Chapter Text
Stella has been busy for a whole week searching for answers to find a way to destroy the Score without destroying the current world. Her next stop is to Sheridan. She needs to pick up something from Ashton. She called in the monsters. The griffin arrived to her call.
She arrived at Sheridan. Stella needed to meet him at the meeting hall. That's where Class M is. There's Aston, Iemon, and Tamara. The trio of Class M. Not surprising that Belkend has Class I. Rivals of the two classes.
The assassin arrived at the meeting hall. She sees Luke's group here as well. This was surprisingly interesting. She didn't think she would run into them.
"Stella!?" Anise shouted in surprise. "What brings you here?"
"I'm here to get something from Aston, but it seems that Class M is busy with something. And you guys?" Stella walked away from the door.
"We're entering into the Planet's Core using the Tartarus to neutralize. Once we neutralize it, we're aboard on the Albion to get out of the core." Anise told Stella everything.
Stella understands the gestures of their plan. "I see. By neutralizing the core, it would stop all of the earthquakes to prevent everything from above from falling."
Jade adjusted his glasses. "Yes. We're about to leave Sheridan and head to the core in Akzeriuth."
"Do you need any assistance?"
Guy was still aware of Stella. "Why? So you can report back to Van."
Of course, the group doesn't know that she left the God-Generals a week ago. They are still cautious around her. She can't blame them.
She sighed. "Not to worry. I have no intention of going back. Besides, the prey is still being chased."
Jade and Guy understood what she meant. It didn't surprise them. Luke was confused.
"What do you mean?"
"I hate to interrupt but you guys need to hurry to the Tartarus." Iemon intervened.
Luke nodded. "Right. Stella, do you want to join us?"
"I'll just meet you guys at the port. I'll be waiting there." Stella leaves the Meeting Room.
The assassin arrived at the port. She sees Class I and Aston here. It seems they were waiting for Luke's group to arrive.
Aston sees Stella and calls her over. "Stella! You are here!"
"Yeah. Do you have what I need?"
Aston nodded. "Yes. I'll give it to you when this operation is over."
Before Stella was about to speak, she heard clanking armors coming to port. She took out her weapon. Aston and Class I were confused why she took out her weapon.
"What's going on?" Hencken asked.
"Oracle Knights are coming this way." Stella ready herself in battle.
"Wait. We can use this fontech sleeping gas. We keep the knights asleep if they inhale the gas." Cathy said as she started the tank to fill the area with sleeping gas.
"Make sure you cover your nose from inhaling it. You too will be asleep." Hencken said.
Stella chuckled. "Will do. I'll wait inside the Tartarus."
She went inside the Tartarus as she waited for the gas to fill up inside the port. The Oracle Knights appeared. They were heading towards the ship but they inhaled the gas and passed out.
Stella sensed someone coming to the port. They arrived but the gas was neutralized. It was Luke's group who arrived.
Suddenly, Van appeared at the port. It didn't surprise Stella. There was no way he knew all of this was going on. Someone probably told him all of this.
She was about to get out of the Tartarus. She sensed something else was in the ship. Did Van come to the port to distract Luke's group while another God-General got on the ship?
Luke and the others arrived in the Tatarus. They see Stella. They didn't have time to talk. Jade quickly went to the bridge while everyone else was on the deck. They set sail to the Planet's Core. Guy noticed something strange going on, but ignored it for now.
They entered the Planet's Core. It was an amazing sight to see all of the fonons in the planet core. Where the seventh fonon is.
"We have enough sightseeing. We need to go to the port that Iemon setup. We're delayed on schedule." Jade said.
The alarm was turned on.
"It looks like there is an intruder on the ship." Stella said.
"Damn. We don't have time either." Luke said.
"We don't have time to worry about anything. Right now, we need to stop the Planet's Core." Jade stood up and left.
Everyone trailed behind Jade.
They arrived at the deck of the Tartarus. Anise looked around and noticed the glyph left by Iemon was gone.
"Where's the glyph?" Anise asked.
"It's supposed to be here. What happened to it?" Tear said.
