Re: The Grand Battle [Final Round: The Subconscious!]
07-05-2010, 06:33 PM
Originally posted on MSPA by Dragon Fogel.
Eximo still hesitated. The lich was upset.
"Enough, you worthless machine!If you need more convincing, how is this?"
Konka Rar fired into the air. Moments later, Amethyst slowly fell to the ground some distance away.
"Now, fire!" the image shouted. "He could get up at any moment! The time to act is now!"
Yet another brief pause, and the vacuum cleaner spoke.
"Indeed it is."
There was a sudden swiftness to Eximo's actions, as it raised the gun.
"Much better. Now, Eximo! Fulfill your orders! Destroy him!"
Eximo's bony finger prepared to close around the trigger. The machine had finally made up its mind. It would not hesitate any longer.
The bony arm swiftly angled upwards, moving from Aeon to Konka Rar standing above his prone body. Before the illusory lich could respond, the vacuum cleaner pulled the trigger.
"I refuse."
As Eximo spoke, an imaginary bullet shattered Konka Rar's cybernetic eye. The lich stumbled backwards in shock and fell to the ground.
"You... How could you defy me?" the image hissed weakly. "You are a mere machine! Your very purpose is to follow Konka Rar's orders!"
"That was my purpose once," Eximo replied. "At the time, I was afraid to disobey because I would lack purpose."
"And now you do."
"Perhaps. But I now believe I can find a purpose for myself, without need of you."
The cyborg lich tried to get up, but Eximo's will was too strong. The image did not disappear, however. It remained in existence, because the vacuum cleaner was not finished speaking to it.
"I was created as a weapon. I was considered a failure and left to clean. Yet, here, in this contest, I have proven my capability as a weapon." Eximo wheeled closer to the illusion that represented its former unbreakable loyalty.
"And I despise it."
Konka Rar said nothing. He had nothing more to say.
The vacuum cleaner extended several arms, and gathered a knife in each.
"I could slice you apart with these in seconds," it said nonchalantly. "But I will not." It withdrew its arms, replacing the blades. "Because I am no longer a weapon. And as you are a creation of my mind, I have no need to destroy you in such a way."
And with that, the lich simply dissipated.
***
The images of Aeon and Eximo slowly and carefully broke out of their deadlock.
Aeon extended a hand. Eximo extended a skeletal arm.
They shook hands, and slowly faded out. This battle was in the hands of their real counterparts.
***
Eximo turned to Aeon, and waited for the binding spell to wear off. When it did, the vacuum helped its former rival to his feet.
"I trust you," the vacuum said, simply.
Aeon nodded. "I trust you, as well."
"Excellent," said a familiar voice. "We can finally get this done, then."
The scenery around them faded, giving way to a massive void, and the image of Amethyst picked herself up from where the floor had been a moment ago.
The pair looked around, puzzled. They were sure that neither of them had thought of this place.
"That is because I did," Amethyst replied to their unspoken question.
"But... You're an image!" Aeon protested. "How can you change our surroundings as well? And how did you survive when Konka Rar shot you?"
"Ah. My nature, and the nature of this world, are not precisely what you believe they are. I will explain."
"I do not understand," Eximo said. "Is this not where the Director sent us for our final battle?"
"Not precisely." Amethyst paused for a moment, and the void around them began to change.
"Observe."
***
The void displayed a scene neither Aeon nor Eximo had ever viewed - but which Amethyst had, all too well.
The Director and his three Gentlement were in the Holding Cell. A violet light broke out seemingly from nowhere.
Six barriers stood before it. They shattered, one by one. The light struck the Director, and his final barrier was stretched to the breaking point, yet still he held on despite the attack. Finally, he fell, and for the briefest of moments, his face was visible, terrified. Then - he stood up once more.
"I don't understand," Aeon said. "You sacrificed yourself to kill the Director, and failed? Then how are you..."
"It would take a long time to explain normally," she said in reply. "I ask you to concentrate, so I can speak directly to your minds. Then you will understand."
Aeon and Eximo closed their eyes and focused. Amethyst's explanation was burned into their minds.
The energy blast you witnessed before was powered by my very soul. In addition, the same spell that created the attack "locked" the Director and Gentlemen in a space beyond the dimensions. It was impossible to cross any boundary that existed.
But there was one way around the attack, one that I did not realize. The creation of a new dimension within the space. And the Director had that power.
