The Red Wand
Chapter VI: Twilight Dragon
So…what's your plan? Kick ass of course. Obviously. But I mean how are you going to do it? Those things are at a rather high level…and they could kill you…You haven't known me for more than ten minutes and you're already this worried about me? I'm touched. Really.
Xenmaru stared at the glowing creatures. He quickly assessed which way he should attack from.
Look, don't worry about it ok? You just sit back and watch…and get ready. That big one over there looks like it might need both of our strengths. Fine…oh and…have fun.
"You know I will…" Oh by the way, mind doing something for me? Huh? What is it? Battle music…I need something…crazy. I think I have just the thing…
(Play ES Posthumus: Pompeii)
"What is this?!" "Just a little fight music to get the blood pumping."
With that, he vanished in a ripple of air. He reappeared in front of one of the guardians, slamming his blades into its core. The gelatinous creature practically sunk into itself…only to ripple outward sending Xenmaru flying into the air. The Multi Weapon vanished in another ripple, just as he was about to hit the ceiling. The next ripple appeared in front of the other guardian. It reacted by attempting to swing its body like a mace, only to have Xenmaru leap over it, and slash its core multiple times with his blades.
"Come on this is too easy!"
As if responding to his unspoken request for a tougher fight, the two guardians began glowing as he charged at them. They fired off multiple lances of energy.
Now THIS is what I'm talking about. He leapt over one aiming for his leg, only to be put in the path of another, however he streamlined his body and then spun essentially twisting through the next five lances. He flipped over another and landed, only to duck and then leap over the next two. The guardians kept firing and he kept dodging, slowly getting closer and closer…when he did something nobody expected.
Remember how I told you the Infinity Eight's characters can channel some of their Epitaph's natural powers? Yeah…We can do that too. SWEET! What do I get? Well…I think right now it would be a good idea to use that little ripple technique of yours, and then…
Xenmaru vanished in another ripple just as another two lances were about to strike him. He popped back into the area, placing his blades…wherever they go in that world. The guardians fired their lances again. Xenmaru pulled back his left palm.
"Heaven's Cry!"
He thrust his palm forward, and a series of sonic blasts emanated from his hand. The sheer force of the waves shattered the tentacles heading his way, and slammed both guardians into the ground.
"Ne ne! Xenmaru-nii-san is really strong!"
Yata stared at the Multi Weapon. "That was not an attack made by CC Corporation…"
"Nor was it something of my creation…"
Everyone looked at Aura.
"If it was…it wouldn't have been able to be used. I don't know where he got those abilities from."
Haseo noted something. "Has anyone else noticed his character? Is it just me…or is he glowing?"
Aura answered. "Yes…he is shrouded in the Light of Transcendence, the same light that all Multi Weapons are engulfed in as they undergo a Job Extension. But…how he is battling in such a form…or where it came from…I have no idea."
"Mom's right." Zefie spoke. "Wherever this power…these abilities…and that light is coming from, it's got nothing to do with Morgana or Aura…"
Ovan mused. "Then where could such power have come from I wonder…"
Kuhn shouted. "Look! He beat them!"
Indeed he had. With a final Rengeki – Weapon Change combo, Xenmaru slew the two creatures. He let loose a whoop of exhilaration.
"Damn! That was fun!"
Endrance couldn't help but comment. "Is he insane?"
(End Song)
"Hey! Disembodied Voice! Got anymore of those things?"
"You…you just took out two Twilight Guardian AIDA…and you want MORE?!"
"Never fought those things before really. I like new challenges."
"But…you could have DIED! Does your life mean nothing to you?!"
"To be honest? I'm already dead thanks to pinky over there."
Morgana lowered her gaze…though she still had no idea what he was talking about; obviously he believed she was at fault for something…
"What the HELL are you talking about! You're standing right there!"
"In real life, baka! Chibi McDumbhead over there knocked me in a coma…and I've got nobody around so I apparently died of either dehydration, starvation, or both."
That hit Morgana like a ton of bricks. By latching onto his mind and sealing it in The World so she'd be able to reconstruct her data as best she could, she caused he end of his body in the real world. Tears came to her eyes as she understood the gravity of what she'd done.
"Then why do you protect her?!"
"Like I said, I have a life claim on the little twerp. And since Goddess Girl and Bondage Chick are keeping me from doing that…well…I can't very well let someone ELSE kill my target now can I?"
