THE STONE OF FREEDOM VS THE SOUL OF ENSLAVEMENT
The three students found themselves in a room with Ryu. It was the room Zan was currently staying in within the Kirisawa mansion. Zan was speaking with Ai who stood just outside the door leading into the room.
"Good morning Ai, how're you doing today?" he greeted cheerfully.
"I'm fine Zan, how are you?" Ai asked with a smile the students could tell was forced.
"How's our dear little Ayu?" Zan joked.
There was a worried look on Ai's face.
"Ai? How is Ayumi?" Zan asked again.
"Ayumi is…she's okay" Ai said but Zan seemed to sense that she was lying.
Zan charged out of his room and ran towards the door of Ayumi's room.
He took in a deep breath and opened the door but she wasn't there.
"Ayumi!" he called but there was no answer.
"She must be downstairs!" Zan charged past Ai and headed for the stairs.
"Zan! Wait!" Ai called but he ignored her.
He raced down the stairs in a hurry and nearly tripped.
He kept calling Ayumi's name as he rushed to the dining area and found Ayumi sitting on the dining table and staring absent mindedly through the window.
"Ayumi! I'm glad you're alright! Ai sure scared the hell out of me" Zan said happily.
Ayumi turned and looked at Zan with a puzzled look on her face.
"Ayumi, you don't know how glad I am to see that you're okay" Zan took in a deep sigh of relief" Ayumi stood up.
"What are you doing here?" Ayumi asked Zan.
"I just came to see how you're…" Zan was saying when Ayumi interrupted him.
"No, that's not what I mean. What are you doing in this house?" Ayumi said.
"I see you're still the same old Ayu. I'm glad you haven't changed" Zan laughed.
"Answer the question intruder!" Ayumi said firmly.
"Whoa, now that's cold. You brought me here, to live in this house" Zan appeared puzzled himself.
"Don't lie to me! I never did such a thing!" Ayumi yelled.
"Wh-What are you saying Ayu?" Zan questioned Ayumi.
"Don't call me that! Who are you anyway?!" Ayumi roared.
There was a look of great shock on Zan's face.
"Ayumi, don't joke like that, it's not funny. Don't you remember me? I'm Zan, my name means Dream. Don't you remember me?" Zan said worriedly.
"I don't remember you! You're lying! I don't know you! And I remember everything, even yesterday!" Ayumi roared.
"Yes! Yesterday! You were training me for my initiation tomorrow!" Zan said hopefully.
"You're obviously trying to trick me. I was training myself yesterday to prepare for my mission!" Ayumi said confidently.
Zan stared at Ayumi in shock as tears flowed down his face. Ayumi seemed surprised to see his tears but she stood her ground.
"Are you telling me you don't remember anything about me? All the times we argued, the time we fought Bunnyos Extremos and the evil bunnies and…the time you visited me in the hospital?! Are you really saying you've forgotten all my promises?!" Zan exclaimed in shock.
"Your act is really impressive Zan or whatever you call yourself but I'm not buying it. My memories of my life cannot be a lie and I cannot trust a stranger I've never met" Ayumi said.
An expression of pain came over Zan's face.
"If you don't trust me with your mind, then can you trust me with your heart?" Zan asked.
"I do trust my heart but it tells me nothing of you so get out of this house. You don't belong here" Ayumi said.
"Fine, if that's what you want. I guess the times we shared together were just excess memories, worthless baggage. I just want you to know one thing, the times I shared with you are my most precious memories and I'll always carry them in my heart and soul" Zan said and walked towards the stairs.
He met Ai halfway up.
"Zan, I'm sorry. I don't understand it myself. She remembers everything except for you" Ai said.
"Maybe I meant nothing to her. I may not be a fan of Kingdom Hearts Chains Of Memories but I do agree that the memories forgotten by our minds are remembered by our hearts but Ayumi…her heart told her nothing of me" Zan said and climbed the stairs.
Zan entered his room and began to pack his stuff.
"Zan, where are you going?" Ai asked.
"I'm leaving" Zan replied.
"Why?" Ai asked.
"Ayumi doesn't want me here and…I can't live with an Ayumi that forgot me in less than a week. Do you have any idea how much it hurts?" Zan asked and descended the stairs.
He met Ayumi at the bottom of the stairs looking unconcerned.
"Goodbye Ayumi" Zan said and walked towards the front door.
"Ayu, say something, stop him" Ai pleaded.
"What do I care what a stranger does?" Ayumi said indifferently.
"DAD!" Ai called and ran up the stairs.
She was met by Mr. Kirisawa.
"What's wrong Ai?" he asked.
"Zan is leaving because Ayumi doesn't remember him" Ai explained.
"What?" Mr. Kirisawa said as he rushed down the stairs and out of the mansion.
He intercepted Zan just before he reached the gate.
"Zan wait! Don't leave!" he said firmly.
Zan stopped in his tracks.
"I can't stay" Zan said with his head hanging dejectedly.
He appeared to be attempting to conceal his tears.
