“Your lives, your faith, your loved ones. I bet you even sacrificed the remainder of Alder’s life force, just for this one slim chance to beat me, didn’t you? And, once again, all your sacrifice was for naught. All you gave up, and you got nothing in return. You even threw away your own decency, violated your own moral code, became a villain, and you still lost.”
Athel began to cry, her struggles grew weaker.
“It’s just like Boeth again, isn’t it?” it cruelly taunted. “I bet after that you swore you’d never try again. You were convinced that if you did you would fail all over again just like before. And now here you are again. Here again, you let everyone down. You failed, the world is going to die, and it is all your fault, Athel Forsythia. And in your heart, you wish you had just stayed in the mud, and never picked yourself up again, don’t you?”
Athel’s struggles ceased, and her body became still.
“It’s all true…everything.”
Athel’s arms fell limply at her sides. Her head fell down, and she hung there in Spirea’s grip, as if she were some lifeless porcelain doll.
There was no sound save for the pattering of Athel’s blood and tears upon the ruined floor below.
The beast looked on her delicately, tipping up her chin so it could look upon her face.
It had never seen more empty and hopeless eyes. They were burnt out in grief, frozen in despair, like the eyes of a corpse, staring lifelessly through it without recognition as tears fell down her cheeks.
“That’s what I wanted to see.” It licked its lips deliciously. “You know, I just realized that I owe you something.”
It reached down amid the Queen’s shredded clothes and pulled out a silver dagger. “I made a promise once, that I would free the gods, and save this world, if someone were to bring you to me. And, lo and behold, here you are.”
Its tongue grew long and black, licking sumptuously against the side of the blade. “…and I always keep my word…”
* * *
The door to the powder magazine creaked open, and Dahlia came in, clutching her bandages with one hand, a lantern in the other. She stumbled, knocking over a barrel, the black powder spilling on the floor before her.
“I am NOT a man…she repeated, holding up the lantern with dead eyes. “I am a woman, I am superior. I am the noble daughter of a great warrior house!”
Dahlia closed her eyes, tears dripping off her chin. “Great Milia, I come to you…I know you will be there for me, with open arms.”
Dahlia dropped the lantern, and the room exploded in fire.
The side of the Dreadnaught exploded outwards. Deutzia flashed in pain, her exposed roots burning as the entire ship listed dangerously to one side.
Captain Evere grabbed the call tube, his free hand on Trillium’s pot to keep him from being flung overboard. “By the powers! What happened?”
The inside of the stone core was a blaze of fire and shattered crystal. Odger pulled himself to his feet, wiping the blood from his eyes as he grabbed for the bent call-tube. “The powder magazine went up! The keystone has been damaged! We’re going down!”
The Dreadnaught leaned forward, and began to sink towards the broiling seas below.
* * *
The beast dropped Athel to the floor, and threw the silver dagger before her. “Now, grab that knife, and with your own hands, take your own life. If you do, your friends will live.”
Athel looked down at the blade in despair.
The beast stretched out its fingers, and a green mist hissed out. The hateful spell wove itself around Athel, creating a halo around her head.
Privet grunted, trying to free his pinned leg. “No! Don’t do it, Athel! She’s lying! She won’t free the gods!”
The beast grinned. “Come on, you know you want to. End your suffering, and save the world.”
A second mist formed a circlet around her head, and then a third. As they squeezed her skull, Athel’s eyes began to glow green from within.
“Don’t listen to her! She’s just trying to trick you.”
With glowing eyes, Athel reached out and took the knife in her hands.
* * *
The Stonemaster ships nearby raced in to try and save the Dreadnaught. Their exhausted crews threw lines from all sides. The Dreadnaught sailors tied off as many as they could. The ship shuddered, several of the lines broke, then the whole thing listed back on its keel. Rather than slowing the ship down, it was dragging the other ships down with it.
“Get out of there, Odger! There’s nothing more you can do!” Evere yelled, grabbing another rope and fixing it fast.
“No, I’m going to maintain the array!” Odger screamed back. “I’ll keep us up as long as I can!”
Two more lines broke, and Deutzia flashed in panic.
* * *
Her eyes glowing, Athel picked up the knife and held it before her breast. In her mind, there was only pain. Pain, and the sweet relief that would come when the pain ended.
“Yessssssss,” the beast cackled. “Do it!”
All of her failures, all of her guilt swelled up around Athel. Like great seas, they closed in on her from all sides, screaming her guilt, proclaiming her punishment. She closed her eyes, and accepted their judgement.
Athel tightenend her grip, and prepared to stab herself through the heart.
Then, a small voice pierced through the anguish, pushing its way past the despair.
Athi, please don’t do this.
Her glowing eyes opened. It was Alder’s voice. She looked around, but could not see him. An invisible spirit hung in the air next to her, carrying his voice.
Don’t do it, Athel, he said weakly. Don’t give in to despair. You’re better than this.
She struggled against the spell that held her bound.
“I have to, it’s our only chance.”
The beast frowned. Something was wrong.
No, there is another way. You can use your magic.
