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Back then... when Masaki was very young, he was forced to be perfect--everything he did was to please his parents. At the age of eight, Masaki experienced his first high score in archery--he was skilled and talented. He thought he can impress his parents, but no--they're getting hard at him, pressing him into pressure as he tried his best to keep his achievements into peak.

Not satisfied yet, it hurts him so badly... he was forced to keep fighting himself until he became more tough and independent. He doesn't have much friends, he was an average but intelligent student--even though he aced it well in his studies. Nonetheless, he always hide the pain behind his indifferent expressions... every moments of his life, he never did feel... happy or satisfied and yet, he hid his feelings. He decided to become a Phantom Raider in Garuda University of Yogyakarta, because... he was a failure in his parent's eye; they disapprove of him joining the university just to fight Phantom Beasts--but he keep ignoring their words because he wanted to become someone.

He just want his parents to acknowledge him and cared for him. Then, he met him--a boy by the age of sixteen who he met when he had a field trip to Jakarta. Akito Kujou, no matter how many times did he tease him; he still cares for his friends and sometimes, he make so much stupid things until it makes Masaki and the others worried about him. That, always... always filled his heart. Until, they had to go... for now.

He encountered his friends like Sanju, Haruna, Raiden, Damian, Kanae, Izana and Kirana--they are his friends from both Indonesia and Japan before he meet Juha, Akito and now the rest. He was sitting alone while reading his book with one hand, his other hand was resting on his cheek until he saw the class monitor. "Are you a new student?"

It was Sanju, the first Indonesian student who talk to him--his smile made his cold expression melted, he knew... if this man...

Sanju didn't know why he went with the group, the moment he befriended him--he felt alive once more. Sharing his pain, his emotion, his everything is truly healing him and yet... he also encountered Raiden. Despite his compatriot's energetic and love for pranks, he always took him on a game night whenever he feels down... always with an energy drink. Haruna also, he kept telling him to smile whenever he's depressed, he acted like a big brother to him and even telling him...

"Don't give up... Masaki."

He turn around to see Sanju standing there with his back facing him, although he can't touch him physically--they can face each other because of their resonance in their Cores. "Sanju, you're..." Masaki muttered, seeing him tucking his hands inside his pockets. The archer hesitated through his emotionless expression, before he confessed. "Why... I'm just a student who's good at academics and literature, especially archery... why did you befriend with someone like me?" he asked, the Indonesian fell silent before he turned his gaze at his classmate-friend and smiled. "You may think... you're not that excellent, but... the fact is you don't want to stand back or be alone, aren't you? That's why you still hang out with us even though you were cold and depressed," he said with his sad expression.

"When we leave... Raiden and the rest took you somewhere else so you can pursue your journey, while me? I always make sure that you're not uncomfortable, no matter where we went. Just please, Masaki... never stop smiling," he added with a smile plastered on his face, the usual kind-hearted smile that his friends adored the most. "Remember when you performed the archery in college? We were supporting you in the audience--whether we're around or not. Listen, don't expect your parents will be satisfied for your deeds, it was their first time to see their son perform an art he loves to do... especially to please them, right?" he guess.

Masaki averted his gaze, remembering those memories. The moment his father scolded him for creating perfect, flawless perfects until he was unable to goof around or enjoy--unlike his classmates or friends do. He studied extra hard, but despite that, his emotion was colder than before. "Our late mentor, Miss Siska convinced your parents to let you be a Phantom Raider. But there's something in her mind, while your life is your choice as a kid," Sanju continued. "No matter how hard they are, what matters now is... being able to forgive them no matter what will it cost and continuing your journey without regrets. Even they won't accept your true self and nature, just be the one you are in spirit," he offered his hand to him, taking a step closer towards him.

"What is the most precious to you, Masaki...? Don't let their regrets swallow your own..."

Before Masaki knew it, a tear fall on his cheek.

"I came here, because Miss Siska's no longer able to go back... I didn't know how and where did she go but..."

Sanju hushed, putting his hand over his shoulder and leaning at the bridge and gazing upon the night starry skies, filled with stars. The auburn haired man hugged him immediately with an emotional expression as he cried in his chest, his composure finally became loose and the pain of his heart finally found a release.

The silence was filled by his sniffling as he sobbed, his tears finally fall down like rainfall as his class monitor look down at him with a smile. "Unleash your potential, Masaki... come what may, your heart's our strength. No one can break us apart, as long we have faith on each other and this will forever resonate as one," he muttered, letting Masaki grieving the pain he felt and all was heard...

Masaki released him, wiping the tears from his eyes--before he look up with determined gaze. His cold and emotionless gaze replaced with pure determination as he whispered.

"I will... not give up here."

Back to the stage, Leon was anticipating the despair and lowest point that Masaki will facing on--until his eyes widened when Masaki suddenly transforming into his Harvest Raksha form.

