Now, we waited.

I'd always wondered how Sonic found out about crises. I assumed it was through the news channel or an eyewitness account, but now I think they come to him first.

Waiting suddenly seemed very hard for me. Maybe because I just wanted this over with. Part of me hoped he'd find us and end me just so I didn't have to deal with it anymore.

Okay, enough of my griping.

Alabaster had given me a communicator just in case, by some misfortune, he showed up when we weren't in the same place.
It's not like I really went anywhere without her, anyway. The town was do small that if I wound up doing anything, she'd find out within minutes. Gossip works that way.

It was a few days after the sun had rid the streets and sidewalks of snow, and I was out walking the neighborhood, when I suddenly heard my patience- or lack of patience, I'm not quite sure- pay off.

"Out alone...?"

I turned, finding Iblis standing a few yards from me. "I'm impressed. I wasn't expecting you to find me until two weeks ago." I jeered. "You being slow these days?"

"Except now, you've got nowhere to hide!"

I pretended to look scared, then took off down the sidewalk, making sure my brother was following. "Get ready, Abbie." I whispered.

Is he in elemental form yet?

"Working on it." I saw some black ice ahead. Just like crystal, right?
I hoped so as my feet hit the edge and I slid across the ice. I used my momentum to swing around a corner, grabbing onto a street sign to make the turn.

Iblis did not, and instead crashed straight into the pole.

I covered my mouth, but couldn't help laughing at him. "Nice! I'd rank that a 7.8!"

Iblis roared in anger, and I could see the heatwaves coming off of him. Almost there. "You're so dead, Mephiles!"

"Can't die! Or had you not noticed, lava-lamp?"

What the heck? I was acting like SONIC!

However, that was enough. Iblis' bat form shriveled into nothing as Iblis erupted into his elemental form. Heat washed over the area, and I took off running until I reached the cul-de-sac.

"You're weak, brother!" Iblis hissed. "You never used your power for the cause!"

I panted. "I never wanted to make you or Solaris proud...I'd rather be the black sheep than pretend I agree with anything you do!"

Iblis growled, "Die!"

I winced as the heat came at me, but it didn't burn as I heard a loud crackling. "Wh...What...?"
I looked up, seeing the crystal wall in front of me. "I...I'm back!"
I could feel it again, the power under my control. I was going to use it.

Crystal fractals shot out of the ground around me, causing Iblis to twist to avoid them. "I thought you were powerless!"

"Looks like it just took it a while to come back."
The crystal twisted and formed a sphere around Iblis, leaving enough of a hole at the top for the heat to escape. "Abbie, now!"

Alabaster ran her finger over the top of the jar. "Jetargonel Szyregae... Iblis, you shall forever be bound to this jar as a genie, forced to serve all good who find your vessel!"

Wind blew around us, and I could feel the deep magic as much as I could hear Iblis' enraged screaming. My legs grew weak and I fell to my knees, the crystal crumpling with me.

Iblis was free from my prison cell, but that was not going to stop the spell from taking him. He screamed, trying to grab onto anything to stop the pull, but they only burned away in his grip.

I could hardly move, resting my head down on the asphalt as my connection to him was severed. I was no longer part of him, just as he was no longer a part of me.

"You will pay for this, Mephiles...I will kill yooooooooou...!" Iblis was sucked into the jar, and Alabaster slammed the lid down on the top.

Fires crackled on the trees Iblis had passed, and I could feel the cold darkness looming over me as Alabaster rushed over. "Abbie...!"

"Shh...You're gonna be okay, Phil..." She whispered, holding me close to her chest. "We won..."

I managed to give a soft smile, then the darkness overwhelmed my senses, once again dropping me into the cold abyss.