MEMORIES OF THE PHANTOM THIEF PART II: MEMORIES OF TRUTH
After waving Darak and Aurora goodbye, Reis went to his bedroom only to find Shin lying awake in his bed.
"I'm sorry about today" Reis apologized.
"No Reis, I'm sorry. Erasa got angry because of me. I tried to compliment her and I ended up getting too emotional" Shin apologized.
"I don't think you did anything wrong by trying to compliment her" Reis said thoughtfully.
"Anyway, I did promise to tell you about my past. How I first met Erasa? I'll tell you now if you're willing to listen" Shin said.
"Of course I want to listen" Reis said.
"It's a long story" Shin said as he began to recall his past.
"My real parents were killed when an evil warlord known as Lord Galigaos raided my village. My parents hid me so I survived. I was raised by a kind old woman who also died when I was seven years old. All that time…I had no name, I had no identity. From then on, I had to live on the streets, feeding on scraps of food and rubbish like a scavenger. Many times I had to steal and fight for food and many times, I was left half dead" Shin narrated.
"How horrible" Reis sympathized.
"Heh! It was actually on one of those days that my true story began…" Shin said.
TEN YEARS AGO…
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A young boy, seven years of age lay wounded on the streets. He had just attempted to steal some food from one of the market stalls. Unluckily, he was caught and brutalized by the people. He lay on the streets bleeding profusely and just barely conscious. He was hungry and weak and the worst part of it all was that he felt lonely and abandoned. The people acted indifferently towards him and none of them tried to help him. Without even realizing it, he soon lost consciousness.
A whole day passed without anyone showing compassion towards the boy and he remained on the streets, his only clothes were rags and he was left at the mercy of the weather.
Then on the midnight of the second day, a group of people entered the town. They consisted of a man and nine children. Five of the children were girls and four of them were boys. They saw the brutalized boy lying on the streets.
"Is he alive?" one girl asked.
The man checked the wounded boy's pulse.
"Yes One, this boy is still alive. But just barely. He's lost a lot of blood" the man said.
"Hey, do you think he can become one of us, leader Suiryu?" the girl called One asked.
"Well, we'll have to see about that after he recovers" Suiryu said as he carried the wounded boy.
"Okay, let's leave this village. The people here were cruel enough to hurt this poor boy" the girl called One said.
"I don't think so. These are just the kind of people that deserve a good robbing. We'll rob 'em blind before we leave as tribute to this boy" one of the boys said.
"You're right! Let's show them the power of the Maelstrom Nine!" One said and they spread out.
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"I'll take care of this boy" Suiryu said as he carried the wounded boy out of the village.
Suiryu took the wounded boy to a cave and tended his wounds. Soon the Maelstrom Nine returned with a lot of loot.
"So how did the robbery go?" Suiryu asked.
"Thanks to Six's great sense of smell, we robbed anyone who had the scent of this boy's blood on them" One reported.
"Well, that's good" Suiryu said.
"How is he?" the girl called Three asked.
"He'll survive. His ribs were slightly dislocated due to the beating he received but I've taken care of that. This boy's survival instincts do impress me though. A normal person would have died but he moved in such a skilful way that he avoided fatal wounds" Suiryu said.
"Most people like us have those instincts. If this boy doesn't join us, it'll be a waste of his talents, right One?" the boy called Two asked.
"I agree" the girl called Four said.
"But in the end, the choice is his to make" One said.
A week passed with the wounded boy still unconscious.
On the eighth day, he opened his eyes.
"How are you feeling?" One who was watching over him asked.
"Honestly, I've felt better" the boy said as he struggled to sit up.
"No don't! Lie down, you're still quite hurt" One warned.
"Who are you? Where am I?" the boy asked.
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"You're in a cave outside the village. As for my identity, you can just call me One" One said.
"But that's just a number" the boy said in surprise.
"Well we the Maelstrom Nine are nothing more than just numbers. What's your name?" One asked.
The boy remained silent.
"Is there something wrong with what I just said?" One asked.
"Not really, it's just that…I don't have a name. I've never had one" the boy said.
"That's really sad. I understand because none of us have names as well but having a number is better than being nothing at all" One said.
Suiryu soon entered the cave.
"Good, you're awake" he asked.
"What is the Maelstrom Nine?" the wounded boy asked.
"The Maelstrom Nine are an elite group of bandits part of a larger organization called the Maelstrom Thieves Guild. It is fundamentally divided into three groups each headed by one of its original founders. The Maelstrom Nine is the division headed by Suiryu. We steal to survive" One informed the wounded boy.
"I see…so thieves these days have class. That's very encouraging" the wounded boy said and they all started laughing.
"Most of us were abandoned as children or left to fend for ourselves when Lord Galigaos destroyed our homes and…murdered our families" Three said almost on the verge of tears.
The wounded boy squeezed his fists tightly.
"Lord Galigaos! He took my family away from me too. I'll definitely defeat him!" the wounded boy declared.
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"We have the same goal. So…will you join us? You know, we are also family and we watch one another's backs. C'mon, you've got great instincts. We need you" One said.
The wounded boy seemed to think for a while.
"I guess I've got nothing to lose and everything to gain so count me in!" he declared.
"That's great! But first you need to pass the initiation test" Suiryu said.
"What's that?" the wounded boy asked.
"Tomorrow at dawn, you must return to the village and rob all those that hurt you. There's just one rule. Get back alive and without help!" Suiryu said.
"I'm really craving for some sweet payback and this is just the perfect way!" the wounded boy said.
"For now, get some rest" One advised.
At dawn the following day, the Maestrom Nine and the wounded boy assembled at the outskirts of the village.
"Are you ready boy?" One asked.
"I am" the wounded boy said.
"Then go!" Suiryu ordered and the wounded boy ran into the village on light feet. Though he was running fast, not even the sound of his footsteps could be heard.
"Whoa, he's really silent…almost like…a phantom!" Two said.
When the sun began to rise, loud screams were heard.
"Do you think he's been caught?" Three asked.
"No…listen" One said and they listened closely.
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"My money! My money's gone!" "Oh no! My jewellery is missing!" "No! Not my golden belt!" screams came from the village.
"He's coming! I can smell him!" Six exclaimed suddenly and in the next instant, the wounded boy stood behind them.
"Hey, where are you guys looking? I'm over here" he said and they all turned to see him carrying a lot of loot in pillowcases.
"No way! I couldn't even sense his presence!" One thought in surprise.
"For a seven year old, you're more like a phantom than any of the elite in the Maelstrom Thieves Guild. From now on…" One was saying when Two cut her off.
"Don't tell me he's Ten. The Maelstrom Ten sounds really awful!" Two complained.
"He's right you know?" everyone agreed.
"No, he's not going to be Ten. He'll have a non-existent name just like a phantom. From now on, you will be known as Zero and we shall be known as the Maelstrom Zero-Nine!" One declared.
Everyone agreed and cheered Zero on.
PRESENTLY…
And that's how I joined the Maelstrom bandits and earned my first name, Zero!" Shin narrated.
"Whoa! You really sound like some kind of legend" Reis seemed surprised.
"Yes I was, wasn't I? My name was feared even amongst thieves and I became even more renowned than Galigaos. People began to call me the Phantom Thief!" Shin narrated.
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"But wait a minute, I defeated the Maelstrom Bandits in the Village Of Shades on my recent mission. I'm sorry to tell you this but the three leaders of the Maelstrom gang were killed by a curse from Di Devilli but it's also kinda my fault. From the way you described One though, I think I met her. She said she hoped we could join forces and fight against Di Devilli someday" Reis said.
Shin frowned.
