When Maru and his team managed to find Aster, he shared with them his story. It was truly horrific, but it doesn't explain what is happening at the present time. Celina was Aster's closest friend, and the reason he was able to leave Willow, but she isn't the same anymore. Aster can't understand what could have happened to her. Now, they can hear voice all around as she's making some sort of announcement.
"Well, I think it's time we get down to business." Celina announced. Even though her voice was being broadcast all over the town, Aster and the others were the only ones hearing her little message. "Aster, I know you can hear me, and I know you want answers. If you want them, you'll have to come to me."
"Why don't you come out and show yourself?!" Maru called. "Anything you got to say to Aster, you can say to us as well!"
"What is this all about?!" Gin called. "Why did you kidnap Aster only to bring him to a deserted town that was once his home?!"
"I don't have to answer to you people, nor do I have to explain myself to you." Celina claimed. "This is between me and him."
"Celina, I want answers!" Aster called.
"I am sitting at the top of Arcane Tower." Celina announced. "Aster, you have a direct line to the tower. As for your friends, they do not. If they intend to continue, they'll have to get through my three warriors first. That's assuming if they actually have the power to defeat them."
"Are you mad?! You're playing with lives?!" Aster said as he couldn't understand why she is doing this.
"Let the fun begin." Celina said before the line went dead and they couldn't hear her voice anymore.
"Celina... What are you doing?" Aster said as he didn't like this one little bit.
...
Celina
"Well, it's all set now. All that's left to do is wait." Celina said as she sat back in her chair and just simply planned to wait for Aster to show himself.
"This sounds like a lot more trouble than it should be." Joe said. "Why didn't you just take what you wanted from Aster while he was still our prisoner?"
"And you're giving him a direct line here?" Lick said. "Not to mention I thought we already got his little friends out of the way."
"It's all fine. We have to keep things interesting." Celina said. "It would be too boring if we just simply got what we wanted. You should be glad. You now get to cut loose and do what you like with the others. If you want to kill them like you did back at the hotel, go right ahead. Aster is really the only one I want."
"I agree with what she's saying." Vedalus said. "Let's keep things interesting. They don't even know what they're up against." It seems like the game is afoot now. Whatever it is Celina's trying to obtain with all of this, she's going to make it fun.
...
Maru's Team
"I don't get it. What is she trying to do with all of this?" Yukina said. "What does she really want?"
"It's obvious she wants Aster to be alone. It's clearly a trap." Mary said.
"A little too obvious. I think she's just playing with us." Gin said. "Our best bet is that we all just stick together so she can't get easy access to Aster." All of them sounded fine with that, but Aster had other ideas. That's why he used his magic to form crystal spikes out of the ground. He used that to separate them from him and to cut off their route to try and chase after them.
"Aster! Stop!" Maru called. "What are you doing?!"
"I appreciate what you all are trying to do, but this is my problem." Aster said. "I will be the one to handle it. All of you just leave while you still can." That was all Aster said before he took off and headed straight for Arcane Tower himself.
"Aster! Stop! Come back!" Gin called, but Aster kept going and didn't even look back. "What does he think he's doing? Why is he going off on his own?"
"I don't know, but if he thinks we're going to let him handle this alone, he's wrong. If Celina does have some sort of trap waiting for him, we've got to help him out." Maru said. "Sandy, what do you say we cut right to the point?"
"You got it." Sandy said. He unfolded his wings and lifted Maru up in the air.
"I'm going to go on ahead. You guys find another way around, and watch your backs. The three she was talking about has to be the three that attacked us earlier." Maru said. "Let's go, Sandy." Sandy agreed with Maru's plan and flew off themselves.
"Great. I just said that we should stick together, and those guys go and do the opposite." Gin said.
"So, what should we do now?" Yukina said.
"Let's split into pairs and make our way to the tower." Gin said. "If this Celina really did sent those three after us, it would a be good opportunity to get payback, and we'll have to get these guys out of the way. Mary, let's go. Yukina, you go with Tsubasa."
"What?! You're pairing me with him?!" Yukina said.
