So, dejected and sad, the brothers packed their things and left for an unknown future. They watched as the Crystal Village faded away from sight.
"How are we supposed to stop Shekan? We're only teenagers. Insignificant genin(low class ninja). Shekan is a legend. He could defeat us without using a hand" Michael said.
"If only we had the Sword of Rai, things would be different. However we've got no choice. We have to search for the Dragon Saints. It seems hopeless but we've got to try" Ryu complained.
"According to legend, the first Saint resides in the Mountain of Doom. That's where we're headed" Michael informed Ryu.
The two brothers walked on and on, battling all sorts of wild animals and duelling each other at times, in order to raise their skills and eventually, they arrived at the base of the mountain.
"Here it is, Mount Doom, home of the Crystal Saint" Michael said.
They began to climb the mountain but were caught in a terrible earthquake when they were halfway up the mountain.
"I didn't think we'd reached the danger zone already!" Michael exclaimed.
"WHOO! THIS IS AMAZING!" Ryu exclaimed excitedly.
"I believe when father said enormous fool, he meant you!" Michael insulted.
"Hey!" Ryu pretended to be offended.
Suddenly, hot flaming lava burst through the top of the volcano and began to flow towards the boys.
"That…is not amazing! RUN!" Ryu exclaimed as he took the lead.
The boys ran unnaturally fast down the mountain. They super-sped as the lava followed close behind.
"How are we running so fast?" Ryu asked.
"It's the gift of the crystal saint!" Michael exclaimed.
Then, the worst happened. Michael tripped on a stone and fell. Ryu tripped over Michael and both boys rolled for a distance. The lava was drawing closer and closer.
"Oh man! I never asked for this quest! Why couldn't we sell ice-cream instead?" Ryu complained.
"Lemme guess, we did sell ice-cream but…what was it again? Yeah! You ate 'em all!" Michael accused Ryu.
"Give a guy a break!" Ryu pleaded.
"Ryu, I've got a confession to make. I stole your snacks" Michael said.
"Don't worry about that, I stole your scythe" Ryu said.
"YOU DID WHAT?!" Michael exclaimed.
"Hey, tit for tat, we've done each other" Ryu defended himself.
Just as the lava was about to engulf the brothers with its fiery heat, the brothers stretched out their hands in front of them and shut their eyes, expecting death at any moment but death didn't come. They opened their eyes and saw that they had created orbs of fire and water around themselves and the orbs were protecting them.
"Now this is what I call amazing!" Michael exclaimed in pure joy.
"How are we doing it? I feel something strange. It's calling to me, the lava is singing to me" Ryu said.
"You've definitely got a few screws loose hothead" Michael said.
"I'm going to drop my shield" Ryu said.
"Are you crazy?!" Michael exclaimed.
"I'm serious, I feel something. I've got to act now" Ryu said seriously.
"Is this your idea of a joke?! If so I'm not laughing!" Michael began to lose his temper.
"Trust me" Ryu said.
"A guy whom I can't tell is joking or serious? I'd rather kick the bucket twice" Michael said.
"If I don't do this, we'll both kick the bucket twice!" Ryu said.
Michael thought about this for a while.
"I can't believe I'm saying this. Fine, I've never been able to stop you anyway" Michael finally agreed.
Ryu smiled.
"Don't die" Michael winked at Ryu.
"That's definitely not an option" Ryu replied as he dropped the shield.
Once the shield was dropped, the lava engulfed Ryu.
"Ryu, are you okay?! Ryu!" Michael called.
Suddenly, the lava began to bubble.
"Ryu?" Michael looked expectantly into the lava.
Two huge pillars of lava rose up intertwining each other.
"Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo! Look at me! I'm flying!" Ryu exclaimed bursting out from the lava.
"You enormously idiotic fool! You had me worried" Michael yelled.
"I told you brother. Leave it to Ryu and everything will be A-Okay!" Ryu said with a wide grin. "I bet even Gaiden couldn't do this. Do you think I could be the Fire Saint?" Ryu asked Michael.
"Not a chance!" Michael replied.
Suddenly the lava surrounding Ryu dropped.
"Bad! Very very bad!" Ryu said as he fell back into the lava.
He hit the surface and lay there.
"Ah, this is refreshing" Ryu sighed.
"Is there anything you can do to get us out of this situation?" Michael asked.
Ryu drew closer to Michael.
"Let me try!" Ryu said as he formed the basic ninjutsu seal.
"Seal of the horse!" Ryu called as he formed the horse seal. "Seal of the tiger!" Ryu called as he formed the tiger seal. "Fire element! Fire rocket!" Ryu called as a force from behind pushed them up the mountain and through the hole at its top.
The boys landed on soft volcanic ash.
"So far so good" Michael said.
There was a cave in front of them. A light seemed to be coming from that cave.
"Let's go!" Ryu called to Michael.
"The last time you said that, you led us to the statue of Shekan and our banishment from Crystal Village!" Michael began to lose his temper again.
"This time we just might find the Crystal Saint" Ryu said.
"Why do I always follow you" Michael sighed.
The boys ran through the cave. It led them to a place that looked like a Temple.
"Look Ryu! A second sacred dragon head of stone!" Michael said as he pushed the head into the wall.
Suddenly, the ground split and a hissing sound filled the room. Smoke poured out of the hole as it widened. The boys fell through the hole and landed on the ground. They could not see what they had landed on but it felt rough and scaly. The mist in the room was very dense.
Michael thought back.
"The mist of Shroud that clouds the face
Of the dragon saints and their holy place
You must remove…"
He recalled the Meltoran inscription.
"What is it Michael?" Ryu asked.
"I believe we must get rid of the mist" Michael replied.
"I'm feeling you!" Ryu said forming the basic ninjutsu seal.
Michael also formed the seal.
"Ready?" Michael called.
"Ready!" Ryu responded.
The boys shut their eyes to draw out energy. They opened their eyes suddenly.
"DISPEL!" they called out as a great wind blew the mist away.
When the mist cleared, the boys looked around them and saw unbelievably, the crystal dragon, which they happened to be sitting on.
They immediately slid off its back as the huge beast awakened.
"The crystal dragon, now that's amazing!" Ryu said.
The dragon rose up, spread its wings, opened its eyes, and roared. A bright light flashed around the faint purple dragon. Ryu and Michael shielded their eyes.
"I am the Crystal Saint, guardian of the Crystal clan and friend to the descendants of Gaiden" the dragon spoke in a feminine voice.
"Wow! No one has heard of the saints in years. You are amazing!" Ryu praised.
"Thank you Son of Gaiden" the Crystal Guardian said. "What is it you want, Sons of Gaiden? Is the Crystal clan in trouble?" the Crystal Saint asked.
"No, but we are…well we happened to find Shekan's statue and it told us that we have to stop Shekan" Ryu said.
"That's bad! If there was a gem on the chest of the statue, you must rush back to Crystal Village and remove it. It holds the Sacred Stone sealing Shekan. Go now, my power will live in you" the dragon said as it breathed on the brothers.
The brothers felt a power flow through them. Take this ring young Ryu, with it you can summon me when you are in danger. Farewell" the dragon said.
The brothers flew out of the mountain and Michael and Ryu examined the ring. It was made of gold. It had a crystal gem on it and the engraving of a dragon.
Ryu wore the ring. He raised his hand and a flash of lightning hit the ring.
"Let's go Michael, for Crystal village, for Gaiden, for the world!" Ryu said.
The brothers ran down the mountain and journeyed back to Crystal Village.