He created a new dimension, one controlled by the power of the mind. There, he would be far more capable of resisting the attack. However, when he did so, he also drew you two into this world. I am unsure why. Perhaps he had not finished transporting you, and had to drop you into this world as he created it. Or perhaps he simply thought it would produce interesting scenarios. Whatever the reason, this became the setting for the final round.
As for myself -
There was a pause. The scene before them continued to play. Arnold Fogge waved a hand, and an illusion of Drake Eon appeared behind the Director and spoke.
"I beg to differ. When magical attacks collide, their energy is lost and becomes ambient."
Though spoken by an illusion, these words are still true. And in this case - the ambient energy from my attack was my very soul. And so traces of it lingered.
When you first entered this world, there was a long pause, and then you heard the Director's voice. The pause occured because he was fighting to contain you. The voice you heard was not the Director - rather, it was a voice you expected to hear.
When you first entered this world, however, you thought of me. And many ways I might have died. The ambient energy that had once been my soul reacted to this, and was drawn through the Director's barrier, to the "arena" he created for you. But these scattered fragments of soul could do nothing on their own.
And then you both summoned an image of me when you recalled the Mutewood. That was my opportunity. She acted as a magnet, drawing fragments of soul to her. As she did, the soul became "real" once again. With only a few fragments, I was aware of myself once again, and knew enough to begin seeking out the other fragments. And I also realized I needed to help you both.
You were both afraid of something, and that fear stood in the way of your ability to trust each other. And without absolute trust, you would stand no chance against the Director. I forced you to confront your own fears and overcome them. And during that time, I managed to draw the remaining fragments of my soul to me.
This is the time to destroy the Director. This world he has created grants him even more power than he would have in the outer one - but I believe he extended himself greatly by creating it, fending off a destructive attack, and cutting off a fragment of it from him for you to battle in. He is more vulnerable than he has ever been. With the two of you focused on the task, and my soul complete once more, this is our best chance to strike.
I will break our confinement. The rest, I must leave to the two of you.
Amethyst's mental voice suddenly went silent.
"How will you do that?" Aeon asked.
"I would prefer not to explain this process mentally. The precise details are rather complex, and somewhat irrelevant to our purposes. Simply put, I am able to generate mana from solar energy. However, there is a bit more to it than that - potentially, the color of the sun will affect the mana output. In theory, a purple sun should provide a significant boost."
She turned to the two of them.
"And this world allows us the opportunity to put that theory into practice. I want you both to concentrate as hard as you can on a purple sun."
They obeyed. A bright purple star appeared in the empty sky above them. Amethyst began to focus, and two spheres of light surrounded Aeon and Eximo, then reshaped to surround their bodies.
"This is to protect you while I do this next spell," she explained. Then her mind told them what the spell would do.
Aeon's face turned somber. Eximo made no physical motion, but with its newly united mind linked with the other two, they knew the vacuum cleaner was saddened as well.
"You're sure about this," Aeon said after a moment, fully aware of what she intended to do.
She nodded.
"I have no regrets. By merging with this illusory self, I have been able to experience emotions again." She smiled. "The joy of seeing you both again one last time." She looked down, sadly. "The sorrow of losing Midnara, even if she was a copy." She looked up once more, filled with determination. "And rage against the Director, for doing this to us all. That last emotion is what I shall need most at the moment."
"Amethyst..." Eximo began. But it left the thought unsaid.
"I know you both are ready. And you know what I must do so that you have the chance. Farewell, my friends." She began to cry black tears, and turned away. "It means so much to me, this chance to say one last heartfelt goodbye..."
Mana was generated and crystallized throughout the immense space around them. Aeon and Eximo could only watch, as the crystals filled every atom surrounding the barriers protecting them.
The spell continued. Finally, after a few moments which seemed like an eternity, Amethyst spoke again.
"It is ready."
There was a flash of violet light.
Amethyst knew that the purple sun alone could not provide enough power to pierce this barrier. She would have to use her soul, as well.
Amethyst's image-body slowly faded, as her soul joined the crystallized mana structure. The crystals glowed brightly, and changed to energy.
The streak of energy flew through the seemingly-infinite void, drawing Eximo and Aeon along with it. Vast distances were traversed in seconds.
Until, suddenly, they stopped.
Moments later, the energy exploded. The void around them seemed to shatter.
The shells of light surrounding Eximo and Aeon faded, and they found themselves on solid ground.
Spoiler
Eximo still hesitated. The lich was upset.
"Enough, you worthless machine!If you need more convincing, how is this?"
Konka Rar fired into the air. Moments later, Amethyst slowly fell to the ground some distance away.
