"It's over!" Eckxio said.
He closed his wings and began to spin in the air. It was like a drill falling from the sky about to pierce the mountain summit. Their bodies spun wildly. It was something that Eckxio had done completely out of instinct and creativity. His ability to fly was a gift from the spirit of the Valiarmos, but his fighting ability and combat moves were from years of experience. Just before they crashed into the summit, Eckxio let go of Jairo and rapidly swerved upwards. Jairo's body slammed into the ground and plowed through the earth covering him in dirt. He rolled down the mountain then crashed into a boulder thrice his size, causing it to split in half.
Eckxio descended to his foe. He gently landed on the ground, closing his wings while walking toward Jairo. The Specter rested on half of the boulder. His left arm had been broken so he held the Aero Cosmo Jewel in his right hand. Eckxio glided down the slope then stood on a rock and stared down at Jairo.
"Are you ready?" Eckxio asked solemnly.
"Ready for what! To die? Never," Jairo answered, voice low and weary. "A dream, a desire. It is all that a man has to find some meaning in this life."
"You find meaning by killing others," Eckxio said and drew his sword from the shield scabbard.
Jairo laughed then groaned in pain from his broken arm, unable to move it. "I kill those who stand in the way of my dream. The Aero Cosmo Jewel is necessary for our plans and so we took it by force. It required killing and so we kill and spill the blood of Effeelions to get what we wanted. It was the only way. Even if I die, our plans to bring about a new world will not die. Someone has to bring back the Garden Eden from which we came. True salvation and true paradise. Not this world of split nations that we live in. And you, Elf, don't be a hypocrite; you have killed for your dreams too."
"What gives you the right to decide the fate of the world," Eckxio lectured, stretching his wings. "You are trying to make this world go back in time. Time is something that we cannot gain back. Everything in this world ages. If you truly want to save this world, you must find balance for all living things, not by trying to go back in time and redo a mistake. Real life is in the now. Everything changes for a reason. Whether if Eden was a real place or not, what matters is that we find paradise now in the world that we created. Total destruction is the coward's way out. You are so afraid of dealing with people that you would rather destroy everything than help them. The only way to change the world is to unite the people, no matter their differences, instead of ruling with an iron fist. Take this lesson with you to the underworld or limbo. Perhaps you will do better in the next life."
Eckxio raised Hadraniel skyward. The crystal blade shone like sunlight. He then pointed the sword downward and aimed for Jairo's heart. Before the sword reached his chest, Jairo blocked using the Aero Cosmo Jewel. When the sword collided with the jewel, it released a sudden pulse of wind that pushed the Elf backwards. He drifted through the air over the mountain summit, struggling to control his flight. With a roar he spread open his wings and slowly rose into the sky as the angry winds whistled from below.
"What just happened? I thought I had him," Eckxio said, confused.
He peered down and saw Jairo standing up on the split boulder. Jairo raised the jewel over his head and it shone as it released powerful winds. Eckxio pushed through the current, daring to face his foe despite the power he held in his hands.
"Behold!" Jairo shouted. "I now hold in my hands the power of the dragon god of air. It is all thanks to you."
"I don't understand," Eckxio said. "Did my sword awaken the cosmo jewel? But how?"
Jairo rose with an aero sphere protecting him. His broken arm hung from his shoulder. The sky above darkened as clouds assembled like the coming of a storm. Thunder echoed above and the winds became stronger, pushing Eckxio away.
"You have proven that it is not worth being merciful," Jairo said. "You should have finished me when you have the chance. When you finally decided to strike, it gave me an opportunity to use the maju of your Valiarmos to awaken the jewel, and it worked."
"I don't understand," Eckxio responded as he struggled to remain steady in the middle of the storm. "How can my Valiarmos have any effect on the aero jewel? That is impossible."
"You still have much to learn, Elf," Jairo replied, and cackled. "Since you first fell from the mandarak in the sky, I sensed your maju and I knew it was the perfect source to trigger the aero jewel. Not only does your Valiarmos contain divine and air maju, but it also contains cosmo. It just so happened that your Angel Valiarmos had exactly what the jewel needed. I am far away from defeated. Your own magic just worked against you."
