The Choice Chapter 25

Prepare For Trouble (Make It Double)

By Chris Homer

Cleo and Valeria didn't need any more insentive to follow Pesmerga. Pahn and Rubi were trapped there.

Lepant didn't need any more insentive to follow Pesmerga. His wife was trapped there and his son was with him.

Jeane didn't need any insenstive to follow Pesmerga. Her best friend was reunited with her.

Sheena didn't (O.K, we get the idea, let get this show on the road)

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Anyway, Pesmerga's group were heading west, as Crowley said, to the chamber where their friends were. Cleo wanted to apologise to Pahn, and admit something she never thought she would admit to, as it seemed that it could be the last time they see each other...........

Sure, he annoyed her, but a book once told her that those who argue with each other most really care about each other. And to put it bluntly, she agreed with it, although she never admit it.

It was known as a love-hate relationship, and Cleo really would love to hate Pahn, but she couldn't.

She felt a presence and drew her sword/bow. Everyone was suddenly quiet. It looked like they had all felt the presence.

They had crossed two demons, but the power of the two star blades from Sheena and Pesmerga were more than a match for them. They however hoped that they hadn't alerted anyone.

Everyone was quiet, even Sheena and Jeane, who had been dying to tell each other everything that had been going on.......

....but at least they knew how to respect their elders.

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A figure materialized in front of Pahn, who was half-dead from being drained by the person in front of him now.

"Windy.....stop it.....you can't win......." Pahn stuttered, Kirkis had fallen unconscious again, whilst Rubi was twitching in and out of sleep.

Windy grabbed his chin. It was cold, like her personality.

She slapped him.

"Your woman is coming.....it looks like I'll have to kill her and her soul will be one with my masters......." she said softly.

Pahn stammered, Windy couldn't here what he said, but if she could, it wouldn't have been appropriate to write on this page.

"You......harm...her....."

He passed out from too many of Windy's thoughts transferring into his head. Whatever they were, they weren't good.

She looked at Sonya. She had calmed down such as well. Now, Neclord will have to come and sample the feast about to be installed.

She chuckled as she sent a telepathic wave to the vampire.

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Valeria was treading carefully as her infamous falcon rune was glowing, ready to attack. She didn't care how, or why, but if her friends were hurt...........

Rubi and Kirkis were in there. If Kirkis died, Sylvinia wouldn't forgive her, and if Rubi died, her best friend.....

'No, don't even go there!' her mind taunted.

Sighing (Not too loudly), she quietly treaded into the next area. Sheena told them that the chamber was just ahead, and should be prepared for the worst.

What they got, would be significantly worse......

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Sonya's mind was plagued with a thousand thoughts. All horrid. The machine she had been on had been transferring the power of darkness into her, and she couldn't take it. She had to succumb.

No, she wouldn't! Every last piece of strength she had in her body she would use to avoid been taken over by that sick bastard Neclord. Eileen may have succumbed, but she was much stronger and refused to give up.

It was then that her saints and satans had come.

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Lepant stepped in first, to a proverbial torture chamber. He saw sin everywhere, the black curdling blood on the walls, the sulphur and brimstone reminding everyone of Hell, and then.....

"Oh my god!" whispered Jeane.

Three unconscious figures on the wall. Pahn, Kirkis and Rubi, with blood stains on their wrists, possibly from trying to escape, and they looked as pale as sour milk.

"This isn't good." Pesmerga said.

"That witch must have tried to take their minds as well, as Rasputin did with Flik and Viktor." Sheena said.

"Witch, that isn't good for someone who tried to aid you with power....." a voice said.

It was a chilling voice, one they all almost recognised immediately.

A beautiful lady appeared, drapped in mystic, with blue aura flowing round her, and her mouth, a grin which belonged to the Devil.

"Windy." Lepant growled, drawing his blade. He had seen Eileen in the corner. Sheena had drawn his Star Sword.

"Well, your pretty wife and mother is certainly in slumber, the evil is seemingly working. However, she is still too weak to battle, so it looks like we'll have to deal with you!" Windy said.

"WE?" snarled Lepant.

"Now, now, Lepant, is it right to get angry at the 'man' who is about to be married to your wife, as a Queen of the Night......"

Neclord appeared, as blood lusty and as sick as ever.

"Of course, two are better than one, as this beautiful Sonya will proven. However, she still hasn't succumbed to the evil, so perhaps I should pressure her....."

"Don't touch her you bastard!" Pesmerga and Valeria said together.

Neclord stopped, smiling at them. "Such profanity. I might have to stop it. TELEPORT!"

Neclord vanished, followed by Windy, and then everyone in the room, including the hostages.

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When Cleo saw everyone again, they were in a different area, with cracks in the room and hell fire and brimstone erupting from the cracks. The heat was immense, but they couldn't focus on that.

