Ch 3: The Sparks Fly

Grey must come to terms with his final trial, unaware that even now time runs short, as battles aboard the Vinculus are already raging.

            Standing boldly before the incarnation of the darkness in his heart, Grey swung his sword and unleashed a wave of the dark energy he had absorbed with Flux at his foe as he shouted, “Reflux!” Sidestepping the dark wave, the guardian simply dropped into a battle stance and chanted, “Ego Voco Vos, Nox Acies!” Watching the guardian’s blades become empowered with an enchantment of dark energy, Grey readied his own blades and chanted, “Gemina Indelebilis Verus Nox!” The advanced enchantment appearing upon his blade as silver and black runes, as Grey’s blades became empowered with both True EDE and darkness, Vanitas watched them both from his seat upon the black throne, thinking to himself, “So you’ve chosen a darkness based incantation as well? Not a bad choice, darkness can be used to defeat evil just like any other power.”

            Swinging his blades, the guardian unleashed powerful dark energy waves as he charged at Grey, and rushing to meet him, Grey followed suit. Their waves met each other and exploded, the aftermath of the dark explosion quickly blown away as the guardian and Grey leaped through it at each other and struck out with such darkness enhanced force that a shockwave of power radiated from their blades as they met one another. Clashing again and again, the sound of their powerful strikes echoed through the sanctuary, and finally Grey found an opening and knocked the guardian away with a powerful thrust kick. Flipping in the air and landing on his feet, the guardian jumped back and up into the air as he aimed a blade down at Grey and chanted, “Pluvia Eversio, Vultus Nox! Additio Ventus!” Black runes running across his blade, a storm of arrows made of dark energy rained down at Grey, and forming in the air around the blade, blades of wind also joined the attack, moving in random patterns. Raising a blade up at the oncoming attacks, Grey stood his ground and shouted, “Gravity Well!” Shooting from his blade as the advanced enchantment upon it shone with dark light, a single pulsating sphere of darkness rushed to meet the attacks, and as it struck against one of the dark arrows, the orb exploded into a field of intense gravity. Drawing everything nearby into itself, the gravity well pulled all of the guardian’s projectiles into itself.

            Landing back on the ground and staring up at the gravity well that now hung in the air between him and Grey, the guardian watched his projectiles destroy themselves as they struck against each other. Then as Grey jumped up over the gravity well and came down on him, the guardian stepped back as Grey swung his blades down. As his blades struck the ground, Grey channeled EDE into them and unleashed waves of combined True EDE and darkness along the ground that tore after the guardian, who quickly raised a blade and chanted, “Velo Eternus Nox!” A wall of black hexagons formed and blocked the combined energy waves, and under the cover of the blast, Grey quickly activated his Accelerate and moved behind his opponent as a blur of speed. The dark armor clad warrior quickly turned to block as he lashed out, and as they locked blades they struggled against each others strength. Looking past the guardian as he pushed against his blades, Grey looked at the gravity well behind him. Then looking at the guardian with a smug grin, Grey said, “Sorry, but even if you are my own darkness, you’ve still got a long way to go!” As the guardian simply stared back at him, Grey chanted, “Septimo Spiritus Terra!”

            A mighty sonic shockwave erupting from his blades, Grey’s spell blew the guardian sailing into the gravity well behind him, and he was quickly sucked in by the powerful gravitational forces. Trapped within the gravity well, as his foe hung there defenseless, Grey raised a blade at him and chanted, “De Monstro Immitis Umbrae Et Vocati Estis In Spe Ad Devorandum!” Powerful black runes appearing on his sword, a stream of darkness erupted from Grey’s blade and shot straight at the guardian, striking him dead on. The guardian’s body became surrounded by the dark energy pouring from his blade, and as Grey continued to channel the attack, the energy drained all of the guardian’s strength. Lowering his blade at last, the dark stream disappeared as Grey let it fade, and as he also willed the gravity well to subside, the guardian fell to the floor of the sanctuary. Struggling up onto one knee, as the guardian looked up, he found Grey’s blade leveled at his face. Flashing a grin, Grey said, “I don’t have to be afraid of you anymore, because as long as you’re with me, history won’t repeat itself! You’re a part of me, and I think it’s about time we worked together! Now give up and come back where you belong!” Staring at Grey silently for a moment, as it was clear he was defeated, the guardian bowed his head to Grey and began to evaporate.

