The Chronicles of Time - Book 2: The Book of Flames

Chapter X: Deception

Chapter X: Deception

My concern of Alicia being thrown in the sea in the arms of an Edheros controlling Kurt evaporated when said Edheros flew out of the water and hovered in the middle of the storm. Alicia was still lifeless in his arms.

"What's the plan?" I yelled.

He wiped his face with his other hand. "We have to stop this storm first! I'll do that by-!" A large wave swarmed the deck, knocking me down. I caught something metal in the process and when the deck cleared, I realized two things: I was hanging by the handrail of the ship and my I had let go of my swords. My heart thumped in my chest as I stared at my hand-the only thing keeping me alive. I imagined being crushed in the raging sea; it didn't really sound like a good way to die.

"Antonius!" Alfrey appeared on the edge and grabbed my hand. The boat rocked back and he pulled me back up along with the motion, making me fly a few feet in the air. He caught me as I fell and set me down. "I will try to break the spell using the Firaxicon! He will try to stop me so you have to keep him busy!" He grabbed my shoulders and continued in a more serious tone. The raindrops seemed to slow down. "And you must get the girl to safety, Antonius!"

He spun around and rushed to the purple ring in the middle of the ship and summoned the Firaxicon. Crouching, he flipped through the pages of the flaming book. A white hot streak of lightning zipped over my head and struck the metal floor a few meters from Alfrey, leaving a black mark. He looked at me, annoyed and returned to the book.

I rotated and met the lightning-hurler. Kurt floated a few feet away, over the wild waters, Alicia still in his arms. Emotionless, he raised his free arm to the skies and I instinctively dashed backwards before my temporal shield even activated. The air in front of me dropped a few degrees, making my ears pop, and a white bolt of lightning struck the ground where I used to stand.

2.5 seconds, I thought. My mind raced, knowing that I was weaponless and defenseless. My brain just shifted to higher gear. It takes two and a half seconds for that bolt of lightning to hit when he raises his hand. I take a second to move. I can dodge it.

"Why do you resist, Antonius?" Kurt boomed. "Even though you know you will lose, you still fight. What kind of stupidity is this?"

"It's not called stupidity, stupid!" I taunted. "It's a little something called 'Not giving up!'"

Kurt scowled and raised his hand again. I readied myself, bending my legs to ease my leap to the side. But no lightning came. Thunder cracked overhead. I knew something was up. Two and a half seconds have already passed. Thunder comes after lightning strikes; not the other way around, I thought. Kurt sneered at me and an electrifying shiver passed through my back. I turned around, slowly, and saw what I was expecting.

Alfrey was crumpled on the ground with the Firaxicon a few inches from him on the ground. His teeth were clenched together; fists squeezed tightly and skin having small arcs of electricity passing over. I stepped forward to approach him, but Kurt flew beside him and dropped Alicia beside him like a broken doll. I gritted my teeth as he picked up the glowing-red book.

"See this, Antonius?" Kurt said, holding the book up with two fingers like a card. "Not even the Pri-Guardian of Temporal equipped with a Lexicon can stop the power he has given me. Now, come with me peacefully and I won't need to paralyze you as well."

I assessed the situation. My all powerful dad was down, Alicia is under freaky Kurt's wing, I have no weapon and I cannot cast any of my Techs. I couldn't fight him. If I fell in his hands, I'd be doing what Tempest wants. If I surrendered, I'd still be doing what Tempest wants. I had another option though...