“I understand.” She flicked her hand to the left. The orb smashed into the new group causing them to crash into a building, and through the brick wall. She seemed angry that so many people were being killed.
“They didn’t even declare war. They attacked us without warning. Even worse they probably have a spy in the city. Someone disabled the alarms and early warning devices. When I find out who I’m going to make sure they end up either in the prisons or dead.”
“I’m trying not to kill these people, but it’s like they don’t give up.” he told her.
“They’re not going to. "You can't always spare everyone, there are too many. You can try, but you've got to kill some.” She folded her arms and looked at Myra again. “And I’m starting to want to more and more.”
A man wearing a black general’s outfit, black boots, and a hood was walking toward them. Victoria sent her orb toward him. He merely raised his sword and blocked it effortlessly.
He drew back his hood with one hand. He looked to be in his twenties or early thirties. He had short black hair that seemed slightly unkempt, purple eyes, and a twisted grin. His physique was compact, but still rather built. He had some armor under his black cloak, but it did not look very heavy. There was a sword with a stylish red hilt at his side. Is this their father? He doesn’t look like Penny or Tori, he pondered. Much to Chris's relief, only the hilt of his sword was red, the blade was silver. Chris figured they had a chance.
“Victoria! My dear! How have you been?” he asked as he drew his sword, his grin creeping more across his face. “I had one hell of a time trying to find you. I asked those Wizards and poor guards back there where you were and they just didn’t know.” He began to laugh maniacally. She clenched her fist harder. “So, you see I kind of killed them all out of frustration. I would have killed this one too--” He kicked Myra’s body out of his way as he approached. “Unfortunately, these boys beat me to it! Why Imperial training has come a long way hasn’t it?”
“Tori? Who is this guy?” Chris questioned.
“Vedi Der Ritter. He’s one of my father’s generals, in fact he’s basically the top general. If he’s here my father can’t be far behind. We need to get help,” she answered.
“Why can’t we take him?”
“Chris he’ll kill you,” she warned.
“Can you take him?” he questioned. “You’re a mage.”
“I’m not sure...He’s unpredictable and fast.” Victoria admitted. Chris stood at the ready to fight.
“Aww how sweet of you to say. If your sister was here I could take you both with me to your father. Lord Chaos misses you. He told me to ask you nicely before doing anything drastic.”
He began to play with his sword’s blade and run his fingers across it. “You see after your little run in with Gatchi and stopping her from completing her task, she went missing. We heard about the whole thing and how it cost us a new recruit.”
“Gatchi never came back?” Victoria repeated.
“She never returned. Either she was afraid of punishment or she’s gone rogue. Incompetent if you ask me,” he laughed. “Now come along.”
Victoria did not move. Chris stood with her. “Oh-ho so you’re being rebellious now?”
“You’re talkative,” Chris said.
“You’re going to die next,” he shot back. He ran toward Chris.
Victoria moved forward to stop him, but he merely shoved her aside forcefully and continued toward him. Chris raised his sword and blocked his first strike. His second strike came faster striking him in the arm and then across his cheek. Victoria’s orb came around and hit Vedi’s sword so Chris would have a window of opportunity. Chris switched to reverse grip and slashed as fast as he could. Miss. Vedi had ducked under his attack and had cut his leg. Chris fell and as he jumped to deliver a crushing downward blow, Chris blocked with his sword and threw him off. He couldn’t walk.
He suddenly heard the soothing melody of a flute in his ear. The girl with the flute was extremely far away and yet he could hear it very clearly. She was facing his direction and playing a soft tune. His cheek, arm, and leg healed rapidly until they were perfectly fine. She bowed in the distanced and began to play in other directions. One of the mages had brought him back into the fray.
“You’re up again? How wonderful! I had hoped I couldn’t finish you that easy!” Vedi laughed as he flicked his sword to rid it of Chris’ blood. “Look at him struggle Victoria!”
