I gasped as each thin strand of hair in my arms spiked up as if met with a frigid wind. But the winds here were warm as would be expected of late summer.

"What's wrong?" Hideo asked as we flew through the sky on his makeshift airship.

"I don't know," I said.

"Yo-you're crying," Camila said. She glanced at Eita. "You too, Sir Eita."

Eita closed his eyes. "Why am I?"

I glanced out at the forested mountains toward the east. "Do you think that something bad might've happened to our Mom or Dad?" Eita asked. He was shivering.

I wasn't sure what propelled me to do so, but I brought him in for a hug. Our parents should've been in the castle, not in battle. Yet, why was this feeling of dread?

"Eiichi, protect your brother, mother, and the others," a voice called out from behind me.

I turned around, expecting to see my dad, but saw no one.

"Dad?" I called out. There was no response. Had I imagined things? Or had something terrible happened to Dad? No, there was no way that my old man died. It was impossible!

"Dad?" Eita asked, looking up at me. "You think it was him?"

Staring into my brother's eyes, I felt as if we were kids again.

"I must be imagining things," I said. "I'm sure that the old guy is fine. He's as strong as an ox!"

"Sir Eiji is strong, but you shouldn't ignore the bad feeling," Naoru said, glancing outside.

Was he speaking from experience? I had heard that his father died during a mission.

"Yeah," Hideo said, his lips twitching. His eyes were focused on Donato. Dad was the one who had given it to him.

"Maybe he is in trouble, but I'm sure that he'll come out of it like he always does. He's a veteran, after all."

"Yeah," Eita said with a hopeful smile. "Dad has to be alive!"

Eiko, Osamu, and I were continuing our training. It felt like weeks since Osamu had joined us in this world.

Eiko had been uneasy as of late. She came to a stop, sparing Osamu a kick to the head.

"Eiko?" the king asked, confused by her sudden reaction.

Eiko stepped back.

"What's wrong?" I asked, flying over to her side.

Her eyes were watery.

Eiko rubbed them. "The feeling intensified."

Osamu bit his lip. "I told you that I should've returned to Xeleria."

"You think that you'll be able to take on the Monkey King now?" Kaliq asked as he floated down from the ceiling.

"I'm not sure. Frankly, I don't think anyone can. At least not a long term victory. The guy is immortal. The only way I could defeat him would be if I could seal him." He looked away. "Come to think of it, wonder if that technique that Anis used on the Umbra back in Kuroyuki no San could work."

"It won't," I said. "Anis tested it out on Takeshi while we were in my palace. Their cores are what prevent it from working."

Osamu raised an eyebrow at me. "You knew that he was an abysmal?"

"Yeah, he confessed it to us. You didn't know?"

Osamu lowered his eyes. "I had my suspicions, but he never outright verified them. They were instead confirmed when I overheard Rocio talking to Takuya and Teresa. Even if I hadn't appeared at that moment, that woman's presence among the enemy would've been enough to know without a doubt."

"Let's return!" Eiko suddenly said.

Osamu nodded. "Alright."

"Wait, shouldn't we rest first?"

"We might not have time. Eiji might be breathing his last breath at this time."

Shivers ran up my spine. Eiko... She must've been feeling the same way that I did the day that I lost my Sebastion.

I curled my hands into fists. I didn't want to experience the same pain that Osamu, Anis, and I did at losing our spouses.

"Alright, let's go!" I said.

Osamu raised his shield. Vishnu's green glow enveloped the entire room, fixing our clothes and erasing our wounds. Even the long shattered battlefield that our kids destroyed returned to how Shi had left it decades ago.

"Master, Kaliq, if you could please do us the favor," Osamu said.

Kaliq nodded and held out his right hand. A vortex appeared in front of us in an instant. Without hesitation, the three of us jumped into it.

The three of us gasped as soon as we appeared on the other side.

https://youtu.be/d4Pzx1NDTtI

In Daisaru's arms was a golden urn that appeared to be made out of melted armor.

"Eiji," Eiko said, eyes wide. She choked back tears. Electricity crackled all around her. The atmosphere around Osamu also shook as a rush of energy covered the two.

I flew away. "Eiko, Osamu, calm down," I yelled. I knew that was easier said than done, but we couldn't let our emotions cloud our judgment. Especially not against someone like him.

"You came back, King Osamu. I see that you brought company with you this time," Daisaru said. "Here, catch!"

Eiko dashed in front of him and snatched the urn from his hand before he could even throw. An electrified kunai stabbed the Monkey King's stomach.

"Eiji, where is he?" Eiko asked.

"You know," Daisaru said, grimacing.

"You bastard! I'm going to kill you!" Eiko yelled. Six pairs of bright yellow wings appeared on her back. Thick black clouds blotted out all sunlight, enveloping us in a canopy of darkness. Well, it would've been if not for the crackling arcs of electric energy bouncing around the clouds, lighting up our surroundings like giant flash grenades. The forest below caught on fire as some of the bolts of supercharged lightning rained down in multiple spots.

