Episode 28 A Holy Rival (Part.2)

As the group fell asleep and rested a sneaky member of The Legacy used her magick to zip back into Hydaelyn. Isabella could see that Shiva’s home was dimly lit as most of the people in the home were still resting. She carefully snuck around the hall and happened to find Raven in Shiva’s library.

"Oh, Uncle Raven~," Isabella whispered carefully, "I need to borrow you follow me!"

“Isabella, what are you doing here,” Raven asked confused.

"No time for questions we gotta hurry before Anthi realizes I time traveled on my own hurry we need you to help rescue Yue,” Isabella smirked as she hopped up and down.


Before Raven could even respond a purple like orb began to appear behind him opening up to a large portal. As Raven looked confused, Isabella gently pushed him in leaving the man to spiral through visions and colors…stars and crystals…his head was spinning but also trying to absorb the site before him. As soon as Raven was getting a feel for everything that was happening he could feel a sudden gust of wind pulling him through trees and bushes before land roughly to the ground. Yukio was exhausted, not having slept much last night as she sat close to the fire when she could feel a sudden force near her. She brought her hand up to her chest, staring into the fire as she seemed lost in thought, dark circles under her eyes as she was filled with worry. Kuro's ears twitched as he heard Raven come out of a portal close by them, and he smiled weakly towards him.

"Nice to have you with us, Raven." He said softly so as not to wake everyone else.

"I hope that wasn't too hard of a landing for ya," Isabella chuckled a bit.

".....I Hate Portals…,” Raven managed to say.


Kuro slowly walked over behind Isabella and brought his hand up to ruffle her hair.

"While I may not know too much about time.. you probably shouldn't be doing anything like that again. Anthi will scold you," he smiled at her before sitting down on one of the logs surrounding the fire.

Isabella looked at Kuro with a smirk that reminded him of Leric.

"I uh...yeah...but those two seem to be in a deep dream and we needed more people to fight," she admitted, "It will help us having Uncle Raven here!"

"We'll need all the help we can get,” Kuro replied.

Raven was able to shake off the sickness and fully recover from his portal sickness. Regrouping with the others and folded his arms as he tried to see who was here. With all the commotion happening around her Scarlet got up from the ground she was laying on to see Isabella standing with a sly face and Raven still trying to process where he was.

R-raven, how did you..." Scarlet looked to Isabella, “Please don’t ever do that alone again.”

“No promises my dear cousin,” She smirked playing with her pigtails.

The group decided to get Raven caught up on the situation about what had happened to Yue and how they were all tracking him down. As soon as other members like K’enion, Anthi, and Tristan woke up…the group felt like it was time to go and search for Yue. The group moved slowly and carefully through the forest trying to take in some of the sights around them as they did their best to feel where Yue’s aether was. Yukio and Kuro followed behind Scarlet, Kuro was letting Yukio link arms with him to help keep her standing since she seemed weaker from being tired. He only hoped she would be ready for the battle to come, and he worried for her. Trying to break the silence, Tristan decided to speak up.


"This has been such a cool experience though...to be with all of you like this,” Tristan smiled.

"This must be a rare occurrence then for you,” Kuro wondered.

"Honestly, the future has been so weird...it's been a while since we had times like this,” Tristan admitted.

The group fell silent just by what Tristan had said…how bad did Haruka make the future because these three sweet teens seemed tired and broken. Just hearing them say things like this…they knew deep down they had to do all they could to rid Haruka of this world.

As they continued to walk they came across an unusual sets of cave. Scarlet began to explain that this cave was created by A’mara and her sisters…this was a place where the four women often practiced their spells or their magick…depending on what each girl was looking to do. It was clear to Scarlet that Slade would bring Yue here to die because it was hard to get a sense of one’s aether from outside of this cave being that it was covered in so many runes. Scarlet carefully made notes of the pathways they needed to take as they moved forward.


"Before we go in there... have any of you met this 'Slade' before in your timeline? Is there anything we should know about him, or has Yue talked of him before,” Kuro asked, “and with it being A'mara's chamber, is there anything in there we should be aware of? Monsters in bottles or something?"

"We know of Slade from listening to our fathers and their stories," Isabella explained, "In their world...Slade was a warrior who had a war with them because they killed his father...it’s a really long story."

"Who knows what we'll find in there then,” Raven sighed.


The group carefully worked their ways through the twists of the caves filled with so many pathways and secret rooms, it was a miracle they were able to sense his magick at all. Finally, after what felt like forever they were finally able to find a clearing, a room full of candles and the smell of blood. Yue was definitely injured and hanging on the best that he could. From what the group could see was that Yue and this man named Slade had quite the fight…it seemed that whatever did occur Slade had the upper hand and just judging by the aether they could feel Yue was in bad shape and they needed to help him.

