-"Darkness sweeps over the land, turning everything pitch black."

*Nyima*

I did as Iah had asked, telling those accompanying us about the gates that linked the different realms to the Abyss.

Taiyang legend spoke of multiple gates existing in each world. Those gates were said to have been areas that weren't sealed during the creation of our Universe by the twin couple, Namiko and Nagimaru.

It was the same situation with the realm of Wynaga, when the Triumvirate of dragons created it. Likewise for Zionia, and their creator god and goddess. The reason for why these areas weren't closed by the creators of the three realms was unknown to us.

Regardless, the portals were closed by my clan, following the orders of our divine ancestors. We built temples and other buildings over them, not just in this realm but in Wynaga, Zionia, and many others.

Our ancestors warned us not to tamper with these temples. They served as portals for the darkness, but at the same time, they were not to be destroyed. Doing so would unleash a great shadow over that nation. If the darkness was restrained to a nation.

"I see," Adela said, closing her eyes. She sped up.

"Those visions she had, could they be coming true," Lei muttered as he gazed up at her.

Vision? Was he referring to the words she said months ago on the boat? If I recalled correctly, she mentioned something about the world burning.

"Lei, if we fail to stop the darkness here, I want you to accompany me back to Wahkan. My parents should assist us at keeping it at bay in Kyuu Seishin."

"Something is coming," Iah warned. "Adela, come back."

Adela leaped back. "What's wrong?" Suddenly, the ground rumbled with even more force than before. A massive wave of pitch black energy pierced the barrier shielding the island and ripped through the heavens.

Lei backed away. "T..."

Iah and Adela slowed down as they approached the edge of the cherry blossom grove. The beam of darkness lost power and came falling down where it had come from. As it did, an eerie pulse of shadows swept the island.

"What was this?" Lei said as he hugged a nearby tree.

I cupped my hands together. "Lumen." A sphere of light radiated from my hands causing the darkness around the school grounds to vanish.

Adela ran back toward the school, not that she needed to. Those still at school had already begun to come out.

"What in the world was that?" Miwa asked. Accompanying her were Kun, Sarah, and their teammates. Also with them were several kids.

"That was an Erebus," I answered, as I crumpled to the floor. "It's a beam of highly concentrated darkness. That beam has the power to create powerful versions of beings called 'Creatures of the Abyss'."

I stopped to spit out blood.

"You okay?" Iah asked.

I wiped the blood away. "We got to seal it," I said, ignoring him.

Iah furrowed his brow.

"This is bad," Nahimana said, gasping at the sight.

Kun nodded. "The world is ending."

"No, we can't let it end," Lei said, letting go of the tree. "Brother. This is why you left us, isn't it?"

"Partially," he responded. He glanced over at the two cloaked girls. "Where is our sister?"

"Your sister was fighting Mr. Obi," the tallest of the girls responded.

"Mr. Obi?" Hal asked. "Tsk. Yen is rather amazing to fight that ogre."

"Who are you calling an ogre?" a voice rang.

We turned around and saw Mr. Obi with Yen and her teammates plus Orion. Along with them were Mayu, Ry, and Tahoma.

"Great, the whole team is here," Kun said, grinning.

"You will see me once this is done," Mr. Obi commanded, his eyes fox-like.

Kun nodded. "Sure, but I don't see why you need to talk to us."

"Let's stop talking," I said, trying to stand up.

"Rest for now," Iah said, rubbing my shoulders. "We'll handle it."

Adela handed me a potion. "Drink it, it'll stop the bleeding at least."

I drank the bitter potion in three gulps. I no longer felt the school spinning, but my bones, muscles, and skin ached.

"So, those creatures have returned to our world yet again," Mrs. Key said as she walked out of the school with Arima's team.

"Again?" Orion asked.

She glanced over at Koukyuu.

"That's right," Koukyuu responded, nodding. "Fifteen years prior to now, strange creatures began appearing around this region and attacked civilians. Nine years ago, those same creatures attacked this academy as well as the Mahoulympics. They're the real reason for the barrier. However, back then, they didn't come from within like now. Eight years ago, those creatures stopped appearing all together, after a great battle which shook the heavens and earth. A battle which all but those who participated were doomed to forget."

"That sounds about right," I said, nodding. "My mother assured me that the big gates were kept closed in the initial appearance. Unfortunately she couldn't fight at first as she was pregnant with me soon after."

"I never thought that we'd see the shadows again," Mr. Suzuran said, emerging from the crowd. His jade eyes caught sight of Ren and Yuuta. "You're alive? Wait, Mayu, is she also alive?"

