Morning came slowly but I took every second to measure how much my powers had grown overnight. The feeling was immense but I knew that with the wrong move I could waste it. My sister was strong. Killing an Earth bending witch would be no easy feat.
“Shadow?” Crowe said my name in a husky voice and I recoiled at the sound. Something about him was off. “What are you doing up already? Did you even sleep?” He continued standing up from the floor.
“You do realize we don’t need to sleep right?” I asked smiling, letting go of my previous thoughts.
“Right, but you need all the power you can get. I’m just looking out for you.”
I sighed at his answer and nodded. “I’m alright. I just finished scanning my power actually.” I looked down at my hands examining the lines. Within my blood flowed angels blood.
“Hey, speaking of power,” Crowe began, “we know about Eve’s abilities. But, what are yours?” He asked coming to sit beside me on the bed.
“Omnikinesis.” I answered, “But I’m limited. Imagine a power bar and with every swipe of my hand it goes down slightly.”
“Omn-what?” Crowe asked, scratching his head still waking up. He yawned and I watched as his sharp teeth clamped together and his lips covered them.
I laughed lightly but explained. “Omnikinesis, It's the ability to control anything from nothing. I can make object form from thin air. I can force people to explode and create a sort of false reality.”
“Force people to explode… Like what you did with that wolf a few weeks ago?” Crowe asked, recalling the gruesome scene.
I nodded “he was lower level so it was easy, Eve will not be so. In order for me to cause any damage like that, I’ll have to physically touch her.”
“I see, and these false realities, like what you did at…” He couldn’t finish his sentence and turned away.
“Yes. like I did at Gretchen's.” I said, ending his words. “I can also fly. Since well, wings.” I said taking a stand. “We should go, it's time.” Crowe followed me and I went over the plan in my head. ‘Take her out of town. Trap her and destroy. Simple. We just have to make sure the playing field is something we know. The city isn’t exactly ideal, but with the chaos of monsters and the weight of building it would be difficult for her to have any control.’
I looked back at Crowe once more and unlocked the hotel door. “Let's go,” I said, expecting to step out into the hallway. Instead, Crowe and I were met with flat terrain. One with soft snow and green grass budding underneath. Tall bare trees surrounded the area and Eve stood in the center of it a good distance away. “Good morning,” She called from her spot. Her voice carried itself to us by floating on the wind.
I took a step forward instantly trying to get the layout of her world. Now was no time to fret. The playing field was flat and thin. The air was sharp and it would be difficult to hide with such a bright and clear area. The sky was grey but the clouds were high above making it impossible to reach. Facing the facts, our place of a bustling terrain and weighted area was out of the question. She was the queen of this chessboard.
“Crowe, stay behind me,” I said calmly as we continued to walk. The door behind us closed and sunk into the ground. I knew Eve had something up her sleeve. But why such a small area. Wouldn’t the more land be better in her benefit?
“Tell me what you know,” Eve demanded, cutting to the point.
“You first,” I replied with a sense of adrenaline filling me. I twirled my fingers grasping onto my weapon of choice, a scythe. I felt my eyes wanting to glow but in doing that would cause me to lose too much power. I had to stay calm and think ahead.
“Look at you being all flashy, you were always so quiet compared to us. Looking perfect and begging for father's attention.” She lowered her gaze focusing on the ground beneath our feet. Her small jaw holding a white smile. There was blood on her clothes.
“ Yes, well, father preferred the strongest child to be his favorite. And that, fortunately, landed on me.” My taunts didn’t affect her but I was now a decent distance from her to tap into her soul waves. They were steady and it was dark and had orange streaks lacing through it.
“Father was a coward.” She hissed. I clenched my jaw and halted in my steps. “But I must congratulate you on killing Dawn. Though, honestly, I think it just proves how weak you really are. We both know Dawn was pathetic. She couldn’t even threaten right. All she did was hide and complain. Pretending to have the upper hand.” Eve lifted her chin up, eyeing me and she gave me a knowing look that she knew exactly what I was doing.
“Stop examining, we still have some time. I’d like to give you a little bit of help.” She scoffed. I tightened my grip on the metal bar I held. Crowe shifted behind me.
“Welcome to 1962. Early spring. No one is here because I can’t make people.” She shrugged. “Your only point of attack is to face me head-on. After all, you can’t hide here. Once I kill you and your…” She gave a disgusted look toward Crowe, “Animal freak, I’ll kill dad. I bet you didn’t even know he was under your nose this entire time.” She started to laugh in a menacing way.
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I was confused by her words. “What do you mean? Where’s dad?” I growled at her.
“Oh, please, as if you haven’t figured it out. He’s in your hotel!” Her annoyance became apparent in her tone.
“What about Temno?” I asked, raising a brow. I watched her soul dance inside her chest.
“Who cares, when I become Death I can raise all the witches, and erase anyone I please. Once you two are dead I’ll destroy Dad and claim the title of Death.” She raised her foot off the ground and I foresaw her next action.
“Jump!” I screamed, looking back at Crowe.