"Zan, I don't think Ayumi intended to forget you and it would be unfair for you to leave her in this state. Look, I've personally sieved all of Ayumi's friends with nearly impossible standards and I'll tell you now that she never had a friend as honest and dedicated as you. All her other friends tried to get on my good side by doing absolutely everything I asked. I saw through them all. But you defied me! You showed me that you have a mind of your own and the strength to protect Ayumi and this family. You've even began to protect the Dream World without your knowledge. Ayumi may have lost her memories because of Cowardice's influence but you can make new memories together and I assure you that this time, they will last for a lifetime" Mr. Kirisawa said.
Zan wiped his tears.
"You're right sir. The past isn't as important as the future! I will become a Dream Knight and I will send all the souls of evil back to where they belong!" Zan said with fiery determination.
"Spoken like a true knight" Mr. Kirisawa applauded.
Zan turned around and walked back to the house. Ai met him on the way.
"Zan, you can't leave. You promised that you'd always protect Ayumi. You said you'd never abandon her!" Ai said worriedly.
"I know Ai. I actually forgot. Shame on me! I'm not going anywhere okay?" Zan said with a smile.
"Zan!" Ai called and hugged Zan while weeping.
"I'm not going anywhere" Zan repeated to himself.
Zan walked to Ayumi.
"Uh…um Zan, Ai tells me that I actually know you. Maybe w-we can try to get along" Ayumi struggled to say.
"Ayu, we never get along but I do care for you a lot and it hurt me that you doubted me" Zan said with a sad smile.
"Why don't you and Zan go out for a while? Catch up on your memories and have a little fun" Ai suggested.
"That's a great idea! Ayu it'll be great! Besides, the two of us have never gone out before" Zan said.
The next scene showed Zan and Ayumi walking out of the Kirisawa mansion with earphones in their ears. Zan held Ayumi's hand. She glanced at him but didn't say anything. They eventually exchanged earphones to listen to each other's playlists.
In the following scene, Zan had taken Ayumi to a fast food joint in the slums of the city. He ordered for spicy food with the unique currency utilized by the people of that side of town, the currency known as Joke Points. After joking, the people requested that he sing as well but he was reluctant to sing in the presence of Ayumi. When the owner of the joint declared all food and drinks free if Zan sang, they became more insistent. It wasn't until Ayumi also showed interest in hearing him sing that he finally picked up the microphone.
"I dedicate this song to Ayumi Kirisawa, the girl I want to protect;
All my life no one has ever known me
All my life no one has ever seen the me you've seen
So tell me why, so tell me why
I'm feeling this infernal pain
So tell me if this is me
Or just the way I'm made.
Look at me I'm an ordinary guy
Got no money in my pockets and I'm feeling shy
Look at me I'm isolated
I'm beginning to wonder
If I'm ill fated.
Then I saw you stare at me one day
I couldn't understand
But my spirit was lifted high
And you showed me another way
So tell me why, so tell me why
You chose an ordinary guy
So tell me why you lifted me high
To wave my pain goodbye
Look at me I'm an ordinary guy
Got no money in my pockets and I'm feeling shy
Tell me why I'm feeling joy
When I'm at your side, when I'm at your side
Look at me I'm an ordinary guy
Got no money in my pockets and I'm feeling shy, feeling shy
Oh Oh Oh, Got no money in my pockets and I'm feeling shy, feeling shy
Oh Oh Oh, Got no money in my pockets and I'm feeling shy"
Zan finally concluded his song. The people insisted that Zan sing a humorous song to pass the time which he did. Soon he and Ayumi had their food served. Ayumi attempted eating it but spat it out on her first try.
"Don't tell me you're scared of a little heat Ayu" Zan challenged.
"I can take the heat!" Ayumi challenged and the two began to compete.
Zan ended up playing a prank on everyone present which forced him and Ayumi to make a quick getaway through a glass window.
"So where are we going next?" Ayumi asked him.
"Erm, let me see…I wanna save the best for last so let's…I think it's better for you not to know what we're going to do next" Zan said with a cunning smile on his face.
"I hope you're not planning any more mischief" Ayumi said seriously.
"Looks like you know me even though you've forgotten me" Zan said as he led Ayumi to one of the abandoned storey buildings.
Soon they were on the roof.
"Why are we here?" Ayumi asked.
Zan meanwhile was busy pulling a small box from a hidden storeroom. When he reached Ayumi, he smiled.
"Ever played smashin' mayhem?!" he asked.
"No, what's that?" Ayumi asked him.
"Ayumi, have you ever felt like you're in a mental prison. Like you can't do what you really want to do and it's driving you insane?" Zan asked.
"All the time but what has that got to do with a box full of stones?" Ayumi asked.
Then she looked around at the buildings with glass windows.
"Oh no Zan, don't tell me-" Ayumi was saying when
SMASH! The first window shattered.
"Zan! Are you mad?!" Ayumi scolded.
"WHO THE HECK SMASHED MY WINDOW?!" an angry voice yelled.
"Try it Ayu, it's fun" Zan said.
"Yeah, it is fun, a very twisted version of fun so stop it!"
