For The Soul of The Star: End Game Pt1: Finding

Written By: Lynderia

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Outlaw Star. However, I do own the characters introduced in For The Soul of The Stars.

It was dark, she was alone, and she could feel the energy leaving her body through the black silk-like material that kept her restrained. Kat could hardly keep her wary ice blue eyes opened. This was the end, wasn’t it. The universe would be no more because of her choice to come here. If she hadn’t come then none of this would have happened. Why was she chosen for this? What was so special about her? Was it the mark of the dragon surrounding a star on her back behind her heart? What did it truly mean? The dragon symbolized the power of creation and destruction, so what did the star symbolize? No one told her what it meant; she had to always figure things out for herself. Kat was beginning to become confused. She just didn’t understand herself, ‘That’s why they beat me, isn’t it,’ she thought sadly.

He watched them as they attacked him. He was indestructible. A small smile formed on his face. Gene Starwind had failed in his duties as guardian; why not just give it up. The figure began to laugh. He began choosing who he should play with first. His eyes landed on Melfina. The only weapon she had to protect her was a gun. She was the weakest link. He suddenly appeared before her, “I am Keirnan.” He introduced before bashing his head into Melfina’s head.

Proteus was happy he didn’t notice Kat slip a blue card in his back pocket. He figured she had improved on her small blue case so that it could be carried and concealed more easily. He had given Melfina the weapon that had her name on it, but now he didn’t think it would do her any good. Kat must not have known that all of this was going to happen, that The Dark Stars, now calling themselves Keirnan because they fused with a new entity, would be so strong. “Melfina!!” Proteus shouted running towards her.

Keirnan stopped his assault and turned, “Your turn!” He sent a massive energy attack towards Proteus sending him into Suzuka, who was about to attack Keirnan. “Such amateurs, do you really believe that you can save your pathetic existence?” If they did, crushing their hopes, their dreams, and their futures would be most satisfying before sealing the fate of the stars.

Aisha, in beast form, attacked from behind. She would fight, she was a warrior. She believed she could and therefore she would. No matter how hard the challenge she would continue going until the very end. Aisha was blown back by a wave of energy.

Gene nodded to Suzuka as they both ran towards Keirnan. Again, he would fight for his very existence, but why did he have to? Why did he have to be involved in any of this? Was this why his father saved him, so that he in turn could save the universe? Gene fired his caster. He was using the shells Kat had left for him to use, but they weren’t doing as good as he thought they would, or as she thought they would. The Dark Stars weren’t The Dark Stars anymore, they weren’t even Eltanin, they were something more. They were something that over powered Kat, or was it Katrina? Maybe Kat and Katrina were one and the same. He just didn’t know. Gene held his breath as he felt pain.

She felt weak and empty. She didn’t know who she was anymore. Was she Katrina, or Kat, and what was this power she held? “Who am I?” the young girl asked herself. She was so lost. She didn’t understand anything anymore.

<Don’t you know?> asked a voice. A figure of a girl of five appeared before the young girl. Her ice blue eyes were filled with tears.

<Aren’t you that girl?> another voice asked. The figure looked to be a fourteen years old girl, but she was really eighteen. Her ice blue eyes stared expressionless at the young girl who was bind by black material.

“You are Katrina.” the young girl said almost staring blankly at the little girl. She then stared at the other figure, “You are Kat.”

Kat looked at her, <Am I not Katrina? Am I not the girl who loves chocolate? Am I not the girl who watched her parents as they were beheaded and have their blood stain her white dress? Am I not the girl with the mark of a dragon surrounding a star? Am I not the girl who knows great happiness?>

Katrina, too, looked at her, <Am I not Kat? Am I not the girl who kept her promise? Am I not the girl who is known to be devoid of any emotion to many, heartless to some, and caring to almost none? Am I not the girl with the mark of a dragon surrounding a star? Am I not the girl who buried a great sadness?>

<Am I not her?> Katrina and Kat asked in unison as they pointed at each other staring at the young girl with intense ice blue eyes.

