A/N: Okay, it took long enough, but Chapter 27 is finally upon us! Ahem…
The final battle between Nebilim and the forces of light has finally begun. However, things are not going as planned for Nebilim and, as such, he begins to lose the fight. How can the heroes do what they are doing to a being far more powerful than themselves? What is the secret to their success thus far?
Right. By now, everyone should know what will be going for me and Fan Fan Girl during the month of November so I won't get into that. If you don't know yet, just check my profile for details.
It's that special time again kiddies! You can't deny your love for it! It's…
"Respond to the Readers"
Draco Blade – Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever gone into specifics concerning what Nebilim looks like. Well, I can at least give you a quick run down. Lesse… about 8 feet tall, close to 600 pounds, every ounce of body is covered in muscle, body is white save for his yellow pupiled eyes, two spiraling horns that bend outward in the middle and back towards each other near the top, razor-like 2-inch long fingernails (may as well be claws, 4 fangs (2 on the bottom, 2 at the top), and if you look VERY closely, you can see wisps of dark energy emanate off of him.
Is Nebilim too easy? – It sure seems that way, huh? Why did it take 9 angels to seal Nebilim when just 3 in the present day are mopping the floor with Nebilim? They may very well be more powerful than the angels of old, but is that really all there is to it? (You'll find out in this chapter!)
dragoonknight1 – I assure you that Nebilim is not toying with the angels. Nebilim is proud but he's not stupid.
evlo – As a matter of fact, the website is up! Just clock the homepage link on my profile and check it out. The pairings section has gone through many changes lately, including the addition of approval ratings, pros, and cons for each pairing as well a new category of pairings. Hope y'all like it!
Lloyd Irving Aurion – Heh… don't be so sure. As for the using Origin thing, I had actually considered using this until I realized something: Symphonia is under the influence of Niflheim, Nebilim's home turf. There's no telling if the physics of his world could be altered with Origin or not. Anything is possible though.
Shadowofthewave – You like the new moves? Thank you! And don't worry, I won't become engrossed in my own creations. More moves will be coming though, so keep an eye out! The heroes have not even begun to fully realize the true prowess of their Angel Arms… or have they?
Rock Raider – I'll do that. Everyone tells me Kingdom Hearts is good.
JSB – Heh… you're on the right track…
Specter Von Baren – Well said my friend. You can expect to see all of the summon spirits throughout the course of the battle. Finally, I'm very anxious to start "Knocking on Heaven's Door" m'self. I've finally narrowed down what I want to start one after either CtB or UL is done: "Knocking on Heaven's Door" or "Super Symphonia!" I'll let the fans decide this one. Either way, the other one will be started when either CtB or UL is finished (whichever comes last). From what we have planned so far, I fully believe that "Knocking on Heaven's Door" will be far more successful than UL was, even if the readers aren't LloydXPresea fans.
HayabusaJiraiyaRULEZ – You are too kind! As for more ZelosXColette, you will definitely see more, though it may not be in this story… or may not even be related to this current story. You'll see.
MC – Ver.2 – Thanks, but the Sheloyd chapter was actually chapter 24.
SassyRecombinantpassions – A god in human form::dies from overly kind words:
RoyalFanatic – And now I'm a genius! Thanks!
Fan Fan Girl – Thanks as always partner!
SnowCrystal – Yes, I definitely need more content on my site. Any ideas?
Normal Man – Sorry. I'm going to try and get one more chapter out before the contest rolls around. Stay tuned!
And now, without further ado…
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Chapter 27: Turning Point
"This isn't over yet you two!" yelled Kratos. "We still have a long way to go!" He looked to the two young angels next to him and flashed a complicated looking series of hand signals. "Got it?"
They nodded. "Got it dad!" they chimed.
Nebilim squinted one eye as he watched the angels drop into a V-type formation with Sheena in the back. "Eh? What now?"
Sheena closed her eyes and a familiar circle of ancient magic appeared beneath her. "I call upon the Hammer of Godly Thunder!" Without looking, she drew a single card from her sleeve and threw it on the ground. "I summon thee! Come, Volt!"
