EPISODE 25: THE HEART THAT DESTROYS DARKNESS

The Rangers cheered happily as they returned to the guild. Reis lay unconscious on the back of Marina.

"You really are amazing Reis" Aurora thought to herself.

In the Rangers' Guild, Old Lady Kamikaze finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's finally over. Reis Dragonhaӓrt triumphed. Galigaos has been captured" she reported.

"Then we have a lot to celebrate. I leave the preparations to you then" the Dragonlord said.

"I believe Dragon High would be a fitting location. Tonight, we shall have a celebration" Old Lady Kamikaze agreed.

When Aurora finally arrived in the Rangers' Guild, everyone was waiting to see Reis. Old Lady Kamikaze had informed them of why their rings were cracking and how they were restored and so everyone now saw Reis as a hero. Darak, Shin and Kyla were around to meet Aurora. They had been so busy helping with Drake evacuation. Now things were back to normal, the Drakes were returning to the Guild.

Shin carried Reis off Marina's back.

"You can tell us everything in detail later Aurora" Kyla said.

"Right now, get some rest" Darak suggested.

Aurora nodded and began to head towards the Kira residence. She couldn't stop thinking about Reis.

At home, she was met by Mistress Kira.

"Welcome home Aurora" Mistress Kira greeted.

"I'm back" Aurora said.

"So how did things go?" Mistress Kira asked.

"You were right Mistress Kira. Remember what you said to me after I nearly drowned in the Lake of Kagua Beasts? You said Sir Jinrai was not a shallow man and I should not be surprised if the feelings I was fighting against were pointing me towards what I want and what I wanted was the object of my promise. I just discovered that Reis Dragonhaӓrt is the son of Jinrai" Aurora confessed.

Mistress Kira seemed surprised.

"I did suspect but I never expected my suspicions to be real" Mistress Kira said.

"Fate is a really cruel thing. To think I hated the person I was sworn to care for" Aurora said.

"But Fate is a kind thing too. The person you love and the one you are sworn to care for are one and the same" Mistress Kira said.

"That's true" Aurora agreed.

Back at the Ayenhayze residence, Reis had just regained consciousness. He could vaguely remember what happened after he had transformed into Arӓlpheisl. He felt immense knowledge and wisdom overflow within his mind and his fear of Armageddon was gone. At the present moment, the feeling still lingered on.

Shin walked into the room while Reis sat on his bed reflecting on the battle he had just waged against Galigaos; his near death experience and his transformation into Arӓlpheisl who was said to embody the will of Ryugaiea.

"So how did it feel to fight against him? Against the man that caused most of our pain?" Shin asked.

"When I began to battle him, I was enraged…but when the power of the Golden Drakengaӓrd failed against him, I learnt an invaluable lesson. That the Golden Drakengaӓrd did not recognize Galigaos as the enemy. It is even possible that the Golden Drakengaӓrd will not recognize Erikkus Di Devilli as the enemy. These two are just men like you and I and men can be driven towards light or darkness. What the Golden Drakengaӓrd recognized as the true enemy is the darkness that drives these two men…the darkness called Armageddon. I also realized who it is I must really battle and who this power exists to protect" Reis said.

"And who might that be?" Shin asked.

"The people of the people whose wishes form the fragments of this power. The people of Alpha, the Dragon Sovereign, the people of Sabre-fang, the king of the Kaisers, the people of the Golden Drakengaӓrd who fights for those destined for Heaven…and the people of Aurora Saggeese who represent the hopes of a peaceful Saggeese and in turn a peaceful Novatio. You could say that the power of Arӓlpheisl exists to defend these four fragments of Ryugaeia" Reis said.

"You're talking deep stuff man. Isn't that a bit too much of a responsibility?" Shin asked.

"It may be but if it must be done…it must be done. We can't fail. Things are changing far too rapidly and our only chance to turn the tide overwhelmingly is that Erikkus Di Devilli does not realize immediately the changes that are occurring. If I could, I would like to keep him in the dark for as long as possible" Reis said.

"What changes?" Shin asked.

"If you truly are a Dragon Ranger Shin you will understand these words, 'The Greatest Hope Of The Dragon Rangers'" Reis said.

