There Is Light

Chapter Twenty

__Mephiles ran for his life as the six men continued to chase him. He found it difficult to continue running after falling down the stairs and the lock banging his chest as he ran, but he made himself keep going. The things I'm doing for these mortals just to help myself! He cried out in his head. 
__While running down another hallway, a loud bang sounded from behind him and one of the vases Mephiles ran by had blown up. Mephiles pushed himself to run faster as more stuff started to break beside him. What the hell are those things!? He jumped forward as something nearly hit his foot. He continued running until he made into the ballroom. No one was in here, but that only made Mephiles even more worried. He turned around as the men caught up to him.
__"Where's the princess!?" One of them yelled.
__Mephiles looked around the big room. It was too open for him to run and expect to leave unharmed. He glared at the men and tightened his fists. "She jumped out the window we just passed. Why don't you jump down after her!?" He retorted back. He could see now that one of the men was actually one of Daniel's while the other five were Rodger's. While Daniel's man held a sword, Rodger's men had these metal sticks that had been shooting out these weird stones.
__"Very funny!" Another guy yelled out. "We'll cut you a deal. If you tell us where she really is, then we'll spare your life."
__But Mephiles wasn't falling for it. "Very tempting, but I rather not!" He sneered. "None of you seem to know who're you're dealing with!"
__"He's nothing," The man with the sword told the others. "He can't hurt us while he has those chains on him."
__"You want a bet?" Mephiles growled. He put his right foot behind him and raised his fists. Maybe I can find a way to outmaneuver them and get out of here. 
__The man with the sword was the one to charge at him, but Mephiles managed to dodge as he tried hitting him with the sword. While he was bent forward, Mephiles tackled him and threw him into one of the tables. Mephiles stared at his hands in amazement from the strength he did have left. He then quickly ran behind one of the pillars as the five men began shooting more of those stones at him.
__"Give it up, you mobian freak!"
__"We outnumber you!"
__"Make your death easier for us!"
__Mephiles growled in anger after hearing them yell those things. He always hated it when humans underestimated him, thinking he was weak. These chains are not what's bringing me down! He then ran over to the pillar on his left side and heard more loud bangs as he ducked behind it. He slammed his left fist on the pillar and felt his anger growing. I will not go down like this! Mephiles stood up and mentally prepared himself before he ran out from behind the pillar and charged into one of the men. He managed to grab the metal stick the man dropped and swiped it at another man's legs, knocking him down. He continued to fight back and he proved to be victorious.
__Suddenly, Mephiles felt a tremendous pain from his left arm. He looked down and saw that his forearm had been cut off. His forearm had hit the ground and turned into a thick black ooze. No blood dripped from his remaining arm, but that same ooze followed into the black pool. Mephiles looked behind him and saw the man with his sword out beside him. Its blade also had the black ooze on it. Mephiles' anger quickly turned into fear as he dashed for the ballroom exit, but another loud bang sounded from behind him and he felt something burst through his right leg as he toppled forward.
__"See? What did I tell ya?" The man with the sword gloated. "Just another waste of space." He then started laughing and the other men followed his laughter.
__Mephiles tried to get up, but with only one hand and the pain in his left arm and right leg he couldn't. He ended up collapsing on his left side, facing the men. As he panted heavily, another pool of black ooze started spilling from his arm while a small trickle of it came down his legs. This is worse than last time. He thought as he remembered when he and Iblis formed Solaris and were brought down by Sonic, Shadow, and Silver in their super forms. He started heaving as he let his head rest on the ground. Why couldn't I've been killed with the Iblis in this dimension?
__"Chow! Chow!" Solar had flown in through one of the windows and headbutted one of the men, knocking him down. She then looked around the room until she saw Mephiles and quickly flew over to him. She then grabbed Mephiles' right arm and started pulling it. "Chow! Chow! Chow!" She seemed to be pleading for Mephiles to get up.
__"The hell is that thing?" The man that was knocked down stared at Solar in confusion.
__"Those things are called chao," The man with the sword replied. "They're completely useless."
__Solar then turned to face the men and started making loud angry noises, but that only made them laugh.
__"Solar..." Mephiles rasped. "...Stop..."
__"Stupid fucking wall!" A voice shouted.
__Mephiles looked over at the window and saw a brown-furred hand reach in. After a few seconds, Athena's head popped up and she managed to pull herself into the throne room.
__The man with the sword's eyes went wide when he saw her. "That girl! Don't let her get to Mephiles!"
__As Athena stood up from the floor, one of the men pulled the lever on the metal stick and Athena yelled and fell back down as blood started spewing out of her stomach.
__Mephiles widened his own eyes as he tried to get up. No! You can't take her life! But he was only able to get himself to sit up. He couldn't bring himself to stand.
__Athena was pressing her stomach with her left hand while she clenched her right hand. A bright blue light emitted from it and when she opened her hand there was a glowing heart-shaped blue key in her palm. "Mephiles!" She yelled out as she threw the key.
__The key seemed to be moving on its own as it shot into Mephiles' lock. Mephiles watched the blue key turn and disappear as his lock made a click. The heart-shaped lock then disappeared along with his chains and his rings reappeared on his wrist and ankles. Mephiles suddenly felt so much energy flow throughout his body as he stood up. He held up his left arm and glared at men as the rest of his arm grew back and the hole in his right leg filled back up.
__The man with the sword slowly backed up while the other men stared in fear and confusion.
__"Move aside, Solar," Mephiles told her without looking down at her.
__Solar did as told and flew over to Athena.
__Mephiles then yelled out as he turned into his crystallized form. He could feel the stone as his body and he could not blink, but he could still move easily and look around perfectly. He laughed out loud insanely as a purple ball of aura appeared in his hand and he threw it at one of the men, killing him on the spot.
__"Mike!" One of the yelled as he grabbed onto his dead comrade. 
__Mephiles continued to laugh as he slowly started to float in the air. "Foolish mortals! This is now your're end!"