“Good girl,” he said.
Smiling at his men, he trotted out of the way. Dirty and tired, they smiled back. He heard it before he felt it. The witch launched out the bushes tackling him with superhuman strength. They rolled into the water. She snarled and brought her claws down slicing his chest wide open. Sinking into the water, his last sight was of the witch getting stabbed through.
A hand shook Rick awake. Blinking, he made out Ryo, her pointed ears catching the moonlight.
“Take this,” Ryo said frantically shoving something in his hand.
Looking down, Rick saw what it was. A silver shaped disk about the size of his palm with markings all over it.
“What is this?” he asked.
“Go,” she said. “It’s for your memories.”
“What’s going on? I can fight.”
“You can’t fight a fire! We’re all running.”
Rick sniffed the air and the scent of burning wood and smoke filled his lungs.
“Oh,” he said coughing. “Is the forest on fire?”
“Move,” she said pushing him. “We’ll talk later.”
Throwing the tent flap open he stumbled out. The trees holding the elven village in the air weren't on fire yet, but just beyond them, the forest was a massive inferno. He felt the heat even from this distance.
“I’m sorry,” he said looking at Ryo.
Rick sat on the balcony, watching the sunset. The crystal pillars glinted in the last rays of light as the sun melted the sky into a beautiful purple. It was amazing.
“Mind if I join you?” Sam asked.
Rick glanced at her. “Nope,” he said looking back out. Everything's better with you around, he added in his head.
“I can’t get over this view!” she said sitting next to him.
Rick shot her a glance. “Yes, the view is amazing.”
They sat watching the sun slowly fade. Eventually, it sunk behind the horizon, ending the moment. As the sky grew dark, he lay back and let out a long sigh smiling.
“Today was perfect,” he said closing his eyes.
Looking out his window, Rick watched the sun rise above the ocean. Turning back to his table, he stared at the mess he created working through the night.
It’s almost finished, just a few more years.
He stared out the window. He started this to save her, but he knew he couldn’t go through with it. A tear rolled down his cheek. He could still see it when he closed his eyes. The figure standing above him. With tears pouring down his face, he looked at his wife laying there, a knife sticking out of her chest.
“Why?” he asked for the millionth time since that day.
The necro-slave walked in with breakfast and Rick took the tray. Munching quietly, he stared at his creation. He wasn’t sure what to call it, but he was beginning to lean toward one name. The Alshak.
Valla threw herself into Ricks arms. His shirt grew wet from her tears.
“It’ll be okay,” he said holding her tightly.
“No!” she said in between sobs. “They’re all dead!”
“I know,” he said trying to hold back his own tears. I messed up, he thought.
They stood there holding each other, grieving for their loss. Sealing off his emotions he began to formulate a new plan. He needed one more magic. Something similar to Celestial.
He grinned. Something electrifying, he thought sealing off his emotions even more.
He could grieve later. He had plenty to grieve about already.
With the ceiling collapsing around them Rick dove outside of the dragon's cave. Rubble filled the air making his eyes water. “Are you okay?” he yelled. The only response was the dragon’s roar. Shooting out of the way of a ball of fire, he looked around. “Taranis! Where are you!” There was no response. Feeling his way back toward the cave his hand fell on a bag of Omeral. “I’m not leaving without you!”
Rick felt the heat of another breath coming at him. Without even looking he created another white dome to protect him. Modifying his strength, he added it to his already increased Celestial strength. Throwing entire boulders out of his way, he kept digging for his friend.
“I can’t lose anyone else,” Rick yelled tears rolling down his face. “We have so many more adventures to do.”
Throwing the captain’s door open, Rick strode in.
“You sunk my ship!” Zaven growled lunging at him.
Stepping to the side Rick sent a bolt of lightning into his leg. Zaven groaned in pain. And just for good measure, Rick kicked him.
“Next time don’t attack a helpless merchant ship,” he said grinning.
Grabbing the man by the hair, Rick hauled him to his feet. Rick shoved him out to join the rest of his sorry crew.
“Captain,” one of Ricks men said. “We found a girl.” A little girl with dark hair stood to the side, holding something to her chest.
Pushing Zaven again, Rick nodded. “Take him. I’ll talk to her.” The crewman grabbed Zavens arm and dragged him off. “Hi there,” Rick said squatting down. “What’s your name?”
“Mera,” the little girl said.
“What ya got there, Mera?” he asked pointing at the thing she held.
She turned to the side hiding it from view.
“Don’t worry,” Rick said with a big smile. “I won’t take it.”
Mera slowly turned back showing him the statue.
Light! Rick thought. Sorry kiddo, but I can’t let you keep that! He grinned at her. “Did you know that this statue came from another world?” I’ll store it in the guild’s chamber, he thought picturing the spot.
Gemini snapped. Suddenly thrust back to reality, he had fire in his eyes. So much pain!
Mera scrambled back. “I found it!”
With the enhanced strength from his Angel Soul, he broke the chains with ease. Dropping to the ground he watched Mera's eyes pop out, her mouth hanging open. Dispersing the spell, he stepped forward. “How’d you get that!” he shouted.
Mera scrambled out the door.
