空とロマンス

Sola to Romansu (Sky and Romance)

Return of the Legendary Heroes

Book 1/ Final Arc: A call to arms!

A/N: Attention, this chapter plays off after the Side Stories, `House of Memories´, `The rise of Yin and Yang´, `The worries of the Past and the future´ and `I wanna know what love is´ , read these stories before this chapter, they are crucial!

Chapter 92: From forgiveness and future plans.

Meanwhile on the Scarlet Wolf, Red´s Pov:

"We´ve got contact, we have something on the radar, two structures, huge, resonating like metal around 200 meters before you!" We heard the loud report of a crewman, who was checking the lake with radar and sonar for the Golden Roar and the Royal Envy, through the intercom.

20 minutes had already passed ever since the deep-diving capsule had been released into the large lake.

The Scarlet Wolf was hidden by its camouflage system and yet didn´t that meant that we were out of danger here.

If anything, we sat right on the silver plate for any Enemy to attack us.

But in order to get ourselves some clarity, it was necessary to know what happened.

"This is the Royal Envy, without a doubt." I mumbled as we floated past a huge eye drawn on purple metal, the banners of the Kurvaz were floating in the water, halfway attached to the broken hull of the Airship.

"At least it seems to be mostly intact, not as destroyed as the Black Cat Galleon, maybe some of them have survived and made it out before this thing sank completely into the lake." Elh stated over intercom from within the Scarlet Wolf.

Out of safety measures I left her and Choco upon the Airship, White, Greyhound, Kangonas and Haxel accompanied me on this little excursion.

"This ship sure is huge, for the standard of the Republic at least." Kangonas mumbled.

"You haven´t seen the White Whale, my friend, apparently It is supposed to be even bigger than the Golden Roar, which is supposed to be the biggest warship in the entire Republic.

I saw it only once, as we were invited to the Inauguration, after it was completed, several months ago, that thing is like a little Town, you even have a shopping mall within it." I explained as Haxel skillfully drove us through the icy water of the lake, through the sunken rubble and the carnivorous fish-species which lived in here.

"Hey Red, I seem to get some kind of signal from further inside, it is the same as we caught before, but it does not come from this wreck here, shall we go further in?" Haxel asked.

"Yeah that´s what we here for.

But mark the crests that float around, who knows maybe we still can use what´s inside of them, if we find the Crews, they will be more than happy, to have their equipment back, as I can see it, they must have had to leave most of it behind, in order to make their escape." I stated and she nodded, as she shot some Trackers onto the floating Containers and Crests, before diving further through the lake.

"There I can see it before us, man, speaking of pompous." White explained and I nodded sweat-dropping.

"Yeah, my first reaction exactly…., General Bruno Dondurma had some very special tastes in that matter, but all that gold was surely blinding." I replied, crawling my neck.

As gold was not of much value, compared to the different kinds of Crystals, it was not hard to amass a huge amount of it, if you had the needed money…., but this ship surely was over the top, alone a piece of the Jacket could pay the bills for an entire year.

"As much as I can see, there is no life sign, on neither of both ships, and investigating the progress of auquatic fauna that has spread and attached itself upon the jacket, it explains to me that these Airships are lying in here since a few days, at least a week, is that possible, didn´t you say they were only ever missed since yesterday?" Haxel asked me.

"Yeah but Elh mentioned that the Time Axis is wrapped in this area, due to the excess use of Magic in the previous decades and depending on what influence comes into the area of this Island, it can either decay faster or slower.

The Islands overall time-flow runs 10 times slower as in the rest of the Republic, but outer influences can well seem like 10 times the amount of time, they have actually vanished for us.

Elh and Beluga are away from here since 300 years, but here on the Island maybe only 30 years passed." I explained and she nodded.

"On the other hand, the Two Airships are gone in the Republic since one and a Half day, which has become 11 days in here" She replied and I nodded.

"Correct, due to the ever-changing amount of Nono and Rano being used and released, the Time axis wraps more and more." I explained.

"Yeah I see that with Choco, the shock about the News of Valhalla, fried my brain and let me fall into coma, afterwards as I woke up again, it made me think that our separation was actually 13 years ago, that I met her as a young child as well.

But now, in hindsight of the Memories she told me about, this wasn´t at all the case, I was about to become 15 as she vanished, one and a half months before my ascension as King, but in her time count, she was gone for 13 years.

That's why it is still a little unbelievable to me…, that this little Girl I knew, has grown to such a beautiful young women, in such short time, it honestly shocked me as I understood who she really was.

And earlier in the Orphanage, as I saw her true form, I was reminded of everything, all the memories we had together, all the time I spent with her as she was but a little girl of 2 years, not that long ago, time sure can be frightening." White explained as he took out a medallion.

"This was taken during her birthday party, as we all posed together, the little girl on my arms is Choco." He sated as he showed me the picture, several people under them a young Anastasia, Choco and a Younger King Garontrias stood there, Banmori was pulled into the picture as well, even though she was but a guard at that time.

"She was so tiny, hard to believe this is the same girl I grew up with." I mumbled, as I remembered the tiny little girl, which I saw in the bathroom of the Orphanage for the first time, as she just took off her bandages, revealing her cute fluffy face, the moment I fell in love with her

"I wish I could have spent all that time with her, you sure are a lucky lad Red." White stated and I laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"You surely will get to that White, but let her first accustom herself to the whole new situation, which has crashed upon her, but remember, if you hurt her I will have to hurt you, so you better think twice about it, wherever you will hide, sooner or later I will surely find you." I explained in a menacing tone and he nodded while sweating heavily.

"Well I have scanned everything off and marked everything valuable I could find, but there is still no life-sign of anyone, as expected, shall we get back to the Scarlet wolf?" Haxel asked and I nodded.

"Yeah, that would be for the best, let´s get all the crests and boxes we can find and then beat it, we need to find them before it is too late." I explained and with a salute she turned the diving capsule around.

"Crrrzzz, Brother we have a problem, there are some aircrafts rapidly incoming, they might be of the Lycanians, you better hurry back in here." I heard Choco´s voice.

"We are on our way no fear, everybody get ready to engage in combat." I stated as Haxel made a sharp turn and drove with high speed back to the Airship.

It lasted not long as we heard the first explosions of colliding missiles, just as we entered the Hangar of the Airship from below.

"Fasten this thing for me, I need to get up to the bridge to get myself a look at the situations, leave the remaining crests in the lake, take those up you have on the claws, close the haul and then lets get out of here." I ordered as I rushed up to the elevator which took us to the upper levels of the Airship.

"Lady Burmilla, Maya how does things look?" I asked as I arrived at the Bridge.

"Our Shields are holding most of the missiles off, but they won´t hold forever, shall we fire back?" Lady Burmilla asked.

"Well considering that we were attacked first, it is just fair from us to accept this dance.

All cannons ready to fire, lets give them a dance they won´t easily forget." I stated and the entire crew saluted.

The Scarlet wolf turned around towards the attackers to get ourselves a better view of it, 20 smaller Aircrafts and several infantry troops on the ground stood against us.

"Shall we just bomb them all off?" Kangonas asked unsure.

"No, just destroy the engines of their Aircrafts to make them crash land, the rest will be up to who can fight better than the other." I explained, having regained my memories helped me much with planning strategies which I once learned in school and from my tutors.

One by one the Aircrafts fell down like flies with broken wings and still the fiend infantry did not give up.

"Guess I should try to talk to them, this here is getting us nowhere." I stated as all the Aircrafts were down but the attacks did not ceased.

"Here Speaks, Red S. Wolvenra, cease your fire and we won´t have to kill all of you, if you behave, all what will await you is a cell, resist and death comes on rapid wings to you!" I stated through the Loudspeaker on the outside.

"Hmm…, that does not seem like they are willing to give up, shall we now bomb them away?" Kangonas asked again.

"No, I will go out there with Dahak, if we just bomb them away we are in no way better than them, I will try to break their will and to imprison as many as I can." I stated as I was about to go.

"I will go with you Prince Red, you surely can use my help." Alexia stated before Rose could protest.

"That would help me much, alright give order to the Mecha-pilots, saddle up and let´s get outside, meet them in 10 minutes." I stated and Lady Burmilla nodded before she spoke to the lower levels over microphone.

"Is it okay if we accompany you too, Prince Red?" Choco asked next to Elh.

"Are you sure that is a good idea…, I mean I doubt that I can call you weak anymore, but will you girls be okay out there on your own?" I asked unsure.

They were strong, I knew so from Elhize and Choco also had changed, she was not the weak little girl who couldn´t do a thing without machines.

The young woman I had now infront of me was a warrior by all means.

"We will defend them, Prince Red, no fear!" White stated as he and Anastasia stepped next to her.

"As long as you are by my side, I fear nothing, Red." Elh stated with confident eyes.

"Alright if you say so then I will believe you, but do not take any risk and don´t act reckless you hear." I stated and they nodded, although Elh and Choco ended up chuckling.

"Now look who´s talking, usually we have had to tell you the very same thing." I heard Elh mumbling in amusement.

"If all of you are ready, then let´s go." I stated as we made our way outside.

As security, I gave each of them a device with a Shield-spell woven inside, an invention of the Royal Engineers from Shangri-La, which was able to be used with every kind of Spiritual power, be it Nono, Rano, Esprit, etc.

It should keep them safe from any special damage…, well expect of the impact.

"If things get too hard for you, do not hesitate to take cover behind me, Dahak and I will act as the shield, understood?" I asked and they nodded.

"White, how does it look with Draken, can you bring it forth?" I asked.

"Halfway yeah, the crystals aren´t yet fully healed, but for 20 minutes it must work out." He replied.

"That should be enough time to get them a good pummeling, alright then, here we go!" I stated, as my friends and all of the other Mecha-pilots stood at the hangar, ready to engage in battle.

As the hangar-doors opened we already heard the shouts of the fiend soldiers, who tried anything they could to bring us down.

Who would fall first, them or us, that surely was the question right now.

I was barely out of the shadow of the Scarlet wolf as the first rocket came already flying at me.

I caught it in my hand, turned it around and send it back flying, resulting in some of the soldiers being blasted away, quite hurt but none of them killed, as far as I could see.

D.A.H.A.K. had the nice function to show me the life signs of the people around me, pulsating hearts and body heat were easily detected, so it was easy to check if my actions killed anyone of my enemies or not.

