The sounds of conflict varied rapidly in volume as we moved through the halls. The noise was indicative of the ebb and flow of the battle, and at this point we were basically following in the wake of it. There were bodies in the halls, mostly Thrainian, but occasionally one of our own would be amongst the fallen. We passed by a healer on our way as the Trelnval mage was helping a few wounded soldiers to get back on their feet. Deciding not to bother him as he worked, we continued onward.
It wasn’t just bodies that marked the path of war, but there was obvious destruction as furniture that had been either used as a barricade or an improvised weapon lay destroyed all along the floor. More Thrainians lay slumped over the destroyed barriers, armor crushed or pierced with the overwhelming force that some of the coalition members were capable of. I felt a little bad for dragging Captain Versillion through this wreckage. Many of these soldiers may have once been under his command, or at the very least served alongside him. I could tell the sight had an effect on him as his eyes were filled with sorrow.
Offering condolences would be an empty gesture. While the loss of life was regrettable, I did not care for these soldiers enough to make any sincere statement, and if there was one thing I hated it was insincere sympathies. So, we passed in silence. The best I could do for him was not bring any attention to the death around us and let him process it all in his own way.
Our journey was interrupted by a sudden increase in the noise level followed by a flash of fire from around a corner. There were a series of surprised and pained shouts from that direction, so I figured that we had caught up to the main force just as they met another pocket of resistance. I cast a quick glance at my group to see if they were ready for this and received several nods in return. Weapons at the ready, we turned the corner.
It was a scene of active destruction as the two sides met in a narrow corridor that was hardly fit for fighting. The coalition forces did not appear to have many mages inside the castle, but even so, we were still winning these engagements if with more casualties than would be preferable. If I was being honest about what I was seeing, though, I’d say that this fight had more in common with a bar brawl than two organized militaries fighting.
Furniture flew through the air as Droln picked up tables and chairs before throwing them into the crowd, knocking several people over. Satyr and Ulgor rushed the barriers, using their ability to climb uneven terrain and mass, respectively, to reach the enemy. To prevent the Thrianian mages from using their abilities, the archers tried to target them to keep them suppressed and unable to focus long enough to cast anything.
The Thrainians weren’t content to simply stand their ground and fight a losing battle, however. As soon as the makeshift barrier they built had been breached, they began a retreat while starting small fires on the bits of furniture to slow us down. Me and my group didn’t even have a chance to assist as the enemies fled out of sight once more.
Feeling a little let down that we were unable to do anything, I decided to be proactive and get a status report. There was a Trelnval that seemed to be giving commands, so I approached him with my question.
“Excuse me officer, what’s the situation here?”
After the normal song and dance of surprise followed by a stiff salute, he gave me the information. “Lord James! Our situation here is progressing well. The enemy is currently engaging in a fighting retreat. We believe they are organizing for a last stand in the throne room.”
The officer seemingly just noticed that Captain Versillion was with us. “Sir, why do you have a Thrainian in your company, and a ranking one at that?” There was no hiding the disgust that was present in his voice as he referred to Versillion. I had to get ahead of that before it could roll further downhill.
“The captain here has surrendered himself to our army. As such, he is to be treated as a cooperating prisoner and not tormented or unjustly attacked in any way. We are better than that, so prove that the world we are fighting for isn’t just a dream.”
My attempt at inspiring positive change was met with middling success as the officer adopted a more resolved look but still did not appear to be completely happy with it. That was fine. Even if at first you act begrudgingly, it may eventually become genuine with time.
Versillion had his hands tied behind his back before a pair of soldiers began to escort him back toward the entrance. He followed without complaint or resistance, resolving himself to whatever fate awaited him after this war was done. The crimes he may have committed were not solely his own, and there were many who would not surrender themselves as readily as he had. They would all be made to answer for what they have done, and one in particular would bare most of the weight of these sins.
Now that our prisoner was sorted, we could return to the fight as we joined with the soldier pushing toward the throne room. We melded into the formation as everyone was on edge, expecting a new point of conflict to emerge at any moment. This tension snapped when we approached a T-section of the hall, and the front line was hit with what looked to have been part of the floor that had been propelled by magic to deadly speeds.
