Chapter XXVI: Facing the Demons

Absolution Arc


Conclave Temple, Earth

Unknown Time, January 6, 2715

Had I not been aware that I was way past completing the maneuverability tests Teshin gave me, surely I would've been doing it over and over again until my body gives in.

As I was eating the morning meal, the feeling that never went away kept on festering in me. It was really annoying as I painstakingly chewed on the food, which was only a loaf of bread and some coffee when I woke up. Asada must've prepared it for me. After all, it seems like I was the only other one up by now, since I didn't see Master Zephyr or Vergil. Again. By now, I was convinced that they were reporting my progress to Teshin personally. After all, I don't have a ship, nor was there a use for learning about technology.

My eyes caught sight of the Praetorium from the Temple and my hands laid down the bread. Something about that place kept me uneased, even as I remember going through that place for the Ascension ceremony, how I became an Excalibur. In a reflection, I saw myself. I wasn't looking any better, not even after I survived a crash. Jokingly, I looked like hypothermia is catching up to me. What really caught my eye was the side of my neck. It was blackened like I was burned, mixed with some of my veins showing the signature Taken bluish-white. I cursed under my breath and touched the infected skin. As if my sudden behavioral changes weren't bad enough…

But then, my mind focused to Reaper. To my daughter again. Were they okay? Over the last few nights, my dreams were surreal, not from the day I killed Vesper, but of both of them. Fighting the Stalker and beaten, almost killed before Lightning saved them. Truth be told, I don't know whether or not it was just a dream or that the Darkness showed me something.

"Sparda," Asada was standing next to me, cup of tea in hand and concerned. "Dreams again?"

"Not really," I took a chunk out of my bread, hiding the spreading Taken from sight, "Just looking back at the past."

"You mean—?"

I shook my head, "The Ascension ceremony."

Asada sat down and saw the Praetorium from where she sat, sipping her tea. "The Ascension ceremony was a test, to isolate the worthy from the rest of the world. Of course, the ceremony was close to how your father and the Eximus got their power," she weaved the tale as she took another sip, "Facing one's fears through a trial on their lonesome, not knowing what fears lie in one's heart…"

"And yet, the Praetorium is one of the few places where the Darkness is the strongest in this galaxy," I put down whatever remained of the loaf of bread that was in my hand, eyes still fixed on the Praetorium. "Not even the Traveler or its Light could silence the Darkness within it."

"I got word from Teshin," Asada adjusted her glasses, "It's time for the next step."

I groaned. I'm beginning to run out of patience, let alone time. That damn old man doesn't even know that I have the Taken inside me!? If this goes on longer, then its hopeless for the Taken War to end, and yet he insists I train more! And also, I will be gone…

"More obstacle courses? You've got to be—"

"Not obstacle courses. You've long passed it."

Why did I get the feeling that something bad was coming? Hell, I could even feel it in my bones. Asada put down her cup and gestured me to suit up. In a moment, my armor materialized and followed after her. The temple doors swung open and we began making our way to one of the many gates of the temple. What was she trying to do? The blizzards were getting worse, coupled with us being ankle deep in snow. I figured that it was that time of year again here at the Temple.

"Don't ask, just follow," she said through the howling winds of the mountain. "And bring a sword with you." The gate opened and we were met with an angry blizzard. Instead of my arm covering my face, the Darkness I managed to control swept it away like it never existed.

Tempted as I was to summon my Sparrow, I knew that this was another part of the tests and held back. A trek up the mountain, huh? Great, I couldn't wait.

It didn't take long to realize that we were going to the Praetorium. The time I took this path up the mountain for the Ascension ceremony was unmistakable, blizzard or no blizzard. My strength was sapped from the long journey up here and here I was, fighting off the pain and keeping the goal in sight. Hell, even the tips of my fingers were freezing. I recognized some of the landmarks on the way up, ranging from a notched stake to a giant rock. Winds were howling over the sounds of our voices, followed up with bombardments of snow. This snow was starting to get to me, even as a rubber suit was under the armor for weather adaptability. My hand tightened around the sword I brought with me, keeping it where it should be. Why? Why return to the Praetorium? What is there to gain when I've been through its trials once before?

Asada and I found ourselves through the blizzard at the doorstep to the Praetorium. The blizzard didn't affect this area, thanks to a higher elevation. It was the same as I remember it all those years ago, back when I would be a child. Memories of when it was just me and Lightning on that day that introduced us to Dragunus and Athena rushed back to mind when I caught sight of the entrance. Unlike a typical cave, the entrance to the Praetorium was closed off by a stone door, ornate and distinguishable with what had to be rare gems. The ice that formed on the doors appeared to blend in with the door, just as these columns that marked where the Praetorium was in the mountains. The fire columns burned with a never-dying flame, true to their purpose and never going out. No one but Teshin knew why the fires never went out in these weather conditions, since he was just as involved into the Darkness like father.

