Chapter 5

The Sins of Avo

Garth, suddenly completely enlightened about the situation, threw his hand out and grabbed Spectre's talons. An explosion of electricity sent the bird-monster flying away.

"That thing is envy, and that one is sloth, that's why he's standing still, he's too lazy to attack himself." Garth yelled and rushed at Yandu. The demon raised his hand and all four swords turned toward him. Garth turned around and in a fluid motion sent them all flying away with a flaming vortex. Garth turned back to Yandu, who held his hand out and summoned a copy of his sword to his hand. He jumped forward in an attempt to kill Garth but was blocked by an armored tail. Garth turned back and saw a giant armadillo with Spectre's head, except now the head and body of the creature was brown.

"You can't kill, him, I'm going to kill him!"

"Stop it you idiot, it doesn't matter who kills him, only that he dies." Yandu yelled, pulling his sword back. Garth's will lines lit up brightly as he summoned a spell.

"Apparently it does!" He pushed his hands to the ground and the armadillo monster went flying as a geyser of flame burst from the floor. When the armadillo landed, he'd turned back into his true form, a huge green lizard.

"He's a chameleon!" Page yelled.

"He can copy other animals as needed." Ben added.

"And…" Reaver started, struggling through laughter, "He can turn green with envy!"

"And that means you…" Garth turned back to Yandu and found a pale, white, monster, twice his height standing on his hind legs and roaring. He had huge paws and a head with four small black eyes, but instead of spikes on his head, this monster had a face surrounded white fur.

"Are a snow lion…" Garth finished as Yandu swiped at wizard, sending him flying. Yandu fell onto all fours and, raising his head, summoned three more swords. Four swords surrounded him again, and these weapons each went for a hero.

"Enough!" Reaver yelled, drawing his cane sword and dramatically parrying one of the incoming weapons' attacks, "Come here you overgrown house cat!" Reaver rushed forward, drawing his pistol. He shot the monster several times, but the thing waved off the bullets with no damage. It roared violently and suddenly all four swords turned and started toward Reaver, moving very quickly. Reaver was already standing before the lion however, and he swung his cane sword in a challenging twirl. As Yandu rose to strike him, a shadowy hand grabbed Reaver and made him fall, and the swords, continuing on their path, drove straight into their master. Yandu reverted to his human form as Muddy Mark, and he stumbled back, his body pieced by his four weapons, and fell to the ground. The swords suddenly dispersed into magical energy before dissipating into nothingness and eventually Yandu's body followed.

"What? Brother, no brother, I just wanted to be the one to kill them!" Spectre stuttered. He turned and saw Garth driving toward him. He started to melt into the background but was suddenly struck by lightning, and Garth, forming a circle of swords, stabbed Spectre several times. The demon stumbled, and Garth jumped to him, holding his hand on the monster's head.

"There are not many ways to kill one of your ilk, but I discovered a spell that does so. Allow me to demonstrate." Garth channeled his energy into his hands and in an explosion of light and sound, Spectre's form was consumed by light and it shattered into many small dark pieces.

"Brother…" It screamed, then was gone. Garth fell to his knees, all of his energy gone, his will lines dimming to a faint glow.

"Garth?" Reaver ran to his friend's side. Garth looked up at the man and started to laugh.

"You, you figured out another way…to kill them."

"Yes, well, I guessed they could kill each other. I thought I might somehow convince the envious one to jump in the way, but I didn't expect that."

"Those things…they looked just like the Crawler and Dueler…that means five of those…things… are dead…but of how many?" Page wondered aloud.

"I dunno." Ben offered, "It might be hundreds. But without an army, these guys aren't very tough. They're better generals than soldiers, that's my opinion. But to think that Muddy Mark was one of those creatures that whole time…who else could be…"

"It would only be two other people, for there are only seven of these monsters." Garth rebuked, leaning heavily on Reaver to stand, "There are one of the monsters for each of the seven great sins of the old temple of Avo…"

"Oh, yes, the great sins! I broke them all many times! So the lizard was Envy and the lion was Sloth,"

"Yes, I suspect that the Life-Eater was lust…he consumed many souls, more than either the Crawler or Dueler. He was also had the appearance of a Bonba Ape, animals with a voracious sexual appetite." Garth said, regaining enough strength to stand by himself.

"So that leaves Gluttony, Greed, Wrath, and Pride." Reaver said, knowing each sin very well.

