Author's Note: This story's title, Legend of the Twilight Angel, was thought up from out of the blue. I recently learned that another story by someone else has the same title and it made me laugh about such coincidence. Anyways, this is to clarify that I have not, in any way, intentionally copied the other Twilight Angel story. With that said, here is the greatly-anticipated 6th chapter of Legend of the Twilight Angel.
The sun was just rising, shedding light upon the grassy ledges of Dun Lorieag. On one of the more secluded areas lay Seraph, his blade far from his reach as he leaned back on the side of the rock behind him. He held his hands behind his head, sleeping oddly enough. A slight wind picked up in the silence of the morning as someone appeared near the Chaos Gate and looked about, seeing Seraph and running towards his direction. The player stood above him, leaning forward.
"Seraph? Are you really asleep?" the player asked, the response being a mere scoff.
"I was," he replied, opening one eye slowly. As his vision adjusted, he saw the familiar green robes and sighed. "How many times do I have to say it, Solo? 'I kill people who wake me up.'"
"But this is serious!" Seraph opened his other eye and lowered his arms, waiting for Solo to continue. "It's about Solange. She's disappeared. She isn't answering my emails or any of my calls." Seraph's eyebrow rose a bit, but went back down as he sighed again.
"She's probably just sleeping like I was," he replied with a hint of annoyance, "If anything really happened, I'm sure she'll be fine." Solo looked at him in disbelief as he rolled to the side, closing his eyes.
"But come on! She's your friend, Seraph!"
"I never made her a friend!" he yelled. Solo backed up a bit, startled. Seraph turned his head, glaring at him. "She can handle herself. And even if she can't... Well, she'll just get a game over." He turned back and closed his eyes again, trying to sleep. Solo's panicked face shifted as he gritted his teeth, growling.
"So you're just gonna lie here! You won't even act like you want to save her!" he yelled to Seraph, making sure he heard. Seraph remained still and quiet as Solo continued. "I see. So Balmung was right. You aren't the old Seraph!" Seraph turned over and stood up, walking to right in front of Solo, glaring.
"You're damn right. I am not the weakling I was before. I am much stronger." He then grabbed his sword and walked back to the spot where he was sleeping, and lay on the ground, his sword in front of him as he turned onto his right side. Solo shook his head and disappeared, logging out. "That's right. I am much stronger. So I don't need friends to accomplish my goals."
"He was being such a jerk about it, too!" Solo ranted on, talking with Zanzoo. She was listening reluctantly, leaning against the railing of the bridge in Mac Anu. "He acted all tough and was like, 'I am not the weakling I was before. I am much stronger,'" he quoted, mocking Seraph's voice. Zanzoo sighed, looking away. "Hey, did you even hear me?" She turned to Solo, looking a bit sad.
"Huh? Oh... Yeah. I heard." Solo stayed quiet for some time before talking again.
"I still don't see why you're so keyed up about him. He's such an ass," he looked at Zanzoo, who was still looking away. "Look, if you really want to, he's in Dun Lorieag. Go talk to him." She looked at Solo again, but now with a surprised look.
"But..." she looked down at her feet. "He told me to stay away and I should respect his wishes."
"Argh!" Solo scratched his head, aggravated. "But is it what you wish? What is it that you want?" Zanzoo didn't respond. "Forget this. I'm gonna go hunt down Balmung. Maybe he can help out." Solo logged out, leaving Zanzoo by herself. She turned and looked down at the waters below.
"I want... I want him to be happy."
"Then you should go see him." Helba was standing in front of Zanzoo suddenly, smiling down at her. Shocked, Zanzoo jumped, sliding a bit on the bridge.
"Just who are you anyways?" she asked, regaining her composure.
"A mere meddler; one who has thrown quite a skipping stone."
"What? What exactly do you mean?"
"He has only been happy whenever you're around. You should go see him. You could be the only one able to move him from his place." She bowed down and logged out. Zanzoo sighed, confused, and looked towards the Chaos Gate.
"Maybe I should..." she said, hesitating. She slowly walked off the bridge towards the Chaos Gate, going to Dun Lorieag. As she reappeared near the server's gate, Zanzoo looked to her left and saw Seraph lying asleep on the cliff. She slowly made her way to the cliff, stopping a few feet from him, afraid of how he'd react.
