[IC] Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

[AlteredTundra]

Wesley had to admit there was some truth to what Grant stated about how his dearly beloved had rubbed off of him. Though he understood that his future-uncle-in-law meant it as a mocking quip, Wesley took pride in that sentiment. His eyes lit up as he and Nega-Wesley continued to exchange blows. Their evenly-matched skillset let them to go back and forth all around the area of the library they were in. From the ground to the air, thin streams of mist emitted from their blades, causing small waves of white and black magicks to create shockwaves throughout.

As the two were still up in the air, their blows came to a steady close as Wesley’s shadow pulled one over him. When Wesley had sent a wave of holyga forward, his shadow held out its free hand that resulted in the holy not only getting its entirety sucked into some sort of vacuum spell, it would return to its point of origins, but Wesley quickly noticed it had its divine properties inverted, resulting in a darkga spell coming his way. Out of desperation only, Wesley put up a veil of shellga in a split-second decision, however it would prove to be all for naught. The collision between his protective spell and his shadow’s powerful arcane spell would prove to be the deciding factor of Wesley walking away from it injury free and what actually happened.

Within seconds, there had been a powerful explosion in the air above the library. Unlike previous examples of Dalmascan power, this had not been an even display of white and black; this was a black cloud that consumed about five meters wide in every direction. A second and a half later, Wesley - the real, abridged WEsley - was shot down to the ground. As his body was going head first, back to the ground, he demostrated his quick thinking, yet again, as the Dalmascan was just mere yards from the ground, he coated himself with three layers of protectga. As he came crashing into the ground, when he bounced on the marble ground, though he was protected by his spells, the impact alone was enough to leave a Wesley-sized crater into the formerly-flawless ground. Wesley caught himself when he was vertical. As he did, he saw his shadow coming for him. Right at the moment their eyes met, Wesley’s free hand, whcih was previously holding a shield that was lost during hte exchange, was raised up. The shadow was so close that Wesley could literally feel the vile mist threaten to corrupt him once more.

“Not this time,” Wesley smirked, his hand shining brilliantly. “In my heart, in my soul, the lights of the heavens dwell. In thier eyes, I decide the fate of the wretched and the divine.” Wesley’s voice began changing into something angelic. In his voice, one of an ancient, thought long-gone entity, the King Raithwall, Wesley’s ancestor, spoke through his body, “and I, the remnant of the B’Nargin and Alexander blood, deem you unfit to walk among this earth.” When his voice spoke, the shadow was frozen, suspended just a mere three inches away from WEsley’s growing light which, as his words would finish, had gone from a solid white into a faded brown, appearing almost golden. His sword dropped to the ground, though it had separated into several fragments that looked like a million swords. “Perish into oblivion!” He said, a sudden tone change occuring as the blades, regardless how many of them there were, all had impaled the shadow.

To the naked eye, it was like a flash of light and then nothingness, but those with an enhanced vision - those like Shion, like Rio, like the Ascended Humes - would see it in every frame as it was happening in real time. The tiny blades picked away at the shadow’s very existance as if they were a needle and the shadow was thread. Each strand of blackness faded away when each blade had cleanly gone through its form.

As it was reduced to nothing but a floating head of darkness, WEsley had ntoiced the disticnt lack any visible reaction. There hadn’t been any sort of reaction at all. It, much like the darkness that made it, was devoid of any sign of life. It simply was and now it was no longer.

“Even in death, it dies as it lived: a copy and nothing more.” Wesley somberly muttered to himself, completely inaudible to no one but himself and Hashmal.

Wesley held his hand out and his sword appared in it as if it it heeded his call to return to him. Swiftly, he sheathed it, joining the others in finally facing Rio. Though he exhausted a large chunk of his magick in that fight against the shadow of himself, Wesley was poising himself to face Rio as he intended to do in the first place. But, of course, the fiend had different plans. In fact, it would seem as though whatever Emiri and Rio had started before would continue.

Wesley didn’t like this. In all honesty, he hated it. Emiri had no doubt increased her strength as of late, but it was obvious to anyone with a set of ascended eyes that Rio still was plenty strong. And the fact that he couldn’t do anything to help her in Jaakuna’s stead was, if nothing else, embarrassing. It made this proud Dalmascan feel like he was worthless and useless to Emiri. If Nadeline wer ehere, she’d reassure him. What a pity that Wesley hadn’t realized how much he relied on Nadeline’s cheerful outlook on life.

I hope you’re not hurt, my love. And wherever you might be, if the Gods have any sympathy for a singular hume, let them send a sign to reassure this lonely soul that you are safe and sound..

The King closed his eyes, inhaling deeply. Three long moments had passed and as Wesley’s relaxed body had opened his eyes as only someone in a serene state of mind could, the sudden shift of the sounds surrounding him forced Wesley to jerk his head around. He heard crashing and then cursing. It was distant, but with the added bonus of having the Earth Esper, Wesley was more intuned with Mother Gaia’s land than most were, so even the faintest sound was at his disposal (granted he was concentrating long enough). And in this state of awareness, Wesley heard everything within the radius of a mile. He heard the ants crawling to their farm. He heard the mice finding food for their own. He also heard the sounds of fire burning through ancient, priceless bookshelves. Wesley hadn’t known anyone to be that...careless - well, no one except…

“So, that’s the sign. Very well, I will accept it.” Wesley said to himself, smiling.

And, within only a minute, just seconds after Rio’s last words had left his mouth, from the center of a bookcase directly across from where Rio had stood, a literal, speeding bullet of flame the size of one specific hume had came crashing so fast and so hot that, whatever Rio had thought of doing or was in the process of doing, had gone flying to the bakc of his mind much like he had been forced to do in the physical realm as the golden mane that Wesley’d recognize from anywhere had struck Rio in his own head, causing the two forces of nature to collide with each other.

Though Rio was sent flying, the speeding flame stayed where he was, if not regretting his actions just now. Wesley took it as regret as he heard more curses.

“Well, that could’ve gone a lot smoother,” Jaakuna, who was now standing up, grunted and moaned, his hands on his head. His eyes, though on Emiri, could literally feel the gazes from everyone, but specifically, he could see Shion. As per the usual, she wasn’t happy with his entrance, though, based off how Wesley interpreted her gaze from his vantage point and how Jaakuna’s legs were shaking, odds weren’t in his friend’s favor.

And that caused Wesley to lean towards Grant. “So, seeing as how neither of our usual suspects is here, I suppose we’ll have to be the ones to do it, wouldn’t you agree, Grant?” Wesley knew Grant was puzzled, so he would elaborate. “What are the odds that Lady Shion kills Jaakuna before Rio gets the chance to?”

[Hero]

The amount of destruction Jaakuna was capable of bringing was both awe-inspiring and a true nuisance.

Despite making Rio a priority, Shion was secretly dismayed at the crumbling library. It didn't help that this restricted section housed many books that were either originals or ones that were long lost to history. The warmth of his magicks was rather foreign, dancing in the air long after he had used them. For a moment it was as if Rio's darkness was nonexistent, and that alone managed to bring a smirk on her lips. Despite the short amount of time Jaakuna had transcended, his power was steadily climbing. His control could use some refinement, but the fact that he hadn't burnt Emiri to a crisp was progress. Shion's eyes darted between the shadows, the battlefield's dynamic changing slightly with Jaakuna's entrance. Rio himself hadn't moved, his back to the wall he had crashed into, though it was his silence that was disturbing her.

Grant skidded to a halt, rolling his eyes as he realized what had happened. Always having to arrive in a flourish, did he? It was only then that he noticed the poor state of the library. "Good gods...I can only hope Shion doesn't bill us for the damages..." He muttered, shaking his head.

Meanwhile, Emiri's breathing regulated, and she let out a slight groan. Clutching at her wound, she tried to concentrate, rewinding her time. Wincing slightly, she managed to sit up, throwing Jaakuna a small smile. "We've run into a little trouble," She couldn't help but quip, though her expression became serious once more as she heard Rio's rather loud laugh.