"It will all be over soon enough Master Akane...thank you for giving me this final joy," Slade laughed.
The Legacy and the trio came running in as fast as they could leaving Slade to be caught off guard for a moment as he grabbed his own weapon tossing Yue off to the side where the group could not reach him.
In a complete rage Yukio was ready to sprint forward, when suddenly Kuro reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Don't act a fool. Your safety as well as Yue's depends on this…be smart. I know it's hard but please, calm. down." Kuro shouted to Yukio.

"Fine..." she muttered.

Taking the lead in the fight, Scarlet ran towards Slade with her scythe ready to fight when Slade hit her in the back of the spine with his weapon. Scarlet immediately gasped for air as the man laughed twistedly knowing what he was capable of doing to the group before him. He didn’t care what age or gender you were he was ready to destroy every person in his path. With Scarlet in danger, Yukio was quick to move into the fight. With no hestitation, Yukio grabbed her bow and arrows and launched a arrow into the air striking Slade's shoulder, the ice melting as the aether on the arrow turned to flame searing his skin.

"Is that all you can do," Slade mocked, "This is but a minor flesh wound."

With Scarlet still underneath him, Slade looked down as Scarlet tried to crawl on the ground stepping hard on her back once again as he looked Anthi in the eyes.

"I was told to watch out for you," Slade said as he sent a blast of wind pushing her back into the rocks and moss.


K'enion eyed them for a moment, shifting her footing, only to charge, she was too brash and tripped falling face first int into the ground just before her. With K’enion not being able to keep up with him, Slade grabbed his sword and struck K’enion’s gear tearing open her gear a bit.

"Weak," he laughed as his sword also struck her, "Come on Legacy...I heard you were a challenge...now I am not so sure...perhaps I will leave you all with enough life to watch him die."

With Slade focused on some of the others, Kuro looked towards Yue, trying to examine him from this far back. He was glad Yukio was focused, but he was trying to find a way around Slade, hoping to catch him off guard so he could secure Yue. Slade was quick and saw what Kuro was up to as their swords clashed...sparks striking Kuro.

"Ah the Guardian...hmmm perhaps...I should take out You and Yue before her eyes...Death builds character you know,” Slade laughed.

Finally getting a moment himself, Raven rushed in delivering a large slice to the shoulder blade cutting as deep as he possibly could which definitely made Slade gasp at the blow.

"Keep your eyes focused on me" Raven giving a cheeking smirk to Slade.

“So you think you can fight huh," Slade smirked, "I like a good challenge."


Following Raven's attack Isabella went to head into shooting her arrows when white wings flew above her grabbing her by her pigtails and tossing her into Scarlet.

"You do realize...if you lose here...you can die...time can't help you here,” Slade laughed.
Isabella crashed hard but enough to leave a fury to come over Scarlet. Qiuckly rising back to her feet, Scarlet grabbed her scythe ready to destroy slade.

"Get your hands off of my fucking cousin," she screamed slashing Slade from his back to a little under his wing, "Don't think I am letting anyone die here you fucking bastard!"

With Slade saying that a fury came over Yukio as well as she ran towards the girls ready to help them.

You won't kill anyone... I won't let you,” Yukio screamed.

Yukio charged up her aether, making the ice harder as the flames danced at the tips, firing them at his chest and watching them sink into his body. She then did something a little out of character for a ranged combatant. She ran up to him and punched him square across the jaw as she was was fuming.

Kuro had to run up and grab her to get back as she thrashed around, losing her cool; he knew if she was to fight weaponless any move to her would seem fatal.

"Okay...okay...I'll give you that,” Slade laughed coldly.

Tired of the fighting and time travel, Anthi let out a sigh and raised her gun just enough to rest the barrel on her leg. She was barely basing her aim entirely off of what she's been listening to and fired once with a sound that makes the whole cave shake as Slade felt the bullet strike him.

"Okay so the time bitch does do something...interesting," he laughed.

After Anthi’s attack, Slade became relentless hitting them with blows of his own…for all the damage they had caused the man knew how to fight. Seeing everyone fight was hard for Yue, because he wanted to help so bad but he didn’t even have the strength to consider moving. With Isabella still on the ground in pain from Slade's last attack...Tristan was furious and a growl similar to Dorion's filled the air. Before the group could even say anything black wings flew out from his back as he tackled Slade onto the ground.

"How a Deadman like you is alive again but know this...I am going to kill you with my bare hands,” Tristan shouted as he claws dug deep into Slade’s chest.


With Scarlet wanting to help Tristan she rushed over with her weapon only for Slade to quickly grab his sword and hit her in the throat this time. Scarlet was left gasping once again.  With Tristan trying to help his cousin get air, Yukio took the advantage of Slade being distracted and aimed at him once more, striking his wing in his back to attempt to cripple him from flying as the flames from her aether burned his wing as she looked at him furiously. Slade yelled at the pain...he was close to losing mobility with his wings.

