Lily then beheld a strange sight. Allan’s shadow seemed to be growing and taking tangible form. It rose from the ground and morphed into a massive creature. Tentacles rose from hidden shadows. Before she could comprehend this turn of events, screams erupted from the crowd.
Hundreds of the shadowy creatures sprang from every direction. The massive creature that had sprung from his own shadow loomed like a cobra ready to strike.
Voidspawn?!
“You dare to think you can defeat me?” Timur bellowed. “You are weak!”
Allan’s eyes were set in determination, and she watched in confusion as he formed a fireball and hurled it in Timur’s direction. But just as suddenly. A Voidspawn leapt in front of Timur and swallowed it whole.
“My, my!” Timur gave a round of mocking applause. “You are developing new skills, I see!”
Allan formed another fireball and released it. It engulfed Timur in flames, causing Lily’s hair to singe on the edges. But instead of incinerating him, an aura of sickly green light had enshrouded Timur and protected him from the attack.
“You have much to learn.” Timur chided.
Timur unsheathed a massive sword and charged. Allan raised his own impressive-looking sword and parried his blow, but the force of the impact sent him flying off balance. Allan quickly regained control and lunged back. Their swords clashed, but it soon became clear that Timur had far more experience than Allan. Each time Allan parried one of his forceful blows, Allan staggered even further backward until he reached the edge of the stairs.
Allan nearly toppled down the stairway, but ducked and rolled toward Timur and made a forceful thrust. To her surprise, the blade penetrated between Timur’s shoulder blades, and he dropped his own massive sword in shock. Allan shoved on the hilt, causing the blade to rip through his foe’s chest. Timur screamed out in pain and fell forward onto his knees.
Allan let go of the hilt, and Timur slumped forward and fell in a heap.
Suddenly she felt herself regain control. She ran to Allan’s side, and the crowd of peasants cheered.
She embraced him, burying her face in his chest. “I’m so sorry, Allan. I didn’t mean to…”
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Suddenly a massive roar erupted from Timur’s crumpled form. Another aura surrounded his body. The crowd went silent in terror. Like a zombie rising from the dead, he slowly raised himself back onto his feet. Timur reached his hand behind his back, and tried to grab the hilt of Allan’s sword. He shrieked in pain and released his hand immediately. The hilt glowed with a red heat.
Grabbing the blade protruding from his chest, Timur forced it backward and let it clatter onto the steps below. He retrieved his own sword, and with a large swing he brought his crashing down against Allan’s blade. The concrete of the stairway smashed around the sword, but it remained intact.
With another roar, Timur pressed the tip of his sword against the mystical blade. Thrusting one hand into the sky, he summoned powers from the suns and channeled the incinerating blast through the his sword. He kept the beam steady until the entire blade of Allan’s sword glowed red with heat. Releasing the blast, he raised his massive sword once again, and with another guttural cry he brought it smashing down upon the other. With a loud crash, the mystical sword broke in two and sparks shot from the shattered ends.
Lily clung to Allan as Timur turned to face them.
“Step aside!” he commanded Lily as his eyes seethed with the green light.
She felt her mind get shoved back again, deep into her consciousness and locked away in a small cage.
Lily obeyed, moving away from Allan. “I’m sorry, master.”
“I forgive you.” Timur grinned. “Now, kiss me.”
A look of horror crossed Allan’s face as she had no choice but to engage in a passionate kiss with Timur.
“You see,” Timur said, releasing his grip,” she belongs to me now.” He took a step forward. “Your precious amulet is broken.” Timur pointed to the shattered remains of the mystical sword on the ground. “Now you will die.”
No!!
She watched in horror as Timur’s blade slashed across Allan’s chest and he fell to his knees in a pool of blood. The silver aura surrounded him, healing the wound within seconds, but then Timur attacked again, severing the brachial artery in his right arm. Blood gushed out on the steps as the aura worked harder to heal this larger wound. Then came what should have been a fatal blow as Timur lunged his sword through Allan’s chest.
Allan screeched in pain as Timur held his blade in place, twisting every few seconds.
“You’re like a roach that just won’t die.” Timur seethed, twisting the blade further. “Just give up!”
Blood spilled from Allan’s mouth as he struggled to draw breath. “Take me.”
A white flame retreated from Allan’s chest. A dark cloud formed at their feet, and rose to their immediate left. The cloud grew larger as it inhaled the thick smoke emitting from Allan’s soul.
The Leviathan!
Timur twisted the hilt once again and extracted his sword. Allan fell backward in a heap as the aura attempted to heal him. His eyes rolled backward with a faint flash of silver light, the aura dissipating as the last few flickers of flame from his soul died out. Lily stared in shock as Timur kicked the limp body several times. Blood oozed onto the concrete, but Allan’s body remained lifeless.
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