Do not doubt
The stone walkways eventually lead up to a palace in the distance. It is carved out of a rare form of glittering amethyst, smooth in some places and jagged in others, but elegantly carved. It is beautiful to the eyes the way a harp is soothing for the ears. It is perhaps even more magnificent than the Crystal Palace in Deningrad.
Miranda says this and Meru smiles. "That is the palace of the Winglies. Whatever is calling me is in there. Come on." She starts across a walkway, delicate-looking, like the flimsy golden contraction that had led Albert to the real princess Emille in the painting, to wake her up and save the kingdom.
But no sooner does her sandal put weight on the walkway does it collapse.
Breaks into little pieces the way a thin piece of ice shatters when you flick it with your finger. Meru shrieks and her name is called by her friends. Regaining control, her wings slide out and she flutters like a mad bird in the air before she can calm down enough to hover peacefully.
"I've gotta face this by myself, guys." She says, winking at us. "I'll be back in a minute."
Wavering slightly on her wings, she flies toward the grand entrance of the Wingly palace.
"So now what? We just wait?"
"Yes. Meru has to face her challenge. I'm sure that when it's over, the walkway will be restored." Dart says.
I narrow my eyes, expanding my pupils. Over the thousands of years I have learned how to strain my eyesight. "There's a platform there…" I say slowly. "Right in front of the entrance. We can get over there without using up too much Spirit Points."
Dart considers this and nods, giving me permission. I allow the sweet tension to flow through me, and my wings carry me across the distance to the platform. I can hear five soft landings beside me and a heavier thud as the Giganto lands.
One of the enormous doors is open, but when I try to get across it is like running into a wall. I swear quietly, kicking at it. "Powerful magic created this shield. The Moon obviously does not want us to interfere with Meru's challenge." I report.
"At least we can watch this way."
Meru is speaking with someone who looks oddly familiar. A tall shapely woman dressed in a modest beige toga, with six arms and six wings.
"That's the Archangel." Meru explains. "She's like someone who the Winglies worship. A goddess…I think."
"Don't you worship her, Meru?" Albert asks.
Meru shrugs. "I dunno."
Meru had never seemed like the religious type, and I have a feeling that this would be a test of faith.
"Meru," The Archangel says in a voice like silver bells muffled by flower petals. "You are a Wingly female, and yet you have disobeyed the Wingly traditions. You've left behind your own world to join the world of Humans! The very humans who threw our race out of power!"
"They only overthrew the ancient Winglies because they were out of control!" the petite dancer retorts. "The ancient Winglies killed off half the living species!"
"We only did that because they didn't deserve to live. If anything could be annihilated so easily, what good did life do to it?" The Archangel tilts her head as if she knows Meru cannot answer.
"It doesn't mean that they don't deserve to live! Everything is put here for a reason. Archangel, it was the Winglies that were wrong. Because they were wrong, Humans threw them out of power. But because of that, Winglies hate the Humans!"
"With ample reason. And yet you broke the tradition by leaving the Winglies and joining forces with the humans!"
"Archangel, the Humans are not as bad as you make them out to be." Meru declares.
"Defend your theory with a fight, Meru. Let's see what is the more powerful." The Archangel lunges forward with a sword that is held in one of her six hands.
The dancer leaps high in the air, avoiding the thrust easily. "The rest of the Winglies worship you, Archangel, and I respect you. But I respect my friends as well, and a friend will defend the honor of those that are close to her." She picks up her intricate silver hammer, and moves in toward the Archangel.
She makes fighting look like a well-choreographed dance. Her movements are fluid, connected together in imperceptible tones, the hammer simply an extension of herself. The Archangel stands there, taking the strikes.
"Some humans are terrible, Archangel, just like some Winglies are terrible. But many are kind and honest and sweet, also like many Winglies. We are not so different. Just because we have wings and magic we have to be separated from them? That's wrong, Archangel!" Meru screams. "We need to learn to coexist with each other, to restore the peace that was here thousands of years before."
