Chapter 24: Deity

Yes, we are finally at the final chapter. Corrupted light VS Pure darkness… makes you think, doesn't it? What's that? You just want to get on with the story?

Very well, enjoy…

(Obsidian's POV)

Both me and Talmaris charge at each other, our elements filling the vortex around us. Talmaris' corrupted light, and my pure darkness.

When Talmaris gets within range, I swing Nifred at him, while simultaneously spitting dark flames out of my maw. Talmaris blocks Nifred with his tail blade, and counters my dark flames with a convexity beam. The resulting explosion knocks both of us back, nearly blasting my wings off, and dazing Talmaris.

I take advantage of this situation, and I throw Nifred at Talmaris. He regains his senses just in time to twist out of the way of the incoming glaive, but his tail is still impaled. The purple dragon growls, and charges at me. In a classic, movie-style move, I slide between his legs, and grab Nifred out from underneath him. I twist as I pull my weapon out, earning a screech of pain.

I regain my bearings just in time to feel a convexity beam impact my chest armour. The force behind the explosion is godlike, but I manage to hold my ground. I feel my blood quicken, and I rush towards the god of fate, intent on skewering him on the blade of Nifred. While my anger and pain enhanced my strength and speed, they did little to help my sense of judgment… a fact proven by the fact that I now must avoid both a tail sweep and a convexity blast.

I bring up my wings to block the Convexity blast, and I hold the serrated edge of Nifred towards the incoming tail swipe. Talmaris realises what he's doing just as his tail gets removed by my blade… and just as my wings are burnt by the convexity blast.

Talmaris backs off, using the convexity to force his tail to regrow. I take this opportunity to glance at my wings. Fried. They are still intact, but I doubt I will be able to use them for a good few hours at least.

"You appear to have skill, Morgul Warrior." Is it me, or is there a hint of respect in Talmaris' voice? "Since we both appear in need of a respite, would you mind telling me how you got here? Not into Convexity, since I already know the answer to that, but how you got into the dragon realms?"

I have nothing to lose…

"I fell asleep just as a dark fire whisked me away. Simple as."

Talmaris looks dumbstruck for a moment, before he comes to a conclusion.

"The ancestors… of course, they would be involved in this. Even though I am the one who raised them to near godhood, they still interfere with my business, even going as far as to infuse you, a useless dragon nobody, with powers neither of us can comprehend!"

I spot a moment of opportunity. I surround myself with dark flames, and launch myself, glaive first, towards Talmaris. He doesn't have time to react. My glaive impacts Talmaris in the centre of the chest, and the explosion completely drains me of power…

When I manage to stand up again, the first thing I see is a tail flying down a hole. The purple dragon is escaping! I pick myself up, and fly after him despite the pain. The dragon has a head start… so when he disappears into a room filled with portals, I have no idea where he went.

I turn my head towards the centre of the room, and I notice a purple crystal there. The one from my dream! I shatter the crystal with a punch, and, as expected, a floating black ring becomes visible. I extend my left forepaw, and the ring flies onto a claw. The sudden surge of power knocks me unconscious…

(Death)

I open my eyes, only to find myself face to face with a purple dragon. Not the Talmaris, thank goodness.

"Hush now, Obsidian, you are safe here."

I examine the area. A pure white room, with two open doors. One is large and welcoming, with dragons gazing happily towards me, beckoning for me to join them. The other… is dark, cold, and lifeless.

"Am I dead?"

I don't want to know the answer to that question, but I must know.

"Yes. That ebony ring forced your soul out of your body." Tears somehow do not appear in my eyes. "It is okay to be sad."

But I'm not.

When the purple dragon realised I was not crying, he shrugged, and gestured towards the welcoming door.

"It is fine to leave your previous life behind, because eternity is in front of you."

I gaze towards the dark door. The purple dragon shakes his head.

"You don't want to go that way. Every dragon who has ever gone through there, has either come back a villainous wreck, or not come back at all."

I stare at the purple dragon, realising that I had a choice. I could either move onto my eternity, or I could go back to my mortal life, potentially do more good… and damn myself. I made my choice when I sent Firana her letter. I am going back.

I turn towards the dark door, resigning myself to my eventual fate. If a second chance at life corrupts me fully, I swear, I will ensure that I can be defeated. I turn around, with a parting message for the purple dragon.

"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few."

And I step through the door.

(Life)

I gasp awake, my soul returned to my body. The pain is intense, but again, I feed off pain.

I stand up, a newfound strength in my body. I glance at my paw. The ebony ring rests on my right-most non-opposable claw, and the runes are no longer pitch black. Instead, they are glowing with the same dark fires that make up my elemental powers. I glance around. It takes me a few moments to realise that the portals surrounding me are all active. I count them. Seven portals. I look at the centre of the room, and I realise that the crystal has reformed, without the ring in the centre of it.

I place my ringed paw on the crystal, and I feel a rush of power, and… sight. There is no other way to describe it. I quickly realise what I must do, and I resign myself to it. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few… right now, I am the few, and the innocents threatened by Talmaris are the many. But I can still speak to Firana, one last time, before I go to my potential second death.

And… chapter end. The shortest chapter I have written so far, but in my opinion one of the best. Please review.

Until next time… which will be the epilogue of the story. And it won't be a happy one…