Chapter 17
All That We Hold Dear
Babi sat nervously on the foot of the goddess's statue, anxiously tapping one hand against the cold stone. Black, beady eyes darting up to the ice-doors every few moments, his thin tongue darting out to wet his lips nervously. So close, those adepts had come so close to breaking in that time. Had the doors not stopped only half-open before swinging shut once more, they'd have entered and finished him.
Babi rested his hand on the smooth shaft of the trident, feeling the mystic energy pulsing through the metal. It screamed silently for the Master's blood; only that would satisfy this mighty weapon. Babi grinned, he would give it that which it craved, and then he would gain what it was he wished most. Ultimate power over the lands through the manipulation of the seas.
He jumped down from his perch, landing lightly on his feet, Trident still in hand. Those fools beyond the door, they really thought they could stop him. He'd show them.
He moved to stand over them both, the keys to his victory. They hadn't moved at all since the sound of shattering glass, he was becoming almost worried at how long this was taking. If they both failed this test then he would have lost everything and gained nothing. He tightened his hold on the Trident, gritting his teeth in anger.
'They won't fail.' He told himself, 'He's too weak to awaken unless he holds the power of Mercury, but she isn't going to leave him until he does. If he can be guilted into living if only to save her, then I have nothing to fear.' He nodded and rocked back on his heels impatiently. 'I just wish they'd hurry up alread—' Babi was abruptly cut off as there was a loud bang coming from the doors, he spun just in time to see large cracks run through the ice, a red light glowing through them.
'No…' He thought in disbelief, holding the Trident out in front of him as protection. 'They can't break through the doors unless—' Another large crash made him jump as a large chunk of ice fell from the doors, he could see those who stood behind it, he rounded on the large statue, shaking his fist at it in rage.
"Damn you, Luna this is your sanctum, don't let them in!!" He shouted. In his rage he almost missed a soft whimper just behind him. Babi spun on his heel, staring wide-eyed in shock as he saw the girl's eyes wide open. She looked almost feverish as she gasped for air and tried to take in her surroundings, her large blue eyes refusing to focus. Babi cursed darkly as she pushed herself up, he raised the trident, aiming it at the back of her skull as she moved forwards to kiss the young man hard on the lips.
Everything seemed to move so slowly, he tried to force the mighty weapon down faster, but he was too late. The boy's eyes shot open, light poured from between them as he grabbed her shoulders. The light shot out in a dome, striking the Trident and throwing Babi back across the room. He sat up, spluttering as the Trident slipped from his grasp in the shallow canal. He looked back at the two, their forms glowing like the sphere the Goddess held, the doors finally giving way and admitting the Adepts.
They looked as if they would enter the sanctum, but as the older Venus-Adept stepped forwards, the waters in the canals swelled, barring their way. And a sharp order from Hydros halted any attempts to bridge the growing gap.
Seeing this, Babi paid them no more mind, he shot forwards from where he remained in the water, darting to where he saw the Trident a ways off. His thin fingers closing 'round the shaft as he looked up at his intended victims. He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, his weak abilities with psynergy picking up the Adept's attempts to hinder him as the ground beneath him leaped slightly. He grinned maliciously, this was Mercury Lighthouse, thus they held no power here.
He heard one of them shout a warning as he splashed through the shallow waters, and up the small rise to where the two lay, consumed in light. As he raised the Trident to strike again, he would not be thrust away. He slammed the three-pronged weapon into the barrier, shafts of light spewing out from the area he attacked. And oh, glorious, glorious day… it shattered.
The water in the canals seemed to freeze for a brief moment, what looked like a giant wave running up against the sides of the broken dome that shielded the Mercurians, forming a shaft of pure, blue light, leading up to the Beacon above. Babi didn't release the Trident as ice ran up the shaft, coating his hands and creeping slowly up his arms. He shut his eyes and looked away, completely un-prepared for what happened next.
The Beacon went out.
