Chapter 21

The True Face of Evil

The setting quickly changed from Npm's calm atmosphere mind to a vortex full of blood, hate, and chaos in the air. Alaska had gone over this over and over again; Remember all the pain he caused her and let it build up into rage. Being fearful has gotten her nowhere but into a crumbling ball.

Suddenly she saw something that looked like a mix between a castle and a volcano. The color atmosphere was completely dark red and the stench of blood hung in the air. Alaska concentrated on the gate entrance that was wide open now.

When she felt that she was safe from the vortex, she let herself drop onto the odd red specked ground. She took a step forward and jumped back when she heard a high pitch scream from a little girl.

'This guys mind is really messed up…'

She began walking again, ignoring the screams of fear that seemed to be everywhere.

She whipped her cape around her body more tightly and started wishing she had a hood to hide herself better. Since the gate was wide open she merely walked inside, keeping to the shadows of the walls. Though, it probably wouldn't make much of a difference being that since this is his mind he probably knows she's here already. So what was he waiting for?

Was he trying to make her get her guard down? Or was he trying to build so much suspense that she couldn't take it? Alaska had half a mind to turn around and flee for her life…but that would be the most selfish decision she had ever made. Even though Npm was not completely under the spell anymore, he was still trapped inside his own mind and he could die along with War and Jawwie unless she completed her mission. It burned Alaska just to think of her friends minds suddenly going dark because they were being shut down. No…she'd rather die herself before she let that happen.

It was a weird feeling what she felt…she barely knew them at all yet she'd die to save their lives. And she had.

She sighed out loud. What if she failed?

"Something troubling you, my dear?"

Alaska gasped and whipped around to find the hooded face of DW watching her with cold eyes and a hint of a smirk.

"You really think that a skilled mage can't feel when a little bug has crawled into his own mind? Honestly, I thought you were smarter than that. Though I must give you credit if you made it this far I suppose." DW's mumblings sounded like echo's in Alaska's ears.

Alaska's first instincts were to run, but she knew that would be pointless. He could zap her with a bolt of electricity anytime if he wanted to.

"What is the matter, love? Afraid?" He hissed the word through his teeth as though it were poison.

"There is no point in fear." She replied evenly. "It only makes you careless and weak." Alaska realized that those words weren't just coming out of her mouth. Aklase felt the same way as well. "Why? Are you afraid of me?"

Alaska could hear a faint growl beginning to form in her mother's murderers throat. "I fear nothing. I feel nothing except anger and hatred."

"Emo much?" Alaska couldn't stop herself asking.

"You watch your tongue! You are an idiot if you think you can defeat me."

"You know what I don't understand? Why you want to kill all four of us. I mean I understand two of us but why Jawwie and Npm?"

"An interesting change of subject don't you think? He is my own flesh and blood. I can tell who he cares about most. Former lover, someone he looks at like a brother, though I don't understand why you are with him."

"That is none-"

"Since I answered your question that you didn't understand, why not answer mine? When I went looking for you it had been exactly 3 months after your birth, making you a level 3. Yet here you are, only days later, a level 100. Now care to explain that?"

Alaska gave a confused look.

'100? What happened to 85…'

She quickly checked her level and gasped inwardly to herself. He was right…all the experience she had been getting made her level fast.

"Well?" DW asked growing impatient.

Alaska looked up again and suddenly swore she saw a hint of fear in his eyes. Was he afraid of what she could do? Maybe this was her ticket away from him…

"I can do things out of this world." She smiled. "Does that worry you Wizard?"

"You do not worry me. What worries me is how one so young has such great power and she has no idea how to use it."

"Who says I don't know how to use it?" She growled.

"If you did child, you would not be here in the first place."

"Then why am I still here? You seem so smug so why haven't you killed me yet? I, of all people, know you don't fear murder." She said more darkly.

"Finally getting to the point are we? Alright if you insist on the answer I will tell you." He began to slowly walk toward her.

"My sons betrayal was a little more of a problem then I have let on. Sooner or later I will need a new Dark Wizard to take my place. I only realized that when your mother almost killed me." He continued.

"But then you gave away your soul to save your sorry ass?" Alaska said in disgust.

