Broken Ties: An Adventure Forward AU

Chapter Eleven: The Final Battle (Not Really)

"FINALLY!" I yelled out. "I GOT ALL OF THE SYMBOLS!!! WOOHOOO!!!!!" Compale was just staring at me, seemingly annoyed by my reaction.

I turned towards him. "Now what?" I asked. He shrugged. "I don't know, we call all the points into a hallway and announce my return?" I blinked my eyes a few times, trying to register what he just said. "So you're telling me that you DON'T know what you're going to do now that we have all symbols?" He nodded. "I hate to admit it, but you're right."

I crossed my arms and thought for a bit. "Since you showed me that trick with the symbol, I think I can fix your "plan" and make it better." I took out all of the symbols and held them. They all felt a little warm (except for Compale's since he's naturally cold in terms of body temperature). I knelt and spread them across the floor. "Now let's see..."

¯¯¯⌜later...⌟¯¯¯

I was standing inside a hallway. It looked just like the one in the hallucination I experienced back in Ixol's world, but it was more sky blue. I don't get why this hallway was sealed off, it looks really nice.

Slowly, the sound of voices filled the hallway. They didn't sound too happy, probably because of the presence of other points. The huge doors creaked open, and all 8 points entered the hallway. I looked at Compale, making sure he was well hidden, then looked away.

"The hell is going on?" "Why are you asking me?" "This place gives me bad memories." "Serves you right for pranking people!" "I wonder why here of all places?" "It's not you who called us, right Anshine?" "No of course not!" "I wonder if I can play my music here..." "NOT YOU AND YOUR SH*TTY MUSIC!"

One thing was clear though: They had to be reunited, even if it takes a while to heal social wounds. Oh, and that they were confused. Very confused. I raised a megaphone I pulled out a while ago and spoke into it.

"MAY I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION!?" I exclaimed. They all turned around. "Player?!" they yelled back in unison. They all went up to me and began asking questions.

"Why are we all here?" "Do you know where Compale is?" "Can you PLEASE tell Signol to leave!?" "Is Cyalm back?" There were so many questions being asked that I barely stifled my laughter. They remind me so much of myself back when Verano came back from his adventure in the Emporium.

"Ok, ok. I'll clear everything up. I'll tell you in a minute, Mino. No, I don't know where Compale is, Ulipse. No, Shallare, I'm not telling Signol to get lost." Signol breathed a sigh of relief. I kept going. "And finally. Cyalm isn't back Ixol. He's still dead." Ixol raised a fist in the air. "Oh yeah! He's still dead!"

"Now going back to Mino's question, the reason I brought you here today is-" "Is it just me or is it getting colder and more sinister in here?" Ploque interrupted. I tilted my head. "What do you mea-"

A loud shattering noise and a strained grunt interrupted me this time. I turned around while the rest looked up. Compale was floating, with a bleeding scratch on his cheek. In front of him was the same cloaked figure from the hallucination. And below the figure, on the floor, happened to be an unconscious, yet familiar redheaded friend.

"What have you done to Verano?" Compale growled. The figure chuckled. "Nothing that involves you, of course. After all, you're just one of my targets." They turned to me. "Player, I've heard so much about you," they drawled." I backed up defensively, fists drawn. "What the hell do you want?!" "I've been watching you, and I don't approve of your actions." Everything clicked. So that's where Graynard came from! And the robot that cut the rope while Mino and I were hanging on for dear life! They all must have been some sort of drone that spied on me. No wonder they didn't look like the rest.