Ark of the Light

SEVEN: LIGHT OF A LOST STAR

"What!" Christopher stood, his cup crashing to the floor. The ceramic mug shattered, staining the carpet with tea and glass. He ignores the sharp edges as he crosses the room to her. "What do you mean, they are going to die?"

"Just as I said, time has set its course, and I am unable to leave this place to change anything." Morath glared, setting her shoulders back but not rising from her seat. "I would ask that you would refrain from yelling. It does no good."

Christopher grit his teeth, but pulled back, walking over to the window instead. "We defeated the Shadow Queen. You told me that much. What else could be a threat?"

"The shadows had grown strong between when I first caste the spell and when it actually took effect. If things had fallen in place a millennial earlier, perhaps defeating Queen Haizina would have been enough to dissolve the dark magic, but her strongest soldiers are able to maintain their form, or at least until they tear each other and all of civilization apart."

"So, one of these demons...one of these demons-"

"Yes, they manage to kill the Ark."

"How?" Christopher clenches his fists, ignoring the way his nails bite into the palms of his hands.

"They trusted him..."

***

The Ark Angels waited outside of the old church, waiting for Shaden to come. He had told them that he had an announcement, something important, but he had vanished.

Emilia crossed her arms, tapping her fingers as she held back a growl. "How long are we going to have to wait for him to appear? Who just vanishes like that. Honestly, I could fry that twerp."

Jovanna wrapped his arms around her waists from behind, a light and comforting embrace. A lazy grin danced across his face, bemused at Emilia's aggravation, knowing the threat to be nothing more than an off-hand comment. He was about to call her out on it when a stream of black smoke lifted from the ground. Jovanna stepped back, planting his feet for a fight while Emilia raised her fists. Around them, the rest of the Ark Angels stood alert. Jovanna could feel the air shift as Axel drew upon the winds, and the cold heat that emanated from Shadow as he called for his blackfire. At the same time the air crackled with static electricity, a sure sign of Lexis' element at her finger tips.

From the smoke, Shaden appeared, flashing his fangs as he smiled. "Good, you are all here."

"Shaden, what is going on?" Zoey asked, not committed to a fight, but not letting her guard down either.

"Oh, my love, I am so glad you ask. I have waited so long for this moment, and these past few months preparing have been hellish, but finally I am ready."

"Ready for what?" Shadow growled, blackfire racing over his arm.

"To take my place as the Shadow King. No one will dispute my claim once I have destroyed the Ark once and for all." He tilted his head back with a laugh.

***

"... and he ordered his attack." Morath grimaced.

"There must be something you can do," Christopher muttered. They were in a magical realm separated from reality itself; he refused to believe that he had to let his friends die.

"The gods placed me here as a punishment, for using the All-Seeing Eye. I cannot leave until they have deemed it necessary, until the damage is already done to your friends," Morath explained, voice cold and calculative, "At that point, your magic will return to me, and I will be able to perform the spell and stop the shadow curse once and for all."

"So that is it, we were fated to die! What is the point of a spell like that," Christopher pivoted, raising his chin, "Why curse us to be just a tool in some grand scheme?"

At that, Morath stood. "I did not choose this curse, nor this spell. I was trying to save my friend. And now she is dead. And now I must watch your friends die for my short comings, unable to act. The All-Seeing Eye is a cursed object for a reason. Do not think that I wished this upon you."

"Oh yes!" Christopher threw his hands in the air, "As you have reminded me, it is your curse. Like you're the only person it effects! Like you're-"

"Wait," Morath interrupts, raising her hand as if to stop him in his tracks.

"I will not wait. You have barely explained anything, and now you tell me that I have to let my friends die? No-"

"No, Christopher," Morath cut in again, "I am not letting your friends die."

"I will not- wait, what do you mean?" Christopher slowed down in his rant, watching her closely.

"You are right, this is my curse. Which means you may be able to leave." Morath walked passed him, skimming the bookcase. She pulled a leather-bound book from the shelf and flipped through the pages. She spun around, looking up from the page she had landed on. "I may not be able to save them, but you can. You can change time."

***

Christopher sat up, holding his head as he groaned. His brain felt as if was on fire. Thoughts bombarded him from every direction, and he couldn't determine which were his own. He was in bush; he could hear laughter in the distance. He shook his head, thoughts clearing.

Morath had sent him back.

Morath had sent him back; he needed to find the Ark.

Standing, Christopher turned towards where the laughter was coming from and sprinted through the forest. He stopped at the edge of the clearing. A storm of shadows swirled in the sky as one lone shadow stood in front of the Ark. Lexis tried to protect them from attacks from above, while the others defended from all sides. They were grievously outnumbered. Christopher watched as the shadow, Shaden, drew out his long claws and lunged towards Zoey.

Christopher sprung forward, body moving on its own accord. He felt as his body collided against Zoey's, as something sharp sliced across his cheek, as he landed on top of Zoey. Christopher stood, swiveling around and raising his fist as Shaden stumbled back.

"You are meant to be dead," Shaden seethed.

"The only one here that is dead, is you," Christopher spat.

From the ground, Zoey shot out stems of thorns, growing so fast they pierced through Shaden's arms and legs. Black blood coated the plants.

"Lexis," Zoey screamed, "Now!"

Lexis swiveled around, lightening arcing through the sky. Seeing Shaden pinned, she directed her energy towards him. The massive beam of light hit its target, eating away at the darkness and radiating out to the shadows that followed Shaden. In one grand flash, the creatures were gone, leaving ash to rain down on the Ark.

Christopher starred up at the sky. If he didn't know better, he would have thought it was snowing. He winced as flecks of ash fell on his cheek. Something warm and wet coated the side of his face. Slowly, he raised a hand, touching the substance. Pulling his hand away, he looked at the red liquid. Blood. His blood. He felt his head spin. He had forgotten that Shaden had managed to claw the side of his face.

He heard someone shout his name somewhere in the distance. It sounded faintly like Zoey. Someone said something about a med kit, but they sounded so far away. He felt as if he was falling. He looked up, meeting worried, tear filled eyes.

"Zoey?" he mumbled, eyes drifting shut.