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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
Seeing Double - 18. Chapter 18
Here's a new chapter of Seeing Double, a warning here:
This chapter is violent with graphic description of violence.
This chapter is violent with graphic description of violence.
DAN
“Merry Christmas!!! Wake up pair of lazy arses!” Jade shouted in our room giving rise to mumbled curses and groans from me and Matt. The rune having worn off after we fell asleep.
“Shut up Jade! We’ll be there in a minute.” Matt grumbled before turning in my arms to face me.
“Gosh, I almost forgot how good it feels to wake up in your arms.” He smiled dreamily.
I blushed before kissing him.
“Well now you’ve remembered.” I grinned.
We lay there for a few moments just enjoying the closeness of the other’s body against our skin, before we heard stirs from Matt’s parents room and we set about getting pyjamas, that were lying accusingly on the floor, on before Jade could enter, shouting her horrible wake up message.
We congregated on Matt’s parents’ bed, which was a squeeze.
Each of us brought up a small armful of presents to start with. Matt and I carried some up for David and Tina too.
I saw Matt’s face smile every time he opened one of my presents and giving me a little kiss after opening each one.
His presents were generic too, some aftershave, some of my favourite chocolates- how he knew I don’t know- and a few DVD’s I’d said I liked. But Matt told me he had a larger gift and projected an image on the wall.
It showed several figures swirling around in the air.
“Welagana has agreed to teach you how to fly.” Matt said grinning.
“Wow, that’s amazing Matt!”
He blushed lightly and I kissed the blush, making him blush harder.
“Cute bro, cute.” Jade teased.
Matt playfully ignored her before I realised there was one present left
I fetched the cards that were attached to the present and Matt and I read them. They read exactly the same.
‘Warning, open during extreme privacy. Blushing resulting from opening is guaranteed.’
I looked at Matt and he shrugged.
‘We’ll open it later.´He said in my head.
I just nodded, still pondering what was going on.
We had to wait until after breakfast in order to be excused back to Matt’s room where I’d stashed the present.
Chuckling to ourselves at the joke we played on Jade, I retrieved the present and set it in the middle of us, both of us looking at the other.
“Well, who opens it?” Matt asked.
A few moments of silence before we said in unison: “I thought you bought it.”
We both then started laughing before we settled down and became confused.
“Shall we just open it and find out?” I asked and Matt nodded in agreement.
Quickly tearing the paper off; we found a fairly discreet wooden box, about the size of a large jewellery box.
Another card was placed upon the box and we both opened it.
‘You two prudes would never buy this stuff yourselves so we thought we’d lend a hand. Enjoy guys ;) xx Sam and Gary.’
“Oh shit, they didn’t...” I started before going to open the box.
“They didn’t what?” Matt asked confused.
As soon as the box was open Matt’s question was replaced by a deep blush almost as bad as mine.
Sam hadn’t been looking for her; she had been looking for me and Matt.
Inside the box were a pair of handcuffs, several sachets of cinnamon flavoured lube; a festive special said the packaging, and matching pairs of deep crimson silk underwear.
“Ermm...yes...well...” Matt couldn’t speak he was blushing so hard.
“So that’s what she said about buying for a friend.”
“You were there with her?” Matt asked.
“Well, not at the exact moment she bought this stuff obviously.”
I briefly explained the events that transpired and Matt giggled and blushed at the same time which made him look very cute.
Matt picked up the handcuffs and pulled them slightly.
“These look like decent handcuffs. Whoever wears them isn’t going anywhere for a while.”
We laughed again still slightly incredulous at the present.
I took a pair of the silk underwear and placed it next to Matt’s crotch and eyed him up.
“Yum, I bet you’ll look great in these.” I winked, making Matt blush hard again.
“Just for that it can be you wearing the handcuffs.” Matt replied with a sly grin.
It was my turn to blush now and I quickly stowed away the present.
That turned out to be excellent timing as Tina came into the room to ask about that present. Seeing our blushes evident on our faces she smirked and said “I don’t want to know what you two got given with that present, do I?” Before giggling and moving back downstairs.
“She was right though.” Matt piped up after a couple of seconds.
“About us being prudes?”
Matt tried to look innocent.
“I’ll show you I’m not a prude soon enough.” I said huskily making Matt flush and pull me in for a kiss.
“Come on; let’s help with the Christmas dinner.” Matt replied after that kiss and I nodded before following him downstairs.
“Matt, could you sense anyone a few nights back?” Jade asked, and from the tone in her voice this wasn’t a prank.
“No one obvious Jade, why do you ask?”
“Well, when me and Simon were walking back, I kept getting the feeling I was being watched, being followed.”
Matt paused to think, wondering if he had felt anything the night Jade was talking about but he still shook his head afterwards.
