Dirge of the Afterlife - Chapter 5 The Rebirth of the Seed

Sieghart nursed his wounds gingerly, and began his tale.

I was patrolling the Valley. I heard...strange sounds that sounded both ominous yet familiar, though I could not place it yet.

Then I was ambushed, by a horde of elite mage hunters. I fought them off, but was pushed to the edge of a volcano pit. I killed them all, but was shoved off by-if you can believe it- Felicia!

They gasped. Xepher shook his head vehemently. 'I don't think so. Whatever else she is, Felicia is a true Guardian, and she would never do such a thing.'

Sieghart nodded. 'I know. And yet...'

Carolyn then spoke up. 'I think that was the death knight in disguise. He's a changeling, trying to frame Felicia...' but even she sounded uncertain.

Xepher sighed. 'Whoever that was, it was definitely not Felicia.'
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The real Felicia, along with Kaffleen and Ristaccia, zipped through the remaining distance to the Fountain. The encounter with the invincible Reaper made them move all the more faster.

At last they reached it, even Felicia stopping in her tracks at the sheer majesty of the elaborately carved fountain, spouting the fires of creation itself.

Then there was a squeal from above them. Dangling from the high ceiling of the chamber was none other than the Reaper, blade flashing downwards in a deadly arc.

Felicia yelled and leapt forwards, her crimson weapon now shaped as a massive warhammer, which rammed into the midsection of the Reaper. It hissed as it was slammed to the side. Then it came charging again.

'Ristaccia! To me! Kaffleen, revive the Ellyna's seed now!'

Ristaccia promptly fired a shard of elemental lightning at the demon, while Kaffleen dove towards the fires. The Reaper saw this, and hissed as it arched backwards. Then it flipped forwards, scythe released and spinning towards her.

Felicia grabbed the scythe with her mental abilities, and flung it right back at the Reaper. It hissed as the blade of the deathly weapon struck it, leaving an actual wound on it's arm.

The Guardian grinned. 'Can't take a little of your own medicine?' she taunted as she dashed away from striking range. The Reaper flung the scythe again, this time nearly hitting Felicia. She crouched, and snagged it. Although it seared her hands, she hefted it expertly and attacked the Reaper, slicing it to bits.

The Reaper let out a final hiss, dissipating with it's unholy weapon. Ristaccia screamed as she saw Kaffleen, now engulfed by the fires.

Felicia dragged Ristaccia back, who tried to dive into the flames to pull Kaffleen out. 'No! She is fine in there...It merely engulfs the seed, to bring out life from it's hard shell.'

Then, as abruptly as it appeared, the flames disappeared. Kaffleen gasped and fell, the exhaustion claiming her as she struggled in the fire not to lose her sanity in the cornucopia of flashing colours, the cacophony of sounds and the onslaught of smells she witnessed in the fires.

She held up the seed. now visibly pulsing like a beating heart. 'It is done.' she said. Felicia helped her up. 'You did well.' she complimented. 'Let's go back to the Temple now.'
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Huntagon crouched on the roof of the unassuming building in which was the hideout of the Soul Warriors, and the catalyst. Massive blade carefully sheathed in it's straps, he crawled down the wall of the building, heading for the window in which his quarry was living.

He swung in the open window-

-And met a three blades at his throat. One from the Guardian, one from the catalyst and one from the catalyst's mate. He hissed.

'Huntagon!' exclaimed Shadowz. 'What are you...?'

Xepher cast a binding spell, and pure light in the shape of a net slammed Huntagon against a wall. 'He's under the influence of the Shadow!'

Just then, Huntagon gasped, and his eyes changed from blood crimson to sapphire blue. 'Quickly! Kill me now, while I can resist the Shadow...!'

Shadowz hesitated, his blade coming up but not descending.

Xepher swung his blade outwards, blocking his path. 'Wait. There's an old exorcism spell...somewhere around here...' Motioning to Jennifer, he said,' Help me find it! It's in a tome, red-bound with gold trim, very frayed.'

The two rummaged around the shelves of tomes, grimoires and dictionaries, while Shadowz kept Huntagon and the dark Huntagon guarded. The irony, that he guard his own brother from cutting loose.

'This may take awhile...' muttered Xepher, cursing Felicia's lack of order in her stock of books.