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| Scroll Nine: The Land Where Gods Die | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| For the better part of four days - a war unlike anything any mortal eyes had seen dragged out. The allied might of the remaining factions of the Forbidden Isles fought with every ounce of strength and determination to turn back the mad god that sought to slay them all. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As her minions fought - the mages - including Lithian and Tithian concentrated their power and energy into Markys - for of them - only she had a chance of taking down Chaos. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Enchantress stayed near to Markys - knowing that in such a volatile situation it would take but a moment's distraction. Subtly - she used her powers to enhance the power of the allied mages and Markys. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How much time do we have?" Lithian asked. Tithian looked over and saw the giant Chaos knocking away the flying hordes that tried to hurt him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "They do what they can - but against one such as Chaos - that is only so much. Time is our enemy," Tithian replied. "I hope - you know what you are doing Markys," the dragon wizard warned. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If I fall - we all fall. Had we not tried - he would have picked us off one by one," Markys reminded. The dragon looked over at Enchantress and noticed how she could not take her eyes off Markys. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He broke the lines!" a wizard shouted. Everyone looked over and saw that the giant Chaos had managed to fight his way through the army of creatures. Of the hundreds that engaged the god-mage - not one was left standing. Markys waved her hand. All of the wizards that had fed her power - felt refreshed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Today this ends Chaos - one way - or the other," Markys stated seriously. Her magic armor appeared on her body. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh it will end whore - just not in a way you would like," Chaos taunted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Stay here," Markys whispered to Enchantress. She wanted to protest - but it was too late - the sorceress flew up and hovered in the air before her towering foe. "I think one of us forgot who is master here. I think - perhaps - it is time I reminded you," she stated as mana swirled around her as she readied to cast her most potent spells at her enemy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dow below - Enchantress could not take her eyes off Markys. Tithian laid down so that its head was at eye level with the young djinn. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You make a grievous mistake letting her into your heart," the dragon whispered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't care," she rebutted passively. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You love blinds you. She will use you and cast you aside - leaving you broken and empty inside. You are not the first to have fallen for her," the dragon warned. Enchantress sighed as she lowered her head. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I know about her. I know what she has done. I don't care," she rebutted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You love her that much?" the dragon asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yes," she answered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Then maybe you can save her," Tithian began. Enchantress looked over at the dragon to see if it was being sincere or sarcastic. "But - to do so - will cost you," the dragon warned. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It will?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The gift of seeing is a - curse I bare. To save her from herself will require sacrifice," the dragon whispered. Enchantress looked up and saw the two wizards casting their most potent spells at each other. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I would give anything to protect her," she said without thinking. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I believe you would. Pity that," the dragon commented. Enchantress scowled at the dragon. "At ease - the world lacks innocence - like the kind you radiate. Something to think about," the dragon suggested as it slowly got up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The scales seem pretty balanced. I think perhaps it is time we help Markys tip them in our favor," Lithian remarked. Enchantress watched as the blue dragon began to inhale and slowly expand in size. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Agreed," Tithian added as the green dragon did the same. Enchantress watched as the other mages present began to gather all the mana they had at their disposal. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Then - in one potent - strike - all of them expelled their power at the giant that was before Markys. As the power exploded into the giant's chest - for the first time since his rebirth - he felt - pain! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I felt that? How can this be?" Chaos muttered as he used his power to keep the focused blast from the ground based wizards from doing further damage. It was then that he heard Markys laughing - it was a sound he remembered all too well. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You did change Chaos - credit given when due - but you overlooked one - tiny element. When you were reborn - you were a god as well as a mage. You became a hybrid. What made you so omnipotent - was their faith in you. With them gone - you are just a mage - powerful yes - but not invincible," she stated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You are as crafty as I remember - but I am not defeated yet," Chaos hissed. With a wave of his hand - the focused attacks that were being directed at him were deflected at Markys. The sorceress watched in stunned silence as the lethal blast headed her way. It was then that she felt something knocking her aside. She looked over and watched as the blast exploded into Enchantress's shoulder. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No!" Markys screamed as she flew over and caught the twitch djinn before she hit the ground. "Speak to me! Say something," she ordered in a panic. Her eyes fluttered open. "Why did you do that? You could have gotten yourself killed," she asked. Chaos shrunk down to human size. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Was worried about you," she slurred as she fainted. One of the wizards hurried over and looked at the unconscious girl in Markys' arms. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "She is just in shock - she should be fine," the wizard replied. Markys could feel her hands shake as a rage began to take hold of her. She looked over her shoulder and glared at the wizard that had almost killed Enchantress. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Don't look at me like that. She jumped in the way of the blast. You want to blame someone - blame yourself," Chaos rebutted. Markys carefully placed Enchantress in the wizard's arms and motioned for him to step back. Mana swirled around her as she stalked her way towards her enemy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I can not remember the last time I was this angry," she began as the lands around them began to shake. But know I will take solace in this one fact," she continued. Chaos glared at her as he called upon all the available mana he could. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "And what pray tell would that be?" he mocked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "When I kill you this time - you will not come back!" she hissed. The ground mages used what was left of the power at their disposal to shield them from the elements that were flying about. They watched as both Markys and Chaos used all of their might and power against each other in one potent blast. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| An explosion mushroomed outwards engulfing everything for miles around. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A silence followed... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As the smoke - dust and flames began to die down - at the heart of the blast - one lone figure began to emerge. It was Markys. She looked over to where the ground mages were and smiled when she realized that Enchantress was safe as were her allies. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It is over?" Lithian asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Chaos is no more," she replied as Enchantress woke up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Did we win?" she asked timidly. Markys shook her head as she walked over and hugged her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "We did indeed," an all too familiar voice remarked. Everyone looked over to the smoking crater that Markys had emerged from. There they saw - the Mountain King! "Welcome home dear," he mocked - Enchantress hid behind her. The demon saw the young djinn and quietly laughed. "Honey? Have you been cheating on me - again?" he taunted. Markys scowled. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Leave her alone," Markys warned. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Or what? You are not at the peak of your power yet - and with him gone - the duality of this - place is restored. That means - in case you have forgotten - I am master here," the demon growled. "Now - get over here. It is time we return home and rebuild what those wretched dwarves ruined," he ordered. Markys could feel her hands shake. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Don't go," Enchantress whispered. The Mountain King growled at the meddling djinn. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Stay out of this princess or I swear - I will give you a taste of what your girlfriend has endured," he warned. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You will do no such thing!" Markys rebutted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Honey? We have been through this before. How many times have I beaten you down - had my way with you - let every ghastly and disgusting beast in my care do such deliciously vile things to your - cute little body - when you were more powerful than you are now? Don't fuck with me," the demon warned. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Fight him," Enchantress whispered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What?' Markys muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Fight him - and you will be free. It is what you want - it is what will be," she repeated quietly. Markys was going to question it when she saw a dim white aura glowing around her. The demon lord laughed mockingly getting the attention of Markys. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Your plaything gives you bad advice dear. But if another lesson is needed - so be it. just remember - all the pain you feel - will be because of her," he warned as he prepared to fight her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To Be Concluded... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||