A voice responded. "I erased it for you."
Everyone turned to the source of the voice. It was none other than Sync. Sync sees Stella with the group. It was no surprise Stella knew it was Sync.
"Sync!" Anise said.
"So, Van sent you here to stop us. How troublesome will he go to stop us from neutralizing the Planet's Core?" Stella frowned.
"I could say the same to you. Leaving the God-Generals was a mistake. Do you know what happens to traitors?"
Everyone glanced at Stella. They didn't know she left the God-Generals. Jade and Guy knew she told them that the prey was being chased.
"Wait?! You left the God-General!" Luke was surprised.
Stella sighed lightly. "We don't have time to worry about that. We should focus on getting the glyph back."
"She's right. We need to get rid of the roach here." Jade said.
"You leave me with no choice. I'll bury you along with the Tartarus. It will be your gravestone." Sync smirked.
"You too will be buried." Anise readied her Tokunaga.
Sync scoffed. "It's a sacrifice I'll make. Taking all of you with me makes it easier."
Everyone readied themselves to fight Sync. Stella didn't want to fight him, but she had to get him out. He is delaying the mission. She needs to get him on her side.
How can she do that? Getting through him isn't going to be easy. Probably one of the hardest person to deal with.
Luke was the first to charge to attack. He swung his sword forward. Sync quickly dodges it. Guy was behind and swung his sword. Sync blocked the attack. Anise charged in to stop him. Sync dodged it.
Anise was getting a little frustrated because of Sync dodging so much. "Stop jumping around!"
Sync chuckled. "If you can't hit me then I suggest you keep trying." He casted his arte. "Absolute Zero!"
Stella quickly casted her arte. "Flame Arrows!"
Multiple flame arrows came down to melt the ice. Everyone was surprised to see Stella cast an arte quickly. No human can cast arte that fast. They don't have to talk about what is going on.
"Why are you willing to help these guys and not us?" Sync asked as he frowned.
"Van's plan isn't what I want. That plan is ludicrous. Why would he do that to the current world? Why are you going along with this plan?"
"This world can rot. Everything in this world is nothing to me."
"You don't mean that."
"I am. I don't care about this world. As long as Van's plan is a success, I don't have to worry about this world."
"It sounds like you don't have any feelings for the current world." Jade said.
"The world we are now can change. Everyone can change." Luke said.
Luke charged in for another slash. Sync was able to block it, but Luke used his strength and broke through his defense. Luke was able to hit the mask from Sync's face. Sync was on his knees. Everyone was shocked to see what they saw. Jade already knew.
"What the?"
"There's two Ion's!" Anise couldn't believe herself.
Stella was surprised herself. She didn't know that Sync was a Fon Master replica.
"I was right. You are also a replica of the Fon Master." Ion said.
"What do you mean?" Luke asked surprisingly.
Ion took a deep breath. "I'm the Fon Master's 7th replica. The last one. I became a Fon Master 2 years ago."
Anise remembered. "That's when I became your guardian. Wait, is that why Arietta resigned as your guardian?"
Ion nodded. "Yes. I have no memories from 2 years ago."
Sync growled under his breath as he stood up. "You were the closest one to the original, unlike us trash."
"Don't say that. You and I are the same." Ion reached out his hand.
Sync slapped his hand away. "No. We are not," he turned to Stella. "What? Are you going to say something?"
"I told you before. It doesn't matter if you have the same face as the original. You are you, Sync. I don't care if you are a replica. You are human." Stella told him again.
Sync scoffed. He thought Stella thinks of him as a puppet. "You can't fool me. You are thinking that I'm nothing but trash."
Stella shook her head. "I never think of you as trash. You are human just like the rest of us."
Sync started to walk backwards towards the ship rail. "Stop lying. You're just saying that to make me feel better. I don't care if Van is using me for his plans. As long as this world disappears, I don't mind sacrificing myself for his plans."
Sync falls down from the Tartarus. Everyone watches as he falls down into the Planet's Core. For some reason, Stella felt something drop down from heart. She never felt waves of feelings running in her veins. This is the first time she feels this way. She couldn't get what it was.
