Narina coughed.. shifting in and out of consciousness.. her bones were on fire.. the injuries dealt by Ozone's light blows alone.. how could something so powerful exist? Something that equaled Chasm in power..
Her vision went red.. as she saw blurred images of a girl crying out..
"hold on Narina!! just hold on a little more!"
"UUUUUUUGGGHHH!!! RRRRRAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!" Narina screamed, her teeth turning into fangs and her eyes turning into their yellow dragon versions as she felt immense pain... her dragon blood burning within her.
Her fingers sharpened into claws for just a moment.. clawing at at the soft bed she lay upon..
She thrashed around, screaming, electricity rippling from her as she felt several individuals hold her down..
Suddenly, she saw something much stronger than the others... something that looked familiar, pin her down...
"Calm down.." Valerie whispered calmly. "bear through it... please.."
"Uuuhh.. urr.."
Narina felt Valerie's hand clasp itself around hers. And somehow.. Narina was able to slow her breathing.. sweat pouring down her face..
Suddenly.. she felt a sheering pain go across her back.. and the image of a hulking armored figure entered her mind's eye..
"Surrender.. let the darkness fill you.." whispered the knight.
Narina's mouth opened in a horrified scream. She knew this knight.. when she was a small boy. he had seen this thing in his deepest nightmares.. watched as it tortured the deepest corners of his mind..
"MAKE IT STOP!!" Narina screamed, thrashing back and forth. "MAKE IT STOP!!! MAKE HIM GO AWAY!!!!"
"NARINA!!" Sandy's voice roared. "IF YOU KEEP MOVING LIKE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BREAK YOUR OWN SPINE!!!"
Narina couldn't register what she heard.. the dark knight was wrapping it's metal fingers around her neck.. choking her... suffocating her in immense fear and panic.. like she experienced when she was little...
Her worst nightmare had returned.. and this time it felt real.
Narina made horrified choking noises as she grabbed the metal fingers uselessly with her hands, unable to pry apart the iron grip.
Tears appeared in her eyes.. She couldn't go on.. she couldn't stand it.. she wanted to die.. she wished for death... anything to relieve this pain... and this horror she felt..
Suddenly everything went black.. and Narina's eyes opened...
She was lying in bed.. inside some sort of tent.. a blanket over her naked body.. and a cold towel to her forehead.. she felt cold as ice..
She sat up.. as she did.. she felt a sharp pain across her back. Narina put a hand to her back and felt a thin scar going across her back.. and a vicious heat...
"Ozone's burning flames are not the type to heal easily.."
Narina blinked as she saw an elderly woman enter the tent.. She was covered in long rags, and wore a pointed hat-like hood over her shadowy aging features..
"Who are you?" Narina asked.
"The Eldest Ryuu alive.. you could say that." said the old woman, pointing a wrinkled long finger at Narina.
"But.. I was told Ryuu stopped aging in appearance around their prime.." Narina said.
"Well, you've seen the village chief haven't you?" said the Elder. "Ryuu who live past their natural lifespan of 2 thousand years start to age like humans do.. but it does nothing to diminish our power.. merely our ability to not throw our backs out.."
"I have a natural lifespan of 2000 years?" Narina stammered.
"How do you think we've managed to survive for eons with such few of us around?" said the Elder.
"Steroids?" said Narina.
"hahahaha! You're as humorous as your grandmother." said the Elder. "That White Wolf clan is known for their white hair, and their lightning fast quips.
"People keep on comparing me to her.." Narina muttered. "But.. wait.. you know my grandma?"
Manaka's been around, though I'm sure you already know that. She may only have been a small time hero where fame is concerned, but she was deeply involved in the world thanks to her immense power. She even fought gods at a point.. "
"How long was I out?" Narina muttered.
"An hour. Lucky for you I live nearby.. I was out watering my jasmine flowers when I saw that girl in her snake form spitting you out.."
"Jeez.. how long was Sandy hiding on me?" Narina said, shivering a little at the thought of a snake slithering around in her hair.
"You would need to ask her that question not me.. " said the Elder. "But the fact remains you are in her debt.."
"I need to get back out.." said Narina. "My friends are fighting in that base.. We need to finish this.."
"And you will fail nevertheless.. you truly believe you stand a chance against Ozone?" said the Elder. "The King's most vicious and powerful weapon, brought out only times when he is feeling exceptionally temperamental."
"Wh-what is he!?" said Narina. "What is Chasm!? What are they!?"
"Relics of an alien war long past.. fought on this very planet before humans existed. Three sides existed.." said the Elder. "One of the sky.. one of the Earth.. one of the Sea.. Two brothers and a sister crashed upon this world... and after they fought a never-ending battle they slumbered... Ozone in the air... Chasm within the Earth... and Tide within the ice... Then the trio woke once more... to fight the former rulers of this world... "
"Former rulers?" said Narina.