Bringing himself to his feet, the dark haired man dusted himself off. He had gotten a little too carried away with things, it seemed, although just as he had hoped, there was the Prodigal Son himself. Clapping his hands somewhat sarcastically, Rio walked towards the pair, his eyes focused on Jaakuna. "And so we finally meet," He stated, rolling his shoulder lightly. "You've got an additional spring in your step! Transcending beyond that or any ordinary mortal, holding power people couldn't dream of comprehending, surpassing those naturally talented--" At his last comment, his eyes would briefly flicker to Emiri, who couldn't help but scowl at him. "--and whose limits are unfathomable. But I digress, I suppose. The most brilliant light to shine only serves to cast the greatest shadow."

"How poetic," Emiri couldn't help but comment.

Rio either missed or ignored her sarcasm, nodding in agreement. "It will be. Now then, Jaakuna," He would lift his hand, his sword beckoning at his call. "I'm curious to see just how far you've come."

Getting to her feet, Emiri stood next to Jaakuna, her hand on his arm to stop him from charging forward before she could warn him. "His darkness allows him to regenerate, nothing seems to phase him," She told him, holding her own weapon in her other hand.

[AlteredTundra]

After he had time to adjust to the explosive entrance he made that resulted in damage to some ancient shelves with even older books that Shion doubtless collected over her long life, JAakuna dared not make eye contact with the woman, lest he wants to invoke her wrath upon him even further. But that wouldn’t be a choice for him because he did have to look her way. If not to make sure she was okay, but just so she knew how sorry he was. Ever since they bonded the way they did after Shion bestowed her light upon him, Jaakuna had been feeling this extra sense within him - a feeling, if you will - about how Shion was feeling. And right now, he could feel the dismay and horror as she watched her years of collecting literally go up in smoke.

He didn’t say anything, which was probably for the best. Jaakuna would choose to focus on everyone else. They probably thought he didn’t hear that, but Jaakuna heard Wesley’s comments loud and clear. “How about we save that until after I defeat this guy. Unless you two want to cover my tab?” Jaakuna asked with a cheeky smile.

Wesley laughed, giving Jaakuna a smile. “A generous offer, but I will have to decline. Nothing in Dalmasca’s economy can replace the sentimental value that these books held to Lady Shion,” Wesley stated, making his stance perfectly clear. He beckoned to Grant, “worry not, my future uncle-in-law. Lady Shion is forgiving of most things. Besides, we did not burn down her life’s work, now did we, Jaakuna?”

“Sometimes, I really hate you, Wesley.” Jaakuna scowled at his friend. He was finally able to return to the main attraction: a man who has lived far too long.

Jaakuna stepped forward, the light of Shion manifesting around him. Two swords of red and white and black appearing in his hands. As he would take another pace forward, Emiri warned him of Rio’s powers of regeneration. “Nothing huh? Did you not see how I blasted him into the wall just a minute ago? I’m pretty sure that phased him real good,” Jaakuna laughed, turning to face Emiri. “You don’t need to worry. I have this in the bag. And when I defeat him, we can finally talk about our life together,” he promised her.

Now, as he had said everything he wanted to say, all eyes were on him. Everyone whose lives might’ve been affected by this man, or whose lives were affected by the series of events he set in motion - it all ended here. Either Jaakuna would die by the hands of this monster or Rio will pay for everything he has done. Whatever the results, Jaakuna was not going to hold anything back.

“It ends now!”

Jaakuna’s resolve allowed him to unleash a sudden burst of his mist, a golden, light aura mixed in with the reds and oranges of his fiery mist provided him with just the flashy display of his power that would counterbalance Rio’s own. And as if the two were synced up by something greater, they both went forward and clashed, unveiling such a vivid display of magicks that couldn’t be further from alike even if they tried. All that was opposed to each other manifested in pure force.

This would be the battle to decide the fate of Ivalice. Jaakuna, the Transcended Hume versus Rio, the Tenebrous Celebrant.

[Hero]

Nadeline dropped her hands onto her knees, the remnants of her magicks slowly fading. All of Savayna's physical injuries had been healed, so at the very least the general wouldn't be in pain when she would awaken. Nadeline herself wasn't exactly in top form either, her magicks completely depleted at this point. Rest would be best, but as time went on, she actually found herself getting slightly antsy. Staying behind and tending to the wounded was one thing, but being away from the conflict was a foreign feeling. She looked towards the direction Jaakuna had headed off to and let out a sigh. Nothing too out of the ordinary had changed, as she was certain Ultima would have informed her by now, but sitting here and doing nothing was killing her.

Before she could contemplate the possibility of trying to find out what was happening, she felt another precense nearby. Her legs protested as she forced herself to stand, gripping her rapier as she looked around. Hearing a pair of footsteps behind her, Nadeline turned her head and spotted the brown haired girl that she had seen with Shion before--Ren was her name, if she recalled correctly.

"High...Seraph..." Her voice was slightly distorted as she spoke, an all-too familiar darkness permeating around her.

Of course an enemy would appear with her weakened state and an unconscious Savayna behind her. The tip of her rapier touched the ground, a quiet barrier forming around the general, and Nadeline raised her weapon upwards. "Possessed by the Creature, are we?" She identified the source of darkness rather easily--there was no way she could forget its foulness after their encounter in Dalmasca--and readied herself.

Cleansing Mateus' chosen took a majority of your Mist reserves, Ultima chided her.

Well, Nadeline wasn't going to just sit there when a threat was clearly right in front of her, though she had no time to retort as Ren raised her arms, dozens of vines springing from the ground. Nadeline jumped back, though she was glad her barrier protected Savayna. As the vines closed in on her, she placed two fingers on her rapier, flames following her touch. "Firaja!" She called, whipping her spell out. The fire collided with the vines, burning a majority of them to a crisp. Without waiting for Ren's next move, Nadeline dashed forward, although she skidded to a halt as she could sense the clash of magicks happening. It was Jaakuna, and...the Creature?!

The distraction only served to impede her as Ren reached her first, swooping her leg up and kicking Nadeline. All of her air was involuntarily taken out of her, though Ren sent her crashing into the wall closest to them. Once she slid onto the floor, Nadeline could hear Ren chuckling darkly. Hmph, cocky little thing, wasn't she? But Ren had the advantage here, and as she summoned her vines again, Nadeline would stab her rapier into the ground. "Blizzaja!" She called, several icicles shooting up around her. Pushing the spell further, the ice managed to form a small wall, protecting her as Ren's vines bounced off uselessly. A solid defense, though she was temporarily trapped. It was a blessing in disguise, though, as she found blood lightly running down her left arm. Ouch, Ren managed to get her after all.

---

Jaakuna was rather confident in himself, and Emiri actually found herself smiling. There was that old confidence back again. She nodded in affirmation, taking a few steps back as the Mist would gather around him once more. The resulting clash between Jaakuna and Rio nearly knocked her off her feet, the brunette raising an arm to shield herself. The very foundation of the library shook beneath their feet, though as she watched, it seemed Jaakuna definitely had a point: Rio was certainly affected by Jaakuna's attacks. The man never flinched once, though she spotted several burns from near-misses. Of course, none of that seemed to deter Rio, if anything it seemed to make him push himself further.

Grant let out a low whistle, clearly impressed. Shion's light had thrown Jaakuna on another level entirely, and his skills helped him match Rio blow-for-blow. Rio was more experienced, obvious by the way he moved and would strike, but in terms of raw power, it was clear that Jaakuna had the advantage. At this rate, the rest would probably be more of a hindrance than help. When the thought crossed his mind, he could feel a separate darkness a distance away from them, and he looked towards the hole where Jaakuna had barged through. It was only now that it occurred to him that neither Savayna nor Nadeline were anywhere to be seen, the two having accompanied Jaakuna previously.

Already knowing that Wesley had likely sensed the same thing, Zeromus would manifest and Grant would hop on its back. "Let's hurry, then, that feeling is never a good one," He told Wesley.

