【81 - Promised Time: The Five Aurellian Chosens and Phoenixes Finally United!】
Another world. A five-metre clearing in a forest of unfamiliar trees. Between them ran an extension cord as thick as someone's wrist, made of black rubber and with bulky connector ends. It was attached to a CPU wired to some tower cases in a haphazard arrangement on the grass. Wind accompanied by an aquamarine glow buffeted outward against the nature and a teenage boy. His hands were outstretched, the left one bandaged all the way to his chest, and his teeth were clenched as he maintained the portal.
Sinan walked through first, Kanoa came next looking back over his shoulder, and lastly Heidi arrived, supporting Amira who was barely conscious with an arm over her shoulder.
Jacob Smith heaved a sigh of finality, leaning forward and the portal vanished, and the tech died with it. He slipped his injured arm into a sling. He'd not been looking forward to this but forced some geniality into his voice, "...Welcome. You all made it."
Sinan stopped dead in his tracks. Kanoa was scanning the treetops before his gaze alighted on him, then he slowed to a halt. Amira was blinking, starting to focus and support herself more. Heidi frowned at the surrounding trees, which were like ones she'd seen but at the same time completely new to her. Her pupils dilated after resting on their rescuer and she paused too.
"Jacob… is that you?"
Jacob looked like an ordinary sixteen-year-old. Lanky and unfit. Skin pale like he avoided sunlight. His ash-brown hair seemed untidy though it was straight, he'd evidently been cutting it himself for a while. Slate-blue eyes. There were freckles across the nose of an oblong face. He wasn't conventionally attractive, but none of them were.
Sinan's handsome resting face was always marred by ugly expressions. Without the exercise regime Kanoa kept up on his island, he was losing his figure and it was currently hidden under bulky clothes. Even when they tried, neither of the girls were more than an everyday kind of pretty. Together the five of them made for an ordinary-looking group of teens.
Jacob was interrupted from answering Heidi's inane question when all their phoenix cards started glowing. Suddenly, they all looked less ordinary. Mars, Pluto, Jupiter, Venus and Mercury had finally been united and were synchronising. They hovered overhead, glowing their civilization colours. Energy flowed into their respective chosens who raised their hands, turned them over, clenching and unclenching. The cards then dissolved prettily, they each glowed before the clearing became normal once more.
After a few seconds Amira asked, "What was that?"
"I think we just got the power up Engyo always spoke of," Kanoa answered.
Jacob's eyes widened: Behind each chosen was a transparent silhouette. Jacob heard a voice behind him, feminine and wise:
"Well done, you five. The journey was long and arduous, but you're all here now."
Jacob turned. Sure enough, the blue outline of Mercury had spoken.
"It was oftentimes difficult to keep you on the path…" Pluto murmured, darkly.
"Or you were being terribly stubborn," Jupiter agreed, strongly.
"But we had patience with you, and faith in our choices," Venus finished, serenely.
Before Heidi's phoenix spoke, she turned and stared with eyes as wide as when she recognised Jacob.
"Thank you, Heidi, for being you," Mars began. "I might have taken the longest to make up my mind, but you did exactly what I hoped and exactly what I chose you for: you found Amira, Kanoa and Sinan and brought them back to us. I'm glad I chose you."
Heidi was without words.
The voice behind Jacob spoke again: "And thank you, Jacob, for keeping them safe and for the rescue."
Jacob looked back at Mercury. He wasn't happy and felt abashed, "It was thanks to your power…"
"Nevertheless," Mercury nodded in gratitude.
The remaining three chosens were in various states of guilt.
Amira looked down, "Guess I fucked up, huh?"
"Yes, you did." Pluto remarked and Amira met his invisible gaze.
Curiously, she didn't detect too much disappointment. The darkness civilization was the home of doom, fear and also corruption. He seemed understanding about her episode of treachery, and though he wasn't happy about it there was a lightness lacking judgement that relaxed her.
As for Sinan, he was feeling more than just patience from Venus. Now there was pride and trust. She was confident that he'd redirect his devotion along with his earnestness for truth in ways that would benefit their mission. He also relaxed.
