As she picked up her jacket it to put it away, she felt intruders appearing within the confines of her sanctuary. Not just within it, right at the Pillar itself! "What?" she whispered, "I... I've felt this power before..."

Slowly she slipped on her jacket and reached for the Megami Tsurugi, propped up on a wall. And suddenly it hit her, and her eyes opened wide in shock.

Outside, R.D. nodded, satisfied that they were okay. He moved over to the Thunder King and searched for its transformation panel, quickly finding it underneath the seat and pressing it. One flash of light later, and R.D. tossed the blue cube back into his satchel. He looked up at the Pillar of Dawn, realizing where he was.

She was here. He'd see her again. A rush of emotions filled him, and he didn't know where to begin to sort them out.

Finally the men were able to pull themselves together, but Veronica's world was still spinning. Brandon looked up, adjusting his arm that remained in a sling. He saw the pillar and quirked a brow. He tapped Bryant's shoulder who was just shaking his head. He looked behind him and there was the Pillar of Dawn. His eyes widened.

"What is that?" Bryant said in a hush voice, as if this small sound would disturb some sort of power that sleeping within the pillar, a power he was afraid to awaken.

"Probably the only hope this world has of defeating Ziatoch," R.D. replied, looking back at Bryant. "We're safe here. I know the girl who lives in this area."

He looked back at the Pillar of Dawn once more, feeling its warm power radiate over the land and them. When he had been here last, the place, like the rest of the world, had been a ruined mess. Now, since returning, the place seemed to flourish with life. The only thing that marred the view was the black form of Shayol Ghul, hovering in the distance.

Alasea ran, hastily buckling the Megami Tsurugi to her hip. She looked up in the direction of the Pillar, seeing four people up there. Her breath caught in her throat, and she ran as hard as she could. As she grew closer, she could make out more details. One figure in particular caught her attention, and she could see the black-and-white overshirt fluttering slightly in the breeze. A satchel was slung over his shoulder, with one gloved hand resting on it.

R.D. perked up as he heard running footsteps on the breeze. Slowly he turned, looking down the hill. She was there. Still clad in the familiar black leather jacket and skirt, red tube top, and the black boots with the torn stockings. Her long brown hair fluttered in the wind. Blue eyes met green eyes. Across the distance, all they were able to do was stare at each other, neither quite believing the other could be there, so close.

===In California===

Michael sighed. Rude enough to step on him, and rude enough to leave without so much as a goodbye. Jerk.

Lifting one pale hand into the air, he snapped his fingers, and reality bent around him to accommodate him. He reappeared in the skies above Japan. Grey hair flowing in the wind, he instantly zeroed in on Lee and Draco and teleported behind them soundlessly.

"It's rude to leave without goodbyes," he said, "And didn't your mothers ever tell you with was wrong to spy on other people?"

Ziatoch...though none of the Hartnetts could recognize that name, it sent a small shiver up their spines. But that shiver was indeed lessened by the very presence as the pillar kept them in a glow of life and of a sanctuary. Just this glow alone made the Hartnetts more than believe RD's story. Like it were some sort of shield against the darkness that had already spanned so far in so many directions. But this pillar created a dome that shielded this darkness.

It wasn't long before Bryant and Veronica turned to see a girl, running up the hill. No doubt it was the very one RD had mentioned. Bryant then looked at Veronica both smiling. They could feel that vibe, the vibe that Veronica and Bryant shared. Though it wasn't as strong, it was there, waiting.

"Alli," he breathed, staring at the girl. Her shocked face softened, and tears glistened at the corner of her eyes. She took a faltering step forward, then another. It was him. Really him. His eyes may have a different color now, bright green instead of the stony brown she remembered, but that look in his eyes told her that it was him.

"Thank goodness," she whispered. The trance was broken, and she ran at him, leaping up and wrapping her arms around him. Surprised but glad, R.D. returned the gesture, holding the girl close to him. She buried her face into his shoulder, her joyful tears bleeding into the fabric of his two shirts.

Damn, it was good to be reunited with a friend.

Back in the forest, Michael scowled. "You don't recognize me?" he muttered, "You damn well better recognize me! You stepped on me, you bastard!"

He leaned back against a tree, glaring at Lee with blood-red eyes. "Sure, I look different now, but you during all the chaos, you stepped on me and crushed my lower torso. Some demon showed up and put this black crap in me, and suddenly, I'm so much stonger, but in desperate need of a tan."

A thought struck him. Kuro told him what happened to Lee.

"And just how the hell are you still around? Kuro told me the Willard kid turned you into a big, black pincushion."

R.D. and Alasea's eyes opened wide at the same moment, and Alasea stepped wide, turning around out of R.D.'s grip in an instant. R.D. frowned. "You just don't give up, do you?" he muttered, staring at Lee.

Michael frowned as he watched Lee run off to battle. "I should just kill him right now," he muttered.

"Twice the power of any one of the Seven Beasts," Michael said, examining his nails idly, "And more than enough reason to bring it all down on him."

R.D. glared at Lee, drawing one of his Phase Blades to answer Lee's challenge. He waved Alasea away form him and readied himself, holding the strange sword out in front of him. The wind blew, and it was as if either one could strike at any given moment.

Alasea looked at Lee, swallowed, and said, "I know what happened to you."

