Chapter 20 - The Death of a God
Ryne held his blade in a ready position, his feet planted in the L shape his father had taught him to give himself the best balance possible for any oncoming attacks. His armored opponent only seemed to cock his head, and then lifted his right forearm, a blade forming from the living creature that protected him.
With a side-glance he saw his father, Jaycera, and the others lining up next to him preparing for the fight in their own ways. Vaulrik sneered at them.
"Are you so weak that you must pit nine against two?..."
With that single statement and a raised arm, blue waved seemed to flow from his fingertips, bathing the whole group in a slippara spell. Without thinking Ryne raised and extended his right arm, facing his palm toward the spell and somehow pulled it in, his silver moon crystal glowing with blue energy. The rest of them, however, fell into the deepest sleep they had ever known.
"Just as I thought..." Vaulrik said softly, "There, that should even the score a little."
"Oh yeah, two against one, real great odds." Ryne mocked, still in shock over the massive display of control this mysterious man seemed to possess. Vaulrik looked at him, amused.
"Yet you had no problem coming for us nine against two." He retorted, "I am not as ruthless and cold as that. I will not be fighting in this arena."
"You're gonna have to do something after I'm finished with your little friend here, cause you're next."
Vaulrik gave him the most devious smile that Ryne had ever seen, and then disappeared into what looked like a huge metal ball, a ripple effect disturbing the surface where he had walked through. Ryne put him out of his mind for now. He may have been the bigger fish, but this one still needed to fry.
He squared off with his unknown opponent, his blade held in a loose two handed grip in front of him. The other held the blade one handed and assumed what almost looked like a Valuan fencing position, though not quite. Instead of his left hand being anchored on his hip, as would be the Valuan style, his arm was outstretched behind him. His foot placement was also rather spread apart, keeping him low.
This told Ryne a couple things. First, that being low he would favor torso and leg hits, meaning he didn't want him to die instantly... which was good enough news. Second, while his spread out stance would offer him much more balance, it would also make him less maneuverable and he would try to keep everything close quarters, which gave him an advantage, since his armor was nearly impenetrable and sword was more rapier like and his own the size of a good sized claymore. He would have to stay further away and make him reach if he were going to bring this one home.
"You know what; I think that pretty little silver face of yours would make a nice trophy to hang in the den." Ryne said, trying to distract him while starting off the spar with a downward slice that would have cleaved him neatly in two had his own blade not come up to meet it.
"When did you get to be such a talker?" His masked opponent asked, pushing against their locked blades with a greater strength than Ryne possessed. Ryne jumped backward, letting his adversaries' blade fall forward, throwing off the balance he'd been trying to achieve. Ryne took advantage of the situation, bringing the hilt of his sword down on the back of his helmet, flooring him.
In one smooth motion Ryne jumped, spun, and raised his blade, landing in a downward swoop that should have halved his head down to his shoulders. All he got were hands that absorbed the shock of the vibrations running up the blade. He almost dropped his sword, but didn't even have time to do that for he was soon on the ground himself. The other fighter, who should have been dead by all rights, had rolled, knocking his legs out from under him.
Ryne continued the momentum, rolling further than the fall alone would have taken him, feeling the harsh caress of a blade digging into his shoulder piece. He leapt up to see his opponent's blade swiping toward his mid section. Without conscious thought he brought his own blade up to protect his waistline, the hilt of his sword raised in front of his face.
"Must be nice to have armor like that." Ryne said, taking a couple steps back to dodge a blow that would have hit shoulder.
"Promotes longevity." The other man answered, making a lunge with his weapon which Ryne deflected with his wide blade, counterattacking with a hit to the chin which made his opponent stumble backward.
There was something oddly familiar about the voice that kept reflecting his jibes with a smooth manner that frustrated Ryne. This man wasn't distracted by any of the comments that he was making, and actually seemed to be enjoying the exchange. That worried Ryne more than anything else... the fact that he was calm and confident, even after Ryne had showed his superiority in the ways of the blade. He was beginning to have serious doubts about weather he was going to be able to take him down alone.
He shifted to the offensive, taking his chance with an even swing to the pelvis region with the flat of his blade. The armored man moved his blade to intercept it, though it couldn't stop the momentum that it had built up. The man was knocked through the air, hitting the side of the machine, which was now beginning to flash rather brilliantly. Ryne thought briefly of the other man who'd disappeared into the liquid metal and mentally cursed to himself.
But he couldn't worry about that right now... he had a battle to win. Using the small amount of time he'd been able to win himself he opened himself to the powers of the silver moon, feeling its aid rush to him, its powers gathering in the palm of his hand.
"Curia!" He yelled, pointing his fingers toward his father. His father was bathed in silvery light for a moment, then as it began to fade the living legend pushed himself off of the floor, his hands going to the twin cutlasses hanging at his sides and clutching them in his signature style. Seeing his son he rushed to his side.
The silvite warrior stood, shaking his head to clear his thinking. While the armor he wore would protect him from his body being physically touched by the blade, it couldn't save him from the force of the blows. If he took many more hits like that he would be brain dead soon. It took him a moment to realize that Vyse had joined the side of his son and that they were now rushing him.
