Cardfight!! Vanguard/CARDFIGHT!! ヴァンガード 1. Chapter 1: Prologue I

Year 605 of the Cray Calendar. Ravenous flames devoured the battered earth, paving the way forward for the advancing troops of the Dragon Empire.

The assault had been sudden. Too sudden. The outpost of Royal Paladins situated on the Eastern border of the United Sanctuary had been swiftly and secretly dismantled by the Empire's covert operations specialists, the Nubatama, allowing the powerful siege forces of the Tachikaze to crack an opening big enough for the Empire's main army to compromise the Sanctuary's integrity. The Kagerou. The merciless Kagerou.

By the time the Godhawks reached the Capital with news of the invasion, the isolated town of Reed had already been engulfed by the unforgiving flames of war…

A Lizard Runner paused as it approached the remains of a stone building. Its forked tongue snaked its way into the stale air..shivering.. sensing.

The muscles tightened around the hilt of the steel trident it clasped in its reptilian hands.

Then, as if satisfied that there was nothing, it stalked away down a cobbled road towards the town center.

Hidden amongst the rubble and ruin, a young boy heaved a sigh of relief, only to have a finger unceremoniously shoved into his lips.

"Shhhh! Do be quiet, Llew!" A blonde girl whispered after a few tense moments. "The monsters still might hear you! Remember what we were taught about dragons in school?"

The boy, who also had hair of bright gold, pulled her arm away in annoyance but nodded in solemn consensus.

"It's alright. He's probably a long way away by now." The deeper voice belonged to a blue-haired teenager who had just appeared from deep within the debris. While he looked around the age of 16, the younger pair appeared to be 12 or 13 years old.

"Are you sure, Alfred?" Llew asked, allowing himself to speak just a bit louder.

Alfred nodded grimly. "Positive. Don't worry about a thing. I swear I'll get both you and Salome out of here alive."

…

The King of the Knights, Pendragon, had his brows furrowed deep with worry as the landscape rushed beneath him in a turbulent blur.

A deep and ancient voice filled with wisdom resounded in the depths of his mind. "Something bothering you, Ambrosius?"

Startling slightly from being addressed by his real name, he replied, "No. I just hope we're not too late, my friend."

A grunt came in response, stemming from the maw of the King's loyal partner himself, the Sanctuary Guard Dragon.

"Let us not be bothered with unnecessary thoughts before we plunge into battle."

Pendragon turned towards the voice.

Behind him sat yet another warrior of the Royal Paladins, clad in magnificent armor of both white and blue. And in his arms was the legendary weapon of the United Sanctuary itself.

The Blaster Blade.

The King nodded. Knowing that the hero of the Sanctuary was by his side somewhat reassured him. But that moment of peace was not to last.

Black smog encroached upon the horizon, accompanied by screams and the distinct aromas of soot and blood.

Pendragon gritted his teeth, just as Sanctuary Guard Dragon growled in fury.

Without warning, azure shadows burst forth from the cloudscape, lunging forward like ferocious wasps.

"Tejas!" roared the King.

One of the Wyvern Strike soldiers rushed forward with his spear in an attempt to impale his opponent.

But Pendragon easily deflected the strike with his own blade, and sent the soldier flying off his steed.

Seizing the momentum, Sanctuary Guard wielded its own shining sword of light and sliced the wyern in half without a moment's hesitation. Tejas were fast and mobile, but they lacked the defensive capabilities that the Jarran variety possessed.

But the battle was far from over. More Tejas were swarming, impeding their progress and a battallion of Jarran were fast approaching.

"We can't let ourselves get stuck in the air like this," muttered Pendragon.

"Then we go down."

Before the King could react, Blaster Blade had already leaped off the holy dragon's back and was diving straight into the chaos raging below.

"That fool! The ground troops haven't even arrived yet!" Pendragon sighed. This wasn't the first time the hero had pulled a stunt like this.

"Leave him. He can handle himself. " commented Sanctuary Guard. "We have our own problems to deal with."

…

As the wind rushed against his face, Blaster Blade could feel it. He was here.

A Berserk Dragon snapped its jaws viciously as it rose to intercept him from the ground.

"BEGONE!"

A burst of lightning flashed from the tip of his blade, leaving not a single trace of the creature behind.

With a skillful somersault, the knight landed elegantly on the ground.

Glancing around, he discovered that his flight had brought him to the city center. And he was surrounded by what seemed to be an unlimited number of the Kagerou forces.

Dragons, dragonmen and dragon knights stared at him from their positions amidst the ruined buildings. They all knew exactly who he was and what his weapon was capable of.

But that was not what stopped them from attacking. The members of Kagerou didn't know fear. Didn't understand it. They fought solely for the joy of battle and victory, even if it meant the loss of their very lives.

So why were they still?

Because it had been an order.

An order from their one true ruler.

The Dragonic Overlord.

"So.. we meet again," an alien, bestial voice rasped from between the mighty dragon's fangs.

Blaster Blade nodded. Years ago they had fought and no winner had resulted. But this time, this time was different. And the fate of the United Sanctuary hung in the balance.

Dragonic Overlord raised his massive sword, brutal yet simple in design.

In response, Blaster Blade gripped his sword in a ready position, his entire body glowing with a powerful aura.

And with a combined roar, they both leaped towards their eternal rivals.

Their blades clashed with a sound like raging thunder.

And somewhere in the ravaged town, Alfred led Llew and Salome down the streets, unknowingly leading them closer to the very place where the two heroes now clashed..


	2. Chapter 2: Prologue II

Sparks flashed in the wind as steel met steel in a deadly embrace. Surrounding the vicious onslaught, the monstrous audience of Kagerou could do nothing but gaze in awe at the intense duel that took place before them.

Blaster Blade detached himself slightly from the metal deadlock, whirling rapidly as he slipped into a side opening and thrusted his sword at the oncoming figure of the Dragonic Overlord.

The tyrant smiled.

With a sudden flap of his leathery wings, he purged the momentum of his earlier strike and pullef himself away from the lethal edge of the holy weapon.

But Blaster Blade was not to be foiled that easily.

Allowing himself to be carried forward by the force of his strike, he burst towards his target.

CLANG!

A huge claw swung in at the last moment, bending the blade off its intended course.

Blaster Blade frowned.

Immediately after, Overlord unleashed a torrent of searing flames from his gaping maw, catching the unsuspecting hero in a powerful blaze.

The Kagerou troops cheered.

But with a sweep of his sword, the grand knight dispelled the conflagration and emerged unharmed into the battlefield once more.

…

Llew knew exactly who the man standing before him was. Everyone in the Sanctuary knew his face.

The face of the hero.. Blaster Blade.

Having spotted the hordes of dragons around the city center, Alfred had hurriedly ushered his companions into a nearby wooden structure.

The trio now sought refuge in the second storey of the building where they gazed out of a window at the unbelievable scene unfolding before their very eyes.

"Blaster Blade," Alfred whispered.

Salome was at a loss for words, gripped by a mixture of fear and excitement.

Llew too was silent. But his eyes were fixed upon the sight of the legendary warrior. And at that very moment, something stirred in the depths of his heart.

Something awakened.

…

An ivory dragon cast in glorious battle armor stormed into the town center, sending sand and stone flying with the sheer gravity of its immense bulk. Upon his back stood none other than the King of the Knights.

"Dragonic Overlord! You shall not be forgiven for this transgression against the United Sanctuary!" Pendragon bellowed.

The Kagerou leader snorted. "Foolish. It is the ultimate law of this world that only the strong may survive. And you knights are weak. Much too weak. You should all be eradicated from the surface of Cray!"

"It's meaningless trying to talk sense into that reptile, milord," Blaster Blade commented. "Words won't get through that thick skull of his. Only blades will."

Pendragon punched his fist into the sky. "Then blades it shall be."

Somewhere in the distance, a trumpet echoed.

The sound of boots and hooves against the ground rose like a mighty typhoon, and as the Kagerou forces turned, the armies of the United Sanctuary flooded the war zone.

The mega corporation that dealt with magical affairs: Oracle Think Tank. The emergency medical aid and assault squad: Angel Feather. And last but not the least, the hallowed defenders of the Sanctuary itself: the Royal Paladins.

Against the dark sky, an emblem of the Sun rose against a backdrop of blue, green and white stripes, proclaiming freedom and justice for all. The flag of the United Sanctuary.

All around, the Kagerou forces were cut down where they stood, severely outnumbered by the gargantuan force that had only managed to make the great journey from the Capital with the assistance of the Think Tank's magic.

The company's boss of sorts, CEO Amaterasu, floated beside Pendragon. "The forces you requisitioned have arrived."

The King nodded. "Indeed. You have my gratitude. All that's left is to rid our land of these vermin."

"Allow me."

Rising further into the air, Amaterasu stretched her arms wide and her robe began to billow in an invisible gale. A scarlet orb blazed into existence behind her, slowly growing in size until, without warning, it exploded into a rain of fearsome fireballs that dived mercilessly into the Kagerou forces.

Dragonic Overlord rose his blade into the air. "Retreat!"

And with the Wyvern Guards deflecting the bombardment of magical projectiles, the dragonic soldiers raced to leave. To survive. And to fight another day.

Eventually, the dust settled and all was quiet as evening approached.

"You alright?" Pendragon asked, wiping some blood off his face.

"But of course," was Blaster Blade's reply.

"LLEW!"

The two warriors turned. Walking slowly towards them was a young boy with blonde hair, chased after by two other children. But there was something strange and mechanical about the way he was moving, as if he was under the control of some sort of spell.

A glowing ball floated between his eyes, from one iris to the next.

Blaster Blade shuddered. He felt something. Something stirred in the depths of his heart.

Something awakened.


	3. Chapter 3: Knight of the Future

"…Wake up!"

"Nnnn.."

"Wake up, sleepyhead!"

"Nnn.. just a few more minutes.."

"…"

CHOMP.

"OUCH!" Llew let out a hysteric yelp as he scrambled out of his cocoon under the sheets, landing in a heap on the floor of aged mahogany.

Rubbing the back of his head in agony, he opened his eyes into slits and caught sight of a pink snout floating directly above him.

Strands of brightly-colored fur started to tickle the tip of his nose.

"You didn't have to bite me, Flogal," muttered the boy defeatedly.

"Well it's your fault for not wanting to get up! Now hurry up and get dressed! We're going to be late!"

"Late? What for?"

"The Coronation Ceremony, you dimwit!"

"OH!"

A sudden burst of energy rushed through his veins as he leaped onto his feet and dashed over to his wardrobe.

Meanwhile, Flogal trotted over to where a blue High Beast lay slumbering in a nest of straw and hay.

"WINGAL, WAKE UP!"

Five years have passed since Llew and his friends were rescued and taken in by the Royal Paladins. Now, a new chapter begins in the life of this unknowing child, fated to become one of the greatest heroes of Planet Cray..

…

Somewhere far off, in a chamber pulsing with a mysterious light, the hero known as Blaster Blade knelt before a frozen altar.

His helmet and sword lay at his feet, revealing a tanned face with a long, sparkling mane that shimmered gold as if it was.. incandescent. A single stripe of liquid green decorated his forehead.

Gazing at his armored palms, he frowned, worried.

"The time approaches."

A figure materialised upon the shining podium, garbed in armor of the familiar style of the Royal Paladins. Twin blades of energy sprouted from his gauntlets, burning the very air with an aura of stoic power.

Blaster Blade bowed. "Exculpate."

The fearsome man acknowledged the greeting. "It has been many years since we first met, Ezel. Many years since you first came here and received The Power."

It had been a long time since someone had called him by that name.

In a way his fate had been similar to Pendragon's. Both were men who had been called upon to become heroes in order to fulfill prophecies for the future of the United Sanctuary.

But his time as a hero was coming to an end. He could feel it in his bones. The Blaster Blade was getting heavier with each battle, as if it no longer wished to be wielded by him.

"Yes. The Power seeps out of you, in a manner that the legends do not speak of. In a manner beyond my own understanding. And I am he who rules over The Power." Exculpate continued, as if reading the knight's thoughts.

After a distinct pause, Ezel asked, "What am I supposed to do?"

…

Trumpets filled the air with their glorious melodies as Alabaster Owls soared through the clouds, carrying messages to the far reaches of Planet Cray.

Down the cobbled streets strode Llew, now a young squire, with his faithful companions at his side: the rose-tinged High Dog Flogal and her male counterpart, the mischievous Wingal.

"Get your swords here! Freshly made! Going at half-price in celebration of the new king!"

Dealers and marketers of all sorts of merchandise had set up their stalls throughout the capital and were fervently advertising their wares. The crowds surrounding them showed no signs of letting up.

"Wow, this is some crowd!" Wingal pranced around like an excited child. "I've never seen so many people in the streets before!"

"Behave yourself, Wingal!" Flogal snapped. "Remember your place. You are a dignified member of the Royal Paladins and I expect you to-"

But in complete ignorance of her words, the playful High Dog dashed off without a single warning.

Llew chuckled at Flogal's exasperated expression as he chased after his partner.

Boof!

"Oh! I'm sorry!"

It took no more than a second for Llew to recognise the source of that feminine voice.

"Salome!" He said with a big smile.

Realising that she had collided with her childhood friend, the girl took a light step back and returned the smile. "Llew! I've been looking all over for you!"

"You're not hurt, are you?"

"Nope. It was just a little bump. We're both in battle armor anyway!"

As Llew took a better look at his friend that he hadn't seen in a while, he realised that she had grown her hair out and tied it up in two cute buns. And it suited her very well. In fact, she looked beautiful.

"Um.. nice hair," he stuttered slightly. "You look great."

Salome's cheeks flushed as red as a beet as she averted her gaze slightly. "Thanks."

Wingal sniggered, only to be reprimanded by a soft headbutt from Flogal.

In a desperate attempt to change the subject, Llew took a glimpse of his rune watch. "Oh, look at the time! We better get going! Alfred's gonna be really mad if we're late!"

The girl laughed. "Let's go!"

Then, much to Llew's surprise and delight, she grabbed him by the arm and pulled him along as they dashed down the road to the castle together.

…

Meanwhile, in the forest right outside the Capital, the space between two trees distorted as if a mysterious force was shoving its way forcefully between dimensions.

A black ring outlined with an eerie crimson shattered the air, sending sparks of dark lightning scattering. But in an instant, it vanished. And its place was a soldier clad in white. A soldier who had been created for only one purpose.

To destroy.

The faint concept of a name was the only notion that existed within the void of its soul. And it understood that its name was Krypton.

Violet eyes gleaming in the shadows of the gentle canopy, it grasped its long blade tightly as it made its way towards the castle..


	4. Chapter 4: Assault at the Coronation

"Greetings, people of the United Sanctuary."

The amplified voice rippled like gentle thunder through the verdant boulevard of the Knight's Castle, hushing the incessant chatter of the massive crowd that had gathered.

It was none other than Elaine, the princess and lord of the United Sanctuary. As the last of a race of ancient elves who had once ruled over the entirety of Planet Cray, she had taken it upon herself to bear the duty of spreading the messages of peace and harmony throughout her world.

"Today marks a momentous occasion for our nation. In which we shall all bear witness to the end of an age. And, the beginning of a new era."

With her ravishing beauty and words laced with the scents of exquisite wisdom, the audience was deeply enthralled. But as a man stepped out of the shadows and joined the princess on the balcony, they all snapped out of their trances and began cheering with uninhibited pride.

"I would now like to present the new and second King of the Knights. Alfred Lionheart."

"ALL HAIL ALFRED!"

The king stood triumphantly before his people, a cape of deepest blue whipping around his armor like a pair of magnificent wings.

"Look, Salome, it's Alfred!" Llew gibbered excitedly as he jabbed his fingers at the awe-inspiring sight.

Salome nodded vigorously, a mighty grin etched across her charming dimples.

"I would like to thank all of you for gracing this glorious occasion of mine. Today marks the start of my reign as the leader of the Royal Paladins. When I was but a mere child, the Paladins picked me up and raised me as a member of their family. And today, I shall return that favour. By the honour of the knights and the holy sword, I vow to protect this Sanctuary with nothing but the toughest of mettles and the sharpest of blades. And to relive my predecessor, Pendragon's dream, and create a world where justice rules forevermore! TO ARMS!"

"TO ARMS!" echoed Llew and Salome, accompanied by the various knights who were present.

The emissaries of the other Clans of the United Sanctuary then stepped forward to deliver their gifts of celebration to the new King. Representing the Oracle Think Tank was CEO Amaterasu and for the Angel Feather, Kiriel of the Circular Saw.

Right after, Blaster Blade and Sanctuary Guard Dragon arrived to give their blessings.

"I look forward to working with you, hero," Alfred bantered.

"As do I," said Blaster Blade.

"And you as well, mighty ruler of the skies."

Sanctuary Guard Dragon nodded. "My one true partner may have ceased to exist. But my will to protect this land continues to burn fervently with the strength of a thousand suns. Call upon me and I shall heed."

But just as the ceremony was about to conclude..

BOOM!

An explosion rocked the vast building.

"What was that?!" Murmurs broke out in the crowd. "An intruder? Could it be the Kagerou?!"

