Chapter 16
Seeing Red
As I walked into the shrine, I noticed strange murals on the walls- one depicted Odin leading an army clad in yellow and blue against an army of angels, another depicted Odin fighting Ifrit in a burning temple at the top of a mountain, another depicted a man with four arms empowering a stylised depiction of Clive and a fourth depicted a door with three stylised crosses on it. Having no time to process the murals, I came to a strange arena. Seeing Rex at the far end of the arena, I rushed up to him only to be met with a strange burst of fire. Holding out my left arm, I absorbed the fire only for the outside of the arena to light on fire. Turning to face me, Rex said, "I was wondering when you'd come. Your third trial to see if you are worthy of ruling Aionios will now begin with me as your opponent.". "That makes one of us.", I said. Summoning the Firelight Swords, Rex then rushed at me only for to expertly dodge and summon Zantetsuken to my right hand in response. Gripping Zantetsuken tight, I then rushed at Rex and slashed through his attacks, unleashing a violent flurry of slashes. Gripping his swords tight, Rex then unleashed a brilliant and fast series of radial spins that I then slashed and countered with a violent flurry of slashes. Gathering a ball of dark energy in my left hand, I unleashed a storm of dark magic that Rex futilely slashed through as my barrage promptly sped up. Grinning, Rex then unleashed a tornado of fire and light that I countered with a dark tidal wave. I followed this up with a faster onslaught of sword and magic that Rex barely managed to keep up with; as Zantetsuken and the Firelight Swords crossed, I then burst the dark energy contained within to knock Rex off his guard.
Chuckling, Rex said, "Yes, that's it! Unleash your indomitable fighting spirit as the Sovereign! Show me your power!". He then combined both the Firelight Swords into a giant green blade that glowed with a white and green light. Feeling a strong desire to surpass and defeat Rex as gloriously as possible, I felt my avatar come. "Do you wish for my power again?", it asked. "Yes, I do.", I said. Much like my fights against Azrael and Dante, my avatar combined with me, dispelling Zantetsuken in favour of a dark scythe and turning my robes black with red spikes affixed to them. A violent dark red aura also burst forth from my body. Looking at my dark form, Rex's smile grew wilder and crazier. "Alright! Your true trial begins now! Give me good fight!", he said. Screaming in rage, I then rushed towards Rex and unleashed a brutal onslaught of slashes from my scythe supplemented by a series of punches, claw swipes and dark magic blasts from my demonic left arm. In response, Rex unleashed a fast onslaught with his green sword that I easily kept up with thanks to the Negative Speed Force. As we traded blows, I then unleashed a strange burst of dark energy from my right arm that caused Rex to feel strangely weak and tired as the dark red energy covered him. Looking at the dark energy, Rex chuckled in delight.
Then, a strange purple glow surrounded me causing my attacks to greatly speed up. Rex's eyes then widened in shock as my attacks then reached a blindingly fast speed. "No way.", he said as I warped behind him and prepared to stab him only for Rex to instinctively unleash a burst of green energy that dispelled the purple glow surrounding me and returned my robes to normal, dispelling the red spikes and the red aura surrounding me and causing the dark orange on my robes to return. Screaming in rage, I formed another dark scythe in my right hand and attacked only to be stopped by Rex mysteriously vanishing. Dismissing the scythe, I then saw that the fire surrounding the arena had disappeared.
Wondering what had happened, I then heard someone say, "Well now, that was certainly an entertaining fight.". Looking around myself in a panic, I saw a woman with long pink hair and yellow eyes wearing a white turtleneck jumper and white shorts alongside a pair of white trainers appear. "And who are you supposed to be?", I asked. "Oh, you don't remember me too? I'm so hurt. Well, my name is Queen Medb but you can just call me Medb.", the woman said. "Well, what are you waiting for? Don't you want to love her?", Arashi's voice said. "She's right? You were always so loving too.", Medb said, looking into my eyes tenderly. "I'm sorry but I don't think we've met.", I said. "Oh but we did on the frontlines. You were always so beautifully ruthless too.", Medb said, abruptly hugging me tight much like Mash did. A strange feeling then came over me as if I hadn't seen her specifically but another me did and Medb was conflating the two. "Well, if you don't remember me, then you might remember the rest of your friends.", Medb said. "What do you mean?", I asked. Before I could get a reply, however, I then found myself in that throne room where I saw Mash again. Kneeling before me were Mash, Mordred, Barghest, Melusine, Baobhan, Arjuna, Circe, Cu and Medb. Sitting in the throne next to me was Jeanne. The scene then changed to me facing a catgirl with green and platinum-blonde hair wearing a teal minidress. "You see, Your Majesty, you need to give in to the darkness and embrace your true nature. It really isn't normal for you to keep denying yourself for this long.", the catgirl said. Unlike Mio, Nia and Juniper, she did not have a Welsh accent. "I know, Atalante, but still, it doesn't feel right giving in.", the other me said to the catgirl. "Wait, what do you mean by my true nature?", I asked. "You know what we mean.", Cu said. Snapping back to the arena, I noticed that Medb was gone. "Weird.", I thought. Noticing a circular block at the middle of the arena, I walked over to it and then found myself in a strange temple with familiar black and dark red growths like the ones at Senso-ji Temple. "Could these have come from the Waxing Moon Vessel?", I asked. "Why, you're very astute. And yes, you're correct.", Reed's voice said. "But why? Why use a Holy Grail replica that is clearly unfinished and dangerous? Surely there's a much safer option.", I said. "You see, son, the Waxing Moon Vessel is still needed while we locate the Greater Grail. We know where the Holy Grail and the Waxing Moon Vessel are and until we find the Greater Grail to synchronise with the two other Grails, we're stuck with the Waxing Moon Vessel.", Gilgamesh's voice said.
