Chapter 156, The Choice
"How much longer, Mayumi?" Touya asked her.
"Just a bit longer." She answered him. "Sakura-chan! Alessia-san! Please take your positions."
"Alright!" The two answered and each took their positions.
"Seiryuu-sama." Sakura called out to Seiryuu who now in his dragon state appeared above them.
"Here goes!" Alessia said.
"Seiryuu-sama, please!" Sakura said and Seiryuu danced in the air and began to culminate power.
"Hatori-san, Seiji-san, Monica-san, Dustin-san, everything is ready. All that's left is your permission." Mayumi stated.
"Alright." Monica answered her.
"When you're ready." Seiryuu said to them.
"Now!" Sakura stated.
"Special Technique, Exhaust!" Sakura and Alessia activated their ability and released all the Vi from their bodies into the sky which Seiryuu then captured.
"Seiryuu, transfers the Vi into the cannon!" Mayumi stated and the dragon quickly transferred all the Vi it had collected from the two into the cannon that Seiji brought to the school.
The cannon, known as the Zodiac Ring was brought to the school per Hatori and Seiji's request. This was the reason why Arata and the otehrs were stalling. They were trying to buy time for Mayumi and the others to charge the cannon which required a large amount of Vi. And thanks to the Vi which Alessia and Sakurq have provided with their special ability Exhaust, the cannon is fully charged. All that was left was for the others to aim it which requires the power of the other Zodiacs.
"It's ready to fire any time." Hatori stated. "Touya, convey it to the ones fighting!"
"Alright then." Touya answered. "Arata, we can fire the cannon anytime you want."
"How many times can you fire it?" He asks them.
Touya asks the others while Arata fights with Sirius. His goal was still the same, either to subdue Karin or release Licht. However, Sirius stood in his way.
"What's the matter Le Fleur? Why are you so weak?!" Sirius slashes down hard and Arata barely manages to block his blow.
'Arata, the cannon can only be fire three consecutive times.' Seiji answered him. 'That means you have to choose where we fire it, at Sirius, at Licht, at Karin or at Pierrot.'
'Send one down to Sirius first. I want to get rid of him before I proceed with the next step.' Arata answers.
Hatori repositions the cannon and aims it straight at Sirius, and with it loaded, fires the first shot. An orb of light exists the cannon's miuth and when Arata sees it, he transfers himself into Growth and Sirius flees just as the first of the three bombs falls into the ground and causes an explosion which could be seen by the surrounding fighters.
"They've begun! Everypne be prepared for where the second one drops!" Lina exclaimed to the girls when suddenly a giant explosions breaks the ice Karin was trapped in.
"She broke free! Where is she?!" Lia asked and Growth hovered above them.
"No poing in finding her! She's already escaped!" He calls down. "Where are the others?"
Arata's question is answered by a tower to light to the far north of his vision. He flies there and finds Van and Zander fighting with Licht. Karin has escaped but Licht is still here. This could be his only chance to try and subdue Licht. So, without hesitation, he lands to the ground and before Licht can try to flee, he casts a spell that isn't so easily broken.
"Dimensional Wall... What do you plan to do trapping me in here, Le Fleur?" He asks with a smile.
"Licht Rays, I've been requested to retrieve the Gem of Melancholy from you." Arata answered and Licht smiled. "Van, Zander, get out of here."
The two nod, get back up on their two feet, and without delay, run for the boundary of the barrier. Arata and Licht stood there, holding their weapons, sizing up their chances and what they should do. While Arata does have a spell capable of seperating him and the Gem of Melancholy which Fleur gifted to him, he still needed to weaken and restrain Licht.
Meanwhile, Pierrot who was facing the Crests clicked his tongue and took to the skies. None if this has gone as he had hoped, his only choice now is to flee and retrieve Licht but before he can, Dino bears down on him, his blade ready to slash him in half.
"Where you going, Pierrot?" Dino asks as he held his sword. "You aren't going anywhere."
"Shadows!" Above them, Karin appeared, raining down her shadows.
'Touya, send the second bomb to us.' Ryl orders him and the others nod.
"Dance, Ruby!" Rum burns away a large amount of with him swords as he takes for the skies.
"Bloom, Rubellite!" Mani sends a bombardment of crystals to Karin and her Shadows before encasing himself in a protecting cocoon of crystals.
"Slam down, break, annihilate, Borts!" With a swift slash, Dino destroys the Shadows and slams his sword down before taking to the skies with Rum.
"Bloom, Morganite!" With the rose blooming to sky, Touya and the others find their target and Ryl hides himself and the second bomb crashes down.
A large explosion of light shines and nothing remains when the light clears. Pierrot and Karin have both escaped but not unharmed. They all regrouped, thinking of what has become of Arata. They all rejoin at the edge of Arata's barrier when they realized that the servants of the Licht were standing there as well.
Instinctively Will takes arms but Arata's voice stop him.
'Why?' He asked.
"Addy, Eddy, be ready. You two will be the key to saving Licht." Arata states and the two nod.
"Le Fleur, we know we have no right to ask this of you but, please save our friend!" The two exclaimed and Arata smiled and held his sword in hand.
The real fight was about to begin. The battle between Arata and Licht that would be the one trigger for fate. Will Arata succeed in saving Licht or will he fail, everything rested on the bond between Addy, Eddy and Licht, Arata's gamble.