"Do not move." a voice from behind demanded. Moriah's eyes widened, her body froze like a statue. A shiver of fear raced down her spine. She turned her head slowly behind her, until she noticed a slice of pain. She scrolled her eyes down below her chin and she saw a small dagger pressing against her throat. A drip of blood slithered down her neck.
Allister, Alena, and Bart fought the god, Zin. He shuffled his eyes to each of his enemies, from Bart, to Alena, to her brother Allister. Allister drew in breath, filling his lungs to their capacity. He quickly released this oxygen through his nostrils. He readied his sword for another attack. "This may be hopeless," muttered Allister. "But you'll have to take Modello's body over my dead body!"
Once he spoke those words, his body springs into action. His feet charges towards Zin, rushing faster than the pounding in his chest. About five steps from being up close in Zin's face, the specter holds his left hand out in front of him. "Oblio." he mumbled, under breath. Suddenly, out from his hand, a large out-pour of flames blasts out from his palm.
Allister's eyes widened once they laid upon the utter outburst of flames that snaked towards him. His blade suddenly reacts to the danger, electricity blows up across his blade and right arm. He notices the tingling in his right arm. He quickly swings his blade at the flames, the electricity from the blade blew the flames apart, sending them all over the place besides at Allister.
He throws his kiteshield in front of him, hiding his upper body behind it. His legs spring to life, charging straight at Zin. Allister tries to ram his shield into Zin, however as he does, his shield breaks in half. Despite the strength of the steel, it bends and breaks in half in a matter of seconds. Allister doesn't seem surprised by this, his teeth quickly grit together.
The flames quiet down, disappearing from sight. The electricity sparks across Allister's longsword, dancing across his blade and right arm. Zin's right arm bend up like an arrowhead pointing down, a stern look masked his face. Suddenly, black electricity started shooting out of his right hand. "Die." he muttered, leaning in towards Allister.
Bart grit his teeth, quickly charging towards his comrade. His speed was remarkable, quickly lunging out towards Allister in a matter of seconds. Bart spears Allister to the ground, quite possibly saving his life. The two hit the ground hard due to Bart's speed. Zin notices as his swings his right hand that Allister was out of his sight.
The god froze in his motion, turning his glowing red eyes over to where they were. His glance was a full-blown glare, an diabolical stare that set chills down the spines of even the most weathered person. "Feeble attempts to prolong your existence will not get you anywhere." he said.
"You know," said Allister, standing to his feet. "I don't see why you think we're in need of a judgment call. Sure, our ancestors might have done some terrible things. But don't you think you gods are to blame for the truly terrible thing? A certain war, perhaps?"
"It is true that they are the ones who committed sins of an unspeakable amount." corresponded Zin.
"Look around you, Zin," said Allister. "I don't think they're any gods left."
"It needn't matter about the race, you beings have caused nothing but turmoil for this world." stated Zin. "If I hadn't released the blight, you would have steadily started the decline to your own self-destruction."
"Zin, you have to realize one prim fact," said Alena. "These people, who live today, are the kindest and most thoughtful people I have ever come across. Do you truly believe they can harm anybody?"
"Humans cannot be trusted, as long as they exist," he continued. "There will always be a need for power and control."
"We can all just be friends, can't we?" said Bart.
"No, Bart," said Allister. "This guy doesn't want to be friends, but the one who wants to end you."
Suddenly, a 17.5 inch blade cuts right through Alena's right shoulder. Alena's eyes widened, and her teeth grit together in pain. Blood flies in the air, whirling like a top. She drops to her knees, grasping upon her shoulder as tight as she could. Allister's eyes widened, shocked by what has happened. The blade still in her shoulder, light reflected off of it like a thousand stars.
Behind Alena, a devil smirked. Alina's chained spearhead easily pierces Alena's armour. An evil smile was cloaking her face. Bart and Allister stared in shock, but the prince noticed something...familiar about Alina. His eyes stare at her like he had just witnessed a terrible car accident. "Alina...?" he mumbled. "Is that truly what you have become?"
The prince raced over to his sister, as fast as he could. Bart followed, chasing behind the royal prince of Avdima. They brushed by Zin, he does not react against them at all. The god's eyes turned over to Modello's lifeless body. And with a smile of success written on his face, he teleports to the side of Modello's body.
Allister checks up on his sister, who seemed calm about the whole situation. He seemed panicked and worried about the whole thing. But Bart turns his head at where Zin originally stood, and he was gone. Panicked, his eyes frantically flipped over to where Modello's body was. It was gone.
