(A/N: The wait was long, but needed. It is finally done. It happens here, in this chapter. No further introduction needed.)

Part 27: Fulfilling Prophecy

"This is it, isn't it?"

Jenna moved through the thin opening into the orange of evening. Kraden sucked in what little belly was left on him, and grunted his way through the gap. He pulled himself out, breathing deeply and rubbing his side. "How unpleasant." He looked around as Jenna glanced at the grassy knoll that rose steeply before them.

She looked over her shoulder at the man. "Are you sure this is it?"

"The peninsula at the end of the road to the west," Kraden murmured. "That's what Alex told us." He shrugged helplessly. "This must be Idejima."

Jenna raised an eyebrow. "If this is a peninsula, where is the water?" she asked softly. "Menardi said there would be a boat here, didn't she?"

Kraden glared at her. "Well, it can't be far, now can it?" he said dryly. He started up the hill. "It's probably just over this knoll." Kraden started up the hill, Jenna reluctantly in tow.

"Kraden," Jenna grumbled. "We don't know how big this thing is! Maybe we should wait for Alex or the oth—"

"There!" Kraden gasped, reaching the top. "I can see it from here!" He shook his head. "What a magnificent craft."

Jenna had almost reached the old man, walking casually toward him. "What are you talking about. It's probably just an old fishing sh— Kraden!" she shouted as the old man broke into a jog. She groaned. "Kraden! Come back!" She started running, dropping her staff to the ground to pick up speed. "Oh, I swear," she grumbled. "You're as bad as a child with a new toy!"

Kraden scrambled to the water's edge, hurriedly slapping his han on a small black rectangle. It flashed in blue, shaped like his palm and a long gangplank splashed from the ship into the water. Kraden hurried back to the shore and rushed up to the deck.

"Kraden!" Jenna screamed, stopping at the gangplank. She glanced around nervously. "Kraden come back!"

The old man was laughing, tinkering with various devices that laced the deck. He opened the door into the cabin, Jenna paling.

"Kraden!" she roared. "You're going to break something!"

Kraden's head popped back out. He exited, shutting the door behind him. He walked to the bow of the ship, examining the massive wheel that centered at the head. It was surrounded by panels of alien origin, and no matter how he tinkered with it, there was no response. He touched several things, still nothing. He walked over to the gangplank, looking down at Jenna. "That's odd," he was murmuring, scratching his beard.

"What?" Jenna asked as he walked toward her. "What's wrong?"

Kraden motioned frustratedly. "The… that… thingie is missing."

Jenna raised an eyebrow. "The thingie."

Kraden glared at her. "Yes, the thingie that makes it go."

Jenna nodded slowly. "The thingie that makes it go… alright." She reached out and touched Kraden's sunburnt forehead. "We should get you in the shade—"

"No, you don't understand," Kraden growled, swatting her hand away. "Lord Babi had a ship quite similar to this. From a lost continent, I believe he said. There was a thingie that made it go. It isn't there."

Jenna folded her arms across her chest. "A thingie… okay, I'll play. What's so important about this… thingie—?"

"The boat can't move without it," Kraden said flatly.

Jenna frowned. "So… wait, we don't have this thingie? Menardi didn't give it to you?"

"Not me," Kraden said with a helpless shrug.

Jenna's jaw dropped. "That… Menardi! She tricked us!"

Kraden frowned. "What?"

"The boat!" Jenna growled, motioning to it. "There's no… thingie in it! It's a dud!"

Kraden's eyebrows fell. "If it was a dud, how did it get here in the first place?" Jenna slowly nodded in agreement as Kraden walked to the water, shutting up the boat's gangplank with another touch of the panel. "No… It was an orb, I think… a crystal. Black." Kraden glanced at Jenna. "Do you remember that?"

"Remember what?"

"The orb."

She looked even more confused.

Kraden's face fell into exasperation. "You don't remember?" he asked. He licked his lips, searching for words. "The… it was like a crystal. Saturos carried it."

Jenna frowned. "That big… black… pearl thingie?"

Kraden nodded. "I'm certain either he or Felix said something about moving the ship with it."

"The pearl makes the ship move?" Jenna asked.

Kraden scoffed. "Well it loses some of it's luster when you put it that w—"

"There you are!"

