Author's Note: Welcome to Chapter 13 of End of an Era! In this chapter, we have the end of the Golem fight, as well as a few character revelations, especially regarding Sophie's past after the events of Tales of Graces F. This chapter took a bit longer to update than expected because of what I wanted to put in, namely a few revelations that I decided were okay to reveal now, but I think the chapter turned out pretty good because of it.
Anyways, we have another character make her debut in this chapter; Tales of Phantasia and Tales of Symphonia fans may immediately recognize her once she's mentioned, but as for the role she'll play in the story, I'll admit she fits into the grander scheme of this story's plot. Speaking of which, I hope to have Act 2 (which I'd like to call the Emeraude Act) of this story finished by December of this year; Act 3 will bring the larger plot into the forefront, namely revolving around Sekundes and the past eras. Of course, there will still be plenty of drama as well in Act 3, along with the debut of more characters of the Tales series (although which characters and what roles they'll play will be revealed later on).
I think I've said enough for now, so let's get back to the story!
Chapter 13: Her Burden
In that same instant, both of the golems raised their arms upward, slamming them down in the next second. Again the earth shook with their sudden strikes, this time launching the entire party into the air. One of the constructs reached for Teepo at this time, nearly closing its fist over the puppet's body. Before it could fully close its hand however, the young teacher swung her wand at the golem, a beam of darkness emitted from her swing, knocking its hand away.
At the same time, Elle reached for the pistols on her holsters, aiming each one at a different construct. Blam, blam, blam, she fired each gun three times, one right after the other. Strangely, each of the war machines backed away from the bullets, staggering slightly back the moment the impact met with their glowing 'veins'.
Following up on his subordinate's attack, Ivar found himself jumping onto the shoulder of one of the golems. With the construct still distracted from Elle's firing, the former handmaid quickly plunged both of his swords into one of its glowing veins. An inhuman howl escaped what was supposed to be the war machine's mouth, the former mercenary then taking the opportunity to unleash his own attack on that same creature, firing off several rounds of his own into its mouth.
"Eat lead!" the business man cried as unloaded each of his rounds.
"Here goes!" Gaius cried after, readying his sword at his side. "My sword cries out… A white blaze to vanquish evil!" he cried as he swung outward, a blaze of fire emitting from his swing before he took to the air. "Absolute Domination!"
In those few swings, the golem was already in pieces, defeated in record time. Despite their Allium Orbs acting up, somehow they had come out victorious against one of these war machines.
"When I said 'eat lead', I didn't mean it literally," Alvin could help but quip as he stared at his latest work.
In that same moment however, the same felled golem began to rise from its feet once again. It was like watching something out of a horror movie, the way its dismantled pieces suddenly began turning into a single gelatinous-like body that soon returned to its former shape. Though they seemed more fragile than before, it seemed as if these new mechanical beasts had the ability to regenerate in some way.
"How is that even possible?!" Jude exclaimed. "Regenerative spyrite technology; so the director has-!"
"Watch out!" the Lord of Spirits warned.
At the same time however, another of the giant war machines started to lunge at the party, literally jumping headfirst toward them. Jumping out of harm's way, the golem ended up striking the original mechanical beast the party thought they defeated, impaling it through its chest with its head. Yet the two still returned to their feet upon separating, despite the gaping hole that was now embedded in one of them, that hole quickly filling itself once again after several seconds.
"Everyone, try using elemental artes!" Rowen ordered, remembering their strategy from ten years ago.
"Elemental shot!" Milla quickly cast her next incantation.
In that same instant, the four elements of fire, water, wind and earth combined into a single blast, escaping the Lord of Spirits' palm in almost an instant. The sudden surge of energy was enough to obliterate everything in its path, turning trees, snow, bushes and everything into nothingness. Strangely the mechanical beasts did nothing to avoid the attack simply allowing the surge of mana to come their way.
Another explosion followed upon impact, the blast nearly knocking each of the Lord of Spirits' allies backward. If these things were anything like the originals from ten years ago, then the blast should've at least lowered their defenses, making them vulnerable to their attacks after. It went just as predicted Milla thought, the constructs were still standing, but they were possibly weakened from the attack now.
"Now!" the Lord of Spirits quickly ordered.
Not wasting any more time, the chief editor lead the next charge, her childhood friend at her side, each one taking a different golem, with Ivar and Sophie running behind them. From the rear, their other comrades provided support, with Elle and Alvin firing at their foes with their firearms as Milla, Muzét, Rowen, and Elize attacked with various elemental artes.
'I got this!' Leia thought, believing the next few blows should send these things packing.
The enemy was now within her staff's reach, her friends' attacks now coming to a halt. Knowing that it was all on her now, Leia focused all of her strength into her next swing, her voice crying into the heavens with her strike. As the weapon swung through the wind, the chief editor's staff began to glow a bright white, her entire weapon turning into a single beam of light. It was her Elongated Staff arte, a technique that helped her win many battles in the past, its power only enhanced by the other soul that now resided in her body.
"Hah!" she cried as she forced every ounce of her strength into her next blow.
Another cloud of smoke erupted upon impact, the power behind her strike nearly knocking the editor off of her feet. The swing was enough to fell an entire army she thought, it was supposed to be enough to halt even the strongest of foes. Yet as the smoke cleared, she found her illuminating polearm stopped against the exterior of the mechanical creature, as if the staff were merely resting against its body. Despite her efforts, it seemed as if the war machine was able to absorb the power of her strike, having not moved a single inch from where it stood.
"What the?!" Leia exclaimed.
As if on cue, the golem attempted to lunge its fist at the editor, her former boyfriend immediately began to open fire once again. Seeing his childhood friend's failed attempt at a strike, Jude found he her no choice but to retreat, halting his charge as he leapt backward with his next step. Ivar too retreated with his next step, jumping to the side at the last minute as the second golem lunged in with its fist. A second strike soon followed however, the swing catching Ivar off guard as he was in mid-jump. Luckily the impact of the blow never came, the golem's attack halted as blasts of elemental artes distracted the mechanical beast once again.
"Everyone, get back!" Elize ordered her friends.
Yet instead of simply pulling back as the young teacher instructed, the weapon in Leia's hands suddenly began to change as she swung it outward with one hand. In that instant, the staff itself appeared to collapse and expand at the same time, the light conforming to the shape of what seemed like a multi-section whip. The golem's arm fully extended soon after, the chief editor barely evading the strike as she jumped to the side in a somersault-like fashion. Again the mechanical beast moved with its target, turning around while swinging its arm. Again Leia evaded the strike at the last moment, this time jumping over her, before jumping to the side again to avoid a third strike.
"Wait, what's she doing?" Alvin questioned, unsure why his ex-girlfriend continued to simply evade the war machine.
Though the businessman didn't understand her tactics, Sophie quickly recognized the power she was displaying. The way she transformed her staff into a type of 'light whip' and the way she was moving around, Sophie quickly recognized that Leia was utilizing Little Queen's power once more, this time using it to bind their enemy. It was a tactic Sophie only learned much later after her initial merging with the former Fodra servant, but a technique that also…
"We have to do something!" the ex-mercenary exclaimed, trying to rush in with his sword.
"You mustn't rush in blindly!" Rowen stopped him. "A golem isn't something that one can hope to defeat alone!"
"But Leia's-!"
Again the earth shook violently, the sudden shaking forcing him to turn to the source. The second golem was not joining the first's attack on the editor, the combination of both war machines making it even more difficult for Leia to even dodge. Even for a sharpshooter like Alvin, the rate at which his ex-girlfriend was moving was just too fast; even if he or anyone else were to attempt and cover fire, the probability of hitting Leia was just too great. But still, he couldn't just stand back and watch, he had to-
"Are you just going to bicker amongst yourselves?" the woman who activated these machines continued to sit on her hovering platform. "She can't keep dodging forever…"
"Man, screw you!" the former mercenary aimed his gun at the woman.
Blam, blam, two shots fired, but each one suddenly melting from the white aura their foe still emitted. With the wave of her hand, streams of the energy suddenly began to collect before her, coalescing into a single sphere before being thrown at the party.
"Photon!" Kaon chanted the name of her arte.
In that same instant, the ball of light suddenly exploded, the streams of mana within bursting violently outward in a seemingly random fashion. The light itself burned to the touch, melting and cauterizing the environment and wounds it inflicted. Rowen himself experience the effects of the arte firsthand from its initial burst, a single beam of life piercing a bit of left bicep during his attempt to dodge. The wound it inflicted did indeed burn, but it left no blood, just a scar in its wake. Upon seeing the trees and rocks the other beams struck, it looked like it could pierce through any form of resistance with ease, having left holes the same size of the beams in its wake.
"Why you…!" the young recruit cursed, retaliating with several shots from her twin pistols.