The locked gates that had been sealing the castle away from the outside world creaked open and an alien shape stepped forth, the soulless bodies of two loyal Paladins still impaled heartlessly on his massive sword.

At the sight of his comrades, Alfred was beyond furious. "Who are you?!"

But as if it had not heard the question, all the invader did was rid its weapon of its gory load, stare around the inner sanctum for an instant, and then lunge at the balcony with a speed that surpassed mortality.

Reacting without hesitation, Sanctuary Guard Dragon charged ahead to intercept the assault, silver sword at the ready.

But he was sent flying with one violent thrust of the entity's blade.

The noble dragon smashed into the castle with a hail of debris, a dark mark indicating the location of his wound.

"Elaine! Get everyone out of here!" Alfred demanded, bringing his huge claymore in front of him with a skilled swing.

"But-"

"HURRY!"

Seeing no other option, the princess grabbed the ambassadors and fled down a passageway just as the mysterious attacker arrived.

Alfred dashed forward to seize the momentum with the first strike.

But Blaster Blade was faster.

Twin swords clashed on the edge of the balcony, flashing with bursts of red and blue energy.

"What manner of being are you?" Blaster Blade questioned. "I have seen nothing like you in my travels."

"…"

"MOVE ASIDE, BLASTER!"

The hero hopped into the air daintily, allowing space for the new King to approach and slam his claymore ferociously.

But there was no change in the creature's expression as it balanced the weight of the knight's blade with its own.

Then, with a flexible flick of its weapon, Alfred was pushed aside.

The being had no interest in the King.

It flung itself at Blaster Blade once more, but he was more than ready.

The two spiralled around in a deadly waltz of clashing steel as every strike was met by its equal.

Sparks flew in a lethal storm but neither sign showed any signs of winning.. until Blaster Blade decided to fall back and rely on the power he had been granted.

Raising the legendary sword, he plunged it forcefully into the ground.

But nothing changed.

Nothing happened.

No lightning surged from the tip of the Blaster Blade.

And by the time he realised it, it was already too late.

CLANG!

A deft stroke sent the holy weapon spinning from his grip. But that was not all.

The hero's armor that always shone with a powerful radiance slowly faded to grey, and the jewels adorning it were consumed by black ebony.

He fell to his knees.

The Power no longer belonged to him.

Everyone below gasped in horror. Some knights in the crowd started rushing for the stairs, hurrying to lend a helping hand to their fading hero.

Alfred stepped in front of his comrade. "You are not going to lay a hand on him."

But the creature was no longer interested. It had already turned around to watch the sight of the Blaster Blade floating in the air above the castle.

And with a flash of azure light, it spirited itself into the hands of a young knight in the crowd.

Into the hands of Llew.

And before he could react, the intruder was already pouncing at him with the intent to kill.

…

Away, in a chamber of pulsing light, Exculpate stood gazing silently at the events that had transpired through a mystical glass orb held in his palm.

He was not surprised. He was not afraid.

The Power had chosen a new hero.


	5. Chapter 5: A Hero's Fate

The moment Llew noticed the gleam of heartless steel arrowing towards him, it was already too late.

SHLUCK!

A spray of vile crimson.

But it was not his.

Using her body as a shield, Salome had intervened at the final second, preventing the wicked blade from reaching its intended target.

Copious amounts of blood fell in rivulets down her armor, stemming from where the weapon penetrated the area around her right hip.

"Run.. Llew.." she croaked desperately, clinging to the edges of the blade with twitching fingers.

Llew's eyes were glazed over with confusion. Then, shock. Horror. And finally, rage.

"SALOME!"

A wave of anger pulsed through his veins, blinding his vision with a curtain of dangerous red. Every single muscle in his body tensed via reflex, galvanising him to raise the Blaster Blade above his head as if he knew the sword by some deep, archaic connection.

And with a single, powerful, slash, a blast of bluish energy tore the strange invader in half.

Its remains blurred in the air momentarily before vanishing, revealing that the suit of ivory armor was hollow on the inside.

The creature had been nothing but a void.

Llew stood half-bent, panting heavily from the effort. He felt strangely empty, as if the last strike had consumed every last reserve of his energy.

His last sight before he fell was of Alfred dashing towards him, calling his name…

…

All was dark in the space where the being known as Krypton regained his life.

He noted to himself that he had failed in his mission. But that piece of sour news didn't bother him in the least. He couldn't feel disappointed. He didn't know how.

Suddenly, something vast and overpowering touched his mind. He couldn't see it, but he could feel it all around him. The presence of his Creator.

A thought was stolen from him. And as his Creator acknowledged the results of his expedition to Cray, Krypton waited solemnly as tendrils of unknown shadows absorbed him into the great slumber once more, where he and his kin awaited the day of reckoning.

The Creator was not displeased. He had expected massive opposition and his predictions had not been betrayed. But most importantly, the seeds had been planted. The seeds of chaos.

A screen flickered into existence within the darkness, depicting none other than Sanctuary Guard Dragon.

And the wound that now burned into his chest.

…

"EXCULPATE!"

"Milord, you can't-"

"I don't care! I want answers and I want them now!"

Alfred stomped into the ancient grotto hidden within the waterfall that was situated behind by the Knight's castle. He was fully aware that only those who had been granted the title of 'Blaster' were allowed in that sacred place, and that his current actions were transgressing upon the very laws of Planet Cray itself.

Behind him, Ezel pursued his reckless king. With his Blaster Blade armor in its current state, he had opted for a simple set of armor used by the Royal Paladins for training.

"Where is he?" Alfred demanded as he whirled to face Ezel with a snarl.

"I shall summon him. But be prepared to face the consequences. Neither royalty nor might shall save you from the wrath of he who rules over The Power."

"There is no need for that."

The walls of the cave started to shine with a brilliant radiance as Exculpate descended from above.

Alfred wasted no time in grabbing him by the collar. "What do you know about Llew?"

"Unhand me or I shall cut you down where you stand." His gauntlet blades flared to life threateningly despite the unchanging expression on his face, issuing a silent warning.

Forcing himself to take a step back, the king thrusted a finger at Ezel. "Did you know this was going to happen? Did you know that Ezel was going to lose his Blaster Blade powers?"

"But of course, I could sense the moment The Power began rejecting him. However, I knew not the reason. Nor the solution. The Power weaves as The Power wills. Not even I fully understand it."

"Then why Llew?!"

"Like I said, The Power weaves as The Power-"

"ENOUGH! You don't understand. Llew is one of my greatest friends. And he is still just a child! I will not accept this. I will not let you simply crown him as a hero because of your stupid prophecies and watch him die a fool's death on the battlefield! He will become a great knight someday but today is not that day!"

Ezel did not know what to say. He had also been granted The Power at a young age but the choice had been his to make.

Seeing that Exculpate was all but unmoved by his outburst, Alfred staggered wearily aside and planted his face in his hands. He also wanted to know more about the mysterious and powerful stranger who had hijacked the coronation and if it had any connection to Llew's awakening but he suspected that Exculpate knew just as much as he did. And that was nothing.

Ezel approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Remember that fateful day on which the old King and I brought the three of you here, to the Capital?"

Alfred nodded.

"That day is a day that will always remain in my heart. For it was the day I first laid my eyes on young Llew, and saw that he possessed a destiny far greater than mine. From the very beginning, he has been special. And I could see it. Perhaps all of this was simply meant to be. There is nought to do but accept it."

The former hero's words hung heavily on the King as he realised that he was dealing with forces far greater than himself. Too great to even imagine.

"Then how can I help him?" He muttered.

At this, Exculpate replied.

"You can make him a hero."


	6. Chapter 6: Blaster Blade

Elaine shook her head. "It's not working."

The viridian-haired princess sat beside a bed, her hands emitting a lucid crystal glow over the slumbering form of Salome.

Llew nodded grimly. The results had been the same with Sanctuary Guard Dragon. The wounds inflicted by the mysterious stranger never seemed to heal, even when treated by the divine powers of the Yggdrasil Maiden.

Elaine rose. "You should get some rest."

It had been three long days since Alfred's coronation. Llew had awoken unharmed on the first and spent his every hour keeping vigil over the girl.

A knock on the door.

"Alfred, " Elaine greeted as the King entered the bedchamber.

"Your majesty," he bowed, then glanced at Llew. "Pardon my intrusion but may I have a word in private with Llew?"

Acceding to his request, she made her way to the door and departed.

The two knights remained in an uncomfortable silence, Alfred gazing out the window at the orange-dyed cityscape and Llew sitting with his head hung low.

Finally, the boy knight decided to break the silence. "What are we going to do, Alfred? Salome is dying and nothing seems to work."

Alfred turned. Llew had raised his head, unrelenting tears pouring down the contours of his face.

For a second, the King's expression softened, but then it was back to the severe and stoic eyes that were demanded of his position.

His great armor clinked as he walked forward. "Pull yourself together, Llew. You are a member of the Royal Paladins, hold yourself with the pride of a knight."

Llew's facade darkened. "And what use is that? Will that save Salome?"

Pausing for a moment, Alfred swallowed a deep breath, then smashed his fist into Llew's face viciously.

The impact flung him to the wooden floorboards where he crumpled, his back against the wall.

"Stop behaving like a spoiled child. I didn't save the two of you when we were kids for you to end up like this," Alfred seethed.

As Llew smeared some blood away, he murmured. "I just want to save her.. no matter what."

"And what if I told you that you can?"

Llew's gaze bounced to the King without a moment of hesitation. His eyes burned with curiosity, confusion, suspicion, doubt, excitement, but most of all, desire.

Alfred tossed a leather package at Llew's feet. "All you need is in here. I'm sure you know about the Angel Feathers. They told me about a great healer known as Ergodiel who can heal any wound and even bring the dead to life. This map will lead you to her. I would go myself, but Kiriel of the Circular Saw told me that this Ergodiel lives in a protected part of the Angel Feather territory where us knights are forbidden from entering."

"Then how will I get there?"

"Knights cannot go there. But heroes can."

"I don't understand."

At that moment, Alfred unlatched the Blaster Blade from behind him and handed it out to Llew.

As Llew grabbed hold of the legendary weapon, he shook his head slightly. "So this is what you're after."

"Listen, Llew. You know that i don't want Salome to die either. The three of us have been friends since forever. But I can't just ignore this issue regarding you and the Blaster Blade. This sword has been the nation's greatest asset since its birth and it is my duty as the King of the Knights to ensure that it continues to serve its purpose."

"Well, it doesn't really matter. If this is what it takes to save Salome's life, then I'll do it."

Alfred nodded.

…

The morning after, just as dawn was breaking over the lofty clouds, Llew approached the gates of the Capital.

A pair of guards yawned as they hailed him from afar, then proceeded to work the levers that lifted the gate with a massive groan.

Llew halted before the gateway, taking in the sights of the world that lay beyond the city he had been trapped in for the past five years.

The young pegasus he was towing neighed excitedly as it spotted the vast meadows of grass stretching endlessly towards to the horizon.

"So this is.. the outside world," Wingal whispered in awe.

Slightly overwhelmed by the view beyond, Flogal brushed her torso lightly against Wingal's to comfort her nerves.

Llew felt around the belt on his waist. Map. Check. Blaster Blade. Check. And the rucksack of food and supplies were securely strapped to the pegasus' back. Everything was ready.

"Hey! Wait!"

Turning around, Llew was stunned to see a humongous rhinoceros beetle clad in golden armor buzzing through the air towards him.

Hovering slightly, it landed. And a head popped out from its back.

"Hey, there! You must be Llew!" A young girl was sitting at the reins of the insect, short and covered in blue armor.

"That's me. Who are you?"

"Alfred sent us to help you on your journey." A brunette in light armor made her appearance next to the young girl. "Nice to meet you. They call me the Knight of Roses, Morgana."

A grey-armored man popped out behind her. "I'm Randolf!"

"And I'm Epona! But people like to call me the Bringer of Good Luck!" announced the small girl. "And this is my goldbeetle. I call him Mushi!"

Llew smiled, grateful for the unprecedented companionship. "Well, good luck is something that we'll definitely need. Nice to meet you guys. I'm Llew, and these two over here are my partners, Flogal and Wingal."

The two High Dogs stepped forward to meet their new comrades.

And after a bout of light chatter, the newly assembled team mounted their steeds and glided out into the fields of Planet Cray.

A soft wind blew across the land.

And so the journey began.


	7. Chapter 7: The Journey Begins

The Sun had already dipped far below the distant mountains when Llew's convoy halted at a moderately large clearing situated within a great forest.

They had spent the entire day travelling at Llew's insistence, choosing to have their meals on horseback. And the journey itself had been uneventful. The United Sanctuary wasn't known as a sanctuary for nothing. Dangerous beasts and criminals were almost non-existent on the glorious plains and in the various towns of the country. The three Clans had made sure of that.

As they disembarked, Llew made sure to analyse their progress on the map. "We've done pretty well. I think we'll get there the day after tomorrow."

"Sounds good," Randolf yawned.

So much for an epic journey, Llew thought to himself. The whole thing was starting to feel more like an errand rather than a grand adventure to save Salome's life. Unclimactic, but at least it meant that his success was all but guaranteed.

He grinned to himself as he imagined Salome opening her eyes.

"Thinking about your girlfriend?"

Knocked out of his daze, Llew realised that Morgana had been watching him. "Sh-she's not my girlfriend or anything."

Morgana chuckled. "Just look at yourself, your cheeks are all red."

"Shut up," he mumbled, turning away.

"Aww, I'm a little jealous."

Desperate to escape her teasing, Llew dashed away to help the others set up camp.

Not long after, the group of Royal Paladins were basking in the warmth of a raging fire. The two High Dogs were already sound asleep next to each other, while Llew's pegasus and Mushi were tethered nearby, grazing upon the lush vegetation.

"Wow. I can't believe I'm actually on a mission with Blaster Blade," Epona spoke.

Llew stared at the blade at his waist. "Don't call me that. I.. still can't believe what happened. The only reason I'm carrying this is because I have no choice. I have no idea what I'm going to do after this."

"But don't you think it's incredible?" Randolf asked. "To be chosen by the greatest weapon in the world?"

"I…"

"Just shuddup, you two."

It was Morgana who had spoken up. She was staring darkly into the flames now, all the sparkle gone from her eyes.

"It isn't nice when the entire world just decides to go ahead and choose your destiny for you, yaknow. Stop treating him like he's some hero. He's one of us."

Randolf and Epona grew silent and focused their attention on their feet.

Grateful for the intervention, Llew was just about to thank her when the Knight of Roses stood up.

"You guys should get some rest. I'll take the first watch."

And without another word, she strode off.

Llew looked at the other two questioningly but all he got in return were their unknowing shrugs.

Wondering what had happened in Morgana's past, the young Knight rested his head on a pillow of bushy grass and closed his eyes.

The future seemed uncertain. Now that the Blaster Blade had chosen him, would he really have to take on the mantle of the legendary hero?

Did he really want to become a hero?

Did he even have a choice?

…

Darkness. Darkness everywhere. But deep within the abyss, he could recognise Salome standing a distance away from him.

She was waving, and even though it was muffled and unclear, he could hear her calling his name.

"Llew… Llew…"

"Salome!" He wanted to cry out, but no sound escaped from his throat.

Startled, he decided to to try and reach her. So he started running down the lane of endless darkness.

But the more he ran, the further away she seemed to be. He panicked. And the more he panicked, the further away she seemed to go.

His throat burned and his muscles ached with the extreme effort but he couldn't stop. He had to get to her. He had to save her.

Suddenly, the shape of Salome was assaulted by tendrils of stretching darkness. Trapped and immobolised, the sentient shadows stabbed her through the torso.

Llew wanted to scream.

But it didn't stop there. The darkness stabbed her over and over again. Unrelentlessly and unmercilessly. Until her entire form had dissolved and assimilated into the surrounding shadows. And Salome was no more.

Llew realised that he had fallen. But he didn't have the strength to get on his feet.

"You couldn't protect her."

A seductive voice echoed in his ears with a hollow clarity, as if the person speaking was both nearby and far away at once.

"You couldn't save her."

The voice seemed to permeate his entire being, intruding his body and snaking through his veins.

He shivered.

"You couldn't do anything."

The voice was right. Everything that had befallen Salome was his fault. Salome had sacrificed herself to protect him. All because he was too weak. Too useless. He didn't deserve her. He didn't deserve anything. He was being a fool for even thinking about trying to rescue her.

An image of the Blaster Blade flickered in his mind.

He didn't want it anymore. He wasn't worthy of it. It was just a stupid burden. If only he could get rid of it. If only someone would take it away from him.

"I can take it away from you.. I can solve all your problems.. I can give you everything that you want.."

Something caressed his face. It was cold, but strangely comforting…

Llew woke up drenched in sweat.

No one was there. No Randolf. No Epona. No Morgana. Not even Wingal or Flogal were there. Even their steeds were missing.

And even though he already knew the answer, he checked the belt around his waist.

The Blaster Blade was gone.

…

Morgana groaned as she forced herself awake. Her head throbbed violently as if there were a dozen thorns slicing into her brain and her vision swimmed unsteadily with colours and blurs.

