Chrysalis

by Kayne Sampson

  Kalezstros came in with an overhead slash that Pent avoided, the blade crashing into the ground with such force that it erupted around the impact. The goddess lifted it quickly and spun, cleaving at his waist. Pent jumped over the strike, charging her to keep the pressure. He swung at her with Susanoo, hitting the armor.

  “Take my blood, Susanoo!” Pent commanded, and the weapon began to drain him again. And he commanded the dark magics the frost blade imbued its user to flash freeze the armor, encasing her entire left side in ice.

  Kalezstros stumbled, and retreated, in an awkward fashion. Her greatsword vanished, for she couldn’t change the way she held it with her frozen hand. She stared down at it, gold glow barely visible from the helm. Pent breathed, thinking that he had dealt a critical blow. He could win.

  All his hope died when she shattered the ice with ease.

  Pent fell to his knees. He was spent. He’d given too much of his blood, and expended too much energy with all his other fights. He was at the end of the line. He said nothing as the goddess walked forward, her diving armor emitting a radiant glow.

  Stand up and fight, Abyss commanded.

  “Sorry, sword. It seems this is how far I get,” Pent whispered.

  “You fought well, child of shadows. I will grant you the glorious death you have always sought as a warrior. For what greater honor is there than to be killed by the Goddess of War?”

  The greatsword vanished into the air and another sword fell into her hand. This one was golden, with lines of white alongside it. It was in stark contrast to the weapons of ordinary make that she had been summoning earlier. And then it hit him. This was her true weapon. And he realized that the goddess had simply been toying with him.

  Haha. What else should I have expected? That I could defeat a goddess? Pent thought to himself. That was the height of stupidity. He was still just a 12 year old Demon after all. Regardless, he would face his death with pride. He lifted his head, ready to stare death in the face.

  It didn’t come for him.

  “Xalphora?”

  Formetis had thrust herself in between Pent and Kalezstros, who had to stop mid swing from cleaving her in two. “I can’t let this boy come to harm."

  “Get out of the way, Formetis. You can’t fight her,” Pent warned, his voice haggard. He had been trying his best to fight Kalezstros. He tried to get up, but struggled to keep himself from falling. He had no energy left.

  She turned back to look at him, and gave him a smile. “If I can’t fight her, what makes you think you could have fought her?” she asked. Pent’s mouth hung open, hearing such snark from Formetis, but also because he knew she was right.

  “Sister, why do you protect this one? He is a mortal. And a warrior at that. Let him die in combat.”

  “I can’t!” Formetis said loudly, her voice thick with emotion. Blasted girl, why was she protecting him? That was his job. He tried to rise, but his body had already given out on him. Damn it all, why was he so weak? “I can’t...Master Inferno is gone, and Pent is the last good memory I have left.”

  For what seemed like an eternity, nobody spoke. Keta appeared beside Pent, leaning down. “I convinced her to act, if nothing else than to protect you.”

  Pent grimaced. “Oh great, now she can die with the rest of us mortals…” he said, unable to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. He was glad, at least partially. It meant that the girl cared about him. Unfortunately, it also meant she would die when this crazed goddess chose to attack.

  Instead, the goddess dropped her arms to her side, and her armor vanished, along with her sword. She crossed her arms as she moved towards Formetis. Kalezstros was nearly two heads taller than Formetis, so she looked down with narrowed eyes. “Sister, what is this mortal to you?” she asked.

  The question took both Pent and Formetis by surprise. She turned slightly, stealing a glance at him, before speaking. “I’m not entirely sure. But I know that he’s saved me more times than I deserve. I don’t want him to come to harm.”

  Kalezstros sighed deeply. “Sister, how I wish you would speak so fondly of me. Your betrayal of me was the most intimate dagger in the back I have ever received.”

  “I had to, Kalezstros. We had gone too far. Kataro spared my life, but, more importantly, he showed me another path. You can change. We can change this world together. We can become better for them.”

