon. A lot of things…"

"Such as?" At the new voice's response, all widen snapping to the source.

Relon

"I still don't get why you don't look into getting a weapon of your own. Or at least invest in pyro materialization." A young Asuma comments rocking Kanade.

"For the umpteenth time, I see no point in learning pyro materialization, manifestation, or whatever." Alister retorts in an annoyed tone. "We're Lucinances for one so mere humans here don't stand a chance and their tech can't exactly stand up against our flames. So why should I bother practicing how to conjure a weapon of flames let alone learn how to use some sentient weapon? If you ask me, I'd rather just blast everything in sight and watch it all burn. You agree with me, right lil bro?" He smirks at the silent infant Relon who coos in response. "See? Who cares if we're 13 and finally capable of getting our own weapons?"

"You're not even related directly." Asuma murmurs with a deadpan demeanor.

"So? We're related by blood on the Lucinance side and that's plenty enough if you ask me."

"I still don't understand why their mother had the swords stay with her this time and not come with us." Asuma notes with a quizzical expression now.

"Why does it matter? Kernviter and Angbar have already linked with the two so it's not that they won't know where the two are."

"But still-"

"Seriously, why have you been so fixated on those weapons lately? You're always looking at them with that analytical gaze of yours." Alister halts gazing at his brother who stops shortly after.

For a moment, neither say anything. Simply eyeing the other awaiting a response to come which it does in the form of Kanade beginning to whine once more.

"Ugh, great! I just managed to quiet her down!" Asuma groans, resuming his rocking of Kanade.

"That's what you get for being so focused on weapons and not babies." Alister says walking past his brother. "Come on, the sooner we get this weapon of yours, the sooner we can return these two to their mom and dad."

"Tell me something I don't know." Asuma murmurs, catching back up as they walk through the many tents. "To think we were chosen just for being nice. Their mom certainly is quite easy going."

"Auntie has always been that way."

"You certainly have become fond of calling her that."

"Technically, she acts like one and I ain't calling someone mom. For obvious reasons. My sense may be odd and difficult to understand but even I'm not full of it." Alister grows quiet, both noting the incline downwards along their path.

Hearing grunting and other sounds associated with movement, both reach the training grounds as noted by the illuminated bonfire on the ceiling, the many crystal mirrors around the room, and singed markings scattered around.

Taking sight of three familiar figures halt their work, the two approach.

The first a boy at the age of 16 wearing a green tank top and shorts with brown hair, a few bangs sweeping from the front to the side of his hair. Name: Heero Lucinance. The second a girl the same age with long brown hair and a singular braid running along the back of her head. She's wearing a mahogany short sleeve shirt and tan leggings. Name: Releena Lucinance. The final at the age of 19 is a taller man in stature with platinum-blond hair wearing a green t-shirt under a blue jacket and jeans. Name: Milliardo Lucinance.

"Sup, you three." Alister greets. "How goes the training?"

"No difference as of late." Milliardo answers with a snap of his arm as a flame-like whip conjured slaps the ground before dissipating.

"My grasp over Overdrive is a steady process. No clear change yet." Releena answers, the blue aura subsiding from her and Heero.

"In short; the same as ever." Heero responds in his emotionless tone as with a flick of his hands down to his sides, the flame-like pistols dissipate into cinders before he crosses his arms. "You?"

Both brothers extend their arms a little in emphasis of the infants they carry.

"Baby duty once again." Alister notes with a smug look as Asuma gives a bland one.

"Well, it is quite an honor to be responsible for looking after the first ever hybrids." Releena comments taking a hold of Relon.

She's… from the letter… back then…

"Behaving yourself as always it seems." She smiles warmly, poking Relon who coos in response.

"And I take it Kanade has been giving you the same difficulty since?" Milliardo questions taking a hold of the youngest girl.

"That and then some."

"Tending to a child is something that some grasp while others take a little longer to learn. In a way, it is a technique but one that varies from one to another." He notes holding her still and caressing her head for the squirming girl to ease herself.

"I'll never understand how you and the adults do it." Asuma shakes his head in disbelief.

"I am simply doing what I did to Releena." He smiles, said girl gaining a small tint of pink to her cheeks.

"B-Brother, ahem, can you not compare Kanade and I." She requests blandly.

"Bothered over a comparison between yourself and a mere child?" Heero wonders.

"That is not it!" She redirects her attention to the recently spoken teen.

"Hmm. Women." He shrugs, the atmosphere changing at his words.

"Heero." Releena's voice calls with a hint of malice forcing the male to twitch an eye looking at the ominous smile adorning the female teen.

"Care to repeat that?"

"Retracting statement." He answers, the others sweatdropping at the two's antics.

"Ahem." Milliardo sounds. "If you two are going to resume your training, I must insist on having the infants not be caught in the crossfire."

"By the way, Milliardo, how does it feel to be able to venture outside?" Alister asks.

"Being chosen as one of a few is truly an honor. One in which I intend to uphold for the sake and well-being of our clan and family. Stepping past the boundary and onto that dirt path was as if I was taking my first steps all over again."

"Wish I could. I'd love to deal with some civilians or take some odd jobs fighting the monsters!"

"It's because of that mentality of yours that you're aren't recognized as exactly sane." Asuma sighs at his brother.
"I beg to differ." Milliardo comments. "At least on him not being recognized. That goes for you as well, Asuma. If I had to put the choice of tending to these two or being granted access to venture into the world, I would easily put these two above that."

"Much of the Lucinance Clan is from the Beyond." Heero picks up. "Aidios herself granted us access to be here on Earth for how we behaved compared to the other elements."

"And that trust led the elders to assign a select group of individuals to venture into the world to gain knowledge on where we would be situated for years to come." Releena says afterwards. "Skip down the timeline and here we are now. Relon and Kanade's father being selected chose to fall in love with an earthling. Who just happened to be a witch."

"Aidios is expecting much from our clan and those two are the results." Heero quips.

"It's a sign that we were rightfully chosen as well as a good sign to the path our clan is headed towards." Releena adds.

"Huh, never thought of it all like that." Alister rubs the side of his head still processing the dumpster load of information. "I knew tending to these two were easy but… sheeeeeeeesh."

"Being given the duty to overwatch these two is something we have no intention of failing." Asuma states.

"Good to hear." Milliardo nods, he and Releena handing back the infants. "We all have our roles to accomplish." Both boys nod.

"You're right about that. Alright, see yall." Alister waves, the four heading deeper into the cave as the three watch them disappear.

"Was it wise?" Releena wonders.

Huh…?

"Not mentioning them becoming more active?" Heero questions, flaming pistols appearing in his hands.

Why can I… hear them…?

"It's still too early to reveal such information." Milliardo answers. "Ishmelga is still at large and so too are his forces. Battling them as well as tending to the mess afterwards so the earthlings do not find out has been difficult to balance." He sighs, all three closing their eyes for vine-like markings to appear as their eyes shift to slits and hair changes colors. "It does not help that a possible traitor is among us. Now, come!" He smacks the ground with his conjured flame whip.

A traitor…? So… Asuma… Glancing over at said 13-year-old, Alister speaks up.

"So any idea what weapon you might get?"

"Once again. For the umpteenth time, I don't know. Possibly a sword. Maybe a club. Something that relates to my hands. I've never been an all round fighter and especially not one to rely on my lower body."

"Something told me to bring the list. I wanted to look through the dozen pages to see if any of my guesses were right once you get your weapon."

"You didn't memorize all of those?"

"Bold of you to assume I did."

"Considering it's you, I wouldn't put it past you." Asuma responds under his breath for both to stop in a large open room with a lone individual in the middle looking at them.

"Greetings, Alister, Asuma." A tall and elegant woman with medium length snowy-blue eyes and hair covering one side of her face speaks with a blue polearm floating next to her. "And greetings, chosen ones." She gives a curt bow to Relon and Kanade followed by a gentle smile. "I have been expecting you four."

"Sup Shenhe. How goes it?"

"As good as it can be." She crosses her arms dropping her kind expression as she fixates her gaze on Alister. "It seems you've learned your lesson about running late. Good."

"Considering you nearly burned him to a crisp, you think he'd be stupid enough to risk encountering that fiery attitude of yours again." Asuma asks with a raised brow.

"Yes, I do."

"Hey!"

"Understandable." Asuma shrugs.

"HEY!"

"Are you ready, Asuma?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, so now you're both ignoring me. Jeez, I don't get how you're the kids' 'big sister' when we're the ones who always have to tend to them." Alister grumbles following the two.

At his words, Relon's tiny eyes widen as Shenhe snaps around to glare daggers at Alister, a dark aura appearing around her as Relon feels the unfortunately dumb teen take a step back as she stomps towards him.

Our… big… sister…?

"I have a duty of preserving the peace and safety of the clan for I have been given the opportunity to step outside the clan's boundaries. In doing so, I'm making sure my family and my newborn siblings remain safe. Mother knows this which is why she entrusts you two with these two." She ends poking him hard in the chest for the sixth time within her short banter.

"Ouch!" Alister winces rubbing the center of his now aching chest. "Don't have to be so physical, damn- Ow!" He winces from a sturdy chop to his noggin.

"The sooner you learn to shut that mouth of yours, the sooner the elders will begin to recognize you instead of relying on their mother."

"Yeesh, least you could do is make up your mind on whether or not their mom is yours." He mutters rubbing his head to realize Relon missing from his grasp. "What the?"

"You also need to focus more in general." She adds. "Isn't that right, little one?" She coos at Relon.

"Mean to me yet an angel to the babies. Wow." Alister shakes his head.

"Unlike you, these two still maintain their innocence." She responds taking a hold of Kanade in her other arm, said infant reaching for the smiling woman. "As for your earlier comment, even though she did not birth myself, I still see her as a second mother after my own. But enough chatter, I have a patrol to do alongside Milliardo soon. Calamity." She calls for her polearm to hover over as Shenhe stops in a certain spot.

Leaning away from her chest, Relon peers down at the ground to widen slowly. A narrow perforation visible to the naked eyes stands at Shenhe's feet.

Was that… there when… Mister and I… searched…? Looking over at her polearm, he takes notice of the handle shaped much like Pippin and Pappan. Watching the weapon insert itself, a small trembling sound rings as all turn for Relon to widen once again as a part of the cave's wall rises.

"Come."

"What a doting elder sister." Alister mutters for Asuma to roll his eyes as they proceed onwards.

Once again walking down the tunnel's incline, both take note of a faint illumination steadily growing brighter. Reaching the bottom both widen at the sight before them. Once again within an enlarged cave room, this one however houses an equally large white glowing tree. From its white bark base to the very last white leaf at the tiptop brushing against the cave's ceiling.

"Whoa…!" Both teens awe as Shenhe walks, stopping before the structure to turn facing them.

"I've heard dozens of stories from the others but they weren't kidding when they mentioned the size and brightness." Alister notes.

"The Tree of Transmigration." Shenhe begins. "One of the links between Earth and the Beyond. A tree which houses the souls of we Luciances and the weapons we use."

Souls…?

"Once a Lucinance becomes that of the proper age, a soul linked to their own is born awaiting for them to be released. But it shall only come into reality should the wielder call upon them." Shenhe finishes.

"It's kinda sad, ain't it? A soul is waiting to be born into a weapon but it'll never happen if a Lucinance isn't interested." Asuma speaks.

"Don't start." Alister dismisses, crossing his arms for Asuma to sigh.

"Fine." He gives in walking toward the tree. "You said it was one of the links. You're referring to the swords and the kids, right?"

"Correct. Aside from the elders, their parents, and our very home."

Stopping before it, Asuma places a hand for a sensation to course through his body as he widens.

"You felt it, didn't you?"

"Yeah." He nods.

"Do you know what you must do next?"

For a moment, Asuma doesn't respond. Gazing through his tiny eyes, Relon takes note of the faintest shift in the air around Shenhe.

She's…!

"Yeah." Asuma finally answers with another nod, the air around the woman becoming normal.

"Then let's get this show on the road." Alister says between tired-sounding and annoyed.

"All I have to do…" Asuma begins holding a hand up engulfed in red flames. "Is burn it, right?" Touching it, flames spread quickly to the now burning tree. Its leaves flickering with cinders as the entire room shifts to a red tint.

So… hot…!

As they all step back, all take sight of the tree's trunk open to reveal a dense red flame.

"There it is." Shenhe notes. "Reach your hand into the flame and take hold of your partner."

Walking closer to the flame, Asuma reaches his hand inside. Pulling back, flickers of flames spew in all directions. With one final tug, Ausma's arm retracts fully as he slightly skids to a halt.

With his back to the others, he remains still.

"Well?" Alister calls curiously. "Did it work?"

"Heh, what do you think?" Asuma responds turning around, black brass knuckles imbued with flames resulting in a sharp end held through his fingers visible for them to see. "Seems the soul really does resonate with my own." He notes gazing at his newfound weapon. "These will work just fine." He grins. "So how do I look?"

"Like the same as you were a few seconds ago." Alister smirks back. "I'll add a few cool points. Only because you're my brother." He gives a thumbs up.

"Congratulations." Both turn to widen at Shenhe smiling.

"Shenhe…" Both murmur taken aback.

"Come, shall we try out your new partner?" She wonders as the tree extinguishes itself.

"Uh, yeah." Both nod dumbfoundedly.

"Wait, why are you saying yeah?!" Asuma protests. "I'm the one with the new weapon!"

"Hey, I'm just as taken aback as you are! Shenhe is being freaking nice! And smiling!" Alister exclaims with included arm motions.

"Hmpf, shall we or not?" She questions back to her serious attitude still holding the kids for both teens to shudder. "I'm on a tight schedule."

"Coming!" Both hurry after her.

"So, what are you gonna name it?"

"Huh?"

"It's common for Lucinances to name their newly acquainted partners."

"Oh? What a drag…"

"What was that?" Shenhe glares out the corner of her eyes.

"Nothing! Hm…" He looks to the floating brass knuckles next to him. "Choji?" A shake. "Ino?" Another shake. "Mirai?" A third shake.

"Wow, you are ass at names." Alister deadpans to get a slap. "OW!"

"Language!" Shenhe glares.

"HOW DID YOU EVEN HIT ME WHILE HOLDING TWO BABIES?!" Another slap.

"Stop yelling. You'll wake up Kanade."

"You're literally holding a baby in both hands, how?!"

"Because I'm just that good."

"Shikamaru?" A fourth shake. "How about just Shika?" The knuckles pause for a moment before nodding. "Dope."

"None of this makes any sense…" Alister groans holding his aching head, both Asuma and Shenhe chuckling.

Reaching the training grounds, Relon's vision goes to the bonfire atop the ceiling as everything turns to red.

What's… happening…? He wonders looking around to see Alister carrying him over his shoulder while panting.

"Don't stop Alister!" The familiar voice of Shenhe shouts gaining Relon's attention. "RUN!"

Looking back, the sight before him makes his blood run cold and eyes buck wide in horror.

Fighting intensely against Asuma, she's sent crashing against the cave wall. Wincing, she slowly gets to her feet as Asuma approaches.

Stop…

"Aidios couldn't stop me, so what makes you think you could?" Ishemlga's voice speaks through Asuma's lips.

"Ever since taking up Calamity… and my role within the clan… I knew the risks." She pants slowly getting into a stance. "It was never about whether we could defeat you… It was simply to ensure… that our lights of hope are never extinguished!"

"You wasted our life." Vanishing in an instant, Shenhe stops to widen at the presence behind her. "Those children shall be mine as shall Aidios' power within them."

No… Don't…!

The sight of Asuma's knuckles lodge through Shenhe's back before their flames recede as she falls past him lifelessly hitting the ground. Looking at him, Asuma's pitch-black eyes look at the downed woman. Raising his sharp knuckles, they drop down.

Wait… ! We need to go back! I said Wait! Big sis…! I…said…

Forest

"Wait!" Relon gasps, reaching his hand out to widen, panting for breath.

Feeling something clasp said hand, he redirects his gaze to find Laura's relieved face albeit upside down, her hair obscuring his peripheral.

"Relon, Pippin, you're finally awake!"

Blinking as he regains his thoughts, Relon looks around to find the girls, Elliot, and now Pippin gazing at him in equal relief. Lifting off of Laura's lap slowly, he looks at his arms and the rest of his body.

"My burns…"

"The monsters of the forest healed you and me." Elliot states. "I just woke up a few minutes ago myself actually." He chuckles rubbing the back of his ginger hair.

"You both helped a lot in defeating Krovahn. You two deserved the rest." Alisa smiles.

"Krovanh…?" At the mention, Relon looks over to see the tied up teen and weapon.

"We should find Rean now that we're all awake." Aurelia suggests.

"Yes. He may still be battling Agria." Laura nods. "Relon, shall we-" Turning to her childhood friend and classmate, Laura widens at the flamed veil encompassing Relon's trembling form.

"R-Relon?" Elliot stutters nervously.

Looking at the teen, Laura's eyes trails down to his balled fists shaking profusely. Reaching for it, she pulls back wincing from the burning touch of his skin.

"Laura, be careful!" Alisa says cautiously.

"He's not exuding any visible heat…" Aurelia murmurs.

"You're right!" Elliot gasps.

"Relon…?" She calls, the sound of his clenched teeth sounding sporadically.

Slowly moving around to face him, her eyes widens. The sight before her; tears trickling down his fully clenched face as his slitted eyes burn furiously. His common vine-like markings on his skin absent.

Relon… His sign of evolving to the next phase still remains…

Tracing his sight to land on Krovanh, Laura glances back to Relon.

"They killed her…!" His eyes not leaving his fellow Lucinance as he drops to his knees.

Hearing those words, only a few answers run through her mind.

His sister? His mother? Someone else he may have briefly told her about during his travels? In the end, Laura couldn't make heads or tails about the possible answer.

"... Who?"

Turning his head ever so carefully to meet hers, their eyes meet, pain evident in his demeanor. Slowly raising her hand to touch Relon's cheek wincing from the pain. Struggling to form words, he can only close his eyes.

(Talk to me, Relon.) She whispers, pressing her forehead gently against his.

"Laur-" Alisa is silenced by a hand from Aurelia, the swordswoman shaking her head as they continue to watch on.

"Who, Relon?" She asks once more, lifting their heads up.

"... Shenhe…"

"... Who's that?" Elliot asks.

Sniffling, he lowers Laura's hand holding it as his trembling slowly subsides. His demeanor shifts to crestfallen as he looks at his friends. The anger in his slitted eyes extinguished.

"My older sister…" He mutters for their eyes to all widen. "The big sister I never knew I had. Theykilled her… because of me." He turns back to Krovanh, his eyes dulling with no emotion.

"You're not like them." Laura speaks, gaining everyone's attention including Relon's. "We both know you're not a killer. You're kind and strong, but you're not at fault for anything."

"But-"

"No buts!" She turns his head to face her own holding a determined demeanor. "You're Relon Tarbin Namikaze Lucinance, no?"

"Why does that-"

"Are you or are you not?!"

"... I am."

"Then tell me this; are you going to let her death be in vain?" Her words, causing Relon to widen. "She died protecting you, Relon, didn't she?"

"How could you…?"

"I'm your best friend, am I not?" She answers with a kind smile, her tone softening once more. "I know more than anyone that the number one thing you despise the most is being protected. It's why you always try your best to shield us from harm." At her words, the others widen.

