X
“He shouldn’t be here! I won’t allow it! And he brings human filth on my sacred planet?” M’gethir’s voice booms in the throne room. He hasn’t aged a bit, I see. Still as scrawny as ever though. He stands glaring at me. I glare back. The remaining soldiers in the room have pure hate written on their faces. I recognized a few from my time here. Bardoc, Magellan, and the other guy, what was his name? I couldn’t remember. M'gethir probably told them some awful lie about me, and labelled me a traitor. Well then, a traitor I shall be. I smile at one of them and his face becomes stone cold, he was probably fighting the urge to impale me. I get that a lot. He eventually calmed down and turned away, facing upward. Sucker.
“Hey, who are you calling filth, you scrawny fuck?” Tony yells back at him. The guards lose their cool and rush Tony. He swats them like flies and continues talking. “We’re here to help, so you could try to be nicer.” M'gethir’s eyes flare up with a bright green and a sigil appears beneath Tony’s feet. Tony sinks to the ground and gasps in pain. “Watch your tone when speaking to me, filth” Tony screams in pain as the immense gravity starts breaking his bones. I counter his spell and the sigil disappears. “That’s enough, M'gethir.” If you want to harm anyone, harm me” He glared at me, but there was a hint of pleasure in his eyes. “Xassin, the traitor, the murderer. You dare return here after what you did? I roll my eyes at the theatrics and stay silent. Zeus intervenes with his usual hearty grin. “If you’ve got complaints, You can always take it up with Lord Erebus. I’m sure he’ll love to have you over.”
M'gethir swallowed. He was afraid of the Lords. Mostly because they could wipe out his empire in seconds, but also because of his inability to fool them. They were more cunning than he was, and he despised that. So he steered far from the Lords' radars, moving his empire around as much as possible. “If the lord’s say so, then I have no problem. But make sure you watch that traitor at all times” He became more business-like and relaxed on the throne. “The harbingers have increased their attacks on Le'uthara, they know that we’ve found the Mind of Ente. Their attacks have also become more coordinated. I can only assume they have a leader of some sorts.” He looks at me, green eyes filled with malice. “If not for Arch-mage Xassin's arrival, we may have lost the planet.” A hushed silence follows and then I decide to speak.
“What is the plan now?” The attention of the entire room shifted to me. Clearly they were confused after the several attacks. All they relied on was the shield which was worn down now. The next wave would definitely destroy it. Tony stood up, stretching. I guess he had already finished healing himself. He’s looking at the throne with that kind of look he would use for a girl. I follow his gaze and mine rests on a female I couldn’t recognise. She was standing just beside the throne. She wore a black cloak with golden lines at the edges. What’s a Halit commander doing so close to the throne? Then I noticed her eyes. Green. Malicious. Powerful. This was M'gethir’s child. “She was the one I fought before. Cute, right?”
I’d better steer him away now, for his own good. “She’s his daughter. M'gethir’s child. You better just stay away” I look at him, my eyes burning into mine. “For your own good” I turned to face them again, but the girl was gone. Zeus spoke, his voice sounding like rolling thunder. “Once all known Arch-mages arrive, we shall start the new defence mechanism for Le’uthara. The harbingers will attack again, sooner than expected, se we must be ready. Until we can move the mind to Nirvana, where it will be safe. He paused and looked at M’gethir as if to say “from you, mostly” He continued. “Also, a few of the soldiers have reported seeing a looming shadow over Le'uthara during the attacks. They report seeing sharp grinning teeth and white eyes.” A sudden chill passed through me. This sounded familiar, too familiar. My childhood memories washed over me again and I shuddered. If he was still alive.....
“You okay, X?” Tony broke me out of my reverie. “Nothing, I just zoned out” He looked sceptic. “Uh-huh” I asked Zeus where those soldiers were. Be just shook his head and said, “They’re all dead...or senile.....or catatonic. Whatever that thing was, it drove them mad, to the breaking point.” This is bad. Something is definitely wrong here. I sighed. “That’s the real reason the Arch-mages are needed, to fight the thing if it shows up.” Zeus beamed. “As usual, always in the loop.” He turned to the rest. “He’s right, the Arch-mages are here for two reasons. One, is to destroy whatever that thing is, if it attacks, and the second is to secure the Mind.” People were speaking in hushed tones, debating whether the thing was that powerful to warrant all Arch-mages to convene. Then M’gethir stood up. “That will be all for now. Rest, we reconvene at the next two cycles.”