"The Gods.. Zeus... Hades.. and Poseidon." said the Elder. "They were more than myth you know.. the so called 'gods' were exceptionally powerful Super Humans from beyond Earth that colonized Earth and ruled over the humans... however.. they grew far too arrogant and mistreated the native humans... when that happened.. a brave ancestor of the White Wolf clan.. your family.. awakened the Three... Zeus fell against Ozone, Hades was destroyed by Chasm.. and Tide ripped Poseidon from his throne. "
"Three total.." Murmured Narina. "So there's still one more.."
"And it is in that one fact... that we have a hope against Ozone.. that YOU have a hope against Ozone." said the Elder.
"What?" said Narina.
"Tide isn't like her brothers. She is pacifistic in nature.. one that has true compassion for life.. it is why she herself suggested that she and her two siblings slumber.. so as not to disturb life on this planet.." said the Elder. "We're going to awaken her... She will remind Ozone of his true nature.. "
Narina grunted as she stood up, panting.. her Prism Dragon activating as diamond scales slid over her skin.. and her eyes turned their dragonish yellow. "I see.. and how do we do that?"
"I will do that.. In the meantime.. you must find some way to delay Ozone... if he isn't distracted, he will find and kill your friends.." said the Elder.
"Are you CRAZY!?"
Sandy had just come into the tent, looking worried out of her mind. "She can THRASHED by Ozone... call Chasm instead.. surely he can-."
"Chasm and Ozone must not meet! Not yet!!!" said the Elder. "The time for the Three Great Dragon Ancestors to unite is not now. Only Tide understands this! She is the more reasonable of the three. Chasm will just decide to take Ozone for thrills, and Ozone will take Chasm in the name of misguided duty!! There is no deadlier combination... their battle would raze this land!!"
"Right... " Said Narina. "I'm off then.. do whatever it is you do... that I don't know.. revives her. "
"YOU'LL BE DEAD IN A SECOND!!!!!"
"No she won't be.." said the Elder. "The darkness within her... I will briefly unlock it... and allow her to control it... you sense it don't you girl? The blackness that lurks within you? Will you take advantage of that blackness!?..
"T-take advantage of.." said Narina.
"There is no time... Ozone is up there.. searching for you.." said the Elder. "You are about to use the blackness within you at full throttle... be prepared....
The Elder put a hand to Narina's chest.. and immediately a shockwave of black energy exploded from Narina's collarbone.
"AAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Narina screamed... once more, she could feel the Fell Knight's grasp around her neck.. and she screamed...
Black Knight's armor formed around her... along with a powerful knight's helm, which had a visor that obscured her face.. vicious dragons were carved beautifully into the black armor as a giant metal tail grew from the backside of her armor, and the armored gloves and feet turned into claws and talons
Fell Knight Dragon looked at herself.. eyeing her claws. "I feel... dark... black as night..."
"I've given you temporary control over the darkness inside you.. you only have around Five minutes.." said the Elder. "I suggest you find Ozone... before it's too late.."
"He won't be that hard to find.." whispered Narina, her voice resounding metallic from inside her helm, glowing red eyes appearing beneath the visor.
Fell Knight Dragon exploded out of the tent, and into the sky, deathly black webbed wings spreading from her back as she flew.
She flew... faster and faster... as a terrible darkness blasted out of her body.. and the moon turned blood red in the sky...
And hovering over the Iron Forge's fortress, Ozone turned, sensing something surprising. "Well well... what is this?"
Fell Knight Narina remained silent.. she held out a hand.. and in a burst of black and red lightning.. a ginormous great sword appeared in her hand.. with a dragon carved upon it's black blade..
The giant sword seemed to burn with vicious hate.. the hate of Fell Knight.
"Flame Vise Focus.." Ozone sent a giant blast of pure fire from his eye.. the sky turned orange and red from the tremendous explosive heat of Ozone's power.. and parts of the forest caught on fire..
But Fell Knight Narina slashed her sword upwards.. and a giant cleaving shockwave carved through the blast easily.
"5 minutes.." Narina muttered, her voice echoing in the helm. "Fine.. I can do that.."
Fell Knight Narina's red eyes flashed beneath her helm once more and she shot forward, going at such speed that a wind surged up around her like a hurricane, ripping trees from the earth..
She hurled her blade forward, stabbing at Ozone's chest...
Ozone held out a hand, and his arm turned into a flaming blade... which he used to block Narina's Fell Buster Sword in a burst of sparks..
A tremendous shockwave raged out from the collision of the two blades.
"Very VERY interesting.." said Ozone, his eye flashing. "I might just enjoy this... Narina Yukata..."
Ozone and Narina shot into the sky... the clouds blasting apart.. as blade of flame and blade of tremendous darkness collided with each other... with each and every impact, the entire atmosphere shook, as if threatening to tear itself from the Earth itself just from the force of the attacks the two of them were administering.
"Fell Blade of the Forgotten King..." Narina whispered... raising her giant blade to the moon. Dark shadow energy combined with red electricity erupted from the giant blade.
"The signature move of Fell Knight.. a villain from Earth's past." said Ozone, blinking. "Except with... red lightning..? You ARE something different aren't you girl?
Fell Knight Narina hurled her blade down.. screaming with vicious aggression, brought about by the immense aggression she could feel stirring around in this form..
