THE GOLDEN DRAKENGAÄRD PART II: RETURN OF THE LIGHT
Finally, Aurora and Armageddon clashed blades. The battle for Reis' heart had begun! Armageddon pushed Aurora back by increasing the pressure on his sword. Aurora stepped back, trying not to lose balance. She unblocked with the dark sabre and slashed at Armageddon but he simply moved away from the path of the blade.
Armageddon pushed Aurora suddenly and she lost balance and fell.
"Is this really your best? I almost feel like weeping" Armageddon mocked.
Aurora quickly stood up.
She charged to attack Armageddon swinging both blades as quickly as she could but Armageddon simply evaded with fluid movements.
"What? You can't even land a hit?" Armageddon teased.
"Stand and fight you coward!" Aurora yelled angrily.
Armageddon smiled.
"Isn't the very essence of Swordsmanship the ability to evade your opponent's attacks? Stop making senseless remarks" Armageddon teased.
Armageddon disappeared and appeared behind Aurora.
"Boo!" he suddenly startled her.
She quickly turned giving a one-eighty degree spinning attack but Armageddon disappeared and appeared a little farther off.
"You know, I'm actually beginning to enjoy being in a human body" Armageddon laughed.
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"STOP TOYING WITH ME!" Aurora yelled charging angrily towards Armageddon.
"Temper, temper, you humans can hardly control your emotions and…THIS IS THE RESULT!" Armageddon said as he ducked to evade Aurora's attack and punched her in the gut.
Aurora fell on her knees coughing violently. Her mind was exploding with pain. She tried to stand up but she felt weak.
"Falling from a weak attack like that. What have you been doing?" Armageddon asked.
Aurora thought back.
"Oh no, I lost most of my stamina battling the Kaiser wolves" she thought.
"Plus you've been running around swinging those things without thinking of the long term effects" Armageddon said as he folded his arms.
"Y-You can read my mind?!" Aurora exclaimed in shock.
"You finally figured it out huh? There's a lot more I can do. More than even the dragons can imagine and there are some powers of mine so great that using them could kill this body" Armageddon said as he turned his back to Aurora.
Aurora stood up.
"I'll give you a chance to strike me while I'm unprepared. See? You can hit me from behind if you like" Armageddon said.
"No honourable swordsman strikes his enemy from behind!" Aurora declared.
"Too bad, you blew your only chance of retaliation" Armageddon said as he took Reis' fighting stance.
"Fight me seriously!" Aurora ordered.
"Fine, if you are begging to be beaten, then beaten you shall be" Armageddon said as he suddenly charged towards Aurora with great speed. He sliced the air
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suddenly. Aurora could hear the great sound the sword made as it sliced through the air. She jumped out of the way and the sword struck the ground. Large cracks began to appear in the ground.
"NO WAY! What monstrous speed and power!" Aurora thought as she opened her eyes in shock.
In a flash, Armageddon appeared before her again, about to strike. Aurora raised both Saggeesian blades defensively in front of her barely managing to block Armageddon's strike. The impact of the clash sent her flying through the air. She fell to the ground and rolled a distance. She stared at Armageddon in shock and lost consciousness.
"Pity, you didn't even last ten minutes" Armageddon said as he stared at Aurora with cold eyes, then he turned away from her.
"I guess I'll pay the Dragonlord a little visit" he said as he charged with amazing speed towards the Temple.
Meanwhile Erasa had been informed of everything that was going on.
"If Armageddon is controlling Reis, isn't it too dangerous for Aurora to face him on her own?" Erasa said thoughtfully.
"Yes it is, but it is the only illogical thing that could produce the results we desired that we could think of" Darak joked.
Kyla couldn't help giggling.
Darak stared at her in surprise.
"Sorry" Kyla apologized and stopped laughing.
"Let me check on Aurora" Shin said as he closed his eyes and scanned the guild. He saw a faint blue aura at the entrance to the Forest Of Awakening and a dark fiery aura charging quickly towards the Rangers' HQ.
He opened his eyes.
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"Not good, not good at all" he said grimly.
"What's happening?" Mistress Kira asked.
"Aurora's aura is really weak, almost as if she's severely weakened and guess where Reis is?" Shin asked.
"Cut the suspense!" Kyla yelled.
"He's on his way to confront the Dragonlord!" Shin informed them.
"What?!" everyone exclaimed at once.
"We have to stop him at once!" Mistress Kira exclaimed.
"But we can't leave Aurora on her own. Shin bring Aurora here" Kyla ordered.
"I'm on it!" Shin said as he disappeared.
In the next moment, he was at the entrance to the Forest Of Awakening. He found Aurora lying on the ground unconscious still clutching the Twin Saggeesian Sabres. Shin carried her in his arms and teleported them back to the hospital.
"I'm back" he said as he placed Aurora on another bed.
Aurora looked badly hurt.
"No way, how could Reis do this?" Erasa said in shock.
"I'll get the doctor" Kyla volunteered and left the ward.
"I guess it didn't work after all" Darak said with a disappointed look on his face.
Mistress Kira sighed.
"It's probably because she hates swordsmanship" she reasoned.
Soon, Kyla returned with the doctor.
