Corrupted Radiatons

by Michael Rogers

  Rachael: "The will?"

  Arcadia: "The cycle of one's life. Your Astragons are somehow broken out of this cycle."

  Rachael: "Once again-"

  Arcadia: "Arcadia." *She spoke as if she knew Rachael would have forgotten her name.*

  Rachael: "Arcadia. I have no idea what you mean."

  Arcadia: "Perhaps this was an accidental thing? Easily understood the moment thy reach into your memories."

  Rachael: *She frowned and stepped back again.* "Look into my memories? No, I don't think so."

  Arcadia: *She tilted her head to one side.* "What are thou hiding?"

  Rachael: "Hiding? I'm hiding nothing. You just don't have the right to look into my life." *She frowned again and shook her head.* "I've been accused of having a boring personality, but I can tell you one thing."

  Arcadia: "..."

  Rachael: "I am not an open book."

  Arcadia: "Debatable." *She smirked at her words.*

  Rachael: "Instead of roughing me up-"

  Arcadia: (Roughing her up?) *She thought to herself in confusion.*

  Rachael: "How about you tell me where I am and what's happening?" *She spoke with a stern voice.*

  Arcadia: *She frowned and faced Rachael.* "Thy have no reason to explain myself!"

  Rachael: "Who are you?"

  Arcadia: "Have we not already met?"

  Rachael: *She shook her head.* "I was with Lezard and the champion-"

  Arcadia: "Thou were meant to be here before." *She reached her hand for Rachael.* "Come to where thou are meant to be."

  Rachael: "Where is this? And why does it sound funny in here?"

  Arcadia: *She looked astonished.* "Perhaps thou really don't know? This is The Astral Plains."

  Rachael: "The Astral Plains?"

  Arcadia: "Or.. The stage before it. Did thou use a forbidden Remenistal?"

  Rachael: "What?"

  Arcadia: "Rostical?"

  Rachael: "No-. I knew what that meant. I mean, could you please just explain to me what is going on?"

  Arcadia: "When one's life Neurons deplete, the energy is then filtered through The Astral Plains. What happens to that energy is unknown. Thy believe the memories and experiences stay inside these plains while the life Neurons are used for rebirth."

  Rachael: "Death?"

  Arcadia: "Precisely."

  Rachael: "Pardon me?! I'm not dead!"

  Arcadia: *She tilted her head back.* "Why else would thy be seeing thou?"

  Rachael: "I'm not sure."

  Arcadia: "And, thy've felt thou were meant to be a long time ago."

  Rachael: "I should have been dead a long time ago?" *She spoke with a slight chuckle.*

  Arcadia: "..." *She nodded her head in agreement, causing Rachael to frown.*

  Rachael: "Sure, The Rostical Guild has seen bad days, but we always get through it."

  Arcadia: "Thy'm not sure what thou have done, how thou bypassed the system-" *She suddenly appeared in a shroud of golden light directly in front of Rachael.*

  Rachael: "How-?"

  Arcadia: *Her eyes suddenly shined gold.* "Thy need to see if there are any memories regarding a forbidden Remenistal."

  Rachael: "I promise you-" *She suddenly gasped and started to shake uncontrollably, cueing Arcadia to grab onto both her arms.*

  Arcadia: *She listened to many whispers, as if she could hear everything Rachael has done.* "Thy won't pry too deeply-"

  Rachael: "L-Let.. L-Let go-" *She continued to shake, as every emotion consumed her body.*

  Arcadia: "Thy see-" *She stepped back and let go of Rachael, causing her to drop to her knees.*

  Rachael: "W-What did you do?!" *She placed her hands on the ground and sighed.*

  Arcadia: "Thy could not read past three years of memories."

  Rachael: (Around the time I transported here?)

  Arcadia: "Regardless of that abnormally, thou have broken the natural order-"

  Rachael: "Stop making it sound like I've done it purposely."

  Arcadia: *She watched Rachael's body undergo a flash-like glow.* "How-?" *She whispered to herself.* "Even after seeing me again, thou are attempting to go back?"

  Rachael: "What are you saying?"

  Arcadia: *She watched a man suddenly appear behind Rachael, causing her golden eyes to shine.* "Who are thou?"

  ?????: *He silently stared at Arcadia and looked down, causing his blonde hair to sway around his forehead.* "..."

  Arcadia: (Thy said, who are thou?!) *She smiled, as if she knew her question reached the man's thoughts.*

  ?????: *He looked down, staring at Rachael on all fours.* "..."

  Arcadia: *She intensely stared at the man while her eyes shined golden.* "Thy see."

