Suffice to say, all did not, in fact, go well. In retrospect, I should've known not to jinx myself like that, because it set off a chain of distractions as well as an entire week where I was sick enough to nearly be bedridden for around half of it. I finally put myself to the test, and finished most of the rest of this chapter in two days because I wanted to see it done. Thusly...
Begin!
Book I, Part III: Mortal Conflict - Element of Treachery
Chapter XV—Dancing Madly, Part II
[July 4, 2152 | Trabia Garden, Third Floor, Katanas DeValle's Office | 10:29 AM]
"Came to help, you say?" Katanas asks, looking decidedly curious underneath his outwardly serious demeanor. "Lady Freya instructed that you take action against Destine yourself?"
"No," Will says, shaking his head lightly, "Mother knows not of my actions here. I am doing this of my own accord because I did not intervene earlier when I had the chance. It is a mistake that must be rectified."
I almost want to question the Pillar of Foretelling further, but thoughts of Ein removing Angel from the room forestalls any questions that might want to pass my lips.
"However, I'll need your help to do it, Benji."
What with the expression I'm sure is crossing my face right now, I can only hope that the rest of the room's denizens can forgive me for looking like an idiot.
"…My help?"
"That's correct. I believe it would reflect…favorably, to say the least, upon your skill if you were to assist me in stopping my sister."
"Not to sound rude or anything," I start, momentarily wondering what kind of logic the Pillar is using to come to the conclusion he seems to be at, "but if we're going to be in the Ethereal Plane, how am I supposed to be of any help against someone who could squash me like a bug? I couldn't do anything against Fayt, and Destine's just as powerful, if not more, right?"
Will smiles at my words, a gesture which seems to hold equal parts amusement and…regret? I can't quite read the Pillar's expression fully, but that's almost what it seems like to me.
"Correct. However, making up for that relative deficiency shall be my job."
"What are you getting at?" I ask, suddenly feeling like I'm missing out on a hidden joke that everyone else already understands.
"The art of junctioning that you use here is known to us Erudite entities as well. My offer is this – if you aid me in stopping Destine's plan, I will give you the power that you need to do so."
That does cause my eyes to widen, and just for a moment, I wonder if Destine has somehow mind-controlled Will or the like so she can lure me into another trap. My eyes turn to Katanas momentarily, who seems to notice my obvious confusion and slight suspicion.
"Desperate times?" he asks Will, who offers a hint of a smile towards the SeeD Commander.
"In a sense."
"Why?"
My question is quick, almost enough so to not be noticed, but I don't stop there.
"Why go against Destine? She's your sister in some sense, right? Why not just let Lady Freya handle this, and trust her to set Destine straight instead of going through this kind of a risk?"
The earlier smile that Will held seems to return, and this time I'm sure of it – there's more than a hint of pain in his eyes as he looks over towards me.
"My sister's idea is…flawed. I know what she is trying to accomplish, and I cannot stand by and watch her go through with it. It's…"
He stops, every pair of eyes in the room looking over the Pillar of Foretelling as he seems to fumble for the right words to say.
"…It's my responsibility."
Will's words strike more than a bit of a chord with me as I listen. I know all too well what it's like to try and keep someone close to you from doing something they will regret, and how much you feel like you could've helped if you'd only acted sooner once they actually go through with it. Katanas, too, looks like he truly understands why Will wants to do this, and Rubedo…well, I can't really read Rubedo's face very well, but it seems like he at least realizes, even if he doesn't sympathize.
"Alright," I say, catching both Will and Katanas' attention again. "You want my help, you've got it. Just tell me what to do."
"Just relax, and open your mind. Destine is already moving against the Palace of Creation as we speak, so we shall have to move quickly."
Obligingly, I take a deep breath, trying to push all the conflicting thoughts and emotions away as I clasp my hands together in front of me. My eyes close, but even with them shut, I can notice the faint glow that seems to be coming from in front of me as Will readies himself. The glow brightens substantially for a brief moment before fading away entirely, and a tingling sensation, like when a part of your body falls asleep, runs over my entire body for a second before it also fades. There's an instant of silence before I finally feel the vague presence of something other than Shiva inside my mind, along with one of the stranger feelings I've been privy to over the course of my adventures. For all the power that I'm certain Will possesses, the feeling that I'm getting now is not what I expected at all. It feels decidedly…normal, if I had to describe it, along with an undercurrent of something that I can't quite place, a feeling tugging at me that says something should be there but isn't, or at least isn't detectable by my own senses. It's strangely conflicting, really – like I know that something's different now, but at the same time I feel so normal that it almost doesn't matter.
Quietly, I turn my hand over, looking at it almost as if I expect it to grow scales or something similar for a moment, before clenching it into a fist. I've got something to do, and it's time to see it done. A glint of light out of the corner of my eye catches my attention as I move, and I suddenly notice that in all the rush to get Angel to the infirmary, they neglected to pay equal attention to his blade – a blade which is still resting on the floor of Katanas' office. My stomach twists again even as I move to pick it up, flashing back to the sight of Destine stabbing Angel with it, and a sliver of anger rushes through my mind as I take the azure-colored blade in hand.
"It's only fitting…" I say to myself, looking over the still-bloody blade. "He'd want to help, and this way, he can."
"Justice, or vengeance?" I hear Will ask from the depths of my mind, though lacking the disdain I'd normally expect from such a question.
