AN: We've finally reached the halfway point. Fifty chapters! I want to thank all the followers for reading! Please read & review.
Chapter 50: Age of Thunder
|August 15th|Real People Offices|10:23 am|
The next couple of days that passed were surprisingly uneventful. The Holy Cross were never available when the team travelled to visit Rudo and Tomas, the former claiming they were still fatigued. Why they were struggling and Other Amara wasn't seemed peculiar, but Amara just let it slide. Tomas was struggling with his experiments, however, and said it would take more time to fight against the Divine Sparks. There was no sign of the other selves, either. Seraphina and Other Amara seemed somewhat closer, however, and Kyle was enjoying Roger and Karen's company more. Dan spent most of his time with Matthew, which suited them just fine. Everyone else could see just how disappointed Kyle was when Dan declined training sessions with him, however. Zao remained uncertain about something, but he wouldn't say what. Was it just his overall lack of finesse compared to the others? Or was it something more?
Today, at Real People Offices, it was business as usual. Sheila was her usual self, apart from a temporary outburst upon receiving offensive fan letters. Colette and Lucy seemed to be on better terms, but they weren't as close as before. Juan seemed pretty excited about something, but what, Amara couldn't tell. Perhaps he was heading off to Australia or something.
"So Amara, how's that boyfriend of yours?" Sheila asked. She seemed more concerned with Amara's love life than Lucy's, but that was probably because Amara discussed hers more often. Although Lucy was keen to point out how 'sexy' Blaine was. I bet every time she says that to him, his ego gets bigger and bigger. And it was pretty big as it was...
"Oh, he's doing great. He and I are gonna meet up for dinner tonight, and I just know he'll drag me to another seafood restaurant I've never heard of before. I'm surprised there's so many in town." Amara said. Ever since she met him, she had been eating quite a lot of fish. Which as Zao had pointed out, was healthier than her usual diet. Perhaps it was working - she did seem more agile during fights. And she would be fighting again tonight...
"It's good to see you two so happy together. I just hope it lasts. So many relationships start out full of wonder and sparkle, then it quickly fades into crushing monotony and despair." Sheila said, with a bitter tone in her voice. "Five men taught me that, one after the other."
"You weren't going out with all of them at the same time, were you?" Colette asked.
"No, stupid! Three of them cheated on me, one of them broke up with me on Valentine's Day, and the fifth one...well, he was okay. But it just kind of fizzled out." Sheila said. "He's the only one I keep in touch with."
"Well, Zao's doesn't sound like any of your men." Amara said. "Besides, he's just so happy all the time. I can't imagine him being boring." As she said this, she thought back to his triumphant cheers every time he beat a Shadow. It seemed impossible to deter him from anything.
"Good. But if you need any advice, feel free to ask me." Sheila said, and for once, she wasn't being arrogant about her expertise. This time, she actually seemed willing to help out.
"Thanks, Sheila, but I'll be fine." Amara said. The day finally reached it's end, and as everyone started putting away their things, Karen practically skipped out of her office with glee.
"Girls - oh, and Juan - great news!" Karen said. "We've just managed to get our second exclusive interview!"
"Awesome! Wait, who was the first?" Juan asked, scratching his head.
"It was Roger Martin, you idiot!" Sheila said, annoyed.
"Who is it this time?" Amara asked.
"He's Luigi Calaverri, a fashion designer. His new range of Impulse Swimwear is making waves in the field of summer fashion! Therefore, it's up for Colette to handle this one!" Karen said, smiling. "Don't worry, you can handle it! I'll tell you the details tomorrow, but there shouldn't be any problems."
"Um...okay!" Colette said, putting on a smile. The minute Karen left - presumably for Roger's house - Colette immediately started to panic. "Oh my god! What the hell am I going to do?"
"Colette, what's the matter? You know the most about fashion here. We've seen that for ourselves, with the ratings you give our daily outfits. You'll do great!" Amara said.
"Not necessarily. Being knowledgeable about clothing doesn't make someone skilled in rhetoric." Stella said.
"I've never done anything like this before...I just figured I'd write articles about the newest clothes!" Colette said, her voice becoming more and more emotional. "I can't do this! But if I don't, I'm screwed!"
"Alright Colette, I get the idea. You need a bit of help conducting yourself in a face to face interview. Why don't we practice beforehand?" Lucy asked.
"Um, but...are you sure?" Colette asked, surprised.
"Of course. I want us all to behave in a professional manner, and you could stand to learn how to do that." Lucy said. "I'll give you a few pointers from an expert."
"That'd be great. Give me a call, then!" Colette said. "Okay then. Juan! We're off!"
"Oh, of course!" Juan said, grinning. As he and Colette held hands and left, the rest of the team stared in amazement.
"So that's why he's been so cheerful. He finally got the girl!" Amara said.
"He certainly did." Sheila said. "It won't last. One shopping spree in town and he'll be scarred for life. And death."
"Well, whatever - oh!" Lucy said, as her phone started ringing. "I'll see you guys later!" she said excitedly, running into the hallway.
"That reminds me, I'm going to meet Zao for lunch. See ya!" Amara said, rushing towards the elevator. Love seems to be in the air today… She quickly checked her phone for messages, and there were a few more pictures from Zao. Most of them were fish he had caught, but another was a fishing hook with many tufts of hair in it. According to the image's caption, it had been stuck in his grandfather's beard for twenty one years. Eew. Lord knows what else is stuck in that thing. Please, for the love of Rashnu, don't ever let Zao grow a beard...
As the elevator went down, she noticed someone standing in front of the ground floor's bathroom. Archibald Ebert. The 'good' one. She was apprehensive, yet she came towards him.
