Genuflection

[fanficl0ver]

I'm back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just went to the main page of this forum, saw Genuflection at the top, and memories of 5 months ago came to me. Hence, I have returned! To give you the drive you need! :D

Though, I'm really taking my time to read this with great care. I've stopped at Chapter 23 for now, and I hope to be able to finish by this week, then I'll be able to give you comments on your improvements!

So far, I've seen great improvements in your writings-- ambiguity is still one of your problems, though. You tend to not make it clear who is the one speaking, so people who aren't great readers won't really be able to comprehend, and they'll be like "Oh, damn, wasting my time to know this" and go elsewhere.

I really, really look forward to the rest of the story! (And, of course, the plan to defeat the Black Magician)

[Denunciator]

Chapter 34: Exposition

The true story is just beginning.

The skies were blotted out by the dragons, thousands of them flocking towards that small island on which I had once resided. Beside me, the Guardian had finally fulfilled his place in destiny, and now, it was up to me, although Claire seemed to think that she was the main character here. Standing on the small, wooden ship, heading for Victoria, I felt my bow slip slightly within my clammy hands. Did I really think I could pull it off? Possibly, if I'd managed to harness the power which I'd neglected for so long. I was dreadfully aware that there was only one chance - one, final chance to draw blood. If I'd failed, then everything I'd been working for would be eradicated in a single strike. If, however, I succeeded, there was a possibility to save more than one life. Before us, Victoria basked in the afterglow of the setting sun, blood-red shading the spires of the metropolis that was once Kerning City.

In that short two years, Claire had informed me, the island itself had changed tremendously - the north outland that was Perion had been scorched by the fire, whilst Kerning City had been utterly destroyed; although I had been there to witness the destruction, I had no inkling of what had been going on after I left to go to Orbis. Thinking of the island... it felt quite painful, really; had we been more focused... had I been more focused when we were there, everything might not have turned out this way. As it were...

"Who passes my territory?" The disembodied voice was whispery, like leaves in the afterwash of a bygone breeze - although unfamiliar, I thought it prudent to pay heed to the voice. Setting my bow on the ground, I called out, into the dusk seas, "Warriors on a mission." A maelstrom surrounded us almost immediately, water streaming into the skies to form a colossal creature. "Turn back, before I have to stop you with force." Kei craned his neck, staring up at the undulating body that resembled more a serpent than anything else, power evident in the coils of water that was pulsing with life. "What are you?" That icy tone of the Knight's was back, the tone that had cut my sleep so many times; it was a completely focused Kei that was speaking now, and no creature, living or dead, would be wise to cross him in that state. Unfortunately...

"What am I?I" The serpent hissed loudly. "I am more ancient than you by a thousand times over, boy!"
"You might not be." Kei reached for the sword-sheath at his side, but Claire stopped him with a hand; for a moment, his eyes softened. "Don't. Not here, not now."

Claire stared up, into the water serpent's eyes; I was surprised to see fear within those glistening crystals. "You serve the renegades, do you not?" The serpent merely tightened his glance, at which Claire smiled. "Water, heed my command. Aqua Pulse." In great shock, the serpent gasped as water was torn from around it, slicing the body cleanly in half; I shielded my face as saltwater rained down on me. "Crap, is that thing poisonous?" Kei joked, wiping at his face; I barely managed an uptight smile. Claire grinned. "Don't worry, it was a spirit, not a real being, alright?"

I merely nodded, thinking it inexpedient to elaborate on why exactly I was so worried. Already, I could see the plan playing out in my head; I had planned for almost every kind of disruption that might occur, and the proper counters if such-and-such a situation arose. There was, however, still the chance of my plans going wrong, so for good measure...

"Kei, Claire, what's the plan for later?"

Both of them stared at me dumbly.

"You know. The Black Magician is definitely going to join the siege, based on reports by your fellow Sirens who have been visiting, so... We're gonna need some plan to defeat the dude and resurrected Ragnarok?" Kei narrowed his eyes. "How do you know he's gonna resurrect Ragnarok, anyway?" Oh, shit. "You know, I thought it'd be pretty obvious." Motioning to Claire, I continued, "The Sirens made it the ultimate beast, I'm sure he won't give that up." Kei shrugged. "I guess you're right."

Claire smiled again, this time grimly. "There is a way to kill off Ragnarok. It's simple."