'I wish I could say I don't hate Destine for what she's done, but…I don't think I can say that. Don't get me wrong, I want revenge, for Angel especially, but for everyone and everything she's hurt by doing this, too. But…it's not my place to judge her. That's Lady Freya's job, not mine – I just have to stop her.'
"Wish me luck," I say, nodding to Katanas. He holds out a hand for a moment, gesturing for me to wait, as he looks towards Rubedo.
"Make sure that he has no…outside interference, if you would."
"I'll keep the rabble distracted, don't worry," Rubedo comments, looking back towards me. "Might be a good workout."
"Then consider this a sanctioned operation by Trabia Garden," Katanas says. "Good luck."
"I'm SeeD. We get the job done. We always do," I reply with a smile as both Rubedo and I disappear from the room, intent on bringing down the Pillar of Destiny.
[Ethereal Plane, Upper Court, Palace of Creation]
(Play: Compression of Time (Destine's Theme) – Stephen Kennedy, Project Majestic Mix Gold)
"Stay frosty."
Those are the first two words I hear as Rubedo and I reappear in the courtyard of the Palace of Creation – the first thing I notice, likewise, is the sight of his hands becoming alight with magical flame, apparently some sort of magical enchantment. Both of us are alert immediately, scanning the area for any sign of our targets, but it would seem we don't have to look far.
Looking directly back at us from the opposite side of the courtyard are Destine and Manes, with not a single Erudite guard in sight. The cause for that, we realize, is probably the noise that we can hear coming from the open front doors of the palace itself, the sounds of combat filtering back out into the expansive courtyard from within.
"The prodigal son returns," Destine says mockingly, stepping forward to greet us with arms spread wide in some parody of a happy greeting. "You Planeswalkers just can't keep from sticking your noses where they don't belong, even when the plane in question is none of your concern, it seems," she continues, directing a rather pointed look at Rubedo. Rubedo did little more than raise his eyebrows, watching Destine and Manes warily as we also approach, making sure to keep some distance between us.
"I'd like to ask you to stop this, Destine," I say, deciding to at least try negotiating first. "Will…your brother knows that you shouldn't be doing this, that it'll only wind up going badly for you in the end. You don't have anything to gain from this – you can just stop now, and quit before things get worse."
Destine simply laughs in response, the sound mixing in with the still-echoing sounds of battle from inside as she leers back at me from opposite the two of us.
"Nothing to gain? Why, I have everything to gain – far more than you realize, in fact."
'She's not going to listen to reason, you know,' I think, hoping that I can communicate with Will as easily as he seems to be doing to me.
"I…thought as much."
Outwardly, I sigh, trying to keep up the appearance of confidence – I'm not nearly as confident as I feel, given that the last time I was facing one of the Pillars I may as well have not been present, for all the good it did.
'You really think I can do this?'
"I have the utmost faith in your abilities," Will responds. Some part of me wants to laugh, honestly.
'Good, because I don't at this moment in time.'
"I see…" Destine's voice brings me out of my thoughts again, and I notice that she seems to be staring at me a little too intently, as if she's just realized something and is now trying to rationalize this in her mind. "You didn't come alone, did you, Benji? And I don't mean the interloper over there, either."
"Of course not," I say, smiling faintly and resting Angel's Atma Weapon on my shoulder. "I always come prepared."
"Will…you're too afraid to fight me, hm?" she says, her smile widening just a bit more – decidedly not the reaction I had anticipated, in all honesty. "Of course you are. You tell everyone that you're non-violent, but that's just an excuse – the truth of the matter is that you're absolutely scared shitless because you're afraid you're gonna get hurt, that you're gonna fail." The more she speaks, the more her smile turns into some twisted mix of a sneer and a smirk, but I don't give an inch in the face of her words; doing so now would show weakness, and that's not something I can afford right now.
"Of course, that's because you are going to get hurt and fail, regardless of how much you think this little mortal boy can change that fact otherwise. Talk about telling the future. I think that'll be pretty hard to live with, knowing that you got an innocent mortal killed because you didn't have the guts to do your own dirty work…why don't you just let me go ahead and kill you now, spare you all that misery, hm?"
"He knows why he's doing this, same as me," I reply simply. "Words won't change that now. You can give up right now, or we can make you."
My attempt at a threat, unfortunately, only causes Destine to laugh again. "Make me? Looks like the little Planeswalker finally grew a spine! Just who are you to think you can possibly stop me?"
For a moment, I seriously consider Destine's question – after everything I've done, just who am I? I'm a SeeD, I'm a Planeswalker, but more than that…what do I really consider myself when all that is cast aside? I've always tried to fight to protect, and even back home, I considered myself a protector to the closest person I had to a younger sister, a sort of…
'Guardian angel…'
All at once, I smile, feeling my confidence return to me as the answer to Destine's question becomes as clear to me as the light of day. "You want to know who I am?" I ask, taking the Atma Weapon off my shoulder and pointing it as Destine as I draw one of my two blades from its sheath with my left hand.
"I'm the Angel of Light, and I will stop you here, by any means necessary."