Fear gripped him as he realized that he would be pitted against the greatest swordsman on the planet of Arcadia, the man who had beaten Galcien, Ramirez, and all six of the Gigas. He looked briefly at Jaycera, seeming to be sleeping peacefully and anger began to fill him. If they beat him then all was lost. No matter what, the planet of Arcadia was going to fall to the might of the Silvites. It was inevitable. The only way to survive and prosper was to take their place in the upper tiers of their hierarchy, their sacred lineage guaranteeing their place. If he died however, she would stay with Ryne... and he would always oppose them, even unto the point of death... and hers too. He couldn't let them beat him. Her life depended on it.
Rage filled him like he'd never known. Using the techniques passed to him by his Master he let the moons channel themselves through this anger, manifesting itself in a physical manner. Energy of every color licked his body in multifaceted flame that encased his being.
The looks of surprise that covered the pirate and his son were classic, though short lived. They would finish what they had come here to do. Vyse leapt into the air, channeling the power of the moons into the twin cutlasses and unleashing it with two slashes with the words "Cutlass Fury!" Ryne used a special trick of his own, using the moons power to propel his body into the air, coming down on top of Leos with downward slice that carried with it the weight of the moons themselves.
Leos had felt the efforts, certainly, though they hadn't had the desired effect that Ryne and Vyse had hoped for. His energy shield had protected him from the brunt of the damage. He had come out unscathed while the two other men were panting for breath. Their attack should have been able to cleave through his armor, but they hadn't been counting on the shield he'd erected.
Now it was his turn. Through his rage he called upon the moons for their strength, and they granted him his wish. He rushed at the two who were standing in a weak defensive stance.
"Fist of the Gods!" He yelled, spinning his body and his blade with it.
A wave of sharp energy flew from the tip of his weapon, catching both scarred pirates with its force. Ryne and Vyse both flew backward, hitting the far wall. Ryne reached down to where the blast had impacted, feeling pressure on his lungs. His armor hadn't been penetrated, but there was a two inch deep dent in his chest plate making it difficult to breathe. He pulled on the buckles which held it on, loosing it from his body.
Vyse had not been so lucky. The blast had caught him on the side, and the only armor he'd been wearing had been a chest plate. The energy had bored a deep laceration, breaking ribs and damaging internal organs. Ryne rushed over to him and cringed when he saw the wound. No short healing would mend the broken bones. He was out of this fight. Ryne knelt by his side, ripping off the bottom part of his father's white tunic and pressing into his side. Vyse winced when Ryne touched it.
"The price you pay for arrogance." He said softly. He tried to get up, but Ryne held him down.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" he said softly, though forcefully.
"You can't take on this guy all by yourself." He reasoned. Ryne looked at him for a moment, knowing the look of grim determination on his face, and knowing that it would cost him his life.
"Listen, you need to rest." Ryne said, "Use this time to try and wake up the others."
Vyse furled his brow, "You know I've never been good with magic."
"It's all I can ask of you right now."
Ryne left his father's side, letting him reason for himself the logic of that thought. His adversary was no longer encased in his energy shield and had his elbows on his knees, panting. Ryne didn't let him rest for much longer than he already had. He called upon the powers of the yellow moon, the lightning power of electrulen drilling him into a metal panel.
Leos felt his rage return in full force. This time however, he didn't use it to create an impenetrable shield; he used it to increase his speed. The blue moon sent its powers rushing through his veins like hot vapor, giving him muscles an inhuman quickness. He rushed at Ryne, his sword held in front of him like a javelin in a charge so quick that Ryne almost didn't see him coming. He just barely dodged the blade, but got caught by Leos' momentum, sending them both tumbling to the ground and knocking Ryne's sword out of his hands and landing beside Jaycera's unconscious body.
Meanwhile, Vyse sat to the side, sweat beading on his forehead. He'd never been terribly good at casting spells, but given enough time and concentration he could usually work one up in a time of need. And this was definitely a time of need. Slowly, he felt the power of the silver moon trickle into his body, finally gathering enough of it to cast a small spell. He outstretched his hand toward Jaycera, bathing her body in silver light.
Ryne kicked Leos' body, pushing him off and Leos away from him, giving a nice ten foot gap. Ryne gasped for breath for a moment and then hopped to his feet, looking around to find his lost blade. He didn't leave his back to Leos for too long though, turning around to face him, and immediately having to jump to avoid having his legs taken off.
Ryne placed his hand on Leos' chest, at the same time summoning the power of the red moon. With a cry of "Pyrulen!" Leos' body hurtled through the air. Ryne didn't even check to see where he'd landed, just ran as fast as he could toward his sleeping friends and where he thought his blade would be.
Leos had recovered quicker than he'd planned, his speed allowing him to cut Ryne off. Ryne skidded to a halt, then was slammed into the ground by the power of the blue moon. Leos plunged his sword deep into the right of Ryne's chest, hitting the metal floor as it passed through.
Ryne was in shock. The adrenaline rushing through his veins numbed his body, but the sight of the silver blade piercing his body and sound of air rushing out of his right lung making bubbles in his own blood was almost too much for him. In that moment, he knew he was going to die. He'd skated death too many times already and it had finally come for him.
His opponent seemed to pause for a minute, almost seeming to regret what he had to do. Then his left hand began to morph into something axe like, lining up with his head.
"I'm sorry it had to end this way." The armored man said, truly sounding sorry, "But it's the only way left now..."
Ryne heard the hum of a new energy, and half expected it to be his enemy cooking some nastier way for him to die. Except that he almost appeared as surprised as he.
