Beck was standing in front of the large metal door with a code on it. He typed in a code and opened the door. There was a large transparent blue barrier. Even he couldn't enter. There was a pillar in the middle of the barrier. It said "Cean was here." Beck looked closer and saw that the hole in the pillar that was the perfect size of a book had turned into a handprint.
Beck: She's getting stronger.
Beck left the room and made sure the door was locked tight.
Beck: Jilaya.
Jilaya was sitting behind him. She had made a chair out of her hair.
Jilaya: What would you like? It looks like your in another tight grip by your enemies. It's funny that you're scared of a simple child. I mean. I could take you with me when she destroys this place.
Beck: She isn't destroying this place. I will rip her to shreds.
Jilaya: She also has friends. You might even know one of them.
Beck: Who?
Jilaya: You remember Krilla Los?
Beck: Even Krilla's coming back. I'll kill all of them if that's what it takes.
Jilaya: Don't let your anger get the best of you. You should know that'll get you killed. And by a child at that!
Jilaya laughed at Beck.
Beck: SHUT UP!
Jilaya: Be prepared for every scenario. Even losing. I'll give you some of my soldiers to help you in this. Plus, I already sent some. Who have been taken out.
Beck: I don't need your help to take out the trash. I can do this myself.
Jilaya: But if she succeeds. I'm gone.
Beck; You act like you know what'll happen when she uses the book.
Jilaya: This place will explode. But she doesn't know that. It'll work out for us. Even if she explodes this place she'll die, if she doesn't she'll have to deal with the deaths she caused. We win no matter what.
Beck: Fine. We do that. But under my orders. Not yours!
Jilaya: Whatever do as you must.
- - - - - - - -
Terra, Matt, Krilla and Amala were standing in front of huge double doors. It was almost like they were entering a castle,
Terra: I-Is this really Beck's base?
Amala: What? Are you scared?
Terra: This is where my journey has led up to. It feels like fate to me. So yeah I do feel a little bit scared.
Krilla: Terra. I believe you create your own fate.
Matt: Don't let her get too high on her horse.
Matt: Do you hear that?
Amala: Let's be honest. Probably not.
The big doors opened slowly.
Matt: This is obviously some sort of trap. Everyone stay on guard.
Everyone walked into the base but stayed quiet. There didn't seem to be anyone in the immediate area.
Krilla: This is suspicious.
The area had a grassy center with facilities all around it. Beck stood in the center of the area. He stared down at all of them.
Matt: Wh-
Terra: Beck.
Terra's heart sank but she had to stand against Beck. No matter what.
Krilla: It's been a while since you've seen me. Hasn't it?
Beck: Krilla? I-I must thank you. You helped me make all of this. Now you're going to die here.
Krilla: Can't we find an even ground? We are truly sorry for starting an all out prison brawl.
Amala: Hey. Surprise! I'm back bitch!
Beck: You were just in my way. Terra is my real problem. I know by now that you know you possess the key to take me down. But you have to get through me first.
Matt looked down into the ground.
Matt: EXPLOSIVE!
Everyone jumped out of the way of the mine that was right under all of them.
Beck: Finally. A fight that might be worth my time.
Terra: Krilla and Amala. Try and slow him down!
Krilla and Amala were surprised by this order. They drew their blades and approached Beck.
Matt: What are you doing?
Terra: I'm going to try and book it and take this place down. Can you guys slow him down? Will you be okay?
Matt nodded instantly. Terra booked it down a corridor.
