Disclaimer: The original Phantasy Star games, the Phantasy Star Online series, and all related characters are the creation and property of Sega.

This is a story that was completed on 3-21-2007, and I'm now adding to this archive.

"Funny, isn't it?" Dioa asked suddenly, smirking cruelly at Alis. "I remember one day when we were still kids, playing by the beach. We were building sandcastles that day, talking about this and that.... About seeing the sandy world of Motavia for ourselves one day, and also about how cool it would be if we really were giantesses, and if even the biggest buildings were as small to us as our sandcastles. And look as us now...it's actually happened."

Alis's sword and shield still hung uselessly at her sides as she kept staring blankly at Dioa. She did indeed remember how she and Dioa used to play by the shores of Palma's oceans, before monsters began to roam out of control. And Alis distinctly remembered the day Dioa mentioned. "It...it really is you...." she managed to utter softly, realizing that no one else but the real Dioa could recall such a thing.

"You better believe it's me," snapped Dioa. "That's why all this has me so pissed off. That one of my oldest friends is the one hellbent on bringing down my master, and that I have to face you head-on to make sure you don't. Believe it or not, I hate being forced to turn on an old friend. But now, you've left me no choice."

Alis stared at her for another moment. "H-How? Why?" Alis finally managed to get out, still utterly confused. "Why are you doing this, helping Lassic and turning on me? WHY!?" she added vehemently.

Dioa's eyes narrowed, gazing back at Alis coldly. "The simplest answer to that would be...I owe him. And I must honor that debt."

"You OWE him?" asked Alis, horrified. "For what? What did he do for you?"

"He did what no one else was willing to try and do. He saved my family," Dioa answered simply.

"WHAT!? What do you mean!?" demanded Alis.

"Remember the outbreak of shelfish flu you heard about? The outbreak that nearly killed my parents?" Dioa asked coldly. Alis could only nod. "I'm sure you knew about how it was running rampant through certain towns at the time, especially Parolit. You can't imagine how agonizing it was, watching them die slowly and painfully from that disease, and not being able to do a thing to save them. All my knowledge about microbiology...I couldn't do a damned thing! And you know we were always poor, looked down upon by everyone else...we were facing destitution, and no one offered a helping hand. No one!!

"But then, Lassic personally came to visit Parolit, wanting to pensonally weed out some rebels rumored to be hiding there. That's when I approached him and offered myself to him - if he'd somehow save my parents, I swore to serve him forever. And that's what he did. The dark priests that showed him the way to immortality...they healed my parents, and now they'll enjoy the same longevity Lassic will!

"So you see, Alis, Lassic helped my family when no one else would or could, not even you and Nero! Everyone else looked down upon us, refused to help us in our time of greatest need, but Lassic was different! That's why I have to loyally serve him now. I gladly let myself be specially trained as one of his warriors, and gladly accepted the magic techniques he bestowed upon me. He saved my parents and gave me unimaginable power, and I'll use it to defend him as he brings order to the Algo system!"

"ORDER!?" Alis spat disbelievingly. "You call what Lassic is doing bringing order!? All these outrageous taxes, all these Robotcops putting towns under martial law...this isn't establishing order, it's establishing a dictatorship! Can't you see that!?"

"Don't try and sway me Alis, it won't work. I know now that what Lassic is doing is right," replied Dioa coolly. "And I'll do whatever it takes to serve him, no matter how much I may regret it. I've already done things I'm not proud of, well before this. Like working undercover to locate certain rebels, including one I thought I'd fallen in love with...."

Alis stared dumbly at Dioa, not comprehending what she was saying. Then, all of a sudden, it hit her like a million tons of bricks. "You mean NERO!? YOU'RE the one who ratted him out!?"

"I was, though it gave me no pleasure to do so. Just like it pains me to face you like this now," said Dioa. "But I have no choice. I've no choice but to serve Lassic after how he saved my parents."

Alis felt numb and sick all over again, her mind once again blank. How could this be happening? She swore she'd do whatever it took to avenge Nero and bring Lassic down. She knew there'd be countless hardships to face...but NEVER did she imagine she'd be facing her old friend, neither one willing to back down. And the revelation that it was DIOA who had betrayed Nero, that SHE was as responsible for his death as Lassic and his Robotcops...it was all too much for Alis to take in at once.

"So Alis, I'll ask you one last time. The Aeroprism. Take it out and shatter it now, and I'll spare your friends and you're free to go," said Dioa in a patient tone, one Alis was sure belied a truly cynical, impatient mood.

Absentmindedly, Alis fished the Aeroprism out of her pouch and looked down at it. It had grown along with her, and still had that sallow color. Though when she held it, it seemed to sparkle, giving off some mysterious energy. Yes, this is something Lassic fears, I'm sure of it. I can't destroy it. I just know I'll need it. But if I don't smash it....