I stared at her.

"The Ancients realized, long ago, that the Ragnarok would run around and murder everyone if needed, and they thus designed a sealing spell." I raised an eyebrow. "The one that Ivan and..." She nodded. "Simply put, water is the natural enemy of magic - purging spells are all made of water. The way to kill it is simple: give up your soul, trade it for the enemy's."

Kei blinked thrice. "Wait, isn't that collateral damage?"
Claire shrugged. "C'est la vie. The power difference between Ragnarok and mine is vast, and I wouldn't make much difference anyway."
I glared. "No, there has to be a better way. There is."
"What?"
"I'm still thinking."

The trip lapsed, again, into silence.

"You know," Claire murmured, "We have to accept losses sometimes, and take them into our stride. Sacrificing for the greater good has never been new, has it? Ivan, Artemis, Alexis... they threw themselves in front of the caravan of war to stop it from its movements, and yet it will always plough on, because of the greed of humankind. It is my hope that with the oncoming battle... we will be able to halt it and hopefully destroy it. I don't want... to have to see everything being lost." Under his breath, Kei whispered, "Point of information - they were the same people." Claire looked at him. "Hmm?"

"Nothing."
I frowned. Would it be applicable to tell it to them now, or...?

"Halt!"
Kei raised an eyebrow. "Again?"

Claire groaned. "Would you look at that?"

The entire sea before us was filled with ships, rows upon rows of boats armed to the teeth with guns.

"Uh oh."

[Denunciator]

Chapter 35:

"I don't want to do this." I sighed. "I really, really don't want to kill anymore."
Kei stared at me. "I don't, either, but do we have a choice?"
"We could frighten them off."
"With...?"

Claire frowned at me, and raised her hands. "Ice-"

"Dark Dragon."

The entire sky darkened, and though it was dawn, not an inkling of light shone through; we were now seeing by the lights aboard the ships... and by the glowing aura that the dragon emanated - it was the same dragon again, that tall, monstrous beast that threatened to smite anything it saw. I felt strangely at home staring at the beast, that colossal behemoth with a spiked tail and a carapace in place of horns. "Let us pass," I shouted, into the armada, "and nobody gets hurt." Almost immediately, a route parted for us.

"Go on." I looked at Claire, who immediately pulsed the water to move us forwards, right into the center of the fleet; I could see, this close, that there were many young men and women on board, almost all Warriors - these were the renegades I had heard about, but did they really have a choice? I wondered, and reflected on all that I'd heard. How would the battle turn out? The bow in my hand was now leaden in weight, threatening to tear me through the base of the raft and into the swirling waters, never to see daylight again.

"Hey!" Shocked, I looked up; we had been surrounded by the armada. "Fire on them-"

The command had barely been announced when the dragon above breathed; an ice cloud shot down, tearing the closest ships into pieces; the people on board probably hadn't even felt it. Not taking solace in that fact, I shouted, "Stop it, don't-"

"Dragon Flame." This time, the dragon craned its neck and blew a cloud of fire; it scorched all the ships around us, emanating so much heat that I had to quickly murmur a water charm to shield me. Screams tore the skies, rending my very heart and mind; I could imagine, those people on board, desperately fighting for survival; the fire had set the very water on flames, and there was nowhere for them to run. Despair filled me, and for a moment, I felt myself teeter on the edge of madness. Grabbing my arm, Kei jumped; Claire teleported up, onto the back of the dragon. Sitting at the front, the male Knight steered the dragon, urging it towards the mainland. As we broke through the darkness, I felt relief drenching me, at leaving that dark dome of death behind. "I..." Kei glared at me. "We are fighting in a war. Time enough to mourn losses later, we should now concentrate on the battle ahead. "Look out below!" Claire shouted, as Kei made the dragon do a nosedive, barely avoiding a group of archers before landing straight up with a crash that tore a sizeable portion of Henesys Park. "Who are you? Show yourselves!"

Quickly, I leapt off, gripping the Archaeion tightly; behind me, Kei and Claire landed with soft thuds on the mossy ground. "I am Alex, former Archer; these are Kei and Claire, Knights that have broken away from the group of-"

"Alex?" A voice called out, surprising me thoroughly. "Oh my... I know who you are! Trista, isn't it?" I looked at the Elementalist, amazed; in two short years, she had grown much, both physically and in ability; one could literally feel the mana echoing off her in an amazing aura. "Your name is Alex, is that it?" Turning, I looked at the girl beside her; a year older than me, perhaps, she was even more powerful than Trista, her staff aglow, a ruby topping it off. "You are...?"

