Nikushimi
Chapter 66:
Identity
(Elizabeth's POV, Dream/Fshback)
Elizabeth Falcrest. Queen Von Angeal. Once they were two, now they were one. Each lived a life not quite so different from the other, but also not quite the same. Different worlds. Different lives. Each leading to the same conclusion.
One mind. One heart. One body. One goal.
Elizabeth's earliest memories of her life had her growing up spoiled, yet sheltered. She was the precious young dy of the Falcrest Family, and anything she wanted, she could have. However, there wasn't a single thing that she did which wasn't monitored by someone else. Whether it be the food she ate, the clothes she wore, or who she spoke to. It was...suffocating.
These memories overpped with Von Angeal, who at the time was just a Princess. Born and raised to rule, she was taught a variety of subjects from history to warfare, and of course, etiquette. She was taught from a young age that she would inherit a realm of blood and darkness. She had to be cold, calcuting, and above all...strong. Everything she wanted, she would cim. The weight of that responsibility, however, was also...suffocating.
One was a flower grown in a cage, and the other its thorns molded in blood and fire. Two halves to a whole, destined for each other. It started when Elizabeth awakened like many others when the Gates first appeared. She was an incredibly skilled fencer, and this transted into her abilities as a Pyer. Despite this, her family still hired guards. Other Pyers that would see to her safety and guide her through the world ending event.
Little did they know that this choice would be what ended up taking her life. Those Pyers saw nothing except money, and what use was money if they weren't alive to spend it? They cared nothing for the precious flower of the Falcrest Family, and this made their choice easy when facing the now Demon Queen, Von Angeal.
Raised from a Princess to a Queen, Von Angeal was ready to defend her realm when she sensed a rift appear. A mysterious gate through which invaders had entered. After having fought countless wars to protect her people and the nd she ruled, she was ready. It was almost a secondary nature, but something caught her eye.
The invaders were practically toddlers pying with fire. They held aether within their bodies, but they barely knew how to use it. It was a miracle they had survived this long filing about in the dark. The audacity to challenge her was enough to warrant their death, but it was a mercy to kill them. They were but insects in the grand scheme of things, and yet it was amusing how desperately they tried to live.
There was one exception, however. A woman who wielded the bde with elegant precision. She was able to go blow for blow with Von Angeal...at least for a while. There were not many who could match Von Angeal in combat, but this woman had earned her respect despite inevitably being on the losing end. It was unfortunate she couldn't say the same for the woman's companions.
They were cowards.
Upon the cusp of defeat, they chose a vile act over dying with honor. A desperate will to live was one thing, but to betray and backstab your own comrade...even Von Angeal found that deplorable, and she had done some rather cruel things in her life.
Von Angeal's face contorted with rage as the woman, now known to her as Elizabeth, looked on with a mixture of shock, horror, and disbelief when the wicked bde pierced her chest from behind. Elizabeth was dumbfounded, mouth agape as she stumbled forward when the bde was pulled unceremoniously free. Catching her, Von Angeal gred at those who had committed such an atrocity, but the moment she touched Elizabeth's blood...it had begun.
A powerful force suddenly surrounded the two of them. Von Angeal felt it tear at her flesh, beginning to rip it apart. At the same time, Elizabeth clung to her desperately. There was a spark of life still within her eyes. She didn't want to die. She wanted to live like any other creature would.
It was the first time Von Angeal's heart had been moved to action. If she could do but one thing before the two of them died, it would be to tear apart those who had betrayed Elizabeth. To wipe their now smug expressions from their faces and show them true fear.
This hope would come to fruition as the energy suddenly fluctuated. A look of confusion was shared amongst the companions of Elizabeth, and gncing down...Von Angeal knew what had happened. Though she was not severely injured, Elizabeth had managed to nd a few blows upon Von Angeal's flesh. Their blood had mixed together, and a soul-link had formed.
It was at this point that a wicked smile spread across the Demon Queen's face. Elizabeth was the perfect match for her, and what these half-wits had unwittingly done was give them an opportunity. One that Von Angeal would grasp with everything that she had. The ritual was meant to kill her through sacrifice. Put Von Angeal into Elizabeth's body that was on the verge of death, and allow the both of them to die together.
Unfortunately for them, their pn had backfired. Being soul-linked meant that Elizabeth and Von Angeal were two halves to a whole. So simir with each other that they might as well be the same person, and that's exactly what they became. The Demon Queen's body disintegrated and coalesced onto Elizabeth's, healing her wounds and melding their consciousness together. The moment that connection happened, Von Angeal's power was amplified tenfold.
Together, they raged against her companions and tore them apart. She made them feel true fear for what they had done to her, but...through sheer dumb luck, this had counted as her "defeat" and yet, she was still alive. Her realm became unstable and what happened after was D.C.'s Wild Zone became its new home, where traces of it could still be felt. Suddenly weakened, despite her power just having been amplified, she was pursued on all sides.
It was here that she met Lucas, a man with boundless kindness and a gentle heart. He had helped change her jaded perspective, though perhaps tempered was a better word for it. She still had jaded views, but she now only wished for a better world. A world in which she could live with him, free of those who would so easily backstab someone for their own benefit.
-----
(Elizabeth's POV, Cont.)
