MEMORIES OF THE PHANTOM THIEF PART I: PROMISE FROM THE PAST
Team Kira stood in the corridor of the hospital anxiously waiting for news. After the battle had ended, Shin immediately teleported everyone from the Dragonlord's chamber to the hospital. The doctor was surprised to see them at the hospital again. Now, they were awaiting news regarding Aurora and Reis.
The doctor soon arrived. He looked worn out.
"How are they?" Mistress Kira asked.
The doctor sighed.
"Aurora's going to be fine. She wasn't hurt too badly. She just blacked out from shock" the doctor informed them.
Mistress Kira sighed.
"I'm glad she's alright. Apparently Shin's plan worked well" Mistress Kira said.
"What of Reis?" Kyla asked.
The doctor frowned.
"I don't know how to tell you this but…" he paused.
Fear shot through the hearts of the rangers.
"But what doctor?" Erasa asked.
"Reis is in a perilous state. His life energy has almost been totally diminished. We are still trying to save him but his chances of surviving…are slimmer than a thread" the doctor informed them.
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The rangers were dumbfounded by the news. Erasa and Kyla broke down in tears. Shin and Darak could hardly speak. Even Mistress Kira didn't know how to handle the news. Almost immediately, a nurse ran towards them.
"Doctor! Aurora's beginning to regain consciousness!" the nurse informed them.
"Let's go and see her!" Erasa said happily.
"No, you kids should stay here. I'll talk to Aurora. I'm sure she's got a lot of questions and we've got to be as subtle as possible with the news" Mistress Kira said.
"We understand" the rangers said sadly.
Mistress Kira walked to the door that led to Aurora's ward and sighed deeply. Then she opened the door and walked in. Aurora sat on the bed looking confused.
"Wh-What happened? Where am I?" she asked.
"You're in the hospital. How do you feel? Do you remember anything?" Mistress Kira asked.
Aurora thought deeply. She recalled the darkness, the black sinister dragon, the infernal flames and soon all her memories came back.
"I remember! We were all trying to save Reis when Armageddon knocked me out with a ball of fire. If we're here…then it means Reis is okay! Right?" Aurora said hopefully.
Mistress Kira looked sad. She tried to hide it but her efforts weren't good enough.
"The plan worked didn't it?" Aurora asked.
Mistress Kira sighed.
"Yes Aurora, the plan worked. In fact, Reis transformed into a Drakengaӓrd and resealed Armageddon's spirit" Mistress Kira informed Aurora.
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"A Drakengaӓrd huh? Wow, that Reis sure is full of surprises" Aurora said in surprise.
"So how are the others?" Aurora asked.
"They are fine" Mistress Kira answered.
"And…how is Reis?" Aurora asked.
Mistress Kira remained silent. A look of worry showed on Aurora's face.
"M-Mistress Kira? I asked you how Reis is" Aurora said in a trembling voice beginning to realize that something was horribly wrong.
Mistress Kira turned her back to Aurora and sighed.
"Aurora, we tried our best but you've got to know that sometimes it's just not enough and bad things happen. You've got to be strong Aurora!" Mistress Kira said as she turned to face Aurora.
"Mistress Kira…tell me how Reis is please!" Aurora demanded fearfully.
"Aurora…Reis is fighting for his life this very minute. His life energy was almost totally diminished" Mistress Kira said seriously.
Aurora put her hand on her mouth in shock as tears began to flow down her eyes.
"Aurora…there is something I've been meaning to ask you. What exactly does Reis Dragonhaӓrt mean to you?" Mistress Kira asked.
"Why do you ask that question? You know nothing can ever exist between Reis and I because of the promise I made to Sir Jinrai" Aurora said sadly.
"The promise you made to care for Jinrai's son. Never to abandon him and to fill the void left by losing his father. I know about that but didn't Jinrai ask you to follow your own heart?" Mistress Kira asked.
"It was the last thing he said to me" Aurora replied.
"So what do you really feel for Reis?" Mistress Kira questioned again.
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Aurora looked sad.
"Reis is just a friend" Aurora said.
"You say that…but recent happenings have shown that you care for Reis more than you'd like to admit" Mistress Kira said.
"I want to see Reis" Aurora stood up in an attempt to evade the subject.
Mistress Kira sighed.
"I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable" Mistress Kira apologized.
"Don't read any meaning into the care I show for Reis. He's no more than a dear friend…that's all" Aurora said with a little difficulty.
"You should rest a bit Aurora. Though the doctors have managed to heal your wounds and Shin's psychic barrier protected you from a greater portion of the impact of Armageddon's attack, there is a limit to how much your body can endure" Mistress Kira advised.
"I'm not stressing myself. I'll only walk around a bit, nothing more" Aurora promised.
Mistress Kira sighed.
"If you say so" she said.
Aurora walked to where the other rangers were.
"Hey Aurora! You're alright!" Shin exclaimed happily.
"Thanks to you" Aurora said gratefully.
The doctor soon approached them.
"There is nothing more we can do for Reis. It's all up to him now" the doctor said sadly.
"Can we see him?" Aurora asked.
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"I don't see why not" the doctor said as he led them to Reis' ward.
When they entered the ward, they found Reis lying still on a bed. He was breathing very lightly and he had a peaceful look on his face.
"You know, this kid is a really great person" the doctor said.
"What makes you say that?" Mistress Kira asked.
"I remember it like just yesterday when this kid came to the hospital carrying an injured girl in his arms. He made me promise to keep it a secret because he didn't want to be treated like a hero. That girl…was you Erasa" the doctor said.
Erasa nodded.
"I know. I was meant to die that day but he healed my wounds and saved me" Erasa said with a sad smile.
"That must have been the day he came to school late and said he overslept" Darak reasoned.
Aurora remembered how mean she was to Reis that day.
"Idiot. You got punished for saving a person's life" Aurora turned away and began to weep.
"I honestly didn't think Reis could be hurt by anything" Erasa admitted.
Aurora couldn't stand being in the ward any longer.
"I'm going home" she said and before anyone could stop her she ran out of the ward and out of the hospital.
Darak was about to go after her when Mistress Kira stopped him.
"I think she needs to be alone for a while" Mistress Kira said.
Darak nodded in agreement.
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Meanwhile Aurora kept running through the streets of the Rangers' Guild. She didn't have any destination in mind but she just kept running with the Twin Saggeesian Sabres in her hand. Soon she was in Dragon High. She was so distressed that she hadn't noticed her surroundings. She kept running through the field and soon she was in the forest. She heard the howls of several Kaiser-wolves but this was one of the moments she didn't really care what happened to her. Soon she reached the edge of a cliff and stopped in her tracks and looked around. The place looked familiar but she didn't know why. She stared into the lake below. She couldn't understand the strange feeling she felt in her heart. It was as though she had fallen into an endless abyss and she couldn't climb out.
She dived into the lake below and began to swim in no specified direction. It was still night so she couldn't see anything around her but darkness. As she swam in the lake, a sharp rock suddenly cut her arm and her blood flowed through the lake in droplets. However, droplets was just what the monster in the lake needed for Aurora had trespassed in the Lake Of Kagua Beasts also known as Kaiser Lake. The lake suddenly became turbulent and a huge serpent slithered through the waters. Aurora remained still to listen to the sounds when suddenly something grabbed her by the leg and pulled her beneath the surface of the water. She struggled to free herself but the tight tentacle like body held her tightly. She removed her Saggeesian Sabres which she had sheathed before diving into the lake and swung beneath her feet in an attempt to free herself but the water resistance dulled the impact of her strike. She was beginning to lose her breath. She struggled really hard but the creature kept pulling her deeper below the surface. She could only see the faint light of the moon at the surface of the water. It seemed very distant and she began to lose hope.
"Am I going to die? You were always the one saving me Reis…and now you're no longer here" she thought as her eyes began to feel warm.
She was aware of the fact that she was crying. Her lungs began to hurt and she felt very tired. She decided to stop struggling and resign herself to her fate but just as she was about to give up, she felt something soft brush past her arm. She caught it and brought it close to her eyes. It was a long red bandanna. She opened
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her eyes in surprise as she recalled the bandanna Reis used to hide his dragon scar. It gave her strength and she began to struggle once more.