Not relying on her force field again, the Splintered soldier took to the air once more, her hovering platform quickly veering her away from each of the shots with relative ease. Instead of simply evading the strikes, the woman charged toward the party using the full velocity of her vehicle. Again everyone was forced to go on the defense, each of them barely able to jump out of harm's way, none of them able to properly counter her charge as she easily flew passed each of them.
"Ray!" she quickly followed with a second arte incantation.
Another burst of white energy followed, this one raining from above, and randomly striking downward. Again the earth rumbled from the blasts, the area quickly being covered by the same white powder that adorned the ground. The Splintered soldier could only continue to hover as she witnessed the carnage below her, making sure to stay out of range. Even though she knew the full capabilities of her artes, she also knew that there was a high probability that Maxwell and her companions had survived the blast. The range of her Ray spell had become more random and less concentrated over the years, its strength severely waned compared to back then…
"What?!" she exclaimed as a single figure suddenly began to emerge from the clouds.
A single woman had emerged, a Great Spirit to be exact, one she had no prior knowledge of. This spirit, it came at her at a speed that rivaled her own platform's, her hair suddenly swinging outward like a whip. Veering to the side at the last minute, several strands somehow made contact with the cloth on her shoulder, cutting through it as a fine blade. Even though she dodged the sudden lunge, the hair seemed to move again, this time following the path of her dodge. Using the staff in her arms, she allowed the hair to wrap around her weapon instead, stopping the hair in place.
"You're a new dog of Maxwell's, aren't you?" Kaon glared.
"I'm no dog," the Great Spirit smiled. "I'm her big sister!"
Using her hair again, Muzét lifted her foe upward, removing her from her platform. Thinking she could no longer use the device, she quickly threw her opponent downward with all her might, hoping that gravity will do the rest. Yet somehow the floating device seemed to follow her, her hand barely catching onto its edge as she plummeted. Instead of riding the device again however, she simply used it as a platform, using it to hurl herself at the party members still on the floor.
Not caring who her targets were, she swung her staff in quick succession, striking the former handmaid and the young teacher before finding her fall suddenly stopped when her staff met with the sword of her third target. Again the elder man managed to hold his own against her; Rowen J. Ilbert, the one person who she quickly grew an admiration for.
"I find it amusing how in such a short amount of time, we always seem to meet in very similar circumstances," Kaon simply said.
"Likewise…," the former conductor quipped.
With the others now occupied, the girl from another world turned her attention to the mechanical creatures that Little Queen's new host was still fighting. Even though she was holding her, it was only a matter of time before she knew Leia wouldn't be able to continue this pace. No, it wasn't just the pace; the power she had used so far was already… Even Sophie knew her powers' limits back then; Little Queen's strength came with a price, a price that was often too much for humans to pay…
In that same instant, the golem finally landed a single blow, knocking the editor backward several feet with a single swing of its arm. The impact forced Leia to strike the trunk of a tree, the force paralyzing her body in that same instant as a dull pain ached through her entire back. Unable to move, the ground caught her fall, her arms unable to move according to her will. Though the one that struck her was unable to move anything but its arm, the second monstrosity started to move, slowly making its way to the fallen editor.
Despite witnessing these events, they were of little concern to her. Despite seeing all of them in danger, the purple-haired girl simply shook her head at their predicament. Her mission was to destroy Emeraude, that was the entire reason she began this journey. Many times throughout this journey she continued to tell herself not to get herself involved with anyone else, to keep her distance regardless of what happened. She intended to follow through with this decision; she had to if she were to finish her mission as quickly as possible. In order to save this world and many others, she had to push forward, she had to focus solely on her mission. These people had taken her as far as they could go she thought, and now she was supposed to take herself the rest of the way…
…yet Sophie found herself relenting her decision upon taking a single step, her attention then drifting back to the each of her struggling companions. Again her conscience was conflicting with her duty, the memories of her old friends and their battles coming to the forefront. The way they fought to protect one another, how they refused to leave anyone behind, that feeling she had long forgotten was taking hold of her again. No, it wasn't just them that fought so hard to protect one another, it was also her.
When they were children, when they encountered Lamda underneath Windor Castle, she had the chance to simply destroy him, she could have simply let Asbel, Cheria, Hubert and Richard die and she could've completed her mission then and there and be done with it. But she didn't do it back then, she couldn't go through with it. She couldn't let them die, she couldn't ignore their pleas for help, she couldn't…
This situation, the impending danger to the others, it was the same as back then; despite how she wanted to simply leave them on their own, despite the importance of her mission, despite how she told herself to keep everyone she met at a distance, she found herself unable to do so. These people, even though she didn't know them very long, she knew she couldn't just leave them as they were now.
Unable to ignore these memories any longer, the purple-haired girl gave into her conscience, her hand reaching for the heirloom she unwillingly inherited on her back, grasping its hilt as if it were strangling the neck of her foe. Screaming at the top of her lungs, her legs suddenly began to move, charging forward as quickly as she could, her form virtually disappearing in the blink of an eye.
In that instant, the still free golem quickly lunged its fist at where it last saw the purple-haired girl. Effortlessly however, the girl evaded the strike by jumping to the side, freeing the weapon from its scabbard at the time, tossing the sheath backward upon being drawn. A second punch soon followed, causing Sophie to jump into the air to avoid the attack. Instead of jumping backward or to the side however, she allowed her leap to take her straight into the air, her feet then landing on the construct's still extended arm. Using her foe's arm as a bridge, she charged forward as quickly as possible, the edge of the sword's blade cutting through the stone-like flesh of the mechanical beast as she drew closer to its head. Within seconds, the speed at which she accelerated was little more than a blur once more, the only sign of her presence being the growing sparks of fire that trailed her path. Yet her form took shape once more, stopping just before the war machine's face, the blade of her sword now entirely engulfed in flames.
"Burn!" the young girl quickly swung the steel to the side.
In a single stroke, Sophie slashed at the beast, the sword effortlessly cutting through the hardened flesh. In the same moment she finished the cut, the same embers that traveled down her blade ignited her foe, causing the war machine to howl once again as it began to fall backward. Before she could lose her balance however, the purple-haired girl swung again, this time with the element of ice covering her blade. Again the mechanical creature howled with the cut, its cry cut short as a glacier grew from within its form before encasing it entirely in a frozen prison. Yet Sophie's attack didn't end there however, the purple-haired girl taking to the air again, this time with the element of lighting taking hold of her sword as she lunged it downward.
"Hah!"
Before she could land the final blow however, the purple-haired girl soon found her body's fall suddenly stopping, her hands suddenly releasing her grip on her sword, the blade flying deeper into the snow-covered forest. Before she could comprehend what was happening, she found her sides suddenly being crushed inward and herself being lifted upward. From the side of her eye she then saw the source of her sudden capture; the golem that Leia had managed to bind was still able to catch Sophie, catching her in mid-jump.
It was then that she cursed her decision, her temper beginning to flare as her eyes met with the mechanical beast she thought she was defeated. She felt its boulder-like fingers tighten against her body, crushing into her abdomen now, practically stabbing into her as it tightened its grip. A shrill cry escaped the purple-haired girl's mouth in that same instant, the pressure within her body reverberating a dull pain throughout each of her nerves. If only she hadn't gotten distracted, if only she didn't let her past memories dictate her decision, if only she had only ran as she originally planned, then…
Before the purple-haired girl could lament further, a blast of elemental mana suddenly struck the arm that held her. The blast was enough to release the Sophie from the mechanical beast's grasp, causing her to fall to the floor before. Much to her shock, she found herself suddenly being lifted once again, this time being caught in the arms of another. Looking up, she found the Lord of Spirits' sister carrying her, flying her to safety from the battlefield.
"Are you all right?" Muzét questioned the purple-haired girl.
Sophie could only nod at the Great Spirit's question, her gaze returning to the battlefield they had just escaped below, finding a few of the others now focusing their efforts on the two golems. The first thing she noticed was the former mercenary rushing straight into the battle, not to face the enemy head on, but to rescue the unconscious editor who had been knocked to the sidelines. Supporting him was the young teacher, who was already casting a spirit arte with the assistance of her puppet.
"Dark Visitor!" Elize cried as several shadows in the shape of hands suddenly burst from the earth.
"My blades cry out!" Ivar followed up as he took to the air before quickly plummeting back down with the dagger in his left hand leading his fall. "Your defeat is at hand! Howling! Shimmering Impact!"
A surge of mana burst from the point where the former handmaid's blades struck, the golems themselves slowly being eaten away by the concentrated blast. The constructs still continued to move however, the deteriorating limbs still attempting to move forward as they reached for the Spirius agent. Their efforts seemed futile at first however, their bodies still bound by the effects of Elize's artes. Yet the more time passed, the more her incantation began to wane along with the power of Ivar's Mystic Arte.
"Why isn't it working?!" the young teacher exclaimed as the effects of her arte waned.
"C'mon Elize, concentrate!" Teepo frantically cried.
