Note:

If the readers have not figured it out, I do one chapter of Sorma, then one chapter of Ikardis (except on the few chapters when they are together, like this one). On Sorma's chapters, it is written from his point of view. On Ikardis' chapters, it is written as a regular narrative. As I hope I have said before, I'm in the process of finding my particular writing style using this story; in case you want my opinion, I think I do best on point of views.

I hope that covers all confusion.

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.hack/OMEGA

Chapter five

Reunited

"A fight? Why would I want to fight you! You're just some newb."

"Don't play games with me, Ikardis. I am not one for such pointless things."

"Fine! Fine. Anyway, enough of this chitting and chatting. I want to begin the beating and battling." Ikardis' blades swung forward, locking in place.

I took note of the text engraved into his blades. It matched my necklace's. Does that mean that his weapons are somehow related with this obvious abnormal item in my possession? Well, I have no time for thinking about such matters at the moment.

"I don't know why you have suddenly come back to playing The World, but don't think I've not kept up with my training without you around to challenge me." I pulled my cloak off, tossing it to the right of me; there was no use in keeping my identity safe at this moment in time. The small amount of star and moonlight reflected off my dark blue armor, and soon reflected off my sword blade when I unsheathed it. I held the sword vertically in front of me.

"Glad to hear that." He ran to the wall, ran up it, jumped off of it, and fell down upon me with both blades of his crossed.

I swung my sword up, blocking the attack. I pushed his weight away from me, followed by a slash to his chest before he was too far away.

The leather straps on Ikardis' chest snapped as the blade passed through them, and they hit the ground along with his feet as he landed. He took one step forward. "You've actually gotten stronger." His pupils shrank. "I can't believe it!" he yelled as he charged.

"And you have grown slow." I charged at him also. I stopped to the side of him when I was near, bringing my knee to his stomach.

Ikardis gagged and fell to the ground, coughing more.

"Feel free to die when you've had enough," shouted I to him, seeing that he was probably at half his total Hit Points already.

"And...give…up?" Ikardis answered between coughs. The laughter was quiet at first, and then he swung his head up to laugh at the sky. "You're up there, I know you are! You gave me these damn weapons with the promise of beating Sorma! You said that I would be able to do it! But I can't! I can't! It is all your fault, Morgonna!" Ikardis struggled to stand, his fingers twitching. He cracked his neck when he flipped it to the side. "Do you hear me, Woman! I need more power! More, more, and even more!"

I stood there, sword still cautiously held in front of me. Ikardis seemed to have gone insane. He was talking to the sky now…yeah, that was my definition of insane.

Much to Ikardis' dislike, the voice from the sky did not answer him.

"Morgonna!"

No answer.

I had heard enough of this. My wings spread open. With one, hard flap, I sent a hard wind towards Ikardis.

Ikardis was thrown into a wall. He slid down, getting into a sitting position. He smiled insanely. "I can do that, too!" He pointed the left blade at me, and it began to glow red.

I was then thrown into another wall by some strong gust. I grunted when I stood, recovering from the off guard attack. "You cast a spell. Only Wavemasters can cast spells. How did you-" My eyes widened. I looked down at the blade in my stomach; it was the left blade, now pulsing red.

There was…pain. Pain, I could feel it. As if I had really been stabbed, I felt the pain in the real world. I don't know why, I don't know how, but at that moment, when the blade entered my body, I could feel that horrid pain.

My eyelids grew heavy. I could feel my body grow limp. The darkness was all I could see; or rather not see. I heard my body collapse.

That thump I heard was followed by the cries of Ikardis. "What! What is a monster doing here!" Long pause with various grunts here and clashing metals there. "I can't harm it! Leave me alone! I don't want to die! Call it off, Girl, call if off!"

"After you hurt Sorma? Ha, do you really think that will happen?"

I heard the Chaos Gate being activated.

"The jerk left! Ugh!" She paused. "Mana, help me get Sorma to the caves."

There was darkness and complete silence now.

I don't know when it was that I woke up, but I think it was around to an hour.

I yanked myself up, trying to figure out where I was. It was my hideout. I jumped to my feet, getting my sword into my hand quickly.

Oil lamps, which never go out, light the cave room. Weapons and items of all kinds are untidily thrown into one massive pile. There areas where there was a gap of the items and weapons were filled with gold pieces. This was my treasure.

"That was some mess you got yourself into with Ikardis." The woman stepped out. Her white cloak covered her body with the hood down. A red streak was on her neck. Her light green hair hung down to her sides. Her staff was held gently in her hand; the pole of the staff was white, the end was a fork with the center tooth longer than the other two. The fork part was the one pointing up to the ceiling with a purple gem floating above the center tooth. It was Muru…

"And what are you doing here?" I asked her. An ex-friend is not supposed to show up out of the blue.

She looked at me with burgundy eyes. "I summoned a monster and saved you from being PKed."

"I don't think my last words were 'Please, save me.'"

"You don't like my company, I see. I remember when you used to."

"I don't talk to hackers anymore." I turned my back on her. She was stabbing a nerve, which had been long forgotten.

Knowing her, Muru was looking at the ground. "Aura was wrong. Coming to you for help was a mistake."

She still knew how to spark my curiosity. "My services are needed?"

"One of the Legendary players has gone to challenge Ikardis."

I looked over my shoulder at her. "Why does it matter?"

"I only need to mention one name. Kite."

I now turned to her. "The one Balmung always talked to us about?" I asked, my teeth baring slightly.

"Yes."

I eased up a little. "Kite can handle himself."

"You experienced it yourself. Ikardis is unbeatable. Kite is in danger."