“I couldn’t sense anyone Jade, I’ll keep a closer eye on the house but I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.”
Jade nodded before going onto the family computer to Skype her boyfriend.
Matt looked puzzled for a while but in the end seemed to dismiss the thought and snuggled into me.
The discussion was forgotten as the preparations for Christmas dinner reached a climax.
The rest of the day was lazy. We all sat round, sometimes playing board games and card games, other times there was a film that everyone wanted to watch.
I just let myself relax around Matt’s family and couldn’t help but feel utterly at home here as Matt’s arms were wrapped around my waist whilst we were watching the Dr Who Christmas special.
“Can I ask you the question all guys hate?” Matt whispered into my ear and he gently traced the lobe with his tongue making me shiver with pleasure.
“Mmmmmm.” Was all I could say as Matt then kissed my neck.
“What were you thinking just then? Before I interrupted.”
“I was just thinking how at ease I now am around your family. I am so pleased they like me too.”
“See, what did I say? They love having you around.” Matt beamed at me; he was happy it had clicked so well too.
We stayed with Matt wrapped around me until it was time for bed and once again I slept soundly with Matt close against me.
Two days passed before it happened. Jade had just come back from a snowball fight in the park nearby when she said she had the same feeling of being watched.
Matt actually scouted the park out thoroughly this time but still he couldn’t sense anything and told Jade that there was nothing there; at least not anymore.
As we curled up for the night that evening I could feel the prickle of Matt’s power as he let it seep across the house. He had obviously sensed something in the park and had become wary.
Matt still couldn’t wake quickly enough before the sounds of Jade’s screams pierced the silent air.
With a speed I didn’t think possible Matt was up and sprinted into the room opposite, I followed as quickly as possible and got there just in time to see carnage.
Matt had obliterated whatever had attacked Jade, a dark stain on the wall was all the evidence left of the attacker, and Matt’s hand was still wreathed in Energy from the attack.
Matt’s eyes were burning brightly and he dashed over to take Jade’s hand.
David and Tina burst into the room too and Tina let out a mother’s lament as she saw the state Jade was in.
She had been pierced by a blade of some sort. It was different to that which had damaged me.
The tissue around the wound was rotted and falling away, and Jade’s skin was deathly pale.
Everyone knelt around the bed.
“Matt...Can’t you do something?”
“Not this time.” Matt croaked, his words choked by tears.
“Awan can’t get here in time to help, and this goes beyond anything I can heal.” Matt’s frustration remained just below the surface.
“Big...brother.” Jade managed to gasp.
“I’m here Jade, I’m here sis.”
“Mum? Dad?”
David and Tina rose so Jade could see them and each of them placed a hand on Jade’s face, stroking it gently.
“I’m so sorry Jade. I should have been more cautious, I should have investigated properly.”
“Shhh, you scouted it out today and nothing came up...” Jade said her voice barely audible. “...please don’t blame yourself bro. I love you.”
“I love you too Jade, there’s nothing I can do.”
“I know, and don’t go blaming yourself for that either.” Jade replied with a hint of a smile.
“Jade, your dad and I love you so much. Maybe we could visit you on Galwrock someday.” Tina said, her words too choked by tears.
Jade nodded slightly.
“This isn’t hurting as much as I thought it would.” She commented.
Matt smiled, before tightening his grip on Jade, he was blocking as much of her suffering as he could.
She started to go clammy and it wasn’t long before she slipped away.
David consoled Tina, her sobs falling into his shoulders as he himself shed numerous tears for his daughter.
I put an arm around Matt but he stopped me before moving to the edge of the door.
“I know you’re fucking out there! Stop skulking in the shadows! I will destroy the lot of you!” Matt screamed and sent a wave of light spilling from out of him which unveiled the remaining assassins.
“Dan! Get Sarala to shield yourself and my parents!”
Sarala didn’t even need my instruction, she had heard Matt loud and clear and within moments a shimmering bubble of pale blue Energy encapsulated us.
Matt created blades fashioned out of Energy and waited in the centre of the room.
The first assassin that emerged died instantly; a bolt of Energy travelled down Matt’s blades and struck the assassin in the chest, blowing a gaping hole in its torso.
The second one didn’t fare much better. Matt easily blocked its strike before decapitating the assassin and kicking the body out of the way.
The third was taken out by another bolt of Energy from Matt, the bloody chunks that fell to the ground a scary reminder of Matt’s power.
Two assassins attacked at the same time and Matt kicked the one in the head so hard its head span a full 180 before collapsing on the ground. The other one had its face split in four by a cross cut from Matt’s blades.
Another ten minutes came by before we realised no more had been sent.
The scream of reality tearing heralded the arrival of a Galwron and out stepped an incredibly handsome person, who bore the tattoo of the House of Light.
