Echoes of the Past

Chapter Forty Two - Part One

Chapter Forty Two: Hard Choices - Part One

Evan blocked a swinging staff and then spun and swung behind him to strike out against another guard. He ducked under a swinging sword from a third guard as he threw himself back to clear ground and allow himself time to gather his next attack. The three guards were on him, and between his blocks and quick side steps, he threw out a heavy downward chop and crashed his sword down onto the chest armour of a guard, cracking the armour and sending the man to the ground.

Gunfire tore across the battlefield, which had now filled with a thin layer of smoke from all the blasts of plasma and bullets striking the ground. Bodies flew this way and that, and Evan couldn't be sure if they were leaps from the Oneron or corpses thrown back by explosions.

Evan threw himself close to a guard who raised a staff to bring down on him, and slammed the flat of his broadsword into his chest, as though he were swinging a bat. Evan summoned a burst of Wind Sorcery in the moment of impact, and the hit sent the man spiralling into the air.

The sound of rushing air came to Evan a moment before a thick metal staff swung into view. He leapt to the side as the staff tip cracked into the dusty earth. It retracted back, dragging across the ground, and Evan saw it snap into place and become a six-foot staff again, in the hands of Jaxx's bodyguard. During the battle, having become overwhelmed with other guards, Evan had momentarily lost sight of the wolf-man. With the nearby Oneron taking on the nearest guards, now Evan had an opportunity to finish off this dangerous foe.

He rushed forward with his sword raised. A blast of dizziness took his legs from him and he faltered. The entire planet felt like it had rocked. He steadied himself and continued his approach.

"I will no longer be a slave to Higero Jaxx's illusions," Evan shouted as he swung a series of attacks. "If he were not a coward, he would face me himself."

Vogri blocked the attacks and pushed himself back to clear space.

"You have been marked, Voarn," Vogri said, his voice a snarling hiss. "The sphere of influence is upon you. As long as you are near the forge, you will feel his effects. You cannot win here."

A whining whistle rang through the air as one of Jaxx's guards shot a missile downwards. The impact caused a concussive detonation that threw out a ring of fire; a large wall of flames that expanded outwards. Several Oneron and guards were caught up in the flames, bodies flailing in the air. Evan raised an arm up instinctively against the hot wind that blew over him.

Evan steadied himself. Runn was stirring. It wanted out. But there was no way Evan would risk releasing him. The demon may have helped him in a dire moment previously, but Evan ran the risk of giving him too much power, and pushing him out beyond a point that couldn't be controlled.

Vogri appeared at his side and the staff cracked against Evan's head with a powerful jolt. He hit the ground hard, tensing against the pain shooting through him. He should have been focusing on his enemy, but it felt like he was up against two foes. One external and one internal.

Another shove from Runn. No, Evan cried internally. You will remain in place. Do not anger me.

He rose to his feet. Vogri was gone. Nowhere to be seen on the battlefield. An urgent shove came from Evan's chest and left through his head. He looked up in time to see Vogri falling towards him. Evan dove away as the staff slammed down, cracking the earth.

It had been a warning from Runn, he realised. The demon had wanted to help him.

Sword and staff clashed again in a series of attacks. The golden sceptre on Evan's back suddenly felt heavy and prominent. Perhaps another influence from Runn. Perhaps one of Jaxx's tricks. Vogri finished with a backflip and his staff extended to strike Evan across the jaw, throwing him back to the ground.