Hero

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

As Nadeline skidded back to a halt, she readied herself for the incoming attack. So the orbs were indeed his choice of 'weapon', though admittedly they were more durable than she would have hoped. Her eyes widened as the spear was formed, and she took a step back. The shape looked oddly familiar, like something she had read about once, but that wasn't nearly as important as when one would lunge at her. No, that wasn't right--they all did! Focus, will you?! Ultima groaned, though Nadeline seemed to beat her to the punch, a Protect swirling around her and parrying the spear's attack. As the spell would begin to crack, she took in a deep breath, trying to decide what to do next.

Letting the Protect fade, she decided to go on the offensive once more,a glyph appearing both underneath and above Zodiark. "Scourge!" She called as the spell around go off, effectively channeling itself between the two glyphs.

---

Emiri clucked her tongue, annoyed. He seemed content in keeping contact with her, though he did surprise her as he would catch her kick. His flames sent an alarm, though she couldn't help but chuckle. "What makes you think that would work?" She chastised him, though he ended up making her eat those words as he would slam her to the ground. It hurt a little more than she would have liked to admit, though his flames would catch her attention.

---

As the pair would clash blades, Emiri noticed the crystals around them brightening somewhat. It was brief, but it almost looked like fire was dancing in them. Keiran noticed as well, gripping his sword, though he would lunge at her. Emiri sidestepped his swing, turning and deciding to knee him. As he fell, she kicked him away, holding out her left hand as Chaos' seal appeared. She recognized that fire anywhere--it must have been Jaakuna, though judging by the influence Belias seemed to be helping him out.

"I didn't think you had any fight left in you," Keiran admitted as he would pick himself up, eyeing the flames around them. "Would you look at that...Darcone going straight to the root of the problem. And you look like you've picked up a little trick. What, does Chaos finally realize he's nothing without his vessel?"

Another sword formed, and Emiri would release them both, letting them float around her as she summoned another pair. "He did. Now that I'm not alone, I'll win, and make sure I regain control!" She sent the two floating swords at him, physically attacking with the other two, leaving him to fend off four attacks at once.

---

Emiri froze in place, gripping her head. She let out a cry of pain, a darkness permeating from her. "What...what's happening...?!" She seemed confused, though as her eyes would flash, she seemed to lash out instead of yielding. Grabbing her sword, she swung at Jaakuna, though immediately afterwards, she fell to her knees, a hand to her head. "H-How...?! How are you doing this?!" She yelled, standing up and attacking Jaakuna in a frenzy.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

As Nadeline brandished her rapier, the Mist seemed to dance around them. It was nothing like she had felt before--even moving her fingertips felt like she could blow up a building. Still, at the very least she had Zodiark's attention now. She wouldn't allow him to torment them any longer. But even then, there was very much a possibility that she could lose. She remembered being just as determined at fighting Ultima...but this time, all she had to do was last five minutes. Five long...long, minutes. She seemed to be at peace with the deal--if she couldn't last five minutes now, she was of no use to her team.

"Give him hell, sweetheart," Lorenzo surprised her.

She nodded, swiping her sword once, effectively clearing the new 'arena' free of her allies as they were pushed back and out of harm's way, lest Zodiark get any ideas. She eyed the orbs carefully. They could have been channelers for his magicks, or perhaps some form of weapon. Were they to break, would he be unable to cast? Or are they simply another means? Don't make me regret this, princess, Ultima chided her, as Nadeline raised her rapier, a glyph forming underneath her. Your goal is survival. Even now, you may not be able to lay a scratch on him.

So be it.

Nadeline charged forward with such a speed she was momentarily surprised, though she would strike once, twice, her jabs a flurry of singular attacks that she couldn't even see her own sword move. She may as well see exactly what he was capable of.

---

Emiri smirked at him--choosing not to use a weapon? Was he mocking her? She'd have to make him regret that decision, wouldn't she? As he moved, her eyes watched him. She dropped her sword, letting it melt into nothingness, though he seemed to catch her slightly off guard with his strike. Something was different about him now. Still, she wasn't about to go easy on him--he needed this beating. Catching his strike, she eyed him, though she would release him and disappear before his eyes, clearly having used her own time powers against him. If he refused to go all out, she would force his hand. She would reappear as his strike went nowhere, countering with her own, though without waiting to see if it connected, she would repeat herself, this time coming from below with her own kick.

---

Coming to a halt, Emiri would lean against the wall as she caught her breath. Everything was put in place--Chaos had put her trust in her, and now it was her turn. She wasn't sure how long Jaakuna would last, nor did she want to know. As she pushed herself off the wall, she could feel the dark magicks. Keiran was looking for her, but this time, she was also looking for him. She ran back to her cage, only to find it gone. Keiran was leaning against the wall, seemingly deep in thought. He would give her his attention as she neared him, chuckling to himself.

