(MalexMale) The Crimson Immortal [Crimson Immortal Series: Book 4]

31: Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust

Zhil rifted outside the manor to give them space and now stood at the center of the garden, waiting for Sei.

The soul mage was terribly anxious but not scared. He was confident in Auran's skills to defeat Mysia. Even though he hated Odi, he laid some trust in him as well, seeing as he had momentarily saved their lives.

Sei emerged from the ghost rift with a look of astonishment still painted on his face.

"You're actually dead?" Sei asked because he only knew ghosts could use rifts.

Zhil patted his chest, "I'm alive. I just have a better handle on soul magic," he smiled for a brief moment.

A wave of invisible kinetic energy barreled toward Zhil, interrupting their formal reunion. Zhil barely stepped to the side in time as the wave ripped through a plot of blooming chrysanthemums. Their pedals danced in the air to a rhythm they only knew and reminded the world that its beauty will forever remain even after it's been destroyed.

Zhil winced, having been clipped on his left arm. The same arm was also currently broken. His forearm still shattered because, unlike Liches, he didn't have their superior healing ability.

"I won't be able to stop myself! Zhil, you're going to have to kill me," Sei said in desperation as he barely held off another attack of kinetic energy.

Sei's mind was spiraling in and out of lucidness. He knew what he was doing and what he shouldn't do. Mysia's command felt different than the rest. It was as if all of her anger and frustration had been forced into it and reflected directly into his psyche. The dark tendrils of her insanity gripped his arms and legs and pulled him into the darkness so he would be completely devoted to her command. It was so overwhelming that Sei felt inclined to leap into the void.

Sei shuttered in place, fighting desperately to counter Mysia's command. To counteract Mysia's will, he tried to think of happy memories with Zhil. He thought of the time he spent with Zhil sitting around a campfire and telling embarrassing stories. He thought about their picnic at the pond and the delicious chicken stew Zhil had made him. He thought of their coupling high upon the mountain in the dead of a winter's storm night. Sei used any memory and thought to pull him away from the edge.

Another explosive wave of energy erupted in all directions. Flowers and leaves littered the stone paths surrounding him. He failed again to stop himself but luckily prevented the burst from expanding no more than a few feet and was nowhere close to Zhil.

"Take a deep breath. In and out," Zhil yelled and ripped a piece of fabric from the bottom of his shirt and quickly made a make-shift sling for his arm. He couldn't have it dangling freely and potentially distracting him from Sei's attacks.

Hurry up Auran!

Sei let go of his sword and allowed it to float freely beside him. He understood what was about to happen and gritted his teeth to stop himself.

It's too fast, he won't be able to dodge in time.

Sei thought to himself, giving in to his rising panic.

The blade started to vibrate as it hung in the air. Beating back and forth so fast that it nearly became invisible.

In a bright flash of dazzling red and white light, the sword hurled itself toward Zhil. Zhil dodged into a rift behind him and appeared a few feet away only to dodge directly into another and another and another. The seemingly endless onslaught made Zhil focus hard on his rifting skills. Although they had improved greatly since taking on the Liches, each new rift would take a toll on his energy.

Sei continued, following occasionally into Zhil's rift and other times focusing on when a new rift opened. Each time his sword got close to Zhil he was able to slightly change the trajectory, often brushing to the top of Zhil's flesh. But no matter what amount of willpower he threw against the command it continued to barge through and fight more fiercely.