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"I'll attend to her wounds right away" the doctor said as he stretched his hands over Aurora.
A strong blue light enveloped Aurora's body and her wounds disappeared.
"She's completely healed now though she'll still feel a bit tired" the doctor said as he left the ward.
Aurora opened her eyes and looked around.
"H-How did I get here?" she asked.
"Shin brought you" Kyla said.
"What happened?" Erasa asked.
Tears began to flow down Aurora's face as she struggled to sit up.
"I'm not strong enough. I can't help anyone. I couldn't feel Reis' heart and I couldn't even land a hit. I'm just a failure!" Aurora wept.
Mistress Kira looked at her with understanding eyes.
"You just didn't try hard enough" Shin said.
"Get off her case already!" Kyla yelled angrily.
"I tried everything, I charged, I attacked…but I was simply no match" Aurora said sadly.
"Aurora, what really is a sword to you?" Darak asked.
Aurora frowned.
"To me, a sword is nothing more than a useless weapon" Aurora said glumly.
"I see, that's the problem" Darak said.
"What do you mean?" Kyla asked.
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"A sword is not just a weapon, it's an extension of yourself. It shares your spirit and since you don't believe in it, it doesn't believe in you" Darak said.
"Are you trying to say swords are alive?" Aurora asked skeptically.
"In a way, yes. When a swordsman learns to trust himself and his sword, the sword takes on a life of its own and becomes more than just a weapon. It becomes an ally. A sword is also a reflection of its wielder's strength and I'm not talking of physical strength. I'm talking of the strength that comes from your heart" Darak said.
"How am I this weak?" Aurora said staring at her palms in despair.
"Are you still babbling about that?! Let it go already! Look, you failed once, I get it but aren't you alive? Isn't that enough reason to try again?!" Shin scolded her.
"It's so easy for you to talk like that! You don't know what it feels like, not being able to do anything!" Aurora yelled.
"No I don't but Reis does. You think Reis is all powerful? Do you think he is some kind of god? When you slapped him on the day of the KIA rangers' memorial ceremony, Reis wanted to quit being a ranger, I'll tell you what I told him then. Don't just sit around hoping for a miracle because it will never come and even if it does, you will never see it. Go out there and create a miracle with your own hands!" Shin yelled.
Everyone gasped in surprise.
"Was Shin…always this wise? Shin, the idiot of the class? Is he really the one saying all this?" Aurora asked herself.
"I now understand why he was chosen by a Psychic Dragon. This boy understands the human heart more than most adults could hope to" Mistress Kira thought silently.
Aurora just stared speechlessly at Shin.
"Okay, did I just say that?" Shin laughed nervously.
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"Darak please tell me how I can activate the power of the Saggeesian Blades" Aurora asked.
"Firstly, you must rid your heart of your hatred for swordsmanship. Secondly, believe in yourself, thirdly, focus, fourthly visualize your opponent's movement as a reflection of his emotion, fifthly…" Darak was lecturing when Mistress Kira cut him off.
"Aye, Aye, we get the point already. You're only going to confuse her. Aurora, it will come naturally to you like a long forgotten memory. Just follow rule number one" Mistress Kira said with a smile.
"And that is…" Aurora questioned.
"Don't lose to the same guy twice!" Mistress Kira said with a serious look on her face.
Aurora clutched the Twin Saggeesian Sabres tightly.
"I'll try again!" she said.
"One more thing, when fighting a powerful foe, greater strength is derived from the knowledge of finality. In other words, this is your last chance. Don't lose!" Mistress Kira ordered.
"We'll all be around to help you this time" Shin said.
"Thanks guys" Aurora said as she stood up.
"So I guess we should get going" Darak said.
"And where do you think you're going young man!" Mistress Kira said sternly.
"To help of course!" Darak said as he put on his shirt.
"You'll only hurt yourself more!" Mistress Kira scolded.
"Remember the vow we made on our first field mission together. You, me, Aurora and Jared?" Darak asked.
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Aurora smiled.
"Of course. We promised that as long as we're members of Team Kira, we would never abandon each other" Aurora said.
"Aye, and Reis Dragonhӓart is a member of Team Kira!" Darak declared.
"You're right. Just take good care of Aurora; and yourself" Mistress Kira said.
"I will. Count on me to complete this mission, Captain Kira!" Darak saluted.
"Heh! You haven't called me that in a while" Mistress Kira said.
"Well get used to it Cap'n. Okay Shin, let's get going!" Darak exclaimed.
"Okay, hang on everybody, destination, Rangers HQ!" Shin said as they disappeared into thin air.
Meanwhile, there was mayhem at the Rangers' HQ. Armageddon stormed the place destroying everything in his path while heading to the Dragonlord's chamber. He soon arrived at the door leading to the Daragonlord's chamber and broke it down. He walked indignantly towards the Dragonlord's throne. The Dragonlord watched Armageddon calmly. He didn't seem bothered at all.
"I wondered what that odious smell I was sensing from halfway to this chamber was" the Dragonlord insulted calmly.
"A human calling himself the Dragonlord is…unforgivable!" Armageddon roared causing a huge earthquake.
"Why are you here Armageddon?" the Dragonlord questioned calmly.