"Think again."
Leos barely had time to turn and recognize Jaycera's face before he felt a burning sensation in his midsection. Jaycera had cleaved his torso from his legs and pelvis. Time seemed to slow for Leos. His thoughts were racing, most of them jumbled an confused. Except for one thought... he'd failed to keep Jaycera safe. He'd failed at the only thing in his life that mattered. And he was dying.
Jaycera knelt next to Ryne, cradling his head with her hands and kissing his fiercely.
"Don't you ever do that to me again." She said, coming breaking the kiss as forcefully as she had started it.
"Trust me, I don't plan on it..." Ryne said weakly, coughing up blood that was collecting in his lungs.
Vyse saw the whole thing and smiled. Somehow, his son had formed a bond in a month that would last a lifetime. No matter what the rest of the world might think, He was a greater man than he could ever hope to be. His son was a true legend.
Holding the makeshift bandage to his side, he walked over to the couple, Jaycera trying to heal his internal lung wound. After a minute Ryne wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and touched the new scar on his chest.
"Great," he mumbled, "It looks like a third nipple."
Jay laughed, then looked over at where the body of Ryne's attacker lay, the living armor flowing off his body and gathering into a puddle in between his torso and legs, looking like mercury in a puddle of blood. Then she saw his face.
Jaycera screamed, a shrill, high pitched scream looking in shock at the twitching, gasping body of her brother.
"Hey... sis..." He said between gasps, managing a weak smile and a laugh, "You... always did... check up on him... before me..."
Jaycera dropped to his side, cradling his head in her lap, sobbing.
"Why...?" She asked through her tears. Leos managed to hold his smile.
"I did it for you... I did it to... save you." Leos' body stiffened, his eyelids becoming heavier with each moment. "I love you... Jay."
"Don't leave me, Leos..." Jaycera pleaded, "I already lost you once, don't leave alone again."
"You're not alone..." Leos said, his voice becoming wispy, "Ryne..."
Ryne leaned over, taking Leos' hand in his and squeezing it.
"Promise me... promise me that... you'll protect her..." Leos charged him, "With your life..."
Ryne looked into Jaycera's tear soaked eyes, "I promise."
"Salrea..." Leos' metamorph, who'd been named for his mother, made its way up to float near his side. "I want you... to stay with... my sister."
The creature seemed to bob its agreement.
Leos stiffened again, "I guess the moons... do have a sense of humor."
And with that, Leos Delasari, last remaining male of the descendants of Delasaris, died by the hands of his own sister.
Ryne felt the hand go weak in his then placed it down at his side. Slowly he stood, facing his father.
"Where is Mom?" he asked, picking up the blade that Jaycera had dropped at her brother's feet.
Vyse pointed at the green orb, which was glowing even more fiercely, the sounds of servos working filling the room now.
"Go get her, Son. You've earned the right."
Ryne nodded, then ran at full tilt toward the huge machine, imbuing his blade with the power that moons granted him and leapt into the air, his sword held in a two handed grip behind his head. He brought the blade down with all the strength in his body, shattering the glass. The green nutrient fluid burst out through the hole, knocking him backward and back on the floor where he'd started. He was soon back on his feet, climbing up the side of the machine and finding his mother in the bowl of the bottom part of the glass.
Her body had withered to almost nothing. Ryne didn't know if it was from the powers that had been channeling through her body, or from being starved. Her arms were covered in IV's and an oxygen mask covered her face. Ryne ripped it off of her, and pulled the needles out of her veins. Fina gasped her first breath of real air in almost two months and clung to Ryne with all the strength left in her feeble arms.
Ryne picked her up and walked to the edge of the bowl, jumping down to his father and Jaycera. Vyse ran to them, taking his wife from his son's arms and holding her, her head buried in his chest. And for the first time, Ryne saw his father cry.
It shocked him. In all his years, he'd never seen his father shed a single tear. He'd grown up under the impression that real men didn't cry. And now here he was, an emotionally shut up kid who couldn't even cry when his mother, who had been gone for months, had finally been returned to him. He wasn't a man because he'd stopped crying. He was just a messed up kid, who didn't understand emotions.
Jaycera loved him, though right now he couldn't understand why. He didn't even know what real love was until right now, watching his parents rekindle their own. Why had he asked her to marry him? How did he really feel about her? He looked down at the beautiful girl holding her dead brother, crying because one of the only people she ever loved had left her. Would he even have cried if she had died today?
Ryne couldn't take it anymore. Tears he'd long thought to have dried up flowed again, making up for lost time. He gathered both of his parents in his embrace, holding them tight and not wanting to let go. Then he remembered Jay.
She was standing off to the side watching the reunited family with red eyes, holding onto the blue moonstone around her neck. Ryne smiled, feeling true joy for the first time in too long, and pulled her into their huddle. To anyone watching it would have seemed like they held each other for forever, though to them it hadn't lasted long enough. They were forced to break the embrace when the sound of turbines filled the room.
"What is that thing?" Ryne yelled over the noise of the machine.
"It's the Zelos Fist." His mother answered, "Vaulrik was preparing to destroy Soltis while you were fighting."
"So what's going to happen now that you're not in it?" Vyse asked, a look of concern on his face.
"The energies it puts out won't be able to be harnessed. This whole installation will be blown up."
"Sooo... how do we get out of this one?" Ryne asked, the news not affecting him as much as he'd of thought.