Naturally in a battle of such a magnitude, casualties were unavoidable, especially when one side is so darn unreasonable like the Lycanians, which partially were brainwashed beyond repair and partially thrown into a nasty blood-rush with drugs, pumped right into their veins by the armored uniforms they wore.

I honestly was unsure, if to pity them or not, but one thing I knew, it was wrong to force anyone who is not willing to fight, unless you know very well that you cannot win by yourself, if you have to depend on someone.

However, then it is custom to step onto the battlefield as well, that´s what make a good King.

I hate nothing more than people, who order others to die for them, while sitting behind a desk, waiting for the news of victory or defeat.

I was a maker, someone who took matters in his own hands.

However I also understood that sometimes it was a bad idea to go on the frontline with a high chance of defeat, when you have no one who later takes care of things, should you die.

Lady Burmilla has made this quite clear to me after the battle of Airedale.

Not only was I supposed to become the Prince of Ten Moons, King Maranell Wolvenra´s rightful heir, the one to someday re-unite all of Ragnarök and return Shangri-La back to its home.

If I would die too early, this hope of so many people would surely never be fulfilled.

And now with the Memories I have regained, I knew that she was right, it wasn´t the title, nor the circumstance that I was my Father´s only son, no it was the knowledge I hold.

The truth that the hope of thousands of refugees was resting on my shoulders, families which have been ripped apart, hoped for me to find a way to reunite them with their loved ones.

It weren´t just the Lupycans of Shangri-La, but also other races and Kingdoms and their exiled people, which hope for me to find a way to bring back order to the chaos created by Lycan.

With regaining these memories, I took upon all of their prayers, hopes and believes, if I were to disappoint them, to die early now, before fulfilling even just one of these task, it would seem like a betrayal to all of these people, young and old.

I hold the honor of a Name, which stands since centuries for righteousness, if I were to sully it, I could never forgive it to myself.

I remembered how often I was greeted with friendly faces back then in Moonstone, some of them looked genuinely happy just to be alive, others looked happy and hopeful upon seeing me.

And there were those who begged me to help them find their families, their loved ones.

I saw it all, happiness, joy, and sorrow.

But I turned away from it, I disappointed so many people, they might not say it, but I am sure of it, some of them must hate me for it, or at the very least loath me.

I decided that it was necessary for me to restart my life, erase my memories and become strong by myself, maybe the thought was not that bad, but I stagnated for 9 years, I was a simple Child, I became a simple adult, a simple hunter and I lived a simple life.

If I was entirely honest, until 2 years ago, I never did anything which would have especially helped anyone but myself and Chocolat

This acknowledgment was something which made my heart ache.

I had over 10 years to help these people, but I never did, I only ever sat myself in motion after my home was attacked.

Let´s be honest, if the Lycanians would have not attacked several days ago and I would have never gotten these strange visions because of that, I doubt I would have remembered anything, until I was 30 perhaps.

"It´s high time for me to act upon my heritage, I had been sheltered long enough." I thought to myself, as I deflected bullets, rockets and shocked or knocked out any Lycanian that came my way.

Some of them attacked me in desperation, others tried to blow me up with them, using their own bodies in suicidal attacks.

"Nuts." That was all I could think of this battlefield.

"Are you guys still holding out?" I asked over intercom those who walked behind me.

"Yeah we are fine so far, they truly don´t act as if they have much of a plan, except to fire and try to blow us up." Elh stated unsure.

"I know, that´s what makes them so dangerous, they act as though they have nothing to lose, nothing at all." I replied.

"Seems like they have changed tactics, they seem to let something loose." Choco, as I was allowed to still call her, stated as she pointed forward.

Some kind of metallic creatures were let out of cages.

"Hmm, I haven´t seen those things ever before, this might be a new kind of weapon, so we are better careful." White explained.

"Indeed, and believe me when I say, that I have a bad feeling about this, all of you who aren´t in Mechas, get back to the Scarlet Wolf immediately." I stated as these creatures looked at us and on a sign of their masters went right on the attack.

"D.A.H.A.K, initiate Weapon 3, Sword mode!" I shouted, as a sword was generated out of Nano-particles, just in time to slice one of these things through, as it jumped at me.

What I saw inside made me shudder to the core, it seemed to be some kind of Machine, metal, tissue and flesh, as if these things were half machine and half living creatures.

"What sick perversion of man-made madness is this, how far are those bastards going to rape the nature?" White asked in shock as he generated an Arm of Draken and used it the same way I always used Dahak, while being in Trance-form.

"I guess this is supposed to be the daylight equivalent to the Night-plague, or how we all call them, the Ghouls.

It wouldn´t surprise me if something of a ghoul is stuck within them, so be careful not to be directly touched by those things!" I replied aloud as I generated a Shield and threw two of them off, before slicing through both of them at once, but I was too late to react to a third one that attacked.

Luckily White was at my side.

"Thanks a lot, Cereus." I stated absentmindly, as the Beast was slashed in pieces by a mighty Dragon-claw.

"How do you know that Name?" The same asked in utter shock.

"I remembered that Choco was always calling you like this, when she first came in the Orphanage, maybe she did not truly think anything about it, since no one of us even knew you at all.

It was her way of keeping her heart strong, the memory of you held her alive for those 2 years in which she and Banmori were separated from their families, before they ended up in the Orphanage and she became Chocolat and met me.

Same as my heart ached from the pain of separation from my home and friends, did hers ached too, even if she could not clearly remember why, so don´t think that she forgot all about you." I explained and he nodded.

"D.A.H.A.K., generate Blaster Shield!" I shouted as I sucked in a lot of Rano, before unleashing it in a massive shockwave, which blasted the attacking beasts and Lycanians several meters backwards, giving us some room to fight and organize ourselves.

"Dammit, my Prince, some of them came through, they are after Princess Choco and the others!" I heard Lady Burmilla's voice stating over intercom in shock.

I turned around in shock as well, as I saw them out of the corner of my eyes.

"White you take the lead, I will save them!" I shouted, as I ran as fast as D.A.H.A.K could get me towards Choco, Elh and the others.

"Guys watch out!" I shouted as I saw how a fiend squad arrived by car and Motorcycles.

If I had to first defeat the beasts, I would not make it in time to defend them from all the Lycanians, if I attack the Lycanians, the beasts will most likely get them, I had but only one option left.

Defeat neither of them and instead jump in the line of fire and shield my friends.

"Here we go!" I stated with gritted teeth, as I accelerated even more through the Jet-systems embedded within the armor.

Through conversing with D.A.H.A.K.´s Artificial Intelligence, which I simply called Helena as I didn´t knew any better, I understood some more things about this technology, there were 3 modes I could chose from, which were tied directly to my level of Rano-Control.

The First Mode was the Knight Mode, which manifested itself as a tall and big Exo-skeleton-Mecha, in which I could fight without truly concern myself of any damage caused at me, through any kinds of weapons or impact.

It was burly and strong, good for the hard work, especially when you needed someone to act as battering ram, who takes down the entire Gate instead.

However it had a rather straightforward and simple fighting style with little room for flexible swordplay and the like and it was rather slow compared to the other Modes…, then again, it´s slashes and strikes guaranteed high damage if they hit.

The second Mode, in which I currently was, was the Armor Mode, which was basically a layer of metal and technology laid over my own body.

It was bulletproof and strong but weak against heavy impact, in contrast to the Knight armor was it way faster and more agile than the same, also was it able to vary from several weapons created through Nano technology.

The Third mode was apparently called The Giant Mode and it was just that, a Giant version of my Armor, but it was a mode which I can only enter when I needed to finish a hard Battle and know that afterwards nothing else comes at us, as it will take my entire Rano just to uphold that mode and fight within it.

With my current level I was but only able to use it for 10 minutes straight.

It was definitely not a good idea to use it at the start of a battle.

Thanks to the high speed of the Armor mode, I was able to shield my friends faster than the Lycanians or beasts arrived to attack, however as I said before, this way all I could do was defending them, I had no mode which allowed me to simultaneously attack the enemy.

And the Shield would also not hold out forever.

"Lady Burmilla, can´t you do something?" I asked but I kind of knew the answer beforehand.

"Not without taking the risk of hitting you." She explained and I nodded.

"That´s what I thought." I mumbled

"White how does it look?" I asked.

"Not better here Red, they effectively have cornered us, if we want to keep some of them alive for interrogation later on, then I cannot attack too harshly, but in that case all I can do is defend the other Mechas, while they take out those beasts and stun the Lycanians." White explained.

"I see, well I will do my best to hold out long enough but note that that won´t mean forever." I stated as D.A.H.A.K., without having to be told, showed me a percentage of how strong the Shield was, after every impact.

It had already fallen to 20 % below its maximal strength.

"Only 80% anymore and I stand here for barely 5 minutes, if this goes on, the shield will disintegrate in no time." I mumbled.

"My Prince, we just caught a transmission of the Lycanians, they have asked for backup!" Lady Burmilla stated in a hasty tone.

"Great, more of these bastards." I mumbled as I ran out of options and strategies.

"If they arrive, then shoot them down, if we can at least get 5 of them alive, I am sure we will be able to get some informations about their plans." I stated and it was silent for a few seconds.

"Are you certain about this?" I was asked.

"Of course not, but does it look like we have any other option?

Either they shoot us down or we them, blood will be shed either way." I stated with angry voice.

I was well aware that my character had made a 180 degree turn from how I used to be, but I would not stand by and watch how my friends, my family and my subordinates were killed in a senseless war, started by mindless idiots.

If we were to ever end this war somehow, we had to survive, at all cost, even if it means that we all will stain our hands with the blood of our enemies.

It was though ironic if I may say so.

I fought Baion, who tried to bring an end to all conflict on this world, by killing all life, stating that we were bound to always repeat and make new mistakes, I fought him and defended us, stating that we could grow and that the world could change…., and now I myself erased lives, in order to preserve the peace of this world, which had always been feeble.

Was I any different than Baion, was this the blood of my evil father that ran through my veins and made this decision, taking lives for the greater good?

"The real question I should ask myself, is if I even got the time to think about all this now." I muttered to myself as I pumped some more Rano into the shield.

Elh helped me out with her Paladin forces, strengthening the shield here and there.

Anastasia used her own kind of Magic to attack the Lycanians, with enlarged roots and plants from the trees which grew here near the lake.

Her father, King Garontrias, attacked with the ground instead, by creating lances out of floating rocks, piercing them through these metallic creatures.

Choco kept an eye on our surrounding, announcing to us from where attacks occurred.

This was an important task as I had to focus a lot of force on that point to make sure nothing came through.

