| A moment later, Salem, ignoring the sharp pain in his broken leg, lept toward Faolin with his legs tight and compacted. The young panther jumped high into the air and screamed, diving a second time towards the mage. Faolin suddenly looked up, Salem descending upon him; this time he was horribly unprepared -- there would be no time to use his shield. Instead he tried to hobble away, but it was too late. Salem came down upon him and stabbed Faolin in his poor arm at the shoulder, remarkably able to bury the entire half-blade into him. At the moment of penetration, Faolin screamed and howled in pain, his whole body suddenly paralyzed with shock. He and Salem fell to the ground, the Sword of Many Parts still stuck in the great mage's arm. Salem struggled to pull the sword out of his arm; he pulled desperately, hoping to stab him in the throat. Then, suddenly, came a ray of light, then another, and another, blasting from Faolin's arm. Salem squinted, observing closely the unusual pattern. Finally, Faolin's arm burst entirely, splattering he and Salem with his blood and flesh, the light still shining from within what was his appendage. From not but a few feet away, Kat, Clara, and Hermione could barely make out the astonishing turn of events through their blurry vision. As Faolin lay on the ground, his left arm completely removed and destroyed, Salem rose up from the white light around him. He placed his hand just above his eyes and squinted. He began to see the outline of a huge sword; he traced the image back to his own hand. In his hands he held the Sword of Many Parts, fully completed, a great shimmering object in his hands. Kat's eyes widened and she began to smile, even as her life faded from her. The sword is complete, she thought. We will survive. Faolin suddenly struggled to rise, even with his arm and eye missing. Salem stepped back, the shining holy sword in his hands. Then he looked down at his feet; he felt no pain there as he walked backwards. It was as if he had been healed and brought back to life; his body felt refreshed entirely. What's happening to me? he wondered, eyeing Faolin carefully as he regained his composure. I feel so powerful right now. What is the sword doing to me? Faolin readied his enormous staff as a sword. "You are a lucky man," he said. "The minute I kill you, that sword will be mine forever. But I hope you enjoyed at least holding it." Faolin then began to advance towards Salem rather quickly. But just as he crossed Kat's body, a hand reached out for his leg and grabbed his ankle, tripping him. He fell hard onto the ground, cracking his armor. The grip on his ankle grew tighter and tighter. "Let go of me!" Faolin shouted. He then turned to see Kat grabbing his right ankle, laying on her belly. Kat maintained her deathgrip. "I'm not letting go," she said. "I will stand and fight with him, but first I refuse to let you stand." With that, the brown pantheress's eyes turned fiery red and she grit her teeth. With a sudden jolt of strength, she twisted and snapped his ankle; he screamed in agony as his ankle was broken in one quick twist. Then, suddenly, Clara and Hermione rose slowly, seemingly invigorated by the force of the Sword of Many Parts. Kat soon rose as well, joining her comrades, who all stood together, their injures seemingly ignored and the shadow of death fading away. Though they were slashed, torn, and broken, they managed to stay alive by the glory of S'Allumer. All readied their weapons. "How will you fight without your legs, Faolin?" Hermione asked, placing her hat back on her head. "I cannot," he said, relaxing himself. "You foul beasts may have won, after all. I pray that my death is fast and painless." "That is for S'Allumer to decide," Clara insisted. "He led us here to take what he has assigned we retrieve. He will then, of course, decide what becomes of you." Suddenly, the energy in the shining sword in Salem's hands began to spread onto Kat and Clara's swords and Hermione's enormous fighting chain. All the weapons soon began to vibrate and almost sing with high-pitched sounds. The cracks in the great crystal fighting chain in Hermione's hands were suddenly removed and her weapon shone as it had the first day she owned it. The swords of the two pantheress's were tempered and polished once more and clean of blood. Kat looked up at her friends in awe; everyone seemed to have the same expression, and the same feeling of elation. She looked forward at Hermione; her eyes took on a celestial shine and her unstained fur suddenly took on a glittering sheen. The same was true for everyone else. All watched carefully as each was illuminated with a holy light; the magical energy about them drew the holy symbol of the Penitence -- the Golden Rosette of S'Allumer -- upon their forheads and their clothing over their hearts. Faolin closed his eyes and hid his face as all was played out before him. He feared the end of his life in the most painful way possible. Kat, Clara, Salem, and Hermione -- warmed by the holy light of the sword -- stood together around him, feeling a sense of happiness that the sword was completed. "We have succeeded!" Clara proclaimed. "The world will be restored!" All cheered joyously, looking upon the Sword of Many Parts, held in both hands by Salem. He lifted it triumphantly above his head. "I am proud on this day!" he cheered. Suddenly, the sword began to move on its own, back down towards where Faolin lay. "Hey, what is the meaning of this?!" Kat dropped her sword on the ground. "Wait, let me help you!" she shouted, holding a portion of the great hilt and Salem's hands. Clara and Hermione soon put down their weapons and helped him. Hard as they tried, the four of them could not seem to get Salem to drop his arms. "I'm being pulled!" he cried, struggling to resist. "Help me!" "We're trying!" Hermione groaned, holding his arms. The four adventurers struggled to keep Salem from losing control, until suddenly, he arms went forward. All were suddenly pulled toward Faolin as the blade of the great sword dove into Faolin's back, piercing his armor like butter. Faolin screamed as the great blade penetrated him. A great column of bright light rushed forth from his body, blinding all around it, the crystal armor shards flying about, shredding through the adventurers' clothing and cutting them everywhere. All fell to the ground in a blinded and bleeding stupor as the light spread without bound.... Back to Stories Back to "TAOK&C" Back to Home |