“Why the fuck were assassins here again Ipilar?” Matt roared.
“There was a crack in our defences, they must have chipped away at that same place for months to try and create such a breach.”
“My sister lies dead!”
Ipilar looked incredibly sorrowful and Matt softened slightly.
“Is there any presence of assassins now?” Matt asked.
“No my Lord, although I will watch over your parents. I personally volunteered for the task.”
Matt just nodded curtly before opening a portal.
“Come with me Dan.” I complied knowing this was not the time to ask questions.
The Fortress was in disarray; people were running everywhere, portals were constantly opening and allowing people out or disgorging people into the Fortress.
Matt strode purposefully towards the battle room and entered to find the other Lords and Ailarha seated round the table.
“Why did that just happen?” Matt cried out.
All the other Lords looked uncomfortable.
“It was a moment of complacency on our part Matt. The shields between Galwrock and Earth slipped slightly allowing a small group of assassins to pass through.”
“I know they fucking passed through, I just killed them all myself!”
I had never known Matt so angry; his rage was almost tangible and I could see an orange aura highlight his frame.
“We must now decide what to do about this.” Drackhir interjected.
“I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to the Assassin’s temple and I will have justice.” Matt’s eyes burned intensely with light and I took a step back involuntarily.
“But you don’t know...”
“I ripped the information out of the assassin that killed my sister before pulping its pathetic existence.”
“Is it justice or vengeance that is calling in your blood?” Ynana said softly.
“Call it what you will, but these assassins took my sister and almost succeeding in taking Dan. They will not walk away from this unpunished.”
“The assassins killed a few Galwrons as well so this is a planet wide response. Even though you are erring on the side of vengeance we wish to see these assassins stopped too. A strike force will be assembled to accompany you.”
Matt looked a little surprised but just nodded before leaving the room, leaving me standing here.
“Daniel, Matt...Is not completely himself right now. It would be best if you stayed out of his way, he is...unpredictable at this moment.”
I wasn’t happy with Ailarha’s comments but I really didn’t want to get in Matt’s way. If I was being totally truthful I was actually a little afraid of this angry Matt.
I didn’t know what to do with myself; I walked around the Fortress gardens and sat just looking up at the clouds going by. Sarala soothed my mind and I fell asleep for a time, allowing me blissful ignorance from what was happening for the time being.
I was woken before being escorted to the large portal room.
Matt was there dressed in his Wargear and my breath caught.
His armour was tight and skin hugging, the metal seemed too thin to be of any use but I knew better than to judge the armour by sight.
Black, white and gold were the colours and Matt’s helmet looked like one a Japanese general of old used to wear.
Energy crackled along the horns of the helmet and seemed to charge the air adding to the tension.
I eyed the weapon in Matt’s hand and wondered how many people it would kill today.
The weapon was a Naginata; it was about 6ft tall altogether with the shaft stopping just above Matt’s elbow and the blade ending near his ear.
Elegant runes adorned the blade of the weapon and the shaft had deep lines and patterns that glowed with power, which contrasted with the dark colour of the material to make it.
On his back lay, in an x-shaped scabbard, Matt’s secondary weapons.
They looked like simple short swords but when I’d asked someone about it they just smirked and walked away.
Matt looked determined, a look of stone was etched onto his face but when he turned and saw me his expression softened slightly and he gave an apologetic smile.
‘I don’t want to hurt you Dan; this is why I’ve been so distant. I...could be unpredictable at the moment...I...please try and forgive me for having to do this.’
I was still too confused about all that had happened to do anything more than nod.
Matt gave a nod back before the Lords gathered to open the portal.
Accompanying Matt were several figures, one from each House. They were the elite, the champion of each House and they formed the strike force that was to go in and attack the temple.
Each champion was wearing the ornate armour as befitted their status within their House, with the different colours for each House, and as they all stood in step waiting for a command, they were quite a sight to behold.
It was a silent command that bade them move. The portal blazed into life and the group leapt through the portal, battle cries sounding from their lips.
Within a few seconds they had gone. Matt had gone in with the most fervour, his voice hard and edgy as his own battle cry echoed around the room.
I could see Ailarha walking towards me and I greeted her with a small bow and a smile.
She returned the smile before gesturing to a small room that was off the portal room.
When I entered the other Lords were already seated around a small table and Ailarha bade me sit in the seat next to Drackhir.
Drackhir smiled at me this time before shaking my hand.
“No hard feelings from that night of Matt’s releasing, Dan. You were spying you know.”
“Yeah, well curiosity killed the cat as they say.”
“Are you saying you’re a cat?”
I saw the smirk in his eyes and knew he was playing so I decided just to smirk back before Ailarha brought us all to attention.
“There is something you need to know Dan, and it concerns Matt.”
