"It can and it did. Beron saw it in there. It was powering some huge crystal. He walked up to it like he was in a trance. I couldn't stop him no matter what I tried to do. He touched the thing and it seemed like his body was covered in blue flames. A moment later it wasn't him...it was Kam'lanaut standing there. I panicked and ran.", Jesi hung his head.
"The Astral Candescence is a door to the spirit world. Kam'lanaut's soul must have found a suitible body in Beron.", the Soulforged concluded.
"Well, let's go kick his ass!", Tomo shouted with enthusiasm.
"For once I have to agree with her. We can't just stop when we're this close.", Yomi said.
"Alrighty then.", I nodded.
"I can't let you go in.", Jesi said, still looking shaken to the core.
"Oh, like hell. This isn't the time to go defending Eald'narche. Just get out of the way and let us save your godsdamn world!", I chastised Jesi harshly.
"No, it's not that. I realized that long ago...I just don't want to see our only hope be lost to the power of the Zilart.", Jesi explained.
"We'll be fine!", Tomo said, thumbs up.
"No...he's too powerful.", Jesi shook his head.
"This is our only chance! Please, we have to do this. At least try.", Leslie said with a strained tone.
Jesi sighed. "Fine, but I'm coming with you." "Your choice.", I shrugged and placed my hand on the tall, latticed doors. I had only just set my hand against the cermet when it easily swung inward to reveal an incredible space. The entrance opened to a downward sloping ramp that ultimately terminated at an enormous blue crystal that seemed to send the sound of tinkling bells into your brain. It slowly rotated at the center of a large platform enclosed on three sides by tall cermet latticework. Before the crystal floated a translucent, glass-like ball that radiated a myriad colours, changing from moment to moment. The room was deserted save for us. At this moment two things occured. Leslie fell to her knees screaming as at the same time Azura became unbearably hot at my side. It was as if he was on fire. The feeling made me jump in alarm. This reaction sent the black metal mace falling to the ground and rolling down the incline towards the crystal. Sakaki tended to the hysterical Leslie as I chased after Azura. He came to a stop near the crystal and took on the shade of sunlight. This repelled me from immediately picking him up as the light became brighter and brighter. I shielded my eyes from the glare, absolutely terrified.
"Ah! That feels SO much better!", said Azura.
I opened my eyes to see not the Azura I was used to but instead it was a man. A tall man dressed in robes of a complicated pattern of reds, yellows and blacks. He looked about middle age with only the slightest tinge of gray at the temples of his jet black, well kept hair. His dark eyes regarded me as if I had just seen a ghost.
"Geez, ya act like you're scarerd of me.", he said. "How...?", I asked.
"Oh, this. Hah! With the Mothercrystal and the Astral Candescence in such close proximity there must have been enough power to allow me to take a mortal form.", he laughed and walked past me up to the waiting group who greeted him with amazement.
I picked up the now-safe mace with shaking hands and as I stood up the glass ball that was radiating colours caught my eye. I stared directly at it as I moved closer. I could tell it wanted me to touch it. I was entranced and seemingly could not resist the urge to place my left hand against the smooth sphere. As it touched,my mind was immediately flooded with every type of sensory overload.
The Astral Candescence.
I heard all, I saw all, I tasted, felt, smelled all. It was so fast I could not register everything. Blackness then a sound.
"Come.", a voice instructed.
I felt compelled to follow it.
"Come closer.", it said.
I complied.
"Closer"
I did.
"Stop!", another voice interceded. A feminine voice.
I halted my astral travel and listened. A light shone ahead.
"Remove your hand.", the new voice pleaded.
I struggled.
"Now! Before it's too late"
I recognized.
"Please, before he is released"
I willed my physical form to move.
"No! He's coming!"
The world snapped back into focus. My hand retreated from the orb as I staggered backwards, woozy from my ordeal.
"Mr. Prior! Mr. Prior are you ok!?", it was Yomi with her hand on my shoulder, a worried look in her eyes.
"I saw...", I mumbled before the world began to quake. The entire room shood with a force that was not natural. The Astral Candescence took on a light that was piercing and far beyond any mortal ray.
Yomi cried out.
Leslie screamed.
Azura said something, but it only registered in my mind as mindless chatter.
A form took shape. A being of light.
It dimmed.
Solidified.
A man stood before us. His muscled chest shone through the two unbuttoned buttons at the top of the long black coat he wore. His blond hair was like gold as it flowed down his back. He smirked and narrowed his eyes as he came into existance.
