Maria, or rather Gaia controlling Maria, walked quickly through the castle, eyes set in determination as she headed to Quarantine Isolation, to a special chamber within the place. All the staff stepped aside, seeing how different their Queen looked as Gaia made her way to the chambers and entered the last floor, going through a door and stepping into a circular room. Zaren lay on the ground, motionless put still pulsing purple and red with the black smoke noticeable from the wound created by Adonis. "How is his condition?" Gaia asked Saari, who was shocked Gaia was controlling Maria.
"My Mistress, is that you?" Saari asked, even as Quelkulan and Sachi bowed, Leonus and Muse following suit as they quickly bowed as well. "It is me but I don't wish to see such formality." Gaia said quickly, folding her arms that had blue signs across them that glowed and shined much like the Cube itself. "How is his condition?" Gaia demanded of the Champion of the Slain, who stuttered a little. 'Mistress she said?' Lua thought, remembering what Saari said and seeing how the other Eidolon's reacted, it was obvious that Gaia was held with higher respect than even the Guardian Goddess, Astraea. "His condition is still unsteady," Saari began, looking up as the Cube of Gaia appeared in the room, lowering toward Zaren. "the Cube has helped keep him somewhat intact though." Saari began and Gaia hummed, looking around.
In the center of the room was Zaren, laying on a small circular platform with a circle of pure water around him and a small path lead from them over the deep pool to where Zaren was. The water glowed with the reflection of the Cube, giving a soft glow...when suddenly, signs began to appear on the walls, similar to the signs covering Gaia. The Cube hovered over Zaren and pulsed, blue lights heading toward Zaren and trying to heal him, even as the Cube allowed Gaia to have a connection to Zaren. Gaia walked forward across the path before standing next to Zaren and sighing gently, closing her eyes. "This may take some time, I cannot be rushed else he will shattered and become nothing but a shell." Gaia said before tilting her head toward Saari, yet didn't turn to look at her. "Tell Goddess Astraea that she needs to focus all her attention on keeping the shield up, for mine and Maria's attention will be focused on healing Zaren and removing that cursed wound." Gaia said and Saari nodded, disappearing.
"Mistress," Muse began hesitantly, fiddling her thumbs. "is there anything we can do?" She asked, her pink/purple eyes showing concern for Gaia. "...No, you all need not help. Mine and Maria's power should be enough, silence is all I will truly need." Gaia said before she glowed blue, slowly floating off the ground as she hovered over Zaren. "Focus energy into the Cube, it will help me keep his soul intact and use any energy to remove the power of demon's and necromancy from harming him." Gaia continued, before she placed her hands against the wound and Zaren flinched, yet nothing more as his body reacted to what was around him. "Hm...he's somewhat conscious yet seems to be locked inside his mind. An effect of the demonic energy." Gaia commented, when Zaren's new power suddenly acted up and the power slammed against Gaia. Gaia merely grunted as the power slammed into her and wind whirled around the place, making everyone grunt and cover their faces as the wind whipped at them, tearing into their skin and clothes.
"Zaren, calm yourself!" Gaia shouted, eyes glowing as she forced her own power into him, cutting off his new power as it calmed instantly, his powers and new powers seeming to accept her energy. "What...just happened?" Sachi asked, teal eyes wide as she watched Gaia bit her lower lip in concern. "His body and powers are being attacked by the necromantic wound, the demonic and dark, corrupted energy within is trying to rip his soul apart." Gaia explained, looking him over frantically. "He's one step away from becoming a demon, if the corruption lasts any longer he will change!" She shouted and her body began to glow once again, the Cube began to spin rapidly as it happened before a beam shot out toward Zaren and his grimace on his face softened into a calm feature; as though he was simply sleeping. "Everyone stay quiet, this will take time." Gaia said one last time before closing her eyes and her consciousness went into Zaren, allowing her to work through his body to restore it.
