Rena watched the road fly by her feat as she ran. Claude had said not to look back, but seeing as how he wasn't catching up yet, she wanted to take a glance back towards the direction of the shrine. However, the gray sky now was pitch black, and an ominous feeling surrounded her. Something had happened, and she didn't want to be around when that something caught up with them.
She looked to her left and saw Pae keeping pace with her. The brown-haired girl had a frightened expression on her face, but she seemed to be trying her best to hide it. To Rena's right was Lena, whose face was unreadable. Rena could imagine what she was thinking though…betraying your sister, even for the right cause, would always be a hard thing to take.
In front of her was Celine, who didn't look like she'd ever run out of energy. The tenacity that she ran at was amazing…it was as if she had some secret source of energy that she was tapping into.
Lastly, Chisato was picking up the pace behind the group. It was unusual, as Chisato normally had the most energy of the bunch. Nevertheless, Rena heard no gasps for breath behind her.
We've got to make it away from here, Rena thought, but where? The spirit-…Claude…-took us with his powers everywhere he went. I don't know where we can go to escape whatever it is Claude is trying to protect us-
A glimmer of light appeared in the road ahead, breaking Rena free of her thoughts. The other girls saw it too and slowed down. A blinding flash of light seeped from the glimmer, and slowly faded to reveal Claude, carrying the injured Lia. He smiled as he saw the girls.
"Good, you got away. But we don't have much time. I will take you on my shortcut…but do not be afraid of those you see when we arrive, and do not make any hostile moves, or you will not live."
The girls all nodded and moved closer to Claude. Then, with a blink, the scenery began to melt and change before their eyes. The trip was over as quickly as it had started. Rena recognized the land around her.
"This is where we first landed…" Rena said, slowly.
Claude glanced at her with sadness in his eyes. "Yes. This is the connection between the world of the living and that of the dead."
Chisato was puzzled. "Dead?"
Claude sat down on a rock. "No living person is ever supposed to enter this land. Ket proved why when she destroyed countless souls. This place is protected haven, the afterlife."
Pae looked at Claude. "The afterlife…is this heaven, or hell?"
Claude looked at her and smiled. "This is what you make it." His smile faded. "When Chi attempted to control time, the force that actually is time was awakened. After it learned that living beings had invaded their world, it destroyed Chi's soul. She and her soul exist no longer."
Lena and Pae had a sad look on their faces, but Claude continued. "Ket is different. Her malicious nature is dealt with in another manner…eternal anguish. It is that cliché…what goes around, comes around."
Pae lowered her head and attempted to force back a sniffle. Chisato looked at Claude with annoyance. He understood.
"I apologize for my bluntness, but I have a reason to tell you this. Now that time has been awakened, it will search the worlds for any oddities. You must not be in this world a second longer. Time will find you, it always does. …close your eyes."
The girls complied, and a group of light flashes appeared around them. When the light faded, the girls were looking at a group of 15 or so robed figures, all with certain crests on their robes. Claude looked at Celine.
"We can open the portal for you, but we cannot walk through as well. As is such, you must be the one to seal the door. I know you have the power, you are the strongest sister. Lia, Lena and Pae will also be able to help. No other living being should enter this realm."
Celine nodded. Claude turned to Lena and Ket.
"Destroy the book."
The girls nodded.
Rena looked at Claude dumbfounded. "Claude…"
The youth looked at Rena, colorless eyes piercing her soul.
"Rena…I cannot come with you."
Rena's eyes flooded with tears and she fell into Claude. He held onto her tightly, calming her.
"Rena…please…don't be sad."
Rena looked up into Claude's eyes and cried onto his shoulder once more.
The group of robed men held their hands out into a circle and mumbled a slow chant. Slowly, yet surely, a gash appeared in the hill next to them. Through the opening was a brown, rock laden cave…the entrance to the next world.
"its not Yet OVER yet YET boY."
Claude turned quickly and took a step back at the sight before him. The girl, Ket, was standing there…but it held little resemblance to the girl he'd left at the shrine just moments earlier. Her bright yellow hair was now dull silver, and there was no color left in her body. Her eyes, once so vibrant, were gone. In their place were two holes, like a skeletons skull. By all accounts, she looked dead…she looked worse then dead. She looked gruesome.
