by Eden Redd
Juna remained silent, pushing her white blades against Harkkon’s black blades.
“You would be difficult to contain for long periods. Your mother on the other hand would not be so troublesome,” Harkkon said with whimsical edge.
Power surged as Juna pushed. Harkkon’s boots slid a few inches, his brow rising.
“You leave my mother alone,” the half-troll said with a furious hiss.
“Had you accepted my request, we would not be here. Her capture falls on your shoulders.”
Juna pushed at the dread lord, Harkkon sliding back another few inches. “You don’t have her yet.”
Harkkon’s mouth twisted into an evil leer, “But I will have her, young one.”
Harkkon’s eyes turned black before a stream of darkness burst forth. The half-troll pulled back, bringing her white blades together and parrying the blast. White boots sliding back, Juna grunted as she tried to keep her parry strong. A shadow appeared over the dread lord and half-troll. Juna turned her attention to see Jinn on his wyvern diving down toward them. The stern look in Jinn’s eyes carried purpose as the wyvern came down like a scaled spear. The darkness in Harkkon’s eyes receded as he turned to the wyvern. The dread lord raised a blade when the wyvern turned its decent and aimed for Juna. A blink later, Juna jumped back as the wyvern landed hard. Jinn was already in the air, hand whipping out and thick white needles flying toward the dread lord. The needles struck the black aura and were suspended, white energy burning against the dread lord’s aura. The needles flared before they turned to dust. A shadow loomed again as the wyvern charged at the dread lord, talons and teeth flashing white.
“We must go to your mother,” Jinn stated as he turned, green sword in his hand.
Juna watched as the wyvern slashed and bit at the aura. Harkkon sighed as he pointed a finger, black energy surging and blasting through the wyvern’s scaled body. The beast wailed a moan as its body was lifted. Cracks appeared before the wyvern shattered into bits of light.
Juna looked to Jinn, a phantom regret filling her. If she stayed, Jinn would be killed. Her father would die again. The half-troll sheathed her swords, grabbed the assassin by the waist and blasted into the air. Harkkon watched as the troll flew up and then down to the Serpent Throne, landing gently on the white stone platform.
Juna let go and Jinn gave her a small smile.
“I knew I couldn’t convince you with words,” the old assassin said with a tender edge.
“No, you couldn’t,” Juna returned the smile, her Arcane Surge ability fading away.
Harkkon walked with steady steps, eyes on the white bridge and the group gathered. Thorrin and the paladins held their ground. Faye, Claudia and Lance readied themselves. Nykor growled while Leeta hefted her maces. Drakkus lengthened a nail on his left hand, slicing his right palm. Blood flowed, whipping into the air and forming a red sword. Rayna’s fingers touched lute strings as Sekka drew a sword. Sonja, Edric, Juna and Jinn were by the throne, eyes gazing across the bridge to the dread lord.
Harkkon stood before the edge of the bridge, an amused smile on his lips.
“That is far enough,” Oksuna’s voice boomed.
A semi-circle of Sormir formed around the white platform, snouts pointed at the end of the bridge and eyes on the dread lord.
“Oksuna, I’ve come for your secrets,” Harkkon smiled.
The pink haired troll seemed to ignore him and continued. “You have shown your strength, Harkkon. The Sormir will not allow a defiled creature like you to step on our temple. Do so and your un-life ends here.”
Harkkon’s smile faded. “I have nothing to fear from you.”
Edric looked on as did everyone else, a heaviness sinking into their spirits.
“The mighty Sormir; first of the races to inhabit Lukken, it would have been an honor to work alongside your great people! It is unfortunate that chance has passed. Now, you are but a small stepping stone to what is to come.”
Oksuna’s eyes narrowed, “You speak of nightmares, never to come to life.”
Sunlight bathed the dread lord’s face, “You mention life as if it means something holy…divine. The only divine force in the universe is death. Even when all life is extinguished, death does not die. It merely sleeps until life flourishes again. It can never die but your mighty race can.”
Clouds appeared, white at first but soon turning dark and gray. They spread out, filling the blue sky with shadow. Lightning blasted down, striking a mountain and the ocean at the same time. The group looked around as the blue sky melted away and the once shining sun was blotted from the heavens. A cold wind washed over the area, wyverns screeching out as they circled above.
