"…As the evil faerie had cursed her, she pricked her finger on the spindle and fell into a deep slumber. Thus was the princess severed from the world of reality and trapped in a world of endless dreams.
Her family had her placed in a bed woven out of expensive gold and silver threads. The seventh faerie who had blessed her was summoned. Realizing that the curse of the evil faerie had come to pass, she foresaw that the princess could possibly slumber for centuries and awaken all alone in a strange world so she placed everyone in the castle including the princess' family into a deep slumber and raised up a forest of impenetrable thorns to keep the princess safe until the day would come when a prince would break through the thorns and awaken the princess and everyone trapped in sleep with an act of true love.
So it was then that centuries passed until a prince passing by saw the castle surrounded by thorns. He was told of the tale of the Sleeping Princess and swore to himself to brave the thorns but these were not ordinary thorns for they grew when cut down…"
Reis read the novel of the Sleeping Dawn beside Aurora. He shut his eyes and found himself before Alpha, the Dragon Sovereign of All Material Light. Alpha had a grave expression on his face.
"So you intend to infiltrate the Severing and rescue Aurora Saggeese do you not, Reis Dragonhaӓrt?" Alpha asked.
"I do and I know it's what you would want me to do so don't stop me Alpha" Reis said.
"It is indeed what I would want you to do but do you understand the gravity of your decision, the weight you have chosen to carry?" Alpha asked.
"I can't say I do Alpha. If I did, I would be lying" Reis replied.
"As prudent as always and most at times foolishly brave. What your enemies have done to Aurora is not very different from what they attempted to do to you when you were just a child. The attack on your soul that manifested itself as a disease and caused you to forget your parents and 'The Heart that Destroys Darkness!' I had to intervene that day" Alpha said.
"You…saved me?" Reis wondered.
"It was on that day when I intervened that your hair turned completely silvery white signifying your bond with one of the Dragon Sovereigns and the Ancient Wisdom you had acquired. You were awakened to your identity but in my struggle with Armageddon you lost your memory of your parents. I waited this long to reveal 'The Heart that Destroys Darkness' to you because I wanted you to become strong enough to ward Armageddon off before I gave him a reason to attack you again. Reis Dragonhaӓrt, beloved one of the Dragons, I ask again, are you aware of the gravity of your choice?" Alpha asked.
"To say I am would be a lie however I cannot leave Aurora trapped within the enemy's grasp. If freeing her frees the people of Saggeese, all the better" Reis said.
Alpha sighed.
"Then I shall tell you a bit of what you are about to face. The enemy designed the Severing after the tale you and Aurora have come to cherish so much. The fundamental purpose of the Severing is to sever the ones trapped within it from their true identity. If like the Prince in the tale you intend to awaken the Sleeping Dawn, you must prepare yourself to brave the thorns the enemy has set in your path. Thorns are usually hedged plants meant to separate what is on one side of the hedge from what is at the other side of the hedge but knowing Armageddon, he is most likely without a doubt going to use the nefarious way by which thorns achieve this" Alpha said.
"What way?" Reis asked.
"By inflicting pain. What you should realize Reis is that thorns are usually planted by the one who is protected by them" Alpha said.
"What you mean by that is…" Reis began to say as the full weight of Alpha's words began to dawn on him.
"Yes Reis…Armageddon intends to torture you through Aurora Saggeese herself" Alpha said.
Reis' eyes widened in horror.
"He most likely has made the one thing that can break the Severing the least likely thing to be broken" Alpha said.
"What do you mean?" Reis asked.
"Tell me Reis…would you want to wake up to a world where you lost everything?" Alpha asked.
Reis gulped. He knew what Alpha was getting at.
"To break the Severing, you must annihilate Aurora's feelings of loss" Alpha said. "Knowing all of this, do you still intend to infiltrate the Severing? I can assure you you will find the Severing a drastically different reality from the one you are familiar with however since you are the Dragonhaӓrt you might retain your identity. Being the only one with knowledge that no one else understands will be a very trying experience for you" Alpha explained.
"Yet I still have to do this. If I don't do it, who will?" Reis asked.