"What's the point of a miserable existence?" He couldn't help but ask her. "There's no point in anything. If it all turned to dust...who would care, really? I know you secretly agree with me. You and I are of one mind, after all."

"You're wrong on that count," She informed him, shaking her head. "You brought out my deepest, darkest thoughts...and used them to imprison me. Maybe at one point I really did wish everything was just gone, but that's just running away from the problem. Reality is harsh, but...you have to deal with it. Life goes on."

Keiran looked at the ground, though he would stand straight, watching her. "You know I can't just let you go, right?"

She nodded, holding out her hand as her sword would appear. "I won't run away any longer. And if you choose to stand in my way, so be it."

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

What did Zodiark do to Grant? The way he was so still, it left Nadeline fearing the worst. Whatever it was that he said or did, Grant hadn't said a word. What was wrong with him?! What was happening?! She was trying her hardest not to panic, but her emotions were getting the best of her. Wesley...! She closed her eyes, never feeling so weak, but that fire was still burning within her. No, she could do nothing for Wesley. She had failed him no matter which way you looked at it. She had gone off, gotten herself into trouble, and now it felt like the same thing was happening all over again.

No. She wouldn't let it happen. Never again!

Shion had felt the Mist before it seemingly erupted around Nadeline. Her eyes glowed, her crown glittering as a wordless enchantment would go out, surrounding Grant. It was as if he had woken up, surrounded by a strange light. He looked over at Nadeline, whose Mist was visible by all. "Grant!" She called out to him. "Everything he has said is truths of which you have known! You cannot let sorrow take hold of you--you know your place!"

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

As the words reached him, something seemed to snap inside of him. He could hear Lorenzo calling out to him, he could hear Nadeline's pleas, but Zodiark's words chimed like a bell, repeating over and over. He could barely bring himself to even look at the creature, though he felt himself shaking his head. The image of that day was one he could never forget--the sight of his brother's blood soaked hands, the body of his father below him, betrayed by his own son. There was always a thought in the back of his head, one that as a child, he never thought someone capable of committing a crime of regicide against their own father. But reality had been set to prove him wrong, and so he had accepted it, ignoring the naive motion. People were terrible, cruel things. It would not be the first, nor the last time a son had killed his father.

And he was right.

He wasn't aware he could become more broken than he already had. It was empty, he couldn't hear, he couldn't feel, he couldn't even respond. The despair gripped him, taking a hold so fierce he thought it was going to tear his mind apart. Shock paled in comparison to whatever it was he felt.

Grant was silent, but not by choice.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

There was more to it, Grant was sure of it. He wanted Zodiark to get on with it, but it looked like he enjoyed toying with them. That's what he was doing, wasn't it? He wanted to speak, but he found himself freezing up. Was...was he afraid? He was, wasn't he? He didn't want his deepest thoughts and fears laid out in front of everyone. Not only that, but the manner in which Zodiark presented them. He looked at Nadeline in Lorenzo's arms, on the verge of tears. Inhaling slowly, Grant shook his head. No, Lorenzo was right. Stay steady...

"What of it?" Grant asked, raising an eyebrow. "Do enlighten us."

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

What?! Both Grant and Lorenzo looked at Nadeline, clearly shocked at the news. Grant in particular remembered Wesley telling him about his brother, how he had died. How was he alive? No, it couldn't be true, it was clearly a lie. And yet, the look of shock on Nadeline's face all but confirmed that Zodiark spoke only the truth. So that was why Wesley wasn't here. He had thought that perhaps they had split up to search for them, that maybe he was still in the city. He never imagined that such a thing had happened, moreso that it had shaken Nadeline so much, she looked like she was about to cry.

"I...I had heard the rumors. I needed to see if they were true in my king's place," She stated, though her voice clearly wavered. "I didn't want...I didn't mean for it to turn out like that. It was a trap, I didn't want Wesley to get hurt!"

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

Being on the receiving end was...more trying than she had known. He hit the nail on the head with every comment, though Nadeline had leaned more towards anger rather than getting moody like Grant did. "You know nothing about me! You haven't the slightest idea of my motives or reasonings! That you would go so far to speak as if we were on a personal level...!" Her voice was raised, though her father prevented her from moving forward.

"What part of 'he's trying to get under your skin' did you not get?!" Lorenzo told her, exasperated at how easily Nadeline had taken the bait.