[Zaren's Soul]
Zaren was chained to the darkness within him, the corruption of his soul showing as parts of his body had become one with the darkness; only his chest, upper arms and face had been left untouched by the corruption. Gaia appeared, in her actual form within his soul, looking at the boy in worry as her blue eyes took his appearance in before she looked at herself. She was beautiful if she could make a physical form outside of the Cube, yet in souls it was an easy feat to regain her original form. She was of fair skin, not too pale nor too tan, with long blue hair reaching past her thighs with the ends of her hair, starting from her waist were a gold color. She had a golden accessory in her hair that was clipping a braid to the rest of her hair and the dress she wore was a copy of the one Maria's dress had transformed into, even as signs appeared on her left leg below her thigh and at her ankle. The dress was white with blue, dark blue and gold accents with the sleeves unattached and blue tassels trailed from under her bust where a gold wrap was and she raised a hand where a staff formed, in the center was the Cube of Gaia, allowing her to access her full powers from within Zaren's soul so she may heal him.
As the Cube of her staff glowed, a gold halo and blue halo formed above her head and glowed, spinning as rapidly as the Cube began to and she pointed it at Zaren. As she did so, a beam of pure white energy shot from her staff toward the darkness Zaren was chained to, slowly turning the black mass around him white...when suddenly something tackled Gaia. "AH!" Gaia cried out in pain, backing up quickly and looking over, seeing Adonis and Argus both within him, yet the odd thing was they were both covered in a black fog, eyes glowing red showing that it was remnants of their power within him. "The manifestation of the new power he has, it this?!" Gaia shouted in anger, grunting as she struggled to stand.
One of the demons charged and Gaia gasped, about to step back when a flash happened to her right and she jumped back, right as a short sword came from across the black nothingness and slammed into Adonis, the demon whom charged. "Back away from Gaia!" A voice shouted as Maria showed up, attacking the demon and throwing Adonis back, who roared and tried to swipe at her but Maria dodged and struck back, yanking her sword out in the process. "Sorry I'm late Gaia, it was hard to navigate through a broken mind." She responded and Gaia gasped. "H-his mind is already broken?!" She screeched in shock, blue eyes wide and Maria sighed, nodding. "I used power of the Cube to help repair it but it'll be awhile before he can do anything, a week maybe two tops." Maria explained and Gaia nodded, looking over at Zaren.
"I'll hold them off and try to defeat them, focus on freeing Zaren from whatever that is." Maria said and Gaia nodded, expression grim. "After I free him, I'll have to expel you from within the soul so I may remove the corruption completely and cleanse it." Gaia explained, her staff glowing again and Maria sighed. "Just do what you must!" She demanded before charging Adonis, sinking her swords into the demon and Gaia shook her head, aiming her staff at Zaren and hitting the black mass again, short bursts coming from the staff and retreating when the mass began to break. Despite trying to rid the darkness and corruption within him, she had to be careful when purifying him.
[Normal Realm]
Everyone watched in shock as the black lines that had begun crawling across Zaren's body slowly began to retreat towards his wound, slowly going away and his body stopped pulsing red and purple. "This will take some time," A voice began, catching Lau's and the Eidolon's attention, seeing Michaela the Holy Guardian Angel, was there. "it may take a few days for him to be cleansed." She explained, clasping her hands behind her back. Michaela was the personal guard of Goddess Astraea, following her and Maria's orders only and she never chose an Envoy. Not because she didn't want to or didn't need to but she couldn't bring herself to leave Astraea and Maria to fend for themselves, despite the Army they had.
Michaela had long blonde hair to her waist, wearing a silver and purple outfit with the silver being armor that covered her chest, sides and completely covered her left arm. She had some armor on her right arm and on her legs and feet, both her outfit mainly consisted of the color purple. Small wings cover over the purple skirt and long wings went from the smaller pair, trailing at her feet. A wing accessory was in her hair as was a glowing blue flower and her purple eyes watched them as she looked at them in worry. "Do any of you wish for something to eat or have a place to sleep?" She asked, offering her service to them for their needs.