The two turned as Alex bounded over the hill, his figure sillhoutted by the sun. He stopped his jog and followed into a brisk walk, stopping before them. "I thought I told you to wait by the cavern."

Jenna looked at the old man beside her and socked him in the shoulder.

Kraden swore, swatting at her as she rushed away. "I just wanted to see the boat." He glanced over his shoulder at it, then back at Alex. "We seem to be missing the orb."

Alex sighed. "Yes, well… Saturos and Menardi should be along soon."

Kraden stepped forward toward Alex, gazing at the lighthouse in the distance. His eyes narrowed upon it. "Strange," he murmured, thunder rolling in the distance.

"What is it?" Alex asked, turning.

"The beacon," Kraden said as he pointed. "It doesn't seem to be lit."

Alex squinted, stepped forward with Kraden. Storm clouds had begun to form over the tower, yet nothing. "You're right," he said softly.

"What does it mean?" Jenna asked.

Alex frowned. "It mean's they're taking too long…" He paused a moment, then added softly, "or they've run into trouble—"

"Don't say that!" Jenna growled, storming toward him. "Just because Felix hasn't returned—"

"Look!"

The bickering ended on Kraden's word. They followed his finger to where a yellow line shot into the clouds. Lightning flashed wildly around the top of the lighthouse, sparking from the beam that was widening. Something echoed somewhere in the distance.

"They did it!" Kraden shouted, grabbing Jenna and dancing a little jig. "They've lit the beacon!"

Alex looked at the ground beneath them. Pebbles aligned on a rock quivered, one toppled off the stone. He looked at the beach. Tiny waves beat themselves against the shore, shattering and falling away. The boat was rocking in wide arcs; forward, back. Forward, back.

Jenna couldn't help but laugh and dance along with Kraden, even if she didn't know the dance. The two threw their hands about merrily, singing a little song they'd heard on their travels. Before too long Kraden had gone slightly violet in the face, sweat dotting his forehead. He laughed softly, groping behind him. "I think I'd better sit down," he murmured breathlessly. He laughed again to himself, finding the rock and grabbing hold. He planted himself on it, sighing and shutting his eyes. He pulled off his glasses, cleaning them on his sleeve when he stopped. His hand reached down to touch the stone. Vibrations ran quietly beneath his fingertips. "Strange."

Jenna was still dancing about, singing to herself and laughing. She stopped. A moment more and she let out a groan, turning to the two. "Did you feel that?" she asked hurriedly.

The two were frowning, both focusing on the earth.

"There it is again!" she gasped, looking up. Black clouds were gathering, heavy and thick. She sighed, looking at the two before her. "I felt rain," she murmured.

Neither Alex nor Kraden replied.

She sighed. "We should find shelter. They won't be here for another hour or so…"

Nothing.

Jenna let out a small nervous laugh. "Look, I'm going back… gonna sit in the cavern till the storm passes, alright?"

Again, no response.

She scoffed lightly, shrugging as she walked away.. "Fine, sit in the rain. I'll be back when it's over."

Alex and Kraden were fixated on the beacon. Black clouds had formed around the lighthouse, flashing contorted branches of lightning. Kraden looked to the one beside him. "Alex?"

The Imilian's eyes narrowed.

"The ground," Kraden murmured. "I think it's… shaking." He looked out to the beach not far off from them. The waves were growing, touching the grass far off the shoreline. The boat creaked, rolling in the high-rising water. Kraden grabbed at his rock. A cluster of tiny pebbles by his foot scurried across the ground.

Alex, too, was staring at the waves, now closer than ever. The ship reeled wildly, wood creaking as the water smacked into it. He rose from one knee, eyes narrowing. "Strange… I think it might be getting w—"

A great jolt forced them both to the ground. Kraden coughed, wind knocked out of him, looking up at Alex. "What was that!"

Alex forced himself to one knee, then stood. He looked around frantically. "I… I don't know. Something isn't right."

The ground shook again, rumbling in the distance. Alex managed to keep his footing, but Kraden frantically grabbed for a sapling, clinging to the minute tree for dear life. The creaking resumed, the ship lurching back and forth. Rain began to fall, seemingly soft at first, then a sudden torrent.

