Into The Blazing Skies

I searched around for Claire, looking into every room that was her favorite hiding spot. I wandered around the corridors and even checked out on the balcony, but she wasn't there either. I decided to go down the main hall and look in the library.

Opening the door, I noticed Claire was inside, looking at a holographic Crest floating in front of her. She seemed to be taking notes, scribbling down information upon her clipboard. I smiled at her then quietly snuck behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist.

Claire squeaked and her body jolted in shock. She quickly looked back and immediately calmed down, a soft laugh and sigh of relief escaping her. "Oh Goddesses...you scared me, my love.."

I chuckled softly and gently kissed her cheek before letting her go. "My apologies, I just wanted to surprise you...and be a little nosy~ What are you up to?"

Claire fixed her glasses and looked at her Crest Reader, looking at the Crest that was holographically displayed. "I am trying to study everything I can about Alastor and Chaos. After his attack on Pyroc, I need to know his weaknesses but I can't find anything. All I can find is ancient facts about Chaos."

"What have you found?" I asked, walking over to the couch and sat down.

"Chaos is not the original. Chaos is an incarnation of the The Shadow of the Sovereigns. The Calamity, The Apocalypse...His original name is Terminus," Claire said, shuddering slightly from saying his name.

"Terminus. That does check out from the Records that my ancestor left behind. My ancestor has fought three incarnations of Terminus: Chaos, Cetus, and Caedi. Now that history is coming around full circle again, it's now my turn to fight an incarnation...no he's a direct reincarnation of Chaos," I said, looking at the Crest then studied it for a moment.

Claire read all of the information that was shown then turned to me. "Your ancestor. Are they tied to the Crest of Arcane?"

"Mhm, his name is Ascea Eyica. He's known as The Last Hero of Origin. He was known as The Last Zodiac, The Last Angel, The Last Demon, and The Last Spirit. He was supposed to be The Last Hero, but then I came along to restart the line of Heroes," I explained, looking at my Crest of Arcane.

"Right now, I only have the base abilities of my ancestor as The Crest of Arcane is unawakened. Once I awaken it, it will become The Crest of Conquest," I finished, looking up at Claire.

"Would you mind...if I read it?" Claire asked, walking toward me.

I stared at her for a moment, a soft smile tugging at my lips then I nodded. "Alright, I'll let you read it."

I stood up and walked toward the Crest Reader, holding my hand inside the device. The device began to send warm lasers around my hand, tracing the Crest and creating a holographic version upon the screen. Claire and I stared at it as it analyzed my Crest.

"Oh wow..~ This Crest is so complex it's nearly impossible to understand. You have four main Abilities: Zodiac, Angel, Demon, and Spirit. The four races that make the Hero of Origin aka The True Hero," Claire said, her tone a mix of awe and excitement.

The Crest Reader began to calculate my stats and power level.

{Error Code - 4e.910}

{Unable to calculate min-max stats...}

"Eh?" Claire said perplexed, tilting her head then looked up at me. "Unable to calculate?"

I smiled and shrugged my shoulders. "Objectively, I have no definitive end or beginning. Yes, I lost to Alastor the first bout only because I had too much energy taken out of me at once when I lost the Crest of Chaos. My power level is endless currently. That's why I put limits on myself, yet I don't make those limits known."

"Ahh, I see~ Even with those limits, my Crest Reader still can't calculate it. This is very interesting," Claire noted, writing down the information I told her. "Speaking on your Zodiac Abilities, do you possess Zodiac Crystals?"

"All thirteen," I answered.

Claire paused, raising an eyebrow then glanced at me once more. "Thirteen?"

"Leo, Aries, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo, Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces, Gemini, Aquarius, Libra, finally the Forbidden Zodiac Ophiuchus," I said, counting each Zodiac.

Claire nodded her head and smiled brightly, writing down the Zodiacs. "Ahh, I haven't heard of the Forbidden Zodiac. This is very interesting really. And it is said the Crest of Arcane can counter the Crest of Chaos...these abilities are very interesting. I will need to do more research later on the Zodiacs once I find the book about them."