"You fool! You may have some strange powers outside of normal parameters, but you are nothing compared to me, nor Morgana!"
"Perhaps at her full strength, maybe not, but even then, I doubt she'd try to stop me. Besides, what can you do? You're just a Disembodied Voice. You're nothing like the Floating Upside Down Old Man with the Mean Fro in the Deez Chair that makes Gravity his Bitch!"
Those words, although strange, rang clearly in the minds of Aura, Zefie and Morgana. Does he mean…Harald?
"You…I'll show you! I am the TRUE Aura! Bow before my power!"
With that, the remaining…ball…began to pulse with energy. It shot to the doors of the Cathedral. When it stopped it pulsed again, this time shattering the entire area.
"Hey…this is like when Atoli…"
The surroundings broke way to reveal a wide space.
"Is this…Avatar Space?"
Xenmaru had a confused look on his face.
"Whatty Whattin?"
Yata explained. "Avatar Space. The area formed when an extreme amount of data gathers in one area, normally created by Avatars to make a secure environment for them to do battle in. Think of it as an enlarged battle area."
"So basically a sandbox for Giants huh?"
Yata blinked. "Right…" He sent a private message to the rest of the group. "I think Endrance was right. He IS insane."
"I heard that!"
They looked at him.
"And I'm not insane. Just dead. There's a difference."
He turned back around to face the giant pulsing sphere.
"So uhh…why don't one of you just make one of these Avatar thingies and pop that balloon over there?"
"They can't."
"And why not O' Disembodied Voice?"
The voice claiming to be the "real" Aura growled. "Because their Avatars are fragments of Morgana. And I have sealed this place to bind those powers."
"Right…I'm pretty sure their giant thingies aren't gonna be too happy with you."
Haseo unconsciously nodded to that statement. He could feel in the back of his mind, Skeith growing annoyed at the fact that he couldn't assist his vessel.
"Enough talk! Now you all die!"
The sphere glowed fiercely, as the ring from within it emerged. It was surrounded by bubbling black dots. The ring began rotating, slowly at first, then gaining speed. Energy gathered within the ring.
"Why does that not look pleasant?"
Xenmaru turned to Endrance. "Really? I think it looks like a blast."
The others stared at him deadpanned, annoyed he'd make such a bad joke at a time like this. Aina, Aura and Zefie however let out a small giggle.
The giggles turned to gasps however as the ring fired off a gigantic beam of energy.
Kuhn cursed. "Dammit! Without access to My Magus…"
Saku yelled. "This is gonna SUCK!"
The beam rocketed towards them. They all shut their eyes as the light engulfed them.
I think this is where We should step in. Don't you agree? By all means Miko.
They all heard an explosion. They looked at their stats and gasped as their HP hadn't dropped at all. They all looked up to see Xenmaru standing before them, a wall of multicolored light in front of him.
"What?!"
"Hey, Disembodied Voice…remember how you kept saying that I had powers beyond normal parameters?"
"What about it?!"
"You've got no idea how far beyond normal they are." So then…shall we dance? Let us, my dear Xenmaru.
Glowing symbols appeared overlapping his body. The meaning of them was not lost on all those present.
"Is he…"
"Impossible!"
I see now…he holds something far more powerful than Fragments of Morgana…
"Jikan da no mezameru ka…"
The area began shaking.
"Koi! Hitotsu no kakusu da!"
The symbols began glowing as he clenched his right fist. He drew it across his chest, and then swung it out away from him as the darkness around him immediately turned into light.
"CUBIA!"
"Did he just say CUBIA!?"
The group was astounded as they watched the light show in front of them."
"Cubia…? But…nobody can tame Cubia!"
Zefie stared. "Well…looks like the nuisance has gotten useful…"
SLAP
Everyone stared in shock as Morgana glared at Zefie, eyes full of tears.
"He was NEVER a nuisance!" They watched as tears ran down her face. "Even without knowing it he…he helped me…protected me…I wont have ANYONE saying a single negative thing about him! It's my fault…that he's stuck here. I should have peered into his mind…but I was too overcome with joy at being free to care about the one I used…"
She fell to her knees.
"You would have let him kill you?!"
"I'd have had no choice. Though if you think, it was obvious he had lost a good deal of his anger as you stood in his way. He could have easily removed you, or Aura, if he had even unconsciously tapped into the part of my power he held. But he didn't…and I don't know why…"
Before anyone could move though, a roar of triumph sounded from behind them.
They all stared at the form floating within their view.
