"Where are you?" Jack whispered with all he could to the darkness.

"I'm here. I'm here," she called close to his ear.

"Quick, put you back against mine. Did you still hear him?" The clanking of metal played on cue. It had to be on the other side of the room, the sound of a hinge pressing on itself to twist. CLANK! It was right to the side of him. How did it get there so fast?

"Sorry, I knocked something over." Stella pushed more against his back. Jack followed her force until he met the nearest metal wall. The nearest, oddly shaped metal wall.

"Hahahahahaha," the near, oddly shaped wall screeched in a low rumble.

"Damnit. He is here!" Jack stomped both feet right where he stood and pushed back as hard as he could. The resistance his back met was minimal before both of them crashed into the ground with a crash that was too loud for their landing. They both turned quickly to what was now a collection muffled yelling.

A light burst through a widening slit. No sound from the black shape pushed away by the light, but two silhouettes standing in the blinding stimuli. Stella could barely spot two shapes in the distance before the light began to close on itself, but not before Jack could catch the glimpse of a shadow dash from in front of him.

"Ace! The Butcher!" The sound of metal on metal reverberated to a wave of relief. The room suddenly lit by white light from above, but they were only able to be stunned by it before their eyelids saved them. Of course there would be a light in the room.

"Are you guys okay?" Ophelia called.

Stella was the first to pry back her vision. "Sis! Iris?"

"Iris?" Jack forced his eyes open to see warrior holding off the lanky suit of armour trying to chop at him with giant cleavers. The metal work howling with laughter and the bent cone and crumpled chest piece only added to its intimidation. But his recent opponent was smiling while fending off the slashes with a charcoal metal shield wrapped around his arm. A unique piece of metal work in its own right, the shield must have been half a metre wide and the length of Iris's elbow to a couple of inches past his knuckles. The entire piece was made of smaller sections of metal flowing on to each other like petals, with the pistil being an odd purple black shaped stone. It looked like a sketch directly from the book he borrowed in Nectar Village. It looked like a nightmare to forge.

"How did you guys beat everyone so fast. There must have been over a hundred?" Stella asked, just noticing the weaponry she was holding.

"We didn't. We burst through the flooring and rushed here figuring that it would make more sense for you to help us." Ophelia smiled.

"My hero." Stella pushed out her hand while her friend cut the bounds. Jack patiently waited while scanning the room. The arrival of footsteps, yelling and banging on the sealed metal door caused a moment's hesitation.

The room was much larger than he imagined. Large enough that the ongoing battle could occur without affecting them. A room filled with anything and everything he would imagine to be expensive. Covered rectangles, and exposed shaped stones hid stories he probably would never know, with him only realising that he got lucky finding the wall the first time.

"What is the plan?" Stella asked.

"Well, there is a lot of people outside that door, and I think it is the only exit. You good over their big guy?" Ophelia answered.

"I'm great." Iris grinned after his latest parry. A quick step forward pinned The Butcher between the shield and wall. "I am really great."

"I kind of saw a corridor. If there is a lot of hallways, then we can..." Jack stood up and attached his mounted sword to his right arm.

"Oh yea, I think that is the best plan. We will flood them." Stella stood up. "Thanks for bringing our weapons. I don't think I ever used this outside of training."

"I forgot to mention that I changed it." Ophelia stole Stella's attention. "I was leaving this or next week and wanted to do something special for you, so the day I went home early, I took it to a shop and replaced most of the metal with Full Metal. I wanted to do your sword too Jack, but yours doesn't touch your hand so I wanted to do Null Metal, but we couldn't get any of that so, you know..." Stella hugged Ophelia instinctively before quickly releasing and twirling her weapon. A little blue orb began forming at the end of the blade to the delight of the three.

"I have no problems. I am glad you thought of me." Jack laughed.

"Thank you so much Sis."

"I am the best, but back to this. What do we do?" The two girls turned to Jack.

"We should use a big water spell to push them back, then Stella and I can charge through while mimic sharing a water torrent. That might save us the most mana. You can charge in once the spell expires or if the place opens up." Jack waits for the nod from Ophelia. "Stella you are better with water, so you charge the sharing spell so it is as strong and as durable as we can get it. I'll charge the first flash flood."

"What do we do about them?" Ophelia asked. "You need help big guy?"