At the very instant Aurora touched the bandanna, Reis regained consciousness. He sat up suddenly, much to the surprise of everyone. He clutched his heart.
"What is this painful feeling?" he said as he stood up.
He had a very serious look on his face.
"Reis! You're up!" the others exclaimed.
"Part of me is dying" Reis said eerily.
"What?" the others questioned him but there was a sudden gust of wind and Reis had disappeared.
He was already in Dragon High. Aurora was almost out of breath. She kept trying hard to swim to the surface but the weight of the creature kept pulling her down. By that time, Reis was racing through the forest at superspeeds.
Aurora had reached her limits. After trying a few more times, she gave a sudden sigh and lost consciousness. Reis had reached the cliff. He dived into the lake and swam into its depths. With the power of the Kaignis King, he could see even in the darkness as though it was as clear as day. He saw the Kagua-serpentia dragging Aurora into the depths. Reis sped through the lake and unsheathed his sword. He reached Aurora and cut the tongue of the creature with which it had caught Aurora, then holding her close to himself, he swam to the surface. The creature did not pursue them.
Reis carried Aurora to dry land and revived her with the kiss of life. He pumped the water trapped in her lungs out and Aurora began to spew it out. Aurora opened her eyes. Her vision was blurred. She could see someone hovering above her but she couldn't see his face.
"Are you alright?" a kind familiar voice asked her.
She still couldn't see his face.
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"Reis, is that you?" Aurora asked as her vision became more focused.
Soon, she could see his face.
"It is you!" she exclaimed in joy as she threw her arms around his neck and embraced him tightly while crying.
Reis embraced her in return.
"Twice now I've almost lost you. Why do you needlessly put yourself in danger?" he asked worriedly.
"Because I know you'll always be there to save me" Aurora admitted. "Oh Reis, it really is you isn't it? Armageddon is no longer controlling you is he?" Aurora asked.
"No, I sealed Armageddon with a most powerful seal that is beyond this world. He can no longer control me freely" Reis explained.
"I'm so glad" Aurora said as she left Reis.
"You know, I thought you were gone for good this time" Aurora confessed.
Reis remained silent.
"I was so worried Reis. I'm glad you're okay" Aurora said with a smile.
Reis wiped her tears.
"You know. I think I preferred it when you hated me. Back then you didn't have to worry about me so much" Reis said.
"Then you have yourself to blame for being such a great person" Aurora joked.
Reis laughed.
"I'm sorry for putting you through so much Aurora. I'll think of a way to make it up to you, I promise" Reis said.
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"There's no need for that. I'm happy enough to know that you're alright" Aurora said.
"But still…I insist. I'll think of a way and let you know about it tomorrow okay?" Reis promised.
Aurora nodded.
"Sheesh, it's getting late, let me take you back" Reis said.
"I don't want to go back to the hospital" Aurora said.
"I wasn't thinking of taking you there. I'm talking of walking you home. That is where you were initially headed wasn't it?" Reis asked.
"Yes, it was. But you don't even know where I live" Aurora said.
"That's not a problem. You can show me" Reis insisted.
So they walked towards Team Kira's residence. As they walked along the streets, Aurora felt unsure of a question she wanted to ask Reis. Reis noticed her uneasiness.
"Aurora, is something bugging you?" he asked.
"N-No, nothing" Aurora stammered uneasily.
"Don't worry, you can tell me" Reis assured.
"Actually…I've been wondering Reis. When you told me back then that…forget it" Aurora sighed.
"Spill it" Reis insisted.
"Situations make people say crazy things sometimes. Back in the Cave Of Shadows…for a moment, I thought I heard you say that you loved me. Crazy right?" Aurora laughed nervously.
Reis remained silent.
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"I knew it. I must have imagined it" Aurora said looking a bit disappointed.
"No. I really meant it. It doesn't matter if you don't feel the same way but…I really…truly love you Aurora" Reis confessed.
Aurora stared at him in surprise.
"Reis?" she muttered in astonishment.
Deep in her heart, she felt glad but she was reluctant to express her true feelings.
"Don't say weird stuff like that you idiot" Aurora said playfully.
They had arrived at Team Kira's residence.
"But it really made me feel glad" Aurora confessed.
Reis smiled.
"We're here. Do you want to come in for a glass of water?" Aurora asked.
"No, it's late, besides, the others must be waiting for me. I'll see you in school tomorrow. Goodnight and have pleasant dreams!" Reis called as he began to walk away.
"I will, thanks!" Aurora waved as she went into the house.
Reis dashed back to the hospital to inform everyone that Aurora was not returning and he didn't intend to stay in the hospital either. After arguing with the doctor for a while, he was eventually discharged and left for the house with Shin and Kyla.
When they arrived home, Master Jin was waiting for them.
"Master Jin!" Reis called as he ran to greet his master.
"The Dragonlord and Kira informed me of everything that happened. You all did well and I'm very proud of you all" Master Jin said.
The three students bowed respectfully.
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"Come on in, it's quite cold out here" Master Jin beckoned.
They followed him inside.
They conversed as they ate their dinner.
"It seems everything's back to normal" Master Jin said.
"Reis, it's great to have you back. Though you're not a member of Team Ayenhayze, always know that from the moment you rescued us, you became a member of the Ayenhayze family" Kyla said happily.
"Get that?! It means Kyla's your sis and I'm your bro!" Shin said putting a fist forward.
Reis was taken aback by their kindness for a while but he finally knocked his fist against Shin's.
"Yep, Kyla's my sis, you're my bro and I'm your bro!" Reis said happily.
"So Reis, do you think you can attend classes tomorrow?" Master Jin asked.
"Yep!" Reis said happily.
"Then you'd better retire early" Master Jin advised.
"Goodnight guys" Reis said as he and Shin ascended the stairs.
"Goodnight…Reis" Master Jin and Kyla waved.
When Shin and Reis were on their beds, they began to converse.
"Hey Shin…thanks" Reis suddenly said.
"For what?" Shin asked unsure of why Reis was suddenly thanking him.
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"You were the one that protected Aurora from Armageddon's flames right?" Reis asked.
Shin remained silent.
"You know, it was my fault she got hit in the first place" Shin explained.
"No matter. I'll always be grateful to you for that" Reis promised.
"Don't be an idiot. We're family and families look out for each other" Shin said.
"Still…if there's anything you want me to help you with, just ask" Reis insisted.
"You can't help me out with the problem I'm having now" Shin said sadly.
"Let me at least listen to your problem" Reis said.
"Well…there's this girl…I like a lot but she's interested in…my best friend" Shin said sadly.
"Whoa, that's a big problem" Reis said in surprise.
"Who is this girl?" Reis asked.
"She's…well…she's Erasa" Shin confessed.
Reis opened his eyes in surprise and his smile faded.
"And the guy she's interested in…it's not me is it?" Reis asked worriedly.
"It is you" Shin said.
"I-I'm sorry Shin. I never meant to be a hindrance" Reis apologized.
"Don't be. After all, you can't help how Erasa feels and she chooses to love you. I just don't want to see her get hurt and it pains me to see her wish she was in Aurora's place" Shin confessed.
"But Shin, you know the one I love is Aurora right?" Reis said worriedly.
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"I know. Just forget what I said just now" Shin said as he pulled the sheets over his head.
"Goodnight Reis" Shin said as he shut his eyes.
"Goodnight Shin" Reis replied still feeling uneasy about Shin's confession.
Reis felt restless in bed. He couldn't sleep and it was partly because he hadn't yet thought of a way to make it up to Aurora. He sat up and thought deeply.
"What can I do to help Aurora feel better about recent events?" Reis wondered as he got out of bed and opened his wardrobe.
"I haven't got any money for presents so I guess…" Reis was saying as he searched his satchel.
Suddenly, six tickets fell out of his satchel.
"What's this?" Reis wondered as he picked up one of the tickets and read it.
"Ah! I remember! Old Lady Kamikaze gave these to me as a thank you gift" Reis said with a smile.
