Tales of VenShara

Remember the Pain
​

“I have come – unarmed – to put a stop to this madness! Will you strike me down too!?”

“They, they took everything!” Shari roared the very air around her teamed with an overwhelming presence of death. With a vengeful scream Shari charged forward! A blast of wind knocked Shea over.

“We can’t overpower her, but we can outsmart her! David keep her locked down, Yakim kill her when she is immobilized I will focus on countering her eather.” Misven said quickly as a ball of rage and hate barrelled towards them.

“And who are you to give me orders?” Yakem scoffed. David Weaved Charon and Gaia then yelled at Jakem furiously.

“Now isn’t the time for your ego! The sirens plan is sound!” Yakem sneered, but ceased his bickering as Shari approached.

“Rrraaaaa!” Shari loosed another sea of fire!

Misven brought merc eather to herself weaving desperately fast, the spell was done a millisecond before the fire washed over all of them! “This girl, she casts without weaving. No mage can do that.” The thought troubled her, but now wasn’t the time.

Misven released her weave! Frost cancel! The giant wall of all consuming fire froze, turned to solid ice, literally. Shari still enraged seemed stunned.

“Now!” Misven yelled.

David dashed to the side, his spell ready, burning chains! Chains glowing hot forge from Charon and gaia eather burst from the weave around his hand, like a storm of silk. Shari was thrown from the force of it, then burned! They seared her small frame as they wrapped around her, holding her down like a bird in a net.

“She doesn’t have a magic guard?” Misven thought puzzled. “This girl, she doesn’t know how to use eather, but then how is she?”

“Kill her!” David cheered! Yakem dashed forward casting speed of Adra he launched forward fast as the wind slowly closing the gap his blade drawn!

Yakem only a few meters away extended his blade to plunge into her chest, With a sudden shaking of the earth and sky he found himself blown back by a furious blast of wind and heat! It tossed nearby soldiers in the air launching them like leaves in the wind. Yakim crashed to the ground and rolled to his feet, but wasn’t fast enough to evade a deadly lightning bolt, thrown quickly after his bouncing frame. It impacted! Carrying the Commander off in it’s destructive path before releasing him in a pile of his own charred soldiers.

Misven and David looked back at the commander, eye’s wide “Magic guard down by half, from one blow…” David began to shake, what kind off monster were they up against? A blast of eather, Shari was free of the chains and again rising in the air.

“Misven fend her off I’m going to heal the commander, counter everything she does!” david commanded .

“What!?” Misven protested, but David already dashed ahead. Lightning signaled Shari’s next attack. Misven weaved two frost cancels in both hands, ready to fend for herself. Shari with an emphatic hand wave sent down her furious lightning!

One frost cancel cast! Turning the white burning death to a bolt off harmless ice, Misven leapt evading another strike, then another! A fourth one cut her off, a second frost cancel stopped it but then a fifth a sixth lightning bolt she had to evade, she couldn’t counter all of them!

She tried to weave but even her fastest spell couldn’t be completed in time, one struck her.

She cried out and for a moment vanished in a flash of white, the force caused her to bounce off the ground. She crashed back down twitching from the shock. Half, her magic guard was down by half, in one blow this girl, was leveling them.

Her fist tightened Misven jumped to her feet, more lightning fell, evading two more bolts she weaved and this time vanished in a pool of water that suddenly appeared under her. Shari blasted the pool all to hell, in a wild fury ten massive bolts of lightning and nothing remained of the portal.

Silence

A loud splash! Shari turned, behind her, Misven, launched from water that pooled behind the girl, a coral dagger in hand, she struck forward! The blade drew blood scraping Shari’s forehead, to Misvens despair the girl had been fast enough to just barely avoid a lethal hit. Misven hit the ground and rolled knowing a counter attack was imminent! Throwing her hand back ward she summed rushed eather.

Fire flew from Sharis staff, smashing into Misvens hand, but stopped short of destroying her by a sudden blast of merc and adra eather, that spun wildly, Sharis fire spun around misven hand wildy even as the mer was pushed back by the force of her spell, wasting not a moment Misven launched it back using counter surge!


