As Chu got in range and Sagralia stepped forward several things happen, a combination of mock and and surprising speed would be used. This would put Chu 3 feet to the right of the attack while still charging forward. Surprising speed would instantly put him to the right without ever slowing down his momentum. Mock would keep Sagralia from traveling around the created Nox Aeterna as well as going invisible. Chu would also throw it's Kusarigama forward at Sagralia at the same time, making it seem as if they were coming from straight ahead and then actually coming towards its left. Due to the close range and Sagralia being preoccupied with an attack, although only momentarily, the Kusarigama should make contact, although Chu remains ready to react.

No command needed to be given as Chu had almost all it needed to keep fighting, although Axel remained ready just in case. They were too close for him to be much good. Chu would have to rely on common sense in order to win as he could not give it complex instructions quick enough to be effective.

As the Chu used Surprising Speed, Sagralia countered immediately, as Itsuki had been prepared for the use of the move. Mock did not happen, as Chu was not given the directive to use it and the pre-existing conditions under which it was operating had not been fulfilled, and Sagralia's Trinity Force switched to SSS, enabling both the use of Hydroshackle and of Hydrosurge. The Kusarigama was not something that Sagralia had to worry about, as it would deal fairly negligible damage, so as the Chu continued on its path it would immediately be met with a Hydrosurge to the torso, which (due to the short distance and the 18fps speed) was guaranteed to hit the Chu directly. The fast and wide spray of water would engulf the small Chu and knock it back a fair distance just with sheer power, and though it was not a particularly effective move due to the Chu's Steel typing, it would create a buffer of distance.

Sagralia would then sow again, in a circle around itself, and infuse the seeds with Lifecharges, turning them into vines. The vines would give Sagralia a zone of comfort in which Chu could not act without repercussions, and simultaneously, it would unleash several Effigy of Loathing at the knocked back Chu, hoping to increase Sagralia's zone of control further. If, somehow, Chu was not hit by the Hydrosurge, Itsuki and Sagralia would be ready to react.

[0 LC]

"Mock and strike!" shouted Axel as Chu used yet another surprising speed to dodge the tidal surge. Although it would've been nearly impossible to dodge, Surprising speed combined with forward momentum that was not halted by the previous surprising speed allowed Chu to teleport directly in front of the Sagrelia as the Hydrosurge was about to collide, bypassing the the Hydrosurge and Hydroshackle with the instant teleportation due to the forward momentum of both.

Since the directive "Dodge" was used, this is perfectly fair and balanced.

Being so close, Chu would simply mock and unleash quick, devastating blows to add to the Kusarigama strikes, ready to dodge again if needed. The crater's that would be created by Chu's physical attacks would almost certainly disrupt any sown seeds Sagralia had used. The more blows Sagralia took, the stronger they would get.

If somehow he dodged the blows or moved away or attacked, Chu will be ready to react.

VOID

-----voided-----

Because Chu used Mock and Sacred Split is considered a utility, Sagralia did not separate into petals to avoid the onslaught. Sagralia would've been moving towards the Nox Aeterna created by Effigy of Torment, if it had used Effigy of Torment. It did not use that move so it was actually caught in a loop of autism and defenseless. The vines would not be an issue because as soon as Chu's first hit lands, a 5 diameter crater would be formed due to Impact, destroying all vines and seeds within the area. Every hit would further deepen the crater, literally digging Sagralia into a pit in which Chu would be on top of it unleashing flurries of blows. Because Sagralia was caught in a timelapse in which it was moving to a definite location created by a move it did not use, it should be hit by multiple blows until Itsuki decides to call the battle

As Chu used Surprising Speed to dodge the point blank Hydrosurge and carried on with its momentum towards Sagralia, during the time in which Axel shouted “Mock and Strike!”, Itsuki and Sagralia prepared the vines to counter the melee attack. As Chu “unleashed quick and devastating strikes”, three of the vines whipped forwards as Rook had been talking, and using Chu’s momentum against it, would wrap themselves around the Natrelmon’s right wrist (the one it lead its punches with) and drag it to the side while the other three vines latched onto its left ankle and pulled in the direction it was moving, which would be complimented by a strong whipping motion from the vines wrapped around Chu’s wrist. This combination of movements, plus the Chu’s high speed, would hopefully force it into a Team Rocket-esque launch right out of the arena, and into a nearby shop. If, somehow, Chu countered the genius manoeuvre, Sagralia would be ready with a Hydrosurge, and would fire it in an appropriate fashion given Chu’s actions (aka to be decided if you escape).

“What even are these trainers?” could be heard from the small crowd outside the arena.

