Until they stop at the 50th floor that is like a wonderful garden paradise for there stands a familiar silvery armour and purple cape with no helmet as her face "ahh so we meet again , but now you both are labeled as rebels against the order and please let me mediated on this Moonstone….as I Dorothy a faction Knight has honour in my foes "as Nova and Tim quiey agree to work together toreach the hilltop where Dorothy stands before she open her eyes and stop her pose for she transformed the Moonstone she sat on with her touch into her sword and spoke "MoonWarden is the name of my sword given to be by her eminence since my Summon , this Ancient Relic or called Celestial Regalia is the oldest one in existence at the time the Moon Goddess Luna bestowed her power and blessing on these special gems called Moonstone that reflects all magic and night.." as she swiftly swings her blade that flexibly morph like phases of a moon to strike and parry both combat and magical attacks of the two "So tell me rebels , why do you desire to overthrow her eminence if it's words of blasphemy I won't dilly dally long in our fight"
Nova and Tim knew that facing Dorothy, a Faction Knight, was going to be a challenging battle. Her MoonWarden sword, with its unique ability to manipulate moonlight and magic, posed a significant threat.
Nova, as the more skilled combatant, took the lead in engaging Dorothy while Tim supported him with his magical abilities. As they clashed blades and exchanged attacks, Nova replied to Dorothy's question, "Our reasons for opposing her eminence go beyond blasphemy. We've seen the injustices and the brainwashing of the citizens. We believe in a better world, one where people are free to choose their own destiny."
Tim added, "We also seek to uncover the truth about the Forbidden Valley and the secrets that the Order is hiding. There's more to this world than what we've been told."
Their determination and conviction fueled their resolve as they continued to engage Dorothy in combat. They knew that this battle was not just about defeating an opponent but about fighting for a just cause and the freedom of the people.
Dorothy smirks "Ohh? You think after bestowing the same power as us the Faction Knights summoned by her eminence through the divine realm and that ruled this nation for centuries shall perish!!" The Blade splits into sharp looking ninja stars as both Tim and Nova took a defensive stance and agreed Tim use his Elite Arcana art to use his dual shield's power of the same magic chant while Nova kept clashing blades with Dorothy until Tim finally trapped both despite the risk in his withering solid dull colored Crystallized fissure from his weapons power activated he prepared his magical dagger yet something unexpected happen , his shield still stuck on ground spreads it's decay near the area walls that it pulled both Dorothy and Nova outside the Palace walls and despite the large hole Tim carried his shields to cancel the magical effects yet it seems the place auto-repairs the walls as Tim shouted "NOVA!!!! Dorothy!!!" He cried before the magical walls enclosed the hole shut as he is accepting he got separated from them and hope they can meet again at the higher floors , meanwhile Nova and Dorothy now free from the Crystalize fissure…Nova was busy holding Dorothy with his one hand and the other using his sword to pierce the wall like a pinned hold as he spoke "Wakey Wakey Lady Knight , need a little help here.." as Dorothy open her yes and realize they are outside the palace walls yet too high up as she huffs more worried being saved by a rebel "why should I trust a rebel like you?" Nova shouts "IDIOT stubborn IDIOT , I don't wanna be rude but pls put your own damn swordd in a nearby wall so you won't fall!!"
Dorothy's initial suspicion quickly gave way to a sense of urgency as she realized the precarious situation they were in. She swiftly obeyed Nova's advice and secured her MoonWarden sword into a nearby wall to prevent herself from falling. Once she was stabilized, she turned to Nova with a serious expression.
"Alright, you've got my attention," she said, her voice tense. "But that doesn't mean I trust you completely. Explain why you saved me and what your intentions are."
Nova, still holding onto a ledge, replied urgently, "We may be rebels, but we're not your enemies, Dorothy. We want to expose the truth behind the Forbidden Valley, the brainwashing, and the secrets of the Order. We believe there's a better way to govern this world. We saved you because we saw a glimmer of doubt in your eyes, a chance that you might be willing to listen and join our cause."
