https://youtu.be/oDUAWW4fgt8

As our heroes emerged on the third floor, they saw yet another mostly empty room, with what looked to be a hollow suit of kabuto armour standing on the other side. No face or eyes under its shiny silver helmet, but it stood strong, its body made from plated black-and-white armour with a pair of katanas sheathed at its sides. Standing on the ascending staircase was Calypso, who seemed to be whispering to it while being a fair distance up the stairs. Before anyone could do anything about her, she scampered up the rest of the distance to the final floor, leaving them alone with the suit of armour.

Sly, who had made it up first, was about to holler to her, but she was too fast for that. Crossing his arms, he leaned against the wall, waiting for the other two to arrive. In due time, they did, and he pointed towards the faceless samurai before them, which stood with its arms. "Do we have to fight that?"

"That looks like armour to me." Ashbel commented, gazing at it. It was a pretty sweet armour set, he thought. Shame white wasn't really his colour. "I don't usually fight suits of armour unless there's a guy or lady in them."

"I'm pretty sure they have ways of animating it." Viera pointed out, brandishing her staff. Right on cue, the armour seemed to start shaking on the spot, each individual piece of it trembling as if possessed. Ashbel, who took note of this, stared, unamused.

"What, is that a ghost? How the hell am I meant to kill one of those?"

"Huh, so there are things you don't know how to kill." Viera mused. "If it's bound to an object, destroying that should be enough. It won't die, but it shouldn't be any threat to you anymore."

"Guess we're smashing some armour, then." Sly commented, getting up and pulling out a pair of daggers. The helmet of the armour turned as though it were being worn, but only when it seemed to face Ashbel did a pair of glowing red lights appear where its eyes would be. It grabbed onto its blades and immediately went on the offensive, forcing Ashbel to draw his blade and defend himself.

It wasn't easy, as his back was essentially to the wall, but he stood his ground nonetheless, moving his sword to parry the relentless blows of the samurai. Viera was quick to act, raising her staff and firing a spear of lightning at it, but it did not respond, instead continuing to attack Ashbel. As she eyed it strangely, firing more spears as she did, Sly, who concluded that he didn't have much of a means of contributing to this fight, stepped further away and closer to the stairs on the other side before clearing his throat. "Hey, Viera! Leave it alone!"

"What." Viera said flatly, narrowing her eyes as she glanced at Sly. "Why would I ever do that?"

"I'm a sitting duck in this fight, there are guys on the fourth floor to deal with, and I'm pretty sure this guy," Sly gestured to the two samurai engrossed in their duel. "Has already selected his target. You don't doubt Ashbel's skill, do you?"

"...well, don't you have a lot of faith?" Viera sighed. "Is it really okay to just leave him behind?"

"It'll be worth it to punch Van in his stupid, knife-eared face, right?" Sly pointed out, playfully wagging his finger. Viera gave a relenting sigh and lowered her staff. Maybe it was worth having just a little more faith.

"I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt here," Ashbel cut in, parrying a blade out of the way and managing to stab through a chink in the armour without looking away from his fight. "And assume that you don't know elves consider 'knife-ear' a slur."

"Really? Shit, my bad."

"And don't worry about me! I'll figure something out." Ashbel declared as he tried immolating the armour from the inside, only to quickly withdraw to the side as it continued fighting undeterred. "Go fight those guys, if you must."

"...understood. And you stay safe." Viera nodded, moving to join Sly.

"Got it."

"I mean it. Don't do anything reckless unless it's absolutely necessary." Viera added, staring icily at him. "We want you to join us as soon as you can, preferably in one piece."

"...right. Then that goes double for you two."

"Alright, then!" Sly grinned, leaping over to the stairs with Viera in tow. If they hurried, then maybe, just maybe, they could stop the Beginning before it was too late. That, after all, was why they had come here in the first place.

.........

https://youtu.be/nGKAEaXQoEQ

Having fully recovered from his impromptu cardio session, Van knelt down in front of the altar, holding his crystal ball in front of him as he gazed into it. The orb took a while to respond, but as it did, it formed the face of the person he was hoping to see right about now. He smiled slightly, looking directly into it, his gentle eyes meeting their more soulless gaze. "Greetings, master."