[AlteredTundra]

As the fight between Jaakuna and Rio unfolded, causing even further damage to the library, Wesley took notice of how Grant was acting. He appeared to be even more on edge than he usually was. At first, he thought it had been due to the intense fight between Jaakuna and Rio, but there was something else that seemed to be bothering Grant. Wesley was pretty observant of most things around him - even before he gained his transcendent abilities. With all of that being so, Wesley couldn’t help but have this gnawing feeling in his gut that something else other than what was happening in front of them was in the works.

Just seconds before Wesley was going to ask Grant, he beat Wesley to it. It in that same moment that Wesley felt what GRant must’ve felt. The familiar mist that he felt when he was in Rio’s presence. There was also something about that, to Wesley, felt familiar. He couldn’t explain it, but something about it reminded him of someone. Even with Wesley’s enhanced capabilities, the Dalmascan King couldn’t pinpoint who it was - only where it was.

“It seems Jaakuna isn’t the only one that will have their hands full,” Wesley noted, looking on, seeing Jaakuna and Rio go back and forth in their fight. Just like Zeromus was summoned, Hashmal also was summoned. Wesley climbed onto his shoulder, looking back at Emiri and Shion. “Please take care of her, Lady Shion. And Emiri, please be safe.” Wesley wished them well-wishes

As he and Grant, and their Espers took off in the direction where the odor of darkness was getting stronger, Wesley looked over to Grant, “It’s Nadeline, isn’t it? She’s in danger, isn’t she?”

---

He had to admit that Rio was giving Jaakuna a good fight. The back and forth between the two men was, in all honesty, refreshing. As odd as it was to say, Jaakuna felt like he was getting back to his roots and being able to enjoy a fight. Of course, the motivations for this fight were vastly different than when he was a young buck, participating in tavern brawls. It was just the fact that Jaakuna was fighting all out against someone who was of equal power. For a moment when Jaakuna and Rio’s blades clashed, he felt as though Rio was feeling the same thing.

Jaakuna lunged forward with a few slashes and Jaakuna saw Rio dodge most of them and blocked the rest, their mist causing shockwaves throughout the library. “Seems like you’re actually enjoying yourself, Rio. What’s up with that?”

[Hero]

Shion nodded in response to Wesley's request, and as the pair headed towards their destination, Shion threw aside her sword as it faded away. She didn't seem fazed by the multitude of clashes from Jaakuna and Rio, although she would stumble slightly. To her surprise, Emiri caught her arm, helping her stand again. It seemed to have been on instinct, as Emiri couldn't tear her gaze away from the fight. Despite her earlier claims, she truly hated how helpless she felt at the moment, clenching her fists tightly. Shion seemed to catch on, though she chose not to comment on it.

On the other hand, Rio was pleasantly delighted at just how far Jaakuna had come. Matching him blow for blow was quite the accomplishment, though he would surprise him by asking why he was enjoying himself. Was he now? The thrill of battle always gave him a rush, so he genuinely hadn't noticed. The Prodigal Son had an abundance of strength, offering Rio a challenge he didn't know he was craving. It was a nice thought, his blue eyes sparkling as they looked at Jaakuna's green ones. "It's been some time since I've been able to let go," He admitted, smirking to himself. "Even your little girlfriend didn't give me as much of a challenge as I would have hoped. It's not her fault--her time manipulation is something I figured out a while back. She's skilled, but weak. With a little more time, maybe..." He trailed off for a moment, a thought occurring to him, though he couldn't help but chuckle to himself, as if laughing at a joke. "I digress, I'm rambling--though I won't deny if, I'm having the time of my life right now!"

As he swung, more power was in it, and as the two clashed, an eruption of mist flew past them. Shion's eyes widened, and she pulled Emiri out of the way as the mist collided into the wall behind them. "They really will destroy everything at this rate..." She couldn't help but mutter, displeased.

"No, it'll be fine," Emiri reassured her. "It sounds weird, but Rio's putting a lot of effort...Jaakuna will win."

---

The vines struck against Nadeline's makeshift ice pillars, making every attempt possible to get through to her. As she sent a cure over her wound, her body felt heavy. Running on fumes, was she? How she wished Savayna was active, but after the little stunt with the Zodiac Spear, she had no idea when the ice general would awaken. If only she had experience with spears, perhaps it could aid her! No, that was a desperate move, as she was in no condition for a physical fight. Her fingers rapped against the ground as she remained seated, ignoring her oncoming fatigue. Fumbling through her bag, she was ecstatic to find an Ether. As she brought the bottle to her lips, however, a terrible cracking sound caught her attention. The ice was too thick to see through, but a very thin crack had begun to form.

Scoffing slightly, Nadeline downed the Ether, sending a stronger Curaga to her arm, and as she pushed herself to her feet small bits of ice began to shimmer down. Alright then, what were her options? Direct confrontation went poorly. Perhaps she could grab Savayna and run? Ren seemed faster than she was. As the ice began to break, vines slowly started seeping in, and she bumped into one of the racks of weapons, reminding her where she was. Hmm, this was the armory, there had to be something of use! Her eyes scanned the rack, ignoring the majority of blunt weapons and landed on the bombs. Dangerous, but a momentary distraction, and she took the closest one. Well, she would just have to hold her own for the time being.

Dismissing her spell, Nadeline broke into a run, though she threw several bombs at the vines. They disintegrated rather easily. She must have grabbed a fire elemental bomb. As she ran, she kept looking around at the assortment of weapons. Something useful, something that could give her an advantage--anything! A light flickered close to her and Nadeline came to a halt, her hand reaching up towards the feather she kept. The Rod of Faith was reacting to something. Looking around, her eyes landed on a very long, plain looking staff with a bud at its top. There was something very eerie about it, but it looked familiar.

The rack of weapons close to her suddenly fell over, the clanging of metal snapping her out of her thoughts. Without hesitating, Nadeline took a hold of the staff, her feather shining even brighter. The flower lit up, blossoming on the sigil, and the light surrounded her before fading away. "This is the Staff of the Magi...!" She realized, though she sported her usual mischievous smile as she turned towards Ren, holding the staff tightly as her rapier disappeared. Spinning the staff in a circle, a bright light appeared. "Scathe!" She called, though she let out a slight shriek of surprise as her spell exploded forward, demolishing everything in its path. It had come out so much stronger than she had anticipated, and Ren herself quickly went on the defensive.

Are we in need of going back to basic spell casting? Ultima couldn't help but scold her. Nadeline ignored her as the vines returned with a vengeance, though she didn't even have to call out the spell's name for her Firaja to take care of them. You need only stall, I can feel Hashmaal and Zeromus approaching. Finally, some good news! Reinforcing the barrier around Savayna and Jaakuna's Zodiac Spear (knowing she would never hear the end of it if something happened to it), Nadeline began to run again.

---

Wesley was right on the gil as usual, though Grant's concern was likely obvious at this point. He could only hope that Savayna was with Nadeline, but the lack of ice magicks confused him. If there was a fight, his bloodthirsty bride-to-be was usually one of the first to jump in. But there was no familiar chill in the air, and even if one argued it was Rio's influence, their skills were to the point where any of them were discernible. There was no point in lying to Wesley either, so instead, Grant nodded to affirm Wesley's thoughts. "Even weakened, Nadeline's magicks still have their presence," The long haired prince explained. "If I'm being honest, I'm just as concerned that I feel nothing from Savayna." He didn't even have the chance to ask Jaakuna why he had come alone. Shit, he felt so stupid.

The walls around them quaked as a result of Nadeline's spell. "How reckless...who will bring the ceiling down first, Jaakuna or Nadeline?" It was meant to be a joke, but he couldn't help but whine slightly.

[AlteredTundra]

As the intensity of the epic battle between Jaakuna and Rio increased, so did the widespread damage to Shion’s library. Books and shelves were set ablaze as the rising tensions between Creature and Transcended Hume rose to unbelievable proportions. When it seemed the two were at a stalemate, one raised the stakes. Jaakuna took a hit that sent him flying in the opposite direction and Rio seemed to boast in his strength, though he seemed to have no problem taking jabs at Emiri’s strength - which Jaakuna didn’t particularly like.

