Meta wasted no time in fighting Yuriko. With his right hand he extended he fired ice shards at Yuriko who seemed to be still concentrating. She widened her eyes seeing the attack coming and rolled to the side sliding a bit afterwards. Meta smiled closing his right hand and extending his left arm and hand, "You must be ready at all times child!” His body engulfed in flames for a second before all being poured towards his and fired out as a flaming wave. Yuriko stood up and looked at the fire wave coming her way. She knelt down touching the ground with her hands and froze the ground along to Meta. She then closed her eyes and large ice stalagmites shot up through the ground canceled out Meta’s fire wave assault. "All ready she is using pretty high level abilities with ice. This child is good.” He dashes backwards and charged his body with lightning and threw it towards Yuriko cutting through her ice stalagmites and connecting with her. Yuriko body lit up like a tree lifting her off the ground and throwing her into the ground. As she reeled in pain her body began smoking slightly while she struggled to get up. "The hell with this!” TJ began running towards the battle but before he could get any further Erik grabbed him. "What do you think you’re doing!?” Erik shook his head. "Don’t be so quick to judge. Yuriko isn’t the little girl we thought she was. Look closely.” Just as Erik said that everyone began to watch more intently. "Come child! You cannot waste time on the ground like that. You can attacked quite easily again from a follow up!” Another bolt of lightning came down above Yuriko that looked much more powerful than the last one. Yuriko looked up and just as the lightning came down and touched her, held out two fingers in the air and absorbed it into her own body and pointed to more fingers at Meta which shot the lightning out towards him striking him in the chest and shocking him. Meta knelt down after being struck to shake off the numbness before hearing what sounded like a freight train coming. He looked up and saw a tornado coming towards him that Yuriko was inside. "Marvelous! The child has mastered Tornado! This is indeed magnificent!” Meta stood up and shook the ground casting Earthquake to raise a pillar of the ground to raise him above Yuriko’s tornado so he could attack her better. Withstanding the wind, he dove his hands into what seemed like the air and pulled out a black ball of dark energy and hurled it at Yuriko. She continued to press on with the tornado stopping when she saw the ball of energy. Slowly as the ball began to get near her she began to be pulled into. "Ah…Gravity!” She used the tornado to push herself away from the pull of the gravity ball by increasing the spin rate and angling it in a way that the tornado would push her out and away. She accomplished the task but was thrown into the ground again rolling a bit. She looked up and saw Meta with both hands in the sky charging up another dark energy ball.
"I am most impressed with you Yuriko” Meta yelled to her. "You’re no ordinary child, you are truly gifted.” He pulls his hand down towards her and releases a even bigger energy ball towards her. Yuriko stood up again and looked at the ball of gravity that began to effortlessly slide her towards it as it slowly descended. "Another Gravity spell…and a high level one at that…what am I going to do?” "Come on little girl!” Ralph yelled out. "I know you can win Yuriko, take this guy out!” TJ called out as well. Lianna looked on worried while Zen and Erik watched with their arms folded. "Think Yuriko think!” The energy ball was close to hitting her and she was fighting the gravity with all her might. There was no way for her to evade the attack. Yuriko had an idea and began casting another spell with her rod in front of her. Meta looked on confused as to what she might do. He knew if this attack had hit her, the fight would be immediately over, but it wasn’t the reason why he chose to use it. "This girl does not know her own potential. Think little Yuriko. Show me just how powerful you really are!” Above Yuriko’s head a portal began to open up. Meta and everyone in the area eyes widened at what Yuriko had done. Meta eventually began smiling, "Just as I thought.” Yuriko continued to chant the spell opening up the portal slightly more but absorbing the entire gravity spell inside of the portal. Within moments the ball of energy was no longer seen and the force of it’s pull no longer being felt. She opened her eyes and looked at Meta angrily. "She used Demi to absorb the gravity spell. I see no limit to this girls strength. All of these high level spells at this age.” While Meta was talking to himself Yuriko had disappeared on him. "What?” He looked around for her trying to sense her essence. He eventually catches a whiff of her above him casting another spell.
