Lance Grey, John Crest and Reginald Ross are on a mission to deliver Guns to the knight's headquarters. Lance is sitting on top of the carriage serving as a lookout for danger, while John sits with Reginald at the drivers seat of the carriage.
Lance Grey: This is so boring! (Lance yells, still on the carriage)
John Crest: Yeah, I thought you said this was going to be dangerous, do you even need us here? (John asks, tired of the calm and in need of some action)
Reginald Ross: (Chuckles) At my age you relish moments like this, peace and quiet isn't easy to come by.
Lance Grey: I guess you're right, we should enjoy the peace while it lasts. (Lance says before laying down and staring at the sky)
As Lance stares at the sky he thinks of the future, It's obvious the knights are preparing for war. If Mistress Copy manages to get her hands on the other Voidstone she could free the Great Demons, which would spell Doom for all of humanity.
Lance also thinks about his curse power, If the Great Demons were free, would his power be enough to fight them, or would it corrupt him making him turn against his friends?, Was the Hyena really trustworthy or just an emissary for the Demon that cursed him?, These thoughts rummage through Lance's head confusing him as he thinks about it, Suddenly an arrow falls from the sky and hits the carriage narrowly missing Lance's head, he gets up quickly and sees the sky littered with fired arrows.
Lance Grey: We're under attack! (Lance yells as he deflects the arrows with his Dark Torrent)
The Dark Torrent is the move that Lance used to win the race, by releasing the Dark Cloud as a powerful torrent, Lance can fly through the air, or in this case deflect all the arrows.
John Crest: What the hell is going on?! You're supposed to be on lookout! (John yells)
Lance Grey: I'm sorry! I was lost in thought! (Lance says loudly so John can hear him)
John Crest: Apologize later, Protect us now!!!
Lance Grey: Count on it, Hyena give me power!!! (Lance yells, transforming into Dark Lance)
Reginald Ross: Bandits! They're after the guns, we can't let them have them. (Reginald yells, mushing the horses to pull the carriage faster)
John Crest: Don't worry, monster boy is on it. (John says calmly)
Reginald Ross: Monster boy, whose that?...Oh Great spirits! (Reginald yells as he spots Dark Lance on the carriage)
Dark Lance: (Laughs maniacally) Come get some! (Dark Lance yelled, blasting the bandits away with the Dark torrents)
The Bandits continue chasing the carriage on horseback, but as they encroach Dark Lance blasts them away. The remaining Bandits shoot at Lance with their arrows, but they do not even penetrate his flesh.
The Dark Cloud now begins to spread, covering the entire carriage in Darkness. The bandits who try to follow them cannot see through the Cloud and end up crashing against each other.
Meanwhile two men are watching the chase from a hilltop.
Nobu (The right hand man of Mad Mask): Boss, they're getting away. (Nobu tells the Mad Mask)
Mad Mask: No they're not. Luckily for us my mask allows me to see everything. (The Mad Mask says as he peers into the darkness covering the carriage, and fires a single arrow)
The arrow flies into the Cloud and hits Dark Lance square in the chest. He reverts back to normal before falling off the carriage as the Dark Cloud disperses.
John Crest: Lance what happened? (John asks before noticing that Lance is gone)
Reginald Ross: Oh no, your friend as been hit, we have to help him! (Reginald says, trying to stop the carriage)
John Crest: No we can't stop, they'll kill us all! (John yells)
Suddenly the carriage's wheel is hit by an arrow and breaks, the carriage crashes sending John and Reginald falling to the ground. John quickly gets up and fights the approaching bandits, his sword cuts through the bandits weapons with ease, disarming them. But an arrow shot by Mad Mask disarms him.
Mad Mask: Surrender! Or the knight dies. (Mad Mask threatens, his men ready to slit Reginald throat)
John surrenders and is kidnapped by the bandits, but they leave the unconscious Reginald behind. Meanwhile Lance wakes up in the middle of nowhere and has a splitting headache.
Hyena: Master are you okay? (Hyena asks)
Lance gets up and stares at the arrow in his chest.
