The next day
The everyone was woken up by their windows rattling, roofs and walls shaking, and the sound of something flight by very quickly. All four dragoons were out of the front door within seconds fully suited in their armor. Although the sight of the man they met made the dragoon (the unamed one) run up and hug him, covering him from view of Takato or Saru for the moment.

A gust of wind erupted around the group as a figure landed in the dust behind the dragon, the giant sail of the wind board seemed to have actually flown through the air. She barely managed to push up her goggles before tackling Takato.

"Hey look its good old metal head." Hiuko said walking over to help Takato up after Gale's tackle. "Good to see you bud. Well I suppose some introductions
are in order. For instance, Gale these are the four dragoons I was talking about on the way here. As for you though." He leaned over to look at Saru, "I don't believe we've met. Hiuko Silverbane." He said holding out his hand.

Takato managed to wringle free from Gale's seismic hug, in enough time to catch his breath.
Saru's tail shook excitedly. "Hiya! im Saru Primus."

"Well I suppose we all know where we're going right?" Hiuko said turning towards the large city only a few hours away. "All we have to do it go in and defeat the General, any dragoons we meet along the way..." Then the nameless dragoon stepped up to say, "Will be dealt with by us dragoons, you guys will go straight to the General." Hiuko turned around and asked, "Any questions before we start yet another seemingly suicidal mission or are we all on the same page here?"

Saru was already a quarter mile down the road, as takato nodded with a smile. With a team like this i dont think anything could stop us.

Hiuko nodded back and grabbed Gale by the wrist before heading down the road. He wanted to make sure she didn't get left behind again.

---

They reached the city in only an hour and in the city the normal hustle and bustle of life was still going about. So many citizens yet none of them knew of the cataclizmic battle that was about to ensue. The dragoons led the way and when they entered the town square they noticed that it was empty. For some reason none of the citizens were using it. Although the reason was obvious enough for on the ledge of the fountain stood a dragoon clad in crimson armor. He stood up and turned to the group, "Well I see what the little bird told me was right, you were planning to attack."

The namless dragoon bit her lip nervously before saying, "Raid, you don't need to protect him. He's just using us!" "Maybe I like being used," He responded loudly, "if I get all this power and freedom from being used then I love it. I don't care about what's right or wrong, in fact I see this as doing a service to the universe by wiping this disgusting planet and all of these gross beings from existance. My old form was much appealing than these... bipeds." She was bout to retort but Tommy put his hand up in front of her and shook his head. He walked infront of everyone and the red dragoon said, "Well Tom, long time no see. So you're going to fight me, someone of your own species... that's cold. No matter though, I'll just polish you off then catch back up to them." Tommy held a thumbs up and everyone scattered.

The nameless dragoon led everyone into a tunnel into the mountain the city next to. The city had been built right next to a mountain below its drop off where the mountain became sheer cliffs. The tunnel didn't go very far before becoming a large round room with multiple other tunnels. Each tunnel led to a similar room but the dragoons knew exactly where to go. They soon reached a room where in a rocking chair sat a dragoon in dark green armor. When they entered he got off the rocking chair and it vanished in a puff of smoke. He sighed and then after looking their direction for a moment he too vanished in the same manner. Laina and Kari stepped into the middle of the room and said, "Go, we'll handle the old geezer." When everyone left they grabbed each others hand and a strong gust of wind started emitting form the room. The tunnels started going in a downward path and soon some of the rooms they passed had pools of lava in them. The walls were also looking more jagged as opposed to the smooth walls from before. In fact the further in they went the more lava cave like it looked. Eventually they did get stopped by one last dragoon, the second in command, right under the general himself. His armor was like dragoon armor but the edges of the armor were more spiked and his helmet was completely unlike the dragoons, it was like aknights helmet but at the top in domed to a spike that bent backwards. "Well if this is anything like the others I guess I'll face you then?" He said pointing a large two handed sword at the dragoon. She nodded and a sword appeared in her hand. He was nervous, she knew she wouldn't beat him... just hold him off for a bit. Hiuko walked up to her and whispered something before her armor appeared on her body. 

She pointed the direction for them to go and the group left and entered a massive room. at the end of the room the floor was cut off and engraved into the wall was a throne were a man in emerald green clothing sat. Above the throne a waterfall of lave flowed and split at the throne and spilling into the crevice. He pushed himself out of the seat and seemed to glide over the crevice and on to the floor. "Ah, so you've all come. Hiuko, Saru, Gale, and of course... Takato, the little brat that is to kill me." Green armor formed on him, it was like the second command's but he had no helmet and he had a cape. A sword appeared in his hand, the nameless dragoon's swordmancing ability, and he smiled. "So are we here for one on one or will you all attack at once make make this easy rather than very easy?"