“That’s where you’re wrong, bucko!” Jaakuna shouted to the heavens, looking up at the levitating Rio. “Emiri’s one of the strongest people I know. And if you have to call her weak, then that must mean she’s just that strong,” he proclaimed, shooting a wink Emiri’s way, mouthing “I’ve got your back, girl!”

Jaakuna got up to his feet, taking his eyes away from Emiri as they would then again return to the sight of a smirking Rio. How smug that son of a bitch looked. What Jaakuna wouldn’t give to wipe it off in the best of ways.

If that is your wish, perhaps something could be done.

Jaakuna heard Belias. And then the Esper explained it. When he finished, he started to laugh internally. “Sometimes Belias, you’re a fucking genius!” Jaakuna snickered.

The blond sky pirate took his swords into his hands, pouring his mist deep into their core. Being the source of his transcended powers, Jaakuna put most of the focus he had into them. After a few seconds, they began to emit a radiant light much like that of purifying light. At the same time, Jaakuna’s eyes flickered with gold and red, signs of Logrhif showing through as well as his fiery soul. And when Jaakuna took to the air, a trail of scorching heat followed him, the air itself distorting and taking a knee to his almighty power.

Jaakuna lifted his swords into the air and sent them flying above Rio. The distraction would prove to be useful as Jaakuna brought his arms centerfold. His hands gathered the mist from within him and from the swords - which started to spin over Rio, trapping the man in a prism of light. At the same time, Jaakuna’s gathered mist fired in the form of a stream of fire.

“Holy Hellfiraja!” He shouted, the light from his swords and the fire from his mist combining as Rio was trapped inside a combustible prism of magick, it soon imploding and exploding.

---

Wesley had to admit that the fights raging on in the library was just a tad overwhelming. No matter where he turned his senses, he felt the colliding forces of good and evil mist. Whether it was the chaotic signature that Jaakuna’s magicks had the tendency to produce or Nadeline’s more refined magicks, it was like a game of Dalmascan Ping-Pong. Back and forth he looked and everywhere he was returned with an even dose of Rio’s putrid mist. He couldn’t make heads or tails of it, honestly.

And yet, amongst it, he sensed something...familiar. He couldn’t explain it, but somewhere in the distance, Wesley had gotten a whiff of the air that set off a memory that he had sensed this mist before. “How peculiar,” Wesley noted aloud as he and Grant traveled through the library on their Espers.

Grant’s eyes flickered to Wesley, the prince raising an eyebrow at his friend. “What is it?” He asked him.

“Do you sense that in the air, Grant?”

Frowning slightly, Grant tried to see what it was that Wesley spoke of. All he could feel were the verberating magicks of Jaakuna and Rio, though as they moved, he definitely sensed Nadeline’s magicks. “Am I missing something?” He figured he may as well as him outright.

The Dalmascan King frowned slightly. “Try and concentrate, my friend. Look at what else is there. It’s faint but doesn’t it seem familiar to you?”

It was likely due to noticing the lack of Savayna’s presence that Grant wasn’t entirely sure what Wesley was trying to get at. Concentrating for a moment, he made sure to discern the different types of Mist singing through the air of the Utena headquarters. Once he found what Wesley was speaking of, he looked at Wesley once more. “They’ve returned?” He murmured. “That...can't be good.”

Wesley nodded, the same worry that was clearly in Grant’s voice had spread into his body, producing similar concerns for him. “Let us hurry, Grant! Nadeline cannot hold off her foe that much longer -not in her weakened state!” Wesley urged them to make haste, Hashmal appearing to be waiting for the Humes to agree before running forth.

Furrowing his brow, his expression lifted slightly as he let out a slight yelp of surprise as Zeromus would follow Hashmaal’s lead.

[Hero]

The literal explosion of Jaakuna's attack shook the walls, the remnants of any unfortunate books burnt. Emiri threw up a barrier around her and Shion, and as Jaakuna's magicks slammed against it, she found it to be a miracle it didn't shatter on impact. As the lightshow died down, Emiri gasped as she realized nearly everything was on fire. The ethereal flames produced from Jaakuna lingered somewhat, litterring the walls and floors. Emiri's eyes widened as she realized Jaakuna had essentially leveled the area around Rio, with the target himself on the floor. As she moved forward, Shion extended her arm to stop her, shaking her head. "Not yet," She stated, narrowing her eyes. "But he'll know now that he has met his superior." She stated, smirking lightly.

Slowly getting to his feet, Rio dusted himself off with a flourish. As he moved forward, his hand reached up to his exposed shoulder, the skin beneath feeling off. Looking down at it, he realized Jaakuna's magicks had left quite the mark. His corporeal body was actually affected by his power. Alarm zapped through Rio's expression for a moment, though he Scoffing lightly, he brushed the air above it off, restoring a small part of his armor. The Transcendent was certainly proving to be something of a nuisance. Rio had falsely assumed they were on even ground, but as things stood, Jaakuna had the advantage. Rubbing his chin, his blue eyes studied Jaakuna for a moment as he moved forward. He supposed he may as well push up his plans, lest he lose the hidden advantage he still had. "Not bad," He admitted, opening up his palm and summoning a dark flame. "My turn." He grinned, dropping the flame to the floor. It erupted, consuming the pair in a dome of pitch black darkness. From within, multiple shadow replicas of Rio each with sword in hand crawled from the darkness, each one dashing at Jaakuna.

Any of the swords that Jaakuna would dodge would zip out of the dome, and Shion and Emiri both jumped out of the way as the shadow rammed into the wall behind them. It dissipated shortly afterwards, but before Emiri could breathe, another came at them. Holding out her hand, the shadow collided with her Reflect and shattered it, forcing Emiri to take a step back. The shadow jumped back, though rather than charge, instead it held its sword like a javelin, transforming itself into Rio's actual sword, and it would throw it at Emiri. Shion threw up a barrier, but to her surprise and Emiri's, the sword sliced right through it. Her breath got caught in her throat as Rio's sword was plunged into Emiri's chest, the brunette's eyes wide with shock, and she fell back.

"Emiri!" Shion gasped, managing to catch the girl before she hit the ground. Rio's sword pulsed as she took a hold of it, and she felt her skin burning. Emiri winced, struggling to breathe as she felt the blade pull on her mist reserves. "Shit!" She cursed, having to put Emiri down so she could grab the handle with both hands.

---

Throwing herself behind a rack, Nadeline brought her free hand over her head as several weapons came raining down. As soon as the noise died down, she pushed herself back to her feet, breaking into a sprint as the vines continued to chase her. Reinforcing the barrier around Savayna and the Zodiac Spear, the princess skidded to a halt, kicking off a wall to get some slight altitude as she brought the Staff of the Magi over her head. As she came down, she slammed it onto the ground, the ensuing flames virtually destroying the rest of Ren's vines. The brown haired girl was unaffected, running along the wall to avoid Nadeline's fire. Snapping her fingers, the staff transformed back into her rapier in time for Ren to swipe her wazikashi at her. A few strans of Nadeline's hair fell as she dodged, though Nadeline herself charged forward, their weapons colliding in fast jabs and bouncing off one another repeatedly.

"You're slowing down, High Seraph." Ren said, watching Nadeline's efforts with much amusement. "Is this your limit?"

Gritting her teeth slightly, Nadeline held her ground, though she pushed her next attack, causing Ren to stumble slightly. Seizing the chance, she charged her rapier with holy magicks, and as she thrust forward, she managed to stab Ren's arm. Instead of backing off, however, the girl grinned maliciously, stabbing Nadeline's shoulder in return. The princess continued however, her Holy surging through her weapon and blasting Ren away. Falling down to one knee, her weapon fell to the ground as she gripped her shoulder, blood running freely. You need to get back on the defensive. The more time passes, the weaker you become, Ultima warned her, much to her dismay. Picking up her rapier, she forced herself to stand as she watched Ren get back to her feet, watching the girl stagger slightly. Her blow had been effective, but with her injury Nadeline no longer had the means to follow it up. As darkness seeped from Ren, Nadeline prepared herself and closed her eyes, a rapid chant whispered as Ren charged forward once again.

