A/N: Okay, I think I know how to end all this business. With a time machine of my own to stop the time machines from being invented.

Sword: Wouldn't that cause a paradox?

Hush, it'll work.

Pen: Even I know it won't.

Well then how are you able to change the past if stopping my younger self from writing would cause you to never be created and therefore never stop the past me?

Pen:…

Exactly. Now my brain hurts and there are people here. Hello, everyone. Silver, Blaze, and all related material belong to Sega. The story, the Swords, and the Pens belong to me. Please do not use without permission. Also, thank you to MissMJS and our mysterious guest for their recent reviews.

Chapter 21- The Only Alternative

Iblis was massive, larger than the creature of my own dimension, or any beast I had ever seen. Its triangle of glowing, venemous green eyes squinted at us, regarding the flagship with all the attention and worth of a gnat. It lumbered for the tip of the volcano, pulling itself up and over in a rushing river of lava.

"Yes!" Nega said. "Come and destroy these interlopers! Then, we shall conquer the world."

Iblis pooled at the base of the mountain and stretched itself into the coiled serpent I remembered. The rock and fire shifted and formed into a sharpened, reptile face, with a fiery flickering tongue.

"Silver!" Blaze shouted somewhere to my side. "Silver, we have to get out of here!"

Fear glued my feet in place and I was too terrified to move a muscle. The serpent rose and lifted its head high above us. The power radiating from this monstrosity was unlike any I had felt before. Was this the power of the Sol Emeralds at work?

The emeralds. They were still floating in the air above Nega, granting their power to Iblis. Blaze tugged on my arm. "We have to get out of here and regroup."

One harsh jerk ripped me out of my stupor and I stumbled into her. "What about the emeralds?" I asked, straightening.

"We can't make it to them in time and escape."

"We can't escape period," I said. "Only one of Nega's ships could do that." The flagship was out of the question. It shuddered in the wake of Iblis' movements, as if about to crash at its feet in respect and beg for mercy. The smaller planes flying as guards around the flagship were our best bet. A particular one was flying better than most and I pointed it out to Blaze. "That one will work," I said. "But we'll need a distraction."

Looking around, I didn't see much to divert Iblis' attention from us. Blaze caught something though and nodded, pushing me toward the opposite side of the ship where the plane hovered. "Right. Go grab the plane. I'll take care of the distraction."

"What are you—?"

"Go, Princess's orders," she said and ran off toward Nega.

I wasn't thrilled, but I obeyed anyway, racing back the way we had come. At the end, I leaped off the deck, shooting straight for the small plane. The pilot noticed me too late and tried to turn to fire on me. I threw him out of the seat with a telekinetic blast and hopped in myself.

Dozens upon dozens of gauges and buttons stared back at me from the control console. I had no clue what any of them did. There was a control stick between my legs though and that turned the plane. It was all I needed and I looked over the edge of the cockpit, scanning the ship for Blaze.

By then, Iblis had reached his full, snake-like height and was staring off into the horizon. It hadn't even noticed me and was much too wrapped up in the lands beyond this one. I could see the eagerness in its evil eyes, the desire for destruction on a global scale. The haunting visions of the past ten years under this creature's reign of terror played out before me, the landscape world-wide becoming as barren as these ashy lands.

Far below Iblis, Nega shouted impotently from the deck, beating his chest and flailing his fists in the air, calling for Iblis's attention. He still thought he could control this monster. That the extra power from the emeralds this time hadn't put Iblis so far beyond in terms of power that Nega never had a chance. He foolishly wanted Iblis to focus on him.

Meanwhile, Blaze skulked from the shadows of the destroyed gun turrets. During one point in Nega's tirade, she leapt up, jumped between Nega and Iblis, and snatched all three emeralds out of the air. That caught both their attention and for a few moments, they seemed so surprised by her brazen act, that she escaped unscathed. I pumped a fist for her and dove down in the plane, planning to intercept her on the deck.