"Archibald Ebert? What the heck are you doing here?" Amara asked.
"Ah, I was waiting for you. I presume you're off to the other world tonight, correct?" he said, as she stared at him.
"Yeah. So what?" Amara said. She didn't particularly like this man, especially after their battle in the Farawell Shadow Development Centre. Yet this Archibald wasn't quite the same. Or was he?
"Your animosity is understandable, but let me just say this. I know what Tomas is planning - more than you do, actually." he said, his finger on his glasses. "You do feel his behaviour is somewhat unstable, correct?"
"Maybe he's a little different, but he's been through a lot. He'll be okay once we're finished with the Divine Sparks, I know he will!" Amara shouted. "Look, you have no right coming into my place of work to badmouth one of my oldest friends!"
Archibald shook his head, and looked towards the window. "You're lucky it's quiet today. No one here seems to be paying us much attention, despite your lack of an indoor voice. Let me continue. Your friend, Tomas, is not quite as benign as you claim. He has tainted himself with the power of falsehood, in complete parallel to your genuine and superior power of truth. Not only that, he has already manipulated Rudo into violating his own heart."
"What the - are you talking about the Ornatu Legion's power?" Amara said. "But if he's got one of those Personas -"
"It's as you suspect. His mind and body are in grave danger, with every passing second. His power is actually far more potent than the vast majority of the Legion, however. If he continues down his current line of thought, something terrible may happen." Archibald said. He's got to be lying...right? "When you go there tonight, be prepared for anything. Also, when the subject of the Holy Cross comes up, refuse to let them stay in the secret lab."
"Why?" Amara asked. "What do they have to do with anything?"
"I fear for their safety. Also, it would make things easier in the long run if you forged bonds with them. Things must proceed as I see them..." Archibald said. "Now then...farewell."
He completely vanished - and no one else nearby reacted. Amara quickly ran out, and looked all over, but neither him or Nina were nearby. Those two...they were so strange. Did they actually have the same kind of powers as Stella? Their selves in the other world didn't...
Now all Amara could do was wait. She had to prove Archibald wrong - Tomas Weiken was a good man. And as far as she knew, he would never use such an awful power on himself.
|Albion Inc - Nathan's Office|14:02 pm|
Priscilla stepped into Nathan's office, holding a hot cup of coffee. She seemed anxious, however. Earlier that morning, Nathan completely blanked his father, but actually waved at Joe. Normally, it'd have been the other way around. Now she wanted to know exactly what was going on.
"Hello darling. Hold on. What's wrong?" Nathan asked.
"What's wrong?! Nathan, you and Reginald have barely been talking lately! What on earth happened between the two of you?" Priscilla asked, slamming the coffee onto his desk.
"I can't tell you that. If I did, you'd just worry -"
"Of course I would! You're the love of my life, you idiot! If you're unhappy, I want to know why! Maybe I'd be able to help!" Priscilla said. "But lately, you spend all your time with your new friends! I never get much of a chance to talk to you outside work. So talk! Why aren't you and your dad talking?"
Nathan gulped. Priscilla rarely raised her voice, especially to him. Yet whenever she did, she was serious. She wouldn't let him get away with a 'It's nothing' this time - and it was about time he told her, anyway.
"I found out that my father had an affair." Nathan said. Those words stung his throat with every syllable, and it was like a never ending echo.
"What?!" Priscilla exclaimed. "Is that true?!"
"He confirmed it himself! When we were just teenagers, he betrayed my mother! Our family never betrays one another, but he did!" Nathan said, slamming his fist on the desk. "He always taught me to love my family and friends, and never to let any of them down. He said that complete loyalty and commitment to one person was enough to get a person through any of life's hardships! But he actually...slept with another woman!"
"Nathan, I..." Priscilla muttered, faltering. "I'm sorry. No wonder you're so angry at him."
"I'm more than angry. I feel like he's torn the Albion name apart! I don't want anything to do with him!" Nathan said, staring at the papers on his desk. "It's too hard to even talk to him, without thinking about it. He played the image of a loving father and husband, but that was just a big lie!"
"No it wasn't!" Priscilla said. "He never did anything to hurt you, did he? He always encouraged you! He might have had an affair, but that didn't mean he loved you any less!"
"Priscilla." Nathan said. "I know you're trying to help. But I can't get my head around it just yet. Listen, I'll be busy tonight, but tomorrow night, let's do something special."
"Something special?" Priscilla asked. "What do you mean by that?"
"Well..." Nathan said, thinking. "Aurelia Park. I know how much you love sitting there, watching the evening go by. Let's go together!"
This made Priscilla's face light up with a warm smile. She nodded, and sat down opposite him.
"You have to make up with your father at some point, though. Just don't leave it too late. Remember what Joe's going through?" Priscilla said, sadly.
"Please, don't worry so much." Nathan said. "Now then, about the order form..."
|Solar Ray Mall - Bar Seoul|16:03 pm|
To say Blaine was having a good day at work would be like saying the sky wasn't blue. In other words, a complete and utter lie. Today was probably the worst he had ever had, thanks to his demanding boss, a shorter break than usual, and especially irritating customers. From screaming toddlers to stuck up businessmen, they were becoming impossible to endure.
"Hey, idiot, this food's too damn spicy!" a particularly belligerent customer said. Not this shit again.
"Well mister, it says on the menu it's the hottest dish we have." Blaine said, forcing a polite expression. If he wasn't being watched by the other employees, he'd have gladly punched this man in the face.