"He knows nothing of what we have been through! How dare he...!" Nadeline fumed.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

It was as if Zodiark had a needle constantly poking at all the soft spots Grant had. The prince eyed Zodiark wearily, though it seemed recent events had shattered him to much he couldn't so much as muster a denial. No, it was written all over his face. Whether it was intentional or not, Zodiark's words also reminded him of something Emiri had pointed out as well: that he didn't love her, he just loved the idea of her. She was right then, and Zodiark was right now. Savayna was a rather painful reminder of such, anyway.

Lorenzo moved over--carefully--to Grant, jabbing his brother with his elbow. "Whatever thought is crossing your head right now, you better drop it," He told him. This guy's just trying to get under your skin."

And it's working. The thought crossed Grant's mind before he even knew it. Nadeline moved closer to Grant as well, taking his hand in hers, though she kept her attention on Zodiark, almost as if she was trying to shield him. "You haven't answered his question," Nadeline chose to spoke in Grant's place. "What are you doing here? And why take Jaakuna away from us? Is he that much of a threat you chose to eliminate him now rather than later?"

---

Emiri woke with a start, immediately sitting up. Something was off, her whole body felt so strange and foreign for some reason. She didn't realize she was gasping for breath until a moment later, though she managed to calm herself. Chaos? She could feel his presence, but no, there was something else, wasn't there? What was this feeling? Dread? Regret? It was as if every inch of her body was on fire, but it wasn't painful. She felt like she had awakened something deep within, but what was it?

A knock on her door earned a gasp of surprise, and as it opened, Keiran eyed her curiously. "You look like you've seen a ghost," He commented quietly, strolling over to her bed. "Though you look much better than before."

Taking in a deep breath, she managed to calm her nerves, though she gave Keiran an annoyed look. He chuckled, deciding to sit on the edge of the bed facing an elaborate decorative wardrobe. Had that always been there? As if on cue, she looked down at herself, and let out a groan, displeased that Keiran had changed her dress into one much more form fitting. She didn't like how high the slits seemed to go up her thighs, and she threw Keiran another annoyed look. "Please don't change me when I'm asleep. That's creepy," She couldn't help but snap at him. "You also have terrible taste...why choose something that shows off so much?"

"Well, it's for a special occasion!" Keiran replied cheerfully, his head nodding towards the wardrobe. "Go on. There's a surprise in there for you," He urged her.

"Why would I do that?" She asked him as she would stand, hands on her hips. "I don't know what you're planning. You open it."

She noticed one of his eyes flash red as she said that, and he would stand, strolling over to her. He wrapped one hand around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "It's a present just for you. It's something I know you've wanted for a long time, whether you'd want to admit it or not. I admit, it's not quite here yet, but I'm sure it'll...surprise you," He said gently. "Though...I warned you, didn't I? You're acting up again...and I promised that you'd be punished, didn't I?"

Whatever you do, don't open it! She could hear her inner self shout at her. Emiri tried to back away from him, but he kept her close, practically dragging her to the wardrobe. "You're making me nervous..." She admitted as he would take her hand, placing it on the handle. Please, listen to me!

"Three...two...one...and...!"

Keiran would have her yank the door open, and as she did, something fell out. She let out a scream of terror, clearly not having expected anything, and she immediately hid behind Keiran. She heard him laughing as she shut her eyes, half expecting to get attacked, but she swore she heard another voice. She dared herself to see what fell, and as she did, a familiar shade of blonde hair and emerald eyes met her view.

Her heart dropped as she saw Jaakuna on the floor.

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

A trap, was it?

Nadeline narrowed her eyes at the dark figure before them. And so the devil would decide to reveal itself, whisking away Jaakuna in the process.

“ Strongest of the scions created by the gods, they feared his growth, and so kept him a child. So indomitable is his strength that all things are by him twisted and pressed into oblivion. He alone fashions the laws governing all things, and administers punishment in place of the gods. ” She stated, a serious look on her face as she stared at Zodiark.

“ So is he Keeper of Precepts, and his authority is absolute,” Shion finished the passage, an amused look on her face. “Three days…to think one of the lowly Humes so beneath you would last so long.”

Was this really the time to show amusement of all things?! Grant threw Shion an exasperated look, though he would return his attention back to the matter at hand. “The Prodigal Sun…and the Time Scion has to be Emiri. So all the pieces of the puzzle are falling into place, are they?” He said. “Why reveal yourself now?”

---

Reaching out, Emiri was about halfway out the bars once more. Despite choosing to throw her back in her cage, Keiran didn’t seem to fix the main method of her escape the first time, and so she chose to do it again. Perhaps he figured his threat would rattle her—either way, she wasn’t going to just sit around any longer. She was out of breath by the time she managed to slip out, though this time, she wasn’t going to repeat the same mistakes. Only for a moment did she pause, a glance around the room telling her that her psyche was all but crumbling. She closed her eyes solemnly, but now was not the time to feel sorry for herself. She would take off.