With that question Jaycera's new metamorph popped up and started to squeak self importantly. Fina, now standing on her own two legs, listened intently.
"She says that she has been equipped to transform into a ship, if need be."
Vyse looked at her with an expression of piqued curiosity.
"I don't remember Cupil ever being able to do that."
"Cupil was never genetically altered." Fina explained.
Selrea started to expand, taking the vaguely egg like shape that Ryne had come to know so well. Now that he actually got to see the transformation taking place, he saw that it wasn't completely ovoid, but had two scoops on the back that he took to be engine nacelles.
"All right, I guess we just load up now." Jaycera said, "Let's get the guys in first."
They decided to leave Rafe, Wallin, and Jerem sleeping. It would make it easier on them. Ryne and Vyse each got the bigger two, which were Jerem and Wallin, Jay and Fina each grabbing one end of Rafe and tossing him into the ship through the liquid metal, Jay with a little smirk on her face as if fulfilling some internal fantasy. Then Ryne got Celeste last.
"I'm not going back." Fina said softly after all of the crew had been loaded into Selrea. Vyse and Ryne both looked at her as if she'd gone nuts.
"Are you crazy? You'll die here!" Vyse exclaimed.
"More people will die if I don't stay here."
"Stop talking like that, Mom, we're getting out of here while we still can, you included."
"Ryne, if we just leave the only person who will die is Vaulrik... the invasion will still happen."
"We can fight them on the ground, dear, now let's go!"
"You know the Arcadians don't stand a chance..." Fina said softly.
Vyse paced nervously, "There is no way I'm going to let you stay here and be killed. We're finally a family again! I'm not going to let that crumble under my feet. Even if I have to take you back by force, I'm not going to let that happen."
"If that's the way it has to be..." Fina said sadly, touching her husband on the forehead and saying the word "Slippara."
Ryne caught his falling father, looking at his mother with a look or surprise.
"You're serious about this aren't you?"
"I am."
Ryne sighed deeply and threw his father into the ship. He ran a hand through his tangled, sweaty hair, trying to think of what exactly was going on. He'd just found his mother, and now she was telling him that he was going to lose her again.
"I can't let you do it, Mom." He said adamantly.
"Ryne, don't make this any harder than it already is..."
"No, Mom, I'm not going to let you die after I just pulled you out of that thing!" He said, his voice rising in pitch, "The only reason I've been living these past months has been to find you!"
"And you've found me, Ryne"
"But you're going to kill yourself!"
"It's the only way to save the people of Arcadia from death and enslavement!" Fina argued, her voice showing her rising anger.
"But I don't care about them! I care about you!"
Fina sighed. "Ryne, I knew I wasn't going to come out of this alive. Why do you think I told you look after your father? I need you to live, and if I don't do this you will be killed eventually."
Ryne went to argue further, but Jaycera hit him on the back of the head with the hilt of a dagger she'd packed in her belt. She caught him before he fell and pushed him into the ship. Fina smiled at her appreciatively.
"Thanks." She said softly. Jaycera smiled at the woman who would have been her mother-in-law.
"I understand what you're trying to do." She replied, "And quite frankly, I don't want this thing to blow up while you two argue."
"He never used to argue with me..."
"I think he's been around me for too long."
Fina smiled, "You love him, don't you."
"Yeah... that's why I'm inclined to keep him around."
The floor around them started to vibrate, deep rumblings coming from the Zelos Fist.
"I think it's about time you were going." Fina said.
"Yeah," Jay said softly, "I guess so"
She turned to walk into the liquid metal of her new ship, but turned and took Fina into her arms.
"Thank you..." She said into her ear, "Y'know, your saving the world twice is going to make it hard for future heroes to top you."
Fina smiled then backed away, turning toward the machine and starting to climb up to the place where she'd been imprisoned for the past two months. Jaycera watched for a moment then stooped beside the body of her brother. Reaching back behind her neck she unclasped the necklace that her father had given her so long ago. She looked at it for a moment, unsure about what she was about to do, but knowing that she had to do it. Gently she lifted her brother's head, clasping the necklace around his neck.
Satisfied, she stood up, leaving her past behind her.
************************************
On the Silver moon of Arcadia there are two women. One of them is a mother, and a wife. She loves both of them more than life itself. She loves them enough to sacrifice her life for theirs.
The other is neither wife nor mother, though she still loves. She loves the white haired man she knocked out. She loves the brother she left behind. She loves the people of Arcadia. Her ship flies out of the hole that the Zelos fist would have fired out of... had it fired out at all.
The woman in the machine calls upon the moons for their strength. This is what they have been waiting for all along. They give it to her, as much as she asks for, though they know it will result in death... the death of one of their own.
As the power rushes into her she has but one thought, her family. They will miss her, and she will miss them and this is why she has to do this. She knows the pain of losing family. She doesn't want to let anyone else feel that pain if she can do anything about it.
And so she gathers the energy, and instead of focusing it on in the planet of Arcadia, its intended target, she focuses it inward.
To those in mid-ocean it is a sight they will not soon forget. Many will tell of the day the moon exploded, sending a rain of silver moonstones upon the scattered islands. The story of Fina, the Savior, will be well known. She will even be adopted by the Ixa'Takans as a new god.
Though only a few will remember her as Fina, wife, mother, and friend. And they are the few that continue her real legacy.
