IN IMPERIUM… THE CAPITAL OF AVALON…
The king of Avalon had summoned Jo-lan into the Throne Room. Jo-lan had left for Avalon shortly after the defeat of Aeros. The king of Avalon was still unaware of the fact that the physician who had been serving in the castle since Anubis and Asmodeus' attacks was actually Jo-lan. However, he had come to trust Jo-lan very much and sought his advice regarding important decisions.
"Dr. Albane, I'm glad you could make it" the king greeted.
"I'm glad to be here" Jo-lan replied.
"I've recently received a letter from my daughter and Harry Bane. Along with the letter were instructions regarding the conceptual diagram for a defensive technique of sorts that Harry came up with. Apparently, it is needed to neutralize the storm that has been afflicting the continent of Thunderstorms for a while now. There was also a doodle of sorts which I initially saw as humorous however, after going through the concept Harry dubbed 'The Mutating Several Layered Zone Of Absolute Defense', I have to say, it is not only impressive but quite mysterious as well" the king said.
"Can I have a look at this doodle and the concept?" Jo-lan asked.
The king nodded and handed Jo-lan an envelope that had already been opened. Jo-lan removed the contents. There were several sheets within the envelope and amongst these sheets was the doodle. Jo-lan stared at the doodle, then he looked at the other sheets, reading through them carefully. The king waited patiently. Suddenly, he noticed Jo-lan staring at the doodle and flipping rapidly through the sheets that contained the concept.
"Could this be?!" Jo-lan exclaimed in awe.
"What is it Jo-lan?" the king asked.
"This is no ordinary doodle your highness" Jo-lan said seriously.
"What do you mean Dr. Albane?" the king asked.
"I never thought it could be possible but what Harry Bane has come up with is a conceptual diagram expressing the nature of Souryu's ancient archnemesis. You could say it is a conceptual diagram of Souryu's ancient archnemesis" Jo-lan informed the king.
The king opened his eyes in surprise.
"Can you explain further Dr. Albane?" the king asked.
"Unfortunately your highness, this isn't a subject I'm allowed to discuss liberally however it is vital that you learn all you can about that doodle. A thorough understanding of it is necessary. I suggest you summon your scientists and engineers as soon as you can. Their knowledge will serve you well however to completely understand this doodle, you will need the help of skilled musicians and interpreters skilled in the usage of literary devices. You must also send emissaries to the continent of Thunderstorms and inform them of our intention to aid them" Jo-lan advised the king.
"A thorough understanding of this doodle will require the involvement of scientists, engineers and musicians as well as interpreters skilled in the usage of literary devices? Just what sort of scheme has Harry Bane cooked up this time?" the king said with an amused laugh.
AT NIGHT…IN THE CONTINENT OF DESERTS…
The Masters and Students sat around a campfire.
"I've sent a message to the king of Avalon along with letters from Estelle and the conceptual diagram for 'The Mutating Several Layered Zone Of Absolute Defense'. We'll prepare to head to the continent of Thunderstorms once we receive a reply from your father Estelle. I'm certain that by now, he should be sending emissaries to the continent of Thunderstorms informing them of our intention to aid them" Harry said.
"Why don't you kids rest for the night? We, the Masters have a lot to talk about in private" Master Fencer said.
"Sure thing, I'm beat!" Buern exclaimed and headed into a nearby Summer Greenhouse with the other students.
"There is certainly something mysterious about your doodle Harry though I just can't seem to wrap my mind around what exactly it is" Josec said.
"Just call it intuition" Harry said with a smirk.
The five Students lay on the ground. Josec shut his eyes.
"Every day, we grow closer and closer to our final confrontation with Souryu. Strangely enough, it doesn't terrify me nearly as much as it used to" Josec admitted to the others.
"You've got that right. It's probably because we're not facing the danger alone" Jason said.
"Damn straight! We've got the power of six continents backing us now. Vung, Avalon, Gaeia, the continent of Storms, our continent of Iron and now, the continent of Deserts as well" Buern said with a smile.
"As well as Seven Jo-lan Masters who possess great insight and have experience dealing with Souryu's Generals" Harry said.
"And even if we didn't have all that, we still have each other" Estelle said with a smile.
"That is true…but even if we lacked all that…we still have formidable help" Josec said with a confident smile as he stared at the stars through the glass roof of the Summer Greenhouse.