"I wouldn't trust them if I were you. I eventually regretted having anything to do with them. That actually happened five years after my initiation and around the time I met Erasa. It all started when I found out that Lord Galigaos had already been defeated by a Dragon Knight known as Jinrai the Lightning Blade!" Shin continued his story.
FIVE YEARS AGO…
"WHAT?! What do you mean Lord Galigaos is dead?!" Zero yelled.
"The villagers told me that he was sealed by a Dragon Knight. A man called Jinrai the Lightning Blade" One informed Zero.
Zero frowned and squeezed his fists.
"You should be happy Zero, we all are" One said.
"When exactly did this happen?" Zero asked.
"About two years ago" One informed him.
"Damn it!" Zero said through clenched teeth.
"What's wrong Zero?" One asked.
"I wanted to avenge my family with my own hands. It was all I lived for and now…I can't" Zero said as he stormed out of the cave.
"Zero!" One called as she ran after him.
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Zero sat on top of the mountain overlooking Rubble Village below. One walked to him.
"Hey Zero" she called.
"I need to be alone" Zero said angrily.
"Come on, you probably need someone to talk to" One said as she sat beside him.
"No, I just need some time alone!" Zero insisted.
"You know vengeance was our goal too but we didn't really care how it would be achieved as long as it was achieved" One said.
"But now, my only purpose for living has been taken away from me" Zero said.
"Ouch, that hurt" One grumbled.
"What?" Zero asked.
"What do you think we are? Extra baggage? I thought we were your new family!" One scolded him.
"You are…but I failed my real family" Zero said.
"Oh so we are not enough reason for you to live on is that it?" One said in an offended tone.
"I never said that" Zero defended himself.
"But you meant it. Look Zero, we've all lost our homes and families but some good did come out of that. We found each other and we're happy or…are you not happy with us?" One asked.
"I am. I just really looked forward to taking Galigaos down with my own hands. Try to understand me" Zero said.
"I do" One said.
"You know what? Two to Nine, get your butts out here!" Zero called.
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In a few minutes, they had all assembled.
"What's up Zero?" the girl called Six asked.
"Let's all make a promise together okay? Under this full moon and with this mountain as a witness that no matter the paths we take in life as we grow up, we'll never forget each other. We'll help each other when one of us is in need and we'll never hurt or betray one another" Zero said.
"As the Maelstrom Zero-Nine, we all make this vow never to abandon each other" they all said together.
The following day soon arrived with the Maelstrom Zero-Nine still resting in their cave. Suiryu soon arrived looking very disturbed.
"I've got some very bad news guys. The townspeople have requested for Dragon Rangers to rid the town of us" Suiryu said.
"Hmmph! Well that sounds like an interesting challenge" Zero said with a confident chuckle.
"What do we do?" Three asked.
"They're due to arrive right about now" Suiryu said.
"Hey, anyone willing to bet that I can rob a Dragon Ranger?" Zero challenged.
"Are you crazy?! They've got dragons! Do you want to end up as roadkill?!" Six opposed the idea.
"Well I'd like to see you try" Two challenged.
"Let's make a deal. If I can rob a Dragon Ranger by sunset, I'll receive half the loot from our next heist. How's that sound?" Zero challenged.
"Deal!" Two agreed.
"Okay, but be careful" One cautioned.
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"I will, I promise" Zero said as he left the cave.
Meanwhile, Team Senshiiro had arrived in Rubble Village. They had blended in with the villagers while gathering clues. They kept hearing the name Phantom Thief so they decided to split up to cover more ground. Zero was disguised in a hood. He stood nearby monitoring their movements. He noticed them split up and decided to follow Erasa. Erasa was asking about the Phantom Thief when Zero snuck to her side.
"Beware the Phantom Thief. He'll steal you blind" Zero whispered in a hoarse voice and disappeared into the crowd.
"What was that voice?" Erasa murmured as she looked around but she didn't find the person that warned her.
Zero walked around pretending to be busy while trailing Erasa till she reached the market centre.
"Perfect, now it's Chaos Time!" Zero thought with a sly smile.
A man was selling about ten apples but when he turned for a moment, a quick shadow flashed by his stall and he was left with eight apples.
"Thief! Thief! The Phantom Thief has struck again!" the man screamed.
Almost immediately, other screams joined them.
"What's going on?" Erasa wondered as she ran towards the source of the screams.
Almost immediately, Zero ran towards her. He was very excited about the chaos he had created and knew it was time to make his big move. Erasa was contemplating what she would do when she caught the Phantom Thief and then from out of the blue, Zero suddenly crashed into her and they fell to the ground.
"Ouch ouch ouch!" they cried in pain.
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"Hey! Why don't you watch where you're going?!" Erasa yelled angrily.
"Me?! Why don't you watch where you're going?!" Zero yelled angrily.
"But you bumped into me!" Erasa yelled. "Who do you think you are?!"
"Hey, you're a dragon ranger right?" Zero suddenly became friendly.
"What's it to you?!" Erasa asked.
Zero removed his hood.
"Then be glad, for today, you have had the honour of being robbed by the Phantom Thief! Sayonara! Oh and one more thing, you're the prettiest girl I've ever robbed. See ya!" Zero said as he disappeared into the crowd.
"Who the heck was that jerk and…Oh no! My sapphire ring's gone!" Erasa exclaimed in dismay then she chased after Zero but she couldn't find him.
Zero meanwhile was watching her from the rooftops.
"She is the prettiest girl I've ever robbed" he said as he disappeared.
"What am I going to tell Mom? That ring was a family heirloom" Erasa thought in dismay and just then, she found her teammates.
"Erasa, what happened?" her mother questioned her.
"Mom, there's something I've got to tell you and I don't think you'll like it" Erasa said sadly.
"What's wrong?" her mother asked her.
"I was robbed by the Phantom Thief. He stole my sapphire ring" Erasa confessed.
"That jerk! Did you see his face?" Ethan asked.
"Yes, he had dark hair and brown eyes. He's got this cocky look and he's extremely overconfident" Erasa described Zero.
"If you saw him, then we'll find him" Mistress Suzuna said confidently.
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Meanwhile, Zero was at the Maelstrom Zero-Nine's hideout.
"What did I tell you guys? And it only took me half a day" Zero said cheerfully.
"Amazing!" the boy called Nine exclaimed.
"Yeah, so now you guys owe me" Zero laughed. "And you know what? The Dragon Ranger I stole this ring from had this really annoying attitude but she was very beautiful. And I really enjoyed stealing from her. I can't wait to see the look on her face when I bump into her again" Zero said with wicked pleasure.
"Now you're taking this a bit too far. Forget about her and focus on the next heist" One warned Zero.
"Nuh-uh! I'm definitely going to see her again tomorrow" Zero said.
The Maelstrom Zero-Nine spent the rest of the day playing, resting and hunting for food.
The following day, Zero got up early and snuck into town. Not many people were on the streets so he had no trouble getting around. Soon, it came to his notice that there were a lot of posters on the walls of houses in the town. Zero walked to one of them and examined it.
"Wanted, Phantom Thief. Dead or Alive. Reward, 100, 000NGs" Zero read the poster.
There was a picture of him on it. It looked cartoon like but the expression it had was just wicked.
"At least they got the expression right? And 100,000 Novatian G's? Almost makes me want to turn myself in for the reward money" Zero said with a laugh.
"There you are!" a familiar voice suddenly said.
"Aiiee! She found me!" Zero thought in fright.
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"You know, I searched around town for you all day long but you really know how to hide yourself" the voice said.
Zero shook his head in boredom and turned around slowly. He decided to disguise himself so he crossed his eyes and poked out his tongue.
