THE GOLDEN DRAKENGAÄRD PART I: UNBINDING
Josec observed the scenes before him.
"There is something strangely familiar about all of this and Reis is also very familiar to me. I believe I may have met him before" Josec said.
"What do you mean Josec?" Buern asked.
"I believe it may have been during our dream of Ryu's confrontation with the darkness of his homeworld on Benedict's Ark. It occurred probably around the time we were preparing to confront Aesakal. You two should have probably seen him too" Josec said.
"I did feel that familiarity but I don't quite remember all the details of that dream" Harry said.
"And that is not all. These scenes are reminiscent of the images I saw in Master Pheisl's dance" Josec said.
"Ryu did say we were witnessing the history of someone we know very well. Do you think this could be Master Pheisl's history?" Buern asked.
"I can't be sure just yet" Josec said.
PRELUDE TO THE GOLDEN DRAKENGAÄRD
There are many legends in Ryugaeia but one is most prominent. The tale that begins with a tripartite natured God. It is said that in the beginning God created the Heavens and Ryugaeia, a home for dragons and mankind. Dragons were the rulers of the elements and mankind, the rulers of the world below. There were amongst the Dragons, those named as the Kings and Queens of the elements. The
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most prominent ones being Dragnarök, the King Of Flame, Sum-Kebi, the King Of The Mysterious Darkness, Marina, Queen Of All Water, Terra also known in other incarnations as Terranica who had participated in an even gruelling warfare in the distant past in a primeval world before Ryugaeia; named Kolmnid. Then there was also Ayes, the King Of Frozen Waters, there was Ehum, the Queen Of The Unending Wind and finally, the Sovereign Lord Of All Material Light, Alpha; Lord Of The Dragons.
It is said that even when these Lords Of The Elements had not yet come to be, even their names echoed throughout the world. Then the God Of The Mind sent his other self, the God Of The Heart as a summons to these Lords. The God Of The Heart departed bearing His Name on a single scroll. And as he departed, His and His other self's, other self, departed with Him; The God Of The Spirit. The God Of The Heart uttered the names of His creation. One by one, he summoned them to heed his call. And the Lords Of The Elements appeared as well. Each creation once called swore allegiance and bound their names within His.
But one creation refused. His name was Armageddon. He was a being of immense pride, refusing both grace and love; desiring only conquest. And as such there came a division amongst creation. One part swearing allegiance to God and the other part refusing to bind their names to His. And so it was as it is; that two Spirits stepped up; one was named Rei'el; and the other; by far unnamed; the First being called the Golden Drakengaärd. The Second known as the Silver Drakengaärd. These two great spirits cast Armageddon down to the world of Ryugaeia.
Mankind sprung up and began to spread his dominion over Ryugaeia a while after.
Then the Lords Of The Elements made a request to the God Of The Heart. They wished to be able to manifest within Ryugaeia as well. The one who presented their request was Alpha, the Dragon Sovereign of Material Light. His request was granted and then the Lords Of The Elements departed to Ryugaeia.
Armageddon awaited their arrival patiently. When they manifested in Ryugaeia's skies as Dragons, Armageddon and his minions, the Dark Dragons challenged them to war. And so Ryugaeia became a battlefield. The Dragons fought their wars and powerless humanity ended up as the casualty.
This continued ceaselessly until one day, amidst the war, the Kings and Queens of
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the Elements disappeared leaving behind their retinue to continue the fight in their stead.
It is said that the Kings and Queens of the Elements approached humanity as "Humans Of A Strange Demeanour". Their thoughts were baffling, their speech a mystery. Among many other things they taught humanity most of what we call "arts and craft" today. These "Humans Of A Strange Demeanour" were said to have discovered within humanity a wondrous mysterious trait. A trait they referred to as "Bonding". Though in one of their records left behind, they also said "The Humans don't seem to realize it themselves that each of them carries all the others within them".
This Pilgrimage of sorts to Ryugaeia lasted a long time as these so-called "Humans Of A Strange Demeanour" provided relief services to the humans plagued by the wars of the Dragons.
As it is, one of these strange humans, who often referred to himself as "Origin" took a certain liking to a mortal man. A man curious enough to be seen in the midst of these beings all the time. This man was named "King", and he was dearly loved by nature to the extent that nature seemed to swirl all around him as though courting him.
While all of this was going on, the battle between the Lords Of The Elements and Armageddon's legion intensified. The Kings and Queens of the Elements had found at last the answer they sought; a body that could bind the bodiless without being consumed by it. And so each one shared their Spirit with King and King is said to have become the Dragonhäart. This is the first legend which you may be familiar with. The one known as "The Tragic Legend".
But there is a second legend referred to as "The Hopeful Legend". And it speaks of the coming of another like King. It is said that His purpose will not be war but He will be a warrior unlike any other. He will become what everyone will come to refer to as "The Wise One Of The Unison Courts". The Lords Of The Elements call His name "Aralphëisl".
THE GOLDEN DRAKENGAÄRD PART I: UNBINDING
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In the scene that followed, Shin shut his eyes and placed his forefinger and middle finger on his forehead and looked into the mind of Reis who was at the door to the Ayenhayze Residence. Shin saw the Kaignis King resting peacefully in Reis' mind, then he saw a legion of dragons and a figure that resembled an archangel battling a huge black dragon that was bound in heavy shackles and was trying to break free.
Shin opened his eyes in shock.
"Shin, what's wrong?!" Kyla asked because Shin was shivering uncontrollably and breathing quickly.
"What's wrong?! Shin, speak to me! Hey Shin! I'm talking to you" Kyla called desperately.
In the next instant, both Shin and Reis collapsed to the ground and lost consciousness.
"Shin! Reis! Hey guys, this is not funny! Shin! Reis! Wake up!" Kyla screamed hysterically.
Still, both boys remained unconscious. At that moment, Master Jin arrived and saw Kyla trying to revive the unconscious boys.
"Kyla, what happened?" he asked.
"Sh-Shin and I arrived from school and found Reis sleeping at the doorway. He woke up and was acting strange so Shin decided to read his mind. I don't know what Shin saw because Shin looked very scared, then both boys suddenly lost consciousness" Kyla said worriedly.
Master Jin and Kyla carried Reis and Shin into their bedrooms.
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"I've got some work to do Kyla so I'll leave the boys in your care. Try to find out what Shin saw" Master Jin said as he entered his room.
Kyla was confused.
She didn't know what to do so she stood by the doorway watching over Shin and Reis. Shin began to stir.
"Shin!" Kyla called and ran towards him.
Shin woke up and looked at Kyla.
"Wh-What happened?" he asked as visions of what he saw came back to him.
"I remember, I saw…" Shin paused.
Kyla sat on his bed.
"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.
"I must, if I don't I think I'll go mad" Shin said.
"It's that serious" Kyla asked.
Shin nodded grimly.
"Then tell me Shin, what did you see?" Kyla asked.
"You'll think I'm crazy Kyla but here goes…listen carefully because I'll only say this once. Reis is a Kaignis wolf…a legion of dragons, a Drakengaärd and…" Shin paused.
