Ranting Author (Double-duce-of-truce Report): There's a rumbly in my tummy. I'm hungry. Burrr.
Well, I'm starting this one off with everyone—not Guy included—is in Eldrant. Legretta was just crushed and it's that scene where she PERISHES INTO ASHES OF DEFEAT. Naturally.
Yaay. Now you get to see why I named my chapter something kinda meaningful.
And in case you haven't noticed, I uploaded to chapters at one time. Horrah! The third and fourth chapters are released TO-GE-ZAH!
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Chapter IV
Launch of Confrontations
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Luke released Guy's shirt and in an unkind tone, "You'll only slow us down if we run into Asch, Sync or Master Van—and I'm not jeopardizing everyone else because you suddenly lose the will to fight." His eyes narrowed. "Return to Grand Chokmah." With his reason for coming completely, by relaying the message for Guy not to assist in their battles tomorrow, Luke spun around quickly and began marching away with swiftness. As the acting leader of the group, he was the one who was responsible for passing on the message. Not only him had considered that the tormented male should not attend their most vital assignment; the others did as well, though out of wanting to save him from harm. "I'm not gonna tell you a second time. You'll only get hurt if you continue. Go home."
Legretta the Quick was on her knees, exhausted from her previous battle against those who opposed the ideals of the Commandant. She knew it would be her final conflict with them. Already, the life was beginning to leave her eyes.
Finally, she collapsed onto the floor still gripping her dual pistols with the lingering strength that remained. Her words were slow and drawn out, making a last request to the man she loved all this time, "Van…reform this…twisted world." Even if he could not hear her plea, Legretta was sure that he would follow through no matter what. With a final breath, the well-known God-General passed on.
Jade gazed unaffected at the sight of his enemy defeated, somewhat relieved that the threat was now lessened to only two remaining adversaries.
Since Natalia's demise, they had been short one healer, and now their numbers where four fighters at current. Luke, always present as the swordsman who specialized in force techniques Tear, the lone performing healer, kept them going with her superior fonic hymns. Anise and he, the support for the rest, were the fonic arte users for everything else.
The only one missing was Gailardia Galan Gardios, the alternative swordsman—the speed fighter. He was the one who would distract the enemy along with Luke. With his absence, however, the younger noble had to make up for the loss by charging in head-on no matter what the circumstances. This worried the oldest member of the group. If things continued as this, they would truly be in a bind when it came to the next God-General on the list: Sync the Tempest. Seeing that the young warrior was swift and would have been somewhat manageable with Guy present, Jade would have to consider calling in for some sort of reinforcements when the time came.
Tear took a step toward the body of her previous instructor, eyes fixated on the sight that she had helped created. "Major…"
"Tear, are you okay?" Came the voice of Luke, a slight hint of sorrow in his voice as he took his place by her side.
"Yes. There's no time for grief now," was her automatic, tough sounding response as her vision turned to his eyes, "Let's goes."
A small smile formed on his face and he chuckled once, trying to lighten the mood. "You never change. It's okay to cry…you know?"
She turned away to stare at one of the many white pillars within the walls of Eldrant. It was a beautiful place, yet it held a gloomy existence to her. "I won't cry. Crying won't change anything. If I can't control my emotions—"
"You're a poor soldier," Anise finished, familiar with the statement.
"Tear wouldn't be Tear if she didn't act tough." The familiar voice caused all to turn anxiously towards the entrance. It was none other than the notorious Guy Cecil. He smiled brilliantly and waved once, descending the steps to join his group as if nothing had happened.
"You came!" Exclaimed Anise, relieved to see that the battles could be easier in the long run. "I was actually starting to think that you would abandon us!"
Smiles found their way to the faces of the group, except for the same one: Luke fon Fabre. "Why did you come?" The red-haired heir to the thrown asked fiercely. "You were supposed to go back to Grand Chokmah!"
"Sorry…" Was all Guy could say as he turn his gaze elsewhere.
The young noble shook his head, "You'll only—"
Tear put a soothing hand on his forearm, signaling him to stop.
