Fan Fiction ❯ Aether Psychoses: Tales from the Planet Solstice ❯ Phase 1, Episode 8: Duality - Sin - Redemption ( Chapter 8 )

===> C M A <===

RATING: This story is rated "R" for mature subject matter, violence, and language.

DISCLAIMER: This story, its settings, its characters, and all its distinctive likenesses are Copyright 2004-2005 Carlos Alexandre. This is an original work and may not be published without Carlos Alexandre's written consent. Characters, settings, personas, etc. may not be used without, again, Carlos Alexandre's written consent. Any relation to this story and any real-life events, past or present, is entirely coincidental. And all that other crap.

If you're reading this anywhere but at www.triplepeeps.com, I recommend you go there instead; some places this fic is posted in might not be formatted or italicized/bolded/underlined correctly.

Author notes and special thanks are further down.
________

HSD 232 - 06 - 14 - 1735
The Battleship "Blues"
________

"I've waited a long time for this," a voice beckons.

Before us stands... a boy!?

So young... he can't be older than Willis...

"And just who the hell are you, kid!?" Tealla roars. "Are you behind all this?"

The boy smiles. "Indeed." He gestures with his arms. "What do you think of this Rift? Magnificent, isn't it? Chrysalis's goals are soon to be met, thanks to the Rift."

"I'm going to assume that you realize this Rift will tear Solstice to shreds," I state, ready to draw my pistols.

The boy nods. "That's right."

"Why?" I ask, more confusion in my voice than I had intended to be heard. "Why destroy the planet? It's your home too, you know--"

"YOU'VE NO RIGHT TO SAY THAT, SIEG HYREM!!!" the boy yells, his calm exterior suddenly making way for rage. "YOU AND YOUR SISTER DESTROYED EVERYTHING I HAD!!!"

This boy... his mind is shattered...

"You'll have to elaborate, kid," Tealla says. "I'm not much for taking the blame for shit I didn't know I had a hand in."

The boy narrows his eyes, his glare, piercing, showing his hate, his seething anger. "Don't think, for a moment, I don't know what you two did to Hyperion."

Hyperion... no...

That day...

But... I had to...

They were hurting her...

Tealla...

"It was me," I confess. "Leave my sister out of this. Leave the rest of the world out of this, too. I give you my word, and swear on the souls of my dear parents who died needlessly, that Tealla did not help destroy Hyperion. So target me and me alone."

I feel Tealla shooting me an angry stare, but I don't return her gaze.

I keep looking at the boy's eyes.

"I... believe you," he says, "but what you don't know is that it wasn't you alone."

What!?

What the hell are you saying, kid!!?

"Ask your good friend Armen Stratos when you see him next. How do you think you managed to summon enough power to torch Hyperion as a mere boy, hmm!? HOW!?"

He approaches Tealla, who stands her ground.

"You both did it. Both of you are equally guilty. Ask Armen Stratos. Ask him after you beat me. Because I know the two of you will win this fight here today."

What the...

Tealla...

It can't be...

No!

IT'S A LIE!!!

"NO!" I yell. "IT WAS MY FAULT!!! DON'T BLAME HER!!! THE BURDEN IS MINE TO BEAR!!! MINE ALONE!!!"

The boy shakes his head. "I... I don't have much time."

Why is his tone so different? He sounds nothing like he did before. His eyes are so... so sad...

"The 'me' that wants to destroy Solstice... kill him. Kill him..."

The boy's eyes change again, this time back into the vengeful youth that initially confronted us.

"BEFORE HE KILLS YOU!!!"
________

What the hell does he mean?

Did I... did I help...

No! NO!!! I refuse to believe it!!!

"NO! IT WAS MY FAULT!!!" Sieg yells desperately. "DON'T BLAME HER!!! THE BURDEN IS MINE TO BEAR!!! MINE ALONE!!!"

He's...

Sieg is... trying to protect me?

No...

Did I unknowingly help him do it!?

Why didn't he tell me before!?

"I... I don't have much time," the kid says.

Snap out of it, Tealla! Sort this all out later, after you stop Solstice's destruction.

"The 'me' that wants to destroy Solstice..." the boy says solemnly, before his tone changes to something more violent, "Kill him. Kill him... BEFORE HE KILLS YOU!!!"

A power gathers around the child, one that feels unfamiliar.

I look at Sieg. His face... is he there?

"Snap out of it, little brother!" I cry. "Whatever he said doesn't matter if we all end up dying!"

That seemed to work as he returned to reality. "Sorry, sis," Sieg apologizes. "You're right."

The power grows, and the boy's appearance changes. His simple clothes vanish from sight, seemingly evaporating off his slim body. In their place appears armor of deep violet and blue, adorned with orbs and jewels that radiate an otherworldly power.

"Amethyst," Sieg says. "Sister Katrina spoke of this legendary armor. This boy, whoever he is, must suffer from 'Drain'."

Drain... an aether-sapping disease that occurs once in every billion human beings.

Though we breathe aether, we also absorb and expel it through our pores. The body maintains a certain balance of aether, changing it as the body demands more or needs less.

However, for the few suffering from Drain, that basic human function is stunted. They release aether too quickly, and as a result, they must monitor the aether levels in their bodies, and take supplements or be treated by someone well-versed in healing incantations just to live.

No one suffering Drain could ever do what I do; they'd die in a heartbeat. Hell, even if they train diligently, they're barely a match for ordinary people!

