Chapter 56

Marcus made his way over to Gaspar, who was lying protectively across Melchior's prone body. He could hear the Magus sobbing openly. When he got close he had to shield his eyes from the glare of Melchior's glowing body. Within in instant it condensed down into a small oval crystal.

"Magicite!" breathed Marcus, "So that bitch really was an Esper!"

Gaspar stared at the silver-coated crystal in his hands. "Starlet."

Marcus grabbed him by the hair and yanked up his head. "What did you say?"

Gaspar stared at him in cold fury, tears still streaming down his cheeks.

"Her name was Melchior Starlet, you mewling little puke!" he snapped.

"You bastard!" screamed Marcus as he held the blade of the Atma Key to Gaspar's throat, "I'll tear your head off!"

"Death would be most welcome," replied Gaspar sorrowfully, "But now is not the hour of my death."

"What?" sneered Marcus.

"It's yours," replied Gaspar now with a faint twinge of pity in his eyes.

He looked toward the castle. Marcus followed his gaze. They saw a ghostly figure emerge dragging the lifeless body of General Conrad behind him. He dropped the stone statue on the ground, where it broke in two.

"Ghost!" breathed Marcus.

Phantom shimmered and then solidified into the form of Serpentarius. He fell to his knees and began to retch. Marcus released Gaspar and walked over to Serpentarius, half in disgust, half in awe.

"Ghost," he repeated, leveling the blade at him.

Serpentarius glanced up at Marcus, his face as white as chalk.

"What did you do?" demanded Marcus.

"I…killed them," he replied weakly.

Marcus lowered the Atma Key. "Who?"

"Odin…the Queen, the guards, General Conrad and all of our troops in the castle! I killed all of them!" shouted Serpentarius.

"Why?" roared Marcus furiously, "They were our allies!"

"Poltergeist demanded their sacrifice," whimpered Serpentarius as he clutched Marcus' robes, "Please help me Marcus!"

Marcus pulled back in disgust. "You freak!"

He delivered a solid kick to Serpentarius' stomach, sending him doubling over in pain.

"You half-breed freak!" snarled Marcus swinging the blade down.

He cut through the cobblestone instead. He looked up to Serpentarius standing a foot away. He swung at him again. As the blade came close, Serpentarius vanished and reappeared a foot to Marcus' left.

"Rejected by humans…rejected by Espers," said Serpentarius, hanging his head.

"Stand still!" yelled Marcus in frustration.

"You have it easy," replied Serpentarius, "All you have to do is live or die."

Marcus lunged at him, swinging the Atma Key. He cut off a corner of a house that Serpentarius had been standing in front of. Panting, Marcus turned to see him to his right.

"So you choose death," he said flatly.

Marcus gritted his teeth and began chanting. "Titan, lord of the earth make thy foes shake and tremble…Quake!"

The street began to rumble and shake, the cobblestones breaking apart. Serpentarius was thrown to the ground.

"Titan, lord of the earth make thy foes shake and tremble…Quake!" chanted Marcus triumphantly.

A crack ran through the main street swallowing Serpentarius.

Marcus stood over the fissure. "Bet that hurt you bastard!" he jeered.

Serpentarius rose out of the ground with a look of resignation. "Heavenly void, open up and bring oblivion…Ultima!"

A dome of blue energy surrounded Marcus and began expanding as shooting stars streaked up the surface. The dome exploded, shearing through Marcus with a hundred shafts of pain. Marcus fell to his knees, watching his hat drift slowly to the ground in front of him.

"It can't be…that spell…was lost," he muttered as he fell over sideways.

Serpentarius knelt next to Marcus and looked into his lifeless eyes. They showed surprise more than anything else. He closed Marcus Gallowglass' eyes then stood to face Gaspar.

"Can you kill me?" asked the Magus.

Serpentarius dropped his gaze. "I haven't the heart."

"You have no heart," replied Gaspar.

Serpentarius began to cry bitter tears. Gaspar placed the bloody crystal in his hands.

"You spent your life collecting magicite," said Gaspar, "Here's the crown jewel of your collection."

"I can't!" wailed Serpentarius.

"Then say goodbye," said Gaspar.

Serpentarius gently kissed the crystal and felt its warmth. "Can you forgive me?"

"She forgives you," said the Magus, "Which must hurt you all the more."

Serpentarius nodded as he silently wept. He handed the magicite back to Gaspar.

"I promised her I'd spare you," said the Magus as he walked away, "So I wish you a long healthy life."

Serpentarius was alone in the dead city.