#plaige

I wake up to darkness. There's still a net over me but it doesn't shock anymore, and I am very sore.

I can't move my head but as my eyes adjust a bit I realize it isn't complete darkness. There are little rays of light managing to get through whatever's above me. But whatever it is, it also isn't touching me. It seems that what's there, is a tiny bit above me.

I take the net off my face and reach up. Whatever it is, it's very smooth. I then realize that it also seems to be slightly pink.

A barrier spell. I sigh a bit, "Thanks Gartihall."

I start to try to lift it off me. It's dug into the ground quite a bit which might be why it didn't get blown away.

Once I get it off I realize it's covered in ground and rubble. I toss it to the side and find that it's the middle of the day here.

I look around to see that everything that was above ground level had been flattened, exept the mountains that were very far away.

I look to where the planet had collided with itself and see some of the tallest, sharpest and grandest mountains I've ever seen in my life, all of it in a line with almost no gaps.

I attempt to stand, but pain rips through my body. I grip my chest as I sit down with a grunt.

I feel something just above my hand and look down to see the dart still there, embedded in my chest. A little frustrated, I pull it out, a little pain follows as I do and I toss it to the side.

"What now?" I mutter to myself, and lie down for a minute.

I get my spear out and use it as a walking stick. Still gripping my chest in pain, I start for the mountains, limping the whole way.

...

It's almost sunset by the time I start reaching the base of the mountains. The ground around completely shattered, cracks running for miles.

Though I'm no longer gripping my chest, I'm still in pain and completely exhausted.

Shortly after, I reach the beginning of one of the hills before the mountains. The ground below quite soft. I let myself fall onto it, seeing that there was nothing to lean against, and rest. I realize to late that I'm falling asleep.

I open my eyes to almost nothing. I'm standing on smooth black ground, with a large but dim beam of light coming from seemingly nowhere.

A tremor runs through the ground. Pain pierces my mind. Something's trying to break into my dream.

Cracks start to appear everywhere even on what should be nothing. The ground vanishes from beneath me, and everything breaks.

Large shards of what looked like glass began aimlessly floating around, somehow not crashing into one another, my reflection in each piece.

Light bouncing everywhere, my head wiping around, panic arising, the calmest chaos in all the destructive beauty, only my colors in all the black with white light.

Then, something breaks the now familiar chaos. Something flies by, then, more something.

All coming out of thin air, as if from the edges of nowhere.

All of it conglomerated in one place. Suddenly, they stop coming. Still shifting around in that one place they begin to gain color.

The fragments that were below me fuse back together to make the ground. It then snaps back up to my feet, where gravity activates again.

The particles are now forming a shape. As they begin to slow, a bright light comes from them.

I shield my vision from it with my hands, looking away. The light vanishes, the broken darkness repairing on the same instant.

I unshield my vision to see a figure standing there, looking in the opposite direction.

"Where am I. Did it work?" They say, clearly disoriented.

That voice, I remember that voice.

They begin turning around and I soon recognize them.

"Gartihall!" I exclaim. She whips around to see me. A bit startled at first, but relief quickly takes over.

"Elfilis!" She runs over to stand in front of me and we both sit on the ground. "What happened? Why are we here? Did my spell work? Well obviously this spell worked. Where are you right now? Oh I'm so glad you're okay-" I stop her before she can continue.

"One question at a time please."

"Oh yeah, sorry." She stands back up and looks around, her face telling me she has so many more questions but is holding back. "So, did my spell work?"

"The barrier spell? Yeah that worked, I'm sure I would be flattened or a crisp right now if it weren't for that." I answer.

"Okay good. And, where are we?... Oh wait your dream because I used a dream entering spell, duh."

"I didn't know you knew any dream spells." I remark.

"I have known them for a while now, but never managed to use one until now..." She says proudly. "What happened?" She sneaks in.

"Well... when I woke up I was under your barrier, which was under a bunch of ground.  And when I pushed it off, everywhere I looked was flat-" I'm cut off as the ground shifted below us.

The stuff to my right begins to move in a ripple, as everything starts to gain color. The wave moves quickly, shortly passing us and reaching the other end of the nothing.

I look around to find us right where I had been imagining.

"That was so cool!" Gartihall exclaims. "I mean it makes sense since we're in your dream... But I would've never imagining it doing that!"

I look around, dumbfounded.

"A-and there were endless mountains over... there" I say, pointing in the direction I remember.

The mountains instantly materialize. As awe inducing as ever. Though the far ends were blurry.

Gartihall catches me looking at the inconsistency and turns to look. "Oh, this must be coming straight from your memory. Making things you don't recall as well more blurry." She concludes.

"I guess that makes sense." I figure.

"So where are you right now?" She quizzes, clearly wanting more than just the answer.

"Uhh, I should be next to this large hill here."

The area snapped over to the nearest foothills. All with no sense of speed, no movement, and no whiplash or dizziness.

Gartihall, now fascinated by the way of movement in dream spaces, looks around.

She then stops. "I can't believe it took me this long to realize. This was all caused by Galacta Knight and me... Elfilis, what did you find out from your eavesdroping endeavors?" She asks, chuckling at her own wording.

The world suddenly goes dark again. But this time there's ineligible whispers, too fast for me to comprehend.

But I recognize something, this is me going through my memory of the conversation. I can't hear the words but my memory can. And in turn, I can recognize them without hearing them.

