"What's happening over there?!"

"What is that monster?!"

"Gura! Gura, where are you?!"

"We can't find the chief or Dorian! Don't tell me they're still in the village!"

"Humans caused all this! We should never have let those three into our village!"

"Everyone! Please settle down!" Welma yelled as loud as she could admit the barrage of questions that were fired towards her. It came to no avail as the panic only began to spread. "Harco!"

She looked to a bug glass samiet male who was holding out a crystal ball. ".... I can't tell what's going on. I know there were those humans who came before but.... Everything's just chaos in there."

Welma clicked her tongue, raising her arms as high as she could. "Everyone, please settle down!" She called out. "We don't know what's going on as of yet, but please give use-"

"Shit, I hate it when I'm right." A pretension voice spoke up, interrupting Welma.

Scrunching her eyebrows, trying to bury her irritation, Welma turned behind her to address the person who spoke up. "Please give us- huh?"

The rumblings amongst the villagers of Sterland village died down as they took notice of something off amongst their group. Standing at the edge of the drained lake stood a woman far taller than any samiet could grow, wearing a cape, pointed black ears jutting out from her black hair, the woman watched the chaos unfolding with an angered expression. "Damn you, Yensin."

All eyes suddenly turned to his strange woman.

"Wh-Who are you?" One of the samiets asked.

The woman pretended she didn't hear the question and instead waved her hand in the air. Before anyone could even ask what she was doing, two holes with a shining rim and a starry center, opened in the air around her, dropping a stack of iron poles, six in each stack, which clashed on the ground in a loud clang. The woman picked one up and embedded it into the ground. "Set those up around the village walls." She instructed the bewildered villagers. "Make sure each is evenly spaced. I'll set up the other half on the mountain." She said, acting as though she had already explained what was going on in full detail.

"Wh-Hold on!" One of the samiets, Adem, approached the woman flailing his arms at her, "What is going on here?! You haven't explained to us what's going on!"

Suddenly, the fox fired out an orange ball at the behemoth it was fighting, missing its target. Yet the orb continued on its trajectory, flying towards the woman standing at the edge of the village.

"IT'S COMING RIGHT FOR US?!!"

"EVERYONE SCATTER!!"

Panic ensued as the samiets began fleeing, trying to escape the imminent danger that fast approached. The woman remains where she was, clicking her tongue in annoyance. She raised her left arm, pointing only her front and index finger out before twirling her wrist in a clockwise motion. A light ripple formed in the air before her, similar to the ones the iron poles fell out from, yet far bigger. The orb fell into the starry center. The light portal then collapsed the orb vanishing.

The samiets stopped, looking back at the woman who remained where she was like nothing had happened. A distant boom could be heard, followed by a strong backwinded that blew many of the villagers off their feet. The woman stood with her back turned to the strong wind like a rock, her cape fluttering behind her. When the winds finally died down, the woman looked back at the disgruntled samiets. "Unless you want to be blown to oblivion, stop acting like idiots and get to work!"

With a strong push, the samiets jumped to their delegated job, grabbing a hold of the twelve iron poles in groups of five or more, hustling in every direction. The woman stood at the edge of the village, narrowing her eyes on the fox.

"Lady Elaina," Junbi huddled towards the woman, watching the chaos unfolding, "you have a plan to defeat Kitsune, I take it."

"Let's hope or we're all dead," The woman nodded, folding her arms, "Of course.... The whole thing depends on whether those kids in there can hold it off without getting killed."

****

"I was wondering when the Arch Sage's little helpers would show up," Ling said, wiping away blood seeping from the cut on his left cheek, giving Cory a devilish smile. "But you're too late. The nine tails have been unleashed. Once we kill you all, Arch Sage Elaina will be the first victim."

Cory scowled at the man, twirling her sai's. The atmosphere on the plateau was far tenser than it previously was, with those unfamiliar with who the two newcomers were causing them to be far more anxious.

"R-Rodger?" Dora and Fred approached Rodger and Melvin. "D-do you know these two?"

"Oh yeah," Rodger grinned. "There the helpers of the witch that sent us here."

"Let's hope she doesn't hear that," Melvin said, narrowing his eyes.

Yuki stood at ease, keeping his eyes on Helpono. "I take it the arch sage is here somewhere."

"She's preparing the countermeasure as we speak," Pressa said, "For now, our priority is keeping Kitsune within the village until it activates."

"Countermeasure...?" Ling glanced over to Pressa.

"What Ya mean keep that thing inside the village?!"

"It's friken huge! We can't fight something that big!" Shay and May yelled.

"Hold on! We still don't know what's going on!" Van yelled with Freya by his side. "Who are these people and what is that thing?"

"If you have time to dally with pointless questions, I recommend you put it towards containment," Pressa answered in a cold, detached voice.

Yuki glanced back to the water basin where the fox seemed to be engaged with something far smaller than it was. He then looked back to Bush. The old man said no word, but realizing what the look meant, he gave a nod.

With a grin, Yuki relaxed his stance. "Pressa, right?"

"Hm?"

"We need to keep that thing inside the village.... But I hope you won't object if I kill the thing before whatever that witch is gonna do,"

"Huh?"

"Wh- H-hold on! Yuki, you can't be-!"

"That would save us the trouble," Pressa responded, interrupting the protests from Rodger and Melvin.

With a wide grin, Yuki turned about and charged to the far edge of the plateau.

"Stop... stopstop STOOOOPPPP!!!" Helpono waved his broken staff, forming a water sphere, which fired out a barrage of tendrils at the swordsman. Yuki continued to run, blocking out the sound of the rushing water and the warnings from everyone.