"I guess I just found a way of making it up to Aurora…but I don't think it'll be fun if it's just us so I'll invite Darak, Shin, Kyla and Erasa!" Reis laughed.
Meanwhile in Team Kira's residence, Aurora was having a hard time sleeping as well. She sat up and turned on the lights. She picked up Reis' bandanna which she had kept with her from the Lake Of Kagua Beasts. She stared at it and smiled. Then she shook her head as if waking up from a dream and placed the bandanna down.
"I can't. I promised Sir Jinrai that I'd take care of his son and fill the void left by his absence" Aurora thought.
"But Sir Jinrai also asked me to follow my heart" Aurora argued with herself. "No Aurora, stop making excuses for yourself. Sir Jinrai dedicated his life to protecting you and your family. The least you can do is to take care of his son" Aurora argued
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with her conscience. "But what of Reis?" a voice questioned her. Aurora thought for a while and came to a decision. "Reis and I can be nothing more than friends" Aurora decided.
Morning soon arrived. In the Ayenhayze residence…well, you can pretty much guess what was happening.
"BANG! BANG! BANG!!!" Kyla banged the pan lids.
"CRIMSON MOON KAIGNIS…!" Reis leapt out of bed impulsively and charged towards Kyla.
Kyla simply smashed the pan lid in his face without even turning to look at him. He fell to the ground and opened his eyes.
"Good. One down, one to…" Kyla was saying when Shin opened his eyes.
"Don't bother Kyla…I'm up" Shin said glumly.
"What's wrong Shin?" Kyla asked worriedly.
"I'm not feeling too good" Shin said.
"Are you sick?" Kyla asked.
Shin shook his head emotionlessly.
"Oh don't tell me you're lovesick again?!" Kyla exclaimed angrily.
"I'm not in the mood for an early morning argument Kyla. I think the fufu just didn't sit well yesterday" Shin tried to force a smile.
"Heh heh, I'm so beginning to love fufu" Reis chuckled evilly.
"Shut up idiot! At least I didn't throw up!" Shin yelled.
"Sheesh, no need to take it personally" Reis said nervously.
"Sorry Reis. I shouldn't be lashing out at you" Shin apologized.
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"Hey Shin. What do you think of an all you can eat invitation to Old Lady Kamikaze's?" Reis said slyly.
"What?! Are you serious?!" Shin exclaimed in shock.
Reis raised the tickets.
"Voila! So what d'ya think. Come on, I know you want it huh? Huh? Come on Shin, give me a smile, huh? Or do I have to tickle you" Reis teased.
Shin began to laugh.
"That's more like it, I'll give you two so you can invite Erasa, how's that?" Reis asked.
Shin smiled.
"Thanks Reis, you're the best!" Shin said.
Meanwhile, in Team Kira's residence, Aurora and Darak had prepared for classes.
"So do you want to tell me what happened?" Darak asked.
"What do you mean?" Aurora asked.
"Reis awoke suddenly yesterday and said part of him was dying and Shin almost couldn't sense your Aura" Darak said coolly.
Aurora felt uncomfortable.
"I don't want to talk about it" Aurora said nervously.
"Fine, fine, you can keep quiet about it if that makes you feel better" Darak sighed, "but I honestly hope you didn't try to do anything stupid".
"Heheh, I guess not" Aurora chuckled nervously.
Mistress Kira walked down the stairs with a serious look on her face.
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"Aurora, I need to talk to you privately, let's go outside" Mistress Kira said as she led Aurora to the backyard.
"Oh no! I hope she didn't find out that I nearly drowned yesterday" Aurora thought worriedly.
"You nearly drowned in the Lake Of Kagua Beasts yesterday didn't you?" Mistress Kira asked.
"Oh no! She did find out!" Aurora thought in horror.
"M-Mistress Kira…I…" Aurora tried to apologize.
"Don't even try to deny it! I found your wet clothes among the laundry!" Mistress Kira scolded.
"It's true. But it wasn't my intention to drown, honestly! Something pulled me beneath the surface of the lake" Aurora confessed.
"But it was utterly foolish of you to swim there at night in the first place. If Reis hadn't saved you, you'd have been dead by now and we both know that with Jared gone, preserving your own life is vital!" Mistress Kira scolded her.
Aurora lowered her head in shame.
"I know" Aurora said glumly.
"But I don't blame you for risking your life because you believed that Reis was going to die. It was foolish…but it proves one thing…you've probably realized it by now" Mistress Kira said in a calmer tone.
Aurora opened her eyes in surprise.
"Aurora, Jinrai…was not a shallow man. Don't be surprised if what you're fighting against is the same as what you want and what you want is the object of your promise" Mistress Kira said mysteriously. "Besides, I have my own suspicions".
"What are you suspicious about?" Aurora asked.
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"I just told you not to take me seriously. Prepare for classes" Mistress Kira said as she walked into the house.
"Mistress Kira is such a mysterious person. I've known her since I was seven but it feels sometimes as though I don't know her at all" Aurora thought.
Meanwhile, in the Ayenhayze residence, Captain Hiru had arrived from HQ with a message.
"Jin, the Dragonlord requests Reis' presence immediately" Captain Hiru informed Master Jin.
"Me?! What for?!" Reis exclaimed in shock.
"Honestly Reis, I don't know" Captain Hiru said.
"I hope it's not to kill me!" Reis trembled at the thought.
Captain Hiru glanced at Master Jin who in turn shrugged his shoulders ignorantly.
"What would give you that idea?" Captain Hiru asked.
"I could sense his intentions with my nature abilities" Reis explained.
"What do you mean by…nature abilities?" Master Jin asked.
"Yeah, Darak mentioned something about you gaining new powers" Shin added.
Reis sighed.
"It's a long story" he said.
"Suzuna's given her report as well. I'm sure the Dragonlord wants to know your version" Captain Hiru reasoned.
"Hmm, that's a problem see? I'm no good at narrating stories" Reis sighed.
"Heh heh, so there's finally something Reis isn't good at" Shin chuckled evilly.
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"I didn't think it would be something so trivial" Kyla said with a funny look on her face.
"Hey guys! I'm right here you know?!" Reis yelled.
He was offended.
"It's a weakness we must capitalize on!" Shin laughed more evilly.
"Absolutely!" Kyla agreed.
"Well Reis, you heard Hiru, you've already had breakfast so I guess we should head for HQ" Master Jin suggested.
"I guess…Kyla, Shin, take the lead, I'll see you in school" Reis said.
"When you come…be prepared to narrate everything that happened on that mission and leave no details out. Heh Heh! Hahaha! Mwahahaha!!!" Kyla and Shin laughed evilly as they left.
"Oh boy, I've got a problem" Reis sighed as he left with Master Jin and Captain Hiru.
"Reis…Thank you for saving Erasa. She told me everything" Captain Hiru said gratefully.
"Don't mention it" Reis said nervously.
"So you saved Erasa" Master Jin said.
"But what bugs me is that…it happened before Reis gained his nature powers and Reis has no dragon abilities. So I'm wondering how he managed to heal Erasa" Captain Hiru said.
"Don't think too much about it Hiru. Reis is full of surprises" Master Jin attempted to hide the fact that Reis had powers that seemed independent of the dragons.
Soon, they stood at the door that led to the Dragonlord's chambers.
"Good luck Reis" Master Jin said as he tapped Reis' back.
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"Let's get to work, Hiru" Master Jin said as they left Reis at the door.
Reis sighed and opened the door, then he walked in. As usual, the Dragonlord sat on the throne with his hands clasped together in front of his mouth. Reis felt as though the Dragonlord was peering into the depths of his soul.
"You called for me sir?" Reis said nervously.
"I can't believe that you, a kid actually sealed Armageddon who is as old as darkness itself" the Dragonlord said seriously.
"Well it's his fault for making me angry" Reis murmured.
The Dragonlord laughed very much to Reis' surprise.
"I nearly had you killed you know but your colleagues believed in your strength" the Dragonlord said.
"I know…and I'm glad. I don't want to hurt anybody so I guess you tried to protect the guild and the dragons. It was your duty as Dragonlord" Reis said respectfully.