"What's going on, Asada? Why bring me here?" I interrogated her, hand ready to draw my weapon.

Asada's helmet collapsed, "Teshin put you to this, Sparda. Without a strengthened mental state, he thinks you'll be lost forever in your agenda," she struck a match and tossed it into the column, followed with a moment of silence. "I'm under instructions to bring you here and make you undergo a rite of passage."

Rite of passage? Did I hear that right? What kind of a ceremony would…?

"Master Asada, I'm running out of time. I have to—!"

"We know, but if you don't have a tempered fortitude like you used to have, then you have no chance," Asada argues, repeating the ritual with the other fire column. "It's time to perform the rite of passage, Sparda."

"I don't have time for this!" I turned around and began to go back to the Temple.

"Your father set this up in the event something happens."

I froze. Father created this rite of passage for us? Sure, I knew he was able to see into the future, but was this a part of those visions? Me being infected with the Taken and rebelling against the Cyphers? Somehow, I knew it had to be the case. Why else would he go out of his way to set up a rite of passage and leave me and Lightning some of his weapons? Path to the Light started to glow at my side and I drew it out. The blade was glowing in a golden light.

"It would seem that you brought the right one, chibi. I thought you'd make the mistake of bringing something other than Path to the Light."

"What did he want me to do from the rite of passage?"

"Dunno, Teshin said that you'll figure it out when you step in the Praetorium," She stepped aside from the doors as they creaked to life, grinding and shattering against the ice. "Of course, I can't step in there with you. This is something you have to do on your own."

I stood in front of the open doors, facing Master Asada and Path to the Light at bay. "Why not give me the rite of passage that day?"

"You weren't ready. Now, Teshin thinks you're ready."

"Because the place is strong in Darkness, I cannot accompany you, Spectre," Primus said, appearing next to Asada. "If you die, I can't bring you back. Not even the Animas Crystal works in the Praetorium. Oh, and everything in there is real enough to kill you, remember?"

Wonderful. My old man must be crazy. My eyes met the empty void in the Praetorium, facing a whirlpool of Darkness. The evil in here was just as strong as it was at the Ascension ceremony, if not stronger. Its seductive touch came to me, beckoning me to come closer. I glanced at my A.I and Asada before nodding off, keeping the sword at the ready and helmet collapsing. As I stepped foot into the Praetorium, the air felt denser that it was difficult to breathe. Even I began to feel lightheaded, just as it was back then. The doors slammed shut behind me, leaving its echo in this hell.

Breathe in, breathe out, Spectre. Try to keep my air supply in low consumption. The Darkness made its presence known, alright. Foot-deep in fog, denser air, and undeniably the faint whispering. For first timers, these whispers would scare the crap out of them. Why? Because the Darkness mimics the voices of the deceased. I knew that when I heard mother's voice during the Ascension ceremony. Damn near fell off trying to chase after her imposter.

My footsteps were muffled out as I stepped through the fog, following the path I took during the ceremony. The cave was getting smaller, so I had to crouch into a small passageway. Each breath I took was small, followed with a just as small puff of cold air. The fog was too dense and I tried to illuminate my way through with my control over fire. Nothing. Not even the flames could break through the fog. Hoping I didn't do a full one-eighty, my hand traced against the cavern wall as I made my way through the passageway.

Before long, I found myself on a series of islands suspended over a black abyss. Only one of these islands had a spring as a source of water, and the others barren. I was here last time, and I can still recall when I almost fell off the edge. A beam of light from the outside world shone above, followed with the chatter and squeaks of bats. Hell, I could see the skeletons of some of the participants in the Ascension ceremony next to me. Poor guys.

"Mom!"

I stopped. Something brushed by me and ran towards the pond. My eyes narrowed when I saw it. It was me, a child stuck in time. That hair was unmistakable. That wasn't my imagination or memories when I touched my arm. He — I — was real enough. This had to be another trick by the Darkness. So, I ran after myself. When we were at the island with the spring, I stopped running and watched myself looking around, crying out for mom. Before long, I knew I had called something's attention.

Shadowy figures emerged from the ground, roaring at my younger self. As expected of a child self, I fell back in fright and backed away as best I could. It wasn't long before I charged in and dispatched the shadow creatures with Path to the Light in clean slashes, blade unwavering in its glow. The surviving monsters howled in pain from the Light and fled. I turned back to see myself, only for him to cower. Illusion or not, I put the sword back in its sheath and knelt in front of him. My hand reached for him on its own will and my younger self stopped trembling. He looked at me, straight into my soul.

