Liza led the group through the packed city. The residence paid them no mind, unlike the people in Eagleland.
"You'd think that we'd attract more attention," Zane said. "I actually thought that we'd gain at least some amount of stares, like in Vegas."
"You know the language, but you don't know the culture. Trust me people like us aren't as unusual." Cien answered.
"Well that doesn't matter. I would still like to get dry clothes on." Janet complained.
The new teen stopped in front of a hotel and turned with a mildly annoyed look on her face.
"Get a change of clothes. I will wait for you."
Liza sat down on a nearby chair and crossed her legs, waiting for the group.
"Uhh, ok then." Ness adjusted his hat walking up to the receptionist. At the desk, he turned to Zane.
"Oh umm." Zane talked to the receptionist as the rest of the team gathered around the elevator.
-Symphony of the Eight-
"So who's that girl down there anyway?" Jace asked from the bathroom as he rung out his soaked shirt.
Zane put on an extra breast plate. "I don't understand why we need her to get to my sanctuary. Lexi can do that easy."
Leon reached into his bag and pulled out a new dress shirt.
"Well I didn't sense any power from her, so we may have more of an advantage if we have to fight her," Phil added as he tied on new dress shoes.
"Well, we'll just have to see where she takes us. If she's an enemy, we will deal with her."
"Better be careful Zane. She might make you fall in love with her." Leon joked as he nudged the prince.
"Shut up, Leon. Besides, it's not like I got my ass kicked by one."
"What? Who told you about that?" Leon growled.
Zane pointed to the bathroom as Jace popped his head out.
"What? She's the one who told me."
"How'd you lose to her? You like her or something?" Phil asked nonchalantly.
"She was distracting me! And she's annoying and rude! No offense Jace." Leon ranted.
"None taken," Jace casually replied.
There was a long silence afterwards as they got dressed. "Well, since we're on the subject, which of the girls do you think is hot?" Leon asked, trying to restart the conversation.
"Why that's deplorable Leon. You shouldn't say such things!" Zane scoffed.
"I think it's a good question, right? We're guys travelling around with hot girls. What's wrong with that?" Leon defended.
The rest of the guys gave each other unsure looks as Jace poked his head out the bathroom once again.
"Fine," Ness sighed, giving in. "I honestly don't know or care, ok?"
Zane looked like he was about to protest. "Fine. The truth is, I'm not completely sure. If I do find a girl, she needs to be responsible because when I return home, I will need a queen. ." Leon whistled.
Leon put a finger to his chin: " I'd say…Janet probably…" He turned around and gained a dirty look from Jace. The others only raised a brow.
"What? She's a good fighter, and she's not THAT bad looking, right?" Leon shrugged.
"I knew you had a thing for her," Phil said as he rolled his eyes and lay back in his seat.
"She's terrible at telling something, even when the answers in front of her. You're going to have to tell her yourself," Jace spoke up from the bathroom.
Leon crossed his arms as he finished putting on his trench coat.
"Well, as meaningless as this conversation is…" Phil pointed out. "Lexi is probably the smartest of all of us."
An almost unnoticeable blush quickly crossed his face. "But, it doesn't matter."
"Not me." Jace rejected as he left the bathroom, putting on a new T.
"What do you mean by that?"
"I don't know what girl I'd be with."
"Maybe Lexi, Poppy, Cien and maybe even Green?" Ness argued.
"No, not Poppy. She's way too rude for me."
Jace took another moment and thought about Cien and her crush on Ness, surprised he hadn't realized it yet.
"The only normal girls are Lexi and Green...scratch that only Green."
"How?" Phil asked.
"Captain Falcon."
"What's that supposed to mean!?"
The boys turned to the wall, hearing Lexi's voice from the other side.
"Are you guys eavesdropping on us?"
They were met with silence.
"It was Poppy and Janet's idea!" Green yelled from the other side.
"Shut up. You were listening too!" Janet yelled from the other side.
"How long where you listening?" Jace asked.
"Uhh, when Phil said something about me?" Lexi answered, unsure.
Ness took this opportunity to leave.
-Symphony of the Eight-
Ness walked down the flight of stairs to talk with their new 'friend.' The lobby was dark and barren, the receptionist was reading a magazine. He saw Liza sitting in the same place on a laptop with headphones. Deciding to take the direct approach he stood in front of her, crossing his arms.
She looked up to him taking a headphone out. "Yes?"
"So who are you really?" Ness decided to waste no time. Her smile faded as she went back to the computer.
"I already told you: I can't tell you." She waved off. Ness closed the computer quickly as Liza brought back her fingers just in time.
"As I'm sure you can tell, I don't trust you, and I'm not getting any of my teammates killed. So why don't you tell me the truth?"