As Eve’s foot stamped into the ground, the playing field became uneven. Crowe and I jumped moving ourselves through the air and landing onto a safe patch of earth. Pieces of the world started to fall and disappear. Other parts broke off and floated upwards.
So this was her trick. The land was thin so she could create different levels. She has control over each and every piece. Anything she doesn’t want will either fade or she’ll move to come crashing on top of you.
“Welcome to my world Shadow.” Her voice was twisted and the immense power within her boomed with authority. I clung to my weapon and watched her carefully thinking quickly about what I should do.
Eve began her move by taking the floating land around me and pulling it back towards the ground. I lurched forward rolling on the ground before the pieces came crashing into the original terrain. Dirt gathered in the air and found its ways down into my lungs and into my eyes.
Brushing away the stinging pain, I quickly examined the area once again. Floating pieces of earth surrounded the area and I quickly tapped my chest and outstretched my arms.
Within seconds hundreds of replicas of myself formed. Some with wings, others without. Some with weapons and others in a twisted form of two species mixed.
One by one in a mass, my replicas charged at Eve. Those with wings flew upwards and I joined them coming up with my next plan of attack. I felt like the air was against me. The world was spinning rapidly and it was hard to focus on what was actually ground.
It was Eve’s turn though. She stayed steady and formed large sinkholes along the ground. They swallowed up the clones and their screams filled the air. Eve then chanted something and bent forward almost kissing the ground beneath her. A low rumbling erupted and the land was drawn upwards into the sky catching all the ones with wings and swinging them onto the ground. Our bodies laying the foundation. I heard the cracks of bones break and the ground beneath us halted in its climb toward the sky. This was her way of keeping us on the ground. If anyone went flying she would simply raise the playing field and force their feet to stay planted.
Crowe was doing his best dodging all the side attacks placed on him. Vines lashed out like whips, the earth swallowed my creations.
I raised my scythe into the air and struck the ground causing a massive tear in the earth. This move made the ground bounce and rip. Eve became unsteady and I took this chance to lunge forward. My movements were swift, I swiped my blade across her chest. Unfortunately, my attempt was slow. Eve plunged into the ground only to pop up behind me a few feet away.
With a simple wave of her hand, the grey sky became darker and rolling thunder could be heard. Its low vibrations rumbling in our chests. I had to make a move fast.
Crowe appeared suddenly close to Eve trying to get his foothold on the unsteady field.
Eve slammed her foot once again into the ground and electricity rained from the sky. My replicas all being struck and some fading into dust. I, too, was hit. The burning feeling coursed through my veins and I was surrounded by a white flashing light. It cut into my flesh and struck my wings.
“Shadow!” Crowe called.
The electric attack halted and I was brought to the sight of Crowe being dragged underground.
My breath hitched and I used my wings for momentum plunging forward. Eve, regaining her attention on me, also forced herself toward me. We both met, my scythe cutting through her side as her palms met my skin. The touch itself caused my blood to boil and we swept passed each other taking in the fatal blows. My skin started to bubble and crack. But Eve screamed as her wound caused her innards to seep out.
This was a race against time. I had to finish this. But how?
Her gaze forced itself upon mine. Her white teeth turned yellow and her skin became spotted with age.
I called upon more replicas and reached my hands into the ground summoning blazing fires. The field once again fell into smaller pieces. Smoke choked out the air and its tongue grasping at anything. The hot fire caused Eve to blink giving me a chance to push myself backward blending within my army.
I coughed gagging on my own blood. My wings ached with pain and I was being drained of power. I wouldn’t be able to destroy Eve with a touch. There was no way.
Eve, faltering slightly, attacked the fakes and ripped through the flames only to take in a scene with me nowhere in sight.
Eve screamed in frustration, her voice echoing throughout the land. It made the air shake and down rained more lightning.
I was brought to the flaming pain of my wings being struck. It sounded like a million wars beginning at once, and the smell of my flesh burning made my head go numb. Now was my chance though.
I pushed off the floating earth and outstretched my arms toward Eve's neck. Now was my chance to kill her, now was my chance to end it all, now was my one and only chance to take this game's queen.
My hands gripped her neck and with my speed, we plunged through the thin earth. Down we crashed her scream filling my head, her nails clawing into my skin. Air whipped around us and we fell.
Suddenly, everything around us went dark. My body felt heavy but I never loosened my grip for a second.
My eyes began to glow and small air bubbles surrounded us. We were underwater.
The water was ice cold, and the bottom beneath us was deep.
Eve’s white hair waved around her face and her mouth gaped open as she tried to chant a spell.
As the oxygen left her mouth I let go of her throat with one hand and shoved my arm down her esophagus. I sprawled out my fingers stretching the tube. Further and further I went until I felt the warm bulb of her soul quiver against my fingers.
Eve’s eyes rolled into the back of her head.
I looked on with pleasure as I dragged out her soul from her mouth.
I watched as I pushed Eve’s body down into the endless darkness and I watched as the world she created faded.