"Mo gives a hell of a speech." The Mystical Creature was running beside the temporary leader, its little legs seemed to be straining to keep up, but nonetheless he was running besides the boy and young girl while Liu and Otis were unable to. A protest to slow down, or even acknowledgement seemed like an impossibility at the moment, as they looked at the boy gliding through the walkway turning his head at every unpleasant sight enveloping them. Even the loud Major Otis looked to be biting his tongue, making silent pleas anytime the creature looked back to see how far they have fallen behind. Liu never imagined that she would need an animal to talk to her friend on her behalf. What a thought?

But was that even her friend? Does just meeting a couple of days ago even qualify as a friend? She didn't even know his real name until a couple of minutes ago, and she definitely doesn't know about this Hummingbird people keep bringing up. This boy wasn't anything like the boy she befriended, 'Jack' is silently towing a mind of a million thoughts, or one extremely heavy one. Whoever he is, she was following him. Why?

Liu clenched her fist and let the wind burn her lungs in an attempt to speed up. She could be following him out of guilt for feeling too weak to help save the ex-general. She could be sticking around the Major in hopes of doing well in the military. She could be heading to the most important part of the mission. She could just want to make sure her 'friend' is okay. It could be all of the above, but she knew that she just couldn't make a choice. Being dragged forward by the circumstance, only assisting. Only following.

It was just a few tiny words that stopped her from going with the other team, but it was words weighing on her heavily. I will just hold them back. Words not supposed to leave a warrior of Daiyu, but she would have just lost her life. Would they have called it a sacrifice? She knows all this but why is it so heavy? From the moment the left the hall into the thick crowd, she felt this way. The flood of those trying to get into arena, with some being pushed out made her feel helpless. The speech from the announcer calmed the kingdom but raised her anxiety. She should have stayed behind with the other warriors of the arena she knew. Aza and Dia parting the crowd for their passing and helping those stay organised. Max and Romi working together to clear debris. Titania boldly running towards a column of smoke. But that would be no different than now. Following the heroes. Following those that deserve the black jade that her 'friend' was wearing proudly on his headband.

Now with the streets cleared of most life, and them nearing their destination she cursed her mind for being overridden by useless thoughts. A kingdom on fire and she could only blame her weakness for not doing all she could. What does it take to be like that? What makes her different from the guy she is chasing?

"Where are you going boy!" Otis called while waiting at the street they were supposed turn on.

"I heard something!" Jack called back. "Tenny?"

"Yea, I hear screaming." He led the way with Jack and Luna in close tow. Otis and Liu sprinting after them before they went too far. Black smoke in their new direction, as the sound of the raging fire was heading towards them. Otis panicked that it would catch the armoury before they did, they have no time to waste—

The cries of a little girl standing in front of a burning, two level house took his mind. He couldn't hear it over the fire, but his brain wouldn't quiet down. Where were his soldiers? Where was anyone?

"Help! Someone help! Please!" The girl was inching towards the inferno. Water in her eyes. Jack wrapped around the girl and dove onto the bricks as a burst of flame tried to taste them. He slowly unfurled as the girl gripped onto his shirt soaking it with tears. "No! They are inside! Momma went for Papa! Help them!"

"Come with me little girl. We need to get you to safety!" Otis held on to her as Jack was scrambling to his feet, removing his mounted sword and quickly tying it to his back. His eyes focused on the house engulfed in flames. Smoke pouring from the top and fire dancing from any crevice it found.

"Ed! That house is going to come down now!" Liu took his hand. A slow steady creaking ringing in front of them. "You are running into your death!"

"What are you talking about? I am running to save lives! Luna stay here!" A loud creak timed itself with Liu's release, her fingers slight curled ready to grip the memory of stopping him. Her eyes wide and breath lost.

Jack burst through the door and looked for anything, but his eyes refused to stay open. Water filled them immediately when trying to look past the cutting black smoke, all light scattering in pockets of the death cloud. Jack felt his lungs immediately scream at him, raising a cough. His ribs, already sore, were now holding on for their life by killing him with pain. He gripped his stomach and summoned green while walking forward. He cast green light on his face to push the smoke from it, but it just swirled in more from around him. He couldn't create air, he just forced more into his mouth as he fell to his knees. Coughing ferociously was all he could do, any moment his rib cage would exit through his throat. He gripped at the wood on the floor in an attempt to move when he heard a constant banging above him. Too organised to be music of a collapsing house.

