Ch 51: Mortal Power, Immortal Madness

The pieces falling into place, Grey unlocks a new, unheard of affinity. Watching Grey overpower Scott, Dr. Nova is filled with glee. Briefly catching up with Alexander, he prepares to join the fun.

            Scott raised Levitas Curator again, but as he swung down with all his strength to finish Grey once and for all, a shockwave of psychic power erupted from Grey’s body and blew him away. Crashing into a pile of bricks being used in the construction of the theme park, Scott sat up and clutched his head for a moment, but quickly his eyes went wide as he noticed the massive change in Grey’s aura. Back on his feet, an aura of light swirling around him, Grey’s eyes were closed as he concentrated. As he gathered even more EDE from around him, he began using it to summon up the darkness within him. As the two powers clashed, Alias’ voice said within his mind, “Oh? Refusing the Nameless One and using darkness on your own? Just what do you plan to do with these opposing powers might I ask? Combining them in a spell is one matter, but to do it this way…” With a grin on his face, Grey replied within his mind, “I keep hearing from you about balance. Origin as light, the Nameless One as darkness… You know what I realized? When it’s all said and done, it’s mortals like us that are the most powerful beings in this world!” 

Hanging on his every word, Alias expectantly asked, “What do you mean?” Starting to fuse light and darkness together, Grey exclaimed, “We hold both light and darkness within us! By themselves darkness and light aren’t good or evil, right or wrong, but when combined with the emotions of mortals they bring out one of those two choices! We balance the powers of both light and darkness within us by making those choices every day, shaping our lives and the world around us! That’s what makes us special!” Straining to combine the opposing forces, as he succeeded a blinding flash of silvery light engulfed him. Then the light faded, and standing there with a silvery aura of an unknown element around him, Grey opened his eyes to reveal they were no longer red but silver. Twirling his blades in his hands once, he dropped into a battle stance and chanted, “Ego Voco Vos, Verus Acies.” As Scott pulled himself from the pile of bricks, he watched as Grey’s blades gained their True Edge enchantment forms and began to shine with his radiant silver element as well. His hand shaking as he held onto Levitas Curator, Scott muttered, “No, I won’t lose!”

            Flying into the sky on the spinning wheels of lightning at his heels, Scott absorbed Levitas Curator and formed his bow as he said, “Weapon Fuse!” Quickly drawing the string back, he fired a torrent of lightning arrows at Grey as he shouted, “Thunderfury!” Swerving away from Grey as they got close, the arrows spread out around him and became yellow rune circles. Silver power gathered around Grey as he closed his eyes and concentrated, and then the rune circles shined and halberds of lightning shot out of them, all aimed at Grey. There was a flash of lightning, but quickly the electrical energy was sucked into a silvery vortex that had appeared around Grey. Scott’s attack disappeared, and the vortex collapsed back into Grey’s aura. Staring in disbelief, Scott said, “What was that?! It completely absorbed my attack!” Glancing up at Scott, Grey called out, “It’s a restriction ability called Flux. I can only use a restriction ability so often, but all the power Flux absorbs goes right back to me! Accelerate!” 

Flying into the air as a blur of speed, Grey stopped right in front of Scott with his sword pointed at him, hovering there by controlling his aura and using it to lift himself into the air. Freezing up with fear, Scott didn’t react in time as Grey said, “Reflux!” Bursting from Grey’s sword, the electrical energy of Scott’s attack was unleashed, combined with Grey’s silver element as a wave of silver lightning that struck Scott and carried him across the skies of Marsalia Isle to crash into the center of the ferris wheel. Blasted off it’s axis by the powerful explosion of silver lightning, the ferris wheel collapsed. Struggling out of the wreckage, Scott got to his feet and reformed Levitas Curator as he exclaimed, “Why can’t I stop my hands from shaking?! It doesn’t matter how strong he is, I have to win once and for all!” Dropping down from the air to land in front of him, as Grey stood there with a determined expression, Scott grimaced and muttered, “After everything I’ve done to beat him, am I really going to lose again?!”

            Having used heat to weld through the door of the spider matriarch’s lair, Fox punched out the cut off section of the door and hurried out the hole to freedom. Following behind him, with a groan Mythra slouched her shoulders and muttered, “Ugh… That was awful. After keeping that room from falling apart like that, I’m just exhausted. Did I mention I HATE spiders?” Then she bolted upright, startled as she heard Amy’s voice say, “Mythra, are you ok?!” Seeing her jump, Fox said, “What? Don’t tell me you see a spider? After that even I don’t wanna see one again anytime soon!” Looking around, Mythra said, “Amy? Am I hearing things?” Sounding relieved, Amy replied, “Nope it’s me! Thank goodness you’re safe too. How’s Fox?” Glancing at Fox, Mythra muttered, “Old muscle head is just fine…” Fox glared indignantly as he exclaimed, “Who are you calling old?! And just who the hell are you talking to?!” Ignoring him, Mythra said, “So you can use long range telepathy now Amy?” Amy’s voice responded, “Yep, cool huh?” With a sly grin, Mythra said, “Very, but don’t let it go to your head! Now then, you said something about us being safe ‘too’. Does that mean you know what the hell is going on with the others?” 