"Laura…"

"I'm sorry if this may sound cruel but now is not the time to weep and sulk. Right now, we need that blazing fury and rage you're renowned for if we hope to survive. So please, if not for us, then for Shenhe and even the Great Elder, don't let their deaths be in vain. She gave up her life for you because she believed just as I do that you can help stop this battle. They both did. Now stand, Relon." She calls forth, extending her hand. "We need you."

-Steel your mind for it can easily break in an instant.-

"It was never about whether we could defeat you… It was simply to ensure… that our lights of hope are never extinguished!"

The Great Elder believed in me. He knew what could- no. What would come out of today's battle. Shenhe believed in me, in us. Kanade and I were entrusted with the power of Aidios to assist in defeating Ishmelga… But, Kanade isn't here nor is Luna now… So… It's up to me!

"... What would I do without you, Laura?" He calmly says looking up to Laura's face brimming with confidence just as his own does.

"What would you do without any of us?" She corrects as he takes her hand lifting himself up to face her and Pippin afloat. "And I believe this is yours." She adds pulling his childhood cloth from her back pocket.

Taking a hold of his prized possession, the memory of Ashland resurfaces to sink once more with a simple blink of the eye.

No need to think of the future, I need to live in the present right now.

Yes. We shall find our answers once we have achieved victory.

Nodding at Nameless' words, he clenches the cloth before an odd sensation stirs within said hand furrowing his brows.

This feeling…

Yes, I feel it too. It's the same as that night.

"What's wrong?" Laura asks.

About to open his mouth, someone beats him to the response.

"What's wrong is rather simple!" All snap in the voice's direction to widen as Demeter comes blitzing out of thin air.

"Elliot, watch out!" Relon shouts, kicking the ground as both go for the ginger.

Before Alisa can fire an arrow, she and Aurelia are shoved out of the way.

So fast! Both think.

"Give me what's mine, boy!" She shouts in hunger reaching an arm out, Elliot blocking with his orbal staff as he's sent off his feet. "Where- There!" She gleams reaching for the scepter in his pocket.

"Elliot!" Relon blurs right behind the back and to his side swinging Pippin.

I'm not gonna make it! Laura thinking rushing after Relon.

Twisting his body, Demeter pulls the staff towards her yanking along Elliot into Relon's way.

"Damn it!" He curses reaching an arm to pull Elliot.

As Elliot's upper half is pulled to Relon due to letting go of his staff, Demeter reaches out her hand as the scepter flies out of his pocket to everyone's shock.

"Oh no!" Alisa gasps rearing an arrow as Aurelia quickly gets to her feet.

"I won't let you!" Relon growls continuing his slash as the scepter reaches her hands for a sinister grin to creep onto Demeter's face as she quickly clashes with said weapon, a burst of light forcing everyone away.

"Relon!" Elliot gasps looking up to nothing. "Where did-"

"She teleported him!" Laura breathes out looking frantically around.

"Krovanh and his weapon are also gone!" Aurelia says as they regroup.

"Where could- Rean!" Alisa exclaims in realization.

Rean

"Such as?"

Looking at the voice, all widen at the familiar well built elderly man with brown eyes and stark white hair and facial hair. In his hand, a rod with a flat, black blade.

"Principal Vandyck!" Rean smiles, happy to see a friendly face.

(Who's the old man?) Rinwell elderly guy?

"That is our principal." Emma says, returning to her stern look. "And you haven't explained yourself!"

"Look, I'm here now so there's no point in arguing!" She declares putting her arms at her hips. "I'm here to help and help is what I'm going to do."

Sighing, Emma redirects her attention to their approaching principal.

"What are you doing here, Principal Vandyck? Not that we're complaining." Machias asks.

"Haha, I believe that broadcast would be a simple answer, no Rean?"

"Yes, sir." Rean answers as he walks past them peering down the crater.

"And who might that young-looking villain be?"

"Agria Lucinance." Rean answers once more for Vandyck to raise an eyebrow.

"Oh? That would explain the condition of the area." He mentions to land upon the sisters, both of whom stiffen as his eyes trace to Rinwell's tome for said girl to hide it behind her smiling nervously.

"At ease. I've long since known you to be a witch, my dear. Although your companion looks more the part." He chuckles for both to widen.

"You did?!"

"Yes. Do you believe someone my age hasn't taught others who use magic?" He muses to raise his head.

"Is something wrong, sir?" Jusis asks, watching the man walk to a halt looking around.

Gripping his weapon, he swings Zhanmadao to his right as a light appears.

"Whoa!" Crashing to the ground, Relon coughs to quickly look up. "Principal Vandyck?!"

"Relon?!" Rean gasps.

"Rean?! Wait, the hell are you guys doing here?! Wait, where'd De-" Stopping himself as he looks forward to the splattering blood seeming to be dragged from Vandyck's position, his eyes slowly drop to find a decapitated Demeter at the waist unmoving.

Moving back to backflip to his feet still gripping Pippin, Relon takes a gulp as he rises to his feet.

"Thanks, Principal." Relon breathes holding back the vomit from the unsightly woman before him.

"No need to thank me." He says swinging his blade to a halt, the blood splattering to the floor.

"That was… anticlimactic."

"Are you injured?" Jusis asks.

"I'm fine. What about the rest of you? Where's Agria?"

"We're all fine thanks to Emma and her sister. They saved us." Gaius gestures.

"Her sister?" Looking at the two, Nameless speaks.

This sensation…

"Nameless?" At his words, the others look to Relon.

It is the same as the cloth's.

"So… you two are witches." He says placing a hand at his side.

"How did you…?"

"With this." He answers by withdrawing his cloth. "My mom gave it to me when I was an infant. I'm just now able to sense the magical essence though thanks to Nameless' power. Using his power, I can sense a similar sensation from the two of you."

"Whose Nameless?" Rinwell asks with a tilt of her head.

"The spirit living inside me." Relon answers nonchalantly.

"You're joking, right?"

"Nope."

"He isn't." Emma agrees.

"It was hard to accept at first, trust me." Machias rolls his eyes.

"So, Emma." Relon begins. "I'm guessing you had your reasons for hiding your identity, huh?"

"Yes. The same as you." She chuckles in defeat.

"Though I won't complain too much. Meeting my mom's family… It's a lot nicer than my other family as you guys can imagine." He smiles, Pappan floating over to him to hover next to Pippin as both seem to exchange their own conversation.

"So you're our cousin." Rinwell surmises walking and looking him over. "I guess the television did you alright in terms of looks."

"R-Rinwell!"

"Haha, thanks. What you see isn't exactly what you get when it comes to me usually." He rubs the back of his head in slight embarrassment.

"No worries, Grandmother told me about you today so I'm glad I get to meet you." She smiles holding out her hand. "My name is Rinwell. And this here is my familiar and buddy, Hootle."

"Hoot hoot!"

"Hehe, the name's Relon. Pippin is the gold and black sword while Pappan is the dark red. Just met Pappan today so I guess we share that trait." He takes off his zemurian glove to shake her hand.

"Hey Relon, who's that?" Machias points over to the unconscious male.

"Korvanh. Agria's brother." He says with an unsteady sigh.

"I hate to intervene on this momentous occasion, but there is a larger matter we must attend to." Vandyck says for their expressions to change to business.

"You're right." Relon nods putting back on his glove."The fact that she was able to teleport worries me about Aunt Cecily and the others. Crap, that's right!" He widens, snapping his ARCUS unit for a screen to pop on it. "Laura, you all alright?"

"We're mostly unscathed but what about you? What happened to Demeter?!"

"Principal Vandyck cut her in two. Literally." At this, Laura breathes a breath of relief.

"Wait, did she say Demeter?!" Emma exclaims.

"Yeah… why…?" Relon answers not liking the expression or tone of her voice as he looks to the bloody corpse.

In doing so, his eyes widen back to the memory of her gripping Elliot's orbal staff.

She was using both her hands!

"She's still alive!" Relon and Emma shout in unison, Vandyck widening as he swerves around to finish the job for the woman to raise her head from the ground with a sinister smirk as her scepter glows.

"No!" Rean and Relon exclaim lunging for the woman as another bright light goes off.

Clearing

Feeling the air rush against his skin, Relon opens his eyes to widen as he takes in his current predicament.

"AHHHHHHH, WE'RE FALLIIIIIING!" Snapping his head, he takes sight of Rinwell holding onto Emma as Hootle tries to flap upwards to no avail.

"What are you two doing here?!"

"Relon!" Looking to his other side, he sees Rean free falling over to him to point further below.

Below, he takes sight of Demeter's sliced body no longer seeping blood as it slowly converges on each other attaching itself back in place.

Next to her, Krovanh and Agria's unconscious bodies along with their weapons.

"Damn it! Pippin, Pappan!" He calls tucking his arms and legs before shooting flames from his arm to propel himself further.

Looking over her shoulder, Demeter can only grin as she dives into a cloud.

"Is he nuts?!" Rinwell exclaims.

"He's a lot of things including that!" Rean says moving over to grab ahold of the girls.

Bursting out of the cloud, Relon widens at the Leaguient ships quickly coming into view. Firing a blast downwards to slow his descent he lands into a roll stopping in a kneeling position on one of the ships. Across from him, standing with the two laying behind him; Demeter.

"Look like you are a lot stronger than you mentioned earlier. Considering you can regenerate or reconstruct your body and severed limbs." He notes, readying himself.

"I suppose that ruse was bound to be found out sooner or later but I truly must commend you once again. This is the first time my lords have been defeated." She says glancing at the two for Relon to jump over to them, firing a torrent of flames.

Not bothering to look, the flames are sucked into the scepter to his shock. Not bothering to question it, he shifts the flame to the side as he lands on the same ship away from the woman.

"Oh? Not brazenly approaching me now? Why the sudden change?"

"Simple. I just got an idea!" He answers transforming to punch a hole into the ship to her shock as an explosion sounds, both taking notice of the sudden drop. "Lucky me! I found the engine or damn close to it!" He shouts rushing the woman.

Clicking her tongue, she points the scepter at the two Lucinances and their weapons for them to vanish as does she.

Punching the air to slide to a halt, Relon curses as he hurries to the edge. Below, he can make out Cecily moving all over the place and the others finishing off the last of the archaisms. Hearing the sound of something open, he takes sight of some men in odd attires open their parachutes. As they do, they look to Relon to widen.

Firing a blast of flames, their parachutes catch fire as they are sent pumetting.

"He's insane!" Rinwell shouts, taking sight of the chaos.

"Our rides are here!" Rean notifies as the two omnipotent swords come zooming towards them.

Seating themselves on Pippin, Rean does the same to Pippin as they descend.

"What about Relon?!" Emma asks.

"He has his own ride. Look!" Rean points.

With a mighty leap, Grunoja soars through the air landing on the ship.

"Thanks, Grunoja!" Rean jumps onto its head. "Grab those guys! They're with Senate!"

-Alright!- Grunoja bellows leaping off of the ship sending it down.

"Where's dad and Sephiroth?!"

-They're still fighting on the outskirts of the clearing!- It responds for Relon to see explosions and dust rise over the canopy.

"Watch out!" The pilot exclaims before they're grabbed as Grunoja free falls crashing through the trees to the ground with a mighty thud sliding through the unlucky machines.

-Go! I'll leave these vermin with the other inhabitants of the forest!-

"Be careful, they could explode from the head!" Relon warns turning and jumping off of Grunoja as the creature nods.

Landing for rows of machines to stand between him and the clearing along with the others, Relon's fist tightens.

"Out of my way!" He growls, flames forming around him to condense as he charges straight through unaffected by their gunfire.

"Heads up, something's coming!" Lechter warns.

"Not something. Someone!" Sara corrects.

"Flare Blitz!" Relon's voice roars as he jumps over everyone's head returning to normal as he lands. "That takes care of the last of those machines." He breathes out looking behind him.

"Relon!" Rean's voice calls as the three touch down hopping off the sword pair.

"Are you always that rash?!" Rinwell exclaims, still holding onto Emma.

"That and then some. But now isn't the time." He turns taking sight of Cecily dodging attack after attack from the surrounding Leaguients.

Looking closer, he widens at the few injuries now on her torn clothing. Watching with crossed arms; Asuma. Feeling Nameless' power within, Relon holds his wrist stifling his growing rage.

"She's been fighting the whole time while we've been dealing with these machines." Sara speaks. "Now, we can finally back her up."

"I don't think so." The voice of Demeter speaks appearing from a light before them as they ready themselves, Pippin and Pappan rushing to Relon's hands. "Emma, Rinwell, it's quite lovely to see you both again." She greets with a sadistic smile. "Agatha." Emma grips her staff as Rinwell readies her tome. "One of the few witches who abandoned her home and stole some of our clan's forbidden arts."

"So that's it…" Relon says, heat exuding from his body as Agatha's confident demeanor remains.

"Time Stop." She utters, her scepter glowing for the world around them to pause as everything gains a gray-ish tint.

Widening, he looks around to see no one reacting nor does he feel the sensation of the wind.

"Now, we can talk one-on-one." She breathes out. "I could feel them preparing to attack but as my lord wishes, I want to once again allow you the chance to save these fools by coming with us. You would like to do that, no? Your home would be safe as too would your friends and family."

"Agatha is your real name… and Demeter is your Leagueint alias…" He speaks ignoring her to look straight at her, his burning slit eyes locked on her brown orbs.

"Yes. And from the look in those eyes, I would say you're quite upset. It's a pity. You're so full of rage and malice, the signs for your evolution are present right before our very eyes yet you, a hybrid, can't even evolve through such emotions yet. It must be frustrating being so, so, close to what can be considered helpful." She purses her lips in sympathy. "We both know you can't do nothing to me." She says teleporting behind him. "You know it." She teleports to his right side.

"Shut up…!" He speaks through clenched teeth, his vine-line markings struggling to spread and recede at the same time.

"I obviously know it." She teleports to his left. "My lord and fellow Leaguients all know it." She teleports in front to whisper into his ear, the boy clenching his teeth as the slightest movement of his jaw makes the woman hum in delight.

"Barbatos, Cabrakan, Lord Krovanh and Agria are all safely away from the battlefield and you've had four chances to take them down yet you didn't. You say we're the fools yet you could have dealt heavy damage had you just gone for the head~. But I suppose there's one thing that is good for you." She teleports to float overhead of him. "Even your poor dead clan looking down right now can smile knowing you're fighting. It's a shame they died. Such a waste."

"You're wrong." His sudden shift in tone making her look to widen at the boy now smiling. "You don't know how wrong you are, Demeter." He raises a hand placing it on his heart.

"Oh? Tell me, Senate Hunter, how am I wrong?"

"The people before me wished for peace. My clan wished that my sister and I would be able to light the way to a new tomorrow. One filled with joy and hope. Not chaos and despair!" He looks up for the area to begin to crack.

"When there is light, there is darkness. Power is a hunger many seek as to rule! Surely you, a half human, knows that much." She narrows, the world cracking once more.

"Yeah, I know that very well. Fighting against Aretula taught me that, but… I also learned that conflict only breads more conflict. That's why, I- no. My friends and I are going to put a stop to Senate and everyone else that wishes to harm this world."

"Quite the speech, but tell me this; how shall you do it?"

"Simple." He punches his gloved palm for the space to shatter as color once again returns, all still looking at Demeter. "By hunting down those that wish to fan the flames of conflict!"

"What the?" Lechter wonders. "What's going on?"

"Did we miss something?" Rinwell wonders.

"Nothing too important." Relon reassures.

"You're a fool." She glares. "You're given the opportunity to save your human comrades yet you still choose to struggle! Even if you defeat us, others shall continue where we left off! It's an endless wave of hardship! No one can-"

"You're wrong." He cuts her off. "Many have tried and still are trying. It's not impossible. It simply hasn't been done."

"Tch, I tried." She mutters rising into the sky. "I truly did try to save you, Relon Lucinance! So don't complain about what's to come next!" She yells, her scepter glowing for Claire to fire a shot forcing Demeter to teleport away. In that moment, she widens as Sara, Osborne, Olivert, Mueller rushing past her towards the Leaguients.

"You lowley-" She curses to teleport away once more as Relon's kick misses to slide to a halt.

Reappearing, she glares at Relon.

"How?! How can they leave someone such as I to you brats?!"

"Simple." Relon answers. "They believe in us." He answers as he, Rean, and Lechter take the front with Emma, Rinwell, and Claire behind.

"For the transgressions against the Hexen Clan and all humans…" Emma begins.

"You're going down!" Rinwell finishes.

"This is your last chance to surrender peacefully." Claire states taking aim.

"You two ready?" Lechter asks, said protagonists looking to the other to nod taking a step forward.

"Spirit Unification/Demon Unchained!"

Dodging the Leaguient's anchor, Cecily blitzes for Asuma only to sidestep away as the ground where she once stood bursts. The cause being the Leaguient's sniper round. Landing, she looks to be surrounded by three more. Moving her body avoiding all of their strikes, she widens taking the briefest moment to look up at an anchor descending to jump to it and kick off landing to block a magical blast sending her sliding away.

Turning around sensing the boxer, she prepares to pivot to meet him for gunshots to force the Leaguient and a few others away. Looking to the source, she widens at the others moving in front of her. Before she can question them, a surge of power gains her attention to look towards the edge of the clearing taking sight of Relon along with the others.

"What-"

"We finally managed to deal with the last of those pesky machines so we are here to provide back-up." Osborne speaks.

"Can you stand, Cecily?" Olivert asks for the woman to do so with little struggle.

"But why?" She asks.

"Relon reassured us." Sara says. "I mean he is my student so I didn't expect no less."

"Sure you didn't." Meuller mutters.

"You've raised a fine man, Cecily." Olivert smiles. "And now, he has his fight to partake in as do we!"

"... Yes." She breathes out a smile before refocusing on the task at hand. "Let's continue."

"Seems we get to have more fun~."

"Hmpf, better than all of us jumping one woman! Shall we continue, boss?"

"Yeah. Have at it."

"Here they come!" Sara warns, all five readying themselves.

"You foolish children!" Demeter hisses pointing her scepter firing energy blasts for Relon to cut each down to end by pointing the tips of his swords up allowing Rean to jump onto it before zooming towards the floating woman.

Holding her glowing scepter in hand, she vanishes reappearing on the ground aiming at Rean.

"I don't think so!" Rinwell says pointing her finger in a gun fashion. "Photon Flash!" She shouts firing alongside Claire.

Glowing her scepter once again, Demeter raises it forming a shield. Raising her head as her senses sound out, Demeter notices Lechter and Relon coming from both sides as Rean kicks off Pappan.

Waving her scepter, she vanishes for the three to halt.

"Get in!" Relon shouts, slashing at the ground for a portal to appear.

Jumping in without hesitation, Lechter follows as she appears behind the girls. Turning on a dime to fire, Claire fires for Demeter to block the bullets.

Before she can attack, the four look to the ground in between them as a rift opens as a blade slices a few strands of her hair as she backs up. Coming out right after Rean, Lechter extends his rapier for the woman as she pivots her body. The scepter readying with another glow for it to stop at Demeter's shock for Rinwell to take notice as the evil witch looks back at another rift.

Coming out of a rift, Relon reels back his fist.

"What?!"

"Gotcha!" Connecting his fist with the scepter, a blast rings out sending everyone away.

"Ethereal Edge!" Emma shouts as she's sent away.

Raising her scepter, another shield forms.

Why couldn't I teleport just then?

"Relon!" Rinwell calls getting his attention motioning for him to come over.