She instantly had my attention at that.
“Matt’s power comes through a river of sorts. Made of Energy and Matt acts like a tap, he can turn on and off at will.”
I nodded showing I understood so far.
“Different people have different classes or levels of power. We have five levels of power, although these are used loosely as you can have people stronger than others in the same level.
Most Galwrons are level one. They have basic Energy manipulation and can use that to perform everyday tasks. The leaders of the villages tend to reach lower reaches of level two.”
“And level two is what?”
“Level two is the minimum level we accept our soldiers to be. They can channel Energy into weapons, create defensive shields and can fire Energy in different forms. Other abilities, which are the signatures of our Houses, are also recognised at this level. The level with which the individual can wield our specific abilities is governed by their level.”
“What about the third level?” I asked.
“Now we get to the stronger wielders of Energy. These tend to be ranking officers in the army or accomplished scholars or seers. Their power is many times greater than those of level two. It is at this level where an individual’s emotions must start being monitored. A level three wielder of Energy cannot be allowed to turn rogue as they would be able to wreak havoc amongst the population. But they are essential to help maintain barriers and help predict future events.”
"Now level four is our level. Lord class. Level four is considered mastery over your Energy. Releasings are needed less and the power of a level four wielder is, again, many times greater than a level three. Just one of us has enough power to level a small city.”
I let out a low whistle before realising, “You said there were five levels.”
Ailarha hesitated before continuing.
“Yes, the fifth level. Matt has become level five. Level five is used to denote an individual who has any sort of power greater than a Lord. Matt could potentially tap into a whole pool of Energy. If that happens, he is capable of almost anything.”
“What sort of scale?” I asked.
“Matt has enough power to ravage entire planets. However, it is not that simple. We have trained him to cycle up through the levels, to allow him to keep control. Most of the time you have seen him he has been at level one. Basic stuff. When he killed the assassin that stabbed you he shifted up to level two.
To go to the temple he has shifted up to level three, and there is the possibility he might go into level four depending on resistance.”
“I don’t understand, so he cannot tap directly into level four or level five powers.”
“Even Matt does not wish to move to level five. At level five the Energy starts to overpower you, control you. At level five, unless you have supreme and iron will, the Energy can kill you.”
“Will Matt have to use the top level for the battle?”
“He will only in the direst of circumstance. He will be at level four for the battle, who knows what will happen.”
“What level am I? Or more accurately, what level is Sarala?”
“Sarala is level three. She was on her way to developing level four powers, but got killed before she could obtain them.”
I nodded but a couple of questions still nagged at me.
“You said only someone of supreme force of will can survive being at level five. How do you know this?”
Ailarha shifted uncomfortably.
“There is a legend...about a warrior who had level five type powers. He opened himself fully to the Energy, believing himself worthy. Instead the force and scale of Energy overwhelmed him and he was driven insane and the Energy backlash drove great grooves into the earth. I have communed with spirits who knew this warrior and the backbone of the story seems to be true.”
“So Matt could be driven insane or worse if he taps into such power?”
“With great power comes great responsibility, surely you have heard that saying before Daniel? The same goes here. Matt has power that potentially dwarfs ours. If he goes to level five he must figure things out himself. Nothing we say could help him. And yes there is the possibility Matt could suffer if he does tap into such power.”
“Why wasn’t I told of this before?” I suddenly felt aggrieved that this was withheld from me.
“Matt has said he might die in this battle to come. Though he didn’t say how or what condition he might be in afterwards. He didn’t say because he himself cannot know what will happen.”
“This is insane. So whilst he goes on a killing spree I’m being told he might be driven insane during the battle?”
“We never said anything would be easy Daniel. I’m sorry, for what that apology’s worth. I am sorry.”
“I need a lie down I think.”
The Lords nodded and I let Sarala take me to our room.
‘Dan, Ailarha was as truthful as she could be. This is the first time she has had to trust humans with so much of our culture, of us. This isn’t easy for her. And Arensha wants her dead; she has that burden hanging around her neck too.’
‘I know Sarala, but it’s so hard. This is insane what we’ve been thrown into. And I must stay strong for Matt. He was so angry, I had never seen so much negative emotion built up inside him.’
‘He blames himself too; for not seeing the signs, for not taking his sister seriously enough. And for that she paid the price not him. That’s what eats away at him. It is not only anger that he vents, it is his own guilt.’
I just sighed before flopping down on the bed, sleep not coming because of the thoughts whizzing inside my head, trying to make sense of it all.
MATT
It was all consuming, I couldn’t help it. The rage, the anger, it burned in my heart and demanded to be quenched.
I leapt through that portal eager to spill blood, a thought I would normally shudder at. But not that time.
After we were all accounted for we assessed the distance between where we had made planet fall and the temple, our estimates put it at a few kilometres away.