It's all over in a matter of seconds. I had recognized it and Gartihall looks like she now knows it.

"Tearories!!" She screeches. "That little self centered, power loving, useless, moron!" She was basically fuming, "At least Commander Rinlog had the reason of fear!"

"I know, I know. But what else did you get from it?"

She thinks for a second. "Well I guess that explains why we were able to do that to that poor planet... But now that I think about it, I had also felt that when we were fighting Void Termina. Just, I never properly thought about it until now." She concludes, and continues to think. "Wait! That's why they attacked us? I just thought it was for them to get us to fear them... Though I think that's a part of it."

"Ya, it kind of was... Wait, Gartihall." I look her dead in the eyes. "What's happening over where you are?"

"Oh no, I forgot that's the entire reason I came to you! We're all in a cell right now! Well except me, who was in it for a while, but got into critical condition and is now in a room with people trying to heal me. But they are trying to g-"

"HOLD ON! We are NOT going to just GLOSS over the FACT that you're in CRITICAL condition!" I exclaim, mortified.

"Oh" it seems to dawn on her. "OH!... Well it is the reason I can visit you. But anyways ya, I got put into this by my injuries from earlier and using some spell they told us to do. It was apparently a very taxing one but I guess it's cool I can make heart spears. Hey Elfilis you wanna learn the spell? She rambles.

My worry is growing. "Not right now. I need you to tell me what's happening."

"Oh, Sorry! I don't know what's wrong with me right now... But anyways we were all put into a cell where magic doesn't work - we were taken out for the weird spell - and I think the other two were taken back after my... ordeal. It's been two days since the planet incident and I think they're trying to get info out of us. I've tried to reach you once before but was met with blackness and surrounded by a humming noise." She answeres.

"Okay, what about Galacta and Plaige?" I ask hopefully. Knowing Galacta Knight is their target.

She thinks for a second.

"I think Galacta Knight is being treated like the threat of the entire universe, and they are trying to keep Plaige away from anything that would allow her to do anything because Galacta is too exhausted and powerless right now."

The darkness pulses, and we begin to dissolve.

"You must be waking up... We need your help! Come back to the base and find us!" She rapidly says.

"Yeah, I kinda got the message. But don't worry, I will find you all and save you... I promise." I say, trying to comfort her and myself.

I grab her head and press my forehead into hers. "We'll all be safe soon"

The darkness pulses again and everything that was left of us, vanishes.

~-~-~-~

I jolt awake, rapidly breathing and very cold, it seems to be the middle of the night here.

I take a second to relay my dream and remember my new goal; I need to save my friends.

I try to make a portal to base but I'm too discombobulated to put enough of my mind to it.

"Fine then, make my life more difficult." I grudgingly say.

I open my wings and take off at max force.

When I make it far enough away, I start looking for "home" and shortly after, spot it. I see if I can open a vortex this time, but I find this to be unsuccessful.

I give in and burst forward at profound speeds, tearing towards the planet.

With the planet now taking up all of my vision, I begin to re-enter and close up my wings.

Now traveling like a comet diving for the planet, I cut through the air around me.

I find my target. It's a dark, musty, old building, perfectly rectangular and somewhat imposing. Clearly a containment facility of sort.

I angle myself for the nearest part of the building and rush for it.

The building growing larger by the second as I quickly approach it. I have no intent on stopping and going through the front door.

I run into a corner of the building at full force, going straight through.

I quickly put down my feet and land. I look at myself to find a few scratches on me.

When I look up, I find myself facing five shocked Halgraws.

One comes to their senses and snaps up, running for the nearest wall. Not the wall but the thing on the wall, a large lever with "Warning, Do NOT Pull Unless Emergency!" Above it.

"Oh no you don't!" I yell through my panic. I through my spear like a javelin, shooting it straight for the lever.

Time seems to slow as my spear approaches the lever and inevitably connects with it.

The spear goes straight through it, sparks and electricity flying everywhere. It quickly stops, now sticking out like a sore thumb.

Still in post-throwing position, I'm off balance and nearly fall smack on my face. After barely catching myself and regaining my balance, three other Halgraws come back to animacy and shortly realize what had just transpired.

The four of them run out of the room, yelling for assistance and other. One Halgraw remains, still petrified with fear or similar effects.

I turn to look at them, and they have no reaction. I step up and jab the back end of my spear into the ground, and look down on them.

Their eyes are now moving, slowly turning up to look at my face.

They sharply inhale and attempt to run, but I'm already there, cutting them off.

I plan on standing in there path no matter where they try to run. But they don't try again and instead stand up taller, and look at my face with false confidence. Their eyes are still coated with fear, as they take an abnormally deep breath, perhaps to say something.

But I cut them off before a single breath could leave their mouth.

"Where are you keeping Galacta Knight and Plaige?" I demand.

Their face freezes up for a moment, but they somewhat regain themselves.

"Uhhhh," they stall.

I sigh, "Would you rather me prod your mind?" I edge my face closer to theirs "I've heard it's quite… unpleasant, for me to search your hidden thoughts." I utter, tightening my glare.

Their eyes widen as they take a step back. An awkward, fear ridden smile with worried eyes envelops their face.

I can practically see the different sparks going on in their head, behind their worry dilated eyes.

I press in closer; that breaks them.

"Left out the door, right, straight, right again, one left, special containment - number three!" They exclaim. They stare at me for three seconds more, then pass out. I raise my eye to that and take their word.

