Discord
Reading Brave Dragon provided me with such great inspiration. I was working on a book truly terrifying when Mangel barged in shouting, "Mane was no fun at all! Discord, you got something interesting I can work on?"
"I do have something fun in mind, but not for you. For Vanity. Your piranhas have started to bore me."
Vanity pulled out a Nightmare Book and summoned a Gorgon. Her snake hair looked so beautiful. I was a bit jealous.
"Let's write a beautiful tragedy." I said, "The story of the end of Earth as we know it."
Mark
"How'd it go with the research, nerd?" Manon asked when she and Aura came back.
"Great! I'm on my way to Avalon, now." I told her.
She got nervous, "What time exactly did you figure it out?"
"I think it was...around six, why?"
"Fuck! It was 6:10 when I beat that Fearbeast! Don't say anything else, just take this back!"
Manon threw the Brave Dragon book to me.
"It's good that you got your book back, but y'know I'm still going with you, right?" Evander asked me.
"I get it. Time traveling is pretty cool!"
"And dangerous. Hence why I'm coming with you."
"The nerd gets to go time traveling! No fair!" Manon stormed off.
Then, Rowan walked into the base looking pretty beaten up.
"Rowan, what happened to you?" asked Aura, rushing over to him.
"I'm fine." he insisted, "Or at least I will be. Once I can use these."
He held out the Peter Pan book and another one I hadn't seen yet...Heavenly Pegasus. He walked towards the Black Chamber.
"Time passes differently in the Black Chamber." Evander explained, "Being in there for too long puts a lot of strain on the body, but if you survive, you'll for sure be stronger for it. I just hope the boy doesn't push himself too far."
"With each generation, the kids seem to get more and more reckless." sighed Ramon, "We might end up looking for a new Mane soon."
He didn't seem to have much faith in us. I couldn't help but wonder why Rowan would go to such extremes to become stronger...and why he wouldn't talk to his best friends about it.
Rowan
I trained for so long, I could barely keep standing. While struggled to get back on my feet, I remembered the first time I tried to use two books.
Rowan (age 13)
I was in the infirmary and woke up Lady Nessa scolding me, "Rowan what were you thinking?! You're nowhere near ready for the strain of two volumes!"
"If I don't push myself...how will I ever be as strong as you?"
"It takes discipline, which you do have...but also patience. There's no need for you to rush this. In time, you'll get there and I'll be with you every step of the way. Remember you're supposed to be the next Mane after me. I can't have you killing yourself before that, silly."
She ruffled my hair, something she did quite often.
Rowan
I managed to get back up on my feet. Even if she was dead, Lady Nessa and all the Manes before us were still with us. Coreiseuse connected us all.
"Keeping watching over me, Lady Nessa. I'll reach volume three just like you!"
Mark
"Here we are! Britain! I wish we had time to see the sites." I said after we passed through Book Gate.
I'd summoned the dragon from Brave Dragon and we flew all over Britain on it. When we came closer to the place for the rift, Caliburn glowed brighter and brighter.
When we descended onto that hill, we were hit by a purple dragon.
Shadow was here. We then heard Evil Dragon read aloud, "There was once a dragon whose evil would envelop the world in darkness...With Galantine the Sword of Darkness, Kamen Rider Shadow will expunge the blinding lights and replace them with cold darkness."
We then saw Shadow heading towards us.
"Leave this to me, kid!" said Evander, placing Black Tortoise onto Giant Killer, "Go on ahead and open the rift!"
As Evander transformed and held off Shadow, I transformed and performed the sword technique needed to open the rift. I ended it by striking the stone on the ground with Caliburn, causing a rift to open in the ground.
I jumped through and couldn't believe where I was...right outside the kingdom of Avalon!
I'd watched a bunch of anime with medieval settings and I couldn't believe how spot-on they were. As I walked through the kingdom, I got a lot of stares and people whispered. One man approached me, "Sir, I have never witnessed armor like yours before. You are a knight, yes?"
"Yes, my name is...Wonder. I came from a distant land after many years of honing my skill with the blade. I search for a beautiful kingdom that I'd be willing to give my life to protect."
He smiled, "Well, I do sense purity in your heart. The light far exceeds the darkness in you. I welcome you to Avalon. My name is Abner, a knight serving the King of Avalon and head of the Knights of Avalon. We would be glad to have you aboard. Allow me to take you to the king."
I soon found myself at the castle of Avalon talking with the king. I kept my armor on. I wasn't sure how welcoming people from medieval times would be if they saw what I looked like.
"Sir Wonder, it's an honor to have you in our kingdom." said King Archer, "Your tale of fighting a knight in purple armor was most exciting."
"I also came to warn you...that knight is still alive and coming here to take the great power that protects Avalon."
"Do you mean...Excalibur?" asked Abner, clutching the aforementioned sword.
"Shadow did not specify what the power was. What power does Excalibur have?" I asked.
"Excalibur is known as a Sacred Blade. It was forged alongside another Sacred Blade, Galantine. The two represent light and darkness, neither able to exist without the other."
"Why do you wield Excalibur and not the king?"