A blast larger than Misven expected threw her back, the ball of fire in truth was backed with far more Charon eather than anticipated, Misven magic guard seared, it cracked, bit’s of it burning off completely.

“One quarter, one quarter of it gone, I’m only one tenth. But did I at least?”

She peered through the smoke, Shari, was still alive. She stood unscathed a massive barrier protecting her. How could one win? Even with no magic guard, so powerful. Misven sank back, exhausted, Shari gave no quarter throwing her hand out, she sent an even larger bolt of searing lightning then the one the hit Yakem at the downed Siren, but it missed!

A chain wrapped around Saris hand and pulled it away at the last moment, the lightning veered off at an angle tearing into soldiers screaming across the landscape. Smashing into Pia’s south wall sending it sky high! Rubbled rained down.

Still the lightning pulsed from Sharis hand, another chain grabbed her leg, ripping off her balance, she fell and her lightning now going hay wire sliced the clouds in the sky cleanly in two before finally dying.

David had returned, with Yakem in tow no greeting were shared even for a moment, they had to attack! Shari burst from the chains again now facing down her three adversaries.

“can’t you make your binding spells any stronger!” Misven yelled.

David gritted his teeth pouring all his skill and eather. “Give me a second!” Shari gave none, she hit her staff on the ground, the land erupted in large stalagmites they spread out from Shari in a wave! The whole ground quickly turning into a field of impossibly sharp blades! Needless to say the casualties were great!

“ can’t counter physical magic!” Misven cried as the wave of bladed rocks fast encroached shaking the earth, splitting it.

Yakem stepped forward yelled while weaving then cast null zone! Eather black and cold covered an area the size of a large arena, Sharis attack stopped at it’s border, the eather negated upon entering.

“How did you?” David stood up, she felt ill, the eather she was weaving, was gone.

“Null zone negates all eather, course it affects all who are in it, including the caster.” Yakem said waving his hand, dissipating the zone. “It’s a great defensive spell, but useless in actually killing someone.”

Misvens eye’s brightened “No, that’s the exact way to defeat her! Yakem we have to get close enough to trap her in a null zone, she too powerful with eather but without.”David smiled.

“She’s just a child, Misven counter her as well as you can! David, new plan, we get in close and we do it quick! I’ll null zone, you take off her head!”

“Agreed, we’ll show Vendezians might!”

At that the ground beneath them cracked, they moved quickly! Yakem and David cast wings of Althea, taking to the sky, flying over the deadly spikes, Misven cast form of water and simply flowed over, all three racing to Shari.

Sharis next two moves, two tornado’s were countered this time turned to bubble by The sirens powerful control magic. An out of place clouds of bubbles descended over the battlefield, a sign that magic at it’s most chaotic was happening. Through the storm of bubbles Misven cast frost beam, freezing the ground with ice thick enough to cover the fortress of spikes Shari had conjured

Yakim and David both cast speed of Adra and boosted forward, quickly closing the gap. Shari summoned another barrage of lightning that rained down! Twisting and twirling like flies, the two brother weaved and ducked, the massive bolts. David reached her first! Her unsheathed his blade, it hit a barrier! He froze as Shari stuck the palm of her hand in his face, she was going to blast him at point blank range.

Yakem cast null zone! Shooting a ball of nox eather that upon striking the ground created expanded zone quickly, dispersing eather, but, a fraction too slow. Shari loosed all her hate into a wave of Charon that ruined Davids magic guard and decimated his armor, launching him out of the zone! His magic guard down, nothing protected him as he slammed into the hard ice, despite the breaking of his bones the ice still saved him from being skewered by the rock spikes underneath.

Yakem entered the null zone, canceling his enchantments a second to catch him self as his wing dissipated, then in another he was on Shari, who stood frozen, her eather no longer responding to her rage. He stepped in, he brought down his sword!

