Chapter Forty Two: I Can Save You

Valant's curved blade pressed against the firm edge of Xolumbrandir, his hands gripping Corravai's hilt tightly as he struggled for control. From this distance I could clearly see his focused and almost manic expression, his teeth gritted together in a snarl of defiance as he continued to strive in vain, trying to push me off balance.

I went with his momentum and leaned backwards, causing him to overextend and fall forwards, putting pressure on his right foot as he almost fell to the ground. With practised ease I stepped to the side and brought my black sword down swiftly, resting it on the back of his exposed neck. He froze, his body locked

“You're dead.” The words were cold as they left the chilling metal of my mask.

A snarl escaped the mouth of the Elven King and he threw himself forwards, rolling across the ground before jumping to his feet, his eyes focused on me as he held Corravai before him.

“I expected more than that, Valant. Perhaps you are not the warrior that Gorvo thought you were.” I said as I began to walk forwards, Xolumbrandir held at my side non-nonchalantly, as if I was already dismissing him.

“I'll show you what I'm capable of, Corus. I will win!” As he finished, he sounded desperate, almost as if he was trying to convince himself that he could defeat me.

Despite myself, I felt a pang of pity for the man. He would continue to fight, though his chances of winning were non existent. I could appreciate his resolve if nothing else.

The dance began anew as Valant charged forwards, his blade low and held in a death grip as I met him once again. His cuts were quick, aiming for my legs and arms, hoping to cripple me. It was a sound strategy. I wore no armour and weak spots were certainly open to him, I would do the exact same if I were in his situation. Unfortunately for him, I didn't allow Corravai to cut my clothing. It was a gift from Ada after all and I wouldn't disrespect the girl by allowing a church blade to harm it.

Every one of Valant's strikes was deflected, Xolumbrandir held only with one hand as my blade moved before me, knocking Corravai aside as it were nothing but wind. As this continued I could see the desperation begin to blossom within Valant's eyes. He knew he was outmatched and that I was merely playing with him. He would try a new strategy. He had too, or he would die.

I felt mana begin to rush into his body and I prepared myself to move out of the way of the inevitable spell that he was about to cast. I was surprised, however, when no spell came. Instead he took advantage of me preparing for magic and attacked with a large over hand swing. The flaming blade came down at speed, hoping to cleave into my neck and end the duel quickly.

I leaned slightly to the side and Corravai rushed past me, almost throwing Valant off balance again, but he stopped before he past that point and brought his sword round. I ducked under the next attack and slammed the grey pommel of Xolumbrandir into his stomach, causing a gasp of air to emerge from his mouth. He fell backwards, his eyes wide open in surprise and his breathing heavy as he waved his sword in front of him to keep me at bay. But I didn't follow.

“The sword fails you, Valant. I heard Corravai was a gift given to her champions by the Goddess. Perhaps you are unworthy of it?” I smiled, unseen behind my mask and began to walk towards the struggling man, whose hand clutched his abdomen as he tried to regain his breath.

With a cry he attacked again, this time with magic. Fire left his outstretched hand, white flames very much like ones that coated his swords blade.

I raised my own hand and commanded the earth to obey. Jumping forwards at my command, the dirt rose from the ground and smothered the flames before they could even get close.

“Why are you so weak? Didn't Gorvo train you himself? I expected more of you. Marwenna would have at least managed to cut me by now.” I taunted even as I continued to close the distance.

Valant roared and closed the distance between us in less than a second, his blade's flames felt much hotter now, almost as if they were in tune with Valant's emotions.

To the common eye Valant's blade moved with blinding speed, his emotions pushing him onwards, driving him to move ever faster. I was impressed. He was approaching speeds that would put an Air Aspect user to shame and he didn't seem to be slowing down.

“I. Will. Win!” Each word was followed by a dozen strokes, each one aimed at my vital areas, an expression of intense need on his face.

He was beginning to force me backwards. The power of his attacks and the heat of Corravai's flames taking me by surprise and causing me to go on the defensive. Xolumbrandir moved through the air with grace, knocking each strike away before it could get close but Valant was not deterred. If anything he only seemed to become more incensed, his eyes filled with a fury that would cause any man to quake in their boots before his terrible might.

But I was no ordinary man.

Finally, Valant made a mistake. He was too eager, too hungry, to end the fight before it had really began. I expected that those he had fought on the battlefield before were relatively weak compared to his power. Despite not being at the standard of one of my Knights, he was trained by Gorvo Nali, a man whom I considered to be my only rival in terms of both swordplay and magical ability.