"You bitch!" he growled.

With Yukio leading the assault Anthi decided that she too would make some moves. Anthi aimed for Slade a moment before pointing her gun straight into the air. She pulled the trigger and once more fired, only this time she shoots the ceiling of the cave. After a few seconds of waiting, a single rock breaks away and falls to land directly on Slade. The rock knocked him back a bit leaving him in a ton of pain.

With Anthi injuring Slade with the rocks, Kuro thought he would have a good chance to make a move and tried to toss his sword at the man ready to take him down but, Slade decided to take the sword back and use it on Kuro.

“My turn,” Slade growled.

Slade quickly rose to his feet and gave it his all as he struck Kuro in the chest with his sword. From behind Slade Yue was trying to restore his magick and move...he was tired of seeing those he cared for hurt. Slade mustered more of his strength as he sees Yue moving and sends another attack pushing Raven and Kuro together. With Raven and Kuro down, Isabella was trying her best to fight but Slade was a force for her. As she grabbed her bow...he quickly turned around and flew towards her and took one of her arrows and pinned her down to the ground choking her.

"Hmm...never killed someone this young before...there's always a first I guess,” Slade laughed gripping her neck.


Isabella did her best to fight Slade off but, he was a lot older than her and his strength was a lot. Furious once again, Scarlet quickly went after Slade ready to end him. Scarlet ran pushing Slade off of Isabella moving her cousin out of danger as her sword now cut off one of his wings.

"You can kindly go fuck yourself," she yelled.

Yukio became distracted as she noticed Yue begin to move in the corner of her eye, and she reached out to him telepathically.

"Please, don't save your strength," she pleaded as her back was facing Slade.

He could hear Yukio but while watching everyone fight he could feel himself somewhat coming back. With Yue finally making a move...Slade knew that Yukio’s focus would be there. Taking his sword to her rib...he began to make an open wound for her. With Slade focused on everyone else, Raven finally saw a opportunity to strike going for a cut across the stomach hoping it would slow the opponent down just a tad; the cut was deep enough to leave Slade gasping for air.

"I...I can not lose..." he said finally revealing a black ring around his neck.

Tristan noticed the unusual ring but continued to attack the man.

"Come on we got him right where we want him," Tristan shot his gun towards Slade as he threw something towards Yue," Drink up Tall oaf!"

Scarlet saw was Tristan was up to and also tossed a vile Yue's way, "Yeah...we need you strong...not grandpa styled!"

For awhile the group fought back and forth trying to break the ring of Slade’s another one of the things Haruka used to control people. They each took hit after hit slowly cracking it making it easy to take slade out soon enough. Carefully, Raven planted his feet firmly into the dirt watching his comrades do battle in this time Raven started using the stored magick inside of his gun blade telling everyone to back away before releasing a powerful blast towards Slade. The ring around Slade's neck ultimately cracked! As the device fell to the ground a light came over Slade as a black soul left his body.

"Finally. I am free. Thank you," he said as he began to fall to the ground, "May you all defeat that witch and find BALANCE...once..."

Before Slade could finish his words, his body hit the ground hard. Limping over to the group...Yue was finally reunited with the group...it would seem that the small vials given to him by Tristan and Scarlet helped him close his wings and bring him some strength.


"I...I am sorry you all had to come here...to be honest...I am still trying to understand how this area is still here.”

Yukio walked up to him slowly, her eyes tearing up as he limped over.

"Thank goodness..." she whispered.

"Glad to have you in one piece," Kuro joked.

With Yue's free arm he pulled Yukio close to him not letting a bit of space between them as he kissed the top of her head gently, "I am so sorry about that...I will never worry you again like this...I was training so hard, and I finally mastered my new magick when I was blindsided by something.”

"Blindsided by something? You mean Slade?" Kuro asked.

"Well...I was just training when suddenly...a portal opened and I could hear a laugh that I could not recognize...it said something like...my turn...and then I could hear Haruka's laugh...I can't explain it...It's still all too confusing for me," he sighed.

"I see…well, you're safe now, at least,” Kuro said looking to the other.

"And...these are the children,” Yue asked looking to the trio.

"Hey Master Akane...it's good to see you again...it's been so long," Tristan smirks at Yue "What up Tall Oaf!"
Isabella sighed, "Tristan...for once...please...enough."

"We should really head back to our world and then we can discuss details once everyone has had rest,” Raven suggested.

“You’re right,” Yue smiled, “Let’s go home.

With Yue finally back in the mix the Trio did their spell once more and the portal to the other side opened again once more.


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