"That Ruin Ragnarok State. What is that? I hard you say that in the cave." Gideon said as everyone sat in the main deck of the ship that Colt summoned.
"Ruin Ragnarok State is a Ragnarok State that us worse than Feral Ragnarok State. It only awakens when your desire to kill is at its highest point. Our biological father was the first to awaken it and because he tapped into it so much it was basically his signature form according to what Aaron's Journals said." Shira said.
"It's a form of the Ragnarok State that basically allows you to tap into the true nature of a Ragnarok." Phoenix said. "A state I don't want Shiryo to enter again after that incident in fifth grade against one of Shira's bullies.."
"I see.." Gideon said.
Flaire walked over to Phoenix and sat beside her. "I hear you're an Apocalypse as well. It's rare to meet someone of my kind in the world."
"Oh? You're also an Apocalypse? Well it's nice to meet you, I'm Phoenix." Phoenix smiled.
"I'm Flaire." Flaire smiled back.
Ignatius stood at the side of the deck and looked out in the coast. Rosenea and Serafina stood with him.
"I'm sorry for your loss, Rose. Titania was a wonderful person and we will avenge her." Serafina said and rubbed her back.
"Thanks. I also don't feel Yewwood's energy anymore so he's probably dead as well...making me the new Queen and Guardian of Yggdrasil Woods. I am not ready for such a responsibility of Guardian of the Earth Medallion and ruling an entire Kingdom." Rosenea said as she looked at the water.
"I understand that." Ignatius said.
"How does one get chosen to be a Guardian?" Serafina asked.
"You have to bare one of the Sacred Crests of Earth. I bare the Crest of Phlogiston, a Crest that belonged to the Flame Deity, Apollus. He was ultimately taken down by Shidao. Luckily he wasn't able to destroy his Crest nor the Medallion otherwise the true balance of the world would've been lost." Ignatius said and looked at his Crest of Phlogiston which had a fiery glow to it.
Rosenea looked at her Crest of Botany and looked at Ignatius. "It feels like we are repeating history...Remember the Six Guardians who challenged the Banished Legends to battle to defend Earth...how they died and inhabited the Medallions as a last resort. The Sacred Hero wielded all six Medallions to seal away the Banished." Rosenea said.
"Why didn't he kill the Banished? He had more than enough strength to do so." Serafina said.
"Simple...it's because he couldn't. The Banished Legends were still strong enough to resist death itself, strong enough to withstand any fatal blow. All he could do was seal them away one by one and thus created the Six Sacred Locations: The Yggdrasil Woods, Adristian Empire, Neptunia's Domain: Atlantia, Storm Valley, the Holy Peak, and the Void Canyon. If one was to bring all six together to a Banished Legend's location, they can effectively break the seal and retrieve their body for revival. I can only imagine that's what King Icas plans to do. They already hold the Light Medallion...we need to get that Medallion away from the Damned." Ignatius said.
"I know." Serafina said then looked at the water.
I sat in Esta's room and looked at my hand, listening to Alethea's and Ain's conversation about the plans to deal with Icas and his crew. "That's not going to work when I'm their main target aside from the Medallions. They need me and if they get me..."
"They won't. You have amazing control over your power, perfect control in fact. Your Ruin Ragnarok State is your downfall. It's too aggressive and you're not even yourself in that form. Just trust in us eight. We have never steered you wrong before, we won't now." Alethea said.
"I know.." I said then heard Esta grunt softly and looked at her.
Esta slowly opened her eyes and sat up holding her head. She looked at me and looked surprised. "Sh-Shiryo!"
I smiled at Esta then stood up and walked to the bed then sat down on the bed. "How are you feeling?" I asked and placed my hand on her forehead.
"I'm feeling alright. My feels kinda stiff, but overall...I am fine." Esta smiled and closed her eyes.
"That's good. Blight really gave us a run for our money back in the cave. I take the blame though, I should've been going all out knowing it was Icas's army we were fighting against." I said.
"No no don't take any blame. I take some blame for being way in over my head. I just wanted to know how it felt to work along side you like you and Shira and Phoenix do...but we aren't on the same wavelength. I don't truly know your fighting style and you don't truly know mine..." Esta said then opened her eyes as I took my hand off her forehead.
I looked at Esta and smiled. "It was the first time I've seen you that serious."