Firing a blast to be shielded, he jumps through a rift reappearing with the others.

"Just then, she tried to teleport yet she chose to block your fist." Rean notes. "Why?"

"Could there be a limit to how many times she can teleport?" Lechter suggests.

"I don't think it's so much she chose to but more so she was forced to." Rinwell comments.

"What do you mean?" Claire asks.

"Her scepter glows right before she vanishes yet when Relon made that rift, it stopped glowing."

"Could it be…" Emma widens in thought.

"What Emma?" Relon asks.

"Your swords were made from the Beyond, correct?"

"... Yeah. And?"

"It may be simple repulsion and attraction. Like how we witches and what we use go hand-in-hand. Rinwell and her tome, my orbal staff and myself. Take magnets for example. You need a positive and negative end."

"I understand now!" Claire interjects. "But due to the substance and matter Relon's rifts have, it may be interfering with the connection!"

"Exactly!"

"If that's the case…" Relon begins looking to Demeter who refocuses on them from her own thoughts. "We may finally have a chance at taking her down."

"I have an idea that may work. Lechter, did you bring those with you?" Claire suggests for her fellow Ironblood to nod. "Good."

Why couldn't I… No matter. Demeter thinks looking to her fellow Leaguients fighting against the five adults. Lord Sephiroth keeping the Wandering Beast at bay is safe but I must wonder why he mentioned none of us being capable of defeating the man. Surely, simply teleporting him would do the job simply fine…

Slicing the air around them, multiple rifts appear heavily obstructing their view of everything around them.

These annoying pests. Demeter thinks, her scepter glowing for a force to hit her stomach causing her to gasp as she slides to a halt holding her stomach. What was that?!

Looking down and then up, she's met with a smirking Rinwell and focused Emma surrounded by less rifts.

There aren't as many as before! Widening, she snaps around to see Relon coming out bringing both swords down.

Both take note of the scepter's glow ceasing for Relon to smirk and Demeter to click her tongue in annoyance.

"You can't run this time!" He says striking at the woman who jumps back for another rift to appear, releasing Rean as he slashes at the woman.

She can't teleport nor can she block the both of us! He thinks.

Annoying…! She curses, her scepter glowing for both to widen as she points it to the ground releasing a shockwave sending both flying to skid against the ground.

Lechter! Both think recovering to look.

So rifts cancel out my teleportation, do they? That boy continues to find new ways to annoy me.

Senses going off, her eyes focus as she turns around as Lechter thrusts forward. Parrying the tip of his rapier with her scepter, it glows as dark orbs condensate out of thin air around the two.

"Die for me." She glares as Lechter grits his teeth.

"I don't think so!" Rinwell calls out, her tome glowing black as she points at Lechter for the young adult to vanish as the black orbs strike the ground.

Reappearing next to the sisters, he lands on his stomach breathing in relief.

"Thanks for the assist." Rinwell nods, placing a hand on her tome.

"Ready, Emma?"

"Yes! Conflatilem Pilam (Molten Fireball)!" Pointing her staff, a single ball of lava forms dripping to the ground.

"Purge Malevolence! Freeze Lancer!" Extending her hand, spears of ice form around Rinwell.

"Simple magic such as that cannot hope to compete!" Demeter retorts, more black balls of energy forming around her.

Smirking, she sidesteps as a loud bang goes off. Looking down to the hole at her feet where her scepter was, she looks directly up to Claire atop Pippin holding an orbal sniper.

"The same trick won't work twice!" She chides as the sisters launch their attack.

"Arc Slash!"

"Ha!" Relon blasts a stream of flames.

Pushing her arms out, the orbs disperse in all directions. Meeting the attacks, the dark orbs push through without effort.

"Hit the deck!" Lechter shouts pushing the two to the ground.

Giving up as their attacks prove useless, they dive to the ground. Flying out of the way of the black flame, it turns on a dime after her. Looking behind, she takes aim for the round to do nothing as it flies after her.

"Claire, Pippin!"

"Hehe, yes…"

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Looking around, Relon's slitted eyes widen in horror as the dark spheres reign chaos upon the army as they shoot around like flies passing through soldiers and vehicles resulting in a dark explosion.

"Yes…!"

A chain reaction of red and black explosions blurs throughout the forest as it once again catches ablaze.

"Oh no!" Rean grits his teeth.

"Watch out!" Meuller shouts, all avoiding the attack as they take sight of the chaos around them.

"OH, YES~!" Demeter exclaims in lust holding her body. "SCREAM, CRY OUT, TELL ME YOUR FINAL WORDS AS YOU DEPART! I PROMISE, I'LL LISTEN TO THEM ONE SYLLABLE AT A TIME!"

"STOP IT!" Appearing at both sides, the two boys roar in anger as Demeter teleports away.

Trembling furiously, the heat around Relon and the dark aura around Rean expand.

"Oh? What shall you two do to make me?" She says floating in the air looking down. "You, Aidios' Chosen no longer even have her I bet and you, Ishmelga's host will eventually succumb to his power so either way, it is only a matter of time before your defeat comes! Let me enjoy myself, will you?"

"Rean." Relon says wide-eyed slowly tilting his head as his grip around tightens causing a low sound in indication, the other sound of pained agony now silent as only the crackling flames are all that remains around the clearing.

"Yeah?" Rean says glaring darkly at the woman.

"I wanted Asuma dead, but now I want her dead too…" Relon says crouching into a stance.

"Whether it's Ishmelga's power that's influencing me or not, I could care less because I agree wholeheartedly." Rean says swiping his sword to the side, red flames igniting along the blade.

"Then come. Attack as much as you want, I'll gladly partake in your struggle as well!"

"I believe that is quite enough." All widen at the new voice as the single tap of something sounds out. "Restituet Autem Castitate (Restoration of Purity)!" Looking behind him, Relon takes sight of a developed woman with blonde hair ending past her waist with a staff in hand.

Watching as a yellow pulse races across the ground putting out the fire as well as the dark spheres, Relon can only grip his chest as his earlier conversation with Luna resurfaces.

"Back when I could watch Earth's progression, I saw the conflicts humans fought with one another over, the dark secrets they used and sealed away, the separation of family, all of it. That also included the birth of other clans. Clans that although nowhere near close to those of the Beyond like the Lucinances, but still bred powerful humans. Most eventually died out but there was and still is one. The very same one your mother came from… Otherwise known as the Hexen Clan. Led by none other than the Crimson Roselia."

"Grandmother!" Rinwell and Emma exclaim in joy.

Looking to the group of adults battling against the Leaguients, she readies her staff as a glyph appears for glyphs under the five to appear before they teleport around the woman.

"Whoa, that's an odd feeling." Sara says looking to the witch as she steps to the Leaguients.

"How dare you… HOW DARE YOU FACE ME WITH YOUR BACK, ROSELIAAAAA!" Demeter screams in anger gaining everyone's attention.

"I'll deal with you in a moment." Roselia speaks glancing behind her. "But first..." She begins locking eyes with a few of the Leagueints as she taps the ground for the entire area including the sky to gain a red tint.

"Rubrum Luna (Red Moon)!" She calls for said object to form in the sky as Roselia begins to twirl her staff. "Oh crimson moonlight… veiled in dust, lend me your power!" She chants as dozens of red glyphs appear in rows and columns. "Burn to ashes! Bewitching Blood Moon!" From the glyphs, red lasers shoot out towards the evil organization.

"Shields!" Rossweisse shouts zooming into the air as she and some of the other Leagueints form layers of force fields as the lasers descend.

"It's been a while." Cecily greets as Roselia looks to her.

"Yes. It has." A tremor gaining their attention. "He's keeping him busy it seems." She narrows her eyes as her gaze fixates on Demeter. "Take the momentary rest." She offers walking towards the others.

Gulping at the pressure exuding from the woman, Emma and Rinwell can only watch as she stops before them.

"Now isn't the time for a scolding. Are either of you hurt?"

"Nothing we can't shrug off." Rinwell grins flexing an arm.

"We're fine.' Emma agrees for the woman to nod.

"You have my thanks." She nods to Lechter walking past him towards Relon.

Looking up, the three take sight of Claire landing off Pippin.

"Who is that?"

"Our Grandmother." Emma speaks, gaining their attention as she looks to the officer. "Including Relon's." At this, Claire widens slightly at the mention.

"From what I can tell, fathers only tease their children because they care."

"From what you can tell? But isn't... That man is your father, no?"

"No. He just took me in when I was an infant."

"So you don't see him as such?"

"How can I if I can never understand the meaning of fatherhood?"

"So you really know nothing about your family? Nothing at all?" Her tone becoming saddened.

"No. I never knew them. The closest thing I can describe as family is my partner. It's one of the reasons I want to grow strong. So that someday I'll find them. I know they're out there... somewhere."

She's Relon's…?

Blinking, her crimson eyes glimmer against the sunlight just like Relon's.

"Who is she? Clearly another witch." Rean notes still looking to a clearly upset Demeter unlike Relon, said boy mesmerized by the woman.

Grandmother…

With every step she nears, Relon can only look on in awe. At her power, her looks, her. Just as he's about to speak, Roselia beats him to it.

"Slitted eyes just like your mother." She smiles, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You've grown quite a bit since the last time I held you in my arms, Relon." The warmth behind every word piercing Relon for his form to extinguish. "I'm sure she'll say the same thing once they arrive."

"Wait. She? They?" Widening at the realization, Roselia can only wink stopping in between Rean and Relon.

"Stay focused, boys! The true battle is just beginning!"

"Right!" Rean responds as Relon glances to the lasers pummeling the multiple shields.

"Don't worry." Roselia reassures him. "They'll be busy for a few minutes. More than enough time to deal with this one."

"Okay."

My entire body and mind feels like they're in a maze. I don't know what to feel or how to respond now. What should I…?

Simple. Just think. Nothing has changed. You simply have another powerful ally at your side.

… Yeah… You're right. Thanks, Nameless. I had a dumb moment just then. Can't be having those now of all times. If I get sloppy…

A burst of flames exploded around him once more.

I'll die…!He thinks, taking a hold of Pippin and Pappan.

"ROSELIAAAA! FINALLY! FINALLY, I CAN PURSUE MY REVENGE!"

"Yes, yes, we hear you. So tell me, my troublesome student, how much further have you sunken into the depths of darkness? It must be quite deep to join Ishmelga."

"Hahaha… Sunken? Oh, my dear mentor, I've become the darkness!" Demeter exclaims, her scepter glowing a pitch-black as a sphere of darkness envelopes the woman.

"Relon!"

"Let's go!" He responds throwing his swords as they lay flatly in mid-air for both to use them as stepping platforms preparing to strike the sphere of darkness with their flamed attacks.

"Rinwell. Emma." Roselia looks behind at her girls. "Get ready." She orders, light imbuing her staff as it does Emma's and Rinwell's tome.

"Understood!"

"Don't think we're just gonna stand by as you do what you want!" Relon shouts, thrusting his fist and Rean his sword for their attacks to be repelled.

BA-DUMP.

Landing on the swords both look as the sound of a heartbeat rings out. Covering an ear, both boys wince as it descends.

BA-DUMP. BA-DUMP.

"Damn it!" Relon growls firing a stream of flames to push it further to the ground. "What the? My flames aren't being repelled?"

"Physical and Elemental attacks have no effect on dark magic!" Roselia calls out. "Unless your power comes from the Beyond or is light magic itself, it's useless."

"Seriously? Relon, if you keep that up, you'll drain whatever reserves you have left!"

"You have a better idea?!"

BA-DUMP. BA-DUMP. BA-DUMP

"Keep attacking." Both look to Roselia. "You're delaying her transformation. Keep it up until I'm done with mine."

"You got it!"

"Illuminate the dark!" Rinwell declares. "Holy Lance!" At her call, numerous small lances lodge themselves within the sphere for a larger lance to appear overhead as it drops striking the sphere.

"Did that do it?!" Rean gasps, for the area to shift through colorful tints.

"No! Don't let up!"

"This woman…!" Relon curses continuing the stream.

"And I'm not done yet!" Rinwell grits her teeth.

"As am I!"

"Let her have it!" Roselia calls. "Move, you two!" Nodding they fly back to the elder witch.

"Lord Albireon!"

"Divine Saber!"

Relon can only watch in awe as the magical towers rise for each to shoot at a coordinated point before dropping the purple-ish beam down plunging the sphere into the ground. Soon, it is joined by the scattering of lightning having appeared out of thin air as that too combines with the beam shooting into the ground.

"Emma and Rinwell can do stuff like this?!" Relon exclaims holding up an arm.

Breathing heavily, Emma staggers for a moment to catch herself shaking away the fatigue as the beam strengthens itself.

Narrowing at the enlarged hole, Roselia raises a hand for the two girls to stop falling to the ground panting from exhaustion.

"You two okay?" Lechter asks.

"Yeah… just… need to… catch my breath." Rinwell dismisses, looking to Emma panting.

She used Albireon twice now. Just using it once takes more of a toll on our mana than all of the art I've used combined. Sis…

"I'm…okay, Rinwell." She breathes out to her sister's surprise. "The others have… been fighting much longer than us. So we need… to do our part too…!" She says rising to her feet.

"Are you sure?" Claire asks.

"Yes. I am." She answers.

"And you?"

"If Sis is fine, then so am I!" Rinwell pushes herself up, opening her tome. "Just give us the word, Grandmother!"

These two… Claire thinks to nod.

Relon's whole family sure is tough. I'll give them that. Just wish not all of them were… Lechter thinks, looking at the lasers still firing.

"Here she comes." Roselia cautions as a surge of darkness shoots out of the hole into the sky as a dark mist rolls across the ground.

Rising out of the hole for it to close below her, Demeter lands for all to take in her new form. Having discarded her veil over her face, her once purple-layered robes now a singular black glimmering dress. Her blond hair and brown eyes now pitch-black.

"Well? You didn't believe me before so it feels only right to prove you wrong, Roselia. I told you, I am darkness itself." She reiterates to raise a hand.

"The scepter!" Rean notes taking sight of the orb itself lodged in the woman's hand.

"Were our attacks not strong enough?!"

"Oh, they were plenty effective." Roselia says nonchalantly ceasing her casting. "Had we not intervened, she would be more troublesome to deal with.

"Lord Sephiroth, I never doubted you for a moment! Patience shall lead me back to my enemy and it has! And now, you die!" She snaps her open palm at them. "Time Stop!" In an instant, a gray tint envelopes everything.

Looking at everything and everyone, Demeter cannot help but laugh in ecstasy.

"FINALLY! I'VE SURPASSED YOU, YOU MEDDLESOME CHILD! ACTING ALL MIGHTY AND POWERFUL JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE LIVED LONG! WELL LOOK AT YOU NOW!" Demeter shoots forward to stop mere centimeters from the frozen woman.

"Nothing but useless. Incapable of even blinking!" Snapping her fingers, black orbs dance around her head to strike leaving only Rose's neck and body attached.

Glancing at Rean, her hand places itself upon the teen's chest.

"I'm sure my lord wouldn't mind if we took back what is ours after all~!" Her nails become sharp as if inserting them through a puddle, she inserts it through Rean's chest causing it to ripple. "Now… where… Aha!" Yanking back, his bloody heart exuding beats in her now bloody hands.

With another snap, it disappears as does the blood.

"And finally, you." She floats around before landing in front, raising Relon's chin up to her. "I really did want to help. Even after what you did to my lords, I was willing to turn the other way but you were selfish, not I Relon. I could have been the mother you never had just as I am for the others. You could have been with people who could understand you and you could understand them." She caresses his cheek to suddenly grip his neck. "But you resisted time and time again! Defeating Barbatos, fine. Defeating Cabrakan, understandable. But I? Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no. Never! But alas. You made your decision and must live with it. Oh, did I say live? You can't exactly do that since I just crushed your neck. Whoops."

Looking at his weapons, she raises her hand for both to vanish.

"I'm sure my lord will have wondrous uses for those. Speaking off!" Teleporting, she reappears before the two slowly still fighting. "I must admit, the Wandering Beast is quite the rare sight. A lowly human who shattered his limits putting himself on par with a God. It's inconceivable yet here he stands. Or, here he stood." Raising her hand, a hole appears in the man's chest to expand until his body ceases to exist. "Hmm, who was he again? Hahahaha!" Flying over the battlefield, she gazes at the lasers to snap her fingers for them to vanish.

"Who else to erase…" Pointing at Cecily, she starts erasing one after another until only two are left; Osborne and Olivert. "Ooh, I almost forgot about those other pesky friends of Relon's. If only he had joined, I could have properly had a son I could call my own. I may as well just destroy this forest. I've been stuck in it long enough and need a change of settings." Pointing at the epicenter, a beam shoots for a pulse to disperse in all directions as the forest catches on fire. From her position, thanks to her enhanced sight, she watches as the rest of Class VII burns in black flames.

"Oh, how I wish my flames were like my lords. In appearance they can be considered twins, but the raw power, suffocating sensation, in comparison goes lightyears beyond my own. It's quite a shame. Oh well. With practice, one day I may learn how to once my lord bypass the defenses of what those filthy humans call Ashland. Ahh~, this power is mine! Mine! Mine! MINE! AND I LOVE IT!" She spins around in jubilee. "With the prince all ours, my lord's plans are much closer than ever before! All because of I! Haha… HAHAHAHA!"

Real World

"What did you do?" Rean says as Roselia walks to a motionless Demeter.

"I did what we witches are famous for." Roselia answers looking to the two. "I put a spell on stole our dark arts even after my warning and vanished for quite some time. Never once adhering to what those warnings were, she became this. A woman capable of breaking the fabric of reality in exchange for her humanity."

"What do you mean?" Relon asks exiting his form.

"She stole every last text but one. One that is easily the most important out of all the dark arts. The very first page I kept hidden away should such a feat even happen under my watchful eye. That page tells of what shall happen to the user should they go through with learning even one dark art. That risk… is your lifespan." She widens.

"But… why?" Rean blinks trying to understand as he reverts to normal. "Why go through such a risk?"

"This… hopeless fool I used to associate with couldn't have children. Afterwards, she lost her only lover." At this, both boys widen.

"So that's why she seemed somewhat obsessed with me… It wasn't solely for Senate, but for herself as well…"

"And that talk back with Cabrakan, was she actually serious having slept with so many? To ease her broken heart?"

"Dark magic can do much but not everything. It cannot grant one the ability to have children or bring back the dead. Two of the problems Agatha sought an answer for. But the more you use the more your mind warps until you can't tell one thing from another."

"..."

"You feel sympathy, no?"

"Why wouldn't we?" Rean retorts. "It's just…"

"That still doesn't excuse what she and Senate have done! She just murdered men and women who had families! I can't forgive her!"

"Seems you're more human than Lucinance. Good. You're not a complete dunce like your father."

"My father? Wh-"

BOOOM!

Snapping their heads as the glyphs vanish as do the lasers, Relon staggers to a knee as the barriers break.

"What-" Widening, his eyes goes to the smoke rising from where the Leaguients were once confined.

A large silhouette growing small in size as Relon grips his own marking.

Just then…! That heat…!

That must be the third stage Ai- Luna warned us about.

That power felt on par with Dad's!

From the smoke, Asuma walks with his hands in his pocket cracking his neck as the Leaguients walk behind him.

"The hell was that?!" Sara exclaims.

