"Com devices don't work here," Raddie informed Acma and Timeth as they descended from the aircraft. "If you run into trouble, shoot the signal flare for help."

"Thank you, Raddie. Stay here. We'll be back soon," Acma said, bidding farewell to her temporary partner.

Acma and Timeth approached the entrance of the treacherous Centra Ruins, their path illuminated by the magic lights that flickered to life as they stepped on the rusty staircase.

"What is this place? It's filled with dark magic," Acma exclaimed, feeling a sense of unease.

Timeth began to share his knowledge about the historical site based on a Timber Maniacs article by Sir Laguna and a blog entry in Garden Intranet by Miss Tilmitt.

"This is the place where the dark GF Odin used to reside. He was eventually acquired by the Legendary SeeDs and later destroyed from permanent existence by the Sorceress Knight Seifer Almasy. Odin himself was once a Sorceress Knight, devoted to protecting both his sorceress lover in one of the cities in Centra."

Timeth continued, recounting the tragic events that unfolded. "During an attack on the city, Odin sacrificed himself, transforming into a GF to shield the sorceress and her empire from harm. The empire was believed to survive the attack upon his noble sacrifice. After the sorceress eventually passed away years later, Odin locked himself away in this place, along with her body, attempting to seal the magic away from the world. However, over time, the magic found a way to escape, attracting monsters to this location until it completely transferred to another maiden."

Acma's gaze shifted to the statue in the square, depicting Odin with his mighty horns protectively sheltering his beautiful sorceress with broken wings from a fall.

"'My Blue Heaven'," Acma glanced to the readable signpost nearby. "Is that the famous folklore song about..." Acma trailed off in sorrow.

Timeth nodded. "A sad contrast, isn't it? They may have had a child together. Once Odin became a dark GF, he resided within the sorceress' consciousness, only to be summoned when she was in grave danger. He was only freed upon her death, just to claim her lifeless body. Their family, if it ever existed before his transformation, must have been shattered in exchange for their empire's safety."

Acma's heart sank as she contemplated the darkness that had come to define the lives of the once powerful hero and heroine. Behind the intimidating appearance of scary horns, snake-like scars, and frightening monstrous features, she realized that they were all once human beings with loving hearts.

"Let's move quickly. Zyma's Diablos only has Enc-Half, so we need to be careful. We might attract some monsters here." Acma urged, snapping both of them back to the present reality of the situation.

Timeth nodded and cast a protective spell on both of them, preparing for a potential preemptive attack from the Tonberry, a common monster found in dark caves and ruins like this.

With caution, Acma and Timeth ventured deeper into the labyrinthine depths of the Centra Ruins. The air grew heavy and still as they moved further into the darkness, their senses heightened and their nerves on edge.

Suddenly, a faint glow caught their attention, casting an eerie illumination on the worn walls. Acma's eyes widened as she spotted figures approaching in the distance.

"Timeth!" she called out urgently, pointing towards a Tonberry emerging from the shadows.

The small green creature cloaked in tattered brown garments, moved with an unsettling deliberation. It carried a lantern, casting an otherworldly glow on the surrounding. The creature's whale-like tails swayed ominously as it shuffled forward, its yellow eyes fixated on Acma and Timeth.

"Freeze!" Timeth commanded, freezing the Tonberry's knife in its tracks as it darted toward them.

"Why is it moving so quickly?" Timeth wondered, perplexed by the creature's unexpected speed.

"A mutant?" Acma speculated, and as she saw more similar creatures were moving on her way, she grabbed Timeth, breaking his time-freeze channeling magic. "We can't take them on directly. Let's make our way to the main structure."

Turning to flee, they could sense more footsteps approaching, the sound of multiple Tonberries drawing closer. Their knives glinted ominously in the dim light. Acma and Timeth quickened their pace and passed through a metal door that led to the main structure resembling an abandoned windmill.

Acma leaned against a moss-covered wall, her chest heaving, as she cautiously glanced back. "I think we're safe for now," she said, relief evident in her voice.

Timeth's eyes widened in horror as he noticed the blood-soaked floor. "Acma, look," he whispered, pointing to the gruesome trail.