"Are you talking to me?" he asked in an idiotic voice but he ended up with a terrible slap.
"Don't get smart with me Phantom Thief!" Erasa yelled and a double slap followed that straightened his features.
"Okay, okay! You caught me. Just stop with the slaps okay?" Zero pleaded.
"Okay! Spill it! Where's my sapphire ring?!" Erasa yelled.
"I have no idea what you're talking about!" Zero said with a pretend frown.
Quadruple slaps followed.
"Okay, I have your ring but it…well, it grew wings and flew away" Zero provoked Erasa.
Erasa hooked him by the collar and lifted him off the ground.
"Are you sure?" she asked with an intimidating grin.
"Yep, definitely zero point nine percent sure" Zero teased.
Erasa frowned and tossed him overhead. He fell on his face.
"You're crazy! Really insane!" Zero yelled.
"Oh, that's just a part of it" Erasa said as she grabbed him by one leg and lifted him into the air.
"Crazy but strong and very beautiful" Zero quickly added.
"Yeah yeah just give me my ring!" Erasa yelled and kicked him on the face. Zero somersaulted through the air and crashed into a wall which cracked on impact.
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"Ouch!" he groaned in pain.
"You know I really liked you at first but now I'm starting to hate you" Zero said.
"Whatever, I'm apprehending you now" Erasa said as she removed ropes from her satchel.
"If you stay still, you won't get hurt" she said as she tied his hands.
"You know, if you tie my hands, you'll have to tie my legs and carry me on your back or my legs might just grow legs and run away" Zero teased.
Erasa frowned and flicked him on the forehead with her middle finger. Zero flew and crashed into the wall again. This time, the wall collapsed to the ground.
"With just one finger!" Zero exclaimed in shock.
Erasa tied his feet tightly.
"Now that that's taken care of I'm taking you to the village head for a trial" Erasa said.
"Are you going to carry me?" Zero teased.
"Nope, Terra will. I SUMMON YOU TERRA!" Erasa called and an earthquake rocked the village.
The ground split and stones arose from the ground to form the earth dragon, Terra.
"AIIIEEE!!! What in the world is that?!" Zero screamed in fright.
"Terra, I have apprehended the Phantom Thief. Let's take him to…" Erasa was saying when Terra interrupted her.
"What are you talking about Erasa? I don't see anybody" Terra said.
"What are you talking about? Look at him right…" Erasa said as she turned around but there was nobody in sight except for the ropes that lay on the ground.
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"YOU'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE!" Zero yelled from a distance as he ran away.
Erasa frowned angrily.
"Come back here immediately!" Erasa roared.
"IN YOUR DREAMS!" Zero yelled back as he ran away.
"Terra, keep your presence hidden for now. I've got a thief to catch!" Erasa said as she chased after Zero.
They ran and ran till they reached the outskirts of the town. Zero ran towards the mountains. Erasa chased after him and she was catching up.
"Sheesh, this girl's got quite a stamina" Zero complained as he doubled his speed.
Soon, he reached the edge of a crevice.
"Sorry pretty girl but…this is where you lose me" Zero said as he leapt over the crevice without hesitation.
Erasa stared at him in surprise. He landed on the other side smoothly.
"This was fun, I'm really sorry girl but this is the last time you'll ever see me. I've had enough of a beating to last me for one lifetime" Zero said with a laugh, then he sped away.
Erasa scowled, then she ran with all her might and leapt over the crevice.
"HHAAAAH!!!" she screamed confidently.
"WHAT?! ARE YOU CRAZY?! YOU'RE INSANE! YOU WON'T MAKE IT!" Zero yelled in concern.
Then Erasa started to fall.
"AAAAAAAAAHHH!!!" she screamed as she missed the edge and fell into the crevice.
Zero ran to the edge of the crevice and looked into it.
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Erasa was holding onto a tree stump that protruded from the side of the crevice.
"You very stupid girl! Don't you value your life?! Does catching me mean more to you than living?!" Zero scolded as he stretched his hand towards Erasa. The stump gave way a little.
"Help me! Please!" Erasa screamed.
"Reach for my hand!" Zero urged Erasa.
Erasa tried to but the tree stump gave way a little more.
"I can't!" Erasa screamed almost on the verge of tears.
"Hold on, I'll try to think of something" Zero said as he looked around.
He saw a puddle of water a distance away from him.
"I know! Hang on girl! I'll be right with you" Zero said as he moved away from Erasa's line of sight.
He went to the puddle and took off his shirt.
"Don't leave me alone!" Erasa pleaded.
Zero threw his shirt into the puddle till it was soaking wet. Then he removed it and ran back to the crevice.
"Grab this!" Zero ordered as he reached out with his shirt.
"Grab on and don't let go!" he said.
Erasa stretched out one hand and grabbed the shirt.
"Good, now let go of the tree stump and hold it with both hands" Zero directed.
Erasa was afraid but when the tree stump suddenly snapped, she quickly obeyed.
Zero held on to the wet shirt with both hands and pulled with all his might. Erasa began to rise slowly.
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"Hang on!" Zero ordered as he pulled some more. The shirt was so taut that the water began to run down it. Zero pulled with all his might but Erasa was quite heavy.
"Jeez, what have you been eating?!" he asked but the problem wasn't with Erasa's weight.
Zero had not eaten well in almost three days so he didn't have much energy left and most of the water had escaped the shirt so it began to tear.
"Help me!" Erasa screamed.
Zero wrapped the shirt around his left hand and reached out with his right hand.
"If you fall, I fall, now reach for my hand!" Zero ordered.
Erasa struggled to reach for Zero's hand. Their fingertips touched but that was not enough. Zero pulled with all the strength in his left hand and reached with his right hand. Soon, he was able to grab Erasa's wrist.
"GOTCHA!" he exclaimed as he pulled with all his might.
That was still not enough so he decided to add the force of his weight by tilting himself backwards and suddenly managed to pull Erasa out of the crevasse. But he fell to the ground and Erasa fell on top of him. They both lay still panting heavily with their eyes closed. They opened their eyes together and kept staring into each other's eyes.
"Thank you" Erasa said gratefully.
"You're welcome" Zero said.
Zero kept staring into Erasa's eyes in fascination.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Erasa asked.
"You've got really beautiful eyes" Zero complimented.
"So do you" Erasa said, then she realized her mistake.
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"Besides, what else can I do? You're on top of me" Zero said with a nervous chuckle.
"What? Oh sorry, I'm really sorry" Erasa said as she got up.
Zero stood up and looked at her.
"It's fine" he said.
"Here! I'm sorry I stole it from you, I was just bored. You must think I'm a really bad person" Zero said.
"At first I did but now…I think you're a fairly decent guy" Erasa said.
"I'm Erasa Senshiiro. What's your name?" Erasa asked.
Zero looked depressed.
"You don't need to know my name. I don't really exist. I'm nothing more than a phantom" Zero said.
"That's crazy. You're real enough to me. It's important to me to know the name of my rescuer" Erasa said.
Zero glanced at her.
"It's Zero" Zero introduced himself.
"Come on. Don't hide your identity from me. Tell me your real name. I'm sorry for beating you up earlier" Erasa apologized.
"My real name is Zero. Just Zero. If you think it's not my name then just assume I have no name because it's the only identity I've ever had" Zero said sadly.
Erasa stared at him. From the serious look on his face, she could tell that he was telling the truth.
"I'm sorry" Erasa apologized.
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"Don't apologize. My real parents were murdered right after my birth and the woman who raised me died when I was seven. I had to steal to survive. A person like me doesn't have the luxury of having a name. I'm content with being called Zero. I'm happy with having an identity, even if it's just a dumb number like Zero" Zero said.
