Shadow of the Past (Chapter XVI)

Chapter XVI: At the Magic Seal 1

Nollie held the anger deep down in his chest. He was confused...for one, how did Aridous survive his magic, and two, why the  fuck was Adreira following him. He'd have to keep calm for now, as he slowly trod on behind the rest of the group. Donalbain had been lost some time ago, and Nollie was beginning to worry. The whole place was eerie, and it frankly scared the shit out of him. He clutched the handle of the Tenebrosity tightly as he wondered through the eternal darkness. 2

And suddenly, there was a monstrous roar from ahead. At least, it seemed to be from ahead, but Nollie couldn't tell in the twisted labyrinth which held the Magic Seal. He didn't care. Somewhere deep down inside, Nollie knew Donalbain was in trouble. 3

And so he took off, towards the sound, sword drawn. He bumped Aridous with his shoulder along the way, calling Teskan and Adreira to follow. He raced around corners blindly, more often than not running headlong into walls but never giving up. THe sounds of struggle led him along the way as he rushed to assist his comrade. 4

The narrow corridor expanded suddenly into a large room, and Nollie almost took Donalbain down. He looked ahead and saw Illion in a fierce battle with a large black dragon. 5

"The dragon guards the Seal!" Donalbain pointed. Nollie nodded. He was unsure if the others would catch up with him. But somehow he knew that even if they could reach the Magic Seal the santuary would be in no hurry to let them leave. He looked at Donalbain for guidance. 6

A bright light came out of the darkness and shown in the dragon's eyes. The cavarn brightly lite up and showed the vesinity of the area. 7

The dragon shreeked as aridous threw his staff underneath the dragon's feet. "It's heart!" Aridous screamed as he couched up blood. "Carve out its heart!" he screamed. 8

The Garservisus sword began to glow intensly and lit up an entire room where the black dragon stood over Donalbain and Illion. 9

Kyan felt a small tinge of the Garservisus' power and he began to ran in the direction of its energy. 10

He soon came into the area to see Aridous and Nollie already fighting with the large black dragon. 11

Kyan let his mouth hang open in awe as he stared up at the dragon. 12

He took out a small silver knife and slowly cut into his palm of his right hand and held out his hand to let the dark violet blood drip down his arm. 13

The black dragon ceased its attack and stopped to sniff the air. It turned its head to let one of its large giant red eyes befall upon Kyan. 14

The gate guardian lowered onto all fours and crawled toward Kyan. 15

Kyan lowered his hand and slowly stepped back and tried to hide the small fear developing in his heart. 16

The black dragon sniffed Kyan and spoke in a roaring voice, "I smell blood of a dragon.. I have not seen another dragon for a long time. What business do you have here, hatchling?" 17

Kyan tried to smile, "My friends and I have come to stop the pursuers from breaking the magic seal." 18

The black dragon turned back to Illion, Donalbain, Nollie, and Aridous and snarled, "Now that you've stopped the pursuer, leave this instant!" The black dragon began to snap its jaws at Illion and Donalbain. "Leave now, humans! You are not worthy to be in the presence of the magic seal!" 19

Kyan hurried over to Illion and grabbed onto his arm. "Let us go now, Illion. We all shall surely die if we stay any longer." 20

"Yes, humans," Ardious said as he bent down and picked us staff and looked at the party. "Leave now. Nollie, Adreira, Teskan, Rayyeter can follow along. Maybe Kyan too." 21

"Why not the rest of us!?" Donalbian shouted at Ardious. 22

"Because we aren't human." Aridous said as he looked at the dragon. "Make sure no one passes us." 23

The drgon stmped toward Aridous and laughed. "You expect me to sit here and allow you to break the Seal? No, old one I--" 24

Ariodus interupted the dragon with a snarl. "You honostly THINK that Nollie will allow me to break the Seal!?" Aridous choked on the air and spat as he tried to breath. 25

"Slow down old one . . ." the dragon said calmly. "The holiness of this place is fighting with the darkness of your soul." 26