"The Sacred Blades alone decided who will wield it. For reasons I have yet to understand, Excalibur chose me."
"I won't let Shadow take Excalibur from you."
"Thank you, Sir Wonder."
There was an explosion on the other side of the castle. We rushed over to the library. There was Shadow, standing there menacingly.
"King of Avalon, hand me the power I seek." Shadow demanded.
"You will never have Excalibur!" insisted Abner.
To my surprise, he pulled out a Ride Book, The Honest Woodcutter, and placed it in Excalibur.
"Gold or silver? Why not both?!" announced the book.
"Turn the page!"
However, instead of turning into a Rider, Abner became Excalibur, with the sword now shining with more vibrant colors.
"The Sacred Blade Excalibur shines gold and silver as it protects the world!" announced The Honest Woodcutter.
"Sir Wonder, wield me!" ordered Abner.
"So this is how you fight?! So cool!" I said as I picked up Abner. Wielding him and Abner gave me an advantage against Shadow. However, the villain laughed.
"Impressive, but this is not the power I was looking for. I am looking for his power!"
Shadow pointed at King Archer.
"How do you know about it?" demanded Archer, "No one should know it exists."
"Do not worry about that. Hand it over and I will spare the kingdom."
"Do not hand this villain anything!" I told the king, "Light Strong Dragon Breaker Slash!"
Abner and I dealt Shadow a double-cross slash attack enhanced by red flames and gold light.
"Not bad!" said Shadow, "But while we're doing this little dance, your friends are dealing with the toughest Fearbeasts we've summoned yet! Is getting the book before me that important?"
"They can manage without me. What matters now is protecting Avalon from you!"
A Rider Kick sent Shadow flying far away from the castle. The king reached into his pocket and handed me a book, "Here, take this!"
It was a Ride Book titled, King Arthur. This was what Shadow wanted. "Take it and hurry before Shadow returns! I'm not a warrior like Abner...but you are. It will be safe with you."
Abner turned human again, "If that is as the king wishes, I will not protest."
"Don't worry, I'll make sure Shadow never comes back here!"
I summoned my dragon and rode it away from Avalon. Sure enough, Shadow didn't miss the dragon in the sky. I was soon dodging energy slashes as I rode up to the rift with Shadow on my tail.
On the other side, I met back up with Evander, still recovering from fighting Shadow.
"I've got it, captain! Let's go!"
By the time Shadow got through the rift, we'd warped out of there.
Mary
I'd just gotten off work when I heard a voice call out to me.
"Are you leaving the place already? I was hoping we'd catch up over dinner."
I turned around and saw someone I hadn't seen in years.
"Aura, is that you?"
When she nodded, I ran over and hugged her, "Oh my God! It's been forever! I missed you so much."
"I missed you too, Marbles!"
We didn't get much time to catch up. We heard someone cry out, "No, stay away! Somebody-"
Aura and saw these statues of people all over. There was a Fearbeast with Snake hair...the Gorgon Fearbeast.
"Stay back, Mary!"
Aurelia pulled out a sword and transformed into a Kamen Rider.
"Aura, you're a knight, too?!"
"Yep. Kamen Rider Djinn! And there's Cyclone!"
The green Rider rushed over to Aura with a frontflip, "Let's get it, Aurelia! This freak's going down!"
As they charged at the Gorgon, Cyclone got shoved by Mangel.
"You're gonna pay for that!" swore Cyclone.
"Looks you ladies are having fun." called a red-haired man atop a building, "Mind if I drop in?"
He transformed into a dragon-like Fearbeast. Aura fought him while Cyclone fought Mangel. Cyclone was good, but not good enough.
Then Mangel slowly approached me, "Maybe if I devour you, it'll push Mane to give me a real workout!"
Mangel threw me into the air and opened his jaw ready to catch me in his mouth. I closed my eyes, prepared to become food. I thought I could prove my strength to my brother...maybe even become a knight myself. Guess that was stupid.
I opened my eyes to find myself in Kamen Rider Mane's arms.
"Sorry I'm late, Marbles."
"Better late than ever."
"You wanted a workout, Mangel?! Be careful what you wish for!"
Rowan pulled out two books, Peter Pan and Heavenly Pegasus. He was gonna use three volumes?
"Once upon a time, a winged horse descended from the heavens and lent its great power to the cause of justice!" read Heavenly Pegasus.
"Turn the page!"
Rowan changed into this new form with a hook and pegasus-themed shoulder armor.
"Three volumes! Kamen Rider Mane Final Volume soars through the cosmos and descends on evil with its azure blade at the ready!" finished Heavenly Pegasus.
Rowan and Mangel were on the same level now. Rowan was easily able to knock him back and then move on to the Gorgon Fearbeast.
"Hydro Vortex!"
Rowan summoned a whirlpool of water that lifted the Gorgon Fearbeast. Rowan then levitated before sending a slash to the enemy, thus destroying her in a water explosion.
The stone people returned to normal.
I ran over and hugged Rowan after he changed back, "Row-Row! That was awesome!"
Unfortunately, Mangel and the other guy were gone. But I decided not to point that out and let Rowan enjoy his accomplishment. I knew he would avenge his mentor.