Dorothy remained cautious but seemed willing to hear more. "Go on," she urged, her grip on her sword firm but no longer threatening.
Nova continued, "We're ascending the palace floors to confront Equinox herself. We believe she's been manipulating the people and the Order for far too long. We need allies who understand the injustices happening here, and we thought you might be one of them."
Dorothy considered his words for a moment before nodding. "Alright, I'll hear you out. But know that if I sense any deception or betrayal, I won't hesitate to fight back."
With this fragile alliance formed, Nova and Dorothy prepared to ascend further in their quest to uncover the truth and potentially change the fate of their world.
Then Nova finally sighs in relief use his acrobatic skilled to carefully stand on his sword and ask "hey , you should prepare too" as he chant a Litho-based element to summon metallic spears of 3 so he can stab them by the walls and help him climb for Dorothy Spoke "Fine-" she slowly gets up on her sword and magicall cast silent arcana to convert her silver gauntlet into chains to tie herself around the waist and Nova incase they slip while the other Gauntlet is a silvery spear to stab to climb herself and sheath her sword as Nova did the same bit by but as Dorothy "since we're stuck out here I shall permit you having a truce with me"
Nova nodded in agreement as they began their ascent together. "A truce it is," he replied. "We may have our differences, but if we're going to make it through this and uncover the truth about Equinox and the Forbidden Valley, we'll need to work together."
As they climbed the outer walls of the palace, they exchanged stories and information about their backgrounds. Dorothy explained her training as a Faction Knight and her initial unwavering loyalty to the Order. Nova shared his experiences growing up in the modern world and his mysterious connection to the ancient past of Coloria.
Despite their differences, they found common ground in their desire to see justice served and the truth revealed. The climb was treacherous, but their newfound partnership made it more bearable. With each step, they inched closer to their goal of confronting Equinox and putting an end to the lies and corruption that plagued their world.
Dorothy and Nova finally found a ledge to land on but Dorothy slipped so he use his strong arms and the chains to drag her to his side panting and he sheath his own sword as she uttered "weird , I never heard a [outlander] summoning beyond what I heard and read…ahem" she blushes "thanks for Saving me.." before Nova spoke "Dorothy , do you really believe you're a faction Knight?" Dorothy pouts "of course I-I am , always have and well…Your combat style and that other friend Tim was the name Like you told me right? Hmm , why is it familiar I know you two came from the academy but" she got a headache as Nova stops her "no no don't think it over yet , anyways hungry?" As he lended dumplings to share with "since it took ust all day to reach this ledge"
Dorothy accepted the dumplings and took a bite, realizing how hungry she was after the exhausting climb. She nodded appreciatively. "Thank you, Nova. These are quite good."
As they ate, Nova continued to talk to her. "Dorothy, the reason I asked if you truly believe you're a Faction Knight is that there's something strange happening in the Coloria Empire. Faction Knights are supposed to serve and protect the people, right? But what if I told you there are secrets, lies, and manipulation going on at the highest levels of power?"
Dorothy paused mid-bite, looking at Nova with a mixture of curiosity and skepticism. "What are you getting at?"
Nova took a deep breath before explaining. "I believe there's a force behind the scenes, manipulating the Order and the Faction Knights for their own agenda. Equinox might not be what she seems. And I think the Forbidden Valley holds the key to unraveling this mystery."
Dorothy's expression grew more serious. "That's a bold claim. What evidence do you have?"
Nova recounted the encounters with Chocola and the information she had shared about Equinox, the creation of the Faction Knights, and the true history of Coloria. He also mentioned Tim's quest to find his lost brother, who might be connected to the Faction Knights.
Dorothy listened carefully, her eyes narrowing in thought. "If what you say is true, then we've all been pawns in a much larger game. But what can we do about it?"
Nova smiled. "We need to uncover the truth, Dorothy. We can't let this corruption continue. Are you with me?"
