Duality : Book 1 of Codex Elysium

chapter 8 (edited)

Chapter 8

Alexia cowered against the pile of rubble as her attackers closed in, desperately looking around for some help, but no one was coming.  Raising her arms in defence, Alexia yelled,

"don't come any closer!"

The puddles near her feet rose and slammed into the Passus, forcing them to stagger back a few steps.  What the...? Alexia sat there thinking she was losing her mind. She repeated the action and again all the water rose and hit her attackers.  Okay, this is weird but kind of cool, Alexia thinks, as she climbs to her feet and sends a third wave at the Passus.  With continuous flicks of her wrist she sends wave after wave at them, they stagger under the blows but keep on advancing.  Looking down at the small puddles Alexia thinks. If only they were bigger, I could send a big wave at these jerks and shove them well back.  The thought is barely finished when the water starts racing into the puddles at her feet, Alexia imagines a wall of water in front of her and immediately one starts to form. Water starts pouring down walls and gushing from windows, all of it flowing towards the rising wave. 

"Bigger!"

alexia cries and raises her arms above her head.  The wave builds to nearly ten feet high and completely blocks off the alley. The Passus shove and push at the wall of water but it is solid and they can't get at her. Alexia makes a shoving motion and the wave surges forward, picking up the Passus and all the debris in the alleyway. The wave rushes down the alley and out into the street until it slams into a building on the other side. The building shudders under the impact, loose glass and masonry shower down. As the water disperses it leaves behind a tide-line of rubble with three smashed and mangled bodies.

"Yes! That was awesome!"

cried Alexia, she was completely elated. All her fear and terror forgotten, Alexia takes one last look at the ruined bodies then turns back into the alleyway to experiment with her new-found power.

                                                                               ***

Tiberius stood rooted to the spot, tears flowed down his lined and weathered face. He had missed his moment and now he surveyed the scene with growing dismay. The crossroads below was a horror scene. Body parts lay scattered on the ground, walls and what windows were remaining, all washed in blood. Near the east gate road lay the sabre-toothed cat pinned amongst the rubble. It was hardly moving now. The warrior twins were slumped against a wall sitting in a pool of their own blood. Near the west gate road was a heart-breaking sight which made Tiberius weep harder, he had thought Eva had been killed outright but now it was clear she wasn't. Jason had a protective arm over Eva and they were clearly talking, offering words of comfort perhaps? Janus stood in the centre of the carnage, sword dripping with blood and his white robe now red, soaked with blood. The demon's attention snapped up to the rooftop, there was a flash of green light and Tiberius appeared out of thin air.

"Conjurer!" Janus growls, "so you are here then?"

In answer, Tiberius pointed his staff straight at the demon and emerald green fire shot from the tip. Janus roars as the fireball hits him. Tiberius sends two more in quick succession, Janus roars again. The fireballs explode loudly and engulf the demon, rubble and body parts are sent flying. Tiberius sends a fourth one then must stop, he leans heavily on his staff, breathing hard. I'm too old to use this much magic, Tiberius thinks as he wipes sweat from his brow.

"No!" Tiberius cries in dismay.

The flames fade and Janus stands completely unharmed, the ground at his feet is blackened. The demon stares up at Tiberius eyes burning with hate "Is that all you've got, conjurer?" Janus shouts.