Respect, Revival and Revenge

The gatekeeper stared at the young boys with awe and a bit of regret. He felt helpless as he realized their potential, and how much they could improve if he could provide them with a smidge more time. Yet, he knew his powers were exhausted already. He couldn't maintain the powers of the Tower; the cracks in the world were more than enough proof. The same could be said for the time alteration between the Tower and the outside world; that had also disappeared.

As he was lost in thought, in the corner of his eye, he noticed Johan retrieving his aura and bracing for a jump. His heart raced, and before he could move, he shouted, "Wait! If you jump in now, you'll meet a legion of monsters!" as his hand reached out for the young man, his eyes, dry from crying over his friends over the hundreds and thousands of years, welled up once more. He relented once he knew he couldn't reach Johan in time and watched him sink deeper and deeper towards the gate.

"No need to be in such a hurry," Edward mockingly said. The old man watched as Johan blinked out of existence, right as he was about to be swallowed by the gate. As he looked around, the old man felt a disturbance in the air and heard a thud by his side. Johan, who should have gone to the invading world, was standing next to him as though he never moved.

"Seems like you're in a hurry to die, Avalon," Johan said as he stared daggers into Ed. He was incensed by the fact that Edward pulled him out of the air with his Space magic. He was also more enraged by the fact that he didn't manage to react in time.

"Take it easy," Edward replied. "An invasion of this scale won't happen in one night. We're also ill-prepared to take on this unknown world and its inhabitants right now. We have much to do, and no time at all, yet jumping in right now is nothing more than suicide."

"Then, what do you suggest we do? Sit around and wait until they attack us?" asked Johan, continuing his discussion with Ed, all while ignoring the old man next to them who went through a multitude of emotions in such a short period.

"Of course not!" Answered Ed as he crushed Suika's card in his hand. The latter appeared beside him, and her color was now more transparent than ever, yet she could alter her looks and color at will. "I'm also a firm believer of offense is the best defense. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't prepare."

Ed hovered his hand, and in front of him dangled ten rings, each of which had a different colored pearl. "These will protect you from most attacks, even if someone stronger than you attacks." He said as he pulled out another thing. "And this…this should work great with the weapon you inherited." A sword, so crimson it almost looked alive, shone its brilliance in the area they were in; outdoing even the brilliance of the gate below. "Now, you can jump if you want. I still have some business to take care of in our world."

"Are you going to bring your little pack of comrades with you? They won't be able to survive." Johan said as he examined the equipment he received. He was not a fool to refuse them, as he knew how dangerous their mission was.

"Of course not," answered Ed. "Most of them are living blissfully unaware of the dangers, and I don't intend on getting them involved in any way. Now Suika, if you don't mind." He gestured toward Johan's face, and Suika immediately went into action. She jumped on Johan's face and surrounded it like a ball of water. The latter knew very well that she meant no harm, and did not retaliate.

In a moment he felt burning pain searing across his face, yet before he could complain, it had subsided; Suika had also let go of him. His hands shot up to his face, and as he felt it, he could tell his scar was gone. It was ironic that his once enemy Edward caused him to bear that scar for a while, and now he was the one to remove it.

"Enjoy my last gift to you," Edward mentioned with a sly smile on his face, the sight of which made Johan's danger senses activate. But, before he could react again, Edward pushed him down towards the gate.

"Sorry, but I can't be too nice!" Ed shouted at the falling Johan who was cursing him, yet the two of them cherished this moment. It was the calm before the storm after all.

"Now then, old gatekeeper, you'll have to wait for a while more; I still have much to do before I rejoin Johan," Ed smiled softly as he patted the worn-out shoulder of the old man who had stayed quiet for quite a while.

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Edward and Suika walked ahead with the sun blaring above their heads. They only spent a small amount of time inside the Tower, but it was enough for them to miss the natural warmth of their world. Yet, as they basked in the sunlight, Ed's heart was frigid. He was returning to a place where he suffered heartache. It was the location of the Battle of Generations, where both his father and grandfather perished.

"I still didn't forgive you and Merry for lying to me that day," Ed faked a sob as he looked at Suika, who started flailing her hands when confronted. "I know, I know. You lied so I could win. I don't think Arthur would have minded. He was probably proud to score a draw against Johan's dad, even if it cost him his life."

Edward lamented as he stared down at the gaping hole left behind on this ground. After a second, he plunged and seemed to fall for an eternity, only to stiffen once he hit the ground. As Suika provided him with light, he was greeted with the sight of a dismembered arm, black and purple surrounded by a pool of dark blue blood. The damaged end still looked as though it was cut this morning. He could feel the presence of death emanating from it.

As he approached it apprehensively, his right hand clutched a sword, while his left crushed a card. However, it wasn't one of his monster cards; it was a healing card.

The light of the healing surrounded the arm and with a great gush of wind, the crater shook and rocks fell from above. Ed held Suika and escaped to the top. Once there, all he had to do was wait, as a figure rose from the crater. It was the same monster that his grandfather, and Johan's, fought on the same day they died. As the two of them locked eyes, the monster howled and sent all the nearby lifeforms fleeing in fear. Even Ed found himself shaking a little. Yet, he resolved himself, crushed the entirety of the monster cards he had. As he was surrounded by the light of their summoning, he pointed his sword and said, "Time for round two mother*cker!!"