Shattered Planes Archives (Seasons 4 & 5)
Beyond => Outerverse => Topic started by: Queen Bright on January 23, 2011, 06:22:19 AM
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Now that the Sage Dimension was nearly taken, it was time to take back the Outerverse. With that key element back in control, Hikaru could proceed with the plans she had thought up on the spot. The only thing standing her way, was Iroku, and her own kids... Before, that would have been an issue, but at this point in time, Hikaru wouldn't even stop against her kids. Them, her brothers, all of her relatives combined, they were all enemies. As was anyone else alive. This was the result in the spell to seal the conscience. It rid one of the ability to feel or care for anything. It destroyed their sense of right from wrong, and it destroyed who they were for as long as the spell was cast.
And with as powerful a sage as Hikaru was? As well as being a spell created by her as well as her own method? This basically meant forever.
"Infect the Outerverse," Hikaru muttered in command when she had appeared with the circle and Aralangs a mere few inches from the rip between the Outerverse and the Prison Dimension. Thinking it to be all the more painful for her captives, Hikaru just left them at the entrance while she ordered the Virus.
"If the one they call Iroku defends it, I will take care of him. Just do your part." That said, Hikaru materialized the entwined staff of Genesis and Revelation magic in her hand. It was the same staff that she had created in the tournament, but with its power masked of signature as well. To any sage or mage, as well as any type of magic user, Hikaru no longer had a signature, and neither did any of her possessions.
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The Virus knew that the Outerverse could kick it out the moment it attacks the Outerverse. "I need to go inside of you for just in case the Outerverse force-teleports me out of here in response to me infecting it," it told Hikaru. I then went inside of Hikaru without infecting her. It just merely remained dormant inside of her. Next, it began to infect the Outerverse, and adapted to whatever it did to try to defend itself.
Several Aralangs went to their side of the rip, at the edge. "You two okay?" one of them asked Gaserlake and Leserlake. Both nodded back.
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When finished ordering the Virus , Hikaru glanced to both Gaserlake and Leserlake, catching the question from the other Aralangs. This caused her to turn around and stand directly in front of them. With a quick glance to the rip, she sent one last command to the Virus without glancing to the two, "Infect them now as well, make them infect their whole dimension across the rip. When finished, return."
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Gaserlake, Leserlake, and the other Aralangs were in shock. "What?" they all said at the same time.
The Virus infected Gaserlake and Leserlake to the point that it controlled the two, but left them conscious and aware of what's happening. The Virus then spread into the prison dimension with Gaserlake and Leserlake.
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With the first virus particle that attempts to infect the Outerverse, all the virus particles are forcefully teleported out of the Outerverse, returning them to the Era Valley. Iroku appears at the center of where the virus horde once was, with Kotah and Ezael at his sides. Her kids try to run to her as soon as they see her, but Iroku stops them with a firm hand on their shoulders. "Hikaru. No more mother. Mother trap in Hikaru. Hikaru trap part of Hikaru. We free her." He says, stepping before them as Koraiten rises from the ground, a small silver butterfly resting on his shoulder before fluttering off, dissipating into the Outerverse's atmosphere.
Koraiten phases into Iroku's body once again, merging himself with him to complete the metamorphosis ritual. Iroku stands tall, the armor symbiote emerging to cover his entire body. "Gone for now, Banished the Memories. Displays of calm are betrayed by your misery." He calls out, the helmet growing multicolored feathers, like a tribal headdress.
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However, not all of the Virus has been forcefully teleported out. Some of it was inside of Hikaru, safe from forced teleportation.
The Virus proceeded with infecting the station, but the Aralangs knew what was happening. They'd rather have no station than an infected station. Therefore, they scuttled the station, with no countdown... or tried to, anyway. The Aralangs realized to their horror that the Virus took over the self-destruct systems. The station has eventually been completely infected by the Virus, including the docked ships. They went to other stations, as well, and the infection process has begun, and succeeded in infecting the stations. All of the uninfected Aralangs escaped.
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Having taken note of Iroku's appearance, Hikaru turned to him and proceeded to walk forward while at the same time, commanding the remaining part of the Virus to stay dormant and do nothing. To her kids, she completely ignored them. "I am Hikaru Tyris, eldest of the Sage Three, the three most powerful magic users of the dimensional plane, and last descendants of the Phoenix and Genesis Kingdoms, heirs to royalty." Hikaru paused to scowl for a moment, "I understand you came upon possession of the Outerverse in my absence. I come to inform you that is no longer necessary and that I will be taking it back now. If you disagree, you will die."
"What should we do?" Both Kotah and Ezael both asked respectively as they stood by Iroku with worried looks, their spirit guides beside them. The guides themselves stood hissing, both catlike spirits had their fur ruffled and their tails standing on end, their teeth showing and eyes in slits. The guides could sense danger in Hikaru, and in response, stood ready to defend each of the kids.
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He stands tall, her head only about reaching his shoulder as he stares her down. "Phoenix and Genesis royalty mean nothing to true guardians of nature and her children. Social, political, economic, and cultural standings are irrelevant before the needs of the land. You command the Great Beast. You have destroyed countless lives. You birthed the abomination called Kurai. You even claim possession over that which cannot be owned and you hold no claim to. While you may be one of the most powerful sages, Ms. Tyris, I cannot allow you to tame the Outerverse. You know only how to destroy, and one such as that cannot become a guardian of the land. Further attempts will result in open war, which you know will be time consuming and cost you a good deal of resources you could put to better use elsewhere. I ask that you leave. I will not allow any to tame this place. It is a pity you tamed yourself so readily. Ararus must be infuriated." He explains, not even flinching at her scowl.
Behind him, the air starts to shimmer and turn to silver. The light forms into great, twin butterfly wings, unfurling to reveal Celestie standing between them. "Hikaru. I see you have come to retake what you believe is yours. What has happened to you? You hold so little of your previous glory that it saddens me."
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The Virus remained dormant and passive inside of Hikaru.
Gaserlake and Leserlake were forced back to the edge of the Aralang Dimension's side of the rip in time to hear the conversation.
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"You misunderstand," Hikaru shook her head, "We're not just the most powerful sages. But overall, the most powerful users of magic. Like it or not, your people remain inferior to us as well as the Sage race as a whole. It's high time you understand that. In the hierarchy of magic, we stand at the above all. You say I have no right to the Outerverse? That is a lie. The Outerverse was under my command before others. When the Sage Three ruled the dimension, my brother founded Japan, while I discovered the Outerverse, it is by right, mine."
Hikaru took not of Celestie but ignored her.
As they hadn't received an answer to their last question, Kotah and Ezael took it as a time to be silent and said nothing more. But they stood ready.
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He shakes his head as Celestie pulls at Kotah and Ezael's shoulders, pulling them away from Iroku. "Ms. Tyris, that is quite the confident statement. Sages are strong, sure, but not the strongest. And once again, you hold no claim to the Outerverse. Nor do I. The Outerverse owns itself, as it should be. No longer will this place be tamed by anyone. And even your considerable power isn't much match for it, should it decide to defend itself." He replies, seeming to stare her down as the feathers on his headdress flutter in an unseen wind.
Celestie, now a good thirty feet away, puts up a barrier-array around her and the kids. "Hikaru's not herself at the moment. There's something restraining her emotions, possibly memories and even her conscience as well. May be a seal, mental block, I'm not sure yet. Tough to tell with no magic signature to follow. Let Iroku handle this."
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"The Sages aren't the strongest, no. But the Sage Three are. And eventually? Highest in all of existence. Now stand down." Hikaru slowly stepped forward, her grip tightening on the staff.
"If the Outerverse didn't want a master, it would not have allowed my magic signature tied to it all those years ago. You don't know the Outerverse. It accepts its masters very carefully. They must be high in power, and prove themselves by removing the previous owners signature through death or force. Kai only had it so Lucifer could not obtain it. I intended to take it back when that danger had passed."
"But if she uses the violet flames, he's done for!" Kotah argued against Celestie. Of course he meant God Fire, but at this point in time, he had not been given the name of the flames he had come to know and had no way of knowing.
Meanwhile, Ezael had noticed Gaserlake and Leserlake, recognizing the both of them from back in Aralia. "What about them? Shouldn't we try to help them? They don't have a barrier for safety."
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"If she does use the purple fire, I'll need your help to protect us. We'll be too busy trying to keep ourselves alive to worry about them. Especially if Iroku feels he needs to use his strongest skills." She answers, crouching to one knee as she starts bolstering the strength of the Array.
Iroku, however, stands resolute. "I know not what happened to you, that would cause you to work with the Great Beast or lose all sense of who you are, Milady Tyris, but know this. Your power, your position, your family, your lover, you do not scare me. Even though the blood of the regal Phoenix flows through your veins, you can still die." He answers, turning so his side is facing Hikaru, his feet spreading apart as a strange feeling emanates from his body, after-images trailing his movements. His magic signature weakens as the strange feeling intensifies. "It would seem we are at a crossroads, Milady Phoenix."
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"I die, I re-incarnate or return from Hell. And permanent death by spirit? You do that and well-" Hikaru paused. She believed Asura's words, but was it wise to spread it to others? "Well, you'll just have to see. Now, I grow bored of this bickering. So you have two options." Hikaru pointed the staff at Iroku, "Fight or die." With that, she disappeared.
"But we should still try!" Ezael argued back, "If we don't, they'll get caught in the cross-fire."
"What if we made the barrier on that side?" Kotah joined in.
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((Well then, time to start anew I suppose... -.- ))
"Then I fight you off again, and again, until you get the hint. I die, I shall return, probably without even passing. And I shall return with friends. You will not take this place, she has not been born yet. Neither I nor Irrelai will allow you to corrupt her!" He answers, his voice rising with each sentence as his body absorbs the ground beneath his feet, producing three perfectly identical clones as the after images split from his body. Together, their voices echo throughout the Outerverse, calling its power to bear. "Rroho Kaldeldetza nach eidolas Tyris!" They shout, the magic and spirit signatures spreading equally through the four Iroku's as tribal eye-like runes form on the ground, scattered about with seemingly no pattern.
"If we try to help them now, we'll all die, and then we can't help anyone anymore. Besides, I don't think they'd let us help them. We three have made them quite mad, after all. Besides even that, according to my husband and his messenger, they know a lot more about that thing than we do. We'd just get in the way." Celestie responds, holding their shoulders even tighter. "They've faced that thing before, they'll know how to deal with it. Besides, our magic won't work in there. They have some kind of field that makes magic not work. Now come on, we need to get this done if we're going to help your mother."