"Oh no..." Acma couldn't hide her fear as her mind raced with the worst-case scenarios. Human blood.

Following the trail, they ascended the stairs, their hearts pounding in their chests. Suddenly, the chilling sound of a rusty door being shut echoed through the ruins.

Acma's voice trembled with fear. "Someone is here."

"Where should we go?" Timeth whispered.

"Let's hide," Acma replied.

They carefully stepped toward a corner and attempted to cover them with a wooden crate. However, the crate, wet and infested with termites, shattered at their touch, causing a shaft to fall down and create a loud thudding sound that could not go unnoticed by anyone in the structure.

"Shit. Not now!" Acma cursed herself, feeling unusually clumsy in the face of the life-or-death situation with Zyma.

Though no sound approached them, Acma knew better than anyone that her mentor was a master of stealth, rarely making any noise. She needed to create a diversion. Spotting a piece of broken brick in the corner, she threw it to the opposite side of the room. But as she did so, she realized that if Zyma approached that corner, he would spot them anyway.

Stupid Acma! Wait… I have Hero! Acma's mind raced as she recalled bringing the expensive Hero items. She quickly opened her backpack and cast Hero on both herself and Timeth, saving Gils for Zyma was the last thing on her mind at that moment.

"Good. I can't see you, hold my hands… Okay, now move slowly, he can still hear us," she instructed Timeth as they began to remove the wooden crate, aiming to sneak out. Just then, they caught sight of Zyma's figure emerging from the shadows at the other corner.

"No..." Timeth gasped, his voice filled with anguish as he spotted what hung over Zyma's neck—a hand dripping with blood. "Uhrik," he whispered to Acma, his voice filled with pain, signaling that it belonged to his twin brother.

Acma's words barely escaped her lips as a whisper. "Hyne… We need to go. Now!"

With adrenaline coursing through their veins, Acma and Timeth turned and fled, their footsteps echoing in the eerie silence. However, despite their invisibility, Zyma immediately picked up on the sound and pursued them relentlessly.

Timeth and Acma raced through the labyrinthine corridors, aiming to ascend. Acma opened the doors to any chambers on their way to trick Zyma, but instructed Timeth to climb upstairs regardless. Being cornered by Zyma would be frightening. They finally reached the top level of the ruins, gasping for breath under the dark sky.

Timeth leaned against the wall, his voice trembling, shaking his head in denial of his brother's demise. "Uhrik... Why did Zyma do that?"

"He's a cold-blooded assassin. I'm so sorry, Timeth," Acma said, her voice filled with sorrow as she held her dear friend.

"Acma, Timeth. Get out of here! Now!" Zyma's voice echoed through the corridors. "I know you're there. I don't have time to explain. Get out here! Quick!"

Judging from the sound, Zyma was halfway through the top level, meticulously examining each chamber as he ascended.

They were running out of time. Zyma was closing in on them, driven by his own sinister agenda.

"We have to find a way out of here," Acma said urgently. "The only option is to get down from that balcony. Propel?"

Timeth nodded. Although they hadn't been raised in the same research camp, they had been teammates ever since they arrived at Trabia. They understood each other's thoughts without needing much explanation. He cast Float on both of them and let her put her feet on his hand. It was a harsh truth to discover his twin brother dead without having the chance to speak with him after so many years. He knew he needed to ensure his most trusted friend's safety.

"Propel with 5k Pa force," he instructed Acma, feeling her push upwards.

After a few seconds of gripping and exertion, Acma whispered back.

"I'm in. Can you feel my lasso? Oh no..." Acma gasped as she realized that her lasso had become visible, along with Timeth. The effect of Hero had faded away.

Without wasting any time, Timeth grabbed onto Acma's lasso and leaped up to the balcony, following her lead. Acma swiftly tied a secure knot around the balcony railing using her lasso, preparing for their descent from the main structure.

"You go first. I think I can stall him for a bit longer," Acma told Timeth as she gestured for him to descend using the lasso.

Timeth climbed down the rope, and Acma quickly followed suit. The lasso, although thin, proved strong enough to support their weight. However...

