PROLOGUE
A terrible day it was when our guild, our home was besieged by a legion of Wyverns; soulless Dark Dragons under the command of an evil warlord by the name of Galigaos, the Crimson Swordsman of Darkness.
A terrible battle was waged over the skies of Novatio. A battle between the Dragons and their Dragon Rangers, and Galigaos and his Wyverns. Reis Dragonhaӓrt struggled to hold Galigaos at bay by calling forth the Kaisers to back up the Rangers in battle. In the midst of battle, Reis Dragonhaӓrt was wounded mortally and should have perished. It was at that moment that the fate of Dragonhaӓrt and Dragon were to be united in death.
We had only seen one part of Reis' life but unbeknownst to us, he had gathered them, the fragments of Arӓlpheisl. The Human Princess, the Kaignis King, the Golden Drakengaӓrd and finally, the Dragon Sovereign of All Material Light.
So it was then that transforming into Arӓlpheisl himself, he uttered the words that he himself had established and ushered Ryugaeia into the dawn of a new age.
'As Dragon Rangers, we are enforcers of Light;
We are protectors of Dragons,
and followers of the Teachings of the Dragon Knights;
Protecting the weak, freeing the oppressed,
Obeying the Dragonlord;
For we are Dragon Rangers…and Dragon Rangers forever'.
Under the weight of these words, Ryugaeia underwent a mysterious transformation though the effects of that transformation are at present unnoticeable for Aurora is the Novatian word for 'Dawn'.
RYUGAEIA'S HISTORY PART XIII: SAGA OF OMEGA PART II: WATCHFULNESS; BENEDICT'S ARK VS THE SEVERING
Team Kira, Team Ayenhayze and Team Senshiiro stood before the Dragonlord. They had received a summons early that morning and now had come to find out why they had been called. The Dragonlord looked very solemn.
"I worry for the new rangers trapped within Saggeese's borders. They are still at Drake level and each Dragon Knight has enough fortitude to protect a city from harm however I fear that this isolation from the rest of us endangers them greatly. The Dragon Knights still have to seek out the most vulnerable and return them to the growing guilds but whenever they leave, the entire guild is left vulnerable hence the only protection the guilds currently have are their concealment from the eyes of Erikkus Di Devilli" the Dragonlord said.
"I understand your concern" Master Jin said.
"Here at the central guild, we have enough hands to train the Rangers and soon many of them will be experienced enough as Dragon Students to teach Drakes. With more experience, we might soon have a formidable number of Dragon Masters on our side. In time, we will be able to send these to aid in teaching the other guilds essentials about being and living as a Dragon Ranger. When that is achieved, the other guilds will finally be able to fend for themselves but that time is still quite far from this moment" the Dragonlord said.
"So how do you intend to handle this?" Mistress Kira asked.
"We still cannot afford to make unnecessary moves that will alert our enemies to our motives so for now I intend to send a small team to Saggeese under the guise of a Trade Guild. Their mission would be to aid the Dragon Knights guarding the various guilds in training the new Drakes and to guard the guilds when the Dragon Knights leave to seek out new rangers. Once in Saggeese, I would advise you to avoid displaying your abilities as Dragon Rangers unless truly necessary. Whenever you do display your abilities however, confine it to the reaches of the various guilds. It also means you can't fly to Saggeese on your dragons" the Dragonlord said.
"Then how do we enter Saggeese?" Mistress Suzuna asked.
The Dragonlord smiled.
"Aboard the Trade Guild's ship of course. Regardless of tension between Saggeese and Novatio, the two kingdoms maintain economic relations so Trade is allowed between both kingdoms. We will take advantage of that and infiltrate Saggeese in order to protect our own. The recent attack on the guild reminded me that we cannot remain passive where there is a threat to the Dragons or Dragon Rangers, however unnecessary conflict is forbidden" the Dragonlord said.
"Don't take this the wrong way Dragonlord but why choose us?" Reis asked.
"I have two reasons. First and foremost is the fact that whenever Armageddon manifests, somehow members of Team Kira, Team Ayenhayze and Team Senshiiro are there to stop him. I figured that your presence there might be a blessing to us and secondly, Armageddon over the years has managed to sever Aurora's ties to her people. If she is ever to win the trust of her people and wield the Twin Saggeesian Sabres in earnest, she's got to start from somewhere. This might be a good chance for her to start reclaiming what she has lost. She is after all one key that is instrumental to Armageddon's eventual downfall in the near future. Listen to me young Aurora, far different from what many have lived you have endured a trying past but your ordeal is not yet over. There is still a trying future ahead of you. Your fate and that of the Dragonhaӓrt's are tied. It could in fact be said that to triumph over Armageddon, one cannot do without the other. Defeating Armageddon has no meaning if Saggeese is still ruled by 'Darkness' and the Dragonhaӓrt cannot triumph without the fragments of Arӓlpheisl. Everyone is counting on you two, Reis, Aurora, Shin, even if most of them don't know it yet" the Dragonlord said.
Meanwhile, in the fortified prison holding Galigaos, the evil warlord gloated because he knew a secret that only few knew.
"Perhaps it is fortune that I am imprisoned here without my powers however everyone has failed to ask themselves one question. Their failure to consider that one possibility may very well spell victory for Armageddon in the end and the question is this… 'why did I hunt Jinrai and the Princess for so long and why did I stop hunting them after my final clash with Jinrai?' The logical answer would be that 'The Princess was now under the protection of the Dragon Rangers' and 'Jinrai was killed in action' however, that is not so. I know it Jinrai, that secret you have fought so hard as a Dragon Knight to protect. Three things are needed in order to defeat Armageddon…" Galigaos thought as he removed a parchment from his clothes and stared at it. There was a painting of a Princess leading an army, a boy with a heart whose image overlapped with a dragon and a tremendous ship weathering a dangerous storm.
"The first is the Princess Of Saggeese who leads her armies to liberate Saggeese, expel the 'Darkness' and rule it with 'Light'. The second is the Dragonhaӓrt who directly confronts Armageddon in elemental combat…and the third secret Jinrai was something you were willing to protect even if it meant your death…" Galigaos said as he reached into his garments and pulled out a crystal key. "…Benedict's Ark! However in your arrogance Jinrai you underestimated my persistence. If three things are needed to triumph over Armageddon…in hindsight it means three things must be destroyed for Armageddon to triumph" Galigaos said with a smirk. "You'd best be ready Jinrai because I am infiltrating Benedict's Ark…after you!" Galigaos declared.
In Saggeese, Erikkus Di Devilli opened his eyes and chuckled.
"Well done Galigaos…well done! Foolish Rangers, when did you delude yourselves into believing I was unaware of the recent shift in power? Yes, continue to play…and play right into my hand. I await the Princess Of Saggeese patiently, and the Dragonhaӓrt. Once they arrive on Saggeesian soil, they will be utterly vulnerable to my next attack" Erikkus Di Devilli gloated.
"On the Trade Ship 'Benedict's Ark', Team Kira, Team Senshiiro and Team Ayenhayze along with a number of a hundred and fifty other rangers were caught in the middle of a storm and Erikkus Di Devillli was stirring the sea with malice.
"I hope you enjoy my greeting" he thought to himself.
"Leave this to me! EHUM! I SUMMON YOU!" Kyla called as Ehum the Wind Dragon appeared in a storm of elements.
"This storm is not natural. I fear it was brought upon you by an adversary" Ehum informed them.
"Can you calm it?" Kyla asked.
"I can!" Ehum declared and flew into the skies.
She stretched her wings and gathered the storm clouds, then she directed the storm away from the ship and led it towards Novatio. The sky cleared up and the wind moved gently along the waves.
"As always, these Rangers are an incredible thorn in my flesh" Erikkus Di Devilli said. "Impressive, very impressive however that was merely a greeting. My intention is certainly not to drown you though that would have put a convenient end to my troubles" he said.
"There has been no sign of trouble since the day of Arӓlpheisl's appearing and then on the day we suddenly decide to head to Saggeese, we're hit with a storm? I'm afraid the enemy might have pre-empted our plans. However this attack was not meant to destroy us or the enemy would have been persistent until we were crushed. It's almost as though he's sending us a greeting but if he chose to act now, then he perceives the growing threat to his plans. It is a reassuring thought but it also means the enemy will be far more dangerous now than ever before" Mistress Kira warned the other Rangers.
