by Jesse Wilson
“Melissa, listen all of the blades have been unsealed. These two took me here to make sure you were alright, you're fine, now we need to get out of here and—“ Melissa cut Shane off.
“Get out of here, really, this is potentially one of the biggest adventures of my life and you want to run away, I don't think so,” she said and tied back her light green hair in a ponytail with a quick motion.
“Does everyone around here have a death wish?” Shane couldn't believe what he was hearing. “Maybe I do, but this is just the sort of thing I've been training for, I won't pass it up, nobody would,” she replied and seemed excited.
“Fine, get dressed and we'll discuss a battle plan, all of the sudden I am feeling pretty useless in all of this,” Shane said looking at everyone around him.
He was realizing he was the only one who didn't have anything special about him as his girlfriend rushed off to her room.
“Don't worry about it Shane, I'm sure your girlfriend here will find something you can use to throw at the bad guys from a distance to be safe,” Pen said to him and laughed.
“Yeah well, I'm not the only one who's being protected by a woman so zip it,” Shane replied and Pen realized that he walked right into that one.
“There isn't anything wrong with being protected by a super powerful suit of armor that happens to be a woman,” Tinea said to both of them.
Melissa came walking back out in her traditional mage training armor. It was lightning blue plate mail that covered her from her toes to her neck it fit her like a glove.
“I like how that armor fits on you, the only thing I like better is taking it off one piece at a time,” Shane said with a smile and Melissa blushed and quickly turned on the television to see what was going on to divert attention. Pen groaned a little and didn't know why Shane said that at a time like this. There were somethings he just didn't need to know about.
“Maybe later we can do that, but right now we get to do something amazing,” she said. Shane looked at her television and everyone else did too.
“They are using the army to try and put down the threat,” Shane said as they all watched but was sure that this wouldn't work.
Chapter Twelve
The Obsidian class golems started to march into the camera's view to put the threat down before it began.
“Surrender immediately,” the lead golem said in a highly mechanical voice.
“That's a bad idea,” Tinea said at once and continued. “They are facing Zolar,” she finished “The blade of animation,” Melissa finished her sentence as they continued to watch.
Zolar's form was that of a thin, black knight with silver energy crackling around him constantly, in his right hand was a long, slender blade that Pen assumed was his original form. This being turned towards the ones who approached him and tilted his head a little to the side, curious, just for a second.
“Minions of steel, minions of mortals, who've never lived at all, hear my call and get a reason to live,” Zolar said, raised his left hand. From it fired a beam of silver energy that hit the lead golem then instantly spread to the other seven that stood behind it and the golems stopped in their tracks, turned around on their former masters.
“Zolar's call leads us to glory,” the golems said in very different, screeching voices that were painful to listen to. They started shooting green flames out of their eyes and walked back towards the military.
“Wasn't Torax the one who made Zolar?” Shane asked and Melissa closed her eyes, annoyed, “Yes, it's true, every mage knows that story. It makes me wonder where the gods are now when they are needed,” she said and knew that they were witnessing the beginning of the world's end.
This wasn't how the story was supposed to go, however.
“Who cares, right now we need to do something. I am responsible for all of this, I need to undo it,” Pen said as he just stood here, getting anxious doing nothing. “One of the blades is close by, I can feel it,” Tinea said to them.
“She's right, I can feel it too, and it's close. It feels like being hit with a static shock or something close to that it's hard to describe,” Pen agreed with her. Shane and Melissa looked at one another. “Yeah, well, this should be all kinds of fun, right?” Shane asked, still not fully understanding how his life got so complicated this fast.
“I guess it's show time, but we should find out what one it is first and remember. No one use my name. If I can fix this without anyone knowing it was me, I'd be happy about that,” Pen reminded them.
“Yeah sure, anything to avoid blame, typical human trait,” Melissa said and looked out the window to see if she could see anything. “Of course it is, lying is what us humans are good at doing,” Pen replied to her. “Okay, I'm going. Stay out of sight for now,” Pen said to them as he turned and walked out of the house.
Just down the street was a ten foot tall hulking humanoid suit of armor who looked more as if his flesh had been turned to blood red color and metal. His eyes were black and empty. As he walked down the street it fired deep red beams from its hands that washed over the houses.
From the walls of the houses, seconds later, burst smaller versions of the thing that created them.
Pen looked behind the thing and there were several red musclebound, steel looking elves filing out into the street.
“So, who is this one?” Pen asked Tinea. “Sholtan, the blade of power, physical strength to be exact, you wanted to take one down that's fine but this one is the strongest blade, so to speak,” Tinea said to him.
“Great, well we need to start somewhere, this is as good as place as any to do it,” Pen replied to her.
“It's Sholtan and he's got an army,” Pen yelled inside the house.
“Great, I can be of use here, I'll be helpful with no magic or superpowers. I'll just go hide somewhere,” Shane said and shook his head.
