Hey people. I haven't abandoned this world yet! For the reviewers:
Sabriel45- Thanks for the compliments. Read your profile- Canada's a nice place. Cold, but nice. I've never been there myself, but a lot of my family has, and they've told me how nice it is up there. Minus the gun control thing, of course. Too bad your leaders tried to make a gun registration program- they should look at Britain and Australia. Those two countries implemented gun registration, then took the guns away. The violent gun death rate is shooting up in both countries, especially Britain, where it's almost as high as it is in America. And America is over twice it's size, both in land and people.
As for how Voldo got back to Siegfried, I forgot to put in an explanation. Voldo ran off and hid behind a pillar. When Siegfried attempted to attack Thok'ti, Voldo attacked. I honestly thought I'd added that part :).
Another reviewer said it's good I haven't abandoned this fic yet. Nope. I won't abandon it until it's done or I'm dead. Albeiting that at the rate I'm working, I'll probably be dead first.
Oh, and, as you've probably guessed, I'm a Christian and that comes out in my work. If you are not a Christian, I am not forcing you to read this. If you are, then welcome, my brother/sister. I'm not prejudiced against any other religion, but I think Christianity is the only true religion. I won't force you to be Christian, though, or read my work. Those forced are not true Christians, as no one can be forced to love the Lord.
Time to get on with it. It's...
"SHOWTIME!"
Chapter Six
Salvation and Redemption
Ivy woke up in the hotel. Her head resting on a cheap cot, the land was still dark. The sun was barely brightening the far horizon. She had dreamed about when she and Siegfried had killed Thok'ti, the demon. It had been a strangely vivid dream. She was still grateful she'd remembered to bring the StormSilver vial with her. Her father was the one who told her about demons, she remembered. It had been about a year before he died. She and him were talking in the library, and she'd asked about demons.
" What are demons?" she'd asked him. She'd read about them recently, and had gotten curious.
" Terrible things," her father said, turning his head slightly. " Dark things from the twisting darkness that belongs to neither the living nor dead of mortals, but to those spirits inbetween. They are the ultimate essence of our evil, of the evil of all races. They are the reason so much has fallen, both by their direct actions and corrupting noble souls."
" Why doesn't somebody just kill them?" she'd asked.
" Easier said than done," he'd said. " Only three things effect them at all. Silver is the only physical thing that will hurt a demon. The bodies they use can be destroyed, but to really kill one you must cut their essence with silver. The essence looks like a black shadow that bends reality around itself. Fire will destroy the essence, but only Psychic fire, not normal flames. The last way is electricity."
" Electricity? Why will that hurt them? I get the other two- silver is the metal of Good, and fire purifies all things- but why electricity?"
" Electricity represents advancement," her father had said patiently. " The demons hate Good, and they hate it's offspring, advancement. We are more advanced than people 100 years ago, yet if demons had their way, we would all be crawling on the ground like animals. When mankind advances itself, through technology and Psi, we improve our lot in life and save lives, perhaps even souls. There are, of course, bad points to advancement, but on the whole it's a good thing. Demons hate that, and fear it. Electricity is the representative of advancement, burning away ignorance and fear, the greatest weapons a demon has. It is for this reason electricity will kill them."
She'd nodded then. She hadn't understood everything he'd said then, but got the gist of it: to kill a demon, stab with silver, burn it, or fry it with electricity. She'd bought the vial because it was the cheapest thing she could get. She was damn glad of it, too.
Shaking her head to clear the last of the sleepiness, she sat up in the bed. Her sword lay next to her, glittering softly as dawn spread across the land. To her right, Sophitia slept, and even in sleep looked like a soldier. She slept on her back, one hand wrapped about the hilt of the sword that lay on her chest, pointing to her feet. The other lay behind her head. Her shield lay on that side of the bed, leaning towards the bed. She breathed in and out lightly, bosom rising and falling as she slept. Ivy felt a rush of completely unanticipated sorrow for her husband. Sophitia was insane. Sophitia couldn't care about anything earthly. She didn't care what she did to anyone, as long as her mission wasn't affected. When getting this room, Ivy hadn't even bothered to haggle with the innkeeper, afraid Sophitia would simply kill the poor woman and take a room. She would, too. As Siegfried had said when they first met Sophitia, " That bitch is crazy. Whatever gods she follows are more like demons." On this, Ivy had agreed.
