THE GOLIATHUS CHRONICLES
Chapter 11- The Battle Within, Part 2
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Help me...help me please.
I do not want to be like this...
Ami slowly came to, blinking her still-weary eyelids. As the fuzziness of sleep cleared and the world of reality returned, she saw him. Standing right there next to the two of them, hunched down, breathing in her scent like a needed drug.
I do not know what to do...
Quickly Ami sat up, and she shrank back a bit, fear widening her eyes. Just like that, in one moment, Goliathus was there. He had found them. How long had he been there until she had woken up and seen him?
Ami...love...help me...
The heradus reeked of death, flesh still between his teeth...human blood so thick on his claws it was like caked mud between his toes. Who knew how many human lives he had taken already. Ami could scarcely breathe, and she subconsciously held Navi tightly to her chest. One finger poked at Dinarius behind her back, hoping he would wake up. Damn, but he could sleep if he wanted to.
Ami, do you hear me?
Goliathus raised his head to look right at her, his eyes gone from pitch black to a shadowy grey.
Trembling, Ami forced herself to reply. Yes...yes I do. Gollie...where have you been?
I...I am not sure...I cannot remember everything, only parts.
Parts of what?
The heradus fidgeted uncomfortably and seemed unwilling to answer. He diverted his attention to Dinarius, who was still fast asleep.
For a while, he said nothing...then huffed lightly.
Why are you here with him?
Ami gulped hard. She had often worried about this. We ran from you, remember? He's just protecting me. I think. She gave a violent jab with her elbow, startling Dinarius and he sat up fast, looking around...then froze.
"Well...look who showed up." Almost as if on cue, Dinarius crouched on his own two claws and growled, trying to sound as threatening as possible, he had been trying to prepare for this from the moment they landed in this forest. He may not have felt the gesture was much, but Ami was on the verge of bolting away upon seeing this new menacing stance. She nearly blanched white at the thought of the two of them fighting.
Goliathus snorted, and gave a trademark grin. This pup thinks he can challenge me. He chuckled, sounding as if a one-hundred year old man with rust in his lungs.
Ami intervened fast, getting between them. He's not challenging you really, just trying to protect me. You were intent on killing us not too long ago, Goliathus. How do I know I can trust you all of a sudden?
He frowned, digging one claw deep into the soft earth beneath him. For the moment, you can. But I need your help...
Of course you do, I know you do... Ami reached out to touch his scaly arm. You know I care about you. How am I supposed to help, though? You tell me! I'm just as scared as you are...I have no clue what to do...and I have Navi to take care of...
At the name Goliathus looked down, and in a sudden move swiftly grabbed the infant.
No! What are you doing? Give her back! Ami lunged for him, but he dived out of the way. Dinarius snarled and attempted to strike, but Goliathus once again easily dodged.
I need her. If she is with me, I may be able to keep the demon at bay.
You're going to use her as...as...a mental shield! What kind of insane...GIVE HER BACK NOW! Tears in her eyes, Ami lunged again, and succeeded in making contact, but she merely bumped off his muscular chest and fell to the ground with a thump, dirt clouds rising around her.
You can't just take her, Goliathus! You're far from well yet...you could end up hurting her! You bastard, you give her back! Nearly hysteric, Ami tried to get up once more, but Dinarius once more got between them.
"Look, you heard the lady. Give her child back. You are hardly in any condition to be going anywhere with her."
Angry, the larger and far stronger heradus snarled in a true warning. And you...pup...are in no condition to be giving ME orders. I know what I am doing...or at least...this is all I can do for now, if any further human lives are to be spared. I am sorry, but it must be so.
Goliathus spread his wings. Dinarius moved like lightning, getting into the air the second the other did, but was absolutely shocked as in a few beats of the air the other was much higher up...then gone in a strange twisting of the atmosphere.
Teleported! Damn...
Chasing after him now was futile...and Ami still needed protection. Dinarius sighed, feeling totally helpless against this far superior being, especially with the extra boost thanks to that dreaded demon. He hung his head, feeling miserable. This was not what he was designed for...to go chasing Master heradus. And hell, he couldn't even protect one single lousy human let alone even consider going after Goliathus.
Ami had tears streaming down her face, shock and confusion stinging at her, making her lose her grip on sanity. Her child had been wrenched from her arms and into a potentially lethal situation.
