【82 - Divergence of the Five Chosens! Talks with their Ethereal Advisors!】
Heidi found the ocean. Beyond sloping trees were a series of boulders, then a grey sand strip. They were on the east coast of this alien continent, or maybe it was an island. There was a dark-green moss on the rocks facing the sea spray, growing in hexagonal, octagonal shapes. She couldn't be sure whether something similar enough existed on Aurellia – she was no biologist. She quickly decided on an outcrop and perched there to brood over the steel-blue sea. Another moss specimen a few inches below her toes, the largest yet, was a shape of no less than twenty irregular sides, fed by the ocean's slapping waves. There were also hard-crusted pentagonal shapes as big as starfish. When Heidi was satisfied the creatures didn't move she fixed her gaze to the horizon.
Mars' voice was weighty with feeling:
"I'm so grateful we can finally talk to each other. Too many times I watched you suffering alone like this."
Heidi stared.
"I'm sure the other phoenixes feel the exact same way. Now you've got me rambling, isn't that normally what you do?"
Heidi sniffled.
"I know exactly what you're feeling…" His hard-edged voice - the voice of a warrior - was very soft.
Heidi kept staring and Mars let her. Gentle waves further out revealed more complex life-forms: A swarm of krill were getting rolled along. Heidi felt magnetized to one of them: kicking its little legs in defiance, but powerless, farcical, when compared in size to the ocean. It could kick and kick but it wouldn't make a speck of difference, the ocean would carry it ever as it may.
"I did it again…" Heidi breathed. She felt how Mars hated the uncharacteristic weakness in her voice.
He understood her thoughts, "Like with Amira."
"If Sinan had asked his question without his power I would've got mad, yelled that of course I believed we could win. I was lying to myself again. Why was I doing that?"
Mars drew a blank.
Heidi squeezed her knees hard enough to hurt, "Was I really gonna make us all fight just to die? For what? Refusing to give up for the sake of it, like a cartoon hero would?"
"Hope is a depleting resource. That's why people have to depend on each other. Urobach can be stopped-" a hesitation.
Heidi leaned back. She was searching his mind now, which had fished from Amira's: her dream conversation with the Gatekeeper. If Urobach died he'd destroy Aurellia.
"That particular Gatekeeper has been operating on whims…" Mars began 'showing' her other memories of Amira's when she'd been working for him. "Being on Aurellia is a whim. And whims can change."
"You want to bet he'll choose not to destroy Aurellia after all?" Heidi spoke flatly.
"Urobach is the only one I'm certain will destroy Aurellia if he's not stopped."
Heidi's gaze swept around the bay, "I see… You know, when I was on Kanoa's island I was almost convinced to stay there and forget everything." A wry smile. "You and the other phoenixes want us to go back." She could feel that clearly. "Me and the other chosens might decide to stay here. Another Aurellia with no humans, just the five of us forever, what would that be like?"
They both could see the situation. As Jacob said, there'd be a discussion. Multiple, in fact, and long days mulling it over.
"Mercury will continue repairing the network in the meantime." Mars was resolved to it.
Heidi avoided seeing the krill now. She shifted their talk: "So Jacob… I can tell he's not thrilled to have us here. He only got excited when we were dueling."
"He's… very selective about the humans he likes to engage with. He sees all of you as different to him, and he doesn't feel keen on embracing those differences."
"If we all stay he'll have no choice but to."
"Mmhm."
"I don't want to talk to Jacob now. I'm still too stunned to decide whether I want to be angry at him or not."
"It's been a hectic twenty-four hours."
"I don't want to see Amira. Sinan needs time to cool off."
"Kanoa," Mars said with understanding.
"He's doing the same thing he did when I met him: trying to be perfect while hating himself. He needs someone to snap him out of it." She slapped her legs before standing. Strangely enough, she felt a lot better already.
Kanoa felt as low as ever. Jupiter wasn't speaking but telepathically projecting himself a bit more as if to say: I'm here, I know how you feel. He was sturdy but not comforting. Kanoa trudged below a web of thistle branches, choking the sunlight in a canopy above. He was undoing the utility straps on his military-black sneaking gear, dropping them in the grass as he went, missing the barer clothing he got away with in the tropics. A fallen tree with orb-like fungus at one end drew him in. He slipped his foot in a branch and pushed up to sit.
