Mother Alternate

Finality Chapter Nine: The Tomorrow that Never Came

 

The doors of the castle on the far end of the courtyard beckoned at the four travelers, silently yearning for them to go forward.  The glimmer of immortality was present in its stones, a shimmering mirage that was as seducing as it was surreal.  The two fountains on either side of the stony path that led to the castle slowly lulled the minds of the travelers with the sound of flowing water; the fountain on the left was crafted in the shape of a woman, while the one on the right was shaped in the image of a man.

 

Carefully Julian crossed the threshold of the castle, and his feet met with a shimmering floor of emerald.  His steps echoed loudly through the empty halls of the abode, eliciting shivers from him and his companions; the fact that they were in this place, alone and with their enemy right behind them, was the most terrifying thing they had encountered.  But they were determined to press on, and press on they did.

 

The red tapestries that hung from the walls sashayed as the air in the castle was disturbed for the first time in ages.  The emerald floor vibrated as human feet caressed it after many years’ worth of waiting.  The entire castle shuddered in ecstasy.

 

Then it shuddered in fear as the Diva passed through the gate, shattering the statue of the man in the courtyard.

 

“It’s Diva…she’s here.” Vee gripped the handle of her sword and expertly drew it out of its sheath. “Whatever we’re going to do, we have to do it fast.”

 

“I know that,” replied Julian, although the comment wasn’t directed at him. “We have to get to the center of the castle. That’s where we need to go.”

 

Joshua glanced at his friends. “Are we going to have to fight her? Or should we run?”

 

At that moment Julian breathed deeply, and his eyes narrowed.

 

Just a little more…the left hallway…

 

I know it seems impossible, but you have to find a way…

 

Th…you…

 

“We have to keep going,” he said softly as he ran towards the hallway to his left.  The others followed close by.

 

Julian ran through the abandoned halls of Magicant Castle as if guided by an invisible sign.  A presence in the back of his head whispered so that only he could hear; it was the same presence that had been calling out to him for a long time now, and it was slowly leading him to the very center of the castle. 

 

Now take the rightmost door…

 

Can you feel what is waiting for you there?

 

Are you ready to face it?

 

Suddenly Julian slowed to a stop in front of a particularly large, arched doorway.  There was no door, but Julian was unable to see what was on the other side because of the blinding light that poured in from outside.

 

This is the place.

 

“I guess this is where we have to go,” whispered Peel as she leaned against a wall. “Now what do we do?”

 

“We have to get there…and protect this place from Diva,” replied Julian as he walked towards the doorway.  The others began to follow, but soon realized that they would be unable to do so—they stopped cold when they got within a few paces of the doorway.

 

Vee raised her hands and groped the air in front of her until the tips of her fingers made contact with an invisible barrier. “No puedo creerlo” she muttered. “It’s a barrier! We can’t get through!”

 

Peel began pounding on the invisible wall frantically, producing a muffled thump with each blow. “No! We have to get through! We can’t just let Julian go on by himself like this!”

 

Confused, Julian stepped up to the place where Peel was and stretched out his hand.  Unlike the others, his hands went through the barrier like it wasn’t there, and soon his hand joined Peel’s.  Gaining a sudden burst of inspiration, Julian tried to pull Peel through, but that attempt proved futile as the solid barrier wrenched Peel’s hand from his own before he could pull it through. 

 

Julian looked at his hand incredulously. “I’m the only one who can pass…”

 

Joshua took a step back and concentrated, in an attempt to somehow Teleport through the barrier.  Unfortunately, though, he found himself re-materializing in front of the barrier soon after, as the barrier glimmered for a second and repelled him.  “I can’t pass,” he said. “It looks like we’ll have to stay here.”

 

“No! You can’t stay here! You have to come with me!” Julian stepped back through the barrier and held his hands out pleadingly. “What about Diva? What are you going to do when she gets here?”

