9 Closing: The Strength to Carry On

Chapter 9

Closing:

The Strength to Carry On

"It's all just a matter of business."

The team had arrived inside the Crescent Tower; Kazuma appeared right before their eyes.

"Give the Stone back!" Nyoma demanded.

"I'm afraid I cannot; you see, it's already been handed to Mr. Kazu."

He points up, revealing a grand spiral staircase before them. Sets of waterfalls flow down a rapid pool in the very room.

"Then step aside."

The party attempts to advance, but a barrier blockades their path to the stairway.

"You'll have to get through me first."

"This should be easy then." Maigashi snapped.

He attempts to fire a shot of lightning, but the attack gets directed back at the team.

"What the hell?"

"You are now in my territory, and violence shall not be tolerated."

All goes dark as Kazuma unleashed his arcane magic across the room. A great hourglass appeared at the center of the space in the place.

"Instead, we will leave this all to a game of chance."

"The hell with that." Maigashi pestered.

He attempts a direct approach with a punch but gets sent flying back from a protective barrier. His body drops flat on the floor as tremendous pressure holds him.

"What I can't move…."

"You already broke the rule. So your entry is now voided."

His soul quickly leaves his body as it enters the hourglass. The rest of the party hesitates for a brief moment.

"So, what's the game?" Nephena asked.

Kazuma pulls a coin out from his pocket.

"I'm going to flip this coin. Each of you will take a fifty-fifty guess on which side it will land on. If one of you can guess right, your friend will be set free, and you all move forward."

"Sounds not so bad."

A keen look was on his face.

"I'm not done. Guess wrong, and your soul will be trapped within this glass for the remainder of your days. So who's first? Heads or tails?" Kazuma anticipated.

Nephena steps forward to make her guess.

"Fine! Then I'm going with tails."

The coin flips up in the air as it hits the concrete floor. It lands on heads.

"Sorry…but that's wrong."

Her body quickly drops to the floor. Jakota quickly whispered something into Lance's ears.

"Ok…I see."

Lance steps forward to make his guess.

"Heads!"

The coin flips over and lands on heads, bringing an unpleasant look onto Kazuma's face. Then, the barrier dissipates from the stairway.

"Yes! That means we can move forward."

As Lance attempts to walk forward, Kazuma makes a direct swing at him.

"What! But I guessed right. I thought violence was not to be used?"

Lance attempts to strike back with his weapon but gets sent bouncing back from the barrier. His soul quickly enters through the hourglass. Maigashi and Nephena's soul returns as they find themselves waking up.

"So what happened?" He wondered.

The two got back on their feet.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Nyoma pointed.

"True indeed, but the rules only apply to you folks. So now we start the game all over again."

Nephena starts to lose patience.

"That's so one-sided! Then how are we supposed to win?" She muttered.

"You don't…." Jakota whispered.

Jakota steps forward with Nyoma accompanying him from behind, confronting against the odds stacked on them.

"Jakota…I didn't expect you to make it this far."

"You're simply just stalling for something." He pointed out.

Somewhere above, the Captain stands strong at the top of the tower.

"Yes, as long this tower stands, Crescent Moon will flood in due time. A great storm will wipe everything off clean for my new weapons facility."

"A new facility?" Nyoma repeated.

The rest stood by clueless as Kazuma quickly fills them in with a brief backstory.

"Call it a chance, but I was once a very prestigious businessman. I owned everything from private estates to chains. So money controls everything, and I do what I can to reach every goal."

"I remember now… You're the mad tycoon who tried to monopolize everything. Nyoma said.

The party continues to listen on.

"Whether it's blackmail or money laundering, I do everything in my power to get what I need."

A memory quickly shifts back to the day of the storm, wiping out nearly everything on the island.

"This was not the first time I stole the Sacred Stone. In fact, my last plan failed due to a lack of proper coordination and weak underlings. Greedy fools who couldn't hold their own against a royal army."

Nyoma remembers that fateful day. Kazuma is seen surrounded by groups of soldiers as he surrendered to authorities.

"Yes, and that's why my family had to banish you. Your ambition placed a lot of lives in danger."

"I could care less…." He snickered back.

Jakota felt a rush of anger flowing in him.

