All scenes in between two (*) were written by Alex Martinez. He gets full credit for those scenes.
Andre could only stare up at his older brother, whose shadow overcame his own as it always did in their childhood. He was speechless. No words could describe the dismay that he was feeling. He had buried these private feelings for so long that now to have them resurface in such a way was a difficult task to befall upon.
Little Andre crawled over to his older self and tugged on his arm, "Come on! Even though they don't love us…we can still play together!"
Andre turned his head slightly to look back at him.
"We might be alone but…" Little Andre began to say, "…we can try to get far away from the big bad shadow…"
"…Shadow?" Andre asked himself, "I was…always in his shadow…"
"Would you leave him alone brat?!" Rico yelled angrily.
Little Andre backed away, feeling the force of Rico's voice.
"No matter where you go…or what you do little brother…" Rico began to say, "…My shadow will always follow you."
The shadow that had been cast over Andre now stood up as if it were a normal human being.
"What?!" Andre gasped.
"Ha ha ha!!!" Rico laughed as his silhouetted figure vanished, leaving only his shadow behind.
"Raarrgh!!!" the shadow growled as it leaped towards Andre. It reached out its long arms and grabbed Andre by the neck. He squeezed his grip tightly, just like a snake.
"Ughh…Aghh!!" Andre struggled. He tried kicking and swerving around but the shadow's grip was too strong.
Little Andre walked over to Andre from behind and looked over him, "I told you we should've gone to play together. Now his shadow is gonna eat you up, just like before."
Andre looked back to see his younger self vanish without a trace.
"You'll never be as good as me! You'll never be as good as me!" the shadow kept on repeating as he continuously strangled Andre.
"Why do you look so surprised?" Lulu wondered. She had such a calmness but malicious tone to her voice.
"…I…murdered?" Julie asked herself. She was in disbelief that this part of herself was beginning to surface.
"You did this!" Lulu raised her voice, "You killed them!"
"But, I…I didn't mean to!!" Julie cried, "It was an accident!!"
"That doesn't make up for the young lives you cut short!!" Lulu shouted.
Julie was absolutely stunned by what she was hearing. But she snapped back, "If you…If you hadn't left the way you did…!!"
"None of this would have ever happened, right?" Lulu finished for her, "Quit placing the blame on others! You use that as your excuse to make the pain and hurt go away!! It may go away for you, but the pain you gave these children's families will not! You ruined their lives!"
"But I…!" Julie sobbed, "I…I didn't mean to! I don't know what happened!! This power that's inside me…I couldn't control it…"
She quickly remembered the flash of dark light that caused it all.
"And because of your weakness these students died!!" Lulu yelled angrily, "You will now pay for what you've done!!"
At that sudden moment, the doors to the coffins opened. Zombie-looking arms lifted from the beds.
Julie turned around, frightened, to see what was going on.
Out of the coffins, young zombie men and women lifted themselves out. They wore black school uniforms that were ripped and torn, revealing their gruesome pale green and dismantled bodies. Their eyes were completely black and their skin almost looked as if it were melted.
"Ahh!!" Julie screamed.
"They will have their revenge!!!" Lulu laughed evilly, "Ha ha ha!!!" In a matter of seconds, she vanished.
"Murderer…Murderer…Murderer…" the zombie students grumbled. They steadily made their way towards Julie.
"No!! Stay away!!" Julie cried, "Stay away from me!! I didn't mean to…!!" Julie crouched down next to the wall, covering her ears and shutting her eyes. She was absolutely terrified as the zombies stood before her.
(*)"This is that same battle....the last battle that I fought as....Yuna's Guardian..." Alex said to himself as he continued watching the events displayed before him.
Yuna began to focus all of her energy as she incanted her most powerful spell, "Holy!!!" From out of no where, hundreds of brilliant and luminescent white lights swarmed and spiraled around her body. Yuna then held her staff, vertically, above her head. The white lights that floated around her quickly entered the very tip of the staff at amazing speeds, causing them to seem like comets. Finally, the staff let loose large, bold, and gleaming rays of white light that spiraled about.
Each and every ray of light struck through the Sinscales that surrounded her and the three Guardians. All the monsters dropped to the ground of the battlefield and disintegrated into pyreflies, ascending toward the Heavens. The four warriors had won the long and arduous battle.
"We were all so strong...almost unbeatable together..." Alex sadly told himself as he bowed his head in shame, "But this isn't how it ended..."
