.HACKLife of Death, Death of Life

Disclaimer: Though I wish I owned the characters etc. of the .hack conglomeration, I must say that I do not. The plot is my own, though I received inspiration from a .hack role-play that I was in.


Chapter 6: The power of the Twilight and the Wave

While he lectured, Tsukasa stirred and moaned softly in pain as she opened her eyes. She simply stared at the floor and at the chains for a moment before understanding her predicament. The wavemaster then lifted her head up and gazed at Death and the three players with whom he conversed with sad, worried eyes. The others did not notice her awakening. However, Kite noticed the small, glowing white orb upon the stones. He surreptitiously brought is closer with his foot. Then, with soccer skills, he kicked it upward and caught it.

Tsukasa saw this, though Death did not for he was gazing at Balmung as the blademaster drew his sword. She could not see the orb at that distance, but she could sense it. Closing her eyes, she concentrated her thoughts upon it and it began to glow brighter even as Kite gazed at it in wonder. He could feel a strange power in it and looked up at the wavemaster, not knowing why he did. The twin blade could sense the connection. Tsukasa opened her eyes at met those of Kite. She seemed about to say something when Death spoke.

"Balmung of the Azure Sky," said the monster. "Even should you be the highest level possible within the World… Even should you be ten times more powerful, you would not be able to defeat me! Strike, then, if you are determined to die for your blade shall not harm me."

Balmung then darted forward, Reki and Kite looking at each other before following. The blademaster leapt into the air a short distance from Death and dove, sword first, down at the monster. He landed upon cold stone as Death was suddenly gone. Looking up, Balmung saw the creature flying in the air a few feet from Tsukasa, who, the player noticed, was awake now and watching them. However, the blademaster spared no attention upon Tsukasa and leapt at Death again, this time activating the skill Revolver.

Again, Death disappeared, materializing upon the other side of Tsukasa. "Two strikes!" he cackled. "The third miss and you shall be out. However, this is fun, so I might just let you keep on swinging for a while. Keep in mind that each miss from here on out has consequences…"

Balmung scowled and used a scroll. "Rai Don!"

A bolt of lightening shot towards Death and struck an invisible barrier, phasing out and dying.

"The third miss!" cried Death with an insane laugh. He lifted his scythe above his head and hissed a word.

Tsukasa suddenly screamed in pain as the chains that bound her were suddenly alive with black lightening. It crackled up and down their lengths and all over the wavemaster's body. She writhed at twitched, vainly struggling to be free of the shackles. The other players watched, eyes wide with horror. Reki and Kite winced at Tsukasa's cries and the orb the twin blade held dimmed. Balmung, too, winced at the screams, but he grit his teeth and ran towards Death, leaping up to strike him while distracted. This time, he made contact, slicing through the robe and hitting the ribs before Death disappeared once more. Then the lightening vanished and Tsukasa hung quite limp, gasping for breath.

Death glared at Balmung from a position near the ceiling as the blademaster looked upwards. Balmung returned the gaze with a fierce one of his own. Then, a grim smile appeared on his lips as the player leapt into the air, his own wings beating to stay aloft. The blademaster ascended to the same level as the creature and made as if to dive towards it, but suddenly spiraled downwards. Balmung struck, instead, the chains binding Tsukasa and shattered them. The links and wavemaster fell to the ground with a loud crash. The girl moaned softly as she hit the hard stone and cold metal. Death cursed and dove down towards Balmung, his scythe poised to slash. His eyes burned fiercely with their fire.

Balmung, now standing upon the floor, barely managed to parry the blow. Tsukasa slowly managed to get to her feet after pushing her way out of the tangle of shackles. She had risen just in time to see Balmung attempt to parry another blow, but get knocked off his feet and into the wall. Grimacing, she seized the opportunity and quickly limped down the side isle, though her first several steps were rather shaky and she winced with every movement.

When Balmung had rushed forward and attacked Death, Kite and Reki had simply watched, stupefied. Then, Kite snapped back to reality and began to run towards the two. He halted, however, when Reki called for him to stop. The other player quickly suggested that they wait and see what Death would do. It wasn't that Reki was unconcerned for his boss. They had become, in fact, quite good friends. Reki just knew that Balmung wouldn't appreciate interference at the moment.

