Chapter XLII

Having only just recently regained her memories, Alice was still feeling significantly overwhelmed when she departed the workshop with Rista, Evan, Brad, and Jay. Jay and Lilly had done their best to explain everything to her and to ensure she understood just what it was they were trying to do, but she still felt as if she needed more time to process it all.

Yet, unfortunately, there wasn’t time.

The operation to destroy the erased realm was happening at that very moment, and so she knew she didn’t have a choice but to take everything in stride and follow their lead. At the very least, having Jay there by her side gave her some level of comfort, but the others were a different story. While she didn’t have any ill will toward Brad Fischer, she was still very weary around Evan Wright and Rista Pine.

Even after all that had happened, it was still hard to forget what Evan did to her so many months ago, yet at the same time, she still vividly remembered him and Rina rushing to her aid in the forest when she was in Nigreos and Album’s captivity. Evan was still irritable and harsh, and his hatred for Vinny was still quite obvious to all, but his actions had shown her that he was starting to change. Whatever happened to him after Nigreos and Album arrived in Wilham seemed to have shaken him up enough so that he no longer seemed to be acting purely based on his anger. It was strange for her to now have to put her trust in him as they attacked this mana port. Once again, she simply had to rely on the words of Lilly and Jay, who had assured her that Evan could be trusted.

And then there was Rista Pine, a young man who hadn’t done anything to cause her to fear him. The only reason she had avoided him since regaining her memories was purely because of what he was: an Ijirian. The Ijirians had been the ones who took her leg from her and turned Jay into a monster. They were responsible for so much of their suffering and had killed Moncia, Rina, and a handful of other innocent people. She knew Rista wasn’t on the Masters’ side, but Alice could no longer see Ijiria as anything but a place to be mistrusted. Just like with Evan, she would allow herself to risk her life at his side, but she would be far more relaxed once he had returned to his own world.

This is almost too much. So much happened while I was under this place’s curse, and I probably wasn’t even told all of it. I wanted to come here so badly. I wanted a place where we could be free—where the horrors of our world couldn’t reach us. But in the end, paradise doesn't exist.

“We’re going to move past this. We’ll remember everybody they took, and we’ll move forward together…just like we always have. You and me, yeah?”

Alice glanced at Jay walking right beside her, recalling his resolve as he spoke to her in their old hideout. He wanted to move forward. He wanted to reach the future with her, no matter what terrors they went through in the past, and she knew there was no way she could reject him. When Jay jumped from that balcony, all she had wanted was for him to survive and to come back to her. She was horrified that he had been in such despair that he would try to end his own life, and when Lilly gave her the opportunity to talk to him again, moving forward together was what she had wanted the most.

I wanted Jay to be happy again. I was so desperate to convince him to want to live, and now it seems like he does. The smiles he gave me in that hideout were the most genuine ones I’ve seen from him in a long time. We were able to spend one last day with Rina and Audrey, and now the time has come to go home. For better or for worse, it’s time for paradise to die.

Alice turned back to face forward as Rista finally took them off the path and began making his way into the woods. She had walked this route so many times in her life, and she knew this would be the last time. When the erased realm ended, there would no longer be any reason to return to their hideout.

“You know, I wish I could have gone with the other group,” Evan grunted from behind them. “I feel like everytime I go to this stupid shack, I get some new trauma. I’ve got a nasty feeling that isn’t gonna change.”

Jay snorted and glanced back at him, eyeing the boy wryly. “You act like you didn’t bring that trauma on yourself, Wright.”

“Ah, fuck off,” he snapped. “You’re the one who led my ass in here last time, so it’s partially your fault! I don’t know what curse you bastards put on this ugly-ass house but if I never come back here again, it’ll be too soon.”

Brad chuckled and gave his friend an encouraging pat on the back. “Honestly, you’re just getting me more excited to see it. After all your bitching over the last week, I’m expecting quite a show.”

“Well, I hate to break it to you, but the house itself isn’t anything special,” Jay replied. “I think the common denominator in this mess is actually Wright himself. He causes all his problems.”