Kanoa's head remained lowered. While he'd not outright opposed them, he was the most ashamed. Jupiter didn't offer comfort, merely observed him solidly.
Jacob snapped to attention, "Guys, I'm sure you have a lot of questions but right now we should go inside. That portal might've… attracted some things." They followed his nervous gaze into the trees, then they glanced again at his injured arm and hermit appearance.
"Uhhh, yeah I agree." Amira moved first, following the thick cord toward the base. Jacob went after her and the rest followed.
Beyond a dozen, striped trunks to a longer clearing leading to a hill above the treetops. Before it sat a white dome composed of flat triangles. It had circular windows and a garage extension, of which the black cord slithered from a gap under the shutter. Jacob knew it to be a rudimentary shitbox, but it was weird-looking enough for the others to marvel on approach.
Jacob punched in a code and the door unlocked, he shoved his way in.
Kanoa eyed a nearby flower bush he couldn't identify. None of the flora, he could identify. "Are we somewhere in Augus?"
Jacob wrestled in his head for an explanation but Mercury answered: "Once you've all settled in we'll be able to explain."
Jacob felt grateful for the phoenixes' unexpected new verbosity. Made his job of having to explain everything a lot easier. He considered making everyone tea, instead he focused on cleaning a bit. This research-base-turned-homestay had been lived in for the better half of a year. Computerware and tech were scattered about, their cords trip hazards. Clothes were strewn everywhere, socks and jumpers, Jacob scrunched up underwear and threw it behind a white leather sofa. A plastic bin was overflowing with instant ramen cups.
Jacob noticed their expressions, "Yeah it's a shit-hole. But it's safe, alright?" He squeezed past them to a reclining chair behind a computer with three screens.
They wandered after him, Heidi rushed to the front.
"This is where you've been all this time? Wait - nevermind that! - we have to stop Urobach! He's still heading to the moon and-"
"Heidi…" Mars cautioned.
Jacob looked into the rebellious face that matched the voice he'd sneakily overheard in a hundred conversations. Heidi was unfamiliar enough with Mars' voice that he'd stalled her. This was the part Jacob had been looking forward to the least: dealing with these four kids, each obnoxious and terrible in their own right. It was so much easier to listen in through phones, cameras and not have to physically be there. Not be questioned and deal with tantrums. He couldn't even block them. He liked being unreachable and only speaking on his terms. He was mulling over how awful this was - having them actually here with him - for several seconds while they waited for his response.
"We failed. Urobach's on his way to the moon. He'll get there and have his base set up within months."
Regrettably for Jacob, her features burned ferociously, "You have to make a portal back! He's going to destroy the world!"
"I know that!" Jacob knew them all fairly well, thanks to his spying, but he was still incredulous. He swivelled his chair to them. "I fried the computer network getting you all out and now we're stranded here!"
"Stranded…?" Amira repeated.
Sinan bounced looks between their faces, like he needed someone to repeat everything four or five times.
Kanoa turned away, "If there's truly nothing we can do… then in a matter of months we're all dead."
"...Not us." Jacob said in a peculiar tone, they all focused.
"We're not on Aurellia at the moment," Mercury explained. "We're somewhere else."
"Another timeline…" Kanoa murmured then shared a look with Amira.
"What about the others?" Heidi refused to let it drop. "Jayden. Hillary. Henka. They're still on the rocket!"
Ignoring her, Jacob whirred back and tried to get the systems working. He slapped the keys, then forced the screen to them - it was blue and glitchy. "Look, see? I can't contact either of them. Not Aurellia, not…" he trailed off.
"Not where?" Heidi insisted.
Jacob suppressed a sigh so she wouldn't get any angrier. He turned to her but kept his eyes shut, that made it easier, "Jayden and Hillary are in the creature world, so are your sisters." And then because he knew she'd ask: "I know because I was just talking to them."
"Henka is dead…" Sinan finally spoke. The other three looked at him. "Sorry…"
"So are Engyo and Tsukumo..." Heidi's report was laced with pain.
"Saishi and Ijiwa died," Jacob continued, "So there's only one lieutenant left. And Urobach." And Pluto, he thought but didn't say.