The Dragonlord stood up and walked towards Reis.
"I know that. But to tell you the truth, I'd very much prefer to avoid making such a decision again so I have a request to make of you" the Dragonlord said with a smile.
"It is my duty to obey you sir" Reis said.
"I'm glad to hear that. I want you to protect your friends from Armageddon's wrath, especially Aurora. You may have realized that…she's your strength" the Dragonlord said.
Reis was taken aback by that statement. He thought back to his fight with Armageddon.
"I admit I felt immensely stronger when she showed me kindness" Reis admitted.
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"Yep, that's how it is…but you must also realize that there is a thin line between love and hate, Light and Darkness. It's such a thin line most believe it's imaginary. To the Darkness, love is weakness and hatred is strength. You may have realized that from the darkness dwelling within you. However you've got an edge against Armageddon" the Dragonlord said.
"And that is?" Reis inquired.
"A heart full of hatred and darkness cannot understand the kind of power that comes from loving another" the Dragonlord said.
Reis looked puzzled.
"You'll understand with time" the Dragonlord sighed.
"Y-Yes sir" Reis said nervously.
"You can return to school now" the Dragonlord said.
"Yes sir" Reis said and turned to leave.
"You've got a lot to learn young Dragonhaӓrt but you're closer now to Arӓlpheisl than you've ever been" the Dragonlord thought.
Reis was out of the Temple.
"I wonder what the Dragonlord meant when he spoke about the power that comes from loving another. Sounds like something from a romance novel" Reis thought, then he realized the time.
"Oh man! I'm late!" he exclaimed and sped to the school grounds.
He reduced his speed when he was quite close to the school. He could hear joyful noises coming from the school compound so he deduced that it was the period of the first break. Immediately he walked into the school compound, there was utter silence. Students in his way moved out of the way. Most of them wanted to be as far away from him as possible. Reis greeted one of the girls from his class but she nervously excused herself and ran off. He tried greeting the boys but they
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nervously replied saying, "Take it easy on us Reis…not all of us are as strong as you are" then they walked away.
Reis was saddened by their attitude towards him.
"I knew it. They're scared…of me. Damn it!" Reis growled in anguish and ran into his classroom looking around nervously for a place to sit.
Every desk had a satchel on it.
Erasa's bag was on a desk paired with two other desks.
"Even Erasa's got a seat. She'll probably be sitting with Ethan and Effuien now that they're back and the class has no more space for another desk meaning…" Reis gulped at the thought and shook his head.
He was so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed Aurora's presence. Aurora stood behind Reis, staring at him. Reis looked sad and distressed and indecisive. He just kept banging his fist on Kyla's desk. This was a side of Reis Aurora had never seen before. It made her feel sad.
"Reis looks…lonely" Aurora thought as she remembered how the other students tried to avoid Reis.
At that time, she stood a distance away watching Reis' frantic efforts to be friendly.
"Hey Dragonhaӓrt!" Aurora called rudely.
Reis turned to stare at her in surprise.
"Stop looking so miserable! It's such a pitiful sight for goodness sake!" Aurora scolded.
"Easy for you to say…nobody wants me around" Reis said sadly.
Aurora smiled.
"Reis…you can put your bag there" Aurora said as she pointed to Jared's desk.
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Reis was surprised.
"Are you sure?" Reis said nervously.
"That thing looks so pitiful with no one sitting on it. Jared was a cheerful guy so I'll allow you to sit there but on one condition" Aurora said seriously.
"And that is?" Reis questioned.
"Cheer up. That's my condition. If you keep feeling morose, I'll never allow you to sit on Jared's desk" Aurora said.
Reis smiled sheepishly.
"Aha ha ha ha ha! How's that, am I cheerful enough?" Reis laughed dryly.
"That's honestly the most horrid form of laughter I've ever heard but I guess you pass" Aurora said with a smile.
Reis smiled happily.
"Thank you Aurora. Honestly" Reis said gratefully as he walked to Jared's desk.
Suddenly, the bell was tolled for break over and the students began to rush to class. Darak soon walked in and saw Reis and Aurora chatting happily. He smiled silently.
"I guess it can't be helped" he said as he walked to his desk and sat down.
Other classmates who saw this were surprised.
"Am I seeing things? Is Aurora who hated Reis, really allowing him…to sit on Jared's desk?" one girl asked a boy who stood beside her.
"It really is surprising" the boy replied.
Meanwhile Reis removed three 'all you can eat' tickets and showed them to Darak and Aurora.
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"So what do you guys think of an 'all you can eat' invitation to Old Lady Kamikaze's?" Reis asked with a smile.
"Where did you get these?" Aurora asked as she took one and handed the other to Darak.
"Old Lady Kamikaze gave me six so I invited Shin, Kyla and Erasa" Reis said with a laugh.
"Sounds like a party" Darak said as he examined the ticket closely.
"It's genuine" Reis assured them.
"So what are your motives for inviting us? Are you planning some twisted form of revenge?" Darak asked suspiciously.
"Hey, hey, I never had such a thing in mind. Not everyone is as evil as you you know?" Reis said with a bored look on his face.
"Heh, I guess not" Darak said with a sinister smile.
Aurora giggled.
"It's just like when Jared was around, right Darak?" Aurora asked.
Darak was taken by surprise.
"Well, I never thought of it that way but now that you mention it, Reis kinda acts like Jared" Darak admitted.
"M-me? Really?" Reis asked.
"Yeah, I remember that idiot used to make the Kagua-serpentia mad, then he'd play with it till it was exhausted but…he never seemed to see it as a threat" Darak said with a nostalgic expression on his face.
"What of you?" Reis asked.
"I'd have killed the damn thing if it was up to me!" Darak said with a smirk.
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"Aiiiee! He's in evil mode 2!" Reis thought. "But I guess I've decided to let the Kagua-serpentia live…as a tribute to Jared" Darak said.
"You know, Jared and Evil Eghan were pretty close too. I could say that Jared was the only true friend Evil Eghan ever had. Most of our classmates fear Evil Eghan but Jared didn't" Aurora said sadly.
"How did they become friends?" Reis asked.
"The same way you and Darak became friends, by fighting" Aurora said.
"Right, I know what to do now" Reis said as he stood up.
"Huh?" Aurora and Darak stared at him in surprise.
"LISTEN UP EVERYONE! I REIS DRAGONHAӒRT CHALLENGE YOU GUYS TO A FIGHT!" Reis declared.
"YOU IDIOT! WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?!" Kyla yelled angrily.
"ARE YOU PLANNING ON MAKING EVERYONE IN THIS ENTIRE CLASS YOUR ENEMY?!" Shin added.
"I ACCEPT!" Darak suddenly stood up.
"Huh? Darak, please calm down" Aurora pleaded.
"I ACCEPT!" Evil Eghan stood up.
"So do we!" Cudjoe and Dossou stood up.
"Well I guess it can't be helped…Kyla?" Shin asked.
"Yes Shin, let's do this!" Kyla accepted the challenge.
"Then so do I!" Aurora declared.
"And I" "And I" "Yes, me too!" "Better not regret this Dragonhaärt!" "Reis is so dead now!" "He will see! He will perish!" "Gbeiwa!" "Kikiliki Kill it!" more sounds of acceptance came and eventually, the entire class accepted the challenge.
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When Mistress Kira entered the class, the entire class was empty save for the satchels of the students.
"What's going on?" she asked herself when suddenly she began to hear noises coming from the school field.
When she looked out the window, what she saw shocked her. Reis was surrounded by his classmates and everyone had one expression on their faces…
"KILL IT!" (Where "it" refers to Reis).
Reis looked around him. The other students had sinister expressions on their faces.
"It must die!" one boy muttered angrily.
"It be foolish to challenge us!" Dossou muttered angrily.
"It must prepare for the great beyond!" a boy called Sika growled angrily.
"Oh no! Not the last airbender!" all the students exclaimed in horror and before they knew it, the air was polluted by toxic gases.
(Gases produced by Sika's digestive system I mean).