Kraden looked at Alex, his eyes wide as he lifted an arm to shield his face from the water. He screamed over the wind. "We need to move! It's too dangerous here!"

Alex's hair whipped violently around his face. He gave a firm nod. "Let's move toward the forest! There was a stone outcropping I saw on my way in!" He looked up. "We need to go before the lightning starts!"

"What about the caves?" Kraden screamed.

"The caves?" Alex shouted back.

"Jenna!" Kraden replied. "She said she was going to wait out the storm in—"

The ground lurched as a monstrous crack filled the air. Alex fell to his knees, Kraden's sapling giving way and snapping. Alex put out one arm for balance, looking up as a long moan filled the air. He looked up to see a wooden wall carried on sea water hurdling down at them.

Kraden began to scream as Alex jumped to his feet. He sprinted to the old man, grabbing him by the wrist and hoisting him up. He dragged him for a moment, then flung him in front of him, jumping away just as the ship crashed down at their heels, air surging out at them, scattering debris all around them.

Alex stumbled away, knees shaking terrible and lungs aching for want of air. He stepped away from the wreckage, falling flat on his back as his legs buckled. He propped himself on his elbows, staring at the mass of splintered wood and remnants that lay all around them.

Kraden found himself on the ground, grass pressed deep into his cheek. He sat up, tossing a chunk of wood off his traveling cloak, looking about frantically. He gasped, looking through his front pocket, glancing at either side, hearing something shifting below him. He winced, reaching under his rear and pulling out his spectacles. All that remained was the golden frames and a few shards of glass.

"Twillan and mustard seed," he muttered darkly, bits of glass sprinkling onto the ground.

"Forget it, we need to leave! Now!" Alex shouted, grabbing him by the collar of his cloak and pulling him to his feet. "Come on…" They started toward the woods, lightning flashing in the distance. He paused, turning back to the shore and frowning.

Kraden kept walking, stopped when he realized he wasn't being followed. "What is it?"

"Jenna," he murmured. "Where's Jenna?"

Kraden frowned. "She… she said she was going to the cave… waiting out the storm—"

"Is she mad!" he gasped, paling slightly. He broke into a run, heading toward the caverns at the head of the peninsula. "We have to find her!"

"Her!" Kraden shouted after him. "Shouldn't we be worried about us! Alex!"

"Get to the outcropping!" Alex roared, turning back, now thoroughly drenched.

"Alex! Are you m—!"

"Just go!" he screamed. "I'll be there shortly!"

Jenna sat in the caverns, wringing the water out of her hair. She cursed to herself as she unclasped her leather armor, flinging it on the ground. She looked down at her terribly worn pink tunic, thread worn and wet to the point of exposure of her undergarments. She tossed her skirt aside with a slap against a large stone, sighed as she reached down to rub her sore legs, covered by tight, black trousers, cutting off at her knee.

She groaned, letting down her hair, limp and sticking to her face. "What could possibly be taking them," she grumbled as she sunk to a rock. She pulled off one boot, then the other, sighing gratefully as she began to massage her feet. They were red and calloused. And where they were not calloused, they were blistered.

She sighed, wiping a hand across her chest, shaking the water onto the ground and wringing out the ample sleeves of her tunic. Her things lay in disarray on the other side of the darkened cave, her staff covered in water, and whatever herbs and medicinal poultices Kraden was having her carry soaked, and of no further use.

She pulled her knees to her chest, only her eyes visible over the top. "I hate water," she sighed, staring out at the storm, quickly darkening her view of anything.

A bright flash shocked her eyes as a silent splash appeared before her. She jumped back to her feet, grabbing her staff as her eyes adjusted. Alex stepped toward her, soaked as she, blue hair plastered against his skin.

"Alex?" she laughed lightly, setting her staff against the wall. "You scared me for a second there, I—"

"We need to leave, now," he said flatly.

She frowned. "Wh…What? Alex, I just—"

"What part of 'leave now' to you not understand?" he growled, grabbing her pack and flinging it at her. "We're leaving."

She glared at him, pushing the pack back at him at full force. He coughed as it hit him in the gut. Her auburn eyes flashed dangerously. "You can go. I'm not."