"To kill you, rule the Dragons, exterminate humans and finally rule all of Ryugaeia!" Armageddon declared with an unpleasant smile.
"You…are…a…fool. There will be nothing to rule once you exterminate humans" the Dragonlord said.
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"I will make Ryugaeia a world solely for Dragons!" Armageddon said.
The Dragonlord began to clap for him.
"Wonderful Armageddon, you almost sound like you care about the Dragons" the Dragonlord said.
"I hate the other Dragons. They ruined my plans ten millennia ago" Armageddon growled angrily. "I'll make them suffer humiliation as their new leader and then…I'll destroy their hearts and turn them into Dark Dragons" Armageddon said.
"What a grand plan…but there's one fatal flaw. Only a god can destroy the hearts of the dragons and you are obviously far from being a god. You do not even have your own body" the Dragonlord mocked.
"SHUT UP!" Armageddon roared.
"Oh I'm sorry, I forgot your body was sealed in Oblivion, how very thoughtless of me" the Dragonlord mocked.
"I said SHUT UP! ONE MORE WORD AND I'LL END YOUR MISERABLE EXISTENCE!" Armageddon threatened.
"You should have done that immediately you arrived. Do you not feel it? 'The Fated Ones' have gathered here" the Dragonlord said just as Shin and the others appeared in the Dragonlord's chambers.
"Armageddon!" Darak roared angrily.
Armageddon laughed.
"You mean to tell me that these puny human children are 'The Fated Ones?' Don't make me laugh. They'll never have the power to defeat me even in a billion years!" Armageddon mocked.
Shin and the others walked towards Armageddon.
"We don't know what you're talking about but we've got a surprise for you!" Darak said as he pointed towards the others.
They parted slowly to reveal Aurora brandishing the Twin Saggeesian Sabres with a very determined look on her face.
"You again?! I spared you once but that is a mistake that can easily be remedied!" Armageddon said as he unsheathed Reis' sword and took Reis' fighting stance.
"You'll find me very different from the person you fought earlier on…HAAAH!" Aurora yelled as a huge amount of blue aura enveloped her body and her blades.
Her blades reacted to her aura and began to glow brilliantly. Armageddon watched her in fascination.
"Your will is stronger than before but your resolve can easily be broken. Let me prove it to you!" Armageddon roared as he charged to attack her.
Aurora charged towards Armageddon and raised the Light Sabre to attack. Armageddon struck and their swords clashed.
"It'll be the same result" Armageddon said.
"We'll see, HAAH!" Aurora yelled as the Light Sabre phased through Armageddon's blade.
"No way!" Armageddon exclaimed in shock.
Aurora quickly turned the blade and struck Armageddon's throat with the blunt side of the Sabre.
Armageddon coughed, then he smiled.
"Just kidding!" he said as he kicked Aurora.
Aurora flew quite a distance and fell to the ground.
"Aurora!" Erasa screamed.
"Let her do this on her own. It's her fight" Darak said.
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Erasa calmed down.
Aurora stood up.
"You're powerful but power isn't everything!" Aurora said as she charged to attack Armageddon.
Armageddon clashed blades with her and they began a fierce sword battle.
"You've actually gotten stronger within this short period so…I guess it's time for me to end this!" Armageddon roared as he changed his fighting stance to Irik the Devil's fighting stance.
"Aurora watch out! That style is dangerous!" Darak warned.
Aurora watched Armageddon's stance closely. It was faint but she could perceive dark flames around his body and his sword. Aurora held the Twin Saggeesian Sabres defensively in front of her.
"Here I come!" Armageddon roared as he charged with amazing speed to attack Aurora. Aurora watched him closely.
"OBLIV…!" Armageddon began to roar but Aurora could see something strange.
"NOOO!!!" she heard Reis' voice and in the next moment, a projection of Reis ran from Reis' body and shielded her.
"Reis" Aurora called in surprise. "…ION STRIKE!!!" Armageddon roared.
"Aurora, just follow my lead. You can do it!" Reis declared as he charged towards Armageddon. It seemed like Aurora was the only one that could see Reis.
She ran behind him and just as Armageddon's sword was about to pierce Reis, she saw him sidestep, then spin out of the way, now, the sword was headed for her, she did the same and the sword missed her. Reis moved his fingers along Armageddon's arm. Aurora did the same.
"Now for the final touch…DRAGON PARRY!" Reis and Aurora called as they directed Armageddon's power through their bodies and shot it through the roof,
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then gave Armageddon a footsweep sending Armageddon sprawling to the ground.
Reis turned to Aurora and winked, then he disappeared.
Aurora smiled.
"Even when your mind is not your own, you still protect me" she thought with a smile.
"Wh-what? Aurora used Dragon Parry? H-How's that even possible?" Shin exclaimed in shock.
Mistress Kira smiled.
"She's finally beginning to see it" Mistress Kira said.
"You mean Reis' heart?" Kyla asked.
Mistress Kira nodded.
"YOU! HOW DID YOU COUNTER MY ATTACK?!" Armageddon roared in a rage.
"You better than anyone should know not to show your trump cards too often" Aurora said with a satisfied smile.