Athel’s glowing eyes went wide. “What? No, if I do that…”
I know. But, if she wins, we all die anyway. This way, only I have to die.
Athel opened her mouth, her voice trembling. “NO! I will not sacrifice you! I won’t!” Her eyes began to fill with tears.
* * *
Back on Ferrus, Nana and Jeni Colenat held each other tightly as the waters rushed around the base of the mansion. The structure creaked and snapped, the first story collapsing as watery tentacles reached up and tore apart the second. The servants screamed in fear as they all came crashing down towards the water.
“Nana, “I‘m scared,” Mariss wept.
“I am too…”
* * *
Athel held the knife before her heart.
Please, Athel, I want you to live.
Athel felt her blood run cold. “No, we came here to save you, I will not sacrifice you…”
I want everyone to live…
“I refuse, just shut up! Stop talking!”
Do it, now, please!
The beast reeled back with its scorpion tail and struck. The barb shot down at Athel’s throat.
Athi, do it!
“I WON’T!”
The scorpion tail stopped, hovering just an inch before Athel’s skin.
The beast struggled, its body twisting and warping from within.
“What…what’s happening?”
It strained and groaned, the wet stinger pulling back.
“No! It can’t be…you’re dead! I consumed you! You can’t be alive.”
A face stretched out from beneath the monster’s black form, gasping and struggling. It was Spirea’s face.
“Athel, hurry, please kill her!”
Athel looked around in horror, her confused eyes trembling.
The black ooze around Spire
a pulled inward, threatening to stuff her back down again.
“Athel, please, I can’t hold her! She’s so strong. Please! Everyone will die. Kill her, now!”
The scorpion stinger fought back and forth, desperate to sting but restrained. Sizzling venom dripped from its tip.
Athel shook her head, her heart throbbing inside her chest. “NOOOOO! I won’t. I’d rather die than kill you!”
Please, Athel, I want you to live.
Her voice was terrified. “I can’t! Don’t make me do this. Please…it would kill me. PLEASE!!!!”
* * *
The people of Wysteria tried to board the airships, but it was too late. The approaching waters swelled up in delight into a giant tidal wave. Setsuna opened a gate and yanked Dwale towards it, but his ankle caught on a knot and he fell, dragging her with him. Akar and Iris grabbed one another, looking up as the wave crested over the forest and came crashing down on them.
* * *
Athel’s hands trembled, the knife nearly falling from her grip.
ATHEL, PLEASE LIVE!
“I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT YOU!”
The black tar flowed over Spirea’s face, pushing her back deep down, swallowing her whole.
The beast roared in rage, regaining control of its body. It stabbed its tail right at Athel’s heart. “NOW DIE! ALL OF YOU, DIE!”
* * *
All across the planet, people huddled and screamed as the cursed waters rushed towards them to claim their prize, dark tentacles reaching out for them.
There was a massive explosion inside the Dreadnaught’s stone array. The final rope broke free, and the ship dropped into a free fall towards the raging seas. Deutzia tried to hold up the sails like a parachute, but the canvas tore to pieces, and the ship tumbled as she fell.
Mina and Evere grabbed hold of one another, the wind whipping their clothes as the sea rose up to meet them with frightening speed.
They held each other tight and closed their eyes.
* * *
Talliun was dying, the black tar sizzling against her flesh.
Mandi was dying, her flesh growing black and cracked where the barbs pierced her.
The scorpion barb struck down at Athel’s heart.
ATHEL, LIVEEEEEEE!
The green bands around her head shattered and Athel screamed so loud her ears burst. It was an agonizing shriek, a wailing squall, unearthly and primal, terrible to hear.
It was like listening to someone tear out their own heart.
Athel plunged the dagger into the soil. The ground stirred with her magic, and a giant root shot up like a knife, skewering the beast right through the belly.
It froze in place, trembling with pain.
A second root pierced it through the torso, then a third, then a fourth, then a fifth. Its body kicked back, black blood spraying free.
“I’ll…kill…you…all…” it hissed, struggling against the pain.
A fifth root speared it right through the heart. Then a sixth, then a seventh.
Its head was thrown back, vomiting black shakes from its ruined body.
“Privet, do it now!” Andolf coughed, managing to weakly lifting up his pale hand. “Slay it!”
A spirit struck out and wedged up the boulder that held him pinned. Privet finally managed to work his leg free. He snatched up Covenant Breaker and charged at the beast. Its white eyes flashed fearfully.
“No!”
A black portal appeared behind it, and it slipped through, vanishing just before Privet stabbed it.
“Blast, it got away!”
“Never mind her. Free JaArian! Hurry!”
Privet shook himself loose and sprinted as best he could. He sliced at the chains holding the water god and bit deeply into them. The god stirred powerfully as Privet cut again and again. With one final cut, the chains broke with a snap like thunder. JaArian’s skin began to glow a deep blue.
Privet stumbled over and cut the other side. When the chains broke, the god stood fully erect, his whole being shining like reflective water, his hair flowing down his shoulders like cascading falls.
JaArian breathed in deeply and coughed, his lungs expelling millennia of dust and decay.