"And we'll be vulnerable within his territory since we can't afford to give ourselves away by utilizing our abilities whenever we want" Master Jin said.
"Do you think he can see us? Does he know our every move? If he does, everything we are doing might be pointless" one of the rangers pointed out.
"In a sense he can see us but not with his eyes. I'm willing to bet that he senses the shifts in the power balance between good and evil and reacts accordingly. Saggeese as it is now is his domain so any change in the power balance there will be detected by him. He might be able to approximate our location, sometimes even approximate it very accurately but he never really knows for sure where we are or what we are doing and he certainly has no way of knowing what we are thinking" Reis explained.
Mistress Kira was surprised.
"Do you know that for certain?" she asked.
"Saggeese is my homeland and I have lived and survived even under the watchful eye of Erikkus Di Devilli since I was born. During all that time there was one rule Erikkus Di Devilli enforced that my grandfather ensured I obeyed and that was…no use of magic or swordsmanship would be tolerated under his rule. I never really thought about it but I guess it was to prevent our discovery" Reis confessed.
"I can see why the Dragonlord forbids us from utilizing our abilities unnecessarily" Master Jin admitted.
After about a week, the rangers arrived on the Saggeesian continent. Posing as a Trade Guild, they hired some carts to help them transport some of the goods they had brought from the central guild. These goods consisted of food, clothing and books concerning the history of the guild and the Tragic Legend, as well as some famous tales of legendary Dragon Knights, Masters and Students.
Mistress Kira, Master Jin, Mistress Suzuna and the other Rangers wasted no time in sending news of their arrival to the Dragon Knights who currently guarded the newly formed guilds in Saggeese.
This message was sent via falcon using an approximation of where they believed the guilds were. It was risky but still much safer than resorting to Psychic abilities which could easily be sensed by someone with enough power. They waited about two days before receiving a reply. The knights expressed sorrow in their inability to come and meet the rangers personally since they still had to seek out the most vulnerable and guard the growing guilds. However, they sent invisible maps that could only be read after exposing them to the magical warmth of a Dragon's breath. This ensured that the enemy who despised dragons would never locate the guilds by their maps.
Once the Rangers received their maps, they journeyed in smaller parties of about twenty five and headed out in different general directions. Further onward, they would split up into parties of nine to be even less suspicious. Team Ayenhayze, Team Senshiiro and Team Kira remained in the same party. Kyla sighed nervously. Reis noticed an uneasiness in Shin and the other rangers, and Aurora looked very troubled. There was a general air of gloom about. Reis understood that Shin and Kyla were uneasy because the last time they had trespassed in Saggeese, they returned the only apparent survivors and were nearly considered traitors by the rest of the guild.
Reis also knew that Aurora had a deep hatred for Saggeese believing that it took away her family and finally claimed her last surviving relative Jared. Reis wanted to reassure them that everything would be alright however he was himself at a loss for words.
"Our goal is to reach a place called Dragonheart Forest" Master Jin informed everyone.
Reis smiled. The name sounded nostalgic to him though he didn't know why.
Their journey was without incident and they arrived safely at their destination. They were met by a knight clothed in armour that bore the imprint of an eagle on it.
"Watchfulness huh?" Reis muttered to himself.
"Excuse me, what did you just say?" the knight asked him.
"Your crest. It bears the marking of an eagle. What came to mind was watchfulness" Reis said.
"And you are very right about that. Being watchful can prevent danger and if the danger is unavoidable, it can lessen the casualties and troubles it brings. The eagle could also symbolize vision and this crest holds my hope for a vision that is true and unblurred by illusion" the knight said.
Then he introduced himself as Sir Raphael Cruz but wished for everyone to call him just Raphael.
He led them into what appeared to be a growing village mostly under construction. There were many people aiding in the construction of the village. So far there were quite a number of houses and a few places for recreation. It looked in some ways similar to the architecture, design and layout of the central guild about a year ago.
"The Dragonlord sent us copies of the blueprints to the old guild. We have some skilled architects among our ranks and many skilled in building so construction is proceeding smoothly. For now you can look around, I'll introduce you to everyone in the evening. Things tend to get quite interesting in the evenings" Sir Raphael said.
The teams spent their time walking around the guild. In the guild, there was no presence of Erikkus Di Devilli's tyranny so it was quite a lovely place. It had a number of schools that appeared to focus more on training Drakes because technically the rangers in this guild were only Drakes in terms of their understanding and relation to the Dragons. They were already bonded to the Dragons so there would be no need for a bonding ceremony. Once they became Dragon Students, they would begin to learn more about practical aspects of partnering with a Dragon.
"It's just like our guild" Aurora said with a smile.
"It's like a Saggeese without Erikkus Di Devilli's rule. It's kinda amazing that all of this is happening right under his nose" Reis said.
"And he has no idea" Shin laughed.
"Either that or he has chosen to ignore this" Effuien said.
"Whatever the case, it's best for now not to vex ourselves thinking of what's going on in Erikkus Di Devilli's mind. I'm sure he is the only one that knows the answer to that and I for one am not going to trouble myself trying to guess it" Darak said.
"However…" Reis said as he pointed to some flags of Dragons and Eagles flying at important places in the guild and the many watchtowers that distinguished the guild from theirs. "The creed this guild lives by aside from the Dragon Ranger pledge is watchfulness. We should indeed trouble ourselves trying to guess what Erikkus Di Devilli is thinking or we might end up waltzing right into one of his traps" Reis said.
The Rangers sat under a starlit sky as the moon lighted the guild with its pure bright shine. Under the night sky, tales were told of the bravery of the Dragon Rangers and the valiant Dragon Knights that fought on the side of humanity with the Dragons during the Drӓkan War.
Then without warning, Sir Raphael arose from his seat and motioned to the three Teams to arise. He wished to introduce them to the rest of the guild. Everyone suddenly became silent and listened with rapt attention to what he was about to say. He introduced Teams Ayenhayze and Senshiiro without incident. On the part of Team Kira, he introduced Mistress Kira first, then Darak, he had to ask for Reis' name before introducing him successfully though. Then finally…
"And finally, this young lady here is Aurora Saggeese" he finally said.
Suddenly murmurs arose among the Rangers and then even sudden than the murmurs, loud cheers broke out.
"I knew she was related to the late King and Queen. The resemblance is uncanny!" someone said.
"She has more of her mother's features and her grace" another voice said.
"The Princess was alive all along? The Princess is alive? Then our troubles will soon be over" another person said.
Aurora began to feel uneasy. Her parents died because of the lies Erikkus Di Devilli spread and it was the hatred the people had for the royal bloodline of Saggeese that directly or otherwise led to their deaths and now the same people were celebrating her life? It was a different reaction from what she initially anticipated and she hoped it would end there before the people had any chance to hang their expectations upon her shoulders yet truly enough, the people's conversation began to centre around that one topic.
"If the princess is alive and this young lady really is she, then what we want to know is when are you going to lead us in an effort to liberate Saggeese?" one person suddenly asked the one question Aurora had dreaded the entire time.
"We've been waiting for a miracle like this to happen. The princess being alive must mean that the time is right to strike back against Erikkus Di Devilli!" someone else said and the people seemed to generally agree on this.
Aurora gulped and with bitter feelings beginning to swell in her heart, she ran from the crowd with Reis chasing worriedly after her. Darak looked at Mistress Kira and shook his head to indicate that he did not understand her reaction. Mistress Kira suddenly let out a sympathetic sigh.
"I'm sure Saggeese brings back a lot of bitter feelings and seeing the crowd want to topple their ruler enforces memories Aurora would rather forget. For now let us hope Reis can help her adjust to being here" Mistress Kira said quietly to Darak and the members of the other Teams.
"Aurora!" Reis called worriedly as he chased her into the forest.
It was darker there than it was in the village.
"Eyes Of The Kaignis King" Reis called and his eyesight improved greatly to help him better view his surroundings in the darkness.
