The courtyard reverberated with a stunned silence as dust settled from the chaotic clash. The remaining prison guards, Sand Devils and Pyro Warriors stared, mouths agape, at the scene before them. Their Warden, the formidable Poahf, knelt humbled and exposed in tattered undergarments, her once-pristine armour now scattered like broken toys. A single crimson bead trickled down her leg from where the old man had severed her finger.

Facing her, emanating an almost ethereal aura of swirling wind and amber glyphs, stood Sorah, holding his Aether Sabre aloft with the casualness of a farmer leaning on a hoe. The remnants of the Okami pack lay strewn about like discarded scrap metal.

"Remarkable..." a smooth voice broke the silence.

Two figures, tall and slender, materialized beside Poahf. They were the Imperial Guards who had accompanied Duke Theodore from the Capital. Their eyes reflected the carnage around them.

"We are Yamul and Hamal of the Burnarlous clan," the first guard introduced himself and his companion with a slight bow.

"Loyal protectors of Duke Theodore and upholders of the Dune Empire's laws," the second guard added, his tone laced with a steely edge.

They turned their attention to Sorah and Yamul and said calmly, "We suggest you cease this futile resistance and surrender old man. We will only ask once."

A tense silence descended upon the courtyard as all eyes turned to Sorah. The air crackled with anticipation as the onlookers waited for his response. Even Daichi, who stood a safe distance away, held his breath. He had witnessed his master's power, his incredible skill and resilience, but these newcomers... they exuded an aura of danger that sent shivers down his spine and back up to his brain!

Sorah paused for a moment, sweeping his gaze across the assembled guards, the Sand Devils, the Pyro Warriors, and the huddled group of Aerithran prisoners and villagers. He saw the fear in their eyes, the despair, the flicker of hope that had been ignited by his defiance.

'Surrender?' he thought bitterly. 'After all I've endured, after all I've fought for, they expect me to simply give up? To hand myself over to these tyrants?'

He could feel the Sage Curse's burning intensifying, a reminder of the power that coursed through his veins, the power that could level this prison and obliterate everyone within its walls. But he also felt the weight of responsibility, the knowledge that countless lives depended on his actions.

With a resolute expression, Sorah flicked his wrist, and one deactivated Aether Sabre nearby levitated from the ground and flew into his rough grasp. He channelled his ZenFlow Kana into the weapon, and it pulsed with a vibrant amber glow. Now he wielded two Aether Sabres.

"I will not surrender," he declared, resonating with the power of a thousand winds. "Not while my students remain imprisoned. Not while the Terravolt Kingdom continues its oppressive regime."

The Imperial Guards, Yamul and Hamal, exchanged a knowing glance. Their initial amusement faded, replaced by a look of grim resolve.

"So be it," Yamul said, clenching his fist.

"You have chosen your fate, old man," Hamal added emotionlessly.

Boom!

With a synchronized shout of "Combustion!" both guards unleashed a torrent of Aether Steam from their bodies. The emerald-white energy swirled around them, twisting and condensing into swirling vortexes that drew in dust and debris. Their forms began to shift and merged as they were imbued with the raw power of their TerraFlow Kana.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The air crackled with energy as the vortexes expanded and solidified. Moments later, two monstrous figures emerged, towering over the courtyard with their imposing presence. They were Titan Avatars, colossal beasts that embodied the very essence of earth and metal.

The onlookers gasped in awe and terror as they beheld the creatures' forms. They resembled humanoid alligators, sculpted from steaming rocks and metal plates. Jagged spines protruded from their backs, and their tails lashed the air with a thunderous crack. Their eyes, burning with an emerald-white fire, reflected the cold, calculating nature of their summoners.

"Twin Rock Gator Titan Avatars!" one of the Sand Devils exclaimed as he trembled with fear. "I've never seen anything like them!"

Warden Poahf, momentarily forgetting her state of undress, scurried backwards on her hands and knees, seeking shelter behind a pile of rubble. She cursed under her breath, wallowing in her wounded pride as she witnessed the arrival of Duke Theodore's elite guards and their formidable Titan Avatars.

"Damn those Imperial goons," she muttered. "Stealing my thunder and saving my exposed ass."

…

Sorah stood his ground with his dual Aether Sabres held firmly in his grasp. His weathered face was impassive, but beads of sweat trickled down his forehead. Was it the fear that gnawed at his insides, or the intense heat radiating from his opponents? He couldn't tell.

He scanned the Titan Avatars with a critical eye, searching for any weaknesses he could exploit. Their rocky hides seemed impenetrable, and their metallic claws and teeth promised to rend flesh and bone with ease. Unlike Poahf's Okami pack, which were merely constructs of condensed Aether Steam, these were true Titan Avatars, beings of immense power and elemental mastery.

'This is going to be a tough fight,' Sorah thought while wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. He could feel the tremors of exhaustion coursing through his body, the aftereffects of his battle with Poahf and the relentless burning of the Sage Curse. He doubted he could defeat these Titan Avatars, not in his current state.

