⁂~(Updated 2022-07-07-)~⁂

*Needs more love*

(This is the free version.)

Word Count: 4015

Blood bubbled from the silica and spouted wasted life. As the sun fell, it expressed a vermilion polish through the sand-mounded skyline. Maroon smog trickled onward with the snow, sand and clay cliffs, bashing against the fire shields that Lilith had produced. As Kazuki walked behind Lilith and Angelo, he peered into the ochre-crimson sunset, reminding him of his training with Agatha within the Heart of Yuun.

Diaxis said my visions sounded like a place called the Village of Blossoms. I wish I could look for it, but I need to find Izanami. Maybe she'll know more about who I am, thought Kazuki as he sighed.

(:: Master Kenji :: Kazuki Memory Quote: "Ambiguity removes purpose. A life without risk is a life without lessons. The responsibilities of inheriting a celestite are far greater than many can comprehend. When you hold this power, you will be a hero. However, I must warn you, Kazuki; most heroes do not tell their own tales, and some decide to close their fists in judgement against you.")

I'll keep trying to remember your lessons, Master Kenji. But, it's like everything I am is still a blank piece of paper, thought Kazuki.

"We do not have to be alone, All Bearer. When the time arrives, they are the ones who will depend on your leadership," echoed the mindful cat yokai in his squeaky voice.

Kazuki observed Angelo, who stayed quiet and immersed himself in thought as well.

(:: Agatha Haru :: Angelo Memory Quote: "I want you to be his companion, as you were mine for so many long years... If you do this, I will perform the Evensong Rite. I will free you from the chains of your chasm, just as you always wanted... Your knowledge and strength will protect him while he unbinds these powers. Please, help save this world once again.")

(:: Jasmine Fox :: Angelo Memory Quote: "Your powers are needed now more than ever. Go with the girl... and show her what you showed me.")

(:: Akira Sirus :: Angelo Memory Quote: "With this sword, thou will be the strongest yokai of all the lessers. Thou will carve a path through history. My very soul is the final gift I have for you, Angelico. You gave me yours, and now I am returning the favour. Seek true freedom from the celestites.")

"I will not fail any of you," mumbled Angelo as he drooped his wet furry eyebrows in focus, enduring the heavy snowstorm mixed with sand.

"What is this place?" asked Kazuki as he squinted past the snowy sand dunes.

"We are approaching the Blood Dune Desert, little one. I wish we did not have to come here. This site displaces me," said Angelo.

"It's the only way to Golden Cloud Village, you big baby," said Lilith, refusing to stop her fast-paced march.

Angelo's wolf-like ears perked up in surprise.

"It's you who got told this time, ha-ha," giggled Kazuki.

Angelo grumbled.

"Wait... did you say a desert? It's still snowing. How is that even possible?" asked Kazuki.

"The Blood Dunes are guarded by an endless sandstorm that has plagued the Kingdom of Clouds for many eras. A black lotus member named Sanguine destroyed the once green nation during the war with its foul blood magic," said Lilith as she eased her magic heat from the party.

"It used to be titled the Kingdom of Change instead of Cloud long ago. This was a preferred location in the mortal world during the Dark-Elf Revolution," said Angelo.

"Dark-Elf Revolution?" asked Kazuki.

"Hmph. Remember that I am not a book, little one. You may or may not have heard of Tsuji Soshitsu—an infamous strategist and genocidal maniac. When I was a small yokai, six hundred years ago, he had united the branches of the dark elf clans in Azmoria to enslave all other races and yokai. My first bearer, Akira Sirus, the emperor's only son, sacrificed his life to defeat him, and I saw the entire thing with my own eyes."

"I have not seen a pure dark elf since the last Council of Sages member, Sage Ahmya. She tried her best to restore the values of her people after that era left her culture tarnished," said Lilith.

"A vast forest, little ones, for as far as you could view, lay within these lands. It was not termed Cloud until centuries later. The mortals renamed the kingdom in honour of what transpired," explained Angelo as he dusted off the icy clay beneath his padded feet.

"How did the climate change so fast?" asked Kazuki as he copied Angelo and brushed the glacial red sand from the new combat boots he received from Mr.Takahashi.

"Mr.Takahashi told me that the blood tides that Sanguine had created here thickened within the sand like oil as time passed. The intense heat from the Mountain of Kagutsuchi turned the entire geography to dust because every root system flooded with rotten plasma," answered Lilith.