It's... a sad condition, really. I couldn't imagine suffering from it.

"I didn't think Amethyst was real," Sieg continues. "It's a living suit of armor that can become ethereal and tangible at will; that's why we didn't see it until now. It can't fuse with normal human beings, supposedly, but is apparently very synergistic with Drain sufferers. The aether this boy releases 'powers' Amethyst, and it in turn uses it to greatly boost his abilities."

"So that thing's feeding off of him?" I ask as the now-armored boy's short blonde hair grows to a little more than shoulder length and turns a medium gray.

"Not exactly, sis," Sieg explains. "I'm not quite sure how, but Amethyst regulates the aether in the boy's body, negating the effects of Drain. In addition, the armor supercharges the body's aether abilities, allowing someone like our little friend here to perform well beyond the level he would be at if he never had Drain."

"I see," I answer as he eyes us.

"You're forgetting a few things, Sieg Hyrem," the boy says, his voice echoing not only in my ears but in my mind as well. "Amethyst enhances all my senses, letting me hear even the slightest of whispers clearly. It also grants me the ability... TO FLY!!!"

As he finishes saying that, he charges at us, gliding along the floor without touching the ground. Sieg and I barely get out of the way in time, leaping away as a trail of electricity follows in Amethyst's wake.

"So what do I call you, child?" Sieg mocks. "What's your name?"

"Sylvan Sorel," the armored boy answers. "That's my real name, the name of the person whose life you destroyed. When I'm in this form, though, feel free to call me simply 'Amethyst'."
________

"Wow, daddy, that Amethyst guy sure is powerful!"

"Not really, my dear. He's but a frightened child. Sieg and Tealla will put him in his place, I assure you."

"You sure are smart daddy!"
________

What's that, you ask?

You're wondering why this apocalyptic event is happening so soon?

Remember, I told you back then, that it will happen within a year.

I must admit, though, I didn't expect it so soon.

Do not worry. The siblings will succeed.

I have faith in them.

What's that, you say? You, too, are certain they'll emerge victorious?

... What? You feel like they're your own?

Well! Quite the connection you feel for them! Let us pray that it gives them strength!
________

HSD 232 - 06 - 14 - 1740
The Essex
________

"Not correct! Not correct at all!" Vigor yelps, pecking away frantically at the keypad.

"What's wrong, Vigor!" I ask her, hoping I can be of some help.

"Not correct, Sonny!" she tells me, clearly disturbed by something. "Not a Rift! Not a Rift at all!"

"What was that!?" Tommy questions, taking a look over Vigor's shoulder. "... Hey, you're right!"

"Whoa, whoa, time out!" I say. "Are you saying that giant Rift we can see outside isn't really a Rift at all?"

"Actually, that makes sense!" Willis explains. "A Rift wouldn't cause Sieg and Meander to react the way they did!"

"Hang on just a freaking minute!" I interrupt, confused. "If it's not a Rift, then... what the hell is it!?"
________

AETHER PSYCHOSES
Tales from the Planet Solstice

An original fic by Carlos Alexandre (CMA)
________

This episode was originally released on Tuesday, September 6, 2005.
________

AUTHOR NOTES

I accept, welcome, and encourage criticism. Send it to cma@triplepeeps.com or visit www.triplepeeps.com and post in the forum.
________

SPECIAL THANKS

Thanks to my fellow Triple Peeps, Grand Master Shoma (Apollo Alexandre) and Judge Neusy (Neusa Gaspar), for their support and kindness. They have good fics too, mostly of the fanfic variety, and they and I write some works together. Please check out www.triplepeeps.com for more!

Thanks to "Supafly" (David Hackman, also known as Majere) for inspiration and for letting me base a character in Aether Psychoses on him.

Thanks to the plethora of anime, movies, and video games that inspired me to envision and create this original work!
________

The mind is a fickle, petty thing
Too often it is its own worst enemy
For it seeks purpose in anything, even self-destruction

-= PHASE 1
--== EPISODE 8
---=== Duality - Sin - Redemption
________

HSD 232 - 06 - 14 - 1740
The Battleship "Blues"
________

See, it's not that the kid is really that much stronger than me or Tealla, not at all.

"SHIT!" Tealla screeches as an airborne Amethyst tags her with another electrically-charged kick.

It's not that at all. Seriously!

"DIE!!!" the armored boy roars as hovers above me, raining down lightning blasts like his life depended on it.

No, it's not that he's really better than us, I think to myself as I deflect as many of the thunderbolts as possible.

But Tealla and I, see, we really aren't trying to fight back.

As we press on, heading for what we hope to be a laser turret within this massive battleship, catching the scent of singed metal and energy-charged air, sis and I know that wasting our time fighting that kid, Amethyst, isn't going to help any.

At least, that's what I tell myself.

Truth is, I'm not sure how strong the kid really is. He's fighting as if his life depends on it, which is funny because, well, his life ends if he wins.
________

"A turret!" Tealla calls back. "Sieg, you're the gun expert here, so do your thing!"

I jump into the gun's chair, tap a few buttons...

Shit...

"It's offline," I announce, sounding annoyed. "All the power has been cut to all the turrets. I can't override the command locks."

"Well, fuck, this day just keeps getting better and better!" Tealla whines.

"This isn't good, Tealla," I reply seriously. "These laser batteries can't be powered by a human being's aether. They need a direct feed from this battleship's power reserves."

