Ancient Kings X: Multifarious Bonds/Episode 2: The Lady of Chrysanthemums

**The Lady of Chrysanthemums** is the second episode of Ancient Kings X: Multifarious Bonds.

## Plot

After Joshua sensed a familiar presence in the lobby, he went to the place immediately. He saw a brunette maiden gazing upon his oil paintings. When he approached her, the maiden turned to see him. This caused him to be surprised by her unexpected arrival. He asked if she was the woman he met times ago: namely Chrysanthine. However, who exactly is she as related to Joshua's experiences in his journey?

## Storyline

They looked at each other as if they have not met yet.

"Is that you... Chrysanthine?" Joshua asked.

"Yes, Joshua. It has been a long time since we first met in the village," the maiden answered. She smiled mildly.

Joshua looked away from her. His cheeks were reddened by the light tint of carnations.

"What's wrong?" Chrysanthine asked innocently.

"N-Nothing in particular...!" Joshua answered hastily. "What brings you here, anyway?" Joshua asked, trying to change the topic.

"I have come to find you. Is your halberd still well taken care of?"

"Of course."

"I see..."

"I entreat you: Come with me to the King's Lounge and we'll talk."

"Okay," answered Chrysanthine.

While they were walking to the Iounge, Cephelia noticed them. "Is that his visitor?" she wondered.

They stopped before the lounge's entrance. Joshua knocked on the door.

Reius heard it. "Coming!" He opened the door and saw the two. "Hey, isn't that..?"

Darkstorm drops in behind them ready to defend Joshua upon command.

Valius, from behind Reius, noticed the familiar woman during his journeys, as he walked among the group and said, "Is it really you?"

Darkstorm taps Joshua's shoulder.

Chrysanthine looked at Valius. "You must be Valius of Fenix's Pinion, if I remember correctly. It's been a long time since I joined you in your adventures. Not to mention my mother's curiosity concerning your lineage." She smiled.

Darkstorm Sniffs Chrysanthine's head curiously

"It has been a very long time, my lady." Said Valius as he bows down, giving respects to Chrysanthine.

"Oh, no need for such formality. Besides, we are friends around these parts," said Chrysanthine. "Oh, I should mind my manners. I am Chrysanthine Emperiales, daughter of Lady Chrysthine of Crystherum. Also a lance blacksmith under the hood."

"She's the one who forged Astreia's lance—the Lys, halberd of moonlight," Reius added.

"Int'resting," Louisius commented.

"Fair maiden, take a seat, if you please," Thomas told her.

"Thank you," Chrysanthine responded. "Now, about that halberd..."

Joshua picked up the halberd Lys and showed it to her.

"I see. It still stands out with its glory. I understand that you cherish this gift amidst the passing of Queen Astreia," Chrysanthine observed.

"Well, you do know me. I am fond of cherishing every moment I have with the ones dear to me," Joshua replied.

"I agree." Chrysanthine smiled mildly and brushed her hazelnut brown hair with her right hand.

Darkstorms attempts to connect to Chrysanthines mind only to get rejected again

"Interesting. Very interesting. There so much history that we're learning. It's good to learn some history every now and again." Valius smiles as well.

Raymond tapped the furry back of the lupine Darkstorm. He started to rebuke him silently. "How rude of you, Darkstorm... Do practice courtesy and ask for permission even just once," he whispered to him.

"I agree, Valius," Joshua replied.

"Anyways, I humbly request for the attention of the Ventilus Queen," Chrysanthine spoke.

"Behold, I am present. How may I help thee?" Caitlineia asked.

"It is nice to meet you. What is your name, your Highness?"

"I am Caitlineia Eurius, born of my Pagonian mother and Eurian father."

"I see..." Chrysanthine said. She shaked hands with the queen. "Perhaps you know of Queen Astreia Lucernumbrea, yes?"

"Of course. She is Joshua's first spouse and the first Ventilus Queen of the 10th generation. What of it?"

