PART SIX - The Price You Pay

When Kratos had placed Ran on her bed, she just let herself fall backwards onto her stack of pillows. She hadn't said anything since they were out back, and she wasn't really intending on saying anything there either. He sat down next to her and put his hand on her arm. "I'm not here to demand anything out of you," he said. "I figured you'd want to talk this out in the privacy of your room."

I wouldn't be surprised if Ash had some secret camera in here somewhere, Ran thought. Who knows what kind of trouble she'd get into with homemade porn. With that, she blushed. Did I just… Gahh, I swear that sister of mine is going to be the death of me.

"Can you at least talk to me?"

Ran looked up at him. "I don't really know what to say."

"So you'll just ignore me."

"I haven't been ignoring you," she said quietly. "But when I don't have anything to say, I tend to just not say anything at all."

He wasn't sure how to reply to that, either. "I don't want you to think that I'm using you as some kind of replacement for anything," he stated. "I'm not here to use you like that."

"And me calling you from Aselia like that wasn't me intending to use you?" Ran instantly asked.

"Why does it matter why you called me now? I'm here." Kratos said gently. "Unless you want me to leave, then allow me to trouble you no more."

She reached for his hand, which he accepted. "I love you. I don't want you to leave, ever. I'm just not used to dealing with these kinds of feelings. I don't know how to handle it. I'm trying to change my ways. You asked me to yourself."

He lay down next to her, looking into her glasses. "You're right," he said. "I did ask you to try, and I just want to let you know, that as long as you'll put up with me, I'll guide you through this as much as I can. I wouldn't make you work out your emotional issues without giving you support."

They slowly made themselves closer to each other, and the moment they were about to kiss, Ran's cell beeped. She reached for her nightstand and checked the ID window. "Ralph?" she exclaimed, answering, "Little brother, what's wrong?"

The phone's connection must have been bad, as there were horrible cracks in the background of the call. "You and Ash are talented in magic, that's why I called you," he answered. "There is some weird shit going on here."

"Weird?"

"I'm putting you on speaker phone," Ran said, clicking a button. "Define weird shit."

"All sorts of things have been appearing everywhere here," Ralph explained. "Big things, small things. I don't know what they are, except they look like monsters in a video game."

"Oh shit," Kratos swore out loud. "Is this problem widespread?"

"I can't get Jeffery to answer my calls," Ralph said. "The TV signals are all coming in static. Whatever this is, it's big."

Kratos jumped off the bed and walked out. "I'll be right back. Don't move," he said, going down the hall. He found Squall and Ash together on the couch in the middle of a kiss. "I don't mean to interrupt, but we have a bit of an emergency."

"You finally getting off since the time of dinosaurs is not an emergency," Ash said.

"Ralph called," he said. "He's been seeing monsters."

Squall shook his head. "There aren't any monsters on Earth. The spirits even told us that when we first got here."

"How powerful is the magic that Larissa created?" Kratos asked, stomping back to see Ran. "Pack a bag. Change of clothes, navigation equipment, maps, anything that might help traveling."

"What? Why?"

"We need to go," he said sternly. "And bring those books by the LeLouche siblings. You'll need them."

Kratos and Ran were ready to go quickly, and when they started to leave, Ash leaped up after them. "Where are you going?" she asked. "You can't be serious about chasing after monsters. Is this some kind of role-play to help my sister get in the mood or something?"

Ran handed her phone over. "I recorded the call," she said. "This isn't a joke. Ralph is in danger. Jeffery might be, too. Hell this whole world just might be."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Kratos said. "Remember, I used to do this for a living."

"If it's widespread, wouldn't it be on the news?" Ash asked, turning on the TV to a news channel.

The TV showed a big flashy "SPECIAL REPORT" label before going to an anchorman. "Strange phenomenon have been occurring all over the country. People everywhere have been attacked by what appears to be some kind of monsters." They played videos and showed pictures, which made Squall tense up.

"A mesmerize?" he shrieked. "And a wendigo?"

"That's an Angelic Swordsman of Cruxis," Kratos said. "You realize what this means, don't you?"

