Chapter 35 "Eclipse: Part IV"
Chapter 35
Eclipse
Part IV
With the power of both universe and mind, it does not take too long for Knapp, Logy, and Katja to find the remaining Dark Team members, including Ketsu and Ash.
“Logy! Katja! We were looking for you for a long time!” Ketsu exclaims.
“I’ve been with him for the entire time! That mind energy of his is truly amazing!” Katja exclaims, matching up to Ketsu’s energy level. “Eclipse could never break through his dream!”
“Sooner or later, we’ll run into Eclipse,” Knapp says after shushing his kids a little bit. He looks at a woman whom he doesn’t recognize, but she feels so familiar. “Do I know you?”
“Yes, you do. I’m Ash. I’m in a different form now,” Ash says. “I figured I should create my own person.”
She is now in the form of a tall 30-year-old woman with brown hair locked up in a ponytail. She still retains hazel eyes, just like Logy’s. She is wearing a pair of square glasses, simple pink zipped sweatshirt and black yoga pants.
“It’s nice to officially meet you,” Knapp smiles brightly at her. “We’ve only spoken while you were just a computer program, but when I learned that you tried to help Ketsu and all of us, I’m forever grateful to you for saving our lives.”
“O-oh, no biggie.” Ash blushes lightly. “I know I was created to serve you all, but I was watching you all having a great time and stuff… that still made me happy.”
“You’re amazing, Logy!” Clear says. “I know you said it’s because you have the power of mind that repeals all Eclipse’s effort to manipulate you… but how did you get Knapp to use his power as well?”
“It’s actually much simpler than you think,” Logy smirks as he taps his forefinger on his forehead. “It’s called lucid dreaming. You can control not only yourself and your power but also your environment. You can change your dream into whatever you want as long as you can bend it to your will instead of Eclipse’s. That’s when she loses control of you and your dream.”
“That’s simple? Damn, that’s so impressive!” Gules chirps into the conversation.
“Seconded…” Johnny yawns sleepily.
“Thank goodness that we have a comrade with the power of mind!” Jade says.
They are suddenly feeling an intense pressure. They look up at the moon and sun moving towards each other faster than usual. They either come out of nowhere or nobody notices them at first. As the moon and sun meet, the entire world becomes darker and darker.
Knapp narrows his dark brown eyes in anger as the golden-eyed girl appears in the dark sky.
“I’ve really had it with all of you,” Eclipse says bitterly. “I should’ve finished you all right at the beginning. I admit that I underestimated all of your mental strengths. Because of your friendships.”
One by one, eight people in total are being materialized out of nothingness and are now hovering around Eclipse. The Dark Team recognizes them right away.
Zack, Danielle, Sky, Chilyo, Tezuka, Ryu, Shishi, and Beryl.
“Even so… I’m really impressed that you lasted the longest compared to the past dreamers,” Eclipse says eerily as she creates a small energy ball in her hand. She shifts her golden eyes towards Logy without turning her head at all. “Alright, you earned the right to know who I am before you die. My name is Eclipse. I came from the Third Universe. I’m the younger sister of their Goddess… Crescent-sama… at least until she exiled me because she did not agree with my way of dealing with people who tried to take advantage of her.”
Logy’s eyes begin to glow in the lime green color. Suddenly, the moon and sun in the eclipse mode are being pulled-no, literally ripped apart from each other. “Who the hell cares about your past? Let us go, and then we may forgive you.”
A half-smirk appears on Eclipse’s face. Losing the eclipse suddenly does not faze her at all. She begins to descend calmly, followed by 8 people she created from the Dark Team’s memories. “I’ve lived here for more than 500 years, and you’re the first person to match my power. I did not expect that one of you would have the power of mind, but of course that’s my first mistake… and my last one.”
“Zack…” Jade says shakily but Gules steps ahead.
“Please allow me to fight him.” The former elf prince widely grins as he cracks his knuckles. Loud hissing flames quickly pop up surrounding both of his fists.
“Thanks, Gules.” Jade smiles as he turns to Chilyo who is snickering loudly. He slams his fist on his other open palm. “It’s been years, eh? This is going to be a piece of cake.”