"Ooh, aren't we a smart one?" DW said sarcastically. "My son has my blood therefore he has my powers. Though without proper training he will never even discover them. Sadly, he also has my attitude and he will not forgive me very quickly and time is not something I have a lot of."

"And why are you telling me all this?" Alaska's eyes followed him as he paced the room.

He stopped and turned to look at her. "My dear girl isn't it obvious? I am giving you a choice. Join me-"

"You actually think-?"

"You didn't let me finish. Join me and you will have all the riches and power of the world. And, me being such a nice man, I will let your friends go free."

"And if I refuse?"

"Then you will die along with your friends. Seems like a simple choice to me. " DW shrugged.

'Be evil? That would mean betraying everyone I care about. But it would mean saving my friends lives…and I'd have power. Maybe this is my destiny?'

Suddenly Alaska felt something pop into her mind. He was a murderer, he killed her mother. He was a liar, he lied to War after all these years. He was secretly a coward, he wanted to use her to save his own ass….and she almost let him.

She clenched her fists, feeling the anger pour off of her in waves. She gritted her teeth and shut her eyes. How could he even ask her to join him?

DW's smirk quickly turned to a frown and he took a step back.

Alaska slowly felt herself beginning to lose control and she quickly tried to hold it back.

'No stop it!'

'Is this not what you want? For him to SUFFER like the way he made you SUFFER?' A demonic voice replied.

Alaska knew she had no more power and he gave up. With any luck it will be over quickly and she will get control again…But for now she was terrified.

Alaska's high pitch screech of pain slowly turned in a lower voiced moan as she began transforming into the darker version of herself with evil crimson eyes.

DW had his hands up, ready to defend himself with a spell…but the most peculiar thing was he was smiling.

The evil version of Alaska let out one final gasp of pain and whipped around to face DW with a vicious animal-like growl.

"I knew it…", DW breathed, still in a striking position," I knew there was some sort of evil in you!"

Blackness began to swirl around Evil Alaska as she began charging up power, still making a low growl with fangs bared.

DW put down his hands and began walking toward the creature. "Surely you reconsidered now? I mean, after all if we teamed up, we could rule all of Runescape side by side! It would be 50/50 what do you say?"

The charge began to swirl into her fists as she began to make dark shadowy balls. She looked at him straight in the eye and growled demonically, "There is only room for one sort of evil in this world you fool." She put both her fists together to make a larger ball and pointed it straight at DW.

DW eyes widened and he started to retreat.

"And that is The Darkness!" Evil Alaska hissed like a snake before letting the ball go.

It seemed to be over. It seemed like she had killed him in one swipe of a shadow ball. But she knew she had only knocked him out of his mind for a couple of minutes. She had to get to his main spell section in his mind and break the spell. There was only one problem…Evil Alaska was still in control.

"You killed him like you wanted. Now stand down!" Alaska tried to order.

"I didn't kill him. I merely stopped him from babbling for a few seconds. And since it appears you have lost control, you won't be needing this body anymore now will you?" Evil Alaska replied in her demonic voice.

From inside her own body, Alaska tried to hit the walls surrounding her, but nothing happened.

Alaska sighed and sat down, defeated. DW was right…she had no idea how to use her powers. And without them she was useless.

She suddenly heard footsteps and she slowly lifted her head to see an older version of herself standing in front of her.

"Aklase!" She jumped up from where she was sitting and looked ashamed. "I failed you didn't I?"

Aklase shook her head and took Alaska's hands. "You are just lost."

She looked at her and pulled her hands back. "Yeah…lost and clueless." She walked away from Aklase and sat down again with her head bowed.

"I can't do much…but I think I can help you get out of here."

Alaska's head shot up. "You can? How?" She walked over to her.

"We both have mage blood running through our veins. So we both use magic to take back power." Aklase explained.

Alaska frowned. "I don't know anything about magic."

"I don't know much. But what I do know is to use it requires mental concentration. In other words focus on the things that mean everything to you."

"Meaning our friends?" Alaska was beginning to catch on.

Aklase nodded. "One of them being more…" Her eyes flashed a hint of sadness. She shook her head after a few seconds. "Right…now stand perfectly still, concentrate, focus on your goal, and let your mind take over." She instructed.