Josec kept watching the stars in silence. He didn't notice when he fell asleep however, when he finally drifted off into sleep, he found himself lying in the grassy plain at night but this time, Buern and Harry were with him. There was a full moon above them shining brilliantly but as the three of them watched the moon, they noticed the shadow of the Great Ship gliding slowly across the moon.
Suddenly, they began to feel themselves rising slowly from the ground towards the Great Ship and then they began to feel themselves being pulled towards it with tremendous force. Moments later, they found themselves standing in a farm. Before them stood a boy with blue hair and blue eyes.
"This, Buern, Harry, is Ryu" Josec introduced the boy to them.
"Have we met before?" Harry asked with a puzzled look on his face.
"You all know me in here…" the boy said as he pointed to his heart. "…however, you, Harry, might recognize my presence a little more than Buern does because we fought Aeros as a single consciousness. To put it in terms you might understand, I temporarily allowed myself to become your psychorage" Ryu explained.
"Why are we here?" Josec asked curiously.
"You are here because of Harry Bane's actions" Ryu said.
"I hope I didn't do anything wrong" Harry looked concerned.
Ryu shook his head slowly.
"On the contrary Harry, your actions have caused something miraculous to happen. Something that has to a great extent ushered in the events leading to the defeat of Souryu's Generals and eventually Souryu himself. Thanks to you, the histories of three worlds have begun to align" Ryu said.
"I know the Masters made mention of Seven Great Realms earlier on but I don't understand what you're trying to say Ryu" Josec said.
"Let me show you" Ryu said as the scene within the Great Ship changed.
KOLMNID'S HISTORY…
The first thing that Josec, Harry and Buern seemed to see once the scene within the Great Ship transitioned was the scene of a battle. There was an image of a severely wounded Ryu standing with four comrades. Before him stood a girl who appeared to be in turmoil. Standing before the girl was a warrior cloaked in dark armour with spikes at his shoulders.
"WHY DO YOU WANT TO PROTECT RYU?! THIS WAS JUST ANOTHER MISSION!" the warrior in dark clothes roared.
"It was just another mission at first but nothing I said or did during this mission was pretense. Those were real feelings and I was truly happy! That is why I'm not going to let you hurt Ryu" the girl said.
"GET OUT OF MY WAY ATLANTA!" the warrior roared.
"No, I've finally found my place. It's right here, between YOU AND RYU!" the girl declared.
"THEN YOU'LL DIE HERE!" the warrior declared as he dashed towards Atlanta baring a knife.
"DIE!" he roared and struck however at the final moment, Ryu dashed between the warrior and the girl taking the brunt of the attack.
"RYU!" the girl screamed in horror.
Then the scene transitioned and the three students found themselves in a Temple with Ryu's companions and a number of Dragons.
"Stop! I have tested your strength. You have the power to stop Shekan. Very well. But to bring Ryu's spirit back, one of you must give up what you treasure most. Are you ready to make that sacrifice?" a great Emerald Dragon asked Ryu's companions.
"WE ARE!" they all declared with absolute certainty. "You have been with Ryu but…you haven't shared his loneliness. The sacrifice must come from someone who has shared Ryu's pain and loneliness, someone like you…Atlanta. What will you trade…for Ryu?" the Emerald Dragon asked the girl who shielded Ryu from the attack of the warrior in dark armour.
"Back in the Fire Kingdom, I was mocked by other Fire ninja. I had no fire abilities. My father was ashamed of me and kept me away from society. I was born there but it was never my home. I was locked up so that I wouldn't bring disgrace to the royal family. But when Ryu first looked at me…and said…'we're getting you out of here whether you like it or not, I knew that he wasn't just going to get me out of prison…but out of the prison of loneliness. When I was with Ryu, I felt accepted for who I am. I never felt lonely, I had a home! And that is why…for Ryu, I'll give up that home, my home and return to the pain of loneliness!" the girl declared.
Everyone including the Dragons were astonished.
"That…is a huge sacrifice. You are willing to return to the darkness of pain? Why? Why would you do something so crazy?" the Emerald Dragon asked.
"Because…because he rescued me from my pain, because…I LOVE HIM!" the girl declared.