 

Vee shook her head. “I don’t know…” she said. “I wish I knew what to do now…I don’t want to watch you go like that…”

 

After that there was silence.  Long, painful, heart-wrenching silence.

 

That silence was broken as Peel grabbed the front of Julian’s sweater and gave him a solid push, sending him back through the barrier and causing him to fall down.  Immediately the holder of the [key] scrambled to his feet and tried to approach the others, but he stopped once he saw Peel’s outstretched hand pressed against the invisible wall.

 

“Go on,” she said. “We’ll be fine.”

 

Julian tried to protest, but he was soon silenced as Peel shook her head. “We can’t get through, and you know it. It’s better this way…”

 

Julian shifted his gaze over to Vee, who looked at him blankly, and then to Joshua, who nodded solemnly upon meeting his gaze. “Go,” he seemed to say with his eyes. 

 

With that last thought Julian nodded.  But before he left for good he reached out and grabbed Peel’s hand, feeling the press of her skin against his own.

 

“Come back to me in one piece, okay?”

 

“I will. Count on it.”

 

As Julian disappeared through the doorway Peel reached into her backpack and produced her bazooka, which she held at the ready.  In the meantime Vee took up a defensive stance and Joshua clenched his fists.

 

“You know, Diva’s too strong…I don’t know if we’ll make it this time…” said Peel as she heard Diva’s footsteps come closer.

 

Surprisingly, Vee grinned when she heard that comment. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she stated. 

 

“If this is the final battle, then we won’t have to hold back,” said Joshua with a smile. “That way, we can go into it without regrets.”

 

The three readied themselves as Diva’s floating form came from around the corner and stepped into the large antechamber they were in.  Her icy gaze looked the three of them over, chilling them to the bone, but they showed no fear.  Instead they looked at each other, shouted battle cries, and charged forward.

 

***

 

Julian began to huff exhaustedly as followed the hallway that lay on the other side of the door.  Decorating the walls were paintings that hung between the many windows.

 

At this point he could literally feel what his friends were going through, although it felt like a hazy mist separated him from Peel, Joshua, and Vee.  This feeling almost drilled a hole in Julian’s head as he ran, but he knew that everything would be lost if he stopped.  Above all, he had to keep going.

 

Peel fired three shots at Diva, who reeled as the balls of plasma impacted her body, creating clouds of smoke; she scowled when she saw Diva unaffected.  Two more shots were fired and shrugged off until the bazooka overheated, and Peel threw it to the side.  Beside her, Vee held up her sword and charged, leaping into the air a few feet before she reached Diva.  Like a flash she thrust the blade into Diva’s chest, and then leapt away as Joshua hit the sword with a blast of PK Thunder, using the weapon as a conductor.  Diva fell to the floor.

 

That was a short-lived victory, for Diva rose before any of the others could react.  She pulled the sword from her chest and threw it to the side, as if nothing had hit her at all.  She was still, for lack of a better word, spotless.  The others stood there, shocked, as Diva raised her hand and pointed her palm at the humans.  Electricity began to gather in her palm and surge all over her body.  At that moment, Joshua and Peel gasped.

 

Giga Session.” The whole room shook as Diva called on Volt Punker’s signature attack and fired it at the travelers.  Peel and Vee crowded around Joshua as he called on a shield to protect them, but it was barely enough.  A streak of electricity managed to break through and hit the group, dispersing it.  Joshua was thrust back, and he crashed against the invisible barrier before he slumped back down to the floor.  Vee and Peel were left on opposite corners of the room.

 

Peel crawled to her feet and reached into her backpack, pulling out a bottle rocket.  With a grunt she set if off, hitting Diva square in the stomach while she was knocked back.  The lag time gave Vee an opening, and she took it.  With the agility that characterized her she jumped up and delivered a wide roundhouse kick to Diva’s face.  When she landed she somersaulted backwards to avoid Diva’s retaliatory strike, then dashed forth and threw a punch with her right hand.  The menace was ready for it, though, and blocked it by grabbing Vee’s fist.  Vee’s eyes widened, but she showed no fear as she lashed out with her other hand, which was also blocked.  In a last attempt at hitting her enemy, Vee sent a kick, which connected with Diva’s side.  The whole time Diva’s expression did not change.