“Demon cloak,” he whispered.
Grinning daggers, he looked down, watching his hands turn pitch black. His whole body was black as night, except for one thing. His eyes turned blood red. With the spell complete his fury grew. He took his time striding toward the door. No need to hurry, she was dead, and she knew it. Raising his hand, a massive bolt of black lightning obliterated the door.
Only he could use both the Angel Soul and the Demon Cloak spells. And it felt good! For he… was Gemini! Striding down the hall he heard the explosion. Stopping in front of a window he watched the glow of the cave disappear. Everything went black. Melting into a shadow, he glided along the walls.
“Mera! Where are you!” he shouted down the corridor even though he could sense exactly where she was.
After a little while, the blue lights began glowing again. Rematerializing, he strode down the hall. Following the sound of her footsteps, he kept drawing closer, ever closer. His breath clung to the air.
Interesting, he thought. The cave wasn’t this cold a second ago.
Entering a new room, he spotted Mera running down the hall ahead. Growling, he shot forward. A wall of ice appeared in front of him. Going too fast, he smashed right through it causing his bones to shatter. Rick collapsed to the ground. With a flash of Celestial light, he was back up in an instant. Snarling, he looked around. Assan dropped to the ground, slicing at Gemini with a sword made of ice. The surprise attack would have been fatal to anyone else. But Gemini simply dematerialized the part of his body in the way of the sword. Assan stared at him.
“Ever fought a shadow?” Gemini hissed.
A dozen shadow spikes shot from Gemini’s hand. Assan threw himself to the side and the wall behind him was obliterated. Again, the man sliced at Gemini, and again all he got was a swipe through black mist.
“I don’t have time for this,” Gemini said.
Snapping his finger, he created a ball of light around Assan. Crushing it in, Ge
mini squeezed him like a grape. Releasing him, he watched Assan drop to the ground, unconscious.
“You wasted my time,” he growled, and melted through the floor.
Dropping down, he listened. The sound of her feet was muffled, but was close, and... Below! Melting through the floor again he dropped... right in front of Mera. Gasping, she turned to run back the way she came. Creating a wall of light, he sealed off the passage.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked.
“Rick, I didn’t—"
“Didn’t what? Intend for me to escape?” Gemini growled.
Giant black hands appeared rushing toward him. Shooting forward he grabbed her neck. A moment’s touch was all that was needed. But he found great satisfaction in lifting her off the ground. Black lines started crawling up her skin from where his hand held her.
“No!” she screamed.
The lines extended up her face and split time and time again, creating a spider web of intercrossing blackness. They entered her mouth, nose, and eyes. Convulsing in his hand she screamed. Slowly her convulsing faded to a twitch.
“Rick!” Stella yelled.
The sound of her voice penetrated his mind. Rick fought his way back to the surface.
Releasing Mera, he dispelled the cloak. His hands glowing with white light, he healed her.
“Thanks, Stella,” he said not daring to look at her.
“Who are you?”
Chapter 16
L imping up the steps, Stella groaned. Assan’s stupid ice did its fair share of damage. Slivers of ice sliced thin cuts all along her body, especially her back. Leaning against the wall, she left a bloody handprint. And then she heard it. A terrified scream came from just ahead.
That sounded like Mera! Stella thought rushing up the last few steps.
Limping down the hall, she stopped dead in her tracks. Mera was convulsing in the air, held up by a Gad!
“How—” she started.
No wait, that’s not a Gad.
“Rick!” she yelled.
Releasing Mera Rick’s appearance returned to normal as Mera dropped to the ground. His hands glowed white and bending down, he healed her.
“Thanks, Stella,” he said.
What was that? Thank you? He tried to kill her! Those eyes, she thought shivering. Blood red and no remorse.
“Who are you?” she asked.
Rick looked at her his eyes full of pain. Then he looked back down at Mera.
“I wasn’t me.”
“Wasn’t you!” Stella yelled. “You were about to kill her!”
Rick stood and walked over. “I wish I could explain,” he said trying to place his hand on her shoulder.
“Don’t touch me!” she yelled pulling away.
Rick put his hands in the air and backed up. Stella looked at Mera. Her eyes fluttered.
She’ll be okay, Stella thought looking back up.
Rick’s face changed. But how? It was cold. Resigned? Mera groaned. Rick flew back to her side kneeling down.
“What are you doing?” Stella asked ice still in her voice.
Rick didn’t answer at first. He placed his fingers against her forehead.
“She has information she shouldn’t have.”
“Are you going to do that to me too?” Stella asked crossing her arms.
Rick looked at her with no emotion visible. “Never.”
Stella dropped her arms to her side. Maybe he— Stella thought softening a bit.
A small explosion sounded from outside. The flash of a fire was visible through a small hole in the wall. Limping to the window, Stella peered out. Thousands of people were massing together heading toward them.
“I can heal you,” Rick said.
“Do you see—” Stella started.
Rick ignored her. His hands glowing, he hovered inches from her skin. She let him do his thing trying to ignore how close he was. Instantly, she felt better wherever his hands passed. Once he was done, all that remained was a slight stinging.
“Thank you,” Stella said.
