An Epic Bloom (1)

Nebula and I made it back to the castle and Nebula shapeshifted into her human form so she could enter the castle as well. I noticed Oria and Rosea run to me and I crouched down to them. I smiled and rubbed their heads as they greeted me.

"My little flowers, where is Edea?" I asked and looked at them.

"Mom is in the meeting room with the other nobles. She is finding solutions to the conflict that has been going on in the recent days. Apparently some guy named Alastor is sending his forces to Uthea to obtain Crests from Queens and Legendary Beasts. Do you know who Alastor is?" Rosea asked.

"Used to know him. Now I can barely figure him out anymore." I stood up and looked at Nebula. "You girls can play with Nebula, I will try to help your mother with her work."

"Okay!" Both of my daughters said then looked at Nebula. Nebula walked to the indoor garden and both of them followed then watched her revert back to her horse form in awe.

I walked to the meeting room and heard a bit of groaning coming from inside. I hurried in the meeting room and noticed Edea and her knights were bound in wooden chains. I hurried to Edea and she looked at me. "Edea, who did this? Where are they?"

"My love, they took my Crest! Alastor's men! They are outside the castle! They are going into the Sacred Forest to search for Therris. Please stop them! If they awaken her while she's slumbering, it could be detrimental for the kingdom!" Edea said and grunted, trying to escape.

"I am not leaving you and your knights like this." I said then my Crest of Blaze shined and I released a fireball from my hands to the wooden chains, burning them off Edea and her knights.

We heard an explosion happening from the indoor garden and heard Essu howling, and Oria and Rosea screaming. We hurried out of the meeting room then ran to the indoor garden. I noticed Alastor holding Oria and Rosea in chains and had Nebula and Therese captured. I glared and my eyes shined.

"Dad!" Oria cried out.

"Please help us, Daddy!" Rosea cried.

"Alastor! Let them go now!" I bellowed.

"I'll let them go...if you hand over that Crest of Arcane. I have wasted five years trying to get that Crest. I will not waste another on it." Alastor said then tightened the aura rope's grip on Rosea and Oria. "Don't you want to save your daughters? Don't you want them back in your arms?! Give that Crest to me and I will let them go!"

"Dad!" Oria screamed in pain and cried.

I felt my heart thump hard against my chest and gripped my chest. "I won't say it again! Let them go right now, Alastor!!"

"Hmph...Seems like you just won't comply with simple orders. I will just break you." Alastor smirked and tightened the grip even more on Oria and Rosea.

"Alastor!" Arcane spoke. "You are making a massive mistake."

Alastor looked a bit surprised hearing Arcane's voice. The grip on the girls loosened and everyone looked at me.

"You killed my last vessel just to take me away and forced communications to cease between me and Ryoma. Now you are harming his family? Unforgivable and because of that, I will make you suffer.." Arcane said then I transformed into my Divine Form and my aura surged powerfully.

Edea looked at me in fear, sensing my near godlike power. "Ryoma.."

Alastor laughed and looked at me then released everyone then exposed his new Crest. He transformed into a Legendary Form that only the old Emperor of Yascea had. "You think you are the only one with a form that rivals that of a Legendary Beast? Ryoma, you should know that I am always ten steps ahead of you! Now that Arcane has really shown himself, I can just rip him straight from your body!"

I looked at Alastor and glared. I summoned my sword and it transformed into Divine Trinity. "I'll make you pay for that.." I said seriously then my Eye of Arcane shined.

I dashed towards Arcane and bellowed then slashed and he blocked the attack and grunted when he was blown back. I flew after him and roared then slashed upwards at him. He blocked the attack once more and grunted as he was blown back once again. Each swing was full of anger and hatred. Full of resentment for Alastor, full of my desire to kill Alastor.

"You hurt my children! Therese and Nebula! You hurt my wife and took her Crest! I will destroy you Alastor! You took away my family!" I roared and slashed once again then hit him and he was sent crashing through the window and rolled outside.