Misven looked on truly worn from the battle, with no eather that girl stood no chance, magic battles were more than just brute force. They were also about cunning, but at what a loss, their army lay decimated, and the few survivors that were, all of them in a state of shock. Misven crawled towards Davids broken form.

“Commander…areyou?”

“He moaned, with great pain he turned to face Misven. “The invasion, has failed, even with that girl now dead we don’t have anything to take Pia with. Go, siren, tell king Toren what happened here. Let him send his armies, and avenge our men here. I don’t know why you joined us, but you must do this.”

Misven nodded, “You’re coming with me.”she reached out to touch him, and was violently thrown back! A light blinded both of them, they looked on in utter horror. The girl was alive, the girl was bursting with power! Yakem blade was in a downward swing, it had swam through her flesh but failed to strike any vitals, still shari was bleeding badly. This didn’t stop her grabbing Yakems throate, her eye’s burning in rage.

“How!” David yelled. “The null zone, she shouldn’t be able to weave! What kind of mage is this?!”

Misven stood up, in awe. Yakem twirled his blade in one hand and thrust it at her heart, it melted, the blade turned to literal liquid upon reaching her chest doing no damage. Yakem fell to his knees now lower than Shari. For the first time he looked fearful, they had underestimated VenShara, they underestimated it’s fury.

“What, kind of mage are you?” He asked.

“YOU THINK I AM A MERE MAGE!” Shari roared. Yakem flesh began to burn. He screamed.

“I AM A PROPHET! I am not limited to eather, I control everything!” Yakem blew up in a cloud of ash and embers, Shari rose back into the sky. “I am the God speaker, and I will bring JUDGMENT!”

The skies reopened, fire began to fall, hell had come.

“Go! Tell all of Vendezian what’s happening here!” Misven nodded she weaved and vanished.

David looked up to see Shari, this dark goddess standing over him, she stuck her hand out. “My family, you took them, you!”

“God speaker?” David suddenly realized, the village they had spared, this was her, this was the God speaker. But wait, they hadn’t killed her village, they had spared it, and her mother was here in the army! Why then did she accuse them? It didn’t matter now, in a moment he was about to be destroyed, he could feel the Charon eather tickling his cheeks, he just closed his eye’s and waited for it to come.

Shari’s anger was insurmountable. The world had turned red, from the thunderous clouds to the bleeding skies and every mile of sand between. The ground shook violently cracking open and spewing lava all over, the molten ooze swallowing up soldier bodies in its wake. Shari raised her arms high and shrieked at David, lightning circling her half naked body as she prepared her fatal attack.
But as her rage stared down upon David something caught her eye. Shae limped across the ground towards the Exzalian commander, dragging her leg through the sand and holding her bloodied and broken arm.

Even before the fighting had started she had been palmed away like a fly, her body a rag doll in the tornado winds and as she had bounced off the hot burning sands, the familiar crack of broken bones had snapped in her ear. It was only the heavy crackle of thunder that had awoken her from her unconsciousness, now laying half buried in the sand a mile away from the fighting. Her head was throbbing and her lungs were filled with blood, but she gingerly picked herself up and tracked her way back – in the hope that Shari was not too far gone.

Now though, she found the girl seconds away from doing something that she had done all her life. But this time it was different. She didn’t know why… but deep down Shae knew that she could not let Shari go through with this. With blood still pouring from her wounds, she stumbled and faltered between David and the Prophet and stopped, swaying and staggering on the spot.

“I-I… I will not let you do this, Shari.”

Shari didn't seem to recognize her. "Out of my way! They, he, he took everything from me, I'll kill him!" She yelled the emotional pain seeping through her voice.

“I will not move.” Shae breathed with exhaustion. “Death is balance. It runs in harmony with life. But what has happened, here, today… bends that balance – close to the point of no return. And I swear to you, if you take one more life…” Shae slowly pointed to David behind her. “… if you take this life… you will regret it for eternity and more.”

"I'll kill you!" She threatened lightning crashing beside Shea, "I swear I'll do it, move out of my way!"

