FCGS - Chapter 17

"This is Loki's castle?"

"Huge isn't it?"

"Well he is a god… You'd expect him to have a huge castle."

Lack and the rest walked up the stone pathway to the large double doors. Tadakono and Phenomenon looked around and spotted Hel staring at them from a large stain glass window.

"Loki…" Balawis hissed drawing his bow. Everyone followed suit watching Loki skip down the steps and along the path towards them. "Is it just me or is he in a good mood?"

"Lack," Loki said with the biggest grin on his face. "Welcome to my castle. I know you must be tired but I must insist you come into the Arena." Loki steered a confused Lack and walked quickly pushing him. "I have someone you'll want to meet." Stunned, Lack walked following Loki. MikeRex gave an angry growl and motioned everyone to follow.

~~~

"Chibi…" Lack stood facing her in the centre of the Arena. "Are you alright?" Chibi drew her sword and pointed it at him.

"You need to duel," Loki explained to him. "Chibi, herself, requested it." He danced over and wrapped his arms around Chibi. "She's all ready to go, see?"

Lack took a deep breath and pulled his gloves tight. Settling into fighting position, he asked "Are you sure about this, Chibi? You know my strength and my skill as much as I know yours."

"I'm sure," she replied, her voice monotone. "I'm counting on your knowledge." Lack blinked in surprise. Chibi moved her sword into guard position. "Don't hold back."

"If you say so," Lack leaped at her casting Blessing and Increase Agility on himself. She's counting on my knowledge. What does she mean?

~~~

"It's started," Momo said watching though Chibi's windows. "He's holding back."

"I know," Chibi replied. "He's already off balance because she said she was counting on his knowledge. He's trying to work out the meaning behind that."

"You knew all this would happen? I mean your other self saying that?" Chibi nodded her eyes fixed on the window in front of her. "How?"

"I noticed when she paused once before while talking to Loki. Our bodies still retain any habits we have. I have a habit of leaving things out I know Lack will protest against. I also have a habit of giving him subtle clues on things," her eyes searched Lack's image in the window. "I knew that if that was true then my body would hint to him about the Azoth if he had it on him."

"That's a huge chance you took,"

"I know." her eyes spotted the Azoth. "But I trust him to know what to do."

"Chibi…" Momo asked tentatively. "Will… Will you set me free?"

"I'll do what I can in my power to set you free," Chibi said pausing for bit making Momo feel uncomfortable. "But I can't promise that I can. Loki is much more powerful than even Lack…" She looked at Momo uncertain. "It's the most I can offer you."