Matt ran up on Beck. Who was playing keep away with the two women. Matt threw his billy club and wrapped Beck's arm with the string of them. Beck jerked back and pulled Matt down. Krilla and Amala both slashed at him. Krilla from above and Amala from the bottom. Krilla cut a little into Beck's robotic arm. He lunged the arm forward and pushed Krilla back. Beck kicked Amala's blade out of the way and lunged in and grabbed Amala by the face. He punched her in the face and threw her against the wall. But he wasn't expecting a tornado kick from Matt right to the face. Beck was stumbled by this which left him open to an attack from Krilla. She tried to stab right through him But Beck grabbed the sword with his robotic hand and pulled it away. He kicked Krilla in the gut and sent her backwards. She lost her sword in her descent to the ground. Matt punched him in the face and kicked Beck in the leg with a light kick. Matt punched Beck in the face and then went for a body shot. Beck grabbed him by the leg with his robotic hand. He threw Matt up in the air. He jumped up and punched Matt right in the gut. Knocking him clean out. Amala jumped and grabbed Beck out of the air. She threw him straight to the ground and punched him right in the chest. She grabbed her sword that was on the ground and kept herself heavy on Beck. She brought it above her head to pierce Beck's chest with it. Beck elbowed her in the side of her ribs and grabbed her sword from her hands. He had charged his robotic hand and he let it loose on Amala. She was hit so hard that she was sent flying across the area and into a storage container. Denting it heavily. Amala coughed up blood and she started to fade. Krilla slashed her blade at Beck but he blocked it. They got into a nasty blade lock. Krilla looked into Beck's eyes. Her deadly stare almost surpassing that of Beck's. Krilla kicked Beck in the gut and then sent another kick his way to back him into the ground. Beck sidestepped this kick and stuck the blade out at Krilla's face. Krilla was struck with the blade's might. It left blood in the air which turned into particles and attacked Krilla. She fell to the ground in shock from the pain. She looked down at her hand. Covered in blood. She was covering her eye. Sliced in half like butter.
Beck: You deserved that.
Beck took the blade and threw it to his side. Right at Amala's head. She dodged it even though she was barely conscious. He picked up Krilla by the neck. Before Beck could do anything, a shield went around her and Matt. Beck looked at Amala.
Amala: It seems like Terra got pretty far. You know it's all over for you if she succeeds right?
Beck: Hold your tongue. I'll rip Terra's out just for you.
Amala: Good luck kid. You'll need it.
Beck ran away from the scene and down to his own base.
- - - - - - - -
Terra quickly snuck down the corridor. She saw soldiers but did her best to evade them. Her hand started to feel drawn to something. A way a magnet is to steel. This was Cean's spell.
Terra: I can feel it.
Terra ran up some stairs. She was on top of one of the buildings. She could at least get a little bit of a better view. She heard fighting as she ran atop the building. She hoped her decision didn't lead to any deaths. She felt the magnetism of her hand become even stronger. She ran like there was no tomorrow. She found a lone door. She opened it and she turned into a full sprint. Until she felt something grab her leg. She fell flat on her face. She lifted herself to the ground and looked behind herself. It was Jilaya.
Terra: Who are you?
Jilaya: Some call me Integer. But you may call me Jilaya Springer. I'd prefer just Jilaya though. Because it's weird to call people by their first and last name.
Terra drew her spear.
Jilaya: A fight? Seriously? Do you think I'm as dimwitted as Beck?
Terra: You're a soldier of his aren't you?
Jilaya: No. I'm an accomplice if I'm anything. You want to destroy this place. Do it. Do as your heart beckons, child. I love to see developments like this. Beck will do what he does best.
Terra: What? You WORK with him! Why would you want me to do this?
Jilaya: I trust Beck will kill you. If not. I trust I will kill you.
Terra: I'm on a mission. I need to go.
Jilaya: Your mission is meaningless. You're just having a tantrum because Beck killed your worthless grandparents. Carl was a nice guy however. I liked him. But he didn't appreciate my patronage.
Terra ran up to Jilaya and pull vaulted off her spear into a strong kick. But nothing happened, Only a barrier was shone around Jilaya.
Jilaya: Seriously? I'm not Beck. I'm something entirely different. But I must thank you for buying him time.
Beck bursted through the wall. Terra looked at him in fear. She was frozen in fear. Beck stared her down. He ran up and did a strong uppercut towards her chin. She dodged. But Beck came back again with a punch to the stomach So hard that Terra went bursting through the roof. Beck jumped up and charged his arm as he walked towards her,
Beck: You've caused me so much frustration! A little child blessed with the powers of Artemis!? Seriously!?