Lance Grey: How am I alive? (Lance asks)
Hyena: I told you master, as long as I exist you shall not die. (Hyena replies)
Lance Grey: That's good to know. (Lance says as he pulls the arrow from his chest)
Lance then searches for John and Reginald, and after looking for a while. He finds Reginald unconscious on the grassland.
Lance Grey: Sir Reginald, please wake up!
Reginald Ross: Huh? (Groans).
Lance Grey: Where is John? (Lance asks, helping Reginald stand)
Reginald Ross: I'm afraid the bandits have him, I don't know why they took him but we have to report this.
Hyena: We shall report nothing! I and my master shall handle this ourselves. (Hyena yells making his presence known)
Reginald Ross: Great Spirits! It's a Curse! ( Reginald yells in fear)
Lance Grey: Wait, you know about Curses? (Lance asks in surprise)
Reginald Ross: Of course, especially this one. The Hyena curse, evil creatures that take over people's bodies, forcing them to do its will. (Reginald tells Lance with terror in his eyes)
Lance Grey: Calm down, Hyena is trustworthy. For some reason he only seeks to protect me, and we'll need him if we want to save John. (Lance explains)
Reginald Ross: Do you really trust this creature? (Reginald asks)
Lance Grey: I do. (Lance replies while looking at Hyena)
Reginald Ross: Then I guess, I'll trust it too. (Reginald states, calming down)
Lance Grey: Thank you... Now Hyena is there a way for us to find John?
Hyena: Yes, we could follow his scent, but that would require us to fuse for you to gain that ability. (Hyena explains)
Lance Grey: Okay then. Hyena give me power! (Lance commands and then Hyena merges with him, and they become Dark Lance)
Lance has transformed into Dark Lance once again, and Reginald is terrified as he walks up to him.
Dark Lance: Get on my back. (Dark Lance orders)
Reginald Ross: I beg your pardon?
Dark Lance: I said, get on my back! (Dark Lance bellows)
The old knight climbs on Lance's back and he leaps into the air following the scent of John Crest. Meanwhile John has been tied up by the bandits and watches as they celebrate their Victory.
Nobu: We did it boss! With these Guns, we'll be unstoppable. (Nobu tells Mad Mask as he holds a gun)
Mad Mask: Yes my friend, no more will those Nobles intimidate us, with these guns we're on equal footing!!!! (He yells inspiring his men to celebrate)
John Crest: (Laughs loudly) You guys are so stupid, you really think those guns will help you?. What do you think will happen when the Elite Mages show up huh?, I'll tell you what will happen, they'll kick your ass. Guns or not. (John says, taunting the men)
Nobu: Watch your tongue you brat! Or I shall cut it off! (Nobu yells, coming closer to threaten John with a knife)
John Crest: Like I said, stupid. (John says as he uses his Crest magic to weaken the strength of the ropes and break free of his restraints. He then headbutts Nobu and steals his knife, enchanting it with Crest magic to make it sharper)
Crest magic gives it's user the ability to weaken or strengthen objects and or people. Once used a symbol will appear on whatever is enchanted, the only downside of this power is that it doesn't apply to the user, a fact that Mad Mask knows well.
Mad Mask: Everyone step back, the kid's using Crest magic... Just, like, us. (Mad mask says as his men aim their arrows at John)
Mad Mask then walks up to John and shows him an arrow.
Mad Mask: Recognize the design? (He taunts, revealing that the arrows were made with Crest magic. Crested arrows are a thousand times more lethal than regular arrows, and are one of the many weapons John's father makes)
John looks at the hideout of the bandits and realises that the place is filled with weapons made by his father. What could this mean, has his father been arming these criminals?.
Suddenly John is disarmed by Mad mask and is thrown to the ground, the bandits rush John and hold him in place before their leader.
John Crest: How did you get your hands on those weapons you creep?! Did my father supply you(John asks with tears in his eyes)
Mad Mask: Well he used to, but I guess he grew a conscience and stopped supplying us, those were some tough times and we were forced to make a deal with the devil. (Mad mask explains)
John Crest: Devil?, What do you mean by that? (John asks with hate in his eyes)
Mad Mask: Around a year ago, a Demon found us, she had the extraordinary ability to replicate anything she wanted.....