Thinking of Siegfried brought a fresh pain to Ivy's heart. She once more renewed her vow to save him, then went into the small bathroom to freshen up. They were starting early today, leaving as soon as the sun appeared on the horizon.
Sophitia, who had been awake since Ivy had first stirred and had been watching through slitted eyes, watched her walk into the bathroom. Sophitia had considered killing Ivy in the night, sure that Ivy would interfere with getting rid of the Soul Edge, and had even gotten up during the night and held her sword above the sleeping Ivy's neck. A single blow and the trouble was over. But she'd decided not to. Ivy might come in handy dealing with Nightmare. And then there was the problem with Kilik. She'd have to kill him too if she killed Ivy, and then she'd have to face Nightmare alone. She wasn't so arrogant as to think she could face the monster without help.
She yawned, making sure not to under-or-over do it, then got up and placed her hand on her shield. Unlike Ivy, Sophitia could care less what she looked like. She was married, after all. To a proper Vulcan worshipper, nonetheless. She tried to call a mental image of her husband to mind and couldn't find one. Oh well. He was unimportant, save that he had forged her sword and shield. Sophitia generally found men useless and not worth remembering. Kilik was along mostly so she could use him for cannon fodder when Nightmare attacked. Hopefully Ivy would attempt something stupid, and Nightmare would attack her too. Then Sophitia would strike while Nightmare was busy, stabbing him in the back. Both Kilik and Ivy would die, but that was beside the point.
Having companions made things so much easier.
************************************************************************
Noon that day.
An open grassland, swaying with the breeze. A few sparse trees populated the landscape, but seemed like unwanted guests at a party consisting of shrubs and grasses. Cows grazed, and their lowing carried in the fields and rolling hills. Amid this peaceful scenery, Nightmare walked, as out of place as a dragon and far more dangerous. He was walking up a hill, and for once Siegfried was silent. He'd been waiting for a steep drop or dangerous situation of some kind, hoping to screw up Inferno when he could afford it least. With any luck bandits would attack, although Siegfried had a feeling it would take a small army to kill Inferno. Inferno, glad for the peace of mind, kept walking.
Not half a mile from him, past another of the rolling hills, Ivy and her party were walking. They'd heard reports of a azure monster walking around, one with bright red hair and an enormous sword. They were pretty sure it was Nightmare. As it turned out, they were right. Kilik saw him first. The monk came to the top of a hill and spotted Nightmare as he was climbing down a slope in front of Kilik.
" Hey! It's him!" Kilik shouted, whipping out his staff. He charged down the slope.
Pulling out her sword, Sophitia ran forward. Ivy was right behind her, although noticeably slower in pulling out her sword. Thoughts and doubts rambled through her mind like a stampede.
[ He's here... what do I do? Oh God, help me... Help me figure out how to save him...]
Nightmare had spotted them too, and in the darkness of Siegfried's mind Inferno laughed.
" Here they come," Inferno said. " I'll let you look through one of my eyes, if you wish. You'll be able to see them die. Won't that be fun?"
Siegfried said nothing, but just charged out at Inferno, throwing everything he had at the demon. Inferno, balked by the sudden onslaught (it was far stronger than anything he'd expected Siegfried to do), fought back. On the slope, Nightmare stopped. Kilik reached him, and swung his staff. It cracked Nightmare in the face hard enough to knock him down. Inferno, still locked in battle with Siegfried, sent a mental command to the body to work on instinct. The body responded, and swung the Soul Edge at Kilik. Kilik leapt nimbly backwards, dodging the unholy sword.
Behind him, Ivy and Sophitia were just about to reach them when Ivy had a sudden, brilliant burst of insight. Kilik's pendant...
[ He can draw anything out,] she thought. [ If he draws Inferno out...] " Kilik!" she screamed. " Your pendant! Give it to me!"
Kilik, looking back and dodging the clumsy swings of Nightmare ( Kilik wondered about this and decided not to question good luck), yelled back " What?"
" Your pendant! I can use it to draw Inferno out! Then we don't have to kill Siegfried!"
Kilik nodded and tossed the pendant to her. Ivy caught it, and then almost lost her hand. Sophitia had slashed at her, missing by inches.
" What the hell are you doing?" Ivy asked, leaping back.