The door's too small for me and I don't care to crouch, and stealth was no longer an option. So I just burst through the wall, and a loud crack follows. I step out into the hallway, take a deep breath, and take off.

I'm speeding through the halls at such speeds that I hear some things get knocked over behind me, expecting to be stopped at any moment. I recite the directions I was given as I go from one hall to the other.

I come to the last turn and look down the hall expecting for there to be guards. But to my surprise and powerful relief, there's not one in the hall.

Y'know, you'd expect for there to be more guards to keep Galacta Knight and Plaige in, and me out. I look at the cell numbers. And there's number thre- e… it hits me.

"There must be no guards because they've already taken them somewhere else." I mutter, dread overcoming me.

Feeling defeated now, I sluggishly walk over to the cell. As I draw near, I can feel the magic radiating from it. Some very powerful spells were used to keep a few particular someones from using any power.

I grab one of the middle bars and solemnly look in. But to my utter astonishment, I find a pair of eyes looking back.

"Plai-!"

"Elfilis! I knew you'd come!" Plaige cheers, cutting off my useless remark.

"Plaige! I didn't think you would be in here!" I continue anyways, but my excitement quickly washes away. With a quick glance around the room I confirm my earlier supposition, they had taken Galacta Knight.

I sigh "How long ago did they take Galacta?"

She looks away for a second. "I don't remember, but it's been too long to easily find him."

"Alright, well we need to go find him. But first, let's get you out of here."

We take a step back and I grab my spear. I take one swing and divide the bars into half, the top half falling to the floor, she steps out after.

"Do you know where they are keeping Gartihall?" I quickly ask as we begin to run down the hall.

"I might know, but if I'm wrong there are a few other places." She answers, "It's that way" she points to the left.

Wordlessly, we turn and run for Gartihall, so we all can have a chance.

~-~-~-~

I'm sure we are getting close, but I can't tell. So I let my thoughts drift, but not even three seconds pass before I develop a question.

"So wait" I say before I could even process what I just thought, "is Gartihall in another building?"

"Where we're going, no; but if she's not there, yes." She answers quickly. We continue to travel through the halls in somewhat awkward silence.

After a few more turns she shoots out her arm as to stop me. "Alright, so she should be just down this hall." She explains pointing down to the next right, "but I overheard them talking about where to put our stuff and I'm fairly certain it's this room right here."

Turning to look, I see a normal looking door numbered "164".

"Okay, you go grab your stuff and I'll guard the doorway."

She nods in agreement and goes in. I turn around and lean against the wall and look either way, no-one.

A few moments pass and I sigh, but I hear something else. I jolt up and look around, no-one's in this hall. So I walk to the end and look down.

To my dismay there are some Halgrainises talking amongst each other in front of a doorway, probably where Gartihall is.

"Oh Void, why now?" I sigh, completely defeated.

I walk back to the door as quiet as I can manage, open it and duck in.

The room is completely dim, the only light being a very weak luminescence spell floating in the top center of the room. But otherwise the room is filled from wall to wall with boxes and the sort with a strong odor of stale paper everywhere. The room's also quite large, practically making it a labyrinth, though I could see above it all. But I can't see Plaige.

"Hello?" I call out. And on almost that same instant she responds.

"Elfi-?" a table jumps a bit, all of its contents rattling. "Ow!"

"You okay?" I ask as she stands up slowly, holding the top of her head. "That sounded like it hurt."

"Yeaaahh." She winces. "But wait, what are you doing in here?"

"Well, I hope you found your stuff, because we got some company down that hall."

She sighs, hunching her back, "you're joking..." She looks about as distraught as I feel. "Oh well... but I still haven't found any of it."

"Don't worry, I'll help." I reassure her.

I walk to the other side of the the room and start moving boxes around.

"This room is weird." Plaige suddenly says.

...

"Elaborate"

"Well to start, it looks and feels larger then it is; it looks like it shouldn't fit in the space it has but when you walk through it, it feels like it fits perfectly." She explains, sounding just as confused at what she said as I feel. "And it's super old as well; you see that light spell in the center of the room? It feels powerful, you can tell just by being around it, but it's really dim for how much it's emanating. This can only mean that it's really old. I've studied how spells work and what they do, and light spells that simply feel powerful take up to hundreds of years to dissipate, but this room... no, this building, is far too young to have a spell this powerful be this dim." She says almost as though her own thoughts are fighting themselves. "Maybe they just moved it around?" She questions herself. "But it's really hard to move light spells..."

Suddenly a cold draft comes over me. I look up to see a small crack in the wall, barley visible between the boxes. I go up to it and shove the boxes to the side and peer through.

Outside is wrong, it's not another room or the hall. It's all white and cold, wind blowing all around. And with the boxes now moved, cold wind is pouring in.

Plaige gasps, and I look over to see if she's seeing what I am.

"Finally!" She lightly exclaims holding all of her stuff. "Ohhh, that took far too lo-o onng...?" She stutters as she looks over at me.

"I don't think we're at base anymore..."

"Wha-?" She walks over and peers out. "How-?" "Oh-" she slowly turns towards me, her mouth gaping open. "That explains so much..." "Argh! I would like to study this more, but we gotta get going!"

"Yeah, I suppose we should."

She walks back over to everyone's stuff and shoves it in something. "Alright, let's go."

