Just moments ago, Gary was shifting away in an unknown world. He didn't know exactly where he was, but it was full of mist and evermoving shadows. He had attempted multiple times to get out of the world but he never did find an exit, no matter how hard he tried. In addition, there was one person who was stuck there with him.

Time seemed to pass differently in this place, he didn't know if it had been days or weeks. This was the first time Gary had seen or spoken to another since he had been stuck here.

"It seems you are no longer affected by the shadow, young boy.

" A voice said.

Gary looked through the mist and could see who it was speaking to him, it was none other than the ex Dark Guild leader Morfran. For the first time, he didn't have his helmet on but the mist continued to move around his face, obscuring his features.

Gary looked at the gauntlet on Morfran's hand and it seemed to be true. Whatever was clouding Gary's judgement and talking to him in the past, the power within the gauntlet would dull it down until it disappeared.

However, Gary still remembered everything he had done during the time he was lost. Every time he thought of it he felt sick to the stomach, but he was used to it by now as he had plenty of time to think of all his wrong doings.

"And what about you?

" Gary asked, carefully holding onto the gauntlet on his hand. Although the crazy power that was taking over his mind before didn't seem to be there now, the power the gauntlet had still felt very real, and it seemed like he could still use it.

"You never seemed like you were possessed by power or the Shadow.

"

"No, I didn't think so either. However there was something strange about the armour he had given me. In the end I thought everything was being done by my will. I was confident about it, but it didn't seem to be the case at all.

" Morfran replied.

"I came to tell you, it seems like someone is planning to open up a connection, a connection back to where we came from.

"You should take this opportunity to find it and head back to the others.

"

"But what about you?

" Gary asked.

"Will you be coming as well?

"

Although Gary knew of Morfran's dark past, he felt like he had got to know him quite well and was concerned for him. After all, the two of them had been in similar situations and so Gary could empathise.

"I have lived my life.

" Morfran said, shaking his head. At that moment, in front of where Morfran stood, a portal started to open up in front of him, a very small one, and the sound of loud growling could be heard from all directions.

Gary couldn't even tell which direction they were coming from due to the mist.

"Besides, it was never my goal to kill all of the humans, so someone has to stay behind and make sure nothing else gets through.

" Morfran said with his hands covered in lightning.

"On my family name, Morfran Graylash I will make sure to protect this place, now go!

"

No longer hesitating, Gary ran forward before he could see a glimpse of the beasts that Morfran would have to face. As Gary stepped into the portal however, he tripped, only to find himself falling through the sky. Dropping from this height even with Qi, he knew he would be badly hurt.

Just before he landed on the tower he was hurtling towards, he activated the power of the gauntlet and managed to land head first, banging across the floor.

"What have I fallen into now?

" Gary asked as he looked around. It didn't take him long to figure out the situation, Ray seemed to have been captured by a dragon that was full of shadows.

However, what was strange was as soon as Krad the dragon had seen Gary land on the tower, he no longer was focused on Ray but instead decided to head straight over to where Gary had landed.

"Crap! I wasn't expecting this as my grand return!

" Gary shouted as he held out the gauntlet and fired it continuously at the dragon, but the shadows would move and block each of the attacks before it could touch the dragon's body.

'Wait, why is the dragon coming over to me? It's almost as if it's panicking.' Gary thought, seeing the dragon rush towards him. At that moment, he noticed a person was tied up next to him and the energy was seeping out from his body.

'This magic, I have to stop him from opening the portal up!'

For a brief second, Gary looked up and wondered about Morfran, but realised that he needed to forget about him for the moment. Gary knew that there should have been a magic circle for what Krad was trying to do, but with all the shadow around it was impossible to break or attack the magic circle. At that moment he came up with an idea that might just work.

Still on his body, he had the strange sword that had an eye and wing on it. Taking it quickly out, Gary rushed towards where Van was tied up and stabbed the ground with the sword. Whenever Gary would use the sword, creatures, special abilities, and magic seemed to be all negated by it, and he was hoping it would work now as well.

It seemed like it was working as the shadow surrounding the sword had quickly disappeared and the sword was lodged in part of the magic circle, disrupting it. Up above, the portal that had just opened, was slowly closing again.

"NOOOO!

" The dragon roared out loud.

Firing the weakest attacks possible, Gary decided to hit the beam that Van was tied on to try and free him. Even though the energy was no longer being taken out of his body, he had passed out immediately from the attack. Then, using his strong body reinforced with Qi, he picked up the pillar with Van still tied to it, and tried to carry him away. However, within moments, Krad's giant body was soon in his way.

"Save him!

" Gary shouted as he chucked the pillar over the fortress wall and managed to roll backwards in time as a giant claw attempted to hit him.

Now close to the dragon, Gary decided to attempt to climb up its other arm, quickly grabbing on and leaping up it. Shadows from its body soon followed Gary, but using the power of the gauntlet he was able to fire them away.

Although it didn't do any damage, it did seem to stop the shadow just a little bit.

"Ray, don't worry, I'll get you out of there and we can beat him together!

" Gary shouted, as he was now on the dragon's back. Krad started to flail its gigantic wings and was planning a swift takeoff, hoping to throw Gary off the ground.

"Gary, don't worry about that! The gauntlet, if you can take it off now, give it to me!

" Ray shouted.

From his brief interaction with Gary, Ray had figured out that he was sane again. He was back to who he was when they first met, but there was no time for celebrations.

Immediately putting trust in a friend he hadn't spoken to in a long time, Gary took off the gauntlet with hesitation and chucked it towards Ray.

Ray had been saving up his strength until he got the final piece of equipment, and as the gauntlet was getting closer to his body, he was reacting to it. The energy inside him was growing as the last piece of the dragon armour was heading his way.

By tensing all of his limbs he was able to break free from the shadow tail and use the wings on his back to fly towards the gauntlet, placing it on his hand and completing the dragon set. The weapons were made from Ray's old body and Ray's soul was united once more.

"Now I'm back.

" Ray said, looking at Krad.

******

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