"I have you now Meta!” Yuriko waves her rod at him and a bunch of small comets were fired at Meta. "Comet? Impressive Yuriko. But needs work!” Meta put up his hand and extended his fingers stopping every comet from hitting him. Yuriko noticed this and began charging. "Well try this one then!” Yuriko fires another much larger comet at Meta which makes him gasp. "Tch, wasn’t expected this.” Meta places up the energy barrier in front of him which the comet crashes into and nearly shatters, placing cracks all over it. "Yes, this child is the one. Let’s perform the final test shall we!” He smiles at her, "Let us perform the final test Yuriko. Show me just how strong you really are!” He holds up his hand and casts Omega Flare and fires it towards Yuriko. Yuriko gasps while everyone else couldn’t believe he went that far. "Meta you fool!” TJ drew his sword by his side and rushed Meta. Meta turned his barrier shield on just as TJ swung and his sword clashed with the barrier with a loud ping. Yuriko spun her rod as fast as she could and began chanting. Meta frowned, "You disappoint me Yuriko…” Yuriko eyes began to glow white and her entire body turned into a bright shade of white. Meta continued to watch with a smile returning to his face. Yuriko’s spinning rod caught the blast of Omega Flare and converted that clash energy with a blast of white light that began pushing back the Omega Flare beam and engulfed it with her own blast. Meta placed up another powerful barrier just before the blast impacted him and shattered it throwing him, TJ, and everybody else back and into the ground. The beam itself hit the ground and blew am extremely deep hole in the ground while erupting in a explosion of white light with a mushroom cloud. "TJ! I…didn’t mean…too…” Yuriko rod stopped spinning and she began to lose consciousness and began falling to the ground. Meta and TJ looked up at Yuriko as she was falling with TJ jumping up and running to her. "Yuriko!” He slides with his arms out and catches her just as she fell on his chest. He looked at her smiling gently while Yuriko looked up at him breathing hard. "I’m…sorry TJ…for hurting you…and…not being able to…win.” He brushed some dirt off of her face and kissed her on the forehead making her smile. "Don’t worry Yuriko, you did well. I’m proud of you.” "As so am I” TJ looked up and saw Meta standing over the two of them.
"No need to be alarmed TJ. I believe I have made a blunder on my part I’m afraid. I was under the wrong impression. Corrupted by the very thing I’ve been looking for when all along it was being protected.” Erik, Lianna, Zen, and Ralph stood behind Meta in ready stance while TJ shook his head. "What are you talking about?” Meta walked over to Yuriko and healed the entire group that was near with a bright light of green energy. "What…was that for?” He looked at Yuriko again. "Will you all hear my story?” Everybody looked at each other and then eventually nodded. "You see I came here in search of something precious to me and my race. As I’ve confirmed I am Azral.” TJ scratched his head standing up with Yuriko doing the same. "Yeah we kind of figured that when you were casting all of those spells.” Meta laughed a bit, "Forgive me again for attacking so hard and almost killing your friend. I was aware that he was rescued by those ninja’s before I could really finish him.” Erik sighed after hearing that. "Anyway I was given a mission to destroy that city you are all from for a client at Dreams Kingdom.” Everybody eyes widened when he mentioned the kingdom. "Keep going…” TJ said. "I was looking for my daughter and was told she was being held her. When I saw Cory, one of the sons of Granas, I figured that he may have went rogue. Since he was always rebellious. But then you were here as well and even though I fought, I had my doubts about the situation.” Meta looked at Yuriko again. "My doubts were confirmed when this child showed up with her powerful essence I sensed. From that moment on I decided to test her and from my conclusion, she too is an Azral…and the bond I immediately picked up from her…she is my daughter.” Yuriko looked at him surprised. "F-father…?” Meta nodded while TJ and the others looked on, "You felt it too did you not?” Yuriko looked down and nodded gently. Her eyes began to water up as she ran towards him and hugged him tightly. "Where have you been father! Why did you leave me! I was alone in that orphanage for so many years! Where were you!” Meta hugged her tightly as well. "I’ve been searching for you my child. I’m so sorry for being separated from you for so long…” TJ looked at him, "What separated you two?”