They had a couple of flies to squash.

Windy and Neclord stood at opposite ends.

"If you destroy us, the evil intent that I gave your friends....I mean, we gave your friends will go, but this is our domain. You can't beat us, you will become members of our army."

Cleo turned, and saw Pahn unconscious still, along with Kirkis, Rubi, Sonya and Eileen.

She drew her blade.

"Anytime, death merchant."

"Such spirit. You will make a lovely bride. YAAAH!"

Neclord attacked with his energy wave attack. The 6 of them fell. Cleo had told Sheena that the Star Sword is damaging to Neclord, so he and Pesmerga were going to focus mainly on Neclord, whilst the rest would somehow have to deal with the power of Windy.

Neclord blasted an energy drain at Jeane. Cleo held the water rune to cure her and Lepant attacked Windy with a fire rune.

Windy teleported out of the way and returned his fire attack with an ice attack. The shower of ice covered Lepant and others, chilling them to the bone.

Jeane raised her octi-rune.

"Earthquake, Ball Of Lightning!"

The two attacks simultaneously came upon. Windy avoided the earthquake but as she teleported, the lightning struck her and the waves hit Neclord. Neclord laughed at the pain, but screamed when two blades struck home.

Neclord scowled. "I thought when Viktor was K.Oed we had taken care of you!"

The sword smirked (if it could). "When ugly sons are here, I have to be here to be rid of them!"

Neclord scoffed and struck another energy wave. Sheena didn't have a rune (the fire rune was with Lepant) but Pesmerga struck many times with his killer rune, Neclord started to back off, but Pesmerga and Sheena were getting weaker.

Jeane cast Water of Kindness on them and at the same time cast a powerful fire spell at Windy.

The flames erupted around that Windy couldn't teleport. She screamed a bit, but healed herself easily.

"You'll have to do better than that!" she smirked.

"O.K!" screamed Valeria, and ran at Windy, striking many times.

Striking yes, but only striking air. Windy avoided every swing easily, seemingly knowing what move she was atempting.

Valeria was struck on the face with a hard blow from a staff which Windy had brought out of nowhere.

The staff beamed ice rays at Valeria, trying to freeze her, and cackled loud.

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It seemed that cackle and the scream from Valeria had kick jumped Rubi's mind. The evil was close to succumbing him, but his love for the human Valeria was blocking out. If one thing the darkness couldn't handle, it was human (or in this case, elven) emotion. Rubi, even in his subconscious mind, made sure that the darkness didn't beat him.

The scream had woke him up. Rubi blinked his eyes a few times, to see Valeria being pounded by Windy. Cleo and Jeane were down. Lepant was busy trying to help Sheena and Pesmerga.

Rubi felt a surge of anger flow through him. His bow was taken out.

His aim, Windy's jugular.

It's target......

...connected.

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Windy screamed as an arrow pierced her throat. No, she couldn't die, not like this. She quickly cast a healing spell, but as she was in mid-completion, Rubi's anger flowed out of him like a hell fire.

Rubi cast the strongest fire spell he could use. It was called Inferno, and it headed towards the ice queen with intensity.

The flames erupted around Windy and she was steadily getting weaker. This 'elf' has not only got up from torture, but could be the reason of her death.

And then again....

Rubi fell to Windy's ice spell which hit him in the chest. Valeria had got up now and took advantage of the distraction.

Windy turned to her prey again.....

.....just to see Valeria execute the legendary Falcon Rune.

Windy screamed as many blows from Valeria blade connected, ending with a powerful one to the throat. Windy screamed as blue and red liquid poured from her wounds.

She recovered again, but wasn't sure how long she would keep this up. They were stronger than she thought.

Neclord was having trouble as well. Pesmerga and Sheena were attacking very effectively, and he couldn't teleport forever. If he did, Lepant was waiting with a fire rune or slash, and even when Neclord hit a critical attack, Jeane or Cleo was ready to cure.

Windy was having her problems with Valeria, as well as Rubi and Cleo, with Jeane at the back casting spells. They needed help.

A telepathic thought was cast.

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Pesmerga was slashing away with the Killer Rune. Neclord was one of Yuber's stooges, and Pesmerga felt he'd have to take care of him just as badly. His new star blade was hurting Neclord badly.

He was surprised at Sheena. His power in wielding the blade was equal to his fathers and he did it expertly. He parried well and struck even better. Neclord was right in choosing him as a Dark Knight. Luckily, Crowley snapped him out of it.

Lepant was as strong as ever as well. Neclord couldn't last long.

At least not without help....

"Why, Neclord, this puny human giving you problems. Allow me to dispatch him again." a familiar voice said.

Pesmerga stopped....

....as Neclord sent a fist to his jaw.

He looked up dazed, groggy, but he was about to face, again, Yuber.

