Chapter XLI: (Cont. V)
“I shall not…..let all be lost to you….” He glanced over to Rah, a comradic glance shared for a moment before Baen was on his feet again.
“Fine….two of you…that should be simple enough. He brought his staff around in a figure eight, spiralling it again and again. “At least this time you don’t know who I’ll choose to finish!” Baen continued to spin his staff as his enemies drew closer to him. And in his mind, he felt time move ahead for a moment and he could see what was going to happen before it did. He leapt to the side as Rah’s staff came down, bringing his own staff up to block the downswing of the servant of Death’s sword. He rolled aside, firing a bolt of energy that caught the servant of death and hurled him through the air, most of him starting to flame purple. Rah raced quickly to his writhing comrade as his final breaths gave out.
“I honor you, for giving yourself again to the cause of life.”
“How touching….almost sentimental….if it wasn’t for the fact that I really don’t care at all. You going to come around to finish me, or shall I just kill you there while you weep?” Baen brought his staff around again, the eyes beginning to light up again.
Rah rose slowly, turning with a calculated motion, then leapt, his staff moving with lightning speed, several of the blows actually finding their way through and cutting across Baen’s skin, blood spraying everywhere as Baen cried out. Rah continued to swing, his arms not slowing for a moment as his blade became a blur and his eyes began to flash darker. He watched as Baen stumbled back, his entire face frozen with a look of hate and anger, and then it changed to absolute concentration. And before Rah knew it, Baen’s hand had found its way through the constant swings and plucked the sword from Rah’s mid-section, drawing it out quickly and catching the servant of War’s staff with his own, bringing his sword around and taking off one of Rah’s arms. Baen kicked him away with a grin, watching the figure drop to his knee in pain.
“How?”
There was the sound of a blade burying itself deep into the back of the warrior, and then Rah fell forward, a short sword buried to the hilt in the servant’s back: Adelia’s sword. Baen and the new Adelia stared at each other, “It was her, my friend.” Baen felt the world begin to shift again…the balance completely thrown as Rah’s final death rattle gave out. “Your powers are now mine as well, for we share a bond of eternity.” Adelia said nothing, only stared at him with a sadistic smile at the edge of her mouth. Baen could feel her mind struggling to keep hold of itself, to keep it out of the darkness, but the old Adelia was losing.
“It is time we finish this.” Baen smiled and stepped towards the gates of Cion Sky, placing the main key piece in the center of the door and watching as the light began to pour into it. Baen produced Blackheart’s amulet a moment later, admiring it for a moment. “All this time waiting for you…and now…finally…..the time has come….” Baen took the amulet and slid it solidly into place, the energy beginning to fill the jewel as the sound of chanting was heard through the very air. Baen’s head rose up, listening to the words as they rolled through the sky. “Yes….yes! My time has come my foul brethren…it is time you pay for what you have done!!” Baen screamed and laughed as the the doors began to buckle inwards.
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All are dead now. There are none left.
“Who are you?” Blackheart rose slowly in the darkness….afraid to see who was there. The voice was without quality, a completely ambiguous sound that burrowed its way into his head.
You must go on….you must fight to live. They will heal you…….
“Who are you? What do you mean go on? Adelia told me! I already know! Nine were to stand against them….and now both Adelia and Gobudo are lost!”
If you believe that you will fail, then you will indeed fail. But you may yet succeed…there are many things still occurring which you do not know…many pieces not seen on the board just yet….many unknown allies.
“How can I trust you!? I don’t even know who you are!”
If you knew….all would be lost……you must not know….
And then Blackheart felt the flicker of red pass by him and his eyes narrowed, “You……”
Continue on Blackheart…..do not be a fool and turn back now. Adelia has known much, and what she has told you she did so to save you from death. But it is not her or your decision whether you die. It is another’s.
Blackheart stared into the darkness, “You are the one who has been tricking us! Baen told us already! It’s too late if you think you can make a fool of me again!”
And what if Baen was wrong?
“What?”
How does one know who I am? How could anyone know for sure? I cannot urge you one way or the other anymore, for your decision remains entirely up to you. But remember that if you do not fight, all is lost…..and you may die if you do continue on….but you may live. It is a better chance of living if you pursue Baen further and try and stop him from entering. Go now…..there is no more time for me here…..
Blackheart then felt the cold creeping over him, “Wait! WAIT!” But as he reached out, his hand fell away again, his body going limp once more.
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