Tony flew back to the ship and I followed him, mindful of M’gethir’s watchful eyes. How did he even get a daughter? He despises children. We enter the ship and Tony brings out more food. We eat, and I tell him to get some rest. The cycle was almost over. “Ko'vren, take the ship into orbit around Le'uthara, the weapons loaded and primed for attacks.” The white glow from the black hole's accretion disk was soft and peaceful. Then I realized that Ko'vren hadn’t done anything. “Ko’vren?” No response. I try to turn around, but I feel a blade press against my throat. “gods, he didn’t even wait a few minutes?” I relax in my chair and the blade pressed tighter. Once slice and it would be over. “M'gethir didn’t send me.” The voice was female. Impressive. “Then, do you have something to say to me?” “Just one question.” She paused. “Why did you kill Z'ara?” My blood ran cold. That bastard...how dare he? My shock was soon replaced with building rage. “So that’s what he told you, huh?” I concentrated magical power to the index and a small shockwave pushed her back. I turn to see green eyes staring back at me. His daughter. Why does she even care? “Why do you care so much?” I ask, definitely angry now. She stands and scowls. “You bastard, Z’ara is my mother”
“W-what?” I stuttered, obviously shocked. M'gethir and Z'ara had a child? How is that even possible? She never told me... Her voice broke my train of thought again. “It’s time for you to face your punishment, Xassin.” Her sword rose and it glowed and soon blazed with a bluish flame. “Flame of the Inferno King” she pointed the sword at me and I set up wards instantly. But the attack never came. Tony’s glowing blue hand connected with the side of her neck with a chop and she crumpled to the ground.
“She’s hot”, he grinned. “Literally and figuratively” I put seal on her and placed her down on the bed. Tony knocked her out cold, but I wasn’t taking any chances. She had a lot of explaining to do. And she needed to know the truth. I remember the rage on his face as he dragged her away and I escaped. I hated him more, now that I knew he was intimate with her once, and still killed her.
As I lay down to sleep, I could swear I heard distant laughter from afar.
Something big is coming.
I finally fell into a dreamless sleep.
Tony.I couldn’t sleep.I stared at the ceiling of Ko’vren for an hour now, and sleep wouldn’t come. Occasionally, I’d look over to where the girl lay. She still had her cloak on, but I knew she had a nice shape underneath. My eyes trailed from her heaving chest, to her face, her lips, nose, and her piercing green eyes. Oh shit. She’s awake. I quickly face the ceiling and pretend I didn't notice her. “You stare a lot” she finally said, breaking the awkward silence. “I was bored, and looking at you made for more entertainment than the ceiling”, I reply, casually, still looking up. She snorted and didn’t rely. More awkward silence. Guess it’s my turn to break the ice. “Why do your people hate him so much?” I asked, turning to face her. Her gaze remained fixed on me, green eyes contrasting against her auburn red hair. “He is a traitor. An outsider that betrayed the same ones that took him in. The murderer of our Arch-mage, Z’ara, my mother”“And let me gue
X.Air forcefully rushed out of my lungs just before I landed. “Gah! Who the f-“ A pair of fiery red eyes meet mine. Fuck. I’d know those eyes anywhere. I land on my knees. “By the lords, Eisty, couldn’t you wait until I reached the ground?” Eistibus, King and Arch-mage of the second sector.....and also a friend of sorts. “That was payback for leaving without any explanation.”, he said with a sadistic smile, extending his arm. He hadn’t changed a bit over all these years. I grab his hand and get up. Tony is about to attack him, and I raise a hand. “Calm down, tiger, he’s a friend” Eistibus looks past Tony, sizing him up. Then he started looking at Tony with more...interested eyes. “Oh my. Who’s he?” his voice hinting more interest. Tony walked over. “Who’s he, X?” Tony said, radiating hostility.Eistibus, meet Tony, my best friend, Tony meet King Eistibus of the second sector, and an old friend.” Tony reluctantly stretched out his hand. Eistibus still stood wher
Tony.Immediately he took off the hood, X’s hands tightened around the chair, almost breaking it. I could already feel the slight emissions of elven magic from him. He was mad. And he wasn’t even trying to hide it. I didn’t recognise the man, and no-one else there seemed to. Not even Zeus or Horus. The man, now that I had a better look at him, had similar features to X. Same eyes, hair, skin....I looked at X as a realization hit me “Is he your father?” X didn’t reply. It was an unspoken rule between us. We never talked about his father. Ever. Once I pried too much and lost an arm. I had to learn regeneration that day. He never spoke of his past, and I just assumed it was too traumatic and I never asked again, especially after I lost my hand. But now...“X, is he your father?”, I asked again, this time he gave a grim nod, never breaking his gaze way from the man, as if he would vanish if he did. Confused murmurs rose from the Arch-mages. The man ignored them and faced X
X.So you remember me after all this time?What changed?“Could you please shut up, Astaroth?” He had been pestering me ever since we got back to Le’uthara. I put him to sleep after I mastered the shard. And he was mad, very mad. I abandoned him immediately I was done, although in my defence, I beat him into submission, and he was my slave. I had every right to do anything I wanted, right? Apparently not, cause he kept yammering away in my mind. He, the great king of the Seventh Circle of Hell, was stuck with me. I remember Lucifer laughing his balls out as I dragged . Astaroth away. Ah, good times. When I was a young and daring adventurer, and didn’t have the fate of potentially the entire multiverse resting on my head. When I didn’t think of crushing my father’s windpipe every passing minute. Good times indeed.Why should I? You left me on ice for how many years? I can’t even...you think I’m a tool to use?