“It’s the least I could do,” Rick said not looking at her.
Walking to Mera he placed a rope to his lips.
Where’d he get a rope? Stella wondered her eyebrows knitting together.
Breathing out, he filled the rope with one of his magics.
What was it again? Stella thought. Essence!
Rick grimaced. “I really need to restock,” he muttered.
Twisting on its own, it wrapped around Mera tightening itself into an intricate knot. It shot up to the ceiling and hoisted her in the air.
“What are you doing?” Stella asked walking over.
“I need to keep her secure while I deal with the mob down there,” he said not looking at her. Taking off his jacket he ripped his shirt sleeve off. Ripping it along its length, he formed one long strip. Then he tied it around Mera’s eyes.
“What is that for?” Stella asked as he slipped his jacket back on.
“People are a little more cautious about trying to escape when they can't see how far down the ground is.”
“What happened?” Stella asked her hand hovering inches from touching his back.
Rick looked at her for the first time in a while. “She brought up some bad memories,” he said his eyes looking haunted. “How did you find me?”
“I chased Assan.”
Rick looked down the hall. “Right,” he said starting to walk away. “I think I fought him.”
Stella followed not knowing what to say. He’s so withdrawn. Those had to be terrible memories. What else happened? Assan lay on the ground unconscious. “Something’s wrong with him,” Stella said. “He kept talking about the vision.”
Stepping over to him, Rick did the same thing he did with Mera. With glowing hands, he slowly moved them across Assan’s body. Suddenly Assan’s eyes shot open. Both men reacted so fast Stella barely processed it. Assan grabbed Rick. Rick broke free and then grabbed Assan’s head. After that, they both froze.
Stella blinked. They sat there like statues. Assan’s hand in mid-air, with Rick’s hand on his head. Unsure what to do, Stella shifted from foot to foot. They stayed like that for a whole minute, and then they sprung back into action. Assan tried to claw Rick, and Rick shifted his hand just slightly, covering Assan’s eyes. A blast of light flashed from Rick’s hand filled the whole room with a white glow. Assan dropped his arm. Standing up, Rick offered him a hand.
“What happened?” Stella asked looking at Rick.
“Who are you?” Assan asked.
Rick looked at her, then back to Assan. “I undid whatever Mera did to him,” he said. “And I’m nobody.”
“His name’s Rick,” Stella said shaking her head.
“Where are we?” Assan asked.
“The Undercity,” Rick said.
Assan shook his head. “Yeah, I was—” he said trailing off.
“Flare sent you down here,” Stella said.
“Stella!” Assan said smiling at her. “I thought you were off chasing pirates.”
“What’s the last thing you remember?” Rick asked.
Closing his eyes Assan started to mutter. “I think I fought Mera and… another man.”
“Stella, you want to catch Assan up?” Rick asked starting to pace.
“Uh sure,” Stella said watching him. “I think Mera did some mind control thing,” she said turning back to Assan. “And now the entire Undercity is angry and coming toward us.”
“Why are they angry?” Assan asked.
“Because I incapacitated Mera,” Rick said still pacing.
That's one way of phrasing it. “Yeah, that,” she said.
“But you healed me?”
“There’s a big difference between one person and healing an army,” Rick called over.
“I thought I was catching him up,” Stella said eyeing him.
Rick raised his hand in acknowledgment and walked off.
“Where are you going?”
“Mera?” Assan asked.
“Follow me,” Stella said striding after Rick. “Rick has her tied up down the hall.
“What are we planning?” Assan asked.
Stella sighed. “I don’t know. We came to find you, that’s it.”
“Still unconscious,” Rick said when they arrived.
“Now what?” Stella asked.
Turning Rick looked at her still no emotion on his face. “We’re going to fill this entire cavern with light.”
“Light?” Assan asked.
“To be more precise, my light,” he said. “I need you to create a giant ice magnifier.”
“Will that work?” Stella asked.
Rick glanced at her. “It should. But we’ll need them all closely gathered.”
“How close?”
“I still don’t know what we’re talking about,” Assan said looking between them.
Stella nodded. “Rick blasted your eyes with light, and we’re going to do that to everyone.”
“I need you to create a lens for me to amplify,” Rick said.
Assan nodded. Crouching down Rick traced the lens design out for Assan. Nodding, they both stood up.
“Great,” Rick said clapping his hands. “Stella you and I will hold them off, but we can’t knock them out.”
“Hold them off?”
Rick stepped over to the hole in the wall and looked down. A portal opened revealing the ground below.
“Oh,” Stella said.
“Lightning Elementia!” Assan exclaimed. “How—”
Stella pushed him through, Rick following right behind. They stepped out onto the courtyard, surrounded by thousands of very grumpy people. Rick whistled, and all heads turned to look at them. Stella glared, but he closed his eyes. Suddenly white walls formed around them.
“I suggest you start creating that lens,” he said over the loud banging of fists against the walls.
Assan quickly created the rough shape of a lens upside down. The walls of light began cracking.
“Get ready, Stella,” Rick said through gritted teeth.
The walls shattered and he created a smaller circle around them.
Gemini- The Beginning Of The End Page 18