A full minute went by.
"Heidi… saying that came as a surprise. But I've been without hope for a long time," Kanoa's voice was less empty than a frigid despair.
"So why are you here? Why not run like Amira?"
"...Because this is my duty."
Another minute went by.
"What will you do?"
"I must be the caretaker now. That's what our group needs. Whatever we need, that's what I'll be."
There was no remedy for his own hopelessness. He only regretted his answer for what it might've done to the others' resolve and their teamwork. His body felt cool and hard, like smooth stone, but he was feeling everything.
Kanoa slid off his perch and landed, "Heidi is going to need time to process what she said."
"Mars will help her," Jupiter agreed.
"I'd better go find Sinan." With that decided Kanoa searched with his mind, pinpointing the others. He started walking.
Kanoa heard the stream long before he reached it. The forest was full of unfamiliar birdsongs, his hearing must also have been strengthened. He breathed in through his nose and considered this world wasn't more 'smelly', and that it was just his new senses. He inhaled again, smelling earth and podzol and flowers - even animals. He followed along the river and saw Sinan, who was standing very still and focused toward the rocky bluff. Surely there was no way he hadn't heard him, but after Kanoa called Sinan whirled around and shushed him.
Kanoa looked over the stream and saw a monster.
It towered at thirty feet, almost the height of the bluff. Razer claws and jaws. Sniffing overhanging bushes and then dipping its nose into a waterfall to drink. It had feathered spines along its colourful anatomy: pink mottled with orange. Kanoa would've sensed if this was a DM creature - it was a real animal. But surely Jacob hadn't thought his rifle could do anything to that…
"What in the world…" Kanoa mouthed.
"Not of the world - not ours," Sinan replied.
Kanoa was rooted to the spot; cool sweat ran down his neck. The beast sniffled and snuffed, blew dirt from its nostrils. It looked nimble. Kanoa had a thought to try imagining its skeleton. Without the fur, colour and tips… it looked an awful lot like a dinosaur. But they were supposed to be reptiles not mammals, unless paleontology got that wrong.
It clicked, Kanoa clenched his fists. Jacob and his gun. On this world dinosaurs never became extinct.
Sinan snapped a twig trying to back away and the monster swivelled its head to them. It shrieked like metal, a frill-neck with feathers fanned as it charged them. Kanoa's arms shot up and roots from the bluff latched onto it. It wriggled as more vines roped on, but it tore itself free and resumed the attack. As it closed the distance with groundshaking footfalls, Kanoa wondered if its teeth could pierce their bodies the way they were now. He didn't want to find out.
Sinan raised his arm and a sunbeam blasted a wide hole through its torso. The beast whistled with musical clicking before it collapsed sideways. Its spines and feathered tail wilted.
They stood in silence. Sinan looked at Kanoa.
Kanoa looked back, "This is all going to take some getting used to."
Feeling brave, both boys decided to climb on top of it. Kanoa sat on the head, then pulled at the loose skin to inspect its huge eye. Sinan sat at the highpoint of its back hump, flicking at the feathered cords before simply staring out at the treetops of their new home.
"You can grow food, can't you?" Sinan asked.
"I can."
"Then this can be our land," Sinan was still sweeping the horizon with his stare, like a colonist pioneer. "We could survive here."
"No modern luxuries, no facets of human society… just the five of us?"
"We have no choice."
Kanoa squinted up at him, against the sun, then looked away to gaze through the trunks.
After a moment Sinan asked, "Why'd you come after me?"
"To help."
"Help yourself. I'm fine."
Kanoa frowned. He paused then tried again, "If we are to be each other's family here we'll share everything so-"
"Share everything?" Sinan interrupted the strange assumption. "You could never understand me. For one thing, you grew up on a tribal island."
Now Kanoa was shocked, "Sinan. Why would you shut yourself away from us?"
"Why do you think we should all be hugging and caring? That was your weird culture."
Kanoa slid off the jowl, his feet hit the ground and he turned, "We're all we've got in the world!" Kanoa walked several steps around so the sun was out of his eyes, he could make out Sinan's face just as he looked away. Sinan had managed to hide his momentary ache from the other boy: he missed his parents. Jupiter and Venus were being silent, giving them space to sort something out.