"We mustn't give up!" Gaius tried to rally his comrades. "We still have a chance!"
Although the Rieze Maxian king attempted to instill morale into his friends, the fact of the matter was that at this current rate, the battle would end in the enemy's favor. Gaius himself knew of the original golem's structure and how they worked; even if these were new models, they had to still have some sort of core or energy source. However, it seemed like each time they attempted to get to the core, these machines would regenerate somehow. If only they could somehow expose the core, then…
"Lord Gaius!" an annoying woman's voice suddenly echoed from out of the forest.
"Lady Julia?!" the monarch immediately recognized his fiancé's voice.
Several shots suddenly struck the mechanical beast after the shrill cry. From out of the trees a woman suddenly appeared, leaping straight into the foe with a revolver in her hand. Another two shots followed, forcing the golem to cover its face from the projectiles as the woman reloaded another six bullets into her gun with a single flick of her wrist.
The moment the new bullets were in place, the woman then landed on the creature's other arm, using it as a bridge as Sophie had moments ago. Again she shot at the beast, this time shooting at its right and left sides. The bullets found their mark, the mechanical beast howling in that instant, quickly lowering its arms as it cried. Yet instead of falling, the woman leapt upward the moment the golem lowered it arms, jumping toward the beast's face. Reaching into her dress, she then pulled out a cube-shaped device, the woman twisting the top for a mere second before throwing it into their foe's mouth.
Another explosion soon followed, the construct transforming into a gelatinous form soon after. Yet the woman simply didn't stop there, jumping straight into the blob as she fired again, her shots clearing up some of the masses, revealing a glowing violet sphere within. Upon seeing this, the woman fired a single shot thereafter, the single bullet piercing the illuminating device through the center. Another inhuman howl followed, its many pieces suddenly halting where they were, sinking into the snow within seconds soon after.
Gaius, Elize, Sophie, Alvin, Leia, and Muzét could only stand in shock now; they had not expected the battle to end in an anti-climatic manner… With the arrival of Gaius's fiancé also came several DOGS agents, each equipped with various firearms and explosives. Each of them came running from the same direction Lady Leonhart had come, arriving almost in masses like a small army. Quickly they went to work on the remaining golem, a majority of them providing supporting fire as a single agent ran up to the mechanical beast, throwing a grenade into its mouth in a similar fashion as Julia, creating the same explosion and revealing the same violet sphere that was encased in the first golem. Without wasting time, they quickly opened fire, destroying the device within seconds.
"Well then, that takes care of that," the noblewoman dusted off her hands. "Really now, I don't know why father even had us help develop these machines; one good explosion from within and their core is totally exposed…"
"Didn't know your fiancé was a DOGS agent, Gaius," Alvin remarked.
"Actually I phoned the agents in before we left Trigleph," Ivar admitted. "I gave them a heads up about our mission and told them to evacuate the town shortly after our arrival. Although I'm not sure how Lady Leonhart got here; she's not an agent last I checked…"
"You are correct, I am not agent; my being here with the Spirius agents is but a mere coincidence," Julia admitted. "Honestly, I simply tracked your GHS, Lord Gaius; I was able to follow you until your device suddenly died soon after arriving in Hors. Luckily as soon as I came to town, I heard a commotion outside the city and thought I'd investigate. Much to my surprise, there was already a DOGS team headed your way; I just happened to beat them in the race is all."
Though she didn't want to admit, Muzét was in Lady Leonhart's debt now. If it hadn't been for her and the DOGS agents, the party would have lost this battle. Maybe she had misjudged this woman; despite her haughty and off-putting personality, she was able to handle herself very well in a fight. Muzét was aware of her military-like training, thinking that it may have just been some strange hobby with no actual application, but after seeing what just occurred…
"…thank you for your help…," the Great Spirit said.
"Oh, I suppose it's my turn to say 'well you're welcome for saving you'," the nobleman scoffed, annoying Muzét once again.
"Agent Ivar, is everyone all right?" one of the agents reported now. "Is everyone in your party accounted for?"
Taking a look at the others that were close by, Ivar quickly realized that a few of his comrades were nowhere to be found. As Milla's former handmaid, he quickly noticed that the Lord of Spirits wasn't anywhere in the immediate vicinity. The phony that seduced her was also missing, along with the Last Descendent of Kresnik and the former conductor. The last time he checked, Rowen was fighting the arte-casting Splintered soldier; it was safe to assume that Milla and the others were helping him in this manner. He thought that maybe they should have been done by now, but…
Another explosion distracted the head agent now, the blast coming from deeper within the forest. The light that came with the blast, it was the same one that the Splintered soldier emitted when she was casting her spirit artes.
"We don't have time for a report," Ivar told his agent. "Some of our friends are still in danger!"
The air was hot; despite the freezing temperatures, the atmosphere felt as if it were melting his skin off. Rowen's body was aching; it was simply his age that was catching up with him, it was the wounds that he had been dealt. The iron from her scepter-like staff was enough to send even the most experienced soldiers to their knees, including Rowen who had been struck in the abdomen and left arm just moments ago. His arm and fingers were virtually paralyzed now, the agony now swelling in his stomach prevented him from standing. Despite his body being unable to stand, the former conductor continued to will himself to do so; the world that he helped create, he still had to help the next generation, he still had to prepare them for the eons to come!
…yet even will can only go so far… His body had long reached its limits, even trying to raise his head to watch the ensuing fight was but a painful task. Though he did not want to admit it, the former conductor was done; he would have to leave the rest of this battle to the younger generation.
"Disintegrate!" he witnessed the young cadet attempt one of her father's signature attacks as she charged straight on.
"Cerberus Strike!" the young researcher tried to follow up with an attack of his own as he charged at their enemy from behind.
Effortlessly, Kaon was able to block each of their strikes, swinging her staff in front of and back of her, the staff rolling over and under shoulder, and at one point, even her leg. In the next second, both of her attackers then jumped away, the Lord of Spirits now plummeting from the air with a broken tree branch in her hands. Turning her fall into a front flip, she allowed her makeshift weapon to lead her attack, chanting the arte's name as she did so.
"Death Knell!"
Flipping backward herself, the Splintered soldier allowed the branch to strike her prosthetic, the dried wood snapping upon impact. Yet the Lord of Spirits attack didn't end there however, her left palm quickly lunging forward the moment her opponent landed, the element of fire engulfing her hand as she brought it forward. Again Kaon was able to evade the attack, pushing Milla's wrist to the side with the top half of her weapon. Anticipating her foe would follow up with a quick swing with the lower half of her weapon after, Milla found her right arm instinctively reaching for her stomach in an effort to protect the life within, only to find that she had miscalculated her foe's attack.
Instead, Kaon struck with the head of her weapon, striking the nerves between her shoulder and arm. The pain quickly reverberated throughout Milla's body, but the Lord of Spirits chose to endure it, attempting to retaliate with a swing of her right arm now, this time with the power of water in her hand. From behind her foe, she could see Jude and Elle rushing to attack once again; even if Milla's strike did fail, there was no way she could swing her staff fast enough to block either Jude or Elle's next attack. Milla believed this fight would be over with the next blow, that this fight was already won.
Before the blow could land however, the Lord of Spirits found her arm quickly retracting, pulling back by a sudden flare of light that erupted around her opponent, the burst of power sending another tremor through the air in the next second, sending Milla and the others backward. Though it was blind to human eyes, Milla saw what it was that had pushed them. It was the Spirits at work once more, acting as an extension of this woman's will. Despite the sudden push however, Milla could sense their conflicting emotions; the Spirits wanted to act on behalf of Kaon's will, but at the same time, they didn't want to harm the deity that watched over them.
"It's over, Maxwell," the Splintered soldier simply said, approaching the Lord of Spirits with her weapon hanging from her side.
"Milla!"
Again her former lover tried to come to her rescue, this time trying to rush in with a sliding attack targeting the woman's ankles. Instead of tripping her to the floor like he anticipated, her metal prosthetic took the brunt of the blow, her body still moving as if he were a mere mosquito in her presence. Annoyed by his action, the Splintered soldier quickly turned her body 180 degrees, swinging her staff with one hand, knocking the young researcher to the floor again as the iron on her weapon struck the side of his head.
"Jude!" Milla cried.
Much to her relief, the blow simply pushed him away but knocking his glasses off his face. Her relief was quickly swept away soon after, her foe now forcing her attention to the young researcher. Seeing this, the Lord of Spirits attempted to move once more, trying to return to her feet, her fingers clenching into the snow as she attempted to rise. As she closed her hand, she suddenly felt a spark run through her entire body. For a quick second, she thought she saw and heard something, the world before disappearing in that same second. However, it didn't seem like a second when she saw these images…
She saw people and places that were not of this world, she heard voices and sounds of strangers interacting with one another. In her vision, she saw a world full of life, and at the same time, she saw another world ravaged by destruction, destroyed by the will of the planet itself. No, they weren't all strangers; there was one person in these visions she recognized, a young, purple-haired girl who always seemed to be by her side.
