13 The Showdown between the Three Sages

As chaos erupted in the castle with the government and six guardians on a rampage, Jiena and Kyoko found themselves fighting against one of Bernard Auvergne's recruited femme fatales - Emily.

In between the combat exchanges, Jiena realized that they needed to rescue Rafael.

"Kyo," she shouted over the noise, "we have got to get Rafael out of here."

Kyoko was already struggling with Emily: "I could use some help over here. She is putting up quite a fight!" Just then Bianca appeared from nowhere and joined forces with Kyoko; her priority was leading hostages to safety.

Jiena racked her brain as she watched them charge at Emily again. Where would Rafael be held captive? Her thoughts were interrupted by Kanna running towards her followed closely by Albert who didn't want his daughter getting hurt or killed for someone like Rafael Marino.

"I'm going after him," said Jiena before taking off without explaining where she was headed. To her surprise, both Kanna AND Albert decided to follow along despite not being sure what room he might be held hostage in! "You guys don't have t...oh well never mind!"

"You go with them," said Kanna nonchalantly to her father before pushing away his hand and darting after Jiena. Albert had no other option but to chase after her as they both raced down the hallway at full speed. After a few moments, Jiena abruptly halted in her tracks and spun around, fixating on the duo now in pursuit of her.

"What are you doing here?" Jiena asked. "Aren't you supposed to be in the rescue ship by now?" "I want to help save Rafael," Kanna replied.

"Why did you bring your dad? He hates us and it's not safe," Jiena said, confused.

"But why bother rescuing him when it's the military's job?" Albert questioned

"Well, I am part of the military too," answered Jiena while putting on her college student disguise

"Jiena! Help!" Rafael screamed from another room. Her sister broke down the door only to find Rafael naked and tied up, left exposed to cold winds making them all surprised!

"What was Emily doing to you?" Kanna asked straightforwardly.

"She came onto me," Rafael replied. "Are you okay? Do we have something to wrap around that cut?" Kanna asked while helping him escape the chains.

"Yeah, thanks." Jiena freed Rafael by shooting the shackles with her pistol before telling him: "I'll get some robes."

Rafael protested loudly when Jiena left and said, "What if I had been killed?"

Suddenly Albert saw Auvergne running towards the staircase. Fuming in anger he took off after him causing Jiena to follow behind leaving Rafael and Kanna alone together in their room.

"I thought it would be my last day here,' confessed a shocked Raefel Kanna consoled Rafeal saying, "Well at least Emiliy made your time worth spending!" Without a second thought for anyone but each other Rafaels' hands pulled Kannda close as they exchanged passionate kisses.

"Your kiss is all I need to feel alive," said Rafael, as they hurriedly left the room and trailed behind Albert and Jiena towards the covert docks. Auvergne and Takashiro were by the getaway boat, facing off against the Fontierra patriarch and Marino clan successors.

"You ain't gonna stop me from carrying out my plan," Auvergne held his gun towards Albert.

"I can never forgive you for your deeds." Albert retaliated, pointing the pistol back at Auvergne who swiftly disarmed him.

In a split second, Jiena made her move and overpowered both men with ease. "That's that," Jiena spoke up as she caught sight of a stranger stepping into the room - an average-built man with long blonde hair and intense eyes.

"No way!" She exclaimed in disbelief while Rafael and Kanna joined her side immediately.

"Javier Barbarin, the rebellious sage," Albert mumbled under his breath.

"That's pretty impressive, Nozomi Marino," Javier said with a bit of flair. "If you're willing to leave your father behind and join us, it would be even better."

"I value my family more than anything else in this world," Jiena replied defensively.

"Come on, Jiena," Rafael urged his sister before they both attacked Javier.

Javier effortlessly blocked the assault of the twins. Jiena sent a kick from one side, while Rafael tried with a punch on the opposite side, but both were ineffective as Javier punched them in their stomachs. However, Jiena bounced back quickly and challenged Javier to an arm-wrestling match.