"There are many forces in this world but the only one that transcends death…is love. However, love is not something I or the others created. It was born in you…as it was in us…VERY WELL THEN! LET THE DEAL BE SEALED! LET THIS COVENANT BE UNBROKEN!" the Emerald Dragon declared. "IT IS DONE!" he called out.
Then the scene transitioned once more. Ryu and a Fiery Dragon were standing beside a Temple. Ryu appeared to be in anguish.
"I understand that Atlanta was lonely. I'm not angry with her anymore but I'm not going back" Ryu said. "But for whether Atlanta loves me or not…it doesn't change the fact that she betrayed me".
"And to atone…did she have to sacrifice her happiness, her home with the others…and you so that you would return? If you don't return, that sacrifice will be in vain… and she will suffer in loneliness…all for nothing! Is that what you want?" the Fiery Dragon asked Ryu.
"SHE WHAAAAAAT?!" Ryu exclaimed in shock.
"You heard right Ryu. Whether you return or not won't change the fact that she will return to the pain of loneliness…for you!" the Fiery Dragon declared.
Ryu appeared to walk towards the Temple.
"I guess your mind is made up" the Fiery Dragon said.
"It is. I'm coming back! I remember now. I made a hero promise huh?! Until I free Nemesis…and stop Shekan, I cannot die! I'll keep coming back till my promise…is fulfilled. Watch out Nemesis…Ryu's in the zone, the Dragon Zone!!!" Ryu yelled and threw his fist forward. "NEUTRAL ELEMENT! RAINBOW JUTSU!!!" he called.
Then, the scene transitioned once more and the three students found themselves back in the Temple with Ryu's companions and the Emerald Dragon.
"I'd rather die than take back my promise" the girl called Atlanta said.
"You sure don't learn, do you Atlanta?" Ryu said as he took out a knife.
Atlanta stared at him in shock.
"What are you going to do with that?" Atlanta seemed frightened.
Ryu cut his palm.
"If you won't, then I'll break your promise for you. THE PACT OF THE SUCCEEDING DRAGON!" Ryu pointed his bleeding fist at the Emerald Dragon.
"What are you doing?" Atlanta asked.
"It's an ancient long forgotten art. When a ninja gives a word he wants to take back, another ninja can nullify the pact by making another pact that requires him to perform a grievous task or the nullified promise will stand out again" a Crystal Dragon explained.
"How does he know of such ancient knowledge?" a Water Dragon asked.
"Some things about Ryu are best left a mystery" the Fiery Dragon said.
"Before the Dragon Lord and you Atlanta, I make this vow" Ryu said as his blood dripped unto the floor.
"With my own blood, I release you from your pact, on the condition that…" Ryu shut his eyes for a while.
"DON'T!" Atlanta screamed.
Ryu suddenly opened his eyes.
"I'll develop a technique more powerful than Gaiden's and defeat Shekan before the six moons of Tristran align completely or Atlanta's pact will be reinstated!" Ryu vowed.
Then the scene transitioned once more. Ryu was now in a forest with the Fiery Dragon.
"It's weird but for the first time in my life, I doubt myself. Maybe Atlanta is right, maybe Shekan is more powerful than I am. Probably, it was luck that Gaiden sealed him" Ryu said.
"HEART AND HATE" the Fiery Dragon muttered under his breath.
"What?" Ryu asked.
"Atlanta is right. Shekan was seven times more powerful than Gaiden. Gaiden was a shy type and what does the elemental law say about shy type ninja?" the Fiery Dragon asked.
"They are incapable of withdrawing their full power since they cannot create the strong feelings that pull out the power. Gaiden shy? That can't be!" Ryu exclaimed.
"Gaiden was by all standards no match for Shekan. I was quite close to Gaiden so I knew him very well. If I were to judge Gaiden's abilities, I would say he's no match for Nemesis" the Fiery Dragon said.
"Then how could Gaiden defeat Shekan?" Ryu asked.
"HEART AND HATE" the fiery dragon said silently.
"YOU KEEP REPEATING THAT! WHAT'S IT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" Ryu roared impatiently.
The Fiery Dragon narrowed his eyes.
"Control your feelings Ryu or you'll end up following the path of Shekan" the Fiery Dragon warned.
Ryu sighed.
"All power needed to perform a jutsu comes from the heart, I believe they taught you that" the Fiery Dragon said.
Ryu nodded.
"The strength or weakness of a technique comes from a particular feeling. The greatest power comes from the forbidden emotion of a ninja and that's…" the Dragon paused.