Out of nowhere, a body of shimmering water formed between him and the incoming tendrils, which slammed against the water, losing their form before crashing to the ground.

"What....?"

"I'd rather not sound barbaric," Helpono turned, seeing a turquoise colored grimour floating in the air emitting a blue aura, open while the pages fluttered to a specific spot. It floated downwards towards Pressa's outstretched hand, cradling its spine as she pushed her glasses, a serpent of shimmering coiling around the cait sith, "but in a battle, I believe it's the height of bad manners to ignore your opponent."

With a smile, Yuki continued on to the edge of the plateau. Bush then ran to his side, slamming his hand to the ground before anyone realized what he was doing.

The ground softened to mud around both Bush and Yuki, forming a long slide downwards to the dried up water basin below.

"F-Farther!"

"Granpa!"

"Old man Bush!"

Everyone looked surprised, seeing Yuki and Bush disappeared, with there intention being clear to all.

".... Rodger," Melvin turned to his partner, "We need to get too your house!"

"Huh?" Rodger looked confused. "B-But what about the fox? It'll destroy the village if we don't stop it!"

"Don't worry. Yuki, Max and Cliff are down there, as well as the King of the Forest." Melvin clarified, looking in the direction of the chiefs house with a concerned look. "Allisa, Nel and Kira went ahead to stop the nine tails being released. If it's out, then something must have happened to them." His grip on his wand tightened, "..... They might need more help then they do."

"....." Rodger looked back to the water basin, then in the direction of his house before letting out a sigh. He looked back at Melvin with greater resolve, smiling before nodding. "Alright! As co-boss, I can't let the actual boss down when she needs it most!"

"Don't forget about us!"

Both boys turned, seeing Dora and Fred looking determined.

"W-Where the Walloping willows after all," Fred said as bravely as he could, holding out his slingshot.

"'A real man must protect what he holds dear,' right?" Dora quoted, nodding at Rodger.

"Guys..." Rodger smiled and nodded.

"This 'boss' is that human girl that spoke out against dad, right?" Steve said, holding his blowgun in his right hand. Behind him were Gura and a timid looking Redwol. "This is our home too. We're not gonna leave everything to you humans."

"..... If you're sure," Melvin said with Cerberus giving a yelp.

"Alright, lets gooo!!!" Rodger called out pumping his hammer in the air as all eight of them charged to the root bridge of the plateau.

"Wh-Wait! Dora!" Freya called out, trying to reach her.

"Stop! It's too dangerous!" Van called, "We need to-"

"Celtic Hoard's weapons!" Shay and May rushed in front of the two Samiets, dropping to their knees before slamming their heads on the ground.

"Wh-What.... Weapons?"

"You were in charge of stashen all the stuff Dolton bought from Fira!" Shay said, his forehead smashed against the ground. "I think there was a walker among them, one bro didn't trash! Ya gotta take us to where they are!"

"We ain't askin ya to trust us!" May added, "But our bro's are down there given there all against that fox! We ain't just gonna sit here and do nothing!"

"Bro's the one who gave us a place in the world again!"

"Knowin him, he's down there givin his all against the fox monster!"

"We ain't gonna leave him ta face the music alone!"

"We're beggin ya!"

Van was taken for a loss, seeing two fully-grown humans prostrating themselves in front of him. "Wh-Well...." He indeed knew what they were talking about. After Celtic Hoards defeat, Van and Dorian led an expedition to retrieve as much of the bandit groups stash of weapons, from their guns to what was left of their larger weapons of war. He understood that now was perhaps the best time to use them, and Shay and May were likely the only people in the village who could pilot them. But the thought of letting two former members of the group that attacked them was enough of an incentive to block such a request. "I-I...."

"Van!"

Van looked to his wife, who gave him a look he had never seen before. She probably hated humans as much as he did with far more justification. It was a human that took her mother from her after all. Yet she had put her faith in a human again over an hour ago, and he saved her life.

Biting his lip, swallowing his pride, Van slammed his hand to the ground. Roots shot from the plateau, connecting to one in the distance. The vibrations and tremors caused both Shay and May to cast there gaze upwards at the stubborn samiet.

"Well don't just kneel there!" He snapped, pointing to the new root bridge. "Follow me!"

"R-Right!"

"Lead the way grumpy bro!"

"And don't call me bro!"

The four charged across the root bridge to the plateau in the distance. Ling watched them go, scoffing as he returned his gaze to Cory. "I suppose this gives us some form of privacy." He said as he adopted his martial arts stance.

Meracle remained where she was with Leone still on her back. She overheard Melvin saying something about Allisa, and wanted to follow after them. But she could feel a warm, sticky patch on her back, knowing full well it was blood leaking from the hole in Leone's gut. She had also gone very quiet, and when Meracle looked at her face, she saw how pale it was.

"..... Cory!" Meracle called to her comrade.

"Milady's at the south gate!" Cory called out, knowing what she was going to ask. "Make sure Leone doesn't die! I still need to chew her out for what she did to you in Everndail!"

With a nod, Meracle grasped Leone tightly; eyeing the closest plateau to jump too, then began making her way over there.

"Rule of battle;" Ling smiled a devilish smile, "Take out the dead weight first!" and charged after Meracle.

"MARY!" Cory called out as she ran after Ling as he charged towards the young cait sith.

"You'll jump in the air," Ling muttered to himself as Cory lunged into the air, holding her sai's out. "Which means you're unable to dodge," Ling suddenly stopped, skidding across the ground as he raised his right leg, turning his head to see Cory's shocked expression, realizing that she had fallen for his trap. Chìbang!