"Hello, Van." the master greeted coolly. For a brief moment, there was silence from all parties - not one of the followers dared to say a thing when the eyes of the Deliverance directly consulted their supreme lord. "...I trust everything is well?"

"By a certain definition, yes! I do believe we're doing an adequate job buying time for your great entrance." Van replied, cheerfully as ever. "...but that does bring me to the reason for my call. Where are you right now, master?"

"Seiryu."

"Well, I should hope so!" Van chuckled, always able to appreciate a good joke even with his master's deadpan delivery. "It's just, the Torchbearer and his friends have already made it to the second floor of the Temple. I'm hoping you're nearby."

"You've identified the Torchbearer, then?"

"Why, yes, I have! He's a salamander armed with a blade." Van nodded happily. "I don't think I've ever heard his name, though..."

"A salamander...with a blade..." the master repeated to himself, as if the mention had brought him into a state of contemplation. "...then it's as I feared."

"Um, what was that, master?"

"Don't concern yourself with that." the master chuckled, shaking his head. "You are to be my eyes - not my ears."

"I'm an elf. I don't think I could have not heard that even if I really desired it!" Van pointed out, before shaking his head with a sigh. "Back on topic, though, I still need to know just what is holding you up."

"Well, I found Raina ambling about with a most grisly wound." the master replied. "I had to make sure she was taken to safety before something unfortunate happened."

"Ah, yes, of course. Saving Raina. That is an important thing to do."

"Van!" Calypso's voice cut through the air. The elf in question looked up to see her emerging from the staircase and standing in front of its summit with a serious look on her face. At her presence, he smiled warmly, glad to see her.

"Ah, Calypso! I see you have chosen to join me on my cardio journey!"

"No time!" she said, marching up to him and standing right in front of him. "They're at the third floor. We need to be ready to hold them off. I've deployed the haunted armour to buy us some time, but it won't stop them forever!"

Van tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. "Weren't they just at the second floor?"

"They were! But Sir Ha'esh used the Torch and burned through my wire trap!" Calypso reported, a slight tremor in her words betraying the feelings of shame within her as she spoke. "I-I barely escaped with my life..."

"I thought you were going to tell them that it was fireproof..." Van hummed.

"I did! But he took it as a challenge!" Calypso practically sobbed at this point, bowing her head. The master let out a soft sigh at that, and Van turned the orb around so that he was facing Calypso.

"You've done well, Calypso. Look, I'm almost here." he told her gently. "I find myself impeded by a most arduous staircase, however - but once that's been surmounted, all you have worked up to will pay off."

"...thank you, master." Calypso murmured, turning to face the same direction as Van. "I'll do my best to keep protecting the Light."

The master seemed content at that, closing his eyes and crossing his arms. "The plan has not changed, I trust? Continue doing what it is you're doing, and I'll make sure I arrive with haste."

"Understood. See you later, master." Van grinned, offering the ball a wave as the master cut off the mystical connection. As Calypso handed it back to him, he stashed it away before rising to his feet. "Alright, men! To your battle stations!"

.........

https://youtu.be/zqJpEW0pW-g

So, when Viera and Sly arrived at the final floor, they found that once again, the Deliverance was prepared. All sides of the vast room were lined with Deliverers - soldiers with shining spears in hand, priests clad in white robes, channelling various elemental magics in the palms of their hands. They all stood up as the final strike force standing between the heroes and the Light. Standing right in front of the altar holding the Light was the dynamic duo of Van and Calypso, the former holding up his violin while the latter had her bow nocked and ready to fire.

"Van." Viera spoke up, pointing her lightning-infused staff at him while piercing through him with a cold glare. "Ready to end this?"

"Why, Viera!" Van exclaimed dramatically, as if surprised by her words. "How can we end this when the Beginning has yet to arrive?"

"Sorry, buddy." Sly smiled slightly, fiddling with his daggers as his eyes scanned the two. "Spoiling endings is a speciality of mine. Just ask Sully!"

