"Stop, young man! You are going to die!" Lady Miyuki yelled as she reached her hand out for Tetsuya.

"I don't care!" Tetsuya yelled as he looked back at her. "I need to save Rosa and Principe!"

Miyuki took a deep breath. "Then allow me to handle it."

"No, aunt. I'll accompany him," Zafir said, stepping forward. Zafir turned toward Teresa and Takuya. "Please care for Akari. I'll go with your brother and make sure that he and Lady Rosalba are safe. I will hold off some of the gears."

"Rosa!" Tetsuya yelled as he continued on his way. A mix of dark wisps and darkness filled the hall. The scent of burning metal was apparent the closer he drew to the room filled with gears. He could hear desperate neighs. "Hold on, boy! I'm coming for you two!"

Tetsuya waved his hand, pushing aside the darkness and dust. He gasped as there were several gears suspended in the air. His lips though crested upward as soon as he spotted Principe and Rosa. The alicorn was trying his best to navigate through them. The platform he had been left on was crushed by one of the smaller gears.

The Agnes Knight held out his heart-shaped shield and formed a new barrier around his alicorn and the princess to shield them from all the metallic dust. "Fly over here!"

Principe did as instructed and flew as well as possible through the gears, even flying vertically, side to side, and diagonally in sharp angles.

Tetsuya smiled as Principe landed in front of him. He jumped on top of the alicorn, wrapped his arms around the sleeping princess, and took the reins. Once walking back into the hall, he formed a barrier at the edge of it.

"Where is this exit?" Hyosetsu asked as darkness poured in from the next room.

"Everyone, brace yourselves!" Zafir yelled. The Seven-Sea knight's hands were glowing silver. "I'm gonna drop the gears to clear the way!"

"Let's get out of here, brother," Mai said as she grabbed her brother's hand.

"Farewell, cousins," Man-kin said, staring back at Tetsuya and his siblings.

"Cousins?" Tetsuya asked, puzzled.

"We'll tell you later," Teresa said. She yelped as a slab of marble from the hall collapsed in the middle of the crowd.

Suddenly Zafir dropped the gears, causing a sharp sound to shake the entire hall. More slabs of marble that faded into darkness fell over them. Being hit by the shadow felt like getting struck by heavy rain.

"We're gonna die!" Teresa yelled as the floor beneath them showed signs of cracking.

"Calm down. Panicking won't help," Nico said, putting a hand on her shoulders.

The frightened young woman suddenly wrapped her arms around him.

Nico sighed. "Relax."

"Please protect us, Archangels Hanketsu, Valencia," Takuya prayed with his hands interlocked.

"Everyone, get on your pegasi!" Zafir commanded as he pushed aside the metallic dust in the air.

"Follow me!" Tetsuya yelled as his alicorn toward the now cleared exit.

Teresa quickly let go of Nico and looked down at the graveyard of gears. What were they for?

"Perhaps its best we don't find out," Nico said as he held the rein of Teresa's alicorn.

Everyone hopped on an alicorn or pegasus and flew toward where Tetsuya was.

"Are you sure that this will lead us outside?" Eiji asked all the way from the back of the line. The darkness had finished consuming the water park room.

"I'm not, but it's better than staying here!" Tetsuya yelled as a portal appeared like last time. He found himself back in the dark void.

"This place is..." Kohri said as he emerged from the destroyed room. His light blue eyes were wide as he stared at the darkness.

The place had a strange blue tint to it, which allowed one to see with relative ease, at least for Tetsu.

"The Abyss?" Eiko yelled.

"Yes, it is," a voice called out. "My world is connected to yours by this celestial gate."

Everyone turned to see a muscular man with short black hair floating in the vast darkness as if he were standing on the surface of a body of water. The man grinned as soon he saw that he had their attention.

"Glad to finally meet you all in person for real this time. As my clone said outside, my name is Daisaru Sun Wukong," the man said as he spread his muscular arms out.

"So the famous Monkey King finally greets us. Or should that be 'infamous'?" Eiji said as he drew to the front of the crowd. "Tetsuya. Create barriers around everyone, at least those with thin armor. The effects of this realm will drain their energy if left like that."

Tetsuya nodded and formed one large barrier around himself and the others. The only ones not within it were the older Seven-Hills.

"Wait, did he just call this guy the 'Monkey King'?" Takuya asked, eyes widening.

Tetsuya's jaw dropped. "Wait, you aren't The Monkey King, are you?"

