DISCLAIMER: Chapters from here on out will be written in past tense.
A/N: Wow, how long has it been since I updated this fic? Yeah, pretty bad life stuff happened so this story went through a year-ish long hiatus. TBH, life stuff took up my priority last year and is still a big priority. When I started Re:a Phenomenon, I was in a very, very different headspace.
So as for the future of this story...well...
Its done.
Almost done.
The first draft is 95% finished and has been wasting away in google drive folders and mega for a little over a year. The only reason why I haven't uploaded them is because they need to be edited (heavily). Past me somehow foresaw the future and wrote like crazy before the inevitable life stuff ruined everything.
Onto the latest chapter, it was really long, like longer than normal (which factored into the even longer hiatus). I finally decided to stop being a stubborn mule and release the half that's already completed.
Going forward, not to toot my own horn but my writing has drastically changed since the hiatus. Apologies for the whiplash in quality from last chapter to this.
The next chapter might release might release soon-ish, depending on life stuff.
TL;DR: ending is in sight, but when? depends on life stuff.
okay, end Author's note.
bye.
Kagami was drawn by the earth orb's magnetic pull, it's power too strong to resist.
Ahead, low-ranking lava gormiti stood guard and Kagami swiftly ducked behind a large, jagged rock. They must be guarding Nick's cell.
"Useless, the lot of you!" a gormiti exclaimed in a lavish, regal accent. He sounded far too boisterous to be low rank. "Why, without me, the great Lavion, well, you couldn't tell heads from tails!"
Lavion.
Kagami had heard of him from Oji-san's stories. He was a cruel, supercilious leader. She cautiously peeked out, catching a glimpse of his muscular back and a helmet for his head. His most distinctive feature was a purple-clawed arm and a squid head suctioned to his shoulder. It was Lavion without a doubt.
As if sensing her presence, Lavion glanced behind himself. Kagami sought for cover and held her breath. There was a pause in the air except for the sound of churning lava. Had he noticed her?
Kagami remained quiet; her joints ached as she strained to stay still. Slow, loud footsteps began to approach her.
Panic surged through Kagami as she scrambled for excuses. None seemed convincing. She shut her eyes and braced for the inevitable discovery.
It did not come.
Lavion and the guards passed her completely. An exasperated sigh escaped her lips.
Kagami emerged from her hiding spot and proceeded to Nick's cell. The last obstacle was a large boulder. She gave it a slight push. The boulder screeched against the cavern floor. Kagami stopped, worried she alerted Lavion. When nothing happened, Kagami pushed again. Even in her gormiti form, the rock wouldn't budge.
She debated whether to activate her boosters for an extra thrust. She still hadn't refined the force she exerted when using her powers, and often in training would go overboard. Magmion was impressed (Kagami would've taken it as a compliment if he didn't emphasise the orb's power had impressed him). Vestalt interjected, "If you can't control your powers, then you are no better than a lava scout learning how to count."
Kagami concentrated, recalling her training.
"Your emotions are of abundant supply," Vestalt said. "Refine your emotions, sculpt them into arrows and focus on your target."
The soles of her feet spurted and burbled to life. Kagami heaved again, pulling her imaginary bow back. The rock budged, skirting underneath the rock.
Kagami stopped, she pushed enough to squeeze through.
She steadied herself first, part winded from her brief exercise and part from the apprehension of visiting Nick.
She peered into the gap and saw Nick on his knees. His arms stretched backwards, cuffed in lava chains. Flamma told her those could block a Lord's power.
Nick lifted his head. Doubt, loss and defeat transformed into a relieved smile.
"To make things clear, I'm not here to break you out." She began.
She allowed herself to drop her guard and walked inside.
"I just want to talk." Kagami knelt and brought herself to eye level with Nick. Then, in an act uncharacteristic of the old Kagami, she caressed Nick's jawline.
"You're as hard as stone." She remarked, trailing her fingers from his jaw to his cheek. The surface was hard and rigid, lacking the natural curves found on human flesh.
Nick made a strange sound resembling a croak from a bloated, overweight frog. The skin she caressed turned pink.
"You can blush?!" She exclaimed. Nick attempted to respond, but couldn't as Kagami squeezed, tapped and slapped his face. In Kagami's defence, it was her first time seeing an Earth gormiti in person.
