Chapter 5  Hunt and Kill and Stuff

 

The girls are huddled down in a corner along the church wall... they’re crying.

 

They’re crying... because he’s going to kill them.

 

Bastian laughs a cold, high pitched laugh. He points the tip of his cold blue rapier at them, and waves it menacingly...

 

“It has been a long while since I’ve killed anybody as young as either of you.”

 

As he draws his hand back, ready to thrust his sword through them... he is knocked back by a punch to the jaw.

 

He glances up to see who hit him... and stares right into Ryan’s eyes. Arrowny just smiles...

 

“Hi!”

 

Bastian wipes his mouth with his hand...

 

“You couldn’t beat me before... what makes you think you can do it now?”

 

Arrowny shrugs...

 

“This time... I brought friends!”

 

Bastian tilts his head slightly to the side... and is kicked in the back of the head by Justin. The technomage steps forward...

 

“It looks like we showed up just in time to save some people.”

 

As Bastian tries to get to his feet, his legs are swept out from under him by Saphir. The Glaive bearer stands over the fallen villain.

 

“So... if we show up in time to save people... what does that make us?”

 

As Bastian is lying on the ground, Brad steps on his chest to keep him lying down.

 

“It makes us big damn heroes!”

 

Crystal steps out around the brick wall, two crossbows trained on Bastian, and nods toward the crouching girls.

 

“You really should run now.”

 

The girls take their cue, and dash off towards Main Street. Crystal turns back to Bastian... smiling...

 

“We’re going to kill you now.”

 

Bastian pushes against Brad’s foot, and manages to slide out from underneath. He backs up against the brick wall... holding his cold blue rapier out toward them... shaking slightly.

 

“You... can’t kill me! They... they would not allow it!”

 

Arrowny shrugs...

 

“We’re not asking for permission.”

 

Bastian panics... and lunges at Arrowny, who easily parries the attack. Before the villain gets another chance to move, Brad slams his axe vertically into Bastian’s stomach... Saphir lunges forward, and buries the blade of the Glaive into the left side of Bastian’s chest... Arrowny slams Sky Render through the right...

 

Crystal aims carefully with her crossbows, and sends two arrows directly into the impaled Bastian’s throat... these wounds do not bleed much... as most of his blood is already on the ground...

 

Saphir, Brad, and Arrowny pull their weapons from Bastian’s body... and it falls to the ground. They all step back... pause for a moment... and turn to head back to the house...

 

... all except Justin.

 

The technomage is standing, with his hand outstretched, looking at the high spots on the church wall. As the other Warriors turn to see what the hold up is... Justin creates a force field around a section of brick, and pulls it away from the rest of the building.

 

A massive chunk of brick falls... right down on top of Bastian’s body. The Warriors wince as a small splat is heard from under the brick...

 

He turns toward the others... smiling. When he sees the ‘weirded out’ looks that the others have... he frowns...

 

“What? What’s wrong?”

 

Brad motions toward the pile of rubble...

 

“You know... he was probably dead before you did that.”

 

Justin shrugs...

 

“I know... but one can never be too careful.”

 

They all laugh... and head back to the house for a little celebration. It’s not often that they can kill a big bad this easily.

 

*        *        *        *        *        *

 

Arrowny is leaning against the wall outside his closed and locked study. Saphir, Justin, and Brad walk into the hallway on their way back from putting their weapons back in the storage area.

 

Saphir nods toward the door...

 

“What’s going on?”

 

Arrowny shrugs...

 

“Crystal’s in there. She’s using that Prophet Stone of hers... wants to check up on destiny or something. You know... girly stuff.”

 

The study door opens, and Crystal slowly steps out. Her hair is a little messy... and her eyes are puffed and red... it looks like she’s been crying.

 

Arrowny tilts his head to the side...

 

“Everything okay?”

 

She nods, wiping some hair from her face, and gives a weak smile.

 

“Yeah. Everything’s fine.”

 

She looks around a little bit... and turns to face Arrowny.

 

“Hey... let’s go out for a little while. Just the two of us.”

 

She goes to grab her jacket. Arrowny glances over at the other three...

 

Saphir is grinning...

 

Justin gives a knowing nod...

 

Brad appears very interested in something on the wall... hardly aware that there are people talking...

 

“Um... sure...”

 

Arrowny grabs his jacket, and follows Crystal out the door. As the door closes, Brad gives a little wave...

 

“Have fun kids!”

 

*        *        *        *        *        *

 

There are no really fancy restaurants in Wolfville, so the plan of a classy dinner is out of the question. But, a cosy coffee shop, and the right company can make up for the lacking details of the evening.

 

They’re sitting at a table for two in the back corner of the shop. Crystal’s enjoying some sort of flavoured coffee type thing... Arrowny never really got the point of all that coffee stuff. Coca-Cola is just a fine source of caffeine as far as he’s concerned... hence the glass of Coke sitting on the table in front of him.

 

“So,” Crystal sets her mug down, “you spent a lot of your life being trained how to die, right?”

