CHAPTER III: SCARS OF A TRAGEDY

[Alma, elsewhere in the castle, wanders into its central chamber. She holds her hands to her face and gasps as she sees the mass of battered bodies that now litter the floor. A little ways below her lies Izlude. He convulses and coughs.]

IZLUDE: ...Uhn...uhnn...

[Alma rushes over to him and kneels over his body.]

ALMA: Are you all right!?

[He coughs and shakes.]

IZLUDE: S..sword...where is it? must....beat...him.... Please...give me some light. So dark...can't see a thing.

ALMA: Don't worry. No need to fight anymore.

IZLUDE: Tell your brother...the stone ...has 'evil power' ... He's not...my father...the power made him...Lucavi...hack...cough...

[He vomits up blood.]

ALMA: Please don't try to talk...

IZLUDE: What Ramza said was true... The world will end...if we don't kill him... Tell everyone...not time to fight...must cooperate... W, where's...my sword? ...Can't move...my arms.

ALMA: Don't worry. I saw 'his' body in the hall. My brother killed him. So you don't need to fight.

IZLUDE: Really? That's a relief... The stone is...in my jacket. Give it....to your brother...

[Alma retrieves the Pisces stone from Izlude's possession.]

ALMA: I'll be sure to do that.

IZLUDE: Ugh...tired....sleepy... ...just rest now...

[Izlude's body goes limp. There comes a voice from the door outside the chamber.]

MAN'S VOICE: Who's there?

[Vormav enters the room.]

VORMAV: So here you are. I'll send you to the other side, too.

[He walks towards her. Alma backs away.]

VORMAV: Don't fear. You won't suffer....

[He pauses in his approach. There is an animal roar that sounds through the room, and he looks up.]

VORMAV: What....Velius was killed?

[Vormav looks to Alma.]

VORMAV: Your brother has the devil's own luck...

[He closes in.]

VORMAV: Now, come here.....

[He reaches for her and there is a spark of light as of a zodiac stone's magic. He looks towards his tunic.]

VORMAV: Why, why is Virgo responding? You...can't be...

[He grabs her.]

VORMAV: Very nice! I didn't expect to meet you here! I thought it would take 100 years to find you! I never dreamed you were the one!

[Alma shakes her head, struggling.]

ALMA: Stop!! Let go of me!!

VORMAV: No need to fear. I won't kill you. Now come here!

[He punches her in the gut, slings her over his shoulder, and vanishes. In the meantime, the discarded Pisces stone glimmers where it has fallen.]