Three people got knocked over and crushed beneath the slab of stone. I couldn’t even check to see if they were still alive before arrows followed that initial attack from the left, forcing everyone to take cover. Pushing my way to the front of the group, I peered around the corner to get an idea of what we were dealing with.
I was only able to get a quick look in before they fired on me to make me duck around the corner again. At least as was able to see the gist of things as another makeshift barricade was erected between us and the few dozen Thrainians who were currently defending it. It looked like one of the mages also had a large stone floating in the air, poised to be launched at the first solid target they saw. What was more important, though, was what I saw behind them as there was a large set of double doors. That was a throne room entrance if I’ve ever seen one.
While it was nice that we were close to our goal, that probably meant that we would see the fiercest resistance. They were literally throwing the floor at us, so I imagined at this point structural damage was an acceptable risk for them to take. We’d have to be alert in case they decided to do something crazy, like dropping the ceiling on our heads.
To that effect, it would be best if we could close the distance and force them to give up on their position as quickly as possible. The slower the push, the more time they would have to see that their strategy wasn’t working and then take a more drastic measure. I retreated from the corner and allowed the soldiers to take up position again as the archers and mages began to exchange fire.
I tried to think of what we could do. Simply rushing them would work, and has worked, but I would like to conserve life rather than just throw it into the meat grinder. Taking a more defensive approach would be ideal, but when I looked around at the soldiers surrounding me, few of them had shields, and of those that did, they were quite small when compared to their body size, making them ineffective against most ranged attacks.
We needed something with more coverage that could not only block for those in front but also anyone behind. My eyes drifted around the hallway in search of some clue that could help. There wasn’t much around other than rubble and scattered pieces of furniture. Just as I was about to turn away, I had a lightbulb moment.
“Hey Otar,” I said, gaining his attention. “Remember that trick you pulled when we rescued Kala from the kidnappers?”
He took a moment to think but soon realized what I was referring to. A smirk spread across his face as he eyed all the furniture around us before his expression soured slightly. “It could work, but I’m not seeing a lot of good pieces around here. All this fancy stuff looks good, but there aren’t many pieces that are built to be sturdy enough to take multiple arrows. Besides, I’m worried about the mages and being crushed by a rock or set on fire.”
Kala tilted her head in confusion when she heard that. “Wait, you used furniture to fight those guys? How does that even work?”
“Otar used a table as a shield to block some bolts from crossbows,” Hargon answered. “However, I’m going to have to agree with Otar here. These pieces don’t seem like they would hold up long enough for us to charge their lines.”
Those were valid arguments, but fortunately we didn’t have to charge it alone this time. “That may be true, but we have support this time around. There were plenty of small tables and desks that lined the hallways we passed through. If we get the soldiers to assist us, then we can cycle who is standing in front and taking the fire once our makeshift shields begin to fall apart.”
That got everyone thinking again as they considered things from this new angle. “That seems more plausible,” Ulthises commented absentmindedly. “The Thrianian mages are still a concern, though.”
“How many mages do we have with us?” The question was asked to everyone.
“I’ve only noticed two on our side.” Jorn answered.
Two!? What am I going to do with two? That was an unfortunate number to be working with, but maybe there was something creative that could be done with their skills.
“Where are they? I need to know what they can do.”
Jorn made a gesture toward the front of the battle, and I saw the pair in question, a Droln and a Valus, each holding a crystal and waiting for a chance to make their move. I’d have to pull them away for a moment, but I hoped to make it worth it. Moving quickly, I reached them before they got it in their heads to step out.
“You two, I need to have a word.” They seemed surprised by my sudden command but didn’t question it as we retreated from the kill zone.
“What did you need from us, sir?” The two of them stood at attention but didn’t salute as we were still in a combat situation, and they maintained a battle-ready stance.
“An explanation on your abilities. I’m attempting to put together a plan, but I need information.”
“Well, I can control water,” the Droln said.
“And I can command fire,” the Valus added.