“Dammit.” Clear releases a light sigh, shaking her head. She takes a few steps toward one of the fake people. “I guess I’ll take Danielle, then.”
Beryl points her finger at Katja. The Mitsukai girl shrugs her shoulders with a calm look on her face. “I guess she chose me.”
“You better be careful.” Ketsu elbows his sister in the upper arm lightly. He spots an elderly man with a clear, powerful, intense, and heavy pressure in his power. “Alright, I’ll take the strongest person- Shishi.”
Johnny yawns sleepily as he glances at Sky. He shrugs his shoulders and says jokingly, “I guess I’m taking the weakest one, then.”
“Ash, you take on Tezuka… which leaves Ryu to me.” Knapp stretches one of his arms, as Ash gives him a determined nod.
Eclipse has finally landed on the floor, her golden eyes not leaving Logy at all. “I’ve always thought I’d have to fight the Universe Warrior, but then I realized that you’re the one who has been protecting him from me all along. I saw you in every one of his dreams - real or not. So I had to change my strategy.”
“By becoming Sybil. Or me.” Logy scowls at her. “You played with his feelings. And then crushed them. Several times. That’s just so cruel.”
“It’s needed. I need your dreams to keep myself alive.” Eclipse chuckles lightly. “I control everyone’s dreams. Including yours. Every time you feel nauseous, that’s when I’m eating your life force.”
Logy gulps, as he starts to feel the urge to throw up but tries to hold it back.
“That’s right. As you see, we’re in your dream right now. Once you’re dead, it’ll get easier to eat others’ dreams,” Eclipse says, lifting her hand and pointing at the deaf warrior who finally notices that nobody is here except only two of them. “Now nobody will save you this time.”
“Why do I need someone to save me when I have the power of mind?” Logy taps on the side of his head with a smirk.
Hundreds of swords in different styles and sizes suddenly appear surrounding Eclipse. All of them move around until they are directed at the deaf warrior.
Uh-oh, this can’t be good. Logy quickly gets in his usual fighting pose.
Eclipse launches all swords flying towards the mind reader.
Logy dodges every single of them easily. His speed is superhuman- no, probably as fast as a god level. Once it’s over, he is not even breathless at all.
This is how powerful the mind of Logy is after many years of using the power.
Eclipse narrows her eyes in frustration. A volleyball is being formed and then falls onto her hand. She drops it.
Logy is already bracing himself as he watches the volleyball hit the floor. Except it literally splashes through the floor as if it’s water. Suddenly, a black hand emerges from it and then slams on it. It pulls its remaining body out of the floor.
A shadow? Logy thinks. What the hell are they?
More and more shadows in different sizes keep coming out until they are all over the place. Large ones give loud intimidating roars, making the whole world shake but Logy does not even flinch at all.
Logy reaches out his hand. Soon, a new long pole comes emerging from the floor until he grabs it. He spins it several times as if he’s testing how he can handle it.
“Go,” Eclipse commands. The shadows yell loudly as they charge.
The first shadow dares to make the first move by throwing a fist only to get vanished by Logy’s attacking pole. The deaf warrior dances around swiftly and expertly as he tackles and hits every shadow without a miss.
As he swings his pole toward the final shadow-
He stops instantly.
He is staring at Knapp right there. The top of the pole is still on Knapp’s face. The Universe Warrior has a wicked grin on his face.
He’s not real. Not real, not real. Logy is trying to remind himself. It takes a little more willpower than usual for him to do a roundkick to vanish the fake Knapp or rather the final shadow.
Eclipse scowls. She then snaps her fingers, causing Logy’s pole to crumble into pieces instantly. “Alright no more nice Ms. Lady.”
She takes off his black hooded cloak, only showing a simple white dress with yellow flowers. She swings her arm, changing the entire world once again. This time, it is a planet Logy is very familiar with.
Planet Fantasy? Logy makes a quick glance at his surroundings. It’s exactly like what he remembered.
Dark sky with no sight of sun. Hundreds of colorful buildings in different shapes. Tall, short, round, and even triangle skycaptors, warehouses, family houses, and many more.
The only difference is that there are no people around at all.
