The Eden Crisis
Chapter 19: Castle Infinity, Part Three

Claire’s Pathway

I fall to the ground after going through the black portal. I look around at the room; it looks like a torture chamber. I draw my sword. Then he appears, the large muscle-man of Shadow XIII. I believe his name is Lyken. He swings his sword and a gust of wind hits me. Showoff, I think. I decide I need to kill him quickly. Dante will never forgive me if I die. “I don’t suppose you’re going to tell me why you’re all doing this.” I say. “Or perhaps the identity of the director.” I speak and move cautiously.

“I do whatever I can to ensure Cain’s desires are met,” he says. “As for the director, I can assure you, you will never see his face.” “Whatever Cain’s desires are?” I say. “I thought you serve the director.”

“I serve no one. Cain was my ward once upon a time. He is like a son to me, so I joined Shadow XIII as a favor to him.” Assuming Cain feels the same about Lyken, why would he put him in danger like this? Is Lyken really that strong?

“I see. Then I will make this quick, Lyken.” I run at the giant and slice through the air to hit him. The big man blocks my attack with ease and pushes me away. Damn, he has some serious strength. I swing again, but attack after attack fails.

I will need to try magic although I don’t have many magic crystals. Lyken lets out a yell and charges me with tremendous speed. The force of his attack propels me backward. I slide across the room. I grab one of my few crystals from my inventory.

I throw the crystal to the ground and it shatters and casts a powerful wind spell. Lyken is stunned from the spell. I run toward him and launch another attack with my sword, hitting him several times and lowering his HP. However, he immediately regains his composure and swings his blade. I use my sword and block the attack, which, even so, knocks me backward. Lyken hasn’t hit me much but his attacks are powerful, and I realize my health isn’t doing well. I throw another crystal, and several beams of light shoot down from the ceiling. He is stunned once again. It appears he doesn’t seem to have a defense against magic.

I slash at him again and lower Lyken’s health even further. The giant retaliates by smashing his sword on the floor, which breaks apart and sends several stones flying at me that I am unable to avoid. They bring my HP down low.

I use a potion from my inventory to regain some of my health. “This ends now, little girl,” Lyken says. He jumps into the air, yelling, “Meteor bash!” as he propels himself into the flooring. The force of the blast knocks me down. Damn his strength!

The dust settles and I stand up. He is standing as well, but I tell myself I might be able to finish this. I use the last of my magic crystals and to cast an ice spell. As before, the magic stuns Lyken. I run toward him. “Ragnarok Lvl 2!” I charge. I slash through Lyken several times and finish the move off with several blasts of holy-based magic.

Lyken lets out a groan of pain as he hits the ground. He slowly gets up and hunches over. “That all you got, big man?” I taunt as I run at him to finish him off once and for all. He lets out a grunt of anger. “Don’t mock me!” he screams as he slashes his big sword and knocks me backward.

He looks at me. He raises his sword. “You were too much trouble,” he says as he brings his sword down toward me. Before Lyken can kill me he is stopped by a fireball. I look around. It is Asher!

“Sorry, Lyken, did I catch you at a bad time?” he says in his best mocking tone. Lyken shakes his head. “How dare you show your face, you traitor, you! I’ll destroy you after I kill her.” Asher laughs and attacks Lyken to end it. The giant swings his large sword and knocks Asher away.

“Don’t get cocky, Asher,” I say. “You’re by far the most reckless player.” I seize the moment and run up to Lyken and plunge my sword into his midsection. I pull it out and step back. Lyken drops his rapier, and shock appears on his face.

“Forgive me, Cain . . .,” he says, as if in a death rattle. “This is a fight I should not have started.” He shatters into nothing. Asher walks over to me, saying, with real concern, “I hope you’re all right. I’m going to take us to the ninth floor. I’ve been monitoring everyone in the castle. Raziel is there already. Cloud and Zack are as well. You can all be in one party again. The rules change once you hit nine. The castle only has three bosses left, plus, of course, the final boss himself.” He throws down a portal crystal, and a black portal opens. I follow him to the ninth floor.

Cain’s Pathway

I don’t believe it. How is this possible? They have felled each member of Shadow XIII. I hear the sound of a dark portal opening. It isn’t long before I hear footsteps. “Sarabi and Samson are dead,” Noel says to me. I don’t look at him. “I know. Lyken has also fallen,” I say quietly. I feel Noel’s hand on my back.

“I am sorry. I know how much Lyken meant to you,” he says with empathy. I slam my fist down on the table. “Damn Asher! Noel, send Loki to kill Dante and that traitor Asher! After that, go to floor eleven and wait for any of the other players. I’ll take care of Apollo and Nero. If I fail, I want you to carry out the task.”