He grunted and rebounded off the ground then dodged my kick. "What the hell..? My Legendary Form isn't a match for him...Arcane is just that powerful..?"

I looked back at Alastor and got in my Yeshan Stance then tapped my pinkie finger against the handle of my sword. Alastor was hit by an invisible slash and groaned. He looked around then noticed my Phantom and I hit my pinkie finger against the handle once more and my Phantom slashed at him. He tried to block it, but the attack went straight through his defenses and hit him. Alastor groaned loudly then was blasted away by divine energy beam. He crashed through multiple trees and I walked towards him as lightning crackled around my body.

"Sister...I need water...Alastor dried my roots and..." Therese coughed and panted.

Edea hurried to the watering can and looked inside of it. She noticed it was empty and knew Therese didn't have enough time to stay alive before she died of dehydration. Edea desperately searched for a solution until Nebula neighed and the Crest of Rayne shined then a rain cloud was summoned over Therese and began to water Therese. Therese opened her eyes and sighed happily. Nebula looked at Edea then snorted. Edea looked at Nebula then nodded.

I dodged every attack from Alastor then kicked him away. Alastor slid and stumbled backwards and panted. He held his arm and glared. I looked at him and dashed to him then went for a slash. I was blocked by a sword and the sword shattered, but gave Alastor enough time to move out of the way. A woman appeared in front of Alastor and smirked. She had long wavy blonde hair and wore a spiked black crown over her head. She had on a black battledress, white stockings and black armored boots. Her eyes shined red and her black and red aura flowed around her body.

"You actually came, Shina.." Alastor said then smiled as he stood up.

"Unlike your ex-wife, I actually know how to fight and support my beloved. Now, let us deal with this nuisance together." Shina smirked.

"Ryoma...you only have two minutes left in this form." Arcane said.

"Two minutes...is all I need." I said then got in the Dagrax Stance then my eyes shined.

Shina and Alastor dashed to me and I raised my sword to the sky and it shined brightly. I bellowed and slashed in a circle. Shina's body turned into a Phantom body then she interrupted my attack by punching my face. I grunted then Alastor kicked me away. I slid back then panted slightly. I looked up then dodged Shina's attack, but was too slow to dodge Alastor's slash. He hit me and I groaned then was sent flying in the air. I grunted then my Crest of Asena shined and Asena appeared from the pond beside us then screeched and paralyzed Alastor and Shina for a few seconds. I landed on the ground and panted.

"One minute left!" Arcane said.

I glared then dashed forward and my sword shined. Nebula neighed loudly and galloped forward with Edea riding on her back. She galloped past me then Edea slashed and knocked both Arcane and Shina in the air. Nebula neighed and blasted them with a powerful beam of destruction. They groaned and began to fall to the ground. I bellowed and spun around then jumped up.

"The End." I said then slashed at them, releasing a powerful cutting wave at the two and the cutting wave exploded.

The two groaned loudly and landed on the ground. Shina and Alastor panted then slowly sat up. I grunted and fell on one knee then panted softly, reverting to my normal form. Nebula and Edea came to my side then looked at Alastor and Shina. Alastor chuckled and stood up.

"You may have thought you've won...but you still have Therris to worry about!" Alastor laughed. He helped Shina up then they disappeared into a dark portal.

Therris roared and we all felt her anger from being awoken from her slumber. I closed my eyes and coughed a bit.

"I don't have the strength to calm her down right now." I said.

"But you are our hope! None of us are as strong as her! We need you!" Edea said worried.

I stood up slowly and grunted then chuckled and smiled at Edea. "I know...I guess, I've got to ask for help just this once from...her..."

I summoned Manami's Crest and looked at it then it glowed slightly. I closed my eyes and the Crest shined and responded to me, replenishing my energy completely. Manami's song echoed in my head then I opened my eyes. Therris flew to the sky and I looked up and noticed her. Edea and Nebula also looked up and noticed her. I transformed into my Emperor's Form then flew to the sky, ready to take on Therris while Arcane recharged and recovered as well.