Where was she? What had happened?

She couldn't seem to remember anything. Her last memory was of herself keeping watch at the edge of the clearing.

Keeping watch? For what? For who? …Oh! Llew! And the others! Were they here too?

Frustrated by her unexplained dizziness, she focused all of her energy, willing her eyes to see.

Slowly but certainly, her surroundings were revealed.

A wooden room, filled with a pungent and musty odour. Possibly underground. An eerie violet light seemed to radiate from all directions at once, bathing everything in the room sickly purple, especially the vast number of skulls of all shapes and sizes gathered in a gruesome display on the countless shelves. They all stared ominously down at her.

Wherever she was, she was certain that it wasn't a holy place.


	8. Chapter 8: The Skull Witch

"Dammit!" Llew cursed as he punched his fist into the earth.

He wasn't completely sure about what had happened, but he was certain that the mysterious nightmare he had experienced had something to do with it. He shouldn't have given in.

But now wasn't the time to blame himself.

Now was the time to act like a knight.

Unclasping his usual iron sword from his belt, he dashed off into the forest, sharpening his eyes in search of any clues.

…

After a brief investigation of the room, Morgana had discovered a stairway leading to a trapdoor in the ceiling. But the door was locked shut and wouldn't budge.

She had half a mind to slash it open but the noise would definitely alert the enemy. So she chose instead to investigate the skulls.

Human. Dragon. High Dog. And many more that she didn't recognise. Some looked like they belonged to demons and monsters.

"A curious one, aren't you?"

Morgana whirled around in a flash, arming herself with her laser blade and positioning it before herself defensively.

A woman had entered the room, leaving the trapdoor open behind her. No. Not just a woman, Morgana realised with surprise, but an elf.

Long ears extended through wisps of silky lilac hair that twined around her face that was of a sickly white complexion. As pale as death, yet enchantingly beautiful.

Skimpy black armor clung to her thin and voluptous frame, revealing much of her fair skin as she floated an inch above the dusty ground, her arms folded across her chest.

Something triggered in the depths of Morgana's memory.

"The Skull Witch, Nemain." she recognised.

The dark elf smiled. "So you know of me. I'm flattered."

Her voice was sweet and venomous, causing a tickling effect as the words resounded through Morgana's skull.

"An S-Class criminal and enemy of the state. Wanted for several charges of kidnap, murder, and forced human experimentation. I heard that you fled the Capital years ago and went into hiding, so why this? And what have you done with the others? You know very well that I could arrest you right now as a member of the Royal Paladins."

"You can try. But I doubt you can. As for why I'm interfering with you knights like this.. how am I supposed to resist when a couple of children sneak into my domain with a juicy little present?"

Morgana's eyes narrowed. "The Blaster Blade."

"Exactly." With a soft hum, crystals of dark obsidian gathered around Nemain, their lethal tips crackling with a cold light. "If only you had obediently stayed in bed. I was planning to just drop you off somewhere like I did with your friends. But now.. you know a little too much."

And as the mystic projectiles darted at Morgana like a swarm of angry bees, the Knight of Roses roared as she lunged into the fray, fending them off with skill and finesse.

…

"Wingal! Wingal!" Llew was crouched over the unmoving body of his long-time companion which he had discovered by the roots of a tree.

Worried, he was shaking the High Dog vigorously in an attempt to awaken him. Fortunately, there seemed to be a pulse. But just as he was about to give another shout, he felt something at the back of his neck.

"Don't move."


	9. Chapter 9: Arrival of the Little Sage

With a thrust and a slash, the last of the dark crystals was destroyed, paving the path open towards Nemain.

Morgana didn't waste a breath. Seizing the moment, she charged.

The Skull Witch coolly placed her arm in front of her, pulling a demonic skull from the shelves into her grasp. With a crackle of energy, an ethereal body grew from the base of the skull just as irises of deep purple emerged from the shadows of its eyeholes.

Morgana sidestepped lightly, evading the massive fist of the strange beast, and cut the abomination's stomach horizontally.

However, instead of falling, the creature merely wavered slightly as its body reconstituted itself.

But that moment was enough.

Morgana leaped, her laser blade pulsed towards Nemain's throat.

Nemain raised a hand.

Light and darkness clashed in a brilliant frenzy, illuminating the faces of the two women.

The female knight's weapon was incapable of penetrating the shield of dark magic that formed at the witch's touch. But it didn't need to.

Falling to the side, Morgana spun and escaped through the open trapdoor.

Nemain sighed. "You just had to make things difficult for me… no matter. Run while you can. I'll flush you out like a rat in a maze."

The Knight of Roses dashed through the battered stone corridors.

She had to retrieve the Blaster Blade.

…

Llew froze.

He felt a hand press on the back of his neck, followed by a slight disorientating sensation.

"You're clear," said the voice as the hand detached itself.

Turning and raising his sword, Llew caught sight of a girl who seemed to be about the same age as him. She was dressed in obvious Royal Paladin garb, but instead of the knights, she was clad in the robe of a scholar.

"Woah, woah, easy there," she motioned with her hands wide. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

"Who are you and what did you do to me?"

"It's only proper for a knight to introduce himself first, don't you think?"

Llew hesitated. "I'm Llew. A knight of the Academy."

"That's better," the girl placed a fist on her chest proudly as she proclaimed. "I'm Marron, number one disciple of the one and only Sage of Guidance, Zenon."

She paused for a moment, waiting for Llew's reaction.

"Uh.. right. So what's a sage like you doing all the way out here?"

"I could ask you the same question."

Llew made no effort to mask his exasperation at her attitude. "My friends and I were travelling to Angel Feather territory and decided to camp here overnight. But when I woke up, they were all gone. And I lost my.."

"Lost your?"

"…nothing. It's not important."

Marron raised her eyebrows suspiciously but probed no further. "Well, lucky for you, I sensed a weird energy signature in the area and came here to investigate. And if it's your friends you're looking for.. they're a little faint, but I can feel their presence. Three humans, two high dogs, a horse and a Goldbeetle right?"

At this, Llew's eyes brightened. "You can find them?!"

"But of course," Marron wagged a finger as she grinned to herself smugly. "Just follow the master."


	10. Chapter 10: Morgana's Flight

"Ugh.. what happened?" moaned Randolf.

"I'm not too sure myself," Llew replied.

With Marron's assistance, the rest of the team had been quickly and easily found. Now all that remained was Morgana.

As Randolf started to make sense of his surroundings, he exclaimed, "Marron!"

"Hey, Randolf," she smiled.

"You know her?" Llew questioned in surprise.

"Of course I know her!" Randolf declared. "The two of us were friends in.. wait, did you say her?"

Marron rolled her eyes as Llew stared at them with a look of incomprehension.

"Llew.." Randolf began with a sigh. "Marron's a guy."

A brief silence permeated the forest.

"WHAT?!" blurted Llew so loudly that a flock of sparrows sent themselves spiralling out of the undergrowth.

His voice had even managed to stir Epona and the High Dogs who were still resting on the steeds.

"It's fine. I get that a lot," Marron muttered.

"Are you sure you're a guy?" Llew demanded in disbelief.

"Completely sure," she, no, he replied. "Want me to show you some proof?"

"N-nevermind."

Randolf couldn't help but laugh at their exchange. "Just like old times, eh?"

Annoyed, Marron punched him lightly on the arm. "Enough, Randolf. We should get moving. We still have to find.. um.. what's her name again?"

"Morgana," Llew reminded. "The Knight of Roses, Morgana."

…

Morgana was lost. She had been exploring the vast confines of her prison for some time but the entire place seemed to be a massive labyrinth with no exit in sight.

Iron-cast doors were etched occasionally into the dark stone walls but they had all either been locked or led her to rooms with nothing of interest.

To make matters worse, Nemain's skull-headed servants were patrolling the corridors diligently, slowing her down considerably as she was forced to maneuvre around the walls with caution.

As she turned down yet another corner, she was suddenly ambushed by a looming figure from the shadows.

A skulled swordsman lunged towards her with a ghastly hiss, brandishing a cutlass layered with a dark liquid.

Gritting her teeth, Morgana deflected the blow with a twist of her blade, but a drop of the substance landed on her skin, burning as it touched. Poison.

The knight tried to back off but the mindless creature refused to give her any quarter and launched an overhead strike.

Morgana darted to the left.

The monster swung.

She parried.

It faltered.

She struck.

But it blocked the blow at the last minute.

Morgana panted. She couldn't sustain this for much longer. She was already drained from the effort of navigating through the building.

Her concentration slipped for the slightest moment. But that moment was enough.

A powerful slash caught her off guard, pushing her back towards the wall.

CLICK!

For an instant, everything was a turbulent blur as Morgana felt herself lose balance then drop to the floor.

She swiftly regained her footing.

But the monster was gone. The corridor was gone.

She was now in a room filled with all manner of mysterious artefacts with no exit in sight.

And amidst a pile of crowns and coins lay a shining sword.

The Blaster Blade.


	11. Chapter 11: To Zenon's Shack

Morgana grabbed the Blaster Blade without hesitation.

ZAAP!

"Ouch!" she yelped as the weapon fell away in her arms.

She had heard about this before. The Blaster Blade rejected all that it deemed unworthy with a surge of energy. Nemain must have carried it here using her dark magic.

A scraping noise came from behind her.

Glancing back, she noticed a portion of the wall shifting slightly and groaning as something smashed it relentlessly from the other side.

She must have stumbled upon a secret doorway. And just outside was the corridor and the monster that had attacked her.

As dust and sand began cascading through the gaps between the stones, it became certain that the creature would penetrate the wall soon enough. And behind it, others would follow.

She was trapped.

Her eyes darted around the room in a quick frenzy, searching for something, anything that would allow her to survive this hopeless situation.

And as her gaze descended upon the Blaster Blade, an idea flashed across her mind. An idea that was so ridiculously crazy, it just might work.

No other options were in sight.

So, swallowing in apprehension, the knight grabbed the hilt of the Blaster Blade resolutely and in one swift motion, rammed the entire sword into the outer wall.

Engulfed by waves of lightning, she screamed.

…

"That's weird," said Marron.

"What?" Llew inquired.

"My senses tell me that Morgana is over there. But…"

The sage was pointing upwards to the sky a short distance away from where the group stood. But nothing was there.

Randolf was confused. "Over there?"

"His senses must be fried," laughed Wingal playfully.

But right at that moment..

BOOM!

A pocket of air above the canopy exploded in a shower of dark debris!

"What the heck?!" shouted Randolf.

The sky seemed to become distorted as a huge shape began to fade into existence against the verdant landscape.

It was a citadel constructed entirely of black and purple stone, but a head and arms stretched out of its ancient walls, making it seem like some sort of giant being.

"A Demon World Castle," Marron whispered.

"Look! Up there!" barked Flogal.

A section of the stone had been ripped open, revealing a small portion of the castle's interior. And standing there amidst the wind was none other than Morgana. But something was wrong.

She fell.

Llew acted at once.

Tossing himself onto the pegasus' saddle, he whipped the reins and catapulted into the air, streaking like a comet across the cloudscape.

Noticing the falling shape of the Blaster Blade below Morgana, he grabbed it and stowed it away before catching the unconscious girl. Breathing weakly, her eyes were closed and her palms were soaked in blood.

"Morgana! Morgana!" he called, shaking her violently.

Managing to open her mouth slightly, she spoke. "Don't.. worry.. it's.. nothing.."

Willing the horse to turn back, he returned to the others.

"Morgana! Is she alright?" Randolf came running as Llew descended.

"I.. I don't know. She looks like she's in pretty bad shape."

A tinge of guilt snapped across Llew's heart. Morgana was in this state because of him. All for the sake of retrieving the Blaster Blade.

The muscles on his fists tightened. He could feel nothing but hatred for the holy weapon.

BOOM!

The earth shook.

Together as one, the party of Royal Paladins observed as the looming form of the Demon World Castle landed before them, crushing several trees in its wake.

A gateway in its chest retracted with a piercing screech, and out marched an entire force of skull-headed monstrosities, led by Nemain herself.

"Boy, would you be so kind as to hand that sword over?" The witch gestured at Llew.

Llew opened his mouth to refuse, but thoughts of Morgana's limp form made him hesitate. He knew he needed the weapon to save Salome. But…

"NEVER!" Randolf hollered. "We'll never hand over the Blaster Blade to the likes of you!"

Nemain pressed her fingers against her temple. "Such foolish children.. if you had just handed it over quietly, I just might have decided to keep you as my servants instead of killing all of you. Looks like I'll have to take it from you.. by force."

"You shall not have the Blaster Blade."

Without warning, blades of light hailed down the heavens, cutting into each and every single one of Nemain's creations.

She could only look around in shock as the skulled beings shattered into pieces, unable to regenerate themselves.

In a burst of radiance, a bluish figure appeared between Llew's party and the skull witch. His face was stern and old but his garments were of the same style as Marron's.

"Master Zenon!" he cried.

"Skull Witch Nemain," Zenon muttered. "My powers are far beyond that of yours. Leave now and I shall forgive your vile actions against these travellers."

"Not a bad offer," Nemain bit her lip thoughtfully. "I think I'll take it. Come DonnerSchlag, let's go."

Spinning gracefully on her toes, she strutted back towards her castle but stopped at the entrance.

"To the blonde boy: mark my words. One day, that sword will be mine."

And as she disappeared into the shadows, the gate shut itself once more as the entire castle faded out of sight once again.

Llew stepped forward to thank the old sage but Zenon simply brushed past him without a word and made his way towards Morgana.

Placing a hand on her forehead, he said, "This child's life is in danger. I can perform the treatment. But the tools required are in my shack. Do you children mind taking a short detour?"

Randolf and the rest of the team looked at Llew. They all knew that it was imperative that they find Ergodiel as soon as possible in order to cure Salome before the worst happened.

But real knights did not leave their comrades behind.

"Let's go then," announced Llew. "Lead the way."


	12. Chapter 12: The Maiden of the Lake

Zenon's humble abode was a quaint little hut which was daintily balanced on a hilly outcrop which stretched out over a lake of marvellously transparent water.

There was a small barn beside it, home to a pair of chestnut-coloured horses. Marron mentioned that they travelled to a nearby village every fortnight to purchase food and other goods.

Morgana was quickly settled down in a spare room where Zenon attended to her with a variety of herbs. All the while, Llew stood by and watched, the Blaster Blade held firmly in his hands.

There was a knock as the door squeezed open an inch.

One of Marron's eyes peeked through the slight opening, "Llew."

"What is it?"

"Come down and have your dinner."

Glancing at the window, Llew realised that dusk had already fallen without his notice. "Should I get Master Zenon as well?"

"No, it's fine. Master doesn't need to eat often."

Shrugging, Llew closed the door behind him and followed the boy sage down the stairs. Just then, a silver-haired man politely brushed past them.

"Who was that?" asked Llew.

"His name's Gancelot," Marron answered. "He's a senior knight from the Capital. He hasn't retired yet but he doesn't like being around too many people so he lives here with me and Master Zenon."

"Oh. By the way, where are the others?"

"All fast asleep. They're still feeling the effects of Nemain's magic."

The pair proceeded to an ornate wooden table in a corner of the building and took their seats. A bowl of piping hot minestrone had been left on its polished surface and Llew sunk into it gratefully, relishing each mouthful.

As the knight consumed his meal, Marron suddenly started speaking, "So.. that thing you were looking for in the forest. It was a sword?"

Llew nodded.

"And that sword is.. the Blaster Blade, right?"

Llew nodded once more.

"And.. does that mean.. you are Blaster Blade?"

There was a loud bang as Llew placed the empty bowl back onto the table forcefully. The spoon he was using clanged as it bounced against the ground.

"I'm full," was all he said as he stood and exited the building.

A beautiful full moon graced the world that night as Llew trod across the earthy meadow, casting the forest and its surroundings in a celestial illumination.

Arriving at the shore of the lake, he kicked a pebble into the silent waters, then squatted and gazed at the blade in his hands.

All he could think about was the trouble that it had brought, and the trouble that it would bring. He knew that owning it was necessary to saving Salome, and saving her was something he had to do no matter what. But the sword brought mortal danger to all who lived around it, and Llew didn't want Salome's life to be saved at the expense of another.

And he knew Salome wouldn't want that either.

What was the sword thinking anyway? He was just an ordinary child, an ordinary knight. He hadn't excelled specifically in any of his classes. His grades were average. He didn't desire glory or fame. All he wanted was to live a normal life.

With Salome.

He couldn't care less about the responsibilities of being a hero. He didn't want to become one anyway. And he didn't think that he could live up to the expectations of one.

There had to be some other way to save Salome. And he would find it. Definitely.

Anything was better than this.

Hesitating for a second, he aimed the point of the Blaster Blade towards the opposite bank, and launched it into the sky.

It fell into the lake with a splash.

Ripples formed on the water's surface.

But just as Llew turned to leave, he heard a deep rumble. A rumble stemming from the unknown depths of the lake itself.

Bubbles frothed violently at the very spot at which the Blaster Blade had pierced the waters, and slowly and inexplicably, a woman rose out of the lake.