"Oz, leader of the Flame Wizards. Well, Flame Wizard, because I only have one disciple left." I raised an eyebrow. "That does not matter for now. Even as we speak, the Black Magician is advancing on us; his disciples are already preparing to raise the Ragnarok. Before that... we have to deal with the Warrior threat. They have been carrying out attacks on Henesys for two years, and it's a miracle they've lasted this long."

"Is it?" A sardonic voice called out, from high up; whirling around, I found myself staring up at a high lamppost, a girl perched on it. With apparent ease, she jumped lightly off, landing on the ground without so much as disturbing it. "It's been a long time, Oz." The Flame Wizard's mouth dropped open. "Princess?" The bowman shrugged. "Princess no longer, Oz. I am now merely another archer serving my kindred." I stared around, confused. "Wait what? What's going on here?" The girl frowned. "It doesn't matter. My name is Ivy, and from now on, you will be my soldier. Do you comprehend?" I glared at the girl. "What? You're no older than me!" The girl tilted her head. "Storm Break." The wind pulse shot me back, dragging up bunches of grass. Riled now, I raised my bow. "Dragon Pulse!" The pulse shot forwards, but was immediately countered by a flurry of wind arrows, so quick that I could barely track them; they were, as far as I could tell, aimed to counter my movement sideways. Trapped now, I shut my eyes and concentrated on the area around me. "Frost-"

"Stop this juvenile behavior this instant," Kei stepped up, slicing the wind shots into two and grabbing both of us by the collar. "Understand this. In a war, age and ability do not matter. What matters is that we are fighting as one. Now, we need a strategy to deal with the Warriors. Ivy, would you deign to come with me and Claire? Alex, take a rest. The battle will begin on the fifth hour of twilight."

---

Henesys was abuzz with news of us arrivals, as far as I could tell; all of the bowmen were scuttling about, and yet the small town was filled with the voices of people, people bantering over a quick dinner before the battle begun. Already I could hear the strained roaring of dragons, clinking against their leash; the Warriors were probably holding back for fear of an ambush - who wouldn't hesitate after seeing a ten-meter tall dragon landing in the opponent's town? I was grateful for the time that an indefinite fear bought, but it wouldn't be long before they realized that nobody was about to smite them in a single swipe. Psychology was a time-hardened concept I had heard of vaguely from somewhere, but...

But that did not matter in the face of the battle. Polishing my staff, I wondered what Alex was doing - sleeping? Somehow, seeing that boy had brought solace to my disciple, for her expression was loosened by a million times, more human than stone; for all I knew, she might be plotting some vengeance against the people of this town, but I doubted so - within the last two years that she had traveled with us, she had matured considerably, and her power was now parallel to mine; it was almost assured that we could defeat the Black Magician, all of us put together, granting the villagers the opportunity to deal with the Warriors. As for whatever beast he could raise, however... The Ragnarok was not an unknown in this equation, and it was pivotal that we did not take it for granted.

"You think?" I turned, looking at the speaker. The familiar silhouette of Michael was there, except it was... different as it was similar. Stepping out of the shadow, he gave a smile that seemed more of a leer than that aloof grin of his, which immediately put him on guard. Wipe all the thoughts from your mind, and think only of your opponent. "Yes, Michael?" I asked, as careful as I could be not to let any of my thoughts wander. "When did you arrive in this town?" Michael frowned grimly. "A couple of weeks ago, if it matters. Does it?"

Immediately, I raised my staff. "Flame Dance." The grass around me leaped up in flames, and the Soul Warrior flipped backwards, glaring at me. "What is this?!" Without a single reply, I pulled the flames from around me and threw streams at the Warrior, spiraling them such that the chance of him fleeing was almost zero. Surprisingly, as the flames struck his armor, they did no substantial damage, and he emerged from the dense smoke with a significantly darkened face. "The Michael I know doesn't take offense at such a joke, and the Michael I know was definitely with us a week ago."