Daisaru chuckled. "Indeed. I am that monkey who raided the abode of the gods of other realms. The great, the only, Monkey King!"

"Ha, so you're still as conceded as the legends say," Eiji said with a grin. He covered his haqa scepter in cyan electricity, lighting the darkness even more. "We aren't going to allow you to raid our realm, especially not the abode of our divine couple!"

The Monkey King continued to snicker. "Who asked you for permission? I do what I want. Those with power have the authority to do what they want. If you wish to order me around, then show me your power!"

"Tsk. You sound just my younger self and my oldest son. But worry not, we will show you our power!" Eiji yelled as the girls readied their own weapons too.

"Knight of Agnes, take everyone away from here!" Lady Miyuki yelled as a red string floated around her in addition to a light blue aura.

Tetsuya watched with interest as the aura around her intensified. Her power was rising rapidly. As well as those of the other knights who also were covered in various colored auras. The only exception was Rosalba.

"Their power is rising fast. What is this?" Hyosetsu asked. He stared at Kohri in awe. "He had this kind of power all this time, yet he hid it?"

Kohri glanced at him and mouthed, "Sorry."

"Hyosetsu, go with the others. You will only get in the way. This is the legendary Monkey King that we're up against," Miyuki said. "He who is at the level of the Seven Legendary Archangels if not higher."

Daisaru shrugged. "Or so it's said. Though right now, I can only use half my full power. The creator deities of this universe sure are stronger than the lower gods I fought in the other realms."

"Only half? That's still insane," Eiko said as she gripped her golden kunai. Her hands were trembling.

Eiji put a hand over her hands. There was a confident smile on his face. "We can do this. We aren't called the Generation of Geniuses for nothing!"

Daisaru grinned. "Right, you are the colleagues of that kid, Tekeshi."

"You knew my dad?" Tetsuya asked as he flew out of his barrier.

"Hey, didn't we tell you to leave?" Eiji snapped as he turned around.

"We aren't leaving," Hyosetsu said as he too flew out of the barrier. He swung Baldo in front of him. "Our job is to fight for Kuroriku, even if it means death."

"Hmph, true. Though I do not plan to lose to this ape!" Eiichi said as he too emerged from the barrier.

"I, too, am one of the Seven-Hills," Kohri said as he came out as well. He made his hammer bigger.

"Same here!" a voice called out.

Tetsuya turned around and watched as lasers struck Daisaru in the chest. Though, the man shrugged them off as if they were nothing.

"No way!" Rosalba said, gasping. "Not even a scratch..."

"Rosa, get out of here! You don't even have the energy to fight!" Tetsuya yelled.

Rosalba lowered her tired eyes.

"Lady Rosa, take our energy," several of Eiichi, Hideo, and Hyosetsu's teammates said.

Eiji grinned. "So the girl has finally awakened Sofia's weapon. Now we only need Anis and Kuroshi to arrive here."

"Kuroshi?" Tetsuya asked as he turned toward them. He grimaced. For some reason, he couldn't quite recall who that man was. It was almost as if his memory had been fractured after the battle with Satoru.

"So, who will be fighting?" Daisaru asked with a bored expression. He rubbed his right ear canal with his pinky and sighed. "Decide as soon as you can, or I'll simply attack you all."

"I believe that nearly all of us will," Zafir said as chains danced around him. "Everyone who doesn't wish to fight, give Rosalba some of your energy, and get as far from here as you can."

Akari lowered her head and gave some energy to Rosalba. Most of the others did the same, including Teresa and Nico. Only Takuya didn't as he jumped off of Precioso.

"Takuya, no. The darkness will affect you!" Teresa yelled.

"I'll be fine. Don't forget that I'm one of them," Takuya said with a calm expression.

Teresa lowered her head and nodded. "Right. I'll go and let Ma know. Ya two, please stay safe. I can't afford to lose you two."

"We will!" Tetsuya said, grinning.

Suddenly a beam of red light flashed through the darkness. The beam ripped through Tetsuya's armor, striking him where his heart should be. Teresa and the others watched in horror as Tetsuya was sent flying into the darkness.

"Tetsuya!" Takuya, Rosa, and Teresa screamed.

Tetsuya stared at the man standing beside Daisaru. He was a pale man who lacked clothes except for scarfs of darkness that floated around his waist.

Rosalba attacked the new arrival with everything that she had, but her beams didn't do a thing.