"Tsubasa can hold his own in a fight if you run into trouble. Let's go, we don't really have time for arguments." Gin said. He took off with Mary following.
"Have fun." Mary teased with her following after Gin.
"We should get going." Tsubasa said, but Yukina wasn't really fond of this. Tsubasa can't really blame her.
...
Maru
"Are we going after, Aster?" Sandy questioned.
"No. I think it's best we go straight for the tower." Maru said.
"The tower? Why are we heading straight there?" Sandy questioned.
"I don't like that she's giving Aster direct access to where she is." Maru said. "I think it might be best that if we get there first." Sandy could understand that. So, he flew straight to the tower and aimed straight for the top. However, something weird happened. Sandy felt something off with his wings and then they just broke apart when they got close enough to the tower. When that happened, Sandy and Maru fell right out of the sky. "What's going on?!"
"I don't know! Something happened to my wings!" Sandy called. Sandy couldn't get them back with them just crashing through the roof of a building. "Well, at least we can cross skydiving off our bucket list."
"Not funny. Are you okay?" Maru said.
"Yeah, but I don't know what happened to my wings." Sandy said.
"That was weird. I didn't see anything that came at us. No attack or anything." Maru said. "Don't tell me you lost them for good?"
"No... It didn't hurt or anything." Sandy said. "It's not like my wings themselves broke apart, but it felt more like the magic I use in them broke apart. I can still feel my wings, but that the moment I can't use them."
"Weird. What could have done that?" Maru said. "I guess it might be best that we go on foot." Sandy agreed with that since he didn't want to go through that. What neither of them knew was that a wizard was responsible for that. Vedalus was standing on the steps of the tower, and he was the one responsible for that. Now, all he has to do is wait for Maru to show himself.
...
Gin and Mary
Gin and Mary found another way around the crystals and were making their to Arcane Tower on foot.
"I just don't get it." Gin said. "What was Aster thinking? Why would he go off on his own like that?" Gin didn't understand it, but Mary might have an idea as she slowed down and came to a stop. "Mary? What is it?
"I think I can understand. This is personal for him and he wants to be the one to handle it." Mary said. "It's his business and no one else's."
"That doesn't mean we can't help him. We're part of the same guild, and we're his friends." Gin said.
"What does that matter? This is his problem. It's got nothing to do with us." Mary said.
"Do we actually need a reason to help a friend?" Gin debated. Something about this was off to Gin, but he can't seem to figure out what was going on with Mary. "What's up, Mary? I can't seem to figure you out. It's like we're getting close, but you always try to keep people at an arm's distance. What's going on with you? Why don't you just tell us what your deal is? Surely, you get by now that the truth always has a way to come out. You might as come out and say it." It didn't seem like Mary was going to talk. She didn't get the chance to because something coiled around her leg and lifted her off the ground. "Mary!"
"What the hell?!" Mary called with her being upside down. "Yikes!" She called as she kept her skirt from falling. Both of them looked and saw it was Lick clinging to a call like a lizard and he used his tongue to hold Mary. "Gross! Is that his tongue!"
"What the hell are you?!" Gin said.
"I'm the guy who is going to finish what the others started. I thought we already killed you guys back at the hotel, but now you're here." Lick said. "Although, I'm glad I got to wrap my tongue around this beauty." He said with him trying to sneak a peak.
"Hey! No looking unless I say it's okay!" Mary called.
"So you're one of the guys that attacked us! We gotta get through your first? Fine with me." Gin said as he reached for his guns. As for Mary, she could feel something wet running down her leg.
"Gross! His saliva is running down my leg, and I'm hanging upside down! What are you waiting for, Gin?! Shoot him!" Mary called. Gin took aim and was about to shoot him, but Lick threw his tongue around so that he could toss Mary right at him. Gin ceased the aiming and tried to catch Mary, but she crashed right into him.
"Too easy." Lick said. This guy might be a problem for them.
...
Tsubasa and Yukina
Meanwhile, Tsubasa and Yukina were making their way to the tower themselves. Although, things were rather awkward given what connects the two of them together. As they looked around, Yukina felt a sense of sadness as she looked around.