"I am her blacksmith since she was still living. Did Joshua tell you of Queen Astreia's final act for him and the next queen?"

"Yes. It is bless the next queen with her lost magical arts of Ancient Photokinesis. It is symbolic for her reincarnation."

"I see, it must be a regeneration when the old body dies out, a new one is regenerated in it's place" Said Valius.

"Symbolical, Valius. It does not mean that Astreia literally regenerates. As you know, reincarnation does not happen physically: it's all inside," Joshua refuted. "Well, she also did that for me to see her bearings even in my second wife. I should say, it is a great blessing. How blissful it is to reminisce those joyful memories we had together."

Thomas jestfully nudged Joshua to the side. "So lucky, aren't you, Joshua?" Thomas smiled. "I am yet to find one, though. I am envious of you."

Joshua smiled back. "That is all right. I wish you blessings from PHOTOS that he will guide you to your destined spouse."

Louisius thought of the past disputes in his homeland and his experiences caused by such strife. "Speaking of Astreia, I remember Algis and his band of rebels. How dreadful of Brian to manipulate them to do his bidding..."

Darkstorm walks to the window on all fours his wolf tail swaying

"Who is this Algis & Brian? And who are these rebels you speak of?" Asked Valius, wondering who those rebels are.

"Oh, them. I suppose I should tell you of the past conflicts between the Pyronian monarchy and the common folk of a village near Calderum City," answered Joshua. "Algis Fercolasia is the commander of the renegades and is the one who started the rebellion, whereas Brian Fenricteum is the mastermind of the rebellion. He manipulated those rebels for his hidden plan: to recover the Ancient Erebokinetic energy from Astreia to increase his strength even more. Such energy, when sufficient, is enough to engulf Antiquus in magical darkness. Only a practitioner of Ancient Photokinesis is able to stop it."

"Brian also tried to erase Queen Astreia from existence because she was a practitioner of Ancient Photokinesis which can stop him from carrying out his plan. Thus, he had two goals in mind. Furthermore, Queen Astreia is dubbed by few as the legendary 'Moonlight Priestess' because of her strange ability to cast both Photokinetic and Erebokinetic spells, despite they are of opposite affinities," explained Chrysanthine.

Darkstorm's attention is caught by the mention of the Moonlight Priestess and looks straight at Chrysanthine

"Wow, that's deep." Said Valius, feeling amazed & a little concern about the past.

"Darkstorm, what's the matter?" asked Raymond.

Darkstorm focuses his power inhaling deep

"Can you hear me guys," He says to them telepathically his voice sounding no more than a whisper

"In behalf of them, loud and clear," Joshua's thoughts speak to Darkstorm. "What's the matter?"

"The term 'Moonlight priestess' I heard of it before," Darkstorm says to Joshua looking to Chrysanthine, " Her scent is strange to me."

Joshua heard Darkstorm's voice in his mind. All of a sudden, in a short-term vision, he saw Chrysanthine for a second, then his mind went into a static, revealing the face of a seven-eyed entity before him. The vision stopped immediately while Joshua was clutching his head in pain.

Chrysanthine and Caitlineia were the first ones to react.

"Are you all right, Joshua?" Chrysanthine asked.

"I-I'm fine...." he struggled.

"I can tell that you do not feel good," Caitlineia responded, rubbing her husband's head. "I presume that it is another vision, yes?"

"I know not," Joshua said. "It just appeared to me without my consent."

"Please, tell us about it Joshua? What did you see?" Asked Valius.

Darkstorm's lupine ears perk up

Joshua sighed in response to Valius' exclusion of his regal title when calling his name. "I saw a brunette in my mind but a seven-eyed creature adorned in a stole of fire replaced her in the blink of an eye."

"Dude, that sounds like your vision earlier, if I still remember it clearly," Thomas said.

"Yet it is slightly different," Louisius responded. "In a way."

