Now they had to defeat Tara Markelene… but she seemed incredibly strong. Could they really beat her?
Kisa: "Urk!"
Diego: "Kisa!"
Rose: "No!"
Nacht: "You bitch!!"
He transformed.
Nacht: "You're going to pay for that!"
He drew his sword and sliced Tara into two pieces.
(SPLASH!)
Tara: "Hahahahahahaha!"
She regenerated instantly.
Tara: "Not a bad trick, sir."
Nacht: "Huh?!"
A tentacle suddenly burst out of her mouth and stabbed straight through his stomach.
Nacht: "Urk…"
Tara: "Mhhhhhh."
She threw him away.
(CRASH!)
Diego: "…Wolf Form!"
He transformed as well.
Rose: "I'll help you."
Diego: "Let's go!"
Both of them charged at her.
Tara: "Amateurs!"
Multiple spikes erupted from the ground and pierced both of them.
Diego: "Urk!"
Rose: "Ohhhghhh!"
Tara: "Hehehe… huh?!"
Mona: "Take this!"
(BANG!)
She shot Tara directly in the head.
Tara: "Hehehehe… not bad…"
She regenerated again.
Tara: "You all are not bad… but it still isn't enough."
Nacht: "Oh yeah?!"
He stabbed his own sword into his chest.
Nacht: "AAAARGHHHH… GHHHHHHH… HHHH… Take… all of my corruption into yourself… Lexus!!!!!"
That was the name of the sword, a blade that fed on Nacht's rage and blood.
Nacht: "Now slice that bitch apart!"
(SPLASH!)
Tara: "Urk… AAAARGHHHHH!"
She finally released Kisa.
Nacht: "Hahhh… hahhh…"
Tara: "Hahahahahahaha… not bad…"
Then she transformed.
An eye appeared on her neck… and two more opened on her cheeks.
Tara: "Transformation!"
Her body twisted into a monstrous mixture of plants and tentacles.
Tara: "Plant Princess!!"
She attacked him.
(DONG!)
Nacht: "Ghhhh."
Diego: "ROAAAAAAARR!"
Charlotte: "Whirlwind Strike!!!"
Diego leapt onto her and bit into her shoulder.
Tara: "Urk… you bastard."
Diego: "Hehe…"
Rose: "HAAAAAHHH!"
She sliced apart the tentacles.
Tara: "Ghhh."
Kisa: "…Hahhh… Piercing Spirits!!"
Ghostly spirits passed directly through Tara's body.
Tara: "AAAARGHHHH!"
Nacht: "And now… the final attack… Dark… Slaaash!"
(PLASH!)
Tara: "Urk… AAAAARGHHHHHH!"
She fell to the ground.
Nacht: "Hahhh… hahhh…"
Diego: "Phew… about damn time…"
Tara: "Hahahaha."
She stood back up and regenerated once more.
Diego: "No… oh come on!"
Tara: "Don't worry… you passed. Let me heal your wounds first."
Plants wrapped around them and swallowed them whole.
Nacht: "Hey!"
(GULP!)
Tara: "Sorry… this is necessary… I just… got a little carried away."
Several hours later.
Tara: "Spit them out."
(SPLASH!)
Diego: "(Snoring)… huh? Is dinner ready?"
Nacht: "Ghhhh… huh?... What the hell was that?!"
Mona: "Hahhh… ighhh… is that drool?"
Tara: "Don't worry, my dears. Like I said, you passed."
Tina: "Hmmm… and why didn't you attack me?"
Tara: "Because you were not my target… I could already tell that you are a magician… I wanted to test these children here. And I have shocking news. You will remain here for at least… five years."
Diego: "HÄ?!"
Nacht: "Huh?!"
Tara: "Those are the rules. Tina, right?... You may leave."
Tina: "I'm not leaving without my students. Diego, Kisa, Nacht, Mona, and Charlotte are part of my class."
Diego: "Ugh."
Tara: "Hmm…"
Diego: "Oh… I'm Diego."
Nacht: "I'm Nacht."
Kisa: "Oh… right… I'm Kisa."
Charlotte: "Charlotte."
Mona: "Mona."
Tara: "Ah, I see… You may stay here too, Tina."
Tina: "Then I'll stay."
Tara: "You do realize it will be five years?"
Tina: "Yes. I'm responsible for them."
Diego: "How the fuck… are you still… single?"
Kisa: "Yeah… she really is nice…"
Diego: "What about Rose?"
Rose: "I'm fine."
Tara: "Ahh… that is Rose… Well… she may stay too, or she may leave."
Rose: "No. I stay with my Diego. I am his wife."
Tara: "Huh?"
Rose: "Yes, exactly."
Diego: "Yep."
Rose: "See?"
Tara: "As long as you follow the rules… Regardless, you must remain here… until you become stronger. Because I know the Apocalypses are after you. This… is what Jorinde and Joringel wanted… to help you defeat the Apocalypses… Gargamel… Wrath… Juno, Greed… Fumi, Sloth… and Malric, Gluttony… I will help you… but it will take five years. You are nowhere near strong enough to face them."
Diego: "(Sweats)… Uh… what if we say no?"
Tara: "Then the thorns will devour you."
Nacht: "Hahh… wow… what a lovely place."
Tara: "Don't worry… I will take care of you all… So yes… you will remain here for five years until you are strong enough to stop—or help—the four… actually, five Apocalypses."
Nacht: "Five… so there really is a fifth one?"
Tara: "Yes… but she does not wish to attack you… She is standing right in front of you."
Diego: "You!!"
Tara: "Yes… I want your help… to stop my siblings… Please… help me. You are the Cinder Tales… Please help me fix the mistakes my parents, Jorinde and Joringel made