Her skin was pale and lovely just like Nemain's, but instead of the cold tinge of death, hers was warm with the vibrant pink hue of life.

She was adorned with a dress constructed out of the most stunning collection of sapphires, but what was most fascinating about her was her rich blue hair which flowed as smoothly as silken water, just like a waterfall.

"I think you dropped something," she murmured melodiously with her eyes closed.

It was then that Llew noticed that she was cradling the Blaster Blade against her chest.

"I don't want it anymore. You can keep it," he retorted.

With her eyes still shut, the woman made a confused expression. "But the two of you are connected. This sword and you."

"..what do you mean?"

"The sword's voice. Can't you hear it? It's calling. Calling for you."

At that very moment, something stirred within the depths of Llew's heart. He could feel it under his skin. A sensation that was strange and alien, yet all too familiar.

He had felt the same thing before. A long time ago.

Clutching his chest, he moaned. "What is.. this feeling?"

"It is the soul of the Blaster Blade. The soul of the Planet Cray itself." The voice belonged to Zenon, who only then chose to reveal himself.

"Master Zenon?" Llew was shocked. "Were you following me?"

Zenon carried on, undisturbed by Llew's question. "For untold centuries, many stories have been told, all centered around this lake. Some speak of a witch who dwells within its watery depths. Some say that this very lake is where the Blaster Blade was first forged. In pursuit of the truth, I have lived here for years. Watching, waiting. But nothing has ever disturbed the silent waters of this lake. Until now."

"So.. what does it all mean?" Llew asked.

"Child, if I knew I would have told you," Zenon gestured towards the lady in the lake. "But perhaps all the answers that you seek, lie in her hands."

Llew stared into the distance for a moment. Then, he stood.

"Can you tell me? Can you tell me why the Blaster Blade chose me?"

The lady shook her head. "The only one who can give you the answer that you seek.. is yourself."

"I.. I don't understand."

"Know this, no other knows you better than this sword. And though you have yet to see it, no other knows this sword better than you. The two of you are connected by fate. And a man who runs from his destiny is no better than the vermin which crawls beneath the soil. Five stars you must seek out. Five stars to connect the scattered dots. Five stars to rule over all."

"Five stars?"

"It is a ritual that all chosen by the Blaster Blade have undergone," Zenon interrupted. "To travel to the five nations of this land, to obtain the five jewels that grant the Blaster Blade it's strength. Only by doing so will you truly become Blaster Blade."

Llew stared at his feet. "And you're saying that if I do all that, I will learn the truth?"

"Yes." The woman whispered.

"To be honest, I don't want to have anything to do with that damned sword." Llew chuckled. "But it looks like I don't have a choice, do I? I can feel it now. The bond tying me to that cursed blade. And I want to know why I feel the way that I do."

"So do you accept it?"

Resolve burned in the young knight's eyes. "I do."

The legendary weapon lifted itself out of the woman's arms and twirled in the air before making its way back to its true owner. Its true master.

"Welcome back.. partner," muttered Llew.

"And with that, my duty is complete," sang the lady.

"One last thing. May I know your name?"

"My name is Lien. The maiden of the lake." And with those words, she vanished beneath the water's surface.

For a while, the two men stood there in silence, deep within the worlds of their own thoughts.

"Let us go," said Zenon.

"Yeah."

And so they left, wondering if they would ever again lay their eyes on the mystery that was the maiden of the lake.


	13. Chapter 13: Gancelot's Training

One. Two. One. Two.

Llew swung the Blaster Blade through the air methodically. He felt the blade slice through the wind. Felt its weight in his hands.

"Need a sparring partner?" Randolf suggested jovially as he approached.

Llew nodded with a smile.

A cool breeze swept through the meadow in front of Zenon's shack, carrying with it birdsong and the warmth of the morning sun.

Randolf armed himself with his shortsword and adopted a ready stance. "Ready?"

"Ready."

"Then.. here I come!"

With an unexpected burst of speed, Randolf dove within Llew's guard, sweeping upward with his blade that was now glowing with a dim, yellow light.

Llew pulled the Blaster Blade back.

CLANG!

The tip of Randolf's weapon stopped short just below Llew's chin, shaking slightly as it struggled to advance.

"Fast!" thought Llew.

Pivoting on one foot, Randolf forcefully pushed Llew's blade upwards, then used the momentum to bring his shortsword around for a bite at Llew's chest.

Forced to guard, Llew twisted the Blaster Blade in his hands, sending the tip on a crescent path set to parry the blow.

But Randolf saw through it.

Retracting his wrist slightly, he allowed his blade to slip off the surface of Llew's weapon and swing behind him.

The radiance of his shortsword surged in intensity as it assimilated the reserves of magical energy stored in a battery within its hilt.

Llew saw at once that a powerful blow was coming and pounced with a duo of slashes.

But Randolf stepped between them with ease, holding his blade steady as it continued to charge.

"I'll blow you away!"

With a savage battle cry, Randolf slammed the blunt face of his weapon into Llew's chestplate.

BOOM!

There was a miniature shockwave as all the condensed energy was released at once, unleashing a force that swept Llew off his feet.

He landed with a thud.

"Ouch. Guess I need more practice," he muttered sheepishly.

Randolf chuckled. "No worries. No one is born knowing how to wield a sword."

There was the clunk of steel boots as a man approached the two young knights from across the grassy field.

It was Gancelot.

Picking up the Blaster Blade from where it had fallen, he straightened and squared his shoulders to the front, holding the weapon out at a forty-five degree angle. "This is how you hold a longsword."

Llew was amazed at the sword's acceptance of this stranger. He knew of only one other person so far who had managed to hold it without the power of "Blaster", and that had been the King of Knights, Alfred.

"Here, try it," said Gancelot as he tossed the blade towards Llew.

Catching it, Llew attempted to imitate the stance that Gancelot had shown him.

"Good. You should straighten your back a bit more. And shift your feet like this.. yes."

As Gancelot instructed from the side, Llew began performing a variety of poses with the Blaster Blade, then moving on to strokes, and then combining those strokes to create different attacks.

"How's that?" asked Llew after successfully completing a particularly complicated manoeuvre. Sweat was dripping down his face in rivulets.

Gancelot nodded. "Well done. That should be enough for today. Your movements still require some refinement but I can see that you have potential. Why don't you you stay here for a few more days. I can train you to be a master of that sword."

"I can't," Llew gazed at the distant mountains. "There's something I have to do. And I have to do it as soon as possible. I'll be leaving this place tonight, for Angel Feather territory."

"What about your friend. The girl? What if she doesn't recover by tonight?"

"Then we'll have no choice but to leave her behind. I'm sure Master Zenon will take good care of her."

"I see.. very well, then. To arms!"

"Huh?"

"I like your resolve. Since you're leaving tonight, I'll just have to teach you as much as I can before then. You better be prepared. I won't go easy on you."

Llew grinned. "Yes, sir!"

…

Dusk was falling as the Royal Paladins gathered outside Zenon's home.

Despite his exhaustion from the day's training, Llew's heart thrummed with excitement and anticipation for the next leg of his journey.

"God speed. And be safe," wished Zenon.

"The same to all of you," was Llew's reply as his original team, minus Morgana, boarded their steeds.

Before they could leave, Gancelot stepped forward and began petting the head of Llew's pegasus. "What's his name?"

"He doesn't have a name."

"That isn't right. All living beings deserve a name. I hereby christen this proud horse.. Zephyr."

"Zephyr?"

"Yes. May he become the wind that carries you to the end of your journey."

"Thank you."

And with that, they rose into the sky.

To the land of the Angel Feathers.


	14. Chapter 14: The City of Angels

It was the evening of the second day after their departure from Zenon's shack when Llew's team finally left behind the verdant forests of Royal Paladin territory and arrived at the huge mountain range which encircled the land of the Angel Feathers.

They made their way to a crack between the lofty peaks, where they discovered an ornate gate of gilded gold which bordered the opening.

"I've been expecting you," greeted Kiriel of the Circular Saw who had been waiting at theb gateway.

"I need to see Ergodiel at once," Llew demanded.

The angel nodded. "Of course. But first, allow me to welcome all of you to the City of Angels."

At a gesture of her hands, the gates swung inward with the cheerful chiming of bells, as if it was delightedly proclaiming the arrival of visitors.

Llew and the others entered, only to find themselves at the edge of a desolate cliff. Before them was an endless expanse of navy blue that stretched from horizon to horizon, sparkling beautifully in the daylight.

"It's the sea!" Wingal exclaimed. "It's the real sea!"

Llew gaped in awe. He had heard many stories about the vast body of water that occupied most of the world, but this was the first time he had ever personally laid his eyes upon it. Never in his wildest dreams had he ever imagined that something could be so phenomenally big. A shiver ran down his spine.

Glancing at his comrades, he noticed that they were having similar reactions. But where was the city?

As if she had read his mind, Kiriel nudged him on the shoulder and pointed skyward.

Llew gasped.

Countless islands floated picturesquely amongst a sea of clouds, painted bright auburn by the splendour of the setting sun. Decorating their surfaces were buildings of every sort, and the miniature figures of angels could be seen commuting between them.

The vast array towered towards the heavens, stopping short beneath the edge of the mountains which defended the artistic city from unsavoury eyes.

Kiriel's amused expression suggested that they were not the first to be stupefied by the magnificent view before them. "Well? How do you like it?"

"It's.. amazing.." Llew breathed.

Without warning, Epona started gesticulating wildly. "Is that a Nova Grappler?!"

Kiriel giggled. "Nope. That's one of our Mobile Hospitals. Her name is Elysium."

After allowing them to appreciate the cityscape for a while longer, the Angel Feather ambassador escorted the band of knights to an aerial island which hovered separately from the rest of its kind.

Situated on it was a large estate, complete with a beautiful garden. Its interior was lavishly furnished, and they were greeted by a young nurse from behind a counter as they entered.

Kiriel spoke to the clerk, making arrangements for their luggage to be stored and for their steeds to be housed. She then showed the travellers to their rooms one by one, ending with Llew and his two partners.

"This is a nice place," Llew remarked as both Flogal and Wingal scurried towards the windows. "Is this an inn?"

"You could say so," replied Kiriel. "We don't really appreciate it when outsiders get in the way of our work. So we built this place away from our hospitals for our guests to stay in. We like to call it the Embassy."

"I see.." muttered Llew but Kiriel could tell that his mind was on other matters.

"You want to see her right now, don't you? Ergodiel, that is."

"Yes. I appreciate your hospitality, but all this isn't really necessary. I'm going to find her as soon as possible and then head back to the Capital right away. Before it's too late."

"I understand. But your companions need a place to stay while you visit her, don't they?"

Llew was slightly confused. "Is Ergodiel's place really that far away?"

"It is. There wouldn't be any point in barring outsiders from visiting her if she lived close to the city."

The knight looked at Kiriel thoughtfully. "Would you tell me why you guys won't let anyone but me see her?"

But the angel shook her head at his inquiry. "No. That is for you to find out for yourself, if Ergodiel chooses to tell you."

"Right. I better get moving soon, then."

After giving him a set of directions to Ergodiel's lair and bidding him good luck and farewell, Kiriel departed.

…

Equipped with the Blaster Blade and a small package of rations, Llew marched down the stairs of the Embassy purposefully.

"Llew."

He turned. Epona was watching him through the doorway to her room.

"Epona. What is it?"

The girl answered nervously. "Can I come with you?"

Llew was caught off guard. "Of course not. You know that Ergodiel's lair is forbidden to outsiders."

"But-"

"Don't worry. I'll be fine."

And with that said, he strode off in the opposite direction.

…

Epona sat dejectedly at her table. This mission had just been like all the others.

At the forest, she had been rendered unconscious and been unable to help. And now that they had reached her destination, her task was to sit and wait for the job to be done.

She stared at her sword, thinking that it was an incredible waste for such a thing to belong in her hands.

Against her parents' objections, she had stubbornly enlisted herself in the Academy. And through sheer hard work and effort, she had managed to graduate as a true knight despite her petite size. Even if it was only as a scout.

But reality had been cruel. Mission after mission of being unable to achieve anything or even help her comrades had only served to heighten the sense of uselessness that dwelled within her.

Just as she was about to cry, a voice reached her from outside. "Epona!"

She looked up.

Without waiting for a reply, Wingal barged inside. "Epona! Do you want to go explore the city with us?"

"I'm sorry, I'm not feeling so well. Why don't you two go find Randolf?"

"But he's taking a nap," whined the blue High Dog.

"Well, you two go and have fun, alright? I think I need some rest."

"Okay!" He replied and scampered away.

Epona sighed. If only she could be as carefree as Wingal.

"What's wrong?"

This time, a female voice caught Epona's attention.

A tall girl in light armor and a skirt of rose pink stood at the doorway. Her luxurious hair was tinged pale violet and a long scepter lay clasped between her fingers.

"I could feel your sadness from all the way upstairs," she said with a slight smile.

"Who are you? Are you an Angel Feather?" Epona asked.

"No." The stranger shook her head. "I'm a mage from the Oracle Think Tank. You can call me Lozenge Magus."

"What's someone like you doing out here?"

"Oh, just some research. I'm a healer, so there's a lot of things I can learn over here."

"A healer, huh? It must be nice being able to protect your friends.." Epona muttered darkly.

Lozenge Magus gazed at her for a while, then walked over to the table and brandished a deck of cards. "Here, let me read your fortune."

"My fortune?"

"Yup."

Shuffling the cards with a great degree of skill, the mage drew the top six and set them face down on the table.

"This card-" she randomly picked one and revealed it. "-represents the past."

The card depicted a silver-haired man with a black eyepatch riding a machine of some sort.

"The Knight of Tribulations, Galahad. Your past was one of trials and challenges. You fought hard to remain on the path that you desired, despite the fact that the entire world was against you. Correct?"

Amazed, Epona could only nod her head in response.

"Next." Lozenge Magus chose another. "This card represents the present."

The second card depicted a young boy holding up a lantern while a fearsome-looking demon reared up behind him.

"Devil in Shadow. Doubt clouds your heart. Fear, anxiety, worry, your soul is tainted by all the dark emotions. You are unsure of yourself. You are lost. And you are very, very afraid."

Epona remained silent.

"And these-" the witch selected two cards this time. "Represent your futures."

She revealed them simultaneously.

One depicted a figure shrouded in a cloak of black shadows wielding a cruel scythe. The other depicted a handsome man in turquoise armor.

"The first: Death Seeker, Thanatos. Darkness, despair. The end of everything. The end of your dreams. The end of your path. A fate to be lost in the shadows forever."

Epona swallowed hard.

"And the other: Starting Legend, Ambrosius. He marks the beginning of a bright future. The start of a great story that has yet begun. A reversal of sad times. Fulfillment and happiness."

Epona stared at her feet for a few long moments.

Then, she spoke. "What do I have to do?"

"Pardon?"

"What do I have to do.. to get that bright future?" She pleaded, her eyes desperate.

"Predictions are only there to guide you along. You'll have to decide what road to take." Lozenge Magus slid the final two cards towards the knight. "Now, choose."

Epona looked distraught. "What if I pick the wrong one? What if it's my fate to fail?"

The mage replied calmly. "Choosing a path.. is better than choosing none at all."

Those words hit the young girl hard. Lozenge Magus was right. She had to be brave. She had to have the courage to move on.

Breathing deeply, she slammed her eyes shut, reached for the card on the right, and flipped it over.

She peeked.

There was no character depicted on the card's surface this time. Just a circular yellow symbol surrounded with spiked edges.

"What is that?" She questioned. "The sun?"

"No." Lozenge Magus picked the card up to emphasise the words that followed. "This is the most powerful card in this fortune deck. The symbol of power. The Critical Trigger."

"The.. Critical Trigger?"

"Yes. It is the ultimate charm of good luck. It is a sign for action. What this card is telling you, is to cast aside your doubts and fears and do what it is that you want to do. And as long as this card is on your side, you will succeed. And that time is now."

"Now?"

"Yes. There's no time to waste."

Epona took the card and stood. She latched her sword to her belt, made her way to the doorway and stopped.

"Thank you. I think I know what I have to do now.. to turn things around, and achieve the future that I want."

Lozenge Magus smiled. "You're very welcome."

And so the young knight left the Embassy, leaving the Oracle Think Tank member to her own thoughts.

Whistling to herself, she flipped over the last, unrevealed card.

It was a Critical Trigger.

"Girl, the problem was never that you made the wrong choice. The problem was that you never made one at all."


	15. Chapter 15: Phoenix

Llew swiped away the pool of sweat that had accumulated on his forehead. Exiting from the mouth of a cave, he found that the sky was still draped with the curtain of darkness that was the night, but he guessed that it was the early morning of the day after his arrival at the City of Angels.

The evening before, Kiriel's instructions had led him to a winding labyrinth carved deep into the heart of the mountains that bordered the floating city.

He had marched without rest, eager to reach his destination and the only form of resistance he had encountered was a swarm of bats that had proven to be more of an annoyance than a threat.

Now, as the cool wind brushed against his face, he lost track of his fatigue momentarily in favour of thoughts that his journey was ending.

