by Max Jager
Korzen just roared at her, ready to attack! He outspread his claws ready to rip and tear through the angel.
"Your crime is betrayal! You have betrayed yourself, your allies, and your superiors for your own selfish needs! The new generation of rogues looked at you as a hero. You betrayed them!"
Alerius started shaking. She was getting deep for him. She was right on every point too.
"You were an immortal in your own right Korzen." She continued on. "And you threw it away like a wasted bullet clip. You have offended yourself, you have offended every rogue who has given or will ever give their lives in this war, and you have offended even God himself!"
Korzen just sneered at her with this silent rage. He was filling up with this dark power. His whole body started to get wrapped up in these black lighting bolts. His eyes started glowing this dark red! The evil inside of him was coming to a boiling point!
Alerius was startled by what Aurela had said about God. He wasn't really a religious guy but for some reason he could feel that Aurela was right. He couldn't explain how though.
Aurela's eyes blasted with this bright white light and this strange strong wind began to pick up around her. The ground around Korzen started to shake as the entire chamber began to quake! Alerius backed off a couple of steps feeling something really bad was about to happen!
"You still have a chance to redeem yourself Korzen. One way you may be forgiven. Ask for it and mean it! Ask for forgiveness. You will never be forgiven by me but maybe God will have mercy and when I send you to the grave; maybe you can still transcend to Heaven and become an eternal warrior in His service! Still having a chance at some kind of immortality."
Korzen just growled at her and was ready to annihilate her and Firius. He had been waiting for this for a long time! There was nowhere for them to run! Nowhere for them to hide! His time was now! He would kill the Red Firius. His thoughts of peace and tranquility were gone forever. His 'retirement' was nonexistent. The only thing on his mind now was 'KILL KILL! KILL THE RED FIRIUS, KILL THE LEYLINE! KILL, KILL, KILL, KILL THEM NOW!'
Aurela's voice became slightly deeper. "These crimes are unforgivable by me or by God! That's not the reason I'm going to destroy you now though! The reason I'm going to send you to Hell is because you would have destroyed The Red Firius and everything he holds dear! You have already killed The Yellow Korzen, the only real person that Firius ever held dear in his life and you would have killed me and him without hesitation!"
Korzen just sneered as those black bolts around him got thicker and more violent.
"When you get to Hell, Korzen…"
Everything got real silent.
"Make room for Flaming, he's next!"
Suddenly, these bright beams blasted out of her eyes and went straight at Korzen. Korzen threw out his arms and these eight, black bolts blasted from his arms! They were the accumulation of all the black bolts from over his body. Four from the left arm, four from the right. The two powers collided right in the middle of the chamber and when they did, the whole volcano shook! The planet of Wrath Burn itself was shaken to its very core! These two titans could just rip the planet apart by themselves!
The two powers struggled against each other as the two were locked in a death inducing battle! Aurela's beams struggled against Korzen's bolts. Neither one of them could gain an advantage over the other. Alerius just stood off to the side gazing at the battle that was happening right in front of him.
Suddenly, Aurela's beams seemed to get thicker and blasted through Korzen's bolts. He struggled against the beams but it was no use. He was blown away! Right through the magma flow and was out of sight. Aurela's beam retracted into her eyes and she floated close to the ground. She did not touch though. Alerius walked up to her side. "Is he dead?"
Aurela was still looking at the lava waterfall her eyes glowing brightly. "Not hardly!"
Alerius turned his attention to the fall and saw that Korzen was, indeed, still alive! Alerius got back from Aurela and went back to being a spectator to the fight.
Korzen blasted through the lava and was heading for Alerius! Aurela threw out her hand and Korzen was propelled backwards. He tumbled twice but was back on his feet faster then Alerius could believe.
Korzen hurtled his arm outward and Aurela was driven back by some invisible force. She was ejected right out of the air and was thrown down the hall they had come into the chamber from.
Korzen's attention quickly turned to Alerius. He growled and was about to attack him when this huge sphere of golden light came up the hall and slammed into Korzen's demonic form. He was driven back almost through the lava again but he flipped right back onto his feet.
Aurela came floating up the hallway and said, "You really didn't think you could get rid of me that easily, did you?"
Korzen sneered at her. He then folded his arms and bent his back forward. His whole body began to shake and he began to roar with pain! Suddenly, these huge, bat wings blasted out of the top of his back and flapped right at the two. He began to flap them vigorously and began to lift into the air!
The two suddenly went head long into each other high in the air! Korzen outspread his claws and was about to burry them deep in Aurela's face! Aurela stopped them from coming down on her by putting up her own arm and blocked the blow. Korzen came up with his other arm and again she blocked it. They went on like this for awhile, high in the air! Until, both of them backed off of each other.
