The red-haired boy looked around, it was so dark that he couldn't see anything around him. "Nito-senpai! Nicredo! Albedo! Aether!"

...

There was no answer...

Hiiro looked around "You guys where are you!"

Real world.

Venti, Kreist and Iena watched in horror as strange puppets began to emerge from the scarlet pools, making strange and sinister movements.

The hyena girl summoned a spear while Kreist summoned his scepter, Venti summoned his bow aimed at the shadowy puppets "..."

Kreist looked up on guard "What are those things, puppets?"" Out of nowhere a torrent of violet liquid covered the entire floor and began to spread and increase in quantity reaching up to his knees.

Iena looked disgusted "What the hell is this..." Venti looked "This is... Durin's blood?"

"Oh..." They all looked at one of the puppets began to turn its head "Barbatos..."

TEKE TEKE TEKE...

The puppet stopped turning its head looking at the three "Do you think I wouldn't know what you would try?" Venti looked serious "Durin?"

The puppets began to look up at the shield. "Ehehehehehehehee..."

CRACK...

Kreist looked in shock "The barrier..." The shield began to crack while from the outside....

Ritsu spoke loudly "All fleet, on guard."

The two dragons screamed watching as the containment barrier turned violet.

CRASH!

The barrier shattered as the puppets suddenly rushed towards the group which counterattacked.

FWISH!

BOOM!

Endless... Ceaselessly more puppets emerged from the violet liquid and began to fly towards the ships.

Ritsu gave the order without hesitation "FIRE!"

KABOOMM!

PEW PEW PEW PEW PEW

Fwish!

Hundreds of missiles and projectiles shot out crashing into hundreds of puppets creating an incredible chain of explosions.

VROOM

VROOM

VROOM

Among the explosions some lay unharmed and flew at full speed towards the ships.

Durin created tornadoes that came between them and the fleet while Valka launched flares of Lux elemental energy at the tornadoes creating tornadoes of golden flames.

Valka looked on guard "Whatever they are.... I can feel it..." Durin nodded flying to her side "Yes.... They are all Durin."

Yuuki towards another horde approaching from the stern "I won't let you." He with his power as Hydro Archon created hundreds of Cyber cannons "Fire!"

FLASH!

KABOOM!

Hundreds of blue lasers mercilessly hit the puppets creating a chain of blue explosions. Yuuki sat on the right arm of her mecha which watched on guard as a few puppets emerged from the explosions. There were too many, and they had landed on the deck of the Selene.

SNAP!

Black holes erupted above the fleet as the puppets were dragged away.

Fwosssshhh!

However the liquid kept creating more and more of these while some of them also wolfed down the defenses even with the attacks of two Archons it was impossible to stop the puppets, they were multiplying like locusts.

Ritsu readied his scythe watching the puppets walk towards him "I don't like this.... No matter how much we use our powers as Archons.... It's impossible to stop this amount of number..." Yuuki looked on guard "If we don't do something soon.... All our forces will be overwhelmed."

Ritsu gritted his teeth looking at the place where Nito and the rest should be watching flashes and explosions "It's going bad down there too..."

Hiiro's conscience.

The red haired boy looked around "..."

????: "Hello again.... My vessel..."

The boy paused looking around seriously "Durin..."

"Oh... Seeing how someone like you desperately trying to fight me.... Hahaha..."

Hiiro looked serious as the voice continued to taunt.

"Ah... That look... Rinne was wrong to save you.... He thought that sacrificing himself would save you from me.... But he only succeeded in making you tormented by immense loneliness and guilt.... The only thing he achieved was to make you suffer more... He died for nothing! HUAHAHAHAHAH!"

...

...

...

In another place of consciousness.

Nicredo was on his knees crying silently "..."

"Brother ... Why did you survive?"

"It's not fair!"

"Why we had to die as soon as we were born?"

"Nicredo... You bastard!"

"Hypocrite..."

"Death!"

Nicredo covered his ears unable to stand it.

Reality

Yuuki and Ritsu were breathing heavily as all around lay hundreds of shattered puppets and the deck filled with Moon knights and Celest Knights trying to contain the puppets that still kept coming.

Yuuki felt more and more exhausted "We've been fighting for almost 3 hours without stopping..." Ritsu used his claymore and a puppet in half "Our bodies are not used to continue a prolonged fight with as much power in difference of the experienced Archons..."

Several soldiers began to be overwhelmed and some fell being killed by the puppets. Yuuki began to panic "..."