The thoughts of her past had come to her as she slept in her old room, the one she had lived in before moving in with Lucas. These memories have long since overpped, and so she had stopped differentiating them as being from two different people, even if she knew that they were. They were just her memories now. Elizabeth Von Angeal, better known as Elizabeth Falcrest.
Rolling over and sitting up, she stood from the bed to stretch before walking into the bathroom. There, she pced her hands upon the sink and looked up into the mirror at her reflection. It was not her human face that looked back at her, though she was currently human. No, staring back at her was the reflection of her inner self. Von Angeal.
"Yeah, I feel it," she muttered, though the lips of her reflection did not move, "I guess that's why we had that dream."
Elizabeth smiled, and this time her demonic reflection mimicked her. For what they had felt was none other than another fragment of her power. It had revealed itself and was calling to her from a pce that she couldn't help but ugh dryly about. Every pulse she felt was like a sp in the face. A taunt that irked her to no end, and despite that...she was still grateful that it had appeared.
She had only hoped it would have done so much earlier, for it was calling to her from the Wild Zone of D.C. The very pce that her realm had shattered and merged with this one. Why it didn't reveal itself before was unknown, but now that it did, she knew where she was heading next, and wasn't surprised when she received a call from Richard.
"Hey, Cap," Richard's voice came on over the line as she answered, "We have an issue."
"...The Wild Zone?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yeah..." Richard sounded surprised, "How did you know?"
"A gut feeling," Elizabeth joked, but then answered honestly, "You remember the Gorgon?"
"From Italy?" Richard asked hesitantly, "I do...wait, don't tell me..."
"Yep," Elizabeth confirmed, "I feel another one. A fragment. It's there, and it's most likely causing things to get out of hand."
There was silence as Elizabeth could just imagine Richard facepalming himself right then, running a hand down along his face.
"Well...shit," he finally said, "What do you want to do?"
"I have no choice," Elizabeth told him bluntly, "I'm heading to the Wild Zone. Alone."
"What!?" Richard excimed, slight anger in his voice, "The hell are you going alone for? You should at least take-"
"Richard," Elizabeth cut through his words, "I need you to defend the walls. If a single creature gets through..."
She left unsaid what was understood between the two of them. Lucas was in the city, along with everyone else who couldn't fight. While Lucas was well protected, the rest of the city needed its defenders. On top of that, there weren't many who knew about the fragments. Besides those that were with them from Legion, only Zero Squad knew, and right now, Zero Squad had to stay and protect the city.
"Damn it..." Richard sighed, "You're right, but I don't like it. Will you be telling him?"
"The less he knows, the better," she told him, "Still...yeah. I will. I made a promise to not hide anything."
"Heh, you did?" he joked, but then continued, "Well, if you promised, you should probably do it soon. This morning, a hoard of Scarab Vines assaulted the walls. They were repelled, but advance scouts report suspicious movements."
"Don't worry about me," her words were a little sharper than she had intended, "Just make sure you and Zero Squad are ready."
"Understood," Richard acknowledged, "We'll be ready, and Ma'am?"
"...Yeah?" she asked quietly.
"If shit hits the fan..." he sounded solemn as he spoke, "We'll ensure his safety, alright?"
Elizabeth smiled warmly into the phone.
"Thanks, Richard," she told him, genuinely appreciative, "Sorry for snapping earlier."
"Don't worry about it," he ughed, "I understand. You're worried. Take care of yourself, Ma'am."
With that, he hung up and she was left alone with her thoughts, and the dreaded conversation about to happen. Finding the number, she dialed Lucas's phone. It barely had time to ring once before he answered, sounding almost eager when he did. It was...adorable.
"Ellie?" Lucas said her name filled with excitement and love, "What's up?"
"Were you waiting for me to call or something?" Elizabeth teased, "You picked up immediately."
"...Is that a problem?" he sulked, "I miss you, you know, and it's not like I'm just staring at the phone, but...I saw your name appear and answered as quickly as I could."
"How cute~," she mused, "I miss you too, my love."
"So...what's up?" he repeated, and she could hear the blush in his voice, "Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, yeah..." she assured him, but knew that the reason she had called would cause him to worry, "Just wanted to check in. It's been busy the st couple of weeks and things are finally slowing down."
"I sense a 'but' in there," he said wryly, "Tell me, what is it?"
"Heh, and you say I read minds," she teased.
"You do!" he procimed adamantly.
"Haha," she couldn't help but ugh, for he was just too cute, "Well, regardless, you're right. There is a but. I felt another fragment of my power."
The words left her lips like cement. Heavy and weighing down the silence which fell between them. She was waiting on bated breath for his reply, and after what seemed like an eternity, she heard him take a deep breath from the other side of the phone.
"Where is it?" he asked gently, warmth to his words, "Will you be gone long?"
"I hope not," she replied, her heart tensing, "I won't be going far, though. It's...in the D.C. Wild Zone."
"I see..." Lucas muttered, as if in thought, "One moment, my love. Hey, Maya?"
Elizabeth tilted her head in slight curiosity and a little confusion as he called for Maya from the other side of the phone. Just what was he about to do? She could hear it in his voice that he had something on his mind, and was half-expecting to receive a [Message] from Maya, and in-fact...she did.