SMASH! The second window shattered. A voice yelled curses in an unfamiliar language. Apparently, Zan wasn't paying attention to Ayumi.
"Just try it Ayumi" Zan insisted.
"No, it's crazy!" Ayumi refused.
"Okay, tell you what? If you try it and don't like it, I'll stop" Zan promised.
Ayumi sighed.
"Fine" she said and picked up a large stone.
She took careful aim.
"Here goes nothing" she said and hurled the stone shattering a glass window.
She winced.
"You did it Ayu!" Zan cheered.
Ayumi smiled.
"It did feel good" she said and picked up another stone.
Zan did same.
"On three! One! Two! Three! Go!" Zan counted to three and they began to empty the box amidst insults and curses.
By sunset, they were done. Zan grabbed Ayumi's hand.
"It's time to head to the final place! Let's hurry" Zan exclaimed as he pulled her down the stairs and charged through the streets.
Eventually, they were running along a Shining River. They were soon running through a field at the outskirts of town filled with white flowers.
"Wow, this place is so beautiful" Ayumi said happily.
"You ain't seen nothing yet. Just wait till the sun completely goes down" Zan said and sighed, dropping amidst the flowers.
Ayumi sat beside him and they stared at the sky. The sky was beginning to take on a navy blue colour.
"Okay, now Ayumi, I want you to shut your eyes till I tell you to open them" Zan said to Ayumi.
"What are you up to Zan?" Ayumi questioned him.
"Just trust me Ayu" Zan said with a reassuring smile.
"Okay" Ayumi said and shut her eyes.
Zan helped her to her feet and waited.
When the first glimmer of moonlight appeared, a wonderful transformation occurred.
"Okay, you can open your eyes now" Zan said.
When Ayumi opened her eyes, she was enraptured by the sight she saw. The flowers glowed in an endless wave of brilliant light for miles and miles around.
"Wow! It's amazing!" she exclaimed happily.
"They are lunar flowers. They glow with the light of the moon and symbolize a great longing to belong. It's comfort for those who have lost their homes and loved ones and for you…I want them to symbolize your lost memories of me" Zan said with a content smile.
"Why are you crying Zan?" Ayumi asked worriedly for there were tears in Zan's eyes.
"N-Nothing, there's just something in my eyes and the light is reflecting in my eyes" Zan said and quickly wiped his tears.
The two lay among the endless sea of flowers gazing at the stars. For a while, the only sound was the whistling of the wind and gentle swaying of the flowers.
"Why don't you ever boast about it?" Ayumi suddenly said.
"What? What are you talking about Ayu?" Zan appeared puzzled by her question.
"Ai told me that you saved me from one of the souls of evil and that's why I forgot about you. She also said you recovered the stone of fire and that you've always stayed beside me despite the many times I was mean and hard on you so why don't you ever boast about it?" Ayumi asked Zan.
Zan chuckled slightly.
"All those times, they are the moments I treasured most. It's not my right to boast about them because you made them precious. I love you Ayumi" Zan confessed.
Ayumi stared at him in surprise and remained silent. They gazed at the stars in silence and when they were sure that it was getting late, they got up and headed home. When they finally arrived at the mansion's gate, Ayumi finally spoke to Zan.
"Zan, I want to thank you for today. I've never had as much fun as I had with you today. I'm sorry I forgot the moments we shared together but…they can't possibly be more precious than the moments we shared today right?" Ayumi said with a smile and gave Zan a peck on the cheek.
There was a look of great embarrassment on Zan's face.
In the scene that followed, the students found themselves in a huge dark hall with Zan and the Kirisawas. The torches on the walls suddenly lit up and a bright light filled the hall. Zan looked around. There were many people about his age in the hall.
"Are all these people going to be initiated?" Zan asked Mr. Kirisawa.
"Only if they can pass the trials in this tower" Mr. Kirisawa said.
"Trials? What trials?" Zan asked worriedly.
"I cannot tell you because even I do not know. There is a different set of trials for each team of aspiring Dream Knights" Mr. Kirisawa explained.
"Hmmph! You didn't think becoming a Dream Knight would be easy did you?" Ayumi said proudly.
"Ayumi, Ai, let's go and greet the Chancellor. Zan, stay here and try not to make enemies" Ai advised and the Kirisawas left Zan.
He wandered aimlessly and bumped into someone suddenly.
"Hey! Watch where you're going you clumsy fool!" a feminine voice insulted him.
"I-I'm so sorry. It's just that I've never been to the Dream World before so I'm still getting used to it" Zan apologized.
"Apology accepted but watch yourself. Jeez I hope I do not have a clumsy guy like you for a partner" she sighed and walked away.
Zan looked insulted and hurt.
"Don't mind her. It's just typical of a girl. They're all the same. They think we guys are burdens. Jeez, if I'm paired with such a pain as that Victoria Arthur, I'll hang myself upside down for seven years, perform two hundred press ups on sharp sigils and become a henchman for the Nightmare King" a boy Zan's age complained.
He was partly fair and partly dark in complexion.
"Sounds painful" Zan said with a laugh.
"Nothing is as painful as being near that proud Vikki Arthur. She is the definition of pain!" the boy said.
