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Chapter Text

“When there is a call to action, someone must be there to make things right. I’ll be that person.” Jin Kazama - 1956

A young boy in green resided in the confines of the labyrinth that was his home, staring at the gridded structure of the wooden doors, where the light from outside painted it in white. 

Just what could be out there?

Passing it could be an adventure waiting for only him to walk the path of…

Just how could he miss out?

At night, he'd strap on his brown boots, destined to be guided by a blue fairy of luminescence.

He'd stride cautiously through the bamboo forests, and ancient stone fortresses with fallen walls from what he could only assume to be the battles from long ago.

Yet, his home remained untouched.

Through the lakes that flowed through the green, he found solace. The rocks he threw bounced off its surface, doomed to fall into the water it would now stay in, but it never left the gaze of the boy.

Nothing could leave the soul.

But there was always one thing he could never gather the courage to persevere through.

A rocky formation that had an opening basked in darkness.

A cave.

Even with the persistence of his destined fairy, he merely turned back home, resuming his normality.

But tonight, he brought forth his self-made torch, and marched back into the darkness to face the void.

Here he was.

Step.

One step forward.

Step.

Another.

His mind threw itself into a frenzy, and all he could do was close his eyes.

….

A silence…

But in truth, there wasn’t.

The whispers of the flame, and the radiance of the fairy, made him return to reality.

And when he did, he couldn’t believe this feeling.

The flame pushing against the darkness, while also creating shadows of his own with the torch. The feeling of courage that burned brighter with every step, and every tunnel the cavern threw at him. Growing deeper into the maze, he'd find puzzles and ancient sigils, all of which he reigned victorious against.

The Courage… of walking.

In the end, when the fairy beckoned the warning of the day, the boy wasn't listening. Slumped against a nearby boulder, his mind came to a realization.

This would merely be… another home for him in these lands.

𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐅𝐄, 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐑𝐀 𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐑! 

𝑶𝒏 𝒂 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆?!

It was dark within the forest he walked in, but he wasn't afraid. Missions, whether big or small, sometimes required traveling in deep and dark places.

For Cloud, this was the occasion. He tightened his his grip on his buster sword, eyes darting left and right to each subtle movement and sound.

On this night, it didn't seem like there was going to be anything to attack him. The Spirits of the Night, which held a golden, misty look that brightened up the darkness, weren't present, but that was only because Cloud was carrying a tomb with him–one that held back any malevolent spirits. But in some cases, some spirits were too strong to be held back…

At that possibility, Cloud simply smiled.

I can handle that, he thought.

And finally, after walking through this forest for a long time, he finally came across what he was looking for.

A wooden structure that stood on four legs, which, inside, held a special object.

Seeing it, Cloud picked up his codex, and called.

“This object, I've found where it's located. I'll be back soon.”

“Good to hear, Cloud.”

Unfortunately..

When he opened the wooden structure..

“Hey… where the hell…”

Nothing was in there.

He searched all around the wooden structure–even going as far as to search the trees nearby, but there was nothing.

So, he sighed as he picked up his codex once again.

“Yeah, so… Nothing's here.”

“What?”

“Nothing's here. No sign of the object.”

“Well, I suggest you keep looking.”

“You want me to stay out here? Really? With all these damned spirits–”

“Your mission is to collect the object. It's not the rules I made, it's just the one you have to follow for now.”

Cloud sighed once more, “Yeah yeah, got it.”

The person whom he called hung up, and Cloud stood there for a moment.

Maybe I should’ve laid off on taking this mission. He wondered.

Does that hand think I'm some kinda hero that he actually accepted my request? Huh, low and high standards.

Well, at least it's for a decent price.

He would then begin to search for the object, clasping his hands together, his blue eyes now glowing a bright yellow.

Now, he could see traces, thousands of them all around. The energy from some were too small, while others were too great, but to his right, those traces…. human traces…

That's where it's the strongest.

I'll just–

His eyes caught something from behind. it was a towering figure, standing at least ten feet tall, crafted from twisted blackened wood and jagged shards of glass that reflected light in harsh, fractured patterns. The wood, charred to a deep ebony, symbolized the destruction often wrought by anger, while the glass shards represented the sharp, cutting pain of grief.

The Spirit of Grief…

The spirit's face was a haunting mask, half obscured by a veil of tattered crimson fabric that billowed around it like smoke. One side of the mask was contorted in a fierce snarl, its eyes blazing with a ferocious intensity.

“Why… why…” it asked constantly. 

Instinctively, Cloud brung his sword forth, not expecting much trouble considering that the tomb he held weakened the spirit severely.

“I dunno, but can I ask you, "why"?” He asked, furrowing his brows, “Why did you decide to come at such a bad time, you idiot?”

He sat in the darkness, all along, his fee-flowing and whimsy vibrating tousled blonde hair waving in the non-existent, or perhaps, unseen wind. He wore a long-sleeved brown shirt he wore underneath a light green tunic only that made the heat worse, brown trousers, brown boots that barely reached up to his knees.

Despite it being all black, it was all familiar to him. After all, this dream had been going on for months. He knew what it was–what rested beyond the darkness. Right in front of him, was the great sword that was engraved deeply into the earth, surrounded by a series of large, cracking stones.

The master sword–its metal shimmering, acting as the star in this eternal night. Such an amazing and rare sight, surely any warrior would grab it and relish in its power and glory, slash through the darkness of the world, and bring forth light, becoming a hero.

But, that desire was not his. It never was–so he shook his head, and looked back, the deep darkness staring back at him.

He knew how this “thing” would end. It was always the same. He predicted that, in fifteen seconds, a triangle, made up of three triangles–all of which glowed in a yellow light, would arrive. When it eventually did, all it did was hover before him, almost as if it was staring at him–as if… it was him.

That very triangle was engraved into his right palm. Oh, how he hated staring at that. Every time he did, he would instinctively gag, and unfortunately in this made up realm of unconsciousness, there was no glove or bandage to cover it up.

The floating triangle would then zoom past him, leaving small particles of shimmering light to fall onto the ground and onto his shoulder. He turned, and there it was, hanging above the sword–it's unfathomable light shining in and out, almost as if it was calling out to him.

But, once again, he rejected it. Shaking his head, and staring at his feet.

However, something was different this time. Usually, the dream would end here… but, something strange happened, and even if it was just for a moment–it shook Link to his very core..

A name was spoken–seemingly a cry for help, but its essence was buried beneath constant gibberish… All he knew was that, whatever this name was, it started with the letter “Z”.

And with that, the dream had ended, and he opened his eyes–the beautiful feel of the sun and the morning striking him with nothing but the force of a delightful brightness 

When will I stop having that dream? He asked himself as he sat up, staring about the open field he was in.

Oh, right… it’s that troublesome spirit.

Spirits–they were everywhere.

Within the grass, acting as long, white slobs that radiated with colorful lights. Link could see them–he could touch them. He smiled as he did.

“Good morning, fellow spirits,” he said, attempting to touch one of the spirits–his hand only faded through them, however. “Ha, you always fade away.” he grinned, then sighed.

As the wind blew softly, he could see wind spirits, which took the form fleeting, light blue strings, glowing of light.

He simply smiled at them.

But, he could only wonder… Why couldn’t he see the dream spirit?

Everyone else in the world could… Perhaps, here in Hyrule, it was the opposite? No way.

To see a spirit, you had to actually try to see it–with a power that everyone contained deep inside of their soul. It was the same for everyone. Was he not trying hard enough? But, that couldn’t be.

What’s going on?

But, he didn’t let it get to him too much. After all, he had much to do today, as he did nearly everyday. Strangely enough, the bridge between warning and needing seems to cross each other all of the time.

He remembered; there was a Pokemon in the forest beyond the hill behind him. He couldn’t exactly make out what it was, but he knew it was the color yellow–hence, why he decided to call it a yellow dedenne.

So, he stood up on his two feet, stretching his arms overhead and yawning. In front of him was something amazing. A chain of mountain peaks that stretched on further than the eye could see, and extended out until it kissed the high places of the Earth. 

With them were circular networks–clumps of tall, lively trees, with the small, floating tree spirits that took the form of small, brown circles, with a spiral on top of them. Some wept, some even whispered, but most of them kept silent.

Some others were getting into some sort of tangle with the other wind spirits–in which, the wind spirits would win and ultimately fly past them, leaving the tree spirits angered.

Ah, the beauty of the natural world–how he adored it. It was the perfect antidote–what he needed after that dream he dearly hated.

“Welp, I think it's time for me to head out.”

But could he really do so when there was an obvious problem from afar?

Upon standing up, his gaze caught a glimpse of a restless hill spirit to his left. 

Hill spirits were usually always asleep, hence their closed eyes and mouth mixing in with the grass, but it seemed this one was awake and angry. It’s eyes were opened, and it’s mouth was agape, and more importantly, it was… weeping?

Why is that? Link wondered.

Did something awaken it, but how could that be? 

No one else but me is here…

Oh, whatever, It’s in need of saving.

Listening to his soul, Link rushed over to the hill. Once he arrived, his eyes met the dark eyes of the hill, so empty without a soul.

Link knew that it wasn't true, that it did have a soul. But the void... oh, the void—something he couldn’t bare to look at, but his body was obligated to feel it.

“What angers you, hill spirit?”

The hill spirit would then speak in a deep, distorted voice.

“Someeeoneeee… someeethinggg… woke me upp.” The hill spoke in weeps as well. “I can no longerrrr go back to sleeeppp… Wha–whaat is happeniiinggg?”

“Don't worry, hill spirit.” Link said in a reassuring tone. “You're just awake. It's no big deal… here, I know exactly what will put you back to sleep. Some music.”

He pulled out his old, blue ocarina, and started playing a soothing tone.

The soothing melody of the ocarina floated gently through the air, wrapping the listeners, the spirits, in a warm embrace. Its soft, lilting notes danced like a gentle breeze, evoking images of tranquil landscapes and serene moments. Each breath through the instrument created a calming atmosphere, transporting those who listened to a peaceful, dreamlike state, where worries faded and harmony reigned.

Link's own soul felt at peace every time he did this.

And as all the spirits stopped and danced to the beautiful song, the hill spirit's fate would be no different. Its weeping stopped when the song had ended, and its soul felt at peace. The song had moved him so much, that his frown turned a wide, calm smile.

“thankk… youuu…”

“It’s okay now, spirit. Rest your soul.” He said, softly. 

As the hill closed its eyes, Link smiled.

These spirits… they truly are me.

He thought, giving the hill one more look before walking off...

𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐇𝐘𝐑𝐔𝐋𝐈𝐀, 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃!

The boy of sixteen years of age, living in the travesty of earth that was the forest. Pokémon here relished in his presence, for he was their savior. A protector who they may have only seen once, yet remembered for the rest of their lifespan. 

Pokémon who carried wild intentions with the Hylian opposed him at nearly every abandoned castle he arrived at for supplies.

But when death stared him right in the face, and there was absolutely no other option. He'd closed his eyes, unveiled his bow of wood… and let the arrow fly.

And then, came the feast.

"....It had to mean something...

All of this suffering… this opposition…”

At nights where the campfires crackled, taking pride in being the only sound, he'd stare at the moon. At times, he'd sword he'd seen an angry face on it.

As he stared, he could only make a suggestion. “If you're there, Hylia… please take care of the souls that I… that fell victim to my bow.”

And now...

Today was a new day.

The same dream.

The same nagging in his head.

But the spirits were all over.

And with their smiles, he'd rush towards the forest without hesitation, interconnected with the wind as he passed by numerous spirits and oversaw the grandiose landscapes beyond the chamber of mountains. All with a smile...

....And no worry about his odd future.

ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀʟᴇ ᴏꜰ ʜᴇʀᴏɪꜱᴍ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀʟᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏʏ ᴡʜᴏ ᴡᴀꜱ ꜱᴏᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ ʟᴇɢᴇɴᴅ. ʙᴏʀɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ, ᴘʀᴏᴍɪꜱᴇᴅ ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ. ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴛʟʏ… ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴏᴜʟꜱ ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ᴀꜱ "ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴏꜰ ʟɪɢʜᴛ." ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ꜱᴛʀᴜɢɢʟᴇꜱ, ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴛʀɪᴜᴍᴘʜꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟʟ.

𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑪𝒀𝑪𝑳𝑬 𝑶𝑭 𝑺𝑷𝑰𝑹𝑰𝑻𝑺!

Chapter 1.

End.

Chapter Text

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓

Where humanity lacked, nature made it for it.

Vice versa. 

And on this day, in a northeast section of a light part in the forest, Link stood atop a tree branch. The tree itself was tall, hanging over a lake enclosed by grassy mountains. The abnormally large leaves of the tree’s branches prevented the light from reaching him, though bits of it dawned upon his clothes and illuminated the expanse before him.

A Fletching landed on top of his hands, eyeing him curiously. The Hylian tilted his head, eyeing it in the same way. He had seen it many times before. One day, he had found it in the rain, laying down with a broken wing—calling out desperately for help. Luckily, Link found it just in time, aiding it with these small, little herbs he often found in his side of the forests.

 One day, he decided to name it—

—Belfray.

The lake below was still—silent. In that silence, beauty showed. Without even saying a word to one another, the two harmonized with the nature before them.

And both would feel a sense of amazement, as a Gyarados leapt out of the water—causing millions of water droplets to rise, many aiming towards the trees.

It was as if everything was in slow motion, like the world wanted them to cherish this moment for as long as possible.

Of course, they would take this chance, laughing as the water droplets landed on them. Upon the Gyarados' descent back into the water, the two shook off the water from their skin/fur. And right after, they stared at each other and laughed once more.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐂𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐁𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄.

One day, a Charamander walked helplessly across the muddy forest in the rain, the fire on its tail dimming less and less every moment. No food, no parents—just what was the next path? Could it really envision a future beyond this day? Let alone tomorrow?

As it collapsed onto a nearby tree, its vision beginning to fade, it seemed as if it was nothing more than a dream.

Darkness.

And upon waking up in a cave, what seemed like a dream, seemed to be a reality.

The sun made its reappearance, illuminating that nature outside of the cave.

A mound of ethereal soaked plants and trees, and standing on the side of the exit into that very world, was Link.

At first, as the Hylian approached it, Charamander was afraid, backing away into a corner. Seeing this, he didn’t get any closer, and instead offered a few Pokepuffs and an herb to it, laying it onto the ground and going back to the exit.

It was strange. Just what was happening here?

The only thing that was certain, was—whoever this was, had saved him from dying.

Reluctantly, it stood up, making its way towards the food options. It kept eyeing the Hylian, who seemed unfazed. Just smiling.

It tried the Pokepuff first, and—

—”Char!”

It was amazing!

Without further caution, it had already begun to eat the other few Pokepuffs, and did so with such haste that Link warned it to slow down. By the time it had finished eating the herb, the fear inside was so miniscule.

Link approached it again, kneeling down, meeting the eyes of the curious Charamander.

“I think I’ll name you…

...Sylflyre.”

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓.

One day, in the lake, a Magikarp found itself stuck on some kind of net wedged in the floor of the lake. And for a day, that’s where it would remain—no signs of other fish near. Now, there only seemed to be two options.

Either wait for a bigger fish to eat it, or wait and die.

However, the Hylian had no intention of dying either. Immediately seeing the Magikarp in danger, he dived into the water at the dismay of other fish who got scared away. He was an exceptionally fast swimmer—almost as fast as the other fish—no, almost as if he was a fish.

Upon reaching the Magikarp, Link found it wasn’t gonna be easy. The net seemed to be tied around the fins like a rope in tight knots. If he didn’t untie them soon, then he too would be the one to drown.

Though, at this moment, his mind didn’t care to think about it.

Three seconds passed, and he removed a few ties from the right fin, allowing for more movement. Then, he had a much simpler idea. He would go to the source of prevention, trying to remove bits of the lake flood to get the net out of the ground, his body essentially touching the floor now.

And eventually, he did.

But he was running out of air. He needed to reasurface, or else—

No.

His mind rejected it.

It argued that this was still possible.

Bubbles began to climb out to the surface from Link's mouth as he was now struggling to do two things. Breathe, and save a life. Even when he felt his arms getting weaker, he still managed to push on—slowly but surely untying the net from the other fin, and—

Finally, the Magikarp could swim away.

Link eventually reasurfaced, falling to the ground and coughing up water.

But all was the same.

He had saved a life, though a part of him wondered how he could be so selfless.

“I forgot…. I didn’t give it a name…” He muttered, “Perhaps… Elgran? Yeah, that.

The Patrats who needed help with their Dams.

The Sandiles who needed help with their burrows.

The problems all seemed to have one answer for fixing....

"Hiyah!" Swinging from branch to branch in an impressive show of mobility, his eyes spotted an abandoned temple. Rolling forth onto the smooth grass, he'd approach it with caution, eyes observing each and every ounce of.

Stepping inside, darkness overshadowed whatever light poured in—though, of course, there was a light within that could counter it.

On the apex of a spire of rubble... A Treasure Chest! His eyes lit up in wonder, but he still moved cautiously. Closer, closer, and closer, until his hands firmly met the box. 

Slowly, he opened it up, whatever was inside revealing itself more and more. Until, he finally opened it.

Inside... was a simple, green Rupee.

Such a simplistic object, and in response, a shadow flashed across Link's eyes, a burning anger swelling. The Memory Spirits crept from underneath the ground, red in shape. Link noticed them, but didn't bother shame them.

He could only sigh as he remembered these faint, distant images.

A girl with green hair...

An old man...

That tree...

The girl under the mask...

He shook his head, trying to trample the thoughs. He stood up, closing the treasure chest, and looking onto the cracks of sky. "I suppose... it's time to go get food."

Chapter End

Chapter Text

"Spirits are simply manifestions of existence. You do not merely ignore them, praise them, or shame them. They are simply there." - Hylian Philosopher Ekarb Krabala, 500 BC.

In the west reserved the forest with trees the size of the great hills, some even being a greater height. Within these waves of trees contained dangerous creatures, but it was full of fresh plants and fruit.

As he sprinted towards the direction of the forest, he pondered.

What food should I get today?

There are berries on the west side of the forest, along with a bunch of apples.

Unfortunately, with the Pokemon there, it'll be hard to get.

Maybe the east side? No, that’ll take too long, and…

He remembered.

The unpleasant nature of the wild.

The sight of so many dead and hurt animals, and the death spirits they laid over their bodies.

Death spirits held a menacing appearance–one of a mere skull with fierce, dark glowing eyes, and they did not weep, they did not shout, and they did not speak… all they did was laugh.

Link shuttered at that memory. The time when the death spirits that hung over the corpses, staring at him menacingly.

So, Link came to the conclusion.

I’ll just go near the lake… 

A long path, but there's plenty of berries there.

A decision was made, and upon arriving at the forest, where multiple, ragged, rocky pathways stretched all around, with the life spirits, which were all small, glowing bright green dots that hung above the creatures in the forest. The sewaddles, a caterpillar-like Pokemon with a broad, bitten leaf enfolding its head like a hood. Its large, spherical head was an orange-yellow with two small, close-together knobs on its forehead. Their eyes black and circular, and its mouth had a downward-pointing.

No matter how much he would attempt the catch one, he could never, but that was never a concern or source of irritation for him.

Just interacting with them—seeing them at all was a blessing.

Good thing for him, this was the calmest part of the forest as there were only mostly bug-like Pokemon here, and harmless ones at that. Admiring all of them, as well as the life spirits that hung over them, he headed northeast towards the path of the lake. Stepping over thousands of tiny rocks and pebbles that covered the stone path he was following.

Little creatures seemed to be pestering him. They were circular shaped blue gooey and jelly-like, wide eyed creatures that jumped up and down to move across the forest. If killed, they would drop something special…

However…

“You looking for a place to stay, eh?”

Nothing was to be gained from killing these things. Not in his eyes, at least.

“Say, follow me, and I’ll give ya some food.”

The slimes did not understand him, but they blindly followed him. Meanwhile, Link could see the stone spirits below moving around, which had gray-coated, rocky skin. Strangely enough, they seemed to be conversing with each other, and even one of the life spirits that hung above the slime.

Link could not hear what they were saying, however, but one of the life spirits hovered towards him, and was seemingly examining him.

“How are you, life spirit?” Link asked, “Wait, do you have a name?”

“No, not at all, but I have seen you before. Many times.” Replied the life spirit, hosting a female voice, “That’s why I would like to ask you something.”

“Go on.”

“Why is it that you're so reluctant on killing animals even if it means your own survival?” It asked, “I mean, thousands of years ago, the people of Hyrule used to kill animals for survival, and even fun…

Why not you?”

“Why not me?” Link stopped, and looked down at his feet, “Well, there’s just no fun in killing things for me…

If it came to a life or death situation, though…

I’m not too sure about that either.”

“I see…” Said the life spirit, “You interest me, Link, you really do.”

“I’m glad you do. After all, I have no one else to talk to but you spirits.” A short smile appeared on Link’s face, “To be honest, I wouldn’t have it any other way.” he then continued on the stone paths, the spirits and slimes following him. “Now, spirit, I would like to ask you something.”

“Hm?”

“You spirits represent the beautiful life of this land, correct?” 

The life spirit hovered up and down, signaling a nod.

“So, when you see things die and decay,” Link’s smile dropped, “How does it affect you?”

The life spirit seemed to hesitate for a bit. Instantly, Link felt a tinge of regret swell within his heart. Maybe that was too much of a harmful question to ask… no.

Before he was to apologize to the spirit–it answered.

“I feel very little… After all, death is nothing but a mirror for humans and a cycle of life. Death is just… a business partner for us, life spirits… despite their repulsive constant laughing.”

That memory of the spirits of death filled his mind once more.

All he could ask was…

How could something so ugly be beautiful to you?

“Ah, I see.” Link said.

These spirits… are they me or not?

Morning had arrived. Of course, Cloud was the first to notice. Once the sun rose above the trees, he arose from his tent, and placed his buster sword on his back as he stood up. He groaned at the thought of still being on this mission, and it didn’t make it any better considering he had over five missed calls from the person who sent him on this mission in the first place…

Lars Alexssanderson.

Another groan escaped from his lips, and he called. Of course, Lars picked up immediately.

“I’ll assume you fell asleep, young soldier?”

“Yep. Couldn’t stay up for long.”

“No worries, I understand.”

Cloud sighed softly.

“So, how much time ‘till the mission is called off?”

“You have one more day.”

Cloud’s eyes dilated in shock, and he gritted his teeth.

“You know, if you want someone else to deal with this mission, we can send them and give you fifty-percent of the Soul-points offered-”

“No way.”

Cloud tightened his fist, “No way in hell will I let someone else clean up my dirty work, so…

I will find the object now, and come back by noon!”

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Spirits, about ten of them, darted side to side in front of his face, making him annoyed. He waved his hand back and forth across his face, desperately trying to keep them away, but these spirits weren’t like the others. 

Restless pest spirits. Gray, tiny floating orbs with wings–born from death spirits.

When something dies, chemicals are released into the air. The death spirits merely absorb those chemicals, and turn them into pure spiritual energy, something within all living beings, before releasing them into the air in the form of Pest Spirits.

Needless to say, these pests were nothing more than an annoyance for Cloud. They constantly moved in all directions in his face, no matter how many times he attempted to swat them with his hands.

Luckily, the totem scared them off eventually, but with that, Cloud knew right away that there was something dead nearby. More cautious, he continued his walk through the forest, eventually coming to an huge opening, filled with fresh plants and bellsprouts.

The stench is at its strongest here. He thought as he walked.

It didn’t take long for him to find the source of it. After all, the laughter of the death spirits was always loud.

“A dead rockruff?” 

In the middle of the opening lied a dead rockruff, its black fur mixing in with the blood of the deep scars.

Y’know, if I had gotten here sooner, I probably would've saved you. He thought, but he himself knew that he probably wouldn't. Even the very act of thinking that made him want to vomit.

“Hero.”

“Savior.”

Nothing more than words for foolish people. A quote he always told himself.

“Now, what could've caused this?” 

He knelt down and examined the scars, ignoring the laughter of the death spirits, or at least, attempted to. 

Too noticeable, damn it.

Those supposed “scars”,the more he looked into them, seemed more like a huge bite mark if anything.

Suddenly, he looked up, and what he saw lying beyond this opening, leading into another area of the forest, was a lineup of dead Pokémon. Some with enormous bite marks on their bodies and others even ripped in half.

What in the world could've caused all this?

The animals of the forest were always calm. At least, that was what he was told before going on this mission. 

There were five Pokémon he needed to worry about if he were to, say, accidentally disturb one or unknowingly march into their territory.

Galvantula.

Onyx.

Boldour.

And Beedrills.

“Galvantulas are ruled out. They would've wrapped their victims in silk and bring them back to their web.

Boldour? They don't bite, they only smash things.

Beedrills’ sting can paralyze, which could be the cause of all of these Pokémon being eaten.

And Onyx are pretty chill, and these Pokémon often stay away from rocks….

What… was it?”

But then, he stopped thinking, and looked at his surroundings, filled with death, and then looked up at the sky.

Why am I even concerned about this?

I'm no hero, so I won't go out killing those creatures…

I've simply been given orders. There's no need.

“Did my fight with that spirit give me brain damage?”

He remembered that little scuffle so easily.

The way the spirit talked, the way it moved, everything.

“You'll never let me go.” It said.

“I don't think I should.” Cloud replied, taking a step forward. “I am what I am. You are simply a part of me.

But…”

He held his Buster Sword up into the dark night with both hands, and in the blink of an eye, brought it down ferociously onto the spirit, making it disperse into tiny fragments before eventually disappearing.

“You will not haunt me today. Not when I'm trying to get the job done.”

As its fragments squirmed helplessly on the ground, Cloud grabbed one of them with both hands, and stared aimlessly as It formed into nothing but a disgusting, red mouth.

“Don't suppress me, Cloud Strife! I'm always here!” It said, slowly fading into dust.

“I know, and I hate you.”

And finally, it was gone.

But, even with remembering that encounter, Cloud still couldn't find an answer to his question.

So, he just disregarded it, and kept moving forward into the forest. Before he did, he scoured the opening in hopes of finding the item he needed, even going as far as to look under the dead bodies.

Of course, he found nothing.

Meanwhile, Link was nearing the end of the trail. However, something caught his eye to the right. Taking notice upon his slightly wide eyed appearance, the life spirit nudged his nose.

“What is it?”

“Well consider me surprised.” Link said, smiling. “It's a roggenrola!”

Its body was blue and covered in large, smooth facets. It possessed a hexagonal, yellow gem-like artifice in the center of its body, leading to a hexagonal opening that functions as an ear. It also had a brown, rocky oblong atop its head and similar brown rocks that serve as feet.

“A roggenrola? Shouldn't it be in the caves?” Asked the life spirit. “Either way, it is not our concern.”

“Maybe not yours, but it is mine.” Link differed.

“There's something… off about it.”

The Roggenrola was bouncing up and down and seemingly speaking. “Roggen! Roggenrola!” It exclaimed, staring at Link.

“Rog?” Link raised an eyebrow.

“Roggen! Roggen!”

“Rola.” Link spoke back, again.

The life spirit could not believe what it was Witnessing. A human perfectly conversing with a Pokemon? Such seemed unbelievable, and yet, it was happening right before her very eyes.

This boy. He truly is one with spirits.

“There's something it wants to show us.” Link said, smiling, “I dunno this place all that well myself, since I often take a different route. It seems that this Roggenrola knows a shorter pathway to where I wanna find food. So, I'll follow it!”

What an interesting human. Thought the life spirit, following shortly behind the slimes as they diverted off the stonepath.

“Rola? Rog, Roggen?” Link asked. [Say? Do you have a name?]

“Roggen, roggenrola!”

“Rog? Rola, roggen!” Link chuckled. [I see. Hello, Jack!]

Chapter End!

Chapter Text

Roggenrolas usually resided within the ground, so as they walked, and Link remembered such, he began to become confused.

“the wild could only imagine what a Pokemon like you is doing out here. You guys usually stay in caverns.” Link said. "I wonder if something drove you outta there. That can't be good."

“You finally noticed, huh?” The life spirit asked, frowning. “I thought you were quite knowledgeable about life here.”

“Hey hey, I’m just a human at the end of the day, as unfortunate as that is.” Link said, “I know a lot, but not everything like you Life Spirits.”

“Then why is it that you claim to be us? Seems like you’re in over your head.”

“I don’t mean it the way you think.”

“Hm?”

Link’s eyes turned a bit shallow, “Don’t mind it.”

“Rog! Roggen!”

“Ah, so you can understand human language! Heh, that’s rare.” Link smiled.

Good, that mimicking was getting quite annoying. Thought the Life Spirit, noticing the Life Spirit hovering over the Roggenrola. It seemed annoyed, but she could not tell if it was annoyed at the destination they were heading, Link’s previous mimicking, or the fact that it was forced to be attached to this form of life. After all, Life Spirits resided inside of humans instead of outside like they did to animals.

Suddenly, Link pulled out some sort of totem. One of pure wood, adorned with strange carvings.

“I found this the last time I went into this forest. Dunno who would leave it here, however.” he said, “I thought it would help keep the dream spirit away, but it didn’t.”

“Are you going to cast it away?”

“Nah, I'll hold onto it. It’d be a total waste if I just threw it away.” Link said, “No matter how small, It must hold some kind of value.”

The Life Spirit smiled. “I really like you, Link.” it said, “You seem to value everything.”

“You are me as I am you, y’see?” Link said, smirking, “Do you understand me now?”

“Maybe…” The Life Spirit sighed. “Either way, my belief that you are foolish still dwells within me.”

Link simply smiled, “Have it your way.”

Suddenly, small little brown glowing dots appeared on the tomb. Wooden Spirits. They weren’t anything too special. They didn’t speak, nor did they move. They were just… still.

Link smiled at them.

They were quite the rare sight here. Any other human could not see them. Link was the exception, and he could only wonder why.

“Say, you spoke of a Dream Spirit earlier, correct?”

“Yeah… they’re… quite annoying.”

“Just what are these dreams you’re having, Link?” 

And just like that, Link’s smile wavered, and soon, it faded. 

He had only realized that he had witnessed that dream eighteen times now. Eighteen? That’s it? It felt way more. Like he had been experiencing it all his life.

“Hard to describe. It always starts with darkness, and then, there’s this sword. I dunno what it is, but it’s always… staring at me. Then there’s these weird symbols, and this girl calling out to someone. It’s just… strange.” Link explained it in the best way he could, but his memory of it seemed… foggy.

“You know all of life, correct? Is there a way to catch it or at the very least, make it stop?”

“Well, I’ll ask you this, what is your interpretation of that dream?”

Link scratched his head. “A dumb way to scare me, that’s what.” he answered. 

The Life Spirit floated to his left, examining his face. “You really are foolish, eh?”

“Foolish? Try reasonable.” Link said, “Spirits disturbing my peace is where I draw the line. It’ll be the same with you.”

“But that spirit may be attempting to offer you something.” The Life Spirit said, floating his right this time. “I asked of your interpretation, and you rewarded me with a dull answer. Have you ever considered that, perhaps, the dream is a signaling towards something–”

“Keep your mouth shut.” Link’s tone dropped significantly. “Dreams are nothing more than dreams. Not real..,”

“But if it was a different dream–like, say a happier one, you’d call it a blessing.”

Link simply stared down at his feet.

“Where are you getting at?”

“Dreams. They may deceive us, or even lead to the truth. Spirits are the truth. Your truth. I’d say… listen to them.”

And with that, words sparked in his mind. Words from long ago.

“Spirits are absolute. Once, ten-thousand years ago, there was a man. A man who lived in a small village.

He spoke of a dream–one where he failed to save his loved one. Well, it came true.

This has been the case for many who are cursed with such vivid dreams. Some see their glory, while some witness their own deaths.”

“Just forget it.”

Suddenly, small red sparks centered around Link’s head, and with that, came small, blue watery floating dots that seemed to fight each other. The spirits of anger and the spirits of sadness seemed to be combating, with black lines within the crossfire–fear spirits.

“That Dream Spirit needs to go either way.”

“Have it your way.” Said the life spirit, “But you’ll find your ignorance crawling back to you in the future.”

Death, death, death. 

Why can’t It just be peaceful?

Upon placing the tomb in his pocket, he noticed that they had finally arrived. A wide opening between two large bushes, allowing an immense view on the beautiful field before them. It was so full of life, with Pokemon running and flying around, eating many of the fruit within the area.

Link smiled.

“Pretty full place.” He muttered.

Chapter End.

Chapter Text

Link walked into the field, his eyes in shock of the pure beauty of his surroundings.

The life spirit took a liking to this, dancing around Link as he bent down and picked up the white flowers one by one. A memory staggered in his head as he stared at the flower. 

He was a mere child when he realized what spirits were. Someone was always there to remind me of such–a wise, old man with a long, gray beard, and sunken, unnerving eyes.

“Spirits may embody a concept, but they are still living beings… flaws are present within them as well.”

The scenery around him and the old man was swept in beautiful chaos. The sky was clear, the sun was bright, and the leaves were falling, but spirits were everywhere–floating in all directions even though the concepts they were tied to were not present. It seemed like a dream, but Link knew better than that.

“Why won’t you eat it?” Those words snapped him back to the present.

“Can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Didn’t try to kill me… and there’s no feast to respect its soul.”

“But when in need of survival, one shall die of hunger if they don't resort to killing animals.” said the life spirit. “Seems like you're different.”

“People often don't see the value in the things of this world, big or small.” Link said, “People shouldn't throw away what they deem worthless…. It could mean something. Speaking of meaning–”

Link’s gaze grazed upon the field, “—What is the meaning of all of this?”

The Death Spirits–the very things he sought to avoid, were all laughing right in his face. 

“Years ago, we Hylian were created by the great spirits to uphold the law. The goddess of time, Hylia, each bestowed the three one aspect of the universe. One of courage, the second of wisdom, and the last of truth.” Link explained, “Despite that… I believe that the law was different than what most people assume.”

“The law is clear, Link.” Said the life spirits, “By eating these animals, no matter if you intend respect or disrespect, you would be participating in the food chain–a completely natural process.”

“Consider me a… law ambiguous person, I assume.” Link said, “The law isn't always right.”

“Then what is right?”

Link remained silent. “We should keep moving.” He urged, ignoring the death spirits and their laughter, moving in the opposite direction–his hardened gaze towards the forest. “I'm sure there's more of what we're looking for somewhere else.”

What ignorance. Thought The Life Spirit. I've experienced so many humans who strived to be ignorant, but this might be the second most ignorant of them all.

“He's completely out of it, eh?”

The Death Spirit was talking–talking to the life spirit. “We'll have the greatest laugh when his time comes.”

“I wouldn't blame you,” Said The Life Spirit, “Defying the laws of a spirit… How ignorant could he be?”

“Aw, but I thought you took a liking to him.”

“Small nice qualities do not make up for larger, more defining qualities of a human. I don't expect you to know about it, with you only killing.” The Life Spirit's tone turned dark.

What was meant to be a serious statement only brought forth laughter from the death spirit, along with its friends. “Don't discredit me, alright? I make people appreciate your existence ever more by bringing them to my space… speaking of space, haven't you heard?”

“Hm?”

“The After Death Spirit. The being that is said to come after death and lead people's souls to a new path.” Death explained, “It’s a popular belief among us spirits, and even some humans… if it's true, then–”

“Those are nothing more than silly legends!” The Life Spirit's light flashed ever so suddenly, but it brought no fear within the death's spirit's empty hearts.

“Oh? But you wouldn't know, would you? After all…” The death spirit’s tone suddenly descended. “You can't comprehend something being bigger than the two of us.” Said the death spirit. “No Spirit is the embodiment of human souls, y'know? Do you understand why that is? Because that's the individuality of a living creature. They are the embodiment of that. Do you think that they just disappear into thin air upon my touch? Heh, how foolish. I do not kill the soul, only the body.”

The Life Spirit didn't speak a word, but the question begged in her mind. What could possibly be higher than life and death? And most importantly…

Knowledge I don't know?

How irritating…

“Knowledge isn't always accessible through research. No, some of it is by mere experience. But, oh well, keep being in denial.”

“I am NOT in denial.” Once more, the Life Spirit's light flashed. “You're the one who's in denial with your–with your crazy belief in stories!”

It would then turn its back. “We can be business partners. In no way does that mean I'll agree with you.”

As the Life Spirit flew away in Link's direction, the death spirit looked at its other fellow death spirits. “With these life spirits, it seems we're doing business in hell.”

He was supposed to be finding the object, but it seemed his mind was geared towards something else.

A memory.

“I’m not a hero, I let people die back there.”

Cloud was back here, saying these words once more, but could not stop himself.

Why can’t I break out? He always wondered why. He had gotten over the past, so naturally, it shouldn’t frighten him, right? Why was he even here? The object… He needed to find it.

But, the person before him was all he really needed.

“T...Tifa?”

“That flower you gave me the other night. That was from Aerith, wasn't it? I knew there was something weird going on. You, buying flowers. They symbolize reunion, believe it or not. I was curious, so I looked it up. I tried to keep it alive as long as I could. But now... it's dead and buried…"

She paused for a moment, a somberness filling her eyes...

"𝑺𝒂𝒚, 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒐 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆… 𝑫𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓, 𝒐𝒌𝒂𝒚?"

“No…”

Cloud clenched his fists, gritting his teeth.

The sight of such mundane and nostalgic things… angered him greatly.

I'd like to return. He said, but he never knew why. But I'd just be back to square one, wouldn't I?

“I'm not returning to you. It’s not my responsibility now.”

Those words were like a dagger in Tifa's heart, but before tears fell, the entire landscape shattered, and he was back in the present.…

Was that some kind of Fainting Spirit? If so, why did it—

The weight of the mission crossed his mind, and any sort of questioning had faded.

I need to go.

And so he did. Despite his headache, he continued to head forward into the forest, the constant life spirits around constantly flashing him with their light. His face held a sense of boredom as he looked at all the spirits. The only real one intriguing him at the moment was the one that put him into that state of mind.

This intrigue came from resentment more than anything else. If he were to find that spirit, then he would be sure to get rid of it.

But, before he could consider that any further…

Someone had appeared…

“Huh?” Link stood, bewildered. 

What is… a human doing here?

Chapter End

Chapter Text

I was almost certain that this forest had no more Hylians here.

The Dark Spirit of Decay was said to have killed anyone who lived here, but…

Maybe... there is a hope. - Cloud

No humans have ever come here. Whoever this is, it can’t be good. - Link

Link held his totem closely to his waist. In ancient Hylian culture, totems were said to protect those from Evil Spirits, like the Spirit of Grief, the Spirit of Decay, and the Spirit of Non-Impurity.

“Who… are you?”

Uttering no words, Cloud held a stern look, and grabbed the handle of his buster sword with his left hand, while holding his right hand fourth as a sign of reassurance. “I’m a member of the Spectrals—sent here by Lars Alexandersson himself.” he said, “I was sent here specifically to collect a totem, nothing more. Now, it's your turn.”

Link gritted his teeth, “Forget it. I’m not answering to a human.” he said, squinting his eyes ever so slightly, “You can either leave this forest, or I’ll deal with you personally.”

Cloud could not take his threat seriously. He was nothing more than a random kid in the forest to him–if it was a warrior, then… 

“I don’t have any intention of hurting you. So please, come with me.” Cloud offered. "You're needed for—"

“Totem of year one-thousand eighty-two.”

Cloud’s eyes widened. That was the exact name of the title he was looking for.

But, how could he know? Such seemed to be too convenient.

“It’s the only totem left since the incident involving the Spirit of Decay,” Link explained, slowly hiding the totem in the bag by his waist. “Not only used to combat spirits, but to pray and gather the spirits of this land. Now, you answer me,” In an effort to play Cloud’s game, Link’s stern gaze was now countering Cloud’s stern gaze, “Why do you want it?”

For a moment, Cloud was going to tell him the reasoning behind his search, but then he reminded himself.

I don’t need a reason.

"It's my objective.” Cloud claimed, his voice now soft, “By completing this quest, it will help in the effort to combat the three great spirits that inhabit our galaxy. Galeem, Dharkhon, and Tabuu. If you know where it is, then turn yourself in ans show me the way already. Every small thing counts.”

“Do you understand what the item is? Its significance?” Link asked, his hair covering his eyes.

Cloud simply scoffed, “Why is that necessary?”

Such was an expected answer. Link heard it himself from the life spirit that he was different, but if anything, such made him clench his fists. 

He of all people knew.

Years ago, when the decay was occurring.

So many dying, and yet? No one helping each other.

He remembered it ever so clearly…

He was there, a boy—watching as the world around him crumbled with no sense of remorse. What was once a vibrant tapestry of life was now a distant dream at the edges.

The decay had seeped into the very fabric of life, eroding the vibrancy of humanity. It wasn’t just the physical deterioration of cities and landscapes; it was the erosion of values, the dismissal of life’s fragility.  And yet, nothing.

But how could they be so ignorant?

Don't people value their lives?

People walked through the cobblestone streets, hollow-eyed, their faces masks of indifference. They hurried past the remnants of those who had once mattered—friends, family, loved ones—now mere shadows in their memories.

He remembered the days when laughter echoed through corners, when love was a currency richer than gold.

But as the decay set in, a strange apathy took hold.

It was as if they had collectively decided that to care was to suffer, that to feel was a burden too heavy to bear. 

He recalled the first signs—the whispers of illness that danced through the air, warning signs that escalated from mere warnings to desperate cries for help.

Instead of rallying together, people had retreated into their shells, caught in a web of denial.

“It won’t happen to me,” they had thought, oblivious to the creeping shadows that loomed closer with each passing day.

Then, one day, it was too late. When It happened, the only thing they could hold onto was that totem, and even then, many found it foolish to hold onto it.

Many abandoned their jobs, homes, family, and the will to hold onto the items that made them special.

The complete hopelessness of it all disregarded their very will to live.

In the end, Link only had his spirits to hold onto as the death spirits laughed all around him–endlessly staring at the endless amount of runes, toys, and other small things left over by the people who were now dead.

What was the meaning of all this? That was all he could wonder.

“This was used for unity and peace!” Link shouted, “You people can't have it!”

This is getting tedious...

Why is trying to protect something like this?

“What? Do you think you're doing somethung great by protecting it?” Cloud’s tone took a dark turn, and his eyes went down the same path.

A memory appeared in his head too. During his days as a soldier, he witnessed the truth of the matter.

Heroes risk their lives just for nothing to get better.

Cloud's voice dropped, the weight of the past heavy on his shoulders. "You know? A friend of mine was a hero, but he paid the ultimate price for it. He fought against what was deemed unbelievable odds, believing he could change the world. But in the end, you know what did it really amount to? A legacy. A name forgotten in history. But I guess that's what he signed up for, right?"

He clenched his fists, the memories swirling like a storm inside him.

The fallen Buster Sword. 

The blood across the ground of stone.

The tears that streamed down his eyes.

"I watched him fall, the light gone from his eyes in an instant, and I was left to pick up the pieces—no matter how small they were. He didn’t even get a say in it all, either." The look in his eyes, it was visceral. "Maybe he was just pawns in a game played by those who wield power. In the end, nothing really changed. It's like a play with no good end in sight—so it all isn't worth it."

The sheer bitterness of truth. "I don’t want to be a hero. I just want to survive and do what I need to do." The darkness that enveloped him felt both suffocating and liberating, and yet, his hatred was still guided towards Link. But, some of it was… towards himself? He simply ignored it, and demanded once more for Link to hand over the totem. "You understand, right? You live here, after all."

But he refused.

“If you want to take this from me, then–”

Link would need to think carefully about what he was going to say next. Protecting something at the cost of death? The very thing that laughed in his face and something the life spirits worked with and called him delusional over?

But, what could he do? From the looks of it, the person before him was much more experienced than him.

“Then what? You'll die?” 

For what purpose? Cloud asked himself, pulling out his sword and pointing it forward. For a moment, he felt regret, but the reinforcement of thoughts telling him that this was his responsibility washed that regret away.

“So be it.”

He unveiled his Buster Sword. I can't really kill him. I just have to knock him out...

But, suddenly, a rumbling arose from the ground, catching the two off guard. Cloud was unfamiliar with it and assumed it was Link's doing, but being in this forest long enough–Link knew exactly what it was.

Before he could turn and run… there it was.

The Spirit of Rage appeared as a swirling tempest of dark crimson and black, its form shifting and undulating like smoke, with fiery eyes that glowed with an intense, malevolent light, leaving a trail of scorched earth in its wake. 

Chapter End!

Chapter Text

“To choose who you want to save is not saving.” - Lars Alexandersson 

“Well, there’s just no fun in killing things for me…

If it came to a life or death situation, though…

I’m not too sure about that either.”

Those words ringed within his head, but what was his choice now? Was he really about to die?

Emotion type Spirits were invisible, and the only way to make their presence known was that emotion completely consuming a person.

For the Spirit of Rage to appear, it took the unbridled rage from two or more people. This was strange, however, because they were not known to attack others. 

“Look out!”

Cloud bellowed, and suddenly, Link found himself on the ground, staring at the broken twigs and the grass spirits below him. He found comfort in them, but only for a mere moment before remembering the gravity of what was happening. 

He could hear it, the Spirit was still rampaging…

But what about Cloud?

Surprisingly, he was fighting back.

He leapt back near a falling tree–any chance to recover being diminished as the spirit of rage came crashing down.

Again, and again, and again. It didn’t take long for Cloud to notice that his buster sword was slowing down his speed. So, as the spirit of rage rushed towards him once more–upon the point of vanishing, he threw his buster sword three feet into the air. Both the Spirit and Link were confused.

The reasoning for vanishing was simple–simple to all Spectrals. 

The understanding of the outline of one’s soul—therefore reaching the inner self, which is where the latent power to create an ability lies…

Cloud’s inner self is…

Power!

An ability that allowed Cloud to amplify his physical attributes, as well as a separate set of abilities.

Before the Rage Spirit knew, a thunderous kick from Cloud's right leg to the head had made him fall head first into the sword. It arrived in pain, unable to see–aimlessly smashing at the trees. Link felt awful, and yet, if Cloud had not saved him–the Spirit would’ve killed him. Throughout his life, Link’s relation with Spirits had been nice, but what now?

As the creature lived in pain, Cloud vanished again–soon reappearing where his sword was thrown and lifting it up with his right hand. He bent down slightly, and held the sword downward slightly to the right–his left hand to his waist while holding a calm face.

But, before he did, he remembered his previous act of saving Link–and then looked at Link himself.

He was… protecting?

No.

He could not accept that thought–but it seemed very possible.

Disregarding the possibility completely, Cloud leapt forward, preparing to strike his sword upward–unleashing a powerful wind! But when he did, despite striking the creature… The power he planned to release was refuted, leaving him dumbfounded.

What made Cloud himself was his will to commit to his responsibility, and with the mere thought of him saving Link earlier–his motives were unknowingly wavering.

What is… this?

No thought was allowed–the creature had already regained its vision by healing.

To kill a Spirit like this, you’d have to strike at it constantly before its regeneration kicked in–which Cloud failed to do, resulting in a punch that sent him crashing into multiple trees.

Link gasped–witnessing the Spirit roar in rage.

Should I do something? He wondered.

Pain was no worry to Cloud. At least, not now, but there was this utter sense of confusion–how could he, a human driven by responsibility, be wavered so easily.

He could see it. It was a repeat of the past. The time where tried to protect the innocent, and even someone he loved...

All It took was the simple reminder that it all went wrong for him to stand up.

“Responsibility.”

“Responsibility.”

...

“Responsibility.”

He kept on whispering those words as blood poured down his head into his right eye. The spirit was still raging on, heading towards him with a killing intent. Cloud was able to grab his sword with both hands and strike down at its hand before it could reach him. 

The very understanding of his soul was wavering–therefore, he knew he couldn't keep this up, but he had to. It was his duty. 

No, wait, all I need is that totem…

So why am I fighting?

Slash upon slash–Cloud still fought on, trees constantly being thrown around and destroyed, causing dust to form everywhere.

Meanwhile, Link was left watching in utter bewilderment.

What he felt for this human, was it pity? Even if it was, it didn't matter, because he seemed to disregard his very own life just as all humans did… or was it that he simply valued Link's life?

But why would anyone do that?

“Can't you see?”

The Life Spirit from earlier was here. Link hadn't even noticed that he had dropped the totem and it was now ten feet away from him.

“See what?”

“Confliction. I can see it, at least, both in him and you.” The Life Spirit spoke in a somber tone. “He has a responsibility to take the totem away from you, and yet, it seems that his sense of duty is focused on protecting you.”

Link stayed silent, watching Cloud as he struggled to fight on.

“Due to your hatred, I know you won't listen, but,” her voice turned sharp, “That boy is you, and you are him.”

Was that the truth of the matter?

If so, then it was quite the rude awakening. To be the same as a human when he could relate to Spirits?

How unbelievable!

But… then, it came to him–the painful reminder of what he hated.

The echoing laugher of the death that plagues thid land!

If he were to do nothing, and let him die then he would be the cause of that death. Such would anger him more than anything.

So, he stood up.

Should I really be doing this? He asked himself, slowly walking towards the battle. If I die, then the death spirits will be laughing at me.

What…?

Before he could even consider his thoughts, his body suddenly moved on its own, a snap of a twig catching the attention of the spirit of rage. At that moment…

Link gained somewhat of an understanding.

An understanding of his soul, that is.

[COURAGE] 

An ability that brings power to those who hold great courage!

He curled his hands into a fist, and twisted his body–seemingly throwing a punch, but that very punch unleashed a great, unavoidable flame that instantly burned away the Spirit of Rage.

Was that... Magic? Link questioned himself. 

Cloud sat there, bloody and dumbfounded. The only words he could utter out of his mouth were…

“Why did you… get in the way?”

Link turned to him, panting, his eyes heavy. “I… I don't know. Maybe it's because you did the same to me.”

He would then fall onto the ground, seeking into the depths of unconsciousness.

Cloud closed his eyes–a wave of anger and relief washing over him.

“Ha,” he chuckled, “How idiotic.”

He too would then faint, the Life Spirit staring at the both of them in silence as the other Life Spirits floated around them to signal they were alive, although in reality, they were mere glowing balls of green.

Seeing the two like this–it could only imagine what the Death Spirits would be like upon seeing them. But, even so, it made a decision.

I desire... to follow this Hylian.

His life interests me.

INFORMATION!

• The Spectrals have no ranking system. The one who created the concept of Quests and judges their results found a ranking system pointless as roles are usually assigned to the Quest when it begins. When not, the roles are randomized.
• Cloud initially rejected the Quest, but decided to give it a try after constant urging from a fellow comrade.

"I wanted to break past the confines of failure." - Cloud.

Chapter End.

Chapter Text

He was back inside of the dream again–but something was different.

Cracks of light were forming within the darkness, and he was able to move his arm just by a small bit.

The Master Sword now glowed ever brighter–Spirits of Life circling all around it. Was it… alive? But, that couldn’t be. Spirits rarely showed signs of life to mere objects.

Then, there were Ground Spirits, who took the form of small, black hands of darkness–depending on the texture of the ground, they would take on that same texture, and the texture of the ground was pure, black stone.

The Triforce hung above it, but the triangle on the right that represented courage was glowing ever so brightly than the rest. Before he could reach out to it, he was suddenly back within reality–thousands of questions pouring into his mind.

Just what realm was he in? Blackness surrounded the outside of the dome, and yet, millions—billions of stars—some being in spirals of an accumulation of colors, brought forth light. In front of him was a table of gold in the shape of a hexagon which took up the majority of the room, chairs on all six sides, but no one in them. No ounce of sound was present either.

When I fainted earlier… I thought I was dead.

I guess not… quite the relief.

But, that spirit…

Link’s heart sank to his stomach. 

I… killed it.

“These spirits… they really are me.”

Those words echoed in his head, and yet, he knew that if he hadn't murdered that spirit, the death spirits would've laughed at him once more

Was there a better resolve?

Honestly, the belief of spirits hurting humans was always possible, but as long as I never saw it, then my perception of spirits wouldn't start to waver.

Damn it…

Even he didn't have an answer. 

But, a door suddenly opened.

“Hey there.” A voice called, catching Link's attention. He raised his head and saw the one and only...

𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐒 𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐗𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍 - [𝐓𝐄𝐊𝐊𝐄𝐄𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐍 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓! 𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐑𝐑𝐌𝐌𝐌𝐌!]

“Ah, Link.”

Link's eyes widened. “And you are?”

Lars gave him a comforting smile. “I'm Lars Alexandersson. The leader of a Spectral district.” he said, “When the world ended millions of years ago after the spirits of light and dark destroyed the galaxy, the soul of the Strongest was created,” his eyes soon turned stern, seemingly glowing brighter than any of the stars. “Many call me... The Strongest Soul in existence.”

Such information was handed no response from Link. He was in disbelief at that story, but considering what he'd seen yesterday and throughout his life, it seemed possible.

“The Strongest Soul in existence?” Link asked, his voice wavering slightly, “But you're only human. The only strongest can be spirits, as they're the truth of everything.”

“That's why I prefer the word... 'Protector'.” Lars cocked his head to the side, . “Or, that's what the Spirits and humans claim me to be. I don't want to give you the impression that I'm looking down on you.”

Huh?

Throughout history, many rulers and tyrants were convinced that true strength came from an army or self-disregard… 

But the man before me is neither.

What… is he?

"What exactly Is the Strongest?" Link asked.

"Comparable to a fail-safe if all goes wrong. If the number of Quests aren't completed by the yearly deadline, then my existence can essentially hold reality together for a while." Answered Lars. "If not for souls like me, the world would've ended a long time ago. I'm the most... important protector of the world, dealing with the threats that directly harm it."

“I see." What is going on? "So, why exactly have you brung me here?”

“Well, you have something that the world needs.” Lars explained, leaving Link confused. “You see, Link. People who realize their true selves are essential to the point of the Spectrals. We have three things we must accomplish by the end of this year, or the world will end once more,” he then placed three fingers up, “First is to protect the Three Spirits from consuming the earth. Galeem, the spirit of light, Dharkhon, the spirit of darkness, and Tabuu, whose concept is currently unknown. This isn’t something that happens often due to their 'sealing' years ago.”

A finger then went down, “Two is two find the holder of the Spirit of Non-impurity, the Spirit created after a battle between two people named Jin Kazama and Kazuya Mishima. Due to that, the galaxy has been thrown off balance. It could result in the world falling apart completely before we can accomplish much.”

Then, the only finger left–his ring finger.

“Three, all Spectral and their teams must complete over three-hundred Quests by the end of the year.” He said, resting his chin on his fists, “This is the Spectrals routine for every year. And to put it simply, you're on my team.”

“Wait!” Link held his right palm forth with a face of distress, “What in the world does any of this have to do with me?!”

“Simple.” Lars's smile faded, and he leaned closer. “You are obligated to join our cause.”

Link's mind suddenly went into a frenzy.

To bear such a responsibility–the responsibility of humans seemed like something completely out of his league, and yet, it was apparently his obligation to?

No, his obligation was to live a peaceful life with spirits.

“Just what are you talking about?!” His voice was full of anger.

Spectral - "Speh–ec—tral" 

Definition One: Ghostlike. 

Definition Two: Powerful Heroes who save the World of Light every year.

Definition Three: One with a soul-ability who adventures!

 Chapter End.

Chapter Text

“Link, you are aware of what each triangle of the Triforce represents, correct?” Asked Lars.

Link simply nodded, “Courage, Qisdom, and Truth.” He said, frowning, “What do you know about Hylian culture?”

“I know a little bit of everything,” Lars stated, looking over at the stars. “Link, do you know what these stars are? No, what they represent?"

Link placed his thumb and index finger on his chin. Stars were always present back in the forests, but he never saw their spirits–therefore, he could not think much of them.

The most impressive thing he heard about them was the stories he heard when he was a child–the times where there were actually people living nearby.

It spoke of the stars being the holder of a distant continent. The Mushroom Continent. To this day, Link had no idea what they meant, but with the situation at hand, there seemed to be a connection.

“I’ve heard that they represent absolute power and unity in a distant continent.” Link said, “Is that true?”

Lars nodded, “Correct,” he said, “The queen of the Mushroom Kingdom holds the Spirit of Stars–thus making the existence of stars absolute. It’s the same for every other continent with a Great spirit, and now, it’s the same with you.”

Link pointed to himself, dumbfounded, “Me?” he asked, his eyes wide.

Lars nodded again, “Yes, you.” he said, “The Hylian race no longer exists, so in theory, that would make you hold the holder of a Spirit, but in your case, it’s different.” he then re-positioned himself higher in his chair, his arms laying flat on the table, “You are merely the holder of a Spiritual Weapon that can embody more than one concept as has the essence of the Spirits within it. The Spirits of the Triforce brought those concepts to Hyrule, and when they are gone, It’s assumed that it’s the reason the Spirit of Decay washed over the land, and why you are alive. By Spiritual Law, the holder of three concepts is fated to become a Spectral. That is why you can’t refuse.”

“So you’re saying… it’s all fated?”

“That’s right.” Lars confirmed, “That is the truth. It’s best you start embodying that concept now that you have it.”

Link clenched his fists, “That can’t be.” He said, his voice wavering, “The truth of this entire thing is not what I live for! You want to know the truth? The truth is that I am not as good as the humans I despise!”

“Huh?”

“I murdered a spirit.” Link’s voice fell, his gaze to the table, “I promised that Spirits were a part of me!” anger slowly began to build up in his voice, a tear falling from his right eye, “The truth of that matter is not something I can simply accept! Therefore… I should not exist!”

He wiped away his tears from the fear of showing weakness here, but the truth of the matter was that expression of weakness was not something he could reject either. Lars stayed silent for a moment, staring endlessly at the stars. 

Even with being the strongest, he could still grasp it. The feeling of losing your very essence, and with that, what he needed to say was clear.

“Link,” his voice was soft, “Do you know what you did in that moment?’

Link gave him no acknowledgement. “What’re you talking about?”

“You risked your life, both literally and figuratively to save another. Had you not, Cloud, my student, would’ve died.”

But what did that matter to me? Link thought. Do I really hate death so much that I’d stoop so low to save… a human?

“Tell me, Link… were you afraid at that moment?”

Holding onto his right arm in shame, Link nodded subtly. “Yeah.”

“Then you have unlocked a core part of yourself already.” Lars said, “Courage.”

Link raised his head to Lars instinctively. 

The truth was beginning to unravel.

“As you understand your soul more, then more abilities will be given to you.” Lars explained, “Do you see it now?”

“But that courage...!” Link stood up abruptly, slamming his right hand to the table, resulting in a loud thud. “It made me numb inside! Are you saying that… it was worth unlocking a new ability at the expense of decaying my own self?! If that’s what’s right for you, then… I’d–”

“Are you going to say you’d rather die?” Lars asked, suddenly standing up with a heavy sense of seriousness within his eyes. “There is sometimes salvation in death, but that’s not the case for you, right? Even if you were to, then it'd be nothing more than a selfish decision that'll disrupt the balance of the universe!”

Salvation in death…

Maybe…

He nearly had to slap himself. Just what was he considering. There was no point in death… unless…

“I'll be returning to you soon, Link. I have a matter to attend to.” Lars said, “Use this time to think about the situation you're in. I'll admit, telling you all of that information so suddenly was dumb on my part, but all the same, prepare yourself mentally. We're going to need you.”

Lars exited the room, leaving the golden door shut. And with that, Link was left alone–the only source of company being his thoughts.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

As Link sat there, gazing at the stars of space, it would seem a visitor–one that he had not known for long–had arrived. A daunting blue light manifested itself besides him, his eyes widening slightly as he noticed. Before its full manifestation, Link could only assume that it was a Spirit of some sort of concept. Perhaps the stars? He had been isolated from the rest of the world for a majority of his life, so he could only assume that there was a vast amount of spirits to be seen, or perhaps this could’ve been another phenomenon.

Both possibilities were shut down as the spirit fully manifested itself. It was a Life Spirit. The same Life Spirit that he talked to within the forest. It darted left and right, almost as if it was examining his face. Due to Link recognizing the spirit, he merely greeted it.

“You’re the Spirit from before,” Link said, his voice still hollow, “I don’t understand. How did you get here?”

The Spirit stopped darting, and hovered above Link’s face. It sensed… annoyance? But how could that be? Link relished and took great interest in spirits, so what was it now?

Then, it realized. Link’s attempt to save Cloud and ultimately killing the spirit was on his mind.

Which begged the question…

“How could I forget?”

Spirits never forget. They remembered everything, and they remembered it constantly.

Forgetting was for the ones below them. Humans. However, this seemed to be an exception.

“What you did back there must be clouding your mind, isn't it?”

Link noted the Spirit’s seemingly forgetful nature, and as someone who knew the basic science behind spirits and how they work, it was strange. Then again, he could not be completely swayed away or scared by it.

These Spirits were him, after all. Besides, this wasn’t the first time. He nodded in agreement to the question, not giving the Spirit any sort of acknowledgement.

“Yeah,” Link said, “Perhaps there could have been a better way to resolve that. At least, I think.”

The Spirit turned around, seemingly disappointed in Link’s words.

They didn’t exactly know why, considering it was the exact thing they expected.

They had witnessed Link’s foolish ideals firsthand during their meeting in the forest. Perhaps that was what caused this feeling of annoyance.

But at the same time, it understood, and as long as it was understandable, it was something it could accept.

It turned back around, swiftly darting to the left–Link’s eyes tracing its movement.

“Considering your beliefs, I can understand why such was hard for you.” It said, “But, there are times in life where we must be prepared to face the things we fear.”

“And that’s the truth, huh?” 

The Spirit hovered up and down. “Correct.”

Link sighed, his mind—which was previously in a frantic—became stable and traced back to the Death Spirit.

The thought that he would have to face death—not only the Death of other Spirits—but death to himself, was terrifying. Death was the end all be all of human beings.

Link was only that.

Am I as interconnected with these Spirits as I think I am?

Meanwhile, outside of the room Link resided in, Cloud stood within the hallway—a hallway structured in ethereal walls in the color of dark blue. He was leaning against the wall, his mind tracing back to the encounter with that spirit just a day before.

Maybe my adrenaline brought back old memories.

Or maybe it was just an inconsistency.

But the signs were obvious.

No…

That can't happen again…

“The Vessel struggles to make a decision.”

Cloud's head raised and he turned to his right. Commander Lars in sight, slowly approaching him—mere inches away from the door of the room.

“Another one 'interconnected' with the concept of spirits, it seems.” He said, “Not the most self-defeating ideal, however… for this job, it'll be quite difficult for him to carry out the task.”

“If he's so reluctant to harm spirits, then why are we trying to recruit him?” Cloud asked as Lars had stopped within eight feet of him. He knew the answer.

“He holds one of the Three Great Artifacts–or Souls if you prefer to call them that—which are necessary for us to protect the earth from the threat.” Lars explained, “The fact that he's gone under our radar for so long truly is unbelievable.”

“Other Spectrals went there years ago, but they never found anyone.” Cloud stroked an imaginary beard. It was rare for him to think so hardly of something like this. “Why in the world was this found just now?”

“We were under the assumption that the plague that occurred there had led to extinction. So I pose two theories,” Lars held up two fingers. His ring finger, and his middle finger. “One, some sort of Spirit hid his presence, and two,” his voice dropped dramatically, “He was hiding somewhere himself. Somewhere that even we could not reach.”

Cloud scoffed. Impossible...

“I don't know why, but… I don't think I can understand you, spirit.”

Those very words were a pain to get out. The Life Spirit could tell, but it didn't bother to mention. The strangest part was—the life spirit couldn't understand Link either.

They were either warriors, competent monarchs, and people with enough life experience to withstand the troubles of life.

Any other Life Spirit can take on the role of guidance, and yet here it was—tethering onto Link like a dog. Perhaps it was out of pity? Perhaps it was its duty? Not even it knew.

“I am quite chaotic, I understand.” The Spirit ascended upwards slowly. “But before the Death Spirits pull you to the ground, I want you to understand me.”

It didn't feel like an obligation to the spirit of life. No…

A yearn for human connection?

I killed that spirit, but…

Perhaps I can still redeem myself from understanding.

I can't understand how life could be so chaotic…

One step forward.

His heart felt a jolt from that thought. In the nick of time, Lars had returned to the room, the weight of responsibility scattered across his face.

The Strongest Soul in existence.

Just how could any human bear that?

“So,” Link balled his right fist and kept his head low, “For this job, it'll be difficult for someone like me, right?”

Lars nodded.

“And this is the absolute truth I can't run from?”

Lars nodded once again.

My right to exist will fade, and It'll become nothing.

I'll become nothing.

But I killed that Spirit.

I'm already dead, so why kill myself more?

But what makes me deserve the easy life?

I don't want the easy way out.

Link finally stared up—his eyes intense and filled with anger—with one deep breath, he felt another jolt in his heart as he said the words.

“I will carry this obligation.”

The Life Spirit was surprised, but ever so glad that Link was beginning to take a step forward. For Lars, he couldn't feel the same. it's not like he wanted a mere child to carry such a burden, or even the burden placed on himself, it's just the way things were.

“This is sure to lead to a path of self-destruction, and perhaps self-reformation.” Lars said, “This is the truth of the matter.”

“I'll accept it.”

Maybe this way… I can understand life.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Four words, and the decision had finally been made. Lars escorted Link outside of the rook—before they left—Link took one more look at the stars, admiring their beauty. The life spirit soon faded into what one could think to be nothing. The two then entered the hallway, Cloud standing in the same spot he was previously.

As they passed him, Lars gestured to Cloud to follow him, and so he did—but not without giving Link a serious glare. With this, Link did the same.

Why…

Did I do that back there?

That was the only thing on the minds of both.

At the end of the hallway resided another door. Link expected this door to lead to some sort of structure to take them out of here. With what he had seen on the outside of this structure, he could only assume that they had ventured out here through an aircraft.

But that perception was ruined when all the door led to was… A white void.