"Wait, wait, wait are you trying to tell me that Reis is the long prophesied
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Dragonhaärt returned to us?" Kyla asked.
Shin shook his head.
"I don't know, he might be but Kyla…Reis is also…" Shin paused again.
"Reis is also what?!" Kyla asked eagerly.
"Reis is also Armageddon!" Shin exclaimed.
"What do you mean?!" Kyla asked in utter shock.
"It's kinda messed up but I think…Reis is both the Dragonheart and Armageddon!" Shin said.
Kyla opened her eyes in horror.
Once again, in his dreams, Reis found himself lost in a dark forest.
"Here I am, once more" he sighed as he sat near a tree.
"Reis Dragonhaärt!" the omniscient voice called to him again.
"Who are you?" Reis asked.
"I am the Light Of Your Heart…but I'm growing weaker. The Darkness within you has grown as dark as hell and its flames of evil and malevolence seek to consume you!" the omniscient voice spoke.
"What do you mean?" Reis asked.
"You may have already noticed that the light within your heart has grown weaker…no…rather, the darkness has grown immensely stronger. It seeks to rule you…and it will until you defeat it!" the omniscient voice said.
"What must I do? How can I defeat darkness? I'm only human" Reis said.
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"You are human and more…but to defeat this darkness…you must first defeat yourself. Pain and Guilt are the greatest powers of evil. To defeat the darkness you must find three weapons but finding them is extremely difficult! Can you do it?!" the omniscient voice asked.
"Tell me what those weapons are and I'll find them! With them I will defeat any evil that comes my way!" Reis declared.
"The first is love, the second is courage and the third is hope. Do you think you can find them?" the voice asked.
"HAHAHAHA! It is useless! All your efforts are useless against me!" a dark sinister voice suddenly said and in the next instant, Reis was surrounded by immense darkness.
Two huge glowing red eyes appeared above Reis. Reis looked up. The light generated from the evil glow revealed the face of a sinister black dragon.
"Who are you?!" Reis asked in fear and shock.
"I am the one that will rule your heart! I am your darkness! I…AM…YOU! And from now on you shall no longer be known as Reis Dragonhaärt but as ARMAGEDDON!" the sinister dragon laughed as it transformed into dark flames and entered Reis' body.
"AAAAHH!!!" Reis screamed and in the next moment, he jolted from the bed.
Shin woke up.
"Reis, are you okay?!" Shin asked.
Reis was sweating profusely. He was breathing quickly and he could feel his heart pounding in his chest.
"Phew! It was only a dream, thank goodness!" Reis sighed as he wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.
"Want to talk about it?" Shin asked.
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"Nah, it wasn't something pleasant" Reis said.
"I see. It doesn't have anything to do with Armageddon does it?" Shin asked.
At the mention of Armageddon's name, Reis' eyes flashed momentarily. He grinned sinisterly.
"I'm dueling Darak today. I'm looking forward to it" Reis said as his grin intensified.
Shin observed Reis critically.
"Something's not right. Reis is definitely acting differently" he thought to himself.
"Shin! What are you waiting for, let's prepare for classes!" Reis called angrily.
"Sorry Reis, I was kinda lost in thought. Let's get ready" Shin said nervously as he attempted to conceal his real concerns.
Ten minutes later, Shin, Reis and Kyla had finished having breakfast though Reis didn't eat much.
"Let's go" Reis called in a commanding tone.
"But you haven't touched your food yet" Kyla said worriedly.
"It is not to my liking" Reis said rudely.
"Reis!" Shin scolded.
"I'm leaving with or without you. I've got a match I can't afford to miss" Reis said as he stared at them with cold eyes.
They seemed shocked by his sudden change in behavior.
"We're coming" Kyla said.
"Good" Reis said and he left.
Shin and Kyla struggled to catch up to him.
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"Reis, are you…mad at us or something?" Kyla asked.
"Why do you ask such a question hu…I mean Kyla?" Reis asked.
Shin frowned.
"Since you returned, you've been acting weird" Kyla said.
"Well I guess I'm just tired" Reis said.
"Hmm, this is strange, Reis usually ends sentences concerning tiredness or hunger with the words 'is all' but this time he didn't" Shin thought silently.
Soon, Dragon High was in view. Reis looked around. The other students were talking cheerfully as they walked into the school building.
"Humans…disgusting!" Reis muttered under his breath.
"Did you say something Reis?" Kyla asked curiously.
"Nothing that concerns you human" Reis said coldly.
Kyla and Shin were surprised by Reis' words but remained silent.
Reis walked hurriedly towards their classroom and opened the door wildly. There was sudden silence in the class as everyone turned to look at him. He walked into the class indignantly and finally reached his desk…or what was left of it for his desk had been completely broken into pieces. He glanced at Erasa's desk, it was still intact and he suddenly became filled with fury.
"WHO DID THIS?!" he roared.
The other students ignored him.
"I ASKED…WHO DID THIS?!" he roared as wild flames suddenly covered the walls and ceiling of the classroom.
The students began to scream in fear.
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"WE DID!" Evil Eghan, Cudjoe and Dossou suddenly said.
Reis looked at their faces one after the other.
Aurora seemed shocked by Reis' behavior but Darak didn't seem to care.
"Reis, please calm down" Kyla pleaded.
Reis smiled, "Oh I'm calm" he said and in the next instant a huge hole was made in the wall of the classroom.
Evil Eghan, Dossou and Cudjoe ran through the hole and into the school field. Reis walked out into the open following them with a wicked smile. Darak, Aurora, Kyla and Shin followed him.
Erasa soon arrived. She was confused by the whole incident.
"What's going on?" she asked.
One of her mates explained the situation to her.
Soon enough, Reis cornered the three bullies to the wall and unsheathed his sword.
"Filthy humans! You think you are so magnificent that you can do whatever you want! You were rather unfortunate to have crossed my path!" Reis said furiously as his sword flamed. "You can repent in the netherworld!" he said as he brought his blade down but a stream of fire struck him from behind.
"Reis! What are you doing?! Get a hold of yourself!" Aurora yelled angrily.
"Darak, Aurora, I have a special place for you in my heart…however…if you are foolish enough to stand in my way, I can assure you that you will surely die!" Reis said menacingly without turning to face them.
"Reis, your only battle is with me!" Darak declared.
Reis laughed and turned to face him.
"Let me feel your strength!" Reis said as he raised his sword defensively in front of himself.
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Darak unsheathed his Pyro Blade and smiled. The Pyro Blade flamed. "I guess I can afford a little distraction" Reis said.
"We'll soon see if all I am is a little distraction!" Darak said as he charged to attack Reis.
Reis charged to attack Darak and as they drew closer, Darak swung his blade horizontally. Reis however evaded his slash by ducking and timing a turning kick to Darak's head just as Darak's sword narrowly missed his head. Both combatants were caught in a deadlock till Darak stomped on Reis foot and elbowed him in the gut. Reis punched Darak in the face and the two leapt back to plan their next set of moves.
Darak smiled.
"I didn't expect you to be this strong" he complimented.
"Your battle style is so so but you cannot defeat me" Reis said.
"This is just the beginning!" Darak said as he raised his sword.