"I'm good, thanks." Lua replied, every fiber of her being screaming in rage and concern for Zaren. He had to be okay...she couldn't take the pain if he...he...she broke the thought before she cried. "Is there anything I can do?" Even all she could do was be near him she'd do it, she hated not being to do anything but this was far beyond her powers. Michaela hummed, looking over and seeing the darkness around Zaren dissipating. "The only thing I can think of is a transfer of power to the Cube." She said when Saari glared at her. "Michaela, no!" She shouted, making the blonde Eidolon flinch. "Of all things to do, Maria does not want anyone to drain themselves in trying to help." Saari stated, glaring at Michaela. "That's because no Envoy knows how much to give and deplete their entire Gaian energy. As a result, they become so weak, they can't even hold a bond with their Eidolon." She explained and Saari sighed, annoyed.
"Wouldn't be a problem with me." Lua offered. "I'm not just an Envoy after all, my natural power can be configured to support the power I use here. I've done it before." She added as an afterthought. Michaela hummed, yes...she could see that Lua was no mere human, that much was obvious. Even with the Gaian power now coursing through Lua's veins as well, there was another power within that was not of their world. "Gaia will send a message if things become too harsh, until then, we must wait." Saari suddenly said, stopping anything Michaela would've said, making the blonde Eidolon glare at Saari; it was obvious the two were constantly at odds with one another.
[~~~~~*~~~~~]
Maria was thrown back in the darkness and growled, trying to get her footing on the ground, yet it was hard as it was just black nothingness. She slid along the fake ground, before charging forward, swinging her swords rapidly and hitting the demon remnants of demonic energy back, the two demons seemed much stronger in the soul than in their physical forms. "Almost...got...it…" Gaia was panting, sweat beading her forehead and falling down her face as she gasped and panted, trying to free Zaren and she was almost successful. Less than half of his body was now attached to the darkness. Only his torso was in the darkness, his arms, legs, waist and face was left untouched. It was almost like he was leaning against the darkness that was trying to keep it corruption upon him.
"Come on Zaren!" Gaia shouted, seeing the darkness move in a swirling mist around him, yet she shot a powerful blast of pure energy at it, making it retreat. "Wake up dammit, fight this madness!" She shouted, trying to awaken his soul to purify him. Zaren's eyes slowly opened, almost as though he heard her...yet when he looked at her, she felt her concentration snap! His eyes were dull, no light or life in them...his mind may be restored, even as his soul is being purified...yet he was still had it broken. He didn't seem to know anything as he stared at Gaia blankly and Gaia knew...he had a low chance of recovering unless… "Maria, I need power!" She shouted to the Queen, who growled, glaring at her.
"No!" She shouted, shocking Gaia. "I will not let an Envoy sacrifice their power for this!" She stated, before jumping back, avoiding the remnant of Argus's power. "Use mine!" She shouted, striking at the demon, before being struck by Adonis, making her growl. "B-but you are already using so much!" She stated, eyes wide in worry as she went back to try to keep the darkness and corruption at bay. "I have enough, unlike other Envoy's I am limitless in Gaian energy." Maria stated, rolling out of the way of Adonis's axe, before she sprung forward, sinking her swords into the demon. "Still, I can't afford you to collapse, you have to fight them!" Gaia stated, glaring at Maria and Maria growled. "Fine, do as you wish!" Maria snapped out, before a cry of pain left her as Argus tackled her to the ground.
Gaia gasped and spun toward Adonis as the demon charged and she shot a beam of pure energy at the demon, knocking it back, before returning to purifying Zaren. She needed to end this...quickly! She searched through the Gaian energy around her, finding the Eidolon's outside waiting for her to finish, as well as locating Lua. Eidolon's naturally gave off small amounts of energy to the Cube anyways, to herself in a way...but she needed an Envoy's energy. Theirs was more potent and controlled than an Eidolon's energy was, more tame and easier to control and weave, use to her command. She zeroed her attention on Lua, sending out a thought to the Queen of her own world, she needed her power!
