Spirit Unveiled. Question answered.

Saturn inspected the ring for a while, and after finding it to be a significant clue or perhaps a useful item, she suddenly realized that her friends were nowhere to be seen. Panicking, she looked behind and in front of her before emitting a loud and peculiar sound.

"BWAAAHAH!" She frantically spun around in dizzying circles, hands in the air, before eventually collapsing from dizziness.

"I GOT LOST!" she exclaimed dramatically. In a swift recovery, Saturn puffed out her chest and licked her finger, then pointed it up to sense the chilly breeze's direction. The wind guided her choice, and she lowered her licked finger, pointing straight ahead.

She began to utter, "This is the-" but was interrupted when a man picked her up as if she were a doll and dived to the ground, sheltering her securely in his chest. Right after, there was a deafening thud, and when Saturn managed to wriggle herself out and look around, she witnessed a massive building that had just collapsed onto the street, leaving a trail of blood beneath the rubble.

"You okay, kid?" the man who had saved her asked, his concern evident.

Saturn nodded and jumped up, trying to figure out how to proceed now that the street was blocked by debris. Just as she contemplated climbing over the wreckage, a sudden fire erupted from the rubble, leaving her in disbelief.

"Hey, kid, you didn't answer me. Is someone you know under the rubble?" the man inquired.

"How can I get to the Dae Turris?" Saturn asked, diverting his attention.

The man stumbled back, shocked and stuttering, "Little girl, why would you want to go to Sir Heartblaze's home?"

"Someone I know is heading there as we speak."

"Someone you know? Hey, little girl, maybe you're just disoriented, there couldn't possibly—"

"Ooo, look, another little girl!" Saturn shouted, pointing behind the man. He turned around eagerly, as if a toy had been thrown for a dog to fetch. In that moment, Saturn seized the opportunity and dashed off in the opposite direction.

Saturn sprinted as fast as she could, her determination fueled by the desire to get as far away from the man as possible. "That guy is a danger to all little girls. Mwwaah!" Leaping over a pile of debris, she used all her energy freerunning through the chaotic streets. The city seemed to disintegrate before her, death becoming increasingly common. The firefighters, despite their frantic efforts to douse the flames, were powerless. The fire raged on, growing larger and wilder by the minute.

"If only I could transform without causing an issue," Saturn thought to herself, lamenting her inability to use her powers.

As she ran, a shining beacon on the horizon caught her eye. It was the peak of the Dae Turris of Polanoire, gleaming in the distance. She immediately got lighter with all her stress and worries instantly disappearing. Saturn wasted no time and continued to run with a newfound determination along with a skip in her step. The Dae Turris was her destination, and nothing would deter her from reaching it.

Except of a sudden obstacle that she had just collided with plummeting to the ground again.

"Man, what is up with this chapter and me always on the ground?" she muttered to herself.

Then, a familiar voice reached her ears. "Saturn?" It was a curious voice coming from behind her. She twisted her body and found Plutonia with wide eyes, gleaming at Saturn, unable to control her tears.

"Brat, you better get off me," another voice came from right below Saturn. With such language, it couldn't have been anyone but Lumi. Her face visibly not happy with Saturn so casually sitting on top of her.

Plutonia dived into Saturn's arms, drying out her tears, sobbing uncontrollably. "I thought you got caught in the rubble," she spoke, her words barely audible due to her sobs.

"If I died, then you would be a Processor by now. So next time, just watch if your back hasn't suddenly grown wings, hihi," Saturn comforted Plutonia, who slowly calmed down.

Lumi stood up, smiling sincerely at the sisters' unification. Not long after, Lazuli returned, letting everyone know she had found a path to the Dae Turris that wasn't completely wrecked. The group was whole once more, and immediately ready to set off.

"Whilst you were all tyring to find each other I also managed to find out how this fire even started in the first place. Lazuli spoke as she led the way. "Polanoire has been housing all sorts of Spirits within their Dae Turris. not only that but have also started doing experiments on turning humans into Daemons. So basically short version is one of these spirits wasn't very happy being some prisoner so he cursed Rudolf Heartblaze and ended up burning the entire nation not just this planet down to the ground."

Lumi asked, "How the hell does this benefit him?"

"That's just another question we can ask him, right?" Lazuli responded.

The group eventually arrived at the grand gates of the Dae Turris. The building appeared untouched by the chaos outside. Saturn confidently pushed the doors open. Inside, it was dark and freezing. They all slowly entered. The doors suddenly slammed shut behind them and the darkness completely engulfed them.

"Maybe we should leave," Saturn nervously suggested with a laugh before Lumi grabbed her by the collar and led the way.

Lazuli whispered a word and her halo emitted a bright shine that illuminated the chilly corridors. They slowly walked on.

Many whispers started occurring all throughout and Lazuli's light cast shadows of people that where no where to be seen.

"Those of the past and present are here," Lazuli explained.

"The what?" Plutonia asked, her voice quivering.

"The shadows are all the spirits that the Processor has imprisoned. It seems they've run wild and taken over the Dae Turris," Lazuli elaborated.

"Could it be that Rudolf died?" Lumi inquired.