You'd think you'd be floating due to the absence of a floor, but upon stepping foot into the void, your foot touched the invisible ground.

Link could feel a weird pressure. It was heavy, yet heavenly. Was this some form of connection? It felt the same as the connection he felt with spirits for some reason, albeit a bit off due to the confusion he felt.

This place. It was the bridge that separated the human realm from the Cognitive Realm of Spirits, where the very fabric of humans cannot cross without some sort of protection.

It was due to this that only a selective view could cross there—including the spectrals. The full reality of the cognitive spirit was insanely limited to humans.

It was something that they could not bear to understand or perceive as of now.

Not even the Strongest.

It was also where Tabuu, Galeem, and Dharkhon resided. Somewhere, at least. Far within the realm.

At the end of this void lies the great, tall steel gate that would place them back into the human realm, and back to…

“What's this?” Link asked as the three approached the great gate. 

“The gate back to where we belong,” Lars explained, “The World of Light. In other words, the human realm.”

The gate opened, and the two took one more step before stopping. Cloud gave Link no acknowledgement, contrary to Lars who granted Link a glare that demanded his loyalty.

Was he truly ready to carry out this duty? He wanted to further understand his connection with spirits, but for the suffering he was sure to gain, was it really worth it?

The possible chaos and confusion of life that awaited him…

That's what life is, is it not?

Link gave Lars a nod, and with that, the three entered the gate, bringing them to…

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓!

“Well, look who's-a back.”

A voice emerged, a new one, but what caught Link's attention was the beautiful scenery around them. They were in a forest—in some kind of wide opening with a seemingly never ending streaming lake to their right. The mud spirits arose from the ground, both from the grass and the path carved.

The grass spirits seemed to immediately form a bond with Link, tethering onto his boots. Link smiled in remembrance of the last morning—everything was going by so fast from what he deemed normal. It was by remembering his role that his smile soon turned into a frown…

This role of mine…

But as the grass sprites dissipated for some reason, Link could properly hear the voices. It was from Lars and the new voice he had previously heard. Such a high pitched voice belonged to a member of the mushroom kingdom.

“Where are the others?” Lars asked.

The person he talked to had fair skin and stood at a height of what seemed to be six feet, nearly half the size of Lars, and the same as Cloud.

𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐎!

“They're preparing for the event today.” He said, “The Spectral Goodwill event is important. I'm not one to take it so seriously, y'know, so I'm-a just out here.”

Mario’s eyes then met Link.

“Oh! Seems like we've-a-got new guy on the block, huh?” he then smiled, “That means…”

“The test can initiate.” Lars said.

Test? Lars hadn't said anything about a test? It couldn't be a test to determine his role as a spectral. The job had already been given to him, right?

Goodwill event? 

This role is way too serious for something like that!

“Hey hey, Pisano!” Mario called out to Link, taking a few steps forward. Cloud stood there, seemingly examining both. As for Lars, he turned and spoke a few words before leaving into the forest.

“Consider this a way to measure your current status.”

“To put it simply…” Mario took a deep breath as Link stood up. His face etched in curiosity. “I'll be testing you psychically. A fight.”

“What?!”

Link couldn't believe what he had just heard. He had LITERALLY just got here and now he had to fight? Such is Smash.

The chaos of life… seems like something I have to get used to.

“The role has been given to ya, but you have little fighting experience other than taking down that spirit.” Mario explained, putting his right fist forward as his left resided towards his hip. A large, red flare glowed around his body. “I understand if this is sudden, but random encounters are necessary for adapting. For example: no matter the severity of the toliet, a plumber must always try his or hers best to fix it!”

Link could see it due to his spiritual sense—his way of sensing spirits—being almost automatic.

But he had never once seen it on a human.

Was this what they called “The Soul”?

“In this match, I'll also be testin’ your soul.”

I'm assuming he's completely oblivious to that.

From the confused look on Link's face, it seemed he was.

I see…

“So get ready.”

Link remembered that sudden understanding from that ambush. The understanding of his actions, or somewhat. It was comparable to that of adrenaline—a response that occurs in a troubling situation.

He knew it wasn't a fight for his life, but it was a fight to test his current position.

Link's eyes went from confused to determined.

“You.”

Mario held his stance, but his expression was filled with interest. “Hm?”

“What exactly is a Spectral?”

Mario stood there for a moment, seemingly thinking of an answer to that question.

“it's the extermination of spirits and soul-ability users who cause trouble around the world.” He explained, “But ideals can vary. Some see it as a means to get revenge, some see it as a means of self-validation, and some even for fame and money. No matter the reason, the true purpose is always there. So that leaves you. What's a spectral to you?”

A part of Link thought he could see the value within the lives of spirits and bring them salvation, but that would stray away from the original purpose.

So what was a spectral?

“The idea of a Spectral is…” A small, shining yellow aura unbeknownst to Link had surrounded him. Even such little understanding of the reasoning could…

“..Something that stings me.”

Bring out the power of the soul...

“But even so… I don't have a say in it, so…” He extended his hands forth, “I want to understand spirits with the life I have. Not through death, but bring salvation through understanding. I couldn't even understand life, so I need to further my connection—because they're still me!”

He couldn't understand. This willing to further his own ideals through this human for the sake of his role? Was this really worth breaking his very essence apart?

“Ha.” Mario chuckled, a smirk growing on his face.

“Then let's further that a bit.”

INFORMATION

• Mario never takes his hat off, and even when hit with a great amount of force, it never comes off, either
• He was the first to be scouted by Lars Alexandersson.
• Originally wore reverse colors (blue and red) before eventually deciding to (Nintendo) switch!
• Has a winged friend.

"I woke up today... and thought of spaghetti!" - Mario.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

The battle would commence as Cloud stood by, Mario appearing in front of Link in the blink of an eye—leaving him unable to dodge a devastating right hook to the face, sending him flying. The grass spirits as Link tumbled onto the ground, the distance between him and Mario considerably further now. 

Link grunted and wiped his face, noticing a small amount of blood now on his left hand. 

That was fast! Link was in shock.

Cloud looked on in disappointment. Though this was only the first hit thrown in the fight, he was certain—knowing the kind of person Mario is—that Link probably wouldn't be able to keep up with him. Yes, he hated Mario, but he could not deny his strength or anyone else's.

As Mario appeared behind Link, unleashing another strike that would send him near the lake, he tried to remember that feeling—the feeling of power he felt fighting that spirit. The hatred he felt from committing the act clouded his mind, but if he could redirect that hatred towards the humans he always hated, then that was all he needed to keep going.

Link stood on one knee, panting frantically, seemingly awaiting Mario’s next move, but Mario was standing still, staring at Link with a look of pity.

Only two hits and he's tired? Mario thought. Fighting isn't the only way to further beliefs, but….

It's part of the job.

“Want me to go a little easier?” Mario suggested with a smile, but if anything, it only further Link's frustration.

He gritted his teeth, struggling to get back on his feet as he gave Mario a glare—a glare that Cloud was all too familiar with—a glare of hatred.

“Give me everything you got.” He said, wiping away the blood from his nose. “Defeating a human either way is satisfying for me. I'm not weak, after all.”

Mario frowned at his expression. No, it was more than just the hate within his eyes…

It was the response itself.

“You're incredibly ignorant, y'know?” Mario argued, “This isn't about defeating me.”

“I don't need a human to further my understanding!” Link spat back, “You're just an obstacle in my way… I'll further my understanding of spirits myself. If I can't do that, then—”

Mario was already there—a fist in the air ready to slam down in Link's face—yet, it hit nothing.

The air wooshed around his fist as before Mario could even realize, Link was just under his fist. Such speed, where had it come from? It was obvious.

If Link was interconnected with the spirits themselves, then the very fabric of where he lived had taught him one thing…

Always trust your instincts.

Link sprang upward, maneuvering his head slightly away from Mario's arm and unleashing a palm strike to his chest, which sent him back a little, taking him by surprise. 

As he was still in disbelief, Link would unleash a front kick with his right leg, sending him even further back. It was a good feeling getting hits in—albeit not doing too much damage as seen as Mario was still standing—but it was a start.

“Who am I?” Link finally finished his statement. “I stooped so low for a mere human… This is atonement.”

Mario should have been smiling from Link's strikes, although due to his much more muscular stature, it had little effect on him, but he couldn't look beyond his hatred.

This was beginning to become less of a test for both.

“So you look down on humans?”

Link nodded, regaining his battle stance. He gritted his teeth, reminded of the disastrous plague that ravaged his village, as well as “saving” Cloud. “They shouldn't exist in this world.”

“This view ya have, it's really making me angry.” Mario balled his fists tightly, “Only seeing the worst in us. Like, come on, I'm just a plumber standing here.”

"A 'plumber' who attacked me first!"

"It'sa requirement, pal!"

Witnessing this talk of ideals was really getting the best of Cloud.

These people really think they're honorable with all of this talk, huh? The heroes of their own story.

The two launched forward at each other again, this time, Link went for the first strike, jumping into the air and unleashing a spinning back that was dodged by Mario, who ducked under. The moment Link hit the floor, Mario went for a roundhouse kick, which Link narrowly blocked with his right elbow, throwing him off balance.

Something about the difference in strength weirded out Link. It didn't seem to be purely physical.

There was something else going on.

As he struggled to regain balance, Mario would sweep his right leg, disrupting the balance and throwing him back onto the ground, back first.

Luckily for Link, his instincts were still eye and he was able to roll over and avoid a stomp to his face. As Mario rushed forward, eager to continue his barrage. Link kicked up the dirt from the ground, causing both the dirt and the spirits they accumulated from it to temporarily blind Mario. This gave way for an opportunity for Link to raise his body upwards, and to strike his opponent's face with an elbow, almost taking him off of his feet.

Yet, he couldn't understand… Why couldn't he bring out the same course of power that he felt earlier? This human was way more experienced than him and was very much holding back. Despite gaining some sort of distance, Link still feared his prowess, so where was the courage?

Why wasn't it manifesting?

Nevertheless, Link charged in once again, stopping to prepare a right fist to his chest, but he would point blank kiss Mario's fist when he least expected It, damaging his nose even further, and sending him flying, creating an even greater distance than Link had created previously.

Confusion and frustration built up with Link's body. Why was it so hard to beat this human? Was his hatred not enough?

The answer was…

“Good stuff, pisano.” Mario said, wiping away the small amount of blood on his nose. “But if you continue on like this, then… you'll be on this level forever.”

Link drove his fingers into the dirt, eager to stand up, “I don't need any more lectures from you. Just stop it already.”

Mario could decide to end the fight with a blow of half of strength, or even forfeit and have Cloud report the results to Lars.

But the hatred for humanity meant that Link would not go so far as a Spectral, so…

“Listen.” Mario denied Link's desire. “The reason you-a can't beat me is because of your lack of understanding of your soul. You're probably wondering why my strikes are so hard, and the simple answer is because I'm-a aware of my soul.”

Soul? Lars referred to that during him and Link’s previous conversation. 

The strongest soul in existence meant that he was above all else, which admittedly, Link didn't admire, but it could most certainly be true.

Do spirits have souls too? No, they're the souls of the world itself.

That meant—at least in his eyes—that if he contained a soul, then he really was his own spirit. Souls were seen through animals from his perspective, but what about himself?

Link smiled slightly. 

He could use this human's own understanding  to further his ideals.

“Enlighten me more about the soul.”

More? Mario smiled, unaware of Link's true intentions.

“Finally beginning to get it, Pisano.”

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Mario stood firmly, accumulating the same aura around his body from earlier. This was it—the energy of the soul that could emerge from the human body.

“The soul is the reason we do things. Why we eat, why we sleep, why we fight, and to me, more importantly—” he stopped for a moment, “Why we save.” He finally said it. “It carries the deepest part of ourselves’—the bridge between the conscious and unconscious mind—and is experienced through perception.”

Through perception? Link asked himself.

There was a question he would need to ask Link, but the answer he was sure to get was sure to disturb him, because the emptimee of Link's soul seemed to be hatred.

But this was a need—a requirement for understanding.

“Link,” Mario’s voice dropped a single octave. “What's up with you? Why do you-a hate us?”

“What does it matter to you?” Link pouted.

“I wanna gain some understanding.” Mario explained, “We're going to be fighting side by side most likely, and you'll have to understand your teammates.”

There's... more of these people?

Just how big is this organization?

Taking that knowledge to heart…

“My reasoning is…” He stopped for a moment,

“The death of the people of my hometown was caused by humanity’s strange way of acting. So much denial, selfishness, and ignorance. They seemed to only care for themselves.” Link said. “Spirits just are, doing their natural jobs, and I wasn't like anyone in my hometown. Whatever friends I had didn't last long at all. People constantly argued—showing no signs of affection towards each other. The only ones that I could turn to in the end were Spirits, and that's what I continued to do for the rest of my life.”

“Ah, I see what it is.”

Wait…

Why am I…

He was conversing with a human?

“Now I-a see. I have-a proper understanding of why you are the way you are.” He said, sighing, “Mama mia…”

He then picked up his head, making eye contact with Link once more. “I can't tell you to simply move on given such a circumstance, but… I want to give ya my take on the matter. Since you hate me, you'll-a probably ignore what I say, but I think it's important to understand the different perspectives of-a others.”

“If you know I'm not going to listen, then—”

“Never said ya have to listen. I'm asking you to consider that as I speak.” Mario said, “Personally, humanity’s a weird thing. I understand your position all too well, being from the Mushroom Kingdom.”

Link’s mind flared. “Wait, the Mushroom Kingdom?” He asked, his eyes widening.

“Yeah.” Mario nodded, “After the death of the Princess, I'll be taking on the guardian role of the Spirit of Stars. It's strange, I always thought I would have had-a bit of a smaller role in the world, but… That's just how-a things are.”

What's this? Link was beginning to feel some sort of connection with Mario, albeit very minimal.

I get it. Link thought to himself, but he quickly rejected that thought. 

“That's not the only reason I've joined the Spectrals of course,” said Mario, “I do see a value in just helping people.”

“But why?” Link asked, “Even knowing humanity's flaws, you still desire to help them?”

Mario simply nodded, “Yes.” He said, “Not to be a total meathead, but I think you're seeing this in a black and white way. Well, to be-a fair, you don't know me personally.”

There was a refusal in Link’s heart.

One that screamed—I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS.

No, that can't be possible.

Link let out a deep sigh and stood up, “Okay…” Link said, “So that's what makes your soul, right?”

Mario smiled and nodded, aware of his growth, albeit short. 

“That's correct, pisano!”

Link finally stood up on his feet, a new, settling shining purple aura surrounding him this time—an aura he could not see, but could very much feel the presence of.

It paled in comparison to that of Mario's presence, but it was stronger than before.

Link felt it, a part of him beginning to be understood, although he did not wish for it to be understood. With a determined look on his face, he got into his fighting stance. 

His front leg was reached out straight and slightly placed behind the straight line of his upright torso, while his back leg remained bent, giving him a stance that made him look like an arrow ready to fire. He held his right arm out, balling up a fist while his left arm resided near his waist.

All the while, he wondered what he was trying to accomplish with this next clash?

The key to winning this fight... seemed to go beyond just the fury of the wild.

Perhaps…

“Let’s resume.” He commanded.

Mario got into his fighting stance as well—his feet pointed frontward and both arms held around a ninety degree angle.

“Alrighty!”

An understanding of both, the two fighters would clash once more!

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Cloud took note of the ideals of Mario and Link, just to realize he didn't even care that much.

He didn't hold any ideals besides the assignments and missions he was given. 

The battle of understanding was commencing, Mario throwing a front kick with his right leg. Proceeding forth as the kick came into being, Link immediately caught the foot with both hands, both fighters noticing the increase in durability Link had gained. 

The kick was now blocked, so Mario's next move was to slide forward, chambering his arms across his body once, dropping into a shiko-dachi (variant horse stance!) with a left-armed downwards block, while pulling back his right fist high to chest level. His body was twisted slightly, ready to unleash an attack with his right hand, which Link assumed—but no!

His right leg would lift off the ground, the back kick grazing Link's face as he just barely dodged.

Mario could feel it. The resonance of his own soul growing stronger and stronger each minute. As Link was recovering, Mario’s right fist would be enveloped in sparks of red and black, his eyes spiraling.

I can hit it!

Unfortunately…

A lack of understanding on his own part did not allow those sparks to fly, allowing the punch he threw to be a regular punch that made Link stumble back.

He never hit that move. 

Despite the sparks of red and black not reaching actualization, an even bigger spark was on its way, and it wasn't Mario's doing.

As Link turned his face back to Mario, the pain of the failed attack still resonating throughout his body, a chain of pure light had enveloped his right fist. 

What could it possibly be? The unlocking of a new part of his soul? He couldn't care. All that was on his mind was defeating this human—right here and now.

The chain continued to increase the potency of its light until it became too blinding for both Mario and Cloud to witness. An immense roar exuded across the area as Link raised his right fist, gritting his teeth in anger. No light spirits were there to enhance the light, strangely enough. Why was that?

That angered him, and the very anger that arose from that was imbued into the very strike he would unleash on Mario!

CLASH!

Why aren't the spirits choosing me?! He asked himself in frustration. The spirits were him, and he were the spirits, so what was the problem?

The sheer force of the hit caused the chain to slowly unravel from his fist and into the air as Mario put everything in his power to block the attack with his arms—his eyes closed from the light.

But something struck his memory. The kind nature of Mario's reasoning, and….

The power slowly began to… lessen? As it did, so did the light, allowing the two fighters to open their eyes and properly witness the phenomenon that was happening.

As the chain unraveled into the air, it slowly began to dissipate, and as the attack was down—Mario was sent flying—a massive tear in his sleeves from blocking the attack. 

As the soul grows in power, emotions play a role in influencing the potency of its abilities, and the feeling of confusion was sure to disrupt the flow of power, as that flow of power had no clear direction.

Mario raised his head from the ground, panting heavily, yet with a smile on his face as he stared at the exhausted Link—who took a knee as he was struggling to catch his breath.

“Why'd ya do that?” Asked Mario.

Link stared aimlessly at the ground, the grass spirits constantly disappearing upon reaching him. He punched the ground constantly—tired, yet filled with anger.

Why couldn't I finish him off?

He remembered Mario's motivations and wondered why he was thinking about them. Humans were ugly. A human being like Mario seemed too incomprehensible, and yet, here he was.

Was that what had stopped him?

Not again…

“I…”

As for the answer to Mario's question…

“I don't… know…”

And with that, he would finally faint.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Shortly after the training battle, Mario and Cloud would walk side by side towards the Goodwill Camp. Mario seemed to walk with only a tint of confliction for what he did, while Cloud? His arms were completely crossed as the shadows of the trees came forth and away in the spans of seconds. “You really did a number on that guy, did you?”

“Well, it seems we did a number on each other, Mr. Strife.” Mario said, touching the bruises on his face. “That kid is no punk.”

“But he just got here.” Cloud argued, seemingly more annoyed, “I don’t get why Lars makes the newcomers fight someone all the time. Isn’t there a better way to ‘test’ them?”

“Nothing gets you the soul moving like a fight of conflictions, every mushroom in Goodwill knows that.” Mario chuckled.

“Gee. You sound like a battle maniac right now.”

For a moment, Mario almost looked offended. “Don’t lump me in with those guys. They fight only because it’s fun, not because it means something.” He said.

Cloud shook his head, “Well, nevertheless, the training is over. And it seems like you got a patient to take care of.”

“Well, leave it to me!”

Suddenly, he was in a doctor's costume?! But how?! When could he have possibly changed that quickly? Cloud could only stare in shock. Meanwhile, Mario made a declaration. “Itsa Doctor Mario time!”

Again, Cloud shook his head. “I prefer just ‘Mario Time’.” He sighed.

𝐃𝐑. 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐎!

Within the huge opening in another part of the forest, extending over forty acres of land, the other Spectrals were setting up preparations for the Goodwill Event. Setting up decorations such as balloons, ornaments, and even signs. Most searched for any sign of corrupted spirits nearby that could intervene with the plans of the event. The opening would also feature a variety of tents that were close together. Behind all of them, on the edge of the trees that led deep into the forest, lay a wide, tall two-story wooden building that extended across twelve trees, and even stood at their height—ten glass windows allowing a view into the inside of both the first and second floor.

The Second Goodwill team's headquarters.

Within that building, the white-furred female horse stood majestically, her coat shimmering like freshly fallen snow under the sunlight. Her vibrant red mane cascaded down her neck in the form of wild waves—contrasting beautifully with her pristine fur and giving her an air of enchantment. Beyond that enchantment, however, there was something that held it back from fully shining.

Delicate, ethereal wings unfurled from her sides, each feather a brilliant blend of crimson and gold, catching the light as she moved gracefully. Atop her head, a spiraled horn glimmered, radiating an aura of magic and power that seemed to pulse with her every heartbeat. Her striking red eyes sparkled with intelligence, as well as a raging hidden hatred.

She was beyond humanity. An ascended form of being that's presence rivaled that of the spirits. An enchanting being that served as the bridge between humanity and spirits—a legendary spirit beast with an ability to speak.

Spirit Beasts were an accumulation of human emotions that governed the cognitive realm, as well as the outline of a certain soul after death. The outline of the soul is based on the reasoning a person goes by, and in her culture, the outline of the soul was dictated by the concept of mythological beasts thought not to be real.

The emotions that derived from the thoughts of the people who took interest in this would all be sent to the cognitive realm before manifestation into the real world in the form of that very beast—one with its own consciousness.

𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐀 

The Alicorn deprived of hatred from those people.

“Word has spread that a new Spectral has joined the other team?”

She was talking to another member of the team.

One who sported a bowl-cut hairstyle that was defined by its thick, straight black hair, which was evenly trimmed around his head, hanging slightly above his ears—creating a rounded shape that framed his youthful face and accentuated his expressive, determined blue eyes that carried the flare of a martial artist. He wore a black, long-sleeved Yī fú outfit—a white outline on the end of both sleeves yet to be shown fully—accompanied by long, plain black pants with no visible sign nor labels. He stood at a height of five foot nine, nearly matching the height of the beasts' neck.

𝐌𝐈𝐙𝐀𝐍 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐍𝐆

He sat peacefully at the wooden table near the window, witnessing the frantic scouring of those who were assisting with preparation—soon pouring a cup of tea and smiling.

“Zhè shì zhēn de!” (That's true!) Said Mizan, “They're the holder of the Triforce soul if I've heard correctly. Interesting.” A smile was wide across his face—on the other hoof, the beast was not so happy.

Hatred.

“I demand you to tell me the whereabouts of this Hylian.” Commanded Unicornera, a defiant glare meeting Mizan's eyes, but he kept his smile.

“And what makes you think I know that?”

“You were out there counting the number of tents and the participants. Your deception will not work with that acquired knowledge.” Explained Unicornera, sneering.

Mizan let out a chuckle, taking a sip of his tea. “Call it a test of my use of deception. Apologies if it was poor.”

“I don't want your apology—”

“You want me to be better, I know.” Mizan put his cup down, finally granting Unicornera eye contact. There was a strange look in his eyes, one that exuded excitement and eeriness. “Well, if you're looking for the bearer of the Triforce, then he's in the twenty third tent—the one that's near the other team's headquarters.”

Unicornera smiled, “Now was that so hard to answer?”

Mizan smiled, showing his teeth this time, “Heh, Yīdiǎn yě bù.”

(Not at all.)

After being unconscious for an hour, Link had finally woken up. He was alone in a tent, starting up at the ceiling. The upper half of his body was wrapped In bandages while his lower half contained his brown shorts.

He sat up, feeling little to no pain.

“Who wrapped me in all this?” He asked himself. He had an idea of who it was, but the idea of someone helping him either way just seemed incomprehensible, or, at least, not so incomprehensible now.

Then, a familiar voice came by—or in this case, a familiar light. 

The life spirit had once again followed him, hovering over his head. 

“Ah, you're here.” Link noted, his tone implying that he was tired of its appearance. “You've come to lecture me once more?”

Link began to listen to the commotion outside. People were moving, people were talking. He assumed that this was the result of the Goodwill Event Mario was referring to.

“Lecture? Perhaps.” The life Spirit said, “More so, I seem to have a connection with you. Wherever you go, I seem to go.”

Link was shocked to hear that, but that answer satisfied him in a way. Perhaps his connection with spirits wasn't all that broken.

“It's good to see a familiar face here, despite our differences.” Link said. 

The life spirit hovered up and down. “I agree,” it said, “I assume that quite a bit happened during our abrupt departure?”

Link remembered his “test” with Mario.

“Yeah, a lot.”

Chapter End

Chapter Text

The Life Spirit glided over to Link's right, seemingly examining him. His eyes followed, still attempting to analyze actually where he was. 

“Are you beginning to understand me now?” Asked the Life Spirit.

A part of Link wanted to say he was for the sake of self-validation, but only the truth of the matter was what Spirits sought, and so he would give.

“I'm conflicted on whether I do or not.” He said, “I’m sure I hate humans, but… I hesitated to let my hatred flourish when fighting one. That didn’t fit me at all.”

“Perhaps this is a change of heart.” The Life Spirit suggested, “You felt a new surge of power upon understanding his reasoning, right?”

Link scratched his head. “Strangely enough, yeah.” He nodded. He was not at all proud to admit that.

“Lars spoke about one of the concepts of the Triforce being Wisdom.” The Life Spirit recalled, “Perhaps you're beginning to unlock it. Wisdom comes from understanding, after all.”

“What's with the uncertainty?” Link asked, “You should be able to confirm it, right? You hold the knowledge of everything human.”

“That's the thing…” The Life Spirit froze—its glow dampening. “Lately, I've been confused about whether I truly know my purpose. It's the truth of life, yes, but I've been forgetting things and questioning them.”

“But how—”

“Spirits may embody a concept, but they are still living beings… flaws are present within them as well.”

The remembrance of those words only angered Link, seeing it in action. If spirits weren't perfect, then it meant the same for him.

“I see…” Link said, disappointment etched within his voice. Even with his disappointment, he could not shame the spirit. 

The Life Spirit could hear his thoughts, and even feel his feelings—but why could it do that? Spirits just are, after all.

“You're skeptical of the probability of my advice. Figures, you're ignorant of me anyway.” The Life Spirit said, trying to sound superior. “But continue to give me a chance, if you can.”

Link gave one glance at the life spirit before staring down at his right palm—the same hand which that change of light had enveloped.

“That's all I can do.”

And with those words, the light spirit would fade away, as in its place as company, another familiar face would arise.

“Pisano!”

Company who he wasn't particularly fond of.

Mario [DOCTOR UNIFORM]

What in the world is he wearing? Link asked himself, dumbfounded.

Coming into the tent, he knelt down, leaving the tent slightly open—open enough for the light of day to break through as well for Link to see a glimpse of the commotion outside.

“Just so ya know, I was the one who brought ya here.” He took a seat beside Link. “Might want to lay back down. Got some medicine for ya.”

“Medicine? For me?”

“Yeah.” Mario nodded, “Though it's something you can take-a single bite out of, it may be hard to digest due to your injuries. Your failure to understand the abilities from your soul caused it to be damaged a bit.”

Link stared at him stupidly. 

Reluctantly, he lied back down, watching cautiously as Mario would pull out a green mushroom with four white dots… and eyes? Link nearly gagged, squinting his eyes.

“I know it looks a biiiitttt off, but trust in your teammate. It's good for ya.” Mario said with a nervous smile. “Comes from my place, the mushroom kingdom.”

Mario would hand it to Link—only leaving him more weirded out as he examined it further. It didn't smell of anything, nor did it seem alive even with its eyes.

“Sooooo,” Link turned it to its head, “Eating this would help my soul?”

“Yeah.” Mario assured.

Link stared at him, slowly bringing it closer to his mouth. He snuck a few glances at Mario as if he desired further assurance. After a few more attempts of biting without going through with it, he would finally take a bite of the top of the mushroom.

Despite having no taste, everything felt even more normal than it had already had before. He had a much clearer memory and sight of everything before him.

This was more than just a mushroom, this was…

Help from someone who cares about me.

“Oh, yeah,” Mario’s smile faded slowly, “I wanted to apologize.”

Link raised his brow. “For what?”

“Your town was killed by a disease, right?” Asked Mario.

Such a personal question. Link's eyes widened with confusion. How could he have known that? No, why would he care?

“Lars told me about what happened in the village, and honestly?” Mario made eye contact with Link. Unlike Cloud, whose eyes seemed to always be apathetic, they were full of sympathy. “Being the upcoming doctor I was at the time, I probably should've assisted."

“You were a doctor?”

“Still am, technically.” Mario sighed, “It's my job to save lives, and even though I was just a child, I should've been there to help.”

The ship of Link’s emotions were constantly rummaging against the waves, struggling to find what exactly to feel. Sympathy? For a human? He couldn't possibly know. All he did know was—that this was pure sincerity, but he couldn't look past the stupidity of feeling sorry over something that didn’t concern.

“There's no need to apologize. It was our of your control.” Link said, “Don't feel responsible it.”

Ah, if you only y'knew how hard that was. Mario thought, but didn't utter the words.

“I see,” he said, “Be sure to put on your clothes. We won't be doing anything substantial for the next three days so make yourself out home, Pisano.”

Before he could leave the tent, Link's hand reached out.

“Wait.” He commanded. Mario obeyed, turning around and awaiting an answer.

Embarrassed ever so slightly—unable to bring out the words, Link would look down, the light in his eyes fading.

“Nevermind.” He said. 

Mario was confused, but eventually nodded and left.

Link wanted to say the words.

“Thank you,” for a moment.

Why is that?

Chapter End

Chapter Text

His soul now restored, Link sat up. The tent was quite tall and spacious, meaning he could move around a bit—the space allowing him to step forward a few times. His clothes lay right beside the mattress he had been lying on. Without wasting time, he was quick to put them back on, leaving the bandages as they were.

His boots were now on, and he was ready to face the world outside of this tent. More humans, yes, but he had to keep moving forward regardless of his hatred. 

A deep breath left his lips, and with the use of his right hand—he cracked the opening of the tent even more, allowing him to slip through more easily. Now, he stood outside. There were other tents set up in the row he was in, stretching further than the eye could see.

In front of those tents were other tents—behind him lay the last row of tents, and the row he was in was the fifth. The first through fourth rows were all in front of the set of tents he stood by, and by each of the tents—more or less—there always seemed to be company near them. It varied from people simply chattering or even moving pieces of wood and nail to the dock where the big lake resided.

The dock itself extended from halfway of where the ground was into the depths of the lake. Since it wasn't fully built, people stood close to the sparkling lake—the water glistening from the light of the sun which even the clouds could not deny—attempting to catch fish from a further distance. 

Despite the grand lake, the people who went fishing there would only find the simplest of Pokémon, mainly Magikarps. Some paid no mind and simply went about their day, but one person, no, spirit beast desired to catch something big.

This spirit beast came in the form of a tall, slim, blue furred hedgehog with green eyes contained in a white sclera, with blue-furred arms, wearing a brown neckerchief around his neck and athletic sports tape on his wrists and shoes.

Link's eyes widened. He knew that this hybrid of human and animal was a spirit beast. Back in his hometown, they were merely described as the mix between a spirit and human—derived from what they called “Heaven.”

In the face of bafflement, a smile would form on his lips. If this place contained spirit beasts, then perhaps he wouldn't have to hang out with humans all the time.

He began his walk to the wooden dock, bumping into those who were setting up tomes to keep any dark spirits away as well as those who seemed to be sparring—without the use of their soul powers of course—they'd have to be in a less populated area to do such. Upon reaching the spirit beast, Link stayed silent for a while and watched as he threw the fishing line to the water once more.

“Let’s see if I can get a bigger one this time,” The hedgehog-like spirit beast said, licking his lips and smirking. “Hopefully, I–”

“What exactly are you trying to do?”

“Wha?!”

Due to the sudden nature of Link's appearance, the hedgehog was taken aback, causing him to nearly lose the grip he had on the steering rod. Link stared at him stupidly, unaware of his mistake—he was more focused on the attempt here, because people back in his hometown catched fish for the sake of food.

If that was the case here, then…

“Don't disturb me, man!” The hedgehog insisted, “Tryna focus here!”

He seemed to get some kind of pull on his fishing rod, and his smirk came back. With confidence, he spun the handle of the rod rapidly, a frown appearing on his face as he had once again caught a magikarp.

“A Magikarp…” Link took notice.

The hedgehog sighed, “Yep, as always.”

“So, what're you gonna do with it now?”

The hedgehog examined it for a while, a look of displeasure on his face. “Well, there's nothing better to do than just throw it back where it came from, right?” He asked, throwing it back into the water. “Sucks that the water is filled with them. Not that they're bad creatures, just not what I'm looking for.”

“What's with treating creatures like their trophies?” Link asked, his tone more demanding, “You're a spirit beast, right? Shouldn't you have more interest and care in nature.”

The hedgehog smiled, which caught Link off guard. “Well, ‘course I do!” He said, “But me being a spirit beast doesn't mean I can't have hobbies, y'know?”

“Interesting…”

Link didn't take much offense to that and was rather curious. Given the description of these beasts from the people of his hometown, they were supposed to be above humans—and yet, here one was, participating in such a human-like activity.

“Nature is nice.” The hedgehog said, “I don't mean to disturb it or anything, but y'know? I just wanted to give fishing a chance. I heard that last year, someone here caught a Gyarados… I've always wanted to see one.”

Link nodded, “I see. Well, they aren't too common in Hyrule despite the amount of Magikarps, so I've only gone off what they looked at via drawings.”

“I've only gone off wording alone. There was no one to teach me about the world where I lived.” The Hedgehog said.

Link's interest arose. “Where exactly did you live?”

The hedgehog let out a deep sigh, “Greenhill.” He said, “Used to be a spirit beast dominated place until the extermination happened.”

“Extermination?”

“Don't know too much about it to be honest. I wasn't even born when it happened, but from what I've heard from here, some evil scientist disobeyed the orders of Spectrals and bam! There goes anyone who lives there.” The hedgehog spoke nonchalantly about such a topic. Link scratched his head and batted an eye at him before continuing to stare at the lake.

“Right, almost forgot,” the hedgehog reached out his right hand to Link, finally making him divert his eyes from the lake. “The name's Sonic—Sonic the Hedgehog.”

𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐂!

Link was confused at Sonic reaching out his hand to him. Perhaps he wanted something? But Link didn't have anything to give, so all he could do was stare in confusion.

Sonic's expression was now neutral—neither smiling nor frowning. “It's called a handshake...?” He said, “You're supposed to shake my hand and tell me your name.”

Link would do just that with his hand. It felt disgusting, doing such a human action, yet it did not feel anywhere nearly as bad with a spirit beast.

“My name is Link.”

INFORMATION

• Sonic is the fastest member of the First Goodwill Team. 
• Wears gloves because they were suggested by Mario, and also because he doesn't like how his actual hands look. No one has ever seen them, in fact.
• When asked for a Spectral Title/Codename, he strongly suggested "The Blue Blur."
• Has never lost a race against any member of his team besides Mario.

"I really wanted to fight that Hylian guy, but hey! Guess not everything goes my way!" - Sonic.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

With their names now greeted, the two would take a seat on the ground—their feet close to the water. The sparkling light of the water reflected off Link's bright, blue eyes with ease, creating a shimmer in his eyes as well. He relished in the beauty of the water as its stream flowed with ease, no fear or hesitation within the flow, complete trust in the earth itself.

Sonic seemed to have that same spark in his eyes, a spark that reflected great interest held within the nature before him. “The water flows beautifully, doesn't it?” Asked Sonic, setting his fishing rod aside.

Link batted an eye at him for a moment before resetting his sight on the water. “Yeah,” Link nodded, “Wonder if there are lakes like this in Hyrule.”

“Water makes up a good chunk of the world. Hyrule’s a whole continent, so it's likely to have some.” Sonic said, then looking over to Link with eyes of curiosity. “Say, Link, you're from Hyrule, right? I take it you lived somewhere where water wasn't all that common, huh?”

“The water came from very small lakes in the middle of the forest. Honestly, they pale in comparison to this.” Link said, his voice going slightly somber. The remembrance of his hometown was weighing heavily on his mind—with each similarity of his hometown, It was sent into a world designed to damage the soul.

The damage of the past.

“My hometown wasn't all that well either.” Link said. Why was he so open with his feelings now? He had gained somewhat of an understanding of Sonic, so perhaps that made him comfortable—or even more so of the fact that he was a spirit beast. “The people there died due to a disease and I was the only one left.”

He was constantly staring at the ground in hopes of the grass spirits coming into sight, but no matter how hard he tried to see it, it was useless. Was he really that blind now?

But why?

The signs were showing just a few days prior. He was having trouble seeing the spirits. The dream spirit, one of the most obvious spirits to witness, was invisible to him. The possibility of his perception being better when he was around humans, which would most certainly be true, was something he denied frequently. His memory of the town itself was very inconsistent.

“Sonic… have you seen them? The death spirits?”

Sonic's eyes darkened. “Yeah.” He nodded reluctantly.

“I see.” Link said, “Wasn't it awful?”

“Well,” Sonic sighed, seemingly brushing off his somberness, “If I dwell on it too much, I can't be free.”

“But how can you not dwell on it?” Link asked, remembering the look in Mario’s eyes as he expressed his feelings as not being able to help with the disease.

Why was he remembering that? “It's always there, lurking. Don't you consider that frightening?”

To Link's surprise, Sonic glared at the water and smiled. “Well, for a guy like myself…” he then stood up, his eyes bold, “Death's just a part of life!”

“Huh?”

“It is, is it not?” Sonic asked, turning over to give Link a smug look, “Death is something that happens in life. It's unavoidable, just as suffering in life.”

Link took his gaze off the water. “Are you… brushing off death?”

“Well I'm not too much of an ass to not acknowledge its existence, but it's acceptance.” Explained Sonic, “Call it denial or whatever, but as long as I'm still alive, I'll keep on going.”

Death was the end of everything. Even with that explanation given from Sonic, Link still remembered. The day someone close was taken from him via the disease, but what was the point?

“Interesting…” Link muttered. But he noticed something. This overwhelming confidence in Sonic's words contrasted with the emptiness in his eyes. Through this realization, Link could feel a connection—an understanding. “You've seen it too.”

Sonic batted an eye, “Seen what?” 

Link stared back at the water. “Nevermind.”

“I'm totally free.” Sonic claimed, “As long as I don't stop running through life, then I'm happy.”

I don't understand.

“Sonic, do you hate humans?” The question that would define his perception.

“To be honest, I have every right to.”Answered Sonic, “My home was slaughtered by one, after all, and even though I wasn't there, it hurts to know. But if I were to let my hatred flourish, the humans who don't deserve it may pay the price, leaving life to become vague… I don't want that.”

What was Link's perception now? Well, all he could think about was Mario, and even himself. Cloud had saved his life, but…

Did I deserve that?

“I'm surprised,” Link said, “After what happened back there with me, I've never liked humans.”

“You're justified in that, honestly. I can't blame you nor knack at ya.” Sonic said, “But it isn't my thing, so… not sure if we'll get along. That's perfectly fine!”

Link's eyes widened, but he did understand why. With this, he simply nodded, “Perhaps.” he said.

Then, a presence was felt—a heavenly presence that was accompanied by an overbearing wrath that balanced with it. Link turned, and there stood a horse-like Spirit beast. The others around the area took notice too, Sonic especially. 

Both of their faces were filled with concern.

The horse embedded in crimson had arrived, and she was not happy.

Unicornera.

From afar, Mario, now back in his plumber uniform could feel the presence as he had just left the structure of his team's headquarters 

“What's-a goin on?”

INFORMATION

• Unicornera once lived in Dreamland, where she was founded along with another Spirit Beast. Lars wanted to keep both, but he was only able to keep one with an incoming request of another Spectral to his team. 
• She came to Dreamland in hopes of salvation, but she found nothing but hollowness
• She practices an art called "Magic", a concept that has little understanding among scientists.
• Doesn't like particularly anything, and hates a lot of things.
• Mizan is the only who seems to converse with her without being shouted at.

"I never understood how a soul could like anything in this world." - Unicornera.

Also, how do Spirit Beasts give birth?

• Well, it depends on how much cognitive energy from humans is given at the time. In Unicornera's case, as it stands, she will be the last of her kind. When the belief is shared by hundreds, then a Spirit Beast can carry a "Light Womb" that is soon to become their offspring.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

The presence was too strong and unnerving to merely brush off, and it seemed to be that way for all of the others within the vicinity. The headquarters’ leader hadn't arrived yet, so Mario could only assume he was still on his way. This wasn't good. The higher ranking Spectral were too busy with setting up tomes, and to stop holding them would allow the possibility of any corrupted or evil spirits to rise significantly, and if the people were too occupied with the placement of tomes and others attempting to take on the responsibility of stopping the fight, Mario felt an obligation to take the situation in his hands.

The bearer of responsibility.

No one else.

But was this issue really as big as it seemed? In the process of taking action—beginning his walk towards the presence—he felt a hand grasp his shoulder.

It was Cloud. “Now before you go and do something stupid, have you ever asked yourself if it's something that's necessary?” He asked, his eyes of disinterest meeting Mario's hardened gaze, “It isn't your responsibility. You're just placing the burden on yourself as always.”

“You wouldn't get it.” Mario said, “That's something I always do.”

“You think I haven't noticed?” Cloud asked, sighing, “It's just a presence, and possibly even the beginning of a possible scuffle. It's not something you have to involve yourself with.”

Mario remembered the last time he couldn't take responsibility. The green hat that contained the letter “L” on it was covered in blood as it laid on the floor. The spark of that memory which he remembered every day.

Was it the sight of blood that scared him the most, or was it whom the hat belonged to? It didn't matter—responsibility hasn't been taken yet.

“Last time that happened, someone died.” Mario said, yanking Cloud's hand off of his shoulder. “A star shouldn’t limit its light to any planet!”

Honestly, Cloud had no idea why he cared for Mario’s foolishness. Was it because he was reminded of the person who thought they could make a change?

Was the past getting to him? But why? It wasn't his responsibility to…

But he could change the past… it was right here.

“If you truly think that's right, then…” Cloud sighed once more, “Go ahead.”

And so he would, heading towards the location of conflict.

Idiots…

“Triforce bearer,” Unicornera commanded, her wings rising, bestowing a heavenly light that everyone in the vicinity could not take their eyes off of. Such benevolence, so what was this subtle feeling of anger they felt… or in Link’s case… hatred?

“It is time to pay for your sins.”

“Sin?” Link fully turned his body to the spirit beast gifted of the light of heavens, and stared with eyes of confusion. “I have never seen you in my life.”

"Guess it's going around." Sonic muttered.

Uniconera sneered, taking a few steps forward, “Even you're blind to understanding, I see.” She said, “No way someone of your blood would understand the truth.”

This hatred. It seemed directed not just towards him, but something way more personal. Years of bloodlust was stored up into a single glare, and Link formed a remembrance—he was told that spirit beasta were usually created towards the hatred or faith of a belief.

Perhaps this was the case for her? At least, that's the truth he decided to go for.

“You were created from human hatred, weren't you?” Link asked.

“Hey, hey, hey.”

Sonic stood in between the two, lowering the tension felt from the other Spectrals within the area. “The Goodwill Event hasn't even started yet. A bit too early to unleash the fury, don'tcha think?”

“I agree.” Link stated.

But this attempt to settle their business only brought more anger from Unicornera as her wings began to flap up and down, shaking the winds as she ascended.

“That's not good.” Sonic muttered.

“The people of Hylia hated me, thus bringing upon the idea of my sorrowful birth.” Unicornera explained, “My entire life was spent running away from the slaughter your people wish to bring upon me. This goes beyond a mere event. This is the release of my hatred.”

Being compared with such monstrosity? He could no longer keep his voice silent. Budging in front of Sonic, his gaze met Unicornera's, and as her, he held no mercy. 

“Don't you dare compare me to those devils.”

Meanwhile, as the tension had arisen once more, Mario was close to where it was located, ready to bring it to an end—but the stroke of unluck lurking near and soon to strike served as a reminder of his overconfidence within being the one to end the conflict.

Unbeknownst to Mario, Mizan was within the vicinity, and seemed to know of his intention—with the knowledge acquired from secretly spying on the other team's headquarters. Doing so, he had overheard Mario taking the weight of responsibility, and knew what he had to do.

A secret hunter.

Mizan performed a crouching turn-step forward and charged Mario with the back of his shoulder through applying explosive force, sending him flying!

The name of this move, born from warriors who specialized in brutality and strength, now in possession of the one who was blessed by strength, was named…

Tetsuzanko Heaven and Earth Combination!

INFORMATION

• Mizan Cheng is inspired by many fighting game characters, particularly Yun. In terms of real life martial artists, his design is inspired by Ip Man, while his mannerisms are semi Bruce Lee inspired.
• He's one of his teacher's favorite students.
• Tetsuzanko is his favorite move to use when he feels the fight will be or is getting good.

"Nothing can withstand the might of my Tetsuzanko!" - Mizan.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

The attack sent Mario flying up in the air, vertically, but he quickly escaped the realm of surprise and landed on his feet, raising his head for his eyes to meet the one who had unleashed that attack.

Mizan. He stood calmly, his hands tied behind his back as if he didn't just land that attack.

Where they stood, the cascade of trees to their right had been cut off by the large, ancient wooden tombs placed near them—they sealed off an entrance into the woods completely.

Many people in the surrounding area stopped what they were doing, the ones who continued about their duties edging those who were surprised by the impending skirmish to also continue. 

The bearer of responsibility had been stopped right in his tracks, and he could feel the presence growing more powerful with each second. He stood up, getting into his fighting stance. 

“It's best for you to stay out of the way, future star.” Mizan said, smirking, “A test of strength is on the horizon.”

“A… test?” Mario’s eyes piqued with interest. “What're ya talking about? The event hasn't even started yet.”

“That is correct.” Mizan nodded, “But you can't ignore grudges, nor should they be interrupted… you see…”

A gray aura had surrounded Mizan, almost thunderous as it shot up into the air for a split second before maintaining as smooth as water around his body. “My teammate is strong.” He said, “Anyone who attempts to interfere with the quest of strength of my allies shall fall. And I'm sure she'll get even stronger fighting someone like the Triforce Soul.”

“That's really all it is to you?” Mario asked, anger building up slowly within his voice. If the responsibility one held directly opposed him and risked the safety of others, then there was only one thing to do. "The least you could do is acknowledge the wrongdoings on your teammate's behalf, but I assume you aren't up for that?"

"No."

He sighed. "Okie Dokie!"

His energy surged into the air, bestowing a great, sparking gray light upon his stature that could not be contained by the air alone—the brightest star. 

“Sorry, but this ain't something I can simply let slide. The strength your teammate carries is not fueled with good intentions.”

“That's where the flaw in your analogy lies, future star.” Mizan argued, “The thing that makes us the most strong is our suffering. Through trial, tribulation, and the accumulation of it, we can truly become free. I'm sure Unicornera is fine without our help, or perhaps I should say, interference.”

"Guess I can't leave things alone." Mario took two steps forth, the look in his eyes hardening. “There's only one thing I'll agree with you on.” He remembered the green hat tattered in blood. “Suffering has made me stronger, but not in your way.”

Mizan couldn't contain the excitement he was feeling—it all accumulated in the form of a wide smile and the release of a relatively narrow, high stance with the feet shoulder-width apart, slightly pointed outward as his knees were bent to a moderate degree. His hips pushed forward, and elbows that were kept close to the body—his hands relaxed with the fingers pointing forward.

Wing Chun.

What was this excitement he felt?

No purpose in asking, he knew exactly what it was…

The strength of another.

One that could possibly match his.

As this all went down, questions of the whereabouts of the headquarters of both teams arose from the spectators. While Lars was excused—having not returned from his walk in the forest, the other's excuse was much, much more unbelievable.

From the window of the headquarters, a very tall woman with fair skin and cyan-colored eyes, with only her left eye visible from a from view as her particularly large bang of her blonde hair covered her right eye of a diamond blue, watched on with a smile—her long, light blue dress glistening within the sunlight that shone through.

“This will be fun.” She licked her lips, feeling such a connection to both fighters even though she was nowhere near them.

Was it the thrill of a fight?

Was it the thrill of connection?

Was it really a reason to just let this stand?

Meanwhile, Unicornera's horn begun glowing a blissful golden glow, the hatred in her eyes contrasting the beauty of the light that was thrust towards Link.

Link felt it once more—a feeling that made his heartbeat rapidly, and his mind scatter.

Fear.

The feeling struck, and he was able to unlock it once more before Sonic could interfere.

Courage!

The use of adrenaline had unlocked Triforce's last concept by having the courage to strike back—creating a shield of pure light that came in the shape of a transparent, perfect sphere that surrounded both himself and Sonic, which caught Sonic off guard.

Where did this courage come from? No, that wasn't the question he wanted the answer to.

Where did this fear come from?

If he understood hatred himself, then why was it so scary to see it embodied.

What am I doing? 

His eyes were filled with a determination that hid all signs of fear—only bringing forth Uniconera’s anger once more.

Beneath the shimmering stars, one has to shine brighter than the other.

If this is hatred for the humanity he knew didn't exist within him, then his goal was to that hatred his opponent held, and shatter it.

No point in understanding. He thought.

The barrier unveiled, leaving the two vulnerable once again.

I'll release the weight of everything that holds me down.

But would he truly?

Furthermore, for Sonic, he couldn't just stand and watch...

It's unfolding again, dammit. 

Chapter End

Chapter Text

It was happening again. A clash between those who weren't free.

The cycle that never really ends.

He could do it. He could stop it here and now, but Link had insisted he'd stay out of this.

Despite being the one who was free, Sonic could understand. It had resided within him, after all, albeit a small amount—a spark of fire against the overwhelming snow winter brung.

Respecting Link's wishes, he stumbled back, looking on in worry.

This was a matter that didn't involve him, just as the extermination of the spirit beast within his hometown, but he was alive now, so what would he do about it?

With Sonic out of the way, seemingly, Link felt a tingle within his soul. He wanted something—something that could slash through anything with great effort—including hatred.

Another ability within the concept of courage, one could also manifest their courage into any object, as long as that object existed within the real world and they had a proper understanding of it.

There was one sword that could cut through an idea itself with the proper understanding of the soul, built with ancient technology lost in the modern age, one that surpassed every metal in the world.

Ancient Short Sword.

He held it in a reverse grip in his right hand—the complete function of it only a replica, an accumulation of his own soul, meaning it could not be recreated or copied. 

He had a weapon, one in which only flared Unicornera’s anger more.

She sent a spiral of light down upon him, but when the smoke cleared, he wasn't there. The second ability that courage held was to exaggerate the power of adrenaline—the superhuman-like state of adrenaline was now amplified by ten times, allowing him to jump above the beast's field of vision with one goal in mind.

To strike her down, as well as her hatred!

His sword slashed down, a defining swoosh sweeping the winds, but even with the assistance of the winds, a barrier in the form of a sphere was not so easy to crack—a sphere of red.

As his blade streamed off the barrier, creating friction, Link felt it. The short connection with Unicornera's soul, but without much to chew on. Link’s soul registered it as hatred, but he was not able to look anything beyond that.

Reversing the grip of his blade, Link would rapidly descend to the ground—letting out a grunt as he hit the floor, staring at the blade he held.

It's supposed to slash through anything, right? Link thought. That was what he was taught in his hometown, so why wasn't it working? 

He redirected his gaze upwards towards the sphere where the spirit beast resided—staring down at him, holding his sword near his waist.

“My barrier can't be penetrated with a surface level attack like that,” She said, “My inner self derives from the hatred of the people who gave birth to me, so using the hatred built up for over thousands of years, I can release it through another part of myself, my magic. The magic that comes from my horn.”

Within the transparent sphere, she made a bunny toy of plastic appear beside her, dangling it around like a trophy. “There are gaps and errors everywhere within reality—what we can see in our conscious experience. Well, for humans like you, that is. I, a spirit beast, can bear witness to the unconscious experience, what happens without the awareness of the conscious experience, and can fix those errors however I see fit.” the toy would then disappear, “But is what you see within the conscious experience real? If reality can be formed through the understanding of the soul, then wouldn't that make you an error of the universe?

No one knows…

But I do.”

The answer to that question lies within the unknown, and explanation of the ability of yourself gives one an even further power as that understanding is unveiled from words.

“The hatred I bear comes from a place where I do not know the full truth of…”

So hating without reason, then? I don't get it. Link thought, squinting.

The barrier unveiled around her, revealing that heavenly light upon her horn once more. Her next attack would be three-thousands years of hatred stored within a single blast.

There was one thing that was certain.

No one would survive it if that attack landed.

But Link didn't want to protect the humans, though Sonic was someone he considered to be worthy of saving.

A voice.

A loud, unwavering voice in his head that screamed—

—"I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS."

But it seemed someone would take a stand. The one basked in light and hope.

A blue light would flash, striking the spirit beast at a speed unable to be registered by anyone within the vicinity, bringing an end to the light's glow.

Sonic had kicked her.

“Let’s put that away, shall we?” A smirk was wide on his face, but of course, Unicornera was not happy in the slightest. 

“You… Why you...” She spoke through pained grunts.

"Had me thinking that you were putting on some kind of play for a while there!" Sonic shouted, "Turns out, unfortunately for you, I'm a good judge of character!"

Anger and confusion...

"Knocked the Sonic Rings right outta her!" - Sonic

Chapter End

Chapter Text

If Sonic was free, then no shackles could and should prevent him from not moving faster than anyone else. The cause behind the speed he held was the bypassing of the natural laws of the world and a human.

He had the potential to be the fastest thing in the world—his inner self giving the ability to run at high speeds.

𝑬𝑵𝑫𝑳𝑬𝑺𝑺 𝑷𝑶𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑩𝑰𝑳𝑰𝑻𝑰𝑬𝑺 

But Unicornera couldn't understand exactly what his inner self was, nor did she care. Recovering from the kick, her eyes had met the hedgehog during the spilt second he was in the air, and although the full totality of her hatred was not directed at him, she would use the amount of hatred she held towards Sonic for a narrow blast of light.

Due to his immense speed, he had already escaped the blast's range, allowing it to stream through the sky for mere seconds before dissipating. By the time she reverted her eyes to the ground, Sonic was already there, standing beside Link whose eyes were widened in bafflement of his speed.

Surely a fellow spirit beast would understand her motivation, so why was Sonic getting in her way?

“Is it hard to understand, or are you just ignorant?” She asked, “You're a spirit beast. You of all people should understand what I'm doing is right.”

“Yeah, I get'cha.” Said Sonic, slowly approaching, staring daggers into Unicornera eyes, “But the only reason your actions are right is because you deem them to be. In reality, the paradise you think killing Link would give is just a thought. Think this all through. You're letting your hatred blind you.”

His words struck Unicornera's heart like a dagger, making her clasp her teeth together—her bloodshot eyes darkening. “When it comes to hatred, that is all I am, human.” She was no longer content with his existence. Right here, right now, he needed to perish. “You can't defy my essence.”

“Your vision is shortsighted. You in need of some glasses?” He crossed his arms, pouting, "Yeah yeah, the whole, 'I can only be this', blah, blah, blah. Unfortunately for you and fortunately for me, I'm here to tell ya that it's a bit too late to play the cold-hearted role when you’re preaching about what's right and wrong, life and death, that kinda crap! We're of the same beings, so why is that you aren't hearing me out?"

Sonic was born from hope in a time of despair. The belief that his ancient ancestors of the land, mythical creatures known as the Abasets who took the form of humans like hedgehogs, would share their riches with Green Hill.

The hope in that belief brought birth to his very existence, meaning that he always needed to be there.

Unicornera was confused by his question, but despite the confusion, spears of light still reigned down from her horn, but there was one thing to consider.

When two opposing ideals of the soul collide, equal reciprocity is created, meaning Sonic's speed matched the power of the the hatred imbued within the light, and so did his strikes. 

He curled up into a ball, jumping up and flaring in all directions, disabling the streaks of light before they could touch anyone. "Aren't much of a talker now? Playing into that role neatly, eh?"

Link felt this remembrance—this feeling of hope, but he could only see it as false, but there was the sense that it was limiting him.

Sonic had faith in humanity, and here he was, as free as a bird as he undid his ball-like form and landed back onto the ground.

“I don't get it!” Sonic shouted, “I mean, I do get it, but it sucks! How can someone be so blind? The option for glasses are still on the table!”

“You're no different…”

Unicornera had a feeling he was right, but all he Sonic really was—was the hope he represented. “We spirit beasts are derived of our essence and that alone, that is the standard, and one that shall be kept.”

“I ain't gonna deny I still have a little bit of hate within me—specifically towards humans.” Sonic said, “Call it my 'nature' that I don't give in to it, but we're derived from humanity and its feelings, so... why can't we break that standard?”

Link saw another sign of connection—a look that defied the meaning of that statement. Eyes of darkness beneath the light that her horn created.

This understanding brought forth the adrenaline aspect of his courage once more, a considerable amount of force being put into one leg allowing a leap that sent high into the air. Before jumping, he had already run close to where Unicornera had hovered, taking her by surprise.

He readied his short sword for another slash, holding it over his left shoulder as Unicornera rushed to put up a barrier of hatred—a barrier that—when Link slashed his sword downward, begun to crack.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

The concept of her hatred beginning to crack sounded absolutely absurd, and yet, it was now reality. 

Link had felt that hatred, he understood it, and with that, his intention to shatter it had lessened. The hatred he felt towards him was the same he felt towards humans, and despite not thinking it was justified to lump him in with those humans, he could not deny her hatred, nor did he desire to shatter it.

It would be terrible to shatter the essence of a living being.

His hatred… had finally met hers; Unicornera allowing her barrier to crack.

But why did she? Did she really allow her barrier to be shattered by the one she hated?

Why was this happening? Was she still human like Sonic had suggested?

Upon the shattering of the barrier, Link landed onto the ground, dispelling courage as he quickly recovered. He stared at his right hand as the sword faded away in remembrance of the touch of the hatred; the way it felt, it was sickening, but he could understand. 

Sonic had not dwelled on the vision of the death spirits, but the concept of death didn't seem to only be limited to the physical body.

Slicing through what makes her, and what makes me…

Was I trying to kill us both?

Participating in an attempt of conceptual death. Sure, it left a satisfying feeling in his stomach, but it didn't seem right. Why? He didn't know; perhaps Sonic or Mario would.

Sonic's eyes were focused on Unicornera as she still floated within the air, ultimately shocked at the broken glass-like pieces her barrier had formed now hitting the floor, dissipating from the touch of existence; amongst them arose smoke, coating a small amount of the area.

Sonic understood her hatred more than anything—it was in her nature, after all. However…

“Sometimes, in order to truly live, we have to die a little.” Those words, that belief—it was always on his mind. “Whether you decide you want to is up to you."

Up to me?

How baffling of him to say. Nature was nature, and you could not change its course. Why try to tame a Lion when its nature is focused on hunting? It simply makes no sense to try and help.

“If you embodied what I embody…” She spoke through gritted teeth, her hatred furthering. “You'd understand.”

“Perhaps, but my two cents are still important, y'know?” Sonic chuckled. Was he not taking this seriously?

That was all Link could wonder. Dying to truly live? What did that even mean? It sounded so ridiculous to him, and despite all of those feelings towards death, he was eager to learn.

“What does your two cents matter?” Asked Unicornera, lighting her horn once more; this time, its glow was a heavenly crimson. “Reality detests such feelings!”

“First, because we're the same mind, technically! And two, don't act like it's all blind,” Sonic urged, taking a step forward, crossing his arms, “Reality's in the eye of the beholder. You can see so much with your magic, can't you?”

“I suppose.”

That shining crimson red grew brighter and brighter. “But there's no point in considering it.”

“And that’s exactly why you’ll always be hollow.” Sonic said.

The Crimson light turned darker as it brightened, “You’re just as hollow as you claim me to be, no matter what you say.”

“Hollow, huh?” Link wondered, if his heart was filled with nothing but hatred towards humans, was he also hollow? The question interested him greatly.

The battle between Mario and Mizan had commenced. For the first move, Mario threw a kick with his right leg, aiming for the side of his head; Mizan, however, was simply too fast, putting his opposite palm to where the kick would possibly land, catching it before unleashing a devastating straight punch to his chest.

Grunting from the pain, though not too much, Mario recovered, charging in head on. Despite the sheer rage that charge carried, Mizan still managed to maintain a calm and composed defensive like stance; the stance that defined the essence of Wing Chun.

When the opponent is hard, you are soft, just as when the opponent is soft, you are hard. In his eyes, it was the perfect way to defend.

Mario tried to get around this defense despite being unaware of what it was, and with each strike, he would be redirected into different directions; thrown off balance and left vulnerable to Mizan’s swift hand strikes.

Kicked back this time, Mario leaped back, panting heavily. Was he really that tired already?

Mizan held a look of disappointment, resting his arms to his side once more. “Where's your strength?” He raised a brow, seemingly staring down at Mario. “You know, if you hold none, I can always teach you martial arts. Are you interested in the Wing Chun style?”

I think he's got me figured out. Mario winced, standing back up, I'm only using the first function of Star-road. It's only something that increases durability, meaning I can take his attacks; the downside is, I can't get anywhere by striking him.

Star-road was the essence of Mario's soul, holding five functions, two of which had already been disabled due to specific circumstances. The first function wasn't going to be effective at all in terms of striking.

Again, again, and again he tried, but failed each time. With the lack of knowledge of Mizan's ability—down to one knee—he could only think.

“You haven't answered my question.”

Surprisingly enough, Mizan seemed to allow his opponent to stand back up. “Are you interested?”

“I’m fine without it.” Mario said, panting as he stood up once more, “What? You really think I can't keep up?”

“That seems to be the case,” Mizan sighed, “Don't bore me, please.”

Not again, he was growing worried.

“I don't care what you feel. You're standing in my way.” Mario said.

This was embarrassing, being maneuvered so effortlessly; perhaps this wasn’t his responsibility. Not alone, at least. Due to being hit, many of the functions of his soul had been disabled for quite some time, rendering him almost useless, but then again, who better to carry on responsibility than the one who couldn’t save who he cared for?

He stood up once again, the energy of his soul spiraling into the air; basked in a gold color. He stood as a figure blessed by the heavens themselves. He curled his hands into fists. “You want strength?”

Mizan’s energy spiked. “That's all I’m asking of you.”

He smirked once more, longing for enjoyment. The path of strength required fulfillment to the self, but strangely enough…

It always ends up being another to bring that fulfillment.

Mario had an idea.

“Alrighty.”

Mario’s heart was pounding. He could feel that thing again. Something he had felt years ago.

And…

He starts off strong! His speed had seemingly grown, allowing him to appear behind Mizan; he left nothing but an afterimage where he had previously stood, reeling his arm back and quickly striking Mizan in the chest with a punch.

The strike was thunderous, sending Mizan tumbling back; though it was not the sheer force of the punch and such a strange change in energy that had surprised him.

If Mario were to fight with his faith in his responsibility, then so would he.

—Red Irreverence—

He got in his wing chun stance once more upon regaining his balance, and just as Mario, his energy had changed.

Blue switched to purple, then quickly formed into red. Mario was unaware of this phenomenon, but with the abandonment of the first function, he could move onto the second and third.

Star road bestowed numerous effects on the soul.

The first function coated the soul in a unique spectral armor that increased his durability.

The second was…

Before Mizan could notice, Mario had once again disappeared. 

The promising ability of red irreverence allowed him to make the most logical prediction based on the opponent’s last move, state of mind, and the movements of the body. It was simple. If Mario had disappeared, then he would appear in his presumed blind spot again.

He smirked, teeth showing. Turning around and tilting his elbow fifty degrees to block the incoming strike. Just as his ability presume, Mario had appeared in that spot. His smirk grew wider, anticipating an attack.

That is, until it didn’t happen.

Huh?

Mario had disappeared again, gasps of surprise arising from the crowd.

Red irreverence was put into work once again as Mizan hastily looked in all directions. It had a voice, a deep one at that–one that rang in his mind.

“To your right.”

Instead of going on the defensive, he would step forward and attempt to unleash a front kick where Mario stood.

But he had attacked nothing. 

But it wasn’t over yet!

The voice of Red irreverence spoke constantly, each word overlapping with the previous. So many orders, so many directions he needed to look, and in each one he did, a daunting flash of red and blue caught his eyes, but…

I…

His eyes looked everywhere, and that’s when the realization dawned.

I cannot strike!

An additional function of the first function of star road, only accessible through the use of the first function, was the ability to damage the opponent’s perception of reality through fast movement. Mizan’s vision began to get blurry no matter how many times he attempted to focus his eyes through squinting. WIth the hammering of commands of Red Irreverance, any semblance of focus was being torn apart.

Mizan’s perception… had failed.

Another effect of the second function was to power the soul, the very source of where abilities stemmed from. With this, Mario stopped moving, appearing in front of a distorted Mizan. His right face was placed in his palm, his soul energy pulsing.

He felt like he was on the verge of hitting it, the lightning like remnants of an ancient move, but he remembered that bloody hat, and again, he could not; instead, what had come forth was the twisting of his entire body into a devastating blue that caved Mizan’s face in, sending his body mindlessly tumbling away.

"PASTA POWER!!!"

Mario had used the first function before, knowing it wouldn’t work. But Mizan needed to build some form of perception of him based on how he struck, that way, he could destroy it with the second.

Mizan stared into the sky while laying on the floor, his vision struggling to form back. 

Yet, there was still that grin on his face. Today was his lucky day, an opponent had outsmarted him. Despite both not using the full extent of their strength, this was enough for an even greater perception to be formed.

“Star inherent…”

One that…

“WE”RE BEST FRIENDS NOW!”

That was quite unusual.

“SUCH AMAZING STRENGTH, A POSSIBLE WAY TO SURPASS MY WING CHUN STYLE! YOUR PATH OF STRENGTH… IS WORTH SEEING THROUGH!”