“I was correct to fear the mighty Sormir. Your power could destroy the entire world if you so choose. I knew I must gain an edge if I was to match it. When the Sindrell cities fell, I scoured their tomes of knowledge. How it moved me to see they were closer than anyone thought to matching your power.”
Harkkon’s eyes lowered for a brief moment, “Their fear held them back. A war between your races would destroy everything they loved. They abandoned their thirst for power. Because of their weakness, the Sindrell are scattered. I have many of their children collected and when I’m finished, they will pass into legend and myth.”
Harkkon looked up, his gaze meeting Oksuna’s once again. “But that is only the tip of what is to come. I gathered their knowledge and used their secrets. I searched to channel the power of the abyss and found my answers. I anchored my fractured soul to the abyssal plane, a siphon of power none have ever known. With my body complete, I control more than any creature in the past, present and future.”
Harkkon lifted his chin, a sadness bleeding into the corner of his eyes. “You don’t even know…your world is a lie. It sits in a digital realm, threatened by the very creators and those who fear what could happen next. While you dwell in your madness, I have seen things you would never understand.”
The sadness melted away and power returned to his eyes. “But I understand now. I understand it all.”
Harkkon took one step onto the white bridge and then another. Edric looked to his left, seeing the Sormir open their massive maws, steam floating out. Bodies tensed as the dread lord took another step, followed by another. The platform vibrated with power as Oksuna stayed on the throne, eyes focused on the dread lord.
Jinn and Juna looked to Oksuna, “Come back to us,” they whispered.
A blazing heat blanketed the area as sea serpents reared back and blasted out thick dense streams of steam. The paladins pulled back as torrents of magical steam blasted toward the dread lord. A black orb encircled the dread lord just as the streams of steam struck.
A shockwave rippled out. The wind, heat and power shook land and ocean with unbridled force. The group fought to keep their balance as the thundering blasts threatened to shatter their digital bodies. The sky flashed with lightning as the Sormir continued to scream their mystical power. Nykor looked to the apex of the steam streams and roared out her own acid stream, joining the chorus of power.
Thorrin and the paladins hunkered down, their holy auras taking small amounts of damage. Faye covered her face with her arm as steam floated through the air. Claudia stood her ground, spear at her side and eyes searching for any hint of the dread lord. Lance kept Shatter Light at his side, also searching the mists for the dread lord. Rayna and Sekka looked on, searching for any hint that they had won. Leeta looked to Edric and the summoner returned her gaze, a deep worry filling his eyes.
The Sormir stopped their breath attacks, maws closing. The mists surrounding one end of the bridge floated away and a dark sphere remained, cracks running along its surface. The cracked opaque darkness fell away and Harkkon stood, unharmed.
“I am no longer a dread lord…,” Harkkon said, his brow forming a hard V, “I am the God-Emperor of Death!”
Harkkon raised a hand, black energy flaring and firing off. Eyes watched as the thin stream of energy streaked across the sky and slammed in
to one of the Sormir. The sea serpent roared as the energy blasted away thick protective scale plates and bore into the soft flesh. The roars turned to screeches as the sea serpent’s eyes widened into impossible-sized saucers. Eyes turned white and then filled with darkness as the screeches ebbed. The foul stench of death filled the ocean before a cascade of screeches deafened ears.
Edric looked to the Sormir that Harkkon had struck. Its demeanor changed, a low growl filling its immense throat. Decay formed at the edges of the wound and the stench grew tenfold. Another Sormir screeched out and then another, their eyes turning white and then black. Patches of scales fell away, decayed flesh rotting underneath. The Sormir continued to writhe, one by one, changing and falling silent.
Oksuna’s face curled into torment and horror. Standing up, she took a deep breath and screamed. Everyone was floored as her voice streamed across the bridge and struck Harkkon’s sphere. Harkkon’s lips shifted into a small smile, Oksuna’s voice rippling against the black barrier but not penetrating it.
“Sing to me,” Harkkon said as he began to walk forward.