The knight held a hand out toward her, forming a barrier around her. It was just in time, too. The figure unleashed a beam of his own at her. The barrier rapidly shattered, but it managed to limit the scope of Rosalba's injuries. Meanwhile, those who were in the enormous barrier rapidly fled as their own barrier broke.

Rosalba looked down and reached her hand out for Tetsuya. Takuya flew past her and grabbed hold of his younger brother.

"Master Takon? What are you doing here?" Daisaru said, shocked.

"Retreat now, Daisaru. I already sent Rocio word of this. Take the crystal back to the abyss before that traitor ruins our plans."

"Huh?" Daisaru asked.

"You didn't ponder as to why the traitor and his woman didn't come here? These folks are a distraction. The large army outside isn't a fighting force either, but one of exorcism. They are currently attempting to close to the portal and seal the crystal. Everything we've worked for during all these centuries could come crashing down in an instant."

Eiji grinned. "So Shi was right about that crystal, it really is vital for you!" he charged at the naked man and unleashed a blast of cyan lightning.

Daisaru flew in front of the attack and slapped the lightning away, sending it into a distant mountain. An explosion shook the mountain that Eiji attack had hit.

Eiji gritted his teeth. "You really are as strong as the legends claim."

Daisaru grinned. He vanished and reappeared behind the knight. He hit the Seven-Hill on the neck before he could even react.

Eiji fell like a kite drained of wind.

"Eiji!" Eiko yelled. She caught her husband with a gust of wind. Flying forward, she tossed her electrically charged kunai at the two abyssmals.

"Eiko, be careful!" Eiji yelled.

Daisaru stepped in front of the strange man, taking the full brunt of the attack. He shrugged it off, electricity and all as if it were nothing. "Tsk. Is that all you can do?"

Eiko clenched her teeth as she had her kunai fly back to her.

"It's just like with the serpent Pillar," Miyuki said as she floated backward.

"Daisaru. Finish off the Hills first, then leave. I'll take care of the rest," the mysterious man said.

"You aren't fleeing!" Eiichi yelled as he zoomed behind the naked man.

The mysterious man calmly closed his eyes.

Daisaru dashed toward Eiichi and vanished, only to appear behind him. The spear knight screamed as the Monkey King elbowed him in the back, sending him plummeting into the ground like a comet.

Eiko flew at him in rage, throwing a multitude of electrified punches and kicks at him, but the Monkey King blocked all of her attacks with a single hand.

"No way," Eiko said, flying back. "How can you keep up with me?"

Daisaru chuckled. "You might've been called geniuses when you were young, but you're nothing compared to my mother-in-law in terms of talent."

Eiko narrowed her eyes at him as she called down bolts of lightning down from the black skies overhead. "Assuming that Rocio told you about that 'geniuses' part, huh?" She zipped over to him and stabbed him from behind. She quickly realized it was nothing more than an afterimage as she felt a knee against her back. The force of the knee-kick sent her crashing into her recovering husband, sending both crashing into the snow-covered ground.

Lady Miyuki held her two sons' hands, who, in turn, held hands with Zafir. "Ready?" she asked.

"Yes!" the three boys responded in unison. "Water Wave!"

Daisaru dodged the massive blast of cold water that rose up from between the four of them. "Tsk. Did that traitor tell them my weakness?" he mumbled.

"So you're weak to water? Does that include frozen water?" Rosalba asked with a grin. She reached a hand out and unleashed a beam of ice.

Daisaru crossed his arms over his chest and took the beam head-on. "Ha. Nice try, girly, but your attack pales in comparison to those of the others."

He turned around and blocked with a single hand the water beam which had done a massive u-turn. He winced as the water drenched his skin. He raised his free fist and punched through the wave.

"Damn, this guy is too strong!" Zafir said. Sparks of blue crackled around him. "No holding back everyone!"

Eiji nodded as six massive yellow wings appeared behind him. Sparks of yellow floated around him.

Rosa covered her body in the same red aura she had used during her fight with Satoru. "Sorry, Tetsu," she whispered.

Daisaru chuckled. "What? These wimps were holding back?"

"Finish them off as fast as you can," Takon said, irritated.

Daisaru sighed. "Alright, Master." He took a step back as the Seven Hills, plus Zafir and Hyosetsu, surrounded him.

"Count us in too!" Borasco yelled as he and Eiichi gathered electricity in the palms of their hands.

Eiichi snapped his fingers, creating a portal.