Erasa smiled.
"Well I don't like calling you Zero so I'll give you a new name. A real name. Would you like that?" Erasa asked.
"Really?! A real name?! Sounds great!" Zero exclaimed excitedly.
His joy brought a tear to Erasa's eyes.
"Erasa, are you okay?" Zero asked.
"Yes, let me think of a suitable name for you" Erasa said as she thought deeply.
"Yes! I've got it! Shin! From now on, your name is Shin!" Erasa said happily.
"Sounds cool but…what does it mean?" Zero asked.
"It's a Saggeesian name. It means 'Truth'. Do you like it?" Erasa asked.
"Why would you give me such an honourable name? I'm a thief…a criminal" Zero said sadly.
"You may be a thief but you're not a bad person. You just saved my life and told me the truth about yourself. You have shown me who you truly are. You deserve the name Shin" Erasa said.
Shin looked around. The sun had already set.
"Crap! It's late. Erasa, I've got to go. The others are probably worried" Shin said as he turned to leave.
"Wait!" Erasa called.
Shin stopped.
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"Will I ever see you again?" Erasa asked worriedly.
"Nah, I don't think so" Shin said.
Erasa looked disappointed.
"Not unless you wish to see me again" Shin added.
Erasa nodded with a smile.
"Then it's settled. I'll meet you here tomorrow. Would you be willing to meet me?" Shin asked.
Erasa frowned.
"Jeez! Why are you asking?! I already said yes!" Erasa roared.
Shin flinched.
"Hey, you don't need to get so angry" Shin said with a nervous laugh.
"I'm sorry" Erasa apologized.
"I'll see you tomorrow 'kay? Goodnight!" Shin waved as he left Erasa standing near the crevice.
Erasa waved dreamily, then she stopped herself.
"What am I doing? I should be apprehending him instead of letting him go" Erasa scolded herself.
PRESENTLY…
"And that's how I met Erasa. She was pretty much annoying back then" Shin said.
"I now see why she's so important to you. She gave you an identity" Reis said.
"Yeah, she did but she's forgotten me now and she hates me. It's no use trying to make her recall the past" Shin said sadly.
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"C'mon Shin. Are you really giving up on her?" Reis asked.
"No, I'll never give up on her. I'll always protect her and love her but I know now that…she gave up on me a very long time ago" Shin said sadly.
"So when will you tell me the rest of the story?" Reis asked.
"Can you wake up at dawn, very early?" Shin asked.
"I can and I will" Reis promised.
"Good, then let's get some rest" Shin suggested.
"Okay, goodnight" Reis said.
"Yeah, you too" Shin replied and the two boys lay down to sleep.
Erasa couldn't sleep that night. She tried a few times but failed so she sat in bed. She recalled her words to Aurora and Shin and sudden realization hit her.
"What have I done? Why did I say those things to Aurora and Shin?" she asked herself.
"Shin, if only you were alive, you'd know what to do" Erasa said as she burst into tears.
Shin too couldn't sleep. He lay tossing and turning in bed.
"Calm down Erasa, I'm sorry for making you feel so uncomfortable but you didn't have to say that" Shin recalled his words to Erasa.
"Stay away from me Shin! You lied to me, you didn't tell me that Reis had gone to pick Aurora up. And don't ever talk to me like you just did. I think it would be best if you kept your distance!" Shin recalled Erasa's words.
"I'll do just that. I'm such a fool for keeping a candle burning in my heart for Erasa for so long. Maybe I'm the only one that remembers the past. And just when I decided to tell her that I'm still alive. Perhaps things are much better this way and
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I can finally close that chapter of my life. I can finally move on. I hope she finds her happiness. I have something of hers that I'll always treasure. Her sapphire ring and the name she gave me. It's a treasure I'll always keep with me even when we've gone our separate paths" Shin said with a sad smile. "Farewell forever…Erasa" Shin said with a firm resolve.
Erasa was still weeping.
"Why did you have to die Shin? If only you had lived, things would have been very different" Erasa cried.
"You very stupid girl! Don't you value your life?! Does catching me mean more to you than living?!" Erasa recalled Shin's words five years ago and memories of Shin filled her mind.
"Reis wake up!" Shin called in a silent but hoarse voice.
"Huh? What?" Reis stirred and opened his eyes.
He was still a bit sleepy.
"Wake up" Shin called again.
"Is it dawn already?" Reis asked sleepily.
"No but the sooner you know the whole truth, the better. It's tearing me up inside" Shin said.
Reis sat up.
"Give me a sec okay?" he said as he walked out of the bedroom and walked to the bathroom.
Shin sat on his bed waiting for Reis. He heard water running for a while and then it stopped. A few minutes later, Reis entered the room and sat on his bed facing Shin.
"I'm ready" he said seriously.
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"Okay, so here's the rest of the story. I don't want to repeat it because I've decided to seal that chapter of my life forever" Shin said. "So I've already told you how I met Erasa and got my name right. Yeah so after that I went back to the Maelstrom Zero-Nine's secret hideout…
FIVE YEARS AGO…
"Crap! I'm so late! I hope One's already asleep or I'm dead!" Shin said to himself as he hurried into the cave.
"Well too bad for you!" a stern voice suddenly said.
Shin froze in his tracks.
"Aiiee, she caught me!" he thought in dread.
"Look how late it is Zero! Where have you been the whole day and why are you now returning?!" One demanded an answer.
"I-uh-I-I…" Shin stammered searching for an excuse.
"And don't you dare lie to me! You know it's not one of your talents!" One yelled.
"Okay, here's the truth, I was with that dragon ranger girl I robbed. She caught me and well…a lot of things happened" Shin confessed.
"Like what Zero?!" One roared.
"Hey hey, One. Don't call me Zero anymore. I've got a real name now, Shin, and it means 'truth'. So I'm no longer just a dumb number like Zero okay?" Shin said with a joyful laugh.
"Don't get any ideas! You're Zero the Phantom Thief! People like us don't belong. We don't have the luxury of having names" One said angrily.
"Don't tell me you're jealous One" Shin teased.
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"I'm not jealous and your name's Zero, not Shin. It's an insult for a thief to be called Shin! After all as the old saying goes, 'a liar is the beginning of a thief' or haven't you heard" One said with a cunning smile.
"Well, a wise thief once said 'a liar is the beginning of a thief so when you're already a thief you don't lie' capiche?" Shin countered One's logic.
"Who named you Shin anyway? You already told us you had no name" One asked.
"Not until today. Erasa named me Shin" Shin laughed.
"Erasa? And who may I ask is this Erasa person?" One asked.
"The girl I robbed" Shin said.
"WHAT?! Don't tell me you're now friends with a Dragon Ranger! We have a bounty on our heads or have you forgotten already?!" One yelled angrily.
"How can I forget? My head alone is worth a hundred thousand Novatian Gs" Shin laughed.
"Shin! You can't see that Erasa girl again!" One ordered.
"Why not? I'm seeing her tomorrow" Shin said.
"You are not!" One ordered.
"I am!" Shin said firmly.
"I'm ordering you not to!" One demanded.
"Hey! You can't order me around! You're not the boss of me!" Shin yelled.
"I can and I am as the leader of the Maelstrom Zero-Nine!" One yelled.
"One, haven't you ever wondered…I mean haven't you ever thought of how much life has to offer? We're living in dangerous times and we've always worked as a team. But that doesn't mean we're bound by just rules. I want to live my life and not the other way around. I don't want to remain a thief forever. I want to live for a higher purpose" Shin said.
