Malvettix slashed his arm and one of the wings blocked R.D.'s shots. Flaring his hand at R.D., the wing transformed into the maw of a serpent, unleashing a torrent of darkness at him.

R.D. dove to the side as Malvettix's attack tore through the floor at him, cutting apart the spiked log in the process. It clattered to the floor, and R.D. looked up, just in time to see Link attack.

The warrior blasted off the wall with the Spinner, the Master Sword in hand. As the device cut the air at Malvettix, Link jumped off and attacked with a downward cleave. "Eeeyahh!"

Malvettix leapt to the left in a defensive spin. Already his hands were forming a new weapon - his massive shadow scythe which now sang through the air at Link's head.

A scythe that slashed hard against Link's shield as he brought it up. As the Spinner disappeared, Link fell back as Malvettix's attack swept him aside. Landing deftly on his feet, he stashed away his weaponry and called upon Midna for two other weapons. Pulling back on the bowstring, Link took quick aim at Malvettix and fired an arrow--one with a bomb in place of its arrowhead.

Malvettix caught the arrow by the hilt in one clean motion. "Nice try, if it wasn't so awful. You'll have to do a lot better than-"

He paused just as the massive, coiling serpent of fire rose behind him, and he turned around with both wings deployed as shields just as the serpent splashed all over him.

"More!" Hugo shouted as Helena struggled to overpower Malvettix's defense. "More!"

"I'm WORKING on it!" Helena shouted.

Malvettix flared his dark aura, and as it pushed outwards, the surge of flames curled away to reveal the dark clone. Still the fire fought to overcome.

R.D. swiped open his satchel and shoved his free hand inside, and pulled out the cyan-colored Chaos Emerald. With a quick toss, the gemstone spun end over end before he snatched it out of the air, shoving it forward as he channeled his energy.

"Chaos Control!"

With a surge of energy and a flash of green light, R.D. disappeared, causing Ileyna to yelp in surprise. Within a second, he appeared again in front of Malvettix as he fought to escape Helena's fire, and thrust both of his feet out at the clone's chest before following up by peppering him full of rifle fire.

R.D.'s unexpected smash attack sent Malvettix flying, right into a recovered Matt's arms. He slammed Malvettix into the ground with an up-turn of rubble and smoke, but soon the clone was up, and they both exchanged crossing blows, their claws slashing each other's limbs.

"Power Shotgun!" The G-Stone enhanced blast crashed into Malvettix's side, giving Matt an opening to deck Malvettix into the wall.

His eyes full of fury, Malvettix gestured, and his coat wings reformed into a twisted network of serpents. "Would you please back off, this is between me and HIM. Devil Pulse Imperium!"

The serpents opened all of their jaws at once, discharging black lightning that surged past Matt and right at R.D. and Helena.

R.D. landed on his feet, buffering himself from the impact of landing using channeled wind. As Malvettix struck, he thrust out his arm, channeling again. A field of energy burst up around him, and the lightning crashed into it. It surged and arced around the field, and R.D. drew in more power, gritting his teeth as he tried to hold it all back.

"R.D.!" Alasea and Ileyna both cried out, watching as he held back Malvettix's Devil Pulse Imperium.

"Get going!" R.D. shouted back, struggling to maintain the rapidly-failing barrier. "Get around and don't let up on him, both of you!"

After a second's hesitation, both girls nodded. Ileyna opened herself up to her power and took to the air, holding out her right hand in a hand gesture. Rays of light lanced out from her palm at Malvettix while Alasea ran back up the ramp, getting a superior vantage point. She swung out her sword, aiming it at Malvettix, while her started to whisper out an incantation.

The light rays tore into Malvettix's shoulder, but didn't stop his attack. Instead, he drew back a hand, generating a spear of darkness before flinging it at Ileyna's direction.

Ileyna's eyes widened in surprise as the spear tore through the air at her, and hastily she brought up her left hand to the right one's level, generating a protective barrier. The projectile struck against it with resounding force, and Ileyna shrieked as she was sent hurtling through the air, her beret flying away. Her shriek continued until her flight was halted abruptly as she slammed into the wall, cutting off all sound from the child. As pain tore through every bit of her body, the aura of power winked out of existence, and Ileyna collapsed bonelessly to the floor.

