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"Embrace the raging flames of Pyron," rang a demanding voice.
Azul let out a loud gasp, thrusting her body upward. "Where the hell am I!?" She rubbed her eyes, stretching her head in a circular motion. All members of Fire Moon (except the deceased Chrome) quietly meditated, melting completely into the cadence of Pyron's overwhelming firepower. The first one to emerge, loud and destructive as always, was Tarsa. His bloodshot gaze dilated, dwelling upon the trembling Azul. The princess's whimpers of shock come to an abrupt halt and, fearfully, locked eyes with the white-tattooed beast. "You're the woman we've been waiting for," his grim voice echoed through the catacomb-like halls. Azul tried to emerge from the ground, but was immediately restrained by an unknown force. "Where am I…?"
"Although our members have dropped by a few, the two branches of Fire Moon have finally united." Azul's gaze shifted, noticing a red-tattoed woman. "I hope my love hasn't been defeated by those Team Pyron freaks…"
"Hello, Julia," a voice replied behind Azul. Her gaze shifted yet again, noticing a man with a violet tattoo. A lovestruck expression invaded Julia's face, darting her eyes onto the frowning male. "It's about time we meet, my love! Our operation in the Land of Stone may have not gone swiftly, but I'm happy you're o-"
"Silence," a strict voice interrupted. Azul's eyes shifted, scanning the newly awakened cultist. "Wait a minute…"
Clutching her trusty violin, Songnote emerged from the chains of absolute silence. "Azul Celeste." Her formal tone sent fearful trembles down the princess's spine. "Tell me why I'm here," she urged.
"This is the place where your entity transformation will commence," Songnote replied. "You'll be dispatched into the Grand Province, forced to destroy the city where you grew up."
Azul's eyes bulged. "What the hell makes you think we'll let that happen! All of the professionals - Zora, Trey, Riley, and Ashira will rescue m-"
"Enough talking from you. Tarsa, Reid, Julia, Amir, we shall begin the Eclipse Ritual immediately."
Embers of Pyron's ancient firepower engulfed each cultist, inching closer and closer towards Azul's EBC filled body. "So this is what it's all come to," Azul thought. "Those fake teenagers, the sprouting battles, the rising tension - seems like I was the target this entire time."
Volume 13, Chapter 68 - Eclipse Ritual
The sound of roaring fire penetrated Riley's eardrums, forcing a loud echo within his head. His Advanced Senses strained alongside the distorting, golden ring surrounding his pupils. "A whiff of pristine power surges under the city… could it be interrupting my Advanced Senses?"
"Riley, are you okay!?" Trey shouted.
"Trey, whatever you do, don-"
Before Riley could finish his sentence, a light-red ring formed around Trey's pupils. "Wait a minute…" An even aggressive ringing overtook Trey's head, causing the large, gushing sphere of blood overshadowing him to burst. "Out of all the times this could've occurred, Advanced Senses chooses to act up now!?"
Back in the lower portions of Uraview, the ring within Ashira's eyes faded. Moments passed, and a stream of blood dripped from her nose. "My Advanced Senses are straining… is there something going on right now!?" A gasp of curiosity rose from Kaelan's chest, raising his gaze onto Ashira's unamored eyes. "That ring indicates Advanced Senses, huh?" The position of his legs widened along with his immense fighting stance. Ripping a loud, chemical-tasting burp from his mouth, his lungs filled to the brim with air. "Using everything that shapes my personality, I created Courage of Gold. I can't use your paint for a counterattack, so I'll have to make do with the things already in my arsenal!" Ashira took a few whiffs of air, observing the growing scent of baked soup emanating from her opponent's body. "Sunfire Stew..?"
"Straight from the kitchens of Death Desert, served with love by my best friend Zara Faisama!" he exclaimed. "When there's original dishes, there's also original attacks!" Ashira's right arm wiped the stream of blood descending from her nose, aiming the tip of her paintbrush towards Kaelan with a fierce downward strike. "You're one of the most original opponents I've laid my eyes upon, I'll give you that," A new group of paint lifts from the street's concrete tiles, bending to the position of her brush's tip. "However, that won't stop you from facing ultimate justice for being the criminal you are!" Kaelan's teeth sank into his lip, dominated by a feeling of controlled rage. As the power in Ashira's dimension climbed, the stench of fresh Sunfire Stew prepared to eject from his mouth. "Dreambrush!" Ashira's voice shouted, "Almighty Counter!"