(End: Compression of Time (Destine's Theme) – Stephen Kennedy, Project Majestic Mix Gold; Play: Final Fantasy 6 Dancing Madly Second Form OC Remix (Destine's Battle Theme) – waxingeloquent, OverClocked Remix)
In the next moment, I'm leaping at Destine, blades flashing in front of me to meet a thick spray of magical energy that seems to flow from her fingers, the magic not so much cast as flicked from her fingers like droplets of water. The energy isn't aligned with any elemental force, but it's searing just the same to me, even through my surprise that the fragments of the magical burst didn't kill me outright after touching me. I don't stop, however, and the realization that I'm still alive leads me to another such realization – namely, that of the power that I can now feel just under the surface of my control, perfectly restrained and tempered but flowing through my body all the same.
'Time to see what I can do…'
A quick thrust bounces off of a warding shield that springs up around Destine, and Lightning-elemental magic leaps from her fingers and past me as I jump back, shifting left to let the magic pass before my right arm snaps left again, slicing back out to the right as I turn the failed thrust into a cut that also bounces away. Realizing the futility of hammering away at a Protect spell – especially of this level – with simple strikes, I start to charge my blade with energy, stepping back again before slicing out and unleashing the energy wave building there.
Instead of the controlled energy wave of reasonable size that I'm used to, what I get instead is a much-larger wave that seems to spill out of the blade far more than intended, washing over Destine in a surprising outburst of magical energy that actually hides her from view for a brief moment.
'…Okay, perhaps a little more finesse next time,' I think to myself, taking the opportunity to get a bit more distance from the Pillar of Destiny. Hopefully, I can keep myself within fairly close range but still give myself a bit more of a chance to see any retaliation coming. When the energy and dust clear away, I can see not only Destine still standing smugly behind her barrier, but the sight of rather ugly-looking gashes in both the ground leading up to and behind Destine, but also in the palace itself behind her. Destine turns away for a moment, looking at the carved ground and the large gash in the building, before turning back and nodding towards me, almost respectfully.
The smirk that grows over her face a moment later erases all traces of "respect" from that idea.
"Alright. Let's play hardball."
Some distance away from the beginnings of a fight between Planeswalker and Pillar which promised pain and suffering for interlopers, Rubedo Alaberti stood and faced a being he'd already faced once before, firmly believing that the universe most assuredly had a sense of irony, or at the least, humor.
That idea, it seemed, was mirrored quite well on the face of the Daiesthai across from him, along with the sneering look he'd come to associate with the demon since the first moments of their first meeting.
"One lonely mortal. One…single…insignificant mortal being," Manes muttered, his voice still loud enough for Rubedo to hear as he stood nearby, every fiber of his body seeming to be stiff with barely-constrained anger. "One would think that someone such as myself would have no trouble squashing such a fragile little insect…but you're different, aren't you?"
The only answer he got was a slight tilt of Rubedo's head, the very gesture seeming to say nothing more than "get on with it," which only inflamed his irritation.
"Guess it's all the better this time," Manes commented, one hand dropping to the sword at his waist and yanking it out as his face shifted into a frigid, calculating smile, "that this plane doesn't hold me back like that insipid mortal plane does."
"Are you quite done?" Rubedo asked, his infuriatingly calm expression never wavering in the slightest.
"On the contrary, I'm only just beginning," Manes remarked, raising the sword high as if he was going to stab Rubedo at any moment, his form slouching slightly like a predator ready to pounce.
"Consume…Freza Amarga."
Wind and energy rushed up around Manes the moment he finished speaking, a bright yellow shine covering his body and causing Rubedo to shield his eyes until the light died down some. As it did, he caught a glimpse of Manes within the cyclone of power, and the tiniest of frowns crossed his face as it dissipated completely, leaving the Daiesthai revealed fully for the Planeswalker to see. Instead of his white coat, the demon was now covered nearly head to toe in what looked like some kind of segmented white armor, almost like opaque chitin, that stretched from his shoulders down to his feet. Along his wrists, two thick pieces of the same material had risen up and curved, lengthening out past his hands themselves like some sort of claws or pincers. His sword had also completely vanished, nowhere to be seen on his form or in his hands.
Rubedo arched his eyebrows in mild surprise, a gesture which earned another leer from the Arrancar before him. "Confused? Afraid? I suppose I'll explain before I tear you to shreds with this power. We Arrancar are a bit…different than those mindless, blithering Daiesthai that roam the Nether Plane. Each of us possesses more intelligence and far more power, as well as a means to control that power – by locking it within our weapons. At any time, we can restore ourselves to that level of power in an act called Resurrección."
"And you're telling me this…why?" Rubedo asked.
"So that you can lament your lack of intelligence in your last, excruciatingly painful minutes of life," Manes remarked, enjoying the rush of power as the air around seemed to grow thicker and almost suffocating in its essence. The spiky-haired Planeswalker simply responded by settling back into nearly the same stance he'd taken during their last fight, once he'd stopped analyzing the demon's abilities and begun to fight seriously, as well as allowing a small smile to cross his face.
"Well, that would certainly be appreciated, but unfortunately…it's all old news to me."
(Play: Riddles in the Dark (Morlia Gallery) (Rubedo's Theme) – Red Tailed Fox, Xaleph; OverClocked Remix: Summoning of Spirits)
A roiling ball of fire burst forward from Manes' hand, accompanied by the appearance of familiar, triangular glyphs of a deep blue color around Rubedo's upper body even as the Planeswalker moved. Rubedo simply dashed around the attack, sprinting directly at Manes with his fist cocked back for a punch to smash the Arrancar's face in…
Right before it was stopped by a pair of pincer-like hands, neither of which belonged to Manes. He stopped, being forced to turn aside a wicked slash from the scything hands as he backed off again, noticing as he did so what was in front of him. Before Manes stood a being which looked like a cross between a human and a praying mantis, standing on two long, spindly legs attached to a small torso and long arms ending in razor-sharp pincers, as well as a wide, mantis-like head.