I don´t know how much time had passed already ever since I was stuck here, but the Shield´s power had meanwhile sunken to 50% and the amount of attackers seem to increase by the minute.

"Red, I´ll soon run out of forces." Elh stated, as she stood next to me, panting hard, sweat running down her neck like a flood.

"I´m soon out as well." Anastasia stated looking not better.

"So am I, to my shame I got to admit, that I am not the youngest anymore and it seems as if attacking them get us nowhere anyways, they just keep on coming." The King explained as he panted just as hard, his eye focusing on several enemies at once before they all were beaten away by rocks.

"You should have listened to me, Red, and just bomb them away." Kangonas stated, standing there, ready to engage as soon as the shield would fall.

"Do you even listen to yourself, this is exactly the way the Lycanians do things…, if it´s in the way they just destroy and crush it, bomb it away for all what it´s worth.

If this is the way Shangri-La would operate, what would be the point in fighting the Lycanians then, we would not be any better.

Think before you talk, Kangonas, you are a member of the Silver Guard after all." Haxel explained, with unlocked guns, waiting for her entry, just like her boyfriend.

I admit that it quite surprised me, as she told me that both had joined the Silver Guard and were quite high-ranking fighters already…., this helped my inferiority complex not one bit though, I really have to step it up, several notches at once.

"There is always the possibility that we can redo the brainwashing, but if we would just kill all of the Lycanians, we would kill so many, who are forced to obey by magic and technology.

It is also our mission to save those lost souls, from the darkness that has latched onto them.

Mindless killing will not help anyone." I stated and they nodded.

"You sound like King Maranell." Kangonas replied with a sigh.

"I am his son after all." I replied and he nodded.

Of course, I could understand Kangona´s feelings, Lycanians had killed his mother, the same had been one of the Silver Guards years ago, a mighty warrior, alongside her brother Sir Pholte, and her Husband Sir Kango.

Kangonas had become a knight in order to fight the Lycanians, it wasn´t in the first place just to help me, but to make sure his little brother Koga was able to grow up in a peaceful world, rather than a world at war, and also to keep Haxel safe.

The same had her very own motives, which she not further elaborated, either way I was happy to have them at my side for the time being.

As Knights of the Silver Guard weren´t they under my command but under my fathers, I had no true Leadership over them and even if, were it only a few of them who actually respected me as an authority, the least of them even tolerated me in my current position as re-emerged prince, that was what Haxel explained to me.

But it didn´t faced me, if anything I could fully understand their reasoning, I ran away from everything after all, I keep saying that it was for me to get strong on my own, but who am I kidding, even I knew the truth now.

After Helena´s death all I wanted to do, was to distance myself from everything that reminded me of her and I did just that, by sealing my memories, of everything concerning her and the place I had once called my home, away.

I ran away, and now I came back, as a stranger with a title and an uncertain mission.

It was as father told me, respect was something you earn trough your actions, it does not come to you through title, position or heritage.

"But that does not mean, that I give up on trying to become a good Prince to them." I thought as I pumped even more force into the shield, to keep it up a little longer, the same had meanwhile fallen below 40%.

"We need a new strategy and that quick." I mumbled as I looked around me.

Elh and Anastasia were wheezing in exhaustion as they stretched their capability of using their Magic as far as they could.

King Garontrias created one spear after another, trying to block the unstoppable tide of incoming Lycanians.

A few Meters away White and the other Mecha pilots still fought with the beasts and the Lycanians who attacked them, Draken had meanwhile disintegrated and White had to doge every rocket and beat of the enemy, to stay save himself.

If only Lady Burmilla would have a free line of fire, to take at least those beasts done.

"Why am I always so weak when it really matters." I though in desperation as the shield´s power fell below 30%.

"Crrzzzz…., My Prince we have gotten a new Message, from the same connection as the signal of the Golden Roar!" I suddenly heard Lady Burmilla´s Voice stating aloud.

I was confused but also somewhat relieved, this must surely mean that some of its crew has survived.

"What does it say?" I asked.

"To the Crew of the Scarlet Airship, hold out for 10 more minutes, we are soon there to help you, Hector M." She stated.

"Hector M.…, I wonder who that is…, whatever, these are the best news of the day, alright, I think 10 more minutes should work." I stated, as hope seemed to give me some new forces, so it at least seemed to me, the reality looked still quite different though as I repelled a massive impact of a rocket launcher.

However, there was something that reminded me of something my father once said, back then as I was a little Boy.

I broke my arm by trying to save the pet lizard of a boy I had just met, from falling off a tree, which he had climbed up in fear, even though it hurted terribly, did I not let go and held it until we arrived at a veterinarian who helped us and checked the Lizard up.

My arm was bandaged for 6 weeks and I had trouble with the easiest things, but in the end the boy I had helped, later on became one of the best friends I had back in Shangri-La, it was Kangonas. The boy who fought at my side right now.

"Why do you think, that we endure Pain, Red?" I remembered father asking me later on.

After regaining my memories, I remembered that day in my life and I also remembered how my father answered his own question ai looked at him out of curious eyes.

"So that we learn what truly matters in life, friendship and compassion, faith and Sympathy." I stated with gritted teeth, as I forced every ounce of power left in my body to uphold the Shield, no matter how many of these beasts threatened to break through it.

It lasted indeed but 10 minutes before something seemed to change, some of those Beast and the Lycanians began to part from the shield one by one, focusing their sights on something different, thought there were still a lot of them trying to get a piece of us.

From further away I could hear battle cries and I was certain that the newcomers must belong to this Hector M.

From one second to the next, a Hole was blasted in the layer of overlapping beast and even more of them were pulled back by an invisible force.

"It looks like Reinforcement has come." Elh stated next to me with a happier expression as before, still panting in exhaustion from constantly strengthening my shield.

"I think so, and believe me I am grateful for every help." I replied as we saw how more and more beasts were pulled away, until we saw the light of the sun again.

"You guys…, are you alright?" We heard a voice asking, as a hooded figure appeared infront of the shield which disintegrated as all of the beasts were ripped away and were engaged in battle with many other hooded figures.

I nodded to his question as I wiped away the sweat from my forehead.

"Yes and I´m very thankful for your help, just a little longer and my shield would have collapsed and these things would have killed us all." I explained and the man nodded.

"I´m Red Savarin Wolvenra, Prince and claimant to the throne of Shangri-La, it is an honor to fight at your side, am I right in the assumption that you are this mysterious Hector M.?" I asked and once again the hooded man nodded in approval, before he revealed his face to us.

"The Honor is mine, Prince Red, Paladin Tribe Leader Hector Melizee, at your service, we´ve been awaiting your arrival." The Man explained to me, as a Felidion of the Tiger-clan appeared from beyond the hood.

Suddenly I heard someone sharply breathing in, right next to me.

I glanced to see Elh gasping, mouth wide agape, eyes huge, taking an unsure step backwards in pure shock.

"F-Father, is that you?" She asked and my head spun around faster than ever before.

"Elhize…, can it be, is this for real?" The man stated equally surprised and in shock, once again my head spun around.

"Is his for real?" I wondered as both looked at each other, tearing up.

"Y-y-you still look like that day you ran away….,I am sorry, I´m so sorry Elhize…, I was weak and a coward…., I should have defended both of you but all I did was stand by and watch instead, powerless to resist against the council's decision.

I should have been there for my children but I betrayed them…, No…, I don´t deserve to call myself your father." The grown man stated as he fell to his knees infront of Elh, his head touching the ground.

"I-I…, I´m sorry too…, for running away.., for being away for so long." Elh replied after a while as she silently cried, her hand grabbing mine strongly.

I was unable to say anything soothing to her, but I guess that right now she needed to sort out a lot of thoughts and overcome a lot of feelings herself, nothing I would say could make that any better.

All I could do was to take her in my embrace and caress her back.

"Elhiazar would not have wanted me to hate you forever for the things you have and haven´t done, so I gave up on that…, but that does not mean that I also forgive you to not even have tried to resist." Elhize stated, her mine straight and frozen after she cried all the tears, which she could cry upon being reunited with her Father.

Bitterness and venom in ever word, eyes blazing with the fury of the past and still she stayed calm, her grip strengthened significantly and it was plain to understand how much she held back from slapping her father or hugging him.

"Is Mom…?" She asked and he looked up with a smile.

"Kiara is alive too, she is alright." Hector Melizee explained, as he stood back up and pointed to another hooded figure, who fought against the Lycanians with a primitive spear made out of Bones.

"She honestly barely changed from before the Lycanians came." He stated as both of them admired the way the figure elegantly danced across the battlefield, evading attacks, slaying beasts and Lycanians alike.

"I don´t want to disturb your quality time together, but we are still in a battle as much as I can tell, so why don´t we keep this conversation for later and first make sure that we can get out of this mess alive." I stated and they nodded absentmindly, although technically seen was the battle almost over, thanks to the additional numbers of the hooded persons, we were able to get out of this battle victorious.

Afterwards everybody gathered together and the Hooded ones revealed their faces.

Most of then were strangers to me, but I was grateful to each one of them nevertheless, but a few of them were more than eager to see me.

"Guys are you alright, everything still in place?" I asked Gren and Calua as they revealed their face, they haven´t changed all that much, if anything they looked a lot taller.

"We are alright, as best as we can in such a situation.

Of course, we did lost many men and valuable equipment, but as long as we have yet not all died, we will be able to stay strong." Gren explained and I nodded.

Calua was but his usual self, however there was something at him which just glowed even stronger than ever before, his joyful expression was for once genuine.

I always could see right through his fake happy go lucky demeanor, but today he was truly happy, which was strange considering their situation they were in, as Gren rightly said.

If anything, Calua had this nonchalant I-just-had-sex Face, which I lately also often wore, whenever Elh and I did naughty things in one of our bedrooms, the same face I gonna wear tonight as well.

"Well look at this, looks like the young Boy has made it high up in that one week we were away, where did you got this fancy thing from?" Opera stated with her mischievous grin as she scanned me and the Scarlet Wolf off.

"You could say it was a Birthday Gift as well as a responsibility I had to overtake.!" I explained, we surely had later on enough time to speak about anything that happened.

"Merveille surely will be pleased to see that, though I am not sure how she will react to your new weapons, they surely aren´t made by her." She continued.

"I´m sure she will be glad ans pleased enough that we survived and she will definitely survive the shock, to hear that her sister had been working on this armor as well." I stated.

