The Masters: RE: The New Cast (The Crisis in Time Series Book 1)

by Matthew Weldon

  He flew backward through the air as Vlayru and Ansel were already set up on either side of Romo. Vlayru shot Ice Blast at him and Ansel threw Obsidian Spikes at him. He jumped up high, avoiding both attacks.

  “No, you don’t!” I yelled.

  I then used Lightning Blast, hitting him and force him on his back. Dirt and dust kicked up around him from the impact. After that, I started to feel the darkness take over again. I calmed myself to avoid changing again. I stood there, not wanting to fight anymore. I didn’t see a point if I was going to lose myself. I got scared and didn’t want to be here anymore. Kaido ran over to me. He put one hand on my shoulder.

  Panting, he said, “Tana, come on. We need you.”

  I shook my head. Vlayru came stomping over.

  “What is wrong with you?!” Vlayru yelled, angrily.

  “Hey, let me handle this,” Kaido told him, gesturing with his hand to get him to back off.

  Vlayru’s anger rose and replied, “We don’t have time for this, Tana. If you aren’t going to help, then just go back home.”

  The dust settled and Romo was still standing. He looked ragged and bloody while panting hard. Kaido and Kaido prepared for an attack from him. Romo lunged quickly at Ansel, punching her in the gut. The force of the punch made fly back and land on her side.

  “Ansel!” Vlayru yelled, putting his hand towards her.

  He then jumped at Romo and continuously slashes his sword, only for Romo to block all his attacks.

  “Whatever it is that's preventing you from fighting, you need to get over it,” Kaido told me.

  He ran towards Romo to fight. I ran over to Ansel. She started to get up slowly and helped by pulling her up by the arm. Without saying a word, she nodded to ran over to assist in the fight.

  I said to myself in my head, ‘What is wrong with me?’

  I thought about it more and it was the shadow within me. It scared me. Even worse, It has been getting harder to hold it back. Romo knocked back the group to the ground. My anger was rising again, but I fought to keep it under control. Romo took down Vlayru, then Ansel, and then sprinted towards me. I raised up my sword and blocked the incoming attack. The force of his attack knocked me back to the ground. Romo walked towards me and readied another attack.

  ‘I have to do something,’ I thought to myself.

  He slashed both axes and I quickly blocked the attack with my sword and then countered with a quickly charged Lightning Blade. He dropped to one knee in pain. He put one of his hands on his side where he was injured, while still holding his axe. He slowly Got back up after a moment. I stood up and got into a battle-ready stance.

  Romo then said, “I need time recover a little. It’s time to use my ace up my sleeve.”

  He took out a piece of paper. I look closer and saw that it had a symbol on it. He put it on the ground and cut his hand deep and the blood fell onto the paper. A red light started to shine brightly. Out of this light, a giant figure formed into a dark hide dragon and was wearing armor. It had to be at least 2 or 3 stories tall.

  Romo smirked while holding his hand in pain, “Go, Valstrath!”

  The giant dragon roared load, causing the ground to shake.

  “How was he able to summon him? You need a Sacrifice to summon him,” Spex said, angry and confused.

  The dragon flapped his wings hard and knocked us all to the ground. My sword flew from my hand and landed nearby. Everyone else got up into a ready stance facing the dragon, except for me. I just laid there, helpless and melancholy.

  Vlayru said to the group, “Let’s go!”

  Vlayru led the other two running up to the dragon. Kaido stopped to turn and look at me. He sighed and ran back to me. Vlayru and Ansel began to fight Valstrath.

  Kaido grabbed my shoulders and said, “Knock it off Tana, let’s go!”

  “I didn’t see a point,” I replied, softly.

  I thought, ‘How could we fight a giant dragon? We were the size of its foot in comparison.’

  Kaido looked at me for a moment, and he got a mad look on his face.

  “Fine, be that way. You should go and be miserable somewhere else. Us real heroes will take on the threat that you should be facing. Psh, pathetic,” Kaido disapprovingly said to me

  He started making his way to the dragon.

  I yelled out of anger, “I’m scared, alright!”

  Kaido stopped and looked at me. I could feel tears were rolling down my face.