"You're right! This is the beginning…" Reis said as he held his sword tightly with both hands. "THE BEGINNING OF THE END!!!" Reis roared as he charged and swung his sword.
Darak blocked.
Then a ferocious sword fight began. Soon some masters arrived and saw the fight.
"What is going on?" one Dragon Master asked and one of Reis' mates explained the situation.
"STOP THIS AT ONCE!" one Dragon Master ordered.
"Don't interfere!" Reis warned as he gave the master a look that petrified him.
Darak slashed at Reis vertically but Reis blocked with an overhead block. Darak struggled to bring Reis to his knees but Reis turned to the right and released the pressure on his sword. Naturally, Darak's sword came down. Reis found an opening and kicked Darak in the side. Darak grunted in pain and quickly raised his sword. Reis attempted to stab Darak but Darak deflected Reis' blade and elbowed Reis in the neck while performing a half turn with his pivot foot. Reis fell to the ground and the other students began to cheer Darak on.
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"Now who's the distraction?" Darak said proudly.
Reis stood up and cracked his neck. Then he spat out some blood and wiped his lip.
"You are a great swordsman Darak…however, I'll end this now" Reis said as he changed his fighting stance. He put his pivot foot in front of him and raised his blade over him with its tip pointing towards Darak while holding it with a single hand and then stretched his free hand in front of him.
"Is he going for a thrust attack?" Darak wondered.
"What stance is that?!" Kyla asked in a scared tone.
"That's the fighting stance of the evil warlord who teamed up with Armageddon! The one known as the 'Demon of the Sword!' Irik the Devil!" Mistress Kira's voice sounded as she walked towards them.
"You can't be serious! How can Reis know such a diabolic fighting style!" Aurora asked anxiously.
"Reis, I don't know where you learnt such a fighting style but this match is over!" Mistress Kira ordered.
"You have no right to interfere and…don't ever call me Reis! The name is Armageddon!" Reis roared.
Mistress Kira opened her eyes in shock as sudden realization hit her.
"Everyone! Summon your dragons at once!" Mistress Kira ordered and in the next instant, a huge explosion of elements announced the appearance of an army of dragons.
"You did the wisest thing…" Reis began to say.
"DRAGONS! ATTACK THE SILVER HAIRED ONE!" Mistress Kira ordered.
"No! There must be a better way to resolve this!" Aurora exclaimed worriedly.
"Believe me Aurora, there is no other way!" Mistress Kira said.
"But as long as I have this body, dragons are powerless against me!" Reis said with an evil smile.
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"What do you mean?" Aurora asked.
"Behold the power of the Darkhaӓrt! Dragons, bow before your master!" Reis commanded and in the next moment, all the dragons' eyes flared and they bowed before Reis.
"NO WAY! HE'S CONTROLLING ALL THE DRAGONS AT ONCE!" Mistress Kira exclaimed in shock.
"So Darak, as I was saying…LET'S END THIS!" Reis roared as he charged to attack Darak.
"PYRON SLASH!" Darak roared as he charged towards Reis and struck with his flaming sword.
"OBLIVION STRIKE!!!" Reis roared as their blades clashed.
The force of the clash was so great that Darak's Pyro Blade was knocked from his hands and Reis' blade pierced Darak through the shoulder and came out the back
"DARAK!" Aurora, Mistress Kira, Kyla and Erasa screamed in concern.
There was a flash in Darak's mind as the pain filled his body.
"It was just for a moment but I saw it!" Darak thought as sudden realization hit him.
"I aimed for your heart. You were able to deflect my attack by increasing the density of the flames that surround your Pyro Blade" Reis said.
"That's not it. I couldn't even block this attack. I may have imagined it but it seems as though Reis purposely missed my heart" Darak thought to himself as he struggled to release himself from the blade but Reis kept pushing it in.
Mistress Kira and Aurora ran to attack Reis. Reis withdrew his sword and leapt back to avoid their attacks. Aurora ran to Darak's side. Mistress Kira attacked Reis but he repelled her easily and blew her to the ground with a tidal slash. The power of the attack kept Mistress Kira on the ground unable to stand up.
"Darak, are you alright?" Aurora asked in concern.
"I didn't hit any vital organs…but I won't miss a second time!" Reis said as he walked slowly towards them.
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"Who are you? I don't recognize you anymore, I don't know you anymore…" Aurora said in a scared tone as tears streamed down her face.
Reis raised his sword.
"Say Goodbye!" he roared.
"Stay away from us YOU MONSTER!" Aurora screamed.
Reis paused his attack.
"Who do you think you are, terrifying everybody like that! You may be powerful but you're nothing! Nothing but a monster! And…just when I just started to like you too. I guess I should have known. You don't deserve to be loved…by me or anyone!" Aurora screamed.
Reis' hand was trembling with the sword. He tried to bring it down and end Darak and Aurora's existence but his heart kept pushing the sword up. Darak noticed this. He wanted to speak but he was too sore. A tear streamed down Reis' face as he temporarily regained his senses. The evil glow in his eyes disappeared.
"Wh-What have I done?!" he said as he sheathed his sword. "Aurora, Darak I'm…" he tried to apologize.
"Just stay away from us. Leave and never come back. We never want to see you…ever again" Aurora said sadly.
Reis bowed his head sadly.
"Very well, as you wish…Aurora!" Reis said as he ran out of Dragon High and towards the Forest Of Awakening. "This way, I'll never be able to hurt anyone" he told himself as he took one last look at the Rangers' Guild and disappeared into the Forest Of Awakening.
Meanwhile Aurora tried to stop Darak's bleeding with healing techniques but Darak's wound was not closing properly.
"I need help!" Aurora called out.
Shin rushed to her side.
"What can you do Ayenhayze?" Darak said painfully.
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"Would you stop sounding so condescending for once? I can teleport you to the hospital" Shin said as he turned to Kyla.
"Kyla, I'll be at the hospital. Let Master Jin know what happened. I'm counting on you!" Shin said as he teleported Aurora and Darak to the hospital.
The dragons regained their senses and disappeared. The Psychic Dragon Masters reported the incident to Headquarters. Mistress Kira finally managed to stand up and decided to go as quickly as she could to the hospital.
Kyla without knowledge of the fact that the incident had been reported to HQ decided to go and report the incident to Master Jin. Meanwhile in the Ranger's HQ, the Dragonlord was holding a meeting with the Dragon Guards and a few Dragon Masters.
"This is a most regrettable situation and there seems to be no way around it. Therefore I have come to a decision. Reis Dragonhaärt is a threat to the survival of the dragons and this guild and must therefore be eliminated! Gather as many rangers as you can and hunt him down!" the Dragonlord ordered.
"You can't do that Dragonlord! Reis is a human being and more importantly, our comrade!" Master Jin spoke against the plan.
"I understand your relationship with this boy and as such I therefore exclude you from this mission, Jin Ayenhayze!" the Dragonlord said.
Master Jin saw that it was useless to protest so he remained silent. At that moment, Kyla burst in panting heavily.
"What is the meaning of this Kyla?" the Dragonlord said angrily.
"Dragonlord Sir! Reis lost control and…" Kyla was saying when the Dragonlord silenced her.
