The temple of the dead

There was a standstill called for as the Grand Wizard's assistant's body was buried. Inside the confines of the castle, Tomas paced angrily as Michael tended to Yona's wounds.

"How could you allow them to have that battle? " He cried.

"I need TO CONCENTRATE," Michael said sharply.

"Come on, Tomas," Darius said, leading Tomas away.

He sat him down beside the fire, but Tomas' anger had yet to abate. He stirred with agitation.

"How could he allow that?" Tomas shook his head wrathfully.

"Tomas," Darius said softly," I know you are upset. But you didn't see the faces of the crowd. They were ready to start an all-out battle,"

"So?!" Tomas retorted," Why don't we just fight them?"

"First of all, we would have been outnumbered and casualties would have been lost on both sides," Danis said more firmly, "Second, If we fought with them, we wouldn't just be making an enemy with Veral. It would have been her army and all those who support her,"

On hearing this, Tomas collapsed back into his chair, somewhat subdued, "It's just so unfair. She fought so hard,"

"I know," Darius smiled weakly, "but we still have one more match to go,"

" Right... but where is Veretta? She didn't come back with us," Tomas frowned.

"She said she needed time to prepare for the battle," Darius ruminated

" I still don't understand why she volunteered to fight Leva Veral," Tomas exhaled deeply.

At that moment, Michael returned to the pair, "I have done what I could. The damage is quite bad. She will need time to rest,"

Tomas Immediately took off to be at her side.

"What do you think is going to happen tomorrow?" Darius asked Michael quickly.

"I don't know," Michael said solemnly.

********

The night drew to a close. In the morning everyone once more assembled at the battleground. There had been a shift in the atmosphere overnight. The air was so tense you could cut it with a knife. Both sides stood in opposition waiting for Leva and Veretta to emerge.

On cue, they both appeared, stepping across the battle line.

"Miss veretta," Leva smiled," I hope you know I hold no ill will against you,"

"Nor I you," Veretta answered quietly.

"Then let this be the end of the dispute between our two parties," Leva pulled out her weapon.

Rather than a sword, she carried a golden bow. She gave a slight bow and Veretta followed. The battle signal was given.

Veretta wondered how Leva would gain enough distance between them to attack. Nevertheless, as she unsheathed her own sword, she had made the determination not to let it come to that.

Veretta raced down, her blade was electrified with magic. Leva Veral pulled forward her bow and shot past a single arrow. It whizzed through the air seemingly out of range. However, at the last second, the arrow trajectory changed in mid-air, aiming at Veretta.

Veretta barely had the time to block it. It ricocheted off her blade, slicing through her sleeve. Just as Veretta had regained her balance, a barrage of more arrows poured down. They were impossible to avoid, seemingly giving chase from every angle.

Veretta instead held her ground, batting the arrows aside with her sword. However, just as the last pierced the ground, Leva closed the gap between them. Veretta was struck with the curve of the bow. As Veretta hit the ground, Leva raised another arrow to shoot.

"I'm afraid our match is over," Leva stared down, her expression unusually serious.

"I think not," Veretta said quietly.

A ghastly pool of oozing black expanded at Lera's feet. A human body shot out of the ground. Its limbs we're tangled and blackened. It lurched at Leva, forcing her back. However, just as she jumped back, another emaciated body caught hold of her.

Leva struck the creature, slicing the neck clean from the body. Yet, all of sudden, she found herself embroiled by a dozen or more hands creeping up from the ground, glueing her to the spot.

Veretta came to stand. She raised her sword from a distance away. The air crackled with lightning. In a flash of light, the electricity shot forward in a line, carving and burning the earth.

Leva's eyes widened in surprise, but she nevertheless drew her bow. This time as the arrow shoot out to counter the blow, it was coated in a green glowing light. It exploded into a green wall of trees and florets.

"Oh, my," Leva smiled," you caught me by surprise. I suppose this should be expected from one of the black wizard's party,"

She rose her hand a writhing cluster of vines projected out from the green wall. Veretta's arms and legs were tangled in a thick rope of branches. She sliced through them, but they continued to shoot back up.

