200 She Can't Move

The Trader may have been pulled out of Robin and Dawkins, but he was not willing to be thrown back out into the darkness of space again. As he rose, he grabbed out, strengthening his ties to the wisps of himself that he had planted in others. And they all endeavored through their connections to anchor him in this realm.

And for a moment, the Trader's ascension halted.

But not for long.

Silver chains appeared even upon his copies, dragging them out of their victims as easily as he had been booted out of Robin. Any soul they had devoured, they were forced to spit out. They too were forced to leave, being acknowledged as part of the Trader.

If he were smart, he would not have connected to all of his copies. But, in his panic, he had grasped at all of them.

That day, across many lands, hundreds upon thousands of people, animals, and demons fell unconscious. And when they awoke, some would recall their past. Some would not. Regardless, they would all speak of the pillar of light and the silver chains that shut away the darkness.

But the Hero that saved them wouldn't hear about it until much much later....

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Cast out into the darkness between realms, Trader, the Demon King, surrounded by his copy wisps glared with red eyes at the bright realm he had once again been banished from.

"This isn't over, Robin! Not by a long shot!" He roared before heading off in a certain direction.

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Within her dreamscape, Robin turned her head to look at the guest that had been invited. She was beautiful. Her clothes were all white, like rays of purest light. The armor she wore had the same symbol upon them as the sword, inscribed in gold. Her golden-blonde hair fell in waves that had a touch of curl at the ends. She gazed at Robin with silver-grey eyes that harbored a somewhat golden warmth within.

"The spirit of the sword, I take it?" Robin asked. "My apologies, I was not informed of your name?" Dawkins' brain had already shut down as he gazed at the ethereal beauty, slackjawed.

She smile, her eyes curving up into mirthful crescents."I have been called many names. But I prefer the name your father bestowed upon me. You may call me Hikaru."

"...So it really was my father who came here..." Robin sighed, brushing her hair away from her eyes. "Then, this whole big mess is my own family's fault, huh?"

"So my appearance here was on your account?" Robin asked.

"Not exactly." Hikaru smiled kindly. "I felt a familiar presence in you, and brought you to my side out of nostalgia's sake. Who the person was who ignited your invitation, I do not know. Unlike your father, both you and your brother can more easily pass between your world and this one. They may have called you using a personal effect of your parents, such as a strand of hair."

"And, since they've been long since dead, I was called in their place?" Robin was quick on the uptake.

"The bloodline of the hero is thicker than water, after all." Hikaru nodded her head, pleased at Robin's intelligence.

Dawkins finally managed to get his brain starting to the point where he could close his gaping mouth.

"A person? In a sword?" He muttered.

"And? What's so strange about that?" Robin asked. "Haven't you ever heard of the Japanese tsukumogami?"

"I have. But those are demons!" Dawkins blustered, with a somewhat red face. "None of them even come close to this eminent spirit of holy light!"

"You could say that I am..." Hikaru said playfully. "But then again, you can also say that I am not. I am one upon whom the laws of the heavens was passed down. I am a weapon of law, a pruning tool to cut away from what is good all that would senselessly destroy it. And, because of my purpose, it is my honor to have been bestowed an intellect and will that brought about the creation of my soul."

"Have you ever met your creator?" Robin asked.

"The day I was born, he held me in his hands. And bestowed upon me my mission. We have not met since then." Hikaru replied.

"Oh? Did he give you a name?" Dawkins asked, curious.

Hikaru smiled, cheerfully ignoring his question.

"It appears our time is almost up." She noted. "Let me help send you back to your rightful place." And with that, she grabbed Dawkins by the collar, before he realised what was happening.

"I'll contact Skye when it is time we speak again." She waved a farewell and flew up into a golden circle of light that appeared above her, dragging Dawkins out of Robin's dreamscape.

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Outside, Robin's friends looked at her, worried.

"Why isn't Robin waking up? we already made him drink the antidote." Christian mumbled.

"Hush! Even antidotes take time to work their magic." Jasmine scolded. "Robin should be waking up soon..."

Unseen by the crew, a tiny mote of light flowed out from the space between Robin's brow, floating over to Bastian Lave's sleeping form. It entere him for a moment before floating back and merhing once more into the sword.

No one but Oracle managed to even notice its existence. He smiled, and whispered something in Chelsea's ear, before returning to himself in Port Oracle.

"Brother has left." Chelsea noted, turning to Jasmine. "The fight is over. Feed Young Mister Lave the Antidote as well."

"But..." Jasmine felt reluctance.

"Don't worry. He is no longer our enemy." Chelsea assured.

"If you say so." Jasmine frowned, looking down at the youth who had plunged face down into the dirt. She used her foot to turn him about, before pouring a portion down his throat.

"Ahem! Does anyone have any water?" A weak voice croaked out, turning everyone's attention back to Robin.

"Robin, you rascal, you! Why did you do that!?" Christian was both happy and angry at the same time. Robin looked dazedly up at a scolding Christian.

'This sort of thing....isn't bad.' She noted, with a smile that only tugged at the corners of her mouth. She felt completely drained of all her energy, both physical and magical.

"...you're very good at getting yourself into trouble." Robin croaked. "As am I." Her friends all laughed at that.

"But," Robin continued. "I am better at getting out of it than you...I thought...as your older brother, at the very least, I can show you how getting you out of trouble is done."

This brought a somewhat touching end to their laughter, although they all grinned at Christian much brighter than before.

Christian ruffled Robin's head.

"What older brother!? I am older than you!"

"I do recall letting you know that the role for my father and older brother have already been taken." Robin replied impudently, despite her dilemma. At this, everyone laughed again as Christian rolled his eyes.

"I can't win against you." He lamented.

"Don't fight the hero. They always win. Also, you were never cut out to make a good villain." Robin pointed out, then coughed again.

She tried to clear her throat. "Chelsea, help me out here. I hurt all over to the point where I can't move." She asked, sincerely.

"If you wanted my help, then you shouldn't have gotten to this point in the first place!" Chelsea harrumphed, but still gathered together a sphere of water out of the air for Robin.

After she cleared the dust out of her throat, Robin sighed.

"We might need to set up camp." She sighed in resignation.

"Why's that?" Keith asked.

"I really can't move." Robin admitted.