“What if I fail, too?” Noel asks. I scoff at the idea. “Even if that were to happen, Dante will be done for on floor twelve. I made sure of that earlier when I ran into Vergil.” I laugh at the sound of my own words.

I replace Vergil on the twelfth floor. He was going to confront and kill the director in a vain attempt to save his brothers in the game. I walk up behind him. “Vergil, what brings you here?” I ask. He turns to face me. “I could ask the same of you, Cain.” I walk toward him and put my hands on his shoulders. “I am here to ensure the game continues, my friend,” I say.

Vergil takes my hands from his shoulders. “Cain, please,” he says. “Help me. You’re smart; why would you want to live in this fake world?” I smile at his words. “It’s because I am smart that I like living here! I am against the murders that some of the members have gone for, but in the end whatever keeps us here is all right in my book. Are you saying you don’t like being here?”

“I love this world, Cain,” Vergil says, “but I love my brothers more, and you put them in danger.” “I did not put them in danger, Vergil,” Cain says.“Helios and Damon foolishly wanted to force people to stay through fear. Damon went so far as to try to kill Raziel, but thank God he failed. It would have been unthinkable if he had succeeded. However, because of his and Helios’s actions, I am now faced with fighting the heroes of Eden. You must realize that no one will beat the director.” I say this to Vergil in hopes he will turn away from his deadly mission.

He pulls out his Kodachis and points them at me. “I guess I’ll replace out when I kill you,” is his response. I let out a sigh of disappointment and make one of my scythes appear. “So be it,” I say.

I attack Vergil but he anticipates it and counters me. I gather magic in my hand. “Shadow lightning,” I charge, and black lightning shoots from my hands and hits Vergil in the chest. He falls to the ground in pain. I walk up to him. He looks at me. “Bastard,” he says as he grabs his swords, stands up and lunges at me. His weapons go right through me, thankfully, because of the armor I wear.

I swing my scythe at Vergil and hit him across the chest, causing him to back off and sheathe his swords. He then pulls out one of his ancient scrolls. He begins unraveling the old paper and twirling it around himself. “I offer up this seal to unleash the power of the dragon that envelops Heaven!” he intones as white light surrounds him. He has called on the holy dragon’s power!

I summon my other scythe, and as I do I spot a hint of determination in Vergil’s eyes. He intends to beat me. How fascinating, such strength of will! He holds up his right hand. “Holy,” he says, with no emotion. A white energy ball shoots toward me and hits me directly.

Vergil runs toward me now that the ethereal effect of my cloak is temporarily down. “Divine judgment!” he yells with fierce determination. This sword skill is the highest holy-based physical attack! Vergil slashes through me several times.

My health is dropped drastically, but this isn’t my end. I back away and dismiss my scythes. “So sorry, Vergil,” I say mockingly, “but this is not when or how I will die.” I hold up a hand. “Soul harvest, “I say as my magic is cast. Vergil’s HP drops to one as my own HP fills back up.

Vergil falls to his knees. I walk over to him slowly. He is hunched over, breathing, I put a hand on his shoulder. “Are you going to kill me?” he says. I shake my head. “Not at all, Vergil. I am going to make you more compliant, though. This might sting a little,” I say, with a sick satisfaction.

I hold my hand in front of Vergil. “Compulsion seal,” I say. Purple flames appear on each finger. I shove my hand into Vergil and he screams as I place a seal on him. His HP is restored and he is now under my control.

“Vergil is mine now,” I say to Noel. “Even should Dante defeat Loki and you and get to floor twelve, he will never beat his own brother. My hope is Loki will end him.” My companion gives a nod and leaves through a portal.

I throw a portal crystal and open a dark portal. It’s time to end this, I say to myself.

Dante’s pathway

I must be dreaming again. This is the same room as the last two times. I look around and see no one. Where is that guy who usually attacks me? I take a few steps forward and a bright light appears. The light casts a shadow. I turn and watch the shadow extend from me. From the shadow forms the guy in the black cloak.

“I see you are back, hero!” the dark figure says. “Is this our last meeting? Will you accept the fact that you are a failure and can save no one? How many people died in Sanctum? You failed them! You killed Sion, an innocent, rising star whose only crime was an obsession with Cain.” Is he right? Am I a failure? Could I have found a way to spare Sion?

I shake my head. “No, Sion chose his path. I tried to save him, but he wouldn’t listen. And I will not listen to your lies anymore!” I draw my sword and run toward my nemesis. I slash at him but he dodges out of the way. He draws his own sword. He runs toward me, and I slash at him as he gets close.

He blocks my attack. I push against his sword with my own. “Oh, where did you replace this strength?” he says with a taunt. “Can you kill me?” I give an extra push and he backs away. He slams his sword on the ground and a stream of dark energy comes rushing toward me.

