Magus and Malice watched from behind as Nichi’s shadowy figure rose tall before Glenn. With each step closer he seemed to grow; his yellow eyes flickered with the electricity of the storm. Raising the legendary sword that had doomed him, Nichi outstretched his chain-covered hand and signalled for his opponent to come. Feet apart and firmly on the ground, Glenn bent his knees and clenched the handle of The Mastermune. Seeing he was ready, the malevolent Nichi smiled; with a strike of violent lightning, it began.
Running quickly at his opponent, sword drawn and temper high, Glenn brought up his weapon. Using the weight to his advantage, he pushed it downward at Nichi- but the villain had anticipated the move and already brought up his own sword to catch the blow. With little effort, he twisted his blade and let Glenn’s slide unwillingly off. His opponent’s defense down, Nichi kicked him hard in the stomach; his boots were chain and metal. Hit by the heavy force, the knight bent over and nearly dropped his weapon. Swallowing hard, he brought up his gaze to plan his next attack; it was too late. As if it were a blade itself, Nichi rammed the golden hilt of his sword into the side of Glenn’s head. The Knight screamed and tried once more to fight, but it was in vain. Raising his sword high above his head, Nichi smiled at his helpless prey.
“You should have listened to the others.”
He plunged the sword into Glenn’s back.
*
The windows crashed and shattered, standing no chance against the violent winds. Barefoot, Titania ran through the home, her feet bleeding from the broken glass. Throwing open doors, she screamed for her parents, only to find every room empty and dark.
"Papa are you in here!?" She pushed open the entrance of his workshop, only to find his lifeless form on the now scarlet floor.
In shock, she covered her eyes stinging eyes. Turning and running in the other direction, she moved by compulsion to the backdoor which lay open. The lightning striking hard in the stormy sky, she hurried down the stone stairs; they crumbled behind her.
*
“You bastard!” Magus screamed at his old comrade as he watched him twist his blade further into the dead man’s back.
“He deserved it.” Nichi answered, coldly “He shouldn’t be here. None of you should.”
“Change your form, monster!” Malice demanded “You are not of her making, and you are not Nichi! Have you no dignity? Show yourself!”
Phantasm simply grinned “
Her? Do you mean that thing up there?” He pointed to the stairs.
No sooner did they look did she disappear, only to be swept onto the shore before them, confused and in pain.
“Tania! Tania!” Nichi was gone and now a child was crying “Do you see these men? They’re the ones who’re doing this! They’ve killed your parents!”
The mage looked at the little boy and then at the others. She turned to the child, but as if to answer her question she suddenly found two knives in her hands. She looked at them, but did not move; her heart beat quickly and her mind ran. As it did, the storm grew more intense, and through it, Magus and Malice could feel her emotions.
“Please Tania, they’re going to kill me too!”
She shook her head, blankly “Run then! These men would hurt you. I don’t know why, but they seem-”
“You will not listen to me? Have you no idea who I am.” Suddenly the child’s voice echoed in a godly manner, and Titania was struck with flame. She screamed and when she looked up again it was the figure of a bird that stood before her.
“Kill them in my name!”
Catching her breath after the pain, she turned to the others; the air filled with hesitation and fear.
“That one first.” Fire swirled around the fading Malice as if to direct her.
She swallowed and did not move. Turning her gaze back to Phoenix, pleadingly, she cried “What harm has he done you? This man seems to be good natured!”
She was hit once more with flame “Do as I say and do not question my words!”
Screaming, she turned to look at Malice who already seemed ready to fight.
*
“Tania! Tania!” Nichi was gone and now a child was crying “Do you see these men? They’re the ones who’re doing this! They’ve killed your parents!”
Magus and Malice looked at each other, knowing what was about to happen.
“How long can you hold her off for?” Magus asked.
“With both of us alive? Not very long…”
“Try. I will retrieve Glenn. We don’t know if his death in this place is the same as a death in the outside world. Distract them both, and I will attempt to do this and destroy this monster before it can take another one of us.”
“Hurry. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to keep it up…”
“She doesn’t want to fight. Find a way to use that.”
The two turned to each other, both with a look of fear and hesitation. As the inevitability of battle came before them, the sky turned black, and the storm grew heavier.
Who are you? Malice heard her voice inside his head
…I know we’ve met before