"More like the avatar of pain!" Zan joked and the two laughed.
"Hey, my name is Boniface Kenyah. I'm half Ghanaian, half English. You can call me Face for short" he introduced himself.
"You're a Ghanaian?! Me too! My name is Zan! It means Dream!" Zan said happily.
"Cool! Guess we're homeboys. I hope we end up on the same team though I'm not sure of my skills" Face said.
"You're one to talk. I feel like I just ate a pot of flames" Zan said worriedly.
In the scene that followed, a huge bell was being tolled.
"It's time" Face said as the aspiring Dream Knights gathered around a stage where the Dream Knights had assembled with the Chancellor.
The Chancellor walked forward till he stood at the edge of the stage. There were murmurs among the aspiring Dream Knights.
"The time for your trial is here. I am glad to see that there are many of you who wish to defend the Dream World but know this, for those of you who pass the test, your journey will be a hard one wrought with countless dangers. There will be times you will be forced to make tough decisions that will decide the ultimate fate of the Dream World. However, I believe in you. The Dream King and the Dream Knights believe in you but it is now a question of whether you believe in yourselves or not. You must face the Nightmare King's treachery. You might even lose allies and close friends but you must never lose sight of the ultimate goal, to restore the Dream World to its former glory" the Chancellor said.
There were loud cheers and applause.
"I leave it now to the Flame Knight Ayumi Kirisawa to explain the stages of your trial" the Chancellor said.
Ayumi walked to where the Chancellor stood. There were loud cheers from the aspiring Dream Knights.
"Face? Why are they cheering Ayumi?" Zan asked.
"You've got to be kidding me right? Ayumi Kirisawa, the Flame Knight! She's a living legend. She is the only person who became a Dream Knight at the age of seven. She singlehandedly defended a Dream Village from invasion by Nightmares. Haven't you heard of the battle of Black Water Bridge?" Face asked.
"Nah, I guess I'm the most ignorant there is" Zan joked.
"Silence!" Ayumi commanded and the uproar died down.
"To get straight to the point, there are two main stages to your trial. First, you will be grouped into teams of three by the oracle of dreams, Lightgazer. Next, you must enter the Tower Of Trials and fight your way to the top. Each member of every team will face his weakness in a single level and there are three levels. Only by defeating your weakness can the team proceed to the next level. Once you enter the Tower, there is no turning back. The only way you can get out is by completing the set trials or if one member of a team gives up completely, or loses consciousness…or dies" Ayumi said.
There was a collective gulp from the aspiring Dream Knights.
"I must also warn you of another danger. Not every obstacle you face will be placed there by us. Some obstacles have been placed there by the Nightmare King that even we do not know about. Likewise, not all the creatures you will face will be non-lethal. Remember, the trials you will face are the equivalent of an average Dream Knight's and I don't need to tell you that the risk will be high. You must be strategic. Avoid displaying your weaknesses constantly and remember to keep a level head in all situations. A nightmare is simply the manifestation of your fears. It cannot defeat you as long as you have courage. Take care and…good luck. Oh, and one more thing. Some of you can already summon sigils. It doesn't in any way make your trials less difficult" Ayumi said, then she turned and walked to the other Dream Knights.
In the scene that followed, Zan, Victoria and Face found themselves in a very bright room.
"Oh no! Don't tell me I'm stuck with you two!" Victoria complained.
"You are one to talk Vikki! I'm totally disgusted to be in the same team as you!" Face replied.
"How did we end up here?" Zan asked Face.
"Great! I just had to end up with an ignoramus as well" Victoria complained.
"Do you mean…" Zan asked.
"Yes Zan, unfortunately for us, we're stuck with Victoria Arthur. Lightgazer chose us to be a team" Face said regretfully.
"Don't think I like being stuck with you. I'd very much prefer to be partners with the guy who defeated Cowardice. He must be really strong and handsome" Victoria said dreamily.
"Yeah but I'm not sure he can cope with an extra romance" Zan muttered almost silently.
In the next instant, Nightmares began to attack them. Zan pretended not to be able to summon sigils because he didn't want Victoria to know that he was the one that defeated Cowardice. When Face summoned his sigil, Zan temporarily borrowed it and assaulted the Nightmares on the ground which greatly shocked the other two since doing that was the equivalent of holding Face's soul in his hands. Victoria assaulted the Nightmares in the air with her sigil which happened to be a crossbow. The three escaped through an opening created by Zan's attack and charged into a forest with Face and Victoria arguing with one another along the way.
Zan eventually sensed that they had been surrounded by Nightmares. He began to give the other two instructions but Victoria didn't seem to like the idea of being ordered around. Face attacked the Nightmares on the ground, Victoria assaulted those in the air while Zan gave orders and evaded the attacks of the Nightmares at the same time. Eventually, the Nightmares appeared to gain the upper hand as Face was pinned to the ground by two werewolf like creatures and Victoria was snatched away towards the tower by a monster that looked like something between a crow and a bat. This development forced Zan to summon his sigils and fight. Face eventually defeated the Nightmares assaulting him and the two made it to the Tower. When a scary flash of lightning temporarily revealed the true form of the Tower, the two boys knew that it was not merely a Tower Of Trials but a Tower Of Horrors.