And in Kagami's dazed wonder, somehow the two have found themselves awfully close in proximity.
"Where are my manners!" Kagami stepped back, self-aware. Nick was a person, not an object to gawk and prod at.
"I-it's alright!" Nick said. He wouldn't admit but he liked how Kagami caressed him.
Kagami smiled shyly, and a sudden wave of nostalgia washed over her. It had only been a couple of days but her time on Earth felt like decades ago. As though time in Gorm flowed differently than at home. Of course, that wouldn't be the case else Nick wouldn't be here. But Kagami grew accustomed to life in Volcano Mountain. And she was unsure what to make of it.
"All this time, I've been friends with the lords of nature without realizing."
"I would've told you!" Nick fumbled out. "I wanted to, but the lava gormiti were inactive…or we thought they were." He sighed. "We thought we weren't needed in Gorm anymore, but you know how things turned out."
"Because of me…"
"You didn't do anything wrong Kagami!" Nick interjected. "It was those no-good lava crooks. If you come back with us, then we could -"
"I told you I'm not going back!" Kagami's armour flared, surprising her with how Nick could provoke her. Nick had stripped her bare; rendered her armour-less. Vestalt would be disappointed. But it seemed like Vestalt's default state was to be disappointed in Kagami nowadays.
Nick observed Kagami. Once he saw her relax and her flames die down, he spoke once more, "Kagami, if all this is about our biology presentations, then it's okay! So what if you got your first C..."
Kagami was taken aback. She hadn't failed.
Nick continued. "It was just a fluke. You can start over with a clean slate. Everything can go back to the way it was before that lousy assignment."
"You're not listening!" Kagami shouted. "I don't want things to go back to the way they were! I'm starting a clean slate here. In Gorm."
"Think Kagami!" Nick stood. His chains rattled. "You're throwing your whole life away - school, college, friends, family! All for a bunch of scrubs who only want you for your orb! Is living the rest of your days serving Magor worth it? Is it worth destroying everyone, and everything you love?"
"It wasn't a decision I made on a whim!" Kagami let the ferocity of her emotions, her anger, and her frustrations alight at full capacity. Pink flames swirled and swished around her, turbulent and unquenchable. Kagami's flames burned furiously, hiding her quivering form.
"I know, you're not someone to make drastic decisions without thinking of the consequences." Nick spoke slowly, thinking carefully about his next words, "But the lava gormiti…they did something to you. If you come back to us, then we-"
"I don't want to talk anymore." Kagami extinguished her flames and left. Kagami was a fool to visit Nick. She was mistaken. They weren't the same. He couldn't understand. Nobody could.
Three streams of light struck the lava nation. The lords of nature – air, water, and forest, emerged from the vanishing light, donning white armour.
Toby's orb dulled. He opened the portal to the sea realm and contacted the Old Sage to transport them to lava territory. It was a convoluted and tedious process, unnecessary if only the lord of earth had accompanied them. Toby steeled himself. He'd save his frustrations for his brother's rash actions after they found him.
"Do you guys feel it?" Jessica asked.
The pulsating magnetic energy, faint but beating strong and like a burning flame.
"Nick and Kagami. He's found her." Lucas said.
"Come on!" Toby said, sprinting to Volcano Mountain. Those two together could not be good.
Lucas and Jessica chased after him. Not long the trio reached Volcano Mountain's gaping mouth. Toby reached out to Nick and Kagami's energies. At first, the energies melded together, hard to tell apart. But as the trio got closer to the Volcano, Toby sensed them in greater clarity. The energies pulled away from each other, further and further and quickly. A sinking feeling entered Toby's gut.
"Let's go." Toby said. The group ventured inside without a word. They walked into sinuous caverns. Stalactites hung menacingly from above, rickety and sharp. Toby feared they would fall at any moment and tensed at the slightest sound of a pebble hitting the ground.
The lords arrived at an open, spacious cavern in the Volcano. Lava sloshed down from above, coating the bright, fiery red walls. In the centre stood a wide circular platform, connecting three bridges. One extended to where the lords stood, and the others branched to two paths. Kagami's energy pulsed from the right path, and Nick's to the left.