Suddenly, the entire aura around the land changed into pitch blackness. Everything was covered in the thickest darkness imaginable. However it only lasted for a short while. Just as the fog had lifted earlier, the darkness had done the same. It had lifted itself and once again displayed another vision of Alex's past. A chapter in his past that he had never forgotten despite how much he had wanted to.
"It was just like this...." Alex whispered silently, his voice beginning to break, losing all the potent confidence that he usually held. He raised his head and looked in horror at the sight of the Summoner Lady Yuna and the two other Guardians, Sir Daigo and Sir Zeke on the ground, lifeless. Drowned in a pool of redness, wounds still fresh all over their sore bodies, the clothes and armor damaged and ripped.
The younger blue armored Alex held Yuna in his arms, sobbing in emotional agony and rocking her back and forth like a baby. This was the ending chapter to the previous story of Sir Alex, the Legendary Fencer.
The image of Alex's past disappeared in front of his very eyes, leaving him all by his lonesome once more in the pitch blackness.
Alex tried his hardest to fight back the tears that began to form within his watery eyes, " I lost them all....Daigo, Zeke, and Yuna!! Guardians are supposed to protect their friends and Summoners and I couldn't even do that!! Because I was so weak...I failed them when they truly needed me the most... and because of that....I watched them die!!" Alex screamed as he pounded his clenched fist into the dirt.
"How can I protect Lord Anthony when I know that I'm nothing more but a weak failure!!!" Alex shouted at the top of his lungs as the anguished tears fell from his eyes and dropped onto his hands.
"You're wrong. You're not weak and you're certainly not a failure. Far from it actually." said the sweet reassuring voice of a familiar young woman.
"Eh?!!" Alex instantly recognized that voice as he looked up and saw the most miraculous sight he could ever gaze his eyes on.
A single, multi-colored pyrefly swerved around in the midst of the darkness in front of Alex. It was only but mere seconds later that one pyrefly changed and became an entire swarm. Multiple pyreflies spiraled about in a rapid motion and then conjoined together to form into a single being made from translucent light. Not only was the voice of this being familiar, but so was its entire shape.
Alex remained silent in surprise as the being began to walk closer and closer to him. "Y-Yu-Yuna...?" Alex asked in astonishment.
It was indeed the fallen Summoner. Yuna kneeled onto her knees to make eye contact with Alex and put her hand on his armored shoulder. "It's me Alex. Happy to see me?" she joked and gave a heartwarming smile.
"Yuna! B-But how!? How are you here?!" Alex asked her in both happiness and confusion.
"Alex..." Yuna began to say, "What happened back then was never your fault."
"What do you mean by that?" Alex asked her, still confused.
"You think that you're a weak failure. You still blame yourself for what happened to me and the others, but you shouldn't. Daigo and Zeke knew what they were getting themselves into when they became Guardians. This was their duty. It was the same with me. I became a Summoner, knowing all the risks that came with it. Didn't you do the same at that time?"
Alex gasped when he realized that Yuna's words were getting to him and clearly having effect.
"I died simply because I was never meant to fulfill the Prophecy of the Summoner. I realized that the moment I embraced Yevon in the Farplane." Yuna explained as clearly as possible, "Daigo and Zeke chose to die protecting me because they had hope that even if they should fall and there was only one of us still standing, that person would carry on our mission. And you are that person who will do this for us."
"Me?" Alex inquired.
"I've known you your entire life Alex. You are one of the most strongest people that I know and above all else, the most loyal. You can do this. You can finish where things left off with Lord Anthony and his other Guardians. You can protect him till your heart's content. See this pilgrimage through to the very end," Yuna encouraged him.
Alex stayed silent for a moment, letting all what Yuna said sink into his mind, heart, and soul. They began to leave his eyes and dry themselves upon the skin of his cheeks. Without hesitation, he nodded his head slowly but with determination. He quickly got back on his feet, "All right!! I will! I promise!!"
Yuna got back on her own feet and grinned from ear to ear as she slowly began to vanish in the forms of the pyreflies that had made her. "Go now! Protect Lord Anthony and once again become Sir Alex, the Legendary Fencer!"
With those final words said, Yuna had completely vanished into the skies. Leaving Alex all her hopes and trust that he would do everything he could possibly do to help vanquish the Bringer of Destruction, Sin.
Alex quickly picked up his fencing saber that he had dropped earlier and solemnly vowed to himself as he lifted the blade up to his face, "I will honor my promise."
Alex then took his saber and slammed the blade into the ground below. It began to crack away like it was glass and began to take the whole place down along as well. As soon as it crashed open, the Guardian soon found himself back inside the Ruby Temple of Yevon. (*)
Alex opened his eyes, awaking from the illusion that had been encompassing his mind and his thoughts. He stood up to examine what was going on.