  Kalezstros had been wearing a smile up until now. But it faded as she pulled her hand away. “I am sorry, my dear, but that is the difference between you and I. To me, these mortals live to serve us.”

  Formetis sighed. “Then we are at odds?”

  Kalezstros took a step forward, and Pent felt the need to step forward to protect Formetis. His body disagreed, and he could do nothing but watch as the two goddesses shared a look. Keta placed a hand on his shoulder, concern in his eyes.

  “I do not wish to be. But these mortals have poisoned your mind. The mere fact that they have successfully killed a god requires that they be reinitialized. Surely you must realize this?” Kalezstros asked.

  Pent saw what looked like concern on the woman’s face, and that took him by surprise. She had a point. Could they really claim to be innocent in all this? Humanity had grown bold in recent years. Maybe they did need to be dealt with.

  “If you think that, then help them.” Pent was shocked as the words came out of his mouth. Both Formetis and Kalezstros turned to look at him. The former looked perturbed, while the latter frowned. With blinding speed, she pushed aside Formetis and charged at him. Keta tried to defend him, but he was knocked aside with a backhand. Pent could do nothing as the woman grabbed Pent by his shirt.

  “What was that, mortal?”

  As Pent hung limp, unable to fight back, he muttered, “If you are the great gods who created us all, then help us.”

  Kalezstros slammed him into the ground. Pent tasted blood and felt his bones rattle. “Miserable creature. You dare to speak when you are not spoken to, and to chastise us as well?” she said maliciously. She turned to Formetis suddenly and gestured to him. “Is this what you seek to protect? These blasphemous creatures?”

  “Pent!” Formetis was at his side quickly, kneeling. She placed a hand on his back, but he could hardly feel it.

  “It breaks my heart to see you like this, dear sister. Let us not fight any longer. The realms are no longer sealed. We can return to the Realm of the Heavens.”

  “And the mortals?” Formetis asked, not looking up.

  “And what of them?” Kalezstros said, waving a hand in annoyance. She craned her long neck down at Formetis. “Why do you insist on trying to protect them?”

  Pent saw Formetis close her eyes, and she was silent for a moment. She lifted her hand and stood to face the goddess. “Because they are my responsibility. I promised Elthea. I must stand by them.”

  Kalezstros sighed and shook her head. Keta stepped up to stand with Formetis, sword at the ready. “I understand. You have made your choice, and I must make mine,” Kalezstros said sadly, and she began to walk away. She raised a hand and a rift appeared in the air, not unlike the ones that Formetis conjured to warp around.

  “What are you doing, sister?

  The woman stopped, and turned back to Formetis. “I’ve no wish to remain here. My power is not what it once was. I must understand why. I cannot afford an extended campaign against you and the Kitaan.”

  “So what happens next?” Keta called out to her, stepping forward boldly.

  The goddess turned, golden eyes regarding Keta. “Whatever ill will I bare to your kind, I do not despise you. Rather, you have impressed me. I always considered Kitaan to be nothing but the sword and shield of Elthea. You...are an independant Kitaan. Fascinating.”

  She raised a finger and pointed at them. “You and that boy have caught my attention. You possess power I would not expect. I should kill you all, lest you attempt to resist me.”

  The threat loomed in the air, and despite himself, Pent’s mouth went dry. He w
as in a completely debilitated state. If she decided to act now, all three of them would surely die.

  Get up. I will not let you die in the dirt, Abyss was whispering in his head.

  But Kalezstros winked at them, a look of glee on her face. “But where would the fun be in that? Why eliminate all the sport at once. So how about it? My body may not be ready yet, but when my powers have fully returned, we shall clash once more. As dear Lachesis is so fond of stating, this is destiny,” Kalezstros stated and she walked through the rift and vanished as it closed around her.

  “No! We can’t let her go! We have to follow her,” Pent shouted, getting to his feet. His body rebelled, and he crashed down to the ground.

  “And do what?” Keta asked, helping him up off the ground. “We’re hardly in any shape to fight right now, and we haven’t even heard from the others. To seek a fight now would be nothing short of suicide.”