"Do we split up and search for both?" Lucas asked.
"No," Toby said, "Kagami made her choice. Our priority is Nick."
Jessica and Lucas exchanged glances. Jessica shrugged. They walked to the platform and stopped at the sound of a subtle growl.
"Who's there?" Toby shouted, swiftly brandishing his lobster claw. Lucas pointed his fist toward the noise, while Jessica held feather darts poised between her fingers.
The growl began small, almost inaudible but soon grew into a cacophony, echoing all around the cavern.
"Just a theory but I think the lava gormiti may have been expecting us." Lucas said.
Shades crept out from the lava flow, scaling the walls, and emerging from below. The lords were stranded on the platform, surrounded by a growing hoard of Shades.
"Lucas, you might've jinxed your theory." Jessica said in a gulp.
The lords huddled together, their armour glowing and ready to initiate combat.
Vestalt burst through the doors into Magor's lair. Her eyes searched for the one harbouring her irritation.
"Obscurio!" she growled. "You gave the order to release the Shades didn't you?"
"Why, Vestalt," Obscurio said wearing a carefree grin. "It was not my doing. I merely proposed the idea to Lord Magor."
Vestalt turned to Magor for an explanation.
Lord Magor sat atop his throne with a lackadaisical expression. "It was under my orders the Shades were released."
"But sir! The constant battles against the lords have depleted our Shades drastically! To make another army -"
"Your reports speak for themselves," Magor interjected, "the lords can return the Shades to their original forms. We can reproduce our Shade army as many times as we please and use the Book of Tartarus to its fullest extent. Isn't that what you wanted?"
Vestalt balled her fists, claws digging into her palms. Can he not see the risk posed with concurrent use of the book?!
"I grow bored of this topic." Magor said in a drawl. "Obscurio, you'll see the capture of the lords. Vestalt, keep working on that spell of yours. Time is of the essence."
"Yes, Lord Magor." Vestalt and Obscurio said, bowing to their master.
"Then you are dismissed." Magor finished, gesturing for the two to leave.
Both exited out the grand doors. Flamma waited outside.
Vestalt and Obscurio exchanged warning glances.
Vestalt scowled, glaring her teeth. "You've made a mistake Obscurio. This will bite you in the behind."
Obscurio let out a small guffaw. "Hm, you'll see. I'll capture the lords and make Magor see that I am fit to be his second-in-command!"
"Continue indulging in your flimsy imagings, Obscurio. The lords have bested you countless times before. This time won't be different."
"Why you – " Obscurio steered himself and cleared his throat. "I don't have to waste my time on the likes of you." Straightening his posture, he departed with his head held high.
Vestalt shook her head, wiping sweat from her brow.
"Commander?" Flamma's soft voice quivered.
"Forget Obscurio, we have more pressing matters we need to attend to. Where's Kagami?"
"Anchor said she went to the Earth lord's cell, just as you predicted. He told me to pass on the message. I don't know where both him and Kagami are at the moment."
"Use your messenger bug. It's urgent," Vestalt emphasised. "He needs to get Kagami out and far away from here. We cannot allow the Lords of Nature to have her at any cost!"
"Yes, Commander!" Flamma saluted.
Vestalt will allow Obscurio to have his way today. But that doesn't mean he's won the war. Vestalt poured vast efforts into her experiments, withstanding the gruelling effects of the book, and remaining patient in the slow process of the fire orb's reconstruction to let it all fail. She refused to allow a human girl's whining to ruin years' worth of machinations and scheming.
The fire orb was only the beginning and no one whether it be the lords of nature, Obscurio or Kagami will stop Vestalt from achieving her goals.
Nick mentally kicked himself. He let Kagami slip through his fingers again! "Damnit..." Nick banged his fist to the ground.
Should he have worded his argument better? Told her of the lava gormiti's atrocities? Perhaps knocked Kagami out and ran? Then he could've tried to convince her once they were safe on earth.
Mr. Ono was right. What was Nick thinking bulldozing in head first without a plan!? He allowed his selfish desire to see Kagami again cloud his judgement and now he's stuck in a prison cell and pushed Kagami further beyond his grasp – right into Magor's clutches.