Victoria and Chris rushed him together and began attacking from both sides. He blocked everything and then swung his sword once again to knock them both back. He made for Chris again. Chris blocked every attack, keeping his sword near his midsection to be ready for anything.
Victoria fired her orb again and ran toward Vedi’s rear. He turned to redirect Victoria’s orb into the ground where it became stuck. She attempted to kick him. He blocked. Chris tried to go for his head, he knocked the attack away. He prepared to finish Chris. Chris raised his sword to block the incoming death blow, but he could not raise it fast enough. Victoria threw a punch to try to save Chris. Vedi’s lips drew back to reveal his teeth in a sinister smile. He reversed his sword and stepped back, dodging under her punch and impaling her through the chest her eyes widened as she let out a barely audible scream. Vedi then turned to slash her across the arm hard, and finally kicking her away as hard as he could so she landed with a loud thud, facing the sky.
The girl with the flute ran over to look down and see if Victoria was okay. She turned and was probably telling the others what had happened, but they were too busy with the rest of the city. The only one that was left up there with her was the boy with the black hair. She tried to play her flute, but so many people were in trouble that she had no time to help Victoria. The civilians came first.
Chris ran over to Victoria and took her up into his arms. He cradled her and pushed her hair back to see her eyes. She had blood trickling down her forehead and around her ear. She appeared to be going into shock, and her healing wasn’t keeping up at all. She glanced back at Vedi who was merely laughing, and then she looked back at Chris. She must have been cut across the throat at some point because she could not speak. Chris covered her throat and held her chest where she was stabbed.
“Chris?” she asked, she sounded faint and weak. “Is it bad? I can’t feel most of my body right now. The parts that I can feel I don’t feel very well.” She was bleeding all over him.
“You’re losing a lot of blood stop talking...You’ll be okay you’ll heal,” Chris told her frantically. “Hold on... I can maybe use something….”
“No... It’s done...He isn’t known for not getting a clean hit, and I left myself too open when I tried to stop him from killing you,” she began to choke slightly and grip onto him. “It hurts.”
“I know it hurts… Just… hang on--” Chris pleaded, his eyes starting to sting. He was forcing back tears, biting his lip to stay calm.
“Can’t. I’m sorry...Do me a huge favor? Protect my sister...She means the world to me,” she asked. “Run away from Vedi and get as far as you can. Emily can help you she isn’t far.” Victoria placed both of her hands over his arm.
“Tori…”
“Tell Emily… I love her so much, and that she’s the sweetest girl I’ve ever known…”
“Tori…” he choked, beginning to cry, his tears sliding down his face and mixing with the blood on Victoria’s outfit and on her skin.
“Chris,” She managed once again. “It’s okay...Just don’t let them die please stay alive as well…” she asked. She tried to smile, but it was barely noticeable.
“You can’t go!”
“You really are just like Emily, you know?” She laid her head back slowly and shut her eyes. Her hands weakened around his arm before letting go completely.
Chris began to cry harder, his tears mixing with the red already on her. The orb of energy that she had used so often glowed brightly for a moment before going dim, and finally dying out. Th
e orb was now black and empty. Victoria was no more.
Chapter 12
Chaos and Order
Was she really gone? Did he just hold her and see her die in her arms? Why were these good people dying? Myra died, and she was only trying to help him find Penny and make sure she was okay. Victoria died just trying to protect him and fight off a maniac. What did they do wrong? He must have missed something. Maybe it was all a nightmare that he would soon hopefully wake up from. A lie? A sick joke? Victoria did like to mess with him frequently, but this was different. She felt cold and soulless, her magic orb had died out, its master now gone.
He tried to force himself into a false reality where she was still alive, she would wake up and begin laughing and say something like: “Now let’s get this guy! After this you should talk to Emily, and then maybe we can go see a show at the Dome!”