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Clones. How cliche. And exactly what Hikaru had planned to do herself.
"Bring every Aralang in the Prison Dimension to the edge of their side of the rip," Hikaru commanded in thought to the virus, "Have them stay there until further notice, DO NOT cross over to this side."
That done, Hikaru reappeared afloat within the air, a swirl of golden flames curled around her and graceful wings adorned upon her back. Crimson red with golden tips, the feathers of the wings appeared to grow longer the closer they came together in the midpoint of her back, instead of shorter. This was due to the feathers extending downward from the center into longer strands that resembled the tail feathers of a phoenix, the gold being more dominant in the longer strands that flowed with the direction of the wind.
Taking the entwined staff of solid Revelation and Genesis magic in both of her hands, Hikaru began to pull at each of the different types of magic, one in each hand, prying them apart. As the extraction of the magic took effect, sparks of amber and cyan flew off in all random directions until Hikaru had what resembled an amber and a cyan snake, one in each hand, representing the two magic types.
After promptly dropping the two snakes to the ground, the moment Hikaru took hold of the now barren staff, the two magic types sprang back to life and wrapped themselves around one another again, reforming the staff.
As for the snakes, the moment they touched the ground, they began to slither in the opposite pattern, therefore if the cyan snake went one direction, the amber snake went another. Soon the snakes were encircling the four Iroku's, the Cyan-Genesis snake going clockwise, and the Amber-Revelation snake going counter.
Hikaru herself went into fetal position and wrapped the 15-foot wings around her body, curling herself into a feathered sphere. The sphere began to molt.
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All of the Aralangs were eventually squeezed into the station. Of course, there's too many to fit in the station, so the leftovers were in the docked ships.
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The four Irokus phase out into the Astral, body and spirit, as several of the Eyes flash a bright green. As they return less than a second later, in a box formation outside the Snakes with Hikaru at the center, they bring two red mongoose-spirits with them, who immediately set to hunting the two snakes. The mongooses, being one of the foremost natural predators of snakes, take little time in using their claws to split the snakes' heads right open, and sit down to feast.
The Irokus form large war drums around them, calling on the Outerverse to power hazy barrier spheres around them as the spirits inhabiting each Iroku fragment swarm out and into the ground. His voice rings out as the spiritless vessels start their drumming, vibrating the Outerverse's ground. "Vii vii Niimon saamon! Eei mujje Bam bardrabu morei!" Within the confines of the Rroho Kaldeldetza, a sage green mist forms low over the ground, grass sprouting and shooting the Eyes into the air as vines reach up to wrap around the molting sphere. Each feather that hits the vines is disassembled, the raw materials sinking into the ground like water in dry soil.
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The moment they were slashed, both the amber snake and the cyan split in half. But instead of fading, the two halves formed back into a whole snake going from two snakes to four snakes. Two of Genesis, and two of Revelation. The four snakes resumed encircling the four Iroku's.
As for the vines, they would soon fine out that they weren't able to touch the feathered sphere that was Hikaru, for a strong unseen barrier blocked their touch. While the feathers that had molted just merely avoided the vines and floated to the ground, sinking into it and fading the moment it made contact.
Then all at once, Hikaru stirred and threw out her wings, all of the feathers shed in one motion, bursting out in wave throughout the Outerverse. Each feather fell to the ground sank into it, and faded away, avoiding the vines along the way.
Hikaru raised the staff and threads of Revelation and Genesis magic shot out at the vines, seeking to consume them and show just what was the stronger magic in this fight.
"When I give the order, teleport every Aralang you've infected into the Outerverse. But do nothing until I say". Hikaru commanded the Virus.
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The Virus stood by.
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((Two more posts till Rroho Kaldeldetza identifies and marks Hikaru's seal, four until the origin of the signature of power is born.))
The vines, rather than simply quit as assumed, massed around the barrier, preventing the falling feathers from avoiding them in their quest for the ground. Disassembled, they served as food for the new life growing deep within the Outerverse. From the ground emerges a massive signature of power, pressing against Hikaru's barrier from all sides as the mist thickens. The four spirit fragments combine deep underground, even as the two mongooses split into four, chasing the snakes yet again, this time restraining them rather than splitting them open. The snakes begin to weaken as the mongoose spirits feed on the magic.
The drums quicken as the tangled mass of vines begins to pulse with a heartbeat, sending shivers down Celestie's spine as she pulls the kids further and further away from the battlefield. "He's not even trying to stop her from taking the place, he's just buying time..." She mumbles, as Irrelai teleports in front of her, still within the half-finished pocket dimension wall Celestie'd crafted, her magic signature suppressed as much as she could.
"I need you to cover me, keep me hidden, I need to do something kinda insane for this to work." Irrelai asks of the three, crouching before the two kids. "If you would like to see a new life be born into this world, I ask your help." She explains, walking behind them and sitting down, feet together and knees out wide as she places her hands low on her stomach. With a wince and a sharp groan, she pushes the contents of a small crystalline vial into her stomach, using the Sierrensa techniques to pull it into her and bring it to where it needs to be. Suddenly, she springs to hands and knees, vomiting violently as her stomach starts to swell.
((Edited to fix Hikaru's complaint.))
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When Hikaru gave the order, the Virus teleported every single Aralang into the Outerverse. It seemed like there was some retarded n00b on cocaine mashing the spawn button, because apparently quintillions of Aralangs were teleported into the Outerverse. That's right. 1,000,000,000,000,000,000's of Aralangs. Quintillions upon quintillions upon quintillions. Now, this was only ONE dimension. Only ONE. Imagine how many Aralangs there were if you counted ALL of them in EXISTENCE....
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When the vines continued their course, the feathers merely phased through them and continued their path to the ground, along with the wave of feathers. Hikaru knew more about Spirit than what was assumed. After all, she had been the very first sage to break the taboo of using Spirit Energy, and after that first venture into the art, she had studied it almost as much as magic. Add that to what she had learned from the Records? Hikaru was a very formidable foe in both Magic and Spirit.
The snakes were unphased by the mongoose as well, both snakes and feathers were not on the Astral Plane, and barely on the Physical Plane. Where were they? That was a mystery altogether. And not one Hikaru intended to reveal just yet.
When the wave of feathers had melted into the ground as planned, the strings of Revelation and Genesis magic went forward and strung themselves around the vines, attempting to consume and disintegrate everything they touched.
As for Hikaru herself, once she knew the Virus had done what she signaled, Hikaru commanded it once more in thought, "Now surround them with displacement fields and focus half of their Spirit Energy to the ground, and I'll do the rest. If you're teleported off, teleport back in and continue it. It forces you back to the last location. That being the other dimension, they can't stop it without fixing the rip. Use Phantom magic if you must."
Dropping the staff, Hikaru watched as it hovered into the sky, turned over on its side, and started to rapidly spin, the ends of the staff extending and throwing out wave after wave of Revelation and Genesis magic that showered down upon the Outerverse.
Hikaru disappeared. Her next spell was all she needed.
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The Virus produced a displacement field around the Aralangs. The Virus focused their Spirit Energy to the ground. It was ready to teleport quickly back if it was teleported out.
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((One post until location of Hikaru's seal is revealed, two posts until the seal is destroyed by the Kaldeldetza, three posts until the creature is finished.))
The Outerverse, noticing the intrusion, promptly force-teleports all the Aralangs and virus out, as well as the spirit energy they'd poured into the ground. When they came back and tried again, they were teleported out yet again, in an endless loop until the Virus got the hint, which was, unfortunately, highly unlikely. So the process simply kept repeating, as soon as the infected teleport in, they're teleported out again, not even given the time to let out even a trickle of spirit energy.
The ground in the center of the Rroho Kaldeldetza lifts upwards in a great upheaval, a massive giant formed from the ground emerging as the four spirit fragments conjoin within it, giving Iroku a new body as the clones sink into the ground, the vines underneath disassembling it and passing it to the growing creature far below, adding to the disintegrating strings of magic and the remains of the vines. The giant turns towards her as the Rroho illuminates Hikaru, regardless of her position, in a bright green light as it nears completion of its task.
Even as the strands of magic eat away at his vines, they grow back using the power of the Outerverse itself. For each vine destroyed, two more take its place, curling around the strands of Revelation, of Genesis, eating away at them and using them to feed the incomplete spirit below. The mongooses continue to hinder the snakes, wrapping their entire bodies around them and continuing to feed. Soon enough, the snakes wouldn't even have the energy to move.
"Ol tal taothas!" The stone giant calls out, the light enveloping Hikaru brightening by nearly thrice its original luminance. "Or El aithii!" He shouts, the light wrapping itself around Hikaru, pulling her fully into the Astral where Iroku, in his truest form, stands waiting for her. The great bear, fur and chitinous, sparking spikes shifting between green and blue as it stares her down. "You cannot prevent this birth, milady Tyris. Your interference is merely an inconvenience. Why is it that you desire to tame this place so badly that you would endanger even your own children?"
Celestie bolsters the strength of her wall, adding AT properties to it to prevent Aralangs from teleporting in. Irrelai continues to kneel on hand and knee, her stomach swelling further and further as her techniques quicken the little one's growth inside her. The vines acting as her clothing snap from the pressure, falling off of her as she lowers herself onto her side. "Ch-children, you have n-never witness, a birth, have you?" She asks, her eyes resolutely closed as she speaks, carefully monitoring and controlling the energies she's using to quicken the process.
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The Virus suppressed the spirit signature of itself and the Aralangs and teleported back into the OV.
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Unfortunately Hikaru was not lit up, nor put into the Astral. Why? Because to put it quite simply, she was neither in the Physical or Astral plane at the moment, and the same went for all of her attacks unless willed elsewhere. Having no signature, she wouldn't be able to be traced, as the Phantom Magic she used prevented that. And being in a Plane unknown from what most would know, the only way she would be found was if she herself willed it.
Sensing the forced teleportation of the Aralangs, Hikaru knew it was time for her part. Being sure to catch hold of the Spirit Energy before it was teleported out, Hikaru tied it together in a net and let it teleport. That way the next time the Virus teleported the Aralangs, the spirit Energy would be in one big massive signature net which should overwhelm the Outerverse, as it outnumbered Iroku's own signature. That was for Spirit. In the case it didn't, Hikaru cast the next step.