Leva emerged with an arrow drawn. It shot out viciously toward Veretta. She was struck in the shoulder. She let out a cry, gritting her teeth against the pain. Veretta gave a scream and a blast of electricity released her from the vines. Leva was already waiting with another glaring green array of arrows.

Veretta rose her hand and Iine of corpses blockaded the arrows. The shot bodies fell back one by one.

"I need more power, " Veretta breathed venomously," Give me more!"

The black Ooze exploded in a miasma around her. Veretta's veins began to turn black. Her green eyes disappeared behind a shroud of shadow. The sky began to darken and crack with thunder.

Leva stopped short of the black mist with trepidation" You must stop, Veretta! That power is too great!"

However, it was too late. The black veil sank into the ground. A fearsome relic of bones came to the forefront. It shivered and the bones contracted. A boned dragon was wrapped around Veretta's body. Its great lurching form made the air tremble with electric energy.

The crowd gasped in horror. Leva stepped forward, "A dragon?" She breathed," Veretta, we will stop the match. Such a creature will destroy everything here!"

But Veretta did not respond. Her eyes had turned dark as night and expression glazed in a state of rapture. She rose her hand and the creature spiralled out firms under her. It opened its blackened jaws revealing a mouthful of razor blade teeth. A swarm of energy congealed at the opening. A massive blast of electric energy burst out.

The entire battleground and beyond was set ablaze. The crowd scattering. Leva managed to protect some with her magic, but her back was scorched.

"Grand wizard!" Estelle cried.

"I am fine," Leva Inhaled sharply," but we must get control of this situation. The girl must be stopped,"

"What exactly are you suggesting?" Michael emerged from the crowd.

"If she cannot regain control over her magic, I will have no choice but to kill her," leva replied unflinchingly.

"You will do no such thing!" Tomas explained.

"Look around!" Estelle cried.

The dragon had now taken flight breathing electric fire over the castle. Veretta too was standing in the midst of a dark magic pool that was spluttering out corpses by the dozen.

"Take care of the dead, I will try to reach her," Michael said quietly.

"She will kill you," Leva warned.

"She can't," Michael Smirked," I'm already dead,"

He plundered into the waste ground of flame quenching them with a wave of water. Tomas and Darius followed after him. They began cutting through the army of corpses as Michael led the charge.

"What should we do, Grand wizard?" Estelle asked.

"Assist them," Leva replied gravely, "but Princess, If the wizard fails, you know what we must do,"

Estelle gave a solemn nod and rallied her troops who followed her into battle. Leva began to coordinate with the others to attack the dragon. Michael reached the black pool.

"Veretta!" He called.

Her eyes come down emotionlessly. Electric magic shot out from the ground firing towards Michael. He blocked the attack with a wall of ice. However, the magic spread through sending shouting pain down his hand. He pulled back his hand with difficulty and the ice shattered. He let out an unsteady breath but proceeded forward.

"Shallow!" he cried, " Where are you?"

There was no reply. Veretta held up both hands to the sky. A monstrous flash of lightning shuttered across the sky. Michael raced forward grappling against the lifeless hands engulfing him. He kept going through the depths of darkness.

He stumbled out in front of the misted temple of the dead. Shallow was standing still, eyes affixed to the sky.

"Shallow! Shallow!" Michael bellowed.

Shallow's eyes came down slowly, a smile on his lips, "Do you feel it? So this is pain,"

"You have to make it stop!" Michael snapped.

"Make it stop?" Shallow broke into loud ecstatic laughter," Even if I could, I would not stop it. How glorious is the triumph of human suffering!"

Michael gave a grunt and pushed past. He began a frantic search for Veretta. Finally, he turned to the temple itself.

"If you go in there, you may not return," Shallow said without looking back.

Michael gave no answer, he flung open the door. It was utterly dark inside, nothing could be seen. Nevertheless, he raced inside. The doors shut behind him...