Will has come a long way since South Cape and its time to return. The final showdown awaits in Illusion of Gaia Chapter 29: The Comet.

Enjoy!


"Good bye… Shadow…" I had only known him for a short while, and sure we didn't start off great, but I was going to miss him. Speaking of miss… Where is Kara?

I continued down the empty corridor and entered a small room where I found Jack waiting for me.

"Greetings…"

I eyed him warily.

Jack laughed, "Do not worry… I will not bite."

Yeah right…

"Come, we must go quickly," he said. "The comet will soon be entering Earth's orbit. I shall take you to the top of the Tower…"

Before I could do anything he grabbed my arm and quickly teleported to the top of the Tower. Task done, Jack flew off into the distance.

"Freaky…"

As soon as I entered the next room I spotted Kara.

"Kara! Where'd you go?" I asked angrily. "I thought I told you to-"

"I know and I'm sorry," she said. "But there was talk that the Vampire woman had come…"

"Silvana?" I shuddered. Just thinking of her gave me the creeps.

"They say her body is eternal…" she continued. "They say that once the comet is gone, she'll be able to rest in peace…"

"Kara, who have you been talking to?"

"The spirits," she said simply.

I shook my head. Whatever.

At the end of the corridor I found a portal to Dark Space.

I wonder how Gaia is doing? "Kara, wait here. I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" she asked curiously.

"To speak with a friend…" I heard her gasp as I disappeared into Dark Space.

"Hello, Will," greeted Gaia.

"Oh, so its Will now? What happened to Young Will? Or did that get old?" I asked jokingly.

"Perhaps I should call you Sarcastic Will?" she offered.

"No, I'm good." I looked around. Without Freedan or Shadow's Statues Dark Space seemed emptier. I'm going to miss them…

"Will, the comet draws near," she said seriously. "The time for your last battle approaches. This is the last time I will talk to you like this in this place." When she said that she seemed kind of sad.

"Last time? So…we'll never see each other again?"

"I'm afraid not."

I didn't know whether to be happy or sad about that. On one hand, Gaia was annoying and bossy. On the other, she was the one who told me of my 'destiny' and had been there to guide me through all my struggles.

"With your rejuvenated power, defeat the Comet, Dark Gaia, and become the Dark Knight."

Dark Gaia? So there's an evil Gaia? I paused. Hate to see that… "So…turn into Dark Knight and stop the Comet, got it."

"One more thing…"

"What is it?" I asked.

"You will not be able to destroy the comet without the help of the Light Knight."

"Kara? But she cant fight! There has to be another way!" I protested.

"Only by combining your power with the Light Knight will you be able to use Shadow's greatest power, the Firebird."

"But, Gaia!"

"Only you can restore the Earth to its original condition. I'm putting all my faith in you…"

Her statue was silent and moved no more.

"So that's it? Team up with Kara and destroy the Comet…? But…" I shook my head. We'll just have to see what happens…

I left and was immediately greeted by Kara.

"Oh, Will! Where did you go? One minute you were here and then-"

"Everything's fine," I said. Not really… "Lets continue. We're almost at the top…"

We explored the Tower some more and finally entered the last room.

"Will…there's a dead body on the floor…" she squeaked.

I kneeled down to inspect the bones. As I grew closer a familiar voice spoke in my head.

"Will, its me, Olman, your father. My body has decayed but I live on like this…"

Next to the bones a spirit appeared. Kara gasped and ran to me.

"Will, is that…?"

I couldn't believe my eyes, "Father? But why? Why are you in that form?"

"There's a strange room in the Tower of Babel, filled with the light from the Comet," he replied. "Time goes so fast there that people evolve very quickly…"

"Well…if this place is so strange then why are Kara and I able to be here?" I asked. "Wouldn't we become spirit's too?"

"No, Will… Because you two are evolved humans…"

"Us…? But how can that be?" asked Kara.

My father sighed, "Long ago there existed biological technology using the light of the comet."

Biotechnology? So what the Jackal said was true!

"People freely used this power to make plants and animals. For example, they made the camel," he explained. "It can go for long periods without food or water."

"Like the Kruk!" exclaimed Kara.

"Exactly. However…when people realized the power could be used as a weapon, demons were developed. The world was on the brink of ruin…"

"So what happened?" I asked.

"At that time, the Knights of Darkness and Light were developed to decide the fate of humanity."

"Freedan…" I whispered, thinking of my friend.

"Who?" asked Kara.

"Nothing… Continue."

"Those Knights are you ancestors."

Another shock. Freedan's my ancestor? I grinned. Cool.

"The six Mystic Statues were made by the Knights," he concluded.

"But, dad, I don't know where the last one is…"

"I have it," he said. "And I now entrust it to you…"

I took it gladly, "Thanks, father."