"I have an idea on how to keep the Seal from being broken. To keep it from ageing. I'll need elven blood for this task."27

Illion did not seem to listen to Kyan or Aridous. His eyes seemed to stare at the far wall, but not directly at it, as if his gaze was lost somewhere. Suddenly, he fell forward but Kyan was quick to catch him. His hand caught Illion's side, and his hand was stained with blood. "The Dragon did this?" Illion nodded as Kyan sat him down. 28

"We can't leave..." Illion spoke weakly. Suddenly he smiled as he became aware everyone was listening to him. For the first time, he mattered. He had a voice. "We leave and wait another few years till the next army shows up and breaks the seal? No..." He struggled to stand back up, and nearly lost his balance. His vision was spinning. "I'm dying. But I've been dying a little bit every day. I've lived my life as a criminal, a slave to my own shame. Now I know who I am for the first time. I am a Knight of Doma. I've just begun to live. And life is just a chance to make the world a better place..." Donalbain smiled genuinely as he realized Darius had said those very same words to him once. Illon continued, "No, I will not turn back now. We have a chance to end this. I learned the way when I read Sunnidan's journal. This being, the personification of magic, stands in our way. It will kill all who try to break or move the Seal... You all can leave if you want. It's what I expected. That's why I came alone. Not to break the Seal, but to preserve it. I came to do what no one else dared. And now I will continue to try, while I can still stand..." 29

He stumbled forth, his katana loose in his hand, heading toward the fierce dragon. He stumbled forth, each step bringing him closer to certain doom, an end he no longer feared. Donalbain looked at Illion. He thought of him riding out with the Knights of Doma to face the Opaqun army. He saw that same courage and determination here, and he would not let it fail. He stepped forward and spoke to the group, "He's right. We can't just wait in silence while opposers of the Seal gather. We must take the initiative. We must end this ourselves... You're not alone anymore Illion. Friends," he said as he looked at all his companions, "None of us are alone anymore. We've found each other, and we must fight these last battles together. None of us are leaving. We cannot do this without each other..." And then he charged at the Seal's Guard with Darius' honor. 30

Nollie had a strange feeling boiling inside of him. He'd felt it evesince he entered thsacred ruins, but he couldn't quite pinpoint it. Now he knew what it was. The anger that he held in the bottle of his soul was rising, without merit. Every step closer to the magic seal made him even more angry, but he did not know why. He watched as Donalbain charged the guardian, ready to fight a demon. Nollie had a demon of his own to battle, but he was losing. The rage was getting to him and that familiar feeling throbbed in his chest. Nollie fell to his knees and screamed. Adreira was at him in an instant, holding him up. 31

"Nollie!" she cried, "What's wrong?" 32

He gazed up into her beautiful eyes and smiled slightly, before forwning. 33

"Go!" Nollie yelled, "I can't control it any longer." 34

And he was right. A red light suddenly enveloped him and he felt the strain as his body morphed into the beast, his curse. But instead of taking him over, the Nollie-beast split from the original, Crimson Phoenix in hand. He stared at Nollie with hatred, all of the bad things about Nollie amplified. The beast resembled Nollie in appearance, but the pure malice in his face was nothing that the young Xavier had ever shown. Berzerker-Nollie smiled as he held his massive sword ahead of him, at Adreira. He smiled and lit it up with fire, suddenly swinging the weapon. 35

"NO!" Nollie screamed and leapt at his doppleganger, tackling him. The beast must have been ten times stronger and much bigger, but Nollie held it down. It snarled. 36

"DIE!" it tossed Nollie into a wall. As Donalbain fought his own battle, Nollie's had just begun...but who wouldm help him. 37

"Haven't you heard, beast?" Teskan said stepping forth, his axe armed and ready to stirke. "Nollie's MINE!" 38

Teskan made a dash at the Berzerker and cut his axe into the leg of the creature. It was only an inch deep or so, but it was enough to send the Berzerker into a rage, swinging its arms in a slight flail and hitting Teskan in the side. He went for a short flight, landing and sidding on the stone floor of the Temple. His back started to ache from the landing, but he resisted the pain adn stood up again. 39