She got up and a sly smile quickly slithered to her face as she chuckled. "I will tell you one thing. Your world is in more danger than you or your friends could know. You have no idea what is truly at stake, kid."
She looked out into the street.
-Symphony of the Eight-
"We are yours to command," The alien turned to the girl. She looked at her surroundings: a very large secluded alley way.
"I need to think of a way to make them come here and get them to me. But how?" She thought for a second.
"Perhaps an attack on the humans?" The alien recommended.
She nodded. "Go lead them here."
The aliens walked towards the end of the alley way, leaving the girl.
-Symphony of the Eight-
Everyone in the group gathered downstairs, once again ready to go.
"So, Liza, where are we headed?" Zane asked anxiously.
"The sanctuary stone is actually a centerpiece of a popular nightclub at the center of the city."
"Then we should stop wasting time and go already!" Phil impatiently walked through the doors of the hotel.
Liza turned on her heels and casually walked out the doors.
Zane and the rest silently followed.
"Ya know, I think it's kinda cool to have a sanctuary as a night club," Cien admitted.
"Actually, it was recently moved from the mountains. The owner of the club liked the design of it so he made it the centrepiece," Liza explained.
"And you know this how?" Leon asked, untrusting.
"I have my own special ways, cutie." She lightly flirted.
This caught Cien's attention. "Does that seem...familiar to you?" She asked Ness.
Ness shrugged.
They continued to make light conversation as Liza kept leading them.
"Hey look at that." Ness looked over to see a TV screen showing a news woman, showing a wretched scene.
The copter flew over, but there was too much dust to make out the figures attacking.
"What are they saying?" Green asked, scratching her head.
"Someone's attacking the down town area," Zane informed.
"I think they need help," Ness cracked a smile as he looked to the others.
"Naw, they can handle that on their own," Liza started to walk away.
"I don't know about you but we help people. That's what heroes do," Jace and Leon posed, making everyone roll their eyes.
"They do have a point though. I'm not the hero type, but if they care so much about these pathetic people, then I feel I have no choice but to follow them," Phil interjected.
Liza sighed heavily. "Fine whatever. Follow me. I know where it is." Liza groaned as she started to lead the group in the opposite direction.
-Symphony of the Eight-
Most of the area surrounding the outside of the alley remained in ruin with burnt and turned over cop cars, several charred bodies and body parts littering the street. More people continued to run and scream.
"That should get their attention."
"Sensors indicate high amounts of PSI energy approaching."
"Good, retreat to the alleyway."
-Symphony of the Eight-
Everyone picked up the pace as the passed more chared bodies and turned cop cars.
"Damn...are we too late?" Ness whispered as he looked around. "Poppy, everyone, make sure the residents are all right. Bring them to safety. Liza and I will find out who did this."
Everyone obeyed without question, scattering.
"Why pair up with me? You still don't trust me?" Liza playfully questioned.
"No, I don't. I'm doing this to keep an eye on you," He informed as he checked a nearby officer in slumped on the side of the cop car.
"It doesn't really matter what you think of me. As long as you get to the sanctuary, I don't care." She lightly kicked a nearby corpse, paying half attention.
Ness looked around, seeing everyone doing what they should except Liza. "Why don't you make yourself useful and check that alley over there, ok?" Ness asked, becoming annoyed.
"Ya, ya fine, Mr. Bossy." She strolled over to the alley, becoming swallowed in the darkness.
"That girl is so annoying."
He used PSI Heal on the injured officer as he started to come to.
He looked back to the alley seeing a quick flash of light.
"What the?" He looked to everyone else who didn't seem to notice the light.
He stepped inside the alleyway, not exactly noticing anything strange.
"Hey Liza! What's going on?" He yelled, but got no reply.
He walked deeper inside. The moon glowed brighter as the clouds parted ways. He looked harder and was shocked by what he saw.
"Oh God…" Ness ran to the fallen girl as an arrow of light disappeared from the side of her head. As more blood trickled down the fatal injury, Ness held her head up on his lap as he looked in her blank eyes.
"She's dead…" Ness whispered. He quickly got up and looked to his blood covered hands then up at the culprit.
A curly-haired teen in front of them readied another arrow.
"You killed her," Ness softly said aloud.
The girl didn't respond as she fired another arrow at the PSI user. The arrow was stopped midway by Ciens PK Star Shield.
Janet went up to Ness, shaking him and trying to get him back to his senses. Jace, Leon, Zane, and Phil ran to the girl, but where stopped by several of the aliens.
Cien looked over to the new arrivals to the battle. Her eyes widened from recognition. "S-Starman? But that's not possible."