He had seen me moving backwards and had assumed that I had underestimated what he was capable of, and he wouldn't be wrong to think so. I thought this level of skill and speed was far beyond his reach, but I was never in a position where he could gain an advantage. I had made sure of that.

With a pain filled cry of victory he lunged forwards, mana filling him to the brim as he threw everything he had into this one strike, this one stunning attack. His blade began to glow, the white flames that coated it so bright that it would be on par with the blazing glory of the sun itself. It came down at an angle, gripped tightly with both hands as he called upon everything he had to end me. Unfortunately for him, I knew the attack all too well.

It was Gorvo's Aura attack. An impressive one. I had never learned its name but it had almost killed me when we had faced each other in battle.

Unlike Gorvo, Valant seemed incapable of strengthening the attack with aura. I could only assume that I had killed his master before he had the time to teach Valant the particulars of the technique.

“I smite thee, Corus!” Valant roared and Corravai finished it's arc. I smirked and raised my hand.

The explosion rocked the world around us, the grass at our feet incinerated by the awesome heat of Valant's attack. A shock wave rocked the ground and I felt the earth tremble in awe. Dust and ash flew into the air, clouding Valant's vision as he strained to see ahead of him.

For but a moment there was silence. The world had come to a stand still as if honouring the impressive skill that was just shown. Valant still strained to see. His body exhausted from using so much mana, but his grip on Corravai did not weaken. If anything, it had grown tighter still.

“Did you really think that would be enough?”

A sob escaped Valant's lips and his eyes filled with utter despair as the ashen cloud around us moved by the power of my will. It revealed me, standing in the exact same place I was before he had struck. My hand wrapped tightly around Corravai's blade, the white flames had retreated from my hand, back down towards the hilt. Almost as if they were afraid to feel my touch.

“How? That's not possible!” Valant cried, his fingers trembling on the hilt of his sword |”You should be dead! That was the masters attack... what are you!?” He roared, tears rolling down his face as he tried, in vain, to pull Corravai free from my grip.

I sighed “You thought you could defeat me. I can understand your resolve. Once upon a time, I stood in the same place you stand now. Too weak to save myself or those I cared for from a fate worse than death. I swore that I would never be that powerless again.”

Valant's eyes never left mine, a fervent fear could be seen lurking within.

“That was Gorvo's aura technique, was it not? A pity you are unable to properly use aura. Would you like to see one of mine?” My tone became hard and unforgiving as I wrapped my aura around the glowing metal of Corravai's blade.

Valant's eyes widened as he realised what I was about to do. Horror etched onto his features as he redoubled his efforts to break free.

“Please! Corus, please, don't!” He cried

“Shatter.” I whispered and my aura obeyed, mana driving it to purpose.

For a second, nothing happened. And then the sound of cracking metal filled the air as Valant watched on in disbelief. Hundreds of tiny cracks appeared on the surface of his blade, the weapon trembling with fear. It was sending these emotions back to it's master, it's sense of hopelessness and terror all adding to Valant's own rising feelings of despair as he tried even harder to break free. One hand left his weapon and his fist began to smash into my mask, his fingers breaking and skin tearing under the impact. I did not move, the attacks were powerful and infused with mana but they were nothing compared to the physical strength of Xolumbrandir's constructs.

“Corus! No! Please, No-” He never finished what he was about to say before the whole world turned white. His eyes were blinded by the flash and he let loose a cry of pain as he was thrown backwards through the air, his world spinning around and around as he continued to fly away. His descent was faster.

Valant crashed into the ground, his bones breaking under the impact, his eyes still unable to see. But he didn't care about his sight, nor did he care about the wounds he had sustained in the assault. All he cared about was the absence inside himself. His sword was destroyed, Corravai was gone and the tether with it.

Pieces of shattered light fell around me. I had grounded myself within the earth and Corravai's terrific destruction did not affect me in the least. I kept my gaze on the curled up and sobbing form of Valant, his whole body shaking with pain as he felt the full weight of the evisceration of his sentient weapon. Corravai was gone and with it, a part of Valant's own person.

“And so ends the tale of Corravai, blade of the Champions. How does it feel, Valant? To know that your oldest ally was useless against my strength. Without it you are nothing. Not a champion or hero.” I said as I walked forwards towards the fallen Elven King.

It was then that a sound of rushing wind filled the air and I felt a terrific aura glow with a terrible light. I turned and looked towards the direction of Cinder and Marwenna, only to see the beginnings of something I thought that I would never see again.

It was a hurricane, massive in scope and scale, that stretched upwards towards the heaven. At it's centre, I could feel Marwen and Cinder, their aura's glowing with power as they both competed for dominance.