Ryne held his blade in a ready position, his feet planted in the L shape his father had taught him to give himself the best balance possible for any oncoming attacks. His armored opponent only seemed to cock his head, and then lifted his right forearm, a blade forming from the living creature that protected him.
With a side-glance he saw his father, Jaycera, and the others lining up next to him preparing for the fight in their own ways. Vaulrik sneered at them.
"Are you so weak that you must pit nine against two?..."
With that single statement and a raised arm, blue waved seemed to flow from his fingertips, bathing the whole group in a slippara spell. Without thinking Ryne raised and extended his right arm, facing his palm toward the spell and somehow pulled it in, his silver moon crystal glowing with blue energy. The rest of them, however, fell into the deepest sleep they had ever known.
"Just as I thought..." Vaulrik said softly, "There, that should even the score a little."
"Oh yeah, two against one, real great odds." Ryne mocked, still in shock over the massive display of control this mysterious man seemed to possess. Vaulrik looked at him, amused.
"Yet you had no problem coming for us nine against two." He retorted, "I am not as ruthless and cold as that. I will not be fighting in this arena."
"You're gonna have to do something after I'm finished with your little friend here, cause you're next."
Vaulrik gave him the most devious smile that Ryne had ever seen, and then disappeared into what looked like a huge metal ball, a ripple effect disturbing the surface where he had walked through. Ryne put him out of his mind for now. He may have been the bigger fish, but this one still needed to fry.
He squared off with his unknown opponent, his blade held in a loose two handed grip in front of him. The other held the blade one handed and assumed what almost looked like a Valuan fencing position, though not quite. Instead of his left hand being anchored on his hip, as would be the Valuan style, his arm was outstretched behind him. His foot placement was also rather spread apart, keeping him low.
This told Ryne a couple things. First, that being low he would favor torso and leg hits, meaning he didn't want him to die instantly... which was good enough news. Second, while his spread out stance would offer him much more balance, it would also make him less maneuverable and he would try to keep everything close quarters, which gave him an advantage, since his armor was nearly impenetrable and sword was more rapier like and his own the size of a good sized claymore. He would have to stay further away and make him reach if he were going to bring this one home.
"You know what; I think that pretty little silver face of yours would make a nice trophy to hang in the den." Ryne said, trying to distract him while starting off the spar with a downward slice that would have cleaved him neatly in two had his own blade not come up to meet it.
"When did you get to be such a talker?" His masked opponent asked, pushing against their locked blades with a greater strength than Ryne possessed. Ryne jumped backward, letting his adversaries' blade fall forward, throwing off the balance he'd been trying to achieve. Ryne took advantage of the situation, bringing the hilt of his sword down on the back of his helmet, flooring him.
In one smooth motion Ryne jumped, spun, and raised his blade, landing in a downward swoop that should have halved his head down to his shoulders. All he got were hands that absorbed the shock of the vibrations running up the blade. He almost dropped his sword, but didn't even have time to do that for he was soon on the ground himself. The other fighter, who should have been dead by all rights, had rolled, knocking his legs out from under him.
Ryne continued the momentum, rolling further than the fall alone would have taken him, feeling the harsh caress of a blade digging into his shoulder piece. He leapt up to see his opponent's blade swiping toward his mid section. Without conscious thought he brought his own blade up to protect his waistline, the hilt of his sword raised in front of his face.
"Must be nice to have armor like that." Ryne said, taking a couple steps back to dodge a blow that would have hit shoulder.
"Promotes longevity." The other man answered, making a lunge with his weapon which Ryne deflected with his wide blade, counterattacking with a hit to the chin which made his opponent stumble backward.
There was something oddly familiar about the voice that kept reflecting his jibes with a smooth manner that frustrated Ryne. This man wasn't distracted by any of the comments that he was making, and actually seemed to be enjoying the exchange. That worried Ryne more than anything else... the fact that he was calm and confident, even after Ryne had showed his superiority in the ways of the blade. He was beginning to have serious doubts about weather he was going to be able to take him down alone.
He shifted to the offensive, taking his chance with an even swing to the pelvis region with the flat of his blade. The armored man moved his blade to intercept it, though it couldn't stop the momentum that it had built up. The man was knocked through the air, hitting the side of the machine, which was now beginning to flash rather brilliantly. Ryne thought briefly of the other man who'd disappeared into the liquid metal and mentally cursed to himself.
But he couldn't worry about that right now... he had a battle to win. Using the small amount of time he'd been able to win himself he opened himself to the powers of the silver moon, feeling its aid rush to him, its powers gathering in the palm of his hand.
"Curia!" He yelled, pointing his fingers toward his father. His father was bathed in silvery light for a moment, then as it began to fade the living legend pushed himself off of the floor, his hands going to the twin cutlasses hanging at his sides and clutching them in his signature style. Seeing his son he rushed to his side.
The silvite warrior stood, shaking his head to clear his thinking. While the armor he wore would protect him from his body being physically touched by the blade, it couldn't save him from the force of the blows. If he took many more hits like that he would be brain dead soon. It took him a moment to realize that Vyse had joined the side of his son and that they were now rushing him.