The planet was bleak. Deserts of black sand rose and fell in large dunes, the occasional pillar or part of a statue was unveiled by the sand, hinting at lost civilisations.
The sky that hung above us was bruised and sickly looking, lightning crackled between the clouds.
“Should we approach stealthily my Lord?”
“This won’t be subtle Champion of Flight. We will let them see our approach. Be alert for surprise attacks, I feel they will greet us before we knock on their door.”
The remaining Champions nodded as one before summoning shields of Energy around themselves and I did likewise.
The Champions were all level three users and didn’t need babysitting by me during the operation; each was a proven combatant in at least fifty engagements over their lifetime.
Blood pumped quickly in my body as I anticipated an attack soon.
It was my Energy that alerted me to the danger, an image of something emerging from the sands made me halt the party’s advance just in time to see almost a dozen shapes emerge silently in a circle around us.
Dressed in black the assassins were hard to see against the dark sand. Sending Energy to my eyes I could pick them out as if I were using Night vision goggles.
One of them, high on drugs it seemed, rushed at me.
I readied my weapon in a loose grip before letting it spin around my hands and strike the assassin, the longer reach of my blade proving superior as a chunk of the assassin’s head fell into the sand, staining the already dark sand even darker with blood.
The Champions had picked their targets too and I could see their fighting techniques as well.
The raw power of fire as the Champion of that House dowsed an assassin in Energy made flame. The Energy feeding on the life essence on the assassin until nothing was left but blackened bones.
The Champion of the Storm cooked one assassin, holding it by the throat and sending lightning deep into its body and throwing the assassin to the ground once the body fell limp.
The Champion of Light, blinding his target before bisecting his body with his long sword.
The others I did not see as two more of the assassins came for me, both dispatched easily by my blade.
Blood lightly spattered my armour and I looked at it briefly before giving the signal to carry on.
The temple itself was a grand sight even if it was made by those I hated.
It was built into the side of a small mountain; giant pillars of green veined marble supported the large roof of the exterior of the temple.
Snakes statues curled around the marble pillars and mosaic floors occupied the ground.
The whole place was deathly quiet.
“What surprises have the bastards planned for us?” I thought out loud.
We advanced carefully, each of us checking the others movement and placement of feet, checking for trap triggers or pressure pads.
It was only once we were near the edge of the exterior, near the pillars which were larger than I thought at nearly a hundred feet tall, that a sign of life appeared.
A figure was standing on the edge of the roof looking down on us.
It made a series of gestures and the ground shook for a few moments, before the figure darted off.
“Now what did it do?”
The Champions knew it was rhetorical and kept silent.
As we scouted the courtyard around the entrance, I noticed one of the snakes had gone missing.
“Find cover!” I yelled just as the snake emerged from the ground.
Made out of the same marble but blue veined instead of green, the snake towered above us.
The Dark Energy that had given it life was evident all over the snake by the black aura emanating from it. The stench of Dark Energy made me even more riled up.
The Champion of Fire attempted a fireball but the flames didn’t harm the creature at all and in reply the snake launched a dark ball of Energy at him. His shield stayed but shimmered dangerously under the attack.
Cover was sparse and it became a job to just avoid the snake’s attacks. The Champion of Flight had taken to the sky to try and distract it with blasts of Energy that did little more than take small chips of stone from it.
Its tail came round and I was too slow in avoiding it, having to instil more Energy into my shield to prevent any damage.
Individually the Champions couldn’t best this creature, and I didn’t want to have to move up into level four unless necessary.
“Who is the best manipulator here?” I shouted and the Champion of Nature sent a small ping telepathically.
“The rest of you, channel your Energy into him at my signal. Champion, get ready to envelop the snake in Energy.”
The Champions obeyed and I dashed into the open and fired two concentrated balls of Energy at the eye sockets of the snake.
As the snake was temporarily blinded, the Champions darted to safety from the thrashing the snake was doing, whilst at the same time allowing the Champion of Nature to draw on their power.
When the Champion had absorbed enough power he stretched out his arms and slowly the snake was covered in Energy.
“Crush it!” I shouted as the Champions struggled with the Dark Energy sustaining it.
I lent my Energy and helped neutralise some of the Dark Energy, and in doing so the Champion was able to lift the snake from the ground.
“Do it now! Kill it!” I shouted again and this time the Champion clenched his fist and the snake shattered as the Energy crushed it.
The Champion of Light cleansed the area of Dark Energy before we moved on and into the temple, the decimated floors of the courtyard evidence enough of the struggle.
Through the main entrance we entered a large hall.
It stretched hundreds of metres. The same green veined marble formed the architecture of serrated edged walls, snake wrapped pillars and smooth floors. The usage of such dark material caused the atmosphere to be cloying and oppressing.
