Chapter 7

His hands gripped his head as he screamed within that cerulean sphere, he couldn't help it, the dark energy amassing within him had just gotten too much that he could not longer control.

He felt those deep and dark cracks etch themselves on his chest, spreading across his being, they made his brown eyes condense into dark jewels. He had been made this way, the universe and everyone who had been in his life had made him believe that this was what he was - darkness. But something within kept prodding him not to, that voice talking him into realizing that there wasn't any need for him to do this.

"No Equivax !" The rage within his mind silenced that voice.

"You don't understand, this is what they see me as and this is what I'll be."

Screaming within that charged orb of darkness, the dense dark depth making him sink deeper into that arcane realm which made his mind traverse into that estatic state of self-sabotage - that high. Those titanic and white pillars radiated their sanctity before him, infinite in their numbers, they filled this cosmic plain in unending rows. They could have curbed the turbulence brewing within him, but it was too late, his thoughts had become so dark and that darkness glowed through his eyes, those dark cracks ran down his jaws etching themselves all over his being. This was what he trulywas, this was what the universe had made him believe to be his identity, and he didn't care about the danger his actions could bring upon it. He was evil anyway, just like Zark Novic and Ler Edzak, just like the rest, he was dark.

"You are not me !" His enraged thoughts screamed to those pillars, making their cores shatter from within as they emitted those infinite waves of darkness.

Standing before them, seeing Equivax reclining against the wall, his bronze armour blackened, having lost its glorious flare and a devolved Hypernox, now a wolf, sitting on his hindlimbs. They both glared accusingly at Kied.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. Equivax replied with an uncaring sigh, while Hypernox's eyes glistened black from where he sat.

"I'm sorry", Kied said dropping on his knees, tears welling up in his eyes, "I couldn't help it, I wish I could, but I wasn't strong enough."

"I told you not to." Equivax reminded.

"Yes you did and I wish I had listened", Kied accepted, "but my thoughts were too twisted, I couldn't get my focus, please Equivax try and understand."

After what seemed like forever, Hypernox rose on all fours. Walking towards Kied, he used his left forepaw to wipe the tears from Kied's eyes, then rested his head on Kied's Left shoulder. Tears trickled down Hypernox's eyes as well, both master and beast felt the same pain.

"I wouldn't want you to get into one of your ruts", Equivax finally said, "one of these days Kied, you'll have to stop this, its doing you no good neither does it do any to us. We all are one, we feel the same pain, and it's in your hands to decide what becomes of us."

Sighing to himself, he walked away, stopping before the door, he asked.

"I hope your mind is still sharp ? Because we have a battle ahead of us."

"My mind never dulls for a battle," Kied replied, that grin taking over his lips.

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Ler Edzak consumed in the thrill of the moment as his army set this stellar-city ablaze, was taken aback by that fierce storm of halos which fell upon his battleships. Dark and thunderous, their cores bearing massive streaks of lightning, they wiped out anything that stood in their way, enacting a shield with his wrist, Edzak blocked a stray halo coming his way. The impact was thunderous, making the atmosphere ripple in vivid and concentric waves, that sent him crashing to the floor of his battlecarpet. Straining back onto his feet, his armour steaming from that massive surge of energy that hard struck him down, his mind could single out only one person who was capable of unleashing such a destructive storm without breaking a sweat, and it was Kied.

The cosmic skies darkened as the Aegis appeared, heralded by those fierce waves of lightning illuminating the entire city in flashes of white. Edzak could see Kied staring down at him, his sardonic grin ever present, something which was far annoying than an arrogant opponent. It had the domineering effect of passing the message, "I'm the strongest and I don't have to say it."

Damn !

Somehow he had returned, could this monster never die ? Edzak could still see him standing there unmoved and as still as a statue, grinning mischievously back at his, with Hypernox - that annoying cosmic beast of his who never retained one form, for what reason Edzak never knew - now a wolf and by his side stood Equivax. These names made him tremble with rage, especially that one syllabic, double edged dagger, kied

"Hypernox, it seems that my absence lasted for long to make my return such a surprise."

Hypernox whined in agreement.

"He isn't pleased seeing you back, why should he be anyway ? He knows he's in for something disastrous. Retreating could be his next move," Equivax observed.

"I just hope he doesn't", Kied replied, "it'll give me the opportunity to kill two beasts with a single beam."

Hypernox barked.

"You're right", Equivax sensed, "retreating would mean that he doesn't value his newly acquired territory as an asset worth fighting for. But protecting it from a foe like you who he knows is a stronger opponent shows how important this city is to him."

"And I'll get to the bottom of it", Kied continued, " for now Hypernox, let's shake him a little to see how he reacts. The Edzak I know would turn tail on seeing me approach him for a fight."

Hypernox howled to the cosmic skies making it quake with thunder, while Equivax frayed into the air, his being reintegrating within the command centre of the Aegis. Taking the helm of the ship's, he created those geometric configurations, preparing it for an assault.

"Hypernox", Kied called, "it's high time we had gotten you charged for your evolution."

Hypernox howled to the thought, his voice piercing the thunderous skies.

Edzak blocked his ears with his palms, that annoying scum ball, how could Kied withstand the sound of that thing ? When it wasn't roaring it was howling, when it wasn't doing either it was screeching. Well Kied was his master, a master as horrible as his annoying pet.

Regaining his hearing, Edzak stared at Kied who was preparing for an assault upon his fleet. If it were during their previous encounters, he would have retreated without any hesitation, he wasn't as bullheaded and aggressive as Novic. But this was priceless to him, and he wasn't going to allow this brat bully him into running away, no, not today !

"Cannons !" Edzak ordered, his battleships taking aim prepared to unleash a volley of halos.

"You were right Equivax", Kied intoned, "but I need something that would take Hypernox to the next level, and a volley of halos won't be able to do that, so you'll have to raise the shield for now, isn't that right Hypernox ?"

Hypernox whined in agreement.

"Then let it rain," Kied dared.