To my immense shock, he dashed towards me, and prepared to plunge his sword forwards; I was bound to the ground by that heavy spiritual energy...

"Purge." A stream of water bound his actions, before channeling itself through his heart; there was a loud howl; to which I had to wince and cover my ears. When I next opened my eyes, there was only a dead body, eyes open, lifeless. To my shock, I saw that it was a boy, no more than fifteen, who was staring at me with despair. "This..."

"Possession magic. He was... he's been alive even through all that happenings, but it was beyond his control. It must have been hard on him."

Bending down, I closed the boy's eyes, muttering a quick prayer. Above us, the clouds shifted and the moon shone through, a new night, a new beginning. Drawing her sword, the Knight motioned for me to follow. "It is beginning."

---

The fields outside Henesys Park were packed when I woke up, stumbling blearily out of the tent in confusion; the moon was already high in the sky, and from my estimation, it was about twelve a.m. - the fifth hour of twilight. "Whoa, that is quite fast," I muttered, shuffling around. Archers were busy giving one another goodbyes, for who could know when anyone would survive this night? Already, the townsfolk and children had been sent to Ellinia for protection, whilst the remainder of us would be divided into platoons. "Alex, here," a voice murmured; I turned to see Trista, staring at me. "Move, quick!" Weaving through the crowd, she moved as quickly as a serpent did, winding into any gaps that she could spot in the sea of humans that were now moving into formations, the strongest in front. Slowly, I began to discern where we were headed - the Golem's Temple. Just before the Breathing Rock, I could see a few figures standing, casting shimmering shadows over the tiny blades of grass that were growing out of the gaps in the stone.

"Kei," I murmured, as loudly as he could hear; the shadows stilled. "It would appear we are prepared," said a crystal clear voice, from ahead. Curious, I stepped into the light, to stare at...

Well I didn't really know what it was, for it was a creature so beautiful that it was beyond description - long, silvery hair that reached down to her waist. Her armor was azure in color, reflecting a million facets and shades of blue; with every movement, the armor seemed to flow like the robe of a magician, resembling waves against the shore of the tall girl... or was it a woman? Her looks dazzled me to the point where I couldn't concentrate, and I felt consciousness slowly ebb away... "Get a grip, I can feel him coming." Kei gripped his sword tightly; I could see a bead of sweat slowly rolling down a long strand of hair, dripping onto the ground with what sounded like a thunderous splash.

A high wind began to roar through the clearing we were in, and the temple around us rumbled ominously.

"I see you are already waiting to receive me, darlings."

[ikownviezz]

is this a full story?

[Denunciator]

If you mean "full" as in "complete", then no, it isn't.

[Denunciator]

Chapter 36

"Black Magician. We meet at last," the Siren called out, her voice ringing like a blade of ice.
"Siren. It is a pleasure to meet you again. I am sure you remember our brief... jaunt?"
Claire smirked. "We Sirens have long memories. Now, state your purpose, or scram. We have no need for you here, not whilst facing a big battle. I'm sure they... those warriors... have been naught but your pieces?"

The Black Magician, high above, uncloaked himself, revealing a young face, albeit with red eyes; his smooth, ambivalent face surprised me. "You are discerning, Siren. Now, you know what I am looking for, do you not?"

Claire grinned. "So, you don't believe that the Ragnarok was successfully slain by Artemis?"
"Oh, that I do, of course. But you have been known to put strange mechanisms in your creations. After all, this very island was your creation, was it not? And look now, a barren piece of land, flourishing. Except not when I'm done, of course. But that is besides my point. Where is the Ragnarok?"
Claire shrugged. "Well, if you slice through me, I might tell you."

"If you so wish." The Black Magician opened his mouth, and cried out; the words seemed powerful and arcane, which was why I stared at him, dumbfounded. Dark Dragon, what the hell is he saying? "I have no idea," came the reply. "Basilisk, lend me your power. Poison Blade." The sword pulsed, before glowing green; just as Kei leaped into the air, thousands of dragons appeared from nowhere, heading straight towards him. "Blade Cry!" His blade pulsed once, knocking the dragons closest to him out of the air. "We won't manage, not at this speed!" I cried out, drawing a bolt of fire. "Inferno!"