            Rising from the black throne, Vanitas applauded Grey as he walked over to him and said, “Well done.” Turning to Vanitas as the guardian disappeared, Grey said, “Wasn’t much of a challenge, but I guess it makes sense considering I already beat it once. Still, what happens now that I’ve beat it? I don’t see any All Heart, and I don’t feel any different either…” Staring back at him, Vanitas said, “Your darkness has always been a part of you, but you haven’t ever truly been in full control. You may not feel different, but your heart is now in perfect balance, and as such your balanced True EDE will be much stronger. As for what is supposed to happen…” Just then, radiant multicolored light began shining through the windows of the sanctuary. They both turned to look out the windows at the colors that were beginning to overtake the endless whiteness outside, and Vanitas said, “You have cleared your final trial, and completed your training to become a worthy candidate to bear the title of the Lord of the Seventh Spirits. I am no longer your Master, the time has come for you to claim the power befitting the Lord and make it your own.”

            Not sure he understood where this was going, Grey looked to Vanitas questioningly and said, “So does that mean now you can teach me how to seal the Nameless One?” Showing a strange smile, Vanitas replied, “Whoever said I’d be teaching you anything?” Grey blinked in confusion as Vanitas continued to smile strangely at him for a moment, and then as Vanitas turned and started to walk away from him without explanation, he spoke up angrily, saying, “Hey! What have I been wasting my time here for then?! I thought you said something about sealing the Nameless One away!” After he’d walked a good distance away from Grey, Vanitas stopped and a powerful aura flared up around him as he turned back to face Grey and said, “Like I said, I had no intention of teaching you such an ability. However, there is a far more expedient way for you to gain that power. As the one who’s heart and soul is bound to Deus Amictus, which has now once again fused with the All Heart and therefore been completely unsealed, you hold the status of being this world’s Light. Should you face off against me, who now embodies your opposing Darkness, and bend me to your will as well, then I and the other Seventh Spirits who rule the elements shall not hesitate to place all our power at your disposal. We shall recognize you as the new Origin.”

            As Vanitas unveiled the true final trial, Grey took a step back and said in disbelief, “Excuse me…? Is this your idea of a joke?” Reaching up with one of his hands, Vanitas took hold of his hood and took it off to reveal his short silver hair and different colored eyes, and a calm look in his silver colored right eye that contrasted with the fierce and determined look in his red left eye, Vanitas grinned defiantly as he said, “Don’t tell me you dare refuse?! Now that my opposing element stands before me, I have no intention of letting you walk away! Bear in mind that I intend to defeat you and use the power of your heart to at long last fill the painful emptiness inside me!”

            Taking a step toward Gisette, Giselle reached out her trembling normal hand as she said with a look of horror, “Sister… What have they done to you…?” All three of Gisette’s eyes widening and glowing with power, Giselle was suddenly blown sailing by a concentrated pulse of psychic energy fired from her sister’s eyes. Watching her sail past, Saria turned to where Giselle landed sprawled on her back and exclaimed, “Giselle!” Laughing maniacally as Giselle struggled up to a sitting position, Gisette gathered EDE as she said, “What have THEY done?! Don’t be so modest Giselle! My transformation was made possible by my defeat at your hands!” Grinning wickedly, she added, “It’s all your fault, ‘dear’ sister!” As Giselle sat there trembling in shame and disbelief, Saria suddenly stepped between her and Gisette and shouted, “Stop it! You’re both sisters, aren’t you?! Maybe Giselle has done some things that are wrong, but she’d never want to see you suffer! Whatever she did, can’t you forgive her?! You’re her family!”