"Meru, you have violated a sacred taboo of the Wingly tradition. But it can still be repented, as long as you give up your Human friends and come back with me. I will speak to the ancestor for you. You will be allowed back to the village, back to your Wingly heritage. All you need to do is give up your human friends. After all, they are only human, only inferior."
Meru's eyes blaze with an unholy light. When she speaks it is a quiet commanding tone. "Humans are just like Winglies, Archangel. I would have thought that as a god you would understand this. But it seems that you do not. The appearances are different, and so are the magic levels. But humans feel pain, just like Winglies do. Humans feel pride, just like Winglies do. And Humans feel love and hate, just like Winglies do. I have learned all this by exploring the human world, by seeing their traditions, but enjoying their happiness, and by sharing their sorrow. By holding ourselves above them, we are nothing. Humans are not inferior. And by staying with the humans, I am not relinquishing my Wingly heritage. I am only making myself more, not less."
"It is a simple proposition, Meru. Will you come back with me and give up the humans that have clouded your judgment?"
"No!"
The Archangel sighs. "So be it." One of her hands is holding a trumpet, which she lifts to her lips. She blows a simple tune, a summoning, a reveille.
The open ceiling is covered in clouds. Through the clouds pierces an arrow of golden light, and it widens, allowing figures to fly through. Winglies, each holding a blade.
At the Archangel's command, they all swoop down on their shaft-of-light wings toward Meru.
No, Meru, watch out!
She falls to her knees as the first blade enters her flesh. At least a hundred of those terrible sort of Winglies, cutting her as they fly by. Meru suffers through it, until the Winglies all return to wherever they come from. Surprising everyone, Meru stands up.
"I am going to continue, Archangel. I owe my friends that much. I go through this for my friends, to learn new sensations and experience new joys. Along the line there are bound to be some sorrows, such as Coolon dying, but we get through it together. Everyone." Meru's breathing is in ragged gasps. "Everyone is my friend, and without each other, we are vulnerable. That's why we stay together, forming a team of warriors strong enough to defy fate. All together, our virtues form something more powerful than you can control. I stand by my decision. I'm staying with my friends."
The Archangel lowers the trumpet, the sword, the book, the rose, and the harp. She bows her head. "Well said, Meru. You've proven that you truly do care for your friends and you would do anything for them. Come here, child."
The dancer limps toward the Archangel, who puts her long slender arms around her. When Meru steps out of the embrace, the bleeding on her body is gone. Not a single gash mars the perfect flesh.
The Archangel smiles. "I wish you luck in your journey, Meru. May your friendship never end." She raises her head to the heavens and a brilliant golden light washes her away.
We each came on this journey for different reasons. But for Meru, it was entirely friendship. The entire thing was based upon friendship for her. That was why it was her challenge. For me, it was to forgive the things of the past and make a better future. For Meru, it was for her friendship.
The invisible shield that I had been leaning against suddenly gives way, and I topple into the room. Finding my footing again, I run over to Meru. "Are you safe?"
She throws her arms around my waist and it is because of compassion and patience, not an obligation of duty, that I do not shake her off. "Yeah, Sissy, I'm fine."
"Sissy?" I echo.
"Sorry. It's what I heard one of the Winglies say to her sister. It's an affectionate term. I'm not calling you a coward."
I have to hold back a smile as I help her to her feet. "You sure you're all right?"
"Yeah, Rose, thanks. I'm fine. The Archangel was here. I just passed my challenge." She looks up and smiles. The smile slowly fades. "But I don't feel so good. Excuse me…"
She ducks past Kongol, running over to the edge and vomiting. Haschel stands besides her, patting her back fondly.
When she comes back, she is smiling again. "I knew I shouldn't have had that steak. So come on! What are we waiting for? We all have our supplies, we've all faced our fears, we have a portal, and we're all as ready as we'll ever be! Let's go, go, go!"