Unable to dodge, the invisible blade sliced through Cory, piercing her mid second and continuing through as it severed her body in half. Ling watched with a satisfying grin, "URG!!" before his face contorted in pain, blood shooting from his right side. Ling pivoted around, clutching his bleeding right side. "Wh-what... b-but-?!" As he glanced back, he saw Cory was no longer in the air, nor was she two pieces on the ground. In fact, there was no sign of her at all.

H-How....? I definitely hit her! I saw her! I SENSED her!

"Could you have been any more predictable?"

Ling slowly turned around. To his shock, he saw Cory standing a few feet behind him completely unharmed, his blood dripping from her right sai.

"..... So you have some tricks up your sleeve," Ling hissed. "It changes nothing. You couldn't kill me back in Everndail-"

"Because I wasn't sure if anyone else was watching, besides Pressa," Cory glanced over to Meracle, who had taken a huge leap off the edge of the plateau performed a sky jump to propel herself in the air before landing on the next plateau, landing on her feet before continuing on.

"Ah..." Ling smiled, trying to mask the pain he was in, "so with no one here you don't have to hold back, is that it?" he mocked, "How completely cliché."

"It's not that I don't have to hold anything back," Cory looked back at Ling.

"Wha-?" who couldn't help but look shocked at the expression she was giving him.

With her lips curled into a smile, eyes focused like a predator, Cory gave the man a look she would never show to just anyone. "It just means I can drop this charade."

Everyone vs. Kitsune, The Nine Tails

The king and the fox crashed against each other, head first as they snarled trying to push the other to submission, baring their fangs at one another before forcing themselves off again.

With another roar, the king lunged forwards, swinging its paw. The fox jumped backward, turning left before skidding to a halt as the king lunged forwards again with its left paw. The fox swerved again, jumping to the king's blind spot before leaping on top of the behemoth again, taking another bite at its thick hide. Whaling in pain, the king tried to shake off the unknown beast, slamming it into one of the plateaus, knocking it off in the process but not after another chunk of meat was ripped out. The fox skidded to a halt, orange flames gathering in its mouth as it glared at the king.

Puffing out its cheeks, the fox let loose another ball of energy. The king lowered its body, allowing the ball to narrowly miss its main body traveling at high speeds to the edge of the village where it mysteriously disappeared.

The king glanced up to see the fox lunging forwards, raging its right front leg high to swing at the behemoth, swinging with the intent to take the monsters head clean off. Defiant to its fate, clinging to the promise it made with its 'king', the king opened its maw as wide as it could, biting down into the Fox's stretched arm, its teeth sinking into its red fur.

Howling in pain, the fox stood on its hind legs. With its unnatural strength, it lifted the behemoth biting its arm up with only its arm, throwing him in the air before slamming it back into the ground. With its jaws still clamped around the foxes arm, the king was picked up again, spun clockwise violently before it loosed its grip, sending it flying and crashing through the ground, scaring it before coming to a complete stop.

The fox remained in place, slamming both feet into the ground as it opened its maw, red flames billowing from its opening. The king was still prone on the ground. It's battle with the fiends that assailed the village had certainly taken its toll on the once mighty king of the forest, yet even if it was at full strength, the fox seemed to be in a posting above even the might of the king.

Orange light began to glow from its maw as it was preparing to eviscerate the king in one shot.

"Oh mother earth, unleash thine furry upon the guilty! Stalagmites!"

Before it could fire, the ground around the fox suddenly sunk a few feet before sharp, jagged rocks jutted out from the earth below. The fox was launched into the sky, small trails of blood dripping from the open wounds punctured within its fur.

Enraged, the fox snapped its eyes towards the source of the attack. With his left hand placed on the ground, Faust glared at the airborne monster, raising his right hand to level with his face.

With steam exhuming from his nose as he snorted, rocks began to rise, sharpening themselves into long spikes.

"Foul creature," He snarled as he got back to his feet, slamming his left hand into his right. "Prepare yourself to the earth magic that has been passed down my family for generations!"

The spikes then began to rotate, picking up speed. "Needle Shot: Barrage!"

The barrage of spikes launched themselves towards the airborne fox. With a glint in its eye, the fox spun in the air, using its nine inflamed tails to brush aside the incoming spell, then gazed back at the ground before unleashing the half-formed ball of energy into the spikes below, blasting them apart in a small explosion.

"Blast," Faust swore as the fox landed back on all fours, glaring at the man before lunging towards him. With an upwards swipe, Faust erected a wall of earth between him and the fox, leaping to the left as the fox body slammed into the construct.

Rolling along the ground, Faust swiped out his hand, sending another needle shot, which struck the monster in the front left bicep, yet only penetrating lightly into the skin.

Faust then slammed both his hands together as the fox turned sharply. "SER GAIL!"

The fox fixed its murderous gaze on Faust, not taking note of a steaming figure leaping with a kick that created a small crater. Only when it fixed its eyes on the small figure at the right side of its face did it take note that the human before it was not the only small creature it was contending with.

"AHHHHHH!!!" With a yell, the figure slammed his fist into the right cheek of the fox, hitting with the force of a meteor. The fox's cheek flattened due to the impact, and the monster was throwing to its right, landing in the ruins of one of the destroyed plateaus.

"GOT IT!" Still airborne, with his left fist thrown out, blood erupting from various ruptures all across is muscular left arm was Cliff. "FAUST!!"

"Embrace the stillness of the planet, be one with this land!" As the fox attempted to arise, turning to who had just landed the blow, rocks suddenly attracted themselves to its outstretched legs, slamming against them as they took the form of round gauntlets with two outstretched sections that slammed into the ground. Another structure, a two arched claw, formed above the Fox before slamming down, pinning the fox to the ground. Decorated on top was a long antenna with four perturbing spikes forming flowers. As the fox tried to raise its head, a third structure, a single arch, emerged above the fox before slamming down, trapping the neck. "Terra imprisonment!"