Jack pulled green to his hand and blasted himself in the direction, releasing the spell and flowing mana through his body helped as he smashed through the floor. He rolled over still coughing to see two bodies lying on each other. One motionless, while the other turned to see him with her eyes filled with water and face covered in soot. Struggling to keep more than one eye open she gripped onto the clothing of the sleeping with her head swaying as every unbreathable breath entered her. Jack rapidly clawed his way to them, wrapping around the man. No words could form but she understood to hold on as tight as she could, but her strength faded. Jack felt the tension on his shirt subside.

He panicked and tried to scoop her in his arms. Her flaccid body made the task feel impossible. The creaking of the building getting louder. Jack could barely see anything in front of him. He couldn't blast them through the wall without mana strengthening. He couldn't get his hands in front of him. Should he go down? He hands only angled behind him. Footsteps cut his thoughts.

Luna stood in front of them holding onto a large stone. With a hectic windup and a lot of mana, she hurled it almost straight above, but the slight angle reassured it wouldn't crash on them. A stream of light entered the hole and blasted on the three lying on the ground. Jack still coughing as he looked to her. He began calling green in his hand while The Little Reaper aimed both palms toward the new tear in the ceiling and extended a long hairline thick, black blade as far as she could.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Left her lips as the weight ripped at her shoulders and her body drifted with the momentum. The weapon arched from her centre and sliced the corner of the building from the rest. Light and air flooding in as the flames rushed towards them. She jumped into Jack and took hold of the other two, while the green dragged them from the floor to a fall. A bubble-like black orb resting on the ground caught the four in a squishy magical feel as the soldier and other warrior grabbed the survivors.

Liu pulled the man onto the stone flat on his back and began pressing on his chest desperately. Rhythmic piercing into his heart as she slowly increased the amount of mana through her hands. Jack gently placing down the woman whose eyes fought against the blinding ambient light to see her heroic daughter dripping on her face. Her weak hands holding onto the child with all the strength in the girl's world. A burst of joy when the man coughed himself awake. Jack instinctively reached forward and grabbed at the man's legs but saved by a wave of relief. Luna dived onto his sore ribs and wrapped him up with much more strength than anyone else could muster.

***

Otis calmed down, but his urgency was still warranted. The family was set to the side, grateful but still in danger. The Major left them the clear instructions of waiting for help in a clear opening. His promise to send help as soon as he could didn't bring much relief to the three in need of it, but a disappearing creature bringing good news of oncoming soldiers brought the calm they were looking for. The eyes of the Major widened by the actions of the boy and his team. The efficiency in action. Like they faced odds that others may never dream of seeing. Otis griped at his own comment of calling him a boy earlier. He looked to the girl with red hair and dour, feeling a humbling understanding.

But he couldn't sit on that fact for long. A soldier that worked his way up in Tells, never left the kingdom, but was now in charge. He couldn't dream about his strengths if he saw the world when he had to find his strength to protect his home. He stood up and found as much air in his lungs that he could and led with a sprint. He was unsure if his speed caught up or their tiredness caught them. Nevertheless, he charged towards the sound of clashing metal and loud yelling.

"Jack, we are almost there." Otis looked just ahead as the warrior already inched toward a lead.

They broke the corner to see the narrow street packed with violence. Tells guards were outnumbered and being pushed back, but a few arena participants seemed to join the fray, pinching against the attackers.

"Jason! What is going on?" Liu rushed towards the man getting pushed out of the crowd. His sword bent and edgeless but his eyes sharp and legs eager to jump back in. Only the sound of his name halting his glory.

"Liu? We were escorting and a few of us heard the commotion. A lot of them have fallen already, but it looks like the really want something in this building." Jason looked to see the Major calculating, while the other two and a creature was listening.

"We have to take them out." Jack walked forward, but Luna took his hand. She shook her head and walked ahead as her hand outstretched in waiting.

"Luna, are you sure?" Jack asked. The silver hair bounced while she continued walking.

"Okay Little Reaper. I will be right behind you so show them how you feel again!" Tenny said before bouncing in the air above her palm. A dark scythe meeting her hand and immediately twirling around her.

"What is going on?" Otis asked.

"Ed, or Jack. What are we doing? What should I do?"

"Cleaning up. We just have to follow and clean up." Jack shook his head, his bottom lip pressed up into a corner smile.