"What's swinging down there?" Timeth exclaimed. "Oh no, the Tonberries!"

"What?"

"They're pulling on the rope below. There must be around twenty of them!"

"Shit! My lasso can't hold that much weight," Acma said, her eyes fixed on the knot tied to the railing.

Slit!

"Oh no..." Acma winced at the sight of her lasso breaking, thread by thread. She frantically rummaged through her backpack, searching for anything that could help.

Slit!

No!

Acma's hands instinctively grasped the signal flare, and without hesitation, she ignited it and sent it soaring into the night sky. The flare burst with a brilliant display of high-intensity light, piercing through the darkness and illuminating the surroundings for a short while. She knew that Raddie and Shrewdya might not be able to come right away, but in this desperate situation, every effort counted.

Slit! The final thread snapped, and Acma felt her body succumb to gravity. Though they had cast Float on themselves to minimize the impact, they had no defense against the bloodthirsty Tonberries below.

Zuzz!

Suddenly, a thin, dark rope twisted around Acma's waist, halting their free fall.

Zyma's head emerged from the balcony, his eyes filled with a cold-blooded intensity. There were specks of blood on his forehead, remnants of Uhrik's hand that still rested in his chest.

Acma was torn between crying out for help to be pulled back up or severing the rope and plummeting down to the Tonberries. Her death was inevitable; it was only a matter of time.

"Basilisk! Get us out of here," Zyma suddenly shouted.

Zyma's GF, whom he claimed to be his mother, materialized from his head and spread her wings in full display. She floated at Acma's level and whispered, though her voice boomed like thunder.

"Get on. Quick."

Acma gasped as she understood Basilisk's language, confirming Zyma's words that Basilisk was a human in her previous life.

"What are you going to do with us?" Acma asked, hesitant to get on the GF without knowing Zyma's plans for her and Timeth.

"Get on her! Now!" Zyma demanded. "There's no time to waste, for God's sake. There's a bomb set to detonate in five minutes. I'll explain once we're out of here."

"A bomb?" Acma asked. "Are you also trying to kill Gema and Adelik too?"

"Too?" Zyma replied, confused.

"Don't pretend. We know you received orders from Galbadia to kill Uhrik, and you've already killed him!" Acma's anger flared on behalf of Timeth.

"For Hyne's sake! Can we talk about this later? They're alive. They've already left with Drakarion and Tiamat."

"Then why is Uhrik's hand around your neck?"

"If not his hand, should I present his head to Galbadia instead?" Zyma retorted. "Use your brain. You're wasting our time! Now get on my mom's back, both of you!"

Acma didn't have all her questions answered, but Zyma's explanation seemed plausible. She reluctantly reached out to Basilisk, and Timeth followed suit.

"Acma, if he wanted to kill us, he could have done it already. Let's get out of here and ask for more details," Timeth said.

"Thank you! The only one with a little brain here!" Zyma shouted, then also jumped onto Basilisk's back. "Fly as fast as you can to the exit, Mom."

"We'll make it. Be kind to her," Basilisk growled, flapping her powerful and massive wings toward the entrance of Centra Ruins.

Acma caught her breath as she looked down at the agitated Tonberries below, brandishing their sharp knives in their direction.

"What happened to Uhrik?" Timeth immediately asked Zyma.

"Your brother is fine, except for his left hand. I had to provide evidence to my client that he was taken down. His power was too intimidating for them. Luckily, Galbadia sent me the request because somehow knew they had stolen my GFs, thinking I would have the motivation and of course offer them a heavy discount. They provided me with their exact tracking location. I waited until just before the tracking devices became inactive and cut down his hand. That way, Galbadia would know he was engaged in combat before his staged death. My GFs are taking them to a secure hiding place. Here, he wrote this for you," Zyma handed Timeth an envelope. "Keep a low profile for a few months, and then I'll arrange your reunion. It's too risky at the moment."

Timeth quickly opened the envelope, and even though he couldn't remember his twin brother's handwriting, the contents matched the references.