I considered my options now that I knew that. An idea was starting to form in my mind. “How much water do you have access to right now?”
“Unfortunately, I've used a lot of my stores since we began this battle. I only have four water skins left.”
I briefly considered trying to explain how there is moisture in the air and seeing if he couldn’t access it, but that would probably take too long, and there was no guarantee that he would grasp the concept. We’d have to make do with what was available, and I think I knew just how to use it.
“Can you heat water rapidly?” I asked.
The Valus seemed a little confused where I was going with the question. “Sure, but not a lot at once.”
“Can you target it even if you can’t directly see it?”
The more questions I asked the more his head seemed to spin. “Well, as long as I knew exactly where it was, and it wasn’t too far away.”
“That will work.” I was now armed with enough information to create the opening we needed. I explained my idea to them, and they seemed intrigued enough to give it a chance.
With the mages now onboard, I just had to spread the plan to the remaining soldiers and get them to participate. It started with a dozen of them backtracking and taking tables that hadn’t been damaged too badly for us to use. After that we did a few short drills to get them used to the motion of swapping positions to make better use of our temporary cover. The drills, preparations, and explanations took a little time, but we were in a standoff at the moment, so it didn’t have much of an impact in the grand scheme of things.
We were ready, so our forces prepared to charge around the corner as soon as the signal was given. The two mages looked to me for confirmation, and I gave them a nod. In one swift motion, the Droln mage threw all four of his water skins around the corner, using his command of the liquid to adjust their trajectory midflight.
Immediately following the release of the skins, the Valus began to channel their own magic into the in-flight water, rapidly heating it to a boil and beyond. The explosive increase in temperature facilitated a rapid change in state from liquid to gas. This alone wouldn’t have been all too thrilling, but due to the containers the water was in being sealed shut, the pressure resulted in the skins rupturing with significant force, spreading a thick cloud of scalding steam all throughout the hallway.
We received immediate confirmation of its effectiveness when many shouts of pain and shock came from the Thrainians. The burns would be superficial, but painful and debilitating, especially if it got in the eyes. I held off on giving the order to charge until the steam had cooled enough to not hurt us as well, but soon after detonation, we began to rush them.
The fog created by the steam wasn’t thick enough to completely block sight, but it was a bit hazy. Couple that with injuries to the face and eyes and they were forced to fire half blind at us. Many arrows perforated the wooden furniture that the soldiers were using as shields, but they held up well enough. The problems emerged when the mages started to strike back. One individual found their table reduced to splinters as a large stone came crashing through it and into their chest. He collapsed, gasping and struggling to move. I wished to aid him, but the momentum of the crowd carried me forward. Someone in the back would have to help him.
He was not the only one to be injured. Arrows slipped through gaps and found flesh, more magic swept through those in the front, their temporary shields doing little to shelter them from fire and stones. Those who were injured, or had their cover destroyed, rotated out of their position and allowed the next soldier to take their place. I could only imagine how bizarre the situation was from the enemy's perspective as a wall of furniture slowly encroached upon their position.
Still, for all the injuries, my plan did save at least a few people and provided us an edge once we got into melee range. The front line threw their furniture at the Thrainian lines, sowing further chaos. The hesitation to advance practically disappeared from the coalition forces as soon as they got within striking distance. Many in the front lines took flying leaps over the barricade, planting feet into the chests of faces of any unfortunate enough to be in their way.
I was part of the second wave, and I quickly clambered over the barricade to get into the fight. I focused on distraction and defense, making myself a nuisance that couldn’t be easily ignored, at least not without consequence. I rang someone’s bell with a solid strike to the side of the head, dazing him. After that I made sure to put him on the ground by seizing him by the neck and performing a choke slam, driving him into the floor with enough force to concuss.
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Ulthises made a dangerous move that I didn’t know he was capable of. He was fighting off one soldier with a spear when another tried to get behind him. I was about to warn him when his tail suddenly snapped up like a whip, striking the man behind him upside the head. The blow carried with it the power of all the muscles in his lower half, resulting in the soldier not only being knocked to the floor, but almost doing a cartwheel in the process. If he wasn’t dead, then he was definitely knocked out.
