Chapter thirteen
Aeris goes berserk
Aeris was back on Sleipnir, and they were thundering up the mountain path. While they rode, Sleipnir felt the same love and care for the planet from Aeris, as he'd felt when traveling with her best friend. "They still have thousands of things in common." He thought.
He increased the speed. Aeris felt how his hooves galloped faster; she heard the rushing of the wind as it soared past them. "So this is what Aireth experienced while traveling up this mountain path." She said to herself. That terribly sad landscape, completely without vegetation, or anything to lighten Aeris's anxious heart was just too depressing for a Cetra like her. She closed her eyes, so she wouldn't have to see it. "I hope I'm not too late." She thought anxiously.
After a few more hours with her eyes shut, Aeris felt that the galloping had stopped. She opened her eyes. A very badly built bridge hung before them. "Is this were Aireth had to leave you?" She asked, sealing her hands with the Horse seal. "Yes. Lady Aireth told me had to leave me, and that I could either choose to wait for her, or do as I wanted, and be free. I decided to come back to the village of Himitsu Shi." Sleipnir told her. "She really loves the planet. I feel certain of that now." Aeris said. "I'm going to have to leave you here, too, Sleipnir." "I know, Lady Aeris. Go find your best friend, and save her. I know you can do it, since the bond between you is so strong."
Aeris undid the Seal of the Horse, and got off Sleipnir. She turned, and kissed him on the "nose". She turned, and crossed the bridge.
Aeris continued to walk along the path which she hoped would lead her to her best friend. After walking for about a half an hour, she saw a gigantic building towering over her. She saw the words "Reactor of Sealing" written in Japanese writings over the entrance door, two doors forming the entrance to the reactor, which was closed. She went over to the double-doors, and tried to open them. There was no Seal on the entrance this time. Aeris pushed the doors open. The room was empty. All the tanks which had contained the Monsters were open, and the door to Lucifer's chamber wasn't closed, as it had been when Aireth had come there. "Aireth……" Aeris whispered, tears starting pouring from her eyes. "So I was too late. You accomplished your objective, didn't you?" The tears wouldn't stop. Aeris stood there, crying silently over what had just happened, and over her disappointment of not finding her best friend. The tears fell to the floor in streams, and Aeris made no attempt at stopping them. She fell to the floor, unable to bear the sorrow swelling up inside of her. "Is this what you wanted? No. I don't believe that. Not after Sleipnir told me that you still love this planet."
Aeris whispered, in the hope that her best friend would give her any sort of reply. But no one answered her call. Just like when Aireth tried to make the Cetra hear her when she'd released The Lord of Darkness.
"Now. Am I just supposed to let the Valkyries kill you? Is there nothing I can do to help? Aireth…….wo negai, answer me." Aeris whispered, but no one did. Aeris slammed her head against the floor in mental agony over everything that had happened since her best friend had yelled at her in the temple. Gradually, all the sorrow in her heart changed to hate against The Lord of Darkness. She got up. Her eyes flared red over what Lucifer had done to her best friend. Aeris ran out of the reactor, a terrible hate swelling up inside her.
She was outside, facing the reactor with her hands raised. She released her Magical Power. For the first time in her life, she used it to destroy. The Reactor of Sealing fell apart, and the mountain cracked with a loud and terrible sound. Aeris lost her temper, and went berserk with her Magical Power. The mountain started to come down from the force she released. She lost control, and the entire mountain came rushing towards her. She realized just a second too late that she would get crushed by all the falling rocks. She released all her Magical Power. All the Magical Power she now released worked as a shield protecting her from all the falling rocks. She could hear the extreme sound of gigantic rolling rocks around her as she struggled to keep the protection up.
After a few tiring minutes, the rocks stopped falling around her. Aeris let her arms drop. Unable to stay conscious any longer, she fainted.