Heidi was shaking her head after receiving so much new information. Mercifully, she was too overwhelmed to yell more questions.
"Do not despair, heroes," Mercury softly encouraged. "Now that you've united you have new powers. They will no doubt prove useful."
"But we're stranded?" Jacob eyed the roof while addressing the disembodied voice.
"Now that we're together, I'm stronger too. With time I may be able to repair the network. In the meantime you should prepare as if you will return to fight once more."
"By prepare you mean with these powers?" Jacob asked.
"Specifically, one such power which will help you in duels."
"That doesn't matter," Heidi spoke listlessly, "Even if Urobach loses a duel he can just teleport away. He has an unfair advantage."
"Well now, so do we." At that they all shifted. "Jacob, be a dear and lead them to that other clearing over the hill. On the way I'll explain how the 'intrusion penalty' works."
"We're not 'settling in' here to explain everything?"
"I agree with Merc," Jupiter's voice remarked. "I think you kids could do with some good news first."
Jacob was pulled back by a metallic shriek. Heidi walked outside. The other three followed her, thinking nothing of the noisy door. Jacob leapt out his chair and inspected it. She'd not hit the unlock button, it shouldn't have opened for her.
"Don't forget the new decks," Mercury reminded him.
Jacob hurried to a cabinet and pulled out a rucksack, then crossed the floor to a cupboard. Inside was a rifle, he slung the strap over his shoulder. He raced after the others.
He saw them all squinting at the sun, it was an hour from evening. A sun just like theirs, but one they'd never encountered before.
Mercury explained the intrusion penalty along the way and they were all curious to test it out. This clearing was well wide enough for a duel, and for what they had planned. Jacob had memorised the hunting patterns of the native predators - they didn't normally pass through here, directly south of the base this late in the afternoon, but his grip on the gun didn't loosen. Just in case more humans drew something in…. Amira eyed the firearm, probably wondering what the hell it was for but too nervous to ask. He didn't want to explain that to them yet anyhow. Instead he pulled out the rucksack as they spilled out into the clearing.
"I have new decks for us," he explained while slipping his hand through the drawstring.
"You do?" Amira asked and they gathered around.
"Mercury sent them over just in case, they work with your finishers. Except for Kanoa, All Over The World isn't considered fast enough anymore."
"Seemed plenty fast when he beat Sinan," Heidi recalled, taking her new deck and flicking through it.
A flash and sizzle made them glance back. Sinan had scrunched an alien flower which he'd picked along the walk to inspect. When he opened his hand, ash scattered instead of petals.
They all got their cards. Jacob set down his rifle and the empty sack, then trudged off to take his mark and turned. He should've bet that Heidi would be the one to go stand opposite.
"Ikuzo." "Koi."
They were engulfed in cloaks of blue and red. Cut stone tables faded to view and blue glass rectangles swished into position.
Jacob took the first turn, casting himself in an underwater glow.
Heidi examined a high-cost hand. She deliberated between a pair of tri-coloured cards before charging the most expensive. She shone red, green and blue.
"I summon Java Kid, Aqua Boy!" A lapis-shaded youth swam up, his split cape undulated at either side. "I check my top-deck and if it's another liquid person it's added to my hand. Let's see!" Jacob raised his arm and the card whipped off, arcing up then turning to Heidi with a whumph - a sound of supernatural weight.
She sensed it before her eyes made out the image. Aqua Evoluter slid into his hand.
She charged the same card as last turn and ended.
"I summon Aqua Evoluter!" This water-person was ridged like a reef, with long mermaid-purple hair.
"Nice to see liquid people survived all the sagas until now…" Heidi commented.
"You have no idea," Jacob was suddenly excited and her brows raised.
"Java Kid attacks and invasion! Baron Spade, Invader!" The boy flew into a cyan star, crystallising then escaping it as a mecha. "Double break!" Its trident cleared glass. The cards flashed into her hand - no triggers.