"You didn't think that all this form gave me was more power, did you?" Manes questioned, arrogance filling his voice as he looked towards Rubedo. The mantis-like being stepped back as he spoke, returning to Manes' side.
"Might've ventured a guess," Rubedo said offhandedly, looking warily at the creature beside Manes. The demon cackled, watching as the creature beside him moved away, taking up a flanking position nearby Rubedo.
"Then allow me to show you."
His Sonido flashed, and suddenly he was before Rubedo, the sharp edge of one of the blades on his forearms lashing out towards Rubedo's face. Rubedo's left arm snapped up to deflect, the other hand lancing out in a jab that missed Manes' nose by inches as he moved aside. Rubedo spun an instant later, forearm batting down a lunging strike by the creature as his leg rose, delivering a snapping kick that flung it aside and allowed him to turn back towards Manes. Another series of hexes fell over him, green spiraling shapes, and magical energy burned his body as the prior hexing spell took effect in a painful way. Manes flung his arm out to his side suddenly, and Rubedo tensed, awaiting an attack that seemed not to come…until he watched, fascinated, as energy flowed around Manes' arm and out from his body. The energy shifted and stretched until it had formed a vaguely-human shape before shattering outward with a tiny flash, revealing an identical copy of the creature he'd just kicked away.
"You're skilled in single combat, true…but just how many opponents can you effectively fight at once…" Manes' grin turned predatory, and lightning flickered around his hand for an instant, the motion enough for Rubedo to see and begin to evade. No attack came once again, and Rubedo stopped moving, setting his feet again and preparing to counterattack the failed spell.
Pain lanced into him from behind before he could react, the flux in power felt but not responded to quickly enough as electrical power arced through his body painfully. Grunting, he turned, only to see faint wisps of smoke drifting away from the hands of the mantis creature he'd kicked away before.
"…when you don't know where the next attack will come from?" Manes finished, looking smug and already assured of his victory.
A chunk of rock soars by my head as I duck, only to dive away as the ground moves underneath me, aiming to pitch me up into another flying piece of ground that Destine's ripped loose from the courtyard. Even as I land, I'm focusing energy into my blade, a forceful slice tearing apart and dissipating the scything current of wind aimed my way. Knives appear in my hand as my sword drops, and they crackle with electricity as I send them skyward, the enchanted blades raining down on Destine like tiny thunderbolts falling to the earth. They deflect off of the Protect spell that's still around her, and dispelling magic flows over my fingers again, ripping into the shield and practically tearing it away as I leap forward once more. The Atma Weapon tears a strip of fabric from her clothing even as I'm sent flying away on an orb of energy, the power eating at me painfully before I manage to free myself, dropping back to the ground in a crouch.
'Tricky…and painful,' I whisper mentally, flinching at the burning feeling that's dancing across my chest. My mail armor has already been quite battered, with links missing in several places and others simply melted into blobs of useless metal from Fire-element magic. If not for Will's help, I'd have already been roasted alive several different times now – getting used to using his power correctly is an exercise in trial and error that I'd rather not be playing while fighting for my life.
"Destine's overconfidence will get the better of her eventually. She believes that she can keep you at range forever, using her powers to simply wear you into submission," Will comments. I sigh, casting another curative spell that eases the pain in my chest a little.
'Well, she's doing a pretty good job of it so far,' I reply, another burst of energy from the Atma Weapon slicing apart yet another piece of debris on a collision course with my face. A Haste spell flares up around me, my body striking out much faster than before, and another group of hastily-alchemized knives nearly meets their target, Destine's Protect spell just barely causing them to ricochet away. By that time, I'm standing in front of the barrier, and my momentum shifts into a spin as Angel's blade flips horizontally, a circular wave of power passing through the shield and catching Destine in the chest. She hurtles away, knocked from her feet by the power, but her awkward fall is arrested suddenly as she thrusts one hand behind her, then the other hand at me. A nearly-invisible wave of force sends me into a mirror of Destine's own uncontrolled fall before I realize what's happening, and a loud 'crack' is accompanied by a flash of agony up my back, sense knocked from me momentarily by the pain. Some sort of ceramic material and stone clatters to the ground around me, pieces of the courtyard fountain that I hazily realize Destine threw me into as I slump down to the ground, trying to regain my focus before the Pillar decides to launch another barrage at me.
The water falling on my head helps somewhat in that respect, but not much.
"Even with Will's power, you're nothing but a mortal. A mortal who, apparently, would need a couple hundred years of practice before they can think of taking on someone like me. Shame that you mortals don't live anywhere near that long. Face it – you lost this fight the moment you started it."
"So…you're willing to betray your brother, your own mother for the sake of power?" I ask, trying to buy some time to get back on my feet.
"This isn't about the power – you should be seeing right now that I have plenty of that. No, this is about something different…it's about having the freedom to do what I choose, to not have to bend over backward for every one of Mother's whims, no matter how absurd or ill-conceived."