  ?????: "..." *He looked back to Arcadia, as if he didn't care about her.*

  Arcadia: "A man with a similar memory as Rachael."

  Rachael: *She stared at the ground, exhausted.* (What is this feeling? What did she do to me?!)

  Arcadia: "Your memories? Is that about a year?" *She leant back in confusion, observing the man from top to bottom.* "A year? Thou are far older than that!"

  Rachael: (What is she babbling on about now?)

  Arcadia: *She watched the man reach down towards Rachael's shoulder.* "Thou are also meant to be joining The Astral Plains-"

  ?????: "Rach, what are you doing down there?"

  Rachael: (Rach?) *She stopped her line of thought.* (That voice-)

  Arcadia: (They know each other?)

  Rachael: "Is it really you?" *She spoke to herself in shock, as her fingers and arms started to uncontrollably shake.*

  ?????: *He placed his hand on Rachael's shoulder and smiled.* "C'mon, Rachael Rose-Maria Taylor."

  Rachael: *Her eyes started to water.* "Ash.. Ashton?" *She spoke while frozen on the spot, unable to look at him.*

  Ashton: "Good grief, it's been awhile."

  Rachael: *She quickly looked to the side in disbelief.* "Ash!" *She screamed with emotion and quickly stood up.*

  Ashton: *He smiled in a loving manner.* "I thought I'd never get to see-"

  Rachael: *She stepped forward, tightly hugging Ashton.* "Ash!"

  Ashton: *He wrapped his arms around Rachael and deeply inhaled with happiness.* "Is this a dream?"

  Rachael: "Hehe." *She giggled and sniffed.* "I was just thinking that."

  Ashton: *He stepped back and noticed Rachael's appearance.* "Wow, look at you."

  Rachael: *She looked at Ashton in confusion.* "You're wearing your Fast Food Enterprise business attire."

  Ashton: *He looked down and nodded his head in confusion.* "I am?"

  Rachael: "Why do you sound confused."

  Ashton: "My teacher gave me a special uniform to wear. I don't think I even wore this after putting that on."

  Rachael: "Your teacher?"

  Arcadia: *Her golden eyes shined.* (It appears he reconstructed his garments via memory Astragons. This ability works once one has used up their life Neurons...)

  Ashton: "Either way, where are we?"

  Arcadia: *She observed Ashton with caution.* (His memories.. His name is Ashton Lawyer.)

  Rachael: *She smiled again and leant forward to hug him.* "I've missed you so much!"

  Ashton: "How did I get here?" *A scene of rain flashed in his head.* "I've.. Missed you, too."

  Rachael: "I think this is a dream, but it feels-...?"

  Ashton: "Real?"

  Rachael: *She smiled with blushing cheeks, completely ignoring Arcadia and the scenery around her.* "I've missed you so, so, so much."

  Arcadia: *She stared at Ashton and Rachael in confusion, unintentionally allowing them time for their reunion.* (Just what the Astragons are happening?!)

  Ashton: *He smiled and leant forward, causing his blonde hair to sway around his eyes.* "I love you." *He gently placed his hand on Rachael's cheek and gracefully kissed her on the lips.*

  Rachael: "I-"

  Arcadia: "Thou two have all eternity to chat amon
gst each other!" *She took a step forward, causing the area and vibe to change into a serious-like atmosphere.*

  Ashton: *He held his chest and grunted in pain.* "Ah-"

  Rachael: "Ash?!"

  Arcadia: (It's rather common to meet new Astragon Projections with memory loss, of their last moments in physical form. He's probably remembering it now.)

  Ashton: "It feels like something is jabbing me in the heart?"

  Rachael: "Your chest?" *She spoke with concern.*

  Ashton: "Is it my Neurons?"

  Rachael: "Neurons?" *She smiled with concern.*

  Ashton: *He leant forward and looked at Rachael's smile, causing him to smirk.* "What's so funny?"

  Rachael: *She shook her head, as if it didn't matter.* "It's funny hearing you talk like that-"

  Ashton: *He grunted with widening eyes, as if he was remembering something.* "I-.. Blood, everywhere. Lance, it was at The Hollow Plains."

  Rachael: (Hollow Plains?)

  Ashton: *He shook his head and looked at Rachael in seriousness.* "How did you die?"

  Rachael: "Die? I haven't died-"

  Ashton: "Then go!"

  Rachael: "But, I don't know where I am-"

  Ashton: (Something's pulling me back, too?)

  Rachael: "Go back? No! I don't want to be away from you any longer."