"Sanguine. Diaxis said a monster that came from Luna corrupted the Crystal Palace during the war. Is this thing actually real?" asked Kazuki.

"Luna chains many secrets. That is what Diaxis used to tell me when I was little. I guess that is what he called the moon. Five decades later, I still do not know what he meant. But don't worry kid, Sanguine died a long time ago. Sage Kaito and Diaxis defeated it," said Lilith.

"You knew Diaxis?" asked Kazuki as he realized the answer to his own question. "I guess you were around during the war. You were a half-elven kid, right? He told me he was the leader of the Order of the Iron Rose."

"He is the son of a powerful being," said Angelo. "Diaxis was a child when his parents, King Oberon and Queen Tiberia, went to war against the four titans of mana. They say those battles are what formed Luna and Azmoria. Imagination could only predict how long ago. Even I could not imagine these warfares."

"He never mentioned anything like that to me. That's unreal. Diaxis' parents were basically gods or something," said Kazuki.

"Indeed, little one. His father, Oberon, was in a class of his own and was said to have lived for several thousands of years while his mother bred dragons to save the species from extinction. Sadly, with Tiberia's death, the dragons, too, passed with time," said Angelo.

"My mother was a member of the order with Agatha," said Lilith. "I have not seen Lord Diaxis in fifty years. I am glad to hear he is still around."

"The Mountain of Kagutsuchi draws closer, little ones," said Angelo as he pointed to the enormous super volcano and its surrounding black crags resting miles eastward. "Its lava-infused heatwaves carry across the bow line of wind near Ashinburn and the Fist of Kaito. We are still far away from it. However, the temperature will increase heavily as we near its roots within the Blood Dunes."

"Think of the wind currents being an archer's bow, Kazuki," explained Lilith while leading everyone through the gusts of snow and sand.

*Show diagram here of Fist of Kaito, Ashinburn and the super volcano*

"Within the inward section of the bow's bend is the snowy mountain Sage Kaito created to protect Ashinburn. Behind the Fist of Kaito on the far outside of that arch lays the supervolcano. It's only a matter of time before it erupts, and Sage Kaito's mountain will no longer protect us." said Lilith as she dispelled her fire spheres surrounding Kazuki and Angelo as she felt natural temperatures increase.

"We are crossing over that environmental line now, little ones. The snowfall is behind us. It is only light ash and dried blood now," said Angelo, shaking free the melted snow from his grey-white fur like a wild beast.

"I think it's beautiful. Diaxis used to tell me stories about the dragons that lived here long ago. He must have heard them from his mother," said Lilith as she settled down against a jagged orange stone covered in dehydrated oil.

Kazuki scowled at the climate.

The Kingdom of Clouds seemed so peaceful. I was looking forward to it! But it's the kingdom of dust.

"I thought heroes get to go to cool places? This place sucks!" declared Kazuki as he booted the ash-speckled sand.

⁂

(:: Master Kenji :: A hero must endure the potency of the previous to detach evil. They must be broken and rebuilt to understand who they are. Kazuki, I am afraid your childhood is coming to an end, and you must learn to lead if you want to surpass others. Your time is coming.")

Twilight bloomed over the arching sand drifts as Kazuki and his friends journeyed through the harsh environment. Passing by gushing pools of blood tar, Kazuki studied a group of giant orange beetles as they scrambled away from a yellow-black-striped viper. "It sure is full of life here, especially for a desert."

Angelo raised his shaggy grey paw. "Wait a moment," he said.

Angelo thrust his narrowed snout into the desert and sniffed. Iron and blood soon drowned his canine-like senses.

"It is time to flex those muscles, little ones. We are not alone," said Angelo as he clutched the black-gold hilt of his Masamune.

Drawing the blade from its black-violet bracket, Kazuki unsheathed Agatha's katana, Hyperfang, emitting a screech of grating alloy. "What is it?"

"Do you smell something, Angelo?" asked Lilith as she cupped her green eyes to squint past the dunes.

Her tiny spiked ears wiggled through her dirty auburn hair as she carefully listened to the howling dust. "Three sources of living magic. Yeah, I feel them," she pointed. "Over there."

"It's the Imps from the Crystal Palace. They must have followed us through the Heart of Mana," said Angelo, gritting his white fangs and long curved katana.

Kazuki shut his ominous crimson eyes in focus. He felt the warmth of the far away supervolcano rise above his shoulders and violet hair. The cold drafts from the Fist of Kaito brushed against his legs one last time as he perceived the unknown creatures with his minds-eye.