"So that's how you want to play it, huh? Well, ARGULABAHRRGG to you too!" Teskan cockly mimiced the beasts rage and went at it, arms flailing. His was axe swung voilent around, catching the Berzerker in a couple places on its arms, revealing a small amount of blood. Apparently the Berzerker wasn't as almighty as it had appeared. 40

The Berzerker focused its attention onto Teskan, its eyes full of hate and rage...the two weakest emotions that one could experience. This version, and alter ego, of Nollie certainly didn't fear Teskan. Nollie had previous blown the beasts power out of proportion, but it was likely what Nollie thought it was like when adding the power that it had on Nollie's emotions. 41

Which brought Teskan to a strange question that he had never thought of. Why was he, of all times, helping this man? Was it because of the relationship building with Nollie and his sister? Was it becuase he was finally starting to respect the man after all these hardships and battles that they've had to go through to get to this end? Teskan didn't know...and he likely never would... 42

The Berzerker slammed its fist into Teskan's stomach, sending him once again flying into the air and crashing on the hard stone floor. His body was really starting to hurt now, but he kept pushing the pain aside and got back to his feet. 43

He ducked another one of the Berzerkers fists, and rolled out of the way of a downward sword chop. His axe cut along nick along the monsters inside leg, sheding a little bit more blood in the process. Teskan knew how futile this was. The he could cut it and nick it all he wanted, but the only one who could beat it was the person who spawned it...Nollie. 44

Teskan got to his feet from behind the Berzerker, running over to the side of Nollie. 45

"Well, you created this bitch, you're the one to destroy it!" Teskan shouted at him over the commotion of the black dragon that Donalbain and Illion were still fighting. "Let's get to work!" 46

"None of us are alone anymore. We've found each other, and we must fight these last battles together. None of us are leaving. We cannot do this without each other..." 47

Rayyeter heard Donalbain say this, right as he charged towards the seal, and the dragon. Rayyeter grinned evilly. He had always wanted to take on a dragon. He chanted a quick spell. Lightning bolts slammed into all sides of the dragon, causing it to reel a bit before Donalbain got to it. 48

"Your right Donalbain! We are in this together!" Rayyeter unsheathed his katanas, charging the same way Donalbain had. At least this time he didn't feel the same dread he had before, the same feeling of impending doom, of losing those closest to him. 49

Aridous stood in the middle of the comotion thinking to himself. "I could . . ." Aridous said aloud meaning to be heared, "help you all. I'm sure it would be quicker. Or I could slip past your dragon friend there and make it to the Seal in liitle to no time and break it. Oh! Did I say break it? I meant I'd, no, I meant break it. Nevermind." 50

Aridous turned around toward the Seal and started to walk toward it. His strength was failing him now more then ever but he hand to get to the Seal had to. . . . 51

He turned his head to see the Berserker keep attacking. "The dragon is nothing to him. . . ." Aridous groaned as he turned around toward the group and walked toward Berserker-Nollie. 52

"You have forgotten your friends. You have been consumed with your hate. You are weak if you can't control your emetions." Aridous said as he hit the Beserker on the top of his head with his staff. 53

Nollie yelled and shook his head and bore his teeth at Aridous and barked. Aridous rolled his eyes and did the same to Nollie and again hit him on the top of his head. "I consider it an evil for someone to let their emotions take over." Aridous wispered in Nollie's ear as he swing his staff like a baseball bat and swung again. 54

Tiera came into the blue hued area and watched with a grin as Nollie was occupied with fighting himself and the others with the dragon. 55

She harnessed some of the magical properties, that filled the air, and used it to cloak herself with chamelion powers. Tiera walked along the wall, out of the way of the fighting, unnoticed. 56

Tiera came up to the sealed gate and pulled off one of her gauntlets and raised her hand toward the seal. "Such a great power. I can feel it everywhere." She whispered in glee. 57

She placed her hand on the wall near the sealed gate and ran her hand up the wall, "I can sense it.. hear it," she took off her helmet and dropped it on the ground to place her ear against the wall, "I can hear it, beckoning to be let out." 58