The gambler stood there with somewhat satisfied but unimpressed expression, this man have resurfaced his potential as the Harvest Raksha as he took his gun out. "Time for the real fun, yes?" Leon spoke out with serious expression and tone on his words, it seems that he needed to test the level of his potential. He froze when thousands of arrows went past him and hit the thousand boards as many of them flew into other direction as it made him almost got stabbed by the arrows.

And now, their surroundings became a war zone--like what he did with his former friend, Eliezer, when the casino became a warzone of zombies and gamblers. "Leon, you ready?" Masaki asked, as he quickly ran towards his direction without looking up. Leon cussed a few times when his opponents were targeting him as he dodged them by ducking or moving around fast, before he leaped up from the ground to the gambling table itself. "No, no, this can't be!" he spoke as a few dice pieces exploded as he jumped from table to another--like playing hopscotch as he gained his point and many got shattered by the arrows.

His blood boiled, Masaki didn't missed the opportunity as he ran up to the platform with the games inside, he saw the burning skull dice when he jumped off from the railing after taking some of the coins he collected by hitting some numbers. Leon was wide-eyed--those can't be it, unless...

"Guess you're the prey instead," he stated, before he threw the burning dice into his way. By reflex, Leon rolled down on the floor as it exploded--damn it, this Harvest Raksha knew he's going to do the same thing! He chuckled, before he stood up and taunted. "Well now, you have reached the final stage. BUT you have something hidden in you... until you let loose of your feelings? I sense my friend was there, I know you--how precious of a life..." he sneered, making him furrowing his brows in annoyance. "Stop talking riddles, you rancid gambler. I have to finish you before he wakes up," he stated, before he took some of the arrows and shot them into a pattern.

"3... 6... and a perfect 10... because I want your number to be done, forever."

Before he shoots it, he released the arrows and the whole place turned into a battlefield with luck-based attacks came up. The peak of insanity that Leon has reaching its breaking point, the crowds went silent--before the latter transformed into his 'true' form.

"For I, the Arbiter of the Old World, The Divine Trickster; Leonhardt Tobing shall seal his fate."

Leon's attire turned into a full-on poker card design vest with a top hat and his sleeves didn't buttoned, two blades instead attached into his gloved hands--he have a large built and somewhat tall height that exceeds a height of an elephant with blue markings on his black tiger striped arm and upper body with his piercing green eyes. He gained large dark yellow jacket with three layers of spades, clover, and diamond he's wearing. His sharp grin and fangs wasn't fading as the battle began--he wanted to gamble on this now, or never. "If you can shoot me directly and defeat me, you can be free."

Masaki huffed at Leon, before he flip him off by giving a middle finger--seriously? This dude's not joking at all! He spun his bow confidently and elegantly like a martial artist and a fencer, Leon was taking out his blades, grinning menacingly at the archer with hungry expression as if he's an animal targeting his prey as his hair flew--wait, it moved in fast wind as if trying to taunt him... but the latter ignored his taunting.

'Place your bets...' he thought, before he manifested five arrows and he threw it without his eyes gazing at Leon--as he spin-kicked the five dice in the air. Of course, Masaki always follow the rules--but this time... he choose to cheat because this man made him wanted to. As a result, the dice faded as Leon chuckled. "You play by your own rules, young man. Perhaps that's the old you will have to see if you had gone too far," he whispered, before he grinned as he blocked the attacks with his blade and they went back and forth--attacking each other.

Masaki took a deep breath, now he can summon any number of arrows by his own will; with the power of the wind, and the wind is calling for him. He let his opponents unleashed his bladed claws and made him swung in diagonal, hitting the bow that Masaki wield--before Masaki put his finger at the button of his bow and suddenly, a light was unleashed with a wave of glowing golden aura before it hit Leon directly--pinning him down at the walls and they were falling across the edge of a gaping hole.

"Thousand Arrows of Autumnal Equinox, Dawn until Sunrise, Arise!"

Masaki yelled as he aimed thousand arrows towards the sky, but the gambler grinned confidently. "You shall not pass, I shall cease them all!" he used the strength of his aura and speed when he grabbed a blade and blocked most of them, countering them back on Masaki when they almost hits him. But, the arrows were so many as it turned into a cluster with the same face-same energy that slowly falling over him as he let out the powerful blast of energy, slamming it across him as he crashed into the ground before the remaining arrows hitting the tables.

As the Phantom Beasts suddenly emerged from the crowds, without Leon's knowledge--Masaki formed several arrows and now exceeded into a thousands, he formed different arrows with many weapon forms; whether it was a spear, chakram, sword, mace and all. The harvester spun and blocked the claws of the beasts when they're coming for him, slashing them hard. He saw that Leon was charging against him, so he avoided his attack--Masaki flinched a little when he felt several cuts on his bodies. But, despite how deep it is--he still focusing on his duty to stop Leon from winning his own game--or else, the gamble itself was made of tragedy or a chaos to whoever gambles here... including him.

