by Jesse Wilson
“Hey, don't worry about it, all is forgiven,” Pen replied to him and began to feel better. “Yay, we can all be friends now and—“Lumic disappeared in midsentence. “Is that normal, that doesn't feel normal” Pen said and was alarmed.
“No, it's not. Pen your friends are in trouble we need to go back, now,” Tinea said and Pen woke up in the chair,
Tinea was already standing, waiting for him. Pen stood up, but being asleep there was nothing fast about it. “Let's go, we could already be too late,” Tinea said, ran to him. As she took his hand she reformed into the armored form around him in a second. The two of them flew right out the window in an instant.
“Someone has unsealed Lumic again, your friends are in serious trouble,” Tinea said and Pen used his phone to try and call them, but there was no answer. “Can you find Lumic?” Pen asked her as they flew through the air.
“Yeah, I can since I mimicked her powers. No worries, we are on our way and will be there in just a few seconds, but I have bad news,” she said to him. “What kind of bad news?” Pen asked and already knew what she was going to say, or was pretty sure.
“This is a trap made for us, the other blades are angry and they know we are coming, and what should we do?” Tinea asked him, but almost knew what the answer was.
“We spring the trap and make them come to their senses or we die trying,” Pen replied to her the only thing he could think of. “Sounds good to me, the whole blaze of glory thing is always the right approach,” she replied to him as they flew through the sky at incredible speed.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Melissa woke up on the couch, light streaming through the curtains from the outside. “Is it morning already?” She asked no one, despite what she was seeing she felt like she hadn't been asleep for that long.
“Nope, that's not the sun,” a voice in the corner of the room answered her. Immediately she tensed, and sat straight up. “You thought you could hide my sister when she burns so bright? No, that's just not possible,” Ventrix said and stepped out of the shadow. He was tall, black and red, but unlike the rest of them they had seen so far, his armor looked more like a work of art instead of a weapon of war. It fit together perfectly.
“Who are you?” She asked him quietly. “Don't want to wake your friend up, talking so softly. I am Ventrix and you, well you, you two have managed to hurt Arket and no one hurts my family. No one,” he said and moved towards her making no noise at all.
Melissa shrank back into the couch as he approached, growing a bit more afraid as she noticed her bow was where she left it. “Well, if we managed to hurt Arket, that makes you wrong, but I have to admit at least you tried to make sense,” she replied to him. Ventrix stopped and worked it out in his head.
“Fine, correction, no one else will hurt my family,” he said to her. “See, you're smart, so let me tell you something else. Your creators have abandoned you. You're all alone. Lumic knows the truth, you can ask her,” Melissa said to him, trying to think of things to say that might change his mind.
Ventrix didn't buy it and before she could even react his black hand had her by the neck and lifted her off the ground. “She's been spouting the same thing since we unsealed her, but the thing about her is she'll believe anything. For a thousand years, we had her convinced unicorns are actually a good thing, it was a blast,” he said as Shane's whip wrapped around Ventrix's neck.
“Let her go or I'll drain the—“Shane was cut off as his arm began to go numb. “Troubles there, big shooter?” he said as Wither shrank away from him.
“I have very little life energy for you to consume, Arket warned me of your tricks,” he said and Shane fell to his knees as his body felt dead. “Are we done now?” he asked them both and with no answer he continued.
“Great, I'll suppose your silence means yes and that's one of my favorite words,” Ventrix said, walked to Shane, grabbed the back of his shirt and carried them both right out the front door.
He dropped them in a snowbank on the front lawn. “Now you two stay right there,” he said to them. Melissa gasped for breath and Shane was still recovering the after effect attacking Ventrix had on him. Arket held Lumic in her left hand and together it was hard to look at them.
“No, I'm telling you, the humans are right. Tinea knows what's up you should ask her,” Lumic said from her blade. “Yeah, don't worry we will. Ventrix and I will get to the bottom of this,” Arket replied to her in an exhausted voice, she was tired of the questions already.
“Don't forget me, I'm here too,” Zolar said standing some distance away, that much light made him uncomfortable. “How could anyone forget you?” Arket replied to him, “Well I don't know but it does seem to happen quite a bit,” Zolar said and crossed his arms.
“Go play with a robot or something until they show up, you're too depressing for me,” Arket said to him and rolled her eyes, sometimes she didn't know how she was related to these other blades. “Fine, I will,” he replied and walked off but he didn't get too far. Ventrix was walking away from the two he dragged out of the house when suddenly he disappeared.
“Ven, um, where did you go?” Arket looked around, confused at his vanishing trick. There was a sound in the dark sky that sounded like tearing metal. Arket looked up and figured she knew what was going on.
“Oh man, Tinea is here and you're all in for a beating now, you'll see and—“ Lumic was cut off when Pen and Tinea came crashing into the street, breaking it as they landed on their back and Ventrix fell out of the sky, landed softly on the ground rubbing the left side of his head.