"Anger" Ryu said.
"Why is anger forbidden in performing a jutsu Ryu?" the Fiery Dragon asked.
"Anger is difficult to control and suppress. It is unstable and so becomes the technique if anger creates it. So unstable that you might unintentionally destroy your friends…yourself and everything you love" Ryu said.
"Gaiden won because he never gave up. The understanding of this emotional balance is in itself power. Power is not necessarily the strength of a technique but the ability to effectively manipulate that technique" the Dragon explained. "Gaiden understood this principle and with his suppressed feelings, he learnt to control his power and to draw out even more power with his will. I believe you can develop a technique surpassing anything the world has ever seen because your power comes from a force more powerful than any other. Your power comes from heart and not hate" the Fiery Dragon said.
"Heart?" Ryu asked in confusion.
"Your ability to understand the feelings of others and the universe. You are more powerful than Shekan not because of your ability to control all the elements but because you love. The fire burning within you comes from your strong desire to protect those you love. Your promise to Atlanta in the presence of the Dragon Lord, you know what is at stake if you fail, Atlanta's happiness" the Fiery Dragon said.
Then the scene transitioned once more. Ryu was in a cavern with the Fiery Dragon. He stood before a stone altar.
"Molten, I can't read the first part of the inscriptions though they all resemble those on the Nova medallion" Ryu said.
"It says;
When two heroes sharing a common destiny unite,
Revealed will be the way to the Light"
The Fiery Dragon said.
"Oh, does that mean that only two heroes can enter the Light ryu?" Ryu asked.
"Not just any two, two heroes with destinies intertwined" the Fiery Dragon said.
"The second part reads…" Ryu squinted to examine the inscriptions.
"A Sword must be wielded
A Sword must be made
For Light to triumph
And the evil to fade
When the fateful day comes and all seems late
A hero will appear as the final Saint"
Ryu read.
"Ryu, there is one thing I will tell you though I may have mentioned it before. The Rainbow Jutsu is not a ninja technique. It is actually a technique of ancient art. It is a magical technique!" the Fiery Dragon declared.
"WHAT?! Magical as in…magic?!" Ryu exclaimed in shock.
"Yes, and one more thing, you can't learn it here and I can't teach you. You can only learn it in the Light ryu" the Fiery Dragon explained.
The scene transitioned once more. Now Ryu stood in a Temple with an elderly man.
"To defeat Tristran, you need to master magic and the power of flame, more importantly, I will personally teach you swordsmanship and most importantly, you will master the ultimate Dragon Art, the Power Of The True Soul" the elderly man said seriously.
"I'll do my best master!" Ryu declared. "If I can master the Rainbow Jutsu, I might stand a fighting chance against Shekan and Tristran" Ryu said.
"It is as I said, you must master magic" the elderly man said.
"But isn't magic inferior to ninjutsu?" Ryu asked.
"YOU IDIOT! I NEVER SAID THAT!" the elderly man scolded him.
"Then what did you mean by Tristran was immune to all magic except for that of body and spirit combined?" Ryu asked.
"That is because, as a dragon, Tristran was purely a spiritual or magical being to put it in simple terms. However, in Shekan's body as he is now, he will be vulnerable to almost any form of attack. Ninjutsu is a combination of bodily and spiritual energy. Magic on the other hand is a combination of mental and spiritual energy" Master Hiruko explained.
"I get it now. So if I master both magic and ninjutsu, I should be able to fight on equal footing with Tristran right?" Ryu asked.
"Who said anything about equal footing? You would never stand a chance against Tristran even if you learnt magic and ninjutsu for millennia. Don't underestimate him. After all, he is Ryuujinn's archenemy" the elderly man said grimly.
"I guess it's time to start mastering magic" the elderly man said with a smile.
"Ryu, there is no need for you to be so worried. Magic and ninjutsu are quite alike except for which human aspect they draw their power from" Master Hiruko said.
"So where do I start?" Ryu asked.
"First, you must let go of your natural senses, those you've adapted to by living in the physical world and focus on your spiritual senses, your sixth and seventh senses" the elderly man informed Ryu.
"And those are?" Ryu asked.
"The powers of intuition and perception" Ryu's master said.
"And what are those exactly?" Ryu asked.