Hiuko got into a counter-position and Bangs got on his shoulder. "Any ideas on how to go about this?" He asked no one in particular.

"Maybe a distraction with gales wind, i could contain with some bindings while you and saru deal some huge damage. Sound good?" Taktao asked suggestivly looking over at the group.

Saru was gone, his quick form was blindingly faster than takato had took him for. He rematerialized right infront of him in his power form s punch already insueing just an inch from his target.

Gale held back twirling her hands, building up a powerful blast of wind for a huge attack.

Hiuko shrugged and shot off although Saru was a little faster and aimed a kick right for the general's gut.

The general took both hits but didn't even move. His body was like rock and when the attack connected, in that moment where the attack still can't move. He used one hand for each to push them away. Not hard, not a hit, just push them back a bit. "Really, is that all? Come now, I've heard so much of you five at least try something you are famous for, or maybe invent a new move just for me." He said with a smug grin, he know that he showed no regular attack would work.

Saru was wild with battle fury. He simply reached over and grabbed takato by the wrist, pivoted and launched him with his new found monstrous strength. Takato curled up using his swords to form a spike covered shell.

Hiuko stood by and watched the General's movements looking for even the slightest weakness, although he hadn't found one yet.

"Well that's a nifty trick." The General announced before the Takato ball his him square on. It push the general back a centimeter and the General put out his arms and grabbed Takato in ball form and placed him to his side. His armor showed no signs of scratching or denting. "Come on I have read all of the information about you four that we have gathered and this is the best you can come up with. I know you are better and since I have been tasked to kill you I'd like to have at least a little challenge." The General said looked at them all hoping the message would sink in, he wasn't going to even fight until the group used all their power.

Takato fumed after rolling back to Saru. "Thats one tough cookie." His eyes were gone his blood boiling. He had past the point of a rampage. "RAAAHHH!" He wrenched his massive blade from the seal on his shoulder and side dashed ti the left of the general, veins pulsating, he spun with a side and down strike as Saru went right with a powerful fist smash.

Hiuko ran down the center with a strong kick.

The general saw all of the attacks coming and did nothing to dodge. He took all attacks on at once and only moved back an inch at most. "This is all very boring, if you aren't going to try then I'll just let my dragoons do away with you all. He took a step back so that he wasn't so close to them and then said, "in fact I'm getting word from them right now." Then three portals at the side of the room appeared and the three enemy dragoons walked through dragging the good dragoons behind them, the nameless one was the only one still conscious. Hiuko turned his head towards the three dragoons and thought Ah crap. The general held up his hand towards the group and said, "Do not worry, I do not intend to let then have the fun here." He walked over to the nameless one and said, "Do you know who this is by chance? Really the truth is quite amazing." the nameless one at the moment was gagged so she couldn't yell over him, but tears were streaming down her face. "Well, what no guesses? Fine then, this is Cheryll Silverbane." He held his hand out to Hiuko, "You of all people should know her better than anyone." Hiuko's mind was bursting with memories of his wife so much so that he was frozen in place. "Ah I so wanted to see his face." He put his hand on her head and said, "There you go, you can now say your name. That was so worth the spell." He laughed as he looked back towards the group and said, "Now for the Prophecy of Steel Blood to be broken, no amount of fate will save you boy." He looked down at his sword and they threw it in the air. It hung about a foot above him, then hundreds more appeared not just above the General but all over the room all facing Saru, Gale, Hiuko, and Takato. "Face the facts, I far outmatch you. Do you still wish to foolishly fight or will you be smart about this?"

Takato flinched as he realised what had just happened. Hiuko was going to take a few seconds. But he did have an idea. "Outmatch? You slipped up you are in our territory, metal and air." He grabbed Gale's hand and forced all his energy into her(I will messaghe you on what to do.)

The General laughed. "Oh no little one, that's not how it works. Your grandfather was one of the people I extracted your power from. In fact you fought the man that I copied the power into. As for wind..." He looked at Gale. "You think Ethrin was able to capture your mother alone?" His smile turned wicked as his eyes glowed white and a large gust of wind blew through the room. his eyes turned back to normal and he said, "I have mustered every single power from every world I've been too, this one was no exception."

Hiuko's mind was able to start processing the memories and when the gust blew him over it sped up the process and he held his head due to the massive headache he was having. Bangs have rather the same effect as well and she was covering her head with he paws although hers was more like a hangover than a headache.

Gale lost it. The influence of Takato's power sent her over the top. Her eyes went blank as the blades in the air burst into petal like metal bits. All around the two the wind erupted carrying the blades on the gusts. The wind was stronger than a level five hurricane everything was minced, the petals slicing and tearing even oxygen bonds.