"Quite the predicament!" Amethyst taunts as Tealla and I turn our eyes to his. "Now you'll have to find a way to manually divert power to the turrets! But only I know the passcodes!"

This... this feeling...

Just like in Mantra Tower...

It's... the same feeling!

Is it coming from Amethyst?

"Tealla, look closer at the kid's aether signature," I ask quietly as I move closer to my sister. "Focus. What do you see?"

The boy, Amethyst, stands his ground, not attacking, but guarding the only way out.

"Weird," Tealla observes. "I'm reading three separate sigs."

"Me too. One is the kid's; his essence feels fractured, like it's at war with itself. Another is--"

"The same sort of signature I read from that thing that came out of Night's Lantern," Tealla finishes my thought. "The third, though, is... calling for help?"

"I have a plan, big sis. I need to pull off a clean hit with the Crimson Edge, though. I may be able to specifically target the Wraith-like being we're sensing within Amethyst, leaving the other two presences intact."

"That's risky, Sieg," she warns. "And we still have the giant Rift to worry about."

"I think... this kid's mixed up, and under the influence of something evil," I explain. "If we can bring him to his senses, maybe he'll stop this willingly."

Tealla nods. "Alright. Good luck, little brother. I'll buy you the opening you need."
________

HSD 232 - 06 - 14 - 1745
The Essex
________

"An aether tracer?" Amy questions, raising an eyebrow.

"A telepathic aether tracer, to be exact," Meander corrects.

"It's originating from somewhere we can't quite pinpoint," Galvanos adds. "It's not a Rift. It's some kind of beacon."

"Is this 'beacon' transmitting anything?" Amy asks.

"Yes, it is," Tommy answers. "Vigor and Maxwell found out that it is broadcasting a message at extremely high aether frequencies. As you know, aether frequency is the rate at which aether 'ripples' across the planet, and when it gets too high, those with above-normal aether sensitivity feel the aether rather painfully. At least, that's one theory. Another hypothesis is that since the signal is not native to Solstice, it just doesn't jive with the human beings that live here."

"Hmm... that makes sense," Amy concurs. "And if it isn't an immediate threat to Solstice as you say, than what exactly is its purpose?"

"Well, there are a number of possibilities," Maxwell speaks up. "It could be an attempt to contact other sentient life, like Solstice's human beings. It could be an attempt to contact others like whoever created this beacon. Or..."

Asha looks up, swallowing hard.

"...Or it could be a signal to attack, a method of allowing some freaky aliens to invade us," the young girl proposes.

Amy grimaces, hoping that Asha is wrong...
________

HSD 232 - 06 - 14 - 1748
The Homie-D's Bridge
________

"Diz shit be pissin' Supafly off!" the hefty, commanding man known only as Supafly announces. "The ships, they be firin', but I ain't be hirin'!"

"I assume that to mean that you aren't interested in their conflict," a pretty young woman, manning one of the Homie-D's terminals, guesses.

"Hello? I be talkin' words here! Of course that's what da Supafly sez!" the man barks, seemingly taken aback that his original command wasn't clear enough.

"I don't think avoiding them will be a problem," another woman adds, this one speaking in a low, almost monotone voice. "They're too focused on the large craft and the giant Rift to be a problem."

"What large craft?" Supafly asks, tapping a few keys on his personal console. "Supafly be seein' nuttin' nowhere!"

"There's some kind of stealth field surrounding the area!!!" a third girl speaks, hers a more manic, giddy tone, as if everything she saw was insanely impressive. "IT'S FREAKING HUGE!!!"

"Stop your yellin', woman!" Supafly commands, standing. "Supafly don't be needin' no unnecessary fights! I want the Essex or the Centauri found; I know dem two fools is bein' around here somewherez! Find 'em!"

"YES SIR!" the three young ladies say together, before beginning an unusual ritualistic combat dance.

"First mate of the Homie-D, the straight-arrow girl, Annette Eagle!" the first woman, Annette, announces, striking a pose for some non-existent camera, her shoulder-length red hair flailing about.

"The second of the Homie-D's girls, Violet McNeal," the second girl, Violet, adds, still speaking softly, also posing, allowing her violet-as-her-namesake hair to whip around and hit Annette in the face.

"THE LAST AND MOST FREAKING AWESOME OF THE HOMIE-D CHICKS, ELLEN SAMSON!!!" the third hyper-ecstatic lady, Ellen, shouts, standing on top of Annette and Violet's shoulders. Fortunately for her comrades, Ellen's hair is medium length and not covering their vision--

"You fuggin' chicks and yer posin' ain't be doin' what needin' doin'!" Supafly barks. "Now let's get to it!"

"YES SIR!!!"
________

HSD 232 - 06 - 14 - 1749
The Battleship "Blues"
________

"So you want to destroy the world, eh?" I taunt.

Little brother... I hope you know what you're doing.

If you kill that kid, this whole planet may be doomed. Everyone I know and love will perish.

I wonder... if that would indirectly count as killing a member of my crew.

Would I seek revenge on you in the afterlife, Sieg?

"Quite the big man, you are!" I continue. "What, did some girl break your heart or something?"

The boy--Amethyst--seems to react to that comment.

Hmm... looks like I hit a nerve...

"What, were you in love with her?" I continue, watching Sieg, Crimson Edge now in hand, position himself to strike. "Were you her fallback, her runner-up for when her real boyfriend wouldn't listen to her?"