"Your powers of perception will allow you to see the things you cannot see with your eyes alone, to sift out lies from the truth. Your power of intuition will boost your confidence, certainty and to some extent allow you to predict the effects resulting from a cause or action. If you ask me, you have a lot of that already" Ryu's master said.
"How exactly can I develop these senses?" Ryu asked.
"First we will develop your power of perception. Are you ready?" Ryu's master asked.
"How do I begin?" Ryu asked.
"First…" Ryu's master said with a sly smile. "…I want you to see with your eyes closed" Ryu's master instructed.
"Uh…Oh sorry Master, I was a little lost in thought. What were you saying?" Ryu asked with a sheepish grin.
The scene had transitioned once more and now Ryu stood in what appeared to be target practice training grounds.
"I was telling you to try performing the Rainbow Jutsu without your powers of perception and intuition" Ryu's master said.
"Why?" Ryu asked.
"I want to show you just how much you've improved" Ryu's master said.
Ryu attempted to but the elements exploded in his face sending him crashing into a pillar.
"You were able to summon and control only three elements but you see how much power the jutsu contained? Now you will use both your powers of intuition and perception" Ryu's master said.
Ryu suddenly assumed a calm demeanour and stretched his hand before himself.
"My powers of perception and intuition are telling me what elements to use, in which order to use them as well as the timings! WATER! EARTH! WIND! LIGHT! DARK! FIRE! CRYSTAL! DRAGON AND HUMAN! OMNI-ELEMENT! RAINBOW JUTSU!" Ryu exclaimed and rushed at one of the dummies on the wall of the training grounds.
He punched it. The technique spread out and destroyed all the dummies in the training grounds.
Then the scene transitioned once more.
Two elderly men were emerging from an underground passage. One of them was Ryu's master and he carried Ryu on his shoulders. The other carried another boy Ryu's age.
"What's wrong with Ryu?" the other master asked.
"You should know better younger brother. This Temple was built with the principle of Dragon Zone. Having them both training in the Light and Dark Underground Temples has allowed them to absorb the experiences of one another. Unconsciously, they have both shaped the experiences of each to fit their will. Ryu will have absorbed Rokkan's swordsmanship techniques and Rokkan, Ryu's sharp senses. However, they both possess traits unique to each. Rokkan will only be able to use Gaiden's lightning and his own earth techniques. Ryu will also be able to use magic, flame and the next technique I will teach him" Ryu's master replied.
The scene transitioned again.
"Ryu, now it's time for you to master the final phase of your training. You have successfully mastered the Flame jutsu, ninjutsu, magic and you have absorbed the experience of Rokkan's swordsmanship. Now you will master the ultimate Dragon Art, the Power Of The True Soul" Ryu's master said. "To begin, you must let go of all your emotions and thoughts and focus on your origins. Close off all your five senses and concentrate. You will see a form. Once you've seen it, open your eyes and awaken your senses or you will inadvertently awaken the technique and like I warned you, its effects are permanent. There is no going back once you begin" Ryu's master warned.
In the next scene, Ryu sat meditatively with his eyes shut. The scene darkened and the three students observed themselves and Ryu being lifted and pulled million light years from the earth. They could see the endless sky, countless stars and planets and at the centre of creation was what looked like a circular ground made of seven elements. Within that ground rested a mighty Dragon glowing with the colours of all the elements. The Dragon appeared to be asleep and it looked peaceful. Everyone could feel an immense pressure flowing from the Dragon. It was as though the universe was imploding.
Ryu quickly opened his eyes. He was breathing hoarsely and it appeared as though there had just been an earthquake.
"You finally saw it didn't you?" his master asked him.
"Yes, I saw a Rainbow Coloured Dragon. It looked far mightier than any of the Dragons I've seen so far and it was resting within the Dragon Zone" Ryu said.
"That Dragon Zone…is the original Dragon Zone, the centre of creation. The Rainbow Dragon is your destiny and the Dragon Zone is your identity" Ryu's master said.
"The prophecy says;
'A Sword must be wielded,
A Sword must be made'
What's that supposed to mean?" Ryu asked his master.
"Two special swords are needed to vanquish Tristran. One has already been created and the other is yet to be created" Ryu's master informed him.
"The one that has been created…it's the Sword Of Rai isn't it?" Ryu asked.