The two boys entered the Tower and unbeknownst to them, it disappeared. At that moment, the Dream Knights who were monitoring all the aspirants lost track of Face, Victoria and Zan and began to make preparations to rescue them.
In the Tower, the first trial the two boys had to confront was a frightening Jack-in-the-box which imprisoned Zan in an hourglass and tormented Face. Thanks to Zan's encouragement though and a reminder of Ayumi's words to the aspiring Dream Knights, Face eventually triumphed.
Meanwhile, the Dream Knights stood before an elderly woman.
"Welcome, I've been expecting you. Come in" she invited the Dream Knights in.
"You are Bamané aren't you?" Ayumi asked nervously.
"I know why you've come. You want a map that will lead you to the elemental stones however…such a map doesn't exist" the woman called Bamané said harshly.
"What? So this journey was a waste of time?!" a knight called Fenrir growled angrily.
"I see that you, Lightning Knight Fenrir, do not think before speaking. You are very quick to judge everyone and everything and might soon become a danger to the Dream World if you do not learn to control yourself" Bamané said. "And you Ayumi Kirisawa. You do not trust your heart. Rules and formalities are more important to you than your personal feelings and that could cause you a lifetime of regret. You can learn a thing or two from your sister" Bamané criticized Ayumi.
"O-kay" Ayumi was confused by this sudden reproach.
"We know that you know everything about us but that is not why we came" Mr. Kirisawa said seriously.
"And you Ryuuji Kirisawa, are absolutely unforgivable! Treating your daughters like boys! They're teenage girls for crying out loud! Treat them the way you've been doing and you will have no descendants and you know why?! They'll scare off their suitors!" Bamané kept nagging.
"Please Bamané, we need the map to the elemental stones and we need to know something else" Ai butted in.
"I've been waiting to hear you speak young Ai. You are the only one here whose heart has not been tainted by the Dream Knight madness disease! I will respond only to your questions" Bamané said.
"Thank you Bamané. First I need to know about the map to the elemental stones" Ai said.
"The only map to the elemental stones is the Dreamweaver. It seems the souls are attracted to him so they'll come after him one after the other. You don't need to search for them. They will come to you since the Dreamweaver is quite close to you now" Bamané said.
"Really?" Ai asked.
"Yes" Bamané responded.
"My second question is this. Is the Nightmare King capable of making a person disappear from existence?" Ai asked.
"If you mean total disappearance and not just death, then the Nightmare King is not capable of such a feat…however…one soul of evil is" Bamané said grimly.
"Really? Which soul of evil is that?" Ai asked.
"The soul sealed by the stone of wind… the soul of Enslavement" Bamané said.
"How can we rescue a person trapped by this soul?" Ai asked.
"You can't. They can only be released if Enslavement is defeated" Bamané said.
"Why are the souls of evil attracted to Zan?" Ayumi suddenly asked.
"That is because Zan is…the Dreamweaver" Bamané said.
The three Kirisawas were shocked.
"You're lying!" Ayumi yelled.
"There are more forces at play than you realize Ayumi. Haven't you ever wondered what the evil is, that is trapped within the Eternal Mirror Gate?" Bamané asked Ayumi.
"What is that evil? No one ever speaks of it. Is it in anyway related to Zan?" Ayumi asked worriedly.
"You probably have an idea of what that evil is" Bamané said.
"I always thought it was the combination of the seven souls of evil" Ayumi said.
"It is more than that. That evil is the collection of mankind's evil desires. Unlike the human realm where evil is intangible, in the Dream World, evil has a form and that form is the evil sealed within the Mirror Gate. That evil was defeated almost two thousand years ago but it is now almost as strong as it was before. I will tell you nothing more of this evil but I will warn you of one thing. Do not try to harm Zan or the evil you will face will be unlike any nightmare you've ever encountered" Bamané warned.
"Are you telling us the truth? I mean…about Zan being the Dreamweaver?" Ayumi asked, still disturbed by this discovery.
"I am telling you the truth but I can see you're still in denial. Your doubts will be erased soon enough…and though I know this will be difficult for you as a Dream Knight not to carry out…I ask you to spare Zan" Bamané requested.
"That is not for us to decide. His sentence has already been declared. At best, it can be postponed" Fenrir said.
Meanwhile, Face and Zan were on the next floor. It was a dimly lit room with a lot of gigantic blood-red pillars. Neither the walls of this room nor the ceiling could be seen, they were covered in shadow.
"Zan, we faced my nightmare on the ground floor. This might be your nightmare we are about to face" Face declared.
"TCH! Don't worry! I'm not afraid of anything! I already faced my nightmare!" Zan boasted.
Suddenly, all the lights went out.
"Huh? What's going on?" Zan asked worriedly.
The sounds of a chorus of soft footsteps could be heard.
"YA THINK?!" an evil high pitched voice said.
"Who said that?!" Zan roared.