A humanoid looking dragon creature floated in front of them. (Think Bahumut from FFIX.) They watched as four purple bone, or branch looking objects erupted from its back. The branches arced themselves away from the body, and a thin film of light seemed to emanate from them, creating four majestic looking wings. Five claws adorned each "hand." Floating behind it was the Crossed Staff that Xenmaru wielded, however within moments it had transformed. It enlarged in size and grew what could only be described as "tails." These "tails" came from the bottom part of the circle portion of the staff, making it look like a Kite. To finish the look, a large scaled tail floated behind it, the tip having four giant branches jutting out from just below the tip, making it look like a really strange drill. The head was shaped like Cubia's, almost rounded, and with four glowing red eyes.
(Play GU Vol 2: Final Bout – VS Cubia Core Frenzy )
"He…turned…Cubia into an avatar…"
"Yep! And now I'm gonna pop that bubble!"
The dragon roared again, and then shot towards the orb. The orb responded by pulsing, and sending out multiple spheres of energy, like a machine gun. The dragon responded by creating a transparent orb of energy around it. All the little shots were deflected by the barrier. The dragon started floating backwards as its wings began glowing red.
Legion's Reach
Avatar Cubia flapped its wings twice, and branching waves of energy snaked their way to the sphere. Everyone watched as each impact took off a small sliver of health from the sphere, but the impacts together were enough to stun it. The dragon vanished in the ripple of air that Xenmaru was becoming famous for, and re-appeared next to the sphere slashing away at it with its claws, finishing by doing an overhead flip and smashing it with its tail.
Arc Bullet
The dragon swiped its left claw and twenty beams of energy arced out from its claw and impacted the sphere. The sphere was still active this time, and retaliated by summoning four small orbs from it, each one firing a potent beam of energy.
Damn! If I get hit by even a single one of those, I'm left open for the others. I don't think our barrier can block it Miko. You're right…it can't. Keep moving to its side, it will have to turn to catch us, and eventually it will grow weary and stop firing.
They watched as Cubia flew to the left, avoiding the beams, only to have the sphere turn to correct its aim. Eventually indeed it stopped, but the orbs continued to float around it. He fired another Arc Bullet only to have the orbs take the hit, while the Sphere fired a beam at him, striking its target.
"Argh! That's it now I'm pissed!"
Legions Reach
Another wave impacted the sphere, again stunning it. Only this time he didn't rush in.
"Uhh…what's he doing?"
The Dragon's wings extended to their fullest as Cubia tilted its head backwards. The Kite floating on its back began glowing, and the longest portion of it seemed to be absorbed into the circle. A moment later the circle began jutting out more extensions until its top half was exactly like its bottom. Cubia's maw opened and a small sphere of light appeared within it. The ring began spinning.
Morgana stared. "He has such control…as if he was meant for this power…just as you all were meant for your Epitaphs…"
Pai was still confused. "But how? Until roughly a week ago he was a normal player…"
Aura broke in. "Perhaps…it is his mind."
They turned to her.
"Perhaps his mind is strong, unusually so. With his physical body now gone…permanently detached from his mind, it has more time to focus on other things…of course this is mere speculation. But…maybe he already had the traits of Cubia within him…and this world…allowed him to express those traits, albeit in a contained form…and with his body's termination…he now has the ability to explore those strengths to their fullest."
Aina shouted. "Look! He's doing something!"
Indeed he was. The ring was now spinning at speeds fast enough to gather the latent energy from around the Dragon. The light in its maw was now bright as the sun.
Armageddon
Cubia shot its head forward and a massive beam of dark energy erupted from its mouth. The purple and black beam slammed into the sphere, engulfing it entirely. They watched as its health dropped to nothing.
"Alright! Now he just has to Data Drain it!"
"No Kuhn…didn't you see? There was no Protect Break…"
"Wait…you're right!"
Zefie stepped in. "That's…because it's already dead."
"WHAT!?"
The beam faded. And the sphere was nowhere to be found. The screen flickered as the dragon began to glow. They were returned to the chapel, as Xenmaru, still covered in the Light of Transcendence floated to the ground, only to fall on his knees.
"Oh man…I guess this is what having a hangover feels like…"
"You…DAMN YOU! You'll pay for this! I swear it!"
And with that, the Voice's presence vanished. Morgana was the first to rush to Xenmaru's aid…but since his health was at full, she was at a loss of what she should, or rather could do.