His jaw set and his hands began to glow. "No." He flung it at her again, she flying back and hitting the cavern wall. She groaned as her vision spotted over, Alex hovering over her and dragging her to her feet. "We go now, understood?"

Jenna yanked herself out of his grasped, dropping the bag. "What is wrong with you!" she shouted. "We're safe here!"

Alex grabbed her shoulders, giving her a rough shake. "No, we are not!" he growled. "Now are you coming or—"

"Listen," she said, words coming out in a sudden torrent. "I've been through blistering deserts, rabid wolves, huge sand-dragon-things, crazy monks, dangerous cliffs, Kraden's constant whining, volcanic eruptions, and now a really big storm! I AM STAYING HERE AND I AM NOT GOING TO—!"

"LOOK OUT!"

Light surrounded her. There was a sensation of growing smaller, of drowning. Jenna felt herself hit grass, pinned down by something heavy. She opened her eyes, gasping as she looked up at the Imilian on top of her. He leapt to his feet, staring in the distance as rain poured down on them. She scrambled to her feet, cheeks burning in the rain as she stared at the cave she was in.

Or what had been the cave. The rock wall shattered, straight up from the mouth of the cavern, collapsing in on itself. It fell with an enormous snap, the earth around them rising. She looked up in shock as Alex held out his hand, not looking at her.

"Alex…" she breathed softly. "You just saved my life—"

"Not yet," he growled. "Now come on!"

Stone around them shifted, scattering pebbles in it's wake. The land lurched, the entire canyon wall behind them falling to become a mile-long ravine. Water splashed up the crack, hissing as the stone continued to crack along the eastern edge.

Jenna ran until her legs burned, then Alex began dragging her. She stumbled behind him, letting out a scream as the ground split open before them, taking Alex down. She found herself lying at the top of a tiny ditch, not two meters high, staring down at Alex.

He cursed loudly as lightning flashed above, thunder echoing just after. He let out several shocked gasped, struggling to stand, ending in a scream.

"Alex!" Jenna shouted, gasping for air.

"My ankle!" he screamed. "I… I can't get out!"

"You need to use your psynergy!"

"I don't have enough!"

"You have to try!" she screamed.

"If I don't have enough I might not be able to get all of me there!"

"Just do I—!"

"I could kill us both!"

"Well, we're already dead if you don't!"

Alex pushed himself up with his good leg, tossing up his hand and grabbing her wrist. He shouted something over the storm, a quiet spell, or perhaps a private curse.

Light flashed as the ground gave way.

Madness.

It was no longer an abstraction, an empty thing that meant and illness of the mind. Two beings were never meant to coexist in the same vessel. At every movement there was pain, constant screaming. Strength came, the strength that comes when one is not in full control of their thoughts, their body. When one is, in a sense, mad.

It was easier to describe it as three separate minds inside the vessel: You, I, and We. All fighting for superiority, like being buried alive in the same coffin, tearing at the wood until your fingertips ran red. It was impossible to distinguish between self and whoever else was there. For all they knew, their thoughts were the other's thoughts, and whomever they were before was drowning in confusion.

Yet within the madness, there was a single emotion where all came into one; rage. Flailing about wildly, fire pouring from their veins, for no reason save that. It had come to the point where there was no reason required. Like the extremes of sadness, without sobs. Anger without words. Only silence. A silence within them that echoed so deep, it screamed until they would burst.

Four little lives flickered before them, so minute they were hardly a spark against the darkness they waded through. Tiny lights begging to be smothered, as though the world would end if they continued to burn. Somehow, that seemed exactly how it was.

Stone gave way to a physical beast, fumbling blindly, no longer guided by 'You,' or 'I', only by 'We,' a separate creature in itself, something neither could control. Nor were they sure they wanted to.

A light went out somewhere underneath them, tiny voices screaming tiny fears. Cold rushed through them, deep, aching inside three. They reared, a light fading, barely pulsing as the storm grew.

Whispers below them, so small, they were not. There were tears, screams. Heat and Cold. Their own little lights were quickly fading, and within moments would be gone. Darkness would return, and little lights everywhere would begin to go out.

"Come on!"