When Tsukasa was released, however, and Death began to attack Balmung, both Reki and Kite rushed forward. The orb in the twin blade's hand flashed brightly as Tsukasa called out to them. Kite stopped short and looked at her. She was waving her arm in the air and telling him to give the sphere to her. The twin blade hesitated only a moment before tossing it to the wavemaster. Tsukasa caught it and it began to glow even brighter than before. She gazed into its depths filled with mysterious life. Then she turned her gray eyes towards Death. With a shiver, she closed her eyes, concentrated upon the orb and whispered the word 'repth.' A warm, healing energy filled her and the various cuts and bruises upon her body faded.

Tsukasa opened her eyes once more in time to see Reki cast a similar, though more powerful, spell upon Kite and Balmung. The two were now dueling with the monster Death and loosing, badly. Tsukasa sighed and walked back to the front of the cathedral. Death took little notice of her, but the players wondered why she would do so. She went to the place where the statue had once stood and looked up at the figure, flying over head, sending streaks of utter darkness at Kite and Balmung below.

"Stop!" she commanded in a loud voice that was hers and yet more than hers for it was the voices of three. The orb's light seemed almost a solid substance as its ray's shot from between her fingers so tightly clutching the warm sphere. "The power of the Twilight bids you halt. The power of the Wave bids you cease your destruction. Both hold you to their command."

Death froze, his eyes turned towards Tsukasa with a mixture of rage, hatred and fear. "How dare you," he hissed. "How dare you even think that you might command me, foolish one! Even your increased power is no match for mine!"

The wavemaster smiled grimly. "Not yet," she said, her voice still seeming that of three together. "But soon it will. For now, let me simply deliver a warning: Cease your destruction or face your own demise."

With a chilling laugh, Death suddenly broke free of the binding and turned fully to the wavemaster. He landed directly in front of her. "Do you think that bauble, that mere trinket can defeat me?"

"Perhaps," responded the wavemaster, flinging it at the monster.

The sphere landed at the feet of Death and exploded in shards of pure light, all of them striking the monster. He cried out in pain and surprise as the light not only blinded him, but also paralyzed his movements. Tsukasa leapt around the monstrosity and called to Reki, Kite and Balmung to run. After a moment's hesitation and backward glances at the wrathful Death, now still, they turned and followed the wavemaster out of the cathedral. Once outside, they gated out, returning to Mac Anu with all speed.

A moment after they vanished, a figure with black wings, gleaming red eyes and a gray cloak chucked to himself from the shadows in the corner of the cathedral. Then he, too, disappeared.


Author stuff:

Weee! Reviews! ish very happy

Kitsunia: Thanks for reading & reviewing it. I don't know why people won't review it either, but oh well. Why would I kill of Reki? The thought never even entered my head, but now that you mention it... (just kidding. I wouldn't kill him off.) When I think of a good ending, I'll let you know whether it's happy or not. I haven't gotten quite that far in writing it yet, but I do believe it shall at least be happy for some of the characters... uh... I won't say anymore lest I spoil it. :)

Ranma-chan2 : Thankyou for choosing my fanfic to read first. I'm glad you like it. Right now, I have seven and a half chapters done... I just haven't posted them... doesn't like my word documents much...

Other author stuff:

This be the next chapter. I do hope you like it. Please R & R!

{conversation between characters & author}

Tsukasa: Again, I ask: Why am I always the one to get picked on?

Me: Because...

Kite: Yea... How come she has to be the one to get stuck in the World again? I wouldn't mind... much...

Me: Because of the way things work. If you recall, in .hacksign, Morganna and Aura both talked to her and whatnot. Only Aura talked to you...

Kite: Oh.

Reki: Nevertheless, Tsukasa doesn't deserve this.

Balmung: Indeed, she does not.

Me: Tough. I'm the author here. Besides, if nothing ever happened to her, then there wouldn't be any story here, would there?

Tsukasa: I'm right here! You don't have to keep referring to me in third person...

{End of posted conversation due to an annoying goblin attacking the typist before she could finish}

From Dragon.. mwahaha