12

  “Wake up.” Omar was awakened by a low growl. His eyes shot open, and, to his surprise, he was not greeted by Magnus nor Liona.

  Before he laid eyes on the monster, he could sense it from its fowl stench circulating around the cabin. The Demon God Dragni sat in Magnus’s chair with his feet lounging up on the table. His eyes held a glowing red tint, almost if they had been soaked in blood. He chortled, hoisting a golden goblet in his right hand like a trophy. The regal blue robes of the demon fell long enough to swirl around him like a serpent. The Demon God crossed his legs and slid another goblet over to Omar.

  “I brought mead,” Dragni offered, pulling a bottle from his robes. “Have a seat.”

  Omar flinched and carefully hopped out of the cot. He walked over to Dragni, studying him closely. What is he doing here? Omar thought. Omar took a glance outside the window before sitting down at the table, in hopes someone would be out there. Instead, he saw several members of the Venslerik clan; however, each Viking was frozen in time. They were all sunken into the snow on their knees, utterly still. Omar turned back to Dragni in anger.

  “What have you done, demon?!” Omar demanded.

  Dragni chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. “I did nothing. All I did was freeze time after rounding them up. Oh, and to get them all together, I said I would kill the youth first. Funny stuff… And now I am the bad guy,” Dragni scoffed, setting his chalice down and leaning closer towards Omar. “See, people are so unreasonable nowadays.”

  He pushed the other seat with his long legs that had no skin, only bone. “Now, sit.” A sliver of impatience came with the demand. He nodded towards the Diborn. “I insist. I come here, bringing drink, hoping we could talk. Is that too much?”

  Omar snatched the chair from his foot. Anger rushed through his veins like a bull in an arena. His stare searched for a lost soul inside Dragni, and still, even his heightened senses, he could not find one. Omar pulled the seat and sat down silently, coldly glancing at the Demon God. Dragni nodded in satisfaction, pouring the mead into the goblet he had laid out for Omar. He pushed it towards him, yet Omar pushed it off the table.

  Dragni turned feeble. “Alright. I was being nice.”

  “Showing up unannounced and threatening children is far from being nice.” Omar retorted. “It is nothing but pure cowardice. Preying upon the weak...”

  “If I really preyed on the weak, I would have slit your throat in your elusive dream. Maybe, take three of those children for lunch tomorrow and make slaves of these human filth. That is cowardice.” Dragni winked, batting away from Omar. His attention was focused on the cabin and its decorations. “Lovely home. They sure are becoming better interior designers.”

  Omar growled, “Enough.” His patience was growing thin. “Why are you… here?!”

  Dragni backed away with a look of surprise on his face. His eyebrows raised in confusion. He leaned back in towards Omar tightly grabbing his wrist. “You really want to show disrespect to a house guest like that? I bring you drink, spare those humans, and you act like that. Hmph. You have not changed, Omar Marshall. You’ve always been so eager to reach the end before it even begins.”

  Silence swept in like a roaring wave. Omar rushed out of his seat, trying to free himself from Dragni’s grip. Omar’s anger clouded his mind, as he pulled away from Dragni, blood streaked onto his wrist from the Demon God’s claws.

  “You know what?” Dragni snapped his fingers. “There. Happy now?”

  The snow-covered mountains that surrounded the cozy Viking cabins suddenly erupted by a low, rumbling clap of thunder that violently shook the ground. Omar stood beside the table and could feel the impending danger of the village. He snatched his sword and rushed outside, slamming the door open. The people of Venslerik were still frozen, even with the ground trembling.

  His gaze lifted, narrowing on the dark sky dark hanging above the village. The hairs on his body shivered for the first time since he had become a Diborn. It felt like a fever dream, a reoccurring nightmare like the one he always endured, yet he couldn’t recognize this storm’s color.

  Without warning, a navy bolt of lightning struck down behind the Vikings, splitting the heavens and hell in half. A figured emerged from the skies, although his frame was clouded by fog. The man was massive and crashed harshly into the clearing with each of his footsteps setting off a tremor. “Who are you?!” Omar demanded seeing the man rise over eight feet tall. His physique demanded an audience from its perfectly built stature. He was a monster among men, with biceps that could strangle a human like an anaconda. His legs were giant enough to crush one’s head in with a gentle squeeze.