"I must say I'm unimpressed," chuckled Javier in an eerie tone. "Takako and your father speak so highly of you just for this kind of attack?"

Javier caught hold of Jiena's arms and flung her several feet away with force. When Rafael went ahead to continue attacking him by kicking he escaped narrowly before grabbing his legs and hurling him where his twin sister fell earlier.

Kanna was totally confused by the sight and quickly gave a warm hug to both Rafel & Jiena as if protecting them. Albert shouted at her, "What're you doing?!", while trying to separate his daughter from them.

Javier had a hunch about something fishy and decided not to get any closer to the twins. He turned around calmly and shifted his gaze towards the man standing near the door who felt pretty familiar but suspicious too.

"It's been so long since we last met," Javier said, turning his back to the shadow.

"Dad!" Jiena and Rafael exclaimed in unison. They saw Karl walking towards them wearing a blue jumpsuit that had some strange padding underneath for battle protection.

"I knew you were responsible for creating this havoc," Karl glared at Javier, "those scoundrels cannot orchestrate an attack of such magnitude."

"Obviously. My plan was to rule the world eventually." Javier replied while firing a laser beam at Karl who effectively blocked it with his shield.

"You are aware no one has ever accomplished that?" Karl fired the same laser attack to counteract what he initially faced. "And I am here today to put an end to all your evil doings once and for all"

Javier laughed mockingly at Karl's statement. "What will you do, kill me?" he jeered. "You should've done that a long time ago."

Karl remained unfazed and calmly replied, "Now is the time to end this once and for all. It's the three of us who are going to dance today."

Unexpectedly, a young woman dressed in red approached them with confidence and stood beside Karl. She was Takako - regal and poised as she entered the docks.

"Takako," Javier taunted her upon seeing Takako joining their group amidst his laughter.

"I'm here to take revenge for Eikichi's death," Takako declared from behind Karl while ignoring Javier's mocking words.

"What can someone like you do? You have such an inferiority complex!" scoffed Javier towards Takako without any consideration for her position or feelings among everyone present there.

"Don't underestimate her, Javier," cut-in Karl sternly in defense of Takako "This rivalry has gone on long enough; it ends today! And I am putting an end to your madness."

"So tell me then," asked Javier arrogantly looking at both Takako & Karl directly into their eyes. "It's either one of you kills me or I will kill the both of you"

"Javier, you are no longer fit to become a sage, your evil days are over," Karl declared, pointing his finger at his former colleague.

"One of us?" Javier laughed profusely, "What an insult."

"After this, there will be one less sage in this world," Takako uttered.

Rafael, Jiena, Kanna and Albert's hearts raced as they sought cover. Hiding behind boulders as the sky darkened, static electricity made their arm hair stand up - a foreboding sign of what was to come. A deafening roar shook the ground, causing rock fragments to fall like confetti around them. Peering through gaps in their shelter, they witnessed a horrifying scene unfold: The Three Sages emerging from dense smoke at the castle grounds- veterans of ASEAN War.

Rafael's heart raced; the stories of these warriors flooded his mind. Never did he imagine facing all three at once! The wind whipped through their clothes, adding to the intensity. Karl unveiled two blades attached to wrist devices, ready for action. Takako observed her opponents keenly, searching for any vulnerability she could exploit with lightning reflexes. Javier flexed his fingers ominously, preparing for conflict. Suddenly, Karl lunged towards Javier in a blur of motion. Gasps escaped Rafael and the others' lips

"The three legendary sages," Albert whispered, his voice shaking with awe as he bore witness to a fight unlike anything he had ever seen before.

Karl launched himself towards Javier with incredible force, executing a perfect flying kick that connected solidly with the other man's abdomen. Takako was right behind him; her lithe form moved with such grace and precision as she delivered a punch straight to Javier's face. Javier fought back viciously, hitting Karl so hard in the face that the sage stumbled backwards and fell heavily onto the ground.