Felix stumbled back in shock as a hard blow landed on his jaw. He fell flat on his rear as Sheba's foot touched the ground again, whirling her staff in a wide arc. Her green eyes flashed. "I'm not going anywhere!"

Felix pushed himself up, eyes narrow. "We need to go now—!"

"NO!"

Sheba gasped in shock as Felix caught her stick in one hand, pulling it away. She stared at him in horror, wincing as his hand drew back. She opened her eyes as ringing metal filled her ears, the staff clattering before her.

Felix stared at her hard. "Get your staff and let's go. We need to leave here—"

"I don't want to!" she shouted, grabbing her staff and stepping away. "You lied to me! You said you'd bring me home!"

"You lied to me, too!" Felix screamed.

"What!"

"You said you had a destiny!"

Sheba flushed furiously. "I do have a dest—!"

"Not for long if we don't get off this tower!" Felix roared, holding out his hand.

She pulled away. "No!"

"Sheba!" Felix argued. "Please! If you don't you'll die!"

"I would die in your care anyway!" she shouted back. "That crazed leader of yours will kill me as soon as he has the chan—"

"He's just killed himself to save you!" Felix roared, eyes red, rain pouring down his face. "Don't you see, Sheba! We need you!"

She stared at him. "You're lying."

"No!" he screamed. "Sheba, without your powers, Weyard will die! Don't you get it! That is your destiny! That is what is meant to happen!"

Sheba shook her head. "How do you kno—!"

"I just do!" he said, flinging his hand out again. "Now are you coming or not!"

Sheba stared at his palm, rain falling all around them. Her trembling hand grabbed hold of his, dragging her toward the western side of the aerie. She could hardly see as the wind grew fierce, rain falling so hard it seemed it would tear through her clothes. "Where are we going!" she screamed.

"We have to get down the aerie!" Felix shouted. "There should be a contraption over h…" He frowned, staring into the rain at the western tower. Where there should have been stone, there was only air.

"What!" Sheba asked.

"It's not there!"

"What's not!"

"The stones that move you down the aerie!" he screamed. "They aren't here! The whole western peak is gone!"

"Lord Babi!"

Felix turned to face Sheba. "What!"

"Lord Babi!" she screamed. "He tore the whole thing down to create the foundation for his lighthouse!"

Felix paled. "Are you kidding me!"

"Do you see a tower here!" Sheba retorted.

Felix panicked. "Well, then what do we—"

"Isaac!"

"Isaac!"

"Mia, no! Wait!"

Mia flew back, falling hard against the marble floor, reeling to look up at the towering beast above them. Garet ran to her, grabbing her by her elbow and pulling her to her feet. He dragged her away as the creature reared it's heads, letting out low shriek, rumbling behind the thunder. Behind it, Isaac lay motionless.

"We have to help him!" Mia screamed.

Garet looked about frantically. He caught sight of the Wind Adept. "Ivan! Distract it!"

Ivan nodded, scrambling up the aerie and raising his hands. The wind blew harder, the creature growling furiously as lightning flashed around it. It spooked and reared up, thundering as it came back to the marble, sending Garet to one knee.

He jumped up again, rushing to Isaac. He flung the boy, hardly half his size over his shoulder, struggling to run toward where Ivan stood, eyes catching the lightning every now and again, making him look suddenly older.

Garet stumbled up the aerie, tossing the lifeless body behind the statue and rushing back to the fight. Mia screamed into the storm as a volley of ice shards flew from her hands, piercing the beast's entire arm and chest.

It roared, turning on her and swatting her aside again. This time, she didn't move.

"No!" Ivan gasped, the lightning fading.

"Ivan, no! You have to keep—"

He flung a fistful of wind at the dragon, ice shards breaking loose, pulling scales off with it. The beast roared in Ivan's direction, sending a fiery shaft hurdling toward the boy. It hit him headlong, fire engulfing the tiny boy. When the flames stopped, a violet glow surrounded him. He lowered his arms, scrambling toward Garet as the beast followed him.

Garet started running toward Ivan when the dragon slapped him away. Ivan tripped, fell to the ground, sputtering as he lifted himself from the puddle. The beast lifted one great paw, it's shadow floating over the tiny Wind Adept.