            A red glow of rage flashing in her eyes, Gisette channeled EDE into the scythe-like blade of her twisted right arm, swinging it at Saria and unleashing an arc shaped blade of temporal energy as she shouted, “It’s because we were family that what she’s done is unforgivable!” Saria was frozen with fear as the blade of temporal energies tore through the air at her, but suddenly pushing her aside, Giselle raised her demonic arm and caught it in the palm of her hand. Tossing it aside, as the temporal blade sliced through the bars of a cell to strike the wall and exploded in a blast of time altering energy, Giselle stood there staring at the ground with a shadow over her face. Smirking, Gisette taunted, “Going to fight me for her sake? Interesting, she really charmed you it seems.” Still staring at the floor, Giselle quietly said, “Not for her…” Looking up suddenly, tears in her eyes, Giselle shouted, “After what I’ve done, this is all I can do to atone! I’ll put an end to the suffering I’ve caused you with my own two hands!”

            Making their way through the halls of the Vinculus, heading for Dr. Nova’s lab, Alastor and his remaining escort were silent as they walked. Then as Noir’s lips moved, Clyde showed a rather apprehensive look as he thought to himself, “Great, so Zack aborted the operation? If Alastor knows about how we’re here to bump him off, what’re we supposed to do now?!” Just then though, Jay suddenly stopped walking and let out a frustrated sigh as he grumbled, “I can’t take this anymore! I’m sick of this undercover bullshit!” Everyone else stopping as well, Clyde turned to him with a mixed look of anger and fear as he said, “You damned idiot, what’re you thinking?!” Turning about as well and facing Jay, Alastor simply flashed a faint smile and said, “Yes Jay, you’re being rather foolish. I would’ve thought that after the way I split up our little team, you all would realize that I’m onto your little ‘undercover’ operation. Are your orders so important that you’d dare attempt to kill me even when your so called plan is already ruined?”

            Looking surprised for a moment, a crazed grin spread across Jay’s face after a moment, and he simply said, “Now that pisses me off… You knew all along huh? Well, I guess that makes this all the easier!” Gathering EDE, as Jay’s aura erupted around him, his muscles began to bulge. Muscles growing and growing, his entire body became more and more muscular, his clothes obviously designed specifically to stretch. Then as energy could be seen flowing through tubes on his arms attached to his high-tech gauntlets, he raised his steel fists menacingly and said, “I’ll crush you right here!” Watching him power up, clearly unconcerned, Alastor blankly said, “Using Raw EDE to enhance your body’s muscular structure are you? I’m quite surprised such a trick has brought you all that praise from your commanding officer, being a rather limited ability.” Rushing at Alastor, Jay swung a fist as he shouted, “Now you’re asking for it!”

            The metal gauntlet striking upon Alastor’s air pressure barrier with a loud bang like that of a sonic boom, Jay stared in shock as his blow was stopped, and Alastor also turned to stare at the place where his fist had stopped against his barrier as he said, “It seems I truly owe you an apology. You use Raw EDE to enhance your muscular structure, but you also used it to enhance the kinetic energy of your attack. You’re obviously limited to how far you can enhance it, but with your physical strength increased, the base amount of kinetic energy you can enhance is also increased, raising your attacks to quite a destructive level. As hard as it is to believe, your attack just now almost broke through.” Then spinning with a powerful kick, as he unleashed a blast of air pressure from his foot, Alastor knocked Jay sailing back down the hallway as he added, “But I’m afraid ‘almost’ just isn’t quite enough.” Landing hard on his back, as Jay sat up he raised one of his steel gauntlets at Alastor and fired a bolt of lightning at him from his palm. Striking Alastor’s pressure barrier, Jay’s lightning proved ineffective, and starting to walk over to him, Alastor said, “Impressive. Those devices even allow you to convert kinetic energy into electrical energy. Yet as you can see, I can pressurize the air until it becomes an almost unbreakable solid wall. No matter what form of energy you use, the result will be the same.”