"This place feels so miserable." Yukina said. "Places like this always made me feel a sense of sadness. Knowing what happened to Aster..."
"There's nothing we can do about that now. Let's just focus on helping your friend." Tsubasa said, but Yukina just continued to glare at him. "If there's a problem, I prefer if you just come out and say it."
"Are you really saying that to me? You know what my problem is." Yukina said. "You were a part of my father's guild. In fact, you were the one that kidnapped me and brought me to him."
"I do apologize for that. I was just simply following orders." Tsubasa claimed.
"Well, that's not good enough. How do I know I can really trust you?" Yukina said.
"I'm aware of that. I brought dishonor, but I'm hoping to redeem that." Tsubasa said. "I did many things I didn't like when I served him, but that's no longer an issue. Your friends had me open my eyes." There is something else he wants to ask, but he isn't sure if she'll like it. "You left Fiendish Gargoyle to join Phoenix Flame. What's that guild really like?"
"Wait. You're not thinking of joining us, are you? After everything you guys have done?" Yukina said as it sounded like she didn't approve. However, there was no time to talk about this.
"Get back!" Tsubasa called. He jumped in the way and used his sword to block an attack that was meant for Yukina. They all saw their opponent found them and saw that it was Joe.
"Looks like I found you." Joe said.
"You! You're the same guy that attacked us!" Yukina said.
"You're right. He's the same one I saw." Tsubasa said.
"I don't know how you managed to get all the way out here, but Celina gave us the approval to kill you if we want." Joe said. "You're going to wish you haven't." Yukina readied herself to fight, but Tsubasa stood in the way and held out his sword.
"What are you doing?" Yukina said.
"Earning my place." Tsubasa claimed. He was the first to attack. He charged right at Joe, but Joe used his armor to block all of his attacks.
"I don't recall you, but I'm more than willing to fight." Joe said. He swung his fist at him, but Tsubasa jumped out of the way.
"Snow Magic! White Fury!" Yukina unleashed a blast of a small snow storm right at Joe, but he was able to jump right over her attack. When he landed down, Tsubasa attempted another attack. He swung his sword right at him, but Joe held up his arm and was able to block it with his armor.
"His armor is thicker than I thought." Tsubasa said.
"Nice, right? Although, my most dangerous weapon isn't my armor. It's my eyes." Joe said. He looked right into Tsubasa's eyes and used magic. They glowed red and then Tsubasa felt his mind going blank. His eyes began to glow red as well. "Now, attack the girl."
"Tsubasa? What's wrong?" Yukina asked. Suddenly, Tsubasa turned to her and actually attacked her in rage. He sounded aggressive when he attacked her, but Yukina was able to move out of the way. "What are you doing?!" It didn't stop there. He unleashed a slash from his sword, but Yukina rolled out of the way. "Why are you attacking me?!"
"Because he's now under my control." Joe admitted. "I have control over your little friend. The moment he looked into my eyes, he fell under my control. He'll attack you because I want him to, and he'll be quite aggressive and rageful about it. He's practically driven by bloodlust now. It will be much easier to kill you and your friends, and much more enjoyable, by having you kill each other."
"No way!" Yukina said as she couldn't believe that actually happened to him. It was one thing when Tsubasa was the enemy before, but him being controlled and forced to attack is another. "Tsubasa, listen to me! Don't let him control you!"
"It's pointless. Tsubasa, attack!" Joe called. Tsubasa unleashed an aggressive scream as he attacked Yukina once again.
"No! Don't listen to him!" Yukina called, but her pleads did nothing. Yukina barely managed to avoid another one of his attacks, but Tsubasa drove his elbow right into Yukina's gut and knocked the wind right out of her. When she was knocked down, he placed his foot down on her to keep her pinned down. Once he had her like that, he raised his sword to deal the killing blow. "Tsubasa, don't do it!"
"Do it." Joe said as he thought this was so easy. Tsubasa came along to try and help Yukina and the others, but it looks like he's an enemy once again, and this time there's nothing to stop him from actually killing them.