Mariana did not know what to say or do. In silence, she stood up, rubbing her chin with one hand and her back with the other. She felt a crack in her chin through her skin. She gave him a death glare, but the moment their eyes met, her look softened. Somehow she knew, by the look in his eyes, he did not want to do what he just did, what he is about to do, and he feels guilty. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out, only a small cry of pain caused by the crack that had been made.
Nefarious felt all the blood rush from his face. He shot a quick look to Uka Uka, a pleading look to be precise, for the mask to allow him to stop. But the witch doctor only glared at him, which was an indicator telling him to continue. Angered by this response, Nefarious felt the Pentagram on his back beginning to burn once again. The moment the pain truly struck him, he fell to his knees on the verge of tears. That is when he realized: fighting it off would only bring greater pain and perhaps even death, so he decided to see what would happen if he let it consume him.
Just this once. He told himself. It will prove helpful and allow this madness to end quicker. Letting go of all of his senses, he focused on a small stone lying within arm's reach from him. The fire inside was ceased, and replaced by a somewhat disturbing numbness. Not only was all the feeling in his body gone, but it was as if he was an empty shell...just like the first time he meditated. He could think about anything, focus on anything, and have his mind all to himself. He had forgotten how comfortable it was to be able to do that.
He averted his gaze from the rock, and slowly raised his head, looking back into the eyes of his beloved. For the first time, he felt nothing when looking at her. He knew he could fulfill his task. He slowly rose to his feet and took long strides over to her. In a language unknown to humans, he sneered and said, "Let it begin."
As if an alarm went off in her head, Mariana jumped backwards, and Nefarious lunged forwards. His eyes glowed red, and his hands were encased in purple flames. He felt the power rushing through him...the true power of a Necromancer...and he loved it. He wanted more and more. Taking a swing at Mariana, the purple flames cut through the air like a double edged sword, and to everyone's surprise, they had actually cut into her skin. It was not a deep cut at all, but it was deep enough to spill a few drops of blood.
"Funny..." Nefarious stood up straight and said in a monotonic voice. "You are white like the undead, yet you have blood. Let us examine such aspects further." He held his arms straight down and put a little extra force into the flames. The grew longer outwards, and more pointed, like lances.
Mariana decided that she had taken enough. Whatever was going on with her loved one, she was unsure, but she was determined to end it. Her eyes turned black as pitch, and Nefarious could have sworn that he actually saw the Death Aura emitting from her outline. "Come." She took up a fighting stance. "Young Necromancers will learn not to challenge the Olde Ones."
Nefarious' sneer became even more nasty than it was. He took the open offer willingly. "It will be my pleasure." If he was not taken control of by the power within him, he would have kicked himself for saying something like that to her, but right now, he truly wanted to fight her. It would not have mattered if Uka Uka had told him to stop, he would have continued, pushing the both of them to their limits.
Looking for an opening, he spotted the Banshee right behind her. It was looking at him with a pleased expression, as if it had regretted doubting the new Necromancer in the first place, and was eager to see what would become of him. He nodded to it once, and launched himself once more at the older Necromancer. Taking her off guard, he wrapped one arm around her neck and swung around behind her, the flame-lance cutting into her delicate neck. He bit into her shoulder, drawing blood, and releasing a venom-like substance from his teeth. She elbowed him in the stomach, forcing him away. He spit out her blood and wiped his lips.
Mariana put a hand over her shoulder and cursed under her breath. She summoned her scythe and took up yet another combat stance. Nefarious imitated her, only generating his scythe from the deep violet flames. Mariana decided to make her move, and quickly. She leapt forward, taking a swing at him with the blade, ultimately missing. He jabbed her hard in the stomach with the end of his scythe's staff, making her fall to her knees, and eventually over onto her side, grasping her stomach in pain and trying to breathe. He raised his weapon once more, and brought it down.
Surprisingly, blood had not flown everywhere. The blade of his scythe was embedded firmly into the ground right in front of Mariana's nose. She looked at it with wide eyes, shaking. Looking back up to the scientist, who had pulled his arm back with the lance-like fire around it, she closed her eyes and waited for the blow. This time, it came. It was as if her stomach had a fire inside of it all of its own. She held back a scream and opened her eyes. The lance had been driven right through the middle of her torso, threatening to expose more than anybody really wanted or needed to see. He pulled it out painfully quickly, making her arc her back, and this time, a scream was heard.
She looked up at him with tears forming in the corners of her eyes. He looked down at her, first coldly, then, their eyes met again. He could have sworn that some part of him had melted. If not him in general, then his heart. Without knowing what else to do, he leaned over and gave her one last kiss...forever. He pulled up his hood, and ran away into the wasteland, eventually into the heart of the unforgiving desert.