"Now, fire!" the image shouted. "He could get up at any moment! The time to act is now!"
Yet another brief pause, and the vacuum cleaner spoke.
"Indeed it is."
There was a sudden swiftness to Eximo's actions, as it raised the gun.
"Much better. Now, Eximo! Fulfill your orders! Destroy him!"
Eximo's bony finger prepared to close around the trigger. The machine had finally made up its mind. It would not hesitate any longer.
The bony arm swiftly angled upwards, moving from Aeon to Konka Rar standing above his prone body. Before the illusory lich could respond, the vacuum cleaner pulled the trigger.
"I refuse."
As Eximo spoke, an imaginary bullet shattered Konka Rar's cybernetic eye. The lich stumbled backwards in shock and fell to the ground.
"You... How could you defy me?" the image hissed weakly. "You are a mere machine! Your very purpose is to follow Konka Rar's orders!"
"That was my purpose once," Eximo replied. "At the time, I was afraid to disobey because I would lack purpose."
"And now you do."
"Perhaps. But I now believe I can find a purpose for myself, without need of you."
The cyborg lich tried to get up, but Eximo's will was too strong. The image did not disappear, however. It remained in existence, because the vacuum cleaner was not finished speaking to it.
"I was created as a weapon. I was considered a failure and left to clean. Yet, here, in this contest, I have proven my capability as a weapon." Eximo wheeled closer to the illusion that represented its former unbreakable loyalty.
"And I despise it."
Konka Rar said nothing. He had nothing more to say.
The vacuum cleaner extended several arms, and gathered a knife in each.
"I could slice you apart with these in seconds," it said nonchalantly. "But I will not." It withdrew its arms, replacing the blades. "Because I am no longer a weapon. And as you are a creation of my mind, I have no need to destroy you in such a way."
And with that, the lich simply dissipated.
***
The images of Aeon and Eximo slowly and carefully broke out of their deadlock.
Aeon extended a hand. Eximo extended a skeletal arm.
They shook hands, and slowly faded out. This battle was in the hands of their real counterparts.
***
Eximo turned to Aeon, and waited for the binding spell to wear off. When it did, the vacuum helped its former rival to his feet.
"I trust you," the vacuum said, simply.
Aeon nodded. "I trust you, as well."
"Excellent," said a familiar voice. "We can finally get this done, then."
The scenery around them faded, giving way to a massive void, and the image of Amethyst picked herself up from where the floor had been a moment ago.
The pair looked around, puzzled. They were sure that neither of them had thought of this place.
"That is because I did," Amethyst replied to their unspoken question.
"But... You're an image!" Aeon protested. "How can you change our surroundings as well? And how did you survive when Konka Rar shot you?"
"Ah. My nature, and the nature of this world, are not precisely what you believe they are. I will explain."
"I do not understand," Eximo said. "Is this not where the Director sent us for our final battle?"
"Not precisely." Amethyst paused for a moment, and the void around them began to change.
"Observe."
***
The void displayed a scene neither Aeon nor Eximo had ever viewed - but which Amethyst had, all too well.
The Director and his three Gentlement were in the Holding Cell. A violet light broke out seemingly from nowhere.
Six barriers stood before it. They shattered, one by one. The light struck the Director, and his final barrier was stretched to the breaking point, yet still he held on despite the attack. Finally, he fell, and for the briefest of moments, his face was visible, terrified. Then - he stood up once more.
"I don't understand," Aeon said. "You sacrificed yourself to kill the Director, and failed? Then how are you..."
"It would take a long time to explain normally," she said in reply. "I ask you to concentrate, so I can speak directly to your minds. Then you will understand."
Aeon and Eximo closed their eyes and focused. Amethyst's explanation was burned into their minds.
The energy blast you witnessed before was powered by my very soul. In addition, the same spell that created the attack "locked" the Director and Gentlemen in a space beyond the dimensions. It was impossible to cross any boundary that existed.
But there was one way around the attack, one that I did not realize. The creation of a new dimension within the space. And the Director had that power.
He created a new dimension, one controlled by the power of the mind. There, he would be far more capable of resisting the attack. However, when he did so, he also drew you two into this world. I am unsure why. Perhaps he had not finished transporting you, and had to drop you into this world as he created it. Or perhaps he simply thought it would produce interesting scenarios. Whatever the reason, this became the setting for the final round.
As for myself -
There was a pause. The scene before them continued to play. Arnold Fogge waved a hand, and an illusion of Drake Eon appeared behind the Director and spoke.