Garet charged the dragon, raising his axe as he neared one of the heads. He swung. It reared back, the paw groping wildly at it's eye. The beast shied away, hissing, one great eye blinking frantically. Garet grabbed Ivan, pulling him to his feet. The boy stared at Garet in shock as Garet pressed the tiny bottle into his hands. "Make Isaac drink this! And make sure he gets all of it! Hurry!"

Ivan rushed away as the dragon, with renewed fervor, started toward Garet. He raised his weapon again, the beast's paw crashing into him, sending him flying to the ground, and his axe skidding over the edge. Garet began to move but was suddenly pinned down by the same paw. It pressed hard, bones shifting in Garet's body. He bit his lower lip, holding in a scream until it exploded from him. Pain was everywhere, his voice filling each drop of rain as they collapsed on his face.

"Come on!"

The dragon stopped, looking up to see Ivan, cradling Isaac's head in his hand, forcing the potion on his mouth, only to have it roll off his lips, onto the cracked armor. Ivan weakly fingered Isaac's lower lip, turning the bottle over, holding Isaac's mouth shut around it.

The dragon's tail flicked up, snapping hard against Ivan. He flew back, slamming into a statue, staring in horror as the bottle, still half-full, shattered on the ground. "No!" he gasped. Another flick of the tail and Ivan was pinned under the statue.

The two heads returned to Garet, the Fire Adept struggling violently. As the pressure returned, he started screaming again. The dragon loomed over him, pressing hard and deeper, trying to make him conform to the stone, but his body wouldn't, not until it broke.

The screams grew worse, pain burning through every bone. Then suddenly it was gone. He opened his eyes, blinking away the darkness to see the dragon shrieking, dual heads wailing and clashing in pitch. The massive paw lurched at it's chest frantically, a great stone chunk protruding from it.

Garet rolled on his side, coughing violently, red turning pink in the tiny puddles scattered across the marble. He managed to look again to where Isaac stood, sunken to one knee, hand outstretched.

They for only a moment longer, then sudden as it became 'They,' it returned to 'You' and 'I', a pulling of one into twain. Almost more painful than to become one was to be separated. A madness of the lack of madness, of a certain logic and sudden knowledge.

Bones snapped, this time not caring in which direction, breaking. Red erupted from their skin. They were falling, becoming so much less than they had been. Smaller and smaller until it was two, standing above aerie, before the pit, facing the clouds. A feral beast, once again two little lives, tiny sparks that flickered for only moments more.

Saturos looked down at his chest, armor gone, a simple white tunic. Red poured from him, thick and dark. It was in his mouth, on his skin, everywhere but inside of his body. He struggled to breath. There was no air left for him. His skin had gone from silver to white, his scales gone pale in color.

In his hand was another, holding so tightly, with the last of the strength that remained. Her skin, deep and rose, was snow colored, whiter than Imil or Prox. Whiter than anything living should be.

But they were already dead.

"h… how…" Saturos stared because his strength was gone.

A single red tear stained Menardi's virgin cheek as her jaw hung wide. "we… were defeated…"

Saturos looked to the young boy, no older than Felix that struggled to one knee. His blue eyes caught Saturos's. Saturos coughed, the air leaving him completely. The boy frowned, stumbling away, lying on the ground before them, staring as red fell into it's own puddle at his feet, muddling in the rain.

"It is over," Isaac said softly.

Saturos felt air gather one last time inside him. His mouth twitched, the corner turning up into a smile. "…no."

The hand on his wrist became tight one last time. "Saturos…"

His eyes went wide for a moment, knees giving way. The hand stayed with him, his female beside him, and her male beside her. Her pulse echoed as they fell, heat surrounding them, little lights growing, blinding themselves in endless white.

And still the darkness was coming. So quickly, yet never reaching. Two hands, two pulses, careening for mere moments, and falling for hours, content to be two separate beings, forever after known as 'They.'

And it ended.

Garet forced himself up, hand pressed to his chest. He looked around, staring at the rubble that was Venus Aerie. He looked to where Isaac was pulling rocks away from Ivan, and Mia was healing her wounds. He grinned tiredly, for a moment, denied it, then saw nothing and let out a laugh. "We won…" He jumped up, shouted happily, kicking in the air. "WE WON!" he screamed, laughing almost hysterically as Isaac helped Ivan to his feet.

