Eulogy of Forgotten Souls - Chapter 5 Redemption

In his mind prison, Xepher snorted as his latest attempt to shatter it failed. He witnessed the horrific fight between his corruption and Felicia's Elendils, and screamed in denial when the corrupted killed Gabriel.

He struggled futilely, and Candace mocked him time and again, reminding him of his failure, his weakness.

No! Xepher insisted to Candace, who merely laughed in his mind. I'll...beat you yet!

Futile. You cannot win, not now, not ever. she replied mockingly. Then her presence departed. The corrupted Xepher moved out from his recovery state and once more converged on the approaching Elendils.
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Felicia sensed Xepher's approach seconds before he attacked. Uttering a cry, she launched herself into the battle, striking swiftly and giving him no opportunity to retaliate. The others attacked cautiously, their weapons parrying Xepher's wayward strikes.

Then, Felicia managed to sink her blade into Xepher's torso, and in that instant of contact, she knocked him down. The others restrained Xepher quickly with magical bonds, and though he struggled, he could not fight against the will of five Elendils while already wounded heavily. Felicia quickly sheathed her weapon and placed her fingers at his temples. Forcing away the mental shields he erected around his mind, she reached in and dealt a heavy mindstrike to the crystalline prison.

With a guttural cry, Xepher shattered his prison, the fury of Candace's scream disheartening him not the least. He expelled the corruption and regained control of his body. The shadow of the corruption was relinquished from his body, and with a despairing wail, it vanished into the mist.

'I'm...sorry.' gasped Xepher the moment he could talk. 'For Gabriel...'

Felicia smiled. 'It's fine. You weren't yourself.' she sighed in relief. 'Now we storm the fortress-'

Xepher cut her off. 'Return to the base. It is under attack even now. Candace sent legions of demons to attack it.'

'What about you?' Azure inquired.

'I'm gonna rescue Kaffleen. Then I'll come back and we'll attack.'

'NO!' yelled Felicia. 'It's too...'

'Dangerous?' asked Xepher wryly. 'I won't fall for corruption again, don't worry.' he said.
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Kaffleen glanced up at the guard coming with a tray of disgusting food warily. The demon was expressionless. As it swung open the door with a word of power, she leapt upwards, kicking out at it's throat. The demon's head fell one way, the body another.

Quickly, she retrieved the demon's weapon, a mace with fel energy radiating from it. She smashed her chains and snatched up her runeblade, discarding the mace as she did so.

She dashed out of the prison, laying waste to the guards outside her cell.
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Abel slashed at the Orochi demon guarding the door, then proceeded to open the door-

-only to have it swung open from the other side. He quickly leapt backwards in defense, blade raised, until he saw the person on the other side.

Kaffleen. Abel smiled. 'Cone. We have to leave.'

'Why help me?' she asked as they ran. They passed by the cooling corpses of demons of all sorts on sentry duty. They fled out into the courtyard.

'Too worthless a vermin you are, Abel!'

Out of the darkness of the courtyard came Candace, in all her oversized glory. Abel gasped in terror and involuntarily fled away by means of a teleport. Which left Kaffleen gaping at the monstrous corrupt Elendil queen. She cursed under her breath.

Candace sent a powerful wind blast at her, smashing Kaffleen against the ground. Raising a massive foot, she brought it down swiftly. Kaffleen closed her eyes-

-And the foot halted three feet above her face, blocked by an immense force. Kaffleen glanced at her would-be saviour. It was Genesis.