A giant shadowy red amplified slash exploded downwards.. the screams of tortured souls resounded from the energy as it tore it's way down at Ozone.
"I might have to get a little serious..." said Ozone, holding out both his hands. "Great Afterburn!!!!!"
"FFFFFFFOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!" A giant wall of heat and fire blasted out from around Ozone... and towered into the sky, briefly making the night bright as day.... destroying Narina's attack...
But already Narina was pointing a claw into the air.. as a giant sphere of red and black energy gathered there.. crackling... growing bigger and bigger..
"Doom Devour.."
Narina threw the giant sphere down at Ozone... as the ginormous sphere, the size of a city approached.. Ozone held out a hand.. and created another giant flaming blade.
"DEATH BURN!!!"
Ozone cleaved the sphere in half with one ginormous slash.. causing the very planet to shake... and earthquakes to break out all over Kyoto.
"Do you truly believe you can defeat me? One who defies the king?" said Ozone. "With the dark power of your grandmother's mortal enemy? Please... such folly.."
"I have to try..." said Narina.
"Why?" said Ozone.
"The same reason every hero tries..." said Narina. "For a better tomorrow.."
_______________________
"What are you doing?" said Sandy frantically. "There's no telling how much time Narina's got left! Seconds maybe!!"
The Elder's hands had turned into grey scaled dragon's claws.. and she was moving them over a statue made of pure ice... of a graceful tailed figure.
"Merlin gave this to me in case the time should arise that we needed to wake her.." whispered the Elder. "I never thought the time in which we would break the seal would be so soon.."
"What!?" said Sandy. "M-Merlin never told me he-"
"The Dragon Ancestors.. the Three siblings.. of them.. Tide is the one with the greatest debt owed to the White Wolf Clan. Chasm serves no man... Ozone serves the Royal Family... but Tide.. she serves the White Haired one... and that is why.. it must be her.."
The statue glowed... and suddenly.. it shattered.. into mist....
(This song, Spellborn, is Tide's theme.)
Deep in the south pole.... in Antarctica.... a polar bear trodded by.. sniffing around the snow... but as it padded along... a rumbling was heard....
A massive ice formation in the middle of the arctic wasteland began to glow sea green...as something within... began to stir....
She opened the one eye in the middle of her face.. with dark blue scelera.. and one glowing iris.. along with a similar, but thinner shaped eye just below her chest....
The ice began to tremble and shake... as an echoing telepathic voice spoke. It sounded serene.. and like a human girl...
"I am awake... I am... awake? But... why?"
"KAAAAAAASHHEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNN!!!" The ice blew apart as swirling towers of water blasted into the air.
She was smaller than her brethren.. around Narina's height.. and far thinner and female in appearance. Her skin was blue.. and her head was clear with swirling liquid around her eye.. and her head was finned. Despite her alien looks, she was oddly beautiful and pleasing to gaze upon..
Tide turned her gaze to the sky. "Brother? And Brother? I can feel your presences... and yet I am sure none of you remember me.. or your previous lives before you awoke.. but wait... another presence... I feel..
Tide closed her eye... and immediately.. she felt the mind of Narina...
And far away... as Narina fought Ozone.. she froze..
Narina stared on... why... why did she feel such a sense of overwhelming joy? Wait.. this joy wasn't her own... it was somebody else's... than Tide's voice spoke in her mind clear as day..
"Master... it is you.."
Narina suddenly felt her armor shatter.. as the time limit to her dark power was finally reached... returning to her Lunar Valkyrie form with a flash of dark light.
"NO!!" Narina stammered as she watched her sword vaporize into shadow.
"Now... is the end.." said Ozone.. aiming a flaming finger at Narina..
"BOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!" suddenly, a giant geyser of water ripped out of the ground.. something far more powerful than anything Ezra could conjure up...
And from within the pillar of sea water... Tide emerged..
"Hello Brother.." said Tide. "It seems... we are now all awake.."
Shock Therapy Trivia:
Those of Ozone, Chasm, and Tide's race were known for forming contracts with those whom they owed a debt. As debt guardians, they would forever safeguard the family of those they owed and take care of them. Chasm has never owed allegiance to anybody, making him a more free and wild spirit. Ozone was granted a place at the Royal Family, and Tide owed one of Narina's distant White Wolf clan ancestors for saving her life, and thus Tide is pledged to serve Narina's family.
Personality wise.. Ozone is very serious, being the older of the three siblings. Chasm is the middle child, being more curious and a seeker of entertainment, relishing in his own freedom. Tide on the other hand, is a pacifist, despite being the fiercest fighter, and enjoys making tea, and wearing kimonos, she also appreciates flower arranging.
The Greek Gods were actually former elite members of Powers Society Galactic who became immensely powerful to the point that they could be considered gods.. coming to Earth and ruling over the recently formed Earthling Humans with an iron fist. Pitying the humans, and having formed a bond with the White Wolf Clan, Tide convinced Ozone and Chasm to assist in destroying the 'gods'.. destroying them easily.