"I already know about it and we're already taking action" the Dragonlord said.
"But eliminating him isn't the answer!" Master Jin pleaded.
"Eliminate…him?! Is this your plan?!" Kyla yelled angrily.
"We have no choice" the Dragonlord said.
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"But Sir! You can't! Reis is…I'm not sure but I believe that Reis is the long prophesied Dragonheart!" Kyla announced.
There were murmurs from the others.
"How do you know this?" the Dragonlord asked.
"It was by accident but Shin peeked into Reis' mind and saw a Kaignis-wolf, a legion of Dragons, a Drakengaärd and…Armageddon!" Kyla informed them.
"This makes it even worse! If the Dragonheart is being influenced by Armageddon, it ceases to be the Dragonheart but instead becomes the Darkhaӓrt. That explains why Reis could control the Dragons but now more than ever, he must be eliminated!" the Dragonlord said.
"You can't do that! Think about it. Some dragons survived even after the Great Extinction. They only survived because the Dragonheart lived on. If you destroy it…I mean Reis, the remaining Dragons will die out" Kyla argued.
"Hmm, you have a point Kyla. You are far too wise for your age. I will be willing to reconsider if you can present us with a solution within the next twenty four hours" the Dragonlord said thoughtfully.
"I will find a way to end this peacefully!" Kyla said with a bow.
"Remember Kyla, the fate of this guild, the dragons and the world rest in your hands now" the Dragonlord said.
"I will not fail you!" Kyla said as she left the Dragonlord's presence.
"That's a fine student you have there Jin. She will be a great ranger in the future. Take good care of her" the Dragonlord advised.
Master Jin smiled.
"I'm proud of you Kyla" Master Jin thought silently.
Meanwhile, in the hospital, Darak was being taken care of. Aurora and Shin stood in the corridors while Darak was being healed by the elite medical doctors. Shin and Aurora remained silent. Shin was angry with Aurora for all the times she had been mean to Reis but he tried hard not to show his anger. Soon Mistress Kira arrived in the hospital.
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"How is Darak doing?" she asked.
"We've still got no news" Aurora informed her.
Mistress Kira sighed, "Aurora, do you think I've not been protecting you enough these past few days?" she asked.
"Why would you say that?" Aurora stared at her in surprise.
"On our mission to rescue Team Senshiiro, I failed to protect you from the Kaignis King and Reis got hurt. Now I couldn't even protect Darak" Mistress Kira said worriedly.
"No, you try your best and trust us to live our lives and make our own decisions even if those decisions are mistakes. We've learnt to make good choices and it's all thanks to you, Mistress Kira" Aurora said with a smile.
Mistress Kira smiled.
"Thank you Aurora" she said.
The doctor walked out of Darak's ward.
"How is he?!" Mistress Kira and Aurora exclaimed together.
"You brought him in just in time. A minute later and it would have deteriorated into a much more serious problem" the doctor said.
"Thank you doctor. Thanks Shin" Aurora said gratefully.
Shin turned away.
"I did it for Reis, he cares about you very much" Shin said.
"I don't care about him" Aurora said as she wiped a tear from her face.
"You can see Darak now" the doctor informed them.
"Thank you" Aurora and Mistress Kira said as they opened the door that led to Darak's ward.
They entered the ward and found Darak awake.
"Darak, how do you feel?" Aurora asked worriedly.
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"You shouldn't be worried about me. You should worry about Reis. We owe him our lives" Darak said with a grateful look on his face.
"What do you mean?" Aurora asked,
"Aurora, have you ever heard the saying 'when two swordsmen clash swords, they can feel each other's hearts through the blade?'" Darak asked.
"I've heard it from Sir Jinrai before but it never worked for me so I stopped believing in it" Aurora said.
"Well, would you believe me when I tell you that I saw Reis' heart when he stabbed me?" Darak asked.
"No, I wouldn't because in the first place I don't believe Reis has a heart and secondly, how could you feel the heart of someone that tried to kill you?" Aurora said.
"Reis saved me. I hate to admit it but it's true. I saw Armageddon torturing Reis with dark flames. Armageddon tried to kill me but Reis used every ounce of his energy to deflect the path of the sword from my heart even if by just a few inches" Darak explained.
"What do you mean Armageddon?" Aurora asked.
"The one wreaking all the havoc is Armageddon, not Reis. Reis is being held a prisoner within his very own mind" Darak explained.
"This is worse than I thought!" Shin exclaimed in shock.
"You saw it too didn't you?" Darak asked.
"When I saw into Reis' mind, he wasn't being held a prisoner by Armageddon" Shin said.
"If that was Armageddon, why didn't he kill us? He had the perfect opportunity!" Aurora said.
"It was because of you. Your words reached into Reis' heart and freed him for a moment" Darak explained.
"Wrong, Armageddon isn't that shallow. He purposely brought Reis to the surface to hear Aurora's hurtful words. That was all he needed to draw Reis into infinite
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darkness. Truly the saying, 'if there is a power of darkness greater than pain and guilt, it's solitude' holds true" Mistress Kira explained.
"Th-That's why Reis' hands were trembling. He was trying to stop himself…and I made his pain worse…no, no way" Aurora said as tears began to flow down her face.
At that moment, Kyla burst into the ward panting heavily.
"Kyla, what's wrong?" Shin asked.
"The Dragonlord…just gave the order…for Reis to be eliminated. He's giving us twenty four hours to find a peaceful way of resolving this problem or Reis will be eliminated!" Kyla explained.
"No! He can't do that!" Aurora yelled angrily, then she became sad again.
"There may no longer be a peaceful way of resolving this problem but there is a way, a better way" Darak said.
"Really?!" Kyla exclaimed happily.
"The only way to return Reis to normal…is to fight him ourselves!" Darak said.
"You're crazy! We can't do that! He is immensely more powerful than before!" Kyla yelled angrily.
"I know. Not just anyone can do it. Only one with a strong will and a strong bond with Reis…you understand what I mean" Darak said.
"I'll do it" Aurora volunteered.
"You can't! You'll die!" Kyla exclaimed in worry,
"You're a dragon ranger. My partner…my friend…and someone dear to me" Aurora remembered Reis' words and his smile.
"How could I have forgotten his smile so soon?" Aurora scolded herself.
"I will do it…but…all I'm good for is making things worse. All I ever do is hurt Reis. Maybe I'm the reason the darkness is taking over his heart" Aurora said downheartedly.
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Kyla smiled, "I guess I want to say it for him. Aurora! Come to your senses, it doesn't matter if you only make things worse! The only thing that matters is that…Reis loves you!" Kyla said.
Aurora opened her eyes wide in surprise.
"So be there for Reis now that he needs you! Of course Armageddon will try to kill you but as long as your heart is bonded with Reis' by love, there is no future for the darkness in Reis' heart!" Kyla said.
"When did you get so wise Kyla?" Shin asked with a sly smile
"Don't start with me Shin" Kyla warned.
Aurora smiled.
"You're right! We can't give up on Reis, not now, not ever! He'll never be alone! We'll show him, we'll remind him of The Light Of His Heart!" Aurora said without knowledge of the full meaning of her words.