The Atma Weapon stabs into the cracked ground of the courtyard for a moment as I stand back up, taking the blade back out and somewhat-shakily retaking my stance with a look of irritation on my face.
"That's it? You're doing all this because you don't want to follow Lady Freya around anymore?"
"Listen to yourself – 'Lady Freya' this, 'betrayal' that…you don't have any idea what you're talking about. That self-righteous trash won't get you anywhere with me, mortal. I gave up on all that a long, long time ago."
"Really? Because you're just acting like a brat who's throwing a tantrum because they can't handle responsibility to me," I comment, momentarily taking satisfaction in the look of raw, uninhibited fury that crosses Destine's face.
"Are you sure you should be provoking her?"
'Well, there's a way of looking at this that says 'absolutely,' and then–'
My thought is cut off as I leap out of the way, right before a large burst of Ice-elemental magic both shatters the remaining upright pieces of the fountain and creates an instant and twisted ice sculpture out of the rest of the water there.
'…and then there's the way of looking at this that says I'm doing a very dumb thing,' I finish, quickly scrambling back to my feet in time to see a mass of raw energy surging around Destine. 'I'm hoping she'll make a mistake I can use, assuming I don't die first – hoping my luck holds out to see this moronic risk through for once.'
"You have no knowledge of anything that happened back then!" Destine screams, some of the energy lancing out at me in bolts of pure power that, luckily for me, go wild. "You didn't have to hear just what she did through someone else, because she didn't have the guts to tell you herself!"
"So, that is why…"
I don't have time to question Will's comment, as the feel of another energy buildup under me forces me to move once more. That winds up being the only thing that keeps me from being roasted as a fountain of fire erupts from beneath where I was just standing, Destine's Flare spell melting the ground into a puddle of ceramic and earthen slag. Destine's words, all of a sudden, aren't making any sense to me, and I can't help but get the feeling that making her angry was almost certainly not a good idea.
Wisps of energy floated away from the shattered form of one of Manes' summoned creatures as Rubedo caught his breath, looking over the Arrancar and his set of still-standing summons. Four more of the mantis creatures stood nearby, each scattered at different points between himself and Manes, and he was loathe to admit that the demon was using his abilities to a frustratingly sound extent. His reflexes had been tested to their limits with six simultaneous avenues of attack open to the Daiesthai, and he already bore bleeding slices and angry red burn marks from the magical hexes and variety of elemental spells that Manes and his makeshift squad had been hurling at him.
"Come on – that's all you've got?" Rubedo taunted, grinning despite the pain. This was certainly more of a worthy fight than the last time, he knew, and he was actually glad to see the Daiesthai putting up so much more of a fight.
"Tough talk from someone who hasn't landed a single hit on me yet," Manes countered. Rubedo's smile stayed in place despite the jeering, and he leapt forward again, fist smashing out to meet one of the summoned creatures head-on – literally. He shoved it away, its face crushed inward by the blow, before pivoting and snatching the arm of another by the wrist as it tried to attack. A quick twist snapped its wrist like a twig right before he pulled it in towards him, letting it take the brunt of the Firaga spell which flew in from Manes himself, and a claw raked across his back painfully as he shoved its burnt husk aside, spinning to face the new attacker. Another hex fell over him, more black, star-like symbols, but he paid it no mind, lunging forward in an attack on Manes directly now that there was only one minion in his way.
He jerked suddenly to the right, watching with pleasure as the channeled Demi spell engulfed the minion he'd been running at, crushing it to the ground with the gravitational power and leaving him a wide-open shot at the puppet master.
"Smile."
Lines of yellow energy suddenly streamed from the air towards Manes' outstretched hand, and a loud whine erupted as he released the Cero directly into the approaching form of Rubedo, cutting off his forward momentum entirely and engulfing him in the beam of burning power. Energy flowed from Manes again, forming into another of the mantis creatures as Rubedo worked his way back to a kneeling position, now sporting a nasty-looking burn across part of his face.
"You may as well give up," Manes cackled, his two minions regrouping at his side. "I'll be sure to make it as quick and painful as I possibly can."
"Funny…story," Rubedo grunted, standing back up and setting his feet once again. "I think you're getting a little ahead of yourself." Manes' face darkened as Rubedo's power flared again, a red aura like crackling flames beginning to cover the whole of his body. After a few seconds, his entire body was wreathed in twisting flames, the enchanted fire not harming him in the least, and he chuckled.
"What's so funny?"
"You think you have it all figured out, don't you? That you're going to kill me, and then gang up on him, right?" Rubedo gestured over towards where Destine and Ben were still fighting, still looking at Manes with the same satisfied smile. "Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you're going to have to do better than this to put me down. Just ask some of the Espada sometime…if you make it out of this, that is."
"…You're bluffing." He had to be, Manes surmised. He was only just keeping up with his Resurrección form – there was no way this kid had enough power to think about challenging even the lowest of the Espada.
"Am I?" Rubedo's grin grew wider, and he stepped towards Manes, fire licking his every movement and leaving black marks on the ground where he walked. "Let's find out, then."