Bart's eyes widened, fully aware of what had just happened. Sweat races down his forehead. Alina's devilish smile caught the glance of Allister like a fish on a hook. His indigo-purple irises stare into her eyes, but he found nothing but pure hatred and pleasure. Pleasure brought by the suffering of his sister.
Suddenly, a crystal spike shoots out from under the middle of the chain link between the handle of her spearhead chain whip and the actual spearhead. Alina's eyes widen, watching her chain link sever into two. Varon strongly leaps into the air, landing perfectly right in front of Alina. He quickly drew his blade, pointing it at her throat.
She wore a very angry mask on her face, clenching her hands tightly. "Say your prayers." said Varon, readying his blade to slice across Alina's throat. He swings his blade. "Halt!" yelled Allister, standing to his feet. Varon's arm freezes once he hears the command. His crystal shortsword was a mere half an inch from her throat.
Alina's eyes shuffle over to Allister, sweat drips down from the left side of her face. The prince's glance stared straight into Alina's face. She showed nothing but hatred to him. Pure and utter hatred. Allister gulped down saliva, it slowly rolled down his esophagus. "It's been a while..." he muttered. "Hasn't it, sis?"
Tal swings his dual scimitars down at Richard, who guards with his Dragon Scimitar. A confident smirk on Richard's face as he stares at Tal's calm mask. Richard applies pressure on his left heel, a blade about the size of his foot springs out from the front of his right shoe's sole. He launches his foot right up towards Tal. He realizes this coming towards him, and backflips to dodge.
The tip of the blade misses the edge of his chin by inches. Tal comfortably lands on his feet, readying himself for combat once again. Richard quickly plants his foot straight down on the ground, throwing his right hand out in front of him like an arrow ready to be shot. Quickly, Tal reacts differently, quickly tossing his left Scimitar like a dart. The aim focused straight at Richard.
As his Scimitar flew over to Richard, Tal chased it. He rushed behind it. Richard pointed his right hand at the incoming Scimitar. He quickly launched a small, two inch broad bolt from the crosswise weapon under his sleeve. The bolt hits the Scimitar, blasting it away from threat. It drops to the ground, laying silent about eight inches from where Richard stood.
Running as fast as he could, Tal quickly frontflips just as he's near his Scimitar. As he's upside down, his left hand grabs onto his Scimitar's handle. Once he landed back onto his feet, he was close enough to seal the victory. Tal quickly crossed his Scimitars like an X, his Scimitars very close to Richard's neck.
The smirk on Richard's face didn't go away, he just stared into Tal's light tan irises. "Nice trick, kid." he complimented.
"I don't want to kill you," he said. "So, just drop your weapons and leave."
"You really think I'm going to surrender?" he replied. "I guess you really don't care about your Dagon'hai friends afterall, huh? "
Tal's eyes go down. "What do you mean?" he questioned. "What have you done to them!?!"
"Oh, nothing much," he continued. "Tied them up, killed some - you know, that sort of thing."
His facial expression quickly grew angered. "Now I really want to kill you..." he growled.
"Why would you want to kill me?" he questioned. "I may very well be the only one who knows where they are."
"Tell me." he demanded. "Now."
He slowly applied pressure to his right heel, not too much as the blade may make a slight noise. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "But you won't be alive long enough for me to tell it all to you."
Suddenly, strange string that was wrapped around Richard's right leg suddenly glows just before he moved. He tried moving his leg just before he realized what had happened, but it was frozen to the ground. His blue irises shuffle down to the ground, to his right leg. And he saw what had happened, and the smirk went down. His teeth grit together, frustrated.
His eyes followed the trail of string, leading straight ten feet until his eyes spotted designer brown boots. It lead him to know exactly who it was. But as the frustration wasn't enough, a smile just cracked on his face. He bursts out in laughter. "Oh, this is funny!" he said midst of his laughter. "This idiot joins in too!"
Tal looks behind him, where Richard was looking, and saw Bart. He was waving his left hand once Tal glanced upon him. "You..." he mumbled.
"It was Forscythe's idea!" he exclaimed, showing Forscythe to Tal. He held Forscythe towards Tal with it in both of his hands. "He thought maybe we could help!"
Tal closed his eyes, letting out a smile. "Thanks." he thanked.
"Great!" he said, walking in between Richard and Tal. He looked straight at Richard, who ceased in his laughter but still wore the confident smirk. "I wouldn't move if I were you, I've got to entirely surrounded."
"Guess I'm your prisoner, huh?"
Lite and Leila fought her comrade, Vincent. His breathing hard, hyperventilating as he stood hunched over. His claw tightens up, ready to kill. Lite readies his Chaotic Longsword for a fight. Leila sighed, looking at Lite. "Please..." she said. "Don't hurt him too badly."