"Thank you very much, Zyma." Timeth was about to embrace Zyma, but the sight of Uhrik's severed hand stood between them.

"He won't be able to use time magic as effectively with one hand, but keeping him alive is more important," Zyma explained.

As they approached the exit, Acma noticed commotion and screams coming from below.

"What's happening?" she asked. "There's a group of Tonberries gathering there."

"Help! Help!"

Familiar voices cried out for assistance.

"Oh no, it's Raddie and Shrewdya!" Acma exclaimed as she saw them hanging onto Shell and Protect, surrounded by menacing knives. "They must have seen my distress signal…"

"Of course..." Zyma sighed in frustration.

"Please, we have to help them!" Acma pleaded.

"Acma! Timeth! Help!" Raddie's voice echoed from below.

"Our defenses are wearing off!" Shrewdya screamed. "We've run out of healing spells."

Zyma let out another exasperated sigh and jumped down from Basilisk's back.

"Be careful!" Basilisk growled.

"Please, Basilisk, stay low so I can cast magic!" Acma implored the powerful GF.

Without hesitation, Basilisk quickly descended and unleashed a series of Thunder spells on the monsters below.

"Ahhhh..." Shrewdya and Raddie cried out in pain.

"Don't kill them!" Zyma shouted at Basilisk, concerned that her mother's area attacks might harm the young students.

"We won't be able to clear them out fast enough!" Basilisk growled.

Zyma, skilled in single-target attacks, began picking off the Tonberries one by one. But with so many Tonberries blocking the entrance, it seemed impossible to escape the Centra Ruins before the bomb detonated.

"We need an area attack spell that won't harm Shrewdya and Raddie. Something like Holy!" Acma screamed, but she couldn't figure out a way to cast Holy, a spell known for its ability to kill dark creatures and monsters while sparing humans, over a large area.

"Mom, show her Duo with Holy!" Zyma shouted to Basilisk, then throw an item to Acma. "Acma, catch!"

Zyma threw something towards Acma, who clumsily caught it.

"This is... a Holy stone?" Acma mumbled, she had only seen this rare item in textbooks.

Zyma continued to shout as he dodged Tonberries' doink attacks. "I only have one Holy stone… I can't believe I say this, but use the siphon, Acma. Duo usually works better under crisis."

Not wasting any moment, although her head was spinning, Acma reached for a siphon and inserted into her right arm. Then she found another siphon and inserted it into her left arm.

"I'm draining fast!" Acma shouted. "What's now?"

"Remember to unplug them!" Zyma reminded her.

"Acma, touch my head," Basilisk said. "Let's perform our first Duo!"

Acma didn't understand exactly how, but she followed Basilisk's instruction and touched her hand to the GF's head, while holding the Holy stone in her other hand. "Like this?"

"That's right. Focus on the enemies. Let us become one," Basilisk instructed. "Close your eyes."

As Acma closed her eyes, the Holy stone emitted a radiant light that she could still sense. She suddenly felt a surge of energy flowing from Basilisk to her hand and then back from her body to Basilisk. In that moment, she could see the surroundings through Basilisk's vision, the Centra Ruins appearing more vibrant and magical, with objects infused with greater power highlighted in her view.

"Say it. Duo: Thunder's Judgment," Basilisk urged.

"Duo..." Acma murmured. "Thunder's Judgment."

Basilisk tilted her head back slightly and unleashed a barrage of blinding thunderbolts. Acma synchronized her Holy magic with the GF's thunder spell, casting an advanced and devastating spell upon the eerie creatures below.

"Wow..." Raddie gasped in awe as he witnessed Acma's Limit Break for the first time.

"Please…" Shrewdya closed her eyes, hoping this last resort would be successful.

After a while, the blinding light subsided, giving everyone a moment to recover their vision. The Tonberries were mostly dead or disoriented from the powerful spell.

"Everyone, get on!" Timeth reached out his hand to assist Shrewdya to climb on Basilisk, followed by Raddie. Zyma quickly hopped onto his GF after ensuring the safety of the young students.

Basilisk utilized all her speed to dash out of the Centra Ruins, just seconds before a series of explosions rocked the area.