"Fourth Heaven?" I mumbled, awestruck. None of us had reached that level. Well, maybe Shi had, but if he did, he didn't let us know about it.

Watching as a white bolt tore through the land like a powerful laser snapped out of my amazement.

"Eiko, control your power! Look what you're doing!" I said as even the air below became dangerously charged.

Eiko kicked Daisaru, but the Monkey King blocked the attack with his arm.

"Impressive power, but it's nothing against me as I am now. Retreat with your husband's ashes while you still can."

Eiko let out a furious growl, unleashing electricity from her foot. Daisaru's eyes widened as his right arm exploded from the power.

I bit my lip as I noticed Eiko's skin was starting to turn as black as the charred land below. If she continued like this, her body would become overloaded with power.

"I can't, and I won't. Not until this monkey is six-feet under!" Eiko yelled as she focused her mana into her kunai. Spear-sized blades appeared at the end of all eight of her weapons. She zipped over to Daisaru, but the Monkey King slapped her weapons away and grabbed her by the neck with his right hand.

"You appear to want to join Eiji," Daisaru said with cold eyes.

Eiko gave him a defiant glare. "Do your worse!" she yelled as her aura intensified. Daisaru let go of her as the energy leaking out of Eiko burned through his arm.

"Such raw power. If it were controlled to the extent that Eiji's was, you would be a threat."

"I'm tired of you Pillars looking down on me," Eiko said.

Daisaru gasped as his arms, legs, and head were each severed from his body in a burst of light. Eiko stood behind him.

The Monkey King grinned. "You Hills might finally be a worthy challenge," Daisaru said as his ligaments joined back together by tendrils of shadow.

Eiko dashed forward again, cutting them off once more. "I won't let you heal. I'll cut you down more and more. You might not die, but the pain will be so insufferable that you will wish that you could."

"I don't think that you'll get that far," Daisaru said, appearing behind her. He stabbed her back, but she quickly vanished. "An afterimage."

Eiko stabbed him in the back with eight kunai, causing the Monkey Pillar to scream. "What's wrong? You were talking tough a moment ago. Did I deflate your bravado?" the Grand Duchess of Kuroichi whispered into his ear.

Daisaru swung his staff at her, hitting her in the side. Eiko grimaced as she was thrown several meters away.

"Not at all. I'm glad that you've been given me a challenge this time around." Green flames danced around him. "Though, all of you should attack me at once like you did previously."

I glanced at Osamu, who remained as still as a statue. His orange aura danced around him.

"Osamu?" I asked, approaching him. "Are you okay?"

"It's my fault," he whispered to himself. "I lead another one to his death. It should've been me."

I slapped him. "Snap out of it, Osamu!" I yelled. "It's not your fault! Not Eiji's death, not Shi's disappearance, and not even Sebastian and Sofia's deaths! Each one knew what they were going to. Each of us knights is ready to lay down their lives for you and the kingdom."

"Why me? I resorted to using the power of a demon. I'm not worthy of your loyalty!" he snapped. I hadn't seen him behave like this since we were kids.

I slapped him again. "Get yourself together! We're in a war! Eiko's fighting with all she has out there!"

Osamu took a deep breath. "You're right." He ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry, I regressed for a bit there."

I smiled. "Let's go-" My eyes widened as blood trickled from my mouth.

"Miyuki!" Eiko yelled.

"You!" Osamu said. Behind me was Daisaru.

"Burn!" Daisaru yelled.

I gathered my aura around his arm, containing his flames. "I won't... go down so easily," I said.

Daisaru pulled his hand around and kicked Eiko away as she tried to get him away from me.

"Why did you attack her?" Eiko yelled as Osamu healed me with Vishnu's power.

"I can't have your motivation restored. My display of power at Grand Crater was intended to demotivate you. Eiji's death managed to do just that to the king."

"Well, you motivated me to kill you more!" she yelled as he aura intensified.

"Eiko, go and take Miyuki away from here."

"What?" Eiko asked.

"Yeah, I can fight!"

"You're both in my way," the King said, eyes cold. "Leave now, unless if you wish to end up like Eiji!"

"Osamu," Eiko said, furrowing her brow. Her aura was flickering. Osamu must've realized that she was at the limit of her mana. If Eiko continued, her life would be at risk.

"Eiko, let's listen to him," I said with saddened eyes. I didn't wish to leave the King alone, but I had to get Eiko to drop the fight for her own safety.

Eiko stared at the urn still in her arms. Her power was incredible. Her fighting while holding that urn made it more so. "Fine!" she said, rushing over to me.

I watched as Daisaru stared at us. It was as if he were looking for an opening to attack us.

I formed an ice barrier around me. I wasn't going to let him get another hit on me like that.

"Eiko, keep your guard up!" I yelled, drawing closer to her.