Meta sighed and looked into the skies, "During the Chosen War, I came home from a battle that I and a few others fellow Azrals survived. This was a week after Yuriko was born. I came home to see my wife and child and spend the time I had away from the fighting with them. Unfortunately the minions followed us into our realm along with their leader herself. The resulting battle was a surprise attack in which many of our kind died. I managed to open a portal to your realm where my wife escaped with Yuriko in her arms. I assumed that she was living here with Yuriko but when things was calmed down and we attempted to rebuild our homeland, I was informed of my wife passing on. So the only thing on my mind at that point was my dear Yuriko.” Yuriko looked up at him wiping the tears from her eyes. "Do you know about your race Yuriko?” Yuriko shook her head. "You are part of an ancient powerful race, we, created the ability to use magic. I for fathers learned how to harvest the elements and convert them into spiritual energy to be used as we pleased. As our race grew and we understood the magical arts, we began to develop more powerful spells. One of which, that you’re father knew TJ.” TJ looked at Meta, "Huh? Really?” Meta nodded, "Time magic is one of our races greatest achievements and most kept secret. With time magic you are able to slow down or speed up the aging process.” Erik looked down remembering his father casting such a spell on himself, his brothers, and him. "Will you be willing to teach us?” Lianna asked. Meta shook his head. "I will only teach TJ this spell, well, more like give him what he needs to study.” TJ sighed, "Oh boy…more work…” He looked down while Lianna walked up to him and laughed while leaning on him. "Anyway back to my child, I wasn’t aware she went to an orphanage and didn’t know she was picked up by you.” Yuriko nodded, "I was picked up by the cities police and sent to the orphanage. A few years later, TJ here adopted me.”
TJ nodded, "She was quiet and in a corner. She looked like she wasn’t happy there and so from there I decided I’d take her with me. Now that I think of it though…” TJ looked at Yuriko, "She has had a rough life like myself. What with her race and home being nearly brought to extinction.” Meta looked at TJ. "But how can that be? If Dreams Kingdom is around?” "It has to be a fake” Lianna said, "I’ve been to the ruins of Dreams Kingdom when I was growing up.” "And I know what I remember…” Lianna looked at him. "Yeah, the kingdoms been trashed. There is no one left but his brother, me and Troy, him, and possibly his sister. No one heard from her in awhile.” Ralph said. "Who…who was it that you spoke too!?” TJ demanded. "He said his name was Randas, he was one of” "The main generals from my fathers entourage.” TJ cut him off. "He didn’t die? What the hell is going on…where is this new Dreams Kingdom.” Meta turned to the south and pointed. "There is an island that seems to be particularly dedicated to it.” "What are you thinking TJ?” Zen asked. "Want to get ready for an assault?” "Looks like it.” TJ said. Meta shook his head. "You should probably be preparing. They are likely to come here soon. I was supposed to come before the main invading force.” Everyone looked at Meta, "They’re invading!?” Erik said. Meta nodded. "If this is true then we probably should let them come to us.” Erik then added on. TJ nodded. "Yeah, okay. Thank you Meta. I owe you a lot for this information.” Meta shook his head and smiled, "This is the least I can do for all of you especially you TJ. For taking care of my daughter. Now I must ask you something.” TJ looked at him, "Hmm?” "Will you continue taking care of my daughter while I and the other remnants rebuild our homeland for her. I want her to see it when it is complete. Will you?” He looked at him and then at Yuriko. "Can I TJ!” Yuriko said happily. TJ nodded, "Yeah, I’ll watch her for you I promise.” Yuriko jumped up excitingly and hugged him tightly. "I owe you for this TJ.” Meta said gently as a portal opens behind him. "When we rebuild, I want you all to come, and see our land as it once were.” He began to fade into the portal while everyone looked on. Yuriko held out her hand towards her father crying a little bit. He did the same to her smiling. "I will see you again father…” She whispers. "As so will I my daughter.” he whispers back to her fading all the way into the portal. Yuriko looked down for a bit and then smiled at everyone. "Let’s…go home! You all have to tell Tierre and Cory and others about what’s gonna happen!” TJ looked at her, "Cory’s okay!” Yuriko nodded. "Yeah come on!” She began running towards the city with Zen, Erik, and Ralph following behind. TJ started to run behind them but was stopped by Lianna. "TJ…can I see you…tomorrow night?” TJ blushed. "Y-yeah why.” Lianna blushed and looked ahead. "I just…need to talk to you about some things.” She held his hand and smiled. TJ nodded and the two began to walk back to the city as the sun began setting.