Nega recovered first, stomping his foot and ordering Iblis. "What are you waiting for? Get my emeralds back!"

The fiery serpent bellowed a deep roar, that same demonic tone that drove me into a panicked sweat. I pushed any buttons that looked like they would make the plane go faster and angled sharply to the side, gauges flashing and beeping warnings that I was coming in too hard.

Iblis raised its long tail, swinging down at the middle of the flagship. The tail tore through the metal, shearing it in half and cauterizing the ends immediately. Both Nega and Blaze ran to opposite pointed ends of the flagship, now pointed upwards as the ship fell.

I zipped in alongside Blaze, who had the emeralds gathered in her arms. Holding the control stick steady, I lifted her up and into the seat behind me and she collapsed, the emeralds falling into her lap.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, now get us out of this dive!"

I yanked the control stick hard to the other side and up. The plane groaned and the engine hissed, steam whistling out from the hood. But with some help of my power, I forced it back into the proper position.

Down below, Nega clung tightly to his end of the ship. His face was horrified, unable to comprehend what we had tried to warn him about and his jaw hung open, emotions from anger to absolute terror mixing around on his face. He scrambled for a hatch to his ship, tumbling and falling all over the deck. Before he could reach it, his half of the flagship disappeared amongst the smoke circling the volcano's base, followed by a spectacular crash and cloud of explosive fire.

"You think he survived?" I asked, peering into the smoke. There was too much ash and rolling clouds to be sure.

"I don't know," Blaze said. "But we have bigger problems to worry about."

Ahead, Iblis had turned his attention to our plane. It lifted its tail and mightily swatted at us like a bug. I took another dive, swooping under the tail and escaping with inches to spare.

Iblis didn't give up. It slithered on the ground and curled its body around us, cutting off any escape route. I jerked the plane into a sharp turn, circling its massive body as it watched us, toying with us, its forked tongue dripping hot magma.

I crafted a spear and hurled it at Iblis's face. It simply disappeared into the face, not even leaving a scratch behind. I cast more and more, building up each bit of energy more than the last with no results. There was no way to touch Iblis! In fact, I thought I saw the trace of a playful smile in its fiery face, enjoying my pathetic attempts to hurt it. All the while, its body coiled tighter and it was becoming harder to bank the plane on the along the steaming magma.

"Hold it steady!" Blaze said, standing in the backseat and grabbing the wings for support.

"What are you doing?" Then I saw the Sol Emeralds in her hands and that ferocious gleam in her eyes. Her body tensed, crouching down, and it hit me. "No, don't!"

Blaze closed her eyes and leapt off the plane, spreading the emeralds out before her. Almost immediately, she was surrounded in a pure white glow and suspended in air hundreds of feet off the ground. Slowly, the pulsing Sol Emeralds spun around her waist, bathing her in their combined power. They lifted her up high, rising to the heavens like an angel.

Iblis took notice and lost interest in the plane. Its body grew slack as it growled in its throat, sensing the energy that radiated from her. I flew the plane higher, hanging back, but close enough to come in if something happened.

Blaze's eyes snapped open, flashing with the same translucent energy that surrounded her body. I wondered if this was any similar to what had happened to me on Nega's flagship. If anything, Blaze's training had equipped her to handle it far better than I did.

But as I circled around the stare-down, I could spot a pained look of concentration on Blaze's face. She was struggling to contain the Sol Emeralds' power and direct it to her will. Iblis seemed to catch on and flicked its tongue, spraying the air with fireballs. Then it opened its mouth wide and came for Blaze.

Blaze spread her hands out in front of her and yelled, unleashing a large burst of energy straight down Iblis' gullet. She had managed a direct hit! And it sent Iblis reeling and writhing on the ground. I cheered, figuring she had it in the bag.

I should have known better. The creature zig-zagged away from the blast and back to its height, the hole in its jaw quickly reforming with rock and lava. It shook off the attack and came at her again. Again, Blaze fired a beam of the power, but Iblis was careful this time. It dodged the attack, slithering low and coming up from behind to chomp into her.

