XXV - No Turning Back

Clocks ticked loudly in the quiet room. Nerissa hasn't received any instructions ever since Kaizo's disappearance. Sure, she did request a search and rescue. But, somehow, Commander Koko Ci and Admiral Tarung kept telling her to be patient and wait for further instructions.

It would be impossible to think they would just ignore that shocking news and live as if nothing happened. Nerissa is very sure they must have planned something. They just haven't told her yet. Everyone in the station is grieving, including Fang. He didn't even get any sleep nor lost his appetite. He is still in denial. He even avoided her presence and gave her cold shoulders. She knew that she didn't deserve any of his forgiveness. She knew that very well. She won't even forgive herself for losing him.

Nerissa decided to take a stand. She could not wait any longer. They better have something good for her. This is the only way for Nerissa to atone for her sins.

She proceeds to the meeting room, and the doors are automatically open for her. Admiral and Commander just quickly feel her presence. She's just... fueled with anger and sorrow. But they knew that she was still collected.

"Requesting a search and rescue for Captain Kaizo," Nerissa says.

Admiral Tarung glances at her fueled red orbs and comments, "That's the third time you came here."

"And I'm expecting a good outcome from your research. You have been gathering pieces of information about Alexander for hours." Nerissa commented back.

Koko Ci fixes his black glasses and speaks, "That is true, Vice-Captain."

"Let me guess," Nerissa says, "You're going to tell me to wait again. Will you, Admiral?"

Admiral and Commander went silent for a while and glanced at each other. She saw those tired expressions on their face. Do they get anything from all their searches?

Koko Ci pulls off his dark glasses and sighs. This is a new sight for her.

"We have a lot of searches related to this "Alexander" individual. But, unfortunately, we didn't get much of it." He says with a heavy heart, "It is difficult to get any information about it."

"I see..." Nerissa sighs.

Admiral Tarung then speaks, "However, Vice-Captain, since you know about his last whereabouts, we have decided to grant you the search and rescue."

"We will let you handle this your way. Hopefully, you could get some data about it." Koko Ci.

Finally, she let out a huge sigh. Her wishes are granted. But, suddenly, they heard the door automatically opens itself. They pull all their attention to the sound and witness a boy in purple clothing wearing a visor.

"Take me with you!" The boy shouts.

"Fang?! What are you doing?!" Nerissa shocked.

He demands, "I'm going with you! Let me save my brother!"

Nerissa quickly grips his shoulder in fear. This mission must be done by her alone. It is obvious. If Fang had followed her and got hurt, Kaizo would never like that.

"You are not allowed! You want to go against Alexander and got yourself hurt?!" Nerissa says.

Fang then looks at her and insists, "Do you think I care?! No matter what you said, Nerissa! I'm going to get him back!"

"I will get him back for you, Fang! I'm the one who's at fault in here! This is a mission for me to atone for my sins! Kaizo would never like seeing you wounded!"

"YOU TWO!!"

Suddenly, the Admiral shouts at both of them in a loud tone. That should silence them because their argument covers the entire meeting room. Nerissa and Fang pay attention to the Admiral and see his red, fierce face.

"If you want to argue, THEN DO THAT, OUTSIDE!" Tarung shouts.

Commander then added, "V-Vice Captain, the decision of whether to take Fang or not is yours to make. Best to settle the matter outside." He speaks, "Good luck."

Both of them got kicked out of the room. Yet, Fang still insists on coming with her. Instead of making things more complicated, she groaned in defeat and made her decision.

"Alright."

Fang grips his fist and says, "Thank yo-"

"On one condition."

"W-What?"

She speaks, "You will assist me from my back. Try your best not to get hurt. Understood?"

"I will."

* * *

The ambiance inside this spaceship is so tense and so quiet. Fang didn't say a word, and neither did Nerissa. She could easily read his face saying he would defeat the one who took Kaizo away. No matter how he would do it.