"We beat them…" Isaac told him quietly, helping him limp past the aerie pit.

"But have we really won?" Ivan murmured.

"What do you mean?" Isaac asked, frowing.

Garert scoffed, prodding his arm with hesitant fingers. "Of course we won."

"No," Mia said, forcing herself to her feet, leaning on her staff. "The beacon was still lit…"

Ivan sighed. "And all our effort was for naught."

"What!" Garet gasped incredulously. "What are you talking about! We did everything that we could!" He made a gesture to the beacon, a thin beam still rising. "Sure, we couldn't save Venus Lighthouse, but we beat them!… they're gone! You saw them fall into the pit!" He shrugged, smiling up at the rain as it fell a little lighter on his face. "We don't have to worry about anymore beacons being lit."

Mia shook her head, sun peaking through the clouds. "But Felix is gone… and he's taken Sheba with h—"

"…no."

The group turned in one great motion as the rain began to stop. Felix's hair was loose against his face, pale and shaking. Sheba stood behind him, her eyes wide, taking in the aerie remains. One of the six statues still stood firm, several broken and shattered, and one completely missing.

Felix swallowed hard, keeping his distance. "Did…" He looked around. "Did you… finish them?"

Isaac nodded slowly, starting toward Felix. "Everything's over. We're finished here, we can go h—"

Felix drew his blade, Isaac taking a wary step backward. Felix's eyes were dim, pale as the sun filtered onto their faces. Rain still poured down his cheeks. He was the extreme. The anger without words, sadness without emotion. He stepped back, keeping his sword close. "No one knew their power better than I did," he murmured.

Isaac sighed. "Felix…"

"If you destroyed them, then I am no match for you," he said. His eyes flashed, and he quietly murmured, "now…"

Isaac shook his head. "Felix, it's over. We've just—"

"Isaac," Felix hardly breathed, taking a fearful step backward, eyes focused, wide and worried, on the boy before him. He shook his head, more tears coming. "I must go." He didn't move his gaze, only weakly held out his hand. "Come, Sheba…"

Sheba looked between Isaac and Felix, silently stepping forward and taking his wrist in her hand, allowing him to guide her toward the stairway.

"Wait!"

Felix paused on the step, looking at the Imilian girl rushed toward him. Behind her the shaft of light still rose from within the pit, no glowing orb as on Mercury, just a line of green fire into the sky. Mia swallowed hard, coming to a stop at the top of the stairway, looking down at he and Sheba. "Felix, wait…"

He stopped, then began downward again. "I… can't—"

"Why do you run from us!" Ivan gasped in exasperation.

Garet scratched the back of his head, sighing tiredly. "Felix… they… they fell into the lighthouse. It's…" He smiled wearily, shrugging. "It's all over…"

Felix swallowed hard, shutting his eyes tight, silently mourning. "You poor fools…" His eyes slid open, warm and vibrant again. "If you think this is over, you are sadly mistaken…" He started down the stairs, reaching where the western tower should have been. He flung his hand out casually, small vines appeared on the side of the stone. He touched Sheba on the back, lightly. "Are you strong enough to climb?"

Sheba nodded slowly. "I think s—"

Mia rushed to the stairs. "If you're going to light the beacons, you will still need—"

"The Elemental Stars?" Felix growled, rounding on the group staring down at him from the displaced stone over his head. "We have them!"

"Not all of them," Isaac argued quietly.

"They're gone, Felix!" Ivan shouted. "You don't have to light the beacons anymore!"

Felix felt as though something large had hit him in the chest. He ached to breathe, but it seemed that his lungs had seized up. His breathing was tight, shaky. There was a lack inside of him, as though someone had reached inside of him and pulled something out, something that would never return. It was unvoiceable, a growing sickness.

Saturos was dead.

Menardi was dead.

Time was suspended in a series of breaths. The pain was too great to think, to do anything other than to will himself to breathe. His body felt as though at any moment it would collapse in on itself, that he would cease to be and it would all be over. But several moments passed and he still existed. Isaac, Garet, Mia, and Ivan still stood above them, leaning over the banister and staring. Sheba was holding fast to one hand, and in the other, a sword in it's scabbard, and a gem in a mythril bag.

