Chapter 20: A Lesson Reviewed…

Zephyren's P.O.V

I had been flying for about a half an hour & my wings were beginning to get sore. I hadn't heard any type of pursuit, but since it was Reikourin I was against then I most likely wouldn't hear him at all. Needless to say, I still required a break & so I lowered myself onto the nearby rooftop of one of the larger buildings. It stood about four stories & seemed to be in better condition than the others. Reikourin may have made this building that way intentionally or he may not have; I cared not. As soon as I landed I shifted back to my original state. My back ached as pain seared through it, I really had been flying for too long, there had been a previous time where I had felt this kind of pain, it happened not too long ago too.

One Week Ago…

"If you run into an opponent stronger than you & you're forced to retreat, how are you going to do so?" Reikourin asked as I got up from his latest attacked. I remembered the pain searing through my body as he taught me to absorb the darkness.

"Easy..." I replied with a smirk. "I'll fly, not much can keep up with that." I braced myself as another dark wave of energy shot towards me. Part of it seeped into me as the rest clashed with my flesh & sent me flying through the air once again.

"What will you do if your wings get sore or injured & you are forced to take a break?" Reikourin questioned as he ruthlessly released more energy into me.

"Then I will take a break, chances are I'll be too far away for them to catch up for a while..." I gasped as blood oozed from the fresh wounds on my arms. "Then I'll continue running until I get help. What's with these simple answer questions anyways?"

"Well, you never know who your next opponent might be." Reikourin sighed as yet another wave was launched towards me.

Present…

"Son of a..." I groaned as I felt the air behind me ripple, I turned & saw Cadence standing there with a smirk on her face.

"Those answers aren't so simple now are they?" Cadence asked, Reikourin's voice was layered in her own.

"Actually..." I gasped, this was going to hurt. "They are!" I charged forward, Cadence readied herself expecting my attack. I rolled past her, coiling my legs as my feet once again touched the ground, launching myself into the air. The air around me rippled once again & I managed to take a quick glance at the rooftop as I fell. Cadence had vanished again.

I felt the wings erupt from my back as I flapped them. It hurt so much, but the fall would hurt more if I hit the ground. The wind finally caught underneath my wings & I pushed downwards hard again. I seethed as a fresh wave of pain was sent through my body with each beat. If I made it out of this then I was going to need more than some simple Chaos Energy to heal this.

Keira's P.O.V

"I feel Nexion's power coming this way fast" Verina said. I felt my heart skip a beat. Zephyren had terrified me before with him admitting to enjoying the slaughter of the vampires. I hadn't spoken to him after we had left the tower & had even asked Melissa if I could share her room with her.

"Hey Zephy's headed this way I think!" Melissa cheered as she pointed to a black speck in the sky that was quickly growing larger. It was definitely him, I noticed Raziel nod out of the corner of my eye & his clothes started to ripple. I tensed as I realized that the ripple was not from the wind around him, but from the familiar sensation of being taken through a portal.

Not a second later, Cadence appeared before us. "I knew you'd finally figure it out…" She sighed. "At least this means it'll be a lot more fun!" She disappeared again & we all saw something land on Zephyren's back. There was a scream & Zephyren was sent hurtling towards us. Without thinking, I quickly ran forward & changed. I jumped & flapped my wings as a sudden surge of air blew around me & lifted me upwards. The air allowed me to fly to him faster.

As I caught Zephyren, he smiled. "I'm sorry for scaring you last night." He choked. I gasped as I noticed one of his blades protruding from his arm & the other on the left side of his torso. "Nexion told me that Verina said you were frightened of me for what I said. No more need to worry though; I won't allow myself to get that way again. Ever." He coughed blood up as he yanked at the blade in his stomach.

Blood covered my wings & clothing as it seeped from the gash. It was like staring into a black hole that had turned a dark red, it covered everything. I lowered him to the ground & Raziel was by our side in an instant. He spit in his hand & rubbed it over the wounds.

"His venom can heal the wounds." Slate said as he read the expression on my face. "I'd do it myself, but I'm not entirely sure I wouldn't drink from him."

"So…" Zephyren gasped again as Raziel rolled him over & withdrew the blade in his wing. "You guys know what's going on I take it?" Raziel spat on his hands & rubbed the gaping wound that appeared on his back as his wings vanished.