----
"Go to your balcony" – Maya Rosengard
"...Okay?" – Elizabeth Falcrest
----
Even more confused, Elizabeth walked from the bathroom to the sliding door of her balcony. The moment she opened it, a cool breeze blew into the room, and upon it were the petals of a cherry blossom. A slight smirk fell upon her lips as Elizabeth realized what it was that Lucas had called Maya for, and why she had needed to go to her balcony.
There, appearing from a swirling swarm of flower petals was Lucas. Elizabeth's heart skipped several beats as she saw him. From the other side of the phone, as well as from his own lips just a few feet away, she heard him speak with a coy smile.
"Hey, surprise," he said, before slowly putting away his phone.
"Now this is a proper surprise," she teased, lowering her own phone slowly as she smiled widely.
"Yeah," he nodded, his smile brighter than the sun itself, "I asked Maya for a favor. To drop me off for a bit. You didn't think I was going to let you leave with just a phone call, did you?"
Elizabeth's heart soared, and before she knew it, she had bounded towards him and scooped him up in her arms. Her lips were upon his before anything else. He returned the gesture by embracing her lovingly, his lips hungrily tasting hers.
"Gods..." Elizabeth muttered, her head a little dizzy as she reluctantly pulled away, "I guess I should have known better, huh?"
"You should have," he ughed, still grinning, "So...you gonna let me down, or...?"
"Not a chance," she told him firmly, "You made the mistake to show up here, and now you'll deal with the consequences."
"Heh...sounds good," he said, resting his head against her, "Though, I know I can't stay for long. I don't want to distract you too much. At least not now."
"Boo~!" she hissed, and the two of them ughed together.
She sat upon the outdoor divan, cradling him in her arms. They sat in silence, not a word said between them. Everything that needed to be understood was made clear through their loving embrace and the gentle caresses they gave each other. They both knew that this was only a brief visit, for Elizabeth had to leave soon. Even so...she was grateful to have this moment, as it bolstered her resolve. Silently, she [Message]'d Maya.
----
"Thank you" – Elizabeth Falcrest
"He asked" – Maya Rosengard
"But...you're welcome" – Maya Rosengard
"I like seeing you happy" – Maya Rosengard
----
After about half an hour of simply enjoying each other's company, Maya appeared upon the balcony in a flourish of petals. Lucas and Elizabeth gazed into each other's eyes knowingly, and then kissed for one st time. She held his head tenderly, holding the kiss for as long as possible before finally helping him to stand.
"Be safe, my love," she told him, escorting him over to Maya.
"You as well," he replied coyly, "And yes, I know you're strong. Still, just be careful."
"I have to make it back to you," she said with determination, "I'll be careful, and Maya...again, thank you."
"Any time, El," Maya replied softly, "Now then, hold on tight, Luke."
Lucas wrapped his arms around Maya's neck as she pced an arm around his waist. The two of them looked at Elizabeth with undying love and affection. She gave them both a smile filled with warmth.
"Enjoy yourselves," she urged them, "Truly. Leave everything to me."
"Not everything," Lucas chided, frowning at her, "I'm here to share your burdens, even if I can't fight like you."
"Heh, right, sorry," Elizabeth chuckled, and his kind smile returned, "I'll see you soon, I promise."
"I better," he told her firmly, "Till then, my love. Go kick some ass."
With that, he disappeared as he had arrived. In a swirling storm of cherry blossoms. Elizabeth smiled after them, knowing that this life was already different from all the rest.
Re-energized, Elizabeth quickly got dressed and made her way towards her next destination. The Wild Zone, and her shattered Realm of the Dark Sun. One step closer, and nothing would get in her way.
-----
(Elizabeth's POV, Cont.)
The Wall. The structure that surrounded D.C.'s Wild Zone and kept it contained. At least, as contained as it could be. It was an imposing, yet inspiring structure.
Many looked to The Wall as a beacon of strength. It brought peace of mind to the citizens of City W, as it was the bastion against the dangers lying within the Wild Zone. The constant vigil of the Wild Guard allowed many to sleep easy, but today was different. Today, the entirety of The Wall was abuzz with activity.
Wild Guard members moved about like ants in a colony as it prepared for war. They moved quickly across the open pzas and through the halls of the various buildings connected to The Wall. Above, at the very top, Elizabeth could see them milling about to get into positions.
The prismatic shimmering of the barrier above them felt ominous now that it was being put to the test. Elizabeth closed her eyes and opened her senses. She felt the trampling of feet and the vibration it brought to the earth. She could hear the sounds of orders being shouted and carried out. The air was alight with the buzz of nerves.
She could sense all of it, but that was only surface level. Pushing past it all, she drowned out the obvious sounds for something more specific. Beneath the rumbling of feet was another vibration. Subtle and distant yet approaching fast. A sound like skittering past all the voices of the people. A sense of frenzy within the air past the anxiety of nerves.
Opening her eyes, she quickly moved through the crowds. They parted for her almost instinctually until she was before the doors leading inside of one particurly rge building. The two Wild Guard's stationed at the door gnced at each other, but quickly allowed her through. They knew not to stand in her way. Besides, Zero Squad should have already reported that she was arriving.
The inside of the building was well-kept like st time with barren linoleum floors. Like a hive, the Wild Guard was moving about, but among them were mixed various members of other guilds, both rge and small. They knew what was coming. A Monster Wave.