Alis slowly looked down at the factory roof. Noah, Odin and Myau were all still bound, lying helplessly on the roof, gazing up at her expectantly. She knew they were counting on her to get them out of this mess alive...and she also knew they'd never forgive her if she gave in to Dioa's demands. They all looked up to her now, both figuratively and literally. They were counting on her to emerge victorious and get them all back to Palma. But as she looked at them, she couldn't help but to think about how tiny and vulnerable her friends looked. It would be so easy for Dioa to move in and crush them if she made the slightest mistake in a fight....

She made her final decision. Alis turned back to Dioa, who, from her stance, looked ready to bolt forward and grab thee Aeroprism for herself. She quickly stuffed the mysterious crystal back in her pouch. "No can do, Dioa. I also made a vow...to do whatever it took to bring down Lassic. It's a vow all four of us made. And we're going back to Palma, together."

"I see," said Dioa dismissively. "But don't try to delude yourself. You're not doing this for them, it's simply for yourself. Don't forget, I heard everything you said to them before you stormed out to destroy my factory."

Alis looked down at her captive friends again, with what she hoped looked like an expression of remorse and empathy. "For what it's worth, guys, I didn't really mean what I said. I've...learned a few things since then." Alis turned to face Dioa again. "I'm sorry, Dioa, but if I have to fight you to protect them, then I'll do it." Alis hoped she sounded more confident than she felt. Despite everything Dioa had done so far, Alis still couldn't bear the thought of facing her in a fight...a death-duel between two rampaging giantesses. But now, there was no other way.

Dioa smiled wickedly again. "I respect your courage, Alis. You were always a gutsy one, never backed down to anyone. But do you expect to win? You've seen a sample of my power. And don't forget, you couldn't beat Dr. Mad and Medusa without the help of your companions. Do you really think you stand a chance against me, alone?"

"I'll die trying," said Alis, firmly and resolutely. Once again, her tone didn't quite match the way she felt, but Alis went on. "Just like you, there's something I've set out to do, and I won't stop for anything."

"For Nero?" Dioa inquired disdainfully.

Alis stared back at Dioa for a moment, then shook her head. "No. This isn't just for Nero anymore. It's not just simple revenge. I finally realize that now." Alis then finally readied her shield and sword, assuming a battle stance. "This is for everyone who's suffered and died because of Lassic, and more importantly, to make sure no more lives are ruined. I'm sorry, Dioa, but I guess that means I have to go through you to do it."

"And I guess I have to do the same," spat Dioa acidly, grabbing her double-ended glaive and twirling it around. "I must fulfill my master's wishes, no matter what."

"Your master's wishes..." Alis repeated sadly. "Don't you see, Dioa? You've practically sold your soul to a demon. The Dioa I knew was nothing like this. He's turned you into something you're not!" she exclaimed, trying to reason with her one last time.

"He's saved the only two people who were always there for me!" Dioa shot back. "And I'll make sure they stay alive and happy, even if it means I have to kill you!"

And with that, Dioa let out a cry and charged right at Alis, creating a thunderous tremor with each step she took. Once she was within range, Dioa took a swipe at Alis with her glaive. Alis effortlessly parried the blow with her sword, but then Dioa swung the glaive around to attack with the other end. Alis brought her shield up just in time to deflect it. She's really good. Moves like lightning. This won't be easy, Alis realized. And she didn't know which made things harder...Dioa's obvious skill or their old friendship.

Dioa kept swinging her glaive, savagely atttacking and keeping Alis on the defensive. "Come on, Alis! You're not even trying! If you're serious about saving your friends, fight back!" Dioa shouted as she brought her glaive downward again.

"If you insist," Alis retorted as she sidestepped Dioa's attack. For a split-second, Dioa was wide-open, and Alis charged forward and slammed into Dioa with her shoulder. She tackled her so hard she knocked Dioa to the ground. Dioa hit the ground hard, creating a booming earthquake and kicking up a huge plume of sand.

Alis realized she could probably end it right then and there. She could have impaled Dioa with her sword while she was down. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. She hesitated, the thought of killing her old friend stopping her in her tracks.

Dioa sprang back up on her feet as Alis wrestled with her conscience. "You should've just killed me while you had the chance," she said silkily. "Were our positions reversed, I wouldn't have hesitated." And then she was upon Alis once more, driving her back with each blow from her glaive. Alis was able to parry each and every strike, but she saw no opportunities to strike back.

Alis was driven back toward the factory. For a split-second, she risked another glance down at the roof. Myau, Odin and Noah were all watching helplessly, and even though they all looked so tiny to her, Alis could clearly see the fear and apprehension in their eyes. No, I've got to get over it. It really is a case of her or us.

