Shadow of the Past (Chapter XIII)

Chapter XIII: Make Haste 1

Kyan hopped off Artemis and approached the temple entrance. He peered down inside, but his keen eye-sight, that would have normally let him see into pure darkness, only allowed him to see the magical darkness. 2

He heard shouting behind him and turned to see Donalbain, Adreira, and Teskan. 3

Kyan stood before the entrance into the temple. "The magic is great, even from out here. I don't know if I am able to sustain its over-empowerment if I go inside, but we must stop Illion from breaking the seal, nontheless." 4

He turned his head to see the approaching Tiera's scouting party approaching in the distance. 5

"We must make haste. That anti-paladin will be a problem.. Artemis! Run to the forest and hide." 6

The blood mare neighed and Kyan folded his arms, "Artemis, don't worry about me." 7

Artemis neighed again and darted away. 8

Kyan drew out his sword and turned back to the entrance, "I'll take point ahead." 9

He ignored the Garservisus sword glowing intenstly blinding bright blue light and the magical properties it gave off. 10

Donalbain felt a strange great magical aura generating from Kyan and figured that it was the cause of the magic seal. 11

Ori back up and looked at Tesshu as if like a plead for help. "You are no Angel. . . ." Aridous growled as blood flew out of his mouth as he spoke. "And Angel woul not . . ." he struggled with the words as he stumbled toward Ori more. "could not kill so many people willingly." 12

Ori glared angily at Aridous. "You killed coutless thousands over the long years. Posably millions." he yelled as he grabed for his weapon. Aridous' eyes diolated with fury. "Because I am a GOD!" he screeched. More blood spurted out of his mouth and chest cavity. 13

Aridous moved his qwivering hand over the large hole in his chest and inserted his hand into his chest. HE winced in pain as he pulled out a bloody sword. "I call apon you one last time, my friend. My Lover." 14

Aridous held the sword in oth hands and stumbled from the weight. "Have you tasted Hell's Fire, Angel Ori?" 15

Rayyeter was doing everything in his poer to keep the Opaquin soldiers form seeing his escape from the city. He rounded a corner, into an empty alley, and cast invisibility on himself. That should help. Now, I need to teleport the  out of here. He gathered himself a bit, and opened a portal to someplace near to seal. 16

As soon as he jumped through, an soldier spotted him, and ran towards him. Foolish one. As the soldier came through, Rayyeter closed the portal, cutting the unfortunate soldier in half. 17

He turned and ran toward an unlikely temple he saw when he first came through. Well, it's no big damn secret, now is it? He thought as he spotted two people also hurrying towards the temple. That's Nollie.. and Donalbain. Seems I am in the right place after all. He took out his red-runed katana, giving himself haste, and ran towards them. In mid-run, he made himself light as air, to make the catching up all the faster. As he came into hearing range, he shouted to the pair, hoping they'd hear and wait for him. 18

Nollie wasn't ready to go...not yet. He hadn't charged that holy spell for no reason. Donalbain was tugging on his arm, but he didn't realize that Nollie had to let it go. The spell had drained a lot of his energy. Suddenly, a familiar cry was raised from the distance. Nollie glanced over and saw a familair elfish figure silouetted agaknst the sky. It was time. They were all here. 19

"Let the heaven's come down..." Nollie muttered and suddenly his spell came crashing down, slamming into the earth and engulfing everyone...Donalbain, Tesshu, Rayyeter, Tomoe, himself, Aridous, and Ori. He knew that the first five of themk would not be harmed, but the other two would feel the brunt of it. He did not know if they were strong enough to take it, nor did he care. It was time to fly. The white light was engulfing a huge area and creating tremendous noise as it tore the ground apart, but it was not loud enough for him to shout to Tesshu, "I know you can finish the job." 20

And with that, he grabbed Donalbain's arm and took off. As the dust was just settling and the bright light fading, the two emerged from the perimeter of the blast. Nollie glanced back at Rayyeter, who was also starting to run. He was to follow he would catch upo quickly, but Nollie wondered if the drow would stay to attend to his unfinished business...that was, if Ariodous still lived.21