"When you was on the ground, helpless because of the Crest Negation bullet...I had to either fight or stay down and I chose to fight because I-" Esta started then slightly looked away with slightly rosey cheeks.
I smiled and touched Esta's hand. "Esta, I know you like me. It's clear as day, your goofy tactics and such go get me to like you back."
Esta looked at me and blushed. "It's true I do like you a lot, but so does Freya, Phoenix, Mika, Takame, Serafina, and that new girl who's the daughter of Aaron...It's hard to get alone time with you so I can properly express how I feel because there's always competition for your attention when we aren't in battle."
"I've noticed." I chuckled softly then gently held her hand. "There's no way I can choose anyone over the other however.."
Esta looked at me and looked a bit disappointed.
"That's why I'm choosing you all.." I said.
"What do..." Esta started then realized what I meant. "You're gonna love all of us equally..?"
"All eight of you." I said.
"Eight?" Esta asked.
"Shira counts as well. I love her, but I know she's in love with me. I've noticed it ever since I was 17, but regardless of that I am going to love you all the same. It is a first come first serve thing however. I am merely one man.." I smiled and brushed her hair behind her pointy elven ear.
Esta felt her heart racing a bit. "Can I request something..?"
"Of course." I answered.
Esta gulped and looked a bit nervous. "Can...Can I kiss you..?"
I looked at Esta and noticed her flustered face. I placed my hands on the bed then nodded. "Yeah.."
Esta felt excited on the inside and prepared herself. We slowly leaned into each other and our soft breathing tickled each other's faces as we neared each other. We got even closer, pausing when our lips were barely touching, breathing in each other's air. We pecked each other's lips to start then went into a full kiss.
After a few seconds I broke the kiss and blushed. I looked at Esta who was obviously lovestruck. I held her hand in mine and looked into her eyes. "How was it..?"
"Amazing." Esta said softly then got closer, kissing me once again.
I kissed back and this time we kissed for longer. We kissed for thirty seconds before feeling the vibration of the ship. We broke the kiss and opened our eyes then felt the ship vibrate once again. We got off the bed then hurried out of the room and headed to the main deck.
"What the heck is that?!" Esta asked in shock.
"Leviathan..?!" I said in shock.
"Captain! Leviathan is going to destroy the ship!" A crewmate said.
"Oh buddy...this is a big one." Colt smirked.
Leviathan roared and the Crest of Neptunia shined on her forehead. She roared and blasted the ship with a powerful water energy beam.
I grunted and awakened my Crest of Magology then raised my hand into the air. "Warp!"
I yelled and warped all of us to the shore and away from the ship that ended up exploding. I looked at Leviathan as she roared with anger, noticing she was possessed by Anger Magic.
"Someone's controlling Leviathan." Shira said.
Phoenix noticed a Siren in the water singing a song to anger the Guardian of Atlantia. "It's her!" She pointed at the Siren standing on the water.
Gideon, Colt, and Ignatius were hypnotized by her voice and used to attack us.
"Whoa! What the fuck?!" Skye said in shock as Gideon attacked him and he dodged the attack.
"Phoenix! Shira!" I said then pointed at the Siren.
"On it!" Phoenix nodded then flew to the Siren.
I transformed into my Ascended Form and vanished. Gideon, Ignatius, and Colt groaned as they were blown away. I appeared in front of them and trapped them inside of my Field of Nothingness.
"Effect Break!" I bellowed and their trance broke.
Gideon held his head and fell to one knee. "What the hell happened..?"
"You fell for our trap is what happened.." a male said as he walked up.
"Heh, how foolish can you heroes be?" A woman giggled as she floated in the air.
"It's King Icas's goons.." Colt said and he held his head.
"With our lovely Serenin singing her Song of Anger, Leviathan is under our control. All we gotta do is wait for Cordelia to appear and soothe Leviathan then we ambush her and take her Water Medallion." The woman laughed.
"Who are you?!" Flaire yelled.
"My name is Zepher." The male said.
"And I am Melanie!" The woman said.
"Zepher, Melanie." I said then looked at them. I smirked and cracked my knuckles.
"If it isn't the Ragnarok. We have special orders to capture you!" Zepher said.
"Capture me huh..? Well then come and get me, but I doubt you would last long." I said then chuckled softly.