Mizan was chuckling like some sort of maniac.

Mario tilted his head in confusion, but smiled nonetheless.

Not at the offer of friendship, but at the acknowledgement of his wrongdoing.

“Guess that means you’ll let me pass, huh?”

Mizan stood up, wiping the blood off of his nose, steam arising as he seemingly healed. The grin full of blood, why did it still remain?

“It’s only fair, I lost, after all.” He said, walking past Mario, heading back towards where his team’s headquarters resided.

He finds strength based on responsibility… I don’t get it.

In fact, it seems quite foolish.

But it’s his truth of strength.

I want to understand.

That way, perhaps I can be the happiest person in this world!

Jīngrén de!!!! (Amazing)

As Mizan was on his way, so was Mario, rushing to where Link and Sonic were.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

The azure sky reflected the rays of the sun onto the forest—the very forest where the strongest roamed, heading towards the camp. He was accompanied by a young spectral.

“This is the one-hundredth mission of the Spectrals, isn’t it?”

Three diagonal golden buttons held his black uniform together; the white, long scarf acting as their support, albeit a bit small. Beneath its warmth contained large, baggy pants of the same color. Just like his clothes, his eye color was nothing but darkness, the same with his hair, which extended down to the edge of his shoulders. Though today, it was wrapped into a singular ponytail. A contrast to the darkness, his skin was relatively white.

𝐀𝐋𝐌𝐎𝐒

“It’s already April,” Almos smirked, “Y’think we’ll get to two hundred missions by June?”

Lars opened his mouth, though nothing had come out, and he deterred his vision to a nearby lake. It seemed the tone had shifted a little, but why? “Depends on how willing this generation is to work together,” he said, setting his sights back on the path. “Many join for different reasons, it’ll be hard to make them get along. Last year, we were already at two-hundred thirty five missions by the end of the event.”

“Well, people are always discord,” Almos said, “They all act differently, they all think differently,” his gaze shot up to the sky, analyzing the beauty of the wind spirits above him. You couldn’t see them, for the air was clear, but you could always feel them. “And there isn’t anything wrong with that.” Golden, joyful spirit arose in the form of small beams of light, circling around Almos. “But the thing is, due to that uniqueness, it’s hard to execute what we’re trying to accomplish for the greater good, and that isn’t a good thing, right?”

Once again, Lars took his gaze off the path and looked at Almos with a smile, “Selfishness is the antithesis of duty. Throwing it all away and making them adopt a mindset akin to that would make things go a lot faster, but humans aren’t like spirits or animals."He said, “The closest you could get are spirit beasts, but even then, the questioning of nature still resides in them.”

Something had sparked in his eyes.

He had remembered him. 

The previous holder of the strongest.

“But ambition fuels strength,” he said, “Taking it away would only further damage the humanity of others. I can’t force ideals upon people, despite it being the norm.”

“But wouldn’t it be better if humans were like animals?” Asked Almos, staring at his right arm cased in metal. “Tied to one specific nature–obliged to act in a certain way to achieve what’s good for humanity?”

Lars’ scoffed at the idea.

How could one…

“Perhaps it would prevent conflict, but you must remember,” his smile had faded, “It’s our humanity which makes one strong, and at times weak; but there must always be a balance.” His gaze fell upon Almos’ metal arm. “No amount of tinkering to human nature or anatomy can change that face.”

Almos chuckled, taking his eyes off of the sky and closing them, seemingly envisioning something. “Maybe,” he said. “Maybe so.”

That Crimson light blessed her horn once more, glowing ever so brighter around the area. Many of the others had taken their leave, except for Link and Mario of course.

Link could feel the sheer abundance of hatred lying dormant, hoping to be unleashed, and yet, he could only stare in shame and disappointment. He remembered the touch of her soul, how hollow it felt; nothing but hatred. 

"Spirits just are," he remembered those words.

He stared at the light head on. In another act of remembrance, his mind traced back to the spirit he had killed earlier.

Maybe…

He dropped his sword.

He had attempted to kill her earlier.

He couldn’t see Unicornera, no.

He could only see himself.

So he closed his eyes, expecting to be erased.

But of course, Sonic wouldn’t allow it, and Unicornera knew. She had redirected the light towards where Sonic stood; an ethereal crimson light dashing through the air, tearing it apart.

Or, so she thought.

The effect of Star-road’s second function had caused a disruption in her vision. As it was regained, Sonic was no longer in his original spot, and the blast had been sent into the sky, piercing through the clouds.

Sonic smirked. "You know, a couple of minutes ago wouldn’t have been so bad either!" 

Mario landed on the ground, batting an eye at Sonic. "Well, ya beat me to it this time, at least."

Sonic's smirk then faded. 

Gee, someone got cocky.

“STAR INHERENT!” Anger bursted forth from Unicornera.

She knew who it was all too well.

Her eyes had became bloodshot.

Why could she never achieve what she wanted? 

What good was she if she couldn’t let her hatred satisfy her?

“YOU ALL…”

“The event hasn’t even started yet,” Mario said, “Just let it go.”

Link’s eyes open, then widened upon turning to his right and seeing Mario standing right beside him. Protecting him.

“Why are you…”

“Before you even ask,” Mario looked at him with a heartfelt smile, “It’s because he's-a my teammate.”

"Yeah!" Sonic added, "You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us!"

Link frowned.

For someone… like me?

He couldn’t even fathom why. There couldn’t just be no reason, of course. These were humans.

There wa always a reason, but… the most likely scenario made him shudder.

Clap.

Clap.

“Alright, alright.”

Clap.

Clap.

She had arrived.

Everyone in the vicinity had turned to the sound of the clapping. 

Why had everything gone silent?

It was almost as if all of the universe and stars had stopped solely for her.

“Unicornera, deary,” She spoke in a monotone voice, her smile showing no ounce of concern for the heated situation. “Why don’t we cut that out, okay?”

Unicornera took one more glance at Link as she descended down, her wings folding back into a normal position. Landing on the ground, she stood right beside the person who had arrived.

𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐀 𝐓𝐎𝐀𝐃𝐒𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐇 

—The leader of the second team of the event—

Mario grimaced, standing up and staring daggers into the eyes of a distant relative.

“No way you’re their leader…”

She simply smirked, “That’s right!” She said, holding up two fingers.

Last year, the second team went under a different leader. One with more respect and sense of responsibility; the one who had been the leader for the second team for years.

Lee Chaolon.

This sudden change in leadership. 

How shocking.

Chapter Text

Inheritance.

The path to inheritance lies within death, where when one vessel met the phenomenon; another of the same blood would inherit the spirit.

But if one were to kill that successor, then the strongest nearby would be the one to obtain the spirit, become a spectral, and so on.

Mario was the one to inherit the star spirit in a month, but Rosalina was the strongest within the star family. A daunting possibility had ensued, Mario gritting his teeth. “Is that why you’re here?”

Rosalina’s smile grew wider, “You know, ever since we were kids, I’ve always been one to go for the win.” she said, her eyes flaring.

Mario froze.

He remembered the sudden encounter with Mizan, a member of Rosalina’s team for the event. It was completely out of nowhere, just as Unicornera’s assault. It seemed a bit too convenient that both happened at such a similar time. 

So that’s her game.

Motivations incorporated into a coordinated operation of sorts.

“You sure are despicable,” Mario sighed, “You’re already a Spectral. Where’s the purpose in taking my darn birthright?”

Birthright?

Link raised a brow.

“Our birthright, you mean? Oh well, won’t be for long.” She took a few steps forward, gesturing for Unicornera to leave, which she would quickly obey.

Link watched as she soared away, then looked over mario. “Who is this?” he asked, his voice slightly quivering. 

That serious look on Mario’s face. Sonic of all people knew that it signaled to the tone of the situation.

“Rosalina, a distant and not-so distant relative of mine.” He said, “She was supposed to be the next successor of the spirit, but then, I came along. My soul was stronger than hers at birth.” He then balled his fists tightly, “But things have changed now.”

At that statement, Rosalina could only chuckle. An overwhelming sense of happiness from being acknowledged. God, did it feel cathartic. “Well, at least you acknowledged it,” she said, “I was always the brightest star at heart.”

“And yet, the right was handed to me.”

“Yes, and then came along fate.” Her chuckling had stopped, and what remained on her face was nothing but a conniving ear to ear grin. She examined his hat, remembering the horrors which came from a similar one of green. 

Mario could feel anger swelling up, and for a moment, he considered an act of violence. However, the hypocrisy and contradiction had prevented him from even taking a step.

This isn't my responsibility.

But Rosalina wasn't done ticking his buttons just yet. Her gaze fell on Link, who stared. “Link, is it?”

There was something about her demeanor that unnerved him. He hesitated for a moment before eventually nodding.

“Not too fond of your role, I presume. The role of the holder of the triforce soul?”

He stared down for a moment, putting some more consideration into his answer. He acknowledged he had been given insights into various new perspectives during his time, but at heart, this went against his very essence. Even if he tried, he couldn't forget that.

“Not really,” he answered. “Why? What's it to you?”

“Nothing, really,” Rosalina said, “But how exactly do you see any form of worth in yourself if you are not fond of it?”

Link stood up straighter, “What are you talking about?”

“It may not be normal, but your soul has more merit than most.” She said, “Doesn't it feel good... to know that you're actually special instead of being told so?”

Link pondered about it for a moment.

The life spirit had appeared once again, but only for a moment. 

I lived in a forest all by myself, the only meaning being within those spirits.

But I'm connected with them, right?

I must mean something.

But no spirits had come to be within his sight. They all disappeared in his arms, so he could only wonder…

Do I really?

“I think you've said enough.”

Sonic had finally stepped in. “You think the value in life comes from roles, huh?”

A shadow harbored over Rosalina’s eyes. The sight of that made Mario simply look away, tilting his hat down to hide his eyes, knowing the history behind that look.

“What is life if not the pursuit of meaning?” She asked, her tone darker this time. “Humans do what they desire, hurting the world in return, hurting others. Don't they know that their very ambitions mean nothing in the face of the all-dwelling cosmos?”

“Perhaps it doesn't mean anything,” Sonic argued, “Perhaps it may all be meaningless in the face of something bigger, but who's to say that it doesn't serve a purpose despite being all of that?”

He remembered his time before arriving at the camp.

He had every right to hate humans. Yet, being alone and with no home, he would help anyone.

He had helped a child find their lost dog.

He had given food to a starving person on the street.

Talking to other spirit beasts about their problems.

Just small things that made people happy.

“Humanity needs compassion, but it can't exist without hate, and vice versa. Without it, humanity wouldn't be as nearly as interesting.” He took another step forward, “There are small things in this world that have made people happy despite the things that oppose its good nature in the world. Death comes for everyone, that's why it's necessary to live life to its fullest. Tell me,” one last step, “Is taking a life really all that happy? Why not just go fishing, dude? I wouldn’t mind fishing with ya. Get rid of that jealousy first, though. Ugh, what's with all the contradictions today?”

Rosalina's smirk had finally faded. If it wasn't for the small seeds of the past she had assumed were severed long ago, she wouldn't have been so angered by those words of his. She couldn't run from what made her, it was webbed within the thread of existence forever.

A sense of fear had filled Sonic’s heart upon realizing what he had done. Someone like Rosalina held an intense amount of wealth within the Mushroom Kingdom due to her relation with the current holder of the Star spirit.

Yet, before she could say another word.

She was gone.

A swift, calming wind swept from where she had once stood, the tingling feeling of the grass spirits all over.

“Yikes!” Sonic scratched his quills, “That might come to bite us later, my bad.”

Mario took his hand off his hat, his eyes visible again. “No need to worry,” he said, “She doesn't care enough to do anything harmful to you. You'll be just fine.”

The wind began to slow down, Link staring in bewilderment in remembrance of the events that had happened. “...Mario…”

“Hm?”

“So you're soon to hold a great spirit like me, huh?” Link had recalled, further understanding those eyes of his.

Mario nodded hesitantly, “That's right,” he said, “Come on, we should probably head back to the camp before Lars gets back.”

“Definitely,” Sonic said, smiling, “Thanks for coming through, man. Didn't wanna handle that for any longer than I had to at this time.”

“It's understandable.”

Mario and Sonic began to take their leave, but Link hesitated to follow. They had form their own definite perspectives from what he saw, and yet, he still wandered within the realm of confusion, that unyielding desire to move forward engraved into his soul. The life spirit appeared once more, zipping behind him. 

“It's hard, isn't it?” it asked, “I'm very sorry.”

Link shook his head, “Don't apologize,” he said, taking a step forward. “It’s me who doesn't understand.”

Chapter End

Chapter Text

"Donkey Kong isn't that annoying! I don't know why Mario is ticked off at him so often!" - Meralin.

The campsite stood not too far from them. From where they stood, they could see the surprised faces of those who had been spectating the events; most of them made a crowd, and very little work was being done, despite the disappearance of Rosalina.

Link had caught up to the two Spectrals as they stepped onto the site once more, the eyes of curiosity hanging over them, watching closely. Chatter arose, but there was no telling as to whatever gibberish they spoke about. Not like any of them cared anyway. 

Right beside the headquarters of the second team lie the headquarters of the first team; a perfect replica of the structure of the other, though one could say vice versa. As they approached it, the other Spectrals slowly got back to their activities, Link really examined the two who walked before them, and in doing so, he could feel a smile form on his lips. It almost seemed instinctual, or another assumption could be made from the reappearance of the life spirit for just a split second. Perhaps he still had a connection with the spirits after all, but there was a funny feeling that resided somewhere in his heart. 

How conflicting.

He sighed, picking up his pace by a small margin.

“Mario,” he called, catching his attention, “Why’d you two come to my aid? You of all people should know how much I resent you, right?”

Mario stopped for a moment, and so did Sonic.

“It’s basic empathy, man,” Sonic said, “When you see another person in trouble wouldn’t you want to help them? Or at least hope somebody saves them first?”

Link recalled the days when he did feel that way, back when the disease of the village hadn’t reached its full capacity just yet. He had no knowledge on the art of healing or even being a doctor, and of course, he didn’t feel obligated to. Though, he did hope that the little integrity few of the doctors had of the disease would help the people infected. 

“I guess so.” He shrugged, but Sonic could tell he meant what he said.

“You probably weren’t listening to what I said back there.” Mario said. There was a bit of roughness within his voice. “It’s a responsibility,” he continued walking, putting his hat downward, “I don’t think you would understand.”

Or maybe he did.

But what would be the point in accepting it?

They had finally arrived at the three steps of the headquarter’s structure, soon approaching the door. Mario opened the door by a nudge, his eyes bearing witness to an empty, wide room with two, long tables facing vertically on the side of the rooms where the windows resided. Confetti, old sketches, plates, and decorations lie in every inch of the wood covered room in an unorganized manner. Near the center, against the wall lay an automatic fireplace; it was in between the two doors that both led to their rooms.

He took a step inside, immediately looking up at the large, golden chandelier that hung above that center of the room. Since it was day time, it hadn’t been turned on.

“Well,” A smile reappeared on his face as he opened the door completely, allowing Link to see into the room, “Welcome to our home, my pisano!”

Link raised a brow, examining just how messy the room was. “This is where I’m staying for the rest of my life?” He asked, sighing. If he hadn’t missed the forest then, he sure did now.

Too modern.

“It ain’t all that bad!” Sonic assured, nervously chuckling, “It’s honestly very fun when everyone’s here. Seems like they’re all busy, though.”

Link rolled his eyes.

I have to work with more of them? Just how many are here?

Above everything, that was the clearest.

Mario looked around, sighing at the mess he would have to clean up.

Sonic could spare him some trouble with his speed, but of course, he knew the answer Mario would give him if he tried. All he could do was accept.

“Well, the place isn’t all that big.” Sonic said. Link followed him; as he did, his gaze was drawn upon the four sets of elongated windows near the camp. Someone was outside. 

“Basically, this is where we get breakfast, and behind those doors are where all the beds are.”

She sat on a wooden stool, a viola in her possession. She maintained a great focus, her eyes closed, disconnected from the world. The part of her gray hair that lay in between what was wrapped into, benevolent buns, relished in the graceful, yet subtle wind. Her attire consisted of a long sleeved gray shirt—over it a purple jumper dress that hung just above her black, long boots. 

She held the bow up in her right hand with precision, playing a somewhat soothing tone. It began to get louder, and louder as the bow shot back and forth. Then, the crescendo came, and it wasn’t soothing at all. Yet, it held such gracefulness, seemingly intentional to anyone in a crowd.

But the sound of it, she seemed to not like.

She snarled in frustration, her eyes set towards the sky, searching for whatever her satisfaction lie.

𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐎𝐍!

Link had zoned out, too invested in the event unfolding. It wasn’t until Sonic snapped for the third time that he redirected his attention towards him.

“See ya met one of our members.” He said, “That’s Beliona.”

“I see,” Link mumbled, both of their gazes now on her. “Why is she out there?”

Sonic sighed, “It’s a bit complicated, honestly. She almost never talks to anyone but her sister here.” He said, “But don’t worry, we have an important quest today, so she’s trying to focus on fulfilling that role she has.” 

“A quest?”

“They're like these big missions like these require a specific amount of conditions to be completed. Lars probably toldja about 'em already like he did me.” Sonic explained, “The current quest of today is the Spirit Calling of Midnight, where two people will fuse their soul into their works to impress the Spirits that reside here.”

There was something similar that occurred within the village he stayed at, where the people would praise the spirits of the past and the new with their stories. Link was unnerved that such was a mere requirement, but nevertheless, he could experience what remained of his former self again.

“This quest holds at two participants, and both are on our team." Sonic explained further.

“Speaking of which…” Mario threw a plate into the trash bin nearby, “Where is she? She said she’d be coming back by the time we were done with our assignments, yeah?”

“Who’s 'she'?” Link inquired.

“I’m riiight here!!” A muffled voice shrieked from outside the structure.

The door bursts open, catching the shocked form of acknowledgement from the three.

There, panting to no end, barely able to catch her breath was the younger sister of Beliona.

𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐍 𝐀𝐊𝐀𝐈

She stood at the same height of her sister—-long, smooth purple hair that stretched all the way down to the tip of her shoulders. Her skin was incredibly pale, her eyes bearing the same color of her hair. She had a unique sense of fashion, with golden earrings adorned on her ears, as well as her outfit which was a purple kimono, the Obi of it basked in gold. To top it all off, she wore nothing but purple slippers, as well as purple lipstick. Her jawline was well defined, but soft, and her face was smooth.

Oh, right.

Her eyes were purple as well.

In her right hand, she held a loose piece of paper. It contained a drawing that was not yet finished, which they could not see properly.

“Gee, what took ya so long?” Sonic asked, staring at her stupidly.

“I was busy completing my piece, you arrogant rat!” She basked

“Yeah? Well couldja speed it up? Oh, by the way, I’m—”

“A hedgehog, not a rat, I know.” She rolled her eyes, soon gazing upon the new member of the team.

Link.

“Oh, wow! Wow! Wow!” A smile of pure joy was etched on her face. How odd.

Within seconds, she had rushed across the room, catching Link off guard as she was now essentially right in his face. Quite the invasion of his space.

Her eyes sparkled, her smile dazzling as she examined him with curiosity. “You really are a Hylian, no way!”

Sonic frowned, tired of her antics. Link turned over to Mario, who cracked a smile.

Classic. He thought.

“Um, yeah, that’s right.”

Link was quite tolerant of the woman before him, but he didn’t know why. “What of it?” he began to back away, slowly.

“Aaaahhh it’s just!” She let out a shriek of excitement, “I’ve been so interested in the cultures that abide this world! I’ve been studying the ancient art of Hylians for a long time, but I’ve never really met one in person! Well, because they're all dead, but still!” She politely tugged on his ears, letting go almost immediately with the sign of discomfort from Link.

“I have to know everything! Please, come with me, let’s go–”

“Now, now.” Mario interrupted her, shaking his head as he stepped forward.

She had let go of the tug she had on his arm.

“You have a responsibility to take care of, remember?”

“Yeah,” Sonic chimed in, “Besides, the kid just joined. Ain’t no need for you to overstimulate the poor guy more than he already is. It may just sound like a buncha nonsense!”

“It’s not nonsense! It’s art!” She spat back.

“Yeling and pestering others is art? Woah, how creative!” He chuckled, a smug smile across his face. It only made her frown further.

“That’s not what I mean!”

Link stood, analyzing the beef between the two. He was unsure of how to respond to her offer. Of course, she was a mere human.

But she had an interest in culture.

That fact alone interested him.

“Hey.”

Meralin’s eyes grew wide as her frown disappeared. 

“Sure, I’ll go with ya.”

A neutral expression stayed for a few seconds, and within the next few, a geeky smile had made its return!

“Awww yeah!” She then turned to Sonic, “Take that, rodent!”

“I’m a hedgehog ya moron!’’

But she needed confirmation from Mario. After all, she had a responsibility to carry out being a participant.

Mario stared into her eyes, the amount of effort put into looking innocent within him immense. He hesitated, knowing it had won.

“Fine!”

“Yay!”

“But!” Mario froze, “You must do your responsibility as well. Remember that.”

Merlina smiled, hiding the drawing behind her back once more. She tugged at Link’s hand, smiling at him. For a moment, he could feel a smile forming back; though, she had began pulling him away in excitement.

“Let’s go! C’mon!”

“Okay, okay!” She huffed, her eyes still bright.

Link took one last look at Mario and Link before heading out of the structure. 

Of course, Sonic wasn’t too fond of this decision. But no matter how much he stared, he couldn’t change Mario’s mind, and Mario had no regrets. “A friend’s happiness is top responsibility.” He said. Meanwhile, Sonic was already heading into the door of the right that contained the bedroom.

“Just wake me up when Lars is back, alright?” He asked, opening the door.

Mario chuckled, giving him a thumbs.

“Sure thing, pal.”

• The Afton family has a bad reputation due to a certain somrone, but Beliona cares very little about that. Her father, Micheal Afton, pushed her to play the Viola. (He's deceased due to... unusual circumstances.)
• Lars found her during an incident in Utah that is now lost to time.
• Her and Meralin aren't related. Meralin was an orphan by the time Micheal and his wife took her in.
• Due to her connections with the Spectrals company, she was able to take a slot in the Goodwill Event.

"Uncle seemed scary." - Beliona

• Meralin really likes art. In fact, in her school, she was at the top of her art class (Above mediocre.)
• Morning bird and Night Owl (Sleeps like a baby, mind you.)
• Every member on the team remembers the first time they met her... of course, she was asking every single detail about them.

"I enjoy designing!" - Meralin

Chapter End

Chapter Text

—Three days before Link's recruitment—

In the Eastside of the forest, there was a large field of grass that stretched seemingly to no end. Even running through it for hours wouldn't make you see what lied towards the end.

But two Spectrals decided to prove it wrong. 

Right here, in this field free of animals.

Sonic walked onto the field, stretching his arms overhead; his eyes had caught the light of the sun, just as his body caught the warmth. There was no doubt in his mind that this warmth would intensify with the challenge ahead, but then again…

“What would be life if ya don't take risks?” He asked. Not only to himself, but to the person who stood right beside him. The hat he wore protected his eyes from the sun's gaze as he stood with his feet shoulder width apart.  

He bent his right knee, latching onto his right foot with his right hand.

He held the pose for thirty seconds, standing up right after and looking ahead. He took a deep breath and cracked his neck. The dichotomy of the unyielding colors that cackled and twisted into the air from their bodies, golden and blue, created a tension like no other.

The spirits of the grass had begun to squirm away from them, and for a moment, the spirits of the air had made their presence known. Their form was merely giant, moving hands with tiny fingers.

“You got that right.”

This was simple.

It was a race.

“Same rules as last time,” Sonic said, “Whoever makes it to the end of the field is the winner.”

Mario readied himself once more, “Then let's break the tie.” He spoke with confidence.

Three. 

An electric surge of blue surrounded Sonic’s quills.

He was eager to run.

Two.

Red lightning cackled upon the future star basked in gold. Figments of sparks were reflected in his eyes.

He was also eager to run.

One.

At the highest point of tension…

Go!

The two had finally kicked off, the sheer abundance of their souls leaving nothing but a scorched earth behind them.

Sonic had taken the lead. 

—𝑬𝑵𝑫𝑳𝑬𝑺𝑺 𝑷𝑶𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑩𝑰𝑳𝑰𝑻𝑰𝑬𝑺 —

Endless Possibilities was the name of the soul-ability generated by his soul. Or at least, this was its basic function.

Gathering kinetic energy as he sped up, he could constantly grow more and more faster the longer he ran; this could create an immense energy that came in the form of explosion. Though, Sonic had to lower the output, for going too fast would make him lose sight.

—𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹 𝑹𝑶𝑨𝑫—

The third function of Star Road.

How does one perceive the stars?

Naturally, one would perceive them as celestial bodies that are the source of solar systems.

But within the Mushroom Kingdom, the stars are the ultimate source of strength.

This function had granted Mario the ability to uphold the ferocious, ever-ending energy of the average star; boosting his stats to the maximum!

With this, Mario took the lead!

“Catching up, are we?!” Sonic yelled to Mario across the field.

Within the soul, there is an energy that is always visible to both the person and the user. It arises when anger is present, granting more power in abilities, but less control, and lowers when sadness is present, granting weaker strength in abilities, yet more control,  albeit flimsy. When moves are unleashed, the energy either decreases or increases, meaning there is a chance of increasing and decreasing the longevity of soul-abilities.

However,

In the case of these two, they had found an absolute balance, a smirk etched on their face as they dashed across the beautiful land. The speed of the two warriors created an orbit of power around them that brought the ground to nothing.

Mario, taking the lead this time, had increased the output of the third function temporarily. Rushing in front of a giant rock and stopping where he stood.

Sonic continued to persevere, but was stopped in his tracks as the boulder had been launched at. Applying the basic function of Unbounded Soul to his fist, he was ready to bring the effect back tenfold. 

He wined up his right arm, sending it back with a release.

Then…

THEY PUNCHED IT CONTINUOUSLY, KNOCKING IT BACK AND FORTH UNTIL…

—BOOM!—

IT EXPLODED!

Amongst the smoke, the hedgehog emerged gracefully, that smirk on his face still present as lightning cackled once more. His breathing was rugged, yet his body showed no signs of tiredness.

“It's time I show you…”

The ground below ceases to exist as he stumbled, regaining his balance.

“MY TOP SPEED!”

Mario smirked, the light of a shining star radiating from the rocks of the shattered boulder.

Was this the height of tension? No.

Not just yet. 

“Yes…” he said, “Let’s-a go! Show me what you’ve got, Sonic!”

His body had suddenly formed into a ball? Oh no, Mario knew what this was.

The absolute accumulation of the speed Sonic had taken so far. “Not good!”

He landed back on the ground, putting the third function to use once more. He could see it now, the finish line!

But the thing to consider was the effect of Sonic's next move. The blue lightning shone even brighter than before as he spinned vertically. 

Imbuing the absolute power in the soul to enhance the speed, combining it with the amount of force gained from the speed.

He was a force that was…

Unstoppable.

Just as Mario reached the end, the sun signaling victory, the blue blur had zoomed past him at the last minute, reaching the end of the field that was the abundance of trees that led into another section of the forest. That... was the final release of tension.

Mario took a knee, panting heavily.

“You did good, Mario.” Sonic said, extending his hand to him.

Mario accepted his hand with no hesitation. “Well, that settles the tie, does it not?”

“You know it!”

Mario huffed. He was too tired to even close his eyes.

Sonic’s power boost from the spindash had begun to wear off, bringing back his rugged breathing with his body now barely able to stand from exhaustion. He rested his body on a nearby tree, staring upwards.

“Geez…” He whispered, “That sure was quite the exercise, huh?”

“Sure was,” Mario spoke in between breaths of heaviness. Normally, he wouldn't do such strenuous activities during an important mission, but it felt joyous to do so and have fun.

But he still felt angry at himself.

But something else was afoot.

“Say, what's up?” Asked Mario, “That wasn't your top speed at all…”

Sonic’s breath was tangled within his throat, but only for a moment. Shackles were holding him back from achieving his actual top speed. The shackle of a memory long ago.

Death.

“I'm the embodiment of hope, remember?” Sonic chuckled, “That day doesn't exactly bring back hopeful memories. It's moving on.”

He closed his eyes, “Sorry about that…”

Mario was aware.

An understanding.

Sonic’s soul ability had caused suffering before.

Mario finally stood up, “No need to apologize for the past.” He said, "Know this, you are reacting naturally to the emotions that come about"

But are you really moving on?

He didn't want to ask.

Sonic gave him a sigh of relief, letting out a small chuckle. "Guess so, huh?" He said, "Always nice to hear wisdom from ya, Mario."

Mario looked over at the field, marking the progress they had made from start to finish. It felt so euphoric, that race did. But there was still a sense of emptiness beneath that—the desire of more. He turned back to Sonic. The compliment was a simple thing, really. However, it brought a warm feeling in his heart.

Being seen as someone who helps others, the brink of being a role model.

It felt great. "I just ramble from time to time, that's it." Said Mario, "Though, you can always come to me for advice."

"Heh, sure thing." Sonic said, flushing ever so subtly.

After minutes of catching their breath, the two would finally head back to camp.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

The workers had finally gotten back to working at full capacity, carrying logs and placing tones in the areas needed. The logs were essential for the stability of the dock where the event would be held. Only two had been placed down in the depths of the lake. Spectrals had already gathered near the location, for the event was just in a few hours. 

Meralin hadn’t been noticed for that reason. Meanwhile, Beliona rarely ever showed herself for she would hide in either the headquarters or an unusual space at the camp. Not like Meralin wanted to be seen. No one would even bother to help or ask how she was doing, for all that mattered was the step forward in the saving of the earth.

But Link was here now, right by her side—an opportunity to explore another culture and even gain a friend in the quest.

She walked through the cascade of workers alongside Link, tugging his arm even more tightly than before. He flushed. This unfamiliar hold on his arm flared a sense of uncertainty in his heart, but it was counteracted with a more warm feeling that he couldn’t refute no matter what. That smile on her face, it seemed too pure to be real, too surreal to be human.

“Where are we going?” Link asked, his question falling upon deaf ears for the chattering and working around the camp was too loud. All he could do was go with the flow. Meralin was checking her surroundings constantly, ignoring any form of engagement with the workers. 

Beyond the cacophony within the crowd, there was a small opening that was visible even within the row of endless trees. It seemed as if the trees allowed people to see this opening, perhaps the tree spirits wanted him to see this. Flowers—all kinds of them—they sprouted amongst the log. A few bellsprouts set among them, almost motionless.

In this opening, all that sat was a round, wide log that was big enough for two to sit in. Meralin pointed her finger towards it, gazing back at Link. “Let’s sit over there.”

And so Link obliged. Upon emerging from the crowd, they immediately walked over to the opening. Meralin was the first to take the seat, scooting over and gesturing at Link to sit down alongside her as she held her drawing close to her chest. 

Link’s eyebrows were heavy, his eyes naturally intense. Not only was he with a human. No, he had to engage in a conversation once more. It was less that he didn’t want to and more that he didn’t know or remember how to.

He remembered something from Sonic.

A handshake. 

He sat right beside her, extending his hand out.

“The name’s Link, by the way,” he hesitated, “And.. yours?”

Meralin took his hand almost immediately, shaking it violently.

What the hell?

He cringed. This was nothing like Sonic’s handshake, how barbaric.

“The name’s Meralin Akai!” She announced, stopping the handshake and bringing her hand back to her chest, “Nice to meet you, Link. It really is.”

“Hm,” Link nodded to himself, “So, what did you bring me out here for again?”

“Well, it’s mostly for you to help me with my role in the quest, but!” She had finally let go of the drawing, letting it show, “I want to know about you and your culture. Research purposes, you could say.”

Link slanted his eyebrows, “That’s… it?” he asked. He didn’t know what to expect, but he did expect something more.

And there was. 

“More importantly, I want to be friends with you.” Meralin said, her face softening. “You come from a place adorned in art, correct?”

Link’s heart warmed up once more. Why would anyone be interested in being his friend?

Why is she showing compassion? She’s a human. Not to mention, if Rosalina’s ideal was true, then he was above her within the plain of existence.

But she had asked him about his culture. It was obviously an attempt at understanding.

Meralin grinned, sensing his hesitation. “You know, art is like a glimpse into the soul of a people. The way they build, the way they create—it tells a story. And I love stories.” She crossed her arms, tilting her head. “I mean, how else are we supposed to understand each other or our ownselves in this whole mess?”

Despite his hatred, he couldn’t forget who he was back then—back when he admired the creativity of humans.

“Yeah, something like that, I suppose.” he said, “If you wanna talk culture, then I got something, I think. Back in Hyrule, most art is expressed through architecture. Take the mask for Shekiah, an ancient tribe that had gone extinct centuries ago.”

He had learned it from that old man.

“Oh yeah, I’ve seen that one!” Meralin said, “The eye plastered on the mask, doesn’t it mean the ability to seek truth and keep your eyes open no matter what?”

Link was surprised. This girl wasn’t Hylian, yet she seemed so knowledgeable. It reminded him of who he was back then.

No friends to abide, yet struck by the wonders of the world.

But even that wouldn’t help. 

“That’s right,” he gave her a soft, subtle smile. “The teardrop represents the willingness of the tribe to achieve a goal.”

He was reminded of Unicornera’s willingness to kill him.

The willingness of Rosalina to steal Mario’s birthright.

Hm.

The world is… quite interesting.

“Impressive symbolism,” Meralin commented, “It’s interesting to think about, don’t you think?”

“Think about what?”

“Even after death, the meaning behind what they left behind still resides.” Her tone became somber, “Art comes from the soul, and it’s because of that, that I think—”

She stared at her drawing. The detail was lacking, but it was easy to make out the moon in the midnight sky—hovering over the earth as the stars stood as spectators upon this show of the two celestial bodies.

“No matter how flawed it is, art is beautiful.” Meralin said, "Gee, looking at it more and more, this really lacks much... spark, yes, that's the word, from my other drawings."

Finding the value of humanity and death itself? How could that be possible?

No.

He couldn’t understand any of this—was it his own views that were shallow? 

“But, the truth is, the art was made by humanity.” Link said, “The Shekiah had slaughtered so many other tribes for the purpose of land. Why should their art persevere even after something like death?”

The seeds of the past. Oh, they grew ever so quickly. Though, even with such a specific and touchy question, the girl still kept that smile. 

“It’s not a matter of whether it should or not,” Meralin said, “Art is the accumulation of the soul. No matter what, the soul can never truly die.”

“Are you out of your mind? Of course they can."

Meralin chuckled, “My, what a dummy,” she teased, “Didn’t you listen to what I said? Even in death, the meaning behind it can't be taken away.”

But how could you say that when looking at them?

The death spirits were laughing in his head.

“Where I come from, Japan, we value the traditional art of those within the past.” Merolina said, “Being a foreigner there myself, I still dabbled in the making of that art, although the people behind lived lives of ferocity and destruction.”

Here, Link was hearing her out.

And more surprisingly, it began to make sense.

Why?

“Personally, my art is awful. I know that much,” she said, “But when I die, I want my art to carry on, no matter how it’s viewed.”

Link stared at the ground. “The death spirits, they’ll—”

“It’s scary, yes.” She responded almost immediately, “But if I’m remembered, then doesn’t that mean my life has value?”

During the days leading up to the sickness taking full effect.

That old man was still there. 

Being a child, Link didn’t know much about the world, and he couldn’t travel without the help of another. 

But the day that old man he lived with spoke, he wanted to explore.

“Humanity comes in the form of many things, most of it being expression. Throughout cultures and civilizations, there is always something left behind. A sword, a castle, a shield. Anything that makes them remembered throughout history. There lies a question: Will you merely become lost by time and your story remaining nothing but a mystery?”

He had suppressed that memory unknowingly, just as he did most.

“Perhaps…”

“Oh, wait, sorry!” Meralin recognized the troubled look on his face, and her voice had flown into a panic as her smile faded. “I didn’t mean to get so deep! Was the name-calling offensive, I didn’t—”

“It’s fine.” Link assured. He took a long, deep look into those eyes. They were adorned with curiosity and passion.

“I think you should… carry that belief.” 

Of course. 

Not like he was the one who should have, right?

Meralin’s eyes sparkled once more, her smile reforming.

“Say, Link.” 

“Hm?”

“What do you… think of my drawing?”

Link paused.

He wanted to say it was hideous, but the compassion she had shown to him meant something. Just taking time out of her duty to stop and chatter with him.

He analyzed the drawing, reminded of the beauty of the moon's gaze one night before the sickness came in at full totality. Nothing could shine brighter than the moon that night, and his desire for exploration was the only thing that could hope to match it.

With a smile, he said.

“It’s great.”

Meralin flushed, the light of sun finally dawning amongst the trees, making her pale skin seem even more brighter than it already was. It was a simple two words, yet meant more than a thousand coins. He was surprised that she found happiness with only two words, but it felt good to see.

“Thank you, Link.” She said, “Say, do you think we could be… friends? I would like to draw with you sometime!”

"I'm not too good at drawing." Link said, "In fact, I've never really tried it."

"Well, there's a first time for everything, and you don't exactly have to be... good at it." Said Meralin, relaxed. "Art varies in style. You usually just start off drawing stick figures and go from there. Well, that's how it was for me."

Ah, like the ones I've seen in that cave. He remembered. Well, if those are so highly regarded, then perhaps I could give it a shot. Still, I'm not sure if I would be a good "friend."

"There is that." Link considered. "Though, even if I started, I'd probably have no interest in that sort of thing. It'd be over as fast as it started."

Meralin was respectful about it. A bit disappointed, however, considering his background. "That's fair." She said, "Sorry if it seems like I'm too insistent. I just rarely get to talk about this kind of stuff. No one really shares my interests here and I don't feel like seeking out the people who do, especially from the other team."

"I get that," Link said, "I tried understanding others earlier, and well, I technically found someone similar to me. Unfortunately, that didn't go too well."

"Oh yeah." Her eyes lit up, "Was that the commotion I heard earlier near the dock?"

When that happened, she was sitting quietly against a tree, using her soul-ability to accelerate the speed of her coloring. When that red light was apparent, a bright crimson spark in the sky from where she stood, she became too fixated and nearly forgot about her coloring.

Remembering it now, she could only nervously chuckle at how easily distracted she was.

Though, before Link could answer, someone had arisen from the bushes—-her viola held in rest position. 

Beliona.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Beliona had arrived. Originally, since the workers were getting a bit too loud for her liking, she had come all the way out in the forest to practice in a more peaceful environment. Unfortunately for her, someone had already taken her spot.

Meralin frowned at her. Anger spirits that arose in the form of mere red puffs surrounded the two, which Link could see now. Belliona paid no attention to the Hylian, rendering him as completely meaningless, just as she did the rest of the team.

“You two should leave,” She commanded, “Shouldn’t you be working on your drawing instead of hanging out with boys? The consequence for failing is both of us being placed in a void, remember? Then, we can’t participate.”

“Hell if I care,” Meralin said, bitter. “Forcing and exploiting passion onto a request is a terrible thing. Don’t you feel the same way?”

Beliona sighed, “Do you think it matters how you feel?” she asked, “The world is in our hands. God, ever since we were kids, you were always so stubborn.”

She held her bow forth, pointing it directly at Meralin. “Don’t be so selfish that you forget actual lives are at stake. Now, if you excuse me—”

Meralin sat up from the log, the anger spirits growing brighter. “Don’t lecture me as if you don’t feel the same way, elder sister.” She wanted to smack the bow out her hand, but it was a work of art. “Our soul abilities manifested and we used to use them however we saw fit. Why don’t you see the injustice in this?”

“Because the old me was weak,” Beliona argued, “Finding a reason when the true goal is in sight is what weak people do.”

“Don’t act so righteous.” Meralin demanded, “Spouting all of this nonsense like we don’t have a choice to hold true to what we believe in. How spiteful.”

Beliona lowered her bow, groaning in annoyance. “You truly are an idiot,” she said, “I pity you, sister.”

“Wait a second,”

Finally, Link had chimed in. Stepping in front of Meralin.

“The ideals of Spectrals vary from person to person. I mean, how could you go forward without something to hold onto?”

He remembered his isolated years in the forest, the spirits keeping him going.

“That’s the problem with you Spectrals…” Her voice was stinging. “Clinging onto your own selfishness because you think what lies in your soul is more important than anything else.”

Link’s eyes grew wide.

“Ever since we were kids, you have always been one to follow orders blindly.” Meralin said, “But I don’t need logic or reason for what I feel.”

“That’s the exact problem.” Beliona said. "The logic is placed right before you. We are nothing more than machines to complete quest and save the world. Comrades, friends, it doesn't matter in the end."

There was this staggering pain in her heart—a pain that was only visible to Meralin.

She was nothing more than a truthless puppet in her eyes. “No one is that important!” She shouted, "Conciousness has become something too of value."

She stared at Link upon uttering the words. Loosening the grip on her bow, she sighed, closing her eyes as if to stray away from reality. There was an odd feeling on that Viola of hers, and It didn’t take long to figure out what it was.

"I just don't want for you to become a ruminating animal." Beliona said, softly than before. "You've doubted yourself for so long in the wastelands of your thoughts. I can’t bear to see it anymore."

A single leaf fell on her Viola—to which she simply knocked it off with a flick.

Despite the tiny cleansing, it always felt so empty to stare at.

“Look…”

She said in an undertone. “Are you going to leave or not? I don’t have much time until the event takes place.”

Link wanted to refute the offer, but Meralin held her hand outward, preventing him from both moving and talking. Then, she would nod hesitantly. 

“Sure thing, sister.”

She grabbed Link’s hand, and they made their way out of the forest, leaving the log open for Belliona. She sat down, taking time to appreciate the newfound peaceful air. Then, she would raise her bow, and begin playing.

Each note was near perfection, but completely soulless. This honing on what needed to be done had always made her soul feel empty, yet, it all seemed right.

It wasn't like her feelings were important. 

No matter how little she claimed herself to be, Meralin couldn’t help but feel an immense sadness in her heart hearing the tunes.

Art came from the human heart, and music was art.

To be so soulless… how dreadful.

She let go of Link’s hand upon the return to the camp.

“Who was that?” Link asked, “I’ve seen them before, playing alone near headquarters.”

Meralin’s lips were pursed. 

Of course she was, she thought, her eyes narrowing.

“That is my sister, Beliona.” she explained, “We became Spectrals in February, and ever since, she hasn’t been the same, although she had already changed after that event.”

That look in her eyes. There was no doubt in Link’s mind that a tragedy was replaying in her head.

“What event?” The life spirit flickered a dim light upon asking that question.

Meralin’s gaze struck the ground.

“Don’t worry about it.” She then turned, “I should probably get back to working on my drawing.”

A sigh followed, “It was really nice talking to you, Link.”

There was this strange desire for him to stop her from leaving, but he didn’t want to…

“It was nice talking to you as well, Meralina.” He said, "Say, during the event, should we speak again?"

"Why of course," Said Meralin, "After I submit the drawing for the event, I'll be free for the next two days."

"Good." Link gave a soft smile.

Just a reflection. He thought.

"See ya then."

She bowed to him, then would take her leave, disappearing into the crowd of workers. At this point, Link felt as if the foundation of his soul was twisting every passing moment.

Why did I do that?

What gives me the right to…

He stumbled for a moment.

Am I trying to understand these humans?

Why…

Did killing that spirit cause all of this?

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Lars Alexsandersson had finally made his return, Almos by his side. The first thing he laid eyes upon were the tombs that were formatted in the shape of a door, with many other tombs going down the right and left of the door-like shape. One in possession of the soul ability to form connections had connected them closely together—due to the strength of this connection, he could feel the sheer pressure of the soul power it possessed to repel the dark spirits. Lars took a moment to admire the structure of the tombs—the ancient Japanese-like textures never failed to strike him in awe.

Almos walked through the door, unnerved by the pressure, contrary to the reaction of the proclaimed strongest.

“It’s some impressive architecture.” Almos acknowledged, “Best we’ve had in years. Guess the quality of them rises naturally every year.”

“Naturally with the money we give them,” Lars stepped beside him, “Whatever gets the job done.”

The workers had noticed his arrival—and so, they would begin to work harder than ever before, though not as hard as they were previously for the preparations for the event were almost done. “Everything is going smoothly.” Said Lars, gearing his gaze over towards the headquarters of the other team. Being three days into the goodwill event as a whole, both of the team’s leaders hadn’t met. Usually, the greeting between both leaders had been the first thing of the event, the only two participants being the leaders, of course.

It was by far the easiest quest of the event, and was almost always completed. It had been so for the past seven years in a row. This time around, Rosalina did not accept the greeting via handshake, resulting in a consequence.

When specific conditions are not met in a quest, a consequence is granted. Depending on the scale, they can vary.

In this case, the purpose of the quest was to establish the definite sportsmanship between the two teams for the event—the consequence fell upon both.

If one team were to lose, then they were to be subjected to The Void.

In the headquarters of the second team, all one could ask was…

“What in the world made you think this was a good idea?”

𝐍𝐎𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐔𝐂𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐀𝐄𝐋𝐔𝐌

The wayward prince soon to become king.

“Giving us a consequence is only going to pressure us even further. Did you even think this through?”

Rosalina paced around the room, bringing him not even an ounce of acknowledgement.

Unicornera sat on the last seat of the table to the right of the room, staring outside the window.

Meanwhile, Mizan was…

“I wouldn’t worry too much about it. After all, If we can overcome a consequence with our strength, then perhaps we could learn something valuable!"

Well, Mizan.

He was standing in the corner, keeping a calm face while an ever-growing excitement had been ignited in him.

Then, Rosalina finally spoke.

“I did think it through, my student.” She said, “And I thought you would understand.”

Noctis scratched his head, “If I was like any other who's like us, then probably. But,” Rosalina had stopped pacing around the room, “I actually have a concern for how I’ll deal with this situation.”

“Noctis,” She sighed, “I never knew you had so little confidence in our ability to win.”

“I’m just open to other possibilities,” He said, “One that you’re too blind to see. Not too far off, considering we’re tied when it comes to wins, but there is still a possibility.”

For a moment, there was only silence, and during it, Noctis could only curse at himself in his head. Talking back to the leader of his group, what was he thinking? 

Rosalina took a few steps forward to Noctis, staring deeply into his eyes.

“Say the words,” She said, “The path of succession…”

Noctis hesitated. He had heard those words before—every vessel did upon birth.

“Lies within death.” He finished the sentence.

“All I want is my younger brother dead, is that clear?” She asked, no more loud, no more soft. 

He just stared for a moment. He knew there was no convincing the woman before him—a woman who, to him, in every sense of the word was…

Insane…

At the same time, he could understand what she wanted.

Deep down, he wanted it to. 

His eyes flickered as he held his head down in shame.

“Alright then…” He said, too tired to form a rebuttal.

But Mizan narrowed his eyes at that proposal. He couldn’t let the source of his thrill go away, yet this seemed to be the path of strength for his teacher.

“Hold on now,” he stepped forward from the corner. “I want to know something.”

Rosalina and Noctis turned their heads to Mizan, awaiting themselves for the possible nonsense that would come out of his mouth.

“Are there any other options to a means of your succession besides the death of that Spectral?” He continued, “If not, then I shall not object.”

Finally, none of that battle-hungry nonsense, she thought, well-aware it had resided in his soul. “Whether it’s fortunate for you or not, there is no other way.”

Mizan kept a shiver within his subconscious, knowing what he would have to do when the final event took place. If he couldn’t have Mario as the one to rival him, then no one else could—especially if it resulted in a death. 

Rosalina’s soul-ability registered the selfishness of the battle-hungry student. It was at times like this where she wondered the connections she could see throughout the world and amongst the people were all that worth it.

“Very well.” Mizan said, backing up towards the spot he was in previously and crossing his arms.

Unicornera paid no attention to the subtle commotion between the team. She never did, and was sure she never would unless it involved…

“And as for Link…”

She finally took her gaze away from the window, her ears perked up. Rosalina’s gaze had already met hers’.

“I want him dead as well,” said Rosalina, “He’s friends with my younger brother and my successor. I understood that the moment he arrived back there. So kill him.”

There were no questions needed to be asked. That determined spark in her eyes, it was as bright as ever.

“I will, that’s always been the plan.” Said Unicornera. Of course, she wouldn’t do it from obligation alone.

Noctis couldn’t use his tiredness as an excuse to not speak his voice. This discord felt within these plans, the discord felt within these people. It was going to further ensure their already possible loss.

“Hold on a second!” He shouted, catching the gaze of everyone in the room. “The death of other Spectrals at the hands of another spectral, as said in the Spectrals codes, will subject one who committed the crime to soul-removal. Absolute death!” His voice had raised, becoming more raspy, “You won’t be a Spectral anymore!”

“What does it matter to you?” Unicornera asked, “If I finally kill Link, then I’ll finally fulfill my purpose. I spent every day and night in this camp, hoping that one day, I would find that Hylian, and make him pay for what he did. He’s in my grasp now, right? I can kill him, and do my part as a Spectral.”

“But what after that?” Mizan was no longer smirking. “Spectrals are tied to one ideal, whether it’d be your own or the same as the purpose.” his voice was calm as he removed himself out of the spot again, his arms still folded. “But that’s immensely hollow.”

“Would you shut your mouth just for this one, singular day!” Unicornera stomped her hooves. “Every word that comes out of that foolish mouth of yours is complete nonsense!”

Noctis sighed.

Why does this gotta be a daily thing?

“Or perhaps, you're just too blind.”

Unicornera flenched.

“What's the point of life if what brings you happiness is only small?” Mizan continued, “Doesn't that seem way too finite with how fleeting life already is?”

Unicornera stomped her hoof once more, groaning and taking a few steps forward to Mizan.

“You are despicable!”

Mizan smirked, sensing something as he began to walk forward.

“Cut it out!”

Noctis held forth a regular sword in between the two, though their attention remained on each other.

This was the first function of Weapon Ascension, the soul ability of Noctis. “Is there a real purpose to be doing all of this when we're on a team?”

Rosalina was smiling, teeth showing. “Conflict always arises when different people are placed together.”

“Though that should not negate teamwork and respect.”

Everyone in the room felt an overwhelming presence of the one above them all, though he himself thought otherwise. Not even sound could be present as the feeling ensued, and by the time they stared at the door, Lars Alexsandersson was standing there.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Lars Alexsandersson took a simple step forward, hands tied behind his back as his gaze pierced Rosalina's soul. 

Mizan’s smile was absurd, seemingly almost stretching further than the human body allowed. The absolute strongest stands before me, he thought, I wonder, what's your—

As he lifted his hand, subtly moving his right foot in Lars’ direction, he was met with a metal arm in the color of gray—a gray which took the brunt of the sun's rays, glowing brightly. Wires hung narrowly where the wrist resided, each a different color.

Blue.

Green.

Yellow.

Red.

Mizan looked up, and was suddenly met with two black welcoming eyes; it was the same nature of the smile of the person who held those eyes.

“I'm afraid not,” Said Almos, “Number one's right hand man was already late, so I'm takin’ my job a lot more seriously this time.”

Mizan lessened his smile as Mizan walked to Lars’ side.

“How interesting!” He chuckled.

Unicornera took a look at his metal arm, grimaced, then turned away.

The strongest showed up?

Noctis was somewhat surprised, yet very relieved. About time someone knocked some sense into her.

He stepped out of the way, allowing Lars to step forward towards Palutena. Noctis’ eyes widened dramatically in the sheer stature of the man before him—in fact, it made him somewhat concerned for his teacher, for the person who stood before her could be beaten by no other Spectral. Worries arose, knowing that this was the leader of the opposing team.

How in the world have we tied with his team?

“Your actions, upon meeting, have always been strange.” Lars objected, “The addition of the consequence on both teams, the lack of sportsmanship, and the selfishness of that plan.”

Plan?

Rosalina’s eyes flared with interest. How could he have known?

Beside him, she noticed the dazzling smile of Almos, a connection forming.

The boy born with no soul had gotten one-step ahead of them, using the yellow cord to enact a replay of what transpired around all sights of the camp.

“You won’t get away that easily, y’know?” He held up his metal arm with pride, proud of what he had done.

She had been caught, but her intentions had not waverned. In fact, this only made her smile widen even further, though that wasn’t that same for Unicornera, who grimaced at the young man.

“Soulless puppet.” She muttered, certain he wouldn’t hear.

However, with the red cord being plugged, he attuned to a higher hearing.

“What was that?” He gave her a flare stare, smirking slightly at her eyes widening.

Before she could say any further, Rosalina held her arm out in front of her, preventing her from doing anything rash.

Oh, this was quite the predicament.

“You’ve been figured out, as you can see.” Lars said.

“I expected nothing less,” Said Rosalina, “But what can you do about it? You can’t remove the participants, for the deadline has passed, and two leaders engaging in conflict will surely grant both of us another penalty.”

Lars shook his head, “For once, you are correct,” he said. “But I only have two things I want to explain, one of them I’m obligated to do.”

Rosalina took a seat in what seemed to be thin air, resting her fist against her right cheek.

“First off, the second event, or quest of the goodwill event will be held by three of your participants,” Said Lars, grabbing ahold of the long sheet of paper handed to him by Almos. “Noctis,”

Huh?!

Worried lines appeared on his forehead. Why in the world would he be needed? Needed for anything for that matter? Well, the answer was obvious. Right, how could I forget? And he smiled faintly.

“Takeru Shibe.” he continued, and finally, “Reina—”

A faint sense of bafflement appeared over the face of the strongest soul, but only for a moment. This last name. It belonged to the name of an enemy that had been extinguished a long time ago, but it Almos had never said the last name upon reading the list to him before—perhaps such dread was something only he could witness.

Then again, there was no time to dwell on it, as it would bring back some unpleasant memories.

Those memories had been suppressed for so long, and he needed to keep it that way.

For a minute, he only stared at the last name, wondering why he was so worked up this early. There was nothing more left to cover now, and at this point, he could no longer even see the name beside Reina.

So, he took a deep breath.

Am I going crazy?

The list had been done, and Lars handed it back to Almos. He inhaled the air deeply, preparing for the next set of daunting words to dawn upon the headquarters. It was an announcement. No, a promise from the soul, one that, if faded, would only lessen the soul in itself.

Not just his, but the souls of his teammates as well.

“No matter what you pull,” The faithful words of justice were being uttered, “We won’t let your ambitions beat us down in this event.”

That being said, Rosalina did not show a sign of fear, nor concern.

What kind of being did such a thing from the declaration of the one above all? 

Well, no one knew the exact soul ability of Rosalina, for it seemed to be more than just a connection from the numerous hypotheses from Spectrals of the past and present.

But she was well aware of what she could do, those in the mushroom kingdom knew, but never spoke about it.

“I’ll be interested to see if you can keep it, strongest.”

Silence embarked, tension flaring within the room.

A short time later, Lars had exited, the headquarters maintaining the silence.

That’s…. what we’re going against?

Noctis seemed to be the most worried of the group, but as he looked around, he was the only worried person of the group.

Once again, he was left out. He could only shake his head and take a seat on the front side of the table on the left.

As Lars exited, turning right to head to his headquarters, he remembered the vision of that name, though it didn’t feel like a vision at all, nor a hallucination.

Almos took note of the troubled look on his teacher’s face, and stopped for a moment to analyze. Ever since the event started, he hadn’t seen this amount of stress from him.

“Did you see something shocking on that paper?” He asked.

Lars blinking became rapid for a moment, trying to see what was real, and what was not. If there was a soul-ability at play messing with his perception, but that hypothesis had been thrown into the water to the realization of the soul-ability he contained. 

It would be registered.

“No,” he shook his head, giving up on the quest for definite perception. Perhaps he was overreacting. “More importantly, the event will be ready within forty minutes, so I need to make sure all of my students are ready.”

Almos was unsure of the answer given to him. A part of him desired to ask for certainty, but the answer to that would be almost no different from the one he was already handed, so he merely followed Lars over to the headquarters’ doorstep.

It was time to return to his amazing, perfectly competent students.

Right?

Chapter End

Chapter Text

“That’s the complete opposite of how you play the game!”

“No, Uno is where you win by getting ten cards, not one!”

“???????”

Mario couldn’t even say anything. His astonishment was so incredible that his confusion was translated and placed within quotation marks—not to mention—the arrival of their leader had not affected him in the slightest, too focused on the stupidity of the large spirit beast before him. 

𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐊𝐄𝐘 𝐊𝐎𝐍𝐆 

The two sat across from each other, uno cards in front of them.

“That! Completely! Defeats! The purpose! Of Uno!” With each word, he slammed his palm onto the table furiously.

“Quit noggin’ this nonsense into my head!”

“Hang on, you two.”

Sitting beside them was a young man who wore a blue shirt, where on top, a blue chestplate, alongside a blue shoulder plate covered it up. With this, he wore a blue and red cape that added a sense of bright heroism to his innocent like appearance with those blue eyes of his that matched the color of the sky, and the shimmering red hair that acted as the sun.

𝐑𝐎𝐘 𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐄

“Simple communication of the rules of the game would suffice.”

“I have explained it—”

“In a more pleasant and cohesive way, Mario.” Roy interrupted him, and at that, Mario merely sighed; he accepted the offer without saying it directly.

Meanwhile, among the shallow bickering of the two, Cloud sat at the end of the table. His eyes closed, attempting to disconnect from the foolishness, though he could no longer. He had been subjected to this for the past ten minutes, and despite it being short, it was just enough to push him to the breaking point of patience, and he opened his eyes.

“Why is this dumb card game our concern as of now?” He asked, the bickering stopping, for all of them turned to Cloud. “Mario, you saw what happened, right? You were a key witness. You, Link, and Sonic.”

“Witness of what, might I ask?”

The tone of the room had changed. Mario had spent too much time focusing on the responsibility of gathering the group as they came, as well as spending quality time with them, for he desired nothing more than, to just once, forget the impending race of succession that would occur in the event.

Can I let go?

Just for a second?

“There was a skirmish between the two teams earlier, three of them being the ones who were involved, the three I just mentioned..” Cloud said, standing up. “It was all too coordinated, seemingly. No way it was just random. Isn’t that right, Mario?”

Mario nodded slowly, “That’s right,” said Mario, immediately forgetting the Uno cards before him, “Rosalina had approached the three of us earlier, and given our history, she understood exactly what I would do, so she sent that other fighter to deal with me. It’s-a clear to me what she wants, and it’s to take away my birthright.”

Roy was aware of Mario’s heritage and understood more than most, for he was in a similar position. When the new member, Link, had arrived, he was quite eutheustatic, though aware of the problem from the breaking of the rule of the quest from Rosalina. “I suspected something like this would happen,” he said, “and if it is true as Mario suspects, then that may not be their only target.”

Mario grimaced, shaken by the mere thought of that.

Cloud could only groan silently, aware of the possibility that he could end up contributing to the role of a hero whether he liked it or not, whether unintentionally or not. 

Hm, so then this is beyond just an event.

They’re trying to achieve a greater goal.

Damn it, it was so much simpler last year I heard.

“So what’s the plan?”

“Shouldn’t we use our soul points gained from the quest today to trade them? I’ll await the input of our teacher, however, It is a good thing we all make our suggestions.” Roy assured, “Each team will get over two-hundred soul points if performed correctly. That’s just the amount we need to remove them as participants from the event.”

Soul points were gained from the completion of a quest, and could be used to either get out of a quest as a participant, choose a quest, or even change the conditions. 

“But wouldn’t both parties have to agree on that?” For once, Donkey Kong had made a reasonable counterclaim. “Besides, Mario is very much capable of holding his own.”

“True to both, but seeing the quest performances of the other team has worried me quite a bit.” Roy said, stroking his chin. “They'll try and separate us away from Mario, having a few other members to capture and kill him.”

“Then we have to re-analyze what abilities they used on the quest. That could help us guess at their soul-abilities for almost all are self-explanatory.” Cloud said.

“Either way, I'll be sure to do a number of em!” Donkey Kong said, surprisingly enthusiastic. “No one's getting their hands on any one of my teammates!”

Roy then turned to Mario, and so did Donkey Kong. 

Both of them asked the same question.

“So what will it be, Mario?”

He paused for a moment, analyzing the looks of hope and expectation across their faces. 

Everyone always expected him to come up with something, for he was quite wise for someone of his age. 

Cloud didn't bother to look at it, for if he showed any sign of emotion, he'd just be one step away from being back to square one.

Mindless suppression.

Mario closed his eyes, staring down at the table. He had brought this upon himself anyway, and it was his responsibility to fix it 

“For one, I won't be removed.” Mario said, remembering Link’s trouble controlling his soul-ability, “Two, I think we shouldn't send Link out there. He isn't ready.”

The two nodded in agreement, bringing forth a sense of relief and resentment.

Why do I get a say in all this?

Almos simply shook his head, trying his best not to laugh. Lars was the first to disturb the tension anyway with a deep breath, one that was felt throughout the room.

The two turned their attention to him.

“Interesting, but I wanna ask, what’s with both of the headquarters being empty?” Asked Almos, “I expected at least a few to be gone, but… there’s only three of you here.”

Mario sat the Uno cards back on the table, Donkey Kong staring at them curiously. “Lars? Almos?” he asked, “How long have you been there?”

“Long enough to see you are all well-aware of the situation.” Lars said, walking over to their table and staring each one of them down. Almos stood steadily at the door, staring at nothing with a face of utter nothingness.

Not even his smile could bring a sense of life to those soulless eyes of his, that soulless nature of his. No one judged him for it, aware of his circumstance, but it did creep them out.

Lars was at the right end of the table, kneeling down and slamming a palm. “I talked with Rosalina,” he said, his tone sharper than ever, “And I come with some Information.”

Chapter End

Chapter Text

All eyes were on their leader.

“I can confirm, the plan for Rosalina for the last event involves the killing of Mario.” He said, "Since the final event will be a team battle between us, it'll make it all the more easier."

And just like that, the truth was confirmed. Everyone bore a stern look, as this was no longer just a goodwill event.

“Now,” Lars continued, “As for Link, with his affiliation to the team, they'll be sure to make sure he's out of the equation. That, and his heritage. But they're under the impression that Link has obtained full cooperation with us, and although it isn't a good thing in itself; in this case, it is.”

“But he's still a special case, nonetheless.” Roy spoke, “His soul-ability will prove to be difficult to deal with, since it’s the combination of three.”

“But he hasn’t fully actualized it yet.” Lars replied, “In fact, Mario,” he turned to Mario, “Did Link show off any abilities that were new upon the test?”

Mario nodded eagerly, “Yeah, that’s right. Though, he had little handling of it. He was obviously conflicted.” He explained, giving Lars more to think about.

What a shame. A mere boy bestowed with the power he himself never desired, and forced to wield it. It put a pain in his heart, but it was only the law—those who contained souls like his must compete in the game to save existence.

“If he goes out there, he will be hurt, dreadfully.” Roy said via the movement of his finger. “Besides, isn’t there one on the team who absolutely despises his kind?”

“Yes, Unicornera.” Lars confirmed, further ensuring Donkey Kong’s interest.

“She’s been around for quite some time. In terms of experience, he’s outmatched.” Roy said.

“But remember, soul-abilities usually awaken in the heat of a moment that defines who you are.” Mario mentioned.

Roy acknowledged him, though he disliked the statement. His eyes were filled with this well-hidden distain.

“Correct,” he said, “However, we can’t go on chance alone, for even the slightest bit of confusion can disrupt such. However, that’s only luck. His circumstance, as I’ve heard from Mario, has molded him into giving into that same hatred Unicornera; I do think this issue would be most honorable if done in a clash, but Link needs to learn something."

“We can’t rely on what’s honorable, but what’s reasonable.” Said Cloud, “If Link isn’t of any help, then there isn’t any purpose in him competing.”

That disdain in his eyes, it had grown even stronger. Though, the accomplishment of order within the team would not get any better if he lashed out, so he kept quiet, and turned away. Lars had registered that small tension, for it could be a problem in the future.

“Let me at Unicornera!” Donkey Kong demanded, a grin on his face, “I wanna teach her a thing or two.”

Mario sighed. He wondered if Donkey Kong had actually been absorbing the information. “Let’s not let our emotions get the best of us, Donkey Kong.”

“Soul-abilities awaken through understanding, right? I’m a spirit beast, one full of animalistic tendencies, and maybe nothing more than that. Fighting someone who’s the same way is the key to reaching my full potential!” 

He held up a fist triumphantly, and Mario couldn't help but be worried.

“Just… be careful if you go through with it.” Mario said, his tone a bit sour, yet sincere.

“Don’t gotta worry about me!” he pointed to himself confidently, which reassured Mario a bit. “DK always pushed through!”

He smiled.

Yeah.

And the hat of blood reaffirmed itself once more, the same vivid image it had always been.

Really hope so.

Lars held both hands to his chin, his elbows face first onto the table. It was clear that this was too little of a group to discuss a plan with, for the rest of the team was essential to properly act upon it. He rested his hands calmly onto the table. “We will discuss this later, when everyone is here,” he commanded. “Speaking of which, where is everyone?”

“We’re done with our task, but I guess the others aren’t.” Mario said. 

He vaguely remembered his promise to Sonic.

“Oh yeah, Sonic!”

“Already here.”

His eyes were blinking constantly; there were little moments of attempting to fall back to sleep as the eyes were closed. His arms were crossed as he sat on the table to the right side of the room, leaning back

“Do you know of their whereabouts, specifically Meralin’s?” Lars asked, “We don’t have a lot of time.”

“If I recall, she was with Link.” Mario answered, “Couldn’t see exactly where they went because of the crowd.”

At the mention of Link’s name, a smile washed over his face.

“Nice job, Mario.”

For a moment, it was difficult to register exactly what he meant. He nodded, knowing that his efforts hadn’t gone unnoticed by the one with the highest responsibility of all.

“Last time you said that, she—”

Meralin appeared, bursting through the door. Almos kept a flat stare, devoid of any sign of startle.