"That?" Asuma stops. "Was something only we male Lucinances can do." He answers uncaringly to glance behind the five at Relon, Rean, and Roselia.

"They want Demeter!" Rean exclaims, Roselia taping the ground for everyone to teleport to the edge of the forest.

"If they want her, they'll have to get through us!" Cecily declares. "You all have bought us more than enough time.

"Go." Asuma orders, all the Leaguients about to launch into action for two figures to shoot like a blur to the front causing the ground to quake, kicking up dust and dirt.

Swiping away the dust, Relon widens seeing Yujiro and Sephiroth. Both men's clothing beaten and full of cuts and dirt along with Sephiroth's mask holding several small cracks.

"Yujiro/Dad?!" Cecily and Relon gasp.

"Bastard tried to sneak off sensing all of the commotion." Yujiro growls.

"Made you transform, huh? Not surprised." Asuma says.

"Yes. I am quite enjoying myself. It seems a few events have unfolded."

"You could say that." Asuma states stopping next to Sephiroth. "Nothing we can't handle."

Gripping his wrist, Relon's widen to the two individuals. His eyes gazing at Asuma.

"That is relieving to hear. I would be quite disappointed otherwise." Sephiroth smiles. "It has been quite some time, Roselia."

"Still using that body of his, Ishmelga? Why not switch to one of those children you abducted. That is your purpose for them, is it not?" At this, everyone gasps looking at the villain.

Switch bodies?! Could it have to do with Luna mentioning being weakened here on Earth compared to the Beyond? Could the same apply to them?

That is a possibility.

"I can assure you, Ishmelga is here although I am currently in control. He is resting after his battle with Aidios. As for that other comment, they are simply my children. I've raised them for the sole purpose of fighting for a better world."

"Lying without a shred of hesitation. Acting as though you're being honest with yourself. You truly are the devil." Roselia retorts taking a side glance at Relon's form beginning to tremble as his breathing picks up.

Relon, at this rate you may hyperventilate or go into an uncontrollable rage.

I know… I know! But… I can't help it…! Just looking at him…them! My blood… our fire! I feel so angry, my marking aches!

"Relon?" Claire wonders looking to him as does Rean.

"Hey, calm down!"

"Such rubbish is a waste of time. Wandering Beast, what say we resume our bout? It is the safest route." He calls beginning to walk forward.

"Tch, son of a… Cecil-"

"I'm fine. We both know it'll take more than this to stop me." She cuts off.

"Hmpf. Fine." Yujiro nods as he too begins to walk forward.

Seeing both men walk, Relon's frantic breathing ceases. Slitted pupils shaking in rage, they take notice of Asuma's bored eyes slowly glance over to him.

"Want to fight? … Bring it." Asuma mouths making veins bulge along Relon's skin.

Relon!

Instincts… going feral… I can't… !

"Relon." A sudden hand places itself upon his burning cheek for Relon to look at, seeing Claire hold an expression.

One he hasn't seen before. Care? No, she's shown care through numerous other expressions. Fear? There's a lot of reasons to be fearful at the moment. What is it then? Her pursed lips aren't asking for a kiss. Now isn't the time for that either nor do they want the others to find out. Wait, they're trembling. Why? It's Spring so…

"Humans tremble when in fear." The voice of Yujiro speaks as a memory resurfaces from his childhood.

Walking alongside the man, a curious Relon reading a book walks in sync with the large man's footsteps.

"Hey Mister."

"Yeah? What's up?"

"Do you think I'll be okay…?"

"Hm? What do you mean? In Legram? Sure, it'll be good for you. You trust me, don't you?"

A nod comes in response but what lingers afterwards catches the Wandering Beast's notice.

"So what's really eating you up?"

"How should I… act?"

"Not like me." He gives a hardy laugh for the boy to pout.

"Mister…!"

"Fine, fine, fine. In all seriousness, act like yourself."

"Huh? But, I don't know how to… act around others aside from you."

"You were able to act like yourself around Teo's kids, weren't you?"

"Yeah… But they kept talking to me."

"And you didn't want to be rude, right." A nod comes in response. (Even though it took you a freaking week.)

"Huh?"

"Nothing, nothing. Look, ever since I found you, you've always kept to yourself. Even now, you won't talk to others unlike I ask you to. You're the type to go looking for me instead of asking around whenever we get separated. You're like me; stubborn."

"But I've been with you since I was a baby so isn't that normal?"

"And ain't this conversation we're having normal?" He aches an eyebrow along with a smirk for Relon to stop jerking his head taken aback.

"I… I guess so."

"Then there's your answer. Treat and talk to others the way that feels normal to you." He explains pointing at the 10-year-old's forehead. "It doesn't have to be immediate but eventually, you'll have to speak to others more and more often. Who knows, you may end up becoming an instructor and have your own class." He laughs, turning around for Relon to pout again as they resume their trek.

"Not funny!"

"Sorry, sorry.'

"... Mister."

"What is it this time?" He grins looking to widening ever so slightly at the look of determination on Relon.

"Let's make a promise." He extends his fist.

"What kind of promise?"

"I want to be the next one you fight. Promise me that."

"You mean I can't fight anyone for two whole years? That's a lot of time, you know."

"Misterrrrr! I don't count those fights with random thugs and merchants. That's a beating considering it's always one punch that ends it!"

"Jeez, you're not wrong. Hmm… Alright then." Yujiro smirks, bumping fists. "But let's add another."

"A second one?"

"Yeah." He adds two fingers for emphasis, his demeanor getting serious. "One that stays between you and I."

"What is it?"

"Let's promise each other this; should either go wild, the other will be there to make sure they don't go too far."

"Too far? But I've never seen you lose it. I on the other hand…"

"It's fine. Emotions can cloud our judgment. That's what happened to you. One of the reasons I want you to train with Vic is that having a weapon can help focus one's mind. There are numerous methods but having a weapon is one of the easiest for fighters like us." He points to Pippin on his waist.

"Human emotions… Such as what?"

"All of them. Happiness, sadness, anger, fear, and so on. I'm sure you're familiar with those last two especially, no?" A nod comes in response. "We humans show a lot of different emotions. We smile when happy, we shed tears when sad. Yet, these very emotions cross over one another. We can cry tears of joy or be so afraid of something or someone, it physically enrages us."

"I see…"

"Humans tremble when in fear. But that fear may not be of themselves. They can tremble in fear of what may not happen to them, but another. Whether they simply care for that person or more such as love, it usually shows the same. Regardless, do we have a deal?"

"... Yeah!" Relon pulls back to bump fists with the man.

"Thanks for worrying about me, Claire." He gives a reassuring smile, his slitted eyes shifting back to normal. "But, I'll be alright." She lowers her hand to raise his own to her cheek.

"Promise me." She holds his raised hand with hers, her trembling form stopping.

"You should know me better than that." He chuckles to feel her tighten his hand. "I'll say it as many times as I need to. I can't afford to die. Not until I find them and the answers I seek." Lowering their hands, he looks to his best friend. "Rean, this one's all mine." He says looking to his best friend. "Once I've taken care of Asuma, we're going straight for Sephiroth."

"... Alright. I'm holding you to that."

"Hey, Grandmother." No response as Roselia looks forward. "Estimated arrival?" He exhales a long breath, finally gaining everyone's attention as Pippin and Pappan float close near him.

"Ten more minutes." She muses looking at her glowing staff.

"Good. Plenty of time." He grips both swords.

"Relon." Looking forward to Cecily, she has only one thing to say. "Give him hell for me." Nooding, the others all do the same to him as Relon looks to Asuma before both swords shoot him into the air soaring to land next to Yujiro still walking.

Landing, he walks in tandem with his father.

"Hmpf, didn't think he'd take such an obvious bait." Asuma smirks engulfed in flames to appear walking next to Sephiroth.

"You in control?"

"Yeah… My body's been aching for round two ever since I came back." Relon focuses as he notes Asuma's hands leave his pocket as he readies his brass knuckles. "Stage one; fighting parameters are increased significantly. Stage two; their hair and eyes change color for their reaction time and flames to increase. Stage three… A strength unlike any other comes out."

"Anything else?" Yujiro asks gripping his fists, the four's auras and heat becoming more visible as they near. "One last thing…" Relon says, his eyes becoming slit once again as he rolls up his right sleeve before withdrawing his cloth wrapping it around his arm. "My mom really is something!" Grinning, both arms ignite with flames for the first time.

"What?!" Asuma exclaims.

"That woman truly thought ahead it seems." Sephiroth muses. "She was famous for that."

Flexing his right arm to aim at the two firing a strong stream of flames, both raise their hands for the red flames to change blue as both widen. Lowering their hands, Sephiroth shifts to cutting the flames as it parts to both sides incinerating the ground.

"Relon's right arm…!" Rean gasps.

"It's firing blue flames." Claire finishes in equal shock along with everyone else.

"Yes, that is what his mother made it for." Roselia speaks for all to look at her. "His mother's own magical essence was imbued with that cloth. On the off chance Relon couldn't use his fire properly, she created it to be a conduit of sorts to assist him. Though from the looks of it, she didn't put a handicap on it. It's as if she's attacking herself from when she first made it." Roselia says with a sigh. "I swear, those two…"

Ceasing his attack, Relon's arm kicks back as he widens, looking to it inflamed in blue flames.

"Just then, those were her flames…" Sephiroth mutters for Asuma to widen, sweat coursing down the side of his face as he looks to the parted ground seared from the attack.

Such heat! Had dad not blocked it…! Looking to Relon holding a look of confidence, he readies himself.

"Come on, Asuma. Bring it!" Relon calls for the man's veins to pop as flames explode.

"You little shitter!" He roars, his knuckles lighting up as leans forward.

"Gotcha." Relon mutters, an explosion of red and blue flames erupting as both reappear in the middle as the ringing sounds of metal sounds.

Pushing past one another, both roll stopping before the other's father. Looking up, Asuma immediately backs away from Yujiro with his arms crossed as he readies himself.

"Don't bother." The Wandering Beast denies for Asuma to furrow his eyebrows in anger. "Fight me and I'll kill you within less than a second. You're too green, kid." His aura flaring for Asuma to step back.

"Tch!"

"Besides, I'm not your opponent. He is." Yujiro states, both looking at Relon rising from a kneel to be mere inches from Sephiroth.

As he raises up, Sephiroth widens from behind his mask. The cold, dull, and ominous glare now amplified by his transformation sends a sensation down the evil leader's throat. One he has long since felt as he gulps.

Turning around, Relon walks away.

"After we take down Asuma, you're next."

This boy… This child… This Lucinance…! Feeling a surge of excitement gush through his burning veils, Sephiroth can barely hold back his excitement as flickers of green flames seep from his covered arms.

To think you, a hybrid, would gain so much potential in such a short time! It's fascinating! Relon Tarbin Namikaze-Lucinance! You truly are special!

Stopping where they clashed, Relon points Pippin ablaze at Asuma.

Bastard! No, calm down. If I let my anger get the better of me, it'll only cause trouble for dad to knock me out. He thinks breathing out a breath of air focusing on the dull slitted eyes Relon wears. That look. It's the same from that time with Alister. More importantly, how did he clash against me with my enhanced reflexes? Asuma thinks as he begins to walk to Relon. I got sloppy with that callout. He adds flexing his fingers. That won't happen again.

"Come, murderer."

"With pleasure, hybrid."

"What are his odds of defeating Asuma now?" Sara asks.

Rushing for Relon, Asuma fires punch after punch of flames for Relon to widen his stance readying both swords, Pippin coated in his red flames and Pappan his mother's blue. The particle essence of magic traveling up his right arm to his neck and down his left arm to the sword that's been with him since birth.

Now the magic is in both arms? Asuma thinks as Relon swings both swords at the air unleashing dual-colored crescent attacks as they rip through the blasts of fire as particles gently descend to the dirt surface as it nears Asuma.

"Increased by a considerable amount. But still not as high as we'd like." Rosela answers.

Jumping over the attack, he watches as the attack flies past Yujiro towards the others before the two crescents veer upwards toward the sky before dissipating.

He altered their trajectory that much?! Looking back, he grits his teeth as Relon lifts his head up revealing that deadly-ominous gaze.

Vanishing in a flicker of flames, Relon remains unfazed snapping Pappan under and behind him as a portal rips right where Asuma appears for the man to go through it. Coming out now in front of him, he barely brings his fist to meet the already pointed Pippin at his throat. The push for dominance causing an array of red and blue flames to encircle the two.

"How high?" Meuller asks.

Pushing off, both back away for Relon to slice a portal open before launching through it to the Lucinance's surprise. Looking around, he senses behind him a portal open behind him. Pivoting, he blocks the red-flamed sword as he skids to a halt to widen seeing Pappan covered in the red flames.

"What?!" As soon as his sudden exclamation leaves his mouth, Asuma widens snapping upwards to jump back as Relon brings down a greatsword encased in blue flames as it slams into the Earth for blue-flamed geysers to rise towards the man.

He altered his reappearance from entering a single portal?! Asuma thinks leaping higher about to cross over the encirclement of fire, Relon's grip on Pippin tightening as the flames rise higher than the forest canopy. Widening, Asuma flips to land on the flamed wall.

His attack can't reach me from this height. He thinks to launch straight for Relon reeling back a fist.

That flamed wall, it's similar to when Demeter had trapped us! Rean thinks wide-eyed.

Sensing the nearing Lucinance, Relon's other hand grips Pippin as the geyser of flames suppress themselves for Asuma to widen again at the condensed sparkles shining from where the flames bursted from.

"The younger Lucinance? 50-50. Ishmelga? 10%."

"What were his odds before?" Olivert wonders.

Flying back to him, Pappan flies around to float at his side as from the scorched ground, an eruption of lined-up blue flamed geysers all converge on Asuma.

He can manipulate his attacks with magic?!

Arms bursting to life, he fires for his flames to have no affect.

Ceasing his attack, he begins to be coated in flames for his senses to raise up as too does his hands blocking the attempted decapitation from Relon by Pappan sending Asuma crashing into the flames as his form is lost in the blue flames rising into the sky. Reappearing out of a rift where Pippin is still in its form, Relon looks up to the continuing attack.

"Laura was right. I need this anger. More than ever before…" Relon mumbles as a ball of fire descends pushing back the magic-infused Flame Cleaver into the depths of the earth as landing in a kneeled position to rise is Asuma.

"Zero for both. He is fighting one who briefly went to stage three and you all felt the sheer power." She says. "I doubt those pesky Leaguients won't stand idly by and let us hold onto Demeter so I shall leave and tend to Demeter and be back. By then, the battle shall hopefully be over."

"You truly believe Yujiro and his son can defeat all of Senate in mere minutes?" Osborne questions.

Gazing at his fellow Lucinance, Relon takes note of the singed smoke rising from numerous spots. Not bothering to speak, both burst forth with their weapons at the ready. Rearing an infused punch of blue fire, Relon thrusts it forward as Asuma shifts his body out of the way to deliver a fire-imbued slash of his own.

Diving to dodge, the flamed tip of Asuma's knuckles knicks a few strands of Relon hair as both pass the other. Diving to rotate his body with one hand which pushes himself into the air with Pappan acting as a platform, Relon fires two torrents of flames as the particles around him scatter in all directions from the force of the attack.

Taking off with the flames close by, Asuma summersaults to the right avoiding Pippin as he jumps running alongside the flamed wall towards Relon. Lunging forward punching through the flames with his fists, both grab a hold of the other glaring fiercely as they descend toward the ground.

Spiraling as they do so, both reel back their fists punching at the other. A punch to face, a cut to the side of the head, an uppercut accompanied by the cracking sound of bone splitting. Raising his brass knuckles so the tip is aimed for Relon's dull slitted eye, Asuma descends for nothing to come except for a searing pain from his shoulder followed by the slamming of a gloved hand knocking him like a bullet to the ground.

"I don't believe, Chancellor. I know." She responds looking him dead in the eye as does Relon toward Asuma holding his shoulder as his arm lands in front of him, her staff's crystal shining brighter.

"He cut off his arm!" Lechter widens.

"Besides, if those two can't take care of it by the time I get back, then there's no need to worry."

"Hmpf, you make it sound like there's someone more dangerous than Sephiroth and Yujiro." Osborne scoffs.

"There is." She taps her staff for arrows to appear as she hands them to Cecily. "Relon's mother." She smiles kindly before in a light, she and Demeter vanish.

Snickering, Lechter and Claire both look away from the stubborn glare Osborne gives.

"Haha, another reason to admire Relon so highly. His family never fails to make light in even the darkest of situations." Olivert laughs.

He isn't wrong. Rean sweatdrops.

Walking to the downed Lucinance, flickers of flames cover his face as he takes ahold of Pippin and Pappan as he's healed.

"This anger attribute…" Relon begins gaining Asuma's attention as he grabs his arm. "That you all keep going on about…" He continues, his swords blazing to life. "Is more than enough to take you all down…!" He declares with that look as flickers of flames appear healing Asuma's face as blood drips into the small pool of blood under him.

"You think so, huh?" Flames bursting to life sending Relon flying to slam into the flamed wall as he gasps in pain to refocus, landing on his feet as Asuma puts his arm back in place as another flicker of flames appears for him to let go, flexing his arm. "You have no idea how wrong you are…!" He glares, tucking his arms for a condensed red and black heat to begin expelling from his person.

From behind, the silhouette of a larger being becoming more solid as Asuma becomes transparent before the silhouette is completely solid and Asuma is no more. With a wash of burning heat forcing Relon to cover himself with his sword, it bursts in all directions, vanquishing the flamed border keeping them from the outside world.

Feeling his feet slide, Relon anchors to a kneel, digging both swords into the ground.

So, this burst of power from Relon has pushed you to stage three. Now it is a matter of which shall come first. The time limit behind Relon's sudden burst of strength or… His eyes lingering to Yujiro.

Getting back up, Relon withdraws his blade once more as he gazes at the being of destruction before him. A humanoid creature resembling much of Nameless. Rough exterior and long mane of hair albeit a shining gold ending just below its waist. Unlike Nameless, Asuma's arms and four fingered long claws are much larger and bulkier than Nameless' own. A pair of horns protruding from his monstrous face resembling a creature of mythology pointing out before curving forward. His skin a dark shade of purple infused with bone-like appendages colored black protruding from various areas of his body. Three sharp blades of the same bone-like material extending from the side of his arms. His two brass knuckles increase in size before they're taken a hold of by Asuma himself. His golden slitted eyes shine as both blades catch fire as he releases a shockwave for Relon to barely hold out.

"Very few make me use this and to think you would become a part of that group. You see how absurd it is to try any further? Just give up this pathetic attempt."

"The only thing that's pathetic is you…" Relon cuts secreting a heat of his own inferior to Asuma's. "We both know Shenhe would have destroyed you and this form of yours if it wasn't for Ishmelga!" He roars out, both Sephiroth and Asuma widen as does one of the Leaguients at the mention.

"How could he…?" The Leaguient wonders to herself.

"So, Aidios bestowed you with the Perception of Time." Sephiroth muses gaining Relon's attention as well as Yujiro's though Relon doesn't care. "One of the many godly abilities to experience glimpses of the past and future in-person as though you were physically there… even if your body was not. Fascinating."

"You claim so much yet you couldn't even win a single fight without the help of an evil deity!" Relon growls, his form trembling in rage as the life in his eyes returns.