Lite shook his head. "I won't." he assured. Quickly, Vincent stomped over to Lite, fast like the wind. He strikes his claw down at Lite. The warrior from Daemonheim jumps backwards, dodging Vincent's attack. Vincent quickly reacts, and while Lite was still jumping back from his previous attack.
Vincent jumped into the air with Lite and punches him right in the face with his right hand. Lite is sent straight down like a bullet shot from a handgun. Lite slams against the ground, his back flops like a fish out of the water. His teeth grit together, in pain by the attack. Vincent landed back on the ground, ready to kill Lite.
Leila jumps into the action, swinging her blade down at Vincent. The young boy guards with his claw, protecting himself like he had a shield. Leila's razor sharp blade could barely cut through the rough skin that wrapped around the left side of Vincent's body. "Vincent!" she called. "Please, calm yourself down and return to your normal self!"
"You pathetic mortal," said Vincent, his voice deep and demonic. "I will rip you apart... limb from limb!"
"Who are you?" she asked.
"Zymy'mar," he introduced. "Remember it as I will carve it into your body!"
Lite, as Zymy'mar was distracted, got up from where he was laying. Shaken and possibly hurt, charged towards the two. His footsteps rushed fast, echoing across the area. He quickly cuts his blade across the left side of Zymy'mar's chest with all of his might. His blade rips across the rough skin of the left half of his body, cutting deep.
Black blood dripped out as he growled in pain. He dropped to his knees, gritting his teeth in agony. "Curse you," he growled. "Curse you Zin..."
"Zin?" asked Leila.
"He put me into this child's body!" roared Zymy'mar. "This weak, worthless body!"
"We fight Zin," mentioned Lite. "Perhaps you'd like to fight with us?"
"Fight with mortals?" said Zymy'mar. "What a disgrace. I would rather die than fight alongside mortals." He planted his hands flat on the ground, the black blood dripped like rain onto the stone floor.
"I merely wanted to offer." said Lite, sheathing his Chaotic Longsword.
Leila sighed. "Could you return Vincent?" she asked, her voice soft. "Please?"
"I might as well..." growled Zymy'mar, frustrated. "There's no way this pathetic body can fight."
Leila dropped her blade and quickly down next to Vincent, throwing her right hand on his back. "Vincent?" she called. "Are you okay?"
Vincent let out two heavy breaths, panting heavily. "Yes..." answered Vincent, silently. "I'm fine..."
"I'm sorry for having to do that to you." Lite apologized.
"No..." replied Vincent. "Don't be."
Leila looked up at Lite. Her facial expression seemed so relieved. "Thank you..." she thanked. "...So much."
Adrian continued to shout over to the mysterious man who had Moriah ready to be killed. "Don't kill her, Velius!" he demanded. "I order you to stand down!"
Velius' eyes were apathetic and dead looking. "Order acknowledged." he mumbled, releasing Moriah.
Moriah took a few steps away from Velius and turned around, facing the man who could have ended her. "Well, you were definitely unexpected." she said, rubbing her throat where his dagger was originally.
"We must go." he said, turning to Adrian. "Master desires us."
"Alright..." mumbled Adrian, saddened. Suddenly, Adrian and Velius disappears in a black fog, disappearing from sight. Moriah sighed, knowing she was close to dying than she's ever been. Her pale blue eyes turn to where Modello's body was originally, and it was gone. Her eyes widened, in disbelief of this.
Allister stared into the eyes of his sister, Alina. "Why did you leave?" he asked, knelled back down beside Alena. "Why have you become this!?"
Varon's blade still pointed at her throat. She smiled, evilly. "Sorry," she apologized. "But I'm done playing your game of twenty questions." Suddenly, she disappears in the a black fog before the elf's eyes. A stern look on his face as she disappeared. He sheathes his blade, and turns over to Allister.
He looked saddened by her disappearance, but was more concerned about his sister, Alena, more than anything. Allister turned over to where he knew where Moriah was, his indigo purple irises looked upon her. "Moriah!" he yelled for.
Leila shuffled her eyes to each corner, she noticed all her comrades had disappeared. "Looks like they're all leaving." she said. "Vincent, we have to go too..."
Vincent shuffled his head. "No." he answered. "I cannot fight for Zin, a man trying to end humanity."
Leila shuffled her head after hearing Vincent. "Alright," she replied. "I'll stay with you."
Allister sighed, standing to his feet. As Moriah rushed over to the two, his eyes could only focus on where Modello's body once was. "We've failed..." he mumbled to himself.
The End of Chapter 19,
Next Chapter,
Chapter 20: Out From Under