" Draw Inferno out, and you won't be able to really destroy the Soul Edge," Sophitia said calmly, as if discussing the matter over tea. " He'll escape. It's much simpler to kill the body he is inhabiting and then smash the Soul Edge. Destroy the host, and it's over. Your plan involves too many chances."
" Host? Is that all Siegfried is to you? After all we went through together? We traveled all over Europe and Asia together, damn you! Is this how you treat friends?" Ivy, whose fury at Sophitia had been growing for some time, was close to the boiling point.
" Ivy! Save Siegfried! I'll deal with Sophitia!" Kilik said, easily escaping the slow, lumbering Nightmare. Since the body was moving entirely on it's base drives, it could barely keep up with the swift monk. Inside, Siegfried fought with renewed fervor. He had regained control of some of his sense, and with his hearing restored, he heard Ivy's voice. It drove him to greater efforts, and he fought Inferno with everything he had. Inferno, just as determined to kill Siegfried as Siegfried was to kill him, fought back. The darkness of Siegfried's psyche rumbled with thunder and lightening.
Kilik ran forward, and Sophitia raised her shield. She had little doubt she could slaughter the fool. She was a woman, after all, chosen of Vulcan, and no mere man could defeat her.
These thoughts ran through her head about two seconds before Kilik's foot slammed into her face. He had put his staff's end to the ground like an Olympic pole-vaulter, and used his momentum for a good, strong kick. He grinned as he felt the solid impact.
[ Had that coming, you bitch,] he thought. He knew monks shouldn't think such thoughts, but traveling with his friends had shown him a lot. Living in a monastery was a bad way to experience life.
Reeling backwards, Sophitia shook her head and glared at him, madder than hell. Her temper, which usually lay dormant, flooded forth. Readying her sword and shield, she let loose with it, reverting to her native language in her anger.
" Bastard!" she screamed in Greek at him. Having no idea what she said but able to guess, Kilik shrugged at her. Sophitia ran forward at him, slashing with her sword and ramming with her shield. Kilik kept dodging, bringing his staff to bear when he could. The sounds of his staff striking Sophitia's shield rang out again and again.
[ She's good,] he thought. Despite her obvious anger, she wasn't blindly flailing, but using her rage to give her more strength in her normal techniques. Their battle carried them across the grassy plains, which seemed to pass in a blur. He kept running backwards, striking and dodging-
He tripped suddenly, a jutting rock catching his foot. He fell, and Sophitia leaped at him, her sword ready to separate his head and neck. He raised his staff, sure he'd never make it in time and hoping only to knock Sophitia out and give Ivy some time.
As Kilik and Sophitia struggled, Ivy raised Kilik's pendant. She'd seen him use it often enough (and talked to him about it, over a campfire, on enough journeys) to get the basic idea. She let her thoughts flow into the pendant. It glowed black, and she felt an irresistible force pulling from the pendant. It seemed like all the world would be drawn to the pendant, by a force greater than wind or gravity or any other pitiful physical force. She concentrated on Inferno, shutting her eyes and blocking out the world.
[ Him,] she thought, unaware she had clenched the pendant so tightly in her right hand that her knuckles had turned white. Her jaw clenched as she concentrated harder on Inferno, remembering his flaming, demonic body. [ Draw him out of my love. Draw him like poison from a wound... Draw him! Draw Inferno!]
Inferno, inside Siegfried's head, felt an incredible force acting on him. Letting his attention go to the real world outside Siegfried's mind, he saw that the world around him was black. The sky had went dark, but no stars shone. The grass swayed violently, as if in the throes of a tremendous hurricane, and the trees in the distance were pulled towards the glowing black object in Ivy's hands, as if reaching for it with green fingers and hands. Sophitia glanced backwards as she felt that incredible force, and Kilik seized the opportunity to hit her in the face with his staff, rapping her a good one on the forehead. She fell off, and Kilik got up. Sophitia growled at him and stabbed from the ground, cutting his right arm badly. He jumped back and she stood up. She smiled at him, a feral grin that reminded Kilik of a tiger regarding a deer.
" Well, little boy," she growled, and the image of a tiger was reinforced in Kilik's head, " had enough fun yet? Tired? Want to go home to Mommy now that you're hurt? Oh, sorry. Forgot that you killed most of your family." She chuckled, deep in the throat, without opening her mouth. The sound was mocking and felt to Kilik like salt on a wound.
