Pandora looked back at her brother and sister. "Silas, Cecilia...retreat back home. There's no telling how dangerous this battle can and will go."
Cecilia and Silas looked at one another. They believed fully in Pandora and retreated without a word, leaving Pandora and Ashen to themselves. Ashen began to walk around in a circle, causing Pandora to walk as well.
"It's just the two of us now. I felt it. The Corrupt Ember." Pandora said.
Ashen glared and tightened his grip on his sword. "Yeah? So what if I have a monster...you yourself have one. An equally as dangerous monster."
"Why do you fight for King Xavier? Fight for us!" Pandora said, trying to convince Ashen.
"Tch. Join you? After your army attacked? If you want me on your side, you will have to beat me in battle." Ashen said.
"Is that a challenge..?" Pandora smirked and stopped walking.
"Yeah. What's your move?" Ashen asked.
Pandora looked at Ashen then her eyes became soulless. "This!"
She propelled herself toward Ashen with her dark aura. She threw a punch and Ashen blocked it, but grunted as he was knocked back. She used a small burst of speed to appear in front of Ashen then punched his stomach. He groaned and coughed then was kicked away. He landed on the ground then recovered onto his feet.
"Join me, Infernal Demon." Pandora said as her flame began to burn from her chest. "Together...we can kill everyone who steps in our way."
Ashen wiped his mouth then his sword disappeared. His heart began beating rapidly then he roared and scales began manifesting onto his body then dragon horns began protruding from his head. His dragon aura became stronger then he got into a stance.
"My answer is going to be no." He said coldly then dashed toward her.
He punched and landed a hit on her face. She groaned as she was sent flying. Ashen flew toward her at high speeds by using his aura to manifest wings. He went for the attack but she grabbed his arm and a wicked smile grew on her face. She slammed him to the ground then kicked his stomach then knocked him to the air. She used her energy as tentacles to wrap around his leg then swung him around. She flung him up to the air then conjured a ball of destructive energy then fired it at Ashen.
Ashen noticed the ball of destructive energy and caught it with his hands. He grunted as the energy from the ball was too powerful. The ball of energy exploded as Ashen tried to deflect it. Pandora fired a beam of energy at Ashen through the smoke, hitting him. Ashen groaned as he landed on the ground then rolled backwards.
Pandora walked over to Ashen and licked her lips. "That monster of yours. Where is he..?~ Why do you keep holding him back?"
Ashen slowly stood up and felt his heart beating harder. He gripped his chest and looked back seeing the Infernal Demon behind him. "No..." .
"Yes. The only way to beat a Monster is to be a Monster. You know the rule...your Dragon Powers will not be enough. She's been toying with you the entire time..." The Infernal Demon said and smirked at Ashen.
He looked at Pandora and noticed her Corrupt Ember growing stronger. He closed his eyes and loosened his hold on his chest. "Fine...but I'm not using my flame.."
The Infernal Demon chuckled and disappeared. Ashen reverted back to his normal form then opened his eyes. His eyes shined a bright purple color then changed into an orange color.
"You want to see the Demon? Well...sadly for you, you won't get to see the full monster...but I will show you his Darkness!" Ashen bellowed and his dark aura spiralled around him powerfully.
Pandora grunted softly, covering her face from the powerful winds. She looked up and noticed the change to Ashen's body. His body had turned into a gray color, his eyes shined an orangish hue. A black horn made from his aura formed on one side of his head. He looked at Pandora then glared.
"This is getting serious now...if you want to get to Xovia, we need to defeat him. He isn't to be underestimated anymore." Ruination said.
"I've got it covered." Pandora said and felt that Ruination had disappeared.
Ashen lowered his stance then dashed toward Pandora at high speeds. She was caught off guard then noticed he had vanished. She looked around for him then groaned as she was struck rapidly from an invisible force then was knocked back. Ashen appeared above her and hit her with a chop, sending her crashing to the bridge.
Ashen landed on the bridge and watched as Pandora stood up. She wiped her mouth then moved her hair from her eyes. She smirked and conjured multiple spheres of destructive energy. She fused them all together then formed a massive ball of energy.
"I'll annihilate you then and revive your body to become my slave! I'm taking your kingdom with you as well!" Pandora laughed.
"Trying that again..? Well that won't work!" Ashen said then a bit of his flame began to show.
Pandora sent the ball of energy down at Ashen. He held his hand out then caught the giant sphere of energy with his hand. Cursed markings began to form on his arm then he began to absorb the energy.
"Huh?! He can absorb energy?!" Pandora said in shock.
The ball of energy exploded and energy particles began to float around. Pandora looked surprised and felt Ashen had become stronger. Ashen's eyes had become soulless and he smirked. More of his flame began to show. His heart beating quickly.