Evan narrowed his eyes. “Since when did you get so snarky?”

“Guys, shut up!” Rista growled with a click of his tongue. “I’m trying to focus up here and I don’t need all your yammering grating on my ears.”

“Oh, stop complaining, Pine,” Evan retorted. “What do you need to concentrate on? You’re just walking. You need quiet just to walk?”

Rista shook his head. “I don’t need quiet but I’d certainly prefer it.”

Alice continued to watch their bantering and bickering without interjecting. She was surprised by how comfortable they all seemed with each other, and she supposed it probably just had to do with how determined they all were to win. Everybody in that group hated the Masters, so regardless of the differences they had in the past, that common enemy had brought them together. Just the thought that Jay could interact with Evan so cheerfully told her as much.

So much has changed, she internally remarked. Even if we do get back to our world, it probably won’t be the same. In fact…

Despite having preferred to avoid interacting with Ijirian, Alice couldn’t help but call out when a sudden question came to mind. “Excuse me, Rista?”

He glanced back at her. “Yeah? What’s up, Mendez?”

“W-well…” Once again having to remind herself that he was just as human as the rest of them and not somebody she needed to fear, Alice collected her confidence and went on. “When we take out the erased realm and go home, what will those we left behind think? I mean, we’ve vanished from the face of the earth for months. Can we really just go back and act like nothing happened?”

The other three went quiet as she asked her question, and she could tell that they, too, were waiting for an answer. Rista considered it for a moment, then shrugged. “Honestly, I wish I could give you a more certain answer,” he said. “But as I’ve told the others, there aren’t any known instances of individuals escaping the erased realm. There’s really no way to know what might happen when all this ends. We’ll simply have to deal with that issue when we come to it.”

Despite having hoped that Rista might know something more, she was unsurprised to hear his answer. Yet, she couldn’t stop herself from worrying about it. Before getting erased, she had been a missing person and nobody outside of Ijiria’s targets ever knew what happened to her before she was forgotten altogether. If she were to suddenly return, would everybody still be wondering what happened to her? How would she explain to her parents, and to the police even, where she had gone. What challenges still faced her out in the real world?

These thoughts continued to plague her as they continued their way through the forest until they finally emerged from the trees and found themselves in the small clearing with the hideout. Rista didn’t break stride as he continued toward the building, but Alice couldn’t help standing in place for a moment as she took the place in once again.

Evan’s right… It really does always come back to this place.

Jay gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder as he began to follow after Rista, and so she took one last deep breath and went with him. The five of them made their way through the front door and into the main room of the shack before turning right down the hall and stopping just outside the only other room in the house. Rista gently placed his hand on the closed door, as if trying to sense if anything was inside, and when he was satisfied, he glanced back at them with a grim expression.

“Remember, I don’t know what sort of defense mechanism this thing might have,” he reminded them. “So be ready for anything, and if any of you feel as if your life is in danger, don’t hesitate to run. But with any luck, it’ll be as simple as interacting with its mana circuits and shutting it down and the rest of you won’t have to do a thing.”

They all nodded their understanding, and Alice slid her hand down to her hip where one of Scott’s anti-mana knives was strapped to her belt in a small sheath. She really hoped she didn’t have to use it, but she was prepared for whatever might be thrown their way as Rista pushed open the door and moved inside. Immediately, they caught sight of the mana port: a small white ball of energy floating four feet off the ground, probably no bigger than Alice’s head. It pulsated softly and didn't do anything in reaction to their presence. Rista moved forward, his right hand gripping the pommel of his sword while his left was extended toward the port, magic already surging around his wrist. Alice could sense the tension in the boys around her as they all watched him carefully place his hand against the port.

“Dimiitio,” he chanted.

Barely a second later, the mana port exploded in a white flash, launching Rista backwards before the man slammed into the back wall then slumped to the ground, dazed, leaving the four of them to stare in horror as the ball began to grow bigger, with ribbons of energy stretching around the room in tendrils.