The Starman back-handed the psychic as another fired a beam at Zane. As a reflex, Zane managed to swipe away the beam and redirect it into a nearby building. His sword glowed red hot. In that moment, he threw his sword at the Starman and it impaled its chest. Zane ran up, took to his sword handle and pulled out his blade. In an almost blinding moment, he quickly cut through the Starman's head, decapitating it. As its black liquid quickly erupted from the body, it fell to the ground.
Another tall Starman continued to wildly swipe at Phil as he continued to block. He ducked under another swipe and swung upwards, managing to cut off the mechanical arm. The Starman stopped to look at the missing limb. Phil took this opportunity.
"Moon, give me strength!" A red vortex explosion obliterated it as the black remains flew onto another building.
The Starman's slender hand grabbed around Jace's body, holding him and pinning his hands to his sides. Jace's eyes glowed black as black lasers fired from his eyes, blowing a hole through the Starman's chest. Its grip only tightened, so focusing harder, he fired again. This time, the laser grew and the blast consumed its head.
Leon fired his Glocks at the alien, but the bullets only bounced off. Taking out Alastor, he dodged several beams as he jumped high in the air for a jump strike. The Starman swatted the boy from the air. But he wasn't deterred. Regaining himself, he jumped off a nearby wall. Using the momentum, he quickly spun in the air, managing to slice the alien in half.
They all turned to the curly-haired girl.
She only smirked. "Pitiful beings they are, and they are only being used."
She materialized a nail file as she paid half attention.
"Now then, I will only ask once. Give me the scythe back," She outstretched her hand in Cien's direction.
Cien put her hand on the object in question, feeling the coolness of blade. "Why would I do that?"
"She was my friend and you killed her, so I'm asking for her weapon back. Simple as that."
Red flames materialized in her hands as a large spear appeared to form and solidify to light.
"But, I see that you won't be giving it up that easily," She readied her spear to throw. "Now hold still and stay where you all are. I'm not firing this near myself." She threw the light spear at the group.
But it was deflected. Ness's PSI Reflect completely repelled the attack, shooting it high into the air. The result was a large fiery explosion that rocked the entire area.
Ness's breaths were laboured and ragged, in silent anger. "No one else is going to die here." The girl materialized another spear.
Ness took out his bat as he came with a downward swing. The bat hit the pavement so hard it shattered and caved in where he hit.
The group was about to intervene until a large powerful flame wall blocked their path.
"Well, well, the main boy himself. I imagine if I kill you, then the rest would be easy enough to kill." She patronized as she spun around, striking at his side.
Ness easily took the strike, grabbing into the spear. Her eyes widened with surprise as she attempted to break free.
Ripping it from her hands, he smacked her on the side of the head with it, hard enough to make her spin.
She backed up several feet as Ness held the searing hot spear in his hand. He became visibly angry as he slowly stalked up to the girl.
She took out her bow, firing everlasting arrows. But they all bounced off a black shield and Ness took another swipe at her, but she ducked.
White wings appeared on her back as she flew high into the air.
She fired several more arrows at him, only for a black shield to stop her again. She glanced over to the others past the flame wall, seeing the boy in the black t-shirt keeping the shield up.
Looking back, she saw as her own spear was being thrown at her she turned and dodged just on time.
The spear like the one before it exploded. The force disoriented her, making her fall from the sky.
The flame barrier faded more.
She staggered as she tried to regain her balance from the explosion. She gulped as she saw Ness slowly striding toward her again. His anger had a weight to it. It made her knees almost buckle.
In fear, she took out her bow ready to aim at him again, but remembered the black shield Jace kept around him.
She knew she had no chance to win. She needed to escape, but she needed something.
Her mind immediately thought of Jace.
She quickly fired her arrow at Ness.
But it veered off course swiping past Ness. It sharply turned and swiped past both of his eyes.
"Augh!" Jace put his hands over his eyes. His hands started to become covered in blood.
Everyone turned around to their friend as he sat on the ground, clutching his face.
"Jace!" Ness angrily looked to his escaping enemy. "PSI strength." He quickly closed the space between them, grabbing her arm.
He threw her onto the side of the nearby building. She coughed up blood as Ness held her up by the neck.
"You won't take anyone else away from me!"
He continued squeeze her neck, choking the life from her. She kicked and struggled with the boy, clawing at his arm to get him to release. Tears started to well up in her eyes as her face turned red.
However, her cries and pleas became unanswered and she stopped struggling completely.
Ness let go of her neck as she collapsed onto the ground. The rest of the team save Jace could only watch in horror at what he had just done.
A red hexagonal beam hit Ness's side causing him to fall over. In the darkness came, a Starman Deluxe, and at its side, Alexander.
"I'm impressed, Ness, choking a girl and killing her," He applauded. "Very well done. Wouldn't have done it any other way."