"Hehehehehe!" a shrill laugh was heard as the lights came on very brightly.
"HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BECOME EVERYONE'S NIGHTMARE?!" a loud shrill eerie chorus was heard.
Zan immediately took to his heels for he was faced with two battalions of human sized evil bunnies. These bunnies had long eyebrows, moustaches and beards. Half of them wore red belts and red bandannas and half of them wore black belts and black bandannas. Zan quickly climbed a pillar.
"Hey Zan! Don't tell me you're scared of a bunch of overgrown bunnies!" Face yelled angrily.
"It's not how they look that scares me! It's what they say and how they say it!" Zan screamed.
"Hey, Zannie boy, wanna see a live kung-fu show?" the leader of one battalion asked.
"No thank you! I think I'll pass!" Zan refused almost instantly.
"HEEYA!" the bunny leader took a giant flying leap.
He kicked the pillar Zan was clinging to and Zan collapsed to the ground still clutching the pillar.
"Zan! You okay?!" Face called in concern as fragmented pieces of the pillar narrowly missed Zan.
"Face! Mind your business! HYAH!" one of the bunny leaders charged on Face and began to beat him.
Face got knocked to the ground.
"EET EES ALL OVER FO YOU FACE!!!" he teased and attempted to crush Face's head with a drop heel kick but Face rolled out of the way in time.
"Hey! Don't you think that's going too far?!" Zan yelled angrily.
"Well we're nightmares, deal with it" the two bunny leaders said eerily.
"Eek! They're doing it again!" Zan began to shiver uncontrollably.
"CAN YOU STOP MY ARMY AND I?" they continued to speak eerily.
"If you're the Dreamweaver, then it's different" the Nightmare King's voice echoed.
Zan stood up and wiped the dust from his clothes.
"You know…if you were facing an ordinary human, then you might have an advantage. Your tragedy is…I'm the Dreamweaver!" Zan roared and in the next instant, Zan was clothed in white with a belt striped in black and red.
His eyebrows grew longer and he grew a moustache and beard. He performed a quick display of kung-fu moves much to the surprise of everyone.
"Wow Zan! That was cool! But what the heck is with the eyebrows, moustache and beard! They don't fit you at all!" Face yelled angrily.
Zan sneezed.
"What'cha talking about?! The eyebrows signify foresight, the moustache signifies power and the beard signifies wisdom! A child like you doesn't know anything!" Zan feigned anger.
"You just made that up didn't you?" Face looked bored. "Besides who do you think you're calling a child!" he roared angrily.
Zan charged on the bunnies and fought them for twenty minutes. The only bunny leaders left standing were the two bunny leaders.
"You're pretty good Zan but I don't think you're strong enough to defeat us" they said together.
"CUT THE CREEPY TALK ALREADY!" Zan roared and sent both leaders flying with a single punch.
They somersaulted and landed a safe distance away.
"Did you really think that would be enough to defeat us" they chorused again.
Zan looked absolutely infuriated.
"So you won't stop…will you? Fine then…I'LL END YOU QUICKLY! I AM PRINCE AYZAN NIGHTBANE! IN MY TIME OF NEED I SUMMON THEE SIGILS OF LIGHT! HEED MY CALL!!!" Zan roared and his facial features returned to normal.
On the other hand, his silvery white armour appeared and the Silver Dream rested in his hand. (The Silver Dream is the name Zan gave his new sword named 'Ai no Hikari').
"WHAT IS THAT THING?!" the two bunny leaders exclaimed in fear.
"YOU STILL WON'T STOP?! THEN PREPARE TO MEET YOUR FATES!" Zan roared and flashed past them like a blur of light baring his sword.
He spun his sword and sheathed it as the bunny leaders collapsed to the ground.
"Next time you try to creep an enemy out with synchronized speech…think about the difference in your abilities!" Zan said in a rage.
All the fallen bunnies disappeared a moment later.
In the scene that followed, Zan and Face were in a dark room.
"This room is pitch black, I can't see anything!" Face complained.
"Zan, Face…is that you? Please help me!" a familiar voice cried for help.
The two boys ran towards the voice and found Victoria chained to a wall.
"Victoria!" Face called and ran towards her with greater speed.
When he was close enough, he summoned his Tomahawk.
"Hang on Victoria! We'll save you!" Face said as he raised his Tomahawk to break her chains.
"Face, Zan, I knew you would come for me. I never doubted that you would rescue me" she said.
A look of suspicion flashed over Zan's face.
"Face, do not release her" Zan said suddenly.
Face looked at him in surprise.
"What are you talking about?! We came all this way to rescue Victoria and now you're telling me not to free her?!" Face yelled angrily.
"Didn't you hear what she just said?! You and I both know that Victoria would never say such a thing!" Zan yelled back.
Face frowned.
"Who really are you?" Zan asked angrily.
"Don't joke like that Zan, I'm Victoria" she said.
"I'll ask one more time" Zan said and raised the Silver Dream threateningly.
He noticed the look of fear in her eyes.
"Zan! Are you mad?!" Face yelled angrily.
"So then, who are you?" Zan asked again.