Ritsu growled "Makoto.... I know this terrifies you but we must resist. I'll be by your side. okay?" The dark blonde haired idol looked around at some dead bodies and blood stains "Nito.... Hurry up."

Valka and Durin were attacking with everything they could, but the numbers kept growing.

Venti was creating black holes made of Anemo trying to stop them while Kreist and Iena checked the blondes and the red haired boy.

VROOOM!

Ritsu looked horrified "No..."

A flaming Celest Knight ship rolled past a few inches from the Selene crashing into the sea followed by others falling into the ocean.

Yuuki looked on in horror "..."

With Nicredo.

A giant claw emerged from the darkness and prepared to finish Nicredo off.

"Goodbye... Seven..."

FWASH!

KRACKOM!

FLASH!

Nicredo felt a warm light and watched as ahead of him Albedo used a giant flower as a shield.

"Albedo..." Nicredo stared in astonishment as his brother looked up at him "I know I have no right to call you brother.... You have the right to hate me.... Nicredo, but to me you are my brother as well as Durin..... I only ask for a chance to be a worthy brother.... I also saw how you were devoured, I realize that I felt for her was... Fear, even if she called me son. My heart felt fear towards her. But I have realized, that I have someone who cares about me... You are also important to me Nicredo. You are the only one of my brothers who didn't try to kill me."

"Albedo..." Nicredo lowered his gaze before looking serious "Hmph.... What a nuisance." He stepped to her side and readied his sword "So.... Show me your bond with us." Albedo smiled satisfied "Come on there, little brother!"

Real World

Yuuki and Ritsu watched from the deck several puppets stand in the air in the distance and out of nowhere their arms transformed into energy guns.

Ritsu gritted his teeth wearily and summoned portals from the void "(Pant.... Pant...)"

Some portals unformed vanishing as Yuuki tried to create more Cyber cannons but with some dissipating in the air "I'm at my limit.... I can't take it anymore..."

The two watched as the puppet cannons were already almost fully charged. Yuuki noticed something abnormal. "The sky... It became cloudy and dark?"

...

...

...

Kohaku:

VROOM!

Thunder crashed down on the puppets creating an explosion of thunder that ripped them to shreds.

A boy with hair jumped from the dragon's back and landed on the deck creating a shockwave of electro energy that destroyed the puppets.

The pink-haired boy stood up on the deck of the Selene.

Yuuki/Ritsu: "Kohaku!"

Kohaku looked at the two "Sorry I'm late, Yuuki-han, Ritsu-han." Raito launched a violet flare destroying another legion of puppets and flew over the Selene.

Yuuki and Ritsu approached him, the dark haired boy smiled "No, you came in good, Kohaku. We're so happy to see you."

The pink haired boy nodded as he looked at the Trickstar idol "So... A Hydro Archon. I'm sure you have a great story to tell me but." The Electro Archon pointed his katana towards the battle.

"We still have a battle to win and save Hiiro." The two nodded as they got into combat stance. Raito began to work as a team with Dvalin and Valka eliminating as many puppets as possible.

A wind of hope began to blow into the battle.

With Hiiro.

The red haired boy lowered his head "..."

Hiiro remained silent for a few seconds before looking up looking seriously into the darkness "And what do you want me to do, cry?"

"Huh?"

"What do you expect, for me to cry and fall to my knees and start saying, this isn't true?" The Amagii looked serious and determined "I'm not the same as you thought I would be months ago, you can try to put those negative thoughts on me but you never knew me or my brother."

"... Hua... HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Durin began to laugh as a shadow appeared in front of him "For a mere human.... You've really blown me away by this... Amagi Hiiro..."

Durin finally revealed himself as well.

(Durin/corrupted son)

Durin smiled walking towards Hiiro "Huhuhu.... You can't run away from me Hiiro. I'm in your head, I'm in your mind. Run... Hide... Do you think you'll be able to run away from my consciousness?"

Hiiro lowered his gaze "I know.... But don't think you will eliminate me easily, I am a consciousness too. Trying to fell me into the despair won't be easy anymore.... Never be a loser... I promised my brother.... And that's what I will do!"

"Tsk..." Durin looked annoyed "Hah.... Then I'll have to do it the hard way."

???: "Don't underestimate Hiiro-chin~*"

CRACK!

A crack appeared in the middle of the two followed by a light.

FLASH!

