Author's Note: I do not own W.I.T.C.H., etc.
Since I have a plane to catch tomorrow and I just finished throwing out all the stuff in my apartment, here is the next chapter a few hours earlier.
Chapter Fourteen – What Clouds Bring
Caleb walked down the hall for it had been a while since Will left to check on the noise. When he came to the doorway that led into the dungeon, he heard the weapons clashing against Will's barrier. He placed a hand on his sword's hilt and drew it about two inches out. Pressing his back against the wall, he peered around the corner to see Will holding them back.
"Will!"
"Caleb! Thank goodness, you're here."
"It has been about an hour. How did they get corrupted?"
"Don't know, but that doesn't matter right now. Go to Elyon and warn her about this!"
"I will. We will be back to help you."
"Take your…time." Will said as she started to feel the strain of prolonging the barrier.
Hay Lin flew up and picked Taranee up from the top of the stone wall. Using her power, she flew them back down to the solid earth. Irma held the ice supports in place as Cornelia stood back up from her rest for creating that stone wall drained her energies.
"How is everything?"
Irma growled as she continued to held them in place, "Just…peachy…and you?"
"Better, at least."
"Well, it is not going to be good soon."
"Why?"
"The demons are getting slowly through the wall."
"How long do you think we have?"
The wall shook as little bits of dust and pebbles fell to the ground.
"Not long."
"Hay Lin, I got the ice taken care of. See if you can't extinguish those char demons?"
"What can I do? Wind makes fire stronger."
Cornelia turned to her, "No, she is right. I remember Taranee saying something about if you feed too much wind to a flame, it will be extinguished."
"Okay, gotcha." She rose into the sky.
However when she got above the wall, the red-eyed Galhots were ready for them since Taranee slowed the demons' progress. They drew back their bows and fired a volley of arrows into the air. She ducked down and avoided being hit, but barely. Knowing they would reload and unleash another volley if she peeked her head up again, she decided to go down to her friends.
"They just…"
"We know, we saw it. All we can hope for right now is if Will or Haritus is having any better luck."
Haritus stood up, wincing from the pain in his chest. His aura was a fierce mixture of purple and black as he rose to both feet.
The Devil Lord smiled, "Careful, you are close to the point of no return for you. Once you cross it, there is no going back."
"If that is the price I have to pay to protect this world from your evil grasp, then so be it."
Haritus charged the Devil Lord, but he knew this was his next move. The Devil Lord gripped his scythe and yanked it from the ground and pointed it toward the Paladin. Haritus saw the sharpened point, but couldn't stop himself. A sharp pain breached his side as he accidentally impaled on it.
"Such brave talk from a worm. It seemed you have finally reached the end."
The Paladin groaned in pain as he steadily caught his breath.
"It seems that I missed hitting the lung. Good, I get to watch you suffer for a while before you die. Truly one of the benefits of having you stuck here."
"What?"
"In Sakcamar, our first encounter, remember?"
"You tried to…claw my face."
"You pulled away in time, but not before my claws severed a few strains of your hair. Once I arrived on this world, I noticed they were caught under my nails."
"What…does…that have…to do…with me…being…stuck here?"
"Using one's hair as the focus of a demonic ritual known as 'The Rite of Planetary Binding', which keeps the individual, whom the hair belongs to, bound on one world as long as the ritual circle is active, I have kept you on Meridian to seek out my revenge."
"Bastard…you're the reason I've been stuck here the whole time?"
"Yes, human. Say goodbye to everything you hold dear." He said and twisted the scythe, causing Haritus to let out a whisper of pain.
"I will…never give up."
"All of your talk is useless, human."
"You're wrong, your evil ends here."
"Remember that if I die here, I will return to Sakcamar and I will make it my life's goal to see this world in ruins."
The Paladin raised his head to look him in the eye once more, no words left his lips as his thoughts drifted from one spell to another, thinking of a solution and in a few moments, it hit him.
"Shade, get ready." He thought.
Haritus clenched his teeth and struggled against the spike. This was one of the most agonizing pains that he has ever felt. The tearing of flesh echoed between the two combatants as Haritus pulled himself free.
His only thought was, "Keep going…Keep going…"
He clasped his hands to form the light hand sign, "Illuminas Sela Minvarus!"
He struck the Devil Lord with an open palm to his torso. A symbol appeared where he was struck. It was a glyph surrounded by a circle that had many lines stretching, almost looking like a sun as it glowed like a dim white light.
"What is this? If you need to form your hand signs and speak the words, they must be powerful spells."
He formed the dark hand sign, "No, you don't!"
The Devil Lord tried to punch him, but the Shade rose up to block. He clawed the Shade in reprisal. After letting out a wail of pain, the Shade spun around and formed all his mouths together into a giant one. Biting down hard, the Devil Lord now struggled to free his remaining arm.