We make our way back to the door and step out, as I duck through I try to feel if there was something off with the doorway. And as I expect there is, it feels exactly like a vortex.

"Well that finalizes it."

"Finalizes what?" Plaige asks.

"Well, I felt for anything when I walked through and, that doorway has a vortex."

"That's what I was figuring, but I didn't think to ask you to test that out. Thanks, even though you didn't know."

"Hmm, well, what's the plan with the people down the hall?"

"Oh I forgot about them!" She quietly exclaims. "Huh..." "Well..."

She peaks around the corner, "well... I'd rather not hurt anyone." She stands for a little bit, contemplating. Her gaze suddenly saddens seemingly for no reason. "Why'd this have to happen? I was hoping to come back and be celebrated! I was hoping to enjoy my time with you guys! Now we're public enemy number one..." She seems on the verge of tears.

"H- hey, it's going to be ok" I say, trying comfort while still surprised by the sudden emotion. I sigh, "Look," I crouch down and put my hand on her shoulder. "It's not fair, I know this, but I believe that we'll all be okay and live as happily and far away from these people as we can."

She sighs as well, "I believe you" her face still worried but gratitude showing in her eyes.

"Okay, so let's put our ideas and hope together and get everyone back." I say while standing back up.

She clears her eyes with her sleeves. "Let's" she declares with more determination. She talks to herself "so we need to get in, find Gartihall, and get out all while attracting the least amount of attention as possi-" she cuts short. "Elfilis, you could just make a portal in there and find her."

"...Ya, I suppose I could."

...

"So, are you going to do it orrr?"

"Oh ya sorry." I apologize.

I open a vortex and peek through.

On the other side I find myself in a room with the lights off and that is filled with medical supplies and such. I step the rest of the way through and could hear talking just beyond the door. The room is also larger than what I had originally thought, likely extending multiple room lengths.

I try to extend my wings to fly but find the room to be too small for that, so I begin to walk to the opposite side of the room, checking everything for any signs of Gartihall as I go.

I see no evidence that anybody is in the room. I'm what I think is half way through with nothing yet, then I trip. In my panic I open my wings, mistake; I knock over everything, loud clattering and things breaking follow. I then smack the floor, pain shooting through my body.

In my daze, someone bursts through the door. I snap up, suddenly fine, and open a vortex above me, and then the person spots me. "You're alive?!" They exclaim as I shoot through the portal, clearly the news hasn't reached them yet.

I fly through on the other side. A startled Plaige looks at me.

"We need to get going, now!"

"Oh! Gartihall?"

"Not in there."

"Then let's go!"

I crack open a portal to get out of the building and shove Plaige through, I follow in quick pursuit.

When I exit the vortex I immediately snap it shut. Plaige stares straight at me and asks me "what happened?"

I'm breathing deeply, slowly calming down. "Whew, well I was walking through and I tripped and made a ruckus."

"I see, I see… Hey, have you been seen at all during this?"

"I- well I uhhh, y- no. No I haven't." I lie to her face, hoping that it wouldn't give her any more stress to deal with, like how "yes" would've likely done.

"So that means you're likely still presumed dead?"

"Probably" lying to her hurt me so much, but I think it's for the best.

"Ok, I have a few other ideas on where Gartihall is." She tells me where both places are, "I think you should go for one and I should go for the other. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Good" we begin to walk to our separate places.

She calls back over to me, "Good luck! We'll meet again with Gartihall, hopefully!"

"Hopefully" I say to myself "Hopefully"

Sneaking around, not my strong suit. I have to constantly hide behind large objects that become more sparse as I get closer to the main health clinic. Few who aren't guards were out, most likely because of my recent disruption. And I couldn't portal around because everyone was being so diligent. So I slowly made my way over.

After a bit, I finally reach the building. Since it's all ment for holding the hurt I don't have a room to find and instead will have to check everything.

I make my way to the front door and check inside. And I find no one, not a single person, in the lobby.

"Wah-?" I question as I walk through the entrance. I take a left when I reach the first doors.

As I walk down the hall I check the rooms and find that these ones wouldn't have any patients, being full of supplies and things of similar likeness, but even more surprising is that I still haven't seen anyone.

I take the first right and scan the nearest room. This one is ment for someone, but no-one's there. I check the next, no-one. The two after, not one person. I start speeding, flinging open door after door, not a single bit of evidence that someone was in any of them.

I start to fly down the halls listening for anything becides my own heart and mind. I come to the other side of the building and take the right.

I lose focus on my sight, only listening. About half way through I hear a shuffle, but don't see the mostly transparent barrier. I slam headfirst into it and fall onto the ground holding my skull with one hand, wincing in pain.

Suddenly there's a blade on the left, pointed at me.

"Hello there Elfilis, how predictable of you."

"Tearories" I growl.

"That's master Tearories to you!" He boastingly yells, "now stand up slowly or you lose the wing."

So I do, I slowly rise with my hands in the air.

"Now tell me, where's your little mutant friend?"

Anger shoots through me. "No-one calls her a mutant." I lowly grumble, glaring at him.

"Hmm?"

"I said, NO ONE CALLS HER A MUTANT!" I screech as I let my newfound, unhampered fury out and call my spear and meet his blade.

I put pressure on and launch him into the room behind him. A bit of dust is kicked up and I duck through for him, into a very empty room.

"Oh! A fight is it? Then let us fight!"

