The beast growled as Nathan drove towards it. The tackle staggered the beast backward before it balanced itself, Nathan was too light and too close to gather the needed momentum to topple the beast. As Nathan had his arms around the beast, he'd notice the beast was growing in size. It was also getting stronger as Nathan had started to being pushed back and down by the beast.  

Meira watched as Nathan fought the beast as she tried to come up with a plan to help Nathan deal with the menace. She knew full well that most of her arsenal was out of the question though she did have an idea which she heard her teacher Siianthaliae talk about. The only problem was she had not ever used a Unison before and she had no training in how to use synchronized moves. It was a large gamble, but with the stakes like they were she decided it was one she was willing to take.

She looked over toward Nathan as she had finally come up with the perfect move to deal with the monster. She concentrated her energy at a fixed point then calmly toward Nathan, "Nathan, join with me into a Unison attack. We will combine our two moves to purge this impurity here and now!" 

Shoving the beast off to the side, Nathan got back up. "Wait...what?" he questioned Meira. He was a little lost. 'What the hell is a Unison attack? Gah, I don't have time to think about this.' He shook off his confusion and said to Meira "alright. Just tell me what to do" He was going to have to follow her lead, since not only had he never preformed a 'Unison attack' but he was also inexperienced fighting along side other people. Until she made her move, All he could do was keep this...this...thing away from her

The beast was thrown off-balance and slid across the ground a few meters before stopping and recovered. The black scales had covered more of the formerly human body and the growth on its shoulder were larger as well and had a split formed over the top of each. With a snarl, the beast launched itself at Nathan once more, unheeding of whatever plan they're concocting.

Meira just remembered she did not have her sword so her arsenal was limited until she heard a familiar voice that said "here" throwing her the sword which she caught with her hand. She was surprised to see that same girl she saw earlier who was captured alongside her. She knew when she got full glimpse of her that she was  "You must be Reala?" 

"We can talk later. First we must deal with this beast first." Reala added as she landed on the ground right beside Meira. She moved into a defensive position as she saw Meira about to perform a technique.

Meira positions her hand in the air as a magic circle forms below her feet. Her hand starts to flicker with a darkish spark as she starts to command a black flame in her hand. She shifts the circle over toward Nathan where he will along with Meira be engulfed with a blackish flame aura. "Ready, Nathan?" Meira questioned as she moved her hands into an attack position while putting her sword away for the time being.

Normaly when he used fire, Nathan went for a large area of effect, so that the flames would spread faster. However since this creature didn't look as flammable as his normal foes, he opted for something different. Tuning out the strange girl who had just arrived (battles weren't really a good time to hold conversations), he released his flame all over his body, letting it mingle with the fire that Meira covered him in. Once the two were sufficiently mixed, he began to concentrate them into a single ball between his hand. This didn't take too long as he had a natural affinity for fire.

It was not fast enough as the beast barreled into Nathan as he was trying to form the fireball. The flame covering Nathan was affecting the beast as unprotected flesh came in contact with the empowered flame. Even the beast's new scales wasn't enough to fully withstand it and they cracked under the strain. It still pressed on despite and attempted to maul Nathan with clawed hands. Meira and Reala's presence did not seem to register on the beast yet.

"Oh no you do not!" Reala exclaimed as she charged at the beast with her sword attempting to make a direct hit with her sword in order to ram it so she could give both Meira and Nathan more time to prepare their move. "Take this! Spirit Buster!" She finished as she attempted to not only ram the beast, but with a powerful veil of light around her that would act as a shield when she made contact.

Meira took the time to generate energy into her body and transfer the darkish flame aura around her to Nathan so they could finally deliver their cooperation attack. She let loose an enormous amount of her fiery aura as she sent it at Nathan to empower him with. "Use the Devil's Fire on him, Nathan! I'll transform into a Spirit and let you borrow my power to command it!" Meira exclaimed as her body started to illuminate where her appearance changed. Her body bathed a white leotard with a white skirt and some thigh highs and boots to go along with her new look. Also on her back appeared six wings which were each a different color.

Reala's charge met some success as her sword dug into the beast's left side. She found that she was unable to penetrate any deeper than the tip of the sword even as the force of her charge dislocate the beast from trying to maul Nathan further. Snarling at its new opponent, the beast ignored the blade on its stomach and swiped at Reala.