"Yeah, but they never mean it on these things! Come on! I'm not eating this crap! I want a refund, now!" the customer said. His wife nodded, and Blaine grimaced. Another waiter came over, and signalled Blaine to clean a table by the window. Blaine walked over, and ignored the loud shouting about how 'ugly' and 'unshaven' he was. You're no oil paining yourself. Come to mention it, I've never seen an oil painting. I'll have to ask Amara about those...
"Problem again, Blaine?" one of the waitresses asked.
"It's one of those days." Blaine said. "It's no fun without the guys around. I think I need a change of pace."
"I think so too. To be honest, we don't really need someone like you here." the waitress coldly said, and she stepped away.
Oh yeah? Well, I don't need to be here either!
Blaine smiled, and breathed a sigh of relief. This job had been nothing but trouble. Sure, he got to meet Amara, Nathan and Serena because of it, but they had so much more going on in their lives. Amara was doing what she loved more than anything else, Nathan was in an office with many attractive secretaries, and Serena was having fun at school with Kyle. So why couldn't he have some fun? There had to be some job he could find that didn't involve cleaning tables every day. That might be enough for most people round his town, but not him.
His shift was nearly over. Without a second thought, he immediately went into the changing room - for the last time. Lucy would probably complain, but he'd deal with that. Besides, she probably hated his job more than he did. Now, it was time to do something meaningful in both worlds - not just one.
|Lucille Valley High School|16:15 pm|
The title of Head Girl was not quite as glamorous as it seemed. In fact, it was nothing but hassle. One of her new tasks was to attend weekly meetings on a Wednesday to discuss how to improve the school. Today, she merely said that there were no 'pressing issues' - in other words, she had no idea. Sounding professional to her fellow teachers was probably a better idea, of course. Thankfully, she had plans tonight with Amara and the others. Now they were the ones with truly pertinent issues to tackle, far beyond Lucas' perceived lack of funding for the music department.
"That sucked..." Serena said, as she finally got out of school. However, the sight of a certain boy in a wheelchair soon brought out a large smile. "Oh, hey Kyle."
"Yo, Serena! You finally done?" Kyle asked.
"Yep, sorry about that. These stupid weekly meetings with the teachers are going to drive me crazy! I don't care how much they charge for sandwiches in the canteen, as long as they have enough cheese and onion ones." Serena said, annoyed. "Lucas is still in there, going on and on about some upcoming field trip. Oh, there he is."
"Hello Serena. Kyle." Lucas said, with a look of disdain. Kyle kept quiet, and sighed.
"Off home then, Lucas?" Serena asked.
"Nah, I'm hitting the gym. You?" Lucas asked.
"I...have stuff to do." Serena said, looking away. Meeting up with Amara and the others would be a lot more fun. Not to mention, in her eyes they were much cooler than any of her teachers.
"What about you, Kyle?" Lucas asked.
"Nothing that'd interest you." Kyle said.
"What, you think I'm only into sports? Cut me some slack, little guy. I'm into - oh screw it, never mind. Catch you guys later." Lucas said, jogging away towards the bus stop.
"That idiot!" Kyle said. Once again, Lucas got on his nerves. "Forget him. What do you mean by 'stuff', anyway?"
"Oh, that? I'm gonna meet up with Amara and the others!" Serena said. "But tell you what, next time, I'll bring you along!" Well, as long as we're not going into the other world that time...
Kyle nodded. "I'm holding you to that. Those guys are cool, especially Dan."
"You and him seem pretty close...it's nice. Come on, let's go!" Serena said, and the two of them headed for the bus stop.
As they got on the bus, they saw a familiar face sitting down by the window. It was Lucy, looking rather annoyed about something.
"Lucy!" Serena said. "It's been a little while since the barbecue. How are you?"
"Oh, it's Serena! I'm glad I finally remembered your name this time. Mostly because Blaine told me off...hehe." Lucy said, rather awkward. "I'm okay, I suppose."
"Great! We're on our way home from school." Serena said, as she sat besides Lucy.
"Um...are you meeting Blaine later on?" Lucy asked.
"Yeah. Well, Amara and Nathan are coming too. And so is Zao!" Serena said, cheerily - but Lucy didn't seem quite as energetic.
"I thought so. I don't know what it is you guys do, but could you tell him I'm sorry?" Lucy asked. "He'll know what I'm apologising for. I don't want to say any more than that."
"Sure, okay. Anyway, how was your work?" Serena asked. Lucy sighed, staring out of the window.
"Oh...it was fine." Lucy said, apathetically. "Sometimes, I just feel no one appreciates the work I put in for that magazine. But don't mind me. I'm just feeling a little down. You will tell Blaine I said sorry, won't you?"
"I will!" Serena said. "Come on, tell me about what you do! Is being an assistant editor fun?"
"Oh, it's not really exciting, but it's very rewarding." Lucy said. As she discussed her day to day duties, she seemed a little cheerier, and Serena smiled all the while. Lucy was clearly devoted to her work, much more than anyone else she had met. Nathan was a hard worker as well, but Lucy was something else. Yet even so, she still wanted time for her and Blaine.
As Serena and Kyle got off the bus, they waved goodbye to Lucy. Serena wondered to herself…what was the other Lucy like? She didn't come from the city, or so she remembered Blaine saying. So she was completely away from all the chaos over there, safe and sound. Thank goodness for that, Serena thought.
|Farawell - Outside Warehouse|19:42 pm|
"Looks like we're the first ones here!" Zao said. "You enjoyed eating at Captain Jacques, right?"
"Yes! I didn't realise the French used fish so much in their cooking." Amara said, smiling. "I'm stuffed!"
"Me too. Oh yeah, remember the picture I showed you of the fishing hook? Grandpa says it's been in his beard since the day he found out my mom was pregnant!" Zao said, excitable as ever. "Maybe he'll find another one from forty nine years ago!"