"This mist was the cause of this…" he stated. He then looked towards the ground to see Andre and Julie still asleep. "Oh no!" he shouted. He rushed over to them both, kneeling next to them.
They seemed to be in dismay in whatever illusion they were in. They were scrunching their brows and mumbling slightly.
"Hang in there, I'll get you…" Alex began to say when he heard the battle cries of a familiar young man and a woman. He stood back up and ran over towards the door. He hid behind it to see what was going on.
Inside of the chamber, Jesse continued to battle the illusionist, Nazrak.
"He's in trouble…" Alex whispered.
Jesse leaped into the air, somersaulting forward. He slashed downward as he finished the rotation, "Yahh!!!"
Nazrak performed another of her teleporting tricks in order to dodge the sword. Once Jesse landed, she reappeared behind him.
Jesse, however, was quick to notice. He grabbed his sword and slashed back at her. Nazrak ducked and then tripped Jesse from the floor, sending him into the air. Nazrak leaped forward towards him, performing a spinning kick into his chest.
"Aghh!!" Jesse screamed as he bashed into the chamber walls.
"Ha ha ha!!" Nazrak laughed, "Are you holding back because I am woman? How pathetic!"
Anthony had then came to, getting onto his knees to see Jesse in danger. "Jesse!!" he cried.
"Let's have some more fun, shall we?" Nazrak said sarcastically. Using her telekinesis magic, she lifted Jesse from the ground, stilling pinning him to the wall. Using immense force, she began to push him even harder towards it. It was almost as if gravity was working all too well.
"Ughh…!!" Jesse grimaced.
"Jesse!!" Anthony cried once more, as he lifted his cuffed arms into the air, "Protect!!"
A hexagonal grid made of blue light magically appeared before Jesse, canceling Nazrak's power. He fell back to the ground.
"Why you little…!" Nazrak yelled as she turned around and launched a swarm of bats in Anthony's directions.
"Ahh!!" Anthony screamed as he tried to fend off the bats that surrounded him.
"Now to finish this…" Nazrak grinned, turning back to Jesse, "How would you like to die? Quickly…or slowly?"
Jesse had no defense. The illusionist had him exactly where she wanted him. He didn't know what options he had now. It all seemed hopeless.
The shadow continued to strangle Andre's neck, "You'll never be as good as me! You'll never be as good as me!"
"Let…me go!!!" Andre shouted. As he struggled to break free, he looked up and into the shadow. It made him realize something. "This is how I always felt…" he thought to himself, "…When he was around…I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move."
Andre looked straight up, a tear streaming down his cheek.
Meanwhile, the zombies grabbed at every inch of Julie's body. They tugged at her arms, pulled at her legs, and wrapped their arms around her neck. They yanked on her hair and stared grimly into the mage's eyes.
"Murderer!!!!" the zombies screeched, "You killed us!!!"
"Aghh!!!" Julie screamed in horror as they hurt her, "Let me go!!!"
"You will die too!!!" they yelled.
"No…No…" Julie began to repeat as something inside her began to awaken, "No!!!!" She closed her eyes and then reopened them to reveal them in a complete violet color. She looked straight up towards the sky as a symbol appeared upon her forehead. It was a black star, looking very much like a tattoo. Her hair style was let loose as her hair flowed with a wind that was covered in violet-colored magic. The magic surrounded Julie's body, as a beam of violet and black light shot upwards towards the sky from the star upon her forehead.
"Agghhhh!!!!" the zombies screamed as they let go of her.
The beam soon spread in the thickness and circumference as it encompassed the entire building. The power was so strong that once the light sifted outwards, the building was no more. Nothing was left. It was as if it never existed.
Julie levitated above the ground. Her status had not changed. Her face was filled with very little emotion. She simply levitated, looking outward towards nothingness.
Something from her past had awakened.
Nazrak reached out her arm, about to begin her assault when she heard the shouting of a young man from behind.
"Blade Arrow!!!"
The arrow made of red energy soared across the air, smashing into Nazrak's back.
"Ahhh!!!" she screamed as she slammed into the wall. She sat back up, looking over towards the direction in which the attack came from.
There in the distance stood Sir Alex and Lord Anthony. Alex had managed to slice off the binds that were placed upon his Summoner and now both were ready for battle.
"You! You too broke free?!" Nazrak shouted angrily.
"Your illusions are weak!" Alex replied, "You have no real power!"