Heidi drew her eighth card - finally a low cost! "I summon Bolshack Glory Lupia!" Her old fire bird was reimagined with a little sword and shield. "I ramp my top-deck card!" It arced up and flipped around. "Yes! Since MaltSAGA's a dragon I ramp again!"
When Jacob touched his deck all five of them jolted. "...I summon another Aqua Evoluter then I'll end my turn without attacking, Heidi."
"Hm." She drew and considered.
Three creatures, two that reduce the cost of evolving. It was pretty obvious that he was about to summon Mercury. Heidi considered slowing him down with her mach fighter, but part of her wanted to see the final phoenix… She came up with another plan - one that could win her the duel, at any rate.
"I cast "Help me! Malt!" and put MaltSAGA, Explosive Flame Dragon Ruler for free!" A new bi-coloured giant surfaced, blue and orange, with dragon mouths on each arm and 10,000 power. Over her shoulder, a cross by the crucified Dokindam burnt out. "From hyperspace, I bring out Gigaheart, Invincible King Sword!" Blue zapped along the chiming links of long chains, whipping and winding. She raised her arm, their instinctive conductor. A gap unfurled overhead and the most embellished sword yet - purple and gold, with starlike points - lowered its handle into MaltSAGA's jaws.
Jacob stiffened.
"Bolshack Glory Lupia, shield break!" Flame-wings spluttered and it swung its little sword through glass. "Now MaltSAGA attacks and dragsolution! Gigaheart becomes Ohginga, Strongest Passion!" The sword levitated free, vibrating, then in a fierce flash became a dragon of not just purple and gold, but blue and pink and a spectrum of colours. A 15,000 triple breaking speed attacker, with another game-winning skill on top.
"MaltSAGA, double break!" It cocked both arms before punching fireballs. After the thunderous, consecutive hits a welcome figure came to Jacob's aid.
"Ragnarok the Clock ends your turn," he held the glowing trigger between two fingers. With the clockface wizard stopping the combo partway, Heidi's eagerness evaporated.
"Wait, Jacob!" At that moment Amira slid to a spot between them and further back, to Jacob's right and Heidi's left. "For the intrusion penalty I choose: three!" She outstretched her deck, her table crunched as it appeared. Her cards grew agitated so she placed them and three shields readied, another three became mana, three more flew into her hand. Then nine more piled aloft and vanished from the game. "My turn, since I'm starting with Zeron you both get an extra draw."
This was unfamiliar mid-game, but they drew.
Amira drew and charged her fourth mana, "I cast Ryugokusatsu! I draw then discard. Then I gacharange summon!" Her smaller deck spat out a card that became a looming skeletal sentinel, "Zagaan GR, Knight of Darkness! Turn end."
Heidi regarded her additional opponent.
Jacob side-eyed Amira too before reaffixing his gaze. "I summon Aqua Guard," a cheap TCG creature, it was like how Sinan had used La Ura Giga - that confirmed what was coming. "I fuse it with both Aqua Evoluters! Galaxy Vortex Evolution! Supernova Mercury Gigablizzard!"
The three sensed an astronomical mass; the baits pulled together. The resultant vortex shone dimmer than water's typical blue, it was slate then arctic. The temperature dropped. Blue shrouded the field and it was the antithesis of Mars, not an oven but a freezer. Ice crystallised into hard-edged shapes. Both girls shivered while Jacob became energised, and then light shot into a pillar and his phoenix arrived…
Mercury had many sea-beast appendages, including neptunian fins or wings. She was streaked with blue hues, had sea-green celestial spheres at either side, and cords resembling seaweed-hair. Ice sheets and blades traced her form. They could see a woman's face, like an engraving on the bow of a ship. With human arms she raised a thin horn and blew like some creature of myth. The rippling blue made it appear like they were underwater, though the twirling snow counteracted this effect.
Heidi clenched her fists - she was the obvious target right now.
"Mercury triple breaks Heidi's shields!" That trumpet blew and the flurry was so cold it felt like it was blowing right through her. Glass shattered, the pieces rolling over but not cutting. No triggers. "Ragnarok the Clock, todomeda!" Heidi was stunned then punched. She flew fast into the woods, branches spun free and wood buckled, but she was unharmed.