"Shad Solrai Sealia!" He thrusted his open palm and struck the same place as before. Another glyph and circle appeared as well as the sun shape, though they glowed black and were in between those of light.
"What have you done?"
Haritus kicked off the Devil Lord's chest and flipped around. Stomping hard, he gained some of the lost feeling in his body. He looked into his adversary's eyes.
"This technique is one I have practiced quite a bit during my stay here. In fact, I burnt one of my hands from practicing it so much."
The Shade spoke, "Haritus, if you do this…you will probably…"
"I know."
"I can still win. Nothing can stop my ambition from seeing this world turned to ash."
"This will…the Twin Hands of Light and Dark."
He formed the light hand sign and brought his left hand to the side, "Illuminas Solarei!"
Focusing the heat aspect of light, his left hand's skin became similar to the surface of the sun.
He formed the one-handed dark sign and brought his right hand to the side, "Shad Hanos!"
His right hand wrapped in shadow and became nearly transparent.
"Even without my arms, I can still bite you, worm!"
The images of everyone passed through his mind. The Guardians watching as the wall slowly cracked as the demons bore their way through. Will and Elyon keeping the barrier up to prevent the Palace from falling into the Cult's hands.
Haritus rushed forward, pushing with all his might, "Just a little more…Just a little more."
He threw his left hand against the Devil Lord and a large explosion came forth and ripped open his dark armor, though the seals remained affixed to his body. Using the smoke as cover, he plunged his right hand, which passed without resistance into the Devil Lord's chest.
After letting out a bestial growl, he spoke, "What are you going to do? Rip out my heart like that spell intends?"
"No, something far worse for all the evil you've committed."
He raised his left hand up and formed the one-handed dark sign, "Shad Conjera Netera Woroi!"
Haritus's right arm seemed to have something slither under his armor. Then several more appeared and kept slithering toward the right hand.
"A Shadow Conjuration? What did you summon?"
"A few friends of mine. Nether worms."
"Those loathsome beasts."
The creatures slithered from his palm harmlessly passing through the flesh as if it was air. The beasts were hungry as they saw all the potential metal in front of them.
The Devil Lord let out a scream as the worms feasted from within. It was impossible to slay them from where they were. But if he was going to die, he would take the one responsible with him.
Lurching his neck out, he bit Haritus between neck and shoulder. The Paladin clenched his teeth in pain as he pulled his hand out of the Devil Lord's chest and got to his feet.
The Devil Lord swaggered left and right. His time had finally come and fell with a crash to the earth.
"There he is dead and he will never come back to hurt another innocent again."
"The light spell sealed his mind and the dark spell sealed his soul. Because of this, he can no longer return and since he is not bound to the cycle of life-death-rebirth that mortals are, he has simply ceased to exist."
"Shad Desmi!" The Nether Worms vanished in a smoke of shadow.
Haritus fell onto his knees, and collapsed on his side.
"Haritus! Here, let's get you on your back."
He manipulated his shadow to move him on his back. His wounds were extensive, the five holes in his chest, the wound in his side, the fresh one on his shoulder, and the various knicks and cuts he received from the hours of dueling beforehand.
"Haritus, I have slowed the bleeding, but I am not strong enough to heal your wounds yet. That claw strike has cut deep into me and drained my magical energies."
"That's okay, I feel…at rest. Something I haven't felt in a long while."
"Don't give up, what about the Attunement? What about Veluria?"
"As long as I saved one world, I can die happy. The Staff will return to Veluria when I die and someone else will pick up where I left off."
"Haritus…"
He smiled as he looked up at the sky, "Look at those clouds…no matter what world, there is always clouds."
On the brink of death, they say that one's life flashes before the person's eyes. His mind couldn't help but to drift back to a simpler time when all was peaceful.
Haritus was a boy no older than ten and looked impatient as he rested among the grass. Next to him was a man in his late twenties, both of them were looking at the clouds.
"Instructor, what is the point of all this? Lunch is almost here."
"Patience, Haritus. That is today's lesson."
"Patience? Why?"
"It is key when fighting against an opponent for a long period of time. Without it, you would be doomed to make mistakes and leave openings in your defense."
"I understand that, but what does looking at clouds have anything to do with that?"
Levanos sighed, "You still don't get it…"
"Clouds are just so slow and pointless."
"But they are the epitome of patience for a cloud takes its time crossing the heavens to reach its destination wherever it maybe and also takes its time in storing water and allows that water to make…" the clouds began to drizzle, "…rain."
Haritus jumped up from the grass and ran to the causeway.
"Instructor, come out of the rain. It is dry over here."
"Why? It is only rain and in time, it will pass. Besides if I was to get up from the grass, my spot would be wet like yours has become. Come back and lay next to me."
"But…"
"Haritus…" Levanos said, almost like a parent.