Of course, Alice thought dejectedly. With magic, nothing’s ever easy.

***

Lilly glared down at Nigreos Noctis with her jaw clenched, a wave of different emotions surging through her. Her hatred for the man was at the forefront of her mind, but there was shock at his sudden arrival, and even confusion at how he simply looked up at the two of them, as if even he was desperately trying to understand the situation. And in the midst of it all, The Angel inside of her felt as if it had suddenly become active, and Lilly could sense power flowing through every part of her body. Beside her, Vinny’s features were tight, his hand already lowered to the knife at his side, making it clear that he was ready and willing to do his best to stab Nigreos should the opportunity arise.

What the hell is this?! Why is he here?! This can’t be a coincidence, right? There’s no way he showed up here at the exact moment we made our move to attack! But how did he find out?! Does Album have more sight into this world than Rista and The Angel thought she did?!

But as she internally asked herself that question, the Voice of Light chimed in, her normal peppy tone replaced by a cold one. “No… That can’t be it. Like Pine explained to you, the erased realm is like a pocket realm, and one cannot see into a pocket realm from the outside. The only way Album could have known was if she had been here herself.”

“But if the Master of Light had been close, we would have known. This…is simply poor luck. Or perhaps…it’s an opportunity.”

An opportunity? What the hell do you mean?!

“You know what I mean, Harper. Nigreos Noctis has fallen right into our lap, and I don’t sense anybody else nearby. Let us free…and we can kill him here and now.”

“Lilly? Vinny? What’s wrong?”

As she took in what the Voice of Darkness said, she heard Damien, Liz, and Scott finally arriving behind them, with Liz being the one to call out to them. But before she had a chance to reply, the three stepped up to stand beside them at the top of the natural stairs, allowing them to see the still unmoving Master down below on the beach, who only seemed to grow more stunned with their appearance. Their panic was evident in the way their breath caught, but while Damien and Liz just gaped at him, Scott recovered almost immediately.

“He’s here?” he breathed. “Noctis… He came right to us?”

Damien shook his head, uttering, “This is bad. How are we supposed to get to the mana port with him in the way? There isn’t a chance in hell that he’s just going to step aside and let us do this.”

“And if we aren’t fast enough and Rista’s group destroys their port first,” Vinny added, “then Album will know what’s going on, if she doesn’t already. We can’t waste time. We have to get down there now.”

Liz grimaced, the panic obvious in the way her voice shook. “And how do you suggest we do that?! His power…it’s not something we can just combat. If he’s here to kill us, there’s nothing preventing him from doing so…or unless we can find some way to stick him with one of the bullets.”

“I just want to know why he isn’t moving,” Scott growled, the shotgun already pulled from his back and gripped in his hands. “What the fuck is he playing at? Is this some sort of trick or is there something wrong with him?”

“Harper, you know what you have to do. We can take him. Go down there and let’s kill him. If we keep his attention, the others can take out the port. You’re the only one with the power to actually have a shot of beating him in a fight. It has to be you.”

Listening to the Voice’s urgings, Lilly never once took her eyes off of Nigreos, ready to let The Angel do what it needed to should the Master attack them, but as Scott said, he was just standing there, watching them. Even from that distance, Lilly could see both shock and fear in his facial expressions, and she knew at that moment that something was wrong. The Angel had already confirmed that he couldn’t have known what they were up to, so if he was in the erased realm, something else was going on, and as a plan began to form in her mind, Lilly gathered her resolve and spoke.

“Get to the mana port and destroy it,” she whispered sharply. “Don’t pay Nigreos any worry. I’ll deal with him.”

“What?! Lilly?!”