"Aurora!" he called again and searched for her. He found her eventually with her hand on the bark of an old tree and her back to him.
"How could they soon forget the pain they caused my family? How could they so soon forget that they chose Erikkus Di Devilli over the rightful rulers of Saggeese and how could they dare to ask me to fight a war for them knowing all this?!" Aurora lamented.
"I see, you haven't quite gotten over the pain of losing your family to Saggeese have you?" Reis said sympathetically.
"I almost did. After realizing my love for you at the verge of your death, I thought I could let go finally of Jared's death as long as I had you beside me but just when everything began to get better, I had to return to the place that took everything from me" Aurora cried.
"You know…you cannot blame everyone for what happened in Saggeese all those years ago. People change and so do their feelings and perceptions of people. They seem to have finally realized their mistake after all these years. You've got to let your people into your heart Aurora" Reis said silently.
"At this moment, I do not consider them my people. They renounced me and my family all those years ago and I in turn renounced them. They are Erikkus Di Devilli's people" Aurora said bitterly.
"You know what I'm trying to say…that is…if you're Aurora Saggeese, heir to the Saggeesian throne. I will not ask you to fight a war for Saggeese and I know that it might even be too much to ask you to forgive your people. Aurora Saggeese, either way I love you all the same and I will continue to fight for what we believe in but if you believe that the people that have put their hopes in you right now are the people of your adversary…then Armageddon has already won before we'll ever get a chance to fight" Reis said.
Aurora tried to shut out Reis' voice but in her heart she knew that he was telling her the truth and he wasn't speaking lightly either. She knew that his life in Saggeese had never been easy since the people in their allegiance to Erikkus Di Devilli detested him and his family but things were changing. The awe Erikkus Di Devilli had over them was beginning to wane and the people had begun to see him for who and what he was, an usurper and a tyrant.
Even more important than this perhaps was the hope they had begun to place in Saggeese's true royal bloodline. Now everything related to Saggeese and its continued existence was gradually being put into the hands of Aurora Saggeese and she had a decision to make. Reis regardless of personal feelings was putting the kingdom, perhaps even the world of Ryugaeia first, then why couldn't she?
She turned to look at him. His eyes showed determined resolve. She looked away feeling that his resolve only mirrored her hesitation to act. She couldn't let him see her waver. She took in a deep breath and sighed.
"I hope you'll stand by me regardless of my decision" Aurora said.
"I may not agree with your decision Aurora but I will stand by you as long as our beliefs do not clash" Reis said.
Moments later, Reis and Aurora stood once more before the people.
"Have you made your decision Princess Aurora Saggeese?" the people asked eagerly.
"Will you fight with us?"
"I have come to a decision and it shouldn't surprise you seeing as you are Dragon Rangers yourselves. I have come to you from the central guild not as Princess Aurora Saggeese, heir to the Saggeesian throne but as Aurora Saggeese the Dragon Ranger and as Dragon Ranger, I refuse to be the trigger and catalyst for a war in Saggeese…however seeing as I cannot ignore my vows as Dragon Ranger to protect the weak and free the oppressed…I will protect you…if I must!" Aurora declared.
There was a silence that showed that the people did not expect that answer along with initial disappointment but then the people gathered their senses and cheered Aurora loudly.
That night, Reis sat in a tent prepared for the boys. He was thinking of his grandfather. He hadn't seen him since he joined the Dragon Rangers and that was well over a year ago.
"I know Reis. You're back in your homeland and you must be worried about your gramps but you need to focus on the present for now. The Dragonlord probably has a plan which I believe might ultimately save Saggeese. You heard him. He doesn't intend for us to be passive" Shin said.
"I didn't want to look weak in front of Aurora when she was struggling to endure being in Saggeese again but I have concerns of my own. We can't afford to start a war in Saggeese by provoking Erikkus Di Devilli but I doubt we can stand and watch him do as he likes with the people here" Reis said.
"I get what you're trying to say but don't be rash Reis. Being patient and doing nothing are not the same thing" Shin advised.
"I know Shin but I don't want to lose the chance to do what I can while I can. I don't want to have regrets" Reis said.
"I don't know what you're getting so worked up about Reis. Sometimes when you can't think around a problem, the best thing to do is to be straightforward about it. Some problems are solved not with tact but with overwhelming force" Darak said with a smirk and punched his palms.
"I most certainly do not doubt your capacity to start a one man war Darak but do your best to hold your destructive impulses in" Shin said with a laugh.
"I'm going out for some air" Reis said and walked out on them.
Once outside, he found Aurora standing outside her tent as well. She noticed him and approached him.
"Can't sleep?" she asked.
Reis nodded.
"Yeah, me too" Aurora said.
She leaned on the tent beside him.
"I must say I admired your decision Aurora. You clearly have your perspective right and you're able to prioritize your duty as Dragon Ranger over your feelings of loss as the Princess Of Saggeese" Reis said.
"The people here aren't that bad. I also know when it is imperative to be patient Reis after all it was you who taught me 'there are more variations of battle than those that are fought with a sword'" Aurora said.
Reis nodded. He still looked very serious.
"I can't sleep because I feel the people here are giving me too much credit. They're probably hanging hopes on me that I can't even begin to imagine how to fulfil. What's your excuse?" Aurora asked.
"We must not allow the enemy to provoke us into starting a war. We must be patient. I understand that but at the same time our oath as Dragon Ranger is to protect the weak and free the oppressed. Will we really be able to stomach watching all that happens to the people of Saggeese without acting?" Reis asked.
"It's rare for you to be the one who needs advice Reis but you're letting the enemy's might oppress your mind right now" Aurora said as she flicked Reis playfully on the forehead.
Reis opened his eyes as a sudden wave of realization hit him.
"Oppress the mind? Aurora! You are a genius!" Reis exclaimed in joy.
"I know I am. After all I am a member of the guild's strongest rookie team" Aurora said with a laugh.
"That's not what I meant" Reis laughed in response.
"There are many forms of oppression that have nothing to do with a whip just as there are many variations of battle that have nothing to do with a sword. Did you notice the atmosphere in this guild when we arrived?" Reis asked.
"It was lively. They are living in Saggeese under Erikkus Di Devilli's rule however the weight of his presence is not felt here" Aurora said.
"And in Tyron his influence was quite minimal. One way to fight Erikkus Di Devilli off is to starve the oppressive atmosphere of fear he has created. On this front, we can battle without directly engaging in warfare" Reis suggested.
"How do we do that?" Aurora asked.
"The difference between the Dragon Rangers and everyone in Saggeese is that we have a hope we strongly believe in. We know that Armageddon will eventually lose and so will Erikkus Di Devilli. The people living under him probably have that hope as well but it might seem distant to them after all these years of oppression" Reis said.
"So we ignite that hope right? But where do we begin Reis?" Aurora asked.
"Well I know just where to begin. It was bothering me for a while now but isn't it quite a coincidence that our trade ship is called Benedict's Ark?" Reis laughed.
"What's this Benedict's Ark?" Aurora asked.
"It's an element of the dream I told you about before. I have a plan however it will involve the help of all the rangers in this guild" Reis said.
The following day, Reis, Aurora and the rest of the team stood before the Dragon Rangers.
"WHAAAAAAAAT?! R-Repeat what you just said. You want us to begin holding Trade Fairs all across Saggeese? That's your plan for toppling Erikkus Di Devilli?!" the people exclaimed in disbelief.
"That's part of my plan…yes. We need to send a clear message to Erikkus Di Devilli and the people of Saggeese that though we do not intend to start a war, we can break the atmosphere of oppression by giving the people of Saggeese the will to live strongly. It's a message to Erikkus Di Devilli as well. 'We may not intend to start a war here but we are watching'" Reis said.
"But we can't do this alone. We need your help and the co-operation of the other guilds" Aurora said.
"Well if the princess says so I certainly won't object" one person said.
"If things get dangerous princess you can count on us" another person said and right then and there, the members of the guild swore their allegiance to Princess Aurora Saggeese.
"What do you think Sir Raphael?" Reis asked.
"What do I think? We are going to need more ships" Sir Raphael said. "Leave the preparations to me. I will inform the Central Guild to send more supplies our way and get the other guilds on board" he said and left the gathering.