Kilik almost resisted it. He almost resisted the anger that flowed through him, a tremendous and raging thing that made a mockery of Sophitia's temper. His monk training, all the years of being told not to let "negative feelings" gain a foothold in him, almost made him resist it. And then he shoved the memories aside. He yelled, a cry of sheer rage, that made Sophitia's grin falter. Sheer power flowed through Kilik, and his monk training aided him in this. His body flexed, and his force flowed about him, a red light about his body, the only light in the field left alone by the pendant. His power flared scarlet, and Kilik rushed forward. Sophitia attempted to block him, but it was as useless as trying to stop a hurricane. Kilik's staff, glowing with crimson energy and leaving a contrail in the air, swung out and connected once... twice... three times. The first time shattered Sophitia's shield, scattering the wood and metal pieces everywhere. Sophitia's shield arm was broken, and she cried out in pain. The second blow shattered the Omega Sword, breaking it to pieces that evaporated in the wind, and Sophitia had time for one last thought
[ How? How could he break a sword of the gods? How could he...]
before the third blow struck her in the face, a horizontal swing much like a baseball player's swing. Sophitia was blown backwards, hitting a nearby hill with enough force to cause rubble and dirt to be thrown in the air. She lay there, unconscious. Kilik, his power receding now that his anger was gone, looked at her. He had held back with his last blow. Had he struck as hard as he intended to, he would have decapitated her. But he had not. He shook his head. Sophitia had saved his life once, so he would spare her now. And, he pitied her. She was so dedicated to something that was nothing. Something that was little more than falsities. He himself was not a Christian ( he was between religions now, not an atheist but not dedicated to one religion either), but traveling with Ivy and Siegfried, and seeing all that he had, was making him lean more and more towards it. He'd come to believe that maybe Christianity was the true religion.
He shook his head. Maybe Sophitia could learn better, though he doubted it.
As Kilik was delivering his finishing blows to Sophitia, Ivy turned towards Nightmare's now-still body. Siegfried and Inferno were no longer fighting. Both were amazed by the power emitting from Ivy. And suddenly, the blackness in Ivy's hand grew, spread into a star of darkness visible even in the eerie midnight of the plains, and Inferno felt himself being drawn out.
" NO!" he screamed, fighting frantically to stay in.
" Yes!" Siegfried said, pushing at Inferno. He felt his heart lighten, as if a great burden was being lifted. And it was. He felt the bastard leaving. He was going to be free.
[Oh God, thank you] he thought, as blackness suddenly filled his world.
Outside, Ivy opened her eyes, sure she would see Nightmare standing before her and hear Inferno's laughter, immune to the pendant's power and causing her hopes to crash. What she did see caused her eyes to open wide in surprise.
The dark over the plains was almost totally complete. Kilik's pendant drew in all energy, all light. In the small, bowl-shaped depression she and all the others stood in, it was as dark as midnight during the new moon, where nothing but the stars shone in the sky. If anyone had gazed down from the sky at that time, they would have seen a dark spot, like a blemish or mole, on the plains that spread in a circle half a mile all around. There was no slow fading into light around it, no area of gray; the darkness just stopped at a certain point, as if hitting a wall. The plains continued to be bright with sunlight all around it.
The darkness around Nightmare began to shimmer, as if in a heat wave. And with a scream that rent the air and chilled the heart, Inferno was stripped from Siegfried's mind, in a fervor of flame and madness, metal and pain. The body of Nightmare was torn away like a suit of clothes, and below it, wearing his old armor (although a few holes were torn in it, and his right armor and gauntlet were gone) stood Siegfried. He collapsed, breathing hard, to his hands and knees. Inferno lay on the ground, grabbing it and trying to avoid being drawn into the darkness.
Ivy saw Siegfried and her concentration faltered. The dark star in her hand slowly faded away, and light returned to the plains. She dropped the pendant and ran forward to Siegfried. She grabbed him in a hug, and he returned it, hugging her as hard as he could.
" Siegfried!" she cried, and tears came to her eyes. He was back in her arms. Against all logic and chance, he was back. She felt she would burst with joy.
" Ivy," he whispered, crying too. He was pure once more, alone in his mind...
The moment they shared was broken by Inferno. The demon stood up, and his fire blazed around him. His metal claws clicked together.
" How touching," he mocked. " But, I must interfere. Time to die!"
So saying, he rushed forward, claws shining in the sun, death proceeding before him.
