Chapter XLIV: The Ninth (Cont. III)
West dusted himself off and patted Donovan on the shoulder, “I’ve learned from hanging around these guys that there is a lot more to people than most of us would ever expect.” He turned and glanced at Adelia as she continued her path towards Blackheart.
Laura glanced over at West, “What are we going to do?”
West considered this for a moment. After a moment, he cupped his hands and yelled, “BLACKHEART!”
The rogue slowly pulled himself up as Adelia began to draw closer, “What is it, West? I’m kind of busy!”
“What do you want us to do?”
Blackheart glanced at him, “Helping me out would be nice!” He drew his sword, “Stay back, Adelia….don’t make me have to hurt you. I will if it’s to help bring you out of whatever state you’re in.”
“You can do nothing to me,” Adelia’s voice boomed, rolling across Blackheart and forcing him back a few steps. “I am magic, you are nothing but flimsy muscle….your sword will shatter on my skin, your fists will crackle with burning pain when you think of swinging, and you shall in the end be destroyed.”
“What the hell is wrong with you, Adelia?!” Blackheart took another step back, “Are you crazy? Snap out of it! Why do you want to kill me?!”
“Because I hate you….”
Blackheart glanced at the edge drawing near, “I think the word you’re looking for is love. Oh, I’m sure you think it’s hate. But really, you just have one of those exasperated crushes. I mean, I’m a charming, nice, sophisticated guy…..I wouldn’t blame you….” He risked a smile only to be lifted off his feet and hurled thirty feet sideways, crashing head-first into the ground.
“No. I am sure it is not love.
The voice boomed and seethed with anger and magic, and Blackheart knew he couldn’t face something like that. He rose slowly, glancing over at Vigile and Baen, still locked in battle.
Behind Adelia, the remaining heroes gathered together. West surveyed his opponent, “She can take us all at once, can’t she?”
“Probably,” Thyrus said.
“So this is suicide?”
“Probably.”
“Couldn’t you have possibly lied to make me feel better?”
“Probably.”
Blackheart glanced at the group, “Stay where you are! Her anger is focused on me, she won’t come after you. It’s me that she wants, so she can have me.” Blackheart dropped his sword and held out his arms, “You want me, Adelia? Come and kill me then!”
“NO!” The scream echoed through the caverns, halting even Adelia’s solemn march. She turned quickly to stare at Laura, who stood apart from the rest, her white gown flapping in the growing winds of darkness.
“No, Laura! Stay back!”
“You……I forgot about you,” the voice seethed.
“I know you did,” Laura said. “But here I am. You want to fight with magic? I’ll take you on. Pick on someone who can defend themselves…..pick on someone who might actually be a challenge.”
Blackheart looked at himself, wounded by the comment, “Hey.”
“No offense,” Laura added, then turned back to Adelia with a stern glare.
Adelia considered this for a moment, “Fine then. Let us see what you’ve got.”
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The cold washed over her body as the shadows bore her down and continued to chatter into her mind. She tried to force the voices out of the way, but they were there, driving her mad, forcing her anger to the surface.
She stole him from you.
He used you.
They all don’t appreciate you.
They do no trust you…..forget them.
They use you for your power, but will kill you when they’re safe from harm.
You will be cast aside like garbage when you have finished serving them.
They cannot grant you the power to reign over all, like we can…
“NO! Get ouf of my head! Stop this! I won’t listen!” Adelia clawed against the tendrils as the image flashed before her eyes of she and Laura doing battle. The healer was desperately casting spells and counter-curses, trying to keep up with the amazing spectacle that was Adelia. Her form was hurling blue fireballs that crashed against Laura’s magical fields and shattered them with a colossal boom and a pylon of fire. Lightning surged from all sides of Adelia as darkness lashed out in waves and pulses. She was moving faster than her eyes could possibly watched it seem as she overwhelmed Laura slowly, toying with the healer who was trying to stay on her feet.
Is this not what you wanted?
She will die.
He will love you….