Aya Felicity felt as if she would freeze to death the moment everything thing went pitch black.

She tried to move her fingers but she could not feel them. She couldn't feel anything for that matter.

Suddenly there was Dracula floating above and a figure clad in midnight black armor from head to toe. The sun shined above them but storm clouds began to form overhead.

The newly arrived figure wore a cape that draped down over it's shoulder, the Nadire crest stitched into it. Suns that seemed light years away moved about in it's sleek design, a tail swung behind it.

Shocked Aya looked for Kaden but found only a horde of vympiri and uncontrolled Evilbarers racing towards them, fighting amongst themselves to get to the injured knights.

She looked to her father who was watching in awe.

Aya was confused. Her father should have known the dark creatures would turn on them once his Lifeforce dropped.

Aya then saw what he saw. Blood and entrails sprayed everywhere as the creatures died.

"K-kaden?" Aya stuttered out as the figure walked by.

The figure looked behind him. The helmet opened up revealing Kaden's head, his hair wild and messy. Just like the first time she saw his transformation.

"You... You're in control?" She asked in amazement.

Kaden nodded.

Dracula spoke as he lowered himself a bit more. "I've only ever seen one human wield Darqus whilst retaining consciousness. I never thought your race would be capable of repeating that feat twice. Only direct descendants of the four deities are suppose to be able to accomplish such a thing."

"Four deities?" Kaden asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Your race is too young, too ignorant to grasp the power of the primes." Dracula said flatly.

Three black crystals now floated behind him. These were the three black crystals that held Kariah, the golden haired girl and Rygilya. Dracula held up his arm and two large dark matter crystals formed in the shape of spheres. They then shot upwards before expanding to the size of massive meteors.

Aya nearly pissed herself. The output of Mana made it hard for her to breathe.

"The continent will prove unlivable after." Van said now getting to his feet. He watched Kaden as if eager to see his next move.

"I'll be sure to scatter your consciousness this time, Darqus." He spoke before the two meteors descended slowly upon them.

Aya watched Kaden's helmet form around his head as two swords that had a remarkable amount of Mana appeared beside him. The swords crackled with black lightning while far away stars danced within.

Kaden pointed his sword and the other two swords were gone. Aya could barely track them as they struck the falling crystal meteors.

Two gigantic bolts of black lightning shattered the crystals into shards and chunks.

"H-he's just as his father was." Memphis said amazed. "Eliyah you bastard. You could've conquered all of Lore with this power."

Aya looked to Kaden in wonder.

Up till now Aya had no idea Kaden could control the dark being. She just assumed it was a burden Kaden was forced to bare. Protecting him from her father, other bounty hunters, Rygilya, and himself had become Aya's reason for staying alive. It was what always kept her from killing her father. He was the reason she had never entered the Fallen Place.

Now here he was on a level far above their master.

"Not bad boy. Let's see just how much Darqus has given you!" Challenged Dracula.

Aya couldn't see Dracula but suddenly a shock wave sent Aya tumbling along the crystal floor. Aya was caught quickly by Sir Van, the man was still trying to catch his breath.

They both put their eyes back on Dracula and Kaden. Aya could barely keep up. She could not track every attack but could catch bits and pieces.

Kaden suddenly grabbed hold of Dracula's crystal wings. The young man tore them from the vympiri's back. He then spun rapidly before kicking Dracula away. Without hesitation, Kaden grabbed Dracula using his tail and tossed him upwards. Two of those dark swords from before appeared and were sent hurtling towards the vympiri.

Dracula swatted one away but the other jabbed into his shoulder. With a thrust of Kaden's hand, a large black lightning bolt exploded through Dracula's shoulder and the sky was an explosion of smoke and black electrical currents.

The smoke cleared to reveal Dracula with a chunk of his left side missing. Blood rained down from the remaining half. The vympiri was breathing heavily.

"You're still alive after that?" Kaden asked. "Resilient bastard."