Outside Relin

Over a week had passed since Axel had unearthed the information that led him to unearth (such pun) a relatively large section of the Relin tundra. The workers he had hired had done a rather impressive job clearing the ground. The hole, a square, was about 40 feet by 40 feet, with earthen steps cut into the eastern side, ladders scattering the other. Remnants of stone walls could still be seen in the earth around the centerpiece, the piece they had painstakingly uncovered - a large, ornate black gate.

It was much like the gate that had been uncovered in Rebena, but Axel didn't know anything about that. Most assumed there had only ever been one Black Gate, but Axel was in for a rude awakening.

Mid swing, a ringing sound distracted Axel. This opening was all Lancelot needed to smack his side with the flat of its blade. With a grunt, Axel dropped his sword and grabbed his side.

"Nice strike." He replied, eyeing Lancelot who briskly sheathed his sword. He seemed to be apologetic about landing the blow.

Answering his phone, Axel was informed that the crew he had hired had uncovered something. A gate of some sorts.

"I'll be right there," He replied. Recalling Lancelot and donning his warmest clothing, he telepor'd to the work site. It was time to see the fruit of his effort.

The hole, a square, was about 40 feet by 40 feet, with earthen steps cut into the eastern side, ladders scattering the other. Remnants of stone walls could still be seen in the earth around the centerpiece, the piece they had painstakingly uncovered - a large, ornate black gate. Axel had never seen it's likeness before. Curiosity overriding any sense of danger, Axel approaches the gate and inspects it closer, flipping through the journal to see if anything in it could hint as to what this was.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Sagralia threw Chu waaaay out of the Arena. Faintly, in the distance, "Team Ninja is blasting off agaaaaaaaaaaain!" could be heard.

Outside Relin

Even though the gate was covered with ornate inscriptions, none of them matched the ones drawn in the book. However, as Axel flipped through the book, light began to shine from the symbols covering the gate, the brightest towards the center. It was an apathetic light - neither good nor evil. It had no feeling, but it was a reaction to the presence of the book. The remaining workers left in a hurry when they saw, not wanting to find out what precisely they had uncovered. Those that knew any bit of lore knew that there was only one, supposedly, Black Gate. The presence of another unnerved a few of them, the light scaring off the rest. It would just be Axel in the frigid tundra around Relin.

The tree from earlier seemed to laugh at him again, now perched directly above the pit, a few of its roots visible in the excavation's walls. The tree, however, was just a normal tree. There was absolutely nothing remarkable about it other than the fact that wind seemed to always blow through it to create a laughing like sound.

Snow began to fall slowly as well, creating a light dusting all around the pit, with a seemingly higher concentration falling around the gate in front of Axel.

Realizing that the book somehow had a connection to the strange light that was emanating from the gate, Axel began to walk towards the brightest part in the center, releasing Chu and Yosoku as he did. He was drawn to the light, as a moth is to a flame. Yosoku and Chu searched around, appearing uneasy in their surrounding with this phenomenon occurring. Their master seemed unaware, his attention only on solving this puzzle.

The workers had fled as the light began shining, leaving only Axel and his natrelmon at the site. Snow was falling heavier the closer he got to the center, almost as if nature wished to conceal what was uncovered. The wind whistled through the inconspicuous and completely ordinary tree, almost as if warning Axel. He paid no heed to anything but his curiosity. He had survived all this time on instinct, skill, and luck, and he was sure that it would protect him in this instance.

Orin

Regrouping in Orin, Kimlee was with Chyou and Eien going over what had happened - the trio finding a small restaurant. Kimlee wasn't hungry, and her brother rarely at much at all anyway.The entire Rebena instance had been a massive swirl of chaos. Kimlee had, once again, technically died. However, unlike the last time, she now felt a bit empowered. She had died. Again. And returned to the mortal world. She wasn't about to start pressing her luck on the matter of death, but she had overcome the inevitable twice.

After a moment of awkward silence, Kimlee slid her hand into her pack, pulling out a book she had found. It was a genetics book she had pulled from the library to give to Eien, who was working on starting up a Natrelmon farm. However, when flipping through it, she had found a small, tattered handwritten note with an address of sorts to a location northwest of Lifan, in the upper reaches of the mountains. Taped to that note was a small keycard, with Falline Labs in bold, bright orange-red lettering, with the logo for Pinehearst in the upper right.

"I found this before we went to Rebena," Kimlee spoke, opening the book to the page with the note and card. "I'm not sure why this is in here, but there are a number of highlighted passages in this book. Whomever put this here probably wanted someone to find this." Kimlee continued the analysis further in her head, not stating it aloud - this wasn't intended for just anyone to find, but for a specific person. Obviously that person hadn't come to retrieve these items, which generally meant one thing; death. "I'm not sure what I should do with it though..."