"Yeah yeah, nice speech but you forgot one important detail, where do we find Reis?" Darak said.
"You're right! Reis ran off after hearing Aurora's words. Where could he be?" Kyla asked.
"I don't think he could have gone far. He hasn't got a dragon partner yet after all" Aurora reasoned.
"No, you're wrong. Reis could be anywhere. For one thing, he seems capable of controlling the dragons freely and for another, with his new nature powers, he could summon any Kaiser creature" Darak reminded them.
"Yeah, you're right" Aurora said glumly.
"What do you mean by nature powers?" Kyla asked curiously.
"It's a long story. We will tell you about it when this is all over" Darak promised.
"Leave finding Reis to me!" Shin suddenly declared.
Everyone turned to stare at him in surprise.
"Can you do it?" Darak asked.
22
"Hey, just who do you think you're talking to?!" Shin said in an offended tone.
"I just don't think you're up to it. Pardon me if I'm being offensive" Darak mocked.
Shin frowned angrily.
"Darak, you're the most evil person in this guild, do you know that?" Shin growled angrily.
"I'll take that as a compliment" Darak said with an unpleasant smile.
Shin shut his eyes and placed his fore and middle fingers on his forehead. Soon, his mind was travelling around the guild seeking Reis' psychic energy. Everyone else's energies were displayed in Shin's mind in various colours but he couldn't seem to find Reis' peaceful green energy. Shin concentrated harder and soon, he could see traces of dark fiery energy in different places within the Ranger's Guild.
"Have you found him?" Kyla asked worriedly.
"He's trying to throw us off his trail by depositing his psychic energy in different places. I just need to go…a little deeper" Shin said as he concentrated even harder.
Soon Shin noticed something strange. There was an irregular fluctuation of one of the dark energies. One minute, it was dark and another minute it was green but never constant. Shin opened his eyes suddenly.
"FOUND HIM!" he declared.
"Really?! Where is he?!" everyone asked at once.
"He's in the Cave Of Shadows in the Forest Of Awakening" Shin informed them.
"WHAT?! That particular forest is packed with the Kaiser beasts. How are we ever going to reach him?!" Kyla exclaimed woefully.
"I'll do it" Aurora reaffirmed her conviction.
"In that case we'll help. You can't make it on your own" Kyla offered.
"Thanks but no. I must do this alone. I am partly to blame for this mess and…Kyla if what you said earlier about Reis loving me is true, then I'm probably the only one that can reach into his heart now" Aurora reasoned. "Besides, we don't need more casualties" Aurora smiled.
23
"B-But…" Kyla tried to argue.
"No buts Kyla. Just leave it to me. I'll bring Reis back, just the way he was" Aurora promised.
"Then you must need a sword. Here, you can borrow my Pyro Blade" Darak offered.
"Thanks Darak but I don't need it. See, I already have…the Twin Saggeesian Sabres!" Aurora declared.
"WHAAAT?! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO EARLIER?!" Darak yelled angrily.
"I didn't think it was important" Aurora said surprised by Darak's reaction.
"That's where you're wrong. The Twin Saggeesian Sabres give us an edge against Armageddon!" Darak declared.
TEN YEARS AGO…
A young girl, seven years of age was being trained by a Dragon Knight with white hair and blue eyes. The girl was called Aurora Saggeese, true heiress to the Saggeesian throne and the Dragon Knight was called…Sir Jinrai the Lightning Blade.
"Aurora, you have skill but skill alone is not enough. You must try to visualize your opponent's heart the very moments your swords clash" Sir Jinrai lectured.
"You mean like imagine the heart of my opponent?" Aurora questioned.
"Not quite. Seeing your opponent's heart is quite different from imagining it" Sir Jinrai explained.
"How?" innocent young Aurora asked.
"Imagination is an illusion you wish to see. It can lie to you but perception and intuition are different. They make the truth clear, do you understand?" Sir Jinrai tried to explain.
24
Aurora shook her head with a confused look on her face.
"Don't worry, that's why I brought along this bucket of water, in case you don't understand" Sir Jinrai said.
At this, Aurora began to weep.
"What's wrong Aurora?" Sir Jinrai asked looking confused by Aurora's reaction.
"What's the matter?" Sir Jinrai asked kindly.
"You brought this bucket of water to pour it on me if I didn't understand the lesson" Aurora sobbed.
Sir Jinrai laughed.
"What an idea! You can stop crying now Aurora because this water is not meant for your body but your heart and your mind" Sir Jinrai comforted her.
"Now you're confusing me even more!" Aurora said worriedly.
"Well let's just say I'll show you a practical example and leave it at that" Sir Jinrai said as he summoned another bucket of water out of nowhere.
"WOW! MAGIC!" Aurora exclaimed cheerfully.
"I see that cheered you up, now tell me what you see" Sir Jinrai said.
"A blue bucket and a green bucket, both half filled with water" Aurora said cheerfully.
"Good, the blue bucket represents your heart and the green bucket represents the heart of your opponent. They are separate at first" Sir Jinrai explained as he picked up a stone.
"This stone is the deepest intention and emotion hidden within your opponent's heart" Sir Jinrai said as he dropped the stone into the green bucket.
Then he stretched his hand over the blue bucket and a powerful wind stirred the water within it.
25
"This wind is the ambivalence within your own heart, your emotions are in turmoil" Sir Jinrai explained.
Aurora stared into the two buckets.
Sir Jinrai fetched sand next.
"This sand is the darkness within your opponent's heart. It represents his pain, guilt and loneliness mixed together" Sir Jinrai explained as he dropped the sand into the green bucket and the water in it turned dirty and unclear. "Still, your hearts are separate. However, this is what happens when you clash swords with an opponent while bearing good intentions within your own heart" Sir Jinrai said as he lifted the blue bucket and poured the tempestuous waters into the green bucket till it was full. The mixture reacted violently and seemed to become worse with every passing second.
"How do you describe this mixture Aurora?" Sir Jinrai questioned.
"Chaotic" Aurora said as she stared into the bucket with a look of disgust on her face.
"Yes, and that is mainly due to the ambivalence within your very own heart. But watch what happens when you calm your heart and open your heart to understand the emotions and motivations behind your opponent's every move" Sir Jinrai said as he snapped his fingers.
The water calmed down and all the dirt settled and the stone was revealed at the very bottom of the bucket.
"I can see the stone!" Aurora exclaimed cheerfully.
"Yes, you can see your opponent's deepest emotion. His true emotion" Sir Jinrai said with a smile.
"Let's try it Sir Jinrai!" Aurora said as she unsheathed her Saggeesian Sabre.
The other belonged to Jared.
26
Aurora and Sir Jinrai dueled for a long time but Aurora showed no results.
"I can't see anything! Swordsmanship is so useless!" Aurora yelled as she threw her Sabre away.
"You cannot see my heart because you are focused on defeating me instead of understanding the emotion behind my every move" Sir Jinrai lectured.
"Swordsmanship is just a waste of time!" Aurora sighed as she walked away.
