Winx: I lied again. Go look below for why. Anyway, this is twice as long as the last part. Oh well. I don't own.


"Van."

"Asch."

We stand there, glaring at each other, both for different reasons.

He's angry because I refuse to join him. But then, does he really think I would? Or Luke, for that matter?

I'm angry because of his actions. He created Luke to die at Akzeriuth. He called Luke worthless, and in doing so gave the replica a purpose. He captured Lorelei inside himself, forcing the Planet Storm to work harder to make up for the lack of Seventh Fonons. That, in turn, caused the miasma to seep out again.

In essence, he took away my life, and then he killed Luke.

I hate him. It used to be him and the replica both, but now only him. The replica never wanted to take anything from me, and in the end, he gave me everything he had. He left holes in everyone else's hearts and lives…

…just to give me what I thought I wanted.

And I blame Van.

We're all determined. This is why Luke gave up his life. This is what he wanted. He wanted Van stopped.

I draw the Key of Lorelei, which I had completed after the battle with Sync, once I had a few moments to think about just how much the replica left behind for me. Tear, after listening to my short rant, had taken a moment to meditate as she realized exactly what the meaning of the Seventh Hymn was.

Van pulls his sword out of the ground and charges at us, and the battle begins. I attack him wholeheartedly, switching between swinging my sword with my right hand, my dominant hand, and my left hand, Luke's dominant hand, to disorient him.

I jump back a ways, intending to use a fonic arte, before something stops me. Luke never used fonic artes. He never had a chance to learn them.

My anger at Van renewed, I attack him once more, throwing in a few of Luke's favored strike artes, Fang Blade among them. Van seems to have realized that I'm not just fighting for myself, and that I'm fighting the way I am for Luke. He smirks, like he knows something I don't. I ignore him, landing a few more hits before jumping away, out of the range of one of his attacks.

Finally, just as I think Van might be ready to give up, he unleashes an impossibly powerful shockwave. I flinch.

"This… this is the power of Lorelei," Jade realizes. I'm concerned. If Van is resorting to using Lorelei's power…

The light fades, showing Van in his patched-together state. I would feel remorse for him, were it not for the fact that he had destroyed not only my life, but my replica's as well.

I attack him again, letting it all come instinctually. I lose myself in the battle, my hatred drowning everything out, until finally, Van unleashes the absolute, full power of Lorelei.

"No! It's drawing in our fonons!" Jade cries. "At this rate, our life itself will be extinguished!"

I try to steady myself, but what else is there I can do?

"Asch!" Tear cries. "The second-order hyperresonance! It can neutralize any fonon!"

'Let me help…'

That ghostly voice spurs me into action as I release another hyperresonance, this time, aimed toward Van. "I'm going to set Lorelei free! Tear, help me!" I cry, though it sounds more like Luke's lighter, more innocent voice. Tear holds her staff to her chest and begins to sing.

"Toue Rei Zue Kuroa Ryou Toue Zue~"

I run forward, slashing at Van angrily.

"Kuroa Ryou Toue Zue Ryou Rei Neu Ryou Zue~"

My body starts glowing with Seventh fonons, and Van glares openly at me.

"Va Rei Zue Toue Neu Toue Ryou Toue Kuroa~"

Van is fighting back with everything he has, and neither of us is willing to give up.

"Ryou Rei Kuroa Ryou Zue Rei Va Zue Rei~"

Natalia is still shooting her bow, while Anise and Jade cast.

"Va Neu Va Rei Va Neu Va Zue Rei~"

Guy jumps in and blocks an attack for me, and I smile at him.

"Kuroa Ryou Kuroa Neu Toue Rei Kuroa Ryou Zue Rei Va~"

We attack Van together this time.

"Rei Va Neu Kuroa Toue Rei Rei~"

Tear starts over at the First Fonic Hymn again.

"Toue Rei Zue Kuroa Ryou Toue Zue~"

Guy smiles at me, a genuine smile that I haven't seen since Luke's death, and I realize that I'm holding the Key of Lorelei in my left hand.

"Kuroa Ryou Toue Zue Ryou Rei Neu Ryou Zue~"

And for a moment I have to wonder…

"Va Rei Zue Toue Neu Toue Ryou Toue Kuroa~"

Is it really me fighting Van…?

"Ryou Rei Kuroa Ryou Zue Rei Va Zue Rei~"

Or is it actually Luke, fighting through me?

"Va Neu Va Rei Va Neu Va Zue Rei~"

'Let's finish this together…'

"Kuroa Ryou Kuroa Neu Toue Rei Kuroa Ryou Zue Rei Va~"

'The way we were supposed to.'

"Rei Va Neu Kuroa Toue Rei Rei~"

I smile. Of course, Luke. Together.

The hyperresonance I unleash doesn't take the form of my Rending Saber, or his Radiant Howl. It's somewhere in between.

You can almost hear both of our voices as I scream one last sentence at Van.

"Now you die!"


Winx: Well then, that's it for this section. Any guesses as to what the final part… er… parts are, since I lied again. (I keep breaking this up further and further, don't I?) Oh well. It seemed fitting that I do so here. Anyway, the last two parts won't be broken up any more than they already are. That would be difficult. Emotionally and literally. So, yeah… Whatever. Oh, and here's a box of tissues if anyone needs them. –leaves the box on the table-