Dinarius took one step towards her, and she ran to him, leaning into his lean frame and holding tightly to him. "You've got to help me get her back! I can't lose her!"
But Dinarius wasn't feeling very much like a hero anymore.
/
Atop a great mountain, Goliathus had landed on a rocky outcropping and sat hunched over once more, rocking back and forth slightly with the infant. His daughter had her deep blue eyes transfixed on his, as if studying him in the same intent manner he would the world around him. She had barely made the slightest peep...in fact it was so quiet up here all he could really hear was the wind and her small breaths.
How is it...you have even come into this world?
Goliathus had been weeping openly for the first time in his countless years, but up here, no one would see him.
He needed the isolation...just him and this amazing new life...to consider what was to be done.
He held Navi close, taking in her scents and wrapping wings tight around the two of them. She made a cute baby sound, reaching up one little hand to touch his face.
Goliathus thought for a long time, the cold winds swirling about and creating an eerie symphony.
I need to die, do I not? That would certainly keep them safe. The words had come slowly and in deep thought, as he stared up at the bright stars.
I must know how it can be done. Somehow I must find the answer.
He looked back down at her, smiling.
You will be quite well with your mother. Someone who can really care for you and give what you deserve. For I deserve nothing...I have learned this, little one. My countless and horrific sins cannot ever be forgiven...I am truly a monster. A mass murderer. What would I do with myself if I ever harmed you? I can not let that happen.
Navi's expression fell, and her face scrunched up as tears welled in her eyes.
I doubt this will work, but I never have tried...perhaps if the injuries are great enough...
Overwhelmed by depression and at the bottom of a dark hole he could not escape, Goliathus flew Navius down to the ground, setting her gently in a patch of grass and then headed back up to the very top, and the edge of the outcropping. It was a very long way down...a nice straight shot to the ground of solid rock. The impact just might do it. Had he ever fallen from such a height before? Not that he could remember...surely this had at least some chance of killing him. It didn't seem feasible that he could regenerate fast enough to deal with such incredible injuries from such a fall. It would work...yes, it had to.
Navi cried loudly, now clearly upset. She howled like a young wolf keening, but Goliathus only looked down and over to her once before folding his wings tight against him, stepping off, and plummeting to the ground far below.
There was that usual sensation of a normal flight, when sometimes he would dive off and fall for a few seconds before spreading wings and gliding off into the distance. A euphoria as the cold wind whipped against him and he got closer and closer to the ground.
He hit, head first. There was a blinding pain as a sickening crack exploded and his skull shattered, jaw splintered, neck snapped, wings crumpled, and limbs splayed in every direction. The spine broke in several places, numbing all sensation, but before he blacked out...and hoping it would be for the last time, he noticed how just about every bone in his body was protruding from his skin at jagged angles, so severe were the injuries.
And on that thought, he heaved a great sigh, truly feeling it was over.
Then there was only darkness.
/
You moron. Did you really think that would work? C'mon...you're smarter then that, right?
Goliathus opened his eyes, and immediately screamed out in miserable frustration. He wasn't dead?
No, you're not dead. I think you should know by now that you can't die, genius. Man, that little bunji jump without the cord you just did...THAT had to hurt. Your body looks worse then roadkill on a Texas highway.
Darry had his arms folded, looking down at him as he floated above.
I had hoped it would work.
Yeah...The teen sighed and shook his head. ...well, it didn't. And nice thought there, to abandon your child and all. You're the world to her, you selfish jerk. Get over yourself, and start seeing the forest for the trees. This demon is going to be tough, but you've already glimpsed on one of its weaknesses.
Weaknesses? I saw no weakness in that creature.
Oh COME ON...hello? HELLO? Dinarius poked at his head, annoyed. Is this thing on? Are we making a connection here? Did you not see, just a while back, how you tore one of that thing's blasted hooks right out of you? You can fight it, you can. It's your own self-loathing that's doing you in, Goliathus. You have to start seeing that. YOU are feeding that monster. All your anger, hate, sadness...everything that once had you dieting on us humans. It's only strong if you let it be.
Goliathus looked up, staring at him hard. If you knew this, why did you not tell me before?
