SKATH: The Awakening Of Power

Chapter 20

The sky was shrouded in thick twilight, as if the clouds were weeping. Jonah, triumphant with the serpent mask gleaming under the moonlight, turned to Lyra, who lay in deep oblivion, trapped by the peacock mask.

“It’s time to free you,” Jonah said with a mischievous smile. The mask faded away, and Lyra awoke, gasping deeply as the world became clear around her. But what she saw struck her: Skath was there, standing like a statue, his eyes empty and lifeless, controlled by the antelope mask.

“Skath!” Lyra screamed, her heart pounding furiously. “Skath, listen to me!” But he did not respond. His gaze was distant, as if he had disappeared into an abyss of darkness.

Lyra stepped forward, her steps unsteady yet determined. “Please, come back to me,” she pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks. “We’ve been through so much together, remember? The laughter, the adventures... I found happiness with you!”

As she spoke, her heart filled with love and hope, ready to declare what she felt. “I love you, Skath...” The words flowed from her heart like a song trying to call him back.

But Jonah was not willing to let that love free Skath. With a fluid motion, he grabbed a dark blade and hurled it at Lyra. The blade pierced with a dry, sharp sound, plunging into her chest and causing her to fall into a haunting silence down the hill.

“No!” Skath awakened in an instant, the mask controlling him seemed to tremble, his heart began to beat again. But it was too late. Lyra lay at the bottom of the hill, surrounded by a fading aura of light.

The resonance of Lyra’s declaration of love mingled with the darkness enveloping him, as Skath found himself trapped between the power of the mask and the memory of his beloved.

As Lyra’s figure slowly faded into darkness, a wave of pain and fury coursed through Skath. He felt the power of the antelope mask, an unbearable weight trying to suffocate him. But just at that moment, his love for Lyra exploded within him like a burst of light.

“I can’t leave you!” Skath shouted, his voice resonating like thunder as the power of the mask began to tremble. He felt a deep connection with his true essence, his blood, the origins of Thalorin and Elara. Memories of the teachings awakened inside him.

He concentrated all his energy and dove deep into his soul, calling forth the powers that lay dormant, and in an instant, the world around him lit up. The antelope mask shattered into a thousand pieces, releasing pure, blinding light.

Skath transformed. His hair took on the vibrant hues of the planet Hearth: a mix of blue, green, and gold, dancing like a northern light. Blades of light surrounded him, pulsating with a power that seemed capable of tearing apart the very darkness. His eyes shone with a radiant white, emanating an aura of omnipotence and wisdom.

“Jonah!” His voice echoed like a divine chime, filled with authority and determination. “I won’t allow you to harm those I love!”

Jonah turned, surprise painted across his face as light enveloped Skath. “What have you done?” he shouted, powerless before the force that was manifesting.

Skath, now a being of pure energy and light, raised a hand and the blades of light shot toward Jonah. “This is the end for you, Jonah. You will never again use the masks to control others!”

The battle that followed was a whirlwind of light and shadow. Skath, empowered by his new abilities, moved with grace and speed, his energy seeming invincible. Every strike of light he delivered hit Jonah with devastating force, and his opponent began to stagger.

Lyra, in her final moments of life, watched the scene in awe. “Skath…” she whispered, her voice weak yet full of admiration. The light emanating from him was the beacon she had always sought, a symbol of hope in a world wrapped in darkness.