Dypes The Soul Keeper. (2)

Chapter 12: A Draw

“How many years has it been old friend?” Coext said as he looked at Tate.

“Too long.” Replied Tate as he held up his body on the large staff. “The years have been kind to you.”

“Oh this not yesterday I was in the same broken body as you. Thanks to magic I have a new body.” Coext smugly boasted as he waved his hands over his body.

“You use magic yet you hunt us down. A little hypocritical is it not?”

A chuckle left Coext’s young mouth. “I am not hunting you down! I am gathering you so I can better understand your gifts and use them to better Skov and bring peace to the world.”

Tate looked at his old friend in a young body and shook his sad face. “You have become lost, all the fighting years ago has broken you. You are right to be in that body. You are just a broken image of what you used to be.” Straightening his back with a click and a groan Tate looked at Coext. “The holy sword saint has been dead for a long time, what you are nothing more than the broken image. You have become tainted corrupt. For god’s sake you are killing innocents!”

A clench of his bloody fist Coext responded. “Sacrifice is needed! A world of peace is what I am after and if some need to fall so many can stand so be it. Tate I don’t want to fight you. I want to reason with you.” Handing out his still armoured gloved hand he continued. “Stop this war surrender no harm will come and you can keep the city. Just stop interfering with my search for powerful mage and allow me to bring peace to a broken realm.”

“No.”

“So be it. I didn’t want it this way.” Holding his wooden sword tight he readied himself.

Standing up straight and looking at the king he ripped off his robe. Coext looked in confusion at what he was watching then he saw it. Wearing black baggy trousers the old man Tate stood bare-chested in front of Coext. Black runes written all around his body, as he looked they moved all around and up into his face. A sudden burning and sizzle of flesh came into effect yet Tate did not scream he just stood intensely looking at Coext.

“You aren’t the only one you can become young!”

With his words flown out his mouth an explosion of mana erupted out of Tate and swelled outside his body before drawing back into him and changing his body. His stubble faded away. The wrinkles under his eyes changed and his hair grew out and went scarlet red. His muscles changed from saggy and worn to ripe and firm. He flexed his new found body and perfection was found. A crack of his knuckles he looked at Coext.

Coext looked at him and before he knew it Tate was in front of him and holding his chest armour. With a great tug the armour exploded off being thrown away by Tate.

“One problem down. I can’t do very many effective spells with anti-magic armour now can I?”  His voice was softer but still had great wisdom behind it.

Jumping back the King looked down at his new body and noticed a great scar started to form from his collar bone to his belly button.

“You can change a body Coext but not the soul. It remembers our last and only fight we ever had. I believe it was a draw. Was it not?”

Coext smiled and rubbed his chest and looked into Tate’s old eyes. “A young body but old eyes my friend.”

“I cannot un-see or undo the things I have witnessed but I can stop you.”

A great pressure erupted out of Tate and buckled to his body a dark blue surrounded his new body and took shape. Four extra arms formed around Tate all made of blue mana they moved flawlessly like his own arms. A great helmet formed over his crimson hair and youthful looks hidden in a raven helmet also made from mana. Gauntlets of mana also formed over his hands and his staff erupted and took new form instead of a large thick wooden stick it morphed into a long spear at the very end a blade of white with a blue dim covering the edges. The air around the both was thick and full of tension. The very wooden floor they stood on cracked and bent as if running away from Tate. Coext looked at his friend with a great smile and licked his lips, dropping his wooden sword to the ground he pulled out his real one.

Tate noticed straight away blood etched into its edge. “You pulled out your sword already?”

“Yes the one who guarded the gate. Newt I believe such was his power I needed to. It was an honour for us both.”

A chuckled both escaped them. “The young will soon become the old and they will fight for a future different to this.” Spoke Tate as his body readied its self for battle.

“If I win this and achieve my victory they will not need to.” Replied Coext as he launched forward. “I fight for peace!”