Tiera stepped back and let the leaking magical energy flow through her and over her body. She put her hands together and lowered her head to make a soft prayer, "Give me your energy, magic, allow me the strength to break the seal and forever release you into the world that so seeks your wisdom and knowledge." 59

"Tiera! No!" Kyan yelled as loud as he could over the fighting. He ran forward but was suddenly thrown back into a wall by the dragon's whipping tail. 60

The back of Kyan's head hit into the wall and was instantly knocked out as the dark violet blood trinkled down his neck. 61

The leaking magic that flowed through Tiera suddenly made her body start glowing, growing brighter and brighter.62

The dark dragon's red eyes began to swell and flare. They almost seemed to bleed with pleasure as Illion's feeble body came forward. "I am magic," the monstrous voice bellowed. Short stifled flames seemed to charge in the dragon's nostrils and mouth. Then the discharge came. White flames poured from the dragon's mouth at Illion when Donalbain ran behind him and shoved him outof the way. He then stood up and lunged at the dragon. He rolled under his great body, and while on his knees, threw his sword directly above him, and pierced the Dragon's gut. 63

But nothing happened. The blade fell back out of the Dragon's flesh as if it had never penetrated it. Donalbain held Illion's head up as the dragon moved to face them both. It snarled, and breathed heavily as its claw came into the air and fire came to its throat. It then turned its head toward the Sealed gate, and saw Tiera trying to break the Seal. He saw her greed and believed this was the human race, the example of its failure and corruption. It became furious. Rage stirred the Guardian's heart. All here now seemed his enemy, and so all had to perish. He began to charge the spell that had destroyed this very city a thousand years ago. A black and purple cloud of dark matter seemed to swirl about him. This was the beginning of its spell. He would kill all in this chamber. Illion whispered weakly into Donalbain's ear, "We cannot do this...Only magic can destroy it..." 64

Donalbain turned his head quickly understanding Illion's faint voice. Only magic could destroy magic. Nollie, Teskan, and Adreira all were fighting the berserker. Aridous seemed crazed with evil once more. Kyan was dealing with Tiera. Tesshu was protecting Tomoe. There was only one mage left, and though it did not comfort Donalbain to seek his help, he knew he had no other choice. His terrified voice echoed across the chamber, "Rayyeter. You have my trust now. Help..." 65

Tiera slowly turned around, her body still glowing with intense light of magic. 66

She faced the dragon that was charging toward her and she raised her hand out and let a jolt of lightning sear through the air and strike at the dragon, throwing it back and crashing into the far wall behind it. 67

The wall was crushed under the dragon's weight and it came crumbling down around the giant beast. The dragon then regained its footing and continued charging its spell. 68

Tiera smiled, "You stupid dragon. I do not seek to release the magic for myself. Cannot you not hear it? It wants to be let out, it wants to be freed, freed from this prison. This small prison has entombed it long enough and that is why it is leaking out." 69

She turned her head to see Kyan's limp body laying on the ground. Glowing orbs of magical light swirled above his body. She watched as the magic that leaked from the gate quickly crawled over to Kyan's body. 70

"What the?" She made a puzzled look and finally realized what was going on. "That is why... He is made up of pure magic, just like you, dragon. Only, the leaking magic seems to like him more." She smirked. 71

The butt of Aridous' staff was thrust into Tiera's stomach. She let out a cry of pain and anguish as the cyrstal of Aridouss staff crashed in the back of her head. She feel down silently. Still breathing. "Quite, bitch." Aridous snarled as he watched her blood run on the ground as if it were fleeing from him. 72

Aridous lookied up as the dragon slowly picked itself up and screamed. "The Seal will not be broken!" The dragon huffed in the air and belched fire toward Aridous. 73

The flames inglufed him. The fires sepereated and parted when they passed him. He wasn't hurt. He was just grinning. 74

"The Seal will break, Black Dragon. You cannot stop it! No one can." 75

Aridous grasped his staff tightly to his chest and prayed. "Help me, my beloved sister." Aridous charged toward the dragon. "LEt me take it on. I haven't killed a dragon before." 76