Sabriel45- Thanks for the compliments. Read your profile- Canada's a nice place. Cold, but nice. I've never been there myself, but a lot of my family has, and they've told me how nice it is up there. Minus the gun control thing, of course. Too bad your leaders tried to make a gun registration program- they should look at Britain and Australia. Those two countries implemented gun registration, then took the guns away. The violent gun death rate is shooting up in both countries, especially Britain, where it's almost as high as it is in America. And America is over twice it's size, both in land and people.
As for how Voldo got back to Siegfried, I forgot to put in an explanation. Voldo ran off and hid behind a pillar. When Siegfried attempted to attack Thok'ti, Voldo attacked. I honestly thought I'd added that part :).
Another reviewer said it's good I haven't abandoned this fic yet. Nope. I won't abandon it until it's done or I'm dead. Albeiting that at the rate I'm working, I'll probably be dead first.
Oh, and, as you've probably guessed, I'm a Christian and that comes out in my work. If you are not a Christian, I am not forcing you to read this. If you are, then welcome, my brother/sister. I'm not prejudiced against any other religion, but I think Christianity is the only true religion. I won't force you to be Christian, though, or read my work. Those forced are not true Christians, as no one can be forced to love the Lord.
Time to get on with it. It's...
"SHOWTIME!"
Chapter Six
Salvation and Redemption
Ivy woke up in the hotel. Her head resting on a cheap cot, the land was still dark. The sun was barely brightening the far horizon. She had dreamed about when she and Siegfried had killed Thok'ti, the demon. It had been a strangely vivid dream. She was still grateful she'd remembered to bring the StormSilver vial with her. Her father was the one who told her about demons, she remembered. It had been about a year before he died. She and him were talking in the library, and she'd asked about demons.
" What are demons?" she'd asked him. She'd read about them recently, and had gotten curious.
" Terrible things," her father said, turning his head slightly. " Dark things from the twisting darkness that belongs to neither the living nor dead of mortals, but to those spirits inbetween. They are the ultimate essence of our evil, of the evil of all races. They are the reason so much has fallen, both by their direct actions and corrupting noble souls."
" Why doesn't somebody just kill them?" she'd asked.
" Easier said than done," he'd said. " Only three things effect them at all. Silver is the only physical thing that will hurt a demon. The bodies they use can be destroyed, but to really kill one you must cut their essence with silver. The essence looks like a black shadow that bends reality around itself. Fire will destroy the essence, but only Psychic fire, not normal flames. The last way is electricity."
" Electricity? Why will that hurt them? I get the other two- silver is the metal of Good, and fire purifies all things- but why electricity?"
" Electricity represents advancement," her father had said patiently. " The demons hate Good, and they hate it's offspring, advancement. We are more advanced than people 100 years ago, yet if demons had their way, we would all be crawling on the ground like animals. When mankind advances itself, through technology and Psi, we improve our lot in life and save lives, perhaps even souls. There are, of course, bad points to advancement, but on the whole it's a good thing. Demons hate that, and fear it. Electricity is the representative of advancement, burning away ignorance and fear, the greatest weapons a demon has. It is for this reason electricity will kill them."
She'd nodded then. She hadn't understood everything he'd said then, but got the gist of it: to kill a demon, stab with silver, burn it, or fry it with electricity. She'd bought the vial because it was the cheapest thing she could get. She was damn glad of it, too.
Shaking her head to clear the last of the sleepiness, she sat up in the bed. Her sword lay next to her, glittering softly as dawn spread across the land. To her right, Sophitia slept, and even in sleep looked like a soldier. She slept on her back, one hand wrapped about the hilt of the sword that lay on her chest, pointing to her feet. The other lay behind her head. Her shield lay on that side of the bed, leaning towards the bed. She breathed in and out lightly, bosom rising and falling as she slept. Ivy felt a rush of completely unanticipated sorrow for her husband. Sophitia was insane. Sophitia couldn't care about anything earthly. She didn't care what she did to anyone, as long as her mission wasn't affected. When getting this room, Ivy hadn't even bothered to haggle with the innkeeper, afraid Sophitia would simply kill the poor woman and take a room. She would, too. As Siegfried had said when they first met Sophitia, " That bitch is crazy. Whatever gods she follows are more like demons." On this, Ivy had agreed.
