Could she do it now?
Could she die trying?
Arzhel turned around, bringing the blade to her neck, taunting her. “See you in hell,” he said.
Airess’ eyes began to glow lilac as she looked up. Before he could press down his blade –
Airess peeled out of her body, the feeling so uncomfortable it felt like taking off wet clothing. She watched above her and Arzhel’s body, the movement of him striking his blade happening in slow motion.
“No!” She screamed, and reached her arm through Arzhel’s back, dragging his spirit out with her bare hands. It was hard, his spirit was so intact with his physical body, she had to pry it out of him. Ghosts of darkness followed, attached to his body by their tales.
His spirit was dark, so very black. She could barely make out his eyes as he looked around in confusion, looking down at his spiritual body. Airess took advantage of his hesitance, grabbing his neck with her hand, yanking his face close to hers with a snarl of rage.
Despite the blackness of his spirit seeping into her fingers slowly–dying the tips of her golden hands black–she grinned and squeezed her hand around his neck. “What is this?” He said, his voice sounding smaller here, less menacing.
“Look at me.” Airess commanded. He did. She saw him recognize her, saw him look below to their physical bodies moving in slow motion. By now, his physical body had seized, frozen in the act of murder, the blade inches from impaling her physical throat.
“Look at my soul as the last thing you see before you die.” She said and thrashed her arms, ripping into his soul, tearing him apart. She raged. She screamed and shredded his soul. She was so lost in her frenzy that she missed Morana walking onto the stage.
Morana withdrew a blade made of crystal, engraved with text she couldn’t recognize.
“No!” Airess said, screaming into the void, wanting Arzhel to die by her hand.
It was too late, Morana had already plunged the crystallite dagger straight into Arzhel’s back.
His black spirit vanished as quickly as the blade struck into his heart, disappearing from Airess’ grip.
The sound of screaming overcame her as she forced herself back in reality. Arzhel’s blood splattered on her, and Morana as he fell to his knees. He fell on his back, his eyes wide in shock at his sister’s betrayal.
Morana smirked at him, holding him up by his tunic. She was wearing dark, tattered clothing. Her cloak was dirtied, as if she had been traveling for quite some time. A simple gold, gilded broach in the shape of a vulture rested on her chest.
The Vulture.
“You were never deserving enough to be a Godling,” Morana spat at her brother. “ButI am.”
Morana dropped his shirt and climbed over him, pressing her hands to his temples, red tendrils of power drained out of him and traveled up her arms like veins. She was screaming, her brown eyes suddenly fading into an iridescent red. Morana fell back, crying out with a wicked smile on her face. She thrashed, receiving the power of Death in all its glory.
When it was done, her body glowed red. Her ebony hair had turned a dark crimson–red, for the Godspirit of Death. Morana looked down at her hands and shot a fist upwards, a hiss of dark spirits audible as the Shadow Magick shot up in the air. Morana’s burgundy glow faded, the color only evident in her eyes as she returned to her normal state.
Airess watched Morana steal Arzhel’s power in shock. The world trembled at her newfound power. Airess knew how detrimental it was, and–
Thunder bellowed, bringing Airess’ attention overhead. The sky darkened, storm clouds drawing together. The temperature had dropped, carrying the feeling of calm just before a storm. Everyone was screaming now, people running away in all directions. Airess tried to shake her arms out of the chains again.
Morana looked at her, a mix of greed and pity in her expression. “I’m sorry, old friend. I need the Allpower, and unfortunately, that means killing you.”
Airess looked at the crystal blade like an old foe. Recognition ran through her being, as if her ancestors were whispering to her through space and time itself.The Allpower blade.The weapon that could take a Godling’s power for itself.
The weapon her ancestor, Evyen, used to create a new dimension.
As Morana took a step toward her, lightning cracked through the air, a figure emerging from the clouds. The sky bellowed, a sound so loud it verberated through Airess’ body. A bolt of lightning struck the space in front of Airess, causing Morana to roll to the side, missing the electricity by inches.
Airess looked up to see the source of the strike.
It was Taryn.
Airess beheld him. His face was his own, but contorted with an ancient rage she had never seen before. His brown hair and brows had turned completely silver, matching his glowing silver eyes and skin. Raging storm clouds whirled around him before he shot down on the stage, breaking the wood he landed on. He pumped a fist and blasted Morana away with silver tendrils of pure energy.
He looked to Airess, his eyes not truly his own. They melted for a split second as he looked at her before a blast of darkness shot towards him. Taryn laughed and pivoted out of the way, several voices coming out of his mouth. “We meet again, Bas.”