"It's not like that!" the boy shoots back, his eyes full of emotion. "The man she loves is my friend--NO! NOT MY FRIEND!"

"Sounds like you don't know what's what, child," I pry, putting my hands behind my head, looking like I don't have a care in the world. "So this girl was being boned by some other guy, some dude who you think might've been your friend, but you hate him anyway."

He's falling for it, but not enough to give Sieg the shot he needs.

I need to take a cheap shot...

"I don't blame her, boy. Who'd want to be fucked by some Drain-infected little punk who probably wouldn't last two minutes, anyway!?"

"I'LL KILL YOU!!!" Amethyst roars, charging at me.

Perfect.

My brother sees his chance, and strikes at the kid with a mighty yell.

Amethyst was so angry... that he forgot all about Sieg.

The Crimson Edge went straight through the boy's chest, and had Sieg allowed it, the stick-blade would've cleaved Amethyst's body into two bloody chunks.

However, being an aether incantation, the Crimson Edge only harms those "selected" by its wielder, Sieg Hyrem.

Amethyst screams. The boy, reverting back to a naked blonde kid, collapses as two humanoid-shaped auras, one a blinding white and another a dim violet, separate from him.

That... cursed weapon. The Crimson Edge.

I thought... all it could do was destroy...

Sieg... I hope you continue to prove me wrong.

Because the Crimson Edge... has haunted me... my whole life...

"BLASSSSSSST--" the white essence voices telepathically, a long red slash glowing along its form.

That white one, marked by Sieg's attack!...

It must be the Wraith!

"Tealla, don't let your guard down!" Sieg says, swinging again at the evil ivory aura but missing as it dodges. "I don't think it can possess us, but I'm not a hundred percent sure!"

Way ahead of you, little brother. I won't give it the chance.

"DIE, MONSTER!!!" I roar as I fire a small but powerful blast of icy aether at the creature. It connects, freezing the ghost in place. Like lightning, I approach, and with a swift and mighty kick, I shatter the cold statue, hearing the Wraith's telepathic scream grow silent as its now-destroyed essence dissipates.

"Sieg and Tealla Hyrem, thank you both," the other aura, still floating above the boy, speaks. "I am called Amethyst, though I'm sure you know a little about me. Sieg Hyrem, I sense you command a small but suitable reserve of regenerative aether. Please heal Sylvan, for without my presence, the disease you call Drain manifests itself once more."

Sieg kneels by the boy, Sylvan, and chants the Heal incantation, coating the child in a soft blue aura.

"Will he be okay?" I ask the ghost-like being that calls itself Amethyst. "Can he stop the giant Rift from destroying Solstice?"

"No, he cannot, but things are not as they seem," the ethereal aura beings. "The anomaly you witness here is not a giant Rift, but rather a powerful homing beacon for Wraiths."

"What?" Sieg voices, still healing Sylvan.

"What you call Rift Wraiths are entities from another planet far, far away from Solstice," Amethyst goes on explaining. "I know them as simply 'Wraiths'. They are sentient beings that appear on planets via the tears in space and time you call Rifts. These tears start small and the Wraiths that spawn from them are not usually a threat, but the Wraiths eventually mark a torn-up planet like Solstice with a massive beacon like the one you see here, calling the small, malformed Wraiths spawned from the small tears into an aether-rich center where they can manifest in full."

"And what will they do to Solstice once they 'manifest in full'?" I ask, crossing my arms.

"That, I do not know. In some worlds, the beacon has existed for ages without a single Wraith causing harm to its native life, whether that native life be sentient or not. In others, armies of Wraiths attacked and overthrew civilization, bringing death and desolation to entire planets."

"Lovely. So basically, this 'beacon', which is for all intents and purposes a giant portal for Rift Wraiths to come through at anytime without warning, is a Wraith outpost for purposes unknown."

"Correct. However, there is much I do not know about the beacons myself. I have told you all that I can."

Sieg finds a spare uniform on the ground, probably from one of the ship's crew, and beings clothing Sylvan in it.

"Well this is great," I say sarcastically, before feeling more shaking than usual.

Now, this ship is under fire and all, so it's been jolting around since I've been on it.

But now, well, it sounds as if this battleship is falling apart.

"I think the ship's going down!" Sieg echoes my thought as he picks up the boy. "We have to get back to the Blazer!--"

Not good! I can hear distant explosions along the battleship's massive structure! I think it's going to blow up any second now!

"WE HAVE TO TRY JUMPING!" I roar, kicking out the turret's reinforced glass view window. "WE'LL HAVE TO IGNORE AS MUCH OF THE NOISE OUTSIDE AND FOCUS ON OUR AETHER BUBBLES!"

I motion for Sieg to come to the window and jump.

Hurry up, little brother! There isn't much time!

Suddenly, though, a familiar voice rips through the sky.

"Y'ALL LOOKIN' LIKE YA NEED SUM SUPA-STYLE ASSISTANCE!!!" Supafly's voice declares as his shop-ship, the Homie-D, suddenly appears. "HOP ABOARD, FREELOADERS!!!"

"I will meet with you later, Sieg Hyrem," Amethyst speaks before vanishing from sight.
________

HSD 232 - 06 - 14 - 1805
The Essex
________

"MAKE WAY!" Sieg yells, he and Tealla running through the crowd comprised of the Essex's and Centauri's crews.

"SIEG, THE RIFT--" Willis begins, but is cut off.