"Wouldn't that be really unhygienic?" Amara said. She couldn't quite share his passion for this topic, but she tried smiling anyway.
"Maybe, but my grandpa's a tough old bastard. Speaking of tough old bastards, Blaine! Over here!" Zao shouted, waving as Blaine came to them, Nathan and Serena behind him.
"I'll let the old bastard comment go. At least you remembered to add 'tough'." Blaine said. "As I was telling Nathan and Serena, I quit my job!"
"What?" Amara said. "I thought you liked it there?"
"Please, serving food to ungrateful pricks all day? If I hadn't been desperate for work at the time, I'd never have taken it. Of course, now I'm desperate for work again. A vicious cycle I'm in..." Blaine said. "So, ideas?"
"Janitor?" Serena said, smiling. "My school's actually looking for a janitor's assistant."
"Nah, forget it. I knew a dude who used to do that, and he got beaten up two or three times a day. Of course, your school is like a million times better than mine." Blaine said.
"There aren't any positions at Albion Inc available at the minute, so you're out of luck there." Nathan said. "Honestly, shouldn't you have thought this through?"
"Come on, I don't do things like that! I live in the moment!" Blaine said. "Although when I told Lucy that, she went crazy, on and on about how I should be doing something more professional with my life. I ain't got time to go to school for years like her. I need something now that's good."
"Oh! I met Lucy earlier, actually. She told me to tell you she says sorry." Serena said. Blaine simply laughed. "What? That's not funny?"
"Yes it is! That's just like her to be too scared to apologise in person." Blaine said. "One less thing to worry about, I guess. I'll have to take her out one night after I get this new job."
"Well, what do you like doing?" Zao asked. "Fishing?"
"That's your gimmick, not mine. Me, I like motorcycling, dirty movies, alcohol, and - hey, that's it!" Blaine said, as if a light bulb had just lit up above his head. "I know every beer in town. I've made plenty of cocktails for me and Dan at home. And I know just how to get the party started, how to continue the party, and end it in style!"
"Where are you going with this?" Amara asked.
"Duh! I'm gonna become a bartender!" Blaine said, holding up his clenched fist. "So from tomorrow, I'm gonna see what's out there!"
"Well then, good luck." Nathan said. "I just hope your Lucy approves."
"Oh, she will. If I'm working one night, all she has to do is pop in! Of course, I'll be the one serving her a drink. Which is probably for the best - she's not very steady with wine bottles. I've had to wash a few shirts because of that..." Blaine said.
"Alrighty then! Blaine, you look like you've got fire in your eyes! You wanna show some Shadows who's boss?" Zao asked.
"Damn right, my man! Every single one we fight tonight, we kill!" Blaine said. Amara had to admit, Blaine's enthusiasm was rubbing off on her. She ran straight in, and the others followed her. I'm going to give those Shadows hell, too!
|Secret Base|19:47 pm|
"Ah, you're here at last!" Aimee said. "Everyone, say hello to the Holy Cross!"
"Good to see you all again. Also, it's a pleasure to meet so many new faces." Alastair said. "So you were all correct. Aeternus are not to be trusted."
"I'm just glad you guys are okay." Serena said. "What do you remember about the Divine Spark, anyway? You and our other selves were there, and only Amara's self from this world made it back. Well, apart from you."
"It was freaking crazy!" Richard said, his eyes darting around wildly. "Nihane was being all evil, like blah blah blah I'm gonna go complete the Eternal Road kay thanks bye. So then we all have super weird evil thoughts! Like, I want to kill everyone!"
"Yes, that must have been the manipulation move Nihane used. I never expected it would have such a disastrous effect on all of us." Bianca said. Amara noticed she had her hair a lot neater, in a far prettier style. Also, she seemed to have applied a light shade of lipstick, giving her a more ladylike appearance.
"After that, the next thing we remember is waking up with Mr Weiken and Mr Furaha." Kazuya said, looking displeased. "The former is a rather odd man, cackling away to himself no matter what's been said. The latter seems more subdued. Anyway, we don't know where Nathan Albion or Serena Agnethe have gone. Or the Commander, for that matter."
"I'm sure he'll be okay." Bianca said, glancing in Blaine's direction. "He's quite formidable. If we can survive the Divine Spark, so can he!"
"I'd love to stay and chat, but we've been out of action for quite some time. So for the time being, the four of us need to practice our skills. Don't worry, we'll be up to your level in no time at all!" Alastair said. "Perhaps once we're ready, we'll have a battle against you four."
"Oh! You mean Nathan, Serena, Blaine and me?" Amara asked. "Bring it on! We'll win for sure!"
"Don't let your past victories cloud your judgment. We're going now, so take care." Alastair said, leaving through the NDD.
"I'm so grateful you saved us all. From now on, the Ater Vox won't deceive us!" Bianca said, as she and the others followed Alastair.
"It's good to see they're still in top shape." Dan said. "The more of us there are, the harder it is for the Ater Vox to kill us! We can't lose!"
"That kind of attitude will only make their job easier. We can't be reckless, no matter what happens. Don't be so stupid." Kyle said. Huh? Since when did Kyle get so angry towards Dan?
Dan was equally as surprised, but didn't say anything. Seraphina, however, stood up from her chair.
"There is something important we have to relay to you all. Today, when me and Amara were exploring Takanawa, Nina appeared before us. It was not the one we have been fighting, however. Rather, it is the one that occasionally aids us." she said.
"No way! What did she have to say?!" Serena asked.
"She was brief, but she did state something odd. That we should be careful of Tomas Weiken, and also, something significant would occur if we reached the area around Lorean Tower tonight." Seraphina said.