He charges at me and I launch at him. We meet and lock weapons, but instead I rocket over him and try at his back. He whips around and clashes, jumpes back and smiles at me, "Oh it's not that easy Fecto!" He laughes, taunting me.

I launch at him again and he shoots an magic sphere towards me and I deflect it. He's prepared for that as well and meets me with his blade again as the orb explodes against the wall.

"Not flashy enough!" He yells as I use a portal to warp a little back. I beeline to him again. He sidesteps a good distance away. I stop instantly and sweep my spear at him where he catches it with his sword, but I keep pushing.

I push him in a circle shape and about at a semi circle I lung again, this time surprising him and launching him into the wall.

He stands up, brushing off his chest, "Impressive!" He sarcastically compliments. He then shoots a flame at me as I charge again. It startles me but I still push through and come out on other the side. He seems to not expect it but still ducks down and avoids the spear, dives through my legs and backs away.

I check my body and find a few burn marks on my fur. I prep myself again, but this time he charges at me. I raise my spear to try to meet him, but he goes straight through it, completely intangible. He reaches me and dissipates, I step back in confusion.

I hear his voice behind me, "Gullible"

I turn on time to see three, charged magic spheres hurtling at me. I'm unable to do anything; they all strike at once, exploding on impact and rocket me back. I collide with the wall and burst right through, pain and shock tearing through me.

I lay on the other side, dust and rubble everywhere. I groan in pain as I try to sit up. Carefully, I touch my back and look at my fingers, blood.

I see a shadowy figure at the new entrance. "I'm impressed!" it says, "you're quite the fighter!" it steps in the rest of the way, "but I'm afraid, that it just isn't enough..." he condescendingly says.

My breathing is abnormal, the pain now being fully realized, but there was this nagging in the back of my head. It was why I came here, not to fight this corrupt being, but to find and save my friends.

"What's the matter? Is realizing that you've failed disabling you this much?"

I stand up and wipe some blood from my face. "Failed? I'm only getting started!"

I charge him, and before he can grab his weapon again I snatch him by the shoulders and catapult back into the room. I slam him into the floor and send him on his way, right into the other wall. He stands up and pulls something out of his robe, some sort of sphere. He tosses the orb and it sets up a magic circle. I charge at him again and the circle conjures a mammoth magic orb and sends it at me. I don't falter and instead swipe my spear down through it. Beams of light shoot from it seconds before it explodes. I jump through the explosion and meet Tearories again, blade to blade.

I pull back and go in again, knocking his blade to the side. We then start revolving around each other, clashing repeatedly, sparks flying everywhere. I hook onto his sword and throw him over me into the ground. He holds up with his blade and snaps my spear away from him. He sweeps at my legs and I jump over and try to counter, but he moves away. We continue trading attacks and sometimes connect with the other.

Eventually, I jab at him with incredible force; he of course blocks it but he also gets launched back some distance. He didn't charge back in, instead starts shooting a barrage of beams at me.

Approaching that would be extraordinarily difficult, but I got an idea. I start to charge him again but with every beam coming at me I try to open a portal in front of it. Some slip through and hit me, the hits burn, but I keep pushing, absorbing beam after beam. Things seem to be working! I get to a point that I spear at him, he draws his blade and blocks me, stopping the barrage.

"Nice light show." I tauntingly comment while locking blades with him.

He grits his teeth and sends me back, we clash a few more times and lock again. This time I send him back and we lock again immediately.

Through my strain and pressure I say "this is redundant." He just glares at me.

We stand clashing for a little bit more before he sends me back again. He then creates a barrier while I'm rushing him. My spear collides with the barrier, but I continue to push.

"Do you really think you can do something against this? Pathetic."

I continue to push.

"I feel this fight is begging to be finish-"

I feel a crack. The world seems to slow as the barrier shatters. Both surprise and fear spark in Tearories eyes, yet through all this, he reacts. Catching my spear with his weapon.

"I do admit, that was quite remark-" he's cut off as I open a vortex next to him. He looks over moments before a colossal beam pours out of it. Once it dissipates I look over to see him against the wall, slumped.

He then coughs and sputters, starting to stand again. I reach down and grab a large chunk of the barrier from just moments before. I charge at him and stab below his arm, pinning him against the wall. I back off and Tearories falls unconscious again, hanging from his arm.

My breathing is irregular and sporadic, my heart running like a core of a star, and my body covered in burns, scratches, larger wounds and blood. I want to pass out right there, on the spot, but I still have to find Gartihall.

And on that thought, someone yells my name from down the hall. I perk up, recognizing the voice. "Plaige?!" I yell back.

"Elfilis!" She returns.

I sit down as to rest before she arrives. I start to hear her footsteps, but they sound like... More?

"Plaige?" I call out again.

She peeks around the corner and sighs in relief. "Oh thank the Void you're okay." She walks a little farther and I see someone holding onto her neck.

"Gartihall?!" I exclaim, joy overcoming me. "You found her!"

"Yep I d-" she takes a better look at the room. "What happened in here-?" She must of seen Tearories. "Oh... I see."

"Never mind that." I stand up, "How's Gartihall fairing?"

Gartihall seems to half conscious and in far too much pain.

"The best she can. Unfortunately there's not much I can do right now..."

Gartihall coughs a bit and opens her eyes. She slowly looks up at me "Oh, you're okay.." Her voice still quite strong for how feeble she is. She studies me a bit more and looks around the room. "Heh... hey Elfilis? Maybe try to not sacrifice yourself to save me again. Especially considering you wouldn't of found me." She stands up a little taller and instantly looks two times better.