He staggered, falling down onto one knee.
Privet looked around. “Why isn’t he doing anything? Why isn’t he healing the waters?”
“He’s too weak.”
Mandi managed to point weakly. “Quick, the throne, it’s the source of the Rubrik.”
Privet ran over and sliced through the dark throne. It squealed, black light spraying out from the cut, then exploded apart. Privet and the others were thrown back, tumbling along the floor and crashing into debris.
JaArian breathed in deeply, and forced himself to stand. He placed his mighty hands together, forming a holy blue sphere that rippled like pure water. As he pulled his hands apart, the sphere grew, its cleansing powers stretching out in all directions.
Larger and larger it grew, passing the boundaries of the temple, and growing out past the limits of the city. As it passed over the dark waters, they froze and trembled, resisting as JaArian reasserted his authority, before shifting to bright, clean seas.
* * *
The wave passed beneath the Dreadnaught just before it hit the water. The crew were tossed and thrown about, water crashing over the deck on top of them.
The ship shifted, the fires extinguished, and they found themselves floating in clear, blue tropical waters.
Captain Evere and Mina stood up, drenched and in shock at what they saw around them.
“They…they did it…they actually did it!”
* * *
On Ferrus, the wood beneath them gave way, and Nana and Mariss fell down into the waters along with their household. The blue wave passed by, healing the waters, and they came slapping down harmlessly.
They crested the water and broke the surface, looking around in shock, too surprised to speak or cheer.
“What happened?”
* * *
On Wysteria, the forest pulled in tight as the tidal wave crashed down on it. The blue wave passed over, and clean blue waters slapped down across the trees, drenching the people, and falling onto to the parched soil below.
Akar and Iris looked at each other in shock, then, realizing they were embracing, backed away from one another in embarrassment.
Setsuna looked at herself, dripping wet, and began to laugh.
Dwale began to laugh as well.
The men and women took up a mighty cheer, jumping and shouting. The trees waved their branches in celebration, their roots drinking deep of the fresh water soaking into the parched soil. They fell upon each other, raising their voices in songs of praise and gratitude.
* * *
On Hatronesia, the women flapped as hard as they could, but their strength gave out. They plummeted down towards the waters below. The wave passed over, and they landed in a fresh blue sea. They came out of the water cheering, splashing and shouting. Their voices of joy rose up to the heavens, and the clouds parted, beautiful pillars of sunlight shining down upon them.
* * *
The people of Sutor cheered and celebrated as the waters healed beneath them. They threw their hats in the air. They sang, linking arms and rocking back and forth in anthem. Some of the men took off their shirts and threw them aloft. All across the city, their hats and shirts rained down like confetti. They hugged each other, laid tearful kisses upon one another. Cheered until their voices gave out, then continued cheering anyway.
* * *
On Ronesia, the people hooted and hollered as the waters became whole again. They jumped up and down, tears of joy on their faces. They screamed in elation, drunk with the pure ecstasy of just being alive.
The elderly cobbler and his family held each other closely,
breathing out prayers of thanks and gratitude.
* * *
The people of Stretis took out their handkerchiefs and waved them as the waters settled and healed. From every rooftop and the deck of every ship, they waved, like white fields of joyful flowers. Duke Leitai sat down, wiping the sweat from his face, and prayed in thanksgiving.
* * *
The people of Thesda shouted and hollered as the healed waters poured back out into the oceans. They danced and sang, breaking out cases of ale and toasting over and over again, until their lungs ached from laughing with joy. All over the world, all peoples were united in a single moment of unparalleled jubilation.
All places, save for one.
* * *
Back at Arianis Kultur, Athel wasted no time, pulling herself harshly up on one knee as JaArian cleansed the waters. “Privet, free Veritus! Hurry!”
“Right!”
Privet ran up, hacking and slashing through the chains, working his way down the corridor towards the second chamber.
Athel dragged herself, half crawling, pulling herself closer to Veritus, weeping openly. Alder’s voice was fading.
I’m sorry, Athel, I couldn’t keep my promise…
“No, Alder, hold on! YOU HAVE TO HOLD ON!”
Tears streaming down his face, Privet hacked and slashed as fast as he could, but in his heart, he knew he wouldn’t make it in time.
As Athel pulled herself along the floor, she brought her hands up, her eyes wild with horror. Alder’s voice was growing softer, more distant, more hazy.
Athel, do you remember…my dream?
She felt the last of Alder slipping away. Despite her wounds, she crawled and stumbled, grabbing the chains and yanking on them as hard as she could. Her skin sizzled at the touch, but she pulled again and again, screaming as she did so.
“No...no Alder! No, please NO!!!”
She could see Veritus, he was so close, just another hundred feet down the corridor.
Privet hacked and swung, breaking chains as fast as he could, stepping closer and closer with each swing.
I wish I could have seen the forest like that…just one time…
Back on the Dreadnaught, Alder’s eyes closed, his heart stopped beating, and his body went cold.
“ALDERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Isle of Wysteria: Throne of Chains Page 37