Beck screamed and jumped in the air and smashed his fist down at Terra. She jumped out of the way and the roof was shattered. They both fell to the ground. Terra drew her spear and threw out a ranged attack. Beck slapped her spear away and closed in. Terra kicked him in the leg and brought her spear towards her to try and slash Beck's leg. He jumped up and grabbed Terra's head and banged her against the wall. She crashed through the wall. Terra didn't feel like she could take much more. She summoned a fireball and shot it straight at Beck. He punched it out of the way and speed blitzed Terra. She rolled under him and tried slashing up his back. Beck grabbed her spear with his robotic hand from behind him. He brought Terra over his head and into the ground. She looked up and saw Beck over him. She thought of burning debris when she saw him looming above him. Beck looked down at her. Just like he did 5 years ago. Terra pushed up her spear with both her hands and her leg. Beck held onto it with both his hands. He was prepared to disarm her but Terra rolled backwards and kicked her spear in the center. Cracking it in half Beck's pressure brought the two broken spear pieces into his chest. He winced in pain but just screamed in anger. Terra thought. Why did she come here? To free the other villages just like her of a tyrant like her. To prove that a girl like her can come up from the ashes and destroy an evil like him. She thought about Amala's words, "Life isn't fair. Shit happens. It sucks. You need to learn to get over it and stop dwelling on the past." Beck's biggest weakness was his anger. She got an idea. Beck took the spear pieces out of his chest and threw them at Terra. She jumped out of the way.
Terra: You can't hurt me anymore! You killed my grandparents because you couldn't be happy with your own power.
Beck: What? I killed them because they wouldn't adhere to my rules! Out here it is kill or be killed!
Beck ran up and took his hands and smashed them in an attempt to smash Terra. She dodged and kicked him in the ribs. She took her broken spear from the ground and threw it at him. He dodged and jumped in the air and charged his fist he smashed it in the ground making a crater. Terra jumped to dodge the shockwave but was blown back on the ground. She did summon a fireball and shot it at Beck who just got up. He was hit to the ground.
Terra: Be honest. You are scared of losing it all. Right? That's why your scared of me!
Beck: ….I'M NOT!
Beck ran up to Terra and threw a punch. She used her off course spell. Beck went off to the side. Terra punched Beck in the face with a fire amped punch. He was sent spiraling back.
Terra: Woah…
Beck: I'M NOT SCARED OF YOU!
Beck threw a barrage of punches at Terra. She used her shield spell. Once Beck stopped she struck him in the chest.
Terra: You clearly are.
Beck: NO! I AM SUPREME! I AM ABOVE YOU!
Beck charged a punch and punched Terra right in the face. But she let him. She was sent into a wall. He charged another punch and prepared to speed blitz Terra and blow her head right off.
Beck: DIE!
Beck threw his punch. He shattered the wall and blood was splattered everywhere. But not Terra's blood. It was his. She had held out the spear portion of her spear that had been cracked in half.
Beck: ...no...my empire…
Beck fell to the ground. Finally defeated. Terra got up. She felt like she had fulfilled her duty, But this wasn't true. She got up and looked at Beck. She finally stood above him. She relished in her victory for a second and took off at full speed. But she stopped. She went back to where Beck was. She looked at the wall he had punched down. There it was. A large vault door with a password. She thought about her acid power. But this place has seen enough destruction. She turned and went over to Beck and searched his pocket. Bingo. There was a code on it. 5850. She went over to the vault and entered the code. The vault opened. There was a barrier. She touched the barrier and was pulled in. There was a pillar with a handprint engraved in the middle. A perfect fit for Terra's hand. There was a note in front of her.
Terra: Insert the POW of Artemis here…..POW?
Amala: POW means power. It means insert your powers of Artemis.
Terra: Wait. It means I'll lose the power of Artemis?
Amala: Indeed. Well. The book's powers?
Terra looked at the handprint.
Terra: This will destroy everything Beck made? Even those terrible slave camps?
Amala: Yes. It's your choice kid. You've got to be the grown up here. Sometimes we don't have choices.