In split seconds, Masaki swinged the arrows, managing to make his arrows blocked them as he leaped on him--sending the gambler down with one kick on his body, to have him pinned down with arrows--he stopped himself. Masaki just managed to surprise him by summoning two arrows from his back and making a hit. With every arrows surrounding him--he have to shot the final strike down and he spoke softly, with a cold smile.

"Heh... nice try."

And before Leon can stand up, Masaki unleashed the strongest wind blast by hitting the arrows down as it almost crushed him from the strong impact as the domain began to collapse--he need to end this or he will never come out from the sea of dreams--or so he guessed, because those dreams are some kind of maze instead. The arrows also, melted into what he can say, the ice arrows...

"I hate gambling..."

Masaki reverted back into his human form, his eyes narrowed when he sensed one blade passed him--almost hitting his cheek but didn't bleed. SERIOUSLY? This Arbiter still able to withhold through this phase?! He watched him standing there without any wounds, it seems like he hasn't unleashed his ultimate power... yet. "Masaki, you have won this game of chance... BUT, this isn't the finale," he grinned.

He throw the dice once more, but Masaki simply crushed the dice with his foot--he comically stomping on it several times that Leon gasped--reverting back into his human form. "HEY HEY! I WAS JUST KIDDING, LET GO THE DICE ALREADY!" he yelled, Masaki just picked the dice as his face reddened for being dumbfounded. "Then stop the shits or I'll take those shits--you play with dice, I play with the god damn dice, seriously..." he cussed as he approached Leon, he was about to kick him on the face when the gambler chuckled, standing up. "You sure can be a feisty one, no wonder someone talked about you a lot," he said, turning around and seeing the allies has survived.

"Oh dear, I thought you didn't make it, Nadine, Marthen?"

Marthen was scowling on his deadpan expression, he was about to unleash his sands at him and Nadine was holding back from going to tie him up with her nature--even when he was talking about being good. "Masaki, how are you--" Haruna shrieked that he got punched by Masaki, before the archer growled. "All of you were taking so long in your place, what's up with these dungeons anyway?" he cussed, before Leon raised his hand. "I was going to leave, anyways. I was just an intern in Scarlet Armband Army after all," he explained. "And the key, by the way... I was here to give you the message. No worries, find me at Yogyakarta."

"WAIT YOU SCAMMER!"

Izana yelled, holding his left leg with her arms while Haruna also holding onto his right leg--making Leon yelled that he fell on the ground. "AND YOU TWO CALL ME WHAT? YOU ARE TRIPPING ME!" he yelled back, but as they continued arguing when Masaki's expression softened for a brief moment. "Do you want to be part of our alliance, Leon?" Masaki asked, Leon was silent on that question--he never had friends before; well true friends because he had many acquaintances during his journey, before he reached his teenage years and becoming an Arbiter in the Old World; he lived longer than these youths.

Was this a trick again? But somehow, he noticed the words were being genuine and he was given so much opportunities to begin with--until he gave a shy 'yes'. They let go and he let out a sigh, before he reached the inside of his fancy black hat with a ribbon at the front to reveal a ruby gem at the center. "To be honest, I don't know why did they told me to hold this--before I entered to this building and got confused... turns out it was the key all along."

So, that's the key they were trying to find. "Alright, let's get out of here."

"Wait, how about Damien?"

They almost forgot that he's still, so they had to look for him--seriously how come they have almost forgotten about him?!

Meanwhile...

Damian has arrived in a certain domain, he was in his Empyrea Raksha form while still alert of his surroundings--he need to find his target with the codename 'Kagerou'.

He was eyeing the view of the domain, it was nothing but nightly and dark--scattered with debris. "Huh, guess they're not done remodeling," he whispered, before he sensed that someone is approaching him--he jumped out from the platform, and lands gracefully after making his opponent appeared.

"Huh, an intruder in my territory... and of course, being a cockroach," spoke the other, before Damian looked up to see the real person he's looking for; Kagerou. A tall and lanky figure, his red-colored eyes with black messy and slightly curly hair with pale skin--he wears a white fox mask on his face and piercings on his ears. He wears a black choker wrapped around his neck along with the black robes with torn pieces, even the cloak he wore behind him had several rips with the crimson and purple pattern with the same color on the inside of his arm. His pants tucked on the black high heel leather ankle-boots and he always carried a Japanese lantern in his hand and smoke coming out from that lantern.

He's the spirit of death and infestation, all kind of insect--from dust, smog, ashes and smoke. He came from the Old World and served under Maha, an anomaly to the Arbiters and the reason why the Old World's destruction happens--by awakening the infamous 'Final Raksha' or 'Raksha of All Time'. Damian narrowed his eyes, before he huffed. "Never think of me as an insect--even though I was."