Though, again, it seemed the Hartnett's powers would be useless, they would assist RD in his want for Alesea away from the battle. Bryant approached from behind the teen girl. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I think its best we stand back, miss." Bryant advised, as Veronica and Brandon had already stepped back quite a ways, watching Lee.

Alasea shrugged off the strange man's arm, looking reproachful at him. She turned back to Lee, and stepped forward. "I know about how you were defeated," she said quietly, earning a strange look from R.D., "How you were forced to destroy your people because of Donovan."

Bryant merely nodded to himself and stepped back, obviously she wasn't about to be interrupted. He walked back to his family and turned back to the evens before him. He folded his arms over his chest, having a small nudge of pain from his shoulder.

"I can help you," she said, louder this time, her face growing fierce. "I can sever your ties to evil! I can probably even change you back to your human form!"

R.D. looked at Alasea strangely. What in the world was going on here? What in God's name was she going on about?

Alasea opened her mouth to argue further, but R.D. raised an arm up, cutting her off. "Save your breath, Alli," he said, staring straight at the brute, "He won't listen anymore. Time for words are over."

"I have to try to save him!" Alli cried back, "He used to be a hero! He can't go on like this! I have to try!"

"Then try."

His statement caught her off-guard. He was smiling. Smirking, actually. There was an unusual confidence in his expression, and her eyes widened. And just like that, he attacked.

He moved like a blur, faster than she thought possible for him. He was in front of Lee in the space of a second, the Phase Blade flashing upwards, fire igniting along its path in the Shoenzan attack. Alasea drew the Megami Tsurugi in one motion and looked back at the three strangers, shouting "Come on!"

Bryant turned to Veronica, smirking. Brandon then stepped forward, a SADAR slung over his good shoulder. It felt to them a moment to be useful, a moment to not just be a burden. Bryant reached back and pulled out an AK-47, cocking the hammer as Veronica did the same for the MTAR. In just a moment, Veronica and Bryant ran to different sides, aiming their weapons at the shadow creature, but did not fire. Brandon stayed where he was, taking a knee and aiming the SADAR, using the scope for a precise launch.

R.D.'s fist swung out like a blue blur as Godhand activated, smashing into the head of the warhammer and stopping it cold. His body spun around the moment the Godhand hit, pivoting around the warhammer by sliding his foot across the ground. He leaped up into the air, spreading his arms out wide, gathering wind and fire into either hand.

"The howling gale!" A cyclone of green energy surrounded his right arm, spraying outwards.

"The scorching flame!" Blazing fire erupted around the left arm, burning brightly.

At that moment, Alasea attacked. The Megami Tsurugi flashed through the air in a horizontal cut, leaving a line of light across it. Thrusting her hand out at the line of light, it shattered, firing dozens of small blades of light like bullets at Lee's front.

"Burning Hurricane!"

Twin serpentine dragons, of green and red energy, lashed through the air, wrapping around the warhammer before biting into its head. With a vicious yank, R.D. pulled the hammer back and prevented it from striking Alasea. The girl's elegant sword spun around and flashed outwards, intending to slash the head of the weapon right off and render it temporarily useless.

With a thought, Alasea channeled the Pillar's energies around the group. Tendrils of energy, glowing like morning light, spun around the three Hartnetts, healing their wounds, before being absorbed directly into the barrels of their weapons.

"What the--!?" R.D. spat as Draco shot by. He recognized the form, and growled. Using wind energy to keep him aloft, he roared, "Why can't you people just stay dead!?"

The Megami Tsurugi slammed against the head of the warhammer, covered by a barrier of energy. Despite her smaller stature, she was able to parry the weapon with ease. Gritting her teeth, she forced her weapon forward, and the two energies backlashed, forcing both weapons away from their intended targets. Alasea readied her blade once more.

"Alli! Hope you can hold your own against Lee!" R.D. shouted, bringing both Phase Blades out to bear. "I'll keep Draco occupied!"

"Right!" she shouted back, "Good luck!"

Thrusting both weapons forward, R.D. crossed them over between the gaps between the hilts and crystals, activating both in a scissor motion. The massive Phase Scythe greatsword was created, and R.D. spun the giant sword in his hand before holding it before him. "Come on, Draco! Let's even things up!"

The blade of the Megami Tsurugi glowed a bright, silvery blue, and Alasea shot forward at Lee, and disappeared only moments before the attack would have struck her. She phased right through the staff and Lee, and reappeared behind him. The moment she reappeared, lightning blasted backwards along the path, where it'd strike and paralyze Lee.

Phase Scythe hefted into the air, R.D.'s motions seemed to slow, and then with a sudden, blurred motion, he seemed to disappear as he slashed his weapon downwards. The ground exploded with dozens of gashes, each one filled with blazing power that erupted all around Draco, each burst aiming to strike the shadow dragon. R.D. appeared a ways off, blade held low from the slash.

Alasea's breath caught in her throat as she heard the voice of Xastra rip through the air. Her own arm was crossed over, only moments away from striking the warhammer away. Shock filled her. How could the Sadistic One be here, of all places!?

R.D. stared at the girl in front of him. For the second time, they stood face to face. Hefting the Phase Scythe up, he stabbed its point into the ground at a slight angle, staring emotionlessly at Xastra. That was the being's name, not "Maya"... the thought drifted across his mind, alien, not his own.

"Xastra," he spat, keeping his eyes locked on the demon hiding beneath the face of a child.