Something irked Shae then. She began to chuckle, quietly at first but soon it became a gleaming laugh with a smile as bright as day to match. Suddenly all her fear and pain inside dissipated to nothing more than a gentle warmth in her heart.


“I tried to kill you once, if you remember?” She said with a smirk. “You changed me though. Convinced me – through kindness and a feeling I had not felt before. A love so large, yet I did not deserve it. A compassion so great, that only a fool would give it.” Shae slowly held her arms out wide, lifting her broken bones like a feather. “Perhaps now, I am the fool. Embrace me and let your tears fall; exercise your grief in my arms… and believe in mercy once more.”

Shari hesitated, her features softened, She seeemd to calm for a moment the wind and lightning dying down. "Shea, I."

"remember the pain, feel the hatred, bring judgment."

Shari held her head, the fires of anger had been dimming. But the sorrow in her heart was fed, all of them, gone, the images of her dead loved ones, the pain of being betrayed, her own rejection. It all was too much, it fed her sorrow, and that fed her hatred. From it'd dying embers it rekindled into a might flame and gripped her soul. In furious rage she grabbed Shea's throat.

"I warned you!"Lightning struck Shari coursing it entered Shea's body consuming her in a deadly blast of electrocution. The brutal attack lasted 10 whole seconds before Shari threw her, charred and smoldering to the ground.She stepped over her singed body and resumed her deadly walk, David shook his head.

"What a monster."

"You are the monster." Shari hissed out stretching her hand.

 

Tsubael crawled on her hands and knees, slowly clawing her way out of one of the hundreds of craters littering the landscape. When she finally reached the top and could see Shari again, she found a dozen more craters, rifts, and geysers of molten rock stood between her and her goal. Undaunted, the automaton continued to walk, descending into the next crater and skirting around the molten pool of lava at its bottom.

What was the world coming to? Its end? No, Tsubael refused to believe that. She'd seen what the world looks like after the end. Azi Khaliya, crown jewel of the Inari empire, had died in its sleep and left a soulless ghost city in its wake. Tsubael had not witnessed its end, but she was quite sure it hadn't happened like this. No world should end like this.

At the bottom of the crater, she found the scattered body parts of Exzalian soldiers, burning in the lava like candle wicks. Their swords and armor had already been reduced to liquid slag, while their flesh was boiled from the bones.

No world should end like this, Tsubael thought again, as she began to climb through the ash. The journey to cross the desolation and reach her friend seemed to take an eternity. She was walking through hell, to find a fallen angel.

Once she was through the field of craters, Tsubael reached a place where pure flame had been the instrument of death, rather than meteors and brimstone. Here, the land was flat and ice crunched beneath her feet. No, not ice. The heat had turned the desert sand to glass. Soldiers stood frozen and gray, exactly as they were at the moment of death. But when Tsubael touched them, their bodies crumbled to ash. The driving winds obliterated them.

No world should end like this.

The data suggested she was getting closer to Shari. Fact: the distance between this one and Shari is diminishing at an average rate of approximately 18.874 meters per minute… so why does this one feel so very, very far from Shari? Why does this one feel as if the Shari who would do this, is not the Shari this one knows?

Tsubael stepped over what was left of Shae, another casualty of the would-be end of the world, and approached the being who used to be Shari. The girl's outstretched hand was directed at the last Exzalian mage, but Tsubael stepped in front of it.

"This one does not believe in monsters," she said calmly. "That word has no meaning. However, this one does believe in Shari. This one has seen her, touched her, heard her, and this one would like to know where she has gone…" her eyes locked upon the enraged God speaker, "because she is clearly not here."

 

What happened? Is he? did you?"

Her question stung slightly a nervous expression spread of his face.

Ishmael’s mind throbbed with pain as he did his best to deliver the news, small tears stinging his eyes.

“Sister I did not but….your…I mean our father has been mu-“ Izzy was cut off as the tremors outside shook the castle.

An immense amount of power eather was being released and Samael’s instincts told him exactly who it was.

Samael focused his hosts mind to deal with rapid change of situation.

"How many people just died?"

"Of your people?Your army?"

"No just in general."

