Titans of Ages Current

Part 10: Act 3: Endgames

My flesh continually burns from the conflict, yet not as fiery as my heart does. To think... A copy, of me nonetheless, could match me in skill?
Even after all the power I gained, I was matched by a being whom I knew all her weaknesses.
I extend my arms in an attempt to pull myself down the road. Tamiel stood twenty meters away, oblivious to my presence.
For what other reason did I come here? It wasn't too help my fellow Titans in battle, or even in Etrius's name. All I came to witness was the suffering of that gogori that proved my bane in war.
I reach for cracks in the road, pulling myself further down the path I chose.
Choice.... Such a powerful concept in the eyes of this world. Yet today it is rendered helpless. I feel my efforts, my will, my actions, were not for my own accord.
The pavement increases the sting of my wounds as salt normally would. The heat intensifies the fatigue that pesters my body. After all this, only my will and pride remains.
He stands a meter away, and I have neither armor not weapon to draw on him. Would that still me: of course not. Doubt is for the weak, and if my will sends me to my death, then so be it.
It will have at least been my will that brought me to it.
And are you so sure little girl?
A voice pierces my skull, bringing agony to my ears. His foot lifts high above my head and crashes down on my hand.
Crack!
Does any of this talk of will account for me? After all, if you were to be slain, it would be by my hand, and therefore my will. Only if you take your own life can you say such petty pleasantries.
"You? You must be mad! How could you think such a counter-intuitive notion?"
For it is my own tuition that acknowledges the true state of things. You act not on your free will, but on my accord. Look around, Luciere, and tell me what you see!
The world seemed different, as though time itself has ceased to flow. Buildings hang, suspended in the air, as the glass shattered by the awakening lies in the air effortlessly. Gogori cheer without the sound like gesture of triumph. The injured hold the aura of sorrow and fear without awareness to the stillnes around them.
Even as Tamiel turns his head to me, I see that only his body can move, as his face holds the constant malicious composure from each passing second. His voice speaks to me, yet his lips move not, and his breath remains at halt.
What is it you see, as to what it is you understand? Your ability to fathom only what you deem yourself capable to acknowledge or understand restrains you from becoming worthy of fear. You are ignorant, like a child. You always rely on your senses and your power rather than the thing that makes truly powerful, the mind!
"Stop your cryptic babbling, you foolish gogori! You still owe me an explanation."
His foot tenses I'm my hand.
My dear Luciere, all I owe you, is a swift death for proving yourself unworthy.
Crunch!
My bones shake, as massive pain engulfs my arm. I'm addition to my bone, his force crushed the asphalt around his foot, and force blood onto those very cracks.
You have proven only that you are gullible enough to fall for the same trick twice. Tsk tsk... And to think I expected to not explain this to you.
My own anger breaks my pride as I ask him " explain what? "
Tears rolled down my eyes, I realised how helpless I truly was. Was this all so he could break me? No, a soul that wicked could only scheme this. Somehow, he's using me.... Right?
My Titans have left me, and you know why? Because they learned their place, with the witness of one execution. You see, my orders were clear and concise, and by the end of the day, a mother and child were slew by the husband and father's hands. Could you imagine the pain one must feel to do this to their own family? Now imagine my influence if I told you that it was all ordered? I command the will, for in that mother was instilled the mark of my Titans.
He raises his hand, holding his palm in the air, as smoke erupts from it. In dark-blue letters, a single word could be read.
Manipulation.
The magnus.... My mark... My power that I asked for yet was cheated from... It rest in the souls of those who needed it most. That mother for instance, used it to bring many of my enemies to my feet, including my own brethren in arms. And it all started with a plea, so she could make another soul love her.
"You're still being unreasonable. How does this explain anything."
Slam!
His foot connects to my face, and my body crashes down the road. Asphalt arises each time I hit the ground. As my body reaches a stop, I look down the road. I left a rut in the ground. That ends ask the way at a space where Tamiel once stood....
Crunch!
My head gets crushed into the ground, more violently then my arm was. I lose my sense and ability to control my body, which is replaced by agonizing pain.
Understand that you fail to comprehend. That woman was weak, so my power seeked her out, for it heard plight through the ether. But now her soul has left this world, and I am the vessel that holds her mark. For the magnus that died, returns their mark to its maker.