Thorrin looked to the Sormir as they changed one by one, his senses drowning in death energy. “He’s changing them…making them undead!”
Jinn curled up onto his knees before Oksuna, looking up with pleading eyes, “Oksuna, please…break away from the hive mind. We can save you!”
Juna was to her feet and reached for her mother. Energy blasted her hand the moment she touched her.
Faye was to her feet and looked to the Sormir as they grew silent from screams, one after the other. Closing her eyes, she pumped chi as she spread out her senses. The monk could see the connection between the Sormir and Oksuna breaking, one strand at a time.
“She’s still connected to them but it’s fading with each Sormir that is turned,” the wood elf shouted.
Edric looked to Sonja as they slowly rose to their feet, “We have to wait until the connection is severed before we can take her home!”
Sonja nodded before she turned her attention to the paladins, “Thorrin!”
“I know,” the paladin shouted back. “We will keep him busy! Stay by Oksuna!”
“Mother,” Juna fell to her knees next to Jinn, “He will steal you away. Come home with us.”
Oksuna’s eyes widened as terror and pain crawled along her senses. Death ate away at the hive mind like a cancer spreading from one Sormir to the next. She felt every death and rebirth like a horrid symphony. The green trolls on the beach cried out as the undead slaughtered them by the hundreds. The wind picked up as it seemed the very coast would sink into the ocean.
Harkkon stepped along the bridge, eyes on the paladins. “You’re Thunn weapons mean nothing to me.”
Raising both hands, black fire flared and shot forth.
“Hunker down,” Thorrin commanded as the paladins drew in close.
White auras blazed as black fire washed over them. A paladin cried out as his aura collapsed and black fire consumed him, shattering the player to light. Thorrin and the other paladins moved in closer, combining their holy light and strengthening their power. Harkkon continued to step forward, black flames spilling from his hands, only to be held back by their holy light. Fingerings closing, Harkkon gazed on the paladins as they stood, light covering their bodies.
“Attack,” Thorrin shouted and charged.
The paladins raced the short distance, Thorrin leaping into the air with white hammer held high, lightening flashing behind him. Bringing it down, it slammed against the black barrier. Paladins joined him, surging against the barrier and striking it.
Harkkon opened his hands, black blades forming. Without a word, the God-Emperor moved with skill and precision. Black blades sliced paladins in half, their bodies bursting into bits of light. Thorrin blocked an incoming blade, the Thunn hammer flickering against Harkkon’s dark power. The second blade stabbed into his stomach. The paladin cried out as he poured healing energy into his fist and punched the black aura, a sliver of a crack forming before the paladin burst into shards of light.
One by one, paladins winked out until Harkkon whipped his blade, sending a paladin’s head spiraling through the air and shattering to nothing. A final paladin charged and was struck down, his body blasted to pieces.
Nykor roared and blasted out another stream of acid. The acid struck Harkkon’s barrier, doing no damage. Edric watched as Harkkon’s eyes shifted to the giant Drell-Kai. Scrambling to call Nykor to his lock stone, the summoner held it up and watched in horror as a beam of pure darkness struck the beast between two sets of multiple eyes. Nykor didn’t make a sound as her body dissolved into energy and snaked back into the lock stone, her hit points reduced to zero.
Edric stood stunned, losing his strongest creature to the monster walking toward them. They had no chance against such power. The summoner felt the pull of his memories, once again standing before more powerful people and creatures, and feeling helpless. Harkkon had grown more powerful than the dragons, the Sormir…everything.
Eyes falling to his friends, he watched as Rayna began to play. Orbs of light appeared around Harkkon, blasting at him but not having any real affect. Claudia threw her spear and it bounced off Harkkon’s sphere. Leaping into the air, she caught it and landed on the white stone, ready to try again. Faye stood her ground, arms loose and ready to fight the dread lord. Lance aimed Shatter Light, power glowing along the long, thick blade. Drakkus stepped forward, standing next to Faye, red blade at the ready.
Edric looked to Leeta, fear coloring her golden eyes.
“We have to retreat,” Edric said as he turned his gaze to Jinn, Sonja and Juna at Oksuna’s feet.