There hadn't been one since the second year of the Gates appearing. So...three years ago was the st time it happened. At the time, The Wall had stood strong, but there had been casualties, even with the failsafes in pce. Many Pyers were sitting in the halls with their teammates. Some prayed, while others remained in silence. They were waiting, but they wouldn't have to wait long.
Elizabeth had just made it to the conference room where she was to meet Zero Squad when the arm began to bre. The fluorescent white lights of the halls turned an ominous red as everyone froze for a brief moment. They looked up at the arm, knowing what that meant for them. In an instant, they were all on the move, making their way towards The Wall, and for some...into the Wild Zone itself to protect the border.
Elizabeth, however, opened the door she was in front of and stepped inside. There, the entirety of Zero Squad, as well as the Comet and Sentinel Squad lead by Isaac and Kelsey respectively, awaited her. There were even a couple of Battle Medics from Aegis's Angel Division, though Erika was not with them. They all stood at attention when she made her way in, with Isaac looking excited and ready to fight.
"I'll keep this short," Elizabeth told them, motioning towards the arm, "We don't have much time."
"Tell us what to do, Ma'am," Kelsey stated, waiting for her orders.
"It's simple," Elizabeth looked over everyone in the room with a cool gaze, "Don't die."
"Ha! Hermana, I've no pns on dying," Isaac told her with confidence, hitting his fists together, "I'm ready to kick some ass."
"No one pns to die, Isaac," Kelsey sighed, rolling her eyes as she stretched one arm across her chest with the other one, "Though, he's right. I'm itching for a good fight."
Elizabeth didn't say anything. She simply looked them over once again, this time with a gentler, warmer gaze. Through not only her efforts, but theirs, they have become stronger than they've ever been before. While things have happened earlier than Elizabeth had expected, those she has surrounded herself with have also grown more than she could have ever hoped.
Perhaps she was wrong. Perhaps they would be ready to fight without her, but...she couldn't just rely on that. Something she realized after facing the Gorgon in Italy was that this wasn't a fight they could win on their own, and it wasn't a fight she could do by herself. Not without her full power, but even then...she had always had an army at her back.
"Good," she nodded, standing aside so that they may leave the room, "Go. I have other things to attend to. Don't make me look bad."
"Never, hermana," Isaac said as he leapt up from his seat, "Come on. You heard her. Let's go make her proud!"
There was a roar of confidence and excitement from Comet Squad who fell in behind him. They made their way from the room and down the hall. For them, they were making their way to the inside of the Wild Zone to defend the border. The Battle Medics followed after.
"Be careful, Ma'am," Kelsey told her, motioning for her team to follow after Isaac.
Zero Squad made their way out after Kelsey and her team, stopping for a brief moment as Ailyah looked Elizabeth up and down.
"I know I shouldn't worry..." she began, but then paused, "No, I won't worry. You have a boy to get back to, right?"
"Yeah," Elizabeth smiled tenderly, "You keep the wall safe."
"I'll freeze any who try to pass it!" Ailyah excimed with confidence, "Come on, Ricky. Let's get to the top!"
Grabbing Richard by the arm, he was suddenly and unceremoniously dragged by Ailyah out of the room and towards the top of the wall where they would provide coordination and support with ranged attacks. Sigrid and the Twins remained, though not a word was said. Just a passing gnce of understanding before they quickly made their way after Kelsey and Isaac to fight on the ground.
The moment that everyone else left the room, Elizabeth took a deep breath. She could feel the burning in her blood. Her skin itched as the call of her fragment beckoned to her. The closer she caught, the stronger it was. There was a certain...bloodlust to it.
After composing herself, she turned from the room and made her way through the maze-like corridors towards the exit into the Wild Zone. As she drew closer, the corridors grew wider and rger to fit equipment as well as people. A rge gate made of infused materials from dungeons stood before her. Pyers from various guilds stood, waiting for the gates to open. With a depressurizing hiss, the doors began to finally open, and Pyers quickly moved out into the forward camp at the base of the Wild Zone wall.
Elizabeth followed them out as they took up position. There were already Pyers outside, having prepared the defenses of the forward base. It was here that a lot of the monitoring and research was done on the Wild Zone, and it would be here that they'd first come into contact with the monster wave.
Here, the call of her fragment was getting stronger, but past it in the subtle undertones of the calling and the sound of Pyers moving about was the encroaching monster hoard. The skittering. The trembling of earth. They were getting closer, and it wouldn't be long now.
The forward camps were miniature fortresses with twenty-foot-high walls and prismatic barrier domes above. Reinforced gates were at the far end, leading into the Wild Zone, and it was there that Elizabeth made her way to. No one bothered to stop her, for everyone knew who she was. It wasn't until she got to the gates that anyone even tried.
"M-Ma'am," a young woman with the Wild Guard uniform called, "I'm sorry, but the gates-"
"Open it," Elizabeth ordered, "I'm going out there."
"But, Ma'am, the monsters are..." the woman's words trailed off as she saw the hardened expression Elizabeth wore, "Will you be okay?"
It was almost adorable how they changed up their words to reflect concern.
"There's something causing the monster wave," Elizabeth told the guardsman, "I pn on finding it, and putting an end to it. It's your job to keep the wall safe until I do."