"It's a nice thought," Sinan grumbled his version of a 'thank you', "but I'd rather not open up to you."
Kanoa took out his deck, Sinan's surprise hardened. Kanoa had been thinking of an old custom: duelling as a way to understand someone. As Sinan slid down, the furry hide bunching like a fluffy curtain, Kanoa realised that Sinan had likely misunderstood, seeing this as him reacting from only anger. Well, Kanoa had duelled him already, but Sinan had undergone significant personal changes since then.
Kanoa stepped back and Sinan walked off, shoulders squared, and pulled his own deck out while crossing the river. It got as deep as his chest but the speedy current didn't budge him, Sinan got out the other side and turned about face. They glowed green and yellow, their tables formed.
Kanoa took the first turn, "I summon Segare, Bei B." Glowing tadpole-ghosts burst and scattered, revealing a baby in a pram-sled. "For one time only it'll send a creature you put that costs more than the mana you have, to your mana zone."
Sinan charged Zardiclica for three mana civs.
"I summon Soisoimi," the jokers soy squirter manifested. "Since Segare is on 6000, I gacharange summon!" A random card was spat out: a possessed Christmas tree with orbiting baubles. "Christma Third! Segare can't attack, so: Done."
"I cast Superhero Time to destroy Segare, Bei B!" A flaming tempest erupted behind Sinan, tendrils hissed out and smote it.
Heidi had been watching. She found them walking apart for their duel and had then needed a moment to process the giant dead thing. It was not a pink, fluffy moss-covered boulder like she'd first assumed. Heidi chose that moment to reveal herself, stepping out from the trees: "That was the spell-side of your anti-swarm card from the last duel." Their heads snapped to her. "You must be pretty worried."
Sinan scowled, still in his bad mood. Heidi couldn't blame him for the move in question, Kanoa's new deck hit the ground running. She stopped at the edge of their match with arms crossed, indicating her desire to watch.
Kanoa charged fire-nature, "I cast Future Blueprint!" An acorn appeared and blinked. "I check my top six cards and add a creature to my hand." It shuddered with effort and the six cards flew up one by one, lining up in a neat row for Kanoa's choice. He frowned: No Orbimaker. "I choose Sanmadd, S-rank Tribe." The card turned for Sinan - whumph - and the others flew to the bottom of his deck.
"I summon Bolshack Glory Lupia!"
"Heidi's card?" Kanoa stated. Heidi blinked.
"We both have dragon-based decks!" Sinan explained. The fire bird flapped with shield and sword ready. Another card flew up: "I ramp Rosia, a dragon, so I get to ramp again." He grinned, satisfied with five mana.
"My Lupia, aye? I'll take that as a sign to jump in now!" Eager to practice the new skill, Heidi ran so she was equidistant to them both. "I choose five!"
"But Heidi-?" Kanoa gasped. Sinan blinked.
Her shields, mana, and hand assembled. Behind her Dokindam materialised, nailed to its stone tablet, crowned by six crosses.
Kanoa was disbelieving, "You already have to put six seals on Dokindam. By choosing the highest number possible your deck only has-"
"Three cards." Heidi smirked. "I'm taking a risk now too!"
Sinan chuckled, doubting her but Heidi cut him short: "Let's see if it pays off!" She drew fiercely and Sinan quickly prepared. "I cast "Help Me, Malt!" and summon MaltNEXT, Super Battle Dragon Ruler! I bring out Heart Burn, Battle General Galaxy Fortress!" It was the familiar bi-coloured draguner from her previous deck, electric links snaked skyward, and its matching fortress fell with a thud, crushing several trees with harsh snaps. "Hey Sinan," Heidi smirked. "I have mana arms five, and five dragons. I'm not scared of your triggers! MaltNEXT, attack Sinan!"
His fear gave way to frustration. Sinan barred his teeth as two shields were hit with twin punches: red fire, blue fire. Pointy glass bounced off his skin without cutting. Sinan glanced at the cards that flashed into his hand: Katta Kirifuda & Katsuking couldn't be used now.
