Harmonic Sync

Chapter 26: Largo, the Black Lion

I followed everyone to the alboire and we flew to the Radiation Gate. I knew we were probably going to see some of the God-Generals here and I knew we had to be prepared to fight. Once we were down to the lowest level I saw Largo standing there with Van.

"Van!" I called out and he turned to look at me.

"Zora, it's good to see you alive and well. For a minute I thought you had died with me back at the Absorption Gate." I shivered a little when I remembered that moment where everything had stopped for me.

"I'm alive and well. Though I wish I couldn't say the same for you. Why have you come back and what the hell brought you back in the first place. You and Sync." He chuckled.

"Lorelei." I shook my head in disbelieve.

"The Lorelei that controls the planet's future, that Lorelei?" He nodded. "You must have absorbed Lorelei into your body and that has caused the decrease in the planet storm recently, you brought Sync back to help you continue the plan you started six months ago." I muttered and looked at Largo, who had taken a step towards us.

"Unfortunately I can't have you siding with them, Zora. You will choose now. And if you choose wrong then there will be other methods we will use to get you on our side again." Van said.

"I won't follow your ridiculous plan that has gotten both Arietta and Ion killed!" I growled.

"They chose their paths and like them you have chosen yours. It seems in the end Sync was unable to convince you otherwise." Van drew his sword and pointed it towards me.

"Are you going to kill me now?" I asked without any emotion.

"You wish, but no. Sync!" That's when I turned my head to the left to see Sync standing there one second and then the next I was in his arms beside Van.

"Let me go!" I growled struggling to break free.

"Stop fighting." I felt pain in my arms, causing me to cry out in pain.

"Zora!" Jade called out to me.

"Largo, I will leave this matter to you." Van said and I saw him nod once before blocking the others view of me.

"You let her go!" Jade growled at Largo, Sync and Van.

"Now, now Jade the Necromancer you wouldn't want your precious little daughter getting hurt now would you?" Sync said smirking at Jade as his hand started to glow beside my face.

"I hate you..." I said to Sync as he touched my head and I blacked out.

Jade's POV

I watched as Sync touched her forehead and she went limped immediately. I froze and nearly dropped my spear. But I could see the faint rise and fall of her chest so I knew she was still alive. I had to believe that we could beat Largo and get her back before everything went to hell again.

"Your opponent is me!" Largo said sharply and charging me. I jumped back and started one of my spells.

"Turbulence!" I called out and blast of air spun around him. He flew back and that's when Natalia aimed her arrow, letting it fly directly into Largo's chest. He turned and looked at her lightly.

"Nice shot, Meryl..." He collapsed to the ground in his armor. "In the end I was unable to avenge Arietta, but I have fulfilled my mission to Van, this world and its memory will disappear once Zora uses her Goddess Fonic Hymns to destroy the Planet Storm, therefore destroying Lorelei as well..." With that he collapsed and went limp.

"Father..." Natalia muttered lightly. I had almost forgotten that while we had been searching for Van we came across Largo's necklace of Natalia from when she was an infant. Natalia's father, his royal Majesty, had done some research and in fact found out that Natalia was the daughter of Largo. It's unfortunate to see such a tragic reunion, but it couldn't be helped if Largo had no intentions of stopping his work for Van.

"Natalia, this is no time to be sitting around we have to go after Sync and Van. Do I need to remind you all that they have Zora and if what he says is true then Zora could very well die if she doesn't do what he says?" I explained and everyone rose to their feet to continue onward, well everyone except Natalia that is. "Natalia." I said a little more edge in my voice.

"Leave her, Jade. She has to grieve on her own." Guy said and we rushed out of the Gate to see Van, Sync and Zora there.

"I see, so Largo failed. Sync, take her and go. She can't be let go of." Sync nodded once, but an arrow flying and causing Sync to drop her made Van freeze.

"I won't let you take my friend away!" Natalia called out from a rock higher up.

"Nice one, Natalia." Luke called out to her, that's when I took the time to use one of my spells to teleport her into my arms.

"For Christ's sake, do I have to do everything myself?" Van growled and started coming towards me with his sword out.

"When angels fall with broken wings, I can't give up I can't give in. When all is lost and daylight ends, I'll carry you and we will live forever..." Zora sang quietly and I saw Van freeze in his spot.

"We don't have a lot of time, that's all I can do for you. We need to run before they unfreeze." She muttered quietly to me and everyone rushed around them towards the alboire.

"You did well, Zora." She smiled lightly as we boarded the alboire and took off towards someplace that wasn't here.

"Thank you, Jade. For coming for me. I didn't know if anyone would come for me..." I shook my head as she started to zone back into reality.

"Of course we would. We're all your friends." I said and she smiled.

"That's right, I'm not alone anymore. I want to keep my promise to Ion, I want to come back alive and well for him. He deserves that much; I want to be able to create the world we wanted to create when we were kids. So I can't die. I can't lose to Van or even Sync, because in the end Sync and the Ion we all knew is the very same Fon Master you all met."

"We'll help you keep that promise." Natalia said coming over to her side, Zora grabbed her hand lightly.

"Natalia, forgive me for not seeing that Largo was your father from the beginning, maybe I could have convinced him to change his ways. Could have convinced him to be the father you deserved." She shook her head lightly.

"Don't worry about it, Zora. You couldn't have possibly known and besides I have a father who I care very deeply for. Just as you have Jade, I have my father." I saw Zora nod once and then her eyes closed.

"I'm going to take a nap, I'm exhausted."

"Do you know what Sync did to her that made her so out of it?" Guy asked once she was asleep again.

"If I had to guess I would say it's a Daathic Fonic Arte that puts someone to sleep. I think we need to go to Grand Chokmah and have the Fon Master remove it. It will take too long for it to wear off on its own. And from what I saw Van doesn't know that the real Ion is alive, so we have to be very careful with who we tell that secret to." They all nodded and we changed direction to help for the capital.