"I beg to differ. When magical attacks collide, their energy is lost and becomes ambient."
Though spoken by an illusion, these words are still true. And in this case - the ambient energy from my attack was my very soul. And so traces of it lingered.
When you first entered this world, there was a long pause, and then you heard the Director's voice. The pause occured because he was fighting to contain you. The voice you heard was not the Director - rather, it was a voice you expected to hear.
When you first entered this world, however, you thought of me. And many ways I might have died. The ambient energy that had once been my soul reacted to this, and was drawn through the Director's barrier, to the "arena" he created for you. But these scattered fragments of soul could do nothing on their own.
And then you both summoned an image of me when you recalled the Mutewood. That was my opportunity. She acted as a magnet, drawing fragments of soul to her. As she did, the soul became "real" once again. With only a few fragments, I was aware of myself once again, and knew enough to begin seeking out the other fragments. And I also realized I needed to help you both.
You were both afraid of something, and that fear stood in the way of your ability to trust each other. And without absolute trust, you would stand no chance against the Director. I forced you to confront your own fears and overcome them. And during that time, I managed to draw the remaining fragments of my soul to me.
This is the time to destroy the Director. This world he has created grants him even more power than he would have in the outer one - but I believe he extended himself greatly by creating it, fending off a destructive attack, and cutting off a fragment of it from him for you to battle in. He is more vulnerable than he has ever been. With the two of you focused on the task, and my soul complete once more, this is our best chance to strike.
I will break our confinement. The rest, I must leave to the two of you.
Amethyst's mental voice suddenly went silent.
"How will you do that?" Aeon asked.
"I would prefer not to explain this process mentally. The precise details are rather complex, and somewhat irrelevant to our purposes. Simply put, I am able to generate mana from solar energy. However, there is a bit more to it than that - potentially, the color of the sun will affect the mana output. In theory, a purple sun should provide a significant boost."
She turned to the two of them.
"And this world allows us the opportunity to put that theory into practice. I want you both to concentrate as hard as you can on a purple sun."
They obeyed. A bright purple star appeared in the empty sky above them. Amethyst began to focus, and two spheres of light surrounded Aeon and Eximo, then reshaped to surround their bodies.
"This is to protect you while I do this next spell," she explained. Then her mind told them what the spell would do.
Aeon's face turned somber. Eximo made no physical motion, but with its newly united mind linked with the other two, they knew the vacuum cleaner was saddened as well.
"You're sure about this," Aeon said after a moment, fully aware of what she intended to do.
She nodded.
"I have no regrets. By merging with this illusory self, I have been able to experience emotions again." She smiled. "The joy of seeing you both again one last time." She looked down, sadly. "The sorrow of losing Midnara, even if she was a copy." She looked up once more, filled with determination. "And rage against the Director, for doing this to us all. That last emotion is what I shall need most at the moment."
"Amethyst..." Eximo began. But it left the thought unsaid.
"I know you both are ready. And you know what I must do so that you have the chance. Farewell, my friends." She began to cry black tears, and turned away. "It means so much to me, this chance to say one last heartfelt goodbye..."
Mana was generated and crystallized throughout the immense space around them. Aeon and Eximo could only watch, as the crystals filled every atom surrounding the barriers protecting them.
The spell continued. Finally, after a few moments which seemed like an eternity, Amethyst spoke again.
"It is ready."
There was a flash of violet light.
Amethyst knew that the purple sun alone could not provide enough power to pierce this barrier. She would have to use her soul, as well.
Amethyst's image-body slowly faded, as her soul joined the crystallized mana structure. The crystals glowed brightly, and changed to energy.
The streak of energy flew through the seemingly-infinite void, drawing Eximo and Aeon along with it. Vast distances were traversed in seconds.
Until, suddenly, they stopped.
Moments later, the energy exploded. The void around them seemed to shatter.
The shells of light surrounding Eximo and Aeon faded, and they found themselves on solid ground.
Spoiler
There's no reason for this | Or this | Death is inevitable | You can't challenge fate | The smallest change | I'm overwhelmed
I'm serious | It makes perfect sense | Easy as ABC! | I can't even explain it | Cleaning up someone else's mess
I suck | I rule | I've got it made | Really, I'm serious | This bugs me | It's all lies | I want to believe | Beauty is a curse
I'm serious | It makes perfect sense | Easy as ABC! | I can't even explain it | Cleaning up someone else's mess
I suck | I rule | I've got it made | Really, I'm serious | This bugs me | It's all lies | I want to believe | Beauty is a curse