The light disappeared showing Nito and Aether standing in front of Hiiro with their weapons at the ready. The former idol pointed his scepter "Very good plan Durin, split us up so we can corrupt each of us one by one. But don't underestimate the intellect of an Archon who has lived 4,600 years."

Hiiro smiled "Guys..." Aether looked over with a nod. Nito looked on guard "Hiiro, listen to me, as I tried to reach out to you. There is something you must do. The Durin we're looking for is not connected to this one.... It's in you Hiiro."

The red haired boy looked confused "What do you want?"

"Do you remember when you managed to use without being controlled Durin's power? It was thanks to him, the Durin you seek has been in your consciousness all along. In your thoughts, search within yourself."

Durin lunged angrily "Silence!" Aether blocked with his sword clashing against Durin's sword.

CLANCK!

Hiiro looked serious "..." Aether gritted his teeth "Hiiro, concentrate, search your mind. Focus on your desire, your sincerity. And you will get to it."

Durin growled angrily "SHUT UP!"

The red-haired boy closed his eyes "..."

Nito created several blades of light and they flew towards the corrupted dragon causing it to jump backwards dodging the attack.

Hiiro's mind then began to fall into a cascade of memories. His childhood moments with his family.... Ensemble Square and... Finally his brother who smiled proudly at him.

The two blondes noticed how Hiiro's body start to gave off a warm orange light, like a warm flame in the dark. "..."

Durin ran towards him "NOOOOOOO!"

Before he could do anything Nito appeared next to his right and punched him in the face sending him flying.

FLASH!

A torrent of light flooded the entire dark dimension.

...

...

...

...

...

I was in a snowfield... For some reason he could not feel the icy cold of the place. More like a breath of fresh air all around him.

Hiiro looked confused seeing the distance in front of a canyon the mountain in the distance "Spinedragon?"

Out of nowhere a dragon's head emerged from the canyon. Hiiro tensed and stood on guard "..." There was something strange, he sensed no malice, no hatred or evil in its eyes, and it did not resemble the skeletal dragon he had seen and faced.

He knew immediately "Durin..."

"..." The dragon held his gaze at him before speaking "Finally.... We can meet.... Hiiro." The Alkaloid boy looked confused "Why do you look so different?"

"... This was my true form... Before... Ending up worse... Because of the corruption, Alice made a mistake in my creation that gave birth to a terrible corruption from the Art of Khemia."

"Art of Khemia..." Hiiro thought for a few seconds before remembering something "Isn't that the Art of Kaenri'ah alchemy?"

The dragon nodded "That was how this art was used on me but ended up with greater consequences.... I guess they've told you about Monstadt by now."

The boy nodded as the dragon to the cloudy sky "Gold before I got to let out my last breath.... She told me this... I'm sorry, I wasn't careful... And I made you suffer... I'm the worst mother in the world, I don't expect your forgiveness Durin..... But I am sorry... For failing you... I forced you to do things that were inhuman."

Hiiro looked down "Nicredo and his brothers..." The dragon nodded as he brought his snout closer. "Hiiro... I also want to apologize to you... I know it's not necessary... I dragged you into this... And the price was your brother, you have the right to be angry at me. To hate me."

"I do..." Hiiro clenched his fists tightly "But.... You were the one who helped me use your dragon power that time in Savanaclaw.... I knew, I felt a presence of warmth that time."

"..." The dragon was silent as Hiiro smiled "Also.... I know deep down, you're an amazing dragon."

"Pf... Hahahahaha..." Durin laughed warmly "Hiiro.... I don't know what to say... Thank you..." The boy nodded as Durin closed his eyes "Touch me."

He complied as he touched the dragon's snout which began to give off a warm aura "I trust you with my authority of my power in you..."

A few minutes later the aura entered Hiiro as the dragon separated. "... But... This is my gift to you." Out of nowhere a door appeared to his right.

Hiiro looked confused as Durin nodded, the red haired boy looked confused "That..." The dragon nodded "I'm so thankful.... Hiiro. For being by my side this moment but.... Your heart deserves an answer too.... An answer to give you peace in your being. And it's at that door."

"Durin." Hiiro looked up at the dragon "Also.... I'm glad to meet you." Durin smiled as the boy walked to the door and slowly opened it letting a light flood the place. "Hiiro... Can you ask a favor?"

The boy nodded as that dragon looked sad "They Dvalin... I am sorry." After hearing that Hiiro nodded and smiled "I will." He finally approached and little by little opened the door.

Durin:
"He's waiting for you.... Hiiro."