Evil Essence

Part 2 of the Epoch Apocalypse

PROLOGUE.

  Destruction looked down upon his fatally wounded
brother, emotionless, sword grasped tightly in hand. His
kin’s insides had been viciously spilled onto the long,
green grass, his sickening screams of numbing agony
filling the air.
  The dragon, Destructions attacker, twisted and turned
in the sky above, laughing hysterically. It was black,
scaley, reaching a great distance in length. It had bone
protruding awkwardly from its equally dark face, just
above its glowing red eyes, and a little down its neck.
It carried a round, pulsating sphere in one if its front
arms.
  Destruction looked up at it with a cold stare. The dark
grey clouds rained upon him, his water socked blonde hair
hanging heavily over his wideset brown eyes. His round
face was slightly scared. He wore a open vest to reveal
his overly hairy chest, and sleeveless to gloat his
muscular arms, with dark brown trousers completing the
look. His long sword was bulky, made of an unknown
material that didn’t ever need sharpening, and could cut
through anything with overwhelming ease.
  The dragon ceased its movement, hovering percuriously,
looking down confidantly at its rival. Laughing again, it
grasped the spere in both hands. From its mouth, a bolt
of energy shot, sizziling through the humid atmosphere. 
  In defense, Destruction covered his face with his
blade, nullifying the energy bolt, sending him flying
back into the ground. He couldn’t move.
  The dragon fell from the sky, landing above its fallen
opponent. Destruction struggled to free him self from his
paralysis, but couldn’t. 
  The dragon edged its face closer and closer to his. It
grinned, then shot of back into the atmosphere, flying
away. 
  Destruction lay there for several more minutes, as
feeling eventually returned. Every muscle in his body
ached as he slowly returned to his feet. 
  He retrieved his peculiar sword, then bunddled up what
he could of his now deceased brother, and headed home.
  The showers persisted as he traveled the open plains,
crossed the raging rivers, and climbed the unforgiving
mountains. Reaching the top of a desolate knoll, he
looked down upon his home, his kingdom.
  The king welcomed his most prized knight home. He was
short and over weight, wearing a black beard and
countless jewels. Destruction simply stared at him, then
moved on. 
  To the palace gardens he sought. Chosing a lovely spot
beneath a great tree, Destruction buried his young
brother, his emotions becoming more of him.
  Finishing the job, he said a few final words, then 
departed.
  He remained secluded within his quarters for the next 
several weeks, rarely eating, seldomly sleeping. He sat
in front of a blazing fire, rocking back and forth in an
old chair, saying nothing, thinking nothing. 
  The king inevitably became worried. His most gifted
knight was psychologically hurt, and his talents, he
feared, if not excersized, would soon be lost. For
Destructions benifeit, the king ordered him from his
room, having to drag him out by the shirt. 
  He was suited in chain - mail and armed, ready for
combat. Unwillingly, he had been thown into training. 
  His opponent, but a young rookie, swung his sword about
the air wildly. Destruction did not move, did not flinch.
He stood there, sword by his side, eyes lowered. 
  He was struck in the chest but once. He fell back to
the dissapointment of his peers. His fellow knights
groaned with chagrin. 
  Destruction simply lay there, peering into the overcast
sky as the army gathered around him. The king gazed into
his face helplessly, then ordered a few men to return him
to his bed.
  Several more days passed. He slept little. Then one
night, he decided to move. He got up, placing his
sheathed sword over his shoulder, then headed to the
garden. 
  He looked upon his brother’s grave with no feeling in
his heart. He noticed an unusual marking embeded within
the tree trunk. It was a ring of roses with a battle axe
in the middle. 
  The world began to fade around him. Several seconds
later, he awoke in a great room he was unfamiliar with.
It was round, with bookshelves from ground to ceiling. A
balcony stretched around its parameter about half way up,
to begin and end with two giant marble stair cases,
separated by a blazing fire. There was a chandelier
hanging from the roof, and a table, the only piece of
furnature.
  An aged man greeted him. His glossy white hair was
pulled back away from his wrinkled, clean shaven face. He
looked to be serious and stern, yet Destruction felt warm
and calm in his emense presence.
  ‘Welcome, Destruction.’ he said.
  Destruction bothered not to replied.
  ‘I understand you have a lot on your mind.’ the old man
went on. ‘Your confused and you don’t know what to do now
that your brother’s gone.’
  Destruction stood motionless.
  ‘You seek revenge. Now, I don’t usually do this. I’m
not that type of man. But I can help you achieve that
revenge that you pursue.’
  He lifted his head.
  ‘Ah. I see I’ve got your attention.’ the man smiled. 
‘Do you care to listen to what I’ve got to say?’
  The knight simply looked at him.
  ‘I’ll take that as a yes.’ the strange man said. ‘I 