It seems his limit is up. Sephiroth thinks. An anger attribute so full of rage filled to the very brim that what leaks out has nowhere to go to the point of filling the very space the bottle of rage would lie in is drowned in such emotional hatred. So much can lead to quite the change as it dulls all other emotions allowing one to focus on their sole objective. The only other time I was able to experience such a thing was when Asuma fought his brother. But just as strong as it can make the user, it only takes a little distraction such as speaking for too long to cause the mental transformation to cease.

"This is quite the predicament. We're playing by their terms." Olivert notes.

"What do you mean?" Rinwell wonders.

"Right now, Relon is facing Asuma." Rean explains. "And Mr. Yujiro will be facing Sephiroth." She nods in understanding.

"Which leaves us to fight off the remaining Leaguients." Emma chimes in. "Something we can't do due to obvious implications."

"You and I need to cast which takes time, but the blonde guy is able to cast some neat arts pretty fast."

"Blonde guy? Seriously? That's how you address the prince? Kids these days show no respect." Mueller shakes with a sigh.

"Hey! I'm 14 just so you know!" She pouts as does Hootle for both to look away.

"Anyway…" Sara says shaking her head. "The issue is Sephiroth hasn't begun his fight with the Wandering Beast. Most likely he wants to watch Relon and that other Lucinance go at it."

"In doing so, he's causing Yujiro to act as a shield for us from the Leaguients attacking." Cecily ends.

"Oh, I get it! So as long as Relon's dad is near us, we're safe!"

"Yes, but that's also the problem. When he leaves to face Sephiroth, we'll have to face them."

"So more stalling, huh? We've been doing a lot of that." Claire mentions.

"Except I don't think Relon is trying to stall." Rean says. "His earlier fight with Asuma; there was something off. It was as if he was trying to end it."

"Isn't that the point of all this?" Rinwell wonders with a raised brow.

"No." Cecily intervenes. "Relon during that fight was trying to kill Asuma." The fatal word making some jerk back as no one can respond to the clearly obvious notion.

"This is a battlefield." Osborne speaks up. "Relon has realized that and to ensure each of our safety, he's committed to doing what needs to be done…"

The grip at both Relon and Claire's side tightening at the harsh reality of the chancellor's words.

"You shut your goddamn mouth!" Asuma roars in retaliation unleashing a large torrent of flames.

About to move, Yujiro watches as Relon locks both swords together by their handles coming ablaze. Spinning the handle, a spiral of red and blue flames meets the attack.

"Do you honestly think I wanted to kill her?!" Asuma continues. "Out of all of the people, she and the others were the few I wanted to spare! Not kill!" He explains, the force of his already enormous flamethrower only increasing. "I didn't have a choice!" He bellows, unleashing a slash for the very air around it to distort as it zooms at Relon resulting in a deafening boom.

With a swipe of Pippin, Relon stands now normal once more as a single tear rolls down his face to Asuma's surprise..

"You always have a choice. You simply were to blind to see it." Relon says.

"You're too young to understand Relon. This world-"

"How would you know anything about this world?" He cuts off. "It's obvious the traitor was you. Meeting Ishmelga and Sephiroth, you were shown the 'cruelty' that this world harbors." Relon guesses, wiping away his sole tear. "Right or wrong?"

"What of it?"

"You said earlier that no one in the clan was considered family through your eyes. Yet, now you say you didn't want their lives… So tell me, did you really see them as family or did you pity them?"

"..."

"Were you satisfied to kill my older sister and walk away from our brother?"

"... Enough…"

"I'm sorry? Say that again…! Was everything by choice or were you simply playing the victim?! ANSWER ME, ASUMA!" Relon cries out, firing a blast of flames hitting the unresponsive creature forcing it to take a step back.

Looking back up from its thoughts, Asuma gazes upon a furious Relon.

"IT'S TRUE, ALRIGHT?! I PITIED THEM! THE VERY PEOPLE I WAS READY TO DISCARD WITHOUT A MOMENT'S HESITATION YET THOSE GUYS... RELEENA, HEERO, MILLIARDO! SHENHE! EVEN MY OWN FLESH AND BLOOD, ALISTER! I DIDN'T WANT TO! THAT, RELON IS MY ANSWER! FROM ONE LUCINANCE- NO, FROM ONE BROTHER TO ANOTHER!"

BA-DUMP.

Widening, Relon grips his chest. The sound of a heartbeat racing at a thousand miles yet at the same time seeming so tame and calm resounds to Relon.

"I see." He mutters, readying himself.

"I'm sorry. I truly am." Asuma says in remorse. "As your older brother, I'll make your death swift so you can see them."

"You're no brother of mine. You never were."

"... You're right. So, shall you alone fight me? Your magic no longer holds the advantage when I am in this form. Surely, you realized it with that perceptive mind of yours."

"Alone…? Whoever said I would fight you alone…?"

Widening, a ball of fire appears out of thin air next to Relon.

"I meant what I said. After we take you down, Sephiroth is next." Relon repeats as a man in his young 30's appears with a hand on his hip as the sphere of fire ceases. "Right, Alister?" He tosses Pappan for Alister to catch it.

"Yeah." The man speaks, taking off his shades, his hair turning a bright gold as do his eyes.

A young man with once red eyes and blue hair with pink highlights identical to Asuma and half-moon glasses, he wears a long red shirt with strips of it flying loosely below his waist nearly touching the ground along with a loosely tied white and navy undershirt. At stage two, his hair is white with a gold hue like Asuma with the infamous red vine-like markings every other Lucinance has shown thus far on his skin.

"You've grown, Alister. Or should I call you McBurn, the Almighty Conflagration now?" Sephiroth greets.

"I don't give a damn what you call me as long as you're lying dead on the ground. Caused Auntie and I a whole lotta shit, I'll say that." Vines seeping from Pappan's handle to root McBurn's arm. "But we'll deal with you later." His eyes shifting to Asuma.

"If you're here, then surely she shall appear soon enough. This shall be quite the family reunion."

"Tch, damn it. I almost had him…!"

"You couldn't have changed the outcome even if you had fought differently. Cutting off his arm was good but it wasn't the head." Alister notes before lowering his voice. (You've been fighting well so far.)

(You could see? I thought the broadcast stopped.)

(Heh, if you think some electronic podcast could stop someone like Auntie, you seriously have no idea what you're in for when she gets here.)

(Trust me, I know plenty.) Relon's arm coating itself in blue flames.

(Keep an eye on your fire. Blasting from two arms instead of one, you'll see just how fast your flames can exhaust.)

"You don't have to tell me!" Relon says, both bursting forward with McBurn ahead of him.

Flying to intercept them, Asuma nears.

He's fast!

"How you been, asshole?!" McBurn grins manically, an orb of red and black flames forming in his free hand.

"I could say the same to you!" Asuma retaliates with a blast of fire as the two attacks meet, canceling each other out.

Through the smoke pierces a jet of blue flames which Asuma raises a hand, the force sending him back as he strengthens his hand for a portal to appear behind him. Already raising his hand poised at it, numerous others appear around him.

"Eat this, Blast Barrage!" McBurn grins unleashing a stream of red-black and Relon red-blue fire through a single portal for it to come out the multiple portals attacking Asuma from all sides.

"It's hurting him? Then…!"

"Those two ain't the only ones able to go to stage three!"

Roaring, an explosion comes from Asuma before he blurs to them. Slashing at the ground, Relon falls through as the same condensed flames burst from McBurn as a silhouette appears behind him for it to become a solid as he fades away. Throwing his enlarged first, it's caught as Asuma is held in place.

"Whoa!" Relon gasps landing on one of the aircrafts to peer over down to the battlefield.

Though his hair remains the same golden hue now in a mane like fashion, his skin the same rough texture in its humanoid shape albeit it a bright purple-ish color with sprouted bones in various places as well as horns and a third third slitted eye, all a burning red much like Nameless', on his forehead. Red streams of energy flows from his body as does a cape of structured energy from his lower waist.

"Let's pick back up from where we left off 17 years ago, shall we?!" McBurn's demonically-husky voice booms as does flames sending both entities sliding to a halt to float in place. Grabbing the enlarged Pappan in its altered form once more, both blitz to the center causing the very ground to rupture in flames throughout the clearing.

"Watch out!" Sara exclaims.

Reeling back a fist aimed at the ground, Yujiro unleashes an earth-shattering punch as the flames coming their way cease in place. Raising a hand casually, Sephiroth ceases the coming ruptures for them to be absorbed. Pushing away, McBurn tucks in Pappan to spin unleashing a horizontal slash opening a rift for a mysterious energy to shoot out, its sound that of a blood-curdling banshee. Piercing through with his brass knuckles, Asuma is sent back as he struggles pushing forward. Unleashing another banshee rift, Asuma thrusts his other fist repelling that one as well. Reappearing behind Asuma, McBurns monstrous hand places itself on Asuma's back to the Lucinance's widened shock as the temperature is raised to high degrees as he's blasted shooting through the two different dimensional matter before McBurn reappears to swinging Pappan vertically up. Recovering, Asuma corrects himself blocking the slash as he is sent shooting up and through an airship for an explosion to erupt in the sky.

"Awe, damn it all to hell! My ship!" The Leaguient with the southern accent groans.

Raising an arm as the sudden air turbulence dies down, Relon watches as Asuma floats in place where the ship once was.

"We have debris incoming!" Lechter warns, Emma's staff glowing for a shield to form as the descending metal and other materials are bounced off.

"Thanks, Emma!" Rean nods.

Zooming through the air to stop next to the ship Relon stands on, both look to one another before back to Asuma.

Bursting forward towards the edge, Relon jumps to another airship firing streams of flames for Asuma to swipe away the bothersome attack revealing McBurn as both clash once more. Out of his peripheral, Asuma takes sight of Relon hurrying to another ship.

Where is- He's going for dad's ship!

Grabbing McBurn's head, Asuma throws him towards the ground, before he flies after Relon.

"Oh no you don't!" McBurn growls catching himself to open a portal.

Looking over his shoulder at the nearing Asuma, Relon runs preparing to jump only to dive down landing on Pippin as Asuma comes to a halt at the feint intention before he dives down after the protagonist. Seeing a portal, Relon goes through it as another appears next to that one for McBurn to come out swinging a blazing Pappan at Asuma, said entity barely raising his arms to the side of his head in time as he's sent flying before crashing to the forest before an explosion erupts as he comes zooming back for McBurn to meet him.

I can't compete in power and even if I get close, that agility he has in that larger form is insane! Physics versus Magic is bullshit! Relon curses landing on another aircraft to catch himself jumping back sliding to a kneel with Pippin at the ready.

Floating to land on across from him, two Leagueints land with their hands outstretched.

"Great. More evil witches."

"We shall not allow you to harm our Lords." The taller of the two speaks.

"Give up."

"You really expect me to give up after everything that's happened?" Relon quirks an eyebrow as he glances down to quickly count the same number of Leaguients behind Sephiroth.

Looking to Yujiro, he remains focused on the other side, his eyes narrowed as he looks to Relon.

So he already knows they switched with fakes. He thinks firing a blue blast of fire forcing the tall cloaked Leaguient to block the attack with a glyph out of nowhere.

"Grunoja!" Relon shouts to the top of his lungs as he jumps into the air, Pippin shifting to a greatsword as he strikes the tail of the ship resulting in an explosion before jumping away to another aircraft.

Turning around as he lands, he watches both vanish in a bright light as the ship descends towards Senate.

"What the?!" Asuma gasps to barely block a swing of Pappan as he's sent further back by a large ball of fire.

"If you're so curious, have a closer look!" McBurn calls unleashing a large stream towards the ball of fire sending Asuma into the crashing airship.

Reappearing in front of Senate, the two cloaked witches raise their hands forming a large barrier as an explosion erupts, obstructing their view of the organization. Zooming from the smoke firing streams of fire which McBurn slashes away, he snaps his gaze down as Grunoja gives a mighty leap, punching the Lucinance to jump into the air.

"What the hell?!" Both Asuma and McBurn exclaim.

"Alister!" Relon shouts, gaining his brother's attention. "I need Grunoja up here so we can take out the ships!"

"Alright!" He zooms as the beast weaves its head wrestling with Asuma before being thrown off for McBurn to grab it by the hand. "Up you go!" He says launching the beast over and onto the aircraft looking to Relon.

"I need to get to that white ship!" He points.

-Very well!- Grunoja grunts, reaching for Relon as the boy sheathes Pippin.

"Looks like using a weapon did you some good after all!" Asuma growls, punching away as McBurn blocks each attack with the side of Pappan before retaliating with a swing, both firing a blast of red fire to cancel the other out.

"And you look a lot better with a buzzcut."

"You still don't know when to shut that mouth, Alister."

"Oh? Did you expect me to grow up? Sorry, I only had one family member to raise me after WHAT YOU DID!" Both charge for another heatwave to wash over.

Holding firm against the rocking ship, Grunoja reels back its arm.

"Send it!" Relon calls.

-Sending!- Grunoja howls, launching Relon like a bullet over multiple airships towards the white ship.

Withdrawing Pippin, it comes ablaze in blue flames before shifting to a greatsword. Out of the crash site where Senate is, a blur of flames shoots through the air past the battling Lucinances as does another red and black blur from Rean's side as all of a sudden Relon is pushed away far off by another shockwave rolling onto another airship. Dazed, he looks to see Yujiro landing right before him, and touching down like a leaf on the white ship, Sephiroth.

"That was an ill move, Relon." Sephiroth states, his blade poised at the ready.

"A lot of what I've been doing hasn't exactly been 'well." He retorts slowly getting to his feet holding Pippin.

Bursting from below, both Mcburn and Asuma interlocked explode sending the other away as they land on opposite ends.

"Oh yeah, dad, big brother. Alister, dad."

"Quite the odd time for formalities." Asuma calls out for Relon to smirk. "I don't think so. By the way, Asuma and Sephiroth… Grunoja."

Snapping up, both fire at nothing for said beast to slam down at the other end of the ship crashing through it.

"How-" Before Asuma can question it, he raises his demonic hand blocking a jet of flames as Sephiroth raises his blade blocking a pressurized breath of air splitting the attack to hit two other ships as their engines explode sending them crashing into other shops as more descend crashing to the surrounding forest.

"Now's my chance!" Relon exclaims kicking off the airship zooming for the cockpit.

"Tch!" Asuma clicks, thrusting his other hand as one of his large brass knuckles zooms meeting the flame-user for him to block overhead as he's sent down towards the center of the clearing.

Recovering on top of Pippin, he is about to shoot at the belly of the ship for a light to grow brighter out his peripheral. Looking to it, he widens at a ball of light mere inches for Pappan to appear in the blink of an eye opening a portal sending him through followed by the sword itself as the attack narrowly misses.

"Just in time." McBurn mutters as he relents on his stream of flames as does Yujiro.

Flying out of the portal, Relon looks around to find himself high above the clouds.

"That was…!" Soaring through the cloud, Relon takes sight of the Leaguients albeit like ants walking from the wreckage. "Shit, I-" Pausing, he takes notice of his current predicament. "I'm away from the fight and out of sight…" Feeling a hot heat hit his back, Relon turns to face the burning star. "And I just got an idea! But can it work? No. It's not a matter of can it! I have to make it! Pappan!"

"Things are getting hectic up there!" Sara says raising an arm to protect from the heatwave off of the nearby crash.

"And it's about to get more hectic!" Claire adds, the group taking sight of the walking Leagueints.

"Is it just me or those Leaguients are incredibly tame. They could have ended this back when Sephiroth told them to yet they didn't." Lechter notes. "The hell is up with that?"

"Are you complaining?!" Rinwell exclaims readying her tome.

"We can argue after we survive!" Mueller says over them.

"Meuller is right!" Olivert agrees. "Front line; to Cecily! Backline to me!" He orders, everyone readying themselves.

"What I wouldn't give for some backup." Sara points her gun at the ready.

"Then you're in luck!" At the booming voice, all turn around to widen as the rest of Class VII led by Principal Vandyck appear joining the fray.

"Principal?! Wait, WHAT ARE ALL OF YOU DOING HERE?!"

"We're here to help. Duh." Fie droops.

"THE POINT OF THIS WAAS TO GET YOU KIDS AWAY FROM THE FIGHT! NOT COME BACK TO IT!"

"Sara, you misinterpret one thing. These are no longer children." Vandyck expresses with a wave of his hand. "Look at their expressions. They are frightened, yes, but they too are full of determination. One in which they refuse to stand idly by doing nothing. The same Relon and Rean have shown thus far."

"But-"

"Nothing you say or do will change their minds." He gives a smirk. "I've tried."

"And our conviction remains firm!" Laura speaks.

"If one of us fights, we all fight!"

"Conflict has swept along the current and as my ancestors before me, I'll fan the conflict sweeping through this land!" Gaius speaks.

"Don't know about all that, but Senate has done far too much already!" Alisa speaks. "We have a chance to stop them once and for all so we need to take advantage of this chance!"

"These evildoers wish to ravage the already unbalanced peace between both nobles and commoners. Their deeds are unjust and to bring about destruction all at the same time?! It sickens me to my core!" Aurelia grits her teeth gripping fist. "Harming Master Cecily and Relon' home…! This must- no. This will end! By my blade!" She roars.

"I'm scared. More than ever before. I hadn't thought too hard on something like today happening but…" Elliot grips his orbal staff. "I don't want to be a hindrance and if I can do something to help, then I will!"

"Honestly, Fie dragged us here." Jusis flatly states

"You chose to come here and you know it." Machias interjects.

"Shut it, Regnitz. Regardless, whether I like it or not, I owe it to Relon. That and the mere thought of such villains causing disruption amongst the social monarchy disgusts me. I wish to put an end to this at once!"

"What… he said. Relon has hidden a lot but then again, we all hide things we don't exactly wish to let be shed in the light. But these… people if you can even call them that are different. Even I can see how far gone they are. But if they dare try to bring about more conflict to us commoners, then I'll be damned if they think I won't give each a piece of my mind!" He finished cocking his shotty.

"Quite the declaration, Regnitz."

"I don't want to hear it from you."

"We want to fight." Fie simply says. "For everyone." She shrugs, readying herself.

"… Damn, two weeks sure do a lot." At this, Class VII grins glancing at Sara. "Alright! I'm not one for giving orders but as your teacher, I'll say this; Live! You hear me?!"

"YEAH!"

"Here they come." Cecily warns.

All of a sudden, her eyes widen as she along with the remaining adults and Rean snap their heads up.

"This pressure…!"

Bursting through the clouds, a giant flaming red and blue greatsword.

"Relon's doing it again?!" Laura gasps.

"What do you mean again?!" Machias exclaims.

"What the hell?!" Asuma gasps to be knocked away by McBurn who rebounds back locking hands together as an explosion erupts sending both flying back. "You still don't know when to quit!" Asuma growls ducking a punch to deliver a flurry of his.

Reeling back, Asuma unleashes a cross flamed attack sending McBurn towards the forest floor.

Swinging Goro faster than the eye can see meeting the equally blurred fistss of Yujiro, Sephiroth backs away taking the sliver of a moment to look up before Yujiro is on him.

His pressure has returned. No, he's fighting even harder than before. The Beastial Arts really do hold true to their fame then. Still, that attack will cause trouble for the Leaguients but it will also harm his allies. Relon isn't foolish to do such a thing. Raising a palm of green flames to meet Yujiro, an explosion of their own sends both flying away.