"I KNOW!" Sieg interrupts. "We found out. Keep monitoring it! Meander, follow us; your healing skills are much, much better than mine!"

The thin silver-haired girl follows, with Sonny in hot pursuit.

"What is going on, Sieg!?" Meander asks, following her ship's leader. "Who is the child that you are carrying?"

"He was a captive of the forces that engineered all this! He also has Drain, so I need you to keep him alive!"

"Drain!? How horrible!" Meander gasps. "Of course! I will do what I can!"

"Y'all go!" Sonny shouts. "I'll get Willis and we'll get some equipment to help!"

The group arrives at Sieg's private quarters, where the Essex's commander rests the child he carries on his bed.

"Do your thing, Meander," Sieg orders. "Tealla, bring me that TPC."

"Here," Tealla offers, giving Sieg the small device. "Are you just going to keep him here?"

"He's not a threat anymore, Tealla," he explains, typing into the device, bringing up a module to monitor aether levels in the human body. "Trust me on this. He's... a victim. He needs our help. Keeping him under lock and key is just a waste of time--"

"It is not working!" Meander suddenly blurts. "HEAL!"

A blue aura surrounds the child, Sylvan, but the boy's face still looks pained.

"Stand aside," Sieg orders, tending to the boy with his own Heal incantation.

"Why?" Meander thinks aloud, looking at her hands. "Why can't I heal him!?"

"Here, try healing my arm," Tealla offers, lifting a beat-up forearm.

Meander focuses her energies on the injuries, chanting the Heal incantation once more. This time, it works, repairing Tealla's injuries quickly.

"That's strange," Sieg observes, still hovering over Sylvan. "I can heal him just fine, and your powers are working on other people. No worries, Meander; take five. I can handle it from here. Big sis, think you can lend me Galvanos for a bit? His healing ability is, like mine, limited compared to Meander's, but between the two of us we should be able to stabilize Sylvan's condition."

"Shouldn't be a problem," Tealla answers. "But I get to borrow Willis in return. I have something on the Centauri I want him to look at."

"Fine. But get going then; let's undock our ships. We'll keep an eye on each other's ships; if one of us sees the shield strength die down a bit on purpose, that'll be our sign to communicate."

"Fine by me. I don't want to hear that fucking noise again."

"Why?" Meander repeats, leaning on Sieg's desk. "What is wrong with me!?"

"Sieg, this is Willis!" a voice over the intercom announces. "The 'noise' outside has subsided! The anomaly remains, though!"

"Keep the shields up regardless!" Sieg replies. "I want them up until we understand what's happening. Also, Tealla's about to leave with her crew; Willis, you go with them and do what Tealla asks. Also, tell Galvanos to stay; I need his help!"

"If you can hear me, Galvanos, I want you to stay here for now!" Tealla adds.

"Will do!" Galvanos answers over the speaker.
________

HSD 232 - 06 - 14 - 1812
The Essex, Sonny's Room
________

Her face presses against my chest as she continues crying.

I hold her tight, feeling helpless.

"C'mon, babe, it'll be okay!" I try again. "It's probably just because of everything that happened today! That's all!"

"No, it is not okay!" she cries, breathing harder and speaking faster as she continues. "Sonny, you don't understand! I've been feeling this... this... sensation of dread lately. I've been having terrible nightmares about horrible things happening to you and Amy and Sieg and everyone and I don't know what to do and I'm scared and--"

"That's enough, babe, that's enough. Don't talk. Just relax for now. We'll figure it out, you and I..."

Meander... I love you so much...

Maybe... I should reconsider my plans with Maxwell...

If I died, I'd hurt you.

And, clearly, you're hurting enough already.

... Man, life can be tough sometimes...
________

HSD 232 - 06 - 14 - 1833
The Essex's Bridge, Moving Away from the Pathos Island Ruins
________

"Thank heavens that noise is gone," I speak as I see Tealla and her crew on the view screen. "It caused some of the worst pain I've ever felt."

"It's not gone, little brother," Tealla tells me. "Listen closer."

I focus my senses... she's right. I can still hear it, though very faintly and only if I try. But... it doesn't hurt anymore.

"I can feel it too," Meander says, her hand still intertwined with Sonny's. "But the pain is not there. And I know why."

"Do tell," I urge.

"We felt the pain because this underlying 'noise' was new to the planet. Now it has become a part of Solstice's aether flow. The pain we felt was actually the resonance of a new aether 'signal' mingling with Solstice's."

"In other words," Amy explains, "it wasn't the foreign 'signal' or the 'beacon' that caused your pain. It was Solstice's response that you were feeling, and what caused your reaction."

"Precisely," Meander confirms.

"And what about that Sylvan kid?" Galvanos asks from the Essex's bridge.

As I think about how to answer that question, Tealla does it for me.

"Sieg and I encountered him on the big battleship," she begins. "He was possessed by a kind of Rift Wraith that can control human beings. Sieg was able to separate the Wraith from Sylvan's body, and I destroyed the creature."

Thanks, big sister. I owe you one.

"So how do we know he's cool?" Sonny asks.

"Do you trust me?" I reply with my own question.

"Well, yeah, with my life!" he answers.

"Then trust me when I say he's alright, now. What came out of him, the Wraith that took him over, is a being of evil, like the one within Night's Lantern. However..."
________

Thirteen days ago...

HSD 232 - 06 - 01 - 1130
Mantra Tower, Chamber of the Night's Lantern
________

As Tealla Hyrem approaches the relic, intent on claiming it as her own, she doesn't notice that Sieg has returned to his feet.