"Ouch- hey!"
Jacob turned on Amira, "Baron Spade, Invader now double breaks Amira's shields!" They shattered under the mecha's trident. "Should've picked a higher number."
"I have to mill for Zeron too!" She yelled back.
Jacob shrugged, "Turn passes to you."
Amira blinked her way to accepting what just happened, Heidi was already up and brushing herself off. "I summon Dugenda, Gig." The sinister contraption of chains and maces allowed her to draw twice, she then discarded them. "I cast another Ryugokusatsu…?" The twinpact jammed.
Jacob's arm was out, "Meteorburn: Whenever a spell effect activates I can send a card under Mercury to the graveyard to counter it. So I remove two and you can't do either of that card's effects."
Mercury radiated blue. On its table two baits were spat out.
Amira filed that away and continued, "Zagaan attacks Baron Spade, ike!" A tall bone sword arced down in an executioner-swing, splitting the mecha apart. She lowered her arm, there was nothing more she could do.
"No charge, I summon Aqua Super Emeral but I choose not to use its effect." The new water-being was slender, translucent and bioluminescent. More importantly: a blocker. Jacob smirked, "Then I summon Filler Robo Concurion!" A yellow construct whirred electrically and blew steam. "I send the five cards in your graveyard to the bottom of your deck."
Amira cursed.
"Mercury attacks Zagaan!" That same wind-storm rolled over and Zagaan was encased in ice before bursting. "Ragnarok, final shield break!" For caution's sake he'd not tried for a win though he could have; Amira felt cornered.
She added fire-dark to her dark and water mana. "I summon Jyadokumaru, Oni of "Orochi". I destroy an untapped creature: Aqua Super Emeral!" A zombified serpent breathed purple gas and its target melted. Jacob tilted his head, that had made no real difference. Amira growled at Kanoa: "Gonna jump in here?" He thought then nodded and she continued to weaken her opponent, obviously annoyed she couldn't win. "Dugenda Gig, shield break!" It flung a chain-mace through Jacob's penultimate defence.
Amira waved him in and Kanoa walked to where Heidi had stood, "I choose four!" Crunch. Four shields, mana, cards in hand. Twelve cards floated up then were banished. He started, "I summon Sannap, Tribe and untap the three mana I just used." A beast folk landed, essentially played for free. "Then I summon Yell, Cheering Faerie and untap those two mana also." A vermilion-haired faerie waved pom-poms. "I summon Primal Giant, and Soisoimi." The giant was familiar - apelike due to its solid arms and tiny hanging legs. It was followed by a jokers, ever quirky: this one resembled a soy sauce squirter, the plastic fish kind. "Since there's a creature with 4000 power I can gacharange summon too." He'd emptied his hand and now his fifth creature appeared: a gransect disguised as an ellipse of berry branches. "Scup Third! With mach fighter it battles Filler Robo Concurion!" Tongues flexed out from the berries and tore it apart.
"My move, I summon Aqua Super Emeral." Jacob knew facing that many attackers wasn't good and he needed the blocker. "Mercury attacks Scup Third!" Once the gacharange creature was iced away he looked at Amira. Defenceless, she cursed. "Ragnarok the Clock, todomeda!"
Amira was likewise punched out and rolled far. Lying on her stomach unharmed, she lifted her head.
"I'm jumping in!" Sinan sprang to the north of the clearing, opposite her. He announced: "Five!" After his zones were rightly assembled he was left with only ten - nine, as he drew - cards in his deck. "I summon Bolshack Superhero and he destroys all creatures with power 3000 or less!" Effective anti-swarm. Fires burned on Bolshack's hands before launching, falling again like comets, decimating the opposing battle zones. When the fires diminished into cinders, only Primal Giant and Mercury remained.
Kanoa's turn, he drew his new finisher: Orbimaker. He sighed, "I pass turn."
"I summon Aqua Surfer and bounce Bolshack Superhero." It rode its board over a wave that flushed out the dragon. Jacob hoped it'd be re-used against Kanoa's swarming. Meanwhile Heidi and Amira shared a glance: New decks or not, was he seriously beating all of them with a deck containing so many remnants of the TCG? Jacob shifted his gaze forward to Kanoa. "Supernova Mercury breaks three of Kanoa's shields!" Flurry and bursting.