            Clenching his teeth as he watched Alastor close in on Jay, Clyde finally took aim at Alastor with both his gunblades as he shouted, “D****t, lay off him you son of a b***h!” Turning back as Clyde pulled both triggers, Alastor watched as streams of flames erupted from the barrels of the gunblades like they were a pair of flamethrowers. Stopping the flames with his barrier, as flames continued to buffet the wall of air, Alastor called out, “As I said, no matter what form, I will not fall to any power.” Smirking snidely, Clyde said, “Oh really?” Suddenly surrounding Alastor, the flames that continued to pour from Clyde’s gunblades swirled around him, turning into a tornado of flames with Alastor standing in the eye. Looking around at the fire that encircled him, Alastor said, “And what is this supposed to be?” Calling to him through the firestorm, Clyde’s voice said, “I wonder what happens to your powers if I burn up all the oxygen around you?” Showing a brief look of realization, Alastor quickly tried to use a gust of wind to blow the flames away, but he found it so difficult to control the air that he could not create a strong enough wind to blow the flames away. His smirk turning into a malicious grin, Clyde said, “Looks like you’re s**t outta luck huh? Even if you survive the heat, once the oxygen is all gone in there, you won’t even be able to breathe!”

            Continuing to pour out fire from his gunblades, Clyde was confident he had triumphed over Alastor. Then as he and he alone heard his sister Noir shriek, he looked back to see Alastor behind him, holding his Acerbitas Desiderium with its scythe blade at her throat. Releasing the triggers of his gunblades, the flames stopped and Clyde turned to face Alastor with a disbelieving expression as he exclaimed, “How the hell?!” Back on his feet, Jay walked over to stand beside Clyde as he said, “Idiot. You forget how he can move things around through those black holes of his? He can teleport.” As Clyde fumed, Alastor merely flashed a faint smile and said, “He’s right. You were so overconfident in your plan that you overlooked a fatal flaw. In my current state, it’s admittedly harder to control the air without all the elements of normal air present, but there’s more to me than a mere wind user. I’m quite impressed though, your ability to control that large of an amount of fire with such precision is remarkable at your age. Both of you may prove useful to me yet.”

            Still fuming, Clyde took a step towards where Alastor stood holding his sister hostage and said, “Let Noir go!” Pressing his blade against Noir’s neck, Alastor quickly said, “Not another step. I’m afraid I need you and your dear sister to accompany me a bit longer. There’s still work to be done.” Angrily baring his teeth, Jay defiantly said, “Forget that! I’m done helping you!” Glancing at him blankly, Alastor said, “I don’t believe I mentioned you. I could use someone of your talent elsewhere, but as things stand I don’t really need you anymore. If you’re going to defy me, then I’ll have Clyde take care of you.” Both Jay and Clyde showing surprised looks, Clyde quickly said, “Like hell I’d…” He trailed off as Noir grimaced in pain, Alastor drawing a very small cut on her neck with his scythe blade. Watching this as well, Jay wore an irritated expression as he clicked his tongue and muttered, “You cowardly s**t… Fine, what do you want us to do now ‘boss’?”

            Arriving at the doors of Dr. Nova’s lab with Clyde and Noir in tow, Alastor kept a tight grip on Noir’s arm as he turned to Clyde behind him and said, “We’re here. Have her open the door.” Begrudgingly obeying, Clyde muttered, “Get the door Noir.” As she complied, they all stepped in. The room illuminated only by the emergency lights, they proceeded cautiously, looking around for some sign of their target in the shadows. Examining the now empty experiment tank in the center of the room a moment, Alastor called out, “I know you well enough to know you wouldn’t leave without watching me fall into your trap Nova. Wherever you’re watching from, let’s hurry up and get on with it. You know I’m a busy man.” A laptop set out upon an experiment table suddenly activating, an image of Scott appeared on the screen, and as he watched Alastor from the wireless digital camera hooked up to it, Scott said in Dr. Nova’s voice, “Always in such a rush! Well, as one busy man to another, I suppose I can sympathize. It’s been a while though hasn’t it? How do you like my new look?”