Over the next few days, letters were sent to the Central Guild and the other guilds. Reia received a letter as well since Jared kept in touch with the Central Guild.
"What's going on?" Jared asked Reia when the letter was received.
Reia read it.
"It's your sister Jared. As amazing as it sounds she's waging a war on a whole new front none of us could have ever anticipated. She has chosen to fight for the broken spirits of the people in Saggeese instead of waging a war to reclaim the kingdom" Reia said.
"My big sister is amazing as always. Let's coordinate our efforts to her plan and see what happens" Jared said.
"The fact that both of you are alive is at present the greatest threat to the enemy's schemes. Your presence will serve as a counterbalance to his" Reia said.
She relayed the plan to the rangers.
"Where the Prince and Princess go, we will follow" the rangers swore their allegiance to Jared and Aurora.
In all the various guilds, the message was relayed and in every one of them, the rangers swore their allegiance to Aurora and Jared Saggeese.
In the Saggeesian Royal Castle, the enemy noticed a great stirring in the balance of good and evil.
"I don't know what you're planning Reis Dragonhaӓrt and Aurora Saggeese but I understand your message clearly. 'We are watching' was it? I see you intend to bind the Severing however when the time is right I shall show you just how futile your plots are. After all, the Severing can be reinforced through its linchpin. Aurora Saggeese, you are that linchpin" the enemy declared.
For many days, people from all over Saggeese, traders, came to purchase goods from the many ships arriving from Novatio. Among them were Dragon Rangers from all over Saggeese who came disguised as ordinary folk. They bought these goods and took them inland.
The Eagle's Eye Guild, the guild in which Teams Kira, Ayenhayze and Senshiiro were sent to aid, had decided to set up their stalls at the harbour away from their guild. Other guilds were setting up stalls in various towns, villages and cities all across Saggeese.
One morning, Reis and Aurora were invited by Sir Raphael to see the stalls. It was the day of the big event, the Trade Fair. Over the past few days, Sir Raphael had advised that it would not be wise to have the princess of Saggeese moving about freely in enemy territory so Aurora and Reis stayed in the guild with the younger team members to aid in teaching the Drakes while the older team members left with Sir Raphael to inspect the stalls every day. On this day however, everything had been set up so Reis and Aurora were invited to see the stalls with the rest of the team.
They walked a long way talking of the event and their expectations. As they approached the harbour, Reis was suddenly hit with a wave of fear. He looked around quickly,
"This feeling, there is another presence here. I know this feeling. It's a feeling I am utterly familiar with. We are being watched by Erikkus Di Devilli" Reis thought to himself.
He looked at the others. Mistress Kira, Master Jin, Mistress Suzuna, Shin and Effuien were also on edge however the Masters were more composed. Shin was just as shaken as Reis was and Effuien seemed to be wondering whether or not it was just his imagination. Aurora, Darak, Kyla and Ethan were slightly uneasy though they had not appeared to realize why.
Reis looked at Sir Raphael. His eyes were raised towards the sky and he seemed completely unperturbed. Reis stared in the direction Sir Raphael was looking at but saw nothing.
"For one with so many eyes, the enemy is astonishingly blind" Sir Raphael said with a slight growl.
"He knows we are being watched" Reis realized.
"I've heard about your bond with the Kaignis King Reis Dragonhaӓrt so it's understandable that you would notice this however it's nothing you should worry yourself about for now. If there is nothing you can do about it, it's futile to allow yourself to be oppressed by the enemy's presence" Sir Raphael said.
"What are you two talking about?" Mistress Kira asked.
"Nothing you need to concern yourself with for now. For now, we do not intend to make any suspicious moves so the Fair will continue undisturbed however you must all assume that the enemy knows our location" Sir Raphael said.
They arrived at the harbour in the afternoon. They managed to cut some time short when Reis summoned Kaignis Wolves to give them a ride part of the way. At the harbour everything seemed set. The event was set to begin at sunset.
Traders were already flocking into the harbour from everywhere to display their goods and set up their own stalls. The rangers couldn't help talking to the traders about Saggeese's long lost princess so the tales of Aurora's grace and strength spread amongst the traders at the harbour. The traders who had come to purchase goods to send inland to host their own Fairs would take these tales with them inland and little by little, like a seed, hope was being planted in the hearts of the Saggeesians. Hopes of a Saggeese restored to its former glory and of a time of great peace, justice and prosperity. Smiles and secret hopes would be carried from person to person and this hope would soon blossom into a great tree.
However, the enemy was not unaware of this hope and bided his time carefully waiting to put his most dangerous scheme into action.
Reis and Aurora, Shin and Erasa and Darak and Kyla sat at the docks quite close to where the ships were docked.
"Hey Reis, do you think the guilds are what Epsilon spoke of when he said he felt a gathering occurring with tremendous force?" Shin asked.
"So far, the guilds are the greatest event that have occurred since the appearing of Arӓlpheisl" Erasa noted.
Reis nodded.
"And I'd like for you all to ponder what this means" Reis said as he lifted his right hand.
The others stared at his Dragon Ring. Shin gasped.
"Figures you'd be the first to realize what I mean" Reis said with a teasing smile. "Symptoms" he quickly added.
"Are you implying that the sleeping Dragons have awakened? That the Great Extinction defying all reason has somehow been reversed?" Aurora asked with great excitement.
"All that stands between now and a sky filled with Dragons are those that wear these" Reis said with a smile. "They are yet to realize the significance of these rings. It's a part of the song my parents left behind, the part about…" Reis was saying when Shin interrupted him.
"Human and Divine" Shin said, then he sang the final part of 'The Heart That Destroys Darkness'.
"Add one more element
When these Two become One
They beckon to Him the Heart
For when Human meets Divine
He will be born.
The Heart that destroys Armageddon
And His name is Benedict"
Shin, Reis and Aurora sang the song together for Reis had taught Aurora the words and the melody.
"I look forward to that moment…a sky filled with Dragons" Kyla said with a nostalgic look in her eyes.
Reis stretched and lay on the ground.
"I'm so tired. Wake me up when the Fair begins" he said and shut his eyes.
Aurora laughed at him in contentment and watched over him while he slept. All this time, the enemy's eyes were on them.
"See how vulnerable you are my greatest archnemesis. How you even dare to sleep peacefully within my territory is a wonder I shall never comprehend. I could strike you right now if I so desired" he gloated.
Then in an instant, a momentary flash of blazing golden eyes permeated his mind and was gone in an instant.
"Wh-What was that just now?" he appeared visibly shaken.
"Though I am watching them with unyielding gaze…it feels as though I am the one being watched" the enemy wondered.
He scanned the area with his vision but found no one. Then in an instant, the powerful golden gaze flashed again within his mind and disappeared.
"Wh-What is th-this?" he wondered.
He looked around and found Sir Raphael speaking to one of the people in charge of the fireworks.
"Nothing seems out of place" the enemy thought.
Sir Raphael gazed into the sky and sat down watching over the teens from a distance. They were unaware that he was watching over them.
Within Reis' mind, Alpha, the Great Golden Dragon and Ruler of All Material Light waited patiently.
"Alpha, you're here again. Is it time for me to continue my lessons?" Reis asked.
"Yes it is young and noble Reis Dragonhaӓrt however this time I fear you might discover a bit of an obstacle in your path for an adversary has infiltrated Benedict's Ark. The one you refer to as Galigaos seeks to ruin Jinrai's legacy" Alpha said.
"My father's legacy?" Reis asked.
"Yes, within that legacy is a fated meeting your father arranged for you before he left Ryugaeia. A meeting with the man who is your predecessor. His memoires are necessary for Ryugaeia's continued survival for I fear the enemy is soon to implement a scheme that puts Truth itself on Trial. A scheme that will force many to deny the reality of their lives. It is a scheme he refers to as 'The Severing'. Remember these words Reis Dragonhaӓrt. 'The enemy does not mind losing to you in dreams as long as he can defeat you in reality'. Focus on the battle that must be fought and your vision will be unhindered" Alpha said. Then he added, "Journey into Benedict's Ark and discover your predecessor for 'The Heart that Destroys Darkness' and 'His Memoires' are one and the same".