"This is…." the Lord of Spirits looked to her right hand.
Closing her fingers further, Milla found her hand taking hold of a sword, the same sword that the visitor from another world had been carrying with her until recently. Again more memories flooded into her as she took hold of the weapon, images of this blade's usage and more memories of one of its past wielders. This weapon… It was not of her world, yet its aura was similar to that of the spirits. Eleth…, the equivalent of mana from the world known as Ephinea…
Yet this was no time to contemplate on this new knowledge; her friends were in trouble, the father of her child was in trouble. She had to take action here and now.
"Jude!" Milla cried.
"Milla, no!" Jude pleaded their thoughts still linked.
Not wasting any more time, the Lord of Spirits took the sword into her hands, rushing at her foe once more. The moment Milla began her charge however, Kaon quickly turned her attention back to the Lord of Spirits, the aura of light suddenly surrounding her once again. In that same moment, the vehicle the Splintered soldier was riding until now suddenly appeared once more, emerging from the snow as if it were lying in wait. In that same instant, its rider quickly jumped onto the vehicle, charging forward without anymore concern for safety, simply charging through boulders, trees, and anything else that came her way as she continued her attack
"Die Maxwell!" the woman's voice cried as she charged.
The next thoughts that entered Jude's head through Milla's Allium Orb only confused him at that point, leaving him in complete disbelief until he actually saw her act upon them. The Lord of Spirits stopped her charge at that moment, picking up the sword's multi-colored scabbard with a signet ring inserted near its collar from off the snow-covered ground. What puzzled him even further was how she sheathed the blade soon after, simply keeping the sword at her side at that point. It was suicide he thought, he had no way of comprehending what she was planning at this point.
"Milla, get out of the way," the young researcher began his futile attempt to save her now. "Milla!"
"It ends here, Maxwell!" Kaon cried once more, her charge within a few feet of now.
"You're right, it does end here!" the Lord of Spirits suddenly reached for the sheathed sword now.
In the blink of an eye, the Lord of Spirits' right hand quickly took hold of the weapon's hilt, her right leg stepping forward as her body started to lean inward. In that same instant, the blade quickly ate through the entire body of the hovering device, splitting it in half horizontally in that single draw. This technique, it was something neither Jude, Rowen or Elle ever witnessed the Lord of Spirits perform, yet the way she executed it, it was as if she had mastered the technique over many years. It was then that they noticed her Allium Orb was reacting now, glowing a constant white light, that light matching the hue of the blade of Sophie's sword.
"What the?!" the Splintered soldier found herself shocked by the sudden attack as she began to fall backward.
"Into pieces!" Milla chanted, using the same words as the sword's previous owner, following up with the artes' name. "Stampede Strike!"
In that same instant, the Lord of Spirits now turned the blade to the ground, her arms quickly rising upward as she leapt into the air, the weapon following the arc of her swing. The attack was swift, it was precise, it wasn't like anything Milla had ever performed before. Though it was less than a second in everyone's eyes, Milla saw every instance of the arte; it began with the tip of the blade meeting her foe's belly, the sword's edge plunging slightly deeper with every inch that traveled upward, cutting her stomach and stopping at the nape of her neck, the final part of the cut ending with the peak of the Lord of Spirits' jump.
The Lord of Spirits found herself falling to the ground soon after, her body kneeling the moment she struck the floor. Again her body was feeling hot and a little drained; her left hand once again finding itself on her belly, giving off a sigh of relief as soon as she heard the tiny heartbeat within. The battle was over for now, her baby was still safe. She knew that she'd probably get another lecture from Jude after what just happened, but at the very least, her friends and the baby were still safe.
"Milla!" the young researcher and her two other comrades came running to her now.
"What the heck was that?" Elle questioned as Jude tried to help the Lord of Spirits back to her feet.
"I've never seen such a technique before," Rowen remarked. "And that sword… Isn't that the same sword that Sophie-?"
"That was Asbel's…," the aforementioned purple-haired girl suddenly appeared, along with the others and several DOGS agents.
"Asbel? Your foster father?" Milla recalled the girl's history.
"How were you able to use his Mystic Arte?" Sophie questioned. "I don't recall ever teaching, must less telling any of you how it worked."
"…I don't know," Milla simply replied. "When I grabbed the sword, I…just knew…"
"Your Allium Orb was reacting to the sword when you held it," Jude interjected. "My guess is that the knowledge held within the sword was absorbed by the Allium Orb and then transferred it to you. Could it be that when the director activated the Otherworldly Gate Mk. I it also altered our Allium Orbs to extract the knowledge of relics?"
"What do you mean?" Elize questioned.
"The original purpose of the Otherworldly Gate Mk. I was to transport objects from other worlds to ours," the young researcher explained. "This includes things like natural resources, food, and even people. I think that maybe when Milla destroyed the gate, it created some sort of reaction that spread into all of the Allium Orbs in the area; through the mana or the equivalent of mana found in the relics, we could absorb the knowledge of its past owners."
"That is an interesting theory," Gaius thought aloud. "But if it absorbs mana like you stated, then what about the mana that was apparently drained when the Otherworldy Gate Mk. I was first activated? Our Allium Orbs and GHS devices are still malfunctioning in this regard."
"Well that's-"
Before the young researcher could continue, the Lord of Spirits suddenly began to cough. At first it was mere muffles that could be silenced by their conversation, but the hacking grew louder by the second, getting to the point now that it captured everyone's attention.
"Lady Milla," Ivar tried to help. "Are you-?"
The former handmaid couldn't even finish his sentence, his former master suddenly excreting the contents of her last meal on Ivar's shoes. The agents (including Elle) could only look away in disgust as the Lord of Spirits knelt to the floor and began coughing once again, forcing the remaining residue out of her system. The others could only watch with concern as she remained in that position, her sister holding back her hair as Jude continued to rub her back.
"Milla, are you all right?!" Leia tried to interject.
Though everyone had a look of worry on their face, the girl from another world simply had a monotone look on her face. In her eyes, it was more like everything was beginning to fit into place now. At first Sophie simply thought that the Lord of Spirits was a little different, maybe even a little eccentric in some mannerisms, but now some of the facts were adding up, some of which were blind to her new comrades. The rising of her temperature, the cravings for strange foods, the inability to distinguish what could be shared socially (or perhaps this was more of her actual personality), and the vomiting she was now witnessing, Sophie knew it all too well.
"Milla Maxwell," the purple-haired girl began to approach the Lord of Spirits now that she was able to catch her breath. "May I ask you something?"
"What is it?" Milla asked between her breaths.
"How far would you go to save this world?" Sophie questioned. "What sacrifices would you be willing to make to ensure your world continues to prosper? Would you be willing to place the burdens of the world before yourself? Would you be willing to risk everything that defines your existence in order to do so?"
"What a thing to ask; I would do anything to save this world," Milla answered, unwavering in her convictions as she always has. "I don't care what the price is; if it means ending my own existence, if it means I must sacrifice everything that I am and will be, then it is a small price to pay."
"…yes, it is a thing to ask," the purple-haired girl simply said. "…then if that is your belief…"
Milla's eyes couldn't help but widen within the next second, her vision suddenly splashed in a viscous red. The visitor from another world had suddenly grabbed the sword that belonged to her foster father the second before, and in the same moment, lunged toward the Lord of Spirits' belly. Yet the steel was quickly stopped however, halted by her former lover who brought let the metal embed into the back of his left arm instead. The very action shocked everyone there, the purple-haired girl now showing a look of mild irritation at the young researcher who now stood in her way.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Jude seethed as the blade sank into his arm.
"You heard it yourself, didn't you?" Sophie bluntly questioned. "She said that she would do anything to save your world, even if it means sacrificing everything she is and will be, and so-"
"That child is not only hers, its mine as well!" the young researcher yelled, much to the shock of everyone. "As long as I live and breathe, I won't let any harm come to Milla or our baby, is that clear?!"
Again the party was taken off guard; they had just learned the other night that the Lord of Spirits and Jude shared an intimate relationship, but now they had just found out that she was now carrying his child… Time really had drifted everyone apart, each of them having gone and lived their separate lives like strangers until now. But this news of Milla's pregnancy, it certainly was the biggest eye opener of this fact.
"…Milla, is it true?" Elize questioned.
"…it is…," Milla simply nodded. "One month ago, Jude and I… We conceived the child that is now growing within me."
"Are you serious?!" Alvin exclaimed. "I never could have imagined that Humans and Spirits…"
"It doesn't matter what you all think," Sophie bluntly continued. "The fact is that you're willing to make any sacrifice to save this world, so that means-"
"Though I may be willing to sacrifice myself, that doesn't mean I'm willing to sacrifice the life of my child before or after it has been conceived!" the Lord of Spirits quickly stood her ground. "You have no right to decide what is right for my mission and you have no right to decide what cost we must pay to save OUR world! This is my decision, MY decision, not as the Lord of Spirits, but as a mother. I'll admit it's a selfish decision, one not becoming of the Lord of Spirits, but this is a choice that I have made!"