"What is she feeling?" Otis asked.

Luna began a sprint, as the weapon gracefully flirted with the air around her. She ducked past any uniform she spotted and crashed the dulled blade against anyone facing them. The hook of the blade pulled some down, while the head pushed some into stone walls. The staff shielded and twirled, while the ends crashed and commanded. The girl danced through any gap in the battle while a clearing formed in her wake. The Mystical creature appearing with a small dark shield whenever a spell targeted her. Jack and the others passing through the clearing and taking down those that slipped past or ready to get up.

"What is going on?" Liu was lazily dealing strikes to the hazed.

"Does she fight in the tournament?" Jason asked.

"No, she is only 14. Well 15 in a month," Jack said. He turned to the girl dancing in battle, clearly stealing the show. He didn't fully understand her last message, and Tenny or Ace refused to answer. Stella was even more upset that she missed whatever they were talking about. What did she want to say again?

Luna could see the path. Her vision clear and motion fluid, as she carved her trail in the rebels. It felt natural compared to the battles she has seen, and she has only gotten stronger. Stronger to make every battle clear to those in front of her. Stay away from my family.

The last rebel fell with the thrust of the scythe end. Jack felt his breath heavy and his body tense. He didn't know how he would react, but his stomach had its own ideas of acrobatics when he saw the fallen bodies. The soldiers that defended this place with their life. The rebels that risk their lives for ideals still carried by those to arrive. And by the sound of things, that would be sooner than they hoped.

"We have to get inside. You four, go to Nil Street and look for an injured family of three. Take them for help and go. All of you have done a great job here. Hurry before more arrive. No, circle around to be safe." Otis shoved some of the bloodied survivors holding onto the door. The rest hurrying into the building. The rest besides Liu.

"I will hold them back. You guys do what you have to!" She started her run down the street. Jack used green to crash into her back and take her down. Jason ran to assist him in dragging her to the building, barely making it before spotting the crowd of enemies turning the corner. The stampeding sound indicating that was just the start.

Tenny made a dark bar that Jack used to wedge the door shut. He turned to the Major. "That won't hold them for long. We need a plan."

"What are you doing? I was buying you time for that plan." Liu pushed at him.

"We have enough time in here. I would rather your help here than there." Jack began to walk away, until he heard a grumble.

"Like if I am any help."

"What the hell are you talking about? Are you okay?" Jack gripped his stomach, his mind still on the bloodied sight just behind the door. "We saved some and couldn't save some, but we are doing our best." Otis felt like Jack's words were aimed for himself more than the frustrated. Maybe he was more frustrated than all of them.

"I don't know what my best is. Everyone else is fighting so hard." A single tear fell from her face. "Good soldiers died right there. Everything is happening so fast."

"Exactly." Jack placed a hand on Liu's head. Otis gave them their space and followed the soldiers down the stairs. "You are doing what you think is best at all times. If you thought there was better then I am sure you would be doing it. What you just tried proves it, but that's how things go. A fight is a clash of wills, and your unsurety is bothering you. You saved that man's life out there. You are here to fight when you need to fight, take it one step at a time." The banging on the metal door started. Their countdown begins. Jack looked to Tenny and he dashed along the wall until it was coated pitch black. That should by them a fair amount of time. "Oh, and I figured it out. Those that sacrifice themselves, it isn't that we think we are giving up our lives. Our instincts tell us that we all are going to make it out.

"We need a plan on how to fight!" Jack made his way down the stairs and Jason's gently push on Liu's shoulder made sure that she followed. Her mind pulsating and her eyes feeling blurred. She looked at the faces of the soldiers going down, the Major, and even her friend, all holding a strain hidden by their urgency. All of them feeling her feelings in their own way but forced to move forward. Only those without orders were granted the mercy of pity and remorse. For now, they had a mission, and she could only do her best.

"We cannot fight," Otis said from the end of a hall. His expression held like he was begging for help. Temporary words while waiting for the pseudo-colonel's input. "We have no chance."

Jack met the man to look down into the large space in the ground. It must have been three stories deep and freezing. The problem came with the fact that entire massive area was packed with people huddled at the bottom. Soldiers sitting on the stairs with their heads in their hands. Fear on those huddled for warmth and safety while their homes were taken down around them.

"We have to surrender. The soldiers let everyone in here for safety, we cannot wait for those guys to get in," Otis calmly said.

