So I got the last chapter up relatively quickly – glad about that. Looks like I'll get this one up even quicker. And yes, Guest, you were correct about the movie and scene that I borrowed Conservato's entrance from! Good job! Cameo earned in chapter 12 – just send an email or P.M.
TROLL! TROLL in the dungeon!... Just thought you might want to know. *crunch* Hahahaha, still gets me.
So now we skip ahead a few years! And as far as the B.S Psynergy science thing goes, let's just say that I am having Alex be one toe short on his left foot.
Ten years later…
Somewhere in the skies of Weyard…
"Have there been any more results concerning the Vortexes?" the tall swordsman demanded of the portly scientist. "N-No sir, th-the l-last p-probe we s-s-sent in-nto the V-V-Vortex disapp-ppeared." The scientist's stutter was an odd one, only ever acting up this severely around the tall man. It wasn't from fear, exactly, but rather intimidation. The swordsman's companion sidled up to the scientist's side, patting him on the back to calm him down. "Don't worry, it's okay. We understand that you have been working as hard as you can. Just be careful." The swordsman sniffed haughtily. "Honestly, Chalis, you are far too soft." Chalis turned to her partner. "And you, Blados, are an ass sometimes. Far too hard and insensitive." She walked towards him. "This poor man has been working day and night-" she half-turned towards the scientist "-When was the last time you slept?" The scientist shook his head. "I d-d-do not kn-now." Indeed, his eyes had huge bags underneath them, and the lab was littered with cups of half-finished coffee. Chalis patted him on the back again. "Go get some sleep. You've earned it." The exhausted man didn't need any further convincing, or a bed, apparently, collapsing on the floor, snoring like a bull moose. Blados snorted. "Ugh. Now what?" Chalis smiled at him. "Now you put him in his room, in his bed. Nicely." The blue swordsman rolled his eyes and heaved the scientist off the floor with one arm, swinging him like a sack of potatoes across his shoulder. The man stirred. "Mrtha, putt da cookz inna pntry…" he mumbled, sounding drunk. Blados grunted, then headed for the room at the back of the lab, where the scientist lived.
Chalis herself stayed in the lab, looking at the Vortex that had been artificially created and was now encircled by a protective barrier. A door in the side granted access to the anomaly. What are you? she wondered. And why do things like you keep popping up everywhere?
And why do you keep getting bigger?
Imil
"Alex? What's wrong?" Mia put her hand on Alex's shoulder. "Nothing, Mia. I…just have a lot on my mind. That Vortex last week, at the aerie of the Lighthouse…that could have been disastrous, had I not noticed it. Xela is playing at some game...I'm not sure if I'll be able to figure it out in time to stop it." He dropped into a chair in the living room of the house they now shared. "And they're just getting bigger. They end up affecting more people…and I can't be everywhere…" They had been unable to locate Garet and Isaac ten years previous, for some reason. It was almost as if they had dropped off the face of the earth. Then, just recently, they had surfaced, in a cabin near Mount Aleph. And Isaac had finally developed vocal cords that saw regular use (as had Felix in the intervening years, thanks in large part to the efforts of his sister). But the duo in the cabin had made it clear that they wanted nothing to do with the powerful Mercury Adept, despite hearing the party's explanations. Isaac had become slightly reclusive and introverted, far different than his happier demeanor that he had displayed in his younger years.
Alex kneaded his temples, trying to fight off a headache he knew was coming on. Then, at the corners of his senses, he felt a disturbance in the world; a sort of sour-tasting touch in his head. He groaned; another Vortex had popped up near Imil. "I have to go, Mia. There's another Vortex near the town walls." She nodded. "I'll come with you." During the intervening years, the two had become very close. Thankfully, they didn't have to worry about kids, since they were both Adepts that were masters of the body (A/N: Yeeeeeaahhh, I know, TMI.). Marriage was currently looking likely, considering the closeness of the pair. He smiled; he was planning to propose later that day.
They both Warped to the inn, close to the Vortex. They walked out, and stopped dead in their tracks. It wasn't the proximity of the Vortex; Alex had opened their pantry on more than one occasion and found a Vortex eating the rice or Mia's chocolate. No, it was the size that got them.
This one was in the air about twenty to thirty feet above them. It was nearly that size in diameter. Black and purple lightning bit the air right in front of them, though it was almost ten or twelve yards away.
A hand was snaking out of it. The arm that it was connected to was draped with robes that, thanks to the visions he had had many years ago, Alex would never forget.