"Courage of Gold!" Kaelan called, throwing his arms back. "Refrigerated Sunfire Stew, GO!"
The shade of Ashira's blueish-yellow paint raced through the street, clashing against the flowing liquid pouring from Kaelan's mouth. "This guy has to be one of the riskiest people I've ever met!" Ashira, enraged by the continuous inconveniences, screamed internally. "Not even my art can hold him down!"
A few months ago, Death Desert
"What!?" Kaelan shouted. "LLKOT's attacks are part of me, why can't I use them anymore!?"
"The power of LLKOT is dangerous," Raja replied. "Not only that, but you're too dependent on it."
Kaelan's arrogant scoff fills the room. "Dependent? I'm not dependent on LLKOT, what do you mean!?" Raja's formal gaze shifted towards the glass windows, resting his eyes on the bustling city. "There hasn't been a singular instance where I've seen you use it; if you're planning to surpass Kevin, don't you think you should use your own power instead of someone else's?"
---
Kaelan's fists clang against a tall, metal pole, wobbling from the repeated impact. From the night's darkness emerged Rian, carefully descending the tall sand dune while observing his friend. "Kaelan," his fatigued voice began, "why the hell are you practicing after midnight?" The repeated clanging refused to halt - instead, the force of Kaelan's fists intensified. His breath butchered by deep wheezes, he took a moment to wipe the droplets of sweat across his forehead. "Courage… of… Gold…" He opens his fists, revealing a weak, pulsing glow of gold in his palm. "If… I want to protect… I have to…" The glow within his palm, similar to a burning ember of fire, faded alongside his consciousness. Rian's eyes shrunk, lifting Kaelan's sweat-drenched body from the warm sand's reach. "Courage of Gold, huh? It seems as if you're taking the words Raja told you to heart…" The scene descended into silence, interrupted by the wind's gradual howls. "Come on, let's head home."
Present day, Royal Complex
"MOVE!" Kevin shouted, bursting through the army of guards stationed in the Royal Complex's narrow halls. The guards fly in separate directions, thudding against the fabric carpet partially covering the floorboards. His gaze lifted ahead, following the path of Alan's scythe. "I think we're almost to Azul's room!" he shouted. Scurrying close behind, Lila and Gerald observed the chasing guards pouring into the building.
That was the moment where Uraview's current events caught up with them. A loud ringing sensation pierced Lila's head, shattering the bold ring protecting her pupils. Across the hallway, Alan suffers the same fate, falling off his hovering scythe and thudding against the ground. "My vision…"
"Lila, are you okay!?" Gerald shouted. Her shining hair sways alongside her body, desperately trying to avoid ground collision. "Something… Advanced Senses… Hell's going on… Power… Surge…"
Gerald's hands clung onto Lila's arms, restricting her wobbly movement. He lifted Kaelan off the ground, sliding both of them across each shoulder. "I don't know what's going on, but it can't be good!"
Kevin's pupils shrink. "GERALD!"
The guards' shouts filled the room, extending their hands towards Kaelan and Lila. "GET THE-"
As the guards' metal swords descended towards Gerald, Alan raced through the hallway, blocking the fierce, steel blades just in time. "Something's going on with Advanced Senses!" his urging voice rose. "Get upstairs and open the portal before it's too late!"
Plagued by the overwhelming choices, Gerald froze in thought for a few moments - Lila and Kaelan were both unconscious, but Alan required immediate assistance. What was he to pick, save or flee? "We're counting on you!" he blurted, shuffling away with Lila and Kaelan slung across his shoulders.
Her vision partially restored, Lila let out a weak mumble. "We don't need to run anymore."
"What?" Gerald replied, his expression filled with surprise.
Her body rolled off Gerald's shoulder and rose from the floor. Raising her hands to her chest, the miniature pieces of code flutter across her skin. "We've entered the portal's regeneration range - just leave the dimension bridging to me!"