Chapter XIV
*****
Whispering world,
a sigh of sighs,
The ebb and the flow
of the ocean tides,
One breath, one word
may end or may start
a hope in a place of the lover's heart.
Hope has a place in a lover's heart.
Hope Has A Place, by Enya
*****
Arren, leaving his sibling lying on the ground behind him, began to advance on Ezno, who was just getting to his feet. "You will be first, Guardian, so the Morgan can see her little boyfriend die."
The assassin reached back and pulled two sticks seemingly out of thin air. He joined them together to make a long spear, tampered down to a lethal point on each end. All within the span a few nanos, the Raven leaped up into the air, his javelin aimed for the young Guardian, not even giving him enough time to move out of the way.
"Nooooo!!!" The air was ruptured by two instantaneous screams: one was that of Matrix, but the other was so ferocious it almost didn't sound human.
Arren grunted as he was tackled in midair. He and his sister landed in a heap before Enzo.
Her brother pulled himself up and glared at Morgan. "I can't delete you yet, sister dear. I'm saving the best for last." He rushed at her.
Morgan leaped up impossibly high into the air and lashed out her leg at Arren. Her foot struck him on the side of his scarred face as he passed underneath. He turned to face her as she landed on her feet. Arren brought his hand to his face and felt the energy dripping from his busted lip. He smiled. "You drew first energy."
His sister ignored him as she desperately tried to build up her energy reserves. If I could only get enough power...
Enzo tried to sprint forward to aid Morgan, but a pair of blue and a pair of green hands pulled him back. He whirled around to face his two mentors, his eyes wild with hear. "Why do you hold me back?? We have to help her!" Matrix shook his head ruefully. Bob alone spoke to Enzo. "If you rush in there, you risk getting Morgan and yourself killed."
Morgan pulled out her sword as he ran at her again, carrying his spear like a lance. She thrust out her sword, meeting his spear. The two of the them struggled for an advantage, their weapons locked together. Arren leaned forward and whispered in her face: "I will see that your friends will be taken care of when I am done with you."
He pushed her back into a wall of a nearby building. Morgan's block began to weaken has her brother bared down her, pushing her down. With a sudden burst of strength, she shoved him back. Angered, Arren stabbed at Morgan with his sword. At the last moment, she sprung up and the spear imbedded itself in the concrete.
In the air, Morgan twirled around to face the building and pulled two knives out her belt. She stabbed them into the structure as she began to fall. Hanging on, she began to swiftly scale the building as Arren let out a howl of frustration from below.
About a hundred feet up, she glanced down, but could not spot her brother. A large shadow passed over head, and she heard someone cry out, "Morgan!" She instinctively pressed he self close the building, just as she felt something large dive by, its feathers brushing her skin. She looked up see a large creature soar high above. It had the body of bird, a raven perhaps, but with Arren's angular face and build.
He dove at her again. Morgan saw no other choice, so she coiled up her lithe body and vaulted off the building.
Enzo froze in silent terror as she plunged downward. As she fell, Morgan seemed to say something. About fifteen feet from smashing into the ground, she was suddenly not falling, but soaring. She desperately flapped leathery wings, trying to gain altitude. The group of sprites, watching but unable to help, ducked as Morgan flew overhead. Enzo could feel the wind from her passage ruffle his hair.
Morgan wheeled around, looking for her brother. A shrill cry broke the silence as Arren slammed into her. She cried out he slashed at her with his spear, cutting her leg. Morgan pushed him off, breaking free of his grip. She flew upwards, high up into the sky. Far above Mainframe, Morgan could see Arren, the Guardians, and the others only as minuscule dots.
She breathed in deeply, then spread her wings and turned into a steep plunge, heading straight for Arren. The wind screamed around her wings whipped through it. Her brother's eyes widened, then she slammed into him at full force.
The two of them smashed into the ground with a crash that knocked Morgan off-line, but merely stunned her brother. Arren pushed himself to his feet, groaning. There was a large bruise on the side of his already distorted face, and he held a hand to his side. Enzo rushed to Morgan's side and tried to wake her.