"Don't worry, there's no promises." I joke back.

She snickers a bit and seems to wake up the rest of the way. "Couldn't of said it better myself." She sighs. "But seriously, don't get yourself killed, or I'll kill you." She mostly sternly finishes.

"Gotchya."

I'm busy catching my breath when Plaige looks past me and a wave of confusion crosses her face, then startlement... Then fear. "Elfilis look out!" She screams.

I swivel around, "Too slow." Tearories says.

A burning sensation rips through my body as an object is plunged through my chest.

All of time seems to slow as I fall back.

I could see everything for a few moments... Then everything closes in and becomes blurry; I can only see Tearories, with his maniacal smile.

Everything speeds up again as Gartihall ends the trance.

"ELFILIS!" she screeches.

I hit the ground and lay on my side. I get to just watch as she charges Tearories, with Plaige not far behind.

I manage too move my head and look down to find the blade still there. A gilded sapphire blade, now sparsely covered in my blood, skewered through my chest.

The agony hitting my head at last, causing me to gasp and forcing tears into my eyes.

I can vividly hear the fight going on around me, clashing of metal and shuffling of feet. But there's a bubble around me, one that I can't see past, everything being obscured past a certain point, there was only me and this pain.

I recognize another feeling, it feels as though my very soul was being tugged at by this sword, I want to pull it out, so much. But can't find energy.

Pure blue sword embedded within me.

I want to pass out, but I need to find the strength. But this thing is draining my will.

Another wave of agony.

Thinking becoming hard. The pain taking up more of my brain space. Vanish, I want to vanish. Disburse into the air. But those three still need me. I made promise, I can't stop now.

It feels as if my soul got a cramp.

Incoherent thoughts. Need save. Heart only sound. Outside gone but eyes open. Encroaching darkness. More people. Only fight back. Friends.

Pain still there but clearing. Gartihall and Plaige, getting dragged away yelling. Things clear up more... We've lost?

A voice "Stand up."

Tearories... He's covered in scratches and other wounds but still standing strong.

I rise, my breathing still irregular.

He smirks at me, "I have the full opportunity to kill you right now."

I struggle to breath in enough.

"Then why don't?" I muster.

"Well, I want you to suffer watching our plans." ... "Oh, and don't pull out the sword, it won't kill you unless you do."

"A soul siphon?" I question.

"Precisely! So don't try to pull off any more shenanigans, otherwise I'll use old Dread here to bring another untimely demise to one of your friends." He says, the last word having layers of disapproval to it. "Now, Halsa-" he's cut off.

"Master" someone calls from the doorway, "it's time."

Tearories sighs, "Well, let's be on our way." He begins to set off. "Follow me." He demands.

So I tag along, not having any choice in the matter... For the sake of my friends... For the safety of their future...

~-~-~-~

Every breath is taking a toll on me; I can't feel my fingers. Tearories is rushing us through the building making the pain worse as the sword shuffles around. We near the exit and he stops, folds his arms behind his back, stands a little taller and prouder, and begins a slow march.

I can see people back out on the streets, rushing around as if preparing for something.

Sword still sitting painfully in my chest, I exit the building behind my adversary.

The outside world is blinding and loud. My eyes adjust and everything slowly quiets down, everyone starting to look over at us.

Six guards take either side of us and we continue our slow march down the road.

People moving to the sides, watching in silence. Some looking confused, others worried, some realize what's happening and shock, pride, empathy or fear take over their face.

... He's showing me off, I realize. He's showing that he's a powerful leader and should be feared and respected. He's showing that he can take down this widely renowned alien species so many feared, and still be able to keep strong.

I look at more people, some seem on the edge of tears, some look away, advert the eyes of their children or enter back into their homes, even more show fear or respect. His plan is working…

We slowly make our way to the end of the street, and take a right. I look up to try to see where we can possibly be going, I follow along the houses, all of them slowly getting bigger as we near the center of the city.

I see it, a tower-like structure named The Spellbreaker Spire. A multipurpose building with energy just emitting from it.

We take a left and my suspicions are confirmed, we're heading straight for Spellbreaker.

We inevitably reach it and turn to the doors, the front two guards walk up and slam open the doors, a booming echo follows.

"Come along" Tearories gestures to me. I enter behind him, like how it's been this entire trip.

We ascend up three flights of stairs before finally straying away from them. He takes to the right of the fourth staircase. I look up to the top of the stairs and can faintly see a barrier at the top, all means of escape have been accounted for and compensated, so I follow him.

We come to a double door behind the stairs, the commander stands guard.

"Master Tearories" she says, putting her hands over her chest and bowing.

"Commander Rinlog" he responds, doing the same action.

Her eyes drift to me "Elfilis" she growls. Her eyes catch onto the sword and surprise sparks in her eyes. "Tearories?" She sounds concerned. "Didn't you say that you would remove that sword from our society?"

"Well yes, but I decided to keep it. Perhaps for a certain occasion, such as this."

She looks like she doesn't fully believe that, but she opens the doors and doesn't push farther.

We all enter and as I duck through I see a great congregation of people, not a single one seated and all falling silent at our sight, some even lightly gasping.

I look around, Plaige, I look in the corner to my right, Gartihall, they are both shoved into the corner. Plaige tending to Gartihall who seems to be back in immense pain. Worry pulses through me, shoving my own pain to the side

"I won't stop you." Tearories says to me without turning.