I kinda figured you were on the right path yourself...that it would make you stronger to find your own way. But it seems you're going to need a little extra help.
Sadly, I can not do much, my friend. Jezelle and I barely escaped that thing the last time...all I can do is tell you what I know.
And what I know is...you're going to have to do something miraculous...something that would shock that monster and weaken it just enough that you may be able to beat it.
And that would be...? The heradus drew close, more then ready to know what he had to do.
Find my sister. If you can get her to not only forgive you but care about you...like a friend...then you just might have the power of true forgiveness behind you. That with Ami's love...may be just what it takes. Sappy, I know...but truth is, demons can't stand positive emotions. It's like poison to them.
Goliathus could have wept right there. His sister? Trish? Was the boy completely insane? There would never...NEVER...be a day where Patricia Jenner would ever forgive him...not alone start to care about him. He had seen that hate in her eyes...biting like serpents. She loathed him...loathed him more then anything...and he of course knew why.
There had to be another way...just had to be...
There really isn't, pal. But keep this in mind...I hated you once, too. But that's all changed. I'm not saying it's gonna be easy, hell, it could take you months, years...who knows. In the meantime, you'll have no choice but to try and keep it at bay...don't falter like you did this time.
Defeated, Goliathus sighed. I can't. Not on my own.
YES you can. I'm going to do something that will help you. I don't know for how long, but it should give you some time to find my sister and do what you can.
But what are-
Before another mental word could be spoken, Darius turned into his light form and Goliathus felt a shock like lightning as their energies melded. He saw brief floods of Darry's past life, scenes of childhood, family, friends...death...then...the demon's retaliation.
Infuriated by Darry's invasion, the demon lashed out with a head of shapeless rotted flesh, trying to block out Goliathus' mind and overwhelm his senses.
But Darry's spirit kicked Goliathus out of the mental plane, and back into reality. Slowly his eyes focused, and there was Navius, who had crawled up close to his face and was pushing against him.
He tried to move, but his battered body was useless. His spine broken, he felt no pain, but, what would he do?
Without being able to move, he could not hunt anything, and if that was the case...he would not heal. Maybe very slowly, but it could literally take months.
Crap.
Next time, maybe he ought to think a little more before he leap.
"Goliathus?"
Ami, was that Ami? He couldn't turn his head but she walked up to his side, instinctively reaching for the child first. How had she gotten here? Then he knew, as he saw Dinarius also walk into his line of vision, staring at him in disbelief. They had found him after all.
"Oh Navi, are you ok?"
I would never harm her...
"Yeah...but apparently you're good at harming yourself. Mind explaining why you're lying on the ground in a heap of shattered bones?" Dinarius winced at his own words, it sure looked painful.
I tried to end my life...only to discover I am truly cursed.
"That was pretty uhm...well...stupid, if you ask me. Do you need me to go read the definition of "immortal" to you?"
"Dinari..."
"What?" He blinked at Ami. "It WAS kinda dumb."
Ami gave him a look but she knelt down by Goliathus, stroking his face. If anyone understood him, it was her. She knew more of his heart's turmoil then Dinarius, who could never know the misery that the other had suffered.
I am sorry, Gollie, this is my fault. I became afraid, rather then trust you and do my best to help. It's like, I had forgotten everything we had accomplished at the Facility. I love you, do you hear me? And love is something that just doesn't go away. I won't go away. I will be here for you always. She sighed, looking over his wrecked form. We'll bring you food, you need to get healed up and get out of here..
Dinarius, who couldn't help but feel a stab in his heart from her words, groaned. "You're not saying I have to go out there and drag some deer through the air again, are you?"
Puvo, who had been awfully quiet the whole time, chirped grudgingly in complete agreement.
Ami looked over her shoulder. "I can't do it myself." She grinned sheepishly.
"Huh. Why should I?" He huffed. "Called me a pup..."
"You mean...you won't help?" Ami looked at him, her expression turning crestfallen.
Dinarius rubbed his forehead, sighing. "No, of course not. I...it's just...oh, never mind." Without another word, he took to the air.
It was like he thought before, when they were in the forest.
What had he expected, anyway?
/
End of Chapter 11
Yeesh, this chapter went in any direction it wanted to. Eerie, how I can see things coming together, even though I have no idea why it's going this way. Stories write themselves sometimes...