"You may not understand now but your heart and destiny is entwined with that of the True Dragonhaӓrt's. Learning the way of the Sword may be the only way for you both to find your true destinies. If you cannot reach into the Dragonhaӓrt, it will be ruled by Darkness and only the Darkhaӓrt will prevail" Sir Jinrai said to Aurora.
"It's useless, I wasn't meant to be a Swordsman. You put too much faith in me but I am nothing but a princess" Aurora sighed sadly. "A princess who has lost her family and her throne".
PRESENTLY…
"Aurora! Aurora! Are you listening?!" Darak called.
Aurora shook her head as if waking up from a dream.
"S-Sorry, I was lost in thought for a moment" Aurora said with a nervous laugh.
Kyla and Shin had their mouths open in astonishment.
"You really think it's that effective?!" Shin exclaimed with an excited look on his face.
"W-wait, what are you talking about? I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention. Could you repeat what you just said?" Aurora pleaded.
"I said a lot just now. Do you really want me to repeat everything?" Darak sighed.
27
"Yes please, I'm sorry for not paying attention earlier" Aurora apologized.
Darak sighed.
"Okay, listen carefully. You know that in this world there are special ores with which one can create a weapon right?" Darak asked.
"Yeah, your Pyro Blade is made from the Flame Ore right?" Aurora said.
"Yes, but there are more powerful ores than just raw elemental ores. There are ores that have special properties and effects. They are rare and sacred and are known as Mithril Ores" Darak explained.
"I think I've heard something about them. There are those with lesser effects and those with greater effects right?" Kyla said.
"Exactly, and among these ores, the ones with the greatest powers are the Sol Mithril Ore and the Oblivion Mithril Ore" Darak explained.
"I've never heard of them" Kyla shook her head ignorantly.
"That's because they are now commonly known as the Light Mithril Ore and the Dark Mithril Ore" Darak explained.
"Yeah, but what has that got to do with The Twin Saggeesian Sabres?" Aurora asked.
"Aurora, do you remember how your Sabre and Jared's worked when you still practiced Swordsmanship?" Darak asked.
"Yeah, my Sabre had great penetration power and Jared's absorbed any element it came into contact with" Aurora said with a thoughtful look.
"Your Sabre is made from the Sol Mithril Ore and Jared's is made from the Oblivion Mithril Ore!" Darak informed.
"Really?!" everyone exclaimed in excitement.
28
"My father always said that those Sabres were forged with the 'Will Of Two Hearts'. I never understood what he meant" Aurora said with a content look on her face.
"But wait a minute, I thought the Twin Saggeesian Sabres were a royal heirloom passed down to the descendants of the Saggeesian Royal Family. If Aurora has it, that must mean…DON'T TELL ME…?!" Kyla exclaimed in realization.
Aurora nodded.
"Yes, I am Aurora Saggeese, daughter of King Hiram Saggeese and True Heiress to the Saggeesian Throne by the will of my father!" Aurora revealed her identity to the shocked Dragon Students.
Darak smiled.
"I guess it had to come out soon anyway" he said.
"And you gave Reis a hard time!" Shin complained.
Kyla knocked him on the head.
"Show some consideration you idiot!" she scolded.
"She's got her reasons for treating Reis badly so don't judge her too harshly" Mistress Kira who hadn't spoken for a while finally said.
"Hmmph! Whatever" Shin muttered indifferently.
"Okay, so I get that the Twin Saggeesian Sabres are made from the most powerful kinds of Mithril Ore but how can great penetration power and the ability to absorb elements give us an edge against Armageddon" Aurora said skeptically.
"Hmm, I haven't yet figured that part out" Darak said rubbing his chin with his thumb and forefinger thoughtfully.
"The Heart Sabre" Mistress Kira suddenly said.
"What?" everyone turned to look at her in surprise.
29
"Darak, you know certain swordsmen prefer to use Twin Blades right?" Mistress Kira asked.
"Yeah, every swordsman knows that. It is more advantageous to use Twin Blades than to use single ones because it doubles the attack rate" Darak said.
"Yes but it halves the attack power. When using Twin Sabres against a Swordsman who holds one Sabre with both hands, though attack rate is heightened, what happens if the opponent's speed is great?" Mistress Kira asked rhetorically.
"You're right. The opponent will have the advantage since his attack power is doubled" Darak said.
"Yes, so even if Aurora were to face Reis with the Twin Saggeesian Blades, she would be at a disadvantage because of Reis' great speed and strength" Mistress Kira said honestly.
"Plus I gave up swordsmanship when I was only seven and I haven't held a sword since then so I'm pretty much lower than an amateur" Aurora said regretfully.
"So it's hopeless" Kyla sighed in utter dismay.
"Not unless…" Darak began to say.
"Darak do you think it's possible?" Mistress Kira asked.
"Probably not because Light and Darkness naturally repel each other" Darak sighed.
"But if it was possible, we could obtain the Heart Sabre!" Mistress Kira said excitedly.
"What are you two talking about?" Aurora asked curiously.
"Sorry for keeping you in suspense but have any of you heard of the Heart Sabre?" Mistress Kira questioned.
Everyone except for Darak shook their heads ignorantly.
30
"Darak, why don't you explain it to them. I believe they will understand you better" Mistress Kira suggested.
Darak sighed.
"Okay, so you heard what we said earlier on about Twin Sabres and Single Sabres right?" Darak asked.
Everyone nodded.
"Well, there's a way to deal with the problem Twin Sabres have against Single Sabres" Darak said.
"Really?" Aurora said hopefully.
"Yes, some swordsmen developed the technique of creating swords that complement each other" Darak explained.
"How?" Shin asked ignorantly.
"Twin Sabre users modified their swords in such a way that when they entered into combat with Single Sabre users with superior skill, they combined their Twin Sabres to form a superior Single Sabre" Darak explained.
"Really?!" everyone exclaimed excitedly.
"Yes and that brings me to the Heart Sabre. It is a sword that functions like a human heart" Darak said.
"I don't get it" Shin shook his head in confusion.
"How can you not understand everything I say about swords, aren't you a Swordsman yourself?!" Darak questioned.
"Well…I am but I don't get enough lectures and practice like you do" Shin defended himself.
"That's because all you do is laze about!" Kyla mocked.
"Shut yer trap Kyla!" Shin warned.
31
"OR WHAT?!" Kyla yelled.
"Or I'll make you shave your hair bald!" Shin threatened.
"You don't have it in you!" Kyla bluffed.
"Try me!" Shin said in such a serious way that Kyla knew he meant what he was saying.
"Fine, just forget I said that" Kyla said as she folded her arms angrily.
"Guys, we don't have time for this" Aurora tried to calm them down.
"Can I continue?" Darak said as he tried to conceal his anger without much luck.
"Y-yeah" Kyla said nervously.
"Good, as I was saying, the Heart Sabre works like a human heart. It contains good and evil in a delicate balance. It projects its wielder's emotions into his or her fighting style and makes it easier for its wielder to understand his opponent's emotions by analyzing their movements" Darak explained.
"So in other words, it gives more life to the saying 'When two swordsmen clash swords, they are able to feel each other's emotions through the blade'" Mistress Kira explained.
"So if I had the Heart Sabre, I could reach into Reis' heart easily right?" Aurora asked.