Just as they always did, the mighty summon spirit appeared before her. Volt's menacing eyes gazed at Nebilim, eagerly awaiting the moment that he too would get a chance to strike down the demonic overlord. Sheena said nothing more and Volt hovered in front of his master patiently.
"Let's go!" yelled Lloyd as he began to rush toward Nebilim. Kratos stood back and waited for the right moment before he spread his wings and took to the air.
Nebilim took a step back, wondering what they were up to. The summoner had summoned a spirit but wasn't using it, the foolish boy was rushing recklessly at him, and the angel Kratos was nowhere to be seen, the boy's yelling causing him to momentarily lose track of the elder. "Hmph, whatever. They won't get me again." His held up his right and watched as it slowly morphed into the all-too-familiar dark kendama, Disaster. He smirked as he reared his arm back. "Wrong move, boy!"
He swung his arm with all the force that he could muster, sending the organic-looking ball at the end of the whip screaming towards Lloyd. The young hero stopped dead in his tracks as he waited for the ball. Just before it could slam into or otherwise entangle him, he performed an amazing side-flip that just barely sent him over the top of the ball. So close was the leap that ball actually brushed through his hair for the brief moment that he was completely upside-down. He landed on his feet with all of the grace of a trained acrobat and took a quick step back. "Wrong move Nebilim."
"What?" said Nebilim as he arched forward in order to maintain control of Disaster. "Yo- gurgh!" Before he could even complete the first word, Nebilim felt something pierce the top part of his back, just behind his neck. Briefly ignoring the pain of the blow, Nebilim turned around just enough to see just what had happened.
A magnificent blade of purely spectral material was the cause of the pain. On the top of the hilt was Kratos who appeared to be hanging, strangely enough, from the sword to the ceiling, as if he was doing a hand-stand. Kratos smiled confidently. "Fool." He 'lowered' himself slightly and performed a handspring of sorts off of the hilt of Polaris. While still in the air, he called to his adopted daughter. "Now Sheena!"
"Right!" Wasting no time, the grand summoner pulled her right sleeve back and threw the corresponding arm forward. "Volt! Grand Spire!"
Never one for words, the mighty summon spirits merely opened his eyes to their fullest as several arcs of electricity flowed from his own body into Polaris which, in turn, sent waves of high-voltage electricity coursing through Nebilim's body. The demon screamed in pain as his body glowed with the purple energy that flowed so freely from Volt. He was only spared when Volt's own supply of mana was dangerously low, causing him to disappear until he could recuperate what mana he had lost.
Unwilling to succumb to such an attack, Nebilim grumbled as he slowly lifted himself off the ground. When he looked up, all he could see was a grinning Lloyd waiting for him. "I guess it's my turn now." Before Nebilim could even react, Lloyd swung his sword up and down away from each other, leaving a very faint vertical trail of mana in their wake. He followed this up with a cut from the middle to the left and right with his corresponding swords, leaving yet another trail of mana. To finish it all up, he crossed his blades across his chest and yelled, "Heavenly Beast!" As with his other Beast-style techniques, a the head of a strange beast made purely of spiritual force erupted from the mid-air cross and slammed into Nebilim, sending him skidding across the floor and finally dislodging Polaris from his back.
Nebilim was absolutely furious now. He was supposed to be infinitely stronger than this group of angels but he couldn't even keep up with them. There was no way that they could fully realize their powers yet… was there? It had only been a little more than a week ago that he last me the trio of heroes. Even if they would've received the Angel Arms immediately after fleeing from the Shadow Temple, was there any real possibility that they could've mastered all of the secrets them? If they had, then…
"Nebilim!"
Nebilim looked skyward toward the voice that called his name. He clenched his fist. "Kratos…"
Kratos extended his hand downward and watched as Polaris lifted off the ground and slowly returned back to its rightful owner. Once returned, Kratos closed his eyes and waved the blade around his head, leaving trails of brilliantly shining stars around him.
"Damn you Kratos," thought Nebilim to himself. "Why are you so…" A smirk crossed his face. "Of course… I see now. If I can just-"
Kratos pointed Polaris toward Nebilim. "Starry Heavens, unleash thy divine might upon my foes! Northern Lights!"