Feeling a little more certain of herself, Alis raised her shield to block another incoming swipe, then swung her sword horizontally as deftly as she could. Dioa blocked her attack just in time, but Alis didn't let up. She kept coming after Dioa relentlessly, and now it was Dioa who was on the defensive. The air around them resounded with the deafening sound of metal striking against metal, mingling with the noise of inert Robotcops and landrover-tanks being crushed underfoot as the two titanesses fought.

But just as it looked like Alis was winning, Dioa shoved her backward when she blocked her sword with the middle of her glaive. Then she made a twirling motion with her glaive and slashed at Alis with an upward arc. Alis hopped backward, but she was a little too late. The blade sliced across her upper leg. The cut wasn't deep enough to cause any serious injury, but Dioa had inflicted a great enough of a wound to cause gallons of blood to spurt out, staining the sand below her and nearby cacti a deep crimson red.

"Your heart's still not into it. I expected better from you," barked Dioa as she backed away and paused for a moment, which gave Alis enough time to use her healing magic to seal the cut. "But, it's obvious you're at least taking this seriously now. Maybe it's time for me to take a more...aggressive approach." With that, Dioa reached out with one hand, and heard a noise not unlike that of the howling blizzards that raged on Dezolis.

Realizing what was coming, Alis dashed aside just as deadly ice spikes sped past her. She turned to face Dioa again, only to see more ice spikes coming at her. She jumped to the side again, but this time, she sheathed her sword as she did so, and followed up with a double fireball blast.

However, Dioa simply batted the fireballs away with the end of her glaive. Then Dioa reached out again, and before Alis could react, a blast of turbid, freezing mist shot out at her. Alis was blasted off her feet, dropping her shield and sword as she was thrown back a couple hundred feet. She fell limply into the sand, feeling as if she were frozen solid.

She heard Dioa was fast approaching, and though her vision was blurry, she could still see the factory out of the corner of her eye. A reminder that if she failed, they'd die because of her failure as well. With that knowledge, she found the willpower to get back on her feet before Dioa reached her, dashing aside just in time to avoid getting skewered.

There's my sword! Alis thought, spotting where she had dropped her weapon. She also spotted a nearby fighter ship, still rendered useless from the electromagnetic pulse. An inspiration came to her as she recalled yesterday's trip to the factory. She sidestepped another charging attack from Dioa, then summoned her magic and lashed out at the ship with her rope spell as Dioa ran pat her.

As Dioa turned around to face her again, all she saw was the bottom of the fighter ship flying right at her face. Dioa was knocked flat on her back, seeing stars thanks to Alis's improvised mace. This gave Alis enough time to recover her shield and sword. But by the time she did, Dioa was already back on her feet.

Go ahead. I'm ready for more too, Alis thought. But she was lying to herself. As Dioa parried her sword swipe, she looked into her old friend's eyes, her sorrow and disbelief bubbling to the surface again. She still couldn't believe things had turned out this way, being forced to fight her old friend to save her new ones....

Noah strained his eyes to watch their fight, but Alis and Dioa were kicking up clouds of sand so high and so thick, it was becoming difficult to see what was going on. However, the sounds of their battle echoed all around them, the clanging of metal so impossibly loud it made his ears hurt.

If only there was something we could do! he kept thinking over and over. We shouldn't be forced to just sit by and watch like this! He glanced around, spotting a fallen Robotcop nearby. It had been holding Tarzimal's lamp, along with a sack that contained all their gear. The lamp and Odin's rifle had surely been rendered useless, but his staff-like wand was another matter. The metal bindings seemed to insulate his magic power, but if he could only get hold of his wand....

The roar of a ship's engine snapped him out of his thoughts. Noah looked around for the source of the noise, which was steadily getting louder. When he finally glanced upward, he saw the Luveno moving in to land, probably on the side of the factory opposite where Alis and Dioa were fighting. But all of a sudden, another roaring sound, one that sounded much closer, could be heard along with the Luveno's engines.

Noah looked up again, hoping to spot the source of the other noise, but looked back down when he heard something violently hit the roof nearby, making the metal floorboards reverberate.

It was Wren, who had somehow sprouted glider wings and a rocket pack on his back. Whoa, Leli certainly spared no expense with him, Noah thought as Wren turned and walked over to them. With his incredible strength, he ripped apart their bindings with his bare hands. He freed Noah last, and reached out to help Noah up.

Noah grudgingly grabbed Wren's hand, and the android hoisted him up onto his feet. He felt wobbly and weak, but refused to let it show. "So, it was you who set off that electromagentic pulse, using the Luveno somehow," said Noah. "Took you long enough to show up here," he added irritably.

