Chapter 42: Thalorian

The long winding stairway leading up to what seemed to be a terrace. It was dimly lit inside the stairway, only about half the torches were functional, their flames weak and unsteady. The stairway didn’t seem to have been used in a long time, or maybe it was just supposed to look like such.

The trio’s boots striking the cement was the only noise, “Well everyone got quiet quick,” commented Haverian, yawning.

“You’re awfully chill for someone who’s marching to a fight with a god,” Yoru said, flipping his gaze to Haverian.

“I mean it’s not too much of a threat to me, I’ve already died,” he replied, then shifted his eyes to Yoru, “twice.”

Yoru stared in awe at Haverian, “So you’ve died, like actually dead, twice?!” he questioned, “because that's awesome!”

“Yep. One time I was brutally mangled by a knight, the other time I had my head crushed by a boulder.”

Thalorian looked at Haverian, unamused, “And the third time,” Thalorian said flatly, “you were beaten to death by your best friend.”

Haverian looked hurt, “Ouch, I thought we were tight,” Haverian shrugged, “but I guess I am filling your son’s head with ‘death is cool’ slop.”

Thalorian cocked an eyebrow, “Ya think?”

“I know, I know, I’ll stop,” replied Haverian, raising his arms in the air.

The trio continued in silence for a while after that, no more sound than a mouse stealing cheese from a cat.

As they approached the end of the hallway the lights flickered, and shook, they grew dimmer and dimmer. Thalorian raised an arm to shield his eyes as blinding light flooded the hall

“Welcome,” said a figure in the background.

“Jiyoda,” growled Thalorian, drawing his sword.

“Hello you three. I’m surprised there aren’t more of you. I suppose Avris and Amari did a better job than I thought,” Jiyoda shrugged.

“Shut your goddamn mouth about Avris!” Yoru yelled, pointing an accusing finger at Jiyoda.

Jiyoda turned toward them, “Oh I’m so sorry about your little friend’s death,” he said sarcastically.

Yoru grabbed his spear and threw it at Jiyoda, who grabbed it mid air and shattered it, transforming it into mana.

“You truly are fools if you thought a spear would kill me,” he mocked, summoning two giant hands, made of mana.

Thalorian rushed at Jiyoda, who batted him away and back to the others.

“I don’t want to fight yet, little dragon,” he mocked, “I want to tell you a story first.”

“I don’t care for your stories!” cried Thalorian, running back at Jiyoda, who batted him back again.

“It all started fifteen-thousand years ago, when I was still bound to the Eternal Balance,” Jiyoda began, “I was guiding a young dragon through life, telling him this and that, how to cast these spells and those spells. Twas simple then, then I told him to kill the Crown, and he complied. The Crown had fallen and we were happy, but the Aternum, not so much,” Jiyoda sighed, “they imprisoned my,” Jiyoda pointed to Haverian, “thanks to that bitch, and for fifteen-thousand years I built my army, I recruited guards, and other prisoners, in fact I even recruit some spirits,” Jiyoda shifted to Yoru, “You know them, Lady Amari Rellien, Bigteeth, Garret Smith, and several others all throughout the world, once we were ready we started our onslaught. With the help of Elben and Avris I escaped the nightmare and started the attack on the Aternum. We won swiftly and imprisoned them. Now the prophecy has been fulfilled and I’ve usurped the Aternum. Anyway, that’s all I wanted to say, we can start fighting now,” finished Jiyoda with a smile.

The three fighters charged at Jiyoda letting out a quick barrage of attacks, “Wait!” yelled Jiyoda, blocking their attacks, “I’m not done yet.” Jiyoda smiled as his body began to grow, by the time he was done he was about twenty feet tall. He had jet black armour on with gold engravings, along with a royal cape. He was wearing a helmet with horns coming from the top.

“Behold! Your ‘God Lord’!” laughed Jiyoda, starting his assault.

Jiyoda punched Yoru so hard he flew back and down a flight of stairs. Thalorian slashed at Jiyoda, but his armour was too tough so the blade bounced off, causing sparks to fly.