Faust clenched his hands tightly, gritting its teeth as he tried to maintain his binding spell. Cliff landed back on the ground, ignoring the blood that was leaking from his arm. His level up ability nullified pain as it pushed its body to beyond its natural limits, and given that he had to pour as much strength as he could to even force the monster away, it was more than likely he had caused damage or even broken his left arm.

"So?" Cliff asked Faust.

"I can.... Hold him for a few.... Seconds...." Faust growled as he fought to keep his concentration. "It's..... too strong to hold for long....."

"Right," Cliff nodded as he prepared to rush forwards. If I break its neck while it's held down, with any luck it would keep this thing down for good.

Before he could go through with his plan, red flames began to gather at the monster's maw.

"?!"

"Goddess?!"

Forgetting about rushing forwards, and forgetting that he was still maintaining his hold, both men leaped left and right respectively, just as the fox fired a small orange ball of energy, shooting past them, barrelling off uncontrollably before hitting one of the outstretched ruins, followed by a tremendous explosion.

"Shit!" Cliff swore as he jumped to his feet, seeing the fox effortlessly free itself from the shackles that bound it to the ground. Sitting up, glaring at the two men, the fox roared as it raised its left front paw. Cliff and Faust leaped out of the way as the paw slammed into the ground with enough force to shatter the ground. Cliff was knocked off his feet, rolling across the ground before recovering. When he glanced up, the fox dragged its paw across the ground towards the man.

Unable to dodge, Cliff raised his arms as the paw's back slammed into him. He was launched off his feet, flying several feet before striking one of the smoothly surfaced stalagmites that was submerged below the ancient Lake, spinning in the air before he landed on the uneven surface, rolling until he came to a stop.

"That... didn't go well," Cliff groaned as he pushed himself up from the ground. A dark shadow then began to loom over him. Looking up, he saw the fox had lunged after him, skidding across the ground before him while raising its right paw. The man scampered out the way as the fox lashed out, leaving grooves in the ground following its attack.

Cliff barrel-rolled back, snapping back to his feet, skidding to a halt as the Fox raised its other paw, preparing to squash the man like an insect.

Gritting his teeth, Cliff raised his right fist and punched into the incoming paw as it came towards him. The ground below him shattered as he struggled against the overwhelming strength of the monster. Bloodshot from his arm as his muscles began to tear itself apart as he struggled to keep on his feet which dug lower and lower into the ground. His knees began to buckle as the oppressive force was threatening to crush him.

"No no no...." Cliff growled as he pushed back, his own blood dotting his face. Steam erupted from his right arm as he focused as much mana as he could, letting out a cry to the heavens as he pushed back.

Strong winds blasted out as the fox's right forearm was forced backward, flying in the sky. Taken off balance, the fox raised into the sky before landing on its backside, cracking the ground as it landed.

"Ha... ha.... That... actually worked...." Cliff thanked whatever god had watched over him as he successfully stopped the fox from crushing him completely. It didn't come without its cost. His left arm was no worse then his right, blood pouring from his ruptured muscles with his light pink skin taking on an unnatural color of red and black. Forcing the fox off, he unquestionably broke his right arm. Damn it.... Even leveled up, I can just barely block it, let alone hurt it.

The fox roared as it pushed itself forwards, clenching its two front paws into fists as it prepared to squash Cliff into bloody chunks.

Before that could happen, a tidal wave of mud erupted behind Cliff, towering over him and formed a barrier, which blocked the incoming blows, the mud absorbing the impact.

"What?!" Cliff's eyes widened, puzzled and relieved at the miracle that had just saved his life.

As the fox snarled at the barrier, something flew above it, a small figure with a katana.

Stance 6: Taki!

With a downwards swing rented a cut within the neck of the fox, its blood flowing from the wound. Snapping its eyes, it glared at the airborne figure who was still suspended in mid-air.

"YUKI?!"

The figure was indeed Yuki, who was now defenseless from the fox as it began to swing its large paw to swat the man out of the sky. Tied around his waist was a lifeline made out of mud, and before the fox could swat him, he was tugged away several feet, landing on a ramp of soft mud, skidding to a halt beside Bush.

"Wasn't deep enough," Yuki cursed as the mud ramp collapsed.

"Yuki! Bush!" Cliff yelled as he ran towards the two.

"Cliff....?" Bush said puzzled by the steam rising from the man's body.

"Geez, you look like shit," Yuki said with a dead fish expression.

"I really don't need to hear that from you."

The fox slammed both its feet on the ground, snarling at the three men before it.

"Old man!"

"Yes!" Bush nodded with his hands placed on the ground. The area around the fox began to soften into living mud which began to coil around the fox, dragging it lower into the ground.

"The pyro?" Yuki asked.

"I knocked him out. He's in no shape to fight that thing." Cliff responded.

"Tch, just when we do need him."

"So... what news?" Cliff said glancing up to the side of the village where one of the orange balls of energy flew by before disappearing. "If I were being optimistic, I guess our reinforcements have arrived."

"Arch Sage is here," Yuki said simply as the fox began to break out of the mud bindings. "She needs us to keep that thing inside the village until whatever she's up to is ready."

".... So we still need to fight this thing, and the one best suited to this is fast asleep," Cliff said with a humorless grin. "Remind me to bonk that moron if we're still alive."

"Ha, get in line," Yuki said resting his katana on his shoulder as the fox began to claw out.

"Here it comes!" Bush called out. "We just need to keep this monster at bay!"

