CHAPTER 15:
OBTAINING VALUEABLE INFORMATION
Sethylos fled from the shrine in fear when he saw his master struck down. Justin staggered to his feet and walked up to Baal. The sword had completely sliced him open, revealing his gooey insides. Baal was still alive, and he raised his head up at Justin.
"R-resistance...is...f-futile!" Baal stammered. "Y-you will...never...defeat...me...or Gaia!!"
"Just admit it Baal!" Justin shouted. "You've lost!! There's no way you can recover from damage like that!!"
"Fool!! Obviously...you...do not...know. E-everytime you...defeat me...in battle...you only...trigger...my evolution!!"
"Wh-what?!" Justin exclaimed. He thought about what Baal had just said. The first time Justin fought Baal was on the Grandeur. After defeating him, Baal had that freaky shoulder of his. Then, he faced him in the J Base, and Baal evolved again. Finally, Justin fought Baal in Gaia itself, and he became that grub-thing. "No!" Justin cried out in disbelief. "I-it can't be!! Are you trying to tell me that every time we tried to destroy you, we've only been helping your evolution along?!!"
"Y-you see, boy?!! You...cannot...win! Wh-why...don't you just...give up...while you...still have the chance?!!"
"Give up?! Never!! I don't care if I have to fight you for the rest of my life! I won't back down to you!! I'll keep coming for you, Baal! I'll keep coming for you, no matter what!!!" And with that, Justin raised his leg up, and stomped his foot down on the worm's round head, splattering warm juices all over himself. However, he knew that this would barely help, for Baal wasn't completely gone. He would soon evolve yet again.
"Justin," Feena spoke up from behind him. "Baal will return, won't he?"
This, however, didn't matter to Justin right now. He kept looking at the damage Baal had received from the Spirit Sword, and dropped to his knees, a look of shock on his face. "F-Feena," he began, completely devastated. "I...I could have...killed you. I...I almost...killed...the person...I care about...more than anyone else."
Feena walked up behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "It wasn't your fault," she replied, comforting him. "That wasn't you holding me to the ground. It was Baal."
The others began to awaken. "Wh-what happened?" Leen asked, confused.
"Don't worry," Justin said. He looked down at what remained of Baal. "It's all over...for now."
"So," a voice called out from behind them. Everyone turned around to see a short, old man hobbling up to them. "You have succeeded in defeating the evil one."
"Wh-who are you?" Justin asked the old man.
"I am Agron, Gaia researcher of Uolegna."
"What?! Gaia researcher?!" Justin exclaimed, recoiling.
"Relax, relax! I'm on your side. You say that you want to defeat Gaia, once and for all. I can help you with that. I have been studying Gaia for most of my life, so I know more about it than anyone else."
"But, why do you want to help us? Don't you worship Gaia, like the rest of those psychos?"
"Oh, of course not. Ever since I was a boy, I have been interested in Gaia. After discovering just how powerful and destructive it could be, I wished to find a way to destroy it. In order to do that, I needed to know everything about Gaia. When I was seventeen, I found this continent, and came upon the Uolegnanians. I soon realized that these people worship Gaia, and this is where I would be able to find out all there is to know about Gaia. The Uolegnanians ended up revering me as a Gaia researcher, never realizing that my goal is to find a way to finally bring Gaia to its end. So, go ahead. Ask me anything about Gaia, and I'll give you the answer. I know that you have many questions."
"Well, actually, I have only one question," Justin began. "How do we defeat Gaia? The legends say that only the Hero and Icarian can defeat Gaia, but that didn't work!"
"Justin, it's true that only the Hero and Icarian, working together, are able to defeat Gaia. The Spirits have chosen you and Feena to defeat Gaia, centuries before either of you were even born. That is your destiny. That is why the Spirits have allowed Feena to be born an Icarian. That is why the Spirits have allowed you, Justin, to leave Parm. That is why the Spirits have allowed you two to even meet in the first place!"
"I know that! But, if that is our destiny, why didn't it work?!"
"Justin, the legends also say that two Icarians are required to defeat Gaia. Why else do you think Feena was born with a twin? When you and Feena last faced Gaia, you only did fifty percent of the job. You needed two Icarians, not one. And, if two Icarians were born to oppose Gaia, than there should be two Heroes as well, one for each Icarian.
"What? There are two Heroes?!" Justin exclaimed. "But, who's the second one?"
