After about an hour had passed, Rose Knight opened her eyes and slowly stood up. Confused, she looked around but everything is pitch-black.
'Where am I?' she thought to herself,
Suddenly, the lights went on the entire room is clear. Rose Knight was a little startled a bit but when she turned around, her eyes widened as she saw something that gave her goosebumps.
She saw what appears to be two large cages hanging in the air by the chains while each of them is above two large pits of green flames burning viciously. What's more, is that Rose Knight noticed that someone is unconscious while inside one of the cages.
"Mom?" she muttered,
Her mom woke up and was shaken and surprised by the fact that she's stuck inside the cage. "What's going on? How did I end up here?" she wondered,
Rose Knight replied, "Hang on. I'll save--"
"You'll do no such thing!" A voice interrupted,
Rose Knight cautiously looked around but saw no one. "Who are you? Show yourself!" she demanded,
The voice laughed maniacly. All of a sudden a spotlight shined down near the pit of green flames revealing what appears to be someone in a throne.
"You… " Rose Knight muttered,
The guy in the black cloak smiled, "Of course it's me. What'd you expect?" he said, "Also, do you like what I've done with the place?"
"And I'm guessing that you're responsible for the disappearance of my mom?" Rose Knight asked,
"So, what if I am?" the guy in the black cloak said,
"Leave her out of this," Rose Knight demanded, "This is between you and me,"
Then her head began to ache as a vision flashed into her mind. A similar situation but something is missing.
'Why am I remembering this now?' Rose Knight thought to herself, 'Also why does this place look familiar? I couldn't have been here before, have I?'
She quickly shook her head as she heard a rumble on the ground. Then something emerged from below and Rose Knight did a couple of backflips as she tries to get away from it. However, her expression changed to horror when she sees that there are four monsters standing in front of her. The same monsters that she battled before!
The humanoid lizard from the first time she unlocked her powers, the winged beast that attacked her school, Rebecca's serpent form from when she trashed the city, and Monarch Joker from the school's Foundation Day!
"I don't understand," Rose Knight muttered, "I thought I defeated them all,"
"You may have defeated my underlings but you have yet to defeat the one who created them," The guy in the black cloak said,
Rose Knight's eyes widened as she realizes this fact, "Then that means,... "
The guy in the black cloak smiled, "You guessed it." he said then stood up from his throne, "It is I who brought them to life!"
Rose Knight grunted but didn't reply.
"You see, I was able to ressurect these monsters from their remains from when you defeated them," the guy in the black cloak continued, "And even before I did that, I had to use what my strength had to offer to summon them in the first place,"
"What do you mean by that?" Rose Knight asked,
"My, my. Aren't you curious?" The guy in the black cloak teased, "The first two attempts were from my own darkness. However, the other two that I managed to control were from the darkness within their hearts so I harnessed that power and made it my own,"
"You manipulated their desires and turned them into freaks," Rose Knight said,
"I guess that's one way to put it," The guy in the black cloak said, "In a way, you're looking at mindless, empty shells with no souls inside them,"
'Guess I have no choice but to fight them,' Rose Knight thought to herself as she drew out her sword and readied herself, "Bring it on!" she said,
"Yes! Give it everything you've got! No holding back!" The guy in the black cloak exclaimed, "Now my minions, attack!"
In an instant, the four monsters lifted their heads and charged straight at Rose Knight unleashing their attacks one by one! On the other hand, Rose Knight jumped up into the air and dodged them but the winged beast flapped its wings and hit her causing her to fall to the ground! BAAM!! THUD!!
A split second before she could react, Rebecca's serpent form grabbed wrapped its tail around Rose Knight's body and slammed her to the ground twice! BAAM!! BAAM!! Then, Rebecca threw Rose Knight across the room and crashed through a brick wall! SMASH!! THUD!!
Rose Knight then kept having more visions flashing into her mind with each one being clearer than the rest. 'Why do I feel like I've been here before?' she thought to herself, 'But who was I supposed to protect at the time?'
As she slowly stood up and tried to regain her balance until her instincts kicked in and suddenly blocked the humanoid lizard's attack! She then parried the next attack with her sword, jumped over landing behind the beast and just as she was about to attack, the humanoid lizard whipped its tail on her legs causing her to fall to the ground but in a split second, Rebecca's serpent form grabbed her in mid-air and threw her across the other side of the room!
However, quick on her feet, Rose Knight regained her balance and stabbed her sword on the ground as she tries to stop herself before hitting another wall. Suddenly, Monarch Joker swooped in and was about to hit her with his cane but she quickly picked up her sword and blocked the attack. CLANG!!
But the winged beast appeared behind her and smacked her to the side with its wings! Then, the humanoid lizard hit her with the back of its hand. Rose Knight blocked the attack with her sword but realized that the blade broke and she was sent flying across the room and crashed onto another brick wall! BAAM!! THUD!!