"I apologize for being late," Wren said dully. "The Luveno has landed nearby. I suggest you three board it and fly to safety. So far, the Assassin is unaware that I've freed you, so it would be prudent to flee now while you have the chance."

"What!? You expect us to abandon Alis!?" Myau asked indignantly.

"There is little any of you can do," Wren replied calmly. "I might be able to engage her and distract her, but you three would be killed instantly if you attempted to...."

"Forget it. We're not just running away," Odin cut in.

"And maybe Myau and Odin can't do anything, but I might be able to. If I focus my energies hard enough, my magic might make a difference, if I wait for an opportunity," said Noah. It was around then that Noah noticed the clanging of metal sounded nearer. He looked up again, seeing that Alis and Dioa were standing right beside the factory. The roof barely came up to their knees, letting him clearly see them over the thick clouds of sand they had kicked up. Noah once again felt so weak and powerless when compared to these gargantuan girls. However, he now truly believed he might make a difference if given a chance. He turned back to Wren. "Listen, Wren. If you think you can help her out, go ahead and do it while I wait here for an opportunity," said Noah sternly. When Wren didn't immediately respond, Noah vehemently added, "That's an order!"

Wren nodded, his face unreadable. Then he turned from Noah, took a few steps away from him, and fired up his rocket pack. In an instant, he was flying away from the factory's roof, and was then cautiously circling the battling giantesses while Noah looked on wearily.

This is getting hopeless, Alis thought despairingly as the fight raged on. It was uncanny, how in a few short weeks, Lassic had transformed her into a fighting machine like this. Dioa was fast, deadly and relentless, while Alis was starting to feel worn out. Only through intense concentration was she able to focus enough to keep up with Dioa.

However, a sudden noise almost distracted Alis. Some sort of faint whooshing noise, and out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw some small, black shape fly by her. Then, all of a sudden, a laser blast came out of nowhere and grazed Dioa's forehead, leaving a bloody gash across it. For a split-second, Dioa seemed to be wide open, and Alis got over her surprise and lashed out. But once again, Dioa parried her sword swipe.

As Alis readied herself to attack again, but before she could, another sudden laser blast struck Dioa in the neck. One hand flew to her neck to nurse the ugly, smelly burn, and she backed away slightly. What the...who's doing that.... she began to wonder, but soon the answer came to her when she noticed something hovering beside her head. "Wren!!" she exclaimed hopefully, elated that backup had finally arrived. She hadn't counted on him showing up like this.

"Alis, use your magic! Strike now!" yelled the android, though his voice was barely audible. Alis nodded, then turned back to Dioa and cut loose with two fireballs. This time, Dioa couldn't bat them away, and they burned right through her body suit.

NOW we're getting somewhere! Alis thought as she charged again, sword at the ready. Dioa recovered in time to parry the blow, and the fight resumed.

Wren couldn't help but take in how enormous the two girls were as he flew around them. At one point, he flew between them to fire up at Dioa's face, getting a view of both girls from the midsection up. At another point, he flew underneath Alis hoping to catch Dioa unawares from further below, nearly getting accidently stomped on by his new master as a result. And at yet another point, he tried a bolder move to catch Dioa by surprise and flew right at her head to fire on her at point-blank range, hoping to take out one or both eyes. Unfortunately, she had seen him coming and moved just enough to avoid that, and he succeeded only in scorching the tip of her nose before she waved her gigantic glaive at him, forcing him to veer off again.

Wren's goal was to keep providing distractions, to let Alis gain the upper hand while Dioa was confused. He knew full well that he couldn't possibly hope to accomplish any more than that; his attacks were little more than annoyances to someone as gigantic as Dioa. However, Wren was confident he could keep up this strategy safely, reasoning that Dioa would focus her full attention on Alis instead.

But as he rocketed toward them again, hoping to get another clean shot at Dioa's head, he found out he was mistaken. Dioa must have seen him coming, and shoved Alis away while reaching out with her hand as Wren drew near, gathering up power. Wren realized what was coming and tried to veer off, but it was too late. A sudden burst off icy mist enveloped his body, freezing almost all of his internal systems solid in the blink of an eye. Main power failed instantly, and auxilary power failed about a second after that. His CPU was the last thing to give out completely as his frozen body shot toward the ground like a meteor, skipping along the sand a few times before finally coming to rest a few miles away.

"Wren, no," Alis whispered under her breath, not believing what she had just saw. So many deaths were on Dioa's hands...Nero, Leli, Tarzimal, and now Wren! And ever since meeting Wren, she had acted so distrustful of him. And yet, he had bravely helped her take on Dioa, only to possibly be destroyed! The reason he helped her was as much a matter of his own free will as it was a matter of his programming, and now, he was gone!