As Agatha instructed a few days earlier, Kazuki knew he had to evolve and expand the basics of magic before delving deeper into his other abilities. After his duel with Sir Jiro, he felt his slim body had grown more extensive and accustomed to the Celetite of Motion.

"It's a good thing I warmed up with Sir Jiro. I think he made me stronger overnight," he said.

"That's unthinkable," said Lilith. "You cannot just become stronger after a single contest. You probably just know more than you can remember."

Kazuki pulled Hyperfang. The katana vibrated and glowed with varying shades of purpled blues. "Wow, I have never seen it do this yet," said Kazuki as he played around with the phosphorescent blade like a firefly in a glass jar.

"If Angelo is nearby, it will react to his feelings. The sword will glow with purple lights if Angelo smells a dangerous magic source. Agatha placed the enchantment herself during the war," said Lilith.

"Quiet. The Imps approach," muttered Angelo, studying a sandy hump dusted with ash and irregular grey clay in the distance.

The barely visible diamond-eyed creatures mimicked Angelo by poking their heads up and down.

"What the heck was that? They don't look humanoid," said Kazuki.

"Those are Mao's fabrications!" said Lilith in surprise.

"Fabrications?" asked Kazuki as he concentrated his eyes on the grey-toned beings doodling their bald heads from the sandhills.

"During the Lions Head War, Mao had stolen many elven secrets from Aratine. One of them was the instructions to create fake beings with her mana. It is a highly forbidden technique within all elven clans. It's a horrible war tactic the dark elves used during their planet-wide revolution," said Lilith.

"So, Mao was the one who attacked us inside the Crystal Palace? And she creates fake people? That's gross!" said Kazuki while sticking out his tongue.

"I assumed she was the one trailing you, but I did not want to say anything. She can sense my power miles away."

"So, how do we defeat them?"

"Mao places a vast amount of magic within her puppets. Each puppet contains a specific element of the world, rendering them immune to that element, and they can also control it to a degree. Some are also much stronger than others," explained Lilith.

"So they can be defeated using the opposite element they are constructed from," said Angelo as he drew his massive katana.

"That would be their weakness. But Mao developed the ability to combat multiple celestite bearers at once. So we will have to be mindful. I don't want Master Takahashi finding our bodies out here the first day. If they outnumber us, we might be in trouble. It also means Mao could be nearby... I don't like this. I've placed everyone in danger already," said Lilith.

"It's too late to turn back now. They are coming out," said Angelo as he sneered and gritted his white fangs and Masamune.

The odd humanoids blended in with the golden glimmers of sand and carbon-dusted snow. Aromas of potting soil, terrible sulphurs and blood-stained ice arrived as they wandered from their clay hill and into the opening dunes. Three naked grey-skinned artificial humanoids, without existing genitalia, twitched their diamond-hued eyes and spear-like ears.

The tiniest of the dark elf fabrications stepped toward Lilith. A pair of fireballs fluoresced into its slim, chalky hands as it laughed within a high-pitched squeal. Mini-blasts peppered around its knotted fingers as the creature shot the balls of orange-white fire into the dust-filled air. The sweltering energy shattered and produced a falling maroon glitter. The magic melted the specks of sleet, forcing down the sun's reflective red rays to strike Lilith in taunt.

"I am Kaji, the fabrication of flame," said the emotionless, fire-imbued dark elf.

The tall, gaunt, artificial dark elf next to Kaji slumped over and bowed unnaturally with its fat belly. Blue-white crystal shards bobbed around the fake elf's bald head as its scaly skin shifted into a shimmering cyan. As it spat freezing breath from the grotesque holes covering its body, wisps of gelid smoke whiffed out through the purple mushroom-like spots in its cheeks.

"I am Shimo, the fabrication of frost," said the fat, ice-skinned dark elf.

Nature is a calm and gentle architect. It will churn creation when it blows its kiss, imparting destruction to any apex. Kazuki knew the nature fabrication was not the same as the others. He felt its magic bestow leadership over the other two, though they seemed like lifeless puppets.

"I am Chikyuu, the fabrication of earth," said the tree-limbed dark elf to Kazuki under an echoing reverberation.

"Chikyuu Earth, is that the Masamune katana?" asked Shimo Frost as it blinked its unintelligent white pearl eyes in irregular shifts.

"Accurate. I will rearrange support reserves," replied Chikyuu Earth as it examined Angelo's legendary blade.

"Give us the Masamune katana and the children," said Kaji Flame as he ignited more handfuls of his fireballs.

