Chapter 239, Return to Rose Castle

"Arata, we're nearing the Sidus Pontem." Saint says and we gather at the bridge of the ship.

We set our eyes on the barrier and a grinning Karin, she smiled and mocked us.

"Well, well, if it isn't the useless bugs. Sadly you can't reach me here, safe and sound in the barrier. But I can still harm you from in here!" She mocked and threw a ball of flames at us. However, when she did it was only bounced off.

"Arata, how do we take down the barrier?" Al asked.

"Saint, are you ready?" I asked him.

"Yeah. I am." He answered.

"Child of the Ancients which dwells within me. Source of the Braves, guardian of heroes, protector of warriors. The time for the great battle is upon us, heed the call of this Ancient and open the gates!" I chanted and my body began to glow bright gold. "Tear down the walls that divide and open the long sealed coffin. My name is Arata, and I ache for you!"

With my chant the barrier that wrapped around the Sidus Pontem shattered and we were able to proceed.

"What?! Impossible!" She screamed and threw balls of flame at us.

"Pierce the darkness, forward march, the end within the reach, victory within sight, cut through the darkness and purge the chaos, Blade of Fate!" Zander chants and blades of light strike forward and pierce the Shadows which Karin calls.

"Leave Karin to me." I told them and I jumped forward. "Saint, focus on docking the Asterion into the city!"

"On it!" He answered.

-----

"We're here, Sir Leon." Allen stated as the gate of light disappeared to reveal the Galactic Gates.

"So, I just have to head up to the Celestial Globe..." Leon stated as he gazed up to the sky.

Just as Leon said this the sky began to turn black. Then, green lightning began to strike the surrounding areas.

"What is that?" Allen gazed and Astrologia sighed.

"I have no idea but it cannot be good. Leon, please hurry to the Celestial Globe." Astrologia stated as she flew up to the skies and tried to erect a barrier around the city. "Allen, hurry into the city and please take Leon to the Celestial Globe!" She stated with urgency. "I shall strive to drive away the thunder from the city."

Without hesitation the two run into the city heart, towards the Celestial Globe. Astrologia flies up to the skies, channeling the lightning away from the city because the lightning of green hue seems to be targeting the Celestial Globe specifically.

"Sir Allen! The thunder seems to be creating large pockets devoid of Vi!" A guard reports as he passes Allen and Leon. "Anything that seems to enter that area seems to lose their Vi completely!"

"Sir Leon, please hurry to the Celestial Globe, it is highly likely that this is the reason why Sir Arata wanted you to be here. The Celestial Globe is up ahead." Allen says as he turns his back and takes out his sword. "I shall take the knights and focus on diverting the thunder and helping the people."

"Alright. Please stay safe." Leon says as he jumps onto the roof and rushes to the Celestial Globe.

The thunder storm has grown in strength and intensity, striking all the areas around the Celestial Globe. By the time Leon ahs reached the Celestial Globe, the skies are completely dark and covered by the strange storm.

The moment Leon places his hands unto the Celestial Globe he is pulled inside it. There is a bright light and when it fades, Leon finds himself in an area, a pure white plane. He begins to wander around wondering what he should be doing.

"Where is this?" He asked as he tried to look around.

"Welcome, to the Dimensional Planes." A voice speaks and Leon begins to look around, wondering who it could be.

"Who are you? What is this place?" He questioned.

"This is the Dimensional Planes, where worlds meet and intersect." The voice answered. "You are here, by fate's will."

Leon began to look around, there was only nothingness, a white empty plain before that stretched endlessly.

"So, Argent sent me here, but where is here and what am I supposed to do here?" Leon asked.

"You are here... to await the choice of fate or the union of worlds, and bridge the seperate worlds once more." The voice answered him.

"So... until Argent makes his choice or the others open the gates, I'll be stuck here." Leon sighed and sat down.

-----

"Theo, we're nearly at Rose Castle." Philia says as the pair of Theo and Philia approached Rose Castle.

"This is as far as I can go, I'll defend this area, hurry to the depths." Philia says as they see the cloud of green lightning beginning to form over head. "Go!"

"Alright!" Theo answered as he entered the Castle.

He pressed deeper and deeper into the castle, his goal to reach the depths. By the time he arrives at the heavy iron doors, he wonders how he can open them.

"This door... how can I open this door?" Theo wondered as he walked alongside the door.

Theo wondered for a minute but then his Crest began shining. It glowed bright and sparkled in hues of an unknown color. The Crest then lead the way for Theo and he arrived at a wall.

"So, it's beyond this wall..." Theo stated as he scanned the wall.

As he was examining the wall, a sudden earthquake causes him to worry what has taken place above ground.

'Sir Philia, has something happened?' He asked.

'The storm has begun to send down lightning... It seems to be striking the Rivers of Fleur.' Philia answered as he gazed at the sky. 'Please hurry, should this storm be allowed to progress, the Rivers may be destroyed completely.'

'I understand.' Theo answered and placed his hands on the wall.

With his hands on the wall, Theo wandered what he could do. As he kept placibg his hands on the wall, his Crest, the Crest on his hand shined and the wall began to glow. The glowing wall shined in a light of white and the Crest of Arata appeared on the wall.

Tentatively, Theo touched the wall and it opened. Having faith in Arata, Theo entered the door. Once he crossed the door, he found an altar of sorts.

"What is this place?" Theo asked as he wondered closer altar.

"Welcome, to the Sealing Slate. Come, Vassal of the Flower, what you seek is before." An unknown voice spoke. "Raise that which has been sealed and open the first of the bridges to the world."

Without hesitation, Theo walked closer to the altar and he saw Arata's crest on the slate. Then his Crest glowed in response to the Crest.

"So, I just need to touch this..." Theo states and when he touches the slate a river, in hues of gold shine beneath him. "So this is the River of Fluer."

Then, before him he seems a pillar, similar in shape to a blade, embedded into the Rivers of gold. Theo reaches his hand out to the pillar and it glows, then the blade begins to rise from the river and when it has been completely raised above the river, a bright light shines and the pillar crumbles to a gem that flies to Theo's hand.

On the surface, as Philia attempted his best to divert the lightning strikes away from the castle, he sees Rose Castle glow in a bright golden hue and sends up a tower of light to the sky, then above the castle materializes a giant pillar.

Theo reunites with Philia, a new trident in hand and smiles.

"I think our work here is done. Let's hurry back." Theo states.

But, before they could depart, a hooded figure stood before the two. On guard, Theo and Philia casually held their weapons.

"Greetings, oh Vassal of the Flower." The hoded figure greeted them. "Now then, shall we dance?"

Without warning, the hooded figure attacks Theo and Philia, Theo blocks the sword that attempts to decapitate him with his trident while Philia slashes the hooded figure who then backs away. Philia's attack manages to reveal the face of whoever it was that attacked them.

"My oh my, this could get interesting?" The hooded figure spoke, as the hood of his cloak began to fall to the ground to reveal his face.

It was a man, with black hair and even blacker eyes. The two had no idea who it was that stood before them but for some reason they understood immediately. That the man before them was dangerous.