Stabbing her rapier into the ground, a brilliant light formed another protective barrier, and Ren's attack was halted. Rather than back away, however, she continued to slash at the barrier relentlessly. Sinking slowly to her knees, the princess used the rapier to keep herself up, eyeing Ren's attacks warily. She wasn't going to get past this anytime soon, so she simply needed to hold out for Wesley and Grant to arrive. Exhaling slowly, she released her rapier, her good arm fumbling through her bag. No more Ethers, though she did have a Hi-Potion left. Letting out a small sigh, she drank it in its entirety, though as she finished, a scratching sound surprised her. Ren's blade was somehow beginning to pierce through her barrier. But how?!

Once the barrier was ripped apart, Ren calmly walked over to Nadeline as she made the attempt to get away. "If only your magicks hadn't been wasted on The Corrupt, surely you would have lasted longer," She commented, her vines taking Nadeline by her wrists and lifting her off her feet. "But I digress. My master will take care of the Transcendent and the Scion of Time. I will get rid of you and the rest." Her eyes wandered over to Savayna. Nadeline's magicks remained strong, the protection much more formidable than the barrier she had used earlier. "Your skills are truly something to behold. But every spell has the same weakness--" She placed a hand on Nadeline's forehead, and the princess gasped as her already low mist began to get drained from her. "There can be no magicks without mist." Her body became weaker by the second, the inscriptions around her protective spell illuminating and beginning to unravel. No! Struggling against her binds, Nadeline found her strength leaving her entirely, weariness and fatigue taking over in rapid succession. The protection around Savayna and the spear dissipated into the air, and Ren lifted her hand off a barely conscious Nadeline. Ren smiled gently at her, using her blade to lift the princess' chin up. "You did well. Rest easy knowing you fought with valor."

[AlteredTundra]

In the span of just a few, long moments, Jaakuna had experienced an all-time high after he saw that his diversion worked long enough to seriously damage Rio. Even someone as frequently ignorant like Jaakuna Darcone saw as clear as day that his purifying fire and Shion’s Light dealt a major blow to the artist formerly known as The Creature. It was a proud moment that he owed everything to Shion and Belias. However, just as he was feeling proud of himself and wanting to take a moment to bask in his own glory, the blond soon noticed that not everything was as it appeared to be.

Stand ready. He comes. Belias had warned Jaakuna, but nothing could warn him for the gut-wrenching pain that was his beloved getting shot through the heart. And Jaakuna, despite his overwhelming power, was to blame because he could not stop the copy of Rio that hurled a sword straight for Emiri - not even Shion could stop the cruel act with her impromptu barrier.

As Jaakuna was about to rush over to her side, knowing full well that his elevated powers could get her out of the dire situation Rio has created for her, he was blocked by the lack of light within the dome of darkness that Rio created previously. In addition to that, every time that Jaakuna tried to move an inch, he felt the touch of dark magicks block him. If it wasn’t for enhanced senses, he would be blind in this darkness. It was thanks to Shion’s Light that Jaakuna was able to anticipate the attacks of the shadow clones. When they came at him, he dodged, parried, and counterattacked. And as well as it was going for him, it seemed endless

"You'll pay for that!"

And so Jaakuna decided to create an opportunity from within the dome itself. Building it from his hands and deep into his body, Jaakuna suddenly was radiating a bright light around him -almost like a mild aura that illuminated parts of the dome. At that moment, the blond prince saw where the shadows were and with several, precise strikes from his twin swords, Jaakuna vanquished them all and would turn his attention on Rio. His love for Emiri lit a fire inside his belly and with rage being his main motivator, Jaakuna pounced. His swords shot forth two streams of Firaja while he zipped through each stream, using his new-found ability of Fire Teleportation, when the fire would near Rio’s body, Jaakuna appeared above the man. Within seconds, Jaakuna kicked into the fire with a flarega-infused fist, exploding on impact while also giving Rio a first-hand account of the Firaja streams and how painful it would be.

---

It wasn’t long at all when Wesley and Grant had arrived where Nadeline was in the process of getting knocked left and right by what appeared to be Ren. He nor Grant had the time to question why, of all people, Ren was attacking Nadeline. The only thing that the two men had on their minds was making sure she wouldn’t harm the blonde princess any further. And at the moment that Ren went to deliver was could only be surmised as a final strike, Wesley and Hashmal prepared to intervene, but something got in their way.

“What the--”

A portal of various colors appeared before the two and as they went to strike, the two men, as well as their espers, were teleported above them. It was then that Wesley noticed something was off. Not only were they above Ren and Nadeline, but it seemed there was some kind of force that was prohibiting them to move. One thing that the Dalmascan King noticed was that the force keeping them at bay was stronger than anything Wesley had ever experienced.

“Grant! We’re stuck up here!” Wesley said, trying his best to break free of the invisible prison that he and Grant and their Espers were in.

As he could do nothing but look on, Wesley’s heart was pounding a million beats per second as he saw Ren aim her sword high and poised it to strike fast. Tear flew from his eyes and the worst thing imaginable crossed his mind. He closed his eyes. Wesley couldn’t bear to witness the end of his love in front of his very eyes.

“Wesley, it is not over. Open your eyes,” Hashmal suggested.

And so he did. To his surprise - and likely even more surprised, Grant - the sight of an unlikely group of four people appeared before them, blocking young possessed Ren’s attack. Wesley saw Michel was among them. The other one, of course, was Ivy, the one who caused many troubling comments for Michel and his girlfriend, Meli. But to his surprise, along with Meli, Wesley didn’t believe it at first, but with them was…

“Miss me Grant darling?” Leviathan blew a kiss at Grant, her bare hand stopping the attack of Ren. She smirked as it seemed Michel, Ivy, and Meli were pretty content with the current situation at hand.

“My apologies, Nadeline. We were fooled into thinking the waystone we took would lead us to you. In actuality, it led us straight to Venat’s stronghold. But fret not, it wasn’t all bad. We’ve discovered something crucial to--”

Levi hissed, urging Michel to shut up. “Now is not the time, Michelangelo. We have to deal with this one.” Briefly, Levi looked up. “My apologies, King Wesley and Princey-Poo. Your attack would have caught Nadeline in the crosshairs. Plus, Little Ren here isn’t exactly someone who is in her right mind.” Levi hummed, a dark energy surrounding her hand, dissolving the sword that Ren had in her hand and forcing the girl back about five paces. And as soon as she did that, Levi snapped her fingers, dissolving the barrier that kept Wesley and Grant suspended in the air.

Wesley and company dropped to the floor and he couldn’t shake this uneasy feeling of Levi’s presence. “While I appreciate the assistance, what is this about, Levi? Why are you here?”

Ivy looked between the two, snickering to herself, yet she said nothing about what was really going to happen.

“All in good time. First thing’s first! We have to cleanse this one here,” Levi said, her palm radiating with a dark, yet non-evil, magick. As she would be covered in purple energy, from a small portal to her right, a little serpent-like creature crawled up her body, latching itself around her neck. “Zodiark: Cleansega!” She commanded, a fierce scream came from the little snake and froze Ren in her place.

[Hero]

That too-familiar burning sensation returned with a vengeance, her body trying and failing to respond. Emiri's mind was completely blank, the pain robbing her of any sort of thought. She could see Shion above her, saying something, but her voice sounded so far away. She should have reacted faster, but the shock of Rio's sword piercing through the barrier had paralyzed her. And now she paid the price, lying on the ground, bleeding profusely, and likely to die. Her instinct told her to remove the sword, but she couldn't so much as lift her arms. She couldn't move, she couldn't think, she couldn't breathe.