"IT'S HIM ISN'T IT?! THAT ABOMINABLE DRAGONHӒART! ALWAYS INTERFERING WITH MY PLANS, BUT THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME! I WILL KILL HIS SPIRIT!!!" Armageddon roared hysterically as he suddenly began to release a huge amount of Dark flames.
"AAAAHHH!!!" Reis began to scream in pain.
Aurora ran to Reis.
"Reis! Reis! What's happening to you?!" Aurora called hysterically.
"Armageddon is trying to kill Reis' spirit!" the Dragonlord informed them.
"What can we do?" Aurora asked.
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"The only way to save Reis is to battle Armageddon within Reis' subconscious. You must travel into Reis' mind" the Dragonlord said.
Aurora looked at Shin.
"Can you do it?" she asked.
"I've never done something like that before" Shin said doubtfully.
"But do you think you can do it?" Aurora asked.
Shin seemed to think for a while, then he smiled determinedly.
"Yes, I can! But I need something precious to Reis" Shin said.
"Easy enough, it's his sword" Aurora said as she removed Reis' sword from his hands.
Reis collapsed to the ground in an unconscious heap.
"We need to hurry!" Aurora said.
Shin took Reis' sword and closed his eyes.
"Gather around me and hold Reis' sword" Shin instructed and everyone obeyed.
Shin placed his fingers on his forehead.
"Okay, here we go!" Shin called as they disappeared.
When they appeared, they were in a world surrounded by darkness but there was a faint light coming from above. Everyone looked up and saw that the light had been eclipsed by dark flames.
"Where is this place?" Erasa asked nervously.
"Do you really need to ask? It's Reis' heart" Aurora answered and in the next instant they heard a terrible roar and a painful scream.
"It's Reis, we've got to hurry!" Aurora said as she led the others towards the source of the voice.
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They ran and ran and finally found themselves in a dark forest.
"Where is this?" Aurora asked.
"It's the forest from Reis' dreams. I think he is close by" Shin answered.
"Then let's go!" Aurora ordered and they ran through the forest searching for Reis.
The more they ran towards the screams however, the farther off the screams seemed to be until they could no longer hear the screams altogether.
"What's going on? The screams seem to be out of reach" Mistress Kira noticed.
"Shin, do you have any ideas as to what is happening?" Mistress Kira asked.
"There is only one thing I can think of. Reis' pain is isolating us from his heart" Shin reasoned.
"What do we do?" Aurora asked.
"Well there's that…and there's also the possibility that Reis' spirit is dying" Darak added.
"NO WAY!" everyone exclaimed at once in fear.
"Don't even joke about that!" Kyla yelled angrily.
"No, he's right. Reis' heart is being consumed by the darkness of pain, guilt and loneliness…and evil!" Mistress Kira explained.
"That explains the black flames eclipsing the light!" Shin said.
"Then we'd better hurry!" Aurora said as she began to run through the forest.
As they ran, they became increasingly aware of a dark shadow crossing their path many times.
Mistress Kira motioned for them to stop.
"Show yourself!" she ordered as she unsheathed her sword.
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"You are quite powerful to have noticed my presence. I didn't expect us to meet so soon especially since our previous encounter was quite unpleasant" a deep calm voice spoke as a huge shadow began to approach them from the trees ahead.
Slowly, the outline of the shadow began to become visible and in the next instant, the shadow was revealed as a gigantic Kaignis wolf.
"The Kaignis King!" Mistress Kira exclaimed in horror.
"Sabre-fang is my name!" the Kaignis wolf spoke.
"You are the Kaignis wolf that shared its power with Reis" Mistress Kira said.
"That I am" Sabre-fang said.
"What are your intentions?" Mistress Kira asked.
"Do you really need to ask? I am here to help you save Reis from the darkness" Sabre-fang spoke.
"How?" Mistress Kira asked.
"I will take you to meet Reis' Light! He has been awaiting your arrival for centuries" Sabre-fang said.
"CENTURIES?!" everyone exclaimed at once.
"Sorry, I meant to say…MILLENIA" Sabre-fang said.
"MILLENIA?!" they exclaimed again.
"Come with me. He will explain" Sabre-fang said as he lay on the ground.
The rangers mounted his back.
"Hang on tight!" Sabre-fang said as he zoomed through the forest.
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With the desperate Rangers on his back, Sabre-fang raced through the forest with amazing speed. Soon they were out of the forest and racing through a desert.
"How can all of this be within one person's mind and to top it off, it's all real" Mistress Kira said in astonishment.
"This is the desert of Dragonhaӓrt's sorrow but if this shocks you…then you haven't seen anything yet!" Sabre-fang said as he built up speed.
The others had to shut their eyes because the wind blew strongly against their faces. After a while, Sabre-fang slowed down.
"You can open your eyes now and see for yourself. BEHOLD THE RYUGAEIA OF DRAGONHAӒRT'S HOPE!" Sabre-fang announced.
The Rangers struggled to open their eyes. Their eyes were watering due to the wind and their vision was blurred. They wiped their faces with the back of their hands and looked around. When they could see their surroundings, they opened their eyes wide in amazement and awe. They were on top of a high mountain and from that height, the view was amazing. They beheld a lush, green land, well-watered by four great rivers that flowed into a large ocean.