  Ashton: "Please!" *He grabbed Rachael's shoulder causing her to gasp, before exploding her into tiny white orbs.*

  Rachael: "Ash?!" *Her fading voice echoed.*

  Arcadia: *She took a step forward.* "How?! What did thou do?!"

  Ashton: "Sorry."

  Arcadia: "Thou need to pass through the natural cycle-"

  Ashton: "I would if I could."

  Arcadia: "What do thou know?!" *She sounded weary of Ashton's motives.*

  Ashton: "I don't know anything. I just know what I'm feeling, and I can't control it."

  Arcadia: *She reached to her side and pulled forward, causing a spiral of sparks to splinter away from a halberd.* "Don't force-"

  Ashton: "Please, stop me!"

  Arcadia: *She looked puzzled.* "Explain thouself!"

  Ashton: "Whatever is happening to me-" *His arm suddenly burst into tiny white orbs.* "I know it's going to be bad!"

  Arcadia: "Thou were killed by the captain, thou cannot escape fate!"

  Ashton: "This isn't my doing-"

  Arcadia: *She frowned and suddenly appeared behind Ashton in a shroud of golden light.* "Foolishness!"

  *Arcadia raised the halberd and slashed across Ashton's head, causing a line of light to flash through his flesh.*

  Arcadia: "In this state, my Radiaton dense weapon will forcefully purge you into The Astral-"

  *Ashton's body suddenly burst into tiny white orbs, causing Arcadia to drop her halberd in disbelief and shock.*

  Arcadia: "He's gone back into the land of the living?" *She shook her head.* "This.. This is the first time thy've witnessed-"

  *Arcadia covered her mouth with both hands.*

  Arcadia: "The Valkyrie stated it was impossible to trick or break the cycle, how did thy witness two mere mortals doing so?!"

  *Arcadia watched the area respond to the disappearance of Ashton and Rachael.*

  Arcadia: "And did you forget last time we spoke? This is Valhalla."

  ----------

  Synthoss: *She hovered over Rachael's lifeless body and glanced across the destroyed meadow, glaring at Lezard and the champion.* "Asleep? Or did they die due to my Rasticsplash alone-?"

  Champion: "Kgh-" *She gargled on her own saliva and twitched.*

  Synthoss: "Fufufu, grovel on the ground like the dirty lamps you are."

  Rachael: *She suddenly twitched with life, causing Synthoss to quickly step back in shock.* "Ash?"

  Synthoss: *She raised her arm, causing a whip-like stream of cracks to appear from where she flicked her wrist.* "I felt your life Neurons fade!"

  *Synthoss struck her hand down, flicking the whip-like objects onto Rachael's back, causing thunder-like glass shattering to be heard.*

  Rachael: "Ah!"

  Champion: "Lezard!" *She whimpered and leant up with a struggle, watching blood soak around the back of Rachael's shirt.*

  Synthoss: "Fufufufu!" *She leant up and started to continuously whip Rachael on the back, as her entire face glowed with cracks in it.*

  Rachael: (Why did I come back to this?!) *She frowned in determination and formed a fist.* "Rock Pill-"

  Synthoss: "Fufuf! This is for protecting that Susanoo!" *She enjoyed the shattering sounds of the whip crack on Rachael's bleeding and exposed back.* "I want to see your spine!"

  Lezard: *He mumbled and leant up, instantly noticing the slithering whip-like object Synthoss used to attack Rachael.* (She still has her whip, but it's no longer physical?)

  Champion: "Lezard! She's about to die!"

  Lezard: *He stood up and noticed tears all over his clothes.* "U-Umm.. Okies."

  Rachael: *She puffed out blood and watched it string onto the dirt ground.* (Where did the vegetation go?)

  Champion: "I think I've found a weakness."

  Lezard: (A weakness?) "Neurons draw, Astragons repel, MYSTIC SHIELD"

  Synthoss: "Yarh!" *She flicked her arm downwards and a bright silver shield materialised around Rachael, knocking her whip back.*

  Champion: *She watched Lezard's shield crack.* (Did she grow weaker? Before that shattered our shields instantly! Nonetheless, it won't last another attack!)

  Lezard: "Quick healing shot, HEALING IMPLOSION! Quick internal light, INVOKING AURA! Sacred light of Radiatons cluster and form, aid and replenish what has been lost, SOOTHING LIGHT! Restoring winds, sway and swirl, calm my allies' will, RESTORING HALCYON"

  *Lezard shouted with an echoing voice, as four different white glyphs spiralled underneath his feet, leaving a night-light-like effect on the ground around him.*