First Contact

They arrive to Mysteria by taking the passage below the temple. Night have fallen by the time they arrived to Mysteria in front of their eyes. Sairori felt it was a shame being off schedule.

“Hmm it seems we’ve been delayed by that battle.”

Night has already broken in.

“We should camp and rest here till daybreak.”

“What but we can still go on.” Alistor said.

“No need to push yourself far. You may never know if you need to be at full power for what lies ahead.” Tannen speculated.

They all agreed to take rest and recover as Tannen and Sairori kept watch over the four of them. It was dark and perfect for them to stay undetected in this part of Mysteria.

“With no source of light or fire our enemy’s won’t detect us quickly.” Sairori sat drinking his tea silently.

They both look over the four resting smoothly. Night has broken through as hours passed by as some light begin to barely dim in. It was four as Auroa opened his eyes out to see the others still asleep.

“Well you’re up early. You had enough rest?”

Auroa smiled with some joy and feeling delighted. Darkness still shrouds at the ground level. He walked towards Sairori quietly in order not to wake the others up. Sitting in a corner where dim lights were visible. Auroa joined them to view the stars.

“Auroa.”

“Yes?”

“You know very well about your limits. You’ve made satisfactory progress with your teammates with that get along attitude.”

Auroa felt baffled for a moment.

“Oh no, you don’t need to really.” Auroa nodded.

Tannen gives Auroa a pat in the shoulder as Sairori looked over the other three still sleeping.

“Auroa the both of us are aware you may have not been the focus of attention like the others, but you should know you’ve already surpassed others expectations.”

The sound of winds start picking in from the other side of Mysteria. Auroa continued listening to what both of them had to say.

“Auroa, I know the day will someday come. When my time is gone….Promise me this. You will watch over them. I know you can lead them one day.”

An unease look was seen on Auroa.

“Something the matter?” Sairori asked.

“It’s just…I had other plans in mind perhaps. Maybe, but there’s some unfinished business to settle. I’ve been thinking for some time about the future. Yes…the future.”

A burning memory begins haunting his past. Scenes of a great fire rains over a child with dark hair escaping a forest.

“Is there something you need to tell us? We’re here!” Tannen assured.

“No…It’s nothing. Just something caught my eye.”

They continue to look over the stars.

“They will one day need you and you’ll see when that day comes.”

They spent the rest of their time speaking while the other three rest up. Day break in as a few more hours passed. Alistor and the others woke up as they find Auroa already awake before them. They all check the map on how close they are to their destination.

“So the Neon Cave is where we’ll find this?” Alistor looked over.

A fog starts to pitch in as they have to find their way to the cave. They noticed company was around them. The party took caution in the foggy field. They spotted Pawns from Baronia in search for them.

They kept low and quiet since the pawns where easy to hear with their loud mechanical sounds and movement. They closed in on their destination to the cave. Then suddenly Katty trips as a sound was made.

“Oh great so much for stealth.” Muttered Alistor.”

The enemy soldiers rushed towards their way. Katty quickly got back up feeling a bit ashamed as Maigashi complained. The pawns were now in range to fight the party again.

“Well no use in hiding.” Maigashi said.

Auroa suddenly stepped in front of the others while Tannen and Sairori watch from a distance.

“What are you doing?” Katty wondered.

“This is no time to show off. Let us take them while you stay in range for your wind attacks.” Alistor said.

Auroa refused as he made them sheath their weapons with a little force of his aura emitting. He insisted them to let him handle this.

“Save your strength for now. I’ll use mind over the matter to defeat them quickly.”

Maigashi shrugged his shoulders as Auroa had them step back. Auroa glanced through his surroundings to find his mental space to counter.

“Time to play with these things mind.”

Auroa prepare to channel on some wind. The pawns took him for granted and decided to move in. But suddenly their vision became blurry as Auroa disappeared from their vision.

“The currents from my winds will shift the fog to them. Now for the illusion.”

He shifted the fog to mess with their head more thinking they see him. The pawns miss their attacks. They lost their vision again as Auroa began making illusions of himself in set points. The pawns got confused as they made their attacks. Auroa catches their attentions making them charge towards him. The copies of himself begin to disappear one by one as they realize they fell into a huge swamp. The pawns short circuited and sank to their doom as Auroa blew the fog out of the other way for the rest to see. The team was impressed to see what Auroa did with the surroundings.

