Chapter XLIV: The Ninth (Cont. IV)
But Adelia had seen it. The look that masked Blackheart’s face: it was of terrible anguish and horror. He was watching the woman that he had fallen for sacrifice herself fighting a woman who had once been his friend….a good friend. That was part of it…..wasn’t it! Look…..look and you shall see. She closed her eyes and focused hard on Blackheart’s mind. She knew she could see it if she worked hard enough. The shadows continued to wrap around her.
What are you doing?
Do not abandon us! They will destroy you!
We are your hope for a better life!
We shall never be disappointed in you…
We shall not push you away like your parents….we love you.
Adelia’s eyes burst open, filled with the tears of anger and regret. “You do not love me! HOW DARE YOU! My parents may have pushed me away….I may be an outcast and a freak to most I meet….but there are those who love me…..HE loves me! Not you! And maybe he doesn’t love me the way I love him…but he’s willing to sacrifice himself for me….willing to let me kill him….willing to do anything for me…..”
And her…
“Yes! And why not!? She’s better than me! Perhaps if she was cruel and viscious than I might have the strength to fight myself here, but no! She’s a good person and noble and she saved my life and I can see her now….you show me crushing her….but what you forget to mention is you show her not trying to crush me. She’s not even putting up a fight! She’s just defending herself. Even now they won’t try and kill me…they have hope still for me to return to them! And I won’t abandon them!”
THEN YOU MUST DIE!
Adelia gasped as the tendrils wrapped around her throat and lifted her into the sky, her body writhing as they choked the life from her.
It is over!
You shall never discover your purpose!
You shall never become great!
You ARE a nothing.
“NO!” Adelia continued to struggle as everything began to go black…..a faint voice echoing in her mind.
“You must realize your purpose…only then will you have the strength to break free….
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Vigile leapt backwards, cartwheeling as he landed as Baen’s sword bit again and again into the rock, casting sparks in every direction. The blade was glowing a deep red and humming with magic as Baen’s rage continued to grow. The Watcher lunged with a nasty swing, only to catch air as Vigile was sailing once more in the air, planting a foot to the back of Baen’s head and sending him sailing forward and over the edge of the precipice. The Xul’Nue spun around to see Baen spiralling in air and landing back on the platform.
“You will never be rid of me, Xul’Nue!”
“That is the curse I must bear for foolishly following a madman.”
“A madman who in the end was victorious, though all he trusted betrayed him and the one he loved sought to destroy him.”
“You decide the outcome too soon, Baen.”
“Why not? My Fate was decided by others long before this day, do I not get the right to deal it back?”
Vigile lunged, his sword catching Baen’s, the two’s blades clashing again and again as sparks leapt across the cliffs as the two pushed each other back and forth. The sound of another blade being unsheathed was heard nearby.
“Let me give you a hand,” Blackheart said quickly.
“No. Go back to her. You must bring the Seph back….she is the key, I know this for Baen has told me.”
“Shut up you fool!” Baen lunged and struck Vigile across the head, sending him reeling. Baen leapt towards the Xul’Nue, knocking him backwards once more and pushing him the the very edge. Vigile continued to try and parry the constant swings of the Watcher, but they were quickly swept aside in Baen’s renewed strength and the Xul’Nue was tired. “You shall die like all shall! For my anger and rage has me now and you have prescribed me to be the evil that now I am!”
Baen’s eyes flared as he struck Vigile again, this time drawing blood. The Xul’Nue stumbled away as Baen struck again, sending his former general stumbling closer to the lava below. Vigile stared down at the lava as the shadows began to swirl everywhere. He knew what was happening. Adelia was gaining more and more dark power and there was something being built within the darkness. Another blow from Baen’s sword sent him reeling to the very edge. He quickly rolled away from a few more blows as he touched the burning, throbbing wounds left by Baen’s screaming sword.
Meanwhile, Laura continued to try and shield herself from the magical blasts hurled from Adelia’s hands. “Tulemar Ciotay!” A glistening white aura rose just in time to cushion the blow of the fireball that hurled Laura through the air. She landed softly on her feet, having already cast a grace spell over herself. She glanced over at the others. “You have to get out of here! There’s no way we can defeat her! It’s impossible! She’s too strong!”
“There’s no way out,” Adelia boomed as she hurled two more fireballs.
“Quio fortuna shias!” A wave of ice rose up and shattered the fireballs, dissipating a moment later.
Donovan stared at Adelia for a moment, “Enough of this!” He drew a dagger from his side and lunged, hurling it end over end.
“NO!” Laura waved her hand and the dagger sailed into the lava. “We can’t kill her! She’s one of us inside still!”
The echoing laugh that rang through the air stung them all and froze them in their place. It had come from Adelia. “I will never be like you…..”
“Adelia! Wake up!” Blackheart raced near her, stopped by a wall of writhing souls that burst forth from the ground at the command of Adelia. “Why won’t you listen! You’ve got to fight it! You’ve got to snap out of it! We need you!”
Adelia turned towards Blackheart, “You forget, Blackheart….that you may need me, but I do not need YOU!” Adelia waved her hand and the shadows crashed down on Blackheart, grabbing at him and trying to tear him apart.