"In the clash of The Monarch Successors, Ashborn, The First Shadow Monarch and Aurora, The Witch of Calamity have finally returned."
Baran: This is impossible!
Ashborn: What's the matter, Baran? You don't look so happy to see me after several millenniums. I thought you were here to seek me out.
Baran: You heard everything?
Ashborn: Yes, my successor and I are directly connected. Therefore, I can see what he sees through his very eyes.
Ashborn: However, I am very curious on how you're still alive. And how you managed to obtain a successor of your own. Care to explain?
Baran: Silence! I don't have to take orders from you! Norn, destroy them now!
Norn charged his fists with white fire.
Norn: So you're Ashborn, huh?! I've been wanting to fight you for a long time! Show me what you got!
Before Norn could attack, he was stabbed in the chest by a spear.
Norn: Gck!! What the hell?!
Aurora: Sorry...
Aurora: But that was very rude of you, we're trying to have a reunion, please stay where you are...
Ashborn: You have my thanks, Comrade Aurora.
Aurora: Anytime, my friend.
Eclipse: Aurora, it's good to see you. But where have you been? I haven't heard anything from you for the last 4 days.
Aurora: Sorry about that, honey. Originally, I was just taking a little rest in your conscience, but Ashborn discovered me.
Ashborn: In my slumber, I sensed an anomoly within your body. Once I discovered her, I was going to expel her spirit. Aurora stated that she knew you and I decided to hear her out.
Aurora: So we spent the last few days explaining things to each other and he decided to accept me as a comrade.
Eclipse: I see, I'm glad you two managed to see eye to eye. But maybe next time, you should tell me before you go and vanish like that.
Eclipse: You had me worried for days.
Aurora giggled.
Aurora: So you really did miss me, hun?
Eclipse: Well, yeah...
Aurora: It's fine, I missed you too.
Ashborn: As nice as this reunion of ours has been, I believe it's time we get back to business. Baran and his successors disturbance is what has awoken me from my slumber.
Ashborn: And I want to know why.
(Timeskip)
Back to Norn, he finally removed the spear from his chest.
Norn: Damn, that bitch hit me before I even realized it!
Baran: That doesn't matter! We need to destroy them now! So, get up and attack!
Norn: Right. But before we continue...I need to know something, Baran...
Baran: What is it?!
Norn: You told me Ashborn killed you and destroyed your physical body in battle...but you never told me why...Tell me...
Norn: Why did Ashborn kill you?
Baran: "....."
Baran was silent when he heard his successor's question as his memory of his last fight with Ashborn came into his thoughts.
(Flashback)
"Tell me, Baran..."
"Why have you all betrayed me?"
(End of Flashback)
Norn: Baran...?
Baran: It's unimportant for you to know why. All you should concern yourself with is winning this battle and killing Ashborn. Isn't that the very reason why you wanted my power? To best those who consider you below them?
Norn: Yes...
Baran: Then stop focusing on irrelevant matters and fight!
Ashborn: If I were you, Baran. Then I'd stop hiding secrets from your successor...
Kagari, Ashborn, and Aurora arrive to see Norn and Baran were getting up to continue the fight.
Ashborn: You've been hindering him after all..
Baran: Don't listen to him! Norn, it's now time to fulfill the deal you've made with me all those years ago. Kill Ashborn and his successor!!
Norn began to charge up his power, making the ground shake.
Norn: I killed many people in my life...I don't care if their weak or strong...any one who thinks they can beat me...
Norn: THEY WILL ALL DIE BEFORE ME!!
In his rage, Baran's flames consumed Norn's entire body. The Monarch of White Flames face can be seen in the fire as his successor began his transformation as they watched.
Aurora: His power is overwhelming. So this is the power of one of the 9 Monarchs.
Norn: I sacrificed everything! My home, my father, even my friends and family, to get where I am today! I achieved the power of gods, and with it, I'll turn everything weak in this world into dust!
Ashborn: Kagari...
Eclipse: Yes, Ashborn?
Ashborn: Baran has manipulated his successor's will to his advantage. Turning him into a vengeful being disgusted by weakness.
Ashborn: At your current strength, you can defeat him. However...
Eclipse: Yes, I'm listening.
Ashborn: In his spiritual state, to kill Baran you will have to take the life of his successor as well..
Eclipse: Which means I...
Ashborn: Yes....
Ashborn: It's time for you to stop holding back.
As the flames began to disperse, Norn can be seen standing in the center, with a different and more demonic appearance.
His skin color was changed to a deep black with red crack marks all over his body. His long silver hair was now shortened along with two bright red demon horns that have emerged out of his head. Finally, his bright scarlet red eyes have become darker with his scleras going from white to black.
This is Norn's Demonized Form.
Norn: This is my true form, the result of the power Baran bestowed upon me...
Norn: I feel...like a God. All of the strength coursing through my veins. I can do anything with this power!
Baran: Yes, your transformation was a success! Now, destroy the two Shadow Monarchs!
Norn gazes at Kagari and in a flash, he was already behind him with a closed fist, aiming to destroy his head.
At the last second, Kagari ducked under his punch. He was going to counterattack but Norn was ready for another attack, as he had a large fire ball in his hand.
Aurora: Hold on!
In response, Aurora used her blood and weapon creation magic to shapeshirt blood weapons and launched them at Norn, getting his attention.
Norn: You again....so annoying.
Norn: Wait, now that I have a good look at your face, I know who you are...
Norn: Aurora, The Witch of Calamity.