"Hey Author! Stop interfering in this story! It's my story after all!" Reis yelled angrily.
"WHAT?! IT CAN HEAR THE AUTHOR'S THOUGHTS?! THIS IS CRAZY!" Evil Eghan exclaimed in shock.
"Yes, but it disrespected the author! It must be killed!" the students yelled as they tightened the circle.
"H-hey guys…" Reis tried to calm them down.
"Don't even try to talk your way out of this!" the students yelled together as they charged on Reis and surrounded him.
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Reis could no longer be seen by Mistress Kira. Instead, blows could be heard along with stomps.
"H-hey guys…don't you think you're taking this a little too far?" Reis pleaded with a nervous laugh.
"That's why we said…" Dossou began,
"Don't try to talk your way out of this!" all the students chorused together.
Mistress Kira smiled.
"Hey guys, take it easy on me okay?" she recalled Jared's plea.
"That's why we said…don't try to talk your way out of this!" she recalled the other students' words.
She recalled herself rushing to end the fight. It felt nostalgic watching the replay of the fight. "If words…" she began to say along with Jared's memory
"Cannot end this fight…" Reis continued unaware that he was repeating Jared's words.
"Then fighting will!" Reis said along with Mistress Kira and Jared's memory.
"HYAAAH!" Reis yelled as he released an enormous amount of energy from his body.
The other students fell to the ground and Reis was seen standing in their midst. Reis looked around. The other students stared at him in surprise. Reis thought it was because of the power he had just displayed but when Aurora said,
"Just like Jared"
The other students smiled as they recalled Jared breaking through them with exactly the same words.
"We have lost our comrades but the God Of The Heart has given us a new comrade. Consider this a blessing and treat him as one of us, for in times of great
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darkness we will look to him for light" they recalled the Dragonlord's words during the dead rangers' memorial service.
At that time, they all hated Reis.
"Maybe…" Evil Eghan began to say.
"Just maybe" Dossou and Cudjoe added.
"We never lost Jared!" they all exclaimed together.
Aurora stared at them in surprise.
"Did the same Reis I hated because of Jared's death remind the entire class of the bond they shared with Jared?" Aurora asked herself.
At that point, the students were finding it difficult to hold back their tears.
"If this is the case…then next is…!" the students declared as they released their aura!
"H-Hey guys…must we really go this far?" Reis asked nervously.
"Next is…A BATTLE ROYALE!" the students declared as they all charged to attack Reis.
Reis smiled cunningly.
"Better not regret this guys!" Reis declared as he released his aura!
The other students stared at his aura in awe for it was like staring at a rainbow which continuously changed colours without repeating a colour it had once glowed with.
"Wow, that's so beautiful" the girls marveled at Reis' aura.
"TCH! Annoying showoff!" the boys growled jealously.
"HYAAH! I GOT HIM!" Evil Eghan exclaimed as he suddenly appeared behind Reis and gave a great punch that caused dust to envelope the area.
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"Heh heh! It must be dead by now!" Dossou laughed evily.
But as the dust cleared, Reis was seen holding Evil Eghan's hand with little effort.
"You were saying?" he said with a cunning smile.
"Ah…how can this be?" Evil Eghan stared in shock.
"Tsk Tsk Tsk. That's not how to throw a punch…THIS IS!" Reis exclaimed as he gave Evil Eghan an uppercut so great that it sent him flying to (guess where?)…the Lake of Kagua Beasts of course!
"Anyone want some more?" Reis laughed evilly but everyone was listening to (the sound effects of) Eghan's fall. When they heard a splash, they opened their eyes in horror. The whole place became so silent that you could hear…
"OH NO! NOT AGAIN!" they exclaimed just as the scent of Sika's just released epic weapon of biologic warfare diffused into the atmosphere.
"Don't tell me?!" Dossou exclaimed in shock.
"Heh heh! It's exactly what you're thinking. I sent Evil Eghan flying to the Lake Of Kagua Beasts aka Kaiser lake" Reis said in a mischievously unconcerned way.
"I don't believe this! Reis' level of evil is off the charts! Darak registered a level 50, Armageddon registered a 1000 but Reis registers a level ??? also known as 'the unknown depths of ultimate evil!'" one boy who could perceive the levels of evil within people said. He knew everyone in the guild's level of evil to such an extent that he was known as Evilmaniac.
"What are you trying to say Evilmaniac?" Cudjoe asked.
"I'm saying that Reis is more evil than Armageddon!" Evilmaniac informed them.
"Thanks a lot author! With your constant interference, you've managed to turn me into the antagonist of this story. When will you stop trying to be such a know-it-all!?!" Reis yelled angrily.
"Reis! Did you just dare to insult me?!" I, the author yelled angrily.
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Hey, told ya this ep was going to be a farce.
"Who else do you think I'm talking to?!" Reis yelled.
"You are so ungrateful! After all I've done for you! I'll teach you to respect me. (Yeah, I guess even us authors have our precious moments of pettiness). Announcement! All Dragon Rangers…no, all characters of Dragon Ranger, I hereby order you to commence the Grand Battle! Your opponent is Reis. The character that refuses to get involved will be eliminated from this story henceforth!" the author called angrily.
Wow, this suddenly sounds like a dictatorship.
"You idiot! The characters are all over Ryugaeia, they will never be able to get here in time. You can never be rid of me hahaha!" Reis mocked me with his eyes shut. When he opened his eyes, all the characters of Dragon Rangers from his grandfather through Sabrefang to Galigaos and even Erikkus Di Devilli surrounded him. Even the other students of the school leapt through their class windows and entered the scene.
"Well, you forgot one thing Reis…I'm the author. Hey wait a minute, there are about three hundred and ninety nine million characters here but one person's missing. Hey! Where's Jinrai the lightning blade!" I yelled angrily.
"Author, he's asleep in some unknown place!" Lord Galigaos answered.
"Tch! As expected. Why am I not surprised? GET HIM!" I yelled and in the next moment all the Dragon Ranger characters were charging towards Reis.
Reis stared at them in terror.
"D-Dad. If you can hear me…what should I do?" Reis wondered.
"Son! It's time to unite the Light and Strength Of Your Heart!" Jinrai called to Reis. "After that, blast the unnecessary characters to where they belong".
"I must unite the Light and Strength Of My Heart…" Reis called as he shut his eyes.
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The other characters charged towards him.
Suddenly, Darak, Kyla, Shin, Erasa and Aurora leapt to Reis' side.
"Take your time Reis, we'll try to hold them off" Aurora said.
"Whatever you're planning Dragonhaӓrt you'd better hurry!" Darak called.
"I know, just give me some time!" Reis said as he focused.
"We'll try!" Aurora said as she released her aura.
"WATER ELEMENT! WATER DRAGON TECHNIQUE!" Aurora called as a huge water dragon knocked the fighters to the ground.
"FLAME SWORD ABILITY! PYROGEYSER TECHNIQUE!" Darak called as he pierced the ground with his Pyro Blades.
There was a tidal wave of fire which knocked the assailants to the ground.
"EARTH ELEMENT! DEVOURING CREVASSE TECHNIQUE!!!" Erasa called as she stomped the ground.
A terrible earthquake rocked the area and a huge crevice opened up and swallowed a third of the people.
"Wow! You rock Erasa!" Shin complimented.
"Thanks Shin, now why don't you show us what you've got?" Erasa asked with a smile.
"My pleasure! PSYCHIC ELEMENT! MIND PARALYSIS PLUS PSYCHIC BARRIER TECHNIQUE!" Shin called out and all the other fighters froze and were surrounded by a barrier.
"Wow, that's amazing Shin! Two techniques in a single go! You're pretty talented!" Erasa complimented.
"Thanks" Shin said shyly.
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Meanwhile, Erikkus Di Devilli who had not been affected by the mind paralysis technique awakened Sika.
"Don't celebrate yet! With this boy as my trump card, I will dispel your technique! Now show those fools what you're made of by unleashing the epic weapon of biological warfare!" Erikkus Di Devilli roared with a triumphant look on his face.
"H-H-H-He r-r-released S-S-Sika from the technique" Kyla stammered in horror.