 

“Yeah... pretty much. Every Protector knows that they’ll eventually be called forth and asked to die for the greater good.”

 

“And... that’s something that you’re willing to do.”

 

“Well... I’m kinda hoping that I can do whatever it is they want me to do without having to die... but if it comes down to it...”

 

He takes a sip of his Coke... and shrugs...

 

“Actually... even if it comes down to it... I don’t know what I’d do.”

 

“But, you’d kill to save the world?”

 

Ryan laughs...

 

“There are a lot of reasons that I’d kill somebody. If I save the world in the process, it’s just a bonus.”

 

“Would you... kill a friend?”

 

“If I had too. Probably...”

 

“Would you kill me?”

 

Arrowny chokes a little bit on his soda. Crystal is just sitting there, not looking him in the eye, casually stirring her coffee.

 

“Why would you ask me something like that?!”

 

“I’m just curious.”

 

“Crystal... I’d only kill somebody if they were standing in the way of me completing my mission...”

 

She just glares at him accusingly... he rolls his eyes...

 

“Okay, fine! I’d kill somebody for looking at me the wrong way. But, no... I don’t think I’d be able to kill you. Anyway... why would you want to know?”

 

Crystal suddenly becomes very, very serious... she looks directly into his eyes, folding her hands on the table in front of her...

 

“Ryan... I have worked for most of my life to try and bring the world toward a new and bright future... a perfect possible future... and quite frankly... I’m wondering if you have the same goals.”

 

“My goal is to kill the bad guys... as long as that leads to your new future, I’m right there with you.”

 

“You’re still not really answering me... would you kill me if it would lead to a better future?”

 

“Crystal...” He leans as far across the table as he can, and speaks slowly, and deliberately... “if you were the big bad who was going to destroy the world, and I was the only person who could stop you... I wouldn’t do it.”

 

She lowers her head for a few moments... and then stands up.

 

“Let’s get out of here.”

 

Ryan stands, throwing a twenty on the table, and follows her out of the coffee shop.

 

As soon as they step out on to the street, Crystal links her arm in his, and drags him down one of the side streets. They pass a couple of university age guys, who laugh a little and point at the two of them... saying something about ‘getting some’...

 

... Crystal just shakes her head angrily as they pass by.

 

“Idiots...”

 

She slows to a stop, and spins around to face him.

 

“Ryan... would you kill me?”

 

“I’ve already told you... no, I wouldn’t.”

 

“Why?”

 

Arrowny suddenly becomes very uncomfortable...

 

“Um... you know...”

 

She smiles weakly... and a few tears appear in the corners of her eyes...

 

“Ryan... you have to push your emotions aside. You have to be willing to do whatever is necessary to reach the perfect future. Even if it means killing somebody that you have... feelings for.”

 

“I’m not going to kill you... not for any reason that could ever happen.”

 

She shakes her head, slowly...

 

She stands up on her toes, and kisses him lightly. Before he can react, she lowers her head, and starts crying...

 

“Um... Crystal... what’s... what’s wrong?”

 

“It’s just... just...”

 

She looks right up at him... tears running down her face...

 

“Oh God... I wish this didn’t have to happen!”

 

Ryan first looks confused... then very, very concerned.

 

“What’s happening? Crystal, what’s going on?”

 

She just breaths in deeply...

 

“He’s already here!”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

He stares at her, hoping that she will explain something... but before he even has a chance to ask, something moving up the street catches the corner of his eye. Something moving very slowly... limping on one good leg, and one leg that is turned around nearly one hundred eighty degrees at the knee. Something that has one arm dangling from an obviously shattered shoulder... and is carrying a long, cold blue rapier in his other hand.

 

With eyes leaking blood, and body looking like a half inflated blow-up doll... Bastian picks up the pace as he gets nearer to them...

 

“WAS THAT ALL YOU’VE GOT?!”

 

Arrowny is so shocked that he doesn’t even have a chance to react until Bastian is within arms reach. Ryan barely has a chance to push Crystal away, and punch the old man in the face. He pulls his hand away from Bastian’s face, and tries to shake the pain out of his knuckles... it was like hitting rock...

 

Ryan looks at Bastian in shock...

 

“We... killed you!”

 

Bastian backhands Ryan, knocking him to the ground.

 

“I am BEYOND death!”

 

Ryan kickflips up, and tries to kick Bastian in the head... but he, moving much too fast than he should be able to, seeing as how he’s dead, ducks, and simply pushes Ryan away.

 

“And now, I will END YOU!”

 

Bastian pulls a short dagger from his belt, and raises it above his head to bring down on Ryan.

 

“NO!”

 

Crystal jumps out as Bastian swings... she pushes Ryan back... and the dagger slips into her shoulder. She falls to the ground. Arrowny turns on Bastian, but the old man just backs off... glancing down at Crystal...

 

His bloody eyes snap toward Ryan...

 

“When you wish to seek me out... and you will wish it... you will find me at the place where you first used your Ultima spell. Come alone... and we will be able to tell if you are alone. I will be waiting for you there.”