"I-I'm Victoria" she said.
"I warned you!" Zan said and plunged the Silver Dream into her body.
"ZAN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Face yelled angrily.
"SHE IS NOT VICTORIA! SHE IS AN EVIL SOUL!" Zan declared as a huge amount of wind escaped from Victoria's body and took the form of a huge tornado.
The tornado slowly assumed the form of a harpy.
"Is that…a harpy?" Face asked.
"Yeah, she kinda looks like Tzenker in Seiken Densetsu 3" Zan joked but the harpy didn't look happy at all.
Eventually, after arguing with the harpy and provoking her, she called her servants in retaliation and they surrounded Zan and Face. Zan realized that her servants were humans.
"You just had to make her mad didn't you?" Face accused Zan.
"It came naturally since she is so annoying" Zan laughed.
"So how are you going to fight all these warriors on your own? As you can see, they are all Dream Knights" the harpy said.
"WHAT?! HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?! WHAT SOUL OF EVIL ARE YOU ANYWAY?!" Zan roared angrily.
"I am Enslavement, the soul once sealed by the stone of wind. Those Dream Knights all dared to face me for the stone of wind but they unlike you…failed to conquer their fears. Since I have failed to enslave you, I will eliminate you, especially you Zan. You are different than you were two thousand years ago" Enslavement said.
"Two thousand years ago? What are you talking about?" Zan asked worriedly.
"It's useless for you to know since you will soon be dead anyway!" Enslavement roared as she motioned to her enslaved warriors to attack.
"ZAN! WHAT DO WE DO NOW?! WE CAN'T KILL THEM! THEY ARE HUMANS!" Face yelled worriedly.
"The only way we can survive is to defeat them!" Zan declared.
"Are you really planning to kill your own comrades?" Enslavement mocked.
"Face! What is the purpose of a sigil?!" Zan asked and blocked the first wave of attacks.
"To slay nightmares of course! However it is also capable of slaying humans!" Face said as he blocked and evaded his attackers.
"All that depends on the mindset of its wielder. In actuality, a sigil slays whatever its wielder wishes for it to slay" Zan explained.
"In that case, if I can focus on slaying the nightmare within the person and not the person…" Face began to catch sight of Zan's plan.
"Then the sigil will have the same effect mine had when I stabbed Victoria" Zan completed Face's sentence.
"Got it!" Face said as he focused his mind on slaying only nightmares.
The dull grey blade of his Double Tomahawk took on a golden brown colour. In the next instant, Face and Zan charged on the warriors, attacking wildly. Their sigils did not have a direct effect on the bodies of the warriors but penetrated their bodies and slayed the nightmares within them.
In the scene that followed, Ayumi stood before Zan and Face. She had a surprised expression on her face.
"A-Ayumi! Get out of here!" Zan ordered.
"Zan, Kenyah, it's good to see that you're still alive. Victoria looks fine too" Ayumi said seriously as she studied her surroundings.
"I didn't call you here to check on them. You have only been summoned to be the sacrificial piece that will bring Zan to his senses" Enslavement said nonchalantly.
"Now watch me Zan as I put an end to the Flame Knight Ayumi Kirisawa!" Enslavement declared and combined her fans to form a fearful jagged edged metallic shield.
"DESTROY AYUMI KIRISAWA YOU OMINOUS WINDS OF VENGEANCE!" Enslavement roared and hurled the shield towards Ayumi with all her might.
In the next instant, Ayumi was caught within a tornado generated by Enslavement's fans.
She screamed in pain.
"Stop this Enslavement! You win, I'll do anything you want so please stop hurting Ayumi" Zan pleaded desperately.
"You still don't understand do you boy? You are of no use to my master as you are now. For you to reach the state you achieved many centuries ago, I must kill the one you treasure most" Enslavement said as she increased the intensity of the wind.
Ayumi's screams became louder. Zan appeared to be struggling with himself.
"Stop this, stop this, stop this! STOP THIS! I SAID ENOUGH!!!" Zan suddenly roared as a huge outburst of energy from his body knocked Ayumi out of the clutches of the terrifying winds.
Zan was breathing hoarsely and when he opened his eyes, they were flaring.
"I WON'T FORGIVE YOU FOR HURTING AYUMI!" Zan roared and charged to attack Enslavement.
"You managed to break free of my paralysis technique yet you still have no idea of what you truly are" Enslavement said with a frown.
"I don't care about what I was in the past! I know who I am now!" Zan said as he took a wild swing but Enslavement evaded.
"Perhaps you need a little more encouragement!" she said and charged towards the unconscious Ayumi.
Zan raced as fast as he could and managed to shield Ayumi from her attack but now he had a sharp talon, the size of a sword protruding from his back.
"Obviously, being among humans for so long has made you weak hearted. You are even willing to give up your life to protect someone else. I'd hate to be reunited with you in your present state! You look pathetic and you reek of human emotions!" Enslavement insulted Zan.
"It's nothing you would understand. Ayumi has suffered a lot already. I promised to protect her from any more pain" Zan said weakly.