"W-Well, as long as we have the pen, there's nothing you can do about it!" Calypso declared defiantly. "We are sworn to the new dawn, and it will see the light of day!"

"Guess we're all coming to blows, in the end. It's a shame, really." Sly mused, sighing. "I like to think that in another life, we could've all been friends."

"...maybe in the new world?" Calypso suggested sheepishly, causing Sly to raise an eyebrow while Calypso averted her eyes. Viera and Van exchanged a glance before the former shook her head.

"Never. Not with someone like him." she said coldly. "Not to sound like a Tiger, but I do try to follow the Torch's teachings where I can - I yearn to do right by the world we live in. I don't know what they teach you in that cult, but if it produces snakes like Van and zealots who proudly want to destroy the world, then I think we're all better off without you."

"I'll have you know I'm excellent company in my downtime." Van replied, his friendly and serene demeanour remaining ever constant, and the other two noticed Calypso giving an approving nod. "And it's not like I've ever killed without reason before. Who do you think I am, Raina?"

"You aren't her, but you use her in your schemes. Her violence and bloodshed is yours." Viera countered.

"And, again, you're trying to destroy the world." Sly crossed his arms, assuming a nonthreatening stance for now. "I've been meaning to ask, what's up with that? You guys are in the world. Logically, you'd have a vested interest in its preservation."

"Yes, many would agree, I believe." Van shook his head, spreading his arms out. "But at the Deliverance, we are quite different. Rather than resigning ourselves to a world of suffering and evil, we strive to look towards a brighter future for all!"

Viera scoffed. "And you think the Light will lead you there?"

"Let's go with that. Is it the Torch that drives you to disagree?"

"Do you even need to ask?"

Van hummed at that, carefully considering her answer before nodding. "Then I suppose neither of us will be swayed by mere words."

"Is a brand new world really worth it if you don't get to see it?" Sly asked curiously, raising a finger as though giving a lecture in a classroom. "Since you'll be dead, that is?"

"We won't." Calypso corrected him. "Our master promised us that our souls will be preserved. His vision encompasses all of us."

"But would it really be you? I like to think I'm more than just a soul."

Calypso paused at that, looking around as if searching for guidance, but as nobody said anything, she cleared her throat, attempting to project confidence as she said, "I trust the master. I've never had reason to doubt him before."

"...that so? I've always thought a little doubt always goes a long way. Maybe we can discuss this if we both survive here." Sly replied, swishing his cloak and pulling out his trusty daggers. Recalling his misgivings about his own master, he knew his opinion here was somewhat informed. "Ready, Viera?"

"I am." Viera nodded, prepared to release the magic stored in her staff. Though she didn't show it on her face, she couldn't help feeling somewhat pleased at how seriously he seemed to be taking this. "Goodbye, Van."

https://youtu.be/X8ZgbvzKBJ8

Van, recognising that combat was imminent, raised his violin bow and held it to the instrument in question, looking at Calypso. "You good?"

"I-I'll manage..." she replied, wind gathering around her body. Steeling body and mind alike for combat, she watched as her allies also sprung into action, the spearmen charging towards the heroes while the priests cast their spells, calling a rain of flame, frost and thunder to assail the room.

Viera immediately moved, hearing Van's violin tunes wafting through the air. She fired a spear of lightning at one magician before closing the gap and smashing his face in. He was knocked out, and she didn't waste any time in destroying the next few mages in her way, as well as one warrior. More approached her, but before she could do anything about them, she felt Calypso's leg impact her stomach like a speeding arrow shattering an adventurer's knee. Covered with motes of light that looked like green musical notes, Calypso had closed the gap between them in a mere moment.

Viera, positively startled by the sudden attack, could only apply her magical enhancements by reflex before Calypso spun around and delivered a whirlwind of kicks to her torso, ending the combo with a harsh kick that sent her flying into the wall. Calypso herself landed and was about to fire a wind arrow to continue when Sly caught wind of what was going on. Quickly stabbing the throat of the warrior he was occupied with, he leapt over in her direction, behind her, and tripped her just enough to make her lose her footing and aim.