Every feather that had sank into the ground began to pop up all over the Outerverse throughout the infinite dimension, multiplying themselves. Each feather then formed into a clone of Hikaru, and under them a spell circle. When all the clones had popped up, the spell circles connected through spell lines, and the Outerverse was connected. These circles had but few purposes.
One, they would send her own magic signature into the Outerverse at the same time as the Spirit Energy from the Aralangs, adding a whole new massive signature to the mass. And two, unlike a spell circle which grounded a person, this aimed to disconnect them from their point in spacetime, thus force teleport them out. And because the Outerverse was covered, it wasn't an attack you could simply wipe away. Therefore the connected circles both served to push Hikaru's signature into the ground, as well as force teleport Iroku out of the Outerverse, the effect spreading through the Physical and into the Astral as well.
As for the Strings of magic and snakes, because they were on the same plane as Hikaru, and not in reach of the Astral or Physical, they were able to keep their form and not be fed off of. After all, one can only feed off something they can sense, trace, or touch. The plane prevented all and the strings continued to attack the vines, munching them down.
Hikaru appeared outside Celestie's wall, but only a magical hologram of herself. Locking her eyes onto the kids, she gave a kind yet saddened gesture to the two of them, "Kotah, Ezael," She spoke, her voice near a whisper, but loud enough for the kids to hear, which prompted them to look at her with questioning looks.
"You must help me. If you don't, they will force you into helping them. I have given you choice of whether you want to go with the Special Forces or myself. But the Relorians, they don't care of your choice, they just want your power on their side. I was wrong for sending you to the Outerverse, it has only served to rid you of freedom even more. This time not by the Aralangs, but by the Relorians. Please help me, so that you may win your freedom back."
When Hikaru finished, the kids stood hesitant. On one hand, they were told not to trust their mother, on the other they were told she was a good person, and yet their mother was telling them not to trust the Special Forces or the Relorians. Which was the right choice? Both Kotah and Ezael glanced at each other before taking a step forward. True, the Relorians had given them their magic back, but their mother was still their mother, and the one thing they had wanted the whole time they were infants and toddlers. There was no way they were going to lose her again. Not even the influence of the ASF could get rid of that want.
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(Wait.... holy shit... did Irrelai really get herself knocked up?)
And the Aralangs were teleported back quick, as the Virus wouldn't give up. If it had to, it would teleport the Aralangs back hundreds or even thousands of times per second, or even more if it had to. That means Hikaru's plan was executed real quick. The OV was quickly overwhelmed by the massive amount of Spirit Energy.
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((You sound surprised, Gaserlake.))
The vines and snakes, as they had to have some part of them in either the Astral or physical planes to be able to affect the vines, were still able to be fed off of, albeit at a lessened rate. As the Rroho was, currently, unable to find Hikaru there was only one other possibility. So, he poured power into the Rroho, expanding it even as the OV teleports the net again and again. The Eyes turn bright blue as magic, of any and all kinds, lights up bright like a beacon. The snakes seem like writhing ropes of light, the clones bright auras, vaguely humanoid in shape. The orienting of the eyes spreads the Rroho's vision across the Outerverse, with new eyes forming at the edges, quickly expanding his field of vision. "Why do you wish to tame this place so badly, Tyris? You, who have given up what made you so great? You are no longer worthy of the royalty you claim. The Relorians will ensure that you are no longer recognized as a princess, nor one of the Sage Three. Now you are naught but a shadow, a shell, pathetic and weak, forced to rely on hiding yourself away and attacking from behind like a coward unwilling to face his opponent head on. Enough wasting my time, little girl, come on out here. It's about time you were punished. Or shall you flee, panting and weak, through your hidey-hole still?"
Celestie took it upon herself to deal with the feathers and clones. Using the signatures as a reference point, Celestie forms barrier-boxes around the circles, cutting them off from the Outerverse and thus rendering them useless and preventing them from force-teleporting Iroku out of the OV. "Don't you realize you're only making this take longer?!" She shouts at the clones, now having a decent idea as to what Iroku and Irrelai are doing. "If you'd just let us finish you'd have your precious fucking Outerverse!" She continues, crafting barrier-arrays around each clone before squeezing them to the point of squishing them.
Irrelai, still inside the half-finished pocket dimension, lets out a massive scream as the newborn's body reaches the point where it's finally ready for birth. The ground of the Outerverse starts to glow a brilliant silver, even brighter in the Astral plane as Iroku's goal nears completion. "Hikaru, s-sealed herself, no more i-is she even, your mother!" She growls, her face contorted in a tight wince as the contractions begin.
((Next post, I get what I want. 3 posts, Hikaru's seal is revealed. Post after, seal is destroyed.))
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But Irrelai was too late, as the kids had already stepped out of the barrier half-finished pocket dimension and went forward to their mother. Kotah stopped for a second as his Clairvoyance had picked up the lie for what it was now that they were closer, but as Hikaru had no emotions, Ezael's empathy was useless and so he had already grabbed the hand "Hikaru" had held out to the kids.
"Ezael, wait!" Kotah yelled and grabbed at Ezael's other hand to stop his brother.
This was all Hikaru needed to give the signal to the Virus, "Infect Kotah and Ezael and give all information you learn to me. After that. Kill that silly woman. She's in the way." Though she said this, however, the hologram of Hikaru gave nothing away and remained in a 'worried' state of expression which served to make Kotah hesitate on whether his 'feeling' was true or not.
Because the former feathers that were now cloned holograms of Hikaru were not in this plane either, they could merely phase through the barriers and convert themselves back to the physical and astral planes to continue putting her signature into the Outerverse. If they barriers were enforced, they would just repeat the process of switching planes back and forth. With the type of magic they were made from, such a spell could be achieved as easy as a passing thought.
Add that to the fact that the holograms were not just close by, but spread throughout the infinite grounds of the Outerverse, and Celestie could not possibly have affected them all, as some would have been out of her area of effect.
By now the Outerverse would have the net of Spirit Energy and the magic signatures pouring in, and would be losing the fight as it diluted Iroku's own signature from it.
Hikaru herself stayed hidden while her snakes of Revelation and Genesis handled the mongoose, growing in size and phasing through the them. Instead of attacking by converting themselves, they just focused the magic of themselves into the ground. After all, the vines were no threat. Let them stay.
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The Virus inside of Hikaru took the opportunity and infected Kotah and Ezael down the chain of holding hands. It then sent everything it learned from them to Hikaru, including information about the Aralang Special Forces and their technology. The Virus then went to Irrelai and infected her, controlling everything in its path.
The Virus kept teleporting the spirit energy net back and forth, tens, hundreds, even thousands of times per second, and even more if it needed. If it needed to, it could easily go faster. Just as fast, if not faster, it sent the spirit energy net into the ground of the OV.
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The second the virus particles touch the partial-dimensional wall, they disappear, added to the collected viral clusters out in deadspace as Celestie shakes her head, glaring at Hikaru as she forms a similar barrier around the kids, the moment the Virus started to move. Her barriers continue to move with Hikaru's circles, trapping them again and again. Soon enough, her forearm tenses as she adds a layer to the barriers, preventing the phasing was so fond of. Celestie, unlike Iroku, wasn't a specialist with the 'two' Planes, and so couldn't recognize that Hikaru wasn't simply phasing between physical and Astral planes.
"You will not harm these children. Your body may have grown them but you are their mother no more. You destroyed the part of you that was their mother, and thus they are orphans, free to make their own decisions. I will NOT allow you to take that freedom from them!" Iroku explains, opening a tiny portal behind him and shooting a small, green orb into it, closing it immediately after. "I don't care what the consequences are. You shall not have these children, nor shall you have my Irrelai." He adds, closing his eyes as the mongooses leave, the vines retract back into the ground. He spreads his arms wide, and his signature spreads throughout the entirety of the Outerverse, collecting on the outside walls to create a powerful ward against teleportation, phasing and portals. While Iroku may not know it's there, but even teleportation into Hikaru's own pocket plane becomes impossible. He now stands before her, the armor symbiote spreading across his stone body, transferred from his original body into this one when he'd left it to await her in the Astral.
The glow engulfing the Outerverse's ground swarms in on Irrelai's lower stomach, overloading the barrier-wall with strength enough to forcibly repel the Virus, exploding out in a nova as Irrelai disappears entirely, the glow with her. Celestie, smiling, laughs and lets out a loud whistle. Iroku allows a single exception into his ward, the Sons of Plunder. Within the blink of an eye, Nisorin, Kerion, Jade, Luna, and Alex teleport in, the exception removing itself once they've all arrived. Immediately, they focus their will upon Iroku's slumbering body, using the Sierrensa arts to sync their signatures with Iroku's, weaving them all together and infusing them into the Outerverse using Iroku's body as a conduit. Even Hikaru, strong as she was, couldn't outpower this many high-level mages at once. With the net of spirit energy stuck outside the Outerverse, it's one against six, standing tall and proud, out in the open. An image of true strength, six openly fighting against the cowardice of the so called crown princess of the Phoenix Sages.
-
"Hikaru, you've got company."
K2323 had been watching for some time now. He glanced at the battle going on before him. He could tell that there was a battle going on, despite his sarcastic comment of dumb-foundry. He was really an incredibly smart sage who knew very well that a high level battle was occurring and his sister was out numbered.
He had used his NET abilities to arrive in the Outerverse after he realized he was unable to teleport there. That's when he'd come across this scene. He'd just finished fighting in Shuma and his body was well prepared, already flaring with Genesis magic. He allowed his signature to rise -- though not to its full extent -- to make it clear who he was..
K2323, one of the Sage 3, the White Genesis Twin. His fist clutched a staff firmly, the staff being his Genesis Staff, and he used it -- not that he needed it -- to walk across the battlefield towards the Sons Of Plunder. He'd started to cut the magic signature like a thread, forcing his own magic signature into it to break it before it even got near to infusing with the Outerverse, but he still needed help. This was a lot of power.
"Hikaru... Give me a hand, doll," K2323 pleaded, a grin on his face. He glanced at the Sons Of Plunder with a very serious expression on his face. "My sister can sometimes be rash. Let's talk your concerns over before someone gets hurt. I'm sure we can come to an agreement."