"If those monsters are from either your world or mine, this is definitely our problem," Squall said, standing up. "Ash, get ready to go. We need to get to the bottom of this. Now."

Ran held a map of the local area and a compass. "Look, if we want to get to where Ralph is, we're going to have to get across the country. The best way to see if this is really widespread or not is by exploring ourselves."

Kratos surveyed the area. "They always hit as a surprise. Since the two of you aren't skilled in combat, do not leave our sides. For anything," he ordered simply. "Squall, do you see anything at all?"

"No," Squall had climbed up into a tree to get a better look around. "I don't see anything other than more trees here. If you remember, we're about three hours away from the nearest city. This is not a good place to check for monsters. We take the car to the city to see what's happened there."

Kratos shook his head. "I don't like the sound of that. If we're attacked, we can't make a decent formation out of two fighters and two escorts."

"I've been in my fair share of brawls," Ash piped up. "I have a dagger, too. I won't be completely useless."

Ran shook her head. "I suppose that makes me the squishy wizard, doesn't it?" she asked.

"It would be the best option, yes," Kratos answered. "Strategically, it's a good idea to have two front liners, one sweeper, and a mage."

"I realize that's a good idea," she said. "Remember exactly why I called you? I wanted my life to be more…" she looked away "…more like this, actually."

"What are you saying? You want monsters all over the world?" Ash asked.

"Kind of," Ran said with a nod.

"Why?"

"Because it would definitely make life more exciting, and you will see beyond a doubt who your allies are," she explained. "I like RPG worlds more than ours, and for some reason, I get the feeling that when I called Kratos over from a world full of monsters, the spirits didn't just bring him. They brought a whole helping of monsters from that world, too."

"Even after our world was saved from its turmoil," Kratos said, "it was still full of monsters. Such is how life was."

"And you wanted that upon our world?" Ash asked again.

"Yes," Ran replied. "That's right. I did. You can even blame me for this, but Squall comes from a world full of monsters, too. It's not just my wish that did this."

"We don't know for sure if it was our spells that caused this problem or not," Ash retorted. "You can't just instantly say we did it."

"But then why are the monsters from just their worlds. Either Kratos can identify them or Squall can. That is not a coincidence," Ran stated. "Logically, this is entirely our fault!"

Kratos pulled Ran back gently. "You don't know if that's for certain," he said quietly.

"Oh, I do know for certain," she said. "It's the price we pay for having the two of you with us."

The cold silence that followed her statement bit into everyone's mind.

"We need to move. Now." Squall said. "We didn't get all dressed up for nothing."

Kratos stuck his head out of the car window, analyzing the sky as they drove closer to the city. "There's something there in the sky," he said. "Like a funnel."

"A tornado? On top of the monsters?" Ash shrieked, "This has been our month, hasn't it?"

"It's not like a tornado," he replied, "it's more like… I'm not sure how to describe it. What's worse, is I think I know where it is."

Squall twitched. "It's in the direction of the park we landed in," he said, turning the steering wheel. "This isn't going to end well. I'm pretty sure."

Ran had been taking notes and compiling the information given into a notebook for further analysis. "If that's the case," she said, "Squall, go to that park. I feel something from there. Something very, very familiar."

"Familiar?" Ash inquired. "I don't feel anything in that direction."

"This is something I have to do," she said. "I think I understand everything."

"What are you talking about?" her sister demanded an answer. "I'm left in the dark here, as usual! You never tell me anything important!"

Squall pressed on the break. The car came to a full stop in the same place that the group had met just less than two weeks ago, and Ran got out first.

"I told you not to go off on your own," Kratos said, "Calm down and come back here." He pulled himself out, letting the other two get out at their own pace. "What is that presence you feel?"

"Dad," Ran said flatly. "There's no mistaking it."

"Do what?" Ash asked behind her. "Dad?"

"Before Dad married Mom, this is what his aura felt like," Ran explained. "That's why I know that presence." She put her hand out, and the Tome of Larissa LeLouche responded to her aura. "Do you want to know why I swore off magic? Why I broke up with my ex-boyfriend? How about how Mom ended up with this book? Why I wouldn't let anyone get close to me? It's all very simple." She walked in the direction of the park to find someone familiar running up to her.