This is about as much information as Elizabeth had given anyone. It was all anyone needed to know, and it was the most believable. Often, Monster Waves happened when a stronger monster controlled them or pushed them out of the territory. They also happened if something was affecting them from the environment. If either was the case, it meant that something changed in the Wild Zone, and no one would question the strongest Pyer in the world when they tried to stop it.
The guardsman nodded, motioning for them to open the gate. Elizabeth stood before it as the opening slowly revealed the chaotic and overgrown wilderness beyond. Ruins of streets and buildings overgrown. A reminder of the past and what the future would be like if nothing was done.
As the gate opened just enough to let her through, Elizabeth conjured her bde in her hand and ignited it with fme. Gncing back at the guardsman, she spoke to them.
"I'll try and clear as many as I can, but..." she smiled, perhaps a little devilishly teasing, "You'll need to take care of the rest."
The guardsman watched with wide-eyed awe as Elizabeth rushed forth into the Wild Zone. There was a good hundred yards of are constantly kept clear between the wall of the forward camp and the edge of the Wild Zone in order for them to get a clear line of sight should anything approach. It was then that the guardsman noticed the rumbling of the ground. At the edge of the Wild Zone came a swathe of Scarab Vines.
"SEND THE ALARM!" she shouted to the rest, and a bring siren began to py.
Elizabeth was the first to meet the wave of Scarab Vine, swinging her sword with [Visceral Ssh] and incorporating [Hellfire] within it. Dozens of them dropped like flies but were soon repced by three more for every one that had just dropped.
"Tenacious bastards..." Elizabeth growled to herself, reaching into the depths of her power as motes of light drifted off of her and spread throughout the entire field. Like moths to a fme, the Scarab Vines couldn't resist the lure of the motes, and upon coming into contact with them, [Infernal Crescendo] initiated. Explosion after explosion incinerated both pnt and concrete alike.
The entire front of the monster hoard has just been completely annihited, slowing them down enough to give the Pyers at the forward base time enough to position themselves. It was all she could do to help them as she did her best to cut through the seemingly endless wave of Scarab Vines, and they were just the first. She could hear more creatures on the way, but...that would be for them to deal with. She would be well past the wave by the time they arrived.
As Elizabeth disappeared into the overgrown city of the Old D.C., she jumped into the air for a better advantage. Leaping from branch to mppost and even across broken rooftops. The call of her fragment was growing, and she was locked in on it. Whatever monster she saw, she would cut down, but her goal was focused. Anything else was secondary. She had to trust that they were strong enough to handle the Monster Wave.
It wasn't long before she left the sound of fighting behind her and was making her way quickly across the Wild Zone. Leaping high into the air, she looked out over the lush, yet desoted city. It spanned for as far as the eye could see, but there...in its center, she saw it...or rather, felt it.
There was a jolt to her heart as a pulse stronger than any other rippled through her body. Her eyes flickered towards the direction it had come, and almost ughed at the absurdity of it. There, far in the distance and covered with vines that had imbedded themselves into its grand structure...was the Washington Monument, and from within it she could feel the pulse of one of her fragments.
"Found you..." she muttered and kicked off from the air with [Air Step] towards her destination.
-----
(Elizabeth's POV, moments ter)
There was a sense of stagnation which hung in the air as she grew closer to the monument. From a distance, everything looked lush and overgrown, but the closer she got, the more apparent it became that the nd had...changed.
Despite being midday, the sky overhead began to darken until it was a dull rust-colored haze. The pnts began to lose their vibrant hues and slowly change into drab greys and browns. It was as if the nd was permeated by some kind of affliction. This wasn't far from the truth.
The nd was beginning to change due to the influence of her fragment. It reminded her a lot of her home. The Realm of the Dark Sun. The moornds there would lead into beautifully twisted fields of thickets. Bck roses would bloom among the red as the fog rolled in, giving it all a sense of ethereal mystery.
However, this pce...it was not fully acclimated to her realm. There were traces here, obviously, but not enough to be a full conversion. Thus, things were more twisted and...votile than normal. The air wasn't as sweet as it was back in her realm, but acrid and smelling of death. It was a gross disservice to the beauty of her home realm, but of course...this too, Earth, was her home realm as well.
In moments like these, though she had long since become one person, she was reminded of the differences that made up who she was. Elizabeth and Von Angeal. One with memories of Earth, and the other with memories of the Realm of the Dark Sun...though it's true, and full name, known only to its inhabitants, had been Alonia, Realm of the Dark Sun.
Alonia and Earth. Earth and Alonia. She could feel both here, but...it was corrupted. A static that filled the air. Like something in her brain that disoriented her. She felt...dispced.
Landing upon a nearby building, she looked around at the area. She wasn't quite to the monument yet, but...something was off. Something that sent a chill throughout her body.
"...What's happening?" she muttered to herself, carefully scanning the area.
It was like her blood was boiling, and underneath her very bones itched. This wasn't...right. Something was happening here that needed to be corrected. This was her realm. It should show its respect.
"Alright, then..." Elizabeth said as she took a deep breath, "You want to py? Let's fucking py."
Elizabeth called forth her skill, and the blood that coursed through her deep within, [Von Angeal]. She could feel it. The power surging forth. The energy that..."What?" she blinked, looking at her hands which were still human. The power that she had felt suddenly...stopped.