"Over a hundred at this point including Shae."

Izzy gritted his teeth. "Dammit not Shae......who was Shae again?"

"The one who wanted to kill the God Speaker."

"Oh, well I'm sure someone out there will miss her." Ishmael frowned.

"I think I hear crickets."

"Shut up!" Raged flared up in Ishmael. This was no time to be cracking jokes about fallen comrades.

"What's making Shari act out like this?"

Samael explained the entire course of events to his host.

It took sometime for Izzy to process it all and still wasn't sure if he had the full picture. It still didn't excuse one crucial aspect that was nagging away at him.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner of what was going on Samael?"

The Fallen did not respond.

"Samael you will answer me!"

"I did not wish you to interact with The God Speaker in any form in her current state. She is likely to see us as an enemy we weren't exactly on the best terms with her."

Ishmael leaned his head back, things were piling up.

Armies attacking! God's mascot throwing a temper tantrum! That bastard Kyra killing his father and then wanting to team up with him!

All he'd wanted to exile his father and claim what was rightfully his but once again Bahatmut just can't let him be!

He didn't deserve this and neither did Isa.

He'd get her to safety before all else.

"Sister!" Izzy spoke with authority getting up from his throne. "You'll be leaving this city at once."

 

"because she is clearly not here."

Shari's first instinct was to attack, her hand pulsing with a massive flame. But she didn't attack, not yet. Perhaps do to there previous friendship, something prevented her from destroying her out right, but how long would that thing hold? What small lingering of mercy or could hold under the over whelming weight of hatred and anger crushing her soul.

"I don't want to destroy you too. But I will if you stand in my way." Shari cursed. "I am Shari, I'm right here, I haven't gone anywhere you stupid bucket. But, Jeremiah is right, this world is not deserving of any mercy. People kill and lie, we sin continually, and this worlds sins have flown up into the face of Bahamut, and me. So I will wiped the sin off the face of this disgusting planet, I know you see it robot, the never ending cycle of hatred, that took the lives of my family, that took my happiness, and that of Suzans and of Issa's even yours."

Shari looked out to the giant exspanse of desert that was their home. "Your people died, wiped clean like unwanted rats. That's the type of world we live in, well enough! I will put and end to it, all of it."

The earth cracked upon, the bodies of the soldiers some turned to glass from the intense fires fell through into a black abyss. The splitting of the earth circled Tusbeal and Shari until they both were surrounded, by nothingness.

"And what of this sudden feeling?" Shari scoffed, "You job is simply to record history, so record this, VenShara will die by fire, and then will be buried in ice, and you will record it happening, so that for ever more the Divines will come down and see, the righteous judgment that must be done!."

.........

Issa stared at her brother for a long time. To his relief she relaxed. "I, believe you." She approached him, cracking a sad smile. But she stumbled as did everyone as the castle shook.

"Sister!" Izzy spoke with authority getting up from his throne. "You'll be leaving this city at once."

"Like hell! we have to defend it I'm going to the battle field, you weren't the boss of me then and you won't be the boss of me now. Even if you are king." She sassed, heading towards the door and out. A moment passed, and suddenly her head appeared through the door way.

"Coming brother?" Her voice despite everything, was playful, she even gave him a mischievous grin.

Yes the siblings were together again, truly just like the old times.

 

Ishmael’s mouth opened to protest against her again as them and various guards made their way down the hall.

What would be the use!?

She’s just as stubborn as when we were kids.

“Issa you do realize who’s doing this right? It’s the God Speaker. We don’t stand much of a chance against her.”

"No you don't....but I do."

"What the hell do you mean?" Izzy asked.

"I'm saying I have a plan."

"Is this plan just to benefit you?" Ishmael asked flatly as he stepped outside.

His eyes bulging in terror at the dark clouds.

"Does this plan only benefit you?" He asked again

"Of course! What sort of Fallen would I be if it didn't? But better then what the other evil has in store."

"Point taken. Alright first what's the score?"

"All you need to know host is I am detaching myself from your soul."