Reis shut his eyes and opened them. He found himself in the Class Of Honours he had established.
"Reis! You came back!" the others exclaimed cheerfully.
"I hope I haven't missed anything significant while I was gone" Reis said.
At this, the looks on everyone's faces became solemn.
"The Kolmnid Farms were attacked by an unknown enemy. Michael left just before you arrived. He also said he had a feeling you would be arriving soon" Josec said.
"Now you're here what are we waiting for? Let us find out who attacked the Kolmnid farms!" Ayumi said as she punched her palm.
"Yeah, Atlanta left already" Andrea said.
The Class Of Honours accessed the teleportation crystal in their class and in an instant, they were transported to the Kolmnid Farms. The Farms were surprisingly intact. Reis breathed a sigh of relief.
"Violence is forbidden on Benedict's Ark. Students can only engage one another through special events called protocols and these events range from battles based almost entirely on knowledge to special skills called Talents. It must have been quite an unpleasant shock to Galigaos to discover that he was practically harmless aboard Benedict's Ark" Reis thought.
"Are you daydreaming Reis, come on!" Andrea beckoned.
"Yeah Reis get on with the program" Ayumi added.
"Sorry guys" Reis said as he followed them into one of the Tents.
Inside the Tent was an old man, a young boy and a girl about as old as Ryu and Michael were. Reis thought there might not be much of a difference between their ages. Michael, Ryu and Atlanta were also in the Tent.
"Hey Reis, you're back" Michael greeted.
Ryu slammed his hand on the table thus startling everyone. Atlanta slapped him on the back of his head.
"Don't cause an unnecessary ruckus Ryu" Atlanta warned.
"Repeat what you just said Tanya and go over it slowly" Ryu almost demanded.
"A man with blonde hair and crimson eyes arrived on the Farms. He demanded access to a legacy I believe is Ryuujinn's and demanded that the protectors of this legacy confront him in the Sanctum of the Water Kings. He said he was the founder of the Sanctum of Decadent Wyverns and that you would know what that means Reis Dragonhaӓrt" the girl called Tanya said.
"Founder of the Sanctum of Decadent Wyverns?! He can be none other than the man who developed the art of artificially engineering dragons, my father's archnemesis, Galigaos the Crimson Swordsman of Darkness!" Reis declared.
"What are 'Wyverns'?" Ryu asked.
"They are soulless Dragons" Reis informed him.
"In my world we call them Dark Mongerers but the classical name is 'Dark Dragons'" Ryu said.
"So that's what the Wyverns are! Galigaos was actually scheming to revive the Dark Dragons. However if the Dark Dragons are revived with Armageddon as their head, a clash between Dragons and Wyverns could spell another Drӓkan War for my homeland!" Reis declared.
"What else did Galigaos say?!" Reis demanded worriedly.
Ayumi slapped him on the back and motioned to Tanya. She was visibly shaken.
"I'm sorry Tanya but this is really important. I need to know everything he said" Reis said.
"The last thing he said was this, 'Delay long enough and I will begin to attack students aboard Benedict's Ark'" Tanya informed the others.
"Sheesh, Erikkus Di Devilli and Galigaos! It's always one or the other!" Reis said.
Ryu wore a frown and his fists were clenched at his sides.
"They will not get away with this!" he declared and stormed off.
"If someone is threatening students aboard the Academy, we must inform the Director" Reis said.
"We'll leave that to you Honours Prefect. Not everyone can just waltz in to see the Director you know?" Ayumi said with a thumbs up.
Moments later, Reis stood before the Director.
"So what you're trying to tell me is that someone infiltrated the Academy and is threatening harm on my students is that it?" the Director asked.
Reis nodded.
"I see. I had a suspicion something like that would happen soon. After all, a man who used to come into the Ark lost his key a while back and was unable to return to his world. He had intended to seal himself in the Ark with an old enemy in order to protect his son, as well as a prince and a princess who had to flee their kingdom however his nemesis snatched the key and escaped leaving him trapped in the Ark" the Director said.
Reis' heart beat in excitement.
"What was his name?" Reis asked.
"I believe his name was Jinrai Dragonhaӓrt" the Academy Director said.
"M-My father is aboard the Ark?" Reis exclaimed in joy and surprise.
"Yes he is. He is currently the guest of the one that forms the core of the Ark. I believe that man is your predecessor and the reason you were invited to the Ark in the first place" the Director said.
"Do you know who my predecessor is?" Reis asked.
"Yes I do but I cannot tell you. He made me promise not to say anything till the time was right" the Director said.
"I see" Reis said.
"For now I will grant you access to the Sanctum of the Water Kings" the Director said as a new location appeared on Reis' crystal key.
"I will also grant you access to the protocol 'Excalibur' which will allow you to expel this foe from the Ark when you come into contact with him.
Then Reis slowly opened his eyes and awakened from his dream.
"Reis" he heard Aurora calling gently to him.
Reis sat up. It was night time and the harbour was lit with many lights from both ships and stalls.
"The Fair has begun" Aurora said.
"I see that. Wow, this place sure is busy!" Reis exclaimed in joy.
"Where are the others?" he asked.
"They all left to enjoy the Fair" Aurora explained.
"Then what are we doing here? Sorry to keep you waiting Aurora but I'm ready now. Let's be sure to enjoy this night. This sort of thing doesn't happen all the time you know?" Reis said.
Aurora laughed.
"See who is in so much of a hurry after a good nap" she said.
Almost immediately after she had said that, a growling sound came from Reis' stomach.
At least we know what we're going to start with" Aurora said.
The two walked around the harbour. There were many stalls selling kebabs and all manner of cooked meat. There were also stalls that sold sweets and drinks as well as pastries.
Reis and Aurora ran into Shin, Kyla, Erasa and Darak at the grounds set up for games. Shin was hurling daggers at targets. He was even hitting mobile targets. Then he requested a blindfold. The Phantom Thief was recalling his glory days. At that moment, Darak who had been watching him calmly decided he could not let Shin outshine him so he requested for daggers and the two began to compete.
"I think I'm going to try that too" Reis said.
"Then I'll go get you something to eat. What would you like?" Aurora asked him.
"Some Kaiser-wolf meat would be fine" Reis said.
"Hey hey, would Sabre-fang agree with you eating his brethren?" Shin asked with a mischievous grin.
"He understands that there is a certain circle of life and that includes a food chain. Kaisers eat what Kaisers eat and man eats what man eats. There're no hard feelings there but he seems to harbour a strong disregard for Darak" Reis said with a laugh.
"I wonder why that is" Darak said with a disinterested look on his face.
"In his own words, nature only consumes what is necessary but you went on an unnecessary killing spree in his forest and since you wasted what you did not even intend to consume the next aim he takes at your jugular will definitely not miss its mark" Reis said and everyone laughed.
"I never knew Kaisers could have such a sense of humour" Erasa said with a laugh.
"They are very fierce defenders of nature" Reis said seriously.
His seriousness made them laugh all the more.
"While you're at it Aurora bring me five sticks of Kaiser-wolf meat. I'll be sure to consume it all this time" Darak said with a smirk.
"No one asked you dumbass!" Aurora exclaimed in a pretend show of annoyance.
"I don't think you're taking anything I just said seriously enough" Reis said.
"Oh we have taken your message to heart Reis, don't worry" Shin said.
Kyla nodded.
"So you can tell Sabre-fang to relax. We'll be more careful with our eating habits" Kyla agreed.
Aurora left with Kyla and Erasa while the boys kept on with their target practice games. The girls on their part were interested in the beautiful woven clothes, the tie and dye clothes and other clothes on display at the Fair.
By the time they returned, the boys were absolutely famished.
"You arrived just in time. We were just one step away from death's dark door" Shin said.
Erasa handed him two sticks of meat.
"And I got three for you Darak. Five is a bit excessive" Kyla said.
"Too bad, I guess it will have to do. Thanks Ky" Darak said and took the meat.
"K-K-Ky?! When did he start calling you by a pet name Kyla?!" Reis and Shin exclaimed in shock.
"It is a bit surprising" Erasa said.