She thought deeply of what was happening, her tongue running along the inside of her teeth. This was the first time since she had started regressing that his had ever happened. Biting her lower lip, she tried once again to call forth the skill [Von Angeal], but again...nothing. She paused, catching herself biting her lip and was reminded of Lucas chiding her. She chuckled, consciously forcing herself to stop.
Whatever was happening wouldn't be solved like this. Taking a deep breath, she sat down upon the fallen building she had perched on. She tried over and over again to activate [Von Angeal] by calling forth the dormant blood within. Every time she could feel it rise to the surface, only to suddenly fall and crash into nothing.
"It's this pce..." she reasoned to herself, looking around at the muted tones of everything.
It was a beautiful, if twisted pce. A pale imitation of both her homes. Earth and Alonia. There was something in that which picked at her brain. There was something there that...
Her senses kicked in just in time, though her thoughts had been interrupted. It came quickly, like a bolt of lighting, but made of stone and steel. Jumping from where she had been, Elizabeth nded on a nearby light pole and gazed upon what had attacked her. A trident made of stone and steel had imbedded itself deeply into the concrete, and as she watched it...the weapon began to shake before wrenching itself free and flying back where it had come from.
Following it, she saw them. Gargoyle. Guardians of castles and cathedrals. "More importantly..." she noted, narrowing her eyes at the creature, "That's obsidian...and gold." An anger began to arise in Elizabeth as she recognized them.
"My own Pace Watchers..." Elizabeth couldn't hold back the dry ugh that escaped her throat, "You've got to be fucking kidding me..."
The Gargoyle itself was made of the purest bck obsidian and etched with golden lines in symmetrical patterns. Those lines were imbued with aether that hardened the otherwise fragile obsidian to be as tough, if not tougher than Adamantine. Its trident was no different.
"That's one hell of a way to greet your Queen..." Elizabeth growled, flourishing her bde that appeared in her hand, "Just because I don't look it doesn't mean you can act however you wish."
The Gargoyle's face, like that of a demonic cat, seemed to sneer as the obsidian made a crackling, cackling noise. "Is it...ughing at me?" Elizabeth was not amused, leaping from where she was as [Hellfire] swirled to life over her bde. [Air Step] propelled her towards the creature at high speeds, and yet...it was able to dodge as its bck wings moved it out of the way.
Smirking, Elizabeth changed trajectories, not letting it get away. Turning its face towards her, it tried to bring its weapon up to block, but there was nothing that would stop her [Visceral Ssh]. Like a hot knife through butter, her bde cut easily through both trident and Gargoyle. With its golden lines disrupted, the power within the Gargoyle waned as it crashed to the ground and broke into pieces.
Elizabeth didn't have time to celebrate her victory, or even gloat, as she turned to see more of them. She stared upon them coolly. The sheer audacity they had to raise their weapons against their Queen...
"Fine," Elizabeth let loose her aura, "If you will not bow, then I will make you fall."
She didn't need [Von Angeal] to take care of these creatures. Even without donning the visage of her true self, she..."True self?" Elizabeth paused, tilting her head as something clicked, "Ah...was it that simple?" She admonished her foolishness.
All this time, she has said that Elizabeth and Von Angeal were one and the same. Ever since her first regression, she has been Elizabeth Falcrest Von Angeal, Demon Queen. However, there was something detrimental in that. Something that she had been relying upon.
Von Angeal had become a skill of the same name, [Von Angeal], but...if they were one and the same, why would she need a skill to become her? When she had made the wish to be born human in order to be with Lucas, he had wished for her to be herself. To be...whole.
"All these fucking years..." Elizabeth cursed at herself chidingly, "I've been so stupidly blind. I understand why this fragment has appeared now..."
She has gathered many, many fragments over her lives. Now, she was near completion, but something had always been holding her back. She knew that she was two halves to a whole, and that Elizabeth and Von Angeal were one and the same now, but...they had also been two separate people. She knew this as well, but what she had failed to take into account is that...
"Lucas..." Elizabeth whispered his name with tender love, "After all these years, your love and kindness still baffles me. I'm forever grateful that you found me...found us."
A notification appeared before her as this revetion hit her like a ton of bricks. He had never made her truly human, for in his eyes...she always was human, but not only that, she was also a demon. He loved both sides of her. He would never get rid of either, let alone lock it behind a measly skill.
This meant only one thing...
-----
NOTICE
Your skill, [Von Angeal] has reacted to your understanding
[Von Angeal: Unlocked] proceeding to remove limitations.
WARNING: You cannot go back.
-----
"Who said I wanted to go back?" Elizabeth scoffed at the notification, feeling her blood begin to tingle, "Damn it, Lucas. You crazy, loveable bastard. I should've known sooner."
When he used his [Selfless Sacrifice] and made that wish, he had simply wanted her to live her life as she wanted. Now, his words came back to her, echoing affectionately.
"I like this version of you, but no matter how you look, or what you are, I'll always love you...Ellie."
She could feel herself accept the words fully, for she had always known them to be true. All the anxiety she had wanting to hide Von Angeal from him...what a fool. Her face became flush as she remembered that night she had become her for him, and how much he loved it. One by one, more memories of their lives together filled her mind.