  Pent knew what the Kitaan was saying was correct, but he had not seen the power the goddess held. They were nothing but playthings. “So we do nothing?”

  Keta was staring at the empty space where Kalezstros had been. “We do nothing. The die has been cast. The gods have returned. In a way, a wrong has been righted.”

  Pent growled. The Kitaan was speaking so peacefully, so mystical. He was even more calm now for some reason in their short time apart. Even though Pent had chosen to aid Keta’s insane quest, he still hated that attitude.

  “So what will you do when she returns?” Formetis had gotten to her feet. She definitely looked the part of divinity now.

  But if Keta was intimidated, he did not show it. “The same thing I’ve always done,” he replied.

  The way Keta was standing there with sword in hand, a look of clarity on his face… he looked so regal. Stupid Kitaan...he’s always got to be so damn heroic, Pent thought.

  Formetis nodded her approval, and she began to glow. “I must honor Master Inferno’s dying wish. I will lead the Brotherhood in his place. I will seek a balance between my people and Elthea’s if I can. But if I cannot, then I must ensure my people’s survival. We have worked together this day, so we shall depart in peace. Consider this a warning, should our goals ever clash.”

  It was a threat, one that he would not have expected from the girl he had rescued back in the plains. But then, he realized that Formetis was no longer just that person. She was the Goddess of Shadows.

  The girl moved over to him and placed a hand on his back. And at once, he regained feeling in his body. The girl...she had healed him again. Pent caught a glimpse of her smiling face.

  And with a brilliant flash, everything turned white.

  23

  Keta blinked and the fog was gone. Formetis was gone. Inferno’s body was also gone. Pent was still with him, clinging to his shoulder. Now, he was standing in the plains, and he was surrounded by a few others.

  Tianna was helmless, holding a sword in her hand. Her armor was damaged and she was breathing heavily. Confusion clouded her face, and when she caught sight of Keta, she stepped back. “Keta? What happened to the fog?” Sephiel moved over to her.

  “The gods...they have returned. What happened to you?” Keta asked.

  Tianna shook her head, as if she was in a trance. “I was fighting against Jessica...General Zeta. She was working for the Brotherhood of Shadows. But then, all of a sudden, she was gone. And you all appeared.”

  “You missed all the fun,” Pent muttered weakly. The boy had impressed Keta. His prowess in combat was much greater than Keta had possessed at that age.

  Keta was about to say something to Pent, but he saw other figures close by. One of them was Ophelia, Pent’s sister. The other was Luna, the girl from the Darkrune Mountains, and Max, who was laying on the ground. The last one was a young girl, couldn’t have been older than six, with blond hair.

  Keta nudged Pent, who pushed him aside as soon as he saw his sister to run towards her. Keta smiled, and he made his way over. Despite everything that happened, they had somehow stopped Kalezstros. Formetis, for the moment, was not their enemy. This was a victory.

  So why was Luna crying?

  Dread rising, Keta moved forward, kneeling down beside Max. No...not you, Max, Keta thought, reaching down to touch his friend’s face. It was cold. Unsure, he felt for a pulse. And he felt tears escape his eyes.

  Max Revia was dead.

  “Ophelia! Your healing magic...maybe it can save him!” Keta exclaimed, turning to the blonde priestess.

  Ophelia, whose face was already stained from crying, shook her head. “I am sorry, Keta. My powers...they have left me. And even had they not...I am unable to return life to one who is without…”

  Keta withdrew his hand, and sat in silence, unable to form words. Pent had made his way over, and upon seeing the body of his fellow Demon, moved to help. After coming to the same conclusion he had, the boy slammed a fist into the ground.

  Tianna had made her way over. She held a hand to her mouth at the sight, and then bowed her head. She kept her distance, out of respect.

  “It was my fault. I tried to help him, but my strength had left me. I was powerless. He died saving me,” Luna said between sobs, still holding Max’s hands.

  Keta shook his head. “No, he was a part of my team. He was trying to make the world a better place for us all. I was his leader, and I failed him.”