Tony.Smack. The man’s fist struck my face. I saw him wince, but he hid it well. “Get out of here, filth, you don’t belong.” He closed the distance between us again, ready at strike another punch. “Leave” he said, mustering as much authority as he could in his voice. I eyed him. He wore nothing that said he was a mage, but he must have been one, to know I’m human. In any case, racism was still a thing anywhere I went. And it was funny the amount of scorn they had for my kind. Hell, we don’t even know you exist. I smirked and turned back to what I was doing and grabbed the sack filled with fruits. “I’ll be gone as soon as I get what I came here to do.”, I said, acting indifferent to the man, knowing he would get angry and try to hit me again. Well, he would try... “How much is all this?”, I asked the shocked girl that had handed me the bag and flushed when I smiled at her.“I... it&rsquo
X.I narrowed my eyes at Tony as he flew into Ko’vren. He was late, and I was starving. He was most likely chasing some girl all over Le’uthara. Whore, I thought, throwing the Rubik’s cube at his head. “You’re late, like very late.” He caught it with ease and tossed it back. I saw the faint glimmer of happiness in his eyes. I was right, it was a girl. “Sorry, I was...held up" he opened his pocket dimension and threw out a bag of fruits. I was too hungry to care right away and opened the bag. At least he got everything. I stood and went to the kitchen area, picking up a knife and started peeling them. “Did you go out?”, he asked, sitting down and picking up the cube, fiddling with it. “Yeah, uh, Zeus came around again, they wanted a briefing.” I started chopping the fruits that looked suspiciously like apples, but with an orange rind.“What’d you tell them?”, he asked, still fiddling. He had scattered the cube and was already fixing it with intent, brows furrowed
Tony.Today was the day. Everyone was present; the Arch-mages, Zeus, Horus, M’gethir and Míriel beside him. We made eye contact a few times and she smiled at me, although it was a masked one, it was a welcome change from the scowling I usually received when she saw me. As an added surprise, X asked of she could stay on Ko’vren, he mentioned something about needing extra hands on deck and how no one would help. M'gethir suspiciously agreed and Míriel was allowed on-board. X winked at me conspiratorially before going to the back rooms to get 'some stuff' and disappeared, plunging us into awkward silence. X was taking all this better than I expected. But still, damn him for leaving me here alone with her. Surprisingly she spoke first.“Nice ship you got, I didn’t check it out the first time I was here.” I fiddled with some controls, thinking hard of what to say. The words were jumbled up in my head, like as if I had dyslexia, if
X.There was a dull thud as metal crunched and creaked. Then an explosion occurred. A bright white light exploded in the far distance as the shockwave of an explosion rocked our ships. In that flash of the explosion, I saw the colossal figure that loomed above us it was a large shadow, larger than even the demon X summoned. It looked like a shadowy cloak with no legs. All around it debris floated, as if it had its own gravitational field. The rest of Nirvana was in ruins. The floating castles and buildings dilapidated or basically destroyed. But that wasn’t the worst part of this. In that explosion, the flash of light revealed millions of harbingers all around us. Divine harbingers, gods that were corrupted, were too many to count. They stayed there in silence, just floating. Then we were plunged into darkness again.The entire space around our ships lit up with an orange glow. A single figure was at the centre of the warm glow. Horus. His metallic wings were spr