After a moment of contemplation, Dorothy nodded. "I may be a Faction Knight, but I'm also a guardian of Coloria. If there's a threat to our land, I can't turn a blind eye. I'm with you, Nova."
With their truce reaffirmed and a common purpose in mind, Nova and Dorothy knew they had a challenging journey ahead, but they were determined to see it through, no matter what secrets they uncovered along the way.
Furthermore , she said that while they finish eating she felt a searing pain in her body and Nova spoke (that's why Sir Robin can't help us) "No Dorothy stop stop!!! Don't try to be a rebel like me you all faction knights besides sealed memories that Piety Module harms your body due to the absolute loyalty for the Order and Empress" Dorothy pants "no no , I was this close I always suspect something was off did her eminence did this?" Nova nod and added "plus well I don't want Oz seeing his sister later dead.." as he use silent arcana (and ecto-mana) based healing magic to lessen the pain while Dorothy spoke "there use your magic for me but I won't regret my decision , but brother? Oz? Why is it so familiar? Even though I am a summoned guardian no you said that was a lie and I was actually a commoner from Amurite village where Tim lived and were childhood friends? Can't recognize if that's true but the name Oz…Oswald Stone…How is he by the way a brother I didn't recognize due to my sealed memories and duties? Pls I WANT TO KNOW what other precious connections her eminent cut off"
Nova used his healing magic to ease Dorothy's pain while she asked about her brother, Oswald Stone. He sighed, realizing that it was time to reveal more about her true past.
"Dorothy, what I'm about to tell you might be hard to accept," Nova began. "Oswald Stone, or Oz as you mentioned, is indeed your brother. Your memories were manipulated and sealed by Equinox to keep you loyal to the Order. In reality, you grew up together in Amurite village. You (Tim and Oz) were childhood friends, and Oz has been searching for you ever since you were taken by the Order."
Dorothy's eyes widened in shock and confusion. "My brother... I can't believe I forgot him all this time. Why would Equinox do such a thing?"
Nova continued, "Equinox wanted obedient Faction Knights who would follow her without question. She saw the potential in children born with Luminous-mana and Umbral-mana like you , who currently is a Umbral-mana born. She erased your memories and manipulated your loyalty to ensure her control over you. Now that you know the truth, we can work together to uncover the secrets behind all of this and put an end to her reign."
Dorothy clenched her fists, determination in her eyes. "I won't let her manipulate me any longer. I want to reunite with my brother and make things right."
Nova smiled, relieved that Dorothy was on their side. "We're in this together, Dorothy. With your strength and determination, we'll find a way to free Coloria from Equinox's grip and bring justice to those who've been wronged."
As they sat on the ledge of the palace, looking out into the horizon, Nova and Dorothy forged a deeper bond and a shared resolve to uncover the truth and make a difference in their world.
As Dorothy uttered "I hope the goddess you are belong you rebel to this tryannical ruler I no we faction Knights treated like pawns or puppets I swore hear me GODS out there I hope there's a reason you can use divine intervention for these events so…heed my call the order , her eminence no the terrible Anti-Goddess I swear I Dorothy Cardinal 42 shall assist the Noble Rebels" fainted as Nova quietly rip off his sleeve to be use like a wrap her neck that her nape has a deep bleeding to prevent it being fatal as Dorothy gasp awake "what? I am alive? What did you do Nova?"
Nova looked at Dorothy with a reassuring smile as he tightened the makeshift bandage around her neck. "Don't worry, Dorothy. I used some basic healing magic to stop the bleeding and stabilize your condition. You fainted from the pain, but you'll be okay now."
Dorothy touched the bandage gently, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Nova. I can't believe I almost lost my life there."
Nova nodded. "We're all in this together, Dorothy. Your determination to break free from Equinox's control is inspiring. We'll support you in every way we can."
With Dorothy now fully conscious and determined to continue their mission, the two rebels shared a renewed sense of purpose. Together, they would face the challenges ahead and work towards freeing Coloria from the grip of the Anti-Goddess.