Your energy had seemed an annoyance at times, however, it is something to hold on to, to say that there will always be something optimistic out there.
The golden light that the Archangel had disappeared into is our next portal. I step into it without hesitation, and this time the weightlessness brings a new thrill to me. When we arrive, we are in a room that I have never seen before. Everything is squarely cut, without curves anywhere, and a shimmering silver tint to everything. A crackling snapping sound is in my ears, and I flinch.
Dart tilts his head. "Listen, do you hear that?"
"All I hear is that infernal sound. What the hell is that?" I snarl.
"No, not that. Listen…" The warrior heads in one particular direction. "I can hear Shana calling me…"
I strain my ears, but I cannot hear the Moon Child's voice. Instead, I simply follow Dart. I trust him.
Dart's intuition had been right, because the polygons melted into a regular room, though lava-colored, and the terrible sound disappeared. I would have sighed in relief, had there not been a hideous gigantic monster standing by the doorway to what I knew for sure would be the final battle.
"It's a Super Virage! It must be serving as the gatekeeper for the God of Destruction!" I pull out my Dark Death.
"I don't care what is waiting for us." Dart says stubbornly. "We came here to save the world. Let's do it then."
The Virage turned around suddenly, emerging all the way, and to my horror, I realized that the hideous gigantic monster I had seen was only its tail. The entire thing was five times as large.
"Transform, all of you!" Dart commands. "Attack it from all positions! One of us will confuse it and draw its attention while the others attack!"
No doubt it was the most powerful creature we have ever fought before. More powerful than anything I had felt. But it had to succumb. Dart's battle plan was flawless, with the seven of us and only one of it. It was inevitable that it would fall. It had to. The seven of us darting around like mosquitoes. Mosquitoes were too small and evasive for one to get rid of, but they could do a lot of harm.
Meru gives a little battle cry, bashing her hammer in the side of its head. As it swivels its face to her, I glide forward on powerful wings, the Dark Death piercing a soft spot on the back of its neck. When it turns toward me, Kongol flies toward it.
Meru was right. Each of our attributes overlapped into a dense shield, powerful, unbreakable.
Dart yells something, and Haschel nods, lifting his face up to the stone ceiling. "Atomic Mind!"
The ceiling breaks apart when the bolt of lightning strikes it from the outside. The white-blue lightning is drawn into Haschel's hands, and he deflects it straight into the Super Virage's heart. He holds the lightning like it is a solid substantial thing, gathering and forming it into a blade.
The Super Virage stumbles, and its tail catches me across the face, snapping my head back. I growl, gingerly feeling the welt on my cheek. Why do they always aim for the face? It wasn't that I was some sort of look-obsessed lady that spent all her waking hours sitting in front of mirror. But I had learned that women who were able to flirt with the guards would have easier access to high-security area, and it was hard to flirt with bruises all over one's face.
Miranda moves underneath the opening in the roof. The sunlight reflects off her silver armor at such an angle that it effectively blinds the Super Virage. Dart and I both fly forward, exchanging a silent agreement. The sword cut at the same time, slicing open the two major arteries in the neck. It is defeated.
I dive out of the way just in time to avoid the blood that spills out. Dart is not so lucky. The thick brown liquid hurtles toward him and he curls his wings around him, shielding his front.
"Yuck." Dart beats his wings back and forth, shaking the goop in all directions. Albert protests when one flying glob nearly struck his new cape, as he had transformed back to Human. I hold out an old rag, and Dart uses it to wipe the residue off.
Pausing suddenly in the motions, he looks around. "The voice stopped. Shana…where are you?" he turns to the rest of us. "Shana was calling me before we fought the Virage. But now her voice is gone…" he stares at the body on the ground with eyes wide with horror. "Was in the Super Virage that we defeated, in reality, Shana?"
"No." I answer immediately. "It couldn't have been."
Dart nods, but his fears are not mollified. They could never be until he held her in his arms again.