"What?!" she shouted angrily
Jesse gathered his strength and lifted himself to his feet. He held up his sword, ready for some action. "Now this is our game," he smirked.
"Lord Anthony…" Alex began to say.
"Don't worry," he nodded, "I will watch your back."
"All right," Alex agreed, "Swordsman, let's finish her!"
"My thoughts exactly!" Jesse concurred.
"What? What are you doing?!" Nazrak shrieked. She was beginning to smell the air of her own defeat.
"Follow my lead!" Alex ordered as he began to run over towards Nazrak. He unsheathed his saber as he towards her. As soon as he reached her, Alex raised his saber to the air. It began to glow with blue energy. He stepped forward and made a quick slash. Nazrak became trapped in a cage of ice.
Alex left the attack as it was. He had a plan. "Now!!!" Alex yelled loudly.
Jesse held his sword in front of him horizontally. He ran his other hand across the blade, creating a yellow light around it. Just as he does for his Gusting Wave attack, Jesse held his sword back at his side. "Tornado Spin!!!" he yelled, while beginning to spin around. As each second passed, the speed picked up. The increasing velocity was so fast, that a tornado was beginning to be created. Soon enough, Jesse swung his sword, launching the cyclone at the frozen illusionist.
The ice cage was sent flying up into the air, spinning around inside of the cyclone.
Alex smirked a bit, knowing it was his turn to finish this. He held his saber tightly, leaping up and into the cyclone.
"Sir Alex!" Anthony shouted worriedly.
Alex was strong, and made his way through the tornado without any trouble. He saw the ice cage and knew what he had to do. "Freezing Cut!!!" he yelled loudly, soaring through the cyclone over to Nazrak. He smashed his blade into the ice, causing it to explode.
When the explosion finished, Alex landed to the ground, sheathing his saber once more.
Nazrak's lifeless body fell downward towards the ground a few feet behind him.
Jesse smiled, pleased with the results of the battle, "All right…Ugh…" He fell to his knees, leaning against his blade.
"Jesse!" Anthony rushed over to him, helping him back onto his feet.
Alex approached them, "Are you all right milord?"
"Yes, thank you Sir Alex," Anthony smiled.
"Looks like…she was put out of commission," Jesse tried to joke, but still sounding weak from the battle.
"Jesse…" Anthony sighed, "You protected me…"
"What did you expect?" Jesse grinned, "I am your Guardian after all."
The both of them smiled to one another, appreciating what each had done for one another.
Alex crossed his arms, "…Good job." It was one of the most difficult things to say.
"Thanks," Jesse replied.
Little did they know, that something was happening over at Nazrak's body. Out of her back, a black seed-like object floated upwards towards the sky.
Andre continued to try and kick away at the shadow who strangled him, when it suddenly just vanished.
"Huh?" he wondered, "What hap…?"
He was suddenly cut off as the illusion ended, and he awoke back in the real world. He held his head in grief, "Man…that was some nightmare."
Julie floated back down towards the ground. The purple aura that surrounded her faded away as her eyes returned to normal and the star symbol disappeared. She looked around to see the damage that she had done.
"I…did this?" she asked herself in disbelief, "It happened again didn't it?! That power that's inside of me…"
Julie's illusion was cut short as she opened her eyes back in the Ruby Temple. "Ughh…" she grumbled as she lifted up.
"Julie!!" Andre shouted as he crawled over to her, "You okay?!"
Julie was a little disoriented, "I'm…okay."
"Thank Yevon for that," Andre sighed in relief, "But…what the hell just happened here?"
Julie was silent. She did not in any way want to talk about what she had experienced.
Andre looked over beyond the doorway to the Chamber of the Fayth to see his friends together. "Look!" he pointed out.
The two of them helped each other up and rushed over to them.
Anthony immediately saw them enter, "Julie!! Andre!!" He smiled emphatically as he leaped into both of their arms, having a group hug.
Andre looked over his shoulder a bit to see Jesse a bit worn, "Did we miss anything?"
Jesse scratched his head, "Yeah…maybe a little." Jesse then directed Andre's eyes to the lifeless body of the illusionist.
Julie saw it as well, as they broke their hug, "We really did."
Anthony turned around to see Nazrak's body from afar. He had a look of such pity, "…She was an illusionist. She said that she had placed you all in an illusion of your pasts."
All four of his Guardians were silent soon thereafter. Each of them knew that was the complete truth. However, no one wanted to speak of what they had seen inside of the illusion.
"She said that they were the pasts that you were running away from…" Anthony realized.
Alex chimed in, in order to change the subject, "Forgive me milord, but I believe the next Aeon is waiting."
