Chapter 19 - Hope

They were in the belly of the ship, heading back for Hilton at full speed by now, hoping against all else they would make it in time. Little did they know that the battle already raged, and all sides were spilling blood.

Bowman had taken a quiet spot in the corner of the main room they were in, watching the others. At one table were Celine and Ernest, talking animatedly about ruins and exploration. At another, Leon was sitting alone, admiring the stone and preparing it for the Hope. At the last table - nearest Bowman - sat Claude and Opera, and they were talking about various things.

"The Kaleidoscope works on the same theory on the big ship guns, but sized down, and adaptable. It depends on which box I have in it - including the ability to make them elemental," Opera was saying, gesturing to the massive rifle. "It's rather versatile, the only problem is that shooting too often causes overheating issues."

Claude nodded, leaning on the table. "Right - we still haven't solved that - of course, the main ship guns are huge and powerful, so we can't easily overuse them without taxing the ship."

Opera tapped a finger on her chin. "I'm sure its possible to manage, but then you'd require much more water than you could carry for that. Plus water can foul systems badly."

Claude nodded. "Say. how are they going to know we're coming?"

Opera frowned slightly. "I know of a design which would fire a rainbow of colors. A fairly long distance shot, too. That should alert them, right?"

Claude nodded. "If they know we're coming, then it will give them hope and that they know the solution is on its way."

~*~

Black wings beat the clean air, carrying the demon forward quickly. "What is going on here, why is there so much resistance?!"

Shin was speeding much faster than his larger, more powerful charges, approaching the front lines of Lacour with blinding speed to find out why so many were dying. Each one he knew by essence, and they were dropping fast.

'Ruprecht, if you're aiding them, you're a fool after all,' Shin thought slowing as he approached the carnage. At the base and along the cliff, bodies were scattered in disarray, some charred, but most of them simply hacked to death. He sailed in from on high, homing in on a small blue- haired female. 'I don't see him, but she will do.'

Dias however was quicker, and far more aware then he appeared, and reached out to grab Rena and pull her behind him with his left hand as his right drew Hope of Breeze. "Air Slash!" he cried as Shin appeared in sight from above. The darkened air waves shot forward with insane speed, sending Shin back a few more paces as the other fighters back away, scared.

Ashton moved Precis behind him, warning her to be careful. Gyoro growled something at Ashton, and Urunrun nodded. "This demon is powerful, Precis. Please, try not to get close to it. It already tried to hurt Rena. It won't hesitate to hurt you, either." She nodded, green eyes wide.

Ruprecht and Kher rushed up behind Dias and aside him, Ruprecht abreast of Dias with his lance and Kher behind them both with another arrow nocked, its tip a silvery white. "Shin," Ruprecht said matter-of-factly. "I'm not surprised you've come to see why you're failing."

"You fool," Shin hissed. "Why help these stupid people? Why did you defy Indalecio?"

"Defy?" Ruprecht narrowed his eyes. "I'd consider the fact my own brother tried to kill me foremost important over anything Indalecio said, because he has not contacted me when we both know he could at any time."

"So you still defy his will," Shin said, cocking his head to one side. "You have displeased many."

"And? Cyril can make an attempt to kill me, but I cannot choose for myself after that point what to do?" Ruprecht shook his head. "You are all blind, from you to Cyril. I cannot judge Indalecio. I can only say that I do not defy his will - I simply follow mine."

"Your will?" The demon laughed, a raspy laugh that chilled most of the onlookers and sent Precis behind Ashton quickly. Rena tightened her fists, assuming a combat stance behind Dias as her rage increased. "Who said you ever had will, Ruprecht? Don't you remember anything?"

"I have no idea what you're babbling about Shin, but you ought to leave now. You're facing some very powerful people." Ruprecht bit his lower lip slightly, and looked directly back at Shin. However, he was shaken partly by what the demon was saying, truth or lie.

"What you are, what you were," Shin said, sweeping one arm wide in a grand gesture. "You once had the same ambitions as the others. What of Nede? What of your revenge you swore? And most of all, what of your own past? How can you willingly do this, when all other instinct and thought defies it?" Shin shook his head. "You're living a lie, and you will fall to it, or break and see your errors. I can hope you'll come to your senses eventually, and realize what was and what should be."

"Fat chance," Ruprecht said, brandishing the lance and glancing at Dias. "I won't fall to your psychobabble, and I certainly won't falter because you spout such unfounded lies. Prepare to meet death, Shin. You know I can beat you, and badly."

"As if you'll defeat me!" Shin cried, throwing out a wave of dark.

Ashton leapt up from behind, bringing his swords to bear. "Northern Cross!" he cried.

In front of Shin, Dias swept his sword around, drawing fire form the very air. "Hawk Scream Blast!" The air itself shimmered around Dias from the intensity as the flames took off in the shape of a phoenix, sailing across the ground and launching up into Shin as Ashton's ice technique struck, chilling and burning the demon at the same time.