“I’m here!”

How convenient, thought Cloud, how does she manage such perfect timing?

“Had to do some editing, but I think I’m good to go!” Her hair was much more frizzier this time. Like before, she was panting heavily; it seemed she was in a haste. “How many hours?”

“Only a few.” Said Lars, “Where’s your sister?”

Meralin pouted, “She’s out in the forest, sitting on a log.” she answered, her tone nettled. There was a resentful tint in her expression. “All day, she’s been practicing her part.”

“Has she attuned correctly?” Lars asked, noticing her expression.

“Not sure if I’m the best one to answer, but her attuning sounds just fine. She’s my sister, after all.” For a moment, she sounded delighted. “But, I think it’s lacking something. Some soul, to be specific. If I were to say anything, she’d just lash out at me.”

Almos tilted his head.

She sighed, her face ever more filled with imprecation as she took a seat on the table of the right side; both of her hands pressed against her cheeks. “But I guess, it’s whatever gets the job done.”

“That’s true,” Mario said, “But in the little time we’ve known Beliona, I always feel as if… there’s something missing within her tunes, especially when used in quest. Maybe it is a lack of soul.”

“I presume the reason for that lies within the past.” Roy said, “If so, then I can come to some form of an understanding.”

Meralin looked at Roy, her mouth opened, signaling a word.

But nothing came forth, for she had nothing definite to say against it. 

Their past had been riddled with arguments over small things, but they were still family. 

“We’ll deal with that later.” Lars insisted, “Right now, I need to make sure she’s prepared. Oh, right, you were with Link earlier, yes?”

Meralin nodded, smiling. “Very nice guy from what I’ve seen.” She said, “He went somewhere near the west of the camp.

“I’ll go search for em.” Almos raised his metal hand, “If what Cloud said was true, then I know exactly where he may be.”

Sensory in other areas was the effect of the blue cord, transferred from the effect of the yellow cord. He could feel it, a heightened sense of… loss. The loss he felt quite often.

His expression became considerably more hardened, and with no objectives made, he would leave. 

Lars still had further errands to run, but perhaps they could wait. 

Meralin had joined the game of Uno, a game Donkey Kong had trouble understanding. Amidst the discord among them when it came to the rules, they still seemed like a family.

“Just where were these made?’ Asked Meralin, analyzing the texture as she held a card in her hand.

He’d stay around a little longer.

“Mario,” he called, “I’d like to speak with you later.”

Mario was a bit baffled, for he had just gotten done with a big discussion, and was even more confused as to why someone like him would like to be spoken to by the one who bears the biggest responsibility of all.

“Yeah, sure thing.”

Lars nodded, soon heading into the second door which held the bedroom. Bunk beds in rows of ten resided, plastered against the light brown wooden walls where pictures of the team’s early youth hung above their perspective beds. The lamp above was turned off, and beyond the darkness that phenomenon brought, there was the training grounds. A large field that was contained through a box-line fence that matched the length of the headquarters, as well as the width.

Within it, two fighters were practicing, throwing a flurry of kicks at one another.

Both were unique and delicate spirit beasts.

𝐅𝐎𝐗 𝐌𝐂𝐂𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐃!

A fox with the brain beyond most, unleashed a flurry of kicks! To whom?

𝐊𝐈𝐑𝐁𝐘 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋

"Hiya!" He yelled valiantly as he dodged, dodged, and kept on dodging!

Lars smiled watching them.

The future lies within all of you, he thought, taking a seat on the short, external stairway where he watched over them with pride.

Fox relieved his kicks, panting. “Huh… you’ve gotten really good at this, eh?”

Kirby stopped as well. “Yah! Yah!” He cheered, spinning in a flashy circle. “I’ve been feeling super strong lately! I guess all that kicking trees and fighting the bad guy has made me that way!”

The two then noticed Lars sitting on the deck.

“Oh, Lars.” Fox called, “Didn’t know you were here.”

“Lars! Lars! Did you see my awesome moves?” Kirby asked in cheering.

“It was so flashy! Flashy!”

“Yes, yes.” Lars chuckled, clapping his hands to Kirby. “Neither of you have slowed down your progress.” 

He then stood up and approached the two.

“So, have you gotten done with your tasks?”

Fox smirked. “Of course!” He said, winking with a thumbs up, “Nothing like a little hard work, huh, teach? I’m surprised this place isn’t filled with Spectrals.”

“Luckily they understand the importance of this Quest.” Lars assured, looking over to Kirby.

“Same here!” Kirby said. Wink! “But uh… Yoshi got lost again…”

Lars sighed, shaking his head. “...Ah… as expected.” He said, “I’ll see if I can find him.”

𝐘𝐎𝐒𝐇𝐈

Our favorite green headed dinosaur roamed through the forest, desperately trying to find his way back to camp! On his journey, he would spot a good source!

Beliona!

“Beli! Beli!”

Beliona continued playing, but gave him acknowledgement. “Yes?”

“Where’s camp? Yoshi must see Mario!”

“Up ahead.” Beliona answered.

“Thanks!”

Yoshi had been wandering around for so long that his sense of direction was completely messed up.

In this case…

“Up ahead” = “Northeast.”

And he went exactly there.

Beliona sighed, going back to playing her viola.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Three hours later.

The sun had begun its descent, and dusk would begin to take place; this had brought an even more spiritual like-feel to all within the camp, for the spirits of the forest were drawing near.

All he solicited was for the spirits to come back to him again.

To confide in the one good part of existence.

To find a sense of solace in the beings he claimed to be interconnected with.

But no one came.

He stood alone within this wide field, the sweet smell of the lotus flowers harboring an immense, heavy feeling with the air, imbued with the sweet sense of the evening, despite dusk befalling. Small stones, embedded in vines battered and bruised by time were engraved into the ground, carvings unknown to the naked eye giving them a delicate sense of wonder as they stretched beyond the shimmering lake—a lake that carried on from the current of where the ambush occurred. 

He stared at his reflection within that lake, unable to even see himself in it. 

He couldn’t find himself, and there was this pending sense of dread he felt, in which an all-consuming nothingness was soon to arrive.

He remembered a sense of hollowness throughout his encounters and conversations, hollowness which, though not felt in the moment, were always there upon reflection. The sun’s overwhelming gaze brought forth a light, however, no light to his own soul.

He could only wonder how he could reach that light, as the spirits, as miniable as they were, kept disappearing. 

Link raced his fingers across his forehead, sweat dripping down from the spots in between his fingers and into the lake. This gloomy disposition, he feared, would disrupt the peace of spirits of the lake—or worse—it could disrupt the spirits residing in the forest, who were needed for the event. Spirits deserve happiness too, and no meaningless emotions stemming from humanity should ruin that.

Taking that to heart, he backed away, washing his hand over his face; his eyes stretched as he did so, and they seemed a bit baggy. Back in the forest, he only slept for three hours. There was something preventing him from getting the full amount of sleep he needed, and he knew what it was.

“I couldn’t be happy without them,” he muttered, a staggering pitch befalling upon his voice. Difficult to properly express or explain himself, but everything felt so incredibly numb. “To sleep would to be…”

He wavered to the side by a small margin, barely able to comprehend how he had been functioning for the past few days—or more so, he didn’t want to comprehend.

He couldn’t reach them, so he could be human now.

This realization in remembrance of the people who had helped, and even hated him, had caused his breathing to speed up rapidly. 

No…

He stepped back, stepping onto a lotus.

Was Mario right?

Was Sonic right?

Was Unicornera right?

I don’t know anymore.

But I don’t want to be…

For a moment, his reflection had been ever so clear, and a tingle, signaling a form of tuning, albeit small, ruptured the boundaries of his soul. It was gone the moment it came, nothing more than a minor unusual noise in the dark of night. But, it felt incredibly significant. Not that it mattered.

Not even the faintest of light could be embraced from the sinking into humanity. I can’t be…

Why did he converse with Meralin? Why was she so nice?

Why has everyone been so nice to him?

For someone so broken, someone so miserable, those sparks of kindness had blessed them.

This form of humanity felt so depersonalized. The sparks, as apparent as they were, had to bear the weight of what Link kept stored beneath the depths of his soul.

There are still people in this world who…

Rosalina.

People who are so selfish and cruel…

He couldn’t possibly be so profound in the realm of humanity, yet he felt as if, being nothing, he was nothing more than a measly human—no, less than that. A human who couldn’t even see the truth of the world.

He shook his head in disbelief, steering away from the water and looking over at the sky. The blue hue of his eyes defined themselves being basked in the sun’s rays; however, there was no light in those eyes to counter.

I don’t know how to move on.

How could he?

What else am I now?

No way he would show the world his tears. Through the pain, he suppressed it; above all, he looked at the lotus flowers and the grass surrounding them.

Maybe he could do it, perhaps just this once?

There was that man's voice In the back of his head—his old caretaker, the only competent person within the village. That damned old man, he had suppressed the memories oh so long ago, days after the fall of the village. Had the past hated the fabric of his current being so much that it had come to haunt him at such a time in his life?

“Go through it, persevere.”

He was just a child back then. Even with his sense of wonder towards the world, his brain capacity wasn’t all that great. For so long, he never understood a word this man said. Nothing more than an old man, aware he’s on the edge of death, spouting his awkward ramblings to the youth.

There was a time where Link and that old man had sat near the edge of a cliff back in Hyrule, watching over the plains consumed by time. Plants sprouted, but they turned rotten after mere days, for the ground was so devoid of life, it harbored the same look as a sand dune; mainly because of the orange like aesthetic of the cracked ground and the mountains that lay beside it. 

It wasn’t all that hopeless. After all, there were sculptures made from the structure of the ground. 

“What is all this?”

At this time, Link was awfully young. His hair was short and much more calm, two gigantic strands hanging over his head, wearing a short sleeved green tunic, and the same brown trousers he wore in the present day, the same as those brown boots of his.

The old man sat down on the ledge, his feet dangling. 

“Why, those are the sculptures of the knights so long ago.” he said, stroking his beard in fascination. “They were heroes when the war between Hyrule and the Mushroom Kingdom started, standing their ground against a wave of enemy forces.”

Link tilted his head, leaning a bit closer to the ledge and squinting his eyes. The sculptures faced the right, holding their swords up triumphantly with their right hands, and their shields in their left. Some road horses, some did not; nevertheless, it was all the same.

“I don’t understand,” Link said, “Why build them?”

“Well why not?” The man turned.

“These people are already dead. They died shortly after the charge, right?”

“Well, yes,” he shrugged in approval. “But what relevance does that hold?”

“Like I said, they’re already dead. They don’t have much of a value anymore, for their life is gone.” Link said sourly, “Why build statues of dead men?”

The old man merely chuckled at that statement, but it only left Link more confused than he already was. There was something about the innocence of a child that never failed to make him laugh. 

He stroked his beard for the final time, bringing a natural halt to the laughing before turning his gaze back to the sculptures. “The physical body dies, yes.” He said, “However, the soul is what makes the world, what makes spirits, what makes our decisions. Even if you die, the soul will always find a way to live within existence. In fact, their souls are probably staring at these sculptures in awe, doesn’t that just sound amusing.”

The soul.

The thing that dictates all actions within the living beings of the universe.

 It only made sense that it lived on forever, for without it, the world would crumble.

“Yeah, it does.”

But that assurance wasn’t enough.

Everything is finite except for the soul, except for spirits. 

Their ignorance led to their deaths, yes, but it didn’t have to reach the caretaker, did it?

But spirits…

They didn't judge.

They didn’t go away.

They didn’t die.

No…

His teeth gritted as the clouds covered the sun as it further its descent, bringing a shadow over the field.

“You have to… come back to me!” He yelled, wishing for a manifestation of any spirit to come within sight.

But as always, among the new world he was forced to embrace…

Nothing had come.

“Am I…”

Dead?

As the cries deep within his soul were heard, one spirit would come to his call.

A light came to his hands, resting as its glow melted in his palm. 

The spirit of life, who had borne a new form.

Right here, right now, its appearance was that of a young girl with long, smooth flowing hair, with long bangs on the side of her face that aligned perfectly, resting upon her shoulders.

She stared at him, blinking. It seemed as if her face had not yet manifested, let alone the rest of her body.

This was the only spirit that had answered his call.

It said merely one word, floating away into the sky; glimmers of light followed its trail, disappearing midway before touching the ground.

“Persevere.”

Was the one word.

“I… am always here.”

It faded away, leaving behind a light blue mist. Those words—they had struck something within his soul.

Maybe…

He felt this subtle desire to… move forward.

A rustling sound was suddenly heard in the grass behind him, and for a moment, he forgot about the emptiness for his own soul; this time, someone empty had showed up, staring at him with lifeless eyes as he waved his robotic arms to him.

“Yo!”

Link was confused. 

“Who… are you?

“Lars’ right hand man.” Almos replied, “He wants you back at headquarters. The event will start soon.”

Reminded once more of this current life, he sighed.

Though, he had no other choice. Even if he couldn’t see the spirits, therefore he saw no point in him being there, he didn’t want to admit that to anyone, especially not a human.

You don't deserve to know, he thought, attempting to erase any form of distress from his face.

“Right.” he complied, Almos immediately turning around and gesturing him to follow, which he hesitantly would.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

The two walked through the forest; the descent of the sun had amplified its effect, the dusk slowly coming to an end, for it the time of night was on the edge. What little remained of the sun shone through the cascade of trees, and through their breaks, the stars were visible. Overhanging limbs they maneuvered by, Link taking seconds to admire their nature, saddened that he could not appreciate them at their full capacity due to his inability to see spirits.

He could not sulk, for he needed to persevere through this life, but it wouldn’t hurt if he could see only one. Just. One.

Throughout their walk, Link had felt unnerved not only at the dark tree trunks that stood amongst their path, but the lack of communication from the person he walked with. Almos paid no mind to his staring, much less to his waving. There was something so inhumane about him, yet he found little reason to complain.

Those eyes, those soulless eyes staring at nothing.

Who was this, and why did he feel so unnerved?

Link cleared his throat, throwing another glance at the person beside him, “Who are you?”

“Who am I?” No sign of acknowledgement from Almos. “I’m Almos. Lars’ right hand man.” he said, “Forgive my nature, I was born this way.”

Link gave him a dazed look. “Born this way?” He inquired, “You seem so… soulless.”

“Well, I was born with no soul.” Almos answered.

Quizzically, he peered more intently. How could that be true?

“Then how are you alive?” Link asked. “One cannot live without a soul.”

Almos hesitated, as if his mind struggled to form a proper response. Above all, he was indifferent to that analogy, though there was a tiny resonance somewhere deep inside him that told him the complete opposite. “Yet, here I am.” he said, “Souls are made up of human-will, the source of abilities. However, there is a condition. A rare condition. A condition that surrounds absolute self.

The EGO.” 

He curled his metal fingers into a fist, “Egos were created by a corporation long ago, a company that shut down years ago. When the soul isn’t present, a person doesn’t exist, meaning they’re dead.”

“Dead?”

Link came to a twisted conclusion. “So are you…”

“Yes, technically, I am dead.” Answered Almos, all so nonchalantly. “But an Ego can bring a dead body back to actualization from the will of someone else. I died back in some place I know the structure of, but am unsure of the name. Honestly, I don’t remember much, but I do contain so much knowledge, because an Ego gives me the ability to know what I need to know, and give what I need.”

This revelation left Link a bit dumbfounded. This possibility wasn’t to be considered, no, it shouldn’t even exist. How could the dead be brought back to life? Why had the corporation fallen? If it were to exist in these times, then the people of his village would still be alive, so why?

More importantly, it looked so unnatural despite being such a miracle.

“That’s interesting,” he nodded slowly, “So are you the only one who has this? Here, I mean?”

Almos nodded, adding to Link’s dissatisfaction. “That is correct.” he said, “Ego also contains their own soul-abilities, as it is the replication of someone else's soul. It sure is fascinating, as I assume.”

Link shook his head, and he could’ve sworn he felt the life spirit’s majestic presence once again.

“I see.” So much confusion in that voice.

He couldn’t stand it. 

Walking next to a dead person, a hollow husk. Right here, right now, he wanted to just bash him over the head over and over. Not that it would make a difference if he did. The pain would be negated, and he would still be alive. Despite knowing this, Link knew he was inhumane.

So his soul was conflicted.

This is truly disgusting…

Yet so beautiful.

 Before his soul came to a singularity, they had passed a few dark branches in the way of the return to camp, where everything was much more organized now. The tents were in place, set up beautifully with even more distance across each other. Some students, over the years, desired to sleep more closely to nature as whole, hence their existence. Above all, there were way less people, and those that were present were heading eastward. 

This must be the quest’s call.

He didn’t want to go, but knowing Almos…

This husk probably wouldn't let me.

There was a high sense of what he could not see tingling the air, the spirits.

The time of the quest was nigh, and it required every single member to watch. Both Almos and Link followed the last of the people who were leaving the main camp, where they would arrive at the same dock he had been attacked at. This time, it was fully built.

The decking was fully extended, covering half of the lake. It was covered with three sections, the first leading to the lake’s center, and the gateway to the other two which stood across from one another, reaching out to the same length of the first section.

On the left section, her face etched in awe and wonder at the green light illuminating from the breaks of the trees and up into the air, stood Meralin.

On the opposing side, bearing no expression nor interest, was Beliona, Viola in hand; her bow hold maintained as she faced it towards the wooden floor.

Where the second and third sections were built, the team’s long tables stood on that side, containing every single team member for both. Combined, they all contained eight members.

Mario, sitting on the second last seat besides Sonic, gestured for Link to come over by waving his hand back and forth. He had saved this spot specifically for him, aware of his liking for spirits. Sonic sat in the third last seat, and across from him was Cloud, sitting next to Donkey Kong and Roy.

Link hesitated. Not only could he not see the spirits for himself, but these humans had the privilege he had now lost. How would he be able to ignore their presence? To ignore what he had lost?

He couldn’t possibly know, but he had no choice to accept. He walked over, a loud groan escaping his mouth as Almos went over to stand with Lars. 

He stood quite a bit away from the team’s table, his footing nearing the center of the dock’s source of structure. Rosalina was no different, and so was her indifference to what didn’t concern her goal. While Lars gave her glances constantly, she paid no attention to him, keenly aware of their eventual clash.

All that remained was that smile of selfishness. 

Lars left his personal feelings towards her audacity the moment this event started, as he did the majority of his time. If it was Lee, then the tension would be much less. Admittedly, he missed those days of staring at him during these annual events, both aware of their friendship.

However, It didn’t matter how outrageous her plan was, let alone how it made him feel or others.

The quest needed to be completed, and so, it began.

INFORMATION

• Egos were first founded in an organization known as Lobotomy Corporation or "L-Corp," from an unknown source. 
• Not many know of it, but it was in business around the same time Kali and Garion were "The Strongest." They don't necessarily have the best reputation in history.
• Almos was brought into the Spectral Corps after much insistence from Lars to remove him from the Mishima Polytechnical College.

"I don't remember much of who I was before." - Almos

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Millions of heavenly green lights shot up into the sky, shedding the lake in a similar hue. The spectacle was breathtaking to the boy blessed by the spirits, as well as all those within the vicinity.

This was the signaling of the beginning of the quest, the energy the spirits culled accumulated into these beautiful lights, and through it all, an even greater light would appear in the center—one of a brooding blue that manifested itself narrowly above the lake.

Amidst the energy filled singularity was a giant hand within a glove, one that all would know to be the Master Hand. It spoke in a deep, brooding voice, the energy around it flaring a dark-purple color before disappearing.

“Goodwill Event Quest three, Spirit calling of Midnight” It said, “Involves participants, Meralin and Beliona.”

The two raised their hands, showing their presence; Lars and Rosalina bowed down to the hand.

Master Hand was the governor of all quests, acting as the judge for the requirements. 

“Consequence,” its voice arose, “Disqualification from the final event.” 

Beliona felt her body tense, her fingers beginning to shake. She could only shake her head at this bodily response.

It's going to work out, so why must I be so worried?

She glanced over at Meralin, who seemed nervous as well, yet there was a flare in her eyes that Beliona knew all too well, and left a disdain in her heart.

Meralin had been smiling through the pressure, holding her drawing closely to her chest. She was shaking, just as Beliona herself was.

Just… meaningless. Beliona thought.

Lars, Almos, and rosalina arose from the bow, giving a glance at both of the participants. They both gave a nod, and that quest would begin.

To imbue their souls into their creativity, it would be an act of Soul-Perception. It’s one of the many sub-techniques of soul-abilities, to amp the power of an object or state via transferring your soul into it. If the heart was put into their works, then the soul shall amplify it. Doing it was simple, for it required no real physical movement, just understanding what you’re trying to amplify.

Beliona lifted her bow, placing it on the string as she tried her absolute best to stop the trembling. 

Perfection shall not be ruined by burden, for it should live on, even if I have to share it with you numbskulls, she focused her gaze on her teammates, then she looked at Meralin, and even…

A strident symphony radiated across the area as she smoothly moved her bow through the strings, almost as on instinct. Nothing was in her mind, just the moving of the bow.

Through each movement, a resonance was felt throughout the camp, targeting the souls of everyone; they didn’t examine their bodies in confusion. Instead, they continued to watch in awe. 

Link felt a sense of wonder he hadn’t felt in years, ever since his days with that caretaker. He faintly remembered both the words of the caretaker and Meralin surrounding humanity and art, but it seemed it wasn’t by his mind alone. The light of the life spirit flickered, its womanly figure present in a mist as it disappeared once more. He could only shake his head, narrowing his eyebrows.

This peaceful, powerful resonance everyone felt in the vicinity. 

The eyes of wonder validating her existence for the first time in years.

The utter perfection of this complex symphony.

For a fleeting moment, she felt true bliss, and within that moment, Meralin watched on in happiness.

Then, like always, it was reduced to nothingness.

Beliona called this beauty…

La Fina.

The spirits of the forest, holding the shape of golden crescent moons, rose above the trees of the forest, seemingly dancing to the tune as they bounced up and down while floating. 

The life spirit watched on from a far distance, surprised. The spirits of the forest back in Hyrule were a more green color holding the same shape. She was so confused at this sense of wonder she had, yet it was so fascinating.

In the midst of this spirit rising, many people began to further their sense of awe, and even called out the spirits coming into being.

Link could not see them no matter how much he tried, but there was solace in knowing that he could at least feel their presence. The reason why remained a mystery, for despite the lessening in this feeling of distance, he couldn’t help but feel left out.

With the spirits arising, it was Meralin’s time.

Hesitation was a pain, but she eventually sat her drawing on the floor. Beforehand, she had already used soul-perception, well reflecting the contents of the drawing into the air; a greenish light was set aglow around it.

Hm. Link thought, smiling. Looks better than the last time I saw it.

It had no additions, yet in reality, it felt considerably more euphoric and beautiful to look at. Meralin closed her eyes, fearing the disdain of the spirits.

However, it was the complete opposite.

They danced around the drawing as the symphony progressive, a testament to their gratitude. 

Their light reflected in Meralin’s eyes as she stared up in shock; soon, that smile came back into light, though she had to withstand herself from squealing in excitement. She didn’t want to ruin the course of the mission.

Beliona cracked a subtle smile.

As the spirits danced, amazed by the soothing tune and the wonderful art, their light illuminated even brighter, their shimmers coloring the lake in pure gold. This overwhelming feeling of warmth washed over everyone in the camp, bringing a peaceful like state to their soul. No worries, no agony; all that remained was this endless sense of bliss, and Link had finally smiled.

The bliss reached its mark as the spirits of midnight glowed powerfully one final time, their brightness a mere fraction of the sun. As the magnificent sparks of the spirits culled into their singularities of energy, they had finally faded away. The moment of bliss did in fact have an end, yet never forgotten. The lake took back its color, and with that, the quest was completed.

As both participants stepped away from the dock, grabbing their respective soul-imbued objects, the reflection of Meralin's drawing disappearing, she could finally let her excitement, the team rushing in to hoist both of them up. Beliona demanded to be put down, but her cries fell upon deaf ears in the face of both the team’s cheering and Meralin’s screams of excitement.

Are they trying to throw her? He asked himself.

He figured he’d get an answer soon enough, so he merely spectated, noticing Rosalina stepping away and sitting down along with her team members.

Master Hand gave a subtle gesture.

“Quest completed!” He said, slowly ripping into existence and sliding into the rip, intending to go back to wherever he came from.

“Two-hundred soul-points granted to both participants!”

And with that, he left.

The quest was a success!

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Shortly after the celebration, Lars congratulated both Meralin and Beliona. Soon after, he declared the opportunity of free time until sundown.

Everyone immediately went to various areas in the vicinity—either standing by themselves or talking with the people on their teams. Cloud committed to the former, standing with his back against a tree, where he could see the entire area in all its glory. Of course, his eyes weren’t open to see it. All he could want right now after dealing with such an eventful day was to disconnect himself from the world.

But he couldn’t disconnect himself from such nagging thoughts—ones of regret, ones of anger. Why was it so hard to accept that all he did was his responsibility back there? It wasn’t an attempt at saving, it couldn’t be. He gritted his teeth at the mere thought of it. Nothing. Nothing could make him go back to the way he once was—it couldn’t be possible.

Shut up, Cloud told himself, soon repeating it twenty times over, yet it never stopped.

I can’t be a hero.

Was it true?

There is no reason.

He remembered the vision of Tifa he had back during his mission, and his heart sank. 

How could he…

Sorry…

Before he could deepen his soul into these thoughts any further, someone had approached him—the spirit beast of hatred.

Unicornera.

“Greetings, Shinra soldier.”

The term forced him to open his eyes, his nostrils flaring as he granted her his attention. For a moment, he nearly pulled out his buster sword and slammed it down upon her head, but he remembered.

The event hasn’t started yet.

“It’s Cloud Strife.” he corrected, “You’re the one who caused the uproar back there.”

Unicornera smirked at his reaction.

So that’s what.

“Apologies for both occurrences, Cloud Strife,” she said, bowing her head down momentarily. “If you don’t mind, I would like to converse with you.” Her smirk turned vile, “The topic? The Hylian boy.”

Cloud scowled. With this, he knew he had to be careful of what he needed to say. After all, she was involved in that plan. 

But to accept or not accept, that’s the question.

“Well?” She seemed eager.

Hm.

This may be an attempt at learning more about our plan to combat it, one we haven’t decided yet. That means… they’re left in the dark completely on that possibility. 

I could lie.

Or if she is…

“What is it you want with him?” Cloud asked.

Unicornera remembered something.

Rosalina had always kept a keen eye on every Spectral of not only her team, but Lars’ team as well. That soul-ability of hers was perfect for information through connection. She had ordered Unicornera for more intel on the members, and there was one person she considered the most dangerous.

This time, it was beyond just intel.

“I want to know…” Unicornera stepped forward, “What do you think of hIm? What is he to you?”

Cloud took no hesitation. “He’s the vessel of the triforce spirit. Nothing more, nothing less.” He said, “More importantly, what do you plan on doing with him? You probably already know this, but we’re onto your little plan.”

Contrary to the belief, Unicornera was not shocked at all. “Whether you’re aware of it or not isn’t the outcome. However, that doesn’t exactly align with my next question”

Cloud gave her a nod, “Fire away.”

Deep shadows awaited under her eyes, the full extent of the shadow that resided behind the intention being revealed through a simple suggestion. “Don’t act like you don’t resent him. Like you think he shouldn’t be here. After all, you never wanted to save him, correct? After all, with a soul like his... imagine the dangers if he's not all that noble...”

That scowl faded into obscurity, blooming an expression of shock, his mouth opened slightly. No point in questioning how she knew, as it was exactly how he had been feeling all this time. 

He was just doing his responsibility, so why exactly was he here? That responsibility of his was no more, it had slipped away in the face of something so utterly meaningless. 

Yet, it was the truth of the matter that Link was a member of the Spectrals. An Important part at that. 

It was his responsibility to cooperate with him and tolerate his existence.

He stammered, struggling to get the words out. After a few seconds of soul-tugging, he would finally utter the words.

“Link is my teammate.” He said, “I can’t refute that.”

And with that, he walked past her, heading over to sit at the table alone.

Unicornera frowned, disappointed at the answer. 

Oh well, I’ll kill him soon enough anyway.

Meanwhile, Link was sitting right next to Mario in the same spot both sat in during the spirit calling of midnight. Meralin sat across from them, staring at her drawing with pride. Sonic sat next to her, both hands placed on the table.

“That was awesome, Meralin!” Sonic said, patting her on the back. “Good to see ya pulled through in the end!”

Meralin threw her arms around Sonic’s neck, reeling them back almost immediately as her left arm grazed one of his quills; she let out a small yelp as she did, but a smile still remained. “Now you see where taking your time gets you?” She asked jokingly.

“Yeah yeah, be sure to take your time faster next time!” Sonic joked back.

“Above all, that drawing is magnificent. Stuff like this would be classified as a painting back in the Mushroom Kingdom.” Mario said, “Might I ask, was there some sort of inspiration behind this?”

Meralin blushed and nodded her head. “My grandma adored the cosmos.” She said, furthering the interest of Mario, “She never stopped speaking of them. She ventured to the Mushroom Kingdom and dabbled in astrology to better understand them. It interested me—how one could be so interested in out worldly things, and she would always have the same answer when asked: “It makes me feel weak.”

Link batted an eye. 

He remembered his connection with the spirits, a connection that was perhaps severed forever, he feared. “What did she mean by that?” It somewhat baffled him.

Mario raised a finger, “In the Mushroom Kingdom, it’s often said that the ability to be weak makes you admire the beauty of the things above you.” he said, “I guess she adopted this mindset, or at least took inspiration from it.”

Meralin smiled, “Yes, yes, yes!” She nodded with each word, “That truly is interesting! If she was still around, I’m sure she would take a liking to you, Mario!”

Mario chuckled nervously, “Well I wouldn’t count on it!” 

“Oh yeah,” Meralin looked at Link, “Thank you, Link.”

In response, he merely raised a brow at her.

“That talk we had near the log really helped me. It was short and a bit conflicting, but…” She stared at her drawing, “It was really nice to talk to someone about my view of art, and I applaud you for listening.”

What was this feeling? He felt his cheeks heating and the quest to maintain eye contact seemed near impossible. Being praised by a human felt so wrong—a sting to the soul—yet, it felt so right. Meralin was so… kind.

“Um,” he stammered, “Sure thing, it’s nothing, really.”

She gave him a heartwarming smile. Sonic would then bring up something else involving the next event, and more chatter would arise.

As their chatter continued, that meaning of the stars lingered in Link’s mind.

Spirits gave me strength.

His gaze dawned upon the beautiful starry skies, feeling nothing substantial.

Everything he stared at held no value unless it involved spirits.

Am I…

Too ignorant?

Cloud Strife was getting ready to leave, when…

“Nice job, Cloud!”

“You found us our vessel!”

“You’re a lifesaver!”

“Totally cute, too!”

…The Spectrals began to cheer his name.

Cloud stood dumbfounded, his path completely blocked by their mindless cheering.

“Are you… kidding me?!”

Noctis was watching, the chatter of his team phasing out of reality.

He was interested. 

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Deep within the forest, there was the heart that held the thread of it together.

The definite spirit that governed the forest and protected those who resided within it.

𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐀

As of now, amongst the abundance of trees, it resided in the tree that stood the tallest. 

A colossal tree of a calming, green light that shot up to the heavens, the enormous branches looking down upon not only humans, but the trees around it who were feeble in its stature.

Surprisingly, the girl before didn’t feel so small. In fact, she was brought with a sense of familiarity in its sight. 

This is like the tree that connects the heavens.

The girl stood before the tree, standing at a height of five foot nine. On this day, her hair was a hot pink, long and straight; nearly covering her eyes, to which she tried her best to part it away, revealing those sparkling diamond eyes blessed by the heavens; the moonlight bestowed a light filled with wonder upon it. She wore a jacket the same color as her hair, unzipped, with a white shirt beneath, and the sleeves rolled up halfway, revealing her skin of a lighter pink. The lower half of her bodied contained black pants with a soft fabric, while her fancy black shoes were a harder fabric.

𝐀𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐀 𝐊𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐀𝐑

I can’t stay out here for too long. That damned soul-ability.

She turned her back to the tree, soon turning her head around with a smirk.

Alrighty…

Just one.

All she did was raise her right hand, and yet, a cut unseen by the world itself was shot towards the tree, leaving a gash in its hard structure. The spirit within groaned in a faint agony, and with that, Agrona walked away, fated for mayhem.

𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 

Mizan and Unicornera stood before their teacher, who sat completely satisfied in her wooden chair. Noctis sat to the side, looking outside the window. 

“So… you enjoy my brother’s company, Mizan?” Rosalina asked, amused. 

“Indeed so!” Mizan answered with a fist! “...I expected nothing less from the one chosen by the Star. However, I didn’t know my Wing Chun style would be rendered useless. And that’s not to say I wouldn’t think the same for you if you end up killing him. That’s what this is about, isn’t it?” His gaze grew dark, and Rosalina’s gaze struck back.

“Mayhaps.”

“Let’s cut to the chase, then.” Noctis stood from his seat, catching the attention of the three. “I should be the one to kill Mario, or even Link.”

“No!” Mizan and Unicornera shouted in unison.

But Noctis stood unbothered by their rejection. He exuded a deep sigh, tilting his head to the side. “What makes us vessels so strong is that our soul-abilities are derived from the people who held the spirit before us.” He explained, “Link doesn’t know it yet as I’ve heard, but who’s to say he won’t begin to awaken the powers of the past in a day? Who’s to say that he won’t surpass in the span of two weeks? By the time that happens, I’ll be the only one to stop them.”

“But that won’t stop me from trying!” Mizan shouted, clenching his fists. “I respect you, Noctis. Truly. However, don’t underestimate the heart of the weak!”

“Ambition doesn’t oppose reality.” Noctis argued, “We’ve spared many times. You wouldn’t stand a chance. Not that I don’t appreciate the effort, though.”

“I’m not weak.”

Unicornera’s voice shot through the conversation. “...If that Hylian was alone, then I would’ve killed him without doubt!”

“And yet, you’ve never won against me.” Noctis said.

Ah, conflict. Rosalina couldn’t help but struggle to hold back her grin at the sight of it. Right before her, like everyday, the universe was working in full. 

And with a single movement that caused the wood below to creak loudly, it all came to a halt. 

“That’s enough.” She commanded. So lightly, yet so sinister. “Noctis, I’ll be sure to consider it.”

Noctis smirked.

“Remember. It doesn’t matter who kills Mario. The outcome must result in him dying.” Rosalina continued, “The rules of the final event were hacked thanks to Velva. We don’t have to worry about any consequences besides backflash. I understand how you feel, Mizan, but you’re under my rule now, and like a Quest, you are to obey my rules.”

Obey my rules

Words that shot through the depths…. Right into the world designed to damage the heart. Emotions became too strong to contain, and with one, final glare to Noctis, he was out the door.

“...Is he… gonna come back?” Noctis asked.

“I assume so.” Uniconera said, sighing.

“Don’t worry about him.” Rosalina assured, “Uniconera, Noctis, you should al—”

“Get some rest? Yeah. I planned to.” Noctis interrupted, rolling his eyes. “Goodnight.”

Unicornera followed suit, scowling.

“The rest of the team members will come back tomorrow!”

They didn't listen.

Now left alone, Rosalina finally released her grin. So dark, yet surfing with anger.

How I love this place…

The moon had begun to rise, signaling the end of day. The two teams carried their tables back into their respective buildings, sitting them down in the same spot they were previously.

Upon doing this, Lars announced to everyone that an important discussion would be held by noon tomorrow. Everyone else except those who were present during his last discussion batted an eye or raised an eyebrow, but eventually accepted it, and went to bed.

Some slept outside, while some inside. Link had chosen the latter, for even if he could not directly see the spirits, he could find solace in the delusion he could.

The tent he resided in was the same one he was placed after his battle with Mario, except it seemed much more refined this time. The tents themselves were made way wider, perhaps due to the effects of some soul-ability. He could actually take a few steps around inside, admiring the scenery—the walls etched in a blue fashion with purple stripes—and within those stripes of purple were windows of clear fabric. One of the two windows showed the headquarters beyond the three tents behind him, and the other, on the right side of the square-like tent, showed the tents right beside him of the same shape. Though, it was difficult to see it clearly.

He paid little attention to the other refinements, and instead lay flat on his back on the mattress ignited in a red shade, pitted against the right side of the room, staring at the ceiling. The lamp beside him, standing on a nearby counter built in wood, illuminated the room a bit—to the point where the light-blue carpet was visible.

Is this really going to be my life from now on?

His heart shrank at the realization. Being left alone in his thoughts was very nerve-wracking to him, even back in the forest where it had been that way for years. Of the deepest dejection, he groaned, rolling over lazily, now facing the wall of the tent. He concentrated on the wall specifically in order to ignore the chattering of the bugs, and what little chatter was from those in their tents. Being reminded of what he was connected to and what he was not, yet forced to be, made him soul ache.

But at least, a little thread of that connection still hung on, as the life spirit hovered around the lamp. This time, she had eyes, appearing as a lighter blue dot within where the eyes would be on a human. Link paid no attention to her; not like anything would change, since he could still sense her presence.

“Today was quite troubling, wasn’t it?” She asked, hovering closer to him.

He ignored her, lifting the blue cover over his head. How he hated speaking, or even thinking about the situation.

“You mustn't ignore it, it’s your life now.” Ordered the life spirit in a more demanding manner.

“Acknowledge that this was troubling. There is no need to negate your feelings.”

Link groaned in resentment, “Does it matter? Does it really?” He asked, his voice muffled behind the cover. “I wanted to live in peace with spirits, and then I was called to this seemingly more important thing. Now, I have no connection with them at all. Is there really a reason I should keep going if I don’t have a say in this whole thing?”

“We,” she stopped herself, “Many people don't have a choice in life. But it shouldn't halt the chance for growth.” She said, “Don't you remember those moments? That talk with Mario–”

“It's all nonsense.” Link interrupted, “None of their words will matter soon enough. They'll die…” the tone of his voice darkened, a heart-breaking realization setting in; the sinking of his heart imminent. “They spout these ideals of theirs, thinking it means something. But I don't understand. How could you move on knowing what lies at the end. Spirit Beasts live longer than humans, but death will come for them eventually, even the strongest. So what does it mean? Soon… if things keep on going, then… I'll be no different.”

“I think you understand what it means very well.”

The life spirit seemed to always have an answer to everything, but even she never understood the words she spouted out unwillingly. She was only programmed to say these things, not understand them. Yet, she desired to, for a reason even she did not know the answer to. “Life has meaning based on the things within it that grants you meaning, a meaning that will keep you moving forward. For you, it was the spirits, was it not?”

Link raises the covers off of his head, his eyes a bit sharp. “Yes, but I felt as if I was one of them.” He said, “Now, I just feel like a dumb human.”

“Then that is something you must accept, no matter how much you dislike it.” Said the life Spirit, ascent to Link's sadness. “You tried to understand them, you felt sadness, yet buried it beneath your hollow ego—you felt the weight of different perspectives. Link, you are human. You always were.”

Link felt his soul aglow. 

Truth…

That word radiated in his head, and knowing those words came from the embodiment of life itself, he couldn't help but just look down in shame. Was this truly the reality all this time? Was his desire to reignite his connection with the spirits nothing more than a distant dream? That couldn't be.

Those memories of the caretaker, those he had suppressed, he knew something was off about them.

Why can't I let go? He asked himself.

Eventually, he threw the covers off of him, sitting up on the side of the bed for a moment. The life spirit followed the moment, just as she followed him as he stood up and took a few steps towards the entrance.

“Where are you going?” She asked him.

Link stopped, staring back at her. “I'm simply going to get some fresh air, that's all.”

But unbeknownst to them, his speaking of the devil had made it appear. In front of the entrance, there Mario stood, holding a plate containing spaghetti he had made himself. Before the moon had arisen, both teams had been subjected to eating what Mario had made, and for the most part, they enjoyed it. Meanwhile, Link rebuffed to eat.

Both stared at each other for a moment, eyes wide. It seemed as if both hadn't expected their actions. Nervously, Mario held out his plate, the bags under his eyes visible.

“You didn't eat back there, and it was a rough day.” He said, “So, have this.”

Link stood dumbfounded.

Can't you all just dissappear?

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Reluctantly, Link let Mario into the tent—both of them sitting on the carpet in the middle of the tent, both of their legs crossed. Mario sat the plate of Spaghetti on the floor, though ideally, he desired to put it on a table of sorts.

No matter, he wanted him to accept it anyway.

Though, Link only stared at the plate, the life spirit fading away. “So, what do you want?”

“I already explained it,” Mario said, “I'm offering you a chance to eat.”

Link sniffed the air, and it was only by the smell that the remembrance that he was hungry began to tug on his mind, for he hadn't eaten anything in two days. 

But this food seemed very different from what was in the forest, yet it didn't seem artificial as he was told some food was.

“What is this again?” Link asked, staring at Mario this time, tilting his head slightly to the right. 

Mario smiled. He had always been waiting for someone to ask that, but everyone already knew what he cooked. “Well, foremost, you have to know the history!” He said, hoisting his finger up dramatically. “Back in the Mushroom Kingdom—there is a group of monks called Toads.”

“Toads?” Link asked, the life spirit flashing. “Like, the amphibians? What kind of toads? Froakies? Seismitoads?”

Mario chuckled, “Not those kinds. Keyword being monks, Link.” He said, “They reside in monasteries, worshipping the stars as their gods.”

“Gods?” Link tilted his head even more. “How can there be multiple gods?”

“Wait, you don't have multiple gods where you come from?” Mario asked, his mouth slightly agape as he stared more intently. 

Where's Meralin when ya need her?

Link simply shook his head. “We only have one God, Hylia.” He said, “The goddess of time."

“So I've heard.” Mario nodded. “Though, I was unsure of the full scope of what I was learning. So I assume this has a relation to your soul ability?”

Link stared at his palm, his eyes dispirited. “Yeah, the Triforce.” He answered, “It’s still surprising that I was the one to bear this power. I was just some kid with no friends, even with humans around. I was… a nobody.” He sat his arm to his side. He was still in the state of processing. “Well, I feel more of a nobody now than back then. At least, I had more than just this responsibility.”

Mario gave him a thoughtful expression.

I'll only hurt myself even further if I tell.

But…

“I can understand that.” He said, faintly.

Link raised his head subtly, tilting his head.

Perhaps this was good, even if it was only for a moment.

Mario held his breath. Now, he didn’t have a choice. He had given away his past, and often, no matter how he tried to refute it—he would be questioned regardless. “You probably can see why.”

Link nodded, “That's true.” He said, “Say, Mario.” He cringed at saying his name, “What exactly is your story? Must've been tough, huh?”

“Oh trust me, it was.” He chuckled, but this time, it did not seem to be one of humor. “You remember how I spoke of being a doctor, yes?”

Link merely nodded.

“Well, being a doctor is quite difficult.” Mario said. There was a lack of hope in those eyes of his. “If you can't work under pressure, then you aren't fit to be one. That's the standard belief of the Mushroom Kingdom. I've heard it's the same in other countries as well, but that's a totally different topic we're touching on.” He took a deep breath, wasting no further time. “While being a doctor in the mushroom kingdom, a disease washed over my home. Being the genius I was at that age, I was called up to be one of the people who fought against it by the princess herself. Even without a soul-ability, I still managed to save a lot of people. Yet…”

His stare became blank, as the next batch of words had been forced out.

“I couldn’t even save… my own brother.”

Link stood there for a moment, processing what he had just heard. Something about this revelation twisted his stomach, and he didn’t like it. 

So that’s why…

He wasn’t sure of what to say, but that vision of death at firsthand, he knew it all too well.

“It’s terrible, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Mario replied in a daunting tone, “It’s truly terrible.”

“But how?”

“How what?”

“Despite your tragedy, you still move forward.” Link said, “But how could you do such a thing?”

Mario tensed, the darkness shrouding his eyes fading away, as the words that came next always gave him a sense of hope. “My brother probably wouldn’t want me to be sad.” he said.

“Is that really all there is to it?”

Dissatisfaction.

“There doesn’t have to be anything more to it than that, I think.” Mario said, “Above all, I just want to make sure the people who look up to me are safe. Live or die, that’s all that matters. If I stayed within despair, then I wouldn't be able to heal others.”

Such honorable words—he couldn’t help but be amazed.

Meralin’s smile flashed in his head. 

Thanks, he wanted to say.

“Either way, no matter the struggles of life or this responsibility of ours, I think we’ll make it through in the end. Dont’cha think?” Mario’s eyes showed a sense of hope like no other.

“Perhaps, yeah.” He took a risk with those words; Mario could tell, but it felt good for both. "Talking to others isn't something I'm all too fond of, but honestly, it's interesting to see different perspectives."

Mario smiled, "Seems you've learned some things since the test." He said, "Slighty more easy to approach now. Wonder what led to this."

He had an idea of what, but didn't want to be rude in anyway.

Link scratched his head, sighing. "I don't think I've changed all that much." He claimed, "Even if I did or thought such, I wouldn't speak about it, I think."

"And that's fine by me."

Link gave him a faint smile, though it faded in an instant.

“Welp! Now that it’s out of the way!” Mario said, aiming to move on from the conversation. “I was going to say that spaghetti helped the Toads of the monastery get stronger. It was founded by the king three generations ago, and in times of despair, it gave them hope. Maybe it’s something spiritual, but either way, I think it’s great!”

Link stared back down, the conversation still floating in his head. This whole encounter felt surprisingly endearing to the soul. He couldn’t tell if he truly hated that or not, but he trusted himself in this possibly fleeting moment.

But before he could even pick up the fork, the life spirit returned in its full form, this time a bit distorted as it hovered beside him.

Of course, Mario could see it. “Oh hey, it’s that life spirit that’s been following ya.” he said, Link still focused on its weird form. “Saw it a couple of times in the corner of my eyes during the event. Interesting little one.”

The life spirit felt as if something was off, as if a disruptance within her existence—a minor cut seemingly, but a deep wound to those of her kind. She was giving Link an indication through showing her distorted form, and he would be quick to rise to the occasion, knowing that it couldn’t speak.

“Show me.” A simple command, but proved to be useful as he floated up and down. 

And its direction led out of the tent. She appeared as dim light, nearly being crushed by the weight of the darkness of the night.

Something is wrong.

Something was, and it was targeting her being specifically.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

The Life spirit gestured for Link to follow her, and so he obeyed. Mario was sure to do the same, but he gave one, last disappointed look at the untouched Spaghetti before leaving.

Worth a shot, at least.

Upon stepping foot outside of the tent, the shivering night air struck him firsthand, the Kricketots chirping serving as background noise; although Link knew that there was a deeper reason, to attract female Kricketots. 

Mario would step out as well, incredibly wary.

“Be careful,” he warned, tapping Link's shoulder, “Spectrals aren't supposed to be out here this late unless you're a leader.”

Link nodded, not giving a care about what was said. It was reflected in his eyes, barely acknowledging his presence. Mario didn’t take it personally, but it was troubling given that he was partaking in this.

Responsibility seemed to vary for him quite often.

Mario looked left and right, sighing as he followed the Hylian and Spirit.

“What is it?” Link asked, though the life spirit couldn’t speak due to being distorted. Seconds passed, and it seemed to be lessening the effect—its direction was unforgettable, heading straight to the east side of the forest.

Link had a gut feeling that something important lay beyond those trees and darkness, and Mario knew exactly what lied beyond.

“Gaia.” he spoke softly, “That’s the spirit of the forest.”

“And that’s where its habitat lies? Beyond these trees?” Link asked.

His nod inclined towards that suspicion. “I’m not sure what could be disturbing the life spirit involving it.” he said, rubbing his chin, “Maybe it’s a change in habitat? That life spirit came with you, right? They tend to have trouble adapting to the environments belonging to other spirits.”

“That could be a possibility. However, I think something else is at play.” Link mused, “Ever since coming here, the life spirit has been the only spirit I can see, trying or not.” It hurt to get those words through, “I’ve felt connected with it, so foremost, I can sense something is disturbing.”

The description fascinated Mario to a great extent. It wasn’t unbelievable that someone could be so connected with spirits, especially considering the more ancient way of the Spectrals. Of course, given the main objective of the Spectrals, it was a little unsettling.

He did notice the features of the lift spirit, furthering the sense of unsettlement. Very few, if at all spirits contained facial features, especially life spirits.

“I see,” he said, “So, I guess we’ll be following the life spirit then, huh?”

“That’s right.” Link said, doing just that as the life spirit grew closer to the forest.

Eventually, as expected, they headed into the forest, the moon shining through a cascade of dark leaves; some had been sewed together by the Sewaddles near the area. The branches creaked, the sound of the Kricketots ever so loudly. The darkness spirits seeped through the light of the moon, their slim, worm-like bodies floating in the air; slithering constantly until finding their place within the shadows. With each step, a sense of wonder filled the air; it was a deliberate battle against the darkness before them, as they weaved through the numerous branches.

“There is something special about this spirit.” Mario mentioned, watching it maneuver through the obstacles before it. “Have you noticed it?”

“Spirits are all special to me.” Link said, “Even if there’s an anomaly, I wouldn’t notice. But I think that there is something different about this spirit.” he turned to Mario, “What do you think it is?”

“It has faint facial features, you see?” Mario said, pointing at it, avoiding a branch. “Most spirits of its kind are only small forms of light.”

Link thought carefully, remembering when the spirits’ appearance first changed. “I had assumed it was adapting, but I’m not sure if that’s the case anymore.”

Hylian folklore often spoke of spirits gaining the form of a human when it meets a person it desires to follow. Often, Life Spirits were the forefront of this concept, for they could attach to anything that was alive. That was part of the reason Link didn't take it too seriously, but he was now aware that cultures can vary—so perhaps something was different.

Mario idly brung his hat downward in thought, wondering if it could be his responsibility to capture this spirit for research purposes; the idea was quickly discarded, and he was disgusted by it. Stepping on a nearby twig, he was reminded how far out they were. The trees that made the entrance weren't even visible anymore, let alone the totems.

“Best make this quick.” Mario insisted, “We're too far from the totems. Expect dark spirits.”

Link shuddered at that thought. For the pursuit of the spirit, there was a possibility that he could fall back into the same loop into killing spirits, and yet, he couldn't stop now.

I may not have a connection, but…

I'm still obligated to follow the spirit.

“We'll try and avoid it as much as possible.” Link said. 

Treating spirits as living beings; Mario could only stare at him quizzically. “That’ll be hard to do.” He said, “We all have our own ways, but I'm still a Spectral at heart.”

Link grimaced. “Have it your way.” He said, “But have you know, you're not my friend with that way of thinking.”

“Understandable,” Mario said, holding back anger. “But remember, I'm still your teammate.” 

Link rolled his eyes, “Whatever.”

Mario merely stayed silent.

The branches were beginning to get thinner. The trees seemed very different in shape as they went up.

“Spirit,” Link called, “Give us a sign that we’re closer.”

The life spirit nodded its head, causing both of them to stop.

“How close are we, if you will.”

The life spirit merely pointed its tiny fingers towards the inner working of the forest, a tiny light visible from afar. 

“Seems like we’re almost there.” Link said, looking at Mario.

Mario smirked, “That’s good. I’ve been getting tired already.” he said, droughty.

Link gave him a look of slight concern. “Didn’t you get some sleep?”

“Just barely, but it’s usually not a problem.”

Link shook his head. He knew all too well that a lack of sleep was dangerous, and he knew for a fact Mario knew it as well, so why was he…

“You should go, then,” he said. “You won’t be useful at all if you’re tired.”

Mario simply shrugged. “I’ll get sleep when I get sleep.” he said, “No turning back now, I have to look after you—and your spirit of course. Best believe I won’t be the only one getting flack right on the spot.

Link brushed off a large leaf, sighing. “Don’t be a fool.”

A human repeating his mistakes, the one thing that he despised. “Either way, this won’t go unnoticed by them, isn’t that right? Just go now so you don’t have to deal with it later.”

Mario stayed silent for a moment. Putting it into consideration, he hadn’t slept all that well since the event started. Thanks to the Star Road, it wasn’t a hassle to keep himself active—but even that brought exhaustion.

“We’re too far deep in the forest now. Going back alone or not, we’re both in for punishment.” he said, “Like I said, I’ll get sleep when I get sleep—whether you want my help or not isn’t up to you.”

Why are humans so ignorant? That’s all he could ponder about now.

Conversing with them was one thing, but witnessing their refusal for certain things was another.

“What’ll be the consequences of this, anyway?”

“Could lead to us not participating in the final event, or clean-up duty at the minimum.” Mario said, “Best to hope it’s the latter.”

Link opposed the idea, though he didn’t have time to speak any further.

Among the large branches, vines surrounding its glory, a figure was standing triumphantly on a single one—the moonlight making his shadow-like image visible as he sat peacefully, his eyes closed and his hands clasped together as he sat with his legs crossed. It was simple meditation. His back was turned to the three, but Mario knew who he was very well; from the way the man in black turned around, he seemed to know Mario quite well too.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

“Rosalina…” 

Even at night, Unicornera could feel anger swelling up. She didn't sleep, which was normal for her, and it seemed that Rosalina was still up at this time as well.

She sat within a wood chair in the middle of the headquarters, reading a book of sorts. Beside her, on a small platform of the same wood her chair was built in, was a single candle.

At this point, with Unicornera's horn igniting an ever-growing red, the candle wasn't all that useful. “You let that runt walk about?” She asked.

In response, Rosalina offered nothing more than the shadow of indifference, flipping a page in her book; it was as if the air remained thick with unrecognized words.

“Why not?” Asked Rosalina after a wave of silence, “It enhances my teachings, does it not?”

“It goes against strict rules concerning Spectral regulations. We already broke a few with that plan.” Argued Unicornera.

“And yet, you relished that plan.” Rosalina said, “It aligned with your goal, so it's fine on your end, correct? Same goes for me.”

“That boy is a foolish lunatic, and letting him roam free will further stain your name, wouldn't you agree?” Unicornera said.

Rosalina unveiled the shadow, gazing her sparkling eyes over at her student. “What does my reputation matter?” she asked, “I am aware of my spot within this universe. It won't matter in the end when I achieve my goal.”

Unicornera only sighed, knowing she was talking to nothing more than one who claimed to be promised for glory and no consideration for anything else. She couldn't be disappointed either.

“Suit yourself,” she said, “Buf if this event goes on and you face your consequences, please do not be surprised.” 

Rosalina scoffed, “Very well.” She said, “And if Mizan achieves his sense of interconnection and becomes more than you are, then don't be surprised either.”

No words needed to be said. Unicornera nodded, too tired and too frustrated to speak—with no expression on her face harboring those feelings, she walked back to the bedroom, leaving Rosalina alone once more.

Don't act so high and mighty, you hatred filled brat.

Well, it wasn’t so far-fetched to think that he would be out here at this time given what he had seen from him, but there was a part of Mario who was in disbelief.

Is she really that irresponsible? He wondered. 

She most likely was considering her goal, but due to their separation in childhood, Mario didn’t really know much about her.

Mizan, on the other hand, seemed to be excited to see a familiar face, and even more so to see an not-so familiar face.

Triforce Soul. He thought, standing up and twisting his body forward, his wide grin a dazzle in the night. He took a few steps towards the edge of the enlarged branch, precariously allowing himself to hang off the edge.

“Well, who expected to see two vessels out in the open at this time of night?” Mizan said, his voice echoing through the forest. “The Strongest is a very respectable and responsible man, as expected from his position, so why is it that he's allowing his students to break the rules?”

“Who is…”

“Mizan.” Mario answered Link's question. “He was involved in Rosalina's plan.”

A piercing gaze casted upon Link's face upon hearing that information, foretelling a series of worries. “Shouldn’t we leave now?” He remembered what they were here to do. No, we still have to follow the spirit.

Mario stepped in front of Link protectively, though Link was a bit reluctant. “I'd doubt he'd try something like that.” He said, “My last encounter with the Pisano implied that… we're friends now?”

“I don't buy it.” Link argued, keeping his eyes on Mizan.

For a moment, he didn’t do anything but stare them down. But after what seemed like an hour, he leapt into the air, his descent down to the messy forest below filled with grace. 

He landed onto the sticks, cracking them as he knelt down to prevent himself from falling despite landing with injury. He then raised himself up, staring at the two.

There was a crackling tension surrounding the air as they locked eyes. That is, until it was broken up by a welcoming laugh by Mizan.

“Friend!” His grin got abnormally wider, his voice ever so obnoxious. “What are you doing out here this time of night?”

Mario and Link stared at each other for a moment.

“Ah, um.” Mario didn’t know what to say. “Link and I were following the life spirit.”

“Life spirit?” Mizan mused, “Where? I see nothing of the sort.”

Mario gestured to his behind; Mizan followed, his eyes widening as the spirit danced up and down, soon hovering close above him. “Ah, the spirit of life.” he was amazed, “This is nothing like back in my hometown. Might I ask, why does it possess such a human shape?”

“We don't know.” Link stepped forward in front of Mario. “But that's besides the point I have. Why the hell are you out here–”

“Calm down.” Mario whispered, though Mizan did not seem offended in the slightest.

“Ah, Triforce Soul!” Mizan proclaimed, “I must admit, it seems fate seems to guide me towards the strongest foes often. Those within existence like you bear amazing strength, correct?”

Link’s body tensed. “What are you trying to say?”

“You two are following this spirit. Something must have happened to the spirit in order for it to require the help of lesser beings such as yourself.” That comment stung Link a bit, but he kept his cool. “So I grant a proposal,” he looked back at the two, “In the case that I assist you in this journey involving the spirit, then in return, you fight me!”

“Huh?”

“Okay, Mizan.” Mario retook his position in front of Link. “We didn't come here for a fight, nor are you involved in this.”

“But friends are supposed to help each other in times of need? It's not like that dump of a team would allow me to do things like this on my own, unless it's a quest of some sorts.” Mizan said, “This is a chance to do something new with people I enjoy being around, someone who doesn't judge my quest of strength, and I surely won't judge yours. That being said, am I to tag along?”

Mario could only stare in disappointment. This meaning of what a friend was only made Mizan seem as if he was a child who had never achieved true happiness. 

He could understand why one would yearn for happiness, even if it danced out of reach, but he didn’t understand why this was occuring or why it should.

Rosalina…

He balled his fists. At that point, Link had already made his decision.

“I'll accept.” Link said in a serious tone.

“To help a spirit… I'll do anything.”

Mizan nodded.

This was another chance to see the strength of those above him in existence and what it truly meant. I almost feel distant.

“Lead the way, Triforce Soul.”

Mario had conflicting feelings about the matter. However, it was just an addition to what he would need to do.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

“You are the last of an entire race of people,” Mizan said, “You'll have no one to inherit your spirit after your death. How does that make you feel, Triforce Soul?”

Admittedly, Link could only hold his head down in response to that question. “I don't feel much towards it,” he said, “never really thought about it.”

“That lack of thought surrounding everything around you, even things you deem as meaningless, is why so many get so lost through life.” 

They were already on their way, Mario taking the lead this time around. He keenly listened to their conversation.

“There's no use in thinking of something meaningless.” Link said, “When I'm gone, it won't matter who inherits what; the point is, I'm not a factor anymore.”

He could remember the death spirits that resided in the forest; only now, they seemed more fuzzy in his head. Above all, he still shivered at that thought.

“It means whatever we decide.” Mizan said. “Hypothetically, one can view succession as a means to immortalize themselves.”

Link could understand that.

He had heard of so many ideals, it would be merely irresponsible to disregard them when met with a similar one. Yet, right here, right now, he could say nothing.

“Mario, do you know these forests well? Any idea where we're heading?”

Mizan frowned.

“Seems we're heading towards the territory of the life spirit after all.” Mario said, “Be aware. Territory of spirits usually causes a change in scenery.”

“And what can we expect from this foe?” Mizan asked.

“Foe?” Link asked, “This isn't a dark spirit, moron. There's no need to fight it.”

“That is true; however, when spirits and their territory are disturbed by outside forces, their nature seems to be more aggressive.”

Link shivered. 

His mind immediately traced back to the spirit of life's distorted anatomy. If the Spirit of life could feel so connected to everyone’s emotions, then Link’s assumption would be…

Someone was messing with the spirit’s territory.

And If that's true, then a powerful foe awaits me.

Mizan would relish in this thought.

As they ventured more into the forest; passing through the damp and gloomy branches, a breathtaking landscape quite familiar to Link would unveil before them. The trees were even more towering then the section of the forest they had just left.

In the distance, a chain of rugged grassy mountain peaks stood sentinel, their jagged silhouettes piercing the sky.

At this point, Link felt so incredibly different, and this wasn't because of his indefinite disconnection with the spirits. No. This was because of the different viewpoints he had listened to. They were ringing in his head so loudly, and it had been the same for his short felt sleep.

If I had been how I was now, then I'd probably be super empty.

“Know any way to get past the mountain peaks?” Asked Mizan, urging to test his might.

“We don't.” Mario said,turning towards the life spirit who took interest in a different route—one towards the east side of the clearing which led into another section of the forest.

And so, they would follow. They first walked over an average sized hill before arriving at the daunting trees.

The terrain began to radiate with golden shimmers falling upon them, a light being set at the far center—the life spirit followed that light.

Mario was the same one leading the way, the life spirit before him. 

Mizan couldn’t keep his mouth shut for much longer, even though he knew Link wasn't up for a conversation. Reasonable for someone who had just met him, but he still wanted to learn.

That look of envy was ever so daunting.

This feeling in his heart couldn't be swerved with anything else but a fight, so…

“If you truly have nothing to inherit, then all traces of you will be gone.” He said, keeping on his content look. “Why is it that you carry on? There won't be another way, another meaning in the strength you carry.”

Those eyes of yours… is that what it is? Link could only wonder. 

“Why would I care about that?” Link asked, “I may not be connected with the spirits as of now but that doesn't mean I don't value my own life.” He shot a glare at him, “What is your obsession with this… ‘strength’ anyway?”

Mizan steered his gaze downward, hesitating. “Family.” He spoke hollow. “I was born in the Cheng dynasty back in the east. You probably haven't heard of them, as their wealth and Influence had died down slightly due to me leaving, but weight of their actions still reside.” He rolled up his sleeve, revealing a deep, gashing wound on his wrist. “I wanted to leave. I was supposed to be the next heir of the clan, specifically because I needed to follow the natural order of things… to be born, to be perfect for other people because of tradition, no chance to look for anything else. All I wanted wwas entertainment. Martial arts was my hobby, and they wanted me to become detached from that.”

Link examined the wound, realizing its cause. “That’s... that’s a heavy burden to bear,” he eventually said, his voice softer now. 

The darkness of humanity was right in his face, yet he couldn't even bring himself to blame Mizan.

Mario's eyes had darkened. 

“I can’t say I’m surprised at them,” Link said after a moment. “People like that… they only care about control. No, people in general.”

Mizan let out a dry chuckle. “Yeah. And for a long time, I thought it was all pointless.” He glanced at Link, his expression unreadable. “But I moved on from it eventually. The question is... have you?” He tilted his head slightly. “You're one of the strongest beings in the world. No, within existence as a whole, though your full potential hasn't been reached. You could wipe out the Spectrals completely with little effort, shape the world however you want. Why not just do it?”

Mario scoffed under his breath.. I’ve heard this before.

Mizan studied him carefully, something unreadable in his expression.

Link simply nodded thoughtfully, folding his arms. “You might think it's simple, but the thing is, I don't think it's right to kill things. No matter how strong I get, I don't think I could truly go through with it.”

Life was quite valuable to Mizan. Even if it was fleeting, at his last moments, all he could wish for was to look back on his life and be happy. Any regrets could be discarded in the face of happy memories, even small moments of bliss.

But if it couldn’t be sought through killing another—killing the people who caused you so much restriction that could conflict with those happy memories? 

He didn’t have the strength to do it himself, yet these people could.

“Rosalina says we have to accept everything that comes with existence. But you—” his eyes flickered with something unreadable “—you can’t accept that you could be evil?”

The look in Link’s eyes was fierce.

This person was infuriating. 

Regret.

“If I do that, then the meaning behind life will become vague.” Link said. "Life has an end, but it shouldn't be forced."

“So this is the path you've chosen?” Mizan asked, his tone shifting. “Even though it makes no sense?”

Link shrugged. “The simplest things in life tend to be the most valuable. What makes no sense to someone may make sense to a different person."

He couldn’t understand what could possibly drive this mindset. 

He was here, standing as a Spectral of immense strength, perfect for murdering dark spirits, yet his heart’s content doesn’t allow such.

Mizan scowled, the thought of it was an anomaly.

What is this path of strength?

"Well, I agree with that settlement, to a degree... though I don't understand overall." His voice was more sparky. “When we fight, I’ll show you the truth.” He said. “The truth of your own strength.”

That strength, at least what it meant for Link, came from the spirits. 

Where does it lie now?

He understood humanity’s selfishness, but perhaps, sometimes it was justified.

Thought this was something he could not look forward to.

A Spectral in his current form was against what he stood for, but he still hadn’t defined what it truly meant for his soul.

“Maybe not.” Link said, “Or perhaps you can learn something too.”

All of the sudden, a light flickered in front of the two, and they quickly recognized the source of it being Mario’s right palm, which held a small totem; inside of its carved eyes was a dimly lit light.

“What’s that?” Asked Link.

Mario studied it for a moment before answering. “A compact function of Star Road.” His tone was cautious. “When we got here, I knew something was off. The level of dark spirits were low—too low. Almost non-existent.” He glanced around, tightening the grip of the totem. “This light amplifies the effects, so if there's something nearby, we'll know soon enough.”

Link frowned. “So… there are dark spirits nearby?”

Mario didn’t answer right away. He just watched as the totem’s glow pulsed, slow and steady.

“Let’s find out,” he finally said. It didn't take long. As they ventured further into the night, all of them could feel that presence of a faint impending doom. Mario felt it the most, of course—thus, he came to a conclusion.