Heidi grinned wider, "Nothing? MaltNEXT untaps and dragsolution! GuyNEXT, Super Battle Victory Dragon!" The fortress transformed: the giant ascended, taking shape over the landscape with heat-glowing body and sword. "Triple break!" Downward strike: clods and glass blew up in a storm.
All three players were astounded by his lack of triggers.
Heidi shook it off, "MaltNEXT todomeda!" Sinan swore loudly and was swatted like a T-ball, as he flew the curse faded out.
Kanoa watched idly as Sinan plummeted into the forest somewhere far off.
He looked back, "...My turn, Heidi." Kanoa had little choice but to rush with his weenies. "No charge. I summon Yell, Cheering Faerie and untap the mana afterwards." Pom-poms were raised in preparation. "I summon Jaberu, Snow Faerie." An abominable snowman thudded to the ground. "I check four cards, add one to hand… Primal Giant." He was ready to attack now, "Christma Third, ike!" The festive tree sprang, tinsel lashed like tentacles and glass spewed. "Soisoimi, ike!" It spat sauce that split a panel. Annoyed, Heidi flicked dark droplets off her arm.
"Okay!" She drew her penultimate card. "Two turns, two opponents. I can do this." She scanned: Infelstarge would force her to draw her last card, and Dokindam would be left with two seals anyway. But she wasn't without options. "Royal Straight Flush Kaiser! I got one card left for Gachinko Judge when it attacks, the winning attack!" An electric gold dragon bayed, fanning bladed wings.
"If you think you can luck out against no triggers twice." That got to her.
Heidi hesitated, "GuyNEXT, triple break!" Kanoa's surroundings burned too bright to see. The ground under his feet disappeared, then he was eating it. He bunched up on all fours, fire-lines spiralled like cursive from the impact site. Shrinking shards reassembled into his grip.
"Trigger, Future Blueprint!" He made his way back in time to survey the options. "Orbimaker to hand…"
"I can continue?" Heidi smiled and didn't wait. "MaltNEXT, final break!" The last shields were hit. She didn't spare a breath, "Royal Straight-"
"Please Support Us Together! I discard and destroy it!" The Yell in Kanoa's line-up directed her pom-poms: an earthen pimple shot lava, melting the final attacker. Heidi sagged all at once.
"My go."
"I get it! I lost!"
Kanoa was patient, "You might have a trigger that sends a card to your deck? And possibly remove Dokindam's remaining seals?" At that Heidi calmed and waited. "I summon Sannap Tribe, and untap the paid mana. I summon Primal Giant, then another Soisoimi. I gacharange summon: Pakiraki Second!" A cybernetic plant stippled with eyes. "I put four nature creatures this turn, so Orbimaker's cost is reduced to one!" Heidi tensed. "I summon Orbimaker Par 100, Tenth Dragon!"
The colossus hid then became the landscape behind him.
"19,000 power," Kanoa explained, "so with mach fighter it battles GuyNEXT!"
"No way!" Heidi recalled her giant was 17,000. Her neck craned right up and she watched the skyscraper-monsters battle, a webbed foot struck her dragon-hero and he wrestled with it, only to be mauled by bronzed fangs.
"Next, Jaberu attacks and invasion! Sanmadd, S-rank Tribe!" Its white fur burned red, its armour morphed. "Since there's more than four creatures MaltNEXT is sent to your mana-" Heidi lost her final creature "-and Sanmadd becomes a triple breaker. Final break!" The gorilla-on-steroids brandished a primitive axe.
"Rev Zero! Katta Kirifuda & Katsuking! -Story of Passion-! I check my top five cards, add one to my hand-" her table exploded.
Kanoa shook his head. He packed his cards and the creatures faded from view. He squinted into the glare of the new sunset that Orbimaker was no longer blocking. He approached Heidi where she sat, in a crater with her clothes burnt, growling.
"Sinan flew quite far," he stated and that brought out a begrudging smirk.
"He did..."
"I was trying to make him feel better."
"Oh. So I interrupted your bonding time?"
"It wasn't working out anyway."
"Ah I see," Heidi stood and brushed the ash off herself, she began picking her cards up. "...And how are you feeling?"
Kanoa watched her for a while before he admitted: "Terrible."