"Until then, I've done all the researching I can do. I'm going to find more about Alastor for you, even though I assume you already know him well," Claire added, looking up at me.

"Me and him know each other well. Too well. Leave him to me, my love..~ It's for the best," I said, gently caressing her cheek.

Claire blushed, nodding her head and giving me a gentle smile. "Okay..~"

Claire and I shared a tender kiss, her hand holding mine. Our kiss lasted for a moment before we broke it, the kiss leaving us breathless for a moment.

"I should go check on Elisa and Milcham..~ They've been training hard.." Claire whispered, staring into my eyes.

"Alright..~ I'll go check on Inoka then.." I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.

Claire smiled at me, landing one more quick kiss upon my lips before walking off. I watched her retreating form, noticing the way she teasingly swayed her hips as she left the library. I chuckled softly and began to leave the library as well.

-----------------------------------

I made my way outside to the stables to check on Nebula then heard a few neighs and screeches, coupled with giggles and cheers. I walked outside to the ranch area, and noticed Nebula and Phoenix racing each other around the ranch with Inoka watching along.

Nebula whinnied as she raced forward, cutting corners to get in front of Phoenix. Phoenix drifted around the race track, leaving behind trails of fire due to her insane speed. It really seemed like they were neck and neck with each other, but in the end Phoenix won the race and let out a victorious screech.

I walked toward Inoka, smiling at the scene then glanced at her. "Well, seems like those two are in a good mood."

Inoka glanced up and me, a bright smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Hi, Emperor~ Finally deciding to spend some time with me alone huh?~" Inoka teased, nudging my side.

I chuckled softly and playfully nudged her head, causing her to stumble and laugh. I looked at Nebula and Phoenix, a warm smile playing on my face. "I figured you'd be here and my intuition seemed correct. Nebula and Phoenix seem to be having fun."

Inoka nodded, her gaze returning to Nebula and Phoenix. "Your horse is very high maintenance. She requires a lot more than I initially realized as she does have a lot of energy. She plays with the other horses a lot, but none of them can keep up with her. That's where Phoenix stepped in. She's surprisingly fast."

"She is, but Phoenix remains just a tad faster," I observed, crossing my arms. "Also, I have a question."

"Mhm?" Inoka asked, looking up at me.

"What would you like to do for the wedding? I want to make sure you and Claire are happy with the wedding so I'll know what to request to the maids when setting everything up," I said, my gaze meeting Inoka's.

Inoka took a moment to think about my question, understanding the weight of my inquiry. She closed her eyes and hummed softly, placing a hand on her hip. "Claire doesn't necessarily do good in large crowds, and I don't necessarily like being in too large of a crowd if I don't need to be...so I'm thinking we can do more of an intimate wedding?"

"Intimate wedding huh? Where we only invite a certain amount of people? I can work with that," I nodded, gazing back out into the open. "I've always wanted to have an intimate wedding just to see how much I like it..."

"Me too..~ You will actually be my first husband ever, so I'm super excited to be wedded to you soon. The wedding will most likely have to wait after the Grand Flame Festival since it's something we're all preparing for...oh and also Claire's birthday is coming soon!" Inoka said, closing her eyes and smiling happily.

"I've always wanted to go out and hunt for some materials to help her evolve her powers as a Queen. Even though I know my sister won't be the strongest Queen in Uthea, I want her to grow and finally become strong enough to tame Pyroc once the time comes~" Inoka added, nodding her head.

"Evolution?" I asked, glancing at Inoka. "You mean evolving her Crest?"

"Yeah. Have you ever heard of the process before? It's very interesting actually. Royal Crests are able to be evolved to new heights. Claire's Crest of Ardens can be evolved into the Crest of Vestae, aka The Crest of Eternal Flames," Inoka said, looking at her own Crest. "Just like my Crest of Ardens can be evolved into the Crest of Ra-Ho-Kuit."