“Direct approach, I like it,” Ventrix said and continued. “But you should have known better than to try that,” he finished and shook off the effects of the attack. “I didn't think you were smart enough to expect me to try it,” Pen replied as he stood up.
“I wasn't talking to you, but to my sister,” Ventrix replied to him, already annoyed at the humans, this wasn't helping. “No, I agree with Pen, you're usually dumber than a box of hammers,” Tinea replied to him and Ventrix's hands began to burn with black fire.
“Okay, before we all kill one another we need to talk about what's going on here,” Zolar said as he walked up to the others. “What's going on is that these two here in the snow nearly killed me, the boy did the worst and the girl killed all of my sparks with that bow of hers, I demand their blood,” Arket was angry, her flames flared up as she said it in hundreds of different colors.
“If you want to hurt them you'll have to go through me to do it, and right now I really want you to try,” Pen said to her, he was more than eager to get this over with. “And me too,” Lumic said, flying from her hand and floating beside Pen.
“Alright hold on, Lumic has always been a bit crazy but Tinea, why are you helping the mortals instead of your family?” Ventrix asked her, he decided he should know why he was about to kill someone he's known since as long as he could remember.
“I've read his mind, his dreams and the messages from his father, the gods took him away when he discovered their meeting place. We are nothing more than tools to allow them to open the gate back to this world, at least that's what I understand it,” Tinea said to them a variation of what Lumic wouldn't shut up about this whole time.
“It is true, our creators have been unusually silent since we were unsealed, but I only thought that was because we were unsealed,” Zolar added.
“I don't care, I want those two to die for what they did, enough talking,” Arket raised her hand and let loose a rainbow colored flame in their direction. Tinea moved to block but Sholtan and Brule came out of the sky, crossed their blades and blocked the flames. Pen just sighed, when Lumic was set free they all were unsealed again.
“No sister, these humans are honorable, they will not be burned tonight,” Sholtan's voice came from the blade. “Agreed, we should listen to what he has to say,” Brule added in. Arket stopped her flames.
“Well I guess I just don't know anything anymore. I was almost killed and
no one cares,” Arket said in frustration. “You didn't die, so relax about it already,” Zolar said to her and smiled.
Arket glared at him and he backed off but couldn't help but laugh at her reaction.
“Thanks guys,” Pen said to his most unlikely saviors and was relieved that he was finally getting some back up here instead of being their enemy all the time.
“He's right. I saw it on television. Thousands of people are gathering out of fear of what you did. It's giving those Gods all the power they need to come back to this world for more than a day at a time and rule it again,” Melissa had no idea of that was true but it felt good to her as her and Shane walked to stand beside Tinea.
“Arket is it okay if I stand next to you, I'm cold and you're hot,” Shane said and this gained nasty looks from both Melissa and Arket. “Okay, sorry I asked,” he said. “Soro” Melissa said and put a weak heat shield over both of them. “Next time try not asking the thing that wants to kill us first, okay?” Melissa said to him. “Sorry, I'm tired. I'm weird when I'm tired,” he replied with a yawn.
“Why would the Gods do that, we were told when we were unsealed that we'd be in charge of making the world into a better place at a time of great chaos, this is our job, and this is what we were made to do. Save the world from you,” Arket said, still not believing any of this.
“When you were unsealed, did you happen to see any great chaos, we haven't even had a war in about a hundred years, and life is good in the Kingdoms. The Distance is harsh but we stay out of there, let's face it, you're the ones causing all the trouble here not us,” Pen said to them trying to get the point across.
“Come on, get it through those thick metal heads of yours already,” Shane added without thinking about it. “It is through my thick metal head,” Lumic replied to him at once, she sounded like she was really trying to help.
“I didn't mean you, you're on top of the game,” Shane replied rolling his eyes but kept his temper in check. “Game, oh I am really good at games, tell me the rules and—“ Shane looked at the floating blade.
“I'll tell you later, once this is all taken care of we'll play lots of games,” he said and Lumic glowed a little brighter with excitement.
“Okay, let's say you're telling the truth. What are we going to do about it? I mean sure we pack a punch but they're Gods. I mean it's pretty hard to kick a god in the face not get turned into cosmic dust,” Ventrix said to them bring reality back to the forefront.
“Well I played a game once called Demigod's Vengeance, it was exactly what it said on the box. You may not be Gods but you all have souls in you, two souls maybe like me. I think we can take them,” Pen said to them and didn't realize that it sounded insane to everyone who was listening.
“Yes, brothers and sisters, he played a game once, that's his plan,” Tinea couldn't believe he just said that either. “Hey, I played it more than once, I even got a titanium trophy on the third part of the series it had a great story line, shut up,” Pen got defensive about it.
“That is a terrible plan but I like the boy's spirit, got to admire that at least,” Sholtan said to them even if absolutely nothing was explained to any of them.
Something made the hair on the back of Shane's neck stand up and he turned around and looked into the distant western night sky, something was going on as bright green energy was breaking up the night like the sun was coming up from the wrong direction.
“Uh, hey guys what's that?” Shane asked them and they all looked in that direction. “That would be the gate opening up. Our parents are coming home,” Zolar replied, calm as ever.