"Alex, working as a goon again I see. Well then, since your here..." Leon immediately pulled out his flocks and fired, but they were deflected by the Starman's shield.
"Sorry brother. I'm afraid I have to cut our little meeting short. I was sent to retrieve this little corpse Ness just made."
He picked her up bridal style and proceeded to walk back into the darkness with the Starman Deluxe in tow.
Ness stood up as his head started to crackle with red electric energy. He heard Jace moan. He went back on alert as he ran to his friend, his hand glowing with PSI Healing Ω.
"No! Stop!" Cien held back Ness as he tried to run to his friend. "You can't use PSI on him!"
He looked to her with a blank expression before looking back at where Alex had just left. The green energy in his hands faded.
"Why? Can't you use PSI to heal him?" Green asked confused.
"The Starman hit him with a PSI disruptor. If he uses it, he could kill Jace or himself," Cien explained.
Janet ripped off the lower part of her shirt wrapping it around his eyes.
Everyone fell silent as their attention shifted back to Ness.
"Ness, why the hell did you do that? You didn't have to kill her!" Leon grabbed the boy's coloured shirt as he started to violently shake him.
Green started to sob as she was being comforted by Zane. "I didn't think this would happen. I didn't want this."
Ness smacked his hand away. "You didn't ask for this? Well that's too bad! The planet's in danger so I don't think this is exactly the time for morals or values! Things such as those don't belong in the battlefield. Most of you know this better than others, am I right?"
Most of the group looked down in shame. Although blunt, he was correct.
"Your morals and values are what separate heroes from murdering bastards. It's not pretty, but that's just how things are. "
Poppy and Lexi just ran into the ally, seeing everyone hang there around Jace with Janet tightening the makeshift gaze.
"Jace…are you alright?" Poppy asked.
"Other than being blind? Feeling great!" He snarky replied.
She looked at the battle scarred alley way and a large puddle of blood.
"What the hell happened?"
No one answered the girl.
"Well whose blood is that on the ground?" Lexi looked over the team. Besides Jace and his blood, a few meters away was a large puddle of blood, too much for a wound like his.
"She's gone!?" Zane yelled, baffled. "But she was there not a moment ago. I do not believe I saw Alex take her. "
Phil bent down and inspected the blood closer along with Lexi. "What kind of being can take a shot to the head?" Phil pondered, but he then looked back at their wounded comrade. He walked back to him, but not without spying her quickly and quietly scooping a small vial of the blood and stuffing it into her pants pocket.
"I'll take Jace back to the ship," Phil offered.
Jace wobbled as he stood up, being supported by Phil. "We have some medical supply's on the ship we may be able to heal him, if anything."
"You don't mind if I come with you, right?" Janet asked as she stepped up.
Jace broke off from Phil as he felt around. Janet took his out stretched hand as she felt like crying. He took his hand and caressed his twins face. "Janet, I need you to stay here."
"What? But, why? I need you! We stick always together. You promised me!" She started to cry as she hugged her brother.
"Look, our sanctuary is close by. After Zane gets to his, you go straight there. I'll be waiting for you when you get back, ok?" Jace released the hug, unstrapping his sword placing it in his sisters hands, as Phil helped him stay on his feet.
"I promise. It won't be forever this time." He promised.
Phil and Jace started to walk away. "Wait!"
Everyone turned around.
Poppy walked up to them. "I'll go with you."
Poppy turned to Janet. "I'll stay with him the whole time. I won't let him out of my sight." She promised. Janet wiped the tears from her eyes as she smiled and nodded.
The young aviator walked next to the two leaving comrades as they continued to walk back to the ship.
-Symphony of the Eight-
Meanwhile on a nearby rooftop, a figure watched the entire thing. It frowned as it put up its hood as it turned to follow Phil, Jace and Poppy.
AN: I'm such a liar. XD How'd you guys like that? Did I pull a Madoka Magica episode 3 on you guys? Yes, the rating might change from here on from T to M due to much darker things happening later in the story (which I also planned since the first chapter.) Such as:
Character death, gore, dismemberment , heart break, swearing, pure evil, torture, etc. (This also gives me the chance to have more freedom instead of containing myself to one rating and worrying if people will get offended. Mind you this won't happen every chapter, just more often, as a warning to you.)
Now that I got that out of the way finally.
Anyone who sent their characters, tell me in anyway what you want your characters to go through in this story, and I mean ANYTHING as long it has something to do with the story and has character development! And the rating will change a week from the day this was released if people are comfortable with this change.
Hope people still read or are more interested to read now that this new info was released.
Review please! Happy 4th of July, and Check the profile for a cool new update for the characters!
/watch?v=nuBUDTJpFmk : Hint to a character that has already showed up can you guess who it is? Tell me in PM! Or wait for the reveal! I will put one of these in each chapter!