Ch 47: It's My Turn

As things take a turn for the worse, Amy can sense it all from within her psychic prison. Struggling to break free, she seeks the power to protect those who mean so much to her.

            Struggling through an endless hallway of warped darkness, exhausted from walking for what had seemed like days, Amy kept moving through sheer force of will in the direction she felt she had to go. Down the hallway, seemingly an impossible distance away, she could sense the pain all her friends were enduring, the danger they all faced. Behind her the voices called out at her, the dark hands reached out trying to pull her back. Her lungs burning, Amy called out again, “Grey! Everyone! I’m coming, hang on!” Marching on, Amy finally stumbled. As one of the reaching hands grabbed hold of her ankle, she struggled to crawl forward as she cried out, “NO!” Frantically she searched for something to hold onto, at last digging her fingernails into the ground, yet more hands grasped her legs and began to pull her back. Being pulled back into the darkness, tears formed in Amy’s eyes as she thought, “No! It doesn’t matter what happens to me, but I can’t let them down! I have to save everyone! I HAVE TO SAVE HIM!” Being absorbed by the darkness, Amy’s hand reached out for the light, and suddenly a voice said, “Is that the true wish of your heart?” 

Her head being swallowed up, Amy barely managed to say, “Yes…” Unable to see anymore, Amy suddenly felt someone grasp her outstretched hand. Slowly she felt herself being pulled from the darkness, and landing on her stomach back in the endless hallway, as Amy looked up to see a woman with brown hair, her eyes went wide and she said, “Mom?!” Looking down at Amy with her gentle blue eyes, a warm smile on her face, Amy’s mother offered her a hand up as she said, “Yes and no, my dear. I am the memory of your mother, as well as the memory of all the sages who have come before you.” Turning her gaze to the darkness as it rippled angrily, Amy’s mother said, “There is little time. The Revenant of the Black Mind has trapped your consciousness within a prison of the mind. You’ve fought against it well, but you’re almost at your limit. If something is not done, you will fall into insanity…” Taking her mothers hand, after she was pulled to her feet, Amy asked, “What do I do then?” 

As the hands of the darkness began reaching out again, Amy’s mother raised a hand and unseen psychic forces held them back. With a desperate expression, Amy said, “Please Mom! What do I do?! Everyone’s in trouble, I have to help them!” Turning to look at Amy, her mother smiled and said, “Even faced with losing your own mind, you seek only to aid your comrades… Fear not, the fact that I am here means that the strength of your heartfelt wish has already awakened the power sleeping within you.” Amy thought she saw a sad look cross her mother’s face as she said, “I have been keeping it locked away within you out of fear. I know all too well the dangers you will face, and the fate you will meet…” A silence hung in the air between them a moment. Then with an apologetic look, Amy quietly said, “I’m sorry mom, but I have to follow my heart.” Nodding, Amy’s mother smiled and said, “Yes, I suppose I was wrong to want anything else for you. No matter what the future brings, you have my blessing.” Her mother suddenly becoming a mass of energy and swirling around her, Amy could hear her mother’s voice as it said, “Now, unleash the power that rightfully belongs to you, the power of the Sage of Memories!”

            With no time to make a full turn or form his Basilisk Armor, Serius could only brace himself as the masked assailant lunged at him with blade drawn. Yet a concentrated burst of psychic force from out of nowhere blew the attacker across the room and through the glass of the window. As the assailant vanished from sight, no doubt crashing to the ground three stories down, Serius turned with eyes wide to see Amy awake, on one knee atop the bed with her arm outstretched. Awed by the look of determination on her face, Rufus quietly said, “Whoa…” Getting off the bed and putting on her shoes, as Serius simply stared in disbelief, Amy said, “Serius, the others are in trouble! We’re going to save them!” Blinking in surprise, Serius put his many questions aside and said, “I truly wish that were possible. Just breaking in would be far too dangerous with our remaining forces, and we have no idea how prepared the enemy is. Alexander and I agreed to leave it to them if something happens.” 