"Very well, prepare to meet your demise."

His opponent let out the smokes and ashes, managing to immobilize him but he didn't fall as he was standing, Damian using his light element to dispels the smoke as his movement was still in light speed, he formed a huge sword and managed to hit the lantern--but that 'thing' that came out is no one else than the bug itself. "How many people did you killed in Old World, huh?" he asked, Kagerou let out a sneer. "Too many that your mind will crumble, little one."

Damian may not be proficient in battling against an Arbiter with light manipulation, he have to play safe for now.

"Light it up... all at once!"

Damian spun his weapon, as he immediately burst in speed to attack his opponent while dodging most of them and slashed hard, leaving slash marks across the invisible barrier. When his opponent take some distance, Kagerou put the cigarette pipe-like in his mouth and let out a powerful, wide force when the flames were coming into his direction, Damian almost taken aback when it hit him, until his spear reacted--reflecting the attack as it hit him.

Kagerou laughed coldly and that was the only thing Damian hated the most; he let out the flares all around him as he moved past on him, then he let out the wave of light with his weapon swung around him and managed to defeat him. "Do you know Eleven Flame-Emanators? They are my enemies, they are the reason my plan to ruin the New World now!" he snapped, before Damian hummed--he have heard of them before but... he didn't know that there's seven of them. "They are group of Arbiters who are the remaining survivors in the Old World, after the tragedy I made that caused some Arbiters' death. Such a shame, one of them really took a toll of my strength easily--all I wanted is to revive my older brother and sister... they keep interfering my plans. Now this, I don't want this to fail."

No, Damian doesn't have time with sad backstory and shit--he's not a type of person who is soft to trust someone that easily. He huffed, before he retorted. "Listen here, just because you want you want to finish what you cannot fulfill, doesn't mean I'm a softy who will pity on you. Yeah, sorry bud--your act was absolutely cringy if you asked me, no wonder you lack of friends in the past. Why don't you touch some grass and now, Kagerou... oh man, you sound like a pussy and a coward."

"Excuse me?!"

"You're excused."

Damian taunted, much to Kagerou's anger--for that, he'll give him an inhumane death. He ran towards his direction and leapt up on the higher ground--Kagerou was ready to lure him into his false trap, but Damian managed to cut the smoke--blocking him when he pointed his weapon to him. "What do you know about me?" he asked, angrily as he aimed his gun towards him. Damian merely rolled his eyes, before he just huffed and replied with a simple answer. "Nah, I just guessed," he answered briefly.

Kagerou growled as he unleashed a darkness wave towards Damian, making him dodge away from the danger of being swallowed by it as his reflex to run in the speed of light, before he summoned an arrow-shaped pillar of light around him as it hit him--flying across the sky as Damian approached him. By letting his finger on the trigger, Damian shot him continuously when his opponent almost caught off guard by him, Kagerou retaliated by grabbing the smoke and transforming it into a sphere of energy to slam Damian on the other side of the stage, leaving him wounded severely.

However, Damian look up with a somewhat ferocious gaze; his wounds were recovering like an insect's regeneration rate--he managed to regain his strength and even healed him instantly. "Whatever the means, you shall taste my frustration," Damian spat, his eyes became filled with the orange-greenish shades as his weapon released a series of flare coming from the ground. When he strikes it further, Kagerou gritted his teeth, he already got half of his power drained through his attack...

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He thought he can harm his target but instead; it was him who was defeated.

And for that, it angered him further.

If the flames and the blade can't defeat him, he will use his next gambit of magic as he conjured something out from the broken lantern, he put his cigarettes and the cigar began to light up--he threw it on the ground as it slowly burns the grass. Damian watched in confusion, what is he planning now?! He readied his defense, forming the barrier to repel the attack but it had backfired; it was a lie so he can escape with his teleportation.

But... oh boy...

An explosion shook his senses when it caused the barrier was destroyed, he put his two fingers on his own nose in annoyance; before he sighed. "You know... when you're trying to teleport somewhere, don't blow out your lights because if you kept on destroying the place like that; it gonna cause an earthquake. It'll get cracked, tainted and yeah, burned alive. For me it's fine," Damian explained, before his features soften as he remember he have the fire attribute on his core. The arena was burned--but not leaving any damage on his Empyrea Raksha form.

Kagerou was shook, how did he recover his power so fast... no, he must be... Damian coughed to get his attention, before he taunted him once again. "Oh come on, stop thinking in despair and die, dude! If I leave you alive after you've been beaten; the aftermath's gonna turn so damn bad. You'll run and hide and we'll hunt you anyway to the next location--just because your clan are evil just like your predecessors. Do you want me to kill you so you can reunite with your so-called brother and sister or what?"