But he had to try. He had to create a diversion, a chance for the others to escape. He had to buy them time, even if it cost him his life.

As he stood there, lost in the throes of battle preparation, a flicker of a smile crossed his lips. Just now, he sensed a familiar presence approaching from miles away, a surge of energy that resonated with his own.

'It's about damn time,' he thought as his grip started tightening on the Aether Sabres with renewed conviction.

“Hmmm?”

Hamal and Yamul, noticing Sorah's sudden change in demeanour, exchanged a puzzled glance. Had the old man gone mad with fear? Was he smiling in the face of his own demise?

Whiff!

Sorah took a deep breath and filled his lungs with the stale air of the prison courtyard. He closed his eyes for a moment, centring himself, focusing his intent. He visualized the swirling patterns of the Zephyrswept Waltz, the dance that had awakened his connection to the air affinity and granted him access to Aether Steam.

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Dash!

He sped up and darted through the dust and rubble, charging forward. The Titan Avatars were taken aback by his abrupt aggression and screamed in defiance.

"Don't get cocky, old man!" Yamul bellowed while swinging his massive arm with the force of a battering ram.

"You're no match for our power!" Hamal added, flashing his metallic claws dangerously as he lunged towards Sorah.

‘Here they come…’

Whoosh!

Sorah ducked under Yamul's strike, he felt the wind from the blow ruffled his hair. He then leaped over Hamal's outstretched claws and twisted his body mid-air as he brought both Aether Sabres down in a synchronized cutting execution.

Swish! Swish!

The blades sliced through hard surface and severed Hamal's arm cleanly at the shoulder. The severed limb then clattered to the ground, spewing sparks and steam.

"Gah!" Hamal roared in pain, clutching his wounded shoulder.

But before Sorah could press his advantage, the severed arm twitched and began to glow with an intense emerald light. Aether Steam poured from the wound, swirling and condensing as the limb regenerated at an alarming rate.

"What the..." Sorah gasped in astonishment.

The regenerated arm lashed out, striking Sorah across the chest and sending him flying backwards. He tumbled through the air, crashing into a pile of rubble on the opposite side of the courtyard.

"Foolish old man," Yamul chuckled. "Did you really think you could defeat us so easily? We weren’t given the title of elite imperial guards for nothing."

“Gah…” Sorah groaned as he pulled himself from the rubble. His body ached, and his vision blurred. He had underestimated the regenerative capabilities of these Titan Avatars.

“Huh?” Looking ahead where he was blasted from, he saw that one of his opponents were missing. He glanced around, searching for Hamal, but the Titan was nowhere to be seen.

'Where did he go?' Sorah wondered with concern.

Suddenly, he felt a surge of heat behind him. He turned just in time to see Hamal’s huge leg charging towards him with blazing fury.

"Hah!" Sorah braced himself for the impact.

Boom!

Hamal's foot connected with Sorah's side, sending him flying high into the air. As he soared through the sky, he caught a glimpse of Yamul, who was now standing opposite Hamal with his tail lashing back and forth like a whip.

Yamul roared, "Take this!"

Whoosh!

Yamul's tail whipped through the airspace, striking Sorah and sending him even higher into the night sky. He was a helpless target, suspended in mid-air with nowhere to go.

"We’re not finish yet, old man. Take this! Kana Bomb!" both Titan Avatars roared in unison.

Two spheres of concentrated Aether Steam, glowing with an intense emerald light, shot upwards towards Sorah. He watched in horror as the projectiles converged, merging into a single, massive Kana Beast Bomb that threatened to obliterate him.

'This is it,' he thought, closing his eyes and bracing himself for the inevitable.

But then, a surge of defiance coursed through him. He would not give up. He would not let these tyrants win.

With a burst of willpower, Sorah kicked the air, propelling himself towards the oncoming Kana Beast Bomb. His Aether Sabres ignited with a blinding amber light that hummed with power.

"HAAAAH!" he roared like a wild animal, channelling every ounce of his strength and willpower into a single, devastating strike.

Slash!

The blades sliced through the Kana Beast Bomb, cleaving it cleanly in two. The explosive force, split in half, detonated harmlessly behind Sorah, creating a shockwave that propelled him downward with greater force.

Boom!

On contact, the force of the explosion ripped a gaping hole in the steel dome that enclosed the prison.

Riding the wave of the blast, Sorah began his descent towards the courtyard below. He twisted and turned in the air as he prepared to land.

"You... you destroyed the dome?" Poahf stammered. She was utterly bewildered at how Sorah survived that massive Kana Beast Bomb and deflected it to bore a hole in the peak of her iron prison.

"He cut it?”

“How is that even possible?"