Anthony nodded, "Yes, you're right." Anthony made his way over to where the new Fayth statue lied underneath a round glass floor where the beam of light shined upward.
"How did you two escape?" Julie wondered as they all followed Anthony.
"Umm…" Jesse stuttered, "You see, I…"
"I'm sure it was just that the illusion could not phase us, well, at least me anyway," Alex said cockily.
Jesse frowned, "…Right."
Soon enough, the Guardians gathered behind their Summoner, who knelt down before the Fayth statue. Anthony placed his staff down onto the floor and lifted his arms into the air. He performed the Yevon prayer as a single pyrefly ascended from the statue. It flew over to Anthony struck straight through his chest, granting him the power of a new Aeon.
"I can feel it…" Anthony sighed, "But, this power…it seems different from the others somehow…"
Once those words were spoken, a small ruby stone magically appeared upon the handle of Anthony's staff. He picked it up to examine it.
"A ruby?" Andre questioned, "Where did that come from?"
"I don't know…" Anthony replied strangely, "…It must mean something…"
"Well, good news is that you have a new Aeon," Jesse smiled.
Anthony looked back to him, "You're ri…" Anthony suddenly stopped when he looked beyond his group of friends. His eyes were filled with surprise and astonishment.
"What is it?" Julie asked as the entire group turned their gaze to see what Anthony was staring at.
"Oh god!!" Jesse shouted, absolutely disgusted by what he had seen.
Julie and Andre had similar looks of dismay while Alex maintained a straight face.
Nazrak's entire body was mutilated in every which way. It was as if some kind of beast just grew out of her skin, leaving it to rot.
"What the hell!?" Andre gasped.
"Shut up!" Alex ordered as he unsheathed his saber.
"What is it?" Anthony wondered as he stood up.
"Whatever did that to her…is still here," Alex replied, looking up and around the chamber.
Jesse and Andre both pulled out their own weapons, awaiting the attack of whatever beast could and would appear.
After a few short moments, Julie looked up and saw the creature slithering around the peak of the walls. "Look, up there!" she shouted.
The creature let itself fall back down onto the ground, revealing itself as a Sinspawn.
This creature had the body of a gray and blue snake, with a long, slimy tail. It did walk on four legs, however, that were clawed with oozing blue claws. The head of the Sinspawn was much larger in circumference than the rest of its body. It had spikes growing out of the back of its head and neck the curved forward. It also had a long spiked gray tongue that hissed like that of a snake.
It opened its jaws, letting the saliva drip from its fangs, roaring, "Raaarghh!!!"
"A Sinspawn!!" Alex shouted.
"A Sinspawn?!" Andre gasped.
"Are you saying…that this Sinspawn came from her?!" Julie asked him. It was hard for her to believe.
"It doesn't matter! We've got to get rid of it, now!" Jesse spoke up.
Andre leaped forward, ready for action, "I'll go first!" Andre twirled his lance above him, as blazing flames encircled around him. The flames grew large and then began to collect themselves in the spinning lance. The lance was like an electrical fan on reverse, sucking in all of the fire. "Flaming Javelin!!!" Andre yelled at the top of his lungs. While still spinning the lance, he held it in front of him, launching the thick orange flames at his opponent.
The Sinspawn did not move an inch as a barrier made of green light suddenly emerged before it. The wave of flames hit the barrier and were reflected back.
"Andre, watch out!!" Anthony cried as he immediately pointed his staff towards him, "Shell!!"
The barrier made of rainbow colored light surrounded Andre's body as the flames smashed into it.
Anthony held his staff before him, struggling to uphold the barrier, "I…can't…hold it…!!"
Soon enough, the flames burned through the spell and struck straight into Andre.
"Aghh!!!" he screamed as the flames launched him back into the wall.
"I can't believe it!" Julie gasped, "This Sinspawn…it has the Reflect spell!"
"Reflect?" Jesse asked her.
"It does exactly what it says. It is supposed to reflect all magic attacks back at the opponent but…" Julie began to explain, "…Andre hit it with a Blessed attack. How did this beast…?"
"It must be a stronger version," Alex stepped in, "This Reflect spell must reflect all special offenses."
"What should we do?" Jesse asked them.
"We don't have much choice but to fight! Here it comes!" Alex yelled as he held up his sword.
The Sinspawn roared once more as it began to slither and crawl its way over to the three Guardians.
Anthony, who was helping Andre, called out to them, "Watch out!!"
Jesse pushed Julie out of the way, and then dodged the beast himself, while Alex leaped straight into the air.