  The heavens shined upon him and the golden lights of the sky ignited him. His long, luscious blue hair looked like a nest of ravens. He walked slowly pass the Vikings, his heavy ebony armor clanking as he moved closer. Omar readied his silver longsword, for he was unsure if this was a monster or a something far worse.

  The monster’s hand reached for its royal black cloak, revealing an embroidered ebony blade wrapped inside of a cocoon. The monster kept his pure onyx eyes on Omar, while blue circles reflected from his pupils. The blade behind him radiated with power. Behind the calloused grip of the monster, the blade called to Omar. The air cackled all around, and the blade continues beckoning his name.

  Omar’s hand tightened around his longsword, but his posture remained steady and firm. Omar had seen enough Diborn monsters in his lifetime. He knew what came next for those who wielded the Lotus Blade.

  The monster’s voice boomed, ta “So, my murderer does live here.” The monster took a step forward, lowering his hand from the blade. His boots thundered against the shallow earth. He laughed. “I’ve come to seek the one they call Pegasus.”

  Omar didn’t answer immediately. He studied the monster, trying to understand why this beast had returned to him. He observed the Vikings, still frozen in time. Is this a ghost from my past? Omar thought. He sensed the weight of the storm heading his way from the monster’s grand entrance. Thunder clapped behind him, while Dragni laughed with the storm.

  “Leonidas?” Omar shuddered. “You’re…alive?”

  Leonidas smirked menacingly. There was a new person standing before. Leonidas was no longer human, but was now a Diborn like Omar, each of them living with a piece of the blade inside them. Leonidas rushed past Omar, heading into the cabin. “Nice shithole,” the enormous man murmured before entering the home.

  Omar stared in disbelief of what stood before him. Leonidas kept a tight grip on his sword, as he mindlessly stumbled around. A gust of wind howled around Omar, pushing him inside the cabin with the monstrous Leonidas.

  “You’ve met my Boracius, Marshall?” Dragni asked. Leonidas walked up to Dragni who had never left his position at the table. Dragni handed the goblet to Leonidas and pulled a small table out. He motioned for Leonidas to sit. “Please, join us, Pegasus.”

  Omar’s grip tightened on his longsword. Leonidas and Dragni both noticed his discomfort. Dragni gave Leonidas a nod, and who he called Boracius unveiled his sword from its sheathe. Omar stepped back, in preparation for battle. Leonidas sat relaxed and raised his chalice higher. He set his large sword on the table. It was a sign of peace for now. Omar sighed, following the same action and setting his blade down. He sat tensely in his chair.

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  “Now.” Dragni clapped his hands. “I am not one for long-lasting rivalries, but what you did on that mission costed the Specters a great deal of resources…Resources I cannot allocate.” Omar and Leonidas’s eyes didn’t wander and strictly remained contacted with one another. Dragni continued to play meditator.

  “Because of you, Pegasus, the Specters do not have any power inside the Pale. Our mission was simple. We sent Kharon to destroy the new Gurin, a traitor to our order, who helped that foolish mother of yours put the same Diborn Wards that kept us out. Now, I cannot send my armies into the Pale. I must now resort to sending you Diborn that were once human. You are different since you were not born with your Diborn powers. You have more… control. Now, the takeover of all the continents is temporarily on hold, because we cannot gain Edindale. And that costs resources, which we no longer have…” Dragni sighed, chugging his drink.

  “Kharon is now missing. So, I had to take a precious shard from one of my aging Diborn. And I had to create a new Boracius,” Dragni ranted.

  Leonidas and Omar turned back to Dragni. “Yes. You see Omar. Even when you mean to protect, you fail. Because of you, I found someone with so much anger and hate that they wanted to be reborn just to kill you.” Dragni laughed, taking another swig. “Let’s face it. This Boracius is a steal. Even my master, the glorious Lotus Blade, wants him as its consort. This guy has everything and wants even more. But he kept being shown up by you.”