Sophie could say nothing at first in response to Milla's words; this drive, this determination, this is what she expected of the woman she had been searching for all this time. …yet this conviction was meaningless, it was for a lost cause, a goal that would only bring about broken promises, lost hopes, and most of all, broken hearts. If anyone knew of such foolish and wrongly placed conviction, it was her…
"…even if that decision means you will be the one responsible for destroying your world…?" the purple-haired girl questioned the Lord of Spirits, her words quickly resonating with Jude. "Are you willing to destroy the world you fought so hard to protect just so you raise that child? Can you bear that responsibility of letting everything you've built and created come to destruction simply for that life inside of you?"
To Jude, the young girl's words again reflected his doubts and his recent discovery of their child. The idea that their child could one day destroy the world as they know it, that their baby could unknowingly bring ruin to everything they fought for, that their young could possibly take Milla's life, how could he answer such a question? Unable to find his answer, the Lord of Spirits spoke in his stead, her answer resonating with the both of them.
"Yes."
"…then you are a fool, Milla Maxwell…," was all the young girl could say.
In that moment, the visitor from another world dropped the sword in her hands, relieving Jude from the sharp pain that had been resonating in his arm for the last minute or so. The moment she extracted the blade however, the young researcher found himself kneeling to the floor, his opposite hand now forcing itself against his wound.
"Jude!" Milla quickly took hold of her former lover.
"…I, I'm all right," he tried to assure her.
"Jude!"
The rest of the party had come to the young researcher's aid in that moment, the young teacher immediately casting a healing arte as they all gathered around him. The purple-haired girl could only look away as they gathered, the very scene filling her with emotions she thought she had long hid and shut away, memories she wished she wanted to recall and not remember at the same time…
"You're serious? I'm going to be a father?" Wallace happily cried.
"Yes," Sophie nodded. "We're having a little girl, I just know it."
"A daughter…," the former prince smiled. "We're going to have a girl…"
"Our little girl," the purple-haired woman took her husband's hand, placing it over her belly. "Our princess…"
"You're thinking about her, aren't you?" a voice in the present interrupted Sophie's memories.
It was Little Queen that had caught her attention, speaking through her new host. The moment she saw her former other soul, the purple-haired girl could only remain silent.
"She was as much your child as she was mine…," Little Queen continued. "If it weren't for our merging back then-"
"Then I would have been able to keep my promise," Sophie quickly finished Little Queen's words. "If I hadn't been so selfish back then, if I placed my promise ahead of my own happiness, then maybe…"
Again she was reminded of their final days. The blaze set forth before her, the cries of her friends' descendents, the destruction of the world around them, the blood that was now on her hands. Yet amidst the chaos, there was still his smile, that stupid, lying smile that always fooled her into thinking everything would be okay. In one eye, she felt the tears due to her failure, her heart splitting at the sight of her dying husband as they lay among the flames.
Yet in the other eye, she saw the source of their destruction. It was the descendents of two brothers fighting one another, their steel continuing to cut through each other's flesh and bone. Clang, clang, clang, their swords continued to ring, their beliefs continuing to clash with one another. Asbel, Cheria, Hubert, Pascal… The promise she made to them, their children, their children's children, and their children's children's children… Again and again her promise to Asbel rang in her head, the promise that she would watch over him and his descendents, to watch over the world they desperately fought for. And yet she couldn't help but lament from the image she saw before her, watching as his great-great-grandson and great-great-grand niece stood before each other, their blades ripe with their own blood. Sophie couldn't help but lament from the image she saw before her, watching as his great-great-grandson and great-great-grand niece stood before each other, their blades ripe with each other's blood.
"Did you know, Archer," Éclair panted, "my great-great-grandfather and your great-great-grandfather were biological siblings? Hubert Oswell was born in the Lhant family but was given up for adoption to the Oswell family shortly before Asbel Lhant enrolled in the Knights Academy of Windor."
"I really don't care about what your Armecian records show," Archer spat. "All I know is that that machine is going to bring about the destruction of other worlds."
"But in time it will save Ephinea!" the great-great-granddaughter of Hubert and Pascal continued. "Surely even you can't deny that sacrifices must be made to save our world!"
"Our great-great-grandparents wouldn't want this!" Asbel and Cheria's great-great-grandson continued. "They didn't fight so that we could become the very evil they wished to extinguish!"
The purple-haired woman knew she had to take action, she had to stop this madness. Yet the time for words was now long past, their swords the only expression they could now understand. Force was the only way she could end it all; to keep one promise, another had to be broken. The prospect tore at Sophie's soul; these two individuals, she watched them grow into adulthood, watching them become the man and woman they had become today. No, these weren't a man and woman; the people they become, the acts they've committed, they were…!
"Sophie… Please, stop them…!" the purple-haired woman's husband ordered.
"But Wallace…!"
"Promise me… Promise me, Sophie…"
Another promise, another word that she may one day have to break. The concept of promises was nothing more than empty words to Sophie at this point; a promise was only someone's failed attempt to keep a vow. But this was her husband that asked this of her, the man she placed precedence over the duty that was given to her by Asbel and the others centuries ago. Knowing this, the purple-haired woman closed her eyes and her mouth began to move.
"Wallace, I-"
Yet words quickly came to a halt, stopped by a purple blur that for a mere second traveled past her eye. The single image was enough to capture Sophie's attention, the world around her suddenly becoming heavy and black. Thump, thump, thump, she heard her own heart echo within her ears, she felt every fiber of her body slowly begin to move. Her eyes widened as the tiny figure blindly rushed into the chaos, her innocent, but high voice crying out as she ran.
"Archer, Éclair! Stop it!"
"Sonia, no!" Sophie cries deafened within the flaring inferno.
"…don't think you can ever forget about her," Little Queen interrupted Sophie's thoughts once more. "She was as much my daughter as she was yours."
"Of course I can't forget!" the purple-haired girl shook her head. "Wallace and Sonia… It's because I can't forget that I… I-!"
"What the?!" one of the Spirius agents suddenly exclaimed. "That woman is still-?!"
Another burst of light exploded in that moment, the cries and screams of others muffled before the memories that replayed in Sophie's mind. Despite this, her former other self tried to protect her using her new host, creating an energy barrier around them. Yet the explosions were not enough to shield them both, the next blast knocking everyone in the vicinity to the floor, knocking Sophie face first into the snow-covered ground.
"Is everyone all right?" she overheard the Lord of Spirits' voice amidst the chaos.
"I said I wouldn't lose to you, Maxwell!" their foe's voice started to become a little more unhinged. "I will never allow you to pass your will unto this world ever again!"
Sophie could only watch as the white aura surrounding the Splintered soldier exponentially grow, almost as if it was ready to burn down the entire forest and mountain. Despite being bloodied and battered, the woman continued to walk, her real leg dragging behind her as she limped forward. The heroes of this world struggled to return to their feet, the feeling of desperation quickly apparent in their eyes.
"Light shines forth from the darkness!" the woman began to chant her Mystic Arte's incantation. "Swallow those that side with evil and plunge them into oblivion! Lunatic!"
In that same instant, columns of illumination suddenly began to rain from the sky. Despite the blinding light, they did nothing to burn the landscape whatsoever, only burning those that came in contact with it. With every second, the number of columns continued to increase, more and more agents being seared by the blasts. From the corner of her eyes, Sophie saw each of this world's heroes struggle to find an opening, struggle to continue this futile battle.
The light was now coming for her, the purple-haired girl simply standing still as it drew closer. The days of old were getting the best of her once again, the guilt and sadness she tried to lock away having taken over. Asbel, Cheria, Hubert, Richard, Pascal, and Captain Malik… Again the broken promise came to mind once more, filling her entire being with doubt, but more than anything, her selfish wish and the results thereof had taken precedence once again. Wallace and Sonia, the culmination of her broke promise, the pride of her life long ago. For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, she allowed the memory of her family to overtake her once again, taking in their memories with the light that was just inches from bathing her…
"Wallace… Sonia…"
Much to her dismay however, the light never came, the heat of the many columns disappearing. In its place, she felt another presence standing before her, a rather large one at that. Standing before her was a creature that looked like a giant bird wrapped entirely in light. Its presence felt like something ethereal, something grand, much like the Four Great Spirits that accompanied Milla the day before.
"That's enough…," the giant creature ordered the woman.
"Aska…," the woman seethed. "So after all this time, you still side with Maxwell?!"
"I'm sorry you are still bitter about the past," the Great Spirit of Light apologized. "But bitter or not, you have no right to involve the citizens of this world in our feud. I thought you of all people would have upheld this unspoken rule."
