Letting Go

"Here it is," stated Clive as they entered the facility, "This is the very last place I traveled to with my late mentor, and Catherine's father, Berlitz. We found evidence of the recent decay of Filgaia, confirmed by our expedition to Yggdrasil, but on our way out the security mechanisms began to act up. Berlitz stayed to keep them from killing me, saying it was because I was younger and had much more to live for. I think he might have had an idea that Catherine was pregnant, and he didn't want our unborn child to lose her father. Berlitz was a very noble man, but now I'm left with the formidable task of rejuvenating Filgaia that we started. There are times when I think I will be unable to live up to his expectations. Well, let us move on, shall we?"

They descended into the depths of the lab, Jet using his Radical Sneakers to jump to some of the higher areas where mesh wiring hung. The team found many treasures left behind by whoever had worked there, as well as plenty of machines. In one chamber, they even located a nanomachine dispenser like the one at Yggdrasil. It brought a chill down Virginia's spine, remembering how Leehalt tried to kill her with a small amount of them. She then thanked Filgaia silently for her wings, the one thing that saved her life.

"So, this is a nanomachine. It appears to be here for the sole purpose of redepositing the elements of life back into Filgaia's soil. This proves it, the people here were working on rejuvenating Filgaia. Now if only we could figure out their methods, and combine them with present knowledge," Clive began to mutter.

A voice said, "It wouldn't work. All of the ideas from this plant were already tried, and integrated in some of our current experiments. This used to belong to a previous council, about fifty years ago I think." In came Werner, who looked like he had hurried all the way here. Although how he'd tracked them to the lab was anybody's guess. Virginia certainly didn't know how her father kept finding them. Unless he had some sort of homing device on Jet, or even in Jet, that would allow him to find and keep tabs on his experiment.

Virginia sighed. "There must be something we can do. I mean, all of the ideas haven't dried up. So Yggdrasil failed, there's always another way to go about something. Maybe if we could reroute all the pent up energy in Yggdrasil that Jet and I sealed, we can send it back through the soil and to the other areas of Filgaia. Even if it isn't perfect, at least we should be able to bring back the seas and some of the greenery."

"Wouldn't work," Werner told her, "Yggdrasil can't send energy that far. That's why so much of it is left inside, it wasn't able to deposit it all. For once the area around it was revived, it couldn't go through the mountains. That's why Duran overloaded the generator, he was trying to find a way to raise the power and to send it through solid rock. But it was just too much, and we all paid the ultimate price for what happened back then. Duran, Elliot, and Pete were killed while Leehalt, Melody, and Malik became Demons. And I am all that is left to make restitution for our sins, I alone must carry the burden of all the sorrow we all created."

"We'll find something, someday. My professor always told me 'looking for a shortcut can lead you astray'. Well, if we just keep on going about things, never giving up, taking any leads we find, and not trying to find the shortest possible way to our goals, we will eventually be able to save Filgaia. I would like to go in a little further, my late mentor's burial ground is inside. I must pay my respects to him while I'm here. As well as look at the rest of the machinery," Clive told the others. All four of them began to go further inside of the complex. Werner shrugged, and followed. He had to see what would happen to them inside of here.

* * *

Finally, when they were nearly at their destination, they ran into Humbaba, a strange monster who had made this old laboratory his home. He attacked with an Instant Death attack, knocking out everyone but Clive, who had Dan Darium's Fallen Guard on. Clive knew it was up to him to save the team now. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Jet and Virginia were trying to reach for one another. The name of Instant Death, you see, is misleading, a person isn't dead when it happens. They are merely unconscious with a bad wound. Revive Fruits couldn't bring back the dead either, only to help an unconscious person to wake up. It was unknown how Jet and Virginia were able to reach out while in this state, could be reflex.

But whatever the case may be, Clive had to deal with the monster on his own now. He loaded up his ARM once more, after running out of bullets, and let off a four shot Gatling. As Humbaba began to cry out in a voice that made dogs howl, he exploded in a rain of white, hot light. Clive picked up a Holy Grail from the remains, as Jet and Virginia finished reviving one another with Airget-Healing. Then, they began to take care of Gallows's wounds. Werner looked on, his worried face turning to relief after Virginia got up. Clive could se the concern on his face, he truly loved his daughter. But he also noticed the sorrow and the regret. The only thing he didn't know was if it was for what he had done, or what happened to his daughter.

Clive went to pay his respects to the place Berlitz had fallen. Meanwhile, Virginia went to talk to her father. She asked him, "Daddy, why do you carry this all by yourself? You know that Jet and I would take some of the burden off of you. We both have advanced powers brought about by regeneration, so you can't say we'll only get in the way. Please, let us help you. I don't want to see you get hurt out in battle."

Werner shook his head. "There are things only I can do. For now, I am heading to find a way to confront Leehalt, and destroy the one he calls Siegfried. If you all are interested, you can go up north to an old crater. They say a floating city called Fila del Fia lays buried there. It is said it crashed from the sky over fifteen hundred years ago. Maybe you'll find something of interest there." With that, Werner left them.

"Well, that's a clue," Virginia told her team, "We'll start out for Fila del Fia in the morning, in order to see what the ancient civilization held. Rumors said the floating city was the first home of the Avatars of the Guardians, so I guess it's kind of like finding my racial past, the part that lies buried beneath the stones."

"Besides, if it did belong to the Avatars, there's certain to be much technology in hunting Demons in the ruins. Especially since Halle spoke of how your people were victorious in the Second Demon War, if we could get our hands on whatever they developed, or find a hint to it there, we can win," Clive commented.

So they made camp right outside of the ruins. When she was on her watch, Virginia watched the fire as it burned low. Adding another stick, the girl turned her eyes to Jet, thinking about how he was there for her no matter what. She vowed, "One day, when the world is at peace once more, we'll be able to be together. Never again would we have to fight Demons, and you could finally live a normal, human life."

- - - -

Teefa's Last Word…

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…some sweet comments from Virginia. They have such pure relationship potential. If only the game could have gone into more detail about things. Well, I think I have found the perfect way to stay fit. Keep in mind, this is only for the clinically insane otaku like myself. Put on fast music. I don't care if you use the radio, CD player, computer, or even the archaic tape player or record player (we actually have one that plays through our computer speakers). Then take a stick or something else that can be used as a sword (plastic swords work best, but I also have a broom handle staff). Finally, use the music to create a mock battle dance. It gets you up and working, and is also a lot of fun. A secret to my healthy success…just thought I'd share that with ya.