Requiem Run

Chapter 25

The final temple, realistically, looked like every other temple. To me, at that moment, it looked like the biggest temple of them all. At the very least, it looked like it was the most imposing.

Rhys took my hand and gave me a comforting smile. I could feel Felice's warmth pour through me, like she was giving me a hug, before she prepared to take over my body for the inevitable fight.

"Ready for this?" Rhys asked me.

"If I waited until I was ready, I'd be waiting here forever." I said, "Let's get this over with."

Rhys nodded, Felice took over my body, and we made our way into the temple. As per usual, the fountain was in the middle of the temple. Zappiel stood in front of the fountain. Felice took my hand to our sword.

Zappiel's face was still stoic, uncaring, dead to the world. Something was wrong, and I had a pretty good idea of what it was - that damn gem on his chest was going into overdrive, forcing him into full compliance, probably trying to erase his personality. I had to get that thing off of him - failure was not an option.

As Rhys and I approached Zappiel, the pale elf took a stance, held up his hands, and fire appeared in his palms. Unlike the others, Zappiel was not going to give us any witty banter.

"I don't care what it takes, Zapp!" I said as Felice drew our sword and Rhys began preparing spells of her own, "I'm getting that gem off your chest, one way or another!"

Zapp didn't respond. He didn't even flinch. If it weren't for the fact that he was blinking, I would've thought he was a statue.

Then the elf raised his hand. Felice knew what was coming seconds before I did, and lunged us out of the way just as Zappiel launched a beam of white fire at the two of us. It barely missed me - I could feel the heat on the side of my face slightly burn me - and hit the wall behind me.

Rhys fired two fireballs at Zappiel, but he destroyed them with the swing of his arm, not even leaving a mark or any trace of their existence. Rhys started forming more, but a string of fire from Zapp forced Rhys to create a magic shield instead.

"While he's distracted with her!" I said, "Felice, go in for a swing!"

I remained still, despite what I told Felice.

"Felice! Move!" I yelled.

Zappiel turned to me, and I realized too late that I had said that out loud, turning his attention back to me.

"Crap!" I said, "Felice, we have to move, now!"

Still nothing.

"Felice?!"

Zappiel started walking towards me. Rhys fired some small fireballs at him, but they didn't even make the elf flinch. I tried to move myself, but my legs felt like they were welded to the ground.

"Felice move, goddamnit!" I yelled, struggling to retake control of my own body. Felice was keeping me down, and I had a pretty good idea why. The fire in Zapp's hand formed into a rod, almost a sword-like shape.

"NO!" I screamed as I raised my hand to block the blow, as if that was going to help. Just as Zapp swung, I was knocked to the ground by Rhys, who had rushed towards me so fast she was a blur in the wind.

Rhys helped me back up as soon as we could and backed away from Zapp. I had thought, for a brief moment, I managed to get away unscathed, until I looked down at my left hand and realized my index finger and the top half of my middle finger were gone, just two thick blurry little sticks lying on the temple floor.

"Oh my god." I said at the same time as Felice, who seemed to finally wake up.

"I'm so sorry, moor-acu," said Felice, I... I..."