I immediately rush over, people shoving to get out of my way. Plaige looks up to see me, dry tears in her eyes but determination runs throughout her face.

I crouch next to them, "How's she doing?" I ask. I can see blood through the bandages wrapped around her.

The talking in the room starts to pick up again.

"Her wound opened back up during our skirmish from earlier, and it didn't help that we got practically thrown into this corner."

A worried sigh comes out when I shutter. "Hey Gartihall? Can you hear me?"

She grunts in acknowledgment. Her eyes fluttering open a bit in an attempt to look at me.

"I know you're in a lot of pain right now, trust me I understand, but we're getting through this. I'll make sure of it." I whisper to her as calmly as I can.

She grits her teeth and nods in agreement before her eyes shut again and she seemingly passes out. Her breath becoming barely more than a whisper.

Plaige looks up at me again, tears hovering in her eyes. "I know you're trying to be helpful, but I don't know if you can do anything Elfilis." She slowly looks at Dread and sighs, the sigh trembling in the process, "why haven't you pulled it out?"

I look her in the eyes, the sorrow probably showing in mine. "It's a… a soul siphoning blade." I reply weakly. Her gaze drifts away, saddening even further.

"So, you can't pull it out...?" She half questions, likely already knowing the answer.

"Sadly not... But I mean, I can still live with it in me! We can still be happy once we're out of this." I encourage, trying to uplift the miserable cloud of agony.

"But will we be happy? Will you be happy? You'd have to live in constant fear of the blade being pulled!" She pleads with me.

"... Maybe, but it's all worth it if I get to continue to live... with you guys."

Her breath catches in her throat, tears nearly breaking from her eyes. She stands up, and hugs me, being careful to avoid the sword. I breath out, and hug her back. I close my eyes and go to a blissful state where giving and receiving this comfort is the only thing that can happen, no more two of us being on the verge of death and one of us missing, only blissful comfort.

She backs up, breaking the peace, and crouches back down to tend to Gartihall and sighs. "Don't kill yourself... Please."

I turn away from them slowly. I can't make a promise like that... I can only wish and hope.

I rise as someone yells "bring it in!"

The doors open and the room falls silent once more as guards, followed by a chained up Galacta Knight, enter the room and stop at the center. For some reason he has his lance in hand; he likely couldn't use it against anything, not even the chains

Tearories clears his throat and walks up to Galacta.

"Galacta Knight has been convicted for crimes of attempted direct murder and has also been deemed a class B threat, planetary, after recent events." He announces to the room, a murmur traveling over. "With the near complete destruction of 86-CFD-Y" a projection of the now half destroyed planet appears in the center of the room, "it is proven, without a doubt, that he is an intergalactic threat that must be contained before furthermore destruction."

He looks over the room, glaring at me for a short second. "Is there any who oppose this decision? If so, we ask that you express your thoughts, or forever hold your peace."

I want to, but I know that I don't have an opinion here. 

"Very well. We will begin the process now."

Now!? I thought that I would have time to devise a plan! An opportunity to free everyone and escape off the wretched planet and get far away from the Halgraws!

They turn off the lights and set-up eight energy spheres in a circle around Galacta, who is now struggling, each orb getting a person. They begin putting a spell in the spheres.

I start to panic, my eyes darting everywhere in the now spell illuminated room. Galacta Knight begins to rise; the physical chains breaking, but glowing, energy ones come from nowhere and lock onto his hands and feet, keeping him suspended.

He's struggling around trying to free himself from this barless prison. He grunts while pulling at one of the chains and it just snaps him back into place. A faint sign of barriers begin to show just below him, and they start to grow upwards.

I look just in front of me, Tearories. Casting the spell with his back turned to me; I have a chance to strike.

I try to summon my spear, it doesn't come, I try again to no avail. I try to open a vortex below him, nothing. Something or someone in this room is preventing me from using my power, and I don't have time to figure out who or what, the barriers have already grown to nearly surround Galacta in a clean cut crystal like shape, the chains now attached to the inner walls of his containment.

I panic and a pain comes from my chest again, I look down... Dread. It's my only hope, my only chance to save everyone I care about.

I look back behind me and lock eyes with a concerned Plaige, "I'm so sorry..." I lightly apologize to her.

I turn away and grab the hilt of the sword. With my heart beating faster and faster, I slowly start to pull it out. The pain intensifies by ten fold and I could feel my soul struggling.

Plaige realizes what's happening.

"No!" She half screams behind me. She charges up and grabs onto me.

"I'm so sorry... See you soon?" I say to her with layers of melancholy to my voice.

I rip the blade out the rest of the way, and immediately feel the effects. I snap my wings back, knocking Plaige off of me, and shoot them in front of me. I part the crowd, making many fall, and dart forward.

I can't hear anything anymore, it's all just silence and slow. I know I should be moving like a small rocket right now, but everything's slowed to the point of near stopping. I see Galacta Knight in the top of my vision, the chains vanish and he remains floating in the center of the crystal. He folds his wings around himself and seems to go into a coma.

I look back down and see Tearories, still with his back to me, Dread aimed right for him.

There's a bright light from the crystal, I slowly look back up... Just as Galacta Knight vanishes.

I'm too late, I was too slow, all the taunting Tearories did was right. I'm not even good enough to save my friends.