"Nope! Leave this to me. I want to let King know that his faith isn't wasted, but I'll leave the mob outside to you guys." Iris stepped back from a downward cleave. A compact swing used the edge of the shield as a fist into the shoulder plate of the metal skeleton.

The armour flowed with its strikes in an unexpected fluidity in consideration of the unnerving noises of metal on metal with every movement. Cleave after cleave, with no variation in intent. Each strike purposely trying to sever whatever the edge contacted like it was all he knew. Black orbs scattering with the slightest brush against the stone.

Iris couldn't remember the last time he fought with the shield. It was a present from his mother and Lance when he won his second championship. The weight made it feel impractical, even for a berserker, but this was a real battle. This monster had no one to hold him back in the moment, but Iris couldn't stop smiling. There was no fear looking into the dented muzzle below the hollowed pits where eyes should be. He didn't even hold resentment when pushing away the cleaver that took from him already. It was just elation. The thrill of feeling that his fight was making a difference to the three behind him, and those promised to wait on him. The joy of returning their respect with a result they are confident in. Iris was simply happy to tell King that he kicked The Butcher's ass after everything.

For the first time in a long time, he was fighting and thinking of the future instead of the past. It may only be for this fight, and he knew it wasn't permanent, but for the first time in a long time, he felt like he had a reason to fight.

The edge of the shield dented the chest plate further when Iris punched the man into the wall. His cleavers fell from both hands and the cone pointed downwards. Jack stared at the suit of armour pinned with a punch, its dangling feet was a sight that didn't seem possible, besides for the only person tall enough to make it happen. A finish made for The Wildflower, Jack thought. A start to a new journey, Iris thought.

"You really are strong." Jack smiled at the man, while a large blue orb bigger than his body was stuck to his palm behind him. It took Iris a few seconds to process the sight. "I want a rematch though."

"I look forward to it."

***

Red splattered onto the snow-covered stage, melting into the thin layer. The crowd's boos timed with the blood fall. More and more punches to splatter more and more blood, only leading to more and more displeasure.

"What are you doing!" Vincent drove his knuckles across King's face as hard as he could, twisting the boy, but his feet was always under him. He slowly straightened his back and looked straight into the anger of the champion.

"It looks like a domination in today's exhibition, but completely from a lack of trying." Mo's voice fuelled a stadium's rage. "Why Ren is just letting the champion hit him is anyone's guess, but it is not the action we came to see. Vincent doesn't seem to be trying either, or is our champion incapable of beating an opponent that won't fight back."

"Why aren't you fighting back! Do you not care about your friends?" Vincent screamed between punches that still failed to knock down the dragon's son.

"You told me that I had to lose. I am clearly losing." King spit blood to the side.

"How stupid can you be? You decided to risk their lives so you can be a smartass."

"Iris already went to get them. I am not scared of you at all." King walked up until there was barely a hair width between them. King had to look up, but his composure caused Vincent to draw back a little. "I haven't beat you yet so we can have more time, but the second I can, I will crush you."

"Iris can't save them. You wasted their lives, but in case you want to waste more, then just look over to the tunnel. Those Centurys will slaughter your friends as soon as I signal."

King looked over to the tunnel and the image grew in size to see Tana's worried expression. The rest looked happy for him. He was worried that they would be upset that he wasn't able to act along, but he truly couldn't. Looking at this man upset him beyond belief, but his desperation cut some of the edge. And the threat in the tunnel...

"AhahahahahaaahahahaaaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAH!" King covered his mouth and gripped his belly.

"It seems like Ren has been possessed by The Butcher," Mo announced, "This match cannot get any weirder."

"What is so funny!" Vincent took King by the throat. He pressed harder and harder to get the laughing to stop, but black swirled under his hand keeping him from pressing down any harder. "What the hell are you!"

Vincent pushed him back to create distance, but King inched back towards him trying to stifle his laugh. "I am just a loser for now. Ah." The laugh finally finished with that exhale. "So, you want to hit me some more, I don't think you have much time remaining."

Vincent leapt back and summoned red to his hand. Holding it in a panic as King continued his amble. He looked towards one of the colossal hands sitting to the edge of the arena and blasted his spell at it. Without a hitch, a Century on the edge intercepted the fireball and scattered it across their Null Shield.

