The Infinite Chronicles

Act 9: Final Hope

Chapter 27

I woke up in Jackson's void. "Oh, you, I've been wondering where you've been." I faced him. "It's pretty crazy don't you think?" he asked. "Nothing in my life isn't normal or crazy, please, explain which one you're talking about," I folded my arms. He laughed, "I mean the part where we have to move the titans to a different world, I mean, it's been our home for the last four millenia.". "Yeah, yeah it is.".

"Now arriving at Viomachina, prepare to disembark," Atlas said. "So remind me again, why are we going to Viomachina instead of Steve?" Infinite asked as we walked along the dock. "Like I said, the people here think Steve is a crackpot scientist, so we're going instead of him," I replied. We made it to the House of Law, which, according to some locals we asked, is where the Governor of Viomachina handles business.

"Hello, we would like to request a meeting with the Governor," I asked an assistant at a desk. "Please take a number and wait," she said. After our number was called, we were ushered into a room where the Governor was waiting to see us. He was a rather short and dumpy man with curly red hair and a moustache. "Ah good to see you, what might be your names?" He shook our hands as we took a seat.

"Hi my name is Hazel, and this is Infinite," I said. "Hazel, is it just Hazel?" He asked. I laughed, "No, it's Hazel Aigiou, Princess and Knight of Erimos," I said. He just stared at me. "P-Princess of Erimos?" he repeated. I gave him the official letter of introduction that Elanis gave me. He took it and frowned while reading it. "It does seem that Erimos has changed it's ways, now, what might you need?" he handed back the letter with shaky hands.

"Well, I've come to inform you of some very bad news," I told him of Silverius' defeat and the rising threat of Alexandria. "We plan to move the titans to a different place, to escape mass extinction from the dragon's wrath," I said. "So that's how it is huh, very well, I'll notify the rest of the senate, I presume you will have to construct a sort of guidance system for the titan?" he said grimly. I nodded, "We'll be going back and forth between nations, ensuring that no one gets left behind.". "Well, good day to you both, I think I need some time to process this," he said weakly.

We got back on the ship. "Ah Mistress Hazel, it seems that Lieutenant Ace and Captain Jess have succeeded in convincing their respective nations, Steve has not sent a report yet," Atlas told us. "Set course for Ischyros, I'll let Ace handle the diplomacy with Crimsona," I took a seat. The next two hours, I mostly slept, while Infinite was busy designing the Titan Guidance System.

"Wake up, we're arriving," he shook me awake. "Can I save the world tomorrow instead?" I complained, being woken up from a nice dream. He shook his head and walked out while muttering something along the lines of "being lazy". After a nice stroll through the great scenery of Ischyros, we made it back to my family house. As soon as I knocked on the dorr once, it opened and Rose tackled me in a hug that sent both of us rolling down the hill. "It's good to see you again sis," I groaned, getting up and dusting off the grass.

"What's the deal with the cape?" Rose asked. I smiled and put my arm around her, "I'll explain to you inside.". After yet again recounting the story, except this time I told them what happened in Erimos. "So you're now a princess dear?" my mother asked. I nodded. "I knew it! Straight to the top! Never doubted you for one second!" my father smiled like a madman. Rose and Emily just shook their heads in disapproval.

"We'll have to talk to the leader of this nation, any idea where they might be?" Infinite said. "That would be Queen Pearl, she's in the Imperium Palace, it's hard not to find it, oh and take this," my mother handed him a letter with a seal that looked similar to Zhen's sword. "Ah yes, the letter of the Aegis line, that should be enough to convince her," Infinite pocketed the letter in his coat.

We departed for the Palace, which had a lot of important looking people, possibly envoys of other nations. We were stopped by a guard as we tried to find someone to talk to. "Please state your business," he demanded. "May we speak to a secretary or someone? We have an important letter to deliver," I said calmly. "Yeah sure," he scoffed, "Important business,". Infinite showed him the letter and he went pale. "T-This way please," he stuttered. He led us to a counter where he gave the letter to a secretary there. She too, looked shocked, and said something in some sort of device. We were told to wait, before quickly being escorted into an elevator.