One by one, the stars surrounding Kratos streaked away from him and slammed into Nebilim, resulting in a large number divine-energy-based explosions where he stood. As the explosions subsided, Kratos slowly lowered himself to the ground and walked to where Nebilim was standing before he fell victim to Kratos' latest attack.
From afar, Lloyd and Sheena cheered on the all-powerful angel. "Go dad! Show him who's boss!"
He grinned. "I intend to do just that."
Nebilim slowly lifted himself off of the ground and chuckled. "Heh… ehehe… cheer while you can, kiddies. Once I figure out how to silence Kratos-"
"Talking to yourself?" asked Kratos as he reached the demon.
Nebilim turned to Kratos. "You and your little family are done for, angel."
A fire burned fiercely in Kratos' soul at the mention of his family. "Don't you dare speak about my family!" In a fashion similar to what Lloyd did earlier, Kratos cut a cross of stars into the air and yelled, "Southern Cross!"
A burst of holy energy exploded forth from the cross and knocked Nebilim on his back once again. This time, he didn't cry in pain or anything like that. Rather, he chuckled the entire time, even when he was slammed back into the floor. He stood up again and smirked at Kratos.
Kratos pointed his sword at Nebilim. "Lloyd! Sheena! Let's finish this!"
The young angels nodded. "Right dad!" they yelled in unison as they joined Kratos be his side.
Lloyd clenched his fist and pumped it at Nebilim. "You're toast Nebilim! Say your prayers!"
Sheena drew another card from her sleeve and held it close to her chest. "You killed countless numbers of people and brought pain and suffering to a thousand times more! You have to pay for your crimes!"
Nebilim reared his head back and laughed maniacally. "What's so funny?" asked Kratos.
Nebilim stopped laughing and pointed at the group. "You, Kratos Aurion."
"What?"
"Heh. I've finally figured out what makes your little group tick."
"Yeah? What's that?"
The demon grinned. "You."
Kratos gasped. "What!"
"Heh, that's right. You're the only one that could even begin to understand the vast powers given by the Angel Arms in such a short time." Nebilim spread his arms and between them appeared three small spheres of yellow energy. "I will admit this: if this battle were to continue as it is now, I don't think I could win. I give you credit for doing to me what you have done so far. The angels of old are surely no match for you." He closed his arms and the spheres rose slightly above his head. "But now, it matters little. In a matter of moments, you shall join those that came before you in the after-life. It ends here, angels!" He threw his right arm forward and yelled, "Fallen Angel!"
The spheres streaked forward, each one headed for a different target. Before any of them even had a chance to react, the spheres struck their targets and actually surrounded them. The spheres had done no damage and their impact had not even been felt. However, their purpose was not to cause harm. Instead, the spheres that now surrounded the angels inhibited their movement, thus trapping them in a strange sort of prison.
"What the hell!" cried Lloyd.
Sheena pounded her fists against the walls of the sphere. "W-what's going on here? I can't get out!"
Working with his constricted environment, Kratos tried slamming Polaris against the sphere but to no avail. It was like striking reinforced diamond. "What is this?"
Nebilim laughed again. "It worked! Ha!" He stopped laughing and looked at the once confident Kratos straight in the eyes. "I used a special attack that only works on those with angelic blood in their veins. It traps them within an impenetrable sphere of mana, thus rendering the angel in question completely helpless." He brought a hand to his chin and rubbed it in thought. "Now I can do whatever I want to all of you. Only one question remains: which of you will be the first to die?" Not lowering his arm, he slowly made his way over to the angels.
Kratos looked on as Lloyd and Sheena pounded furiously on their unbreakable prisons. For the first time in who knows how long, Kratos felt almost completely helpless. Almost. He looked down at his Angel Arm, it's faint, powder blue energy shining silently on his wrist. Bringing his left arm up, he grabbed his Angel Arm and closed his eyes. "Lloyd… Sheena… I've failed you so many times in the past." The Angel Arm began to glow more fiercely and Kratos opened his eyes. "I won't fail you again!"