Aurora: Y-You know about me?
Norn: Yes, the legendary witch that nearly destroyed the world thousands of years ago.
Norn: I'll kill you soon, Shadow Monarch....I just had a thought...
Norn: If a rumor were to spread that I was the one who managed to kill The Witch of Calamity who almost destroyed the planet....how far would my name spread around the world...?
Norn made an evil smile.
Norn: Let's find out, shall we...?
In a split second, Norn was now above Aurora with a fireball in his fist that could turn her entire body into ashes.
Kagari: Heh, you fell for it.
In a flash, Kagari appeared right infront of Aurora and blocked Norn's firefist with his arm before grabbing it and holding him in place.
Eclipse: Aurora, now!!
Aurora smiled.
Aurora: See, this is why I love having a brave knight to protect me.
Using her magic, Aurora created a magical scythe in her hands.
Despite her lack of physical strength, she managed to cut off Norn's left arm with one good slice. Now missing an arm, Norn jumped back away from Kagari and Aurora as he look at his severed limb.
Eclipse: Nice teamwork, Aurora.
Aurora: Anytime, hun.
Norn: So, you planned for me to attack her instead of you. Well played, Shadow Monarch.
Baran: That wouldn't have happen if you weren't playing with your food! Hurry and destroy them!
Norn: Ugh. Is that all you're good for, just barking orders at me? I'm not just your mindless puppet, so stop treating me like one!
Baran: Silence, Boy! If it wasn't your your childish antics, we would've won by now!
Norn: And if it wasn't for your constant yelling, I would be busy having my fun! How about you shut up for once!
Kagari's Thoughts: (That's it, despite the fact that Norn is Baran's successor, it doesn't change the fact that they don't have a proper balance with each other...)
Kagari's Thoughts: (I'll use it to may advantage, and that's how we win...)
Eclipse: Aurora, we're going to win.
Aurora: Really, how can you be so sure?
Eclipse: Trust me.
Baran: How dare you address me in such tones, mortal?!
Norn: Last time I checked, I was the one fighting while you were doing some pathetic excuse of backseat coaching!
Norn: If this is how you act, no wonder you were killed by Ashborn!
Baran: *Growls* You ungrateful brat! Do you realize that without me, you'd be nothing but a weak elf on the day I met you!
Norn: You met me in spirit because you were too weak to save your physical form!
???: Excuse me, but...
Norn turned around only to recieve a punch in the face from Kagari, sending them flying into a nearby heap of massive boulders.
Eclipse: Would you two shut the hell up!
In the rumble, Norn emerged from the rocks.
Norn: Ugh, we're wasting time fighting each other....shouldn't we be focusing on killing this guy?
Baran: Very well, we will settle this dispute later.
Planning to continue, Kagari walked towards Norn.
Eclipse: Now that your senseless bickering is finally over, we can get back to our battle. But before that...
Kagari smiled and began clapping his hands in applause.
Eclipse: I have to give credit where credit is due. This "Monarch Transformation" of yours is a very fascinating technique.
Baran: Tch, flattery will not be enough to save your life, mortal.
Eclipse: I know. But I must say, for an arrogant psychopath, you've come quite far. Taking the Midgar Kingdom hostage, defeating Iris Midgar with one strike, and becoming the successor of a Monarch. All to find me. Out of respect, I do commend your efforts.
Just then, Eclipse stopped smiling as his dark aura began to emit from his body, causing sweat to drop from Norn's face.
Eclipse: It is a shame that all of your hard work will come to an abrupt end...
Norn's Thoughts: (What is this..? Why do I feel so....afraid...?)
Norn: Are you going to keep talking or are you--
Before Norn could even finish his sentence, Eclipse was already infront of him in less than a second with 2 of his fingers holding up his chin.
Eclipse: You see, Norn. We are the successors of two ancient Monarchs, but despite your overwhelming power, there is a key difference between the two of us...
Instead of attacking him, Norn decided to back away from Eclipse instead.
Baran: How did he get past our guard so easily?!
Norn: I don't know. Something about him doesn't feel right...
Baran: Finish him! Finish him now!!
Heeding Baran's advice, Norn began to charge at Eclipse, punching him away and trying to break his guard. But there was a problem...
Eclipse wasn't trying to stop him like he did before. As he opened his eyes, Norn sensed something from him and backed away again.
Baran: What?! Why did you stop?!
Norn: I sensed something...
Eclipse merely wiped the dirt from his clothes before he walked back and stood in front of Norn once more.
Ashborn: It is time, my successor...
Eclipse: Now then, I believe it's time for Ashborn and I to show you our true difference in power.
Norn/Baran: WHAT?!!
Eclipse's power began to charge up again, but this time it was so powerful, it caused the ground to shake uncontrollably and the color in the sky changed from grey to purple.
It could be felt even in the Midgar Kingdom, as Shadow and the others were still fighting The Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon.
Aurora: How could one person have so much power?
As he stood infront of him,, Norn felt the quick increase in Eclipse's power and how quickly it surpassed his own. He began to feel something else, and emotion he thought he would never feel in his life....fear.
Once the successor of The Shadow Monarch reached his full power, Eclipse's dark aura exploded, extending it high in the sky to the clouds above him.
Norn had to stand his ground before he was blown away by the wave of his magical energy.
Norn: He's changed...
???: Norn Gazarre, you have shown me the power of The Monarch of White Flames....
???: But now...
"Allow me to show you the power of The New Shadow Monarch.."