"WOW! Is this really Reis' heart?!" Erasa questioned in amazement.
"And that's not all…" Sabre-fang said as sudden loud roars sounded from above them.
"What's that noise?" Shin asked as he raised his eyes to the skies.
What they saw was so amazing that it brought tears to their eyes. Millions of dragons filled the skies. They seemed so free and happy and they had one another.
"THERE'S EHUM!" Kyla exclaimed as she pointed towards a dragon that was leading a legion of other dragons that looked similar to it in colour and appearance.
"AND THERE'S DRACO!" Shin exclaimed.
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"AND INFERNO!" Mistress Kira exclaimed joyfully.
"TERRA'S HERE TOO!" Erasa exclaimed.
"Hey! What the heck is Dragnarӧk doing in Reis' mind?!" Darak yelled angrily.
"Marina's here too. It almost makes me want to cry" Aurora said regretfully.
"Huh?" everyone stared at her in surprise.
"I've only been thinking of myself and making Reis suffer because of my pain…but Reis has all of Ryugaiea in his heart…the true meaning of Ryugaeia" Aurora said with a sad smile.
Shin laughed.
"What the heck are you laughing for you thickheaded jerk!" Kyla said aiming a blow to the back of Shin's head but Shin evaded.
"There's no need for you to feel sad anymore Aurora. Fate has given you the opportunity to make things right" Shin consoled.
Aurora smiled.
"I'm glad" she said.
"Now that you've sorted out your feelings, let's go to see the Light" Sabre-fang said.
They mounted Sabre-fang's back and sped through the land and finally arrived at the edge of a huge crevice. The crevice was wide and impossible to cross. There was a huge monolith that reached from the depths of the crevice into the skies.
"Don't tell me the Light is…?!" Kyla exclaimed in fear.
"Yes, he is above the monolith. We must get to the top of the monolith" Sabre fang said as he took a few steps back and crouched slightly.
"DON'T YOU DARE!" Kyla warned.
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"Hmmph! I was never any good at listening to humans!" Sabre-fang said with a smile and in the next instant he was racing towards the edge of the crevice.
He leapt over the crevice!
"AAAAAAHHHH!!!" the teenage rangers screamed and in the next instant they began to fall into the crevice.
"DAMN! I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE IT!" Sabre-fang exclaimed.
"WHAAAAAT?!" everyone screamed.
"Heh! Just kidding! Hang on tight!" Sabre-fang called as widespread wings materialized at his sides.
He began to ascend while circling the monolith.
"DON'T SCARE US LIKE THAT DAMN IT!" Kyla yelled angrily.
"I really enjoy seeing humans so scared. It brings a tear to my eyes" Sabre-fang laughed.
"Careful, Darak, you've got competition" Shin teased.
"And what's that supposed to mean?!" Darak shouted.
"It means your levels of evil are at par with each other" Shin teased some more.
"Well I guess I can accept a challenge" Darak said in a relaxed tone.
"You're so annoying, you know that?" Shin said.
"Whatever" Darak ignored him.
Soon, they were above the clouds but something was strange, the top of that thin monolith was as large as a town. They descended trying to make meaning of this.
"Wow, I didn't think my rival was retarded enough to have such an illogical thing in his mind" Darak concluded.
Shin frowned slightly.
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They looked around and noticed that the floor was tiled. There was nothing on top of the monolith except for a huge Temple.
"Go in. I'll wait for you here…and remember, the Light is very ancient and there is wisdom behind its every utterance, though you may not understand some of its utterances now" Sabre-fang advised.
They walked towards the Temple and entered it. The interior of the Temple was glowing a dazzling gold. They walked till they stood in the holiest part of the Temple. That part of the Temple was so bright they had to shield their eyes.
"What do you seek brave humans?" a deep voice questioned them.
They looked around trying to find the source of the voice. As they looked around, a bright golden figure descended to the ground. It was cloaked in so much light that it was hard to discern what manner of creature it was. The figure spread its wings and that was when the Rangers were able to see it. It was a huge golden dragon with a bright golden gem embedded in its forehead. It had golden horns and its head and eyes glowed bright gold. Even its body glowed with a bright golden colour.
"IT CAN'T BE…!!!" Mistress Kira exclaimed in shock as she dropped to her knees in fear and respect.
"Who is he?" Aurora asked.
"I AM ALPHA! SOVEREIGN RULER OF ALL DRAGONS!" the figure declared.
The others stared in shock.
"Do not fear. You came to me for a purpose, now let that purpose be revealed" Alpha said solemnly.
"Great Alpha, we came into the mind of a boy named…" Mistress Kira was saying when Alpha interrupted,
"REIS DRAGONHAӒRT!" he said.
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"Yes, this is his mind and he is being controlled by…" Mistress Kira was saying when Alpha interrupted again,
"ARMAGEDDON!" he said.
"We believe that Armageddon is trying to kill Reis' spirit so we intend to…" Mistress Kira was saying when Alpha interrupted yet again,
"SAVE HIM!" he said.
"Exactly, you seem to know our intentions already, my lord" Mistress Kira said respectfully.
"If that is your intention…then you will not like what I must say and I only tell the truth" Alpha said.
"We will listen to whatever you have to say, my lord" Mistress Kira said.