"No way!" She said in surprise. "I cannot believe it managed to survive that attack. Dammit, my sword is stuck and there's nothing I can do now, but pull back." She said in frustration as she released the handle of the sword as the beast tried to attack her then palm her two hands in front of her and used the excess force of her attack to propel herself backward out of harm's way before signaling to Nathan that his opportunity was now. "This is your one chance, do not let it slip away." Reala reminded him as she safely landed on her feet right beside Meira. Unfortunately the Spirit Sword Celesna was still stuck in the beast and she didn't have time to extract the sword without taking a hit. She knew that she could not let that sword fall into the wrong hands. Melianth had reminded her that the sword could be used as a conductor to control her power with should someone learn how to manipulate properly.

Meira's energy started to emanate brightly as dark flames shrouded her entire a body and a giant black serpent like dragon wrapped itself around her loosely allowing her to use its power. Her eyes looked lifeless and she had no emotion on her face. She pointed at the beast for Nathan letting him know her power was ready for him to command. "Do you desire the power beyond the darkness?" Meira said strangely as she was not acting like herself at all.

Things were quickly getting weirder and weirder. First there was this...thing, then this strange girl appeared, and then Meira suddenly started getting taken over by the weirdness itself. To be honest, Nathan was getting tired of it. "Nope, I'm good" he answered her, as he felt it was the only safe answer to give. Getting back up, he took the strange fire that she had given him, he poured it all into his fire and quickly reformed the fireball he failed to finish before...and then he ate it.

His body began crackling with embers of both flames. "Let's get this over with" he said as he charged at the monster. Starting off his attack with a kick to the gut to knock it back, he followed up with a hard hook to the face, along with five more to the chest area. With his opponent dazed, he launched it up into the air with an uppercut. As it began to fall back down to the ground, he unleashed a flury of punches so fast, it looked like he had grown extra arms. The force of his attack was actually propelling the creature upwards. When his assault had finished and it began to fall back down again, he spun his body in place, forcing the flames inside of him into his fist as he drove it into the stomach of the monster. As his fist connected with it, all the fire that he had consumed exploded out of his hand, sending the creature flying.

The beast collided against the castle's wall, unable to hold against the momentum the wall crumbled as the mass sped pass it before stopping against the wall on the opposite side of the hall it ended in. The blackened body sled down the wall down to its rear, a hole in the center of mass where Nathan hit it visible while Reala's sword still stuck to it on a sliver of flesh, smoke and the smell of burnt flesh raising from it. Yet for all the damage it received, the beast was clearly still alive as it twitched in its pitiful attempt to move. Its eyes shot unrestrained hostility towards those who came close yet its body refused to listen to its desire to brutally hurt them.

Meira looked on as she saw the beast still moving despite the massive damage it had taken. Her expression had not changed ever since she transformed. While she still remained in her position behind Nathan, she peered into the beast's eyes trying to make contact with its heart. "I asketh this of you, thou wish to be released from the restraints that confine it to the everlasting misery that it bathes in?" Meira questioned toward the beast in a prophetic riddle tone as she still showed no sign of emotion on her face. Reala even knew something was different about Meira since she never acted like this before. The only people she knew who act like Meira are Lady Siia and her sister Miia. Neither of them were present and she sensed an otherworldly presence inside Meira which didn't feel anything like her.

As Meira continued to look on emotionless thoughts revolved around in her head sending her state of mind into a rapid tailspin. "You know you want it. You know death is what it deserves. You know you're hungry for more. You know you want to devour everything you love. Do not resist your desire to destroy. Annihilate and devour everything around you!" The voice said to her, but Meira while in a struggle with her mind shook her head with a look of disbelief. She wasn't sure what to do. Not even sure if she should even listen to the entity.

While Meira was still in the state of confusion, something took control of her body and started to speak toward her as she had flashbacks of her foster parent's death spiraling around in her mind. "You killed them, Meira. This is what you are. You are an Angel of Destruction hellbent on annihilation. You and I share the same resolve of wanting to devour all of existence. Entrust yourself to me and I shall release you from the misery of your painful memories. You will have to suffer no more."

"Do not listen to that voice, Meira. That voice is of the all-ending entity that only wishes to return everything to the void of nothingness. I know you better than this. You do not wish to hurt others. You'd even be harming innocents. Stop listening to that voice!" Reala pleaded toward Meira hoping that her persuasion might snap Meira back to her senses. Somehow she knew something had taken over her spirit form, but she wasn't sure what. She did sense a very evil and ominous aura from the presence of this being.

Meira continued to struggle to find herself despite hearing Reala's words loud and clear. She still had visions of the nightmares of the girl that looked like her who massacred her foster family. This girl was grinning as she was saturated in blood licking the blood off a blade that looked just like Meleitling. "What if I did really kill them? Am I no different than those who I despise? Am I a hypocrite caught in my own web of misery?" She questioned toward herself inside her mind as she tried to find some answer to give clarity to what was going on.