Alex examined his options, "I'm sure the spell doesn't cover the top…" Alex brought his fencing saber up above his head as he began to call out, "Blade…!!!" At the very tip of his weapon, an immense arrow made of red light started to form. As soon as the arrow was complete, he shouted, "…Arrow!!!" He swung down with his blade, heaving the arrow at the Sinspawn.
The Sinspawn was smart and looked upward so that the attack would hit its Reflect barrier. The arrow went flying back towards Alex.
Alex, while beginning to descend, moved his body out of the way of the oncoming arrow. Nevertheless, the Sinspawn whipped its tail at Alex, knocking him across the room and skidding across the ground.
"Sir Alex!!" Julie cried.
"Haaahhh!!!" Jesse yelled as he went running to the Sinspawn. As soon as he reached it, he lifted his blade and swung at the creature's leg. It did permeate through its skin, causing blue blood to flow.
The Sinspawn was not happy and responded. It knocked Jesse to the ground with its fist as it then proceeded to grab him by the neck, lifting him up into the ground. It squeezed tightly, hissing in Jesse's face.
"Agghh!! Help!!" he screamed.
"Jesse!!" Andre and Anthony shouted worriedly.
"Jesse, hang on!!" Julie assured him as she ran in front of the Sinspawn, "I only hope my 2nd level magic spells can break through the Reflect spell…" Julie pulled her arm up as dozens of sharp and pointed icicles formed in front and behind her. "Blizzara!!!" she shouted loudly as the icicles shot outward towards the Sinspawn.
The green barrier appeared once again, reflecting the icicles right back at Julie.
"No!" she cried as she rolled out of harm's way. She looked up to still see Jesse in danger, "None of my spells will do any good!"
"Help…me!!" Jesse grimaced in pain. The beast began to pull Jesse closer to its jaws.
"I've got to…help them," Andre said as he struggled to get onto his feet.
"But, Andre…!" Anthony began.
"Don't worry!" he replied as he ran back into battle.
Alex had already returned into the battle and began to approach the Sinspawn from behind. "Yahh!!!" he yelled as he swung at the creature's tail. The Sinspawn moved its tail out of the way to then wrap it around Alex's body.
"Sir Alex!!" Andre shouted as he ran to his aide, "I'll get you out!!" Andre lifted his lance as it began to glow with orange light, "Breaking…!!!"
The Sinspawn stopped him before he could finish the attack, throwing at Alex at and on top of him.
Anthony watched the battle from afar, seeing Julie continuously try her magic but to only see it reflected back at her. He felt helpless. "Even if I summon…the spell will only reflect their attacks…" he thought to himself, "What can I do…?"
At that very moment, the ruby jewel that had appeared on his staff began to shine.
"W-What's this…?" Anthony asked himself.
A small, boy-like voice spoke from with the gem's light, "Use your new power!" His voice was encouraging and upbeat.
"New power…?" Anthony wondered. That was when he heard Jesse scream as he was hurled off and into the nearby wall. Anthony saw the Sinspawn beginning to hover over Jesse as if he was his next meal.
Jesse crawled backwards a bit, picking up his sword to defend himself. The Sinspawn, however, knocked the blade out of his hands using its claws. The saliva dripped from its fangs, falling to the ground.
"Jesse!!" Julie called out to him, "Thunder!!!" The bolt of lightning hurled down from the sky and crashed into the Reflect barrier, sending it right at Julie. Julie was hit in the chest and pushed to the ground.
The Sinspawn looked at Jesse with such hungry eyes as it began to breathe blue-colored flames. It began to pull its head back, preparing to launch its offensive attack.
Anthony leaped in from the sides and stood in front of Jesse. Anthony held his staff in front of him, facing it forward in a vertical pose. He began to twirl it in his fingers rapidly, using both hands, while incanting the spell, "Mirror of light, reflect magical spite!!" Just as the words had been spoken, a combustion of green colored light occurred in front of him, creating the reflecting barrier.
The Sinspawn jerked its head forward as the wave of blue flames fired outward. It hit Anthony's Reflect barrier and launched back at the creature. The fire actually made a bit of an impact as it hit the Sinspawn.
"It worked!!" Anthony smiled happily.
Jesse lifted to his feet, surprised by what he had seen, "Was that…what I think it was?"
"Yes!" Anthony nodded his head.
The ruby stone began to shine once more, as the voice returned, "Now it's time for you to see my power!"
"Your power?" Anthony wondered.
The Sinspawn regained its focus and was ready for another attack.