"You mean Lady Seraphina?" Gren asked me and I nodded in surprise.

"Has she arrived here too?" I asked, unsure if I should be happy or pity her, as much as I know she was supposed to follow Father to the Kingdom of Prairie.

"Indeed, together with the Black Cat Galleon, with Stare and the others from Prairie." Gren explained and I saw how he blushed upon calling the name of Alicia´s Sister.

"I see, well we did hoped they had survived ever since we saw the Black cat balloon and the debris from their airship, good to hear that Lady Million is alright, She is a valuable member of Shangri-La." I stated.

"Yeah she and Merveille seem to have started some kind of competition, to look who can improve our weapon arsenal better with the things we bring along from our missions!" Opera explained and I nodded, from the memory I had, I knew that Lady Seraphina and her sisters had always been a little competitive if it was about their researches.

"Opera Gren, Calua, how are you, are you all alright?" Choco appeared, but of course she was looked at with much confusion and curiosity.

"And who might you be?" Opera asked in her imperial tone.

"My name is Princess Choco-Vanil G. Garontrias, 2nd princess of Valhalla…, formerly known as the Caninu girl Chocolat Gelato, It is such a joy to see that you are all unharmed." Choco stated and I chuckled as I saw the chin of all three crashing to the ground, before they looked at me.

"It´s true, she is actually a Kumear, with the Ability of Shape-shifting, same as me she had most of her memories, about her true origin and home as well as her Family, sealed, out of safety matters." I explained.

"Wait what, what do you mean with your true Origin, I mean you are a Hybrid created by Merveille, we all know that right?" Opera asked and I was a little confused.

"So Lady Seraphina hasn´t told you guys anything?" I asked but the shook their heads, although it looked as if Gren had a slight assumption.

"being a Hybrid hasn´t been all the secrets behind my existence, for I am also to a part a Lupycan, not to mention, King Maranell´s Son, Prince Red Savarin Wolvenra, at your service, Lady Opera Kranz, it is truly a joy to see you and your men in good health." I stated and Opera looked in utter shock about the way I spoke.

"Well she most definitely di not talked about that, she only meant that you are someone important and crucial to end the occupation of the Lycanians here on Ragdoll and in the rest of the world.

Honestly I thought she meant your Hybrid Side…, this sure is a shock…, and the little Chocolat is a Princess too and now looks like this…ß this is so much to comprehend, it would be so easy if you just said that you were Joking." Opera stated but I shook my head.

"Unfortunately for you am I not." I replied.

"He´s telling the truth…, Gladio Fulgur is reacting to him." Gren explained and I nodded.

"So it is as I though, you truly are the Wielder of Gladio Fulgur, the Lightning Sword, one of the order of Seven." I stated and he nodded kneeling infront of me.

"My Blade shall be at your service, Prince Red, but please, allow me to still defend Lady Opera as well." He stated.

"Naturally, but as a member of the Order of Seven you have a duty to defend everyone with your skills, against all enemy who should face us in battle." I stated and he nodded his head low.

Opera and Calua looked at him with shock and wonder.

"This is the first time I have seen Gren kneeling before anyone but my Father, Brother, Gloria and myself.

If he does something like this, then there is no way this all could be a joke, he wouldn´t drop so low for just something like that." Opera mumbled to herself as she watched the scene.

As before, Gren´s sword began to glow, before it transferred some of it´s power into my handle through lightning bolts, with it another one of the seven Crystals was filled with power and another part of the sword appeared.

"Two here with me, five are still missing." I mumbled to myself.

"Well then, I think we should make our way back home, with this thing our army has grown once again and our chance to finally free this island as well…, you do intend to help us, right, Prince Red?" Elh´s father asked me after looking over my crew and his hooded ones.

"Of course, that's what we are here for!" I stated nodding eagerly.

"Well then, follow us, we better get out of here, but you better camouflage, your Red Airship is like a big fat target." Elh´s Father explained and I nodded.

"Well then, guys, saddle up, we follow them, bring the survivors of the enemy into the cells, make sure that they cannot see outside and make sure they cannot escape, nor hurt themselves or each other, I still intend to have a long conversation with them" I stated and my crewmen nodded as they brought the Lycanians away.

I looked to see Hector and his men as well as the Kurvaz Soldiers investigating the Lycanian vehicles, checking them for any tracker devices or the like, before saddling up on motorcycles and Jeeps, most likely their own or stolen machines from previous fights.

"Well then, I think we should go too, shall we." I stated and the others nodded.

We barely walked ten meters as I heard some strange noise from the distance.

"What is this?" I wondered as I looked in the direction of the noise, it came from far across the lake.

"My Prince this seems to be an incoming Enemy attack, some kind of weapon is aimed at us while it loads." D.A.H.A.K. explained as it zoomed in on the sight before me, as far as possible.

I only could see one of the towers and a huge device right on the very top of it.

"Dammit, they are about to shoot!" I shouted.

"Hector, everyone, we need your strongest shield spells, right now, link them together!" I shouted as I was looked at in confusion.

"Red´s what´s the matter?" I was asked by White.

"We are being aimed at!" I shouted and I saw how he paled.

"It´s some kind of Laser weapon, on top of one of these towers, they are aiming at the Scarlet Wolf, most likely ever since we fought…., this whole battle was but a distraction for them to load this thing up, it will soon discharge!" I shouted and he nodded, same as Hector.

"This must be the same weapon they used against the Black Cat Galleon, it is really strong and able to destroy metal on a molecular base, every metallic structure hit by it literally disintegrates." Gren explained and I remembered the entire debris of the Black Cat Galleon, if that were to happen to the Scarlet wolf, with everyone on board…, I do not even want to think about it.

"Lady Burmilla we will try to block the attack with all what we go, once the attack is over, get out of here as fast as you can, disguise and win altitude, this thing surely needs quite some time to be fully loaded and ready to be triggered so you surely will get away.

We hold contact over radio, I tell you were to meet us if everything is alright and the coast clear, understood?" I ordered in a hasty tone.

"Yes, my Prince!" She replied.

"My Prince the Weapon is now fully loaded, I get signals from massive radiation around it, it will fire any minute." Helena´s voice stated in a desperate tone, through.

"How much force do you have left?" I asked.

"Not enough to effectively Block it." The Answer I received was not at all happy.

"I guess I have no choice then, I will have to give it my all, I cannot always depend just on you.

Safe your forces for an emergency, right now, it's time for myself to shine." I stated as I released the armor mode to concentrate myself on the matter at hand.

"Brace yourself anyone, the attacks come any second." I stated as I concentrated, closing my eyes.

I listened to the wind, the shouting voices, I listened to the world, I felt the ground under my feet, every stone I stood upon, I felt the Planet.

Before my inner eye I began to erect a wall of stone, big tall and massive, a wall to conceal, a wall to protect.

A Wall filled with repelling magic, strong and sturdy, built to last, to overcome whatever directed against it, a Wall as steadfast as a rock in the ocean, braving any tide and any storm.

A Wall like a mountain, the protective palms of mother nature.

"Red…, wow, your really made a lot of progress, who would have known." I faintly heard someone saying.

I felt how the nature around me filled my body with energy and how my hands began to conduct this energy to built it up and shape it in the form I wished for.

"My Prince…, as expected from you, once you want to defend something you do it for real." I heard Greyhounds voice saying.

"incredible, it is truly astounding of how much he had changed, when I think about my second thoughts of following someone, I never knew…, but now…, I can really see myself fighting on his side, more than ever before." I heard Gren´s voice saying.

"Red, this…, this is tall enough, I think this must work out against them!" I heard Elh´s voice and I opened my eyes to see a huge wall having appeared around us, shielding us to 180°

"Well look at this, you lad really surprises me more and more." Opera explained and I could only nod as the sheer size of this wall surprised me as well.

"How come you suddenly can do it so well, you alwas struggled with shield spells even the most essential?" Rose asked in confusion.

"I…, I thought about Helena…, and about all the dangerous moments in my life, some alone, some which I encountered with Elh…, and I thought about how often I wished I had some kind of shield to defend her.

Now I wished for a shield to defend anyone, all of you who stand here with me." I explained.

"This is…., wow I cannot say how astounded I am, but by all means keep this up.

Your progress is incredible." Rose stated with a warm smile.

"I surely will, alright everybody, get those shields up and brace for the impact!" I shouted and I saw how many man hastily build up shields, which they placed right behind the Wall as secondary shields.

And not a damn second too late as suddenly the noise got louder.

"Incoming!" I shouted and suddenly the Ground shook as I felt how something made a massive impact on my magically enhanced shield. I felt how it pushed with all its might against it, while I pushed back.

"Oh my God." Anastasia and Choco gasped as the blocked beam was blasted in all directions, destroying the shore behind the wall, letting it explode.

"Just a little more." I said to myself in exhaustion.

The noise subsided and so did the trembling and shaking of the ground.

I still pumped my magic into the wall until it was dead silent.

"Do you think, the attack is over?" Elh asked me.

"Most likely, this weapon of them just released a huge amount of energy, it will need some time to load back up, before it can attack again, we have not for long, so we better get the hell out of here." I stated and everyone who heard me nodded.

"Pack anything in the Scarlet wolf and off we go!" I stated as I changed into my Knight Mode and grabbed two motorcycles, making my way with them to the scarlet wolf.

The others followed my example and within less than 15 minutes everything was loaded inside, even the motorcycles and jeeps of the Lycanians.

Hector insisted on guiding us from the ground so we accepted it, as he refused to climb into an airship, out of some reason.

It did not last long before we were back in the air and camouflaged, following Hector and his group, who drove with their machines and a concealing spell to their hideout.

"So, how do you take it Elh, that your Parents have been trapped here all this time, always grieving, thinking they had lost you as well…, do you think you can forgive them?" I asked her, as I looked at her with concern.

"Honestly I have cried every tear I could cry, and I have used any curse word I knew to tell myself I do not need them.

But ultimately, I was glad, glad to see them again, we are a family after all, I cannot stay mad at them for the rest of my life, I told myself that if I ever would meet the again, I would forgive them, obeying the council back then was definitely not easy.

They suffered too, in my youth I just refused to see it, I was blinded by hatred and rage, but they most likely mut have seen the rage of Lares themselves to allow it to happen.

In the end I was unable to do it a second time but even I have seen the original cruciality of this Rite.

Lares and Lemures, their force combined is more this Republic could handle…., I just wish we would have found out about how to destroy and deactivate them before I had to sacrifice my brother." Elh explained and I knew what she meant.