"I am sorry. I know we are saving lives and I would do it again, but John is dead outside." A soldier raised his head from the stairs with tears in his eyes. "Those bastards burned our town for that metal, imagine what they are going to do when they get it. We had to let them in, but what happens next is our fault."

"Vents?" Jack simply asked. Otis chippered at any sign of winning it all.

"Not close, in the event something like this happens. What about your mentor? He can help right, if we get a signal to him."

"A signal might be hard. It would leave us open to them getting in. We can wait. I am sure he will find us when he is done. If we can hold out that long." Jack looked to Tenny.

"That spell can only last around 20 minutes at most. I used a lot of magic today and that was a big wall, and I have to keep enough for the worst-case scenario," Tenny answered.

"Wouldn't he go help the others first?" Liu mentioned. "20 minutes isn't long."

"We have to give up and ask them to spare everyone. If we give them what they want, then they should leave." Otis's expression was calm. Jack could tell that he was trying to make the decision his, and easier on everyone else.

"I can save everything." Tenny stole all their looks, even the tearful ones of the soldiers in mourning. "But it is something that Ace asked me not to do."

"What do you mean?" Jack asked.

"I have a spell that only a few can do. I am not sure that anyone can do it in the world right now, it is the reason that I am here. It is a spell that is known, but if people find out that I can do it, then we might be in big trouble. I am sure Ace can keep us safe and he would want me to use it, but our lives might not be the same. Ace said that we might have to move continents."

"This is eerie Tenny. Will you be okay if you use it? There is a lot that is being unsaid," Jack asked. Luna grabbed the creature and tucked him in her arms before he fought his way to speak again.

"I will be fine, it doesn't hurt or anything, silly." Tenny rubbed his head on Luna.

"Jack, it sounds like a decision to make, but please help us." Otis couldn't hold his calm anymore. The aged eyes telling a desperation that Jack wished the man could have finished his life without experiencing. "I know I am being selfish, and you have already done so much for Tells, but please save these people and protect the future. I beg—"

"Stop. Once Tenny won't get hurt, then I agree. I am sorry to ask it from you Tenny, especially if Ace doesn't like it, but can you please help us."

"You got it. If this means goodbye, then I am really glad I got to help you, Jack. It would be worth it." Tenny pried himself from Luna's hands and climbed onto Jack's shoulder. He rubbed his head on Jack's cheek.

"If it stays a secret, then will you be okay?" Otis asked. Jack confused at the question, but Tenny confirmed. "I will give it my best try then. Soldiers, do you understand what is going on?"

"They are going to help us right? They can save us."

"Good, you understand that they are saving us. They were deemed enemies of the empire recently and they have come to save us. They are sacrificing something that means the world to them without hesitation for our safety, so it is only honourable that we take this secret to the grave. I don't care who asks. I beg of you."

"Ai, ai Major." All of them saluted the old man.

The man turned to look at the crowd. Green fell to his hands and then rose to his mouth. "Everyone, we don't have much time so I will try and make this quick. I am Major Otis Carner, and I have failed you today. Our kingdom is on fire, and there are those that are desperately fighting to put it out. Our facilities and vents have been breached and enemies are here at our doorstep. I have failed you today and I will hold it for the rest of my life, but by the grace of The Three and the Mysticals, we have a saviour that is giving up his life for us, but we can help him if we keep this a secret. Tell anyone and everyone of my failures, and atrocities that happened today, but please do not talk of the miracle we are going to witness. These heroes are working tirelessly so that the world will know that Tells is no kingdom to mess with, but if we can honour their request and show the heroes that we are worth their grace. We can show them that Tells is filled with the compassionate and driven people in our wonderful kingdom of greed. The heroes will help us anyway, and I know I am asking something strange but..." The green dropped from his hand and Otis to his knees. His head touched the ground. "Please help us!"

The crowd murmured to themselves. Jack could hear sounds of anger, but it was mostly confusion. Quite a few were already nodding their heads and influencing others to hurry along. Tenny smiled. "Jack, do the green thing for me. I want to talk to them." The Hummingbird obliged. "Ha, it is me the saviour you all have been waiting on. One of you already understands my greatness and has decided to bow down to me. Ha Ha Ha. Because I am feeling good, I would like to help you all out, but we do need your help. You will have to walk into the wall over there soon and help take everything with you. This place needs to be cleared out as soon as possible. Also, I will not be in there with you, so try holding on to something or someone. Talk to each other, I hear all that helps. I will come and get you when it is safe. Please don't tell anyone, but don't ever forget my greatness either! Ha Ha Ha!"