"Speaking of the first vision, did it happen after Valius said that he would like to see the Vis Herae of this generation, right?" Jamesche asked for clarification. "Just a thought, anyway."

"Now that I think of it, you are correct, miliege," Flarius confirmed.

Deep in thought, Joshua is staring at the floor. "One day I would like to see this new generation's Vis Herae," he remembered Valius' words. "Her scent is strange to me," he recalled Darkstorm's mind message. Then he visualized the first vision, wherein he saw a multitude of unknown creatures and the Antiquian women standing below them, including Chrysanthine, the same brunette maiden he saw in his two visions and the one he met at the castle lobby.

Suddenly, he remembered something. He turned to check the clock. "Oh, it is already a quarter to twelve noon, huh?" Joshua realized. "Okay, let us take a break for now and we will have a discussion later on our plans in Demersus Beach."

"Speaking of which, this seems interesting," Severina said. "How about you, dear niece?"

"M-me?" Aeravelia asked for clarification. "I-I guess I am... I wish Everburn will join us if he wants to."

"That is so you," Severina commented.

A very familiar voice appears behind Aeravelia," You call for me?"

Aeravelia was startled and turned to see the familiar entity. "E-Everburn!"

"Wow, did not see you there," Joshua commented.

Vorkata Eveburn bows to Joshua, "I owe my training to you my king," he says hugging Aeravelia kissing her on the forehead.

"'Tis a pleasure," Joshua responded.

Chrysanthine, deep in thought, was staring at the floor.

"What's up?" Joshua asked.

"Oh, nothing in particular," Chrysanthine answered. "I'm just wondering about who you were referring to."

"Referring to what?"

"In your vision," Chrysanthine replied. She brushed her hazelnut brown hair with her right hand, pondering on the topic.

"I see..." confirmed Joshua. "We'll talk about that later, all right?"

"I understand."

Vorkata Everburn walks to his king with a stack of paper work, "Another set sir, Laws mostly for the merchants."

"We of the Empyrean Conclave shall decide accordingly," Joshua answered.

"The council is both legislative and executive in these parts, right?" Reius asked Flarius.

"Yeah. The judicial is a different set of people, composed of Magistrates," Flarius explained.

"Got it," Reius confirmed.

Joshua took one of the files and prepared his nib pen. In the blink of an eye, the security alarm blared in the lounge. Five Royal Constructs barged through the entrance and hurriedly went to their positions.

"Our mighty Constructor, the Shell Systems has caused the security breach," one of the constructs voiced in.

"Confirmed, Construct 081407. Get back to the frontlines," Joshua commanded.

"Order confirmed," voiced Royal Construct 081407. "Relaying commands to neighboring constructs and initiating synchronization."

The five Royal Constructs barged out in immediate obedience.

"Men, let us proceed to the contaminated area," Joshua told his fellow men.

"Oh yeah, beat down!" Reius exclaimed.

"You can count on me," Louisius responded.

"I'm in!" Thomas said.

"Women, I urge you to stay here for safety," Joshua said.

"Take care, my beloved," Caitlineia responded.

Chrysanthine looked at Joshua and nodded in agreement.

Everburn hugs Aeravelia before joining Joshua at his side

Darkstorm looks to joshua and telepathically says, "With your permission I wish to remain here to keep them protected."

Joshua nodded. "I leave them in your hands," he telepathically relayed. Afterwards, he ran off outside in a normal pace. Reius, Flarius, and the other Ancient Kings follow suit.

Everburn follows joshua as Dark lays down on the ground keeping an eye on the others.

Chrysanthine was at the front of a window, looking at a panoramic view of the outside world. She saw a large construct moving toward the castle.

Darkstorm looks to Chrysanthine and tries to Telepathically speak to her, " something the matter?"

"I wonder if Joshua and his companions can defeat that machine," Chrysanthine relayed in telepathy. "It looks fully armed. Not that I doubt their abilities, but... I must help if the need arises."