Hargon wasn’t pulling punches either. Lowering his head, he hooked soldiers with his horns and threw them with a toss of his head. He also managed to catch a soldier unaware from behind, and his large hand wrapped around the unfortunate victim's head. With a sharp jerk, he twisted the man's head until his spine snapped with an audible crack. Death was near instant, and the body crashed to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut.
The Thrainians were consistent in their strategy, though. This brief contact with them was short lived as they quickly began to fall back once more. They ran toward the throne room doors, funneling themselves inside as a fire mage covered their retreat by practically setting the very stones of the castle ablaze. That might have been hyperbole, but it did take a while to smother the flames even when they didn’t have a solid source of fuel. Magic was just a pain in the ass that way.
After the flames died out, we found ourselves before the large double doors. Each one was ten feet tall and made from a rich, polished wood with bands of iron. While I wouldn’t say that there was anything particularly lavish or unique about this door, in this moment, it was incredibly intimidating. Months of struggle, fighting, pain, all of it culminating in this one moment. I couldn’t lie to myself; I was nervous about what I'd find behind this door.
I reached forward and... What the fuck? Why is my hand shaking? I had no idea why and frankly it pissed me off. This should be my victory, my moment of triumph, where I can finally take my revenge for everything that he’s done to me, and countless other people. So why the fuck am I shaking!?
I didn’t want to admit it, I didn’t want it to be true, but a part of me, a part that I had buried under rage, was afraid of him. My body could still remember what he put me through, the agony that I suffered as his command, and it was telling me to run. Frustration was quickly overwhelming my senses as this was the exact opposite of what I wanted this moment to be.
Every time I imagined this moment in my head, I was confident, vengeful, strong. Now, though, I felt that same soul crushing fear that had plagued me during my imprisonment in that bleak pit. It wasn’t fair. I had come so far and now I was frozen in place, unable to take that last step forward. Stupid, useless, cowardly...
My self-depreciating rant came to an abrupt halt when Kala grabbed hold of my hand. She gave me the same reasuring smile she always did when I was feeling overwhelmed. Just her touch was enough to bring me back to a calm state.
“It’s alright. I’m here for you; we all are.” Her voice was gentle and carried with it enough strength for the both of us.
Glancing behind me, my friends were also wearing supporting smiles and even gave me reassuring nods. That’s right, I'm not alone this time. Their presence filled me with the courage I needed to continue. With a deep breath, I reached for the door as everyone behind me raised their weapons in anticipation.
The door was heavy, and it creaked slightly as I pushed on it, but at least it wasn’t blocked. They probably didn’t have enough time to barricade it before we followed behind them. With another firm shove, they swung open quickly as our forces poured into the large rectangular room.
There were pillars that were spread at even intervals on either side of the room, reaching all the way to the ceiling where they seamlessly melded into the decorative molding of the ceiling. Three large windows adorned the wall on the left side of the room, allowing a view of the castle gardens. A long royal blue carpet stretched across the floor from the entrance all the way to the back of the room.
We weren’t here to admire the decorations, though, and our hosts weren’t in the mood for a friendly reception. The last of the Thrainian soldiers, numbering approximately several dozen, were lined up at the other end of the room. Their large shields were deployed, and spears lowered. Even with the display of discipline, I found it hard to be intimidated by so few when I had charged into armies before. No, the real threat, was the person behind them.
Alathos sat on a blocky, stone throne with carvings of stylized Sevathen in the back of the chair. The armrests jutted out into snarling serpentine heads, each one an exaggerated imitation of what Soro looked like. The man himself was dressed in his near garish armor, gold plated steel with intricate patterns and runes inlaid in the surface. His features were chilling to say the least. Where before he wore a calm mask or charisma and etiquette with nary a hair out of place, now he showed clearly a vicious scowl of contempt and loathing. That sense of fear returned as I felt that unhinged glare focused almost solely on me, making me feel small.