John Crest: Mistress Copy. (John says as he realises who Mad Mask is referring to)
Mad Mask: That's the one, she asked me to move some tech to the Common domain and deliver it to some guy named Barbatos, in exchange she gave us an unlimited supply of crested weapons, each and every weapon here, is a copy.
John Crest: You Bastard! It's your fault Barbatos got the Soultaker! You were his accomplice.
Mad Mask: Accomplice? That jackass killed two of my men! I'm happy he's dead and rotting!
John Crest: You are not going to get away with this! You shall pay for all your crimes! (John threatens)
Mask Mask: Don't you know who I am kid?. I'm the Mad Mask, no man on earth can catch me! (He boasts, before hearing someone punching the outer wall of the hideout)
John Crest: Maybe not a man, how about a monster. (John says with a smile as the walls of the hideout are smashed, and Dark Lance enters)
Dark Lance wastes no time attacking the bandits, the force from his punches sends the flying. Nobu tries to strike Lance with a sword, but he bites the sword snapping it with his jaws. Nobu is terrified and stares at his broken sword in disbelief before being punched in the face by Dark Lance.
Mad Mask grabs a gun and loads it with Crystal bullets, preparing to fight Dark Lance. But John steps in and attacks Mad Mask with a sword enchanted by his crest magic. Mad Mask dodges John's attacks and shoots him with the gun, before the bullet hits him Lance steps in and takes the hit, the explosion from the bullet sends them both crashing to the ground.
Reginald comes to their aid, staring down the barrel of gun to protect Lance and John.
Mad Mask: Get out of my way old man! This doesn't concern you! (Mad Mask yells in anger)
Reginald Ross: I am a knight, and I will always protect the lives of the innocent!
Mad Mask: Then die doing what you love. (Mad mask threatens, before shooting Reginald)
Dark Lance quickly catches the bullet and it explodes in his hand, ripping it apart.
Dark Lance: Stay behind me, I will handle him. (Dark Lance says with his hand reforming)
Mad mask continues to shoot Lance but the explosions don't even flinch him. Then Dark Lance begins to run and slams his fist into Mad Mask's gut sending him slamming into a wall.
Mad mask soon stands, unfazed from the attack because he's wearing Crested armor within his clothes. He grabs a bigger gun and begins to blast away at Dark Lance, the shots tearing through his body damaging it severely.
Dark Lance: Hyena, I need more power! (Dark Lance yells while shielding himself with his arms)
The mouth of Hyena appears of his back.
Hyena: Master too much power could make us lose control and do something you might regret! (Hyena warns)
Dark Lance: I don't care, I need more power! (Lance yells out in distress)
John Crest: I can help you with that! (John yells, using his Crest magic to boost Lance's power from a distance)
The Crest symbol appears on Dark Lance's chest and boosts his power. This gives him total control of his mind and body and with this increased power Lance charges at Mad Mask, who is still shooting at him. This time the bullets do nothing as Dark Lance punches Mad Mask so hard that he smashes through a brick wall and falls unconscious.
Dark Lance: (Pants) Thanks for the help. (Lance says to John as he reverts back to normal)
John Crest: No need to thank me, I'm just doing my job.... Partners? (John says, extending his hand)
Lance Grey: Partners. (Lance replies shaking John's hand)
Reginald Ross: Look out! (Reginald yells, warning them of danger)
Suddenly Mad Mask emerges from the debris.
Mad Mask: Die you disgusting monster! (He yells as he prepares to shoot the human Lance)
John intervenes by using his Crest magic to boost Mad Mask's power output. The guns can only be used by someone with small magic power, and as Mad Mask fires the weapon, it explodes violently in his hands. He screams in pain and the last thing he sees before being knocked out, is a transformed Lance punching him in the face, breaking his mask.
After the ordeal, the guns were all recovered and the weapons in the hideout were seized by the knights. Lance and John's first mission was a success and with Mad Mask's capture, the Heart Kingdom is a little safer.
Next: Lora and Nina's First Mission.