Rogue Adventures - A Tale from Neverbeen Universe

26

As they teleported, Gene had a very bad feeling. He still didn't trust that Rhaleigh or whatever his name was, not a single bit. But if he wanted to find Raphael and stop him from whatever he was doing, he had to hope the Daemon was on their side and willing to help. It could still be a trick. However, when they reappeared at a foreign place and Gene looked about, his heart skipped a beat. Because there really was Raphael!

He wanted to call his name, run to him and make sure Rhagkal's words were nothing but a huge mound of bullshit.

But he stopped and hesitated as soon as he saw what his lover was doing. On some kind of stone altar there lay the remaining three artifacts, and Raphael hammered his sword down on the pyramid-shaped emerald, which burst upon impact; hundreds of tiny green slivers shot in all directions and with a ghastly moan the energy stored within was set free. Even Gene could feel the wind of the shock wave that accompanied it.

"Stop right there!" Azrael exclaimed, "Mister Raphael Raven, you're under arrest."

The other Daemon drew two shortswords and readied himself for a fight. "Seems we arrived just on time," he murmured.

Raphael, however, looked at them estranged, his anthracite eyes hard and cold, a ferral grin on his lips; Gene hardly recognized the man he had fallen in love with and who he had been with for a good seven years. Could it be, Rhagkal had spoken the truth after all? "Come and make me!" he sneered defiantly, then drew up and struck his sword at the second artifact. The cylindric amethyst broke into pieces and caused another shock wave as its power was released. This one was even stronger than the first and swept Gene off his feet.

Apparently the shock wave also struck down Rhaleigh and Azrael. Gene didn't want to imagine what damage the last artifact might cause. But maybe they could prevent this... maybe he could prevent this. "Raphael," he finally found his courage to address his lover, "what is all of this about? Is it true that you want to destroy whole Neverbeen Universe?"

Raphael's grin vanished as he fixated Gene, and his heart sank because this gaze was not full of warmth as it used to be whenever the Daemon looked at Gene. "I don't care about Neverbeen Universe, never have," he stated coldly, his voice laced with darkness.

Gene shuddered, his heart hurt; yet it beat so fast. "Eh... but what about us? You care at least about me, right? And I'm an inhabitant of this universe," he pleaded sadly, hoping to appeal to Raphael's heart.

"I am a selfish man, Gene," Raphael said in a compassionate tone, "and after seeing what I've seen, knowing what I know, I decided this universe is not worth existing anymore."

Gene shook his head. "This is not right," he insisted, "please stop whatever you're doing. Let's go home, let's go anywhere you want, but just... don't destroy this wonderful world, okay?" He made a wide gesture and flapped his arms against his sides. "You've shown me so many fantastic and wondrous things and places, and we've met so many interesting and different people. They might be dangerous, but they're still worth getting to know. It would be so sad if everything just vanished."

"You won't even be able to mourn the loss of this...abominable world. You won't be there to mourn anything!" Raphael thwarted and drew up his sword, then swung it down.

"No! Please, don't!" Gene exclaimed, unable to do anything to stop Raphael effectively. So this was the end...

A metallic clank rang through the air. But it was not the obsidian orb which made that noise. Rhaleigh had reacted fast enough and teleported between Raphael and the altar to block the blow with his shortswords. "I understand you. Yes, I think, I really do..." Rhaleigh smiled, "Yet I cannot let you." With a rattling noise the blades slid across each other as they released their interlock. Both Daemons assumed a fighting stance.

"You will not stop me," Raphael stated somberly, "this is the end of everything." Without further warning the two Daemons teleported and Gene could hardly follow as they flickered back and forth, their blades clashing in a fast pace. Gene held his breath, and apparently so did Azrael as the Reaper stood there watching. And never would Gene have guessed that one day he would be rooting for his kidnapper and tormentor instead of his beloved Raphael — especially if they were fighting each other. But he did.

Once again he tried to reach out to Raphael, this time with all his mind, heart and soul: 'Raphael, please. Stop this madness. It doesn't have to end here. Just come back with us, and come back to me. Raphael.'

But he received no answer, as if he was all alone with his thoughts like he used to be before he had met the Daemon. Instead he could only watch how the two Daemons battled each other in a maddening speed of teleportations. Gene had never felt so helpless and forlorn in his whole life. Had he really lost Raphael? He couldn't bear it, he couldn't possibly bear it!

"Stop!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, and, indeed, the two Daemons halted for a heartbeat or two, puzzled by Gene's outburst. But that was all Raphael needed.

"Oh no," Rhaleigh realized too late.

One last jump and Raphael was next to the altar again. Full force his blade came down and with the sound of shattering glass the Obsidian Shard of Kaye broke into pieces.