by Luke DeSalvo
Codiac met her, but when the earthquake came, he fell many paces backwards, taking a stab to the chest before falling to the ground.
Xyl'thos was wearing down, as the ground broke swallowing the creature’s leg, pinned as by sharp rocks at bit at the beast’s heel, immobilizing him. The dragon screamed a reptilian scream in agony, earthquake dissipating shortly after and Sleet fell to her knees in frightened exhaustion.
Her eyes were wide from sending such tremendous force to the place, and she gazed upon the companions with determination.
“Now, win this,” She whispered, before collapsing to the floor.
Xerrast witnessed his sister's fall and lingered a moment too long as a claw met his body. “Sister!” He cried, as he was hurled many feet across the stadium, where he crashed into a wall, spinning on the debris before he too was on the floor, in a broken mess, rubble falling on top of his twisted body.
Xyl'thos gave a sharp snort of approval before he turned his attention back to the two zodiacs. They eyed him with blue and red eyes, full of determination and hunger, and the battle raged on.
Suzette grimaced in pain as she was now slashed through the chest, knowing full well that this would mean her death.
“No!” She shouted defiantly, as she got back to her feet, swinging the two-handed weapon in the air.
Codiac noticed the desperate attempt and got up from the ground. Avilya and his beloved were standing several feet away and it looked as if it were the last moment that he would see his darling Suzette alive.
With a curse he launched one last effort on his magical boots and sprinted behind Avilya and slashed her back, pushing her forward towards Suzette.
The guardian's sword went into a full swing and in an instant sliced off Danielle Avilya's head in one swoop. A clean cut.
Blood squirted everywhere.
Avilya was dead, but there was no time for remorse, yet for a moment Codiac and Suzette were holding onto each other in triumph.
“We did it, Suzette,” Codiac cooed the guardian onto his lap. She gracefully held onto him, too weary to do anything else.
Now that Danielle Avilya was dead, the mission was a success, however, there still was a dragon, who was half alive and terrorizing the remainder of the group.
The demon known as Ildarachi was all that was left. Aurora's spell had timed out, and now the two were locked into battle.
Codiac and Suzette staggered closer to the fight, Suzette resting on Codiac's weight. The fight seemed to go on for an eternity, trading blows as if each opponent were too weak to dodge, and to their surprise the beast went down from one sharp attack to the throat. Xyl’thos screeched and fell, defeated, leaving Ildarachi's transformation came to an end, sending him back to his human form.
There was a stunned silence, as the pair in arms looked at the messy battle. Ildarachi was bloodied, panting over a dying dragon, Aurora a few paces behind them, Sleet passed out, Xerrast laying in rubble, Kaeltrys a corpse. All this happened in a blink of an eye, but the two stood still, watching the spectacle and the victory that had just taken place.
“Ildarachi,” The dragon breathed with a choke, struggling to lift his shattered form. “Forgive me, sire. I did not know that it was you.”
The dragon laid still, head completely down, but his eyes were still red and opened.
“Listen Ildarachi, it's your time now. The seventh season is yours, take it and head into the portal with a pure of heart. Only then, will the seventh season awaken.”
The dragon shuddered, closed his eyes and the essence of spirit left the body and traveled into the portal, which swirled even brighter.
Codiac fell on his rump, with a fatigued Suzette who gladly followed suit. She eyed him with gray blue eyes coolly and kissed him on the cheek.
“The seventh season,” Codiac said when they parted. “A figured paradise among paradises. But, the ultimate treasure I found out of all of this, is you.”
They kissed fully this time, blood sweat and tears melding into one another.
Codiac glanced down at their broken bodies, multiple stab wounds laced both of their skin, and a harsh reality began to sink in.
“But will I even have the chance to see the seventh season,” He said, then looked down at Suzette who was also mortally injured.
Chapter 41
“I never thought I was useless until then. When hope came, I shrank and hid with fear at the sight of the Star Child in agony. Exile seemed key. I must prepare the kingdom.”
