Ch 13: A Second Truth, Alastor’s Fateful Promise

Agnes' life is fading, but just as hope seems lost, Barinus claims that she can be saved by the seal in the depths of Noctivagus. Is there still light in this darkness?

            Rushing through the streets, Alastor and the others made their way towards the town gate. As they were in route, Alastor stopped suddenly as something pelted him in the back of the head. Wincing in pain, he looked down to see he’d been struck by a large marble. As Barinus and Mrs. Drowe stopped as well, Alastor heard a voice cry out, “Get outta our town you monsters!” Looking in the direction of the voice, he saw a child being pulled away from one of the windows of a nearby home by his mother. Suddenly flying out of nowhere as well, a boot missed Alastor by inches and a man’s voice shouted, “Yeah, we don’t need your kind here! Our lives are hard enough!” Quickly Alastor bent over to shield Agnes as objects and rotten fruit began hailing down on them from the windows of the homes around them, admonishments from the townsfolk ringing in his ears. Feelings of doubt, regret, and fear beginning to course through him, Alastor fell to his knees as pain wracked his body once again. Shielding themselves from the hail of thrown items, Mrs. Drowe and Barinus hurried over to him, Mrs. Drowe asking, “Alastor, are you alright?! Insufferable fools, we have no time to deal with their prejudices!” Watching Alastor struggling to regain himself, Barinus merely smiled knowingly as he said, “Yes, this is truly an unsightly scene. It shows the true wretched nature of mortals…” Rising to his feet again and pushing onwards, Alastor thought to himself, “Will nothing ever change…?”

            Fleeing Shala Village, Alastor and the others made their way through the Tal-Shala wastes and passed through the veil of darkness surrounding the outskirts of the Ruins of Noctivagus, the ease with which they entered they assumed could only be thanks to Agnes. Proceeding through the ruins towards the great Citadel of Noctivagus, they moved quickly across the ancient city’s main street, passing the countless leaning pillars that lined it, which had sunk halfway into the sands of the wastes. Arriving at the open door, as they stepped into the hallway, Mrs. Drowe and Alastor kept following Barinus towards the stairway leading down into the dungeons. Suddenly Mrs. Drowe picked up the pace, and as she passed Alastor she whispered to him, “Be ready…” Confused as to what she meant, Alastor watched her move up behind Barinus and tap him on the shoulder, and as he stopped and looked back at her questioningly, Barinus asked, “Yes?” Extending her hand, Mrs. Drowe said, “Barinus was it? I don’t believe we’ve been introduced. I’m Martha Drowe. I know it’s hardly the time, but it’s a pleasure.” Turning and facing her with a rather uninterested expression, Barinus shook her hand and said, “Er, yes, Barinus Arcus Matuia. A pleasure to be sure…” Holding fast to his hand, Mrs. Drowe smirked as she quickly asked, “Tell me, Mr. Matuia… Was anything you said about saving Agnes really true?”

            His eyes going wide in realization, Barinus still could not help but answer truthfully to her question, and blurted out, “No, there is no way of saving the Sage of Negations now. Her body will disintegrate as the EDE binding her body’s matter together eventually loses its integrity.” Alastor looked at Barinus in shock at these words, and furious to have been tricked, Barinus quickly pulled his hand free of Mrs. Drowe’s grasp and slugged her with his other hand balled into a fist. Knocked back onto her behind by his punch, Mrs. Drowe turned to look back at Alastor and shouted, “Take Agnes and run Alastor!” Unwilling to leave her behind, Alastor responded, “You can’t expect me to leave without you?!” In agitation, Mrs. Drowe shouted, “Forget this old woman! Whatever he plans to use Agnes and you for, it cannot be a just cause! Just hurry and…” As a silver spike shot out from the reformed Auram Cavea and pierced her chest, Mrs. Drowe trailed off, blood beginning to drip from the edge of her mouth.

            His eyes going wide in terror at the scene before him, Alastor shouted, “MRS. DROWE!” The bloodstained spike retracted back into Auram Cavea and Mrs. Drowe slumped backwards onto the ground, lying there motionless in a pool of her own blood. Staring at her motionless body in disbelief, as Alastor heard him approach he turned his gaze in Barinus’ direction again to see him speed across the distance and launch a thrust kick into his gut. Losing hold of Agnes as he was blown backwards, Alastor landed sprawled out on his back as well, and as he struggled to sit up and glare at Barinus, who stood there holding Agnes in his arms now, the villain merely smirked and said, “Sorry about that, ‘my Lord’…” With that, he turned and rushed off towards the stairs to the dungeon, taking Agnes with him as Alastor shouted after him, “BARINUS, YOU B*****D!” Scrambling to his feet, Alastor rushed over to Mrs. Drowe and knelt beside her. Taking hold of her hand, which was ice cold now, he said, “Mrs. Drowe, Mrs. Drowe?! You must open your eyes!” Opening her eyes slowly, Mrs. Drowe turned her head to look at Alastor, choking audibly as she tried to speak. Shaking his head, Alastor said, “Don’t talk! Just stay still!” Yet Mrs. Drowe squeezed his hand with the last of her strength and said, “What are… you doing… you fool…? Go to her…” Then her eyes closed for the last time, and her hand went limp. Her strained breathing ceased, and watching the last vestiges of life leave her, Alastor sat there staring in shock as he thought to himself, “Why…? Why can’t I… shed a single tear…?”