“I thrive in the darkness… your home planet is perfect for it,” Eclipse says stoically as her blonde hair turns darker and darker until it is pitch black. An evil smirk begins to appear on her face. “I suppose it will be the next planet that I’ll stop by after I kill you and everyone else.”
As soon as Logy makes a step, he is already right in front of Eclipse with a roundkick in the progress.
Eclipse instantly blocks it with her own arm. She doesn’t even look fazed by the deaf warrior’s sudden attack at all.
The deaf warrior half-grins all in disappointment, excitement, and frustration. Damn.
The little girl is growing taller until she is a full woman with long black hair. Her white dress has turned darker as well. Her cold golden eyes are the only one feature that has not changed at all.
She quickly leans her head forward until her forehead touches Logy’s.
Huge conflicting energy of theirs, in either gold or lime green, appears surrounding them. It keeps growing and growing, trying to overpower each other, along with both Logy’s and Eclipse’s yells.
Eclipse is the first to move by pushing him hard with her own arm. Something is being materialized in her hand until it becomes a sword made entirely out of just pure gold energy. She laughs evilly as she thrusts her weapon towards Logy’s chest--
Logy swiftly turns to the side, evading the attack entirely. He elbows her in the stomach hard, sending her through the air. The lime green aura begins to extend all over the space, dissipating the golden one completely.
The world changes once again. Earth this time. Bright sun sitting in the blue sky with no clouds in sight.
“Damn.” Eclipse hisses angrily as she begins to feel her energy being drained. She sends a flaming gold orb into the blue sky.
Logy is unsure what exactly she did but when he sees a moon moving unusually fast towards the sun, he mumbles, “No way.”
The moon covers the sun completely, engulfing the entire world in the darkness once again.
Logy suddenly gets pulled toward the ground, crashing hard into it. He is lying in a new crater as he coughs up blood. He tries to get up but finds himself paralyzed by some kind of unknown force.
“It’s over now,” Eclipse says as she lands on the ground safely. When she reaches the crater, she sends Logy a dull yet smirking stare. “I’m taking your life now. You lose.”
Logy’s feet are the first parts of his body to go as they are being literally disassembled into nothingness. He glances back at the solar eclipse as he clenches his jaw, struggling to release his power of mind. I’ve done it before. Why can’t I rip it apart now? What did she do differently this time?
His legs are next to go.
Shit. Logy thinks. Wait… I need Knapp…
Eclipse releases a light sigh as she turns back into a little girl with blonde hair once again. She giggles as she thinks, Once that mind controller is dead, I’ll reset everyone’s dreams… Then, his friends are next to go.
Hoping that she does not notice, Logy is trying to send his thoughts, Knapp. I’m using my power to wake your real body up. Please… wake up now. Hurry… You’re our last chance.
~*~
Knapp begins to stir. Huh? Why is it so dark?
He opens his dark brown eyes only to find himself in a dark room along with several flashing and flickering lights in either orange or red color. As he sits up, he pulls several wires with needles from his body.
He groggily grabs his throbbing head. It feels like he has been hit by one of the largest spaceships in the universe. He knows he did dream but is trying so hard to remember what exactly he did in his dream. Especially when his dream felt so long…
No actually, eternal is the better word to describe.
He gets up only to stumble back into his bed. His legs feel jelly for some reason. What the hell? How long have I been asleep?
“Knapp, you’re awake.”
The Universe Warrior turns his head towards the familiar voice until he finds Kawaii’s glowing eyes. He is normally emotionless and stoic but this time, his heteromania eyes are full of fear. “She’s coming after you again. You have to stop her right now.”
“What?” Knapp asks. He quickly glances at Logy’s sleeping form next to him as soon as he senses his power level suddenly rising.
All the memories from his dreams from the past year come rushing into his head as he screams at the same time.
It stops.
Kawaii is not saying anything at all but Knapp can still sense that the child form of the Fifth Universe is in distress.
“Sleep and dream.”
Gold flakes are coming down on him. Knapp looks up to find a little blonde-haired girl hovering above in the air. He begins to feel drowsy once again.
No, stay awake. Logy’s body is now glowing in the lime green energy.
“You…” Knapp mumbles angrily as he reaches for his sword which is leaning against his bed. His voice raises, “You leave us alone!”
He easily pierces his weapon through the girl’s stomach as he commands, “Eirian.”