The dark-red energy of Haste burst around his form, and he vanished as he took another step forward, his abilities as a Planeswalker carrying him out of the plane and back in to reappear directly before Manes, foot launching upwards in a snapping kick that sent Manes tumbling despite his presence of mind to shield himself from the blow. The two minions beside him immediately turned, pincer-like hands snapping out to tear into Rubedo, but his form blurred again, snatching one by the arm and swinging it around to take the full brunt of the other's attack, impaling it on its partner's own claw. The second that the uninjured mantis spent dislodging itself from the body of its comrade served to seal its own fate as a mighty blast of fire erupted from Rubedo's fingers, engulfing them both in searing flame that hurled them away as a single, burning heap. An orb of yellow energy – a Bala blast from the Arrancar – struck his upper body in retaliation, but the flaming aura lessened the blow enough where it did little more than surprise and stun him for a second.
A black wave of energy split the air, rushing towards Rubedo with crushing force, and Rubedo Planeswalked again to shift around the attack before closing the distance between himself and the Arrancar. Fist met Manes' bladed forearm in a clash that left the Daiesthai's arm trembling, and he sliced into Rubedo's side just before the Planeswalker's knee came up in a thunderous blow that smashed into Manes' chest, dazing him and leaving a burnt mark on his white, chitin-like plating. Stunned as he was, he could only watch as Rubedo cocked a fist back before slamming it into the ground, a circular globe of magical fire erupting around them and burning at his body as the ground splintered under the force of the blow. The sound of static echoed as Manes' Sonido carried him away, followed by a flurry of Bala blasts that Rubedo took in stride, throwing his arms in front of his face to shield him from the attacks. He didn't follow Manes immediately, letting his body recover briefly from all the exertion and pain. For all the excitement and enjoyment he'd been getting out of the fight so far, he'd taken a good amount of punishment too, with scattered burn marks and bruises from the force of Manes' magical attacks as well as numerous cuts and gashes from both Manes' bladed arms and the claws of his minions. Manes looked comparatively injured – Rubedo had gotten in several good shots earlier, and pieces of his white armor were dented and cracked, with a particularly noticeable bit of damage having come from Rubedo's knee moments beforehand. Rubedo was also convinced that the Arrancar had to be running out of energy, given how many hexes and spells he'd been slinging around the field, not to mention the numerous minions he'd created to aid him, but he didn't want to make a hasty assumption just because of that.
Manes gestured again, this time at the ground, and the earth in front of him cracked and split violently, as if charges had been set beneath it in a line towards Rubedo. The Planeswalker's fist shimmered with power as he saw a chance to strike, and he leapt towards the splitting earth, rearing back for a strike as a large piece of earth leapt up towards his face. His fist powered forward, and the piece of flying rock shattered into a cloud of dust and debris, shielding him from sight and obscuring a large portion of the area before Manes. The Daiesthai reacted immediately, realizing what Rubedo was attempting to do, and his arm came up to block just as Rubedo's hand snaked out towards his throat. He smirked momentarily, before Rubedo's fist closed around the sharpened spike extending from his forearm. In a quick twist, Rubedo had snapped the spike in half, and his arm pumped again, driving the spike into Manes' chest in a quick motion that caused blood to spurt from the wound. The Arrancar howled in pain, right before being silenced as Rubedo's foot arced into his face, the snapping kick rocking his head violently to one side. Another kick to the stomach followed, cracking the plating there and folding Manes over in agony as the wound in his chest protested the sudden, violent movement, and his world was turned upside-down as Rubedo's left foot thundered into his face again, hurling him away and onto the ruined ground of the courtyard in agony. Light shimmered around him as the white armor on his form melted away, coalescing back into the form of his yellow-hilted blade moments later, and he let out a single low groan before lapsing into unconsciousness.
(End: Riddles in the Dark (Morlia Gallery) (Rubedo's Theme) – Red Tailed Fox, Xaleph; OverClocked Remix: Summoning of Spirits)
Rubedo breathed a sigh of relief, the bruises on his chest immediately complaining loudly at the action as he let himself sink down to sit on the ground. He looked over, momentarily wondering how Ben was faring, only to see Destine's hand pointing out towards where he was even as she deflected a barrage of knives from the Blade Knight. Expecting another attack, he readied his already-tired body to move, but stopped as he saw energy gathering around Manes' fallen body in his peripheral vision. He watched, curious, as Manes' body slowly disappeared, consumed by the energy, and wondered what Destine had done.
"Wonder if I should help…" he muttered, watching as Ben delivered another furious slash to Destine that failed to penetrate her barrier, only to evade a torrent of water that poured from her hands. "…Need to rest, first. He's got Will helping, he'll be fine…probably."
Quietly, he stood up again, starting to move to a more out-of-the-way vantage to rest and observe so as not to get caught in the crossfire. His immediate job was done for now, but a Planeswalker's work was never truly finished.
Shards of broken stone scrape painfully against my back as I slide across the ground, propelled by a gust of wind from the Pillar in front of me. Blinking to clear my watery vision again, I slowly start dragging myself back to my feet, raising Angel's blade in front of me once more. Even with Will's help, I'm starting to wear myself out, and I can only imagine that I look like I've been run over by a herd of stampeding Chocobos. To my credit, Destine's looking a little beaten-up herself; there's a series of rips and slices in her clothing from where my blades' strikes have gotten through due to her lessened abilities at melee range, and even a nice wound in one shoulder where I got lucky with a Blizzaga spell.
"Can you keep going?" Will asks, sounding a little worried. Wiping away the sweat from my eyes, I nod, more to myself than anything.
'I can, but…I can't keep doing this. I need to get in close; I can't do much out here like this, since she just blocks all the knives I throw at her. Too much time to see them coming.'