The elevator brought us near the top of the palace, where we were directed to another room. The room had pillars on the sides, with a long table with tall chairs. On the walls were tapestries of what I presume was the creation of the world, Luke's battle against the Dragon, and emblems of Ischyros. But the most important part of the room was the person sitting at the end of the table. She had long white hair, shocking blue eyes and a mischievous young smile, she couldn't have been older than thirty.

She was talking to an advisor of hers, studying a large map that she was staring at intently. She noticed us and ushered the advisor away. "Hello, and who might you be?" She had a nice pleasant voice to listen to. I bowed, "Greetings your Majesty, I am Hazel Aigiou, and I come bearing unfortunate news," I said. "Please, take a seat," she gestured listlessly on the chairs next to her.

I looked at the large map that was lying on the table. It was the entire map of Echaos, except it could move. "Oh that's the map of Echaos," she caught me staring, "It tracks the movement of the titans through the sea.". "Impressive," Infinite muttered. "I was managing my troops near Regeum," She pointed to one titan, which opened, showing the landscape inside with markers for the troops.

My throat went dry, "Are you preparing for war my lady?". "No, but it's better to be prepared, we don't want to be taken by surprise," she shook her head. "Now, what brings you here?" she asked. I told her of our independing doom. She frowned, "So, in about three months, we would we fight her?". I shook my head, "No we can't fight her, our best bet is to run to another world, which seems crazy, but it is possible,".

"And why should I believe this?" she asked sceptically. I handed her the letter, and Infinite showed her his core crystal. "It seems the next great war has commenced," she grimaced, looking at a tapestry depicting Luke fighting the dragon.

"We will be going back and forth between all nations, to ensure the safety of all mankind," Infinite explained. "Very well, I'll set some of my top scientists to help work out your Guidance System project, pray this works,".

After arranging a meeting with all of the nations leaders, which would happen this week, with each nation's top scientists gathering in the Imperium Palace. "It's pretty amazing," Infinite said, three days later when the gathering was commencing. "What is?" I rolled out of my bed and walked towards the window he was looking through. He pointed a finger at the ships of all nations arriving, "When threatened, everyone will come together like a family and fight back," he smiled. "C'mon, we gotta go meet up with everyone else, and if we're late, I'm going to blame you," I hurriedly put on the cape and shoes.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for arriving at such a short notice, I presume we have been gathered here today by this brave group who has warned us of the coming attack?" Queen Pearl began. They all nodded. "Now obviously, we are being threatened by Alexandria, the dragon, and our friend the Aegis has proposed an escape plan," she looked at him. He took the stage. "I propose a Coalition, the Echaos Coalition, we shall work with our top scientists to form a System that shall direct our titans to a gateway, a gateway to a new world," he said. He looked around, as if daring someone to question him. "So during these three months, while we work on the System, each nation should spread the news and help each nation prepare for the worst, no being selfish and holding your resources, is there any arguments?" he asked.

All the leaders shook their heads. "Very well," he said grimly, "Then let's hurry, we have limited days.".

The next month, I rarely saw Infinite. He was working hard on the System, which had to be completed within a month. He announced that it was finally complete, after discovering that they could follow ether trails. We changed places, from Ischyros to Erimos, where we would construct the next project. A massive ring, meant to go around Erimos, was constructed around it, using the Artifices from all nations, primarily Crimsona. The metal required was given from Viomachina and the Ether was supplied from Ischyros and Regeum.

While they were busy constructing the ring, we sparred as much as we could outside of the city of Erimos, so we didn't damage anything. Infinite spared me some time, turning into Avalon whenever I borrowed him for a fight. I held the combined sword with two hands. "Ready?" I called out. "Whenever you are!" Ace said. I closed the distance quickly, not wanting to give Ace any space. He countered this by changing his bow into a spear. "A spear?" he asked Wildcard, who just shrugged. He hit me with the end of the spear, knocking me back. Ace let loose arcs of electricity, which Avalon shielded. I tossed the sword back to Avalon, who slashed three times, sending three curves of ice towards them, but they were shattered by the spear.

Wildcard was now supercharged. Literally. His body was now just pure white and blue electricity with eyes in the shape of Wildcard. Ace was also getting in the mood. He was moving faster and his hair had somehow changed to a white and blue instead of his usual blonde. Normally, his attacks would be yellow, but now, they were a shocking(wow) white. We responded by turning it up as well.

