The Flux's Flower

Seperate Ways

The events that followed were a blur to everyone involved, except Midas. Despite being battered and beaten and tossed aside in a heap, he recovered rather fast. Right as Mother activated her spell, she was skewered from behind, a golden blade ran through her chest. She dropped to the ground on her knees, gasping for air as Midas removed the blade, as well as the apple. "Surprise."

He looked up at Nano, who was stood above Lalna protectively. "Try anything and I'll run you through next."

"You couldn't if you tried."

"Wanna bet?"

Midas hesitated. He was just as weak and pretty drained himself, and another fight wouldn't end well. He saluted Nano "Until next time", opening a golden portal and stepping through it, his fortress vanishing as well.

As soon as Midas was gone, Nano dropped the act and knelt at Lalna's side "Idiot." she poked him weakly. "You knew that was too much for you, didn't you?"

Lalna laughs despite his pain "I knew you could pick up the slack. You're strong like that"

Nano elbows him lightly "You scared me! Please, don't do that again."

In response, Lalna wraps her in a hug "Only if you need it. Otherwise, I promise."

Nano nods "now, it's time for us to go home" she concentrates on her flugel eyes, which had reappeared after Mother's death. Visualizing the base, Nano opened a rift, taking them both home to recover and recuperate.

Elsewhere, Midas stumbled out of his portal, running into a wall. Subsequently, Darkstone fell out of the sky and crashed into the ground.

"Your portals aren't usually this bad. Did you lose," a lone figure spoke from the nearby shadows. "Did you lose, perhaps"

"In a way. The ones you told me about, one of them possess the flugel eyes."

The figure nods "...I see...perhaps we need to accelerate our plans. We can't use the Aesir power without all 6 artifacts"

Midas stood. "we might have to do a lot more than-ack!"

The figure cut him off, holding him by his neck "I said we needed the artifacts, and that's what you're going to get me.

The figure dropped Midas, who rubbed his neck and straightened. "Sure thing, partner" he said with a certain acid "Whatever you say."

The figure stepped out of the shadows, his dirty blond hair unkept, and his coat torn "Last time I fought them, they killed Five. It's about time I get my revenge" He turned, his red eyes glowing with anger "That clone of mine will learn what it is like to lose someone dear to him."

"Sounds like a plan, L."

"That's Hector to you."