"Human!" Dracula shouted. "I commemorate your efforts but I cannot let you kill me! I will give my people Kul's light before I am no more!"

The vympiri king roared and his entire left side reformed. Armor was still missing, leaving it naked. He tried to reform his armor but was only able to get a small chunk which covered his left leg.

Then Aya saw Kaden's helmet crumble before he fell to his knees and coughed up blood.

Aya looked at him worried. "Kaden?!"

He winched as he held his palm up to the the side of his head. "I'm fine. I'm fine." He said as he got to his feet wiping the blood. "I don't have much time in this form."

He launched himself at Dracula at high speeds. Aya watched as he and Dracula exchanged attacks with enough force to light explosions of lightning in the sky.

Rain started to pour as thunder rumbled in the clouds that had formed.

As the white haired young woman looked on, she would occasionally see Kaden slow as he winched in pain. She could feel his Mana output dropping and notice a bit more of his armor had crumbled.

Just like when he coughed up blood. Aya thought as she recalled a few moments ago.

Aya stepped in Kaden's direction.

A hand held her shoulder firmly.

"He's dying!" She cried, turning to Sir Van. "That thing is killing him!"

Van's eyes were apologetic. "Right now, Kaden isn't fighting for himself. He's not only fighting for the lives of his comrades but for all of humanity. No matter what you say, you'll never get him to abandon his justice. You of all people know that."

Aya then looked to Iris who was clenching her fist so tight it caused bleeding.

"You're just going to let him kill himself?!" Aya shouted at her mentor. Tears now ran down her cheek. "After everything we've been through to keep him alive?!"

"They have to learn!" Iris snapped, pain and anger shaped her features. Aya looked into her eyes and saw guilt.

She's not angry at me. Aya thought. Then her face lit with realization.

Sending Kariah-Belle with only a small force as her entourage against mature vympiri...

"You planned this." She said.

"Planned? No. Foresaw? Yes." Iris confirmed.

"If you knew then why!?" Aya screamed. "Why would you let it happen!?"

Iris looked back at the battle unfolding above them and said, "Because they must understand their roles. As the keepers of light and darkness, they will continue to be burdened with more hardships. Hardships they will never overcome if they can't utilize the power they keep inside."

Tears continued to flow and her heart ached. She watched as Dracula and Kaden both fell on the surface of the crystal crystal ground.

The two got to the their feet, armor broken and dented. Even though they weren't giving off dense Mana like before it was still exceptional.

"It seems we are running low on Lifeforce." Dracula stated through heavy breaths. "Let's end this now, human."

Kaden used his right arm to grab a sword that appeared from black flames that seemed to harden. The weapon held two far-away lights floating across the surface. "My thoughts exactly."

With a yell, dark lightning surround the sword. The lightning would carve through the black crystal as it twisted and danced around the blade. He coughed up blood but this time stayed upright.

Dracula held up his arm and a gauntlet made of dark matter crystals formed around it. This one held multiple stars that seemed very far away.

He pounced.

Kaden mimicked him.

The two clashed, unleashing an explosion of such devastation. Even with the mana they used to confine the attacks, chunks of the ground and crystal buildings were blown away. She would've been blown away with them if Iris and Van hadn't created a mana barrier.

Eventually everything was quiet and Aya's ears stopped ringing.

Aya waited anxiously for the smoke to clear. She heard coughing and she herself coughed as smoke entered her lungs.

Finally the smoke became somewhat transparent, allowing her to see a silhouette trying to stand. She could just make out the image.

Aya clenched her chest as she sobbed, more tears spilled out of her eyes. She felt snot threaten to escape her nostril but she didn't care.

"Oi, oi, oi." Kaden said rising to his feet. Aya knew she was hallucinating when Kaden was suddenly replaced with a memory of his younger self. The first time Aya had survived his transformation and the day Kaden made his first promise to her. "What's that face for Aya? I told you didn't I?"

He clenched his fist and shouted as loud as he could, "I'll become a sword of Justice!!"

With that, Kaden Nadire coughed up blood and fell over.