Eulogy of Forgotten Souls - Chapter 3 Dark Conversion

Xepher awoke, yet again, in a chamber pulsing with arcanic energies, with energy chains shackling him tight. Raphael, Abel and the death knight fusion were chanting, each standing at a point around him in an equilateral triangle.

He was drowsy, unnaturally so. The malevolent powers of the three death knights insinuated his mind, while he futilely fought to combat them. In minutes, the deed was done.

Xepher was trapped in his mind, his soul encased in a prison from which there was no escape. And a replica of his soul, dark and evil, was spawned in his body, a corrupt twin of his.

He pounded on the walls of the mind prison, but only received a massive headache for his efforts.
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Candace smiled. All was coming to fruition. The Guardian was corrupted, her mere puppet. Her sister was coming, unknowing of her true powers. The remainding Elendils all with her.

'Send him out. I want to test his...loyalty.' She said the last with a touch of sarcasm.

Raphael merely nodded, then turned and vanished through a portal.
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Felicia raced with her loyal subjects through the mist unceasingly, their extreme stamina never once flagging.

Suddenly, a fireball came shooting out of nowhere. They dodged backwards at the same time, and the area they stood previously was awash in ebony flames.

A dark shape flitted briefly in sight. A dark form with webbed wings...

Felicia cast an illuminating spell, pushing back the mist for a scant few seconds.

What she saw, made her gasp in horror. There, in all his glory, was Xepher, but a Xepher with absolutely no emotion in his eyes, merciless and cold. His sword was in hand, with an eerie red tinge to it. And without wasting a word, he dove straight for Felicia.

So shocked was she that she barely had time to parry the initial strike. Then her six Elendils attacked, but were repelled all at once. Cerulean was sent flying with a powerful kick, Ivy and Ithuriel downed with quick takedowns with one hand while the other, holding Dark Cypheria, parried and slashed at Gabriel, Azure and Leon at the same time. All six fell back.

Then Felicia slashed rapidly, trying in vain to disarm Xepher. He merely parried the swift blows, then dealt a heavy smash with a heavy warhammer, sending Felicia reeling back. Azure cried incoherently, then quickly attacked, six blades falling at once.

Xepher spared a mere glance at him, then blasted him away, swords and all, with a mighty wind blast. Then Ivy lashed her chain-sword at him, but it was grasped by Xepher, who by then morphed Cypheria into gauntlets and greaves. He pulled, and Ivy was drawn to him swiftly, then punched, sending her flying.

Gabriel had sneaked up behind him, his deadly claws striking. Xepher ducked, and swept his leg, knocking Gabriel down. With a quick leap, he launched himself over the prone Gabriel, and dove down with a powerful sweep of his demonic wings, fist extended to the ground.

With an earth-shaking smash, Xepher grounded Gabriel, creating a small crater.

Cerulean roared and charged, swinging his massive dualhanded warhammer. Xepher blocked with a sturdy sword swing, the two in a deadlock. They pushed, Cerulean's powerful strength matching Xepher's dark enhancements.

Felicia dove to him, muttering, 'Overdrive corruption. Damn Candace.'

With a whip, she ensnared him, then swung him to the ground. Quickly switching over to punches and kicks, she tried to subdue him. Xepher recovered from the grounding quickly, and retaliated with quick strikes, parrying and attacking at the same time. Their fists and feet were blinding, until at last Felicia landed a kick to his stomach, doubling him.

Knowing he was outmatched, Xepher quickly flapped out of reach, and flew away faster than the eye could follow.

'Damn...' she muttered under her breath, then looked around. 'You guys alright?'

Cerulean crouched over Gabriel, who was wounded most. 'Over, my time is...' he groaned.

Felicia shook her head, and cast healing spells at the fallen Elendil. Gabriel grinned faintly and shook his head. 'Can't help, even your healing skills. Marked for death, I am by the Curse of Osiris [Requiem: Read about this other times]. A warrior's death, I prefer, than the death of a thousand poisons. The redemption of her highness Candace, I wish you luck. Farewell.' His eyes remained open, but the life in them vanished.

Felicia closed her eyes, and a tear fell unbidden. Reaching out, she gently closed his eyelids. She then knelt before him, her wrists each gripped by the other hand. She placed his dagger on his chest. The others kept silent, Ithuriel silently weeping.

Upon this blade I pledge my oath,
To my last breath I hold this choice.
I will avenge your unjust death,
You who died here without a voice.

Looking up to the mist-clouded sky, she uttered,'Whatever darkness that caused Candace, that caused Xepher to commit such atrocities, I shall vanquish you.'