"No triggers…" Kanoa said as he recovered. The turn passed clockwise to Sinan.
"I summon Dynabolt, Explosive Emperor Dragon!" The nebulous dragon of black, red and yellow formed in radiant splendour. "Attack and double magibomber six!" The top card from his deck flipped up: Zardiclica's cost was too high. The next: Rosia Final Dragon Ruler could be put - or rather, could if not for Primal Giant. Rosia's card sparked green before landing in Sinan's mana. Heidi sniggered at Sinan's blank look. When he realised he was being laughed at he flushed and quickly ordered, "Dynabolt breaks Jacob's final shield!" Rainbow fire scorched the panel.
Kanoa then started his turn, "I summon another Sannap Tribe and Yell, Cheering Faerie. The mana untaps and my next creature's cost reduces by six!" His table shuddered, something was coming. "I summon Orbimaker Par 100, Tenth Dragon!" A 19,000 mountain-come-alive materialised behind him, Heidi scampered away to join Amira. Orbimaker stomped closer on webbed feet. "It has mach fighter and so attacks Dynabolt!" The other dragon looked the perfect size for a meal. Dynabolt's limbs resisted the bronze fangs before it was crunched, exploding into a rippling lightshow.
"I evolve Aqua Surfer into Java Jack, Ultra Flash!" Jacob's new mecha wasn't crystalline but bright turquoise and cerulean. "I draw four and put two cards on my deck-bottom. Alright… Java Jack breaks Kanoa's last shield!"
Kanoa was surprised to be targeted but revealed the trigger, "Please Support Us Together lets me discard to destroy Java Jack." It was the twinpact spell-side of the pom-poms faerie, scorching volcanic vents were directed to the only target with power 6000 or less.
"Thanks for clearing Sinan's dragon, but sorry man. Mercury, todomeda!" Jacob twisted the card and Kanoa was thrown faster and harder than either of the girls, flying into the hillside like a cannon. Jacob had now defeated three chosens. Sinan looked at him nervously.
Heidi mused to Amira, "Maybe you were too cautious, choosing three, and Sinan was too reckless, choosing five…?"
"Kanoa was in the middle and didn't fair any better," Amira pointed out.
"I summon Zardiclica, Hybrid Winds Dragon!" A four-armed, triple-civ, dragon-human. "I shieldify with Ex-Life! I cast for free: It's Coming From The Future So It's A Miracle! I draw three!" Various quantities of surprise showed on the other's faces. Sinan knew they were waiting for him to deck out carelessly, so he was defiantly using up his cards anyway. "Just what I needed: Dragon's Sign!"
"I'll stop you right there," Jacob raised his hand, "I use Mercury's final meteorburn to counter Dragon Sign's ability."
Mercury shimmered quietly. Nobody spoke for a moment.
"Fuck…" Amira uttered.
"My turn. I summon Newton, Aqua Ace and evolve it into Crystal Paladin." A gold and lapis gladiator became the familiar transparent centaur with a honeycomb shield. "Mercury triple breaks!" His ever-present phoenix trumpeted another deadly gust. Glass flew - one shield rewound.
"Shield trigger!" Sinan held it high. "Rosia, Final Dragon Ruler! I equip him with Proto Gigaheart, Invincible Sword!" It flew abreast of the speeding electric chains, then halted and caught the blue blade as it dropped from its portal.
"A blocker huh? Java Jack ike, double break!" It jumped with fist extended, water circling around its arm into a drill.
"Rosia blocks!" The draguner intercepted, then came apart with the water-drill.
"Crystal Paladin attacks and invasion! Baron Spade, Invader breaks your final shields!" It galloped through cyan lights, reemerging as the familiar mecha. Its trident punctured the last of Sinan's shielding.
"Shield trigger! Dragon's Sign to bring out another Rosia! This time with Joan Mizell, Revolution Spear!" The angelic soldier returned, this time plucking a pearly weapon. Jacob frowned.