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"Don't tell me you've finally achieved enlightenment! I'm worried about you. Haven't you sat down to think that just maybe this girl is using you to get us all?" One asked.
"She'd never do that!" Shin defended Erasa.
"How do you know that? You only met her recently" One said worriedly.
"I just know it. I can feel it in my gut, my heart and even my feet and you know my feet never lie" Shin joked.
"Fine, do what you want but I'm still against this" One said.
"I'm going to bed. Goodnight One" Shin waved.
One sighed, "And I'm not just going to sit back and do nothing about this either" she said as she sat at the entrance to the cave.
Shin woke up early the next morning. It was his turn to hunt for breakfast so he went into the forest to do so. He returned three hours later with a deer on his back.
"Whoa Zero! You really caught a big one this time!" Six cheered.
"Well, I did promise to take good care of you all" Shin laughed.
"Hey guys, don't call him Zero anymore. He's got a new name…Shin and it means Truth" One said with the intention of turning Shin into a laughing stock.
"Really?! Shin?! I really like that name!" Four cheered.
"Gotta admit it sounds fearful like 'Shin The Phantom Thief' or 'Shin the conqueror' or 'Dragon Ranger Shin!'" Two admitted.
"Ugh! You guys are so dumb! Shin's falling for a Dragon Ranger girl!" One roared.
"Yeah so?" Eight said nonchalantly.
"I don't see why you're getting so worked up. Shin's a great guy and I wouldn't want him to fall for a criminal, no offense" Three added.
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"Thanks a lot guys" Shin said gratefully.
"Thanks for nothing!" One scoffed.
"Or could it be that One has secret feelings for Shin?" Five teased.
"Shut up Five!" One yelled.
"She isn't even denying it" Seven added.
"I'm so not in love with Zero!" One yelled.
"No one mentioned love…or is that what it is One? Are you in love with Shin?" Six added.
"Stop turning this on me! Shin's the one in love or didn't you hear?!" One defended herself.
"And you're acting like a jealous wife" Six joked and everyone laughed.
"Okay guys, let's eat" Shin said.
By then the meat had finished roasting. The merry thieves ate to their hearts content.
"I must admit that this is a really good catch" One confessed.
"I'm glad you like it" Shin said.
"Okay guys, I've gotta go for a while. I'm meeting Erasa and for your clarification, we're just friends" Shin said with a laugh as he walked away.
As he neared the spot where he had been named, he could see Erasa seated under a lone tree.
"Erasa!" he called.
"Shin! You came!" Erasa exclaimed happily.
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"Well I did have some trouble with the gang but it's all sorted" Shin said.
"So what do we do now?" Erasa asked.
"You can tell me about the Dragon Rangers. I thought they were only a myth but if they do exist…then the stories of Armageddon are true aren't they?" Shin asked worriedly.
"Unfortunately yes. But our primary duty is to protect the dragons and that means we must ensure by all means that Armageddon is never revived" Erasa informed Shin.
"That's great! Now I wish I could be a Dragon Ranger!" Shin exclaimed.
"You can! You just have to renounce all your vices" Erasa said.
"It's just a dream for me though. See, I promised never to abandon the others and they need me. I'd never forgive myself if anything bad happened to them because I abandoned them" Shin said sadly.
"Hey Shin, would you like to ride on my Dragon partner?" Erasa asked.
"You mean…I'd like to fly but…I'm scared of dragons" Shin admitted.
Erasa laughed.
"Don't worry, most dragons are friendly. They seldom strike in anger" Erasa assured him.
"Okay, I'll give it a try" Shin said.
Erasa raised her hand…
"I SUMMON YOU TERRA!" Erasa called.
There was a sudden earthquake as Terra arose from the crevice.
"On second thought…I'd very much prefer to stay alive thank you" Shin said in a scared tone.
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"Terra…this is Shin. Shin, meet Terra, the Dragon of Earth" Erasa introduced the two to each other.
Terra peered into Shin's soul and smiled.
"What is it Terra?" Erasa asked.
"Erasa. His fate is intertwined with yours and the Dragonhaӓrt's. I can see that in a time of great confusion and chaos which is soon to come…this boy will bring wisdom and understanding" Terra said.
"Me?" Shin asked.
"Yes you. You will be the closest thing to family the Dragonhaӓrt has and your faith in the Dragonhaӓrt will create such a strong light that it will be the source of the Dragonhaӓrt's power" Terra said with a smile.
"Honestly, I have no idea of what you're talking about" Shin said with a nervous laugh.
After much effort, Erasa was finally able to convince Shin to mount Terra and when he finally did, they flew off. Shin was too scared to open his eyes at first but he soon got used to it and they flew for a long time. After many hours of flight, talking and having fun, they finally decided to descend.
"Shin, let's head into the village. I want you to meet my family" Erasa suggested.
"I'm honoured but I don't think it's such a good idea" Shin disagreed.
"Why not?" Erasa asked.
"Have you forgotten that you're supposed to apprehend me? You may have changed your mind but what if your family hasn't?" Shin asked worriedly.
Erasa laughed.
"Don't worry. I have already told them about you and they also want to meet you" she said.
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"Really? Shin asked.
"Yes, I did" Erasa said.
"Are you sure?" Shin seemed undecided about the whole idea.
"I said I did didn't I?! I don't like repeating myself!" Erasa growled angrily.
"I hear ya" Shin agreed and they went to an inn in the town.
Shin did not feel comfortable at all but he didn't complain. Soon they stood in one of the largest rooms in the inn.
"Mom! Ethan! Effuien! Guess who's here?" Erasa called.
Soon Shin heard footsteps and Mistress Suzuna appeared with Ethan and Effuien.
"Erasa? Who's this?" Ethan asked.
Shin smiled cunningly and raised a wanted poster.
"I'm Zero the Phantom Thief now renamed Shin!" Shin introduced himself.
"Quit joking around!" Ethan yelled.
Shin smirked and in that instance, his resemblance to the drawing on the poster became obvious.
"HE IS THE PHANTOM THIEF! GRAB HIM!" Ethan ordered and he and Effuien charged on Shin and pounced on him.
"GOT HIM!" they exclaimed but when they opened their eyes, they were holding each other.
"I'm not the Phantom Thief for nothing you know?" Shin chuckled as he walked towards Mistress Suzuna.
"My name's Shin. It's an honour to meet you ma'am" Shin said as he bowed respectfully.
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"I'm honoured to meet you Shin. I heard from Erasa that you saved her life and I'm very grateful" Mistress Suzuna thanked Shin.
"It was my fault she was in danger anyway so I don't really deserve your thanks" Shin said humbly.
Ethan and Effuien were slowly creeping towards Shin from behind. When they were close enough, they pounced on Shin but he evaded them again.
"How do you do that?! We are always sure that we catch you!" Ethan sighed in exasperation.
"You can't catch something that doesn't exist so give up already!" Shin demanded.
"Oh man! We really wanted the 100,000NGs. We've planned a lot on how to spend it" Ethan said in dismay.
"Then forget it cos you're never gonna get me" Shin said with a confident smile.
"But you do realize that our mission is to catch you Shin and we can't abandon our mission" Mistress Suzuna said determinedly.
"But Mom you can't! I promised Shin that he'd be safe!" Erasa argued.
Shin sighed.
"I did tell you Erasa that this was a bad idea. Alright, I give up" Shin raised his hands and surrendered.
Mistress Suzuna tied his hands and led him out of the room.
"Shin I'm sorry. It's my fault" Erasa apologized.
"Don't blame yourself. I know the chief. He's a nice guy. The most I'll get out of this is a fine" Shin assured Erasa.