-
Because Kotah and Ezael had gone outside the partial-pocket dimension, however, the infection had already gotten to them, which was why Hikaru had lured them out to begin with. Now as the two fought the Virus for control, their spirit guides joined in by attacking the Virus on the Astral plane, clawing and biting at it.
Due to the fact they weren't just 'phasing,' but another tactic altogether, Celestie's barriers didn't effect the circles and feathers one bit. All they had to do was convert back to their plane and then back to the physical.
Hikaru had made sure of the success of this by using a spell to create a temporary plane of existence around just herself. This let her stay out of both the harm of the Astral and Physical planes.
The same went for her magic as well. By creating a temporary plane around each spell, miniscule in size. She could successfully keep the spell in that plane, and destroy it when converting to the Physical Plane. By keeping each very small and limited, Hikaru was able to provide enough power to keep the tactic up.
But eventually it would let up. This was why she had used one other way to keep herself from being caught by this Shaman and his pesky spirits. She had taken advantage of the other side of the rip and now would once again, as she commanded the Virus its next orders, "Teleport every sage taken in the Sage Dimension to here and focus their signature through the rip and into the ground at the same time as focusing the net of Spirit Energy. Teleport the Aralangs here as well, cast everything through the rip. He may be able to ward the Outerverse, but this side, he does not have control of. As for my kids, create a plane around them both for the few seconds it takes to Teleport them to this side as well."
With this said, Hikaru waited, not daring to respond to her brother for fear of giving away her position. His appearance had taken her by surprise, that was a given. But at this time, it was important to ignore it and just allow him to help.
With the circle still feeding signature and the added power from the net of Spirit Energy. Anyone who knew how many sages were about to appear, knew the Outerverse was about to be flooded with enough signatures to wash out Irokus and never see it again.
This all happened as the Sons of Plunder had been teleported. But they made no difference. The Outerverse would only accept one master. They could tie their signatures together to fight back the other signatures in trying to dilute the current one. But they could not all control the Outerverse. If it was attempted, due to the nature of the signature tie to the Outerverse, the Outerverse would throw off the invading ones that were tied in to the one it followed. A fact that Iroku had apparently overlooked and Hikaru now took advantage of.
-
The Virus teleported all the Sages from the Sage Dimension, as well as all the Aralangs in the OV, to the Aralang dimension's side of the rip. There, the Sages focused their signatures through the rip and into the ground. At the same time, they focused the net of Spirit Energy, as well as adding half of their own Spirit Energy into the net. The Aralangs focused their Spirit Energy into the net, as well as focusing their signatures through the rip. Normally, the Aralangs wouldn't be able to do that, but due to the infection of the Virus, they can, as the Virus can.
The Virus then created a plane around Kotah and Ezael and then teleported them to the Aralang PD side of the rip.
-
Unfortunately for Hikaru, the SoP weren't force-teleported out, as the energy they were funneling into the Outerverse was, once they'd altered it a bit, Iroku's, while they acted merely as generators. Feeling the massive surge of magic from the rip as the teleport casting started, they whirled about in harmony, together calling upon the Outerverse's power in addition to their own. With the A- fields beyond the rip taken down, the single, brilliant silver bolt that shot across the Outerverse like a beam of light passes right through the rip. The moment it entered the other side, it explodes violently, spreading a multicolored mist that coats everything, including that side of the rip, without entering the Outerverse. The coating acts as a second set of wards and an expansion for the Rroho both, extending its sight into the Aralian dimension, spreading eyes of every color of the rainbow even as the mist on the rip itself forms a barrier, preventing crossing even through Hikaru's planar trick, now that it is detected. Each color seeing a different category of existence, it wasn't long before even Hikaru's hiding place was found, and with it, her advantage disappears. "You who have caged your own people through the abomination that is your pet cannot be allowed to take a hallowed place such as this Sanctuary. Your will shall corrupt it, distort and destroy it. We, the Sons of Plunder, shall take this place from your slaver hands, Hikaru Tyris!" They call out to her through the Mist, their combined voices like a vice against the Virus as the mist on the Aralian side of the rip shifts into a circle, used once against the DACI. The matter near the rip breaks down into its basic components, feeding the Forge as the Virus finds its own life energy being sucked out of it.
Iroku's new body, meanwhile, turns to face K2323. "Cease your interference, False Genesis Prince. Your sister wishes to tame this place, an act I cannot allow regardless of intent. If you keep trying to aid her I will kill you. Your position as one of the Sage Three is irrelevant. This place WILL not be tamed." He calls out, staring the man in the eyes as more of the OV's energy rises up around him, acting as a shield against K2's attacks. "The Sages were once a race of honor, of power and pride. Now you fall to a weak, pathetic shell of a woman who hides in fear of her foe, who relies on an abomination of life and has completely shut away all that made her who she was. Your race is now nothing more than mindless slaves, yet you wish to fight me?"
((Finally. I get to stop wasting time.))
-
The power of the Outerverse was a funny thing. Summoning it meant being in full complete control of it. When the control of something was being contested -- and it was -- it wasn't that easy to hold onto something. The controller was more prone to slip up -- to make mistakes.
K2323 looked Iroku straight in the eyes, his own eyes neither filled with anger nor hate towards the Relorian. He merely nodded at the man in understanding. He was observing the scene before him and could see right through the Sons Of Plunder. He knew what they were thinking. He knew what they felt of the sage kind.
"I have only met some of your kind, Mr... Iroku, isn't it? But in my time of knowing your kin, a friendship between us has blossomed. MY kind, the sages -- the ones, for example, of Japae -- we took your kind in. I recall vividly a meeting with the Sons Of Plunder in Sky Island where I expressed my full support to your once-great empire. In those days, your people chose the path of light -- of greatness.
"It was nearly eleven years ago, I think.. When our kind formally met over light refreshments. Even before then, we came to know each other when your people were apart of those.. What is your name for them? Kuos? The Starmen of the Starclan who were situated firmly inside their haven of Dragon Moon which eventually became your own home.
"In many ways, our kind -- sage and Relorian -- are cousins in the world of magic. In other ways, we are nothing alike and perhaps never will truly be one in the same. Regardless, it is not a person's race who decides their greatness. No, it is their actions and their will. A will can be good, or a will can be evil. Your people may believe as I do that their is no good and evil in this world for the people -- only a perspective of relative right and wrong. This is true, but an individual's being is determined by good and evil actions and will.
"Your kin and you are here now in the Outerverse in an attempt to thwart what you perceive as the darkness. Your view of my kind has been tainted by one woman and her pet. You've allowed yourselves to misjudge millions because of your own hate and rage. As such, those of you here are in the path of darkness -- of evil -- not because of your race, but because of your will and actions.
"Your kind can still be saved from the darkness, though. There are two paths you can take now. The path of goodness and light is your departing the Outerverse now. The path of darkness and evil is for you to try and hold on to the Outerverse -- to maintain it. You must leave now. It is for the good of your kind.
"And if it's my sister you're worried about -- or that thing over there -- you should not worry. As the embodiment of Fate, I watched over a battle which your people may have seen. It was a battle between a clone of mind - one who had chosen darkness - and my sister. The battle caused damages. My sister won, though just barely. I, on the other hand, would not have lost as I am not weak and in the path of darkness as my clone was."
K23323 now stepped forward towards Iroku, using his staff as an aid. The beam of light which was going towards the rip was intercepted by a second force of light which curled around it like a forcefield, keeping it inside the Outerverse. A similar field was emitted around the rip, designed to allow the virus on the other side to still do as he needed but designed to keep anything in the Outerverse out -- unless K2323 willed for said something to enter the rip. The coating wouldn't be allowed to enter the Aralian dimension.
"This place, as you claim, is independent of any political motive. It is, furthermore, apart of nature. I know not how much your people know of my own past. I was raised by a people who respected nature and seeked only to observe it and learn from it... In order to protect it. However; this place has spoken on behalf of sage kind. It has graced our kind, and now we must grace it by protecting it. That is OUR duty, not your own, and I must ask you to depart from this place which you were invited to.
"My sister's change in personality is a family matter....... The sooner you depart, the quicker I can deal with the situation. But I assure you, my kind has not fallen."
In that instant, a doorway began to rise out of the ground of the Outerverse. At the same time, K2323's own shirt (a gray T-Shirt) was ripped apart as two wings sprouted out of his back, causing him to drop to his knees in agony. The wings were dragon wings. They were flapping away.
"That door," K2323 managed before coughing up blood, "That door. Please leave through it."
His wings flashed red and unleashed a wave of red energy. It was a signal to Hikaru. Send the signatures to me. His wings had turned into giant magic-signature attracting rods.
-
Even if K2323 had stalled the beam of light for now, it had still gone close enough to trigger Hikaru's own trap that had been cast in wait. The moment the beam was close enough, a large spell circle appeared painted across the entire rip. This circle, unlike Hikaru's usual, didn't have runes or even much of a design. Instead it had three rings and there dead center of those rings was a perfectly rounded hole with a blackness so dark that not even light could be seen shown into it; Very much like a black hole. But unlike a black hole, it was one-sided and for the moment tame until a spell crossed the threshold of the rip.
Around the hole, there seeped out a transparent barrier that was unseen for now.
Despite this bit of protection, Hikaru knew it still wouldn't be enough if they were to play this right. With the ward around the Outerverse they had to use what they had to their advantage, and this meant keeping the rip safe and in their control. Even if it meant doing what her usual self would despise. "If you can modify the anti-magic and other fields cause them to prevent magic, spirit energy, and teleportation from their side to this side but allow it to be cast from this side outwards."
After Hikaru had sent the command to the Virus, she had caught sight of K2323s signal, "When that's finished, direct all signatures of both the Sages and the Aralangs to my brother. All magic, and enough Spirit Energy to make a difference. But not enough to kill. I still have use for them."
-
The Virus worked on the generators. It altered the generators to the point that the field generation resulted differently. the AM fields turned into a one-way field. Magic could exist inside the AM field and leave the field, but no magic could enter the field. It could be seen as a one-way AM barrier. Effectively, the AM field has become an AAM field for the magic on the inside.
The Virus then directed all signatures of the Sages and the Aralangs to K2, the Virus infecting the signatures, too, but without infecting K2. All magic has also been directed to K2. Same goes with Spirit Energy, but not too much -- half the Spirit Energy per person.
-
((Played like a harp.))