"Well, the legends say that 'two Icarians and two Heroes will be born to defeat the evil Gaia. The Icarians will be twins and both female, one with red wings, the other with green. There will be two Heroes, each male, each the soul mate of one Icarian. One will be the son of an adventurer and pirate. The other will have an evil father, with an evil heart, and a humanoid mother.' Can you think of anyone like that?"
"The other...will have an evil father...and a humanoid mother," Justin repeated. "Hey! That...that's you, Mullen!!"
"Wait a minute, Justin," Feena interrupted. "What will happen now that we've defeated Gaia incorrectly?"
"If you want the answer to that question," Agron began, "just look at Baal. Every time you've defeated him in battle, you've caused him to evolve. He had Gaia's DNA injected into him just so he could obtain the ability to evolve, so that he'd grow more and more powerful in battle. Now that you've defeated him again, he will soon evolve again."
"So, Gaia's evolution was also a result of our defeating it," Justin replied. It all made sense now. Every time Gaia evolved, it was also after being defeated. After being immobilized at Zil Padon, Gaia evolved to its second stage of metamorphosis. Then, Leen blew it up, causing it to evolve once again. Now that they've defeated it a third time, who knew what would come out of that tree?! "So this is why I still have the Spirit Sword. Our job really isn't over. This is bad, Feena. Really bad."
"Well, Justin," Agron began again. "Perhaps what you call 'bad luck' is actually 'good luck'."
"Huh? Why's that?"
"Think of it, Justin. The Spirits have allowed you to keep the Spirit Sword because your job wasn't finished yet. It's the same reason that Leen came back from the dead. Her job wasn't finished yet, so she was brought back to try again. If you had succeeded in defeating Gaia, Justin, Leen would have never come back."
"I...I guess that kinda makes sense. But, something else is bothering me. When Feena used the power of the Icarians to defeat Baal just now, why didn't it work?"
"Well, when Baal evolved, he must have developed an immunity to the power of the Icarians. Chances are that the same goes for Gaia as well."
"What?!!!" Justin exclaimed. "What are we gonna do?! Gaia could emerge from its cocoon at any time now!!"
"Well, the power of the Icarians should work if Feena and Leen use them together. However, they won't be effective if both of the Heroes are not present as well."
It was now clear to them what their true destinies were. The Spirits have planned this retaliation against Gaia since the dawn of time. Now, it was time to put this plan to action.
TO BE CONTINUED
OBTAINING VALUEABLE INFORMATION
Sethylos fled from the shrine in fear when he saw his master struck down. Justin staggered to his feet and walked up to Baal. The sword had completely sliced him open, revealing his gooey insides. Baal was still alive, and he raised his head up at Justin.
"R-resistance...is...f-futile!" Baal stammered. "Y-you will...never...defeat...me...or Gaia!!"
"Just admit it Baal!" Justin shouted. "You've lost!! There's no way you can recover from damage like that!!"
"Fool!! Obviously...you...do not...know. E-everytime you...defeat me...in battle...you only...trigger...my evolution!!"
"Wh-what?!" Justin exclaimed. He thought about what Baal had just said. The first time Justin fought Baal was on the Grandeur. After defeating him, Baal had that freaky shoulder of his. Then, he faced him in the J Base, and Baal evolved again. Finally, Justin fought Baal in Gaia itself, and he became that grub-thing. "No!" Justin cried out in disbelief. "I-it can't be!! Are you trying to tell me that every time we tried to destroy you, we've only been helping your evolution along?!!"
"Y-you see, boy?!! You...cannot...win! Wh-why...don't you just...give up...while you...still have the chance?!!"
"Give up?! Never!! I don't care if I have to fight you for the rest of my life! I won't back down to you!! I'll keep coming for you, Baal! I'll keep coming for you, no matter what!!!" And with that, Justin raised his leg up, and stomped his foot down on the worm's round head, splattering warm juices all over himself. However, he knew that this would barely help, for Baal wasn't completely gone. He would soon evolve yet again.
"Justin," Feena spoke up from behind him. "Baal will return, won't he?"
This, however, didn't matter to Justin right now. He kept looking at the damage Baal had received from the Spirit Sword, and dropped to his knees, a look of shock on his face. "F-Feena," he began, completely devastated. "I...I could have...killed you. I...I almost...killed...the person...I care about...more than anyone else."
Feena walked up behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "It wasn't your fault," she replied, comforting him. "That wasn't you holding me to the ground. It was Baal."
The others began to awaken. "Wh-what happened?" Leen asked, confused.
"Don't worry," Justin said. He looked down at what remained of Baal. "It's all over...for now."