But that worries her. She doesn't know what strength Alexander holds because she has never faced him before, only his clone. Fang could easily get hurt later. But what could she do? Fang already insists on himself. Plus, they're on their way to Planet Dystopia. No turning back.

She quietly sits beside Fang. He quickly turns his face away from her. Her thoughts were correct. She wanted to comfort him, yet the hesitant feelings stopped her. She has no right to do it, anyway.

"Look, Fang." She speaks to clear the air, "I'm sorry."

No signs of words from Fang. Still hesitant to look her in the eye.

"I loved your big brother. I truly am."

Fang finally speaks, "Then how come you failed to save him? If you loved him?"

"I did try my best to save him, but he let himself go. Stupid of him."

Fang covers his face with his hands, letting out a huge sigh. His breath was shaken after listening to the words that came out of her mouth. He wipes out the tears on his face.

"But that's a sin I must atone myself. Only with that, I hope you could forgive me."

He grips his fist in anger. Swore himself to get his brother back.

"I'll forgive you." Fang says, "After I save him."

Hearing that, Nerissa can smile in relief. She sighed and placed her hand on his shoulder, hoping that she could comfort him. Now, all Nerissa has to do is reclaim Kaizo. She must get this thing right.

"I'll get your brother back, Fang. I promise you."

* * *

The spaceship lands on the same spot Kaizo and Nerissa first came to the planet. But today, the skies seem a bit brighter than they used to be. Lots of birds flying around.

"You can go back now, Lahap." She commands.

Confusion on his face, he asks, "A-Are you sure, Nerissa?"

"Don't worry. I'll teleport back to Tempur-A after Fang, and I save him." She says.

He nods in understanding, "A-Alright. Retrieve Captain back, Vice-Captain. I'm begging you."

"We will, Lahap." She ensures him.

Lahap then glances back to Fang, who prepared himself for the worst, "Be careful out there, Pang. Save your brother."

His response? He only nods about it.

The spaceship's bottom tip shoots a laser, Nerissa and Fang set their footstep on the planet. The first thing she does before going to the abandoned factory she must give Zaiyah the old dog tag she claimed back then.

She forgot to bring it back to their leader. Of course, she felt terrible about it. They both made their way toward the survival camp.

The camp is still livelier than ever. Children are running around, and the elder ones are chatting and working. She struts towards the leader, and she notices her right away.

"Vice Captain! Thank goodness you're here! I haven't heard anything from you since the loud noise came from the factory." Zaiyah greets her.

Nerissa pulled out the dog tags from her pockets and gave her the dirty items.

"I forgot to give you these. Your comradesdied. An individual was running the factory, but now he's gone." Nerissa says.

Her hands tremble, feeling the dirty items. Her soldiers died for a very long time. But now, they are at peace. She knew that their service to the camp would not go in vain.

"I see... Thank you."

She looks around, noticing something not right. The last time Nerissa came here, she was with the Captain. But she didn't see any signs of him.

"But... where's the Captain? I didn't see him with you."

"He's missing." Nerissa answers, "I came here to get him back."

"O-Oh. I see... And that little guy? TAPOPS?" She points out Fang.

Nerissa glances towards Fang and struts around the camp, "Yes, he's with TAPOPS. He is Captain Kaizo's little brother. He wanted to come with me to save him."

"Poor guy... I do hope you two could save him."

"Thank you, Zaiyah. I appreciate it."

* * *

"Who was that earlier?" Fang questions.

"Zaiyah. Leader of the survival camp. There was once an apocalypse on this planet. Some of the people survived. So, she built the survival camp and became their leader."

"And those dog tags?"

"Few of her soldiers went missing in this factory. TAPOPS, too. Turns out they died a long time ago. I forgot to give it back to her. That's why I visited her." Nerissa explains.

They both halt their movements. Stepped into the parking lot of the abandoned factory. Looking old and rusty. This is the place where Kaizo "died" and went missing.