  Omar grunted. “So, you trade death for revenge. I’ve seen you more honorable than this.”

  “I deserve everything. And Lord Dragni offered me a deal. He would make me a Diborn. And you… to forsake eternal glory is far less honorable than someone who buys it…” Leonidas barked back.

  The tension in the air lifted all the oxygen out of the room, becoming hard to breath now. Omar now didn’t worry about Dragni, only on the man he killed. Leonidas forsake the honorable protector he always appeared to be, for greed. A man only wanting more for himself. This was not the same man he once knew anymore.

  “That is what Boracius has always been.” Dragni swirled his finger around his drink. “Simply, the soul of the man contradicts its former host. The two intertwine in the new host’s body and two soulless beings become one. Boracius is a special shard being, always learning and improving from its last version to become a better, stronger killer.”

  Dragni stopped, as Leonidas became riled up. Dragni sighed. “You know… Omar. There is a place for you with the Specters. Why keep fighting? With us, you can have it all. We destroy the wards. Think about it, you can honor your father’s legacy by becoming the King of the Pale. Aligned with us, we can do greater things than what you could ever do alone. Who would trust a Diborn to save the realm? You are no hero. With us you, you would be a legend.”

  “My lord. That is–” Leonidas disagreed, but Dragni threw him a glare.

  Omar pondered at the thought to himself, for it now became unclear what it was he had been fighting for. His father, the cities he watched burn, and even this village now…wherever he went, death followed like an old friend. When will it stop? Omar stared somberly at his feet.

  “I never thought of myself having this…power. I hate power. All I want is the world to be at peace. I wish for peace, even if it means walking on this road alone. My story is one of many thousands. If I am to fail, at least I did so by my own conscious,” Omar sternly stated.

  Dragni smiled, through the expression was more twisted. “I see.” He laughed demonically, staring at himself through the reflection of the goblet. He rose out of his chair and pushed it in the table like a true house guest. He recognized the anger on Leonidas’s face and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

  Dragni calmed the demons fighting inside of Leonidas. He grunted from the pain, but Dragni squeezed his shoulder tightly, and it was apparent the rage was brushed away with ease. Leonidas’s muscles tensed, as Dragni reached closer to his Lotus Blade, rubbing his fingers on the sword’s massive eye.

  Dragni smiled, whispering into Leonidas’s ear, “Don’t take all day.” Dragni made his leave, swiftly shutting the door behind him but leaving the Lotus Blade behind with Leonidas.

  An echo banged into Omar’s ear drums. Leonidas remained at the table with Omar, as an awkward silence fell between them. His muscles were prepared for battle, yet he eased them a bit. Leonidas broke the silence with laughter. His jaw tightened, waiting for Omar to respond.

  Leonidas’s lips curled, a tiny smile dancing at the corner of his mouth. He turned his gaze to the Lotus Blade. He hopped off the table and began walking around the cabin in circles. Each step shook the ground. Omar remained seated, as Leonidas walked past him.

  “’Bout time…” Leonidas turned his smile into a malevolent grin. His hand raised and the blade flew to into his hands. Omar had no time to respond, grabbing his longsword. Leonidas sent a powerful uppercut to Omar’s chin, sending him flying through the wooden cabin’s roof.

  The cold winds smacked Omar in the face. Leonidas followed Omar, hurdling into the air and scooping Omar up in his arms. Leonidas squeezed the Omar tightly, cracking his ribs. “I have waited for this moment, since you took my life. Now I am going to ensure you feel the same I felt when I was in your damn shadow all these years!”

  When they landed back onto the ground, they slammed into the harsh snow beds of the forest, taking down several trees with them. Omar lost feeling in his sword arm, as the bones were already split. Leonidas held the blade of power, but the energy around him was exerted from his own power. The blade never awakened.

  “Now show me this power you are so keen to rid yourself of, Pegasus!” Leonidas demanded, ready for battle.

  “I don’t wish to fight.” Omar drew his blade recovering himself. It took everything in him to stand on his own two feet.