Clairvona Aya, Sleet
Scion of Systralas
The scion of Systralas awoken to a horrid, but much welcoming sight, the dragon laid dead, blood oozing from the many marks of its flesh. Avilya was also killed, bringing the prophecy into fulfillment finally, but at a horrid price. The charred embers of the archmagician, Kaeltrys, lay several yards away still smoldering. The coliseum had turned into a wreckage with its walls tarnished with the mighty claws of Xyl'thos. Her brother lay dying a few feet away from the carnage and her heart felt tugged for the longing of his touch.
She had to reach him.
Her limbs were numb, but she forced them to move as she stood up, distracted by the spectacle.
Avilya was dead while Suzette and Codiac remained, staring at the looming image before them. A frightful sight.
The demon known as Ildarachi was shrieking now while clutching at his neck, almost as if it were trying to tear its own head off. Ildarachi was half formed, part human, part demon. Black skin, hair remaining, clothes in tatters with scratches of blood throughout his entire body. Still the demon creature screamed and rolled on the floor in agony, ever grabbing at his skull.
She saw this in her dreams once. The zodiac prince in torn with it's being. The mortality of Ildarachi was at hand, and the two were fighting for control, more than ever.
The dragon known as Xyl'thos lay dead, the behemoths body still emitting a strange aura that the portal was feeding off, glowing bright purple for entrance to another destiny.
Sleet longed to reach her brother in time, but her eyes kept drifting at the once form of Ildarachi who was crying in sure agony, as if being assaulted from within. Finally, the being ended up retching all over the floor, shaking violently, before getting up on his feet again, this time laughing maniacally.
His form changed back to the graceful Jason they all came to love and adore. Aurora was there now, edging closer to her love, frightened beyond belief. Now that he returned to his normal state, her courage returned, and she kept creeping closer to him.
Am I really losing him? She thought out loud.
“Il, please,” She pleaded at the hysteric Ildarachi. “Il.”
She moved closer, all the while the other companions were either too battle injured or too stunned to move.
“Get the antidote!” Aurora cried, moving closer to the tormented being who was now singing at the top of his lungs.
lovelier than thou
To the stars I roam
I am God
He chanted, repeatably while Suzette pillaged Avilya's dead body. Codiac grabbed his magical bag and stole the head of Danielle Avilya, swooping it in his pack with no delay. Without much effort, Suzette too pulled out the vial of Dalamoris. It glowed red in the heat, cool to touch though and Suzette slowly staggered to her feet.
“I'm God!” The tortured Ildarachi screamed, before returning to his laughter. “I've done it! I've done it!” He repeated still.
When Aurora reached Suzette for the potion, the crazed demon turned to her, eyes furrowed.
“You don't think that will work, do you?” Ildarachi grinned suddenly, voice distorted.
Ignoring this, Aurora stepped closer, worried for her own life with this unstable being.
Sleet took the cue to gather her remaining strength to save her brother. She half walked, half crawled through the debris that Xerrast sat in. Lifting several boulders from the wreckage, she found his body, smashed to bits, but still alive. Still breathing.
She gently touched her brother's feverish forehead and muttered a grand healing spell, that drained her considerably. After several moments, the wood elf awoken. Still injured, a broken left arm that was crippling, his legs still numb, but he could move, and he was in a daze, catching the spectacle briefly before returning his attention to his savior, his very own sister.
“What's going on?” Xerrast breathed.
“Look,” Sleet replied in a whisper, pointing at Ildarachi and the approaching Aurora.
“Don't you see!?” Jason raged. “I am the perfect being! A star being! I did it! A star being! You do not dare mock my power with that thing!”
“Il!” Aurora croaked. “You have to listen-” She was cut off by the being's laughter once more.
“I do not need such handicaps, woman!” Ildarachi interrupted. “I, and I alone can change this world!”