“Told you so.” Said Mario. “Lot’s of 'em too.”

This excited Mizan, “If so many are around, then I’d say we’d take care of them immediately.” he said, “That totem isn’t going to hold too many off with such a faint light.”

Star-road is a soul-ability that works at its maximum potential during the day. The darkness of the night, resembling the darkness of Subspace, overwhelmed the many of its functions as if they were mere specs, just as the stars were within space’s wonder.

“If it comes to that, then we have no choice but to.” Mario said, “It’s a good thing we’re all out here together. As long as we can put our powers to use, then we should be safe. Bad news is, we’ll be getting punished very harshly for this.”

“Well, you will, that is.” Mizan chuckled, “Rosalina doesn’t mind my absence.”

“Just as I expected.” Mario scoffed, stepping on and breaking a branch. “Oh yeah, there’s something I wanted to ask you, about Rosalina, that is.”

“Go on.”

“From what I’ve seen, you’ve considered me a friend. I assume this means you aren’t involved in her plan?”

Mizan grinned, shaking his head. “Of course not.” he said, “I can understand her actions, but I can’t condone them. You’re too valuable for me to merely let you slip by.”

“Hm. Quite… endearing.” Mario nodded, though he felt nothing but hollow words spilling from Mizan’s mouth.

“Sad thing is, my sister couldn’t care less about the rules or how her actions affect anyone,” he continued, voice filled with frustration. “To be honest, I can’t even blame her for wanting to take my birthright.” His jaw tensed. “But that doesn’t mean she deserves it. Power should be placed in the hands of people like Lars, not her.”

Mizan tilted his head slightly. “But do you think you are worthy of it, Future Star?”

That question struck Mario deeper than he expected, like a sword.

He had never once considered himself the rightful heir. Even in private, when Lars spoke to him with an unwavering conviction, telling him something he would never forget, the doubt still lingered.

“You shouldn’t ask questions like that,” Mario muttered, gaze flickering downward. “I don’t like talking about my past. I rarely do.”

“But we’re friends, Future Star.”

Mario let out a quiet scoff before looking him into the eye. "Do you even know my name?"

The Strongest... that name ringed in his head.

Mizan took a moment before responding, as if he were taking into consideration his lack of connection. That was only what Mario could hope. 

“Even if I did, I probably wouldn’t remember it well. Apologies.” 

“Well, to be honest, I don’t really consider myself above people, especially not here.” Mario said. 

“But you are by definition someone who is contributing more to saving the world than mere Spectrals.” Mizan said, dropping his grin, looking more confused than ever. “You people are so blinded by perception.”

"It's mainly not to stroke my own ego, y'know?"

He paid little attention to Mizan’s words, only considering the last sentence. His focus was honed onto his surroundings, fearing a swarm of dark spirits, or perhaps dangerous Pokemon would jump up at any moment. 

“But perception is what keeps me going in this world.” Mario said, “I was chosen as a Spectral through pure luck. A scrubby, pathetic young doctor aiming to atone for his sins and save his city before the Princess claimed I hosted the star spirit. Then, Lars arrived to the kingdom, and took me in. Best I do something with that luck besides trying to show how much of a privilege it is.”

“Oh, so you were a doctor?”

"That’s right.”

“Quite the shame, really.” Mizan said, “back where I come from, there are a short amount of people with the ability to heal. I could have, for my ability allows it, and perhaps the emperor wouldn’t have to die.”

Link squinted, feeling the trembling of his hand. Though, he was listening to the conversation. “How exactly are people chosen to be Spectrals? Is it really just through soul-abilities?”

“Soul-abilities can manifest with anyone, at any time. We don’t know exactly how they awaken or why only specific people have it, but it’s still a phenomenon that is a requirement to become a Spectral. They know how it manifests through the help of someone else’s soul ability, one who is higher in authority than most within existence.” Mizan said, “Mine was awakened after a training session with my master.”

“Mine was awakened through a spirit’s rampage.” Link mentioned, awaiting Mario’s answer for a moment, though he didn’t want to bring up the past any more than he needed to. “It was hard to wrap my head around when I was taken in.”

Mizan chuckled a bit, “Oh, I understand that one.” he said, “I couldn’t believe my eyes when hearing the explanation. It sounded too good to be true. I never knew that I contained something that could make me even stronger beyond just my wing chun.”

“It was like being hit with ten Boldores.”

Soon, they were both chuckling, shortly forgetting their banger from earlier and embracing their understanding of one another. Mario chuckled faintly a bit.

“You ever seen a Boldore up close?” he asked, “Short, yet as hard as steel.”

“Ironic, considering they're supposed to be akin to rocks.” Link added.

“That’sa exactly what I was thinking!”

They were all chuckling at this point.

“You know, Triforce Soul,” he ceased his chuckling, “I am not quite fond of you, but It seems you do possess quite a bit of charm.”

Link didn’t take his disliking to heart, and accepted the compliment, nodding with a smile.

“Hopefully that charm sticks with you.” He said.

Mizan tilted his head, “Perhaps. Depends on our future battle… and that mindset of yours when the time comes.”

Link felt a warm feeling in his heart, one that he didn’t want to get rid of nor have.

For all of its bad traits, humanity seemed to have a sense of peace. Perhaps it was worth exploring, or perhaps not.

He could only wonder, for the trembling had stopped.

They had finally reached the end of this section of the forest, the light ever so shimmering as golden sparks descended from the air; an aura of mysticism filled the air.

But they were supposed to arrive at the light fully so many minutes ago. They hadn’t even realized it hadn’t gotten any wider or bigger due to their other concerns, and now, here they stood; the sparks still falling, the light still afar in a distance, lying within another section of the forest as they stood in this wide, open field hosting a smooth, circular terrain.

On their right side was a small, wide pond that acted as a barrier, separating the trees around its circular shape. On the other side was the west section of the forest.

Something was off, and everyone knew.

The night was no more. 

Daytime... had returned.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

“Weren’t we supposed to have reached the tree by now?” Asked Link. Admittedly, that was on the minds of everyone right now. The Life Spirit had finally stopped moving forward, these thoughts, they were worrying.

This isn’t good. 

She didn’t understand why had been so reactionary lately. Had it been because she had formed some sort of bond with Link? Nevertheless, it felt unnatural.

Perhaps we should run. No, we should hide.

This struggling to make a definite decision. Were the death spirits right? 

This descent from spirit to humanity left an unnerving stain on her existence.

But she couldn’t just let them win.

She wanted to make a decision, but she couldn’t speak in her distorted form; but she could feel it, they were right there. Right next to the tree and its almighty splendor.

With it being day time again, Star Road could be used to its full capacity, so that was good news. The bad news lied in this illusion; and whether it was the help of a soul-ability or a spirit’s territory. 

Areas like these were rare to see as Spectrals other than the likes of Lars or Rosalina. There was no way of telling, but this uncertainty ignited a fire within Mizan, and brought a chilling to Link’s dampened heart.

“Stay close.” Mario urged, backing up a few steps. “This could be a spirit’s territory.”

“A dark spirit or something else?” Link asked.

That impending doom from earlier; Mario and Mizan knew all too well.

“Dark spirit, definitely.” 

And there’s that.

It was certain that he would commit to his duties as a definite Spectral.

He could only wonder why it had to happen so soon, but the reality was in front of him now. 

Mizan turned over to Link, “Triforce Soul.” he said, his voice filled with glory as the glory spirits; golden streams of light that danced around the caster. A fist was raised up to his chest, shaking with excitement. “This'll be a battle for survival. Be keen to your instincts!”

But would this be a battle for his survival; the survival of others; or the survival for the @pirits themselves?

The air was thin, cackling with a sense of tension, silence ensuing the area. Mario pivoted his right foot slightly to the side, hinting a danger towards that direction, and the life spirit followed.

“Just focus on you.” Link said in a sour tone.

“There!” Mario announced.

Within the territory of the spirit, the scenery often changes to their liking; or more so, their Inner world, reflecting their state of mind, and mostly nature. This case scenario was the former, the sky seemingly more condensed, and the sun further away. From the ground, no effect or change to the grass, but the shadows of the clouds above, arose three beasts of darkness. They resembled the anatomy of the average man, coated in a dark, surging aura with glowing eyes of light.

No more shadows remained, for they had become the spirits of darkness. Despite their similarity to the human anatomy, their limbs were outstretched in such an abnormal and unsettling way.

Mario took a step forward, halting both Mizan and Link.

Was he really going to handle this all by himself?

Would it be necessary to use the stronger functions in this scenario?

Perhaps, but that would be a waste of energy for whatever lies ahead. 

These Dark Spirits don’t seem relatively strong. 

However, I know Link won’t destroy these things as easily.

He’ll need some assistance. I do not know the full extent of Cheng’s abilities, but I’ma sure he’ll need some help as well, no matter what.

That being said…

A single movement forward was the end of the ground beneath him, crumbling into nothing as he leapt forward with his fist reeled back–a considerable distance away from the two.

He would be dependent on the First Function!

Dark claws lashed out of him, though with his enhanced physical strength, he was able to evade left and right before leaping over them in the form of a backflip.

Overkill, even for him.

Landing onto the ground, the brightest star decided to go a bit over what he had promised; a shift resembling the sound of clanking machinery was heard as his hands, both set in a straight line, radiating with sparks of gold, expanded rapidly.

The Second Function, combining light itself into a condensed singularity that expanded ever so rapidly before it nearly engulfed the entire battlefield. Mizan and Link shut their eyes in the face of the light while the spirits nearly faded into nothingness. If not for their territory, they would’ve lost for sure. 

As the singularity cleared, dimming back into the sparks, in the face of the stunned spirits, Mario struck, his fist pounding into the face of the spirit who he assumed to be a leader of some sort, and sending it flying and seeping into the shadows.

Combining the first and second function wasn’t a good idea. It put quite the tax on his body using more than one at the same time. If not for the stamina increase the first function brought him, he surely would’ve been worn out by now.

Now… where’s…

His question was answered as he felt a shadow right above him. He hadn’t forgotten about the other two, but he was impressed by the speed this one went at. 

A giant claw enlarged his vision, however…

“Friend!” 

A pillar of black iron slammed down onto the spirit’s head, making it seep back into the shadows along with the other. “Allow me to assist in a way!”

This wasn’t even a tool. The staff he held proudly over his shoulder was a function of his soul ability. 

𝑬𝑿𝑻𝑹𝑬𝑴𝑰𝑻𝒀 𝑶𝑭 𝑳𝑰𝑭𝑬

...𝑹𝑼𝒀𝑰 𝑱𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑼 𝑩𝑨𝑵𝑮...

A fifteen foot incredible, majestic hunk of iron with the height of fifteen feet and the size of a barrel. It contained a gold ring on each end, never falling off the staff even in times where it was being flung around ruthlessly. 

It possessed the power to change at any size the user desired. As for now, with complete control over the width and height, the width resembled one of a normal staff. 

The dark spirits emerged from the shadows once more, each one opposing the direction of the two as they stood back to back.

There was something Mizan sought, knowing his friend could very well handle his own.

The requirement for the activation of another function, the one he’d been wanting to use for so long, and it was through this staff.

A battle hungry grin filled his face as he readied the staff for a throw, his right hand position at the front of the staff, while his other at the back. Contrary from before, the aura radiating from his body was a fire of orange instead of a calm blue. 

It was pure heat…

One that not only appeared because of intensity.

But also because of a pride like no other, channeling it into pure power.

This staff was said to be blessed by the heaven themselves, and so, it would pierce through the heavens themselves. No, just the air as it was launched forward.

This was called…

𝑺𝑯Ē𝑵𝑮𝑴Ì𝑵𝑮 𝑫𝑬 𝑱Ì𝑵𝑻Ó𝑼 𝑯𝑼Ǔ𝒀À𝑵 𝑻Ú 𝑪É𝑵𝑮 𝑾Á𝑵!

The nature of this move harbored destruction, immediately creating a soaring smoke from the explosion. The ground beneath was no more—nothing but burning dirt resided.

Mario could make a hypothesis on what that meant.

“Mizan.” He said, and so, Mizan would obey, calling back his staff with a mere gesture to which it immediately came back into his hands, almost as if it possessed a consciousness of its own. The fire decreased, soon becoming faint ashes.

“Yes?” He asked. 

“These dark spirits seem to be using the shadows to their advantage. I tested out that hypothesis earlier and you only furthered it with that attack of yours.” Mario said, “However, the problem is, this is their territory. With the clouds being a factor, it’ll be hard to put out their shadow for good.”

This had gotten a lot more challenging, and to that, Mizan could only smirk.

He turned his gaze up towards the clouds. Ruyi Jingu Bang did quite the number on his soul, but it did have its own set of functions, but there needed to be specific requirements for them, and one of them was perfect for the clouds.

“Easy enough.” he said, “Mario, keep the other one occupied. I’ll keep the other occupied.”

“You got’a solution?”

He sat Ruyi Jingu Bang into the confines of the earth with a look that ensued nothing other but victory. “Yes, though it will be quite tedious.”

Mario wasn’t too certain of Mizan’s intelligence, but he did have faith in his power. He had been a Spectral for as long as he was.

“Well, I’ll leave it to you then.”

But something was missing.

The supposed leader had held keen onto the shadows themselves, seeping carefully beneath. 

And it had arisen in front of Link, its abnormal figure taunting over him, its darkness perpetuating.

He could only stare at those eyes, filled with light, yet so much darkness. 

The dichotomy of the two unnerved Link, yet courage had manifested the short sword manifested anyway? 

Ancient Short Sword.

It was almost as if it contained a mind of its own. The Life Spirit watched him from afar, and there was only one question on her mind.

What have you learned, Link?

How far has life carried you?

She could see the fear and courage spirits surrounding him, like a dance between a light and dark light. As he stood there, facing his past again, possibly ready to commit the deed of what he regretted, he remembered the words he had heard just before the Spectrals were put to sleep.

Don’t walk as a human.

Walk as a Spectral, Link.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

“That Spaghetti was amazing!” Meralin exclaimed, cheerfully. 

“Be sure to wipe your mouth, please.” Beliona requested, bearing a face of disgust, kneeling down with her hands under the chair right beside his sister, Meralin, who was doing the same motion. 

Nightfall had arrived, meaning the event was officially over. With the Quest completely, they all carried the long wooden table back into the headquarters by each chair. Unfortunately, Donkey Kong was asleep, and when he was, no one could wake him up. Perhaps a Function? No one knew, nor was anyone that curious. 

Moving the chairs in their original positions, it was finally time for bed. For most Spectrals, at least. Some were called in for a quest, others had other business to take care of, such as leftover garbage in the vicinity to protect the forest from any form of rot spirits.

As everyone went to their tents or to their beds, Link was going to do the same. 

However, he noticed Cloud still standing in the upper right corner of the room, seemingly unaware of everyone leaving the room. It would be awkward to talk to him after all that happened. After all, he still contained some conflicting feelings towards that moment, reflecting onto Cloud.

However, it wouldn’t hurt.

“Everyone else has left.” he said, approaching Cloud. “It’s getting late, too. Are you staying here?”

Cloud didn’t answer, and Link took that as a refusal. Well, at least he had gotten the easy way out of a conversation. 

He walked away—

“It wasn’t supposed to be this way.”

A singular sentence, and his easy way out was denied. Upon turning back, he noticed that Cloud had taken his back off the wall, standing more upright. “Back then, I was acting on my combat instinct, trying to fight the thing that stood in my way..” he said, “You’re here based on luck, nothing else.”

Link didn’t know how to respond. If anything, that luck made him even more infuriated that he was here. 

“It seemed different to me.” Link spoke, “I’m sure you could’ve outrunned the spirit and left me to die, but you didn’t do that—”

“I couldn’t let it go unchecked.” Cloud said, “If I let that thing roam free, then what kind of Spectral would I be?”

Spectral this, Spectral that. Link wanted something more from Cloud, because it had to be there. Unlike Almos, he didn’t have an excuse for the way he was, his unrelenting loyalty that seemed to be a higher value than gold to him, his resentment towards him. It couldn’t stem from one factor alone, so with it being considered, Link cleared his throat, taking two steps forward towards the soldier boy. “Have you ever considered what it means to be human rather than a Spectral?”

That.

That was the question needed to finally make Cloud open his eyes, revealing a stern gaze. It was chilling to the bone. 

Beliona was listening nearby, standing near the window on the right side of the graceful wooden structure.

A sighed followed his steps. Now, he stood face to face with Hylian. It was as if the calm air had been tossed to the side, tension acting as its replacement. “People chased their ideals–and that’s the reason they regressed.” he declared, “They get so caught up in the fear—fear of not living up to their own beliefs that it paralyzes them, making them ineffective. I can’t forget the people I fight with, like Mario and Sonic. It’s a burden. In the end, it’s just how they are.”

His tone, it had become sharper. “However, take a look at what the Spectrals have been doing for centuries. So much time has passed, yet it hasn’t strayed away from their purpose, the purpose in which that has remained in everyone for centuries. Killing Dark Spirits for the survival of the world, and ourselves. People roam around safely because we animals assure their safety. If we abandon that, we’d just be abandoning our roots. We can’t let get the better of ourselves.

Don't walk as a Hylian... walk as a Spectral.”

Those words touched the inner workings of his soul, those that he did not understand, and those he did. To embrace instinct was to embrace the roots of nature, but that would bring forth a sense of ruthlessness, possibly resulting in death.

I couldn’t possibly…

The reality of how much he had just said to Link had settled in. On one hand, he hated the idea of helping someone who had made the mission go abort. On the other, he understood that he was his teammate.

But above all, the bitterness was stronger than that understanding. His soul was filled to brim with it.

“But it’s completely up to you.” Cloud said, making his way towards the door leading to outside. “I won’t stop you from following what you want. That’s just how humans are.”

He would then shut the door, leaving Link alone.

That memory was burned into his head.

Now, it was a test.

In the face of what defies you.

In the face of what makes you,

And in the face of what makes humanity.

How will the Trifroce Soul prevail?

Carve a path of victory of whatever chaos ensues.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Courage held too little of an understanding to have multiple functions—the same with the other two concepts of the Triforce. However, that didn’t mean it wasn’t powerful with the way it is now. In fact, it was comparable to Star Road’s first Function in terms of potential.

The ancient short sword, the manifestation of courage, dwindled a bit.

Maybe it was more tactical to manifest a more defensive object. It had worked against Unicornera who could only assume to be stronger than what stood before him. Besides, they were a considerable distance away from one another.

Above all, Link didn’t want to engage in combat.

Either way, the dark spirit wasn't going to allow room for thought. It was an umbra, seeping through the shadows effortlessly before Link had time to manifest a defensive construct.

Just in time, acting on pure instinct, he had leaped up into the air, evading those pointy fingers. 

He had jumped higher than expected, at least thirteen feet off the ground, but Link only assumed it was an effect of his ability.

But what was the ability of this thing?

It seemed to operate by the law of the shadow, embodying it, thus manipulating it.

But something had caught Link's eyes—a glitch of sorts when the creature entered the shadow. It was only for a split second, but it had lost its original shape, turning into a distorted mist.

That Spirit Beast spoke of errors in reality…

As he came damn, both hands were on the hilt of his short sword. He held it above his head, and slashed it down upon the spirit. He felt it go through, so when touched the ground, catching himself and turning back, he expected at least a tint of damage dealt.

But he had miscalculated.

As long as the move had a shadow, then the dark spirit wasn't affected by it. 

Link's eyes widened, and he turned to his sword, now held in his right hand. A black liquid dripped off from the edge, almost acting as a physical representation of the shadow In itself.

There was no doubt that this spirit had a connection with the shadow, but then again, even after that broken connection. He understood that there must be a specific condition. The only obstacle was figuring out a way to figure out the condition, counter it with his current knowledge, and defeat the spirit without killing it, if possible.

Come on…

Dodging left and right, Mizan still managed to keep his eyes on Link! A swift movement to the right, he slammed his staff down on the spirit’s head once again—the force incredible!

Show me what you can do, Triforce Soul!

His footwork was impeccable, too fast for the human eye to capture! All of it followed into a preemptive strike with the staff, twisting and turning into creative strikes to catch the spirit off guard. Considering the amazing speed of regeneration, they didn't do much, but it was surely satisfying to get those strikes in!

All of this, while keeping his eyes on that soul to the best of his ability!

Link made a movement with his right hand, raising it up to the side. 

If he could manifest an ancient short sword, aware of the properties it contained, then perhaps his imagination, the source of this ability, could warp those properties into something suited for defense. Unveiling the light shield from before would be impossible. He didn’t know exactly how it came into being, so with that being considered….

Skrrngg!

The Ancient Short Sword changed into a circular structure, the sound of machinery clanking loudly. The shield was crafted using ancient Hylian technology, its surface etched with glowing, blue runes that pulsed with a mystical energy. Forged from an unknown alloy, it deflected both physical and magical attacks, protecting its wielder.

An unbreakable defense!

And if I could…

He would then manifest the Hylian Short Sword in his right hand again.

Sword and Shield.

“Good!”

He doubted he’d need it, but due to the unpredictability, he summoned it anyway.

As the spirit disappeared into darkness, he noticed that area again. No, he felt it.

A chilling feeling that rattled down his spine. He traced it to his behind, and there it was.

Instincely, Link put the shield up in front of him.

Of course, it did its job, blocking the spirits’ strikes! It was difficult to keep his balance while doing so due to the sheer force, but did so anyway.

With each strike, he felt a disturbance to his existence—something abnormal. This was a way of testing his hypothesis.

But there was something else.

How could he look at this spirit, this monstrosity and claim this was himself?

Another strike with those claws, and his shield had flaunted away from his body, leaving him open for an attack—one that would surely end his life, for it was aimed at the heart! That claw etched in the shadowy beauty came charging, and he would put the might of his sword to that test.

His left arm was out of the equation, for it wouldn’t be able to ready his shield in time. That wasn’t the case for his right hand, still holding onto that sword blessed by the power of the old—the one manifested from his own mind.

Does the power of what I create depend on how flexible my imagination is?

But is that even possible?

He swiped his sword to the right! Despite fading through the spirit once again, this would catch it off guard, creating a small amount of time for Link to leap back.

The distance regained, he panted. This strain on his mind to keep that picture visible in his head for it to stay manifested was immense.

My mind isn’t creative enough for these situations… that was certain. 

To add further pressure, the Life Spirit had thrusted it forward. Link didn’t know what it was, or how it happened in such a short timeframe, but a devastating attack had struck his stomach, sending him flying into the air. Taking a moment to think would be irrelevant, for just one could end his life.

A spirit ending his life. How fuel could fate be?

Luckily, Link’s mind was still active due to Courage, and he needed it more than ever. He’d immediately gain control of his air-movement, slamming on the brakes from the terrifying momentum by digging his feet into the earth. He re-adjusted himself with haste, his sword held upwards valiantly, while his left arm in front of his chest to protect himself from another attack of the same nature.

Blood trickled from his mouth. That strike was magnificent, the feeling comparable to the wind being knocked out of him. As if it couldn’t get any worse, this one seemed different from all the other ones.

The darkness from its own shadow was lifted off the ground, glowing in a purple delight as it was transfigured. It confirmed Link’s earlier hypothesis.

The shadow spirits were an axiom as to why shadows as a whole exist and why they don't exist in the first place. The only way that could be changed is if they were rid of their foundation. These were dark spirits, and Link didn't know how they differed from other spirits, but it seemed they—

Do they…

He had assumed that they acted on regular spirit law, embodying one concept. However… remembering the darkness spirits from earlier, another hypothesis was formed.

It was the truth.

The grip of his sword had tightened. 

How could a spirit do such a thing? 

Robbing a spirit, or soul for that matter of their essence and falsely embodying it. 

Link didn’t know what to think, or to think at all. His thoughts were sent into a frenzy, contradicting one another.

“This is where things get interesting.”

“Hm?”

Mario was holding his own quite well with the use of the first function. Rarely did he engage in close combat with these spirits. He found it more suitable to maintain his distance, maneuvering away from the giant claws of the spirits.

A wave of darkness had come forth, flung from the right claw. 

Despite the first function improving the physical capabilities through soul enhancement, it wasn’t all that useful against undodgeable long ranged attacks.

But the second function was perfect.

The attack came at a high speed, but Mario’s reaction time was absolute. 

—𝑴𝑰𝑿—

The mixing of the first and second function at the expense of never using the third function for three hours. As of now, this could only be used for one counter, but it was severely effective. 

The great sparks, signaling illumination from the second function, shone brighter than ever. Way brighter than the previous uses. 

He clasped his hands together; the singularity came into being, bringing forth a wave of light to dim those shadows.

—𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹-𝑺𝑻𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑲—

The attack dissipated, beautiful sparks of light filling the air before fading away, the spirit had taken a large amount of damage—causing it to hide once more. 

This time around, the dark spirit dodged to the staff being thrusted downward. Dark tendrils began to spew out of the ground slowly, but Mizan’s martial art skills were exceptional. Letting the staff rest on the ground, his feet ascended from the ground, his body spinning rapidly. Small gusts of wind were unleashing, catching the spirit by surprise, and to top it all off, the momentum all paid off with a shining kick to the dome!

A jumping spin kick!

Just like that, they were back to back again.

“When met with a realization, one often does something they never would have thought of in their current state.” Mizan said, Ryui Jingu Bang planted deep into the earth’s crevices. “You see him? We’re gonna see something interesting.”

Regularly, Mario would pass off these words as foolish, childish remarks from the strength obsessed Spectral. However, gearing his attention over to where Link stood, he noticed a flare in those eyes of the Hylian.

In the quest to carve a victory involved the absolute best victory for the both of them. 

Though, with his understanding furthering each moment, he wasn’t sure if that was possible.

Should I just run?

That was quickly out of the equation. No way he could outrun a spirit within its territory, and with his chest hurting, he wouldn’t make it far.

This was going to be a test for survival—the only way to progress the journey was to kill, as that was the nature of this spirit.

Nothing much was left in his mind, just that very reality.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

The shield he created had dissipated, creating a myriad of sparkling crystals up in the air, and leaving his sword as his sworn protector, while he was to play the role of the executioner.

The roles of the prey and hunter were ultimately up for the two beings to decide.

He had killed himself once, rejection all he stood for.

Perhaps, this is necessary.

A dark tendril reached out to grab him. However, trusting his instincts, the boy of the forest, would leap to the side—that would be his opening.

A driving foot into the ground, then an excessive amount of force, would thrust his entire body forward. His sword was held with both hands, positioned at his left hip—surprisingly despite the momentum, his body held up well this time.

Before the spirit could realize, an upward slash had caused its shadow figure to split in two, the sword dancer immediately going for another.

Downward.

He knew how spirits work. To kill them, you had to see them first. Then, one would have to attack it constantly before its regeneration came into play—until all of the shattered pieces of it were completely non-existent.

With a slash downward, his strike wasn’t true. The spirits’ body, now split in two, was moving on their own, heading towards the shadow that covered the area from the large, out of place tree in the center.

It hid there.

But that error he felt was all too familiar. It shook him, a reflection of the glitch apparent in the spirit’s movement. If there is a glitch within reality, then there must be something to fix that, for it should not exist.

Truth.

This is where the third concept of the Triforce shines through. By Link, it was not fully understood, so it couldn't be utilized to its full potential. However, the original form of the land before the spirit seeped into the shadows, was now visible to him.

And that error, a red dot within a stream with light of the same color, seemingly beaming from the heavens, was also easy to see.

When the spirit seeps into the darkness, it has to temporarily re-order itself within reality, for their form isn't used to the spirit it takes ahold of. This only happens when the spirit isn't attuned to the spirits they consume, and with that being understood due to the truth being revealed, the knowledge obtained would change the tide of the fight.

He raised his sword to the false sky, the sun’s light radiating off its splendor, and with all of his mind, both courage and truth being activated, he slammed it deep into the ground.

Lines.

Thin, blue lines, millions of them—they rushed towards the shadow at an impeccable speed.

The lights of finality, that would force the truth back from which the error occurred. The truth would strike, the blue lines of light tracing the error, and removing it.

This removal, this correction, would unveil the shadowy, now distorted figure of the spirit no longer blessed by the shadows—a yelp of distortion and rage accompanying its awful, ruined ascension among the darkness.

Am I really going through with this?

He couldn’t believe what he was doing.

Am I really… going to kill myself again?

But the spirit was trying to kill him.

Do I really value my life as much as I think I do?

Life and death.

Death and life.

No matter the outcome, it would all continue.

So why does fate place these two as the participants?

In a fit of rage, non-believing of its right of power being taken away, the spirit would lash out. A contorted tendril attempting to reach out to strike the heart.

Link felt his heartbeat rise once more, knowing what would happen.

But the error was corrected again, this time more hesitantly, making it screech in agony as the tendril was erased from existence. Its body flayed back and forth aimlessly—a form of weeping to the boy formally blessed by the spirits.

He almost—no, he did feel pity for the spirit.

But there was a fear of the next attack, a fear for his life.

Life or death, who would get which?

The answer of his instincts were certain. 

The next movement it made, Link rushed forth, truth activated without thinking, only adding to its distortion. Its form now was a bubbling fit of endless spikes, it's only hope now being the right to seep into the shadows as it always did, but it had been stripped away.

A slash to the upward right struck, the correction being made instantly, just as it did with every attack. 

Following the slash, Link grabbed the sword with his other hand, and struck downward. He couldn’t waste any time, so he continued his barrage through a perfectly horizontal slash.

He inhaled, straightening his body—leaping into the air and spinning three times, the light of his sword flashing each spin, before unleashing a back kick to the face of the spirit, or whatever was left of it.

This had sent the spirit into a frenzy, its shadowy spikes lashing out in a fit of rage. 

Desperation.

But his instincts were absolute—and jumped back. Luckily, it seemed to be a one time thing, for the fit of rage ended, returning it back to the form it was in previously. It couldn’t see, it couldn’t attack. What more was left for it than to act upon its instincts?

Link closed the distance, courage granting him great strength as he unleashed a front kick, sending it back.

From the short time of leaning forward from the front kick, he raised his arm, and his sword came down with a vengeance—a shadowy liquid casting black upon that sword of light.

A slash.

Again.

And again.

And again.

Each slash, its form began to dwindle. Not even the shadows of the clouds could aid its chance at surviving. It continued to deteriorate, its eyes glancing over at its fellow spirits who were being bested by the other two Spectrals. 

The slashes were striking constantly, no sign of the end.

By the time it closed its eyes, it was nothing more than a mere, skinny shadow with no arms, and no legs, standing still within the shadow it couldn’t return to.

And with one, final slash to its thin form, it had dissipated like mist.

Against the shimmering eyes of truth, what should not exist shall face the brunt of nothingness for its crime.

He couldn’t forget it, that look in its eyes in the face of death.

It didn’t want to go, not only for its life, but its fellow spirits—the truths of existence.

These spirits...

The shadows held nothing to accompany it.

They truly are me.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

This territory. Ah, yes, thought to be controlled by the dark spirits, but the perfect soul-ability was crafted by...

𝐘𝐔𝐊𝐀𝐍 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐘𝐌𝐄𝐑

He was a towering figure of raw strength, his muscular stature a testament to that reality. His chiseled jawline and hollowed cheekbones carried a visage of quiet authority. Beneath those thick, demanding eyebrows, his deep brown eyes held value that rivaled human life—and finally, his smooth chestnut hair, sculpted into a vintage pompadour, crowned him with an elegance like no other.

Beside him sat the girl of dismantling, Agrona.

Together, sitting near the tree of gaia, they watched the fighters within the hologram situations face off against the spirits, a smirk on her face.

“I didn’t know any Spectrals would come out here.” She said, resting her cheek against her fist. “Seems the rules aren't too tight."

“Yer certain?” Asked Yukan, giving her a side-eye, straightening his hair. “It seems like these folks are just bein’ ignorant or somethin’. Either way, it’s beneath me.”

“Or, they’ve gotten irresponsible.” Agrona argued.

I wonder if those two are still here…

“Either way, them fools are doing quite well against the dark spirits ya occupied.” She said, turning over to him, “So, if they defeat them, do we intervene?”

Yukan smiled, a vigorous sense etched within his eyes. He closely examined the way the fighters fought, seeing how their soul-abilities shined—how effective they were.

Perhaps they might be worth somethin’.

“Askin’ a varmint like me for decisions? Well, the answer is simple.” He often didn’t make rational decisions, “We intervene, and we kill ‘em.”

Agrona sighed, Yukan giving her an awkward stare.

“What? Don’t tell me ya expected a rational answer.”

“Nah, I didn’t, y’fool.” Agrona said, sighing once more, this time more silently, “Just exhausted that this damned inconvenience is happenin’.”

“I’d say it’s a convenience!”

“Of course you would.” 

The dark spirit finally went above and beyond, now getting a feel of Mario’s attack. The sparks of the second function had diminished once more, the energy of his soul draining ever so slowly. Of course, the plan in mind was to trick the spirit’s perception to a similar attack, thus using the additional mini function of the first function.

But a shadow would reach out, connecting to his own.

It held him still, just as it was.

Controlling my movements through the shadows.

Mario could feel his limbs move without his control, leaving his eyes widened. Just like that, his hand was placed to his heart, the sparks of the second function illuminating.

This wasn’t just the ability to control movement, it controlled soul-abilities through understanding what made the shadow.

If that second move gets used, my little Star-Road trick’s-a toast—it’ll see right through it!

He felt the energy flicker, and a smile of sheer confidence ensued.

But… wait a minute… It can only handle one thing at a time, right? And if it only knows what it’s seen…

Then I’ll just burn the source!

Time to hit it with the third function—let’s-a go!

Combining the mini function and second function was the mixing of the energy used by the two. Since it's a mini function, the energy of the second function, which was much larger, could be understood due to its simplistic nature and connection with the first function. 

The third function disabled the use of the first and second due to its much higher and complex energy rate, and applying the function throughout his entire body, he had created an unbreakable defense, as well as live or die outcome for the spirit!

THE SHADOW BENEATH WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A CONCEPT THAT WAS BEING BURNED THROUGH THE USE OF THE THIRD FUNCTION!

This made the spirit screech, thus the shadow being released.

However, the bigger problem lied within the burning of the shadow, for he could also be burning himself. Luckily, Mizan…

“Don't get so cocky!”

The Extremity of Life's second function was the healing of the body through touch, and with a tap on his shoulder as he widened the distance between him and the spirit, Ruyi Jingu Bang held in a rest position in his right arm, he would heal him.

“Appreciate ya, Pisano.” He said, a mad grin on his face. Unlike other instances, he found Mizan’s personality very likable.

Mizan would jump back into battle, and so would Mario, activating the first, including its additional function, and the second function.

With the third function being used, it increased the potency of those functions.

With the additional Function, his speed was great, warping the spirits perception into a frenzy as it tried ever so constantly to find a shadow to latch onto. 

Fists crashed like meteors, each blow rippling through the shadowy figure with concussive force with the second function. A graceful, yet relentless spinning kick snapped its form backward, dark wisps unraveling from the spirit's body.

Another strike, a rapid-fire barrage of punches, caved into its ever-changing mass, sending shockwaves through the air. A knee was driven into its core, the cause—the dispersing of its dark tendrils, followed by a roundhouse to the back of the head, and along with it, he grabbed one of its tendrils, swinging his leg upwards, and then following up with blazing uppercut!!!

"WAHA!"

The shadow shrieked, its form flickering, battered beneath the relentless storm of strikes.

Soon, Mario had stopped. Its form was no longer remarkable. It held no sense of fear, for it was now nothing but a blob of darkness who bore a sense of fear like no other. Yet, it was already the end.

He noticed the fear as he panted heavily.

“Sorry about this.” 

His smirk faded, leaving nothing but a sincere expression. He raised his fist, slamming it down into what remained of the Spirit, the ground below them starting to shatter.

Just like that, the battle was decided. Steam came off of his fist, dissipating after a few seconds of attempting to reach the sky.

In Mizan’s case, Ruyi Jingu Bang had been flung five times, nowhere near enough to activate the function he'd been dying to use. 

But that wide grin wouldn't fade away, for this battle was as good as over.

“Shēng zhī Jíxiàn.” His voice was rough. “Mài zhī Fùsū.”

Pulse of Renewal.

The healing function of the Extremity of Life, but it wasn’t as simple as mere healing.

As the Dark Spirit charged forth once more, swords of shadows creeping out—it noticed something.

Its form was beginning to shine with light, and the feeling was one of rejection. It tried to keep on moving, but it seemed its shadow was dissipating in the face of that light.

This was a positive force.

The requirement for this function—

“I assumed you would catch on. Huh, how saddening.”

—Was the familiarity with the target.

“My staff was thrown a total of five times, doesn’t that seem a bit repetitive?” Asked Mizan, watching the spirit thrive in confusion. “You never once thought it was intentional? Perhaps you thought I was foolish enough to think the light it radiated would put you down for good If I continued.” The staff glowed with the same, green-like energy of the pulse of renewal. “But that isn't the case. You're a dark spirit of nothing more than negative energy. The most logical thing to do would be to counteract that force with positive energy. Oh, well, why am I explaining this? You don't seem to have a mind to comprehend.”

The battle was effectively over, but to further sink it in, feeling as if there was more needed to be done—With a burst of power, he launched himself into the air, leaving the staff where it was, twisting his hips as his leg cut through the space like a blade. 

His foot struck true—thunderous impact crushing into the dark spirit's face, sending them staggering backward, further destroying their form of a faint white imbued with a cascade of darkness. Before it could even register the force, he landed, his stance rooted like an immovable mountain. But still, he flowed—hands surging forward in a relentless storm of chain punches. The force of each strike mirrored a hammer, each movement the embodiment of perfect precision.

Its core of darkness rattled, any chance of a defense completely shattered. With no room left to counter-attack, in the blink of an eye, the assault had come to an end—his foe reeling to the left, broken beneath the weight of his fury as the white had overcame the shadow.

He gazed deeply into the spirit's eyes, full of a light that screamed desperately, and merely nodded his head.

“You gave me enjoyment for a while, but it isn’t enough.” He said, “I shall see you in the next life, where we might fight again.”

To bring a weight of finality, Mizan reeled his fist back, channeling the energy of the pulse of renewal once more. The air compacted and twisted as his fist bursted forward, breaking through the dark spirit’s form—leaving it to fade away where it once stood.

This move was…

Pò Tiān Lóng Pào.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

The battle had finally ended, the Life Spirit descending from the ground and resting on Link’s shoulder. He stood, aimlessly staring at where the dark spirit had dissipated. He remembered truth’s activation, and Lars’ promise of self-destruction or self-reformation. Strangely enough, he didn’t know which he had achieved through killing the spirit.

Normally, his severed connection with the Spirits made it impossible to see the death spirit he hated so much, but that did not stop him from sensing they were there. But they were right there, ten of them, laughing right in his face. 

The Life Spirit by his shoulder made sure of that—if he were to move on, he would have to face what he feared. The way of life was unpredictable, but the fundamentals of who Link was—was quite predictable to the life spirit.

She knew what he was doing, but she forgot any other possible connections it had with the people who had gone down the same path. Again, such was unfamiliar, but life always had an answer. She just had to be patient… if there was an answer.

She turned her small head to him, looking deeply into his gloomy expression. Her form felt significantly less distorted now, so she assumed they were close.

“How did it feel?”

Link sighed, “It felt… off.”

He closed his eyes. “In the end, there was no other choice.”

“And that’s okay.” The life spirit said, “In life, there are things that we have to do.”

“I see that.” Link nodded.

Mario walked over to him, stopping right beside him as the small amount of steam the spirit emitted after death rose into the air. A stronger spirit would emit a larger steam because of the energy residing within them; that energy being similar to the energy within the soul, though much larger.

Link looked at him, then glanced back at the steam. “Do you feel anything while killing them, Mario?”

Mario paused for a moment, staring at his palm with hollow eyes. He didn’t like thinking about killing spirits. You usually just killed one, and that would be the end of it. Thoughts of that nature weren’t necessary. Though, that was part of the reason he found Beliona quite annoying. “Yes, I do.” he spoke softly, “It’s sorta difficult to explain. It's like a feeling you can't shake off, but you learn to live with it. Wouldn't say it makes it right, but it makes it bearable to say the least.”

“That’s good to hear, but… is this really right?” Link said hesitantly, “I don’t know anymore. I feel like a fool, a mere baby who can’t accept life for what it truly is, and I don’t even know if this is the right life for me.” The death spirits ceased their laughter, fading away as the smoke dissipated. He let out a gloomy exhale as he opened his eyes. As he spoke, his voice lost its steadiness. “I feel so stupid, why can’t I just be like the others? Like Beliona or Cloud? They’ve accepted this reality without question, and they can live easier because of it? I’m just… so tired of feeling so confused...” 

Mario placed a hand on his shoulder, “Personally, I like Lasagna.”

What kind of answer was that? In response, Link tilted his head, his brows furrowed. “Huh?” 

There was a familiar glint in Mario's eyes. “You like food as well, right?” He asked.

Link nodded, wondering the point. “Yeah, I get It, but how's that supposed to help me?”

“Cloud and Beliona do as well.” Mario said, “Mizan too. Everyone here does. Now get this, everyone else here also has emotions, and I’m certain those two do.” He gave Link a reassuring smile. “In the end, most of us are just children forced into this position. We have our struggles, some just hide it better than others, so no, you aren’t stupid for feeling this way. You're just confused, a little lost, and trying to find their way about.”

It didn’t make the feeling go away completely, but it did grant Link some form of reassurance, and a bit of hatred. Relating to humans felt weird, even now.

Link’s frown softened a bit, the weight on his chest easing just enough for him to crack a small smile. "Thanks, Mario. Still, not too sure if you do it, but… I appreciate it.” Then, there was a smile. “It means a lot more than you think.

Mario shrugged, his grin widening. “Doesn’t seem too bad, does it?”

Link chuckled, shaking his head. "You’re super weird, but… I guess you’re right."

Mario chuckled along with him, giving him a pat on the back. “Anytime, man. Just remember, you’re not alone in this.”

“Hm.” He chuckled, “Doesn't seem too bad.”

It truly didn't.

“Something is off.”

Mizan was still focused on the area, placing his staff back over his shoulder. Even with the dark spirits defeated, it didn’t change the supposed territory they were in. That was the norm, and this anomaly unsettled him a bit.

“You two!” he turned to the both of them, “Those spirits are dead, right?”

“That’s right.” Mario said, “Seems like the territory is still up, though. That could mean there are more dark spirits, but that brings up more questions than answers.”

“We are close to the tree of gaia.” The life spirit finally spoke, catching Mizan by surprise.

“What the?!” His eyes widened, “Triforce Soul, how is that spirit talking?!”

“I assume they don’t usually do this where you come from?”

“No, he probably just doesn’t pay attention.” Mario commented.

“For your information,” he smiled to hide his anger, creating an image of false composure. “I am very smart!”

Mario shook his head, chuckling. “Sure thing, buddy.”

“This is quite the interesting reunion to you guys.” A proud, strong voice echoed throughout the area—they all turned their heads in all directions, aiming to find where it was coming from. Their answer? 

It lied eastward, opposing where they stood.

The air cackled with an energy of uncertainty, two foes seemingly stepping into reality. It was such a distance, but their presence was felt throughout the entire field. The three fighters grew wary, getting into their battle stances.

Yukan was the first to step up, for he was the one to look down upon them. “Allow me to let ya in on a secret.” He spoke with confidence, a purple glow radiating from his arm as he extended it outward, “From the moment ya three were making yer way here, you felt a change in atmosphere, no? It wasn’t that much of a change since, it’s nighttime and all, but it must’ve put ya off guard. This is the effect of my soul-ability, The Gray Immersion.”

The air around them began to intensify, and as Yukan moved his arm forward, a ripple was seen; one that showed nothing but a black void within the normality of existence. Link could feel that error, but it was much stronger than the dark spirit he fought.

“The bridge between humans and spirits like to have their own separate ways and whatnot, but despite all that, I’m above em all.” 

Admittedly, Agrona saw it as foolish, his constant gloating, but it didn’t matter much. In the end, all that needed to be certain was that the job was down.

“The Abyssal Dominion, crafty name, eh? With this, I can make spirits like those my very own scouts! That's only the surface of it, of course!”

Hm, that explains why it didn’t dissipate earlier. Mizan thought, Ruyi Jingu Bang glowing a bright green. 

"You're a fool to explain your ability while attacking someone." Mizan said.

"Ah, but it's just so cool. How could I not?" 

Mario would step up as well, pulling on his gloves to tighten them up—the both of them would rise to the occasion, and see it through to the end. Or at least, that’s what they had planned.

As if a sword had been swung, a slash of light had struck them in their chest; it struck vertical, coming at an unbelievably speed, blood splattering all over their clothes. In the direction from where it came, Agrona stood with a grin, two fingers pointed towards them. No doubt about it, she was the cause.

Huh?

Mario was caught off guard to the suddenness. There was no pain, as if he wasn't even struck, but he knew it would kick in eventually. The attack only furthered his understanding of the situation at hand. “Mizan…”

“Right…Mài zhī Fùsū–”

The pulse of renewal generated positive energy and filled the user with it. However, no matter how many times he tried to activate it—in turn, healing the wounds of both, it was futile.

“Careful now,” a pink light flashed in her eyes; the girl of dismantling seemed to take pleasure in their suffering. In her voice, there remained nothing but pure ecstasy. “Until I’m killed, your wounds won’t be repaired.”

That was a problem.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Entropy Rend.

A deadly embodiment of the principle of absolute destruction, preventing natural regeneration, healing, or even time-based reversal from undoing the damage it causes to the physical body. It operated on four distinct functions, each escalating in its level of devastation.

This was only the first function.

With the flinging of her hands, a slash would be sent forth—a slash that dismantled absolutely anything in its path, including the air itself. No matter the energy, no matter the obstacle, absolute destruction was certain.

The pain finally kicked in, the pain spirits, pink, round, and translucent dots, floating around them. Mario gripped his chest, blood coloring his gloves red. He noticed something peculiar.

Attempting to use the soul energy, he couldn't feel it build up; it felt like shattering bones rattling in his body, struggling to find proper structure.

Star Road seems to be-a disabled as well? Did that slash cut everything there was?

“Oh!” Agrona had come to a realization. “Ah! You're one of the great three souls! Star Una! Aw, man!”

She was strangely excited, bouncing up and down with each word. Yukan's gloomy disposition towards the star was the perfect counterpoint to that. That glare, so full of envy and hate, Mario knew it all too well, but that was the least of his worries.

“What do you want?”

Agrona went up to the two, skipping happily as she made her way. Upon reaching them, she knelt down, the light Mario’ eyes faltering in the face of a brighter star.

But that didn’t hide darkness within her glare.

Her eyes burned with an unyielding fervor, wide and unblinking, as if consumed by a fire only she could see.

“If I were to kill you,” Firmly, she placed a hand on his chin, “Someone else would take on your spirit, correct? Sounds sad, but I would totally do it.”

What Agrona said was true.

But could he really let that happen? To die, right here, right now—he couldn’t accept it.

She stood up, hands tied behind her back. “You know…” She licked her lips, relishing in their pain. “A scream tells more of the truth than a darn smile ever will!” She declared, her words carrying an undeniable weight. “Sad ya couldn't at least give me a good ol’ scream, ain't that right? I'm surprised, though.”

She plays around too much. Noted Yukan.

Gathering the strength to speak, Mizan merely smiled through the pain, and raised his head up high. “How dishonorable. Not even… a chance to fight back.” He said, “That's probably on us… we… shouldn't have gotten hit…”

The Pulse of Renewal disabled, huh?

This isn't good. Mizan couldn’t refute that.

And furthermore, Mario..

“Hey…”

He wouldn't be able to protect his friends.

I can't be useless…

Not like I was all those years ago...

Link stood there, his voice barely a whisper. His hands were shaking, causing a weak grip on the sword. Due to the use of courage, his mind would've given up by now, but the fear he felt only accelerated it. Whatever happened to Truth, it had deactivated without him noticing.

Yukan turned his angered glare towards Link, “Oh, looks we got two.”

“Good.”

Agrona began approaching him. With each step, Link took a step back. 

There's no way I'm ready to deal with this.

That slash she threw earlier, is there a limit to that? Why isn't she doing it now?

Why is she even here?

There has to be a reason.

“Hang on.” Link said, “Why are you doing this?” 

“Hold on, Ag.” Yukan closed the rip from reality, returning it back to its normal state. He began to walk forward, catching Agrona's attention. “Let me take care of this.”

He stalked forward like a gathering storm, desperate for destruction. Each heavy step pulsed with raw, seething fury as retribution danced in his eye. “You lot, you've always looked down on others. Guess having a greater status in this world makes ya think everyone else isn't special, huh? Well, I'll tell y'what.” Reaching Agrona's side, he stopped, “You aren’t above anybody…”

Link stared, dropping his sword, unsure of what to do. Could he really do anything but sit there and prepare for whatever pain he was about to endure? No, for that would be selfish, but was he really willing to risk his life for humans in exchange for death? He wasn't sure, but the reasoning behind Yukan's words was something he could understand. “I do agree, nobody is above anybody, nor are we above the spirits.” Link said, regaining a sense of composure as he held his head low. “Everyone has souls. But you have to realize that, too. Or else, you'll forget everything.”

“You…”

The storm was on the verge of release. Those words had infuriated him. “After what your kind did,” a spark of purple shined around his fists, “You wanna talk that nonsense?! You sit there, acting all high and mighty, like you understand anything! You think some fancy words about souls make up for what your kind has done?”

“I never did anything to you!” Link got defensive, reminded of Unicornera, “You're the one controlling spirits like their nothing but pawns! You don't see the value beyond them being how you use them?!"

"I remember everything. Every slight. Every loss. Every damn thing that was taken! But I ain’t forgetting this, either—” He stepped forward, his form culling energy like a storm." "—Nobody is above the rest, right? Good, means ya bleed just like the rest of em."

For a moment, Yukan stood in silence, his soul energy flaring sporadically as he clamped his teeth together.

This couldn’t stand. "Let’s see if y'can handle a storm, blessed one."

“I think, that is a enough of yall's blabberin’.” Agrona stepped forward, holding her arm outward to hold Yukan back. “We ain't come here to start a darn fight, now.”

Meanwhile, Mizan and Mario were still conscious in excruciating pain.

“Future Star." Mizan spoke in a groan, but that mad grin never lost its way. “How many quests have you been on since the event started?”

He glanced over at him for a moment, wincing at the pain, confusion consuming, but his heart was filled to the brim with trust. “Pretty much, none, except if you count cleaning Sonic’s fur.”

That irresponsible—

“Very well. I'll use my own.”

“Your own what?”

Soul points can be used for many things, mostly for quest, and in this case, the application would be toward his own body. A shining, silver aura enveloped his body, signaling the calling of the energy of the soul.

Within the soul, there is a center, where soul-abilities reside. On the outside of that center, were the small singularities of light that reflected the soul-points gathered.

Mizan had a total of one-hundred and seventy two, and in exchange for eighty-two, he would remove the pulse of renewal from his body entirely.

For every deal, there had to be something of value taken away, just as for something taken away, something of equal value needed to be granted.

The pulse of renewal was always active, only to be accelerated with soul energy to heal specific wounds, so as of now…

His entire body, physically, was in a state of utter ruin, but the scar of his wrist shone through the most.

If he could embody ruin himself, then he could return back to his normal state.

And he did just that.

Rising from where he stood, nothing but darkness surrounded his body. He turned, nothing but a defining glare meeting Yukan and Agrona's eyes. 

He couldn't speak, but the heart of the dragon spoke loudly.

His skin was the embodiment of burnt flesh, yet it persisted to move, even if it was minor.

𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐉𝐈 𝐉𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐉𝐔𝐍 𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐍𝐆 𝐉𝐈𝐄𝐆𝐎𝐔

He channeled soul energy once more, trading his points over to Mario in exchange, placing the state of ruin in mere milliseconds, turning his soul points anew; all to heal him, as well as gain authority over the now fixed Pulse of Renewal.

Both of them… had been fully healed!

“Know this.” Mizan stepped forward, holding up Riyu Jingu Bang proudly. Mario stood up as well, surprised by the maneuver. In terms of experience, Mizan had been a Spectral a bit longer than anyone else in the vicinity. “If you truly believe in strength, then you would respect the people above you.”

Thanks to Mizan's maneuver, In the short state of ruin transferred to Mizan, Mario had been able to activate a perfect function, one that he could only use once in combat. He clenched his fists, ready for an attack. 

Heh, nice trick, Mizan.

Yukan smirked; the anger hadn’t faded away due to the comment, but seeing low lifes like them prevailing was interesting. “Alrighty,” he straightened his hair once more, preparing for combat. “You lot just might be interestin!”

He countered my slash? Agrona noted. How impressive.

This'll make killing ‘em actually have purpose!

Entropy Rend had readied itself, her arm flinging upwards as her lips curled into a smile of pure ecstasy.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

The staff had dissipated, a green mist following its disappearance.

If he really wanted a challenge, then what other way to do it than close combat with a seemingly long-ranged opponent?

Mizan sank his weight low, one fist coiled near his waist like a cocked hammer, the other hand thrust forward, fingers curled—an unyielding wall of force poised to explode with the fury of lightning.

All I need to do… is get close and apply pressure by crashing into the opponent at a speed unable to be registered.

With an explosive burst, shattering the ground beneath, Mizan temporarily disappeared from sight, appearing right in front of Agrona—catching her unaware. Her eyes widened, she instinctively put her hands up for the incoming attack, but it wasn’t enough. Mizan drove his shoulder forward, the entire weight of his body put into this one, singular strike.

A Tetsuzanko—

—Heaven and Earth Cycle Strike!

Upon making contact, the sheer force of the attack created a sensation of breaking the ribs, and what escaped from Agrona’s lips was a grunt of pain—the shockwave made its presence known, the ground beneath turning into nothing but a memory. Before she could realize it, she was sent hurtling through the sky. 

Yukan and Link stood there in shock, wondering what just occurred. In a mere blink of an eye, she was off of the ground, and before they even spotted where she was, she came down ferociously, crashing into one of the front trees of the forest.

She sat there for a moment, trying to wrap her head around what just happened as blood trickled from her mouth.

“A true martial artist learns to adapt to all styles,” Said Mizan, re-positioning himself in the stance he once took, “Baji-quan is one I don’t use that often, but for someone like you, I’d say it's necessary!”

He turned his attention to Yukan, “And you.”

he said, “It seems you need a lesson or two.”

“You’re siding with them… despite what they are?”

“They are strong, my friend.” Mizan stated, “What is there to dislike?”

“Yukan…”

Agrona hissed, her anger and excitement barely restrained. Seeing her own blood trickle gave her a rush of euphoria like no other. The pain in her back surged, but she pushed through regardless. “We’re gettin’ into a brawl after all. So, I wanna face—”

“Me.”

Mario stepped forward. His stance was disciplined, yet aggressive, his feet firmly planted, and his hands raised in a perfect balance of offense and defense. 

That other guy has a hatred for me and Link, but Mizan seems to take an interest in him. He won’t do well against long ranged attacks if that’s his approach. If his ability toys with spirits, then Mizan can get rid of it with ease.

I have a function I can use to break through that ability of hers if I understand its foundation. 

“No you don’t—”

“Not so fast!”

Mizan rushed in front of Yukan, nailing him in the jaw with a front kick—the attack sent him stumbling, but the storm did not falter. He checked if anything in his body was broken from the force, and upon finding nothing, he knew a fight with him was imminent.

But a part of him wanted to understand why.

Once again, Mizan took his stance.

“Your ignorance towards me is a bit concerning, and in all honesty, a bit irritating.” He said, “If you want to face the strongest, then you’d have to earn that right, and I don’t think your vision of strength is necessary to qualify.”

Yukan scowled.

Not necessary to qualify, not good enough.

He had heard something along the lines of that too many times.

“I ask you,” a purple light flashed in his eyes—eyes that told a thousand words. “Who are you to say I don’t qualify?”

“Mizan.” He said, “That’s who I am.”

“Mizan, eh?” Yukan smiled.

If there was anywhere he could find the answer to what he wanted to know all along, it would be right here, right now, against someone who opposed him directly. A rip in reality opened, this time much larger—able to fit the average person through. Nothing but a void filled the space, but there seemed to much more that met the eye. He turned his body around, side-eyeing Mizan. 

“Come, Mizan.” 

An invitation.

“I assume the battle will get a big hectic from here on out, and I don’t wanna get my stuff all dirty. Well, it will, but let’s lessen it a bit.”

How respectful of his opponent. Yes, there was a gut feeling that this was a trap, but Mizan recognized that look in Yukan’s eyes.

It longed for something—an answer that would fulfill his life, and it needed to be seen through a battle. 

Eventually, Yukan walked through the void, leaving the ripple open for Mizan to walk through. His stance was no more, as he stood up straight, his hands tied behind his back.

There’s something more you want.

Those words in mind, he would walk into the ripple—and the moment he did, it closed, reality back to its regular state.

Mario went over to where Link stood, staring at Agrona as she struggled to stand. The grass beneath her was ruined in a crimson fashion from the blood from her head. But despite it all, the pain and everything, she still arose. In the light of the false sun, she resembled the appearance of a half-human, half-god.

Her eyes were a blur, rapidly breaking down the details of her opponents.

Within existence, they were above her.

“The stronger the prey—” she murmured, excitement thriving within her voice. “The greater the kill.”

Entropy Rend activated passively, her fingers twitching for the throw a slash, and reach the kill.

No, not now… 

The two were unnerved by the animalistic nature of who stood before them.

But it couldn’t be as simple as being a fanatic, no. Despite the nature of her soul-ability, from what Link had experienced, humans seemed to have a reason for what they do.

Mario…

Perhaps this was the same.

But in the face of that light, it was extinguished in the face of how inhumane she seemed.

Her lack of empathy toward killing Mario, despite his situation.

His words of smiles being a lie, and a scream being a confession.

It all left him with one question.

How could you relish in the pain of others?

“Stay back, Link.”

Mario’s soul energy radiated, drenching him in a gold fashion. 

“Are you up to fight? If so, then—”

He discarded all other thoughts, for the person in front of him was everything he hated.

“I am.” He declared, gripping his sword with pure, killing intent. “Don’t worry about me.”

Regardless of the declaration, Mario would digress, though he wouldn’t say it openly.

Seeing them ready, Agrona would unleash another slash with the flick of her wrist, the battlefield unraveling at its fury.

Chapter End.

Chapter Text

A slash reached out, its touch certain to cause destruction. The first function was the easiest function to use, for it was the most simple, and quite effective. She often never needed to use anything beyond—but what was the case for Mario and Link?

Well, dashing forward, right in front of Link;

A slash that ensures absolute destruction.

He knew what to do.

He came to a halt, covering his first fist with a palm. Soul energy surged through the course of his entire body.

Star-road’s third function burned everything, even destruction, so as the shockwave ensued, Mario could enact a plan from there.

This next move—

—”Integration.”

Waves of energy such as the slashes contained lines, the same lines Link witnessed upon the activation of truth, and they usually were all connected by a singular principle. That was the case here.

In this case, it was the lines of destruction.

Integration was a function of Star Road that had no real number, for it was always there and could be used with each, and it allowed for those lines to be seen. It was the same for most, though it was only used by a fraction of those who wield soul-abilities due to its difficulty.

As he channeled his soul energy, jutting out of his face were spires of light—they were heading towards the lines within the slash.

INTEGRATION PLUS THIRD FUNCTION

Agrona was ready to unleash another as the slash, reeling her arm close to her neck, she felt her slash being… nullified? The wave of energy had dissipated, evaporating like mist. 

“So those lines. They operate on the same natural law as everything else? If that’s the case, then my third function is a bad matchup for you.” Mario pointed to his brain, tapping it with one finger repeatedly. “It burns natural order, meaning destruction doesn’t exist. Pretty hefty if I do say so myself!”

So he can see my lines?

She weaved her hand to the left, unleashing another slash. Instinctively, Link held his hands up for protection—but Mario did the same trick. “You won't get anywhere with those slashes of yours.”

Agrona groaned in annoyance.

With something like integration, the first function of entropy was practically useless.

But one couldn’t rely on just a singular function to ensure the defeat of their opponent. 

Mario knew that all too well, and yet, she continued to far off more.

The seventh one struck, and integration was on the verge of exhaustion for being used too much. Panting heavily, Mario used the advantage of the mini-function to confuse her once familiar perception. Bursting forth—his appearance adorned in light like phoenix, variations of Mario—hundreds of them, surrounded the girl. 

Link tried to keep up with the movement, but his eyes could not keep up with the sheer abundance of speed!

Her eyes flashed left and right, her head spinning as she constantly feared an attack. Darting her eyes constantly, her gaze would momentarily fall upon a fist, one that was dangerously close to her face, before—

—BAM!

Mario let his fist fly straight into her face, thin blood spewing into the air as her head rocked back from the blow. 

He wasn’t done.

Though the variations had stopped, that only meant the first function remained.

Closing the distance once more, as her head faced straight again, an elbow was sent to her stomach.

She gritted her teeth, just barely able to place a hand on the shoulder.

Mini Functions were merely extensions of other functions, granted by small fragments of the self.

The mini function of Entropy Rend was surely something special.

Pain…

She smiled through it all, and small rips opened within the skin. He winced, leaping back and examining the three, deep cuts in his arm.

These are weaker than before, obviously. He noted, but something feels off. Best to heal—

But one could not forget about the wonder boy.

He appeared right behind her, for he had silently ran across the battlefield in the heat of the fight.

Truth activated instantly, swinging his sword to the right, aiming to slash her. 

But instead of dodging, especially in the condition she was in—she activated the mini-function of Entropy Rend, and caught the sword in her left hand.

Beautiful sparks of light arose from endless clashes, their gaze looming upon each other.

As Link stared into her eyes, he saw nothing more than emptiness—but he knew for a fact that living creatures, including humans, held many facets beneath the surface.

So, he called out.

“Why?” He asked, veins appearing from his hands. “Why do you seem… so corrupted?”

“Corrupted?”

Her pupils dilated for a moment, the sword beginning to push her arm back. 

There are functions, and there are modules.

Functions are the fundamental operations or specific actions that a soul-ability can perform.

On the other hand, modules are larger components that structure or modify a soul-ability, often determining how functions interact or are executed.

The second function of Entropy Rend was Fractured Existence, the application that allowed the user to partially dismantle something. She applied soul energy into where the sword was held, and Link watched in absolute silence and terror as a portion of the sword had dissipated, leaving an incomplete blade. 

Mario wasted no further time.

“Ain’t corruption if it’s just the way I am, dimwit!” She said, “My soul doesn't speak ‘bout peace, but it definitely does howl for wreckage!”

In the face of that, truth deactivated despite the nature of Agrona’s soul ability. He hadn’t known the reason for activation in the first place, but he appreciated its existence. With it being disabled, Link could only stare into those eyes, the emptiness confirmed.

Was it really possible for someone like her to exist? No, that couldn’t be. But, perhaps it could. It fit his hatred for humanity perfectly, if the possibility was absolute.

If that was the case, then the intent to kill would be justified.

But his sword arm lowered slightly.

How could killing be justified? 

I can't force an end, but...

I don't know what to do...

Agrona clasped her hands together, soul-energy emitting from her body.

Destruction was the framework of what Entropy Rend is, and despite it only hitting Mario once, that was all it needed—as well as the destruction of the environment surrounding them, to activate the module that followed the first function.

Before Mario could reach, or even activate the third function or integration, a shockwave dawned upon the battlefield, sending both of them flying backwards!

Its journey wasn't going to end at the destruction of the opponent, but rather their soul-energy!

ENTROPY REND - CHAIN REACTION

They could feel the energy of their soul detoriating.

Meanwhile, Mizan had entered the realm opened by Yukan. Taking a step in, his soul resonated deeply with the sight before him.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Before Mizan lay a cascade of large trees spreaded from each other, sunrise on the horizon, while the multi-layered canopy blocked out its light. Not all of the trees were the exact same. Some were deeply fissured, while others were on the verge of decomposition. The floor beneath was filled with wooden debris, unequal. The soil was quite fresh and thick, however, accompanied by streams of mosses.

Standing before him, of course, was his opponent, Yukan. A sigh escaped his lips while his hands remained by his side.

Was he showing disinterest?

“So, we’re here now.” Mizan said, his voice, despite being neutral, being the loudest sound in the forest. “There’s something I want to ask you… hair-overdoer.”

Not the best name he could come up with. 

Yukan tilted his head in confusion, raising his brow. “Hair… overdoer?” He asked, “Oh, right, I haven’t toldja my name. Well, the name’s—”

“I don’t care what your name is!” Mizan announced, triggering another confused reaction to Yukan. “Until I understand you further, that is the title I’ve bestowed upon you!”

Yukan shrugged, his gaze wavering. 

Alright then. He accepted.

“Now, as for my question.” Mizan’s face held a more serious expression, “What is it that you want with this fight, and the Triforce Soul for that matter?”

“Why’s that matter?”

“One does not fight without reason—no one that I’ve seen, at least.” Mizan said. “Tell me, just what is yours?”

He hesitated for a moment. Facing so many opponents throughout the years, many had asked him about his ideals, but all he could wonder…

What’s the point in that?

We come from different places, different past—there’s no way ya could understand me.

Standing before him was a martial artist similar to the many foes before him in the past.

“Look.” Yukan commanded, his tone a bit lazy. “You’re probably some martial artist aimin’ to make a name for himself, but you can’t forget that we aren’t just different in terms of style, wer from whole different worlds for cryin’ out loud!” Mizan’s eyes sharpened like tempered steel, a storm of silence beginning to manifest. Yukan simply smirked, paying him no mind, wrapped up in his own world. “No matter how much we try to understand each other, we’ll always be different. So drop it, you martial artist! You won’t get anywhere with that!”

“And that’s where you’re wrong.” His words were as sharp as a blade.