And in the next moment… "REIS HELP!" everyone screamed in horror.
Reis opened his eyes.
"NOT THIS TIME AUTHOR…HHAAAAAHHHHH!!!" Reis roared as there was a huge release of sudden light from his body.
A powerful wind raised him into the air and two powerful wings spread apart to reveal Reis with long golden hair and golden armour. He wielded the cross-shaped sword.
"You've made me really angry!" Reis said with a very serious look on his face.
"WHAT ARE YOU?!" the author screamed in dramatic shock.
"I AM THE GOLDEN DRAKENGAӒRD!!!" Reis declared with a roar.
Aurora stared at Reis in shock.
"I don't believe it. Reis is a…" Aurora said with her eyes wide open.
"SIKA! DO IT NOW!" Erikkus Di Devilli roared and in the next moment the epic weapon of biological warfare was released.
There was enough toxic gas to fell an elephant. However, the Golden Drakengaӓrd breathed over the air and it became perfumed. This caused the other characters to awaken from the mind paralysis technique.
"DESTROY REIS!" they roared as they charged on their dragons towards Reis.
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"Stay within Shin's psychic barrier which I have now reinforced. I will now get rid of the excess characters. LEGENDARY ART! FARCE DISPEL!" Reis roared as the excess characters were returned to their original locations.
"Hmm, I didn't think you had already mastered the legendary literary art…farce dispel" I said.
"Now Author! It is…YOUR TURN!" Reis called as he charged with such speed towards the sky that he looked like a golden shooting star.
"H-Hey w-wait a minute Reis" I pleaded.
"Don't try to talk your way out of this!" Reis roared.
"Oh no! The classical backfire!" I screamed.
"It's over for you!" Reis roared but suddenly…
"To my beloved character Reis Dragonhaӓrt Of Ryugaeia and his classmates, I hope you have the courage to face the challenges that come your way in the future like you faced the world today…Sayonara! Hahahaha!" I said and there was a sudden brilliant flash of light.
"You running away?!" Reis screamed.
"It's called…a strategic retreat" I said and…
And then, he opened his eyes. The entire experience had been an incredible dream caused by the mixture of all their auras. Reis opened his eyes to find himself releasing his rainbow coloured aura from his body and the other Dragon Students staring at him in shock. Then they all collapsed to the ground in an unconscious heap. Reis panted and stopped releasing his aura. Suddenly, the bell was tolled for the next period to begin. Reis collapsed as well.
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"I don't think they will recall any of the events that just occurred" Mistress Kira thought as she sat on her desk. "But I suppose through this hallucination of sorts, they may start to realize their hidden potential" she sighed.
Reis woke up two hours later. The other students were staring down at him.
"He's regaining consciousness" the girl who ran from him earlier that day said.
Evil Eghan stretched out his hand to help Reis to his feet.
"Welcome back to Dragon High Dragonhaӓrt" he said as he helped Reis to his feet.
"I'm sorry I ran from you this morning" the girl apologized.
"I don't blame you. I must have scared you all back then. I guess I was kinda moody on the day I wreaked havoc" Reis said.
"You don't need to make excuses. We all know it was Armageddon that was controlling you" Dossou said.
"What time is it?" Reis asked.
"It's about closing time" Evil Eghan informed him.
Almost immediately, the bell rang for classes to close.
"I guess we've been fighting the whole day huh?" Reis asked.
"I guess so" Sika said.
"I don't know why but I do not feel a bit of resentment towards Reis anymore" Evil Eghan informed everyone.
"You're right, neither do we" the others realized.
"And why is that?" Mistress Kira suddenly asked.
She had been approaching them from behind.
Everyone turned to look at her.
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"I guess it's all thanks to the author" Reis said with a smile.
"What do you mean Reis?" Aurora asked.
"It's better for you not to know about it. It was quite a horrifying experience for all of us" Reis informed them.
Everyone stared at him in surprise but they had no idea of what he was talking about.
"Aurora, Darak, let's get going" Mistress Kira called.
"Hey guys, about the 'all you can eat' tickets, let's meet at Old Lady Kamikaze's at sunset" Reis informed Darak, Aurora, Kyla, Erasa and Shin and they all agreed.
"Reis, let's get back home before Master Jin arrives" Kyla suggested and they left for the Ayenhayze residence.
On the way, Kyla and Shin pressured Reis to tell them what really happened and he told them. They found it hard to believe him but Shin was glad when Reis told him of Erasa's compliment.
"I wish I could remember" he said with a laugh.
"But in the end, I guess I really owe the author one. He's a real good guy though he's crazier than a bat!" Reis raised his voice on the last words.
(I heard that!)
"Well I wanted you to hear it. Thanks for helping me make friends" Reis said.
"Oh crap! He's talking to the author again" Shin said in a bored tone.
Soon, they arrived at the Ayenhayze residence. Kyla unlocked the door and they went in.
"I think I'll catch some shut-eye" Shin said as he walked to the room.
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"I'll prepare lunch" Kyla volunteered and went to her room to get changed.
Reis decided to get changed as well. He entered his and Shin's room and found Shin lying awake on the bed. Reis changed into his regular clothes and sat on his bed watching Shin.
"What's bugging you?" he asked.
"I'm just nervous. I've never been anywhere else with Erasa besides school…since I arrived in the guild" Shin said worriedly.
"You really love her don't you?" Reis asked.
"She thinks she knows me but…she's already forgotten me" Shin murmured sadly.
"What do you mean forgotten you?" Reis asked.
"It's in the past. I don't want to talk about it" Shin said.
"Then I won't bother you but you should let stuff like that out you know?" Reis advised.
"Maybe I'll tell you about it this evening" Shin promised.
"Anytime you feel like sharing, just know your bro is here to listen okay?" Reis said worriedly.
Shin nodded.
"So how are things between you and Aurora?" Shin asked.
"She doesn't hate me anymore, that's for sure. And I've confessed my feelings to her" Reis said with a smile.
"How did she take it?" Shin asked.
"Well, she didn't really say she felt the same way. She just said it made her glad to hear me say that" Reis answered.
"I'm sure if I tried that with Erasa, I'd only win a slap for myself" Shin joked.
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"Maybe you're just not trying hard enough" Reis said thoughtfully.
"Yeah sure, did you try anything in particular that won Aurora's heart?" Shin asked sarcastically.
"I just admitted that I don't know whether Aurora feels the same way for me or not but now that you mention it, you know it wasn't easy for me" Reis said defensively.
"So what should I do?" Shin asked.
"Just be yourself and follow your heart. I don't know what happened in the past between you and Erasa but I don't think she's forgotten about it. Maybe you just looked too different when you met again or something happened that made her think you were dead" Reis said thoughtfully.
"Hey Reis! I hope you're not reading my mind 'cos you're talking like you already know what happened!" Shin yelled angrily.
"I wouldn't dream of invading your privacy" Reis said seriously.
Shin sighed.
"You get so emotional whenever we talk about Erasa. You should learn to be a bit more passive" Reis suggested.
As the two boys sat talking together, they heard the door downstairs open.
"I guess Master Jin's home" Shin said.
"I guess so. Let's go welcome him" Reis suggested and the two boys raced down the stairs.
"Reis, Shin, Kyla, how was school today?" Master Jin asked.
"Today was a really crazy day but it helped me in making lots of new friends" Reis said cheerfully.
"I see" Master Jin said happily.
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"Lunch is ready!" Kyla informed everyone.
They looked towards the table to see what food Kyla prepared and realized that the lunch comprised of groundnut soup with rice balls. Shin frowned.
"What's the matter Shin?" Reis asked.
"Kyla! What were you thinking in preparing such a heavy dish?! Do you want to ruin our appetites before this evening?!" Shin yelled angrily.
"What are you talking about?! I went out of my way to prepare all this for you guys because I thought you'd be hungry after the battle we waged in school this morning!" Kyla yelled angrily.
She was very offended by Shin's ingratitude.
Shin sighed.
"I'm sorry Kyla. I guess Reis was right after all. I should learn to be a bit more passive" Shin sighed sadly.