            Staring over at the laptop from the corner of his eye, Alastor simply said, “I have no time for pleasantries Nova. Clyde, have Noir trace the source of the transmission.” As Clyde complied, Scott gave a slight laugh and said, “I see I won’t have much luck stalling you. You really caught me off guard by shutting down the Vinculus’ systems. Until I figure out how to override whatever you’ve done, I’m quite stuck. The independent mainframes I use weren’t tied into the basic network of the Vinculus’ command terminals, and I can’t leave without the rest of my research data after all. Still, I’m not going to be caught so easily! In the name of Science, my work must continue!” As Noir’s lips moved, Clyde said, “The transmission’s coming from a mobile computer. He’s moving along a hallway on the fifth level of the upper sector’s east side. Noir thinks he’s probably heading for the landing bay that got blown open.” As Scott showed a look of mild surprise, Alastor flashed a faint smile and said, “Judging from the look on his face, I’d wager that’s a fair assumption.” Smiling reluctantly, Scott shrugged his shoulders and said, “Well, I suppose you’ve got me there. However, as you said Alastor, you still have my trap to deal with! It’s play time Zero!”

            Using his modified repulsion pack to hover quietly above Alastor, Clyde, and Noir, clad in his upgraded Black Knight’s armor, Zero revealed himself on Scott’s command, dropping down while holding his polearm up with both hands to skewer Alastor with an EDE charged downward strike. Pulling Noir with him, Alastor moved aside just in time as the polearm’s bladed tip stabbed into the ground where he’d stood. Wind swirled around the blade’s tip like a drill, carving a crater in the floor, and as Zero pulled his polarm free and silently turned to face them, Alastor glanced at Clyde and said, “I’m afraid our time together is at an end. I cannot keep your sister hostage and fight at the same time, so since you’re going to run off with her the moment I let her free anyways, do one more thing for me and I’ll guarantee your safe escape.” Looking at Noir briefly as he considered Alastor’s deal, Clyde said, “Let her go first.” Looking at Noir for a moment as well, Alastor quickly thrust her towards Clyde as he formed his swords and said, “Fine, but you’re not leaving here until I hear you give the order.” As Clyde caught Noir, who stumbled into his arms as Alastor tossed her away, Alastor said, “Tell her to restore the Vinculus’ functions, but have her do everything she can to stall Nova from gaining access to his research data.” As Noir regained her balance, Clyde said, “Noir, turn everything back on, but do something to keep that Nova guy from getting anything off his computer network.” As Noir simply nodded, Clyde turned his attention back to Alastor and said, “There, you happy now?” Twirling his swords in his hands as he calmly watched Zero gathering EDE for another attack, Alastor blankly replied, “Overjoyed. Now leave, and should I ever make another bargain with you, I strongly advise you not to haggle with me again…”

            Still up on the deck of the Ultio with War and Famine, Malum watched the Tentrion continuing to defend itself against the horde of anomalies and monstrosities he and Scathe had sent after it. Chuckling to himself, he muttered, “All the fools have finally gathered, just as I’d hoped. Now then, you two can keep an eye on the situation here while I take care of business.” Raising a hand, as a floating blue eye formed in the air before him, he added, “Let’s see, where is Alexander?” At that moment, Alexander was running through the halls of the Vinculus, muttering to himself, “I was careless to have left Bella behind like that. I can only hope she hasn’t run into any trouble. Now that everything turned itself back on, we need to find Grey and Saria before the enemy can regroup.” Suddenly hearing echoing footsteps from further ahead, Alexander briefly looked around for somewhere to hide, and seeing nowhere to conceal himself, he quickly formed Defensor Clementia. Coming down the winding hall towards him, as Clyde and Noir stepped into sight, Alexander started to lower his weapon in surprise and muttered, “Children?” Spotting Alexander as well, the two both stopped and Clyde moved forward to place himself between his sister and Alexander, raising his gunblades as he said, “Who the hell are you?!”