Just then, the ninja jumped out of the way, just in time for Viera to stand up. She fought off the pain as she held her staff in front of her, looking directly at Sly as he did battle with Calypso up-close. "Can I count on you to cover me?"

"Sure thing." he replied. Up to now, he'd known he had to keep Calypso busy, and that remained the same. As the volume of Van's music increased, she grew faster. As she kicked him, he ducked under her leg, jumping up and tossing a knife at a mage's throat, silencing her chants once and for all.

Viera, nodding at that, began to chant, keeping her eyes open but remaining in a state of calm focus. "Oh, elegant Suzaku, grant me lightning..."

As she chanted, Sly and Calypso continued to battle, her struggling to land a hit on him while he kept sneaking hits on the enemy wizards. The soldiers closed in on him, joining the fray, but he dodged a few spears before jumping on and running up one, kicking him in the chin, climbing onto his shoulders and using him as a springboard to get into the air, above the formation. With his aerial advantage, he fully unfurled his cloak and spun around, firing down a hail of random projectile weapons in all directions but Viera's.

"Grant me a mighty sword, so I may strike down your enemies!"

He landed shortly after, pulling out a large, writhing spider and hurling it in Calypso's face while looking upon what he'd done. More mages and a few soldiers were damaged, but some simply had the weapons bounce off their armour. Regardless, the display was distracting enough, with Calypso being occupied with the spider, that attention was now mostly on him.

Which was perfect for Viera. Pointing her staff forwards, she made sure to be mindful of Sly's position as a ball of lightning formed on her tip. At once, she shot forth multiple streams of golden lightning, each one targeting a different Deliverer while Sly took this as a sign to get out of harm's way. Calypso and Van did their best to dodge, with the latter nearly getting his hat taken clean off.

The second Sly thought she was done, he leapt out from behind one of the soldiers and hurled a fistful of smoke bombs into the enemy formation, obscuring the entire room, and made his move sneakily slitting throats and snatching spears under the cover of the smokescreen. Van didn't dare move, instead listening very closely to what was going on before undoing Calypso's buff and playing a different tune entirely. Sly kept on going, not knowing what was going on, until a storm of tiny stone shards rose up from the ground below, cutting into his leg several times.

He winced in pain, and though he was mildly impeded, he carried on as normal. Calypso fired an arrow at the ceiling, and as it hit, a mighty surge of wind was sent downwards, blowing the smoke away and leaving the four combatants in the room, alone. Van stepped forth, putting his crystal ball on top of the altar and drawing his rapier from the bow of his violin as he set the instrument aside. "Calypso, I wish to fight alongside you." he told her, earning a nod. "You'll have to do without my bardsong for a little while."

"Alright." she nodded. "Shall I go for-"

Before she could finish that sentence, Viera lunged forth as quickly as she could, her fists swinging deftly as she closed the gap between herself and Van, punching him in the stomach and then the face before she brought her staff down on his head, bringing down the wrath of a thunderbolt onto him. He was slightly dizzy as a result, but managed to orient himself enough to dodge another, harsher blow that left a burning puncture in the ground where she'd struck.

"I don't know what you were going to say..." he murmured, standing to his feet and brandishing his sword. "But the answer is 'please fight the assassin'."

As he engaged Viera in close combat, Calypso nodded and looked around, noticing that Sly was beginning to approach the Light as sneakily as he could, and quickly conjured up a swarm of buzzing flies to surround him. He was caught off-guard by the annoyance, but he swatted them away, only for his hand to phase right through them. Just as he realised they were illusions, she appeared right in front of him, kneeing him in the stomach.

He recovered fairly quickly, but right as he did, he saw she'd vanished. She couldn't have left the room, he thought, so he stayed on-guard. All of a sudden, four identical Calypsos emerged out of nowhere, coming from all directions and preparing to kick him in the chest. He didn't know which was real, so he simply braced for impact, but all of their legs passed through him harmlessly. Realising what this meant, he was about to run away, only to be nailed by a giant green arrow from his right. He fell to the ground at the impact, looking over there and seeing Calypso appear in a burst of red sparkles, holding her bow out.