Landing on his ship once more, Yujiro lands on another adjacent from the Senate leader. Touching down, Yujiro bursts for the cockpit to clash his fist with Sephiroth's blade. As they do, Sephiroth widens at the realization.

Of course! Angbar! Pushing Yujiro off, he blasts himself back onto the airship.

"Asuma, Relon is going to teleport!" Sephiroth calls out, with that split second Yujiro appears beside the man. His fist nearing the Lucianance's mask by mere reges.

A burst of green and red flames explode sending Yujiro into airship one after another before crashing into the forest.

"Yujiro!"

"Senate Hunter, that's far enough." Sephiroth exhales a breath running a hand through his now red hair, his sole eye visible behind his mask now equally red.

Bursting off of the ship, both move, intercepting Relon. Gritting his teeth, his grip around Pippin tightens.

Don't let up! The force behind Pippin is too great to hold one-handed.

"It's over, Relon!"

Snapping their heads, all three look to see McBurn and Yujiro appear from a flame and light respectively. Their fists connecting with both Luciannces shooting them past one another out of Relon's way.

"Relon!" Asuma shouts, raising his hand to the incoming teen.

"Do it now!" Yujiro roars, snapping the boy from his stupor.

"Pappan, go!"

Zooming past him towards McBurn's grasp, the Almighty Conflagration grins.

"RAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHGGGGGG!"

Shouting as he flies across ripping open an enormous rift, he bursts after Asuma. Seeing everyone on the ground, Yujiro looks to the nearing Relon. Both nodding their heads as he vanishes in a light punching Sephiroth into the forest.

"Where were we?!"

"Tch, persistent human!"

Disappearing into the rift it closes, a moment of silence befalling everyone.

"Behind us!"

Opening behind them, Relon jumps out sliding across the ground as if it is ice.

You two said my naming was bad so I have Rean, Krovanh, Asuma, and Alister to thank for the idea!

"Solar Impact…" He sucks in air, digging his front foot's heel into the ground pivoting as he swings Pippin along unleashing a ginormous blue crescent strike. "Crescent Horizon!" He bellows spinning fully around raising the blade to slam it down unleashing a red crescent attack amplifying the first.

As it races across the clearing, the trees along the edge are cut as if like butter as too are any ships too close to the ground.

"Shields!" Rossweisse shouts flying to the front, she and the other Leagueint channeling their spells as walls of shields form for the attack to quickly pierce through the first.

"Tch! Babylonian Fortress!" Obelisk roars, jumping ahead of his fellow Leaguients to plant his shield into the dirt, a glowing transparent fortress quickly expanding to the same size as the enlarged crescents.

Breaking through one shield after another, it clashes with the fortress.

"GrrrrrrAAAAAHHHHHH!" The Leaguient howls, his shield radiating as more power is put in. "This boy… is strong!" He grits his teeth.

"Grunoja!"

"Get back!" Relon and Obelisk call as an explosion rips through the clearing as a bright light encompasses everyone's eyes before smoke blows in all directions.

Kneeled down panting with his arms raised and sweat pouring down the side of his face, Relon takes a long breath as a resounding clap from behind blows away all the smoke around him. Taking the moment to see the perpetrator be Grunoja, Relon looks to the other side of the clearing still covered in smoke.

They're still alive.

Of course they are. They're Leagueints. They don't go down easy at all. He mentally sighs getting to his feet, his mind going to the fortress mere moments ago.

Turning around, he looks to the rest of his friends and allies having been protected by Grunoja. Hurrying to him, his focus doesn't leave the area of the Leagueints.

You can't feel it, but your body won't last much longer. The combination of exerting so much flames and techniques along with battling such powerful opponents over such an extended period of time-

I know. And I know that you know that I know. He breathes out a hot breath. Everyone knows it by now most likely. Using that move certainly didn't help my body. His mind going to Yujiro appearing out of thin air. But I can't just retreat now, can I?

How long do you think he's had such a secret?

Who knows… He lowers his hands finally absorbing the remaining flames from the burning ships and segments of the forest around them. But it just shows the gap between us is ever greater than I originally thought. Dad and Sephiroth, even Alister, Asuma, Krovanh, and Agria are all above me in terms of strength. It was only luck and a good plan that we beat the two of them.

If only those two were Senate's strongest.

There's no doubt in my mind, among those Leaguients are some stronger than Krovanh and Agria. Maybe even around Asuma's level. We need to figure out the hierarchy order.

You mean to discern who is stronger and weaker. Relon nods.

"You okay, Relon?" Lechter calls, all reaching him and Pippin floating next to him.

"Yeah. Though, so are they." He looks to Cecily, both knowing the words to come silently agreeing to hold off on that conversation. "Each of their weapons have a special property." He says making everyone look to him in confusion. "We never saw Arentula's because I knocked her out before she could use it, Barbatos could most likely break anything regardless of strength, Cabrakan gave him powers with a time limit, Arentula's cut her casting speed down dramatically and just now, that Leagueint's shield was coated in a light which summon that fortress. I didn't sense the same magical energy like from Demeter so unless it's something else I can't comprehend or see, then that's my best estimate on them."

"And each has a weapon that best suits them." Cecily adds. "There was a young girl who used an anchor nearly twice her size yet she was able to swing it like it was paper while expelling strength equal to my own. It's possible that could be its ability."

Not bad. Meuller thinks observing the boy converse with the others. He was able to discern a possible ability from his fights.

"Laura, thanks." He says for the bluenette to seem confused before realizing the meaning of his words. "Your words helped."

"I'm glad." She smiles for the smoke to disperse as they take sight of the Leaguients revealing themselves.

"Here they come." Gaius says for Relon to flex his muscles.

"Can you continue?" Osborne question.

"Heh, worried about lil ole me, Osborne? You should know the answer to that." He looks over his shoulder, no explosion triggering as he transforms. "I'm gonna keep going until my body gives out. So I can't afford to be tired."

Relon… Cecily thinks. You really are…

"I'll admit, I'm frustrated we couldn't take Asuma down." Fire begins to form at his fists surprising the few. "And I'm further upset at Dad getting Sephiroth to himself." The flames stretching up his arms. "So, that only leaves one thing to still do…" Pippin going to his hand.

"And that is?" Olivert asks, already knowing the answer.

"I'm glad you asked, Olivert." A feral expression forming on his face. "Time to do what my title says." He points Pippin at the now fully revealed Leaguients. "Time to hunt!" Links forming between everyone.

"Pippin, Ablaze!" Relon commands for Pippin to become veiled in his mother's protection before he walks.

Ishmelga… Mom… Rean thinks, placing a hand to his chest, the vile exploding as it condenses around him.

"R-Rean…?!" Elliot gasps as Relon and Osborne look on silently along with the rest.

As the aura subsides, all widen as Rean exhales a breath of his own.

Opening his eyes to glance at Relon and his friends, they awe at both the power exuding from his person but his new appearance. His hair neither black nor its powerful white, now a dark indigo. His eyes neither their usual lilac but one remaining crimson and the other a dark indigo as well.

"What's with everyone changing their hair and eyes so much?" Relon lightly protests.

Whoa. Is all Fie can think.

Looking at his hands, Rean flexes them blinking his eyes. Watching him, Osborne can faintly see the apparition of Kasia over him to widen.

"Boss?" Lechter calls seeing the look on his face snapping from his stupor as the apparition looks to Osborne smiling before fading away.

"It's nothing." He dismisses once again. "Here they come!" He calls out as said villains all rush across the field.

"Arise oh youth, and become the foundation of the world!" Vandyck declares as they all ready themselves.

"Never thought I would hear that so soon after graduating." Claire thinks aloud to herself.

"None of us did." Cecily adds.

"Everyone, let's go!" Relon declares.

"Took the words out of my mouth!" He responds. "Grunoja, once the battle starts, cover our long-ranged casters!"

-Leave it to me!-

"Stay close together and watch each other's backs. Otherwise it'll be the end of you!" Sara urges.

"YES MA'AM!" Class VII resound as Relon blasts off with Rean at his side followed by Cecily behind them and the rest behind them separating into groups.

Jumping into the air, he unleashes blasts of fire as Cecily fires arrow after arrow forcing the Leagueints to the side.

Landing, both take sight of magical orbs rushing towards them.

Seeing this, Relon and Cecily prepare to block the attack for Rean to widen, a sensation from his indigo eye resonating at three Leagueints rushing them. Focusing on the three, a circular forcefield appears abruptly knocking the three back as the two parry the attacks to look in surprise at the sudden shield.

Halting his pace, Rean widens in equal surprise.

"Rean, behind you!" Relon gasps for the boy to turn around seeing a cloaked Leaguient reer back at fist. Focusing on the incoming attack, a sensation resonates from his red eye as the fist follows through for the man to phase through Rean as he jumps away from a volley of bullets from Fie . Regrouping, Rean looks to his hand, his peripheral coated in red and blue.

"Since when could you make barriers and become freaking intangible?!" He exclaims.

"Since now I guess!" All jumping away sliding back from an array of chains striking the ground.

"Here they come!" Cecily warns, firing an arrow to meet the Laguient's own as sparks fly, the two brushing against one another to steer towards their target.

Dodging it, the Leagueint rolls to fire another only to widen at Cecily catching the arrow and rotating her body with the momentum before launching it back. Tilting their head out of the way, a large tremor erupts as a crater now lies behind them.

"Tch!"

One sliding to a knee, its sniper poised at the woman, fires as does Cecily in quick reaction not wincing from the explosive ringing of the bullet exiting the barrel. The eyes of masters watching as the bullet is split open by the spinning arrow continuing on towards the crouched villain.

This time I added a spin to increase its velocity and piercing…

Snapping its hooded sleeve to reveal a gloved hand, the Leaguient catches the spinning arrow. Friction from the sudden halt of the arrow causing a small amount of smoke to rise. Lowering it, a second arrow blitzes through the air striking through the Leaguient's skull and out embedding itself in the ground to the sudden shock of all.

As well as a second arrow directly behind it! She smirks to furrow her brows as do the others, the hood falling back as a robot is revealed. Static jolting about as its glowing eyes power down.

"A robot?" Laura wonders.

"What the hell…?"

"Stay focused!" Cecily snaps, more Leaguients descending on the five.

"Above us!" Following the exclamation, Relon's eyes widen at dozens of large chains crashing down.

"EVERYONE, SCATTER!"

Retreating; Cecily backward, Relon and Rean to the left, Fie along with Laura to the right, and all groups away as well, they find themselves trapped within the confines of chained domes.

"The chains separated us!"

"Damn it, everyone alright?!"

"Fie and I are unharmed!"

"We're fine!" Claire answers, her group consisting of Osborne, Lechter, Grunoja, Emma, and Rinwell.

"Same here!" Sara calls out, her group consisting of Vandyck, Machias, Jusis, and Elliot.

"None are injured here either!" Mueller shouts, his group consisting of Alisa, Olivert, Gaius, and Aurelia.

"Aunt Cecily!" He calls to the sole woman alone with a few Leaguients.

"I'll be fine! Worry about your own fight, Relon!" The voice of Cecily shouts, all turning their focus on the incoming Leaguients.

"Damn it all!" He growls readying Pippin. "That chain user is still outside. Couldn't you faze through these things?"

"I don't know. Even if I can, that would leave you alone with these Leaguients."

"Heh, you make it sound like I'd die in seconds."

"There's also the matter of me still not fully grasping these new powers."

"Well, you better hurry and grsp them because here they come!"

"Hmpf, let's see how strong those flames of yours match against me, Lucinance!" A male teen's voice eagerly shouts readying his katana, a black handle with a black blade, a portion of the blade's top section blue.

Next to him lagging behind, a feminine-shaped woman clad in the same cloak as all the rest with a long sword at the ready.

"Try not to drown!" The Leagueint shouts, jumping and hanging from the top of the dome pointing his katana at the two, a surge of spiral water pumping from the tip toward them.

"Pressurized water?! Tch!" Relon clicks, his arm encasing in blue flames before firing a stream of flames for the attacks to collide creating steam. "This isn't good! The other one has stopped moving but at this rate, I'll…!"

Sweating from the releasing heat, his eyes grimace over their new situation.

Relon's form will only remain until he's out of flames and he's already releasing a large amount just to fight off this water attack. His mind momentarily going back to his new powers as he focuses on the elemental attacks. Both times, my eyes surged with an odd sensation. I need to make that somehow happen again! Because if I don't, Relon will be too weak to fight and we'll be crushed!

"You guys!" Fie calls looking over her shoulder to redirect her attention to the sole Leaguient locked in the dome with them.

"Stay focused, Fie!" Laura calls next to her. "They'll be fine." She says readying her blade. "Ready?"

"Jah."

"Placing only one Leaguient with us. I'm quite upset. Offended even." Laura mutters, her grip around the greatsword tightening as the Leaguient reaches into their cloak withdrawing a greatsword of their own, a bright blue with brilliant gold markings along the blade with the width of said blade thinning a quarter from the base, before getting into a stance which makes the two widen.

"That stance…!"

"It's the same. No." Laura dismisses with a shake narrowing her eyes. "It's more refined than my own! This woman… Who is she?!"

"Leagueint #10, Uria." The woman answers. "What are the names of the warriors I have the honor of dueling?" She questions.

"... Laura S. Areseid." The bluenette speaks walking forward raising her blade once more. "A practitioner in the Arseid schools as well as a member of Class VII."

"Fie Claussell. A member of Class VII." The petite teen copies.

"Come, Laura S. Arseid, Fie Claussell." The woman calls taking a stance similar to Laura's, both girls widening at the sight and mention. "Show me what the daughters of the Radiant Blademaster and Jaeger King can do!" A dark blue aura explodes as Uria crouches down readying her blade.

"How could-"

"HERE SHE COMES!"

With an explosive step, she blitzes across the dome.

"Laura!" Fie exclaims, flicking a grenade from her wrist for it to explode as smoke fills their side.

"Hmpf!" With a godly horizontal swing angled slightly down, the smoke vanishes revealing the two having jumped.

"Now!"

Crossing her arms, Laura pushes off Fie diving for the woman.

Before she can recover, I need to break that sword!

Sliding her foot against the ground to pivot into a full spin, Uria rotates the blade vertical as she follows through with an upward strike meeting Laura's.

"What?!"

Flipping to land on the cage from the push by Laura, Fie lunges overhead firing a volley of bullets forcing Uria to push the young woman away as Laura slams her back against the chains.

"Gak!"

Sliding to a halt, she raises the flat side of her blade to block the bullets as Fie lands ceasing her bombardment.

"Laura!"

"I'm… fine!" She breathes out, retaking her stance.

We're right back to square one. Fie thinks looking at the woman resuming her stance. How could she know…?

"Fie, it's clear the difference in skill is vast but we can't afford to lose here." Laura speaks, interrupting her friend.

"... Yeah!"

"It seems he has raised you well." Uria muses with no emotion. "Good." She crouches once more.

"Here she comes!"

Bursting forth, both ready themselves.

"Whoa!" Rinwell exclaims diving out of the way of a magical blast for Gurnoja to jump in front of the group blocking a barrage of more energy blasts. "Let's see how you like it!" Rinwell snaps coming from her moving cover to extend a hand taking Rossweisse's spell to the woman's shock as her tome glows white.

"Tch!"

"Right back at you!" A white glyph appearing in front of her hand firing off a cluster of white energy blasts.

"Barrier!" Grimiore shouts flying in front of Rossweisse for Rinwell's counterattack to seep into the barrier.

"Ha!" Emma shouts flicking purple fireballs for they too to fail against the shield.

"How about this?" Claire wonders, aiming her sniper at the lone Leaguient standing idle.

Firing for a loud bang to pierce the air, the Leaguient raises their arms as the bullet lands its mark as blood spurts out their back where their heart is to fall to the ground.

"Did… did you kill him?" Rinwell wonders in clear discomfort.

"Doctor, do not play around." Rossweisse callsign slight annoyance, a fit of snickering followed by laughter comes as the shot Leaguient rises with no problem.

"What the hell?!" Lechter widens.

"That was quite the shot, Icy Maiden. Your reputation is true to your name. You didn't have an ounce of hesitation in pulling the trigger!" A man with a slightly raspy voice hunches over laughing. "It's a good thing I am immortal otherwise that would have been a rather dull end, hahaha!"

"Tch, annoying old coot." Rossweisse crosses her arms in annoyance to immediately lower them looking at the group.

"Shall we deal with their shield?" Grimiore wonders, both floating to the ground.

"Yes." She nods, landing in front of the man.

"No way he's actually immortal, right?"

"Considering everything we've dealt with thus far, I honestly wouldn't doubt it at this point, Lechter." Claire scowls, switching back to her orbal pistol.

"One of the dark arts allows mitotic regeneration of the body's cells so it wouldn't be impossible." Emma informs.

"Don't be too hasty, children." All look at Osborne wearing a calculating expression. "His wound has healed, yes, but that doesn't mean he is immortal. At least, not how I see it."

"What do you mean, sir?"

"For a moment, I believe he truly was dead. Seconds after Claire's bullet exited his body, his soul left but was somehow returned." He looks to Emma and Rinwell. "Could it be that he simply has a connection to someone or something that prevents him from perishing?"

"It's… plausible but as for what becomes the mystery. Whatever it is, the connection must be… close." She stops looking up to the remaining ships above the clearing.

"Seems they figured out my secret, hehe. I shouldn't be surprised by the great minds of some witch and the Blood and Iron Chancellor. A shame I couldn't bring my Orbal Mech Knight to this battle."

"Just remain where you are, Jotaro. It would be a waste to lose one of your lives due to friendly fire." Grimiore states in a calm voice.

"I say let the mentally unstable man who suicides for fun get killed. It won't matter to me."

"But it will to our lords, Rossweisse." Grimiore notes for her fellow women to scoff.

"Let's get back to fighting." A light forming on the ground connecting the two witches.

"Have fun you two, ahaha!"

"Links?!"

"How the hell?! I thought Prince Olivert had access to the tech!"

"It would seem we have a rat." Osborne narrows his eyes. "We can worry about that for later, ready yourselves!"

"Are we ending them as well?"

"We may as well." Rossweisse mutters, both witches raising a hand as the link glows bright. "Make yourself useful doctor."

"Something's coming!" Claire exclaims taking aim.

"Oh, your harsh words wound me so, my dear hahaha!" He walks past the two with his arms open wide. "I wonder if they're screaming or crying…? Hehehe, I oh so wish to see their lovely faces in such anguish yet sadly I'm here. At least I get to enjoy such a lovely experience! Now come!"

"Rinwell!" Emma calls over, already casting a counter.

"I can't stop their casting!"

"Hmpf!" Osborne grunts bursting forward closing the gap between the villains as he readies his black blade.

The light around both witches growing even brighter.

"They're about to launch it!" Lechter notes, sweat pouring down the side of his face looking to Claire aiming her rifle and the girls both casting.

Damn it, what can I- Widening at the idea, he begins casting. Pour everything into this art, Lechter! I was weak once. The memory of battling Arentula resurfacing. I won't let that happen again!

"Charging headlong at your foe, what wondrous strategy do you have up your sleeve?! WELL?!"

"Chrono Burst!" Lechter exclaims aiming his hand at Osborne, the chancellor's body surging with a sensation as he blurs past the male appearing behind the two witches.

Widening barely catching him out the corner of their eyes, Osborne jams his dark energy-coated blade into the ground.

A support art?!

"Malefic Sundering!" From the ground, dark whips shoot out for the three.