"You are speaking weirder than you usually do. But I think I get it" Shin said.

Reis smiled.

Then suddenly, Kyla walked into the room smiling radiantly.

"What's up with that weird smile" Shin asked.

"It's almost been a month since you joined the guild hasn't it Reis? A lot has happened since and you're still creating miracles as unbelievable as the one you performed when we first met you" Kyla said.

"What? Turning you into sticks? Yeah, that one sure made my Gramps furious" Reis said with a laugh.

"That was unbelievably rude! I still can't believe you did that to us! It was weird being a stick. I could hear everything that was going on around me but I couldn't see anything. It still give me the creeps!" Kyla shivered.

"Hahaha! I think I had a more fun experience than you did" Shin joked.

"But as unbelievable as that was, I wasn't talking about that. You rescued us from the Kaiser-Wolf and then you saved your village. That was impressive" Kyla said.

"That was such a long time ago, you're making me nervous" Reis said.

"You're still the same as always, that is reassuring" Kyla said.

The three teens talked a lot about their experiences in the guild till it was almost four hours to midnight.

"I think we should start heading for Dragon High" Kyla said.

"Why?" Reis asked.

"You were unconscious then but we'll be celebrating our victory against the Wyverns this very night." Kyla said.

"Were you on the frontlines?" Reis asked.

"No, Dragon Students were responsible for getting the Drakes to safety. You should have seen Darak fume. It was not a pretty sight" Kyla laughed.

"I can imagine" Reis said with a weird expression on his face.

When the three teens walked downstairs, they met Master Jin. He was ready to leave with them so they all left together.

"Do you want to know the moment when I came to admire you greatly?" Master Jin asked.

"Sure" Reis said.

"It was on the day we delivered our report to the Dragonlord about our failed mission. You should know about it. Directly or indirectly, that mission was responsible for most of your discomfort here" Master Jin said.

"You can't mean…" Reis wondered.

"Yes, the mission where Jared lost his life" Kyla said sadly.

"Do you remember the day you faced the entire guild and confronted their anguish?" Master Jin asked.

"THE SAGGEESIANS MUST PAY! ALL OF THEM! THEY ARE NOTHING BUT SPINELESS COWARDS!!!" Reis recalled the anger of the rangers.

"The Saggeesians are not to be blamed. They are as much victims as we are. In fact, they may be in a worse situation than we are!" he recalled Master Jin's defence.

"Stop talking nonsense! It's as much their fault as it is Di Devilli's. They support him or they would never obey him! If they didn't want him as their leader, they would have fought back! They are also trash!" Reis recalled the anger of the rangers.

Then he recalled his own anger begin to grow.

"By what we saw, the Saggeesians are being oppressed by Erikkus Di Devilli. They never chose him as their king. He manipulated his way to the monarchy!" Reis recalled Master Jin's desperate defence.

Then he recalled the words that made his anger burn.

"How can we be sure that your team did not betray their comrades? You were the only ones to return alive and not even one of you was killed or captured!"

At that moment he had just replied impulsively with the words…

"They are alive because they were saved by a Saggeesian…ME!!!"

He recalled the surprised look on Kyla's face. They were concerned for him because by exposing his nationality to defend them, he had just turned the entire guild into his enemy.

He recalled his disappointment in the Dragon Rangers. He had admired them for the honour he saw in Master Jin, Kyla and Shin but the people before him then were distrusting, narrow-minded and stereotypical.

"Honestly, when I first came here…I was glad. When I heard of the Dragon Rangers, I wanted to be one…but now…I am honestly disappointed" Reis recalled the reproach he felt towards them.

He recalled their angry glares.

"Who cares if you are disappointed in us?! We never asked for your opinion and we never asked you to join us!"

"You should care! How dare you?! How dare you call yourselves Dragon Rangers when you treat your own comrades as though they were traitors! If the Dragons trusted each other so much to unite their spirits and create the Dragonheart…so much that…their trust led to their extinction then…HOW DARE YOU NAME YOURSELVES AFTER THE DRAGONS?! WITHOUT THEIR SACRIFICE, THERE WOULDN'T BE A SAGGEESE OR NOVATIO!!!" Reis recalled his outburst.

He recalled the rangers' shock.