Eckxio was speechless and felt unfortunate at that moment. Unfortunate to have gained the Angel Valiarmos only to find out that it would awaken the aero jewel that was now in the hands of his enemy. "No!" He yelled. "I won't give up. I don't care how powerful you think you are now. You are still human. You are weak without the jewel. All I have to do is take it from you."
"Foolish Elf," Jairo replied, "Can't you see that you are fated to lose to me. You fell from heaven and now let me show you the way to the underworld."
Jairo used the aero jewel and released devastating cutting winds. Eckxio blocked with his crystal shield. At first touch the winds cracked the crystal shield then broke through and it sounded like the breaking of glass. The winds scratched his armor, chipping parts off it like chiseling wood. When the winds began to cut through his skin, he ascended back to Kazenolumos.
At first he chased his foe, but now he ran away from him. Eckxio hid in the dark clouds, hoping Jairo would not see him. As the thunder thudded he absorbed the maju of the lightning and, when he saw Jairo rising, he directed the lightning towards him. The attack was successful and he saw Jairo pause for a moment as sparks chirped on his body. His arm still hung broken but the aero jewel seemed to have given him the vitality he needed for battle.
"I see you, little Elf," Jairo said and launched a mighty current of cutting wind.
Eckxio was pushed upwards towards the city by the air current. His armor was marked with cuts as well as his shield. His body spun in the air current and he was unable to control it. He was about to crash against the bottom of the first level but then Auron came swooping through the air and pulled him out. The Amaranth flew clad in his golden armor.
Eckxio became dizzy and the world spun around him. The sky was reversed with Kazenolumos upside down and he felt as if Auron was flying the opposite way. Auron flew into the first level of the city and placed Eckxio down on the tiled floor.
"You did great," Auron cheered.
"Everything is spinning," Eckxio said, trying to stand up.
"Let the vertigo vanish first," Auron said and pressed Eckxio against the floor. "By the way, I love the new Valairmos. Looks great on you."
Eckxio laughed and, as his dizziness vanished, he propped himself up and looked beyond the parapet. He saw Jairo dashing through the sky heading his way.
"Stay here. I will handle this," Auron said.
"No, he has become too strong with the aero jewel. We must fight him together," Eckxio suggested.
Abruptly, Caim crashed into Jairo, pushing the Specter into the clouds again. Ember and Hertha appeared and released green and red beams at Caim. The demigod released his own beam and pressed his power against theirs.
"How have they become so powerful?" Eckxio asked, watching Caim fight against the Specters.
"Unfortunately, the Specters have awakened the crimson and emerald jewels," Auron answered. "They also use staffs that can tame the power of the jewels. They are now strong enough to fight against Caim."
"Damn it," Eckxio cursed and punched the floor. "Come on, he needs our help."
The two men in armor kicked off the ground and rushed to aid Caim.
"Stay back!" Caim yelled as he pushed against two beams of cosmo. "Run!"
"We can't let them win," Eckxio said.
Caim used his cosmo and sent a wave that forced Eckxio and Auron back
into the first level. Eckxio crashed onto the tiled floor. He looked at Caim again and saw Jairo attacking. Three Specters surrounded Caim. They overpowered him and, when the demigod could no longer push against their beams, he began to tumble from the sky.
"Eckxio!" he heard a familiar voice shouting his name. He looked back and saw Akielas running towards him, unsteadily, along with someone else.
"Akielas, where have you been? I couldn't sense your maju the entire time. What happened to you?" he asked desperately.
"It's a long story," Akielas said as he arrived. "I will tell you later."
"And who is he?" Eckxio pointed at the man behind Akielas.
"He is Rey Ling, from the United Pathways," Akielas answered. "He is on our side."
Eckxio quickly nodded his head in salute and looked back at Caim. The Specters had captured the demigod and stabbed him with rods of kaminyte. Eckxio was about to leap into the air but the Specters vanished in a cloud of black smoke. Their maju could no longer be sensed. They had taken Caim and the Aero Cosmo Jewel.
