Chapter 243, Leon's Key

"Lady Angelica, we've arrived." Story says as the group arrived at Tetra-Topia.

Specifically, the area near Daisy Castle. Story stood alongside Arc, Claire and Therese. They all saw the lightning beginning to overspread the skies so Story suggested that Angelica entered the Castle while the four of them redirected the storm away from the surrounding town and the castle.

"Very well, please be careful everyone." Angelica stated and they nodded.

Angelica entered the depths of the Castel, she was fast paced and moving urgently. Hoping that she could finish her task here quickly to return to Argent's side. Angelica looked around her as she descended the last step. She ends up seeing Argent's Crest on the wall and approaches it without second thought, and as the wall glowed bright, it teleported her to the Sealing Slate. Angelica looked around before she saw the white expanse before her and the stone pillar embedded into the rivers of light before her.

"What is this place?" Angelica asked as she was in surprise of the sheer beauty of the sight before her.

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

Angelica stepped closer to the slate before her, tentatively she placed her hand on the slate and the slate grlowed bright, the pillar in resonance shined brightly as well before rising from the river and allowing them to flow once more. The rivers, now flowing, shine brightly and the pillar crumbles in response. A crystal, the only remains of the pillar fly towards Angelica and shine brightly before becoming a mirror. With a cautious touch, the mirror shines and Angelica is teleported back to the real world.

A strong quake above the surface causes Angelica to return to reality and she begins to run up the stairs back to the surface. As she does, she senses an ominous aura above the surface, Story, Claire and Therese are fighting against it and she worries that she might also need to fight.

When she exits the Castle, she just has enough time to witness the glowing light desperate form the Castle exterior and the pillar materialize over head before a blast of unknown energy sends her flying back.

"What happened?!" She exclaimed as she raised her mirror.

"Forgive us, we were caught off guard as we were redirecting the thunderstorm." Story stated.

"A greetings to you, Children of Felicia, Vassal of the Flower." A black haired, red eyes woman in black smiled upon them. She raises her hand and a black orb of energy focuses to her hand. "Now then, farewell!"

-----

As Leon was waiting for any signs of change when the world around him suddenly turns bright and around him one by one, eight pillars began to emerge.

"Unrestrained the rivers flow once more. Before the Land the Borders All, the last pillar sleeps." The voice spoke and then before Leon a slate appeared and over him, a floating pillar. "Come oh Brave, the moment of union is upon you."

Leon began to walk forward, moving closer to the Slate and when he stands at the very center a ring of light surrounded him. Then, one by one, the pillars began to move closer and form a circle around him. When the pillars touch the ground, the ground around Leon began to glow and the light began to branch out forming eight petals. The outline of Arata's Crest on the ground. Then, on the slate, Arata's Crest emerged, with the eight petals rising and becoming smaller pillars.

"It is time. Open the long sealed door, oh ye who bears the Blessings of the Flower." The voice echoed and then before him a door appeared.

Leon places his hands on the slate, which then glows and then the door before him glows brightly and before Leon a crystal emerged. Leon takes the crystal and the Crystal becomes a key, Leon holds the key and holds the crystal before the gate.

"I, Vassal Brave of the Key and Vassal to the Sacred Flower now order you, by the power of the Sacred Flower gifted to me, open the long sealed gates, break the iron lock and link all once more, revealing the path for all creation! Path of Fate!" The key before Leon grows in size and he holds it before the door before turning it and the door opens.

When it does, a light spreads from the door and a river of golden hue flows out. The eight pillars around him glow and they send out pillars of light, then the last pillar, the one that floated above him shines and released a tower of light to the skies. In resonance, the eight pillars that were floating above the castles shined and released pillars of light to the skies, driving back the storms.

As the lights began to stabilize, Leon witnesses a vision show to him by the pillars. The eight other Vassal Braves, and the Guardians are faced by an overwhelming enemy.

"Theo! Lia! What is this?!" He exclaimed as he witnessed the scene before him.

"They are facing the Harbingers, the Children of the Storm of Catastrophe." The voice answered.

"What? How do I help them?!" Leon exclaimed.

The voice stayed silent, Leon was helpless, he watched as the battle unfolded before him. He hated his powerlessness, wishing there was something he could do.

"This is the end, Vassal of the Flower." The figures stated as they prepared to deal the finishing blow to Theo and the others. "Farewell."

"Everyone!!" Leon could only watch.

"Not so fast!!" Voice shouted and lights engulfed the badly injured groups across the worlds.

"What?!" Frajil exclaimed as he witnessed the light engulfs and hela the wounds of the group before him.

"Yo, it's been a while, Harbingers of Catastrophe!" Figures began to appear before the figures.

"Who...?" A teary-eyed Leon asked as he saw the figures began to come into view.

"Hehe. You think we'd let you harm the people Arata loves? You're dreaming!" The figure before Theo stated. "We defeated you once and we'll defeat you again."

The light that engulfed each figure dispersed and they revealed their true appearance. It was Ragel and the other Chimeras Arata had purified.

"From here on out, the Ancients will join the fray!" He announced as the other Ancients revealed themselves before the other Braves.