The Way Back

*He looks at his ring briefly and then at Razz.*

Crowley: <(What did you have in mind?)>

"I know, and that's why I added something a little special when I gave everyone my power" Alto holds his left hand out and snaps his fingers. The pact rings stop glowing and magic circles appear hovering over them. "Or well... my teacher foresaw it at any rate. I've locked the pact rings. If you want to get at their power you'll have to kill me me first"

Alto grins as light rips through his twin swords and he crosses them before slashing releasing twin Indignations on Origin. He does so again. Alto doesn't even appear to be visibly exerting himself at all at this point. He then flies up and dives at Origin surrounding himself in an edifice of light which locks blades with Origin. The sheer force of the two of them colliding causes a shockwave that buckles the ground and causes Alto's barrier to ripple.

Razz: <(We wait for an opening and do our thing. No one beats us at being sneaky.)>

*He turns to Lucien.*

Razz: <(Right?)>

-----

Origin: <You "locked" the pack rings? Hahahahahahaha!! You're mad!>

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Fahren: <...The magic... Everyone, down! NOW!>

-----

*Origin's eyes seem to burst in burning light and energy bursts outwards from his body. Waves of lightning, water, ice, fire, light, darkness and wind shoot outwards into the barrier surrounding the batte, causing to tremble violently, some energy jets erupting from thin air outside.*

Origin: <They're a part of me! I have the key now... I don't even have to fight you... any of you!>

Kelphy: <What is this you keep bringing up!?>

Origin: <Millions of years ago, Mysteria was born! I was born with it to protect it, but its races soon turned on each other. Humans versus All'Elves, and I couldn't interfere, my magic was too great. The humans never stood a chance against their magically superior enemy... not until the first golden queen rose to the throne of the human civilization. For millions ago, the queen's descendants ruled Mysteria, for they had the only power truly capable of defeating the All'Elves. But over a thousand years ago, the l''Elves also found a great leader...>

Alto doesn't appear to be shaken in the least, "If you have the time to talk you have the time to swing your blades." Alto remains petulant even as he stands on death's door.

*Origin slowly and calmly slashes forward with all swords, releasing a flurry of giant energy blades.*

-----

Allina: <What are you getting at?>

-----

Origin: <The All'Elves' new leader was powerful enough to rival even the golden throne. War broke out, and this time, I had no choice but to interfere. I used my powers to wipe out a large part of the All'Elves' army, making use of their weakness, but Mysteria was already overflowing with mana from the magic war and couldn't take my power, so it started collapsing. To save the world and stop the war, I had to divide it, but I decided to leave the key with the purest of the two sides: The golden queen ruling at the time offered her princess to become a vessel, a container to the links I was removing between the two worlds. And so the connections between the magic world and the world you call Verte were sealed within the princess. They would from then on become part of the golden queen heritage, passing from woman to woman in her family. But as time went by, humans' mindset changed. Orion was born, and the golden queens forgotten. I watched as the humans I once considered pure tainted their hearts with greed. And then they went too far. They tried to control me, force me to unite the two worlds... They dared to defy me, trapped me within some weakling's body... Now I've found the descendant of the golden queen... Allina... and I will do exactly what they wanted me to do in the first place... and kill you all in the process!>

-----

*A golden magic circle appears at the rest of the group's feet. A figure of golden light emerges from it. A beautiful young woman that looks almost exactly like Allina, except wearing a long dress and a crown, and with anckle-length hair. Two long angel wings spring from her back as she holds her hands out, shooting a beam of light at the group.*

Alto responds in kind lashing out from within his light titan edifice and parrying the strikes with a flurry of his own. The combined attacks creating aerial shockwaves with their collision.

"Are you don't with the exposition now Origin?"

After that Alto launches his own attack. He cross slashes at Origin's torso, feathers of light being cast off in the trail of his light edifice's blades.

Inside the barrier the beams of light are drawn into the barrier and sort of converge into floating orbs that just hover there lazily.

*Origin is definitely feeling like screwing that barrier at this point. Demonic figures made of the different elements burst from the ground and lash out at Alto while Origin's energy spreads out around him, blocking the attack and blasting Alto.*

-----

Outside, the golden phantmon teleports behind Crowley and Razz, blasting them point-blank.

Lucien does something about that attack this time and shadows engulf the blasts.