The only reaction conceivable to him at that moment was to let out a chuckle, giving her an approving smile as they both rose to their feet. "I love a woman who can trick me." he said, winking playfully as she froze up, flustered by the sudden compliment.

Which was his chance. He stomped a foot on the ground, letting out a burst of frosty wind and covering a wide area of the floor with a sheet of ice. She looked around nervously, preparing her bow and about to fire an arrow at him, but he gracefully glid across the icefield, delivering two swift cuts to her side and appearing on the other side.

"Of course, I'm no slouch, either." he said, not skipping a beat and using this as a chance to push her over, making her fall on her side. "Right now, I'm quite literally in my element!"

He clapped his hands together, and as she scrambled to get up, the ice on the ground gave off a fierce mist as its temperature became even lower. "I'm not much of a mage-type, but I'm pretty sure I've perfected this technique." he said, noticing her struggling to break free and shaking his head. "Wouldn't do that if I were you. Not if you value your skin."

Indeed, as she tried to move, she'd noticed that she was frozen to the ground, and her eyes widened in panic at she realised that, at least for the duration of this spell, she was completely and utterly at his mercy. Luckily for him, he thought, she didn't know the secret behind resisting the freezing - he'd wisely never told anyone, and of the people he knew, only Sully and Garou had managed to learn it themselves. So, for now, her threat was neutralised.

Meanwhile, Viera and Van continued to duel, the pair striking strategically and doing their best to weave between each other's attacks. "I've noticed, Viera." the elf said between blows. "You seem to hate me much more than any other Deliverer. I wonder why that is."

"Why wouldn't I?" she replied with a glare, infusing her staff with a lightning speartip and trying to stab his chest. "You're the one who makes their plans, aren't you? Every last one of you is evil, but you're the diabolical mastermind!"

"At least forty percent of our plans are a team effort, you know!" Van declared, his sword glowing with a green light as every swing and thrust gave off a musical hum. "This isn't because I tricked you, is it?"

"Ugh, no! We weren't even that close!" Viera rolled her eyes, twirling her spear for a powerful thrust which nailed his stomach. "Of all the Deliverers, you're the most dangerous one, and killing you would be a massive blow to your group."

"I...see. For a moment, I worried you'd felt led on." Van stumbled back, parrying her next spear thrust with his blade and giving her a smile as he shifted his footwork, going on the offensive. "I'm honoured you consider me such a formidable foe, but I, Viera, am just a humble pair of eyes."

His swordplay became a rhythm, a song in and of itself that gradually picked up its pace, and Viera was immediately put on the backfoot, trying to find an opening in his defences. At the same time, her anger grew, and she bared her fangs at him as she defended herself. "It's not a 'worthy opponent' thing, damn it! Just die!"

He continued to strike her with his blade while dancing around her attacks with a smile. Eventually, she had enough and struck the ground by his feet, letting out a sudden sphere of lightning that encompassed his legs, covering them entirely and startling him. She used this brief moment of opportunity to deliver a triad of heavy staff blows - one to each side, and one to his head. His rhythm completely destroyed, he fell to the ground. He uttered, as strongly as he could in his state, an almost desperate-sounding, "Master...now!" and fell unconscious.

Viera raised her staff again, about to finish the job. It seemed to her that there was nowhere to run - at last, she could decisively kill him. Sly, who had moved to the altar, wasn't quite so sure, for he'd seen that, next to the Light, there laid a crystal ball. And reflected on its surface was the image of a positively distraught-looking Luc. And that background was very telltale. He was in the Temple, on the first floor, and he really didn't like what he was seeing.

Recognising what little he'd seen, heard and spoken of the man, he turned to Viera, who was engrossed in her action, and called out to her. "Hey, Viera, dukes up! We're not done-"

She paused to look at him curiously, but before she could say anything, a white spell circle, with an intricate image of the sun in the centre, appeared in the middle of the room. From it emerged a storm - one of leaves, roots and seeds. The leaves cut like blades, the roots crept along the ground, and the seeds stung like bullets, and all of them sought out the enemy, hoping to destroy and restrain. Within seconds, Viera and Sly were tied up, much of their energy gone, and left to helplessly wait for their enemy or Ashbel to arrive.