Jesi let out a short cry of dispair.
"Hey! Kammy! Glad you could make it!", Azura said.
"Oh, Azura. You're always in my way aren't you?", Kam'lanaut sighed.
"Of course, it's my job. Now, where's your brother?",Azura asked.
"Oh, you're a bit too late. He's already headed to the Gate of the Gods. Alas, I was instructed not to let you interfere any further.", Kam'lanaut said.
"Ha! Sounds like he's scared of us!", I had the audacity to say.
"Scared, no. Annoyed, yes.", Kam'lanaut said.
"And what are you going to do to stop us?", my dumbest question ever.
"Oh, I don't know...", he mumbled moments before he bolted faster than the human eye can see past me. I heard a yelp so I whipped around to see Leslie impaled upon his sword. Where he got the sword from I still don't know.
Blood poured from the wound and stained her white cloak as she sank to the ground. I growled like a feral animal as I rushed Kam'lanaut with Azura..I mean..my new black mace hefted over my head. As I approached he smirked and batted me away with the flat of his blade. I was sent spinning to the floor. Moments later he swung his weapon in a high arc to catch Sakaki who had almost dug her axe head into his back. She never accomplished that because his sword cut a nice even gouge in her neck, sending blood flying across the white floor. Tomo had been pumping shot after shot into him, yet he seemed unaffected by the bullets as he swiftly disembowled Tomo with his weapon. Her eyes rolled back into her head as she pitched foward into a pool of her own blood. He was just too damn fast. Before he could butcher the rest of us he was bowled over by another quickly moving being. Azura had tackled him and they were now engaged in a wicked combat. Only problem was, Azura couldn't seem to hurt him. No matter if he tried to ignite him aflame, freeze him in ice or any other magical ability, he just couldn't hurt Kam'lanaut. Laughing, Kam'lanaut vaulted into the sky and floated there, looking down upon his treachery.
"Gods dammit! Come down here!", Azura yelled.
"Why?", Kam'lanaut smirked, "You can't defeat me"
"No, but I can.", came a sweet, feminine voice from behind me.
"Yea, me too.", said another, male voice.
I turned to see two people standing in front of the glowing Astral Candescence. The female was dressed in this terribly complicated looking light blue dress-like thingy with golden snaps and other decoration scattered about. Her soft white hair was parted in the center and her eyes were locked on Kam'lanaut. A tail twitched between her legs. It was Jahlo, yet somehow she looked different. More regal. The man wore a black and purple striped top, covered by a white breastplate inlaid with emerald stones. His legs were covered by black highboots with other emerald stones sewn into the fabric. He smirked up at Kam'lanaut. It was Sess, yet he also looked like something had happened to him after death. Some transformation had occured.
"Sess..Jahlo?", I said, not believeing my eyes. They either were ignoring me or couldn't hear me because their eyes were focused on Kam'lanaut and Kam'lanaut only.
"You dare defy me again?" ,Kam'lanaut grimaced.
"Only the dead can defeat the dead.", Jahlo said and braced her right arm with her left as she sent a lance of azure light from her hand directly at the floating Kam'lanaut. There was nothing he could do to stop it. His eyes went wide as the beam crashed into him. Smaller points of blue light ricocheted from him and into the walls, leaving horrible scorch marks. This attack must have hurt him terribly because he plummeted to the ground and stood up weakly.
"You can't win.", Sess said.
Kam'lanaut panted. "If I can't win you're all coming with me then!", he shouted and his weapon took on an evil light. He grinned and used his unholy speed to rush towards Sess and Jahlo. I felt him go past me and that was followed by a sound like ringing bells. A bright blue light shone from the area around Jahlo and Sess.
Kam'lanaut screamed in pain.
"Only the dead can defeat the dead.", Sess repeated as Kam'lanaut began to glow brightly. Through the light I could see he was impaled upon a blade of pure sapphire light. Over the increasing din of the bell sound Kam'lanaut screamed again.
"IT IS TOO LATE"
"It is never too late.", Jahlo said.
A wash of light passed over us. Wave after wave followed. The immense power released seemed to press me to the ground. I couldn't see any longer. Eventually I believe I simply passed into unconciousness.
When I awoke I expected to be dead. What I saw was close enough though. Below me was the ground. I seemed to by lying on a thin, transparent sheet of something or other. In the distance there was a building. A massive cermet structure. The one I had seen in my dream back in Jeuno. I was alone. Alone near the Gate of the Gods.