Angelo snarled and swelled his muscles until every vein on his fur-coated body jutted. "Come and get them!" he shouted.

⁂

Mao perched upon a moss-covered boulder along a river's edge within the Jungles of Yuun. As she brushed her long black hair free of sprigs, the gnats avoided her and scuttled away to their hidden hive sanctuaries. Drawn to her immense level of mana, freshly hatched baby Naga-Jaguars surrendered low at her dark-leather heels, like worshipping a sinister siren of the Emerald Sea.

"That Faye will pay for getting my hair dirty. I am going to be late. Master is awaiting—"

Mao felt a slight tremble of magic fluctuate and poke her mind, forcing her to fumble with her wooden hair brush.

"Our meeting draws near," she said with a blank menacing leer as she cleaned her hair with her bristled wooden brush.

"The anomaly will be alone soon once the Black Lotus make their first move. And so will Lilith... Just as he promised."

⁂

Lilith quickly pressed her index fingers together and intersected them to form the hand sign of the horse.

"Chakram Razors!" she chanted.

Pulling her hands apart, she released a fiery orange light across her black and red-trimmed platings. Two chakrams suddenly materialized from a fire wave of magic. Lilith snatched and banged them together, erupting a stream of golden sparks.

"I haven't used these babies in a while," she said.

"Chakrams? I don't think I've seen anyone use those before," said Kazuki.

"I will take the one on the left; he can't hurt me at all!" yelled Lilith, winking at Kazuki as if excited and kicking off Angelo's firm backside with a twirl.

Angelo pointed his long katana towards the ice fabrication and bore his teeth like an ancient dragon.

"I will take the one on the right. Little one, take out the nature fabrication quickly. It will restore the other's magic and make them stronger," said Angelo.

Kazuki nodded. "Right!"

Kazuki snatched Hyperfang and looped it, launching a rock sphere layered in rose spikes towards the earth fabrication. A vibrant emerald-green light twisted around Chikyuu Earth's body. Sandy particles lifted from the soil and circulated, building an entrapment.

The grey-skinned humanoid smacked its long wooden fingers together as Kazuki almost finished the cast.

"Triple-Layered Boulder!" it mimicked.

A spiky clay rock sprung from the dunes and rolled towards Kazuki's own mana-infused-boulder, clashing them together. The spiny boulders spun and shredded sharp debris, rushing clumps of sand and dried blood in all directions until the unparalleled colliding force cancelled the attack.

It copied my ability and made it stronger? thought Kazuki. I forgot. It can control the elements of water, earth and air. So I can't beat him with the mana I know how to use. I will have to use fire magic, but how? Lilith should be the one to have this, thought Kazuki.

Lilith backflipped and evaded, dodging Kaji Flame's long fiery chain whip. Stomping on the chain, she locked it to the ground. Pounding her dual chakrams together, she generated an overflow of sparks and ran across the chain with perfect balance.

"Magma Razor!" she chanted.

Lilith jumped off the enflamed chain and propelled both of her blazing chakrams toward Kaji Flame. Searing through the red-white sand bunkers, they spun, glided and tore into Kaji Flame's head with the sound of buzzing fire beetles. The chakram's radiancy burrowed deep while spinning the blades into an arc of spouting magma and white blood.

Kaji Flame plopped into the sand, dispersing a cloud of silica.

"Absorb that!" boasted Lilith as she summoned her weapons back into her hands by manipulating the fire surrounding them.

"That's one down. It didn't have much energy left," said Lilith as she glanced at Kazuki, who was about to be attacked by the nature fabrication.

She watched with confusion as Kazuki closed his red eyes and embraced the heat of the high sun.

"What are you doing?!" she yelled. "Move!"

Angelo heard Lilith wail as he blocked Shimo Frost's icicle sword, resulting in a repeating volley of clashes. Angelo deflected Shimo Frost's weapon and pushed the fat blue-skinned being to the sand. To the side of his eye, he could see Kazuki, motionless, kneeling on the ground and with his eyes closed.

"You can do it, little one. Release it. You cannot pass it on if you have not learned how to use it!" commanded Angelo.

Shimo Frost sprung up from the sand and swooped for Angelo while untangling his clumsy eyes. Sparks flew as Angelo deflected the fat warrior's strength with the Masamune. He was surprised at how fast and powerful the creature was for being manufactured by simple elements.

The ice-blade had nearly reached Angelo's throat until Lilith's chakrams came speeding towards Shimo Frost's legs which seared them off in a rapid fiery flash. Angelo quickly hurdled and plunged his massive blade into the blob-like creature.

