World Between: Chapter 11 part 3

“You sure that’s the only reason?” Meisa questioned as she threw Ozzy skyward.
“It doesn’t matter, if it is.” Aaron replied. “We made our choice.”

“Always so simple minded.” Meisa replied. “What makes you think Talmo won’t answer questions, hmm?”

“Whether or not he cares about those gems breaking.” Jared said. “He would rarely be able to focus in the middle of a fight.”

“There was more to those gems than we will ever know.” Talmo replied. “I think at least, but I don't even know anymore.”

Ozzy fell to the ground larger than anyone there once again, and caught the rock Aaron threw at it. “Why help us at all? Why let us stay.”

A sharp wind blew straight towards both as it sliced through the rock in Ozzy’s hands. Jared tried blasting it with a ball of light. A loud whistle grew softer and softer as both clided and fizzled out. “It is still, I gather. Not that simple.”

“Well, I guess it is.” Meisa admitted. “But forcing you through a portal isn’t easy. Certainly not when we had trouble catching you to begin with.” Ozzy punched the wall of ice Jared seemed to spring up from the ground. “Interesting that the flower was wrong on both accounts this time.”

“Meisa and I grabbed one as well.” Lydria said. “ We saw you two picking Talmo though, so not like it’ll help much… sometimes I wonder if that thing even really works, or if it’s powder is just that worth picking up.”

“It does say a possible future.” Sofia replied. “Never which one.”

Ozzy ran toward Aaron who shoves both arms forward in response. Meisa swung her telescope forward as well making a fierce storm fighting among itself.

“First off, you never even like those things.” Meisa replied, chanting and drawing a circle with her telescope as Ozzy stood ready to grab the light infused rock that Aaron threw the moment it emerged from the ground. The wind Meisa still had going doing a good amount of work to to slow down, but Ozzy still had trouble grabbing it. “Nor did you like them.”

“That one’s a bit rude.” Sofia replied. “Sure, I didn’t like them, but I never said I wanted them dead.”

“Would you have left people in that fog?” Jared asked.

“I did once,” Sofia replied. “Never saw them again. Though I’m told that's because that party tried to eat two of the Ecchi Flower raw, which I wouldn’t put past them, I suppose.”

“I didn’t think it was two.” Meisa replied while weaving a telescope through the air. Ozzy charging forward and punching Jared a few times.

I— ow! Doubt they ate two on the smell alone.” Jared replied, swinging a hand forward forming a shield as Ozzy punched a third time.

“Does it smell that bad?” Lydria asked. “I’ve never noticed either.” 

“I do keep hearing that.” Sofia replied as Ozzy steadied himself against. “I’ve always smelt cherries, myself.”

“You always did sound confident.” Jared stated as he blasted a beam of light at Ozzy as he extended one hand. 

Meisa took a deep breath as she forced her left arm up. Ozzy standing up again. “Yet here you two are, still trying to change a world that never wanted it.”

“What it wanted was never important!” Aaron screamed as raised both arms throwing several meteors at Ozzy. “What it needs is.”

Ozzy punched through many of them, but ultimately the bear fell. A small stuffed animal laying down on the open ground. “No!” Tears ran down Meisa’s eyes as Jared fired a beam of light directly toward the lone, defenseless, stuffed bear. Sofia warped in front of the stuffed bear. The purple mist behind her slowly fading as she held the beam of light she caught. With her final bit of strength she threw it off course.

“Bastard.” She panted out, exhausted, and on her knees in front of Ozzy.

“Liberation is rarely appreciated, at first.” Jared replied.

“You weren’t back then.” Sofia replied. “That much I’ll give you.” She struggled to look at Aaron, directly. “You age poorly.” she said as he walked passed.

“Thank you.” Meisa replied, gripping Ozzy tight with her right arm, and helping Sofia with her left. Wiping the tears from her cheeks once Sofia was stable.

“He would’ve done the same.” Sofia replied with a tired smile as the Soul Gem cracked. “No one is worth losing over something as petty as this. Summon or otherwise.” The Soul gem shattered marking the end of a long, fruitless journey. The instability of the shard colliding into the stable ground. Symbolizing the victories of each party in fading sparks of light.