Tenny grinned from long ear to long ear. Jack rolled his eyes regretting not dispelling the magic before the end. "What are you going to do? You sure you can even do it? It would be awfully embarrassing if you were all talk." Jack chuckled.

"Don't get ahead of yourself Jack. You know me. Remember how I told you that dark and light make some interesting stuff happen?"

"Yea. You say that light is useless without dark magic, and that's why you don't use the light."

"Yea it really is I swear. Well combining the two is the only way to use dimensional magic. We are going to another dimension."

"What?" Jack never heard such unison as everyone, minus the citizens and the reaper, queried.

Tenny smiled and then flashed away. He appeared on the large eastern barren wall and took a step on it. From his paws a small pitch-black ring rippled from his landing point turning the whole wall black like he did earlier. A pure white glowing ring followed the same path but didn't change the black wall, until it looked like the black shattered into pieces with thin white lines separating the arbitrary geometric shapes.

Tenny landed on Luna's head and ruffled her hair. "Okay hurry up, and I will come get you guys when it's over."

"We just walk into it?" Jack asked.

"You just walk into it," Tenny answered.

***

It took a few minutes, but the assistive labour allowed everything to be moved with one trip. Otis volunteered to go in first with his soldiers. He stepped out to show it was safe, as everyone grabbed what they could and followed suit. Jack was the last to step in and he immediately turned to look at the entry way. The creature sat in the large barren room smiling. Jack surprised he could see into the world, but it only lasted a moment before the spell disappeared like all spells do.

Now Jack was left staring at nothing. The dimension was empty. Jack blinked in succession but no change in the information his eyes could pick up. Jack turned to the crew, and they were all there. Everyone opening their mouths and grabbing on to each other, but he couldn't hear anything. Everything brought into this world was visible, as if it had a small glow, all emitting enough light that their image was clear, all the same brightness. Jack put his hand closer to Luna to see if the luminosity would increase, but nothing. He reached to see if he could still touch.

"Jack." He heard Luna's voice in his head. Her mouth still closed but it was clear as day.

"Can you hear me?" He tried to say, and the girl responded with her head nod. "It happens when we touch." Jack signalled for Liu as she came and took their hand. "Liu, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear," Her mouth moved, but Jack didn't hear it in his ears. It felt clean and loud like his own thoughts. "This is crazy."

"Luna can you hear me still?" Jack asked.

"Yes."

"Woah, I can hear her too." Liu jumped up, but it didn't feel like she fell down in a hurry. Just returning to them.

"I have to test somethings out." Jack felt his heart fluttering. He had to write this down someday. No one is going to believe this.

He turned away from the crowd and looked down. He stomped his foot, and it went past the other foot, like he was falling, but he didn't feel unbalanced, as his lower foot just returned to the height of the other. Jack raised his palm and called green and there it was appearing. As if there was air in the void. He switched colours to red, blue, no way...yellow was being held in his hand. He summoned a black sword, and it grew from his palm with a subtle indescribable glow to differentiate it from the rest of darkness. He called white to his hand, then ice. It was different, he didn't feel like he was asking the wisps for help. It was just whatever he imagined would happen in front of him. He called green and dashed into the air, flying just as high as he knew he would, but not falling. There was no feeling of falling, but he was returning to the level everyone was standing on. It was as if the world was coming to him.

He looked to the crowd, the panicked faces. One man tried to run, but he turned back before the distance made him disappear. What would happen if he disappeared? Tenny didn't say anything about disappearing, but he did say to hold someone. Jack's heart dropped when thinking about it. They must all be generating their own deductions. He ran over to Otis and thought his plan. The idea of not having to talk was taking some getting used to, but it was like they could only hear what he wanted them to hear. Otis agreed with Jack's ideas and took hold of two shoulders at arm's reach.

It didn't take much time for a circle to be formed, each holding the hand of the people next to them. Exceptions made in the forms of back-to-back seating, or children in the laps of their parents. Some bravely running with each other and playing tag. A few with voiceless screams as their parents didn't join the circle yet. However, they all settled to a place of comfort where voices could be shared, but there was clearly the unthought idea that certain individuals should explain what is going on.