Switching off his lamp and reattaching it to his belt, he made his way down the cliff face and arrived at a sparesly forested area.

The location he was at was encircled by lofty peaks, much like the land where the City of Angels was situated, but on a much smaller scale.

Traversing past the trees, he found himself at the grey stone bank of a small river which had both ends meandering into vertical crevices.

By the calm waters was a small wooden hut, complete with a smoking chimney.

Llew started towards it, then something else caught his attention.

Splash!

He turned.

Splash! Splash!

A girl in a blue frock was throwing pebbles by the waterside. Her hair that was tied into a ponytail was a hue of blazing orange that burned as brightly as the sun, so much that it seemed to glow in the dark air.

Uncertain, Llew approached her. "Hello?"

Splash!

"Excuse me?" he repeated.

Splash! Splash!

Seemingly satisfied, the girl turned around. "Yes?"

"Are you Ergodiel?"

"Nope. I'm Phoenix. Ergodiel takes care of me."

"Oh. Do you know where she is? Can you take me to her?"

Phoenix jabbed a finger at the hut. "She's in there. But it's early so she's still asleep."

"Thanks."

But as Llew took his first step forward, she grabbed him forcefully by the arm.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"I'm going to wake her up." Llew replied. "I need to see her right away."

Phoenix shook her head. "No. Ergodiel needs to rest. She works very very hard everyday."

"This is important," Llew frowned. "It's a matter of life and death."

Putting her hands on her hips, she stubbornly said. "If Ergodiel doesn't rest, she could die too."

"Please. This is really important to me. One of my most important friends is dying and only Ergodiel can help her."

At this, Phoenix's eyes softened. "Oh.. I'm sorry, but I really can't let you see her right now. If Ergodiel dies.. I don't know what I would do."

As Llew looked at the girl, he was reminded of how helpless he had felt standing by Salome's bed back in the Capital.

He sighed. "It's alright. I guess I'll just sit here and wait, then."

The girl's eyes brightened. "Great! It's been so long since I've seen anyone other than Ergodiel!"

"It's just the two of you here?"

"Yup. Kiriel and Hermieres used to visit but they've stopped. And no one else is allowed to come in here."

"Why?"

"Because of the pain."

"The pain?"

"Yup. Whenever there are people, the pain comes.. and the nightmare starts. But some people don't give the pain. Like Ergodiel. And you too! That's probably why they let you in here!"

Llew pondered the meaning behind the girl's words but was unable to grasp anything substantial.

"How long have you been in here?" He asked.

"I'm not sure.. maybe ten years?"

"Ten years?!" Llew was baffled, that was even longer than the time he had spent as a Royal Paladin. "Don't you get lonely?"

"Sometimes.." she murmured wistfully and gazed at the stars. "Hey. Tell me about the outside world."

"Didn't you live outside in the past?"

"Yeah, but it's been so long that I can't remember. And Ergodiel never wants to tell me anything about the outside."

"Well.. what do you want to know?"

"Everything. Tell me everything."

And so Llew began his tale. He talked about the town he grew up in, Reed. He talked about his two friends Alfred and Salome. He talked about the fields and rivers that they would play in. And he talked about the day they lost everything. He talked about the Capital. He talked about Pendragon and the knights. And he talked about Blaster Blade.

As the words spilled from his mouth, bitter nostalgia flooded his consciousness. And a deep sense of loss started to form in his heart.

"Ugh.."

Llew stopped. "Are you okay?"

Phoenix was curled up on the ground, clutching her head vehemently. An expression of excruciating pain was carved across her face.

"Phoenix! Phoenix!" Llew panicked. "Are you okay?"

"The.. pain.." she groaned. "The.. pain.. stop.. nightmare.."

Nothing could have prepared Llew for what happened next.

In an instant, Phoenix's entire body was engulfed by a huge bonfire. All that remained of her figure was a charcoal silhouette within the torrent of raging flames.

Shocked beyond comprehension, all Llew could do was inch backwards as the conflagration started to form into a shape.. and take to the sky.

The shape of a bird.

Without warning, it flapped its wings violently, unleashing a barrage of blazing fireballs.

Llew brandished the Blaster Blade and deflected them. "Phoenix! Stop!"

The flaming creature opened it's beak. "I AM NOT PHOENIX."

Llew gritted his teeth, it seemed that combat was inevitable.

"I AM. THE REVERSE. AURA. PHOENIX."

The creature dived towards Llew.

Leaping sideways, he countered with a mighty slash but even the sacred sword passed harmlessly through the beast of flames.

A family of trees was razed as the Reverse Aura Phoenix swept in a crescent path, aiming once again for the knight.

Wanting to minimize the collateral damage, Llew dashed and plunged into the river, taking a deep breath as he did so.

He stared at the water's surface as it was immersed in the powerful radiance of the phoenix's form.

Just as he thought he was safe, the temperature of the pool suddenly sky-rocketed. His skin started to burn from the intense heat.

The beast's flames were just too powerful!

He struggled to the river bank and managed to escape the boiling cauldron, but the effort had severely drained him.

And the burning avian hovered just above him, fully prepared to consume its prey in a wall of eternal flames.

"I'm sorry.. Salome.." he whispered.

"LLEW!"

Just then, the shape of Mushi broke out from behind the forest's canopy, Epona riding upon its back.

"Epona?" he gasped in disbelief.

And all he could do was watch as both Epona and Mushi crashed into the floating shape of the Reverse Aura Phoenix in a burst of flames.

"EPONA!"

…

From her tower in the City of Angels, Kiriel watched as an orange spark exploded in the distance, right above where she knew Ergodiel lived.

"It's begun.." she muttered.


	16. Chapter 16: My name is Blaster Blade

The huge mass of searing flames born from the collision of Epona and the Reverse Aura Phoenix was thrusted away by the momentum of the sudden impact, crashing into the rock face with an earthshaking boom.

Llew could only stare in horror as he imagined his comrade's slight figure within the blazing wreckage.

But just then, a shape broke free from the burning vortex and landed messily on the ground next to Llew.

Epona coughed haggardly. Her navy armor and Mushi's gold armor were both charred black and cracked at the joints and edges. The sword in her hand was broken and bent, damaged from the heat of the roaring flames.

"Epona!" Llew shouted. "What in the world are you doing here?!"

"I wanted to help," replied the girl.

"You idiot! How could you do something so reckless?!"

"I just.. don't want to be useless anymore!" Tears flew from her eyes glazed over with determination.

Shaken by her display of resolve, Llew couldn't find any words to say.

Unfortunately, the Reverse Aura Phoenix had recovered from the blow and was now screeching fiercely as it swooped towards them.

"I'll distract it! You think of something!" And with a whip of reins, Mushi took off into the night sky.

The insect darted back and forth, dodging the phoenix's beak and claws as the pair battled in mid-air. Epona swung her blade at the monster at each opportunity but to no avail. The physical weapon failed to inflict any damage on the ethereal creature.

Llew glanced at the Blaster Blade. He knew that the legendary weapon could create blasts of energy, but he didn't know exactly how.

Focusing all his concentration on his sword, he tried a few swings. But no lightning came forth. He cursed.

Meanwhile, both Epona and Mushi were tiring.

Desperate, Llew screamed. "Epona! It's no use! We can't beat that thing! Let's retreat!"

Despite her fatigue, Epona resumed her assault with renewed vigour. "No!"

"What are you saying?!"

"I'm not giving up! And you're not giving up either!"

"We can leave now and come back later when it's safer! If we die we won't save anybody!"

"That's not what I want to hear from a hero!"

Llew froze.

"They only let heroes in here!" Epona continued. "Doesn't that mean you should be able to fight off this thing?!"

The Reverse Aura Phoenix swatted at her with its wings, flinging her into the vegetation.

"Epona!"

Gritting his teeth, Llew charged. He took a mighty leap and slashed at the bird's neck.

Unhurt, it retaliated with a flaming strike that knocked him into the earth.

Groaning, he got back on his feet and unleashed another flurry of blows at the phoenix.

It swept its tail, once again sending Llew back into the hard soil before engulfing him with a conical stream of fire.

But Llew got back up again, using the Blaster Blade to support his wounded body. Knight protocol dictated survival. Survival translated into opportunity. Opportunity for growth, for evolution, to live and fight another  
day. But he wasn't just some knight anymore. Epona was right. He was a hero. He was..

"BLASTER BLADE!"

Swiping his blade in a whirlwind around him, he erased the inferno that besieged him.

Blue sparks flashed in the air, tracing the path of the holy sword.

A hero's duty wasn't to run away. A hero's duty was to fight. To grow, and evolve, in the heat of battle. To overcome all odds! That was what it meant to be a hero!

So.. you finally seek my power? So be it! The sword known as the Blaster Blade.. shall be your sword!

A pillar of light stemmed from Llew's feet.. then vanished.

"Thank you," muttered the knight.

He could feel it now. Where it had been faint before, the connection between him and the Blaster Blade was stronger now. Deeper. Till now, the sword had only recognised him as its 'owner'. But now, the sword finally recognised him as its 'master'. And the condition had been..

"To become a hero."

He finally understood what those words entailed. Despite his unavering determination to save Salome and solve the mystery behind the Blaster Blade, there had always been a trace of weakness in his mind. His heart had been lacking. Fear, and a lack of confidence in his own strength. But that was all behind him now. The weakness was still there, but with Epona's help, he had gained the courage to cast it aside, and unlock his full potential.

"I won't run away anymore. Not from anything!"

The Reverse Aura Phoenix lunged forward.

Llew held out the Blaster Blade in the stance that Gancelot had showed him.

SLASH!

Blue lightning cleaved a path through the blazing form of the phoenix.

The flames reduced to mere ashes, and the unconscious figure of Phoenix was left behind.

Llew caught her as she fell.

Despite her rampage as the Reverse Aura Phoenix, her skin and clothes were clean and spotless. Not a single mark smeared her slim body.

She opened her eyes lazily. "What.. happened?"

"It's alright," Llew smiled. "The nightmare's over."

The darkness of the sky had brightened into a mild, pacific blue.

Dawn was breaking.

There was a creak as the door of the hut swung open..


	17. Chapter 17: Ergodiel

Epona hurried back to the riverside on Mushi's back, only to find silence, and the image of Llew carrying a girl in his hands.

"Llew! Did you win?" She questioned.

"Yeah.."

"Who's that?"

"Her name is Phoenix. I don't know how but she was the one who transformed into the monster that we fought earlier."

"Allow me to explain."

A turquoise-haired woman wrapped in a robe of marigold stepped towards them. Her irises flashed golden in the dim light of daybreak, pools of wisdom that seemed to be bottomless.

Llew asked. "Are you Ergodiel?"

"Indeed. I am the Cosmo Healer herself. And the caretaker of Phoenix."

"Is this why you guys are keeping her away from everyone? Because she might turn into a monster and hurt people?"

"No." Ergodiel shook her head sadly. "Young Phoenix.. was born with an unresolvable curse. Her heart is open to the hearts of others. When she is close to others, she can feel their happiness.. and their pain. And when she receives too much negative emotions.. she turns into it. The Reverse Aura Phoenix."

"So.. I turned her into that thing?" Llew croaked.

"The Blaster Blade is a weapon that converts your raw emotional energy into power. It should act as a shield to mask your emotions. But I suppose you have yet to fully master it."

"No.." Epona interrupted. "Then it must be my fault. I stubbornly came in here without permission and-"

"Child," Ergodiel stopped her with a smile. "You must understand that it takes a lot more than two people to set Phoenix ablaze. I believe that.. her own darkness had been forming in her heart. The pain from solitude and isolation. Is that right?"

Phoenix's eyes drooped. "I.. I'm sorry, Ergodiel. Even with you around, I can't help but feel alone.. so alone.."

"Do not blame yourself. Anyone would feel that way. If only I could heal your desolation with my powers. But all I can do is keep trying to erase the curse."

"Erase it?" Llew quizzed.

"Indeed. The main reason why I am here with Phoenix, is to use my powers everyday to try and cure her. But it's been ten years and nothing has changed."

Phoenix sighed. "I'm never going to be free.."

At that moment, Epona walked towards Phoenix, and handed her a card. "Here."

"What's this?"

"It's called the Critical Trigger. It's a good luck charm that someone gave to me. So.. don't give up, Phoenix! I'm sure that someday Ergodiel will definitely lift the curse! And until then.. I'll come over and spend time with you as much as I can, alright? So you don't have to be alone anymore! Let's be friends!"

"Really? We can be friends?"

"Yup!" Epona beamed.

"I've never had a friend before.." Then, Phoenix broke into the most radiant of smiles. "Ergodiel! I've made a friend!"

Ergodiel grinned. "Indeed."

Phoenix hugged the card tightly to her chest. "I'm gonna keep this safe forever. And if i do.. someday.. someday for sure! I'll see the outside world!"

…

While Epona and Phoenix chatted outside, Llew and Ergodiel had entered the hut to discuss more serious matters.

"Well then.. why don't you tell me why you've come all this way, young hero?" Ergodiel lay herself on a rocking chair.

"I need a cure. My friend and Sanctuary Guard Dragon were injured by a monster. And their wounds just won't heal."

"A monster? What did it look like?"

"It looked.. strange.. it looked like a human in white armour. But it's eyes were red. Just red. And it carried a weapon. A long spear."

Ergodiel took a sip from her cup of tea. "An invader, I suppose."

"Invader?"

"Over the years.. there have been many sightings of these mysterious creatures. All dressed in the same white armour. No one knows where they come from or what they want. I personally haven't seen one myself."

"So.. you can't fix it?"

"But I have treated a patient who was harmed by one of those things. A wound that just didn't seem to heal naturally."

Ergodiel walked over to a cupboard and procured two translucent grey orbs. Then, humming while waving her other hand over it, the spheres were infused with a strong golden light.

"Take it," Ergodiel said, holding the item towards Llew. "These have now been filled with my power. If you crack them over your friends, it should heal their wounds."

At the thought of Salome's awakening, the knight could only smile. "Thank you."

Leaving the hut, he called out to Epona and informed her that it was time to leave. Bidding her new friend farewell and promising to return soon, the young girl fetched Mushi and soon the two were soaring back to the City of Angels.

"Hey. Epona."

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. I never could have done this without you."

Epona beamed to herself. Finally, she had proven to herself that she was worthy of her title.

Her title as a Royal Paladin.

…

As they descended into the courtyard of the Embassy, they found Kiriel and Lozenge Magus at the entrance.

Kiriel launched a quizzical expression at Llew, to which he responded with a flourish of Ergodiel's golden orb.

She smiled.

"Well? How did it go?" Lozenge Magus asked as she went over to Epona's side.

"I think.. I'm on the right path. To the future that I want."

After a night of rest and recuperation, Llew's team assembled, fully geared up and ready to leave.

"Randolf and Epona.." Llew started. "I need a favour from both of you."

"What?" They asked in unison.

"I need you to bring the orb back to the Capital in order to save Salome and Sanctuary Guard Dragon."

"Huh? You're not coming with us?!" Randolf demanded, shocked.

"No. My journey is far from over. To become Blaster Blade himself.. I need to travel to the five nations. It's something I have to do, to become a true hero."

Llew had made his decision the night before. Despite his achievements in unlocking the holy sword's powers, he was still far from becoming the fabled hero who had saved Planet Cray countless of times. And this was something he had to do. So that if the Invaders returned, or if any other threats came by, he would be able to fight. To protect Salome. To protect his friends. And to protect his home.

"Well. We're coming with you!" Flogal barked.

"Yup! Yup!" followed Wingal.

Llew grinned. "Of course."

Epona nodded. She understood perfectly. The desire to become stronger.. to become braver.. she too was going to start working very hard after returning to the Capital.

"Well, looks like you've made up your mind!" Randolf slapped him hard on the back. "Good luck!"

"Good luck, Llew!" wished Epona as she gave him a hug. "Make sure you come back safely! And don't forget about us!"

"Thanks, guys. Thanks for everything!"

And as he waved goodbye, Mushi disappeared into the distant clouds, vanishing into the horizon.

Llew stood at the Embassy. He was alone again. Well, not exactly alone.

"That was unexpected," Kiriel mentioned as she floated by. "Did Alfred ask you to do this?"

"No." replied the knight firmly. "I made this choice for myself, and for everyone."

"So where are you headed off to next?"

"You wouldn't happen to have a pegasus to loan me, would you? Preferably one that can find his way back home."

"A pegasus?"

"Yup." And thus Llew took his first step on his new journey. "It's a long way to Star Gate!"


	18. Chapter 18: Chaos in the Capital

Morgana stretched blissfully as she disembarked from the hovercraft that had transported her back to the Capital from Zenon's shack.

Having taken quite a while to recover from her wounds due to her confrontation with Nemain, she was restless and eager for news regarding Llew's progress.

But unbeknownst to her, Randolf and Epona had only just arrived at the same city with Ergodiel's cure the day before.

"Morgana, wait up!" commented Marron as he deactivated the hovercraft and tagged along.

"Hurry up, slowpoke," frowned the Knight of Roses.

Zenon had commanded Marron to escort her back. Not only to ensure her safety but also to gather information about the mysterious invader that had wounded Salome and other recent happenings in the Capital itself.