Luke glared at his supposed cohort, a scornful look etched onto his features. Jade finally intervened, seeing that it was best they did not scare off the extra assistance, "Good to have you back, Guy." Giving a warm smile, the old soldier nodded curtly.
"Y…Yeah!" The blond noble answered, "Sorry I missed the opening act," he stated, sounding like his old self again. "Promise that I'll stick around for the upcoming performances."
"You'd better! If I have to pull overtime like that again, I'm blaming it all on you," the youngest member declared jokingly.
"Don't worry," Guy declared once more, "I'm back." His eyes wandered around the huge area they stood in, a vacant expression on his face. He was home—Hod.
Minutes had passed since the group had rejoined and begun their final journey. They discussed tactics on how they should go about reaching the ultimate enemy that awaited them atop the newly created island.
Guy had returned. That was one less thing for the Abyss party to worry about. Though he looked the same, his attitude had changed. He was no longer the broken man that they had known only a day ago.
Now, he was the same Guy Cecil from the beginning of their travels together—compassionate, straightforward, hospitable, and dependable.
Though he would not say how he came to terms with his undying guilt for ending the life of a princess, he did vow to see the conflict from beginning to end. He was prepared for whatever came at him.
The grouping passed through the identical grand antechamber, secretly admiring its empty beauty before returning their gazes ahead once they reached a room with a stone emblem in the center of the floor; apart of the room itself. The destination was just beyond the symbol, in the form of a staircase.
It was a simple straight path to the flight of steps —and the ideal trap that lay in-between.
They neared the insignia etched into the floor. Luke stepped onto the firm emblem and without a moments notice; the crest vanished beneath his feet. Without solid ground beneath his feet, Luke let out a short lived cry and began to fall into the immense hole that seem to have been created from thin air.
Out of instinct the others had leapt away upon feeling the ground disappear beneath them, and no one was close enough to grab the heir. He disappeared into the obscurity of the opening moments later, his shout becoming quieter to their ears as he fell.
"Luke!" Tear rushed to the edge, peering downward.
Guy rushed to her side, doing the same as he gripped the Jewel of Gardios to his side as if he would jump, "Maybe if we—"
"No!" Jade spoke up, remaining a safe distance from the ill-omened cavity, "We don't know how deep it is. He's fallen into enemy hands."
"But we can't just leave him," Anise complained.
"If he rejoins with us, that is good. But it's best we keep going," the soldier commented, "Besides, if they've gone through so much trouble to catch him, they shouldn't harm him and almost certainly have an extra way into the chamber. We'll keep an eye out for it as we go." He turned briskly and began heading around them all. "I don't want to waste much more time on this. If he comes, he comes. We can't stop here."
"Understood…" The healer sighed, forcing her gaze away from where her prideful sentinel was. She prayed wordlessly he would return quickly.
Luke groaned as he lay on the marble ground for a few moments, trying to come to his senses about where he was and what had just happened. If remembered correctly, he could recall the ground beneath him disappearing and everything rushing past him as he fell.
Nonetheless, he stood slowly, rubbing the back of his head in pain.
"You…" Came a voice, not sounding please in the very least.
Turning his attention to the figure that stood atop of a nearby flight of stairs with a scowl on his face. "Asch! What are you doing here?!" There was an honest expression of puzzlement on the replica's face as he gazed at his original.
"Hmph. I could ask you the same thing…"
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Luke fon Fabre came to a conclusion: he was not meant for good fortune. Here and now, his original had vowed to become the gatekeeper—either ending him or trying to before dying himself. It was at this moment that they had to end it. Only one would leave, and Luke had already come to a conclusion on whom it should be: the real Luke fon Fabre—Asch the Bloody.
No matter what it took, he would make sure that Asch took his rightful place, even if it meant his disappearing to prove it.
Next Chapter: Heroic Sacrifice (The Downfall of a Replica)-
Ranting Author (Asch-is-mean Version): He really is mean. Yeah. Time for the Chapter the even I've been itching to write for the past couple ones. This idea came to me long ago. I just never got around to going through with it. I always thought that I was going to abandon this story.
Might be typical to some of you—but I thought it was perfect.
I'm gonna switch the roles around a bit and see where it takes me.
-Creative Vincentre