It was night, and everyone was sitting around a fire. An eerie silence crept over the camp. Alex broke the silence. "So," he said, "who wants to go first?"
"I will," Aren volunteered.
"Indeed," Nevanyk agreed. "That new technique that you used was quite powerful."
"It is called the Haken-Shinta-Ho. It is the ultimate ki attack. It draws away the ki from the area around you, then concentrates into a final, decisive attack. As you have probably noticed, its one flaw is that it takes a very long time to use."
"A flaw that can be easily accepted," Nevanyk noted.
"What about you Nevanyk?" Jezza asked. "Would you like to tell us about what you experienced?"
Nevanyk's answer was short, and matter-of-factly. "Not really."
Jezza giggled slightly. "He'll never change," she said under her breath. "Anyway, what I found in the tower, was my father."
"You met Gaius?" Alex asked.
Jezza shook her head. "No, no, not him. My real father."
"Real father?"
"Yes. He told me of how he and my mother were viciously murdered in order to acquire me."
Mathis' face began to redden in anger. He felt an inexorable need to dismember the bastards who would do this to the parents of the woman he loved. That's when he realized, that he was starting to think like Nevanyk. It shocked him a bit, but not much. In fact, he found himself beginning to agree with the hateful personality that he once shunned. Mathis had indeed changed; whether for better, or for worse was yet to be determined.
"From him, I learned that power is only evil when used for the purpose of evil. I now have no regrets of using the destructive power that used to lie dormant within my soul."
All eyes turned to Mathis. "Well, I guess its time I told you everything that I've learned." And so, Mathis began to talk. Leaving out not one detail about his encounter with the Nezyte. "And so," he concluded, "I was given all the power and knowledge of the Nezyte race.
"Looks like the chips are finally starting to fall in our favor," Nevanyk said. "I mean, having a practical god on our side and all."
"A GOD!" The response was unanimous among the party.
"But of course," Nevanyk continued, "look at how much power he has! In the entire battle, he wasn't even scratched. With the exception of Aren's 'Extinction Ray', he must have disposed of more Malachytes than the rest of us combined. That, if you ask me, is divine power."
As surprised as they all were, they knew that Nevanyk was right. Mathis' power has surpassed the normal mortal means. But was he truly a god? Was it heresy to think so? Or was it heresy to merely be that strong? They really didn't care much though. Maybe, just maybe, they would have a chance of actually winning this battle against Malachy.
"What about you Alex?" Aren asked. "What kind of power have you gained?"
"Nothing really," Alex answered truthfully. "Since my internal power has already been tapped back on Lunar, there was nothing much he could do for me. But, he did tell me about Kane's power." The party listened intently as Alex explained the situation.
"In other words," Aren asked, "in order to save Lunar, you have to die?" Alex nodded.
"Really Alex?" Jezza asked. "Would you really sacrifice yourself?" After Jezza asked it, she realized what a stupid question it was. Of course Alex would sacrifice himself to save Lunar. Right then, Jezza realized just how brave the man was.
The rest of the night was mainly uneventful. It was deathly quiet as the party attempted to sleep. They knew that Vargania would be upon them soon and with Vargania, the Fire Force.
Kyle, Nash, and Dyne appeared in front of Myght's Lab. As they looked around them, all they could see was blackness. Most of Lunar was destroyed now. Only a few solitary buildings remained. Luckily, Myght's Lab was one of them.
The tower was as confusing as ever, but they eventually reached the top. There, they found Myght looking through a telescope. "Horrible, isn't it," he said, not moving from the telescope. "Practically all of Lunar is destroyed." Myght turned around and looked at his three guests. "Can we stop him? Can we save this, once beautiful, planet?"
"That's what we came to ask you about," Nash said. "We were wondering if you knew anything about the creatures that Taben has been producing."
"You mean the clones?" They merely nodded. "Taben created a machine to conjure up evil. With this machine, he meet Terranox. Terranox knew many things that we do not. For example, He knew of a tiny creature known as the Makebyte."
"The Makebyte is a tiny creature that is barely visible. However, when many Makebytes fuse together, they form a kind of gel. This gel, if enhanced with the right blend of magic, can move as one creature. Taben then merely places a skin over the Makebyte. Very crude, but it does its job."
"How do you know so much about the clones?" Dyne asked.