"My head…feels like…it was used…as a step ladder…for the One…fucking Sin…"
Well you did use a lot of mental energy for that transformation…not to mention you KILLED the AIDA without Data Draining it! Of course you feel horrible!
"Miko…your voice…is too loud."
Of course it is! I'm in your freaking head aren't I?
"Miko…you're not helping…"
The voice huffed. Fine, I'll wait until you're better before I yell at you for your recklessness.
"Thank you…blasted woman…"
I HEARD THAT!
He flinched in obvious pain, clutching his head. Morgana reached up and began massaging it for him, the only thing she could think of.
He sighed in visible relaxation as she pulled his head into her lap.
He looked up at her.
"I'm still gonna beat the living shi-uhh…"
He noted out of the corner of his eyes that Aina was kneeling right next to Morgana.
"Y'know what…forget it…its too troublesome…"
Suddenly a bright light appeared above them. Xenmaru's eyes squinted in annoyance.
"Someone turn off the blasted sun dammit…"
Aina and Aura giggled at him. Morgana just smiled. The others watched as the light floated closer to Xenmaru and Morgana.
"I said off not 'Put the sun on Super-Nova!"
This time even the others had to laugh at his plight. The light flew into Morgana and suddenly she felt stronger.
"Oh…that must have been some of my data…"
"So you have become stronger Mother?"
"Yes…somehow."
A light snore told them what Xenmaru thought.
The girls giggled again.
"I still say he's a bother."
Before anyone could react, Xenmaru began to glow slightly, the same symbols appearing. The ringing noise that accompanied transformations sounded. Only this time…
"OW!"
Zefie stumbled forward as something smacked her in the back of the head. She turned around to see a floating ball with a claw underneath it. Within the ball the image of a purple haired teenage girl appeared, blowing a raspberry at her. The ball then vanished, and Xenmaru's glow faded.
Zefie flushed in embarrassment.
"It would seem that Cubia has a sense of humor."
It would also seem that this chapter is complete. Now I gotta update my Harry Potter fic…oh balls…
Yamimaru: The Anti-Aura was created due to the sudden change in Aura's data. Oh balls I'm spoiling the future…ahh screw it I'll say it twice. Throughout SIGN, Tsukasa was depressed, upset, all the dark emotions you can imagine. So Aura began evolving to match that, but not awakening. When Tsukasa suddenly renounced those feelings and woke Aura, that original depressed, dark, angry data was incorrectly expelled immediately. Then you have the whole Cubia thing, the whole Phases thing, and throughout the whole time since SIGN (at least in my fic) that negative data was growing until it became an exact opposite of Aura.
Where Aura was light this Anti-Aura is dark. And since AIDA were created due to Aura's sudden vanishing act, it's not to implausible to believe that the Anti-Aura, a corrupt, darker version of Aura could wield these AIDA. Though Corbenik's Rebirth ability originally expelled the AIDA, The emergence of a power that matches that of Aura, just corrupt, re-created them.
And Cubia isn't meant to keep anyone away from anything really. Cubia was created by Harald as a final defense of sorts, in case something within "The World" gained enough power to pose a threat to Aura. It's like if you were a superstar, and you had a daughter, and EVERYBODY wanted a piece of that daughter, and you hired a bodyguard for that daughter…but the bodyguard was like a ninja, and nobody even knew it existed until it was right in front of them.
.hacklover: Cubia is an Anti-Existence Program created by Harald to protect Aura. It emerges when anything that can be classified as a "Key of the Twilight" other than Aura herself, appears. Kite's bracelet was classified as a Key of the Twilight. The light of the bracelet cast a shadow, and Cubia was that shadow. When Kite Data Drained Skeith, the shadow grew explosively and took a form. But since Cubia wasn't originally MEANT for that level of power, and it wasn't given a directive, it was just power without a purpose. Though every time after Cubia showed up, when Kite was going to do something with the bracelet to Aura, Cubia appeared to stop him, since its only program told it to stop anyone that looks like they would threaten Aura.
PirateCaptainBo: Dunno much about the Black Boxes myself, other than that they were placed there by Harald…and I wouldn't be surprised if they contained Cubia or something…maybe even himself…
Wolfy: Hah, I have no idea what you mean by the Whack-a-Mole thing…and you'll get to see Zefie in action soon enough.
Hope you all liked this chapter. It took a while to get my thoughts straight on it.
Now I gotta go to my Harry Potter fic…blarg…