["...like that Wraith within the Lantern..."]

Having jumped into the air, the Crimson Edge re-formed, Sieg holds it in both hands, ready to thrust the weapon downward as he lands.

He falls, and strikes...

And the Night's Lantern, Sieg's target, breaks into several pieces.

Tealla, wide-eyed and shocked, sees and feels an evil energy seeping out of Night's Lantern's remains, forming a ghostly human shape.

"A... Rift Wraith!?" Tealla whispers.

["...I'm certain that it cannot just willingly possess anyone at any time. I could feel it when I fought Sylvan; a moment of weakness, where his resolved faltered, is when the Wraith took over his mind. And it was Sylvan himself that helped me remove the malignant entity; if he hadn't helped me, I wouldn't have been able to help him in return."]

The Wraith cries out, screeching with fury and rage.

"You have freed me, humansssss," it hisses. "In return, I will make your deathsssss painlessssss--"

["The Wraith that Tealla and I saw in Mantra Tower knew he couldn't possess us, because we don't doubt our decisions nor do we regret our lives," Sieg continues, "so he chose to kill us instead."]

The visage then yells in agony, its ethereal body splitting in half.

It disappears from existence, revealing, behind it, Sieg Hyrem, Crimson Edge drawn, finishing the follow-through of his swing.

"Stupid ass Rift Wraith. Shut the fuck up." he spits before collapsing, now unconscious.

["He underestimated us, of course."]
________

The present...

HSD 232 - 06 - 14 - 1838
The Essex's Bridge
________

"How do you know all this?" Asha asks, and rightfully so.

"The truth is that... I simply do," I answer truthfully. "I'm not sure why I know that the Wraith can only possess a human that allows himself to be possessed. I'm not sure why I knew that I could use the Crimson Edge to damage and destroy such an entity. However, I think it makes sense. You have my word, Sylvan is not a threat. Not anymore. He realizes what he's done and that he allowed himself to be controlled. He won't do it again, I assure you all."

"I won't argue with that," Tealla assures. Wow, looks like I owe you two, sis. "And... I must admit, I feel it to. I can tell that the kid will be alright, and I have no idea how I know. Must be that damn link we share, little brother."

I smile. "Don't knock it, my dear."

"Sieg, you told me earlier that you believed you knew who was behind all this," Willis says from the Centauri's bridge.

"I believe I do. I believe, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it is none other... than the new CEO of Cruz, Armen Stratos."

"What!?" Lemires exclaims from the other side. "What makes you think that?"

"I must agree with Lemires's reaction," Maxwell adds. "Sieg Hyrem, why would you believe Armen Stratos to be an evil man?"

"Simple," I begin, standing, crossing my arms. "Because he said to the nations of the world, and I quote, 'We must stand united, no matter what the cost'!"

"We also found suspicion of his involvement on the battleship," Tealla explains. "That's actually what I needed Willis for; to decode a message I had intercepted from Phoenix Station shortly after our skirmish at Mantra Tower."

"None of us had any luck deciphering it," Tommy says, "but Willis is just on another level when it comes to cracking code."

"So who's the message from and who is it addressed to?" I question.

"It's a message from Armen Stratos personally delivered to several contacts. Unfortunately, though, our equipment couldn't catch the majority of the message headers; all we know is that it was sent to multiple people and that one of the recipients was around Pathos Island."

"What does it say?" I ask.

"It's only one word long: 'commence'."

"Stratos-guy is bad!" Vigor yells, dancing about the Centauri's bridge, much to Tealla's chagrin. "He's an incestuous pervert like Tommy!"

Suddenly, Tommy's face turns beet-red. "WHAT THE FUCK IS THE MATTER WITH YOU, VIGOR!!?" he roars.

I smile again, hearing and seeing everyone--including Tealla--holding back their laughs. "Listen, y'all, I think that's all that needs saying. Let's head to Sky Current for now; we'll swap Willis and Galvanos then."
________

In the several weeks that follow...
________

And so, the three warring powers--Rhegos, Sothis, and Sklabos--agree to a ceasefire, one supervised by Cruz Foundation and its CEO, Armen Stratos.

It is an historic event, one that promises hope for all of Solstice's residents.

Armen Stratos urges the need to pursue a common enemy: the Chrysalis Syndicate and their new "Portal"--what Cruz's scientists called the massive Rift-like anomaly that appeared that fateful day above Pathos Island.

For reasons unknown, Mr. Stratos chose to declare the Essex, the Centauri, and their crews as heroes who helped prevent further tragedy above Pathos. In addition, the Cruz CEO feigned ignorance when asked about Chrysalis's leader, knowledge that he knew full well.

The new peace will make it easier to travel the globe, and will open up new opportunities both for our heroes, the Hyrem siblings, and for people all over Solstice.

Tensions still exist, though, and despite traffic flowing between the three nations freely for the first time since before the Trinity War, the occasional moment of violence arises, though quickly squelched by authorities on all sides.

Despite the uncertainty the new "Portal" brings, it seems as if Stratos accomplished his goal, and Solstice knows peace, albeit an uneasy peace, once more.

But I am still troubled.

For, you see, I am a Storyteller, and one who saw the end of things.

And this was supposed to be it.

But it did not happen!

Slowly I grow more and more frantic.

Even this fear I feel is irrational!

This is madness! Why!?
________

Three weeks after the Portal was formed...