Melfina screamed as she watched Proteus be thrown into the rubble. “Proteus!!” Melfina tired to make her way to him, but her legs seemed as if they didn’t want to work. She was hurting all over. It was almost as if Kiernan were playing with them. She had given up hope, her spirit was broken. Harry was right when he said they would all die. Melfina couldn’t see a way they would survive.

Suzuka screamed in pain as Keirnan broke her sword arm, and slammed her into the ground beneath him. She didn’t have the strength to get back up. After all that had happened at least she got the chance to avenge her family, and was thankful to have met Gene, Jim, Melfina, Aisha, Proteus, and Kat. She wasn’t so alone with them around, but now it was over; it was all over for them all.

Proteus’ hope was drain from him, and he knew it was over. He hurt so much. At least Melfina looked to be breathing, and Suzuka was alright despite her broken arm. Aisha looked like she was about to drop. Why couldn’t he be stronger? Why couldn’t he have saved her after all the times she had saved him?

Aisha, in human-like form, punched weakly. Kiernan dodged before Aisha hit the ground exhausted. She came, she saw, but she didn’t conquer. Why was that? Wasn’t she a Ctarl-Ctarl warrior? She had failed herself, and Jim. At least he was safe, but he still hadn’t woken up. ‘Maybe I could find him in the dream world,’ Aisha thought before her eyes closed.

Kiernan smiled. He had crushed their spirits, along with a few bones. He began to laugh. “It’s just you and me Guardian.” A great mockery could be heard in his tone. Kiernan watched as Gene stood warily.

Blood was falling from his body to the dried up earth. He had to get through this. He had to pull everyone through this. He didn’t want to leave anyone behind. “I’m going to take you down.” Gene didn’t have anymore caster shells, and all he had was his life energy, known as Ki in some cultures.

“I would like to see you try, Guardian who failed his charge Starwind.” Kiernan laughed. His flaming wings folded to surround his body. “Well, I’m waiting!”

She stared at them. They were merely illusions, but it wouldn’t hurt to talk to them. Her heart was beginning to bleed as the darkness continued to pound at its walls. “So, if you two know each other so well, can you tell me what does it all means? Can you tell me the meaning of my existence, or is this” the young girl said addressing the darkness that surrounded them and the black silk-like material that bind her. “The meaning of my existence, do you have an answer?”

Katrina shook her head. <We are apart of you, so we only know things you know. I’m sorry.>

<You must think about all that you know, and we believe you can come up with the answers to your questions.> Kat smiled.

The young girl smiled sadly. She watched as they disappeared. “Wait, I could use the company.” she whispered. She began to think. If they believed in her, didn’t that mean she still believed in herself? It was reassuring, but time wasn’t on her side. It never was. The event of the first war for the universe popped in her mind. “Why didn’t He make a choice?” she asked herself. “What was he missing that He didn’t make a choice?” Thinking like this was no good, she needed to think faster. Images flashed through her mind. It was beginning to come together. “A reason.” Her voice held realization. In a strange way, it was beginning to make sense. She now understood some, not all, things, but it was good enough.

She could felt his Ki. What was he doing? Suzuka turned her head slightly gazing at Gene, whose body gave off this incredible blue light. ‘No!’ her mind screamed. “You mustn’t Gene!!” Suzuka shouted hoarsely. She doubted he could hear her. At this rate he would kill himself. “Gene, don’t!!” Her pleads fell on deaf ears. He wasn’t paying attention to her, this Suzuka knew, but she didn’t want him to die.

Gene raised his caster at Kiernan. He would wipe that annoying smirk off his opponents face. He would succeed, and he would save everyone. Gene pulled the trigger. A ball of light erupted from the caster’s sleek barrel. It headed for Kiernan and entered his chest. Gene dropped to the ground. Was he still breathing? No one could tell.

Kiernan began to laugh. “That tickled.” Just a little bit more and her power would be completely at his disposal. He could seal the stars’ fate now, but why not do it in complete glory. His wings stretched out as it took flight burning a great light in the darkened sky.

Gene pushed himself up. It was so dark. He looked down at himself and noticed he was glowing. That was strange. There was a dim light ahead which he headed for.