Ignoring the whispered protests of the rest of the club and Scott, Lilly took a step down onto the staircase and began to descend toward the beach. She only briefly glanced off to the right where the small white ball of energy that was the mana port floated a few feet off the ground, just outside the entrance to the cave. As long as she kept Nigreos away from the others, they might be able to use Scott’s serum to disrupt the mana circuits, and she had faith that they could handle it. With her trust placed in the hands of her friends, Lilly turned back and stared straight ahead at Nigreos as she finally reached the sands at the bottom where she stopped. He was roughly fifty feet ahead of her and she could now see his expression even clearer, and all she found was utter confusion, as if the Master didn’t understand what was happening. Lilly didn’t immediately speak nor did Nigreos, and so the only sounds she could hear came from the soft breeze blowing across the beach.

“Didn’t expect to see you so soon, Nigreos,” she called out, deciding that she would be the one to start the conversation. “What brings you to our cozy little realm?”

The Master’s lips tightened and she saw his white eyes flicker behind her, and she could now hear the soft footsteps of the others as they made their way down. When he finally directed his gaze back to her, she kept her features still, staring at him in challenge, silently daring him to try and hurt them.

“How?” he finally uttered. “How do you have your memories, Harper? How are you here? This is impossible!”

She definitely shook her head. “I told you, didn’t I? No magic in this world can erase my emotions or make me forget what was important to me. And I can confirm that I remember everything you and Album did to us back in Wilham. I remember the utter terror you caused us and what your erasure magic did to Eric. You destroyed everything we ever had…and so with that in mind, I’m almost glad to see you. I want to make good on what I said to you back in Eric’s house. You’re going to regret ever coming after us.”

A flash of fury went across his face and she knew her blatant defiance of him would only cause him to grow angry. “Well aren’t you confident considering our last encounter went so poorly for you. Are you really so stupid that you would challenge me again?”

She smiled darkly. “I’m not stupid at all.”

Lilly felt the other four reach the bottom and for a moment, they stopped behind her, but before she could make any movement to urge them to hurry, Damien, Liz, and Vinny continued on toward the cave without saying a word, though their hatred was clear in the way they held themselves. Scott, however, stopped momentarily and whispered soft enough that only she could hear, “give me an opening and I’ll take the shot.”

“Understood,” she replied, then watched as he followed after the club.

Nigreos, too, stared baffled at how casually they ignored him and when the Master looked to where the mana port was located, his jaw clenched tightly. “So that’s what you’re doing? You’re trying to escape. I don’t… This isn’t possible! How could a bunch of magicless children break past the erased realm’s magic?!”

“I already answered that,” she replied smugly. “Your power just wasn’t strong enough. I could never forget the Magic Club.”

Nigreos rounded on her, taking a threatening step toward her as shadows began to swirl around his body. “Do you honestly think I’m just going to stand here and let this happen?! I went through too much shit to get you in here so I’m certainly not going to let you out!”

“Don’t you dare touch them,” she said calmly, but with enough edge to her voice so as to make it clear how serious she was.

“And what are you gonna do about it, Harper?” he snarled. “What could a magicless girl like you do against the Ijirian Master of Darkness? You were powerless back then and that won’t ever change!”

Nigreos raised his hand toward her, the shadows bursting up around him and swirling in those familiar tendrils that had once terrified her. Yet in that moment, as she found herself facing Nigreos Noctis far earlier than she had expected she would, she wasn’t scared. Instead, she was oddly excited, knowing that she had an advantage over him that he wasn’t aware of. His confidence was only based on what he remembered from Wilham, but he didn’t know about The Angel, and that would be his undoing.

“Coreas!” Nigreos shouted, sending those very shadows violently exploding toward her, but Lilly didn’t even flinch as The Angel took control, raising her arm for her to meet the attack head on.

“Luminetta.”

The shadows were met by a sudden flash of light that tore straight through them, dissipating them into a black mist before they faded away all together, and when they did, she was met with the satisfying sight of Nigreos still in the same place, staring at her, stunned.

“You…” he stuttered. “You just…”

“Stand down,” she ordered fiercely. “You don't have the advantage you think you have. And I’m not the same girl you attacked in Wilham. I’ve picked up a few things since then, Nigreos, and you don’t scare me anymore. We’re getting out of here, and if you want to die in the process then so be it.”