"So it was all you this whole time…You were using me."

"It's all just a matter of business, Jakota, nothing personal. You can try all you want, but none of you can touch me. Violence cannot be used within my territory."

He stood by as the two continue forward.

"What are you guys planning?" Maigashi wondered.

"Leave this to me…."

Kazuma continues to stand by as he sniffed the rose off his jacket. Nyoma approached as close she can.

"You're getting too close to my personal space."

Kazuma attempts to deliver a strike to Nyoma, but Jakota intercepts his punch taking in the blow. Kazuma continues to strike back, yet Jakota refused to retaliate back.

"You were responsible for taking away a part of my life…I was weak back then."

"And you are still weak now. Face it! None of you can win!"

Jakota quickly grabs hold of him by his jacket. He lightly lifts him in the air as Kazuma continues to whack him.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Have a nice swim!"

Kazuma gets tossed into the rapid currents as his body gets dragged away from the room. The hourglass at the center soon vanishes as Lance's soul returns to him.

"How did you know?" Nephena wondered.

"His power only works within a certain radius of the room. Therefore, even though violence cannot be used, physically grabbing the user does not apply to this rule."

Jakota quickly dropped to the floor.

"Jakota, your injured!"

Some blood slips out from the side of his head.

"Sorry, but it seems I'm at my limit for today. The Captain waits for you up those stairs."

"You just take it easy then. We'll handle the rest from here." Maigashi assured.

The team begins to head up to the stairs. Jakota briefly halts them for one last time with his voice.

"Wait a minute! Take these with you."

"What are these?" Nephena wondered.

He hands over a pack of vaccines to the team.

"The Captain utilizes poison to wear down his opponents, so this will help neutralize the effects of his techniques. So give everything you got!"

"We will…" Maigashi assured. "Thanks!"

The team heads up the set of stairs as Jakota rests his head against the wall. They advance up till spotting a light at the end.

"I can see the light." Nyoma pointed.

They spot Mr. Kazu at the edge of the tower. Standing with his back turned while the wind breezes by. The four approached the center of the ring.

"So… I'm the only one left to remain."

"Last time was different, but now it's the end of the line for you," Nephena said.

The Captain slowly turned around, a calm look on his face. The Sacred Stone rests behind on a pedestal.

"We'll just see about that then."

Nephena charges in with her psychic blades. He quickly begins his assault, taking it up in the air. Then, he makes a dive down at the party, separating them.

"It's payback time!"

Maigashi rushed in with his dagger. The Captain casually dodged it as he kicks him back. Lance jumps in with his nunchuck for a barrage of strikes, but Mr. Kazu avoided it all. Instead, he kicks Lance across, sending him rolling back.

"Water Tornado!"

Nyoma and Nephena get pushed back by the vortex. He rushes in to deliver a set of light kicks at the two. The party pulls themselves up as the Captain casually flicks his hair.

"Come on! We can do better!" Nephena stresses.

"My kicks won't bring you down? You kids really are as persistent as they say. I'll just have to punish you with this then."

A poisonous vapor begins to shroud the field, wearing down the party slightly as Mr. Kazu focused his energy on an attack.

"It smells so bad…." Lance muttered.

"Brace yourself..." Maigashi said.

The team readies the serum in their back pockets as the Captain summons a tidal wave from behind.

"This technique is one of my personal favorites. Toxic Tsunami!!!"

The tidal wave crashes down, pulling them away as they held their breath. The poison begins to take effect as the water drains out. The team lies on the floor, nearly defeated, as the Captain mocks on.

"And it's over as predicted…."

Nephena and the rest pull themselves back up, unharmed by the effects of his poison. They catch him by surprise with the serum Jakota gave.

"What? My poison has no effect?"

The Captain attempts to shield behind a wall of water but didn't have the time to react. Lance breaks through to deliver a knocking blow on his face. Nyoma and Nephena came in with a double kick knocking him flat on the ground.

"How annoying…."

"We got you now?" Nephena pestered.

The Captain casually pulls himself back up, wiping the blood from his lips.

"I didn't expect to get serious, but now you leave me with no choice."