When the metal bits hit the General they absorbed into him like they would Takato and he created an air bubble around his head for breathe. Also there was a very present purple barrier around him keeping the hurricane from blowing him away and tearing him apart. "Is that all you've got? Come now there must be more!" The General sighed and said, "I suppose I thought too highly of you." He pulled out his own version of Yamina and walked towards Gale and Takato. "You two first."

Hiuko wasn't quite over his headache but he could tell what was happening, he knew he had to help. He picked up Bangs and grabbed Saru by the hand pulling him towards the group. He put Saru's hand on Gale and Takato's, then he placed his left hand on the groups while he connected his and Bang's seals. "Lets give him hell!" He shouted before he entered everyone's mind. He broke everyone's mental restrictions and made all of their power flow together. The power released shook the very foundation of the mountain, lava shot up from the crevice in the room and the General wore an expression of slight concern.

"Ha this power is nothing!" The General exclaimed. "Bangs, stop holding it back." Hiuko said bluntly to Bangs. She rolled her eyes and released her demon's energy into the group as well. The mountain started to break apart around them, the people of the city were running away as the mountain collapsed behind them. The hurricane of blades was so fast it was ripping apart time and space itself, so powerful it could be felt in outer space. The General's shield broke and no matter what power he used to protect himself none seemed to work. He even tried to teleport away but the metal hurricane sliced through the portal before he even casted it. Finally the General was ripped to shreds as the metal shards cut through his armor and past through his body several billion times. 

The are around was no longer a cavern in a moutain but a wide area of flat land and after that some jagged rocks lay strewn across a few mile radius. There were no rock fragments in the air as they were disintigrated from the blades and there wasn't a cloud in the sky for hundreds of miles around. The sun shone brightly on everyone as the fight was now over. Hiuko slowly cut everyone off as to not send everyone into shock and he knelt down on the ground for a moment before regaining strength and running to see if the woman really was his wife. Although everyone else would notice slight movement where the General's body lay. Somehow he survived, although barely able to move he still lived.

Takato sank to his knees, energy spent. "What...was that?"

Saru was already up scampering around searching for any dropped items.

Bangs sat there in a bit a shock and thought to the general area, "That was our combined energy. When The General thought he incapacitated us he also unlocked our memories. If it hadn't been for him showing off his power over wind we probably wouldn't have awoken in time. Hiuko literally grabbed everyone's soul and used it to power you and Gale's combo attack. She didn't seem like her normal self, her thoughts had a different tone to them for some reason. Her ears twitched and she lifted her head a bit before saying, "Looks like he refused to die, or..." she looked at Takato and continued, I'm not much one for prophecies, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to use Yamina to finish him off for good, just make sure you get some good info from him first." She scampered off to where Hiuko was. The General was laying on a heap of rubble and rocks, no limbs left, several holes in his body, hundred of cuts. There was an especially large cut that went from his chin to his forehead on his left side, even the eye was cut. He could barely see or talk, his breathing was hard, and blood was slowly oozing out of him. By some work of fate he was still alive.

Takato stumbled over his blade resting over the generals neck. "What phropecy?"

The general coughed blood, a drop or two landed on Takato's clothes. "Heh, I thought you knew. The Prophecy of Steel Blood, the prophecy of my death. It is said that a man with the control of metal would kill me, the power would be in his blood line. Steel Blood... or maybe was it Steel Heart." The General thought for a moment and continued, ah yes that's right. The Prophecy of Steelheart. Apparently that must mean you, unless there are more Nakini that you know of." The General looked from Takato's face to his reflection in the blade. "I've lived me life long enough, frankly I don't care if you kill me because even as we speak the master is determining who to send to avenge me, more than likely it will be Raven or Sierra, two brilliant assasins." He smiled, so go on kill me, avenge your family and what not and fulfill the prophecy. If you don't then the master will just revive me and next time I won't take things as lightly. The master struggled on many of the words throughout everything he said and when he was done he rested his head back and just looked up at the clear sky. I wonder what hell is like.

"Hell is living every day knowing the ones closest to you died because you could do nothing about it." Takatos blade wavered, a tear dropping down his cheek. A small bit of metal globulated on the generals neck and dissapeared. "Just go... try and right your wrongs, if i killed you i would be just as bad. But that tear has settled right next to his heart so i have a backup plan in case he does come after us again. He lifted his blade and sauntere off to help hiuko.

"You'll regret this!" The general yelled. He layed back unable to do anything more. Then something silhouetted against the sunlight. The General looked around to get a better view and smiled, "So what did they send you here for?" A scythe blade went to the General's next and touched where the metal blob disappeared. "Looks like he's trying to be the hero... too bad." The scythe went through the General's neck quickly decapitating him and the scythe wielder was gone before anyone noticed her even appear.

