Hikaru: Through the mists, through the woods, through the darkness of the shadows, it's nightmare, but it's one exciting ride
--
The cylindrical tank room in the Thunder Monument looked no different than it had before. Senel, recalling the event at the Fire Monument only a day before, looked up the flights of stairs to the deepest part of the Monument where Kratos's next test was to take place. Would he fight another poor soul trapped within the Monument?
Kratos seemed to read his fears.
"This one's clever. He managed to get out on his own."
And undoubtedly this person would bear the element of lightning. Senel wondered, would he be able to withstand such an opponent? But before, when he was doomed to fall to his death when the Terrors had thrown him from the cliff, Stella had saved him. Harriet had said before that Senel was floating down the cliff in an orb of reddish gold light. In the Ruins of Frozen Light, too, Senel's comrades had said that they were saved by a gold teriques.
Was Stella watching over him now? Would she again help him in his times of distress?
There was only one thing to do. Keep moving forward.
Upon reaching the third stair landing, Senel had expected to see the same cylindrical tank Reno Cauda Draconis was trapped in. He blinked twice over, not expecting what he saw. Instead of resembling the innermost chamber at the Fire Monument, this chamber was quite different.
Indeed, it seemed as if this room was transformed into a computer lab. It was filled with strange machines Senel had never seen the likes of, and in the center of the room, on a floating chair, was the presumable opponent of Senel's test.
He was dressed in a long white coat with somewhat casual clothing underneath (a navy blue tie with a white collared shirt, black belt, dark blue pants and shoes). Glasses perched on his nose, he was crowned with short hair that shone a metallic sheen of purple, and even his skin was a soft, really light purple. His eyes, however, were navy blue.
A name was embroidered on the white coat in silver thread.
Hoseia Tempestas
At the moment Hoseia was busy typing away on a keyboard, paying little attention to his surroundings. The screens on the thin-monitored computers displayed what looked like graphs or scales, as if Hoseia were gathering data or measuring something.
Senel looked at Kratos, silently asking what to do. Kratos half-shrugged, then cleared his throat.
Hoseia didn't stop typing.
"Yes, I see you there. Hang on a moment."
While Senel waited with Kratos and Tear, he heard Hoseia murmuring to himself, something about the Monuments, how much time had passed, and whether or not other people had survived the rains. Senel quirked an eyebrow. Reno, too, had mentioned something about rain. Was there a giant flood or something?
Finally, after what felt like hours, Hoseia stopped his data gathering, or whatever it was he was doing. He turned to face his visitors on the floating chair, legs crossed, hands folded over his lap.
"And you are . . .?"
Senel gestured to Kratos and Tear, about to introduce them, when Hoseia shook his head, interrupting.
"No, I know those two. I'm asking you."
Senel stepped forward, hands already clenching into fists. "My name is Senel Coolidge."
Hoseia studied Senel for a time, his eyes lingering mostly on the jewel on Senel's hand, the gift from Kratos.
"Yes. You must be the one . . . indeed."
Hoseia leapt from his chair to the floor, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose when they slipped. A holographic screen appeared to Hoseia, and he typed some more. He spoke softly as he typed, half to himself, half to those who weren't in the know.
"All right, I see, this is how the storm gaet appeared in this room . . . a dimension like that would be well-suited to this battle, as I don't want to damage the equipment . . ."
Once he entered the last few keystrokes, the room became one of complete darkness, uncannily like the environment the Quiet Nerifes called when a gaet approached. Senel looked around wildly, and saw Kratos and Tear were here as well, but a distance away, to watch the fight. Senel turned his attention back to Hoseia, who clicked again on the holographic screen and it disappeared.
Did Hoseia fight with his fists?
"All right . . ." Senel assumed his fighting stance, "Let's go!"
--
The trip into the Fallen Lands via the elevator was uneventful, or at least that was how Walter would have preferred it. Since the trip down was a long way, of course the elevator would take a while to get down there, and Walter was on the elevator platform, trapped with his new shadow--er, Solon.
The elevator shaft was paneled with a material so one on the elevator could see the lands below, and the calm sea lapping at its shores. Walter scowled at it. The Legacy was of Orerines make, those other worlders. Once the Orerines had learned of the existence of Nerifes, the will of the sea, they took it upon themselves to construct this place, an imitation of Nerifes.
Walter didn't know the whole story, or even the details, but Maurits told the tale about the Fallen Lands once before:
The Orerines then constructed the Monuments, using scions of the elements to generate power. Using the power of the energy crystals they had, the imitation of Nerifes was born, a false will that caters to the wishes of the Orerines. This imitation of Nerifes was used during the wars between the Orerines and the Ferines, to give the Orerines the abilities to use the blessings of Nerifes. When our armies fell before this new menace, it was then the Merines had used her power to bring forth the Cataclysm.