Its jaws crunched closed, but Blaze sped out of the way in time. She blasted it with another attack, cutting into the center of Iblis and driving the great beam through its body, effectively splitting it in two. The very power shook the ground as much as Iblis's rebirth and the air crackled with power and static.

Slowly, the beam sliced through Iblis' head and carved a deep gorge into the ground before it withered and faded away. As soon as it was gone, so was the glow surrounding Blaze, who started to fall through the air with the emeralds.

I swooped in close and caught her and the emeralds in a telekinetic hold once more, dropping them safely in the seat. Then I turned us back the way we came, toward the Thunder Mountain ridge.

Behind us, Iblis raged and reformed itself, its demonic screeching threatening the world that it would show no mercy for this insult.

Blaze lifted her head weakly, heaving and sweat pouring down her face. Her eyes rolled back, on the verge of passing out, and she asked, "It's still alive?"

"Yeah," I said and she groaned. I didn't talk as we flew, for she slipped in and out of unconsciousness for a few seconds at a time. The combined power of the three emeralds had taken their toll, as she seemed pale and was ice cold to the touch. Blood trickled out of her nose and her breathing seemed ragged.

"Hey," I said and she barely acknowledged me. I ripped off part of my sleeve and held it to her nose. "Stay with me. Blaze, hang on and stay awake."

I kept looking behind us at the monster pulling itself together, readying its assault on the world. What hope did we have now?

An hour later, the radio of the plane crackled. "Silver? Is that you?"

I picked up the receiver. "Gardon?" I asked. "Where are you?"

"Below," he said.

I glanced over the edge. We were still a good distance from the Thunder Mountains, but in the upcoming fields below, the army sent after the Thunder Mountain emerald was camped, waiting for our arrival. In fact, they seemed to have been joined by the other forces as well, who had double-timed it here after locating their own assigned emeralds.

I landed the plane as gently as I could and everyone swarmed us. They peered inside, prodding me with questions about Blaze.

"What happened to the Princess?"

"Did Iblis do this?"

"Medic! We need a medic over here!"

Physicians rushed over and hurried Blaze off on a gurney. I followed right behind, emeralds tucked in my coat, and ignoring the people crowding around me. Gardon wiggled through several bodies and helped me break past the mob and into the physician's tent.

Inside, Blaze was lifted onto an empty bed and the physicians and their nurses fussed over her, checking her responsiveness and asking for some blood packs. I sat down across from them, watching them work and unable to think straight.

"Silver," Gardon said, easing down to my level. "What happened out there?"

"Nega succeeded." I looked him in the eye. "Iblis is awake."

The silence was deafening. Even the physicians paused in their work and gawked at me, medical tools shaking violently in their hands, betraying the absolute terror. It wasn't until I gave them an angry glare that they remembered their patient and continued their treatment.

"Then Nega and Iblis are on their way here?"

"Iblis likely is," I said, his roar still echoing in my ears. "Nega, I don't know what happened to him."

"But we can stop Iblis," Gardon said. "We have the emeralds."

I threw up my hands. "Nega used three emeralds to wake this thing. This is far stronger than I've ever seen it."

"Not strong enough for all seven emeralds." There was a gleam in his eye and he pulled me closer. "Before she left, the Princess had me round up all the armies and the emeralds they found. Even wanted the Sol Emerald from the capital brought here."

"What? Why?"

"I think as a precaution. She intends to channel their power," he said. "Use them to destroy Iblis."

"What?!" I jumped out of my seat and ran my hands through my quills. "She can't! She already did that with three emeralds and this is where it got her." I pointed at her sickly body in bed. By now, the physicians had stabilized her and she was resting fitfully, lingering pain etched into her features. "All seven will kill her!"

"She is well aware of that," Gardon said grimly, checking her. "And she would rather sacrifice herself if it saves everyone else."