 

It was then that Diva flung Vee to the side, sending her careening into the floor.  Before Vee could fully recover Diva stretched out her hand once more, this time to the same side as Vee.  Diva herself did not turn.

 

Seism.” The series of explosions that ran along the ground were too quick for Vee to dodge, and she ended up taking the attack head-on.  She let out a cry of pain as she crashed into the far wall, a victim of Earth Bluesman’s own power.

 

Peel gasped as she saw this, but the gruesome sight didn’t stop her from stepping up to Diva.  She was almost ready to strike when Peel reached into her backpack and pulled out her gear.  Soon enough every Incendiary, Mine, Bomb, and Rocket in Peel’s arsenal were thrown at Diva.  Peel dived to the floor and pulled the detonator out of her pocket, then activated it.  The resulting explosion nearly destroyed the foundations of the castle and filled the room with smoke. 

 

Still that was not enough.

 

As the smoke cleared and Peel stood Diva’s hand shot out and grabbed her by the neck.  Peel found herself being raised off the ground and held in the air as Diva raised her hand once more, charging it with energy. 

 

Lichstrahl. The power of Dual Proghauser struck Peel and sent her flying.  She crashed into the barrier and slumped down beside Joshua, who was just now gathering enough energy to rise.

 

The little boy clenched his fists as Diva advanced on him.  He decided that he’d strike before Diva had the chance to attack, and he charged up a ball of PSI energy in his hand.

 

“PK Thunder!” as Joshua yelled the command and raised his hands several bolts of lightning crashed down on Diva, forcing her to retreat.  Once she was far enough away, Joshua charged another spell and threw it at her.

 

“PK Swarm!” The photon-like bees rushed out of Joshua’s hands and blanketed Diva, and then exploded.  The walls of the antechamber cracked under the force of another explosion.

 

Diva straitened herself and extended both fists this time.  Joshua knew what was coming, and he too prepared to launch another spell, possibly his last.  Both Diva and Joshua emitted eddies of heated air as their hands flared with fire.  Then Diva opened her hands.

 

Mad Storm.

 

Joshua raised his hands to his sides and squeezed his eyes shut, his head pointing upwards.

 

PK Fire!

 

The flames erupted from Joshua’s body and spiraled outward in a double helix that reached to the ceiling.  For a moment his and her powers wrestled together in a fight for supremacy.  But soon Joshua tired and his powers dropped.  From that moment Diva’s flame conquered Joshua, and he was on the floor, his clothes singed and smoldering.  Diva reached down and flung him to the side carelessly.  Then she walked up to the barrier and shattered it.

 

***

 

Julian clutched his head with his hands and let out a ragged gasp as he felt the last of his friends fall.  His pace slowed from a run to a walk to a near stop as the hazy mist that linked him to the others vanished; now there was simply nothing there.  Julian turned to look in the direction he had come from, on the other end of the twisting hallway, and tried to run in that direction, when the same presence found his mind again:

 

No! Just a little more…don’t turn back!

 

With a huff Julian shook his head.  Whoever that was, he was right—turning back would mean wasting the precious opportunity for which his friends had sacrificed themselves.  With a grunt he took off running again.

 

By now the hallway he was navigating was beginning to lose the crystalline, minimalist form it had before.  The walls gradually became distorted and bent outward, while the emerald floor went from smooth to wavy and uneven.  But as the hallway lost its shape Julian was able to make out the other end…another doorway bathed in light…

 

Julian ran through the doorway.  Finally, he had found the place where everything began.  And where it would all end.