Fear gripped him as he realized that he would be pitted against the greatest swordsman on the planet of Arcadia, the man who had beaten Galcien, Ramirez, and all six of the Gigas. He looked briefly at Jaycera, seeming to be sleeping peacefully and anger began to fill him. If they beat him then all was lost. No matter what, the planet of Arcadia was going to fall to the might of the Silvites. It was inevitable. The only way to survive and prosper was to take their place in the upper tiers of their hierarchy, their sacred lineage guaranteeing their place. If he died however, she would stay with Ryne... and he would always oppose them, even unto the point of death... and hers too. He couldn't let them beat him. Her life depended on it.
Rage filled him like he'd never known. Using the techniques passed to him by his Master he let the moons channel themselves through this anger, manifesting itself in a physical manner. Energy of every color licked his body in multifaceted flame that encased his being.
The looks of surprise that covered the pirate and his son were classic, though short lived. They would finish what they had come here to do. Vyse leapt into the air, channeling the power of the moons into the twin cutlasses and unleashing it with two slashes with the words "Cutlass Fury!" Ryne used a special trick of his own, using the moons power to propel his body into the air, coming down on top of Leos with downward slice that carried with it the weight of the moons themselves.
Leos had felt the efforts, certainly, though they hadn't had the desired effect that Ryne and Vyse had hoped for. His energy shield had protected him from the brunt of the damage. He had come out unscathed while the two other men were panting for breath. Their attack should have been able to cleave through his armor, but they hadn't been counting on the shield he'd erected.
Now it was his turn. Through his rage he called upon the moons for their strength, and they granted him his wish. He rushed at the two who were standing in a weak defensive stance.
"Fist of the Gods!" He yelled, spinning his body and his blade with it.
A wave of sharp energy flew from the tip of his weapon, catching both scarred pirates with its force. Ryne and Vyse both flew backward, hitting the far wall. Ryne reached down to where the blast had impacted, feeling pressure on his lungs. His armor hadn't been penetrated, but there was a two inch deep dent in his chest plate making it difficult to breathe. He pulled on the buckles which held it on, loosing it from his body.
Vyse had not been so lucky. The blast had caught him on the side, and the only armor he'd been wearing had been a chest plate. The energy had bored a deep laceration, breaking ribs and damaging internal organs. Ryne rushed over to him and cringed when he saw the wound. No short healing would mend the broken bones. He was out of this fight. Ryne knelt by his side, ripping off the bottom part of his father's white tunic and pressing into his side. Vyse winced when Ryne touched it.
"The price you pay for arrogance." He said softly. He tried to get up, but Ryne held him down.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" he said softly, though forcefully.
"You can't take on this guy all by yourself." He reasoned. Ryne looked at him for a moment, knowing the look of grim determination on his face, and knowing that it would cost him his life.
"Listen, you need to rest." Ryne said, "Use this time to try and wake up the others."
Vyse furled his brow, "You know I've never been good with magic."
"It's all I can ask of you right now."
Ryne left his father's side, letting him reason for himself the logic of that thought. His adversary was no longer encased in his energy shield and had his elbows on his knees, panting. Ryne didn't let him rest for much longer than he already had. He called upon the powers of the yellow moon, the lightning power of electrulen drilling him into a metal panel.
Leos felt his rage return in full force. This time however, he didn't use it to create an impenetrable shield; he used it to increase his speed. The blue moon sent its powers rushing through his veins like hot vapor, giving him muscles an inhuman quickness. He rushed at Ryne, his sword held in front of him like a javelin in a charge so quick that Ryne almost didn't see him coming. He just barely dodged the blade, but got caught by Leos' momentum, sending them both tumbling to the ground and knocking Ryne's sword out of his hands and landing beside Jaycera's unconscious body.
Meanwhile, Vyse sat to the side, sweat beading on his forehead. He'd never been terribly good at casting spells, but given enough time and concentration he could usually work one up in a time of need. And this was definitely a time of need. Slowly, he felt the power of the silver moon trickle into his body, finally gathering enough of it to cast a small spell. He outstretched his hand toward Jaycera, bathing her body in silver light.
Ryne kicked Leos' body, pushing him off and Leos away from him, giving a nice ten foot gap. Ryne gasped for breath for a moment and then hopped to his feet, looking around to find his lost blade. He didn't leave his back to Leos for too long though, turning around to face him, and immediately having to jump to avoid having his legs taken off.
Ryne placed his hand on Leos' chest, at the same time summoning the power of the red moon. With a cry of "Pyrulen!" Leos' body hurtled through the air. Ryne didn't even check to see where he'd landed, just ran as fast as he could toward his sleeping friends and where he thought his blade would be.
Leos had recovered quicker than he'd planned, his speed allowing him to cut Ryne off. Ryne skidded to a halt, then was slammed into the ground by the power of the blue moon. Leos plunged his sword deep into the right of Ryne's chest, hitting the metal floor as it passed through.
Ryne was in shock. The adrenaline rushing through his veins numbed his body, but the sight of the silver blade piercing his body and sound of air rushing out of his right lung making bubbles in his own blood was almost too much for him. In that moment, he knew he was going to die. He'd skated death too many times already and it had finally come for him.
His opponent seemed to pause for a minute, almost seeming to regret what he had to do. Then his left hand began to morph into something axe like, lining up with his head.
"I'm sorry it had to end this way." The armored man said, truly sounding sorry, "But it's the only way left now..."
Ryne heard the hum of a new energy, and half expected it to be his enemy cooking some nastier way for him to die. Except that he almost appeared as surprised as he.