"Exactly, now one of you must create a special Sword infused with all your positive feelings. Such a Sword might be able to rival Tristran's fate techniques" Ryu's master said.
Then the scene transitioned again. Ryu and some companions sat around a campfire at a clearing in the middle of a forest. Seated amongst them were warriors in dark clothing as well as a number of warriors in different coloured clothing. These warriors appeared to be comrades.
"We've sent the Dragons to warn the ryu and the resistance" a boy with bright golden hair who resembled Ryu in quite a number of ways said.
The boy's name was Michael and he was Ryu's twin brother.
"So Ryu, any idea on how to create your sword?" the boy whom the three students had witnessed being carried in the Temple alongside Ryu said.
His name was Rokkan.
"None" Ryu replied instantly.
"What?! Then what the heck do you think you're doing goofing off or isn't the fate of the world enough responsibility?!" the boy scolded Ryu.
Ryu rubbed his ears.
"You're so damn loud" he said.
"SAY WHAT?!" the boy roared.
"Nothing. Master Hiroku actually gave me a clue on how I should create my sword" Ryu said.
"Really?" the boy asked.
"He said that my sword must be infused with all my positive feelings" Ryu said.
"And you think that's actually a clue. You and your master are nuts in the same shell, in every sense of the expression" Rokkan said.
As the three students watched, Atlanta created a crystal blade.
"Here" she said and handed it to Ryu.
"What for?" Ryu asked.
"Use it to create your sword" Atlanta said.
Ryu accepted the crystal blade with a smile.
"Thanks Atlanta" he said.
"It must be a really special sword so take this" Rokkan handed Ryu his pendant and a block of earth.
The others began to present Ryu with pieces of their elements as well as various precious materials.
"Great! So now I have the elemental materials. All that's missing is…" Ryu was saying when two of the warriors in dark clothing presented him with a piece of dark element.
Ryu accepted it and drew an outline of a great sword on the ground.
"Rokkan, can you create a forge for me out of this?" Ryu asked.
The boy called Rokkan created a forge out of the earth with the hollow of the great sword in it.
"LET'S DO THIS!" Ryu called and melted the special materials into the hollow, then one by one, he added the elements and heated them up rapidly with his fire abilities.
The others infused the sword with their elements.
"Hey Buern, doesn't this sorta resemble the images in the Cavern Of The Jo-lan Masters?" Josec asked.
"The image of the people presenting the Crimson Winged Figure with gifts? I've noticed the parallelisms as well" Buern noted.
When the sword had been forged, its blade looked dull and ordinary.
"It looks pretty ordinary to me" Rokkan admitted.
"It's worse than ordinary. It's clumsy looking, very dull and extremely pathetic!" a man in dark clothing sneered.
His name was Shroud.
"Maybe we infused it with too much darkness" a girl in dark clothing said.
Her name was Anna.
At that moment, an Earth Dragon appeared.
"We've warned all the ryu and also the resistance. The members of the resistance have returned to protect their ryu and the Queen Of The Sound Ryu has a gift for you Tanya" the Dragon said.
"What is it?" the girl called Tanya asked.
The Dragon presented her with a ring.
"It-It's a Dragon Ring!" the girl called Tanya exclaimed in joy.
"You deserve it" Rokkan said.
"Now let's get back to that stupid sword!" Shroud said.
"It's not stupid!" Ryu yelled angrily.
"Yeah, you sure have me convinced" Shroud said.
"You may not believe in this Sword's power but it is a Sword created out of love. The bonds I share with you all and our love for the ryu, the Dragons, Ryuujinn and life itself!" Ryu declared with determination.
As if in response to his words, the Sword began to surge with power.
"Huh?" everyone stared at it in surprise.
The Sword hummed loudly and began to pulsate with power. Suddenly, there was a huge release of energy from the Sword and it began to pulsate with power. Suddenly, there was a huge release of energy from the Sword and its blade changed from grey to a rainbow colour.
The Sword glowed with all the elements it was made out of.
"Wow! It's amazing!" Atlanta exclaimed in wonder.
"So what will you name it? I mean, I have the Sword Of Rai…" Rokkan said.
"…And Shekan's got the Death-Sabre" Shroud said.
"Hmm, Atlanta, why don't you name it since you presented me with the first element?" Ryu suggested.
"Me? A-A-Are you sure?" Atlanta asked uncertainly.