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As the Dragon Rangers led Shin out of the inn, One watched them, hidden behind a wall.
"That idiot! I did warn him. How the hell could you allow yourself to be caught like that" One thought angrily.
Then she returned to the hideout. Erasa walked behind Shin.
"You probably hate Dragon Rangers now don't you Shin?" Erasa asked.
"No, I've always wanted to be a Dragon Ranger. I'm in the wrong here you know?" Shin laughed confidently.
"How can you still laugh even after you've been caught?" Effuien asked.
"Well, I feel fulfilled. My family has already been avenged. This village is peaceful and my gang is safe so I have no regrets. I even got to meet Erasa so I'd say I've lived a full life" Shin said.
Mistress Suzuna looked sad.
"Is this really the right thing to do? This boy is only a victim of circumstances and this'll hurt Erasa so much" she wondered.
When they reached the chief's house, the guards led them inside to meet the chief.
"We've apprehended the Phantom Thief. He's in your hands now. All we demand is our pay and we'll be on our way" Mistress Suzuna said.
"Take the prisoner away" the chief ordered and Shin was taken to the cells.
"Speaking of your pay, you will receive it soon enough!" a sinister voice said and in the next instant they found themselves surrounded by soldiers.
"Wh-what is this?!" Mistress Suzuna exclaimed in shock.
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"You Dragon Rangers think you're so smart. You've been performing secret missions in Saggeese with the thought that you'd never be caught but you're not the only ones capable of doing that. This village as of today is under the control of Lord Erikkus Di Devilli!" the leader of the soldiers declared.
"Who are you?! And how did you make it into Novatian territory undetected?!" Mistress Suzuna demanded an answer.
"If you want my name, that I will tell you. I am Captain Rex, the leader of Lord Devilli's Black Squad but as to how we made it into Novatian territory undetected, that is a secret for you to find out on your own. You are now under arrest and before you decide to summon your dragons, I must inform you that my archers are outside with arrows tipped in Armageddon's blood and you know just how poisonous that is to the dragons, don't you?" Captain Rex said with a malicious grin.
"Armageddon's blood?! How could you get your hands on such a thing?!" Mistress Suzuna asked in even more shock.
"That doesn't matter. What matters is that you've now fallen into our trap" Captain Rex said seriously. "Bind them! We will carry out their execution at the crevice that runs across the outskirts of this town" Captain Rex ordered and the Dragon Rangers were bound with strong ropes and led away.
One watched the soldiers lead the Dragon Rangers away. She felt satisfied with the events that had taken place and managed to sneak into the chief's palace disguised as a maid.
Shin sat in the cell with his head on his knee.
"Sheesh, this is really going to put a dent in my reputation as the Phantom Thief" he thought aloud.
"You've got a lot more to worry about than just your reputation!" an angry familiar voice said.
"One?" Shin said as he looked up.
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One stood outside the bars.
"This is exactly why I warned you! How could you be so stupid?!" One said as she unlocked the gate.
Shin opened it and came out.
"Boy am I glad to see…" Shin was saying when he received a terrible slap from One.
"You're such an idiot! You could have easily escaped but I find you here instead moping around!" One yelled angrily.
"I seem to be attracting a lot of slaps lately" Shin joked.
"This village has been taken over by enemy soldiers. We are getting out of here now!" One ordered.
"Enemy soldiers?" Shin asked in confusion.
One explained the situation to him.
"Don't worry, the others are waiting outside. They're well hidden" One said as she led Shin through the corridors.
They managed to escape unseen through a window.
Truly indeed, the rest of the Maelstrom Zero-Nine were waiting outside for them.
"Shin, how're you doing?" Two asked.
"Fine, thanks for asking" Shin said.
"We're escaping. Suiryu is waiting at the outskirts with a carriage" Six informed them.
"Thanks Six" One said gratefully.
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"So what of Erasa and her family? Were they able to escape unharmed?" Shin asked.
"Are you still going on about that?! Haven't you learnt your lesson?!" One yelled.
"I need to know!" Shin demanded.
"Well, they have dragons don't they? They could just fly away if they wanted to" One said as she tried to avoid Shin's eyes.
"One, you can't look me in the eye and any time that happens it means one thing…YOU'RE LYING!" Shin said seriously.
"So what if I am? It's for your own good! Just let the soldiers execute them and we'll deal with our own problems!" One yelled and then she realized her mistake.
"Execute?! One, where are the soldiers taking them?!" Shin demanded.
"To the crevice that runs at the outskirts of the village. They plan to execute the Dragon Rangers there but you can't go Zero! If you do you'll die!" One exclaimed worriedly.
"I can't abandon them. I've got to try and save them. Erasa's my friend and so are the Dragon Rangers" Shin said.
One frowned.
"Shin, I didn't really want to do this but…YOU MUST CHOOSE NOW WHERE YOUR LOYALTIES LIE!!!" One demanded.
"WHAAAT?!" Shin exclaimed in surprise.
"One, what are you doing?!" Six asked.
"Shin must choose. It's us or the Dragon Rangers. He can't have it both ways!" One said seriously.
"You aren't joking" Shin sighed.
"I'm dead serious" One said very seriously.
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"Guys, is this what you really want?" Shin asked the others.
They remained silent yet uneasy.
"Guys, you know that my loyalties lie with you. I'd never choose or place anyone or anything in this world above you…" Shin said seriously.
"Why do I sense a 'but'?" One asked.
"But…I don't want to be like the people that abandoned us. You've got to remember how life was before we found each other. We were all lonely and each of us wished to be saved by someone but we were abandoned. If I abandon the Dragon Rangers, then I'll be no better than the people that abandoned me and left me to die" Shin said.
The others felt the truth in his words but One remained adamant.
"Is that your final say?" One asked.
"Yes, it is" Shin said with determination.
One sighed.
"Then I guess we're back to being the Maelstrom Nine. Guys let's go. Zero doesn't need us anymore. We're obviously not as important to him as we thought" One said.
"One, do you really want to do this?" Six asked.
"Zero has decided. Don't question me! We are leaving without Zero, come on!" she ordered and the others reluctantly followed her.
Shin watched them painfully. Hoping that they would turn back but they didn't. When they disappeared from his sight, he assumed a determined look and in a flash, he had disappeared from the chief's compound.
Meanwhile, the soldiers had led Team Senshiiro to the outskirts of the village.
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"Mom, how are we going to get out of this situation?" Erasa asked worriedly.
"Don't be scared Erasa. This is one of the tests we have to endure as Dragon Rangers" Mistress Suzuna said with a reassuring smile.
Soon, the crevice came into view.
"It seems the end has come for you Dragon Rangers. Any last words?" Captain Rex said as he lined the Rangers at the edge of the crevice.
"YEAH! I'VE GOT A FEW!" a sudden voice said.
Erasa looked around.
"I know that voice, it's Shin!" Erasa exclaimed happily.
Captain Rex looked around and soon all eyes turned to face Shin.
"I've got a few things to say to you; first is, you are the most despicable idiots in the world! Second is, you serve the absolute, most absolute lowlife! And the last thing I've got to say is…I could smell your odious stench from my cell!" Shin insulted the soldiers.
"You must have a deathwish to insult the most feared army in the world!" Captain Rex roared.
"Most feared the beard I haven't grown yet! More like most hated cretins!" Shin added more fuel to the flames.
"ARCHERS! READY YOUR BOWS!" Captain Rex ordered.
"No No No No, that isn't how the game is to be played. Here are the rules, I'll stand at the edge of the crevice and if your archers hit me with a single arrow, I'll just drop like a leaf into the crevice and you'll never see my handsome face ever again" Shin said with a cunning smile.