They got a good distance from each other. Aurela outspread her arm and this powerful golden orb like the one before formed in her hand. She aimed it right at Korzen. Korzen was flying in the air and turned a bit from her. He then had this black power orb of his own form in his hands. They both launched their respective power spheres at each other and they both hit in the middle of the room.
There was this bright flash of blinding light and Alerius couldn't tell exactly what was going on until the light was clear. When he was finally able to see, the whole wall where the lava fall had been was gone! They had blown a big hole right in the side of the volcano. They were now on the outside fighting each other!
Alerius kind of rolled his eyes. "So much for the quite way in!"
The two were physically fighting each other as Korzen was trying to land blows and Aurela blocked them all. She suddenly threw out her arms, and not even touching Korzen, flung him right into the ground below.
He landed hard like a falling spaceship and made a nice hole in the ground inside the volcano. He flew out of it though and went right up to Aurela and finally landed a blow. He had taken both his fists and launched them right into the Leyline's gut. Aurela was driven back from the force of the shot, right back into the volcano chamber. She was right back up in the air as soon as Korzen got back in the chamber. He then spun himself five times like a twister getting closer to Aurela. He had his fist ready and landed a hard hit right into her head.
Aurela was sent hard into the ground and made a big dust cloud when she hit. Alerius went to her side as she was almost buried in a four foot deep hole! Alerius grabbed her and pulled her out. Aurela suddenly threw out her arm and propelled Korzen back from an attack Alerius had not seen! Aurela looked at him sweetly, "Thanks, but that's what he was hoping for. He's after you, not me." She launched herself back into the air and continued the fight.
Alerius was down on the ground effected by Aurela's words. It was him she was protecting, not herself. He was suppose to be protecting her. 'She's taking control.' He though to himself. He was remembering what Braxus had told him. "I know you care for her and protect her but, really, how can you do that when your not calling the shots anymore. If she gains control, you won't be able to protect her anymore! She'll be in control and you will fail."
He knew he shouldn't be listening to a demon, especially a dead one, but it was hard for him to deny. If she did take control he couldn't protect her anymore. He should have been fighting Korzen, more powerful or not! He should have been the one putting his life on the line for
her sake. Not the other way around!
Korzen sent two black orbs at Aurela from both hands but she dodged them both. They blasted the rock wall behind her. She then went head long into Korzen and drove both her arms at him with her hands outward. She didn't even touch Korzen and he was sent right through a rock wall and out into the open sky! He stopped himself about twenty feet away from the volcano and quickly flew back in!
Alerius couldn't stand and watch this anymore! It should have been him fighting Korzen. Whether he would die or not.
Alerius walked beneath the two and yelled up at Korzen. "Hey! Hey!"
Both Aurela and Korzen stopped and looked at him.
"Korzen, your fight is with me, remember?"
Korzen lightly floated down with his wings lightly flapping. He looked at Alerius with an evil glair. Alerius was right. It was him that Korzen wanted.
Aurela shot herself straight down and landed hard. She walked up to Alerius and pulled his shoulder. "Firius, what are you doing?"
Alerius just pulled his shoulder away from her grip forcefully and didn't even look at her. "Come on Korzen! Its me you want! Come and get me!"
Korzen growled furiously and went running right towards Alerius. He was like a freight train on a one way trip to Hell! He was ready to rip the young rogue limb from limb!
Korzen was almost on him when Aurela's arm shot out and pushed him away from Alerius. She tried to get his attention again but he straight up ignored her. Alerius ran over to Korzen and started mocking him. "Come on, get up! Finish me off!"
Korzen quickly got up and jumped right on top of Alerius. Alerius struggled against his grip but he was too strong. He could barely even move. Whatever Korzen did to him would happen no matter what!
Korzen struck his hand down with claws wide spread to eviscerate Alerius's face! It stopped near inches and Alerius noticed that he seemed to be struggling against his own arm. He suddenly got whipped off of him by an unseen force.
Alerius got up and looked at Aurela. He finally walked over to her. "What are you doing?"
She was now completely shocked! "I am try to save you!"
"I don't need saving!"
"You won't survive against him alone. You don't have to fight alone anymore, sweetheart."
"Stop it!" Alerius yelled in her face.
He loved her and he didn't want her to die. He knew that if she fought that she would die. That's what he thought.
"That's what I'm here to do Firius. Fight!"
Korzen suddenly launched right at Alerius but Aurela stepped in and shoved him away. Korzen was right back on his feet. He was staring right at Aurela.
Alerius stepped over to the side and began waving at Korzen. "No! Hey, over here Korzen! I'm the one you want! Take me!"
Korzen turned his attention over to Firius and he growled deeply at him. A strange, red mist came from Korzen's maw as that deep growl echoed throughout the chamber like a reverberating thunder clap. "FIRIUS!"
Aurela watched as he slowly walked over to Firius. She flung a golden power orb at him but he didn't even have to look at it to dodge it successfully. He was ready to pounce right on Alerius.
