I watched as the Drago, the embodiment of darkness and the one who caused all the problems I had faced thus far. He summoned forth a huge, concentrated sphere of dark energy, letting it drop as if it was a toy.

“Kiba.” Lin moved even closer to him.

I looked around to see the growing fear in everyone’s eyes, surely there was something that could be done.

“Allow me.” Link held his hands up, ready to summon his own dark power, but nothing happened. He stood their panting, like someone had turned off his power. “Why won’t it work?”

“You’ve been using the energy from the dark crystals for so long, always at the limit of your power, unfortunately until you recover that energy yourself, you won’t be able to us your power,” said dad. “I’ll have to deal with this.” Zekon’s wings appeared on his back, then their full sync armour. Without another word he ascended skyward.

“Dad.” I quickly flew after him. I refused to let him do this alone, especially against something this big. It was strange dad seemed faster in this form that not even Larana could keep up.

Dad attacked the dark sphere with a charged attack from Zekon’s blade. I could see the energy building up, his fire and wind elements flashing between red, green and white. This was the power the awakening could give me.

The raw power dad possessed came in to contact with the dark energy, an explosion of power erupted. He was truly an amazing warrior, what I could have learnt from him if he had not been sent here, perhaps I would have known more than I do now.

Dad continued to push against the dark energy and the dark energy seemed to start shrinking but not as fast as I would have hoped as its approach still gained closer to the others below.

The dark energy within the sphere began to pulse back through dad’s body, he winced, but made no sound. He was in pain and so was Zekon. I had to do something. The pulses of dark energy grew stronger as dad pushed harder against the sphere.

“You have to help find a way out for the others!” shouted dad. “While I hold it back.”

I looked around scanning the scenery, even from this distance and what my unit had told me about what had been happening at the walls around this area being enhanced, I knew there was no way out, but I wasn’t going to give up.

I communicated with Ibiki. “Get everyone inside. I don’t want them to come into contact with the dark energy when we tare this thing apart.”

“Roger.” I glanced below to see Ibiki already getting to work.

“Join them, Alex!” shouted dad, his whole-body tensing as he let out a yelp.

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“No,” I shook my head, unleashing Larana’s power. “Let us protect you for once.” I flew up past the dark sphere, my body glowing, filling to the brim with Larana’s power.

Larana appeared flying beside me, she was smiling as she flew circles around me, then stopped directly in front of me where she seemed to become pure energy and entered directly into my body. The sensation was strange, but I could feel our two powers closer than they had ever been, slowly building up like a bubble.

I closed my eyes, taking in a deep breath, releasing all this energy she had gathered within me. I opened my eyes as my body was enveloped in a green light, my clothing changing. I had done it, I had fused with Larana, like dad and Zekon. I felt more power bursting forth, she was far more powerful than I could have ever imagined.

The clothes I now wore were all constructed from what appeared to be leaves but imbued with pure energy. My tunic was now green brandished in leaves of all different shapes and sizes, shoulder pads, a pair of vambraces upon my arms and legs. Six wings upon my back, more solid than translucent.

I drew Raziel and Arata’s swords, aiming straight for the sphere, unleashing their power; their blades changing shape, more like a pair of wings than blades, did this change come from my fused form with Larana.

Without even thinking about it, I summoned wild winds around me, tornados forming, aimed at the sphere. A single gust I used to push dad away from the sphere and down to the ground.

“Alex!” shouted dad. I smiled at him as I slashed at the sphere, seeing clearly where the dark energy was at its weakest. Once struck they weakened the areas around it, affecting the integrity of the sphere.

The distance from the ground was lessening I needed to attack faster, I needed to protect them all. I refused to let him ruin what was left of the life Link knew, the darkness would not win this day.

I pushed myself harder, cutting faster at the sphere’s weak points, sensing the dark power within the sphere starting to fall apart. A bit more.

“I won’t let you!” I shouted as I raised both swords, tornados encircling around both quickly becoming engulfed with Raziel’s fire and Arata’s lightning. I slashed the sphere straight down the middle, cutting apart even the clouds darkening the skies.

The sphere split into two, the dark energy leaking out of it, evaporating into nothing, just like what had happened to the vulture. My body glowed faintly white, my purification ability wiping out what was left of the dark energy, until there was nothing left of the sphere, I’d done it.

I took in a deep breath, releasing any built-up energy I had outwards. I descended to where dad was waiting for me. He held admiration in his expression.

“You have become a more powerful warrior than I could have ever imagined.” He continued to gaze at me proudly.

I landed, checking out the armour Larana had given me. It was amazing to think this was the true power the sacred beasts had wielded. “I could not have done this without Larana, we are one now.” My eyes widened as the power disappeared and so did my armour.

“The fused ability only lasts a short time as it puts a greater strain on the body, the more you use it, the longer it will last. For you to have lasted as long as you did on your first fusion, is simply astonishing.” I slumped forward a little, suddenly panting. Dad stepped forward as I stumbled into his arms. “You passed all the limits I could have thought, but now you will see something, which comes with the fusion.”

“What?” I struggled to keep my eyes open.

“Fusion shares power, but also shares all that she is.”

“Dad.” I groaned as I blacked out. I wasn’t sure if it was caused by the extra strain on my body or was it related to what dad said I would see.