One of the Champions accidentally stepped on a pressure plate and we all dived to the floor as Dark Energy tipped crossbow bolts flew from the walls, embedding themselves into the opposite walls from whence they came.
“Extra vigilance is needed now.” I reminded them before moving around the room, making note of half a dozen other pressure plates, my Energy highlighting them as I got near them.
After several minutes surveying the room there seemed to be no corridors or paths out apart from the way we had come in from.
“You desecrate this place by stepping foot in the temple and killing our guards. We will kill you.” A figure near the far end of the room called out.
“Is this the temple of the assassins of the Poison Leaves?” I shouted.
“Yes, leave now, or be killed.”
“You have murdered my sister and wounded my partner. I will have vengeance.”
The figure laughed.
“It was so easy to escape your detection, your mind too preoccupied with your ‘partner’. And your late sister, such an easy prize to take.”
As the figured spoke I noticed shadows materialising from the walls.
“You are Matthew, the Champion of Galwrock. We will be rewarded for your death.”
And with that the shadows attacked.
I gave my mind over to my training.
The first attacker died from a deep neck cut from my naginata, the next got decapitated as I whirled around in a large arc.
A third died as I sent a small bolt of Energy between his eyes.
My shield shimmered as small bolts of Dark Energy hit it as the attackers closed around me.
The other Champions were too busy with their own battles.
About a dozen assassins encircled me.
My rage surfaced once more and a shockwave of flame and Energy erupted from me.
Half of the assassins were vaporised and those strong enough to survive clutched various parts of their body as the flames scorched them. I grinned savagely as I put away my naginata, placing it on my back and willing my swords into my hands.
These were blades with a difference. As I thumbed the activation rune on each blade, the blades detached into several pieces, spaced several inches apart, and all linked by a length of almost indestructible wire, half an inch thick.
The tips of the chain blades sounded off the floor and I sprung into action.
Leaping into the air I flicked out one blade, letting it wrap around the one assassin’s neck before twisting and scoring deep cuts that almost decapitated the assassin, leaving the head lopsided as blood spurted and the body collapsed.
The next one I thrust the blade forward letting the length of the weapon to embed into one assassin, and wrapping the second blade around the thigh of another assassin.
I had left myself vulnerable and an assassin came in close but I delivered a short kick to its knees, shattered one knee cap before head butting it, letting Energy amplify the force, causing the assassin’s face to become a shattered mess.
I wrenched the embedded blade out of the stomach of the first assassin; the stench of entrails became apparent, causing a scream of pain from the unfortunate victim. The other assassin I twisted the blade letting the blade cut deep into the thigh, severing his femoral artery.
I retracted the blades and cleaved the remaining assassins from shoulder to hip, Energy helping to increase my strength.
Cleaning the blades as best I could, I could see my armour slick with gore already. I sheathed them, taking my naginata as my weapon once more.
The other Champions had managed to deal with their attackers, some of them bearing minor injuries which they shrugged off.
A carpet of corpses now adorned the marble floor, the ground slippery with blood.
That figure that had spoken had fled and I went to the walls feeling my way along trying to find how the assassins had appeared; still finding nothing I got frustrated, my anger fuelling the frustration.
I took a moment and shifted to the next level, wanting this over with quickly. The Champions sensed the Energy shift and backed away slightly.
With a motion from my hand the marble floor shattered and I raised a large boulder of rock.
Coating the boulder with Energy I hurled it at a section of the wall.
The sound was deafening as the wall cracked and screamed in protest at the assault.
The boulder had weakened the wall enough that with a well placed blast of Energy a hole blew in the wall.
Another large room presented itself to us. This time nothing of note attacked us and no traps slowed us.
The theme of veined marble continued, barely any light occupied the space and we had to rely on our Energy to allow us to see.
There was a stairwell at the end of this hall and we cautiously made our way up.
Once we reached the top my mind reeled.
Yet another large room was here, but this time it stretched for as far as the eye could see.
But this room had a very specific purpose.
Glass pods lined the walls from ceiling to floor, with gangways allowing access to each pod down the full length of the room.
Each pod contained a figure, and they looked identical to the assassins we had killed just a few minutes ago.
As we slowly walked down the room I got the feeling the figures in the pods could sense us, could see us.
Nothing attacked us or remotely threatened us as we continued to walk down the room. The pale red fluid in the pods glowed slightly throwing the room into sharp relief.
The glow cast eerie shadows across the room and still the oppressing atmosphere continued, trying to squeeze us, intimidate us.
“What are we looking for my Lord?” One of the Champions whispered.
“I can’t be sure, there must be more of them than what we have already killed, there’s also that figure that fled. It must be killed too.”
“And these things in the pods my Lord?”