Flying high avoiding it, only the lone male is grabbed and dragged to the ground.

"Very well done, Lechter." Osborne grins with pride, his blade inches from the Leaguient's neck as he looks to the two in the air.

"Tch!"

"Watch out!" Grimiore exclaims, Rossweisse snapping her head in time to block the sniper bullet with her gauntlet sending her shooting against the chained dome.

"Why you…!" Rossweisse growls.

"Blah blah blah, magic! Burning Strike!" Meteors from the roof of the dome descend as Grimiore flies out of the way for her view to be obstructed by shimmering white blades hurtling towards her.

I don't have time to conjure a shield!

A green beam swallows the magical blades as it rips through a hole in the chains before it is quickly patched by more chains. Its source: a glaring Rossweisse.

"Whoa…!" Rinwell awes stepping back. "She didn't even have to chant…!"

"And for a spell that powerful either!" Emma widens, gripping her staff.

"Now… I'm angry!" The cloaked Leaguient growls, a glyph appearing at both hands.

"Get ready, here she comes!"

"Ho!"

"Hrrargh!"

"Ha!"

"Hmpf!"

An exchange of shots on one side and raw muscle on the other is all of what Elliot, Machias, and Jusis can see.

"I don't even know what to do…!"

"One side is exerting raw power and the other is moving faster than my eyes can even keep up."

"Everyone is a monster…" Jusis narrows glancing to Relon and Rean's cage. "And we're trapped in here!"

"Today I am judge, jury, and executioner!" The bulky-cloaked Leaguient announces jumping away from a swipe of Vandyck's weapon. His broad blade is a dark metal ending at a point with the edges glowing a dark blue. The large blade held only in one hand.

"And what exactly is our sentencing?" Vandyck wonders aloud slowly rotating Zhanmadao.

Landing firing an arrow and electric blaster respectively, both women halting.

"Death by my blade!" He points at the principal.

"Not bad. Then again, it's kinda irking me that you're holding back." Sara notes in annoyance.

"What idiot reveals all their cards. Tyr, don't do anything rash!" She calls over. "Watching out for you while I deal with this woman will be tedious enough."

"An extra pair of eyes, eh!"

"Tedious, huh? Evil and bad-mannered." Sara points her gun.

"At least I don't drown myself in alcohol in spite of failures."

Bang!

A quick side-step is all it takes as the female Leaguient blocks the short blade of Sara's, the two's faces mere inches from the other.

"See, that's where you and that info you got is wrong." Sara corrects, pushing the woman jumping back firing volleys of electricity around her for Sara's purple blade to shimmers in electricity before she unleashes a lightning vortex pushing the Leaguient to the center of it.

I'm being pushed to the center?!

Firing an arrow up, the Leaguient grabs a hold of a wire to find Sara having jumped with her. Swinging her blade, the Leaguient blocks it with her bow. Flipping to land against the chained cage, she jumps towards the ground firing arrow after arrow at the descending Sara who slashes away at each.

Landing at the same time, both take aim at the other.

"I drown myself in beer because I love it!" She smirks.

"Air Strike!"

Widening at the new voice in confusion, the Leaguient shifts her foot as blades of wind pass the smirking beer-lover. Jumping to the side, the Leaguient widens at a boulder hurtling her way. Landing on one hand, she rolls her body to land on the crashing boulder for a split second to flip over, spinning her body, to fire only for lightning shots to land their marks, sending her to the ground with a grunt. Elliot and Jusis appearing next to her.

"But I love my dear students oh so much more. Nice coordination. I genuinely thought you and Machias were working in tandem."

"We agreed to split up." Jusis scoffs for Elliot to sweatdrop.

"We'll help you however we can, Instructor Sara!" He nods, the three readying themselves for the Leaguient to rise with no signs of struggle.

"Keena!" Tyr hollars.

"I'm fine! Focus on your opponent!" She responds as Tyr nods, switching from his reverse-grip to a normal one.

"Mighty Swing!" Vandyck roars, rotating his body in a full 360 unleashing a rumbling shockwave across the ground for Tyr to slam his large blade against the ground somersaulting over the attack and nearing the Principal.

"Too slow! Lawbringer!"

"You left yourself wide open! Break Shot!"

Looking out the corner of his sight to Machias rolling to a kneel aiming his shotgun, it fires for a single shell to hit the side of Tyr's blade causing the bulky man to steer off of his designated course. Clicking his teeth, he corrects himself sliding to a halt switching his grip in reverse.

"Well done, Regnitz." Vandyck praises to deliver another spinning strike, his weapon igniting in flames as Tyr blocks it skidding away.

"Ready yourself!'

"Yes, sir!"

"Get ready, boys!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Lil' vermin scurrying all over the place!" The Leaguient curses for Aurelia to appear behind him and Gaius in front forcing the villain to jump back taking sight of Alisa firing a bow. Catching it, he gives a smug from under his hood. "Hmpf, still green kids!" He calls out, twirling the arrow to throw it back for Mueller to cut it down.

"Cross Crusade!" Olivert shouts.

Backflipping away, he avoids the attack for Mueller to burst through the lightsource. His blade already extended towards the man's neck. Blurring past the Leaguient, two more intercept the Vander, one wielding a large blade with a small handle on the side and the other a fishing rod.

Looking to approaching foes, he redraws his blade for his purple aura to explode.

"Blade Dancer!" Blurring out of sight, all three Leaguients are pushed back as Mueller appears above the jagged blade-user. "Ha!"

Whipping their rod towards their fellow Leaguient who's already bringing their arm up to block, the line wraps around their arm as with a yank they're tugged out of the way of Mueller's blade.

"I was ready to block that." The feminine voice of the sword-user notes.

"Yeah, but you weren't ready for the follow-up shot." The male voice of the fisherman notes as they see Olivert relinquishing his poised aim. "You're welcome by the way."

"Come on, you two. Let's get 'er done! I'm enjoying this!"

"Wait." Another calls with their sleeves crossed.

"Huh? Whatcha mean wait, Yveltal?!" The Leaguient question to widen behind their hoodie as said Leaguient lowers their arm walking forward.

"I've always wanted to go up against a Vander. I've fought the Arseid style plenty after all." He answers. "Don't worry. You all can handle the rest."

"Tch! Bastard taking on the good ones." The boxer spits.

"You'll get over it." His hands igniting in what could be described as darkness itself. "At least you have his highness."

"I guess I should get in on the fun too." Another speaks, withdrawing a flamethrower from their cloak.

"Oh hell no, that's it! I'm putting my foot down!" Porunga stomps.

"Hm? What's wrong, Porunga?"

"The three of us were getting to having fun and you wanna come waltzing in and act like some Lucinance and burn em up? Hell naw! You pop a squat right there and watch, Flemeth! I haven't had a good fight since Obelisk and I ain't letting this slip by!"

"... Fine." She sighs depositing her weapon into her cloak. "I'm not really interested in them anyway." She dismisses walking to the edge and taking a seat against the cage. "Why couldn't I be in the same cage as Relon or that Weapon Collector?" She muses with a bored tone.

"I swear, you should really work on that attitude." The fisherman sighs.

"Indeed." Yveltal agrees as the jagged blade-user nods silently.

"Shut up! We got vermin to take out!"

"Are they treating us like play things?" Mueller scoffs. "Bastards."

"Consider it a blessing we were given this chance." Olivert answers.

"That guy called Yveltal." Gaius notes. "That other Leaguient named Porunga seemed to acknowledge his words."

"Neither did the others." Alisa adds. "Could he be their superior?"

"Or is it a personal cause?" Aurelia wonders. "Either way, that 'Yveltal' must be stronger than the others."

"Regardless, we can think about all of that after we survive!" Mueller adds, the group readying themselves as the Leaguients charge.

"Get ready! Here they come!"

"Damn it…!" Relon curses, their entire vision obstructed by the dense stream. "I can't even see anymore. I'm relying on my senses!"

Looking on, Rean grips his tachi.

All this power is flowing through me and I don't even know how to use it! First, I didn't want to use it out of fear and now I need to use it and I don't know how!

"Open your eyes, Rean…"

Widening, he looks around seeing no one.

That voice… He thinks looking to his blade, the reflection of his appearance visible. My eyes… thanks mom.

Lowering his blade in front of him, he walks past Relon who takes notice.

"Please tell me you figured out your powers!" Relon manages to get out. "My arms are going stiff and my flames are almost on E!"

"Yeah."

Both times, I was surprised focusing on a specific spot. If that theory is true, then… closing his red eye as he widens his indigo eye. The familiar sensation coming to him as a small barrier appears in between the clashing elements.

More! I need to focus more! Further and further, it expands for Relon to cease as the circular forcefield expands repelling the water with ease back to the Leaguient. Falling to a knee, Relon breathes a breath of relief.

"Nice job."

"Don't thank me yet. I have an idea." Rean glances to another nearby cage.

"I'm listening." A malicious glint forming in the Lucinance's eyes.

Dropping from the roof to land next to his fellow Leaguient, he lets out a whistle. "Seems Ishmelga's host learned how to use his power." A nod comes in response, the dense steam around them beginning to be sucked in the direction of the two as a red light is all they can see of Relon.

Slashing at the forcefield, his grip around his katana nearly slipping as his weapon nearly flies backwards.

"Can't break through with force. That is unless we use a stronger force to overcome this one. That could possibly work."

"No need." The female Leaguient finally speaks.

From the vanishing steam comes Relon walking towards the two, Pippin in hand.

"Ishmelga's host is near the edge. Is he trying to phase through? Can he? Well, no matter. Warzack will just bind him in chains. Unless-" At his further thoughts, he widens at what happens next.

A surge of clinging metal and sparks fly around the lead cage, not a body to be seen until with one last surge of power, the bodies of several individuals meet in the air to slide away. Quickdrawing two arrows, she fires them in rapid succession meeting the blade of a cloaked Leaguient already having rebounded back as they tilt their head out of the way of the second striking the area forcing Cecily to jump back. In doing so, she avoids the now small crater only to find the other five of the seven Leaguients surrounding her. Cecily barely dodging her head out of the way of a thrust of a rapier.

Landing, she immediately blocks the swing of an anchor sending her spinning to another with a large lance reeled back thrusting it for Cecily to recover rotating her body as she slams her pike on the top of the weapon somersaulting over to land turning around in time to clash with the Leguient's twin spears sending them sliding away as the one with anchor jumps over them.

A shield-user who can line up their trajectory with perfect accuracy, a young girl who has insane strength and speed wielding an anchor, a lancman and spearman, a rapier-user, and then those two. She gazes at the most dangerous ones she's determined.

One with a feminine physique wielding a large uniquely-shaped broadsword with a blue blade and a golden edge. The sword has a semicircular guard on the left side of the handle that extends to the bottom just above the pommel, with a small extension on the right side of the handle. Standing from the tip of the blade, the blade is slightly taller than the Leaguient, surpassing the latter's height by just a few centimeters. The other holding a male physique of slightly taller stature. In his gloved hands, a pair of chakrams. Decently-sized black rings with white lines and symbols.

Drawing an arrow once more to fire, Obelisk throws his circular shield for it to curve through the air blocking the arrow sending both flipping in opposing directions, the arrow in the air with the girl and the shield back to Obelisk. Clicking her tongue, Cecily readies herself as the Leaguient raises their anchor to slam it into the spinning arrow as it hurtles like a bullet towards the foster mother.

About to jump, she takes sight of the Leaguient with the rapier already in front of her as well as both the lancer and spearman to her left and right all extending their weapons to her.

When did- my senses were dulled! Not good! I can't block all three like this and if I try to dodge, the bullet will…!

"MOVE FORWARD, MS. CECILY!" The voice of Rean shouts for said woman's eyes to widen ever so much more as circular force fields appear to the Leaguients' shock.

Two sending the two men shooting to slam against the chained cage and one above her reflecting the bullet to the small girl forcing her to block with her anchor sending her to slam into the roof of the cage before crashing to the ground.

With her only roadblock in front of her, the Leaguient attempts to retract her rapier for Cecily to twirl her pike upheaving the rapier along with its user into the air for their body to hit another sudden barrier causing the woman to zoom bouncing off the ground. Recoiling, he eyes blink to Cecily with her pike winded back like a back as the flat side slams into the side of the woman's face sending her spiraling past the two Leaguients to crash against the chained dome.

"Time to cause some mayhem!" Relon roars, kicking off the ground to the two Leagueints' surprise as he lands on the large forcefield as like a trampoline, he's sent back like a bullet racing towards an approaching Rean.

Clasping hands, Rean is dragged off his feet, both looking to the nearing chains.

"Hope this works!"

Closing his indigo eye, Rean's crimson eye widens as the odd sensation surfaces once more. The tightening of Relon's hand signaling he too feels it. Blinking at the near collision, they pass through widening as in an instant, Relon takes note of the sole Leaguient in a crouched position with their hands to the ground. Releasing Rean's hand, he kicks off blitzing the Leagueint with Rean close behind.

Pushing their hands further into the ground, chains erupt from the ground as Relon slices each away for Pippin to shift to a greatsword as Rean jumps onto it momentarily using the sword as a springboard to launch himself into the air.

Firing more from the ground in a spiral attack, the sight of Rean disappears only to phase through running along a chain towards the Leaguient.

"Don't forget about us!" Relon roars unleashing a spew of flames for a wall of chains to rise, blocking his attack allowing Rean to cross over.

Taking sight of a group of chains shooting for him, his grip around his tachi tightens once more.

"Flames, gather around my blade!" He heeds, blue flames igniting along the blade.

A flurry of slashes comes as he breaks through mere feet from the Leaguient.

"Hit 'em where it hurts Rean!"

"Strike!" In a blur, he passes the villain, the chains halting as Rean slides to a kneel. The flames on his blade extinguishing as he quickly turns around to the now injured Leaguient holding their chest.

"Not bad…" Is the Leaguient's response to their efforts, a group of clanging sounds gaining their attention as the two look to see the chained domes breaking apart.

"Alri-" Snapping on a dime, he swings Pippin to clash with the Leaguient with the katana, steam erupting from their clash of elemental-infused weapons.

"Quite the tactic, Lucinance! But don't think that'll save you from me!" He pushes Relon off as the protagonist backflips over the downed Leaguient landing next to Relon. In doing so, both snap their heads up to the female Leaguient that was partnered with the katan-user now behind Rean, her blade already in the motion aimed at his head.

"REAN!"

Blocking a thrust of Jusis to backflip away from Sara intervening, Keena jumps away as Elliot fires a Needle Shoot with Sara rushing in behind it.

"Gotcha." Keena mutters, firing an arrow at Sara who readies to cut it down for it to curve past her toward Jusis.

"JUSIS!"

"Flamberge!"

"That little flame won't stop me!" Porunga he blitzes.

"Ha!" Gaius and Aurelia shouts for the LEaguient to deliver one strong punch at their weapons sending the two skidding off their feet gasping for air.

"Gaius, Aurelia!" Olivert calls to roll out of the way of a blast of darkness.

"You should focus on the one in front of you, your highness." Yveltal notes. "Surely, you of all people know proper etiquette!" He readies another blast for Meuller to cut in followed by the two other Leaguients to split away sliding in front of Olivert.

"Your turn, blondie!" He grins from under his hoodie blitzing the widened girl readying an arrow.

"ALISA!"

Circling around the woman, both nod as Fie dashes in first sidestepping a sudden upward slash. Launching off her feet, she brings her gun swords up as she's pushed into the ground by the sudden strength of the Uria's blade.

"Haaa!"

"Too slow." Uria mutters kicking Fie away effortlessly before pivoting her body to meet the airborne Laura, Uria's blade already nearing the girl's neck. "Farewell, child."

"LAURA!"

"Get behind Grunoja!" Claire exclaims. "Crescent Mirror!" She shouts in time for a shield to defend them from the energy blasts scattering in all directions.

"What about the boss?!"

Through the smoke, they see he too used the same art to defend him. Lechter breathing a sigh in relief to widen at the scorched ground. The body of the Leaguient motionless under singed before he breathes back to life rolling his neck.

"Never holding back as usual, Rossweisse." He chuckles looking at Osborne.

"Rossweisse, we should end this with our combination art while we have the opportunity."

"I couldn't agree more!" The link between them glowing.

"We'll end this farce with our Combination Art! And the first to bear our wrath will be the man with blood already on his hands!"

"CHANCELLOR/BOSS!"

"Karmic Avalanche!" A blast of snow and ice clashes with the Leaguient's quick-reaction sending her away.

"Eternal Ruination!" A combination of arts both obliterates the arrow as well as force both Tyr and Keena further away.

"Binding Chains!" Strings tying themselves to the arm of Obelisk stopping him in his tracks.

"Radiant Phoenix Blade!" A divine light that seems to leave feather's in its wake strikes the blade of Uria sending the woman away.

"Bolt Tempest!" A form of lightning blitzes directly under the witches before surging upwards for a bellowing sound of thunder within the electric dispersion rings knocking the Leaguients away, residual lightning striking the ground as well as the other tied up Leaguient.

"Wha…?"

"No way…!"

"Seems I made it in time. You alright, Rean?"

"Dad?!"

"Mr. Teo?!"

"Seems my timing was on time."

"Rufus?!"

"Now, now, I am afraid I cannot allow you to harm milady."

"Tch! And who the hell are you?"

"Sharon?!"

"It seems you were saved but even I was not expecting your savior to be the Radiant Blademaster himself."

"Father?!"

"What kind of parent would I be if I didn't come to my daughter's aid?"

"A well response." She retorts lowering her blade to her side, the action causing Victor to momentarily look at said greatsword to widen.

"Oh Aidios, our luck is still with us!" Lechter lets out in relief.

"Erk!"

"Hehe… The Thunder God himself. They really are pulling out all of their options…!"

"Why is he here?!" The Leaguients wince getting up, the man before them looking over his shoulder at a rising Osborne.

"You have my thanks, Matteus."

"Seems I made it in time."

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

"Now what's-"

"It's Dad and Sephiroth! Damn it, I can't keep up!"

"Neither can I! They're moving too fast!" A sudden blow sounding right next to them causing the two to nearly get knocked off their feet.

In between the constant barrages, Relon along with the others snap their gazes up to the sky as a large red flame appears followed by Alister and Asuma shooting out crashing to opposing sides of the field. Both back to their stage two forms.

"Alister!"

"Rossweisse, Grimiore!" The female Leaguient wielding the gold and blue blade shouts, the two witches immediately casting to launch their spell before Rinwell can even react as all of the Leaguients vanish reappearing on the other side with Asuma.

"Stay still, boys." Teo orders crouching down with his blade behind him, his eyes locked n a singular spot as the repetition of blows ring all around. "Frigid Gale!" He kicks forward seeming to become invisible as his blade digs into the ground for ice to erupt from the trench as he slides to a halt.

At the same time, something crashes through for a burst of light and flames to erupt sending Relon, Rean, and everyone close in vicinity flying off.

"WHOA!" The Lucinance gasps rolling onto his back as he recovers, sliding away to the others. Steadying himself, he looks up for everything to freeze for only a moment as he widens more than he has today.

Floating off of the ground, Sephrioth with Goro in hand. Relon catching sight just as a larger silhouette vanishes. But that isn't what matters. No, not in the slightest. What's drawn his slitted vermilion eyes is his own father. The man floating just off the ground. His shirt completely gone exposing the muscles on his muscles and their many veins. But more importantly, said veins seeming to course with something else. As if some tattoo artist decide to draw their heart out; that is the only thing Relon could describe the sheer number of odd markings on his adoptive father. The aura radiating a bright-white sheen unlike his usual powerful red aura. His red hair standing straight up wildly like the many times that it has done whenever Relon witnessed Yujiro release some of his power.