“Don't worry, I'll find you something you can use,” Melissa replied to him as her helmet materialized over her head. “I sure hope so,” Shane said, he hated feeling useless.
Pen walked into the middle of the street to face the possessed one.
“Let me do the talking,” Tinea said to Pen as he started to walk forward.
“Tinea, it is good to see you, but I have laid claim to this section already. What are you doing here?” Sholtan asked her and crossed his massive arms as he stopped walking.
“Sholtan, I know you think it's time to be unsealed, but this is an accident. It's not time to be free yet,” she replied to him and Sholtan cocked his head and narrowed his black eyes at her.
“Then it is a happy accident, being free is great,” Sholtan boasted looking around. “I know you're a blade of honor. I've spoken with you through the void for untold ages. You know that it's not time to do this yet and you know you need to go back,” Tinea said to him. Sholtan sighed and smiled.
“I believe you, you've never lied to me as far as I am aware and I must admit I have no true purpose here, it feels weird,” he said and continued. “But I will not reseal myself, as you've said yourself many times, there is no such thing as an accident. Everything is as it is meant to be,” Sholtan said with a laugh.
Pen sighed at the conversation.
Chapter Thirteen
“Can we just take him now?” he said, growing impatient.
Sholtan's eyes widened. “Well, you haven't taken your host over, how unusual, don't tell me you feel affection for this mortal who unsealed you?” Sholtan said with a smile.
“Damn it, that's why I said that I wanted to do the talking I guess the secret's out now,” Tinea said to Pen and then turned her attention to Sholtan. “Yeah, he's a good guy, not particularly nice but good and he wants to make up for his accident, surely you can understand that,” Tinea said to him.
“Surely I can understand the willingness to atone for a mistake, there is honor in trying to fix such a thing, so I have made a choice,” Sholtan said to her and smiled. “If your human and you can best me in combat, I'll reseal myself, if no
t all things proceed as planned,” Sholtan said to her with confidence.
“My name is Pen Kenders, you blockhead,” Pen said through the armor. “Very well, Pen, do you two accept the deal?” Sholtan didn't seem fazed by Pen's attempt at an insult.
“We have no choice,” Tinea replied to him as her hands formed into long, straight and mirrored blades.
“We've got this. I've played Immortal Combat a couple of times on the Gamestation, with you on my side we can't lose,” Pen said to her. “Immortal combat, what's that?” Tinea asked and Pen smiled.
“It's a video game. I made third place on an online tournament, once,” Pen replied.
“Oh yeah, I feel lots better now, third place on a video game. What could go wrong?” Tinea said sarcastically.
“And of course, as you know all of my minions are part of me, so you'll have to take us all on, Tinae, but that's not a problem for you and mister bronze medal, now is it?” Sholtan said with a smile.
He outstretched his left hand and his blade materialized in it. The blade was just as red as he was and it was seven feet long.
“No, not a problem at all, we can handle it,” Pen said nervously. “Good, I figured you could, after all you played a video game,” Sholtan said to them and laughed.
“Don't worry, you got me on your side too, I'll keep the minions off you while you take on the big guy,” Melissa said to them as she stepped on to the street. Pen wasn't sure how she planned to take on so many.
“Yeah, good luck,” Tinea said to her but neither of them took their eyes off of Sholtan. “And let the sharper blade win,” Tinea said and Pen, not willing to wait any longer, started to run at his new enemy but he was running much faster than he'd ever run before, he was still getting used to all this power.
“Don't worry, I'll help you, Sholtan only has himself, we have two minds and two are better than one. Instead of trying to actually do something, think it and I'll read your thoughts, together we can win this,” Tina said to him telepathically.
“We'll start with this, stay with me,” Pen replied in his mind and thought he had planned this entire thing to perfection.
Pen ran at Sholtan, jumped up into the air the second he started swinging that blade. Pen expected one thing, but got another. Sholtan was not as stupid or as slow as Pen figured. He stepped forward causing Pen to sail over him.
Pen landed on the ground behind Sholtan they ended up having their back turned to their enemy. Pen only had a second to realize his mistake before that blade struck them in the side.
Tinea reacted and jumped to the side, moving along with the momentum of the blade to escape being cut in half with one strike and rolled to the ground.
“That was your plan, he's big so he must be slow too, right,” Tinea screamed at Pen as she got off the ground.
“Well, you know, it works on television,” Pen replied and tried to think of a new plan when one of his minions snuck up behind them and grabbed them around the neck holding them in place with an iron grip. “Oh come on, really?” Pen asked as he started to panic.
“I got you don't worry,” Melissa said as she walked up to the one holding them in place, put her right hand on the side of its head. Instantly as she did that a blue arc of power came from her armor and knocked the thing away from them. The minion snarled as it stumbled away, its head smoking.
“What kind of magic was that?” Pen said as he turned around.