Slowing her pace to allow the young sage to catch up, Morgana then headed off in the direction of the Knight's Castle. The best way to find out anything regarding Llew's journey would be to ask the King of Knights, Alfred, himself.

But just as they were making their way to the citadel, a sudden explosion in the distance caught them by surprise.

A cloud of smoke buffeted the air at a building not too far away, followed by a thunderous crash as a massive figure propelled itself skywards.

Morgana recognised the figure at once. Sanctuary Guard Dragon. And the building that it was leaving was the city's hospital where the noble dragon had been warded for treatment for the damage it had received from the Invader.

Without thought, the knight swiftly spun on her heels and raced towards the sight of the disaster.

An ominous feeling ailed her.

…

The first thing Morgana saw was the rubble and debris of the wrecked hospital. The next was the sight of two young women crouched amongst the wreckage. One obviously wounded, one tending to her.

"Sis?" mouthed Morgana.

The wounded girl turned. "Morgana? What are you doing here?"

Her hair was the same bright chestnut as Morgana's, but her skirt-cuffed armor was brilliant and elaborate with platings of silver and gold and shining blue rivets. A circlet adorned with a pair of magnificent golden wings rested on her forehead.

Ignoring the question, Morgana continued. "Are you alright? What happened here?"

The other girl cleared her throat loudly and responded. "You may be her sister, but please do not speak to Lady Ashlei with such insolence."

Her armor was similar in design to Ashlei's but was pure ivory and was etched with floral and icy patterns, complete with full leggings. Her lilac-flavoured hair cascaded like a light waterfall behind her, beneath teardrop earrings of solid aquamarine.

Realising how agitated she was, Morgana clamped her lips shut.

"You don't have to be so harsh, Tabitha," Ashlei reprimanded. "It's good to see you're doing well in the ordinary corps, sister. I'm fine. I was just hit by a piece of the falling debris when Sanctuary Guard Dragon escaped. It's just a flesh wound."

"Sanctuary Guard Dragon.. escaped?"

"Yes. He went berserk when the nurses tried to treat him with the medicine that your friends brought back."

"My friends? You mean Llew and the others? They've returned?"

"I think so. You can ask His Highness. He's in there now, investigating the scene."

Morgana raced into the damaged building without another word.

Tabitha frowned. "An impatient one, isn't she?"

Ashlei chuckled.

…

Alfred gazed at the broken walls and pillars that surrounded him. It was fortunate that none of his knights or the members of Angel Feather that had been working in the hospital had been mortally wounded during the events of Sanctuary Guard Dragon's escape. And from what the nurses had told him, the other patients were all doing just fine.

He shook his head. It seemed like a good idea to send a platoon or two to subdue the dragon in case it started going rampant in the country but his instincts told him otherwise. He couldn't risk losing any troops in the process, and he was certain that the dragon of light would eventually come to its senses and return to the Capital. Pendragon's lifelong partner would not hurt other humans intentionally. Until then, Soul Saver Dragon could take its place as guardian of the Sanctuary.

"Your Highness!"

Alfred raised his eyes as Morgana dashed into the room, panting.

"Morgana." the King said. "Randolf and Epona told me about what happened in the forest. Have your wounds healed?"

"Yes. Zenon's treatment was very helpful."

"And you are..?"

"Marron, your highness." the boy stepped forward. "Zenon's number one disciple. He sent me here to ask you a few questions."

"I see. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Is it true?" Morgana questioned. "My sister told me that Sanctuary Guard Dragon went crazy. But it's quite hard to believe."

Alfred nodded. "It's true alright. He caused all of this. He suddenly went insane when we were about to administer him with Ergodiel's cure."

Marron gasped.

"So Llew and the others are back?" pressed Morgana.

"All of them except Llew, I'm afraid. He's continuing his journey to the other five nations, apparently, I don't know much of the details myself. Randolf and Epona weren't well-informed either. But Ezel tells me it's necessary."

"Oh.. I see."

…

"Llew, are you sure this was a good idea?" sighed Flogal.

"Hey, at least it flies, right?" the knight grinned.

The boy and his two faithful companions were seated on the back of a huge robot. One of the Angel Feather's old and disused Mobile Hospitals to be exact. Kiriel had given it to them for their trip to Star Gate. But although it had proven to be relatively speedy in its flight across the vast ocean, it seemed to lack a control panel and there were no means to control its movement whatsoever.

"What if we crash into something?"

"Don't worry, so much. There's no way we'll meet anything this high! And we can always just jump off!"

"…that's not what I wanted to hear."

Suddenly, Wingal interrupted their conversation. "Guys, look!"

Breaking the endless expanse of navy blue was a mass of silver and grey in the distant horizon. Sparks of various colours dotted the gigantic silhouette, and a huge tower stretched up into the clouds. Llew had heard of it before, the mass driver. A huge machine that enabled the residents of Star Gate to interact with space, the world beyond the sky.

"Llew!" screamed Flogal.

But as Llew turned, all he managed was a glimpse of silver and blue before he blacked out.

BOOM!


	19. Chapter 19: Star Gate

Llew groaned as he awoke.

"You alright?"

As his eyes adjusted to the sudden intrusion of light, his blurred vision just barely managed to make out the interior of a large building constructed out of metal.

"You should rest a bit more if you have to. You took a really bad hit when your robot crashed into my Blaupanzer."

"It wasn't us who crashed into you! It was you who crashed into us!" came Flogal's insistent and exasperated voice.

Llew stared hard.

A few meters away from him, a raven-haired male was standing at a silver table. A pair of goggles rested upon his dishevelled fringe and he was dressed in a set of dark blue overalls. There was a rhythmic clanging as he brought a hammer swinging down repeatedly.

"Llew? Are you okay?" Flogal's snout popped into his vision.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Where are we?"

"In my workshop." answered the stranger. "They call me Patrick here in Star Gate. I'm a mechanic."

"Did you rescue us?" Llew asked. "Thank you."

"Haha! Don't mention it! It's always nice to see another human face in these parts!"

Flogal rolled her eyes. "He may have saved us.. but he was the one who almost killed us in the first place."

Patrick rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry about that. I was in the middle of test-running my Blaupanzer. We don't usually get visitors flying over from the Sanctuary."

"Blaupanzer?" Llew questioned.

Stopping his work for a moment, Patrick walked over to the right and gestured proudly. "This!"

Llew turned.

A huge humanoid mecha stood in the confines of the building. Its armor was primarily blue with dashes of black and white. Neon green lines decorated its vents and eyeplate. Equipped with a massive rifle and a shield with two cannons, its horn just barely managed to scratch the ceiling.

"Wow. You made this yourself?"

"Of course! I built it to become the strongest Nova Grappler!"

"Nova Grappler?" Llew knew it was the name of a Clan from Star Gate, but that was all.

"Yup. Over here, the Star Gate is ruled by the Commercial Wrestling Federation. And the warriors who fight in the league are known as the Nova Grapplers." Patrick explained. "Well, most of them are sentient robots and aliens that a mere human like me doesn't really stand a chance against. But I thought that if I made a huge robot for myself to pilot, I'd be able to fight them on the same level!"

"Wrestling, huh?" Llew muttered to himself. "Wait a minute, where's Wingal?"

"Patrick says that he only found the two us after we crashed," Flogal commented with a worried expression. "I think he must have fallen elsewhere."

"What?!" Llew rose. "We need to find him!"

"Woah, woah, slow down," said Patrick. "You guys won't be getting anywhere without a guide. Or with your stomachs empty. So let's all sit down and have a nice meal, and then I can show you guys around the city and look for your friend, alright?"

"Fine." answered Llew.

At that moment, the young knight realised that the Mobile Hospital that Kiriel had given him was also in the building. But it was broken and badly dismantled, as if someone had been tearing it apart..

Patrick smiled. "You guys won't be needing it anymore, right?"

…

On the dark and shady streets of Star Gate, Wingal walked. All around him were strange people and strange contraptions. He knew that he had to find Llew and Flogal at once, but he couldn't pick up their scent trail from anywhere.

"Lost?"

Wingal turned. It was the pink feline that had been following him for a while now. A blue ribbon was tied elegantly around her neck. She neither looked nor smelled dangerous, but the blue High Dog had been taught to be wary of strangers. Especially in an alien nation like this.

"No," he lied. "I can take care of myself."

Wingal continued on his way, but she continued to follow.

Whirling around, he snapped. "Stop following me!"

"I can help, yaknow," she responded coolly.

"I don't need any help," he seethed.

"Of course you don't."

"Look, just leave me alone, okay? Go and catch some mice or something."

"Mice? Please. My tastebuds are a lot more refined than that. I would rather go for a nice bowl of chocolate pudding."

"Chocolate pudding?" It was only then that WIngal realised how hungry he was.

His stomach growled, forcing him to turn away awkwardly as the cat giggled.

"Come on. Let me treat you to a nice little snack, then I'll leave you alone," she suggested.

Considering his options for a moment, Wingal replied. "Fine. What's your name anyway?"

"You can call me Lucky Girl."

As Lucky Girl pranced down alleys and lanes, Wingal followed close behind, his mouth watering at the thought of sinking into a delicious plate of chocolate pudding.

"We're here," announced the feline as they arrived at a particularly dark corner between two buildings.

"Are you sure?" Wingal glanced at his surroundings, wary.

There was no sign of anything within the shadows of the dark alley. To make matters worse, the walls were narrow and closed in on him from three directions, so to escape would be difficult, to say the least. And the smell of chocolate pudding was non-existent in the stale air.

"You tricked me, didn't you?!" accused the High Dog.

Lucky Girl smiled. "It's for your own good."

At that moment, there was a flash of light as a figure teleported into the space.

It was a human-sized robot, simple in design, and decked out in the colours of blue, yellow, white and red. A sword and shield lay in its arms.

"You called, Lucky Girl?" it spoke in a digital voice.

"Yes." the cat replied. "I found this High Dog wandering around the streets. From his attire I assume that he's a Royal Paladin from the United Sanctuary. I don't know what he's doing here but he seems to be looking for his comrades. I thought it would be better to bring him to you rather than let him get picked off the streets by some criminals."

"My thanks." The robot approached Wingal. "Greetings, traveller. I go by the name Goyusha. May I know who you are and what brings you to the nation of Star Gate?"

Wingal sniffed at the being suspiciously. "Can I trust you? I was already tricked by Lucky Girl over there.."

"Lucky Girl did what was necessary to bring you to me. And you need not worry. I am an esteemed member of the glorious Dimension Police, an organisation dedicated to preserving the peace and upholding justice. It is my duty to ensure that no harm befalls you. I swear it upon my honour."

The High Dog could gain nothing from it's olfactory inspection of the stranger, but its words felt powerful and sincere. "Alright, then. My friends and I are on a journey across the world. But when we got here, something crashed into our.. robot, and we got separated."

"I see. Well, I shall report this to Commander Laurel and see if any abnormalities have been detected in the vicinity. For now, why don't you come with me?"


	20. Chapter 20: To the Arena

Llew and Flogal's footsteps echoed through the narrow corridors of the Arena, the main venue where the Commercial Wrestling Federation organised its matches, or so they had been told. The dark and cold pathways were desolate and empty, but the rambunctious cacophony of chatter and cheers streamed through the solid steel walls from all directions, shaking the very earth itself.

"Are you sure we'll be able to find out something here?" asked Llew.

"Of course!" Patrick replied from ahead. "I've a friend who gets all the latest news in Star Gate. She's bound to know something!"

As they proceeded forward, the mechanic halted before a flight of stairs labeled '16', then turned and made his way up. Llew and Flogal followed.

There was a flash of light as the group exited the walkway.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! ALIENS AND BATTLEROIDS! WELCOME BACK TO SYAT GATE'S FINEST ATTRACTION! THE ARENA! AFTER THAT BRUTAL MATCH BETWEEN TOUGH BOY AND TWIN BLADER, WE NOW HAVE A WONDERFUL SURPRISE FOR ALL YOU LOVELY FANS OUT THERE! IN THE NEXT MATCH, WE HAVE THE ONE, THE ONLY, THE ALMIGHTY SIX-HANDED KILLING MACHINE AND TEN-TIMES LEAGUE CHAMPION IN THE SOLO CATEGORY.. ASURA KAISER! AND HIS OPPONENT! THE FEARLESS! THE NOBLE! THE UNDISPUTED KING OF THE TAG RING! KING OF SWORD! PLACE YOUR BETS PEOPLE, PLACE YOUR BETS! WILL THE CRIMSON EMPEROR CONTINUE HIS REIGN?! OR WILL THE MIGHTY KING TOPPLE HIM FROM HIS THRONE?! ONCE AGAIN, BRINGING THIS AMAZING MATCH TO YOU LIVE IS THE WONDERFUL SCREAMIN' AND DANCIN' ANNOUNCER.. SHOUT!"

The audience roared in enthusiasm as the silver octopus flitted around in a ridiculous jig, blabbering into his mic as he went.

The Arena was a huge circular metallic platform rimmed by a hollow moat of unknown depth. Four short spires bordered its edges, producing a barrier of three crackling lasers which seemed to serve the dual purpose of frying anyone who approached and preventing them from plunging into the abyss. Two bridges protruded from the solitary island in opposite directions, connecting to two massive panels etched in the inner wall. Circling all of this was the greatest grandstand that Llew had ever seen, upon which he now stood. The staggering array of stairs and seats towered so closely to the clouds that the rest of the city was blotted out, leaving only the Mass Driver as the sole backdrop against which epic duels were fought.

Realising that both Llew and Flogal were distracted by the events below, Patrick stopped.

The panels on the inner walls slid open vertically with spectral hisses, revealing their identities as gates.

"HERE HE IS, FOLKS! IN THE WEST CORNER, THE NUMBER ONE NOVA GRAPPLER IN ALL OF STAR GATE! THE RED BUTCHER HIMSELF! ASURA.. KAISER!"

With a boom and a crash, a massive mechanoid stomped across the bridge closest to them and somersaulted over the laser fencing into the Arena. His bulky robotic form was mostly black but covered in places with heavy armour of red and steel. Three pairs of whip-like appendages stretched out from his torso in place of arms, attached to a variety of lethal weapons. Their blades glistened in the blinding fluorescence of the spotlights.

"AND IN THE EAST, THE INDOMITABLE CONQUERER! KING! OF! SWORD!"

A blocky humanoid made his appearance through the other gate, decked out in solid armour of beige lined with joints of shining gold. A regal crown upon his head served to emphasise his nobility, as well as a mantle of deep red which rested upon his back and shouldered like a layered shield. Within the grasp of his right hand lay the hilt of a humongous sword with a blade of darkest black, encrusted with a blood ruby core that glinted maliciously.

Bowing with all the pride of a hero, the giant then strode forward and joined Asura Kaiser in the ring with a powerful leap.

Asura Kaiser smirked. "Never thought I'd see you in my side of the League, my friend."

King of Sword remained silent. But whether he had no words to say, or was incapable of speech, Llew didn't know.

"BOTH COMPETITORS HAVE ENTERED THE STAGE! ARE ALL YOU GOOD FOLS READY! TO! RUMBLE?!"

The crowd answered with a thunderous roar.

"THE RULES ARE SIMPLE! THE FIRST TO SURRENDER OR BE RENDERED INCAPABLE OF FIGHTING LOSES! READY.. FIGHT!"

At his cue, the mighty echo of a gong vibrated through the stadium. And so the battle began.

Making full use of his serpentine limbs, Asura Kaiser launched a long-range assault with a shortaxe and a huge double-edge sword.

King of Sword ducked under one and batted the other away before rushing towards his opponent, closing the distance between them I an instant

None of Kaiser's arms were close enough to defend himself.

Hefting his blade over his shoulder, the King struck with an aggressive dual-handed blow.

CLANG!

The weapon stopped short, unable to penetrate the Battleroid's armour.

Asura Kaiser grinned.

A deft kick sent the King staggering away. But instead of following up with a series of attacks, the champion merely stood arrogantly, baiting his opponent to strike back.

Having recovered, King of Sword resumed his stance and refused to hesitate. Charging once again, he attacked with another heavy slash.

Pooling a triad of his weapons together, Asura Kaiser defended himself. He then attempted to retaliate with a second trio but the King managed to shove the first away in time to deflect it.

Breaking free from the tormenting cyclone of attacks, King of Sword jumped and used the momentum of gravity to empower his sword in a giant vertical sweep.

The impact failed to damage the Nova Grappler champion but was sufficient to knock him towards the lethal embrace of the electrified laser fencing.

In a split second, two of his cable arms had shot towards both flanks, stabbing into the Arena floor with their weapons, anchoring him into place.

His head dangled mere inches from the dangerous border, but at this point of time his balance was questionable.

There was a glint in King of Sword's eye as he aimed for Asura Kaiser's feet.

Then, the unthinkable happened.

Snaking from behind, one of Asura Kaiser's whips had lashed out at the King's knees with a vicious spiked lance, causing him to trip and miss his target.

Yet another pair of Kaiser's arms released their arsenals and attached themselves to the back of King of Sword's shoulders.

They pushed.