"What do you need for evolution?" I asked, looking at her Crest of Ardens.

Inoka looked up at me, glancing back down at her hand with a warm smile. "We need a few things. Most obvious item we need is a Blazing Star, just one for each of us is enough. Next we need to go out into a nearby dungeon to find a few Spirits."

"We need to go to the Sanctum of Flames for the Spirit of the Inferno Mecha then obtain a Blaze Titan Spirit. We also need a Blaze Idol, Flamme Spirit, and a Volcanic Totem. Only then can we evolve our Crests," Inoka finished, lowering her hand.

"That is a lot of prerequisites for your evolution," I chuckled, crossing my arms.

"Trust me, the Elemental Queens have it hard when it comes down to evolving our Crests. It's either we traversed the skies for our Elemental Star Fragments and the Sanctums or just remain with untapped potential," Inoka shrugged, a soft smile playing on her lips.

I looked at the sky, noticing the glimpse of the islands in the sky floating through the clouds. "So how about we gather a Blazing Star? We would need three of them; one for you, one for Claire, and one for the Festival."

"Hmm," Inoka considered, looking up at the sky as well. "I mean, I have a way up to the islands via Phoenix. Can you even get up there?"

I shrugged my shoulders then looked at Nebula. "Nebula is a Mythical Beast so I'm sure she has other forms that I haven't utilized so maybe I can get up there."

"Well let's go see!~" Inoka said, taking my hand and pulling me toward Phoenix and Nebula.

I chuckled softly as I followed Inoka toward the two, my steps as quick as hers as her excitement was clear in her quick steps.

"Phoenix! Nebby! Come here for a moment!" Inoka called out to them.

Phoenix and Nebula heard their names and hurried over to us. Nebula whinnied and nuzzled me, causing me to lightly chuckle and rub her snout.

"I have a question to ask you Nebula," I said, looking her in the eyes.

Nebula tilted her head slightly and wondered what I was going to ask. She whinnied and swayed her tail out of curiosity.

"You are a Mythical Beast, so I'm wondering if you can transform, y'know like into a Pegasus or an Alaricorn?" I asked, a rare excitement bubbling to surface in my chest.

Nebula's ears perked up at my question then she whinnied and stepped backwards. As she prepared herself, the Crest of Oblivion shined on her forehead then her aura began to spiral around her body. We watched as Nebula prepared to transform, our eyes glued to Nebula's form.

Nebulae clouds formed around her body, manifesting black wings and clouds took shape upon her head, forming into a horn. She let out a powerful neigh, standing upon her hind legs and fully transformed...no evolved into a Legendary Beast.

Inoka's eyes widened in awe as she took in Nebula's divine presence, her body shuddering lightly as she felt Nebula's energy. "A Legendary Beast...in the flesh.."

I looked at my hand noticing the Crest of Oblivion shining upon my hands. I rose an eyebrow and tilted my head. "So you were once Balor's Steed..? Hmm, this does add up taken you also possessed The Crest of Oblivion."

Nebula neighed and walked toward me. Instead of having to decipher her, I could finally understand her and my eyes widened. I could actually hear her voice, and it was no mere coincidence. Now that I possessed Balor's Crest, I could hear Nebula's voice.

"Nebula, I can hear you," I said, looking at Nebula with a grand smile.

Nebula's eyes widened as well then she happily whinnied, the language barrier between us finally diminishing. She galloped around me happily then stood in front of me, snorting. She looked up at the sky islands above.

"Yeah, we're going up to the islands in the sky. We are going to gather a few Blazing Stars. Now that you've transformed, we can finally go up there," I said, smiling at Nebula.

Nebula nodded her head, ready to go. Her saddle and bridle appeared upon her and she took her stance for me to mount on her back. I hopped on her back then looked at Phoenix, noticing she had puffed her feathers to grow in size so Inoka could climb upon her.

"Alright!~ Let's head to the skies!" Inoka exclaimed, cheering as Phoenix took off into the air.