Yamul and Hamal, momentarily stunned by the unexpected turn of events, glanced at each other with a silent understanding. They had to stop Sorah before he escaped. They had to reclaim their honour and prove their worth to Duke Theodore.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

They started weaving rapid hand signs like a ninja as they create some distance between each other. With a synchronized shout, they both slammed their palms onto the ground, unleashing a torrent of TerraFlow Kana that ripped through the courtyard. A massive cloud of sand and dust erupted, obscuring everything in a thick haze.

“Take cover!”

The onlookers screamed and covered their faces as the sandstorm swept over them. They were blinded and disoriented, unable to see what was happening.

Rumble!

From the depths of the swirling sand, a colossal blade of shining metal emerged, rising from the ground like a monstrous spire. It was a sword, forged from the very essence of the earth, its edges honed to a razor-sharpness.

Swoosh!

The sword shot upwards towards Sorah with incredible speed, aimed directly at his midsection.

"No!" Daichi released a terrifying scream upon seeing this.

Sorah who was still in the air and with his vision obscured by the swirling sand, raised his Aether Sabres in a desperate attempt to block the incoming attack.

Clang! Clang!

Upon collision, the blades broke into bits that dispersed like sparks in the wind. Usually, Aether Sabres are as strong as the will and Kana Flow of their wielders, earning them the title of exceptional weapons, but it appeared Sorah’s resolve was weakening, as evidence of his shattered blades.

When Sorah realised his defence was pointless, he gasped in dismay. He was helpless, a sitting duck ready to be put to death.

'This is finally it.' Sorah braced himself for the final blow.

But it never came.

Bonk!

The gigantic sword that was inches from piercing his flesh, collided with an invisible barrier that shimmered faintly in the dim light. The metal groaned and buckled, unable to penetrate the unseen force.

"Boqumu #25 – Glassism!" a familiar voice rasped in his ear.

“Huh!” Sorah's eyes snapped open as he recognized the source of the voice. Hovering beside him, shrouded in a swirling mist of Aether Steam and clutching his beloved Vayrukumer - Dawn Sky Crusher, was the venerable Rice Guru!

“You… your-”

"Did you like my grand entrance Master Sorah?" the Rice Guru chuckled, his straw hat tilted at a jaunty angle.

"What took you so damn long, old fool?" Sorah retorted, relief washing over him as he eyed Rice Guru. They landed gracefully on small sand mound.

"Well," the Rice Guru began, scratching his chin thoughtfully, "To be honest, I wasn't entirely sure if I should interfere. I mean, you did allow yourself to be captured back at that settlement, am I right? And I wasn't privy to your... grand plan. Besides, there was that pesky dome of steel that was erected."

"Dome of steel?" Sorah frowned, sensing shaded lies.

"Yes, that massive wall of metal that enclosed the prison," the Rice Guru explained. "It appeared right after that explosion you caused. Quite impressive, by the way. But it made it rather difficult for me and Breeze Plume to... enter the premises discreetly."

He gestured towards the gaping hole in the dome that Sorah had created with the Kana Beast Bomb explosion. "Thankfully, your little fireworks display provided a rather convenient entrance."

Sorah sighed, shaking his head in amusement. "You could have at least tried to contact me, to let me know you were coming."

"Contact you?" the Rice Guru scoffed. "And risk disrupting your... concentration? I wouldn't dare interfere with a master strategist at work."

He winked and added, "Besides, I knew you could handle yourself. You're Aoi Kyoshin's son, after all."

Sorah rolled his eyes, but a faint smile played on his lips. He couldn't stay mad at the old sage, not after he had saved his life.

…

Yamul and Hamal observed the exchange between Sorah and the Rice Guru with a mixture of annoyance and curiosity. Who was this strange, scarecrow-like entity, and how had he managed to deflect their combined attack so easily?

The other onlookers - the guards, the Sand Devils, the Pyro Warriors, and the assembled prisoners - shared their confusion.

“That thing…”

“Is that a person?”

“I’ve never seen anyone who looks like that. It resembles a cluster of dried grass and leaves.”

“And it is wearing a straw hat.”

“Is it a friend or foe?”

Warden Poahf, now wearing a hastily donned jacket to conceal her exposed form, stared at the Rice Guru with suspicion and intrigue. Who was this enigmatic figure, and what role did he play in this unfolding drama?

“Tsk!”

Yamul, feeling ignored, stomped his gigantic foot on the ground, creating a tremor that shook the courtyard. "Enough of this," his voice boomed like thunder. "Prepare to face the consequences of your actions, old man!"

Just then, the Rice Guru handed Sorah the Dawn Sky Crusher. "Here, take this," he said with a mischievous grin. "I believe you'll be needing it more than I do."

“Indeed.” Sorah grasped his staff, feeling a familiar surge of power coursing through his body as the Sage Curse's energy resonated with the ancient wood and the embedded Aether Crystal.

He was ready to face these two formidable Titan Avatars, to protect his students and to bring justice to those who had wronged him and his people.