I tried not to focus on that, and instead worried once more about what was behind his throne. A large crystal towered over the chair, shimmering with iridescent power. It didn’t seem to be all that large at first glance when compared to what I had seen at Yol’vastume, but when I looked closer, it was obvious that the crystal continued into the ground, hinting that it was larger than it let on. This was undoubtedly the Heart of the Earth, and just looking at it made the hairs on my neck prickle.
My attention was brought back to Alathos as he stood from his seat. He turned up his nose and burned holes into me with his eyes. It was as if nobody else existed in that moment, not the soldiers on his side or mine. Then, he spoke, and his voice made my stomach lurch with revulsion.
“So, the traitor returns. A peasant, playing as a knight in the mud with the rest of these hideous creatures.”
My ire began to rise with his every word, helping me drown my feelings of unease. “Traitor implies that I was once on your side. That was never the case, and knowing what I do about you now, I regret ever even considering asking you for help.”
He let out a deranged laugh that seemed to foul the very air. “Ever the obstinate one, hording that which should belong to your betters. How you managed to steal that power from the goddess I do not know, but I will set things right and take back her gifts so I may use them to create a beautiful and perfect world.”
I sighed to myself. He was just as insane as he was when I last talked to him, he just showed it more openly now. It was a waste of time to engage him in any amount of conversation. He was too far gone in his narcissistic dreams of power.
“Who or what I am matters very little at this point. It’s over. You lost. The city is overrun, your castle is surrounded, and this small group of soldiers is all that is left to protect you. It’s all just a waiting game at this point, so why don’t you do the only decent thing you could ever do in your life and surrender, so your men don’t have to die.”
The soldiers defending him started to glance around, probably wishing that their king would take the deal. Alathos, however, was furious, and his scowl seemed to multiply in intensity.
“I will not grovel before these animals or debase myself by bending the knee. I am the king! I am chosen! My rule is righteous, and my cause just! You will not be allowed to take an easy victory, or any victory at all so long as I’m still breathing!”
Figured that would be more or less the answer. Still, the deranged rant and wild eyes really put it into perspective just how poorly things have gone for him ever since I escaped his clutches. To think that the cold, calculated evil that I had once endured was now more akin to a raving mad man. He wasn’t quite done though, and the way his face changed from that outraged sneer to a calmer, but still glowering look so fast put me on edge.
“You are right about one thing, however. The city is lost, overrun by filthy beasts. The citizens will soon be helpless before their barbarism once the pillaging begins.” He turned and began walking toward the crystal. “Their lives will be better spent as martyrs to our cause. I can rebuild what is lost later.”
My eyes widened in horror as I quickly shouted out a desperate command. “Stop him!”
The coalition forces at my back only looked surprised for a moment before they realized the danger and obeyed. Our lines darted forward, intent on crashing through the flimsy formation of Thrainians who seemed to be contemplating whether they should stand their ground or not. I think the sight of us rushing them forced their brains to rely on their training over their reason because they braced themselves just before we clashed.
The initial impact already saw them sliding backward inches at a time as they struggled to push against our overwhelming strength. I was desperately clawing at the soldiers, trying everything to get by them and reach Alathos before it was too late. It was maddening to watch helplessly as he stepped up to the crystal and reached out with deliberate movements to touch its surface.
Everything felt like it was underwater. My movements became weighted, and a single second seemed to stretch into an eternity. I was stuck between a wall of metal bodies and the shoving forms of our friendly troops trying to push us past them. There was nothing I could do, and that was the moment that he laid hands upon the shimmering surface of the crystal. Then, the whole world started to fall apart.
The earth shook beneath our feet, stones cracking and dust falling from the ceiling. I found it difficult to even stand, as did many others as we wobbled in place, trying to find an equilibrium on the unsteady ground. There was a break in the top of the ceiling, and several large stones came raining down on top of us.
“Heads up!” My warning came too late for some who were struck with the rocks and knocked prone, dead or unconscious. Others managed to dodge in time, taking only glancing blows. I was one of those individuals, bobbing and weaving out of the way of the cascading stones.