Shimo Frost swiftly enshrouded itself within a shell of hardened ice rock.

"We do not have time for your weak mettle!" snarled Angelo as he rushed his long sharp katana into Shimo Frost's chest, cracking its icy shell.

Angelo ripped the Masamune from Shimo Frost's silent corpse. He lashed the white-blue blood from the blade down onto the being's lifeless, eye-knotted plump face. "Let that be the end of you," he said.

Kazuki stood motionless until his eyes ignited with a vicious crimson glow.

"Those red eyes... Angelo, why does he have those eyes? They look just like—" stuttered Lilith.

"It would help if you did not tell him, little one. He would not understand what he is yet. I had a feeling, but it is unimportant right now," said Angelo.

"What? That's completely impossible. Do you mean to tell me he is who I think he is?" said Lilith as she turned her attention back to Kazuki.

"It is unimportant, Lady Fox. He clearly does not remember for a reason. I do not believe he is Miyasato nor the other ones, but he is certainly connected to them. Let's not intervene in this fight; he is about to awaken the Celetite of Fire."

Kazuki fixed Hyperfang back into its violet sheath, crossed his hands together and formed the sign of the horse. Chikyuu Earth cocked its head in confusion and swiped at Kazuki with a sudden summon of barbed vines transformed from its gnarled tree limbs.

Kazuki began dodging Chikyuu Earth's strikes with near perfect agility.

"You're a dangerous one," it twitched. "Who are you?" asked Chikyuu Earth.

"All Bearer, you are strong enough to unleash my implosion technique. However, it requires a great deal of mana, and I will need to rest for a while afterwards," said Hi-no-tori, the fire-bird yokai for the Celestite of Fire.

Kazuki dodged each gnarled vine furtively until landing a fire-charged punch on Chikyuu Earth.

"Implosion!" chanted Kazuki cracking his fist into the side of Chikyuu Earth's squishy grey-alien face.

The creature's chest began to glow red. It erupted into a glitter firestorm, incinerating Chikyuu Earth to a charcoaled corpse from the inside out.

"Nice one, Kazuki!" shouted Lilith.

Even I can't do something like that with my lesser form of fire magic, she thought as the fake being disintegrated and blew into a pile of black ashes. When the flames culminated, the illumination of Kazuki's glowing red eyes faded, and he fell into the snow-covered sand, face first, like a log.

Angelo rushed over to him with Lilith not far behind.

"Are you alright, little one?" asked Angelo as he rolled Kazuki from the sand.

"Did I get him?" he asked, spitting.

Lilith laughed.

"Ya, you got him. You awakened the Celestite of Fire—Emperor Lucian's powers," she said.

Kazuki shook his long violet hair free of sand.

"I tried my best. I just did the same thing I did with the water in the jungle, only this time with the heat from the sun," said Kazuki.

"You make it sound so easy. It's like you were born for this stuff," winked Lilith. "Why were your eyes glowing, though?"

Kazuki coiled around to see Chikyuu Earth's body crumbled into a pile of black ashes, blowing away with the desert's winds.

"I don't know. It was strange. I felt fast and strong, but it was for only a few seconds. I could see everything happening in slow motion," said Kazuki.

Angelo grunted as if jealous.

"Bah, do not be so cocky. You were lucky that most of the energy from these creatures was zapped from the Heart of Mana. They were a lot weaker than they should have been. They may return when at full strength. However, you have awoken the Celestite of Fire. Most likely from this hot climate and Lady Fox boosting your mana. Agatha would be very proud, little one," he smiled as he helped Kazuki from the sand.

"I'm sure the Scholars of Cloud will know how to stop Mao's puppets for good. The puppets will come back, most likely with their stronger siblings," said Lilith.

Angelo sheathed his Masamune, shoved his muzzle towards the dunes and sniffed the blood-filled sandy currents.

"What is it? More of them?" asked Kazuki as he swept the red sand off his black gold-trimmed robes.

"I cannot tell what this magic residue belongs to. I can only smell it," said Angelo.

"Let's hurry and find shelter. It's getting dark. The crimson moon will be peeking out soon," said Lilith.

Kazuki followed behind and caught his foot on a pile of jagged rocks, tripping into the sand again.

"I hate the sand! I hate it!" wailed Kazuki as he angrily threw the red-orange powder into the air.

"It doesn't seem to like you very much either," laughed Angelo.