Kariah-Belle Nadire couldn't believe she was fighting against some big named bounty hunters.

One of them used the latest mana powered cybernetic suit. If Kariah-Belle wasn't using the goddess' power, she'd be toast.

"Who's this runt with such life force." said one of the bounty hunters. Kariah-Belle knew they called him Mirage. He was using the model a-1. The metallic material was dense and so was the mana coming from it. It gave off an orange hue.

Kariah-Belle barely had time to parry but she managed the feat. She tried to kick him but he blocked. The impact created a shockwave and Mirage was taken off his feet.

He quickly recovered and threw multiple grenades. The mana powered explosion blew her away. That made her body ached. She rolled into a stance just in time to block a hook to the head.

That hurt her arm. The force took her off her feet. Her body remembered a move her brother showed her. She willed her body to spin rapidly and kicked him in the head. He was taken off his feet and slammed through a boulder. She was upon him instantly but he'd already recovered his balance.

She unleashed a fury of attacks that were blocked and dodged.

Mirage jumped away. "Not bad," he said. "Where'd a runt like you acquire this power?"

"Minding my business!" Kariah-Belle attacked but was countered with a hook to the body.

She slid backward. That hurt too. Even with Kul amping her lightning cloak and mana hull, Mirage had her on the defensive.

Expectedly, Mirage conjured clones. The clones moved around her and sweat beaded her brow. She licked her lips as she focused.

Mirage and his clones attacked with explosives. The brown-skinned girl conjured a barrier made of ultraviolet light. He was there to hit Kariah-Belle with a hook to the head. The attack took her off her feet.

She quickly shook the stars from her vision and ducked the sword aimed for her head. The sword belonged to none other than the Black Weapon, a Darkness Tamer. A Talon gang lieutenant who could use any close-range weapon effectively.

He created six massive orbs of black fire and hurled them at her. They came fast, hitting her one after the other and blowing her away. She quickly recovered and put out the black flames on her charred armor.

Black Weapon tried to cut her head off but she ducked. She Head-butted him as hard as she could. He was taken off his feet. Kariah-Belle poised to strike. With Kul amping her and her sword covered in concentrated ultraviolet light, she'd blow a hole right through him.

She hesitated and Black Weapon leaped away.

"A foolish mistake girl!" he snapped.

Suddenly a black root shot up from the stone floor. Kariah-Belle tried to move but pain exploded through her body, freezing her in place. Repercussions from continually using the goddess's power.

The black root wrapped around her like a snake its prey. The vine was strong and grew into a trunk.

"Die." said Black weapons as he shot multiple black orbs of black fire at her. she gritted her teeth, the pain still racking her body.

"Ha!" a familiar voice said. A being in black armor shaped like a dragon blew away the fireballs with a swing of his sword. A short cape with the Nadire crest draped his left shoulder.

"Kaden?" Kariah-Belle questioned.

He looked backed and his helmet disappeared. He smiled. "Hey, baby sis."

"Don't 'hey, baby sis' me!" she mocked. "Where the hell have you been!?"

"Uh, we'll talk about that later."

"No, now!"

Mirage threw a bunch of explosives at them. Kaden dawned his flaming avatar to absorb the damage. The flames of his avatar were black.

He must be using the dark god's power. Kariah-Belle never felt mana like this. It was both warm and cold.

"Fine, later," she said as she broke free of the branch. "You better not disappear again."

She used her sword to deflect an attack from Black Weapon. He jumped back and conjured more large fireballs.

This time Kariah-Belle created a barrier of ultraviolet light to cancel out the attack.

The two stood back to back.

"Check this out, big bro." Kariah-Belle turned and place a hand on Kaden's flame avatar.

She focused on her mana and gave it to Kaden.

"Whoa," he said as his black flame dragon avatar grew larger. Now it more closely resembled knights armor. "Is this the goddess' power?"

"Yup. Now let's wreck em, big bro!"

"Roger that."

They switched opponents. Kariah-Belle ran through the giant flaming legs at Mirage.

The bounty hunter summoned more clones. They tried to confuse Kariah-Belle and succeeded. She was punched in the face by the real Mirage. She tumbled along the ground and blocked a barrage of grenades.

She rolled to her feet and hurled a lightning fang. An large arc of lightning destroyed some of the clones. She quickly spun and hurled three more arcs of lighting which got ride of more clones.

As she expected Mirage had gotten behind her. He was already poised to stab her with a mana powered dagger but Kariah-Belle was ready.

She tossed her sword and dodged. Kariah-Belle then grabbed his arm and flipped him just as Iris had taught her to do. He slammed hard into the ground creating a crater. Blood escaped his mouth. His suit cracked open.

She then caught her sword and aimed it for his throat.

"It's over," she told him through labored breathes. "Surrender."

She winced in pain. Kul flickered out of existence. Her mana hull shattered and her lightning cloak disappeared.

She dropped to one knee, winded. She hit her limit.

"I have you now!" Mirage said. He pulled out a mana powered dagger and lunged.

He plunged the dagger deep into her chest.

Kariah-Belle screamed.

It hurt. Worse than the time that Vympiri impaled her nearly a month ago.

He pulled the knife out and blood leaked from her chest. He stabbed her again in the belly.

"Sweet dreams, runt."

She fell over as blood gushed from her body.

Panic seized her as she hit the ground. She was dying.

She saw memories of her time with her loved ones. Her life was flashing before her eyes.

I'm sorry guys. She said as a tear slid down her face.