Arren looked down at his sister. "Now that you are temporarily out of the jpg, I can see to that annoying little Guardian." Arren picked up his spear, which was now snapped in half. He raised it to take out Enzo.
Arren started as he bumped into something invisible. "A shield?" He turned to see Morgan standing behind him, gone from Enzo's arms.
"Morgan, no!," Enzo yelled. He beat despairingly on the shield. "He'll kill you!"
The others ran over. "What does she think she's doing?!," Dot exclaimed. Bob put a warm hand on her shoulder. "I don't know."
Arren twirled the broken spear in his hands. "Morgan, dear, do you really want to end it like this?"
Morgan stared straight into his pale face. "Yes, brother dear, it ends now." She raised one hand and pointed the other at Arren and spoke: "Command pending." A bright light built up at the end of Morgan's hand as her energy concentrated on a single command. "Phoenix!," she cried. The energy blasted forth in a huge fireball.
Arren screamed as the fireball hit him. He was blown backwards, shattering the shield. The intense heat burnt his clothing, and scorched his body. The others dove out of the way to avoid the inferno. Morgan's eyes rolled back into her head as she crumpled onto the ground.
Enzo ran to his sweetheart. Her body was battered with bruises, and speckled with soot. Kneeling down, he gently cradled her head in his lap. He shook her gently. "Morgan, please wake up...," the Guardian whispered.
Meanwhile, Matrix walked over to Arren's body, which was still smoldering. He to check for a pulse, but to the Guardian's surprise, the corpse reached out and grabbed his wrist. "Gun, target!"
"Don't...," Arren whispered. The device that had enabled the assassin to speak properly was severely damaged. He instead transferred his thoughts to Matrix's head.
[Before I expire, let me tell you something...]
Matrix kept Gun trained on Arren. "What is it, you little bastard?"
[Tell my sister I'm sorry] - shadows of sadness and flickered across Arren's scarred face - [And tell I know who hired us...]
"Who!?"
The assassin pulled Matrix down and whispered in his ear:
"Megabyte."
Matrix's eyes widened in astonishment. Arren's grip slackened, and his head fell back, as he finally upgraded to the eternal peace of deletion. Matrix sighed as he holstered Gun and pushed himself up. He walked over to Bob, where he stood with others around Morgan. He leaned and whispered to his mentor, and told him what Arren had said. Bob look surprised, but did not react further. "Don't tell the others yet," he said quietly. Matrix nodded, then went to AndrAIa's side.
Morgan groaned in pain and slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Ezno's anxious face. Then she saw the others gathered around, all wearing expressions of concern. She smiled weakly. "Did I beat him?"
Enzo carefully pulled her into his lap. He took her hand his and rubbed it gently. "You did, baby. It's all over. It's all-right." She smiled up at him again, a brief burst of sunshine, then sank back into unconsciousness.
*****
Epilouge
*****
Look to love
you may dream,
and if it should leave
then give it wings.
But if such a love
is meant to be;
Hope is home, and the heart is free.
Under the heavens
we journey far,
on roads of life
we're the wanderers,
So let love rise,
So let love depart,
Let hope have a place in the lover's heart.
Hope has a place in a lover's heart.
Look to love
and you may dream,
and if it should leave
then give it wings.
But if such a love
is meant to be;
Hope is home, and the heart is free.
Hope is home, and the heart is free.
Hope Has A Place, by Enya
*****
She walked on bare feet over to the window and looked out. The buildings were edged in gold and dawn began to advance.
Morgan started as something cold slid down around her neck, coming to rest at her collarbone. Her necklace. She looked up to see Enzo standing behind her, his warm hands wrapped protectively around on her shoulders.
Enzo smiled down at her, his eyes bright with rapture.
They stood silently, not needing to utter a word to each other, as they watched Mainframe light up with coming of a new day.