Iroku, in his new stone body, stands tall before K2323, directing blasts of energy to deflect the slash attempts away from the thread before dropping to one knee, bent forward with his palms flat against the ground, arms crossed at the elbows. The bolt twists, rebounding off the barrier and arcing high into the sky of the Outerverse. It explodes in a shower of rain, fueling itself with the ambient energy emanating from all those present. every tiny bit of energy it touched was absorbed, its signature stolen from it as a new circle spreads across the ground. Extending several thousand miles from the center mark, the ornate circle immediately begins breaking down all that was not permitted. The magic, phantom or otherwise, is sucked towards the circle by the marks symbolizing elemental Wind and Space that shone bright green and silver respectively. Even that excess magic stored in K2323's body is sapped temporarily, like a vampire feeding on its victim. "You misunderstand. I fight not on the behalf of the Relorians or the Sons of Plunder, but for myself. I will not allow this place to be tamed by anyone for as long as I have the ability to fight. This place, that allowed me a child, has given me too much to stand idle. You speak as if you have some right to this place, as if my defense of it is an absurd concept, alien to you. And you forget that darkness is not always a bad thing."
The Sons' of Plunder thread splinters after it passes through the Outerverse's ground, rising up to form the Forge of Arianos and absorb the invading signature, combining it with that gathered from the DACI. With the absolutely massive amount of energy pouring in from the Rip, it took mere seconds for the Ritual to complete. Blackness swarms the area in the Outerverse, spreading through the Rip and the adjacent walls of both the Outerverse and the Aralang Prison Dimension, engulfing Hikaru, the Sages, K2323, the Aralangs, the Virus, everything. It continues to spread, further and further, until it reaches the edges of the APD and the opposite side of the Forge. The Sages, Aralangs and Virus find themselves in a very much real realm of pure, endless white, floating in nothingness, with no air or anything else around them. Luna, Alexander, Kerion, and Jade arrive a good distance in front of the horde, radiating with power as the Sages and Aralangs enter their world.
K2323 arrives in a small clearing in a rainforest at night, Iroku in his bear form standing before him, silvery-green eyes staring out from the shadows cast by the mile-tall trees. Multitudes of glowing eyes of all colors blink around K2323, and the trees erupt in whispers. How he could not even prevent the atrocities right before his eyes, his inability to take hold of the Sages, of his kin, and teach them to behave. How he continues to push all away in the name of the Sages, while his own sister threatens to destroy everything. "Welcome to my home, Mr. K2323 Tyris, false Prince of the Genesis Sages. You'll find departure quite impossible until I allow it."
Hikaru, however, finds herself in a far different place, one flooded with a feeling of familiarity. She stands in a small garden, surrounded by sweet-smelling flowers, facing a 2 story house. Voices can be heard from inside, including one that sounds suspiciously similar to her own. Magic and use of spirit energy end in nothing, as if neither were at all possible within this relatively small world. Even Hikaru's control over fire, granted to her by her Phoenix heritage, does not function here.
The three 'worlds' exist only within the blackness, borne of a new magic, infused into the Weaves of the Sons of Plunder and Iroku and formed directly around those drawn into them.
A short distance from the Outerverse side of the blackness, Animas arrives, fading into existence as if summoned there. Their twin voices, speaking into the now empty air, echo slightly. "And so it begins. Our power, left behind from ages unknown, is hereby divided amongst these seven, a number sacred in magic and in spirit. With it, we bequeath to them our will, that the Planes be shattered by war, so that they may rise above those without honor and forge the new world, standing tall and proud, seven as one." Bound to the place as the Embodiment of Love, their business with the fallen princess keeps even the Outerverse from evicting them.
-
K2323's 'scissor spell' which were cutting the threads saw the energy blasts coming. The Energy Blasts being directed towards the spell were intercepted by threads of K2323's own which deflected the energy blasts. K2323 continued cutting into the magic signature of Iroku (and the Sons Of Plunder), stopping it from tying with the Outerverse.
The rain hit a barrier which appeared above ground-level. The rain would eventually eat through and absorb the barrier, but not for some time, and it wouldn't interrupt the transfer from the virus to K2323, nor would it absorb K2323's energy. Another barrier appeared coating the ground. It'd have the same effect on the circle -- it wouldn't be able to eat through/break down the barrier in time. Especially not with thousands of miles to cover.
K2323's magic was safe, and so were the signatures/spirit energy.
"Darkness represents in this case... Evil. I speak the truth, but you block out my words in fear that I speak the truth."
They were still in the Outerverse. With the SOP unable to tie their threads into the Outerverse, there was no ritual. Only pain for the Sons Of Plunder. The signatures and spirit energy being sent by the virus latched onto K2323's body. His body, overcome with energy, reacted. ONE HALF GENESIS RELEASE.
K2323's wings turned a black color, with crimson scaled dotted upon them. His Genesis Staff was absorbed completely by the wings as his neck extended slightly. Marks appeared on his cheeks -- dragon-like whiskers -- and his nails grew and transformed into talons. He wasn't in a dragon form by any means yet, but he had transformed halfway to the first stage of his Genesis powers.
"You.. should have... left," K2323 roared.
A surge of incredible power of signatures, all channeled into K2323's own signature, poured into the ground of the Outerverse. It's power, made up of entire races, overcame that of the Relorians by thousands of times. This was it. Game over.
OOC:
The Sons' of Plunder thread splinters after it passes through the Outerverse's ground, rising up to form the Forge of Arianos and absorb the invading signature, combining it with that gathered from the DACI. With the absolutely massive amount of energy pouring in from the Rip, it took mere seconds for the Ritual to complete. Blackness swarms the area in the Outerverse, spreading through the Rip and the adjacent walls of both the Outerverse and the Aralang Prison Dimension, engulfing Hikaru, the Sages, K2323, the Aralangs, the Virus, everything. It continues to spread, further and further, until it reaches the edges of the APD and the opposite side of the Forge. The Sages, Aralangs and Virus find themselves in a very much real realm of pure, endless white, floating in nothingness, with no air or anything else around them. Luna, Alexander, Kerion, and Jade arrive a good distance in front of the horde, radiating with power as the Sages and Aralangs enter their world.
K2323 arrives in a small clearing in a rainforest at night, Iroku in his bear form standing before him, silvery-green eyes staring out from the shadows cast by the mile-tall trees. Multitudes of glowing eyes of all colors blink around K2323, and the trees erupt in whispers. How he could not even prevent the atrocities right before his eyes, his inability to take hold of the Sages, of his kin, and teach them to behave. How he continues to push all away in the name of the Sages, while his own sister threatens to destroy everything. "Welcome to my home, Mr. K2323 Tyris, false Prince of the Genesis Sages. You'll find departure quite impossible until I allow it."
Hikaru, however, finds herself in a far different place, one flooded with a feeling of familiarity. She stands in a small garden, surrounded by sweet-smelling flowers, facing a 2 story house. Voices can be heard from inside, including one that sounds suspiciously similar to her own. Magic and use of spirit energy end in nothing, as if neither were at all possible within this relatively small world. Even Hikaru's control over fire, granted to her by her Phoenix heritage, does not function here.
The three 'worlds' exist only within the blackness, borne of a new magic, infused into the Weaves of the Sons of Plunder and Iroku and formed directly around those drawn into them.
A short distance from the Outerverse side of the blackness, Animas arrives, fading into existence as if summoned there. Their twin voices, speaking into the now empty air, echo slightly. "And so it begins. Our power, left behind from ages unknown, is hereby divided amongst these seven, a number sacred in magic and in spirit. With it, we bequeath to them our will, that the Planes be shattered by war, so that they may rise above those without honor and forge the new world, standing tall and proud, seven as one." Bound to the place as the Embodiment of Love, their business with the fallen princess keeps even the Outerverse from evicting them.
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[/size]Null due to events of my post.[/color]
-
((Well, I suppose that works too. I was just gonna contain the thread's energies in an artificial Weave while I dealt with you, but this works oh so much better.))
Iroku, refusing to accept defeat, quite literally grabs at the barrier covering the Forge, his hands forming into ornate bear paws imbued with a warping spell, further disintegrating the barrier even as its disassembled by the Forge, causing holes to spread through that section of the barrier. "You should have listened. With no honor, you think you can defeat us. This place will sooner be destroyed than tamed by anyone, and it shall be your own power that does it!" He calls out, smirking as the signatures pass through the Forge on their way into the ground. "You, who refuse to listen to those around you, refuse to acknowledge their wishes or desires, do not deserve to tame this or any other place! I shall personally ensure you fall unto oblivion for this!" He shouts, pouring his power, be it magical, spiritual or otherwise, into the Crafting. He reaches up at K2323, a tiny speck of black forming exactly halfway between them, before expanding rapidly, engulfing both mages and the massive amount of signatures projected by K2's body, an amount that would surely cause an overload of absurd proportions had Iroku not engulfed him in the new world. The black quickly fades, leaving behind a small sphere, only an inch in diameter. Dark, reflective blue, it shines bright as what looks to be a rainforest-covered planet revolves slowly within.
This left the Sons of Plunder, now turning their gaze to the Rip. Moving in complete harmony, they point at the area just barely around the rip, and black seeps through the walls of Outerverse and Aralang PD, the signatures of any caught within it disappearing completely as they walk, unconcerned, towards the rip. "You, who willingly associate yourself with an abomination such as the Beast, who willingly slaughter your own people, enslave their bodies as if they mean nothing, require punishment, discipline. Your brothers, while not having fallen as far as you have Hikaru Tyris, are in no shape to perform this duty. And so, we shall carry out this duty as Judge, Jury and Executor. Once your sentence has been carried out, you will be granted what it is you seek so vehemently." They call out, their six distinct signatures warping and forming into two.
-
The signatures were unphased by the forge, however, as the fact was, the signatures were just too powerful. After all, it was two large races against only six mages. Sure, these mages may have been powerful in magic, but so were the sages of the Sage Dimension. And all of them? Add that to the Aralang race as well as the Virus that was helping as well, and it wasn't likely that the the forge would break about the signatures.
That, combined with the fact that Hikaru was reinforcing her brothers barrier, caused the signatures not to be touched in their path to the ground.
God Fire spread across the barrier accompanied together with Spirit Fire. When the two had merged? The result was far more powerful than Iroku could dream. God Fire was destruction its self, and could destroy anything on the Physical Plane, add that to the effects of Spirit Fire being able to access the Astral Plane, and the result was a pure unstoppable destruction on both the Physical and Astral Plane. Deicide Fire.