"No... NO! NOT NOW, I STILL--"

Damian slammed his polearm with chain into the ground, creating a massive burst of lights--the rays which it looks like a pillars and beams made from pure-white lights which sending rays across the ground and burnt the area in a few moments--catching Kagerou by surprise, it was the blinding light that it can't escape from his eye contact. It reminds Kagerou of them, but why...?! When they can't be stopped, why did he, and why now!?

He haven't achieve the final target he need to reach!

"Go to hell."

A swing of arrows comes like a swarm of lights, causing him to felt the wrath of the light itself--with the lights burning his skin when he was crying out loud. DAMN HIM, DAMN IT! He have to let this man die, but... he was doomed.

Damian watched Kagerou kneeled down on the ground, his physical body slowly dissolves that the light is too much for him to bear. He saw him coughed up blood from his mouth as he wheezed, and then he whispered one last thing. "Ah... that pain..." he muttered, which Damian noticed the tears in his eyes fell. "No... no, please. Don't hate us, not like that." he whimpered as he struggled to get his stand up.

Those words is... and it didn't feel right to him.

"That was what I told before... before my home burned away. For one, why would you kept doing that to us, and taking a joy of this game when you can't beat me. Let me give you a fair warning, you're not the same--I don't... I'm scared. Please... for the love of god, why can't you talk about it. Brother, sister... forgive me." he weeped.

Damian remembered his darkest past, when he had to see the Phantom Eruption that costs him his own family's lives; he has seen it and one survivor was his mentor. Tears of a year's worth of grief were filling his eyes until they were trickling down when it touched his cheeks, he usually been tough and serious with his friends--not showing weakness... but why, why this came out from nowhere? He can't be like his late mentor who remain strong even through her hardest moments. He has to bring an honor towards her, and he wanted her to acknowledge his growth. Although she died in the most horrifying way by Maha, her legacy towards the students never forgotten.

Even among those Phantom Raiders... the first generation only can exist with the cores embedded in every students' chests. "Wh-Who are you...?" Kagerou asked as Damian kneeled and face him, before he introduced himself. "Damian Salim, a former student in Garuda University... and a Phantom Raider, even though I no longer one because I'm a Raksha myself," he wasn't afraid to admit his former identity. His soft, amber-colored eyes took a glance on Kagerou's body.

He can't recall anything, his powers were sealed as his left hand was starting to dissipate, Kagerou tried to hide his injuries to the best of his might. "You can never break the law of nature, that's what I learned. And besides, for one... cannot revive his other Arbiters, nor a kind who do not belong to him," he began to talk. Damian's speech were giving him chills and sent shivers on his spine, before he mentioned his words and the meaning of those words.

"If you wish to reunite with them, then you have to stop all of this, and move on in peace. I'm sure the dead want you to leave behind the tragedies you caused to the innocent and join them in spirit, and I hope the New World will get a better future with no dark deeds and treachery lies and such," Damian put his weapon away, giving him a small smile before he stood up.

With his final gaze on him, Damian let out a nod before he turned away and continued his journey--Kagerou was about to say something until something stopped him.

Damian stopped when he heard a noise behind him, he turn around and his eyes widened in shock--his opponent has been severely killed with blood all over his chest. What the fuck--WHO DID THAT?! He gasped when another blade swung towards him, Damian quickly raised his weapon to block it with one end when the other who had that weapon was a red-haired, blue eyes young man with a black and red messy hair. He was wearing a visor covering his eyes with a three bar design... wait, what? He was not a Phantom Raider, no, he must be...

'Elite Commander, huh?' he thought, Damian was about to attack him until he saw a familiar arrows stabbed on the man--a powerful strike of Haruna's fist as he appeared and punching the man hard while he caught him off-guard. "Hmph, took you long enough," said Damian, he was being serious but sarcastic at the same time. Masaki has appeared as he folded his arms, while the others are waiting for them and Haruna wiping off the sweat from his forehead. "OH COME ON, IF I DON'T GO TO THE SURPRISE ASSASSINATION THEN YOU CAN'T KILL HIM. Because you're the strongest, strongest that I knew," said Haruna with his classic tone and Masaki sighed in relief, before he realized on how his friend has escaped from this building.

"Hey, how did you...?"

"I fell through a hole, which my butt hurts like shit," he answered awkwardly. Masaki facepalmed, before he smacked him at the back of his head--making Haruna flinched and yelped that he need to learn the basic if you're stuck in strange places. Meanwhile, the group almost jump at Haruna if his boulders didn't block their way as he chuckled with tears on his eyes. "HOW DARE YOU LEFT US WITHOUT US KNOWING?!" Nadine yelled, while Izana refused to get involved but his thoughts were yelling 'I will hang you up', while Marthen was stoic as ever. Before the two men approached them--they explained how the key works...