As the smoke cleared, Rose Knight was on the floor unable to move. Her broken sword stuck on the ground a few inches away. Then her armor disappeared and she transformed back into Emily much to her mom's surprise.
"Emily?" her mom exclaimed,
Hearing that woke Emily up. She was having a hard time moving and her sight started to blur but she could see the four beasts standing in the middle of the room staring at her. With the last bits of her strength, Emily carefully crawled towards her broken sword and slowly stood up holding it firmly in her hand but she was too exhausted that she fell to her knees again.
The guy in the black cloak was not amused, "Is this all you have to offer?" he taunted but there was no response, "Then you're nothing more than a nuisance. I might as well end your misery here and now,"
Then, the visions became clear to Emily. 'I now recall the reason why I was there now,' she thought to herself, 'I was supposed to save two people that were held captive.' She slowly stood up and held her sword firmly.
"Are you seriously gonna fight four of my minions with just a broken sword" The guy in the black cloak chuckled, "You're even more foolish than I initially thought,"
Emily kept her composure, "You can keep tormenting me all you want but you do realize that you lost to me more times than I can remember" she said,
"Oh? You don't say…" the guy in the black cloak calmly replied but he seemed nervous all of a sudden, "Why bother even trying? You should just quit now and give up! You are nothing more than a worthless human!"
"Another thing you should know is that no matter how hard things can be, or no matter how many obstacles I have to overcome, one thing's for sure and that is I will not and cannot give up even if it's the last thing I'll ever do!" Emily said,
All of a sudden, her ruby brooch began to glow crimson red. The green fire from the large pit started to change into red flames as it flows through the room and a silhouette of a dragon started surrounding Emily like a tornado.
When the flames died down, Emily stood there but with red armor around her body with a long black cape and surging red lines across her black suit underneath the armor! What's more is that her helmet is the shape of a dragons head with her long blonde hair flowing behind her back.
The guy in the black cloak had to cover his eyes, "What sorcery is this?" he wondered,
"Rose Knight: Empress Battle mode!" Rose Knight exclaimed,
The guy in the black cloak was still stunned by what he saw, "Uh, well, don't just stand there you fools! Take her down!" he told the four beasts,
The four beasts nodded and just as they were about to close in on Rose Knight but she smiled as she calmly took out her newly reborn sword and readied herself.
Suddenly, a ring of fire surrounded her as her blade begins to glow. Flames appeared out of nowhere as they circled her. The four beasts backed away but it was too late.
"Dragonic Tempest: Supreme Tidal Slash!!" Rose Knight roared as she swung her sword unleashing a huge wave of flames as they hit all four of the beasts and burned them all to ashes in a blink of an eye! WHOOSH!! KA-BOOM!!
As the smoke cleared, Rose Knight pointed her sword at the guy in the black cloak, "How do you like that?"
The guy in the black cloak was still shocked but his expression quickly turned into anger, "So what? Just because you gained a new ability, doesn't mean that you can scare me!" he said,
"We had a deal, punk." Rose Knight continued, "Let my mom go!"
The guy in the black cloak thought about it for a moment and then replied, "Not a chance,"
"What?" Rose Knight asked,
The guy in the black cloak snapped his fingers and a portal appeared below Emily's mom and she was immediately transported back inside her house. Samantha was sitting on the couch in the living room and was shocked to see her appear before her.
"What in the world just happened?" Samantha asked,
"I-I don't know," Emily's mom replied,
Meanwhile, back at the abandoned building, Rose Knight was still confused by what just happened. Suddenly, black goo appeared below her feet and attached itself on her arms and legs preventing her to move. She tried everything she can to break free but it was no use. The black goo was too strong.
Then, a giant figure appeared above her. Its menacing-looking eyes stared at her with malicious intent.
"You will be a pawn in my plan to destroy the universe," the giant figure said,
"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Rose Knight said as she struggles to break free,
"It's no use trying, girl." The guy in the black cloak said, "You are destined to fall into darkness,"
"What?" Rose Knight wondered then the black goo expanded and started covering her body. She continues to struggle but it is already too late for her.
As the black goo completely covered itself around her, she stopped moving and stood firmly on the ground. Then, the black goo detached itself revealing a viscious-looking grey armor. Her eyes are now pitch-black and her skin is pale.
She then knelt down and bowed her head. "What is my mission, master?" she asked,
The guy in the black cloak smiled, "From this day forth, you shall be known as Rose Noir: Empress of Purgatory!" he said, "And your mission? That is to gather the remaining reincarnations of the enemy that defeated the Dark Dragon!"
"Then, it shall be done," Rose Noir replied calmly,
To be continued…