  Keta had never felt this burden before. Even after the old Master had died, he had been on his own. Nobody except himself was in danger. But now, he had led Max to his doom.

  “You idiots!”

  Everyone jumped and turned to Pent, who had just raised his voice. He had gotten to his feet, his face contorted in fury. His hands were clenched into fists and he was shaking.

  “When a Demon gives his life for a noble cause, it is the highest honor one can attain,” Pent said, walking closer to Max. He lifted his right hand and thumped it to his own chest. “Show this man the respect he deserves!”

  Keta was dumbfounded by the boy’s display of reverence for the Demon warrior. A different kind of pride welled up inside him. Pent was right. He would grieve for Max, of course, but he would never let the man’s achievements be forgotten. Keta stood beside Pent and mimicked the warrior’s salute.

  Luna, though she kept holding Max’s hand, made the same gesture. Tianna solemnly followed suit. Ophelia was not a warrior, so she merely bowed her head in deference, as did the young girl.

  And so they said their farewells to Max Revia, the Greater Demon outcast...and member of Sanction.

  Tianna broke the silence. “I know you wish to prepare your friend for the rituals you Demons practice to honor the dead, but we must leave this place. There was still a battle that had taken place not long ago, and tensions must be running high.”

  Keta nodded, and he looked around at the plains, unable to see anything in the distance. “After everything that has happened, they must realize that they had been deceived into fighting one another.”

  Tianna’s shoulders slumped. She seemed more tired than any of them. “I will report back to my people. They cannot dismiss what I have seen. The Xegin people will withdraw. I will do what I can to open dialogue between us and the Humans.”

  It was a simple promise. But after all the hardships of the last few weeks, it was more than he could hope for.

  “I will go to see the Humans, and hopefully they can be persuaded to sue for peace.” Keta volunteered.

  “That might be a little more difficult than you think,” Sephiel said, stepping forward. “When I was within that fog, I saw the Administrator of the Humans, Raphael Mcpherson. He was aiding the Brotherhood of Shadows.”

  Pent cursed loudly. “They were playing us all like damn fools!”

  Keta massaged his temple with his hands. “So the Administrator and one of the highest ranking generals were traitors. And the other highest ranking general is dead…there will be chaos for sure…”

  ***

  Keta stared out at the ocean, grateful for
the rest. He had spent the greater part of the morning sparring with Pent. The breeze was cool on his face. Beside him, the boy was lost in thought. Keta could understand how Pent felt, if only just a little.

  It had been nearly six weeks since the last battle between the Humans and Xegin; since Master Inferno had accomplished his goal and unsealed the realms. The world was not the same any longer.

  Now the gods dwelled amongst them once more.

  Keta wondered how Pent had felt about it. The Goddess of Shadows, Formetis, had until then been a Human girl. Pent had bonded with her, but they had been enemies early on. It was tragic really.

  It’s a miracle the boy didn’t run off with Formetis to join her Brotherhood, Keta realized. Beyond that gruff exterior was a good person it seemed.

  Keta had stayed in Teforia to assist with restoration. Pent had returned home with Ophelia to look after his family and his clan. He had returned less then a week ago, reporting that his brother had assumed the mantle of leader for the Frostclaw clan.

  But the more surprising news was that the boy had come specifically to join him.

  “Why?” Keta had asked.

  The boy’s expression was solemn when he answered. “Because you try to do the right thing. And sometimes, to do so, you’ll need someone who can do what you cannot.”

  Keta had spent a lot of time thinking about those words. He didn’t know what the future would bring, but he did know that he could not do anything alone anymore.

  “Keta!”

  Pent reacted first, whirling around with Keta following suit. Two figures were approaching. He smiled as he recognized Tianna and Sephiel. He was surprised to see that Sephiel was not wearing her armor. She was wearing normal clothing.

  “Hello, Tianna. Sephiel,” Keta nodded at both of them in greeting.

  “Hello, boys. It’s good to see you,” Tianna said. She wore full Xegin uniform, metal sparkling in the sun. “I bring news from the homeland.”