Finding myself abruptly facing a burning Japanese castle, I nervously walked in to find a shrine dedicated to the Waxing Moon Vessel. Looking at the vessel, I once again tried to reach out to take it only to be stopped. "How many times must we tell you? The Waxing Moon Ritual is still incomplete and we cannot have you claim the Waxing Moon Vessel just yet.", Iori's voice said. Walking out of the castle, I then saw a mysterious blast crater in front of me that seemed familiar to me somehow. Seeing a golden sword at the bottom of the crater, I then found myself in a sinister forest that also seemed strangely familiar. Walking through the forest, I then came to an abandoned mansion. Shrugging, I walked inside the mansion only to find that it didn't seem quite so abandoned as I thought. Arriving at a very expensive looking dining room, I looked at the food gathered only to feel a chill run down my spine. Wondering why I was so scared, I then found myself in Destinea Cathedral facing the statue of Naga again. Seeing Iori, Chenggong, Chiemon, Shousetsu, Yasuhiro, Dorothea and Dayu there in prayer, I walked closer to them only to find myself in a strange dimension facing a golden orb radiating the power of light itself. Noticing a white dragon inside, I felt a strange feeling of relief. "It's true, you really have returned to us.", the dragon said. "Indeed I have, Wavern.", I said to the dragon. "Incidentally, how is your progress in unlocking Void Stance?", Wavern asked. "Well, I'm getting there.", I replied. "That's good to hear.", Wavern said before I found myself facing Garreg Mach Monastery again. Walking inside, I saw that the monastery was covered by an oppressive red glow. "Strange, I didn't know the Negative Speed Force extended as far as Garreg Mach.", I said. "That's because it doesn't. What's happening is an Incursion though we don't know where.", Lapis said behind me. Walking over to me, Lapis then hugged me tight, saying, "It's OK, though. I'm here for you, my love.". "Me too.", I said. As I turned around to face her, Lapis then suddenly disappeared and the scene then changed to that of a strange shrine at the base of a demonic tower.
Looking around the shrine, I noticed that the water was dark and corrupted much like the energy within the Waxing Moon Vessel. Noticing a strong red glow, I walked up the stairs of the shrine only to find myself in that strange flat with a red glow again. "Wait, am I back in the Negative Speed Force again?", I asked. "That is correct.", Arashi said as she walked into view wearing a crimson dress. "Wait, how are you connected to the Negative Speed Force?", I asked. "Why, I was brought into it the same as how you were. Only I wasn't chosen as its avatar. When you are chosen to fight for a side in the cosmic battle between light and darkness, there is no escape.", Arashi said. "But how did you gain access to the Negative Speed Force's power in the first place?", I asked. "Well, that's simple. I was so angry when I lost my brother Fubuki and I swore to never rest until I punished the evildoer who took him from me. That was when the Negative Speed Force empowered me and filled me with a beautiful cruelty. Don't you see? The Negative Speed Force feeds off your anger and hatred; that's why it chose you to become its avatar whilst choosing me to assist you in your fight against the forces of good. And what a battle it will be, where good dies and evil prevails.", Arashi said, a manic smile on her face. After a brief silence, Arashi then said, "But then again, you already have a servant, now don't you? I believe her name to be Kingprotea.". "Leave her out of this. It's not her fight.", I said. "Oh, I beg to disagree. You see, Kingprotea wasn't summoned to you by random happenstance. She came to you because you were chosen by the Negative Speed Force to lead it and the forces of darkness and she was ordered to help you in the upcoming battle.", Arashi said, looking tenderly into my eyes.
Suddenly, Mitsuba came in. "Oh, Jack! You've finally come back to the Negative Speed Force!", she said. "Wait, you too?", I asked, terrified. "Oh, didn't I tell you? I was chosen by the Negative Speed Force to be one of your soldiers in the upcoming cosmic war. Arashi was also chosen.", Mitsuba said. "No, this can't be real. This has to be a dream.", I said. "Oh, it's not a dream.", Arashi said. "Still, you gotta train up until the day of destiny comes.", Mitsuba said ever so sweetly before I found myself facing a giant white pyramid in a deep forest. Sensing a strange dark presence coming from the pyramid, I braced myself for anything as I walked towards it.
The story continues in the next chapter.