  I sat up, and stared at the ground to hide my tearful face and continued, “I’m scared I’ll lose control and hurt you guys. Fighting seems to make it worse.”

  Kaido looked serious and replied, “Then you have to show that shadow dweller that it’s your body and you are in control. You have to do it for the greater good. That is what it means to be a hero. Self-sacrifice.”

  I looked at Kaido, sniffled, and asked him, “What if I hurt you, though?”

  Kaido sighed and smirk, “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. Now come on. We need the cast.”

  He reached out with his hand. I looked at his hand for a moment. I smiled and grabbed his hand, as he helped me stand up. I picked up my sword, then heard the dragon roar. It was very loud. Vlayru was holding onto one of the dragon’s legs and started to freeze it. Kaido and I nodded at each out and leaped into the air. Kaido disappeared into his Fog Form and I readied Lightning Blade. Kaido blinded the dragon’s sight, while I slashed its forehead. I put my right foot between its eyes, but the dragon shook its head violently. it forced me to lose my foot and fall towards the ground. I did a backflip and landed in a crouching position. Vlayru got knocked backward by the dragon’s leg and hit the ground hard. Kaido appeared near me.

  “Vlayru, are you okay?” I asked, yelling for him to hear me.

  Ansel, who just got back up, ran over to him. He sat up and looked at the dragon with an angry look.

  “Worry about yourself!” Vlayru replied.

  Ansel pointed at the dragon and yelled, “Watch out!”

  Kaido and I turned our heads and saw the dragon building up a fireball in its mouth. The dragon then released it, creating a large blast of fire. Without thinking about it, I created Water Shield around Kaido and I. glancing behind me, I saw Vlayru and Ansel were surrounded by ice, but the ice was melting fast. Vlayru was fighting to keep it going, but I wasn’t.

  I thought for a moment, ‘Why am I not having a hard time with my shield?’

  It suddenly hit me. The fire blast stopped. I stood up and started charging up a ball of water. The dragon readied his claws and was about to swing it at us. Kaido ran across in front of me and blocked the attack with his sword and held back Valstrath’s foot.

  “Obsidian Spikes!” Ansel yelled.

  Vlayru yelled right after, “Ice Shards!”

  They both projected ice and obsidian spikes towards the dragon head, hurting it. Valstrath let up and Kaido pushed the dragon’s foot back, slicing the foot as well. The ball of water energy I was creating got bigger and I had to hold it over my head. I floated up high into the air. Even Vlastrath had to look up to see me.

  “Water Bomb!” I yelled.

  I threw the ball, as it hurdled towards the Vlastrath, hitting knocking him back with a roar. The dragon started to dissipate into red mist. I landed and everyone regrouped by me.

  “Good job, Tana,” Spex said in a calmer voice, continuing to watch.

  I looked at Vlayru, who looked angry and was staring at Romo. It looked like Romo was displeased as well. It also looked like he wasn’t done healing yet. He still had his hand on his side. Vlayru started to walk towards Romo but was smacked on the side of the hard by a large rock. Vlayru fell to the ground hard.

  “Vlayru!” I yelled.

  I turned in the direction of where it came from. I saw Uban, who was readying another boulder attack. He launched it at me and caught me off guard, hitting me in the face. I fell back, as Kaido jumped behind me. He caught me in his arms then we hit the ground. He didn’t l
et go, as he embraced the pain of sliding across the ground. We shortly came to a halt. After that, I blacked out.

  Chapter 13 – A Guardian Angel

  I opened my eyes slowly, to find Kaido and Vlayru passed out on the ground. Romo was holding Ansel up in the air by the neck and Uban had his arms crossed, looked disinterested. My anger was boiling and I tried to get up to my feet, but couldn’t. I started to feel the shadow trying to take over.

  “Finally, after chasing you for over a month, I finally get to kill you. After that I’ll take Master Obsidian and become a leader of the Dark Rebellion,” He said to her.

  He was about to kill her with one of his axes. I started to lose myself to the shadow again.

  “Calm yourself, Katana,” A voice said.

