Miitopia 3: Friends Are Eternal

Chapter 9: The Puzzle is Complete

Last flashback comin' atcha! 

Enjoy!

The battle was relentless. 

Most of Old Miitopia had crumbled under Eternal's grip, and only a few areas were untouched. No screams rang out, for there was no one left to do so. The only people left were the ones fighting. 

"Eternal, come to your senses! This isn't you!" the guardian shouted. Beneath him, seven warriors were on their final stand. And in front of him, his opponent scoffed.

"Give me one good reason why I should not rip out your throat," Eternal said bitterly, in her new distorted voice. Her former kind self was no more.

"Elite," Flora gasped as she tried to stand, her body wracked with pain. "We can't fall here. We have to ensure that... our descendants... will be able to stand in a time of need." She stood up with difficulty and sent out a wave of power, and the rest of her team did the same. Eternal just scoffed again at their feeble efforts. 

"You think you are a match for me?" She flicked her wrist, and a large tentacle wrapped around all of the Elite, squeezing hard like a boa constrictor. But this was no ordinary tentacle, and in a burst of light, all of them disintegrated. 

The Elite had been destroyed.

"Eternal," said the guardian, "I know not what I have done to you... but I cannot allow you to do this!" 

"Then fight me!" Eternal retorted. 

The battle was long and hard, and fraught with peril. Both combatants were pushed to their limits. What remained of the world was slowly crumbling. 

Finally, the guardian had only one option: split The Eternal into two. 

When the deed was done, the two halves could not coexist in this state. One half, containing Eternal's power and memories, was deemed too dangerous to keep around and was sealed away forever. The other half... that one contained her physical body, as well as her emotions. Perhaps... she could still exist in some form. 

First, the guardian crafted a new world, just like the old one. All of the people could not be fully restored, but they could still be saved. And as for Eternal... the guardian decided to give the one half of her a new identity. A gentle one. One that could be undeterred by his foolish mistakes.

He called this identity... Janice. 

"So... that's how it happened," Janice said quietly, remembering every detail. "That's how we were separated." 

Yes, Eternal replied. I was not given a second chance at life like you were. Such a sad tale.

I had no idea. I'm... I'm sorry.

How dare you pity me. Don't give me a false hope! 

Don't act like that. Maybe you could still...

Regardless, I've held up my end of the bargain. Now it's time for you. Take us to Otherworld.

Why? What are we doing?

We're writing the final chapter in our story. The end, so to speak. And when we do, you and your friends shall be together again... In death.

                                                          ...

"We're nearly there," Harmoni said as she and the other New Elite ventured through Riverdeep Cavern. "If we can find Glacier's descendant, we will be one step closer to defeating The Eternal and saving our world."

"A query," Kojima asked her. "How have you all been faring after... you know?" 

"Let's just say we have thought of many ways to get you back for this," Horace replied with a salty voice.

"Ignore him. We have all forgiven you," Abitha assured the ex-Shadow Queen. 

"There." Harmoni stopped, and their opponent was made clear: a monster made of living rock.

"If we can defeat that, we can free the New Ice Elite," Lillian said. "Let us give it all we have!" 

Using her naginata, she distracted the monster and allowed the others to attack with various abilities. Charlotte mainly used Royal Wave while Horace utilized Darkeye Slash, and the Fab Fairies all used their own abilities with their bows. Harmoni kept the beast at bay with Lightning, and Kojima proved herself as quite the fighter with magic, using Righteous Anger to her advantage. Soon enough, the beast was subdued. 

"Whew! That was a bit of a tight spot!" Adiran said after being released. "Thank you, all. I believe this should be the last of the New Elite?" 

"Yes. We finally have the entire team," Harmoni said with a smile. "Do you have your weapon?" 

"I do." Adiran revealed a silver gauntlet with the image of a snowflake. "Glacier's magical gauntlet... the epitome of ice itself." 

"Wonderful. Now, we had best go back to the Traveler's Hub." 

I should clarify: the next seven chapters (this one being the first) will all take place at the same time. 

Peace out!