Vincent screamed his frustration and turned to King. The distance he created with his leap was now being returned by his sprint, throwing red orbs as fast as he can at the boy. King narrowly dodged most of them as they fizzled out in the air behind him, but Vincent slid to a stop and started a flurry of fists. The sheer number of strikes pushed King back and started to take effect, finally knocking him down. The champion hovered over him and threw a red orb at his head, but King's darkened hand caught the explosion instead. King winced. Surprised that it hurt that much. Another red orb formed in his hand, but King reaches up to try and get him off but they both stopped all motion.

The colossal hand above the arena exploded and sectional screams followed. King saw the massive chunks of stone falling to the crowd below before a dark bubble encapsulated the fall zone shattering the rocks to tiny pieces.

"Good. I was worried he would have waited," Vincent said stepping away from King and starting his run of the stage. King looked at the chaos as people swarmed from their seats flowing up and down according to their locations. Yells echoed from that side, while others moved in a quieter panic.

"Everyone stay calm. Don't rush over each other, take your time to get out and help those next to you. For those that are outside of the arena, make way and help those coming out. It looks like arena is under attack. I repeat. The arena is under attack!"

Ace appeared next to King with Tana in his hands and Luna on his back. His eyes frantically absorbing as much of the discord as he could. Tenny appeared on his shoulder not to long after with the black bubble only sheltering the sun for the moment.

"Ace, what do we do?" King asked.

"Give me a second."

"What do you think is going on?" King asked Tana. He turned to Luna when there was no response.

"Isn't that where the general is? Didn't someone try to kill him a few nights ago." Tana jumped up when the idea hit her. Her panic caused her to quickly look between faces.

"Jack said that the chain people were probably behind that. Do you think he is dead?" King asked.

"No way. It would take a lot more than that to kill a general. But if that is the plan, then we need to get everyone out of the arena." Ace said. "Damnit, I need more magic for us to split up. What do we do...what do we do?" Ace paced a bit while looking at the swarm of people.

"Wait, do you think this has anything to do with Jack and Stella? Would they be okay?" Tana asked.

"Vincent did say something about this finally happening. I think he had an idea," King said.

"What if he wants to blame them? Does that mean that they would be killed as martyrs?" Tana panicked.

"I doubt, because if they had to postpone, then they would have wasted their scapegoats. If you are right, then we are running out of time, but Iris and Ophy should be successful by now," Ace answered.

Another explosion happened in the far-off distance. Not loud enough to startle anyone on the stage, but enough to turn their heads to see the column of smoke climbing through the snow. Then another one far from that one.

"Everyone! Tells is under attack. Soldiers of the empire! We are under attack!" Mo called.

"This is bad." Ace twisted and looked to Tana. "Remember how you evacuated Kofka?"

Tana nodded her head. "Yea, but we had more time before the battle and less chaos."

"Yes, but the idea remains the same. Since it is a larger kingdom, there must be designated zones in preparation. If there isn't then make some. Remember what to look for?"

"Yea, we have to be in a large open space away from tall structures and easy to get to."

"Good, there must be spots like that around. Like...ummm...outside and..." Ace started pacing on the tiles again.

"Here! Here, here, here, Ace we can use here." Tana jumped up and down and pointed to the stage. Ace scanned the arena and looked to the crowd.

"That is genius. Here might be safer if outside is being attacked. Okay the key to this is..." Ace continued saying but an orange hair boy running across the sand caught King's attention. He looked to the direction to see Vincent gathering the Century's in a clearing by the wall. Away from anything that could be falling. He really was prepared for this.

"Ace! Roland is going to attack Vincent. He will die! Stella promised to keep him safe."

"Damnit, I kind of need everyone, so go quickly. Once you are done, head to the event hall where Jack is. If no one is there, then look for the biggest battle and go help. King you are one of the strongest in the world, so don't doubt yourself okay. We have a lot of people to save."

"Got it! I won't let you down!" King's arms turned black and his pupil split. He was gone.

"Okay, the key to this is Mo. Kyouko, I need you to get to him and head to the event hall. Tell him to plan the biggest broadcast he can and get what he needs to make it happen. Luna and Tenny, protect each other until then. As quickly as possible, because the longer Tenny is with you then the less people he can save."

"Got it! Event hall. Are you going there too?" Tana asked.

"Yea, but I am going to make sure outside the kingdom is safe for people to gather, and I am going to find Zeke and his dad so they can meet at the event hall help organise everything. If I don't make it in time, then fill Jack in on everything you can. Whatever he says, we will make happen. Good luck."