"Soon the comet will be very close," he said seriously. "By then, the two of you must go to the roof of the Tower. Close your eyes…"

We both did as we were told.

"The ancients worshipped the comet as a spirit," I could hear my father say. "Those who bathed in the comet's light were given a strange power."

Yeah, no kidding…

"The comet is called a spirit. But its an unwelcome spirit. Evolving too fast brings destruction… As long as people have evil in their hearts, demons will be born," he said sadly. "Will, open your eyes and look around."

As I opened my eyes, several spirits materialized around us. We were at the top of the Tower of Babel. I had never been so high in my life.

As I walked around I spotted a spirit that looked familiar. "Seth?"

The spirit gave a small laugh, "Will…its been awhile."

"Are you okay? I mean…you're a-"

"Spirit? Yes, I know…" he sighed. "Such a world. If I could talk of this at the academy I'd be a great scholar…"

"You'll always be a great scholar in my book…"

"Thank you, Will… Now don't you have something to do?"

I nodded. "Right."

As I looked around I spotted several more familiar spirits. Neil's parents, my opponent at the Russian Glass Game, and even Hamlet!

"Of course. There's no difference between humans and animals…"

"Will…" called my father, "At last the time is near… Everyone, give Will your power!"

Suddenly all the spirits gathered around me and begun to fuse with my own consciousness. It didn't feel creepy at all. If anything, it felt right.

Kara and I faced each other.

"This is it," I said.

"Yeah…"

"Are you scared?"

She shook her head. "No… I feel like…this is the way it was meant to be. Us, together. I knew from the moment I first met you…"

I smiled, "If I remember correctly, you called me 'shabby'."

"What can I say? I was a different person back then… I'm glad we made this trip together. I'm ready…"

I nodded.

When Kara and I joined and became one, the six Mystic Statues begun to circle us. I kneeled down, accepting my new power. I closed my eyes, taking it all in.

When I opened them I was surprised to find myself changed. I looked down at my hands to find them covered in flames. My whole body was covered by glowing flames…

I've turned into Shadow…

Who's' Shadow? asked Kara.

I looked around, expecting to find her. Kara?

Yes, Will?

I gasped. She was speaking in my mind! "So this is how it feels to have someone inside your head…"

Will, what happened?

We fused, Kara. Its alright though, I said. Nothing can happen to you.

What if something happens to You?

I had to smile. I had asked the same thing to Freedan when we had first met. Taking his answer I said, Lets hope we don't find out.

"Will," said my father, "Your battle will change the fate of humanity. Now you must go to the comet." On a lighter note he added, "No pressure, right?"

Even though my dad was a spirit, he was still my father. "Of course." Kara, you ready?

Yes. I'm a little scared but when I'm with you, Anything is possible.

Using Shadow's abilities, (Or were they mine now?) I jumped off the Tower and flew toward the Comet. It would have been an enjoyable trip if not for the giant rock hurtling towards Earth.

I landed on the Comet's surface and the battle began.

Oh my! exclaimed Kara, yelling in my head.

"I really need to apologize to Freedan and Shadow. That's annoying…"

The reason for her exclamation was a giant face that had materialized on the comet's surface. It opened up its mouth and fired an energy sphere into the air.

Will, look out! she yelled again.

Kara, will you please- I dodged out of the way as the ball split and rained down. -stop yelling?

The face went to fire another blast.

"Oh no you don't!" I attacked using the power of the Firebird. I may not have been able to stop it but I did some damage. I dodged as the energy blasts rained down once more.

Just when I thought I had defeated the Comet it transformed.

What is that? asked Kara.

I don't know…

It looked like Gaia only it wasn't. Darker and more twisted… Could this be Dark Gaia?

I didn't have time to debate as the Dark version of Gaia summoned several tear-drop like demons to swarm me. I destroyed as many as I could, dodging when necessary. When Dark Gaia fired twin energy blasts at me I dissipated to avoid the attack.

Wow, Will! You're good at this!

"Tell me something I don't know!" I yelled frustrated. I was killing all these demons and avoiding attacks for nothing. Dark Gaia was still undamaged.

Suddenly Dark Gaia opened its mouth to fire a giant beam attack.

Will, dodge!

Hold on! I fired a Firebird at the open mouth causing damage. Yes! My eyes widened when I realized it was still about to fire. "Shit…"

Move!

I dissipated, just barely avoiding the attack.

Heh, now that I know how to defeat you, the rest should be easy! I grinned and went in for the kill.

Get it, Will! encouraged Kara.

I didn't even care that she had yelled. I stayed focused on my target: Dark Gaia.

It was doing everything it could to hinder me. Summoning blue demons, firing twin spheres… But none of that mattered. When it opened its mouth to use its huge attack I fired.