What bothered her a bit more was the fact she had found the book in the Technology section of the library. Someone had gone through a lot of effort to get this key card into this book and put it somewhere to be found. Secrets were abound, and this was just one more.

Near Relin

The wind picked up, flipping the book open to the largest inscription of the glyph that had been drawn into the book. Violently, without warning, the page tore, the wind pulling it form the pages in a fit of rage, slapping the paper on the dead center of the gate. Light erupted from the symbol violently, destroying the paper instantly and blinding the entire area around them. As it would fade, a softer light would be seen from the growing crack in the gate's doors, opening in a methodical pace. A hand thrust forth from the crack, grasping at the air around, seemingly in a panic before retreating back into the soft glow of the light behind the gate. A fraction of a second later, a tendril of dark light would fly from the gate, immediately looping around behind Axel. Reforming, it took the appearance of a relatively tall woman with dark hair.

"Such handsome savior," she whispered into his ear from behind him. "How should I reward such a gesture?" Her hand moved up to brush his cheek, the dark gown she was wear covered in flecks of ice, but done in a manner that looked entirely intentional. The snow around them slowed, almost as if it were suspended in the air, as if by the whim of the woman.

The soothing melody of her voice contradicted Axel's instincts. It was almost like a soft lullaby, yet behind the beauty lay a coldness. Her touch confirmed this coldness, as her hand felt like ice. Flipping around quickly and taking a step back, he quickly took in his surroundings and this mysterious woman.

The snow was slowed, almost hanging in mid air around them. There was no doubt that this woman was the cause. Her skin was fair, pale almost as if the sun had never touched her. Her lips were a pale blue, almost like frost. Her dress appeared to be the same, although covered in flecks of ice. It sparkled slightly, making the dress seem to be made of diamonds. She was absolutely beautiful.

"Who... Who are you?" questioned Axel cautiously, making sure to keep his inquisitive tone respectful. Whoever she was, if she could control the very weather around him, she must be very powerful.

Near Relin

"Irrelevant," she responded coldly, her tongue running down the finger that had just touched him. "You have freed me though, such a noble deed deserves a reward. It has been such a long time since I walked the mortal world, I do not know what you most treasure? Gold? Vengeance? Lust? What do you mortals most covet now?" Her tone was laced with an iciness beyond words, making the already cold air around her feel even colder.

She stepped towards him as she spoke, with no reservations about what he might do in response. She had clearly demonstrated her superiority to him and he seemed to acknowledge that well; it was a feeling she enjoyed. Her white-as-ice teeth gleamed in the fractal bits of light that crept through the clouds, her devious smile providing a large look into the workings of her mind and the depths of her powers. Her movements made the ice on her dress chime, much like windchimes would in a wind. But unlike the happy melodies associated with them, hers were cacophonic - an embodiment of chaos.

Fear was beginning to set in, much like ice slowly spreading across a body of water. Taking a second to think on what she had said, Axel formulated a reply,

"I have little need for gold, as I am more then capable of procuring it by my own means. Any vengeance I seek shall be dealt from my own hand. As for lust, well, let's just say I have no problems in the department. I would be a liar if I claimed to want no reward from a powerful being such as yourself, but I must confess I'd like to talk to you before I decide. After all, for someone who has been away from this world for, as you put it, "So Long", what harm can come from conversing with a mortal and catching up on all you've missed? Or at least as much as I can tell you."

The cold was beginning creep through his layers. Putting his hands together, Axel passed small currents of electricity through his body. Not enough to harm him in any way, just enough to heat his body slightly so that he might stay out in this weather a little longer. He did not know if she merely wished to reward him and leave, or was simply toying with him for sport. Either way, he must be careful. The honorable/curious side of him wished to stay and find out exactly who/what he had unleashed from the Black Gate.

The few shafts of light that had deigned to fall upon the beautiful and cruel creature that emerged from the gate would suddenly dim slightly, giving the glow that they created a much more icy and cruel look, as if something good and pure had been twisted to a darker self. The clouds thickened, and the snow that made up Axel’s periphery thickened to become an inescapable wall, as if terror and the darkness of night had been made manifest to keep him in the spot he had uncovered. Whether or not he noticed the switch with the lovely creature in front of him occupying his attention was very much up for debate, but the signs were there for one who knew to look for them. Unfortunately, most of the people who knew to look for these specific signs died a very long, long time ago.