Alpha sighed.
"Light is one, Darkness is one, the heart embodies both and only the heart can decide which should rule" Alpha said solemnly.
Mistress Kira opened her eyes in shock.
"Are you trying to say…?!" Mistress Kira exclaimed.
"I'm not trying to say anything. I'm saying what I mean. It is useless for you to try to defeat the darkness in Reis' heart" Alpha said solemnly.
"You can't be serious!" Aurora exclaimed in denial.
"I am. The heart is a mirror of its owner's desires. Light is but a reflection of darkness and darkness, a reflection of Light" Alpha said.
"That doesn't make sense! It's like saying that you are a reflection of Armageddon!" Aurora yelled.
"Such things are beyond your understanding but I will try to explain it to you. The heart is a mirror of Light and darkness however one of the two is false, one is
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true. One truly exists and the other preys on the corners of reality yet they are both given life through the heart" Alpha explained.
The Rangers looked confused but strangely enough, Shin seemed to understand.
"I get it! What you mean is that all outward actions begin within the heart and every living being with a heart must choose to belong either to Light or to darkness!" Shin explained.
"I see" Mistress Kira agreed.
"Then you must understand this also, a person must conquer the darkness within his heart of his own volition. Others can assist but only the wielder of the heart can make that choice to conquer himself. Another cannot do this for him" Alpha said.
"There is wisdom in that" Mistress Kira agreed.
"But is there something we can do to help Reis?" Aurora asked desperately.
"Reis Dragonhaӓrt cannot be saved by you. Give up. Drive yourselves out of Reis' mind. Fighting means nothing in here!" Alpha said a string of sentences as though he intended to break the Rangers' spirits.
"We won't give up on Reis! Even if we can't defeat Armageddon, we'll never abandon Reis!" Aurora yelled angrily.
"Your understanding is so narrow" Alpha said.
"Alpha! Please answer this. Is Reis really the Dragonheart?!" Shin asked.
"HUH?!" everyone but Kyla stared at him in shock.
"ARE YOU AN IDIOT OR SOMETHING?! REIS CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO MEASURE UP TO THE STRENGTH OF THE DRAGONHEART!" Darak yelled angrily.
"True, the Dragonhaӓrt has been born…however, it is barely conscious and the time has not yet come for it to be revealed, but when that time comes, I can assure you that dragons will be reborn!" Alpha said in a nostalgic tone.
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The other rangers were happy to hear this however they were saddened by the fact that they could not do anything to help Reis.
"How can you ask us to quit?" Aurora said sadly.
"The answer lies in the beginning" Alpha said.
"The answer…lies in the beginning? Is this supposed to be some sort of code?" Shin wondered as he thought of Alpha's words deeply.
He smiled.
"Thanks Alpha! I get it!" Shin laughed.
"You seem to be the wisest ranger present. I leave the rest to you. Farewell!" Alpha said as he disappeared.
"Come on, let's get out of here" Shin said as he left the Temple.
The others followed, still looking confused. They met Sabre-fang outside.
"So how did it go?" Sabre-fang asked.
"He told us to quit" Aurora said sadly.
"Can you tell it to me in exactly his words?" Sabre-fang asked.
Aurora repeated Alpha's depressing words.
"He also said 'the answer lies in the beginning'" Erasa added.
Sabre-fang thought for a while.
"It's amazing! I did not think he would give you such a straightforward answer" Sabre-fang said.
"But what kind of an answer is that? It doesn't help in any way" Aurora said.
"You're quite lucky he did not ask you to burn the ocean or water the desert" Sabre-fang sighed.
65
"Alpha actually requests such things?!" Erasa gasped in surprise.
"Well he's not the King of the Dragons for nothing" Sabre-fang said.
"But how could he ask us to quit? I always pictured Alpha as the figure of truth and courage, not to talk of selflessness" Aurora said in disappointment.
"He is all that. Come on, haven't you guys figured it out yet?" Shin said.
"Figured what out?" Erasa asked.
"Alpha is not asking us to quit! He's asking us to help Reis!" Shin exclaimed.
"But he said…" Aurora was about to say when Shin interrupted her.
"He only coded his words because he as the Light of Reis' heart shares a link with Armageddon who is the darkness of Reis' heart. If he told us clearly to fight, Armageddon would have detected it" Shin explained.
"I don't understand. Exactly what in his message is telling us to fight?" Aurora asked.
"Alpha signifies beginnings…so if you eliminate all the other words in the string of depressing sentences he uttered and leave only the initial words, you have the words Reis, Give, Drive, Fighting. This can be interpreted as Reis must be given the drive to fight. That is the real meaning of his message and the key to freeing Reis from Armageddon's dominion" Shin explained.
"I see! So that was his true message. Shin Ayenhayze, you truly are brilliant!" Mistress Kira complimented Shin.
"Hey I'm a psychic ranger, comes with the territory" Shin said proudly.
"Sabre-fang, can you please take us to Reis?" Mistress Kira asked politely.
"Of course, leave the rest to me" Sabre-fang said as he allowed the others to mount him.
66
"I see, so Alpha wants to help Reis. We cannot lose this battle!" Aurora thought as Sabre-fang leapt off the monolith and glided through the skies.