"Yeah..." I said, my voice trembling. "Do you think we can take her?" I looked over to where the air was once again rippling & Cadence appeared in front of us half a moment later.

Cadence's P.O.V

Vegetation of all kinds flew from the ground at the same time Slate charged forward. The vines wrapped themselves around my arms & then fastened themselves tightly to the ground in seconds, moments later my legs were encased in ice. I screamed in pain as my body was riddled claw marks by Slate. The wounds healed on their own as I expected them to & I easily broke free of my 'shackles'. The moment I tried to move however, I was surrounded by hundreds no, millions of sharp metal blades.

"They're really going all-out aren't they?" Reikourin commented. "They may even beat you."

"Quiet!" I whispered to him as I phased out of my current dilemna. I heard Raziel snarl as he lunged in the area that I was warping to. Taking a little side step upon completing my transaction, I delivered a quick attack to his back & quickly unfurled my wings & flew upwards as a dozen or so stalagmites rose form the ground, all pointing to where I'd just previously been. The blades once again surrounded me as I hovered there & the stalagmites readjusted themselves to head in my direction.

The problem with just gaining control over the power of a god was that it took getting used to. I had no way to counter their elements until I could control them myself. I could never really control any element besides Light, I was mainly the support person if it came down to a fight. My angelic strength was the only thing that helped me in a fight. That & the fact that Reikoruin normally appeared to help his vessel if it came to that.

Doing a last second phase, I appeared next to Keira & grabbed her by the neck, holding a blade to her throat. "Stop!" I roared as everyone froze. I slowly cut her neck to show that I was serious. "Do what I say now or I'll kill her without a second thought." Melissa charged towards me & I cut Keira's throat.

The blood spurted out like when someone covers with their finger as the water builds up & goes everywhere. As her body dropped to the ground I threw the blade at Melissa & it pierced her skull, knocking her dead as well. Next up was Patrick, who encased himself in water which slowed my attacks but I managed to grab his arm. I squeezed & with my enhanced Archangelion strength, felt the bones break. His concentration broke & I snapped his neck quickly. The vampires were enraged, they came at me simultaneously. However, their rage blinded them & they got in each others' way allowing me to easily finish them off. Jen was still crying over the death of the others & so I picked up my blade, shoved it through her abdomen & carried the body as a shield as I advanced upon James. He put up little resistance, refusing to hit his barely living comrade. Riana died easily as I attacked her from the air, rendering her element useless. Finally, I got to Zephyren who could barely move.

"How does it feel to know you'll be my puppet?" I asked, beginning the enchantment to make him my slave.

"I won't listen to you..." He groaned. "No matter what!" He spat blood at me but it fell short several centimeters shy of where I was. As I finished the spell his eyes became a dull grey. "What do you desire my mistress?" He asked as he got up & knelt before me, gasping as his body felt the pain, but felt the need to please me more.

"Revoke the spatial agreement that allows people to freely come to Eternia for shelter & that protects them from all harm from any other being by law." I said, remembering what Reikourin had told me to do. "Also, could you be a dear & lead the attack on all races for me? Thanks."

"As you wish." Zephyren bowed his head & I allowed myself a smug smile as I started down the road to total chaos...

At least...that's how I wish it would have happened. In reality, my arm was stopped as I attempted to cut Keira's throat by water that had been rising up my body from the puddles around me. I had been too soaked in Zephyren's blood to notice it climbing though. Melissa leapt towards me as the water finished encasing the rest of my body except for my head.

Zephyren's P.O.V

I was forced to do nothing but watch as the others fought against Cadence, I felt helpless, knowing that they were mainly protecting me from her just in case she got her way. I felt useless…but what could I do? After all, it was me she was after; & I don't know how she'd be able to manipulate me, so it was best if I didn't get close to her.

"This doesn't sound like you at all my dear prince…" Nexion tutted. "Normally you're the first one to jump into the fray & the last one to leave it." Images of all the encounters I've ever been in flashed before my eyes. The childish sparring sessions I had with Raziel when we first became friends, the fights I'd get provoked into as a teenager, stopping murderers & rapists & such. Then the most recent fights kicked in, saving Keira, the fight with the vampires, & then…

One Week Ago…

"When the time comes will you be able to cast aside your fears & your worries & be able to fight? Not just for yourself but for your friends & possibly everyone in existence?" Reikourin asked, his body ready for my next assault. For everyone? What could he possibly mean? I shook off the question, he was probably just trying to mess with my head & besides, the answer was obvious.