The blast was finished. The earth destroied. Pain filled Aridous' body without mercy. The ringing in his ears was slowly starting to fade as was his blindness. His body ached from the magic. Every move he made his flesh cracked from the purest of the light. 22

Aridous' breath came to his in shallow gasps. Aridous slowly and carefully pulled off his platnume ring. He forced his mouth open and his quivering hand led the ring into his mouth. It was tuff to swallow but he managed. 23

Almost immediatly the third degree burns on his body begane to heal. The hole in his chest begane to close. Within what seemed like ten agenizing minutes his body seemed to be at one-hundred percent again. But it wasn't. The fight with the angel was nothing to him. Infact, what he did with the hole in his chest was sort of an act to amuse him but after Nollie casted that spell. That pure light eat away at hhis frail body. 24

Aridous picked himself up as if nothing had happend to him. "I need a staff for now on" he said to himself as he stretched out his right arm and a six foot black oak staff with a small purple stone on the top appeared. Aridous looked at Ori - or what was left of him and then at the drow. Aridous gave himself a tryomfent smile and took his time walking to the ancent city where the Seal was kept. 25

Tesshu was overwhelmed by the amount of energy raining down on him. He was not hurt, but it seemed like Ori was caught in the blast. It looked like, for the first time, Ori was feeling true pain. This was Tesshu's chance. Tesshu sprinted toward Ori, sword glowing. He had waited too long to do this, and he has his chance now. 26

His sword plunged into Ori's heart. Blood spurted from the wound, and he was spitting out blood. He knew he had hit the aorta, since the blood was coming out in streams. Ori stopped trying to block the spell, and put his arms down. His flesh ripping open, exposing his muscle and bones. His time was up. There was only one more way to leave his mark. 27

Ori spent his last ounce of strengh and time conjuring a spell. Hot blood poured down his chest, and he could see bone on his arms. 28

"If I can't....get to the seal..no one will!" 29

A large lightning bolt came from the sky, followed by a sonic boom, hit the ruins that held the seal. Another one hit the mountain path leading to the seal. He cursed this land in perpetual storm, never to be rebuilt again. This was his death wish. Finally, Ori gave Tesshumaru a thumbs up, and passed on. 30

Tomoe had watched this scene without crying. The death of her brother didn't have the same effect on her as she thought it would. Tesshu sheathed his sword, and ran to Tomoe. "Come, Tomoe, we have to catch up with the others." 31

"But how-" Tesshu picked Tomoe up, and floated into the sky. 32

"I'm an angel, remember? We'll go to the seal in style." 33

Nollie and Donalbain sprinted forth from the sight of the blast at an incredible pace toward the ruins. Donalbain felt so good running. For the first time in a long while, he did not think, he did not fear, he did not wait. The world flew past him with each leap. Time no longer seemed his enemy. For a moment he felt free of worry and fear, free of the task before him. But as the ruins came into sight, that feeling of freedom faded like a shattered dream. They paused suddenly and saw Kyan, Teskan and Adreira standing before the entrance to the temple. It seemed unreal, a coincidence that made it seem as though all things happened for a reason. Perhaps she felt his spirit near, perhaps she was tired of looking at the Seal, but all the same, Adreira turned around and saw Nollie coming over a hill with Donalbain. The others turned around then, and there was a feeling of overwhelming unity, as all exchanged smiles and glances, and then hugs and greetings. 34

But the moment of joy and union had come to an end, and the darkness lay before the company now. Donalbain stepped forward to the gate of the temple. He took a deep breath. He had come all this way, through death and sorrow, and finally reached the destination, the cause of it all and he did not even know what to think. His heart was beating, maybe with fear, maybe with sadness. All he knew now, was that this was the end, but that he would not have had it any other way. "Let's go," he said sternly, as he led them into the temple. They stood on the platform a moment, and then Kyan, Teskan, Adreira, Nollie, and Donalbain descended into the darkness of the labyrinth. They knew Illion was there somewhere, but they could see little, but taste the bitter dust in the ancient air beneath the ground. They could see no one else, but they did not feel alone. Donalbain felt fear once more. But not of death. He feared failure.35