"It is not over yet. We will save Caim and return all the jewels to their rightful places," Eckxio swore.
Akielas
An hour after the Specters had captured Caim, all the fiends had disappeared and the Effeelions commenced to cremate the dead. Akielas walked over the debris in the first level of Kazenolumos. Women cried for the fallen and the elders prayed for the dead to find their way to the realm of light. The children sang a soothing hymn for the wounded warriors. A hymn so sweet it put Akielas at ease, like morning tea or bathing in a warm lagoon. They sang holding hands and walking the streets in groups. Their words touched his soul and he began to sing along.
Bittersweet, I see rain deep in my sleep.
Symphony, Lumnos sing while I dream.
Melodies, bells ringing when I walk the streets of my city.
Ever dream, another day to see the kingdom gleam.
Beyond darkness, over mountains, under the stars and the world so lonely, we spread our freedom wings.
Bittersweet, no more will it rain on me.
Bittersweet, no nightmare will distort my dream.
And the world and the stars will sing with me.
Tears trail down my cheeks.
The song went on while the children walked. As the people heard the hymn, they wiped their tears and a slight smile would stretch their lips.
Akielas wished he could help. He wished he could use his illumancy to heal them and close their wounds. But it was gone. His magic had left him. He could not feel his maju anymore, only the traumatizing pain that ran through his spine. His back still hurt and sometimes he struggled to walk. I am useless now, he thought. I won't be able to do much without my magic. I have become like an empty shell on the seashore. What will I do now without my magic?
"There you are," said a voice from above.
Akielas peered atop the square ivory houses. Up a flight of stairs that went to the ceiling of the city, Nehushine walked alongside Areira and Kazemee.
"Lord Nehushine. I am so sorry," Akielas said. "It's all my fault."
"Why are you so hard on yourself?" Nehushine said. He jumped down the stairs, his tunic and wide sleeves filling with air and he glided down slowly. He landed gently in front of Akielas. "I should have listened to you the day you first came to warn us. We have lost too many lives to not realize what we should have really done."
"Lord Nehushine," Akielas said, but he had no more words and frowned.
"We lost ten thousand lives today," Areira said.
"Twenty thousand of our people ran away," Kazemee added. "They should return soon since our city still stands without the aero jewel."
"Lord Nehushine, Caim was captured," Akielas stated, unable to make eye contact.
"I know, I saw what they did to him," Nehushine said. "I never thought that the cosmo jewels could make someone powerful enough to battle against a demigod like Caim."
There was a long silence and Akielas looked back at the children. He was tired and weak. He wanted to lay down and rest but a part of him wished he were dead already and not having to deal with such catastrophe. He was tired of his apprentices and all the chaos they had caused. He was tired of searching for them and trying to stop them. Akielas felt like giving up hope and surrendering, but knew he couldn't. I will not die with more regrets, he thought. I will not leave this burden to the next generation. I must think of something.
"Akeilas, dear, you look so tired," Areira told him. "Why don't you rest and recover your maju."
"I have no maju," he replied.
"What do you mean?" Nehushine asked, looking up at him.
"The Specters did something to me and now I am unable to use magic," he explained.
"What!" the three council members said simultaneously.
"That is impossible," Nehushine added. "No one can strip you of your magic. It is the law of nature."
"I wish you were right, but the Specters have found a way," Akielas said. "Now, if you will excuse me, I need to walk for a while and think."
Akielas continued on his walk around the city, dejected and drowning in despair. I am useless now, he continued to think. What will I do now? I need an answer. Time is running out fast. He walked until he reached the end of the street that led to the outer fields of the city. It was nighttime and he could see the two moons aligning, almost overlapping. One white and one blue. Only seven days until the tri-eclipse. How am I going to stop the Specters? Will I stop my apprentices? He gazed up at the moons and saw a constellation gleaming next to the blue moon. Akielas did not know much about the zodiacs but he knew it was the Avian constellation. I need a sign, I am lost, he kept telling himself.