Avalon was looking more like a blizzard wrapped up in a long white coat, he looked powerful and terrifying, like a snowstorm who would bury you in snow and not care if you died. My eyes glowed white and the edges of my hair also were now white. We struck first, I lunged toward them, Ace dashed out of the way. I slashed upwards, trying to knock the spear out of his hand, but he countered by slamming the handle of the spear sideways like a bat in my gut. "Ow," I got up and I could feel the affinity link turning from gold to pure white. "You ready!?" I shouted in a challenge. "I was born ready!" he grinned. I ran right at him. Just before he could skewer me, I jumped over him in a backflip, slamming the flat of my sword on his head. He swung around, but when I landed, I had a smaller sword.

He realised this and turned around. Floating in the air was Avalon, with the other half of the blade raised. "Frost Strike!" he roared, slashing furiously multiple times at Ace. Wildcard blocked them, but the last hit shattered the shield. "Thunderbolt Strike!" They used their fourth art. Avalon shielded us both. A blur of attacks surrounded us, but not breaking the shield. Avalon stared at the blur moving, before dropping the shield and somehow grabbing Ace and slamming him to the floor. "What!?" Ace rolled out of the way and got up.

"My turn," I combined the swords and spun around a circle three times, each hit hitting harder than the last. I threw the sword behind them, where Avalon caught it and swung upwards and then horizontally, forming a cross that exploded, blinding them. We held the sword together, "Avalanche Rend!" slashing diagonally in a wide arc. A large line formed, before exploding in ice shards. When Ace finally got up, my blade was pointing at his chin. "Avalon and Hazel win," Jess announced.

Next up, Jess against Steve. Jess vaulted over Steve easily, as he was much shorter than everyone else. He anticipated this, he swung his axe behind him, knocking her off her feet. He raised his axe and just when he brought it down, Jess rolled to her side and kicked him in the ribs. He recovered quickly, he gave the axe to Grace, who ignited the axe and threw it at Jess, which Zero countered with a torrent of water. Around Zero, a whirlpool swirled around him furiously, he threw water in the shape of daggers at them. Grace let out fire from her hands. At this point, both blades were getting heated up. Zero had a whirlpool with occasional weapons swirling around him and Grace had flames on her shoulders and her hair had changed from the normal bright green to a sort of fire. Zero summoned a wave, which the fire evaporated, creating a smoke screen, or a steam screen if you will. Jess dashed out of the steam from different angles, striking Steve many times.

"Time to end this," Jess's eyes became a supercharged teal, before she surrounded herself with water drawn from... I honestly have no clue where blades create their elements. She dashed quickly, slicing horizontally, before slashing upwards in a curved motion. She jumped back, and Zero unleashed a multitude of water daggers. They held their hands in the air, and a massive blade of water formed. "Tsunami Strike!" they yelled, bringing it down and extinguishing their flames. I was afraid they might have overdone it, so I walked toward them. Suddenly, a massive explosion of steam burst out, sending me backwards. From the origin of the explosion, was Grace and Steve. Now, both of them were on fire, literally. Their eyes were like lava and they had flames rolling around their bodies.

"How!?" Jess readied herself once again. Steve spun the axe around him in a circle, hitting them multiple times before handing it back to Grace. She held the axe in the air, where it floated before turning into a miniature version of the sun. "Helios Beam!" They yelled, firing a beam so bright we were blinded momentarily. When it ended, Jess and Zero were on the floor, knocked out. "Well done you two!" Ace applauded, I grumpily handed him some coins. Steve noticed this, "Why friend give money?" he asked. I laughed, "You'll understand someday Steve, now let's move them somewhere, I ain't doing this alone.".

That night, we camped outdoors, tired of the industrial happenings in the town. "It's finally complete, we will start moving tomorrow," Infinite said. "We'll have a different path, we have to go back to the Omega dock while Elanis will control Erimos and lead the titans to the Gateway," he continued. "So, tonight, is the last night," Jess said. Infinite nodded sadly. We had a nice long sleep. I woke up the earliest to see the sunrise. "Beautiful isn't it?" Avalon appeared next to me. "She'll be awake soon?" I asked. "Yes, but we'll be ready," he said. "You promise?" I looked at his eyes. "You and me against the world, wouldn't have it any other way," he answered. The orange sun painted the depressing grey landscape gold, our final day, our final hope.