He retook his stance from before, his fist shaking slightly, eager to pound. “We aren’t like the souls above us.”

Ruyi Jingu Bang made an appearance once more, a trail of steam following its existence.

It stood flat on the ground, Mizan holding the upper end with his right hand. “We’re both mere people who can express their beliefs through soul-abilities! Not those in existence who are above us in strength in every way!” He announced, “The world we both exist in, is the same world they reside in. One of suffering, one of happiness, and most of all—”

He quickly knelt down, grabbing the staff with his opposite hand. Still holding the upper end with his right, he slid his left down to the other hand, reeling both arms back slightly for a future burst of power. Drastic flares set ablaze, wrapping around the staff. The dragon himself was not affected, for his fire was the one that overcame all.

Pulse of Renewal registered positive energy, thus healing the body.

But this wasn’t just positive energy.

Lì zhī Bàoyǒng!

Surge of might, the way of turning damage into power!

His body being placed in utter ruin earlier, he had activated a surge of might to absorb the pain, thus calling upon negative energy!

What surged around the staff was a mix of positive and negative energy overlapping constantly, their power being constantly increased to the point where one overwhelmed the other, and then they didn’t.

A state of pure confusion, as well as utter uncertainty, a phenomenon that couldn’t be registered nor controlled.

This was…

CHAOS MODULE

“—One where the strong and weak roam! I'm the latter!”

The staff, embedded in the essence of chaos, was flung forth—

—The sixth time Mizan had flung his staff forward!

It created an explosion of energy, constantly expanding in and out of form, in and out of color. However, Mizan recognized something strange. A millisecond before the staff was sent hurtling across the sky, he examined the look on Yukan’s face.

It was unbothered. 

With that in mind, he watched intently at the accumulation of energy. 

And, he watched it dwindle bit by bit, all into a mini singularity that was…

A miniature black hole?

Barely a meter in length, yet still effective. The chaos energy from the staff culled to it, barely restraining itself before going with the flow—

—the flow of going into a space of utter nothingness. 

“Cool, huh?” A voice spoke from the dwindling energy. Soon, nothing else remained by the sight of Ruyi Jingu Bang struggling to pull back to Mizan, its rightful protector, and the black hole that resided in between the palms of the holder of the Gray Immersion. “A black hole that only targets objects and energy rating it deems a darn danger!”

The second function of the Gray Immersion, vacuum.

It put a strain on his soul energy, but it for sure got the job done, for Ruyi Jingu Bang, in the quest of being called back to Mizan, was eventually sucked into the black hole, disappearing along with it. Mizan grumbled.

“Don’t worry, kid! It’ll be back soon enough, but yer a martial artist, right?” Asked Yukan, jokingly—yet, a flare was in his eyes. “Let’s test your physical strength, how ‘bout it?”

With an ability like that, it doesn’t seem long-range attacks will be effective. Ruyi Jingu Bang is a part of my functions, so there goes a good chunk of my soul energy. That function of his targets things it deems dangerous, and there’s no doubt in my mind that my strikes will prove to be just that. 

The chaos energy from the module makes it more difficult to output those two energies. If I’m damaged, then I’ll only be healing in a half-assed manner.

I could just surrender, and grant him the victory.

Many would gear towards giving up, lending their opponent defeat. Something Yukan was familiar with, and was hoping wasn't the case.

Luckily…

But despite all of that, victory is the only thing I seek!

Mizan was the opposite.

Ruyi Jingu Bang was gone—

—but that didn’t stop the dragon from going on the offensive. He merely crouched low, mustering all of his strength before springing upward in a sharp, explosive burst. As his body twisted mid-air, his leg sprang out into a devastating arc of vengeance, the force of the kick rippling through the air like a thunderclap!

“Tiāntáng zhī jiàn!”

Its destination would be heading towards the fist raised by Yukan, who coiled all of his strength, his entire body—his entire soul -- into a unrelenting backfist to match the burning ferocity of Mizan’s martial arts!

The clash of blows created a shockwave across the forest, and with a mad grin on both of their faces, their battle would officially begin.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Mizan twirled back around, his feet hitting the ground. He regained his stance without much trouble—and even strongly at that. Yukan’s arm flew back from Mizan’s attack—he was surprised by his overwhelming strength. Twirling back, channeling his strength and soul energy once more, a backhand was unleashed, as if mocking Yukan’s.

Yukan blocked the attack by extending his left arm outward, weaving it away. 

But the recovery timing of the dragon was immense. Reeling himself back, that grin still apparent, he crouched down once more.

A Tetsuzanko?

In the fear of such an attack, he instinctively lifted his arm in front of his face.

However, it wasn't a Tetsuzanko. Upon shifting his body forward, he raised up slightly, skipping once vertically, building momentum before flinging forth a side kick to the chest!

Spit coiled up in Yukan's mouth, but he held it in—his feet scraping the ground as he was pushed back. The pain was good, but he could withstand it.

“Back in my earlier days,” he retook his stance, “I defeated twenty men in fifteen minutes, even without my soul ability!” He said, pride beaming from his face, “There was a man who was announced as the greatest martial artist, his name being Marshall Law!”

“Ohoho?” Yukan spoke through a pained grunt, "The fella with a wild control of soul-energy who whooped a hundred men in just three minutes?"

“Ah, yes! You know your stuff!” Mizan said, “I wonder—”

Energy was difficult to muster, but using only a bit of negative energy to reverberate from the positive energy of the beautiful ground, bursting with a considerable amount of speed towards Yukan!

His fist lashed forward, a straightforward strike!

“—How is your understanding of martial arts, hair overdoer?”

Bouncin' off the opposite energy of the natural earth, interesting.

“Well,” the strike came, and it would meet the brunt of a knee being raised, sending it off course, and therefore throwing Mizan’s body slightly unbalanced. “It sure is cool, seen much of it throughout my years.” he said—right after, he unleashed a gut punch with his right to the dragon, crimson staining the floor from the small amount of blood coming out of his mouth. “Your babbling really opens you up, y’know?”

Perhaps it did. Being thrown off balanced, it would be reasonable to leap back and regain stabilization—

No, he’d rather attack with the reminder in mind: 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝, 𝐈’𝐦 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠!

Using his swift recovery, with his left hand, the dragon brought down a punch that held the fury of a hammer on Yukan’s head! “Above that, focus on your speed! You’re quite slow!

Blood splattered from his nose, scattering through the ground. As if he were a spring, his body sprang backward from the hit! But the storm still raged on, returning the energy back with a front kick to the face, staggering Mizan. “Could say the same for you, damn fool!”

The staggering ended in an instant, Mizan returning the favor with a front kick of his own.

Blow, after blow, after blow, after blow. They were almost in perfect synchronization with each other—their attacks matched each other's ferocity despite getting stronger as they continued, and in the end, all they could do was smile.

The storm had barely started yet, and despite it all, Yukan felt a connection with his opponent. 

Could this finally be… my equal?

But these powerful blows from his opponent, and he claimed himself as weak? He couldn’t have that in a fight, for if doubt resided in the mind, one can not compete at their full capacity. If they truly were from the same worlds, then Mizan would have to do more than what he was doing as of now to prove such. 

After a while, the blows had stopped with both fighters jumping back and panting heavily, blood trickling from their faces. Yukan once again straightened his hair, almost relishing in the blood. 

“Y’called yourself weak earlier.” Yukan crossed his arms. “Kinda contradictin’, considerin’ yer strength.”

“You seem to be only looking at the matter at surface level,” Mizan replied, his voice steady. “It isn’t as simple as just being powerful with strikes—it’s about the world around you.”

Yukan furrowed his brow. “The hell does that mean?”

Mizan sighed. “Power isn’t just about throwing strong punches. There’s more to it—what you fight for, what stands in your way, the limits placed upon you.”

“What’s with all the talk?” Yukan scoffed, shaking his head. “Things don’t gotta be complex. If you’re strong, you fight. That’s it.”

“No, no, no.” Mizan shook his head, clicking his tongue before sighing once more in disappointment. “See, here’s the thing. I can be as flashy as I want with certain movements, but if my perception isn’t enough, then they don’t mean anything, now will they?”

From what should’ve been a moment of introspection, what Mizan expected, was a chuckle disregarding his words. Mizan was growing impatient—just how was he supposed to become in sync with his opponents if they didn’t bother to understand him?

“Me personally…”

Yukan rushed forward, throwing a heavy fist, aiming for the head!

“Fightin’ is what I know best, kid!”

“It’s easy to put on a show!” Mizan said, dodging to the right. “But expressing yourself, my friend, is much, much harder.” His stance changed. If Yukan was this sloppy with his movements, then Wing Chun would only make him easier to counter. “All you have is style, but what about your inner self? If you don’t know, then wouldn’t that make you weak?”

Yukan stopped, turning to Mizan; at this point, his smile was no more, for his annoyance had jutted out of his body and was now plastered on his face. “What the hell does any of this mean?” He asked,

“Well,” Mizan lessened his own smile. It seemed more welcoming. “If you wish to know, then go along with the flow, and you shall get what you seek.”

Hm.

Don’t understand a thing he’s sayin’ but—

Yukan put his fist up, his feet positioned vertically, as were his arms. 

It’s quite interestin!’

“If you insist, kid.”

Chapter End

Chapter Text

With the module of Entropy Rend being put into play, it had amplified the use of the first, for it caused destruction. However, now slashes could only target the soul instead of the physical because of where the destruction was flung previously, which was much more effective.

Mario and Link groaned in pain, feeling the energy of their souls draining. The latter of the two held a lower understanding of souls and their energy, so he was confused as to what was happening. There was no way to figure out—the life spirit wasn’t present for some reason.

Taking his lack of understanding into consideration, Mario had realized something. 

When Mizan healed him earlier, transferring over his ruined body over to Mario for only a second—it wasn’t just his body he transferred, but the points of his soul as well. Some of them, at least. Plenty to give to Link in exchange for something of his choice.

Trouble tingled within the air—Agrona had raised her hand.

While the first module was active, only the first function could be used; thus, she would bring her hand down with pure, killing intent!

But Mario thought fast, zooming past with what little energy he had to activate the first function. Though it suspended all other functions upon usage, it was the best option, for it would be the last time he ever used it here.

𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈 𝐅𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 - 𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

He used it again, her vision filled with him doing the same action over and over, making it difficult to clearly hit the target.

What’s happening now?

Annoyance.

The effects of the function reached Link, his pupils dilating in shock and confusion; the most clear thing he saw was Mario’s eyes flashing to the right as he felt his body ascend from the floor, and continue to soar far, far away from Agrona. Mario had picked him up over his shoulder, jumping into the air with the help of the first function!

The effects had finally worn off with the mini function, Agrona slowly placing her hand down.

She kicked the dirt of the ground with a loud, defiant grunt upon realizing her prey had gotten away. Why was this one so difficult to catch? A challenge was appreciated, but it didn’t feel as if she was getting anywhere.

It’s supposed to just happen! She screamed within her head.

The two fighters landed by a tree within the forest nearby.

The bush they hid behind was thick with leaves and vines, hiding a small opening at the base of an old tree. A faint breeze came through, carrying the smell of damp earth from whatever lay beyond.

Mario’s head ached from the use of twisted perception twice. It was the transferring of soul energy to create a false reality, and whatever was left of that soul energy ruptured the brain a bit. Breathing heavily, it would be time to put his brain to further use.

“What’s happening to me?” Link asked, grabbing onto his stomach tightly in pain. “That slash was so quick, I couldn’t even see.”

“The nature of her soul-ability is destruction.” Mario confirmed, watching the girl as she stood in the open. “But it isn't mindless. It can hone on where that destruction goes.” He then turned to Mario, ducking his head down further. “One thing’s for certain, though. You won’t be participating in this fight.”

Unacceptable.

“And why’s that?” He asked, his voice demanding.

“You’re too inexperienced.” Mario answered, his gaze returning to Agrona. 

“This girl has a proper grasp on her soul. That would mean I’m at a disadvantage too, since I don’t know the full extent of mine.”

“I never asked you to protect me.” Link said, his voice growing more insistent; it still held a sense of pain.

Mario knew—

“Why are you doing so anyway? You barely know me!”

Years Ago.

The village was nestled on the brink of a sappy forest, falling acorns with eyes falling from the trees, the Sproings catching them before they could hit the ground as they returned back into those trees. Mario stared at them aimlessly, sitting in an opening of the forest. His brother, Luigi, often liked to bring Mario the few acorns on the ground to him. However, he didn’t really have an interest in nature, though, admittedly, the heavenly light that shone through the trees was quite beautiful.

“Mario!”

He heard a voice and turned instinctively. It was his brother, of course. He had come all the way from home to find him despite Mario making their parents aware that he was going to sit out here. That expression on his face, it looked considerably worried; eyes widened as he held those acorns he loved so much.

“What’re you doing here?” Asked Mario, noticing the acorns, “Oh, I see.” he smiled, standing up.

“Those Sproings are scary, they chased me to no end.” Luigi said, wiping off the abundance of leaves on his clothes. 

Mario chuckled, “You should probably lay off on stealing their stuff,” he said, “Keep this up and no more acorns will grow.”

Luigi chuckled as well, handing him one of the acorns. Although it was just a mere acorn, it brought a smile to Mario’s face every time he held one. It was his brother’s interest. How could he not smile at that? 

“Heh, another added to the collection.” Mario said, stuffing it into his brown bag.

“Made sure they weren’t poisonous in any way, so you won’t have to clear it this time like you always do.” 

“More responsible this time, eh?” Mario smirked, to which Luigi would smirk back, finishing wiping the grass off of his clothes.

“We all have to,” he said, “The disease in our neighbor is beginning to spread. Precaution is only necessary.”

Perhaps sitting out in the open had detoured his mind off of it. Whether it’d be the cause of a spirit or a naturality, a disease had infected their town, the effects of it consuming a few people. It had only been yesterday but the surgeons were alert, offering a warning to the village.

Mario could only wonder about the origin of this disease, for the spirit behind it, if there was any, was unknown; the same went for the disease. All the surgeons knew was that the name was “AUX-190”.

“Any more word on the disease?” Mario asked, narrowing his eyes.

Luigi simply shook his head, hesitating to speak, “Not that I’ve heard of,” he said, “By the way, we should head back. Mom’s getting worried.”

Mario zipped his bag full of acorns, “Yeah, let’s head out.”

Their journey in the forest would commence, walking across numerous ancient branches lying across the floor. They were hard to break, for their wooden nature seemed too solid and indestructible. For a moment, it was peaceful. The light of the sun beamed down, shining light on the most perfect spots of green and wood, and the butterfrees relishing in the light as they sat close to the trees. It was perfect—

—until, the two brothers would come across a horrid sight.

An animal, unidentifiable due to its mangled appearance, lay on the floor; right in the middle of their path, staining the grass red. It was awfully small, holding yellow skin.

Its entrails were spewed across the ground, its stomach ripped open while its tongue showed itself.

The eyes of the two brothers were widened with bewilderment.

There weren’t many animals capable of doing this within the forest, so it could all be tied to the disease sweeping the kingdom.

“Ma… Mario?”

“Hm.”

He approached it, unwavering. Not angry, not scared either.

“The disease. It seems it's gotten to the creatures as well.”

Luigi felt his heart sink to his stomach. 

It was rumored by the villagers that such had been the case, but those people lived in a different area. They could have easily been for the sole purpose of scaring people.

Right now, he wished that had been the case.

“What’s going to-a happen now? W-we should get out of this forest as soon as possible!”

His voice was shaken.

Mario felt remorse for the poor creature, for perhaps if someone had checked on it sooner, things would be different.

I should’ve been here…

Agony struck.

He looked back at his brother.

“Mario…” His voice barely reached out. “Do you think… we’lll end up just like the rest of them?”

Mario stood up, walking over and placing a hand onto his brother’s shoulder. Things seemed hopeless now, perhaps too unbelievable for his eyes.

But there needed to be reassurance.

“I’m a doctor at heart.” Said Mario, “I’ll follow my father’s footsteps, become an experienced doctor, and save as many as I can.” his gaze hardened, “Living beings shouldn’t die like this anymore.”

“But there’s something you aren’t realizing, brother.” Luigi said, “Things like this are unpredictable. You've seen it, right? People can be fine and dandy one day, and the next, they'll be corrupted by that—that monstrous disease! How can you live knowing the next person could be you? If it happens, then you'll have no one to save…”

“The answer is simple.” Mario declared, a last saying to let hope shine. “Because I hold onto hope… and that's all I can do.” Luigi's eyes lit up. “Even if I can't save anyone… I can at least still save you. I've always been there for you, ever since we were kids, and even now, so have a little faith in me, alright?”

Those words, despite everything, was enough to bring a light to his soul. A part of Luigi rejected it, but it was his brother. If he couldn't trust him or hold onto his hope, he'd fall into despair.

He smiled faintly.

“Alright then,” he said, “I trust you.”

The sheer anger that arose from that memory.

“People choose who they want to protect, and I’m choosing you.” Mario said, his eyes radiating the light of his soul.

There were two paths of the protector.

The sword, and the shield.

Mario would be the former, as of now.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

The path of the sword, the absolute savior.

One who follows this path is to believe that salvation should always be sought, even if to no avail in the end.

Link’s suffering…

He remembered his words.

Mizan’s suffering.

He remembered the scar.

I’ll put an end to it.

Mario took Link’s hand, catching him off guard. Though, he was surprised upon feeling a soothing feeling like no other; the feeling of his soul being restored.

In exchange for his first function, he would give Link half of his soul points to reform his soul.

Link could now breathe much, much clearer, and it was almost as if he could understand himself more. However, that short moment of bliss didn’t change Mario’s action.

The savior stood up, leaping out from the bushes. Link wanted to go out, or even raise his head to see, and yet…

If Mario didn’t do that, I would’ve—

What made him think he would walk out of it alive? Why did he even bother attacking?

Do I have a death wish?

But the advice Mario had given him earlier, it had resonated so deeply with him. Possibly even the relation he felt with him during that conversation. Mario had done so much for him, but how could he return the favor? Was it necessary to do so?

Did he really deserve salvation?

Why are you…

He had killed two spirits.

ᴡʜʏ ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ꜱᴀᴠɪɴɢ ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ ᴀꜱ ᴘᴀᴛʜᴇᴛɪᴄ ᴀꜱ ᴍᴇ? ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʜʏ ᴀᴍ ɪ ꜰᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜ?

With the savior stepping out, the predator had registered the presence of her prey in a heartbeat. Her heartbeat was throbbing, her hands shaking.

Step.

Step.

She was approaching, and in turn, Mario readied soul energy.

Then, she stopped, her head dropping.

“You’re capable of speech, aren’t ya, right?” She asked, a stinging darkness within her voice.

Mario raised his brow, considering he had spoken earlier, but he nodded. 

“Yeah,” he said, “You must have killed a lot of people. Did they speak?”

“Nah, not really, but that wasn’t exactly what I was askin’.” Said Agrona, “A scream says a whole lot more than words.”

Mario furrowed his brows, his eyes darkened from the shadow of his hat. His hands were aching to strike, but he wanted to see something. “There are more ways to express yourself than screaming.” he said, “I wouldn’t expect someone with a soul ability like yours to understand that. You must have lived your whole life like this without any shame, huh?”

Agrona lost her smile for a moment—though, it was nearly unseeable from her hair covering her face, messy and all.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence between the two fighters.

Then more.

And it was all broken through one, visceral breath.

“People are always good for nuthin’. That’s why y'all aren’t supposed to have the right to talk.” Agrona’s tone seemed softer. She looked up now, her crazed gaze finally meeting Mario’s and giving him a shock. “But aye, I ain’t one to dwell in the past, so let’s quit the talking!”

No…

She unleashed the same slash from before, though this time it was even faster; its presence rippling through the air. It was straightforward, and no matter where the opponent went, it would strike.

The first module created a ripple effect that targeted the soul; the trace of destruction had touched it, thus creating a familiarity with her soul. This made the slashes—

—Undodgeable.

The soul trade had taken away the first function, and that wasn’t an issue as of now.

If she were to only hang on to this function of her ability, then with the dismantlement of the first function, which allowed other functions to be used more freely and effectively, it was time for the activation of—

—The fourth function.

He clasped his hands together, light surrounding his form in a spheric like-shape!

An impenetrable barrier of light that reflected any projectile, made stronger with each use of the second function. The slash of destruction would be reflected, hurdling back at Agrona at an even greater rippling speed.

Of course the most reasonable thing to do was to protect one’s self in the face of an attack that was sure to hit, no matter what.

But in that possibility, with her own attack being sent right back at her, she could only lick her lips. Oh, how she was going to relish in this situation.

The slash met her face…

And she simply dodged, leaning the upper half of her body backwards in an extreme showcase of flexibility. It passed, slicing through a tree, and with haste, she lifted her body back up; the follow up, a soul enhanced jump that took her ten feet off the ground!

If the barrier reflected the attack itself, the intention of the attack still resided.

Soul abilities contain simple principles, and Entropy Rend’s was destruction; absolute.

“𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒅 𝑭𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒚.”

As the words shot from her lips, a slash with swirling dark energy would be flung straight at the barrier.

Decay was simple; it turned things into dust, but combining it with the first module, which resonated with the first function in terms of similarity, she would activate the second module.

Fractured logic.

Instead of aiming to destroy the soul, it would aim to remove the logic that binds the barrier structure together as a whole, to rid it of its material integrity!

When it hit, Mario knew there was no way it could stand; at the same time, he knew the slash was no longer targeting him anymore.

He dropped the barrier, now familiar with the essence of the attack.

But he had not time to rest; Agrona’s feet would finally touch the ground, and since the accumulated soul energy used from the second module was too much for her to properly handle, she simply reintegrated back to the third function, beginning to rupture the earth surrounding them. Large pieces of the earth flung up in an unorthodox manner, revealing the ground beneath, following a linear path—one towards Mario.

“You—”

He spoke, and it was followed by a soul powered jump twenty feet off the ground.

Pushing off the air with soul energy, mere seconds before Agrona could even realize, a devastating downward kick made her head ring.

“—I’m-a really sorry!”

Confusion.

“Huh?”

Chapter End

Chapter Text

The kick was harsh, but it was then least of her concern.

What in the world could he be sorry for, and why was her prey so infatuating; these weird remarks and desire for conversation, why?

Mario’s feet touched the ground, the kick being the easy way to reach it. Wasting no more time, leapt back a few feet away, just enough to use the second function more easily in case she attempted to surprise him. He’d hoped not, for he had quite a bit to say. For a moment, he stood there dumbfounded. How could he have been so ignorant, so stupid?

“Just earlier, I said that someone with your soul-ability wouldn’t understand that there is more than what you preached. I shamed you for who you-a are, and who you could be.” Mario’s words brought sincerity. “It was ignorant of me not to consider who you are as a person and shame you for that. You’re a human, and you should be seen as such.”

Silence.

Link could not believe what he had just heard; conversing with someone who tried to kill you?

Perhaps it was stupidity. Agrona seemed to feel the same way, her face written with dazzlement.

But the true stupidity lied within the words he had spoken earlier, and he had a hypothesis, a rather obvious one. “People have experiences that lead to a soul-ability forming, it would be stupid not to assume the same for you. It goes against who I want to be. Besides, I know how it’s like to be referred to as just a title rather than who I truly am.” He tilted his hat up slightly. Throughout the assault, it had not moved an inch. “But I also want to get to know you better. Like... what's your favorite food?”

For a moment, it would be the same thing.

Silence.

In all honesty, she was irritated by the babble coming out of the mouth of her prey.

But this time, she would grant a response. For the first time throughout this fight, Agrona’s eyes would flicker with something other bloodlust. 

Brightness. 

“Huh. I see.” She said, and nothing more.

Didn’t-a answer my question...

The vague answer left the savior confused. “Huh? What do ya see?”

“Nothing much.” she replied, soul energy jutting out of her fingers. “Just told me a lot 'bout you.”

And how to kill you. She added in her mind.

Entropy Rend’s first function came fourth, this time vertically; the air crumbling in its presence. That only made it easier to dodge, but Mario let out a sigh of relief knowing that he had moved away from the bushes Link hid in.

[𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐘𝐙𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒: 𝐍𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍] 

Entropy Rend was planning something, but what?

Mario had dodged the slash, but Agrona's speed went through a drastic increase! He sensed an unnerving presence behind him, the sound of feet striking against the ground ringing his ears. He turned, surprised, witnessing Agrona's right arm rise up as a dark, purple-like energy surged through her fingers; electric in nature!

Mario placed his fist up instinctively, but he knew it wouldn’t be enough. Instinct alone, at least his, was not enough to counter this.

But with what countermeasure?

The thought pondered for as long as time allowed, for Agrona would swiftly bring her hand down, the wing howling in the force of the attack that culled the dark energy to absolutely eviscerate the terrain in front.

( 𝐕𝐀𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐆𝐄 )

Link felt the destructive wind of the attack hit his body. It almost forced him to move his own body, but he ultimately kept still, covering his head with both hands in fear of any falling debris. Gritting his teeth, he didn’t bother to stand out of fear, but he’d hope Mario was alright.

Was he?

Well, sort of.

The most obvious thing to do was to put the fourth function to use, but it took time to manifest with each usage. It was just too risky to do, so what did he do?

The second most obvious answer to him? The Second Function.

Light counteracted darkness; being within the destructive center of the blast, his feet push grinding against the dirt, or what was left of the ground, his fist ignited as he held it forward, causing the destructive blast to split in two. 

It was difficult to output soul energy now, given she had used the first function too many times being so sure of the kill. The blast could only hold this much power, and that was perfect for the star soul.

His vision was wrapped within the electric like streaks of black and purple intertwining with each other, struggling for power. He’d keep on his march, teeth gritted, making his way towards his foe slowly with nothing more than one, guiding light.

Agrona didn’t seem fazed in the slightest at this, and remained so as the blast dissipated more and more, soon becoming nothing more than a memory the ground surrounding them foretold. Holding that same light, twisting his entire body; he delivered a defining right hook.

It burned, but even with her face thrown feriously to the right, her hair flowing beautifully, her face showed nothing but a measly scar. Fair enough, since Mario himself wasn’t using the full extent of his soul energy. “That move had a bit more ting than the last..."

She stationed her head, stumbling back a few steps.

“Wha’cha mean by that? More power?”

“No,” Mario deactivated the second function, light fading to dust. “More like, emotion.”

She frowned, “How dull.” she said, a grin making its return. “If you want emotion, then y’picked the wrong one to try! Now, lemme show ya something even better.”

“Oh boy.”

He wasn’t too excited, obviously, and he wasn’t just going to allow it either.

Skidding across the floor at a decent speed, a front kick was thrown, only for Agrona steer it off course, and—

—BOOM!

DISMANTLE!

Ah, if only she wasn't so slow. See, this was the problem with firing so many slashes with the first function. It outputted too much soul energy on pure killing intent alone, and not only that, but placed an enormous strain on the body. Akin to her soul, yes, but it was nothing more than that, so it all became unbalanced. Untrustworthy.

This fact made it easy for Mario to catch her hand before the slash could even fully manifest—this resulted in a horizontal slash that went forward for three feet, and a special addition!

A headbutt!

No no, not just that. Her nose was caved in, but if she valued destruction so much, then surely she could handle being damaged a lot.

That was the mindset of the star, grabbing her wrist as she was stunned; he spun around, tossing her in the opposite direction they faced previously. “Y'see? Emotion!”

Her body flew mindlessly, and despite it all, she had landed just fine; taking merely a knee. Soul energy messin’ up. She thought, a myriad of energy jutting into the air. No one could feel it. Her gaze fell on the star.

Anger.

The clouds, storm clouds, covered the sun ever so suddenly. Mario was alert.

She remembered that apology of his, and it only fueled that emotion even more. But wait, no. She couldn't feel emotion.

She shouldn't.

Back then, she was always told a very valuable lesson. 

“𝑻𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍 𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒔𝒕, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒆. 𝑺𝒐 𝑰 𝒂𝒔𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒚, 𝒎𝒚 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝑨𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒂?

It held only one answer nowadays.

I am… death itself.

Chapted End

Chapter Text

At this point, Yukan was sick of testing just with physical strength alone. Each strike had been blocked and avoided with a swift motion; even worse, Wing Chun was harder for application in this scenario, for it was more suited for tight spaces.

Nevertheless, Yukan kept on fighting. Mizan couldn't understand why, nor was he having fun. He held a blank stare with each block and blow. I can only pray that you'll get serious soon enough.

This was so aggravating, the thought of not being better at this martial artist when he had crushed so many in the past was too much for him to bear. But most of all, that look on Mizan's face—so disappointed no matter how much force was put into the attack. No. If someone who claimed to be weak was withstanding his attacks effortlessly, then who was really the weak one here?

It wasn't a hard question to answer. In this particular case, he was the weaker one with martial arts. 

As he continued to throw his fists mindlessly, thoughts flowed.

Hmm.

Bang!

I don't care about this fool's tricks…

Bang!

Too rotten! Yet!

For a moment, he stopped.

If I find solace in where I stand now, I'm on the verge of bein’ rotten myself!

A similar motion.

Closing the distance.

Thrusting his right shoulder forward.

Shifting his entire weight into—

—BOOM!

A Tetsuzanko!

With his more muscular stature, it was even harder! Stronger! Enough to send him stumbling back a bit!

Ah, a Tetsuzanko? He pondered, smiling harder than ever as he dug his feet into the ground, stopping himself from stumbling any further. An impressive replication! How nice of you to adapt! Yet, it lacks soul!

That pushed him back a bit, yeah?

Good.

He thrust his body forward again, this time extending his right leg for the same exact side kick Mizan had did earlier. The form needed some work, but Mizan for sure did not want to be hit with that.

In a dramatic fashion, the dragon leapt into the air, the accumulated soul energy taking him to an even greater height. Everything felt as if it was in slow motion as he soared through the air, his body facing downwards towards his opponent, hence a vivid view.

Ha! A classic way of incorporating Marshall Law’s words! ‘Be like water,’ he said. But you're missing a core principle!

He flipped his body forward while airborne, crashing to the ground and landing steadily on his feet; his back was turned to his opponent.

“You've challenged me to a duel in martial arts? It's interesting, but quite shameful.”

He stood with one foot forward, knees slightly bent, while his lead hand opened and extended like a coiled serpent. His rear fist hovered near his waste, ready to strike. His eyes, filled with a unique flare, locked onto his opponent; completely unwavering, his body loose, yet etched with explosive energy.

It was time to show the know-it-all in front of him the true extent of martial arts, and he would do so with the style that showed adaptability, directness, simplicity, and most importantly—

—Freedom.

𝐉𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐊𝐔𝐍𝐄 𝐃𝐎.

His opponent was going into unusual territory.

With a smirk on his face, lessening his stare, Mizan would make a declaration: "𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫. 𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐰."

I've studied martial arts for a good thirteen years. A mere copy cat won't be my defeat.

With his opponent taking his stance, Yukan folded his arms, smirking.

Damn it all.

So he's changed his stance a little. Nuthin' detrimental.

Then why the hell am I nervous?

He couldn't deny it. Mizan knew a lot more than him, and perhaps that was the reason he felt so tense. But the only thing that mattered to him was winning, for doing so against an objectively more experienced opponent in this topic would make quite the victory.

He stepped forward, getting into a stance.

He stood with his feet closely together, his knees stiff, and fists clenched tightly near his chest. His shoulders were tense, and his stance wavered ever so slightly, showing hesitation in his footing.

They moved closer to each other, their gazes locked fully.

At any moment now, one could make the first move. 

Mizan held off on doing so, for he had already formed a mental image of Yukan’s attack. You block attacks, you had to read a person.

Of course, it would come into tuition, for his first move was a mere straight jab. 

A perfect one! He remarked.

How does one block a jab in Jeet Kune Do?

By simply putting your arm in a position that intercepts the punch being thrown. He held his right arm forth, palms open. With ease, he parries it to the side, and what came from the parry was a vertical fist that came flying forward. The force of the blow made Yukan’s head recoil.

He would attempt to create some space, taking a few steps back. However, Mizan used the space to his advantage. He knew Yukan would most likely attempt to reel back with a strong, fierce attack fuel of anger. 

The idea was not tolerated by the dragon. Wasting no time, he unleashed a back fist at an unbelievable speed…

But it didn’t hit his opponent at all?

His fist only reeled back to his waist, leaving Yukan stunned. Had he truly been hit? The speed seemed too great to register.

In truth, he had not been hit.

“Your reflexes are terrible.”

But now, he would. Embarrassingly, by the same attack that was once thrown, and even faster this time!

But the assault would not stop—

—Mizan took a leap, grabbing his head and kneeing him right in the skull!

This would of course leave him stunned, leaving Yukan vulnerable to a bewildering fast flurry of nothing but strikes. Mizan’s entire body was being implemented into each one, doubling the pain. Yet, Yukan’s mind would not stop. Even with his face being bashed in, he still persisted, and after what seemed like an eternity, he had finally made another move. 

His leg would reach out, intercepting the footwork as it had no room to move; a stepping stone in the quest for victory in martial arts, and a huge one at that. One last punch was thrown, considerably less power, but before he could retract it, almost on pure instinct, Yukan had grabbed it with his left! At this moment, he was essentially right in his face.

The difference in technique was obvious, and so was the difference in strength. Yukan would use that to his advantage; his fist descended like a meteor into his opponent’s skull in a devastating eruption of force!

What an incredible blow! Mizan could hear his head bear a daunting ring! The distance had been lessened a little, but too close to do any flashy moves.

Would he try to change that?

Nah, he’d just attack anyway! Unleashing an uppercut straight to the chin!

He had to remind him of whose territory this 

Then, to top it all off, he would do his favorite move!

Twirling his body around to move more freely, and to get into position for—

—A soul-energy fueled Tetsuzanko!

His body set aglow, raidating a bright silver as he launched his body towards his opponent!

And of course, it would strike true!

“Never forget!” Declared Mizan, grinning through it all!

Yukan did the same, but it could definitely use a few more teeth.

“Yeah!”

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Yukan was launched back, managing to quickly regain his balance! Mizan would continue to go on the offensive; he took a distinctive charging step forward, shortly breaking away from his stance.

Zhen Jiao!

Baji-quan!

The next move–

—A low kick to the knee, giving Yukan the impression that he had broken in! Despite that not being true, it sure hurt like hell. It didn't stop there, for when in shock, a change in style had occurred; a high jump kick to the chin with the opposite leg!

But through it all, Yukan could only smile, and would continue to do so with the next attack.

Another distinctive step forward using the same positive and negative trick from earlier, only this time, since the negative energy from the blows had been amplified, as well as the positive energy gained from the use of soul energy at his current emotional state—it was balanced, amplifying the movement.

He lashed his fist forward again, the air circulating around it; almost as if it was bending to its will as it trusted through the chest of his opponent, leaving an array of blood across the floor. 

This was—

—𝐙𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔 𝐇𝐎𝐇𝐎𝐔, 𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐎𝐍’𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐑!

A bit of blood struck his face, but they were only droplets. He watched Yukan, with his unchanged expression, looking down at where his arm had been placed. “I said it earlier. You lost the moment you challenged me like this.”

“Perhaps so.” Yukan admitted? “However,” but that wasn't the full extent of what he could do here. ̶E̶̶n̶̶v̶̶y̶ was a very powerful and dangerous thing; it was a good thing he had kept his soul energy constant throughout the fight, for his ability could do what it did best when this feeling beat within his soul. “I think we should kick this up a notch…”

Beside his shoulder, a singularity had opened; it tore a circular whole within reality, nothing but a void staring back from the ripple effect. “I seriously envy you, martial artist.” The tone in his voice had undergone a change. More sinister. 

“Let's see what L̷͖͈̓͌̎̉͒͗͂̓̌̚͝ë̸͓̮͉͈͇͍̖͎̩̞͈́́́̋̇̾͋̈́̾͆͑͘͘͜͠͝ṽ̵͇̟̺̣͓̰̭̲̼̻̪̩̰͒̓̿̄̾̔̊͝ͅi̶̡̹͈͎̳̞͙͖̾̂̀͑̀͆̑̓̽̉͐͘͘ͅǎ̴̯̀͠t̸̫̫̤͕̳̻̰̣̭́̌̉͝ͅḥ̸̨̧̗̮̖̽̂̓̀̍̋͋́̅̃͘͜͝ǎ̴̯̀͠ǹ̷̨͍̮̥̹̘͙̗̻̬̬̜̥̮̃̒̈́̽͗̿̍̄̂̏͆͠͝ has to say about that.” 

Mizan's eyes lit up, his grin fading.

Soul-abilities came from the inner self of the user, and what the Abyssal dominion represented was—

He remembered it.

The times when he was a child with nothing to gain.

No one ever paid attention to him, despite knowing the strange ability he contained.

For as long as he could remember, he sat alone in a dark alley, wearing nothing but a white t-shirt and cargo shorts.

One day, someone showed up; a new face in the vicinity.

The Strongest.

Lars Alexandersson.

A hand reached out, accompanied by eyes of understanding.

Looking back on it now, he could only wonder why—

—Why didja look down upon me that day?

It had manifested.

I didn't need yer damn sympathy.

The singularity took a form, that of a giant serpent. 

For a moment, it was just that. Though, as Mizan examined it further in his state of surprise and interest, he realized that it was slowly becoming not just a form of darkness, but an actual being. It came into formation—

—A large, serpentine body covered in iridescent scales that shimmered between deep blue and eerie silvers, reflecting the never-ending abyss it once ruled. Its eyes burned like molten gold, while rows of jagged fins and spine-like tendrils trailed along its back, cutting through the air effortlessly like blades that stopped at nothing to reach the target.

The manifestation of envy at his command—

—𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍

The first module of the Abyssal Dominion.

Okay, so admittedly, Mizan did NOT expect such a creature to be within his disposal. He had studied mythology and ancient texts often, and he had heard of the beast before him. The question is, why in the world does his opponent have it? 

I wonder what Unicornera would think seeing this.

But it's not like it mattered. See, there was one thing Mizan wanted to do when reading those mythical stories.

To Fight.

“Ah, Leviathan!” Mizan leapt back, maintaining his stance as he stared at the beast beside Yukan in pure ecstasy. “Hair-overdoer! I'll call you a new name!”

Yukan wiped the blood from his mouth, the face of Leviathan culling to his side. “Don't flatter me.” He said, turning to the beast. “Leviathan. What do you envy of the opponent before you?”

The beast soared into the air, its defining glare of gold meeting the dragon. 

̷I̷ ̷C̷̷O̷̷V̷̷E̷̷T̷ ̷T̷̷H̷̷E̷ ̷M̷̷I̷̷G̷̷H̷̷T̷ ̷O̷̷F̷ ̷M̷̷I̷̷N̷̷E̷ ̷A̷̷D̷̷V̷̷E̷̷R̷̷S̷̷A̷̷R̷̷Y̷! ̷T̷̷H̷̷E̷ ̷M̷̷A̷̷S̷̷T̷̷E̷̷R̷̷Y̷ ̷O̷̷F̷ ̷F̷̷I̷̷G̷̷H̷̷T̷̷I̷̷N̷̷G̷ ̷T̷̷H̷̷A̷̷T̷ ̷D̷̷O̷̷T̷̷H̷ ̷S̷̷U̷̷R̷̷P̷̷A̷̷S̷̷S̷ ̷M̷̷I̷̷N̷̷E̷ ̷I̷̷S̷ ̷A̷ ̷T̷̷R̷̷U̷̷S̷̷T̷ ̷I̷ ̷S̷̷H̷̷A̷̷L̷̷T̷ ̷N̷̷O̷̷T̷ ̷A̷̷B̷̷I̷̷D̷̷E̷!

“Then give me exactly what I need.”

Ever since the test of ultimate strength began, it was obvious that Yukan could not match Mizan in his own domain. So he let that resentment towards that fact build up slowly, enhancing his own soul energy while simultaneously amping his soul-ability. 

The function was simple.

What was envied, would be granted to the user at tenfold.

But, there was a limitation, one that Mizan would have to figure out.

It would not be easy, for with mastery of martial arts at Yukan's disposal, in a flash of blue lightning—He was already behind Mizan. Tension rose, and Mizan whipped his body around! But it wasn't fast enough. The sheer speed of the attack had replicated that of the backhand thrown earlier. There was no warning, no sight, or even pain. All he knew was that he was hit, his head clocking back in a horrid fashion as blood splattered. 

Chapter End

Chapter Text

What? It’s like I wasn’t even hit?

He certainly was.

Mizan had recognized this phenomenon instantly. It was complete mastery over the way of the first. A phenomenon that, one has reached peak physicality, where a strike does not have to be thrown physically for an attack to land. 

I’ve tried, again and again to achieve that, and he does it in a mere instant?

His brain rattled from the blow, his vision having no sense of direction. Dots of light in colors unregistrable danced all around, and amidst it all, his opponent stood—soul energy flaring in countless directions.

It was a power never felt in what felt like a million lifetimes. He had never envied someone so much in the heat of battle. It was good to finally achieve something like this, but even so; there was this more subtle envy he felt for the martial artist. No matter, he had achieved what he desired—

—and so, he would put it to his advantage. Despite seemingly not moving, Mizan could feel a thousand blows strike him, his body being knocked back in different directions constantly. The pain was beginning to kick in, and there wasn’t enough room to properly form a defense.

Was this the end of the battle?

No.

In the face of envy, something reappeared in his mind. He was witnessing the completion of martial arts right before him. He wanted it. Was he really this envious? 

Yes, he always was.

The Cheng family was full of excellent scholars. Their loyalty and legacy resided in the fabric of the Heavenly Bureau in China, the empire’s foremost intuition of knowledge, which ultimately extended over to the Spectrals as well. They pursued the mastery of the written word and alchemy, spirits, the art of expanding consciousness, in order to somehow reach true divination.

But why? Mizan didn’t understand, he had left the family sometime during his early youth, but he did know that their ancestral estate, the House of the Ten Scrolls, was said to contain secrets lost to time, from the stars above them that they claimed to be reachable, and the formulas of forgotten elixirs. 

The seeking of knowledge was their ultimate path of strength.

The rejection of power, in the face of knowledge that would save many lives, despite the destruction that could emerge from its power with a certain heart.

But not Mizan.

I couldn’t understand any of the formulas they spoke about, nor the legends.

Fighting was the only thing I know… no one liked me for that.

I just wanted to learn how to become the strongest, to protect—

He held a little sister. A small girl with jet-black hair that framed her round face, her wide, bubbly eyes deep and borderline unreadable at times. She dressed in a simple white, metallic tunic, a common theme within the Cheng family.

Mai Cheng.

Being of such a high and prestigious family at such a young age, the both of them had one desire. 

To venture out into a world of uncertainty and freedom, to follow the people they saw across the country in their quest of—

—the art of fighting.

To perfect the art of fighting.

In the quest of learning that art, studying many of the forms privately, she had gained a sense of consciousness. One day, as they sat within the white halls of the Heavenly Bureau, panting heavily from their training; there was a fierce glint in her eyes as she told him words he would never forget. She was busy trying to dust herself off via drawing the statues of monks that were lined up on the hall. 

“You wanna know what I’ve learned, brother?” She asked, excitement coursing through her veins.

"If it's something in your classes, I'd prefer not to hear it." Mizan replied.

"Well, it kinda is, bu—"

"Then I'll be on my way."

"Wait! C'mon! You gotta hear it!" 

Mizan stopped in his tracks, staring back at his sister. As much as his mind didn't want to listen, it was completely meaningless against Mai's pouting. 

So, he'd sit back down, sighing. "Is it important?"

"Teacher said you should question, 'what is the significance of this line?'" Mai said, "So really, it's up to you."

Mizan raised his head, "I assume there's a good reason you picked this specific line, then."

"Right! ahem!" She instinctively tried to grab the pouch, but missed it a few times due to hastiness. Unfortunately, she'd have to sit her drawing to the side.

Eventually, she got the papers, pupils shrinking as she focused. “To know is to perceive, but to fight and connect with others is to live." She worded out perfectly, then staring happily back at Mizan.

"Don’t you see? Well, you probably do, but—we’re breaking away from the chains of wisdom alone, and carving ourselves into something greater!”

"Hm."

"Oh, wait! Did you not like it?"

There was a tint of disdain within Mizan's glare, but ultimately, Mai found comfort in his smile. "No, I understand it." He said, "But commit more to breaking away from those chains."

Remembering those words ever so clearly, for they meant more than ever have in what felt like an eternity.

“Something greater,” he muttered.

Fighting is an art, one that perhaps led to the departure of him and his sister, but through that trial, had made him stronger. Fighting is the accumulation of the soul, etched in the form and rhythm of the metaphysical aspect of a person. If one merely imitates and fights with no sense of self, then the purpose of fighting becomes meaningless.

You…

Yukan had stopped for a moment, reeling back his fist as his opponent stood still, seemingly unconscious. But! Before he could thrust fist again, he was pushed back by what could only be the sheer force of Mizan's palm, for he had extended it forward. How? He could really do that in this state?

He regained his balance, taken aback by the sudden force. He looked at Mizan, who was bloodied and bruised, yet still breathing. 

Words would then escape his red colored lips. “When… Will you understand?” He stepped forward, a pressure so heavy, so immense that Yukan couldn't move, nor could Leviathan. “You can become the peak of fighting all you want through your envy, you will never understand what true fighting is…”

𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐀𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 "𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞," 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐮𝐩𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝.

Despite healing himself with the first function, the scar he carried on his wrist never healed.

It couldn't go away.

He didn't save her, after all.

She's still... at that damned place.

What the hell is…

An enigma was the only answer. Yukan and Leviathan chilled in the presence of the dragon as he continued to step forward.

Step.

Step.

Step.

He was right there, standing in perfect striking range.

Only I can do this…

The Surge of Might came into play, the damage being turned into pure strength, running down to his soul! He raised his right fist, overlaying his left palm on top! Yukan's eyes widened with terror. Was he truly going to be defeated despite achieving what he envied for so long?

THE ABSOLUTE PEAK OF MARTIAL ARTS HAD FAILED?

No, the art of fighting had prevailed, and what decided that fact was the next blow. Mizan shifted his foot placement, rotating his hip which smoothly translated into the lunging of his fist! Sparks of silver scattered all around, Yukan letting out a shout of pain!

The beautiful accumulation of fighting was the move—

—天火之怒

𝑾𝑹𝑨𝑻𝑯 𝑶𝑭 𝑯𝑬𝑨𝑽𝑬𝑵𝑳𝒀 𝑭𝑰𝑹𝑬

Chapted End

Chapter Text

“Wha—what?”

Though the fist did not pierce the stomach as it did to the chest, it sure as hell felt that way. Droplets of blood flung into the air, grazing the eyes of Mizan as he retracted his fist, panting heavily. Slowly, but surely, that grin began to reform. The thrill of fighting and proving his opponent wrong, it filled him with nothing but joy.

“Don’t tell me it’s over now!” Mizan shouted, the blood running down his forehead, causing his smile to be rather unsettling. "Let's begin round two!"

The hole in his chest hurt just as much as where the blow had landed. He stared up aimlessly in the sky, his mouth wide open as if he was still shouting from the attack. Nothing but groans were heard in response to Mizan’s declaration. Afire with soul energy, Mizan took two steps back, awaiting for something urgent to arise at any moment. 

But for a moment, nothing substantial happened. He was left to stare at the nearly transfigured body of the man before him.

The limitation, otherwise known as the disadvantage to envy itself, was the lack of understanding the idea of what was desired.

He couldn’t take it, the superiority of his opponent in terms of martial arts.

No longer, he would admire it. He had to resent it.

In the face of his own inadequacy, he shuddered, and his heart dropped.

He was truly outmatched.

So, with that being made aware, it was finally time to use the full extent of his functions and modules—

—No, this truth could not be accepted. He wouldn’t back down. He couldn’t back down. What would he truly be if not better? 

He usually never questioned his ways, and now here he was, one nagging question lingering in his head.

What do I seek greatness for? To become?

It was annoying to be questioned by his own self. His had a soul-ability, so what exactly was confusing him about his ways? 

He finally took his eyes off the sky, staring at Mizan with a smile of what could only be described as prideful. Leviathan descended right beside him, seemingly whispering something into his ear with a frightful expression.

Mario’s gaze shot up to the storm clouds as they seemingly culled to the finger of Agrona, all of them finally mashing together where her finger pointed into the sky. “I ask you, star soul,” she asked; Mario merely grimaced. “Why is it that you save people?”

Thunder roared, and that only amplified the worry Mario had for Link. He trusted Mizan to deal with the caster of this reality, so he could find solace in that. However, here, in the now, it seemed that the effects of this reality hadn’t weakened at all, and soul-abilities usually lessened as the user was damaged. Is the amount of soul-energy being emitted still that high? He asked himself. 

He turned over to the bush behind him, knowing who sat behind it. Should I try to protect him? Maybe there’s an exit somewhere me and him can escape to. No, I can’t leave Mizan.

“How do you know I ‘save’ people?” he asked. He breathed in, the mist-like form of soul energy escaping his mouth as he breathed out.

“It wasn’t obvious?” She didn’t give him a clear answer. “Well, if that’s the case, then why don’t we leave it as just a lil lucky guess?”

The storm clouds stopped their swirling, as if to listen to the conversation at hand. Mario had a feeling that something was up with Entropy Rend. Of course, even if she weren’t willing to speak of her life, as he assumed from her nature, he felt it would be irresponsible to not say anything about himself. Perhaps, she would…

“I save people because I want to be a good person.” he declared, “Truth to be told, people are immoral as hell, and it ain’t just the Spectrals or those with soul-abilities roaming about on earth.”

Good person.

Link didn’t believe that such a thing existed. He didn’t want to believe it. But it only made his head spin, the person Mario was and strived to be. He had saved him. Would it be selfish to let him do all the work?

No.

He couldn’t believe in that, not again.

But the life spirit zipped all around, not saying a single word. But unlike other spirits, he could sense its worry, its non-existent shouting to commence the two words—

—Stand up.

No…

He shook his head. He could deny all he could, but the memories of his old care-taker were still in the back of his head. He could see glimpses of the old man, speaking words so distant to him now, all of it rushing to his head at once. 

No matter what, he promised not to stand up.

Meanwhile, Agrona seemed to be… enlightened by Mario’s response. Mario couldn’t understand why, but welcomed it. She giggled a bit, her eyes flashing with pride. “And wat makes ya decide what is right and what isn’t? Perhaps a deity of sorts? I’ve heard your people worship the stars or something like that crap.”

“I don’t need a god or deity to see what is right and wrong.”

“Then tell me, am I wrong?” She asked, “I’ve killed a whole’ lot of people and that granted me a darn lot. I wouldn’t be alive if I never grabbed a hold of that knife when I was five.”

Link grimaced, and Mario would stop for a moment. “Don’t you think things could have gone differently?” he asked, “Killing a living thing, robbing it of any chance it had to live, or even spread goodness to the world—doesn’t that seem a bit eerie to you?”

“Not at all.” She said, shrugging. “I don’t discriminate unlike yall Spectrals over here.”

Mario’s gaze had darkened. “What exactly are you all planning? You and that guy with the outrageous hair.”

Agrona merely chuckled once more. “How stupid could you be to think we would explain to yall?”

“You are in Spectral territory.” Mario said, wondering how they even got here in the first place. This place wasn’t known at all by those who weren’t involved in the Spectrals. Even those with soul-abilities yet to be caught had no knowledge of this place, as they just might be aware of the Spectrals’ existence. “It’s unlikely this will go unscathed or overlooked, no matter the quests we may have with this event.”

Agrona nodded, understanding, but ultimately not giving a shit. “Well,” she said, “That ain’t exactly my problem. Yall just butted in!”

Lightning cackled, Mario’s eyes meeting the brunt of the light, thus resulting in him lifting up a hand to shield his eyes. It wasn’t like that for long, because his eyes would eventually readjust to bear witness to Agrona; soul energy spiraled into the air, sporadic, without order in nature. It was at an even higher level now, as when soul energy is broken down through external forces or the use of moves, it’ll rebuild at a slower rate, even stronger than before!

Entropy Rend was linked to destruction, for that was its nature. The reality Yukan created allowed for creation and destruction; creation for Yukan, and destruction for Agrona. Credit where credit is do, ya sure do have a good mind at times, she said to herself, breathing in and exhaling soul energy, feeling it coursing through her veins. 

Mario didn’t want to let this stand, so he readied the Second Function. He had already gathered the soul energy that was lost, so it was time to—

—No.

He wasn’t going to be able to do it fast enough. Agrona had already pointed her fingers at him, cocking it back as if it was a pistol. From that motion, lightning would ensue—rushing forth as fast as, what seemed to be, light!

The Fourth Function was easier to generate, given it was a barrier, but Entropy Rend was nearing its completion, meaning it was beginning to understand Star Road more and more. His eyes flashed, a barrier of light forming as he clasped his hands together; he gritted his teeth, struggling as a straight lightning bolt struck it!

It had been blocked.

However… 

This attack was made solely to strike the opponent, and it would stop at nothing to do that. Of course the most sensible thing to do would be to block it, but if the lightning bolt of struck can’t strike at a singular point, then it would move in all possible angles and geometries to strike its opponent.

Mario was forced to face the brunt of light even longer this time, halting his vision as countless flashes of lightning scraped the ground and the shield around him. The sound was deafening, and the force even greater, making his head spin and difficult to hold his ground.

The fourth function was something to prevent three or more attacks from hitting the user. Due to it not being fully actualized, it could not withstand the sheer force of the lightning bolts, and so, as the veins of his body were made present in the midst of the struggle, the shield would break, two of the lightning bolts striking and tearing off his arms. Blood 

The others had dissipated, for the two had already achieved the goal.

 He fell forward onto the ground, blood coloring the grass in crimson as he panted heavily. He could feel his head begin to become dizzy, his vision disoriented. 

In the look of his weakness, Agrona broadened her smile. “Time’s ticking.” she said mockingly, snapping her fingers.

The lightning bolts had been infused with the now regained soul energy used from decay, and so, the effect would be just that.

It was rotting away Mario’s body.

Hm, this-a isn’t good.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

This was just his body, nowhere near as serious as the soul.

But it would be difficult to generate his functions or use them to their fullest extent. Mario wished he hadn’t awoken so late at night, but then the responsibility of taking care of Link would all go to waste.

Huh, responsibility.

Was it strength?

No, what is strength?

He itched his body forward, a memory from not too long ago popping in his head.

Four days before Link had arrived.

Nothing substantial was happening other than the arrival of some other Spectrals, so a small quest for easy soul points was added by Master Hand, and it required a single question.

“What is Lars Alexssanderson to you?”

Lars was a little on the fence about this question, for he thought the credit he would receive from his own students would be a bit overblown, but they insisted. It was discussed at the headquarters, everyone taking a seat at the table. Lars sat at the end, while Almos sat at the chair right next to him. “This, seriously, is not needed.”

“Oh, c’mon! Live a little, teach!” Sonic urged, smirking while crossing his arms. “You’re on break for the entire week!”

“And a well deserved one at that.” Said Almos, barely as robotic as he usually was. “The students want to have fun with you.”

Mario sat at the end of the over side of the table, right next to Beliona. That smile in his eyes, one filled with relief from whatever he could assume the role placed on him within existence. “Focus is required when you’re actually committing to the role.” She said, “Right now, you don’t have to.”

Meralin, who sat right next to Beliona, turned to her, a wide smile on her face. “So that means we can practice music together, right?” She asked, cheerfully.

Beliona would sigh, but not one of annoyance, rather in what was to come next of her answer. “Yes,” she said, nodding slightly with a smile. And what came next was the direct cause of the sigh; Meralin’s arm wrapped around her in a flash, leaving her embarrassed. The embarrassment wasn’t her main concern, but hugging her back was. After they released their embrace, they smiled at each other, and before any more words could be spoken, Roy, who sat across from the two; Meralin specifically, would speak.

“Think of it as a teacher appreciation quest.” He said, turning over to Kirby who sat right next to him, or stood in his case. “We can put Kirby’s soul ability to create a camera, and use it to record our response to the given question. What do you think?”

A better solution, yes. Thought Lars, nodding to the occasion. “I’ll be fine with that.” He stood up, going over to the door that led outside. He cracked it open ever so slightly, looking back at his students. “Be sure to tell me when you’re all done, alright?”

He stepped outside, shutting the door behind him.

Kirby’s soul ability would come into play, forming a camera that hovered in the air for what the students could only assume to be a separate effect of the ability, for Kirby rarely ever talked about such due to… interesting reasons.  

It turned on, and they would each take turns giving their answer to—

—”What is Lars Alexssanderson to you?”

Sonic.

“A good person, who despite his role, is compassionate. Being the figure he is, I'm sure he understands life more than anyone in the world. I sure hope to be as fast as him one day!”

“Give it up—”

“Oh shut it Fox!”

Donkey Kong.

“Being on a team with him is a little intimidating. Well at first, now DK really enjoys his company… despite me leaving trash all over.”

Beliona.

“His Soul-ability is like no other, and he helped me and my sister achieve this life, so I suppose I do own him my life.”

Roy.

“The title of the world's most important protector was handed to the right man, I am certain.”

Fox McCloud.

“Gave me a chance to build new ships and explore! His encouragement takes the pressure from all of this ‘saving the world’ stuff, y’know?”

Almos.

“I feel most human when I’m around him, and at times, that weirds me out. But I have a purpose now...”

Meralin.

“No one ever appreciated my art when me and my sister were nothing more than street rats. My soul-ability was difficult to use, perhaps dangerous, and yet, he gave both me and my sister a chance to be here. Now my art can contribute to a larger thing even greater than myself, and I’m really grateful for that.”

Kirby.

“A valiant hero! Like, from a sort of dream or legend!”

Yoshi.

“I’ve seen many of the strongest souls for about four-hundred years. Not many come close to Lars, however. Maybe Jin does. All the same, he helped me and Mario find a place in this existence. I can appreciate that.”

Cloud.

“The guy isn’t as nearly as serious as he seems when welcoming you to the organization. He got me out of that warzone, so for that, I can owe him my life.”

Mario.

“An enigma for me. Never really understood the guy, but it’s understandable considering who he is. As far as souls go, I’m the closest you could get. But if I had to say, I’m grateful for him as a teacher.”

The quest for understanding—

—that’s what Lars saw that was apparent with some of these answers as he reviewed the footage. There was one person he felt the need to speak to, however. He didn’t want him to grow distant, considering his status.

While Link and Meralin roamed about, Mario had come outside through the back, where Fox and Kirby trained.

“You called?” Mario asked, taking a seat on the wooden chair at least five feet away from Lars. He leaned forward, their gazes meeting.

To the response, Lars nodded. “Yes,” he said, also leaning forward. This seemed rather serious. “I’ll get straight to the point. You recall that video you and the others made, correct?”

“I do.” Mario said. Okay, maybe this isn’t that serious of a situation. He hoped. Lars regularly had conversations with the others regarding either progress or simple commands. “What about it caught your eyes?”

“Well, you’re soon to be one of the greater souls of the universe, or at least that’s what they claim.”

Oh no. Mario could tell just from that, he wasn’t going to be fond of the discussion at hand— 

—or would he?

“It’s because of that, that I don’t want you to think that reaching me is difficult.” Lars continued. Mario’s eyes lit up. 

“Apologies if that sounded rude or anything.”

“Oh no, it didn’t.” Lars chuckled, waving his hand back and forth for a second. “But, I do think many people misunderstand what being strong means.” He folded his arms, leaning back slightly in his chair. Those eyes of his, in the shade of the roof above, seemed to be glowing. That stare cemented seriousness, but even realizing that, Mario, nor could anyone else, understand how important this conversation was for him. At least, not now. “What does the title mean to you, Mario?”

An intriguing question, but Mario really had to think about it. There were too many facets to consider, and since soul-abilities were now a factor in his life, the answer seemed all the more complicated. Watching Kirby and Fox go at it reminded him of that. Perceptions can change, so this answer might now matter all that much in the future.

But he could go back to the thing that brought him the most sense of purpose. Being a doctor. Saving lives. “I think,” he finally spoke, hesitating a bit. “That the strongest means being to help those, whether they're weaker or stronger than you.”

Mario was afraid that the answer seemed dull.

But to his surprise, Lars smiled.

“That, is a very good answer.”

Mario raised a brow. “Huh? Really? It is?”

“Yes.” Lars approved, “It’s different from what other souls would think of the matter.”

Mario knew what he was talking about, and sighed. “Yep, ya got that right.”

For a second, the two chuckled. This discussion was going more soothing than Mario had expected. All he could wonder now, for that understanding, was what Lars’ answer to that question was. How complex would it be? Perhaps something he never expected?

“See, we’re not so distant, me and you?”

Mario shrugged, tilting his head as he thought. “Huh, guess you’re right.” He said, “But what exactly is the strongest?”

“The Strongest—”

His smile would then dissolve, replaced by a shadow of intensity that darkened his facial features. “—Is someone who bends, but never breaks. Someone who doesn’t find solace in just battle alone, as the need to prove yourself can make you weak. I have to contain and consider all possibilities, and keep my eyes open to those who even I despise. And lastly—”

He turned to the two Spectrals before him, the rest of them in his mind. “—I need to build a better future for those who come after me. Truth to be told, the other strongest before me and Jin were immoral, and for a better future, that can’t be a thing.” He said, “In the end, you’ll all become the strongest.”

Mario felt his muscles tense in pain as he etched bit by bit towards Agona’s feet, knowing she could dismantle him at any moment. Link watched on in shock, the life spirit still calling out.

Should he really…

No, not now.

Agrona’s eyes widened as a golden aura, flowing through the air like steam emitted from Mario’s body. Something was happening.

Something big was happening. 

“...If strength is to keep fighting until the end, no matter how bruised you are…” He spoke through gritted teeth, groaning. “Then I’ll keep fighting until the very end!”

A declaration was made, and It was time.

If a toilet is clogged, keep on plunging! - "The Plumber's Motto."

Chapter End

Chapter Text

When broken down, soul energy became stronger, so that effect would come into play with Mario. But something else was at play too, because of the fourth function. When the body part is also torn off, since the flow of soul energy previously being used in that section of the body is torn off, it undergoes a mechanical breakdown, its tiny pieces floating into the air.

Then it was time for the chemical breakdown, where it could be altered. The chemical breakdown could be used to recover soul-energy, though not as effectively and efficiently.

The nature of Star Road was different from Entropy Rend, so as Agrona was ready to use the first function again to further the decay, she could feel the soul energy she had used from the decay begin to struggle from the opposite force of the soul energy being emitted. She groaned, cursing her soul energy’s inability to activate. Mario smirked.

Had the first step of the pain gone as exactly as his vision entailed? No, not at all. This was really a gamble, for the step forward towards his next plan would require a detriment; that detriment being the disablement of the functions from the rest of the fight. But now? His soul energy could move more freely. When the fourth function was pierced through, the soul energy from that still tingled within the air, fusing with the soul energy that was broken down and released into the air. The use of mechanical breakdown, its defensive nature could be altered into the same positive energy Mizan’s second function carried. 

The perfect counter to the ability before him. With the positive force coming into effect, steaming emitted where his arms had—

—No… they were regrowing, an amalgamation of flesh coming back into reality. An unruly sight indeed, but Agrona wasted no time, her finger raised into the air. 

However—

—A violent wind rushed forward where the two stood, the force of Mario’s soul energy pushing against her; a soul infused shockwave. Agrona’s feet plunged into already destroyed ground in an attempt to not be completely blown away. She held forth one arm in front of her face, fearing to open her eyes. The hell is this?

“This,” Mario said, “Is the solution to a temporary problem.”

An arc of light surrounded Mario as he stood up in the epicenter, his feet shattering the ground even further beneath him. He wiped the blood from his mouth, his gaze burning with resolve. Something sparked within Link’s soul seeing his glare, like a fire that hadn’t been ignited for years. What was it?

“Not enough!” Agrona snarled. 

But that statement would be only true to her. The second function was even more powerful now, with enough soul energy to hold back the radiation as always. Mario became a comet of golden light as he rapidly accelerated from the epicenter towards his opponent, his fight fist tucked back, glowing with pure soul energy.

Agrona had merely a fraction of a second to react before the shining star was already inches away from her, his fist even closer to her abdomen.

Everything seemed slow for a moment as his fist furthered its journey. He remembered failing to hit that move during his fight with Link. Perhaps, he wouldn’t hit it in this scenario, and by all means, it wasn’t needed, so this fist was just fine. But today was his lucky day, for you only hit this move once in a blue move.

Ah, that spark, one of black and red. When concentrated to a point, and feeling the deep essence of one's soul ascending to a place unheard of, that, is when soul energy flashes red.

The previous holder of the strongest title had created this move, thus resulting in others using it despite being nowhere as proficient. Jin Kazama, he alone, was beloved by that fierce lightning.

Although the biological version is stronger, that doesn't denounce the sheer power of a replica.

The energy the second function emitted, combined with the sheer amount of soul energy being emitted. And then—

—boom!

𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐆𝐎𝐃 𝐅𝐈𝐒𝐓!

He planted a perfect strike to her stomach, sparks of red lightning scattering all about, and the force felt as if the entire world had shattered. Soul energy jutted in all directions, the impact being felt by even Mario, and the most to its sender.

Agrona ached in pain, shouting out as her ribs shattered like glass. She could feel her soul energy begin to disrupt, blood mixed with saliva pouring out the side of her mouth.

The clouds began to separate, making room for the sun to shine. It felt as if she had truly lost. The look in her eyes turned hollow, and Mario would notice. “Sorry, but,” he retracted his fist, “I can't die until everyone has been saved.”

Save?

Was that really all it was? The desire to save others led to the immense pain she felt within her stomach and now? Pain, she angrily remarked in her head. Strange, why did she consider it that, and why did she bother getting angry at it? No.

Her vision swamped. As she struggled to pick her head up, Mario was nothing more than a faint glow of a multitude of colors.

But she would not falter.

I endure.