"Sir Akielas," he heard Eckxio approaching from his right. The Elf still wore his Angel Valiarmos. The armor had many cuts and scratches with small chunks chipped off. It was silver hemmed with gold and zeustoss filigree.
"That is incredible looking armor," Akielas said. "But it is still no match for the Specters."
"Why do you have to be so pessimistic and negative," Eckxio replied. "I know it is difficult but we can't give up. This is not about you so stop being so self-centered."
"I still blame myself for it," Akielas said.
"For a problem that we all have to deal with," Eckxio remarked. He placed his hand on Akeilas's shoulder and smiled. "We will find a way but you must take the lead. You know them better than anyone. We are right here with you."
"You are never alone," Auron's voice came from behind him.
Akielas spun around and saw that the Amaranth was still clad in the Golden Sun Valiarmos.
"When I was a young boy you told me to have faith, no matter what," Auron reminded. "You always told me that faith was stronger than any spell a mage could cast. Where is your faith now?"
Akielas was silent.
"Yes, you are right," he finally admitted. "I always spoke of faith, but now, without my magic, I am of no use. And perhaps Rey Ling did not tell you, but we discovered in the city of Ironside that the tri-eclipse will happen seven days from today."
"No way!" Eckxio and Auron said simultaneously.
"That is impossible. But then...if that is true, what are we going to do in such a short time?" Eckxio asked.
"That is what I am worried about," Akielas replied.
"Did you forget, Akielas," he heard Rey Ling's voice coming from his left.
Akielas turned and saw Rey approaching. He did not seem worried despite all that had happened.
"What are you so cheery about?" Akielas asked.
"You forgot about what I had told you," Rey said and joined Akielas by the parapet.
"Who are you again?" Eckxio asked.
"The name is Rey Ling from the United Pathways," Rey answered. "Akielas and Auron helped me bring down the queen of my country. I decided to join their quest to put an end to the Specters. I make machines and gadgets. And where are you from?"
"I am from Verday, the green country," Eckxio replied and
bowed, closing his wings. "The Specters stole the soul of the woman I love and they stole the emerald jewel from its domain. I joined Akielas to return the jewel to its rightful place and regain the soul of my wife."
"I see," Rey said. "We will do it together then." Rey and Eckxio bowed to each other.
"Now that we have all been introduced, what were you going to say, Rey," Akielas said, eager to know.
"Remember I told you that I was going to find my grandfather's supply of omnithium," Rey reminded. "The Specters used staffs of omnithium to control the cosmo jewels, so if we could equip ourselves with omnithium, then we stand a chance against them."
"Wait! You can forge omnithium?" Auron asked, marching over to Rey Ling.
"That is what I said," Rey stepped away from Auron. "Omnithium has the ability to absorb maju, cosmo, and, as my new Elf friend here said, the soul of a loved one. So the only way to fight against this powerful steel is to equip ourselves with it, and I know just how to make it."
"That is brilliant!" Eckxio cheered, punching the air.
"And just how are you going to forge this metal?" Auron asked.
"Using the leftover supply of kaminyte I have in my factory," Rey answered. "Now if you could help find some mythium and zeustoss, it will make this easier for all of us."
"So the Specters were collecting all those super rare metals to forge omnithium," Auron concluded. "Three powerful metals into one. It is no wonder we lost. So then we have a chance at defeating them if we just make our own weapons of omnithium."
"We are speaking the same language my friend," Rey said. "Just give me two days and I will have this super metal finished in no time," Rey turned to Akielas and asked, "Now, as far as this misfortune with your magic, have you figured out anything?"
"Yes," Akielas answered. "I am going to see the fairy king."
"What for? He was of no help last time," Eckxio reminded and crossed his arms.
"I know, but this time, he will listen to me," Akielas said. He returned his gaze to the two moons. "If the fairy king can see the future, then I am sure he would not allow this world to end."
Spirit of Mages (Rift of Chaos Book 2) Page 33
