Close Nemesis

Chapter Thirteen: Together Again

LAIVA:

In the confines of his bricked office, Gyle huffs angrily at me, as my emotionless mirror visor reflects fear into his  jaded yellow eyes.

"Seriously? Killing innocents? You're worse than the governments of Podplanata I and III that are plotting to invade Podplanata II! You're just cruel! I'm sorry, but you can't remain an ally any longer."

I chuckle. "Maybe if you heard me out, you'd understand."

"No, Oppugnant. You are a crazy monster! I'd call Rotcetorp if I knew how to!"

I grab onto Gyle's robe, staring hard into his triangular eyes as his three eyelids nervously flicker.

"Find a way to call him, then!" I growl. "Get him to kill me! I deserve it!"

"No," Gyle responds. "You're crazy!"

Anger courses through my veins as I fire a wave of plasma towards Gyle. It knocks him through the window, shattering the glass so that everyone can hear.

He lands onto the ground with a thud. I watch as pus oozes from his motionless body.

I think I just killed him.

I really am going crazy! I killed someone I had no reason to kill.

Then, I fly through the window, and let out a horrid scream into the misty forest.

My screams rumble through the air, as I direct plasma-fied flames into the misty sky.

Then, I notice a figure breaking through the thick clouds, burning through the atmosphere air towards me. As their silhouette approaches closer, I notice their curved helmet. My palms launch plasmafied water towards Rotcetorp, but he blocks it with a pillar of rock that rises from the ground. As it soars towards me, I pulverise it with a bolt of plasma. Then, the battle truly begins.

It soon becomes a blur as our powers clash against each other in a spectacular sight. We continuously dodge each other's attacks and retaliate with our own. This goes on for what seems like five minutes.

Then, I start to notice Rotcetorp growing weaker. I take this as an opportunity to pelt him with plasma, but one of his stray fireballs knocks me down onto the moss-covered dirt. I attempt to get up, but Rotcetorp manipulates the earth underneath me so that it starts to slowly swallow me. 

"YOU KILLED THEM!!!" Rotcetorp barks in his staticky voice. "I WANT YOU DEAD!"

Rotcetorp uses his earth powers to materialise a rock sword into his hands. Unfortunately for him, he seems to hobble towards me, and I take this as an opportunity to grab the hilt and imbue it with my plasma energy. Then, I swing the sword into Rotcetorp's chest, sending him flying towards an ashen tree several metres away. Rotcetorp lands hard underneath the tree, and so,  I launch myself towards him so that I can see his body.

When I reach my nemesis's unconscious form, I drop the rock sword onto the mossy soil. Then, I chuckle.

"This was so easy," I scoff as I kneel over Rotcetorp's body and press my hands to their back.

I feel a faint heartbeat beneath his jet black plating, and I sigh without thinking.

Thankfully, he's just unconscious.

Thankfully? I've been wanting to kill Rotcetorp for ages. Knocking him unconscious isn't my end goal—killing him is!

"Time to finish this," I quietly remark as I stand up and conjure a plasma fireball into the palm of my hand.

I hesitate.

The painful memories of killing Rotcetorp's doppelganger on Iuenté flood me, as I remember how it was Aacis behind the doppelganger's helmet.