If it was for the wellbeing of the world, would I have accepted my own death…., I was not sure about that back then, but today I know that I would rather stand up and fight for peace to come.

"If it becomes too hard don´t hesitate to hold yourself onto me, I will be there for you, always." I replied and she nodded thankfully before kissing me.

"Is this really the place, the way I see it they direct us right at a Wall of stone?" Maka asked no one in particular but it was a good question.

"Well Mr. Melizee said that the entrance was concealed, in a way no one would expect and what is better than to disguise it as mother nature. I stated as we flew right through the rock, which revealed a huge open gate infront of us.

"Well look at this, fancy, fancy." I stated as I looked around, as the Scarlet wolf calmly and steadily floated inside the huge Hangar, to its designated place shown by the Hangar crew.

Behind us the gates were closed again, before our airship landed on the ground, coming to a stillstand.

"Welcome to Cedargold, the Town underground." I heard Hector´s voice stating aloud with a big smile.

"That was some real nice trick you used there earlier, I haven´t seen such a huge wall in a long time, you must have had an outstanding teacher!" He stated as he hit my back playfully with a hard beat.

"Well she truly was the best I could have ask for." I stated with a glance at Rose who walked next to Carmine, Alexia and Maya as they all came out of the Scarlet Wolf.

"It is quite nice in here, I never would ae believed that such a huge place was resting here, hidden before all eyes." I stated and he laughed.

"This here…, this is nothing, wait until you see the Town, boy." He stated.

"Anyways, I wanted to ask you…, about Elh…, how is she, how was she before she came here?" Elh´s Father asked me.

"Well before we arrived here Elh and I went on many adventures and misions together, to me she felt content with her life, of course she missed here home, in some way, but she also valued what she had here and now.

Still…, occasionally I catch her spacing out, looking up in the sky with a melancholic glance.

That's when she things about her past, I am sur about it, I occasionally have done the same in the past, at least so I was told.

"I don´t know what she momentarily feels, she is most likely highly confused by all of the feelings and the inner turmoil she suffers…, but one thing I am sure about, she has missed you, you and your wife, her parents, she truly did." I explained and he nodded with his eyes closed as he thought about what I said.

"You really must know her well…., the way I have seen it, she trusts you blindly." He replied

"Well maybe because we are together for such a long time and well, there is one thing I need to ask you as well, something quite private…, would you give me your…."

"ELHIZE!" Suddenly someone screamed loudly and faster than I could finish my sentence, something came flying past me.

I looked in confusion behind me, only to see how Elh was literally cuddle to death by a beautiful, adult yet young-looking white Tiger-cat Felineko.

"I´ve missed you so much my darling, my dear, my sweetheart, where have you been all this time, Mommy was sick with worry, she though the Lycanians would have get you in their claws!" The hysterical woman stated as endless tears rolled down her cheeks as she squeezed Elh into her large chest almost suffocating the same.

"Air, please, Mom, let go…" Elh begged.

"No, I won´t let go, if I do you will just vanish again from me!" The grown woman whined before she was pulled away by Hector.

Although I did only saw her hooded silhouette before was I sure that this was Elhize´s mother, without a doubt.

"Kiara, give the poor girl some space, she almost suffocated, do you want to kill her, now that we finally found her?" Hector asked and his wife, who was trashing around and throwing a tantrum like a little Child, calmed down significantly.

"Of course, not…, but I haven´t seen her in 30 years, I want to cuddle her until the end of time…, I missed her so much, I was so worried, you know how often I tried to pierce the storm to search for her…!" The Woman said.

"Yeah and I also know how often you almost killed yourself by trying to do so." Hector stated with resolute voice.

Meanwhile Elh stumbled backwards, still dizzy from this hectic cuddle attack, right into my arms.

"Aaah who is he, why is he holding my Elhize, is he trying to steal her away, is he the one who kept her away for so long?" Elh´s Mother asked in fury, sparks of Nono flared up, as she saw how I lovingly embraced her Daughter.

"Relax Kiara, I am sure there is a reasonable meaning to this." Hector stated to his wife.

"Shall I tell your father how you call me Daddy sometimes, during our naughty games in the night?" I asked playfully but felt Elh´s elbow in my stomach, which was quite painfully.

"Do that and I tell him how you deflowered me, I bet he will be amused about it." She replied sarcastically and I knew that this was the last a Father would want to hear from his daughter.

"What I was about to ask you, Mr. Melizee…, you see…, Your Daughter and I might be only recently a pair, although I can tell that I had feelings for her since quite a long time…, and as much as she told me, and I believe her with that, she did so too…, so my question is, if you allow us to further on live this relationship we have or if you refuse to accept it?" I asked and Elh looked in shock at me.

"What are you saying you moron?" She hissed, while blushing deep red.

"If I would say no…, what would you do then?" Hector asked me with a serious mine.

"As long as Elh would want me at her side, I will stay with her no matter what anyone says…, the reason why I ask you, is because I am planning to someday, when the times have become a little more peaceful and calmer, ask your Daughter if she would want to marry me.

I hope that when that day comes, I also receive your blessing.

Elhize has shared some of the best moments of my life with me, we´ve been through a lot these past 3 years, good as well as bad times.

As a Prince and a Man with an important mission in my life, I do need a strong and capable wife at my side, who also keeps an eye on me when I tend to go overboard with things…, and honestly no one fits that description better than Elhize, at least in my opinion.

She is funny, at times stubborn, is not afraid to speak her mind and steadfast on her opinions and believes.

Then there are time where even she feels vulnerable, where she is overly cute and where she don´t know where to go or what to do.

Elhize is so much and more…., and I would love to explore it all at her side." I explained and I was dead silent all of a sudden.

"I would love to be that kind of father who could say no to a man stealing away his daughter…, but as I have no insight on anything concerning my daughter for the past 30 years…"

"300 years in my case." Elh included and I saw her mother tearing back up again.

"Yes, i´m sorry, no insight in her life for 300 years, am I the least to tell her what to do and what not, or which choice to make and which to avoid…, if Elhize is happy with you, then who am i…, and I think I speak for my Wife as well…, who are we to butt in on it, saying no.

Elh is old enough to know herself what she wants and what will be good or bad for her.

If she wants you at her side, than I am Happy that she has found someone she can love…, after all what has happened, don´t I have any right to say no." Hector stated with a warm look at his Daughter which teared up as well.

"Once before I was bound by the chains of tradition, of duty and obedience, the same traditions which would not allow Elh to marry outside of Ragdoll…, but after that day I swore not to ever blindly follow any rules, which have been forced on me and others again.

Instead, I swore to follow my heart…, and when I look at Elhize I can plenty see how much she trusts you, I´m glad that she could spend these past years with you.

So all I can say to it, is that Elhize shall follow her heart, wherever it leads her and with whom." Elhize´s Father explain as he gently grabbed Elh´s hand and took mine and joined them together as a symbol of unity.

"Red Savarin, I don´t know where you will end up, where the path, which you have chosen to follow, will lead you…., all I am asking of you, is to keep Elhize safe.

Through my own Cowardice I once lost both of my children, one has died never to come back and one went missing for far too long…., a long time I felt like I soon would die, die on my broken heart…, but I stayed strong, I knew something like this should not be allowed to ever happen again, no one should ever have to sacrifice a loved person again, just to save the world.

There is not such thing as to trade in any lives…, so I chose to fight it, to find a way that renders the Rite of Forfeit as useless, or at least no longer necessary." Hector explained and I nodded, the exact same thought Elh had the past 300 years.

Like Father like Daughter, I guess.

"Luckily for us you ain´t have a say in that, as you are no Leader, Hector Melizee." A new Voice stated and though it sounded just like that of a child, had it a nasty undertone.

"We will see about that Lady Icaria, we still have a Leader and she does listen to my advices and suggestions, in contrast to you, I don´t know if she accepts all what I have to say, but surely, the last word hasn´t yet been spoken.

It is not necessary to sacrifice anyone in the Rite of Forfeit anymore, for I know the truth, and I can assure you, that the War-Valkyrie Athena will rise again." Hector Melizee stated a she and his wife turned around towards the voice, not before rolling their eyes though.

Before us stood a green haired little child, perhaps the size of Elh, though with a lot more chest.

She should be alluring to anyone, cute face, sexy body, the right size for hugging; however, I could feel the malice within her plainly, though it wasn´t clear to me, if she even tried to conceal the same or not.

Either way, to me she was but an obnoxious brat with too much authority, as if you speak with a prissy and irascible princess.

"Athena, ahahahahaha….., you mean this rusty old Mecha who wouldn´t move a centimeter since centuries, and which is still, as much as I know, on the Lycanians side of the Island…., well good luck in getting that thing to work.

Honestly, I have no idea why you are resisting so much, the Rite of Forfeit has always worked out well to save the world from Lares and Lemures, so why should we change it now?" The woman stated and, in her eyes, I could see deepest believe in her words.

But of course, was this something which many of my acquaintances would not let roll.

"You know damn well why, Icaria…, this accursed Rite brings nothing but pain and misery, and if the Armin Clan would actually help us, we surely could get Athena to work!" Kiara Melizee replied with just as much venom as her verbal opponent.

"Not to mention that there hadn´t been as much sacrifices from the Armin Clan, than from the Melizee clan and the Prisalia clan being used in the Rite, a circumstance which made the Prisalia Clan leaving us, good job, Armin Clan, you effectively drove out one of the most valuable clans from Ragdoll and now look at this mess we are stuck within." Hector stated with unforgiving eyes.

"If they had been here and if a few of your Clansmen had a little more brain than you, then surely all of this here would have been avoided, if we would have managed to make Athena work." Kiara continued in fury.

"How dare you call that bunch of traitors a valuable Clan of Ragdoll, these bastards have stolen the medallions and 3 of the Soul-keys from us, it´s their fault that we cannot use the Rite anymore, they should come here and fall to their knees in apology, maybe I will see of from having their heads cut off!" Lady Icaria shouted in anger.

"How dare you call my Clan traitors, how dare you call us Bastards, your Clan has driven us out of the island through false accusation, persecution and mobbing, if I were you, I would think long and hard about who owes who an apology!" A new voice was to hear and this one I knew very well, even though I haven´t heard it that often, but it was a voice impossible to forget.

From the back of the barracks here at the Hangars came none other but Alicia Pris, her Sisters Flare and Stare, Police officer Waffle and his partner Panta, the Royal Guard Cyan and the Princess of Prairie, Terria Hound.