Darkstorm stretches out and walks to her telepathically speaking to her, " I am sure Joshua knows what to do, of all the time I spent with him out on the feild he is very capable of protecting his home."

"I see..." Chrysanthine spoke telepathically.

In the security-breached area...

Joshua stopped before a large construct standing gallantly before him. He signalled his comrades to stop before it. "There it is."

"Here we are again, 'King' Joshua. It seems you've brought your friends along. Then I shall eliminate all who stand in my way!" Doctor Shell proclaimed from his megaphone in the construct's cockpit.

Joshua facepalmed. "Is he even serious about this...?"

"The Shell System again, huh?" Thomas said. He bumped his right palm with his left fist. "The fun begins...!"

"When you break the shell!" Reius exclaimed. He grinned and brandished his greatsword Thalassus.

"Are you even listening to me?!" Doctor Shell interjected. "I shall not delay the time of your early doom. Prepare to be shell-shocked!" Metallic barrels emerge from the arms of the construct.

"FIRE BARRIER," Everburn shouted creating a wall of flame to protect the group from projectile fire

"The bullet buffet starts NOW!" exclaimed Doctor Shell. He commanded his construct to prepare batlle protocols. From its barrels, it releases a rain of bullets at an alarmingly fast firing rate towards the heroes.

Everburns Fire Barrier begins to fail, " My King My power is draining."

"No problem," Louisius reassured. He shares his fire magic with Everburn to sustain the barrier.

Valius turns to Doctor Shell & readies his fire type powers & his axe & asked "Who are you, where did you come from & why would you attack us? Give us a reason why."

Doctor Shell stopped his attack to conserve ammunition. "Why, if it isn't another Antiquian I am not familiar with! I am the messenger of conquest: Doctor Shell of the vast Terra!" he exclaimed. "To be honest, I am FASCINATED with this realm and its natives. I want to test my experiments on a more balanced world, so I wish to conquer this planet for my Shell System's progression. However, you long-lived species stand in my way. Then I shall return the favor more than you can imagine!"

"Not in our line of sight, lowly human!" Joshua exclaimed. "If you wish to conquer what is not yours, then we shall do our responsibility for our homeland!"

"Straight to the point," Louisius agreed.

"Prepare your attacks, my friends. On my signal, remove the barrier and attack."

"Baryon..." Thomas uttered. Baryon energy engulfed Thomas.

"Graviton..." Raymond uttered. He focused graviton energy within his hands.

Reius gathered flames in his mouth.

Everburn shatters teh barrier

"Very well, then prepare yourself. We will fight!" Said Valius as he breathes large amounts of fire at the large construct.

"Such impetuousness..." groaned Doctor Shell, preparing to counter the fire breath attack. Unfortunately, the construct was stuck on the ground. "What the?!" he complained. He mashed the control buttons angrily until he noticed Raymond reaching forth his left hand, using Graviton Magic while pointing at the construct. As a desperate move, he activated the Shell Defense to protect his construct with an energy field. The fire breath attack struck the barrier.

"...Force!" exclaimed Thomas. He released a blast of baryon energy from his palms toward the energy field. It hit the barrier with full force, causing the construct to stumble due to the colossal power that the baryon energy released.

"Gah!" blurted Doctor Shell as his construct fell on the ground on a sitting position.

"Now!" Joshua thought. He ran towards the construct at unimaginable speeds, leaving dust clouds behind. He drew his Ancientcalibur from a veil of light.

Doctor Shell swiftly pressed a large red button on the controls pad to return to normal position. However, Joshua severed the construct's giantesque feet in a minuscule amount of time with his Ancientcalibur. The machine's feet exploded simultaneously, leaving the main body falling with its legs first on the ground.

As a last resort, Doctor Shell activated his construct's Shell Caelaves. The contraption's legs moved up to its posterior portion. Three Stellar Panels emerged from the lower limbs to enable flight. It glided upwards to increase its agility. Metal pipes emerged from the construct's lowest portion. Explosive slugs are released with full force at the heroes.