  Leonidas slowly approached Omar, oozing with exuberating confidence. His mellow grin mirrored the weighing difference in their powers. “Oh, we aren’t fighting, Omar. I am going to kill you, then I am going to resuscitate you, then kill you again!” His grin turned to a mad, crooked smile.

  Leonidas swung his blade like a battering ram. Omar ducked and rolled, but his sword arm snapped from the slight momentum of his body. He winced in pain but followed behind Leonidas, who already stood tall in front of Omar. His movements were quicker, his body stronger, his confidence higher. Everything about Leonidas, the new dark knight of the Specters was superior. Omar knew he couldn’t compete. Omar had dealt with this foe before, but Leonidas was now something more…something much more deadly.

  “I hope you’re ready…” Leonidas reached and grabbed Omar’s neck, pulling him into a whisper.

  The blizzard around them reached its climax. The trees were hardly visible from the snowy downpour. Lightning roared as Leonidas’s grip became suffocating. Omar was defenseless.

  Leonidas’s chokehold squeezed all the air Omar had left inside him. “How does it feel to know you are about to die at the hands of a monster like me? Why do you forgo using your powers to defend yourself?” Leonidas questioned, loosening his grip. Omar hung in the air, dangling his feet. “Why be the Pegasus and only want to help weak souls who will eventually die out. We are the superior race. Can’t you see it?! Fools like you kill our world…”

  Omar narrowed his vision, and stuttered out, “Power. Great power. Is something that requires gentleness, a gentle touch.” He struggled harder. “We are meant to be gentle to those who remain powerless.”

  Leonidas rolled his eyes. “Ah, save your prideful speech for someone as pathetic as you.” In a blitz of anger, Leonidas grabbed Omar’s skull and slammed it into the ground, shattering it like an earthquake. He held the blade over Omar’s restless body and delivered a gushing blow to his abdomen, sticking the blade into the earth beneath him.

  Omar coughed softly, gasping for air, before there was none left. Life left his eyes as his heart stopped beating.

  “You are worthless,” Leonidas said. “I know you can do better than that, Pegasus.”

  Leonidas’s hand electrified, with sparks of lightning spitting from his fingertips. He pushed his palm onto Omar’s chest and vibrated palpitations on beat. “I am more ashamed of myself, for being killed by some puny little shit like you.” He slammed his fist through Omar’s rib cage. “Get up, we are far from done!” He channeled a bolt of lightning from the air and delivered it from his hand into the chest of Omar.

  Omar wheezed, gasping desperately for air. “There you are!” Omar lied dazed, seeing doubles of Leonidas. “Ready for part two?” Leonidas laughed, calling up another lightning bolt.

  “No! Stop…Please!” Omar begged, coughing up blood and raising his arms for protection.

  “Too bad.” Leonidas laughed.

  A lightning bolt came surging down, yet a hand caught it from delivering a death blow. Omar couldn’t make out the person, for they wore a dark hood covering their face. Leonidas barked like a dog towards the shadow. The person hid their face away from Omar, as they focused on Leonidas.

  “Leave the Diborn. He is defeated,” the voice demanded. “No. He deserves hell,” Leonidas urged the hooded figure.

  “And he will get that.” The figure pointed towards the sky. The magical wards that Omar’s mother had built were now cracking like glass. They still were unable to shatter from force alone, but the presence of the half-Diborn started to take its toll. Leonidas grunted with a laugh, releasing Omar.

  The figure helped Leonidas to his feet. “For now, let us retreat home. This continent will be ours. So will every power inside of it. For the Specters are inevitable.” The figure vanished out of sight as it leapt into a portal.

  Leonidas followed behind, laughing maliciously. He turned back to Omar, before the portal closed. “I can’t wait to kill you again, runt.” The portal closed swiftly as he entered.

  Omar lied in the blistering cold, defeated and barely breathing. He stared up to the cracking blue ward surrounding the continent. The world truly may fall to the Specters, he thought. With the little energy he had left, he turned to the horizon and saw Magnus who was running towards him.

  But…Just maybe…

  I can be at peace before they do… by becoming the Soulless Hero who stands against them.