Reset OCT Final Round, Page 2

Szethei listened in stunned silence as Chimera explained the conditions and cautions of using the timepieces. She gripped the precious object tightly.

"<So I can use it to heal my injuries.>" Szethei asked slowly, "<Before the match begins?>"

"<You're allowed to treat one injury,>" Chimera corrected her, "<Your ribs would be my suggestion, so you can breathe easier. And don't forget, above all else…>"

"<… don't lose the timepiece,>" Szethei echoed, "<Or let it get damaged or destroyed. I heard you.>"

"<Right, then! Now before we start, a question, just to be clear,>" Chimera held up a finger, as Szethei drew a breath to reply, "<About your former partner. Do you still have no wish to save him?>"

Szethei scowled, and then shook her head.

"<I most certainly do not,>" she muttered, "<Zhirrik, he's… shown his true colors.>"

And Fates know, she added silently to herself, what he would have done if he ever found Fizek! No, it's better this way.

Chimera was nodding in understanding, and abruptly her entire demeanor changed.

"<Very well, then off we go!>"

"<Whoa, hey!>" Szethei shouted in alarm, "<What are you doing?!>"

Chimera, in a blur of wings, had leapt over the startled dragon-dog's head, twisted in mid-air, and scooped her up in her arms. Then, with a mighty downward sweep of her wings, and an equally mighty upwards leap, she vaulted them both skywards.

"<No time like the present!>" Chimera sang out, ignoring Szethei's shriek of indignation, "<Why waste it sitting on your tail, dear Szethei, when you can spend it finishing the game!>"

"<But couldn't we just wa-aalllkk?!>" Szethei felt her stomach give a colossal downward plunge as Chimera swooped even higher with a wild laugh.

"<Aha-ha, at your pace? That would take forever and a day! Oops, sorry,>" Chimera adjusted her grip as her yelping passenger started to slip loose, "<No, you definitely need my help getting where, or I should say when you're going. Your opponent, too! And speak of the devil, here's Ro now!>"

Indeed, Szethei caught a dizzying glimpse of something large, white, and blue banking towards them. Ro soon drew level with them. He gestured at Chimera, and then held up a familiar looking circular object: yet another timepiece, identical to Chimera's. Despite her discomfort and consternation, Szethei realized something different about him.

His wings… they look a hell of lot better than they did ten minutes ago!

"<Noticed that, did you?>" Chimera said in her ear, "<Ro's figured it out, then. You can try it yourself once we've landed!>"

Chimera then called out to Ro cheerfully, prattling on, and acting as though hovering hundreds of feet in the air was a perfectly normal spot to hold a conversation. She reached around to tap Szethei's piece, casually hooking a leg around to keep the horrified dragon-dog's middle to keep her from plummeting out of her already questionable grip.

"<Ah, excuse me for interrupting,>" Szethei finally snapped, tearing her gaze away from the appallingly distant ground below, "<But are we going to be up here for much longer?!>"

"<All in good time, dear Szethei!>" Chimera laughed, "<As I was just asking Ro, why don’t we give your timepieces a test run, hm? Take hold of your clock; as I've just told him.>"

Still wearing a puzzled frown, Ro had complied. Szethei did likewise, but had no clue what to do next, but Chimera was busy apparently giving further instructions to Ro. The white creature looked from her to his timepiece, and after several moments gave a slow nod. Just as Szethei was about to protest being excluded, a familiar voice chirped in her ear:

"<Hey it's me!>" Barclay was saying, "<Listen up, Boss asked me to relay this to you: Hold your clock, and think about *when* you want to go. That easy! Understand?>"

Szethei turned to blink slowly back at him.

"<Okay. And just… what-'when' am I supposed to be thinking about?>"

Now it was Barclay's turn to blink, before comprehension dawned.

"<Oh, right! You wouldn’t know. Um, here…>"

He flitted close to whisper something in her ear. Szethei drew her head back to stare perplexedly. Barclay nodded back encouragingly. At a loss, she simply stared hard at the clock, and thought about what the wisp had just said.  

Fates is this really going to work? It can't be that easy- Ooohh…

Apparently it had worked, just like that, judging by Chimera's approving response. The change had been stealthy, yet at the same time as colossal as an avalanche. Chimera was saying something, but Szethei, completely dumbfounded, could only give a dazed mumble in reply. Her hand had clenched involuntarily, the edges of the clock digging into her hand. But pain didn't register; her mind was too busy attempting to process what her eyes were seeing. Nearby was Ro, staring around with an expression that was no doubt much the same as hers.

Empty, Szethei's mind trembled, Nothing. All… gone…?!

The words, the time that that the wisp had relayed to her were an echoing beat in her mind.

But the void in which they found themselves was then not so empty, as Szethei noted with wild relief while Chimera began to spiral downward.

A single colossal chuck of earth and rock drifted below; and atop this chunk lay what was left of the park. The giant wheel, some concession stands, perhaps the tattered remnants of other structures clinging precariously to the edge. There was even a small portion of woods where Zhirrik had last been seen.

But there was something different, Szethei realized. As Chimera floated them earthward, Szethei vaguely noted the long, narrow, tiered platforms that rose dozens of feet into the air, something like the one she had been sleeping on not an hour ago. Movement told her that they were occupied, by whom she couldn’t tell. What arrested her gaze completely, though, was the giant, mazelike formation directly beneath them; an enclosed, winding series of walled paths taking up the open space between the Ferris wheel and the concession and game stands.  

From what she could see, many strange things were happening within, no doubt involving in some crazy time-related event. But Szethei didn't have time to take it all in, for Chimera had alighted on the ground at last, setting her none-too-relieved passenger down. Ro came to land a short distance away, facing them. As Chimera stepped away, Szethei warily took in their surroundings. She cast a glance at the stands, and her eyes widened in understanding.

"<So this is where everyone went?>" Szethei stared upwards. She swallowed nervously as she noted that every former competitor, including all of her defeated opponents, were present. Closest to her were Galen and Anton, the latter slumped sluggishly against his friend and clearly not all too aware of his surroundings, the former's expression was unreadable. Nomatt, seated several rows up, was not returning her look, but even from this distance Szethei could see his jaw grinding. And then there was Juni, not looking much more alert than Anton, but lucid enough to stare balefully back at Szethei. Rainy was clutched in her arms, and gazing worriedly up at his friend.

A rustling of wings drew her attention back to Chimera, who stood facing the assembled former competitors, with an air of a grand announcement. Silence fell as everyone turned their attention to the enigmatic host. As Chimera began to speak, her voice ringing out in the silent void, again Barclay spoke in Szethei's ear:

"<Welcome,>" he cheerfully intoned, "<To the end of Time.>"