They can't just lose Leon when he just gave them the key so easily as if it was a toy. Juha sighed, while he glanced at Damian who reverted back into his human form. "Look, we have to get the fuck out of here and Damian. Why are you here again? Was it..." he trailed off, Damian took a deep breath before he exhaled, before he answered it. "Hey, you have to let your instincts speak on what you want to do. Okay? But, no, that's not it--I was just looking for that guy, Kagerou..."

They stopped for a moment, while the others managed to meet with them as they began their journey to move away from this place, before Juha asked. "You mean the shadow dude? Oh right, you're defeating another Elite Commander, huh?" asked Juha as Damian chuckled, "I just attacked an ant from a bug's nest, really."

They stared at Damian for a moment, why he still kept his stoicism... but really, he was a good friend indeed. "Ugh, to be honest, Haruna really has to look up into the maps. He literally got lost without the 'u' twice," Izana explained as they laughed at Haruna; while the latter whined and tried to get the insults that Izana throws at him. They soon laugh along the way, sometimes, even Damian do the things what that makes them surprised a little by having him doing 'dorky' moments.

Leon heard a siren from the aircraft, making him clearing his throat. "Perhaps we should leave, the SAA soldiers are coming," he warned. Although Damian still retained his 'coolness' ever since the escape, he got pulled by Haruna and carried on his shoulder--making him yelled. "YOU ASSHOLE, PUT ME DOWN!"

"NO TIME TO LOSE, WE HAVE TO GO!"

On the other side, Maha was unamused after finding out some Elite Commanders were defeated, dead and also defected from them--which made the latter disappointed but not surprised. However, he was planning to dispose them after all--he just want to let them go after all. "Oh dear, it seems like they didn't make it, huh?" Orther spoke, smiling with his eyes closed. "Another one betrayed us, should we get rid of them?"

Maha doesn't give a shit, so he simply turn around and sighed. "You know what you're doing, Orther."

As they ran through the hallways, they encountered one of the Elite Commanders that Izana recognized along the boy named Jonathan--it was Rahayu; the older sister of their late-mentor Miss Siska. "Oh god, you almost scared us..." she said, Rahayu was worried of them genuinely--she wanted to repay her late-sister's legacy by helping her students from danger.

"Hurry, Jonathan has alerted me of the information. We have to get to safety from the SAA, just come with us," she offered her hand towards them, before her colleague Leon asked. "Rahayu, I thought you're patrolling on the nearby city..." he said, confused as Rahayu facepalmed. "You betrayed Maha for real?! Gosh, good thing you survived. I have the same reason with Jonathan, we were having a reunion with our students and..."

They paused when they encountered Orther, he was smiling with his eyes closed--deep down he was fueled with madness on his thoughts and he was unblinking while his smile remain unfaltered as he did nothing. "I was expecting to be one of us, Elites. Guess the betrayer wants to test my 'generosity', I got bad news for you--" he began as he walked towards them, his blade began to manifest. "Such a shame if I kill you, and to think all of you were always being so disrespectful."

Rahayu growled at him, before she heard him spoke. "Do you know that you're actually saving a boy who was already part of Maha's subjects? Do you know how gullible you are, Rahayu?" Orther spoke, it revealed that they actually saved a fucking spy on this base. "Shut your mouth!" Izana snapped back, clearly not aware of what did the traitor say is false.

"Would be a shame if I have to kill all of you for ruining my plans," he stated, seeing Jonathan suddenly losing control of his own body--before Orther smirked. "That's a Wind Raksha for you, dear friend."

What the--so the whole time the Elite Commanders doing in their mission was a soon-to-be subject of the Phantom Army. Without thinking straight, Damian instinctively pushed Izana who was too far away--as the door behind them opened to see the clouds beneath the aircraft. "All of you, just go!" Rahayu snapped, making Izana hesitated when she listens to her.

"He's not who he said he is, leave immediately before he cause more misfortune towards you!"

"How about you?! We can't just leave you two with him!"

"IF I HAVE TO PERISH TO SAVE YOU, THEN SO BE IT!"

Orther laughed maniacally when they were being shoved into the exit, leaving Rahayu who growled at him. "Out of the way... please..." Jonathan croaked weakly, his eyes are empty before he began to transform into a Raksha, with the glow of turquoise light within his eyes as it transformed, turning into a monster during their trial. "Come on, we have to go," Leon warned, Haruna want to insist because he can't let another people die here, before they forced him to leave when Izana began to drag him from this place.

Rahayu took a deep breath, before she nodded her head. "I will pass you the burden, take care of them... and help my fellow comrade."

Orther opened his eyes, before he simply watched her. "Even an Arbiter wants to be a martyr, do you really think that he wasn't spying on our research area in the past? No worries, I have evidence that he's not being associated with them--but I hope he doesn't rat me out to the New World," he said, walking towards the Wind Raksha before he simply moving his fingers--creating a cut on its chest. He saw the orb was pulled out and it's being crushed by his own hands as it explode to pieces, Rahayu gasped in horror as she tried to dodge his sword to cut off her head--leaving the others only as she's able to save them, by sacrificing her own life.