Suddenly, the man quieted, dipping his head down and started to cry, teardrops of blood streamed down his face. Eventually, the sobs stopped, and Aurora was there holding his head, bloody tear drops staining her knees.
“I have to go,” Ildarachi cried, somber this time.
Aurora's gaze returned to the loving man she fell in love with in the embraces of Silver Aura, and the life they shared together.
With rage, it was time for Aurora to snap back, she relinquished her grip in despair, he looked too sincere with the last remark and somehow, she knew that he would be entering the portal's grasp without her.
“Just take the fucking potion, Il!” She cried.
“I cannot,” He replied coolly.
“You can't do this alone!” Aurora countered with a plea.
Ildarachi gently stroke the mane of Aurora, softly and cooed her into a hug. She began crying in his arms for several moments neither said a word, but when they parted, something seemed natural in Ildarachi's face. He was now examining the love tears of Aurora in a thoughtful form. Her eyes sparkled before him and he wanted her to know this, but there was so much anguish in his entire being.
“I have to,” Jason said at last, leaving Aurora’s eyes to moisten.
The companions on the sidelines simply watched at this interaction, all clueless on what to say or do.
“You don't!” Aurora screamed defiantly, wiping away her very own tears that kept flowing.
“Don't you see?” She said placed his hand on her stomach. “You're going to be a dad, Il.”
Ildarachi's eyebrows raised sharply, eyes widening from the sudden and abrupt news. They were not enraged, but almost happier than she had ever seen before.
“A dad?” He questioned, letting the words drip from his lips.
He approached her calmly and held onto her once again.
“A dad,” He breathed again with a smile.
There was a small reprieve for the others, that where gazing on the sidelines. Even Codiac could not help but exchange hopeful smiles with everyone else. Suzette with her girlish grin, was a hard thing to miss for the Golden Hearts champion.
Aurora and Ildarachi were kissing now, tight pressed on one another as if daring to never let go. They seemed to beam with one another with a charm so unlike what the party had ever seen before. As if a reminder of the old days of long past.
Suddenly the Jason's face darkened with remorse and he began shaking again violently. Worried and at array Aurora chimed in to help.
“We can do this together,” She said. “Just take this,” She placed the vial before him.
Ildarachi placed his hand onto Aurora's tear stained cheeks where his face contorted from sorrow, rage and then those blood tears of his.
“I can't” He choked. “I don't know how to do this alone, but I must do it this way. It was something Xyl'thos showed me. I cannot explain. Lulali?”
“No, Il!” Aurora then fell to her knees and began crying.
Ildarachi attempted to follow her to the ground, but on second thought of the notion remained standing and gently turned directions, eyes gazing at the portal.
“I have to,” He said at last. Aurora's cries continued, when finally, he second guessed himself again and was lured to the ground next to her, crouching slightly.
“I love you,” He whispered.
It was irresistible to hear and Aurora, choked back the tears to kiss him again, this time longer and more passionate. When they were done, Ildarachi turned to face his companions.
Codiac waited and met eyes with the zodiac creature with a familiar look in exchange. The young man nodded towards his newly found friend and Ildarachi returned the nod with respect.
“I love you, my darling, and I will return with the seventh season soon,” Ildarachi said, turning back to Aurora.
“I love you too,” was all that she could muster in response. It was heartfelt, but the pain in her heart threatened to consume her.
Ildarachi began walking away towards the gleaming swirling portal, a hole between dimensions, when a shout came.
“You'll kill us all!” it was Xerrast's voice, who was still sitting in his rubble. A gunshot fired, missing the Ildarachi's head by inches before hitting the ground with a ring.
“I'm warning you!” The ranger cried.
Ildarachi glanced his way and ignored the exchange, continuing to walk faster to the portal.
More blasts were fired until one hit his chest.
Ildarachi stopped and glared at the wound, before turning to his attacker. His blood tears were streaming down his face and oozing down his cheeks.