I wish I could use magic, but in this place I can’t. I dodge the stream of energy and run toward the figure. I slash at him several times. He is able to block a few of the slashes but eventually I get a hit in, and light spouts from the wound. The figure holds his side. “Impossible” he says. “You can’t beat me.” He slashes at me. I block the attack and with some quick movement with my sword, I disarm him.

I twist my body and do a roundhouse kick that knocks him backward. He lands on the ground. I leap at him. He slowly gets up as his hood starts to fall. Before I can see who he is I thrust my sword through his abdomen.

He lets out a grunt and his hood falls, revealing who he is. The sight of his face scares me. “How . . . my God, you’re me!” The look-alike, with the exception of his red eyes, coughs. Light still shoots from the wound where my sword was. The cloaked figure falls onto me. I drop my sword and hold him.

“Who are you?” I demand. “Why do you look like me?”

“I am you . . . your fear, your hatred, your despair,” he says. “If I’m fading then you have accepted that you need me but only to make you stronger.” His body is breaking apart and fading away. “Why have you been fighting me?” I ask him.

“You have doubted yourself,” comes his gasp of a reply. “I came to stop that doubt.” I want to ask more but his body fades away to ether.

I wake up and notice that I am alone in the room. I get up off the floor and look around. Then I remember. “Claire! I need to replace her.” A dark portal opens in front of me. I pull my sword out just in case. To my relief Asher walks out. “Yo! Dante. I am here to take you to nine where the others are.” I put my sword away. “Asher, where is my brother? Where is Vergil?” I ask him.

“Don’t know, to be honest. Last time we saw each other was when we got to Castle Infinity. He wanted me to make sure everyone of you were all right. He was going to take on the director and I was to take you all with me to fight with him. I’m thinking he should be on twelve. But we need to get to nine. That is as far as portal warping will take us. Once on nine we’ll regroup and go to twelve to meet up with Vergil and then finally we kill Noel and the director. Cain is wandering somewhere in the basement, but it’s unlikely he’ll fight us. Despite his strength, he doesn’t have it in him to actually kill anyone. During our missions this year he’s been pretty merciful and only killed when necessary.”

“All right, open a portal then,” I suggest to Asher. He pulls a crystal from his inventory and tosses it to the ground. A dark portal opens. I follow Asher into the dark portal, and where we end up is not what I was expecting. It looks nothing like the castle but more like an open forest. I do not like the look of it.

Asher seems just as confused as I am. We both look around. “Asher, what is this?” I say. “Where are the others? “Asher shrugs. “I . . . I’m not sure,” he says. “This definitely isn’t in Castle Infinity.” We walk through the woods until a woman emerges from the trees.

“Who are you? What is this place?” I ask the woman. She smiles and replies, “I am Minerva, queen of the forest of death. You have entered into my reality uninvited and now you will pay the price.” She then uses lightning magic against us. I use a defensive magic spell. My magic defuses her magic.

Asher throws his chakram at the woman. She dodges the attack. “Asher, what is going on?” I ask. My brothers’ best friend shakes his head. “We are dealing with Loki. He specializes in illusion, poison and lightning-based spells,” he says.

The woman crosses her arms. “Well, aren’t we clever?” As she speaks her voice and appearance change into a man’s voice and appearance. This new person—Loki— sounds psychotic. He has black hair that is spiked up. He is wearing ninja armor, by my guess, and it’s black and purple.

“You’re no fun, Asher,” he says with annoyance. He pulls out a kodachi and looks at Asher. “What loves fire but is about to be burned?” he says with a smirk. I look at Asher and he sighs. “This is what Loki does,” he says. “He makes stupid jokes.” “I don’t know, clown, tell me.” Loki frowns. “Still no fun. The answer is you!” Loki runs toward us. He slashes through the air with his sword as a taunt, and with his free hand he releases a lightning spell at us.

I use magic to deflect the spell but it is a lot stronger now and overpowers my spell. The lightning knocks me away and sends Asher to his knees. Loki goes to slash Asher, but he deflects Loki with one of his chakrams.

I get up and run at Loki to get him away from Asher. I swing my sword and Loki uses his free hand to catch my wrist. He looks at me. “Wait your turn,” he says as he shoves me away and again turns his attention to Asher.

Asher swings a leg and knocks Loki down. Asher then pulls out a scroll. He unravels it and holds it in front of himself. “I seek the wind that rips the earth!” A gust of wind blows from the scroll and blows Loki backward. I take advantage of the opening and use a powerful ice spell, compliments of the sapphire artifact.

The icy air freezes the room and stalls Loki for a moment. Asher looks at me. “Dante, stay out of the way,” he says. “I am going to use a unique scroll to fight our frozen, feeble foe. Please don’t interfere. I will finish him.” He pulls out another scroll, unraveling the ancient paper and placing it on the floor before him. He pulls a dagger from his inventory and cuts his hand, causing minor damage. Virtual blood falls onto the scroll.