And with that, she can no longer breathe as a matter of fact.

"Please, Orther... before you kill me. I have a request..."

Rahayu begged, she was already plotting her revenge in against Maha--but she need to focus on Orther first because he's the only person who spared her life for being a traitor towards him for a long time. "I forgive the survivors from Garuda University, I know your partner-in-crime manipulating them ever since they're vulnerable before the death of my sister, so that you can erase the sins you have to do this on New World... please. I have some regrets on making Elites for Maha, I know Jonathan is a nice person... after everything that they sacrificed to survive. Don't treat them as another pawn, as my final words."

Orther paused for a moment, before he sighed and shook his head. "I can't, they all gone--no wonder that we are so gullible, and you still had the courage to call him a nice person. Besides--" he paused when she continues, while still hiding something from him to 'distract' him. "Listen for once, Orther. You need to know this, I know something... that Maha don't know that I told you."

It worked--he was interested to know such a topic, so he heard about it after she pulled him down with her and Rahayu whispered in his ear. His eyes narrowed, after finding out what Maha is doing and he wasn't surprised that he was being used as well. "Interesting," he said, Rahayu took a glance on Orther's expression--as her eyes dropped and give in--from the panic attack when she encounter him. "Forgive me..." she huffed, which she fainted.

When they unlock the keys, they have to jump off the aircraft and fell through the clouds in the sky--Izana informed Karuna that they will be escaping soon through her in-ear. "Do we have to jump?" Leon asked, panicked. "HERE WE GO!" As they yelled, they didn't notice that they were being chased--until Masaki almost noticed them and fell into the clouds and Izana had to let them escape so she need to finish the mission first.

Izana returned as she saw Rahayu fainted on the ground, while Orther standing there and turning around to face her--ignoring the Wind Raksha's corpse on the ground. "Izana, I have decided... to spare you. This girl here was dying, I guess you need to save her if you want to survive. Even though it's quite hard," he taunted, before Izana prepared her weapon and glared at him. "Now now, lower your weapon. I won't harm any of you, I changed my mind... because I realized I am sparing not all, but two people. That's the difference from Rahayu, so I appreciate if you make it with ease. Unless you want that I should bring other people to seal our bargain..."

Orther spoke with a smile with his eyes closed, turning around and holding her shoulder. "I will put the truth only to Rahayu's sake, not the others who were spying on the other side," he said, making her confused as she helped Rahayu to stand--putting her arm around her shoulders. "Follow me, your father Maha already left. I'm in charge of my own aircraft, and where we're going? Infirmary, of course."

Few hours later...

Rahayu was laying on the bed, still fainted from her condition and being heavily exhausted.

So, she was talking the truth. Orther let out a small chuckle, muttering some words to himself. "To think she's lying to cover up her mistakes, but because she has the gut to fight against the wrong..." he said, while Izana standing far away--watching him still. "You know the dark secret about my father, don't you, Orther?" she asked, Orther smiled politely. "She just reveal it to me, but I already aware of it... but the truth she revealed hurting me a lot. I can't believe he backstabbed me this bad," Orther grinned widely as he chuckled, before his voice trailed off.

Izana watched Rahayu hasn't awaken from her sleep. "Our conversation is going to be an interference, so if you mind...?" he asked as he raise his hands, before Izana simply nod. While Orther let out a shaky breath, before he turned to look at the window--and simply looking at the clouds under them. "Also, I have an unfortunate news to tell you about Rahayu. I'm aware that you have known her late younger sister, who was your mentor that time--it might hurt to say about the death of your dear people you know so long."

She frowned as Izana didn't care about him; she was more concerned about Rahayu.

"She may be unaware of it but now it turns to her death, she has a disease--based on how she explains it to me."

As soon as he finished his sentence, everything has fallen apart and a broken silence made her heart sank. Izana stood there petrified, she couldn't believe it--she prayed that it wasn't true, but from the way he speaks on how he describe it hurts--that's what he called a true fact. He continue to speak, not showing his face to her. "She has been suffering an Entropy Phase Disease, a disease that caused by the attack of the Vipralopa-class Phantom Beasts. In which, our power to revert back, it affected her a bit like someone have to hold back the power for few years. It's also called, 'the Unraveling', or 'the End' that her disease actually have a 2 phases."

"What happened to her?"

"Not sure, even though it been existing for thousands of years, they didn't found the cure... except the last phase. The first phase just slow down a person's brain that results in fatigue and extreme thirst, while the second stage slowly crippling the physical body down to its end, with the unknowing possibility of death."