"Mystical magic confuses even Mystical creatures." Jack shrugged his shoulders.

"124, 125, 126..."

"So we don't know if he will come back?" Jack couldn't identify anyone that was talking. The voices were distinct, but where they were in the emptiness was impossible to determine.

"Of course he will come back." Jack's voice was able to gather looks. It seems that he was able to be identified.

"This place would make a good closet." Someone thought. Jack looked around at the boxes resting on nothing, with some lucky enough to rest on other boxes or sat on by people.

"Or prison."

"135, 136, 137..."

"Don't say that. He is coming back. Don't any of you think it's cool?" Jack asked.

"Scary."

"Terrifying."

"Creepy."

"142, 143, 144..."

"Weird."

"Dark."

"151..."

"Would someone stop him?" This voice was angry and loud, but it never felt like it was much different from the distance or level as the others. It was just a feeling he had when hearing it. "Or just stop touching him."

"No, no don't let me go. I will stop, don't leave me alone please. I will stop." The silence after the pleading was beginning to draw worried expressions again.

"I...I think it is cool." Stuck their mind ears.

"Oh, me too. We could be the only ones that experienced something like this," Jack related.

"Actually, there has been others. Pleasant day everyone, my name is Nygel, and I am from Mera. I study history there and was in town for the finals, but mostly for food because it was less crowded, and I was returning home when this happened, and now—"

"You were thinking about something else, this happened before?" A voice cut in.

"Oh yes yes, they say that Isaac the great wizard started something like this. Then mage Chell and wizard Lace furthered it. In the book of Hawks, he was able to create a spell using dark and light wisps, which is almost impossible to have at the same time, so the length of time it took things to line up and work out jus—"

"I heard of something like that. I heard that the emperor keeps a divine gem that can open dimensions."

"Don't mind Margent. He believes all kinds of things."

"I mean, we are sitting in something unbelievable." Otis's voice finally rang in.

"I thought all Mystical's were in hiding. I hear it is extremely rare to find the ones that aren't flying."

"This is all the grace of The Three."

"It is The Three, and that creature helped us."

"Not humbly though." Jack laughed at the random comment.

"Do you know how this place works, Nygel?" Otis asked.

"I am not good with magic and haven't practised it enough to say I understand the notes written, but I do have some ideas as to some rules discovered."

"Huh, the first time you didn't carry on. Please tell us more historian."

"I'm sorry. What do you really want to know? I am not sure where to start."

"Why are we not falling when I can't feel a floor."

"Hawks noted that the point we enter the portal at becomes our 'floor' so to say. There is no gravity or matter to draw us, but our bodies naturally are taken back towards the horizontal plane. Hawks did notice that if he opened the portal in a different location from inside the dimension, then he would appear around that distance in the real world, so it was like a weird teleportation thinking about it now."

"Ou, can you appear in something. Like can I become part tree?"

"Oh no, the book said that once any part of you enters back home, then all the laws of nature and physics return. So unless you can push the tree to return to your place, then it is impossible."

"But we can break in. This is like the ultimate doorway." A scary thought ran through multiple minds.

"Why can we use magic in here?" Jack asked.

"I have no idea. I can't use magic in here. There are still a lot of mysteries to this place. The creature will have the best ideas.

"Do we need food? How long can we stay here without starving?"

"Hawks said there was a strange phenomenon in which time didn't make sense here. Or more so that our bodies are partially preserved in time. We don't get hungry or starve. It is even said that we can't die in here."

"No one is trying that." Otis's voice finally returned to that of command. Jack wasn't sure why that and the ideas following in his head brought a chuckle.

"This place really is a prison."

"Well then you are all free!" Tenny appeared on Jack's shoulder. A large cut out of the room they left started to form behind them. It was a little more damaged than they remember, but most importantly, vacant. "The coast is clear, but we should leave the boxes in here until everything is over. I think the enemy is retreating, and most of the fires are out. Everyone you can come out!"

Cheers swept their minds as voices disappeared midway when they rushed towards the exit. Jack and Otis were the last to step back into the cold floor, immediately feeling like they were pressed to the ground.

"You said the fires were put out. What happened? How long were we hiding?" Otis's voice left his mouth.

"Over an hour. They came in and checked everything, and I followed them, but they just went for more people before returning. I think your men started to capture the vents because they didn't go back through them."