Terra looked at the armor she had on and thought. Words of Carl ran through her head. "Sometimes dedication also takes sacrifice. I hope you muster the courage to sacrifice in the future." She held out her hand and shoved it right in the handprint that was engraved. There was shaking. Terra felt drained but rejuvenated at the same time. The barrier fell down into nothingness.
???: Beck Robertson. All systems subject to self-destruct in 2 minutes
Terra: Wait, what?
Amala: Shit. We have to get out!
Terra: But what about all the innocent soldiers here?!
Amala: Fuck em! We have to get out!
Terra: No! You can make shields right?
Amala: We need to GET OUT!
Terra: No. I'll die with them then!
Amala: Goddamnit…
Amala's eyes lit up blue and she used shields on all of the heat signals in the area.
Amala: here it comes!
Terra: ...We'll be okay. We can do it.
The entire base exploded. The shockwave traveled miles and was heard miles away. Everyone went flying away and Terra landed in a tree. She landed on the ground and her shield broke when she hit the ground.
Terra: It's over. We did it.
Terra stood up and she looked around her. She could see people who just hit the ground barley injured for miles. Terra wondered a bit. She tried to shoot a fireball but nothing came out. She felt like she had been relieved of some sort of weight on her shoulders. She still had her armor on though. It was very tattered.
- - - - - - - -
1 week later, Terra was at her village. Looking around.
???: Hey! Terra!
Terra turned around. It was Krilla. She had a bandage over her eye.
Krilla: Hey, I wanted to show you something.
Terra: I looked all around the village. What is there to see? I'm just saying my goodbyes.
Krilla: You are a terrible looker. Come on!
Terra: Alright.
Krilla brought Terra down a long valley. Over a hill she saw graves all around.
Terra: What is this?
Krilla: The village. They didn't deserve to be laid out to rot. I buried them all.
Terra came down to her knees. Krilla came down next to her. They paid their respects.
Terra: Are my grandparents…?
Krilla led Terra over to her grandparents graves.
Krilla: Want to leave anything?
Terra took off the backpack she'd had all the time. It was empty now. She laid it in between Carl and Ellie's graves.
Terra: Thank you Krilla. For showing me this.
They eventually walked out of the place.
Krilla: I realized you killed Beck. Thought you were against killing.
Terra: I know. It didn't feel good. I don't think I wanna do it again. It was life or death for me. If I didn't kill him. I was dead.
Krilla: Okay. I was just asking.
Terra: Hey, do you know the way to New York?
Krilla: As a matter of fact. I do.
- - - - - - - -
Terra walked into the office of a man who worked at an apartment complex.
Terra: Hi. I'd like to buy an apartment!
Man: Well first I'll be needing some sort of identification.
Terra: Uh. I don't really have that. This place is new to me.
Man: What do you mean by new? You from North Korea or something?
Terra: Is that a state?
Man: *sigh* Look beautiful. This ain't a place for people like you.
Terra: You think I'm beautiful?
Man: It's a compliment. I'm just saying your body looks totally smashing.
Terra: Smashing? Okay I have no idea what that means.
Man: …...Then what are you doing here?
Terra: I'd like a room!
Man: How old?
Terra: I'm 16.
Man: You are underage. That can't happen! You should just leave if you don't know the rules girl.
Terra placed her helmet from her artemis armor out of a big bag she had next to her on the man's desk.
Terra: How about a room for this. It's some sort of pristine artifact. I found it in a cave.
Man: Wait. You can pay me with that?! YOU GOT A ROOM! HERE LET ME LEAD YOU!
The man hopped out of his seat and excitedly led Terra to her own apartment room.
Terra: Thank you sir. How much is a month of this thing you guys call rent?
Man: With that thing you gave me. You'll know when you can start paying.
Terra: Thanks. Now leave me to my room. Thanks.
Terra closed the door on the man and sat her bags down on her own bed.
Terra: Wow. My own apartment.
Terra looked out her window and into the big city that was New York. Specifically Hell's Kitchen. She was ready to delve into the newest chapter of her life.