Useless

"So it is done then?" Silthus smiled.

" Cora has the stones," Ace replied.

"They will overtake the castle soon," Silthus ruminated, "We should leave before Leva Veral finds us,"

"Do you have the scroll?" Ace questioned.

" But of course," Silthus grinned, "now we just need the stones,"

"Cora will deal with Michael and meet us as planned, "Ace pulled at the necklace around his throat," So will you release me now?"

"As promised," Silthus grinned, "there is just the thing left to do,"

"What is that?"Ace's brow furrowed.

"I can't very well leave with you as you are," Silthus laughed coldly, "You can't love me as you are. Your demonic magic contaminates your heart against me,"

"And what exactly do you think you can do to change that?" Ace replied with a strained expression.

"You see, I have this theory, Ace" Silthus strolled up to him," You were not born a demon. No, why would a Wizard who famously hated demons agree to teach one? I think it is the same reason Michael didn't simply rescue you when he had the chance. He was waiting. But for what?"

"I told you," Ace answered stiffly," Michael agreed to teach me to get revenge on Clover. He didn't save me because he's a selfish bastard,"

"Do you know why Michael agreed to help one?" Silthus chuckled, "It was to save you and your friends,"

"That's not true," Ace scoffed, "he did it for power. He wanted to steal yours, then rule over it himself. He only started to backtrack when he realised he was in love with that girl,"

" Wrong," Silthus leant in, " I told him I'd kill you all unless he complied,"

"If you really thought that was Michael's motive, why would you let him get this far?"

" I told you before," Silthus smirked," I gave Michael everything he wanted. Now he's given me everything I wanted,"

" What are you talking about?"Ace breathed.

" I have the scroll. Soon I will have the stones. And most importantly, I have you," Silthus burst into cruel laughter.

Ace shook his head," Then you let him take the castle... as a distraction?"

"Precisely," Silthus dragged Ace's face to his," Now, let us see what you look like as a human,"

Searing pain ripped through Ace's body. He struggled to get away, but Silthus easily overpowered him. He let out a scream, thrashing against Silthus' grip. His flesh burned red hot as Silthus stared down menacingly, enjoying every ounce of Ace's pain.

" Ahh," Silthus murmured, " I can feel the last of the poison leaving your body,"

"Don't!" Ace faltered.

With one last gasp, Ace fell back. Silthus knelt down beside him. He unshackled the necklace from Ace's neck. Ace blinked back tears, breathing shallow breaths. He finally looked just like the young man he was.

"Now, we can leave," he smiled darkly," I can't wait,"

He threw Ace over his large shoulder and a coven of cloaked figures surrounded them.

"Open the portal," he instructed.

They began low chanting in unison. As they did, an opaque black void began to open.

Suddenly, Michael burst into Silthus' chamber.

"Ah, Michael," Silthus glanced back with a smirk," just in time,"

"Put him down," Michael raised his sword.

"I have enjoyed your company immensely, Michael. However, now it is time to part ways," Silthus mused.

"You're not going anywhere," Michael glared.

" You certainly could attempt to stop me," Silthus grinned," but then what would happen to your fair witch?"

"What have you done to her?" Michael snapped.

" I thought she could use some company," Silthus derided, "She must be having a lovely tea party with Cora as we speak,"

"She has no magic," Michael retorted.

"Thanks to Ace here, I've been led to believe her magic has been restored," Silthus stated icily, "It could be a lie. Then again, it could be the truth. What will you do, Michael? Kill me or let Cora kill her?"

Michael's jaw clenched. His eyes fell on Ace grievously. He was passed out on Silthus' shoulder. Behind them, the portal was already open. Michael's grip around his blade tightened. He gritted his teeth bitterly and took off sprinting in the other direction.

*********

Michael raced down the corridor at lightning speed. He burst into the courtyard. There were only lifeless bodies now. The battle had moved inside. Michael searched frantically through the mounds of dead.

"Cora took Veretta to a room on the second floor," Came a voice from behind.

Michael turned to its source hastily. Yona was standing behind him with a stone-cold glare.

" Where?!" Michael demanded

"Where is my master?" Yona countered.

" Silthus...took him," Michael uttered through gritted teeth.

Yona's expression contracted in intense hatred.

" I will find them, but first tell me where Veretta is," Michael entreated.

" I will show you," Yona replied flatly. She paused," but when all this is done, I will visit on you every ounce of pain my master suffers,"

Michael gave a stiff nod. They then both took off running to the upper level. They were halfway down the hall when there was a scream.

" You bitch!" Came a shriek.

Michael and Yona hurtled me the room. Cora was dragging Veretta by the hair towards the balcony. Tomas was lying unconscious on the floor. Cora turned back upon seeing them. Her face and neck were partly fried; Burnt by a burst of Veretta's magic. Cora smashed Veretta's head against the wall knocking her out.