"Angel's Kiss!" Kher cried, unleashing the arrow at full draw and sending it sailing into Shin's left shoulder. He drew another arrow as Shin released another wave of power, throwing everyone back. Rena held Dias in place, forcing her own weight against him to keep them both from behind knocked too far back.

Ruprecht stood unfazed, and blinked. He gripped the hilt of the lance and charged, launching into the air quickly and striking Shin across the face, sending the demon back a bit before landing.

Rena chanted quickly and aimed for Ruprecht as Shin recovered from the strike, growling. "Protection!" she cried, and the power flowed outward form her, wrapping itself about the lance-wielder. Ruprecht nodded and blocked Shin's first attack, but failed avoiding the second, feeling sharp claws bite into his shoulder.

"Gah!" he cried, looking up at Shin with unbridled anger. "Your mistake," his hissed, drawing back suddenly and closing his eyes. "Powers of heaven, depths of hell, the endless voids of time and space have no mercy." His eyes opened, glowing intensely. "Angelic Darkness."

He was there behind Shin before anyone realized it, and forced the twin blades through skin and bone and out the other side. He kicked Shin off then as darkness and light swarmed over the demon, sending him rolling on the ground between the groups. Ruprecht landed near Ashton, hissing softly as he relaxed his muscles. The blades of the lance were almost pitch black from the demon's blood, and he shook it nonchalantly over the edge of the cliff as though nothing happened.

Shin growled, sounding angered and in pain. "You'll pay for that, mark my words. I'm far from dead."

"And you're bleeding," Kher pointed out, still ready to fire on a moment's notice.

"No matter, it will heal," Shin spat. And even as they stood there, they could see the wounds closing.

"This isn't good," Precis said, as Ashton nodded."

~*~

Opera slammed the box home into Kaleidoscope, and took aim to the north as the others stood just outside Hilton, with Claude working to call Barney. "Here goes nothing," Opera said, pulling the trigger.

A spray of color erupted from the tip, shooting out over the sky and arcing upwards at incredible speed. Below, they were bathed in multi-hued light and looked in awe. After a half-minute she released the trigger, sending it off into its path.

The bunny bounced over happily and nudged Claude happily, almost seeming to purr. "Ack!" he said, trying not to be bowled over as the others managed to laugh. "Let's get going, Barney's fast and he can pass the enemies quickly."

~*~

Dias charged forward with Rena not far behind as Shin whirled. Kher released the arrow at the same time the darkness shot from Shin's outstretched hand and they passed each other harmlessly. Ruprecht and Ashton advanced as well, taking advantage of the demon's exposed back, but not without consequence as the spell struck Kher.

"Damn it, no!" Ruprecht cried as Rena turned on her heel and cast the strongest healing spell she knew.

Dias growled deeply, turning it into a battle cry as he launched himself into attack, Hope of Breeze coming forward to meet the demon's arm and slice skin as he planted a foot on the rock wall to the side of it for bracing, straining against the force being exerted back. 'He's strong, very strong. No wonder Ruprecht was hurt that badly,' Dias thought, looking around for someone to help take the heat off him.

It came in the form of a cross slash from Ashton into one wing and a rending stab turned tearing in the other form Ruprecht, causing Shin to relent against Dias' force. He stepped forward quickly, sheathing Hope for only a moment before drawing it quickly back out with tremendous force and striking Shin across the legs. Blood sprayed outward, and Dias dodged, avoiding it and ending up near Rena once more.

Rena took advantage of the stunned demon and charged, striking him a few times before leaping back as it regained its senses.

"All of you. you will all pay!" Shin's retribution was cut short as a pray of color came from almost nowhere, falling from the sky like a blessing and biting through his already injured shoulder, causing him to scream. He suddenly vanished in a ripple of power, causing them all to wait a moment to be sure he was gone, and then everyone relaex, except Rena, who ran over to Kher.

"Kher, no, Kher!"

"Ow." he managed, looking upwards from his spot against the rock walls. He managed a weak laugh. "If you hadn't cast that spell. I probably would be dead again. That's twice now you saved me."

Rena sighed in relief. "I'll have to wait and rest some before I can try again," she said, frowning. He nodded in reply dimly even as Precis had come over to bandage the remaining wounds and burns.

Dias meanwhile was on the wall on the cliff, looking outwards. "They're almost here."

Ashton looked at the sky, puzzled. "What was that?"

Ruprecht meanwhile had been studying where the rainbow had hit, and frowned slightly. "Proton energy, not of Expellian designs at all. Claude. or Opera."

Dias looked over his shoulder at the two. "They're coming - both our allies and our enemies."

"OUT OF MY WAY!" they heard suddenly, a shrill, haughty young voice they all knew as Leon's. Precis finished the last bandage as Rena checked Kher over one more time, helping him to stand and lean against the wall. Claude and the others arrived, including a strange longhaired blonde main that also had a third eye and Celine's attention.

Claude slipped in-between the people as Dias and the others headed over to the cannon, each looking weary and worn. "We're back," Claude said, brushing hair from his eyes. "Barney's quick, but he also bounces a little too much."