"I told you to stay away from me," he said just before Zanzoo was ready to speak. She looked to the side sadly, losing her words.
"Yeah... But I wanted to..." she stopped herself and shook her head. "Solo tells me that one of your friends is trapped in a dungeon on this server. Why won't you go save her?"
"She isn't a friend... Merely an acquaintance. It's no big deal. She'll just have a game over." Zanzoo looked down at him in shock as he spoke. "What? Did I surprise you?"
"No. He was right. You are just a big jerk now." Seraph turned over and looked up at Zanzoo, who now had a look of disgust that was digging into him. "He told me how you always kept everyone together and made sure no one was left behind... Back when you were a Wavemaster." He turned away from her again, sighing.
"Them's the breaks. You gotta act tough or you'll end up crying in the end," he commented as he stood up. "It's obvious I won't get much sleep," he turned as he continued, "So I'll just--" Seraph was cut off by a swift, sharp pain in his cheek. He looked at Zanzoo and saw her outstretched hand flung across. "And what was that for?"
"For thinking you needed to be all alone to be stronger," her eyes filled up with tears as she spoke, "And for not going out there and helping a friend." She turned and started walking away. "In case you were wondering..." she stopped walking and finished, "Helba told me to come." She immediately logged out. Seraph stared off with a look of bewilderment.
"Helba? But... Why? What could she possibly gain from sending them here?" he asked himself as he turned and sat on the ground, peering out into the distance. "What is your motive? Are you trying to tell me something?" Seraph thought for a moment and sighed. "I don't get it."
"Someone of your intelligence should understand something so simple." Seraph turned his head, seeing Balmung standing where Zanzoo logged out. "You're supposed to go and save her. It's what you want to do."
"No it isn't," Seraph replied as he turned again. "I don't care what happens to anyone else."
"And yet you do." Balmung walked towards him. "You distance yourself from all others, thinking that maybe then they won't get hurt whenever you find that thing; that demon." Seraph gave no reply as Balmung continued to draw closer. "Whatever happened to the Guardian Angel? What happened to the Seraph who was truly noble and brave, always looking out for others?"
"I couldn't protect them, so--"
"You mean her!" Balmung exclaimed as he stood in front of Seraph, watching him look at the ground. "You regret not being able to save someone in a situation that you had absolutely no control over. You're beating yourself up for all of the wrong reasons!" He drew his sword and held it under Seraph's chin, Seraph himself not flinching. "You really think you can do this on your own? Find the thing that put her into a coma and destroy it all by yourself?" Seraph stood up, pushing Balmung's sword away.
"Yes. If it means no one else will get involved, then I'll find a way." Balmung laughed at his comment and walked around him.
"You are an idiot. You have already gotten others involved in this little grudge of yours. You just don't seem to notice the effect of your actions." He stopped and turned his head slightly, peering back. "You may not realize it, but your inaction has also affected those around you; Solange especially." He faced forward again. "I wonder how she'd react if she heard that her Guardian Angel didn't even think of helping her." Seraph turned to look at Balmung, immediately turning away again as if ignoring his own instincts.
"It doesn't matter. I am not the Guardian Angel anymore."
"No... Of course not." Balmung stepped forward and sighed. "It's time to prove that I'm the better man then." Seraph's head turned suddenly, his eyes widened.
"What did you say..?"
"I said 'It's time to prove that I'm the better man.'" Seraph's hands clenched into fists "Because the fact that you're staying here and not going to help her just further proves the point that you are weaker than me. By your inaction, you are making yourself lower than me on the totem pole. It means that I'll have proof of you being no stronger than a bug." Balmung looked back at Seraph again. He was growling through gritted teeth, one hand balled into a fist and the other gripping his sword. "Just as I thought. If you really want to prove that you're stronger, then be stronger: go save her, because if you won't do anything, I will." He walked off and disappeared, leaving Seraph by himself.
"I..." he spoke as his grip on his sword loosened, Blamung's words finally sinking in. "I am not..." He stood silently as he thought back to an old memory from before he ran into the white monster.
Seraph, in a long blue cloak and light blue hair, was standing under a tree in one of the many grassland fields. Next to him was a blonde girl in a white kimono-like dress, holding a spear against her shoulder. Seraph sighed, smiling.
"I guess you just being here is enough to calm me down." The girl looked at Seraph and smiled.