"I think this would be as good a time as any," Jesse said sarcastically.
"Ok!" Anthony agreed. Anthony closed his eyes as his body began to lift from the ground, levitating a bit. His staff floated on its own as well, in between his palms. Red swirling lights spiraled around him as the ruby stone on his staff glowed brilliantly. "Crimson Shine!!" he shouted, opening his eyes. The red lights spiraled up from around his body and struck straight into the ground before him. A small hole opened up.
Two green ears peaked out of it, as soon enough the small Aeon leaped outward. It looked like a larger-sized rabbit with long, draping ears and green fur. It had a bushy tail and a large ruby on the center of its forehead.
"You…" Anthony gasped, instantly remembering the mural that was shown to him earlier, "Could this really be…?"
"I am Carbuncle!!" the small Aeon spoke to Anthony. His voice was filled with so much spirit.
"That's the new Aeon?!" Jesse asked, his mouth dropping.
Carbuncle leaped over to Anthony and into his arms, "Listen up Summoner! There's only one way to beat this guy!"
"You know how to?" Anthony wondered.
The Sinspawn didn't waste another moment and launched another onslaught of blue flames.
"Yikes!!" Jesse yelled as the three of them ran out of the way.
"You've got to regroup with your friends!" Carbuncle stated.
"Ok!" Anthony agreed as they ran back over to the remaining Guardians.
"I can't believe this…" Alex said in disbelief, "This…is an Aeon?"
"No time for that now!" Julie told him.
Andre watched Anthony as he looked straight at Carbuncle. They seemed to be having a conversation with one another. "What is he saying?" he asked.
As few seconds later, their conversation ended. Anthony looked over to his friends, "Okay! Here's the plan!"
"This furball came up with a plan!?" Alex asked, surprised.
Carbuncle leaped over to him and bit his finger.
"Ouch!!" he yelled.
"Listen to me!" Anthony tried to explain, "Carbuncle's Overdrive is an 2x Reflect Spell!"
"A what?!" Jesse questioned.
"Oh I see!" Julie grinned, realizing what he meant, "That when reflected, the spells or attacks go back double the power as before!"
"That's right!" Anthony nodded, "What Carbuncle needs you to do is launch your strongest attacks at him! Then, he'll reflect them onto the Sinspawn!"
"Good plan!" Andre shouted excitedly, petting the small Aeon.
"Let's do this then!" Alex agreed.
"We'd better start now! Look!" Jesse pointed out as the Sinspawn was fast approaching them.
"Let's get to it!" Carbuncle smirked.
"Guardians!!" Alex yelled, "Now!!"
Jesse held his sword in front of him horizontally. He ran his other hand across the blade, creating a yellow light around it. Just as he does for his Gusting Wave attack, Jesse held his sword back at his side. "Tornado Spin!!!" he yelled, while beginning to spin around. As each second passed, the speed picked up. The increasing velocity was so fast, that a tornado was beginning to be created. Soon enough, Jesse swung his sword, launching the cyclone.
Andre twirled his lance above him, as blazing flames encircled around him. The flames grew large and then began to collect themselves in the spinning lance. The lance was like an electrical fan on reverse, sucking in all of the fire. "Flaming Javelin!!!" Andre yelled at the top of his lungs. While still spinning the lance, he held it in front of him, launching the thick orange flames.
"Thundara!!!" Julie shouted, as bolts of lightning came down and gathered together in front of her. She then swung her arms, allowing the immense ball of electricity to shoot outward towards its destination.
Alex brought his fencing saber up above his head as he began to call out, "Blade…!!!" At the very tip of his weapon, an immense arrow made of red light started to form. As soon as the arrow was complete, he shouted, "…Arrow!!!" He swung down with his blade, heaving the arrow.
Anthony then twirled his staff and pointed it forward, "Carbuncle, use your Overdrive: Ruby Light!!!"
Carbuncle somersaulted multiple times into the air above, soon stopping on mid air to face forward. His ruby stone shined even more brilliantly than the one on Anthony's staff. Rays of prism-like light spiraled about, creating a barrier around himself and Anthony.
The four special attacks hurled over into his direction, hitting his prism barrier as he deflected it over to the Sinspawn. The four attacks combined into one super attack that struck straight through the Sinspawn's body like a comet out of space. It first left a hole by itself, until the Sinspawn melted away into a puddle of blue ooze.
Carbuncle leaped back down and headed towards his Summoner. He climbed up his body and sat upon his head, "Told ya it would work!"
Anthony giggled as he looked over to his friends. They all smiled together, pleased with the results of their last battle.
