Raziel and Arata had unleashed more of their true power to save me from being consumed but what I would have called dark poison as it infected your very core rather than corrupting you over a period of time like Dumah had done to Alton.

Hashana was struggling to get a hold of them as they clawed and bit down at her back. Eventually Arata jumped off, then his body became lightning itself and he rammed into Hashana’s belly, sending her shooting across the room. Raziel jumped off before she came into contact with the far wall, then shot towards her like a comet as a flaming fire ball.

I watched in disbelief, realising that I was the one holding them back, if they were this powerful, then why did they need me.

“Just because they are powerful, they cannot come forth without a master.” I heard the dragon behind me. “The winged lions gifted with boundless power by the goddess herself, especially those descended from the god of lions.” Another god? “Now stand with them, they still need you, they will always need you.”

“Raziel and Arata.” I leaned down picking up their swords, which glowed with the very power that they were releasing. I wondered for a moment if I would be able to handle this much of their power.

“Trust in their power as you always have,” said the dragon. How did he know about us?

I grabbed their swords, feeling their power pulse up my arms, through my entire body relieving the darkness within me. I felt this great spark between our powers, my body glowing white with Raziel’s power as he gave me everything, but Arata still held back, without both of them giving me their full strength I could not create the fused armour, but that was okay.

Arata’s distrust ran deep, and I would gain that trust and hopefully discovered what secret kept him from distrusting others.

“Hashana!” I shouted as her third head disappeared to heal the wounds inflicted by Raziel and Arata, there was only shadow, and darkness left. Both were dangerous teamed up, but I knew what both were capable of.

I swiped down both swords, sending out more powerful version of their beam attacks, I’d used before, fire and lightning separate but crossed over to empower each other. I smiled sensing the power I could wield in this state, I understood why Dumah had wanted to prevent me from getting my hands on them, as they were they both carried the true power of the goddess passed down to each sacred animal.

Hashana unprepared was struck by my attack, a cross shape across her body. Raziel and Arata jumped away to come beside me where I could feel and even see the connection flowing between us, this feeling was amazing.

“You may have uncovered a portion of their true power, but this is not all the power the lions possess,” said Hashana.

“I know that, but it’ll be enough to deal with you,” I responded.

“We’ll see.” Hashana held out her hands as two swords appeared within them, each imbued with the last two powers that she possessed. This was it.

I felt a strain on my body from the long dragged-out battle, but I could not lose here, my promise to Tigra coming to mind and my duty to destroy the darkness, to remove it from this world, to return balance to the goddess who grew forever weaker the longer my battle between light and darkness continued.

I was the first to make my move, both the twin lions swords sparking off the lion’s represented elements, they felt more like fangs than swords. Hashana did not hesitate to counter-attack, both of us swinging at each other, letting off sparks of power across the room. I was surprised that Hashana had not used another head to heal the deep wounds I had inflicted, it didn’t matter I just needed to keep going.

Hashana swiped both blades downwards, I moved back, twisting round to her left side, but she vanished within my shadow. My mind clear and my goal ahead of me, I saw her in coming attack as she came from right beneath my feet.

Larana’s wind guiding me as I back flipped away, glancing down as I saw her come out from the ground, swords together in a lunge. Landing on my feet I thrusted forward, digging my swords into her sides.

Hashana stumbled back, the head of shadow finally fading away, last push. As that last head completely disappeared so did the wounds and then there was a larger amount of dark energy released, I coughed almost choking on the stuff.

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I felt the barriers I had surrounding the Smilodon faltered but held strong, any longer and my barriers would disperse, and they would lose their lives to the condensing darkness.

“It seems I have underestimated your power again,” said Hashana. “But that won’t happen again.”

“It doesn’t matter what you do I will always step forward and stop you,” I snarled, feeling more strain upon my body, I needed to end this soon as I would not last much longer against her.