She thought of never being able to sit on the supreme council or bringing down Memphis. It frustrated her but she was glad she got to die fighting for humanity. Fighting for what she believed in. She heard Kaden scream her name.

She cursed. Oh no. Kaden. Iris had told Kariah-Belle about the time Kaden thought she had died agaisnt the Vympiri. The dark god had took control of him then. Aya please save him.

She lost consciousness.

My poor, baby. Said an unfamiliar voice.

Who's there? Kariah-Belle thought.

I'm sorry. The voice said. Suddenly there was a bright light and a woman appeared before her.

Who the heck are you? Where am I?

You, my dear are in the space between life and death. I am-

My mother. Kariah-Belle interrupted.

The woman nodded. Her facial features resembled an older version of Kariah-Belle. Her curly brown hair was longer and her brown eyes held three white lines.

Kariah-Belle wanted to cry. Mommy. I-I can't believe it. Am I hallucinating. How is this possible? I thought you died when Memphis invaded.

I did my love. I am just a fragment of life force.

Incredible. Kariah-Belle still couldn't believe it. Then she remembered she was dying.

Mom. I'm-

I know. Lilith nodded. You're dying but don't fret my love. I have come to heal you.

But how?

My essence can use Kul's life force to revive you. She then gave Kariah-Belle a serious look. This is a one-time deal. I won't be able to do it again.

Dues ex Machina. Said Kariah-Belle. She and her mother laughed.

"Tell me about it." Lilith said. "My dear child you are so much like me. I wish I could exchange more words with you but your brother needs you."

Kariah-Belle's eyes widened. That's right. She just died. She was a trigger for Kaden's transformation. He would be going berserk right about now.

But it was so peaceful here. If this was death it felt good. She wanted to stay but knew she couldn't.

Alright, mommy. I love you.

Stay safe my child. Watch over your friends with all your heart and Kul will respond.

She waved her hand and Kariah-Belle's eyes flung open. She sat up in a hurry to see the chaos unfold around her. Kaden was a menace as his black armor had taken a new form. He attacked knights and criminals alike.

The massive chamber was in ruins.

Her would be killer lay unconscious some ways away. Beside her stood a critically wounded Lax-Rim.

He looked at her stunned. "What in Kul's name?"

"I'll explain later." She activated a weakened mana hull leapt towards the action.

As she got closer she could hear Kana telling Rygilya to help her kill Kaden. She was fighting off both Aya and Rygilya. Kaden fought all three of them. No one could land a hit.

"No!" Rygilya shouted.

"Why not!?" she shouted back.

He didn't respond.

"Kaden!" Kariah-Belle screamed when she landed.

The black dragon-like creature responded. He stopped his assault to look at her.

He looked at her with familiarity and wailed in grief. Kariah-Belle felt her bones chill. The mana rolling off him now was just cold. She hoped he would revert back to normal after seeing her alive.

Instead he pounced at her. He closed in fast and she couldn't evade fast enough. He clipped the left side of her torso.

She winced and fell clutching the gash. Kaden poised to attack again. Kariah put her arms up in defense, her heart racing in her chest.

Oh man, not again. She had time to think.

Lax-Rim was there to take the blow.

She could see Kaden's taloned hand protruding from his back. Blood splattered across her face.

Kaden yanked his arm out of him and he fell into Kariah-Belle's arms.

Kariah-Belle wailed and tried to use the goddess' healing power. "I can't use Kul! I can't use Kul!" she cried.

Instead she got a splitting headache.

Aya was there to keep Kaden from killing her. She warped Kariah-Belle and Lax-Rim away.

"Not Lax-Rim!" Kariah-Belle cried again holding him in her arms.

"H-hey, Ria. D-Don't blame your brother. He-he isn't in control."

"Shhh. Don't talk. Save your energy."

"For what? It's game over for me." a tear slid down his cheek. "Damn, here I was planning on being a king of a nation one day."

"Why did you save me you idiot?!"

"Don't be stupid. You're one of the last Nadire, the keeper of the goddess but more than that, you're my closest friend. Seems like reason enough to me." He coughed up blood. "Tell Akio I love her, and everyone at the orphanage that I'm sorry."

Lax-Rim breathed his last breath.

"Nooo!" Kariah-Belle wailed.

Grief and guilt overcame her. She looked around. Kaden was still fighting Aya. Rygilya fought to keep Kana the Knight Slayer at bay. Mirage was still unconscious.

It was his fault. In that moment she felt such rage towards the man. Anger for his actions that lead to this event and sorrow for her fallen comrade swirled within her heart. She was feeling light headed.

Kariah-Belle ran over to him. She grabbed the dagger at his side.

She stopped, her heart racing. If she killed him with this rage she would probably enter the Fallen Place.

I have to so this! For my brother!

"Aahhh," She plunged the dagger deep into his skull.

Kaden saw this and screeched. Suddenly the black dragon scales on his body started to crumble away revealing his brown skin. He collapsed in Aya's arms.

Kana rushed over with killing intent but Rygilya intersected her.

"Why are you protecting him!?" she argued.

"Because he and I have a score to settle. Now back off!"

Kana looked at Kaden then at Rygilya.

"Fine. I'll let you deal with him but if we cross paths again I'll finish him off!" Kana told him.

With that she disappeared through one of the many arc ways in this clearing.

Kariah-Belle rushed over to Lax-Rim. She craddled him with tears in her eyes. She lost her childhood friend and killed a defenseless man in cold blood.

Kariah-Belle dreaded having to tell Akio the news.