Genesis [malexmale]

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

The time had finally come.

And I was not ready.

Despite the final decision, despite the sureness that it had to be done, that all had been prepared, including Geara, I stood there on the battlefield, staring out at the warriors that lashed at one another, feeling completely unprepared mentally for the strain that the spell would put on me.

Wind swirled and danced through the air, bringing with it the stench of blood and death, sweat and fear and rage. It was a tornado of scents spiraling around me, tossing my hair across my face, tickling my skin. My hands twitched toward my swords, but I dared not touch them. It was not the time to battle, but the time to lure Xiphrus out from the fray.

And it was hard not to miss him; a massive beast in the collection on the field, plowing through any and all who stood in his path, even his own soldiers. He was no longer Xiphrus, but the beast that dwelled within him. Red eyes glowed in the dark caused by the heavy black clouds overhead, claws swinging and slashing open armor and flesh alike, turning them to ribbons. He threw his head back and roared, an animal sound that echoed across the meadow.

Overhead, the sky boomed with thunder that rocked the ground beneath us, the rain wailing as it raced to the ground, soaking it and causing blood to run freely through the grass, turning dirt to mud. Lightning lit the sky up, a chilling sight of white light streaking between the clouds, launching itself at the battle below, sending several creatures flying back, only to get up and return for more.

There was a finality to this battle.

This was the last one.

For now, I reminded myself. Once we destroy Atlan's major playing piece, he will have no choice, but to retreat and go underground, until the time came to revive this war. Until the time came to see who would truly win. The Source, or its rogue creation.

Yet, there was still an immense ache in my chest, a twisting knot in my gut, one that caused my hands to tremble and my breath to quicken as I stared out over the battlefield. Once more a gust of wind swept up from behind me, causing my whole body to stiffen, my eyes to rise to the sky. Betwixt the black clouds lay a crack that reveal the cosmos beyond, a cosmos that lived and breathed as we did, that pulsed with a raw power. The colorful blinking stars like tears trailing down the dark cheek of space.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath of the bitter cold air, letting it fill my lungs until they burned.

"I am here." I turned my head to see Geara stepping up beside me, dressed in her battle uniform and her expression grim, her eyes cold and unfeeling. It was as if a completely different person was at my side now. Gone with her pain and her agony, at least upon her visage, for now she wore the guise of a warrior, prepared to do anything to protect for the greater good, casting aside our own emotions for a sacrifice that would destroy both of our souls.

Our eyes met for only a brief moment, yet I saw no sign of pain or fear. Only cold hard resolution.

Then we turned our sights to our target, who hefted a soldier into the air and threw him across the field for him to land upon another, causing both to go down upon a spear. The beast of Destruction howled, baring his fangs in a disgusting smile of satisfaction, as if nothing gave him greater pleasure than to do away with life.

I looked to Geara, her eyes meeting mine. For a split second, I saw the pain, hidden beneath that cold hardness, but she blinked it away and vanished on the spot, giving me my cue to begin the spell.

I took another deep breath, listened to the sound of the battle blend together in a buzzing sound of swords slashing, battle cries echoing, grunts and groans of agony, lightning spearing the sky with a screeching crackle, thunder exploding into the cosmos. Another deep breath, and all sounds became a buzzing roar in my ears. The sound of my heart pounding viciously against my breastbone, my blood rushing through my veins, joined the hum. Until it was a powerful vibration in my very soul.