"I'm very sure" Ryu said.
"W-Well then…why don't we call it The Aurora Sabre since it glows like an Aurora?" Atlanta suggested.
"Then that's what we'll call it" Ryu said as he and Atlanta smiled at each other.
Then the scene transitioned once more. The three students found themselves in a castle. Ryu and his companions stood in the presence of a king and some warriors.
"You must form five defensive units in each ryu. Four units will guard each entrance to the ryu. My ninja will be evenly spread out amongst all the units. Luckily, we are a centralized kingdom so our population is high and so is our military strength. Those gifted in summoning Phoenixes among my ninja will patrol the skies in case Dark Mongerers are used in the impending invasion…" the king was saying when he noticed Ryu's company.
"Welcome Atlanta. We were just making plans to protect the other ryu. We intend to pull our own weight" the king said.
"I think Mikey can help. He is a master strategist" Ryu suggested.
"Michael has been helping us create the ultimate plan of defense against the Shadow ninja for the past year. To the Shadow ninja, it's going to look a little underhanded. I haven't had so much fun undermining their powers in a long time" the king laughed.
"Is it ready?" Michael asked.
"It's ready in all the ryu. The plans for 'Operation Limelight' were sent to all the ryu three months ago and with the cooperation of the Crystal ninja, the devices have been built to meet your specifications. We even added a few upgrades" the king said with a sinister chuckle.
Atlanta sighed.
"Anytime you laugh like that it means you're planning something extreme dad. I hope it doesn't do more harm than good" Atlanta said.
"Of course, when it comes to protecting my only daughter, extremities…even underhanded tactics become a norm" the king laughed.
Atlanta smiled.
"We must be discreet in carrying out our plan. We don't want any…leakages" Michael whispered to the king.
In the next scene, Ryu and the others appeared to be in battle with a very powerful warrior. The warrior and Ryu were currently engaged in combat. That warrior was called Shekan. Shekan slowly shut his eyes.
"What are you doing?" Ryu asked.
His features seemed a little different and he appeared stronger as well.
"I see. So this is what it's all about. No wonder you fight so fiercely. You really believe you can defeat me and free Atlanta from her vow, don't you?" the warrior asked.
Shekan stretched out his hand and engulfed Ryu in dark flame. A dome slowly arose and surrounded him and Ryu.
"Now join me Ryu! Be one with me!" Shekan declared.
"RYU!" Atlanta screamed desperately.
Shekan frowned and his eyes gleamed with an eerie light.
"Incinerate all hope" he muttered under his breath.
"RYU! DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!" Atlanta screamed but judging from Ryu's responses it appeared that her words were not reaching him.
Ryu looked up to the sky. There were six blood red moons in the sky aligned in the shape of a star.
"Yes Ryu! You have failed!" Shekan declared triumphantly.
Atlanta wept in anguish. Dark mist began to escape from Shekan's body.
"Ryu, listen to me" Atlanta called.
Ryu turned to face her.
He noticed the tears in her eyes and her expression of anguish. He had appeared to regain a sense of calm.
"Ryu…when you first told the Dragon Lord that you would develop a technique surpassing Gaiden's and defeat Shekan before the alignment of the moons of Tristran…I didn't believe you, but back then…I didn't know you so well, even though I loved you even then, but I remembered. You were always doing the impossible for my sake. You fought a Dragon Saint to prove that I was a good person, you sacrificed your life twice to save mine, when you were taken over by evil and wanted to destroy us all…you hesitated when I called out to you and spared our lives. When you found out that the spirit of your worst enemy dwelt within you…you resolved not to be defeated by him, you united me with my father even when I believed that was impossible…when Shroud attacked us and nearly killed us, you rescued me once again when I called to you. What are the moons of Tristran in the face of all this? So Shekan is six or seven times more powerful than you are. You knew that all along but you never quit. I never said this before so I'll say it now…even now that you can no longer keep your promise to me…I will still believe in you…BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!" Atlanta declared.
Ryu responded to her feelings by clenching his fist.
"Crystal! Earth! Fire!" he seemed to call out silently as the elements enveloped his fist and began to intensify. "It's in the wrong order but I can still control it! WATER! WIND! DARK! LIGHT! SOUND! DRAGON AND HUMAN!" Ryu roared and charged towards Shekan.
"What is this?!" Shekan appeared taken aback by this sudden display of power.