"Humans in this era are so weak. Destroying the demon world, destroyed them. How ironic," Cora remarked unsmilingly, " Everything happened just as you said... Don't you ever get tired of being right?"

"Yona, take Tomas," Michael burst forward. Yona quickly ran forward grabbing Tomas. They both escaped just as Michael got in reach. It was then Cora raised a blade to Veretta's throat.

Michael halted, "I don't know what Ace told you, Cora, but..."

" And that name again," Cora interrupted, "it's like this bitch is dancing on my grave. Or maybe it's just you,"

Michael's eyes narrowed, "Enough games. Let her go. This is between you and I,"

"Don't you recognise me? " Cora reached for his cheek," Even in death, you make me miserable,"

Michael slapped her hand away, " You've lost your mind,"

"No," Cora glanced down at Veretta, "It's just my heart I've lost. This woman, you love her. Your eyes are filled with passion. A passion I never once beheld,"

"Move away from her, NOW," Michael returned coldly.

"Or what?" Cora tilted her head to one side apathetically, "Will you kill me again, Michael?"

With a flick of her wrist, a dagger swung into Cora's hand. Michael unsheathed his sword. Cora launched the blade. Michael countered, casting the dagger aside. In the same instant, Cora flew forward. It wasn't the usual clumsy blows, each was precisely aimed.

Michael narrowly avoided another dagger as it soared past. Another came even quicker, this time slicing his arm. His eyes widened in surprise. He jumped back taking cover behind a nearby desk.

"Tell me something," Cora said quietly," What happened to Clover?"

" What's the sudden interest in Clover?" Michael glanced over the side of the desk.

Cora was standing a distance from Veretta. Michael dove out from the desk. He threw a tidal wave of water in Cora's direction. She looked indifferently as the wall of magic towered over her. The waves crashed down. However, as the water dissipated she was nowhere to be found.

"Are they really dead?" came a whisper from behind.

Michael abruptly turned back startled. He threw up his hands forming a wall of ice.

"Ace said they died and went to where the gods reside," Cora stared down from Michael's side.

Michael immediately rose his hand again. Cora stepped back into the shadows and disappeared. Suddenly, a hand gripped Michael's throat from behind. Cora pulled him back with a blade at his throat. Michael's body tensed.

"You... " He stammered aghast, "How is this possible? That magic..."

"That's right, my love," Cora whispered," Not even death could separate us,"

A whirling darkness consumed Michael's senses. A harsh white sun blinded him. He was suddenly kneeling before a great looming tower. A haggard maniacal figure was pacing before him. Michael began to shake his head fearfully as he caught a glimpse of yellow eyes bearing down on him.

"USELESS CHILD!" came a booming voice.

Then pain seared Michael's back. The old man raised his hand again and Michael was lashed again with another whip of water against his bareback.

"Didn't I tell you to practice until nightfall?" The man screamed, "Pain is the only thing you understand! Your parents don't want you. I took you in out of the kindness of heart. Yet here you are playing around with the village girls like some simpleton. You're just like your father. No ambition. No talent. Useless,"

Another slap knocked Michael to the ground.

"So this is your beloved Old man?"

Michael's eyes come up wild and vicious. It was not Cora any longer. A woman cloaked in black with savage, emotionless eyes met his gaze.

"Kalandra," Michael breathed.

"The thing I never understood is why you hated Clover so much. Because they killed your old man? That's strange...Seems like you hated your old man even more than Clover," Kalandra strolled up next to Michael.

"Get out of my mind!" Michael screamed.

"Of all the memories...is this the time you decided to get your revenge?" she knelt down beside him, " You left the island, became a knight...to punish him. To prove you could be better than him,"

Michael threw his face unto his hands with a grunt," Get out...Get out... Get out !"

"But you ended up just like him. Alone and mad," Kalandra leaned in perilously close, "You didn't hate Clover because they killed him, you hated them because they stole your revenge from you,"

Michael's eyes came up with unmitigated rage. He lunged at Kalandra knocking her to the ground. They tumbled back. Suddenly, they were no longer in the heat of the white sun. They were struggling wildly in the darkness of Silthus' castle. Michael wrestled the blade from Cora's hand. She punched him directly in the shoulder and he crashed into the desk. Cora lurched over him. She stabbed the blade into his shoulder, pinning him down.

"You've grown weak," Cora leered," STOP PRETENDING! Stop pretending to be something you're not. You're dead inside. Just like me. You can't run from the darkness because you are the darkness. That woman can't love you. There's nothing in you to love. Just die with me, one more time,"

She brought her hands to his throat and tightened her grip. Michael struggled under her, unable to breathe.

"Come back to the darkness with me..."