Mythra braced herself for the worst as she waited for Amy to reply, but her fears lessened as Amy said, “We managed to help Alexander defeat Magus, and Richter is ok too.” Quickly, Mythra asked, “What about Grey? Of course he must be ok too, right? It is Grey we’re talking about…” There was hesitation in Amy’s voice as she said, “Grey is… fighting Scott at Marsalia Isle. I tried communicating with him, but something is blocking me out.” For a moment Mythra was speechless, and certain she must have misheard, she said, “He’s fighting who?!” Changing the subject, Amy said, “Serius and the rest of us are at the docks, we’re getting all of you out of there through a secret entrance. I’ll let Alexander and Richter know you’re ok. They’re going to explore the room Richter’s Fragminis Caelum was unable to see into. Over and out!” Her question still unanswered, Mythra said, “Wait! What do you mean he’s fighting Scott?!” Amy did not respond, and with a sigh, Mythra exclaimed, “What is going on?!” Leaning against the wall feeling left out, Fox muttered, “Heck if I know…”

            Watching the battle between Grey and Scott from within his laboratory, as he saw Grey’s transformation on the holo-projector, a mad grin spread across Dr. Nova’s face as he exclaimed, “Marvelous!” Riding upon his wheeled swivel chair over to a device that was taking readings of the energy Grey and Scott were using, as he looked at the information it was gathering, he chuckled madly and said, “Simply marvelous!” Rolling back to the projector, as he stared at Grey, the Doctor began muttering, “Time and again one fool or another tries fuse light and darkness based affinities, and yet until now I’ve not seen one person succeed! This new energy he’s using is like nothing I’ve ever heard of! Special properties aside, it’s boosted his EDE control level by 100%! Combined with his sword enchantment of the same unknown element for a total of 200%! Then if we add Void Energy to the mix… It’s just absurd!” 

Suddenly sensing someone coming, Dr. Nova removed a remote device from his pocket and ducked under a nearby desk. The door of the laboratory opened, and as he cautiously stepped in, Alexander muttered, “What do we have here?” Stepping in as well, Richter said, “A laboratory? Bella did mention they were combining both magic and science to create Anima Weapons through some process, but this is quite a bit of equipment!” Laying eyes on the holo-projector, as he saw Grey, Alexander said, “That’s…!” Under the desk, Dr. Nova pressed a button on the remote and a device activated that sealed Alexander and Richter within a barrier of energy. Looking around at their newfound prison in surprise, unable to believe he fell into such a trap, Alexander exclaimed, “Damn!” Richter just clutched his head and said, “Back in the bubble again…” Giggling madly as he got up, Dr. Nova called out, “Never thought you’d see me again, did you Alexander?!”

            His eyes widening behind his shades, Alexander said, “You! Amy mentioned a powerful member of Altera Veritas while we were making our way here, but for you to be this ‘Dr. Nova’…!” Getting back in his swivel chair, Dr. Nova began typing commands into his control terminal as he said, “Don’t be so surprised my old friend! You are the one who gave me immortality!” Confused by their conversation, Richter asked, “Alexander, do you know him?” Nodding, Alexander said, “He is one of the most powerful Revenants of the original Altera Veritas, The Dark Crusade. One of my Revenants. The Mad Genius, Edward Schwartz, Revenant of the Black Mind.” Pushing away from the control terminal, Dr. Nova rolled over to stare up out of his chair at Alexander as he said, “I always hated that name! After losing my mind, I basically was no longer the man to whom that name was given.” Spinning in his chair, he continued, “That’s why, in order to separate myself completely from the boring old fart I used to be, I finally changed my name to something more fitting of my new self!” 

Seemingly able to see the wheels turning in Alexander’s head, Dr. Nova said, “I take it you’re dying to know how I’m still alive? I was rather reckless, attacking you on your own airship. I was young then, I wanted revenge. The day you betrayed us, the blow you dealt me left both a physical and mental mark…” He pointed to the scar on his face with a mad grin, and then continued, “So on the day of the final battle I’d intended to pay you back in full, but as you already know, Serius got in my way. Unlike the other original Revenants, I was not corrupted by the Nameless One’s madness, oh no! I had my own madness, and my own reasons for being part of The Dark Crusade, and I was not enough of a mindless zealot to sacrifice myself like Theraph. When Serius’ attack blew me over the side of the deck, I used a teleportation device to escape.”

            Alexander had a disatisfied look on his face as he muttered, “You really are quite the slippery one. I’d wondered how you and your anomalies had gotten through the ship’s shields…” Watching the holo-screen, Richter said, “I had not believed it when I heard Matthews was fighting Grey, yet now it makes sense. You’re the one who created the nano-machine treatment that saved his life, aren’t you? In other words, you can now use them to manipulate his body and mind.” Turning to the holo-screen, Dr. Nova said, “My nano-machines are partly to thank, but they are not capable of completely controlling his mind. I simply used them to remove any hindrances that kept him from realizing the burning jealousy within him, and after that it was child’s play to incite him into his current state.” 