"That battle must have taken an hour." Miranda says. "And we're all tired. The last battle is behind that portal, but we cannot afford to fight in this condition. We need to rest up, eat, and charge up the Spirit Points again."
"We made a lot of noise in the battle," I agree. "And the Virage falling indeed made a loud noise. We've lost the element of surprise. Zieg knows we're coming, and no doubt he is ready for us. It would make more sense to rest now, instead to fight him wearily. We cannot afford to make any mistakes here."
"Agreed." Dart says. "Half of us will charge up as many Spirit Points as we can now. Then take a rest. The other half will guard against monsters and build up the SP that way. Then switch. Make sure you're at your full battle potential. We have to be ready for anything that—my father can throw at us."
I can hear the pause in his voice before he said 'my father'. No doubt it pains him that he will have to fight his father, just as it pains me. Furthermore, he may have to fight Shana as well, his soulmate, his childhood friend, his love. I had learned how to dull most of the emotions over the years so that it didn't hurt so much, but Dart didn't know how.
I walk over to him and set my hand on his shoulder lightly. He turns toward me and I say, "I can teach you how to quiet the feelings if you want."
He shakes his head. "No thanks. If I stop feeling the guilt while I am fighting the two that are a part of me, then I will become nothing more than what Michael was, a cold heartless killing machine."
I squeeze his shoulder affectionately. "Well spoken."
The next day, I wake up and stretch, warming up my body to its full potential. If I am to fight Zieg, I must be ready for anything. He was the head of the Dragoons, the murderer of Melbu Frahma, and he was still my love. No doubt he would use both physical and emotional options to hurt me, as long as it would put me out of the battle. I steel myself. The old Zieg would thank you for this. Don't have any regrets.
Melbu Frahma…
The Wingly Emperor was suddenly in my mind, with his sea-green eyes glowing with hatred. He had scared the hell out of me every time I saw him, and I admired Zieg for managing to defeat him. But that wouldn't stop me from killing him if I needed to.
When the entire team is ready, we move through the portal. For some reason, I feel an inexplicable reason to laugh. This is the final battle, with the seven Dragoons here to defend the fate of the world. But we were sneaking through the portal like a group of thieves. This was not the honor I had been searching for. I shake my head slightly.
The room on the other side is not lava-colored as the previous room was. It is made of stone and dark like a cave, the only light coming from a bright pale blue sphere on the far side of the room. There was a figure in the light, casting a shadow. A girl, curled up with her knees up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. Her head was buried in her knees, and she looked so tiny and insignificant, but there was no mistaking Shana.
"Shana!" Dart yells. She doesn't move.
That blue sphere…is that the Virage Embryo? Is it already too late?
Dart runs forward, his sword hanging naked in his hand. "Shana!" He yells again. I can hear his thoughts, feel his hope that it is not too late, that he can still save her.
A shape drops from the sky, a tall slender man in supple red armor, with golden hair. He reaches out and snatches the Dragoon Spirit off of Dart's neck and I am reminded of Mappi so long ago. The figure leaps back from Dart's reflexive slash.
The Dragoon Spirit glows in Zieg's hand, star-like. He holds it up triumphantly.
"No!" I scream. "The Red-Eyed Dragon still recognizes you as its Master?!"
"That would be correct. I was its master eleven thousand years ago."
"You don't deserve to use spirits!" Suddenly the Dark Death is in my hand, and I am trembling in bloodlust. He dares to use the spirits after abusing them? Fighting against the Dragoons, he still has the Red-Eyed Dragon to recognize him as master?
"The world is going to be annihilated anyway." Zieg says pleasantly, as if this is a normal conversation. This is all normal to him, isn't it? It seemed natural, meant to happen. Good grief, he wasn't evil, he was insane. "It matters not what spirits I choose to help me. Do not stand in my way."
"We won't let you do this!" Dart says passionately. "Humans and everything other being on Endiness has lives, lives that cannot just be thrown away when the god grows tired of them. We have a choice in what we want to happen!"