Daisaru plucked a piece of hair from his head and threw it into the air.

"No!" I yelled. A clone of Daisaru appeared where the hair was and rushed toward Eiko.

"Damn it!" I yelled, forming slabs of ice around Eiko.

"Erase your clone, I'm you opponent," the king said, glaring at the Monkey Pillar.

"You had your chance."

Darkness flared around Osamu. "Are you saying that I'm no longer worth your time? Listen to my words, foolish-"

Daisaru cupped the king's mouth and pushed him into the ground.

"Osamu!" Eiko yelled in horror as the king vanished into the burning forest below.

Daisaru raised his hands, pulling the forest fires toward us. "You'll join him and Eiji next!"

I gulped. He was more vicious than our first fight. The abysmals, they must've been running out of time to save their world. If we could only drag it on beyond that point, we would win. But, the question was, could we?

Eiko dashed at the Daisaru out of anger, pushing him away with a sphere of electricity. "No, you're not!"

I activated Second Heaven and put out the fire that Daisaru was putting out with frigid water. "Eiko, stop. Let me take over. You go and heal."

Eiko's body trembled. "Miyu, I don't want to lose you too," Eiko said.

I smiled. "And I don't want to lose you either. Though, I don't think that we lost our king," I said as I shielded myself from the Monkey Pillar with a new wall of ice.

The real Daisaru glanced at the forest. He narrowed his eyes and formed a sphere of green fire. "I'll finish him off then."

Suddenly, a literal pillar of darkness rose from the ground.

"And Erebus?" Eiko asked.

I smiled. "No, it's not."

Orange light exploded out of the top of the dark pillar. Flying high in the sky was our king.

"Osamu!" Eiko yelled, smiling.

"Didn't I say to go?" he asked in his usual authoritative tone.

Eiko flew over to me in an instant. "Miyu and I will take care of the clone for you."

He huffed. "No. I'll take care of him too. You two have already done enough."

The two Daisaru grinned and took a deep breath.

I formed a snow wall around Eiko and me to weaken the sound. Still, the howling growl quickly broke even through its sound dampening abilities.

My eyesight wavered.

"No," Eiko said as she powered down.

"You okay?" I asked.

"I can barely hear." She glanced at the snow wall. "His Majesty! We need to go save him!"

"You stay here. I'll go do it," I said, taking a deep breath. It was time for me to use Zen mode.

I opened the wall of ice and saw Daisaru trying to break through a cocoon of stone that continued fixing itself.

"Stay away from him!" someone yelled. I turned and saw Rosa. She shot beams at the monkey. Suddenly, the clone appeared in front of her. He reached his hand out to grab her by the head but was yanked away. A chain had wrapped around his left arm.

"Don't you dare touch my little sister," Setsuko said, glaring at him.

A blade of ice stabbed through the clone as a hammer hit him on the head.

"Kohri, Hyo!" I yelled. "Leave!"

"Mom? What are you doing here?" Kohri asked.

"We came to back up the king."

"I'm not sure about Kohri, but I'm not as weak as I used to be," Hyosetsu said, scoffing.

"It's not that. Your power can only do so much if you can't feel a thing!"

"So that's how it is," Setsuko said, swing the trapped clone toward the original.

Daisaru held a hand out, causing the clone to dissolve into shadow before he could hit him.

"Ugh, I really should've finished Osamu off earlier!" the Monkey King said, scratching his head. He laughed. "Well, who's next? Or will you all be attacking me at the same time?"

"Hyo, Kohri, Rosa, go to the sky island. Take Eiko with you. Setsuko, let's take him on together," I said.

"Won't his powers affect you too?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yes, but I know Zen mode." I glanced at my boys. With them around, though, I wouldn't be able to focus.

"Alright, we'll go," Hyosetsu said.

Suddenly, an explosion came from the direction of the island. "What was that?" Rosa asked.

"Not sure, but we should go check it out!" Kohri said. He flew over toward a frightened Eiko. "Don't be scared, Grand Duchess. We'll take you to safety."

"Where's Eiichi?" she mumbled.

"He went with Hideo to see what was going on in Makkuroyama. The shorty had a bad vibe," Hyosetsu said.

"I see. Then it was wise of that boy to listen to it," Eiko said, hugging the urn Daisaru had made for Eiji.

Kohri's eyes widened. "Wait, isn't that?"

Eiko sniffed. "Yes, it's Eiji's ashes. That Monkey killed him."

Rosa covered her mouth with both hands. "Sir Eiji?"

"Kohri, Hyo, Rosa, hurry up and leave," I said.

I watched with blurry eyes as the Monkey King moved his head side to side. He was gathering energy into both of his fists.

"Mom, Setty, take care!" Kohri yelled, distressed.

I took another deep breath and closed my eyes. "We'll return alive, I promise."

**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed the chapter ^_^. Only four more chapters left to go!**