"Flame Lance," Trista muttered, drawing out a spear of fire and launching it into the air, neatly slicing a row of dragons into two; blue blood spilled all over the rocks. Immediately, they came alive, leaping up and staring at the fighters with malevolent golden eyes. "Oh, not you Golems! Field of Flame!" The grass around her leaped into fire, and but for the intervention of the Siren, Alex would have been burnt to crisps. "Alex, what are you doing! Don't just freeze there. Alex? Alex?!"

---

The room wasn't big - only about as large as a regular bowman range. Dimly lit, the shrouded area could barely be made out, although there wasn't really much. Four clinical white walls surrounded me, and there was a large, oaken door to the back of me. Above and below, everything was a deep onyx, so dark that I couldn't see anything at all, not even nothingness. As I turned around, I waited for what I expected would come; it wasn't long before a figure shimmered, and appeared before me. "I know you."

The figure smiled. "I know you do."
I sighed, relieved and tense at the same time. "How long has it been since you shot me in the arm?"
"Not really that long, come to think of it."
I grinned. "You... are my true self?"
"Hardly, I am your mana, formed into a coherent being."
"Your aura is amazing," I murmured, studying the boy before me. It was so long since I'd been trapped in this light-less cell, unable to do anything but suffer the wrath of the figure before me, and yet now, I was studying the figure with a keen intensity that suggested love, if that were possible. "Do you have a name?"
The boy shook his head. "Would it matter, in the big picture?"
"I... don't know."

Walking forwards, I hugged the boy, feeling the heat and solidity, surprising for a spirit. "I think I know the reason for the color of your aura." I felt him smile. "I'm sure you do."

Parting, he stared at me, intently. "Are... you sure you're ready?"
I shut my eyes, and nodded. "Yes. Let's go."

---

"Press the attack!" Ivy shouted, unleashing another rain of wind; a group of Warriors fell, howling, only to be replaced by another wave. "Arrow Rain!" One of the foremost rangers shouted, spearing through a Warrior that was about to slash her down. "Close call, that. Watch your back!" Quickly, a Marksman stepped in and shot him at point-blank, causing a rain of blood to spatter around; some of the bowmen winced. "Aw, crap!" A few Rangers rolled aside, barely avoiding the frost beam of a wayward ice dragon; some of the Rangers immediately shot flaming arrows at it, neatly piercing through its thick hide. Surprisingly, they hadn't suffered any casualties yet, and the morale was high. If everything stayed this way, they might just last long enough for the Black Magician to be suppressed, buying much precious time for them to regroup and launch the final assault that would end the already infamous two-year war.

---

"Immolation," whispered Trista, who pointed it at a group of dragons; the fire spread quickly throughout the colony, although they were quick to separate to prevent the fire from spreading. Immediately, Kei leaped into the gap and slashed towards the still moving dragons, drawing a precious amount of blood; a virtual rain started falling, but Claire was still frozen, in the midst of casting her sealing spell; meanwhile, the Black Magician himself was attempting to raise Ragnarok from its grave, although the spell seemed to be failing. "Please, please don't let him succeed," muttered Oz, helpless in her battle against the thousands of dragons that were rushing at her head-on; elements fell like bolts of lightning that tore out sections of the gigantic Golem Temple at once, setting the ground aflame.

"What... an utter failure," shouted a voice; it was masculine in gender, and yet strangely high for a boy, no matter the age. A silhouette appeared within the center of a cluster of dragons, and the same voice spoke again, ominously. "Vampiric Degeneration." There was a whooshing sound, before a dark pulse rocked the temple, slicing neatly through the dragons, weakening as it ravaged the dragons' thick skin. "Whoa... who are you?" Kei shouted, fending off a particularly large wyvern. "I am the commander of darkness, Knight. Your archenemy."

"Triple Throw!" Turning, the shadow flipped backwards before launching a barrage of stars at the nearest creature. Decimated before it fell, the dragon's cry echoed pitifully throughout the cavernous room. For a moment, the wyverns hesitated. "So. Black Magician, we meet at last. It is, as a knight of Cygnus, a great pleasure to be able to meet you. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Icarut, commander of the Nightwalker. We literally walk the night, and it would really be a challenge..."