"And don't act so innocent! The current state of Saggeese is your fault Novatians! But I don't blame you, and I hold no grudge. You haven't known the past…like I have" Reis recalled the sorrow in his heart when he uttered those words.

"You are right about everything you just said Reis. Forgive them, they are not always like this. Understand that a tragedy like this can change a person's state of mind. You of all people should understand" Reis recalled the Dragonlord's plea on behalf of the rangers.

Then he recalled the Dragonlord's encouraging words to the rangers.

"I know this tragedy is too much to handle. It has created an irreparable wound in our hearts. We have lost people close to us; brothers, sisters, comrades and friends. It may all be too much. But as Dragon Rangers, it is our duty…no, our destiny to rise above the losses and triumph against the greater evil! It may take some time but we must move on! We owe that to our fallen comrades!" Reis recalled the Dragonlord's words.

It was also the first time he heard the ranger's creed. The same words uttered by Arӓlpheisl just before the sun set on the present day.

"That day sure was harsh" Reis said with a sad look on his face as he recalled Aurora's grief and then moments later, his own pain.

"We have come a long way since then" he said.

"We sure have" Kyla said as she stretched out her hand towards the sky and looked at the stars.

"I also remember the words a certain crazy psychic told me that day!" Reis said as he placed his arm around Shin's neck and rubbed his hair.

"H-hey what did I say?!" Shin seemed offended.

"Why? Why do the Novatians hate the Saggeesians so much when the Saggeesians have done nothing to hurt them? Why can't anyone accept me without judging me? In Saggeese, I was treated like a dark plague for no reason; I never had any friends…and just when I thought I had found a family, this happens. It's worse here than in Saggeese!" Reis recalled his anguish.

"I think I understand how you feel. You want to be acknowledged for your own strength. You want to find a place where you belong…but everyone keeps telling you you're not needed" Reis recalled Shin's words.

Back then, he was shocked at how accurately Shin had described his feelings. Then he recalled Shin's words. The words that drove him this far.

"Reis, if you think you're without purpose, then find a purpose! When people tell you you're not welcome and you don't belong…just prove them wrong! Face your fear and show them that you have the strength to forge your own path! For you too are a Dragon Ranger…and a Dragon Ranger forever!"

Shin smirked.

"Sure sounds like me!" he laughed.

Kyla knocked him on the head.

"Don't go acting smug now, I can almost see your ego materializing as aura" Kyla said.

Shin growled angrily.

"Thinking back now, I finally understand how you could have said those words to me. You've felt the same crushing pain of despair" Reis said seriously.

"I'm sorry to say this though Reis but I honestly do not understand…" Shin said.

Kyla growled angrily.

"Why you…" she said.

"Not when there are too many words in a sentence describing 'pain'" Shin laughed.

"That so huh?" Kyla glared at him from the corner of her eye.

"Well that's Shin for you, always there to brighten up the day" Reis said.

"Yeah, imagine if I was a psychic who knew exactly how you felt but only knew how to make you feel worse. How's that sound?" Shin asked.

"Scary" everyone froze in their tracks and perished the thought.

"Not to mention creepy right?" Shin added.

"There's no point to knowing how people feel if you can't make them feel better. I'd rather my psychic powers did not exist than for it to make people feel worse no?" Shin asked.

"I don't even know how to respond to that…heheheh" Kyla laughed nervously.

Then she pointed ahead suddenly.

"Hey look! We're at Dragon High!" Kyla said joyfully.

Ahead of them, beyond the walls and the school's gate was a well-lit field. Reis and Team Ayenhayze could hear music coming from the school. When they walked through the school's gate, they saw several stalls set up to sell and serve various items. It was like a mini- festival.

A number of these stalls belonged to Old Lady Kamikaze. There was also an area set up for any rangers who would like to participate in a Drӓkan Duel.

Suddenly someone screamed.

"Look! It's Reis Dragonhaӓrt! Hero Of The Dragons!"

All attention was directed towards Reis. All the students started rushing towards him, wanting to speak with him. But seeing them all excited over him made Reis feel uneasy. Before he could think things through, his legs were carrying his body away from everyone far beyond the speed of any human.

"In many ways he's still a kid" Kyla laughed.