"If it comes to that then yes I would be able to fight. Without hesitation. There are those I have to protect after all." I replied, not changing from my defensive stance.

"Spoken like a true king, you'll lead your people well. After all a worthy king would lead his people well & protect what he cares for without a second thought." I winced at that comment.

"Reikourin, you know that thing where you move your mouth & words come out? Yeah, you should really stop doing that."

"You're actually going to give me attitude now? What happened to the respect you had for me?" He laughed. "Was it not you who asked me to train you for the next match?"

"Just because I respect you doesn't mean that I won't tell you to shut your mouth when you say something that annoys me; which, incase you haven't noticed, you haven't done yet."

"Your mind has got to be one of the strangest things I have encountered in my time. Then again, how people respect each other & how it is earned has changed vastly over the past couple of millennia." The god lunged at me after his comment & I braced myself against the lash of the whip he manifested out of the vines nearby. The ground shook as my legs became encased in rocks of various sizes & my lungs craved oxygen as the air was continuously ripped from them & then blessed with them again. For the rest of the time I had spent training with him it had been all fighting without him holding back, using everything at his disposal to prevent me from flying, breathing, swimming, or even using my elemental capabilities. I was forced to train against him until I could outsmart him & trust me, outsmarting a god isn't easy.

Present…

Could all of those little things about me being a ruler actually have been advice? I mean, he'd say it in the most sarcastic ways because he knows how I feel about being "noble" & all that crap. But he'd also taunt me when we were fighting & I know that it WAS to tick me off & to keep my fighting no matter how tired I was. Cadence didn't try to provoke us, she didn't say too much of anything. She WANTED us to lose, yes. But there's no way she could be entirely sure about being able to go through with her plan. She had none of that 'cocky' swagger. She didn't want us to keep fighting; she didn't want us to gain more determination. If we fought her for an extended amount of time she'd get tired as well.

Keira & Melissa had paired up & were taking the fight to Cadence as Raziel & Patrick stood off to the side looking like they were preparing something. Rinalia seemed worried about me & was saying gentle words to me like "Everything's going to be fine" & "We can do this, you just rest", I couldn't help but smile at her, she barely knew me & yet she had my head in her lap & was acting like we had known each other for years, or like she was my mom or something.

"No." I coughed as I rolled myself off of her lap & forced myself into a kneeling position. Pain seared through me as I moved; whether it was a finger or a leg, moving made me feel like my limbs were being ripped off by something with a million teeth.

"Looks like you finally stopped being lazy…" I sighed; I had expected Nexion to comment sooner or later.

"It's about time that I've started to take this whole situation more seriously because it's not like I'm going to be able to shun the responsibility much longer anyways." I grabbed my blades & stood up, staggering slightly. My mind was going numb from the pain & it was taking all my concentration to keep myself standing. I wanted to scream until I lost my voice.

"We can handle this Zephyren, you don't need to overexert yourself" Raziel attempted to reassure me & I noticed that the wind had been picking up speed around us & making it whistle but my feet were getting a little wet from water that was slowly flowing up onto the battleground.

"I like your plan but we have to all work together to get rid of her. So that means...that means we have to work together." I felt my wings appear again & I noticed that the pain was going away slowly. Whether it was from me getting used to it or if it was from something else I wasn't sure & at the moment I could care less…

Rinalia's P.O.V

The moment I saw Zephyren make his wings appear I changed into my hybrid beast form. My form is…strange, even by Zoanthrope standards. I am able to stand on my hind legs even though my body is that of a panther's but, I have golden wings spreading out of my back, just above my panther form's shoulder blades. I guess you could call me a Chimera of sorts. I lunged forward & grabbed his arm & tried to get him to bend to my will. I didn't want him to continue this fight; he was in too much pain as is. A dark aura spread across his body & he looked at me with pure white eyes.

"Your power to influence Nature...sorry, I mean human nature will not work on me Rinalia." His voice was double layered with Nexion's as he took flight towards the battle…

CHAPTER 20 END!

Writer's Note: Unfortunately, due to event's that have happened in my personal life that involved those that created some of these characters I will not be continuing the story 'Eternal Rendering'. I thank all my readers/followers who have enjoyed this story thus far & I truly am sorry for being unable to continue this story. I hope you will read other stories that I am currently in the process of writing & that I have your continued support.