Like a murderous pendulum, the force flung Asura Kaiser back towards the safety of the ring, while drawing the King into an inevitable collision course with the hungry jaws of the Arena fencing.

As the Champion landed nimbly, much to everyone's surprise, he tugged, dragging his opponent towards him.

In a flash, King of Sword was on the ground. His torso, neck and each of his limbs were immobilized by Asura Kaiser, who stood triumphantly over him.

"THERE IT IS FOLKS! OUR BELOVED CHAMPION'S SIGNATURE MOVE! THE FINISH HOLD!"

The crowd erupted.

Llew was in complete awe. He had never witnessed such fighting techniques before. It was completely different from the swordplay he had been taught in the academy. Brutal.. yet elegant at the same time.

"Well, well, what do we have here? Friends of yours, Patrick?"

A beast approached the group. He was distinctly a silver-maned lion but he travelled naturally upon a single pair of legs, over which he wore a pair of skinny dark jeans. His alternate pair of limbs had evolved into solidly muscular arms equipped with massive fists, the left of which was armed with a brutal clawed gauntlet.

"Back off , Heat," Patrick warned.

The creature sneered. "Paladins, are they? What are a bunch of spineless cowards doing in our city?"

"I beg your pardon?" muttered Llew darkly as he turned to face the beast.

Smirking, he continued. "All you knights know how to do is babble about your stupid pride and honour. Hopeless fools. What good will those do you in a real battle? Power is everything! You just keep prattling on about honour to hide the fact that all of you are just a bunch of skinless weaklings! I bet even a Battleraizer could crush your little king!"

Llew couldn't take anymore of the animal's sacrilegious insults. "Well if we're such WEAKLINGS, you should have no problems beating me, eh?"

"Is that a challenge?"

The Knight of the Future brandished his personal blade.

"Bring it. I'll crush you like the bug you are!"


	21. Chapter 21: Against Lion Heat

Wingal pranced impatiently through the bright corridors of Dimension Police HQ. He was bored, extremely bored. There was nothing to do other than wait for news of Llew and Flogal. He had attempted to make conversation with some of the denizens but they all seemed to be too preoccupied with their work to indulge in him.

Trotting around aimlessly, he found himself in the commander's office where he was surprised to see Goyusha.

Commander Laurel, the leader of the Dimension Police operatives, stood behind a well-organised table covered with books and sheets of paper. He was a tall, purple-skinned humanoid alien garbed in a marvelous ivory coat with a flowing cape. A multitude of badges befitting his rank adorned the front of his suit and covering his facial features was the violet visor of a specialized helmet which allowed him to breathe in Cray's atmosphere.

"-discovered that an outsider must have been behind the incident. Grader found several traces of magic remnants, which make the culprit unlikely to be a Nova Grappler." Wingal heard Goyusha say. The two were so intent on their discussion that they hadn't noticed his presence.

"Hmm," the Commander massaged his chin thoughtfully. "And there were no visual reports? None at all?"

"No, Sir."

"Quite a coincidence for Wingal and his band of Royal Paladins to arrive at the city at such a time."

"I doubt that those knights have anything to do with the case. But of course, I shall label them as suspects all the same, considering the circumstances."

Wingal twitched. Llew and Flogal were being suspected for a crime?

"Right. Do you have anything else to report?"

"Just this," Goyusha procured a black stone. "This is the only remaining piece of evidence from the scene."

Wingal recoiled. The object was giving off an extremely sinister aura.

Commander Laurel took it and observed it carefully. "Has this been put through the sensors?"

"Yes. But we were unable to pick up any form of signatures from it. Tracking will be impossible."

"Wait!" barked Wingal, interrupting their conference.

"Wingal!" Goyusha reacted in alarm. "Did you hear everything?"

The High Dog nodded.

"Allow me to explain. The fact is not that we believe that you or your friends are evildoers, but as a professional organization of justice-"

"You don't have to explain anything," Wingal cut him off. "I can trace the scent on that stone for you. I can find the real culprit and prove that we're innocent."

"You can find a scent on this? But our sensors couldn't even detect anything."

"Our sensors are electronic machines," Laurel mused. "They won't find anything that isn't substantial. Perhaps we're working with something that exists.. yet doesn't."

Goyusha's tone turned severe. "You mean-"

Commander Laurel shook his head. "I can't say for certain. But the possibility remains. And it cannot be ignored."

"So are you guys going to let me help or not?" growled Wingal.

"We shall," Goyusha replied. "But are you sure about this?"

"I was getting bored anyway," the High Beast replied.

The Commander nodded. "Very well, then. Move out!"

…

With Patrick shaking his head in exasperation, Lion Heat led them back into the underground network of the Arena until they arrived at a large hall.

It was tiny in comparison with the huge stadium above but big enough to accommodate four normal-sized square rings and a small grandstand for bystanders to sit. Only two of the stages were occupied and the meager audience seemed to be more interested in their own personal activities than the fights taking place.

"This is the training area," Patrick explained. "It's not for official matches and people are allowed to use them to spar."

Approaching one of the empty arenas, Heat pulled the elastic fencing apart to create an opening and gestured to Llew. "Get in."

"Teach that brute a lesson, Llew!" Flogal growled. "Show him just what us paladins are capable of!"

Nodding with a smile, the knight entered and the fearsome Warbeast followed.

Heat jabbed a clawed finger at Patrick. "You. Be the ref."

Shrugging his shoulders with a reluctant sigh, the mechanic walked along the outside of the arena and stopped between the pair.

Trotting along, Flogal whispered. "What's his problem?"

"He doesn't like humans all that much," Patrick replied softly. "He's actually quite a nice guy, but he thinks that humans are pathetic."

"REF!" Heat roared impatiently.

Patrick cringed. "Alright, alright. The rules are simple. The first to surrender or be rendered incapable of fighting loses. Ready?"

The lion nodded, a look of derision clouding his face.

Llew nodded as well.

"Then.." Patrick sliced the air with an action reminiscent of a karate chop. "..Fight!"

Lion Heat wasted no time in making his move, flinging forward one of his gargantuan fists with untamed bestiality.

Swinging the Blaster Blade through a long circle, Llew parried the blow, but the effect jarred him.

"I'll crush you to a pulp!"

Bringing his palms together, the Nova Grappler hammered downwards in one swift motion.

Llew rolled out of the way, then struck at his opponent's hip with a quick slash.

But the blade failed to penetrate the beast's thick iron hide.

Recalling King of Sword's failed attempt to butcher Asura Kaiser, Llew sighed. "Are all Nova Grapplers this tough?"

"You got that right!"

Spinning violently, Heat lashed out with an elbow thrust that caught Llew by surprise, blasting him a few meters away despite having raised his sword to defend himself.

Deciding to change tactics, the Royal Paladin swung his weapon behind him to charge it, then unleashed an azure bolt of energy at his foe.

Wide-eyed and stunned, Lion Heat crossed his fists in a guard.

BOOM!

Smoke trailed in waves as the Warbeast slammed into the arena fencing.

Llew grinned. It hadn't been as explosive or powerful as the one he had used to defeat the Reverse Aura Phoenix, but at least he could now use 'The Power' at will.

"Well, well. Looks like the little bug has some tricks up his sleeve."

Empty of heavy wounds, Lion Heat quickly recovered and pounced at his prey.

A punch. Llew jumped. An uppercut. Llew slipped inside it and was rewarded with a clean chop on the creature's skill. Unflinching, the lion countered with a kick that knocked the breath out of his lungs. Llew swiped horizontally, but the beast leaned back to evade the attack. Another punch. Llew ducked to the side.

By then, their bout had attracted the attention of several onlookers. Even the other pairs in the adjacent rings had paused their training to focus on the intense fight that was taking place in their presence.

Llew twisted his head from side to side, narrowly escaping a volley of well-timed jabs. Then, gathering energy in a shell around the Blaster Blade, he struck at Heat's scarred chest. The beast recoiled.

Refusing to be upstaged, the lion bounced back immediately with a ferocious tackle. Too fatigued to dodge, Llew locked himself in a defensive stance and braced himself for the hit.

This time it was his turn to slam into the arena fencing.

Both parties were panting furiously. While Lion Heat boasted impressive size, strength and durability, Llew possessed the advantages of dexterity and speed. But neither side had the intention of giving in.

"You.. you worm!" snarled Heat as he thundered across the field.

"I won't lose to the likes of you!" countered Llew as he sped, the edge of Blaster Blade collecting lightning as he went.

And as the two met, there was a deafening whiplash as they exchanged blows. Sword met fist.

They fell.

Both fighters knelt on the arena floor, using their arms to support themselves lest they collapse. Both gasped desperately for air, willing their bodies to quickly convert the absorbed oxygen into energy. So that they could stand, and fight.

Despite his exhaustion, Llew unconsciously smiled to himself. All this time, he had only either fought for mere practice or for his very own survival. He had never fully exerted himself in a clash against someone in the name of sport or pride before. It was rather.. exhilarating, enjoyable in fact.

A clap. Then another. And another. And soon the confined space was filled with a cacophony of applause.

Patrick grinned to himself and Flogal couldn't help but offer a proud wink towards Llew.

"Bravo! Bravo!"

At that very moment, a man chose to invade the arena. He seemed human at first glance but further inspection caused Llew to deduce otherwise. The stranger's toned and muscular figure was a vivid shade of indigo and his bald head was oddly nut-shaped. A dark blue visor shielded his irises and his clothing consisted only of a pair of dark blue trunks, a matching set of baby blue gloves and boots, and crimson shoulder pads out of which flowed a dazzling red cape. A symbol of unknown meaning was splashed across his chest and abdominals.

"An excellent fight! Bravo!" he praised. "Shall we call it a draw for now?"

"A draw?!" Lion Heat whirled around, seething in offense. "It's not over yet."

"..It's a draw, Lion," a trickle of malice seeped into the newcomer's voice.

Obviously shaken, all Lion Heat managed was an obedient bow before he hurriedly departed from the scene.

"Well, now that that's taken care of," the stranger faced Llew. "May I know your name, warrior?"

"It's Llew. The Knight of the Future, Llew. Who are you?"

"They call me Mr. Invincible. You're a Royal Paladin, I presume? What brings you to Star Gate?"

Llew's eyes wandered suspiciously over the crowd. "I'm looking for something."

"Oh?" the man's gazed lingered over the Blaster Blade. "You wouldn't happen to be searching for a.. jewel of some sort?"

Llew's head snapped back. "You know?"

Invincible stared at him knowingly. "You're not the first person to come here wielding that blade."

Llew pondered his words for a few seconds. "Where can I find it?"

"The Supernova is a crystal that's only awarded to champions of the Commercial Wrestling Federation. To obtain one, you'll have to come in tops in one of their sanctioned tournaments."

He produced a silver crystal. It was shaped like a diamond but its very presence seemed to shatter the surrounding light into vibrant fragments.

Llew gasped as he laid his eyes upon it. A floating sensation, then he was gone.

Endless darkness, A spark brighter than anything else. And a presence. A presence so overwhelmingly powerful and ancient that he couldn't help but shudder.

And he was back.

"Alright," the knight managed to say as he caught his breath. "I'll take part in the next tournament, then. Are most Nova Grapplers as strong as Heat?"

"Most are stronger. Much stronger."

Llew grimaced. "Looks like this'll be a problem."

"Need me to give you mine? I could."

Llew shook his head. "No. That wouldn't be right."

A brief silence. Then, the Nova Grappler exploded into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.

"What's wrong?" Llew questioned.

"Nothing," he replied as he wiped his tears. "You're exactly the same as the last man who came for the Supernova. Said the exact same words, too. I like you kid. I like you kid. Your moves show that you have tons of potential. I could train you if you like."

"I appreciate it but one of my friends got lost around here and finding him is my top priority for now."

"Hold on," Invincible pressed a button on his visor, triggering a high-pitched beep. "Hello? Laurel? Yeah, it's me. Listen, I ran into some paladins and- What? Really? Great, I'll let him know. Thanks!"

Ending the transmission, he addressed Llew. "The friend you're looking for. His name is Wingal, right?"

Llew's eyes widened. "You know where he is?"

"Yeap. He's busy at the moment, though. He's suing his nose to help my old friends at the Dimension Police catch some criminals."

"Catching criminals? That's just like Wingal!" Flogal chuckled in delight at the news.

Llew grinned. "Guess I can focus on the tournament, then. I'll take you up on your offer."

"My pleasure," Invincible replied, catching Llew's hand in a firm shake.


	22. Chapter 22: Invaders

"Yes, Commander? ..Got it. I'll let him know."

Goyusha approached Wingal. "I've just received some good news. Your friends have been found. They're being taken care of by one of our retired agents."

The High Dog's ears perked up at the information, but he kept his head bent low, inspecting the ground with his olfactory faculties.

Sniffing furiously, his eyes darted up and down the road ahead as if he could see an invisible trail that no one else could. "The scent is getting stronger."

Goyusha said nothing but inched closer to the dog and raised his armaments slightly.

Without warning, an orb of black lightning materialized in the air before them and out leaped a mechanical fox. Its body was silver with black, traced with ominous red lines of laser. In place of eyes, a scarlet visor was mounted on its head.

A cold sensation of dread washed over Wingal. The smell was strong enough for him to recognize now. No wonder it had seemed so familiar.

It was the smell of the Invader.

The creature rushed at Wingal, striking with a quartet of psychedelic fanged tails that could stretch.

Charging forward courageously, the High Dog hopped between the flying knives and grabbed the dagger that usually rested in the scabbard on his left thigh between his jaws. Twisting his head at a variety of angles, he attacked.

The Invader evaded with unnatural agility.

As Goyusha tried to lend a helping hand, the obsidian portal released yet another alien being.

Wingal couldn't believe his eyes.

It was Krypton.

Dashing through the air, the humanoid slashed.

And steel met steel in an explosive clash.

…

Dressed in a singlet and shorts, Salome twisted her blade through the air. Turning slightly, she swung up the shield on her left elbow to deflect an imaginary blow, then pivoted and cleaved emptiness.

"Well, you seem to be doing well."

Turning in the direction of the voice, she found Alfred striding through the courtyard of the Knight's castle towards her.

"Alfred!" she called, then flustered. "I mean, your Highness!"

"Dispense with the formalities," the king smiled. "How's your wound?"

Salome softly massaged the point through which she had been stabbed. "It still feels a bit uncomfortable but it should be fine. Look."

Taking in a deep breath, she demonstrated a series of acrobatic manoeuvres that were far beyond the reach of any injured person.

Alfred nodded. "Indeed."

"My liege."

Ashlei, accompanied by Tabitha, stepped forward.

"Ashlei," greeted Alfred. "What brings you to the castle today?"

"Business, your highness," the girl replied. "The Jewel Knights have decided to go after Sanctuary Guard Dragon."

The king's expression turned grim. "I thought I told you to leave him alone."

"With all due respect, your Highness, he remains a threat to the kingdom and all who dwell in the Sanctuary. Putting him under control is of paramount importance."

"But-"

"With all due RESPECT, your Highness," Tabitha cut in. "I believe you are aware that we Jewel Knights have the authority to operate outside of your jurisdiction. What you say will change nothing. Informing you of our activities is merely an act of formality. Lady Ashlei would have gladly embarked on this mission without informing you if it had only been polite to do so."

"Enough, Tabitha," Ashlei muttered sternly. "Your Highness, our will is set."

Alfred shook his head gravely. "Very well, then. Do what you must. But do not lose lives unnecessarily."

"Can I come along?"

The others turned to Salome.

"I want to help," she explained. "I was suffering from the same wounds as Sanctuary Guard Dragon. It's my responsibility to help him."

Tabitha raised a brow. "So you are the other? The one who didn't go berserk?"

Salome nodded.

"What are you thinking?" Alfred groaned. "You haven't even fully recovered yet."

"I'm fine," she insisted.

"Well.." Tabitha bit her lip thoughtfully. "If she comes along, we can put her under close observation in case she goes berserk as well.."

"She would never," hissed the king.

Ignoring him, Tabitha asked. "What do you think, milady?"

"I have no objections," Ashlei replied. "The more the merrier. If only my sister possessed the same sense of responsibility as this girl shows."

Tabitha nodded slightly. "I shall make the arrangements at once."

As the pair started to leave, Ashlei spoke. "We leave at dawn tomorrow. Be at the city gates by then."

"Yes, um.. milady!" Salome answered.

Ashlei giggled, then granted her one backward wave as she left.

After the Jewel Knights had departed, Alfred sighed. "Women.. Are you sure you're alright, Salome?"

"Of course," was her firm reply. "After all, Llew's out there doing his best too, right?"

Alfred couldn't help but chuckle at her words. Perhaps the Jewel Knights going after Sanctuary Guard Dragon wasn't such a bad idea after all.


	23. Chapter 23: A Duel with a Dragon

With a powerful headbutt, Wingal finally rendered his opponent unconscious. Nearby, Goyusha and Krypton were trapped in a deadlock, their blades meshing against each other like a serrated jigsaw.

"Who are you?!" Goyusha demanded.

But his foe remained silent.

"Are you the ones behind the disappearances?!"

Still no answer.

