SHONEN ALLIANCE

BOOK OF THE SHADOWS

EPISODE 196

The Winter Witch

Opening Theme: Sign (Naruto Shippuden)

Selvaria agilely jumped backwards, evading several shards of ice that the cloaked figure attacked with. She responded by firing a beam of flame, but the attack was extinguished before hitting home by the enemy's snow storm like aura.

"There's no point in hiding your identity any longer! I know it's you!" Selvaria shouted, growing more irate when she received no reply, "speak when I address you! CRYMARIA!" shouting the name did have an effect, causing the figure to back up a step as though confused.

"How do you…" a confused, female voice came from the figure, only for her to scream and grab her head as if in pain, surprising Selvaria.

"Something's wrong. Is that other woman to blame or is this something else?" Selvaria wondered silently. As she spoke, her foe let out an enraged scream, her Valkyrian aura blowing away the cloak that had covered her. She was a beautiful woman with long, blue-violet hair. She wore only a revealing and damaged purple dress with nothing covering her feet or hands and her blood red eyes seemed to glow with rage as she glared at Selvaria.

"What has happened to you?" Selvaria stuttered in disbelief. The woman standing before her was a Valkyrur like herself, kept by the Imperial Alliance. Selvaria had known her to be a tad immature with a severe inferiority complex that rendered her particularly unstable even for a Valkyrur. Her raw power was unmatched, but physical and mental weakness meant that she was possibly simultaneously the strongest and yet weakest of all of the Valkyria. Even so, the rage in her eyes was unlike anything Selvaria had seen from her in the past. This woman was a clear threat. One capable of decimating her friends if not stopped.

"DIIIIEEEEEEE!" Crymaria shrieked holding up her rod which fired a barrage of ice at Selvaria, who held up her shield in defense, causing the shards to imbed themselves into the shield. Suddenly, they all exploded, blowing Selvaria flat onto her back with enough force to knock the breath out of her. "Die… die, die… DIIIEEEE!" Crymaria shouted holding up her staff to open fire on the vulnerable Selvaria!

"NO YOU DON'T!" Imca roared suddenly as she charged Crymaria from the side, swinging Var, the blade of which struck the gem in Crymaria's staff, causing a surge of power that knocked Imca back several feet as the winter witch let out a cry of pain.

"The hell was that!?" Imca cursed as she steadied herself.

"That's it!" Selvaria exclaimed, "I know… how we can stop her!"

"Care to share?" Imca asked.

"Crymaria is different from most Valkyria," Selvaria revealed.

"I gathered that much when she started shooting exploding ice at us. How does that help us?" Imca demanded.

"Every time she launches an attack, that red crystal glows," Selvaria revealed, "her staff is not built like a Valkyria's spear or shield, but something has to be allowing her to manifest her power like that. I've never seen a Valkyrur able to use their flames offensively without something with which to channel it."

"I get it, so you think taking out the gem'll depower her, is that the idea," Imca asked.

"Correct," Selvaria replied, "but my Valkyrian flame can't overcome her own aura. I can't reach the gem as things are." She looked over at Imca, "I need your help."

"Heh, of all the people to hear that from," Imca chuckled, "what do we do?"

"From close enough range, your weapons can hit the gem. If you can do enough damage to disrupt her aura, I can remove the gem and end this," Selvaria replied, "do you think you can manage that, Ace?"

"Don't call me that," Imca ordered, "especially now we've got an actual 'Ace' on the team. It's just confusing. That said, though," she declared, pointing Var at Crymaria, "there's a damn good reason I'm number one. Give me some cover and I'll get the job done."

"Right," Selvaria replied as a tense Valkyrian aura formed around her, "let's begin!" she shouted, charging Crymaria.

"Sniping's never been my strongest skill set, but as long as she isn't moving around to much, this should be a piece of cake," Imca said to no one in particular as she ran around to Crymaria's side, "still, of all the people to end up working WITH! The surprises really do never stop, do they?"

Selvaria's charge was quickly halted by a counter attack as Crymaria mounted a fierce barrage that forced her to begin evading the strikes. Crymaria continued attacking relentlessly, shrieking with rage as she attempted to blow away her foe… only for a sniper round to strike the jewel in her staff, ending the bombardment, much to Crymaria's surprise. Selvaria struck instantly, abandoning her shield and spear as she rushed in, grabbing the crystal. There was a burst of energy that blew Selvaria backwards as Crymaria dropped to her knees. Selvaria rose to her knees and opened her hand, revealing the red gem in her hand.

"We did it," she sighed with relief, dropping the gem as she dropped to her hands and knees, clearly drained, "and… not a moment to soon… I think that's… all I've got."

/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Rasengan!" Naruto shouted, blowing away several marines before jumping back to back with Luffy and Natsu.

"We've got this!" Luffy declared proudly. This proved to be a poorly timed statement as the battlefield suddenly erupted with a surge of power that threatened to blow away heroes and villains alike!

"What is that!?" Alicia called out.

"So many of Kakarot's little friends, but Kakarot is nowhere to be seen," a voice declared that caused the heroes' blood to run cold as 4 figures descended onto the battlefield. One looked almost identical to Goku, the Saiyan pirate, Turles, while the remaining 2 where the Saiyans who had been with Goku in Forland, Nappa and Raditz, but it was the final figure that filled everyone's hearts with dread. Broly had returned. "No matter. I'll just amuse myself until he arrives."

Closing Theme: Never Give Up (Dragon Ball Z Kai)