Awaken (Hermitcraft Fanfiction)

XXVII. Flames of Justice

TW: blood, injuries, death

"It's just, well, I already have a Skizz-shaped hole in my heart. I don't think I can cope with one shaped like you."

Something about his words reignited a fire within Pearl. She feigned death, waiting for their footsteps to recede before moving. A spell, passed to her by Zeroc, shaped itself in her mind. The Galactic took shape as she chanted silently, guiding small streams of magic and weaving them into her spell.

The drain on her already-depleted energy was massive. Her muscles would barely operate, leaving her unable to move. However, she could feel. The pool of blood surrounding her dried up, summoned back into her body. The slashes left by the whip patched over, healed by the energy vibrating vividly in the atmosphere.

Surprised murmurs came from the council as she stood, a hand resting on the hilt of her knife. She spread her wings, silver light crackling as she began to relinquish control to magic. The blade hummed as she drew it, thirsty for blood. Pearl gave it a disgusted look, examining it for what she hoped was the last time.

"You have my admiration, Xylia," Xalyn commented, "but not my respect."

"I understand how it is now," she started slowly. "How control through fear, anger, and stress make it impossible to use magic for good. I had no real goals coming here, but now that you've incited this battle, I intend to finish it."

"You cannot wield magic without control, foolish one," Morpheus rumbled disapprovingly.

"I won't control it. It will guide me, and I shall obey it like you obey your emotions, Xalyn."

She'd provoked them aggressively, just as Zeroc had, attacking the miniscule amount of insecurity Xalyn carried with them. She took calming breaths, watching Xalyn's tight expression as they fought to restrain their anger. She was no longer fighting for herself and her petty revenge. She was battling for justice. She was the only one capable of stopping their tyranny, the only one capable of reversing their control. For Pearl had given in to the temptation and knew every aspect of its furious nature. She knew how her desire for control led to her corruption through magic.

Magic was a fickle thing, and it hated being controlled.

Xalyn raised their right hand and thrust it forward, summoning a blast of sheer force and power, intending to incinerate her. Her arms moved without a thought, energy coursing through her veins. Her magic was metallic silver as it formed a forcefield, neutralizing the wicked energy Xalyn had hurled at her. The subsequent explosion threw both of them back, sending them to opposite sides of the room.

Pearl caught herself on the wall, using the bumpy, uneven bricks to slow her fall. She diverted a stream of magic flowing near her, watching it manifest out of the air, glowing brighter every second. Her skin was hot and feverish from the power she was allowing to take over her body. It caused her to glow blinding white, like she was covered in the first snow on a sunny day. The orb of magic she summoned burst against Xalyn's shield as they summoned it, causing the tower to rock from the explosion.

The council had left the chamber, dashing to protect their people. Through magic, Pearl heard them calling out, begging for the Watchers to unite and preserve their existence. She felt them gathering as a sphere of energy formed around her: impenetrable. Xalyn did the same, glaring at her as their magic darkened, disappearing into the blackness of the Void. They clashed together, a nuclear shock of energy blowing apart the tower.

Pearl was on fire. Her skin smoked from the magic, her mortal body unable to serve as a channel for the justice of the universe. She persevered, diverting the radioactive energy from the innocents below. Xalyn crashed their shield into hers, wings beating as they soared above her, seeking to pin her to the citadel. She erupted upward, knocking them back as she joined them in the sky.