Chapter 13
Belllch! "Hoo-hah! Party time!" Babbo bellowed after chugging his fifth beer. "Drink up, Solara! Thish is how gennelmum shelebrate… huh? Why're there three of you-oof!"
Annoyed, Sol shoved him. "Get out of my face, you drunken shit." She snarled.
The people of Vestry had built a huge bonfire. Everyone was gathered around, laughing and having a good time. One of the men came over to where Sol was sitting with Jack.
"It's been a long time since we've smiled. Yesterday we wanted to die… but today we want to live!" Sol nodded while Jack grinned.
"Such an abundance of food!" Another of the villagers commented. "Thanks to Jack!"
Jack laughed and waved off the praise. "It's nothing!"
"I wouldn't exactly call that nothing." Sol stated, indicating the monstrous tangle of vines behind them. "In fact…don't you think it's a little too much?"
"Y-yeah… uh, it kinda caught me off guard too…" Jack scratched the back of his head before looking at his ARM. "Not only have my own magical powers increased… but these earth nature stones I got from Dorothy… seem to be pretty potent!"
The first villager spoke again. "And by healing the injured… Snow gave us new life!" Snow was drinking something and finished as the villager finished speaking. She looked up and her face was flushed with her eyes glazed.
"Ooo." She looked down at her cup before holding it out and shouting, "I want more of this juice!"
"Who gave her booze?!" Ed howled.
The man continued, "…and these three," he indicated Nanashi (who was partying with a couple of girls), Dorothy (sitting quietly by herself), and Sol, "entered the cave and defeated our enemies! Now our murdered friends and families can rest!" The villagers cheered.
"Thank you, Sol! You gave us courage!"
"When a girl like you gives all she's got to defeat the Chess Pieces…"
"…we adults have no excuse to feel sorry for ourselves!"
"Vestry will be born again! With the strength that you gave us – we will rebuild!"
Sol nodded. She looked around and saw Dorothy sitting alone. Sol went over to her. "Hey." Dorothy looked up. "You okay?"
Dorothy giggled. "You're so nice, Sunny! I'm fine!"
Sol watched her for a moment. "You're from the kingdom of witches, right? Why did you leave there?"
Dorothy looked very serious. "…I am looking for ARMs… and… a woman. One woman in particular. So I can kill her." Dorothy looked at her.
Sol shrugged. "Thought it was probably something like that." Dorothy blinked. It didn't bother her?
Suddenly, Sol jerked forward as Dorothy heard a loud, "Snow kick!" Snow had launched an air kick at Sol and hit her in the back. Snow was giggling insistently.
"What the hell, Snow?!" Sol snarled. Then she blinked. "Are you drunk?"
"Possibly!" Snow chirped. Sol scowled. "Come on, Sol! Come play with me!"
"I was talking to Dorothy."
"I'm sick of you talking to Dorothy!" Snow whined. Sol stared at her blankly.
"Sol!" Just then, Nanashi shouted. "Look at the moon!" Sol's head snapped up. Her eyes widened at the now mirror-like orb hanging in the sky.
The villagers were becoming distressed. "What's going on…?"
"The moon… it's like a mirror!"
A figure appeared on the moon. A man with long platinum blond hair in black robes and a tall, pointed black hat. "To those who live in all the lands of MAR Heaven…" a voice rang through the night, "and hold hatred in their hearts toward the Chess Pieces, know you that…" his blank expression morphed into a sadistic sneer, "the War Games begin anew!"
Sol's eyes narrowed.
"Just as I thought," Ed said. "The second stage!"
The villagers began muttering about the last games, settling down when the man started talking again. "The place will be Reginlief Castle, near the center of MAR Heaven! All those who desire to battle with us, assemble at the castle – which has already fallen into our hands!
"We have not forgotten what happened six years ago! If none of you come to Reginlief – then we will turn MAR Heaven into scorched earth! We especially invite the participation of those most entertaining of foes – humans! (? Aren't they humans?) Babbo – Phantom's ARM – betrayed his rightful masters! We'd like to meet the human girl who has possession of it!
"The war begins the day after tomorrow at noon! We will be waiting!" His eerie laugh echoed though the night as the moon returned to normal.
"Well, that sure ruined my mood." Snow broke the silence that followed the announcement. "Let's go, Sol! To Reginlief!"