"Something like that" Darak said coolly.
"So how can I obtain the Heart Sabre?" Aurora asked eagerly.
"You can obtain it by combining a Sol Mithril Ore with an Oblivion Mithril Ore but in your case, simply by combining the Twin Saggeesian Blades" Mistress Kira said.
"But that's impossible, the Twin Saggeesian Sabres do not have any combination slots" Aurora said with disappointment.
32
"Do you always give up this easily? If so…even if Reis loves you, your efforts will be useless!" Shin said angrily.
"I'm not giving up!" Aurora declared.
"Some swords are not combined physically but with spirit. The strength and possibility of combining the Twin Saggeesian Sabres depends on 'The Strength Of Your Own Heart'" Mistress Kira explained.
"For someone with a weak unenduring heart, it's impossible. It would be like combining the earth and the sky" Darak said.
"So all I have to do is combine the two swords right?" Aurora asked.
"Yep, that's right" Darak said.
"Then leave it to me, I'll find a way or die trying!" Aurora declared with a determined smile.
"Wrong!" Shin declared.
"Shin you idiot!" Kyla yelled angrily.
"We can't let you die…or how would I ever face Reis in this life…or even in the next. You can count on my help!" Shin said with a thumbs up.
"Thank you Shin" Aurora said gratefully.
"Sometimes, you can be really cool" Kyla complimented.
"And sometimes you can be really nasty!" Shin insulted.
Kyla frowned angrily.
"All I need to do now is get the Twin Saggeesian Blades and head to the Forest Of Awakening" Aurora said.
"That'll take long on your own, I'll take you in a jiffy" Shin volunteered.
"Thanks Shin" Aurora said gratefully.
33
Shin placed his fingers on his forehead and in the next instant, a bright light engulfed them.
"We're here" Shin said.
Aurora opened her eyes and found herself in front of Team Kira's Residence.
"Wow, you're really fast Ayenhayze" Aurora complimented.
"Thanks, go get the blades and I'll wait for you here" Shin said.
Aurora nodded and ran into the house. She went up to her bedroom and opened her wardrobe. The Twin Saggeesian Sabres, one silvery and the other dark gray leaned against the back of the wardrobe. Aurora picked them up and stared at them.
"Jared, you handed your Sabre to me before you went on your final mission. Did you know this was going to happen?" Aurora asked rhetorically, then she closed the wardrobe, attached the Twin Blades to sheaths behind her Ranger uniform and ran out to meet Shin.
"Did you get them?" Shin asked curiously.
"Yes, I did" Aurora said as she unsheathed the Sabres and showed them to Shin.
"Wow, they look really cool!" Shin exclaimed in awe.
"Yeah, they do, now let's head to the Forest Of Awakening" Aurora said.
"Sure" Shin said as he teleported them.
In the next instant they found themselves outside the Forest Of Awakening.
"From here on out, you're on your own. I need to report back to the others so we can prepare to take Reis on" Shin said.
34
"I understand. Can you do me a favour?" Aurora asked.
"Sure" Shin said.
"Can you tell Erasa that everything's going to be fine? I'm sure she's scared and doesn't understand what's going on" Aurora said thoughtfully.
Shin seemed hesitant.
"Shin? Can you do that for me?" Aurora asked.
"I don't know. I'm not even sure I'll be able to speak" Shin laughed nervously.
"Why not?" Aurora asked in surprise.
"Well let's just say whenever I get close to Erasa, I feel butterflies in my stomach and leave it at that" Shin said with a sheepish grin.
Aurora laughed.
"If only Erasa knew" Aurora said.
"D-Don't tell her. I'll try to tell her your message!" Shin pleaded and disappeared in an instant.
"Shin and Erasa, I never actually thought of it but they'd make a wonderful couple" Aurora said with a smile, then she turned towards the Forest Of Awakening.
"Here goes, wait for me Reis, I'll save you!" she declared as she ran into the Forest Of Awakening.
Meanwhile Shin had appeared at the Senshiiro residence.
"Sheesh, what am I going to say? Th-think Shin, think!" Shin tried to psych himself up for the task ahead.
35
"I'll just act casual and deliver Aurora's message robotically" Shin said as he knocked on the door.
"I'm coming!" he heard Erasa's voice and began to feel nervous.
Just when he thought he couldn't do it anymore and decided that he would teleport himself away, the door opened.
"Shin!" Erasa called.
Shin froze in his tracks.
"Uh-uh h-hi Erasa?" Shin greeted nervously.
"Well this is a surprise, I seldom see you around here" Erasa said.
Shin decided to act robotically.
"Well, I never really had a reason to come here. Aurora sent me a message to deliver to you. She says, 'don't worry about Reis. He'll be fine' or something like that. Right now we're preparing to fight Reis" Shin said robotically.
"Fight Reis?! You can't do that!" Erasa suddenly exclaimed.
Shin frowned.
This act wasn't getting him anywhere.
"Erasa…I know you care about Reis a lot but right now Reis is being manipulated by Armageddon and the only way we can save him is to fight him" Shin said sadly.
Erasa opened her eyes in shock.
"But I promise you that Reis won't be hurt and he's definitely not going to die. If I break that promise, you can hate me forever. How does that sound?" Shin said trying to force a smile.
"I understand. I'm coming with you" Erasa said.
"What? You'll get yourself killed" Shin refused.
36
"If you can protect Reis, you can protect me. How does that sound?" Erasa said defiantly.
Shin sighed.
"I guess I have no choice" Shin said.
"No, you don't" Erasa said.
"Fine, get yourself ready, and I'll take you to the others" Shin sighed in a defeated tone.
"Just give me a moment" Erasa said as she ran into the house.
Shin stood outside for about ten minutes before she returned.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting. Let's go" Erasa said.
Shin nodded and teleported them to the others.
Meanwhile Aurora had made it halfway to the Cave Of Shadows. She had already defeated seven Kaiser-wolves and she was beginning to get exhausted. She paused in her tracks, panting heavily.
"I can't believe the Kaisers in this forest have gotten this strong since I last encountered them" Aurora panted wearily. "Hang on Reis, I'll be with you soon" she said as she began to run farther into the forest.
She didn't go very far when the first Kaignis-wolf crossed her path.
"Not now! I can't even feel any strength in my body!" Aurora panicked as she held the Twin Saggeesian Sabres defensively in front of her.
The Kaignis wolf however did not attack. It stared at her with calm eyes and turned to walk away.
"You want me to follow you?" Aurora questioned as she began to follow it.
With the Kaignis-wolf on her side, none of the other Kaiser creatures dared to attack her. The Kaignis-wolf led her to the entrance of a large cave.
37
"I remember this place. It's the Cave Of Shadows. Thanks for your help Kaignis-wolf" Aurora said thankfully.
She had a few scratches here and there and a few small burns but other than that, she was pretty much alright.
"Trust in your heart. It will be the key to his heart" a strange voice sounded within Aurora's mind.
When she turned around, the Kaignis-wolf was nowhere in sight. Aurora walked into the Cave of Shadows. She knew it was safe but she couldn't help being scared.
"What am I scared of?" she asked herself as she walked on.