Captain Rex considered the idea for a while.
"That sounds interesting, I…" Captain Rex was saying when Shin cut him off.
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"Whoa whoa, I've given a scenario that's to my utter disadvantage and most likely not to happen but what's in it for me?" Shin asked.
Captain Rex smiled.
"I like your guts kid. I tell you what, for every fleet of arrows you manage to evade, I'll free a single prisoner" Captain Rex said with a smile.
"Sounds fair enough to me, I agree to your terms" Shin said with a smile.
"Erasa! Is he crazy?! He's going to die!" Effuien yelled.
"Shin! You idiot! Their arrows are tipped with Armageddon's blood! It's enough poison to kill a dragon!" Erasa yelled in worry.
Shin just smiled.
"I'll be okay Erasa" Shin said as he walked to the edge of the crevice and smiled, then he turned to face Captain Rex.
"I'm ready!" he declared.
"ARCHERS! READY YOUR BOWS…TAKE AIM…FIRE!" Captain Rex ordered and a fleet of arrows flew towards Shin.
He didn't move.
"SHIN!" Erasa screamed and shut her eyes.
"GOT HIM!" Captain Rex exclaimed in glee.
Shin sighed and smiled, "Tsk, Tsk, Tsk…you missed me" he said.
All the arrows fell into the crevice.
"What?! Captain Rex exclaimed in shock.
"Well Captain, you've got to keep your end of the bargain" Shin said.
Captain Rex scowled.
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"Free the girl!" he ordered and Erasa was freed.
"Shin!" she exclaimed in joy.
"Erasa! Stay back! I still have to face three more shots!" Shin ordered.
Erasa looked at him worriedly and smiled.
"I believe in you Shin!" Erasa declared.
"ARCHERS! READY YOUR BOWS! TAKE AIM! FIRE!" Captain Rex ordered and more arrows charged towards Shin but once again all the arrows missed Shin and fell into the crevasse.
"NOT AGAIN!" Captain Rex exclaimed in dismay.
"Hey don't take this personally, I am the Phantom Thief after all. You've got to free another prisoner Cap'n" Shin teased.
"Free the woman!" Captain Rex said worriedly.
Shin looked confident on the outside but on the inside he was worried.
"If the Captain discovers my secret…I'm dead" he thought but he was smiling on the outside.
"Two more shots to go Captain!" Shin declared.
"I must find the trick to the technique this boy is using or else I'll lose my own head" Captain Rex sighed, then he calmed down.
"I will learn his secret in the next shot…ARCHERS! READY YOUR BOWS!" he ordered.
"I don't like the look in his eyes. If this goes on, he'll learn my secret with the next shot" Shin said seriously.
He began to sweat.
Captain Rex noticed this and smiled.
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"TAKE AIM…" he ordered.
Shin opened his eyes in fear for a moment and then he frowned.
"I don't have a choice. I have to rescue all four of them. He'll miss the next shot for sure but the last shot…will be the problem! But no matter what…I must hold out until the very end!" Shin declared.
"FIRE!" Captain Rex ordered and the arrows were released.
"Now I must observe the moment when the arrows make contact. THERE!" Captain Rex exclaimed as he watched closely.
He could see Shin's body become lighter and lighter till it was as thin as air and the arrows passed right through him.
Captain Rex counted the time it took for all the arrows to completely pass through Shin.
"Eight seconds" he said with a smile.
Shin frowned.
"Damn! It looks like he has discovered my secret!" Shin thought in frustration.
"Release one of the boys" Captain Rex said excitedly and Ethan was released.
"You've played a rather nice trick on me and I must admit you're very smart. No one has ever entertained me as long as you have and honestly I'm impressed so tell you what…even after you die, I'll let these Rangers go. I'll face Lord Devilli confidently and what will happen will happen however boy…your life ends here. I can't possibly believe that someone like you could possess mystical abilities even without sharing the power of a dragon" Captain Rex said with satisfaction.
"He what?!" Erasa exclaimed in shock.
"I can think of one of two possibilities. It could be that a dragon has already chosen him. I suppose the Dragon is psychic in nature for that technique can only be psychic. I've heard of such a technique. The user forces his mind to make his
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body as light as air. It can only be performed briefly but in that time, the user is impervious to all forms of attack, both physical and magical. Your maximum time interval appears to be eight seconds. Now how are you going to evade my next attack?" Captain Rex said with a sly grin.
"Well I don't know. I think you're bluffing because you don't seem to know the name of my technique" Shin tried to bluff.
"Oh I do. Your technique is none other than the INVERSE SOLIDIFICATION TECHNIQUE! The perfect technique for a thief but now, your end has come…ARCHERS! READY YOUR BOWS…!" Captain Rex ordered.
"This might be it for me. I must not fall till the very end…Erasa's life depends on it!" Shin declared.
"TAKE AIM! FIRE IN TURNS!!!" Captain Rex ordered.
"Crap! He really figured it out!" Shin exclaimed in horror as the first arrow headed towards him.
Shin activated the inverse solidification technique and his mass slowly decreased and suddenly, all his mass disappeared leaving his form. The first arrow passed through him and the next nine did as well.
"Eight seconds are up!" Captain Rex exclaimed.
"Shoot!" Shin exclaimed as the tenth arrow headed his way.
He sidestepped to evade the tenth arrow and unsheathed his twin daggers to parry the eleventh arrow but the twelfth arrow struck him in the shoulder.
"SHIN!" Erasa screamed in concern.
"Thirty more arrows to go!" Shin called as he reactivated the inverse solidification technique.
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The arrow stuck to his shoulder dropped to the ground and the next eight arrows passed through him. Then Captain Rex smiled and in the next instant, two arrows struck Shin in the chest.
"UGH!" Shin gasped in pain as blood began to flow from his mouth.
"SHIN! STOP THIS PLEASE!" Erasa screamed.
"DON'T STOP! FIRE!" Captain Rex ordered and more arrows flew towards Shin.
"NO!" Erasa screamed as she ran to shield Shin.
"ERASA STAY BACK!" Shin roared but she ignored him and the arrows were heading for her.
Shin charged towards her and leapt in the way, four arrows struck him in the chest and he fell to the ground. Erasa stared in horror.
"Erasa…move out of the way…I still have to face…twenty arrows" Shin said as he coughed out some blood.
"You can't take much more. Stop this Shin. Please…no more" Erasa said as tears flowed down her face.
"Erasa! Listen to me…" Shin said as he whispered to Erasa.
"You idiot! Just for that?! You even knew the arrows were going to hit you?!" Erasa yelled in anger.
"Erasa! Remember your duty! You were supposed to apprehend me. Please think about Terra" Shin said.
Erasa wiped her tears.
"I understand" she said as she walked away.
Shin stood up and walked to the edge of the crevice then he kicked the arrow that had fallen from his shoulder into the crevice.
"I'm ready!" he declared.
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Captain Rex smiled.
"You've got guts but before I resume…I actually hope you live kid 'cos I'd like a rematch" Captain Rex said.
"Sure thing 'cos you're definitely going to lose this round" Shin said with a confident smile.
Captain Rex smiled.
"Resume!" he ordered and arrows flew towards Shin.
Shin reactivated the inverse solidification technique with all his willpower and in the next instant he totally disappeared. Ten arrows missed him.
"Eight seconds are over! FIRE AT WILL!" Captain Rex ordered and arrows simultaneously headed towards the spot Shin was standing at a moment ago but nine arrows missed.
"WHAT?!" Captain Rex exclaimed in shock.
At that moment, Shin appeared and the last arrow struck him in the other shoulder.
