Kuma closes his eyes, his voice heavy with the weight of his past as he begins to speak. "Over a hundred years ago," he starts, "after I thought you were gone, Runica... I fled the Land of Nara. That place became a land of danger and despair after it was seized by a Evil God. Staying there meant death, or worse."
He pauses, his expression tightening as old memories surface. "I eventually found Tobey and the other draconic people. We decided to live our lives deep within Terra, far from everyone else. But even there, I was haunted by my failure as a guardian. My soul was never the same. The weight of losing you and the village... it consumed me. I drowned in sorrow and regret."
Rune listens in silence,Simbad glances at him, sensing the storm brewing in Kuma's heart but says nothing, letting Kuma continue.
"As my despair grew, my angelic powers began to fade," Kuma continues, his voice growing softer. "The light that once helped me, abandoned me... and sought a new, worthier host. Without those powers to keep my demon half in check, I lost control. The darkness within me took over, and I became a threat to everyone around me."
Kuma looks up at Rune, his expression a mixture of pain and shame. "Tobey, in his wisdom, knew what had to be done. He created a magic cell to contain me, and there I stayed—years, decades, maybe more—trapped and unable to break free. Where I thought it would be forever."
"The end of the world came, When Terra fell into chaos, the magic that held me weakened. My uncontrollable state returned, and I broke free. In my madness, I caused chaos and destruction wherever I went. Tobey couldn't stop me. No one could...so they casted me out" His voice trails off, a bitter smile crossing his face.
"But then," Kuma says, his tone shifting, "a clown found me. He called himself Joker. He told me I could be useful, that my power could serve a greater purpose. He didn't offer me salvation... just a way to channel my rage."
Rune stands tall, his voice firm but heavy with emotion. "Well, I'm here, Kuma. Let's—"
But Kuma interrupts, his voice a broken whisper. "No... you'll have to carry on yourself... It's already too late for me to redeem myself… so please, kill me and end my suffering."
Rune's heart aches as he sees the dark magic constantly shifting across Kuma's body. He takes a deep, steadying breath. Kuma looks at him with sorrowful eyes.
"When I saw you duel wielding, it reminded me of my old self in that duel style... as the guardian of the village," Kuma says, his voice faint.
Rune nods solemnly, his grip tightening on his weapon. "Yeah... I remember how strong you were when we fought Belfar together."
Kuma's eyes flicker with a glimmer of past pride. "Runica... I still feel it... Alice still lives... so please, save her... That's all I have to say. So please, do it now..."
Tears fall from Rune's eyes as he stands over Kuma, his blade aimed at Kuma's chest.
Simbad struggles, trying to hold Kuma down with his magic, with the dark magic surrounding Kuma only intensifies. "Rune! We have to act fast!"
With a trembling hand, Rune plunges his blade through Kuma's heart, his grief overwhelming him. Kuma's eyes lose their light, his body going limp.
Simbad pulls Rune back as he notices the dark magic still swirling around Kuma's body, refusing to settle.
"Something's not right," Simbad mutters, his eyes widening.
Suddenly, a clown mask materializes over Kuma's face, and his body begins to change. His form shifts back into a monstrous dark creature, more terrifying than before.
Both Rune and Simbad brace themselves, falling into their battle stances. They know this fight isn't over.
Megan and Ezzy are locked in a fierce struggle against the dancing zombie, whose speed and strength make it nearly impossible for them to land a hit. Every attack they throw is countered with a graceful yet deadly dance move.
Ezzy's fear intensifies as she struggles to control her flames, unable to focus. "I… I can't… it'll go out of control…" she stammers, panic rising in her voice.
Megan, her determination unwavering, turns to Ezzy. "Stay back," she orders firmly. "I'll use Shining Star again and end this now."
Ezzy shakes her head, her voice filled with concern. "Megan, you've already pushed past your limits. It won't work… you're too drained."
Megan grits her teeth, her eyes steely with resolve. "I don't have a choice." She steps forward, preparing to use her magic despite her exhaustion.
Before either of them can react, the dancer zombie's clown mask fades, and she performs a graceful bow toward them, her movements eerily calm.
A magic card suddenly flies through the air, striking the zombie's back. The creature's body stiffens as she is sealed away, her form disappearing into the card.
