The Opening Gateway  

The Rice Guru's focus was momentarily diverted from mending the fractured Cloud Stones. He felt a tremor ripple through the very foundation of the Rendil Temple. A guttural roar, primal and powerful, resounded from beyond the shattered walls, which jolted his straw-stuffed spine.

"What in the realms…?" He scurried towards a gaping hole in the chamber wall, peering out at the source of the commotion.

His jaw dropped, and his eyes widened to the size of saucers as he beheld a sight that defied comprehension. Towering over the temple's peak, its colossal form silhouetted against the azure sky, was a draconic behemoth of unimaginable proportions.

"By my Aunt Jasmine's prize-winning pumpkin... That must be..." He turned to the others, his straw hat askew and his leafy appendages trembling with trepidation.

"Everyone, look!"

Brokk, Plutak, Bishane, Lukio, and the other Aerithrans who were engaged in a heated battle against the Twin Rock Gator Titan Avatars, momentarily paused their struggle and directed their gazes towards the monstrous entity that had appeared outside.

"Holy shit..." Daichi exclaimed as he witnessed the draconic behemoth towering over the temple. "That's... that's gotta be a hundred meters tall!"

The Rock Gator Titan Avatars, Yamul and Hamal, also turned their heads to observe the colossal dragon.

"Kahless has truly outdone himself this time," said Yamul with a hint of respect.

"Indeed," Hamal agreed. "His Eden Ryuu Titan Avatar is a sight to behold."

Duke Theodore, perched upon his levitating ironwood throne, watched the spectacle with a smug grin spreading across his lips. "Hah! The old man is as good as dead now," he declared with a haughty laugh. "No matter how skilled he is with his stick, he will inevitably end up as… fertilizer for the earth."

He turned to the others and said, "Allow me to indulge you in a little tale about our esteemed Vice-Marshal Commander Kahless."

Despite the dangerous situation, Daichi's youthful curiosity was piqued. "A story? Now?" he asked incredulously.

The Duke ignored Daichi's interruption and continued, "Kahless rose through the ranks of the Dune Empire's elite military academy with astonishing speed. He was a prodigy, a natural-born warrior with an innate talent for TerraFlow Kana. He excelled in every aspect of combat training, surpassing his peers with his strength, his agility, and his unwavering determination."

He continued, "Kahless is a man of action, not words. He follows orders without question, completes his missions with ruthless efficiency, and shows no mercy to his enemies. He is a true warrior, a valuable asset to the Dune Empire."

He paused and added with a smirk, "He was even offered a promotion, a position as Marshal Commander with a number of five thousand troops under his command, but he refused. He said the responsibilities that came with the rank would limit his freedom, his ability to roam the kingdom as he pleased and seek out powerful criminals to crush and bury."

The Duke chuckled. "Kahless is a man of simple pleasures, you see. He enjoys the thrill of the hunt, the satisfaction of defeating his enemies, and the feeling of power that comes with wielding such a magnificent Titan Avatar."

He glanced at the towering dragon outside. "And let me tell you, he rarely summons his Titan. He says it's a waste of energy, a tool to be used only when necessary. But when he does summon it... it is only when he is truly entertained by his opponent, only when he faces a challenge worthy of his skill and power."

His gaze shifted back to Sorah who stood alone in the courtyard, facing the colossal dragon with his staff held firmly in his hands. "And it seems... the old man has sparked his curiosity."

With a dismissive wave of his hand, the Duke turned back to the battle within the temple. "Now, let the games continue," he finished with a bored yawn.

With their moment of distraction over, Hamal and Yamul resumed their assault on Brokk, Plutak, and the Aerithrans. They slammed their fists and tails against the earth barriers that they had erected, sending tremors through the chamber and showering them with debris.

Boom!

With its shape flickering and fading, Bishane's Wind Dragon found it difficult to compete with the combined strength of the Rock Gator Titan Avatars. Despite their strength, its elemental teeth and claws were unable to pierce through the strengthened metallic hides of the Titan Avatars.

"We can't hold them much longer!" Bishane cried out, strained with exertion. "We need... we need more power!"

Lukio agreed. "We're running out of Aether Steam. We can't maintain our attacks."

…

"How much longer is this going to take, Rice Guru?" Daichi asked impatiently, climbing onto the platform and approaching the wizened figure who was hunched over the scattered Cloud Stones. "Master Sorah is out there fighting for our lives, and we're stuck here, waiting for this stupid portal to open!"

The Rice Guru ignored Daichi's outburst and continued his work. With nimble fingers, he arranged the Cloud Stones in their designated positions. They matched the elemental symbols engraved on the platform, and started to glow.

Anya, who was being held protectively in the arms of Boolan - a kind, elderly Aerithran woman with a gentle smile and a soothing tone - pointed towards the centre of the platform. "Look, Nana Boolan! The portal... it's coming back!"

Boolan followed Anya's gaze and saw a small, swirling vortex of light forming before the Rice Guru. It was faint and flickering, but it was there, a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness.

"Yes, little one," Boolan whispered. "It's coming back. We'll be with your mama soon."

She climbed onto the platform and approached the Rice Guru cautiously. "Master Rice Guru," she said respectfully, "How much longer until the portal is fully operational?"

The Rice Guru glanced up at her. "Three more minutes, my dear. Three more minutes, and we'll be on our way home."

He paused and added with a note of caution, "But we must be careful. We cannot allow anything to disrupt the portal this time. The energies are delicate, and any interference could cause it to collapse again."

…

"Hmm?" Duke Theodore, who had been observing the Rice Guru's work with a bored expression, suddenly sat up straight in surprise. "What's that?" he pointed towards the swirling vortex of light.

He rose from his ironwood throne with his Aether Pistol held firmly in his hand and aimed the weapon at the portal.

"I will not allow you to escape. You will all perish here, in this dusty ruin." he declared with cold and calculating attitude before he squeezed the trigger and unleashed a burst of emerald energy that shot towards the portal like a comet.

Boom!

"No!" Lukio who had been watching the Duke with a wary eye, swooped down from the ceiling. Her ZenFlow Kana surged as she conjured a powerful gust of wind that intercepted the energy blast and deflected it harmlessly towards the wall.

"Protect the portal!" she yelled to the Terravoltians. "Don't let that madman destroy it!"

Brokk and Plutak, momentarily forgetting their battle with the Titan Avatars, turned and rushed towards the platform. They slammed their fists against the ground, unleashing a torrent of TerraFlow Kana that rose up and formed a thick wall of rock and earth before the portal.

Rumble!

But the wall was no match for the Titan Avatars' power.

"Destroy that portal right now!" shouted Duke Theodore.

Yamul and Hamal, enraged by the Duke's command and their own bruised egos, turned their attention to the portal.

"Destroy it!" Hamal was charging forward with his claws extended.

"Leave nothing but rubble!" Yamul added, swinging his tail like a whip.

Boom! Boom!

With great ease, the Titan Avatars broke through the earthen wall and swept down onto the platform, where the others, including the Rice Guru, were standing helpless.

"This is it, we're doomed."

Despair washed over the Aerithrans. They had come so close to freedom, only to be thwarted at the last moment.

'Is this how it ends?'

"I will not allow it!"