Anise looked at Ion. "Ion, are you crying?" She had never seen him in tears before.
"I'm not crying." Ion replied as tears were coming out from his eyes.
"Then why are you crying?"
Ion reached to his eye and touched the tear in the corner of his eye. "Am I sad?"
"It's like losing a brother. It is okay to cry, Ion."
Stella left the deck as she headed inside. She didn't want them to know what she felt. Luke noticed Stella left.
"Where are you going, Stel-"
Luke was interrupted by Guy. "I think it best to leave her alone. She feels the same as Ion. She didn't want to show her feelings."
Tear know how Stella feels. Van is using people for his plan. That's probably why Stella left. Whatever his plan was made her upset.
Few hours later, they returned back to the surface. Stella can't stay sad forever. She took a deep breath. She walked to the deck of the ship. Everyone was there getting off.
Tear turned to the assassin. "What are you going to do?"
"I don't know yet. The only thing I'm doing is being Asch's agent since he and I are no longer consider God-Generals. So, I can't stay with you guys. I'm still getting chased by the God-Generals." Stella replied.
Tear understand what Stella is doing. She can't blame her. "All right. Be careful. I don't know who will come after you since Sync is gone."
Stella knows who is coming after her. "I wouldn't say that. There is another person that has a grudge on me."
Tear tilted her head. She was confused. "Who would that be?"
"You will see soon enough. All I can say is that it is someone that you up too for so long. You have your answer there. I shall be leaving. Take care." Stella leaves the group as she journeys on.
Stella arrived back at Sheridan. The place has quite down now the Oracle Knights are gone. She needed to get the thing from Aston. She arrived at the Meeting Hall. Aston was there doing his work.
"Aston, I came to get it." Stella spoke.
Aston turned to Stella. "Ah Stella, welcome back. Yes, I have it right here," he walks towards the assassin. "Here you go. Are you sure about this? It's dangerous."
Stella glanced at the thing in her hand then clenched her hand into a fist. "I am. It is the only way."
"All right. I don't know what you are doing with it, but be careful."
Stella nodded. "Don't worry. I won't do anything reckless."
The assassin leaves Sheridan as she continues her journey. She doesn't know where to go next. Maybe meet up with Asch to ask what to do next. He might get a little grumpy but overall he is a good friend.
As Stella was meeting up with Asch, a sudden gunshot from behind. The assassin quickly reflects the bullet from her dagger. She sighed lightly knowing who it is.
"You can come out! I know where you are, Legretta!"
Legretta comes out of the shadow as she has her gun pointing at Stella. "So, you know what is going on with the Commandant. He is going to change the world into a better place without the Score."
"Didn't you hear me in Belkend? This isn't the plan I want. It will replace the people with replicas. I don't want a world that replaces humans with replicas. I want a world where people can live freely from the Score."
"That's why Van's plan is going to change everything."
"You are ludicrous. Why follow someone like him who is willing the destroy the original world with replicas," Stella knows why Legretta is doing this. "Is it because you love him? Is that why you are willing to go through this plan of his?"
Legretta shot her bullet and missed Stella. It landed on the tree bark with a mark. The assassin knew that she was going missing her shot. It probably has a soft side for Van.
"Shut your mouth! You know nothing about me!" Legretta hissed.
"That is true. The God-Generals don't talk about other's past. Sometimes you need someone to tell you about your past."
"You haven't told your past to the Commandant."
'What? I thought Sync told Van about my past. I guess he does have a soft spot.' Stella was shocked. She straightened her face. "There's no point since I betrayed him. Anyways, are you here to kill or convince me?"
"You have been a thorn to the Van and the God-Generals. Now, we are alone. This will be your grave. You won't interfere with Van's plan."
"We will see who comes out on top." The assassin readied her weapon.
They both were having a staring contest to see who will move first. Legretta slowly moved toward. Stella watches Legretta every move. The Quick started her first move. She starts shooting her gun at Stella. Stella reflected the bullets with her daggers. She dashed toward and struck her slash. Legretta was able to dodge it. Then she cast her arte.