"Ran!"

"Ah, Ralph, I knew you would come here," she said with a nod. "It's Dad."

Ralph agreed. "I'm aware of that. So, these guys are the ones?"

"Yep."

"I have to assume the red head is yours," Ralph said with a laugh.

"Right again. You know me so well," Ran gave him a big smile. "Squall, Kratos, meet my younger brother, Ralph."

Kratos bowed his head slightly as Squall gave a nod of confirmation.

"So, Sis, do you have the other one?" he asked, looking into her bag. "Aha, the Tome of Loire LeLouche! I knew it would be in here. Well the monsters are one thing, but sealing them away permanently will be a totally different problem."

"Ralph? Ran?" Ash asked. "What's going on here?"

Ran cleared her throat, not sure how to explain everything. "The reason why I've always been obsessed with worlds like from the video games is because I'm actually from one. My brother Ralph and I, as well as our father, are from Alastair. The books of the LeLouche family were from my real mother's family. We stole them from her and fled to Earth to prevent their misuse. Of course, we couldn't tell anyone about this. Magic really isn't that big of a deal here, that's why we decided Earth was a good choice."

Ash cleared her throat, "If the three of you were from another world, then why would Dad even-"

"My guess is that he found a way back, but he knows we like our lives the way they are here," Ralph said calmly. "Now if you don't mind me asking, dear sister, what were you doing using that spell book in the first place?"

Ran pointed at Ash. "Her idea."

"You knew better!"

"That's not what matters now," Kratos interjected. "You need to focus on the most important thing. I am happy living in this world. My job in Aselia was done when I was pulled away from there."

Squall just shrugged. "I was mad about it at first, but now that I think about it, I do prefer a life of peace to one of war. Especially a life where I feel needed, not just as a leader or for my combat ability, but just for being me. That's hard to say no to."

Ralph shook his head. "Still, we ran to prevent their misuse, and you deliberately went against why we even came here in the first place. Ran, do you really want to go back there? Do you miss that world so much that you'd call forth a guy to fill the void in your heart that you left back there?"

"Ralph," Ran started, "I don't need anything. Let's close that damn thing before it causes too much more of a mess. Please." She handed him Loire's tome, and it reacted to his aura. "The reason that it reacts to us is that we are half LeLouche blood," she said quietly. "Mom got these books from Dad. That's why she had it. I'm pretty sure that she knows at least something." When she saw a monster charge at her, she swished her hand to the side, shooting a bolt of ice at it. "Now. I'll explain the rest when this is taken care of."

The group went to the park. Their assumption was correct in the fact that the gigantic rainbow colored funnel landed right where the guys had arrived. In the center was a man in a cloak, commanding the funnel with his hands. With every stroke, a new wave of monsters fell to the ground.

"Stop!" Ralph yelled at the top of his lungs. "Don't do this!"

"We know who you are," Ran added. "So either cross worlds peacefully or stop this foolishness."

The man turned around, bearing another magic book. "Oh ho. You think you're the perfect beacon of goodness, when you've used the powers of the LeLouche family for your own purposes, too. Calling forth boyfriends when you're too arrogant to even look at a man from this world makes you look foolish."

"I really didn't think the books would even work here," Ran said. "The flow of power here is so miniscule, I figured that no plea to the spirits would be heard. I know what I've done. You can throw me in prison for all I care. But I won't let you harm this world. It has nothing to do with the LeLouche problem."

"Not really," Ash said behind her. "You brought it here. That makes it this world's problem. I don't think one man could really stop the powers of four worlds, could he? Earth isn't that shabby of a world, and it has powers all its own. Let me show you."

"Aselia's magics are based on the mana that dwells within the body of every living thing," Kratos said carefully. "Even the monsters we slay to keep our family safe provide the world with energy so that we may keep on living. One must respect all of them to understand life on any world."

"I never was one for magic," Squall said. "But I do know that by drawing on another's wavelength will provide secrets into the powers of your enemies. I can draw from you, old man. Let's see what we find."

Ran and Ralph stacked the two magical books on top of each other. "We know the inner workings of Alastair, even if it is not our current home," Ralph said. "It was our folly that led to this. Let us end it."