"We can't let her!" He shushed me and nodded at her bed. I lowered my voice. "It's suicide."

"Look, when she first attempted one emerald, she was much the same as she is now. She collapsed and couldn't manage for a week. How many did she take on? Three you said?"

"Yeah, she did a lot better this time. Better than me. You should've seen her, flying around, fighting this thing." I moved to her bedside, gazing down into her face. "She was amazing."

"Exactly. If anyone has any chance of surviving, it's her." His tone wasn't convincing in the slightest and he was already looking toward Blaze as one would a body in a casket.

I started to argue, but a soft voice cut me off. "It's the only logical choice and you know it." Blaze groaned, rolling to the side and trying to sit up. Gardon and I both lowered her back into bed.

"You need to rest, Your Highness," he said.

"With you two making a racket? Not likely," she said, with a strained smirk. The physicians had hooked an IV of blood to her arm and her body trembled, still freezing. The blood had long dried in her nostrils and her eyes drooped as if she were about to pass out at any moment.

"You need to save your strength," Gardon said, tucking the blanket up higher under her chin.

"Did you do as I asked? Did you bring them?"

He folded his hands. "Your Highness, please—"

"Gardon," she said more forcefully, "did you bring them?"

He sighed and nodded. "Yes, they are here. One moment." He left the tent and returned shortly with a bag of the collected Sol Emeralds. Along with the three on me, that made all seven together. The emeralds seemed to sense they were all gathered into one place and shined brighter than ever before, a rainbow of light leaping out of the bag and onto Blaze's face.

"Good," she said. "See that Silver adds the ones from Nega's ship to those. Then we'll…we'll…" Her head slid down the pillow and I feared the worst.

"Medic!" I cried at the top of my lungs, propping her up. "Medic!"

The group of physicians from before rushed back in and chased us out. We waited several tense minutes before one exited and informed us of her condition. "Her Majesty needs rest. She's unable to handle any stress or visitors at this moment."

Once the physician left, I threw my hand at the tent. "See? You see? She can't handle anymore. And you're letting her go out there?"

"I don't want her to go!" he growled, drawing a few eyes from people outside. He leaned in, his voice dropping. "I want her here. But you know the Princess and her determination. Do you think she'll back down?"

I rubbed my face. "Isn't there a law or something that puts another person in charge while she's incapacitated?"

"Yes, that would be one of her advisors," he said. "Would you like to run back and tell one of them they're in charge? You may make it there before Iblis levels the spot."

I clenched my fists and scowled. "You have to do something! Your Princess is about to die!"

"What would you have me do?" he asked. "From what you've told us, Iblis is unbeatable and the only thing that has been able to slow it down are the Sol Emeralds. So tell me, what would you do? Because I'm open to all suggestions."

I had no idea. I was as lost as he was. And I slowly saw my fear for Blaze matched in his eyes. There was no alternative. The only way out of this was losing someone we deeply cared for.

Gardon cleared his throat and opened the sack with the Sol Emeralds. "Please hand over the Sol Emeralds you recovered. We're going to need them."

Absent-mindedly, I reached into my coat and pulled out the gems, glowing bright in their luster and excitement to finally be reunited with their brethren. In the far distance, a low rumbling roar resounded through the hills, terrifying the armies, and several screams broke out around us.

I deposited two of the emeralds into the sack, but stopped at the purple Sol Emerald. The first one Blaze and I had found together. I turned it in my hands, studying it in wonder. It sparkled and dazzled, so full of energy. So much beauty unmatched by the others. More precious than most jewels and a standout from its competitors.

My fist closed on the emerald and I looked up. "There's something I need to do first." I rushed into the tent, Gardon trailing behind with the bag of emeralds. One of the nurses was by Blaze's bedside, tending to her. The nurse protested when we entered, but I ignored her and kneeled at Blaze's side.