"That stupid tower again?" Blaine said. "After all the stupid shit we've been through there, we have to go back. What fun."
"Relax. We'll be alright." Amara said. "No matter what appears there, we can handle! Right?"
Everyone else nodded. Priscilla looked around, and smiled. "I think all of us are ready. I'm still a bit concerned as to what will happen, but we've been through a lot already."
"That's right! We might as well go right now, anyway. Shall we?" Matthew asked.
"Of course!" Karen said. "If it's one of the Ater Vox, I hope it's Josephine. I still have to make her pay…" Nathan shuddered at the mere mention of her name, and Amara looked at him with pity. The news of the affair was still bothering him, but she couldn't think of a way to cheer him up. Still, he seemed resolved to fight. After everyone made sure they were prepared, the NDD was fired up. Lorean Tower awaited them once again.
|Outside Lorean Tower|20:03 pm|
"So this is Lorean Tower? I was expecting something like a fairy tale tower, with a gorgeous princess stuck up there! But all the pretty girls are down here!" Zao said.
"Um..." Priscilla, embarrassed, turned away.
"Knock it off! Seraphina, do you sense anything?" Kyle asked.
"Unfortunately, Hecate cannot find anything." Seraphina said, agitated. "All I feel is unease...tension. Something's definitely afoot, but I cannot verify the source of the threat."
Just then, a gigantic bolt of thunder struck the ground in front of them. When the flash of light subsided, a man stood in front of them, his fists raised. Archibald Ebert...but this one was not their ally. This was the man of the Ater Vox, who hid behind a monitor and manipulated Roger.
"Hello again. I wasn't expecting so many of you to come here. What's this? Why are there two Amaras?" Archibald said, stunned. "The Divine Spark should have killed you!"
"Should have, but didn't! I'm back, ready to kick you into next week!" Other Amara boasted.
"This girl is so impudent. It seems the Divine Spark isn't quite as deadly as we thought. Not that it should be any less effective in opening the Eternal Road." Archibald said.
"Give us a break! What do you want, bastard?" Blaine demanded.
"You still don't know that? I'll have to remind you, then. I seek the completion of the Eternal Road!" Archibald said, pointing towards the ground. "Once we've found the last Divine Sparks, then each of us can alter reality to whatever we wish!"
"What? That's crazy! You don't deserve to do that!" Tara shouted. "You sick weirdoes have only screwed this city up! You're not heroes who should save this planet!"
"Exactly. This planet isn't worth saving. That's why we're going to get rid of it! Only the Divine Sparks will let us do that! Nihane Kronos promised us the potential to change the world…all of our dreams will come true!"
"Oh yeah? What's your dream, Archie?" Roger asked, infuriated.
"I'll get rid of all of you vermin to start with, and then I can relive my golden years." Archibald said. "It was over twenty years ago now. In that time, a friend and his family offered me true friendship - unlike whatever bonds you think you share. This world was too cruel to allow those years to last, however, and that friend perished! His family suffered dearly, and until the Eternal Road is open, they will never be together again!"
"That's crazy! If you cared so much about his family, why didn't you do anything to help them? Wouldn't the Shadows have killed them by now?!" Serena shouted.
"Don't you dare talk to me that way, you pathetic girl. I was a fool back then, unable to face my friend's family. His wife perished quite some time before we discovered the Shadows...but his son remains!" Archibald said. "Once I find that son, I will take him with me to the Eternal Road! There, I will ease his pain!"
"You're fucking insane. Your friend wouldn't want that, not in a million years!" Blaine said, raising his gun. "And we're not letting it happen, either!"
"That's right! Your Divine Sparks will end, and we'll be the heroes who save the city! Not you, old man!" Amara said. "Go ahead, fight us! If you're not a coward, you won't hide like last time!"
"And you sure as hell aren't gonna make me do the fighting, either!" Roger said.
"Our days of being manipulated by the Ater Vox are over! Your precious 'golden years' are over, just like mine. I'd give anything to have them back, but not the entire world!" Karen said.
"You people have never known true despair, have you?" Archibald said - and he seemed sad as he said this. "A dismal state where you believe nothing will change, and that life means nothing…once you reach that state, words like the ones you spouted will bring nothing but anger to you."
"It's your fault you wound up that way!" Zao said.
"Very well then, if you wish to fight me again, let's have at it." Archibald said, snapping his fingers. A large army of Shadows surrounded the team, and they were itching for battle.
"Shit..." Dan said, clutching his rifle. "Some of us are gonna have to hold off these guys."
"You're right. Amara, Seraphina, Blaine, Roger, and Tara! Fight off Archibald! Everyone else, fight the Shadows!" Aimee said. Everyone summoned their Personas, and nodded.
"Thor!" Archibald beckoned, as his robotic beast of a Persona emerged himself. "Now that we're face to face, I can test out my latest weapons!" He then punched the air twice, and Amara blinked - then she felt sharp pain, as she hit the floor. He had just sent sonic waves at her…
"Nice gadgets!" Blaine said. "But those are just toys. Tlaloc, go!" Tlaloc swung his mighty hammer at Archibald again, while Kanaloa's spear hit him from behind. "Not bad, Roger!"
"I'm just getting started. Laguna Rush!" Roger's newfound water power struck Archibald at full speed, knocking him sideways. The senior man managed to avoid a couple of swings from Tara's weapon, but he didn't notice the light of Ruby Ignition until the last minute. Shining flames raged, as they burned beneath him.
"Haha! Got him! Now, Tara!" Amara said, and Tara nodded, with a sinister smirk.