From the snow, a darker and more ethereal - though still very firmly in the opaque and solid - figure began to pace forwards. The movements were deliberate and delicate, but carried within them a firmness and authority that could not be denied, a power that leaked into the very air that Axel would very soon be breathing in. It was the start of a series of events that would lead Axel to whatever destiny the grand design had chosen for him to walk - a series of events that he would play a role in shaping, for better or for worse. At any rate, the power that could be felt in the air was likely stronger than anything he had ever experienced in his life.

“Mortals have not coveted anything differently from our time, my sweet… They have simply become more demanding about it, and we should leverage out our considerable power carefully to avoid letting them get so… Arrogant. Mortals must pay a steep price to learn the secrets we keep, must they not? Perhaps his price was already paid when he freed you… Yes, such a deed must be rewarded. You have done more than you know, my little insect.”

The voice was cold, but not in the same way that the icy creature’s voice was - this voice was darker, more cunning, and its chill reeked only of death. The only remotely similar tone was that of overwhelming superiority, in all of its coldness, and while the two were very distinct, there was an element of familiarity that could not be denied. It was clear that the two had known of one another in the past, but whether or not they knew each other… Well, that was up to Axel to decide: his first choice of many.

Near Relin

The woman began laughing hysterically, her hand covering her mouth.

"Laughable is hardly the word," she hissed at Yaves, her tone much colder than the one she had with Axel just moments ago. "You were once one of them. You paid no price for the 'secrets' you keep." She accentuated the word secrets, in order to ensure Yaves understood she was mocking him. "I could very well tell him the very secret you most closely keep - solely for my amusement. Shall I tell him as to why you have such a legendary status? And I'm not referring to the powers you've gained." She looked over him with disdain, her eyes narrow and focused - hate emanating from them.

"For the record," she said, turning to Axel, "He is only slightly most significant than you. Pay him no heed." Turning back to Yaves, she added, "I would tread lightly, and for a being of such little power, I would refrain from insulting anyone, lest I get it in my mind to demonstrate the extent of my abilities."

"As to your questions, I believe we have starkly different definitions of catching up," she responded, raising her hand once again to touch his cheek, "But what do you want? You did not answer the question. You mortals spend too much time on games given that you have such short lives, lives so easily taken. I would choose swiftly, but I am not mortal; time is irrelevant to me." She laughed a bit at the end, the laugh just as icy as her voice, "So, what shall we talk about?"

She was mocking Axel as well at this point, putting her other hand under her jaw like she was resting her head on it, titling it slightly to 'listen'. It intrigued her that he would opt to have such a conversation in the middle of a frozen tundra with snow slowly falling.

Turning slightly and taking several steps back as the second being announced itself, Axel took in the newcomer. It appeared to be a corporeal shadow, as if cut from the very fabric of darkness. It was humanoid, and appeared to be fading slightly. It's/his voice emanated pure evil. With reflexes honed over the years, Axel drew his blade. Keeping it pointed at the Shadow, he recalled Chu and Yosoku. They would be no help here. Whatever his fate was, he hoped they would not share it. Axel channeled electricity through his sword, keeping it in a repetitive circuit along the length of the blade, in a way that wouldn't shock him but would be nasty for anything hit. (Minor manipulation out of combat. Purely Aesthetic).

"All right, who... what are you two? And what is that gate you've came through?" he replied to the woman, his voice shaking slightly. It donned on him that, despite the reassurance of the female, he might not survive this encounter. Knowing his sword was almost certainly useless against beings of such power, it did fill him with a sort of strength, courage to finish what he had started. He had came he searching for secrets and treasures, and what he had uncovered was to be determined. He did wish for a weapon of sorts that might be able to fend off these beings if necessary, knowing that his magic and strength might prove futile if it came to defending himself, but it was just an idle thought that fluttered through his head.

Near Relin

"I am a Sei," the woman responded, "What he is at this point, I can only guess, but it is equally irrelevant. You can refer to him as the Failure. The Gate is a much longer tale, one that is probably not worth the time. If dear old Rinkoo is still walking this earth, you could ask her. I'm rather disappointed that she would let her tale fall into such obscurity - I believed we deserved much more notoriety than this. Dealing with this world is just going to get all that much more complicated."

She sighed visibly, her breath visible in front of her. "I just don't know what to do now. I'm sure RInkoo will soon be aware of my release, so I can't waste much time. Little mortal, if you have a request of me, speak it now. I'd rather not deal with that, well, you can figure it out, right now even if the Failure helped me. If it is within my power, I will see what I can do."

She smiled honestly, even if it was still cold and rather malicious of a smile.