“But that’s…”

She could see him struggling to understand what he had just seen and it brought her a little bit of joy to see the normally confident and condescending man in such disarray.

“That’s just not possible!” he roared. “What have you been doing in here?! What are you, Lilly Harper?!”

“Give me control.”

As Nigreos screamed at her, she felt the Voice of Darkness whisper in her mind, and for the first time, she felt some of his emotion reaching her. He seemed sad, as if the sight of the Master of Darkness caused him pain.

“Please, Harper.”

Yeah…okay.

She didn’t argue and conceded control over to him, allowing him to use her body without resistance. When he did, his emotions became even clearer and she was overwhelmed by regret and sorrow.

“What am I, you ask?” she felt herself say. “I am something you know well. I am something you always feared. Tell me, Nigreos, do you remember The Angel?”

The fury in his features vanished with that single word, replaced once again with that terror that he had shown when they first arrived. His mouth trembled and he took a step back, the shadows that still swirled around his feet growing dimmer.

“No,” he breathed. “You couldn’t have…”

“Lilly Harper has become The Angel,” she called over to him. “When it vanished from the Citadel, it was entrusted to Abi and she kept it hidden for years. She even left it behind when you came back to drag her from Omaruo, entrusting it then to her son.”

“Eric…” He lowered his head to stare at the ground, his eyes wide. “You’re telling me that it was right under my nose. Eric Reiner…was the one who had it? But if The Angel is now inside Harper, then he used it.” When his gaze rose once more, the hatred was back again as his posture straightened and his eyes turned fierce, the shadows becoming darker. “Then you are…”

“I am,” she stated. “And I must say, you’ve disappointed me. Was it not our goal to never become the monster Ijiria wanted us to be? Did we not swear to ourselves to use our power for good? Yet you became the very thing you hated—a mindless weapon of the empire, murdering innocents and erasing kids simply because you were ordered to.” She scoffed. “If this was our destiny, then allow me to do you a favor and end your life before you destroy yourself any further.”

Lilly listened to the Voice's words with surprise as she truly realized what he was. She had her theories ever since she first woke up in the erased realm, but the way he spoke only confirmed what she already believed. The Angel was related to Nigreos and most likely Album as well.

“Is that so?” Nigreos spat. “You’re going to kill me, are you?”

The Voice suddenly pulled back, allowing Lilly to once again take control of her body, and when she did, she reached up and removed her jacket before tossing it off to the side to rest in the sand. Her bandaged arm would be visible and she saw Nigreos briefly glance at it, but she no longer felt the pain of the wound, her focus fully dedicated to what was about to happen.

“I am going to kill you,” she growled. “As if I would let this chance pass me by. For all the people you murdered and the ones you terrorized, I’m going to end this. So do your worst, Nigreos!”

And with that final declaration, she opened her mind and body up, welcoming the full power of The Angel just as she had the night she defeated the nerich. It didn’t matter what happened to her as long as she didn’t die. She would do what she set out to do.

She would destroy the erased realm and kill Nigreos Noctis.

***

Nigreos could only watch in shock as Lilly’s body began to change. The color of her skin started to turn pale in some places and black in others, with her left eye going black and her right becoming white. Her hair did the same, changing colors straight down the center as pure power erupted out of her back, surging into the sky in the shape of an angel's wings. He could already see The Angel’s consciousness merging with hers as the girl’s smile turned dark and unhinged. He could only wonder how he never sensed it until that moment. Yet, he already knew the answer to that question. The Angel was a powerful being and he had spent years studying its properties before it vanished. He knew how dangerous it was both to its victims and to its user. She was right to be confident. This fight wasn’t going to be what he expected it would.

What am I going to do?!

He’d barely processed the fact that Eric Reiner stole Album’s body and sent him to the erased realm when he turned to see Lilly and the others arrive at the top of the stairs. He knew he desperately had to get back to the Citadel and figure out what was going on, as well as find a way to save Album from the Assassination Stone, but he no longer had that option. He didn’t even have time to think before Lilly Harper burst from her spot on the ground and their battle began.