The fox was about to lunge when the king pounced from behind, landing on the fox's back before sinking its teeth into the monster's back. As the fox yelped as the king tore a slab of meat from its back before leaping off it.

As the fox turned, a single figure leaped from the kings back, twirling his right arm in a circular motion.

Fist of iron:

With gritted teeth, steam puffing from his nostrils as he descended towards the monster's head. "Supreme grand SMAAAASSSHHHH!!!"

The strike hit like a meteor, sending the monster's head crashing into the ground, sending parts of the earth flying in all directions. "The will of Gaia, the eternal mother that binds this world, Shatter and crack before her will." Faust chanted as he barrels rolled over the monster, pulling back his left fist."EARTH BREAKER!"

With a roar, Faust slammed his fist into the fox's back, which convulsed as the beast was forced down into the floor with great force. The ground beneath shattered, forming a large crater as the monster was pushed further and further into the ground.

"WHA-?!"

"S-Such power..."

".... That's probably how he dropped the cliff back at the ruined city."

Faust continued to fall, landing on the fox's back and proceeded to run towards the beast's head. One more blow should be able to crack its skull. I can end-

The fox suddenly shot up, leaping into the air. Unprepared, Faust lost his footing, toppling down, gripping hold of the beast's fur to try and stay on. The fox landed back on the ground, violently enough for Faust to lose his grip, falling off the fox as it skidded a few feet, its claws leaving grooves in the floor.

"FAUST!" Cliff called out as he charged forwards.

"Wh- hold it! Big guy!" Yuki held out his hand to try and stop him before letting out a grunt and charged forwards as well. "Ahh screw it!"

"You two, wait!" Bush said as he ran after the two.

Faust pushed himself up from the ground, shaking his head. Glancing up, he saw the fox looming a few feet away, opening its mouth for another shot.

"B-Blast!" Faust muttered, raising his arms as the orange light grew more and more intense.

Suddenly, mud tendrils burst from the ground restraining the monster, choking it at its arms, body, and neck. The monster struggled under the grip as the tendrils tightened.

"I can't hold it for long!" Bush warned the charging Cliff and Yuki.

"Sir Bush..." Faust leaped back from his position, slamming his hands together. "You two! Keep that monster busy!"

"Got it!"

"Right!" Both men gave acknowledgments as they closed the distance, just as the monster freed its neck, puffing its cheeks before launching a small ball of energy at the two men, which caused a small explosion upon impact. Both men continued onwards through the dust, unharmed by the blast as the beast freed its hands, letting out a defining roar at the two incoming.

Cory and Pressa vs. Ling and Helpono

"Nearly there...." Meracle muttered as she charged to the edge of the plateau she was on, eyes focused on the next one that had seen signs of battle due to the corpses of the monsters that assailed the village. Leone still clung to her back, her blood staining Meracle's back as more and more leaked out.

Charging as fast as she could, Meracle leaped off the edge with as much force as her feet could muster, kicking in the air before descending towards the next plateau. As she landed, she slipped on a puddle of blood, collapsing on the ground. Leone was thrown off as Meracle crashed and rolled across the ground, hitting the ground a few yards away, cushioned by the body of a large whale monster.

"Myowww..." Meracle groaned as she picked herself up. When her eyes fell on Leone, she realized she had dropped her. "L-Leone!"

The young cait sith pushed herself to her feet, tripping again after losing balance before dragging herself back to her feet, stopping over her injured friend. She looked even worse than she did when Meracle saved her. Her skin going pale, breathing ragged, her belly coated in a thick layer of blood from the hole in her gut.

Biting her lip, Meracle crouched down to pick her up. She was extending her arms when Leone weakly raised her right arm, placing it on her chest before pushing Meralce away.

".... J-Just go," Leone said weakly.

Meracle reached for Leone again, only for her to push her away again.

"W-we'll both die at this rate...." Leone said, fixing a sorrowful expression on the young cait sith. "I-If it were me... I'd leave ya in a heartbeat..." She struggled to close her eyes. "So.... Just go,"

"......" Meracle reached down to pick Leone up. Gritting her teeth, Leone clenched her right hand into a fist, weakly slamming it into Meracle's chest to push her away. Only Meracle remained, cupping Leone's fist in both hands.

Opening her eyes, Leone saw Meracle looming over her, tears streaming down her face. "I'm.... not you."

****

"Won't forgive... Won't forgive...." Helpono muttered as he floated higher into the air, grasping his grotesque face, waving his broken staff.

"I WON'T FORGIVE!!!"

With a cry, a vast array of water tendrils fired from behind him, coiling around before descending on their prey. With a calm expression, Pressa waved her free left hand to the incoming tendrils. The water serpent around her coiled around her arm, making a wall of shimmering water which blocked the incoming strikes.

With another in human whale, Helpono threw his staff to the ground. Ripples formed below Pressa as water began to form at her feet. Noticing this, Pressa leaped backward as a waterspout exploded outwards.

Pressa skidded on the ground, a serpent of water sill coiling around her. As the water died down, Pressa saw Helpono forming a large water sphere which began to bubble and boil. After screaming "WON'T FORGIVE," Helpono thrust his staff into the water, sending a jet of water towards Pressa, who raised a water shield out of her left hand again, forming a pointed tip at the front. The two bodies of water hit, the jet of water hitting with enough force to push Pressa back on her feet as the torrent continued, splitting down the center.

Helpono emerged behind Pressa, lunging his staff forwards. To his surprise, shimmering water spikes, embroidered at the tip like a railing, jutted out of the ground, impaling him through the chest and his left hand, stopping his lunge.

