Chain Melody 23

The airship collided with the bridge neighborhood where Finch and Roc had been engaged in battle and collapsed upon itself releasing the magical energies that kept it aloft. The resulting explosion mushroomed skyward in a bloom of flame as a powerful shock wave tore through Aperture and shook the whole of the city.

“KYA!”

“Whatever was that Lady Mail?!”

Poking out from where he had been working beneath the radio transmitter console Wherks looked inquiringly upon Mail who had fallen onto her rear. Looking unsteadily at the Rattama, Mail remembered herself and scrambled to her feet to once again look beyond the window that Varen and Kyte had left through earlier.

“It was the airship. The airship that Varen and the Hero had boarded. It just collided with one of the suspended neighborhoods in the middle of chasm!”

Mail’s voice started calm but her apprehension quickly came through. Wherks read it and took a moment to think carefullybefore closing his eyes as he made up his mind. Opening his eyes he scurried back under the console and informed Mail of his intent.

“What a troublesome pair, those two. We can only assume that at the very least Ardea survived the explosion seeing as he is a Hero and so I shall go through with the plan and hope he can best whichever Hero he has engaged in battle.”

“But what about Varen?!”

Mail whipped her head about from the window to the console that Wherks’ voice rose out from wearing a look of shock. Her shock turned to despair as Wherks spoke with little, if any concern for Varen’s well being.

“There is nothing we can do from here but strive to complete the plan. If he has fallen then it is the best way to honor his memory. If he has, however improbable, survived then he would be most glad for us to give him the advantage we are here to make.”

Mail could not find any words with which to berate the Rattama as she knew that he was right. Turning her attention back beyond the window she looked with concern out at the raging inferno left in the wake of the crashed airship. From her vantage point though there was not much of anything she could see. Had she been able to make anything out amidst the flames though, she would have been horrified by the resilience of the Bandit King.

“Looks like it didn’t work after all, Hero.”

“Heh! I’m not surprised tall man. That grinning bastard always seems to shake off my every attempt to kill him.”

Twirling his spear into a combat stance Kyte stepped forward towards the inferno he orchestrated the birth of. Wearing an anxious smile his steady gaze was met by the wild and triumphant toothy grin of the Bandit King as he strode forth from the flames. The sight of the undaunted Hero left Varen’s palms sweaty and he found himself anxiously adjusting his grip on his sheathed sword he held ready for battle.

“Why won’t he just die?!”

Finch’s complaint rose up in stark contrast to the tension between the three men and she raised her gun to again open fire on the Bandit King. Pulling the trigger Finch was left dumbstruck as nothing happened and her view from Uprooter’s eyes dissipated. Perplexed, she let a confused sound out as the Builders fell into complete silence around her.

“Huh?”

Standing uselessly with her gun held out in front of her, Finch stared helplessly as Roc raised his hand cannon and fired off three shots. Though she could not seem to react at all everything seemed to slow down and she watched Varen easily deflect the shot aimed at him though Kyte seemed to struggle to do the same. It was as if their power as Heroes had faded. Everyone seemed to recognize that strange phenomenon as Roc’s toothy grin became more extreme and strained in kind and Kyte turned around and looked upon Finch with abject horror. He opened his mouth to speak but Finch did not hear his words. Finch’s confusion grew at her sudden deafness but before she could reach for her ears a powerful wave of dizziness washed over her and her vision blurred. Struggling to keep her balance she suddenly coughed and a gout of blood erupted from her mouth. Watching the blood splatter on the ground before her, Finch’s eyes lowered even further to see the embers of flame rising from the gaping, charred hole in her midsection.

“Oh…”

The simple statement of realization was the last word Finch would ever speak as she fell over lifelessly to the ground.

“COMMANDER! NOOO~!!!!!”

Kyte’s anguished screams preceded a sudden burning hole appearing in his own midsection and his prompt collapse to the ground that followed. Grimacing with rage and pain, the felled Hero contorted his body about to look in the direction of Roc’s malicious, toothy grin. The rage Kyte wore on his face gave way to further horror as he saw Varen take his eyes off of the Bandit King to look back him and the dead child Hero. Watching Varen freeze as he took in the sight of the lifeless child Kyte was certain that Varen was next to die as he heard Roc fire yet again. The shot did not reach Varen at all though as instinct alone allowed the swordsman to deflect the shot. Closing his eyes Varen turned away from Finch’s lifeless body only to open them again with an unyielding rage held within his silver blue orbs.

“You’ve gone too far now Bandit King! Killing a child is beyond unforgivable! Recall verse!”

Grabbing the scabbard of his sword as he cried out in rage, the runes of Varen’s gauntlet that had spread to his sheath flared a brilliant white. Drawing his sword, Varen revealed a blade of pure light that seemed to outshine the Great Bird Sol and charged the Bandit King with a speed that put the Hero to shame. With the Builders completely quite however he could only attempt to defend himself with his hand cannon which itself was suddenly growing defiant. None stood more defiant than Elliot however, who still kneeled upon the crimson ice of the dais that held the Sacred Sword Nyr’s Tear. With the silence of the Builders a voice was able to enter the world and it spoke unto Elliot as an ethereal hand of a goddess stroked his cheek.

~ You’re prayers have not gone unheard my child. Now, banish this remnant of Cometia and share my light with the world ~

“I would be honored your eminence.”

Rising to his feet Elliot twirled his sword about and took it in both hands. Raising it above his head it became as light itself and motes of light rose forth to join it from every light source in all of Aperture. From where Roc stood watching Varen come at him as he lifted his own radiant blade above his head superimposed upon the Sacred Sword Shrine, it was as though the world had painted him as an equivalent to the Demon Lord he had sworn to keep sealed.

“Hm, hm, hm, hm, hm… How cruel…”

The words left Roc’s lips as his toothy grin took on a hint of exasperation as Varen and Elliot lowered their swords and the world was engulfed in light.

Copyright © 2018 Joshua D Tarwater