"Have you tried using the Crystal Path?"
A searing ray of Holy-elemental energy rockets past my body as I shift to the right, kicking off a piece of upturned ground and leaping up into the air before lancing out at Destine with a Thundaga, the lightning bolt slicing a line into the ground before bouncing off Destine's Shell, flying up into the air and dissipating again as I come back down.
'…Actually, no. Won't she just feel my movements coming, since it's magical movement?'
"Planeswalkers alone use the Path; other entities are not as attuned to it. With all the magic around, it may cloud your movements enough to work," Will says.
Dispelling magic flows out from my fingers once more as I move to engage, Destine's magical barriers melting yet again as the Atma Weapon splits the air towards her body. To my surprise, she weaves out of the path of the blade, and her hand moves towards my chest, her palm making contact with my body before a Fire spell blows me away from point-blank range, sending me tumbling back to lay aside the broken, icy remains of the courtyard's fountain with a burning chest and what feels like a splitting headache. The remnants of my chain mail were broken not too long ago, with the discarded mail looking more like a half-melted blob of metal rather than any kind of armor.
'…Worth a shot…' I respond wearily, left hand dropping the sword to instinctively grip the side of my head in pain. The telltale feel of curative magic suddenly flows over my body, surprising me, and I spare a glance around only to realize that Rubedo seems to have managed to take down Manes; the curative spell had to have come from him, because no one else is around.
"You can't last, mortal. Just walk away, and maybe I'll let you live a bit longer while I finish up my business here," Destine calls, magic still playing around her fingers from the last spell.
"Can't…do that," I say, picking my second blade up again and leaning on it for a moment as I stand up again. "I gave my word to your brother that I'd…be the one to stop you." A circle of pink diamonds flashes around me for a moment as I cast the Triple magic on myself, letting Rubedo's curative spell push aside some of the pain and exhaustion as I start to prepare my counterattack.
"I will not go back on my word."
(End: Final Fantasy 6 Dancing Madly Second Form OC Remix (Destine's Battle Theme) – waxingeloquent, OverClocked Remix; Play: Go The Distance (I'll Go) – Sixto Sounds, OverClocked Remix: Summoning of Spirits)
Destine's face darkens, and energy starts building around the Pillar of Destiny's form as I begin casting defensive spells on myself. Shell, Haste, and Regen magic surround my body briefly before vanishing, and I start to move only to hear a loud 'crack' in front of me. As I watch, momentarily stunned by the sheer power and – frankly – audacity of it, one of the large doors at the front of the Palace of Creation suddenly tears free of its frame and pivots, hovering in the air before Destine for an instant before rocketing at me. My eyes widen in surprise, and I just manage to Planeswalk away before the door transits through the space I had been occupying a moment ago, crushing the ice sculpture formed by Destine's earlier destruction of the fountain into nothing more than shards of ice, water, and stone.
For a moment, I can't even manage to continue my attack, instead glancing back at the new pile of rubble and then towards Destine's standing form again.
'Did she really just throw a Hyne-damned door at me?'
"Move!"
Rubedo's voice snaps me out of my surprise in time to slice apart another shard of ice headed my way, and I crouch low into another brief dash before disappearing again. Apparently, Will's idea has some merit to it, because Destine is noticeably surprised when I come out of a Planeswalk directly beside her and slice upward, tearing a wound across the back of her left arm. Her other hand shoots up, already preparing to blast me with another magical attack, and so I simply lower my blades and leap forward, smashing into the Pillar with my own body and throwing her off-balance enough to stop her casting outright. She stumbles back, balance lost for the moment, and I stumble a bit myself before bringing my right foot across in a sweeping kick that crashes into her side, nearly throwing her completely off her feet. I start to close in again, hoping to press the momentary advantage, when Destine's fist connects solidly with my jaw, freezing cold cutting across my face along with the pain and rocking me back again. Getting my bearings again, I notice swirling, light-blue energy around her hands, some sort of Ice-elemental enchantment.
Making sure to be a little more careful this time, I move to the attack again, slicing out rapidly with my left-hand blade only to have Destine knock it further aside before launching a bolt of ice that lashes out at me, but deflects off of the Shell around me. I quickly stab out with the Atma Weapon, only to have Destine twist to avoid the glittering blade. As she recovers, however, I flip the blade in my hand so that the edge is pointing back at her and pull it back, slicing into her side as I snatch it back towards me. She flinches in pain, fingers twitching to perform another close-range spell, but I Planeswalk away again to reappear behind her. She can't fully turn before I reappear, and I quickly channel all the power I can manage into the Atma Weapon, letting my other sword fall to the ground in order to grip the blade with two hands. The moment she finishes turning, I bring the blade down in the strongest slash I can muster, and watch in satisfaction as the energy pours from the shimmering blade and sends Destine hurtling back towards the palace in uncontrolled flight. I can feel the magic wearing off of my body now, and I don't waste any time hurtling after Destine through the resulting smoke and haze of energy from my attack, finding her leaning rather shakily against the wall – the attack must've done more than I thought. Seizing the chance, I close once again to point-blank range, trying not to fall even as I run on shaking legs. Her hand rises again to cast a spell, but I use my own free hand to pin it back against the wall, and the Atma Weapon goes to her throat before she can make another attempt to strike me.
"Stand down."