Sinan drew the penultimate card of his deck, "Now I can attack and hyperspace invasion! Redzone Buster, Roaring Awakened! I discard and now Mercury won't untap next turn." It morphed into a slender steel mecha with a gold sword. It raised its blade and rings of light appeared around Mercury, she struggled. Sinan yelled, "Todomeda!"
The bot sprang, slashing before it was close and an energy line hit Jacob who flew, clipping the earth then vanishing into a bush. Kanoa had rejoined them in time to see, massaging his neck.
"Phew…" Heidi started. "For a second there I thought he was going to make a fool of all four of us."
They stood in silence for a while, idly waiting for Jacob to pull himself from a hole in the ground and skulk back. He did in time, brushing dirt and grounded bedrock particles from his clothes. He was about to slip his injured arm back into its sling but realised it wasn't hurting anymore, he flexed his fingers and let it rest by his side.
"We have super strength now," Jacob said matter-of-factly. "Heidi broke the bolted lock on the door of the base. Sinan vaporised a flower in his hand."
Even Amira, who was used to having a superpower was stunned into silence. Jacob's normalcy was just a temporary calm.
Kanoa looked skyward, "What did you do to us?"
"You're all stronger now…" Mars answered.
"And what does that mean?" Heidi was now used to the phoenixes' voices so they wouldn't slow her barrage of questions.
"We have fused with you," Venus answered. "Instead of just a portion you have access to our full powers, and you're all mentally linked."
"Oh no no no…" Amira walked forward. "Never did anyone say we'd end up merging with our phoenixes!"
"What's the problem?" Heidi was gruff.
Amira whirled around, "This doesn't weird you out, like, at all?"
"No. Or are you just bothered that you really can't run away again?" At Heidi's words a delicate silence fell.
"Guys…" Jacob cleared his throat. "I think we should have a talk… about whether it's even worth entertaining the possibility that Aurellia can be saved."
An even more delicate silence fell.
"What?" Heidi choked.
Unexpectedly it was Sinan who snapped, walking between them all. "The old plan failed! We have no plan now! So why should we lie to ourselves? Shouldn't we all speak with a bit more open honesty?"
Kanoa realised what he meant by that, "Sinan, no!"
In the next second yellow sparks drifted by them like fireflies. Then the others understood.
"Jacob," He turned for Sinan's question. "Do you believe we can win?"
Jacob stayed level, unashamed of this truth: "No."
Sinan turned, "Kanoa?"
"N… n-no…"
Again, "Amira?"
"No…"
Lastly he faced Heidi and a single tear was making its way to her chin.
Sinan spoke softly, "Heidi, do you believe we have a chance to win this?"
Her throat was closing up, but she managed to answer: "No."
The shining specks died out.
"I was unsure," Sinan confessed. "But I had trust in the rest of you. Now, I also don't think so." He stalked off, not back to the base but an easterly direction. Unconcerned about the alien predators Jacob had brought the rifle for.
Kanoa looked like he'd seen a ghost. His head drooped, ashamed again, and he ambled off in the opposite direction. Heidi and Amira made eye contact for a split-second before turning and leaving, separately. Jacob stood there while each chosen moved away from him.
"I… was hoping that would go better…" Mercury sounded pained.
"Well, Merc," Jacob replied, entertained by the nickname, "Unfortunately it's par for the course at this point… what the hell are we supposed to do now?"
『AN: It's the final countdownnn! We're leaving togetherrr! ~ Maybe I should save that for the last quartile. Anyways, here is Water Arc! Here's the last chosen! Thanks to Acuma and Shuriken who're up-to-date and told me that, for some reason, they were anticipating the concluding arc of this story. I'm in my final year of uni (did pass those exams by the way) and while I'd like to finish this alongside my degree I'm becoming less compromising when it comes to quality. Convergence has reviewed Fire and Darkness Arc, thanks as well! Most of those issues he raised I was at least intuitively aware of. Strangely enough, I don't want to fix up the earlier arcs because this became a historical piece, I can look back and see how my writing improved each arc.』
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