HSD 232 - 07 - 05 - 1900
The Essex, Sieg's Quarters
________

"Finally awake, I see," a voice tells me.

My head... so... clear.

Clearer than it has ever been.

"Sieg Hyrem," I whisper, identifying the man. "... Kill me."

"Good morning to you too, kid," he greets, standing over me, chanting a Heal incantation. "How're you feeling?"

"Like dying. Kill me."

He continues, the chant's soothing effects countering the symptoms of my wretched affliction.

The Drain... doesn't feel so bad. He must've had one or more dedicated healers on me for a while.

"Not going to do it, kid," Sieg says adamantly.

Why?

Why won't you kill me!?

"You said... some interesting things about the Hyperion incident," he starts. "Were they true?"

I see. That's why I'm still alive.

Fair enough.

But... I can't.

I made a promise. A promise that...

"I can't tell you," I answer. "Before that... that thing took me over, I made a vow to Amethyst and to myself. I know the truth about you and your sister, Sieg Hyrem, but I can only tell you when the time is right."

"I see," he concedes. "Then I won't force you. But it's clear you lost someone in Hyperion, and I feel responsible. However, I don't like holding grudges, or having them held against me. I apologize if that sounds selfish given the situation, but it's how I am. I really don't have anything against you, kid, but that unusual Rift Wraith took over your thoughts because you do have something against me. So tell me what I can do."

What... What is he saying? "I don't understand."

"Easy," he explains, wrapping up the chant. "We have to settle this here and now. I know, from personal experience, that the loss of people you care about will haunt you forever. But you can at least put the anger and uncertainty behind you. So tell me what I have to do to make it up to you, and I'll do it. And after, you will make another promise, to yourself and to me, that you will not allow the past to consume you again; even if you still hate me and Tealla, you will accept the present for what it is, and always look towards the future. Deal?"

I tried to kill him, and still he offers me this?

I know that the Hyperion Incident... wasn't his fault. Well, not entirely--

... I see. He's right; clearly, I still have my doubts.

A piece of me... still hates him and his sister.

"I don't know what to ask for," I tell him.

"Then I have an idea. I offer myself in place of the ones you lost. I'll become your older brother, and watch over you."

... He's... he's serious!

"Don't think that I'm forcing you to join my crew," Sieg continues. "If there's some place you want to live, say so. I'll take you there and make sure you're taken care of."

... He's...

It... was partly his fault.

And betraying Amethyst--and my own soul to boot--was partly mine.

I've taken from others as much as Sieg and Tealla Hyrem have taken from me.

I am no less guilty than he is.

We are... we are the same. We are...

Then...

No... I can't hate them anymore... Not anymore...

"I accept," I announce. "Sieg Hyrem, I accept your offer. We are now brothers. I don't hate you, nor your sister. Not anymore. Because we're alike, you and me; we're both trying to make up for our own sins. I promise, here and now, that the past is in the past. I will think of it always, yes, but it will not cloud my judgment. You have my sworn word."

I mean it, too. I'll... I'll follow this man. I'll follow him as far as I can, and see what becomes of my life.

"I'll... join your crew," I continue. "If... if you'll have me, that is. Without Amethyst, though, I may be more of a burden than anything else--"

"Nonsense," Sieg stops me. "Don't think that way. This is now your home. You'll have to earn your keep, of course, but even without Amethyst, there are things on the Essex you can do, I assure you."

I... What is this!?

Am I crying? Am I... happy!?

Yes! I feel so happy! A home!

It's so overwhelming!

"I... I don't know what to say," I'm barely able to speak.

"You don't need to say anything," Sieg assures.

Suddenly... a presence. A warm, familiar presence.

"Amethyst!" I cry, sitting up.

I see it! I see Amethyst! It's right here before me!

"It's been a long time since I've seen the real you, Sylvan Sorel," the gaseous essence speaks, its voice echoing in my head.

"Amethyst, I'm so sorry," I apologize. "I lost myself and listened to that Wraith's bullshit. I listened because I couldn't resolve the pain within myself. But... thanks to Sieg, I've put that behind me. I'm going to join this ship's crew. If... if you don't want to merge with me again, though, I'll understand."

"It is I who should be apologizing," Amethyst responds. "I failed as your guardian. I am clearly weak. I would be honored to become one with you again. But you must know that I was only able to separate from you because of your doubt. We never truly fused, Sylvan Sorel. I can sense that your once divided mind is clear once more. If we fuse... it is permanent. I will cease to exist, and we will be inseparable. Which means that if you are corrupted again... I cannot help you."

"You don't have to worry about that," I assure. But... "But, Amethyst, does that mean... you'll die?"

"In a way, yes. But I am weakened; if I do not fuse with a host now, I will die anyway. Please fulfill my last wish, Sylvan Sorel."

More tears.

Amethyst... Your last wish...

"Let's do it," I announce. "Thank you, old friend."

"Seems like it's settled!" Sieg exclaims. "Um, do I need to leave the room or something?"

Amethyst's essence envelopes me, and I feel its warmth and kindness anew, a compassion I had almost forgotten.

At the same time, I feel a sadness as Amethyst's essence passes on, small pieces of it remaining within me.

"Guess not," Sieg thinks aloud, putting a hand on my shoulder. "How do you feel, Sylvan?"

I look at him, my new brother, with confidence and hope.

