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(He was struck many times and hit back, trading slashes and cuts with gods, elves, half-elves and mortals, keeping the fated sword always out of their reach, and the traitor always in sight.)
But there was a swirling dark hole in Sherazedan’s mind; possession’s entry and exit wound; the lingering deep kiss of Chaos. Its giggling, jangling, crazed screeching voice twisted and warped and drove him relentlessly, pushing his thoughts… driving him into…
dO Ittt NOw
(Out on the plaza, the exile attacked him with burning flame, searing away three tentacles, forcing him to hurl the sword up into the air. Stalled that threat by drowning the princeling in darkness and smothering ooze.)
And there was the boy. That accursed, treacherous insect. Laughing at him, when a single stroke with the greatest of swords could put everything right, forever. He had to slaughter the boy, once all of the worlds that the wretch infested came together.
kIlL HiiiM
(Other minions came running, scurried like roaches, trying to free the trapped exile. The traitor-apprentice lit up his own hands with fire, seizing a whipping tentacle, exploding it to blazing shreds. Meanwhile the mortal wizard called lightning and wind from the heavens, empowering two of the gods.)
And Chaos was just another way to say “entropy”. Death, destruction, ruin… brought on by a lone rebellious apprentice. One worthless tool that had turned in Sherazedan’s grasp to stab him.
giiVE Meee heaRt’s bLOooD AnD ssSSsScReaMS
(Then Vernax the Golden arose, spouting flame. The dragonet had been spelled back to life and quick hatching by Serrio. No matter. He had enough power to take all of them on, to pour out their lives and call forth the reign of Chaos. That screeching young dragon was met in midair by a griffin, who touched Vernax beak-to-muzzle as though making plans. Very amusing. He wrapped them both up in a writhing knot of dark tentacles. But the wizard and traitor took advantage of his distraction. Using lightning and fire, they peeled back the shroud that he’d placed on the exile, letting in air.)
It was very hard to recall what had happened. Sherazedan had taken Oberyn’s place as reality’s linchpin; hauled in and trapped when his plan to free Oberyn collapsed through the sabotage of an unworthy… a corrupted… the rebellious…
drIVe HIm awAaay FromM tHE rEsT
(One of those paladins leapt from a platform of floating rock. Caught hold of the tendril that held the sword, fighting to take his fated weapon away. Entertaining, and so very futile. He whipped his tentacle down to the ground with thunder-clap suddenness, crushing that “holy knight” like a flea. Blood, brains and shattered armor covered the stone like yolk and shell from a broken egg. So much for the power of prayer.)
The Mother should have been slain by that cursed young high-elf, spilling godly blood at the right place and time to free Oberyn… Oberyn… free… his brother was here.
THeeEe tTraitoR mUst nOT bEEEeeeE ALLowEd tO eSSSssScAPe
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(Lightning struck him repeatedly, as did a rain of whirling, poisoned blades, but he was beyond pain or fear of destruction. Nothing could hurt a being reborn to vengeance and wrath. He sent a pulse of dark fire through the spell’s weaving, turning its force to fry that sneaking young wizard to ash.)
Only, the boy would not do Sherazedan’s bidding. He’d trapped the Dark Mother inside of himself, and Firelord, too. After that, he’d plunged into a floor of swallowing stone and away to the very far future, leaving Sherazedan behind to pay the price for a scheming minion’s betrayal.
stAb… dRaIN thE OTherSssss
(The traitor, two more and a half-seen undead thing plunged through the rift that he’d made. Down into the chewing gears and thumping parts of a mechanism they could not hope to destroy. Unless… that looping corrupted machine wasn’t their actual goal.)
But Arvendahl was present. Arvendahl, who had never forgotten his friend, companion and master, Sherazedan. Though the traitor’s wish globe had altered time, Falco knew he’d been robbed. Knew and hated the cause of this gut-wrenching loss.
aLL THaT yooOUuU EVeR lOveD toRn aWAY
(The former goddess and Firelord contrived somehow… pooled their own shrinking manna… used it to free Serrio of Fate’s imprisonment. Trouble, but he had more important matters to attend to. It was past time to end Fate’s threat, and all of the others. He opened a vast, fanged hole in the ground with Arvendahl’s earth-power, laughing as most of those gathered worms tumbled inside; helpless as leaves in a maelstrom.)
But as for Sherazedan… Falco, the Mother… they had been called by the sword, and now Destroyer was theirs. With it, timelines and worlds could be shattered and skewed, vengeance finally attained. They had only to…
kill tHEm… CONsumE aLL THReeeeeeEeeeee OF thE TRaiToRS
…with one blow. Here, inside the machine, that cowardly rebel darted and scuttled, searching for something, shielded by cursed minions of Order. But Order was… his brother… Oberyn was…
sssSenD YouR alLiEs TO ssSTriKE thEm ALL DOwN
Couldn’t think. Couldn’t wrest his own will back. And so,
“Falco,” Sherazedan whispered, inside what was left of a cratered mind. “Go to this Far Keep, my friend, and there brace up the Fallen One.”
His only true ally and all he had left, to be hurled like a spear and possibly lost in the struggle. But life was sacrifice. He’d learned that, discovered that even the gods had to pay for their keep in heart’s blood and loss.
“My lord, my brother, my life… I go,” replied Arvendahl, forming a body and bowing low. Next, they embraced, not long enough, for maybe the very last time. Then Falco dissolved in a flare of purple-dark flame, vanishing here to reappear there, landing in a cold, lifeless tower surrounded by death.
yEEssssSSssS… noW ThE otHeR
(The exiled prince had pulled loose of his slimy, smothering tomb, was shouting encouragement to the rest of that rabble, as more worthless insects rushed in… these freed from the mines and armed with whatever they’d found on the way.)
The Dweller-in-Shadow, Mother of Nightmares, was more of a bitter captive and hostage than ally. She'd been ripped out of Falco after she’d seized the bold, vengeful elf-lord, granting him power and madness. But wasn’t Order itself the ultimate killer, preventing all change, ending time?
SssSEnD hERrrrrrr
“Mother Night,” said Sherazedan, trying to think around the great, hollow wound in his mind. “Here is your chance at freedom, in a place where there are no more gods. Go to the farthest retreat of the traitor. Awaken this “OVR-Lord”. Lend him your might and your hatred.”
The seething void-goddess did not bow to Sherazedan or to anyone else. Scarcely acknowledged his command as the greatest of wizards released her. Formed her own misty and roiling body, hissing,
“For liberty and a realm of my own to exploit… yes. It is done.”
The Mother grudged her aid, despising all sides equally. But like Falco, she went; breaking up into whirling bits that streamed like smoke through the broadening link between worlds.
hhHeeee... hEeEee… theee EnD… thE endEndeNdenD... ENNNNNNNNNNd
It was so near! So very close. The worldlines were almost together now, stretched and braided so tight that all of reality strained. Sherazedan could sense the shift, as his monstrous dark-form lifted the sword… as he made the emperor’s corpse do an obscene and horrible dance… as he hunted the traitor to death and beyond.