[~~~~~*~~~~~]
Saari, Muse, Quelkulan, Sachi, Leonus and Michaela all felt power rush past them and head straight to Lua, swirling around the Envoy. A click formed in the back of Lua's mind, before a soft voice reached her ears. "Lua...can you hear me?" The soft voice of Gaia questioned, she sounded tired than when she was first there, Lua could also feel the strain Gaia was exerting as the Cube, herself, connected to the woman. "I can, do you require help? I happily give it if so." She thought back quickly swaying back and forth to just be doing something other than standing still. "Of that, I do require help." Gaia said before the Cube began to glow brightly and spin faster, the bright light nearly blinding. "Maria is against the thought but I require power. She wishes for me to draw it from her except I cannot afford her to be weakened; her strength is needed against the remnants of the power within Zaren." Gaia explained, before giving Lua a quick flash of what was going on within Zaren's soul.
It was fragmented due to Gaia's concentration on Zaren, yet it showed Gaia, herself, with a staff pointed at Zaren as a beam of white hit the black mass. Maria off to the side, fighting off two demon's that were trying looked like Adonis and Argus, except they were merely black beings with red glowing eyes, red cracks along their bodies, just remnants of power yet still clinging to him. Then it showed Zaren, caught in the darkness with only his torso covered, the rest of his body out...and his blank eyes as the corruption tried to destroy him. The image retreated, before Gaia once again spoke. "Maria is needed to keep them back, I can't let her have her power drained or else the two demon may just defeat her. Despite her having unlimited Gaian energy, having it drained will weaken her." Gaia explained, before she felt Gaia's power swirl around her. "This won't harm either you or me, you may feel slightly weakened, yet the other power within you, I can feel will make up for the weakness that will wash over you." Gaia said, before sighing.
"As I'm sure you noticed his eyes, Zaren's mind was...already broken when Maria entered Zaren's consciousness herself. She was able to repair his mind, yet with the corruption it will merely break again, I require power to not only completely purify him but to restore his mind completely. Even with me able to purify him, Zaren will not be able to do ANYTHING for some time. With the power transfer you would give to the Cube, thus give to me, Zaren will recover faster as any corruption lingering in his mind will be wiped clean." She explained, trying summarize it. With Zaren's mind already having been broken once, even if Gaia does purify him, he'd merely be a shell for a few days, maybe even weeks or worse, months. He'd have a blank look, wouldn't know how to feel, wouldn't eat or drink; he'd be destroying his body as he'd be recovering from a broken mind. "I ask you because your power is more tamable, more easy to control, all Envoy's Gaian energy to easy to use, more potent as it is all contained in a body and you are the nearest Envoy around with your own power amplifying your Gaian power." Gaia explained, before a soothing feeling entered to her calm any anger, sadness or confusion she may have. "Your power, after I purify him, would allow me to go to his mind and completely restore it. He would not suffer any repercussions from his corrupted soul or broken mind. Yes, he would need some rest but he would not be a shell of whom he once was." She explained at the very end, with the power transfer, Gaia would be able to restore him, enough to where he'd be his old, fun loving self once he awoke after some rest.
"All I need is some power." Gaia spoke to her, before going quiet, giving Lua an idea on how to transfer power to the Cube in case she agreed. The memory showed of Maria kneeling and praying, before a white and blue beam of light hit Maria, connecting her to the Cube and Maria closed her eyes, before her body glowed blue and the line connected to Maria began to glow as Maria concentrated on the Cube, directing the Gaian energy in her body into the Cube. "All that is needed is for you to focus on the Cube and try to use your power to push the other power, the Gaian power, toward the Cube in your mind. I can do the rest by drawing it out of you. I can do it all myself by force, though I have always found the need to ask before taking what I have given back." Gaia explained, she never liked taking energy from others, even power than she had bestowed upon others.