Oksuna cried out as torment riddled her body. Black veins rose up along her blue skin. Juna and Jinn pleaded with her to fight the hive mind, separate from them so they could leave. Lightning flashed again from the dark skies.
Lance held Shatter Light steady before unleashing a torrent of light. The beam shot forward and crashed into Harkkon’s barrier. Cracks appeared along the center as Harkkon continued to walk forward. The white knight shouted a defiant yell until the light faded from the sword and finally dissipated.
The cracks along Harkkon’s sphere sealed as the God-Emperor raised a hand and closed his fingers into a fist. Power blasted out, flooring the group once again. The white knight pushed off the floor and back to his feet. Harkkon made his way closer, dark intent in his eyes.
Lance thought back to the portal and turned to the group, “We can’t win this but I can slow them down!”
Sonja looked to the white knight, “No!”
Lance smirked, “I’ll come back. It may not look like me…but I’ll return!”
The white knight moved to the side of the platform and leapt over the side. A wyvern saw the knight falling and dived down. Like an arrow, it shot past the falling knight and spread out wings. Lance fell on its back and the wyvern caught a thermal and flew high into the air.
The thin dread lord with four blades spotted the white knight as he flew overhead. Dark power rippled out. Several ghosts emerged from the ground and took hold of the dread lord, raising him into the air and following the white knight as the wyvern flapped its wings.
Harkkon stepped closer, Faye and Claudia standing before him. “Out of the way and witness events as they unfold.”
Claudia bent her legs and jumped. Faye activated her Stone Mountain technique and channeled every drop of chi into her fist. Harkkon stood as the lancer curled into a ball and struck out with her boots. Heels hit the dark sphere, causing a small crack. The lancer leapt away as the monk stepped in, reared back and punched the crack with a flood of inner power.
Harkkon’s eyes widened as the wood elf’s fist punched through and connected with his jaw. Weakness poured into the monk as she pulled back, Harkkon’s furious expression painting his face. Claudia landed and jumped sideways, arms out and grabbing Faye by the waist. Bodies floated as a surge of dark power blasted out. The monk and lancer were th
rown like rag dolls hitting the ground. Arms and legs shook as they tried to get back up, weakness filling every fiber of their being.
Harkkon walked past, not giving them a second glance.
Edric looked to Drakkus, Sekka and Rayna, “Save them! Return home!”
“I’ll be the distraction,” the vampire lord smiled and charged.
Rayna and Sekka looked to Faye and Claudia, their bodies barely moving. Harkkon eyed the vampire lord as he came at him, red sword clashing against the dark sphere again and again. Harkkon lifted a hand, black energy snaking out like a whip. Drakkus kept his smile, moving in a blur and dodging the energy threatening to engulf him.
“You should be nothing more than a burnt corpse,” Harkkon said with growing frustration as the vampire dodged the energy whip.
“Nothing stops a dedicated spirit,” Drakkus grinned as he jumped and dodged with supernatural speed.
Harkkon returned the grin, “Your annoyance comes to an end.”
Black spikes appeared along the sphere for an instant before they shot out. Drakkus leapt away, several spikes stabbing into his leg and stomach. The vampire lord grunted as his eyes glanced to the side. Edric and Drakkus watched in slow motion as Sekka moved to Faye’s side and Rayna moved to Claudia’s side. The bard and succubus pulled out rune carved stones and held them close as they put their hands on the monk and lancer.
Edric watched as they looked to him, worry and concern in their eyes. The summoner remembered when they had the stones made. The recall stones were specially made to use during combat and take on two people at once. It was the only effective escape plan and now, they had to be used to save their group. The stones had only one charge before they became useless. Sekka picked up Faye, activating the stone. Their bodies vibrated and flashed away.
Rayna took a hold of Claudia. The lancer looked up before both turned their heads to Edric. The summoner gave them a small head nod and smiled. Drakkus floated through the air, his body turning to energy and snaking to his lock stone just as Rayna and Claudia flashed away.
Edric turned his attention to Harkkon as he approached. The summoner and ogre moved to intercept him, chest out and chin high. Harkkon looked to the summoner, slowing his steps to a stop and standing before Edric.