You've always watched his back, and at one point, he doesn't need you anymore. You realize that you can't really catch up to him, can you?

Rio's voice rang in her head as clear as day, piercing through the pain. Why? Why was she thinking about that now? Because Jaakuna was fighting Rio on even ground and she got taken out with one attack? It sucked, yes, but the situation was out of her hands. He was chosen. Literally. And she was...

It's not his fault, you know this. But deep down, deep, deep down, you harbor a feeling of resentment.

That's not true. She could never bring herself to hate Jaakuna. He didn't ask for this. He didn't ask for any of this, and she of all people knew that feeling all too well. There was just no way she could harbor any ill will towards him. It didn't make sense. She couldn't possibly be so hypocritical...

If only you had more power...what you have now should have been the pinnacle, but it isn't enough, is it?

The last question rung in her head multiple times, and it was as if time itself had slowed down. No, everything was still. But how? She hadn't stopped it, did she? For some reason, while everything was stopped, she had the energy to move. Gripping the sword, she slowly began to pull it out. The searing pain threatened to rob her of whatever energy she had, but she knew it was doing more harm staying in. As soon as she thought she was free, a hand took a hold of the hilt, pulling it out of her. No longer did she feel like her lungs were on fire, but the wound still throbbed fiercely. She could feel the puddle of blood beneath her, and she closed her eyes for a second, opening them to see a dark haired man standing above her.

"Keiran?" She asked, surprised. He knelt down, and as he got closer, she realized it was Rio.

His gentle expression was unsettling, almost loving as he touched her cheek, his hand tracing her jaw and lowering down her neck and onto her chest. Her hand stopped his, though he tenderly pried it off. "You don't want me to help?" He asked her curiously, his blue eyes staring down her violet ones.

What kind of half-assed joke was that? "You're the one that did this," She reminded him, wincing slightly as he lifted her up.

He didn't deny it, pressing his hand onto her chest. She let out a slight gasp as a stinging pain surged through her at his touch. His hand glowed somewhat ominously, and every instinct she had told her she needed to get away from him. She tried to stop him, though she winced as he lifted her closer to him, his face a little too close for comfort. He was examining her features, his gaze a mixture of curiosity and appreciation. "He chose well. Your beauty is truly unparalleled--that silk hides the steel of a warrior," He told her soothingly, his hand raising her chin up slightly. "It's hard to look away from those eyes of yours. That being said--"

"--stay with me!"

Huh?

Emiri blinked a few times, the scene around her completely changed. Rio was gone, the darkness she felt emanating from him having completely disappeared. Shion was above her, her hands hovering slightly as her white magicks made an attempt to heal her wound. Time marched forward once more, though she couldn't recall where Rio meant or the end of his sentence. The confusion settled as pain returned, and Emiri visibly winced once again. She could see Rio's sword slowly fading away, melting into the ground, and a burst of light let her know that Jaakuna and Rio were still fighting. Her mind couldn't piece together where Rio went or how time had resumed, and she temporarily resigned herself as she placed a hand on Shion's, signaling her to stop.

Without his sword impeding her, Emiri was able to reverse the damage rather easily. She let out a sigh of relief, taking a deep breath to steady herself. Sitting up slowly, she looked up in time for Jaakuna's flames to break through Rio's dome. The dark haired man looked rather amused, though as he stepped forward, he suddenly clutched his chest, staggering slightly. Emiri put her hand to her chest, looking towards the direction of the library.

"Tch, so the snake decides to show up..." Rio muttered, narrowing his eyes.

---

Grant managed to catch Nadeline, holding her steady as Levi did...what Levi does. He really hated her insistence on going out of her way to make him as uncomfortable as possible, but as her actions had saved Nadeline, he wasn't in a place to protest. Carefully settling the princess down, he watched her expression carefully. Her injury didn't look too bad, though he was pretty sure she was likely to be out of the rest of the fight. Despite having seen better days, she clutched her shoulder, a small burst of white magicks coming forth and healing her injury. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself, watching Nadeline look at him and Wesley.

"You're late," She murmured.

"Forgive us," Grant replied, though he looked up as Levi seemingly cleansed Ren. The poor girl fell onto the ground, unconscious, the darkness within evaporating into the air. How the hell was Levi able to do that? He eyed her, somewhat suspicious, though his eyes landed on the unconscious Savayna. "What happened here?"

"Oh, the usual...Jaakuna's recklessness causing a ruckus," She managed to smile as he helped her sit up, though she didn't seem to be able to stand. "Savayna was affected, but I did manage to cleanse her."

[AlteredTundra]

As the onslaught of his firaja streams broke through the darkness of Rio’s dome of darkness, Jaakuna was pleased to not only see that his attack had worked in the best of ways, but when he glanced over at Emiri, she wasn’t in as much pain as he remembered. That one sight of her being pierced by one of Rio’s swords caught him off-guard, so he was thankful for Shion’s assistance (or so he assumed it was her assistance that helped Emiri). Whatever the case, he could return to finally putting the final nail in Rio’s coffin once and for all

The Archadian Prince was about to throw all he had into one final offense until he felt Belias tug at him from within, stopping the blond where he stood. “What?”

He stops. Something isn’t right.

It took Jaakuna just a moment to realize exactly what it was Belias was referring to. The batch of familiar mist signatures came at him like a ton of bricks. He knew who that was without even thinking about it. “What’s Levi doing here?”

She did not come alone.

When Jaakuna questioned what Belias was referring to, he sensed something approaching the Utena headquarters, but he couldn’t tell where it was coming from. He caught several mist signatures approach. “Three, four - how many are coming?” Jaakuna murmured, unsure what was happening exactly.

And as the moment would pass, Jaakuna would get his answer. From a portal high above, the sounds of magick being shot out of it covered the immediate view above, lightning of various colors, pure, purple energy, and shots of non-elemental bullets suddenly became a rain of mist, all directed at Rio, which it likely took him by surprise. The next thing Jaakuna knew was smoke had gathered, sending him back as well, skidding just mere feet away from Emiri and Shion.

”Wait--what was that?”

“WAAAAHOOOOOOOOO!”

The cloud of smoke caused by various forms of magick started to clear. And to his shock, Jaakuna saw four familiar faces - well, five. “Well fuck me, what on Ivalice are you guys doing here?”

Indeed, when the smoke cleared, there stood Dominic, Shinto, Lannit, and Isaiah with his Esper, Adrammelech. Dom stood behind them, Shinto had his gun raised and a cigarette in his mouth, Isaiah was in his Judge Magister armor with his sword emitting a golden static electricity, Lannit stood next to Isaiah with his Needle Gun, and The Wroth was hovering over them, letting out a proud roar.

“We’ve come to help you out,” Isaiah stated, earning a ‘dude!’ from Dominic.

“I appreciate the help, but why come now?”

“Things are not good around Ivalice.”

“What do you mean?”

---

“As always, the princess simplifies the issue at hand,” Levi stated, scoffing at Nadeline.

Wesley was slow on the uptake, it seemed. He was sure he would be the one to catch his beloved. Surprisingly, Grant beat him to the punch. That would be something he’d he to repay his friend for later. For now, however, Wesley would simply focus his energy on what was most important - such as what was happening in front of him at this very moment. Ren, the shy assassin from before, had appeared to be possessed by Rio, but based off what he also saw in front of him, of all people, the Esper, Zodiark was in the process of making sure that was no longer a problem.

“If you don’t mind me asking, Levi, but what exactly is it that you’re doing here? I recognize you have your reasons, but is the situation so dire that it requires your...particular set of skills?”

Levi glanced towards Wesley, smiling. She returned her eyes to the now-unconscious Ren. “You lot have no idea what’s been happening outside, do you?”

“Should we?”

Michel coughed, “Lady Leviathan, if I may..”

Levi nodded, shrugging. To Michel, that was her giving him the go-ahead.