"OMNI-ELEMENT! RAINBOW DRAGON PUNCH!" Ryu roared and punched him in the chest with the technique.
Shekan was thrown through the dome, shattering it in the process.
"I did it!" Ryu exclaimed in joy.
Shekan stood up and laughed.
"You did…what…exactly?" he asked and shot a concentrated blast of dark fire towards Ryu. The technique blasted Ryu into one of the pillars that used to support the Temple.
Ryu appeared to have injured his head fatally.
"You are too late! I AM ONE AGAIN! I AM COMPLETE!" Shekan laughed and as Josec, Harry and Buern watched, all the dark mist that escaped from Shekan's body assembled to form intense darkness.
The darkness began to take form transforming into a fearful dragon with sharp spikes running along its back. It had the most sinister eyes imaginable and terrible sabre-fangs stuck out of the sides of its mouth. It was significantly larger than the other dragons.
"Who-Who in the world is that?!" one of Ryu's companions, a girl called Nadia exclaimed in horror.
Everyone was equally shocked.
"Souryu" Josec, Harry and Buern muttered for they could sense that this dragon had exactly the same sinister presence that Souryu had.
"I am Tristran! Lord Of All Dark Dragons, the Dragon Saint Of The Dark ryu and the ultimate incarnation of evil in this world! For many centuries, I have awaited the time for my revenge to come into execution! Finally, I will destroy the ryu, the world, all of Gaiden's and the legendary ninja's descendants and…all of Ryuujinn's creation! PREPARE YOURSELVES FOR THE GREAT BEYOND! ARMAGEDDON ELEMENT! FLAMES OF INDIGNATION!!!" the dragon roared as fire and flame began to rain on the earth.
Ryu struggled to stand.
"All is lost" the crystal dragon sighed in defeat.
"NO! NOT YET! I STILL HAVE SOME STRENGTH!!! Aurora Sabre! Sword Of Love and Light, before dying, I pray thee to grant me this final wish. Use my soul…TO PROTECT THIS WORLD THAT I LOVE!!!" Ryu prayed.
The Aurora Sabre responded to his prayer by sucking Ryu's pure soul within itself. It suddenly exploded transforming into a huge dome to shield the earth from the flames of indignation.
In the next scene, Ryu stood before the sinister Black Dragon, Tristran.
"I see you have finally accepted your fate" Tristran sneered.
"I have and I definitely hope to Ryuujinn that you're ready to face yours as well 'cos now I'm going to kick your derriere to the high heavens!" Ryu declared.
"Brave words for a human! None of your jutsu or magic can affect me. I'm not like I was when I fought the legendary ninja!" Tristran challenged.
"I know you're stronger than ever before…but not stronger than my next move" Ryu said and shut his eyes.
There was a sudden tremendous release of power from his body. The power slowly engulfed his body as Ryu screamed loudly. His scream slowly turned into a mighty roar.
"I know that roar! It can't be!" Tristran suddenly seemed frightened.
The mixture of elements surrounding Ryu slowly solidified into a rainbow coloured cocoon of glass and shattered. As the light cleared, the figure of a tremendous Rainbow Dragon could be seen. It appeared far mightier than any of the other dragons but at the moment it seemed barely conscious. It suddenly opened its eyes. The light from its eyes completely eclipsed the evil glow of the blood red moons of Tristran.
"I am Ryuujinn! Dragon Saint Of All Creation…and the DRAGON ZONE!!!" the Rainbow Dragon declared.
"IMPOSSIBLE! YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD!" Tristran exclaimed in shock and fear.
WITHIN KOLMNID FARMS IN BENEDICT'S ARK…
The scene had reverted back to the scene of the Farms they were in when they initially arrived aboard the Ark.
"This is the history of the first world which's history has begun to align with the histories of two other worlds, my homeworld, a world named Kolmnid. You have witnessed the events surrounding the origins of the Rainbow Jutsu. A technique which's existence greatly contributed to the defeat of the darkness of my homeworld. From an idea to a technique, from a technique to a sword and finally from a sword…to an identity, that is the history of the Rainbow Jutsu. You must return to your homeworld now. In a week, I will summon you back to the Ark and show you the history of the second world" Ryu said.
When Josec, Harry and Buern finally woke up the next day, they informed Estelle, Jason and the Masters of their experience.