Alis turned back to Dioa, and suddenly a profound, all-consuming fury overtook her. "You...y-you...." she stammered at Dioa, who was still smirking. "That's IT, Dioa! THAT IS IT!!!" cried Alis, shaking with rage. She raised her laconian sword, ready to strike her down for good, and shouted, "I've had it with you! Now I'm gonna make sure you don't kill anyone else!"

And then, she felt a sudden surge of power course through her, rejuvenating her. It took some time for Alis to recognize the feeling; it was the same way she felt when she first picked up her laconian sword for the first time, filling her with holy power. But lately, that feeling of power had dimmed, especially when she was ready to wipe out the factory.

And now she knew why. Noah was right all along. Her obsession with revenge was slowly poisoning her soul, and likewise kept her from getting the most out of the laconian sword. But though rage had overcome her again, this time it was different. It wasn't an obsession with settling a score that drove her on now. This was righteous anger that spurred her on. Now, her anger fueled her drive to protect everyone else she cared about, to make sure no one else died at Dioa's hands....

Alis came at Dioa again and again, lashing out with all the power she could muster, forcing her old friend back. For the first time since it all began, Dioa looked surprised and actually a bit scared. Alis gave Dioa no opportunities to strike back, never letting up her assault for a second. However, Dioa was still standing her ground despite being pushed on the defensive, blocking every attack Alis threw at her.

Go ahead and try...I'LL GET YOU SOONER OR LATER! Alis thought angrily as she kept up the pressure, forcing Dioa back. She was absentmindedly aware that she was forcing Dioa back toward the factory. And as they neared it, Alis was also aware that her hair felt like it was standing on end for some reason, but she didn't let it distract her. She merely focused on the battle, looking for any opening.

Unfortunately, it was Dioa who found an opening. When Alis lunged at her, Dioa lashed out with her armored foot, kicking her leg hard. Despite herself, Alis sagged, reeling from the pain. Dioa brought up her glaive to strike at Alis while she was down, but then, without warning, bolts of lightning descended from the sky, flooding the entire area with blinding light. And all of the lightning bolts struck Dioa, stopping her in her tracks.

Huh? thought Alis confusedly. What caused that lightning to.... But her thoughts trailed off when she noticed a faint glow from the factory's roof. There was Noah, raising his wand to the sky, obviously focusing all of his power. Alis realized Noah must have used his magic to warp the magnetic field around the area and bring down lightning directly from the sky.

"Alis, NOW! Do it now!" Noah cried out from the roof. Alis's gaze shifted from Noah to Dioa, who was already starting to recover. Alis did as she was bid, acting without hesitation and without thought. She swung her sword in a wide, horizontal arc....

And a few seconds later, the gigantic head of Dioa landed next to the factory with a sickening thud, countless gallons of blood spilling out of her severed neck and drenching the sands, staining it red.

At last, the fight was over. For a few moments, she just stared at Dioa's decapitated body. Now that the rush of adrenaline was subsiding, the totality of what she had done was slowly sinking in. It made Alis digusted with herself. She knew there had been no other way to end it, but she desperately wished there had been.

Then Alis remembered what had happened to Wren. "Wren! On no," she gasped as she broke into a run, heading for the spot where Wren had crash-landed. She spotted him instantly, seeing where he had plowed through several dozen yards of sand. Kneeling down, she saw that his left arm, right leg and glider wings had broken off, and he wasn't moving the least bit.

"Wren!? Wren, can you hear me!?" she pleaded. But the android still did not move. Alis carefully picked up his shattered body and deposited him in the palm of her hand; he was like a battered, broken toy to her. Wren, I'm so, so sorry. I let her take you too, she thought sorrowfully, tears welling up her eyes. Some of the tears fell onto her hand, soaking Wren. Fearful that might damage him even more, Alis wiped her eyes as she stood up. She then began walking back over to the factory.

Alis walked directly up to the factory, then got down on her knees so she could get a good look at everyone. Her huge face loomed over the three of them, and her head cast a shadow over them. Noah slowly raised his head to look into her huge, sapphire-blue eyes, and immediately saw that they were drenched with tears. Her mouth slowly opened, but she said nothing, as if her words were caught in her throat.

It was Myau who broke the uneasy silence. "Alis, what about...is he...." said the musk cat tentatively, probably too afraid to ask what was on all their minds.

Alis shut her eyes, freshly-shed tears running down her cheeks. Then she lifted her hand so that she held it over the factory's roof, then tilted it slighty, letting the three of them see the downed android in the palm of her hand. Noah gasped, aghast at the sight of the damage inflicted. "There's probably...no way to repair him," Alis said, her booming voice coming out in choked sobs. "I'll never forgive myself...I let Dioa get him too...."

"Alis, you can't blame yourself for this. You did the best you could," said Odin reassuringly.