            Agnes in his arms, Barinus hurriedly made his way down the winding staircase around the citadel reactor, heading into the depths of the citadel towards the seal. Arriving at the bottom at last, he rushed over to the seal and placed Agnes’ unconscious body in the center of the glowing rune circle carved upon the raised stone surface. Standing before the circle, as Auram Cavea cast its light upon Agnes, Barinus raised a hand and quickly chanted, “Exite, Qui Mille Sigillum Nega Terram. Quae Et Liberari Debeat, Omnes Obliget Tenebrae Super Versa. Nos Aeternam Liberari A Voto, Incohent Novam Vitam.” The ruins began to shake, and a grand, glowing black rune circle appeared in the air around Agnes, the runes within spinning like the dial of a combination lock. Just as the rune circle had crystallized and shattered, Alastor rushed off the stairs, his twin swords formed as he barreled across the floor towards Barinus, shouting, “BARINUUUUUUS!” Raising a hand at Alastor, Barinus directed Auram Cavea to fire a laser beam just in front of him, and as the beam struck, the explosion quickly halted Alastor’s charge, knocking him back onto the floor. Watching him struggle up with a smug expression, Barinus called out, “Such astounding anger you’re showing. Have I displeased you, ‘my Lord’…?”

            Shooting him a look of rage, Alastor shouted, “Why are you doing this?! Weren’t you saying you’d guide me to my destiny?!” Watching as a black mist began rising up from out of the broken seal, Barinus calmly replied, “That’s exactly what I’m doing.” Streaming and swirling through the air, the black mist floated quickly over to Alastor and engulfed him, and just as Alastor began flailing his arms in defense, the mist was absorbed into his body. Feeling as though his power had risen greatly, as Alastor looked himself over nervously, Barinus began laughing. He finally ceased to laugh, and as Alastor continued to glare at him, Barinus said, “You see now? I had to bring her here before she died to ensure the seal was broken. Even if you are the Scion of Last Remote, your power alone would not be enough for the challenges ahead. It is for this very reason that we led you to that book all those years ago, the very reason you are now the great Alastor Bastille, Usurper of the Nameless One!”

            Unable to believe his ears, Alastor stared at Barinus in disbelief as he exclaimed, “YOU led us to the book? You’re saying that soothsayer was you?” Wearing an ear to ear malicious grin, Barinus replied, “One of our agents, assigned to ensure that you acquired the secret to unleashing the Nameless One into this world again. It was somehow beyond our expectations that you and your brother nearly conquered the world with your army of darkness, but thanks to the diligent work of my brother and nephew, mortals somehow managed to turn the tides and seal you away, giving us a second chance to control the power of the chosen one.” Growing more and more confused by his words, Alastor started to say, “Army of darkness? Conquer the world? What are you…?” Trailing off as the feelings and pain he’d been feeling all this time returned in all their intensity, Alastor dropped his blades and clutched his head as images flowed through his mind. Relentlessly replaying in his head, as the missing hole in his memory filled in, Alastor shouted, “NO!” Watching as he dropped to his knees and continued to clutch his head, Barinus said, “All the despair you spread, all the lives you shattered… You remember don’t you? Alastor of the Dark Crusade?” His teeth clenched and eyes wide as he clutched his head furiously and tried to push away the memories, Alastor screamed, “NOOOOOOOO!” Walking over to Alastor as he remained sitting there in misery, Auram Cavea floating by his side, Barinus wore a triumphant grin as he said, “So pitiful. It’s no wonder Fortuna seems to have changed her mind. Until we figure out the meaning of this altered prophecy, I’m afraid leaving the All Heart with you isn’t an option…”

            Sitting there as Barinus began to raise his hand to command Auram Cavea, Alastor was so in shock that he could not move even a muscle. It seemed the end of everything, but at that very moment Agnes’ voice weakly rang out through the room, “It’s alright… Alastor…” Stopping his hand and looking back in curiousity, Barinus muttered, “Oh? Still alive?” Hearing Agnes’ voice, hearing those words at that important moment, Alastor was able to break out of his shock. Picking up one of his dropped swords, Alastor rose with a powerful slash, and as his blade tore a wound across Barinus’ chest, the villain staggered away with a cry of pain. With sword in hand, a dark aura erupted around Alastor, and clutching his wound as he struggled to remain standing, Barinus muttered, “You lowly worm…!” Channeling Corrupted EDE into his free hand, Alastor charged up a powerful attack, saying, “Your schemes have backfired Barinus! I still have the boost from Auram Cavea, and the new strength you just unsealed as well! With this power at my command, I’ll destroy you right here and now!”