Thinking of Siegfried brought a fresh pain to Ivy's heart. She once more renewed her vow to save him, then went into the small bathroom to freshen up. They were starting early today, leaving as soon as the sun appeared on the horizon.
Sophitia, who had been awake since Ivy had first stirred and had been watching through slitted eyes, watched her walk into the bathroom. Sophitia had considered killing Ivy in the night, sure that Ivy would interfere with getting rid of the Soul Edge, and had even gotten up during the night and held her sword above the sleeping Ivy's neck. A single blow and the trouble was over. But she'd decided not to. Ivy might come in handy dealing with Nightmare. And then there was the problem with Kilik. She'd have to kill him too if she killed Ivy, and then she'd have to face Nightmare alone. She wasn't so arrogant as to think she could face the monster without help.
She yawned, making sure not to under-or-over do it, then got up and placed her hand on her shield. Unlike Ivy, Sophitia could care less what she looked like. She was married, after all. To a proper Vulcan worshipper, nonetheless. She tried to call a mental image of her husband to mind and couldn't find one. Oh well. He was unimportant, save that he had forged her sword and shield. Sophitia generally found men useless and not worth remembering. Kilik was along mostly so she could use him for cannon fodder when Nightmare attacked. Hopefully Ivy would attempt something stupid, and Nightmare would attack her too. Then Sophitia would strike while Nightmare was busy, stabbing him in the back. Both Kilik and Ivy would die, but that was beside the point.
Having companions made things so much easier.
************************************************************************
Noon that day.
An open grassland, swaying with the breeze. A few sparse trees populated the landscape, but seemed like unwanted guests at a party consisting of shrubs and grasses. Cows grazed, and their lowing carried in the fields and rolling hills. Amid this peaceful scenery, Nightmare walked, as out of place as a dragon and far more dangerous. He was walking up a hill, and for once Siegfried was silent. He'd been waiting for a steep drop or dangerous situation of some kind, hoping to screw up Inferno when he could afford it least. With any luck bandits would attack, although Siegfried had a feeling it would take a small army to kill Inferno. Inferno, glad for the peace of mind, kept walking.
Not half a mile from him, past another of the rolling hills, Ivy and her party were walking. They'd heard reports of a azure monster walking around, one with bright red hair and an enormous sword. They were pretty sure it was Nightmare. As it turned out, they were right. Kilik saw him first. The monk came to the top of a hill and spotted Nightmare as he was climbing down a slope in front of Kilik.
" Hey! It's him!" Kilik shouted, whipping out his staff. He charged down the slope.
Pulling out her sword, Sophitia ran forward. Ivy was right behind her, although noticeably slower in pulling out her sword. Thoughts and doubts rambled through her mind like a stampede.
[ He's here... what do I do? Oh God, help me... Help me figure out how to save him...]
Nightmare had spotted them too, and in the darkness of Siegfried's mind Inferno laughed.
" Here they come," Inferno said. " I'll let you look through one of my eyes, if you wish. You'll be able to see them die. Won't that be fun?"
Siegfried said nothing, but just charged out at Inferno, throwing everything he had at the demon. Inferno, balked by the sudden onslaught (it was far stronger than anything he'd expected Siegfried to do), fought back. On the slope, Nightmare stopped. Kilik reached him, and swung his staff. It cracked Nightmare in the face hard enough to knock him down. Inferno, still locked in battle with Siegfried, sent a mental command to the body to work on instinct. The body responded, and swung the Soul Edge at Kilik. Kilik leapt nimbly backwards, dodging the unholy sword.
Behind him, Ivy and Sophitia were just about to reach them when Ivy had a sudden, brilliant burst of insight. Kilik's pendant...
[ He can draw anything out,] she thought. [ If he draws Inferno out...] " Kilik!" she screamed. " Your pendant! Give it to me!"
Kilik, looking back and dodging the clumsy swings of Nightmare ( Kilik wondered about this and decided not to question good luck), yelled back " What?"
" Your pendant! I can use it to draw Inferno out! Then we don't have to kill Siegfried!"
Kilik nodded and tossed the pendant to her. Ivy caught it, and then almost lost her hand. Sophitia had slashed at her, missing by inches.
" What the hell are you doing?" Ivy asked, leaping back.