"I won't let you defeat me so easily without a fight!" Pandora bellowed and propelled herself toward Ashen then punched his face. She looked surprised as he took no damage from the attack.
He grabbed her wrist then kneed her stomach, causing her to cough blood. He chuckled as she kept kneeing her stomach then blasted her away with a dark energy blast. He held his arms out and purple magic circles formed behind him. He fired two energy beams at her, striking her then an explosion happened. She landed on the ground and coughed. She groaned as she held her body.
Ashen walked toward Pandora then stood over her. "You couldn't last five minutes against a fraction of my power...Ruination. And you are supposedly my equal..?"
Pandora coughed and slowly sat up. She spit the blood from her mouth and smirked. "You are the Infernal Demon, New God of the Underworld. You've beaten Gods beyond my league, and you've chosen this man as your vessel."
"Ashen...has a strong sense of Destruction. I only help him achieve his goal while he helps achieve mine." Ashen said and turned away. "I'm showing mercy against you this time, but...next time you show to my kingdom...there will be no next time."
Ashen walked away and Pandora watched him. She grunted and reverted to her normal form then coughed heavily. She hurried to the edge of the bridge and threw up. She panted and coughed.
"It sucks that I still haven't mastered your true powers. Your power makes me feel so sick.." Pandora said.
"I am sorry, Mei." Ruination said as she floated in front of Pandora.
Pandora looked over at Ashen's direction. "That guy...his name is Ashen. His monster said it."
"Ashen. Prince Ashen of Exithia. He's known for his draconic capabilities. He wasn't able to show you it because of the power of a Monster. Only Monsters can fight Monsters. His family is split apart from what I know." Ruination said.
"Let's head back. As long as Ashen is an enemy...we cannot progress." Pandora said then began to walk her way home.
"What will you do?" Ruination asked, following her.
"I need to report to father about what happened. I know he'll guide me through the next steps." Pandora said.
[Meanwhile at Exithia...]
"Prince Ashen has returned!" A knight said and blew his horn.
The gates to the citadel opened for Ashen and he walked through the gates. He was greeted with the sight of his mother and sister. He walked toward them and they hugged him tightly. They thought he wouldn't have made it back.
"What happened? Did you beat that woman in a battle?" Ishia asked with anticipation for Ashen's answer.
"You could say that. It was more of a stalemate and me showing her mercy. We are more evenly matched than I thought." Ashen said.
The Infernal Demon scoffed as he hovered behind Ashen. He was only visible to Ashen. "Foolish boy, I had to force you to use my power because your Dragon Mode wouldn't be enough for that girl. Hmph...Pandora wasn't it? An interesting name."
"What was her name?" Ashen's mother asked.
"It was Pandora from what I can recall." Ashen answered.
"Pandora? Ahh she's the Princess of Aestrea. Why would she be wanting to come here and why did she attack you?" His mother asked and thought about it.
Ashen shrugged and walked ahead. "I don't know, but I don't have the energy to think about it right now."
"Okay, sweetheart. Get some rest and don't forget your training with Harold!" Ashen's mom said to him.
"Yeah I know." Ashen said and raised his arm up.
[At Aestrea...]
"So you ran into the Exithian Prince? And he had a Monster dwelling within him?" Pandora's father asked.
Pandora nodded. "We were pretty evenly matched, but he defeated me. He did show me mercy though because I'm still alive-"
"You failed. Even with the Blade of Aestrea you lost. He is the gateway between us and Xovia. He killed your entire squad alone as well? You are the strongest princess in the country right now!" Pandora's father scolded.
"My Love, this scolding is unnecessary. Prince Ashen is a part Dragon. We all know how powerful dragons are. They are Divine Beasts, a beast strong enough to kill being like us. Demigods that can become actual Deities." Pandora's mother said.
"Kagura, we both know her potential. This is why she's heir to the throne." Pandora's father said.
Pandora glared at her father and a bit of darkness slipped from her body, but Ruination stopped her. Pandora had calmed down. "Father, give me one more chance. I will make him an ally! Give me one month! I'll have him be an ally by then!"
"You don't want to kill him? He can betray us at any moment." Her father asked. "And why would you want a Monster within our ranks?"
"Think about it, having a powerhouse like him and his people on our side would greatly increase our chances of victory against King Xavier! Afterwards we can just dispose of him then move on." Pandora said.
Her father looked down at Pandora from his throne then closed his eyes. "You have one month."
"Thank you Father!" Pandora said then hurried off.
"You're really going to try to convince him? What if he just attacks you? What if it fails?" Ruination asked as she followed behind.
"Then I'll just have to accept it and never return home. I would have to fake my death. Father's punishments are not pretty.." Pandora said. "But I have a strong feeling...that it will work."
"We'll see.." Ruination said.