by Aaron Oster
His powerful claws flexed, sending ripples flowing through the pools of magma. Truthfully, if it were up to him, he would just remain in these pools and sleep for another couple of hundred years. But, if the others were on the move, he would not allow himself to fall behind.
Ripper inhaled deeply, his lungs filling with the heat of the molten stone, though none of the actual stone entered his airway. The heat invigorated him, pushing more of the drowsiness from his mind and waking him to full alertness. He was behind the others – especially Quaker – but unlike her, he had wings.
The off-color and patchy wings flared out from his back, one feathered and white, the other batlike and brown. His twin heads rose above the pool of magma, one that of a lion, the other that of a goat, both sniffing at the air and scenting the growing storm.
All World Beasts thought they were the greatest, but Ripper knew he was. He was a Chimera, after all, a mix of all the most powerful beasts he’d devoured over the years. When this Convergence came to an end, he knew that the power of three more beasts would be gracing his core.
60
Morgan summoned a half dozen violet spears, sending them streaking into the ground even as the Massive Meteor blew apart. He then used Earthen Shift to pull several stone spikes up and around them, shielding them from being directly struck. As the dust from the attack cleared, the Beast King became visible once again, his body covered in small cuts and his left arm hanging limp at his side.
Yet, as Morgan had predicted, he was still very much alive. He roared, then violet light suffused his body as he began to access his Soulstream. His body jerked, locked into place as a half-dozen streams of lightning coursed into him all at once. The lightning, channeled through the protected spears, wouldn’t hold him for long, but it was long enough for Morgan to drop his second massive attack on his counterpart.
The lightning cut off suddenly, and before the Beast King could do anything, the dark funnel cloud slammed him to the ground once more. Gigantic spheres of burning violet fire flew into the storm next, resulting in a roaring conflagration.
Morgan breathed out slowly, pulling the six spears back to him, the weapons morphing into armor as they came into contact with his body. The 10th Category Gravity Breaker had been his last big skill, as his RP had been almost completely depleted with so many skills used in succession. However, he was confident that he’d weakened the Beast King enough to make a difference.
Of course, he could try using Soulstream again and heal himself, but Morgan had a way to keep him from doing that. As long as he kept on the pressure, pushing the Beast King back, he would win in the next few moves.
Even now, he could see it all playing out in his mind, sharpened to a point he’d never even thought possible. All of his recent insights and learned lessons seemed to be resulting in some serious changes, ones that even he wouldn’t have guessed possible.
The storm began to wear off, and Morgan darted in, correctly predicting when the Beast King broke free, using his own Gravity Breaker. The second funnel cloud came slamming down in the first, burning fire whirling up into the sky. However, if the Beast King had expected his attack to scare Morgan off, he’d have been sorely mistaken.
Morgan met the Beast King as soon as he exited the storm, his glowing, Stormforged spear – the only one he’d kept – leading the charge.
The Beast King was looking quite the worse for wear by now, his body covered in cuts and burns, and yet, he was still alive.
He screamed as Morgan’s spear rammed into his chest, piercing more than an inch into his tough skin and driving him back through the air. He tried to teleport away, but Morgan was still using his own skill to keep him locked down, so the Beast King was forced to try and overwhelm Morgan’s power with his own.
Violet light flared around his body as armor formed, and a pair of hammers appeared in his hands. Morgan recognized these as the weapons he’d used against the Pinnacle King, Octagon, and despite the painful memories associated with them, Morgan had to hide a smile.
He’d been right. The Beast King was stuck in the past, using the same moves he’d had access to the last time he’d been free. Morgan was now five steps ahead and closing in on the end even faster than he’d predicted, but the fight wasn’t over yet.
The Beast King slammed one of his hammers down on Morgan’s spear, cutting a deep line in his skin but freeing him of the downward force driving him back. He then closed, bringing the hammer up in a powerful swing to try and take Morgan beneath the chin.
Morgan let the attack hit, gritting his teeth and taking the blow. But even as he was launched skyward, he pulled a spike of stone up from the ground with him. The Beast King cried out as it pierced into his back, threatening to sever his spine and end the fight right then and there, but his body flared with power again and the stone crumbled as he shot away, using his Hypersonic Flight.
He vanished from Morgan’s view for an instant, the sonic boom of his passing sending a shockwave through the surrounding foliage – though it barely rustled the leaves of the massive tree.
Already knowing where the Beast King was going to appear next, Morgan braced himself, then teleported an inch to his right. He knew that while he had the Beast King locked down, the man himself wouldn’t have even thought of trying to do the same.
A blast of air flashed by him, and a moment later, the ground caved in as the Beast King smashed into it with the force of a falling meteor. Morgan followed this time, his spear lancing into the Beast King’s left shoulder as he pulled himself from the ground.
His opponent roared in pain as the spear broke through skin and bone, protruding from the other side with blood dripping along its length. The Beast King swung for him, using his Compression, but the blast of air went wide as Morgan spun to his right. He used the movement to get behind the Beast King, his left gauntlet forming into a long-bladed dagger that he rammed into the Beast King’s spine.