  I felt a soothing feeling wrap around my body and the anger within me subsided. Romo was then was hit hard by severally boulders and dropped Ansel. Ansel moaned in pain. I looked at Uban, who was looking up with a confused look on his face. Romo pushed the boulders off him and immediately looked at Uban.

  “What was that for, Uban?!” He yelled at Uban in an angry tone.

  Uban continued to look up and replied, “It wasn’t me that did that. Look up there.”

  He looked up in the same direction that Uban was looking in. I looked too and saw a man in the air. He had wings that were flapping graciously and he was wearing what looked like a white uniform.

  “Looks like it’s up to me save the day, even though it’s supposed to be my day off,” He said with a smirk.

  “Angels exist? Who are you?” Romo said, in a confused and shocked voice, getting up quickly.

  Uban then had a look of realization on his face and said, “Wait, aren’t you...?”

  The angel chuckled and replied, “I’m the Commander of Angel Army, Ryder. I guess it’s time to repay an old debt to an old friend.”

  “Ryder, huh?” Spex said, smirking, “You’re in good hands now, Tana.”

  Romo started getting angry. He took up his axes and lunged into the air towards Ryder. Wielded a two-handed axe that was on his back and hit Romo’s axes away and countered with a slash at Romo’s chest sending him flying back to the ground hard. Ryder then pulled up part of the ground, creating a wall to block an incoming attack from Uban.

  Ryder threw a boulder over the wall towards Uban, who counter with his own boulder. Ryder broke through his wall with his axe in one hand and threw another boulder with his other hand. He put his axe on his back again and threw more boulders with both hands which were countered by Uban’s boulders. Ryder then threw one more boulder as he landed to the ground. The boulder was countered again with another boulder of Uban, but Uban was hit in the back by a piece of ground that thrust up at him. It launched him into the air. It was created by Ryder, who had his hand on the ground. While still in the air, Ryder switched hands and spiked more rock up hitting Uban again. Uban fell to the ground and couldn’t move. Ryder studied him for a moment, then stood up and looked at me. I started to slowly get up.

  “Katana, come over here and take Master Rock’s orb from this guy. He’s done fighting,” He told me.

  I was surprised that it was over so quickly.

  “Uh, yeah sure. Coming,” I responded and ran over.

  My body was sore all over, so running was a little difficult. I stopped by Uban. He looked at Ryder and began to speak.

  He fought to speak, “Ryder, I need to ask you something.”

  Ryder twisted his lip, then replied, “What is it?”

  Uban coughed, then asked, “I looked up to until you disappeared. Did you really betray your friends?”

  Ryder sighed, then answered, “No, it was another friend of ours, but it wasn’t his fault. I took the blame and sacrificed myself.”

  “Seriously?” Uban asked.

  Ryder nodded. He nodded back and I put my hand on his shoulder and absorbed Master Rock’s orb.

  I then asked, “So, you really are Ryder, huh?”

  “Yes, that’s me, Katana. How’s your mother, Hana, doing?” he asked me.

  “Good. She’s in the Central Union right now, with the other adults.” I explained.

  “I know. Your mother came to see me after they arrived there,” he answered.

  Ansel and Kaido limbed over to us. Ryder smirked.

  “So, Katana, is this your party?” He questioned me.

  “Yes, it is. This is Ansel and Kaido,” I replied.

  Kaido responded, “Hey there.”

  “I’m Ansel. Nice to meet you,” Ansel greeted.

  I thought up a question and asked, “So, you fought alongside with the ‘Good Cast’, right?”

  “Yes, I did. I met him a long time ago in the Central Union when were both were becoming lieutenants. It was me, him, Vlaykre, Ryuu, Regan, and your mother Hana.” Ryder responded.

  I replied, “That’s what Regan told me too.”

  “Yes, those were the days. Well, I’m going to go and enjoy my break, while I can anyway. I’ll be back later,” He said walking out the door.

  “Hey Ryder, quick question, what were the Casts’ names?” I asked him curiously.

  “Obris, Master Nether as he called himself, and Sabre,” He answered, then walked away.

  ‘I wonder which one is which?’ I wondered to myself, as I black out again from exhaustion.