"No…it's downright shocking" Aurora said with an expression that showed that she was shocked to the point of expressionlessness.
"We started seeing each other after he almost got taken over by Armageddon and awakened as Darag-Arӧkna" Kyla explained.
"B-But Ky…?" Reis exclaimed in shock.
"Shut up Reis, only Darak is allowed to call me that" Kyla said seriously.
"Hmm, I'm a bit jealous here. Erasa and I haven't graduated to pet names yet" Shin said.
"And don't you even dare think of calling me Er Shin or I'll slap the living daylights out of you!" Erasa exclaimed.
"Well you did give me my name so I'm satisfied" Shin said with a smile.
Erasa blushed and smiled.
"Erasa named you? I really need to hear about that" Kyla said with a smirk.
"I'm not telling you about it anytime soon" Shin poked out his tongue at her.
"What of you Reis? Do you and Aurora call each other by pet names?" Erasa asked.
"We-ell, I wouldn't exactly call it a pet name" Reis said slowly.
"Sh-Shut up Reis! Don't you dare tell them!" Aurora exclaimed as her face suddenly turned red.
"And there you have it. It's between Aurora and I" Reis said.
"No fair! Spill!" Kyla and Shin demanded.
"Maybe one day but that day is definitely not today" Aurora declared firmly.
"Aww, too bad" the others sighed.
It was now late into the night and Aurora and Reis sat alone once more at the harbour. They were silent for a while and Aurora's head was on Reis' shoulder.
"You know, when I was much younger, I used to look out over the sea with Jared and dream of the future. I hoped I would find my Prince when the time was right. When I believed Jared was dead and with my promise to Sir Jinrai, that dream became a plague as I began to feel that day would never come. I always used to dream of the day I'd find my Prince but I found a King instead, my Arӓlpheisl" Aurora said.
"Your Arӓlpheisl…your First and Only King" Reis said as the profoundness of Aurora's love began to dawn on him.
Her love had given Arӓlpheisl's name a new meaning. It was an oath of love. Reis removed a book from within his clothes and handed it to Aurora.
"Aside from the Tragic Legend, there are many other tales my grandfather told me when I was a little boy and one of them I particularly enjoyed. I was able to buy a copy here. It is my gift to you and within its pages are what you mean to me" Reis said.
Aurora accepted the book. 'The Sleeping Dawn' was its title. Aurora burst into tears.
"Oh Reis" she cried for it was a story she knew very well.
"You are my Dawn…" Reis began to say.
"When you awaken, I too will be free" Aurora joined him and they recited the words together.
Images began to flash within Reis' mind. Memories of a boy with a bleeding fist standing upon holy ground. There were companions around him.
"I promise to develop a technique surpassing Gaiden's before the full alignment of the moons of Tristran or your vow will be reinstated" the boy said.
"Believe in Ryuujinn's Dragon Zone, the Light will balance out the darkness" an old man said to the boy.
Reis saw the boy flying on the back of a dragon. His companions rode dragons as well. The boy was staring at the sky. Above the sky was the white moon, partially surrounded by three blood red moons.
"Another demented one is that Tristran, what would inspire him to create such ugly moons" the boy said as his voice began to trail off and echo within Reis' mind.
"Ryu?" Reis thought to himself for the resemblance was uncanny.
Reis stared at the sky intently and noticed something odd.
"There are quite a number of stars out tonight aren't there?" Aurora said with a smile.
"They are not all stars" Reis said seriously.
"What do you mean?" Aurora asked.
"Look at those ones. They don't look like distant large bodies, they look like small bodies that are meant to look distant. They are well hidden among the stars but I know stars even if I don't know them by name. I have been looking at them all my life and those are no stars" Reis said.
Aurora looked closely.
"You're right. They don't blend well with the night" Aurora said.
"And now for the fireworks!" Reis heard Sir Raphael's voice within his mind. "Let the false stars fall!" Sir Raphael exclaimed and fireworks began to go off in the air.
The enemy had been watching them until that moment. When the fireworks went off, the light was blinding and it was enough to blind the enemy's vision. Reis saw what looked like a streak of fire smash into the foreign objects in the sky. It was moving with tremendous force. There were multiple breaking sounds mixed in with the sound of the fireworks and then the foreign objects crashed to the ground.
When the fireworks ended, the enemy realized that he was blinded to the events at the Fair.
"So you noticed my presence. But you are naïve. All I have to do is move a few of the multitude of 'eyes' scattered around Saggeese to your location.
In an instant, the intense golden gaze permeated his mind.
"I guess you could do that…assuming smashing a few 'eyes' is all I did" Sir Raphael said.
The enemy panicked. The person who had just destroyed his eyes could communicate directly to him.
"You should have noticed it by now, the lapses in your vision. I began by tearing down a few 'eyes' in multiple locations especially those where your presence was intensely focused. I tore down all of those in areas you gave almost no attention to. With the wideness of your vision, a few eyes at a time would make no significant difference and I gambled on the fact that you would think of it as a flaw in your own judgement. I returned to those places over time and tore down a few more eyes at a time and I am certain the other Dragon Knights have done so as well. Your oppressive presence is now far less felt in Saggeese and your foot soldiers should start to feel it soon; that the relayed orders are becoming less and less accurate and more and more delayed. Don't underestimate the Dragon Rangers!" the enemy heard a powerful voice permeate his mind accompanying the powerful golden gaze.
"Wh-Who are you?!" the enemy exclaimed in horror for he realized that what had just been said was true.
This strange presence had torn down his vision and now, his forces were completely isolated without anyone to coordinate them. They were practically defenceless and would be overwhelmed if the Dragon Rangers chose to strike now.
"A Dragon Ranger forever!" the voice exclaimed and then the golden gaze and voice were gone in an instant.
Reis looked into the sky.
"Th-They're all gone! The strange objects!" Aurora exclaimed.
"Yes they are and now the enemy shall feel a physical manifestation of his blindness" Sir Raphael's voice rang within Reis' mind.
Reis turned to Aurora and smiled.
"Alpha" Reis asked. "What were those images I just saw?"
Silently and calmly, the voice of the Dragon Sovereign spoke within Reis' mind.
"They are fragments of your predecessor's memoires. Fragments he chose to share with you and within 'His Memoires' dwell 'The Heart'" Alpha said.
Over time, what Sir Raphael said came to pass. The enemy's soldiers began to feel isolated since he could no longer effectively coordinate them without vision. As a result, there were a large number of defections and desertions on the enemy's side.
It was a dark and stormy day in the Eagle's Eye Guild and all over Saggeese. Sir Raphael watched the skies closely.
"There's something ominous about this storm. It's almost as though the enemy is expressing rage at having been found out and blinded" he thought to himself.
The boys and girls of the three teams and their masters were moved from tents to actual houses for their protection from the storm. Aurora lay on a bed busily reading.
"Hey Aurora, what's that? You've been reading that for a while now" Kyla asked.
"It's 'The Sleeping Dawn'. Reis gave it to me" Aurora said.
"The Sleeping Dawn? What's that?" Erasa asked.
"I'm surprised you haven't heard of it. It's actually a Novatian tale" Aurora said.
"Tell us, we'd like to hear it" Erasa pleaded.
Kyla nodded.
"Okay, here goes" Aurora said and began to narrate the tale.
"Once there was a king and queen who had a daughter after a long period of childlessness. At their daughter's christening, they invited a multitude of people among which were many magical beings. They named their daughter Aurora after the Dawn. Seven of these magical beings, faeries, were to be the godmothers of the child and six of them blessed her with the gifts of the virtues, grace, kindness, fortitude, beauty, song, dance and wit.
The only faerie who had not been invited was enraged and appeared at the ceremony. She affirmed that the child would indeed grow up to inherit the blessings the six faeries had bestowed upon her however, on her sixteenth birthday, she would prick her finger on a weaver's spindle and die.
Everyone was horrified. However, it was the turn of the seventh faerie to bestow her gift. The seventh faerie had waited patiently, listening to the curse of this evil faerie. She realized she could not undo the curse but at best she could lessen its effects so she bestowed her gift to the child. The child would indeed prick her finger on a weaver's spindle but she would not die. She would fall into a deep sleep until she was awakened by a prince's show of true love.
