Chapter 32

32

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Before Casterline could take another step, her Roulette suddenly opened up of its own violation and Chise burst forth. Amidst the Virtual nonsense, Caste's memory of her beloved Summon had nearly faded away. But Chise had always been there, sealed with Caste's Roulette by Fiaerna, fighting tooth and nail to get out. Though she was incredibly tired from her ordeal within the Roulette, the fearsome Lamia remained loyal to her Master. She flew at Fiaerna head on, desperately clawing at the swirling dome surrounding her beloved Casterline's nemesis. Fiaerna manifested her large Scythe and sliced straight through Summon's mouth. Her bared fangs fell from her mouth, causing the ripped skin and exposed sockets to bleed profusely. Refusing to give up, Chise reeled, then beat the dome with her wings with as much force as she could in her wounded state. Again, Fiaerna swiped at Chise, this time lobbing off her previous wings.

The blood loss was too great. The stoic Summon hit the ground hard, no longer able to move. Casterline screamed and ran to her Lamia's side to hold and comfort her as this was all she could do in the creature's dying moments. Chise held Casterline's small human hand with her oversized claw and placed something within. It was a tattered plane ticket. Seat 2B. She'd been holding onto it since the moment she'd decided to jump. She'd continued to hold onto it as she turned beastly. She'd tucked it away inside her feathers, a small remnant of her lost humanity...without knowing why she felt the need to keep it. And now here she lay, slowly fading away as her human form returned. She wordlessly stared up at Caste as they held one another, as she closed her eyes and breathed her last breath. Embracing Chise threw Casterline into a whirlwind of modern memories. They were those of a girl that aspired to sing for the world and unite people in song. From getting her first microphone at the age of seven, to bravely signing her contract as an Idol Trainee in an American Pop Culture Exchange Program that would ultimately lead to that fateful first encounter with Caste on the airplane that would converge and entwine their lives forever more. All the screaming and crying in the world couldn't change a thing. Casterline wearily stood to face Fiaerna with a devastating fire in her eyes. One of deep loss, anger, and regret. She was screaming once again, no longer cries of pure agony, but of white-hot rage. She would not, could not, die here. She had so many people to avenge, so much to live for still.

Harumi's first bike ride, Caste's proposal to Haru, a renewal of wedding vows the second she got home to show her love for him, Harumi's school years, proms, dates, smiles and tears, her beloved fashion designs, Earth's flowers, Earth's technology, everything. All of it. She would never taking anything from her home world for granted ever again. She would live in gratitude for the rest of her life and dedicate her every waking moment to being the best mother and wife she could possibly be. And daughter, too. She could almost feel Katlyn's warm embrace enfolding around her. Such thoughts gave her strength now in her darkest hour. Casterline ran circles around Fiaerna, shooting a vast array of arrows at her repeatedly. Alas, they broke against the dome of swirling purple energy. She struck out with an iron-clawed grapple hook hoping to puncture Fiaerna's cowardly force field. When the claw shattered, she then attempted a fierce onslaught of Magic rapid firing, wave after wave of green pyro lights bounced off the shield without leaving a scratch.

The moment her wand disintegrated in her hands, she wasted no time materializing her broadsword, now dyed red with the blood of innocents slain by her unknowing hand, and jumped full force into the air bringing down the broadsword with all the remaining might she could muster. "Why me?" Caste raged as she cycled through her ever breaking arsenal, repeatedly bashing at the protective sphere of Darkness. "Because you're you, Mommy. You may look different, but you are Mommy, no matter how I look at you. You brought me into this world, you know. I'm your fault. Does that abate your fears? Does it make you hate me any less for what I've done? No. It changes nothing. I can see it in your eyes." Caste growled with rage, her brow furrowed, her teeth clenched. "Bullshit! Your mother died six months ago! You're insane!" "I'm not! Don't say that, Mommy! You abandoned me on purpose! You found Earth through the Mirror Door just like I did. You hated me then. Feared me. Just like you do now!" She was screaming and crying, desperate as always to be the center of Casterline's attention, to be heard over the clangs and clashes of Caste's alternating weaponry. Caste knew words would never break through, so she fought with all her strength. "You think you've only been here for six months? You honestly believe my mother has been deceased for only six months? Don't make me laugh! Time flows differently here than where you are from. Once Mother, once you realized that, you abandoned me to start over. I've heard you chanting the same disgusting prayer again and again every night since I was three years old. I hated that prayer, but I never stopped loving you, Mommy!"

"Shut...up!!!" It was in that pivotal moment when Casterline finally absorbed Delia's Soul. Delia pierced through Caste's psyche, putting up an incredibly strong barrier of Light to protect her mind while she underwent the chaotic transmutation. "You must act now. There are no more second chances. Farewell, my friend. May you find peace." The Light barrier remained just long enough for Casterline to focus her Earth Affinity inward. As her Magic reserves flooded her body and brain, Delia's Spiritual Essence was swept away, successfully absorbed into the current of green energy coursing through Caste's entire body. The flood eventually collapsed Delia's Light barrier and formed an even sturdier wall of ethereal green vines in its place.