" Draw Inferno out, and you won't be able to really destroy the Soul Edge," Sophitia said calmly, as if discussing the matter over tea. " He'll escape. It's much simpler to kill the body he is inhabiting and then smash the Soul Edge. Destroy the host, and it's over. Your plan involves too many chances."
" Host? Is that all Siegfried is to you? After all we went through together? We traveled all over Europe and Asia together, damn you! Is this how you treat friends?" Ivy, whose fury at Sophitia had been growing for some time, was close to the boiling point.
" Ivy! Save Siegfried! I'll deal with Sophitia!" Kilik said, easily escaping the slow, lumbering Nightmare. Since the body was moving entirely on it's base drives, it could barely keep up with the swift monk. Inside, Siegfried fought with renewed fervor. He had regained control of some of his sense, and with his hearing restored, he heard Ivy's voice. It drove him to greater efforts, and he fought Inferno with everything he had. Inferno, just as determined to kill Siegfried as Siegfried was to kill him, fought back. The darkness of Siegfried's psyche rumbled with thunder and lightening.
Kilik ran forward, and Sophitia raised her shield. She had little doubt she could slaughter the fool. She was a woman, after all, chosen of Vulcan, and no mere man could defeat her.
These thoughts ran through her head about two seconds before Kilik's foot slammed into her face. He had put his staff's end to the ground like an Olympic pole-vaulter, and used his momentum for a good, strong kick. He grinned as he felt the solid impact.
[ Had that coming, you bitch,] he thought. He knew monks shouldn't think such thoughts, but traveling with his friends had shown him a lot. Living in a monastery was a bad way to experience life.
Reeling backwards, Sophitia shook her head and glared at him, madder than hell. Her temper, which usually lay dormant, flooded forth. Readying her sword and shield, she let loose with it, reverting to her native language in her anger.
" Bastard!" she screamed in Greek at him. Having no idea what she said but able to guess, Kilik shrugged at her. Sophitia ran forward at him, slashing with her sword and ramming with her shield. Kilik kept dodging, bringing his staff to bear when he could. The sounds of his staff striking Sophitia's shield rang out again and again.
[ She's good,] he thought. Despite her obvious anger, she wasn't blindly flailing, but using her rage to give her more strength in her normal techniques. Their battle carried them across the grassy plains, which seemed to pass in a blur. He kept running backwards, striking and dodging-
He tripped suddenly, a jutting rock catching his foot. He fell, and Sophitia leaped at him, her sword ready to separate his head and neck. He raised his staff, sure he'd never make it in time and hoping only to knock Sophitia out and give Ivy some time.
As Kilik and Sophitia struggled, Ivy raised Kilik's pendant. She'd seen him use it often enough (and talked to him about it, over a campfire, on enough journeys) to get the basic idea. She let her thoughts flow into the pendant. It glowed black, and she felt an irresistible force pulling from the pendant. It seemed like all the world would be drawn to the pendant, by a force greater than wind or gravity or any other pitiful physical force. She concentrated on Inferno, shutting her eyes and blocking out the world.
[ Him,] she thought, unaware she had clenched the pendant so tightly in her right hand that her knuckles had turned white. Her jaw clenched as she concentrated harder on Inferno, remembering his flaming, demonic body. [ Draw him out of my love. Draw him like poison from a wound... Draw him! Draw Inferno!]
Inferno, inside Siegfried's head, felt an incredible force acting on him. Letting his attention go to the real world outside Siegfried's mind, he saw that the world around him was black. The sky had went dark, but no stars shone. The grass swayed violently, as if in the throes of a tremendous hurricane, and the trees in the distance were pulled towards the glowing black object in Ivy's hands, as if reaching for it with green fingers and hands. Sophitia glanced backwards as she felt that incredible force, and Kilik seized the opportunity to hit her in the face with his staff, rapping her a good one on the forehead. She fell off, and Kilik got up. Sophitia growled at him and stabbed from the ground, cutting his right arm badly. He jumped back and she stood up. She smiled at him, a feral grin that reminded Kilik of a tiger regarding a deer.
" Well, little boy," she growled, and the image of a tiger was reinforced in Kilik's head, " had enough fun yet? Tired? Want to go home to Mommy now that you're hurt? Oh, sorry. Forgot that you killed most of your family." She chuckled, deep in the throat, without opening her mouth. The sound was mocking and felt to Kilik like salt on a wound.