"Yeah! So no place has to suffer like Vestry again!" Jack said, looking nervous, but determined. "…o' course… I'm not sure what a country bumpkin like me… can actually do-!"
"Now that the Cross Guard is practically wiped out… we can't count on many warriors assembling at Reginlief, but… there's nothing to do but go!" Ed declared.
Nanashi snorted. "Who needs the Cross Guard? I'll be there!"
"Well, I guess…" Dorothy said quietly, "we can't exactly refuse…" Besides… there's something bothering me…
"Sol!" she turned to look at the villagers. "You can count on us to rebuild this town! Can we count on you… to save the world?!"
"There's nothing we can do… we don't have the strength."
"But you, with the power to fight the Chess Pieces… you can fill all of MAR Heaven with hope and courage!"
"Will you accept this burden?! Will you fight?!"
"And return as a victor… to the reborn Vestry?"
Sol looked up at the moon, then at the villagers out of the corner of her eye. She winked. "You got it." The villagers cheered.
A small group of Reginlief guardsmen sat dejectedly in the courtyard. "It's almost noon."
"Yeah. No one's come…"
"I wonder if our castle will be destroyed, too…"
"More like… MAR Heaven itself will be destroyed!"
Just then, they noticed the sound of boots marching across the drawbridge. "Hey… look!"
About 30 men marched into the courtyard. "The Cross Guard!"
"Not only that… look!"
"Their third in command – Gaira!"
"A hero of the last war, who fought alongside Danna and Alan to win the game!"
The man they were referring to scanned those gathered. He spotted Alviss. "Alviss. I don't see Alan here. Although I heard you've seen him…?"
Alviss considered the conversation he had with Alan. "I don't know if he'll be…coming-!"
"Told you we'd make it!"
Turning towards the shouting at the gate, Alviss saw an interesting sight.
"Looks like we're safe!" Snow agreed with Nanashi.
"I've been here before, liberating some treasure… so it's in Andata's range!"
"You've been just everywhere haven't you…" Ed commented.
Dorothy put her hands on her hips. "So? Where are the Chess-" Jack's yelling cut her off.
Jack had just spotted Alviss. Babbo promptly started ranting about the 'stupid rude brat' that had attacked them once before. Snow, Dorothy, and Nanashi looked confused. Ed remembered Alan having a conversation with him while the others where in the Training Gate. Sol nodded at him. "'Sup, Alviss. Long time, no see."
Alviss was staring at her. "Ah. Yes." The power I sense… Alan was right… Glancing at Ed, who was listening to Jack and Babbo complain about his presence, he had to smile. "Alan is here, Gaira."
Gaira looked around in confusion. Just then, the bell began to toll. It was noon.
A young woman stepped out onto the balcony. "All of you who have assembled here at Reginlief… I welcome you form the bottom of my heart."
The Reginlief guardsmen, many of whom were injured, started shouting. Apparently, this was Reginlief's princess. Sol frowned. Why would the princess play hostess to the War Games?
"The War Games… will now commence." A table covered in magic stones appeared in the middle of the courtyard. "But first, we must test to see if you are all worthy to compete in these games. Those of you who wish to participate, step to the pedestal… and take one magic stone."
As those who planned to join took a stone, Ed tapped Sol's wrist. "D-d-do I have to t-take one?"
"No. Don't worry. Alan and Halloween clearly have a very antagonistic history between them. When you finally sleep enough to let him come out, the Chess will probably let him in just because of that. No point in you getting both of you killed."
"The test… begins!" the princess intoned.
The magic stones flashed. Each holder found themselves in a black void.
"It's pitch black! And where is everybody?" Jack looked around, confused.
"Those stones must have been dimension ARMs, flinging everyone… into different dimensions!" Dorothy determined.
The enemy spawned in. A Pawn with huge muscles and two large blades attached to his gauntlets.
"Just a Pawn, eh? This is the test? We're certainly being taken lightly…" Alviss was unimpressed.
Snow, Dorothy, Jack, Nanashi, Alviss, and Sol returned to the Reginlief courtyard, uninjured.
Sol watched her friends brag about how easy the fight was. Then she noticed Alviss. He was looking around, clearly concerned. "Hey." He looked at her. "What's wrong?" The others looked over.
"Not a single Cross Guard has come back… not even Gaira!"