I clicked my teeth and Nebula galloped forward then leaped into the air, flapping her wings and followed close behind Phoenix. She didn't seem to struggle in the air, infact she was a natural at flying and seemed to enjoy flying a lot. She felt so free in the air, neighing happily into the wind.

As we flew above the clouds, I got a glimpse at what it looked like above the clouds. I looked around, my eyes reflecting the heavenly appearance of the islands in the sky. Nebula and Phoenix soared in the air, flying close together.

"Where do these Blazing Stars come from?" I asked, looking at Inoka.

"There used to be a Phoenix here that produces the stars, but it seems like he's not here. This Phoenix is the exact opposite of what my Phoenix is. This Phoenix may produce Blazing Stars, but he is called the Searing Souleater," Inoka answered, looking around for the Phoenix.

"Searing Souleater? Why do they call him that?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Instead of his flames giving life like mine, his flames causes eternal damnation, Eternal Burning until the victim is dead. It is said that once he consumed enough, he releases the excess energy in bursts which creates the Blazing Stars. He is a Mythical Beast, one of Vesta's Beasts, but he can't be tamed unless he sees you worthy," Inoka answered, her eyes scanning around the islands.

"His name is Hoor-Ra-Chol, The Blistering Flame, or what he calls himself, Cholra," Inoka added, her tone growing softer as she spoke about Cholra.

Phoenix shrilled at the mention not Cholra, not taking much of a liking to him at all. Nebula looked at Phoenix, sensing her growing discomfort about Cholra.

Suddenly, we all heard a screech and felt intense flames spreading across the sky, a heat wave forming around us. The temperature began to rapidly rise, Nebula neighing as if to complain about the heat.

"Humans... You dare enter my domain..?" A voice spoke out to us, sounding hostile.

Inoka and I looked around, searching around for the source of the voice. As we searched around, a figure flew above us, screeching and soared in front of us.

The figure was an incredibly powerful and majestic phoenix, exuding an aura of dominance and fire. His wings were spread wide, displaying a vibrant array of flames and intricate gold and red feathers that seem to shimmer and move with a life of their own. The feathers were sharp and metallic, adding to the creature's formidable and fearsome appearance.

The Phoenix's body was covered in ornate, armor-like plating that blends seamlessly with his natural form, giving him an appearance of both organic and mechanical design. The armor was primarily gold with red and blue accents, and it featured glowing blue gems, indicating a source of immense power.

Flames of various colors, predominantly blue and red, surrounded his body, enhancing his fiery and fearsome nature. These flames emanate from his wings, tail, and body, suggesting that he can control and manipulate fire with ease.

His head was adorned with a striking blue flame that acts as a crown, further emphasizing his royal and divine status. His eyes were fierce and glowing, radiating a sense of wisdom and power. His beak was sharp and predatory, adding to the creature's intimidating presence.

"Cholra..." Inoka said in awe, finally seeing him up close first hand. She shook her head then smiled, a confident smirk playing on her face. "Cholra! Today is the day you finally acknowledge me!"

Cholra stared at Inoka then screeched at her, prompting Phoenix to screech back. "Human...you believe you are worthy of my power? You will just be another victim to my Blistering Flame!"

Inoka summoned her rapier then her Crest of Ardens shined on her hand, her gaze determined and her eyes flashing with courage. "I've accepted that Pyroc is for my sister to claim, but you...you WILL be mine!"

Cholra stared at Inoka then laughed at her, spreading his wings out wide, sending a powerful gust of heat at us, blowing Nebula and Phoenix back. "I will fill your soul with Despair!"

"Get ready, Ryoma! There's no turning back anymore!" Inoka called out, readying her rapier.

I nodded and summoned my sword, my Crest of Arcane shining on one hand and the Cresr of Manami on standby on my other hand. "Understood. I will let you take lead here."

"Foolish humans...You will fear me!" Cholra declared, screeching with dominance and authority.