"There is no such choice. If you will not get out of my way, then I shall simply have to battle you."
Dart stands defiant, chin lifted proudly.
Zieg's eyes flash. "So be it."
He holds up the pendant like a prize, and it glows brighter than before, its red light spilling out of the Dragoon Spirit and down his arm, across his chest, down his legs, over his face. I remember Zieg had made transforming seem like an art, beautiful and exhilarating. I remember watching him as he transformed, as he did now, making it seem as if he was the only one in the world.
The light begins to fade, not enough to lose its unearthly beauty, but just enough so that I can see every piece of armor slide into place, see the wings burst from his shoulder blades, see the sword grow stronger and charged with energy. When the transformation is finished, the red fire disappears and Zieg the Dragoon is standing there.
"Father!" Dart yells. His hand is automatically clutching the Dragoon Spirit that is not there. He cannot transform now.
"Zieg…" To everyone's surprise, I step back to a safe distance. Maybe I can get him in a different way…
I stretch out my mind, probing at his lightly. Probably I can influence him…
My mind, like a jagged black crystal blade, pokes at his thoughts, trying to wiggle in. His mind, like a burning ember, suddenly roars into life, bursting up and grabbing mine. Instead of pushing my mind away as I thought he would, the flames reach out and grab me, dragging me into his mind.
My thoughts scream instinctively as they are buried into his mind. This was what I had been attempting—to find a complete mind-link with someone. But the dominant person does not feel flustered and confused, as I do now. I can almost see him sneering. His physical body is still moving, blocking and attacking the five Dragoons that are attacking it. Meanwhile, my body is lying limply on the ground, I am sure.
You wanted to talk to me, didn't you, Rose? He asks. Well we are talking now. What is it that you wanted me to listen to?
I force control into my mind, bringing steadiness to myself. I know this isn't you, Zieg. What happened to you?
And what happened to the pathetic little child that always followed me, obeying my every order?
I recoil, and then push forward stronger than before. Maybe I was just a pathetic child, and perhaps you never loved me. But I loved you and that is all that was important to me. I know that something changed you! This isn't the way you used to be. Remember this?
I send thoughts into his mind, taking control, becoming the dominant mind. In a world where nothing exists until you want it to, it is easy to bring old memories to life.
"Zieg? When we finish this war, what's going to happen?"
He turned his face from whatever he was studying in the distance to look at me. "Well…Humans are going to be in charge and hopefully everything will be like the way it used to be. The Winglies and Humans will coexist. No more killing."
"What about us? Me and you."
He lowered his head slightly to drop a kiss on top of my head. "Well…I was thinking about this. After the war, things will calm down significantly. I mean, after the injured are taken care of and all the properties are redistributed. But then things will be quiet. We will have peace. And…"
I heard the strange tone in his voice. He was trying to be subtle about something. "Zieg, what are you saying?"
"I'm saying…I would like very much to share that peace with you. A personal sort of peace…" He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "What I'm saying is…Rose, will you marry me?"
I would never forget that moment, the feeling that had flown up inside me, like a balloon being released, lifting upward. I felt like the stars were being laid at my feet, and I threw my arms around his neck. "My love, you know I will."
There was no engagement ring, but our marriage would be a union of mind. It didn't matter if I had a little ring or not. As long as I had his love.
I can feel Zieg's feel disconcerted, backing away. Do you remember this? I ask him.
Stay away from me!
He was defensive and frightened, the way a wounded animal was. He didn't like this mind link. Good. Maybe in his confusion, I could slip some more thoughts into his mind, to remind him who he was. He had to remember! I didn't want to kill him.
We walked into the room where the other five Dragoons were resting. Shirley was meditating, but she looked up when we came in. Her head tipped slightly to the left, noticing the effervescent feeling within me. "Did something happen?" She asked. "It is rare to see such happiness during a war. I am glad."