“Not magic, it was science, I'll explain later,” she said to them and looked at the rest of the army and in their faces she knew the truth, these were all people she knew. “Well this changes things,” she said to no one and knew her next move could make the choice between life and death. Pen never mentioned where the army actually came from. They'd have to talk about the importance of details later.
Sholtan stood there and slammed the point of the blade into the street with ease. “You were going to try and hit me in the back, seems a bit like a desperate move don't you think? Tell you what. One free shot to show you how hopeless this really is for you,” he said and outstretched his arms.
“One free shot, sounds like a plan to me, let's take it,” Tinea said, Pen agreed and started running as fast as he could, they jumped into the air and put their blades in front of them. Their twin blades met Sholtan's chest and they stopped cold. The shock of the impact made Pen feel like his bones were all going to break at once, but Sholtan didn't even budge an inch.
“See, even if you did hit me there was no way someone like you could actually hurt me,” he said to them and smiled. His right hand wrapped around their arms and tossed them towards a house and straight through it.
“I think the guy has a point,” Pen said as he lifted a piece of wall off. “You don't say,” Tinea agreed with him and stood up. “So, what's plan B?” Pen asked her and couldn't really think of what to do next.
“It's obvious don't you think, I've been reading your mind and even though you forgot the lesson in that silly game, you knew all along that you have to use the advantages you have,” Tinea said, it felt like she was smiling.
“And, what advantage would that be?” Pen asked her, she groaned.
“Come on man think about it, don't make me say it,” she replied to him. “Now, now is not the time to start this, come on just tell me so we can get it done with already,” Pen replied to her and started to walk towards the gaping hole in the wall.
“I can mimic, I've seen those golem things shoot their green fire. I can mimic that, all we need to do is pick our moment,” Tinea replied to them.
“Right, I get it. Let's get out there and make this happen,” Pen said and walked back out into the street. “Hey, Sholty, we're not done,” Pen said to him and the giant turned around to face them. “I always wondered what your blood tasted like,” Sholtan replied to him. “You did, really?” Pen was a bit shocked by that.
“I wasn't talking to you human, she knows what I mean,” Sholtan said and as he pulled out and threw his blade as if it were a boomerang. Tinea immediately ducked under it, the massive seven foot blade carved through the house behind them with ease causing what was left of it to collapse. The blade came out of the wreckage and back to his hand as he grabbed the handle as it returned to him. Tinea got up and rushed him.
“What are you doing, this seems like this is a bad idea we should talk about this,” Pen was in a panic as she rushed him. “Shut up and fight,” Tinea replied to him as she jumped high into the air “This is the worst ride I've ever been on, if I don't pass out I'll be doing pretty good,” Pen said as she jumped.
“What are you doing way up there?” Sholtan said as he looked up at them.
“Sorry, friend, but I can't allow you to win and we can't allow any of you to remain unsealed.” Tinea said. Sholtan leaped backwards, grabbed one of his minions by the arm and used them as a projectile, he threw the hapless soul into the air. “We have to save that one,” Pen said as he watched this happen.
“The hell we do, that's how he expects us to react,” Tinea said as her blades at the end of her arms began to blaze with green fire. Pen watched as the minion flew by them, screaming, even in this possessed state he could see the terror in its eyes. Tinea lined up with the sun, Sholtan looked up to find them but the second he looked directly into the light he had to shield his eyes from the glare.
“Where are you?” Sholtan said to no one as he tried to look into the sun.
“Here,” Tinea replied as the two of them dived full speed in his direction, a dark green burning comet. She shoved her left, burning green arm blade through his mouth, impaled and tore through the back of his head, her blade extending until the tip of it hit the ground. “Damn,” Pen said as he watched this happen.
“Does this count as a win?” Tinea asked him.
“Yes, you did well, I am impressed,” Sholtan said telepathically to the both of them. “Good, now seal yourself back in the blade,” Tinea said to him. “Fine, you've talked me into it,” Sholtan said, dropped his blade on
to the ground. It landed with a loud clang. Pen watched as Sholtan's massive body began to dissolve in a red mist and get absorbed into the massive sword on the ground.
Melissa had her hands full doing her best to keep the army distracted with less than impressive fire spells that they'd find distracting at best and would walk through.
“Shane, I won't be able to keep them away from the house for very long so I am going to need you to find a better place to hide,” she yelled to him as she took a punch to the face by one of them she didn't see. It threw her to the ground and despite the armor, it wasn't made for actual combat and the pain was easily felt.
Melissa felt her blood run down the corner of her mouth as she tried to get back up. “Damn it,” she managed to say as she regained her balance.
“I guess I am just as useless as you are, Shane, looks like I bit off more than I could chew here,” she said as the hulking minion approached her.
She held her hands out and sent a bolt of lightning but the thing just walked through it and grabbed her by the throat, lifted her off her feet. She felt the air supply get cut off at once.
The panic began to set in as she slammed her fists against the thick arms of the creature in an attempt to make it let go.