Something inside me cracks.

Am I worthy of these good people in my life if I can't protect them?

It cracks more.

How can I be placed next to them and be considered one of the one's that helped seal Void Termina?

It shatters, releasing a dark something into my body, but my soul pushes it back. My soul keeps this foreign existence back, this false soul, this excuse of a thought... This forgotten instinct.

I reach Tearories, Dread drives through him, and he falls onto his hands.

People are already screaming and running out the door. I'm on my own hands, breathing rapidly and heavily. The hole in my chest's now bleeding again, pain traveling through me in waves.

"Elfilis!" Plaige screams behind me again, she runs up to me and kneels by my side. "Elfilis... No... Don't leave us. Not like this..." She sadly tells me, likely knowing full well that she can't do anything to save me now.

I can feel my being spilling out of me and going somewhere unknown, it feels like everything is peeling off of me, slowly but not painfully.

"I'm... so sorry... I can't help... you guys..."

I look down at my hands, my figures are now half transparent with the effect slowly climbing up my hands.

Plaige is crying fully now, "don't go... Please... We've already lost Galacta."

I want to cry as well, but the lack of a soul is now taking effect on my ability to express emotions.

My hands feel interesting, I look at them again to see the transparency being fought back against by something…

The instinct.

It's now taking over my body because my soul is no longer able to fight back. With the little left in me, I panic and yell "Plaige, run!"

She startles and jumps back, "bu-, wha- what's happening!?"

I try to answer, but am too late, a little more pulls out of me and everything goes dark.

I wake up again... In my body still? I look outside to see me start to move again. Guards, Haligrawnes and Halgrainises alike, scattered everywhere against the walls and floor.

Plaige! Where is she? Is she okay?

I see her again, looking startled as my body rises up.

I can still feel everything but my body won't listen to me.

I feel the wind of a cold draft, allowing me to differentiate me from my body. I feel something flowing around me, I try to look down but can't. I snap back, try to look down again and do. I look into a void of seemingly nothing, not even me. But I still feel that thing moving around me. I go back to seeing again.

I see my hand start to raise and power begins to flow to it. Something wants to kill, destroy and... Concur.

"No!" I yell without a voice. My body stutters back, the power stopping. Something growls at me... Me, but not physical me, another Me. I can feel its desire to destroy, but my will to protect my friends fights back.

"Don't, I beg of you, or I'll continue to fight back." I noiselessly plea. "You can do whatever you want, as long as it doesn't hurt my friends. I won't stop you then."

Me grumbles, we then look over and see Tearories. Me must feel the emotion that comes from seeing him.

"Revenge?" It asks. It didn't let me answer. "But revenge here. Would hurt. Friend?"

Me grows, frustrated with itself. "Revenge..." It repeats.

It then taps into something I don't fully recognize, an abundance of power, a link to the soul. It also starts pulling from leftover emotion that I never got to release before losing control.

"What if." Me says, "Past?"

It opens up a vortex in front of us.

"Elfilis?!" I hear Plaige yell to the side of us. "What's going on?!"

Me starts pouring power into the portal, using the emotion to help direct it. "Find." It says.

Energy is now radiating from the portal, making the air move and whip around.

The portal, once a vibrant purple, has now faded to a gloomy black, sparks of energy occasionally shooting from it.

Tearories has managed to pick himself back up onto his arm I notice, a level of fear emanating from him, one that I would not expect from one like him.

White light starts to pour out of the vortex, masking everything for a second before a deep boom comes, followed by a shockwave and all the beams fading.

The portal itself is now nearly pure white and large enough for my body to enter, the other side unclear.

Me forces us to continue to look at it, I can feel waves of pride flowing around me.

"E- El- Elfilis?" Plaige calls out, reaching her hand out. She sounds concurred and worried, and I want to protect and comfort her, tell her everything's all right. But Me makes my body growl at her, and she's taken aback, pulling her hand back to her chest. She looks me up and down, "You're... You're not Elfilis..."

Every negative emotion takes over the little soul I have let, I don't know what I'm feeling anymore…

Me makes me glare at her then puts our attention back on the portal. We then slowly start to step through, the strangest sensation overcoming me.

As our head reaches the portal, everything for me goes black.

...

...

...

...

...

...

Hello?

…

…

What?

…

...

...

... 

Wake

...

...

...

...

Green

I wake up to find my eyes already open and myself surrounded by green. Me? Who's me? I try to look up but to my dismay, this vessel I rest in will not obey me.

"What's happening?" I ask without a breath.

Something notices me "Oh? You are awake?" It sighs, "Matter not. Found enemy. New target. Revenge ours soon."

"Who- who are you?"

...

"Matter not."

"And what do you mean by revenge? Why would you need revenge?"

It didn't answer back.

I don't know what's going on, "What's your name?" ... "What's my name?" I question?

"No name. You forgot? Forgot… Will not remind."

I think, trying to remember my name. E- Elf-? Something faintly comes to my mind, but  in an incomplete form. Elfili- li- uhhh, Elfili-... in? It doesn't sound quite right but the memory won't fully come to me, so I might as well stick with it.

While thinking, my containment rises to look over a city.

"Ooo, destroy for fun. Revenge is near." It happily rejoices to itself.

"Wait, maybe we could thi-" I'm cut off as we blast towards the city. The desire to concur flowing around me, but not in me.

An unsuspecting world, now in danger of it.

-------------- To be continued-------------