The Aftermath Of Mount Woe
Hell Battle 2: Greven Vs. Zeal
By Nanaki
12,002 B.C.
Greven felt the shot from the Blackbird cannon miss him by a few feet, at most. It superheated a part of his armor, and he winced as molten metal fused onto his skin. He dug his gloved hand into a niche in the wall, nearly tearing his arm out of it's socket as he stopped his descent. As if Dalton had realized he had missed, a sort of force bubble surrounded him, dragging him back up to Schala's room. He wondered why Schala hadn't heard the commotion and come running, but then, there were dozens of possible reasons, none of them good.
As he was pulled back into the room, he was very surprised to see Zeal manipulating the force bubble. "Greven Vecar, I presume?" She asked sweetly, before sending the bubble spinning wildly in midair. She cancelled the spell, and Greven landed on his head.
"That's me all right." He said calmly, rubbing his neck. "Why'd you interefere in me and Dalton's business?"
"I didn't. I just have some of my own things to talk to you about." Greven gave her a piercing stare. "All right." She blew a strand of hair out of her face. Greven was horrified at the resemblance to Schala. "Dalton probably deserves whatever you would have given him, but I can't afford to lose such a valuable servant." Then, a field of electricity encased Greven. Bolts arced into him from a central point about two feet in the air. He growled in frustration, writhing on the floor.
"No!! I have to kill him!" He gritted his teeth, but could not manage to stand up. Zeal gestured again, and a tornado funnel smashed him into the ceiling, then let him drop to the floor.
"What did I just tell you? Now, I have some matters to discuss with you."
"Go screw yourself!" He shouted, trying desperately to stand.
"Spirited. That was in the report." Zeal said calmly. "Now then, it would seem that you have violated my daughter."
"Violated? What do you mean? I love her!"
"You probably do. But still, you use her for your own ends."
"I would never!" He managed to rise to a kneeling position.
"You men are all alike! You all use people, without even realizing it! Karak used me to get power. Even Vigo used me, to satisfy his need for a companion, and physical gratification. Yes, those count as ends. And you're using Schala, for all three of those reasons, probably."
"How can you say any of that? Vigo was a great man! And by your definition, Schala is using me for those same reasons! Its a two way trade."
"Ha! I doubt that. And even if you're right, it won't stay that way. You're going to get her pregnant, if you keep this up."
"So what? I love her. I would be there for her. Its not exactly like you don't have the resources to raise a child." Greven finally stood up, rubbing his many bruises.
"That's not the point! My daughter doesn't deserve that kind of pain. You have no idea what its like, do you?"
"No. But she's not like you. It would be worth it to her."
"Quit talking like you know her!"
"I know her a lot better than you ever did or ever will!!!"
"That's the problem. No!! You will not put my daughter throught he horrible pain of childbirth!!!" Zeal screamed. She unleashed a huge lightning bolt that smashed Greven hard into the outside wall. Pieces of the wall cracked and fell outward as he sat gasping for breath.
"Forgive me for this, Schala." He whispered, before he jumped up and smashed Zeal into the opposite wall with a huge purple holy blast. She cried out in surprise. "You filthy Lavos worshipper! Your reign of terror stops here!" Greven raised his sword and charged. Dalton, who had been standing to the side, now stepped forward to interecept his blow. Greven ran him through, not stopping until his sword was buried up to the hilt in Dalton's flesh. He yanked the bloody blade out and hurled Dalton to the side. Dalton began to chant a healing spell while he was coughing blood. Greven turned back to Zeal, but too late. A razor sharp icicle stabbed deep into his armor, drawing a fair amount of blood.
"Reign of terror? Ha!" Zeal laughed scornfully. "As I recall, your original death sentence was for terrorism! Its time that sentence was carried out!" She aimed a powerful lightning bolt straight at the open wound. The heat actually cauterized it, but not before doing significant damage. Greven roared in pain and rage. Concentrating deeply, he once again invoked Holy. Zeal was thrown back into the wall, where she collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath. Greven brought his sword up and charged forward. Before he could swing down, Dalton's beat up hand grasped his.
"Why won't you die?!" Greven yelled. He swung his sword in a vicious horizontal chop that nearly clove Dalton in half. The wizard screamed and dropped to the floor, murmuring healing spells while he crawled away, leaving an ugly trail of blood. Greven turned back toward Zeal, too late once again. He was mowed down as two rainbow colored shadow beams crashed into him, rending gaping holes in his armor. He threw holy arcs of all shapes and sizes from various vectors, followed by one monstrous purple beam.