Blaze blinked in surprise and muttered a soft, "Hey."

"Hey," I said and stared into her eyes. Gardon was trying and failing to calm the nurse while I took Blaze's hands, running my fingers across hers. Those delicate hands I would never be able to hold again, the warmth in her palms from the fire inside her I would never feel on a cold night anymore. "I love you."

Instantly, Gardon and the nurse stopped fighting. The nurse's jaw dropped and Gardon's face twisted in pain for the both of us.

Blaze nodded and said, "I love you too."

I broke out into a goofy grin as fat tears pricked my eyes. I couldn't help myself and they rolled down my cheeks. Blaze cried as well, staining her pillow quietly. I took a shuddering breath and swallowed a hiccup. "We could've had an amazing life together, couldn't we?"

"Yes," she said. "There's nothing I wanted more."

"Me either. I would give anything to have that with you." My grip tightened on her hand and fear welled in my stomach. Blaze sensed the tension in my body and raised her head off the pillow as far as she could.

I had to do this before I lost my nerve. Gulping down all my fear, I pressed my lips to hers, holding her close. There was no need to hold her though. She didn't try to escape and grabbed my clothes, kissing back and melding her lips into mine. We both seemed to know what came next. The only other choice to make to save everyone and it scared us, overwhelmed us, drove us. The passion and love in the kiss was indescribable, but in that moment, I knew we were truly meant for one another. Never had I felt so hopelessly in love and I knew I never could with anyone else. Only with Blaze.

Far too soon for me, the kiss broke as Blaze gasped for air. I grinned apologetically and she shook her head. "It's fine."

I pulled her to me again, whispering in her ear so only she could hear. "Live that life for both of us."

In one sweeping motion, I leapt across the room, tearing the bag from Gardon's shocked hands, and ran out of the tent. "Silver!" Blaze called and Gardon chased after me, likely aware of what I had planned.

I had to leave quickly. There was no time to lose and flying under my power would be too slow. Had to conserve my energy. So I made a mad dash through camp, half-flying, half-running for the plane we came in. Gardon ordered me to stop and several of the soldiers tried to tackle me. I blocked them with wall-high shields, clearing an easy path to the plane.

Tossing the emeralds into the seat, I jumped in, cranked up the plane, and turned it toward an open stretch of ground. Within moments, I was in the air, heading back to the volcanoes and the large, titanic shape in the distance.

"Silver!" the radio crackled. "Silver, get back here!"

I picked up the receiver. "No can do, Gardon. This is the only way to save her and everyone else. I can channel the Sol Emeralds' power. You all saw it."

"For one! You don't know if it will work with all seven."

"Maybe, maybe not. Can you really say the same for Blaze?" Silence. "Look, this kingdom can't survive with their leader. People like her only come around once in a lifetime. They can survive without me. I'm not even supposed to be in this world."

"Don't say that. Do you know how much you mean to the Princess?"

Pausing, I licked my lips. "Yes. She means just as much to me. That's why I'm doing this."

Gardon didn't answer for a minute. Finally, he said, "We'll round up the armies to support you. Maybe we can help take this thing down. We'll catch up as soon as we can."

I doubted they would be able to rally the forces to Iblis in time. Strangely, that comforted me. I suppose because I wouldn't have to watch flames engulf Gardon or anyone else. "Thanks," I said.

"And Silver? It was good working with you."

I smiled. "Good working with you too. Take care and watch over Her Majesty."

"Always."

With that, I gunned the engines, flying fast and hard for Iblis. No way it would destroy this world. Not on my watch.

A/N: And done.

Pen: Wait, if you stop me from creating a time machine, that would be a paradox since you would have no reason to invent this time machine.

…*tosses time machine aside* Oh, forget it.

Pen: How anticlimactic. I hope you have a better ending prepared for this story.

Sword: You'll just have to see! Thank you all for reading, lovely peoples! Please, please, please let us know what you think of the story so far! Love ya and see ya next time!