"I'd guess the Crawler was Greed. He looked the most human, the greediest of all the animals." Page said, sounding very philosophical.

"That might make the Dueler Wrath then. That is, if he was based on a Kinkona Spider, which is native to Francia, is very easily provoked, and incredibly dangerous." Ben said, sound like a biologist.

"Then that leave Gluttony and…" Reaver stopped, noticing a small man now standing in front of the throne, staring at the heroes.

"Hello?" Reaver asked. The man looked up slowly. He was of small stature, with straight black hair and a complete white uniform. He had a cape and a sword at his side. Garth looked at the man for a moment, then had to wipe his eyes.

"One of the Oda clan? In the Spire? Before the Life-Eater attacked, your people were the most insular of them all. I've only seen one other of you outside your island. Why are you here?" the man eyes were large but squinted, and had a slight tilt which gave him away as Samarkandian Islander.

"Hold. First, I am not an Oda, nor a human, but I am based on a Nitta, the original settlers of the Cities of the West. My true name is Hebi, the demon of Gula. Second, we of the Nitta tribe have spread out dramatically across those lands, and I was to be the one to launch my invasion from those cities, assuming the others failed. However, seeing as you removed Yandu's attack from the Northern Wastes and Spectre's attack from the Southern Islands, it seems I will be forced to kill you before any invasion can commence. Indeed, Ombra, our last brother, had to return from his victorious marches through Castile when we heard our dear brother Araingee was killed by the mysterious mage. Now, my mistress is warned, and she has left, while I fight, killing you for her!" He drew a katana and suddenly his cape was longer and more dramatic, and he started to hover.

"…I'm not sure I can fight another one of you beasts…" Garth muttered, pulling his glove back onto his hand.

"Garth, wait," Page said, holding her arm out, "You and Reaver look for the Queen. We'll handle this one."

"Is that what you think, little Hero?" Hebi yelled, suddenly twirling like a lumber saw toward Page. The heroine threw her sword out in time and blocked the attack, but fell back onto the ground. Hebi flipped dramatically and landed on his feet, then raced toward Ben. The hero fired at Hebi, but he blocked the bullets with his sword. Hebi flipped over the soldier and stood behind him, sword raised, ready to kill the man. Page held out her hand and Hebi was suddenly blinded. However, the light blinded Reaver as well, who started to stumble away from the heroine.

"I believe that light is meant to blind those of an evil persuasion, which unfortunately includes one of our comrades." Garth said, completely ignoring the light. Even Ben had to put his hand over his eyes, however.

"Are you sure it just blinds the evil? That's pretty damn bright!" Ben suddenly suffered a kick to his chest, sending him to the ground. He could barely see through the light, but he thought he saw something silver and shiny. This was in fact shining the light even brighter, preventing Ben from seeing anything. Page, waving her arm around for a bit, eventually turned the light off, and found Garth and Reaver were gone, but the Hebi was now wearing a large metal helmet with a thin eye slits. He raised his sword over his head and pointed it at Page.

"…good grief…" Page said, holding sword high. The moved toward each other and suddenly around each other like they were part of a masterful dance, their swords meeting constantly through their many moves.

"You have skill, child…" Hebi said, drawing back with his sword in front of his face.

"I am almost thirty!" Page yelled.

"You are?" Ben asked. Page gave him a very dirty look.

"I'd never heard your age before…okay, right, not the time." Ben muttered, and shot his gun at Hebi. However, without even turning his head, Hebi blocked the bullet. The demon looked slowly to Ben, and brought his sword to his side.

"You think a pathetic gun can hurt me? Though I suppose it is a legendary weapon…it would be a shame if it was damaged…" Hebi suddenly disappeared and reappeared next to Ben. He brought his sword up and cut through Dirty Harriet like a knife through butter. Ben simply fell onto his back, his gun destroyed and his power now useless. He tried to draw Kieran's pistol but Hebi had his sword to Ben's neck too quickly.

"Hero of Skill, hmm? Tell me, do your hero powers protect you from losing your head?"

"Um…well, normally they'd prevent you from getting close enough…" Ben tried to back away but Hebi followed holding the sword to his throat.

"And if I'm already too close…" Hebi held his hand behind him, pointing at Page.

"One more step and this boy loses his head," Page stopped, and got onto her knees. She laid her sword before her, and lowered her head, maybe in prayer. Or so Ben thought. Clarity was not his strong point as that sword was literally cutting into his throat.