Mario shook his head. “You need to stop this, now.” He said. “The battle is as good as over now that my soul energy has been replenished and even stronger. If this goes on, you'll feel more pain. That'll be on you. I'll ask the Spectrals to not execute you or do anything harmful if you turn yourself in.”

He refused to fight her any longer.

And in all honesty, that only provoked the girl even more. She curled his fists, the intensity in her glare rising. “Do you think I give a damn about pain?” Her voice was more rusty and rigid than before. “It's the only thing that keeps me alive!”

One step.

Then another.

“You still think… you can save me… when I don't want to be saved?”

A conflicting question indeed, but Mario wasn't going to let her take any options here. The path of the sword was to ensure salvation at all costs. “You must have gone through so much, huh?” He asked, “Well, know this… for all your suffering, you can still—”

“C̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞a̳̿͟͞s̳̿͟͞e̳̿͟͞ y̳̿͟͞o̳̿͟͞u̳̿͟͞r̳̿͟͞ s̳̿͟͞y̳̿͟͞m̳̿͟͞p̳̿͟͞a̳̿͟͞t̳̿͟͞h̳̿͟͞y̳̿͟͞!” She bellowed, her voice tearing. Mario frowned, taking a step back. “I won't let It happen! Not again!”

There was a glow in her eyes. This battle was nearing its end.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

I was never made for the world, I was made for myself.

When Agrona was born, she did not cry. The most she gave was an eerie stillness combined with an empty stare to her mother. The love of the mother was not unconditional towards her, she screamed in terror, and threw her onto the ground. Strange, even at the age she was now, she still remembered it so vividly. Then, her mother would perish the next day without reason, and her father would collapse to the floor the same day.  

No matter where she went.

No matter what she did.

Every living thing around her felt an incredible sense of dread.

Being born within a religious family, she was an anomaly. They believed that the world simply does not create murderers, something must corrupt them. That would go against the grace of their god, wouldn’t it?

Well, the world gave them Agrona. 

Being cast away, buried under rituals to somehow purify her soul, and being spoken of in such treacherous and heinous ways. 

Despite it all, she didn’t hate the world. She only wondered….

Why does it need me?

That is, until she unlocked her soul ability, and came to that answer.

Now, there was a drastic change in her fighting style. She moved in closer, throwing a strike with her bloodied hands—

—Mario waved his head to the side, looking at the sheer feral tone within her eyes. She’s desperate…

She kept going on and on, failing her arms loosely at Mario. As he dodged left and right, or moved her arms in the opposite direction, he wondered if the second step in his plan was even necessary. “Just give it up!”

It didn't matter what he commanded, Agrona would push on. She needed to push on, and wouldn’t stop until the person before her was dead. “The only y’think you can save me, is because you actually have a name from yerself!” She shouted, throwing another blow relentlessly, inevitably pushed away. “Even if saving me will bring me mah salvation, you're only ruining me! So just—”

Another.

“Die!”

Another.

“Don’t y’stop me—”

Another.

She stopped, squeezing her eyes shut, her anger directed to the world.

“From being myself!”

“You can be yourself.” Mario said, parrying another attack to the left, then pushing her away, sending her stumbling back. “But you don’t have to limit yourself to just killing! Your ability can be used to help people!!!!”

She stood there.

Stillness. “I told you before to quit all that talkin’!” she said, “I don’t think I want to remember any of it.”

She launched herself at Mario again, throwing her fist. Mario parried it away, knocking her back to the right, but she was able to lay her palm on his shoulder with her right. Mario felt a strange tingling sensation in his arm, but it seemed so miniscule. What was that? He’d hope it was nothing of the opposite of what it seemed. The first function of his soul ability was being used passively now. Should I attack?

He didn’t want to knock her out, but if that’s what it took, then—

Agrona spun back around, using the same left hand to throw a sloppy blackfist. Mario caught it, but before he could pull her away, she gripped his wrist. That tingling sensation raised up, this time more painful. 

He threw her to the side, and this time, he would give her no time to breathe. The second function had been enhanced due to the mechanical and chemical breakdown of soul energy, so—

—I can move more freely. This battle is as good as done.

He rushed forward, Agrona still recovering. Rhythmically, he performed a right sweep, catching her unaware and suspending her from the ground, but only for a second. That second into the air was all he needed for his next strike. This time, he’d fuse the first function with the second function, creating a module as he thrusted his fist into her side.

The Starstruck Module.

It sent her flying away, a subtle light bursting into existence as Mario’s fists retracted as she continued to fly far, far away; her body flailing in directions it shouldn’t.

Thump.

Her body tumbled, rolling through the ground for a moment before coming to a halt, and Mario merely sighed. No words were going to get through at this point.

Agrona laid there for a moment.

However, when the battle seemed over, that didn’t mean it was over. Just a mere suspension of tension before reaching the height of it. Of course, that was the case here, for Agrona raised her head up, turned to where her side was—

—and no damage was there.

Mario’s eyes widened, but there was no time to waste.

He had to finish this. The use of the module earlier took quite a toll on his newfound soul energy, but he’d need to use the second function at long range. Is the first step really ineffective? No, that soul ability is based on destruction.

He sunk his feet into the ground, his arms held out, and along with them, his palms. Light came into existence again, tiny dots of it coming into a singularity, ready to be jutted outward.

And just as it was, it was as if Agrona had just thrown it away, like the swatting of a fly. 

Her arm still extended, she would finally stand up on her feet. Even worse, she was smiling. 

[𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐘𝐙𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄]

“All that blabberin’, all that desire. You’ve only caused your own demise.”

When understanding the foundation of a soul-ability through destroying it multiple times, the destruction of the soul-ability was imminent.

Inevitable.

“I truly am…”

A flash of pink light darted to the right, marking the disappearance of Agrona. Where could she have—-

—She was already behind Mario.

He turned around quickly, but that only lined him up from payback, for the strike was aimed specifically at the stomach.

Their eyes met, the eyes of a fanatic meeting the eyes of pure shock, and finally, her fist would flash, a destructive black energy dawning. 

Agrona amplified the force of her fists, and he was sent back; Mario was feeling something akin to death.

Not physically…

But the death of the soul.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Mizan’s eyes widened, anticipating Leviathan to strike though it hadn’t done so since it had been summoned. Yukan stood there like a dead man, his sight wavering. The battle couldn't end yet, but it felt like it was nearing his end. 

Why ain’t I as good as this blasted critter? It ain’t like it was in the old days, I can’t hold a candle to ‘em no matter how hard I try. So what now? Is this the end of the road for me? Before I could get back at those damn things?

Thousands of questions rushed into his head as Leviathan began to circle him, its scales shimmering in the small bits of light that shunned through the trees. Mizan instinctively readied Ruyi Jingu Bang to no avail. Oh, right, that fool took it.

He smirked.

No matter. 

He took a forward leap towards his opponent, reeling his leg back before kicking; instinctively, Leviathan appeared in his path, its skin rough. Surprised, Mizan used the force to jump back. It’s passive.

“̷Y̷̷O̷̷U̷’̷V̷̷E̷ ̷A̷̷L̷̷W̷̷A̷̷Y̷̷S̷ ̷B̷̷E̷̷E̷̷N̷ ̷L̷̷E̷̷S̷̷S̷̷E̷̷R̷ ̷I̷̷N̷ ̷T̷̷H̷̷I̷̷S̷ ̷A̷̷S̷̷P̷̷E̷̷C̷̷T̷.” It bellowed, swarming in different directions constantly to fend Mizan’s attacks. Even when using the Surge of Might, his strikes had no sign of impact. What is it doing?

What are you planning?

 “̷H̷̷O̷̷W̷ ̷C̷̷A̷̷N̷ ̷Y̷̷O̷̷U̷ ̷P̷̷R̷̷O̷̷V̷̷E̷ ̷Y̷̷O̷̷U̷̷R̷ ̷S̷̷U̷̷P̷̷E̷̷R̷̷I̷̷O̷̷R̷̷I̷̷T̷̷Y̷ ̷I̷̷F̷ ̷Y̷̷O̷̷U̷ ̷S̷̷T̷̷I̷̷L̷̷L̷ ̷L̷̷A̷̷C̷̷K̷ ̷W̷̷H̷̷A̷̷T̷ ̷Y̷̷O̷̷U̷̷R̷ ̷O̷̷P̷̷P̷̷O̷̷N̷̷E̷̷N̷̷T̷ ̷E̷̷X̷̷C̷̷E̷̷L̷̷S̷ ̷I̷̷N̷? ̷I̷ ̷H̷̷A̷̷N̷̷D̷̷E̷̷D̷ ̷Y̷̷O̷̷U̷ ̷M̷̷Y̷ ̷S̷̷T̷̷R̷̷E̷̷N̷̷G̷̷T̷̷H̷, ̷B̷̷U̷̷T̷ ̷N̷̷O̷ ̷V̷̷I̷̷C̷̷T̷̷O̷̷R̷̷Y̷ ̷F̷̷O̷̷L̷̷L̷̷O̷̷W̷̷E̷̷D̷.” The words struck deep, deeper than any blade. “̷Y̷̷O̷̷U̷ ̷A̷̷R̷̷E̷ ̷W̷̷I̷̷T̷̷N̷̷E̷̷S̷̷S̷̷I̷̷N̷̷G̷ ̷T̷̷H̷̷E̷̷I̷̷R̷ ̷S̷̷U̷̷C̷̷C̷̷E̷̷S̷̷S̷, ̷S̷̷O̷ ̷I̷ ̷A̷̷S̷̷K̷, ̷W̷̷H̷̷E̷̷R̷̷E̷ ̷I̷̷S̷ ̷Y̷̷O̷̷U̷̷R̷̷S̷?”

Have I really just been the inferior one the entire time? Dammit, that can’t be. 

Throughout his life, many of the people he faced had something to prove. Something that would keep them going, and resided in his defeat. Many were merely men who were born from nothing, trying to become something for the sake of their families or themselves. However, the core flaw lay in them being too weak.

There were a few who he remembered the most.

Shinki Hishakai, who fought to prove he still mattered despite his past. He would die at Yukan’s hands, his last words speaking of his regret of not living up to his family name.

Garek Moregg, who was resilient, for he believed strength meant nothing if you could not break it. However, Yukan knew that wasn’t the same as absolute victory, so with taking his time breaking him down, Garek would fall. Despite winning, something infuriated him about the man.

His spirit wouldn’t break, no matter how many blows he took. 

Why hadn’t he shattered beneath the weight of the strength of the opponent before him. Any other person would crumble and scurry away when met with strength at another level. Why did he have more of a resolve than him, dying with a smile on his face.

Then came a girl by the name of Kazehime Aoriko. She contained a soul-ability that allowed her to never fade, and being born from the Edo Period, where Japan relished in the presence of the spirit of ever-lasting peace that brought forth an era of little conflict; for the ones who enjoyed the thrill of battle, it was an era of ever-lasting boredom. A journey for connection that would never end. Now, here she was, unfading, and ready to face Yukan at an abandoned dojo. 

Battle was nothing more than a mere game for her, and being in an era where she could let it loose was a dream come true, but Yukan despised that. What was battle if not the quest for dominance? To fight without the need to prove yourself or fear of not living up to what you preach? 

In the end, Yukan won rather quickly. One line of hers always stuck to him.

“Do you ever fight for yourself, or do you think you do?” 

He said nothing, walking away, catching a glimpse of the smile on her face as he left.

Then came a man without any form of ideal, with skill undeniable, yet his soul hollow. He fought because it paid well in the land of China, and nothing more. Yukan could respect that, for that was the only way for self validation—

—to keep winning.

For a moment, Yukan wanted to throw in the match, but that desire to win was still there; and eventually, the match was over.

Yet, he still felt weaker.

Here and now, would it be the same sense of emptiness? A hollow victory filled with regrets and anguish? How could he not beat Mizan at his own game? He needed to be nothing more than a stepping stone in his path to ultimate ascension. “̷W̷̷H̷̷A̷̷T̷ ̷W̷̷I̷̷L̷̷L̷ ̷Y̷̷O̷̷U̷ ̷B̷̷E̷̷C̷̷O̷̷M̷̷E̷ ̷A̷̷F̷̷T̷̷E̷̷R̷ ̷T̷̷H̷̷I̷̷S̷ ̷D̷̷A̷̷Y̷, ̷Y̷̷U̷̷K̷̷A̷̷N̷ ̷G̷̷R̷̷A̷̷Y̷̷M̷̷E̷̷R̷?!”

Silence fell. 

His mind had already made up an answer as Leviathan began to radiate with a beaming light. Yukan stopped staring at the sky, and returned his gaze to the opponent. Those eyes shunned with an overwhelming sense of determination. Mizan braced himself for what could be the climax of the fight, now standing a considerable distance away.

“I’ll become…”

The light-like energy of Leviathan became controlled, as Yukan extended his arm forward; it seeped at an incredible speed to his palm. Soul energy coated its confines, and power was felt coursing through his veins. He needed to become more than human. He needed to become the creator. He needed to become the artist whose artistic skill would paint the outcome of assured victory. The air around them thrived as the threads of pure light coalesced, twisting and folding. A soft rhythm culled throughout the vicinity, a smile of sheer pride on his face. Slowly, the brilliance only became more layered, its blue glow shifting into a destructive violet hue, like the last traces of twilight surrendering to the night.

From the heart of that vortex of light, a blade of the same color emerged—its form sleek, yet jagged, pulsing with the violet energy and soul energy. This weapon did not merely reflect light, it was light, shaped into a defining edge sharper than steel, and its surface rippling like liquid amethyst caught in a storm of unseen. The very air radiated in reverence, casting a massive shadow upon the user as he tightened his grip.

The Gray immersion—

—Was a Soul-Ability birthed by Pride.

"The Strongest. No matter how beat up I get..."

Stagnation.

He pointed his sword at Mizan, a testament to a possible final performance. 

Mizan’s eyes seemed to spiral. He was feeling that again.

So this is what you want.

“Come forth, sin-ridden man!” 

Chapter End

Chapter Text

It was obvious that he was just one step away from achieving the function he desired. The sword had somehow healed the wound Yukan had sustained earlier in his chest.

He could feel the connection between him and Ruyi Jingu Bang growing constantly, just as his soul energy. In the state of a focused mind, bearing witness to the motivation of his opponent, he knew the perfect way to conclude the fight, and give him the answer he needed. 

That answer lied within thoughts; the thoughts that Mizan had remembered when meditating in the forest. The answer; no, his answer to what it meant to be—

—The Strongest.

Pride.

What did it all mean?

Mizan had asked Rosalina about it the day he became a Spectral. Admittedly, his team wasn’t all that huge back then. Only Noctis and Takeru were present in January, but embracing this new life as a Spectral had to mean their strength was rather different or more complex. 

The only problem was, she didn’t give him an answer, for she thought he needed to have more experience to understand. That felt like a shot in the chest, as Mizan was an experienced martial artist and strong in his own right.

It was a sunny Monday morning, Mizan laying his back against a rock on the far west side of the camp area, struggling to catch his breath. The rock was wide and rigid, stains of blood present across the cracks. No one ever questioned him when he did the act, if even some were awake at this time. He hadn’t formed any sense of connection with many beyond those he went on quests with. He ran his hands through the soft grass around him ;As Rosalina approached him, seemingly going unnoticed for a moment, she could assume exactly where those cracks came from.

His fist.

It was confirmed through seeing his bloodied knuckles.

Mizan laid eyes on her, squinting at the sun’s light before Rosalina did him a favor and blocked it out for him, kneeling down right before him. “You’re lucky you don’t have a quest today, otherwise I would’ve scolded you for not sleeping earlier.” She said. Something was always weird about that smile of hers.

Mizan closed his eyes once more for a moment, resting his head against the rock. “You’re going to do it anyways, yes?” He asked. 

Rosalina chuckled, hovering her hand above her mouth to cover it. “Something of the sort.” She said, “I was just thinking about something involving you.”

“And what would that be?”

“Your question from when you joined.” Rosalina answered. “It involved something about being the strongest, yes?” 

And just like that, Mizan was wide awake. His panting stopped, and he stared at Rosalina with unmatched focus. “Are you here to finally answer it?” He asked, smirking.

“I think you’ve been here long enough to know. I didn’t know much about your background beforehand when I brought you here, only that you were from the Heavenly Bureau. A masterful choice that you were sent away here, I thought, given the reputation of that family. And yet, you come here, storming into the headquarters one night seeking such simple knowledge.” Rosalina explained. Mizan was quick to frown. “Don’t worry, Mizan. I get it, I was different from all the other people surrounding me as well. But honestly, it didn't matter to me.”

“And how could it not?” Mizan asked, "Tradition is common within most lands and I’m sure it is the same within the Mushroom Kingdom, is it not?”

“That is true, but both fought against it anyway, now did we? The entire existence of my brother is stopping my way of doing that, and it sure is a pain.” Rosalina said, her voice more sincere. She would then lean forward ever so slightly, lightly tapping Mizan’s forehead which woke him up a bit more, but left him confused more than anything. “The answer to your question lies within the universe itself. It’s all interconnected. Every action, every thought, it all means something. Something happens, then something else happens. Everyone, no, everything is the strongest just for that.”

“Everyone? The strongest?” Mizan asked, his voice hinting as confusion. Everything his teacher said was quite foreign to him, yet so interesting that he couldn’t stop listening. It was way more interesting than the ramblings of his family. 

“Yes, everyone.” Rosalina said, “We are strong, because we exist. Whether you connect yourself to the meaningless of life, or what gives us meaning, all that matters is that it is a flicker waiting to ignite when actualized.”

Mizan nodded to the knowledge thrown at him, feeling a sense of fulfillment. As she walked away, he spoke under his breath. “Thank you, Sifu.”

That was all I needed.

The weapon Yukan contained was the ability to cleave through anything in its path, no matter what it was. This meant the beautiful nature surrounding them was at its dismay, but obviously Mizan wasn’t going to let it come into full tuition that easily. Yukan raised the sword, slashing it diagonally with unimaginable force; the air formed the shape the slash had caused. A slash like shockwave would ensue, showing no signs of slowing down. The ground meant nothing in its path, and nor would the trees.

Mizan did expect such an outlandish attack, and so, he would seize an opportunity.

“Yàn zhī Juéjìng.” He muttered, rushing straight into danger. It was the fifth function of his soul-ability, the culmination of all of the soul energy from his body into a single strike.

But he wasn’t using it for this occasion. No.

It was for—

—The Eight Extremities, his most powerful Module.

The slash was mere inches away from him now, though everything seemed to be moving in slow motion as he spouted the words rhythmically, calmly. “Fourth, the Extremity of Nerves, the Thousand Fold Awareness. Second, the Extremity of Blood, The Flowing Travesty.”

His eyes held veins, tensing. The sharpness of his nervous system was increased, meaning no matter how close this attack got—

—Mizan would be able to avoid it, and so he did, spinning his body over to the right with unnatural precision and charging headfirst. Why?

But Yukan wasn’t worried. As the slash pierced through the air, destroying whatever lay in its path, he aimed his sword at Mizan. With each slash unleashed, the more power the next one would be, and with more power meant considerably more size. This time, he twisted his body to the swing of his sword, horizontally. 

That was when the second extremity would come into tuition. The acceleration of blood flow brought forth an unnatural increase in the speed and reflexes—No, speed in general. He ducked under the slash, a shadow looming over him for a moment. The trees coming down, rumbling the earth, the dragon continues to run, feeling the ecstasy of life's extremities!

Again, Yukan wouldn't worry. Exhaling soul energy as it built up into the sword, a smile foretelling his desire to win and achieve what he wanted, he drove it into the ground. “Tell me, challenger...how will you fair—”

Lying within the depths of his soul was a burning pride. One that remained only where it was. The ground beneath them began to shake in different directions, bringing Mizan to a halt. What’s happening now? Is this another function? 

A slash arose, and the result—

The fabric of reality, a ripple of sheer darkness opening right beside Mizan. 

It missed, but he instinctively dodged the attack anyway. After a while, it seemed to disappear and the section went back to normal. He could really use the other extremities right now, but there wasn’t enough soul energy with two of them being used. I need to wait a little longer, just a little.

“—AGAINST MY ABSOLUTE SELF?!” 

The slashes, they just kept coming, each ripple bigger than the next. Yukan could feel it, the utmost certainty of himself, but Mizan could see what was beyond.

It wasn’t true.

The debris scattered about the air, the slashes through the ground are the cause. Mizan used that to his advantage, hopping from one to another, struggling to hold on as the force of the ripples radiated throughout the air.

The trees could barely withstand the shockwaves, some toppling over the already fallen trees. He found his footing, standing on a pillar of dirt at least twenty three into the air, thus he could view a good portion of the breaking forest from here.

Most importantly, his target.

The slashes were surrounding him as well, though never targeting him directly. He was prepared to end it off, running off the thrill of what he conceived.

But Mizan felt a helping hand from those ripples, and smiled. 

“Extend Ruyi!”

And so it would.

Behind him, a ripple opened, and Ruyi, more than half the length it was before, came out, thrusting straight into his back. He would shout in agony, the force of the staff ever so powerful. It was as if his entire body was screaming at him. His feet were off the ground, and Mizan would seize another opportunity.

“Ruyi, come to me, my friend! Retract!”

It minimized its size, and levitated over to him. He clutched it easily, a golden outline shining that remained for a brief moment before disappearing.

The ripples were nowhere near as powerful now.

Now, taking the leap that would define victory. The Surge of Might and the Pulse of Renewal were working better now, and despite this final move rendering his abilities significantly weaker due to the module already being used, it was the one thing that would put an end to this fiend. 

Soul Energy pulsating, dawning Mizan’s frame as bright as a white sun. He held the staff over his head with both arms, building up speed constantly as he descended. Yukan’s arm had shattered, and he clutched his arm to his chest. Not before catching a glimpse of Mizan’s godlike form. His eyes widened with terror, and just like that, his pride was on the verge of shattering.

Mizan always felt euphoric when holding the staff, and with the activation of the chaos module it seemed as if his thoughts were going sporadic. If anything was certain, this attack held everything.

The humility necessary to admire something.

The desire for strength.

The love for fighting.

All of it in hopes his opponent would understand.

Shining with soul energy, eccentric and eager, the debris surrounding the air;

he would reach Yukan, the staff of heaven crashing down on his opponent. It put an end to not only him, but all that surrounded the two.

Nothing but whiteness surrounded the two now. Surely, the victor had been decided.

Chapted End.

Chapter Text

Liú Yǐng Chéng

The City of Flowing Shadows, China.

These streets, the roads built in oily silver stone, were lantern-lit, just as it was crowded. Teahouses and Apothecaries were placed carefully, often placed next to the wooden dojos, their signs swaying in the evening breeze. The sky was calling a storm, but it would never grace the town. The people, dressed in white and red robes with no protection on their feet, gathered at the center of the town. An area where the buildings began to surround the land in a circular formation, and the people within this area would get on their knees to witness and send their gratitude to the spirit above.

Shenlong. 

A dragon with a camel's head, a demon's all frightening eye, a cow’s all hearing ear, a deer's brooding horns, a clam’s wide belly, an eagle’s sharp claws, as sharp as the tiger's paws it contained, and a total of one-hundred and seventeen carp scale. 

The eighty one scales are seen as the yang essence, the positive energy, while the thirty-six are of the yin essence, the negative energy. The dichotomy in size often disturbed Mizan. It was understandable considering the longevity of peace in the country, but evil was within everyone. Who is it to say that there is more good than evil, or vice versa?

It didn't necessarily matter. Either way, the Spirit represented good fortune, particularly to weather and water, so storms never struck true. 

Nodding to the spirit as it flew across the sky, he would continue his journey. He couldn’t imagine just how far he was from the Heavenly Bureau now, but he knew fully that they noticed his absence. No matter, something more important was on the line.

A master.

And he knew just who to find.

In the alley ways, Kung Fu artists did most of the work. Training in the shadows, or for better word, their dojos.

There were two paths in China.

The Path of the Warrior, and the Path of the Scholar.

As the merchants hacked their claimed “spirit exilers” or scrolls to passing warriors, Mizan took an alleyway to the east, a single barely hovering lamp hanging above the entrance, its light flickering in and out. These alleyways often contained hidden dojos, but this was the most important one.

It stood like an ancient wooden sentinel, with jade tiles and intricate carvings of legendary spirit beasts, while the deep red banners bearing an emerald of some kind. Mizan assumed it belonged to a clan, and though he was aware of the five's existence, he couldn’t remember their emeralds.

He took a step inside, the wooden door creaking with great frequency. Inside, his foot met the carpet which bore the same color of the tiles above, surrounded by the polished sandalwood that carried an aging scent. On the walls, the lanterns that were hung carefully in rows were considerably more efficient when it came to light, bringing the rows of wooden training dummies below it, weapon racks filled with gleaming spears and swords, and scroll-lined walls that detailing the different forms and vital area of the body to bring a quick end to the fight. 

Beyond the travesty of it all was the man of the hour himself. Despite not being Chinese, was deemed as one of the greatest martial artists who had mastered the art of Wing Chun 

He sat in the golden chair, the handles resembling the Shenlong of China; his old, yet powerful frame advancing his years. His oldness showed through his long, silver beard connected to his fainting mustache. The whiteness of his hair was significantly more stylish to say the least; silver dreadlocks adorned in golden jewelry. 

His clothing consisted of a flowing white and gold embroidered coat that draped effortlessly over his shoulders like the regalia of a battle-hardened king. His silver dreadlocks cascaded past his shoulders, framing his sharp gaze hidden behind sleek black shades, while his fists were wrapped up tightly in amazingly crafted bracelets and rings colored in gold. At the appearance of Mizan, he scoffed, sitting in his chair with his leg crossed.

𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐘 𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐓𝐇 [TEKKEEEEEEENNNN EIGHT UNIFOOORRRMMMMM!!!]

”Well, well, well," Leroy sat up, smirking, "What do we have here?"

"A potential student." Mizan said.

"For?" Leroy asked, "I've gotten way too many students who just want to get strong enough to defeat me. So, what's your case? And be honest. I know a lie when I see one."

Mizan closed the door behind him, a shadow casting over the room. “Aiming to learn the art. Though, I am a bit disappointed you don’t remember me, Sifu.” he said. Leroy tilted his head, unaware of what he meant. It had been such a long time since then, so Mizan expected this reaction. To spark remembrance, Mizan made a remark, slowly raising his thumb up, and swiping his nose with it. It did its job, and Leroy nodded.

“Ah, the Cheng family.” He recognized. “You came here four or five years ago asking me to train you.”

Mizan smirked, “Glad to see you remember.” he said, “You told me to come back when I was older, and so here I am.”

Leroy crossed his arms, laying back in his chair again. This time, he would uncross his legs. “And why should I train you?”

Instead of words, he spoke with actions. A single twist in the hip to maximize the speed of the quick right jab released. It was instant, the way his arm retracted. The speed was a staple, and admittedly, Leroy nodded in approval. 

“Because I bear speed and strength like no other.” Mizan said, his glare intensifying. 

Alright then. I see what it is. 

Leroy grabbed a cigarette packet from his back pocket, and opened it. It was deemed disrespectful within the town to smoke, for it brought misfortune. Even Mizan could understand why he was such an enigma within the martial arts community. 

“You are fast.” He said, “But just how fast are you?”

The flick of the hand.

Five cigarettes launched forward. Mizan jumped in the air, becoming animated as he spun around to force a spin kick, knocking them away. Is he really what they say he is? Is this some kind of training method? If so, can't say I'm quite fond of it.

Another flick, just when Mizan was regaining his balance. He could only remember Marshall Law’s philosophy to be like water, and would perform a back fist with his right, the result—a counter, as well as picking himself back up and getting into his Jeet Kune Do stance.

“Stay with what comes.” Leroy commanded, flicking another four cigarettes at the young martial artist.

A simple roundhouse would suffice this time around, the feeling of the air he created bringing forth a sense of euphoria. What a foolish master, he thought, any warrior would known to adapt.

Another flick.

Strike! 

Another.

Strike!

Another.

Strike!

It seemed to Mizan that this would just be another master, one whom he trained alone with; that was a first, but a master who he wouldn’t connect with, only to defeat in combat upon mastery.

But something changed.

Instead of cigarettes—

—Water was thrown.

And he would kick it, despite knowing it would never go away. He wiped his face, seeing tiny water droplets before looking over at Leroy. He chuckled, standing up. “You get Marshall Law’s philosophy quite well, I see. Ain’t bad at all.” he said, “But you’ll only go out with nothing to show for if you can’t see your connection with the world around you. You definitely got potential, but there’s that look in your eye—you came here to defeat me, ain’t that right?”

He stood straightforward, a smile on his face. “That is true.” Mizan admitted, "I suppose you do bear great perception."

Leroy nodded slowly. “You got something to prove, and I think I know what it is.” He began to walk closer, until they were a considerable amount of inches away from one another. Even with the black shades on, Mizan could see a sense of strength in a glare unseen. “But remember, respect those with wisdom, and learn from it. That’s your first Wing Chun lesson.”

A test to the philosophy he held onto for so long, something he had not seen throughout his other path of the warrior. He knew it.

This man truly was a master, one with possibly greater knowledge than him. In a show of respect, he laid his palm over his fist, and bowed. “Understood, Sifu.” 

“Many warriors faced you, do you know why they did?”

Yukan found himself within a space of pure whiteness, only him and Mizan in the realm. What was this? “Deep down, all honorable fighters met the same thing. Admiration, whether it was for themselves or their opponent."

Yukan stared into the white sky, and unbeknownst to him, Mizan was circling him, staring at him at every angle. This was a lesson, but Yukan couldn’t bring himself to acknowledge his opponent. After all, he had just lost to a mere child. How could that be?

“If you can’t admire those with more experience than you, whether it’d be a certain topic or of life itself, and think only you are greater, how can you ascend?” A familiar question, one that his soul rejected every time. Yet, he still listened. “When you learn of their wisdom and strength, you will come to admire that strength, and often in response to them, you’ll be granted kindness. That—”

He stopped, their bodies perfectly aligned and distanced. “—Is what it means to be strong.”

Yukan closed his eyes, letting darkness creep in for a moment. He heard everything Mizan said, and understood it. He knew it was unlikely for him to fully abide by those words, for it fell upon deaf ears every time from his foes. It was different this time. He was the one who lost, and it felt damn irritating. “That doesn’t seem borin’ to ya?” He asked, “Listenin’ to the words of others in a whole different league than ya?”

“If you truly want to ascend, then adapt.” Mizan answered, his smile more peaceful and soft than ever before. “That is the only way people like us can hope to match Lars Alexssanderson or the other souls above us, like Link and Mario, the two you met out there, by just a little bit. Don’t waste your time getting mad at them, but remember your place in the world. No one in the world will forget, and it’s important to love yourself for who you are.”

Yukan let out a slow, rumbling chuckle, his subtle amusement curling at the edge of his lips like smoke from a dying frame. “Doesn’t it sting, though? Knowing we can’t do a darn thing to be above them?”

Mizan closed his eyes for a moment before looking up into utter whiteness. “Perhaps, it pains me more than I can't understand some." He nodded, “But every soul is strong in their own way—” Then, he turned to Yukan, “—Besides, you should stand proud. You are strong, but there is always room for you to be stronger. If fate is so kind this time around, then I can only hope we can meet again.”

“Huh.”

This feeling of everything dissipating.

Peace.

“Sure thing, vermin.”

In an instant, the scenery was gone. Yukan remained knocked out cold on the floor, his head split open. The victor, Mizan, would stand with pride, his fists clenched in the air as he stared at his fallen opponent with respect. However, the use of two modules at the same time put an immense amount of strain on his body, and would cause him to lose his balance. He fell over completely, giving into his exhaustion. As fate would have it, he laid right beside his fallen opponent, staring at the sun, unable to move. 

“I’m never using two modules again.” He muttered under his breath. Even he knew it wasn’t true.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Mario Toadsworth

The soul promised great fortune, above those deemed ordinary.

The soul who would be a part of the three other great souls, making the world spin again and again.

A boy from nothing, who had become something.

But is that the story we know?

No. At least, not the full scope of it. That is the story of the one who bore the title of the Future Star, but not the one who bore the name of Mario Toadsworth. The same story as before could easily be told in an almost identical manner as the other two great souls. 

So that begged the question.

Who was Mario Toadsworth? On the verge of his soul being broken, was it really still possible for him to find an identity?

Six Years Ago

Like always, he stepped into the surgery room. The sun above beamed a bolstering light, which was shunned as he eventually closed the door. The square-like windows sat perfectly across one another let the white light of sun shine through more subtly, contrary to the mayhem that often occurred on the operating table in the room’s center. It stood like a colossal mushroom stalk, its surface a broad, bioluminescent cap that radiated with an eerie, mystical green light, bringing forth unusual shadows on the carnervous chamber walls. Vines of fungal tendrils coiled around its base; a creation of a faint mist that carried the scent of damp earth and something rather ancient. 

His father, Giovanni Toadsworth. He was a well-built man with a head of thick, dark hair, beautifully combed and peppered with a few streaks of gray, and a small, black mustache. On this day, he wore a black tailor suit with a crimson tie and black khaki shoes, which he usually wore in these predicaments. It was a moment of silence, combined with absolute eeriness from what the two had just seen. Their last operation on the person with the disease, that, luckily, allowed for the poor young girl to live one more day, but the inevitable was just postponed for now.

Body parts had to be removed, mainly the arm and leg. Her life would never be the same, and all he could do was remember the words that all doctors needed to remember in order for an operation to go smoothly. Doctors need to remain calm under pressure.

A person’s life is at stake, not yours. Yet, it felt like it was every time. What if his brother would be on this table, and he was too scared to formally perform a surgery as his pulse was non-existent?

It would be the death of his soul, and the death of his own brother. In his free time, he attempted to stay away from these thoughts, but in the realm of doctors, looking into a patient's eyes and seeing that look, the look of utter hopelessness and fear, the face of death, he couldn’t help but see his brother in that position? But he had to save people.

The sight was disgusting to see, and even more so to do, and yet, the room was cleaned to perfection now, the shelves of green mushrooms and table washed neatly, as they were every morning. Giovanni looked at his son, noticing his droopy eyes. “The surgery was frightening, huh?” he asked.

Mario shook his head, “It always is, don’t worry.” he replied, “But there’s something nagging me, y’know? That girl had such a bright future ahead. If only that damn disease hadn’t existed she would have been able to live it to the fullest. Now, she can’t even walk.” He looked up at his father. “Do you think… we should have just let the disease do its thing?”

In an unexpected fit of rage, Giovanni slammed his hand onto one of the shelves, the green mushrooms rumbling. His expression held a sense of rage. “We, are doctors!” He shouted, “It is our job to make sure we give these people the help they need! You understand this, don’t you?”

“And did we stop her death?” Asked Mario, his voice snapping. “We didn’t. Did you-a see her, dad? We made her life worse, and now she’ll spend the rest of her life like that and just, die.”

Giovanni sighed, closing his eyes and resting his expression momentarily. He walked closer to his son, kneeling down to his level. “But we did what we could,” he said softly. “That’s our job, to help however we can. You may not think it’s helpful, but extending a life is the most valuable thing one could ask for. We aren’t here to stop death, we merely postpone it.”

People go under terrible circumstances that make them want to get away from life. How could it be the most possible thing? Mario could tell something about Giovanni’s tone when he said the last sentence. It was bitter, aiming towards his other son, Luigi. He went back to the shelves, rearranging the green mushrooms that tilted slightly to the side from the slamming of his hand. “You haven’t been showing up to the house so often.” Mario said, “Is it-a because of Luigi’s goal?”

Giovanni sighed. “The boy is not my son.” he said, “Getting into fights constantly, beating up boys with a stick in hopes of becoming stronger. That boy isn't suited to roam this world. I failed him. His mother would encourage it no matter what. Even he isn’t ready for it. I can see it in his eyes.”

“Why are you so iffy about it? Soldiers like the Toads at the monastery are necessary for protecting the kingdom. Wanting to explore doesn’t mean he'll hurt anybody!”

“Don’t give me that crap, boy.” Said Giovanni, "Abadoning your loved ones is the worst sin a man can commit.”

Irritated.

Angered.

Mario walked up to his father, fists clenched. “Don’t you-a talk about my brother—”

“You are a doctor, boy!” He said, grabbing him by the collar. Their eyes met, reflecting anger towards one another. “You do not indulge or even slightly agree with the act of killing or abadoning. The people may think our acts are suspicious, or stars forbid dangerous, but what we do is save lives, not take them!” Mario could argue with that. He still kept an eye out for those in constant agony, begging to die.

Should he save them, disrespecting their wishes? 

No one could see what death was like, so everyone just hoped or feared it was nothing or a heaven. Mario was skeptical of the latter, but not of the former. People needed eternal peace.

But if it was someone you cared about—

Luigi…

—Would you respect that wish? If Luigi became fatally wounded in battle, and held that wish, then what? Even worse, that look on one’s face during death.

What then?

Mario stared at the ground, signaling at some form of understanding. “Do you understand, son?” Asked Giovanni.

The young boy nodded subtly, “Yes father.”

Now, we know a good portion of the story.

But what made Star Road?

The answer was simple. There was the day where Luigi achieved his goal at the young age of sixteen, but the disease washed over him that exact day he was enrolled. Mario rushed him to the emergency room, giving him as many mushrooms as he could to ease the pain, with the disease being too powerful of a decaying force for it to fully heal the body.. The face of fear and hopelessness on his brother’s face made him sporadic, and all he needed to do was one, simple, thing. 

To remove the exact location of the disease.

It failed.

His brother let out a noisy rattling sound coated in wetness. It was the accumulation of secretions in the back of the throat when a person loses their ability to cough or swallow effectively. The beeping sound of a heart no longer there, and the desperation of wanting to save a member of his family. 

The desire to save others no matter what was exactly what brought creation to the Soul-Ability of...

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑 𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐃.

𝐀 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓

Agrona could never imagine it. The ability to retain your true self ever or become new after experiencing the death of the soul. But Mario had become reformed. His soul ability manifested, and he became a Spectral to save not only his comrades, but the world itself. He planted his fist into the ground, his body still moving across the shattered battlefield. 

Compassion. 

Responsibility.

Friendship.

His soul, formless and white, scattered all around like shattered glass.

There is nothing I ever desired more—

—than to save people.

Those shattered pieces were the only thing Mario could focus on, the hollow and bitter laugh from Agrona that echoed throughout the entire area. No, it wasn’t them that caught his attention, but rather how they began to connect, reforming and coming together like the puzzle pieces. The script that was being followed was coming back, and with it, Mario was…

Agrona stopped her laughter, leaving her mouth at a smile. She was certain that her opponent was dead now, and that certainty would cause her to look around the area for Link, and would also come to bite her in the ass. 

“You…” The force of his fist being dug into the ground brung a halt to his momentum. 

Agrona’s eyes widened, rage and fear building up within her soul. He isn’t… dead?

He stood up on one knee, the single footstep of his other leg all powerful. A grin showing his teeth was visible, and quite frightening. But most of all, that shimmering flare in his eyes was something nobody would ever forget. That resilience was something Link hadn’t thought was even possible for the longest time, and yet, here it was.

“I’m nothing.” his voice ripped through the air, “I still can’t save you…” 

Star Road contained Five functions, just as the average soul ability.

The First Function was strength and durability enhancer through coating the soul in a special armor, also lessening the effects of attacks that struck the soul.

The Second Function is the ability to manipulate light itself, creating explosions of light or adding more power through the first function through making the soul armor filled with light.

The Third Function allowed for Mario to contain the energy of the average star, or something akin to it, disabled through the use of the fourth function, and required for the First and Second Function to be used without damage.

The Fourth Function was a light of pure defense, acting as a spherical shield that covered all surroundings.

And finally, the Fifth Function…

“Star Road is an ability that has five-a functions, and with how you’ve approached me, you’ve-a managed to disable two of which I like the most. But know this,” Mario huffed, “There is one function that always comes in-a handy in times like these.”

When the body is being targeted with something like complete disintegration, the metaphysical aspect of a person, if strong enough, can emit something akin to the highest amount of soul energy possible.

This phenomenon is the second highest peak of a soul-ability user, bringing forth self-actualization and sheer will power!

[ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐅𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 ]

Otherwise known as...

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐇!!!!

"Oh yeah!"

Chapter End

Chapter Text

"I'LL THROW MY HAT IN THE RING 'CAUSE YOU'RE THE ONE!

A MIRACLE IN THREE DIMENSIONS!

FOLLOW THE BRICK PATH STRAIGHT TO MY HEART...

AND WE'LL GRAB AND FLY TOGETHER—THE FIREWORKS ARE GONNA START!"

The scenery changed, only to the vision of Mario and Agrona. First, came darkness and with it, came silence. She couldn’t see anything else, whereas Mario could see everything. One by one, like lighting candles, stars filled the sky, catching the eyes of Agrona. Strange. From the reality they were just in, even a single star was able to be brighter than the sun from Agrona’s perspective, and surprisingly, the darkness surrounding her felt unusual now. Just how long had she’d been out there, fighting what should have been killed minutes ago?

The thing still not killed, she felt its presence right behind her.

Looming.

Hopeful.

She turned, meeting the star who shone the brightest, standing in darkness, nothing but a light with no source making him stand out the most. His eyes raised, and they made eye contact. But there was no tension, and that was surely Mario’s intention. This next strike he was about to throw wouldn’t do any damage, as strange as the concept sounded. Instead, it would fill her with something she needed ever since birth. 

Mario himself remembered the days. Even as a surgeon, being treated with words speaking of their inability to save family members or even concerns about their drugs, the hatred had never filled his heart. It was nothing but pity, knowing their hatred was misguided. 

The world was so cruel, and at night, he could hear the voices of the patients he had failed to save.

And they all forgave him.

Why?

Endless despair and pain, that was what he expected from the echoes of death. Yet it was the complete opposite. This sense of forgiveness and compassion, mainly from the echo of his brother, was what pushed him forward today. Stars be damned if he couldn’t save the one in suffering right before him, and be the sword. 

Days Ago.

“Green Hill. When I unlocked an extent of my soul-ability, I had unknowingly killed two friends of mine. It was so sudden that I didn't even notice the blood staining my fur at first.” Sonic said, leaning back against the table, sitting across from Mario. “Ever since then, I've always ran at nearly half of my normal speed.”

Mario nodded. 

For a moment, Sonic's eyes brightened.

“It's tough, honestly. I still wanna hit that milestone of speed I once did years ago. But—” Then, they darkened again. And what was meant to be a follow up to the sentence, resulting in mere silence.

Taking the silence to heart, Mario placed his hands onto the table, his eyes promising hope. “I can't fully understand what that feels like, but I can resonate with it.” He said, “Do you feel responsible for it?”

Hesitation, and then—

“Yeah.”

“It wasn't your fault.” Mario said, “Soul-abilities sometimes come on the worst occasions. With you being a Spirit-Beast, when you recognized the hope you brought to so many others, you could interpret it in any way you wanted, even in ways you didn't know. You were as free as the wind, unlike anyone else. We don't often recognize our subconscious, and you were just a kid—you never knew you were capable of that. It was simply a matter of the wrong circumstances.”

“But how could I… ever run again with that memory in my head?” Sonic asked, his voice wavering slightly. “What if… those same circumstances come back to me, and… I hurt someone again?”

“You never know if they will.” Mario said, “Nor can I really guarantee that it won't. But life will give you a time to choose whether you want to move forward or not.” He would then stand up, balling his fists in anger, not directed towards Sonic. “And I'll be there… to help you through all the way.”

It was reassurance to the broken, but for what could be fixed, Sonic smirked. His eyes became sparking with a sense of life as he stared back up at his determined friend. "Guess we'll see what the future's got for that!"

My team needs me.

Spark!

The stars above heeded his desire, their light ever expanding. But most of all, the light of Mario came in the form of a mixture of all sorts of colors, circling his body as he closed his eyes, feeling the power roar throughout his body. The pain was great, but the euphoria even greater. The opening of his eyes brought forth a luminous glow within them, and at this point, the frame of his entire body no longer circled with the light of many colors, it was the light of many colors. 

A Final Function’s purpose was to let the user burn out the soul energy used without the final function, and reconstruct it to its absolute peak. The attack was always something that could never be blocked or avoided, and Agrona would realize what Mario had done. A Final Function…

Her heart laced. If this move hit, she would be forced to…

No!

The light surrounding Mario acted as the building block to reveal more of the scenery, his light being the perfect match for the painting. Where they stood was a long, lanky platform that extended to heights and ramps all sorts of ways, most of them impossible. 

It was a road of many pathways, the floor shimmering with thousands of bright and flashy colors.

[ 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐁𝐎𝐖 𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐃 ]

Luckily, they stood on the most straightforward and normal section, a golden rail on the side of the road to prevent them from falling into another or just the immeasurable void. Mario smirked, clapping his hands, the sound echoing throughout his cosmos. 

“LET'S-A-GO! MY UNBLOCKABLE, UNSTOPPABLE, UNAVOIDABLE ATTACK!”

The announcement was made, and now it was time to bring it into reality. 

One step forward, moving into a walk. Another step forward, leaning into a sprint. A third, more forceful step, and he would take off! Each step forward caused the floor to rumble and gleam with the brilliant light he and floor shared. 

Sonic…

That soul ability of yours, it must have caused something bad to happen to someone you love, huh?

Well, for all that’s out of your control, you can still carry on.

Link.

I know people like you. That look in your eye, so full of hatred and fear.

That fear…

He remembered his brother.

Then his entire team.

No matter what, I’m supposed to be in debted to protect these people. That’s my job as a doctor! That’s my true responsibility as a Spectral!

I WILL-A LEAVE NO SOUL UNFIXED!

Sweat rolled down from Agrona’s forehead. She was shaking.

“St—Stay away!”

He was already just mere feet away from her, lifting his leg off the ground as light followed its path. As he got closer, his arms were held outward, balancing himself on one leg, as he prepared the other! He arrived, and twisting his hip in that same motion, implementing the power of his entire body, he would perform a roundhouse like no other. The stars burst in power, bits of soul energy cascading through the air, and a deafening boom would bring home the brightest light in the void.

"PASTAAAAA POWWEEEEEERRRR!!!!"

BAM!

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊.

All that, and yet…

No pain. She felt her face ricochet to the side from the force of the blow, and yet there was nothing felt. No, she did feel something. A sense of nostalgia she always hated.

There was a time where she was cared for. It was just a year ago. Three people who, despite her terrifying appearance of hollow and blood, brought her in and treated her like a human. She had burdened this memories for so long that now, just as she did in the outside world, could only see the times were they played in the sun; where the light was too bright, casting darkness that shrouded all of her surroundings, while the grass that held blood from seemingly no person or any animal was the exception.

Playing with toys.

Playing outside.

Walking a dog.

Bantering.

Drawing.

Eating food in the morning, even the smell of it. It was like a luxury too good to be true for someone like her. As she stood now, did she really even deserve that luxury? No wonder why she wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. I don’t want to see it.

Entropy Rend never destroyed the memories of killing she thrived in, but only the moments she hated. Due to this disturbance from Star Road, Entropy Rend was—

—Breaking.

She wanted to scream, these memories which showed the blacked out faces of the souls she once knew causing something that couldn’t be described as a mere headache. It was beyond that. A tear was beginning to form.

No…

I still hate those memories…

Yet, they kept coming.

How would she combat it?

Destroy.

That’s what ahm meant to do.

Mario retracted his leg, relaxing his muscles as he stood still. His smile faded, just as the light surrounding him, and he stared; his eyes reflected sincerity.

With the peak of his soul energy being reached, the match was over, or at least, so he thought. The only thing left to do was to connect with Agrona’s soul. It was possible now, for the purpose of the final move was to allow Mario to see the now broken or still formed hopes and dreams of a person, and most importantly…

Their past.

But there was one problem.

AGRONA WOULD NOT ALLOW FOR HER SOUL TO BE PEAKED THROUGH.

“Offa me, y’damn fool!”

“Huh?”

What’s up with the final function?

Chapter End

Chapter Text

The Final Function was the ultimatum of many fights, so why was it different here? Well, there was a fatal misstep in Mario’s plan, and it lied within the reason he had gotten in the position to use the Final Function in the first place.

Entropy Rend understood Star Road.

And its job, to ensure that it was not tampered with in any capacity, was to destroy whatever touched it. Agrona rallied her head back, smiling this time.

Luckily, being at the peak of soul energy, there was nothing else to destroy but the final function, and of course that was a detriment.

When destroyed, soul energy would repair even stronger, but did so at an incredibly slow rate that nobody would allow to ensure.

That would be the end, and it was. 

The echoes of destruction only added to the power of the soul-ability, meaning if decay was used from earlier, it being a property of destruction. When used again—

Crack!

—The effects would be even faster. Mario gasped, Agrona kneeling down with haste and planting her right palm onto the ground.

Crack!

The sky.

The ground.

Everything bore a ripple.

The metaphysical complex was breaking, and there was nothing Mario could do to stop it. 

Outside of the complex, the sight was something to behold. With no signs of the opponents unleashing their fury, he stood up to see a bolstering, twinkling gigantic barrier that hovered slightly above the earth. Its design resembled that of the stars of the night sky, only considerably more elongated and exaggerated. “What is that?” He asked, staring in awe.  

Unfortunately, there was no life spirit to grant him the answer. Not that he minded, he knew she was still around here somewhere. He could feel it, but he could only wonder where her voice had gone now. His gaze was glued to this strange complex, assuming Mario and Agrona were in it. At this point, Link wasn’t too worried about Mario, for he thought if he could summon this, then the fight would surely be decided, and it was only a matter of time before he emerged from that barrier, standing victorious.

And it would remain stationary—

—Before shattering into a million pieces in an instant. The sudden shatter made Link’s heartbeat thump rapidly, and his body would instinctively kneel back down, hiding behind the bush. From the shattering, Agrona stood proudly, wiping blood away from her cheek. She stared at Mario, who struggled to stand, almost falling on his knee. 

It’sa game over, mamma mia…

It was. 

Link held a concerned expression. How could this have happened? Oh, he knew why it happened.

I told you… you didn’t have to butt in…

But what would he do now?

“This isn’t over yet…”

Agrona scoffed. “Don’t delude yourself, prey.” She said, “Y’should’ve given up on the savin’, I toldja how it would end.”

“No can do, I’m afraid.”

“So be it.”

Even after everything, Mario’s eyes were still determined. The actions Mario had shown throughout this fight had reminded him of something, yet he buried the memory. Agrona was approaching him slowly, as if to savor this moment.

But what would Link do?

Oh no. There came the Life Spirit’s calling again, and the uncomfortable resonance that came along with it. It zipped past him left and right, and yet he paid no attention to it. Agrona was inching closer, and all he could was watch. But if I tried something, I’d be dead. Mario went in knowing that possibility as well, and he still carried on. Humans are stupid.

These thoughts were true to him, but there was conflict. After all, there was a time where he was intrigued in the art and complexities of humanity, casted far, far away. However, perhaps it was closer than he initially thought. He clenched his fists, remembering those helpful words Mario had told him not too long before the ambush, and despite his rash attitude towards him, Mario still desired to protect him and guide him. If not for him, then Link wouldn’t understand the soul itself.

So what would he do? To let him die would just be selfish, if Mario cared about that all.

After Mario, he was next to meet fate. He could feel his entire body tremble in the thought of that. He wrapped his hands around his forehead, somehow hoping to organize his thoughts and put the most reasonable option forth. But the calls of the Life Spirit would ignite something his mind could attune to. A memory.

Taryon Eldrith was the name of Link’s caretaker. On nights like this, he would always go beyond his philosophical ramblings and delve into the realm of simple Hylian fiction, telling stories to Link to ease his mind. Link didn't mind. He usually had nothing else to do at that point, let alone someone to talk to. 

The dim candle light on the floor near the bed flickered against the daunting, carved wooden walls, casting an ever-shifting shadow over the room, and its illumination making the large Triforce Symbol etched into the ceiling intricately visible sometimes. Resting atop a sturdy oak dresser was his weathered, blue Ocarina, though he rarely ever used it. His bed, which was right beside the dresser, was draped in soft blankets fabricated by the Kokiri, an ancient people of which knew little about, but Taryon knew almost everything about. Their history was quite obscure. These days, Hylians just assumed they were a lost people who died of causes they would never know about. 

Link sat on the bed, while Trayon sat on a small, oak wooden stool. The moonlight was a staple, almost a mini sun the way it rejected the darkness that got too close to it. Unfortunately, it didn’t help with the current illumination of the house. There was a book in Taryon’s hand that bore no illustration, and just a mere title: “The Blade of Legends.”

Everyone spoke about it, everyone knew it.

The Master Sword.

“Ah, yes, the Master Sword.” Taryon said, stroking his gray beard. Link could tell he wasn't reading the words directly from the page. “It sure is a relic.”

Link sighed, leaning forward slightly, his forearms on his knees. “You need help reading the words again?”

“Why, no!” Spat Taryon, “I may be old but I can in fact read without assistance.”

Link frowned. “You said that the last time, and the last time before that.”

“Patience, son.” Said Taryon, adjusting his eyes to the page. He had been doing it more frequently nowadays and he could only groan softly whenever it happened. The price of aging. He cleared his throat, and would begin reading.

“There was a time in Hyrule when the spirit of Darkness, Ganondorf, casted a daunting shadow upon the entire continent. No smiles were seen, as no joy could be felt. The souls of everyone contained a state of stillness. But the shadows always moved, and something would ignite in a man's soul one day.” Just like that, surprisingly, he was reading it perfectly, “At the time where the king stopped his orders, and the soldiers withdrew their swords, that one man, despite feeling the grapple of despair, still had the desire, the desire to pick up a sword and fight. One night, the feeling was instinctual. He ventured out of the palace, soldiers too caught up in darkness to stop him, and ventured out in the forest.

At the epicenter resided a rock, and embedded into its ancient crevices was the Sword That Carried The Hopes and Dreams of everyone, said to be crafted from the three goddesses themselves. It had not been seen for thousands of years at that point, so the sight was unbelievable. Yet, there it was, shining brighter than ever.

He laced his fingers around the grip, feeling a distant power coursing through his veins. The Master Sword coursing through his veins.

The Truth of the matter was that darkness resided in the hearts of everyone in the world, no matter how good they may seem. During the numerous conquests and wars, the man had seen so many people whose eyes reflected a tint of goodness. He even conversed with one for a night, falling in love with her despite being given the order to kill everyone in the village. But if he really went through with this, just what would his loyalty be? It would be stripped away, just as his life, and how could anyone, any soldier work with that?

Days passed, and he had broken his bond with the lady, killing her while she slept. Tears fell as he acted out the deed, but law above all else.

Albeit twisted, Wisdom was gained through that experience. The world was cruel, and deep within the depths of heart and law itself, he was a mere fraction of what made it so cruel.

Continuing his life as a soldier, he experienced the daunting isolation, knowing that the people would never truly know sacrifice. He couldn’t forgive himself after he finished his service with the deeds he had committed. These days, he was just an emotionless husk.

But was he willing to take the first step, and become anew? Perhaps it was easier to just wallow in that self-hatred, but it took real courage to move forward into the realm of atonement. The Master Sword recognized these properties, and granted him as worthy.

The path out of sin, and into heroism.

But the faces of the damned crept in and out, both from the past and the future where people argued, filled with nothing more than the anger that resided in their hearts. The killings, so horrific. So inhumane.

This couldn’t be how the world should be forever. 

There needed to be balance.

The day of reckoning came, and he stood face to face with the spirit of darkness. Initially, like always, he aimed to face the beast with the sword. But rising to the occasion now, he needed to face it with understanding.

He spoke, the sword glowing a brilliant light. “In the name of both light and darkness, I will protect this world.”

He was a legend soon to be forgotten, and that was fine. He was fighting for something greater than himself. The entire world. He slowly became corrupted by that darkness, the anger towards himself intensifying with the darkness creeping closer, but he kept getting back up. The light needed to shine.

A flash of almighty light slammed down the atmosphere covered in black as the sword was swung downward, a deafening roar coming out of the spirit’s mouth as it slowly began to fade. It would never die completely, for it resided in humanity, but light existed.

That was all that mattered.

His duty now fulfilled, he would fall over, the master sword dissipating into air as its purpose was now served. Death had brought him fulfillment, and he was free from the light and dark.”

Link was moved by the story, as he always was this specific kind of literature. Stories where the heroes prevailed no matter what, but he never really thought about what it was for. 

“How did he do it?”

“Did what?”

“Why did he move on despite everything? Is this suggesting that people can do that in real life too if a Spirit like that came about?” 

Taryon gave Link a chuckle as he closed the book, patting him on the head. “Well, probably not, but the story is less literal than you think, son.”

Link raised an eyebrow. “Well, I’m literally absorbing the information, right?”

A loud, booming laughter came from the man’s mouth, eyes closed and all. Link didn’t find anything particularly funny about his statements. Perhaps they were too literal? “Yes, when you look at it from, well, a literal perspective.” he said, getting in a few more slight chuckles. He returned with a smile.

“The point is... the strength of a hero is never just one part.”

Taryon was a major on Hylian philosophy and psychology. It made sense why he would think that way, and though not getting it completely, Link did enjoy learning new perspectives from him. He nodded in approval, giving him a soft smile. “I have no idea how you come up with these think pieces, but they sure are something, dad!”

“Ohoho, well, I’m just a man who thinks a lot.”

“How about it, Link?”

The voice of the Life Spirit was absolute.

And this time, he'd hear it out.

“A story… where the heroes push forward!”

He could feel something building up within the depths of his soul. It rumbled like the force of a volcano before lava rose into the visible sky. Looking at Mario’s face, full of fear, yet determination. He couldn’t doubt it…

Mario was a good person who did whatever he could to help someone, even if they were terrible. Despite his hatred for humans, that was something he couldn’t refute.

What kind of soul would I be if I just do nothing?

So what will you do?

I’ll stand up…

And then?

Try and help.

He hated this above everything else. The pulsing fear, the subtle betrayal of his ideals, and his body moving on its own, rushing forward towards his Agrona. She stopped and stared, fearing nothing of what he could do from her perspective. That glare shook Link to his core, and he almost stopped, but…

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐆𝐄, 𝐈𝐒—

—𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐀 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐘!

Instead of a sword manifesting. This time, it was a staff, a myriad of tiny diamonds fluttering into its incarnation; A staff built in the ancient days of Hyrule by the Sheikah when countries were undergoing a technological change!

It contained a slender, light-brown frame with the same pulsing light blue energy the blade of the Ancient short sword held. It was about eight feet in length, with the blade at the end fuming with the luminescent light blue glow, and sharp as an arrow.

It caught Agrona off guard, and yet, soul energy was still difficult to use, as it was almost all spent on destroying Star Road.

Mario couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “What are you doing?! Get outta here!”

“I can’t just stand there, and not return the favor!”

Those words felt disgusting. Mario couldn't believe what he had just heard. Did his words really rub off on Link that much?

Ha...

Mario wanted to move, but he was too weak. Meanwhile, Agrona readied the little soul energy she had in store, extending her hand out with decay imbued.

Link held the staff in his right hand, dodging swiftly to the right and moving into her blind spot.

Thrusting his arms into action along with his entire body with haste, running off pure adrenaline, he bashed her over the head with the end of the staff that held no blade! He went for another swing, but despite being stunned, anger was all above what Agrona felt.

She rolled forward, immediately flipping her body around to her opponent. A vein appeared over her forehead. “Humans flailin’ around, as insignificant as they are! Just succumb to my mercy, dammit!”

“My teammates aren’t foolish.”

A voice came from the left, and everyone turned in that direction. As they did, Mario smiled with glee; the one who stood right in front of a ripple in reality, behind him a scenery of a destroyed forest, was the dragon himself, Mizan, carrying an unconscious Yukan on his right shoulder while Ruyi Jingu Bang occupied the other hand which was close to his waist. The grin on his face, absurd. It’s time for that function, he thought. 

Chapter Text

Ruyi Jingu Bang was held at a length of eight feet.

Upon the closing of the ripple, Mizan carefully placed Yukan’s lifeless body onto the ground, and rolled up his sleeves, expecting this opponent to be significantly more dangerous than his last. His attention was drawn to Mario’s current condition. Above all thoughts of concern, he was more than happy to see his hypothesis have even the slightest hint of proof. He peered over at Link, surprised no injuries cursed his body. He knew for a fact that Link didn’t avoid any attack.

“Surprised you were able to defeat them after that Tetsuzanko. Consider me impressed.” He announced. “Your friend here granted me a little something, so expect more. But I ask, do you surrender?”

Truth is, I'm more than happy if you resist.

That would be difficult considering her condition. Now, it was a two on one, but unknowingly, Link was unsure whether or not he should continue his assault. Mizan was the only one here who could possibly match Agrona. Courage was beginning to lessen in the face of a new hope. He lowered his staff, backing away slowly. Why am I out here?

Mizan raised his staff and rested its upper half in his palm, awaiting the answer of Agrona. Her answer? No words, but her eyes held a swelling intensity under furrowed brows. It was beautiful to Mizan, seeing such frustration. His mind made up thousands of possibilities of what made her the woman she is today. “Is that a no?”

Agrona tightened her jaw, the leftover soul energy surrounding her going sporadic and difficult to control. This world still wasn’t so bright that she could achieve the sense of euphoria she always would, and then there were the pests before her. No matter what she did, an inconvenience prevented the kill. She cursed Yukan under her breath for creating the reality. Not that it mattered, her hair was messier than ever, causing another prevention to see clearly. 

There was no way she would be able to control her soul energy to use her functions with precision, but this day couldn’t go on unless someone died. 

Step.

Step.

Soul energy is often dictated by emotion, and when one feels an emotion so incredibly powerful it becomes the essence of their soul, that’s where emotion-type spirits could make their appearance. However, they didn’t just make an appearance. They could aid the user’s emotional attunement to soul energy.

I can’t be nuthin…

Not in this place!

Rage.

The spirit of rage hovered above her body like a Crimson god. Its shadow casted her in a dark red, just as it did the entire scenery. However, her tense blue eyes still shone, gleaming like one one spirits themselves. She took her foot back, the soul energy fueled by nothing but rage. Soon, rage became joy. She could finally release everything. Upon his gaze meeting the spirit of rage, he could only think back to the time he killed one of its kind. 

The question still rang in his head.

Why am I out here?

Did I really think I could make a change?

The beast became translucent as Agrona held her arms forward, her elbows slightly bent downward. The hands were close together, as if she was going to give him a round of applause. In reality, she was absorbing the rageful soul energy into a singularity, ready to be fired. Mizan stood there, awaiting it all, although Mario was shouting at him to move.

But it would be disrespectful to ignore one’s pain.

So, he would stand. 

Seeing those memories.

Not being able to kill. 

Her teammate was knocked out right in front of her.

Each built up was a need—no, a want. So unlike her.

She killed anyone, no matter if they were good or bad when they opposed her. But this rage was ever-growing and wouldn’t stop. The very framework of her soul felt unusual.

With duty, one loses their sense of emotion.

With emotion, what was important ceased to be actualized.

The ball of rage grew in and out, forming and reforming.

I am death.

But please, just this once.

Can I hate?

Can I feel?

As a child, she tried so hard to kill herself, but she was always healed. Deconstruction, and reconstruction. Creation, and destruction. A never ending cycle of suffering no matter what side was chosen.

Deep down in the depths she didn’t see through fully, if perhaps time was reset, and she would have to relive her life all over again. She would do it in the exact same fashion as last time.

Link could feel the hatred seething not only towards the world, but towards her own self. At that moment, it was as if everything came into being; a perfect understanding, and he closed his eyes, slowly backing away in shame. Humans…

The reason she killed.

The reason death existed.

If not, life wouldn’t have a purpose… 

So what was hers if she couldn’t do this one thing?

Despite it all, she saw the memories and felt the rage. There was always a reflection of humanity in the face of death, so was she herself dying? No…

Her mind nearly became lost, and rage amplified uncontrollably, until not even she could hold it any longer. The singularity became a wave of pure destruction, a beam that shunned the light of rage upon everyone in the vicinity, leaving as the soul to face the full brunt of it.

Or, he would’ve.

The light was blinding, but as everyone else could retract their hands from their faces, and see the truth of the sight before them, it was certain.

It did not hit Mizan, or even reach him.

It struck through Agrona herself, a bloody hole through her chest as the spirit of rage dissipated.

“I understand it now.” Mizan spoke softly, an almost sinister tint in his voice. “Anger that builds up with no release in the face of conflict. Unfortunately, I did not come just to win, I came here to understand, and you, you have helped me achieve something.”

Bloodied.

She couldn’t stop. Like before when facing Mario, she had nothing, and her movements would become sporadic. A rippling scream echoed throughout the false reality, her eyes unbelievable. She headed forth, nearly tripping on multiple occasions to her adventure towards Mizan. Unknown to her as opposed to the other two, Mizan wasn’t going to go easy on her.

They would begin their wayward, unorganized dance, Mizan constantly dodging her swipes aiming to scratch, and aiming for her legs with the staff. He twirled it with the fingers of his right hand, catching it with the left palm, adjusting it upright, and bringing it down like a sledgehammer with all his might!

But the pain didn’t matter. If it was just that, then Agrona would keep pushing. The staff kept on swinging, catching her at awkward angles and halting her momentum. 

“Extend, Ruyi!”

In an instant, Mizan was behind her, and the staff extended another six feet the moment she flipped her body around, pushing Agrona along with its growth into the giant tree at the center. She crashed into it with great force, ruining the already imperfect bark. She could feel the soul energy reconstructing, and in an act of desperation at Ruyi’s retraction, she would fire it—The First Function.

But all was the same.

It had only struck herself. 

She gazed upward, her eyes completely round.

And there Mizan was, standing afar with his staff planted behind his back along with his hands. His smile? Completely dishonest—more conniving than he had ever been throughout this entire fight. “When it comes to soul abilities, one should always be able to trust themselves with it.”