"Bet. You're mine!" Zepher bellowed and used his aura to fly to me. He went for a punch and hit me. He looked surprised as I took the attack.
I glared at Zepher and combined my Ragnarok State with my Ascended Form. "My turn."
I struck his stomach and he groaned loudly. I sent him flying and teleported to him. I struck him with ten kicks then kicked him down to the water and teleported under him. I roared and my aura surged, damaging him then sent him flying back to the sky. I teleported above him then punched his stomach and 500 more attacks hit him. He groaned as he was flying back down to the water.
I watched him then blocked an attack from Melanie. I looked back at her then smirked. I kicked her away then blocked an attack from Zepher. I teleported and they looked around for me.
Esta watched and summoned her bow and arrow. I appeared beside Esta then grabbed her arm.
"Do you trust me?" I asked.
"Of course." Esta nodded.
I nodded then teleported back to Zepher then tossed her in the air. I punched Zepher and he was sent flying to the ground. "Fire!"
Esta fired a large arrow at Zepher and it hit him then exploded. Esta began descending to the ground. I flew to Esta then she landed in my arms. I tossed her back in the air. Melanie flew to me and attempted to strike me with a barrage of attacks, but I countered each one then kicked her upwards, trapping her in my aura. Esta fired five arrows at Melanie and hit her, blowing her down to the water.
"Let's finish this!" I said.
"Okay!" Esta said and smiled.
I grabbed Esta's arm then threw her down to Melanie then I teleported. Esta yelled and hit Melanie with her bow, sending her crashing down even faster. I appeared under Melanie then struck her back, sending her upwards. Esta fired three arrows that had wind properties. The arrows sent her crashing to the water even faster. Melanie crashed into the water, sinking to the bottom.
Zepher yelled and rushed at Esta, going for an attack. I appeared in warped Esta in my place and she appeared in my previous spot. I blocked his attack then threw him to the ground. Esta used the Earth Medallion to manipulate the sand and made the sand catch her. Zepher landed on the ground and I appeared in front of him then stomped on his stomach. He groaned then I teleported away and the sand covered Zepher, burying him.
"Alright!" Esta high fived me and giggled happily.
I smiled at her then chuckled softly.
Phoenix rushed Serenin with punches and kicks then grabbed her leg and threw her. Shira dodged the beams coming from Leviathan then jumped forward, summersaulting then slashed down at Serenin and knocked her to the water. Phoenix swooped down then grabbed Serenin's face and began to burn her face. Serenin screeched and Phoenix turned into her phoenix form then flew up in the sky, carrying Serenin in her talons.
Phoenix did a barrel roll then dove down at high speeds. She combust herself in flames, burning Serenin as well and screeched. She tossed her upwards then transformed back into her human form then grabbed her leg. She flew down and yelled then slammed Serenin on the ground, breaking her back. Serenin screamed in pain then Shira appeared above Serenin then stabbed her in her heart.
With Serenin dead, Leviathan calmed down and looked at us, noticing the destruction she caused then went back in the water and swam back to Atlantia.
"They defeated them quickly, but it was long enough for us to pass them. A perfect distraction, if I say so myself." Erin said.
"Sacrificing our units isn't going to be good in the long run." Raicho said.
"That is true, but we have some of our summoners so we can always summon more units if we need to." Icas said. "Now onward to the plateau!"
I walked to the others and noticed they were done beating up the water monsters that appeared during the commotion. "Alright...our ship is gone so we have to get to the plateau on foot so it's gonna be a long journey."
"Yep, but if we manage our time wisely, we can make it to the plateau and quickly traverse the plateau quicker than King Icas if he's ahead." Ignatius said.
"Let's go." I said.
Fujo made it to the coast and looked around. "They were just here...Hm...looks like we are stuck."
"Yeah we need a boat to traverse the coast." Blake said.
"I can help with that." Avant said.
Fujo and Blake looked at Avant. They watched him walk ahead then summon his ship. They looked a bit impressed.
"Hop on, I'm sure you're pursuing Icas as well? Well we have a common enemy." Avant said.
"You're right, we do have a common enemy." Fujo said then walked ahead. "I'll have his head if it's the last thing I do."
"Come on aboard. Name's Avant." Avant said.
"Fujo." Fujo said then got on the boat and the others followed behind. "Now let's get going.."