“We’re Sygnus…”

Ben’s world had become complete silence. There was no sound. No color. No vision. No light or dark. No warm or cold. Just an ever expanding awareness within himself. He couldn’t feel his body anymore. The pain had been there, sharp and jagged. But now it was gone. Everything was simply gone. He didn’t know where he was, where he was going… or if he was actually travelling at all. Everything was fuzzy. A part of him wanted just to fall into a deep sleep. Is this what it’s like to die? If this was what it was like… drifting into a slumber… maybe it wasn’t… so… bad… -Golbez?- The mind-voice drew his attention, caused him to snap awake again.

-Is that you? Where are you? I can’t see anything!-

He knew that voice.

Cecil?

-Golbez? What happened..?-

Wait. Cecil… why are you here?

A moment of pause.

-I was struck by the sword, too, I think. Does this mean that we’re both…-

I thought I intercepted it?

-You did but…-

Cecil, you were supposed to stay there! Be the hero! Become the Sygnus and—

-Golbez! I don’t know how to become the Sygnus! You’re the one with the massive magic power. You should be the one to…-

But you’re the Paladin! You know how to save the world. I was just the Dark Lord.

-That’s not true!-

Silence again. Ben couldn’t help but be surprised at the strength of his brother’s retort.

It’s not?

-No… it’s not. Not anymore.-

Cecil…

-And if we’re both here, wherever it is, who is out there? Who is fighting against Luccious?-

I don’t know.

-We can’t just leave everyone there alone to face the Dark Sygnus! We have to do something!-

Like what?

-You’re the Master Wizard. You make rifts and stuff. Isn’t there a way to get back to the Moon.-

Get back to the Moon..? Well, normally, rifting is a very delicate kind of magic that requires concentration and knowledge of both points of travel. You don’t just say “Let’s go back to the Moon” and expect something to happ–

Suddenly Ben felt a heavy, downward pull. Cecil must have felt it, too, because he had no response to the lectures on rifting.

The sensation was dizzying, like he was falling into a great nothingness. A brilliant white light filled his vision. At first, he shied away from it… only to find a swirling dance of shadow rising up to meet the illumination. Awestruck, Ben watched the two massive energies swirl, blend… and merge together into one.

Then with a staggering breath, he found himself back.

Back in the core of the Red Moon. Back to where he had just fallen to Luccious’ blade. Ben braced himself for the rush of sharp pain as consciousness gripped him. But to his surprise, pain didn’t come. As feeling spread back through his limbs, he found, instead, he felt astonishingly good. Maybe better than he had ever felt before.

As if the life he had been living before was a muted dream and he had just Awakened.

A strange tickling energy tingled through his body, nothing at all like the magic that he was used to commanding. His thoughts were calm and clear as he lifted his head and pushed himself up to his feet. He found the grip of a sword in his hand and lifted it slowly – it nearly felt weightless.

Best of all, Luccious stood watching him, the Dark Sygnus’ face twisted with a strangled expression of irritation. “It… is not possible…”

“You thought I would die so easily?” he answered. Then pulled up short.

The voice wasn’t his own. Even though he commanded it. Told it the words to say. It sounded nothing like what he was used to hearing when he opened his mouth.

Somewhere within his mind he felt another exclamation. That’s when Ben realized that somehow, he could still hear and feel Cecil. Only, he didn’t see Cecil anywhere.

Brother? Where are you?

-Golbez? I’m right here. Where are you?-

I’m right here, too. You can’t see me?

-No… and…-

The sword lifted slowly in his hand, his eyes drawn down to study it. For the first time, he saw that it wasn’t Onyx… but rather some strange long blade of interwoven light and dark metal.

-Where did I get this sword?- Cecil puzzled.

You? I’m holding the sword.

-No you’re not! I am!-

And to accent the point, the blade waved back and forth a little. That’s when Ben realized that not all of his body’s motion was his own. And the way that he held the blade in his hand was far, far more skilled and relaxed than his own meager training would allow.

Cecil…

Ben’s thoughts came, broken and choked as things started to fit together.

He turned his head slowly, eyes searching first the stunned faces of his companions, then over at the sheen of the reflective Crystal wall. Taking a slow step forward, he squinted, watching as the unfamiliar face that reflected a squinted in return.

Deep, gentle green eyes peered back. A shock of white hair, short where it framed the face, but longer in the back, pulled into a wrap. Ornate white, gold and green armor spread over his torso and arms, matching the woven dark and light blade in his hand. And from his back, a pair of large feathered wings stretched – white at first, then slowly darkening to black at the tips.

A balance of the shadow he was and the light that his brother bore.

-We…- Cecil struggled.

“We’re Sygnus…” he heard the voice say quietly.

But there was no more time to stand and puzzle.

“Watch out!”  Kain’s shout shattered the air.

The sound of rushing footsteps. Then the clash of weapons as the Dragoon’s spear lashed out, catching the silent strike of the Dark Sygnus’ sword that had been meant for the Sygnus. Kain’s teeth bared, lines of strain standing out on his face and neck. All of his strength focused on holding back the enemy.

“Kain! Be careful!” Edge gave a warning shout, also leaping forward, both blades drawn.

The battle against Luccious had begun.

This entry was posted on Friday, December 12th, 2008 at 12:27 am and is filed under 11- Chapter 11. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.