Suddenly Schmitt and Bella came rushing into the room, and holding his taser gun at the ready, Schmitt said, “Don’t spose ya’ll seen any mask wearin folks runnin around?” Glancing over at the broken window, her spear in hand, Bella said, “Someone left the hard way…” Turning to Serius, Schmitt said, “What’s the plan Serius? We gonna head out to help the others?” Shaking Saria awake, Amy said, “Yes, Gibolu and the others are already on their way back from setting up the faire. We can take the transport.” Staring in disbelief again, Serius thought, “How could she know that? Even with a cell phone, she’s been unconscious this whole time!” With his big grin, Schmitt said, “Sounds like a plan! Glad you’re lookin better too there Amy!” Quickly Serius interjected, saying, “Hold on. I told you, it’s too dangerous.” Coming around with some difficulty, Saria clutched her head and murmured, “What’s dangerous…? Why are the lights out…?” Smiling at her warmly, Amy said, “Thanks for looking after me Saria. We’ve got to get out of here and go help the others now.” 

Actually starting to sound irritated, Serius said, “Must I make myself clear?” Turning her head to glare at him, Amy firmly said, “I don’t care about the danger! Grey and everyone are always there to help those in need, no matter the risk! Now it’s my turn to help them!” Glancing back and forth between the two nervously, Rufus said, “Y-yeah! C’mon, we can’t just abandon them!” Resting her spear on her shoulder, Bella said, “There’s a secret entrance to Casa De Ala Morte.” As everyone looked at her in surprise, Bella pouted slightly and added, “I would have told you, if everyone didn’t make me stay home…” Placing a hand on Serius’ shoulder, Schmitt said, “There, ya see? Looks like things are comin together! C’mon Serius, ya can’t tell me you ain’t worried bout em too…” With a sigh, Serius formed Basilisk Armor on his arms and said, “Very well. Whatever we do, we must leave here quickly before more enemies arrive.” Everyone moved to go, and after Serius scouted the hallway and gave the signal, everyone rushed down the hall and to the stairs, making their way down through the building.

            As everyone rushed out of the inn and into the moonlight, a pair of Ala Morte assassins leaped off the side of the building where they had been lying in wait, drawing blades and lunging at the group from both sides. Turning, Serius pummeled one of the assassins in the face with his stone fist, while the other’s mask shattered as it met with Amy’s heel, Amy having jumped with a spinning kick. Her kick sent the assassin flying, the momentum she’d spun with greatly enhanced as Amy had used a burst of psychic power from her body to emit force in the opposite direction as she spun. Letting out an impressed whistle, Schmitt said, “That’a girl! Nice work!” Forgetting her worries and tiredness for a moment, her admiration for Amy stronger than ever, Saria said in awe, “I didn’t know Amy could fight…” Crossing his arms with a grin, Rufus said, “I knew it all along! My instincts as an Ace Reporter told me she was a powerful energist from the moment I met her!” Embarrassed by their shower of praise, Amy simply blushed. 

Walking over to a fallen assassin and bending down to examine it, Serius thought, “There’s something strange about these sprites. I get a similar feeling from Bella, but not from Magus, so it can’t just be because they are artificially created…” Rising, Serius decided to put it aside for now and said, “We mustn’t tarry here.” Following Serius, everyone moved through the parking lot towards the street. Keeping an eye out for more attackers, Bella thought to herself, “My sisters… Will I even have to fight you Instructor?” Glancing at Amy, Serius said, “How long until Gibolu and the troupe arrive?” Concentrating a moment, Amy said, “I can sense them coming. Four minutes, maybe five.” Then Amy’s eyes went wide and she raised a barrier around them all as spikes of red hot steel rained down from above. Turning her eyes to the sky, Bella saw a familiar figure flying in the air above. It was a woman wearing a red eye patch over her right eye, a red, skin-tight bodysuit just like the other Ala Morte agents, a pair of long red boots with silver buckles, and a long flowing red cloak. Her hair was red, short in the back and slightly longer in the front. Her silvery colored left eye stared down at them. In her left hand she held a red and silver shield with a design like a human face upon it, and in her right she held a polearm, its molten blade glowing red. With a sad look in her eyes, Bella said, “Instructor Patch…”