When the water died down, Pressa pivoted on her heal, raising her left hand. The water serpent had coiled all across her hand, taking the form of a giant blade.

Helpono folded in on himself just before Pressa slammed the blade into the ground, which burst apart at the scenes. Stepping back, Pressa adjusted her glasses as she glanced towards the reemerged Helpono. The holes that were punctured into its fleshy skin was beginning to close, albeit slowly.

"Interesting. They say that a higher demon's key difference besides possession of a host is the development of an ego," Pressa said, holding out her book, "Some demon hosts either conquer their demon's ego, or the demon's ego swallows the other completely." Fixing a cold glance at the wizard, she noticed the holes had stopped healing, with some holes in his chest still opened, black blood leaking from the open poor.

"W-won't forgive..." Helpono muttered, raising his broken staff. "W-Won't.... forgive."

"And at the worst cases, the ego's will clash and eventually break down the individual's sanity until both host and demon's ego collapse. That appears to be the case here." A small smirk appeared on Pressa's lips. "I almost pity you."

"Won't... Won't... Wohooooooaaaaaaaaa....." Helpono's mind began to trace off, looking up at the sky as he waved his staff. "Won't..... F-f-f-f-aaaagiiii-AAHHHH!!!"

With a cry, the monstrous wizard slammed his staff downwards. Dark ripples formed around Pressa, taking the form of dark inky puddles. Emerging were hominoid in form, looking like a monstrous clash of man and fish, grey lumpy skin with webbed hands, large feet and a head that resembled more of a fish with puffed out eyes and horrible shark-like jaws, ranging from the size of an average human to great hulks that toward over the cait sith.

".... Seems whatever you fused with can drag creatures from the void." Pressa held out her grimoire which began to glow, the pages turning rapidly. "Such a shame. If only I'd gotten here sooner when you were still human."

"Ha ha ha... hahaha- WHAAAHAHAHA!!" Helpono chuckled in an inhuman cry before lunging his staff forwards. The fish monsters obeyed his command, all charging towards the cait sith with their shark jaws open wide, taking no heed to the blue aura gathering at Pressa's feet.

"Spirit of the radiant waters, heed my call and bring forth ruin upon the servants of the dark. Udeane!"

In one swift motion, water burst from the area around Pressa, capturing all the incoming fish monsters, rising into the air as they combined into one giant sphere. The monsters caught inside all struggled, waving their limbs as they crashed together. The water then began to glow bright, consuming all the monsters inside before bursting into small droplets of shining rain, the monsters nowhere in sight.

Pressa stood in place as the water fell all around her, not one drop hitting her. Circling around her was a humanoid figure, which was as tall as she was. Pale blue skin, ocean blue hair, pointed ears that resembled more of a fish's fin's in place human ears, her well-embound chest covered by two strange shells with shimmering water circling around the figure. The figure floated around Pressa, using its mermaid tale to 'swim' through the air, leaving a trail of water behind her before taking a spot beside Pressa, who adjusted her glasses as she returned her gaze on the wizard.

"Radiant as ever I see," Pressa said to her familiar, a powerful spirit being of water, Udeane.

"Won't.... Won't.... WHAAAAAA!!!" Helpono roared, creating four spires, all four bubbling before sending powerful jets of water at Pressa and Udeane.

The familiar floated around Pressa, waving her arms as the water cannons approached. Water shot up from the ground, blocking each blast with relatively little effort.

"Now then," Pressa raised her grimoire, "Radiant guardian."

From the pages of the tome, a snake of shimmering water emerged, orbiting around Pressa like before.

With another shriek, Helpono formed water around him, all sharpening into spears before launching them at Pressa. Udeane weaved her hands at the incoming projectiles, which then suddenly stopped short of Pressa, a radiant glow forming inside them.

The water then began to float away from Pressa, circling around Udeane who twirled her body before firing back towards Helpono. Before they could reach him, Helpono coiled up, disappearing before any could hit him.

The creature emerged closer to the ground, circling Pressa as it fired a torrent of water bullets from the broken tentacle tip of his staff, each aiming at Pressa who remained in place, readjusting her glasses.

A stream of water jetted from the ground, weaved by Udeane, which blocked each shot. Helpono vanished again, re-emerging behind the indifferent Pressa, aiming his staff at Pressa.

Before he could fire, Pressa swiped her arm out as she turned sharply. The water snake that surrounded her whipped along with her, converting into a sharp blade, which cut through Helpono's entire right arm. The monstrous wizard remained still as his right arm fell to the ground, disarming him. Just above him, Udeane hovered, twirling clockwise with water gathering around her.

"Checkmate."

Helpono folded in the air, reappearing a few feet away. However, Udeane waved her hand, and sent several sharp water spikes into the dazed wizard. Helpono swerved to dodge the first and second and was about to fold out of the way when two water pikes jutted from the ground, running him through his chest. Now pinned, the rest of Udeane's spikes hit there mark, digging into his body from his chest to even his neck and striking the ground, suspending him in place, held like a puppet with no way to move. The shimmering spikes that held him in place emitted steam from the areas where he was impaled.

"W-Won't.... won't...." Helpono muttered, still clinging to life as it used its only remaining hand to grasp at the spike that had jutted through his throat.

"Seems you've reached your limit," Pressa said as she slowly walked up to the pinned wizard. "Similar to a mid-demon, once it's mana is used up, it begins to lose its form and die."

The wizard paid no heed to its killer that was now looming over her. "F-Forgive.... Him.... Won't...."