Deciding that persuasion wasn't going to get him anywhere, the Dimension Police agent applied greater pressure on his sword, then shoved with his shield when Krypton least expected it.

The Invader bounced back, spinning his savage spear artfully.

"Be careful!" Wingal warned. "If he hits you with his blade you'll fall into a deep sleep and won't wake up!"

Side-stepping a lunge, Goyusha kneed the creature in the ribs and sent him flying with a diagonal slash. Cracks had formed on the hostile entity's armour.

But before he could stand, Goyusha was above him, tip of the sword poised at his throat.

"I want answers."

However, in a flash of red light, he vanished. Shocked, both Goyusha and Wingal swept their gazes instantaneously to the other Invader, only to find the fox disappearing in a similar fashion.

Goyusha cursed. "Wingal, sniff them out!"

The High Dog nosed the air acutely, then shook his head. "The trace is gone."

"Damn Invaders," the robot sighed wearily. "You've met them before?"

Wingal nodded. "The one you were fighting. He attacked the Capital during the new King's coronation. But he was alot stronger back then. And he was killed, by my friend."

"So they can even come back from the dead? Great. Just great."

"They're here in Star Gate too?"

"There have been a few sightings. But we lacked the means to track them down since they don't turn up on radar," Goyusha explained. "We suspected that they were involved with the recent Nova Grappler disappearances but we couldn't be certain due to a lack of evidence. But I guess your nose proves it."

Wingal's brow furrowed in worry as he pondered the true meaning behind the recent activity of the Invaders.

But at that point in time, no answer could have possibly been available to him.

…

An untold distance away, deep within a space of hollow darkness, the mechanical yet arcane physical workings of the two Invaders christened Krypton and Jailer Tail were restored to their original maleficent beauty under the watchful eye of their Creator.

Satisfied with his work, the Creator returned his children back to the company of their slumbering brethren.

The unexpected interference of the denizens of Cray had forced him to test the limits of the meagre power he was as yet able to materialise upon the planet's surface.

But there was no reason to worry. No reason to feel afraid. His plans were progressing smoothly despite the failure to capture the artefact known as the Blaster Blade. It was all simply a matter of time.

Another Invader appeared. No, two.

Both were identical in appearance, distinctly humanoid and feminine. Vivid masquerade masks shadowed their faces, clasped to misty clouds of violet hair that streamed behind them. Their slender figures were clad in lilac-flavoured suits out of which sprouted hypnotic butterfly wings that glistened remarkably in the unfazing twilight.

Between them was a man. Dressed in all the garb of a wrestler, he was kneeling on the darkness with his eyes shuttered in an expression of dreamy contentment.

The Creator extended a tendril of his omniscient consciousness and brushed against the mind of the captive.

The reaction was immediate.

The man recoiled violently, sputtering curses as his neck rotated from side to side in a bombastic attempt to recognise his surroundings.

"Who are you people?!" he cried in a bestial outburst of fear as his pupils focused onto the endless abyss. "What do you want from me?!"

On command, one of the new Invaders wrapped her arms around his armpits in a powerful lock, impeding his movements.

Panicking, he struggled in a desperate attempt to break himself free from the hold but his efforts were in vain.

In line with the will of her Creator, the other Invader took up a position some distance away.

A phantasmal bow materialised at the flick of her wrist. Summoning a matching translucent arrow into her grip, she pointed it straight for the wrestler's chest.

Realising the purpose behind his captors' actions, the man broke out in a cold sweat. "No.. Please.. Why are you doing this to me?"

Cold and silent, the Invader allowed her projectile to fly true.

There was neither the whoosh of the wind nor the snap of the string as it sailed through the void.

THUNK.

An eerie screech afflicted the area as the man vanished in a wave of pulsing monochrome, simply to be replaced by a tiny dark orb orbited by a duo of black circles accentuated with blood-red outlines.

Feeling the man's existence fall hopelessly into his domain of absolute control, the Creator exerted his will.

The ball shook slightly as it floated upwards, joining a vast collection of similar orbs that had been hidden in a pocket of space high above.

Pleased with the results, the greater being willed his pair of faithful servants to return to the land of Cray where they may resume their fruitful hunting. They complied.

A bit more. Just a bit more. And everything would fall into place.

…

Sanctuary Guard Dragon stared at his reflection within the mystifying water surface.

His left eye, once blue, was now stained in the brightest crimson. And it burned. Like a hellfire that was greater than the flames of any Kagerou that had had the luxury of scorching him.

The noble beast grimaced as he fought to suppress the excruciating pain, clutching at the wound on his chest.

It had grown, expanding into an ominous cloud of sheer black that swallowed a large portion of his body, mutilating his glorious armour of shining ivory.

He shook his head wearily. He didn't understand what was happening to himself. And trying to understand only served to deepen the ache. His memories of recent times were in pieces. Shattered and unlinked.

But what frightened him the most, frightened him to his very core, was the overwhelming desire creeping in the depths of his mind and soul. The desire to destroy. Anything. Everything. Without restraint.

He shuddered.

Some distance away, atop a grassy knoll, a girl clad in bronze runic armour lay on her belly, observing the troubled creature through the transparent lens of a twin-scoped device.

Satisfied with her observations, she stealthily crawled backwards until she was out of sight before standing and dashing away.

A brief journey took her to a small encampment nestled in a verdant grove.

Tents of an assortment of colours were pitched orderly along the circumference of the vegetation, each anchored to a sturdy tree.

The members of the Jewel Knights scurried about in flurried activity, managing the duties required of their stay.

As the scout entered, she offered a passing greeting to the sentries, then made a sharp turn and stepped into a substantial red tent which displayed the United Sanctuary flag.

"Milady." She bowed.

"At ease, Lilica," answered Ashlei.

The lord of the Jewel Knights stood by a triangular device which was projecting a holographic image of what seemed to be a map of the surrounding terrain. Beside her stood Tabitha.

"Sanctuary Guard Dragon's position remains unchanged as per twelve minutes ago. He still waits by the river that runs through Cornelius Valley."

"Alright. Good work. You may leave."

Saluting sharply, Lilica turned on her wheels and departed.

"With that, no threatening activity has been picked up over the course of the past three days," said Tabitha. "It would be safe to assume that he has been cured of his.. destructive tendencies."

Ashlei nodded. "Let us cut all the spying and attempt to communicate. Prepare a party at once."

"Who shall we bring?"

"As few as possible. Let's see.. Amarin, Gabrielle, and.. Salome."

Tabitha frowned. "Did I hear you right, Milady?"

"Yes, Tabitha. Salome."

The assistant remained rooted to the spot, lips taut and hands clenched tight as if she was on the verge of spouting a retort.

But, thinking better of it, she relaxed herself and backed away. "I shall see to it at once."

The doorflap fluttered as she exited.

Alone with her thoughts, Ashlei granted herself the luxury of a sigh. Tabitha was an excellent aide. Her wisdom and loyalty was second to none. But her attitude.. certainly had its own flaws.

"Something troubling you?"

Unsurprised by the sudden voice, Ashlei clasped her fingers around the sapphire pendant which hung around her neck and brought it close.

"Nothing much, Soul," she spoke. "Just thinking about Tabitha."

The image of an azure dragon with a gold crown flickered in the radiant cyan beauty of the jewel's surface, real yet unreal.

The beast's maw opened, and a melodious yet wild voice whispered through the glittering stone. "She only has your well-being at heart, Lady Ashlei."

"I know."

"How are things progressing with my brother?"

"He seems to have calmed down. We're going to try and talk to him."

The dragon seemed pleased by this information. "I pray for your success. My brother is not one who would harm humans with ill intentions, but do not hesitate to use my power to subdue him if necessary."

"Understood."

And with that, the image faded into the foggy depths of the cerulean crystal.

Ashlei rose. Grabbing a pure-white blade engraved with ornate patterns and sculpted artistries, she forcefully removed the sapphire around her neck and plugged it into a hollow chasm dwelling within the core of the sword where the blade met the hilt.

There was a flash of the softest blue as the gem slipped seamlessly into the crevasse.

"Let's go, Adriana. It's time to get to work."

…

One foot after the other, Salome trodded down the sandy path which lead to the place where, she had been told, Sanctuary Guard Dragon awaited.

A faint sense of nostalgia was instilled in her as she followed Ashlei and their miniature crew of Jewel Knights. Though the scenery was vastly unfamiliar and her distant memories were vague and unclear, she could barely recognise the place where she had spent her childhood. The praerie where her village had once stood.

Her heart fluttered to an uneven rhythm, and she tried to distract herself by gazing at the peaceful imagery of waltzing butterflies.

"Nervous?"

Startled, the girl looked up at the companion strolling before her.

The Jewel Knight was taller and looked a couple of years more mature than her. A homely shade of milky brown, her hair sluiced across her shoulders and down the back of her polished silver armour in a neat bundle.

"A little," Salome answered, shy. "I've never been on an actual mission before. And I never expected my first to be with the acclaimed Jewel Knights."

The older girl offered her a warm smile. "You'll be fine."

"Thank you, uh.." Salome mumbled, desperately trying to recall the names Ashlei had given her before they had deployed.

"Amarin," the girl finished for her. "My name's Amarin."

Tabitha shushed them from ahead, forcing their attention to the front.

Not too far away, Sanctuary Guard Dragon knelt by the tranquil waters. The legendary creature seemed to have failed to notice their presence despite their proximity and was simply staring thoughtfully into the flowing currents.

"Do not be afraid," Ashlei commanded.

As they approached, the inevitable happened.

Roused from his daze by the patter of footsteps, Sanctuary Guard Dragon reacted instantaneously, swooping in reverse to face them in a defensive pose with his longsword.

It was then that Salome noticed the red in the dragon's left eye, and the ebony virus scarring his frontal torso.

But what shocked her the most about the esteemed hero's haggard appearance was the expression written on his face. Salome had seen the great beast on a few occasions before. And each time, the emotions painted on his face had been the same. Stoic nobility, graceful confidence, stalwart pride. But not now.

Now the only things present on his face were shock, anger, and.. fear.

"Sanctuary Gua-"

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" roared the dragon in a fit of unbridled rage, smashing through Ashlei's dialogue as he swept his giant blade above his head.

"Disperse!"

The ground split apart as the mystic steel struck the loamy earth, showering the land with sand and soil.

Tabitha, Ashlei and Gabrielle fell to one side. Salome and Amarin the other.

The world rumbled with all the finesse of a clockwork giant.

"Stop attacking us!" Ashlei shouted. "We just want to talk!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Launching himself into the air, he sped towards the knights, pupils glinting with unmistakable killing intent.

Tabitha jumped, spinning elegantly as she unsheathed an icy rapier entwined with vines and roses carved out of the frozen metal.

Sanctuary Guard Dragon readied his blade.

Their swords flew.

A circle of sparks blossomed in the heat of the grinding edges, eventually culminating in an explosive crack as Tabitha was swept aside by the powerful beast's sheer strength.

Ashlei braced herself.

The dragon swung.

Propelled along by the enraged beast's momentum, Ashlei's armoured boots skidded a fiery path down the river as she fought to push her attacker back with the force of her blade. The earth screeched in protest.

"Lady Ashlei!" Amarin yelled.

But just as she was about to fall, the cyan gem encrusted in her sword released a clear, sympathetic light, accompanied by the foggy echo of a ferocious roar.

Standing firm against the oppresive weight, Ashlei pushed Sanctuary Guard Dragon astray, slamming him into the vegetation.

A glowing aura of hallowed marigold hung over the leader of the Jewel Knights like a stellar cloak.

Stabbing her blade skywards in a brilliant flourish, she proclaimed, "Holy Charging Roar!"

The very air seemed to surge with power as the sky was imbued with a second burst of radiance. But this time, Salome could feel it.

The clarity of the notes in the resounding sound wave washed over her every fibre, infusing her entire being with a force beyond her understanding.

"It's Adriana's power," said Amarin in response to her questioning glance. "It can give power to its wielder and her comrades."

"Adriana?"

"The name of Lady Ashlei's jewel."

A thunderous crash signalled the emergence of a silver silhouette from the depths of the verdant canopy.

"Jewel Knights! To arms!"

Gabrielle was the first to move.

The beige-armoured woman pounced with feline dexterity, homing in on Sanctuary Guard Dragon's face with an iron broadsword cocked and ready to go.

WHAM!

The beast howled and recoiled.

Darting forward, Ashlei and Tabitha slipped through the dragon's snatching claws and struck at his ivory chest.

"Grow, Veronica!"

Upon Tabitha's command, a chain of thick, thorned branches grew from the lifeless vines entwined around her blade, ensnaring the fingers of Sanctuary Guard Dragon's right fist in a biological cage, sealing the gargantuan sword held within.

Amarin charged with a beautiful longsword and, not wanting to lose out, Salome followed.

Meanwhile, the white dragon struggled to free his immobilised hand while fending off the continuous assault of the three precedent knights.

Amarin soared.

For a split second, cold steel flashed.

Sanctuary Guard Dragon staggered.

Then came Salome.

Gripping her sword firmly in both hands, she summoned all the power she could muster and delivered it all in one final, decisive blow.

BAM!

The earth shook. The sands shifted. The air twisted.

And with a massive boom that ravaged the very heavens, the crude bulk of the giant paladin toppled over and smashed into the landscape.

As if on cue, Tabitha's wooden tendrils expanded their realm of conquest, seeking to capture the entirety of the fallen dragon in their embrace.

But the Jewel Knights' moment of triumph was short-lived.

With a mighty roar, the beast ripped apart the chains that binded him and reassumed his throne in the skies.

Tabitha cursed. At the same time, Salome experienced a menacing sensation rooting from the dragon's shape which was similar in nature to Ashlei's Holy Charging Roar.

"This power.." voiced Ashlei in a mix of fear and wonder. "..Drive?"

"I.. WILL DESTROY. ALL OF YOU!" Sanctuary Guard Dragon seethed, his voice cracking at the edges with irrepressible rage.

"Get ready."

At Ashlei's order, the Jewel Knights tensed themselves like tightened bowstrings, prepared to fire off at a moment's notice.

But their fate was to be interrupted by the arrival of a shadowy figure in a splash of the darkest lightning.

A knight. Or at least.. someone who looked like one. Armour that was blacker than the blackest night, elaborately decorated with vicious and gory spikes. And a helmet with a devillish horn, full metal except for a horizontal gash which glowed bloody orange where his eyes should have been.

"My apologies, ladies," spoke the stranger matter-of-factly. "But this beast is one I cannot allow you to bag."

Much to Ashlei's surprise, she was beaten to the chase by Sanctuary Guard Dragon who questioned, "Who are you?!"

Even stranger was the fact that the beast who had been mindlessly rampaging only a few moments ago seemed to have mysteriously calmed down with the advent of the armoured renegade.

"Suffice to say," the dark knight muttered, addressing the white dragon. "I am not your enemy."

Deciding that she had given the unknown man far too much opportunity for chatter, Ashlei swooped in with a strike of surgical precision.

A clash of sparks.

In a display of refined skill, her slim blade was parried by the glinting edge of a jet-black katana.

"Feisty," commented the man before deflecting her sword completely, then sweeping downwards with an almost instantaneous counterstroke.

Ashlei reacted instinctively, arching her neck backwards not a moment too soon.

Strands of her golden-brown hair spliced off into the torrential wind.

A single bead of sweat slithered down the side of her face. This was no ordinary opponent.

However, instead of keeping his stance, the dark knight resheathed his weapon calmly and folded his gauntlets across his chest.

"I have a proposition for you, girl." He declared.

Tabitha took a step forward with the intent of saying something but Ashlei gestured with her hand firmly, cutting her off. "Talk."

"Allow the dragon to go and I shall allow each and every one of you to leave this place with your lives intact. Deny me my request, and I shall have no choice but to subject all of you to the wrath of my blade."

Ashlei swallowed each word with trepidation. The man's killing intent was undoubtedly real. She could feel it pressing down on her like a mass of merciless gravity. She could feel the difference between their powers.

At that moment, she understood.

If they chose to fight against him, they would undoubtedly lose.

Her blood turned to ice. Not from fear. But from the injection of cold logic which decreed the rejection of one's mission in favour of one's survival.

Not the wrong choice. But not the right one either.

"Very well," she replied. "We have a deal."

"Wise decision." Nodding with satisfaction, the man turned and beckoned to Sanctuary Guard Dragon.

And as if there was some deep archaic connection between the two, the noble beast responded, taking off into the sunlit horizon.

It was only when the pair vanished beyond their range of vision did the Jewel Knights allow themselves to relax.

"That man's strength isn't normal.." murmured Gabrielle. "If only Lady Ashe were.."

A sharp glare from Tabitha caused her to silence herself in sour realisation of the words she had misplaced.

Immediately, all the Jewel Knights directed worried glances at their leader.

"Let us be off, sisters," Ashlei announced without revealing a single trace of emotion. "The King must be notified of today's events."

She stalked away quietly. But in the waning light of day, Salome could clearly see that her hands were trembling.

It was a sight that she would remember for the rest of her life.


End file.

Cardfight!! Vanguard/CARDFIGHT!! ヴァンガード, Adventure, Fantasy