Pepe and the girl faced the group of chanting cloaked figures.
"How dare you interfere," a cloaked figure threatened and paced towards them.
The other cloaked figures loomed behind him.
With determination, Pepe and the girl unleashed a flurry of attacks on the cloaked figure in front.
The cloaked figure gritted his teeth and deflected their combined attacks.
Pepe and the girl swiftly switched places.
Continuing her assault, the girl kicked the cloaked figure in the knee. Then, she spun and punched his gut.
Afterwards, Pepe jumped over her and kneed their adversary in the face. With a smirk, he pulled on his hood and broke off the mask.
The cloaked figure staggered back and covered his face. He motioned the others to attack.
The other cloaked figures lunged with fury.
Fending them off, the girl blocked their attacks and leaped. In the air, she twirled and kicked at them.
On the defensive, Pepe weaved out of the way.
A saber swept by him.
Pepe smacked it aside and jumped back.
A cloaked figure pounced at him. He grabbed his arms and lifted him up. He slammed him back down to the ground.
Pepe gasped, the ground cracked.
The cloaked figure grasped his dropped saber and lunged it.
Before contact, the girl appeared and kicked the cloaked figure in the jaw.
Deterred, the cloaked figure stumbled back.
The girl rushed at him and kicked him in the abdomen. After that, she pivoted her foot and punched him. She followed with a high kick and an elbow.
The cloaked figure rolled back on the ground.
The others halted and groaned in frustration.
"Thank you, Cassandra," Pepe muttered and kneeled.
Cassandra looked ahead with a serious expression. She glanced at him and gave a gentle smirk. "I always save you," she remarked.
Pepe's lips tightened, and he stood up. "Not always," he grumbled and dusted himself off, averting his gaze.
The cloaked figures rushed at the two. Their bodies radiated energy.
In a swift motion, one of them punched Cassandra to the ground.
Pepe growled and lunged.
Another cloaked figure kicked him back down.
Pepe's back hit the ground with a thud.
More cloaked figures towered over him and stomped on him.
Pepe groveled and protected his head.
Suddenly, a wave of energy reached them.
The cloaked figures gulped and turned around.
In the distance, Henry stood tall and prepared his final technique. Glowing brighter, his energy expanded and covered the surrounding area.
The entire group of cloaked figures sweated in anticipation and worry.
Cassandra rushed behind them and grabbed Pepe. She ran away with him.
The Exalted One's eyes widened. He glanced at the cloaked figure with the katana. He signaled at her with a subtle nod. "Everyone! Get away from him," he quickly ordered.
Sabre gritted his teeth, and veins popped out of his face.
The cloaked figures ran and cowered away.
The female cloaked figure's eyes shimmered a yellow light.
In a flash, an intense energy emerged from Henry and hit everyone. A huge explosion occurred.
Sabre took the explosion upfront. His eyes were wide, and he screamed in anguish.
The explosion was massive, and a large ball of energy was visible from a long distance. A strong gale spread and uprooted the trees around the farm. After a while, the dust settled. A blue flame floated through the landscape. The sky was filled with stars, and a lone figure was standing underneath them.
On a barren and lonesome crater, Henry clenched his teeth and leaned back. Immense amounts of energy pulsed from him, and his body glowed a divine-like light. He flexed his muscles in an attempt to have control of his released power. He breathed heavily, and his eyes faintly dimmed. His released power suddenly collapsed and went away.
An eerie breeze swayed his hair.
Henry's mouth hung open with surprise. His body convulsed, and he fell to his hands and knees. He sweated profusely and gasped for air. "My wounds are too severe to keep that power," he pointed out and vomited blood. He weakly wiped his mouth and muttered, "I have to get to my family. They must be safe before I leave this world." He, exhausted but determined, limped towards the direction of his house.
Cloaked figures laid dead around him.
Soon, Henry reached the end of the crater and gazed at his home.
There was a huge hole at the side of the house. A large part of it was gone.
"Henry," Adelia, inside, called out and waved. She held Ana in her arms and smiled.
"Dad," Stark, Matteo, and Hafen yelled and ran towards him.
Henry smiled, and his legs wobbled. He stumbled to his knees and teared up. He reached for them with a hazy vision. He weakly fell forward.
Hafen, Matteo, and Stark caught him and embraced him in a tight hug.