"Wait, these two know each other?" Leia questioned aloud.
"I've suspected it ever since we started fighting, but the appearance of Aska only confirms my suspicions," Milla interjected. "The symbiosis between her the Spirits when she channels her artes, the ability to withstand injuries that would kill a normal person, and her grudge against Maxwell and the other Great Spirits, I now understand who this woman is. This woman, this soldier of the Splintered, you are none other than one of the former Great Spirits! The second Great Spirit of Light, Luna, that is your identity!"
It all made sense now; the power Kaon wielded was equal to that of a Great Spirit with no doubt, but the Great Spirit Luna? Some of Milla's comrades didn't exactly know that was, and it was expected. Luna was hardly mentioned in any academic studies, her name more associated now with ancient myths and legends, her name now nothing more than an uncommon namesake for some of Elympios' citizens.
Yet upon hearing the truth, the Splintered solider remained silent. She didn't deny Milla's claim, after all, how could she. The woman did nothing to scoff at the Lord of Spirits' accusation, saying nothing and remaining completely still as the lesser spirits continue to circle before her. Kaon would not keep the silence for much longer however, the source of her 'soul' that was embedded in her artificial leg faintly beginning to glow.
"I no longer go by that name…," Kaon finally spoke. "The Great Spirit Luna died long ago. Aska, you betrayed her back then. All that remains now is Kaon, loyal follower to my master, Gilford. What remains of Luna resides in within this device!"
As if she were pouring out her heart and soul, the surface of Splintered soldier's artificial leg suddenly began to pull back, revealing a familiar cube-like device with a spirit fossil in its center. Milla and her comrades instantly recognized the device upon laying eyes on the gold and metallic colored invention, it was a prototype that they had seen before eleven years ago, during their final encounter with the leader of Exodus at the time, Gilland.
"A spyrite?!" Jude immediately recognized the device. "But how is this possible; even a Great Spirit needs a constant supply of mana from a user in order to maintain its physical form, otherwise-"
"Your boss already had that covered," the woman pulled back one of her gloves, revealing a familiar purple sphere implanted on the back of her hand.
"An Exsphere?!" Muzét exclaimed.
"And you wish to speak of rules, Aska?" Kaon continued. "I don't believe you are in a position to preach to me about rules when you yourself couldn't even follow them back then."
"…perhaps you have a point, but in either case, I'm afraid I cannot allow you to bring harm to this girl from another world, Lord Maxwell, and their followers," the Great Spirit stood his ground.
"…loyal to the end as always," the former Great Spirit simply shook her head, acting somewhat sentimental as she spoke now. "It's a shame though, isn't it, Aska? You and I… What we were, what we could have been… Wasn't it you who once said you were the sun and I was the moon? They were two entities that brought light upon the world but were found on opposite ends of the spectrum. I remember I once argued that if that was the case, we could bridge the gap, and so when our pact was made…
"…look at me becoming so sentimental now. The past is the past and I will not look back. However, I must move forward; the atrocities that Maxwell has and will continue to bring about, I will not let them continue any longer!"
The light surrounding the Splintered soldier suddenly began to erupt once more, its intensity more fierce than before. Even the earth quaked at everyone's feet now, the illumination surrounding her as blinding as ever. The Great Spirit of Light reacted in a similar manner now, blanketing himself in the same white glow as he spread his wings, acting as a shield to Sophie and the others.
"I am Kaon of the Splintered," the woman cried once more, "one of the former Great Spirits of Light, Luna. I shall end you existence not out of revenge, but for the benefit of this world. Maxwell, Aska, and all those who would dare follow the Lord of Spirits, I shall send you all to oblivion!"
The lesser spirits continued to aid the former Great Spirit further, surrounding her in a growing aura of light. The light was no longer unstable, no longer like fire, but now a solid, translucent wall that burned everything that it touched. Several agents tried rushing toward the Splintered soldier regardless, their blades slowly melting the closer they drew toward the light. By the time they noticed the folly of their charge, it had already become too late, the light immediately swallowing them whole, suffocating their screams as the illumination continued to glow brighter. Even the other Great Spirit of Light could do little to shield the Lord of Spirits and her comrades where they stood, the power his former comrade was wielding was perhaps greater than his. Knowing this, and that his current form may not be able to withstand her onslaught, the bird-like spirit spoke to those he wished to protect.
"Hurry, get away!" Aska ordered.
Even the Lord of Spirits could not deny what she was seeing. Though she was now a mere spyrite, with the aid of the Exsphere and the souls she was gathering from the deceased through its modified extractor, her power was only growing exponentially. This was a battle Milla knew she could not win, not in her current state. Even if Luna was aiding Sekundes in his efforts to destroy the current era, the fact remained that she was not the source. Sekundes was her top priority; everything else could wait until later, until after the war had been won. Realizing this fact, the Lord of Spirits addressed the Great Spirit of Light once more.
"You have my thanks, Aska," Milla simply said.
Without saying another word, Milla took her former lover's arm and placed it over her shoulder, her sister doing the same with his other arm. The three of them began to run now, the rest of their comrades falling suit, running further into the mountain as the light the former Great Spirit cast continued to grow. Yet the Great Spirit of Light continued to remain where he was, his wings spread out as far he could, his body positioned in manner as if he were a shield. Yet he was not alone in his endeavor; beside him was a single person, a small girl that continued to stand as there as if she welcomed death. Not wanting his sacrifice to be for naught, even if it meant another casualty, Aska spoke once more.
"That includes you too, little one," the Great Spirit turned to Sophie.
"But…!"
"I see in your eyes that you are filled with deep regrets. You wish to make amends for the mistakes you have made, that you wish to right the wrongs you had created. If you truly wish to right those wrongs, what makes you think your death is the answer? If you wish to repent, live and right those wrongs with your very own hands!" Aska's words resonated in Sophie's heart.
Again Sophie was reminded by her latest vow, the last promise she made to herself before she departed her world. The wrongs she had created, at the very least she could make them right again; she would stop the one who initiated the destruction of her world, she would repent for the blood that was now stained on her hands, she would prevent others from going through this same fate, she would…
"Aska!" Kaon cried as the intensity of her artes grew.
"Go now! Go live, Sophie Lhant!"
Once again the snow was falling; it was like a blizzard for mere seconds, the sudden storm slowly settling soon after. The entire was silent once again, the trees, shrubbery, and everything completely still. Yet there was movement from within the ground now, several parts of snow-barren earth began to move. From out of the winter-plowed ground emerged the Rieze Maxian king, as well as his comrades and the remaining Spirius agents. All of them were already exhausted, but luckily uninjured from the sudden explosion.
"Is everyone all right?" Gaius questioned everyone, attempting to get a handle on the situation.
"Yeah," Leia nodded between her breaths.
"As right as I can be," Alvin answered.
"I guess I'm okay," Elize replied.
"That scared the stuffing outta me!" Teepo exclaimed.
"Aside from an aching back, yes," Rowen added.
"We're accounted for…," Milla panted, answering for herself, Jude and her sister.
"Right as rain," Elle called.
"We've suffered twelve losses in the last battle," Ivar regretfully replied after counting his remaining men.
Again the thoughts of the former Great Spirit was on Milla's mind. Milla didn't know much about the Great Spirit Luna in general; even the myths and legends that mentioned her were brief and few. It was almost as if someone were trying to eradicate her from history itself. It was curious as to why a Great Spirit with her power would try to be erased from history altogether, even if there were vilified accounts of her. Even then, why would she suddenly appear again after all this time, especially with the reappearance of the Demon King? Something about the situation didn't sit well with the Lord of Spirits; the two were obviously linked, but as for what that link way, Milla knew she had to know…
"Are you all right, Milla?" Muzét asked as Jude continued to lend his shoulder to her. "Is the baby…?"
"We're fine…," the Lord of Spirits bluntly answered. "But I'm more concerned of-"
"I'm okay too," Jude quickly assured everyone, the wound in his having been healed by Elize moments ago.
"Lord Gaius!" a shrill, yet sharp voice soon entered everyone's ear.
"Well, it seems everyone is present and accounted for…," the Great Spirit huffed as the monarch's fiancé quickly clung to his arm.
"Wait, we're missing someone…," Elize quickly announced. "Where's Sophie?"
Everyone quickly fell silent at the name of the visitor from another world. Her recent actions were still fresh in everyone's mind, especially Milla and Jude's. Even though she was distant with them since they all first met, they knew was dedicated to her mission above all else. Yet what she did just moments ago was…
"…I'm sorry, Elize…," Rowen apologized. "When we were evacuating, I caught a glimpse of her remaining in the area still."