"Ileyna!" two voices screamed in horror: R.D. and Alasea both saw the girl get shot down. Alasea aborted her incantation and dove, catching the girl in her arms before she could hit the floor from such a fatal height. As the older girl hit the ground on her stomach, she looked back up to see what was going on.

She was just in time to see R.D.'s concentration broken by Ileyna's injury. The energy shield splintered and shattered, and R.D.'s eyes widened in shock. The dark lightning arced forward, and he screamed as it lanced through him, overtaking him as it smashed him hard into the stone ramp.

Edited by RisingDragon on April 20, 2010 at 21:18:12.

"R.D.!" Helena cried out, her flames dissipating as she ran over to his form.

"I told you people," Malvettix said, flicking his wrist. "I don't care about any of you, and if you didn't attack me, this wouldn't have happened. It's your fault."

Hugo glared at Malvettix. "You're a dead man." The G-Stone aura burst into a stronger flare of energy, and the Mettaur leapt at the dark clone with his jump jets, brandishing his pickaxe. "Blade Option!"

Malvettix spread out his feet, drawing his scythe once again. "This is getting old."

"You're right!" Matt called back. Now behind Malvettix, he drew his energy blade and rushed his opponent. "Let's kick his ass, Hugo!"

Malvettix leapt back, and as Hugo and Matt fell in, they swept towards the enemy, and the air sung with the whirling and clashing of three blades.

Link ran over to the two injured people as Helena did. "Are you two alright?"

"Ileyna's knocked out," Alasea said. "I don't know about R.D.."

Link snapped his fingers and a bottle appeared, filled with a viscous red fluid. He handed it to Alasea and said, "Have her drink this, she should recover. I'll get something for--"

The smoke that covered where R.D. had been attacked was suddenly scoured away by channeled wind, and he stood up with a furious expression on his face. His blue coat was darkened in various places from blood, and smear-like burns could be seen on his face and neck. His Guardian-issue rifle lay at the floor, damaged from the assault.

"R.D.!?" Alasea yelped, surprised.

His arm swept up over his head, a sphere of fire burning into existence above it. It swept back down, throwing it forward, and it erupted into the roaring head of a dragon that soared right at Malvettix between Hugo and Matt.

"DRAGON BLAZE!"

"Guys, look out!" Alasea screamed at them.

Locking weapons with Malvettix, Matt shot a glance over his shoulder at the fast approaching fireball, not even finding time to curse as he leapt away. Hugo dropped down under his helmet to shield himself.

Unfortunately, Malvettix spotted the attack as well, and a well-placed spin had the Dragon Blaze streak past him with no effect. Glaring at R.D., he threw up his scythe, grabbed the end, and reared back to throw.

Not if Matt had anything to say about it! He thrust his palm at the Dragon Blaze, taking control of the massive flame, and pulled it back around with a quick turn. It smashed clear into Malvettix's side, causing him to hurtle, along with the flame, back towards the broken spinning blades.

Alasea's eyes widened as Matt redirected the attack back at Malvettix, and she twisted about to shield Ileyna with herself. As the attack struck, the explosion was deafening, causing fire to burst out in every which direction. Malvettix's burning body was thrown out of the resulting smoke, at the broken spinning blade traps, as she and R.D. both looked back up, Link was already using the Spinner to chase after him.

At surprising speeds, Link shot off to the first side of the room and into a sand pit, and was quickly spinning out of it on another rail. The device propelled him up through the air at Malvettix as he was hurtling through the air, and readied his weapon. Curling his left arm, sword in hand, over his chest, he slashed wide as he passed behind the dark clone.

The blow hit home, and an arc of shadowstuff curved from the gaping wound as Malvettix crashed onto the bottom floor with a whump.