Stella sees an opening, but it could be a trap. She starts to cast her arte to counter it.
"Searing Flame!" Legretta shouted her arte.
"Hurricane!" Stella shouted her arte.
The Searing Flame clashed into the Hurricane, but the Hurricane absorbed the flames and turned into a flaming hurricane. The Hurricane caused the surrounding area to terrorize into flames. Legretta got sucked into the hurricane.
Stella turned her daggers into a bladed bow. She summoned an arrow in her hand and placed it on the bow. She pulled the string to aim at the hurricane. Then let's go off the string and the arrow went inside the hurricane.
Legretta couldn't see anything inside the hurricane. She can't tell where Stella is attacking. Something shiny was heading towards her way. She was able to catch it with ease with her hand, but then multiple arrows came through. She used her gun to shoot the arrows down. The Quick got all of the arrows, but a single arrow from behind hit her. Legretta was careless. She didn't see the arrow from behind.
"Damn it! She knows where to hit the blind spot! I need to know where she's shooting at, but first I need to get rid of this hurricane."
Stella stopped shooting her arrows. "The only thing to get rid of the hurricane is to attack the user."
Sudden bullet hit Stella's left shoulder. Her shoulder started to bleed from the bullet. Legretta lands a bullseye. The assassin was on her knee as she covered the wound from bleeding out.
The hurricane disappeared and Legretta already had her gun pointing at Stella. Stella was groaning from the wound.
"It seems I was correct. Attacking the user made the arte disappear. That is a risky arte. Anyhow, this will be your grave, Stella. Say goodbye." Legretta was about to pull the trigger.
Then Ace and Apollo came from the woods and attacked. Ace distracted Legretta while Apollo grabbed Stella on his back and ran. Legretta was getting frustrated and shot a bullet, but Ace dodge it. As Apollo left, Ace followed from behind. Legretta watched as Stella and her monsters left.
"She got lucky, but next time she will be dead. I need to stop Tear and convince her to join us." Legretta leaves the area.
They arrived at the Cheadle Woods. Stella was still grunting from the pain. She never had this much pain. Thanks to the bullet, it made the wound bleed.
"Damn! I didn't think she would shoot from the inside," the assassin took out her dagger and dug it inside where the wound is. She grunted from the dagger from the inside. It was like something was slowly digging inside. She used the tip of the dagger to find the bullet. Stella found the bullet, stabbed it and took it out from her shoulder. The bullet was on the tip of the dagger. "That damn hurts." She healed the wound with her healing arte.
A few hours later, she was able to close the wound. She tore a piece of her jacket and used it to cover the wound. Apollo and Ace were very worried for their master. Apollo licked the blood from her wound.
Stella smiled. "I'm okay, Apollo, Ace. It's going to take a months to heal this wound. For now, we will stay here in the Cheadle Woods. We wouldn't cause any trouble for the Cheagles. This is where the Liger Queen was nesting when she got killed. Poor Arietta. I need to convince her that Van is just using her for his plan, but she continues to kill Anise and the group."
Apollo whined at his master. Ace did the same.
She petted them. "Don't worry. We just have to hunt for some food. I don't want to disturb the Cheadle. We are not here to hurt. A months is long. Asch will be upset if he heard this," she looked at the sky. "It is getting late. Let us get some sleep."
Stella laying herself down on the ground. It wasn't the most comfortable, but the grass makes it up for the softness. Apollo goes behind Stella and cuddles her. Ace went in front of Stella and cuddled her. The assassin chuckled. She cuddled with her monsters to stay warm.
The night was restless. Stella was still thinking about Sync. She was worried that she wouldn't be able to see him. He is in the Planet's Core.
"It is the same as Legretta. She is willing to do anything for her love for Van. Maybe I am the same. I'm willing to do anything to stop Sync from calling himself trash and such," she laughed softly. "I can't believe I'm risking myself to save him from dying, because he is special. Now, he is gone. I have nothing but to continue my journey."
The assassin's eyes were getting heavy. It was a long day for her. She need some sleep after all of this.