"Maká! Magnara - actually, hold on. There's a better note I can play! Magnadyne!" Tara's earth powers had increased even further, as she managed to unleash the pulverising earth attack. Archibald, however, was still standing.
"So you've managed to corner me with your precious weapons and magic. Unfortunately for you, mine are top of the range. Allow me to show you! Thunder Cannon!" Archibald bellowed. Thor's cannon shot straight at Roger, and the ammunition was brutal. Roger fell over, immobilised.
"Crap! Diarama!" Tara's healing spell worked, and it seemed to be on the same level as Serena's. However, she didn't notice the sonic waves until they were right in front of her - and there was no time to avoid them. She fell, scraping her knees, and swore loudly.
"Die, you piece of shit!" Amara gripped her sword, and dashed right at Archibald. She narrowly avoided the fast blasts of energy, but it was too hard to evade every single one of them. Eventually, a combo of three struck her all at once, and they were painful. Tara quickly healed her, but she was blown away by a Ziodyne.
"No way..." Amara gasped. This old man's stronger than before! "Marakukaja!"
Prior to this fight, Amara desperately wanted to have her counterpart's ability for defending others. It took many battles, but she had mastered the Rakukaja spell to increase it's range. Now, everyone was protected. To her horror, however, Archibald immediately used Marakunda.
"No!" Amara yelled. A quick blast from his fist sent her flying. Tara rushed towards him, but his other fist put a stop to her charge.
"Still think my gloves are just toys?" Archibald asked. Blaine wasted no time in trying to shoot at his gloves, but it was no use. Archibald simply avoided every attack, and blasted him to the floor. Roger's Laguna Rush, however, caught him off guard.
"Take that, you son of a bitch!" Roger shouted. "I'm gonna tear you apart!" Archibald didn't have time to blast him away. Roger was incensed with rage, and he was out for blood. Without any hesitation, he swung his claws faster and stronger than ever before. Each cut would have killed a normal man, but it was taking all of Archibald's spiritual energy to endure this barrage.
This medley of unrestrained violence would have continued forever, were it not for Thor's second Ziodyne. This time, he was down on the ground, without any strength to get up.
"Roger! Hang on. Elec Break!" Ah, I remember this one! The spell seemed to do the trick, and Archibald hurled more blasts in response. Blaine ducked to avoid them, and laughed. "Okay, old guy, you did well, but you haven't seen what I'm capable of! Ziodyne!"
Amara gasped - this power was far above the level of Zio and Zionga. Even Acid Volt was pitiful compared to this attack. Archibald actually cried out in pain - and he was well beyond angry. In fact, his fury was enough to make his entire aura cover the entire area.
"You're not the one I wanted to fight, but you'll make good practice! Prepare yourself! Blessed Soil!" Maká swung her staff, and a beautiful choir's melody could be heard. The ground beneath Archibald changed from slabs of stone to rich, fertile soil. Archibald stared, still enraged - and he was soon sent flying into the air by an enormous tree root. As he fell, the ground turned to normal. "Not so full of yourself now, are ya?"
"You worthless bitch! I won't be defeated here! I will have you suffer for what you've done! Come forth, Var Mjlornir!" Archibald screamed.
Oh no. This was Archibald's strongest move...Thor rose into the air, just as he did once before. His canon charged with energy, the mechanism inside audible from miles away. Then, Thor fired, and everyone caught in the pain that ensued. Amara's body was being electrocuted all over, and Hathor couldn't stop it. Eventually, it was over, but so was her strength.
The others had finally defeated the squad of Shadows that had surrounded them, but they were in no state to continue fighting. Aimee couldn't even bring herself to heal anymore.
"Looks like your companions need a nap." Archibald said, holding in his laughter. "You lot aren't looking so good yourself, either."
"Shut it, you loser!" Amara said, even as tiredness started to set in. Her sword felt heavier than ever, and even calling Hathor for help seemed too much to do.
"Crap..." Tara wheezed, utterly exhausted. "This old codger's stronger than I thought."
"No kidding." Blaine said. "I thought we could take the Ater Vox by now..."
"If thinking was your strong point, you'd know that's not the case." Archibald said, chuckling to himself. "Now then, shall I finish this? Don't worry...dying here will surely bring this location's Divine Spark much nearer. Then waiting for one more will be almost tolerable."
"Amara...I know we can win this." Seraphina said. "Please don't...lose hope..."
"Your group can lose gallons of blood, but you still won't lose your precious hope! Hope won't bring back those dear to you." Archibald chided. "Thor, it's time to destroy all of them. Maziodyne!"
"NO!" Amara called. She shut her eyes, and heard the huge roaring thunder strike the ground with pulverising force. When she opened her eyes, however, she realised she hadn't actually been hit. Neither had the others, for that matter.
Archibald was kneeling on the ground, holding his shoulder. Someone had struck him, and his attack had never even begun. But who...?
"What on earth was that?!" Tara said. "Everyone! Land of Life!" Everyone was healed, and Archibald glared at them - or rather, something behind them.
"Blaine?!" Amara couldn't believe it.
"I've been waiting to battle you for a long time." Other Blaine was standing there, with Tlaloc right behind him. His face was still covered in scars, but his uniform had been replaced with a purple leather jacket that exposed his chest - which also had a scar - and black leggings, with sturdy brown boots.
"No...way..." Dan panted, utterly amazed. "You're not dead..."
"It's him!" Other Amara shouted. "Thank goodness!"
"Is it just me, or do I wear a lot of leather?" Blaine mused to himself.
"You?! How the hell did you get back in here?" Archibald said, standing up. "You were supposed to have died with the Divine Cross!"