Yoru stumbled up the stairs and ran at Jiyoda, “Braris Elia!” he yelled, moments before collision, searing the tyrant’s armour.

Haverian ducked under an attack from Jiyoda and landed a roundhouse kick.

Yoru punched Jiyoda's armour, but that made little more than needless noise.

“You two are too weak,” mocked Jiyoda, flinging them into the walls surrounding him.

Thalorian quickly looked behind him and saw that they were safe, but greatly injured. Thalorian snapped his gaze back to Jiyoda and continued his assault. Landing blow after blow, with magic and steel. Jiyoda kept up with him, landing his own strikes and injuring Thalorian.

“Braris Elia!” yelled Thalorian, firing a blast of fire.

“Luma Elia!” yelled Jiyoda, canceling out the spells. If magic won’t work, I’ll focus on my sword play. Thalorian ducked under an attack from Jiyoda and thrust his sword into his armour-covered foot, penetrating the steel a bit. Jiyoda swung his glowing fists wide, in hope to catch Thalorian off balance, but Thalorian rolled onto his back and forward again, hitting Jiyoda in the chest with his legs.

Jiyoda stumbled back a bit then brought his fist down, as Thalorian leaped to the right, narrowly dodging the attack.

Thalorian swung his sword upward, slicing Jiyoda’s mask in two. There! Thalorian celebrated, seeing the opening.

“Kragara!” he chanted, flying up and plunging his sword

into the usurper’s face. Then, pressing his palm against his face, “Braris Elia Maxima!” he yelled, using his best spell.

Jiyoda rocked back a step, “I feel ashamed for you if that's your most powerful spell,” Jiyoda said, wiping soot from his face. How!? Thalorian wondered.

Thalorian got back into the thick of things by attacking Jiyoda’s leg’s, managing to cut off some of the armour protecting his shins. Jiyoda spun, knocking Thalorian away from him, and charged at him, smashing his chest with his gargantuan fists, and sending Thalorian tumbling back. I can’t keep up with him! Thalorian was desperate for ideas, then he got one. Channeling his mana through every nook and cranny of his body he managed to feel that mana perfection, that fabled state, and he seized it.

Thalorian stood up, mana was emanating from his body. The flow felt… perfect. Thalorian looked up at the sun above them, and started laughing, “Come on, Jiyoda, did you really think I’d be done so quickly,” laughed Thalorian, dashing at lightning speed to Jiyoda, a malicious smile on his face.

Thalorian’s sword sliced through Jiyoda’s chest plate, and cut his stomach. Jiyoda raised his hand in the air and slammed it into the ground, bashing Thalorian. Thalorian started bleeding from every which way of his body, his arms, his legs, his torso, everything.

“Insolent rat. You should have stayed down when you had the chance,” growled Jiyoda, readying another attack, and pounding Thalorian into a wall. Blood seeped from Thalorian’s wounds.

Thalorian stumbled up and ducked under a flurry of attacks from Jiyoda, once he was near Jiyoda’s stomach he charged up all his power and let out his strongest slash ever, ‘The Moon Breaker!’

Jiyoda flew back and crashed into a wall, denting the beautiful bronze it was made of.

A light tapping sounded across the room as Thalorian walked across the room to where Jiyoda had landed.

Thalorian raised his sword into the air and coated it with flames as he began, “Melodic Blade of the Dragon, Ignite with Flame and Guide this Poor Soul to the Afterlife.” Thalorian lifted his blade high and brought it down, about to kill Jiyoda. Peace at last! He thought. But his dreams were shattered, when his sword stopped mid air. He looked down to see Jiyoda had caught the sword, with the most devilish smile ever.

“Too slow,” he taunted, crushing Thalorian’s sword between his hand. Shards of metal flew through the air, disappearing soon after their release, just as Thalorian’s dreams had. Thalorian grew wide eyed and afraid as Jiyoda stood up, towering above him. “You like that state, huh, we’ll let me see what all the fuss is about,” Jiyoda taunted, channeling his own mana, and entering the Arcane State.

“No… it can’t be,” muttered Thalorian, crushed.

“Fall. Fool.”