"We need to go," Kai said, his voice urgent.
"What about the Fire God?" Yumeko asked, worried.
"He will be fine. His fire is far stronger than his son's, and the prince's power has not fully developed yet compared to Fiire God Ignis's," Fire General Kai said.
"I guess we don't have a choice," Sky muttered, looking at the destroyed city.
"No, we don't," Yumeko agreed, her expression grim.
"Let's go," Kai said, leading the way out of the ruined castle.
"This is bad," Sky said, surveying the devastation.
"I know," Yumeko agreed, her eyes filling with tears.
"Don't worry. We will get through this," Layla assured them, placing a comforting hand on their shoulders.
"Thank you, Layla," Yumeko said, managing a small smile.
"So, what's the plan?" Sky asked, turning to Kai.
"We need to get out of here, away from the chaos," Kai replied, his expression serious. "Then we need to get to the Lava Temple and protect it from this cult. What was it called? The Disciples of Darkness? Because in there is the relic of our country, the Braveheart Shield."
"Right," Sky said, steeling himself.
"Come on, we don't have much time," Kai said, breaking into a run.
"Wait for us," Yumeko yelled, running after him.
Meanwhile
Noboru appeared out of nowhere in Ignarock to see the city being overrun. "I guess saving this city, and by extension this kingdom, from a mad, power-hungry prince is my next Story Quest," Noboru said as he raised his hand.
"Let's see how you handle this," Noboru said, his hand coated in omni energy. "Hellfire Rain," he declared. A rain of crimson fire rained down on Ignarock, incinerating everything in its path.
"Well, I guess that took care of the army," Noboru said, watching the crimson fire rain down upon the Rising Flames Armies, burning them and their souls to crisps. 'Exactly as I suspected, the crimson flames attack the soul as well as the body,' Noboru thought to himself.
"Well, now that I'm done with the Rising Flames' henchmen, how about I play around with the spoiled prince that reminds me of Meiyo and Kouki. It will be fun to take care of this spoiled little brat and show him his place," Noboru said.
Noboru made his way to Kaen Blazeheart, only to see him and his two strongest fighters holding King Ignis.
"So, Father, you thought you could give my position as heir to the throne to my pathetic, weak brother, and I would allow that?" Kaen said, his eyes burning with rage.
"No, son. I did this because I see greatness in my second son. You have not shown greatness and are just a selfish, power-hungry prince," Ignis said, his eyes filled with regret.
"Shut up!" Kaen said, making a fireball in his hand and bringing it near Ignis's face, burning it. "How am I not worthy? I am loyal to our ideals, the Church of the Sun, and you say I don't have greatness? I am the 10th strongest in the kingdom. My pathetic, weak, disgrace of a brother isn't even in the top 50, and you call me unworthy. No, you have gone senile in your age, hating me for wanting to take the throne but hating me and following in your footsteps when you are the one who taught me that Aerith was a lower realm. A small size of infinity compared to us. Insignificant and that their armies never damaged us."
"You're right, I did. I passed on my teaching from grandfather to you, but I found out I was wrong, and when I tried to correct you, you denied and rebelled. All human life is sacred, and no one life is greater than the other. That was a mistake, and I am sorry, son," Ignis said, his heart filled with regret.
"Shut up, old man!" Kaen yelled. "They are lower than us. They should be enslaved."
"So what you're saying is Aquora, which is a higher realm compared to us, should enslave us? You know they would have if not for the binding treaty Terravale forced upon us and their threat."
"I don't care. Aquora and Terravale are not human," Kaen yelled, unwilling to listen or admit he was wrong.
"Oh, really? And what makes us different?" Ignis asked.
"They are demons, the scourge of the worlds, the ones who should be sealed or killed," Kaen said as Ignis laughed.
"The Church of the Sun has corrupted you, my son. They are humans just from a higher realm. By your definition, we are demons to Aerith because we are higher than them, are we not?" Ignis asked.
"No, they are just lower lifeforms," Kaen said when suddenly crimson red flames hit the Rising Flames members holding Ignis, burning their souls and bodies to death.
"I'm sorry, I figured I would intervene. After all, attacking the King of Ignarock is a crime punishable by death, and I can't have you kill him since he's the only man in this kingdom willing to put down his pride and team up with Aeritha and try to make an alliance with the other two nations who hurt him to fight the Void," Noboru said as he made hand gestures and used his reality-warping to make power-dampening cuffs form around Kaen's hands. Kaen fell to the floor.
"Who are you, and how did you do this?" Kaen demanded.
"Oh, me? I am the Blackstar Knight, and you're in the way of the alliance, so you're in my way. Just stay in those cuffs, or I will have to kill you," Noboru said, releasing his aura as everyone fell to their knees, clutching their hearts, panting. Noboru decided to use aura rather than omni energy to not raise suspicion.
'This power, it's unlike anything I've seen or felt. Not even the Terravale Earth God has this much power,' Ignis thought, clutching his heart.
"What the hell is this?" Kaen gasped out, terrified.
"I am using my aura to show you how much weaker and lower you are compared to me and that you don't have any chance against me," Noboru said, walking up to Ignis.
"Ignis Blazeheart, are you okay?"
"Yes, and thank you, whoever you are. It seems you're the reason Ignarock hasn't suffered another tragedy like the Great Elemental War. If there's anything I can do for you, name your reward."
"It's okay, and I just need the location of the Disciples of Darkness. I believe one of my acquaintances, Sky, is after them. If I can have their location, it would be appreciated," Noboru said, not thinking he would get the location, but it didn't matter; the Golden Light Beacon will call out for him wherever he's needed. Just as Ignis was about to refuse or accept the request, Noboru saw the Beacon.
"Don't worry, I know where I must go," Noboru said, teleporting away, leaving a bewildered Ignis. After a bit of shock, Ignis snapped out of it.
"Okay then," Ignis said before walking over to Kaen and giving him a sad look. He had failed his son.
"Guards!"
"Yes, sir," a guard said.
"Take this traitor to the deepest, darkest dungeon." Ignis said looking away