---

Alto spins slashing apart the attacks and sending blade like light feather cast offs that fly at Origin aiming to slice him apart.

*The demonic figures turn into beams that blast him. Origin whips a wind forward, exploding the incoming feathers and sending an energy wave towards Alto.*

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*The blasts push through the sides at the speed of sound and instead hit Allina and Fahren, knocking them down. The figure raises its hands and Lucien and Razz's eyes are cast in darkness.*

OOC: I sense much hostility in your post.

Alto repels the beams but is nailed with the shockwave and sent flying.

*Crowley jumps into the air, appearing behind the figure and summoning a sword. Before throwing it, however, it changes shape and morphs into a spear which he throws like a javelin, aiming at its back at a high speed.*

*Origin grits his teeth and starts forward, sending an energy shadow of himself flashstepping to Alto and striking him with holy lightning.*

Origin: <You can't win!>

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*Allina staggers to her feet. Kelphy cracks her fingers and holds her hands out.*

Allina: <Are you sure you're ready to fight again?>

Kelphy: <I have to.>

Allina: <What is that thing, anyway?>

Kelphy: <That's the golden queen from the story.>

Fahren: <It's probably just another security measure. We're not separated this time, we can defeat it.>

Razz: <The bitch blinded me!>

*The spear tears a hole through the phantom and it turns around, darting up to Crowley and slashing at him repeatedly with two golden blades at speed their eyes can barely keep up with.*

*Crowley takes the hits, but surrounds himself in flames to keep himself from taking as much damage. He falls to the ground, but recovers on his feet instead of smashing into it.*

Crowley: <Damn, this is tough...>

*Crowley sheathes his sword and summons two purple swords, dashing up to the figure and slashing at it with a similar speed.*

Creed slams his hands on the ground and sends out a wave of ice at the phantom's legs an attempt to freeze it in place.

---

Alto strikes back with his own attack creating a blinding flash of light an a shockwave that makes the barrier tremble.

Alto's skin begins to crack without him noticing.

*Origin raises his arms and a row of explosions stops the shockwave. He charges energy and shoots out several barrages of purple energy beams.*

Origin: <Why do you insist?!>

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*The ice does get to her feet. She parries each of Crowley's slashes with her own blades. Fahren charges a scorching fire blast and shoots it at her back. She screeches and breathes in, blowing white dust at Fahren. He attempts to cast a spell, but fails. For being a bitch, the phantom takes a water sphere to the face that sends her darting off quite a distance, leaving her feet behind, in the ice. Allina pounds on the barrier.*

Allina: <Alto!! Let us help you!>

"Because, this time, this is my pain alone to bear" was his answer to both Origin and Allina. More cracks appear on his skin before he launches what he doesn't know as his last attack. Several castle sprite sized light swords begin to rain down on Origin.

Alto's body is now covered in cracks.

*Crowley doesn't stop the onslaught, and more blades appear, this time from the sky, to attempt stabbing the phantom.*

Allina: <That doesn't make sense, stop doing this!>

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*Origin widens his eyes, looking up. One of the swords crosses his body before he's releases a shockwave to deflect the others. He waves a hand aside and the sword vanishes. He groans, panting, and grins to Alto.*

Origin: <You're time... is up.>

*He holds his hands out and yells, a large beam of white energy enveloped in black lightning shooting towards Alto.*

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*The phantom tries its best to parry as many hits as possible, often getting stabbed and slashes. Kelphy darts down the area towards them, a large serpent dragon of water emerging from the darkness around her. She takes a hand to her throat, causing her voice to echo loudly across the area.*

Kelphy: <Please!>

*The dragon shoots forward, blasting into the phantom repeatedly while Crowley attacks it. Soon, it shrieks and vanishes, as bright flashes of light occur due to Origin's spell.*

The beam hits Alto.

The world goes white for a moment.

When the flash subsides Alto spirals and crashes into the ground. Everyone can see now that his body is covered in cracks and mana is leaking out from the cracks.

"I guess... in the end... I was a failure afterall..." he looks up as he begins to break apart

"I... leave the rest to you... all..." finally he closes his eyes and breaks apart like a statue then dissolves into dust.

The barrier shatters.

"ALTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!" Creed falls to his knees.

"Why... why would you..." Lucien expresses his disbelief.