A voice pierced the area as it spoke directly toward Nathan sounding unconvinced. "Do you actually think you can save her from herself, foolish boy? What makes you think you can stop her? You cannot even control your own power yet you feel emboldened to protect this girl? Don't make me laugh you sorry excuse for existence. Just kill her. It is the only way to prevent the catastrophe that is written in the prophecies. Do that, and you will be a hero. Isn't that what you want? To make a name for yourself? To be someone? Answer me boy!"

Nathan had thought that taking down that strange monster would end the weirdness, he was wrong. When voice from nowhere began to speak to him, he just sighed and took it in stride 'this is going to be my whole day isn't it?' Resigned to this, he answered the voice "clearly you're mistaken; I don't care if I'm a hero or even a somebody. So there's no way I'm going to kill someone who hasn't done anything yet. Also, I find it odd how hard you're trying to convince me to kill her. I'm starting to wonder if you're the one who's going to cause this catastrophe you just mentioned, and that with Meira dead, no one could stop you. So no, I won't kill her."

"So you would doom your own kind for the sake of one girl? How naive could you be? Have you forsaken your own race in hope of helping this nuisance? Have it your way then. But I think you're in over your head if you think you can protect her from her eventual fate. I will do what I must in order to allow our kind to survive. Even if that means sacrificing a girl in order to bring about the greater good. Are you telling me, you'd stand in the way of your own ancestors in order to protect her?" The voice questioned toward Nathan still not showing itself and secluding itself from sight.

"Wow, you really don't have a clue who you're talking to" Nathan was actually a little surprised "I gave up on my own race years ago. Hell, I've been wandering around killing my own race for a few years. I'm also used to being in over my head, it's where I'm at my best oddly enough. Your mind games aren't going to work on me, I've resisted better attempts, so you'd be better off not wasting your breath"

"You'll regret your decision. Turning your own back on your own kind. I will make sure that I stain your very betrayal on that pathetic body of yours. Now that you've made us your enemy, you better think about watching your own back as well. It will be interesting to see if you can protect yourself and this girl at the same-time? But I will warn you, she will devour you eventually. For now, I will let you be. I will seize my opportunity at another time." The voice concluded as it disappeared from sight and not another word was heard from it.

"Nathan, are you sure that was wise?" Reala questioned as she stood by and interpretted the whole conversation. 

Nathan shrugged "no clue. But I've done tons of stupid things in the past, and I'm still alive" he answered. "The question is, what are we going to do about her?" He asked while turning to Meira "she's not looking to good. I think she might have gotten hit by some sort of mental attack. I'm clueless when it comes to stuff like that, so I hope you know something about the subject. Otherwise we'll have to find someone else who can help her"

Meira had finally returned to her senses, but her state of mind was damaged by everything she heard and she wasn't sure what to believe anymore. "Am I no different than a monster? Am I really just some Angel of Destruction meant to devour all of existence. I killed..." She paused as tears started to roll down her eyes as the emotion in her body started to come back to life. "I killed them, didn't I? I always tried to make an excuse in the past when I was a child that it was someone else that looked like me, but that was really me, wasn't it? Yet now I am here killing a monster that I am no different from? I have no right to judge when I committed the same sins as this beast. If I give into my desire to destroy, will all the pain go away?" She questioned as she continued to speak softly in a damaged state of mind about what she had done.

Another voice pierced the sky which everyone could hear. This voice was different from all the other's and sounded just like how Meira was talking a moment ago when something inside her was trying to convince her she was corrupted. "Yes, release your pain and let me take over. You will have to suffer no more. I will destroy everything including those you love so you never have to cling to anything again. You will never have to suffer again. Let me make your decisions for you. You can rest in a paradise I will create for you while I do all your bidding for you." It said toward Meira as Reala could only sit there and watch not knowing what to do. She didn't know what words to use to persuade Meira not to listen to such a being. She was hoping Nathan might have the answer. It was the only thing she could hope for at the moment.

Nathan was ready for today to end already. So many crazy things had happened already, and it looked like more were to come. "This isn't good" he mumbled. "Meira, don't let her trick you! If there's anything I've learned in my life, it's to never ever listen to voices that come out of nowhere, EVER! Nothing good can ever come of it. Whoever she is, she's probably lying to you. If you let her win, then everything you're trying to do will be wasted! Don't let that happen! Is that what you really want; to live in an empty world all alone forever!?"