"Good luck," Tana said. Luna wraps around Ace until she receives her head pat. Ace glances at Tenny, they both exchange a nod before the grey eyed tactician flashed away. Tana steeled her nerves and started a sprint toward the dark tunnel, towards the few individuals wielding weapons and looking up to no good.

***

King was quick to meet the boy about to confront the heavily armed guard. The champion in a circle of soldiers laughed his fill. The soldier bringing down his axe, while the boy tried to narrowly shift, but King didn't wait to see if it would work. His blacked hand sprouting scales bashed the helmet of the guard sending him flying off to the side.

"What the hell are you doing!" King pushed the boy down.

"Stay out of my way!" Roland climbed to his feet to run past the dragon. King was already on the move blocking any strike with a scaled arm and pounding with the other. The champion's face contorted as he looked for a route to make an escape, but his safety against the wall turned to be a detriment.

"You are being selfish right now. The kingdom is under attack, we should be helping people!" King growled.

"I don't care. What if I lose my chance? I have to beat him for my grandpa. For my mother!"

"Your mother doesn't want this for you! My friends talked to her!" King still intercepting any guard making his way towards the panicking champion.

"I know! How could I not know that, but what else can I do! It was his fault we lost everything. It was his fault they died, and mom is sick! I won't have anything else soon. Why is everyone so quick to reject my purpose? I know it isn't the best, but it is all I have. Why is everyone trying to take away my chance at a fight!"

King felt his heart sink as he pictured the weathered face of the lady behind the counter. Her tears with her pleads. Her hope at Stella's words. "Fine, but you are taking my help because we promised your mom. If you don't accept, then I will knock both of you out."

"Okay! I get it," Roland answered after the last guard was taken down.

"I will handle the attacks. You just look for an opening and hit him as hard as you could," King said stretching his limbs and walking towards the remaining target.

"Stay away from me you freak!" Vincent called. "What do you want? Leave me! Roland, you plan on killing your uncle now?"

"Shut up! Give me back the shoulder guard. You don't deserve the Ganes Heirloom."

"Take it! Take this pathetic thing, I don't need it anymore." The man quickly tried to unfasten it before the dragon got closer. He made it just in time and threw it to the boy. Roland picked it up and held it in his left, for his right was clenched and his eyes were blurred. King wasn't sure if there were wisps moving. As a mystical, he doesn't have that ability, but he imagined that loaded punch would hurt anyone.

Vincent summoned green to one hand and tried to dash to a side. King was already in front of him and latched on to both of his palms. The man was strong enough to keep King from pushing him back, but Roland dashed to them, finding his spot and with his feet planted, his fist drove the larger orange haired man into the wall.

Vincent peeled from the crack bricks and landed on his knees. Spit and all the air in his body formed a small sandstorm as he gripped his stomach, heaving all the impact. Roland was walking to him with one hand gripping the shoulder guard and the other already loaded. The downed man caught his breath. "Two against one. You have no honour. You think your grandfather would have been proud of this."

"Looks like I am more like you than I hoped," Roland answered.

"You piece of shit!" Vincent pushed of the ground with all his force to take hold of the boy, but King was there to grip onto his wrist from behind him. Stretching his hands to his side, the champion was forced to look at the loaded fist until it crashed into his jaw. King felt all the weight of the body drop as the unconscious man dangled from his claws. King let the man fall to the sand, but the blurry eyes of Roland were still shaking, and his fist was still loaded.

"Stop. Roland, stop!" King took hold of him.

"He is evil! He deserves to die." King saw that the blurred eyes could no longer hold the tears. The boys voice cracking with the yells.

"I don't know, but I won't be able to look at my friends if I let you kill someone in front of me." King stepped to face the boy and took his gaze with his own yellow resolve. "You want to be a soldier. Right now, every soldier in this kingdom is trying to save lives. Go and help them. Start your new journey today. Find your mom and let her be proud of you and your new purpose."

"Okay. Okay, I can do that."

"Thank goodness. Let's go."

***

"Open the door now!" Jack yelled while running with the monstrous blue orb in tow. Ophelia removed the latch and completed the task while a few rushed in. The aggression only lasted a split second before the orb burst into a torrent pushing everyone down the corridor. Pinning them to the ground, walls, or just taking them away in a semi-translucent blue light.