After having stayed the night at the village of Evolu, the heroes set out for the exit. They're job had been completed. But never did they realize that this one place would be the beginning of their own mysterious and sorted pasts returning.
They all walked back past the homes of the people, talking amongst themselves.
"So it turns out that Carbuncle really is a premature Aeon," Andre spoke up, "And since we showed him to the researchers, Mildred's theory was proven correct."
"Yeah, I'm happy about that," Julie smiled, "I never thought that there could be premature Aeons. Carbuncle is nothing but a baby. A powerful one at that."
"Well, if the mural is true…" Alex began to say, "…then he will grow into his true form sooner or later."
Anthony remained silent.
Jesse walked over to him, "So the mural was true…"
"I just…I don't understand…" Anthony whispered to himself, "Why me…?"
"Well, all I can really say is that I'm glad Carbuncle was there for us," Andre realized, "He saved us."
"I guess it'll remain a mystery as to why Carbuncle appeared premature," Julie thought.
"Wait, now that I think about it…" Anthony lifted his head, turning to Jesse, "How did you escape the illusion? You were the first to break free."
"Huh?!" Alex gasped, "Him?!"
Jesse stopped, remembering exactly what had happened inside of his illusion of the past.
"Mom?!" Jesse sobbed, "Dad?!" He fell to the floor, holding each of their lifeless bodies. "Why…?!" he cried, "Why did this have to happen…to you?!"
A shadow then cast itself over Jesse. It was an immense one, one that could very well be a skyscraper. Jesse wiped his face and looked up, only to see the Bringer of Destruction standing before him.
"You…" he said, "You did this!! How could you?! You murderer!!!" Jesse let his parents back down onto the ground and stood up to confront the beast, "Because of you, I…!!" Jesse stopped, his eyes widening as he saw what lied by itself before Sin.
It was a body just like the rest that surrounded him. But this one looked even more familiar to him than the rest. He hesitantly walked over to it, fear in his eyes and in his breathing. As he approached, the body began to become even clearer than before. It was of a young man, with dark hair.
Soon enough, Jesse stood over it, a tear streaming down his face. He looked down to the body in disbelief, "No way…this can't be true…" He bent over and rolled the body onto its back. Jesse gasped when he saw himself lying there, dead.
"Oh my god!" he gasped.
Suddenly, the tattoo of wings that he had upon his wrist began to shine a holy white.
"It is not time for you…" a voice spoke, a female one, "…It is not time for you to learn the truth…"
"What?!" Jesse yelled as the light from the tattoo brightened, engulfing the entire illusion and setting him free from the spell.
"Jesse?" Anthony asked him.
Jesse broke out of his dismal state, shaking his head, "…H-Huh?"
"What happened there man?" Andre asked, putting his hand on his best friend's shoulder, "Where'd you go to?"
"Oh, umm…nowhere. Just spaced out a little," Jesse replied nervously.
"Well?" Anthony wondered, "How did you escape?"
"I, uhh…" Jesse stuttered, "Uh…I honestly…can't remember."
"Nothing at all?" Alex asked him. He found hard to believe since he remembered his illusion so vividly.
"You know what…can we just go?" Jesse asked very abrasively, "…I don't want to talk about this anymore…" Jesse walked ahead of his friends and exited the village.
"Hey, Jesse, man! Wait up!" Andre called out for him as he followed.
Anthony was a bit stunned by Jesse reaction. He felt so confused as to what could have happened to him.
"Well, at least he'll be moving a lot quicker," Alex said snidely, following the other two men.
Julie walked over to her bewildered Summoner, "Don't worry about it."
"What?" Anthony asked, "How can I not…? Something happened to him…" Anthony was deeply worried.
"Listen Anthony…" Julie began to say, "I'm going to be honest with you. But you have to promise that you will never bring up the illusion spell ever again. Promise me…"
"I…" Anthony began to say, soon agreeing, "…I promise."
"None of us saw good things in there," Julie said very ominously, "We saw things that we never imagined could ever haunt us again. But now, thanks to this spell…our lives are going to change. The past will return…and I'm afraid…"
Anthony was getting scared by what Julie was saying and was even more frightened as to what she would say next.
"I'm afraid…that you will not like what you might face," Julie told him, "That is all." She didn't say another word and headed off towards the direction in which her comrades departed.
Anthony stood there, watching them all leave. He was confused, yet sad as he watched them. There were so many feelings he had about this situation.
He had then realized that the ordeal that they had gone through was more serious than he had imagined. And Julie was right…
The past will return, and he won't like what he is going to see.