"Seem's your mind's completely broken now," Pressa said, letting out a disappointed sigh. "Shame, if only I came here sooner," She ran her left hand over the water serpent scooping up a handful of water, clenching it as she snapped her eyes at the pinned Helpono. "Compressed water bullets." With a simple phrase, she threw her hand out. Helpono's body was peppered with small droplets of water that dug into his body.

"I would have loved to witness a host in person," Pressa huffed as she slammed her grimour closed. Udeane shone, letting out a small chuckle and vanishing in a puff of smoke with a small shimmer of stars.

The water spikes that impaled Helpono disappeared and the wizard dropped down before hovering up, just as Pressa turned her back on him.

"W-Won't...."

Helpono floated higher off the ground.

"I-I won't....."

Slowly, he reached out his hand towards his opponent.

"I won't..... We won't....."

His mind fractured beyond human imagination, the shell of his former self continued to reach out to the woman-

"Forgive..."

- To the two silhouettes, and a beast of flame standing before him.

"W-Won't...."

Pressa, grimour tucked under her shoulder, tale coiling as she put one leg in front of the other, slowly raised her left hand while walking.

"I won't...."

All he could see was his own hand within the white void, oblivious to Pressa raising her left hand to her side, fastening her fingers together.

F-Forgive... Them....

CLICK!

On Pressa's click, the entire right side of Helpono blew apart, erasing most of his body into nothingness. The last sections of him, his left hand and the left half of his face flew off from the other chunks that blew off him. His milky white skin began to change color to an ashen gray, cracked before beginning to disintegrate.

First what was left of his face faded, then his arm, before finally, his out-stretched hand vanished into nothingness.

****

Ling skidded, back assuming his martial arts stance while panting heavily. "Curses....!" His clothes had several new tares in them, with his flesh below leaking blood.

Concentrate. She's about to lunge with her weapon.

Ling curved his body right as Cory lunged towards him with her left sai, parrying it with a palm strike. Cory skidded to a halt, lunging her right dagger at Ling who parried with another palm strike, taking a step back, raising his arms as Cory leaped into the air, performing a roundhouse kick. Ling blocked the blow on his arms but was hit with enough force to send him flying backward.

Landing on the ground, Cory pounced forwards, twirling her sais as she prepared a cross strike.

Just as planned.

With a grin, Ling lowered his arms while leaning backward, allowing Cory's strike to miss by a narrow margin, leaving her chest exposed.

Yao!

With three fingers pointed, Ling stabbed them into Cory's chest, digging deep into her. I win-

His celebration cut short when two large slashes were carved into his belly. Gritting his teeth, Ling jumped back, holding his new wound that had opened on his belly.

"Whew, that was a close one." Eyes drifting up, he saw Cory standing where Ling once was with no visible wound to speak of.

..... What's going on? I definitely hit her that time! I felt my finger's connecting! I sensed it!

Cory then lunged forwards again, keeping low to the ground like a wild cat would before pouncing on his prey.

She's going for a forward attack, aiming for my center..... No. she's too clever for that? But.... That's what she's going to do.

Cory twirled her sais as she approached Ling, getting ready to stab into Ling's midsection. Gritting his teeth, Ling leaped back, swinging his left leg out, sending an invisible blade that made contact splitting Cory in half.

I definitely got her. I can see- Wh-What?!

To his shock, Cory faded into smoke, seconds before a boot connected to Ling's face.

Weibā!

With his leg still raised, he focused his mana into the limb, creating a phantasmal tale that slammed into the ground, trying to swat the fly. The blue tail slammed into the ground upon Ling lowering his leg, and was followed by the man bending backward, performing a handstand before pushing himself back to his feet.

Panting, he parted his legs, pointing out his fingers as he eyed Cory, who had once again escaped his attack completely unscathed. A clone? No, my 'eye' should have sensed something that obvious.

Cory took a single step forward. Ling's expression hardened, eyeing his opponent with scrutiny, looking for the slightest indication of her intentions.

Then, she vanished.

From behind!

Ling pivoted, pointing out four fingers, swiping them horizontally as Cory appeared behind him with arms thrown back. The attack struck her neck, which in turn severed her head from her body. Ling watched with satisfaction as her head flew off her shoulders -

"?!"

- only no blood trailed from the severed head, which began to distort. Still in motion, Ling pivoted, swiping his fingers down. Behind him was Cory, unharmed yet again, leaping back following Ling's counter attack.

There were definitely two of them..... I saw-

It took Ling a few seconds to feel a strange absence on his left hand, the very one he had used to attack the cait sith. Slowly, he raised his hand to his field of vision. "........ AHHHHHHH!!!!"

He cried in shock, clutching his left hand which was slick with his own blood, pouring from his fingers where the tops had been sliced clean off.

Gritting his teeth, he glared at Cory who gave him a small smirk. "A clone ability. It's got to be...?"

".... Not quite," Cory said as she slowly paced to her right, circling around Ling. As he watched her, he saw something strange. As she walked, a figure was starting to separate from her ever so slightly. After a few more paces, it became more and clearer, an identical copy of Cory, walking in perfect sync to the one in front, copying her exact movements and pace.

It is a clone..... But.... I'm only sensing one person.

"By that expression, I take it you're a sensor," Cory said, seemingly amused by Ling's puzzled expression. Despite both Cory's lips moving, only one voice could be heard "I can imagine seeing this, it looks like I'm creating a clone of myself." Cory then stopped moving, and all of a sudden, the front Cory vanished, leaving only the one behind. "Even though there's still only one of me,"

Ling's eyes opened wide, his jaw-dropping to the ground. He realized Cory wasn't creating clones of herself, rather she was moving fast enough to create a perfect replica of herself, an illusion to fool her enemies. ..... But if that's the case, that means she's a-

"You know, I've only shown this technique to a few opponents." Cory continued, throwing up her right sai before it fell to the ground, "And only milady and Pressa have ever survived."