This darkened purple fire was what spread across the barrier and reinforced it. However, with her other tricks up, Hikaru couldn't keep it up for long. As much as she would hate to admit this had she been herself, the current Hikaru didn't care one way or another, as long as the battle was won. This is why she petitioned the Virus for help. "Focus all your power onto reinforcing my spell. If it goes down, my brothers barrier goes down and the signatures will lose to their attack. Everything depends on keeping his barrier up."
As Hikaru's circle encompassed all of the rip, there were not edges around it as every inch was covered. So as the spell came near, the defense circle was triggered as the rings around it started to spin, and the black was sucked into the even more deep pitch black of the circle, swallowed whole. The output of such a circle? Somewhere in the Negative side of the Dimensional Plane. Hikaru wasn't taking any chances. Any spell that tried to pass the rip or the walls around it would find its self too far to harm.
-
The Elite Energy in Hikaru, despite her lack of knowledge of it, involuntarily strengthened her reinforcement on the barrier. The Virus channeled energy through Hikaru, giving as much as she is using. At the same time, it directly reinforced the barrier using magic and Elite Energy.
-
Even powered by a race worth of mages, the Forge would not be deterred. The particularly terrifying and oft troublesome trait of this circle was that its effects intensified the more energy was nearby. Pouring strength into defenses such as K2323's barrier only served to further strengthen the circle itself. It was not something that could be beaten by something as simple and obvious as overpowering it. Once engraved, it took a life of its own. It fed on the barrier, on the signatures passing into the ground, glowing brighter and brighter as more and more strength is poured into the area around it. And with the introduction of the Deicide fire into the area, the Ritual was not only assured for the Seven, but plenty enough energy was being consumed that they could create numerous 'worlds' in succession, so long as their personal stamina holds. While a normally excellent order, Hikaru's command to the virus only sealed the Sons' victory. Pulling K2323 into the blackness that crafted Iroku's world, the two disappeared as the black compressed into a small sphere, perfectly mirrored. Part of no particular plane, it was out of the Deicide Fire's reach.
Four of the Sons hang back, using the excess energy consumed by the Forge to warp the space around the fire, infusing it with the same power that allows the Aelirtras to function. The distortions burst in a flood of crystal clear liquid, illuminating the Deicide with a bright silver hue, pushing back at the purple flames like wind-borne rain against a wildfire. This strange liquid, imbued with the creative powers of the Aelirtras and the Forge both, forms a wide circle around the Sons and Iroku's world to protect them against the Fire.
Finally, Nisorin and Celestie Lertis, drawing upon their newfound power with an almost natural skill, raise their hands to the skies as their magic rushes out towards the rip, only to stop inches away from Hikaru's barrier. Their voices echo through the Outerverse and the linked Aralang dimension, taking on the joined tindre normally attributed to Animas. "Getaway, run away fly away! Lead you astray, to dreamer's hideaway." They call out, singing voices crashing against Hikaru's defenses like a bullet train, from every side accessible from the Outerverse. Her barrier shudders against the impact, repeated with every syllable. Marks of power, glowing with their own strength, form between the barrier and the Aelirtras magic. They push against the barrier, not physically touching it as the couple stare right through the rip, right into Hikaru's horde. In them is, oddly, no trace of anger, of hate or fear. All that shows beyond their ice blue and wheat hazel eyes is disappointment.
-
but it was too late. The signatures passed into the ground, protected way too well to be effected by the circle in time. The circles quickly faded before it's effects even took effect. The signatures, all channeled into the signature of K2323 and strengthened by the mass amount of spirit energy, had already taken hold of the Outerverse, the signatures of the Sons Of Plunder now diluted. In one moment, the sons of plunder -- and for that matter, everyone with the exception of K2323, Hikaru, and the virus, were forcefully teleported out of the Outerverse, along with all their magic.
A loud, resounding POP echoed throughout the Outerverse as this happened. Protective spells were placed around the Outerverse the moment the sons and their spells had left, preventing their magic signatures coming back in. The spells of the sons had not taken hold. They'd been teleported out the moment decide fire had appeared. The battle was over, but chances were, the war had just begun.
As soon as the Outerverse was taken, K2323 collapsed to the ground, returning to his normal form. After a few moments, he got up, placing more protractive spells around the Outerverse and the adjacent dimension. He called out to his sister.
"What's for dinner!? I'm starving!"
-
Animas, held in the Outerverse through their right as Embodiment of Love, walks towards the rip, clapping. "That was a brilliant move, too bad you've not heard the last from them. Seems we get to keep our power a bit longer. A shame. So now, Ms. Tyris, we wonder if you understand why we're here." They call out, walking almost leisurely towards the rip. "And we apologize, Mr. Tyris, but we have some business with your sister that does not involve you. We can assure you that unless she attacks us first, we shall not grow hostile. May we please have some privacy?"
-
Though she appeared within sight, Hikaru didn't let down all of her defenses, just yet. If what this being, Animas? If she recalled correctly? If what Animas had said was true, the battle still wasn't over. Not if they were going to try again. Holding her arm out to signal the Virus to remain there, Hikaru looked out to the embodiment, "My brother stays. He is the owner of the Outerverse until I take it from him. Therefore he has to stay in order to preserve its defenses to make sure those incompetent fools don't return. If you do not like this, then you perhaps do not deserve to talk to someone as great as the eldest of the Sage Three."
To the Virus, Hikaru gave one last command for the time being, "Partially release control of those fools enough to allow them movement and speech. But be ready to stop any resists." To herself she muttered, "I want to hear their suffering.."
-
They laugh, smiling at Hikaru. "We merely wish not to be overheard,or interrupted is all." They say, glancing towards K2323. "Besides, they won't strike again so soon, not until they can keep you from bringing the Sages and Aralangs into it again at least. Though one might think you would mind your words in the presence of a pair of Embodiments."
-
The Virus stayed where it was, and released control of the Aralangs and the Sages just enough to let them move and speak. Nearly all of them reacted in confusion and fear. The only ones that didn't show much reaction was Gaserlake, and Leserlake, the two in the OV that have already experienced infected.
-
"Mind my words?" Hikaru scoffed. "It doesn't matter to me if you're embodiments or not. My brothers and I stand with the embodiments as well. Kai, who has inherited Chaos from our grandfather. K2323, who has become fate. And myself, in line for the succession of Time. So don't try to flaunt your power to us. We will rule you."
Hikaru watched them from the other side of the rip, her defenses still up. "I suggest you leave. I will not speak to either of you after this. You're hardly worth the time." With that, she turned around to face the two races, quickly adding, "Besides, I have plans to go through with."
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"Then your mind shall erode until it no shard of it exists any longer, embodiment or not miss Tyris. You see, your recent actions have, unfortunately, set off a bit of a reaction within you. Koty has been cut off from you because of what you've done, and because of how, it's severing rather interestingly. I've never personally witnessed this kind of severance before. Now, mind a word?"
-
"As if that matters to me." Hikaru gave no expression as she easily informed, "The only use Koty was, was for the power of God Fire. And even now? That link between him and I is completely useless. I'm of the Phoenix race and I have in fact read every spell in the Record of Time. Of past, present, and yet to be invented. This has in fact provided the method of using God Fire without your silly little ritual. So go ahead, break it. I care not enough for him to have it affect me. You're wasting your time. Be gone."
-
Their eyebrows raise, and a devious grin spreads across their face. "Ah, perhaps we were not quite loud enough when we began. You see, the Orion is only breakable through the severance of the bond. But as you already know, severing that bond has some rather, unpleasant, consequences. Your method, however, throws a bit of a wrench in the normal way it happens. You see, instead of creating the Avenger, filling yourself with rage and hate, you are heading for a different path. It hasn't been oft traveled, but we believe we have heard it called Irresere before. While our Caorrn is slightly rusty, we do believe it means something akin to the common term 'Forsaker.' You have forsaken yourself, your partner, even your children. we are afraid the Orion does not take kindly to such an act. Within a day, you will find yourself becoming swiftly more apathetic, and soon enough, your drive will do what the Earth-folk call a 'complete 180.' You will become single-minded, unable to view anything else. Then, nothing. Your drives disappear, memories, desires, all of it. All thought ceases, and you truly become little more than a living shell. Rather detestable, but there is nothing that even we may do." They explain, walking up to Hikaru without fear.
"All your efforts will come to naught, regardless of how successful they may be. Shall we tell you how to avoid it?"
-
The infected wondered about. All of the Aralangs found their technology gone. The Sages were about to cast magic, but the Virus stopped them before any spell has been cast.
-
"Or at least she would be.If she had all her memories." A feminine voice budded into the conversation, the owner of the voice nowhere in sight. "With half of that drive already gone, it does honestly put a change in that. Or do you have even that figured out?"
"Now what.." Hikaru glanced about the area, looking for the source of the voice. Her defenses over the rip went down as she looked across the Outerverse's side. "More friends of yours?" She appeared to ignore what Animas had stated, though she took the words to mind.
"Bravo, by the way." The voice continued, as someone pushed their way through the crowds of Aralangs and Sages. Though no one appeared to be there as of yet. "The fight in the Outerverse was splendid, but a bit unfair. That's to be expected, I guess. Though K2323 sure has become weak through the years."
-
Animas smiles as they looks over Hikaru's shoulder. "Not that we know of, though we know not who it is yet so we suppose we cannot be sure." they answer, looking back at Hikaru. "Her memories are still there, hidden away from her. Should the Irresere come to pass, those memories will no longer exist, nor will any clones or separations she has created through whatever act caused the severance."
-
Gaserlake and Leserlake were surely puzzled. Gaserlake scratched his head and waved his hands around where the voice might have been.
-
"And how would you know if he's gotten weaker or not?" Hikaru inquired of the voice, "You dare underestimate the power of the Sage Three?"
"I don't underestimate it. I participate in it." The voice was revealed to belong to a cloaked person that walked out of the crowd or races, the color of the cloak a maroon, a very familiar maroon. "Clones maybe, and severance depends upon the type. But..." The person took their hands and brought the hood of the cloak down, "I am no clone." It was Hikaru. Or what looked like her. Before the Hikaru at the edge of the rip could react, however, the new "Hikaru," raised her hand to silence. "But neither are you."
