Chapter 6  Time

 

“So... how does this work? You gonna give me what I want?”

 

Arrowny raises Sky Render, ready to attack. Bastian shrugs...

 

“No... not exactly. The Children wanted to make it more... interesting. They have decreed, that if you are able to defeat their champion... you will be permitted the opportunity to take what you want.”

 

“That’s it?”

 

The old man lets a cruel smile cross his face...

 

“That’s it!”

 

Bastian rushes forward, rapier extended, charging at Arrowny. The Protector stands his ground... Bastian picks up speed, getting closer and closer... but Arrowny just stays still.

 

Just as Bastian gets near, Ryan twists to the side, parrying Bastian’s weapon with Sky Render. Bastian gets knocked off balance, and by the time he even has a chance to glance behind him, all he can see is the blade of Sky Render coming down upon his neck.

 

Metal cuts through skin, then flesh, then bone... and Bastian’s body falls to the ground as his head rolls away. His rapier lands on the rocky ground with a metallic clank.

 

Arrowny lowers a blood covered Sky Render, and kneels down beside Bastian’s body. He starts going through the old man’s pockets, hoping to find the Sionop’s heart. Finding nothing, he stands up...

 

“Damn it! Lying bastard...”

 

A few tears come to his eyes... he looks around, and sees nothing but horizon in every direction. He turns to look at Bastian... and takes a step back...

 

A small girl, no more than eight years old, wearing a pure white dress, with waist length white hair, is standing beside Bastian, shaking her head.

 

“Bastian was weak. We should not have resurrected him the last time. It is a sin that we had to use somebody so... pathetic in our plans.”

 

Ryan jumps to the side as another girl, looking exactly like the first, steps from behind him.

 

“My dear sister Callisto... he was a necessary part of our plans.”

 

“Io is correct.” From Arrowny’s other side, a small boy, about the same age as the girls, wearing white clothing, with short white hair appears... “We must remember the plan. We cannot be sidetracked by our distain for the lower beings.”

 

“You have always been able to keep your mind on the case in point, brother Ganymede.”

 

Another boy, a twin to the first, appears beside Bastian’s fallen body. The first boy gives a small smile.

 

“Thank you, Europa.”

 

Ryan gazes back and forth between the four children... and then something strikes him...

 

“I’ve seen you before! When this town was destroyed... when I was sitting on the ground, I saw the four of you off in the distance! I thought you were there to rescue me...”

 

The four children turn to stare at him. Feeling slightly nervous, Ryan keeps talking...

 

“Bastian said that I would get the heart of a Sionop if I killed him. Well... he’s dead... so, give me what I came here for!”

 

All four of the children laugh a bit... the girl called Io steps forward.

 

“That is not what he said. He told you that you would have to defeat our champion in order to receive your prize. He,” She points down at the headless body, “was not our champion. But, since you wish so greatly to fight... we shall grant your wish.”

 

In four small flashes of white light, the children vanish from sight. And, in one rather large flash of light, a great demon appears in their place. Ryan recognizes it from the picture that Brad had showed him... it is a Sionop.

 

About eight feet tall... two long claws extending from its hands... dripping with venom... a reptilian like head on its shoulders, and a serpentish head on the end of a snake like tail.

 

On instinct, Arrowny raises his hand, and throws a small group of fireballs at the demon. The Sionop isn’t bothered in the least by the elemental attack. He tries ice, and then lightning... each as useless as the previous.

 

When the Sionop turns toward Ryan, it swings out, barely missing his face. Arrowny ducks down, and rakes Sky Render across its knees... he draws a slight amount of blood, but the demon doesn’t even act hurt.

 

The demon spins round, catching Ryan in the stomach with its tail. The blow knocks Ryan to the ground, and the Sionop pounces. He just has time to roll to the side before it slams its claws into the ground where his head just was.

 

Arrowny gets to his feet before the Sionop has a chance to pull its claws from the ground, and makes a wide, powerful swing at its tail. The blade cuts cleanly, and the serpent head falls to the ground. The demon gives a wail of rage as its tail drops dead to the dirt behind it.

 

The demon rips its claws from the ground, bringing a cloud of dirt and dust up in Arrowny’s eyes. It kicks out, catching Ryan in the stomach, and slashes out with its claws, catching Sky Render, and sending the sword flying away from Ryan.

 

At this point, faced with the prospect of fighting a poison clawed demon without a weapon, he decides to run in the other direction. The demon, either out of a need for revenge in the name of its tail, or because those kids had ordered it to, gives chase.

 

Somehow, Ryan manages to keep just a couple steps ahead of the Sionop... just out of its reach... just beyond the very tip of its claws...

 

... and then he trips... and falls to the ground. He scrambles around, and sees that his foot got caught on the dead Bastian’s arm. As the Sionop approaches, Ryan reaches out... and his hand touches something metallic, and cold. He glances down... and his eyes catch on Bastian’s sword...

 

... the beautiful... cold blue katana. Slightly curved... long and slender... sharp... very sharp. He grabs hold of the handle, and raises it slightly. It feels... absolutely perfect in his hand. The exact right size and weight... perfect balance...