Louisius deflected some of the projectiles with clusters of fire-enhanced hadron energy spheres.

Everburn unsheathes his blade

Flarius arrived, releasing fireballs from his mouth to deflect the slugs.

Everburn joins in

Valius launches his Wings of Fire, launching waves of fire at the slugs to try & counter.

Thomas called for Joshua, exclaiming, "Joshua, let us retaliate quickly!"

"I hear you!" Joshua responded, running at high speeds toward his comrades.

"I think not!" Doctor Shell interjected. The construct launched an explosive slug towards Joshua's direction.

"Tch!" Joshua sensed the enemy's projectile following suit and hurriedly sidestepped at the left. The slug exploded on the ground.

More slugs headed for his direction. He kept dodging but a single slug nearly struck him, causing him to lose balance due to the splash effect of the explosion. He fell on the ground but was able to recover in a short amount of time.

"You okay, Joshua?" Thomas asked.

"I am, yet we need to make haste," Joshua replied. He channeled tachyon energy to his right leg while Thomas gathered baryon energy in his left fist.

Chrysanthine sighed in relief while watching them from the castle windows. "I am glad he recovered so easily."

"I am very confident in his abilities," Caitlineia commented. "With his comrades, this batlle will be a cinch." She smiled mildly.

Darkstorm lays down

In the skirmish, the construct's metal pipes switched with a strange kind of weapon, consisting of four barrels with different colors.

"My friends, exercise more caution!" Joshua warned them. "We have an unknown danger coming our way."

"That might be a new weapon. We don't know what he's capable of: he's quite unpredictable," Raymond thought.

"Behold, your subtle bane: yet destructive Shell Spectrum!" Doctor Shell confirmed.

"Such chitchat!" Reius released a stream of hot flames from his mouth. The stream traveled at high speeds lunging towards the barrels.

"You dare challenge my might?!" Doctor Shell exclaimed. The construct released a blue beam from its blue barrel. The beam instantly extinguished the flames upon contact.

"What the?!" Reius wondered in disbelief. He was struck down on the ground by the beam. He struggled to stand up.

"Whoa, it is some sort of witchcraft! A sign I say! We need a new strategy!" Said Valius as he helps Reius get up.

"Panic is not an option!" reassured Joshua. "I need some time to analyze its capabilities. For now, our tactic is to conserve energy and avoid significant damage!"

"Resistance is futile!" Doctor Shell discouraged them. The construct released a red beam from its red barrel.

Joshua was startled by the sudden attack, causing him to jump away immediately from the beam. An explosion occurred upon the beam's contact on the ground. Joshua noticed the wake burning due to the red beam. "Brandish thy Ancientcaliburs, my fellow kings! Warriors, draw your weapons!"

"We heed," Louisius understood. He drew his Ancientcalibur from a veil of fire.

Thomas and Raymond drew their Ancientcaliburs. Arthurius and Jamesche were standing on the castle's rooftop, preparing to strike stealthily. Arthurius gathered dark energy in his hands while Jamesche summoned a thundercloud in the sky.

"I'm not done shell-shocking you yet!" Doctor Shell said. The construct released laser beams from each barrels in order.

Thomas, Raymond, and Louisius defended with their Ancientcaliburs. Joshua zoomed toward the construct at 769 meters per second, trying to distract it while analyzing its capabilities. " That red beam causes fire... It might be related to the four elements while having four barrels itself," Joshua thought.

Everburn breathes Dragons fire

"Do not attack," Louisius told him. "Joshua might be affected by the heat."

everburn stops his attack smoke coming out his nose

"What are they up to?" wondered Doctor Shell. "Nonetheless, they shall not succeed!" The construct released a red beam towards Joshua's direction, trying to stop him. However, Joshua proves to be too fast for its aim so it keeps on missing.

"Now!" Joshua signalled himself. He skidded and jumped towards the construct. While holding a shard of Shielpheus' energy in his right hand, he channeled tachyon energy in his right foot and lunged towards the enemy.