"Sparda?!"

I looked up to see where the call came from, then back at myself. Sometimes, I wish I never did that. A weapon hummed by my ear the moment I looked back and sprung to my feet. In my younger self's place was another Dark Knight, lacking a cape and his armor appearing biomechanical especially with his arm. His helmet was cracked to reveal an eye, I knew who this was. My blood boiled, and at the same time, I didn't want to relive some of the things I've done.

"Hayden…"

My best friend said nothing and brandished the glaive I inherited from him. His breathing still haunts me, since I knew he had an oxygen mask built in his helmet. Meaning? His breathing was not human, replaced by a mechanical lung and hissing. To confront him again, spirit or an illusion, it didn't sink in well. Even after the missions we had together and the times we had a blast, Hayden was still like a brother. How dare you, Darkness? Mimicking my best friend?!

Reluctantly, I drew Path to the Light and gripped it with both hands. I had to remember that this was the Praetorium, not the past. Hayden is dead because of me. No, not because of me. Because of the Cyphers. All I was, was the Cyphers' tool to eliminate him. Had it been my choice, I would've spared him. Gave him the medical treatment he needed.

Hayden's breathing increased and he made the first strike. By now, I memorized his movements and how he uses his glaive. Swing from the left, dodge right. Even if I knew his combat style, everything was shuffled around, became unreadable. This shuffle forced me to keep my guard at all times. Rather than rely on my predictions and knowledge, I deflected each swipe and swing of the throwing weapon while he was at close range by instinct. Guess the obstacle courses did serve a purpose, after all. The imposter caught onto my instinctual attacks and copied me, mimicking Hayden's own movements.

It increasingly became difficult for me to keep up the more he adapted to the situation. My advantage was leveling with his until we knew the other's moves. Of course, I didn't engage my helmet as per tradition once I set foot in here.

Before he could throw it, I tripped him up and unsurprisingly, he threw it already. It wasn't too much of a chore to intercept the glaive and put him in a losing scenario.

Somehow, I forgot that he had more than one glaive as he created another and threw it at me. I threw the one I intercepted and detonated a corrosive payload once it was within proximity with its copy. Both of them became useless after the payload and I took the chance to take 'Hayden' by surprise. I managed to warp behind him and grapple him to prevent escape, crushing his system to create duplicate glaives. As the flashbacks came to me and Hayden's respirator frantically supplying him oxygen, it became clear there was only one way to end this. With Path to the Light, I thrust the blade through his chest and armor.

"W-why, Sparda…?" Hayden finally spoke, monotonous and cold like his respirator.

"You're not him. You're not Hayden," I stabbed deeper, certain I heard bones crack. "All you are is an imposter."

I withdrew the sword and kicked Hayden off, body collapsing to the floor and disintegrating into dark mist. My eyes met the blade and I held it by the blade. At the encrusted hilt, one of the gems that were transparent filled with gray. Asada's words came back to me, how I had to figure out the rite of passage. If I had to guess, it was by defeating the past again. By my count, there were at least three more transparent gems.

A violent shaking broke me from my thoughts and I kept my footing. An earthquake?! My eyes looked at the intersecting bridges connecting the suspending islands. They were crumbling into dust. I didn't realize I cursed, being more aware that this island was only suspending over the abyss because of those two bridges. Breaking into a run, I went for the isle that was opposite of the one I entered and watched my step. However, the rock under my foot crumbled and my leg was caught. Try as I may to get my leg out, it felt like the rock bit my leg and refused to let go. And then—

The earth underneath me collapsed. Every single rock of it. My eyes widened, hands clutching at the best I could get to ensure the abyss below didn't devour me. As luck would have it, I caught a rock below the surface of the island and my fall stopped. I held on as much as I could against the violent shakes. The dark below was hungry, jaws clamping open and shut for its next meal. That was as far as I can go. Amongst the rumbling of the isles and rocks shattering, the shard that I held onto for dear life joined its brethren. It drowned out in the midst of the earthquake.

The air beneath me ran me over and swallowed me into the abyss. And as I yelled from the midst of my fall, no one would hear me, not even from the hole in the cavern ceiling. Was I a fool for not being cautious in here? No. Because I knew one thing for sure.

This was just the beginning.


A/N: Well, here we are again with another look into Spectre's training. If you ask me, I felt like this was appropriate to show out of all the training he could do. So, maybe I'll skip the training in the future and cut to it. What do you guys think?

Dragonscale1235: Thanks, mate!

Wesseldg02: Well, you're in luck I'm still active.

Till next time, chaps!