Yet Nova commented "still it's impressive you want to see this through to resist the spell cast on you to fight over your loyalty…" Dorothy chuckles "still so Tim and Oz from my other me…Dorothy Stone my other self before being place on an Piety Ritual as a Knight and lied to all this years that I had no home or love ones to return too…" she cried yet didn't understand why "so I am just a empty shell possessing a falsely accused girl even though she just accidentally trip and want to help an innocent monster harmed by a faction knight beyond the end borders the forbidden valley.." as Nova Pat her head "still these walls are sturdy" Dorothy uttered "Of course they are , they are enchanted with Automatic spell Self repair so of course we cannot go back in this way…Plus I can't summon my mount here since the higher floors has another spell keep flying creature at bay as how I read about it"
Nova looked around, contemplating their situation. "Well, Dorothy, it seems we've reached quite a predicament. We can't go back inside the palace, and your mount is out of the question here. Our best option might be to find another way up, bypassing the enchanted defenses, and continue our ascent through the palace."
Dorothy nodded, her determination returning. "You're right, Nova. We can't give up now. Let's explore this ledge further and see if there's a way to reach the higher floors. We might encounter some obstacles, but we've already faced so much together. I believe we can handle whatever comes our way."
With newfound resolve, Nova and Dorothy began to explore the ledge, looking for any openings or clues that might lead them to the next part of their journey through the Sacred Emerald Palace.
Meanwhile Tim was busy ascending the stairs by himself inside and mumbled he's been with Nova for so long about 2 and a half years , that he almost forgotten the feeling going solo (hmm so this is the 65th floor)
As Tim ascended the stairs on his own, he couldn't help but reflect on the journey he had undertaken with Nova. The two had faced numerous challenges and adversaries together, forming a strong bond of friendship and trust. However, now circumstances had separated them, at least temporarily, as they each pursued their own paths within the Sacred Emerald Palace.
With each step, Tim grew more determined to reunite with Nova and Dorothy and to complete their mission. He knew that he couldn't let his friends down, and he hoped that their paths would converge once again as they climbed higher through the palace's floors.
As he reached the 65th floor, he braced himself for whatever challenges lay ahead, knowing that he carried the hopes of his friends and the weight of their mission on his shoulders.
He open what seems to be a spring bath hall paradise , but he notice out of all the steam. A large humanoid white rabbit in bathrobes was enjoying a dip as he spoke "Ahh , so a rebel finally reach my doorstep hey before we fight , pretty sure you just snuck pass little Dorothy so…is Lady Goldilocks okay?" Tim gulps "Yeah she is why? Wait why DIDN't YOU WORRY FOR Sir Cruz ,Sir Robin , the Bohemian Quartet and the two faction Knight trainees if I am sensing your aura is powerful and must be the leader of all of them right so what gives for favoritism?" the Rabbit fix his bathrobe and sound like a man in his 40s hop of his bath and revealed a sheathed weird weapon for now and spoke "Woah Woah easy there Youngling , You are right I am Sir Nirven Cardinal no.1 captain of all knights but…you could say It just so happens Lady Goldilocks was my Junior so it's nothing personal against other knights it's just dynamics you know?"
Tim raised an eyebrow, still cautious but willing to engage in conversation. "So, Sir Nirven, I'm Tim, and I'm here for a reason. I don't suppose you'd be willing to listen to what we're trying to accomplish, and maybe even consider helping us out?"
Sir Nirven let out a hearty laugh. "Well, Tim, I admire your courage. You know, it's not often we get rebels trying to engage in a friendly chat in the middle of a bathhouse, but I like your style. Tell me, what's your mission, and how do you think I can assist you?"