A loud noise from further away caught my attention, and I looked out the windows to see that the destruction was not limited to the castle. Part of the wall surrounding the inner keep had collapsed, giving me a view of the city beyond and just how far this spell magic was spreading. Buildings were crumbling in the distance, rifts in the earth large enough to swallow streets opened, and even the towers and tall buildings of stone shook from the force of this spell, barely holding together for now.
How big is that fucking crystal!? For once I thought they might not have exaggerated about it in the stories. Of course, the one time that an old legend turns out to be true it’s in a situation that fucks me.
A few of the coalition soldiers managed to slip by the stumbling line of Thrianians and make a dash for Alathos. The mad king seemed to notice them and turned his attention toward the small group. I was shocked to see that Alathos had started bleeding from his nose and eyes. The power of the crystal was too much, and it was slowly tearing him apart. To persist even through that pain... He had truly lost all reason.
Alathos raised a hand toward the charging soldiers, and my stomach dropped. “TAKE COVER!” The urgency of my scream was recognized immediately, and soldiers scattered as I dragged Kala with me.
A world that was falling apart was now set ablaze as a massive wall of fire erupted from Alathos’ hand, crashing into everyone, friend and foe alike. He no longer cared for the lives of his own people, and harrowed screams filled the room as people were burned alive in a sea of flames. Those who managed to make it to the cover of nearby pillars avoided the worst of the fire, but I still got scalded as I sheltered Kala with my body. I did not know which element Alathos had an affinity for, but the fact of the matter was he was brute forcing powerful spells into existence, a feat that should not be possible.
The amount of power being arrayed against us wasn’t something you could overcome with numbers, or even any magic of our own. If Soro was still in fighting shape, maybe we would have a chance, but as it stood, I could see no way to win this fight.
The only safe exit from the room was in plain view of Alathos, and even if we escaped, he was still intent on tearing the city down with us in it. I looked for my friends, double checking their safety and being relieved that they had all found cover, but worried because they all had at the very least minor burns. My heart started to race as I desperately tried to think of how to save my friends, the city, and myself.
No good exits, no good avenues of attack, no means of attack, and the city was still falling to pieces by the second. Panic was starting to set in now, and that was before another wave of fire engulfed a pillar on the other side of the room, killing those who were hiding behind it. Now we were on a timer, and I couldn’t afford to delay.
I looked at Kala, her face twisted with concern and fear that we could be next. The longer I stared at her, the more my heart felt like it was in a vice. As my thoughts came to one dead end after the next, my options were slowly whittled down until I realized that not everything could be saves, and something had to be given. I swallowed my trepidation and my sadness as I reached out to Kala, taking her by the shoulder, and looking her in the eye.
“Kala, I... I love you, and I always will.”
She blinked a few times, confused. “What? Why are...” She looked at me, then at my hand, and then her face contorted into pure dread as she quickly tried to remove my hand from her body. “NO! N-”
I held fast and quickly used my magic to pinch a nerve similar to that of the vagus. It was closer to her spine than in humans, which made me nervous, but I accurately overstimulated it which made her jerk and then fall unconscious. I let out a shuddering exhale as I leaned in a placed a gentle kiss on her head.
Steeling myself, I breathed deep and then called out. “Otar!”
“What?!” his reply came from a few pillars away.
“When you see the opening, I need you to grab Kala and get out of here.”
“The fuck are you talking about?” I could hear the worry in his voice as he asked that. He must have known I was about to do something crazy.
“Just be ready! That’s an order!” I couldn’t see his face, but I could very well imagine it twisted in disbelief.
That was all I could do, and now, I had to call upon a power I had promised not to touch. Closing my eyes, I focused on the flow of magic within my body, condensing it, corralling it. More and more the image of the being residing within me coalesces until the picture is clear enough for me to delve into the depths of its power.
This familiar and alien world of darkness envelopes me. It is not like the last time where I frantically raced into the blackness. I knew the risk of what I was about to do, and despite my concerns, I was surprisingly calm.