Hiuko ran to his wife and saw her barely conscious on the ground, close to her was the dragoon that she fought. He picked her up and kept her awake. She smiled and said, "Do you remember now. You and me, back in Seoul. Us and our children." Hiuko gained even more memories about his children and his home and he smiled, "Yes, I do." Bangs came over and jumped on to his shoulder. Cheryll smiled and said hello to Bangs and then Hiuko linked with Bangs so he could 'see' Cheryll again. Hiuko noticed Takato walk over and then Cheryll clutched her chest in pain, she could feel her life draining away. "Cher, what's going on!" Hiuko said touching her to feel the vibrations in her body. "The general, I thought he was just lieing about the link. If The General dies, all the dragoons die too." Hiuko could feel her getting lighter as he watched her slowly fade away. He held her close as she eventually vanished, burst into bits of light that scattered and dimmed away. Hiuko stayed knelt there just looking at his hand, he couldn't even move because he just lost what he was searching for. He spent 160 years looking for her and now it was all for nothing.

Takato immediatly spun around, sighting the beheaded general on the ground. "Hiuko...i swear...it wasnt me. Im so...so sorry man." He couldnt even begin to express his sympathy for his friend. He managed a hand on his blind partners shoulder, the most he could do at such a tender moment.

Bangs nudged Takato's hand off Hiuko's shoulder and thought to him, "Nows probably not the best time to be around him." She jumped off his shoulder and said, "Lets go see if we can find who killed The General" After an hour nothing could be found except the fact that whoever killed him handled their weapon well, a clean slice. After that hour a loud bang came from where Hiuko was kneeling. Hiuko had punched the ground so hard it left a decent sized crater. Hiuko got up and dusted himself off a bit sensing around for the others.

Gale had been floating above the scene, like a ball hung in the gentle air. Her long hair enveloped her like a blanket as she held her knees to her chest, still in shock about what she had learned. She had seen it all, even the general's death but was to truamatized to be able to recall it. He had killed her mother, the goddess of wind, the being that cared so much for humanity only to be executed and robbed of her powers...it was so..so wrong. Hot tears bubbled at the corners of her eyes.

He walked around wondering where Gale was a felt something land on his shoulder. He touched it and felt water but it wasn't raining. Times like these I wish knew what I was standing under. he thought sensing around. He felt and heard armored soldiers coming towards him and turned to where they were coming from. Maybe 20 or 30 soldiers and someone in the middle although is was hard to get an accurate reading on who it was. They stopped a few feet short of Hiuko and they opened up their formation to allow the emperor to step forth. Hiuko could also feel Bangs and Takato walking over as well although he wondered where Gale was.

Saru waggled his tail happy that the depressing moment had passed. He pranced right up to the emperor. "Howdy! Boy dont you look important."

Takato floored saru with a swift smack to the back of the head. He bowed repectfully recongising the persons stature and waited for him to speak.

Hiuko looked at the Emperor but didn't bow. The emperor looked at all three individuals and said, "Who killed The General?" Hiuko said, "We don't know sir... someone else must have come and finished him off." The emperor asked, "You at least helped yes?" Hiuko nodded and the emperor smiled. "I offer you my thanks, he had us all under his control... he ran my empire. Thanks to you..." He looked up for a moment and said, "Four Masu Empire is free again." The emperor bowed to them and asked, "Would you like to join me for a feast at my palace." Hiuko looked down at Bangs and said, "None for me, thank you though. Bangs changed into her demon cat form, which startled all of the guards, and mounted her. He looked down at Takato and said, "Keep on truckin', if not for me then for everyone who has lost loved ones in this war including yourself and Gale." He looked up at the clouds through Bang's eyes and finished with, "As for me, destiny has given me a new calling. I can't believe I forgot I had kids. Oh boy, I've been gone for 160 years. This might not be too easy." Hiuko shrugged and with a smile he flew off now remember where his home was again. The emperor turned to the two, and directing his question to all three, "What of you, would you like to dine here and stay the night?"

"Sure thing gramps we have now where else to go." Saru shrugged with a grin...before he was floored again.

Takato smiled. "We appreciate your kindness sir." He kept his hand on the back of saru's head pushing it into the dirt.

The Emperor looked up and said, "Take these men to the castle and tend to them as they wish. I shall be back later." A guard was about to protest but the Emperor raised his hand, "I don't want to hear it, I'll be fine by myself. Besides I ave other things to do. You are dismissed." The guards showed Takato and Saru to the castle and the emperor looked up at Gale. "Excuse me, miss, are you okay?"

Gale floated down from her space, tears wiped from her cheeks. Little dust clouds kicked up around her heels as she touched tera firma, her arms wraped around her chest. "Im fine thank you. I will just follow my comrades." She paced foward.

He knelt down in front of Gale before she left and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm not sure what happened in there, but you saved my empire. Both my people and I are thankful. I'll walk back with you." They walked off together.

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