Takako tried to avoid getting hit, but Javier kicked her from behind, causing her to fall forward on all fours. Karl and Takako quickly stood back up, undeterred by their injuries. They prepared for their next attack against Javier who seemed unaffected despite being struck multiple times already.

"Take this!" Takako growled, aiming daggers at their opponent. Although he attempted to dodge them, one dagger grazed his cheek leaving a deep cut behind. Showing even more ferocity than before, Karl followed suit by slashing across Javier's abdomen which immediately drew blood. However, in retaliation, Javier punched Karl in the face and sent him tumbling into the water.

Karl emerged from the water, struggling to breathe. Determined, he fought Javier who had a threatening whip. Meanwhile, Takako hurriedly stood up and headed towards the battlegrounds. The sound of lashes echoed as Karl endured fierce strikes from Javier's weapon. Despite being battered, he refused to give in and swiftly attacked with deadly daggers aimed at crippling his opponent. Sensing an opportunity that could change everything: Takako took advantage of this distraction briefly. With mighty force, she propelled herself towards them. Her pistol-like device emitted a powerful energy wave that collided with Javier's chest, causing him to collapse onto his knees. The three fighters stood in silence, radiating intense hostility towards each other through their every movement and creating an aura of tension that seemed to permeate everything around them.

"This is not the end," Javier declared with intense determination. He swiftly activated his wrist device and shot a powerful energy bomb towards the collapsing scaffolding, which had threatened to crush Rafael and Jiena. With lightning-fast reflexes, Karl courageously leaped into action. Without hesitating or caring about his safety, he pushed away his kids and Albert and Kanna just in time to avoid disaster. Takako's quick thinking was impressive too when she used her wrist device to make the massive structure disappear completely. Their heroic actions saved many lives, showing their extraordinary skills and commitment to protecting others no matter what. Even though there will be more challenges ahead, they are all ready to face them together!

"Hey, be careful!" Takako shouted at Karl. They both saw Javier making a run for it on his escape boat.

"Quick! Time's running out," said Karl to Albert, Kanna, Rafael and Jiena."Take the speedboat with these rebels and use autopilot; they'll lead you straight to where all those saved hostages are chillin' in that cruise ship."

"But what about you guys?" Jiena asks worriedly while holding her dad's hand. "This place is gonna blow!"

"Don't sweat it," Takako patted Jiena's face reassuringly.

"We got this," added Karl as he left with Jiena and Rafael on the speedy vessel carrying everyone towards safety - including Albert, Kanna & company along with their two fugitives pal.

------

After all the hostages were safely on board the speedboats, they headed straight to Penthouse Seven's massive ship. The Kensei warriors jumped onto the vessel and wrestled control from their enemies who fired non-stop laser beams. Rafael, Jiena, Kanna, and Albert ventured inside where it was bustling with activity while in another room; wise men gathered around to navigate the ship through rough waters.

"Hey, is that a laser gun?" Michelle quips as she takes aim and exchanges fire with Svetlana.

Ely Hung quickly reaches for his speaker phone to warn the hostages, "Buckle up folks because we're about to take one hell of a ride. Just stay put and don't go outside or those bad guys will turn you into toast in no time."

The Kenseis were keeping a close eye on their tail while trying to dodge the Kenmas' shadow frigate that was almost as big as their own Penthouse Seven Ship.

"All right everyone! Brace yourselves! We'll ram that ship" Barbara commands, putting the engines into overdrive.

"Why bother ramming it when we can just sink the ship?" Kosaka activated all the close-range weapons and destroyed the Kenma's army while they were being chased. The control center then received a call for help from below, so Kosaka, Sergei, and Ely Hung headed down to deal with laser fire from their attackers. They battled back with lasers of their own as they made slow progress towards where enemy soldiers had infiltrated. To prevent them spreading further through the ship, Kosaka stopped off at a console to secure all doors on this deck before informing his team members watching above via radio. As soon as he gave clearance into lower level area three (L3A), those Kenseis finished off enemies there by shooting them dead or throwing some overboard before climbing up toward bow-side together again.