"I've never felt better."
________

"Hello everyone," the blonde kid offers nervously, clad in a simple white T-shirt and a pair of jeans. "My name is Sylvan Sorel, but you can call me Amethyst if you like. I'm... I'm the newest member of your crew."

"Welcome!" Sonny says enthusiastically. "Don't be so nervous. We're a family here."

"That's right!" Asha adds. "If you need anything from us, just ask!"

"I'm... I'm so overwhelmed!" Sylvan says. "You all welcome me so openly, even after what I tried to do--"

"Do not think anything of it," Meander comforts. "Sieg tells us that you are trustworthy, and I can sense the same thing myself."

"Life here isn't always easy," Amy says. "But you're one of us now, and we'll look out for you."

"That's right!" Willis adds. "So welcome to the team!"

"Again, thank you all!" Sylvan says again. "I won't let you down, I promise!"

"There's a lot to do," I order. "Amy, Willis, show Sylvan the ropes of how things work around here. Find out what he's good at. Prepare a room for him, too. I'll be in my quarters; I have some personal business to attend to. Call me when you're done."
________

"So he wouldn't tell you anything?" Tealla asks suspiciously.

"Nope," I answer. "Not a word, sis, about Hyperion and what quote-unquote 'really happened'."

"And you're sure you can trust him?"

"Yes. I can feel it in his heart and see it in his eyes. That Wraith had him under quite the powerful spell, one that he's managed to break. His conviction is renewed, and I'm certain he won't fall prey to such thoughts again."

"Alright, then. You took my word about Maxwell, so I'll take yours about Sylvan. I and my crew officially recognizes him as a trusted member of the Essex. Which of course means that he's a target whenever we're in direct competition. Make sure he knows that, and don't forget that you owe me for sticking up for you."

"Understood, and I'll make sure Sylvan's aware. Thanks again," I finish before I yawn.

"Tired, Sieg?" Tealla says, knowing the answer.

"Yeah, I am. But I'm excited, too. With the war practically over, travel to Rhegos, Sothis, even Sklabos if one is so inclined, isn't nearly as restricted as it was before."

"I know!" she squeals. "It's the beginning of a very profitable new age!"

"Yup. Also, the next time we meet, I want to discuss Armen Stratos a bit more."

"Worried?"

"Yes, very much so," I confess, "and you should be too. The man uses people, and I suspect he's got powerful, evil resources as his command."

"Remember, we still don't have hard evidence that he was involved in either the forming of the giant Rift--sorry, they call it the Portal now--or in brainwashing Sylvan. Until we do, Sieg, follow your own advice; don't reveal your suspicions to Armen or anyone who reports to him."

"I and everyone on this ship already knows that," I assure her as I yawn again. "Listen, I'm going to try and catch a quick nap. I'll talk to you later."

"Take it easy, little brother," Tealla says, cutting off the transmission.
________

I... I do not understand!

I saw the end of things!

I saw the destruction of my universe! I saw it all linked to the massive anomaly, the "Portal," created on Solstice this very day!

Yet, I can no longer see the apocalypse! All is clear... and yet uncertain!

Again, I ask myself, what madness is this!? My powers have never been so completely wrong about an outcome before!

...What's that?

... You're saying that I should calm down?

Yes, you're right. You're absolutely right. I will calm down.

After all, as I said myself, I am but a Storyteller. I cannot tell what will happen, only what might.

And yet, I am troubled.

Things... were not supposed to turn out this way. Not at all.

This tale of Sieg Hyrem and Tealla Hyrem... it should've ended already, either with their glorious victory or their crushing defeat.

So why is it continuing?

I am... confused--

What's that, you say?

You're saying the Portal and the events surrounding it was meant to fool me into believing the end would come sooner than expected?

How absurd! Why would anyone want to do that?

No, my friend. You are but my audience, witness to an event few on your world will ever see: another universe's judgment day.

No, you can't possibly know what...

You couldn't possibly...

Hahahaha.

HAHAHAHA.

Well met, stranger!

How could I have missed it?

You are not from another universe at all! You manipulated my thoughts, to gain access to my secrets!

Your presence... you masked it well. Very, very well.

What will you do with me now?

... I see.

What violence. What cruelty.

To inflict upon me such a grievous wound as this.

I am timeless... but not at all... invincible.

It hurts. My life... it is slipping away.

And on top of all that, you steal my stories, my knowledge of the vast and multiple universes that make up existence.

And... how dire. I can feel you... taking my power of insight, as well.

Whomever you face will be in for the fight of their lives.

But I will have the last laugh, interloper!

I will... stop you... I swear it... I will...

My life... has been too long...

These sights and sounds... Are they my last vision?

I see it... a hero, flanked by the Hyrem siblings, including their respective crews, both of which are different from what I remember, standing against fate...

This hero... I have never seen him before. I can sense nothing special about him, other than...

Other than a willpower the likes of which I haven't seen since... since hers...

Is this a false visage conjured up by you, interloper?

Or is it true?

I... I am...

...
________

HSD 232 - 07 - 05 - 2358
The Essex
________

"Hey, Sieg!" Amy says over the intercom. "Sorry to wake you, but I'm getting a priority one transmission from someone called 'The Storyteller'."

"How big is it?" I ask, yawning. "What does it say?"

"It's pretty small. Encrypted though. Decrypting... done! It says... hmm, how odd..."

"What is it?"

"All it says is 'No matter what, Sieg Hyrem, don't trust her'..."
________

--== EPISODE 8... END.