He pulls out the Sacred Stone from the pedestal and begins concentrating all his energy into one place. The sky grows to pitch dark as pillars of water gush out from all four sides of the tower.

"What is he up to now?" Maigashi wondered.

"Now the real fight begins…." Nyoma muttered.

Ice forms across his torso, covering him from the waist down. The Sacred Stone now rests on his neck.

"He's completely covered in armor…."

"They said an asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. So now say hello to extinction!"

The Captain lunges into the air for the first attack.

"ICE METEOR!"

Chunks of ice crashed down at the party; they struggled to take cover. Nephena and Nyoma are sent flying back as the Captain begins his next assault.

"Toxic Tsunami!"

Maigashi and Lance take cover behind the pillars as the water gushes through the arena.

"It's getting cold…." Lance shivered.

Maigashi pulls a sleeve up from his arm.

"Might be the perfect time to use Rainaga, but I only have one shot, so we need an opening through his defense."

"You just leave it to me," Lance said.

Lance rushed in with his weapon to retaliate, but his nunchuck bounced off the Captain's chest, leaving a dent barely.

"No effect…" Lanced muttered.

Mr. Kazu delivers a barrage of punches at Lance, sending him flying back. Nephena and Nyoma attempt to retaliate back with their attacks.

"Psychic Fire!"

"Sacred Light!"

Their attacks get nullified by the effect of the stone on his chest.

"No good…none of our attacks are working." Nephena pointed.

The water slowly solidifies the floor into thick sheets of ice. The two begin to slip up as Mr. Kazu glides past and knocks them down. He takes Maigashi by surprise by breaking through the ice he used to take cover.

"I'm invincible…So there's nothing more you can do now." Mocked the Captain.

The party lies on the floor weakened while the Captain laughed on.

"It's hopeless…." Nephena muttered.

"Just give it up now! There's no point for you to continue."

Nephena starts to lose sight and consciousness as her eyes slowly closed. Pitched black in the darkness, everything went cold and blank. Then, a familiar voice starts echoing in her subconscious mind. An image of her father Renfield appeared before her.

"Nephena….you must find the strength to carry on."

"Dad….but it's hopeless. We can't win…Lance and the others gave everything they got already."

She took a moment to doubt herself. Then, the image of the Sacred Stone materialized behind them.

"Are you certain you tried everything? The Sacred Stone was activated by the sound of Nyoma's voice. If there is an on switch…."

"Then there is an off switch! Thanks, dad!"

Renfield's body fades off into the distance.

"I am proud of you both. Tell Lance I said hello and never gave up."

Nephena then woke up with the Captain giving a surprising look. She whispers a plan into Nyoma's ear as Maigashi regains his ground. Lance continues to lie on the floor, knocked out.

"Time to use your voice!"

Nyoma begins to sing as the effects of the Sacred Stone start wearing off on the Captain. Then, finally, Maigashi gets into the position.

"Who needs the stone anyway? Even without invincibility, you'll never break through my perfect defense."

Maigashi summons the Rainaga onto the field as Mr. Kazu channels the rest of his energy in one place.

"Water Tornado!!!"

The Water Tornado quickly dispersed into eight smaller ice pillars as the Rainaga snaked its way around it.

"We only have one shot, so let's make this count." Nyoma nodded.

Nephena and Nyoma channel the last of their strength together as the Rainaga breaks through the pillars of ice.

"The rest is up to you…."

The two charged forth as Maigashi dropped to the floor. The Captain takes a step back when Nyoma and Nephena shroud within a ball of light.

"Toxic Tsunami!!!"

His wave holds them back for a moment as two forces of power collide against one another. Then, Nyoma's light slowly advances, splitting the tidal wave in two.

"They're getting too close…."

Mr. Kazu quickly reacts, jumping up as the blinding light breaks through. Nephena emerges out from Nyoma's sphere.

"What?"

"Harmona!"

Her psychic blades shatter through Mr. Kazu's ice armor, leaving him vulnerable. Next, Nyoma aims at the stone on the Captain's neck.

"Sacred Arrow!"

Her attack pierces through the Sacred Stone, destroying it.

"NO!!!!!!!!!!"

The Captain gets sent blasting off within the light, leaving only a glint in the sky. Nyoma quickly drops to the floor in exhaustion.