Alaska nodded and did as she was told. She had no idea what this…thing was or where it came from. But what she did know was it was keeping her trapped, murdering people, and making her afraid to get the slightest bit angry. She started to begin to wonder…was this thing dark magic? Or was it some other kind of evil even worse than dark magic? Then she started thinking of her friends and how they must be suffering right now. Jawwie…the best friend anyone could ever have. She and Aklase had a strong bond like they were sisters..Alaska wished she could have that bond as well. War…the annoying stuck up ass who seemed to know exactly what to do in a time of need, though he had a bad past. Npm…she met him a couple days ago…yet she felt an amazing connection between them. Or was that for Aklase and him…and she was just a barrier? She decided not to think too deeply into it. For now she had to save their lives.

"Alaska?"

"Hmm?"

"You're not concentrating."

"I'm trying ok?"

"No, you're thinking about Npm."

"I am n-!"

"I'm you remember? I can read your thoughts."

"Ok…so? I found out he's not mad at you, therefore he's not mad at me."

"Therefore, he's going to be mad at both of us if we let him die."

"You're dead I thought you were supposed to be wise and patient or something."

"…have you listened to nothing they said about me while I was alive?" Aklase smiled.

"You still love him don't you?"

Aklase's smile faded. "He's hard not to love." Is what she said simply. "Do you like him?"

Alaska looked away. It felt like she was about to have a fight with her best friend over who gets the guy. "Well…" She began uncomfortably.

"It's ok. The most likely reason why you like him is because I still liked him when I died. Our feelings are the same." Aklase said.

"If we're the same, then why can't I concentrate to save my life?" Alaska mumbled.

"Because I couldn't concentrate either."

Alaska smiled. "It all makes sense now!" She suddenly let out a squeak of pain as she suddenly felt a slight pinch on her side and she whipped around to see Aklase turned away from her with her fist still sizzling from a ball of light she shot. "What did you do that for?" Alaska demanded.

"Do what? I didn't do anything."

"Yes you did! Look at your fist!" Alaska pointed at her fist.

"Are you accusing me of something?" Aklase turned toward her with a glint in her eyes.

Alaska finally got it but she was confused. 'Why all the sudden this playful attitude?' She decided to go along with it for now. "Yes I am."

"Ok then smart ass. Fight me back." Aklase stood in front of her.

Alaska began to snatch out her whip before Aklase called. "uh-uh-uh! Magic only."

"You know I can't do magic!" Alaska protested.

"Good then this should be easy." She shot out another bolt of light which Alaska dodged.

"Fine have it your way." Alaska closed her eyes and thought hard. 'Shields for hands, shields for hands, shields for hands.'

She gasped when she lifted her hands and transparent tiny shields stuck to her fists.

Aklase shot another bolt which Alaska quickly blocked with her tiny shields. "Ha!"

"You can't keep dodging forever. " Aklase made a flying leap into the air and quick as lightning, shot another bolt straight down toward Alaska, which struck her.

"Ow!" Alaska said jumping back. Tiny shields wouldn't cut it here…

'Balls of light, balls of light, balls of light.' She looked down to see brightly lit energy beginning to charge up on her fists. She stood their mesmerized for a moment.

"Good. Now hit me!" Aklase pointed her fists at Alaska.

"What?" Alaska looked up dazed.

"Hit me!" Aklase let the charge go and a stream of millions of balls of light came toward her.

Alaska gasped and lifted her fists and did the same thing without thinking. "Aklase I'm doing magic!"

The room glowed brightly around them from the millions of balls of light as they made contact with each other.

Aklase smiled and lifted her voice from the noise of explosion. "Now when I say 'go' we both point our fists straight up!"

"What? Are you crazy?" Alaska shouted back.

"Trust me!" Aklase replied. "Go!"

At the same time, the two girls lifted up their fists and the lights made contact with the top of wherever they were. Alaska heard a scream and everything went black.

~To be continued~

Ok…I know that I take forever to post these chapters and I apologize for that. I could go on and on with excuses but for now I'll just say sorry and I'll try to do better. On brighter news this might be my longest chapter :D! R&R please! It's you guys reviews that make me post faster :)