            Dropping down and landing a short ways away from them, Patch said, “Foolish girl. We’re enemies now. Whatever meaning that name had is irrelevant. I am Fury, and I am here to put an end to you, Belladonna.” Staring at the ground, unable to meet her gaze, Bella said, “Instructor…” A clueless look on his face, Rufus asked, “Instructor? Was this lady your teacher or something?” Rubbing his chin in thought, Schmitt said, “Must be. Don’t reckon she taught much in the ways of the normal curriculum though…” Amy started to walk towards Patch, and in concern for her safety Saria tried to call her back. Watching her as well, Serius thought, “What is she doing now? Does she intend to face her alone?” Standing between Patch and the others, Amy stared Patch down. Fixing her eye on Amy, Patch muttered, “Ah yes, I’ve not forgotten you, meddlers. Because of you, I must perform this unpleasant task. Had you not interfered, I could have convinced the Master to spare her, but now there is no overturning her punishment.” 

Angrily, Amy shouted, “Why?!” Narrowing her eye, Patch said, “Why? Because I have no other choice! Without a master, we have no purpose, no place in this world. The people of this world cannot even accept each other. It is nothing but foolishness to believe soulless creations such as us would ever find acceptance. Our only place is at the Master’s side.” Raising her polearm at Amy, Patch channeled EDE into it and shouted, “He is our only salvation!” Patch unleashed her gathered EDE, and pieces of molten steel shot out of the blade of her polearm, immediately hardening into red hot steel spikes as they sailed through the air at Amy. In a flash, Amy molded psychic energy around herself, forming a psychic barrier around her whole body that was less durable than her normal ones but still effective. Running straight through the spikes, Amy grabbed two of them out of the air with her hands and let her barrier deflect any of the remaining spikes that struck her, throwing the spikes she grabbed right back at Patch. Raising her shield, Patch deflected her own spikes and then lowered her shield as Amy came into range, quickly swinging her polearm at her in a horizontal slash. 

Seeming to predict this exact move, Amy leaped high into the air over the polearm, and gathering EDE in the air she shouted, “Because you had no choice?!” Using a burst of psychic power to launch herself with great speed and force, Amy shot down at Patch in a downwards flying kick as she shouted, “There’s always a choice, Bella is proof of that!” Barely raising her shield just in time, Patch blocked Amy’s foot with it, nearly falling over backwards against the power behind her impact. Pushing off the shield and leaping back through the air with a graceful flip, Amy used another burst of psychic power to shoot back at Patch in another flying kick as she shouted, “You’ve just given up!” Raising her shield to block again, this time Patch was overwhelmed by the force behind Amy’s kick. Knocked off her feet, she sailed across the ground a short distance before landing hard on her behind. Sitting there a moment, as she watched Amy land gracefully, Patch thought, “She seemed like little more than a mere girl at first, but her attacks just now were impressive. Is this the power of a member of Angelorum Lux?” Calling out to Patch with a confident smile, Amy said, “Not everyone will accept you right away, but eventually someone will. If you’re too afraid to even reach out, you’ll never find a place of your own! Find the courage to live your life on your own terms, and then you’ll be your own master!”

            Her eye twitching in anger, Patch shouted, “Enough preaching! You’re nothing but another idealistic fool!” Rising to her feet, Patch poured power into the blade of her polearm, which began to blaze with flames. Charging at Amy and preparing to lash out with it, she shouted, “Words mean nothing!” Rushing to Amy’s defense, Bella blocked the strike, her spear shining with golden energy. With a defiant look in her glowing golden eyes, Bella said to Patch, “Wrong!” Glancing at Amy, Bella added, “Those words… They meant a lot to me!” Her silvery colored eye wide in surprise, Patch thought, “Is this really the same Bella? The same distant, antisocial girl whose trust was so hard to gain?!” Shoving Patch away, Bella shouted, “I won’t let anyone call those words meaningless!” Regaining her balance, Patch stared at Bella as golden energy surged around her. Unable to believe what she was seeing, Patch thought, “This… It cannot be! She’s a sprite of Ala Morte! While I sensed a great hidden power within her, this… What is this?!” 