"Odin's right. You're not responsible for this. This is all on Dioa's head," Myau said, then coyly added, "the one that's lying in the sand." This earned him a kick in the butt from Noah.

Noah looked into Alis's gigantic eyes again, once again saddened by the pain he saw in them. "Alis, thank you. We'd all be dead if it wasn't for you," Noah said quickly, trying to sound reassuring and ignoring Myau's muttered cries of protest.

However, this only seemed to make Alis feel worse. She sniffled again, shaking her head. "Everyone...I'm so sorry. I can't tell you how sorry I am. The things I said to you before I stormed off...how can you forgive me?"

"Alis, don't give it another thought," said Noah as he gazed up her, moving away from Odin and stepping closer. However, he still felt wobbly and weak. "You came through for us in the end. That's all that matters."

For a few moments, Alis simply gazed down at Noah, tears still trickling down her cheeks. Her expression was one of sincere regret. Eventually, Alis broke the silence. "Noah...you were right about me. I let my my anger get the better of me. It made me push you all away, and-and...."

"Alis, like I said, don't give it another thought. I'm just happy you realize it now," said Noah, smiling at Alis. He hope the smile would make her feel at ease, but her sad expression did not change. He desperately wanted to do something to comfort her, but at her size, something like a comforting hug was impossible. He had to settle for walking to the edge of the roof, reaching out to gently stroke her chin. Alis remained motionless and silent as he did so. "Thank you again, Alis. You...have no idea how much it means to me, that you came for us, that I've gotten through to you."

"Noah...." Alis breathed. A rush of air swept past Noah as she said that one word.

"Come on, Alis. Let's go. Let's grab the lamp and...." Noah started to say, but a sudden sloshing sound from the ground below interrupted him. A second after he heard it, a sudden wave of nausea, accompanied by an inexplicable feeling of dread that gnawed at his soul, threatened to overwhelm him. He looked down at the ground below....

Blood wasn't the only thing coming out of Dioa's severed head. Now, some noxious, black ooze was spewing out, as well as from her neck. Just the sight of it filled Noah with some unexplainable sense of dread. Whatever was coming out, it radiated an overpowering sense of darkness, something so...PROFOUND...it almost made him black out.

Alis looked down at the source of the noise, and her eyes widened. In a panic, she scooped up her three friends and deposited them in the palm of her hand with Wren's mulitated body. Then she stood up and quickly walked backwards, trying to distance herself from...whatever was happening.

But it was too late. There was no escape now.

After the dizziness subsided and the pain lessened, Alis's first thought was that she had accidently crushed her friends by falling down onto them. Fear welled up in her as she sat up, looking around. However, she saw no trace of them whatsoever. It was then that she noticed that the ground beneath her had changed completely. Instead of sand, it was now a transparent, glassy surface. Upon closer inspection, she saw the ground was made up of square tiles no bigger than her thumbnail. And underneath it was a black abyss that seemed to go on forever.

Alis stood up and looked around. The sky had vanished, as had the factory and the sand dunes that encircled the area. Everywhere she looked, off in the distance, there seemed to be nothing but a black emptiness punctuated by constantly shifting patterns of colors, going from pink to blue to violent shades of purple, casting pale light everywhere. The very air around her, the very space...everything about the place she found herself in seemed wrong, alien.... It was almost as if she had been transported somewhere else entirely....

And then, a voice called out, as if reading her thoughts. A bone-chilling, raspy voice that echoed all around her. "You are not on Motavia anymore, Alis Landale. You are in the domain in which I was born. I've dragged you here to settle this once and for all."

Alis looked about wildly, trying to spot whoever had said that. It wasn't long before she did, and she immediately wished she hadn't.

Dioa's decapitated body was standing nearby, and was lowering her severed head back onto her neck. The moment her head touched her body, it seemed to reconnect, and her hands slowly let go. Alis then noticed some frightening changes take place. Dioa's gauntlets snapped loose and fell off, and Alis saw her hands turn an ugly purple shade. Not only that, her fingers were growing outward, into razor-sharp talons. Also, Dioa's eyes became one solid color: blood red.

"Dioa...what's going on?" Alis asked pleadingly, certain that she was going crazy. What had happened to her? Where were they now? And just HOW could Dioa still be alive!?

"Dioa is no more," said the being before her. "You saw to that, but her very soul was forfeit already. The little fool was willing to pay any price to see that her family survived, and all her pent-up rage made her a perfect pawn. It's lucky that I deigned to put a little piece of myself into her; now it's given me a golden opportunity."

"What the...what's going...what are you!?" cried Alis, backing up nervously. "Are you some demon, another one of Lassic's flunkies!?"

Whatever this thing was, it then threw its head back and laughed. "Stupid girl. Lassic is nothing but a pawn too, another pathetic fool willing to barter his soul for what he desired: immortality. And he's a pawn that's outlived its usefulness."