“While you and your band of Transcendents have been dealing with The Creature - better known as Rio Carona - things around Ivalice have taken a turn for the worse. What was previously a containable incident with the corrupting forces from Rio and the monsters around Ivalice just becoming slightly stronger, It’s a war zone out there. Everywhere from the Imperial and Royal capitals to the various wildlife areas of Ivalice have been overrun by these creatures of pure darkness. It’s become such a terrible ordeal that the three great kingdoms have come together to battle the common enemy.”

If he was being honest, Wesley wasn’t sure how what has happened here had any effect on what was happening throughout Ivalice. “I thought the Utena Headquarters protected Ivalice? Or was I mistaken?”

“Lady Shion has ensured that wards were laid around our home, yes, but they were destroyed when Jackson and Rio decided to go all out. I’m afraid, if this keeps up, the Ivalice we knew will be no more.” Michel stated rather grimly.

“We have to stop the fight, then!”

Just as Wesley was about to head back, a wall of black stopped him. “You will do no such thing,” Levi declared, turning around with a hand on her hips.

“If we do not stop them--”

“You didn’t let Michelangelo finish. Yes, he said things topside are bad, but what he didn’t say - what I’m sure he’s beating himself over with - is that measures have been taken to ensure that this issue will be temporarily taken care of while Jaakuna handles Rio,” Levi informed him, assuring Wesley there was nothing to worry about. “And if it makes you feel any better, my being here isn’t just about what’s happening around our homes.”

Wesley raised an eyebrow, curious about what she meant by that.

“You, me, and the Princess should have a talk. Alone.” She gestured Nadeline and Wesley to follow her, waving her arm, causing Zodiark’s eyes to flash. They were suddenly surrounded by slate gray smoke, separating them from Grant and Savayna.

[Hero]

The princess watched the darkness surround them, though she was less than pleased to be separated from Grant, who had been supporting her. She threw Levi a look as she slowly got to her feet, lightly dusting her dress off. As much as she didn’t feel up to...whatever the hell it was Levi wanted, she would entertain the snake. Slowly walking towards Wesley, she stood next to him and raised her chin at Levi. Weakness be damned, she needed to be composed.

“You have our attention,” Nadeline informed Levi, her look somewhat cold.

“Aw, don’t look at me like this, Princess--or is it queen now?” Levi mused, humming curiously at the two.

Despite it contrary to her nature, Nadeline couldn’t help but smirk lightly. “Indeed. Heir included,” She admitted, crossing her arms firmly. “And we have already done as told. Won’t you hold up your end of the bargain, or is this the part where you try to hide the obvious knife behind your back?”

Safe to say that Levi was genuinely surprised when she heard the news that Nadeline was currently pregnant with Wesley’s child. “Now this I didn’t know. Truly, you two continue to amuse me further,” she let out a laugh, settling it into a satisfied smile. Soon, her blue eyes that were clouded with a deep brown eye-shadow fell upon the happy couple who were expecting.

“I must echo my wife-to-be. While we have no problems conversing with you, perhaps it would benefit all of us if you were to tell us exactly why you wanted to speak to us privately?” Wesley asked.

“Always one to eloquently get right to the point. Very well, King Wesley,” Levi smiled, walking up to the couple. She reached inside her blouse and pulled out a familiar ring that Wesley recognized almost immediately.

“That wouldn’t be..”

“Yes, it is. This is the ring I was given to by your Uncle Clyde,” she revealed, “I’ve been holding onto it since Balfonheim.”

Clyde. Nadeline shuddered slightly, uncrossing her arms as she tried to shake off the unpleasant memory. Eyeing Levi warily, she placed one hand on her hip as she tried to remember the significance of the ring. If it was formerly Clyde’s, that meant it was Wesley’s. Just remembering the fate of Clyde made her sick, however, so instead, she decided to get to it. “Have you now?” She asked.

“Did you hear me stutter?” Levi rolled her eyes at Nadeline. For someone who was raised with a royal education, she sure did prove the blonde stereotype. “But let me not get sidetracked. Yes, this is the ring that my poor deceased husband gave to me,” she feigned the expression of despair, dramatically sighing.

“Leviathan, if you could spare us the dramatics, quickly get to the point of this private meeting.” While Wesley was typically calm, he was growing impatient. Just the mention of his Uncle Clyde and how he met his demise brought a deep anger from within him out. Thankfully he was raised not to lose his temper like Jaakuna did.

That brought out a laugh from Levi, curling it once more into a smile. “Fine. I have more than just returning this to your family, Wesley, as being the reason for this meeting. Truth be told, this ring has been passed down the Dalmascan royal line from mother to son; father to daughter, and so on and so forth.”

Wesley nodded, knowing it all too well.

“And it also happens to be how I was able to cleanse that young girl, Ren,” she revealed, sighing, “this ring - the Ring of Purity - is why I am here,” she informed the couple, looking to Nadeline. “Tell me, little princess, have you been experiencing abnormalities since finding out you are carrying Wesley’s child?”

Abnormalities? What? Now the princess was actually offended. “No,” She replied curtly.

“I suppose I’m not surprised. Someone so dense as you wouldn’t notice such a subtle change,” Levi chastised Nadeline, laughing.

Putting her hands on her stomach somewhat defensively, Nadeline scowled at Levi. If this was a joke, she wasn’t finding the humor in it. Her eyes went to Wesley first, though she returned her gaze towards Levi somewhat hesitantly. “If you’re not going to go on with it, I see no point in this little gathering,” She snapped.

”Well, if you would try a little patience and simply feel it within yourself, Naddie, you would see that I have,” she stated, annoyed, ”but if you want me to spell it out for you, then I will. As I’m sure Ultima has felt, your power is growing. This fatigue you feel is actually the catalyst within you starting to break free. The Ring of Purity will intensify that. With what’s happening around Ivalice, your light will shine the brightest.” Levi took Nadeline’s hand, handing her the ring and closing it. “I trust you will know when the right time to put it on is. Hopefully, for our sake, it won’t be when everything has gone to the void.”

Nadeline stared at Levi somewhat intensely, deciphering her words carefully. It reminded her of the protective spell she had once conjured in Rabanastre, and she assumed that was what Levi wanted. But...why? As she clenched her hand a little tighter, the smooth metal cool between her skin, she eyed the snake woman warily. “What a convenient solution,” She stated firmly. “Though I fail to see why this has to be such a secret, nor can I understand your stake in all this.”

“You never know who might be listening, Princess,” Levi stated.

Wesley noticed that she actually appearing worried, which wasn’t like her at all. Levi was usually so confident and sure of herself. “You didn’t answer her: what is your investment here, Leviathan?”

“No matter which side of the spectrum we may fall under, we have one common enemy, Your Majesty.”

Wesley thought about it for a moment. “The Creature.”

“Yes. Rio is such a being that not even my master Venat could defeat on his own. This is why, as much as I hate it like I’m sure you two hate it, we must work together. Admittedly, my part is very small, but you six seem to have the right ingredients to possibly end this for good.” She revealed something quite shocking that had Wesley at a loss for words.

Raising her eyebrow, Nadeline examined the ring as she contemplated her words. Of course, Venat would create something that surpassed his power, but she was misunderstood. She knew they had a common enemy, what she couldn’t understand was Levi’s stake in it. Her constantly bouncing loyalty left Nadeline extremely wary; for all she knew, the ring was a trap. It was nice to know her own power was slowly awakening, but it would’ve been nice to hear from her own Esper. Ultima gave no words, neither confirming nor denying Levi, so the princess had little choice but to believe.

“Alright then, I shall take this burden, ” She finally responded. “And once the Creature is vanquished…”

“Yes? Don’t leave us in suspense, Naddie. Do tell the rest of the class!”

“Then we turn our attention to your master. Or do you think a good deed or two compares to the atrocities your group has committed?” Nadeline returned her sarcasm.

Levi couldn’t help but smile at the darling princess. If there was one thing that could be said about her, it was this: she said what was on her mind. Levi respected that about her. “I did what I needed to do to ensure my own survival. Plus, now that I have what I want,” she rubbed the top of Zodiark’s head, “what you and your band of idiots do is of no concern to me. As far as my master is concerned - which, I am sure is where your head is at right now - you needn’t worry about him,” she assured the princess.