Next to them were three other people I yet did not know, though two of them I knew from somewhere at least so it seemed to me, it was more a sudden assumption than real knowledge though.

Either way they wore the uniform of the Silver Guard, so I might have at least seen them once in my life before.

It was good to see my friends and acquaintances from Prairie, but I wondered where Mr. Chamberlain, Princess Terria´s old Butler was, he usually was with her, could it be…., no I don´t think so, still it was strange to see another young women at their side and the sword she wore…, it was without a doubt one of the Seven swords, I could feel its force clearly, just like you feel it when you are surrounded by water, your body gets heavier, it resist more to your movements.

But it was not the only thing I felt, I felt a sudden warmth, like a warm breeze, even though thee Beast from earlier manage to make my blood freeze and the climate on this island could also not truly be called nice.

Then there was some different feeling I felt, but I could not put my finger on it, I just felt…, uneasy all of a sudden, as if something was directed against me, I somehow knew that it was not Lady Icaria´s disgusted glance towards Alicia and her group, if anything it came from Waffle, but not per se from him…, could it be.

"Three swords on one strike?" I thought as I saw the golden sword he wore and the scabbard which was adorned by mighty restraining spells, as if to keep the sword within its scabbard at all cost, or at least it´s enormous power.

Meanwhile, the arrival of Alicia and her group seemed to ignite Lady Icaria wrath even more.

"You, accursed Child from a Clan of Traitors, how dare you speak to me like this, you should be grateful that we have taken you in, you better learn to show us respect, before we throw you back out, then you can see where you can stay!" Lady Icaria shouted in blind rage.

"The last I can remember was it Hector and his group who took us in, not you, if anything all we ever got from you had been fiendish glances and spiteful comments behind our backs from day one,

And now I finally know why, you have betrayed our Clan since centuries, first your ancestor, Sirius Armin, killed the ancestor of the Melizee clan, Merendor Melizee and then he dared to blame our Ancestor, Aventura Prisalia, for it, imprisoning her for eternity and hushed everything up to take command of the Island.

From then on you made sure that we from the Prisalia clan were avoided, but Lady Ilya managed to tell us all the truth, your ancestors have deceived us all this time, whenever we tried to stand up for our right, you brutally beated us back down, and then you sacrificed our children, our loved ones for your sick Ritual." Alicia stated her eyes equally ablaze like Lady Icaria´s.

"I think that I really need to teach you some manners, little girl, it´s high time for you to learn to respect your elders." The Tiny Leader stated with dripping Malice, as she began to charge energy into the golden staff she carried around.

"I better get between this, if we fight among ourselves, we won´t be able to defeat the Lycanians…, but do I as a stranger even have the right to…, no, especially because I am a stranger, I should do something." I though to myself as my body literally moved by itself.

"Eat this!" Lady Icaria shouted as she was about to unleash her Nono filled staff upon Alicia.

While I moved I saw how Waffle attempted to rush forward to shield Alicia, Cyan defended his Princess, while the young woman was ready to draw her ownsword as Lady Icaria´s men began to do the same.

As fast as I could I ran up to go between the two parties, while I felt how Bluish sparks surrounded me.

"Enough, we ain´t got time for this. Canteres!" I shouted as I arrived between both, Lady Icaria and Alicia, canceled the Magic with my own by grabbing her staff and shooting a wave of my magic through it, before I pushed the prissy little Leader back in the arms of her men.

"HOW!" The little Woman asked in sheer disbelieve, eyes wide open and fixated on me.

"I honestly don´t know why your three clans are fighting and as a stranger I don´t really dare to butt in with it, however do we all have a few far more important problems to solve, for example the Lycanians on your front door.

So, unless you all want each a good pummeling by me, to get your heads straight, I think it is high time, to get towards discussing our strategies for the upcoming and most likely inevitable Battles!" I stated aloud and all eyes were on me.

"Who the hell do you think you are, you dirty Lupycan!" Lady Icaria shouted as she was about to attack again, only for Greyhound, Gren and Elh to step infront of me shielding me, as if it was a reflex to them.

"My name is Prince Red Savarin Wolvenra, Prince of Shangri-La and on behalf of my Father King Maranell Wolvenra, King of Ten Moons, I have come here to liberate Ragdoll from the Lycanians which have occupied it unrightfully for so long!" I stated loud enough for anyone to hear, of course I earned some astounded faces mainly by Alicia´s group, though long not as astounded as I thought they might be.

"All of your fighting won´t help anyways, for Lares and Lemures are gone since 2 years, and they surely won´t return anymore, you have my word on this." I stated and Elh, Choco, Gren, Calua as well as Opera nodded.

"They are gone…, How?" Lady Icaria stated and it was to me as if she suddenly became quite disillusioned, as if her whole world just fell apart.

Did she really thought, that there was nothing more to her life, than ordering others to execute this goddamn Rite of Forfeit?

If so she surely has lived a lonely life full of death-threats and hatred directed to her, no wonder that she turned out like this.

"Beluga and I used both to break the shield of Tartaros, as a response the same unleashed a massive counterattack which destroyed the cores of both Titano Machinae, making them both collapse to pieces." Elh explained.

"Elhize Melizee, I remember you, you rotten child, you almost would have messed up the Rite 300 years ago and you even attacked the elders, how dare you show your face on this island!" Lady Icaria stated with even more Venom than before.

"Oh believe me if I could have I would have destroyed the medallions and the entire ritual place with them, if only no one ever would have to be sacrificed anymore.

Father is right, if there is another way to fight, then we should search for it, rather than sacrifice our own people for this." Elh stated and I could see how Lady Icaria was ready to shout again.

"We can repair Athena, and if we have done so we surely can use it against the Lycanians, with help of Athena´s Heart we surely can do so!" Alicia explained and a murmuring went through the gathered crowd.

"Well unfortunately for your plan won´t that happen as the Medallions as well as three of the Soul-Keys are missing!" Lady Icaria replied fuming.

"Oh, you mean these two medallions?" A new Voice asked.

We turned to see Merveille with two other Women appearing, one was Lady Seraphina, although older than I could remember, the Woman next to them was unknown to me but she had a striking resemblance with Merveille, maybe another one of their Sisters maybe their sister Rosalia, who knows.

As Merveille stepped closer, she held a little glass box up in which both medallions had been stuck, back to back.

"The Holy medallions given to us by King White Savage the 12th , why do you have them, dog-woman?" Lady Icaria shouted in rage.

"Show some damn respect you brat, how dare you speak like that with my Daughter." The woman next to Merveille and Seraphina stated in rage and in that moment my chin crashed down.

"Did she just say daughter?" I thought in shock as I looked at this youthful woman, who was barely older than Seraphina, mid 40 at most.

"The Kurvaz is in possession of these medallions ever since 2 years and we held on to them to investigate their forces and how they were crafted, with consent of the two last remaining Paladins in the Republic…, or so we at least thought.

And the 3 Soul-keys have meanwhile merged with he Lares Medallion." Merveille stated as she took both Medallions out of the box and held them up, to show everyone that they were genuine.

"The treasure of her Majesty, to know they are in the hands of a filthy Caninu, I feel like suffocating, give them here!" Lady Icaria stated as she pointed her staff at Merveille, once again charging Nono within it.

"This is enough!" I heard White shouting as he stepped between both.

"As it has been my father who gave the Clans of Ragdoll these medallions, it is by my jurisdiction, as 13th King of Shamballa, to allow Miss….?" White stated looking at Merveille.

"Merveille Million." Mother stated curtly.

"…., Miss Merveille Million to hold onto the Medallions until her investigations are over, have you understood." White stated in the heavy authority of a King, his aura was all what needed to be witnessed, to know that he´s the real deal, similar to myself, ever since my true self awakened from its slumber.

"Grrr, I can´t believe how I, Icaria Armin, Leader of the Armin Clan, am treated…, after our clan has given centuries to the duty of defending this Region, of keeping the peace.

One mistake and it all was for naught…., if only the Prisalia Clan never existed." The Irascible woman muttered under her breath.

"A Peace build on senseless sacrifices is not peace worth getting, your Clan should have cooperated with the other Clans, but you thought to be better than the rest of Ragdoll´s people and that was the beginning of everything.

If you could have used Athena, you would have never been occupied and driven underground, that much must be clear even to you, Lady Icaria." White explained and I nodded, right he was.

"What the hell do you even know, you never were here when all of that occurred, weren´t you?" I heard her mumbling

"You know what, as it doesn't matter anymore, do whatever you want, but don´t think that the Armin clan will help you in anyway, none of us will." Lady Icaria stated as she turned around.

"You are mistaken, Icaria, I will surely help them to free Ragdoll." We heard a new voice stating, as none other but Rose stepped forth.

"Who the hell are you and how dare you calling me so disrespectful?" The fury of Ragdoll asked with narrowed eyes.

"You ask for respect…, though you are the least one to deserve it?" Rose asked as her forehead glowed and suddenly it was as if you see a transformation on tv.

Suddenly the rose I knew began to change, her naked skin got covered in fine fur, her ears disappeared and appeared as cat ears instead, her whole body changed and became that of a Felineko woman, which also meant that her size changed similar to mine when I transform into a human.

"This…, this is impossible…, how…, why are you here?" Lady Icaria asked and for once I heard fear in her voice, rather than anger or venom.

"You thought I did not survive, after you shoved me out of our hiding, to save yourself.

Long time I could not remember anything, but hearing your voice has brought my memories Back, at least a big part of it.

I now finally know who I am…, or rather said who I was before Baion Kidnapped me, while he set fire to our villages." Rose stated, her eyes blazing with fury.

"Rosella…., why are you here?" Lady Icaria asked her teeth gritted.

"Surely not because of you, dear sister of mine!" Rose stated and the silence that occurred was truly uncomfortable.

"Rosella Armin, that is who I am, Icaria Armin´s older Sister, the one she betrayed, and shoved out of our hiding, all those years ago as Ragdoll was attacked, to save her own skin…, only thanks to you I was caught, kidnapped and experimented on by Baion.

If Carmine wasn´t there I would have long gone insane…, if Red`s Father by Blood, King Wolvenra, would not have saved us, who knows what would have happened with us…, ultimately, he released all of us…., even Merveille Million, from the false believe she had, the lies she fell to.

If it weren't for him helping us, Red might not even stand here, as the hope of the world against Lycan and his men.

Therefore, I am in a way grateful to your betrayal, for it brought us all the saviour we desperately awaited…, but I surely will not forgive you for the pain I had been through, almost 300 years long.