"Spirits fear the wrath of the Motherboards. They would never hurt a Processor or a candidate. Other humans, they couldn't care less," Lazuli reassured them. Despite this, the knowledge that spirits were watching their every step made the group paranoid.

SWOOSH

The whole group spun to their right staring down a pitch-black corridor. A sudden sound of footsteps and a thrust of air came and disappeared just as quickly. On the floor was a single strand of blonde hair.

BANG

The noise echoed from in front of them, and the sound of small footsteps rapidly approaching grew louder. Just as suddenly as it had started, the noise ceased. Saturn was lying in Plutonia's arms and she was cowering behind Lumi who she was hiding behind Lazuli.

"Go on then." Spoke Saturn who used the back of her shoe to nudge Lumi forward.

"W-w-w-hy don't you go ya b-b-b-at?"

"Whats a-a-all the stuttering for W-W-Wumi?"

"The-the-the b-b-b-both of you a-a-are stut-ut-utering." Added Plutonia.

"Guten morgen." Shouted Lazuli into the black abyss in front of them. Its response was silence.

"See, it's empty," Saturn began saying, but before she could finish, a sword flew past Lazuli and embedded itself into the wall. Everyone jumped up and their fear quickly started to overwhelm them now that their lives were on the line. The air remained still and the darkness seemed to grow larger around them. They slowly backed up to the wall to their left leaving three ways of attack in their sights.

Suddenly, another sword was flung in their direction, but it fell short. The footsteps returned, seemingly running frantically toward the doors leading outside. Once they disappeared, a shrill screech filled the air, and the shadows multiplied, nearly enveloping the walls. Lazuli's light became nearly useless.

"Watch out!" Saturn shouted, and a barrage of knives flew toward them. Everyone sprouted their wings and took to the ceiling. Saturn lifted Plutonia by her jacket. The footsteps had multiplied, and a dark figure ascended to Saturn's level, slamming her down with a blunt sword, crashing down creating a hole in the stone floor.

"Saturn Plutonia!" Lumi cried out. Saturn got up on her feet without any issue and the shadow rapidly continued its frantic attacks swinging its sword with incredible speed and precision. Saturn dodged each swing with steps that looked like a beautiful ballet dance. Its graceful spins and drops barely holding up with the continuous strikes.

Lumi couldn't wait any longer. She immediately transformed into her DED form and swung her sword at the shadow, but it effortlessly disappeared and reappeared, continuing its relentless attacks now onto Lumi. This provided Saturn with the opportunity to enter her battle DED form. Her transformation emitted a powerful pulse and a blinding light that evaporated the darkness in the corridors. With the restored colors, the shadowy figure was revealed to be the same cloaked man they encountered in Lklandkeeling.

Upon recognizing the man, Saturn's fear was replaced by a grin. Transformation into DED forms could alter the processors' personalities and perceptions. Battle DEDs typically increased their egos and sense of power. Given Plansanturia's lineage, where processors only truly loss was in death, her pride was unshakable.

Saturn pushed Lumi aside and confronted the hooded man, delivering a powerful uppercut blow with her sword that slashed his skull wide open and sent him flying to the other side of the corridor. His face quickly healed, and he staggered back up, ready to strike once more.

"Aren." Called out Lumi. The man's face had healed, but his clothes remained torn. He froze, looking dazed. As Lumi approached him, his guard remained up, but he seemed conflicted. She got closer, and the moment she stepped within reach, he pounced, slashing her arm.

Upon seeing this attack, Saturn abandoned any restraint and struck the man repeatedly, each blow opening him up and causing him to leak glowing dust. Saturn ended up dissolving her sword and continued her vigorous beatdown with her fists. Blow after blow, her anger and frustration fueled her strikes. It was Lumi's voice that eventually reached her, prompting her to reluctantly unclench her fists.

“That was easier than last time,” Lumi remarked, showing her healed arm.

"Only because you know him," Saturn replied, still eyeing the man who was slowly healing. Lumi knelt down beside him. She had untransformed from her DED.

"Aren. is it really you?" His face has healed just enough to provide an audible response.

"Madam Lumi Ilandice."

"So it was you." Aren's body had now completely healed and smiled upon the sight of Lumi. With her help he managed to stand on his own feet and took off his hood to unveil his entire head. A young man with short blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

Lumi continued her questions, "Why did you try to kill Saturn twice, three times now?"

"I'm sorry, Ilandice, but Rudolf Heartblaze has forged a pact with the Lord of the Undead. My soul now belongs to him, and I don't have much say," Aren explained.

Lazuli, with her knowledge of spirits, inquired, "He forged a blood bond?"

Aren confirmed, "Yes, Lazuli. My life is his life, and his will is my will."

Lumi pressed on, asking, "But now the question is why did he want to kill Saturn in the first place?"

Saturn, in her typical confident manner, chimed in, "Because I'm the main protagonist, duh. Every protag has an antagonist."

Lumi continued her questioning, turning the reunion into a deep interrogation, "Why are you not trying to kill her now?"

“Can you lead us to Rudolf?” 

“Well yes of course Madam Ilandice.”