Claude was the first to speak. "Even in torment, you strive to cause pain to others."
The ghoul was unfazed. "pain is nothing NOTHING if you seek revenge ReVenge REVENGE."
Claude pulled out his sword. "Ironic. My murderer will soon become my victim."
The ghoul cackled. "kill kill kill MAKE ME DEAD. simple. already DEAD!"
Claude shrugged. "So am I." He did not move his gaze from the ghoul-girl. "Get through that gash! You have to get out of here now!!"
The Ghoul summoned a bolt of lightning from the dark skies and shot it quickly at Claude. The speed caught him off-guard and he staggered a several steps backwards.
"eVEN in death power, it is GRAND."
Claude rushed at the girl and sliced at her, but he missed as she dodged. Ket took the opportunity to claw the sword to the side. Claude, now weaponless, stepped back as the girl moved slowly closer to him.
Celine was tense. She didn't want Claude to die, to lose his spirit. She had been raising her hands and shouting cheers, but it didn't help, so she slowly moved her hands into her pocket. However, she then felt pain sliding up her finger. Hope swelled in her as she pulled out the dagger she'd pilfered.
"CLAUDE!"
She yelled to him and she tossed the knife towards him, just as Ket was about to strike towards his scalp. He placed the dagger in front of him and watched as her body slid into it slowly. Ket looked down at the dagger…then smiled.
"already DEAD dead BOY. soul, GivE me!"
Claude sighed. "Before that, Ket, let me ask you one quick question."
Ket hesitated. "QUICK, want noW."
Claude smiled. "Ket…have you ever been distracted before?"
The only sound that anyone heard after that was Ashton's blade slicing through Ket's neck. The ghoul-girl looked shocked for a moment as the metal touched her skin, but then no emotion was noticeable. Her cold body crumpled to the floor. The group watched as the corpse slowly dissolved into dust.
Claude smiled at Ashton and put his hand on his shoulder. "I owe you…I'll never forget you."
Ashton simply shrugged. "I'm just lucky that the gash was open. I'm no her-" Chisato ran to him and hugged him tight, kissing her new hero before he could deny that he was one. Rena did the same for Claude.
The celebrations did not last, however. The sky began to grow darker. Claude's eyes widened. "Everyone through the gash! NOW!"
Claude didn't have to tell them twice. Lena and Pae led the group, followed by Celine, Chisato and Ashton. Rena was about to step through, but turned and stared at Claude. She walked to him.
Claude's eyes were pleading. "Rena…you have to go. Do not stay here any longer or you may die too."
Rena ignored him and sniffled. "Then I'll never see…you…?"
Claude hugged her. "Rena…I'll be waiting. I'll be waiting…but don't lose your love for life, or else your life of living will have been wasted."
Claude reached into his top shirt pocket and pulled out a little black box. He handed it to Rena.
"Don't open it yet…I'd like your answer, the next time I see you."
Claude hugged the now sobbing Rena, and nodded to Celine. "I'm sorry" was all Rena heard before being pushed through the gash into the waiting arms of Celine and Lena. She cried out and attempted to run back to him, but Ashton held her back.
Celine stood and chanted a few words, and a blast of light blinded everyone. The wall seemed to explode with color. It faded quickly, and left behind the jagged edges of the rock walls. Rena ran her hands across the wall, slowly muttering "Claude…" over and over under her breath.
Pae and Lena brought the book and quickly made short work of it, making sure that no more adventurous teens might open the door. Celine finally was reunited with Chris, as Chi's barrier had finally been dropped. After finally finishing the last touches, they decided to head back to see how they could help to rebuild the once-great kingdom of Cross.
All except Rena. She watched as the others made their way back to the surface, then she opened the box Claude had given her.
It was the ring. The one she and Claude had looked at in Salva…it looked like diamond, but with a greenish tint to it.
On the band, Claude had engraved, "Until Forever Ends".
~fin