“Well, once they get through the first thing they'll do is come after us, our time is running out,” Pen said to them “Shane and Melissa, would you mind being hosts for Lumic and Sholtan?” Pen asked them. He figured they would need all the help they could get.
“As long as they don't mind screw us into missing the whole thing, sure,” Shane only spoke for himself. “Sure, I guess,” Melissa said as her eyes shifted towards Lumic and wasn't actually sure about this.
“I still don't like this idea,” Arket argued. “Oh just because you got beaten by a couple of humans, don't be so sore about it, let it go, chill out,” Zolar snapped back at her. “Yeah, right, I'll just go put my head in a snowbank,” Arket replied and crossed her arms.
“What about me, what should I do?” Brule asked them, feeling left out all of the sudden. “You're going to prove me right if you're willing to take the risk. We'll have your back but we can't promise anything, you risk your life for what you do next,” Pen said to him and continued. “I want you to meet your maker, literally. Now if the Gods welcome you with open arms, great, but remember they still used you to cause lots of pain. But I don't think that's going to happen, we need to be one hundred percent sure,” Pen finished.
“I understand,” Brule replied and the others knew what he meant all too well. “Besides me you were always the bravest of us. Good luck, brother,” Sholtan said to him. “You're a terrible liar, Sholtan but thanks anyway,” Brule replied to him.
Lumic and Sholtan floated to Shane and Melissa. “We accept you,” they said at the same time and after that they grabbed the hilt.
Melissa was engulfed in a blinding light, Shane was surrounded by a Red mist and seconds later their familiar forms emerged. “It is time to rock this place,” Lumic said, way too excited. “Calm down skippy, I'm still getting used to this,” Melissa replied to her from within.
“Yes, right, I am calm like the falling snow,” Lumic said in an attempt to center herself. Melissa just sighed but knew better than to say anything or laugh.
“I feel like I could take on a thousand armies at once again, thank you, friend Shane,” Sholtan said and crossed his arms, Wither was on the armor now instead. He pulled it off and threw it next to Melissa's bow. “You're welcome,” Shane replied to him, but didn't quite know what to say.
“I know, it takes some time to get used to but you'll be fine,” Pen said to them but didn't know why exactly. “Yeah, it's nice having someone to talk to on those cold lonely hours flying from one battle to the next,” Tinea said to them. Shane turned and looked at their previous weapons that were given to them there on the ground.
“I know we said we'd give them back but I don't think anyone should have things like these,” he said with a bit of regret that he was considering breaking a promise. “Finally we agree on something,” Arket said and shot another rainbow stream of flames in their direction. The bow and whip caught on fire and it almost sounded like they were screaming before they both disappeared in the flames as if they never existed. “Was that weird to anyone else or just me?” Zolar asked them.
“Nope, that was weird,” Pen replied to him. “I think we can worry about it later, that lightshow in the distance is getting more intense. I think it's about time we can put operation Titanium into action,” Brule said to them, naming it at random.
“It is kind of catchy, I like it,” Tinea said and it sounded like she was smiling.
“Agreed, but for now we wait just a little bit, wouldn't want to show up early to the party, but until then we should get much closer,” Zolar suggested to the group. “Oh, yes we are going to get closer and I can't wait for that, it's going to be so awesome,” Lumic was losing her center.
“Sparky, I told you, relax, don't pull an Elroy Lincoln on us, no one wants that,” Melissa said to her trying to keep the blade in check. “What's an Elroy Lincoln, I must know, tell me!” Lumic demanded.
“About three years ago a player with that name in a game called World of Snowcraft, in a raiding group, broke ranks with them before making plans and took on a whole cave of Nightmare Goblins. He and the whole group were slaughtered and the whole thing was recorded. The move became famous and when someone jumps the gun, that's what they call it,” Melissa said to her, and continued, “So, let's not be that stupid or that guy, alright,” Melissa finished.
“Oh, I see, yes I am smart. We won't do an
ything like that. But when this is all over I'm going to find that player and punish him for his stupidity then I will play this game,” Lumic expressed her intentions with extreme determination. “Well we have to live through the night first, so let's try to focus on that,” Melissa replied to her.
“Yes, but then I'll will play the game and defeat that person, you should never abandon your team like that,” she said with a huff and shrank in size a tiny bit, the mere thought of it made her depressed.
Tinea laughed for no reason, but regained her composure. “Alright team, let's go see what happens next,” she said and Pen took off, the others followed him.
“If you ever tell anyone that was me, ever, I am putting you back in the scabbard I swear it,” Pen said to her and she laughed again.
“No worries, pal, it'll be our secret I promise,” she replied to him as they flew towards the green bolts of energy in the western sky.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Thousands of people stood in Saint Belca's Square in a candlelight vigil, praying for protection against the wave of chaos that had come from nowhere while the elven high priest standing on a podium high above them, dressed in the traditional red garb of Taroian leadership, he was doing his best to deliver hope through a microphone.