Matt ran to the platform's edge and leapt off, flaring the energy wings of his outline. "Game over, Malvettix!" he said, gathering power. "I hope you're ready to die!"

Malvettix pushed himself up, scooping up to one knee as the wound slowly closed in on itself. "Not until you are." He curled a set of fingers. "Let's try this again later. Maybe after I've adjusted. One on one, like it's supposed to be."

"You ain't gettin' away from me!" Matt snapped, rearing back.

Malvettix smacked his hand to the floor just as Matt fired a bolt of power, and dark lighting rose around him in a spherical field that shot out, bursting and exploding into seperate bolts. Matt brought his arms up to shield himself, not even knowing if his attack struck home. "Damn it! Link, where are you?!"

"I'm here!" Link called out as he landed, and Midna dismissed the Spinner. He brought up his shield to defend himself, and the lightning crashed against it, rocking him on his feet. Struggling against the power, Link hefted up the Master Sword, ready to attack.

Matt spotted Link amid the confusion. This lightning was seriously freaking out! He soared down to Link and grabbed him under his arms. "Come on, we're gettin' out of here!" He pulled him up, flying back up to the platform - thankfully, Dragon Drive amplified his power enough to make the lift.

The two of them landed at the top platform above the chamber, where another door waited for them. "What are we going to do about this monster?" Link asked of Matt as he was set down on the ledge.

===

"What's going on over there!?" Alasea asked, feeling anxious. She could feel a massive influx of shadow energy growing in the chamber beside the one they were.

"I'm going to find out," R.D. growled, reaching down and grabbing the damaged rifle at his feet.

"R.D., no!" Alasea scolded, shifting her body a little as Ileyna rested in her lap. "You're too hurt to be fighting him!"

Her cries fell on deaf ears, and R.D. slammed a Godhand-enhanced fist into the floor, cracking it as it propelled him high into the air, over the wall. He landed on its edge, and saw the growing dark lightning spreading out through the chamber. He sneered at the sight of it, and lifted up his right hand, gathering light energy. Blazing light flashed into existence before his palm, and he pulled in more, generating massive amounts of it with Lumiya. His entire right arm started to burn as the energy began to overload, the light intensifying as he fed more power into it.

He was sweating and his arm was shaking as he channeled, and pretty soon his entire arm felt like it was aflame. He couldn't hold it in any longer, and let go. The resulting Sunburst exploded from his hand with such force that he nearly lost his balance on the top of the wall, and as the blazing white sphere soared down into the heart of the writhing mass of shadow energy, it reacted to Malvettix's presence and lanced out with multiple beams of light energy at every single tine of lightning.

Edited by RisingDragon on April 25, 2010 at 20:14:01.

The beams easily tore through the bolts of lightning, and as one struck the rising core, it expanded quickly.

"Hit the dirt!" Matt shouted, falling down and covering his head.

The sphere of darkness exploded in all directions, releasing one final volley of power, scattering all around the chambers.

The exploding wave of shadow struck the Sunburst, which exploded with nearly equal force. The conflicting, resonating energies shook the room like an earthquake, and a cascade of ancient sand rained from the ceiling. R.D. found himself thrown off his feet, and his back smashed hard against the railing above the middle chamber. A loud crack could be heard as he struck, and he fell back down to the floor.

Link kept his footing as the resulting explosion continued to shake the room, and after several moments, it finally subsided, allowing him to peer out over his shield to see the results of R.D.'s retaliation against Malvettix's attack.

The chamber, cracked and ruined by Malvettix's attack, was otherwise completely empty.

Matt raised his head as the patter of the others' feet approached. "...is it over?"

"I don't see him," Link said, not relaxing his stance. He kept a firm grip on the Master Sword, ready to fight at a moment's notice in case it was a ruse. "Midna?"

The imp floated up out of Link's shadow, looking about in her shadowy form. "... I don't feel his presence," Midna finally said. "I can't detect any trace of shadow energy at all."

"What happened?" Hugo snapped, the others close behind the stampeding Mettaur.