"So, you control this power? This manipulation? Is that how you get people to do your dirty work."
His cynical laugh wrings expressions of terror to my face. He clearly gave little to no fucks about my rambling. I admit, it was a cry of desperation.
I can control the wills of anyone, but at a harsh stipulation. I can only manipulate the wills of those with stronger power than mine. My men follow me because they completely believe their loyalty is well placed.
"So what? Are you willingly admitting that I am far more powerful than you, Tamiel? Is that befitting of an angel of your caliber?"
My senses were leaving me, my body was disconnected from my mind. The only thing I could feel was sheer terror.
And yet, here we are. You lay at my feet, beaten down and desiring ever so deeply that I may end your life. You may ask yourself, why or how, but understand that it was I that brought you to this. Your power exceeds my own yes, but it is because I accept that fact that I overcame you. With the magni, I am able to cover a weakspot, not remove it. I focus not on eliminating my weakness, but making it my strength instead. That is something that makes us different, Luciere. You cannot accept weakness, so you train and fight to rid yourself from it. You never learned that your flaws make you complete, because of that, your not the warrior worthy of slaying like I thought you to be.
Warrior worthy of slaying? Why bring me to this point? He's using me, he had to be. This is his endgame somehow! He lured me here so he can finish what he started! I don't know how but I'm playing into a trap.... Right?
"What the hell do you want from me?!" I feel my soul crumbling inside of me. I had tears cascading from my eyes. It was the first time since I met Lucifer that my tears had flowed.
That is simple: nothing. You presume that because I use such vile tactics, that you are important to my cause? You are a fool, and a feeble mortal wearing a god's guise. You insult gogori and archangel alike.
All I desire is for you to watch... Watch me as I kill these people, watch me as I seize this realm. Watch me as I eradicate all life from the earth except for your and I.
When all is done, I shall remake life on earth. It shall be in an image not of this world. From there I shall march onto the next realm and eradicate all life and replace it with my own. I will invade, eradicate, recreate then march on. Christ may have fled, but I will hunt him down, and slaughter every living thing in my way!
All this starts right now, and your screams shall give birth to a new world.
....It was the first time I truly beheld his full figure.
His face, expressionless and cold, with black eyes to match. Within these coal-like eyes resides dark-orange irises, hosting a black pupil in the center. His skin was pale, which exaggerated his shaded features.
His body was thick, despite his graceful composure. He wrapped himself in black leather which was encased by red and black armor.
His wings matched, expanding to at least twice my wingspan. Every inch was covered in black, red, grey, and white feathers. His wings were lined with a glowing-gold aura, that emphasised his imposing statute.
His hands were lined with white stone, giving the appearance of claws rather than gauntlets.
These very claws reached for my face, as a single finger stops above my eyebrow.
Would you believe me if I told you, that you stand now, unharmed? If I told you that your fight ended within seconds because your power exceeded your foe's? You were used Luciere, by me!
The ivory-colored claw slices my skin, as his hand travels down my face. The stinging pain felt more realistic than all the other. He surely was fooling me?
And yet, you still deny me? Very well, own your eyes and learn your true state.
Light flashes in my eyes. I stand in the exact place I lay in my vision. It was all an illusion? It couldn't have been, my face.
Blood covers my right eye, as it did in my delirium. However, it was my finger that inflicted the gash. It stood trembling at my chin, shaking at my revelation. He had controlled me, and sure enough, my clone's corpse lay on the ground. Regardless of my eye, I was truly unharmed.
Tamiel! I'm coming for you!
I flew down the road to the sight of a horrific stone beast standing over him.
Alrach!
So this was your endgame Tamiel? It's so clear, he his going to use Alrach as his personal weapon to end the world, or in the very least, this fight.
Don't get me wrong, earth is great and all, but that feathery bastard is the true reason I came!
He'll be dead before he can say my name again.
I raise for the strike as he turns to me, with a vicious expression I have never seen from him.
Boom
I was struck by the massive stone monster, driving me into the ground.
I rise from the hole in the road, realizing what emotion Tamiel felt.
Joy... Pure villainous joy.