Alpha shut his eyes. There were pulsating flashes of light. Reis tried to shut his eyes but just before he did, he noticed the tears of the Dragon Sovereign fall to the ground.
"You will feel utterly alone in that world. However know that I am always with you even if you cannot see or feel my presence" Alpha said.
Reis opened his eyes, Sir Raphael was watching over him with the other members of Teams Kira, Senshiiro and Ayenhayze.
"I heard from Shin. You really intend to infiltrate the Severing and awaken Aurora do you not?" Master Jin asked.
Reis nodded.
"I could probably infiltrate it too. I should come with you" Shin said.
"No, don't forget that we're in enemy territory. With everyone else unconscious, we are practically defenceless however Shin, since you're bonded with a Dragon Sovereign, I'm pretty sure you should be able to resonate with me. You can keep me updated on what goes on outside the Severing and just in case the enemy chooses to attack, you should be able to resonate with the Kaignis King within me to call forth the Kaisers to aid you in defending the others. The Kaisers are quite a formidable force" Reis informed Shin.
"I'm not sure I can do all that. Your expectations may be just a little too high" Shin said.
"No, it's in your soul Shin. The Silver hair doesn't just mean you're wise Shin, it also means…you're a Dragonhaӓrt" Reis said.
Shin opened his eyes in surprise.
"W-Wait a minute…back up…are you saying we're related?" Shin asked.
"I'm pretty sure we are though I'm still not sure where you fit in the family tree" Reis said with a laugh.
Shin hooked Reis by the collar.
"If that's the case it changes a lot. You'd better get Aurora out soon. If the enemy attacks, I'll try to hold him off by summoning the Kaisers. I'm pretty sure the Dragonlord will send a force to attempt shattering the dome if he perceives we are in danger. It might not be as unbreakable as we think it is but I must tell you Reis…it won't be easy protecting this many unconscious people while fighting off a horde of Wyverns with an army we can't even measure and I mean that in a really bad way" Shin said.
"Well look who has suddenly become articulate" Kyla teased.
"Not when I'm being serious, for once will you be silent woman!" Shin growled at her.
"Hmmph!" Kyla folded her arms.
"Don't worry, it's not all in your hands alone Shin. You have formidable help. My sister Reia…she too I felt was able to break out of the Severing and she's bonded with Omega, the Dragon Sovereign of Immaterial Light. Among the Dragon Sovereigns, Omega's domain is Wisdom itself so you should not be lacking in terms of strategy" Reis said. "It would help though if you could summon the Kaisers as well" Reis said with a laugh.
Finally Reis took in a deep breath and lay on the ground beside Aurora's bed.
"I'm ready to leave" he said.
"Take care" Kyla said worriedly.
"I will be careful" Reis nodded.
"Be sure to raise hell in the Severing" Darak said.
"I can assure you it will be more than just a little ruckus" Reis laughed.
"Wake Aurora up quickly" Erasa said.
"You'll have your best friend back soon" Reis assured her.
"Don't worry, I'll keep watch over everyone while you're gone" Shin said.
"Of course, you're a Dragonhaӓrt" Reis said.
Then Reis shut his eyes. When he opened them, he found himself in a familiar room. The sights, the scents, the sounds, everything was so familiar. He could hear chopping sounds and walked outside the house. He found his grandfather chopping logs.
"So you returned, my foolish grandson. As expected, you're just like your father. Dragon Knight that he was, he never listened to anyone, not when it got in the way of his duty" his grandfather said.
"Yeah, I remember" Reis said.
"Y-You remember your parents?" his grandfather exclaimed in surprise.
"Alpha revealed everything to me and the ancient lullaby that's been passed down through generations in our family, the song about 'The Heart That Destroys Darkness'" Reis said.
"If Alpha chose this time to reveal everything to you and our enemy is pulling major moves coinciding with the timing of this revelation…then things are finally coming to a head" Reis' grandfather said.
"But first things first, I need to find Aurora, do you know where she's located within the Severing?" Reis asked.
"If you're asking about the Saggeesian princess, she's at the Royal Castle with the prince and her parents" Reis' grandfather said.
"But I thought her parents were…" Reis couldn't bring himself to complete his sentence.