"Malvettix tried to fry us," Matt said, standing back up to full height. "R.D. blew up his attack, but I think Malvettix gave us the slip." He shot a glance at Alasea. "Is Ileyna okay?"

"She should be fine," Alasea said after they had come back down to the chamber. Beyond them, R.D. was standing up, dusting himself off. She ignored him for the moment, instead handing Link the drained bottle from earlier. "I can already tell she's doing better. Helena, can you hold her for a moment? I need to do something."

She stood up and handed the younger girl over to the other teenager.

Helena took Ileyna in her arms, easily supporting the child's weight.

"That was sloppy," Hugo muttered to no one in particular.

Matt slid his hands in his pockets. "You think every fight's sloppy." He glanced around and noticed R.D. cleaning up. "What happened to you?"

R.D. looked up at the sound of Matt's voice, and that was how he spotted Alasea striding over to him, looking angry and purposeful in her gait.

"What's the--"

His voice was cut off suddenly as she reached him, and her hand flashed out across his face, slapping him as hard as she possibly could. The sharp crack of flesh striking flesh seemed louder in the silent chamber.

"... what's going on?" Link asked, as the two teenagers stood transfixed, with R.D.'s head wrenched to the side, a rapidly reddening mark on his cheek. Alasea lowered her arm, looking extremely livid, as the boy reached up, wincing, to touch his face.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" she suddenly screamed at him. He stepped back in surprise, but that only caused Alasea to step forward, anger evident in her every movement. "Just what the hell made you think you could pull such a stupid stunt like that!?"

R.D. could only look surprised at the girl's outburst, and said not a word while the side of his face stung with pain. He couldn't anyway, as the girl continued with her yelling, leaving him no room to fight back.

"Don't you know just how much danger you put yourself in!?" she shrieked at him. "You're hurt, badly! You knew that--you're bleeding all over the place, you're burned, and don't think I can't see how you're favoring that arm of yours! Don't you know what could've happened to you!?"

R.D.'s mouth tightened into a frown, and he opened his mouth to argue back, but then he noticed the tears that were beginning to form in the corners of the girl's eyes.

"You're too damn reckless, R.D.!" she cried, her voice now much more reasonable in volume. "You're worse than Matt! I can tell you're overloading yourself, R.D., and its killing you! I know Malvettix means we have to use desperate moves, but getting yourself killed like that won't help us!"

Edited by RisingDragon on April 27, 2010 at 0:42:21.

Well. This was awkward. Alasea had a point, of course. But this wasn't the time to be talking about it.

Hugo didn't seem to agree. "She's right," he said. "If you keep this up, it'll be suicide. Cut it out."

"I didn't have a choice, Alasea," R.D. finally said, removing his hand from his face, and wincing at the movement--the feedback from the overloaded Sunburst was like acid flowing through the veins of his arm. "If we didn't go all out against Malvettix, we'd have been dead."

That didn't go over well with the girl. "Are you stupid!?" she yelled at him. "Because we're all weaker than before, we need to work as a team! We have to work together to beat him and finally kill him so he'll leave us alone! But no, you just HAD to go off on your own and try to overload Lumiya! Did you think of what would've happened if you really did overload that damn weapon!?"

R.D. flinched as memory came back unbidden. Screams of monsters creating a cacophony, fires raging about from where Matt's devastating Falcon Punch had torn the canyon floor asunder. The unbearable heat and cold as he forcibly unlocked the Fourth Cipher. That terrible light that scoured the region clean of all life.

"If you had screwed up on your attack, we all would've died," Alasea said, quieter than before. "And even if we didn't... I know you mean well, but what would've happened if we had lost you, R.D.? I couldn't..."

She bit back her words, holding back a sob that was threatening to escape her. She looked away before turning, stepping away before she could say anything else. He reached out to try and stop her, but she moved too quick, going back to Helena. Dejectedly, he let his hand fall as he mentally kicked himself.

Because we're all weaker than before, we need to work as a team!

"Wait." Wait wait wait. "R.D.," Matt said. "Did you notice something different about that fight?"

"Different how?" R.D. asked, looking up from the ground.