-
Animas continues to smile, as if such a revelation wasn't unexpected. "Then, milady Tyris, would you kindly explain what is going on?"
-
Uh... wha...?" Leserlake quietly talked to himself before turning to Gaserlake, who shrugged in response.
The Virus was confused, also. Which master to take? Both, one of them, or none of them? Curious, the Virus went into the new Hikaru, but not to control her, no, but to find out about her, to see who she is.
-
"All in due time." The new "Hikaru," smirked. "I apologize, but your conversation with my other half, is not my first priority. Rather, seeing through her goal, is." This Hikaru glanced towards the Aralangs for a moment, before staring unwavering at Gaserlake, "Are you going to drop this charade and give up? Or has the fact that your whole race within this Dimension has been infected not been given enough time to sink in yet? Only you have the power to end this. "
"Just wait one minute! What if I don't want him to?" The current Hikaru was ready to signal the Virus to infect what she viewed as the imposter. "I'd much rather go through with enslaving the rest of the Dimensional Plane and forcefully destroying technology! ONLY THEN can we re-take the Dimension and rule."
"I'd rather not have myself be a mindless idiot when we finally win." The second Hikaru muttered as she glanced back to the Aralangs. "Your say?"
-
Animas laughs once again, shaking their head as they look to Gaserlake. "I see someone understands what's at stake."
-
Gaserlake looked back at his fellow Aralangs. He smirked as he looked back at the new Hikaru. "Oh," he said sarcastically. After a very short pause, he laughed. "Well... All I wanted was for Hikaru to be one hell of a killing machine," he said as he looked at the Hikaru he knew. "But, she still has to learn when to switch between the two at will. We'll see what will happen as shit goes on."
The Virus couldn't enter her mind. It was shielded. No matter how hard it tried, no matter how much it adapted, it could not get passed the shielding.
-
"Maybe I have not made myself clear." The new Hikaru replied automatically. "I do NOT wish to have myself a person of no common sense in victory. And You DO NOT have the right to cause such. And here I thought you had morals. Is toying with people one of them? Is causing tragedy to your own people another?" Second Hikaru , stared into directly into his eyes, "Cooperate and your fields will be the only piece of technology to go. After all, there's much that my other half does not remember."
Second HIkaru turned away, as she did the sleeve of her cloak moved slightly, and around her wrist there seemed to be a band, a very familiar band to those that knew her past. One that resembled a watch like the one the current Hikaru had just recently tried to destroy. But before one could investigate it further, the sleeves and recovered it.
"I don't remember?" The current Hikaru had been quiet for most of the argument, but now she spoke up. "What is there to remember? The Alliance took the dimension from us. When they were finally defeated, this race was what remained. Technology had become the majority, and magic hand faded out of the lives of most. That is why technology needs to be wiped out. All of it. Not just their fields." Unsure by now, this Hikaru thought to the Virus. "Infect her. I would know if I had a second or not. This MUST be a trick of the enemy. There's no other way. They cloned my brother. They probably tried to clone the rest of the Sage Three as well."
-
Gaserlake grinned. "You hardly know me."
When he got a glimpse of the 'watch', he knew what it was, but how? What was this? A Hikaru from the past or something? He couldn't be sure. The new Hikaru's mind was shielded. However, his facial expression hasn't changed from these questions or when he saw the supposed watch.
The Virus agreed with Hikaru. This new 'Hikaru' didn't seem right, especially with the shielding. Already inside Hikaru, it attempted to control her body, as it attempted to spread to and take control of the soul and spirit.
-
The virus would find nothing to infect as if there wasn't anything there. Of course, there was. But the Virus wouldn't be able to access it.
"And what?" The new Hikaru smirked back before she eyed the rest of the Aralangs. "Nothing to say from any of you? Your leader basically puts you into this mess and you say not a word? I knew ants were hive minded, following their 'queen,' but this is just plain ridiculous. You don't deserve your free will if this is how you waste it."
"Simple solution." The current Hikaru muttered, "Kill them." She gave the signal the Virus. "Eradicate them all."
The new Hikaru looked to Gaserlake, "Still want this to keep going? I know myself. She's serious in that state."
-
Gaserlake said nothing and looked down.
"Gaser, what the hell? Don't do this to us!" Leserlake cried out.
Gaserlake remained silent as the Virus killed all of the infected's body, mind, and spirit, as well as souls, in the Outerverse. The bodies were absorbed by the Virus for fuel.
-
"LLEPSID LARIV!" The new Hikaru shouted the spell the same moment she saw that Gaserlake wasn't breaking the seal. All at once, the same moment she said the spell that should have dispelled the virus and removed it from the infected, she disappeared for a moment then reappeared, but was slightly transparent, a sign in the state this Hikaru was in. Casting the spell on so many was a drain on her power, and in this state, which she hadn't bothered to explain just yet, using too much could be detrimental.
The second the spell would take effect and the new Hikaru was back, she tackled the current Hikaru and cast a circle of silence around her, holding her down only barely. "BREAK THE DAMN SEAL!" The new Hikaru shouted in command. "I won't save you again."
-
The Virus was removed from the infected. It quickly reacted by attempting to go back into the former infected. However, it found out that it wasn't able to. The Virus teleported the Hikaru a few feet away from the new Hikaru, and hopefully out of the circle of silence.
"Alright, alright, bloody hell!" Gaserlake finally spoke with frustration. "I'll destroy the bloody fields, Hikaru."
Leserlake and the rest were confused. He wanted them killed, and now he just changed his mind?
-
The current Hikaru was unable to be teleported, however, as long as the new Hikaru held her down. Whatever the new Hikaru held, seemed to no longer be there as well. This kept the Virus from interfering and left the two in the circle of silence. " About damn time," the new Hikaru growled. She was starting to grow more transparent by the second, due to the effect of holding the Virus at bay.
When the trigger to the seal was broken, the current Hikaru blinked, staring up at her counter part a second, before passing out. The effects of the seal having taken its toll on her mind. With that Hikaru passed out, the new Hikaru stood up and spoke directly to the Virus. "I am Hikaru, she is HIkaru. I will explain all in due time. For now. Know this, Virus. We are the same. I as well as her rescued you from the Guardians of the Guardian dimension, when I destroyed it while searching for my brothers. If you answer to the one known as 'Hikaru Tyris of the Sage Three,' then you answer to both of us. Now, withhold your attack!"
-
The Virus stopped. It sensed the seal being gone. That now meant that Hikaru's mind has changed. "Then at least let me check on Hikaru!" the Virus' voice boomed. The voice was that of some random male Aralang.
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The new Hikaru released the spell of dispelling, ready to put it up if anything happened. "We're both Hikaru. Albeit..." The new Hikaru paused for a moment. "You could say I'm partially ingrounded at the moment. Asura was right. There is another class. But it is far from a blessing." The new Hikaru looked at her hand for a moment, now that the spell was drapped, the transparency was starting to go away. "More of a curse."
After dropping her hand, the new Hikaru looked to K2323 still in the Outerverse. "Let's just say your attack in the Excel tournament, brother? It killed me. It killed me in more ways than one." She let that hang, waiting to see how the current Hikaru was before going any further.
-
The Virus entered the Hikaru it new and tried to bring her back to consciousness. It informed her on what happened, as well as asked her the question on if there are two masters instead of one.
Gaserlake and Leserlake looked at each other in surprised and interesting looks. "Uh..." Gaserlake started. "Did you uh.... meet 'him'?" he asked the new Hikaru with curiosity.
-
"A time or two," the ingrounded Hikaru, informed. "Mostly I stayed within the Village of my family. The one outside time. There's a price to pay for being partially Ingrounded. Especially through the methods that this happened. Not something I would want to repeat." The ingrounded Hikaru looked to the side for a moment. "Being in the Village helped stall that price. We only came across one another when outside the Village."
The current Hikaru could be brought to consciousness, but for the time being her mind its self was tired, and thus wanted nothing more than to rest.
-
"So... how did you do it? How did you get partially ingrounded?" Gaserlake asked.
-
Animas, done watching, walk right up to the slumbering Hikaru. "Let her sleep, abomination. An act such as forcing down the entirety of her personality is draining on the mind. She will be best served by allowing her to rest." They say, looking up towards the horde of infected.
-
K2323 had achieved the victory he had fought for. Not just now, in the outerverse, having just gone up against six killer alien Relorian warriors, but over the past year, he had been victorious. He had won what he needed to win. That meant something.
It was a matter of pride, perhaps, that over the past year, he had learned a powerful secret about his heritage. Six months of the last year had been spent in research of his past, and the latter six months had been spent trying to free his sister from a prison, becoming the embodiment of fate, and taking over Earth.
Ah, yes, Earth. He remembered a younger Earth which he, once upon a time, visited, going as far as to take near half of the earth country named Japan and recreating it in space. That had been over a thousand years ago, maybe two thousand. He wasn't really sure how much time had passed. He did not know his age.
Age didn't really matter to him anymore. He had taken on the form of a twenty year old for years. Twenty three year old, actually, after his nickname. But really, age was irrelevant, as seen on Earth where there were thirteen year olds who acted more mature than twenty year olds. It was the same for K2323, ply backwards. He acted like a twenty year old, not a two thousand and twenty year old.
He had found Earth to be a pleasant place, though. He had seemingly gained the respect of his new people there. Earth had needed a new leader, he had decided. He had been there for some time before proceeding to rule over some of it's people. He was a man, nothing more, and he wanted his friends on Earth to see that.
So, yes, it was true that the last year had been very successful for K2323. Unfortunately, he wasn't sure if he could say the same of his sister Hikaru. From what he knew, she had spent the past year waging war against Aralangs, fighting his clone and Plex, trying to escape jail, and teaming up with technology viruses.. That wasn't the most impressive track record. It wasn't hard for K2323 to see that his sister had lost herself.
The Outerverse was now under the control of K2323, and thus, indirectly, Hikaru as well. The two siblings had, for once, not fought but pooled their resources for the greater good. The Outerverse was once more under control of the sages. It was prospering now, it's desert climates growing green fertile valleys similar to Era Valley.
K2323 believed that, to some degree, the Outerverse reflected it's current owners inner emotions. Hikaru, being such a survivalist as she was, had owned the Outerverse for a long time. It had varied landscape, much of it desert and clay. K2323 shared this theory with Hikaru following the battle Im the Outerverse.
