Lumina didn't want to get into a fight with the Nexus guardians, and felt an uneasy feeling being so close the heart anyway. Nights as well was not permitted to be welcome here without Iris being by his side to watch his every move. She knew that he could not be controlled completely, and therefore needed to make sure that he behaved accordingly. Only Iris was allowed to enter the inner gate. Lumina thought that if she could become whole again, she probably could be able to pass by the protection and 'reboot' the Nexus, so to say.
She knew though that Void was long gone, reveling in empty and abandoned dreamscapes. Nights got out of the way of the activated guardians and let them go back into statue mode.
Lumina started to talk to Nights again, going back to the conversation of having him help her clean up his world. Nights was still unsure of what he felt and stubbornly shook his head. Lumina, impatient of making no progress, went around Nights and decided to take measures into her own hands. Gradually sacrificing her power, Lumina pushed hard against the gate. In her last efforts, she opened it but a crack before being forcefully thrown from the sky. She fell from the starry skies as a colorful trail followed behind her. Like a comet, she was a tiny light that was seen by strange creatures as they peered at a green sky.
Lying in a fiery crater is the broken guardian that was once known as Illumina.
She had to come back.
The god was calling to her and couldn't wait for her to slumber again. Without her permission, the Nexus drew her into a trance state that instantly transported her back to his domain. He did this easily . Their minds were connected afterall. She had given him a mind. Mephiles had no idea what was happening and kept snapping his fingers to catch her attention. The Nexus then brought her close to its huge star core and forced the smaller stars to circle around her.
You need to be imbued with more power. I need you here always!
"I'm flattered you like me this much, but this is too much to take in! Imbue me in small doses okay?!" Iris said as she got out of its solar grasp.
The Nexus detested and shook the whole of the dimension with anger.
If you cannot take it in big doses when needed, maybe I should take it all back! Who even needs a lesser being as a vessel!
"You couldn't even form a simple thought before I came along. I am the one who gave you sentience, don't take that gift for granted. I can easily take it back, and your reduced back to what you were. Nothing but a mindless group of stars."
The Nexus stopped the world shaking and gave that a ponder. It dismissed Iris as quickly as it called her back.
"This god is but a child, unable to do for itself. Well, that's the way its acting right now." Iris said to herself as she used her Imperfect Goddess form to return to the tower and peered upon a restless Nights.
Nights could not keep a secret from her and was instantly spilling out what had happened. Iris nodded her head slowly while Nights cringed at the expected results. Instead of banishing him or doing something worse, she simply presented him with a gift. A final token of revenge.
Wiseman was thrown before him for his last absorbance.
"No punishment? But I planned betrayal, sort of. In my mind at least. Why would you spoon feed me even more power?" Nights asked in confusion. She did hear him right?
"Even though you thought of it, you didn't go through with it did you? That is what makes me want to reward you for your dedication. No matter what she had tried on you, you resisted. Your previous master is your reward. Indulge yourself however you wish."
If he did return to help Sonic reclaim the dimensions, he would never truly live up to his potential. That of being the strongest Nightmaren. With her, that was possible. He wouldn't be abused or pursued, he'd be a right hand man. Neutral by his original nature, he was compelled to have a change of heart.
"I will not absorb your power. I don't need it. I want to do what you have done to me. Get up on your feet and run away from here. Now you will see what it's like to be hunted and locked up." Nights gave a look to Iris.
"He will not leave the boundaries of my world. I give my blessings for a successful hunt."
"And this hunt will happen again and again... and again." Nights said as he crookedly smiled at Wiseman retreating. "Hope you make it fun."
"I'll meet back up with you in a dream cycle pass. As of right now, I leave satisfied. Sonic and Tails can do nothing more to stop this. To 'help' you. They are but only mortal." Iris said as she slowly faded out of non-existence and back into the physical world.
Mephiles jumped up from his obsidian chair as his mate snapped back into her body.
"Did all go well? I was afraid that you might have gotten lost within your own mind."
She smiled and laughed quietly, in spite of herself.
"Oh, It went very well. Very well indeed."
(This is not the true conclusion. You as the reader may determine for yourself how this story ends. I promise I'm not lazy in giving this an ending. :P )
