“My name is Lumen Draco. A wanderer. I have kept my past from everyone else, especially my students. But you know what they say about the past: It’ll always come back...”
The six teens all looked shocked and relived at the sight of their sensei arriving to their rescue.
Shocked because they didn’t realise that he was hidden in the shadows. And relieved because they were about to become mince meat.
“I never thought you would be released. Oh well, I was hoping to let the rust loose from these old bones.” Lumen said as he gestured for them to come at him.
One shrieked and rushed with a swipe but was blocked by Lumen’s arm who responded with a palm strike, sending it back. He then rushed forward and spun around, legs extended to do a spin kick on two more before he lowered himself and swept another off its feet before kicking it back.
Flipping back up, he struck one twice in the chest with chops before spin kicking another. He then rushed forward to give one an uppercut before he leapt up and punched it several times in the chest before knocking it back down.
Once he landed, he resumed his stance.
With the rest of the teens, they had let out one word:
“WOOOOOAAAAAHHHH!”
“Anyone else?!” He taunted.
Three jumped to dive onto them, but suddenly, Lumen did a surprise attack, pointing his finger at the three and said one thing.
“LASER BEAM!”
Soon a beam of light shot out of his finger as he then cleaved through them like a knife through butter.
He then raised his fists as they glowed before he sprinted.
“HEAVEN’S FIST!”
He then rushed forward and punched the group coming towards him before he leapt up and held an orb of light in the air.
“HEAVEN’S RAY!” The orb exploded as it rained spears of light onto the group of shadows, all of them shrieking as they pierced their bodies, turning them into nothing.
The group witnessed it and their jaws dropped. Sunset had to rub her eyes to check if it was real.
“Um...I’m not the only one that saw the light shooting from his hands, right?” She asked her new friends.
“No, I’m seeing it to.” Falco spoke, slightly gobsmacked.
“Shade, youse know about this?” Squalo asked.
“This is the first I saw of this.” The boy in question responded, also shocked.
With Lumen, he was surrounded by the shadows. Furrowing his brow, he got into position. Moving his hands, he then spoke.
“Light of Bushido: GI!” He spoke as his legs glowed.
“LIGHT SPEED RUSH!” He then sprinted and rushed through the hoard of shadows, battering each one before he reached his students.
“You alright?” He asked in concern.
“YEah...But we have a lot of questions.” Sunset stammered out in shock.
“I promise to answer them, but first we need to get to the temple.” He instructed.
“What temple?” Flora asked, trying to feign cluelessness.
Lumen rolled his eyes.
“I’m not stupid, Flora. I know you six were at the temple in the woods. I saw the footprints.” He said.
“Ah...’ Flora looked sheepish as did everyone else. ‘...well, we were curious...” She muttered.
Lumen sighed.
“MAybe keeping it away from you was a dumb idea. But first, we need to get there. If we have to face these beasts, you need an increase in power.” Lumen explained.
“OK...so how are we going to avoid the hoard of shadows coming towards us?” Sunset exclaimed, pointing at the large group of shadows coming their way.
Lumen saw this and narrowed his eyes, the pupils turning into slits.
“You know...’ He began as he growled lowly, fangs forming in his mouth. ‘Ever heard of the phrase, bullying a dragon?”
“Uh....what?” Falco asked.
“Let me show you another trick.’ He said before he started to glow white. Crossing his arms, he then extended them to the side, yelling out a phrase that would be burned into their memory.
‘ANIMODE! POWER-UP!”
Lumen spun his arms around in a counter-clockwise formation before going down to slap the ground, causing cracks. He then stood up with his left arm behind his back and his right extended with two fingers curled into claws. Suddenly, a gold serpent like dragon appeared behind him.
He then leapt up as the dragon flew around him as he then spread his limbs. His eyes shifted to slits and his teeth turned to fangs. His hair grew longer as red markings appeared around his eyes. Scales appeared around his body before his fingers and toes turned into claws. Spines appeared over his back as a long tail also appeared behind him.
Lumen then palm struck the air twice before performing a reverse roundhouse then placing a fist into his palm.
When the light died down, Sunset, Squalo, Flaco, Sandy, Shade and Flora all looked with shock and awe.
There stood Lumen, half-dragon.
“No way...It’s the same form...” Sunset whispered.
“HOLY SHIT! WE GOT A DRAGON KIN IN DA HOUSE!” Squalo yelled.
“Bloody hell! When did cross breeding magic mumbo jumbo come into the mix?!” Falco exclaimed.
“Ah didn’ take a bad hit to th’ head, did I? ‘Cause I think ah’m seein’ things...” Sandy muttered.
“I...never knew...this...” Shade was lost for words.
“Aye caramba...” That was all Flora could let out.
“You want a clear route, allow me.” Lumen spoke as his arms glowed in certain areas as light glowed all around him, more building in his fanged maw.
“WILD STRIKE LEVEL 1! DRAGON’S HEAVEN! HEAVEN DRAGON’S ROAR!”
A large beam of light soon shot out of his mouth, incinerating the hoard of shadows coming their way. When it died down, there were less shadows but they were still forming.
“We have time, now we need to move!” Lumen said.
The six looked at each other, unsure but with the shadow beasts forming, they had only one choice.
Run.
All of them tore through the hoard of shadows as they tried to attack but were knocked back.
Squalo punched one in the jaw, before flipping them off as they ran away, Falco kicked another while they all ran for the temple.
“Sunset! You said you saw this before, right?!” Shade asked.
“YEah, it was how he brought me to you guys! I thought I was dreaming!” Sunset replied.
As soon as they reached the temple, Lumen hit a code on the door, gears turning as they unlocked the door.
“Come in.” Lumen ordered.
Soon all of them were led inside.
The shadows that followed all looked around in confusion.
“SPREAD OUT! FIND THEM!” One yelled as they all dispersed.
Meanwhile, with the group, Lumen had led them to the destination. Through the dimly lit temple walls.
“Woah...This is so mysterious...” Sunset spoke in awe.
“Yo, we in some Darin’ Do story or somethin’?” Squalo had to ask.
“No. It’s where you’ll be granted the source of your power.” Lumen spoke as he then showed them a lake. It was fairly deep but it shone a brilliant blue.
“You brought us in here...for a BATH?!” Falco exclaimed.
“No. This lake is how I can do what I showed you. I was hoping that I could show this later when you were ready but with the Shadow Walkers about, now is the time. YOu all need to dive into the Lake of Elements. The mystic properties will help awaken a power like you have never seen.” Lumen explained.
Sunset felt nervous. The last time that something like this happened...
Memories of her turning into a demon and being blasted by rainbow light came into mind.
“Are...are you sure...?” Sunset spoke in a hesitant voice.
Suddenly, the growls of the Shadow Walkers grew louder.
“Now’s not the time to hesitate. I know you’re scared but you can’t let fear make your decisions. You need to trust your instincts.” Lumen spoke.
They all looked at each other but then banging against the temple doors grew.
“THEY ARE AT THE GATES! I’ll buy some time, you go and dive in!” He exclaimed.
With that Lumen went to fend them off.
“Guys...what should we do?” Sunset asked.
They were silent before Shade spoke.
“We want to live right? And we need to help Sensei. And we can’t do it the way we are now. We need to do this. Take a leap of faith. Together.”
They all looked at each other before nodding their heads.
Standing at the edge, they joined hands and jumped.
A loud splash echoed through the temple walls.