"Time for another battle....this time to the death." Pesmerga said.

"Yes, I agree....your death." Yuber said, and drew his dark blade.

Pesmerga was tired, but Jeane cured him easily. That meant that Jeane was now entering the fight with Neclord, her claws ready.

Neclord lustfully looked at the young rune master.

"I haven't seen you before, you look good enough to eat..."

His sentence was cut off by a very powerful blow from Sheena, leaving Neclord gasping.

"Touch her, and I'll make sure your death is extremely painful!" Sheena cried.

"My.....such spirit and power.....shame I'll have to remove it!"

Neclord cast a drain spell many times to Sheena and Lepant, reckoning he could finish Jeane easily. However, as quickly as they were drained, Jeane recovered them, which they replied with powerful blows.

Neclord decided to focus on Jeane but she seemed hard to hit. She had cast a similar spell to Windy as in a barrier blockage spell, and attacked with fire, ice, lightning and earth attacks in quick succession.

Neclord staggered back, the power.....of this girl.....

He was a fool that he didn't learn healing attacks.

Windy however, sensed that thought and healed Neclord to full strength.

Neclord laughed and attacked again.

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Windy screamed as Cleo pierced her skin again. Yuber coming had been a help, as he healed them quickly, but she was getting tired. She decided to end this now.

She concerntrated hard.

"ICE APOCALYPSE!"

Windy's strongest attack in this hot world, but the ice wasn't effect by the dark fire surrounding them as iceburg sized spells blasted on top of Cleo, Valeria and now Rubi.

Windy laughed as they fell, twitching in pain. She walked to Cleo, grabbed her chin.

Her staff took on a spear shape.

"Looks like I underestimated you, perhaps I should learn what makes you tick.....and to do that......."

"I'll have to dissect you!" she smirked, and raised the spear to impale her. Cleo moaned, not caring, she was too hurt.

She closed her eyes.....

When she opened them again, she wasn't in hell or heaven, she was looking at Windy down on the floor, and above her....

"PAHN!" she screamed and leapt into his arms, renewed strength.

Pahn laughed and hugged his long time friend.

"You think I'd let you have all the fun!" he smirked.

"I thought.......I thought.......I thought.......I thought.......I thought you were going to die.....I'm so glad...(sniff)" Cleo started to cry.

"shhh...." Pahn soothed and put her down and stroked her dampened hair.

"Let me take care of this bitch!" he said.

Cleo was laid down, to rest and Pahn turned to see Windy recovering from the boar rune strike he had laid upon her.

"Not....you....too...." Windy gasped.

"It looks like you underestimated the power of the human spirit.....and my feelings for my friends." Pahn said, not as cocky, but with an avenging tone.

"You may have recovered, you can't beat me! I sense you, you don't have any magic, just a boar rune. Pathetic by today's standards."

"Really, well it looks like I'll need some help!" Pahn smirked.

Windy looked puzzled, when a fire arrow struck her in the side.

Windy gasped "This can't be!"

And by Pahn, Kirkis was smiling.

"Elven spirit is not to be taken lightly either witch! Valeria's dream was suggested to be a propescy, but it isn't even that. YOU WILL BE THE ONE TOPAY, FOR RUINING MY WEDDING, AND EVERYONE'S LIVES!" he screamed.

Windy got up and was ready to cast again.

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Yuber was attacking as feriouscly as before, but this time with caution. The star blade of Pesmerga could affect him as badly as it could affect Neclord, and every time he connected, he felt a fire burning inside of him.

Luckily, Pesmerga hadn't struck too much. Pesmerga's fuel for revenge made him attack quickly, but clumsly. Yuber had the advantage, and his magic would defeat him now.

"Black Magic!" he said.

Pesmerga fell again, dangerously close to the fire-breathing cracks. Pesmerga knew despite this power, that Yuber was much more dangerous. His rune was not magic based, so he could only rely on quick strikes.

He ran with his killer rune flashing, trying to finish Yuber off.

Yuber cast another black magic spell and Pesmerga fell again. He couldn't take another shot. Yuber had his blade hanging over him.

"Prepare to die, Blade fighter!" and his sword plunged...

...and rebounded.

"What?" Yuber screamed and struck again.

And again it rebounded.

"Star barrier!" screamed a female voice.

Yuber turned to see Sonya casting magic around Pesmerga.

"NO WAY!" Yuber screamed.

Sonya nodded, groggily. She was still weak, but Pesmerga's scream had woken her from her trance. Her blockage of evil had worked and now she was back in business, albeit weakly. She used her own breed of magic to protect Pesmerga and gain energy.

"Grrr...you'll all pay!" screamed Yuber.

"You'll pay!" screamed Neclord.

"Oh, you'll pay!" screamed Windy.

But before anything else could happen.....

.....there was nothing.

.

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