"Dad," Stark called out.
"Wake up," Hafen demanded.
"Don't die," Matteo sniffled and pleaded.
Henry slightly opened his eyes and observed the starry sky. "Don't worry, my sons. It's over. You're not in danger anymore," he whispered.
In the night sky, a small blue flame hovered around The Fisher Family. It was peculiar.
Adelia approached with Ana. "You did it," she praised.
Henry nodded.
Simultaneously, Ana stared at the blue flame in the air. She reached for it, and energy emanated from her hands.
In an instant, the world began to change.
Around Henry, everything faded away into nothingness. "What's going on," he demanded to know in a frantic state. His family gave him a worried look.
"There's someone interfering with my illusion. Who's capable of that," a muffled, feminine voice questioned.
A different feminine voice declared, "Henry, your fake victory over the cloaked figures was an illusion by one of them. I will aid you."
In a flash, a familiar brightness surrounded Henry.
Henry looked around and found himself in a strange room. He stood on a platform, floating in an endless white void.
In front of him, a woman floated in a sitting position. She stared at him with a solemn and youthful look. Her legs were crossed. She wore an extravagant dress, and her hair was in a ponytail. She held a grand staff, lathered with golden ornaments.
Henry glanced around. "What's going on? What did you do with my family," he interrogated.
A blue orb floated near the woman. Transparent, it emitted light with a symbol of an eye. It seemed to have some sort of a seal over it.
"This orb used to be a blue flame that casted your illusion. I sealed its power away," the woman explained and smirked.
"Illusion," Henry inquired and narrowed his eyes. "Well, thank you, but you didn't have to bring me here. Take me back to my family," he implored and walked away.
"Hold on! We need to talk," the woman urgently claimed.
"Who are you," Henry sought to know with furrowed brows and turned around.
"I'm a higher being. You could say I oversee The Sacred Forest, I suppose. It's the most sacred and purest place in the world. It's very dear to me," the woman alleged.
"Make this quick," Henry urged.
"There's an unforeseen danger in The Sacred Forest. One I cannot allow to continue towards a perilous future," the woman elaborated.
"You must be talking about The Exalted One and Sabre," Henry assumed.
However, the woman shook his head. "Do you know why The Sacred Forest is so important to our multiverse," she surveyed.
Henry, trying to comprehend, raised an eyebrow. "What's a multiverse," he asked.
The woman immediately covered her mouth and stammered, "Ah! Forget about a multiverse."
Henry's face shifted to a softer expression. He forgot and became serious. "If it's not The Exalted One or Sabre, then, who is it," he queried.
The woman took a deep breath. "The Sacred Forest is the birthplace of many of the strongest powers in the future. Recently, a unique life-form was born there. Her name is Ana, and she's the one," she divulged and looked at him expectantly.
Henry blinked and felt a knot in his stomach. "Why am I hearing that name? My daughter is named Ana. She's just a baby," he retorted.
The woman stared at him for a silent moment. "Time flows differently for me," she asserted and looked down. "You will forget about your baby. Everyone, in previous contact with her, will not remember a thing about her. For a better future, I will erase all the memories with her," she murmured reluctantly.
Henry frowned. "Thank you again for getting us out of the illusion but leave our memories alone. Whatever you may try, I won't forget about my precious daughter," he insisted and stood defiantly against a higher being.
The woman stood up and approached him. She pulled out an old straw hat and placed it on top of his head. "Our time is almost up. I've been meaning to return this to you for a while," she expressed.
"Huh? Why did you have this? Wait, it's so worn out," Henry pointed out and cautiously leaned back.
The woman kindly smiled and reassured, "I'll make it quick and painless, dad." She grasped her staff, and it glowed with bright light and energy.
Instantly, Henry blinked and blinked again. He felt like he had forgotten something tremendous inside his mind and heart.
"Don't worry too much. The world will have its peaceful days because of your adopted sons," the woman solaced.
"What do you know about the future," Henry probed. The crease between his brows became more prominent. With a concerned look, he requested, "Give my family a safe future. Please do so."
The woman remained silent. "I'm sorry, sir. I don't have the power to change their fates," she apologized and stared at him longingly. "I'll see you later," she muttered with watery eyes and vanished.
What happened to Ana? What was in store for The Fisher Family?