The Beast King whirled, the Stormforged blade sinking in a couple of inches but still not finishing the job. Another white-hot blast of sunlight tore through the air, missing Morgan by a hair. Another blade formed in Morgan’s hand, and he drove it down into the Beast King’s right shoulder.
His counterpart roared again, then lashed out with a powerful kick, sending another blast of air wide. The ground shook then, and massive spikes of stone exploded up all around them, but Morgan just took them on a shield, his breastplate flowing out to block the attack. The shield cracked but didn’t break, and when Morgan dropped back down, the Beast King had to summon one of his own.
The construct was flimsy though, and Morgan smashed through it with a single blow. He was almost there. He just needed to-
The Beast King reached for his Soulstream, his body glowing violet as the cloak of the beast began to form around him. This was the one and only skill that could tip the fight in his favor. It would undo all of the damage Morgan had inflicted thus far, and he could not allow that to happen.
Morgan darted in, his shield forming into a spear. At the same time, he summoned another spike of stone, aimed for the Beast King’s back, and angled up so that it would ram into his spine. The Beast King’s hand flashed back, catching the spike of stone, while a shield no wider than a coin formed before him, catching the tip of the spear.
The Beast King grinned. Though blood streamed from dozens of wounds and he was broken and battered – almost beyond recognition – he had finally figured out Morgan’s strategy.
“That won’t work this time,” the Beast King said with a bloody grin. “I’ve wised up to all your little tricks, though, seeing as I am you, I should have seen it sooner.”
Morgan stood frozen in the air, his spear halted by the small shield and his attack from behind successfully blocked.
The Beast King’s grin grew wider as the light around him brightened, the cloak growing more substantial. The skill would activate in less than a second, and then, the Beast King would be the one who held the advantage.
Morgan grinned then. That was the only warning the Beast King got before a glowing, violet spear exploded from the ground and pierced him straight through the chest. The cloak vanished in an instant, and the shield holding the Beast King in place disappeared, leaving Morgan free to slam the second spear right next to the first.
The Beast King sagged, blood streaming from his open mouth, but Morgan caught him before he could hit the ground, his hand closing around his opponent’s neck. The fight was over. He had correctly predicted every one of the Beast King’s moves, and when he’d been confident of a victory, Morgan had played his trump card.
His opponent had been so occupied with what was right in front of him that he’d lost sight of the greater picture, just as Morgan himself once had.
“Looks like you don’t need me after all,” the Beast King sputtered, blood flecking his lips.
“I haven’t needed you in over two years,” Morgan replied, looking into his counterpart’s slitted eyes. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?”
The Beast King grinned, despite the blood welling up around the spears, draining what little life he had remaining.
“Figured it out, did you?” he said with a wet chuckle. “I knew you would. Only a matter of time.”
Morgan had figured it out, and now that he had, any hatred he had once held for this creature was long gone.
“You never wanted to destroy me,” Morgan said softly as the Beast King’s body began to glow, the light spreading up along his arm.
“Of course, I didn’t,” the Beast King said, as tears began to gather in his eyes. “Why would I want to destroy the best parts of myself?”
“Then why treat me the way you did?” Morgan asked.
He understood some of the Beast King’s motivations now, but others, not so much, and this was the only chance he was going to get to find out.
“Because it was what you needed at the time,” the Beast King replied. “You were so angry. In so much pain. I had to do something to get your mind off of it. I had to protect you, so I did the only thing I could. I gave you someone else to hate. Someone else to focus your anger and pain on. A reason to keep fighting to better yourself.”
“If that’s true, why were you always fighting to break free? Why go on all those murderous rampages when Sarah was in trouble?”
The Beast King snorted at that, though his eyes never left his.
“You still don’t get it, do you?” he asked, shaking his head. “I never cared about any of them. I cared about you! All those times I came out to fight, it was for you, not for them! You were in danger and were going to do something stupid, so I pushed to be let loose. I said what I had to, to make sure that you lived.
“You constantly tell yourself that you’re not good enough. Carry the blame for all those who have died, and worst of all, believe that you are at fault for the actions of the people around you. Well, as someone who has lived with you through it all, I can personally vouch for your character and strength.
“It is not your fault that Sarah died, nor is it your fault that a war might break out. It is the fault of those who propagated the war in the first place. Those who are too greedy and selfish to think of others but think only of wealth and power.
“I know you because I am you, and the only thing you have ever desired is a quiet, peaceful life, far from the presence of those who would use you as a weapon or take up arms and force you to act. Had you wished, you could have taken the Five Kingdoms for yourself by now. You have enough power, that’s for sure.
“But have you? Have you ever taken a single position of power? No! You are just a common citizen. Someone, who despite all their hardships, still turned out to be a good person.”
The Beast King chuckled once again as the light around him grew brighter.
“This was your final test. I already knew that you didn’t need me, but you needed to see it for yourself. To prove that you no longer needed me. I landed exactly two attacks in that entire fight, one of which I’m fairly sure you allowed to land on purpose. We are one and the same, yet somehow, you still came out on top.