understand your opponent has great powers. You were 
defeated by a dragon, yes? What I propose, is that we 
equal this power.’
  ‘Go on.’ Destruction finally spoke.
  ‘With my help, you can fight fire with fire, or dragon
with dragon in your case. What I’m offering you is a
dragon of your very own, to help you in your toils.’
  The knight frowned.
  ‘Yes, a dragon of your very own. You will be able to
summon it, and set it upon your enemies when ever you
please.’
  ‘What’s the catch?’
  ‘No catch. Do you accept?’
  Destruction thought about it. ‘Please. But what’s in it
for you?’
  ‘A series of events will take place in the next few
weeks. It will determine some parts of the future. Your
participation in this is the vital ingrediant to its
outcome. Give me your sword.’
  With a little hesitation, he pulled the sword from its
saftey, handing it over.
  Accepting it, the man placed it on the table. His hands
began to glow a white light, as he placed them on the
blade. He mumbled a few words, closing his eyes, then
everything returned back to normal.
  ‘What did you do?’ Destruction asked, retrieving his
blade.
  ‘Your sword has been blessed.’ the man replied. ‘To
summon its wrathe, point it at your opponent and call him
with your heart.’
  ‘I don’t understand.’ Destruction admitted. ‘What do
you mean?’
  Everything began to fade once more as the dream ended.
Destruction found himself leaning up against the tree,
the sword in his lap. 
  He looked at it closely. It seemed to glow as it
sparked in the moonlight, breaking through the clouds.
Taking a deep breath, he returned to his feet.
  Destruction dressed himself up in light armour made up
of chain - mail and helmet. He strapped a shield to his
forearm, sheathed his sowrd, and headed for battle. 
  An armoured stallion, he stole from the stable. Its
eyes were of lighning, and its breathe of thunder.
Together, they galloped the open plains, crossed the
raging rivers, and climbed the unforgiving mountains
until they had returned once more to the meadow where his
brother had been felled.
  Dismounting, Destruction ran his eyes across the
surrounding area. The sun had partially broken free of
the angered heavens, though the skies were still dark,
rumbling and blinking with fury.
  In a booming voice, he called, ‘Black dragon!’
  He waited several minutes. A foreign shadow flew atop 
of him. His enemy had arived.
  ‘Didn’t you learn not to cross me the last time we
battled?’ the dark serpant snarled.
  Destruction remained silent. He drew his sword, ready
for battle.
  The dragon held the pulsating sphere once more in its
front paws. It breathed a sigh of energy.
  Destruction was ready for it this time. He dove out of
the way, the energy setting the grass alight. Several
more bolts of energy were fired, but the knight dodged
them all. 
  Frustrated, the dragon dove at its foe, scratching and
clawing through the air. Destruction blocked its helpless
attempts with his shield, driving him back a few steps. 
  It spun around, gliding head on towards its enemy with
elegance. Destruction was lifted off the gound by the
shoulders, and flown vertically into the air. 
  He saw the ground shink beneath him. They were
traveling at a formidible rate. With his sowrd, he
stabbed the dragon in the belly, penitrating its tough
skin only slightly. Still it wouldn’t let go. 
  Frustrated, he stabbed harder and harder. It would only
harm the beast lightly. ‘Come on!’ he yelled in anxiety.
‘Now!’ 
  The sword flashed with a blinding light. The black
dragon let Destruction go, clawing at his red glowing
eyes. He plumeted head first towards the earth, the wind
rushing speadily passed.
  Something grabbed his leg. He began to slow up.
Gradually, he was lowered to the ground. 
  Spinning around in defence, he was faced with an
unformiliar face - a white dragon. It was built the same
as his evil rival, accept his ally was white. With a
wink, it shot up into the sky.
  The dragons clashed. They grappled, fighting for the
upper hand as they tumbled towards their death. At the
last moment they separated, gliding out of trouble. 
  Again they met. They fought, exchanging blows, not
having much affect on either. The black dragon spat a
ball of fire at its equally skilled competitor. The white
dragon flew out of the way, and attacked, biting the
black dragon in the neck. Blood shot from its arteries,
the white dragon chewing harder and harder. 
  With great cry, the black dragon fell limp from the
heavens. Destruction jumped in exitment. Taking the sword
loosly by the hilt, he threw it with all his might at the
plummeting aggressor. At the same time too, did the black
dragon attempt one final shot. With the last of its
strength, it tossed the pulsating sphere expeditiously at
the human.
  Simultaneously, they were struck. The sword dove deeply
into the dragons breast, whilst the sphere exploded upon
Destructions face. Together, they desintegrated into
dust. 
  The white dragon reared it’s head back, and bellowed an 
almighty shout. Destruction’s life had been wasted. But 
there was nothing anybody could do about it. The dragon 
turned, and flew away in the proceeding afternoon.