“Please, Xerrast, let me do this,” he pleaded, looking sincere, almost as if the bullet did not even seem to faze him.
The rest of the party could not help but to shriek in shock.
“The dream, beloved twin,” The scion said, shaking her brother's firing arm. “You mustn't forget the dream! There's still another way.”
“The birth of beauty,” The wounded ranger managed.
Ildarachi continued his ascent to the portal now and he stopped at the edge of its grasp. A strange eerie light came from the wormhole as if reacting to the newcomer.
“At last, paradise comes,” Jason said.
He entered the portal his frame no longer in this existence. Everyone was quiet at this exchange, turning to each other in wonders.
Would the seventh season finally come?
They knew not.
“Come back soon, Il,” Aurora pleaded to the emptiness.
Chapter 42
“With the unrestrained kill, Golden Hearts will live in legend for all times.”
Codiac Dalin
Knight Captain of Golden Hearts
Toston awoke to the bitter chill in the frozen forest outside the fortress of Amethyst Divine, the cold breeze made his back shudder and the big man strained to focus on the recent battle that left him sorely wounded. He was sleep walking again, he noticed, his injuries keeping him at bay from trudging too far in the snow lines. He could not recall much but remembered marching his guild from the black citadel to the tundra beyond.
For now, the guild was hurt, and battle worn. Establishing a miniature base camp of themselves getting closer to Haiton, his own home. The guild boasted their skills at the mighty defeat of the betraying guild on the sidelines awoke the giant of the man. There was the matter of setting up camp at this location meant ambush, from multiple angles from the remnants of Amethyst Divine, but Golden Hearts were resolved to win again if need be and were content to stay.
It was then when the battle was remembered.
He should be dead, Toston thought to himself. He recalled a duel, between a ferocious opponent he had never seen the likes before. Battle hardened. Toston was used to his fair share of fights, but none like this where his opponent's responses were almost robotic with the sword.
Even with the big man's full strength, the elf's shield easily blocked all his blows and his swift agility kept him attacking constantly. It must have been an elite member from Amethyst Divine in his red ordained armor, his skills were unmatched by none.
> When all seemed over, the big man went down to his knees, stabbed into too many vitals points to move, which sheer adrenaline alone got him that far. It was then when the quake hit, and he praised the Lord as he shouted for the retreat before his untimely death.
The elvish warrior had sharp spiked black hair, crimson armor that blurred in vision from the attack on the dragon, Xyl'thos originally. A venomous sight of elegance with a keen predator instinct.
Much to Toston's surprise, the elf did not end his life as expected, but rather healed him with paladin abilities.
“My name is Imbrue,” was all he said before departing from the earthquake's grasp.
It was a minor healing spell, where his injuries were still there and would need special treatment when available, but the cuts were no longer fatal.
“Why?” The nord questioned himself out loud.
The guild seemed busy with the wounded and the retreat, but the big man could not help but notice that he was still here. Alive, when he should not be.
Toston noticed Frosty, who was healing bystanders but running out of mana completely. The good news was that Golden Hearts was intact and the evil rival guild had met its end. A victory, and that is when the unthinkable happened.
The citadel exploded and was no more.
Toston had never seen such fireworks before, the blast seemed to go on for miles, leaving fire and smoke in its wake. A dance of flames still smoldered in between the rubble of the dark fortress, all to be seen, possibly even by Nosta itself.
Golden Hearts leaped in joy at the celebration hit. Spirits were issued out and emptied, music played from the remaining bards, but all this was to no avail, the big man's heart was saddened.
“Little master...” Toston called to the frozen wind.
It had not have been the big man’s desire to lead this guild. He always loved being the right-hand man and could always serve as a leader when necessary. Now it was all his command, and he somehow must regain order in Systralas as a broken guild.
“Wait!” Vyia called.
“There's movement outside the flame,” She said. “There's a group of individuals leaving the wreckage!”