Carefully entering the collapsed ruins, the insides are slightly different than when she entered this place for the first time. The plants are squished by the fallen debris. She shows Fang the collapsed bridge where Kaizo fell.

She could feel her heart wrenching, remembering the moment he sacrificed himself. She couldn't bear her tears. Don't want Fang to see her crying, she quickly wipes her tears.

"See that broken bridge?" She points out.

Fang questions, "What about it?"

"When I hold his wrist, preventing him from falling, he let himself fall. He told me to take care of you, Fang."

Tears fell on his cheeks. Could not wait any longer to find who the hell captured his brother.

"When he fell there, he somehow got halted in mid-air. That's when Alexander captured him. We have to get down there. Fang, can you fly?" She questions.

He replies, "Yeah. I can."

"Great. Let us go, then."

Red smoking light comes out from Nerissa's hands, and she starts to levitate. With his Shadow Eagle, Fang rides it and goes down the giant hole.

It took them 25 minutes to find the bottom end because this place is underground. They saw the massive drainage with lots of metal junk. Now Nerissa could see why she went unconscious back then and woke up on the beach.

Fang saw some red stains on the metals. He approached it and told her to take a look at it.

"Nerissa!" Fang calls out for her.

She quickly responds, "What is it?" She approaches him.

"Bloodstain."

She says, "It looks dried."

Her fingertips caress the stain, and it absorbs into her skin. Suddenly, a vision came. She saw Kaizo, Fang, and herself. She quickly identifies whose blood this is.

"It's Kaizo."

"Really?!"

"He came this far..."

That means Kaizo is near. They both take a look around them. The stain has its traces. They followed it, and that led them to an elevator. The green light is so dim, yet it seems to be accessible.

"Warning: Possibility of a trap," Grandia warns.

She exhales in preparation, "No turning back now. Fang."

"Yes?" He glances his eyes toward her.

"Be strong. You'll get him back. Understand?" She says.

Fang takes a deep breath and exhales, "I will."

Nerissa pressed the elevator button. No panel shows which floor they're going to, but she felt it moving down. This is even more, farther underground. Alexander said that Kaizo was going to be his subject of some kind. Are they going to his experiment lab?

Fang attempts to test the communication to Tempur-A. But that couldn't even reach them because signals are fragile down here. Like what Nerissa said, there is no turning back.

The elevator shook erratically for a while and came to a complete stop. The doors open with a screeching, deafening metal rattle. Bright lights pierce their eyes.

"What... is this place?" Fang questions.

They squint their eyes and look around. Everything is transparent, and it is painfully bright. It took a while for their eyes to adjust to their surroundings.

She could see a cityscape stretching onward. No color at all. Everything is a mirror. They could easily see themselves on the wall. She could hear its echo when she stepped her heels on the ground. Glass. Everything in this city is glass and mirrors. But it's very thick glass, so it should be fine to step on. Hopefully, it won't break. Fang accidentally looks down at his foot. He saw a never-ending bright bottom. Couldn't even imagine how it would feel like to fall there.

There are rows of buildings with mirror walls and transparent floors. Every inch of this city is full of details, almost like an actual city, way too real. Yet, it is unpopulated.

"Who would make an underground city like this?" Fang questions.

"Unknown." Grandia answers.

Ironically, it is a good answer. It makes sense. Unlike the buildings way above the ground, these buildings are not look weathered. Then Nerissa knows precisely what to answer to Fang's question: Alexander. He's the one who ran the factory, after all.

They cautiously moved around the city, with nowhere to. Until the moment they reached a time tower. They could easily see their reflection from afar. Suddenly, they heard a trickling sound behind them. The path they used suddenly closed itself. The mirrors and glass generate themselves.

"W-What the..."

"I see that you finally found your way here."

Fang and Nerissa quickly glance at the body of the sound source. The voice is so familiar to her. They saw him, Alexander, standing a few meters away from them. They saw his smirk.

"Welcome... To my beloved city."