Sergei contacted the control room: "Michelle and Babs, take down those baddies using the canons".

The canons aimed at the target and launched missiles that obliterated their pursuers. Kosaka informed everyone about losing Kenmas while sitting on deck. Ely Hung responded optimistically by announcing over his radio: "The foe has been defeated! Go out and party before we hit mainland in a couple of hours - fingers crossed."

After hearing the announcement, all of the important people left the fancy room and safe places. They gathered around Penthouse Seven Kenseis who were hailed as heroes for saving them in a risky mission without any guarantees.

Some hugged these renowned warriors and others performed traditional bows to show respect when two individuals on a glider suddenly landed on the ship's deck, surprising both hostages and wise men.

"Give it up for Karl Marino and Takako!" Sergei exclaimed while raising his arms that also encouraged other sages to cheer along with him. The saved hostages clapped their approval while Karl and Takako walked over steadily towards the Sages' group.

Karl wondered, "Why the applause even if we couldn't take out Javier?" Sergei clarified, "We informed them that you spearheaded the attack to save them."

Hushedly Karl admitted, "I didn't apprehend Auvergne and Takashiro; it was Jiena together with Albert Fontierra."

"Hey man, why don't you share some words?" urged Kosaka as Karl faced everyone assembled.

"Hey guys, the folks you see here are legit celebs! Can you believe how surprised we all were when Michelle Peng - that courtier everyone knows- displayed such wicked fighting skills? And check out Takako from Japan's high society pulling off these intense raids. But hey, let's be thankful that everything ended well and everyone's okay."

"I totally agree, we won't let anyone from those Kenmas or Javier Barbarin terrorist groups harm any human life. Sergei, Kosaka and Karl are with us in this promise," Takako stated casually as she glanced over at Karl who was standing beside her. She smiled radiantly which prompted a smile back from the Marino patriarch. The hostages they rescued started clapping while the Marino siblings joyfully embraced their father without any signs of trauma; only praises and love for keeping their promise to protect them no matter what happens. They even went on to embrace their godparents, the Sages after all the festivities died down. Later on Rafael climbed into the ship's observatory where he could enjoy watching sunset scenery."

"We're finally safe," Kanna exclaimed with a sigh of relief, walking towards her boyfriend. She couldn't believe they made it out alive after everything they went through.

"Yeah, and it's all thanks to the incredible efforts of the rescue team," Rafael responded, looking back at the celebration behind them. "Just imagine that twenty-four-hour mission; their determination was truly inspiring."

"I agree! They are true heroes - no wonder they have earned the titles 'Kenseis' and 'Sages'," Kanna added with admiration in her voice.

"Speaking of heroes.." Raphael paused before continuing,

"Being separated from you felt like being trapped in another prison." He smiled as he spoke these heartfelt words

"It feels great to be reunited again!" Replied Kanna who then asked him about his experience at The Tower where he was taken into custody

"It wasn't easy but I am glad we can put this chapter behind us now." Rafael replied reassuringly to Kanna who still frowned thinking about what happened earlier. Just then she enveloped him more closely just like old times -- basking in sheer bliss gazing together over hues painted across an evening sky which had by now turned deep crimson.

"Kanna," Rafael whispered, "I want you to know that I will always be here for you. Whether it is now or forevermore, my love for you will never diminish." He then leaned in and planted another tender kiss on her lips, savoring the moment as he held her close.

-----

The Sages were back in the control room checking their location and movement. Everyone was sitting on their designated positions, monitoring different aspects of the ship's operation. Barbara and Kosaka were on engine duty, Karl and Sergei controlled weapons while Michelle and Pyon Biao managed radio communication along with bay monitoring activities. Ely Hung steered the ship with Takako and Tiffany keeping a close watch over maps. Ely informed everyone that they would reach mainland within two days which seem to be quite a long time for some.