He groaned and laid back down on the same spot as he had seconds before. It was wet just like Levanos said.
"If you were patient, your spot would have been dry and you would be more comfortable in the rain. Now, are you starting to understand?"
Haritus shot a sideways glance at Levanos, who smiled, "Also, I like the rain."
"Why? It makes everything so wet."
"True, but there is something about it, though. The rain washes everything evil away and for awhile, the world seems pure again. Kind of silly I know, but that's the way it feels."
"It's not silly. In fact, now that you mention it…" Haritus turned his head to Levanos, "…I am starting to see what you are saying."
Levanos smiles and looked at his student before they both turned back to the clouds, "When the lunch bell rings, we'll head inside."
"Yes, Instructor."
"Please, Haritus. For the last time, call me Levanos."
The Paladin's smile on a simpler time has brought him some needed peace in this time where the tension of battle hasn't yet worn away.
For the second time in his life, he felt the spilling of his blood across the grass. This time he was sure that he was going to die. His eyes felt heavy and still he smiled.
Closing his eyes, he found himself floating amidst a white light.
"Haritus…"
"Goddess…"
"Haritus, you've done well."
"Is everyone…alright?"
She nodded, "Yes, they will be fine."
She waved her hand and a celestial window opened before him.
"As you can see, the moment he died, the corruption washed away like a flood. The Galhots returned to their normal state of mind and forgot about all the evil that had done while under the Devil Lord's control. Since the caster died, all the demons he summoned were returned to Sakcamar where they will remain for all time."
"That horrible vision has passed. Now I can rest happy, knowing that I saved one world and all those people."
She smiled and shook her head, "Your task is not yet complete."
"But I am…dead, aren't I? I thought that is what the vision was about. I die in order to save everyone else."
She smiled, "You were always the most…amusing of my children, always assuming and always thinking. But, it is time for you to awaken."
"But…"
"Shhh…" She brought her lips to his ear, "…time to wake up."
Haritus's eyes flickered open and he gazed at the figures kneeling over him. The Guardians and Elyon smiled. Though it was raining, he could still see the tears in her eyes.
"You're alive."
Gazing at the overcast sky above him, he asked, "How long was I out?"
Elyon smiled, "After things settled down, the Guardians brought down the wall and its supports. Once we were finished, we noticed that you haven't returned yet. So we sent out search parties in every direction. When we found you here, Cornelia and I used whatever power we could to heal you. We've been waiting by your side ever since."
"You mean…all this time…you've been here beside me?"
"Mostly, the Guardians had to return home since some of them needed to serve detention."
Haritus laughed, but then stopped, Elyon laid him back down, "You're not back to full strength yet. Take it easy for awhile."
"Sorry, your majesty. I need to get do one more thing before I can lay back down. Help me up please, your majesty."
With a heave, she got him back to his feet. He hobbled over toward the corpse of the Devil Lord. He formed the dark hand sign.
"Shad Caconus!"
A dome of shadow covered the Devil Lord's body including his severed arm.
He brought his arms fully out to the side and crossed his hands together, "Shad Constricia!"
The dome shrunk to the size of a grain of rice, then he released his spell and the Devil Lord was nowhere to be seen.
Haritus collapsed on his backside, "Sorry, but every part of his body could be used in very evil magics and couldn't permit that from happening."
"It's alright, but you are tired. Here…let me help you."
She pressed her hand against his chest and in an instant, they were back in Haritus's chambers.
"Rest here for a while. I will send Nagadir up with some soup as soon as possible."
"Thank you…your majesty."
"No…thank you, Haritus, if it wasn't for you, this world would be in ruins."
He smiled and rested his head against the pillow. This was a rare gift for him indeed, to be praised for the gifts he has instead of hunted.
He thought, "Shade, are you there?"
He yawned, "Yes…I am here."
"Good, thought I lost you there for a moment."
"As long as you one of us lives, then the other will live as well."
"Haritus?" Elyon's voice brought him out of his thoughts.
"Yes, your majesty?"
"Your spear…we found it in several pieces."
"I know. My spear was a loyal companion throughout my journey, but sad to say that I must put him to rest."
"How will you fight?"
"I've got the Shade and magic at my disposal. I will be fine, now…" he yawned, "…if you could let me rest for awhile."
Irma smiled, "With being unconscious for a day, I thought you'd like to be awake."
Everyone scolded Irma except Haritus who chuckled, "You would have been fun to have with me on my journey."
He laid back against his pillow and started to rest.
"Come on, guys. We need to leave him alone." Elyon said and was gently shoving the Guardians out of his chambers.
Closing his eyes, he could hear the rain tapping against his balcony door. The very sound of which brought him tranquility.
"It's like you said, Levanos. For awhile, the world is pure again."
Next Chapter, the Epilogue.