Joker steps forward, picking up the card with a smirk. "Time's up," he says nonchalantly. "But don't worry, you should calm down a bit. We're interested in you both… in who you really are."
With a theatrical gesture, Joker spreads his arms wide as a crowd of spirits erupts in cheers and applause. The eyes of the face machine stop moving, its mechanical gaze now fixed on them.
Joker laughs, his voice full of mock admiration. "Fire girl, you're up first!"
The machine's eyes ignite in flames, and its mouth opens, revealing a magic screen in the sky. A complex family tree graph appears, stretching across the screen, showing countless generations.
Joker claps in approval, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Impressive. This fire girl… seems to be a long-lost descendant of an ex-God pack member. Her lineage spans over 500 years. She belongs to a clan called Nova, a clan cursed by another God!"
Joker turns his attention to Megan, his smirk widening. "Now it's the special girl's turn!" he announces theatrically.
The face machine's eyes shift to a dull grey, its mouth opening to reveal a small, simple family tree. Joker leans in, studying it, but his expression falters.
He looks puzzled for a moment, then scoffs. "I thought she was special, but it seems like she's just a regular lesser human." His voice drips with disappointment.
Joker taps his chin aggressively, deep in thought. "Something isn't adding up here. No way a lesser human like her can channel such amazing magic. Could it be that her true self holds a deeper meaning?"
He claps his hands loudly, his laughter filling the air. "Now, I'm even more interested in you," he says, his tone almost gleeful. "Everything you've done, it's truly amazing. I need to dig deeper into who you really are."
The face machine suddenly erupts in a violent explosion, the crowd and Joker both screaming in wild excitement. The deafening noise fills the space as the thrill of the moment intensifies.
At the same time, Nakao continues to break free from the light chains that bind her. The priest zombie, watching her with a stunned expression, is struck by the sheer determination in her eyes. It sparks a forgotten memory of himself, standing in a church, delivering speeches to his proud followers. He remembers how they admired him, how they believed in him. Nakao's spirit reminds him of his past followers—her soul pure, unyielding.
Nakao reaches Adam and begins pulling the light chains off his body, each movement filled with resolve. The priest zombie's hand trembles, conflicted. He doesn't want to harm Nakao, not after seeing the fire in her eyes.
But then, a memory flashes in his mind: the first time he met Joker. He had known immediately, without a doubt, that Joker was a God. And in that moment, he made a vow to do whatever Joker wanted, no matter the cost.
With a heavy heart, the priest zombie uses his magic, summoning chains that pin Nakao to the ground.
Adam watches helplessly. "It's pointless," he says, his voice heavy with defeat. "I can't do anything to that zombie, even if you broke me out."
But Nakao, her eyes burning with determination, refuses to give up. With every ounce of her strength, she fights through the pain, breaking off a few chains from her back.
Adam is awestruck as he watches her struggle, her willpower a shining beacon in the darkness. She looks at him, her voice resolute. "I can't live on knowing I couldn't save you... because that day, when I couldn't save myself, Conor came to my rescue. He saved me, even though he didn't have to... and you, Adam, you're his father. So I'm not giving up on you! You are the beacon of hope to our family!"
Adam is taken aback by her words, his heart heavy with emotion. He can hardly believe what he's hearing as Nakao continues to pull off the chains from his body, her determination unwavering.
The priest zombie begins to doubt his own actions, his thoughts swirling in confusion. "Why is God making me punish a non-sinner?" he wonders, his resolve weakening. He can't understand why all of these non-sinners are risking their lives to save the greatest sinner, to save someone like Adam.
Nakao, fueled by her unyielding resolve, pulls out the last light chain attached to Adam. She drops to her knees, her body trembling.
Adam, summoning his bat with a fierce determination, steps forward, ready to fight. But then, he sees something that stops him dead in his tracks—the priest zombie, of all things, begins to cry. A clown mask suddenly appears on the priest's face, its grotesque features twisting with sorrow and anguish.
Adam stands still for a moment, taking in the sight.
Then, without warning, Adam and the priest zombie clash in a battle of magic, their powers colliding with explosive force. The air crackles with energy as their magic intertwines.