Other Blaine just stared right into Archibald's eyes, as he gave him daggers. "You must be growing senile with old age, Archie. You've already forgotten I don't take shit from nobody - even you."
Archibald, stepping back, was enraged. The roar of his energy grew louder and louder, and Thor's energy cannon glowed brighter than the entire Tower itself.
"Silence! I'll have you eliminated right this second! Thunder Canon!" Archibald's eyes flailed wildly as Thor's cannon fired straight at Other Blaine. Amara winced as the supreme power hit him, but Other Blaine simply shrugged. Any other person would have been utterly destroyed, but willpower alone was keeping him alive.
"What's the matter? Run out of steam?" Other Blaine asked. Then, he looked up at Tlaloc, then at the others. "You guys sure are lucky I'm not fighting you anymore, aren't ya?"
"Huh?" Tara asked.
"What are you going to do?!" Archibald asked. It seemed even his strength had gone, as well.
"Something I should have done the day we first met!" Other Blaine proudly exclaimed. "Black Lightning!"
The sheer look of horror in Archibald's eyes said it all. It happened so fast - in the blink of an eye, insanely powerful electricity coursed through Tlaloc and hit Archibald's body. He was unconscious before he even hit the ground, and Thor completely vanished.
"Holy fuck!" Blaine said. "I remember that move! I pulled it off once. The Black Lightning!"
"That kind of power...it's when a Persona reaches their true potential, and the person's will overpowers all." Seraphina said.
Other Blaine, pleased with himself, stepped over, and pointed his gun at Archibald's head. "So much for the almighty Thor. Ten years, and I finally get to do this!"
Amara stood up, as a shiver went down her spine. Was their enemy seriously going to die? Was it okay to let the other Blaine go ahead? No one else seemed to object, but perhaps it was out of fear. Right now, no one else could hope to match that level of power.
Other Blaine fired, but as he did, Archibald's body completely vanished. "What the - fuck! Where the hell did you go, you bastard?!"
Further away, there he was, in the arms of Carlos.
"The hell?" Serena asked.
"Don't bother trying to fight me now. I have no intention of hanging around. I simply came to retrieve my comrade. Now that two people have recovered from the Divine Spark, it seems we need to be more careful of your power." Carlos said. "It was rather impressive, Blaine. And the others, as well. Don't get agitated and swear under your breath - you'll have another chance to fight us later. Farewell."
Carlos and Archibald completely disappeared, and the area became quiet again. Only the whirring of the machines in Lorean Tower could be heard. Other Blaine put away his gun, and glared at the ground beneath him.
"Figures. You guys keeping finding ways to screw me over. Sooner or later, I'll kill of you!" Other Blaine said.
"Hey, you!" Amara said. "Thanks for saving us, but where did you come from?"
"Does it matter? I'm just glad I got here in time. And from now on, I'm sticking with you guys. You're way cooler than those Holy Cross losers, anyway." Other Blaine said.
"Wait a fucking minute. You can't just pop up out of nowhere!" Dan said, marching over. "Tell me the truth, Blaine! Where the fuck have you been?! I thought that Divine Spark thing blew you to pieces!"
Other Blaine, startled, stared away. Dan grabbed his shoulder, and raised his fist.
"Tell me, dammit!" he said, tightening his grip.
"Dan! Calm down!" Kyle said.
"For fuck's sake, you wanted me dead that much?" Other Blaine said. He was angry as well, but he didn't have it in him to hit his former friend. "Okay, when I came too, I was stuck in Inanis. You guys don't know what that is, do ya?"
"Actually, we've known about it for quite a while." Tara said. "We're floating above it as we speak."
"Phew. That makes things easier to explain. Anyway, I couldn't find anyone else, so I was fucking confused. But I found the exit. So then I just walked, as far as I could. I finally collapsed outside the village, and…a woman found me." Other Blaine said. Amara noticed him shake as he mentioned this. Was this woman someone she knew?
"So what happened next?" Nathan asked.
"The woman took me in to her place. I didn't have anywhere else to go, and no one was gonna believe anything I said about the Shadows or the city. I just said I had amnesia, but she didn't believe me. Anyway…well, I finally got well enough and came back here. That's it." Other Blaine said. "What about you?"
"Me? I'm not sure what happened. I was stuck in Inanis too, I think. Then I was back in Farawell." Other Amara said. "Hey, about my dad -"
"You finally got to meet Weiken?" Other Blaine asked. "I had a feeling that crazy geezer knew something about Rudo. Let me guess, Rudo's alive?"
"Yeah. So...I'm sorry. I hated you for so long, but you were just a victim like us..." Other Amara said, eyes on the floor.
"What, are you crying?" Other Blaine asked. "Those bastards did their very best to convince everyone I was the ruthless Commander. They're the ones that should be begging for forgiveness, not you. Come on, look at me." Other Amara raised her head, and she managed to smile.
"We're missing Serena and Nathan. They're out there, though! And we'll find them!" Other Amara said. "And this time, you're helping us!"
"Damn straight. Wait a minute. Are the Holy Cross alright?" Other Blaine asked. "Those idiots...they cowered every time we were together, but they were probably the only thing keeping me sane."
"Well actually, they're all alive. And they're on our side, as well." Aimee said. "There isn't a single natural Persona user still loyal to the Ater Vox! We've got the advantage now!"
"So you got those idiots helping you, then...good." Other Blaine said. "They've still got me to keep them in line. Only this time, I'm gonna work them harder than ever. Who are the new guys, anyway?"
"I'm Zao Yuria! Amara's boyfriend, and the future champion fisherman of the city!" Zao said, smiling.