(End: Go The Distance (I'll Go) – Sixto Sounds, OverClocked Remix: Summoning of Spirits)
The sudden silence in the air is altogether too tense for my liking, and it's all I can do to ignore the shaking in my hands as I hold Angel's blade up. Destine doesn't move, but also doesn't give any indication that she's going to give up, instead simply standing and staring at me face-to-face.
"I said it once – stand down, Destine," I repeat, giving her the most intimidating look I can muster. The look on her face doesn't waver, but a sudden sound from nearby gets the attention of both of us. Carefully, I step to the right, keeping the blade poised and one eye on her while I scan what I can see of the surroundings with the other, only to find the sight of a body that was not there a moment ago. It had to have come from inside the palace, I reason…and not of its own will, either. The sight that crosses my vision next is truly a sight for sore eyes, more so than I've felt in a long time.
Lady Freya herself walks out of the broken front doors of the Palace of Creation, magical energy still receding from her fingers and apparently placing her as the one who'd attacked the flying figure.
"Do as he says, Destine," she intones, Destine's eyes narrowing at the sight of the Creator.
"Or what? You'll kill me?" she asks, venom in her voice. "I'm not standing down, so you might as well."
My body finally seems to decide that it doesn't want to support itself any longer, and I feel my legs give way under me against my will, my blade dropping along with my body. Destine's left arm suddenly shoots up, almost even with my face, and malice etches itself across her features as magic gathers at her fingertips. I close my eyes, expecting more searing pain, but it never comes…and after a few seconds, I open my eyes to figure out why.
Standing beside Destine is Will, now unjunctioned from my body, with Destine's arm in a firm grip and a stern expression on his face.
"It's over," he says quietly, shaking his head. Freya nods quietly, remaining remarkably calm despite the circumstances as she approaches us.
"Lord Odin and Lord Xeios defeated the majority of your followers within the palace. Those who were not beaten have fled. You have caused a great deal of suffering, Destine, but it is finished."
Freya's hand raises in a familiar gesture, and Destine stiffens under Will's grasp as power is drawn from her body against her will. After several seconds, the energy sinks back into Freya's body, leaving Destine looking remarkably tired, yet still defiant, and the Creator nods, satisfied.
"Your powers as a Pillar of Reality are removed until I deem fit to return them. Return to your domain until I call for you again."
The tone of Freya's voice leaves me somewhat taken aback – she seems angry, though it's a quiet anger, which leaves me feeling even more uneasy than I would if Freya were simply yelling right now.
"Yes, Mother," Destine says, all but spitting the word at Freya before ripping her arm from Will's grasp. With a final, withering look at me, she vanishes, leaving me to breathe a sigh of relief that it's finally over and slump back to lie on the ground, exhausted. Will turns, shaking his head at Destine's actions before reaching a hand down to me to help me up. After a few more seconds of lying on the ground, I take the hand, painfully moving back to my feet but having to get Will to help keep me standing – my legs still feel like they won't keep me up if I stand on my own.
"Impressive," Will says, the single word saying all that really needs to be said.
"…Thanks," I manage to say, the adrenaline starting to wear off and leave me feeling even worse than I already did. "In hindsight…taunting the person with vast magical powers was dumb. Always works in the movies, though…"
"It would appear that your courage is without question this time," Freya says with a smile. "Well done, Sir Powell."
"Thank you, milady," I reply, giving the best approximation of a bow that I can manage in my position. "I made a promise to Will…I couldn't just go back on that."
"You took my words from before to heart, it seems. I am proud to have you as one of my chosen."
All I can do is nod at Freya's words – I feel like I've redeemed myself, and that makes all the pain worth it, in a way.
"Will, please see to it that he and his companion recover. I have matters to attend to," Freya continues, looking towards the Pillar of the Future. Will simply nods in response, and Freya turns on her heel silently, beginning to return to the palace.
"Hate that so much of this got ruined," I mutter, looking around the courtyard slowly and taking in all the damage. Will merely shrugs, beginning to walk over towards Rubedo with me in tow.
"It can all be repaired. This is a small price to pay for what was gained," he says. "For now, you need to rest – you've earned it."
"Rest is good," I agree, stumbling over a small rock as we walk. "But, you know something? I was right after all."
"Oh?"
The smile that crosses my face as Will glances over is probably the widest smile I've had in a long time, for any reason.
"We always get the job done."
Shew. That was...lengthy. The longest chapter I've written for this story, or any other, actually.
This chapter was also the hardest for me to write, for many reasons. The premise alone was one of them - how can I make this good and believable, while at the same time not go overboard? I felt like I was skirting a fine line the entire time I was writing this, and I can only hope that I erred more towards the former rather than the latter. Second, along those same lines, was the sheer difficulty of writing a fight on this type of scale. Destine is incredibly powerful, even as Ethereal beings go, and she revels in using that power. Often, she doesn't even bother casting a spell, per se, she just throws magic in its most basic form at you. This is also why she delighted in throwing objects around - it's simple and yet brutally effective if the right objects get used. The third issue was focusing on two different fights at once. I tried to give equal attention and care to each fight, as I wanted to really make sure that everything flowed as well as I could write it. Despite all the delays and all the issues I had writing it, I still enjoyed it immensely.
The next chapter will be more of an interlude chapter than anything - much shorter than this, as I tie up a loose end or two from this arc and set things up for the future. Until then, I hope you enjoyed, and please read and review.