Clenching the hilt of his sword in rage, Alexander muttered, “You’re as much of a monster as ever Schwartz.” Laughing maniacally, Dr. Nova replied, “Oh come now, you know I’m a man of science! There’s no room for things such as morals in my line of work. I would have had a little reunion with you and your friends much sooner, but I’ve been quite busy. Reverse engineering technologies stolen from the Guild’s EDE Weaponry Research and Development, perfecting the Sheryl class EDE powered battle androids, serving as a sort of ambassador between Altera Veritas and Ala Morte, arming them with Anima Weapons using my Binding method, heading the Legion Project, the list goes on…”

            Getting out of his chair, Dr. Nova moved over to the holo-projector and typed in commands as he said, “Yes, I’ve been working hard ever since I returned to the fold, but then so have you and your friends. I heard how our aspiring hero destroyed the little joint project Alastor and I created, our dear little Puppet Master, Edward Conwell.” Footage of Grey fighting Conwell appeared on the holo-projector. Staring intently as the fight unfolded, Dr. Nova said, “I honestly cannot believe he’s the same whining, weak little brat that Alastor wanted Professor Marcellus and I to turn into his perfect vessel. Even after Conwell’s defeat, I thought it was just the power of Deus Amictus that allowed him to win, but then in Underworld he proved too much for even Alastor to handle without his vessel’s power. At that point I was curious, and while the young Sage of Memories still has me interested as well, what Grey has accomplished now has me more excited than I’ve been in centuries!” Glancing back at Alexander with a malicious look in his eyes, Dr. Nova said, “It seems he truly is your son after all!” Richter’s eyes went wide in disbelief, and slowly turning his head to look at Alexander, he said, “Son?! Alexander, you wouldn’t?! After all this time?!” Dr. Nova grinned widely as he said, “Oh, was that a secret? So sorry…” Shaking with shame and fury, Alexander said, “If you’ve told him Schwartz, I promise you that when I get out of here… you will BEG for death!” At these words, Dr. Nova simply burst into psychotic laughter.

            Charging at Grey, as the device on his wrist spun and crackled with electricity, Scott poured lightning into Levitas Curator, changing it to pure lightning again and lashing out with it. Grey blocked with a single blade, and as he realized his lightning charge was having no effect on Grey, Scott thought, “Is he absorbing it as well?!” Leaping back as Grey swung his other sword, Scott thought in realization, “No, he’s using a magnetic charge of the same polarity, blocking my ability to send lightning through his swords! He must have used some of the lightning he absorbed to do it!” Watching Scott’s frustration, Grey said, “You about had enough, or do I have to beat some more sense into you?!” Stabbing Levitas Curator into the ground, both his wrist devices spinning, Scott said, “I’m not backing down! Static Surge!” 

Pouring more lightning into his halberd, as he manipulated static electricity to channel an invisible electrical attack across the ground itself, Scott thought, “Even he can’t possibly avoid this new technique! Its EDE signature is almost undetectable!” Yet with his now silver eyes empowered with his new power, Grey turned his eyes to the ground. Able to see in a whole different way, comparable to seeing the shapes of a specific sound or a color that doesn’t exist in the known spectrum, Grey could see the static electricity coming at him like snakes. Quickly he gathered EDE of an unknown element into his blades, and watched closely as Scott willed the lightning snakes to gather around him. Lightning waiting to spring up on every side of him, Grey stood calmly as Scott shouted, “You’re mine!” As streams of electrostatic lightning reared up and struck out like snakes, Grey shouted, “Accelerate!” Disappearing in a blur of speed, Grey escaped the lightning snakes and charged straight at Scott, who barely raised a barrier of lightning between them to stop Grey’s charged blades, power sparking in the air as he stared in wide eyed disbelief and thought, “Can he see it?!” 

As Scott called his lightning snakes around, Grey broke off his assault and leaped up and over them as they came at him from behind. Bringing his attack to a halt just before it crashed right into him, Scott combined the lightning snakes into one great serpentine concentration of powerful static electricity and turned it around to shoot at Grey as he landed behind it. Grey stood his ground, gathering even more EDE into one of his blades, and as it shone with silver power, he swung it vertically in the air and shouted, “Ein Soph Aur!” A gigantic wave of silvery power shot from Grey’s sword as he swung it at the lightning serpent, tearing through it and dissolving it in an instant before continuing straight at Scott, who managed to dive aside just in time. The wave tore across the isle, and as Scott got up and looked at the scar it had carved across half the amusement park, a chill ran down his spine. 

Watching him standing there staring, Grey said, “You told me to get serious Scott, and I’m dead serious now. You’re the one who started this, and you can still stop it if you want to…” Suddenly Dr. Nova’s voice called out from behind Grey, “Yes, I’m afraid it seems you’ve completely lost Scott. How disappointing, we’ll have to work on your resolve a bit more. But first…” Grey turned his head to see the villain step out from behind a stack of wooden boards being used in the construction, hands in his pockets. Approaching them with a crazed look in his eyes, Dr. Nova said, “I believe it’s my turn to play!”