To protect their daughter from the curse, the royal family burnt all weaver's spindles and handed the child over to be raised by the faeries. Thus the princess was severed from her true lineage until her sixteenth birthday when hopefully, the curse would have been averted.
Sixteen years later, she was returned to her parents. They were overjoyed to see her. However, while everyone's attention wandered from her, she climbed one of the castle's towers and chanced upon an old weaver working on her spindle. Pleading with her to be given the chance to spin, she did however…" Aurora paused.
In Niyansa's castle, Erikkus Di Devilli stood before a dark and sinister presence.
"We need to advance our plans now Armageddon. Most of the human troops we had under our control have defected to Aurora Saggeese's side. How could they even follow that…Princess. She is not even a warrior and she is not interested in liberating them!" Erikkus Di Devilli complained.
"I suppose it depends on your definition of 'liberation'. Alpha is surprisingly sly. Regardless, this futile defection should not impact our plans greatly after all…our true army…is not a human one" Armageddon said.
"I should be able to buy some time with the Greater Severing. The first severing severed Aurora Saggeese from her lineage and allowed us to gain control of Saggeese, the Greater Severing will isolate her from reality itself. She and anyone else that has trivial hopes of a peaceful Saggeese" Armageddon added.
"You intend to cause it to happen don't you? The Severing" Erikkus Di Devilli said.
"It is fitting that the Princess be beaten by what she treasures most is it not? Thus I have designed the Severing after the elements of 'The Sleeping Dawn'" Armageddon said.
"…as the evil faerie had cursed her, she pricked her finger on the weaver's spindle and fell into a deep slumber!" Erikkus Di Devilli declared.
Armageddon laughed vainly.
With a loud crack of lightning, a huge dome appeared all along the borders of Saggeese completely isolating it from the rest of the world.
"Incinerate all hope!" Armageddon declared with a sinister roar.
Within Reis' mind, Alpha stood waiting patiently.
"You're here Alpha" Reis said silently.
"I am but you need to hurry Reis! The Severing has already begun. Find your predecessor and learn the significance of His Memoires! You need it to beat the Severing!" Alpha declared.
Reis shut his eyes. When he opened them, he found himself in Class Honours. Ayumi was singing a song with the rest of the class,
"Find your identity, don't let it go
The Seal is there within you
Know your Origins then let tears flow
Now find yourself, make sure you're free
You are My Kin, My Family
So find your truth, set yourself free
Now learn to breathe, open your eyes
And tear away the empty lies"
Ayumi sang. Everyone applauded her.
"It's a song I originally composed for Zan. There may be a lot of lies and illusions in the world but once you come to know yourself, your identity, who you truly are, all those lies crumble away for Truth dwells within the Human Soul" Ayumi explained.
"Truth dwells within the Human Soul" Reis repeated the words in deep thought. "I need to find Ryu" Reis said and headed to Kolmnid Farms.
Once in the farms, he heard the sound of a mysterious song being played on flutes. Seated on the rock in the farms was Ryu and he was singing. As Reis approached, he began to make out the words;
"Timeless, windless, wordless, endless
Something from my past seems worthless
Memories I can't define
Of things I just can't seem to find.
A star, a storm, a great starship
That blazes on an endless trip,
A black hole comes and wakes my fears
The silent stars shed endless tears
Bended, ended, winded, rendered
Silent the crew disappear
I awaken the next day on a bed
To find that all my memories are dead.
Growing, rising, hiding, finding,
I can't fit in this strange setting
My past is lost but I am here
And the stars keep shedding timeless tears.
Timeless, without wind, without words, endlessly
My earlier nature was without value.
I cannot, it seems, define even my memories,
For things such as these I've never known.
A star, a tempest, an enormous vessel
Moving faster, yes, than the rays of Light.
A black hole comes and awakens my fears
The silent stars of the endless tears
Folded, ended, wheezy, returned
Silenced by this, the crew fade away.
I wake up the following day on a bed
To note that all my memories died.
Crescent, crossing, to hide or to find,
I cannot integrate this strange parameter
My past is lost, but I am here
And the stars keep shedding timeless tears.
An Eternal Wind with words unspoken
Indestructible, something from my past appears to be.
Memories, I know, cannot define things.
Though I am simple, it's hard to seek me out.
A star, a tempest, an enormous vessel,
Riding on the winds on an unstoppable quest,
A Black Hole arises, my fears fly,
To the inanimate stars, shedding unending tears.
Bended, ended, reaped, then returned,
They that were handed the Staff Of Silence Hidden.
On The Day Of Resurrection, on the bed called the Grave.
To find them all, my memories died.
The immigrant prevails, I seek His Face.
Though I cannot find meaning to this strange Spirit.
Formerly, I was lost, yes astray but I'm here,
And the stars guard His tears eternally"
Ryu sang.
"What is that song? It's so mysterious. I don't believe I've heard its kind before perhaps except for 'The Heart that Destroys Darkness' and Ayumi's 'My Kin, My Family'" Reis asked.
"Do you believe in primal memories Reis?" Ryu asked.
"Primal memories?" Reis asked curiously.
"Memories that seem to exist beyond a time you could remember, like a seal deeply etched into the human mind. A memory that isn't false but at the same time conflicts with everything you know about reality? This song is about such a memory. A collective memory of someone very important that my world had forgotten for millennia. It is named thus, 'Memoires of the Long Suffering God'" Ryu explained.
"That song is your memoires?" Reis asked in surprise.
"It speaks of the Heart and the one who represents 'Heart' in my world" Ryu said.
"The one who represents Heart" Reis repeated.
"In my world, we call him Ryuujinn. In yours I believe you call him Benedict. That name depicts the one known as the second person of the Tripartite God, the God of the Heart. Having come this far you should understand what 'The Heart that Destroys Darkness is'. You should understand the true nature of Benedict's Ark by now" Ryu said.
"It's not a ship or an Academy is it?" Reis asked.
"The Academy is an allegorical expression of its true nature. The true Benedict's Ark fuses various parts of your world into one powerful force; the force I believe you call Arӓlpheisl? The nature of Arӓlpheisl and Benedict are almost identical. You could call Arӓlpheisl the manifestation of Benedict's will" Ryu said.
"And what is Benedict's will?" Reis asked.
"You should know by now. After all…you possess the Seal of Arӓlpheisl. You should be able to recall now. The words the Kaignis King spoke to you on the night you met. You heard his voice though no one else did" Ryu said.
Slowly, Sabre-fang's voice began to echo within Reis' mind.
"When one possesses the Seal of Arӓlpheisl, he shall become Ryugaeia itself" Reis recalled.
"A heart exists for one purpose. From that you can deduce that the will of the Heart serves one purpose. You recall Arӓlpheisl's words don't you? The words only you could read" Ryu said.
"The will of the heart is the key to destiny? Wait a minute! You mean he was speaking of 'The Heart?' I thought he was speaking of a heart" Reis said.
"If the will of the Heart is the key to destiny Reis, then you should ask yourself why the Heart exists" Ryu said.
"To give life. That is the purpose of a heart. So you're telling me that the purpose of 'The Heart' is to give life?" Reis asked in awe.
"Surprisingly simple isn't it? That is precisely why one line in my memoires speaking of the Heart says 'Though I am simple, it's hard to seek me out'. A heart exists to give life. And when one is alive, they are not dead. The Heart exists to destroy the greatest manifestation of death, Armageddon itself and that is why the song your parents taught you is entitled 'The Heart That Destroys Darkness.' Arӓlpheisl appeared on your world that dark day to ensure that the dragons did not die out but he also appeared to bring the Heart to full manifestation. Galigaos and your foes; they believe Benedict's Ark to be the Academy or a ship and they are not completely wrong but the manifestation of Benedict's Ark was realized the moment the Dragons began to bond with humans. To quicken and serve as a catalyst to this bond is why Arӓlpheisl appeared on your world through you. Sharing what was once limited to a few select members of one guild with the rest of the world and thus creating the miracle called the Great Rebirth Of The Dragon Race. The Heart has already been born on Ryugaeia as the force known as 'Benedict's Ark'" Ryu said.