Ling couldn't help but crack a smile, not out of confidence, but amusement at what was clearly his own demise. In my condition.... I doubt I'll be the third.

Cory began to swerve as she slowly approached Ling, lowering herself before launching herself from the ground, charging towards her opponent.

Ling waited for her to get as close as she could before pivoting around, swiping his left leg at Cory which passed through her like a ghost. Cory rushed through the after image low to the ground preparing to catch Ling off guard.

And there's the real one!

Ling jumped back as Cory swiped, landing on his right hand as he spun his leg out to catch Cory while still in motion.

Chìbang!

The invisible blade swiped through Cory, severing her how she was, cutting through her chest and through her back at an odd angle due to her crouching position.

Recovering, he glanced forwards to see Cory falling to the ground before to his horror she distorted and vanished.

That was one too?!

Sensing an impending threat approaching from behind, Ling pivoted on his right foot, swinging clockwise with his left leg extended. As predicted, Cory was there, holding out her right sai inverted, the pointed blade digging into Ling's shin.

She then vanished just as fast, skidding to a stop as Ling recovered from his kick, now standing on one leg as the other bleed profusely.

"Sorry, but two's not my limit," Cory said as she jumped forwards, with ten copies suddenly appearing around her, all charging at Ling from all directions.

Gritting his teeth, Ling extended his wounded left leg which began to burst with aura as he poured as much power as he could into one final attack. "DON'T UNDERESTIMATE ME," He cried as he swiped the large, phantasmal tail outwards, "PAWN OF THE ARCH SAGE!!!"

The attack brushed through all the Cory clones as it smashed through the air, leaving grooves in the earth around him through to the sheer ferocity of the attack. Coming to a halt, Ling looked forwards once again.

"It's eleven."

Time froze for the man as his eyes widened. Blood gushed from his mouth like a waterfall. He'd dare not glance down, for he knew all too well there was a gaping hole in his throat.

"M-Maaaassss...." The man from Shu lost his balance, collapsing to his one good knee, eyes gazing into the distance, taking no note of the petit cait sith standing behind him, her right sai soaked in his blood. "stttteeeeeeerrrrrrr....." With one last gasp, Ling collapsed forwards.

Without even glancing back, Cory walked away.

****

Luminous butterfly's shone a dim light over the cavern that time had long forgotten. The luminous lake had long abandoned the ancient passageway that extended to a small circular room.

"Buurrr.... Why's it so cold in here?" Robin shuddered as he floated to the rear end of the circular room. In the entire complex, there was only one source of light; an ocean blue tear diamond fastened within a mural of a design that broke the very design of the ruins that lay outside. The diamond was fastened in the grip of two ghastly humanoid figures, that coiled their long fingers around the artifact, clutching it for dear life.

".... They really picked the wrong guy for this," Robin moaned as he approached the sculpture. The gaps between the fingers were wide enough for him to slip his small fingers into. Touching the diamond, he coiled his hands around one of the outstretched hands and with a tug, pulled the finger off. Steadily, he picked up the diamond, cradling it in his hands. "...... Not sure about customs in the Ersk," He said in a loud voice, "but following someone who's on a private mission is pretty rude."

Behind him Fark steadied himself on the wall, using what little of his strength he had to keep himself upright. "I thought there was something strange about you..." He sneered. "There's no way someone like you would have sought out master Yensin to just join his cause....."

"Aw, and I thought that I was being sneaky," Robin said sarcastically as he turned around. "Yeah, he prefers headhunting over someone actively wanting to join him. Since you figured it out no doubt he suspects who I really am."

Shrugging, Robin raised the Dimond. "But I got what I need. I couldn't care less about that fox up there, but my boss needed the key that was hidden below the village, and since I don't feel like swimming draining the lake was the only way here.

"Look, the way I see it it's win-win for both parties involved. My boss gets the key he's been looking for and Yensin's free to do whatever he wants with that thing. My business with him stopped the moment he entered those ruins.

".... Though fighting that kid may have been pushing it."

Scowling, Fark pushed himself up from the wall.

"Huh? You're actually going to fight me?" Robin crooked his head. "You look like you're about to keel over any second now. Ersken or not, there's no chance in the void you'd be able to kill me."

"..... Master Yensin's instructions were clear...." Fark wheezed. "If you step out of line.... Exterminate you." Standing defiantly, he fixed Robin with a glare that could burn a hole in the elfs very soul. "I owe Master Yensin a great debt.... He gave me a purpose once again.... Even if I am not long for this world, I will serve him with my dying breath."

Robin let out a sigh. "This is why I hate these jobs they stick me with."

Before Fark could make a move, a swarm of butterflies bursts through his chest, gouging a large hole. The Ersken coughed blood, eyes widened with shock as he looked down at the giant hole that had opened up.

"Aw, don't act so shocked," Robin said nonchalantly as the butterflies fluttered to his right hand, taking the form of his silver bow. "You all knew I was barely using half of Sifflet full power."

Fark then collapsed to his knees, hovering his hands over the gaping hole that had opened up before flopping to the floor.

"Shame, you I did like, and I was hoping to get you on our side." Robin swiped his hands, forming a small cyclone of wind that shone before dissipating, letting a single object fall into the growing puddle of blood that was forming around the fallen Ersken. "Well, nice knowing you. Give my regards to Sokaku when you see him in hell."

He then floated away. Fark remained on the ground, his life finally giving out, with his eyes focused on one thing only, the thing that had dropped into the puddle of blood, the last thing he would ever see in this life; a blood-stained white rose.