“Looks like your daughter won't last long now, Corus.” Valant spat between gritted teeth as he pulled himself to his feet. “Marwen is the Knight of Storms and her power is beyond Cinder. Soon she will fall!”

I ignored the former champion and instead focused on the hurricane that had been created in the distance. I felt a pang of worry attack my heart at the thought of Cinder being within the swirling walls of wind.

Marwenna's power was great. Her control of the air was almost absolute and this was a testament to her skill, the ability to summon a natural disaster on a scale that most mages would find impossible.

I wanted to go and help Cinder immediately, but I knew she would hate me for it. I may not have been around for the last four hundred years but I knew Cinder, probably better than she knew herself. She would want to beat this under her own power. To show Marwen who the greatest Knight is.

“I'm not worried, Valant. You underestimate Cinder because you have no idea the true extent of her power. She is the only being in this continent who Marwen fears, besides myself. She will succeed and bring Marwenna to me. Of that, I have no doubt”

I turned back to the Elven King and looked at him, my expression hidden from sight, but I'm sure he could hear the smile that was on my lips.

“And besides, whether she succeeds or not should not be your concern. Didn't you say that you were going to defeat me? Perhaps you should stop talking and try a little harder to do just that.”

Valant sneered at me, his body still shaking. I could see his aura clearly and it was damaged, most likely a result of Corravai's fate. His ability to control mana had been compromised. I wondered, with our unusual relationship, would Xolumbrandir's destruction affect me in such a way?

“I will defeat you... I must.” He whispered as he pulled himself to his feet, his hand dropping to his waist and pulling a dagger free of it's sheath on his belt. “I must... for Marwen, for Mahalis. You are poison, Corus. I knew that from the moment I first heard of you. You take what you want with no regard for the lives of others. The difference between you and I is that I cared when I took a life. Whether it was Rebel Court or not, I always cared. You are a shallow husk, once human, but now corrupted and empty.” He began to stumble forwards, his hand held out in front of him as he tried desperately to cover the distance, his legs barely strong enough to support his weight.

“Yet you happily took the information that Marwenna gave you? Happily killed innocents to-”

“Marwen didn't give me any information, you fool!” Valant shouted as he continued on his path. “She loved you, Corus. She loved all of you! The reason she abandoned everyone is because she thought she wasn't good enough, that she was tainted because she had fallen in love with me. She thought it would be better if they just forgot about her. You know nothing! I comforted her as she cried for days, weeks at a time. Mourning your death! She couldn't understand why she cried, she still believed what Vitriss told her, that you were evil, but she hated herself none the less. It was only when Mahalis was born that she experienced some kind of peace.”

Valant tripped over his own feet, exhaustion taking hold as he hit the ground, his grip on the dagger loosening, but he managed to hold it within his armoured hand.

Uncertainty filled me as I tried to detect some form of lie in Valant's words, but there was none. He was telling the truth, but it meant nothing.

“Even if what you say is true, she and you were behind the attack on Ellai, thousands of innocents dead on the command of a Knight!” I roared the last words, my aura letting itself, finally, be known and Valant gripped the earth and gritted his teeth to keep from being blown away.

“She did nothing! It was me, Corus! I called for the armies of the faithful, I put it all in motion on the order of Vitriss! I swear to you that is the truth. If you wish to punish someone, punish me! Do not punish her because of my actions. Her only crime was falling in love with me!” He yelled as he tried to hold on, his whole body feeling the vibrations of my unnatural aura.

“Why?! Why would Vitriss want to destroy Ellai? It makes no sense, she already had me, why try to destroy all I built!” I shouted and wrapped Valant in air, lifting him into the air until he hung before me.

“Ask her! I have no idea, nor do I care. I wish you had stayed dead. I wish you were gone from our lives. You are a plague, Corus. I don't know why this all happened the way it did. But I know that everything that happened was a result of your very existence! You look for someone to blame, to unleash your wrath upon?! Perhaps you should turn that power upon yourself!” Valant sneered, but didn't struggle. He knew he was beyond help now, he was at my mercy. I could destroy him with a word, ending his sorry excuse for a life.

“Then why say nothing? Why just stand there and accept everything that I accused her of?” I hissed, the air closing tighter around Valant as he gasped in pain.

I was surprised by the almost pitying look on his face. “You have never truly loved someone, have you, Corus? She thought that she was saving me. I know that now. But she did nothing! Her only crime was being used by Vitriss.”

Valant's head fell forwards and his I could see the tears drift off his face and into the swirling winds that held him aloft.