But Adam's eyes narrow in realization as he feels the difference. The priest zombie's magic is no longer the same—it's different, corrupted somehow. He can feel the darkness seeping into it, spreading like a disease.
At the same time in the city realm, Jean mutters to himself, his focus sharp. "I just need to use a little of my power to save Kiren." His arm transforms, growing into a massive, muscular monkey arm, filled with raw strength. With a roar, he clashes against Dark Kiren, the impact shaking the ground beneath them.
Meanwhile in the sky realm, Simbad and Rune launch a synchronized attack, their blades cutting through the air with precision and force. They strike the dark creature's chest, their combined power pushing through its defenses.
In the fire realm, Adam, seeing the priest zombie vulnerable, charges in with a fierce determination. He delivers a devastating blow to the zombie's body, the zombie's magic clashing violently against Joker's corrupting influence at the same time.
In that moment, in each of their fights, they defeat their enemies in spectacular fashion.
Jean, panting from the exertion, is surprised to find he's able to control his power without losing control. The timer hits zero, and all of the fragments of Kiren combine into one, his form becoming whole again. As they fade away in magic.
Rune watches with a bittersweet expression, feeling a pang of emotion as the dark creature's body disappears, soon he too fades into magic dust alongside Simbad.
Adam stands over the fallen priest zombie, whose body writhes in pain as Joker's magic fights against the priest's own. With one look from the priest's eyes, Adam can see the plea for mercy, the silent begging to be put out of his misery.
Without hesitation, Adam delivers a final, powerful blow that shatters the priest zombie's body. Adam and Nakao then disappear into the ether, their forms vanishing in a burst of light.
Megan and Ezzy, see Joker bowing at them, his smug grin still in place. The crowd continues to cheer, their applause never ceasing. Slowly, Megan and Ezzy begin to fade away in magic, their bodies dissolving into the air.
Everyone suddenly spawns back onto the board, appearing in their respective places. Mai, her breath a little shaky, looks around and is relieved to see that everyone is here together. She takes a moment to steady herself before her gaze shifts ahead. There's still a long way to go before they reach the final platform of the board game.
Suddenly, the entire realm flashes with brilliant colors, as magic words appear for everyone: "END TURN PHASE."
Adam, clearly frustrated, clenches his fists. "Enough of these games!" he yells, his voice full of fury. He slams his bat down onto his platform with all his might, causing the entire realm to shake violently.
As the vibrations ripple through the space, new magic words materialize for everyone: "CONQUER YOUR FEAR."
One by one, each of them disappears in a flash of magic, their bodies dissolving into the ether as they face what lies ahead.
In a serene pocket dimension, Nhia floats peacefully in space with Jasee, both surrounded by a vast, starry expanse. They talk about everything that has happened, sharing stories and laughter. After a while, their conversation softens, and they share a gentle kiss, the moment filled with warmth and happiness.
But then, Nhia pulls back, his expression turning more serious. "I'm really happy to see you," he says, his voice filled with emotion, "but I need to go back and make sure my family is okay."
Jasee, her eyes filled with concern, shakes her head. "Don't worry about the outside world anymore," she says softly. "We can live our life here, in this dimension, just you and me."
Nhia looks at her, shaking his head. "I can't do that," he replies, his voice steady but full of determination. "I need to know if my family is safe. They've done so much to get me here, to see you."
Jasee's eyes glisten with fear. "I'm afraid to lose you," she whispers, her voice breaking slightly.
Nhia gently takes her hands in his. "You'll have to trust me, just like you've trusted me all these years we've been talking," he says with a soft smile. "I promise you, I'll come back. And you're going to love my family, I know it."
Suddenly, a magic book materializes from Nhia's chest, glowing with an ethereal light. It opens, and as Jasee touches it, her magic flows into the book, the blank pages beginning to fill with words and a beautiful drawing of Jasee's face.
The book unleashes a cascade of pages that flutter through the realm, the magic swirling around them both as they hold each other's hands.
Jasee gazes at Nhia, her eyes filled with both hope and sadness. "Please come back safe," she says, her voice trembling with emotion.
With one final kiss, their lips meeting softly, a portal opens behind Nhia. He looks back at Jasee, giving her a reassuring smile before flying toward the portal, his figure disappearing into the light.