It didn't matter if she was human or demon. He loved her, but even as she knew this, there had always been a part of her which denied this. Not because she didn't believe him, or that she didn't love him. Gods no. It was simply...her own self-conscious acceptance of who she was.
"I've been pretending all this time," she took a deep breath and stood tall, "A lie that I believed, but now...I understand. I am Elizabeth Von Angeal Falcrest, Demon Queen."
There was no reason to use a skill of something that was innate. Like a dam being opened, the power flooded her as she came into her own. A thousand years she was living a lie that she had no idea she was living. All this time, she has called herself Elizabeth Falcrest, and only referring to Von Angeal when she used the skill, or if she was reminiscing about her history.
Subconsciously, she has refused an entire part of herself without knowing it. Coldly locking them behind the skill [Von Angeal], but now...no skill was needed.
Instead of fking away as it normally did, the pigment of her skin seemed to shift into that familiar darkened ash, but now held a slight hue of warmth. Elegant horns sprouted from the edge of her hairline, curling around into crownlike protrusions as normal. Taking a gnce into what remained of a window nearby, she saw her eyes shift into pools of darkness as her irises shimmered into rubies with an inner ring of emerald-gold, an indication of the true merging of herself.
Looking upon her hands, they remained un-cwed, and yet...with but a thought, they become wickedly sharp and elongated. Smiling devilishly, she called forth her great wings, covered in those sturdy scales. The tail that had teased Lucas so many times, and had also taken many lives, sprung from behind her, whipping around dangerously.
"Now then..." Elizabeth looked up at the Gargoyles, "You don't think I forgot...did you? You dared raise your weapons against me...and for that, you must pay."
The Gargoyles looked at each other, and if their stone faces could produce an emotion...it would be regret, and the resignment of their fate. Holding her weapon before her, Elizabeth called forth her ethereal fmes, no longer needing to use a skill to do so. As the Demon Queen, these fmes beckoned to her call without the need of an activation.
The flickering blue-green fmes danced as she suddenly disappeared into the sky. Shortly after, having finally caught up with the sudden impact, a crater formed in the street as it colpsed upon itself where she had been. In her way, the sky erupted into fmes, and Gargoyles became to crash to the ground in burning pieces.
Looking back at the destruction she had left, Elizabeth waved her hand as the fmes went out. She didn't want to burn down the Wild Zone, but with this newfound understanding of who she was...that itching under her skin, the disorientation that was caused by being here...it was gone. She had much more control than ever before.
"Picky bastard," Elizabeth muttered, looking in the direction of her fragment, "Though, I suppose I should thank you. Still..."
She flew towards the Washington Monument, gazing upon the nd that had been twisted by her fragment. The water nearby appeared stagnant and toxic, while the grass had long since overgrown and turned into a dangerous thicket. She could feel her fragment calling to her eagerly now that she had fully accepted herself.
Landing at the base of the monument, she saw it there. Imbedded in the stone of the monument, pulsing like a beating heart, was a crystal the size of a fist. It had dug vein-like tendrils deep into the stone and surrounding nd.
"How dare you," Elizabeth growled as she approached it, "You would use my power to twist this nd? All to teach me a lesson?"
She stared upon its beating visage, and it almost seemed to...shirk away. If such a thing could sweat nervously, it might be doing that now. Elizabeth stared down at this fragment of hers in disappointment.
"This is the nd that he loves," she admonished, "It is also the nd I love. The nd of our home. Earth and Alonia."
Its tendrils began to recede as if trying to shrink away from her.
"You know...he took me here once," she told it, looking around the area, "Before...everything happened. It was a peaceful night. He lit a campfire for us...just there."
She motioned to a spot not ten or so feet away. Her memory overpped the thicket with a clearing of fresh grass that he had cut away for them to sit back and rex. It had been a different time then. It was before she had begun following him and his group. A simpler time indeed.
"The grass grew so tall, that it provided a perfect cover for the light of the fme," she spoke fondly of the memory, "But not enough to obscure the night sky. We...made love that night, right under the stars. Perhaps its bsphemy to do so by a national monument, but..."
She shrugged.
"It was the end of the world," she chuckled, then gred sternly at the fragment, "You made a mockery of this pce..."
Leaning down towards it, she could feel it pleading with her, but she would hear none of it.
"Change it back," she ordered it, and immediately, the tendrils shot out and it pulsed with a strong energy.
She wasn't going to take it back until it had returned this pce to how it should be. Slowly, the twisted brambles gave way to that familiar, overgrown tall grass. Color began to return to everything, and sky started to clear up from the rust-colored hue it had been. Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth could taste the sweetness back in the air.
"Better," she approved, "While I would love to bring him to my home...now is not the time. Do not get ahead of yourself."
The fragments tendrils retracted as she reached a hand out towards it. The moment she touched it, it fell loose from the stone of the monument. It felt warm in her hand. The bloodlust that she had felt from before was strong within the fragment, and perhaps that's why it had challenged her. It was angry that she had forgot herself, or at least...not fully accepted what she had become.
"Now then..." she whispered and began absorbing the stone, "How much will you give me?"
The moment it acclimated, her body convulsed and then tensed. Her aura fred to life as a resounding boom echoed out from her along with a surge of energy. It was but a moment, but she could feel it. Clenching and unclenching her fist, she smiled in satisfaction.