After a while, they found themselves in the forest from Reis' dreams.
"Can we get through this forest?" Mistress Kira asked.
"Yes we can" Sabre-fang said as a loud scream filled the air.
"It's Reis! We've got to hurry!" Kyla exclaimed and in the next instant, they were racing through the forest at high speeds.
Even at that tremendous speed, the forest seemed endless.
"Will we make it in time?!" Aurora exclaimed worriedly.
"While we're on our way, I think it's imperative we come up with a plan of attack" Shin suggested.
"Have you got anything in mind?" Darak questioned.
"Well…just a little charade I'd like to call melodrama" Shin said in an annoyingly casual way.
"Care to explain?" Mistress Kira asked.
Shin explained in such a way that only the six of them could hear.
"WHAAAT?! THAT'S YOUR FOOLPROOF PLAN?! YOU'RE INSANE!!!" the others yelled at Shin.
"Come on guys, think about it. We don't have the power to defeat Armageddon. Only Reis can do that so I think going a little too extreme is alright" Shin tried to calm the others.
"YOU'RE MAD! WHAT IF YOUR POWER ISN'T STRONG ENOUGH AND AURORA DIES?!" Erasa yelled.
"Not you too" Shin said in dismay.
67
"It doesn't matter as long as we can save Reis. I'd do anything, even give my life to save Reis" Aurora declared.
Everyone stared at her in shock.
"I wish Reis could hear that. It's enough to boost his morale" Kyla said with a smile.
Erasa looked away jealously and Shin felt hurt though he didn't understand why.
Soon, they were out of the forest and floating in darkness.
"We're close!" Sabre-fang said as he increased his speed.
"H-Honestly Sabre-fang, what is the limit to your speed?" Shin asked.
"Are you asking to see the true limits of my speed?" Sabre-fang asked.
"N-No, I wouldn't…" Shin was saying when Darak cut him off.
"Yes, show us your true speed" Darak said with a wicked smile.
Sabre-fang smiled.
"Don't fall off…is what I'd like to say but in this case…don't be ripped to shreds by the wind…and don't blame me…EVEN IF YOU DIE!!!" Sabre-fang roared as he crouched and suddenly boosted himself forward.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!" the others screamed as they raced through a blur of light.
Meanwhile, a little further off, Armageddon was torturing Reis with black flames.
"ACCURSED DRAGONHAӒRT! ALWAYS MEDDLING IN MY PLANS!!!" Armageddon roared as he increased the intensity of the flames.
Reis screamed in pain and dropped on his knees.
"I won't let you…hurt Aurora" Reis said weakly.
68
"Hurt her? I think you misunderstand me. I don't want to hurt Aurora…I want to kill her!" Armageddon roared.
Reis stared at the huge black dragon in disgust.
"Even bound in chains, you are still despicable!" Reis yelled.
"These shackles shall be broken by your death!" Armageddon roared as he consumed Reis with more dark flames.
"LET HIM GO!" a sudden voice yelled.
"Ah, speaking of the devil, Aurora has arrived Reis. She has come to accept her death…by my hands!" Armageddon laughed.
Aurora dismounted Sabre-fang and unsheathed the Twin Saggeesian Sabres. The others unsheathed their weapons as well.
"Oh, so a ragtag band of rangers believe they can stand up to my power? How stupidly naïve!" Armageddon said as a huge aura suddenly burst from his body.
The other rangers collapsed to the ground from the force of this sudden release.
"Everyone! Summon your dragons!" Mistress Kira ordered.
The rangers raised their rings but nothing happened.
"I'm afraid you will find it rather impossible to summon your dragons in here" Armageddon mocked.
The rangers stared at their rings in shock.
"So…let me commence the spirit killing ceremony now that you're all present" Armageddon laughed as he increased the size and intensity of the flames around Reis to infernal levels.
"AAAAAHHHHH!!!" Reis screamed as he struggled with the pain.
69
"NO! REIS!" Aurora screamed as she ran towards Reis and initiated a water technique with the intention of drowning the flames but the water she created was simply evaporated the moment it came into contact with the flames.
"Even water has no effect! Reis! Hang on!" Aurora screamed as she ran towards Reis.
"N-NO! AURORA! Stay away. These flames will kill you!" Reis struggled to warn Aurora.
Aurora froze in her tracks.
"I'm afraid he's right. Reis has only survived for this long because he is a strong spirit. However if you…who came here in the flesh were to come into contact with my flames…you would immediately disintegrate into nothingness" Armageddon mocked.
"Armageddon. Please release Reis. Let him go. I beg of you!" Aurora pleaded at the point of tears.
"Begging me on your feet means nothing. It would be a much more appealing sight to see the Princess of Saggeese begging on her knees" Armageddon mocked.
Aurora bowed her head.
Reis couldn't hear clearly due to the pain but he knew that Armageddon was asking Aurora to demean herself.
"Fine, if that is what it will take for you to free Reis, then I will do it" Aurora said in a trembling voice as she dropped on her knees and lowered her head till her forehead touched the ground.
"Please…lord Armageddon. I implore you to release Reis Dragonhaӓrt" Aurora pleaded.
"Aurora…no, you don't have to do this!" Reis yelled.