Searching the dark, I knew that it was here, and it would come to me eventually. I was proven correct when the dark shimmered, and piercing green eyes gazed at me from the shadows. I approached, steady steps carrying me forward as the abyssal serpent met my resolve with statuesque posture.
“You know why I'm here, and I know what it is that I’m asking. If I don’t do this, then hundreds of thousands will die. I have no other option, so don’t make me fight you over this again, I'm not in the mood.”
After a moment of stillness, the serpent lowered its head until it was looking me in the eye. It felt like it was judging me, determining the strength of my resolve. I stared back, unflinching as the emerald eyes of this magical being studied me. My determination would not falter now, because the alternative would mean losing everything that I had, again.
I think it understood this, and that I would not back down even if it tried to deny me. Rising back to its full height, it began to move, though not away from me. It circled me, looping its body around me in ever tightening circles until the shifting black of its form was mere inches from my own. Then, its slow constriction finally made contact, and instead of pressure, I was gently enveloped and phased into its body, two becoming one, for the last time.
I felt the change instantly as my veins were filled with fire. My body convulsed, muscles spasming as I tried to adapt to the pain of my body being ripped apart. I gritted my teeth, pushing myself to my feet, and dashed out of cover and into the center of the room.
“Alathos!” The bastard turned to me, his own body still falling apart from taking on the power of the crystal. “I’m coming for you.”
He sneered, bloody rivers running down his face as he bled from several orifices before roaring and throwing a hand up in my direction. I braced and started to heal myself in preparation before a rush of hot air heralded the inferno to come.
There was no helping the fear I felt as another surge of fire came rushing toward me. I shielded my face, but it did little as the fire collided with me and instantly stripped me of several layers of flesh. The pain melded with that of my body being ripped apart by the power of a goddess. It came and went in waves as my nerves were repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt.
I don’t think Alathos expected me to still be standing, because as soon as my eyes regenerated from the liquified remains they had been reduced to, he showed clear surprise as the last bits of charred flesh returned to normal. Casting a quick glance behind me, I saw that Otar had listened to me and retrieved Kala from behind the pillar, carrying her away. My gaze lingered on her for a second, knowing that this was probably the last time I would see her. I held the image of her sleeping face in my mind as I turned back to Alathos, a determined glare on my face.
Through gritted teeth, I growled a threat. “For everything you’ve done, you will die.” I began walking forward, and he blasted me with another concentrated stream of flames.
It was like fighting against a burning gale, and every step was a labor of agony. The pain sometimes paralyzed me as I fought and clawed my way toward him. At a few points my muscles disintegrated, forcing me down to a knee as I suffered under the flames and my revolting body until I could focus enough healing on my limbs to stand again. I could not see, and I oriented myself based on the direction of the push from Alathos’ spell.
It felt like I had been walking for miles, and the forces pushing against me grew steadily stronger as I got closer to the source. Soon enough I realized that my legs were no longer being burned, meaning that the cone of flame was so close that it could not affect them. I reached out, blindly groping against the burning winds until I encountered solid resistance.
Seizing hold, I twisted, resulting in a snap as I broke Alathos’ wrist. He cried out in pain as the flames stopped, allowing me to regenerate my body and finally look him in the eye. Hatred and indignation were what I saw as he glared at me with bared teeth. He removed his other hand from the crystal and tried to point it at me, but I grabbed that hand and broke it as well. I made sure to twist extra far and his knees began to buckle a bit from the pain. It was pathetic as he only experienced a fraction of what I’ve had to endure.
There was no escaping me now, and without a way to drain the ocean of power surging through my body, this could only end in one way. We were the last living people in this room, so there was no need to delay it any longer. I stopped healing myself, let the power expand as my body split and ruptured, skin tearing like paper before casting boiling blood into the air where it floated free of gravity.
I embraced Alathos, holding him in an iron grip as the pressure inside me grew beyond the limits of my flesh. “Enjoy the pits, asshole.”
He could tell that something was going to happen, but no matter how hard he struggled he could not break away from me. A frustrated roar of anger left his lips, and there was no sweeter music to my ears. That was when my body finally gave out, and there was a flash of bright li-