"Fire Bird!"

My attack hit dead on. Dark Gaia writhed in pain and started to crumple. After a few seconds it self destructed leaving no trace of it behind…

I stood there, unable to grasp what had happened.

Will? Will! We did it! We stopped the Comet!

"We…stopped…?" I blinked as it finally set in. "We stopped the Comet!" I cheered. "We did it! Its over!" Its finally over… I couldn't believe it. After all this time it was over. The Comet was destroyed. I could go home.

I kneeled down, unfusing from Kara. Once we were separate she ran to me, embracing me in a hug.

"Oh, Will! You were amazing!"

"I couldn't have done it without you…"

She blushed, "But what happened to the comet?" She turned away from me and looked into space. "What's that glowing green planet?"

Just then a spirit materialized before us. It was my father.

"The comet's power has disappeared. The evil star has flown off to the other side of the universe…" He turned to me, "Will, do you know what planet that is, glowing there in the distance?"

I took a good look at it. "Our Earth…?"

"That's right. Our Earth…"

"Its so beautiful," said Kara. "But it looks lonely in the dark…"

Suddenly another spirit appeared. "Yes, the world is awakened."

I stared at the spirit curiously, "Mother?"

My mother chuckled. "The Earth: A mother with millions of children. I'm sure you think about us sometimes,"

"Of course."

"And Kara often thinks about her parents."

She nodded.

"The Earth is the same way," she said. "She gets lonely if her children forget about her."

"How is it, you two?" asked dad. "Looking at the world you live in from the outside?"

"Its as if we'd become spirits…" breathed Kara.

I nodded. "I'd like to show our group this… No, I want to show the whole world…"

My father laughed. "Someday people will build ships to travel the universe. They will see this green Earth with their own eyes… See how lonely the Earth looks, just like the two of you…"

Kara and I looked at each other. It didn't matter that we looked lonely. As long as we had each other…

"Look carefully at your map of the world," he instructed.

I took out my map and looked at it. "Ah! The map has started to change!"

Kara and I gasped as the four continents turned into five, then six, then finally stopping at seven. Seven continents.

"Somehow the land has taken a strange shape…"

"That is the new world," informed my father.

"New world?" That's right! The spirit at Ankor Wat said this would happen. Even Freedan and Shadow told me.

My father continued saying, "The path of evolution, changed by the comet, has continued until now. The Earth too, has a life. It too, has evolved and changed its shape." He paused. "Now that the comet has no influence on the world, its returned to its original condition."

"Why do you know the future?" asked Kara.

"When I lost my body, I started seeing everything. The past. The future. Humanity's progression… I know many things…"

"Now you and Kara can become ordinary children again," said my mother.

"When we return to Earth," said Kara slowly, "will we be separated?"

I looked to my parents for an answer.

Finally my father said, "Yes…"

"What?-!"

"That cant be!"

"Listen," he said over our protests. "The world is changing. Humanity and history have started down a new path. You two thought nothing of it when you met each other in South Cape. But when the Earth needed the Light and Dark Knights, you met again unexpectedly."

Even though he was right, I couldn't accept it. After all we had been through we were to be separated? It didn't feel right.

"That is just the way it has to be…" My father turned to face the Earth. "Now, lets look at the world before the power of the comet is extinguished…"

My mother joined him. "We hope you two have a bright future…"

The two of them left and slowly faded away leaving Kara and I behind to say our good byes.

Kara and I turned to each other. She looked sad which was understandable; I felt the same.

"Will… Come here… Show me your face…" I moved closer and she took my hand. "I want to burn you into my memory." She looked at me intently, taking me in. "Your eyes…your hair…your voice… The warmth of your hand…"

I held her hand tightly and moved closer. "Don't worry. I'll search you out. No matter how long it takes. Hundreds of years… Thousands of years… I will come to you. So, don't cry…" I wiped the tears off her face gently. "I'll find you."

"Promise…?"

"Promise." It took everything I had not to break down. Kara was important to me. Losing her would be…unbearable. "Close your eyes…" I took this moment to take her in. Her hair…her skin…the lovely smell of that perfume she just had to have…her lips… I moved in closer and kissed her.

She kissed back. Holding me tight. "Will…"

"Lets go…" I said. "to our Earth…"

She smiled. "Yes, lets go…together…"

We fused into Shadow and journeyed back to Earth. Our Earth. Together.

X

The Earth's look had changed, but, glowing in the sky, it was as beautiful as ever. Buildings replaced the forests, rivers became roads, but the villages held only smiling faces.

The Tower of Babel stands tall, as if it knows the whole future of the world…


Cue Credits! Oh god, we're almost done! As you all know you should never leave the screen until you see the words 'The End'. -trust me-

That being said…

Till next Chap!