"I imagine the ones acting as her parents in this realm are powerful illusions cast by her memories" Reis' grandfather said.
"Are they harmful?" Reis asked.
"I doubt they are. They are projected from Aurora's memories so they are most likely how she remembers them to be" Reis' grandfather said.
"How do you know all this?" Reis asked.
"An old man's got his means" Reis' grandfather said as he picked up shears and squeezed them twice.
Reis shook his head.
"Gramps…you didn't" he said.
"I can pretty much guess why the enemy cast this Severing and I knew for certain though part of me hoped against it that you would infiltrate it a second time to break the spell so I took a pre-emptive measure in our favour and got myself hired as a gardener of the Royal Family" Reis' grandfather said.
"This way, you should be able to make contact with Aurora Saggeese by escorting me to the castle as my helper" Reis' grandfather informed him.
"I'm impressed" Reis said with a smile.
"Whenever you're ready, we can depart" Reis' grandfather said.
"Let me change into something unassuming before we depart. I can't go there looking like some knight no one has heard of before" Reis said.
His grandfather nodded.
Soon, Reis was clothed in a green T-shirt and leather trousers.
By afternoon, they were at the castle. Reis' grandfather introduced Reis as his grandson who had come to help him with gardening so Reis was let in. Reis' grandfather showed him the basics of cutting and shaping the hedges and other ornamental plants as well as arranging some of the potted plants. Reis helped him while looking around to see whether he could catch a glimpse of Aurora. He didn't so the day ended quite uneventfully.
As they ate their supper that night, Reis sighed in exasperation.
"This is going to be harder than I thought" he complained.
"Tomorrow, why don't you bring your father's sword along eh? I'd like for you to demonstrate how much you've improved your sword skills. Nothing proves how good you are with a sword than using it to perform a delicate task like gardening eh?" Reis' grandfather said with a sly grin.
"Gramps, seriously? You want me to use a family heirloom for gardening?" Reis was shocked and appalled by the idea.
"Who knows, maybe the princess will be impressed" Reis' grandfather said.
"Aurora knows me well enough to not be impressed by silly antics" Reis argued.
"You never know" Reis' grandfather laughed.
"I suppose I'll listen to you just so you'll stop hounding me about it" Reis said.
The following day, they were back at the castle but this time, Reis was there with his father's sword. That morning, Aurora woke up feeling that something was off. Something she knew…something she cherished, something she was very familiar with…no longer existed she felt. For days now, it felt like she had been having a recurring dream. The dream always felt real. More so than the reality she was currently familiar with however when she awakened from the dream, she lost her memories of it. She couldn't recall the details or the images from her dream. All that she could remember were wounds, severe, almost fatal wounds and the words '…dragon ranger, my partner and someone very dear to me". She didn't know what those words meant, why they were said, she could not recall who said them. She felt a strange feeling of warmth and a slight feeling of fear when she recalled those words. Something important…something she had always known…was gone.
The days felt dreary and she tired of the routine. She was happy to be with her parents and her brother but something within her told her that her current happiness could not replace the more profound happiness she felt in her dreams.
"What is a…dragon ranger? What is a dragon?" Aurora asked herself.
Just as she wondered what these were, she looked out her window into the gardens below and saw an unfamiliar, yet strangely familiar boy decimating her precious ornamental plants with a sword.
"What does that idiot think he's doing?!" she flared up and decided she was going to speak her mind to that troublesome young lad.
She flew out of her room, down the stairs and into the courtyard almost bumping into her brother Jared on the way.
"What are you doing sis?" Jared asked with a nervous look on his face.
He knew better than to get in Aurora's way when she was furious but as her brother he at least needed to know why she was so furious.
She charged past him and into the gardens and would have immediately given the young lad a piece of her mind was it not for her respect for the elderly gardener.
"Good morning your highness" the elderly gardener greeted.
"Good morning Mr Dragonhaӓrt" she said with slight impatience.
"I'm glad you could join us today" the elderly man said.
"What…is he doing?" Aurora pointed to the lad while trying her best to contain her anger.
The young lad was performing skilled strikes to the hedged plants.
"Severing thorns…uh…um…I mean shaping the hedges" Reis stopped what he was doing and said with a nervous laugh.