The fire atop Mercury Lighthouse flared and suddenly died, cutting off the power to the Lighthouse and the chamber below it. The light from the goddess's sphere spluttered and went out, as did that from the two Adepts, leaving the entire cavern in complete, blanketing darkness, but for the lone opening far above them.
There was complete silence as well, none of the Adepts or Babi having any idea what was happening. Then there was a spark; like some one quickly striking flint and steel, trying to light a fire, and it came from the place Piers and Mia lay. That spark was all there was, just before harsh pale, almost white light exploded from that small space. Rocketing up towards the Aerie, filling the air with tiny, iridescent lights as it moved, the Orb the Goddess held flaring into life once more.
A beam of pure energy rocketed from the center of the orb towards the two Mercury-Adepts, shattering the ice around Babi, and forcing him back once more it began to shrink significantly as it did so. The winds howled in the vast cavern became a vortex around the shaft of alchemy steaming up into the Beacon, lifting the water up, and creating a hollow tube that pulsed brightly like a heart beat. As the last of the Orb shot away into the base of the vortex, the column of water froze, not into ice; it just hung there a moment. Before it shifted slightly, and its weight brought it crashing back down to the cavern floor with bone crushing force, the entire Lighthouse shook with the echo of the crash.
Babi rose slowly to his feet, glancing around narrowly as the water continued to fall like rain, misting the entire space. He moved to where the Trident lay on the floor, no sign of the Adepts he had attacked. He bent down to retrieve it, the rest of their companions still too stunned to move. As he looked over the Prongs of the Trident, a sadistic smile spread across his face. As each prong about six inches up was coated in a thick layer of warm blood.
He smiled sickly, looking down at the floor, a large patch of blood was visible, the stone where they had rested oddly un-touched by the raging waters. The remains of the water still hung thickly in the air, enough to obscure his vision of the doors and the Adepts he knew were there.
Then came the voice,
"You would do well not to try that again." Babi spun instantly towards the voice, finding nothing in the mist. He looked around vainly, the words had sounded so clear, like the person had stood right at his ear to speak them. He felt a sudden shift in the air around him, and an iciness grip his throat,
"But then again, you won't have a chance to."
----------------------------------------------------------------
'I don't want this.' He thought, suspended in a place of un-ending light. It looked like he was on the ocean floor, small shards of crystal floating carelessly through the air, in a sea of tranquil blue. Each shard a small window looking out on the world from wherever water flowed. One shard spun before him, the small light it gave off magnified as it spun quickly, giving him access to that which he saw.
Babi clawed at his own throat, unable to remove the thin band of air-born water, tightening around his neck. The trident lay at his feet, forgotten as he fought for his life. He tightened the arm he held around Mia's waist, some of his power flowing through his fingers and into the three wounds on her back, healing her swiftly. At the same time, he released the hold he had on the thin cord of water, allowing the cursed man to fill his lungs and breathe.
Mia breathed easier against him as the wounds closed completely, and she pressed her face against his shoulder. Her breathing no longer labored as they both hung in the light.
"I don't want this power." He said; looking away from the window, so the man could not hear his voice. Mia moved against him s she looked up at him,
"Can you get rid of it?" She asked, she sounded tired, no, exhausted. Just as he now felt, he couldn't take the strain of this power as he was. "Piers?" She asked, he looked down and met her eyes.
"I don't know, I won't try until he's dead though." He added, tightening his hold on her "I'm not going to risk losing you again." He said, she nodded slowly, turning back to the window,
"Can you send me through?" She asked him, he blinked a few times, "can you send me to where the others are, and get them out? Would that make this easier?" She asked, Piers thought for a moment before nodding.
"Yes it would." He answered, "If I did not have to worry about harming them." His expression darkened, "Then I could end this sooner." Mia nodded, and he funneled his power into the small shard before them, changing where it looked out until he saw his friends and uncle.
"Don't do anything stupid." She said softly, Piers nodded, looking down at her again,
"I'll make sure he doesn't see you, I'll distract him from the doors." Mia's brow furrowed as he created an opening in the mists,
"That was sort of what I meant."