*He turns over to see Alto vanish into dust.*

Crowley: <...How many people...>

*He looks over at Origin.*

Crowley: <ARE YOU GOING TO KILL?!>

*He unsheathes his sword and throws it at him, which is soon followed by hundreds of others purple replicas.*

Kelphy: <Alto!!>

*Origin raises a barrier to block the blades as Razz dashes towards him, charging flames around three knives in each hand. Allina wipes tears sliding down her cheeks and shakes her head.*

Allina: <All of this you've been doing to us... it has to end, it will end now!>

*Allina also runs closer to Origin, followed by Fahren and Kelphy.*

Origin: <Don't be sad... you'll join him very very soon.>

*Origin gathers energy on his palms and shoots a large beam from each, one aimed at Razz and one aimed at Crowley.*

Lucien and Creed follow the others leading the charge.

"O comets whose brilliance lightens even the darkest of skies, favour this ground for the fulfillment of thy eternal journey...Shooting Stars!" Creed summons a barrage of icy comet like projectiles to pelt Origin.

"O gathering flames of darkness, treat our dear guests to the strains of your terrible song... Bloody Howling!" blue flames encircle Origin before dark power erupts from beneath him letting loose an eerie cry.

*Crowley dodges and then charges up intensely with purple flames.*

Crowley: <You're gonna die! RIGHT NOW!!!>

*He raises his hands into the air and brings them down, a storm of meteors coming from above and heading right for Origin.*

*Kelphy joins in, holding her hands out and summoning a giant torrent of water from above to blast him and then compress around him. Fahren's large phantom knight appears once more, slashing rings of green energy at the first Aeldi. Allina casts a shielding sphere around Razz that stops the beam, before they join forces in a blinding beam of schorching flames. All of the attacks hit consecutively, barely letting Origin make a single move. He yells in pain and anger before finally being able to create a barrier, pushing out any remaining attacks. He bursts into laughter, a familiar white mist half-drifting half-dripping down his torso out of a cut along his upper chest.*

Origin: <You've grown so much! I am proud! Hahahahaha!!>

Luna: <Where is Origin?>

Origin: <W-What!?>

Maxwell: <Fool! What happened to you?>

Origin: <Shut up! You durst pledge allegiance to humans, after all that has happened?! I cannot be caged! I cannot be controlled! All who try deserve nothing but death!>

*Large blinding stars of light cover the darkness above them. Origin grins as the space itself becomes distorted, dark lightning crossing the air at incredible speed. Suddenly the stars glow brighter, hundreds of beams of red light shooting down towards each of them.*

Origin: <Fall into oblivion, heroes of a world long doomed! The time has come... The time has come! You can be free of this burden in the next world...>

*The last each of them sees before falling asleep is the flash of light caused by the explosion of the beams on impact. It happens very slowly, sort of almost like it's happening in slow motion. Their eyelids start shutting, their minds emptying themselves. It's almost like they're in a coma, and all they can hear are two voices speaking in the distance. They feel they might have heard them before, but know not who their owners might actually be.*

Male: <...Are you ready?>

Female: <Ready...?>

Male: <You can open your eyes, Amelia. It's time to break your curse.>

Female: <My... My curse?>

Male: <Try to remember. Can you? Can you remember? Can you remember the war, your sacrifice? You saved your world by tearing it apart.>

Female: <M-Mysteria... I think remember something...>

*Their voices feels nostalgic, and it is then that their minds start drifting into a distant memory, much more welcoming than that cold, unknown darkness. They can't remember it very well, but it makes them feel warm.*

---

Kelphy: [...W-What is happening? Amelia...? Mysteria? Where... am I? I remember a palace... Yes, a palace. A large palace. I'm going down the hall and...]

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*She skips down the hall with a big smile on her face. It's her 6th birthday, and she knows exactly what her gift is going to be: magic. She opens a door down the hall that, to her, could very well lead into the house of giant, and steps in to find two men standing in the library. One of them she recognizes immediately. Tall, handsome, with short layered black hair and blue eyes, wearing a nobleman's clothes, blue, and a golden crown on his head. The other one is a short old elf, with tiny green eyes on his wrinkled yellowish face and long pointy ears. He is very hunched over and somewhat heavyset, supporting his weight on an old walking stick, and is wearing long red robes with golden details, and a matching point hat folded back over his head. His white hairs are tied back in a braid near the bottom, held by a little red ribbon. She glances at the latter's paternal smile and runs over to the younger one, hugging him tightly.*

Kelphy: <F-Father!>

King: <Hello, Kelphy. Come on, be polite. This is my friend Fahrenheit. He used to work here, you know?>

Kelphy: <...Hello.>

Fahren: <Much obliged to meet you, Your Highness.>

Kelphy: <Likewise, Mr. Fahrenheit.>

King: <He's here to take you with him.>

=====

Razz: [...Who is Amelia? Why do I feel I know you...? I feel so... so cold, like I did that day... The only thing I can remember is that day.]