"Let me guess, you're thinking of Erasa again aren't you? Jeez you're so easy to read!" Kyla muttered.
Then she smiled and patted him on the back.
"Well I don't agree with Reis. Ever since I found you in Rubble Village five years ago, I felt that you had a strong heart" Master Jin said.
"Master" Shin stared at him in surprise.
"You were beaten up by those worthless soldiers who ran the village. But you survived because you yearned to change that village. You yearned to make the world a better place. I'll repeat the words you spoke to me back then. 'This world wouldn't be a fun place without you in it'. You've really made this family and this guild a fun place though you might be unaware of it. You're a noisy extrovert who likes to joke in dangerous situations and you are at your best when you are just
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you. Be yourself. That's all you ever need to be…Shin Ayenhayze!" Master Jin inspired Shin with his words.
Shin smiled.
"And I always thought you were such a serious person. Nyaah! I'll remember that Jin Ayenhayze!" Shin made faces.
"I think I'd prefer it if you would still call me Master or maybe Dad" Master Jin said.
"Keep dreaming" Shin coughed so that Master Jin wouldn't hear his words.
"I think I'll just call you Old Geezer" Shin joked and everyone laughed.
After they had all eaten, Reis and Shin helped Kyla to clear the table and wash the dishes.
"Hey Kyla. Do you think I'm all that Master Jin says I am?" Shin asked.
"I'll just say I'm just glad to have you as a brother" Kyla said as she left the dishes and hugged Shin.
"H-Hey Kyla! Stop acting so weird! You're getting soap in my hair!" Shin complained.
Kyla smiled cunningly and pushed Shin's head into the soapy water for a second.
"How's that? The soap will wash your brains clean" she joked and Reis laughed.
Aurora meanwhile was sitting on her bed feeling confused.
"I know I said Reis and I could be nothing more than friends but…the more I get to know him, the harder it is to stop thinking about him" Aurora thought silently. "Why didn't I see it before? Reis was always so kind yet I kept hurting him on purpose. It might hurt him even more when I tell him I don't intend to be more than just friends with him" Aurora thought.
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"Sir Jinrai. Please forgive me. I think I'm falling in love with Reis" Aurora thought nervously.
There was a knock on her door. She walked slowly to the door and opened it. Darak stood there already dressed for the occasion. He wore the ceremonial attire for flame wielders.
"It's almost time Aurora. Won't you get dressed?" Darak asked but Aurora didn't reply.
She looked like she was hurting inside.
"Aurora, what's troubling you?" Darak asked.
"Darak, I don't think it's right for me to be around Reis" Aurora admitted.
"If you're thinking of that promise you made to Jinrai, let it go already Aurora! You can't possibly think of not attending. You know it will hurt Reis' feelings and honestly speaking, if I were in his place, I'd never forgive you!" Darak said seriously.
Aurora stood silently for a while.
"Besides, Jinrai did not have you betrothed to his son and he certainly did not ask you to ruin your life!" Darak scolded Aurora.
Aurora stared at him in surprise.
"Whoever Jinrai's son is, he's not the only one that has lost a parent and he'll get over the pain and move on. In my opinion, it will be even more painful to have a memory of Jinrai lingering around him" Darak said.
Aurora sighed.
"I'll go but that doesn't mean I won't keep my promise to Sir Jinrai" Aurora said.
"You're as stubborn as always when it comes to defending your promise" Darak said with a smile.
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"Give me a moment to get dressed" Aurora said.
Darak nodded and walked out of her room.
In the Ayenhayze residence, Shin, Reis and Kyla were fully dressed for the occasion. Reis and Shin decided to dress simply but Kyla as a girl wanted to look her best.
"It's weird how a simple 'all you can eat' invitation can seem like a romantic dilemma" Reis said with a laugh.
"Hey Reis! Don't jinx our luck alright?!" Shin warned.
"Okay, I'll be quiet" Reis laughed.
"I can't wait to see Aurora. I'm heading to Team Kira's residence" Reis said impatiently.
"Then I'll be heading to the Senshiiro residence" Shin informed them.
"What will you do Kyla?" Shin asked.
"I…uh…I…well…Reis, mind if I tag along with you?" Kyla asked nervously.
"Not at all" Reis said kindly and Kyla smiled.
"Master Jin, we're off!" Shin called.
"You know your time limit don't you?" Master Jin called from his room.
"Yes, we'll be back three hours before midnight!" Kyla promised and they left.
Shin walked nervously towards the Senshiiro residence. He felt his stomach perform somersaults when he finally saw the Senshiiro residence in the distance. He was not quite sure of how Erasa would treat him.
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"I must not get my hopes up. I no longer exist in her life" Shin continuously told himself.
Soon he stood in front of the front door of the Senshiiro residence. He knocked three times.
"Hold on Reis! I'll be right with you!" Erasa's excited voice sounded.
Shin felt downcast.
"All she ever thinks about is Reis" he thought silently and then the door flew open.
"Reis let's…oh, it's you Shin" Erasa sighed in disappointment.
"Ouch Erasa. What kind of a greeting is that?" Shin said with a pretend laugh.
Erasa remained silent.
She looked around.
"Where's Reis? Isn't he with you?" she asked.
Shin shook his head silently.
"It's just me Erasa. I'm sorry to be such a disappointment" Shin said quite angrily and turned to leave.
"Shin?" Erasa sighed.
Shin stopped in his tracks.
"I'm sorry. That was rude of me. Care to come in for a drink?" Erasa asked.
"Sure, if it's not too much trouble for you" Shin said glumly.
Erasa felt quite guilty for the way she had treated Shin at the door. As she poured some water into a glass for him, she nervously watched him from the corner of her eye. He seemed so out of place and nervous that for a moment she actually thought he was cute.
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"Here" she said as she handed him the glass
Shin drank the water quickly.
"Care for some more?" Erasa asked politely.
"N-No, thanks" Shin said nervously.
"So where is Reis?" Erasa asked again.
"Don't worry Erasa. He'll meet us at Kamikaze Restaurant and before you ask, he's with Kyla" Shin said kindly.
He did not want to hurt Erasa's feelings by telling her that Reis went to get Aurora. Erasa smiled.
"So shall we be off now?" Shin asked Erasa.
"Sure, I'll just tell my mom and we'll go" Erasa said as she ascended the stairs.
Immediately she was out of sight, Shin walked outside. He felt very uncomfortable being in Erasa's house. Soon, Erasa came down the stairs and found him outside.
"Let's go Shin" she said and they were off.
Meanwhile, Reis and Kyla were almost at Team Kira's residence.
"Reis, slow down. I can't walk as fast as you can in this dress" Kyla complained.
"Sorry, I'm just a little excited is all" Reis said as he slowed down his pace.
"I understand you wanting to be close to Aurora but try to control yourself okay?" Kyla advised.
"Sure" Reis chuckled.
Soon, they could see Team Kira's residence in the distance.
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"We're almost there!" Reis said excitedly.
"So how do I look?" Aurora asked Darak and Mistress Kira as she walked down the stairs.
"Like a princess" Mistress Kira said with a smile.
Darak just stared with his mouth wide open. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
"It's probably Reis" Darak said as he opened the door.
When he saw Kyla, he was almost dumbfounded. He just stood at the doorway staring.
"HEY DARAK! IT'S RUDE TO STARE AT PEOPLE LIKE THAT!" Reis scolded.
"Is it Reis?" Aurora's voice sounded and in the next moment, she was standing beside Darak.
It was Reis' turn to stare with his mouth wide open.
"You should probably take your own advice!" Darak scolded Reis.
"So…uh how do I look Reis?" Aurora asked nervously.
"Well it might be insulting to say you look like a princess" Reis said robotically.
Aurora looked confused. She didn't know how to interpret his statement and began to feel a little disappointed when Reis added.
"You look…like a goddess!"
"He's right. You two make us look insignificant" Darak complimented.
"Really?!" Kyla and Aurora exclaimed excitedly.
"Really really" Reis and Darak said together, then they all started laughing.
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"So shall we?" Reis and Darak said as they took Aurora and Kyla's hands and led them away.