Ren pointed at the snake-eyed girl with Tahoma and the others.

Mr. Suzuran gasped and ran over to embrace his oldest daughter.

"Gods, you're alive!" he said, tears streaming down his face.

"Father," Mayu said, hugging him back.

"Wait. What happened to the other five?"

"They're fine too. All eight of us got out safely." She lowered her head. "Sadly, not everyone at the camp survived." The verdant-haired, snake-eyed young woman glanced at the part of Ryu no Yama where the Erebus had appeared. "I'm...so sorry. This is all our fault, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is," I said, glaring at her. "Now, help us fix your damn mistake."

"Don't worry, we will," Ren responded. He turned away his head away. "I should never have allowed myself to be convinced by my mother."

Adela pushed him. "Let's go then. We got a lot to do."

Ren's face became red. "So, do you trust me now?"

"Of course not, but whatever is coming will be too strong for us to handle. So just save the remorse for later. We're running out of time."

"You have us, too," Mrs. Key said with a slight smile. "We'll assist you in defending this island."

Lei covered himself in a cocoon of wind and flew up to get a better view. "Something is coming." He weakened his wind as a bird-like creature sliced the air.

"We got to kill that thing fast," Ren yelled. "That thing is what destroyed our camp."

The creature flapped its wings, unleashing an unbelievable amount of wind, but we were unharmed. Lei clenched his teeth as he pushed back against the gale. Multiple twisters formed, uprooting trees and everything else around it.

"Stand back," Mrs. Key said as she dashed forward. She was covered in silver tight-fitting armor with wings formed out of floating blades. With a single swing of her arm, the twisters vanished.

"Wow," Lei said as he landed next to us.

Mrs. Key summoned a red sword and pointed it at the bird. Before we knew it, the bird crashed onto the ground.

It clawed her, but her armor was just thick enough to keep her safe. Finding that clawing her won't work, the thing let go of her and turned its eyes toward us.

Koukyuu grinned. "Fool. Moeru Hana!" A fireball in the shape of a flower struck the monster as it rushed at us, leaving only a gelatinous blob behind.

"Kill that thing now!" I yelled, raising a fist into the air.

Ren ran up to it and struck it down with a fistful of lightning. Only an orange crystal remained where it once was.

I shot out a a needle of water at the crystal, shattering it.

"Everyone, destroy the cores of any of the creatures you destroy," I warned. "They'll regenerate, or fuse with other nearby blobs to become a stronger being."

"What should we do?" Zelde asked.

"For now, I want you twenty to split into groups," Mrs. Key said as she walked over to us. "I'll be going with Arima's group to the epicenter of this ordeal. Iah's group will accompany Mr. Suzuran to reinforce the barrier around the school. Zelde's team is go with Ms. Akiyama to the city to make sure the residents are safe. Finally Sarah and Nuk's groups will go with Koukyuu, Prince Eien, Miwa, and Mr. Obi to find the creatures that fell into the region around us."

"We'll also split into groups," Renshu said. While everyone else split into their own groups, the twenty of us joined our assigned teachers.

"Barrier duty, huh?" Iah said, rubbing his chin. "I always did wonder what this thing was for. Though, was it made to truly protect it from the darkness? Or to keep it at bay?"

"I'm unsure myself," Ms. Key said. "And I was here when it was made. Only our former queen knows the answer to that question."

Iah hummed. "I see, I should ask Mother to ask her for me."

The former queen of Mina was friends with the former Kyuu Seishinian queen? How odd, considering the history of their countries. Or were they merely acquaintances?

"Let's head out," Mr. Suzuran said.

My team plus Yuuta, Mayu, and Ren followed Mr. Suzuran's lead. He escorted us to the western edge of the island, the place where Adela had nearly killed Youko months prior.

"The source of the barrier is here?" I said, glancing at the white sandy beach and gentle waves. It seemed so peaceful. A little too peaceful if one asked me. This sight, it was like the calm before the storm.

Adela and Iah touched the sand. "There's a power radiating from under here," Adela said, watching as the fine sand slipped between her slender fingers.

"It's coming from an underground facility made out of stone and what seems to be orichalcum," Iah said. "It goes down thirty feet."

How odd. The source of the power, it felt akin to the core of an abysmal. One far stronger than the one Ms. Key and Koukyuu had defeated.

Mr. Suzuran stepped back. He took out a jade stone necklace from his pocket. "By the name of the guardians of this land, I call upon the spirits of this land to heed my call. Open the door into the origin of the sacred barrier." The necklace let out a jade glow that enveloped us all.

**Solar Note: What do you think will happen to Nyima and the others in the source of the barrier?**