Welcome to Gaia! ::

Owle smiled softly, her head tilting to look down at the sand. "Thanks, Rage."

Should I tell him?

He hadn't said anything yet. But she had the feeling the whole world had heard the drama with Vahn.

He probably already knew. He had a right to know, even if he didn't.

"Rage...I think I'm pregnant."

Athan was the first one to pop up, his grip falling from the black flame he had been clutching too so tightly. His right hand was scorched from the substance, but it was nothing compared to the rest of him.

As he flailed on his descent, it was fairly apparent he was a lot worse off than he was when he had went into the temple. For starters, the large sword he had carried before was gone. His shirt was essentially completely gone, and the parts of him that weren't bruised or bloodied were covered by burn marks. His chest in particular had one nasty gash that ran horizontally, just below the pectoral muscles.

"AH--OOF!"

He hit the ground chest first and bounced slightly before coming to a rest. At first, the only sound that came from his lips would seem very similar to a crying baby.

Upon closer inspection, the crowd assembled would recognize it as laughter. A forced laughter, one that was put on display for no other purpose than to hide the fact he was in an immense amount of pain.

But hell, he seemed happy enough.

"Oh... I could use some cash..." Nascen sighed, and then grinned brightly. "Maybe if I go finish two off real quick I can still pick up the money." he said so cheerfully there was no way he could possibly be serious. Well... maybe he could have been, but the point is, he wasn't.

Standing quickly, he wobbled off toward the sight of the people tearing themselves out of the earth on chains' ends. "Hey there! Need a hand, anybody?"

Flare's reaction was almost identical to that of Charles. She lifted her left arm in a wave to Allen. "Yo."

Her wings beat, once, twice, and then she was airborne. Her injured legs never bearing her weight or touching the ground, she made her way over to Allen.

"You made it. Congratulations." Her tone was flat. But she meant it.

"Vahn? Oh, yeah, he was in there too, but how did you all get..."

Oh s**t. There was that big ol' blade he lugged about. Sticking out of the ground, three chains stuck on it. One to Athan, and one to Allen, both of the two hero's tugged up out of the little pit 'o doom. But wasn't there supposed to be a third hero? Wasn't there a third chain that was not connected to someone sprawled out on the ground.

"Aw, no, this is the last thing I need now..." Nascen ran toward the pits edsge and had his worries confirmed, as there was certainly something hanging from that last chain and keeping it taught. He wasn't going to lean over to get a clear look, but from all this it had to be pretty obvious what it was. Not to mention Athan confirmed it just as he drew the conclusion.

Nascen grabbed the chains, shouting and pulling his hands away as they were burned by the flames that made them. "Merde! Hey, the last guy's still down there! Someone lend a hand, we gotta' haul 'im up!" he shouted to Owle, and anyone else who would listen. Nascen grabbed at his turtleneck's long sleeve, tearing a chunk off and wrapping it withing the hand not already bandaged, and grabbing on to the chains again, ignoring what lesser burning that now afflicted his hands, gritting his jaw as he put his full body's strength into pulling the bloke out.

"s**t," Owle cursed. She grabbed the chain Athan and Nascen were already holding, ignoring the pain to her hands. Minor burns didn't hurt her as much as they used to, anyway...thanks to her association with Flare. And with all the might of an average woman off the streets, Owle began to pull with them. You'd better make it out alive.

There is only neverending darkness.

Even if you lost most of your strength, to think that you are not completely swallowed up...

....Nothing but horrifying darkness.

Eyes opened slowly, as locks of hair settled along his face. His entire body was bound, arms outstretched as he was held in place. He could faintly feel the tingling sensation of a flame burning somewhere.

Well I'll be damned... his royal Highness, Vahn.

Yellowed stared even as the sounds of footsteps echoed out in the emptiness.

"You again... You fell with me, then....?"

Standing before Vahn was... himself. An exact mirror image, except with every aspect of color completely inverted.

"What's up? Are you here to laugh at me?" He grinned lazily even as he lowered his head slightly. "To someone like you... my state right now would be ludricous."

No. The 'other' stared him down. It seems you realized how weak you are. I'm completely surprised.

"....." Vahn stared at his inner self.

I always thought you were the type of guy who never gave a crap about what someone else said.

"So what the hell do you want?" He asked, compltely annoyed.

Aha... I can't talk to you without any reason?

"Lame. I so don't make such weak jokes."

..... Staring at Vahn, the 'other' simply closed his eyes, sighing. I don't remember saying I was yours... is what I would normally say.

Raising it's right hand, the 'other' began forming Efreet's Fang out of nothing but pure emptiness and chaos. Of course, I have a reason. I want you to...assimilate with the Chaos.

Drawing the Fang forward suddenly, the 'other' held it's edge against Vahn's chin. And, follow the path to power with me.

Staring down the length of his own sword, Vahn grinned that lopsided grin of his. "No deal--!"

The 'other' stared down Vahn, unmoved. Even if I ask you to?

"Don't make me laugh!" Yellowed eyes stared out, even as he pushed against the bonds that held him. "I am mine, and mine alone. I'll never follow you. Not too mention..."

His wrists moved ever so slightly, the bindings of darkness around his arm tightening to compensate. "Even with that 'form', it's not 'me' who's asking."

--Is that so? Then you can only keep rotting away here, and share the same fate as that other man. No matter what, it will end soon.

The 'other' turned it's head and stared up to where faint voices could be heard, shouts of concern, worry, and.. hope.

Soon, I will be released... and my body... no your body will become mine.

"W...hat?" Vahn's head lifted, alarm in his voice. "Are you telling me that your going over there? More than that, will you be giving up this body to some peice of s**t Chaos...?" Eyes widened as he yelled out, straining against his bonds. "Are you fine with that?! EH--- DEVIL!!"

The 'other' stared at Vahn, surprised at the vigour of his outburst. However momentary and shortlived it was, as it regained it's composure.

Don't worry so hard over it... I'm just following the path filled with more power. The rest are meaningless.

It turned around and began walking away, steps rippling the emptiness that made up this darkness.

Still... the same stubborn b*****d even in this darkness. You're really something else... Vahn.

"....Bullshit..." Vahn's head was lowered, biting down on his lower lip so hard that he broke the skin. His words came out as low growls, even as his blood dripped off his neck. "It's... bullshit..."

He struggled against his bonds, even as the voices became louder, the beats in his chest rising to a crescendo.

"You b*****d, I am the only person who can own you... There can't be anyone else but me...DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!" He shouted aloud to the 'other' even as he continued ascending to the light.

I won't let you ruin what's left of my soul--! Their waiting for me! Waiting! Do you....

"---Hear me!!" Vahn's left arm tore free from the darkness, right arm soon following as he pulled forward. His eyes widened and his face twisted into a visage of pure rage, before impacting straight into the 'other'.

The massiver burst of energy to follow expanded in clouded circles, even as the single flaming chain continued to be pulled... dragging a single body upwards.

The sound of Shouyin's bass caused Flare's head to turn...and then she noticed that he had a car.

"You!" she shouted at him. "Car!" By which, of course, she meant that he should somehow attach one of the chains to his car and drive.

She went up to Charles next, figuring getting his van to contribute would do more than her meager strength on the line. "Charles, is there any way we could hook one of these chains to your van? If we could do it, and use that to drag that guy out...well, suppose we should help someone who saved all our asses, eh?"