He pulled on the lava chains bounding him. Though he was Gormiti, he felt just as weak and powerless as his human form. Reminding him of when he first lost Kagami.
A strange sensation emerged from Nick's chest. The clear purity of water, the restlessness of the wind and the stimulation of new growth – his friends had come for him.
BOOM!
The stone bolder smashed in an explosion of fire.
Smoke and debris filled the cell. Nick coughed, squinting at the figure hovering closer to him.
"Toby?" Nick called out. No response.
"It's not Toby" – his instincts told him. The debris cleared, and Nick gasped.
He recognized the volcano-shaped head, belonging to a foe he's faced countless times while Magmion ruled the lava gormiti. A foe who had a terrible habit of stealing credit from others.
"Lavor."
"Wind attack!" Jessica summoned a large tornado and blew a Shade off the platform.
Lucas struck his staff to the ground. White branches sprouted and pierced the Shades.
White branches sprout from Lucas' staff, piercing the Shades and transforming them into lava soldiers.
"These nasty things just won't stop coming!" He spoke.
Despite their efforts, for every Shade they slew more came to replace them.
"At this rate, we'll never get to Nick!" Toby said, swinging his trident.
"Incoming attack!" Jessica warned. A large Shade beast flung a flurry of scrolls at them. The group huddled together, and Jessica summoned an energy barrier. The attack ricocheted. Jessica created an opening and Toby tossed his trident at the monster's head. Upon impact, the trident dispersed in glowing bulbs of light.
"I'm out," Toby said the glow of his armour dimmed to darkness.
Lucas' orb flickered in and out. Jessica was the only one left on full glow. The boys looked at Jessica, desperate.
Jessica hesitated to relinquish the barrier. Shades gnawed and scratched at the outer surface. They mounted on top of each other, climbing the barrier. What could Jessica do other than hold out a little longer? She couldn't summon SOL. They couldn't afford to dawdle either stuck in enemy territory, where the lava gormiti had the upper hand.
"Jess," Toby snapped her out of her thoughts, "You can do this. We'll cover you." Toby seemingly caught onto her doubts and gave her a reassuring smile. Lucas was in a battle-ready stance. He gave her a thumbs up.
"I'm ready." She said. She was still unsure but willing to give it a second shot. "On the count of three." Jessica took a deep breath. "One. Two…"
"Three."
Jessica released the barrier. The Shades pounced.
"Jungle attack!" Lucas slammed a fist to the ground. Thick vines punctured out the ground like jagged swords.
Jessica flew to the ceiling, giving herself space to focus. She closed her eyes and visualized Supreme Luminous in her mind. She pictured him clearly – his radiating brilliance lighting the path forward. Her chest swelled with bountiful energy.
The image of Supreme Luminous was distorted by noise. Jessica commanded the image to clear. The image distorted further till it was nothing but loud noisy TV static. Mark flickered in and out of the static.
"Mark!?" A jolt of electricity shocked Jessica out of her concentration. Mark would've started his performance and she'd missed it.
A yelp stole Jessica's attention. A cluster of Shades heaped on Toby.
"Here, Wind blast!" Jessica hits the cluster off the platform, Toby falling in the mix. Jessica swoops in just in time to catch him from falling into the bubbling lava.
Jessica blew the cluster off the platform. Toby screamed, caught in the tangle of bodies. Jessica realized her mistake and flew in head first, just in time to catch Toby by his leg. His tentacle hair dangles close to the undulating surface of lava.
"I don't understand, why can't I summon SOL?!" Jessica said. She flew them both back to the pillar.
The Shades enclosed them. Jessica put her predicament on pause. They needed another plan. "I can try creating a path for you guys to go after Nick."
"And leave you behind?" Toby said, shooting bullets of water.
Lucas shook his head, hands on his knees, "No way, we're not leaving you on your own."
"What do you suppose we do? You're both out of glow and I can't summon SOL."
A large explosion rocked the cavern. Shades are sent flying. Jessica assembled her barrier and Lucas grabbed Toby before he could be blown off with the Shades.
"What is it now?!" Toby hacked out with the debris.
"No." Lucas points out. "It's -"
"Wait, is that…" Lucas squinted, "I think it's an ally!"