Well, it was more a recount of how the Cataclysm came about, but it was all they had to go by after four thousand years of retelling.
"The Fallen Lands, you say." Solon said in that hearty voice of his, beaming. "That tribe of talking sea otters calls it the Quiet Lands."
Walter sighed, rubbing his temple. "The Ferines refer to it as the Fallen Lands because we cannot use the blessings of Nerifes down there."
Meaning fighting with Senel this time might not be so easy, but since it was the wish of the Merines to speak with Senel, Walter knew she wouldn't "rescue" him this time.
Solon only chuckled to himself, as if thrilled with the prospect of finding his "son." The elevator still had a ways to go, so Walter decided to ask the question nagging at him ever since he first laid eyes on Solon.
"Solon, are you of the Ferines?"
Solon's grin didn't falter. "Me? A Radiant?"
Even though Maurits was old, too, his hair had not lost its golden sheen the way Solon's apparently had. And there was no way any elderly Ferines had the same ashen, gaunt face that was almost sunken in. And since Solon referred to the Ferines as the Radiant, in the Orerines way, Solon might have no idea he might belong to the Ferines.
Walter nodded, feeling a little less resentful of Solon. "Yes, you. You might've looked it more when you were young, and you wear Ferines garb."
Granted, the color scheme was not exactly the same, but the material looked similar enough, and the design as well. Hell, Solon even accented his accessories like the Ferines did. Idly Walter wondered if Solon didn't have the red tassel hidden somewhere on him as well.
"I was never a part of the main tribe myself," Solon began, expression never changing, "however, my parents fit the bill for the Radiant perfectly. Or at least one of them . . ."
Ah-ha. That would explain the foreign part of Solon's aura Walter sensed. Either one of his parents was half Ferines or completely foreign. Walter wondered. His intense hatred for the Orerines was put aside for his curiosity. Would a Ferines who was half Orerines have all the same powers as a pureblooded Ferines? Maybe that was why Solon didn't quite resemble the Ferines. Did he have a teriques?
Despite Solon being raised as an Orerines and being creepy besides, Walter felt an upsurge of a positive feeling toward him. Not affection, but not sympathy, either.
"Do you feel as though you belong in the main tribe?" Walter asked. They must be nearing the end of the shaft now; he could feel the imitation Nerifes sapping his power.
Solon shrugged, that Cheshire Cat grin never leaving his face.
"Personally, I don't care. All that matters to me now is getting my son back."
Walter was shocked, his eyes wide, mouth agape. Never before had a fellow Ferines refused an offer to return to the tribe, and Walter had been particularly generous, inviting a . . . half-breed!
Walter clenched his fists, trying to keep them at his sides and prevent them from pummeling every inch of Solon they could reach.
"How can you say that? After all the Orerines have done to us, over the course of four thousand years . . . !"
Solon shook his head. "Isn't your Merines taking care of that now? Take me into the tribe or not, the choice is yours. Don't forget," that grin widened into a smirk, "I was raised by my father, the Orerines counterpart to my Radiant mother."
"No, I certainly won't!" Walter shouted, and the elevator stopped, having reached its destination. Unbidden Walter's infamous black teriques flowered from his back, and he resisted another urge to throw a teriques at Solon.
Instead, he took his leave, soaring over the Fallen Lands, searching for Senel.
He really needed an outlet now.
--
The tearful reunion hadn't been as happy as Chloe initially imagined. When they got to Norma and Grune, they found Grune to be in severe pain, holding her head as if suffering a migraine. Will of course didn't hesitate to lend Grune his healing eres, and Norma followed suit once she composed herself. After a while Grune was all right.
The two female crystal erens were given their equipment back, and the ice seed hovered above them, glimmering its dark blue.
"You all have helped save my master. I thank you all."
And with that, it stopped glowing, descending into Grune's urn with a small clinking noise.
Chloe heaved a sigh. "Well, now what?" Indeed the time had come for more planning. Initially the plan had been to regroup and stay alive during the process, and now that had been accomplished.
Moses turned to Csaba. "Why're you here, Csaba?"
The younger beast tamer patted his beast fondly. "Told you, I couldn't stay idle. I wanted to help you out. And Ven and I," the raptor purred, "are at your side!"
Will sighed, leaning on his hammer. "There is still our original intention of stopping the Merines from bringing forth the second Cataclysm. We have new allies," here Csaba beamed beside Ven, "so we should be better off, assuming we won't face Walter again."
Norma snapped her fingers, smiling. "And we knocked out old man Maurits!"