The battlefield they had fought in was now repairing itself nearly instantly. Green grass was popping up everywhere, hills rising over the flat ground. A mediately sized lake filled up on the battlefield, along with a few bushes and a wooden house.. It reflected now because of any command of K2323 but because of a deep desire inside his soul.
It was perhaps because of what he had been thinking of when he poured his signature into the Outerverse. He had been thinking of his beautiful wife, and what she would have said if she had seen the battle. He was thinking about how much he would love her if she were still here today. He was thinking about how he wouldn't waste a single moment with her if she were still in his life.
That was why this wooden house had appeared. It was his house in the Era Valley where he had lived with his wife some centuries ago. The house still was there, of course, but he suspected it had aged to some degree. He knew that some of his friends from Eta City frequently helped the house, but when he thought about it, Hikaru had apparently kidnapped their people. He would need to do something about that.
He had mixed feelings about what his sister was doing. He knew what she wanted, to a degree, because he wanted it too. The old times. Life was not the same anymore, and he knew that they both knew that. The dimension was different. It was sort of a midlife crisis for the sage three. It did not have to be that way.
As soon as the battle was over, he invited his sister to his house, and the virus as well. He knew that Hikaru had never seen it, nor had she met his wife whe. She was still alive. She had, he believed, met his son. Perhaps at the Excell Tournament, maybe even before then. She probably had not seen him recently.
Truthfully, neither had K2323, and he felt foolish for not realizing this. Where was his son, though? Japae (he quite liked this name) had been infected by the virus, but he doubted his son had been among the infected. Come to think of it, K2323 realized that his son would have inherited his Genesis magic for a short time while he was Fatet. Maybe the sudden loss of those powers would draw his son out, as he did quite want to talk to his son again.
He was also now aware of his other son, Fiske, from the Plex Tournament. He would have to visit Fiske soon. He wondered how Fiske's mother was doing. He had thought he loved her once, and maybe he had. Maybe it wasn't too late. It had only been a short time since he had seen her.
He recalled their first meeting. A warm smile came across his face thinking of it. That memory, however, triggered a more intense one. He recalled meeting his wife. He hadn't thought of this particular memory in some time, but he supposed it had always been there, lingering actively in his mind. How could he ever really forget it, anyway?
K2323 had ended up in a rather troubling situation. He had offered to give the inn keeper's son a day of magic lessons in exchange for a weekend of board. That would have been no problem, of course, had the innkeepers son, Jake, been listening to K2323 during said lessons.
He had taken Jake to the valley outside of Eta City, known as Era Valley. It was technically the border land then of the Eter Empire domain. K2323 had some basic knowledge of the fact that Era Valley was land of his family in a sense. He had a brother -- half brother -- who was named Era, though Era had recently passed away. He was not sure if Era was named after the Era Valley or if it were the other way around.
K2323 took Jake to a place in the Era Valley where he himself had been trained by his master, Konjan, some years before. He was going to teach Jake one spell which Konjan had taught Kai and himself in this exact spot. He warned Jake that it was a very advanced spell, and that it usually took people years to master it. He was going to teach Jake the spell in a few hours. Dimensional teleportation.
He instructed Jake to first reach within his soul and pull out all the ,magic he could afford to use. He had to be superconductive with magic. At Jakes age and with his experience, that was the only way the spell would work. Jake followed K2323's instructions and did just what he had said needed to be done.
Unfortunately for Jake, dimensional teleportation was not easy at all. It was somewhere of a cross, the way K2323 taught it, between materialization, normal teleportation, and phasing. But it was not easy to learn, and one could often end up randomly teleporting to any location in their current dimension instead if another dimension. Jake did just that, and in an instant, Jake and K2323 were both on a sky scraper in Eta City. Jakes left ear had failed to teleport with them, and now Jake was bleeding and in a good deal of pain.
K2323 teleported back to the training spot quickly to retrieve Jakes ear and rushed him to the hospital where they would be able to reattach the ear through magic. It was at the hospital that he met her. He would never forget that moment. It was like a scene from some movie or something.
He and Jake sat in the hospital room as Jake was being worked on by a couple of surgeon sages. The leading doctor walked into the room. She was beautiful. Dressed in a medical outfit, too. Her blue eyes sparkled, her brown hair glowed. She was the most beautiful woman K2323 had ever met, and her name was.... Julia.
He explained to her what happened with Jake, but he could barely form a coherent sentence in the presence of her beauty, and she could not keep from giggling at his dumbfound stutter. He could have sworn right them that he was in love. And maybe he had been!
He had fallen in love with Julia.
As K2323 walked towards the copy of the house where he had lived and loved with Julia, he motioned for his sister and his sisters friend to come with him. He no longer had his wife to love, but he had something else. He had family. Now, it was time for that family to come on top once again, despite all odds.
The kingdoms had been taken by the mortals, those who did not understand. This was a takeback!
Or at least, that's what K2323 had thought before Animas arrived following the battle. K2323 watched as Animas told Hikaru of her new state. He was just about to speak up when.... A voice shouted out through the crowds of the now semi released beings who he once knew and loved. It was a voice that sent chills through his spine. A voice which he had heard oh so recently, but one he really had not heard in years.
He did not understand.
When he saw the double Hikaru he thought at first that she must have been a clone. He had suspected when he found out about C2323 that there were more clones, perhaps of his siblings. It could have been created when she was in prison. That made sense.... Until she showed signs of being ingrounded, something K2323 had only heard of once while Fatet -- by looking into a brief glance of his own fate, of course, which had not revealed much.
But when this Hikaru spoke of the Excell Tournament, he realized so much. He looked at this second Hikaru now, eyes aflame with curiosity. "You have gotten weaker too, sis. But I suppose we both have been holding out secrets."
-
The ingrounded Hikaru gave a short laugh and answered K2323, seemingly ignoring the last question, "Secrets are what lets us surpass each other. No secrets and we would have the same powers by now. But I know of your clone. I know everything this Hikaru knows. As I said," the Ingrounded Hikaru paused to emphasize. "We are one in the same. But all that will be explained soon. For now," The ingrounded Hikaru glanced to the two races, one of Sage, and one of Aralang. "What do we do with them?"
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Animas looks over at the second Hikaru, their face now devoid of the smile that graced it earlier. "If I may offer my perspective, leaving them infected is almost certain to garner attention and accusations of enslaving them. Such accusations will bring about wars, including with the Relorians, whom you've dealt with a small bit. The abomination you used to take their bodies and will from them is not well liked amongst those who value nature or free will. While eradicating it may be slightly over the top, it may be one of the best courses of action. Subjugating it will likely work as well, but that is a far less reliable choice, and will likely result in catastrophe if the subjugation is broken to any extent."
-
Suddenly, there was a big boom, followed by a huge explosion, that poured through the rip and went on out for hundreds of miles. What left behind on the other side of the rip was space. The station that surrounded the rip has exploded. Billions of ships, ranging from Fighters to Sajuuks, both Special Forces and conventional, could be seen in the distance, fighting against each other. However, the ASF seemed one-sided and none of them seemed to be turning on each other.
It was an Aralang counterattack against the Virus' control of the Prison Dimension.
-
K2323 looked his sister in the eyes, trying to read her expression. How much had changed since the Excell Tournament that he wasn't aware of? How different was this Hikaru from the other? How much did she remember, and how much had she forgotten? They were one in the same, but how different were they in the long term of things?
"I messed up," K2323 realized, glancing at Hikaru.
He turned to Animas, hearing them out, when suddenly, the Outerverse completely vibrated. The moment the explosion on the other side of the rip occurred, K2323 raised a barrier to repel the explosion back into the prison dimension. He turned his attention to the rip, alarmed, before looking back at Animas, and then over to the two Hikarus, then to everyone else in the Outerverse.
"LEAVE!" K2323 shouted, "Get far away. Hikaru, I think you know the perfect place to take everyone. None of you are going to want to be around for this."
He focused his attention on the battle on the other side before sending a message to the Aralang ships and ASF ships, his voice echoing in their vicinity. "If you don't want to be destroyed, get out of here."
-
"If the topic at hand is free will. Then your perspective of such is flawed," the ingrounded Hikaru replied to Animas. "Because if this Virus really is sentient, it would mean to destroy or dominate it would be going against its free will as well. So if you control it for taking free will, you're putting a stop to its free wi-" Ingrounded Hikaru abruptly turned around to glance at the explosion.
"Get them out of here?" She asked to K2323. "Do you realize how many people there are? Grrr." The Ingrounded Hikaru glared to Gaserlake. "Can't you tell your dogs to halt?!"
-
"Not much I can do, I'm afraid," Gaserlake replied. "They're retaliating desperately."
-
The ingrounded Hikaru sighed. Where could she take them. Two large races? There was the Sage Dimension. But mortals in the Sage Dimension? At this point with the two still warring, that wasn't the best of ideas. But then where? No planet was large enough. Unless... "Alright then. We're going, NOW!" And with that proclamation, everyone in the Outerverse excluding K2323 and Animas, had vanished.
To where? The abandoned Guardian Dimension.
-
When the Aralangs did not respond, K2323 responded accordingly. His barrier between the Outerverse and the dimension began to spread out along the walls, breaking into the fabrics that tied the dimension to the Outerverse. The barrier, repelling everything in contact with it, began to push the ties to the prison dimension outward. His barrier proceeded to absorb the energies of the prison dimension while repelling the ties, being designed to filter the energies of the dimension so that they would not be repelled.
He was removing the prison dimension from the Outerverse wall, but not before stealing part of the wall of the prison dimension in turn.
-
Animas steps up to K2323, sighing as they see the rip. "You three are always so destructive. Honestly, it's rather vexing." They say, lending a hand in extending the Aralang dimension's wall to cover the hole K2's actions would create. "Must you destroy everything you don't like, or that threatens you?"
-
K2323 looked Animas in the eyes, nodding his head to them for the extra hand. He concentrated his energy on mending a new wall from the wall of the prison dimension to cover the Outerverse rip while further expelling the prison dimension.
"This rip's caused nothing but trouble," K2323 explained.
He turned, noticing the new doorway from which Vailen came. "Yo," he greeted the new arrival, "You might not want to stand there."
-
Pulling to the side Vailen looked at K2323, examining him and reading his power level and then looked at Animas for a longer moment doing the same. Finally determining that neither of them could be of use to him in this situation he asked. "Where is Eli?"