"I was wondering what that smell was." Other Blaine said. Zao pouted, folding his arms. "Kidding. Nice to meet you, buddy." They shook hands, but Other Blaine shook Zao's arm a little too strongly, judging by his squeals of pain.
"I'm Roger Martin. I never thought Blaine could get uglier, but here you are!" Roger mocked.
"Oh, come on..." Blaine sighed.
"I'm Karen Marshall. It's a bit of a long story, but we're all on the same side now." Karen said, holding out her hand.
"Pleased to meetcha. Let me guess, you and Roger are an item? He's got good taste." Other Blaine said, giving Roger a thumbs up. Roger gave him one back.
"I'm Tara Miller. I was stuck in the village until recently." Tara said. "And...well, you're not as scary as I thought."
"Trust me, appearances can be deceptive. Get on my bad side, and it'll be the last thing you do!" Other Blaine said, flexing his biceps. Tara giggled, and shook her head.
"Um...Blaine. Do you remember me?" Matthew asked.
"No way..." Other Blaine said. "Matthew?!"
Dan came over, and looked into Other Blaine's eyes. It was a tense moment, as Matthew looked at the both of them. For the first time in ten years, all three of them were together. "It's so stupid, isn't it? The only reason I hated you was because I thought Matthew was dead. Don't get me wrong, I loved Kanaloa, but my favourite memories of that place were with him. And you."
"How did he get away?" Other Blaine asked. "That Divine Spark thing destroyed everything it touched..."
"This little idiot ran away from home! Remember? I grounded him because he broke those dinner plates, and he ran upstairs crying and crying and didn't come out of his room. Turned out I left the window open, and he ran all the way to Clairdol. And then the city got sealed off, and he couldn't get back in." Dan said. "You were one troublesome little brother, alright. Good thing Tara was there to keep you in line."
Matthew gulped. He stared at Other Blaine, as tears welled up in his eyes. He was about to say something, but stopped. Instead, he just rushed into Other Blaine's arms, and hugged him as tight as he could.
"H-Hey...take it easy! You know I'm no good at emotional scenes..." Other Blaine said. Matthew just cried and cried, and didn't let go. Other Blaine held him close, and his face no longer had that tired, worn look anymore.
"I think he's crying even more than he did when he met his brother again!" Serena said.
"Actually, I think it's because they're finally together again. They're like - no, they are brothers." Nathan said. "It would have been nice to have siblings. Especially if we were as close as they are."
"It's the Kingsley-Spencer bond. It never breaks, no matter how many Shadows get in the way." Blaine said. "If it weren't for those two, I'd probably have just given up on life. But they were my second family."
"Alright, enough crying. You're a big boy now! It's good to finally see you again. I just hope that village was a better place than Kanaloa to grow up." Other Blaine said.
"Not really...I just missed you two the whole time!" Matthew said. "Dan…Blaine…I really missed you! I thought I'd never see you again, but…"
"No need to cry over the past, is there?" Dan said. "I've done plenty of that as it is. Most of us have. But tonight, I've got my best friend and my brother back. Or rather, both brothers."
"I'm happy for all of you!" Aimee said. Amara nodded, as did the others. "We've got a lot to tell you...but it can wait. Right now, we should get home."
"Yes. Well done, everyone. We're going home!" Seraphina said. Aimee's Traesto soon took them away from the tower, and back to the base. The battle was over, and the scars from the fight were clear to see. Yet, the tower still ran, and it's light shone bright.
|Secret Base|21:25 pm|
"...And that's all." Amara finally finished. "Two Divine Sparks are left, and Tomas is trying to figure out how to stop them."
"That guy really thinks he can do that? He was pretty weird last time I saw him. He was skulking around headquarters, then he comes up to me and asks for my help." Other Blaine said. "What a weirdo."
"So what happens now?" Matthew asked. "You, me and Dan get to fight together, right? Acolnahuacatl's pretty tough. I'll kick ass, you'll see!"
"Oh, he can. His little tiger thing's pretty quick." Blaine said. "Anyway, it's getting late. I better call Lucy when I get home. She's probably still worried about earlier."
"...Lucy?" Other Blaine asked. Matthew looked concerned, too.
"Yeah, we hooked up after you disappeared. She's my girlfriend!" Blaine said. "We had a bit of a falling out earlier, but I bet she's cooled down by now. All I have to do is talk really low and act as suave as possible, and she'll forget all about it."
"He's on to something, actually. Whenever me and Priscilla have a disagreement, I always find laying on the charm offensive puts an end to it." Nathan said. "...Matthew, what's wrong?"
"It's nothing. I just thought it was something from the village, but there's no way it could be her. This Lucy's from the city, right?" Matthew asked.
"Actually, she's from the states. Why do you care so much? You jealous?" Blaine said, grinning. "Don't sweat it. A guy like you will have the girls crawling at your feet. Just like when me and Dan were your age." Yeah, somehow I doubt that.
"Nope, not at all! It's nothing." Matthew said.
"...Hey. I'm feeling okay after that fight. I'm going out to look around for a while." Other Blaine said. "I might find Serena. Or Nathan."
"Something wrong, man?" Dan asked.
"Nah. Just let me do what I have to do, okay?" Other Blaine said. "Catch you guys later." Before anyone else could object, he ran through the NDD.
"He's probably just angry that he's still single while you've got this Lucy chick." Dan said, shrugging. "Anyway, you guys go on home. We'll be fine here!"
"Alright. Zao, we're off!" Amara said. Now that Other Blaine was back, things were looking better than ever. His skill was incredible, and to finally have him on their side was a massive victory. Even Archibald couldn't survive his onslaught. Next up, the Divine Sparks. They could come any day now, and when they did, Amara would be ready for them.