Alis stared into those blood-red eyes, completely confused. "What are...what's...." she began.

"You truly have no comprehension of what has been happening," it said coldly. "These are events that were set into motion many, many millenia ago, before your kind existed, before your planet was ever created. You cannot hope to thwart what I represent."

"Where I come from, those're fighting words," spat Alis, finally having had enough, her will to fight returning. She reached for her sword.

"I don't think so," said the voice using Dioa's mouth. Alis then expected something to happen, a blast of magic out of nowhere, metal tendrils ensnaring her...something. But all that happened was the sudden appearance of four small glassy spheres around her body, each one no bigger than her fist. And it looked like something was inside them. "Look closely, Alis. Don't they look familiar to you?"

Alis squinted to make out what was inside them. Inside one was something very small and yellow, like a tiny animal. Alis's heart sank as she realized who it was. She looked to the others, and recognized the forms of Odin, Noah and Wren.

The spheres floated toward Dioa and embedded themselves into her body. "If you attack me, you run the risk of injuring your companions, or even killing them. Is that what you want?" she asked with a sneer that sent a shiver down Alis's spine.

Then Alis noticed a pulsating white light from within Dioa's mouth. Dioa threw her head forward and spat out some sort of white-hot fireball at her. Alis ducked aside, barely avoiding being scorched. Another came at her, and she barely evaded that one as well. Oh great, and I have no way of fighting back, not without running the risk of killing the others! she realized, cold fear gripping at her heart.

"Oh by the way, there's probably only five more minutes of breathable air for Odin and Noah. Myau's air should last a little longer. Wren doesn't need any, but he has other problems, doesn't he?" said Dioa mockingly. Then she spat out another ball of energy, forcing Alis to dodge. But she lost her footing and fell to the ground. It was then that she realized the terrain was finite; she had reached the edge, and all that lay below was that bottomless abyss.

Alis got right back up and took a few steps forward, but then, whatever was possessing Dioa tried something else. The glass spheres suddenly shot out of her body, then began revolving around her at increasing speeds. Soon, they spread out to a distance dangerously near Alis. "Those glass spheres aren't that strong. If any one of them touches you, it'll shatter, and its occupant will get splattered all over your body, like an owl bear colliding with a landrover," she said coldly, smiling evilly at Alis, clearly enjoying tormenting her.

Alis backed up nervously, completely at a loss for what to do next as the glass spheres spun ever closer. "It's a pity things will have to end this way. I was hoping to manipulate you so that you would dispose of Lassic for me, and further usher in an era of anarchy and chaos that would tear the system apart. I enjoyed watching you scamper all over the system, agonizing over what to do next. But soon I learned that I was too successful. You had grown too powerful. You're more of a threat than I would have ever expected, though I guess that's not unsurprising, considering you're Palma's rightful queen." Alis gasped. How could this...thing have known that, when she had only learned about that herself? But she had no time to dwell on that. She felt the heel of her foot slip over the edge of the platform just as a sphere whizzed by her face.

There was no more room to back up, and Alis was sure that, at any second, a sphere would smash into her and kill whoever was inside. Alis decided on a desperate gambit. She called upon her magic power, flexed her fingers, and used her rope spell. Ropes flew from her fingertips and spread about all around her, forming a sort of improvised web. Alis held her breath. She had no idea if this would work.

However, her heart swelled with relief as one sphere, which imprisoned Noah, flew into the ropes and was stopped in its tracks. Then, in a matter of seconds, all four spheres were entangled in her web of ropes. Alis willed the ropes to condense into a bundle, and held them close to her chest with her arms. The sphere containing Noah was at the top of the bundle. Alis looked into the sphere, the terrified look on his tiny face making her wince. "Hold on, I'll get you all out of there!" she promised, hoping her friends could hear her.

"Somehow, I don't think so," sneered Dioa. She then spit out another energy burst. Alis swerved around to avoid it, but lost her footing, and fell over the edge. She barely reached out with one hand to grasp the edge in time.

Alis's blood ran cold as she heard footsteps slowly get closer. Then she winced as she felt Dioa stomp on her fingers. That demon possessing her dead body had her now. Alis knew it was only a matter of time before she was forced to let go. All of them would be lost in that abyss forever.

No, I've got to try something! Alis thought resolutely, refusing to fail anyone else. She looked up, seeing Dioa getting ready to stomp on her knuckles again. She took another desperate chance with her magic. She quickly chanted the incantation for her flight spell. Here, stuck in this void, there was no hope of retreat. But it still might make her body lighter, making her thousands of tons seem like nothing....