“They are not important to us yet.”
That yet proved to be only a handful of minutes later as the same figure that had fled before flourished its hands and the pods opened, the fluid draining away before the pods fully opened, allowing the figures to shuffle out.
They looked human or humanoid anyway. Two legs, two arms; but yet their skin was almost transparent, veins and other blood vessels were easily seen underneath the skin. Their eyes were sunken and dilated, large pupils stared at us as they advanced.
“This will be grim work.” I said as I took up a ready stance with my weapon. The Champions did likewise.
We cut them down as they approached, they weren’t supposed to be a match for us; they were to overwhelm us. Thousands now were slowly making their way across the floor to us.
A pile of corpses, dismembered, burnt, bleeding; life blood now seeping across the floor with each kill we made.
With each kill I made I noticed something, they weren’t just humanoid they were in fact human, but manipulated to look like this. There were Galwrons too, I was killing humans and Galwrons with each stroke of my blade and I felt sick.
I reached gently into one of their minds. A few seconds was all that was needed and all that I wanted to spend there.
They had been taken captive, raids in the dead of night, when the shields around the worlds waned.
From there they were brought here and tortured; tortured until their sanity was all but spent. Then they were housed in these pods and kept there, their skin altered, their minds taken over.
They were mindless and powerless until...
“Everyone power up their shields now!”
The Champions responded even though they were puzzled.
The figure shouted a command and the mindless figures suddenly stood upright, and Energy shot into their hands.
“Oh for fuck’s sake.” I said before the first barrage struck our shields.
I reinforced the Champions shields, to be sure they held, whilst the first wave dissipated.
We launched a counter attack before the next wave could start.
I let a wave of Energy flow from my arms severing many figures in two.
“We are the Danaram, surrender.”
“How about this for an answer.” I said before lifting one of the self proclaimed Danaram using Energy, charging his body full of my Energy and flinging him, judging from his body parts, into a crowd of others that were advancing. The flung Danaram exploded like a bomb, showering the area with bone and gore and causing large wounds in the group I had targeted.
The Champions too were getting frustrated and more and more violent attacks came from us, trying to cut down swathes of them at a time.
Every movement of my blade claimed one of the creatures; I wasn’t going to call them human or Galwron anymore.
Blood ran into the grooves and contours of my armour, forming streams down me; none of it my own.
I wanted this place destroyed; it was a terrible place and the source of much suffering.
I whipped my blade round in large arcs, circular movements killing several with each large sweep.
The blood sizzled on the blade as the runes glowed hot, powering the weapon further.
With each kill it felt like I was setting them free. These were mercy killings.
I felt my grip on the weapon become slippery with blood so I sheathed it and resorted to my Energy.
Charging my hands and feet with power I struck out.
My strikes were effortless as the Energy contained in my limbs enhanced my strength. Bones breaking as each strike landed.
I span and pirouetted out of the way, practicing the fluid evasion moves of the Galwrock way of martial arts, allowing myself to become almost ghost like during the acrobatics because of the speed with which I moved before hitting out again and moving onto the next one.
Along with the great number the Champions had killed there were only so many left so I ran up the wall and leapt from it into the air and launched large balls of Energy that rolled through the remaining Danaram, killing them instantly.
I floated back down, all of us inspecting the aftermath of the massacre.
The stench was powerful as we made sure all the bodies were dead and the urge to vomit was strong but we held it together.
We piled the bodies as best we could, making a pyre before the Champion of fire set the bodies alight, the Champion of light then saying a prayer for the souls of the slain, if their souls hadn’t fled once their sanity had left them that is.
“Your orders, my Lord?”
“Keep pushing onwards, I feel we’re drawing closer to the nest.”
This time I led a swift run down the full length of the room and I could see a small portal at the end. It pulsed with violent light but I summoned my shield around me tight like a cloak and dashed straight through, the other Champions following my lead.
The portal brought us out into a hollowed out rocky dome, somewhere on the far side of the mountain.
The sky above us rang angrily with the sound of thunder and the rock was a sickly violet colour, the same as the portal that had brought us here.
The main group of assassins had gathered here.
All along the layered walls of the dome stood hooded figures standing statuesque and silent, whilst that same figure, which was now standing in the middle of the dome, turned to face us.
The figure spoke finally.
“I am the master assassin, head of the assassin order. You have trespassed and killed many of our disciples.”
“Yeah well, after you killed my sister, almost killed my partner, and, after now seeing thousands of insane driven automatons, don’t expect to hear an apology escape my lips.” I hissed.
“Then I will kill you.”
I showed the figure my weapon before charging it with Energy.
“Oh yeah, let’s get all the Lords of Galwrock to piss on my still warm body afterwards shall we?” I replied sardonically.