            Eyeing his gunblades warily, Alexander tried to calm him, replying, “Please stay your weapon. I’m merely someone who has come to save a person I hold dear. I assume you are both with the Morsus Brotherhood?” Lowering his weapons slightly, Clyde replied, “Yeah, and I’m guessin’ you’re one of these Angelorum Lux? Aren’t you bein’ a bit too friendly here? We’re supposed to be enemies y’know…” Putting on a reassuring smile, Alexander said, “When possible, I find resolving my differences with others through words preferable to senseless violence.” Laughing cynically, Clyde said, “If things were that easy to resolve, I wouldn’t have joined up.” His smile becoming a grin, Alexander simply replied, “We seem to be chatting just fine so far.”

Clyde simply sneered at Alexander, but then Noir moved her lips as she tugged on his shirt, and briefly he turned to her and muttered, “Yeah, I know.” Facing Alexander again, Clyde said, “You wanna walk away without fightin’, huh? Fine, but don’t think I’m doin’ you a favor here! We’ve got orders to report back fast, so I ain’t got time to deal with you.” Letting his Anima Entia evaporate, Alexander stepped to the side of the hall and said, “Understood, I’m in a hurry as well. Let’s just go our separate ways for now.” As Clyde and Noir were cautiously passing him, Alexander decided to press his luck, saying, “I don’t suppose you would be willing to tell me if you know anything about Grey and Saria’s whereabouts? They’re my only remaining family, and they need my help.” Glancing at him in irritation, Clyde started to say, “I wouldn’t know, not that I’d…”

            He trailed off as Noir actually spoke in her quiet voice, nervously saying, “Grey is in a mobile containment unit moving down a hallway on the fifth level of the upper sector’s east side towards the landing bay you opened. Dr. Nova in Scott Matthews’ body is with him, holding him prisoner with his powers. Saria is currently in the dungeon on the lower sector’s east side, cell block twenty. There are two others with her, Giselle and Gisette, who are fighting against each other. Assuming the data I have on these people is correct, what I’ve told you should be accurate…” Both Clyde and Alexander stared at her in surprise, and while Clyde kept staring, Alexander turned back the way he came as he said, “You’re a lifesaver, I’m in your debt!” As Alexander rushed off, Clyde said to Noir, “What’s gotten into you?!” Noir replied normally this time, allowing only Clyde to hear as she said, “I didn’t join to see another family torn apart…”

            Rushing back through the halls of the Vinculus, Alexander suddenly heard Amy’s voice through telepathy as she called out, “Alexander, have you found anything?” Not even slowing down, Alexander quickly replied, “Nova has Grey and is heading for the landing bay we came in through. Saria is in a dungeon on the lower sector’s east side, also in some form of trouble. I suggest you turn around and get Grey, I’ll go to Saria. Also, find out what happened to Bella, we got separated.” As Alexander was running past the fork where they’d all split up, a wall of darkness suddenly formed in his path, and he came to a stop as he thought, “Damn, not now!” Becoming concerned as she barely caught this, Amy quickly asked, “What’s wrong?” 

            Hearing Malum’s creepy laughter, Alexander turned to look down the path Amy and Mythra had taken to see a floating blue eye staring back at him, and then he heard Malum’s voice say, “I’ve finally tracked you down, Alexander!” Grimacing, Alexander formed his weapon to strike the eye down as he spoke to Amy telepathically, saying, “I’ve been spotted by Malum!” Before he could slash the eye apart though, it glowed with dark light, and Alexander blocked as Malum leaped at him out of nowhere to strike with his new weapon, the scythe’s blue blade of freezing energy glowing brightly. Amy urgently called to Alexander, asking, “Where are you?! We’re coming back, just hang in there!” Grinning creepily at Alexander, Malum said, “The time has come to collect on my loan! I’m putting all of Malum Vanitas’ core essence back together, and you’re first in line to die upon the blade of my Dux Dolos!” Barely holding him off, Alexander said to Amy, “Just save Grey and Saria! I’ll be a while…”