He swallowed hard, Mia's words still echoing in the empty canyon where the western tower should have been, 'you don't have to light the beacons anymore.'

He shook his head, turning his back on them, as he tucked the pouch on his belt. He removed his rapier, setting the sword and the sheath in it's place. He dropped his old weapons, hand resting on the new one. The last leader of their cause carried it. Now it was his responsibility. "Yes… I do," he murmured. "You don't understand, do you? If I don't light the beacons, then…"

"What!" Garet screamed. "What will happen? Nothing! Felix, you're—"

"It's no use talking about it!" he snapped, rounding on them. "Just wait and see!"

Isaac shook his head. "Felix—"

"If you won't release Sheba," Mia shouted, rushing toward the stairs. "Then we'll just have to take her b—!"

The world spun wildly, stone shattering all around them. Pebbles sprinkled over Felix's face and the wind rushed from his body as he hit the marble below him. he opened his eyes, looking up at the ledge he had just been standing on. The stairs towered over them, bent in the wrong direction, stone pulled upwards and inside itself. He struggled to move, aching all over his body from the shock of the fall. The air roared all around them, earthen and deep, as though it would erupt. A quiet gasp returned him to his place.

He scrambled across the ledge on hands and knees until he reached the edge. Sheba was clinging to a shattered windowsill, reaching for a tiny vine, she grabbed at it and it crumbled away from the stone. She tried to grab for the window again, and the marble there gave way, leaving her hanging with one hand.

The stone cracked.

"No! Sheba!" Felix flung himself over the edge, hands reaching down, almost close enough to touch. "Hold on, Sheba! Take my hand!"

Sheba stared up at him, green eyes wide. She grunted, pulling up her free hand and reaching. Her fingertips brushed his, suddenly pulled away and the marble snapped, loosening. She let out a tiny gasp, looking back up. She was crying, torn apart in silence. "I can't—"

"You must try!" Felix screamed, reaching further. "If you don't—"

"Look," she hardly breathed, staring down. "The foundation of the lighthouse…"

Clouds rushed up at them, the ocean frantically beating against the lighthouse, each wave bringing back ton after ton of stone. Their half of the tower was slowly sinking.

Felix was frantic, trying to hold himself against the wet marble. "D-don't look, Sheba!" he shouted as she tried to pull herself up again. The stone cracked again, ready to give way at any moment. "Just give me your hand!"

The stone fell in, Sheba gasping. "I… I'm slipping!" she gasped, her eyes wide, hysterical. Half the window fell away, crashing against the side of the lighthouse. One hands remained on the ledge, slipping from palm to fingers. She let out a sob, looking up helplessly. "Felix, I'm slipping! I can't hold on—"

"No!" he screamed. "Don't let go! You can't! You'll—"

The stone shifted, her fingers began to fail. She looked up, face wet and covered with dirt and rain. "Goodbye… Felix," she murmured, quiet breaking filling the air. She gasped as it came loose. She forced her face up, looking one last time at the face she'd known so short a time. "And thank you."

The stone shattered.

"SHEBA!"

Felix was on his feet, cloak off before he made the motion. "NO! I won't let this happen!"

Somewhere in the distance, someone was screaming.

Memory was gone and he hurdled himself into air. White and sky flashed beside him. Waves beat the stone, half the Aerie giving way into the ocean. It rose to touch the sun, to meet them with stone and water. Hands met, pulling for one another frantically. They breathed, and the moment was over.

Thick darkness surrounded them, cool and deafening. Eternal and empty for miles. Motion all around them, and unable to move. Unable to do anything more than wait. Endless blue and pale all around them forever.

Then, suddenly sky.

Felix awoke with a horrific gasp, filling his whole body with air as though he never had before. Like hearing after being deaf, seeing after being blind. Sun beat against his face, circles of salt and sand twisted all over his skin.

Waves breached on the shore, lapping at his boots, the seaweed tangled around his body. Small breaths touched his cheek, a hand against his chest. He glanced at the small one beside him; caked in sand and seaweed, blonde hair askew across his chestplate.

He looked again at the sky until only the white remained. His breathing slowed and he fell asleep.