 

It is as though this sword was made just for him... like the handle was crafted just for his hands. He has never even used the weapon, and yet he knows that he could wield it with the utmost skill and talent.

 

A growl brings his attention back to the here and now... the Sionop is still advancing on him. Quickly, Ryan gets to his feet, holding the blue katana. The demon slashes out, and Ryan effortlessly blocks with the sword. Another attempted slash, and another block. With each attack, the Sionop becomes angrier and angrier...

 

But, eventually, Arrowny decides that enough is enough. He blocks one last attack, and then slashes at the demon’s head, holding the katana with both hands. It takes very little effort to cut its reptilian head from its shoulders... and then... just like that... it is dead.

 

Ryan admires the blue sword for a few seconds before remembering just why it is that he is here. He draws the point of the katana across the Sionop’s chest, cutting a cross in the skin above the chest. He folds the skin out, revealing the inner workings of the demon. With a few precision cuts, the major veins and arteries are severed from the heart, and with one firm pull, the green, human head sized heart is ripped from its chest cavity.

 

With the heart in hand, he rushes over to pick up Sky Render, and he puts both swords under his arm. Pulling Saphir’s Warp grenade from his pocket, he gives a small glance around... and pulls the pin.

 

There is only a few seconds delay before the spell activates, and in a flash of light, Ryan vanishes from the barren, lifeless area.

 

Just as he leaves, four white flashes around the fallen and headless bodies of Bastian and the Sionop, signalling the return of the four children.

 

Callisto steps forward, shaking her head...

 

“Do we need to resurrect either of these two once more?”

 

Ganymede sighs...

 

“No, Callisto. We do not need either of them any more.”

 

Europa nods...

 

“The Sionop has completed its mission... and the human was nothing more than a delivery boy.”

 

“Yes, brothers... sister...” Io smiles, “the sword will be given to its rightful owner. We will have our true champion... the world will crumble under the King of Gods once again.”

 

*        *        *        *        *        *

 

Arrowny appears in the Dragoon Warriors living room. Justin and Saphir are standing around... apparently waiting for him. Ryan drops both swords, and pushes the bloody heart into Saphir’s hands.

 

“Get to work on the antidote!”

 

Saphir takes hold of the heart... but stands rooted to the spot. Ryan stares at him... confused...

 

“Well... best get on that!”

 

Saphir tries to speak... but shakes his head, looking over at Justin.

 

“I can’t... you do it.”

 

Arrowny slowly turns to face the technomage, who takes a deep breath...

 

“Ryan... about twelve minutes ago... Crystal’s fever reached fifty five degrees. There’s nothing we can do to save her.”

 

Arrowny shakes his head

 

“No... we have to try! Saphir, you need to make the antidote!”

 

“Ryan...” Saphir’s eyes are tearing up... “I won’t even have time to complete the antidote before... before she’s gone.”

 

Arrowny stumbles backward a bit, and covers his mouth with his hand... Saphir takes a step forward...

 

“She’s... lucid, right now. Apparently, once the fever gets high enough, the victim wakes up... until they... die.”

 

Ryan rushes toward the basement stairs, jumping most of them on his way down. He skids to a halt just outside Crystal’s room. He looks in, and sees Crystal lying back in her bed, talking quietly to Brad, who is sitting in a chair at her bedside.

 

Brad looks up at Ryan, gives a small smile, and nods at Crystal. He stands, and quietly leaves the room... heading upstairs.

 

Ryan takes his chair next to Crystal’s bed.

 

“I... am so sorry.”

 

Crystal slowly shakes her head...

 

“It’s not your fault. You didn’t cause this.”

 

“But... if I’d gotten there sooner... if I’d been able to kill the demon faster...”

 

“Ryan... it truly is not your fault. Everything that has happened for a reason. I need you to do something for me though...”

 

“Anything...”

 

“I... need you to remember...” her breath slows... and her eyes flutter... “everything you do... can lead... to a perfect future... a perfect possible future...”

 

She reaches a weak hand out, touching his face gently...

 

“Please remember that...”

 

He can only watch as her eyes close completely... and her breathing stops... and her hand falls slowly back to the bed.

 

There have been only a few times in his life that Ryan has truly cried... and this is one of them...

 

*        *        *        *        *        *

 

Brad, Justin, and Saphir are standing silently in the living room. Saphir has packed the Sionop heart away... it could be useful someday.

 

The three of them are just standing there in silence... and Brad notices the swords that Ryan had dropped when he came back. Sky Render... and...

 

... the most perfect, cold blue sword he’s ever seen. Twin bladed... one smooth and sharp... one wide, dull, and serrated. He steps forward, and takes hold of the weapon. It seems to hum in his hands... absolutely perfect. It was made for him... this is something he is sure of.

 

The balance is just right... he knows, even though he has never used this sword, that he could easily use it in battle... he would be the most skilled warrior in the world... nobody would be able to stop him...

 

Brad glances up at Justin and Saphir...

 

“Hey... do you guys think Ryan would mind if I kept this sword?”

 

Justin shrugs his shoulders...

 

“At this point... I don’t think he’d care much. You can probably have it.”

 

Brad slowly nods...

 

“I think I’ll be able to do a lot with this thing...”