"Can't we move faster?" asked Sergei impatiently. Michelle explained that it wasn't possible because one of Kenma's attacks had damaged one of our main propellers which slowed down our speed considerably. The turbines from west to east are still running so we could achieve around thirty-six knots but not more than this at present."

"So, let's think this through," said Kosaka, checking the meters. "We have a problem with our main turbines." Ely Hung shook his head and offered an alternative solution.

"Actually, I was thinking we could continue using the supplementary propellers instead to save fuel for later use in boosting our speed." Michelle chimed in with her own concerns after noticing everyone looking tired.

"Maybe it's wise if we could all take some time off considering that none of us has slept properly for three days now?" Barbara spoke up about their rescued captives' welfare.

"What do you suggest we do with those who were saved from danger?" Pyon Biao had a simple idea in mind:

"We can bring food to them and hold celebrations while the rest of us take some much-needed break right here!" Takako decided on what should be done next. Her tone filled wisdom as she considered everything mentioned before making her decision known -"Looks like everyone is agreed then .Let's proceed accordingly!"

"Hey guys," Michelle smiled into the radio and turned to face her co-passengers. "I'm Michelle Peng from Penthouse Seven's Control Room. Just wanted you all to know we're due tomorrow at four PM, but let's not waste time waiting around! Let's party instead! Mess hall, start cookin' up a storm 'cause it's feast time! And if anyone is interested in lending a hand or splashing like dolphins, meet me at our pool on the ship center! For dinner tonight head over to The Party Lounge because that is where the fun will be happening!! Cool? Thank Youuuu!"

"Michelle, I swear to god, one of these days you will be the death of me. Just kidding," Barbara says with a laugh and a smile on her face.

------

After a couple of days, the cruise ship finally made it to Davao. The President himself greeted them and brought along some soldiers who wisely escorted the hostages out of harm's way. Right after that, with genuine humility shown on his face, he approached the Kenseis.

"Sorry for doubting you guys and thinking your plans were just jokes," said the President apologetically as Michelle almost rebuked him but was instantly hushed by Sergei covering her mouth.

Karl stated to the President, "Look Mr. President, I'm not saying this for personal gain or political interest. My kids mean everything to me and that is why I will do anything it takes even if it risks my own life just to protect them."

The Penthouse Seven agreed with Karl's statement. Biao chimed in stating that their goal was not for media attention but rather a personal mission they've committed themselves on -- stopping their former delinquent colleagues from committing further chaos- and only they can accomplish this task.

Then Sergei presented a manual detailing the main strategy book remarking, "Their military tactic surpasses your Armed Forces by far and sadly Russia couldn't interfere due to international diplomatic reasons; however, you could easily overthrow them with an under-equipped army like yours by following these steps."

-------

After the party, Emily, her dad and Auvergne went to a max security lockup. It was already midnight and Emily couldn't sleep as she gazed at the moon when a jailer arrived and took her into an inquiry room by force.

"Why me?" quizzed Emily to the guards

"They got you here because I told them," Jiena articulated appearing out of nowhere along with Kyoko

"What do you need from me?" questioned a frightened Emily shaking intently

"Emily, I can't trust that it's true; You did this to us." mention frazzled "said Jiena

"We wanted you to be part of our family, we wanted you to be our sister-in-law," Kyoko yelled at Emily. "But unfortunately, your actions have caused irreparable harm."

Emily hung her head low and tears streamed down her face as she listened.

"Now you must face the consequences of your choices," added Jiena.

"What will happen now?" asked Emily with a trembling voice.

"According to law and order, both you and your father will have to be transferred to Iwahig," replied Kyoko coldly.

Emily fell onto her knees in front of them crying out for mercy but it seemed their decision was final. As they left the room leaving behind an emotional wrecked-Emily who now feared what would unfold next under the Marino sisters' hands.

---Chapter end---