"It's all I was expecting," Momo replied, his hand moving to take hers but pausing half way. "I don't want you to be recaptured." He firmly forced himself to take her hand.

~~~

Lack changed into a Stalker in mid-flight and brought his daggers down towards Chibi. Raising her right arm, she blocked his daggers and sliced at his waist with her sword. MikeRex and the others called from the sidelines to Lack. Lack ignored them and locked blades with Chibi, his crossed daggers pressing on the blade of her saber.

An explosion threw them apart, Lack noticed Chibi draw another Bomb from her pouch with her right hand and flick them at him. Knowledge… What could she mean? Lack leapt backwards away from the flames. Chibi drew Marine Spheres and Plant bottles, again with her right hand, and scattered them over the field.

Marine Sphere!

Summon Flora!

Lack sliced a Dryad in two and leaped over a Geographer. His eyes watched as she drew another Bomb with her right hand. That's it isn't it? She changed to using potions to hint at me. Looking carefully, he saw a bruise peeping out between the cuts in her glove. I need to get that glove off her. Turning back into a Champion, he stood still watching her.

Chibi threw the bomb at him. Lack punched it hard making it fly back. Chibi shielded herself from the explosion with her right arm, reducing her glove to shreds. She moved her sword to block Lack's twin daggers. Lack pushed her backwards, exchanging his left dagger for Azoth. Chibi raised her sword and brought it down hard towards Lack's head. Without thinking Lack, stabbed her wrist with Azoth, forcing her to release her sword.

The bracelet fell to the ground with a thump. Loki screamed and rushed towards Lack and Chibi, his daggers raised high. MikeRex and Phenomenon blocked his path sending both daggers flying. "You'll all pay for tricking me," Loki growled disappearing from the Arena in a puff of smoke. "You can all die here!"

Lack sat holding Chibi. His eyes soft and concerned. Chibi sat up and took her Azoth from him. "Chibi..." Lack started confused with her silence. "You alright?" Chibi stood up moved away from him. Her hand reached up and touched her left eye. Moving her hand away, Lack could see blood covered her hand. "You're bleeding!" He cast Heal on her.

"Don't Heal me," Chibi said pushing his hands away. "We need to deal with the doppelgangers first and save Momo." She turned to face him and noticed Lack looked hurt. "I don't need to be healed." She reached into her pouch and brought out a bottle of water and a piece of cloth. "This happened a while back. Loki didn't bother to clean it up." She brought the water over her eye then gently wiped away the blood. Looking back at Lack, she smiled and added "It's permanent."

Lack stared at her eyes. Instead of a pair of sky blue eyes, she had one blood-red eye one sky blue eye. "How did this happen?"

"Long story," She pulled Lack's arm to get him moving. "We can thank Momo for it when we break him from Loki's bracelet."

Phenomenon and Tadakono each took a hold of one of Chibi's shoulders. "I think we all need to rest, and recover," Tadakono eyed her right wrist. "And be healed."

"There's no time," Chibi murmured pulling off one of her ribbons and wrapping it around her wrist. "Loki now knows that we have an item than can remove his bracelet off Momo. To ensure his plan isn't completely ruined, he'll either: Place Momo under a new control method, send doppelgangers that were going to be sent to Fight Club at us or find a way to take my Azoth so we can't free Momo." She pulled away from their hands. "He could easily do all three while you're Healing me."

Tadakono took a hold of her right wrist, squeezing it tightly. Chibi's eyes, watering at the pain, stared at him defiantly. "How about this?" he said not letting go of her wrist. "Since both you and Lack need to rest, we'll split up into two groups. That way we aren't all being idle." Lack nodded in agreement at this. "Rena, MikeRex, JohnFlora, and Balawis go into Loki's castle and find Momo. Myself, Phenomenon, LadyDeathStrike, Lack, and you stay here."

"A divided power going into Loki's castle is better than nothing," Balawis added. "Besides, Momo is originally Mike's problem… Uh… I mean guildsman." MikeRex gave Balawis a thump on the head with his poleaxe in response. "I was only joking."

"Chibs," LadyDeathStrike said softly placing her hand where Tadakono's hand held Chibi's wrist. "Eventually this wrist will become unable to move. If that happens in mid battle, it doesn't help any of us as we rely both on yourself and John as support."

"Alright," Chibi sighed and relaxed. Tadakono let go of her wrist and cast Heal with his Vitata Clip. Chibi looked at her Azoth then at MikeRex. MikeRex raised his eyebrow and got off his Peco. "Don't lose it." She said handing it to him. "You'll need it to free Momo. And I will murder you if it isn't returned to me. I went through hell and back to find the ingredients to make it."

MikeRex was taken aback. "I won't lose it," he replied tucking it into his belt. "I won't let Loki take it either." He ruffled her hair. "You've gotten stronger. Much more than you were in Velvet Touch of Enishi." He glanced at Lack. "Maybe because you're beside someone who brings out the best in you better than I could." He jumped onto his Peco. "Let's get moving!" he called to the rest and they left for Loki's castle.

"Lack…" Phenomenon glanced at him. Lack nodded and together they pulled Chibi down to the ground so she was sitting. LadyDeathStrike and Tadakono sat down in front of them. "Tell us why your left eye is blood red." Phenomenon took a hold of Chibi's arm and cast Heal.