The voice trailed off, and restarted from behind Kei. "...to see me at all, in the cover of darkness." Shocked, he turned, only to find nobody there. "What-"

---

"Attack, you fools!" The tongue that the Black Magician spoke rang clearly in my mind, and for a moment, I was surprised, both at the new arrival and at the newfound power. "You know what you are, it shouldn't be surprising, given your mystical prowess," the voice in my head muttered. "Quickly, finish what you set out to accomplish before time runs out. You know how much you have left, Alex - only three hours remain till dawn. Before then, you have to spend all your mana."

"Heed my command, great Ragnarok! Arise from your watery grave to join me in my battle to secure the lands of Victoria!" His voice rang through the temple, echoing off every wall, and yet there was no response. Confidently, I stepped up, raising my bow. "Arrow Rain." Millions of white arrows formed in midair; in one second, the dragons and wyverns were over, banished to the eternal realm of death... or not so eternal. "Stop trying, necromancer. You will never raise him from the dead, not this way." I glared at the man who had killed so many, who had ripped the life out of my parents. "You heard the lore of the Siren, a decade ago, and engineered the massacre on El Nath, did you not?" My voice was like a blade now, and it appeared to shake him badly. "And so?"

"You... destroyed my very bloodline. You attempted to slay the White Demon Jakito; you thought you had succeeded in eradicating the White Demons from the world."
"You think I did not, is that it?"
"Your servant behind you will tell you otherwise. Stop hiding, Dark Lord."

The figure melded from the darkness, appearing before the Black Magician.

"Is what he says true?"

The Dark Lord stayed silent.

"Is what he said true?!"

Flash Jumping before Claire, he turned and faced off the Black Magician. "Yes. This boy and his sister, the Elementalist, are both the descendants of Jakito. As long as they live, the Ragnarok will not die."
"You lied to me!"

A black bolt of lightning fell towards the Rogue, Icarut jumped up, neatly deflecting it with a mana beam of his own. "The weapon that the boy holds... is the Archaeion, is it not?"

I stared at him. How does he know?
"The distinct coloring is obvious, dummy."
...Oh.

I nodded.

"Years ago, you slayed my family, and my kinsmen. It was only with the aid of the goddess Rhinne that I managed to survive your siege, and yet I lost the people that were dearest to me. Did you really think... for a moment... that I had truly pledged my allegiance to the murderer that wreaked this havoc on my life?"

"No matter, no matter. It will be over in a few seconds. Dark-"

Now!

"Archaeion, heed my command. Holy Charge."

A glow surrounded the bow before me, infused with all the mana I had in my body; all the white demon mana was there now, and it was the very one chance I had. "Arrow Blow."

Aiming it at the Black Magician's head, I fired; as I expected, he dodged the blow...

The World Tree gave an ominous creak as the projectile crashed right into its bark.

[Denunciator]

Chapter 37

In that exact moment, time seemed to freeze in Henesys; the Warriors were bound to the ground. "Embrace your heritage," a high voice whispered, "and acknowledge your powers."

"What is that!" a Warrior screamed, eyes riveted to the spectacle above the tree; the little bowmen that faced it gasped in shock. Above the town of Sleepywood, above the herald of life, there was a blue spirit - a woman, the soft blue of a stream hiding the harshness of an eternal sea of knowledge; her very eyes pierced all the people on the battlefield with a crystal lance.

"Centuries ago, I created this tree to respect the great powers of the world. Humans were destroying nature, and this very tree was the revenge of Mother Earth, of the spirits that had worked so hard to ensure the balance of the elements. Of all, the archers were the most respectful of the life-giving ability of nature, and they worked hard to ensure that they did not harm the balance of the world. All their arrows were carefully fletched from hand using the slimmest of branches, and their bows were crafted with months of hard work and patience. As the others ravaged the island, they stayed hidden within the deep forests, biding their time.

It is now the moment for nature to give its answer. For so long, humans have limited the power of nature, and now..."

"Andu-falah-dor!"

There was a loud whistling noise.

---

Kei watched, dumbfounded, as the body of Alex slowly turned corporeal, fading into a shimmering translucence. Staying in that form, it raised its bow and knelt, before the empty grasslands that now separated the Temple and the Tree. "Arm yourselves," he whispered, to the party, "The Ragnarok attacks on sight."

A great whooshing sound rang, before a gigantic spirit appeared; it was as tall as the Dragon, except vastly great in terms of length; its tail scraped the World Tree, and its head stared down at them, menacingly; even from his vantage point, Kei could see its carapace, resembling a plateau in its hardiness and width. "Oh... my..."