Even today I feel my skin burn and ache every now and then.

I feel the numbness of my body after every sleep.

It is hell to always be reminded of it, whenever I look in a mirror.

10 minutes Sister…, 10 minutes a day is all what is left of my past self, I can keep my trance up no longer than those few minutes.

10 minutes to admire what I have lost." Rose explained as her eyes teared up, before she was embraced by Alexia and Carmine, seconds before she transformed back, crying and panting in pain and sorrow alike.

"You have always been full of lies, always tried to get the best for yourself, you manipulated our father whenever you could and got rid of me when the moment was right and for what, just so you could become the village Leader of Scarborough, which I should have become after Savurella left for Shamballa." Rose stated with venom in her words and I saw how White looked surprised.

"You were just like Grandfather Ozir, all you do was for your own benefit, the only time you yielded to the wish of someone else was when it was a direct order from someone with higher authority.

You demand respect, yet you yourself respect no one´s property, life or opinion, you respect no one but yourself…, so don´t ask for anyone respecting you." Rose stated with a harsh tone.

Lady Icaria looked at her with a wrathful expression but instead of fighting back she just turned around and left with her group.

"One thing is for sure Rosella…., the last word is yet not spoken, you will regret to stand against the decision of our Clan, my decision!" She state with as much venom as possible.

"Maybe, but I will happily fight you once that time comes, don´t think that in he last few years I have been lazy, I trained myself to become a valuable asset to king Wolvenra, to pay back all he has given to us, I might even be stronger than ever before so you better beware!" Rose stated, with equal wrath in her voice, watching her sister frown and then vanish.

"Are you alright Rose?" I asked loudly and she nodded with a thumb up.

"Never felt better." She joked and I nodded.

"Everything alright with you guys, we heard what happened from Gren." I stated addressing Waffle and his Groups as I put a hand on his shoulder with a smile.

"Y-Yes, of course, everything´s alright with us." The same stammered as he seemed to not have awaited me to talk to him so casually after the little display of authority I had shown.

"Hahahaha, no need to be nervous Waffle, I haven´t bene prince that long, technically seen can I remember myself about it all only since yesterday, before I had barely any idea about it, you remember, I told you once that I could not remember my past prior to my time in the Orphanage, that was because my Memories were sealed, blocked from me, but the feelings still seep through from time to time.

Now this lock has been opened and all the sealed memories have been released again, I finally know everything again, same as Chocolat, or Princess Choco of Valhalla as she is now called, but don´t think that all of the things we have encountered have become insignificant, please talk to us the same way as before." I stated as the same stepped next to me, nodding about my words, along with Elh and White.

"Wow, I got to know a Princess, a Prince, a King and the Daughter of a Clan Leader, Grandpa's going to flip when he gets to know about this." Waffle mumbled and we smiled.

"Well that was beyond embarrassing, I´m really sorry you had to see this unseeingly scene, Prince Red." Hector stated as he stepped at our side with his wife and some of his men, while the others began to unpack the crates which we found in the wreck of the Golden Roar.

"Unfortunately is Lady Icaria right, after what happened 30 years ago, I began to investigate about the rite of Forfeit, about Lares and Lemures and about the olden times of Ragdoll.

When I found the truth about the rite, that it had been false the whole time and only found due to that gruesome incident in the past, I began to openly rebel against the reign of the Armin Clan, supported by my wife.

We traveled through the lands searching the clues to find Athena, and as we finally found it, we came to a scary fact, we weren´t able to power it, unless we had the forces of three Paladins, one of each supreme Clan, Armin, Melizee and Prisalia.

Over short or long we were wanted by the Armin Clan and had many men after us.

We had some supporters but they too were soon persecuted, so I gave up my right as Leader of the Melizee Clan to not pull innocent people into it.

I still knew the stories how the Prisalia clan had to suffer.

I appointed Bellkatz Melizee, my paternal cousin, as new Leader and fled from Ruinvillage, keeping contact with her over various ways to get to know how things were in the Clan.

While traveling, we hid by day and walked by night, telling everybody who wanted to hear the truth we had found.

We did not stop until the first villages began to burn, as first Baion and then the Lycanians attacked.

After finding Athena, we traveled back to help our Clan, during this time we came to another devastating fact, the Prisalia Clan was nowhere to be found, even after the battles ceased and we all had to hide underground here in Cedargold, they had fled the Island and took their Artefact with them, Athena´s Soul.

Even if my research had bore fruits, had I no opportunity to harvest them.

Lady Icaria, who had lost her father and her sister Rosella, during the battles against the Lycanians was appointed as new Leader of the Armin Clan.

Through this she was in a position to influence much and the idea to give shelter to someone like me was a thorn in her eyes, however she sucked it up as Bellkatz and the rest of the Melizee Clan stepped behind me, not for the least because I returned to them with the evidences that Athena was real and not a figment of my Imagination.

You can imagine how Lady Icaria undermined my opinion and re-ascension as leader with asking why I haven´t used Athena to fight the Lycanians, as I said that we needed three Paladins of three major clans, she had anything she needed to denounce me, as it would not work out without a Paladin of the Prisalia clan.

As there were none anymore, my research and my heretic believe had done nothing but to stir up unrest in the Clans of Ragdoll and that I was unsuited as a leader, this way Bellkatz remained Leader and I was branded as traitor by that prissy little witch.

Especially since the Medallions had vanished, she even tried to go as far as to blame me for theft and imprison me, luckily for me some men, out of the Melizee clan and the Armin clan alike, have seen how the Lycanians had stolen one of them at least." Hector explained as we all sat ourselves around a table.

All Leaders, myself, Choco, White, Princess Terria and the newly arrived leader of the Melizee Clan, Lady Bellkatz, and Rose as Proxy for the Armin Clan listened to his words.

"Yeah the other one I had taken with me as I ran away from the Island." Elh explained with.

"I wanted to find a different way, a way to destroy Lares and Lemures once and for all, but in all these 300 years I found nothing, until it was all too late, luckily I met Red instead and over a course of several incidents we finally managed to Destroy Lares and Lemures beyond Repair." She continued.

"Which was a good thing to do this way no one needed to be unnecessarily sacrificed anymore." Hector stated and I felt how Elh, who held my hand under the table, fidgeted, struggling with keeping her mouth shut about that one incident, before both Titano Machinae managed to be destroyed.

I looked in her eyes and signaled her not to say a word about that.

"Well, there is something I need to tell you, it seems that my Clan, the Prisalia Clan, after running away, ended up in Andalusia during the reign of the Royal Shepherd Family and they found another Titano Machinae there, a weapon called Nidhog." Alicia explained and murmuring was to hear.

"I knew it…, dammit I knew something was wrong with Mt. Moonsicle, I still remember the cryptic way in which that Boy of this Elemental Caster Clan, living there, talked to his companion, before we met him.

I remember that he was saying that he feared, that the soldiers who occupied Andalusia had come for this thing, to unleash it and take control over it.

He once said that his Parents died fighting this thing until it was ultimately stopped, several decades ago, 250 years If I remember right." Calua stated as his fist hit the table shocking anyone.

"Are you sure about that boy?" Lady Bellkatz asked.

"Dead-sure, a lot of my friends died during our flight from home as we were persecuted and hunted, after we climbed the mountain to get to the other side, we met a young Paladin called Thymon Prisalia and his friend Mayana Prisalia, they told us to leave this mountain as soon as possible because it was in no way save there.

Upon crossing the mountain, the day after, an earthquake shook the entire mountain and the tunnel we were in caved in, beside of me, my girlfriend and one of the warriors we traveled with, everyone else was missing.

But we weren´t out of danger, we were still hunted and after being cornered, my girlfriend pushed me out of a window to save my life, wounded and mentally at the end of my forces I ragged my body forward until I found a village, however to my shock I had to understand that it was the village I had come from, we ran in a circle for several months and afterwards I had to witness that I was the last remaining survivor of Rhodesia, of my Clan, the Napage Clan." Calua explained and I saw how Gren and Opera seemed shocked, more than the rest of us…, could it be that they never knew about something like this.

"All this time…, I told myself that this Earthquake came too conveniently, just as we tried to cross the mountain, there had always been legends of a great evil, which has been sealed within this mountain, if you are from the same Clan and know more concrete things about it, please tell me." Calua asked and Flare who stood closely next to him nodded, as both looked at Alicia.

"Of course, well it is so, in a letter I received with my Families Artifact, Athena´s Soul, the following was written….

Our Ancestors stumbled upon an ancient sealed Chamber, where a Huge Beast was resting, whose size was at least 50 meters high, very likely far bigger, it was not especially said, if it was a living creature or a Machine-alike being like the Iron Giant, but looking at what I have heard of those Two who appeared in the Shepherd Republic 2 years ago, it seems that these things come in all shapes.

Anyways, from Experience, due to their past, the clan knew that it was very unwise to accidently wake and unleash the fury of such a beast, so they carefully resealed the Chamber and made their way back upon the surface, never once talking about it again.

However several years after the Revolution started, an unfortunate Soldier-troop came across the mountain and found an ancient weapon which they sought to use in the upcoming Battles, they tested the weapon´s strongest Cannon by firing on the mountain, destroying the hidden entrance to the sealed chamber and hitting the beast and so accidently woke it.

Our Clan fought, but we were unable for a long time to stop the rampaging of the beast.

Until a certain Spell was found in the Great Grimoire of the Prisalia Clan.

The Spell showed a way to calm the beast, and return it back to its slumber.

However, there was a sacrifice needed." Alicia stated and deep breaths were sucked in.

"I don´t know if it can be called some similar way like the Rite of Forfeit or not, but a life had to be sacrificed, to forge an instrument powerfull enough to suck out and contain all of the energy of the Beast.

As no one was brave enough to Volunteer, one of the mothers of the Clan decided to do it, it was none other but the Clan Leaders daughter, who had lost her Husband to the Beast.

Even though she knew, she would leave her newborn son behind, was she determined to end the bloodshed and make it able for her son to raise in a Land free from destruction and Pain." Alicia told us.

"This must have been Thymon´s parents." I heard Calua saying as he nodded, listening to the story with closed eyes and crossed arms, an expression of mental torment on his face, slightly eased through Flare Pris, who had her arms around the strong warrior.

"The Days of Wrath, as the Clan called the days in which the beast rampaged, were the darkest days of the entire Land, many people, Citizens, warriors and Revolutionists became victim to it, before Our Clan stopped it, with the weapon created out of the Self-sacrifice of a mother.