Rena shook her head slightly, smiling. "You're all back safe, right? That's what matters." Ruprecht helped Kher over carefully, both looking the worst of the group.

Claude frowned. "What happened?"

"Shin," Ruprecht said, summing it up in a word. "Kher here took the worst of it, I'm afraid. He's a lucky man not to have died twice today."

Claude looked confused, and shook his head. "Let's see how the cannon is doing. We found the man Opera was looking for, the man who looks like her. His name's Ernest."

They walked over, with a few bits of idle chatter and Rena making sure Dias hadn't hurt himself when he went after Shin. As she approached the Lacour Hope, with Leon holding the Energy Stone, her pendant glowed a moment, causing them all to stop suddenly.

"What was that?" Ashton asked.

Rena shook her head. "My pendant. I don't know why.."

Ruprecht glanced between the stone and the pendant a moment. "They look as though they share similar properties by appearance, but I can't place it at all."

"Maybe someone had taken some stone form the Hoffman Ruins to make it?" Precis offered.

Dias shrugged. "They're almost here," he said coldly, looking outward. "They're moving faster."

Ruprecht hopped onto the wall, looking outward. "And Shin's the one causing it. He's quite angry by his 'defeat' and is forcing them forward far faster then they'd wish. If we're going to have a chance, we'd better do it now."

Leon nodded, inserting the stone into the Lacour Hope and adjusting things on it even as everyone watched the approach. Rena held onto Dias' arm, trembling slightly as a cold wind blew in from the north. Dias reached out and flipped his cloak around her and she pulled the green material tightly to her.

It hadn't gone unnoticed, and Claude slipped back a bit, trying not to look at it. To his left he saw Opera standing there, holding Kaleidoscope in her hands, but Ernest was on the far side of the group. Claude's blue eyes looked between them, seeing neither looking at the other and sighed slightly. 'Rena and Dias. it does me no good to get angry. I.. I don't want to cause them problems, and Dias and I. we've come to an understanding. It still hurts though.'

Leon finished his adjustments and began to warm up the cannon. Claude moved back farther, leaning against the wall. 'And Opera. Ernest hasn't talked to her much since they met outside the ruins. Was it because of our talking on the ship? Is he angry? Does he think. no. Claude, let them handle it themselves. They're both grown people. Opera has to figure this on her own. I don't want to cause hurt among people I'm with.' He looked up as the cannon muzzle began to glow brightly. 'I can only hope things resolve as they should. As long as people are happy, I should be, too. Mother once told me that.'

He fingered the communicator in his pocket as the cannon released its blast, striking head-on into the monsters, and they watched as the horde fell before its power, everyone outside watching awed and stunned. After a moment of stunned silence, people began to cheer, many, expect a few, who were either stoic or too deep in thought and their own minds to really feel able to.

Opera shook her head, and went back in. Claude followed after her, concerned. "Opera?" he asked.

"Yes, Claude?" She did not turn to look at him.

"Something wrong?" Something about her voice wasn't right, but he couldn't quite place it.

"It's. nothing. Just. did you see anything. odd.?" She let her gun rest against the wall, folding her arms across her chest.

"No, I didn't-" He thought back a moment and remembered Ernest standing there, with Celine not far away. "It was Ernest, wasn't it?"

She didn't respond, but only picked up the rifle again, sighing. "He hasn't said a word to me, but I can tell. He's taken with her. Its as though a knife - a sword- has been run through me. He - I at least wish he'd just tell me. I can't. I don't know."

"I - I honestly don't know what to say," he said, stepping around to be in front of her. "All I know is you shouldn't be upset."

"Why not?" she asked, her golden eyes looking at him with a mix of emotions form upset to angry. "Why shouldn't I?"

"Because there are some who still care about you?" he said without flinching. 'I care, Opera, even if you don't always notice it. I'm here. I only hope I'm not putting my heart out and about to get it tromped on.'

Opera smiled ever so slightly as tears escaped her eyes, and she threw her arms around him, the rifle somewhere at their side between their arms as he held her, comforting her as she cried.

~*~

"Indalecio, I have bad news," Shin said, crouching on the balcony where the redheaded Wise Man stood in contemplation during the morning hours of El.

"They've built something able to defeat us?" he offered, sounding unconcerned.

"The mobs have fallen, they have a great cannon."

"No need to worry Shin," Indalecio said, waving a gloved hand without care. "They have to come by sea, and a boat is an easily-destroyed object, even if they try to fight. You will go and meet them there. Take your revenge, and sink their fleeting hopes to the bottom of the turbulent sea. There is only one route they will take, and that is form our east. Do not fail."

%-----%-----%-----%

Author Note: Ok, so characters are now writing themselves, such as Claude and Opera now. O_o If you can't tell what's going on, well, it'll be a bit more plain later. I'm not done yet with Claude and Dias though, oh no. Next stop, the sea of emotions on the way to El!