And it worked. Alis felt her body become lighter. Before Dioa brought her foot down again, Alis pulled herself upward. She gently floated upward, soaring up an over Dioa. Upon landing, Alis wasted no time. As Dioa turned around to face her, Alis took her sword and plunged it into her chest. She let out an inhuman, ear-splitting howl that made Alis wince. Alis withdrew her sword and gave Dioa a swift kick to shove her backward. Dioa teetered over the platform's edge for a moment, then fell into the abyss below.

Alis let out a sigh of relief as she watched Dioa fall. Then she looked down at the rope bundle and began fishing out the glass spheres. She carefully cracked open each one and gently set their occupants down on the platform. She freed Wren last, gasping again at the sight of his mutilated body.

Alis knelt and looked down at him for a moment, hating the confused and frightened looks on their faces. "It's OK, guys. She's gone," she said reassuringly. "Now all we have to do is figure out how to get out of this place, and...."

Alis's words got caught in her throat when it suddenly felt as if something slimy was slithering across every square inch of her skin. Not only that, a wave of nausea and vertigo made her slump to the floor, sprawled out. Through half-closed eyes, Alis watched with horror as the same black mist that had come out of Dioa's dead body was now descending upon her.

Suddenly, she heard a mellifluous voice softly whisper to her. No, she didn't hear it...it was as if some voice in her own head was talking to her! Come now, Alis Landale. That girl has served her use. Why not let me inhabit you instead? You have no idea how beneficial it can be for both of us, the power you can wield, whispered the voice seductively.

Alis wanted to scream, to lash out at this scourge invading her body in some way, but as it was, she found she was barely able to flex her fingers. You want your revenge against Lassic, right? the voice continued. Since we both want him out of the way, why don't we eliminate him together? We'll have to power to make him suffer, to kill him slowly and painfully. Don't deny it, Alis. That's still what you want. And you wish to fulfill your destiny as the system's queen, right? I can help you achieve that goal in ways you can't possibly imagine.

Alis felt like she was drowning, tumbling slowly toward oblivion. She felt her sense of self fading away. As the entity continued to wreak its havoc inside her, she racked her brains, trying to figure out some way - ANY way - to get rid of this thing possessing her.

And then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the laconian sword she had set down. Alis realized that that was her ticket out. Mustering all her strength and willpower, she slowly raised her arm and reached out for it. However, it was a few feet (mere inches to her) out of reach. Her fingertips fruitlessly scraped against the glassy tiles of the platform.

I think not, Alis. You won't be rid of me that easily, said the voice, and Alis felt it redouble its efforts to paralyze her, and ultimately possess her. The thought of that, of being the puppet of this thing, gave her the strength for one last try. With one last effort, she reached out again, scooting to the side, and this time her fingers wrapped around the hilt of her laconian sword. As soon as she did, she felt its holy power surge through her again. NO!!!! screamed the voice, clearly in agony.

And then, it was over. That sickening feeling of being possessed and used was gone. ALis soon became aware of even more changes. That feeling of wrongness that permeated whatever dimension she was in began to subside. A few seconds later, she felt sunlight suddenly sting her eyes, and felt heat rise from sand underneath her. It's over. We're out, Alis thought happily, realizing that the ordeal was finally over. And she had come out on top.

He looked up, seeing Alis's huge body spread out. She was laying on her side, and her titanic body stretched out seemingly forever, like a mountainous divide. It cast a shadow over him, which he was grateful for. He had started at her midsection, and slowly but surely made his way toward her head.

At long last, Noah reached his goal. Noah gazed up at Alis, seeing that she was beyond exhaustion, pushed well beyond her limits. Her eyes were barely open at all, and Noah wasn't even sure if she could see him. Her lips were parted slightly as she breathed through her mouth, sending out a blast of sand past Noah each time she exhaled. But despite how worn out she looked, she still looked incredibly beautiful to Noah.

After he caught himself staring at her again, Noah decided to call out to her. "ALIS!?" he cried. He had to cry out several times before Alis's eyes opened more and focused on him.

"N-Noah? I-Is that you? Y-You're OK?" she stammered wanly, sounding every bit as exhausted as she looked.

Noah nodded. "Yeah, we're all alive, thanks to you. I have no idea what just happened. Do you?"

"Not e-exactly," replied Alis weakly. "All I care a-about right now is that we got o-out."

"Yeah, me too," said Noah.

For a few moments, Noah just gazed up into Alis's eyes, and she stared right back down at him. Then, suddenly, Noah felt something large and soft tap him atop his head. Looking directly up, he saw the tip of Alis's index finger hovering a few feet above his head. It slowly lowered again, as if to gently stroke his hair. Noah let her, even though her fingertip was quivering and she was being far rougher than she meant to.

"N-Noah, thank you," she breathed before her eyes shut again, giving in to her exhaustion.