As one the shadows on the walls leapt into the air and the Champions readied themselves, the master assassin had begun to run towards me, and I matched him? Her? I could never work out the gender.
It drew its twin blades, slightly curved with serrated edges.
As the two of us clashed weapons for the first time, the distance having been closed between us quickly, I could tell under the hood lay the face of a woman.
“So you’re a woman huh? Does that mean I can take MA not for master of assassins but instead make it Mother of all Arseholes?”
The assassin snarled before seemingly turning invisible.
I checked my shield, strengthening it and just in time for her to emerge just out of view on my right hand side and attempt a strike, I felt the shield tremble and looked in her direction before planting a side kick into her ribs, sending her sprawling several feet.
“Come on bitch! Fight me! Don’t hide in the shadows. I am going to cut that fucking smug look off your face!” My normally pleasant personality had vanished.
My rage and anger had hit critical point, flashes of my sister’s death kept replaying, and each replay in my head drove me further into the zone of anger and hatred.
Again she turned invisible and tried to strike me, again and again, frustrating me, taunting me.
“All you assassins are the same, you piss me off! Enough!” I screamed before sending her sprawling a second time but this time shattering her mental defences and forcing my way into her mind.
Her mind was dark and cloying, just like her temple, and I found in her mind her knowledge to turn invisible.
With a simple extension of my will I tore the knowledge out of her and destroyed it.
She screamed in agony as I ripped out a part of her mind.
“Now you must fight me properly.” I said slowly.
Readying her weapons, after she had recovered from my attack, she charged.
She was fast, that was my first thought as a flurry of attacks were sent towards me.
I managed to block them before forcing her back to the best range for my weapon and making tight, quick, circular sweeps and thrusts with my weapon. She managed to parry all the blows too and this went on for a while, spinning, somersaulting, and dancing out of the way of each other. It made me think of the beautifully choreographed Wushu films that were made with the movements we were both using to avoid the other.
We leapt up into the air and duelled for a few moments as we met midair, our blades ringing with each strike.
The intensity was high and I was sweating but my will was like iron ‘For my sister’ I kept saying to myself and I didn’t feel tired despite the sweating.
I could tell she was beginning to tire though, through all the whirling and pirouetting, they were getting slightly slower, each parry slightly more desperate and I unleashed a dazzling array of strikes and one caught her calf, slicing open the skin like parchment.
I smiled triumphantly and sheathed the naginata to draw the chain blades.
I caused them to loosen to their whip-like state and flashed them so they whipped around the assassins face, the shards of blade cutting into her face.
She screamed as the blades dug in.
“I told you I would cut the smug look off your face.” I said evenly before stretching my arms out to my sides and tightening the wire.
The blades sliced deep cuts all over her face leaving it half hanging off her face, her screams drawing the attention of all the people fighting around us.
Sheathing my blades after retracting them I lifted the assassin into the air.
“You enjoyed making all those self called Danaram suffer. Now it’s time to exact the same.”
I layered her body in a film of Energy and I stopped her in midair.
I closed my eyes and the Energy glowed bright red as it heated her skin.
Her screams echoed around the dome as her skin melted and sloughed away from her body, exposing the innards underneath.
A second wave of Energy seeped into her body and slowly burned as I used Energy to hold her wrists, manipulating her like a puppet.
I slowly spread my hands apart and the Energy was stronger than her shoulder socket and her arms were wrenched free.
All traits resembling the normal Matt were gone still at this moment. Pure vengeance sang through my blood and it demanded it be sated.
The assassin was delirious with pain; I could sense her despair in her mind.
Letting her fall to the ground, I drew my naginata and drew it into a ready position.
“May Galwrock be free of your presence.” I said, no hint of emotion staining my voice as I cut down, severing her head from her shoulders.
“My Lord, please, we must be gone from this place, and your humours are all in misalignment.” The Champion of Light said nervously.
“We exit via the main entrance; there’s is one more thing that must be done.”
The Champions were all too keen to be out of this place and we made quick time emerging from the temple.
Once we were a safe distance away I summoned my Energy again.
I tore the pillars out from under the roof, aimed them into the entrance and hurled them.
The sound tore across the desert and the sand dunes shook.
I looked up towards the mountain; it started shaking under my gaze and I sliced through a part of the mountain, sending it tumbling down.
The landslide completely smothered the entrance, making it look like nothing was ever there.
They said that at level four you can level a city. I used a small portion of that power to topple a mountain and even through my frenzied haze of emotion; I felt a shiver run down my spine at the power I was capable of unleashing for destruction.
I created a portal to take us back and I looked back to survey what I had done.
As I then turned back to walk through the portal I could feel the normal Matt inside me cry at what I had done.
So how are they going to deal with this?
I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter or the story in general :)
Thanks for reading :)
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Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
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