What was happening? He had spent all of this time making himself ready to fight, to solve puzzles, to handle disputes, and more...And yet he it had never occurred to him that there would be death. In war people die, but Victoria seemed invincible; in fact, everyone close to him did in his eyes... until now. He made so many promises that he would protect people; Emily, Victoria, Penny, and everyone who he had grown close to. As the thoughts in his mind began to assemble the event that had occurred; he realized that it might be impossible. Unlike with Myra he was right there. He was right with Victoria, and he watched her die when he could have done something.
He was screaming her name. He didn’t even remember beginning to scream. He had simply started at some point and was just now coming back to what senses he had. He was crying hard and holding her closely against him, squeezing her as if he had hoped it would bring her back. He gripped a bundle of her hair tightly in his hand. This magical world was perfect, but now these invaders were destroying it. Chris slowly rose to his feet, laid Victoria safely out of the way by a red building and summoned his sword. He turned to Vedi, his eyes showed rage.
“Does it hurt?” Vedi asked him. “You know we aren’t so different. I see that now, but at the same time…” he continued. “We’re opposites. I recall my first taste of reality. It was… bittersweet.”
What was he doing? She had told him to run as fast as he could to Emily, but when he imagined Emily’s horrified and hurt face it only gave him more purpose. He wanted to stop Vedi, he wanted to defeat him. Chris ran for him, blind with anger. He wanted to kill him. They collided swords, Chris ignored his attacks, only blocking what was necessary. He was focused on attacking, constantly going for his head.
“That’s it. You see?” Vedi laughed as he cut Chris in the leg once again and kicked him over. “We aren’t so different. Are we?”
“I’m nothing like you! You’re a monster!” Chris winced as he tried to sit up. Vedi placed his foot onto Chris’ chest and smiled. He leaned down slightly.
“I’m a monster?” he smiled.
“I’m going to end you!”
“I almost don’t want to kill you! So much potential! Yet you waste it trying to protect...Protection fades boy.” He told him as his smile dropped slightly. “You’re a fool if you think they won’t die one day anyway.”
“Then I can kill you, so it wasn’t for nothing!” He attempted to sit up, but Vedi stomped down to stop him.
“You really do remind me of myself...In another life maybe...Poor, poor you.” He shook his head.
What was he supposed to do? No one could come and save him now. Emily was busy and probably unaware. Megan had gone to look for Ian, and the mages were busy. There was nothing he could do to free himself. He wasn’t going to die though. Vedi didn’t seem to want to kill him, and he was going to follow Victoria’s last instructions. Then it occurred to him what Ian and Autumn had told him only a few days before.
“Autumn!” he cried out. “Help! I’m going to die!” he yelled at the top of his lungs, loud enough for his words to be heard.
“Really? Damsel in distress?” Vedi removed his foot from Chris and kicked him over to where Victoria was. “I thought you would actually do something. Man…”
“That’s enough, evildoer,” a female voice echoed off the walls in the area. Vedi turned and his smile dropped slightly. He did not seem as joyous. Autumn stood before them at the end of the street. She had appeared just as she did before. She stood with her feet together and her hand out.
“Leave or be destroyed.” She sounded so different to him.
Before she sounded so shy and kind, but now she sounded confident, angry, and even a little scary with her commanding voice. Autumn wore a red long-sleeved top, a white collar with an elegant yellow and white tie under it, a white hat with a red lining in the center similar to the headmaster’s, a yellow belt with a white and silver Alliance symbol, a long red skirt with yellow lining, and red shoes.
“I didn’t know the headmaster let his little sidekick out at all!” he taunted. “I don’t see any training wheels though! And a golden mark on your arm--” Vedi glanced at the golden band that she wore on her left arm. “Almost like the golden bands on his! You’re growing up!” Autumn looked over at Chris and smiled.
“You’re safe,” she said kindly. “You did your best; let me take it from here.” she returned her attention to the madman in front of her. “Leave. Now.”
“How rude! You tell your guests to leave when they’ve only just arrived!” He shrugged. “No wonder you don’t get many visitors on this part of town. I mean look how deserted it is! Not to mention you keep dead bodies lying around!” He shook his head as if disappointed. “Horrible. Just awful.”