"In other words the pipsqueak got what was coming to her," Alvin interjected. "I mean, what kind of person would try to-"
"Even if that is the case, I know she has her reasons!" the young teacher quickly interjected. "You probably don't know, but last night, Sophie told us a little bit about her past other than her journey…"
"That's right," Elle added. "She said she was married a long time ago. When she started telling us about her story, she started getting a little upset, a bit sad. I'm sure there's more to her story than just what she told everyone, and whatever she hasn't said, I'm it's the reason why she would try to hurt Milla and Jude's baby."
"…she does have her reasons…," Leia surprisingly spoke next. "I've seen them, some of her memories after her journey through Little Queen's eyes. The world she and her friends created, it was just like what we fought for ten years ago. But then as time went on, it all fell apart; she had to choose between her promise to her friends and her own happiness, and so she chose her own happiness but has regretted it ever since. I think that when she saw Milla, she saw herself, and so when she learned of her pregnancy, that's when…"
"But that still doesn't give her the right to do what she did!" Muzét spat. "Even if she saw herself in Milla, what makes her think that Milla would make the same mistakes she made?"
Despite everything that was said, even Milla didn't know how to respond to that question. If what Elize, Elle and Leia argued was true, then what would happen to their world in the future? Maxwell was a necessary entity to ensure the balance of Humans and Spirits, as well as to watch over both realms. But what would happen if she did decide to take the role of a mother? Would their world also be destroyed just like Sophie's? Would it then be right to simply leave her child with Jude if that was to be their world's future? Again, their child was but a single life, one of many that inhabited their world, but to Milla, this child was worth more than all those lives and her own. Once more she was torn, once more she couldn't decide. To continue to be the Lord of Spirits and watch over the Human and Spirit Realms for eternity, or to become a mother and live a mortal life so that she could watch her child grow? Both decisions were valid and equal in Milla's eyes, but for her to choose now…
No, it was too soon decide; there was still her mission. The Demon King and the woman he was working for were still at large, and so, she could not afford to falter. Remembering this fact, the Lord of Spirits brushed away her doubts that moment, her next words once again filled with conviction.
"This isn't the time to argue," Milla ordered. "We must move forward!"
"So we're just going to abandon Sophie?!" Elize questioned. "Milla, I understand that you must be bitter towards her about-"
"This isn't about being bitter," the Lord of Spirits interrupted. "This is about moving forward with my mission. Need I remind you that the existence of our world is at stake; we can't afford to waste any resources to find this girl who may or may not even be on our side anymore. If we are both still alive after this ordeal, Sophie and I can settle our differences then."
"But-!"
"I'm afraid I must agree wholeheartedly with Milla, Elize," Rowen interrupted. "Although I do not wish to speak ill of Sophie, I must admit that I did find her actions were rather inconsiderate and selfish. Though she may claim to be fighting for the sake of our world, in the end, her battle with Emeraude is also a personal vendetta. I'm afraid if we do meet with her again and if we don't agree wholeheartedly with her beliefs, we will cross blades."
"Not necessarily," Muzet said as she opened a small portal before her to procure a familiar sword and scabbard. "She left this behind during our escape."
"Sophie's sword…," Elle immediately recognized the weapon.
"It doesn't seem like she'll need it," the Great Spirit remarked. "If anything she's already shown she's quite capable with just her hands."
"But we can't just leave her regardless!" Elize continued. "The fact is she's out there alone and-"
"We can't…," the young researcher bluntly spoke. "In fact, I absolutely refuse to help that girl."
"Even you Jude?!"
"Of course even me, especially me!" Jude spat, his anger turned to his comrades for the first time. "She just tried to kill my child; what makes you think that I could side with such a person?"
"But Jude-!"
"Let it go, Elize," Leia tried to calm the young teacher down. "It's clear that everyone's mind is made up…"
"Then it's decided," Milla bluntly said. "Let us press onward."
"No, I won't!" Elize argued again. "I can't leave her out there!"
"I can't leave her either," Elle agreed. "Even though what she did wasn't right, we're all still after Emeraude. And it's like Milla said, they can settle their differences later."
"We don't have time to bicker anymore amongst ourselves," the Rieze Maxian king interjected. "We must press forward."
Again they were divided; time had done more than separate them in distance, but also beliefs. The youngest of the group were possibly seen as still being naïve despite the amount of time that had passed, that they weren't considering the big picture in their current situation. Elize and Elle remembered the days when the party wouldn't even consider abandoning their own, but it was obvious now that those days have long past. For Elize, she even recalled the many times that Alvin had betrayed them eleven years ago, and yet the party still forgave him. If that was the case, then couldn't they do the same with Sophie? But still, if they were unwilling to go find the purple-haired girl, then…
"…no, I'm not going," the young teacher protested.
"What?" her words caught the rest of the party off guard.
"If none of you are going to look for Sophie, then I'll do it myself."
"Me too," Elle joined in. "I haven't known her as long as Elize, but the fact is she was willing to share with me and Elize a little bit about her past life. She may have done some questionable things, but I know somewhere inside her broken self is a good person trying to claw her way out."
"Surely you two are joking," Milla could only shake her head. "As I said, we don't have time to-"
"I'm going too," Leia added. "I may not have personally gotten to know her much, but through Little Queen, I feel as if I've known her all this time. I know that she is a good person, that all she really wants is for those she cares about to be happy, to spare everyone she's become close to from any sadness. She blames herself for what happened, blaming her own happiness as to why her world was destroyed. She simply wanted to ensure that Milla would not have to go through the same, even if…"
"…so that is your three's decision?" the Lord of Spirits bluntly asked. "…very well, I'm afraid the rest of us will have to press on without you then."
"That's fine," Elize simply nodded.
"…I think we should go then…," Jude said, trying to take the lead like old times.
Without exchanging anymore words, the others began to make their way forward once again. Again there were nothing but cold gazes that passed them as they walked, their old comrades not even exchanging any words with one another as they walked. There were no jokes, no playful bickering, nothing. It was as if the events of eleven and ten years ago had never occurred.
Within seconds a majority of the party had already deserted the three. Only two remained now however, two that had actually remained silent during the whole argument. Alvin and Ivar, neither would have expected to see the two remain. After their last fight, Leia was sure that her ex-boyfriend would have left with the others without a hitch, but for him to remain…
"What are you still doing here, Alvin?" Leia questioned.
"…I've been thinking lately…," the businessman replied. "I'm here because…"
What was he still doing there? It's true he was still upset about the whole situation, that he was just protecting her from the truth, but… This whole time, despite his hardheadedness, he knew that she was right. When they were together, not once did he ever let her in and share his pain. He always had to protect her, even to this day, but at the same time, who was protecting him. Relationships were supposed to be two-way streets, that's what he learned over the years with the friends he made. It was supposed to be like this with not only friends, but also his girlfriend, even if he was supposed to protect her.
"…I don't need you to protect me," the editor replied rather solemnly. "I can look out after myself."
"I know that," Alvin surprisingly agreed. "I know that more than anyone. I'm here not because I want to protect you, but because I want to help you. I can at least do that, right?"
A sudden fire suddenly swept over Leia's face in that moment, her entire body suddenly growing hot despite the freezing temperatures they were standing in. This sensation…, it was the same feeling she got when they first started dating. His charisma, his caring, his understanding… No, she couldn't let herself fall in love with him again, she would just set herself up for failure if she did so. …but still, if he wanted to help, then…
"…f-fine, you can help," Leia quickly turned away as she spoke, crossing her arms as she did so. "But only if I ask you to, all right?"
"Yeah, I'll do that," his words made her blush even more.
"W…well whatever!"
"So then what's your excuse?" Elle questioned Ivar. "You're not gonna give me that lame 'I'm actually in love with you' stuff, are you?"
"Ha ha, do you even need to ask?" the former handmaid boasted. "I can't allow my direct subordinate to go off on her own! As the Head Agent of Spirius Corporation's DOGS Rieze Maxia chapter, I-"
Within the blink of an eye, his other companions had already begun walking in the opposite direction of Milla's party much to Ivar's chagrin. It was just one of many times that people abandoned him, and not once did it ever become any easier. The head agent's act quickly disappeared in that moment, his boastful smile now melting in the same, familiar frown he often saw when he looked in the mirror. His bragging, his over-the-top theatrics, and his loud and obnoxious personality, why did he continue to believe that creating such a façade would have helped his standing with others, even after all these years.
"…the truth is, I… …I just want to fit in…," Ivar answered with his comrades a small distance away.
Numb… Everything around her had become numb… Before that, everything was warm, almost burning, but then the cold crept in. Slowly but surely, every fiber of her being succumbed to the chilly prison; it wasn't as if she tried to fight it though, it was as if she welcomed it. Yes, this was the fate she deserved she thought; to be frozen away, just like the memories she could never relive…
'This is the way it should be…,' the purple-haired girl thought as she continued to let the chilled winds engulf her further. 'This is the way it should have been… Wallace, Sonia… Please forgive me…'
"You said you wanted to keep your promise," a warm, but unfamiliar voice suddenly spoke. "Are you afraid to right the wrongs you committed? Do you simply want to run away and not take responsibility for your actions?"