I’m proud of you, Morgan, and now I can leave, knowing that you are finally ready to let me go. You are no longer as alone as you once were. You have a real family. People who love and cherish you for who you are.”
The Beast King reached up a glowing hand, placing it on the side of his face, his smile warm and genuine.
“Goodbye, Morgan. I could not be prouder of the man you’ve become.”
The last words echoed in Morgan’s mind as the Beast King exploded into motes of golden light, flowing into him and suffusing him with a warmth that he hadn’t even known existed.
He stood there for several, long seconds, staring out into the empty space where the Beast King had knelt just moments before. He felt something wet tracing down his cheeks, but Morgan didn’t need to check to know what it was.
Tears were flowing down his face as well, for the one who had taken the burden of his pain and suffering for so long. Tears for the one who had borne his hatred and yet, continued to protect him, even when he himself hadn’t known it.
The Beast King was not the monster Morgan had believed him to be but the most noble of beings, one far more worthy of the title than him. He had been entrusted with his legacy, and Morgan refused to dishonor the King of Beasts in that moment by even thinking of himself as unworthy.
Morgan straightened to his full height, then reached into the earth and pulled. He pulled and pulled until his reiki had nearly run dry and then used the last of it to shape the structure into the shape he desired.
He stepped back and stared at the pair of gleaming, crossed hammers, created from a rich, violet sapphire. They stood some six feet tall, and when Morgan looked between them, he could see the massive tree, towering up into the sky.
He could already feel the changes beginning to take place, his body emitting small sparks of red, blue, and purple, all suffused with the golden essence of the Beast King. Morgan placed his hand on top of one of the hammers, then bowed his head.
This was a fitting resting place for the King of Beasts, and the pair of crossed hammers would remain there forever, telling all who passed of the honor of the Beast King. Morgan turned then and teleported away, leaving the Beast King to finally rest in peace.
61
Order and Chaos both stood in the vast emptiness of space. For once, they weren’t playing a game, but instead, staring down at the world of Somerset, watching the birth of a new god. Well, not technically a god. No god could be born without the consent of the Author, and it was rare for the two of them to agree on anything.
However, the fluctuations of power in the world were too massive to ignore. Morgan was finally advancing, becoming the monster he was always supposed to be. It was not at all what the two of them had imagined when they’d forced Samuel to create a weapon that could destroy him one day, yet here it was.
“So, what do you think?” Order asked, watching the bank of clouds twisting into a spiral above Faeland.
“I think you cheated,” Chaos replied, folding his arms in annoyance.
“I cheated no less than you did,” Order said. “Or have you conveniently forgotten the four gods you placed on the planet?”
There was no way for Chaos to forget now. Not after the bragging he’d done when all four of them had gone after Morgan at once. Order could still see the look of utter bemusement on his other half’s face when Morgan had managed to slip that trap and get away.
“Those gods are useless,” Chaos muttered. “What kind of idiot doesn’t go check after they’ve killed someone? You don’t just assume! Haven’t any of them watched any movie?!”
“Power tends to breed overconfidence,” Order replied, trying to keep the smugness from his voice. “Which is why I’m sure they’re going to miss this as well.”
“Come on, not even they can ignore something of this magnitude,” Chaos said, watching as the storm began to grow.
> “Oh, really?” Order asked. “Then why don’t you take a peek at them right now?”
Chaos did exactly that, and Order had to hide a grin as the scene unfolded before them. All four gods lounged around on couches, legs kicked up in the air and very clearly not noticing the massive amounts of power gathering on Somerset.
“I should’ve just brought a few over from that other world,” Chaos muttered as the screen winked out, leaving them to stare at the world below once again. “Mortals missing something like this, I can understand. But gods?! They should sense this kind of power from planets away!”
“And yet they haven’t,” Order replied. “Oh, and no cheating on your part. I’m going to stay right here alongside you as this continues to unfold. This process is a lengthy one, and to celebrate, I think we should play another game.”
Chaos groaned, as it was Order’s turn to choose. But, as it was in their nature, he had little choice but to agree. A large, rectangular box appeared in the air, with hundreds of small balls lodged within.
“Seriously?” Chaos asked as Order began selecting his balls.
“Yes,” Order replied. “I’ve been wanting to do this ever since the idea was launched, and seeing as it’s my turn, this is what we’re going to do.”
Chaos sighed, then moved to begin choosing his as well. When they’d gathered six apiece, a large, rectangular field appeared, floating above the planet. A white line ran through the center, with the same symbol as the balls emblazoned in its center.
“Are we really going to do this?” Chaos asked one last time.
“I think it’s fitting, what with the circumstances, don’t you?” he asked, pointing down to the planet below.
The entire planet was glowing, half, shining a brilliant blue, and the other, a burning red. In the very center, in the area where Morgan was located, was a single, round sphere of violet. Even from up there, they could both feel the tremendous power. It was honestly shocking that all the mortal races were so blind to the energy of the world.