Orther explained, sighing with a sad smile as he turned to look at the Water Raksha. "I can't kill sickly people, you know that... right? Or I will just get myself on jail by hurting them to the point they're weak that they cannot recover until they... perish," Orther closed his eyes, his voice wavered a little. "Rahayu's time is limited, it appears like she infected another Elite Commanders... Arslan already died because of his low immunity and the rest also dead by her. So, make her last moments happy--because I have to do something with this aircraft without anyone will come in. I promise not to touch her or hurt her, okay?"

For a moment, Izana took a look on his face, making her felt guilty to him as well. "Why are you so kind this time, I thought you're a cold and manipulative guy and never care of others' emotions," she said, which Orther didn't respond as he nodded with a smile on his face. "Right, but I just can't hurt her... I don't know why either. Anyways, I will come back to inform you that we'll be leaving this aircraft, seriously it's getting fucking contaminated because of her. Consider yourself lucky that you're a Water Raksha, for a strong immunity like me--now stay here and don't go before I say so."

After he said those words, Orther immediately take his leave as Izana was about to interjected--until he threw something on her direction before she caught it, staring at the thing with his eyes widened; it was a pair of two silver hair clips. Her iconic clips was missing for awhile, until she's realizing it's from the time in that base until now. Without saying anything further, she decided to sit down beside Rahayu and watched her.

Meanwhile, the time has running fast.

"Izana... do you know that I'm doing this, just to avenge my late-sister?" Rahayu asked, still laying on her bed as she remain awake when Izana was approaching her to check her. "Yes," she replied, in which Rahayu turned her head to Izana when she sits beside her. "I don't have much time left, because this disease makes me to become half-Phantom Beast... like my late sister."

Izana didn't stop her, but Rahayu tried to communicate the best she could. "It's... a shame if I was too late, but at least I saved you--you're the student in Garuda University. I wanted to reunite with her so badly..."

"I understand, but..."

"No need, I... just need to say something... to you," she coughed, her eyes appeared to be so red as her eyelids were about to close. "Rahayu!" Izana sat down on her bed, as Rahayu pulled her close for a hug--making Izana flinched but her mind soon was relaxing and hugging back with her eyes feeling warm by her words. "Tell your friends that... please pass them this message," Rahayu whispered before she coughed--painfully, before she broke away to give her the two notebooks to her. "I found this journals that belonged to Maha, I don't know what's the contents about... but it should be helpful enough to prevent such tragedy. Those are very important, so whatever happens--you must stop him."

Izana let out a hum in response, while Rahayu pushed herself on the bed and leaned back. Her mind going through by a realization that she and her sister's research along with the previous Elite Commanders like Orther was becoming the 'evil-spawn' for Maha... their life purpose was to find the cores that connects between man and Phantom to obtain to become perfect 'gods'. "Just leave me here, I'm doing the favor to Orther is because he spared me that time... when the incident occurred. Despite my acts of betrayal against him, he actually has sympathy... because he got hurt."

When Orther returned from outside, seeing Rahayu was starting to die in front of him made his eyes opened wide for a moment before a smile crept to his face. Izana had to watch another loss in front of her eyes, and that is her sole late-mentor's own sister. That's why she can tell, she can guess that she know what happened to Rahayu in order to survive this way. "Come on, Izana. Let's go, I don't think you can miss this place too bad," he said, being impatient for her to follow him. Orther let out a sigh when the Raksha girl was hesitating, before he just give in.

"All of my works I've been doing, was a distraction all along... ah, what a pity. Wasn't Orther an ant to be honest?" she joked on her last breath. He merely nodded his head, not a sarcasm but a genuine one and she was satisfied. She felt that Maha doesn't love anyone, or cared much anymore. Orther watched her slowly moving her lips to bid her final goodbye to them, giving them a warm smile before she closed her eyes... before their eyes.

After that, Izana was following him while encountering the dead soldiers on the floor, dying or falling through the skies because they get thrown up--that's what they meant. Now there's only both of them left, seriously why is Orther so calm about this? The time passed very quickly. "I can't believe we have to self-destruct this aircraft... why though?" she asked, annoyed by the choice he made. "Did you remember what I told you before?" he asked.

Suddenly, they heard an inhumane scream that resembles a beast. Fuck, Orther was right--Rahayu does have the curse... it looks like she's already in critical stage. When they discovered it, it's the corrupted Rahayu, their hair were turned dark rede and wild that she became a beast. "Hold me, or else she will track us for it!" Orther warned, she began to obey as they open the emergency exit door and they jumps into the clouds of the sky--avoiding the destruction of the aircraft. He didn't expect it was this messy, but who knows.

As the explosion occurred and she have to fly them in the sky to avoid the fall to death, Izana want to thank him for showing her the truth... before Orther yawned while both of them still falling. "I was thinking if I can get a fresh hair dye after the New Year Celebration... eh, I probably will apply blue-colored, the blue looks perfect for me, since my black-red mix is becoming old."

Is this guy for real right now,she thought, annoyed as she has no choice and should be lucky.

"Wait, where are we falling now?!"

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