Running through the familiar corridors, she stopped outside her destination, only to find a pair of swords thrown at her. She jumped back, out of their range, and threw a glare at the sword’s owner. The still chained Esper glared at her, though he would not attack as she approached him. “Persistent, aren’t you?” Chaos asked. Was it amusement? Or was it annoyance? Either way, he didn’t seem hostile—rather, now that she was on her guard, he may have found it pointless.

“You listen here, you bastard! I have had enough of you!” She all but shouted at him. “Considering the predicament YOU have put US into, we should be working together to find a solution!”

He seemed amused by her outburst. “I was not the one who agreed to let the snake help.” He would remind her.

No, she wasn’t taking this crap from him anymore. “And the only reason that happened was because YOU erased my memories!” She shot back at him. “You can blame me all you want, if I was conscious of my own decision, I would never have agreed to it! So now it’s your turn to shut up and do as I say!”

“What an adorable sentiment,” Chaos laughed. “The Dark One goes and rattles you a bit, and you decide to retort with anger? This is little more than a child’s tantrum. You realize this, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do.” She replied right away, surprising him. “If I had my way, I would cast you off into the darkness forever if it meant I never had to see you again. But that isn’t how things are—you and I are connected, for better or for worse. I don’t know how, but we must work together if we—yes, WE are to be free.” She shook her head. “Keiran said he would punish me…but I’m not afraid of him. And I won’t let him use me to hurt anyone. I have to do something!”

“You should fear him.” Chaos was more serious in his warning. “That seed…you don’t have the power to break free from his hold. He knows all your fears…and will not hesitate to use them against you. If he so deems it, he will make sure you watch as he forces you to tear your friends, limb from limb. His claws have etched themselves into your very soul…it will take more than a spell or incantation to be truly free from his grasp. His magicks are ones that the gods above us granted Zodiark—the same magicks that made them terrified of their own creation.”

Emiri hugged her arms, though she stood her ground. “That’s why I need your help. I don’t know what he’s planning, but—” She stopped, watching Chaos’ blades rise once more. “You say I shouldn’t anger him, but I’m pretty sure hurting me again will definitely earn his wrath.”

“You’re going to have to confront Keiran here if you want to make any progress.” Chaos explained, his swords circling her. “Time is not on your side. Ever closer does the Dark Lord approach…his plans set forth in motion. Will you bend to him?”

“I will not. So please…if you want me to beg, I will,” She urged him.

Chaos did not respond, though he surprised her when her Seal began to glow once more. “Putting my trust into a Hume child…what nonsense…” He chuckled to himself. “Despite you never getting along with her…you have your mother’s resolve. She, too, demanded my power—what folly.”

Emiri let out a gasp as the swords would pierce through her, though this time, she felt no pain. What was this feeling? Power? It was so different from the darkness. As each blade would fade away, she could feel something familiar. It was warm and nostalgic, though she couldn’t quite place what it was. “…I will go, and confront Keiran now,” She told Chaos.

“Wait,” He implored her. “Take heed. Once you break free, make no mistake, Zodiark will know—and he may choose to dispose of you. If you must, bide your time, and wait for the opportune moment.”

The brunette nodded and then bowed deeply. “I understand. Thank you.”

“Then I place my own hope with you. Should you fail, it may very well be the start of the end for us all.”

Time Stops For Fire(Altered Tundra and Hero)

There's your chance.

As much as she wanted to make sure everyone was alright, Shinto's Shellga was the opportunity she needed. Nadeline's crown would glow as she ran forward, letting the Shellga run its course, and stabbing any Blizzaga that came her way with her fire coated rapier. Grant was not far behind, knowing that they would have to work quickly and seize the moment. Nadeline would skid to a halt, jumping high into the air as Grant came forward, her magicks already forming a circle underneath Savayna. Clutching his blade with both hands, he used the blunt edge as he would bring his blade down, likely knocking Savayna to the ground. He then stabbed the ground, and an eruption of Dark magicks would effectively cage her in.

The glyph formed completely underneath the pair, signaling to Grant that Nadeline was ready. He jumped back as Nadeline readied her rapier, magical letters dancing all around herself and Savayna. "By our Light, let thee return from whence you came--Purify!" Nadeline called, and the glyph suddenly exploded in a blinding pillar of light. She dropped down, landing on her feet, though she wobbled for a moment. Grant managed to help her regain her footing, the pair watching to see if the spell had worked.