Xela was breaking out.
Suddenly, kids didn't seem like such a big deal.
Tuaparang airship
Chalis gave a start as the Vortex pulsed several times in quick succession, then cried out as it rapidly expanded, shattering the glass and felling a beam. It crashed down on her, pinning her to the floor. She shrieked in pain; a large shard of glass had been hammered into her leg. Other shards of glass peppered her face. Blados ran out of the scientist's room upon hearing her cries. He tried to pull the beam off of her, but even his immense strength could barely budge it. He ignored the Vortex, now pulsing at a frantic rate of speed. "Guards! Get in here!" he barked. The soldiers were in there in an instant, bows at the ready. "Go get some other men!" he yelled at one. The man ran out of the room so fast, he left an image of himself where he had been. The other two men jumped over the wreckage to land at Blados's side, grabbing the beam and heaving.
The whole room shook with the pounding of feet as a small army of soldiers pushed its way into the small lab. A small contingent of slim men dressed in odd clothing got to work disassembling the machine that was sustaining the Vortex. Blados waved impatiently at the rest. "Get this off of her! If she dies, I will personally make sure you regret it for the rest of your sorry lives!" He jumped over the rush of men that leapt to follow his order, pulling his sword out of its scabbard as he did so. "Move!" he bellowed at the techies, who scrambled out of his way. His massive sword came crashing down, cleaving the machine in two. It sparked, let out a pathetic whine, then died. As it went, so did the Vortex – except it stayed as a small speck, barely visible. Chalis cried out as the soldiers lifted the beam; it was taking the jagged piece of glass with it. Blood spurted everywhere. Blados yelled an order to stop at the soldiers – evidently, the shard had cut an artery in her leg. He ripped a piece of cloth from a soldier's coat and wrapped it around her leg, jerking it tight. He motioned for them to continue, and they heaved the beam away. Chalis immediately passed out, and blood flowed from the cut on her leg, though not as fast. Two more soldiers ran from the room to fetch some doctors. The rest of the small army of men went out into the hallway, milling about as they waited for the investigation team to arrive.
Suddenly, the Vortex pulsed again – once – twice – then a strange bolt of something exited it. It splashed onto the wall, and immediately disappeared. It happened so fast, none saw it.
Unfortunately, Alex was correct in his assumption that Xela was breaking out of the other dimension. He was orchestrating something alright, but nothing too quick. Xela was playing the long game.
Imil
Alex stared at the arm for a long while, before his brain kicked in and told him that he needed to move. He levitated, snapping an arm out to catch a Psy Crystal that Mia tossed at him. Where she got them was anyone's guess – Alex had once joked that she had more Psy Crystals than her and the party had had in the entire time that they had crusaded to relight the lighthouses. He ascended higher, until he was level with the grasping hand. A face started to push its way out of the swirling Vortex. "Hello, Alex. So nice to see you," rasped Xela. Alex wasted no time on formalities; he drew his hand back and blasted Xela yet again in the eyes with scalding water. The result was strikingly similar to what had happened before: "AAAAAUGH! WHY IS IT ALWAYS THE EYES?!" shrieked Xela, reeling. He had barely opened his burnt eyes before Alex pasted him with a punch to the chin. This sent Xela tumbling backwards, back into the Vortex. Alex quickly plunged his hand into the Vortex, grasping the Crystal. He repeated the process that had by now become almost routine – overloading the Vortex to shut it down. As the Vortex shrank, Alex began to descend. However, Xela was not about to let him get away that easily. A bolt of purple energy came crackling from the rapidly dwindling opening of the Vortex, impacting heavily on Alex's back and blowing a hole in his new robe. He flew in a steaming arc, crash-landing some distance away. Mia Warped to him, worry evident in her eyes. Behind her, the Vortex shrank to nothing.
She knelt by his side – he was out cold, and was still smoking. Through the hole in his robes, she could see where the bolt had impacted with him. Purple lines snaked out from the epicenter of the impact site. She put her hand out to shift so she could heal him, and her hand landed on something hard. She looked at it, and lifted it up to her eyes. It was a small box. She put it to the side for the moment and began to heal Alex. He groaned, then laid silent. Once finished, she turned her attention back to the box. It was hinged, and was covered with black velvety cloth. She opened it, and her breath caught in her throat. She started to cry, tears of happiness streaming from her eyes freely.
"Yes, Alex…I will."
had fun with this chapter. And I did get it up rather quickly, didn't I? Don't forget to email or P.M me for your cameo, Guest!