With a mighty yell that took everyone including Nebilim by surprise, Kratos smashed his right fist into the sphere, creating a blindingly bright flash of light. Shards of solidified mana flew everywhere and a deafening noise rumbled all-throughout the nearly ruined temple. When the light finally dimmed, Nebilim nearly fell over in shock, for there in front of him stood Kratos, though he was not the same as he was before.
"D-dad!" yelled Lloyd. Your Angel Arm!"
Kratos let his right arm fall to his side, revealing to the children what had happened: a very large crack now ran along a good portion of the Angel Arm and it no longer glowed as it did before.
Nebilim could not believe what he was seeing. "W-what the hell did you do! That's impossible!"
Kratos closed his eyes and ran his left hand along the now rough surface of the Angel Arm. "I did the only thing that I could do: I expended every last ounce of energy from the Angel Arm in order to destroy the barrier surrounding me. Although I am free now, it has come at a steep price: it seems that my Angel Arm will no longer activate."
"Dad…" said Sheena quietly, not knowing what to say to this.
Nebilim stomped his right foot. "Fool! What do you hope to accomplish by this? Without the Angel Arm, you're nothing!"
Lloyd pounded on the walls of his prison. "Dad, tell us how to break out of here! We'll help you!"
"No Lloyd!" yelled his father.
"W-what?"
Kratos turned partially to the young angels. "Listen to me very closely you two. There's another way to break the barrier. In fact, it is getting weaker as we speak."
"Huh? What do you-"
Kratos waved his arm. "Although the process is slow, your Angel Arms are slowly eating away at the very forces that bind these prisons together. If given enough time, you should be able to free yourselves without destroying your Angel Arms. If we still have the Angel Arms, then we still stand a chance!"
"B-but dad," stuttered Sheena, "How are we going to get enough time to break free?"
Nebilim smirked. "She brings up a good point Kratos. Do you think I'll just stand by and wait for them to be free? Ha!"
Kratos shook his head. "No Nebilim, I don't think you'll do that." He drew Hyperion (A/N: I finally named his new non-Angel Arm sword) from its sheath and swung it from side-to-side. "That's why I broke myself free."
Nebilim took a step back, surprised. "What? You're going to fight me without the Angel Arm? You've lost your mind, Aurion!"
Lloyd pounded on the walls of his prison once again. "Dad, don't do it! You don't stand a chance! You're going to die if you fight him like that! You have to get away from here!"
Tears began to trickle down Sheena's cheek. "Dad, please, run away. We don't want you to die!"
Kratos closed his eyes and allowed the memories of Welgaia to reverberate in his head.
"I don't care! I'd give up everything I have left for them! My life included!"
"If you ever need me… I would gladly die for either of you."
"I can't run away. I won't run away…" He opened his eyes and glared at Nebilim. "Never again!" He pointed Hyperion at the demon and allowed his blue wings to flare to life. "Come at me demon! If you want my beloved children, you'll have to get past me first! I promise it won't be easy!"
Nebilim smirked. "So be it… seraphim."
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Not bad, 2,300 words. 'course, the delay between updates was horrific XX I'm sorry to leave the story at a cliffhanger like this, but I promise I'll make it up to y'all someday. Please wish me luck for the writing contest! Be sure to check out my newly posted site for updates on the story I am submitting to the contest. If you wanna read it, I will have updates pretty much everyday! Hope you like it! Until then, please look forward to Chapter 28: Broken Wings.
In other news, as I said before, the site is back up with all of the old features including several updates to the pairings page, including a few more entries plus more commentary on each pairing. Please check it out and my new story! Furthermore, it's time for another vote! I've finally narrowed down what I want to work on ToS wise to two stories: Knocking on Heaven's Door and Super Symphonia. UL will most likely end before Crossing the Bridge so I have to figure out which story to start after UL ends. You can read the descriptions of the stories on my profile but I'll sum it up like this: if you want some quality humor, pick Super Symhponia. If you want a piece of spiritual romance that I believe (and I really mean this) will surpass UL in all categories, even if you don't like PreseaXLloyd. Let me know what you think! I love you guys/gals!