“I was never there the whole time in the battle.” “Well what are we all standing here for? Shouldn’t we be heading to that cave?”

They find their way into the entrance of the cave. Neon Cave now awaited them to explore and seek for that spirit said to be located on that map.

Back at the Baronia fortress the King watches over on the party’s progress. He is seen on his throne feeling lazy with one hand on his cheek.

“So they are planning to seek that one rose to awaken one of our rivals’ souls eh? Doctor! Send down another monster. This time two of them.” He ordered.

Dr. Page turned to the King.

“My right away my lord. I’ll send down two of our most mischievous monsters to attack them.”

The doctor begins to have other thoughts about the rose Alistor and party is seeking.

“What should we do about that power if they were to stop them?”

The King made his decision with no problem.

“Tell them not to destroy that power source but bring it back. We may have some use for it if they succeed.”

The doctor makes his leave.

Meanwhile back down below, Alistor and his party made their way through the cave as it was simply vast and filled with glowing stones every time they explored deeper within. Alistor was holding the map as Tannen and Sairori leaded the way. The cave dimmed out for the moment but nothing of significance happened in the cave. The deeper they went it got colder. Maigashi began shivering.

“Should have packed an extra sweater.”

As they got closer the cave got colder by some degree. At long last a huge door was in their way. A rose symbol marked on the door.

“Well let’s open it up.”

Tannen started opening it from one side slowly as Maigashi and Katty went to the other corner on the right side. The doors opens up as they entered the large room filled with earth and crystal like structures.

“What is that?”

A huge massive plant was at the center of the room. It began to spreading out its vines and heads to notice their intrusion. Alistor and his party did not look surprised.

“It’s the obvious. Let Sairori and I take care of this.” Tannen insisted.

Sairori begins for battle alongside with Tannen as the others watch.

The plants flower bud begins opening up with man eating heads. Tannen and Sairori charge at the beast deflecting every one of its attacks. It attempted to attack Alistor and Maigashi but got deflected back by Auroa summoning a wind barrier. Katty cut a few vines on the sidelines trying to get close to them.

“We got this one in the bag.” Sairori gestured.

He begins building speed as sparks started to burst from the tip of his blade. Tannen simply barrel rolled his way from every one of the plants attacks. Tannen started channeling some dark energy as Sairori approaches close cutting every vine.

“Look at them go.” Katty pointed.

Alistor and the others continue to watch them in action. From the darkness a waterfall came crashing down on the plant from above. More water burst from the side of the walls focusing its aim on the plant as it begins to feel withered and soaked. Sairori shot some sparks at the plant to conduct it with water. The massive heavy plant beast squirmed in pain as its main massive core opens from the center.

The waters stopped as Sairori gained some space by jumping a few feet back. Alistor and the rest looked at the massive plant head staring right in front of them. It shot out a huge acid glob at them.

“Oh god here it comes.” Shouted Alistor.

The glob of acid heads towards them. Katty took cover behind Auroa’s wind barrier in fear along with the other two. Auroa was nervous, unsure if the barrier can hold through that.

“I don’t think this barrier can hold through those guys.”

As Auroa lost concentration dispelling the barrier, Tannen slams his scythe to the ground. Darkness unleashing some pillars of earth from the ground covering Alistor and the others.

“Since when did you had that kind of ability?” Muttered Maigashi.

“Why practice of course.” Tannen snapped.

More earth started rising from all corners of the room taking form of pillars and walls. The mass amount of earth then layered each other over on top of all the plant beast limbs. Sairori then jumps high above to attack the core.

“Now you’re though!”

Sairori drew out his blade as a huge thunder clouds covered the ceilings and take form. The plant beast shattered to pieces as a mass pile of thunder rained down on all over its body. The battle was over within a flash.

“What you saw we presented there was nothing.” Mentioned Tannen

“If you all work hard enough you’ll be able become as strong as us someday.” Sairori assured.

Just when they were about to forget about what they came for, Auroa reminded them all about the rose.

“Oh yeah the rose.” Snapped Alistor.

The party spots the rose piece resting intact at the far end of the room intact on the ground. Glowing in the center like a crystal as its outside was coated as a pearl. Alistor then paused for a moment as it was in his reach. Maigashi gets annoyed.

“Well come on don’t procrastinate. Pull it out already.”