A wish for safety, for all of her family and friends on her lips, during her dying breath…., according to the letter there is no stronger spell than one cast with the own lifeforce." Alicia continued and I saw how everyone from Ragdoll, dropped their head very well knowing that this was an unfortunate truth.

"The Beast was lured back into its chamber, before its energy was drawn and completely sealed and it fell into a deep slumber again.

The Chamber was resealed with many new spells and was to be hidden in mystery and legends once again.

The people of Andalusia ever since talked about the Inferno brought by Nidhog, the old Andalusian word for Devil." Alicia explained and so ended her telling.

"I see, so that is what killed my friends, a Titano Machinae…, and as I can see is the New-Moon Society since years on the search for it.

This here, is something I have kept ever since 12 years, ever since the last of my friends, my Girlfriend Skelpi, died in order to safe me, it was blown over to me by the explosion I had escaped that way, as she pushed me through the window." Calua explained as he laid a little Glass-box on the table, before reaching it around, inside there was a burn piece of an uniform, a Wolf howling infront of a black moon.

"Wait isn't that…?" Alicia asked and Flare nodded.

"I told Calua already about it, we saw the same symbol in Fool Granbot´s old Hideout, the Abandoned Factory.

We thought it was nothing but some spraying on the wall…, what if Fool was a Member of the New-Moon-Society?" Flare asked and a murmuring went through Waffle´s Group.

"It is possible, as much as we know, the New moon society does not consist solely out of Caninus and Lycanians, everyone who either hopes for a share of the cake or who tries to save his own life this way, can become a member of that group.

All they have to do is to swear their loyalty to Lycan and his cause, make a test of loyalty and they become a member, of course they sometimes get special missions to do, so your assumption is not unfounded." Lady Seraphina explained and we nodded.

"If we take these informations together it is plain to see that there are definitely more Titano Machinae around the Free Regions than we originally thought, how many we cannot yet tell, but it must be enough to start a war, even though knowing that the troops of Shangri-La will likely act upon the new threat." Merveille stated and once again we nodded in understanding.

"If only we had someone from Nippon here, for us to prove our assumption…, then again it is probably better if they do not end up here, we do not need more people being imprisoned here in this place, even if it would help our cause of driving those Lycanians out.

Anyways I think we shall begin with discussing what to do from now on, as she has told us so nice cant we count on lady Icaria´s help…, and it is to doubt that anyone will deliberately follow rose just because she has reemerged after so long, especially because she might not be seen as even a member of the Felineko clan, as she can, as demonstrated to us, only obtain that form for 10 minutes a day before falling almost unconscious.

As much as I have understood it from observing are traditions and rules as well superiority almost anything that makes the Armin Clan out.

Thankfully for us, the Melizee and the Prisalia Clan are not like that." I stated with a wink at Lady Bellkatz, Hector and Alicia.

"Well I think the first we should do is keep on raising our resistance, our Arsenal and our Army further up, meanwhile we should concentrate on conquering several places to get ourselves a better line of defense.

By now we managed to get ourselves a ground-base as well as one tower, the one just above Cedargold near the old Paladin Monastery so we have already a far bigger base of operation than before.

Our next targets should be the Tower at the edge of the Gleamwood Forest and the Tower on the Kanbara Pass on the other side of the Sabretooth Mountain Range , this way we would be able to get the entire Northside of Ragdoll in our hands.

However should we not forget that there are everywhere little bases of the Lycanians splattered across the Island, as well as the big Weapon factory, within the Gleamwood Forest, right there where once Scarborough lied." Lady Seraphina explained.

"Scarborough, well shit, that is mighty unfortunate for us." Hector explained.

"And why is that?" both million Women asked.

"Because Athena sleeps right underneath the ritual plaza, if we would want to awaken it, we will first have to conquer the entire place, I hoped they hadn´t a base there as there should be no other thing of worth…, what if they have meanwhile found her and try to take control of it, if it is really as powerfull as I assume, then it will be mighty worse for us if they manage to get it for them, after all she was strong enough to be a match to Lares and Lemures simultaneously." Hector explained.

"We will take this in consideration, either way it would be good to have a squad which will take upon the research of Athena, if we manage to be able to activate it we can use it against the Lycanians.

Lady Kiara, is it alright if I designate you as leader of that group, we will need your husband to help us train our soldiers?" Merveille asked and Kiara Melizee nodded.

"I will help you, it is the least I can do to make up for the sins I might have committed before I was kidnapped, and for all the sins my clans has committed." Rose stated.

"I will help too, after all my Grandfather entrusted us with restoring the name of Prisalia, also do we possess Athena´s Soul, I am sure we can make a big effort with what we currently have." Alicia stated and We nodded.

"Elh, I will give the two Medallions to you and your mother, one for each, keep good care of them." Merveille stated to them both as she handed over the medallions.

"It is very likely, and it would honestly surprise me if not, that the Lycanians are now all on high alert, due to us conquering a Base and a Tower, after almost 30 years of staying still.

Maybe that's the reason of why they decided to shoot Princess Terria´s group off, instead of pulling them in with one of their Magnets.

It is to assume that they will do that now with every new Airship that comes in here and which does not belong to them.

Thanks to the information we have gotten from the tower, we finally know a bit more about the Island and the Towers and their position, we assume that this Laser Weapon, which is actually no laser and which we call a P.E.R.G., Plasma Erosion Rail-Gun, is positioned here, right in the middle of the island in Lake Nessaria, as they call it.

It is powered through a Water-driven power-Plant and Part of what is most likely the Head-Quarter of the Lycanians here on Ragdoll, which means that it is highly secured, before we can get in there we first have to render all the other Towers unable to send them Reinforcements, otherwise we will be faster outnumbered than we like." Merveille stated and we nodded in understanding once again.

"P.E.R.G. uses a Technology unlike anything I have ever seen, it literally shoots a small hole through Metal within seconds, with help of a stake-shaped heavy-metal projectile, accelerated by magnetic forces.

Upon being shot through the plasma-storm, it gets statically charged and the plasma follows it like a veil, just like the tail of a meteoroid, once it collides with a structure it tears a hole through it, that alone is already devastating due to the impact force, however, from then on, the plasma following the projectile takes action.

Through the frayed hole, it wanders through the entire piece and rips the molecular structure of the metal to shreds, literally letting the piece of metal, which it is aimed at, fall apart to dust.

It is a frightening weapon, for sure, and I am positive that it can also be aimed at other things than metal, everything which plasma has an effect on." Merveille stated and her mother and sister nodded.

"We must act as fast as possible, before they have the chance to destroy another airship." She stated ending her report.

"I have seen its power, as they aimed and shot at us, to bring down the Scarlet wolf, it took enormous force just to counter it, keeping it from reaching us, however the projectile pushes for exactly 2 minutes before it runs out of energy and loses its acceleration force.

After each shot the weapon has to charge again, but considering that we had much luck with us, such a weapon which is tearing through every weapon we can set against…, you sure are right, we need to destroy this thing." Elhize stated.

"NO!" I almost fell of my chair as three voices shouted all at once.

"If we were to destroy it, how would we ever get to know about its technology!" Merveille stated aloud her fist hitting the table.

"Indeed, if we cannot comprehend how it works, how are we supposed to counter it, if another of these things is aimed at us" Lady Seraphina continued, here fist hitting the table as well.

"They are right, we need to conquer their HQ and cease this weapon, investigated it and created countermeasures against it, and if it then still poses a threat, then and only then, we can destroy it.

It would be foolish to assume that this would be the only such weapon which the Lycanians possess, this here might have been a Prototype, as old as it is, maybe they have meanwhile managed to built a more portable version of it with the same destructive power, if not even stronger.

This here is an earthbound elemental-driven version of it, what if the next one they bring is a model run by Plasma-crystal-conduction, if its power would be even stronger than now, how are we supposed to still counter it if we have no first-hand knowledge about its predecessor?" Mother Million stated and a third fist hit the poor innocent table.

Still, they do have a good point, nothing less to expect of the number one researchers of the old Lunarian Kingdom.

It was a simple plan which the Lycanians had, find the Titano Machinae, bring them under control, take control over the Region in the process and destroy anyone who tries to stop you, easy right…, but the execution was going on during the last 300 years, on this island since 30 years in secret…, one thing was clear, if nothing else, they were definitely dedicated to their mission.

They surely will not give up on it, even if we have now conquered one tower, I would even get as far as to say, that they would one day deliberately fire this weapon on the base of the towers we have conquered, just to kill us by letting the towers collapse while we are within them.

That was another quite frightening thought.

"Then let´s hope and pray strongly, that no other airship, which we consider a friend, comes in here anymore, before we manage to conquer that damn Laser!" I stated and an approving murmuring went through the room in which we sat and held our conference.

We simply called it our Strategy room, even though it was nothing more than the living-room of one of the residences here in the Innovation District, aka, Hector and Kiara´s House.

"Lady Bellkatz, Lord Hector, we have news to report!" Suddenly we heard one of Hectors men saying, as he burst through the door of the room.

"What is it?" The both addressed asked.

"We have confirmation that some new airships are coming through the Storm, not far from the tower, they are soon through it, how shall we act?" The man asked and I really wanted to bite my butt.

"You got to be kidding me why is it, that every time I hope for something, the exact opposite happens?" I thought, as we stood up to follow the man to the Hangar, to take the next Aircraft towards the tower, to get us some insight asap.

To be continued….

A/N: hello and thanks for reading the new chapter, as said above happens this chapter after couple of side stories so it is recommendable to read them first, of course some of them I still have to write so you better stay tuned.

Also, I is good to reread this chapter after each side-story as I might change the content a little upon writing on the side-stories, same as the previous chapter has been updated a little, I might be only trivial things, but for better understanding it might be good to do so.

We slowly but steadily reach for chapter 100, I hope you are as excited as I for the big Climax of the first Book and that all of you who started are still with me on this story and did not gave up halfway through.

Anyways long rambling short, I hope you enjoy the remaining chapters once they come s well as the few side stories which also still have to come.

The next book will be started approximately during or after summer vacation so make sure to stay tuned and come by my account every now and then.

Here a little spoiler for the first few Chapters of Books 2, it will be my first try of writing an Isekai / thrown into another world-story, I hope you like that idea and are excited to read it.

As always read, review and recommend, and with this I am off to write on the next chapter.

Sincerely yours truly, the Storyteller and his Books.