"Wait, you can do that?" Kohri said, amazed.

"Why didn't you do that sooner?" Hyosetsu asked, annoyed.

Eiichi took a deep breath. "For an obvious reason," he said as he teleported them all outside except for Daisaru.

"Everyone, brace yourselves," Eiji said as they stared at the remnants of the palace. Wrapping the castle and crystal were giant silver chains.

"Eiji?" Anis asked. Her eyes widened as soon as she saw her youngest son being carried by her oldest. "No, Tetsu."

"No worries, I'm alive, mom," Tetsuya said with a slight smile. He touched the hole in his armor. "I should get this fixed."

"No worries, as soon as we get back, I'll make it better than before," Kohri said, grinning. The Seven-hill narrowed his eyes as all was quiet.

The enormous army of monkeys had for the most part been killed.

"Everything seems to be going well," Reno's mother said as she surveyed the area.

"Yeah," Reno's father said.

"You two, tell everyone to flee the area," Lady Miyuki yelled.

Just then, a massive pillar of green light erupted from the crumbling castle, obliterating it. The earth and heavens shook viciously as cracks appeared on the frozen ground. In the area that the castle once occupied was a sea of darkness.

"W-what's going on?" Teresa asked, gripping Unidad's reins tightly. She watched as the area around the crater seemed to distort. Strange, eye-less octopus-like creatures emerged from the dark sea. Some of the peculiar creatures headed northward while a few headed in their direction.

Zafir jumped off of Unidad and stood in front of Teresa. "Get back, it's dangerous!" the Mizu no Kin prince yelled. He slashed the creatures in half with a dozen frozen water blades.

The resulting floating black bubbles rapidly clumped back together.

Zafir's jaw dropped. "What? How can they heal? Did I missed their cores?"

"They're Umbra," a tired Tetsuya whispered.

"Then I'll seal them up!" Takuya said as he took out some prayer beads underneath his shirt and raised his hand.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the pillar of green energy. It was the Monkey King. The energy was all his...

Daisaru opened his eyes, unleashing a shock-wave of green energy that extended into the sky. Likely even well past the stratosphere.

"No way," Takuya said, eyes wide. Had that energy been condensed into an attack, it could've blown all of them away.

Teresa stood in awe as the sky began to rumble.  At the same time, the ground around them shattered, unleashing, not lava but black gunk in multiple directions.

"A delayed effect?" Akari asked, eyes wide.

"What in the world? This is insane. This power, I dare say it's equal to that of a god," Zafir said as he continued to protect Teresa and Akari. "Is this truly only half of his power? Ugh, if he were using his full power, then it would be over for us..."

Takuya gulped. Just as the legends tell, he is capable of shakin' earth and heaven. We're basically fightin' a deity here. He grimaced. How do we defeat a guy like this?

"This is it... the end is here," Teresa said as her knees stuck the snowy white ground. Her hope crashed to the ground as well.

"Don't give up hope, sis," Tetsuya whispered as his remaining strength faded. He winced as the area of the wound continued to ache. "Hope rings eternal, right?"

Takuya stared at him and nodded. "Yeah, it does!"

*Character Section*

Daisaru aka Sun Wukong/Son Goku/ Son Gokong- Sex: Male Age: Too ancient to count Titles: Monkey King, Intelligent Stone Monkey, Handsome/Egotistical Monkey, Heavenly Horse Keeper, Great Sage; Equal of Heaven, Monkey Imp (called so by his enemies), He who crushed celestial armies, He with the Golden Gaze Fiery Eyes (He who can see Evil), Victorious Fighting Buddha, etc.

Trivia: His titles are all a reference to the titles held by the legendary Sun Wukong in 'Journey to the West', a Chinese classic novel.

Rocio Kuroriku- Sex: Female Age: ? Titles: Rat Queen, She who stands first among the Pillars/ Rat Pillar, Princess of the Abyss/Heiress of Abyssion, Harsh but Protective Mother, She who fights with Venom.

Likes: Power, Daisaru, Her children. Dislikes: Weaklings

Trivia: She's the third child of the family after Tekeshi and Selena.

She is the only member of her Pillar Trio (consisting of her husband, Satoru's mother, and herself) who isn't Billions of Years Old but instead is a couple decades old.

**Solar Question: Daisaru finally displays more of his fearsome power. Think that Five Knights of Prophecy and co. will be able to stop him? Or will this be the beginning of the end for Zionia?**