He almost did when Aurela appeared right in front of Alerius. She took a nasty hit and was thrown to the corner of the chamber, about to fall off the edge of the destroyed rock wall.
Alerius ran over to her and held her head up. She was getting weak. Korzen was hurting her and that last shot had taken a lot out of her. He looked at her deeply. "Aurela, let me fight him! I don't want to lose you! I don't care if I die!"
Aurela touched his face gently. "I do."
She got to her feet and levitated above the ground. Korzen was already heading right for Alerius but Aurela pushed him back. He tumbled once but he used the force to do a back flip right back to his feet. He stared at Aurela menacingly.
Aurela stared right back with those bright eyes of hers. They were bright with light and she formed two golden orbs of light in her hands. She held them up and Korzen just waited for her next attack.
Suddenly, these thin beams of golden light protruded right out of the orbs and shot right for Korzen. Korzen dodged every one and was heading right for Aurela. Aurela kept up the attack but Korzen was too quick. When Korzen got close enough, he opened his mouth wide and this small black orb began to form deep in his throat. It began to swell in his mouth until this thick black beam launched out of his mouth with such force it drove him back a step and he struggled to keep the beam steady. The edges of his mouth were gone from the thickness of the beam.
It hit Aurela and she was driven right into the rock wall behind her. Aurela began to scream out in pain. Alerius wanted to help her but he had no idea what he could do!
Suddenly, the rock wall behind Aurela exploded and Aurela was now only in the air by the force of the black beam! Korzen then relinquished it and Aurela fell right out of the sky and hit the floor. She was out. Alerius couldn't tell if she was dead but she was definitely not moving!
Korzen soon looked over at him and began to growl. Alerius didn't even care! He went right over to Aurela and tried to pick her up. When he did, his hands were burned when he tried and he retracted back quickly! He looked at his hands and they were burnt! He wondered how that could be when he was impervious to anything hot.
He went to try to pick her up again but Korzen got a hold of his neck first. He picked him right up into the air and hauled him away from Aurela's side. Alerius tried to voice his disapproval but it was no use. Korzen's grip was too tight. He was surprised he could still breathe but that changed quickly.
He let out one exhale and suddenly he felt the crushing grip on his throat tighten. Now he couldn't breath at all! He tried desperately but all he was drawing in was what tasted like his own blood! He didn't know what would kill him first. The lack of oxygen or drowning in his own blood!
Korzen seemed to be smiling. He was finally going to get rid of The Red Firius like he had always wanted to. A short growl came from Korzen and it could be interpreted as one word, "DIE!"
He suddenly dropped Alerius and Alerius could finally breath again. Korzen looked behind himself and there was Aurela hovering above the ground like before. She had that strange wind blowing over her and that pure light in her eyes. Her skin was glowing just like before. She then started speaking in that tone of voice she had before she started the fight, "I am His weapon and His judgment is swift and just! Guess what Korzen?"
Korzen already had his claws extended and he was ready to burry them deep into Aurela's anatomy. He roared right at her. He then backed up a bit and took off after her! He was running faster then he had before with his claws ready, his teeth were shimmering, and he had the taste for angel blood!
Aurela just pointed right at him with her index finger as he charged her and she said, "Judgment Day is here!"
The red clouds behind Aurela began to swirl around like a tornado was ready to drop! They opened up reveling a blue atmosphere just like the one on Earth and a large, bright beam of light came down from the open sky. It stopped Korzen dead in his tracks and when it hit him, he began to roar with pain.
Aurela then hovered over to the other destroyed wall and said, "This is His wrath and mine combined! Rot in Hell Korzen! Forever!" she pointed her finger right at him again and the same thing happened on the other side! The clouds opened up and a bright beam of light came down and hit Korzen while the other was still on him! Now, two, great, bright beams of light were on him.
Alerius stared as Korzen convulsed inside the light. The light felt warm to him. Almost inviting. Like it hailed from Heaven itself. It was close to being as bright as the sun but it didn't hurt him to stair at it.
The forces on the ground were shielding their eyes from the light. It hurt them to even look at it at all. They were also scarred of it. It was alien to them but that wasn't why. Deep down, they knew where it originally came from.
Korzen slowly turned to Alerius and it seemed he was reaching out for help. His hair
had been incinerated, his skin was melting right off his bones, and black blood was draining out of him from everywhere! It looked like bubbling black tar. His claws fell to the ground like rotten teeth. Soon, all his flesh and muscle were gone and the only thing left was his charred bones in the light.
Under the light, this circle had formed and the bones sank into it as they were frozen in that reaching out pose. Alerius looked on in horrified relief as the last of Korzen's carcass disappeared from existence!
The light retracted back into the sky and Aurela fell down onto the ground, exhausted. Alerius rushed over to her and held her like he had back at The Pyramid. He caressed her gently, wanting some kind of proof of life.