"Had another fight with your brother, huh?" she asked.
"Yeah. He always says I'm weak and that I'll never amount to anything." The girl giggled, shaking her head. "What? What's so funny?"
"And you let that get to you?" she asked, still giggling.
"I can't stand it. For once, I'd like to just kick his ass."
"You will, Seraph. You know why?" she turned and smiled at him. "Because I'll be there... And all of your friends will be there to support you. Your strength isn't dependent on your own self, but on how much faith others have in you."
Seraph looked down at his empty hand sadly. "Is that really true? But..." he looked up at the sky, "What if they get hurt all because of me?" He remained quiet, as if looking for an answer amongst the clouds. Sighing, he closed his eyes. "Email? ... So, she thinks I'll go..." He walks towards the Chaos Gate slowly. "Well, why would I let Balmung think he's better?" He lifted up his blade and gated to a vast grassland field. The ground and sky were fragmented into bits of data in many areas. It almost looked as if the images had been broken down by a virus of some sorts. Seraph looked for the dungeon silently. "The map says it's over there, but I don't see any monsters on the field. Something's wrong here." He drew his sword and began running towards the dungeon. "No time. I have to get there before something happens."
Solange woke up slowly, finding herself in a large room inside the dungeon. All around her the walls were slowly being broken down. She got up and looked at the room, a fearful glint in her eyes.
"Oh no. This time something bad happened," she said as she stepped away from the walls. As she stepped back a large monster appeared behind her. It growled down at Solange as she turned, peering at the large beast. "Stay back!" A large flame dropped down on the monster, burning its skin. As it fell down, the area flashed and what looked like a bunch of green hexagons appeared all over it. "No... Seraph." The monster shrieked and turned around, looking behind it. Solange looked in the same direction. "Seraph?" A figure in blue armor was standing on the other side.
"Just who the heck are you!" It was Balmung, his sword drawn and ready to strike again. "You picked one hell of a field. This place has been taken over by a data bug!" He ran towards the monster and slashed into its side, sliding next to Solange. The monster turned towards them, unmoved by the attack.
"It has Infinite HP!" she yelled, holding her staff up to her body. Balmung grunted and dashed at the monster again, being blown back by its strike. He slammed against the wall and fell forward onto his hands and knees. "Hey!"
"Dammit. How am I supposed to fight this thing?" Balmung glared up at the monster as it drew closer.
"Get rid of the infection, of course!" A large blade slashed into the monster's side, the player speaking jumping to the side. "I'm surprised a man of your caliber couldn't figure out such a riddle." Solange smiled at seeing the familiar black clothing.
"Seraph! You're here!" He grinned in response and glared at the monster. "That thing has an HP that's infinite! Be careful!"
"Of course," he said and pulled out the ring from his pocket, sliding it on his finger and lifting up his right hand, the bracelet appearing around his wrist. "Data Drain!" A large beam shot from Seraph's hand and shot through the monster, the data bugs breaking off of it and drawn into his hand by the bracelet. After the bugs were completely removed, Seraph fell to the ground, holding his right hand and gritting his teeth. Balmung swung his blade into the monster, immediately dispatching it. He turned to Seraph, slightly confused. Solange ran over to him and got on her knees, putting her hands on his shoulders.
"Are you okay? What's wrong?" she asked worriedly. Seraph lifted his head and grinned.
"Yeah. I'm fine. It's just the stupid ring," he said as he slid the ring off and put it back in his pocket. He stood slowly with some help from Solange. He looked over at Balmung and smiled. "So, who's the better man?"
"What are you talking about?" Balmung asked and walked past the two. Seraph watched him, equally confused.
"What are you talking about anyways?" Solange asked, looking up at him worriedly. In reply, Seraph sighed, chuckling.
"Nothing. I guess I was just imagining it." He looked at Solange and smiled. "I bet you weren't expecting me to come." She shook her head, leaning against Seraph.
"No. I wanted you to be here." He looked at her silently, surprised. Seraph started walking, Solange right next to him, heading out of the dungeon. "I'm sorry I made you come all the way out here just to save me." She said as they exited the dungeon and walked onto the field.
"It's okay. It was a much-needed wake-up call." He let go of Solange slowly. "But now I have to go save and take care of some things." Solange nodded, smiling. "See you later. Just give me a call if you need me." Seraph gated out with a grin.