"What are you doing?" Hebi asked, looking back to the girl. She started muttering something. The demon drew back his sword, allow Ben to start to get away. Hebi stepped on his chest before he could get away, but still held his sword toward Page.

"Stop whatever you're doing or he dies!"

"No, you stop!" Page yelled, suddenly light shot out from her arm as she jumped forward, sword swinging. Hebi, however, was not blinded due to his mask, and readied himself, and they both swung their swords at once, Page landing behind Hebi. Page looked up, and saw that her clothes were cut down the middle, but her body was untouched. However, Hebi fell to the ground, breathing heavily.

"No…a child…what…no!" Hebi's cloak suddenly surrounded him and he shifted into a snake, his long tail flopping and visible damage on his underside. His head was that of the Dueler's with four eyes and spikes coming out of it. It also had two large hands, with which it crawled/slithered away with, going into a neighboring hallway and disappearing. Ben suddenly remembered he was in the castle throne room and looked around.

"Whoever his mistress was dreamed up this place pretty exactly," Ben said in wonder.

"Ben…that person could be ancient seer, Theresa! That means we'd have to fight her, in addition to that snake, monster thing! And aren't you mad about your gun?" Page asked, wiping blood from his face.

"Well…It was a gift, from Reaver."

"It was still a really nice gun…" Page picked up the front of the barrel and gave it to Ben. He simply held it in his hands, then drew his pistol.

"I still have Kieran's Pistol thanks to you. I'll be fine without Reaver's gun." He held the small, holy weapon in his hand and looked closely at it.

"Dirty Harriet was a good weapon, but we'll need something more holy to take that thing down." Ben said, loading and cocking the weapon.

"You mean as a team, of course…" Page said, kissing him on his cheek. They turned and followed the Hebi, out a throne room door and into a blinding light. When they came out, they were standing before a river of lava, and as they turned back they saw no castle, but instead a spewing volcano.

"What happened?" Ben asked, almost falling to his death.

"This is a dreamscape, the person with the strongest will can change it as they wish." Page answered simply watching the volcano erupt. She thought she saw movement and suddenly pointed dramatically.

"There! It's the snake! And…is that the Queen?" Page asked, her eyes straining.

"Quick then let's go!" Ben yelled, grabbing Page's arm as they chased the monster up the side of this volcano.

"Where the hell is the Queen? And where the hell are we? What happened to the nice happy dreamscape?" Reaver asked, trying to keep his hat from blowing off. The volcano which appeared out literally nowhere was making it hard for Garth to concentrate, and Reaver's questions weren't helping either.

"Reaver, I thought you had unsurpassed determination."

"I did too, but I certainly didn't dream up this. In fact, I've never seen an erupting volcano in my life."

"Even through your immortality?" Garth asked, his curiosity somewhat peaked. He hadn't had this much excitement in years: he had the "brothers" of the Life-Eater, and their leader on the run, and now he was fighting with Albion's most hated man on the side of a volcano. He'd certainly never expected this when he'd left Samarkand.

"Erupting volcanos bring my eternal existence into risk. I wouldn't last long if I'd kept testing the limits of my immortality, would I?" Reaver said. He stopped and slammed his cane on the ground, "I'm tired of this! Stop erupting!" The immortal yelled. The volcano seemed to cease and the whole earth started to shake, then the volcano erupted even stronger. It spewed lava, which followed a river path directly toward them.

"Hold on." Garth yelled. He twirled and held out his hands, and wind and stone rose from the ground parting the river around them. He breathed deeply then twisting his hands, summoned a great wind which cooled the stone and allowed them to go over it.

"Dammit, if you could have done that ten minutes earlier…"

"I just sensed something. Someone with great will just retook control of the dreamscape from you. I know where she is."

"Theresa?"

"I…this is an incredible amount of will. It could be…but I don't want to presume…"

"That bitch will pay! I've had to survive attacks from a volcano, those seven sin monsters, you, the queen, and just about every other damned person in Albion for her dark whims! If she wants to destroy Albion, she'll have to do so over my dead body!" Reaver roared, charging up through the stone path. Garth followed, smiling.

"She's enraged Reaver…hmm…now you have to deal with the two greatest heroes of this generation, you damned sorceress!" Garth yelled, summoning a force push spell and gliding quickly over the stone path, grabbing Reaver, who barely kept his hat on as they raced up the side of the volcano.