"Today I watched Tsukumo and Engyo die. Urobach didn't beat either of them fair and square."
"I'm sorry..."
Heidi finished collecting her cards. "...I feel terrible too."
"What about the idea of us not going back for Aurellia?" Kanoa tried.
"I want to kill Urobach more than anything, but the bastard's on the moon now. I... have zero thoughts."
"Me too. We'll have to come to a verdict, together."
Heidi walked over and smiled at him. Kanoa returned it. They were sad smiles, but at least things weren't urgent.
Ever since they'd left his island Kanoa had proved he was there for her. He was her favourite chosen.
After a moment Heidi spoke up, "We got to ask Jacob what he knows about that giant dead thing."
"I'm going to go find Sinan."
"Alright, see ya back at the base," Heidi turned with her arm up, waved him off.
Hands scurried up branches before Amira broke up through the canopy. Cool air tangled her hair, she absorbed the view and laughed.
"Happy," Pluto acknowledged her elation.
"I climbed this fifty foot tree like a gremlin."
"I don't think we're that high."
"It only took me a few seconds."
"I'm glad that you're secretly happy, but you need to be careful, Amira."
She took a moment to reply, not wanting her mood spoiled.
She sensed: "...you're referring to the others?"
"Yes. And I know you're happy to be out of the Gatekeeper's reach. But I know you. You weren't happy in the coal province and you won't be happy here in the long run."
"...So it's like, happiness versus safety."
"This might seem wonderful: being away from the rest of your kind, and having durable new bodies. But in time you'd miss the world you gave up and realise it was worth fighting for."
"You're such a downer."
"The other phoenixes will say the same to their chosens in time, but first we must wait…"
"To see what we decide on our own?" Amira fetched from his mind. She searched further, "Because the decision should be ours. The motivation should be more than just: ultimately we'll be unhappy here. Man, you phoenixes are quite sly."
"Look who's talking."
Amira barked a laugh again.
She lingered in the tree. Kanoa was nearby, she'd searched him out and could hear his footsteps. She'd go to him soon enough.
"I never overcame fear…"
"Courage isn't what our civilization represents. But… there's other approaches we could try. I'll tell you after your thing with Kanoa…"
She nodded, "Much obliged," then sprang from her tree, falling and hugging the next one. She began jumping between branches.
Kanoa heard her and slowed, glancing back. He'd not yet reunited with Sinan. Amira swung and flew, bracing her feet and landed a few metres from him. She looked up, forgetting that she should be looking as sad as the rest of them. He smiled wryly so she brushed it off.
"Heya."
"You're in good spirits."
"Pluto gave me his spiel. But I'm sure you know my vote. I reckon we should stay here."
"You don't feel absolutely sure…"
Amira wavered, "It's because of what Pluto said. I'm sure he knew exactly what to say…"
He caught what she meant and frowned, "I was actually trying to help Sinan…"
"Forget him." An idea popped into her mind. "I really, really want to stay here…" She approached him and he looked confused. "With you…"
Standing on the tips of her toes, she angled his face down and planted her lips onto his.
"Heidi's here…" Mercury reported softly.
Jacob threw the last of his laundry into the corner. He'd returned to the base and cleaned because he supposed he ought to. He reached out mentally and could feel Heidi in the clearing, making her approach. He had time to taper down his frustration and prepare for another unpleasant exchange.
"Jacob, why does your world have monsters on it?" Heidi demanded right as she walked in the door, hanging open because she'd broken it.
"What kind of-? Oh…" He searched her mind, then Kanoa's and Sinan's. That beast had looked terrifying. "Must be a descendant from the Mesozoic Era…"
She heard his mumble, "Is that dinosaurs? Your world has dinosaurs!?"
"I never wandered that far from the base. But evidently they're not a problem anymore."
Heidi stilled, replaying those memories in her head too. She raised her palm and a brilliant flame burst to life and hovered there.
Mars extinguished it, "Better you learn control first before trying that indoors…"
Jacob grabbed a seat. Heidi pulled over a wheelie chair on the opposite side of the bench. He sighed internally, they bounced down together.