"So much faith between the five of you," the man in the cloak grumbled. "You really should try out for the drama club, Ralph, you put on such a show." He waved his arm, producing a wave of monsters that didn't take long to be defeated using simple swings of swords or a bit of magic. "Bah!"

"What exactly are you trying to do here anyway?" Ran screamed, "Summoning monsters on Earth doesn't get you much past a ticket to the insane asylum in Prenict. Not that you haven't been there before, am I right?"

"I will punish this world for being my prison!"

"That is true," Ralph said quietly. "We did seal ourselves here on Earth. The only way the three of us could get out of here is by dying." He summoned a staff using his right arm. "I suppose I should help you out," he leaped up into the air, and aimed the staff at the man's head. "Dad, if you were going to miss Alastair, then we shouldn't have bothered coming to Earth at all! That was your stupidity!"

"I… I just… Larissa."

Ralph stopped himself from hitting the man in the cloak, as he felt something strange in the air.

The spirits that welcomed Kratos and Squall to Earth circled around him until they took the form of a woman, like they had before. "You should stop," she said. "What the girls have done may have been selfish, but it worked out for the better, considering both of those young men needed it. What you are doing isn't even involving the wars on Alastair."

"Larissa, is that you?"

"No, I am not Larissa LeLouche. I am the remnants of her spirit which dwell inside her spell book. Every spell that a person writes, they leave a bit of themselves inside. That book eventually consumed her," the spirits explained in her monotone voice. "I have been watching over the books and all of their uses since they were stolen from Larissa herself. The worlds of Gaia and Aselia are still open." She walked past him and over to stand between Kratos and Squall. "Ripping such important people from those worlds have thrown their balances completely off. I must suggest that the two of you go back to your home worlds so that the rift may be fixed."

Kratos just shook his head. "Can it be fixed without us going back?"

Ralph grunted. "Probably not. With a rift there, any old sorcerer want to-be will be able to pull monsters out of that rift. It wasn't because of you two being summoned that they started appearing, however, it did make it possible."

The spirits nodded. "What of you?"

"I know what it'll take the seal the rift," Ralph said. "I can do it, and it won't cost these two guys going back home to do it."

"I'd rather send those worlds back into balance," the spirits said quickly.

"Fate may be a big part in those worlds, but on Earth, things are much different," Ralph retorted. "I've learned this throughout my stay here. Life is different for each person on Earth. It is put into the hands of each person how they will live, and it is not up to fate or destiny to control their paths. That gives me every right to offer to seal the rift and let Kratos and Squall stay."

"No," Ran murmured, "What we've done isn't right. Throwing worlds into complete chaos for our selfish wishes? Opening rifts to allow the summonsing of monsters? C'mon, guys, it's probably best that you go back."

"You're not serious, are you?" Ash asked. "Really? We went through all this crap to keep them around and you just want to send them back without a fight? Don't you love Kratos?"

"I do. That's why I think it's best that he go back to his home world," she declared. "Kratos, I've kept you long enough."

Kratos shook for a moment then walked into the rainbow funnel. "If that's how you want it, Ran, I can't force myself on you. Use your spell book to send me back. I won't ever forget you."

"I won't forget you, either," she said, flinging the book open.

"You're mad!" Ash screamed, snatching the book out of her hands and throwing it on the ground. "Forgive me, but…" Ash slapped across her sister's face. "Wake" SLAP "the" SLAP "hell" SLAP "up!" After a moment, she bent down and looked at the book. "I can end this shit right now. Watch me!" She found a lighter in her back pocket, opened the book, and set the lighter on top of it. The fire consumed the pages slowly at first, but the fire really got going after a few minutes. "Rift or no rift, I'm not letting my sister give up the one thing that makes her happy."

"Your selflessness is amazing," Larissa's spirit said. "I am impressed." She was fading there as the book was burning. "I will use what is left of me to send your father where he needs to be. I will also clear the entire Earth's memories of this mishap. I wonder, though, Squall and Kratos, if you've found the answers you were looking for when you first found me?"

Before anyone had the chance to answer, everyone's eyes were blinded by white light.