"Well, well..." she muttered amusingly, "You had quite a bit, didn't you? I went from around eighty percent to...ninety-three? Perhaps even ninety-five percent."
It was a huge leap. If this was the case, then perhaps...perhaps there really was a chance. For the first time in her life, and throughout all her regressions, Elizabeth allowed herself to hope. If she was this close to the end...then perhaps the next fragment might be the st. Perhaps...at most, there might be two, maybe three if she's unlucky.
It was the first time in a long while that she actually let herself get excited. So excited, in fact, that she couldn't help but soar up into the air, screaming happily at the top of her lungs for how far she had finally come. With a newfound fire in her eyes filled with life, and her heart full, she quickly made her way back towards The Wall.
The only thing left, besides the st fragment or two, was the cure for Lucas's curse.
"Hang in there, my love..." she encouraged him silently, "It'll be okay."
She nded just far enough away that no one could see her, and walked the rest of the way. There wasn't a single monster around, save for their corpses. Mounds of Scarab Vines dotted the area, along with Hellhounds, Lizardmen, and Cyclopeans. There were even Golems broken down nearby. Walking the field back towards the forward base, Isaac spotted her first from atop a pile of three Golems.
"Hermana! You're back," he greeted with a wide smile, "You look good. Positively glowing! I take it the retreat was your doing?"
"Maybe," she shrugged nonchantly, "How long has it been?"
"Perhaps an hour? Maybe two?" he replied, jumping down from the Golems, "Kelsey should be around here somewhere...ah! There she is."
Looking where he gnced, Elizabeth saw Kelsey walk around a pile of Lizardmen, having just dumped one of their bodies in a pile to be scavenged. Seeing Elizabeth, Kelsey beamed and began walking over.
"Gd to see you're safe..." she paused for a moment, narrowing her eyes, "Something's changed. You look...better than normal."
"Do I?" she asked, looking down and around at herself, "I mean, I feel good."
"I take it you found what was causing this?" Kelsey inquired, motioning to the battlefield, "They retreated about twenty minutes ago."
She had taken her time to get back, so as to not cause too much suspicion, but she was gd to hear that it was over.
"Yeah," Elizabeth nodded, "It was a strong, obstinate creature that had moved in. I took care of it."
This wasn't far from the truth, as the fragment had been surprisingly sentient. It did after all, contain a part of herself. That didn't mean it couldn't be used by others, as shown with Gorgon. They were...temperamental to say the least, which was a little embarrassing to admit for Elizabeth.
"That's the captain for you!" Kelsey patted her on the back, "Gd to have you back. Though..."
Her voice grew a little grave.
"We had two deaths," Kelsey reported, "They had already been revived twice, so..."
"How?" Elizabeth inquired.
Kelsey motioned to the pile of Golems that Isaac had been sitting on. Isaac's face grew solemn as Kelsey pced a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"It wasn't your fault, Isaac," she assured him gently, "They chose to do it."
"Chose to do what?" Elizabeth asked.
Kelsey motioned over towards the gate of the forward base. There, still waiting for transport, were two bodies covered with a white sheet. Kneeling beside them was a young man with dark hair and a lithe build. They wore tattered robes and leather armor.
"The two were his friends," Kelsey expined, "When the wave began, things were going well, but then the Golems appeared. One of them had an energy attack that bsted him into the field."
Isaac's face darkened, but as he took a breath and composed himself, it was repced with a pained expression.
"Hermano was near me," he said, "I-"
Kelsey smacked him over the head, cutting his words off.
"What the hell was that for, hermana?" he excimed with slight annoyance and confusion.
"He thinks it's his fault," Kelsey sighed, shaking her head as she gred daggers at him, "Yes, the kid was near him, but Isaac was also surrounded by Scarab Vines."
"Tch, I could've still done something," Isaac sulked, "Instead, those fools rushed forward, breaking formation. By the time I broke through, it was too te. The kid was saved, but..."
Elizabeth god the gist of it now. They had chosen to save their friend in exchange for their lives. It was...admirable. Sad, but admirable.
"See that their families are informed and compensated, but be respectful," Elizabeth ordered, and both of them nodded solemnly, "Oh, and Isaac..."
Elizabeth pced a hand on his shoulder.
"Kelsey's right," she told him, "You can't bme yourself. They made their decision. Don't sully their sacrifice with self-pity."
Isaac looked at her for a moment before understanding hit him. His eyes lighting up with fiery resolve. She needed him at the top of his game and couldn't afford to let him wallow in self-bme.
"You're right, sorry," he apologized and took a deep breath, "Come on, hermana. Let's take care of the rest."
With Kelsey in tow, Isaac went back to work rounding up the monster corpses for the Harvesters to take care of. Looking around, Elizabeth was brought back to earth from her recent adventure. While two deaths didn't seem like a lot, it still would weigh heavy on everyone's hearts and minds.
"Still..." she had to reason, "Compared to the past...this is acceptable."
As cold as those thoughts might be, it was the truth. She was closer than ever to finally finishing everything. The world would be forever changed, but at least...at least they all had a fighting chance after all the pain and suffering. With heavy steps and a solemn heart, she made her way through the forward base and past The Wall back into the city proper.
There was still work to do.
-----
Nikushimi