"As you know, Aurellia's astronomical society - which your sister Tailee works for - was scanning the vortex in our upper atmosphere. Where Urobach and his lieutenants came from," Jacob began. "They toyed around with the signals and found various other worlds that were alternate timelines of Aurellia. One had humans and they called it Earth."
"We're on one of them…"
"Yes. There was a world where animals hadn't evolved… but I came here, thinking I might need meat to survive. It was only after the transfer I realised the animals were unfortunately, very big."
"Is that how you hurt your arm?"
Jacob stared at his bandages. He began to unravel them and reveal the faintly scarred skin of his left arm. He tested its movement, then lowered it again.
"...No. That was something else."
"Oh. What?"
"Nothing I want to get into right now."
"Well, anyway! You've been here this whole time, haven't you? Since you left the DMA?"
"Since I figured out how to not just control software, but turn into a signal and travel through it." Jacob freely admitted. "After how infected our world became - the Dawn of the Phoenix, the government - wouldn't you have escaped off-world if you could?"
Heidi frowned but she wasn't finished, "You helped at various points. But you did it here, safe from the Gatekeeper and Urobach. You left the job of gathering the others to me. So I've decided I am angry at you!"
Jacob stood. Heidi did too.
"Let's get one thing straight: I'm not a people person. Before Mercury chose me I spent most of my life online. Even still, the four of you are some of the most immature, problematic and difficult people I've ever met. So excuse me for not wanting to work closely with any of you."
Heidi narrowed her eyes but said nothing.
"...However." Jacob lifted his injured arm: "Suppose I am going to talk about it. The final lieutenant, his name's Gaigen, and he's not like any of the rest. He might actually be more capable than Urobach. He was the one who hacked the starbolt cruiser and levelled the academy. He messed with my systems long enough for Urobach to launch all those nuclear warheads uninhibited. He overloaded a computer I was using, it blew up and scarred my body." Jacob turned his neck so she could see the marks ran up behind his ear.
"Woah…" Heidi wondered how much of his torso was scarred too.
Jacob pointed to a corner, there were faint scorch marks on the wall.
"It's why I keep a lot of the tech outside now. Anyway… I got him too. Made a computer of his blow up the same way, scarred him as well."
"You did?" Heidi was unreasonably excited.
"We never stopped fighting. It's been a grandiose three-dimensional chess match."
"Well…" Heidi took a minute to think everything over. "I'm willing to accept you had your hands full, like me. But I'm still not happy with how you handled everything."
He gave a shrug, half-lazy and half-weary.
"...You helped free me from that government testing facility. Feels like ages ago now. Why did you lead me to that room with the robots that night?"
"Obviously to destroy them?" Jacob spoke like she was mentally slow.
"How was I gonna do that!? I was a prisoner!"
"I hoped you'd find a way! Because as you saw, those same kaijudo-bots were rounding up all surviving humans after the apocalypse started."
Guilt flashed across her face. "Hmph." She moved on: "You exposed the government for taking orders from Urobach, with the first atom bomb. He had to give up on his plan of civil unrest after that..."
"And I delayed the warhead-triggered tsunami, and made warnings out to everyone. I was busy, Heidi."
"Yeah yeah… fair enough…" She was on her way to forgiving him. "You assembled a rescue party to save Kanoa and me."
"Most of the people we saved, ultimately didn't make it. Aurellia would only have a fraction of its population left by now."
Heidi looked up and he looked back.
"...It's all a bit much. Isn't it?"
"...Mm."
"Do you want to go back?"
"Honestly, no. I'm exhausted. I said I didn't like you guys, but I think we could be happier here than trying to fix the godawful mess this chosen business has always been."
Heidi nodded and looked aside. They could both read her thoughts and feelings. For now, she just couldn't decide.
『AN: The intrusion penalty of course originated from Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V. Which was a pretty cool series in retrospect. I was thinking about how to make dueling less formulaic and more unpredictable, so I played around with ideas. I think what I came up with is far from fair, but I'd say it works... most of the time. Maybe not even most. In other news, before I started this arc I both started and completed an entire other fic. A Minecraft one called The Expat. Over 100k words so it was basically an entire AUrellia arc. I tried to hone extra skills there and this semester I'm actually doing a creative writing class, hopefully it shows! Thanks to Acuma and Shuriken for reviewing!』
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