70
"I admire your courage Aurora…but I cannot allow Reis to live!" Armageddon roared as he once again engulfed Reis with the dark inferno.
"DAMN YOU!!!" Aurora yelled as she suddenly combined the Twin Saggeesian Blades to form the Heart Sabre and charged to attack Armageddon.
"TH-THAT'S THE HEART SABRE!" Mistress Kira exclaimed in shock.
"Nice try Aurora…but now that you've been able to create a Heart Sabre, I cannot allow you to live. RECONCILE WITH REIS IN THE NETHERWORLD!!!" Armageddon roared as he shot a huge ball of fire from his mouth.
"NOW'S THE TIME!" Shin exclaimed as he suddenly shut his eyes.
The ball of fire hit Aurora with full force and blasted her into the air. She screamed in pain as she collapsed to the ground. She struggled for a while and grew still.
"AURORA!" the others called and rushed to her side.
"Finally, that irritating thorn has been removed from my flesh" Armageddon said happily.
Reis stared in shock.
"AU…RO…RA!" he struggled to speak from the shock.
He forced himself to endure the pain inflicted by the flames and struggled to move towards where Aurora lay. He reached her and dropped on his knees in dismay.
"Yes Dragonhaӓrt! I have taken your most precious treasure from you. Feel the pain! Give in to hatred!" Armageddon urged Reis on.
"Aurora…hey. Wake up" Reis called gently as tears began to stream down his face.
Armageddon temporarily released Reis from the flames to revel in the tragic scene he had created.
71
Reis lifted Aurora's head into his arms. She had serious wounds on her arms and feet as a result of the flames.
Aurora didn't respond.
"AURORA! YOU CAN'T BE DEAD! OPEN YOUR EYES!" Reis screamed but Aurora remained still.
"You can't be…you just can't be…NOOOO!!!" Reis screamed as a bright golden light engulfed him. "Armageddon…I promise you that…YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!!!" Reis roared as a huge release of energy gushed out from his body.
"WHAT IS THIS?! WHAT IS THIS POWER?! WHAT IS THIS LIGHT?!" Armageddon exclaimed in shock and fear.
By that time, Reis was completely concealed by the light. He stood up and a strange force lifted him into the air. Lightning flashed around him and orange flames surrounded him.
"What is that?!" Darak pointed towards the light.
Two huge wings had spread apart as a bright flash of light revealed the new form. It was a great warrior, clothed in golden armour. He wore a golden crown on his head and a pair of golden boots on his feet. The warrior wore a great golden belt around his waist and held a great sword that took the form of a golden cross.
"I know that form! It's you isn't it. You're a Drakengaӓrd!" Armageddon roared in anger.
The rangers stared in awe.
"I've been holding back long enough! It's about time I got serious!" Armageddon roared as he shattered the shackles binding him.
"I AM THE GOLDEN DRAKENGAӒRD! THE HAND OF DIVINE RETRIBUTION!!!" the figure introduced himself.
72
"WHAT?! REIS IS ACTUALLY THE GOLDEN DRAKENGAӒRD?!" Darak and Mistress Kira exclaimed in shock.
"I knew it! He really is a Guardian Angel!" Erasa exclaimed joyfully.
"I LOATHE YOU GOLDEN DRAKENGAӒRD! YOU WERE THE ONE THAT CAST ME FROM THE STARS OF HEAVEN!!!" Armageddon roared.
"And now you seek to rule Ryugaeia! You have become the embodiment of evil and must be punished!" Reis said as though in a divine trance.
"We shall see!" Armageddon roared as he flew to attack Reis.
"YOU ARE NO MATCH FOR ME!" Armageddon roared angrily.
"Perhaps you have forgotten that the Powers of Light are limitless. Fine then…LET ME REMIND YOU!!!" Reis roared as he suddenly appeared in front of Armageddon and struck Armageddon on the head with the Cross-shaped sword.
Armageddon collapsed to the ground severely weakened by the attack.
"HOW IS THIS… THIS POSSIBLE?! HOW CAN SUCH A SMALL SWORD WEAKEN ME ALMOST FATALLY?!" Armageddon roared.
"You've grown strong enough to break my initial seal. Fine then, I shall reseal you!" Reis said as he made the Sign Of The Cross.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Armageddon screamed in fear.
"I'll seal you with the very seal of the God Of The Heart! TAKE THIS! SEAL OF THE CROSS!!!" Reis roared as he threw the sword.
It pierced Armageddon and entered his body. Almost immediately, huge crosses began to grow from Armageddon's body staking him tightly to the ground. Heavier shackles appeared on Armageddon's feet.
Armageddon laughed.
73
"You are only prolonging the inevitable. The very thing you are fighting to protect is that which gives me life. Know this Dragonhaӓrt! I will have you…and when I do, ALL OF RYUGAEIA…IS DOOMED!" Armageddon laughed as he faded into the depths of Reis' heart.
Reis transformed back into himself and collapsed from sheer exhaustion. Shin ran to Aurora's side and checked her aura. It was faint but it was still circulating through her body.
"Phew! Aurora's alive!" Shin sighed happily.
"Shin, let's get out of here!" Mistress Kira ordered.