"No can do!" Doctor Shell exclaimed. The construct released a red beam from its red barrel at Joshua.

"Fire with fire! Shielpheus!" Joshua chanted. He immediately transformed to his Shielphean State to absorb the red beam's energy. He collided with the enemy projectile. However, the beam neutralized the energy in Joshua's Shielphean State, causing him to be reverted to his normal affinity.

"What the?!" reacted Joshua.

Due to the revertion, his weakness is exploited. Joshua, feeling great pain, crashed on the ground. "This is... antithetical..."

Chrysanthine gaped in disbelief.

"Joshua!" Thomas yelled.

"What happened?" Caitlineia asked Chrysanthine, hurriedly walking towards the maiden.

"King Joshua is down!" Chrysanthine reported.

From the distance, Caitlineia looked at the crater where Joshua crashed. "I believe you can do it, Joshua! Stand up!" she thought.

Doctor Shell laughed creepily. "That attempt was useless against my Shell Spectrum!"

"We need to assist him immediately!" Raymond ordered. He jumped onto a floating rock plate and flew towards Joshua.

Valius quickly helps Joshua get up, while using his trusty axe to slash at the oncoming energy beams & barrels, doing the best he can for defence for Joshua. "Come on, Joshua. Upsy Daisy. It is unlike anything we've seen before. Not even the Sea Serpent Resistance can top that. We need a new strategy to take out the construct."

"Thanks a lot," Joshua said. "Now I know its capabilities. We just need to retaliate as soon as—!" Joshua grunted in pain. "Darn... It was able to neutralize even the same element. In that case, we will counter those attacks with elements having an advantage over them," he thought.

Raymond manipulated rocks around him and flung them at full force toward the construct.

"Rocks?" Doctor Shell wondered. "Hey, do you underestimate the composition of my—" The rocks bored through the thick platings of the construct, dealing fair damage to it. "I-Improbable!"

"Regroup!" Raymond issued to Thomas, Louisius, and Everburn. Raymond prepared to land near the crater.

"Such persistence!" Doctor Shell exclaimed. The construct released laser beams of all four colors at once.

Thomas and Louisius morphed into spirits of water and fire respectively. They glided towards the group in high speeds while dodging the construct's laser beams.

Everburn Breathes Dragons fire

The construct retaliated by releasing a blue beam at the attack. However, a fast stream of lightning deflected the beam towards the construct's blue barrel, dealing it heavy damage.

"What?!" Doctor Shell complained. "Who in the?"

Jamesche caused the attack from afar. He teleported beside Everburn. "Are you all right?"

Everburn nodded to Jamesche.

Valius begins thinking on what is the advantage for fire types while launches his Wings of Fire at the barrels "Which coloured barrels have each element?" Said Valius.

"My blue barrel is heavily damaged, but I must counter!" thought Doctor Shell. The construct released red orbs toward the fire wing projectiles.

"As far as I have analyzed, each barrel can release an elemental energy beam which depend on their color. Red is fire, blue is water, then the other two are earth and wind, if I base on the Elemental Quadragon. A beam from its certain barrel can neutralize elemental attacks that are weak against it. Additionally, it can also neutralize elemental energy that is same as the beam's affinity," explained Joshua.

"So in short, its water barrel can counter fire easily, for example. It can also eliminate the same element it has..." speculated Louisius. "But if one of its barrels counter an elemental attack having a stronger affinity against it, would it be the opposite effect?"

"Yeah," agreed Raymond. "Jamesche's lightning attack, which is strong against water, can deflect the blue beam."

"Then we need to team up," Thomas said. "We'll coordinate our movements to deflect its attacks."

"All right," Jamesche said. "It's on!"

"Right." Said Valius as he launches more fireballs, aiming at the other 2 barrels, trying to find the element barrel that is weak against fire.