"So," a voice called out from behind them. Everyone turned around to see a short, old man hobbling up to them. "You have succeeded in defeating the evil one."
"Wh-who are you?" Justin asked the old man.
"I am Agron, Gaia researcher of Uolegna."
"What?! Gaia researcher?!" Justin exclaimed, recoiling.
"Relax, relax! I'm on your side. You say that you want to defeat Gaia, once and for all. I can help you with that. I have been studying Gaia for most of my life, so I know more about it than anyone else."
"But, why do you want to help us? Don't you worship Gaia, like the rest of those psychos?"
"Oh, of course not. Ever since I was a boy, I have been interested in Gaia. After discovering just how powerful and destructive it could be, I wished to find a way to destroy it. In order to do that, I needed to know everything about Gaia. When I was seventeen, I found this continent, and came upon the Uolegnanians. I soon realized that these people worship Gaia, and this is where I would be able to find out all there is to know about Gaia. The Uolegnanians ended up revering me as a Gaia researcher, never realizing that my goal is to find a way to finally bring Gaia to its end. So, go ahead. Ask me anything about Gaia, and I'll give you the answer. I know that you have many questions."
"Well, actually, I have only one question," Justin began. "How do we defeat Gaia? The legends say that only the Hero and Icarian can defeat Gaia, but that didn't work!"
"Justin, it's true that only the Hero and Icarian, working together, are able to defeat Gaia. The Spirits have chosen you and Feena to defeat Gaia, centuries before either of you were even born. That is your destiny. That is why the Spirits have allowed Feena to be born an Icarian. That is why the Spirits have allowed you, Justin, to leave Parm. That is why the Spirits have allowed you two to even meet in the first place!"
"I know that! But, if that is our destiny, why didn't it work?!"
"Justin, the legends also say that two Icarians are required to defeat Gaia. Why else do you think Feena was born with a twin? When you and Feena last faced Gaia, you only did fifty percent of the job. You needed two Icarians, not one. And, if two Icarians were born to oppose Gaia, than there should be two Heroes as well, one for each Icarian.
"What? There are two Heroes?!" Justin exclaimed. "But, who's the second one?"
"Well, the legends say that 'two Icarians and two Heroes will be born to defeat the evil Gaia. The Icarians will be twins and both female, one with red wings, the other with green. There will be two Heroes, each male, each the soul mate of one Icarian. One will be the son of an adventurer and pirate. The other will have an evil father, with an evil heart, and a humanoid mother.' Can you think of anyone like that?"
"The other...will have an evil father...and a humanoid mother," Justin repeated. "Hey! That...that's you, Mullen!!"
"Wait a minute, Justin," Feena interrupted. "What will happen now that we've defeated Gaia incorrectly?"
"If you want the answer to that question," Agron began, "just look at Baal. Every time you've defeated him in battle, you've caused him to evolve. He had Gaia's DNA injected into him just so he could obtain the ability to evolve, so that he'd grow more and more powerful in battle. Now that you've defeated him again, he will soon evolve again."
"So, Gaia's evolution was also a result of our defeating it," Justin replied. It all made sense now. Every time Gaia evolved, it was also after being defeated. After being immobilized at Zil Padon, Gaia evolved to its second stage of metamorphosis. Then, Leen blew it up, causing it to evolve once again. Now that they've defeated it a third time, who knew what would come out of that tree?! "So this is why I still have the Spirit Sword. Our job really isn't over. This is bad, Feena. Really bad."
"Well, Justin," Agron began again. "Perhaps what you call 'bad luck' is actually 'good luck'."
"Huh? Why's that?"
"Think of it, Justin. The Spirits have allowed you to keep the Spirit Sword because your job wasn't finished yet. It's the same reason that Leen came back from the dead. Her job wasn't finished yet, so she was brought back to try again. If you had succeeded in defeating Gaia, Justin, Leen would have never come back."
"I...I guess that kinda makes sense. But, something else is bothering me. When Feena used the power of the Icarians to defeat Baal just now, why didn't it work?"
"Well, when Baal evolved, he must have developed an immunity to the power of the Icarians. Chances are that the same goes for Gaia as well."
"What?!!!" Justin exclaimed. "What are we gonna do?! Gaia could emerge from its cocoon at any time now!!"
"Well, the power of the Icarians should work if Feena and Leen use them together. However, they won't be effective if both of the Heroes are not present as well."
It was now clear to them what their true destinies were. The Spirits have planned this retaliation against Gaia since the dawn of time. Now, it was time to put this plan to action.
TO BE CONTINUED