Chloe stared, surprised. "That was who you were fighting?"
Will looked up sharply. "What was Maurits doing down here?"
Indeed, Chloe agreed with Will. There was no way an important figure such as Maurits, a co-leader of the Radiant, would personally come down here to deal with a prison break. Norma shrugged.
"I dunno, he was fetching this soldier from Vaclav's army taken prisoner, saying he was part of the Crusand operation to capture Shirl three years ago and that Maurits was going to bring him to her."
Moses quirked an eyebrow, scratching his head. "What's he mean by doin' that?"
Chloe folded her arms, thinking. She voiced her thoughts aloud, perhaps they would help.
"Shirley is hesitant to activate the Wings of Light right away, and Raynard and I already confirmed that Coolidge is the reason. But how would that soldier convince Shirley to activate the Wings of Light?"
If only Jay were here; the Unseen did specialize in information dealing, after all, and he figured out pieces of the puzzle the others had not the foggiest idea. By now the boy would probably have an accurate vision of the current goings-on, putting them all to shame. But Jay was not here; he had escaped, and presumably now was on his way to get to Senel.
"There's a reason for that."
Chloe started; she had expected Will to talk next, with some sense of what was happening. Instead, she, and all the others, turned with a very stunned expression, to look at none other than Csaba.
"Jay left me with a letter, sent by Giet, before you all came here to deal with the Merines. When Walter led you to Vaclav's fortress to do away with you all, you discovered a series of books, one of which was kept by Senel?"
Chloe nodded, mirroring what the others were doing now. Csaba continued.
"The notebook was a list of operatives under the Crusand Empire that had worked to capture the Merines three years ago. Senel wouldn't let Jay see what was inside, it said in the letter, but it didn't stop Jay from figuring out why. Vaclav seemed to know Senel, and well," Csaba shrugged, "you can't keep squat from the Unseen. Senel was a war orphan in Crusand, and somebody found out he was an eren, and he was enlisted in Vaclav's army. Three years ago--" Csaba was cut off midsentence.
"What?!" Chloe, Norma, Will, and Moses exclaimed simultaneously. Grune was spacing out again. Norma flailed her arms. "You're saying Senny was in Vaclav's army!? That can't be true!"
Csaba raised his hands in defense. "This is all from Jay, y'know? Anyway, three years ago, Senel was to infiltrate a village of the Radiant on the mainland, to get close to Shirley, and run off with her to Crusand. But he couldn't. One day Vaclav got impatient and attacked the village, capturing Stella. The other Radiant were brought to the Legacy, I think. So anyway, Senel became an Alliance Marine from then on, with Shirley, and the rest is history."
Will pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose; they were slipping. "What a dirty trick . . . Senel is the person closest to Shirley. Maurits probably got that soldier as a witness that Senel in fact betrayed her because of that incident three years ago and that he's an Orerines."
"But we knocked out Maurits! So he can't do that . . . right?" Norma looked around at her comrades.
Chloe stomped once on the ground, demanding everyone's attention, which she got.
"We must stop Shirley now, before Maurits gets a chance to get to her!"
And with that, they mobilized and moved out.
--
Hoseia did not fight with his fists. He used a weapon that materialized out of what looked like pure energy alone, a lance. Upon seeing Senel's confused expression, Hoseia smiled, providing the explanation. The weapon was in fact made of pure energy, stored within his own body for him to use at any time. This was called the Contamination Effect.
"And now," Hoseia swung his lance once, "let us begin!"
Hoseia was a much more able fighter than Senel had initially expected. He parried Senel's blows well, and managed to get a few cuts on Senel by the lance in the beginning of the fight.
It only got more intense as Senel began to use eres.
"Phoenix Strike!"
Hoseia dodged the attack, holding his lance before him in a stance Senel knew well. The embodiment of lightning was casting a spell. Yellow lines drew themselves underneath their feet to form a glyph, and electricity danced along them. Senel had to stop the spell. He threw a Demon Fist and came crashing towards Hoseia with a Wyrm Crush, but he was again, simply dodged.
Hoseia pointed at Senel, shouting,
"Electrum!"
A single bolt of lightning appeared before Hoseia, and, drawing a line between he and Senel, cracked into life, striking Senel with powerful electrical energy. Senel was thrown back, floored. His vision swam and even then Hoseia approached, spear raised, blade pointing downward.
Dizzy, Senel leapt back to his feet, though clumsily. Hoseia started, as if surprised, and that moment was all Senel needed. He charged, despite his still unfocused field of vision.
"Whirlwind Blast!"