"Now that they know its weak points, it is nigh I reveal my Shell Spectrum's ultimate function!" Doctor Shell proclaimed. He pushed the control button skillfuly, causing the construct to glide to the left. This diverted the projectiles to its fire barrel which retaliated by releasing red orbs at the fireballs.

"Not so fast!" Thomas exclaimed. He released a pressurized beam of water from his hands at the  fire barrel.

Doctor Shell took a while to notice the speed of the pressurized beam. "Not there!" He commanded the construct to fire a yellow beam against it. The beam was gradually neutralized.

"Anyone, counter!" Thomas stopped the attack and ran to the west.

"Leave this to me!" Joshua said. After focusing on his attack, he released a mighty wind current, repulsing the yellow beam. "Yellow barrel, strike out!" Joshua thought as he jumped high and smashed the yellow barrel with a wind-enhanced Tachyon Kick.

"Nooo! My earth barrel!" Doctor Shell exclaimed. "At this rate, I can't combine elemental attacks without problem. Now that it has come to this...!" The construct revealed a large, dark blue barrel from the top of the four barrels.

Everburn tries to breathe dragons fire but only smoke comes out, "Well this is embarrassing."

Valius takes a deep breathe & launches large amounts of dragon breathe at the construct's barrels, the best he can.

"Tch!" Doctor Shell grunted. The construct fired a blue beam from its dark blue barrel. There is an elemental energy sensor on top of the barrel that automatically detects weaknesses of incoming enemy projectiles.

Everburn coughs more smoke.

Joshua ran to Everburn. "You okay?"

Everburn shakes his head no, "I am out of Dragons fire."

"Heh," Doctor Shell snickered. The construct released a rain of projectiles with all four colors.

"Defense!" Louisius ordered in haste.

The Ancient Kings drew their Ancientcaliburs and defended themselves. However, they struggled because the projectiles are diverse.

Valius tries to use his Wings of Fire as a meaning of defence to try & help the Ancient Kings push back as well, only to struggle & get hit a few times, screaming in pain, trying to hold on. "This is out of control! We don't even know who he was. This is far worse than the Sea Serpent Resistance."

"Valius, hang on!" Louisius reassured. "We have a plan."

Everburn still attempts to breath Dragon's fire to no avail

Chrysanthine grabbed her lance, ready to help. "Everyone, hang in there!" she thought. She opened the window and backflipped to the rooftop.

"Chrysanthine!" Severina exclaimed.

Chrysanthine took a keen look at the construct's attacks. After a minute, she finally saw a clear view of the dark blue barrel. "Oh, so that's where those projectiles come out."

The construct stopped attacking due to energy depletion. "What?! Of all times!" Doctor Shell complained, gnashing his teeth.

"Everyone, time to counter!" Joshua instructed.

Valius heals himself with his pheonix regeneration abilities as is fully healed & says "Right". Valius begins to incorporate fire with his axe & unleashes his axe fire slashes at the Construct for his counter attack.

All of a sudden, a veil of thick flames dived toward the construct's dark blue barrel before Valius' attack connected. Due to sheer impact force the attack dealt, the barrel and the elemental sensor were crushed to pieces.

"What the?!" Thomas noticed.

The construct glided up in response to damage. "Noo! What on Terra has happened to my trump card?!" Doctor Shell interjected.

The veil of flames landed on the ground. It dissipated, revealing Chrysanthine with her fire halberd.

"Chrysanthine!" Joshua said.

Chrysanthine stood up and pointed his halberd at the construct. "Lay not a finger on King Joshua!"

"What a gallant one," Doctor Shell commended. "Yet your wishes shall not be granted; I have to settle this with him. Step aside!"

Darkstorm roars and attacks the machine

Valius is a bit surprised of Chrysanthine's surprise attack & shakes his head, tightening the grip of his axe & says "We think not! We all stand united against you!"

(AVR: Do you realize that Darkstorm is still on the castle's 2nd floor and is still in his lupine form? He cannot attack the machine from that long a range away.)