Chapter 12 - Twin Flames of Death

Damien trotted down the secret passage towards the throne room. Reaching the end of the tunnel, he climbed the ladder and threw up the secret trapdoor behind the throne. When he found the throne to be empty, he quickly scanned the room. He noticed the Hooded One in the corner, kneeling on the floor, head down. Selphrin was kneeling behind an upturned table with his gun drawn. "What is happening?"

Selphrin turned his head to look at Damien. "A small rebel army has entered the palace. We do not know where they are. They may be headed here. That's why I asked for your presence here."

Suddenly, the doors began to open. Selphrin turned and aimed his gun at the doorway. Zara slowly walked through the half-open doors and walked toward Selphrin. "Zara! This is not a time to be wandering around. There is an invasion force headed here." Zara simply continued to walk towards Selphrin. Selphrin walked out from behind the table and met her. "Didn't you hear me? There are dangerous people heading here!"

Zara lifted her hand and it began to glow. "I know. I'm one of them." A shockwave shot from Zara's hand, hitting Selphrin squarely in the chest and knocking him backwards. He stumbled, tripping backwards over the table. Zara turned back to the door and yelled, "Come on!" Allendrie rushed through the door, sword drawn.

Damien drew his nodachi and held it in both hands as he charged at Allendrie. Allendrie managed to parry and return with a slash of his own, which was turned aside.

Zara leapt over the table and drew her kodachi. Landing next to Selphrin, she kicked the gun away from his reach. "Give up now, and you won't be harmed."

Selphrin's foot lashed out in a kick to Zara's stomach. "That will never happen!" Selphrin drew his sword as he got to his feet. "Come on, little girl!" Zara went into a defensive stance, blocking Selphrin's strikes as she focused Rei Ki into her hand again. She released it at Selphrin once again, shoving him away from her once again. Selphrin recovered quickly, though, and pressed his attacks on her once more. "A pitifully worthless ability. What is the point of an attack that cannot kill?"

Allendrie feinted left, then double thrust at Damien, who was quickly losing ground. Damien, constantly backing off, was being forced to block every attack. Even as he set his weapon aflame, he knew it wouldn't help him. Allendrie noticed this and grinned. "You're too slow for me with that long blade."

The Hooded One rose from his kneeling position in the corner. "That is why he will now use this." The Hooded One pulled a weapon from his robes and tossed it to Damien, who backed off further still and threw his blade at Allendrie as he caught the weapon. "Use the Sword of Drakmord, and you will defeat him easily."

Damien drew the blade as Allendrie dodged the flying nodachi and quickly set the ancient weapon alight. "The secret of the Drakmord Sword," the Hooded One said, "is that it was forged from a secret alloy that was being tested by ancient scientists. The sword can never break, and its edge will never dull. It is a weapon worthy of your abilities, Damien."

Damien attacked Allendrie relentlessly, striking repeatedly with his new slim, well-weighted weapon. The flames of Damien's attacks weakened Allendrie's blade with every block, until finally, Allendrie's sword began to crack.

Zara began to tire, and her blocks became a split-second slower that what they had been. Noting this, Selphrin quickly feinted right and followed with a hard punch from the left to Zara's face, knocking her to the floor, unconscious. Selphrin quickly jogged across the room to where his gun lay. He picked up the pistol and aimed at Allendrie's head. "So, brother, you have joined with Coryn, then? I'm sorry, but I'll have to end that alliance."

Suddenly walked through the door and shouted "Gogyou hiaburi!" A ball of black flame shot from the figure's hand and hit the pistol in Selphrin's. The gun flew out of Selphrin's grasp, and as it flew, the black flames set off the ammunition. Damien and Allendrie's fight ceased as they stared in amazement at Toriban, slowly walking into the room.

Toriban drew Crimson as the others stood silently. "Allendrie. You're not suited for fighting the enemy you are up against. I will fight him, and you will kill your brother."

Damien smiled and placed his sword at the ready. “I accept the challenge.”

Allendrie charged at Selphrin with his now-flawed sword, hoping to catch him by surprise. As he neared his brother, Allendrie let out a great scream. "DIE!" Selphrin quickly brought his weapon to bear, knocking his opponent's sword downward. Allendrie's sword pierced completely through Selphrin's leg, and the cracked blade broke, sending metal shrapnel throughout the inside of Selphrin's leg.

"Toriban examined his opponent carefully. "Flaming weapon, eh? That sounds like fun. I'll have to give that a try myself." Crimson immediately became enshrouded in black flame. "Let's see how effective this is." Toriban brought Crimson through a downward sweep and was met by the Sword of Drakmord. The red and black flames began to entwine as the two engaged in a power struggle with their weapons, each pushing forward as hard as possible. Damien began to strengthen the flame surrounding his weapon, and Toriban did likewise. The fire mixed and surrounded both weapons, now a dark red color. As they each pushed their power even greater, the fire grew in size until they both were forced to back away due to the heat.

The Hooded One cleared the forty feet to Selphrin in one leap and scooped the now fainted Selphrin into his arms. He turned to Allendrie, who had been searching for a weapon to finish off his brother. "I cannot allow you to kill him, Allendrie. At least, not yet. I still have my uses for him, just as I still have uses for you. Come, Damien." The Hooded One swirled his robes about himself and formed a black shadow, which quickly faded into nothingness. The Hooded One, and Selphrin, were gone.

Damien, hearing his master's call, ran to the rear of the throne, exiting through the secret tunnel he had entered from. Allendrie charged after him. "Come on, after him!"

Toriban shook his head. "Zara needs help, and so do I." Toriban walked towards Allendrie a few steps, staggered, and fell to the floor, unconscious once more. Allendrie carried Zara to where Toriban lay, and set her down next to him. He looked left and right for options of escape or aid, but found none. Through the now opened doors, he was able to hear footsteps approaching the throne room. They were the footsteps of armored guards.

There were too many footsteps.