It was a bit risky using this move after using two modules due to soul energy, but that only meant that it could be reconstructed at an even greater level. This was the another mini function of the second function, a function so powerful it could be considered as a function itself, but only limited to Ruyi's extension. The ability to make a soul-ability strike the sender instead of the opponent. Funnily enough, many of his own teammates hated this move.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭, 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭.

不信任

[𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐓]

“Huh, never thought I’d see it again. Wánměi!”

Chapter End.

"THAT MOVE IS COMPLETE UTTER TOMFOOLERY! THAT'S WHY WE NEVER SPAR!" - Unicornera.

Chapter Text

Soul input, was the technique of flinging soul energy in specific directions to either increase the potency of a move or even use a new one. With Mizan's Distrust, the former had been achieved.

And with that, the battle had ended. 

Her own function had sliced her abdomen, a horizontal ripple appearing on her white shirt to reveal a ghastly, wide wound. Again, the anger she was the only thing she cared about. The grass had tiny bits of blood sprinkled upon it, but barely visible due to the shade.

Mario could finally bring himself to stand. He glanced over at Link, who would pause for a moment. Now that he actually went through with saving someone, he didn’t really know what to say, so he just stared back. His experience with Cloud rang in the back of his head; did he really save Mario because he was a good person, or was it merely instinct? Either answer seemed frightening. On the other hand, Mario wasn’t so willing to let it go so easily, but the tension was too high right now. He’d figured he’d talk to him about it later.

As for Mizan, he stood satisfied. He wanted more, but he accepted he wouldn’t get it here. His conniving smile relaxed, and he was back to a more formal expression. 

“Now, do you surrender?”

This time, don’t resist.

“I am death.” Yeah, like hell she was. All these targets and she had trouble killing just one. To Mizan’s dismay, she slowly stood up, releasing her back from the broken bark as blood oozed down her stomach and head. Her eyes reassessed the reality of the situation, and she just sighed. She wanted to kill something. Anything, at this point. But there was also this strange desire to sleep.

Mario took a step forward, wiping his brow. His bright blue eyes once again held a shadow over them. Don’t do this, he thought. Seeing her still carry on, Link couldn’t help but feel a little bad. Not for the stupidity, for the hatred kept her going. Obviously she wouldn’t let anything stop her, and it reminded him of Unicornera, whose hatred he had felt and even targeted subconsciously.  

She’s still going despite being out-numbered. 

He stared at his hands, the staff now gone with courage deactivated. Would I… become like that?

His heart sank, but only a little bit. It was foolish to compare himself to humans, of course. Or was it? Unfortunately, the life spirit wasn’t here to give him an answer right now. 

“Agrona…”

What? Upon hearing that voice in the form of a groan, Mizan’s gaze shot to his right, where presumably Yukan would be lying unconscious, but—

—he wasn’t there.

Link was alarmed to see him appear from what seemed to be out of nowhere at Agrona’s side. The error he felt when it occurred shook him to the core, and his eye would meet the storm once more. Again, there was hatred in Yukan’s eyes the small amount of time they exchanged looks.

Agrona groaned, her left arm suddenly being thrown over Yukan’s shoulder, and an arm wrapped around her back. Along with Agrona, he stood up, both of them scarred and all. “We should get outta here for now, we both can’t fight ‘em right now.” 

Unacceptable. “You lost to that fool? I would’ve—”

“We’re not gonna argue over this, dammit!” He interrupted, readjusting his grip and catching her from falling back again. “I get how much ya like killin’, but you’ll be killed if we don’t get outta here soon, and who’s gonna give me a perfect death when lady death herself is gone, eh?”

Agrona’s eyes touched upon a natural smile from Yukan, though he was clearly still in pain. As much as she hated to admit it, she did feel considerably warmer in the heart.

Heart?

With the third function of the gray immersion, which allowed for the rewriting of the reality involving the human anatomy. Wounds faded like mist on a hot day, their skin anew. 

“Hey!” Mizan frowned, “Why didn’t you do that with our fight?! We could’ve had a longer battle!”

“That’s what you’re concerned about?” Mario asked, sighing. More importantly, he couldn’t let these too escape, but he was still too weak to properly run. 

Snap.

Yukan snapped his fingers, opening another ripple in the tree’s place. This time, it reflected a different, unknown section of the same forest they resided in. The forest of Gaia. “Maybe next time, like ya said, martial artist.”

That stung, yes, not being matched to the best of his ability. But even Mizan could get tired at times, as he was now. “Very well then, sin-ridden man.”

“Mizan! Don’t let them escape–”

They were gone.

“COME ON!”

“They’re strong opponents. I can't have them captured.”

“Them being strong opponents is why we shouldn't let them go!”

“It's humorous how much we disagree with one another!”

While Mizan laughed, Mario just sighed. This guy is-a impossible.

With Yukan gone, the false reality could no longer be active because the user wasn’t in range to keep it alive, so it would crumble. Bits of the sky began their descent, slowly unveiling the true scenery. An elegant light shone through crackled, and trees, a bit higher this time, became visible. As the reality cracked, its remains dissolving upon hitting the floor, the one that caught their eyes the most was—

—The Tree of Gaia.

The sky was no longer dark, as the azure sky signaled morning times. It's morning already?! Mario thought, shocked. Mamma Mia, Lars probably knows I'm gone.

The Life Spirit came into being once more, landing on Link's shoulder and giving him a subtle smile, or it seemed. “The tree…” she said, “It's been damaged.”

It's talking again, thought Mizan. 

So that was what drew me to this place. But if that's true, then what about all the other Life Spirits? Why am I the only one? She thought, shaking her tiny head. She hadn't even questioned the new features she had gotten. I'm always so different. 

Everyone felt a pulsing majestic presence from the tree. Mario and Mizan knew what it was, though they'd never seen the tree up close. Mizan attempted, but unknowing of the direction, he would get lost numerous times.

“What could they possibly want with this thing?” Mario asked.

“Is this a tree for the spirit that controls this forest?” Asked Link, staring in awe.

The Life Spirit nodded its head.

“More so the entire land we're on, but there’s something even weirder.” Mario said. “Someone is supposed to be guarding it, buuut… it's not common for them to not do their job.”

The Life Spirit took flight from Link’s shoulder, floating over to the tree, analyzing its crevices. Her vision made way for a series of complex geometric shapes and roots, all of them etching towards the center where a giant body, its contents eerie and unknown, lay dormant. Most of all, there was horizontal gash inside it, and her mind instantly recalled the soul-ability of Agrona. They're trying to destroy this tree?

"Wow... you actually woke me up. Not that I’m impressed or anything."

The Life Spirit floated back a few feet.

Usually, the tree of Gaia was guarded by someone with a soul-ability to render a special defense around its territory. It's akin to Spirit Beasts, whereas instead of being born out of a concept many people believed or hated, they were born from the energy the spirits released themselves.

Lebenskraft.

The energy people could try and see to witness a spirit, or for better word, their Life Force, which dictated how long a spirit could live or how much damage it could take. Many lived for thousands of years. 

At times, the energy itself gained consciousness, resulting in a phenomenon like—

—Sylvara Bloomveil.

She yawned as her body emerged eerily from out of the tree, a perfect transition. Her deep brown skin contrasted with the cascading strands of vibrant pink hair that framed her face, and merged seamlessly beneath her chin, forming a natural collar of silky petals. Her eyes reflected the green of an emerald with a tint of a light-pink; Delicate vines wove through her hair like living adornments, their subtle glow pulsing with the rhythm of the ancient tree she called home, though for most of the time, it was her bed.

She wore a flowing dress woven from shining emerald-green leaves and soft petals, its form shifting gently with each movement as if it were alive, seamlessly blending with the natural world around her. 

Back in Hyrule, people spoke of something akin to tree people being sighted and terrorizing any hikers or explorers who roamed the forest he lived in. Seeing it actualized, it wasn't as unsurprising. 

“Wha… wha happened?” Her eyes were barely opened. Mario crossed his arms, shaking his head.

“You haven’t been guarding the tree.”

“Well, it's a comfy bed.” Sylvara argued, wiping her eyes and yawning again. “Man, that was a good nap, haven't slept for weeks on end in a while.” Her eyes focused a bit, but it was obvious she was still tired. “Anyway, I don't recognize you all. Oh, wait, I do recognize you.” she noticed Mizan, “Stop screaming so much in the forest, it makes it hard to sleep.”

Mizan grimaced.

“Yeah, and what are y'all doing out here, shouldn't y'all be asleep or whatever?”

“Now that you mention it, we probably should.” Mario said, “But I chose to follow my comrade and his… spirit.”

“Oh! You mean this cutie?” Sylvara looked at the life spirit examining her, floating all around her before eventually landing on the hand Sylvara extended outward. “Awww, well aren't you the prettiest thing? Haven't seen a spirit like you out here before.”

The life spirit didn't show emotion in her eyes. This felt considerably strange, not only being seen as some kind of pet, but even being patted on the head like one as well. This affection was different from what Link showed to other spirits, and she knew what it was. Perhaps that's why she felt indifferent towards it. Not that she knew for sure anymore, which bugged her. 

Link admired that, her ability to admire spirits. If anything, that seemed to wake her up more than seeing the three out here without supervision. Eventually, she stopped gushing over the Life Spirit, and turned to the three. “Y'all look beat up pretty bad, huh? What happened out there? Twenty seconds to speak, you!”

She pointed to Mario, who was more than willing to explain, but confused by the proclaimed timer. “Two people were snooping around out here, apparently, and they contained soul-abilities. I think they were trying to damage the tree.”

Ouchie! Sylvara cringed, No sympathy for the spirits anymore? Maybe that's why I didn't have a dream. Ugh, my back aches too.

“Hm, hm.” She nodded, the Life Spirit flying back over to Link Sylvara crossed her fingers. “Maybe I really should guard the tree more.”

Mario narrowed his eyes. “You think?”

“Well soon, you won't have time to think. You're about to pass out in three…”

“Wait, huh?”

“Two?”

“What are you…”

“One.”

It was sudden, yes, but Mario felt his vision become increasingly blurry. How could he forget? The amount of soul energy used in the average fight between soul-abilities, and especially in a fight like that was sure to make anyone tired. He fell flat on his face, to Link’s confusion. 

His hat still remained on.

You must have been fighting hard out there, huh? Mizan wondered, staring at the unconscious Mario. The thought of their next battle gave him anticipation like no other. Another chance to possibly test his ability at the maximum against the objectively stronger soul. He assumed, or hoped that Link as well, had furthered his understanding of himself, becoming stronger.

The use of two modules and Distrust itself would cause Ruyi Jingu Bang to dissipate into green mist, and Mizan would meet the same fate as Mario.

Link felt incredibly tired, though he wasn't that involved in the main battle. Oh, right, fighting those spirits.

The last sight he witnessed before fainting was Sylvara approaching him with a smile. Stopping, then waving him goodbye. She seemed awfully cheery when doing so.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

The Headquarters of the second team was awfully silent. Noctis seemed to be the only one awake, leaning against the balcony of the upper floor, looking out towards the landscape filled with endless trees. It curved around the right side of the building just by a bit to where there was essentially another, smaller balcony.

He assumed that everyone else was still asleep, and here he was, thinking aimlessly about the final event. Mizan will be a pain to deal with there. If I want to fight him, I'll have to keep away from him as far as possible, he thought, Wait, oh right, the second event's a few days away for our team. I should probably worry about that.

He placed his elbow on the balcony, resting his right cheek against his palm. “Damn, I'm never up this early.” He felt incredibly tired.

“It's nice, dont'cha think?”

A familiar voice boomed from the door behind him. It sounded so dramatic, you'd think the person saying it would be in some kind of stage play. Well, in a sense, he was. Stepping onto the balcony, a long, wooden stick in hand, was...

𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐑𝐔 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐁𝐄

He wore a light brilliant gamboge ensemble, and a top hat of the same colored which sat peacefully on top of light-brown, long hair that extended to the upper half of his back; with the ensemble came a gold-trimmed that would shimmer like liquid-amber all the time, as if he was constantly under stage lights, its coattails curling ever so slightly. A deep, obsidian tie shone with a purple glint, resting against a ruffled silk shirt, just what was with all the sparkles? No one ever knew, or questioned it.

With pristine gloves, he straightened his ensemble as he moved closer, walking with polished midnight boots with golden buckles, their pointed tips curled ever so slightly, which all tapered seamlessly with long pants the same color as the ensemble. Those flashy green eyes of his were ever so daunting.

Noctis sighed, turning over to him to witness his dramatic stance, his back leaning against the balcony, while a hand tipped his hat down slightly. “I guess,” Noctis said, turning back to the scenery. “But waking up early sucks, y'know?”

“Well, there's no time like the present.” Takeru said, “Besides, I have a feeling this is gonna be quite the spectacle.”

“Yeah. Whatever that means.”

“I'm quite the fortune teller, you know?” Takeru said, tossing a yellow coin into the air. They were from the Mushroom Kingdom. “Say, Noct, wanna hear a fortune?”

Noctis sighed, “Fortune of what?”

“The event, the outcome of the Goodwill event, future quests, if we save the world or not. You name it, I know it.” Takeru said, giving him a wink.

Normally, Noctis wouldn't be so cranky towards Takeru's foolishness, but rarely did he ever wake up so early. Despite it all, he was going to have to get used to working with hum today, so now would be a good time to spark a friendly relationship. “Sure then, why not?”

“What is the topic of fortune we're dealing with?”

“What we're gonna do days from now.”

“Alright then.” He took on a serious expression, letting go of his hat and stroking his imaginary beard. He analyzed the position of the light of the sun, its meaning, and the current time. “We win, but do the minimum.”

Noctis chuckled. “Yeah, sounds just like me.”

“But it's actually we.”

“Funny way of saying you underestimate us.”

“I don't underestimate us, per say.” Takeru said, looking over at Noctis. “But I don't underestimate the power of fate.”

Noctis shook his head, chuckling even more. “Me either, Takeru. Me neither.”

“You two!”

Unicornera burst onto the scene, snorting as she came through the door. “Mizan, have you seen him yet?”

“To your dismay, your villain hasn't arrived yet.” Said Takeru.

“No sign of him.” Noctis answered, “Strange, he's usually here by now, unbelievably awake and what not.”

Unicornera let out a disappointed sigh. Though not what was usual, it wasn't unreal to believe. “Well, of course the runt becomes unreadable when it comes to a quest.” she said, “Well, whatever, the teacher isn't awake, and Reina hasn't returned…”

“Welp, guess that means more downtime for us.” Said Noctis, stretching his arms overhead. “I’m going back to bed.”

Unicornera snarled at him, expecting his laziness and allowing him to pass by. Turning over to Takeru, she would find him gone; he was already a considerable distance away from her, over to the semi-balcony that curved to the right side. Occurrences such as this happened often, so she didn’t bother to question, and flew away, taking her ‘resting’ place on the very top of the building, overseeing everything.

In the far east of the forest, closest to Gaia.

The Akai clan in Japan specialized for building the structures for Spectrals, and this was one of them.

The grand courtyard sprawled across the mist-laden grassy mountains, its towering crimson and curved eaves creating a distinct defense of the Apothecaries and Healing buildings that filled the stone pathways. The sun’s golden and graceful gaze gleamed the textures and stone pathways as they wove through the courtyard in a delicate and deliberate, widening manner, their surfaces branching towards the Apothecaries. Inside of those Healing structures contained rooms lined with rough cedar shelves, which claimed an earthly musk.

The paper-paneled doors fluttered with each subtle breeze, and all was felt through the three heavy dark green shivering and unyielding painted steel. They framed the sunlight in rigid streaks across the polished floors built in ancient stone, and sunlight would finally reach the eyes of the once unconscious Hylian boy, as he laid back first onto the bed that laid low and firm, its straw-stuffed mattress wrapped in faded silk, carrying a scent of crushed herbs, brushed up against the corner of the room.

Like last time, his attire was different. A bandage was wrapped neatly around his forehead, and he wore a light-blue gown. He stared aimlessly at the ceiling, confused, and all the memories rushing back to him. Another day, and still feel so conflicted. He arose, exposing the upper half of his body.

“Psst, Link.” A familiar voice whispered.

He turned his head to the left, seeing Mario in the same outfit as him, sitting up in his bed. Strangely enough, he hat was still on. “Glad to see ya awake.” he said, holding his right hand up in a manner to greet. Link acknowledged him, but stared at his hands shortly after. He was here because of his actions, and for some reason, it didn’t feel nearly as bad.

“Finally woke up, Pisano!” Mario said, “Everything feels alright?”

“I don’t feel hurt or anything, but It seems strange that it’s all finally over.” Link responded, “Felt like we’d never get outta there.”

What was this feeling?

He felt like there was something that needed to be said. All in order to burn away this aching feeling unknown to him. This beating of his heart that arose from it, he couldn’t just hold it in. But to suppress was to bury that away.

Yet, there was a figment of his imagination that spoke in a deep and brooding voice. 

Say it.

“Mario!” His voice was tense.

“Hm?”

Almost as if it wasn’t to his accord, he spoke the words. “Thank you, and I’m sorry!”

Why? Why did he say those words, and why did it lift that weight off his chest. Thinking back to what he did back there. No, everything. Was it truly right?

Mario exhaled subtly, giving Link a sincere look.

I shouldn’t have let him get involved, he thought to himself, clenching his fists. And that girl…

I couldn’t…

He stopped his thoughts before he got too wrapped up in the head. “Remember our talk about Lasagna, Pisano.” he said, “We’re all still finding our way here. No need to be sorry. I should be the one apologizing, though. I should’ve been able to stop her.”

Right before the Final Function shattered, Agrona spoke words that he kept on remembering, an echo in his head. 

“Keep on tryin’ to be good, but you know why the third-hundredth Strongest of the universe reigned all them years ago. The people who came after ‘em, Jin and Lars, they all have a kind heart. But Levant reigned because he wasn’t afraid to crush those beneath him.

You'll eventually have what it takes, why don’tcha just do that?"

It angered him like no other.

“I guess you have a point.” Link hesitated, but found himself nodding eventually. “Say, I heard it.”

“Heard what?”

“You tried to convince that girl back there; you tried to reason with her.” Link answered, “Why? She tried to kill us.”

Mario’s face softened even more. “Well, I always try to consider all possibilities, even when it seems impossible.” he said, “But in the end, I don’t think we could come to a compromise. Unlike her, I didn’t choose the path of killing despite what I went through.”

You’re very… compassionate.

He had been seeing it for the first time in many years these past two days, and it felt as nice as it did bad. Mario was honorable, though in Link’s eyes, he was quite naive at times. What was the point of saving someone too far gone?

“I see…”

Well, before that question could be answered, the crimson door to the room would burst open, revealing Slyvara Bloomveil, and Lars Alexssandson, and to both of the young Spectrals' dismay, he did not look particularly happy.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

Slyvara was the first to step in front of the room, her presence ethereal. She still looked tired, above all else. She first lay eyes upon Link, who was more impressed by her appearance with them being in a greater light. Mario tried his absolute hardest to stare at Lars’ disappointed gaze, but it was undeniable.

“Found these two and that other one by my tree, all bruised and stuff.” Said Slyvara, “They said that some people were messing with it, but I didn’t feel anything.”

Lars nodded, “Well, you need to be awake to actually feel it.”

“But it’s so hard to stay awake for weeks!” Slyvara whined, pouting, shaking her fists. “Besides, nothing ever happens in this forest.”

“Well something did happen.” Lars corrected, only furthering her annoyance. He then focused his complete attention to Link, then Mario. “You of all people understand that insubordination isn’t acceptable, but I know this couldn’t have been without a reason.”

“It’s more up to Link to explain, but basically, I tried to give him his plate after he didn’t eat during the event. It dissolved into something more complicated which led to him heading into the forest, and I followed to protect him. We met Mizan along the way, and let him tag along over some weird offer.” Mario explained.

Link would then speak his piece, leaning forward where he sat. “This may sound unusual to you, but there’s been this Life Spirit tagging alongside me ever since I got here. No idea if you’ve seen it, but it looks like—” He cut himself off. He didn’t want to give them the full picture, even though there was a possibility that Mario may stand up and object. No telling what they might do. “—most of the other Life Spirits. A bright, blue or green light that flies around. Since it’s attached to me, I was wondering where it was heading without my accord, and it was heading to the forest. Of course, that’s when we went there.”

Lars took a moment to process that information, while Slyvara's eyes opened and closed. “Well, I can tell you had good intentions. But please, if something like that happens again, be sure to call a superior such as myself for help. The blame partially falls on me. I shouldn’t have introduced you to the Spectrals so loosely, but that’s besides the point.” He said, almost relieved to get that off his chest. “Now, as for the people messing with the tree. Mizan himself told us about someone by the name of Yukan. We tried to recruit him years ago, but he denied the offer, and even seems to hold resentment towards souls such as myself, and you two.”

“It definitely seemed that way.” Link said, “He showed a hint of resentment towards me specifically. I don’t think he noticed Mario at all.” 

“Well, it shows he does have some insight into Spectral history. Usually, those with unregistered soul-abilities or those who refuse to join are monitored by the Spectrals themselves, so it doesn’t make sense how we didn’t know he was or still could be in the vicinity.” Lars said, “Also, there was another, yes?”

“Indeed.” Mario said, his voice tense as he tightened his grip on the cover. “She seemed no older than me; though, the difference between us was that she was more determined to kill if anything. The entire nature of her soul-ability was to-a kill, and bring destruction. I even tried to see through it with my final function, but—” He stopped for a moment, remembering. “—I couldn’t get a read on her."

Lars noticed the look in his eyes. “What did she look like?”

“Long, pink hair, blue eyes, and wearing a pink, long-sleeved jacket.” Mario said, trying to imitate the appearance with hand movement. “She seemed to know about Spectral history, too. She even mentioned Levant to me when she broke through my Final Function.”

Levant’s history was very ancient, and not one many Spectrals studied or knew about. All you really needed to know was that he was one of the strongest souls before Jin and Lars, and that his view on what his soul represented wasn’t the ideal morale.

Lars remembered learning about Levant through reading history books surrounding him in the Heavenly Bureau, which also specialized in Spectral history, and those with soul-abilities not recruited, and he knew everything. “In the meantime, I’ll head to the Heavenly Bureau and see if I can find information on her. Again, if you go through with something like this again, please be sure to inform me. I was able to shorten the consequence significantly after countless pleading to Master Hand, but next time, I might not able be to do anything.”

They both nodded.

“Yes sir.” Mario said.

“Their injuries were funny, but at least Link healed quickly with the green mushroom. He should be up to move right now.” Said Slyvara. 

Funny? Link questioned, moving his arms around a bit in search of pain. As expected, there was none, and he felt incredibly more free. 

“As for Mario, he’ll have to stay here for the rest of the day. The use of a Final Function and Mechanical and Chemical breakdown leads to a disruption of soul energy can lead to a disruption of the body. Try moving and you’ll feel as loose as a vine.”

Mario grimaced at that information. He wouldn’t be able to protect Link from any harm from the other team, which seemed likely. The bright side was, he didn’t have to see Rosalina or be a victim in her plans. 

Lars gestured for Link to stand up, and so he would. Then, he gave Slyvara a command: To be more active near the tree to be on the lookout for any more. She reacted exactly how he expected, a whiny groan.

One more look at the person he saved, and he then followed Lars out of the room. Slyvara stayed with Mario, taking Link’s bed and sitting on the side.

Before they knew it, they had already entered the courtyard. Link found that he really had underestimated the sheer size of the buildings around him. They seemed even more heavenly and elegant in the sight of the sun when one stood on the ground. 

The two walked straight across a stone-pathway. Unlike the others, this one did not branch to an Apothecary, nor did its textures; but it did lead to a large, stone opening; the stone stopping abruptly in the face of the grassy lands extending all the way up to the mountains, standing high and tall. It was more of a circular area, extending outward at least forty feet, just as it was forty feet in length.

Where the stone outfield ended in the face of the grass, stood a shrine. Its red, wooden pillars seemed rough, for the light of the sun brough the viewer its utmost attention.

The entire surface showed the tugging of time, with the roof covered in a cover of moss. In the slight breeze, the tattered paper on the sides, and hanging below the roof, swayed side to side. 

“It’s all new to you, isn’t it?” Lars said, stopping where the view was at its fullest. “Moving away from your normal life into such a busy and mythical environment.”

Link hesitantly made eye contact with Lars. “Yeah.” He said, and no more. For a moment, he reminisced of his old life in the forest, the feeling of regret building up as he recalled never catching that Pokemon he’d seen days prior. Hell, he missed even the little things, like looking at the grass for hours, and feeling the breeze of the wind, hearing its howl in the distance as the world seemed quiet. Was there really no going back?

“It was like this for me too.” Lars said, scanning the scenery. “Without the Strongest being around, I guess souls themselves wouldn’t have something to worry about, like the world ending. Back then, there wasn’t a choice for all kinds of souls in the face of recruitment. The world had ended at that time.” Even he was reminiscing. It caught Link off guard, admittedly. “Link, do you know who the previous Strongest was?”

Link shook his head. “Not at all.”

“The contenders for the Strongest souls are born in this place known as Skyworld when the world is in peril. Though, nowadays, it’s been turned into a sports site, shamefully. There were two ways to beat all the other Strongest souls, and that was to either pull off a Final Function first, or if one’s understanding is so great, they’d even pull off a Final Module. This impresses the Spirit of Judgement, who sets these rules, and Jin performed the former, pulling off a Final Function.” Lars explained. He had a slight smile on his face while doing so. “If you’re lucky, the person who achieved the title of the strongest can also pass their future titles onto one of the contenders; of course, that’s why I’m here.”

Final Module? Link thought. Is that what Mario did earlier? No, that was a... Final Function, right?

“So, this Jin person, what exactly was he like?” Link asked, quite invested.

Lars’ face seemed to soften up a bit. It was strange, seeing this human side of him. “He was a brave and noble man, who conquered, but never forgot his sins.” 

“Sins?” Link asked, remembering the story told by his caretaker. “What sins?”

“Sins any ‘higher soul’ would make.” Lars answered, “The loss of humanity to power, killing of souls, and even betraying the people he once knew.”

Could it be…

“So, why do you consider him a great man?”

Lars turned. “Because sins do not define the soul.” He said.

Maybe. Link noted.

“Enough talk. Seems like I made the same mistake as before, so I’ll let you experience it.” Lars said, looking back over at the shrine. He then put a hand over Link’s shoulder, giving him a reassuring smile. “You don’t have to figure everything out just yet. The team won’t be doing much for the next few days, so use this time carefully. Build bonds with your comrades, and the world won’t seem so complicated.”

“I’ve connected with Mario quite a bit, though I don’t think I meant to.” Link said, his pupils glowing faintly. “It’s weird already, but then, that life spirit of mine is always nagging at me, so whether it’s fortunate or not, I don’t think I have a choice.” 

Lars nodded, removing his hand off of Link’s shoulder and walking in front of him, kneeling down to where their faces met an equilibrium. He raised his fist, and softly tapped Link’s heart with it. “I told you this path is sure to lead to self-destruction, or self-reformation. Perhaps that puts quite the amount of pressure on you.” He said, “But, that depends on how you view the Spectrals going forward. As you grow, so does your soul. Life isn’t perfect, but that doesn’t mean that joy can’t be found. I hope you take this to heart.”

The weight of so much felt at ease, but only a tiny bit. He still had to kill spirits, and dabble in humanity, confusing him even further. But if there was joy, and he found it, perhaps so much more would feel free. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Good.” Lars stood up, moving his body to the side and pointing at the shrine ahead. “You can go ahead, now.”

“What is that?”

“A Shrine.” Lars answered. “Think of them as checkpoints for areas we cover, both here and the real world. This one connects back to our headquarters, but I’ll remain here in case you get stuck.”

He readied himself, exhaling before walking straight down the stone opening. Upon the arrival of the shrine, he took a chance to really think about how much he had learned, remembered, and how much his perspective had changed. I’m still in a stage where I don’t even think this is real or not. Mario, Mizan, Sonic, they all seem to have something to keep them going, but what about me? 

Right, I'm still finding my way around.

Reality seemed to be a blur within the confines of the wooden pillars. It seemed to spiral into a singular point, and when you put your hand through, it sent out waves across its transparent form as if a splash of water. Everything is so confusing, but I guess such is life.

After a while, he finally managed to put his body through the portal, creating an evil bigger splash within the twisted reality. Expecting a wave of chaos to ensure, nothing happened. He was there, standing just outside of the headquarters’ front door. No one else was outside, as they still slept in their tents, and not a single soul from within made a sound. After scanning the area with hesitation, he would finally place his hand on the doorknob—

—Then, he twisted it.

Chapter End

Chapter Text

The second floor of the first headquarters building also contained beds, but for some reason, very few bothered to sleep up there. Perhaps It was easier to get outside through just sleeping on the first floor, but for people like Meralin, that didn’t concern her. The room itself was plain, square-like, and essentially a wider version of the room beneath it. With no lamp, the light from the sun acted as the room’s light.

There were a few additions, such as a series of shelves in the right corner, where the rows of beds separated, before separating for the final times in the face of the door. The top shelf contained Meralin’s art supplies, while the one below it contained Beliona’s case for her instrument.

By far, the most daunting addition was a white vase with a series of red dots, which contained sleeping three Piranha Plants.

“Do NOT wake them up.” Said a bold writing on the wall where it resided.

By the sunrise, they would have to be placed outside, very carefully, unless you wanted your head bitten off. Of course, the only teammates who would do such an act were the people who brought them in in the first place: Mario and Yoshi.

To Meralin’s misfortune, Mario wasn’t here to do that, and heavens knew where Yoshi was, because he only ever did it once. Due to this, she had to rummage through her art supply cautiously.

Stupid Dinosaur! Why of all times must you be late when I actually want to draw something?

She could curse all she wanted at him, but that wouldn’t change the reality. She still had to persevere. Slowly, grumpily, she slowly opened the self, a single paper and a pen unfolding before her eyes. Sound was made, but it was too little for the Piranha Plants to wake up. She managed to remove the paper and pen carefully; the paper in her left, while the pen resided in her right. 

She took the pen, walked to the room’s center, and began to draw an outline of something in the air.

A construct.

A wooden chair, appearing into existence right in front of her. Soul energy, this time coming in the form of liquid, dropped from her pen, immediately disappearing as it touched the ground.

Then, she did it once more; this time, it was a medium sized wooden table, about half the size as the ones in the main room. The amount of soul energy drooping from her pen was even greater, but she would quickly take advantage of constructs created. She sat down on the chair, firmly laying her paper onto the table. She lifted her pen, no longer drooping with soul energy, and placed it onto the paper. With that, artistry began.

Before she knew it, she had already become lost in the smooth weaves of the pen. Creation spirits, coming in the form of sprouting, tiny glowing hands, surrounded the floor and table. Ah, how good it felt drawing something that wasn’t being used as a requirement for a quest. Not that she disliked it completely, for it did make them more valuable in an objective sense, but she viewed value in art to be subjective. 

Times like these are when the team wouldn’t dare interfere. When Meralin was in the process of sketching, she merely closed her eyes and let her hands do all the work, trusting in that artistic instinct of hers. It felt surprisingly refreshing doing so every morning. Lars had heavily recommended it, and boy was it a wake-up call.

In just two minutes, she was done, and creation spirits dispersed in a golden flash. The drawing depicted a knight with no particular nationality. He stood still in place as he stood on his horse, staring out into the stone-ridden landscape that told the tales of wars. The clouds above bore a dark presence, like volcanic ash spewed into the air, and all that resided below was a brooding, stone temple, its roots traced to a small mountain that held it steady. It wasn’t her best work, nor exactly what she imagined it to be, but it was—

—What was this? Where the clouds remained, there seemed to be a swirling bundle of darkness that seemed out of place. She didn’t remember drawing that, not at all.

Not. Again.

Stop.

She flipped the paper over, dropping the pen. As it hit the floor, the table and chair would disappear. Luckily, she was standing up anyway.

“Um, Meralin?”

A soothing voice hovered through the room, and Meralin would turn to the entrance to see Roy standing there, leaning against the wall, showing the top of the wooden stairs, and the lamp that hung above it all. His eyes were quite droopy. “Everything alright?” He asked, taking a step into the room. “I waited for your drawing to finish so I could get a word in. No one else seems to be awake.”

Meralin nervously chuckled at him, picking up the paper on the floor and curling it into a ball, which she would hide behind her back. “Nothing much, it’s fine!” She said, “It was just an unsatisfying drawing, that’s all.”

“Apologies for that.” Roy said, taking note of her strange behavior. “A good friend of mine told me that art is most of the time never what you had in mind. But I truly hope you don’t resent it. It’s your art piece after all.”

Though comforting, Meralin internally refuted. She did hate that art. “Such wisdom.” She said, “Say, you haven’t held onto our promise a few days ago!” That more cheery version of her came back, her eyes sparking.

She was referring to the history of Roy’s hometown, of course. “I’ve been busy mastering the path of the sword for the final event.” He said, “But I will be sure to make time for the obscure history lesson. In return, I desired to ask, will you be aiding me in training with your soul-ability? I need to get this Final Function as prepared as it can get.”

Meralin nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes! My construction will be sure to provide help!”

“MARIOOOOOOOO!”

A high-pitched, playful voice turned feral boomed from downstairs, waking almost everybody up except for Donkey Kong of course. Meralin and Roy looked at each other, shrugging. “Well, It would seem someone is up now.”

Curious to investigate, the two would make their way downstairs, meeting the tired face and groans of those who resided in the lower bedroom. After making their way through there, they would finally reach the center, where Yoshi was right in Link’s face. The light of the sun shone more brightly now.

“Link!” Meralin remarked, but her words were to avail. Link’s brows were knitted together like tangled threads, his lips slightly parted as he stared the one before him right in the eye.

“MARIO! MARIO! WHERE IS HE?! YOSHI MUST KNOW”

“Listen.” Link would try to speak. “Me and him, we got in a—”

“WHAT?! DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH HIS DISAPPEARANCE?! I ALWAYS KNEW YOU NEW MEMBERS WERE TROUBLE!”

“What could you guys possibly be shouting this early for?” Sonic came from out of the bedroom, rubbing his tired eyes. 

Link didn’t know exactly what to respond with now. First off, that assumption was just so flat out wrong that he didn’t even know how to refute it, and secondly, he wasn’t being given a chance to speak. “I, um…”

“JUST TELL ME WHERE MARIO IS, YOU—”

“That is enough.”

Fox McCloud, along with the other members of the team with the exception of Almos, entered the room. Unlike the rest, he didn’t seem nearly as tired. “It’s strange, though. Mario’s usually the first one of us up, so why isn’t he here?”

“Well if this… spirit beast just gives me a chance to explain, then I will.” Link said, backing away from Yoshi. 

He sat down at the last seat of the table to the right of the room, the sunlight reflecting off his blonde hair. With all eyes on him, some of confusion, and some of disdain, he would explain the events of what happened that night, and after he was done…

“Wait, lemme get this straight, you fought someone else with a soul ability? A rogue?” Fox asked, leaning forward as he sat five seats away and across the table from him.

Link merely nodded.

“Oh, bad guy!” Kirby said, his voice soft and aggressively child-like.

“First night and already an altercation against a dangerous foe. You’re getting experience already, my friend!” Sonic said, smirking.

“Not a good thing.” Beliona said, “You should have at least told Lars about it first.”

No fun. Sonic thought.

“Lars told me that too.” Link said, staring down, avoiding Yoshi’s glare. “Thinking about it now, perhaps I should have. Then again, I can’t let a Spirit’s worrying be left unchecked.”

Fox tilted his head.

Oh. So he’s one of those people. 

“And Mario—” Roy spoke up, “—What of his condition?”

“That tree lady said he’ll be staying at that place I mentioned before. Not sure of what it’s called.” Link said. Again, there was that weight on his chest. “I didn’t mean for both of us to get hurt…”

“Well, at least he’s still alive.” Fox McCloud said, standing up and stretching. “Take it as a chance to reflect on your actions. I ain’t gonna get on your neck for it since you’re new, but if you do something like this again, be prepared.”

Link didn’t know if that was a compliment or a threat. “Um, yeah.”

“Well, now that that’s settled—”

“This isn’t settled.” Yoshi said, cutting off Sonic, holding a finger right in Link’s face. Link stared at it, essentially staring at his nose. “Yoshi won’t accept you as a teammate until ya show Yoshi you aren’t an enemy!”

Link hardened his gaze. He felt a bit closer with Mario now, but it seemed others were closer, and even more obnoxious. 

No words being said, Yoshi would finally walk outside, leaving a deafening thud as he slammed the door. Silence lingered across the room for a moment, and it got to a point where it was getting too awkward to bear. 

“Best be wary of him, Link.” Roy said. “In the meantime, we’re free to do whatever we desire, though training is recommended.”

“I don’t get it.” Link said, shaking his head. “Why does Mario mean so much to him?”

Unbeknownst to many others, Donkey Kong sat with his large chin resting on his right fist, pondering about… something? What came next was an even greater shock. “Due to the affection Yoshi showed Mario after his unfair abandonment in the face of his ‘failures’ as a doctor, both contain a particular fondness for one another, even considering themselves father and son.”

Silence.

Again.

Everyone looked at him in shock. Not often did he say something with such profoundness.

“What?” Donkey asked, analyzing the gazes of everyone. “DK can be smart sometimes. Like for example: Eight plus Five is Nine–”

“Yeeaaahhhh we get the gist of it.” Sonic said, trying not to laugh. “Anyways, anyone up for a race?”

Fox McCloud’s eyes held a glint. “I’d be down.”

“You lose every time, c’mon!” 

“My father is one of the fastest Spectrals in history!” Claimed Fox, “I’m just… a late bloomer, soon to bloom. As in, today.”

“Alright then—”

A diversion!

“Think fast!”

A blue blur dashed across the room, bursting the door open and shutting it just as fast. “Agh! Not again!”

Wasting no time, hastily readying himself, he would sprint out of the door! A purple flash was left behind in his steps as he made his way outside!

“Sister!” Meralin called out, catching Beliona’s attention. “If it’s not too much trouble, do you mind teaching me how to hold my bow properly?”

“You still don’t get it?”

“The quests have been piling up on me, sis! It’s difficult to remember!” Meralin’s eyes resembled that of a puppy as she whined. “Please?”

Beliona couldn’t reject her smile, and eventually found herself nodding. “Fine, fine!”

“Yay!”’

“Kirby.” Roy called, searching the room for his tiny teammate. To his amusement and foolishness, he was standing right besides his right leg, staring at him with those gleaming eyes of his. “Would you like to seek any optional quest?”

“Poyo!” A tiny star appeared above him and left as quickly as it came. And yes, Poyo was a word Kirby used for approval.

Cloud had already head outside, giving Link one final glare before going out to whatever he set out to do, and Donkey Kong just—

—He disappeared?

It all made sense when the thump sound of the window hit. Everyone else went off to do their respective things, and Link sat there; alone, drowning within his thoughts. It seemed both him and Mario were more similar than he initially thought.

Chapter End 

Chapter Text

There was quite literally nothing to do for Link, and he could only imagine how Mario felt sitting in that hospital. Maybe I should go outside and get some fresh air. I don’t have anything to do now. Yeah, that sounded nice, but from the looks of it, there were people outside, most of them walking eastward, no one from the two teams involved. Maybe I should just stay inside. Meralin and her sister are doing something upstairs, right? Maybe I’ll check that out later.

He remembered Sonic saying that the bedroom was within these doors, and he connected the dots from earlier. He took a step inside, surprised at the structure of the beds. What the… 

He slid his hand across the wood of the bunk beds, and then touched the mattress. “How in the world do people sleep on these things?” He said, “Wouldn’t the bed above falling be a massive, yet likely hazard?”

He could imagine it perfectly. Someone like Sonic sleeping under the bunk bed of Donkey Kong. Connecting the dots now, once again, and there was quite the unruly outcome. It made him shiver, but he reminded himself that it wasn’t reality. If for some reason the tents weren’t available to sleep in, Link would most likely have to sleep in these, and if he did, he would most certainly choose the top bunk. “Let’s see how this feels.” He climbed up the small, wooden ladder and laid his body onto the top bed, his hair spreading as the back of his head rested against the pillow. 

It was quiet, and oddly, Link valued that, yet missed the commotion just by a tiny bit. It felt surprisingly comfortable, laying back first onto the bed. The fabric below holding it together seemed to do its job better than he expected. He exhaled calmly, and just laid there for a moment. It felt better to process events when there was peace. Trying to forget would be futile in more ways than one, for he still had Mizan to worry about. Looking back on his conversation with him, he couldn’t help but acknowledge that he did have quite the interesting mind. 

Below me, huh?

He may be right, but not in the way I consider it.

Yet, I can’t even see the spirits anymore.

“Thinking again?”

Instinctively, a shallow breath hitching his throat, his entire body arose. He knew that voice from anywhere, but it didn’t lessen the shock. He turned to his right to see the Life Spirit, its features the same as before as she hovered in the air. “I’m always here to answer your questions, you know that?”

Link shook his head, turning his gaze downward, his heartbeat slowing down. “You come at the most convenient times, and never the inconvenient times.” He said, “What must I do to be granted assistance?”

“Well, just call out what I am.” The Life Spirit shrugged her tiny shoulders. “A Life Spirit, yes?”

“Well, that would seem too-one noted.” Link said, “What about the other Life Spirits? If they mistake me for calling them, then things can get messy.”

“I see.” The Life Spirit nodded, hovering over to Link’s left shoulder. “Perhaps, a name would suffice?”

“What kind?”

“I don’t know.” Replied the Life Spirit. “I’m your spirit, after all, I think you should give me a name.”

Link took a moment to ponder. He had never named a spirit in fear that they may have names of their own already, the same with Pokemon. He didn’t want it to seem as if he owned them, or anything of the sort, but this time it was a favor, so he was free to do so. So what would he name her?

“Hm…”

In Hylian linguistics, prefixes typically carry meanings tied to time, spirits, and emotions.

“Sylra–”

Still.

Represents stillness, serenity, or something unchanged.

“–theya.”

There.

Represents presence, endurance, or something steadfast.

At the cleverness of the name, Sylratheya cracked a blue, gleaming smile. “Quite the long name.” She said, “The combination of two Hylian prefixes. How clever. I like it very much. Sylratheya, huh? Touchey.”

Link noticed something strange, albeit he was glad to please the spirit. “You seem surprisingly happy about this.” He noted.

“You think?” Sylratheya asked, smirking. “Have I not shown amusement before?”

“Never.” Link said, “Your tone is often harsh and your words are not easy to digest.”

The bluntness caught her off guard, but she continued smirking, showing a slight discomfort in her transparent blue eyes. “Now you make it sound like I’m rude.” she said, “I consider myself as refusing to hold back with my words, for they are the truth.”

 “Perhaps.”

“They were, were they not?” Asked Sylratheya, “That’s why you jumped into action yesterday.”

Link furrowed his brows. “Wait, what did you say?”

Sylrartheya chuckled, and started to float away, zipping past his face as she began to fade.

“Oh, by the three!” He huffed in frustration. “What did you say?!” Link demanded, but he got no answer, only a smile, and—

“See you next time, Link.” and it was followed by the disperse and quick fading of her light, and her. 

There he was again, angry at the Life Spirit’s words which were sure to be absolute. Can't believe I'm even the slightest bit angry towards a Spirit. The only one I can properly see now, I might add.

Then it clicked. Often in the forests, to ease frustration, he would play that ocarina of his, though intentionally, it was never meant for that specifically in the first place. It held another purpose, to call and calm spirits, which he did two days prior. Most importantly, it soothed his soul.

Upon taking out his Orcarina, unfazed despite everything that happened, he put the mouthpiece into where it should be, and took a deep breath, muttering words of annoyance. Finally, he would begin playing. 

One lesson he always knew is that if the Orcarina sounded like a whistle, you were not blowing on it hard enough. He played with all the might he possibly could, and the result–

—A mournful, soothing toon that danced intricately through the air of the headquarters, curling like smoke around the aged wood and the beds. The circular light hanging above the ceiling flickered a bit, castling very slight shadows that swayed across the worn floorboards. All he could assume from the flickering was that the place was incredibly ancient. As the song played, the whole world spun out of view, and only he remained. Good.

Huh. He acknowledged the peace. Being alone here isn't as bad as I thought.

The name of this song was called “The Tale of Spirits.” It was one of those things where he wasn’t sure of where he learned it, but he always knew how to play it. He didn’t live in a major Hylian city where such a song would be much more widespread. As a child, and even now, he could only imagine what went through the minds of the people who created this tune. 

The final note hit, and eventually faded into the quiet. The soft breeze outside, allowed through a small opening in the window, let out a low, hollow sigh through the room, as if to mourn the song’s disappearance. All said and done, he found himself breathing heavily, though he didn’t feel tired. He was worried that he wouldn’t be able to play it correctly after a day of not doing so, but all seemed well. Still…

All this does is remind me I can’t go back.

Well, I guess this’ll be getting my mind off of that for two days.

And so, he continued playing.

Chapter End 

Chapter Text

Upstairs, Meralin and Beliona stood across from each other. The elder sister manifested her Viola in a flash of Soul Energy, holding it in her right hand. For the sight before her, she grumbled.

“No, not like that.”

“Okay, how about this?”

Her fingers touched the bow strings, hovering slightly above the eye of the bow.

“No.” Beliona repeated.

“Hmm… how about—”

Meralin's fingers fidgeted as she clumsily tried to adjust her hold on the bow, pressing her thumb even harder, and her pinky slipping off the edge. 

Once again, Beliona said the word.

“No.” A sigh followed, and her bow dispersed. She sat her Viola on a nearby bed, for it took a considerable amount of Soul Energy to make it reappear. “Here, allow me to…”

She approached her, grabbing her hand and gently adjusting it, guiding her fingers into a relaxed curve until the bow was balanced, and stepped back, analyzing the hold.

And then—her hand became strained, and she found her ring finger on the strings again, all to the furthering of annoyance from Beliona. She sighed, facing the edge of the bow to the floor. “Why exactly is this important, anyway?” Asked Meralin, her voice grating, “How you play the song is what matters, right? This is so stupid!”

“Yes, but holding the bow is also what’s important to making a song sound great.” Beliona insisted, “In order for a song like a Tale of Spirits or The Mushroom Kingdom Ballad to sound good, the tone must so directly imitate the original version of the song. People will recognize the accuracy, and admire it. It also transmits energy from the weight from the bow arm into the string, which allows for the bow to move more freely.”

She was listening to her sister’s words, yes, but she did so while trying to correct her bow hold, almost dropping numerous times. 

“Perhaps—” Soul Energy whispered in the air, trailing Beliona's fingers,“—A demonstration would suffice.”

Before Soul Energy could fully come into being—A Viola. The two sisters’ ears fell upon a beautiful, soothing song that they had just mentioned a second ago.

What a beautiful imitation—no, beyond that. Beliona recoiled, becoming lost in the song. She was the first to head downstairs, before Meralin hastily followed. They entered the bedroom, witnessing Link playing the Ocarina.

As for Link, he was still lost in his tune. Even as a reminder of the past, it was a blissful tie in whatever he could get from the present. It persisted, everything going in slow motion—until he finally stopped to catch his breath. Aware of surroundings, he would hear a remark of awe coming from behind him, and turned to see Meralin and Beliona. The younger sister gave him a faint smile, which he assumed she knew of the origin of the Ocarina.

Link was confused to see the two together now, considering his last encounter with Beliona. Most of all, he stared at them nervously, not knowing what to say.

“That. Was—” Meralin’s smile grew wider. “Amazing!” and it culminated into another, more word-ful remark. “It seems you know more about art than I thought.”

“That song, the Tale of Spirits, a very famous piece of the fifth century!” Beliona noted, though her smile was slight. She couldn’t believe someone like Link could play so perfectly.“You played perfectly, not a single bad note in sight… where did you learn such?”

Interesting.

He could admire the recognition of art. Rarely had he’d seen many who valued it where he lived. The only problem was, those memories. 

“I…” He stammered, “I learned this on my own. As a kid, this was a very popular piece in my area. Everyone adored it, and the people who loved it taught me it, just as they taught me how to play this Ocarina.”

It felt good to imagine.

“The Great Hylian Department of Music, you know it, yes?”

“Indeed.” Link said, nodding. She knows what that is?

“Ah, where some of the greatest classical music was made.” Beliona said, “I wish I had gotten the chance to meet the people there. Perhaps, I could learn something of value about music.”

Years ago, Link also wished for the same thing, despite the nature of the spirit decimating the land. The town he sought it from was far, far away, but if he could, he would walk all the way there just to witness a single song played. Music said to connect humans and spirits. However could he refuse it? “I wish that, too.” He then remembered the instrument Beliona held during their last encounter. “Say, speaking of music, what is that thing you play music on?”

“Hm?”

“That wooden thing. I’m unsure I’ve seen anything quite like it before.” Link said. Eventually, it finally clicked.

“Oh, the Viola.” She answered, “It’s a woodwind instrument, like say a saxophone, or a bassoon. It’s more favorable to show a demonstration. Would you like to see it again? My sister and I are studying it in the upper room.”

Was it good to refute, or do the opposite? Link didn’t know at this point, but these people showed a respect for history, and no matter how disgusting it was that it was built from the hands of humans, it was made in the regard of the spirits in Hyrule, and he did admire that. Perhaps, doing music and understanding it would bring him closer again. Besides, Meralin was there. He tolerated her.

He turned his body, his legs now hanging on the side of the bed. “Why not?”

Link climbed down the ladder, and Beliona had already begun leading the way. His feet touched the floor, and Meralin was already beside him. He was too shocked to even flinch, and smiled faintly. The two would then begin walking together.

“As sister said, that play of yours was amazing.” She commented. “If you don’t mind, would you teach me how to play that sometime?”

He hesitated for a moment. “Sorry, but I’ll have to think about that more.” He said.

Meralin pouted for a moment, but ultimately kept that smile of hers. How she longed to learn more about Hylian culture, but she decided seeing it was enough for now. “Gotcha!” She said, “Be sure to actually consider it, though. You won’t believe how many of the same people told me the same thing and forgot.”

At the arrival of the room, Beliona stood in the center again, summoning a Viola in her left arm in the midst of Soul Energy. She rested it horizontally on her left collarbone, with the neck of it facing outward as the pen aimed towards the middle of her neck. She avoided the black chin rest to maintain eye contact with Link. “Quite the plain-looking instrument, huh?”

Link inspected it as close as he could without getting uncomfortably close. It reminded him of something—to his misfortune, at least. “Seems familiar.” he noted, rubbing his chin. “Now that you mention it—”

“Before you make the assumption—No, it is not a Violin.” 

It was almost as if this hypothesis had been made several times, which Link would be correct. “Well, the name’s are different.” He said, analyzing the strings, “Still similar, however. So, what does it do?”

“That’s a bit of a loose question.” Belion said, “It plays music, simple as that. As for how, we use what is called a bow.” She brought it to his attention via summoning it, holding it to the A string. “When you slide the bow down and up the strings, it makes a sound—music.” She slid the bow downward across the A-strine, a warm, mellow sound being produced. The sound sparked Link’s interest up a bit more. “This—is the A string.” She moved the bow towards the next string, and it would make an even warmer and darker tone than the previous string played. “A viola is tuned about a fifth lower than a violin, so the string produces lower pitches. This is why I prefer it, although I was the only one in my orchestra class to play it.”

Meralin chuckled, “I remember that.” In nature, her eyes almost seemed to reflect a subtle sadness. “You had to play out a lot.”

“Gave me more of a chance to stand out.” Beliona said, moving over to the next set of strings, the G and C strings. As Meralin expected, they were perfectly in tune, the C string lower than the G. This time, she was able to find even a semblance of heart in it. 

“Hm, I get it.” Link said, “It’s sort of like how the ocarina can play different notes depending on the key and type. You can even play notes lower than the standard range.”

“Right on the nose.” Beliona said, smiling. “With the viola, if you place your fingers on the strings, it can produce different sounds. For A, the third finger is a D.”

“Ah, ah.” Link nodded in approval. “So new and replica sounds can be created through finger placement?”

“Essentially, yes.” Said Beliona. It was heart-warming to see someone with an interest in music. “It’s the same with other woodwind instruments similar to the Viola, like a Violin or Cello.”

A puzzled expression washed across Link’s face. “But I thought a Violin and Viola weren’t the same.”

“Keyword being similar.” Beliona grumbled. “It may look like a Violin, but it isn’t, just how a Cello and Base are similar, but not the same thing.”

“That makes sense.” Link said, “I would like to see an example of it being played, though. I wasn’t too focused on your performance in the quest, or whatever it’s called.”

The talk about music was already a good hearing, but Meralin always loved to hear her sister play. When they were children, Beliona would play her the most soothing, and wonderful melodies, and despite the decline of the heart, she would never forget that; the way she played was so elegant. 

She turned to her sister, who pondered Link's question. She wasn’t so sure if she could play it in the exact same way, but there was a part of her that knew she would. Just how long has someone asked for me to play music?

“You should, sister.” Meralin said. “A fellow practitioner of music would like to hear, and how could you refuse that?”

Link scratched the back of his head. “Well, I don’t really consider myself a practitioner, per say.” 

“Nevertheless—” Beliona weaved her hair off of her face, placing three fingers, her index, ring, and middle onto the G string. She finally rested her chin on the chin rest. “If you and my sister want me to play, then I shall.”

La Fina.

“The name of this piece of La Fina. It marked the end of the thousand-year war in Archanea thousands of years ago. The name of who put the piece together is unknown, but people suggest it was made by the first king Lowell.” She explained, “And now, I shall play.”

And so, she did.

Immediately, the tone of the room shifted. A sweet blissfulness filled the air as the bow crossed each string at a precise rate. 

Above all—

—Each note was perfectly in tune!

And her arm did not grow tired, for she ensured that the audience would never grow tired as well. A promise she made each and every play. Lost in life’s wonder, she found herself in a realm of nothingness—an eternal void, where only she remained. The burden of loneliness could wait, for solitude was the ultimate path. Of course, what else would her soul ability mean if her metaphysics of music weren’t clear to herself?

Its name—

—Aria’s Day.

Soul Energy came in a steam like state, surrounding the body of Beliona, its range and power extending with each harp of the bow. But the song was already nearing its end. How could she have been so forgetful of the song itself in the consideration of what made her? Link could recognize that look on her face, so focused. She’s completely lost.

“Amazing…” Meralin muttered.

At a moment’s notice, the song had ended, and Beliona was left panting heavily.

“Wow.” Link said, “That was… I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

Beliona smiled at the compliment. “It’s nothing, really.” She said, “I almost failed to execute the last note—”

“And—” Meralin interrupted her, “—It was still amazing, sister.”

They locked eyes for a moment. Approval from many was a necessity for Beliona, and yet, Meralin’s approval felt–

—different. She smiled back, de-summoning the Viola, and nearly falling down to the ground before Meralin caught her, holding her stomach from behind. The sound of the bow hitting the floor created a shortening thud, as it soon disappeared into thin air before leaving a trace of soul energy. “I’m fine, really!” She insisted, lifting her body up, but struggling to do so. “I must’ve used my soul-ability while playing… I got too wrapped up.”

Meralin assisted her in lifting her body up, and after a while, she had finally gotten Beliona to stand on her feet, her body upright. Seeing such dedication to a song, Link’s heart felt a weird ting. 

Chapter End

Chapter Text

The child was first one of curiosity, before one of hatred. The world was a vast and wondrous place. When confused, the books surrounding the subject desired to learn feeling incomplete, Link would always turn to Taryon.

Being highly invested in the arts of the world, Taryon spoke highly of art. 

The soul's extension, he regarded it as, and it came in the form of many. Drawing, fighting, and the here and now, music.

If he extended his soul, what would he find?

There had to be a reason he still remembered Taryon’s words, but never his appearance. 

He remembered, too.

The interest of finding songs to play throughout Hyrule, impressing people. 

I guess it wouldn’t be the first time. 

“You always say you're fine, yet your body says otherwise. You should probably rest for today.” Meralin said, “Though, I can't speak as if I'm not the same.”

“Exactly.” Beliona said, stepping away from her shoulder. “Hypocrisy isn't ideal.”

“The way you played, it was unlike anything I've seen before.” Link claimed, “How many times did you practice?"

Beliona smiled. “It's not really the fact that I practice it that makes me able to play so well, so perfectly.” she said, looking thoughtful. “It's just the language that's been incorporated into my mind since childhood. Think of it as natural as one’s ability to speak their language.”

“A language, huh?”

Meralin frowned at that statement, unknown to Beliona as she kept her attention completely on Link. “Yes,” confirmed Beliona, “But it gets so tiring. There are times where I forget that language when playing. Makes me seem stupid, not knowing it.”

The answer she granted him made would ignite a realization, or in this case, a reinforcement. I guess people really are still finding their way about.

The distance didn't feel so great now, but it was only a tiny bit closed. 

In an attempt to close it, he extended his hand outward.

“Hey, Beliona.” He spoke, his voice lower than usual in terms of sound. “Can you… make another one of that instrument?”

“My Viola?”

 Beliona asked, curiosity stemming.

To Link's nod, she would attempt to generate soul energy once more, and to no surprise, little would arise. “It'll be difficult too.” she said, “My soul energy is pathetically thin this time around.” A part of that was because of the performance the day before. “I'm sorry, but—”

“Don't apologize, sister.” Meralin insisted, laying her hand on her shoulder. “You are exhausted and you need to rest for a bit. I can learn how to bow some other time, ‘kay?”

Beliona knew not to refute. Her sister would only become more persistent in the face of that option. “Fine, fine.”

Beliona would take a seat onto the bed nearby, Meralin assisting her sitting. After all was settled, she would turn to Link. “She’s spent after the event.” Meralin said, chuckling. “But what exactly was it you wanted?”

Hesitation.

“I wanted to give it a try. You know, play it.”

Reality unfolded, but blinked and stuttered, like a scene in a movie stuck on a loop. The case for Beliona, yes, but the case for Meralin was the unfolding of reality so clearly. “Oh?” Her voice spiked, excitement stirring. “Well, why, gimme a second!”

Construct.

𝐄𝐲𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭.

That was the name of Meralin's soul-ability. The nature of the ability itself allowed for the human expression to be flung into reality—deep down, that's what all artists desired. Meralin was no exception. The first function was merely as simple as that. 

The unveiling of the pen, and soon the reveal of the paper, she would draw with precision. Soul energy was extended into the air in the trail of the pen, and before anyone could even realize, the first function revealed itself.

The ability to create what you have perceived, along with what you know of the objective confines of what you perceive.

A Viola floated in the air as Meralin reeled the paper back, stashing it in her kimono. She raised her pen slightly up into the air. “There ya go!” 

“Huh, well that solves it.” Link said, flatly.

Beliona steered her eyes to the ground. This is going to be a disaster.

And yet…

Link held the bow with utmost perfection, and even replicated the holding of the instrument itself. To Link, it all felt natural. When he was a child, he could always pick up on things qucikly—or more so, the structure of things.

The fundamentals were easy, though the complexities of those fundamentals were significantly more difficult. What Link strived to achieve.

“A-A—B - F - F - G, C—D——”

Those notes were played quite nicely, especially the holding of the D for five seconds. Being the chorus, they were the most important to hit.

Simplistic.

Yet the rest of the song, despite Link hitting and correcting most of the notes, some at the last moment. From memory, the tempo was considerably slower. Where the original tempo was Largo, slow and dignified, for a good majority of the time, Link just barely hit those majestic notes, or rather they were hit—yet that true majestic feel was tucked away. There was a part of Beliona who, well, enjoyed the performance. The critic who sat on the other side, shamed that side, as always.

Despite the notes being a bit rough, Link felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him.

Am I expressing myself? That was his only question. It felt that way, but uncertainty crept. The result—a sense of loss, more lost than ever before. 

Taryon?

He remembered that name.

Meralin was only the former side, enjoying the performance all throughout. By the time it had ended, she was the only round of applause. 

Link settled the bow down, just as the Viola. “Maybe that wasn't such a good idea.” Link said, a chuckle escaping from his mouth.

“Why not?” Asked Meralin.

“I didn't do the original justice, I think.” He claimed, yet there was more.

“So?”

“So? I screwed it up.”

“Ugh!” Meralin pouted, only confusing Link further. “Stop treating art as if it's some kind of skill!” She said, her voice ascent. “Art is just what humans do. If you felt as if you were expressing yourself then you shouldn't worry about living up to it! Besides, darling, it's your first try! Don't you dare speak of yourself that way! Aaaahhhh!”

Meralin winded her arm, her body a blur of movement as she relentlessly threw blow after blow at the air before her—no, at the Hylian boy himself. Each strike was a dashing flash, a swift snap of the wrist that, at sight, seemed to carry the force of lightning—a storm. Yet, the force was nothing more but comical at best—like pebbles being tossed at a tin-can.

Tap, tap, tap. 

Even better, the impact felt exactly that way—nothing, nothing more than marshmallow being bashed against the skin—barely enough to make Link react. In response, he merely put his hands up to guard himself, and by the time that occurred, the ‘barrage’ was already over.

“What was that about?”

Contrary to the bruteness, the girl was smiling. “Ah, nothing, just letting out frustration!” She said, “I've heard that too many times.” She huffed a little, leaning forward. Her eyes seemed awfully sparkly. “Bottom line is, Link, you're just trying something out—perhaps a new way to express yourself. I know your struggle, but I suggest you at least try to embrace it! Remember, I'm always here to help with stuff like that.”

Those words brought a weird sense of comfort in Link’s soul, despite not being directed solely to him—but also…

He stared off to the side, smiling to himself. “Yeah, right.” He said. “Perhaps I'll ask for help sometime.”

In a burst of excitement, Meralin wrapped her arms around the Hylian. “Yippee!”

Link’s breath hitched, for he was caught off guard by this… could this even be considered a gesture? He didn't know. He felt his cheeks heat up, visually showing as they flared with red. “Ah, gee, you're crushing me!” 

“Oh dear!” She immediately released the hold, a tight-held smile on her face. “Apologies.”

Still, Link couldn’t help but smile. 

And in fact, he wanted to say those same words to Meralin as he did to Mario. 

Thank you.

But was that really right to say? That was what his mind was leaning towards, yet nothing came out of his mouth.

Taryon…

𝐃𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐋, 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐀𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐄

The world contains a total of one-hundred and twenty weapons that were said to be blessed by spirits of different eras. Life, death, peace, and war.

Durandal, was blessed by the spirit of flame.

The blazing durandal, passed on by the father of Roy, was passed down to him—making him its current wielder. It was a ferocious roar signaling victory, its cut bringing an end to everything in its path, It was more than a sword—no, it was an overpowering hunk of steel. The hilt of the blade was golden or bronze, featuring an ornate, wing-like crossguard that curved outward.

The optional quest had begun. Quests that didn't help the world, but earned soul points to individuals.

𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐓𝐒.

“Let’s commence, Kirby!”

“Poyo!”

Chapter End

Chapter Text

What hovered above the grass were a non-linear abundance of targets—spherical shaped objects coated in red and white stripes. Some hovered higher than others, and for those higher ones, there were out-of-place metal platforms built in a cube-like structure, moving side to side—they resided very closely to a specific target.

While Roy carried Durandal, Kirby carried his blade. 

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐄.

A simple sword with quite the sharp edge, gleaming in the sun's wake. It held such a length, towering over the wielder, that it looked impossible to wield. Scandalous, even—especially in the instance where the shape of one’s hands resembled that of a tiny triangle facing the right. The hilt was a light shade of blue, the crossguard holding the same color curving upward. Within the center of the blade, a sparkling orange orb sat stationary—the source of the blade’s power.

Another one of the one-hundred and twenty weapons—this time, it was blessed by the spirit of dream. 

The dreams of the dead, the dreams of the alive—the dreams of all.

And most importantly, his dream. But what exactly was that dream?

Just as Roy’s sword blazed with fire, it stopped just as quickly as it ignited, and so did his footsteps. “Which side do you prefer?” He asked, turning to Kirbty.

“I choose right!” Kirby announced, holding his sword forth with a look aiming for victory. 

And so Roy would take the opposite side. A requirement for this optional quest was: The higher the targets, the higher the amount of soul points. Roy strived to achieve nothing less than that before hitting the smaller ones. Around his sword, flames set ablaze in the form of a spiral. The channeling of soul energy into his sword arm only amplified the flames, making its light radiate like a mini sun. 

The blade is an extension. An important reminder—one he told himself many times at the sword’s calling. 

These mystic blades could enhance the soul energy of the body with the help of the concept the spirit held to the blade. It wasn’t just flames, no—it was soul-enhanced flames. And the shape of the flames were able to be controlled through the shaping of soul-energy. 

Flames in his wake, heeding his movement as it culled his rail, the young lion bursted out to the right. Before him, the building blocks for a high point target were there. Three metal constructs—the first moving to the right, just as the final one, while the middle one moved to the left. That was the cycle. 

But the thing is, these ones weren’t slow like before. Break The Targets, like all optional quests and quests in general, held a difficulty measure. The higher the difficulty, the higher the soul points.

Very Easy.

Easy.

Normal.

Hard.

Extreme.

Hard had been chosen.

If it was just normal mode, then the targets themselves would not be so high, ceasing the platforms.

Challenging? For the Young Lion?

Never.

He was blessed by the spirits themselves.

Bringing a halt to his run, he generated soul energy into his legs, holding his sword in his right hand—the force accumulated was perfect, launching him onto the first metal construct. No time wasted, he whipped his body around—the hunk of metal he carried not placing a hindrance on his speed as he did the same trick once more. 

Step.

He landed, and for the final platform.

The trick would not be necessary.

Fwoosh!

The spiral of heat surged through the blade as Roy gripped the hilt with both hands, his hair waving due to the force. With a defining grunt, the air twisting, the young lion slammed the blade into the metal crevices of the platform. Embers filled his vision, but the object was clear from above. Soul energy was enforced—