Somehow Reis found himself at the arena.

"Welcome my eternal rival! I knew fate would lead you to this place where we are destined to have our final showdown!" Reis heard an annoyingly familiar voice.

"Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Of all the people I wanted to avoid, you were definitely top of the list" Reis sighed.

"Fate has set the stage for our final showdown!" Darak repeated.

"If it really is final, I guess I can't refuse you" Reis said.

"Final as in final battle for the day" Darak quickly added.

"Damn you Darak, it's always what's convenient for you" Reis scowled angrily.

"Come on in 'Hero of the Dragons'" Darak beckoned.

Reis climbed reluctantly into the arena.

"Let's get this over with then!" Reis declared.

"You seem far too eager to fight me. I prefer to fight you when you're absolutely reluctant to fight. Makes it easier to torture you" Darak said with a smirk.

"Huh? What are you saying?" Reis seemed confused.

"I won't fight a man who is already worn out from battle. If I challenged you right now, everyone would say my victory was because you were exhausted from your fight with Galigaos. I most definitely want to crush you but only when you have no pathetic excuses except that you don't want to fight" Darak said.

"In some weird way I think you may have finally earned my respect Darak. I always thought you were a brute who would never turn down a fight" Reis said.

"Brutally honest are we? But I guess that's one thing I like about you Reis, you're a different person to everyone you encounter. It could in fact be said that you respond to everyone based on their nature however weird that sounds. You do recall however that the first time we met was also the first day we fought?" Darak asked.

"How could I forget? You fought Shin, cheated and when Shin responded honourably, you wanted to kill him. You sure were petty back then" Reis reminded Darak.

"It was also the first time I crushed you" Darak smirked.

"Yeah right! A sucker punch doesn't count. I definitely disarmed you via dragon parry or have you forgotten?" Reis reminded him.

"You interfered in a fight that was none of your business" Darak said seriously.

"I couldn't let you kill Shin" Reis said.

"I watched your fight with Evil Eghan too. You showed impressive resolve. At that moment, I thought a weird thought albeit a silly one that 'I wouldn't mind fighting with this loser'" Darak said with a smirk.

"You sure are never honest with your feelings and unnecessarily brutal with your words" Reis said.

"I still have a higher Kaignis-Wolf kill count than you do" Darak said.

At that moment, Reis heard a voice echo within his mind. He smiled and stared at Darak.

"Sabre-fang has a message for you Darak. He says, 'One day, I will rip out your throat with my own fangs mortal. You'd better watch out'" Reis said, his voice resonating with Sabre-fang's on Sabre-fang's message.

"I look forward to our next battle…Kaignis King" Darak said with a challenging smile.

"See you later Darak" Reis said.

"Our next two battles were a bit more challenging and in both of them, one of us was possessed by Armageddon. You through your spirit and I through my blade. I guess you repaid your debt to me" Darak said.

Reis froze in his tracks and without turning to face Darak he said.

"I never owed you Darak and you never owed me. It is only natural for friends to help each other out" Reis said and walked away.

"I guess I can call you 'friend' then" Darak said almost silently.

In his attempts to avoid the crowd looking for him, Reis made his way towards Kaiser Lake in hopes of finding Aurora. When he arrived, he found Erasa instead. He was tempted to avoid her but she noticed him and called out to him.

"Hi Erasa" he greeted nervously.

"You just tried to avoid me didn't you?" Erasa asked.

"I-uh…I…" Reis tried to defend himself but Erasa laughed.

"Don't worry, I understand. I still haven't apologized to you for wasting your kindness and for the mean things I said that day" Erasa said.

"Actually, you didn't direct any of that at me" Reis reminded her.

"I used my feelings for you as a tool to vent out my anger against Aurora and Shin and none of them were to blame. I think I was beginning to realize it then that you'd never love me the way you love her" Erasa said.

"Do you remember the first day we met? You saved my life when I was at the brink of death. My ring even cracked. It was a miracle I didn't die. Back then I thought you were a guardian angel, I think I still do but you're meant to protect more than just me. You saved me yet again when I used trickery to try to get you to reveal your identity. It was all Aurora's idea though" Erasa said with a laugh.