The Black Magician opened his mouth, and spoke in a raspy voice. "Thank you for your aid, Alex. It was with great difficulty that I have managed to come this far. My host, this necromancer... he seems powerful, does he not?" The voice cackled. "The Phoenix would never have expected... Artemis, Reika, then Alex... it acted as such a precious channel for my soul. Well well, let us end this, shall we?"

Without even moving, it dragged a portion of the ground and threw it at the party; they barely evaded the rock pieces, Kei smashing them up as they rained down on him. "Shit, we'll never make it!"
"Won't know unless we try," muttered Claire, who was dredging up her mana.
"We'll buy you the time you need, Claire, just make it as quick as possible!"
She nodded in response, to which Alex howled in agony.

"You musn't! Your life... Claire!"

Ignoring him, the Siren started channeling her power.

Shutting his eyes, Alex let a solitary tear fall, and it splashed onto the ground. Everything was silent, even the powerful Ragnarok. "You are about to seal me to one of your souls? Please, Siren, don't be nai-"

"No. She isn't going to."

Alex dropped his bow with finality. There is this one last bit of my White Demon soul I must give up... You ready?
"...it has been great meeting you, Alex. Really."
...You too.

"Resurrection!" Shutting his eyes, Alex let the remainder of his spirit disintegrate.

In that same moment, a million things happened; there was a loud spark, and everyone was knocked out.

---

Ivy panted, tired. The cleanout hadn't been hard, but defeating people that were completely helpless and watching the fear torment some of the Warriors was horrific... she wasn't sure if the scar of war would ever fade, but she prayed that nobody in the next generation would ever have to go through what she had. Turning around, she looked towards the World Tree - were they, even now, still fighting? Part of her was torn between traveling to the location to check and help out, but the other half needed her to stay and take care of the townsfolk, to celebrate the end. How ironic, that the war had been fought for two years without end, and yet all it had taken was the destruction of the World Tree to finish the rebellion. Two years...

Ivy sat down, tired. Weariness crept and echoed through her blood and mana, and she decided that it was time - time to put it all down. Never again would she raise her bow at an enemy, for the weapons would be turned into ploughs, to rebuild the now barren island. Thieves, decimated by the Great Fire set due to the Warriors; Magicians, destroyed by a strike force sent by the Dark Lord. The only race remaining here were the Archers, and it was their duty to restructure their community.

Before that, she turned to the north. There was still one last fight to settle.

---

Kei stared at the scene, confused. Everyone was frozen, trapped in their own blissful dimension; even the Black Magician was there, unmoving. Stepping forwards, he realized that he could not move any part of his weapons and armors, just his body. The skin of Claire was cold to his touch, almost as if she had fallen into an ice pool and froze over... ironically. Looking around, he searched high and low for Alex, to no avail - it was as if the boy had completely dissolved. Turning it over in his mind, he still could not get it. The Dark Lord had clearly said that the pair had been the descendants of Jakito, and yet all it had taken was Alex?

Blinking, Kei tried to rationalize. Why am I so clinical about this? Alex was my pedigree, for...

"For what?" There had to be a logical explanation for what was going on, and yet...

The evidence was clear - the Ragnarok had disappeared as soon as it appeared, with a puff of light; Alex had first turned corporeal, and then vanished. The link was

[fanficl0ver]

Hmm...

The grass around her leaped into fire, and but for the intervention of the Siren, Alex would have been burnt to crisps.

If I'm not particularly mistaken, this story is entirely in first person point of view, whether it is from Alex's or any other character's...that's why, shouldn't this paragraph be

The grass around her leaped into fire, and but for the intervention of the Siren, I would have been burnt to crisps.

After re-reading the paragraph, I realized that my suggestion does make more sense, yeah. On a side note, it's best to avoid descriptions like "and but for the intervention" because not every reader will understand what it means. It's fine to switch to something simpler, like "if not for the intervention". I know, it's something that's often used, but it's better to use something common and simple, than something uncommon, but complex. It's a story, and what is important is not the vocabulary you use, but the plots, twists and other factors that make up your story itself.

Hope you take my suggestion of not using too advanced vocab into consideration :)

[Denunciator]

That's what I was thinking on the bus ride home today lol! I'll watch for that.