"You mean…The Guilds back home are the true Benedict's Ark?!" Reis exclaimed in surprise.
"What is the heart or rather who is the Heart; so fragile that it can be rended apart? Is the heart simply an organ to give life or is it a person? That is the meaning of the question posed in the first part of the song. One part strong and one part weak speaks of 'man' and 'woman', the forces through which the culture of the Ark and the Heart itself would be carried through generations on end manifested as a multitude of hearts being born through the union of man and woman. They also represent you Reis and Aurora Saggeese, the King and the Dawn. Together, you become the King's Dawn. Broken and Whole representing the 'Wisdom' of Ryugaeia broken by the usurper and the 'Light' of Ryugaeia which remains mankind's greatest fort against the forces of Darkness. Yes, the kingdoms of Saggeese and Novatio. Origins and Endings represent the two Dragon Sovereigns, Alpha and Omega. Alpha marked the beginning of your journey. His call was what summoned you to the Ranger's Guild and Omega marks the beginning to the end of your journey. He appeared with your sister on the Day Of Arӓlpheisl's awakening which marked the end of the night and the beginning of the Dawn. Finally 'Human' and 'Divine' represent the 'Dragons' who represent the elements of Ryugaeia and the 'Dragon Rangers' with whom this power is shared. These are the final fragments of Arӓlpheisl. Remember this Reis Dragonhaӓrt, to triumph against the darkness, you must awaken 'The Sleeping Dawn'" Ryu said.
Reis shut his eyes. When he opened them he found himself in a familiar setting. Everything was so familiar, the sights, the sounds and the scents.
"Are you finally up Reis?" he heard a familiar voice.
He turned around. His grandfather was staring at him.
"Gramps!" Reis exclaimed in joy and run to hug his grandfather. "I just had the weirdest and longest dream of my life!" Reis said.
His grandfather knocked him on the head.
"Ouch! What was that for gramps?!" Reis asked.
"I've taught you better boy. That was no dream. There are far too many tremendous gaps in my memory and tons of things that don't connect. I'm sure you feel it too that…" Reis grandfather was saying when Reis interrupted.
Shin awakened and found himself in a cave with the rest of the Maelstrom Zero Nine.
"One! He's up!" Two exclaimed happily.
Shin sat up.
"Where's Erasa?" he asked.
"Are you still harping on about that Dragon Ranger?!" One exclaimed in anger.
"Dragon Ranger? What's a Dragon Ranger?" Three asked.
"Are you for real?! Don't be silly, I'm a Dragon Ranger too!" Shin exclaimed.
"Are you still talking in your sleep? You can't be a Dragon Ranger because Dragons don't exist. It's all child's tales!" One exclaimed. "I don't even know why I said that" she said.
"There's something off. They don't even seem to know what a Dragon Ranger is and bits of my past are messed up. It's starting to feel like I lived two drastically different lives" Shin thought. "There's only one explanation…" Shin thought.
A distance off in another location in Saggeese, Reia had woken up. Jared had disappeared and there were no rangers with her. She found herself with her mother instead.
"Omega…" she thought silently.
"I don't need to say anything Reia. You know without a doubt that…" Omega began to say.
"THIS IS AN ILLUSION!" Reis, Reia and Shin declared together.
At once they were awakened from their sleep. Reis found Sir Raphael standing over him watching closely.
"It would appear the enemy launched a massive pre-emptive in his favour" Sir Raphael said.
"What's going on?" Reis asked.
"We are trapped in Saggeese, completely isolated from the rest of the world by a dome with the ability to induce hallucinations and everyone is caught in a kingdom wide sleep spell. I believe that is the nature of the scheme the enemy has so fondly named the Severing" Sir Raphael said.
Reis opened his eyes in horror.
"How are my friends…Aurora!" Reis exclaimed and ran into the room where the boys were sleeping.
He found Shin staring at Darak and looking very solemn.
Reis ran to Darak and shook him violently.
"Hey Darak! Wake up!" he called.
Darak sat up and stared at Reis in anger.
"Reis…really?" he said with a raised eyebrow.
"Wait a sec. You were not affected by the Severing?" Reis asked.
"The Severing?" Darak repeated.
"You didn't happen to have a dream of the life you lived before you joined the guild did you?" Reis asked.
"No, I had a rather normal dream thank you" Darak seemed annoyed by Reis' questions.
"Then Erasa…" Shin thought.
"And Aurora might be alright!" Reis exclaimed.
"What are you guys talking about?" Darak yelled.
Shin and Reis ignored him and ran to the girls' room. Erasa lay on the floor beside Aurora as though she had drifted into sleep without noticing. Kyla lay beside Aurora and Erasa and Aurora lay on the bed with 'The Sleeping Dawn' resting over her heart.
"Erasa! Kyla!" Shin shook them gently.
Erasa shook her head and woke up.
"What's up Shin? Why are you so frantic?" she said with a laugh.
Kyla woke up as well.
"Why are you waking me up in the middle of the night idiot?!" Kyla yelled.
"Thank goodness" Reis and Shin sighed in relief.
Darak was still puzzled. Reis tapped Aurora gently. There was no response. He tapped a little harder. There was still no response. He shook Aurora.
"Aurora! Aurora!" he called.
He began to panic.
"Aurora!" the others called but she was lost in deep slumber.
"I don't understand. We all woke up. Why didn't she?" Reis looked worried.
"Is she…you know…alive?" Shin gulped, terrified of the very thought.
Reis checked Aurora's breathing.
"Yeah, she's still breathing but very slowly" Reis said. "I don't understand. We all woke up so why didn't she?" Reis looked worried.
"That is because she is the target of the curse. The curse has been designed to target her birthright as the Princess of Saggeese and to sever her from it. It's also meant to sever her from anyone faithful to her as a subject of the Saggeesian throne. The reason you were not affected is most likely because you are not Saggeesian" Sir Raphael reasoned.
"But I am Saggeesian" Reis said.
"And I am not. If what you said is true Reis, then these dreams we had about the lives we lived before we joined the guild are symptoms of the Severing in effect" Shin reasoned.
"So Reis is a Saggeesian who broke out of the Severing and Shin is a Novatian who was affected by the Severing. You two sure are a bunch of oddballs" Darak said.
"But if what you say is true, why was I able to break free of the Severing?" Reis asked Sir Raphael.
"And why was I affected in the first place if I am not even Saggeesian?" Shin asked.
"You two certainly are oddballs but if I were to venture a guess, it's most likely because you are both bonded to one of the Dragon Sovereigns. The Dragon Sovereigns are indeed capable of such miracles" Sir Raphael said.
"How did you guys wake up anyway?" Darak asked.
"It was thanks to my gramps. He somehow seemed to perceive that it was an illusion" Reis said.
"Wow, your family sure is amazing Reis. I wonder what other secrets you have" Kyla said in a tone that showed that she wasn't really surprised.
"In my case, everything I knew in the Severing conflicted with the truths I know in reality. It made it seem as though I had lived two completely contrasting lives in one lifetime…literally" Shin said.
"Is there a way to end this?" Reis asked.
"The simplest way perhaps would be to awaken Aurora Saggeese since she is the target of the curse and might most likely be acting as the point of contact" Sir Raphael said.
"If this curse…this Severing is affecting only Saggeesians, I'm willing to bet the only rangers awake now are those sent from Novatio. Did the Dragonlord anticipate this?" Shin wondered.
"If he did, he should have sent a greater number of rangers" Darak said.
"He sent you, the ones he refers to as 'The Fated Ones'. Instead of prioritizing numbers, he sent the one force he believes can rival Armageddon's malice. You should have more faith in yourselves, he has a lot of faith in you" Sir Raphael said.
"Is there a way to infiltrate the Severing?" Reis suddenly asked with an uncharacteristically serious look.
"There probably is or you would not have been able to escape it in the first place. Alpha should be able to help you" Sir Raphael said.
"H-Hey Reis, you're not possibly thinking…" Shin was saying when Reis cut him off.
"Yes Shin, I'm going to infiltrate the Severing and awaken Aurora and everyone else trapped within it" Reis said.
"Waking Aurora up should be enough to break the spell" Sir Raphael said.
Reis nodded.