Shin knelt on the ground and began to pick the remaining arrows.
"What is he doing?" Captain Rex wondered.
"ARCHERS! SHOOT HIM DOWN!" Captain Rex ordered.
"Sir, we're all out of arrows!" the archers confessed.
Shin stretched his hand over the crevice and dropped the remaining arrows into the crevice.
"Don't tell me…?! You…!" Captain Rex exclaimed in horror.
"I told you…you'd lose this round. ERASA! I'VE GOTTEN RID OF ALL THE ARMAGEDDON BLOOD-POISONED ARROWS! NOW YOU CAN ESCAPE!!!" Shin exclaimed.
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"THAT WAS YOUR TRUE INTENTION FROM THE START?!" Captain Rex exclaimed in shock as realization hit him.
"IT'S TOO LATE EVEN IF YOU REALIZE IT NOW! I SUMMON YOU TERRA!" Erasa roared as the Earth Dragon Terra, appeared majestically.
Mistress Suzuna was shocked by what Shin had done but she quickly cut the ropes binding Effuien.
"CHARGON! I SUMMON YOU!" Ethan called and the Fire Dragon Chargon appeared.
"I SUMMON YOU PSYCHEDELIA!" Effuien called and the Psychic Dragon Psychedelia appeared.
"APPEAR HABAN!" Mistress Suzuna called and the Forest Dragon Haban appeared.
Shin smiled.
"BLACK SQUAD! RETREAT!" Captain Rex ordered and his soldiers fled into the forest.
"My mission here has been completed…" Shin thought as he slowly fell into the crevice.
"SHIN!" Erasa called as she dived with Terra into the crevice.
She managed to catch Shin before he hit the ground. She flew up to where the others were and dismounted Terra with Shin in her arms.
"Shin, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault" she wept.
Ethan and Effuien shut their eyes and tried not to show their grief but tears were streaming down their eyes. It began to rain. Shin struggled to open his eyes.
"Erasa, I've got one last favour to ask" Shin struggled to say.
"What is it?" Erasa asked.
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"Please take me back to my cave, it's where all my joyful childhood memories are. I want to die recalling all the fun times…I shared with the Maelstrom Nine" Shin struggled to say.
He was bleeding profusely.
"Don't talk like that! You'll live!" Erasa cried in anguish.
Shin shook his head.
"I can feel Armageddon's blood coursing through my veins. I don't have much time…please" Shin pleaded.
Erasa nodded and carried Shin in her arms and mounted Terra. Then they flew through the skies searching for Shin's home.
"It's close now…I can feel it" Shin said.
Erasa saw the opening of the cave.
"I can see it. Terra, descend" Erasa said sorrowfully and Terra silently obeyed.
When Terra finally touched the ground, Mistress Suzuna and the others arrived. Erasa carried Shin into the cave with the others following close behind. Shin was breathing hoarsely and painfully and his blood was leaving a trail.
"This is far enough. Place me here and leave" Shin said,
"Why? Let me stay with you till this is all over" Erasa pleaded.
Shin shook his head.
"I've already engraved a horrible memory on your mind. I don't want you to see me die" Shin said painfully.
Erasa removed her Sapphire ring from her finger.
"Shin, I want you to have this" Erasa said.
"I can't accept this Erasa. It's precious to you" Shin said.
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"No! I want you to keep it. Never forget me" Erasa said as she placed the ring in Shin's hand.
"Erasa, please accept my twin daggers. Whenever you look at them, I want you to remember the few happy times we shared together…and the funny times…and most of all I want you to remember that you made me really happy when you gave me a name" Shin said as he gave his twin daggers to Erasa. "Please leave now" Shin pleaded.
Erasa was still reluctant but she stood up.
"I'll always remember you Shin" Erasa said as she turned and walked away.
"Nine, Eight, Seven, Six, Five, Four, Three, Two, One. I wish I could spend more time with you. I'll wait at the Gates Of Heaven…and look forward to the time we will play together again" Shin said as he shut his eyes.
He lost consciousness with a smile on his face.
PRESENTLY…
"Wow, that's an amazing story but are you sure you're not making up the arrows part?" Reis asked suspiciously.
"It's all true. You might not believe that I could perform the inverse solidification technique now that I have Draco's power but it's all true" Shin said with a cunning smile.
"But the look on your face says otherwise" Reis teased.
"We both know this is my natural look!" Shin roared.
"Does Kyla know about this?" Reis asked.
"I never told her" Shin said.
"And how come Erasa ignores you now?" Reis asked.
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"When I opened my eyes, I was in the Rangers' guild. I asked of Erasa but it seemed that the Dragonlord gave them some time to regain their senses. They left the guild for two years and when they finally returned, Erasa looked so happy that I did not want of remind her of painful memories so I hid myself. School's a really formidable hiding place when you decide to relegate yourself to the background" Shin said with a laugh.
At that moment Kyla stormed into the room.
"You guys are disturbing my sleep! It's midnight for crying out loud" she yelled angrily.
"We're sorry Kyla, we'll sleep now, goodnight" Shin said with a gentle smile.
"Huh? Shin are you sick? You're acting strange" Kyla said with a puzzled look.
"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" Shin yelled angrily.
"Oh, I must have imagined it. It seems you're alright. Goodnight" Kyla said as she shut the door.
Reis laughed.
"Kyla's a great sis. We argue a lot and she reminds me a lot about One but any time I think about the Maelstrom Nine…I just feel I can't forgive them for abandoning me" Shin said.
"So when are you going to tell Erasa?" Reis asked.
"Never, I'll leave things as they are. Erasa loves you now and I won't stand in the way of her happiness. I'll do what she wants and avoid her. Goodnight Reis" Shin said suddenly and dropped back on his bed.
"Goodnight Shin" Reis said as he shut his eyes.
IN NIYANSA…
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Meanwhile, in the Saggeesian Castle, Lord Devilli sat on his throne. General Osukow walked into his presence.
"Lord Devilli, the stranger has arrived" he said.
"Let him in. Without him, my plans would never have proceeded so smoothly" Lord Devilli said.
General Osukow bowed and left Lord Devilli's presence. He returned seconds later with a man clothed in a crimson cloak and a crimson hood.
"Your majesty. I have perfected the art of duplicating dragons without souls with the powers that are constantly being drained from the captured rangers. I call them Wyverns" the stranger said.
"Can we trust this stranger Lord Devilli? We don't know who he is!" General Osukow said as he unsheathed his sword and pointed it towards the stranger.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. You are strong Osukow but his power is second only to mine" Lord Devilli said with a cunning smile.
"Do you know who he is?" General Osukow asked.
"Yes, he is none other than…" Lord Devilli said as the stranger grabbed his cloak at the shoulder and threw it off.
He wore completely crimson armour. He had blonde hair and crimson eyes.
"LORD GALIGAOS! THE CRIMSON SWORDSMAN OF DARKNESS!" Lord Devilli declared.
"My plans are ready, we can crush the rangers right at the source! Give your order and I will attack the Rangers' Guild with my infernal army of Wyverns!" Lord Galigaos declared.
General Osukow could not help but shiver.
"How can this be?! I thought Lord Galigaos was dead and I expected him to look older but he doesn't look older than thirty!" General Osukow wondered in shock.
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"You have my permission…PROCEED!" Lord Devilli ordered.
Lord Galigaos turned around with his mantle flowing majestically behind him and marched out of Lord Devilli's presence.
"I'LL DESTROY EVERY LAST RANGER! ESPECIALLY THE SON OF JINRAI THE LIGHTNING BLADE!" he swore as his eyes gave an eerie crimson glow.