“A Fang will eventually fail,” she responded, as she pounced forward, slashing wildly, each swing of her swords, let off dark energy, feeding off the energy in the room, feeding off the growing anger she held towards me.

I defended myself, swiping back to counter her darkness, feeling her power through each strike as our two wills clashed. Our attacks quicken, staying focused as I saw each of her strikes, countering, looking out for an opening anywhere, a weakness I could exploit.

Raziel and Arata backed me up, letting of flaming fire balls and shots of lightning, pushing Hashana back enough for me to go on the attack, but like I had responded to her attacks she responded to mine with the same skill, this was not going to be easy.

I took the opportunity to move away from her, releasing Mila’s power around me, thousands of bubbles, filled and infused with the other elements, hoping to restrict her movement, but it did not stop her, as she ran at me, dragging her blades against the ground, flinging each one after the other upwards to send out an energy beam.

Arata came to stand in front of me, his whole body glowing as he released a beam of lightning breaking apart her attack, she swiped at him. Arata avoided, then bolted forward, like a lightning bolt, striking at her chest.

Hashana twisted to the right, avoiding most of Arata’s attack, grazing her side. Raziel was next coming in like a flaming fire ball, words reaching me as he directly struck her.

“She is now weak enough for you to find her deeper darkness.”

Hashana’s body smouldering from the heat from Raziel’s attack, she stood stunned for a moment, before moving one foot forward, I needed longer if I was going to find her deeper darkness.

I controlled the infused water I had summoned, directing it all at Hashana, creating a few extra filled with light energy, hoping it would clash against the darkness and reveal what I was looking for.

Hashana slashed at the majority of the incoming bubbles, but there was just too many of them, for her to get them all, catching the scent of burnt fur. I took this time to get even closer to Hashana, thrusting Raziel’s flaming sword forward.

Our eyes met as she avoided my attack, but I was ready with my next, swiping upwards with Arata’s, up her chest, sending off lightning energy, forcing it through her body, she arched back, off her feet.

“Now!” I shouted to myself, holding both my swords strongly, I jumped forward baring down both blades at her chest.

Hashana fell upon her back, but reached out her hands, grasping hold of my blades. I pushed down with all my might, but she fought back. So close, inching closer. Hashana growled as I spotted the strand of darkness that connected her to the eternal dragon, it was there right under my blades target.

“Just a little more.” I struggled to make the last push; my strength was already at its limit. “Come on.” I was getting frustrated.

“You can’t do it,” laughed Hashana. “I can draw more power from the darkness, you cannot find any light here now.” Her body started to glow, and she began pushing back. If she overpowered me now, it would all be over for me, she would win.

“Fang!” I heard the dragon behind me, suddenly feeling a strange power of lightning coursing through my body.

“Master,” said Raziel, as I felt his power circling back up from the sword and into me, feeding my lost strength.

“Time to end this.” Arata was next giving me his power too.

“I can do this.” I pushed harder, feeling their strength infusing with mine.

“What?!” She held shock in her expression and voice as I brought my blades down, cutting through her deeper darkness and deep within her chest. Hashana coughed up blood upon my face.

“You will never win,” I said. “I never fight alone.”

“Indeed, but weakened how will you save them from my darkness, you may have defeated me, but it has cost you all your strength… This won’t be our…last…battle…” Hashana’s body went completely limp, her hands slipping from my swords as they returned to their original state.

I pushed myself to my feet as Hashana’s body began to fade away, but all the dark power she had released and spread within the caverns, even with the failure of my barrier not much of it left the room and I did not have the power to remove it.

I looked around the room, checking on the Smilodon’s, they were still alive, but I could do nothing for them as the strain from the long battle hit me, my vision blurred and I could hardly stand, still feeling some of the effect of her dark power within me.

Hashana had been right, it had cost me all my strength, I could do nothing now. I collapsed to the ground, passing out, the strain on my body and energy too great for me to stand any longer.