"Thank you so much. You have really saved us all!"

"Thank you!" People passed and bowed to the creature with the swelling head.

"I know! Ha Ha Ha!"

"Let's go find the others. Major, Liu, we are off. Take care of them." The older man and the girl both nodded their heads. Liu looked at the black stone dancing on his headband before he turned, and the silver haired girl followed. Otis looked at the weapon still pinned to his back, until his eyes opened wide.

"Wait! I almost forgot to give you this." He looked to a soldier patiently waiting by. Otis took a gauntlet from the man and fixed it onto Jack's wrist. The purple black stone captured Jack's eyes and weighed down his hand. "We couldn't possibly protect everything without a miracle. Stay safe Hummingbird."

Jack and Luna bolted from the building. They needed to find anyone that knew what was going on. The orange yellow taking the kingdom was gone. They were just surrounded by blackened grey of sturdy survivors.

"I'll go find them and be back in a minute," Tenny said from Jack's shoulder.

"Like it will take you a whole minute. What else can you do?" Jack scoffed.

"You have questions, don't you?" Tenny asked.

"Millions."

"Well, the answer is, yes, I am just that amazing." The furball flashed away.

***

"Move!"

Stella closed her eyes, not knowing if it was enough, or how to stop the blade she saw coming, but it wasn't until a loud clank brought cold metal to her forearm, that she slowly revealed the outcome. A twisted metal shield was placed between the blade attached to a hook, wielded by a former general, and the arena's iconic still in a throwing position.

Syd quickly swiped at the old man, but his footwork was slick, and he returned to the start of his strike. "Are you okay?" He helped her lower the shield, but she just tossed it back to the owner.

"No, that was scary. I don't know how they do that jumping in front of others thing, but it isn't for me. No way no, thank The Three. Iris, you are amazing. Goodness that was crazy." Stella inched back over to her place next to Ophelia and her saviour.

"The Ice Queen and wow that was a throw by you Iris. You never fail to impress me," the old man said while inspecting his thin blade. He swung it around to make sure it cut the air right before facing them again.

"What are you doing old man?" Syd snarled.

"No, I have to ask you that. Why are you in my kingdom? Everything would have been perfect if you didn't arrive. By the grace of The Three, The Hummingbird and Ice Queen came to my kingdom. We could stop stealing a few scraps of Null Metal and finally take a whole cake, just in time for big plans, and Ors would hunt them down. Even if they escaped being kidnapped, the whole world would still believe they attacked my Kingdom, but you Arania. You ruined everything."

"I am glad I did. This whole thing is over. You both are going to be taken in." Syd walked forward. His grip on both spears presented veins on the back of his hand.

"Do you hear yourself boy? I would have been fine if my plans didn't work, and even if Adrian took the blame, but I can't let you catch him here. The rebels can't afford to lose a Ranker, and so now I unfortunately have to dirty my hands." The old man ran his fingers through his hair. The frustration pressing his features together with it only escaping with slight twitches. He took a breath in. "My only way back is over your bodies, so let's make this quick."

The edge of Lance's sword began to emanate a red glow, while red orbs gathered to it. Syd leaned forward slightly but twisted on his toe to face the charging giant. His turn came with the swing of the horned lance sparking itself on fire, but his arm was grabbed by the paws of the beast, and he was tossed across the stone tile.

Stella and team couldn't focus on what happened, as they looked for any movement from the former general. However, the eye-catching movement came from behind the general as a boy with white hair and golden eyes appeared. His body rushing downward with blackened fist at the forefront, aimed at the back of the confident man. Lance twisted like Syd, but his strike downward erupted into a large bang as the red collided with King's dark coated arm. The dragon crashed to the ground and gripped the spot.

"Ah! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!" Stella shielded him and tried to look at the spot. It looked to be normal, not even a sign of the spell breaking.

"How did he get past your magic?"

"Strange spell indeed. I have never seen anything like it besides animals, but just like them, it is only a coating. I can't pierce it, but if I hit it hard enough then the boy inside will still feel it. Something similar to you, right Iris?" The old man called red to the edge of his blade again. That must be a class two spell, for that much impact. This is an entirely different league.

"Lance. Why are you doing this?"

"I really wish it wasn't you, Iris my boy, but this is what it amounts to. Adrian, hurry up before any more of them arrive. I have gotten enough blood on my hands today.

"It is about time to clean up."