Soon she could see almost nothing. Just when the cave was covered in darkness, the Twin Saggeesian Sabres began to glow with a warm light which brightened the cave.
"Who's there?" a familiar voice questioned.
Aurora stopped in her tracks.
"Reis? Is that you?" she asked looking around to see the source of the voice.
She saw a dark outline standing just out of reach of the light the Twin Saggeesian Sabres were emitting.
"Aurora?" the voice questioned.
"Yes! It's me…Reis!" Aurora exclaimed joyfully as she began to walk towards the outline.
"No! Stay away from me! Don't come any closer!" Reis yelled desperately.
Aurora paused.
"I'm sorry for the words I spoke earlier. I did not understand what was going on" Aurora apologized.
38
"No, you were right. I am a monster" Reis said sadly as he stepped back.
Aurora began to approach him.
"No! Keep your distance!" Reis ordered.
"Reis, I want to help you, please let me" Aurora pleaded.
"Help me…" Reis said as he groaned in pain. "No one can help me!" Reis said in a dark sinister voice, then he groaned in pain and said, "Aurora, get out of here! It's not safe!"
"I'm not leaving you again Reis" Aurora said boldly.
Reis chuckled.
"I already know of the plans to exterminate me. Is that why you are here?" Reis said sadly.
"No, I'm not here to hurt you Reis" Aurora assured.
"That is what you say but you came here with the intention of fighting me" Reis said as he pointed to her swords.
"Only to bring you back to your senses. Reis, you know I'd never hurt you" Aurora said.
"No, I don't know that. All you've ever done is hurt me" Reis said sadly.
Aurora stopped walking.
"You're right Reis. I always hurt you for no reason at all. I couldn't face Jared's death so I put the blame on you, but I'm sorry" Aurora apologized.
Reis laughed painfully.
"I was happy…as long as you didn't hate yourself" Reis said.
At this, tears began to stream from Aurora's eyes. Reis groaned painfully and stepped back.
39
"Aurora, please get away from me, I beg of you" Reis pleaded.
Aurora wiped her tears and continued to approach him.
"I won't" she said simply.
"Why not?" Reis asked.
"Because I don't want to. Reis, you don't need to face the darkness on your own" Aurora said.
"I'd rather face it alone than let you share the burden. It hurts Aurora. I feel myself tearing apart!" Reis said painfully.
Aurora continued to approach him.
"I know I am a part of that pain too but please let me help you" Aurora pleaded.
Reis roared inhumanly.
"I don't want to hurt you Aurora…so please leave" Reis said.
Aurora continued to approach him nonetheless.
"You won't hurt me Reis. You are gentle and kind" Aurora said.
"WHAT PART OF GET OUT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?! DON'T YOU GET IT?! I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE…EVER AGAIN!!!" Reis yelled angrily.
"Why can't you think of yourself for once?! I know you are trying to protect me! You always put everyone else before yourself. Why can't you think of your own happiness! You risk your own safety for the safety of others. You saved me twice without even thinking of the consequences and you nearly died. That's one of the reasons I find you so annoying! But it's also one of the reasons I…I…" Aurora stopped herself from saying more.
Then she walked towards Reis till she was close enough.
"I'm not leaving you Reis. Not even if I die" Aurora said earnestly.
40
Reis could see her eyes from where he stood. He knew she was being sincere but he didn't trust himself.
He clutched his heart and groaned in pain.
"Armageddon wants you dead. You're in the way of his plans" Reis said.
"I know but I'm not leaving you" Aurora said.
"Since when did you start caring about me so much?" Reis asked.
Aurora remained silent.
"I'm sorry for asking" he apologized.
There was an awkward silence for a while.
"Aurora, I know you want to save me but…you can't do it if you die so get the others to help you and fight me with all your strength and if I do not come back to my senses…you must eliminate me!" Reis said suddenly.
Aurora stared at Reis in surprise.
"I know it's a hard thing I'm asking you to do but I do not want to hurt anyone, especially not you" Reis said.
Aurora nodded sadly.
Reis suddenly clutched his head.
"I can't hold him anymore, Aurora! Run!" Reis screamed in pain.
Aurora hesitated.
"Aurora, if I never get to see you through my own eyes ever again, I want you to know that…I LOVE YOU! NOW RUN!!!" Reis yelled.
Aurora turned and ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Soon she was out of the cave and in the Forest Of Awakening.
41
Dark flames engulfed Reis as he screamed in pain. Then he stopped screaming and opened his eyes. The evil glow had returned to his eyes.
"Very well…LET THE HUNT…BEGIN!" Reis laughed as he walked out of the Cave Of Shadows. "To make this more fun, let me give her a five minute head start" he said with an evil grin.
Aurora ran through the Forest of Awakening desperately. Soon, she saw the exit and raced towards it.
"Four minutes, fifty seven seconds…four minutes, fifty eight seconds" Reis counted patiently.
Aurora burst through the last line of trees and was in the Guild.
"Four minutes…fifty nine seconds…five minutes!" Reis said as he suddenly disappeared and reappeared right in front of Aurora!
"And where do you think you are going fair maiden?" Reis asked with a malicious smile.
"OH NO!" Aurora exclaimed in shock.
"It's time for you to say your prayers princess!" Reis said calmly.
Aurora unsheathed the Twin Saggeesian Sabres.
"Tsk tsk tsk, Oh no Aurora, you're breaking my heart. I thought you cared for me as much as I…despise you!" Armageddon mocked.
"Armageddon!" Aurora roared in a disgusted tone.
"Oh don't pick that tone with me dear. I so hate saucy princesses" Armageddon teased.
Aurora took her fighting stance. Armageddon looked at her stance.
42
"Hmm, the Saggeesian Royal Family Fighting Stance? Is that what you think you're doing? It's more like this!" Armageddon declared as he took the real Saggeesian Royal Family Fighting Stance.
Aurora stared in shock as Armageddon unsheathed Reis' sword. Aurora gulped.
"I'll have to fight him, there's no other way" Aurora said as her body began to tremble uncontrollably.
Her knees gave way and she collapsed to the ground.
"I see you are afraid of me. An appropriate reaction. You know what? I'm actually beginning to like you. Too bad I can't let you live though. Don't worry, I will tell Reis how you cowered before my power, how desperately you wished for him to save you once more. I will tell him how I pierced you through the heart and how your dying words were 'I'm sorry Reis, I failed you', I'm sure he will then completely surrender his will to me" Armageddon said.
"Remember Aurora, your heart…is the key to his heart. Feel his heart…" the voice that spoke to Aurora earlier spoke once more. "Through the blade!" the voice overlapped with Aurora's voice.
Aurora stood up with determination.
"I'm sorry Armageddon but I was never really any good in the Saggeesian Royal Fencing Style. So I guess I'll show you the style I'm best at…The Dragonhaärt Fencing Style!" Aurora said as she made Reis' fighting stance.
"You are really testing my patience Aurora!" Armageddon roared as he too made Reis' fighting stance.
"Here I come!" he said as he charged to attack Aurora. Aurora charged towards him baring the Twin Saggeesian Sabres. She lifted her blades just as Armageddon lifted his sword and they clashed swords.