Then he turned to face her. She was ready to vent her spleen but when she saw him, she froze.
"I finally found you Aurora" Reis said with a smile.
"I…I know you but…how could this be…it was all a dream" Aurora wondered.
"Hello Aurora" Reis greeted again.
She came back to her senses.
"I don't recall ever giving you the permission to address me so informally" Aurora said.
"What're you talking about? You're Aurora Saggeese, Dragon Ranger of Ryugaeia" Reis said.
"Wh-What is a Dragon Ranger? What are dragons?" Aurora asked him.
"What are you talking about? You know what dragons are, they represent and guard the elements" Reis said.
"Th-That's all folklore. Dragons can't be real" Aurora said.
Reis opened his eyes in horror.
"Aurora, don't you remember the guild? Your friends? Darak, Erasa, Shin and Kyla? Don't you remember me?" Reis asked.
"A guild? Like a trade guild? Your friends? Darak, Erasa, Shin, Kyla, who are those? The names sound familiar but I can't tell why. You must be the grandson of Mr Dragonhaӓrt here. Stop damaging the plants!" Aurora finally recalled why she was in the garden.
"Oh no…Armageddon is wiping away any elements that could potentially lead to his defeat" Reis realized.
Reis lowered his head and clutched his sword.
"Gramps…I'm not going home with you" he said.
"Reis, what are you…?" but before Reis' grandfather could complete his sentence, Reis unsheathed his sword and aimed a near fatal strike to Aurora's jugular.
In an instant, Aurora's fingers were moving along the side of his arm. She let Reis' momentum propel him forward, discharged his momentum behind him, then placing her foot behind him, she threw him to the ground.
"Dragon parry!" she called out.
"I knew it…" Reis said as Aurora stared at her palms in shock. "You still remember your swordsmanship. I'm guessing since you've mastered it at an instinctual level, now you don't need to recall it to execute it" Reis said.
Suddenly, whistles began to sound all around the castle. The guards rushed over and pinned Reis to the ground.
"Try to remember it Aurora! You should be able to! The Dragonhaӓrt Fencing style my father and I have taught you! Remember Jinrai the Lightning Blade!" Reis called out as he was dragged by the guards to the dungeons.
"Sir Jinrai?" Aurora muttered in surprise. "Why does that name sound so familiar?" she wondered as flashes of a knight with silver hair and blue eyes flashed in her mind.
Reis' grandfather sighed.
"That foolish grandson of mine has gone and gotten himself into another tight scrape. This time dear Reis I hope you know what you are doing" Reis' grandfather said.
Reis was thrown into a dimly lit cell.
"Infidel! How dare you attack the princess?! You can rot in here while we decide on how best to deal with you" one of the guards said and locked Reis in.
"Haha, I guess attacking the princess was taking it a little too far" Reis laughed and scratched his head.
"It's too late to regret it now" the guard said.
Reis sighed and sat down. Then he took in a deep breath.
"I guess these are the 'thorns' Alpha spoke of. Armageddon is forcing everyone to live a lie. A lie he has invented to separate everyone in Saggeese from one another and from the royal bloodline of Saggeese while he prepares to overwhelm them in reality. Dragons, Dragon Rangers, friends we know, Aurora can't remember a single thing that is real. Sheesh, the lie runs so deep even my Dragon Ring has turned invisible" Reis said as he stared at his hand.
"Do you believe in primal memories Reis?" he recalled Ryu's question from when he was within Benedict's Ark.
"However…" Reis smiled as he recalled Aurora's Dragon Parry.
"Her body still remembers her training at an instinctual level and I'm willing to bet that her spirit recalls the truth though her mind cannot quite process it as a result of the effects of the Severing. It must exist within her as a fragment. If only I can piece those fragments together" Reis said and thought about Aurora for a while. "I can! I must! Right now, the only cracks in the Severing are linked to Aurora's primal memories! Her true memories of Ryugaeia!" Reis said to himself.
"The seven faeries moved by the efforts of the brave prince gifted him with an enchanted blade that could sever the thorns and armour impenetrable to resist them. So it was that with sword in hand, the prince began to pave a path through the thorns and towards the Sleeping Castle".