 

In a simple flash of white light, Bastian vanishes from the street.

 

Ryan kneels down beside Crystal...

 

“You okay?”

 

She doesn’t answer...

 

“Crystal?”

 

He turns her over... her eyes are closed... her breath is shallow. He glances down at her injured shoulder...the skin around the wound is green, and leaking a thick gel like liquid.

 

When Ryan was growing up in the Academy, his studies included potions and herbology... but even without this background, he’d be able to recognize the signs for what they are...

 

... Crystal has been poisoned.

 

*        *        *        *        *        *

 

For a full day Ryan has been sitting in a chair, at Crystal’s bedside. She has not yet regained consciousness, and she has a fever that continues to get worse. Justin and Saphir took blood samples so that they could analyse the poison, and Brad is helping them with research, but until now, they have yet to discover anything.

 

Saphir knocks lightly on the door. Ryan looks up at him... and he glances around nervously...

 

“Um... Ryan, we’ve found something. You should come upstairs.”

 

Arrowny follows him up to the library, where Justin and Brad are standing over open books. All three of them look downcast as Ryan stands before them. Justin clears his throat...

 

“We found the poison. It’s mystical in nature, so I can’t just make an antidote... the magical properties can’t be recreated.”

 

Saphir steps forward...

 

“It’s Sionop venom.”

 

Ryan shakes his head...

 

“Sionop?”

 

“It’s a demon... natural poison in its body. The antidote is the life blood of the demon. That is, the blood that’s in its heart at the moment of death.”

 

Ryan nods...

 

“Okay, so all we’ve got to do is kill one of these things, and cut out its heart... right?”

 

Brad slides a book across the table.

 

“I’ve got a battle profile for it. You’ve got to cut off both of its heads before you cut out the heart. You need to avoid its claws... that’s where the poison’s created and stored.”

 

Ryan glances quickly at the picture... the Sionop does indeed have two heads... one atop its shoulders in the regular place, and the other, snake like, on a long, sinewy tail.

 

Arrowny nods...

 

“Okay... let’s go hunting.”

 

Saphir looks down at the floor...

 

“It’s not that easy... the Sionop is extinct. There are none left to hunt.”

 

Ryan falls back into a chair against the wall, and holds his head in his hands...

 

“She’s going to die... unless we find somebody who just happens to have a spare Sionop heart lying around... she’s going to die...”

 

His head snaps up...

 

“Bastian said he’d be waiting for me to come and find him. Gave me a location and everything. He said that I would WANT to find him.”

 

Brad stands up...

 

“So, he might have a heart to give you. Let’s suit up, and go take it... and kill him... again.”

 

Arrowny shakes his head...

 

“He said I have to go alone. He’ll know if I have friends.” He looks over at Justin. “How much time does she have?”

 

The technomage, in a very uncharacteristic move, is forced to say the three words that he very, very rarely has to say...

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“You don’t know... what do you mean?”

 

“Sionop poison reacts differently in each person. The only thing we know is, her fever will keep rising. Eventually, it will reach about fifty five degrees... and, at that point... it won’t matter if you get the antidote to her. Once her temperature reaches fifty five, she’ll die no matter what we do.”

 

“So, I’ll have to work fast.”

 

Saphir unfolds a map over the table...

 

“Where’re you going?”

 

Arrowny points to a spot on the map... Justin exhales quickly...

 

“You’re phone won’t work there. There’s some mystical interference. If Saphir warps you to that spot, you won’t be able to call him when you’re done to pick you up. You’ll have to walk about a kilometre till you get outside the interference.”

 

Ryan shakes his head...

 

“That’ll take to long!”

 

Saphir shrugs...

 

“Well... I’ve been working on those magic grenades.” Brad lets out a little snort of laughter, which Saphir chooses to ignore. “I have a Warp grenade all made up. Justin can set the return location to the living room. As soon as you’re done... you can just pull the pin, and you’ll get back here right away.”

 

Arrowny looks around at all of them... and nods.

 

“Okay... guys... take care of her. I’ll grab some weapons, and the grenade... and Saphir, you warp me there.”

 

Ryan stands, but pauses for a moment before heading down to grab his weapons.

 

*        *        *        *        *        *

 

In a flash of light, Arrowny appears near the center of the barren area that used to be his hometown. Eight years ago, an accident involving Ryan’s magical powers destroyed this town... it was the first time that the Ultima spell had been cast on this planet in over nine thousand years.

 

Arrowny had vowed never to return to this spot... the very memory of the family he lost... the people who died because he could not control his powers, was just too strong for him to fight against.

 

But, as he stands here now, in the center of what might as well be a desert... he realizes that some things are strong enough to fight against things that are even as strong as those memories...

 

As he stands here, face to face with the man who poisoned Crystal... he pushes those thoughts aside.

 

Bastian stands tall against him... looking much more lively than he did only the day before. There is no leaking blood... his arm and leg appear to be attached normally. He holds his rapier high, ready in case Arrowny decides to attack first. The old man smiles widely...

 

“I knew you would come!”