"Think again."
Leos barely had time to turn and recognize Jaycera's face before he felt a burning sensation in his midsection. Jaycera had cleaved his torso from his legs and pelvis. Time seemed to slow for Leos. His thoughts were racing, most of them jumbled an confused. Except for one thought... he'd failed to keep Jaycera safe. He'd failed at the only thing in his life that mattered. And he was dying.
Jaycera knelt next to Ryne, cradling his head with her hands and kissing his fiercely.
"Don't you ever do that to me again." She said, coming breaking the kiss as forcefully as she had started it.
"Trust me, I don't plan on it..." Ryne said weakly, coughing up blood that was collecting in his lungs.
Vyse saw the whole thing and smiled. Somehow, his son had formed a bond in a month that would last a lifetime. No matter what the rest of the world might think, He was a greater man than he could ever hope to be. His son was a true legend.
Holding the makeshift bandage to his side, he walked over to the couple, Jaycera trying to heal his internal lung wound. After a minute Ryne wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and touched the new scar on his chest.
"Great," he mumbled, "It looks like a third nipple."
Jay laughed, then looked over at where the body of Ryne's attacker lay, the living armor flowing off his body and gathering into a puddle in between his torso and legs, looking like mercury in a puddle of blood. Then she saw his face.
Jaycera screamed, a shrill, high pitched scream looking in shock at the twitching, gasping body of her brother.
"Hey... sis..." He said between gasps, managing a weak smile and a laugh, "You... always did... check up on him... before me..."
Jaycera dropped to his side, cradling his head in her lap, sobbing.
"Why...?" She asked through her tears. Leos managed to hold his smile.
"I did it for you... I did it to... save you." Leos' body stiffened, his eyelids becoming heavier with each moment. "I love you... Jay."
"Don't leave me, Leos..." Jaycera pleaded, "I already lost you once, don't leave alone again."
"You're not alone..." Leos said, his voice becoming wispy, "Ryne..."
Ryne leaned over, taking Leos' hand in his and squeezing it.
"Promise me... promise me that... you'll protect her..." Leos charged him, "With your life..."
Ryne looked into Jaycera's tear soaked eyes, "I promise."
"Salrea..." Leos' metamorph, who'd been named for his mother, made its way up to float near his side. "I want you... to stay with... my sister."
The creature seemed to bob its agreement.
Leos stiffened again, "I guess the moons... do have a sense of humor."
And with that, Leos Delasari, last remaining male of the descendants of Delasaris, died by the hands of his own sister.
Ryne felt the hand go weak in his then placed it down at his side. Slowly he stood, facing his father.
"Where is Mom?" he asked, picking up the blade that Jaycera had dropped at her brother's feet.
Vyse pointed at the green orb, which was glowing even more fiercely, the sounds of servos working filling the room now.
"Go get her, Son. You've earned the right."
Ryne nodded, then ran at full tilt toward the huge machine, imbuing his blade with the power that moons granted him and leapt into the air, his sword held in a two handed grip behind his head. He brought the blade down with all the strength in his body, shattering the glass. The green nutrient fluid burst out through the hole, knocking him backward and back on the floor where he'd started. He was soon back on his feet, climbing up the side of the machine and finding his mother in the bowl of the bottom part of the glass.
Her body had withered to almost nothing. Ryne didn't know if it was from the powers that had been channeling through her body, or from being starved. Her arms were covered in IV's and an oxygen mask covered her face. Ryne ripped it off of her, and pulled the needles out of her veins. Fina gasped her first breath of real air in almost two months and clung to Ryne with all the strength left in her feeble arms.
Ryne picked her up and walked to the edge of the bowl, jumping down to his father and Jaycera. Vyse ran to them, taking his wife from his son's arms and holding her, her head buried in his chest. And for the first time, Ryne saw his father cry.
It shocked him. In all his years, he'd never seen his father shed a single tear. He'd grown up under the impression that real men didn't cry. And now here he was, an emotionally shut up kid who couldn't even cry when his mother, who had been gone for months, had finally been returned to him. He wasn't a man because he'd stopped crying. He was just a messed up kid, who didn't understand emotions.
Jaycera loved him, though right now he couldn't understand why. He didn't even know what real love was until right now, watching his parents rekindle their own. Why had he asked her to marry him? How did he really feel about her? He looked down at the beautiful girl holding her dead brother, crying because one of the only people she ever loved had left her. Would he even have cried if she had died today?
Ryne couldn't take it anymore. Tears he'd long thought to have dried up flowed again, making up for lost time. He gathered both of his parents in his embrace, holding them tight and not wanting to let go. Then he remembered Jay.
She was standing off to the side watching the reunited family with red eyes, holding onto the blue moonstone around her neck. Ryne smiled, feeling true joy for the first time in too long, and pulled her into their huddle. To anyone watching it would have seemed like they held each other for forever, though to them it hadn't lasted long enough. They were forced to break the embrace when the sound of turbines filled the room.
"What is that thing?" Ryne yelled over the noise of the machine.
"It's the Zelos Fist." His mother answered, "Vaulrik was preparing to destroy Soltis while you were fighting."
"So what's going to happen now that you're not in it?" Vyse asked, a look of concern on his face.
"The energies it puts out won't be able to be harnessed. This whole installation will be blown up."
"Sooo... how do we get out of this one?" Ryne asked, the news not affecting him as much as he'd of thought.