They were quite a sight to see as they walked away together.
Meanwhile, Shin and Erasa sat facing each other in Old Lady Kamikaze's Restaurant. They exchanged nervous glances for quite a while, each one feeling strangely shy to speak to the other. Then Shin sighed suddenly.
"Uh…did you say something?" Erasa asked nervously.
"Well I'm finding it kinda hard to tell you just how beautiful you look this evening" Shin said with a nervous laugh.
Erasa remained silent. Shin looked away and sighed with a scared expression on his face.
"Did I just say that?" he wondered.
"Wh-Why don't you give it a try?" Erasa asked nervously.
Shin smiled.
"Well, you see the sky?" he asked.
"The sky? What about the sky?" Erasa asked.
"A clear sunny sky is as blue as a person's soul. I think your beauty can be equated to what's beyond the clear blue sky" Shin said with a nervous laugh.
Erasa blushed shyly.
"You're just saying that" Erasa asked modestly.
"No, when I look into your eyes, I see a purity that's clearer than calm waters. Erasa, I'm not just talking of your looks but of the person you are" Shin said.
"Who am I?" Erasa asked.
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"You're a great, kind, strong, beautiful and intelligent person" Shin said and then he stopped himself from saying more. "I'm sorry Erasa. I'm just making you feel uncomfortable aren't I? It was probably a bad idea for me to come but there is something I need to tell you. Erasa, you need to know that I…" Shin was saying when…
"Hey guys! You got here before we did. That's great! Hi Erasa!" Reis greeted.
Erasa looked very uncomfortable.
"Is something wrong? Why do you look so uncomfortable Erasa?" Aurora asked.
Erasa looked away.
"It's nothing" Erasa said.
Reis and Darak pulled seats for Aurora and Kyla respectively.
"Well then, let's get this party started right Shin?" Reis said with a smile.
Diane soon came to their table and they ordered their meals. Reis ordered for the Saggeesian delicacy; Kaiser-wolf meat which he had missed for quite a while. Darak and Shin also decided to try it and in the end, everyone ordered for it.
"This is really tasty Reis. I've never tried it before" Aurora said after tasting the meat.
"Well now that I'm friends with a Kaignis-wolf, I'll have to ease up on these kinds of meals or Sabre-fang will never forgive me" Reis said and everyone burst into laughter.
All except for Shin and Erasa who still felt quite out of place. Reis noticed their uneasiness.
"Hey guys, is something bothering you? You guys have been silent for the past thirty minutes" Reis asked.
Erasa remained silent.
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Shin didn't know what to say.
"Fine then, if you don't want to talk about it, at least try to have some fun okay?" Reis pleaded.
"We'll try right Erasa?" Shin asked.
Erasa avoided his eyes.
"I guess" she said.
"Okay! Spill it! What was going on between you two before we arrived that's making you so silent?" Aurora asked.
"You don't need to know everything!" Erasa yelled suddenly.
Everyone was taken by surprise.
"Erasa…I'm sorry if I offended you" Aurora apologized.
"You're not sorry! Just stop pretending! All you've ever tried to do was stand in the way of my happiness!" Erasa yelled.
There were tears in her eyes.
Shin stood up.
"Calm down Erasa, I'm sorry for making you feel so uncomfortable but you didn't have to say that" Shin said.
Aurora seemed very hurt by Erasa's words.
"If you don't want to be here, I'll escort you home" Shin volunteered.
"Stay away from me Shin! You lied to me! You didn't tell me that Reis had gone to get Aurora! And don't ever talk to me like you just did! I think it would be best if you just kept your distance!" Erasa yelled as she ran out of the restaurant.
"Erasa!" Shin called but she ignored him.
Shin felt his eyes beginning to get warm and teary.
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"I don't exist to her" Shin said.
Aurora was even more shocked. Tears were flowing down her eyes. She stood up.
"Excuse me" she said as she ran out of the restaurant.
"Aurora wait!" Reis called as he chased after her.
It was already dark.
Darak and Kyla were left all alone after Shin decided to leave as well. Darak stared at Kyla who also couldn't understand what was happening.
"For a while I thought you were also going to try and escape" Darak said.
Kyla laughed.
"There's nothing for me to escape from" she said.
"And I suppose you're not as scared of me as all the other students of our school are?" Darak asked.
"Nope, I think you're really funny though" Kyla said.
"Really? Why?" Darak asked.
"Mostly because you don't realize you're funny" Kyla laughed.
"Well pardon me for being ignorant about my own sense of humour" Darak said seriously and Kyla laughed.
"See? There you go" Kyla said.
"I for one have no intention of wasting Reis' all you can eat ticket. If I let this opportunity go to waste…I'll have to apologize to my ancestors" Darak said.
"I agree" Kyla said with a laugh and they ordered some drinks.
Meanwhile, Reis was chasing Aurora through the streets of the guild.
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"Aurora wait!" Reis called but she wasn't listening.
She tripped on a stone and fell to the ground. After that, she just knelt there crying. Reis caught up to her.
"Aurora, are you alright?" he asked her but she ignored him and continued to cry.
Reis knelt beside her and helped her up.
"Come on, don't get your beautiful dress all dirty" Reis said with a smile.
"I don't care about the stupid dress! Erasa hates me! She hates me" Aurora wept as she hugged Reis for solace.
Reis patted her affectionately on the back.
"It's okay Aurora. Erasa'll get over it" Reis said.
"My best friend…hates me" Aurora wept.
"Aurora, don't cry anymore. It breaks my heart to see you so sad" Reis said as he wiped her tears with his thumbs.
"My life is such a mess! Everyone I love keeps leaving me. First my parents, then Sir Jinrai, Jared and now Erasa. Am I meant to be alone in this world?" Aurora asked.
"No Aurora, you're not alone. You're never alone. I'll always be with you. I'll always protect you, I'll never abandon you Aurora…because I love you" Reis promised.
"Do you promise Reis?" Aurora asked.
"I promise" Reis said.
"Then you won't like what I have to tell you" Aurora said sadly.
"What is it?" Reis asked.
Aurora wiped her tears and took in a deep breath, then she sighed.
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"Reis, we can never be together" Aurora said seriously.
Reis looked surprised.
"Have I done something wrong?" he asked.
"No, it's not you…it's me. I can't be with you because…I made a promise to be with someone else. Besides that, it's very clear to me that Erasa loves you. I don't want to hurt her and I don't want to hurt you too. I don't want you to suffer because of me" Aurora said. "I want you to be happy".
"My happiness is with you Aurora. You are the one I love and I will never pretend to be in love with someone I'm not in love with. I won't give up on you Aurora. Not even if I have to wait an eternity to be with you" Reis said.
Aurora smiled.
"Thank you Reis" Aurora said.
"Now shall we get back to Old Lady Kamikaze's Restaurant?" Reis asked.
Aurora took his hand in hers.
"Of course…my dear Dragonhaӓrt" Aurora said and they left for the restaurant.
When they arrived at the restaurant, they met Kyla and Darak laughing happily.
"Hey Reis, Aurora, are you guys okay?" Kyla asked.
"Yep, we resolved our problem. Aurora's feeling much better already" Reis said.
"Then let's enjoy the remainder of this party" Darak said as he ordered more drinks and food.
"It's too bad Shin had to miss this because of Erasa" Kyla said quite angrily.
"Let's not talk about it. We'll order some food to take away for Shin" Kyla said.
"I hope he's alright because it seemed like he was hurting pretty badly" Reis said.
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After the meal, they decided to go home.
"Reis, we'll escort you home this time. You're always the one doing the escorting. I think it's about time we did the same for you" Aurora said.
Kyla agreed.
So Darak and Aurora escorted Kyla and Reis home.
"Goodnight guys and see you tomorrow" they waved each other goodbye.
Reis and Kyla decided to go straight to bed. Reis found Shin lying awake in the room.
"I'm sorry about today Shin" Reis apologized.
"No Reis, I'm sorry. I've decided. Since you're my brother, I want you to know everything about me" Shin said.
"What are you saying?" Reis asked.
"I'll tell you my story" Shin declared.