“By my blood offer I ask for the strength of the dragon Mars in all his fiery glory,” Asher intones. I’ve never seen this kind of scroll. What is it? Asher’s body begins to glow a bright red. His chakram burns, a fire in his hands.

Loki is free from the ice of my spell. The illusionist seems taken aback by Asher. “What are you doing?” he says. “This is my fun! Not yours!” He shoots lightning magic at Asher, who dodges the lightning with unexpected speed. The scroll gave him great power.

Asher charges Loki and hits him with the fire chakram. The jokester flies backward from the attack. He quickly gets up and hurls throwing daggers at Asher. The attack fails. Loki seems scared. “How are you dodging the attacks?” he yells.

“The scroll keeps me invincible for the time being,” Asher says as he shoots a large fireball from his hands at Loki. The jokester dodges the attack, but just barely. I see what Asher means by “for the time being” as I notice a portion of his health suddenly drop. The scroll comes at a cost.

Asher rushes Loki and hits him up close. Loki is taking a large amount of damage. Asher might just kill him! Loki seems to be weakening. He uses a potion to heal himself. He is trying to wait Asher out.

Asher’s HP takes another hit. He won’t be able to take many more. Loki smirks psychotically. He holds up a hand and aims in my direction. “Poison fog!” A purple fog shoots from Loki’s hand and comes at me. Asher shoots fire from his hand and ignites the fog. There is an explosion and Loki runs at Asher.

Loki throws daggers and they still do nothing to Asher. “I will kill Dante one way or another, Asher,” he says. “Unless you kill me first!” He is taunting Asher. I see Loki take a potion but his health doesn’t go up. What potion was it?

Asher turns to Loki, runs up to him and picks him up by the throat. “You die now, Loki.” There is a massive energy surge around Asher. “Explosion!” Asher says before fire surrounds him and Loki. The fire engulfs the room.

When everything settles I see Asher on the ground and Loki standing with a sneer. “Sorry, Asher,” he says. “Can’t let you get in my way. That scroll is awesome, but it cost you your HP.” Next Loki grabs me, releasing lightning from his hands into my body. The energy surges through me and drains my health.

“Director’s orders: you have to die!” he shouts. I head-butt him and he drops me. I use my holy spell and knock him away. He seems to be down for a little bit, at least. I run to Asher. He is dying. “Don’t bother,” he says, gasping for air. “You can’t heal me. That scroll kills anyone who uses it and no magic can prevent it. Kill the director and you win the game. Tell Vergil I’m sorry.” His body shatters into pieces. A tear falls from my eyes.

Loki comes back at me to try to kill me with his swords. I hold up my hand. “Shadow flare!” A ball of black fire hits him and he falls to the ground. I stand over him. He laughs and swings his leg, knocking me down. He climbs on top of me and begins to choke me. My HP slowly begins to drop. “Laugh, Dante! Laugh!” he yells.

Am I going to die? Is this the end? No, Cloud, Vergil, Claire! My thoughts are interrupted by the illusion of falling, and the forest turns into what looks like a pub. Is this another mirage? I feel Loki’s hands falter.

“Loki, what do you call a clown with a hole in his chest?” Raziel says. Loki stands up and looks at Raziel. Thank God he is here! Before Loki can say or do anything, a blue beam shoots through him. “Dead,” Raziel says. Loki coughs. “That’s not funny . . . that’s not funny at all,” He says as he falls forward and shatters into pieces.

Raziel helps me up and I embrace him. “Raziel, how did you know I was here?” I ask as I desperately try to not let my emotions break. “At first, I didn’t,” he replies. “None of us did. But then we felt something was wrong with the room and after that we felt a heat wave and I knew that some sort of magic was at work in disguising something. I dispelled the magic and saw you two.”

“Asher . . . ,” I say. “He sacrificed himself for me. We need to end this.” I look around and see everyone—Cloud, Zack, Nero, Apollo, Claire and Lucifer. Where are Lucien and Vergil?

“Raziel, is Vergil not here?” I ask. Raziel replies he thinks Vergil may be ahead. He suggests I rest, but before I can, I notice there is a clear stone on the ground. It’s the diamond artifact. I pick it up and its energy flows into me as it did with the others. A series of colors shoots from my chest and a glyph appears before us all. The glyph sucks Raziel and me into it and transports us to an area above all of Eden. I can see every continent floating in the endless sky.

Yet the sight immediately before Raziel and me is far more enchanting. It is a pale dragon with six wings and four horns. “When six meet, a seventh shall rise. When both six and seven kneel to one, the seal will break. Creation will rumble and thou will know . . . Veren’s champions have come,” Raziel says slowly. Is this the hallowed dragon at last?