"Tear it down now!" Rage screamed as his face contorted into something much more unpleasant than it usually was. His eyes grew redder in anxiety and anger as his strength went past his previous limits. His power was like a massive flood, and it washed over the two who were facing him, trapped within a construct of their own making.
"We would struggle now," Aegeus observed Rage's changes and understood that things were going to get much harder.
The burn on Rage's chest, which he had sustained from Selina and Aegeus's combination strike was still there. And the smell of burnt flesh did fill the nostrils of him and Selina. There was a large gush on Rage's back from Abe's strike as well. Although both attacks were powerful enough to obliterate any average 8th Stage Noble, Rage had only sustained superficial damage. This was testament to how strong he was. However, the fact that his injuries were still the same, even after he underwent a power-up, meant that only his strength received an upgrade. His health was still the same.
But before he had the chance to scrutinize Rage any further, the aberrantly shaped man disappeared from his place. Aegeus's senses screamed at him immediately, and the young man dove out of the way.
*Rip*
Rage appeared at Aegeus former position with a piece of cloth stuck between his fingers and some skin in between his nails. His eyes were unfocused, yet his intent was obvious. He wanted to break free.
"Are you okay?" Selina asked worriedly as she swiftly created some distance between herself and Rage.
"Yeah. It's just a scratch"
There was a thin yet long gush on Aegeus's midsection, and blood made its escape from this cut. Aegeus's tightened his trunk muscles to halt the bleeding whiles keeping his eyes fixed on the small piece of flesh – his flesh – stuck in Rage's nails. Rage was now much faster, and more dangerous.
"We must prepare," Selina stated and Aegeus nodded his head. But before they could do anything else, Abe's voice invaded their minds.
"Selina, Aegeus, listen to me closely. The barrier cannot be undone. I trust you to see this through." Frederick could easily take the barrier down. But Abe wasn't going to let him do that. He didn't know how well Breaker and Rage worked together. After all, he had no information about these two people who had come after them, or why they did. But he didn't want to risk that. Besides, Aegeus and Selina had their own hidden strengths.
"I don't want to put them in danger Abe. I will bring down the barrier down" Fredrick wasn't that eager to jump on board Abe's decision. Aegeus was his brother and Selina was the woman he loved. He couldn't take that risk.
"I need you to trust them Fredrick. You know what they can do." Abe tried to convince Frederick to accept his decision. After all, both were aware of how dangerous Selina and Aegeus could be when they truly let loose.
"I do. And it's because I know what they can do that I'm reluctant to see them do it." Frederick argued. "I told you to keep them contained, not press the trigger." Frederick added. Even with just Lock-on, Abe could hear his friend's chattering teeth. It wasn't a fearful reaction to the situation, but simmering rage.
"I know. But in a situation like this we have no choice," Abe sighed.
"We do have a choice. I can take down the barrier." Frederick argued again.
"With your level of intelligence you know that against opponents we have not a clue about, getting them reunited is not a good idea. We were able to separate them so easily because we startled them with our strength. They wouldn't be surprised the next time." Abe explained what he believed Frederick knew. But he could understand why Frederick didn't want this. He was much closer to those two that Abe was. They were his brother and girlfriend after all.
Frederick was silenced by Abe's words and said no more. Abe took his silence as an agreement to his decision.
"I also know you well enough to know you definitely marked an area where you have most of your weapons located," Abe smiled slightly and said, and Fredrick couldn't help the small smile that appeared on his face.
"Yeah. They are all there." Fredrick had indeed chosen an area with the most supporting and restraining tools in order to provide the greatest assistance to Aegeus and Selina.
"Good. Focus on Aegeus and Selina. Leave this guy here to me." Abe decided.
"Alright," Frederick nodded his head and Abe cut their communication.
Abe had his eyes glued to Breaker's figure the entire time. And Breaker's smirk disappeared when he saw calm return to Abe's face.
"Do you not care about your friends? Or are you a heartless moron?" Breaker asked provocatively, seeking a reaction from Abe. But he was bound to be disappointed. For Abe didn't even turn to look at what was happening within the barrier.