The rest of the team diving into the spell, riding the current past bodies trying to stand in the pressure. Some of them following suit and cutting into the current to give chase. Jack dove in after them, but some green took him just ahead as he turned his body so his feet would hit the upcoming wall. Running sideways on a brick wall while completely enveloped by a subtle blue glow would have been something to relish the moment of, but the constant flow of bodies being tossed and turned by the current had Jack zoned in on any movements ahead of him. He jumped from his run into a more streamline position zooming past people taken by the spell. One tried to catch him, but Jack was able to blow him to the wall with a wind spell. Jack rushed to take hold of the other attacker and gripping as tight as he could to the girl's clothes. Should be any...

The constant blue was now a collection of orbs fading away in a split second. The girl crashed onto her back and Jack pushed off her body rolling forward into a run before stumbling. Every joint in his body creaked, and all the soreness from the day before pounded into his mind.

"Which way?" Jack called.

"Left and Up!" Iris called from behind. He tried to keep a pace with Ophelia who was trying to remove the cloth wrapped around the entire shield.

Stella rushed ahead still holding the blue orb from their holding room. She jumped and stepped on the wall using Jack's shoulder as the last obstacle before throwing the blue orb into someone's stomach. Her comrade immediately pushed his hand out to call the blue orb back towards him, ducking a fighter and using his balancing motion to throw the blue orb against the next running opponent approaching Stella, her new polearm in front of her waiting for the orb to collide.

"Who are they?" Iris muttered the words after running past the downed enemies.

"They sure have gotten better. I am a bit scared to see how far they go." Ophelia laughed. "But it works for us right. Ha!"

"Yea, but I had the thought that we would be the ones doing the rescuing."

"Everyone! Tells is under attack. Soldiers of the empire! We are under attack!"

"Did they just say 'attack'?" Ophelia called. She ran past Jack and crashed a skull into the wall. "Jack, stay back a bit, you are injured."

"Thanks." Jack took a hold of his ribs. "Did they really say 'attack'?"

"That is what I heard as well. Look the stairs." Iris pointed his shield before running up to Ophelia, driving through opponents with his shield ahead.

The stretch of hallway was longer than any of them hoped, and the opponents in the way was far more than any of them assumed. It was a good idea to leave behind such numbers in front of the exit.

Iris took the lead. He pushed ahead with his shield unsafely guiding those in front to the closest surface he could find. Spells flying down the corridor but scattering before they made it past the wall flower. Any fighter slipping by or left alone was quickly picked up by either of the women eager for a fight. Jack was sure they started competing at one point, but it didn't last long with energy running low. Jack trailed behind, checking to see if awakened threats returned from the rear, all while casting what spell he thought would be beneficial to the cause ahead. Scanning everything he possibly could, and yelling assists made him feel like a leader. Like every footstep forward they took came from their trust in each other. Trust in their own skills. Trust that they were escaping soon.

It was the footsteps rattling the ground above them that tested that trust. It must have been more than before, scuttling around to find their place. Probably find them, but regardless Iris forced his shield into the last remaining few, and Stella crashed her spear. Standing at the bottom of the staircase allowed for one more breath, while Jack called a ball of green. Red would be too compact, and blue would fall too fast. Green to spread and hope they get a dash out. They ascend.

Iris burst through the door waiting for the first weapon fall, but the hall of treasures and arts was filled with fallen bodies. Tattered relics lay irreplaceably at the feet of empire soldiers. The open hall rattling with consulting voices and finding footsteps. The distance had a gaping hole in the tile work, sealed with a yellow glow. Ophelia's spells really were something.

"Iris!" A soldier noticed the calm warrior. He scanned the out of breath, other three before landing on brown-haired one. "Ed! You must be, Ed! They are waiting for you upstairs."

"Who is?" Stella asked.

"Mups, and Mo, and others. It was just our orders to get you upstairs. Hurry!" The soldier waved his hand as others made a path for them. Jack ran ahead this time, skipping each step that he could. He sprinted to the room that held the previous party, the gallery is where soldiers were guiding them. Bursting through the doors, Jack's ears perked to a sound that crushed his chest. He turned and sprinted towards the wall of glass, looking at the colour of his eyes dance in the skyline, to the sounds he could never forget. The smell floating above the high room, caused him to grit his teeth as his came to halt in front of his friends embracing him. One with silver eyes and one with silver hair held onto him as his eyes was glued to the distance.

Tells was on fire.