As Tim stayed silent by using this to distract him yet in a blink of an eye the Faction Knight uttered his yo-yo like mace (that is like a large pocket watch) sways a bit as Nirven chuckles "sorry Youngling , kid but your still a rebel..It a demand from the Order and we Faction Knights can't disobey that…I do pity you since had no aura of being evil or an enemy? And what just happened I used my Clock-Time Maul? Name of my weapon or Celestial Regalia...I guess , her eminence said there used to be a large Clock in he center of this nation that she convert into this , one of the oldest creations..cool right? Don't worry I just slash a bit of your back or rather the back of your future self as this Ancient Artifact allows me to see into the past or future a bit and I can just swing away to hit that versions of you to your present self affected in a blink of an eye..My weapon is heavy though so it may take awhile for another strike" Tim coughs blood..
Tim gritted his teeth through the pain and muttered, "Impressive... but you underestimate rebels."
He knew he needed to act fast. In a desperate attempt, he chanted an incantation under his breath, focusing on the power of the dual shields he wielded. With all the strength he could muster, he tried to reverse the effects of the Clock-Time Maul's strike by manipulating time itself. If he could undo or at least mitigate the damage inflicted on his back, he might have a fighting chance.
He chuckles "let me guess you're figuring out how to counter it? Don't worry that's the first thing all my rivals do , no biggie" as he sided another stance as Tim just rushed to use his shield and can't complete the chant for the White Rabbit Bestialkin kick his gut to bounce at the grind and into a nearby bath pool as he coughs and prepared to parry the wings of that mace like large pocket watch with his combat style he learned from both Nova and in the academy on the defensive
Tim's quick thinking saved him from a potentially devastating blow. As he parried the strike with his shield, he focused on completing the incantation he had started earlier. With sheer determination, he managed to reverse the effects of the Clock-Time Maul's strike on his back, mitigating the damage significantly. The pain remained, but it was now bearable.
He sprang back to his feet, his determination unwavering. "You're right; I won't underestimate you," Tim declared, his aura now charged with a newfound determination. He readied his dual shields, ready to continue the fight with renewed strength.
Then he dramatically distract Nirven's gaze by throwing one of his shield up in the Air while the other still wield by his other arm strike offensively on Nirven only a scratch to his arm and face before they tumbled back to the bath pool for Tim when he magnetize the thrown shield in the air back at him he recalled a warning Chocola made for Them if they use the powers of their weapons while for Tim especially since it isn't created artificially yet manifest naturally on itself using the CORE RELEASE spell is risky as it can harm both the user and enemy due to the limiter removed on its decay based magic as Tim uttered "SKULLCREST AEGIST CORE RELEASE!!!" Now the entire area is surrounded by fissured and catacombs as Tim can feel he finally one despite it causing their skin to go dull and paralyze in their posing like a statue as Nirven screams "IDIOT , do you know what you'be done?" And Tim chuckles as the decay and withering slowly affected them "Don't worry Sir Knight your truly had the Highest rank as your Cardinal Number say yet I may guess your a talented fighter in his 40s so your life force is weaker compare to me at the peak of age 18 so my life force is better than yours….I think I'll be fine and it's worth the risk if I get lucky Eitherway as of now I win.." coughs as Nirven ask "why? Who taught you to risk anything?" Tim chuckles "I had a friend although we've been split up teach me the ways of battle , risk and use anything in my disposal…" Nirven chuckles "so tell me since this RISKY spell you cast from your Dual Shield takes time to affect us and we can't hit each-other anymore , what was your goal with your rebel partner to fight against the Order and Eminence?" Tim cried "Dammit , Order this ….Eminence that!! What's wrong with you people? Your just a husk of your former selves , where is your sense of mortality? Rather you really got your memories sealed away? How pitiful you can't even remember your past or love ones..or the time you were born and raise here in Coloria….Sir Nirven my village it maybe weird but we heard fables about your time before you were knight you were a great adventurer that is great at combat and time management…so why…Why can't you Knights remember who you used to be…this AUTHORITY YOU SERVE IS A LIE!!" He screamed weakly as Nirven says "Younglin , I may not remember who I used to be yet I appreciate the stories..::You know I always suspect the Order and Eminence yet we Faction Knights are casted a special curse that were forbidden to rebel so thanks to you..I understand those doubts now…for quite a while…" As both of them get unconcious by turning into dried dull withered statues