Reis looked so surprised, he didn't look so surprised. He knew Aurora despised him back then but after hearing this, every cell in his body told him that gal was dangerous!

"Will you be alright?" Reis asked.

"You don't need to worry about me. I discovered Shin's feelings and my own feelings for him. I'm happy and I know I'll be fine" Erasa said.

Reis nodded.

"Aurora was with me just now. She said she was headed to the Cave Of Shadows. If you hurry up, you might find her there. I know you were never the kind to crave attention so it might be a formidable hiding place too" Erasa said.

Reis nodded and ran into the forest. He ignored the Kaiser-Wolves there. They paid him no attention. Eventually he was at the entrance to the Cave Of Shadows. The entrance to the Cave glowed with a strong golden light.

"Alpha's presence. He must also be here now" Reis thought to himself as he went in.

He had only walked a few hundred metres when he met Aurora.

"Aurora!" he called to her.

She looked bewildered.

"Reis look! The cave…it's…different! There's light in here! It has always been dark except on special days but this isn't one of those days and this light is…different!" Aurora said excitedly.

Reis smiled.

"Of course it is. The presence of one more Dragon inhabits this cave" Reis said.

"Which Dragon is that?" Aurora asked curiously.

"Alpha the Dragon Sovereign and ruler of all material light" Reis said.

"Alpha? But that's…" Aurora suddenly looked depressed.

"You're thinking it's my dad's Dragon Partner aren't you?" Reis asked.

"If Sir Jinrai is still alive…Alpha would definitely have answers" Aurora said.

"I also want to know if my dad's really dead or still alive" Reis said as he raised his hand.

The light began to condense and then it took the form of Alpha, the Dragon Sovereign.

"Alpha, it has been a while. Do you remember me?" Aurora asked hopefully.

"Of course I do, Aurora Saggeese, the one who would one day unify humanity in their confrontation of Armageddon" Alpha said.

"What are you saying Lord Alpha?" Aurora asked in greater surprise.

"You have even more trying times ahead of you but like I said before, you may have heard it from your parents, it will be by your faith in the Dragonhaӓrt that Ryugaeia will be 'Dragon Earth' again" Alpha said.

"Lord Alpha, I have a question for you. It's about…" Aurora paused and looked away.

She was no longer sure she wanted to know Jinrai's fate.

"Jinrai huh? He really was an amazing man. It is rare to find a human whose actions align as closely with truth as Jinrai's" Alpha said.

"He was. That is why it is important for me to know. Is he still alive?" Aurora asked.

"I didn't really know my dad Alpha but I think I also want to know" Reis said with determination.

Alpha sighed.

"If that is your wish, I will answer you. Jinrai fought valiantly, he protected many and set the stage for your final confrontation with Armageddon however he is no longer of this world" Alpha said.

When Aurora heard those words, she fell on her knees and burst into tears.

"N-No way. Th-This can't be. This is impossible…Jinrai is dead?" Aurora cried.

Reis shut his eyes as he felt a strong pain begin to build within his heart. He clutched his heart.

"I-I never knew him. So why do I feel so much pain? Father" Reis muttered.

"Dead? Whatever are you talking about radiant Aurora?" Alpha asked.

Aurora opened her eyes in shock. Reis raised his eyes to look at Alpha.

"I thought you said…" Aurora asked.

"What I said was that Jinrai was no longer of this world, that didn't necessarily mean he was dead, no" Alpha said.

"What do you mean?" Reis asked.

"Jinrai went to get the last piece. The one thing that is absolutely necessary if Armageddon is to be defeated" Alpha said.

"The one thing that is necessary?" Reis pondered.

"What is that?" Aurora asked.

"Reis, have you ever wondered why you cannot recall your parents yet at times it feels as though you've always known them?" Alpha asked.

"It never occurred to me" Reis admitted.

"It is because your memories of your parents are closely tied to your memories of me. Your memories of me are tied to your memories of the dragons and your memories of the dragons are in turn intricately tied to your memories of human history. By severing those memories, Armageddon is trying to cut you from discovering your true self and anything that could lead you to defeat him. There was a song your parents always used to sing to you, a song you were never meant to forget. I could have revealed the truth to you at any moment after all the power of truth far surpasses that of lies but I had to wait till everything was in place" Alpha said.