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*He runs down the street, looking back every few seconds to check on the little girl following him anxiously. She has light skin, large blue eyes, and long blond hairs waving in the wind behind her, and she's wearing wearing a little pink dress over a pink suspender dress over a yellow T-shirt, black boots, and a pink bow headband on her head. They soon arrive near the lake, and Razz runs behind a tree, coming back shortly afterwards with a jar between his tiny hands. A bright green frog trembles within, scared, and a similar feeling clearly takes over the girl the moment she sees it.*

Allina: <What are you doing?! Stay away! Stay away!>

Razz: <Calm down, you'll see it's cu-->

*Razz isn't allowed to finish his sentence. As he takes one step closer to his younger sister, she shrieks loudly and her fist comes flying into his face, pushing him over the edge of the lake. After a few seconds, she opens her eyes, startled, to see her brother squirming frantically in the water, a few yards away. He yells for help, and she jumps into the water, crying in panic.*

Allina: <I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm coming... please, please!>

*He stops and looks at her, widening his eyes before bursting into laughter.*

Razz: <What are you doing!? You can't swim!>

*She widens her eyes and shrieks once more, sinking into the water. Razz hurries over to her and helps her out of the lake. They sit down by the water, soaked wet.*

Razz: <How could you forget I can swim? No, how could you forget you can't?>

Allina: <Well, it was really stupid prank!>

OOC: TL;DR

Lucien and Creed sink into the sleep...

---

Creed's memories of a certain time not to long ago flooded him.

It was before Alto had returned. It was several days before Kelphy's birthday. He was alone with Celsius on the castle's roof. Just laying there watching the clouds pass.

"I'm sure there will be dancing at Kelphy's birthday. I can't think of a better dance partner than you Celsius." He watched his aeldi actually blush.

"Don't be so shocked Celsius. If I didn't have you I would have lost myself during Maxwell's trials. If I didn't have you... I... I don't know where I'd be right now."

"What are you saying Creed?"

"For you, only for you, you can call me by my real name, Marion. My real name is Marion Crive II. I've been lying this whole time... I... I just can't bring myself to tell Alto I'm more than just his half brother. He doesn't know the truth of our father or our mother. He believes our father was an evil man. He doesn't know that he pleaded with Baticules to use the ritual to save Isabella's life. He doesn't know about their love for each other. He only knows what the Crive family told him. That our father was a monster who shamed the family. Marion Crive was never involved in the plot to assassinate the royal family. I... I don't think I can ever bring myself to tell him the truth..." Creed sat up and placed his head in his hands shaking.

Celsius hugged Creed tightly and he calmed. "I think he'd understand."

"Even then... I still killed our sister, his twin sister. Even if she went out of control there had to be another wa- OWWW" he was cut off by Celsius headbutting him.

"Stop moping around Marion!"

---

"That day..." Creed began.

---

Lucien's memories drift back to something he had forgotten; the day he visited the capital of Sephira. It was right after he escaped from his homeland. Lost, confused, and torn with grief at what he had done he wandered through the streets of the city looking like a ghost. Someone who lost their purpose.

He ended up running into a young girl, literally, Knocking both of them over.

"Hey watch where you're going!" she yelled at him.

"Sorry" he said with a dead voice.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm alive but I don't feel like I should be." The girl quite suddenly punched him.

"HEY THAT WASN'T NICE!"

"Neither was knocking me over!" she stormed off.

Lucien sighed and picked himself off the ground and followed her.

"Are you stalking me?"

"No, I just have no where else to go"

He ate the girl's house then left as quickly as he came. However her fiery spirit is what drove him forward in order to do something with his life now.

---

"I remember now... that girl... that was Allina. How could I have forgotten?"