  I opened my eyes slowly, sat up, and looked over to find Kaido sitting up in a bed next to mine. He was looking out of a window. I looked around and we were in a hospital room. I looked down at my body and saw myself a bandaged up in areas where I was hurting.

  He looked over at me as I looked at him. He was bandaged up too.

  “Oh, you’re awake,” He said to me.

  “Yeah. Where are we?” I asked back.

  Kaido explained, “In a nearby hospital in the Roc Domain somewhere. Ryder and two angels helped with getting us here.”

  I looked to my right and saw Ansel sleeping in the bed on that side of me.

  Kaido then went on, “Meeting Ryder, got me thinking. Ansel and I are the only ones that aren’t in that little family circle that you and Vlayru are in. It’s kind of like we’re just following you around and helping.” He said.

  He really has changed from that that “lone-wolf” kind of guy that Vlayru and I had met back in that inn. I mean, yeah, he has the tough guy attitude, but in a different way.

  “No, you’re more than just a friend along for a ride. You’re a best friend to Vlayru and I. Like family,” I told him.

  I looked over on the other side of Ansel and saw that Vlayru was still asleep. He looked sweaty like he was having a bad dream.

  I asked Kaido, “Where was he earlier?”

  Kaido explained, “We found him out some ways from us. passed out on the ground after you collapsed. He was really out of it.”

  I continued to watch him with a slight frown, “I’m worried about him. I feel like something is wrong with him.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m sure he’ll be fine,” he said, softly to me.

  We both were staring back at each other. I started to feel something for him, for some reason. I don’t know what it was or why it was happening.

  Spex then said, smirking, “I do.”

  “You guys get a room!” Ansel yelled getting up.

  “Ansel!” I yelled back.

  Kaido looked back at the window. I looked down at the bed I was in, hiding my blushing face in my hair.

  “What is with all the yelling!? I’m trying to sleep!” Vlayru yelled at both at us.

  “Good plan!” Kaido agreed.

  “I agree with Vlayru, you should all get some sleep,” Someone said from the doorway.

  We turned saw the doctor who treated our wounds us the other night. He walked in and checked his clipboard.

  “I forgot that you work here, doctor,” Ansel said.

  The doctor continued to look over at his clipboard and replied, “Oh, yes. I sometimes help out here since this hospital isn’t too far away from my
clinic.”

  “When will we be out of here doc?” Vlayru asked.

  He examined us, then answered, “You guys have great recovery time. With how injured you guys were, you should be in the here for a few days. Good news though, I should have you guys discharged by tomorrow.”

  A nurse leaned into the doorway, “Doctor, we have another victim with vines wrapped around them.”

  The doctor replied, “Another one? I’ll be right there.”

  He started walking fast, towards the exit of the room, as the nurse continued down the hallway.

  The doctor said as he exited, “You guys rest up.”

  We looked at each other. With curious faces.

  “Vines wrapped around people?” I thought out loud.

  Ansel added, “From what it sounds like, it’s injuring people. Possibly really bad too.”

  “Can you guys please get some sleep, like the doctor suggested?” Vlayru said in serious tone.

  We all went back to sleep. The next day, Ryder came in the room and woke us up. We got ready and exited the hospital Just then, Vlaykre showed up appearing out of nowhere.

  “Hey Vlaykre, long time no see,” Ryder said.

  “Hey, how’s it going, Ryder?” Vlaykre replied.

  They shook hands with a tight grasp of their hands. They then let go and Vlaykre continued.

  “Hey Tana, we found some who will train you in controlling your Shadow Form. I’m here to take you back to the Central Union.” He said.

  “Who are you?!” Ansel said, in a surprised tone.

  “My name is Vlaykre, and you are?” he answered back.

  “Her name is Ansel,” Vlayru answered.

  Ryder started to walk backward slowly and said, “Well that is my cue to leave. Besides, I should hurry back the army. I’ll see you guys later.”

  He waved goodbye, spread his wings out, and flew up into the sky.

  “So, you said someone could train me?” I asked Vlaykre.

  Vlaykre replied, “Yes, it’s someone who is just like you. Someone, who has mastered the same powers you have.”

  “I think I know who he is talking about. At least I hope, anyways. I don’t know if I can handle any more changes to the timeline.” Spex said.