Alistor reaches for the rose but suddenly two monsters from above drilled down by surprise causing some stalagmites to fall. Sairori rushed to Alistor to pull him out of harm’s way. The two monsters from Baronia introduced themselves as they were recognized with the bearing checker pattern of Baronia. The two step into position wide by side as they spoke at the same time.

“We are Baronia’s Dynamic Duo. The Sun and Moon channeler Silvius! And Zwerato! You shall fall before us!

The two made a battle stance that didn’t really impressed Alistor and the others like they were just boring.

“You mock us! Don’t underestimate us because we’re not letting you get that rose.”

They both the pointed their fingers at Alistor in order to just fight him personally as a request. The rest of his party didn’t cared and agreed to not interfere. Alistor walked up ready to the challenge.

“Give me your best shot.” Alistor provoked.

The duo draws their arm blades and prepares to fight. They make the first strike performing a stance before striking. Alistor blocks the first two hits but get kicked to the side. They both laughed at him as they continue their assault forcing him to roll out of harm’s way.

“This isn’t looking good.”

He tried rushing at them but one blocked the others blind spot and kicked back making him repeat his movements again and again. The same thing happened two more times before thinking of trying something else.

“Argh this isn’t working. There has to be something I can do to turn their teamwork against each other. But what?”

He continues thinking as he started watching their patterns and movements.

After a bit of studying he was starting to tire out with all the attacks he had to avoid. The duo were making approaching him again as he knew he had to act now. They both started to surround him for the finishing blow.

“Here goes!”

As they got close he begins quickly channeling energy to his blade. Their blades clasped with his as he unleashed his move.

“Star Breaker!”

“What?”

The duo were knocked away from Alistor as they were both survived but damaged.

“What was that?” One of the duo questioned.

“I don’t know. But he’s beginning to tick me off.”

Alistor got to the ground exhausted.

“Brother! Let’s get serious!”

“Agreed!”

Their teamwork and mind games were turned against them as they attempted to do something else. Alistor was wondering what they were doing as they both separate from each other as far as possible.

“Damn I’m out of power.” Alistor gasped.

They both lifted their hands up as a small fiery looking sphere formed in the middle of the ceiling. He looked above and there it was. The sphere grew larger and larger slowly as the duo focused in place.

“Now you’ll feel the wrath!”

“Our Sun Moon Finisher!”

It came crashing down in the center of the arena as Alistor had to make a run to the sides taking some minor degree as his cape caught on fire.

“I won’t give in just yet.”

Alistor kicks Silvius in the neck causing him to fall. The big sphere in the center of the arena immediately disintegrates. Zwerato immediately rushed to Silvius side smacking Alistor away from them. The duo got back up together to try pulling that same trick on again. They stumbled back as they collided with one other again rendering them unconscious.

“The Rose! Get the Rose!” Auroa pointed.

Alistor rush’s to the rose. This time the rose immediately took form of a crystal sword in a place. He pulled the sword that the rose took form.

“What’s going on?”

Tired and exhausted he looks at the blade in a mesmerized fashion. The duos got back up on their feet.

“We’re not finished yet.”

Backed to a corner, Alistor was exhausted with no energy left for fight giving the others a sign to potentially act.

“Come on! We have to help him.” Maigashi said.

Suddenly by surprise the whole sword Alistor had shined halting the others in place. The presence of another great energy was felt behind Alistor/

“What is that?” Katty pointed.

“I think that’s the spirit.” Auroa guessed.

A spirit emerged from that rose sword defending Alistor as the duo got sent flying back. The spirit was shining white in a form of a warrior as it looked at him. The duo were both persistent in not giving up and attempt to attack the spirit. The Spirit quickly turned around and finished them off with a dramatic finisher.

“Shining Rose Finish!”

Both duos did a dramatic spin with sparks flying out of them till they fell and exploded. Alistor approached the spirit with many questions and things to ask it until it placed one of its fingers on his mouth to silence him.

“Fear not! I am Zenmidas. I legendary Rose warrior here to fight at your side.”

He quickly thanked Alistor for awakening him and tells him to summon it anytime when needed.

“But I still have questions…”

He returned back into the crystal sword as Alistor was left speechless.

“We have found one of them. There will be others we need to awaken in due time.” Sairori closed.

A new hope has awaken to take stand against Baronia.