Kilik almost resisted it. He almost resisted the anger that flowed through him, a tremendous and raging thing that made a mockery of Sophitia's temper. His monk training, all the years of being told not to let "negative feelings" gain a foothold in him, almost made him resist it. And then he shoved the memories aside. He yelled, a cry of sheer rage, that made Sophitia's grin falter. Sheer power flowed through Kilik, and his monk training aided him in this. His body flexed, and his force flowed about him, a red light about his body, the only light in the field left alone by the pendant. His power flared scarlet, and Kilik rushed forward. Sophitia attempted to block him, but it was as useless as trying to stop a hurricane. Kilik's staff, glowing with crimson energy and leaving a contrail in the air, swung out and connected once... twice... three times. The first time shattered Sophitia's shield, scattering the wood and metal pieces everywhere. Sophitia's shield arm was broken, and she cried out in pain. The second blow shattered the Omega Sword, breaking it to pieces that evaporated in the wind, and Sophitia had time for one last thought
[ How? How could he break a sword of the gods? How could he...]
before the third blow struck her in the face, a horizontal swing much like a baseball player's swing. Sophitia was blown backwards, hitting a nearby hill with enough force to cause rubble and dirt to be thrown in the air. She lay there, unconscious. Kilik, his power receding now that his anger was gone, looked at her. He had held back with his last blow. Had he struck as hard as he intended to, he would have decapitated her. But he had not. He shook his head. Sophitia had saved his life once, so he would spare her now. And, he pitied her. She was so dedicated to something that was nothing. Something that was little more than falsities. He himself was not a Christian ( he was between religions now, not an atheist but not dedicated to one religion either), but traveling with Ivy and Siegfried, and seeing all that he had, was making him lean more and more towards it. He'd come to believe that maybe Christianity was the true religion.
He shook his head. Maybe Sophitia could learn better, though he doubted it.
As Kilik was delivering his finishing blows to Sophitia, Ivy turned towards Nightmare's now-still body. Siegfried and Inferno were no longer fighting. Both were amazed by the power emitting from Ivy. And suddenly, the blackness in Ivy's hand grew, spread into a star of darkness visible even in the eerie midnight of the plains, and Inferno felt himself being drawn out.
" NO!" he screamed, fighting frantically to stay in.
" Yes!" Siegfried said, pushing at Inferno. He felt his heart lighten, as if a great burden was being lifted. And it was. He felt the bastard leaving. He was going to be free.
[Oh God, thank you] he thought, as blackness suddenly filled his world.
Outside, Ivy opened her eyes, sure she would see Nightmare standing before her and hear Inferno's laughter, immune to the pendant's power and causing her hopes to crash. What she did see caused her eyes to open wide in surprise.
The dark over the plains was almost totally complete. Kilik's pendant drew in all energy, all light. In the small, bowl-shaped depression she and all the others stood in, it was as dark as midnight during the new moon, where nothing but the stars shone in the sky. If anyone had gazed down from the sky at that time, they would have seen a dark spot, like a blemish or mole, on the plains that spread in a circle half a mile all around. There was no slow fading into light around it, no area of gray; the darkness just stopped at a certain point, as if hitting a wall. The plains continued to be bright with sunlight all around it.
The darkness around Nightmare began to shimmer, as if in a heat wave. And with a scream that rent the air and chilled the heart, Inferno was stripped from Siegfried's mind, in a fervor of flame and madness, metal and pain. The body of Nightmare was torn away like a suit of clothes, and below it, wearing his old armor (although a few holes were torn in it, and his right armor and gauntlet were gone) stood Siegfried. He collapsed, breathing hard, to his hands and knees. Inferno lay on the ground, grabbing it and trying to avoid being drawn into the darkness.
Ivy saw Siegfried and her concentration faltered. The dark star in her hand slowly faded away, and light returned to the plains. She dropped the pendant and ran forward to Siegfried. She grabbed him in a hug, and he returned it, hugging her as hard as he could.
" Siegfried!" she cried, and tears came to her eyes. He was back in her arms. Against all logic and chance, he was back. She felt she would burst with joy.
" Ivy," he whispered, crying too. He was pure once more, alone in his mind...
The moment they shared was broken by Inferno. The demon stood up, and his fire blazed around him. His metal claws clicked together.
" How touching," he mocked. " But, I must interfere. Time to die!"
So saying, he rushed forward, claws shining in the sun, death proceeding before him.