Chapter Twenty Eight: Goodbye
“I want to know what drives you to these lengths, Anavari.” Salus charged in as an orb of chaotic energies. My own form charged towards him, once we struck each other the sheer force threw us backward. I got back on my feet and the flames continued to rage. I raced towards the human and released the flames that swirled around my hand. Our forms collided once again, only this time we remained in place, face to face
The blade in my hand glowed with an intense heat that lashed out to Salus’ own magic. I struck his countless plates of ice, melting them off, only for another formation to take its place.
“Do you believe your convictions outweigh mine? I’ve fought for my family since I was born, I who have made countless sacrifices, lost countless brothers and sisters in the search of your kind!” I felt the emotions of my journey stirring, everything and everyone I had been coalescing to this point.
“Brothers and sisters that you sacrificed,” I said as the heat grew more intense. “That your organization sacrificed. Don’t paint this situation as a battle between good and evil, Salus. We are both driven solely by our own ambitions, I know this now.”
“Don’t tell me we are the same, charr!” Spat the human.
“No,” I said, my eyes narrowed to slits. “I’m am much worse.”
My blade exploded into a myriad of flames, gouts of fire spat out from my form as they took shape into monstrous formations. I could feel the control I had over them, every tether of power that I embraced and poured my energy into. More and more grew out of me, forming from shadows, and fire, and bone. At that moment the three versions of me had unraveled and united as one, into something new. Each one accepting death and welcoming the birth of a lich.
I retreated backward and called upon my minions. The shadows of the dead ready to obey my every command.
“KILL!”
Like comets, they soared through the sky and struck the target with explosive force. Each strike causing Salus to recoil and focus his efforts on restoring his armor. Crackling shards of bloodstone ice continued to grow around him and over his body. I wasn’t doing much damage, but for the plan to work I didn’t need to. I just needed to send him back.
I began to weave more minions, each one charging in and causing an explosion of gore and flame. Each one sending Salus back further. All that was left was the signal. I gathered an orb of necrotic energies into my palm and shot it to the sky. Seconds later I saw the trebuchet launch its payload. I summoned one final wave of minions, all of them hulking golems. They charged in, but instead of exploding they latched on to Salus, enduring his attacks.
“I plan on ending this here, Salus.” I said. I turned and, my skeletal form began to run away from the oncoming avalanche.
“ANAVARI!” Salus continued to scream out to me, but his shouts were quickly drowned out by the sound of the mountain coming down on him. I continued my escape, using my own flames to propel myself forward to outrun the torrent of snow behind me. One by one the signals of my creations were snuffed out, crushed by the weight of the ice.
I managed to get far away enough, not quite towards the battle but no longer in danger of getting buried either. I felt the flames within me fade, reverting me to my previous form. The biting chill returned, though it seemed like something I could easily ignore. The power inside was a powerful warmth that remained dormant for a time.
I released a sigh and sheathed my sword. My one arm came to my face and combed back my hair. I found myself chuckling despite the situation. Then I heard the crack.
Sparks erupted from the snow a short distance away. The glow of the energy bathed the mountains in scarlet light. From its core emerged a twisted figure of spikes, and flesh. Something that was no longer human, something that was barely even Salus. Its eyes locked with mine and it released a roar that froze the air around it.
“It looks angry,” said Garfas as he appeared by my side.
“I’d say mad would be a more accurate term,” I replied. I checked my reserves of life force. That last transformation had consumed most of it, I only had about ten percent left. The last ten percent that I had always held back from using. The last ten percent that I refused to let go.
The creature moved towards me, jagged limbs lumbering and digging deep into the snow and transforming it into bloodstone charged fragments. My hand rested the hilt of my blade.
“I don’t know if I have the strength for this,” I murmured into the air. I noticed Garfas mirroring my exact movements.
“You’re not alone in this, cub,” said Garfas. “And I don’t mean myself.” Suddenly the wind closeby released a crack, something traveled at an incredible speed and struck the monster square in the face. I glanced at its origin and saw the faint glimmer of something in the distance.
“Best eyes in the desert,” I said, thinking about Daniel.
“We got your back, cub,” said Garfas. “Let’s show him what we’re made of!”
I drew out my sword, and the flames enveloped me once again.
“You’ll stay by my side, won’t you?” I asked.
“Until you decide to let me go,” reassured Garfas. I felt a second hand join the hilt of my blade. One that was not quite there, but it felt as if I had regained what was lost, at least for that brief moment. The creature recovered and continued its path towards me. A second crack in the wind signaled me to advance.
My form shot forward, fueled by a strength that was not solely mine. The bullet struck and Salus recoiled backward once more, leaving the opening I needed.
“Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
The blade ignited, and I swung. Over and over I dragged the edge across the monster’s form, cutting through the armor with an unnatural ease. In that moment I allowed myself to be consumed. All the hatred, sorrow, frustration, rage, grief, passion and fear boiling into this moment. Feeling Garfas guide my strikes, feeling what bond we shared become stronger than it had ever been, but at the same time feeling it fade away.
I returned to myself, feeling my body gasping for breath, my arm trembling with the weight of my sword. Finally, I looked down at the sliced up pile of gore that used to be Salus, fragments of bloodstone falling down to the gradually melting snow. It was over.
***
“You did great, cub,” said Garfas as I took another agonizing step forward. My feet sank into the snow, making it difficult to move. The chill was starting to make me feel numb, and with no life force left I had to endure it.
“Then why do I still feel like I lost?” I asked. “There’s nothing to keep you here now. Your life force was the only tether I had to you.”
“Yet I’m still here.”
“Not for long,” I said. “You’ll pass on soon and then…” I didn’t want to complete my sentence, in fact, I was actively trying to fight back tears. I felt the spirit of Garfas hold me by the hands. I looked up at him, at his smiling face.”
“And then you’ll be able to move on,” said Garfas. “And so will I.” I sat down, no longer finding the will to move further, feeling as if my insides were sinking into a black void.
“Do you hate me?” I asked. “For holding on to you for all these years?” The spirit embraced me, held me close to the warmth that wasn’t there.
“Of course not, cub,” said Garfas. “You gave me a chance to be part of your adventure.”
“I kept you from moving on…” I said to my own horror. “I didn’t want to let you go.”
“And I forgive you for that,” I felt Garfas pull me back up to my feet. “Now it’s time for you to start a new adventure, with Daniel. And when everything is done, when the day comes that we get to see each other again, we’ll go on another adventure. The three of us, you, Daniel and me.” Garfas kissed me on the lips, a sensation that felt almost real. But in a way, it was, in a way it was possibly the most real sensation that one could hope for.
“I love you,” I said.
“I love you too, cub.” Said Garfas. “Make some memories for me, and tell me about them when we meet again.” The spirit faded, the candle flame snuffed from this world and moving on to the next. Garfas was gone now, truly gone.
I straightened up and took a step forward, then another, and another. It was time to return.