Kyan went to stop him but missed. "No!" he yelled. 77

Aridous shouted back at the group as he ran toward the beast. "Magic can kill it, correct? Who's magic here is greater than his?" The dragon lifted its large clawed paw and slamed it on the ground in hopes to kill its on comeing attacker. Aridous jumped in the air and landed on its paw. 78

The dragon opend its mouth and went to snap at Aridous. Again he jumped out of the dragon's attack and the dragon chomped his arm. Aridous saddled himself on the dragon's shoulder and smacked it in its head several times. 79

Sparkes flew with each hit. "What are you waiting for, fools!" Aridous screamed as he hung onto the dragon by its mane. Aridous pulled as hard as he could and ripped out some of the dragon's hair.80

Nollie was doubled over in pain as he watched everything unfold. Teskan, of all people, leapt to his assistance as...he knocked...himself into the wall. Adreira was helping him in an instant. Aridous suddenly taunted Berzerker-Nollie before whispering something that filled Nollie with righteous anger. 81

"I consider it an evil for someone to let their emotions take over." And all the while talking about breaking the magic seal. 82

And then something in Nollie snapped, again, but this time it was by sheer will power, this time it was controlled. He felt all the power, all the strength he gained from transforming but he felt like himself. Aridous' staff whistled towards his head, but Nollie suddenly cast his Relativity Shield and the staff slowed substanstially. The stronger Nollie suddenly stood straght up. As an afterthought, he sent a small Winde Torsion spell but did not check to see if Aridous had been knocked off of his feet. He was focused on only one thing...himself. 83

They were at the end of the line. This was their final stand, the stand to protect the Seal. The guardian dragon tusseld with everyone else, but Nollie knew that it was their battle. His had always been with himself, and now he understood the curse that was bestowed upon him. It was not the magic that corrupted the heart, but the lust for it, the lust for the power. The desire to be stronger caused humans to do great wrongs. His dad's pure lust for power destroyed him, and the curse carried over to Nollie, though Nollie had never felt a similar lust. He was going to make sure that the curse did not carry over to the next generation. 84

The Berzerker lunged at Nollie, but its massive sword was easily deflected by Nollie's much smaller one. Nollie was now equal in strength, but also possessed the speed, agility, and intelligence which his alternate form did not. And so a battle of blades ensued, with both parties taking their fair share of blows. 85

Berzerker-Nollie swung the massive sword, but Nollie danced right. However, the tip caught his shoulder and tore a thick gash. The young Xavier screamed, and thrust his sword into the beast. He paused, but his alter-ego did not flinch...rather, he bared his teeth in a fearsome grin. Nollie tugged upwards, but to no avail. And suddenly the bastard sword, the blood stained Crimson Phoenix, struckNollie across the head. It damn near took the top of his head off if he had not turned, and instead it cut through to the bone but went no further. Everything went black for a moment in the intense pain, but Nollie finally realized what he should have known all along...magic defeats magic. 86

Finally understanding this principle, Nollie got to his feet slowly. The beast was advancing on Adreira with malicious intent, obviosuly thinking Nollie dead. Nollie stood up, blood gushing down the left side of his face and staining him all the way to his waist. 87

He screamed, charging up everything he had left. This one magic attack was the only thing that would end the curse. Energy burst from his hand into his seord, lighting it up with fire, ice, lightning, gravity, and holy magic as well as his Deathblow spell. The earth began to tremble under Berzerker-Nollie, and a violent wind blew towards him. Nollie's shield went up once again, and his speed and agility increased greatly as Bladestorm was activated. 88

And then, he swiftly rushed the Berserker and plunged his sword into it, yanking it out violently and spinning, slicing it again. He kept going, as the magic tore his curse apart...and then it was over...no, he still had to help his friends. 89

Nollie struggled to turn and face the dragon, but in an instant he fell face first, either from blood loss, or magic drain, or both. The only thing he noticed was Adreira rush to him just in time to catch him, and then he blacked out. 90