Opening her eyes in that moment, the scenery around Sophie had suddenly changed. She found herself somewhere entirely different, like nothing she had seen before. Emptiness, nothing but a white emptiness was what stood before her. Despite the atmosphere where she stood, the chilly embrace that had recently taken hold of her was suddenly gone, replaced by a glowing warmth that enveloped every inch of her self. Despite the alien environment, Sophie found herself at ease as she looked into the empty white, her body entirely relaxed.
A warm breeze soon blew passed her body, the gentle winds only soothing her further. It was then that the purple-haired girl realized she was floating, being guided forward ever so gently as a single dot slowly made its way to her vision. Gradually the outline of the dot grew, the color of green slowly coming into view. Sophie soon realized it was a single tree that stood in the center of this nothingness, a large, lively tree that seemed to stretch endlessly into the heavens and nowhere at the same time. A field of many flowers was blooming at the base of the tree, including her favorites, sopherias.
The moment her feet were floating above the flora, her entire slowly made its way toward them, her feet landing softly on what seemed like an invisible ground. Again, Sophie found herself unalarmed by her environment, her entire body still at ease despite what she was seeing. Curiosity soon got the best of her however, the purple-haired girl then approaching the tree itself. Looking at it, it almost reminded her of home, of the tree where she, Richard and Asbel made their promise many centuries ago. The memory further relaxed Sophie, her hands planting themselves flatly on the tree's surface as her forehead slowly pressed against it.
"Asbel…," she remembered. "Richard…"
"So you are the visitor from another world?" the voice spoke again, surprising Sophie.
The purple-haired girl quickly backed away from the tree at that moment, her instincts causing her to raise her fists. The voice that spoke… It was the same one that had spoken with her just moments ago. For a moment her eyes began to rapidly survey her surroundings, finding the same emptiness she had seen upon arriving. Yet a chill suddenly reverberated through her entire body a second later, forcing her attention back to the tree before her. Her violet eyes could only widen at the sight she was now beholding.
A single, beautiful woman was standing before her, standing on the base of the tree with a long, winged staff in hand. She was wearing a leaf green tunic-like robe with two tails that opened above her ankles in the front, while opening above her calves in the back. She wore what looked like a lighter green dress underneath her robes from what Sophie could see, the skirt of which stopped just before her feet. Her legs were also adorned in a lighter green cloth, taking the form of tights that blended into her bright green shoes. However, her feet were also covered in what looked like white cloth, though the back of her feet and toes were left open. A gold, vine-like tiara rested atop her long purple hair, the shade of which a little lighter than Sophie's own hair. This woman… She had a certain air about her, almost like Milla and Muzét, but without the childish innocence or social naivety.
"I'm glad we can finally meet," the woman spoke once more.
"…who are you…?" was the only thing the purple-haired girl could say.
"My name is Martel…," the woman gently said. "We have much to talk about, Sophie Lhant…"
Skit: Hot Air
Julia: (hugs Gaius) I'm so happy we can be together again, Lord Gaius! Don't you feel the same way?
Gaius: I… I suppose it is a pleasure to-
Julia: Oh look at you becoming so red! I never thought you'd be the bashful type, Lord Gaius!
Muzét: (fuming) Will you stop it? You're suffocating him the way you latch onto him!
Julia: (gasps) Oh my, such a rude woman… I'm appalled to even be the same gender as you! Lord Gaius, can you please explain to me what your relation is with this person?
Gaius (trouble breathing) …tha-that is, she… I-I can't br-
Muzét: (boasts) If you must know, we used to be tether buddies eleven years ago.
Julia: Tether buddies? You mean that sport children play where they hit the ball that's tethered to a pole? Surely you've grown up in the last eleven years that you no longer wish to play such childish games, right Lord Gaius? You'd rather play with a full grown woman like me and compete in more 'adult' activities, do you not?
Muzét: Ugh!
Gaius: (gasping) L…Lady Julia…, I…
Muzét: Will you release him go already? Now he's turning blue!
Julia: That's because he's cold. Don't worry, Lord Gaius, I'll just hold you a little tighter and I'll have you warmed up in no time.
Gaius: I… I can't… (passes out)
Julia: Oh my! Lord Gaius, are you all right? Were my last words a little too risqué that you passed out from the embarrassment?
Muzét: (sighs) What was the phrase Humans used to describe people like this? Wasn't it 'airhead'? Why am I even giving this woman the time of day?
Julia: Don't worry, Lord Gaius, I can revive you; it will be just like the old fairy tales. With true love's kiss, I shall awaken thee!
Muzét: (angrily) Back off! If anyone is to give Gaius any kind of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, it's me!
Author's Note: And once again the party is divided once more. Will things ever go back to the way they were before, or have the times made it impossible to ever truly see eye-to-eye again? I'm afraid you'll just have to continue reading to find out…
So the truth has been revealed; Kaon is really the Great Spirit Luna in spyrite form. As far as why she's working with the Splintered goes, it all boils down to what happened at the end of a previous era with the original Maxwell, the other Great Spirits and Kaon/Luna, namely between Kaon/Luna and Aska. I always did wonder why didn't have the Great Spirit Luna in Tales of Xillia 2 since they had Aska; I remember in Tales of Symphonia you needed to fight both Luna and Aska together in order to get them as Summon Spirits, but I wasn't sure why Luna didn't make an appearance (although her name was used as a moniker for Chancellor Marcia in Elize's character quests). In any case, the conflict that arose between Aska and Luna will be touched upon later in this story.
Speaking of Great Spirits, the Great Spirit of the World Tree, Martel, makes her appearance now. Instead of basing her appearance on Tales of Symphonia, I used her appearance from the Tales of Phantasia anime because Kaon and Emeraude already have green hair in this story; so as to not have a third green-haired character, I opted to give Martel her anime appearance so that she stands apart from Kaon and Emeraude more. As far as Martel's role in this story, it fits into the larger scheme of things. I'm sure some Tales of Symphonia and Tales of Phantasia fans might also be wondering how the World Tree ended up in the Spirit Realm. Without giving too much away, I'll just say it has something to do with the barrier Mint put up around the World Tree at the end of Tales of Phantasia. Regarding what role Martel will play in this story, it fits into the grander scheme of the plot and will fit into Sophie's story as well. Though she makes her appearance in this chapter, her role will not be fully expanded on until Act 3.
Regarding Sophie's past, yes Sophie and Wallace did have a daughter that Sophie herself gave birth to. I assumed that at the end of Tales of Graces F, Sophie became more human in other ways than just emotions after her merged with Little Queen, including the ability to actually have children. But then what exactly happened to her daughter? We know that Wallace has passed away, but what of Sonia? I'm afraid I'll have to reveal her fate in a later chapter.
Speaking of Sophie's past, what's the deal with the descendents of her friends? I'll just say that the reason for their fighting is linked to the origin of Ephinea and that Emeraude was involved. I hope to have this question answered by the end of Act 2, hopefully around December of this year.
Regarding Milla's ability to now use Asbel's sword and how she can now use his Mystic Artes, I figured if the Allium Orbs are losing their strength, why not give them another outlet for the characters to grow stronger instead of just going through the same Allium Orb again (for some reason I was thinking of a "level up" system when making this story). I came up with the idea of "gaining artes and abilities through relics" since there's a bit of crossover with other Tales games. Of course, the party members will still use their skills and artes from Tales of Xillia 2 (and Tales of Graces F for Sophie) a majority of the time though (so no, Milla won't always be fighting like Asbel with sword draw techniques and whatnot). As for which character will gain what other characters' skills, so far I at least have Gaius gaining some of Stahn's abilities from Tales of Destiny (after all, Gaius and Dymlos shares the same Japanese voice actor), and Leia and Little Queen set in stone. For other characters, I was possibly thinking Jude and Senal from Tales of Legendia, Alvin and Yuri from Tales of Vesperia (seeing as both character are left-handed), Elize and Philia from Tales of Destiny (not quite sure on this one yet), and Rowen and Leon from Tales of Destiny (again, also not sure about this one, but I was thinking Rowen might pick up Leon's dual wielding that Leon used in the Tales of Destiny remake and Tales of Destiny 2). Of course, any other suggestions are welcome as I'm still on the fence for some of these.
In any case, in the next chapter, we finally learn about Alvin and Gilford's past together. I hope to simply keep their battle in one chapter so that I can finish Act 2 by the end of this year. Unfortunately this means everyone who decided against going with Elize to find Sophie will be regulated to much smaller screen time in the next chapter, but of course, there will still be some drama with them. Also, the next chapter will mark the one-year anniversary for this story! I hope the next chapter can meet and hopefully exceed your expectations.
If you've enjoyed this story so far, please be kind enough to leave me a review. Constructive criticism is always welcome so that I may improve my craft. Thanks again for reading, see you next time!