“Please... Don't hurt her. I plead now, to the boy you once were. Marwenna used to tell stories to Mahalis about you as a child. How you were kind and gentle, how you loved all things. How you loved her.” Valant drew in a chocking breath. “I hated you for getting that time with her, I hate you still, for the monster that I know you to be. But if even half of what was said is true, then I beg you, your Majesty. Please. Let her go home.” With the last words Valant raised his gaze and aimed it at me, his eyes glistening with pain and loss, but a fragment of hope glimmered beneath. He was hoping, praying, that I would heed his words and not harm Marwenna.

“No” The word was easy to say and I felt my heart grow ever colder as I saw the hope die in Valant's gaze, a sad smile appearing at the corner of his lips.

“Then you have proven me right. You are a monster, Corus. You will fall one day soon. I know you will. I hope it hurts.” Valant said, his eyes now filled with defiance as he prepared to die.

“Goodbye, Valant.” I said with a dead tone and I constricted the magical wind that circulated him.

An agonised scream filled the air as Valant's body was slowly pushed back against itself, what remained of his intact bones crumbling beneath the terrific force that I exerted.

“STOP!”

Startled, I almost fell forwards, my grip on magic fading as I spun on the spot, Xolumbrandir coming up fast I aimed it in the direction that the voice had come from.

There was nothing there.

A frown appeared upon my face. I had heard something, hadn't I? The voice was heard as clearly as Valant's, but I didn't sense any aura nearby apart from Hilin's, Marwen's and Cinders. None of whom sounded anything like this. What the fuck... am I going insane?

I quickly turned to make sure Valant was where I left him, lest this be some kind of trick on his part to escape me. But he remained where he was, fallen to the ground and unconscious. Unfortunately, he was still very much alive.

I turned once again towards the direction I had heard the voice and reached out with my enhanced senses, further bolstering them with mana to give me a massive range. But still, nothing was making itself known to me.

The idea that I imagined it was quickly dismissed. I knew the difference between reality and illusion. I had studied illusion magic quite extensively when I sought to master it's power. I could sense no shimmer that usually occupied such magic. For a moment I was tempted to use Aspect of Illusion. The spell could let me summon incredibly detailed creations from thin air, but it also gave me the power to see through the illusions of others. But this was different. If it were an illusion I would sense the mana that made it possible. But now I could sense nothing.

It was then I heard a gasp of excited breath

“Can you hear me?” The voice asked, while before it had been desperate now it filled with hope.

I continued to look around for a moment, ignoring it as I sought to seek out who the voice belonged to.

“Hey! Ass hole! Can you hear me?” The voice asked again, this time more desperate than before as it shouted in my ear.

#

I winced at the sound and raised a hand to the side of my mask. It was like the voice was talking directly into my ear.

“Yes, I can hear you. What is this?” I said carefully, my guard well and truly up as I continued my search.

A sigh of relief came from the voice “Thank Vitriss. I thought I wouldn't be able to get to you in time. Now, mind telling me who you are?”

When the voice thanked the Goddess I immediately gritted my teeth and managed to control myself. Is this another of Vitriss' tricks? Sent to annoy me even more than she already has.

“Why don't you come out so I can tell you in person.” I said as I moved away from Valant's body and began to rapidly turn from direction to direction, hoping to catch whoever was watching me by surprise.

The voice sighed “I'm not actually here, idiot. I'm... well, I have no idea where you are, but It feels far away compared to where I am.”

What was this voice's purpose? Was it sent by Vitriss, or another? I couldn't detect any lie from it's words but that didn't mean shit.

“And where are you, exactly?” I asked. I was surprising myself with my own sense of calm.

“Currently I'm... well, I'm in Omara. Though, I'm pretty tied down at the minute... literally.”

I frowned, then a look of shocked revelation hit me to my core. What the fuck is going on?

“Are you... are you the other half of my soul?”

I sensed confusion in the Voices tone “Em, I don't know what you're talking about. I've been dreaming a lot recently. All the dreams are of you but... I think this is different. I can speak to you now and hear voices. I could never do that before.”

Now it was my turn to be confused “What's different this time? How are you doing this? What's your name?”

“Well, what's different is that I'm unconscious. But... I think I know why I can speak to you. I need to save you... I think, I don't know.” The voice sounded exasperated as it finished it's sentence, almost as if it were trying go figure out it's own purpose.

I squinted my eyes as a hint of disbelief entered into my tone.

“And what, exactly, do I need saving from?”

“Yourself... idiot. My name is Silvren and I think that when I save you, maybe you can save me.”