"Oh, please, I've given power before and far more than you are asking." Gaia didn't need to worry for her. Lua called half her natural power and configured it to the Envoy power, she felt a little tired but she'd be fine. "Here you go, you can't tell me that's not enough...please?" The amount of power was about all an Envoy had in their body if she was guessing right, she'd never scanned Zaren or anyone else after all. "This should suffice, I hope. The corruption has been within him so long it's nearly corrupted his entire body." Gaia commented, before Lua felt the power flowing from her into the Cube, before the blue beam connected to Zaren grew harsher and brighter, rapidly flowing into his. "Thank you Lua, if it is not enough, I shall alert you." Gaia's voice said, before retreating from her mind. Everyone felt the power retreat back toward Zaren and the Cube, before the light around the Cube dimmed a little, allowing them to see better.
[Zaren's Soul]
Gaia hummed as she held one hand up, a pulsing mass of pure white light resided in her hand and she took a deep breath. "Let this work." She prayed lightly, before pushing the mass into her staff, making it glow completely white and she pointed the staff at Zaren, before letting loose a huge blast of pure energy. The blast hit Zaren, making his body jerk, before the glaze over his eyes faded and the life returned. Yet the darkness around him grew denser and tried to move past the light, trying to grab him and this made Zaren tense and shout in pain, feeling like his body was being torn apart.
"Zaren don't fight the purity, its trying to help you!" Gaia shouted, surprised his body was trying to resist being purified. Argus stood up behind her and she gasped, looking over at the demon with wide eyes, wondering how she was going to stop Argus when she had to focus her attention on Zaren. 'Not good!' She thought worried, if she tried to move or stop now, Zaren would be torn apart from the inside, becoming nothing BUT a shell! Argus charged and Gaia closed her eyes, intent on taking the hit, when she heard slicing flesh and opened her eyes in surprise, seeing Maria had struck at Argus, keeping the demon back. "Maria?" Gaia questioned, seeing the blood all over Maria before she looked over, seeing Adonis was struggling to stand. 'That blood...it's mostly hers...what happened while I was concentrated on Lua?' Gaia wondered, seeing one of Maria's arms, her left it seemed, was completely limp and torn.
Maria was slouched a little, her armor torn in multiple places, gashes and scars littered her torso and legs, her left arm looked to have been broken now that Gaia got a good look at it. "Maria, what did Adonis do to you?!" Gaia exclaimed in horror, shocked at how torn up she was. "Adonis tried to force demonic power into me, it tore me up pretty bad but he suffered a recoil." Maria said, using her right arm to wipe some blood from her lips, she was merely using one sword now, her left arm useless in a fight. 'Maria…' Gaia thought in worry, before looking at Zaren and sighing, seeing him relax and accept the purity. 'Good...now for the finishing touches.' Gaia thought, infusing her own power into the staff and released a large, powerful blast of pure energy into the entirety of his soul, consuming everything. Maria gasped and looked behind her, seeing the white light consume everything, destroying Adonis and Argus, as well as expelling her from Zaren's soul...before all traces of darkness disappeared...he was cured.
[Normal Realm]
Everyone watched in horror as scars and gashes appeared on Maria, bleeding and not stopping before they heard a loud crack and watched as her left arm went limp, blood seeping down and hitting the floor beside Zaren. "It's just like what happened against Pandoran years ago!" Sachi exclaimed in horror, even as blood finally stopped flowing, before an explosion happened where Maria and Zaren were as their eyes snapped open. The two screamed in pain as the explosion happened, dust covering the area. "Maria! Zaren!" Everyone shouted in worry, eyes wide at what happened. Maria went flying to one side, appearing from dust cloud and slammed into the wall, blood hitting the wall before she hit the ground, laying there limply. "Maria, no!" Sachi shouted with Michaela, the two rushing toward the Queen.