“Very well,” she said simply as she fired out a gust of wind from her hand and sent him back a few feet like Megan had done. She then moved her hand downwards and surrounded herself with diamonds of different colors. Vedi leapt backwards as she launched a volley of shards in his direction that missed by inches. He moved right and made his way toward her to attack. She placed her hands in front of her and shielded the attack with a barrier of Ice magic just large enough to block the blade.
“Well, well little tike. You know what you’re doing,” he began to applaud her.
“I am the headmaster in training. I will become headmaster next, and thus,” she continued on. “I cannot allow you to harm anyone else. Even if that means I have to subdue you.”
“I’ll just have to kill you too,” he said simply as he began to try to attack her from all sides only to be blocked with the same Ice shield every time.
“You will not.” She began to shoot Fire magic at him. If he wasn’t so fast she would have hit every shot. She summoned more to protect her and fired lightning bolts at him. Occasionally, he would get hit, but she had not taken a blow. Chris watched, his chest tight. He was nervous Autumn might die too, but she was holding her own. She appeared to be winning.
A figure appeared behind her. A sword was drawn from its sheath. The blade had a malevolent red glow to it.
“Autumn, move!” Chris cried. She glanced behind her for a moment and then evaded as the sword came crashing down, destroying the part of the street where she was previously standing.
Autumn landed soon after and stood at the ready once again. The newcomer had on a long black coat, armor on his legs, arms, and chest, he also wore a red mask with a skeletal version of the Alliance symbol. No... It’s him...Autumn...Chris felt himself trembling with both fear and anger. His fast healing had healed him enough to move, but if he did they would kill him. He stood no chance.
Autumn fired crystals at the both of them in midair. Both dodged immediately. Vedi moved quickly behind her and kicked her out of the air. Autumn landed gracefully still. She summoned more diamonds to protect herself. Chaos moved in and broke through her barrier, the shards of the crystals began attacking them. Vedi took a hit in the shoulder, he removed the shard and threw it aside.
Chaos spoke, his voice was deep and chilling. “You believed that to end us?”
“I only need to inconvenience you,” she admitted.
“You have moments at best to leave.”
“Vedi,” Chaos spoke again. “If she is telling the truth we must kill her immediately. We cannot fight them both.”
“Mess or no mess?” Vedi asked.
“Vedi.” Chaos sounded irritated now.
“Alright no mess this time.” He let out a low grunt. “The next one then.”
Chaos turned his head to Chris. Autumn’s eyes widened. Vedi quickly bolted for Chris as Chaos fired a blast of fire at Autumn. She dodged the blast and quickly extended one hand to shield Chris with Ice. She turned back to see Chaos bringing his sword down again. She took a hit and immediately knelt down. The location where she took the hit on her shoulder wasn’t healing as fast as it would have. He had drained her mana. She had just enough to fire shards of Ice magic to force him to retreat.
“We’re running out of time,” Chaos told his general.
“No, you’re out of time,” Autumn corrected. “I’ve been stalling some time now.”
“You’re one annoying kid,” Vedi chuckled. “Great.”
The Headmaster was approaching from down the street where Chris had come earlier. Autumn stepped aside and went to Chris. Vedi took a step back as if he was slightly unnerved. At least twenty Sorcerers came marching to backup Chaos. The headmaster took a step forward, and for some reason this one step caused a massive shockwave. Autumn put a barrier around them. Every last Sorcerer except for Vedi and Chaos held their heads briefly, and then suddenly fell unconscious.
“Vedi fall back,” Chaos ordered. Vedi began to run. A figure fell from the sky and landed behind him and ensnared him in a wire string. He had his arms and legs caught by the wires. The mage with black hair and a yellow coat was now restraining him with the same wire he had used to construct his platform.
“Marvelous…” Vedi muttered. “I have to kill you too?”
“I wouldn’t try if I were you. If you move too much it’ll cut you,” the mage warned. “It could take something important off.”
Spellcrafter-Delta Page 14