Suddenly hearing the sound of a hover engine, Rufus turned his head to see the Gibolu’s Circus transport bursting onto the scene. Pointing at it as it entered the parking lot, he shouted, “Guys, it’s the transport! Let’s get the heck outta here!” Glancing back briefly, intent on remaining to face her Instructor, Bella shouted, “A large sewer line that drains into the harbor, you’ll find it near Dock 23! Go!” Quickly Serius rushed to Bella’s side and said, “Bella, your knowledge of the enemy base is too valuable! Leave this to me.” Intent on aiding them, Amy said, “I can’t just leave either of you here by yourselves!” As the transport pulled up to them, the door on the side of the passenger car opened and Gibolu called out, “I know not what goes on, but Ace says to hurry up and get onboard!” Following Schmitt and Rufus to the transport, Saria said, “A-Are we just leaving them?!” Looking back, Schmitt muttered, “Up to them now. I’m guessin Bella’s got somethin to settle…” Turning to Amy and Serius, Bella said, “Go, now! I have to do this, to make her understand!” Suddenly, Patch said, “Enough…” The three turned their attention to Patch as she said, “Go. All of you…”

            Looking at Patch in surprise, Bella said, “Instructor?” Turning her gaze away, Patch said, “I never intended to kill you Bella. What I said before was meant to scare you into coming back. I thought you had done this on some reckless whim, but seeing you stand firm behind new comrades, I understand now.” Suddenly fixing her gaze on Amy, Patch said, “You! Amy was it? Your words remind me of a man I was once sent to kill. When he defeated me, he dared to lecture me the same way you did. I tried once to find my place, but as you said, I eventually gave up after being betrayed. Yet, if Bella can, then perhaps…” After a moment of silence, Patch slammed the bottom of her polearm’s handle on the ground and shouted, “Listen well! I am no longer your instructor Belladonna, and I am also no longer a member of Ala Morte! Go quickly, but beware! There is more to Ala Morte than you think! Their Master has conspired with a dark power of old, The Dark Crusade, or Altera Veritas as they call themselves now…” 

Caught off guard by this revelation, Serius said, “What?” Realizing she’d not told the others, Amy looked away nervously as she said, “Oh yea, sorry Serius. I kinda forgot to mention that. It was a Revenant who knocked me out with a spell, Dr. Nova…” Turning to her with a cross look on his face, Serius said, “You neglected to mention something of such importance?!” Suddenly sensing danger, Amy rushed forward, pushing Patch aside and shouting, “Look out!” Amy raised a barrier just as a bullet came shooting from nowhere, exploding in a flash upon impact. Shielding her eyes from the blinding light, Patch shouted, “That was Ghost’s Flare Shot! You must escape, now! I will distract her attention!” Charging through the blinding light, as she passed Amy, Patch said, “Take care of Bella!” As she disappeared into the light, Bella shouted after her, “Instructor Patch!” Grabbing Bella by the arm, Serius dragged her to the transport as he shouted, “We’re easy targets here! We must withdraw!” 

As soon as the three were onboard, the side door closed. Explosive bullets rained across the parking lot as the transport hauled itself around and back onto the street. Watching it leave, Patch thought, “A band of fools to be sure, but they are fools to be reckoned with!” As a bullet came at her, Patch quickly deflected it with her polearm. Gazing at a far off building to the south, she spun her polearm in her hand and shouted, “I am one to be reckoned with as well, Ghost! Do not think you can hide from me like that! How many times must I tell you to wear colors that make you harder to see?!” Staring down at Patch through the yellow lenses of her goggles, a young woman with long white hair and long ears stood at a window on the top floor of the building. She wore a steel facemask that covered her nose and mouth, a black and white Ala Morte style bodysuit, white gloves, white laced up arm warmers, and long white boots with silver buckles on them. Looking through the scope of her long black rifle, having read Patch’s lips through it, Ghost simply took aim again and said, “Strict as ever. I’m wearing some black this time, doesn’t that count for something?”

Author's Note

Originally titled "Wish of the Heart". I felt that I needed to better emphasize the big event that occurs here.