“Destruction is the product of those who cannot create…”

Edwin had brought the Crabs along with his allies, and the Crabs now rushed forward in great numbers toward the front line that the four Lightchildren formed.

“All Guardians, Freedom Level Four!” Chris Alan commanded. This would give them maximum power combined with penultimate freedom of independent action, while yet still being subject to their Bondmates’ directions at need.

“We obey,” they replied simply, and at their transformation the Crabs stopped cold for a moment. The Crabs were both bloodthirsty and devoid of any instinct toward self-preservation, but even they knew that four Guardians in Alpha Mode with Blades Drawn were massacres waiting to happen.

Edwin remained stationary and studied the battlefield with determined eyes. Samuel looked over to Edwin. “What now? They’re holding their ground.”

“Relax Sammy, you deal with Rockmire; everything is fine.” Edwin seemed confident, but Aggie’s earlier reaction was weighing on his mind. In this game of death, he would have to play aggressively indeed against such a brilliant opponent. It was time for his next move.

“O.K., Red Lord of Chaos, take center stage.” Suddenly Edwin raised his hands and started to open a wormhole. Chris Alan, knowing what kind of almost godlike power it took to do such a thing without the use of n-crystals or one of the Lord Joshua’s Four Portals, nodded grimly to himself – even as he sensed that he couldn’t simply end the game with Light Without Measure at Need, not yet.

< I always suspected that Edwin’s been holding back, > he thought, < and now I’m certain of it. Keep a cool head, Christopher Alan, as never before – you’ll need it! >

As the wormhole opened, hundreds of Daimonae flew down to fence with the four Guardians. Chris Alan’s stomach knotted; next to Nicholas and Edwin, these (with the Shadow Chasers) were the most dangerous foes he’d ever faced.

“What are *those?*” Horus hissed. “They look like bats.”

“Victory!” Edwin seemed filled with mad glee. The joy of seeing the Guardians being bogged down was overwhelming. The Lightchildren were making quick work of dispatching the Crabs, but the Crabs numbered in the thousands.