"What truth?" Reis asked.

Alpha took in a deep breath and breathed over Reis.

"Remember!" he declared.

Reis gasped as a brilliant light flashed within his mind. In his memories, he saw a man with silver hair and blue eyes seated beside a woman with crimson hair and emerald eyes.

"Mom? Dad?" he wondered.

"Reis look after your big sister okay?" the man said.

"B-Big sister?" Reis wondered.

"What are you talking about dad? I can take care of myself!" Reis heard an angry voice.

He looked around and saw a girl who was slightly older than him plucking mangoes with daggers.

"Of course, I had an elder sister! How could I forget? Her name was…Reia Dragonhaӓrt" Reis recalled.

"Why don't you two come here for a moment" the woman called to the children.

They approached their parents.

"What is it mom?" Reia asked her mother.

"I think it is about time your father and I taught you a song. Unlike the lullabies you are familiar with, this is a special song with the power to destroy Armageddon" the man said.

The children nodded and paid rapt attention.

"This song is called 'The Heart That Destroys Darkness'" the woman said and then the parents began to sing.

"What is a heart or rather, who is the Heart

So fragile that it can be rended apart

One part strong, one part weak

Broken He appears, but wholeness He seeks

Origins and Endings, two contradictory ideals

But brothers they are and as one they feel

Strong and weak,

Broken and Whole,

Add one more element, when these two become One

They beckon to Him, the Heart

For when Human meets Divine, He will be born,

The Heart that Destroys Armageddon…and His name is…"

The parents sang.

Reis opened his eyes in amazement as his memory faded.

"Do you finally recall? The song about The Heart That Destroys Darkness?" Alpha asked.

Reis nodded.

"Then my duty here is fulfilled at the present time" Alpha said and dissolved into the Cave as perpetual light.

Reis and Aurora left the cave and headed towards Kaiser Lake. When they arrived, Erasa was gone.

"I am relieved to know that Sir Jinrai…your father is still alive" Aurora said.

"I'm glad too. I remembered my parents at last thanks to Alpha" Reis said.

"We sure have been through a lot together" Aurora said.

"Yeah, I still recall the first day we met. We refereed a mini-Drӓkan tournament together" Reis laughed.

Aurora laughed.

"Yeah, that was something" she said.

"But after that I made your life miserable many times" Aurora said sadly.

"What? You still remember that? I only remember the fun times we had together like nearly choking on my food and you giving me water, fighting the Kagua-Serpentia, arguing about petty things and stuff like that but the Kagua-Serpentia made me realize one thing" Reis said.

"What?" Aurora asked nervously.

"You're one damn scary girl Aurora!" Reis exclaimed and burst into laughter.

Aurora couldn't help laughing too.

"Fine, I get it, you were never mad at me" Aurora said.

Reis nodded.

"Thanks" Aurora said silently.

"But you know Aurora…calling me your Arӓlpheisl was the sweetest thing you've ever said to me. You know what Arӓlpheisl means right? The name means 'One King'. It can also mean 'First King'" Reis teased Aurora.

Aurora's face began to turn red as a tomato. Reis laughed even harder.

"Reis you jerk!" she screamed and began to chase Reis around the lake.

Meanwhile, quite far from the guild; in a grassy plain stood a girl with silver hair and emerald eyes. Beside her was a navy blue Dragon the colour of night. The dragon emitted a strong light, the colour of its body.

"You noticed the lights didn't you Omega?" the girl asked the dragon.

"Of course I did Reia. The Dragon-Shaped lights that appeared right after sunset? It can only mean one thing" the Dragon called Omega said.

"My brother has finally awakened Arӓlpheisl and the world as we know it is about to change…or rather…be restored" the girl called Reia said.

"Then it is finally time to perform the rite of 'Paradoxical Reconciliation'" Omega said.

"And with it call forth 'The Heart That Destroys Darkness'. The power said to only appear when the greatest paradoxes are reconciled.

'Strong and weak,

Broken and Whole,

Add one more element; when these two become One

They Beckon To Him; the Heart

For when Human meets Divine;

He will be born.

The Heart that Destroys Armageddon…and His name is…Benedict!"

Reia sang the final part of the song.