Comparing the two, many things were clear. Both were heavily injured from the other's attacks. That information was a clear as Legram's lake on a bright sunny day. Sephiroth's mask was cracked and chipped in a few places meaning Yujiro had landing some blows to the villain's face. Something Relon wanted to do oh so dearly. But out of all of those, not even the mention of Sephiroth's outfit now with rips and other areas seemingly to have been pulled could match the undeniable fact that came next. Sephiroth was clearly panting while Yujiro was not.

"Dad…" As soon as the muttered word exits his mouth, Relon widens as he looks back to Alister in a similar state like the other two men on a knee with Pappan in its corrupted state next to him.

Backing away through his friends, he hurries over to his brother.

"Alister!"

"It's McBurn, you know?" He answers with a twinge of pain in his tone followed by a snort. "Why am I even bothering?" Taking Relon's hand, he gets to his feet wincing before rolling his arm.

"You okay? What happened?!"

"Calm down, lil bro. I'm fine. Gave that asshole a good beating is what happened."

"You look worse for wear yourself though."

"Hmpf. Worry about me after the fights over. We're not done yet." Looking past Sephiroth, both take sight of Asuma getting up in the same state as Alister. "Bastard's persistent as I remember."

"He is your brother."

"He's adopted."

"Really?"

"No, but I wish he was."

"So he is your brother."

Sadly. Be a better excuse than the bullshit he gave though." He states, Pappan going back to his hand as the two make it back to the others.

A heavy silence overtaking them as they reach the front of the group.

"I must say, even I, didn't foresee someone such as yourself to utilize magic." Sephiroth speaks.

"..."

"Oh? Could it be that you preferred to keep something such as that hidden from your own son?"

"..."

"So I am correct. Hmm, interesting..." Sephiroth hums before he sheaths Goro glancing to Relon with Alister. "You both have grown. As have you, Rean Schwarzer."

"Why-"

"But it seems our battle is over, Wandering Beast."

"What do you-" Also interrupted, Relon looks to Alister as he looks to the space up placing a hand on his hip.

"I'm heading out. What will you do, Auntie?"

"Go on ahead of me. There's something I must take care of first."

"Heh, took you long enough Auntie."

Understanding his wording, Relon's eyes open slightly bigger as he follows his brother's gaze upward.

Wearing a white and blue narrow profile dress that is split up the calf with black and gold edges, black and white lace trimmings and exposed shoulders. Black opera gloves and thigh-high stockings with similar black lace trims are also present, as well as gold bracelets, rings and chain belts adorned with blue crystals and gold platform shoes. Azure hair ending at her waist blowing with the gentle breeze. A clear porcelain mask covering only her equally azure-blue eyes.

"Well, well, well…" An explosion of black flames erupts, gaining the group's attention except for Relon as the woman descends touching down ever so gently to the ground next to Yujiro. "I never imagined you would make yourself known, Emissary of the Beyond. You're as lovely and powerful as the day I slaughtered your clan."

"Ishmelga." Her tone distorted by her transformation like every other Lucinance, judgment evident in her tone. "Using an innocent man as your host still. Pathetic as ever." She crosses her arms, in her hand an ornate lace blue and black fan covered in swirling patterns.

"Have you come to smite me? Rid this body of my very being? Send me back to the Beyond? Surely, you from the confines and safety of Ouroborus wouldn't risk such a thing."

"Yet I've come to do just that. I'm putting you down." A burst of blue flames explode around her causing everyone except Yujiro, Alister, Ishmelga, and Relon to raise their hands/arms from the sudden heat wave. "For harming my child once again, you're-"

"Get in line.." Yujiro interjects for the Beyond's Emissary to allow a glance at him to take action. "You had your chance 17 years ago."

"... Do not misinterpret my words. I am more than aware of your skills in combating such a devil, Wandering Beast but now isn't the time to allow pride to blind-"

"Don't you assume it to be pride that is making me speak." Yujiro dismisses, his glare not leaving the possessed Lucinance. "I'm not referring to myself in dealing with Ishmelga. My turn is simply over."

Taking sight of a very familiar black-haired teen walks in between them wielding the legendary weapon Kernviter. A dim red-flamed aura surrounding him as he stops with his back to the two adults. But he isn't alone. Another with a portion of Ishmelga's power walks past her to stop next to him. Two more, one with a high ponytail and another with short white hair. More and more piles around them, all adorned in similar uniforms. Last and certainly not least; the Purple Lightning herself.

Looking at Claire, Lechter gives her a slight nudge for her to look to him. A slight motion of his head is the only answer he gives as does Osborne. The woman saluting joining the fray.

"Told you, didn't I Ishmelga?" Relon speaks up. "It'd be your turn after we were done with Asuma!" He growls, all of Class VII readying themselves.

"Ha… hahaha… indeed. And it seems Aidios is no longer attached to your being." He swings Goro out to the side, black flames coating its blade.

"Well, you two got to rumble with her using my body, so it's only fair I get a real turn." Red and blue flames intermingle along Pippin's blade.

"Relon, you-"

"Don't bother, Auntie." Alister cuts in, stopping next to her. "He's even more stubborn than you. Add in being raised by the Wandering Beast, nothing is changing his mind."

"That's right." Cecily chimes in stopping next to Yujiro giving a semi-tired yet prideful look to Relon's mother.

"Class VII, deal with that monstrosity!" Olivert calls out stepping next to Cecily with Mueller, Osborne, and Lechter.

"We'll take on Senate." Victor calls next stopping to Yujiro's other side.

"Here's your only order; win!" Teo shouts, the other allies lining up next to the Beyond's Emissary.

"YES, SIR!"

"I must question the logic running through you humans. Then again, it matters not."

"Stop acting all high and mighty, you damn spirit. Luna dealt more than enough to weaken your power. The fact that you're even back out now proves you're exuding more power than you can muster!"

"... Hmpf." A chuckle escapes the villain. "Your intelligence perceives you. That's enough Ishmelga. I'll continue to fight."

"Sephiroth, I presume?" Rean questions.

"Indeed. The sight of the boy's mother was a easy trigger for the both of us you could say. Ishmelga slightly more than I." His eyes meeting the mother's. "It's been some time, hasn't it?"

"Ha!" A crescent strike propels for Sephiroth to cut it down.

"You don't get to talk to her. Only I do!" Relon glares.

"Imputent child, know your place!" He tucks in a hand to unleash a torrent of black flames.

"Relon!"

"Yeah! How about you… know yours!" Holding Pippin in his right as it changes to a flaming tachi, said flames become an azure blue as does Rean's own blade. The link between the two shinning brightly.

"Cut through! Dual Craft: Blazing X-Scissor!" Overlaying their strikes at the air, the friction creates a blazing X shooting for the incoming flames cutting through.

"What?!" Ceasing his attack, Sephiroth raises Goro to block the attack as it pushes him against the ground towards the Leaguients.

"Alister!" Raising his head at the familiar call, Sephiroth looks past the attack to see Relon going into a barrier, his mother and father flying into the air as his back is suddenly hit by a hard flat surface.

Now what?! Now finding himself isolated in an area of light rising to the ships with the ceiling covered in said light.

"Lord Sephiroth!" The Leaguient with the blue and golden blade shouts, all rushing to assist their leader for a rift to appear as out comes the adults.

"You shall not pass!" Matteus digs his blade into the ground for emphasis.

"Don't tell me you're done already, Asumaaaaaaa!"

"Meddlesome fools, try to stop us!" Another roars.

"Alisteeeeeeer!" The battle ensuing between both sides.

If they appeared from that portal then- Stopping his thoughts as he takes sight of both Yujiro and the Emissary controlling the space to then shift to Fie and Rean come from both sides, a link forming between them.

"Arc Slash/Hmpf!" Firing a crescent shockwave and bullets, Sephiroth attempts to absorb the forceful attack to no avail.

Thinking fast, he deflects it upwards crashing into the ceiling as he unleashes a black-flamed slash at Rean and a spew of flames at Fie. Both widen jumping out of the way. As they do, Relon, Laura, and Aurelia appear in front of him to his slight surprise.

Prepping to blur out of the way, a heavy weight pushes him to the earth followed bya second forcing him to a knee. Looking up, his eyes snap wide att the three now in front of him.

Those two! They're hindering my speed and power with magic while amplifying the Relon and the humans' own! Crossing Goro, he's launched by the three greatswords into the air.

Recovering landing on the ceiling, Sephiroth glances to both adults with their hands clasped as he catches an arrow with one hand turning back to be met with a fist slamming his head into the light's ceiling with a hard thund, the surface flashing as Relon grabs the man flipping him under and delivering a bicycle kick to Sephiroth's chin shooting him to the ground with a fiery thud.

"Mom!"

"Overdrive!"

Feeling a surge of newfound power, Relon's red vision becomes a mix of red and blue as he feels his body's tension ease slightly. Pushing off, his sight blurs to him already near the ground with Sephiroth striking for another back-to-back weight to distort the villain's focus. Relon parrying Goro with Pippin as he lands, in a fluid motion, Relon spins shuffling to Sephiroth's blind spot swinging Pippin only to be blocked by his gauntlet. The force sending him skidding rolling on the ground quickly recovering to skid to a halt. Snapping his gaze around to Sara, Goro becomes inflamed in black fire for the Purple Lightning to vanish in a bolt of lightning revealing Gaius and Rean behind her.

"HAAAAAAAAAA!"

Parrying their quick strikes, Gaius swinging his spear wide for Sephiroth to duck, another double weight hits him falling to a knee. Appearing behind him with the barrel of her gun pointed at the back of his head, he widens hearing the click for an explosion of black flames to erupt around him. The three jumping back in time avoiding it as the man pants to feel something wet hit him making him stagger.

Turning around, dozens of large bubbles floating.

"Rean, Fie!" The voice of Relon calls from somewhere as a blur of said boy encircles the Senate leader followed by another blur for the bubbles to swirl like a vortex.

"We need to get our lord out of there!" Attempting to cast a spell, Grimiore looks for it to cancel as with a glance at Rinwell atop Grunoja's shoulder, her tome glows black.

"I won't let you get anywhere near my sister!" She declares hopping to Grunoja's shoulder as it tosses her into the air. "Celestial Hammer!" With a spin of her body and a thrust of her free hand, four rays of light followed by the stolen spell being a condensed black beam race towards the grounded Leaguients forcing them away as the searing heat melts the ground.

"Stubborn son of a…!" Asuma growls, unleashing a two streams of flames for his brother.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! You didn't expect so much resistance, now did you?!" McBurn shouts back, the forces further divided as their colliding flames form a wall.

Readying himself, the sights of Class VII lost by the whirling bubbles around, Sephiroth widens as Relon bursts through with Pippin launching a dual-colored crescent strike.

"Tch!" Taking a single step forward, more weight hits Sephiroth as his feet sink into the ground to take the brunt of the attack sending him off his feet to hit a cluster of bubbles exploding pushing him back at Relon turning around to deliver a mule kick which Sephiroth barely blocks as he's launched into the air once more.

Wincing, his eyes open to Machias sliding towards Relonaiming hit shotgun at said man.

"Break Shot!" A lone bullet propels from the chamber.

As if in slow motion, his eyes follow the bullet, his blade ready to cut it in two. But as he does, so too does Sephiroth feel the nuisance weight push his body. The pressure forcing his body to buck barely blocking the bullet. The force sending him ragdolling into another cluster of bubbles exploding as he's launched from one group to another.

"Instructor Sara!"

As if time slowing down, his red slitted eyes catch the woman aiming her gun directly at the flipping man.

"Bang." She says cooly, electric blasts hitting the vortex of bubbles for them to all explode in an electric disarray of water droplets.

Clenching his teeth as electricity courses to every centimeter of his body, more black flames explode. Breathing, he snaps his head to block the blade of Aurelia who pushes him down, both plummeting for Jusis to appear.

This time, I won't be a hindrance!

"Rapid Thrust!" A series of three quick japs are all blocked for the last one to push Goro out of the way. "Rune Blade!" With a hand gliding over his blade, it is coated in a light before it strikes as Sehiroth is once again forced to block with his gauntlet crashing into the ground. An explosion of black flames erupting for a large silhouette to begin to grow.

I owe you one for this, Lechter! Claire thinks, the recent memory of reaching into one of the vehicles and grabbing the sniper along with a box next to it.

"Don't bother!" Claire shouts having already thrown mirror-like items to hover in the air around Sephiroth to aim her gun. "Orbal laser, fire!" A purple beam propels from one mirror device to another as it increases with every impact forming a glowing octagram

"Help me out, Relon!" Emma calls.

"Say less!" He responds by placing his right magical-imbued hand on her back as she finishes a chant for an extra ring to appear around the octagram.

"Kaleido Force!" A surge of immense power in the form of purple light resembling broken glass blasts towards the ceiling as the silhouette is enveloped in its like.

After mere moments it fades revealing Sephiroth on one knee, his dark aura simmering. Breathing, he snaps his head up tilting it out of the way of the first only to fail as a second lodges itself in his thigh. Pulling it out, he growls in frustration.

Just like Ms. Cecily. Alisa thinks firing another for Sephiroth to grunt, slashing it. The moment he does, he widens at Rean, Gaius, Laura, Fie, Aurelia, Jusis, and Sara all rushing in.

"You… filthy, wretched, humans!" He shoots to his feet readying his blade for more weight to be pressed on him as he engages the group. "How?! Why?! What is there to achieve fighting such a desperate battle?!" He roars striking at Gaius who blocks the flamed strike skidding away to reel her spear back.

"Gale Thrust!"

Clashing with their blades, his senses alert him as he looks to be him in the abdomen by the wind element skidding back to further widen sensing someone behind him as with a swing of Goro, he misses to feel a cut at his achille's heel making him fall to a knee once more. Looking to see the culprit Fie, he fires a stream of black flames for them to come out as barely that in comparison to a flamethrower to his horror as it doesn't even reach the petite girl.

Gripping Goro tightly, a flicker of black flames appear across his foot as he shoots back up in time to avoid both Laura and Aurelia's downward slam of their blades. The sheer force making the man buckle under the power to feel a sharp pain come from his sides taking sight of Rean and Sara blur skidding to a halt. The slight wince all it takes as the girls push through, an eruption of smoke rising as both jump away.

"Now Elliot!" They call, Sephiroth letting out a single breath followed by a blink of his eye at the boulder descending out of thin air towards him.

Only able to twitch his finger for a red blur to zoom from the ground to the air and behind the boulder to propel it further forward, the Senate leader can only cross his arms behind Goro as the rock crashes with a thud.

These human… Relon…!

BOOOOOOOM!

A tower of flames erupt as Sephiroth jumps out landing on his feet heavily panting.

"Very well, LET"S DANCE!" He bellows, sword and body ablaze in pitch-black fire as he looks around to be surrounded by Class VII.

In front of him, Relon with Pippin in hand. His aura matching the mixture of emotions Sephiroth can sense from his fellow Lucinance.

"With pleasure!" The radiance of everyone's links queuing their eagerness to end it all, a light from their very beings glowing.

"It's just like…!"

"Our first day in the Old Schoolhouse!"

"Then you kids know what to do so do it!"

"RIGHT!"

"Let's do this, Laura!" Relon roars, Laura right behind him

"At once!" She slides to a halt with her blade poised directly upwards as a blue energy expands from her body.

Widening at the magnetic-like pull, Sephiroth readies Goro as Relon does Pippin jumping to change to a greatsword as he flips for the man to pivot to the side avoiding the strike and its follow-up attack of flaming pillars. Digging his foot into the ground so as to not be pulled, he attempts to behead the teen for Relon to spin sweeping his leg under Sephiroth's before grabbing it and throwing him as Sara.

"Fire!" Laura shouts, arrows, bullets, electric blasts, and energy shots along with varying arts pelt the Lucinance.

Parrying as fast as he can, even with his enhanced reflexes, his the taxing effort from his battle finally begins to set in fully as more and more attacks get through his guard. The cracks in his mask beginning to stretch ever so slightly more. Through the debris of attacks, Laura and everyone along with Relon blitz attacking from both sides. Flexing his free hand, he reaches out to grab Pippin ignoring everyone else behind him.

He's ignoring us?!

He's growing desperate!

We're nearly there!

He wants to absorb Pippin!

Don't let him!

RELON!

"Don't think so!" Pippin's shape decreases to its normal form as its flame vanishes to Sephiroth's widened shock.

Striking down following through with his body to avoid him, Relon whips it back up, his red slitted eyes meeting Sephiroth's as his fury resurfaces. Gripping his partner, he strikes severing the outstretched arm for all to widen.

"Don't stop!" Sara orders, the links around them becoming even brighter.

As droplets of blood fly, Sephiroth jumps away holding the agonizing pain with Relon in hot pursuit.

"You took everything from me!" Both landing to clash blades.

"You don't even know who I am or what my very existence is capable of!"

"I… know… plenty!" A grip of Pippin followed by a strike pushes through his defenses sending him back to land around Class VII. "It's over, Sephiroth!" The lights from their links glowing bright as it goes to their weapons.

Everyone's links…! Claire mentally gasps.

Kicking off the ground, he's only a blur to Sephiroth. His blade connecting with Goro. The force causing Goro to flip out of Sephiroth's grasp. The next attack a double slash of gunswords followed by a dash through the man's defense as his gauntlet is all that protects him. A flurry of thrusts followed by one that pierces his gauntlet. A series of fast rotating slashes followed by a single powerful thrust at the gauntlet breaking it leaving his bare skin.

Turning for the weight to buckle under him, the pain in his thigh kicks up as he crosses his arm to guard against a mixture of bubbles and fireballs sending him back.

Narrowed eyes meet electricity as his body goes numb to feel a gash across his abdomen as he leans out of the way.

In doing so, one opposing force withdraws as he takes sight of numerous pellets racing for his head in their place. Hitting the ground to bounce back up meeting a saber to catch it with his bare hand, a shotgun from behind the user comes, its barrel punching the gash to fire launching the leader back.

A sole arrow zooms for the man to think fast blocking it as it lodges itself in his arm. Biting it out, he gasps as he feels both greatswords slam into his chest shooting him up. Coughing blood, his vision blurs as once again, he feels the double-weight.

"For our fate, for our friends…!"

"Relon!" Claire shouts, deploying her mirror devices like a stairway to the top.

Jumping from one to another, his right hand balls into a fist, azure flames condensing around it as he passes Sephiroth.

Reaching the ceiling, he lands for a single second before bursting off. The light from everyone shining its brightest.

This is…! Relon's mother widens behind her mask.

"UNION CRAFT: SEVEN'S LINEAGE!"

The sheer force from his punch breaking through the mask as both it and Relon's own cloth shatters from the force.

Our win! Yujiro grins.

---

Fun Fact: I was gonna have there be more fight scenes with the arrival of the allies but for story length sake, which was only gonna be at 30k and not 42k, I decided to hold off on that.

Fun fact #2: Certain scenes mentioned I decided to save for later due to again, the LENGTH OF THIS CHAPTER.

Fun fact #3: Shenhe is indeed inspired from Genshin. Do note these stories I make are part of a multiverse.