"Because my friend, I am one." Before they had a chance to reply, snakes of yellow gel wrapped around them, tying them up.
"What the hell is this!" Kyle demanded.
"This, is the Makebyte. They now hold you. And now," Myght held up a lance, preparing to impale Nash, "you-"
Myght stopped, as the viscous liquid oozed from his mouth. In his chest, was the protruding tip of a lance. Myght fell to floor, revealing Taben behind him. Only one word escaped from Kyle's lips. "Why?"
Taben didn't answer directly, instead, he began to talk to the three prisoners. "The fated time is arriving. Soon, Terranox would have taken all of Lunar. Soon, my plan will be complete."
"Don't you mean Terranox's plan?" Nash debated. "You've been nothing but a pawn the whole time!"
"Oh, but it is you who are mistaken. You see, it is Terranox that is our pawn."
"Our?" Nash was starting to get annoyed at this old man's ramblings. "And how is he your pawn! In the end, he would've won. Lunar will be lost!"
"Tisk, tisk. I thought The Premier of Vane would be smarter than this. Stop looking at the immediate picture. Alex should be returning soon, and with him, he shall bring His release."
"What the hell are you talking about! What do you mean 'His release'!? What will you gain from the release of Terranox?"
"I'm not talking about Terranox!"
"Then who are you talking about?" This time, it was Dyne to ask the question, since Nash had just about had it with Taben.
"Soon," Taben began, completely ignoring the question, "the time for His release shall come. And with that, my revenge, and repentance. Soon, I will be saved."
"And you are willing to sacrifice Lunar just to 'save' yourself!" Kyle was enraged. He didn't know how someone could be so selfish.
"You still don't understand do you? Oh well, you will soon anyway. With the arrival of the savior, I will receive repentance, and He will be released."
"What do you mean 'savior'"
"Why Alex of course. He will be the savior of a lot more than just this planet." The three looked at him in utter confusion. "You don't have to understand since your part in the release is complete. Now, we just have to wait for Alex." Taben turned away from them, and walked over to the machine near the wall. "It is now time for my ascension. Soon, very soon, I will receive my repentance."
"What are you doing!" Nash insisted. He tried his best to break free, but the Makebyte held strong. As Taben hit a switch on the machine, Nash could feel his magic draining away from him.
"W-what's this!" Byron asked mesmerized. "All the magical energy is Lunar is gathering in one spot!"
"What's.....happening?" Nash managed to say as his magic was drained away.
"All the magic on Lunar is being gathered. Hopefully, it'll be enough for Him to initiate my ascension." As he said this, they could see a ball of energy forming above the machine.
"And now, it is time." As Taben flipped another switch, the ball of energy shot into the sky, and disappeared. A few seconds later, a pillar of white light appeared in front of Taben.
"That's impossible!" Byron screeched. "This power, it's, it's,"
"GOD."
"But how is that possible! Didn't you seal him away back at the final battle on Earth!"
Destiny was silent. He then began to speak. "IT IS THE POWER GENERATED ON LUNAR. DON'T WORRY, IT WON'T LAST VERY LONG."
Taben walked into the pillar of light, then turned to the three trapped heroes. "He has forgiven me, but I have not yet forgiven myself. He accepts me, but I will not truly be saved until the savior comes, and He is free. Ascension now, and repentance later. Good-bye, my friends." As his words trail off, Taben is enveloped in the light, and he disappears.
The three look in mute astonishment. None of them, knowing what to think on what just happened. Finally, Kyle broke the silence. "Do you two know what he was talking about?"
"No, I don't," Dyne replied.
"Either Taben has gone mad, and we're basically screwed," Nash paused and looks into the sky. "Or maybe, just maybe, Taben knows something that we don't. And if that is true, then there are indeed higher powers at work here. Powers much higher than Terranox, and Althena." The ground began to shake, and they knew Terranox was attacking. However, none of them said a word. They kept hope in their hearts that Taben hadn't gone mad, and that soon, their savior would come.
Destiny looked upon the events that just happened with amusement, and wonderment. "WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU PLANNING, GOD? WHAT GOOD WILL THIS ONE MAN DO? AND HOW WILL ALEX BRING UPON YOUR RELEASE? IT DOESN'T MATTER KNOW, ALEX MUST DEFEAT TERRANOX USING THE BLADE OF LOST SOULS. DESTINY, CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO GO AWRY ANY LONGER."