Hoseia had thrown his arms before him in an effort to protect himself, dropping his spear, which clattered on the floor. He was launched up in the air by Senel's almost acrobatic attacks, and in quick succession his defense failed. Senel was sure not to hit his face, though. Shattered glass in your face was no fun.
Senel landed on his feet, but Hoseia landed hard on his back, his glasses askew. He laughed, grabbed his lance, and used it as leverage to get back to his feet. Without his glasses, he seemed to able to see well.
"Very good! To think you'd get me like that after you've been hit with that spell . . . haha! You truly are a survivor of the Old World!" He pointed his lance at Senel again, prepared for more combat. Senel, however, lowered his fists.
"What do you mean by 'old' world? Before the Ferines and Orerines interacted?"
But that was absurd. Humans can't live that long; the Orerines and Ferines met four thousand years ago!
Hoseia shook his head. He rummaged in his pocket, withdrawing a stone gleaming golden yellow. It was shaped as a cube, and bore many grooves on it. He tossed it to Senel, who caught it.
"You're telling me that doesn't ring a bell?" Hoseia asked, gesturing to the stone.
Senel's hands tingled with the electric shock that came with this charged stone. He opened his mouth to ask what this stone meant, when he dropped it to hold his head. White hot pain seared through his skull, it felt as if something within were trying to blast it apart. He fell to his knees, trying to get his bearings, seeing stars. Hoseia approached him, knelt and picked up his stone, pocketing it.
"I see it does," Hoseia stated as a matter of factly. "The powers of the gem are truly astounding. Trying to revive memories long lost . . ."
Whatever else Hoseia said or might have said, Senel had gone deaf to him. All that mattered to him was the searing pain in his head that threatened to leave him unconscious on the ground. He wondered if he would end up like Grune because of this, cursed with short-term memory loss.
Kratos's voice cut through the haze of pain.
"Healing Stream!"
Blue light washed over Senel, and the pain numbed, but only a little. He noticed his left hand was glowing with a white light tinged with red. He heard footsteps rushing toward him, and knew it must be Kratos and Tear.
Tear sang a hymn.
"O magnificent song of angels . . . Va Rei Zue Toue Neu Toue Ryuo Toue Kuroa . . ."
The pain finally ebbed away, but something else nagged Senel in the back of his mind. Angel's song . . . He shrugged it off. It was not important right now.
Kratos spoke to Hoseia.
"You've both done well. Now kindly take us back."
Hoseia obliged, but only after retrieving his glasses. The holographic screen appeared again, and within a few keystrokes, they were standing back in the room turned lab.
The embodiment of the lightning element sunk back into his floating chair, returning to his computers, typing away so that his fingers were mere flashes over the keyboard. Senel, leaning heavily on Tear, stared, not comprehending what just happened. Kratos gestured to the doorway.
"Go on ahead. I'll catch up."
Senel opened his mouth to protest when Tear shook her head, steering him toward the doorway. Recognizing defeat, Senel obeyed. He was still a little shaky after that electric spell, and had a bit of difficulty getting down the stairs. Tear was helping him, though.
Kratos stepped toward Hoseia, arms folded across his chest like he always had.
"Did you know he would react that strongly to the stone?"
Hoseia nodded absently.
"I had a guess. Since you've been drawing out the power of the crystal using your little gift, it's only a matter of time until he regains his proper power and memory, as is his birth right. But . . ." he removed his glasses, wiping them with his coat, "why are you getting involved in this second Cataclysm business?"
There was nothing but silence for a time, save Hoseia working on the computers. Kratos's jaw worked, nothing of speech coming out. Why, indeed? Ever since Kratos encountered Hoseia not too long ago, the memories came rushing back to him, four thousand years he thought he'd put behind him.
Finally, Kratos worked up the strength to speak.
"The warring between Orerines and Ferines has gone on long enough. Besides, it is the best way to convince Senel to ally himself with me and to draw out his power."
Hoseia smiled, glancing at Kratos, eyes brightly lit.
"That is practical like you. Or maybe, like Yuan said, you're just turning soft."
Kratos chose to ignore that last comment, turning instead toward the doorway. He took his leave, and Hoseia didn't mind, continuing to work on his machines. Indeed, there was no way Kratos could ignore the Orerines and Ferines conflict. It had lasted four thousand years . . . back to the Ancient War on his own homeland. It was too much like that time, too much . . .
Kratos would help Senel put an end to this, once and for all.
--
Hikaru: I had planned for this battle to last a little longer, but . . . eh, other things came into play. Jay didn't make it into this chapter, but I did drop a hint relating to what might happen when Jay does finally make it to the Quiet Lands . . . a big hint if you've done or know Jay's CQ. I also dropped a significant number of hints this chapter about the third game crossed over with this. Anyway, hoped you like it and please review!