"Alone?" Meira questioned as she wasn't sure what to do. "I..." She muttered for a moment still completely confused. The entity was impressed by how much she was resisting that it decided not to get aggressive. It waited to see how she would react afterward. "I don't know... But I cannot let you take control over me. Not until I know the answer. For now I will reject you and resist you with all my strength." She pleaded as she shook her head refusing the request from the voice.

"Foolish girl, you would listen to the words of a naive mortal who abandoned his own race? What makes you think he won't do the same to you?" The voice questioned toward Meira hoping that it would get a favorable response from her.

"Abandon me? Would you really do that, Nathan?" She said confused not knowing what to with everything still spiraling around her mind in an endless paradox.

"You have to stop listening to her" Nathan said "she'll say whatever she thinks will break you" he warned. "My entire race suffers from a madness that flows through our very blood. I've been fighting it for a long time, but in my life the only other members of my race I've met who weren't family have all given into it, embraced that madness. That's why I've abandoned them, and that's why most of the blood on my hands is from my own kin. As long as you keep fighting whatever it is that's inside of you, I'll be there. After all, I'll need to you take care of me when I finally lose to the madness in my blood"

"Maybe he's right..." Meira questioned as she tried to fight the madness that spiraled out of control in her body. "We are two sides of the same coin meant to help one another." She paused for a moment surprised by how concern Nathan was about her. This concern from her was quite different than the other compassion she felt from him. She felt a slight warmth inside her cold heart that started to sparkle a little.

"So, you would listen to the words of a fool?" The voice questioned toward Meira interpreting that she had not fallen for its words.

"I don't know, but I do know that until I know the truth, I will continue to strive for it. I cannot turn my back just, because I am unsure about the mist that fogs my mind about my past. But he's right, I would be allowing myself to be secluded into the same solitude I tried to get away from. I do not want to be a hypocrite of my own words so my answer is no. I will not let you do what you please."

"What makes you think finding out the answer will make anything easier for you? You mortals are ambitious curious fools who eventually consume themselves in the madness of their own swelling past." A brief paused before its voice concentrated back on Nathan. "So be it, but do not think you have won, boy. Because you have not. One day, she may even devour you. Would you fight her even then?" The voice questioned toward Nathan awaiting a response from him before it parted.

Nathan raised an eyebrow "clearly you didn't hear me; I'm counting on her being the one to kill me when I finally go mad. I'll only fight her if she waits too long to go through with it, and I stop being myself." Nathan sighed "well if that's everything, we really should be getting back to that party. We need to let everyone know that you're alright" he said to Meira

"Wait, what!?" Meira said in surprise when she overheard Nathan talking to the voice about killing him. She couldn't believe Nathan had just said that. What she heard irritated her so much she turned her attention toward Nathan, "I can't believe what you just said." She paused before she continued in a tone which was all too familiar. "Stupid, stupid, stupid..." She said at the end in the same tone she spoke toward Nathan when he said anything that wasn't logical meaning it was pretty careless or idiotic to say. "You haven't changed one bit, Nathan. Still as childish as ever." She added with a brief smile on her face.

Reala began to smile since it was great to see her sister back to herself and in rather higher spirits than she was before. She knew inside she was still struggling to find the answer, but this time she wouldn't turn her back on everything she accomplished while she looked for the answer herself.

Nathan rubbed the back of his head "yeah...well. Anyway, we really need to get back to the party, like now. Who knows what's going on in there now. Your aunt needs to know that you're still alive after all." Just then, he noticed the beast out of the corner of his eyes. "The hell?" He walked over to it and pulled out the sword still stuck in it. "Is...is this thing still alive?" He was answered when he saw a little bit of movement from it. "Well damn, I didn't expect that. Oh well, still got to finish it." Since beating it to death had very limited success, Nathan decided to try something else. Grabbing it's head with both of his hands, he squeezed on it with all of his Dragonite strength.

Reala and Meira were both caught by surprise that the beast was still alive, but gave a sigh of relief once Nathan had finished it. Reala emanated energy into her hand as she made it glow like a roman candle where her sword did the same. She used that energy like a magnet to attract her sword back to her hand which she caught after she removed it from the beast's body. "It would be bad if Celesna were to fall into the hands of malice." Reala remarked as she turned away the monster ready to walk away and see what was going on downstairs.

"That's the legendary Spirit Sword Celesna which is said to be crafted from the hairs of the Goddess known as Aira, isn't Reala?" Meira questioned as she also began to walk away from the seen happy to see the beast was dead. She was also back in her original wardrobe from before.

"Yes." Reala answered her quickly as she wanted to get back to help the situation below which she knew might be quite dire at the moment.