His terrified voice echoed across the chamber, "Rayyeter. You have my trust now. Help..." 91

Finally. Another person from the surface fully trusts me. Rayyter began to ready a spell, moving his katanas intricately. He saw Aridous attack the dragon, beating it with his staff. 92

Sparkes flew with each hit. "What are you waiting for, fools!" Aridous screamed as he hung onto the dragon by its mane. Aridous pulled as hard as he could and ripped out some of the dragon's hair. 93

Almost ready. Blood seem to come from nowhere, dripping off of Rayyeter's katanas. It was his own blood. The blood pooled on the ground, seemingly coagulating. 94

"NOW!" Rayyter shouted as he finished his part of the spell. The blood on the ground rose up into a sphere, and began to blow a bright white, blinding everyone in the dim cavern. shards of stone from the floor gathered into the sphere, and it hurtled toward the dragon. 95

The dragon had just enough time to look as the ball exploded in an even brighter flash of white, disentegrating the beast where it stood. 96

"There. It's... gone." Rayyeter coughed up a small bit of blood, and then fainted, katanas clanging loudly on the stone in the quiet aftermath of the destruction. 97

Donalbain watched Rayyeter fall silently to the floor, blood flowing from his mouth. Donalbain leapt up with a start and ran toward him. "Rayyeter!" he shouted in despair. "Is he dying?" he asked as he helped Rayyeter off the ground. 98

Illion slowly limped toward him, and then his sharp cold voice pierced the shadows, "We're all dying a bit each day. Even the elves who claim immortality will pass from this world when all else fades. But even if we do not die today, this task has made us dead. The lives we used to lead are dead... You, Donalbain lived your life following the footsteps of your brother. Now your brother is dead and you must live your own life... Teskan and Adreira's relationship has been thrown into chaos by the arrival of a new figure...I was an assassin. And now I am a Knight of Doma... Yes we have lost those lives, but why should we fear that? People die to make life matter. My death will make my life matter..." 99

Donalbain heard Illion's voice trail off quietly with sorrow and he was indignant, "What are you talking about?!" 100

"I'm talking about the next step: the sacrifice that needs to be made to keep the Seal safe..." He recieved confused looks from all present as if asking him to go on. Only Aridous stared silently and nodded. Illion went on, "Sunnidan knew the Seal would be discovered eventually and so he wrote how to move the Sealed power. It currently lies in the next chamber, in the Seal itself. But a living entity can become the Seal, and so I shall become the Seal." Aridous nodded, but almost remorsefully. The others were shocked. "But I will have such power inside me that it would eventually corrupt me and set itself free. That is why I must be killed after it is completed. And then my body, the new Magic Seal, can be lost and forgotten for another eternity." He heard Tiera slowly start back up at the Sealed Gate, and heard the voices of determined Opaqun soldiers coming from the far halls. "We haven't much time. This is my plan. You can defend the sanctuary from the last remnants of the Opaqun army, and from any others who choose to break the balance of the world..." He glared solemnly at Aridous and Tiera. "We cannot ensure the Seal's safety even after we are gone from this world. I say we make the difference ourselves while we can. I say we end this struggle and make our lives matter..." 101

A hand fell gently upon Illion's shoulder and he turned to look into the face of Kyan. 102

"You are aware of the consequences, Illion? Your soul will forever remain in the sealed gate and possibly have no hope of returning to the mortal realm, if the seal should remain unsturred." 103

Kyan rubbed the back of his head, "That was quite a hit.. but the wound has already healed," he looked at Donalbain, "Let us get out of here now if Illion wishes to merge with the seal. If I were to stay, I would become stuck in the seal as well as Illion." 104

Kyan turned his attention to the glowing blue sword and held out his left hand and the Garservisus sword floated into the air and quickly came to Kyan's grasp. 105

He turned to Tiera and raised the hilt of his sword and hit her in the back of the head. She fell limp into Kyan's right arm. He turned to shout at Aridous, "Aridous! Get out now! If you don't you will be sucked into the seal and trapped forever!"106