I smiled at her. "Guys, I'm getting married!"
"Oh!" Damia fluttered over to me on her wings, hugging me. "Congratulations!"
Syuveil broke into laughter, clapping Zieg on the back. "Took you long enough! For a moment, I thought you'd let this lovely flower get away!"
"Congratulations." Belzac nodded at us.
"Can I see the ring?" Damia pleaded. "Please, please?"
I exchanged glances with Zieg. "We don't have one. Marriage is a union of mind. It doesn't need to be symbolized by a ring."
Kanzas snorted. "In other words, he was too cheap to buy one."
Zieg sent him a warning glance, with no malice behind it. We were like that. I didn't know everyone that well, because Zieg was what my world was based upon. But I knew that we would never turn on each other. After the war…who knew what possibilities would be opened?
Shirley was frowning, the only being unhappy here. "Are you sure this is wise?" She asked quietly. "The love that you two feel for each other is genuine and deep. However, if something should happen to either of you…I am afraid the other shall not be able to deal with it."
I was about to point out that she herself was in love, with Belzac, but Zieg interrupted. "Shirley, Rose and I are in love, yes. And we both understand the risks. But even if one of us dies, our bonds of affection are forever."
I end the flashback. Don't you remember that, Zieg? Don't you remember the love we felt?
He pulls his mind away, dislodging, casting me aside. I struggle to stay connected to him, grasping at him, trying to keep him with me. Stay away from me, witch. Either get out of my way or be destroyed. You're lying to me! Get away!
Doubt that the world does exist. Doubt that Dart is your son. Doubt that this isn't your true self. But do not doubt that I love you! I'm not leaving you like this!
Fine. He attacks then, in mind form, launching a sphere of energy, not unlike those that Winglies have, but in mental form. I form a shield, refusing to let the energy hurt me and it dissipates.
If a mind battle is what you want, then I'll be happy to oblige. I create a serpent with my thoughts. In astral fighting, anything can happen. I make the serpent coil around his mental form, squeezing tightly. He growls, his mental form shapeshifting into a hawk, flying out of my grasp, and diving down again. I slither away and shift into a panther, swiping one deadly claw at his form.
To my surprise, he changes back into Human and shuts his eyes. What is he—uh oh. His mind is pure energy now, like the energy spheres he used before. I am too slow to shield this time, and I recoil, my mind snapping out of the unknown place and back into my body.
"Rose?" Dart's hands are gentle as he helps me to a sitting position. "Are you all right?"
"Fine." I snarl, in a bad mood with good reason. Zieg, if you won't listen to reason, then I am sorry. "Demon's Dance!"
"Final Burst!" Zieg pulls back, high up to the ceiling. Tossing aside his sword, he calls on fire. It gathers in front of him and he forces it forward. He makes magic looks like it is the most natural thing in the world. For him, Dragoon magic is a part of his soul, so quick and fluid. His attacks had always been more powerful, like the fireball hurtling toward Dart right now.
"Dart!"
But the red-clad warrior is unharmed. His new armor was created to be unsusceptible to fire attacks. He is still standing there, staring at Shana, suspended in the glowing sphere.
While Zieg is coming back down to the ground, recharging, Kongol, the only one in Dragoon mode, attacks.
The Dragoons must have worn down Zieg while we were astral fighting because that is all it took to collapse him.
And yet he did not fall.
His body is limp and defeated, unconscious. And yet he is lifted into the air by the back of his neck, like a puppet being controlled by an unknown hand. The red Dragoon armor is still in place, and the wings are spread out as if he was in pain. He speaks with his head to the ground. "The time has come…"
His voice is spooky, haunting. It sends chills down my spine. "I have no more need of this flesh."
What are you talking about?
"What?" Dart asks, confused. "Father!"
Zieg starts to shake, as if smothering a laugh. His head, which had been hanging limply, suddenly snaps up and glares at us.
With eyes that are glowing sea-green with hatred.
I gasp. "You!"