~*~
“Gross!” Gules loudly complains.
“Do you seriously want to die?” Jade snaps, shaking his large knife at him. He returns to cutting a couple of more round, green, and bumpy fruits. As they open, the inside consists of redness with seeds along with a sweet scent. “Quit complaining! Kawaii grew them for us so we have something to eat.”
“Right. All of our food has gone bad after nearly one year of sleeping.” Clear sweatdrops as she tosses a large garbage bag on the floor next to the door. She slides it open and yells, “Johnny! Here’s the last bag to throw out!”
“Fine, fine…” Johnny grumbles. He takes the bag and then leaves back downstairs for the large trash bin at the lowest bottom of the spaceship.
“Yeah, it’s the only thing that I could eat on this planet while you all were asleep. It tasted awful at first but it eventually outgrew on me.” Ketsu laughs lightheartedly. “Kawaii helped me out! Ash too!”
“I’m so humbled…” comes the voice of Ash from the speaker on the ceiling. “This type of fruit has enough nutrients for you all to live on for a long time.”
Katja takes one bite of the odd-looking fruit and sticks out her tongue in disgust. “Still so gross…”
“Hey,” Kawaii says with a frown on his face. He is sitting at the table with the ones who are still eating.
Everyone jumps startled at his sudden appearance.
“Perfect timing! We are starving!” Knapp says cheerfully as he and Logy come into the kitchen/dining room.
“I worked hard to move and grow them for you to harvest,” Kawaii says. “Especially when Ketsu needed the food to replenish his energy.”
“I also looked everywhere on this planet,” Ketsu says. “I brought back so many plants that I thought I could eat, but they ended up making me pretty sick or just did not give me enough energy to keep going. Until Kawaii found this one.”
Logy nibbles the red fruit a little bit. “It looks like a dragon fruit. With bumps.”
“It does!” Knapp takes a closer look at the fruit.
“Alright, I better finish preparing for the liftoff, now that we have plenty of… err, those dragon fruits or whatever they are.” Clear gets up from the table. She remembers. “Oh yeah, I’ve been meaning to ask you but how did we get freed from Eclipse’s power of dream?”
Suddenly, the fruit tastes more bitter in Knapp’s mouth.
~*~
ONE WEEK AGO
Knapp is panting breathlessly. He has used up the last remaining power of the universe just to seal Eclipse’s soul into his Divine Sword.
Unlike other souls, Eclipse has broken out in an instant.
“D-damn!” Knapp curses as he falls off the bed. His eyes are threatening to shut once again. I… I was so close!
With her soul back, Eclipse calmly yet eerily descends until her bare feet are back on the cold floor. She glances at Logy as she points her hand at him. “Like I said in your dream… you lose.”
Suddenly, she gets stabbed in the back. With a different sword. She asks, “What?!”
“I found you!” Ketsu yells. His large dark blue wings angrily flap at the air, creating a gust of wind in the dark room. “Told you I would be your nightmare! Soul Stealer!”
A laughing translucent child emerges from Ketsu’s sword. He harshly thrusts his hand into Eclipse’s chest and then pulls out her soul without any struggles.
“Finally.” Ketsu reaches out his hand. Eclipse’s soul turns into a perfect golden round form and then moves to the young Dark Angel without hesitation.
He turns to the Universe Warrior with a weak and exhausted smile. “Need it?”
Knapp returns a smile of his own as he says once again, “Eirian.”
~*~
“How did we end up in our dreams in the first place?” Gules asks curiously.
“As soon as you landed on this planet, it was already too late. Eclipse took the advantage of your distraction and got you all to sleep.” Kawaii answers right away. “But it’s thanks to Logy that all of your dreams were connected. Even though he did not realize that he was doing it, he was sending all of you the messages in the beginning. That’s how all of you managed to survive. He was looking for you, but when Eclipse found him, he locked himself in his own dream along with Katja.”
Logy shakes his head. “I can only remember just bits of it.”
“Of course, she then targeted Knapp because of his power of the universe, but his stubbornness caused her to take much longer than she thought.”
“It did feel like a really long dream,” Knapp says after he gulps the last piece of the fruit. “At least we got her soul. We can finally move on.”