Zeal had set up a shield this time, and nothing got through. They traded spells back and forth, circling each other warily. "I grow tired of this." Zeal said. Greven ducked as she cast Dark Matter, but the two triangles hovered in midair, then fused together to become a light hexagon.
'I remember what Schala said about this.' He thought. He turned to run, but there was nowhere to go in the small room. A small lightning explosion started in the center of the room, and the hexagon of light shot into it. The raging blue explosion that followed finally caused the weakened outer walls to blow out of the tower. Greven closed his eyes as the destructive energy surrounded him.
Then the roaring in his ears stopped. He looked up, surprised. He felt awful, but he was still here! Zeal looked at him wickedly, and prepared another spell. Her smile faded fast when nothing happened. "Your wavelength all used up?" Greven achingly got to his feet. "Good." A very unhappy expression formed on Zeal's face as an incredible energy of Holy was thrown at her. She screamed as the blue and green ripples passed through her, and then, incredibly, circled around and hit her again! Greven had used up his wavelength now too, but it was worth it. Zeal was practically finished.
He raised his sword once again and charged with all his remaining strength. "For everyone you've ever wronged!" He shouted, as the blade, unwavering, drew close to her heart.
And then he stopped dead in his tracks as something attached to his chest. He felt an incredible heat burning his face. Looking down, he saw a stream of lava flowing from the floor, up to his chest. It almost seemed to be an arm, and it's fingers were wrapping around him. He grimaced as the heat began to melt his armor, and tried to squirm free. "What is this thing?!" He demanded, slicing at it with his sword. In one last burst of strength, he broke free, and made one last charge toward Zeal.
As the sword neared her heart again, he suddenly felt unbearable heat on his arm, and then it was gone. So was his arm. The brief second of relief was followed by incredible pain as blood poured out of the now empty socket. His stomach turned at the smell of burning flesh, and he saw the blackened remains of his arm being tossed away by the lava. Greven staggered forward a few steps. "Zeal!!!" He reached out threateningly with his left arm. "I'll get you if its the last thing I do!!!"
"This will be the last thing you do." She said with a wicked grin. "But you're not going to get me." Then the lava reared up in front of her, smashing into him, covering him much more thouroughly than last time. He felt the skin on his chin burning, his sweat pores working overtime, to no avail. Molten metal began to drip in his suit, and he screamed. "Aaauuugh!! You'll pay... Aaauuugh!!.. for this!!!"
"I doubt it." Zeal's smile did not waver. "Nothing can withstand the power of Lavos!"
The lava began to ripple, slowly spreading upward towards his face. "Aaaaauuuuuggghhh!!! Schala!" He screamed mentally and physically. But he felt a telepathic shield around the room. And then he was in serious pain, as molten metal and lava began to roast his bare skin.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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Ertai finally woke up on the side of the tower. Scanning quickly, he saw that a whole side of Schala's room had been blown outward. Greven might need some help. He didn't hear anything, but it was obvious a battle had taken place. 'What a time to fall asleep!' He scolded himself. Using the grappling ropes he had strapped himself in with, he quickly swung over toward the other tower.
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"What was that?" Schala looked up from Janus' bedside. Not hearing anything else, she turned back to him. The boy was holding his head in his hands, stirring restlessly from one sitting position to another.
"Something terrible is about to happen!" He gasped. "To you, Schala, and maybe to... to..."
"What? Janus, can you see?"
"I... I... Aaaugh!!" He screamed, passing out on the bed. Schala stood up, looking around. There was nothing to... Suddenly, she was hit with a gust of black wind so strong she nearly broke down in tears. She collapsed to her knees. Then, she quickly stood up again. If something bad was about to happen, she'd better get Greven out of here. Tucking Janus back under the covers, she walked quickly back toward her room.
As she was passing the dining hall, she started to smell something funny. 'That's odd. Maybe the cook is burning the last of that meat loaf.' She guessed, then continued on. But her anxiety heightened as the smell got stronger the closer she got to her room. 'That's no meat loaf...' She sniffed with distaste. Her stomach began to feel unsettled. As she finally reached the entrance of her room, she got a very bad feeling in her gut.
The outer wall was gone. Zeal was leaning against the left wall, smiling. Dalton was also lying against the wall with his eyes closed, looking much the worse for wear. As she took another shaky step, Ertai came flying into the room from somewhere above, and his jaw dropped. Schala could hardly bear to take the final step inside, but she did. As she turned her head slowly, she saw the twisted pile of burnt flesh and twisted metal that might once have been human.
And then she screamed.
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"So gently, you touched my heart... I will be forever yours..." - Celes Chere
"Now fight! Fight with all your might!" - Rubicant
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