With that question Jaycera's new metamorph popped up and started to squeak self importantly. Fina, now standing on her own two legs, listened intently.
"She says that she has been equipped to transform into a ship, if need be."
Vyse looked at her with an expression of piqued curiosity.
"I don't remember Cupil ever being able to do that."
"Cupil was never genetically altered." Fina explained.
Selrea started to expand, taking the vaguely egg like shape that Ryne had come to know so well. Now that he actually got to see the transformation taking place, he saw that it wasn't completely ovoid, but had two scoops on the back that he took to be engine nacelles.
"All right, I guess we just load up now." Jaycera said, "Let's get the guys in first."
They decided to leave Rafe, Wallin, and Jerem sleeping. It would make it easier on them. Ryne and Vyse each got the bigger two, which were Jerem and Wallin, Jay and Fina each grabbing one end of Rafe and tossing him into the ship through the liquid metal, Jay with a little smirk on her face as if fulfilling some internal fantasy. Then Ryne got Celeste last.
"I'm not going back." Fina said softly after all of the crew had been loaded into Selrea. Vyse and Ryne both looked at her as if she'd gone nuts.
"Are you crazy? You'll die here!" Vyse exclaimed.
"More people will die if I don't stay here."
"Stop talking like that, Mom, we're getting out of here while we still can, you included."
"Ryne, if we just leave the only person who will die is Vaulrik... the invasion will still happen."
"We can fight them on the ground, dear, now let's go!"
"You know the Arcadians don't stand a chance..." Fina said softly.
Vyse paced nervously, "There is no way I'm going to let you stay here and be killed. We're finally a family again! I'm not going to let that crumble under my feet. Even if I have to take you back by force, I'm not going to let that happen."
"If that's the way it has to be..." Fina said sadly, touching her husband on the forehead and saying the word "Slippara."
Ryne caught his falling father, looking at his mother with a look or surprise.
"You're serious about this aren't you?"
"I am."
Ryne sighed deeply and threw his father into the ship. He ran a hand through his tangled, sweaty hair, trying to think of what exactly was going on. He'd just found his mother, and now she was telling him that he was going to lose her again.
"I can't let you do it, Mom." He said adamantly.
"Ryne, don't make this any harder than it already is..."
"No, Mom, I'm not going to let you die after I just pulled you out of that thing!" He said, his voice rising in pitch, "The only reason I've been living these past months has been to find you!"
"And you've found me, Ryne"
"But you're going to kill yourself!"
"It's the only way to save the people of Arcadia from death and enslavement!" Fina argued, her voice showing her rising anger.
"But I don't care about them! I care about you!"
Fina sighed. "Ryne, I knew I wasn't going to come out of this alive. Why do you think I told you look after your father? I need you to live, and if I don't do this you will be killed eventually."
Ryne went to argue further, but Jaycera hit him on the back of the head with the hilt of a dagger she'd packed in her belt. She caught him before he fell and pushed him into the ship. Fina smiled at her appreciatively.
"Thanks." She said softly. Jaycera smiled at the woman who would have been her mother-in-law.
"I understand what you're trying to do." She replied, "And quite frankly, I don't want this thing to blow up while you two argue."
"He never used to argue with me..."
"I think he's been around me for too long."
Fina smiled, "You love him, don't you."
"Yeah... that's why I'm inclined to keep him around."
The floor around them started to vibrate, deep rumblings coming from the Zelos Fist.
"I think it's about time you were going." Fina said.
"Yeah," Jay said softly, "I guess so"
She turned to walk into the liquid metal of her new ship, but turned and took Fina into her arms.
"Thank you..." She said into her ear, "Y'know, your saving the world twice is going to make it hard for future heroes to top you."
Fina smiled then backed away, turning toward the machine and starting to climb up to the place where she'd been imprisoned for the past two months. Jaycera watched for a moment then stooped beside the body of her brother. Reaching back behind her neck she unclasped the necklace that her father had given her so long ago. She looked at it for a moment, unsure about what she was about to do, but knowing that she had to do it. Gently she lifted her brother's head, clasping the necklace around his neck.
Satisfied, she stood up, leaving her past behind her.
************************************
On the Silver moon of Arcadia there are two women. One of them is a mother, and a wife. She loves both of them more than life itself. She loves them enough to sacrifice her life for theirs.
The other is neither wife nor mother, though she still loves. She loves the white haired man she knocked out. She loves the brother she left behind. She loves the people of Arcadia. Her ship flies out of the hole that the Zelos fist would have fired out of... had it fired out at all.
The woman in the machine calls upon the moons for their strength. This is what they have been waiting for all along. They give it to her, as much as she asks for, though they know it will result in death... the death of one of their own.
As the power rushes into her she has but one thought, her family. They will miss her, and she will miss them and this is why she has to do this. She knows the pain of losing family. She doesn't want to let anyone else feel that pain if she can do anything about it.
And so she gathers the energy, and instead of focusing it on in the planet of Arcadia, its intended target, she focuses it inward.
To those in mid-ocean it is a sight they will not soon forget. Many will tell of the day the moon exploded, sending a rain of silver moonstones upon the scattered islands. The story of Fina, the Savior, will be well known. She will even be adopted by the Ixa'Takans as a new god.
Though only a few will remember her as Fina, wife, mother, and friend. And they are the few that continue her real legacy.