Lua gasped in horror, before looking over at Zaren, only to see him slowly getting up, coughing from the dust that formed, rubbing his chest as he felt the explosion originate from his chest. "Ow." He muttered, groaning in pain. Zaren slowly stood up, stumbling a little before Lua ran over. "Zaren!" She said in concern and he looked at her. "Lua?" He mumbled, rubbing his head as he tried to clear the fog that formed. His body and mind felt weird, though he guessed that was to be expected with being fully purified. He felt his chest, the scar was there but the blackness that once surrounded it was gone.
"We need to check on Maria." He said and Lua nodded, both of them running toward Maria, kneeling down next to her, seeing she was in horrible condition. "What happened?!" Sachi shouted, teal eyes wide in horror as Michaela held the girl up, even as Saari glared at the Cube. "Gaia, what did you do?!" Saari shouted, shocking Lua and Zaren. To yell at the Mistress of Eidolon's like that...it seems there are some boundaries even Gods do not cross. "I hadn't meant for her to get so wounded." The Cube said, Gaia back in her original vessel, speaking with remorse. "Maria appeared in Zaren's soul and fought off the remnants on Argus's and Adonis's powers that were clinging to Zaren." She explained, before the surface of the Cube rippled, showing Maria fighting Adonis and Argus, Gaia was seen behind Maria, purifying Zaren. "She offered to fight them off, knowing they would try to stop me from purifying you, Zaren. Yet, while I was distracted when communicating with you Lua, Adonis pushed Maria to the ground, before trying to force his demonic power into her." Gaia said and the scene showed Maria pushed to the ground; black, purple and red energy sparked around her before she seemed to scream in pain, gashes and scars appeared as her body was torn from two colliding energies within her.
It showed her try to push Adonis off her but instead, as she lifted her left arm, it was yanked back and they saw it get twisted before her shoulder broke and her elbow snapped! Blood ran down her arm from her shoulder as the bone pierced the skin, same with her elbow. Maria looked to scream in pain again, before she used her power and Adonis was hit with the same power her forced on her, turning pure and creating the same damage! It showed Maria get to her feet before charging Argus as he was about to strike Gaia, yet Maria was able to keep him back before the image faded. "The power forced on her by Adonis nearly shredded her apart, thankfully though she will live, I will make sure of that. I have exhausted lot of physical power to enter Zaren's body," She said and Zaren blushed, wishing she had worded it differently, that just sounded wrong! "though I still have unlimited energy when I reside within my rightful body. She will live." Gaia soothed them and they saw white light slowly flow toward Maria, before washing over her wounds like waves, the wounds slowly closed as the blood disappeared and Maria healed.
When the power faded, Maria was still unconscious but that was the be expected after all the damage she took. "I shall take the Queen back to her room." Michaela said as she stood, before turning toward them all. "Gaia, I expect you will be telling Astraea what has transpired?" Michaela asked and the Cube spun to respond as Gaia fell asleep, going within the deepest parts of the Cube to sleep and recover her strength. The Cube disappeared from the room and the large door they entered through opened and everyone left, heading separate ways. Zaren held a hand to his chest as he and Lua walked back to the room they shared in the Castle, even as Muse and Leonus were dismissed, Muse and Zaren back to being Envoy and Eidolon due to Gaia reconnecting their bond. "It feels nice to no longer feel the darkness clinging to me like a second layer of skin." Zaren said, rubbing his chest; the scar was there but the darkness was no longer in him.
Wordlessly Lua locked her arms around one of his, he was okay now, she knew that but the memories of past loves who had been lost clouded her mind. She wouldn't be able to take it again, the pain was too much. Zaren noticed Lua's action and gently stopped, turning toward her he hugged her tightly, knowing he had worried her and that was something he hated, making others worry about him. "I'm here Lua, it's okay." He responded, kissing her forehead, trying to soothe her and assure her that he was fine, that he wasn't going anywhere. "Everything's fine now." He said softly, rubbing her back as her kept one arm around her waist, keeping her close. Lua nodded, keeping her arms around him as she tried to compose herself; he was safe and that was all that matter. They had each other and now, with Zaren being free from the curse within him, he could finally live freely without worrying about the next day. He could finally focus on the most important thing in his life, Lua.