She figured she had very little of her energy left, and that meant she was almost completely absorbed. Her ice blue eyes focused on a figure. It was another illusion, wasn’t it? “Captain Shit-Face makes an appearance.” she said tiredly.

Gene eyes widen. “Kat? Katrina?” He didn’t know what to call her. How did she get here? Was this where people went when they were dead?

She smiled. “What’s the name you feel most comfortable with?” She must be close to the end if she was seeing an illusion of Gene. Either way, she wasn’t alone in the dark now.

He was surprised she smiled at him. Was she really here? “Katrina, I…” he didn’t know what to say. Gene stared at her. She looked so weak, and small. He noticed what kept her restrained and decided to detach them from her. His hands burned from touching her restraints, but he wouldn’t stop. He wouldn’t see her like a prisoner. There was a tugging at his heart, much like the feeling he had when she was fighting Eltanin on Xenon. Why was he feeling this way?

Was he real, but how did he get here? “Gene, are you real? Is the universe gone?” Katrina asked. In her opinion, those questions sounded so stupid, but she had to know.

He wasn’t sure about either question. “Last time I checked, I was real, and the universe was still here.” What good could come from knowing that?

A gracious smile appeared on Katrina’s face. She still had time. “Gene, thanks so much!!” she laughed happily as she buried herself in his chest. She knew what she had to do.

Gene was caught off guard. Was this real, or was it wishful thinking? He didn’t care and embraced her with a smile on his face indulging in the smell of the vanilla that seemed to radiate off her body. He couldn’t describe the feeling he felt, but he liked it and didn’t want it to end.

“I guess you are my guardian, Captain Shit-Face, and I now know who I am.” Both their bodies began to glow brightly, and then disappearing.

No. He was so close, why did he have to be such a glory hog! Kiernan began to curse himself. A smile suddenly lit his face. It really didn’t matter. She was too weak to stop him either way. He had absorbed more than enough of her power. He would now ready himself.

Gene opened his eyes. It was just a dream. He had failed to save the universe and now there was nothing to stop Kiernan from his goal. But he felt different. He didn’t hurt, his body wasn’t sore. He looked around to see his friends, except Jim, up and moving completely healed. In the center was a white-blue flame. It wasn’t there before. Gene watched as a person formed in the flames.

“Kat?” Proteus asked as he noticed smiling ice blue eyes.

Kat said nothing as her body was surrounded by the flame and white dragon wings sprouted from her back. Her eyes turned from Proteus and looked up into the sky. It was there. Her obstacle was there. She turned her attention to them. “I am Katrina Angela Doron. Daughter of the Knight of Life, and the Knight of Heart. I am also Kat the person you all met when starting this new adventure, and I would like to thank all of you for what you’ve done. I have made a choice because I have a reason.” She turned to Gene. “Besides, I have a promise to keep.”

They didn’t understand. Shock, fear, and confusion filled their eyes. What was she saying? How could she be the daughter of the Knights of The Dragon when they were immortal? Everyone knew the Knights had eternal youth and couldn’t have children. Besides that, what choice and what reason? Nothing made sense.

“Kat, what are you talking about?” Proteus said. He had a feeling she was leaving. He didn’t want her to go.

“I’m sorry Proteus, but it’s time for me to go.” Kat smiled. Her wings stretched out lifting her body from the ground. The flame around her body grew more wildly.

It was the same thing she had told him at the temple of The Water Goddess. “Katrina, don’t go!!” Melfina cried out. But her cries were ignored as Kat’s body ascended. Tears cascaded down her cheeks. She now knew how the first Melfina felt.

Gene began to shake his head. Why did he save her if she had to fight? “No, no, no!! Come back!! Let me fight!! I’ll fight!! Kat, come back!!” His heart sunk as she ascended farther and farther away from him. He didn’t want to lose her, not again. “KATRINA!!” Gene shouted with all his heart. He didn’t understand. ‘Why? Why? WHY?!!’ Gene sank to his knees and his hands were made into fist. Why was he always losing people important to him?!

To Be Continued

After Thoughts: Are you at the edge of your sits? Do you want more??!! Is this chapter confusing to anyone? If so, please let me know and I’ll clear things for you. Also, if you have comments just send them to me!! ^_^