She wasn’t born yesterday, nor would she take Levi’s words seriously. Regardless, she wasn’t going to argue with her. Instead, she looked at Wesley, wondering what he thought of her words.

There was no chance in the underworld that Wesley trusted Levi - especially not after everything she has done to him and his friends. Of course, things were far more complicated than anyone could’ve predicted. “Let it be known that I do not trust you, Leviathan.”

“As you shouldn’t.”

“And while I would like nothing more than to see you pay for all that you’ve brought upon us and those who are close to us, I also can see that the times we are in call for unsavory alliances. I do accept that we should focus on the common enemy,” he admitted, holding Nadeline’s hand.

She squeezed his hand in hers, nodding in agreement. Unfortunately, he was right. Letting out a sigh, she looked at Levi once again. “Anything else?”

Closing her eyes, Levi just snapped her fingers. As she did, Zodiark’s eyes flashed, dissolving the smoke barrier as it was sucked back into the tiny Esper’s body; and with that short action completed, they were once again reunited with Grant, Michel, Ivy, and unconscious Savayna and Ren. “You can have them back, sweetheart,” Levi blew a kiss towards Grant.

Grant grimaced at Levi, though he turned his attention back to Savayna. She didn't seem hurt, but she wasn't waking up, either. Just as he thought to ask Nadeline, the princess knelt down next to him and motioned towards the Zodiac Spear nearby. "It was a trap, one we fell for," She explained, sighing slightly. "I'm sure she will awaken soon."

---

The arrival of the four didn't seem to surprise Shion in the slightest, the woman perfectly composed. Emiri slowly got to her feet, unable to hide her own surprise at the cavalry, though her chest felt sore. Despite the wound being healed completely, the effects lingered somewhat, but she pushed the pain aside. She eyed Shion, who wore an expressionless mask, though as she looked at Adramalech, her heart ached slightly for Chaos. Moving forward, she was surprised when Shion stopped her. The blue haired woman motioned towards the spot where their magicks had collided with Rio, and Emiri's eyes widened slightly as she realized Rio was staggering slightly. He was hurt! How? Squinting slightly, she noticed several burn marks on his skin, wincing slightly as she realized they were probably painful. Whatever Jaakuna had done had an effect on him.

Rio looked up to the newly formed crowd, somewhat amused as he straightened himself slightly. "Changing dance partners, are we? And here I thought we were having fun," He told Jaakuna, though as he spoke, a spec of red rolled down his face, and Emiri audibly gasped. Blood? So Rio hadn't completely forsaken his body after all? Rio's fingertips brushed his cut, a small smile on his face. "So it worked, did it?" His voice was low, almost as if he was talking to himself, but he seemed pleased. Why? Rio rolled his shoulders, his eyes wandering through the crowd, though the brunette could have sworn he was eyeing her, if only for a moment before locking eyes onto Jaakuna.

Shion narrowed her eyes on Rio for a moment, noticing his look. "Your body fails you, Rio," She announced, smirking. "You underestimated his power."

"Underestimate? Nah..." He rubbed his fingers together, watching the blood on his hand for a moment. "I've already taken the steps needed to assure my victory...you could say I've already won."

[AlteredTundra]

In a blanket of blackness, she floated for what seemed like hours - days, even. Thoughts raced around her mind, shifting from how she got here, when she got here, why she was here in the first place, and what were the sounds she heard every so often. The muffled sounds of voices that seemed familiar left her in a daze of confusion and had her literally swimming in her own river of notions long forgotten. Racing through her mind over and over again was her life. A little girl in a small village with dreams that, after struggling through every inch of snow that surrounded her, crawling through every crevice of her terrible upbringing, and achieving the position of power that she so longed as a child - everything came crashing down when she let the darkness invade her.

These were the things that her mind kept thinking about and these were the things that kept her from returning to what she had known to be the reality. Every minute did seem like an eternity and the voice of those she knew faded until a point came in time that she started hearing them again, but they were not of those whom she loved and cared for; instead they were of him, blanketing her in a suffocating grasp as she struggled to reclaim her consciousness. Every word spewed towards her way was like a venom slowing seeping into the smallest cut, poisoning her mind and by extension, her soul.

She lost count how many times this voice tried to turn her against herself. She lost count how long she been here, but every day, it seemed like the willpower from within was getting lower and lower, creating a hole in her that allowed him to crawl into. If she was her former self, then perhaps she could fight him off, but no one fought off this monster. He went into you, created a home for himself, and slowly drained away what remained of your inner-light.

“I can feel you slipping. It’s only a matter of time before you give into it. Forsake everything and join me. We can help each other and maybe, you might return to him.” That same voice from before - the same one that had been gnawing at her for what felt like forever.

Savayna rolled her eyes, keeping them on what she saw above her. The sky was no longer hazy nor misty nor clear. Something about it soothed her, however. She didn’t know what day it was; she lost count after a thousand or so. “Just..go away,” she replied, annoyed. She just wanted it to be over.

“I know you don’t mean that. Accept it and you will return to how you were before. Come on, Savayna! What do you say? I bet you want to see Grant again.”

She couldn’t deny how right he was about that. It did feel as though she hadn’t seen him in a really long time. Savayna’s heart still remembered how it felt about him. She remembered the touch of his arm on her skin and how good it made her feel. The way his protective hands felt over her and how everything seemed okay when he was by her side and she was by his - all of it came back to her when she heard his name, yet it didn’t make any difference. She had no way of getting out of here nor did she want to accept this monster’s help to see him again.

“I know who you are and what your help will bring. Count me out.”

She heard the sound of a disappointed whine echo through her head. “Well, you’re no fun. And here I thought you wanted to see Grant again. Or perhaps who you really want to see is Jaakuna?”

“You’re dreaming if you think that’s who I want to see.”

“So it is Grant?”

She said nothing, but she knew he was right. Damn it, she knew it and she hated it - but no! Savayna wasn’t that weak anymore. And even if she was, she wasn’t so weak that she would accept the help of someone she despised more than Atticus. “Just fuck off already.”

She then heard a sigh, followed by a loud screeching sound. “I was hoping we could do this willingly, but it seems you aren’t going to accept me into your heart So, don’t hold it against me, but this is for your own good, Savayna.”

She didn’t know what he meant by that, but as soon as Savayna suddenly felt the lack of his presence within herself, she soon saw the blanket of darkness around her growing to such a degree that she didn’t see anything but pitch blackness. Then, as she would see images of all of her life’s memories - the village she grew up in, the time she spent growing up with the Darcones, becoming general of the Archadian Army, marrying and divorcing Jaakuna - every little thing in her life flashed before her eyes as if she re-lived all in real time. All of the emotions from every major event in her life came to her all at the same time.

And then, as she rose up from a seated position, Savayna screamed as loud as she could, looking around. For a moment, she had no idea where she was until she looked around. It was starting to come back to her: the library, the people in it - she was back.

“Savayna!” Wesley exclaimed, alerted immediately to where she sat just ten paces away as he and the others heard her ear-pounding scream. “Grant! Nadeline! She’s awake!”

---

Amid the surprise and shock of what Isaiah and the others told him, Jaakuna knew he had to focus on more than just Rio. He had to finish the man right here and now so that he and the others could do damage control topside, but Rio wasn’t making it easy. The way he spoke made Jaakuna suspicious. Either he was talking out of his ass or something that had flown way over his head happened.

“No. It ends now!” Jaakuna declared, exploding towards Rio’s way. His arms became engulfed in rotating fire as he was guided by his rage and resolve to end Rio right here, right now. He came at him in spiraling action, his body rotating to where he was like a spinning inferno aimed at the source of all evil. It burned hotter than the fires of the underworld and was laced with the fires of the heavens. Jaakuna would either miss or make a direct hit with Rio’s already-failing body