The debris cleared and revealed a large hole created from the explosion. a lone gormiti stands by the opening, a rock canon mounted onto his shoulder.
"Watch out!" He cried. The lords ducked and huddled inside Jessica's barrier. The gormiti launched his canon, and huge groups of Shades crashed into the lava below.
The gormiti heaved the weapon off his shoulder and kicked it into the lava. He jumped down the hole and ran to the Lords. The lords instantly recognised their comerade.
"Bullrock! What the- what are you doing here?" Toby asked.
"No time to explain. Go, I will hold it here." Bullrock said.
"I'll cover you," Jessica said and brandished her feather darts. "The Shades will climb back up, you two go now!"
Lucas summoned SOL. "I'm staying. You'll need me."
"Guys…" Toby began.
"Go Toby. Nick needs you." Jessica encouraged.
Bullrock took a peak below the edge of the platform. He grabbed two sickles from the sheaths on his back, "They are climbing! Lord of the Sea you must leave now."
Toby hesitated.
"Toby?!"
"Okay. I'll get Nick and come back to help. You two, don't lose to these freaks."
"We swear it by the orbs of Gorm." Jessica and Lucas said.
Toby ran off to the cleared bridge. The Shades reached the platform, no fatigue in sight.
Jessica took a deep breath. Power swelled inside, her armour glowed hot and bright. "Sorry Mark," she said in a hushed tone. She roared and released a powerful gust. It was therapeutic - Her frustration at her inability to summon SOL, the inevitable confrontation she'd have with Mark, the argument, and the incoming lies he'll see through.
She'll put all of it into this fight.
"Lavor…"
The Volcano-shaped gormiti stood before Nick. He cocked his massive fist at Nick and fired.
Nick closed his eyes and flinched.
Cling!
Nick opened his eyes. Earth energy encumbered him. The shackling lay broken by his sides.
"You freed me. But why?"
"Don't mistake my actions for kindness. I have orders to get you out."
"From Magor?"
Lavor laughed. "I wish, but I'm not exactly on good terms with Magor." He looked out the blasted hole where the bolder once. He peered left and right. "The coast is clear. Let's get out of here before the lava scouts find us."
"We can't leave yet! We need to find Kag- the new Lord of Fire!"
"My orders were to get you out. Not the girl."
"Then you can go back to your new boss empty-handed. I'm not leaving without her." Nick walked past Lavor and down the hallowed corridors. He found himself in another rocky cavern. And just his luck, Spider and Bombos were there.
"The intruder! He's is escaping!" Spider said.
A blurred flash hit the ceiling above Spider and Bombos. The lava gormiti were buried in debris and rock. Lavor stood behind Nick. Smoke bellowed from his fist.
"Fine, we'll go find the girl." He groaned half-heartedly, "I'd rather not but Boss would have my head in if I didn't get you out of here."
The two shake on an admittedly weird alliance.
Toby let the magnetic pull of Nick's orb guide him. He reached out to the other's orbs. Lucas' was dimming slowly but Jessica's was still full and overwhelming. It was as though a concurrent raging Tornado was building up inside her.
Toby ducked into a corner. Nick's presence was strong. However, he sensed another presence. A hot sensation, growing stronger. It was as though it was following his scent, coming right for him.
Toby quelled a gasp.
Toby narrowly missed a slash to his throat. He rolled to his side and looked to his hiding spot. A smooth cut to the rock where his head was last.
"You've joined the lava gormiti now, huh." Toby said to Kagami.
Kagami brandished a sword, glowing in fragrant flames. "What are you going to do about it?"
"This! Aqua Blast!" Pools of water aimed at Kagami. She sliced them into smoke, her expression remained blank. Unfazed.
Toby gulped.
Kagami lunged at him. Her sword clashed with a long swordfish blade. Kagami doesn't relent, her flames sizzling away at Toby's blade. Toby's sword snapped in two. He stumbled backwards and relinquished his swordfish.
Kagami tackled and pinned Toby down by his arms.
"Kagami you're making a big mistake!" Toby grunted.
"Shut up!" Kagami burned his arms. Toby screamed. "If I can defeat you then...then they'll have to accept me!" Kagami tightened her hold on Toby, a faint sizzling drowned out by Toby's screams.