The Unbidden: A New World (1) (Short Parts)

Part 33

He sprinted at me, covering distance like an athlete. As he neared, he shouted a word in a foreign language and a viscous whip-like extremity launched from his palm at me.

I quickly erected a reflective barrier sending the whip off to the side. Roy leaped into the air about thirty feet and launched another whip at me. I rolled to the left and quickly launched a firebolt in his direction.

Just before it hit, he blinked out. It took me a second to spot him. Too long. He sent multiple flaming blades in my direction. I created another barrier and looked at him.

"You don't want to do this. You want to cease fighting!" I shouted, envisioning him ceasing the offense.

"Your charm will not work on me, Xavier!" he responded.

Roy brought his hands together to form a ball, at which a bright orange flame grew. I took the opportunity to cast Gust Storm at him.

I caught him before he could blink out, pushing him further out. I casted it again, this time sending the spiraling wind toward the ground. I watched as he slammed into the ground and bounced up a foot or so from the force, hoping that might have driven some sense into him. It didn't seem to really deter him though.

In another moment he blinked again, this time to about ten feet in front of me. He launched another whip at me just as I casted Palm Fire. I put as much power into it as I could. The fire spread out at least fifteen feet in either direction to the side and outward. I didn't know how far, but I could feel a strain happening.

The loud roar of the fire and the immense heat stopped as I surveyed the area. Roy wasn't anywhere to be seen. I barely heard him shout something because of how loud my heart was pounding in my head.

I turned just in time to see a dark green ray coming at me. I dodged the beam by inches and started hurling firebolts in his direction. He blinked every time one came near, appearing about thirty feet away every time.

"Stop!" I shouted, holding my palm out.

He froze just as a firebolt struck his leg. Roy screamed out from the hit. A bright flash of light erupted from him, causing me to shield my eyes and look away. When I looked back, he was charging me with superhuman speed. I casted Steam Wave at him, to which he immediately stopped and jumped backward.

The straining I felt slowly grew with every spell cast.

Roy rose both arms above his head and then pulled them down to his side. He launched into the air at a high speed causing a lot of the cloud we were on to scatter aggressively. I quickly lost sight of him.

With the feeling of impending loss coming, I envisioned a circular roof of densely packed water above and created a ceiling above me almost too late as Roy came plummeting into it with his feet. My eyes widened in disgust as his legs crumple beneath him and the indisputable sound of bones snapping reached my ears before he launched himself into the air. I withdrew the wooden spike from my pocket and aimed it at him.

"Lightning!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

A massive bolt of lightning came from the cloud just in front of me, piercing through the ceiling of water, sending electricity throughout, and striking Roy, passing through him and into the vast space.

The crack of the lightning was so loud and powerful I was sent onto my rear with lost breath. The ceiling of water shattered, pouring over me and the cloud. Roy fell back down toward the cloud, unmoving. I quickly maneuvered out of the way as he slammed into the cloud where I was sitting. I heard all his remaining bones snapping and cracking as he bounced into the air a few inches.

I was breathing heavily. I blinked a few times and took several deep breaths to catch my bearing and to calm down. After a few moments, I moved toward his body, which was darkened to a char. His robes burned had been burned clean off, but I kicked him to make sure he was dead.

The smell of seared flesh assaulted my nose. I didn't intend to fight him, and I certainly didn't intend to kill him.

I had no choice though... Right? I thought.

My view shifted from his burned corpse to Galen. The Tarboleth shuddered visibly. A ghostly light rose from it and Roy's body. As the light faded, Galen dropped to the ground in a heap and the green light stretching from Aurias retreated to him.

"Xavier, do you wish to make a pact with Galen?" Aurias asked me in a calm tone.

"Uh... I don't know..."

"You have only a short time before he returns to the Ethereal plane for a hundred years."

Okay, I assured myself.

As I approached Galen to make the pact, his body rapidly decomposed, rotting from the inside out before a burst of energy erupted from him. I was sent flying back toward Aurias, landing on my back.

"It was too late, Xavier. I apologize for not notifying you in time," he said with a sad tone.

"No, it's fine, Aurias. I honestly don't think I'm ready to have two of you. I didn't even know that was possible."

"I apologize once more. I should tell you more."

"When we return," I said, standing up and approaching Roy's body.

The only think he had on him besides his clothes was a ring on his left ring finger. I felt a sense of guilt.

"... Let's go back," I said, exhausted.

I felt myself being sent back to the exact spot I left. Jayde was still sitting on the bed, this time in surprise and worry. Both she and Thea came to me quickly.

"Are you alright?" Thea asked with concern.

"You look shaken up," Jayde said.

I raised my hands and placed one on each of their heads. I hoped they didn't feel the intense shaking.

"It's fine ... things didn't ... go .... as plan-," I said, collapsing onto the bed.