            As Alastor leveled his hand in his direction in preparation to fire, Barinus willed Auram Cavea before him and said, “A god of the royal line will not die so easily! Divine Hyperion!” Long steel spikes shooting out of Auram Cavea in all directions, they stabbed into the floor and walls to anchor it in place as the Grand Anima Weapon quickly charged up massive energies within its energy sphere and unleashed it as an incredibly wide and powerful laser beam. Standing firm in the face of his attack, as he unleashed a swirling storm of darkness with blue lights flickering within it, Alastor shouted, “Deathsoul Summoning!” The attacks collided and battled with one another before exploding powerfully between the two opponents, and leaping through the aftermath, Alastor flew at Barinus and swung his blade in rage. Barely dodging as Alastor tore straight through Auram Cavea with his sword and began to lash out, Barinus backed away and said, “You win this round, ‘my Lord’. I’m afraid I must return to Mautau before this injury worsens any further. Yet do not think this is over! The Hand of Fate will chase you to the ends of existence!” Turning and lunging after Barinus as he began to evaporate into his ethereal form, Alastor swung again as he shouted, “I’ll be waiting, I’ll destroy you and the Hand of Fate!” Passing through Barinus as he evaporated, Alastor’s blade scattered his energies momentarily before they simply began to disappear, leaving only Barinus’ evil laughter behind.

            Glaring at the spot where Barinus had vanished from, Alastor quickly turned away and rushed to Agnes’ side as he heard her call out to him. Kneeling beside her, Alastor stared down at her pale face and said, “Agnes… I’m sorry…” Looking up at him, Agnes managed a weak smile and said, “I’m… gonna die, right…?” Turning his gaze away, Alastor could not find the courage to respond. Reaching up and taking hold of one of his hands, Agnes said, “Maybe this is for the best…” Holding onto her hand tightly, Alastor looked down at her in shock and said, “What are you saying?! This isn’t right at all, your life had barely even begun!” With a weak laugh, Agnes said, “And I already… hated it… I can’t think of one good memory in my life… Except for when I met you I guess…” Surprised at this, Alastor couldn’t help but say, “Meeting me? How can that possibly have been good? All you ever did was get annoyed or angry at me, and now you’re about to die just from getting involved with me…” Shifting her eyes away from him in embarrassment, Agnes muttered, “Idiot… You would have to ask me something so embarrassing…” As Alastor continued to stare at her in confusion, Agnes looked at him again and said, “You were the first person who accepted me… the first person who treated me with kindness and respect… And to be honest, I never expected there’d be anyone at my side to shed a tear when I died. But here you are…” With a sad smile, she added, “You’re almost like… my first real friend…”

            Alastor gripped her hand even tighter and said, “I’d be honored to be your friend Agnes… but I… I can’t shed tears for you. I want to, if it were in my power I’d do it this instant, but…” Laughing weakly again, Agnes grinned and said, “Easy come, easy go…” Suddenly grimacing in pain, Agnes jerked and groaned for a moment, and in concern Alastor exclaimed, “Agnes!” Bearing with it, Agnes smiled again and said, “Think it’s almost time…” Seeing the look of horror on his face, Agnes thought a moment, and then said, “Hey, before I go… Let’s make a promise between friends…” Giving her his full attention, Alastor replied, “Ask me anything. No matter what it is, I swear I’ll keep it.” Beaming at him, Agnes said, “That guy, he said you’re on a quest to change the world, right…? If that’s really true, then… don’t give up… Make this a better world… One where nobody has to suffer like I did… Ok…?” Looking away from her in hesitation, Alastor murmured, “But… but I…” Closing her eyes, Agnes was starting to fade as she weakly said, “Chickening out on me…?” Returning his gaze to her, with determination Alastor said, “No, I promise! I vow to you Agnes, I’ll see the world change with my own eyes!” Her grip on his hand going slack, Agnes quietly said, “That’s… great…” Suddenly Agnes’ body went limp and her breathing stopped. The fearful thought of her death setting in, Alastor wondered how he could feel such pain of loss without an ounce of sadness. Hoping she would somehow respond like always, his voice strained, Alastor said, “Agnes?” At that instant, her body disintegrated, becoming nothing but a cloud of dust that rode the air currents up through the citadel’s reactor shaft.