Zan was bleeding from his back and his mouth. Enslavement pointed at him.
"But who is going to protect you when the Dream Knights eventually turn on you. I assure you that when that time comes, you won't find Ayumi standing by your side. If you are a fraction of what you once were…you'd realize that you are only being used and will eventually be cast aside!" Enslavement said.
Zan examined Ayumi's wounds. They were not deep. He appeared grateful.
"I didn't spare her intentionally and I promise you that my next attack won't fail. There are three people I can hurt and in your present condition, you can only save one of them. So who will it be? Face, Victoria...or Ayumi!" Enslavement roared and sent talons flying towards Face and Victoria who were currently immobilized. When Zan raced towards Face to help, she sent another talon towards Ayumi. Zan looked worried and slowly, his worry turned to rage.
"Filthy wretch! Just because I've let you live this long, you've decided to grow horns! I'll end your existence here!" Zan roared as an invisible force from his body sliced the talons into insignificant pieces.
"Master, finally you've…" Enslavement was saying when Zan opened his eyes to look at her.
His eyes were flaring and he had grown fangs.
"I WILL NOT SPARE YOU ENSLAVEMENT! THIS IS YOUR END! TAKE THIS! RAGING ULTRAVIOLET ATTACK!!!" Zan roared and swung his sigil with all his might.
An invisible storm of light ripped Enslavement's wings off. She fell to the ground. Zan approached her. She had a look of absolute terror on her face.
"Tell me now! Who was I two millennia ago?!" Zan demanded.
Enslavement smiled.
"Are you sure you want to know? Well then as a parting gift to you…I'll give you despair. You are becoming that which you've struggled to fight against. Haven't you heard that 'he that hates and battles demons with all his heart will in the end become one?'" Enslavement mocked.
"Answer me!" Zan demanded.
"Fine, if it will make you feel better, I will tell you since you managed to defeat me. Two thousand years ago, you were none other than the Ultimate Nightmare, the True King and Origin of all Nightmares. Your name Zan is only half of your true name and your real name isn't Ayzan. The Nightmare Of All Nightmares, your true name is…ZANFAR!" Enslavement whispered.
"No, it can't be…Zanfar, that's the Dagaare word for…NIGHTMARE?!" Zan exclaimed in shock.
He stood in shock for a moment and lost consciousness.
In the next scene, Ayumi knelt before Zan with her hand on his forehead calling to him.
"Zan! Zan! Open your eyes! Please open your eyes!" Ayumi called.
Zan opened his eyes and stared at her.
"Thank goodness, you're alright" she sighed gratefully.
Zan's shirt was in shreds. It was now a bandage around his chest and back.
"What happened?" he asked deliriously.
"I'm sorry Zan. You got hurt trying to protect me" Ayumi apologized sadly.
"Are you alright Zan?" Victoria asked in concern.
"I think so. Are you alright Victoria?" Zan asked.
"Yeah, thanks to you and Face. I really hate admitting that you two saved me but Enslavement made me understand. She is only able to enslave those who cannot admit and face their weaknesses. My weakness was selfish pride and I was a slave to it. I wasn't able to defeat my weakness like you and Face did. Maybe I'm the one holding the team back" Victoria admitted with great difficulty.
"Well I'd say that now that you finally see the light, you won't be a burden to the team anymore. It's good to be who you are but thinking that you are better than others…it's the worst form of enslavement" Face said.
"Are those words really coming from you? You sound so wise all of a sudden" Victoria teased Face.
"It's actually the last thing Enslavement said before she disappeared. Zan was unconscious then. She had a piece of advice for you Zan. 'There is no living being in this world whose purpose is to bring destruction. You have the power to forge your own path. I saw a strong light in your eyes, your faith in your friends, and their faith in you as well. You have love in your heart now and I hope you fight to protect that love because the day you give up on yourself…will be the day everything good in this world will come to an end'. That was all she said" Face said.
In the scene that followed, Face was handing the gem of wind to Ayumi.
"Ayumi, before I forget, here is the gem of wind. Enslavement wanted to give it to Zan but he was unconscious" Face said as he handed the gem over to Ayumi.
The aspiring Dream Knights were also collectively knighted.
The next scene showed Zan asleep. Ayumi entered his room while he was asleep and watched over him for a while.
"You've been through a lot today Zan. Thank you for protecting me. I didn't have the courage to thank you while you were awake. I…I can't believe that I'll one day have to draw my sword against you. I can't believe that you are the Dreamweaver. When I finally found a friend, someone I could trust. Someone who was not scared of me or the world I live in, it had to turn out like this" Ayumi said sadly.
She reached out for Zan's hand, appearing to struggle with herself.
"I hope that I can one day be as brave as you are Zan. You said you promised to protect me but…I can't remember when you made that promise. I'm sorry Zan, forgive me" Ayumi said as tears began to stream down her face.
Zan unconsciously squeezed her hand.
"You may say that when the Dream Knights turn against me, Ayumi will be on their side but I believe in her…and I love her" Zan muttered deliriously.
He was of course sleep-talking.
"Thank you for believing in me Zan" she said and left the room.