"Your friend isn't the only one with secrets," Abe smiled and said. "Run wild guys," he transmitted to Selina and Aegeus. And the dragons that had been caged broke free.
Selina's eyes flashed with a severe light as she activated a glow she usually didn't rely on. For it was too volatile to depend upon. Aegeus was the same. He called upon a power he didn't particularly use. It was a power he was actually preparing to face his teacher Mane with.
"Glow: Battle Queen's Heart"
"Glow: Rage of the Monkey King"
Along with the approval of the two, Selina and Aegeus's aura underwent a change. The flames on Selina's extremities grew and covered her entire body, and the temperature of her fire grew to almost three times of the original! The spear in her hand slowly melted under the intense heat. For even High Level Weapons had a limit. But that wasn't enough to disturb Selina. Using her spear's core as a frame, she created a spear of fire. Her long hair turned crimson as they become locks of fire, and even her mouth and nostrils breathed out fire.
Above Selina appeared a phantom of woman decked in battle armor. The face of the phantom was blurry yet the aura it exuded was so great that Rage's powerful presence from before was wiped out. With a loud roar the phantom's aura shook the earth, and even those outside the barrier – Abe and Breaker – could feel its tremble.
As if that wasn't enough, before Breaker could digest what was happening, Aegeus also underwent a change. The loud cry of an ape was heard from within Aegeus's spirit, and all here heard it. Under the astonished gaze of Breaker who was facing the barrier directly and could see what was happening, Aegeus underwent his transformation.
The formally handsome human quickly developed fur all over his body, including his face. His eyes turned golden yellow like Abe's but within them was a flicker of mischief and cunning that wasn't there before. A powerful green aura engulfed Aegeus as he was transfigured into an Ape man. The green aura covered every inch of Aegeus's frame, and soon it formed an ethereal looking armor around the teen.
The rod on Aegeus's shoulder underwent a change also. The golden markings on the rod shone much brighter than they had before. And the rod increased in size once more. On the ends of the rod appeared a conspicuous image of a white cloud. And once the cloud appeared, the weight on Aegeus' shoulders decreased greatly.
Breaker was shaken by what he was seeing. Rage had the upper hand before. But he certainly looked like he was in a lot of trouble now. In his bewilderment Breaker had forgotten that he too had his own troubles to deal with.
"Have you forgotten about me? Now that's not very nice, is it?" Abe appeared next to Breaker like a shadow and struck out his foot. In order to be as discrete as possible, the young prince restrained himself and didn't use his sword.
Breaker was quick enough to bring his hammer before him. And the large weapon absorbed most of the energy behind Abe's kick. But this was just a start to something bigger. For Abe had learned one of Mane's most iconic moves from the Supreme himself. And he had elevated his understanding of the skill in the past 6 months. And this skill was Extreme Burst! Abe was capable of executing it to the 4th move. However, whereas Mane used his fists to execute this technique, Abe used his legs.
"2nd Strike," Abe threw out his leg as quickly as it was returned to him. His leg was like a deadly viper that sought Breaker's neck. Breaker wasn't quick enough to block with his hammer, so he lifted one of his hands off his monstrous hammer and chose to block with his energy coated palm.
*Bang*
A stinging pain travelled through Breaker's arm and into his sides as he was sent flying back. But before he could breathe a sigh of relief, Abe was before him again. The young prince lifted his leg high, mid charge, and brought his leg down in a powerful overhead kick.
"3rd strike"
*Bang*
Breaker was quicker this time and was able to get his hammer above his head. Yet when Abe's foot came down onto his hammer, Breaker felt a great weight that pushed him deeper into the earth. The ground beneath him cracked open and Breaker found to his chagrin that one of his feet was stuck. There was someone happy with this development though: the young prince of Zandor's Western Empire. And he wasn't going to let this opportunity pass him by.
Abe span powerfully on one of his legs and swung the other towards Breaker in a roundhouse kick that carried so much might that the sand around was forcefully blown away.
"4th Strike"
Breaker gritted his teeth and placed his hammer before him. Without the gift of mobility he wouldn't be able to disperse Abe's strike away from him after receiving it. This would have to be taken head on!
*Boom*