"We finally did it…."

Maigashi and Lance soon regain consciousness. They feel a rumbling shake from the top. The Crescent Tower begins to sink back into the ocean.

"With the Stone gone, the tower has become unstable. We must escape! Hurry!"

The party quickly makes its way down the spiraling stairway, stalactite and debris dropping at the center as the water level slowly rises. Finally, they spot Jakota at the bottom waving.

"The entrance is blocked! Now what?" Nephena shouted.

They hear the sound of a speedboat approaching through a dark tunnel. It was none other than Axe and the rest on board.

"Axe! Good timing!"

"Dude, let's get out of here!"

The party boards on as Axe hits the gas, making a fleeting escape through the tunnel. Debris continues to fall over as the rest took cover.

"Hold on!"

The boat passes through an ending light, arriving outside by the corner of the island. The party takes one last look back at the tower submerging back into the ocean depths.

"Now it's over…." Nephena muttered.

Hours later…

"Just chillax and take it easy, dude. There's no need to rush home." Axe advised.

They return to the hotel room. Alistor lies on his back, patched up on the couch, while Bow and Blade are seen playing a videogame. A pixelated fighting game is shown on the T.V screen.

"Two weeks! But I need to get back to find the Neon Prism." Alistor moped.

Alistor attempts to pull himself up with his crutches but stumbles over.

"The doctor already suggested you not be moving around. If you want that wound to recover fully, then you should rest for now." Bow muttered.

The two continue to play their game as he reflects with Maigashi.

"So let's see…On this trip so far, you only defeated two monsters—the Wind Elemental Shorwynn from Steffbird's sweepstake and that elephant Tank Tusk. And then you sort of got stabbed by a mannequin...You could have done better." Maigashi sarcastically remarked.

An embarrassed look is seen on Alistor's face.

"I know…but it was in the heat of the moment."

A fighter gets knocked out on the T.V screen.

"I win again! Two times in a row!" Blade jumped.

"I must be losing my edge," Bow muttered. "Best out of five?"

Alistor looks from the window corner by the couch at the sky. Thinking about Rena as the background noise dies out in his mind. Maigashi and Axe take their leave from the room.

"That means two more weeks of paradise for us. With all this money, we should be having some fun."

"Hey, I heard a pro surf competition is coming up soon. We could like totally check it out." Axe suggests.

And so time quickly passes by as the team enjoys the luxury Crescent Moon has to offer. Pictures are taken throughout the trip, starting with Nephena birdwatching, Maigashi falling off a surfboard, Lance paying for an overpriced dinner, and Jakota losing to Bow and Blade in videogames. A final group shot of the party is taken on the beachside.

Weeks later…

"That's our ride!" Lance said.

The sound of the ship's horn is heard as it docks to the bay. Jakota and Nyoma wave goodbye to Alistor and the company. Lance takes one last look back at Nephena.

"I guess this is where we part for now?"

"Yeah, my ship won't be arriving for another hour. Good luck!"

"Well, later, sis!"

Alistor and the rest board on while Nephena stays behind. The sun soon begins to set on the horizon.

"Damn…I haven't fully recovered yet. I won't be able to wield my sword properly."

Alistor is seen with an arm brace across his shoulder.

"Let's just hope the rest of the way will be easy…." Maigashi said.

Somewhere in some underground tunnel…Kazuma is seen regaining consciousness by a riverbank.

"Boss, he's finally awake."

Raiuga happily jumps as Kazuma directs his attention towards the damaged Captain. Mr. Kazu lays against the wall as he peels the skin off his face.

"Kazu is something the matter?"

The tone of his voice dramatically shifts as another face unveils.

"Hoooo, this disguise was so perfect, but now I can't hold back any longer."

A shocked look was on Kazuma's face.

"Moon…Can it really be? But you were destroyed by that Silver Maiden years ago."

"And I've been hiding ever since my last body was destroyed. On the verge between life and death. I've been clinging on for survival, but now enough time has passed."

The three get up on their knees, taking one last dramatic stand.

"So, what's the plan then?"

"To rebuild Aggerona once again. We will rendezvous with Taishae back at our new base."