"WHAT!?" Ishmael shouted a loud nearly tripping over the sand.

 

Aly flew above the army. Her heart pounded and tears streamed down her face as she watched Shari. This wasn't her...and yet it was. The God Speaker was terrifying and yet Aly still wanted to do everything in her power to save her friend.
As she desperately searched the crowd of faces for someone who looked like Shari's mother, she caught glimpse of a familiar form rising, with dark green wings, out of the fray. "Papa...?" She whispered. Then with a cry of joy she flew straight into the arms of the older fairy. "You're alive...I can't believe it!" She wept.

Aly was received gladly, "Oh my child! I sensed you coming, but to finally see you, oh it's too much." He embraced her weeping tears of joy. Grabbing hold of her shoulders he held her out at arms length.

"Look at you! You've grown so much!" He then pulled her in, embracing her again. "Who needs a son, when I have a daughter such as you?" There they remained a moment, spinning slowly between the columns of rising smoke and dancing embers, not wanting to let go of each other, even for a moment.

It was so wonderful, hearing her father's voice, feeling his embrace. It had been over a year since she'd seen him last. But the joy of the reunion was short lived. Shari need her help. "There's so many questions I want to ask, so many things I need to say..." she pulled out the embrace, "but right now my friend needs my help." Aly glanced at Shari, cringing as soldier after soldier went down under her wrath. "Was there a woman captured with you? The mother of...well the god Speaker?"

"There were many woman, if she was among them I wouldn't have known it was her. Aly what does the God speaker look like, and how do you know the god speaker?!?"

Just what had his little girl been up to?

"I...I left the forest in search of her...because I knew someone that powerful could help me save you." Aly replied as she wrung her hands. Why did she feel ashamed? Was it because of mother dying? "And I found her. There." Aly pointed the near crazy Shari. "But that's not her...not really. She's sweet and kind and amazing. But someone is poisoning her mind, that's why I need her mother. Please, Papa. Can you remember seeing a woman around who looks like her. And if not can you at least take me to where all the woman are being held?"

There were so many more questions to ask, but seeing as the earth it's self was crumbling Aly's father said nothing more, he took his daughter by the hand and flew away south crossing a land of the dead and the dying. "There was one tribal woman that was with me, Misven, er..I mean a blue looking woman looked after us both. She should still be with the other prisoners." He scanned the battle field for signs of life, a hint of movement caught his eye.

five men and one woman of various races were working together to pull a chains that connected them all. The chain trailed off into a chasm created by Shari's fury, it was taunt and slowly dragging them in. Suddenly realizing an awful reality, he flew forward as fast as his wings could take him. "Aly there are prisoners hanging off the edge, help me lift them!"

Aly immediately unbuckled the sword that she wore on her back and dashed forward. She planted her feet on the ground and began to pull, using the new found strength she had her legs thanks to her sword training. As she pulled she also called upon her gaia eather, summoning forth roots from the ground to help keep the chain from dragging them down.

They heaved, prisoners crawled over, 1,2,3,4 there were many all who were still alive instantly got up and helped pull. Soon everyone was heaving dragging the last remaining prisoners to safty were they began to cheer!

"Aly, cut them free. Don't stop to accept their thanks." Her father voice strong and commanding was also soft and calm. His daughter has risked so much for him, he would do the same to help her, and her firend. He began searching along the chain for any woman that looked like Shari. There was none who were standing. Panic gripped him, and fear, was she, one of the prisoners who was dead? Taking a deep breath he looked over those who were not standing, those who had passed.

His heart sank, there was a woman, raven black hair, a button nose with soft facial features, She looked striking like Shari, and she wasn't moving.

He knelt by her, but a hand on her forhead. He was about to say rest in peace. "Shorn, is that you?"

She was alive!

"I don't know who Shorn is, but I'm here to help human, can you walk?"

She shook her head, she seemed dazed, something was wrong. " I don't have my medical tools" she muttered.

"Bahamut...she looks just like Shari!" Aly exclaimed coming over and kneeling beside the woman. She noted the worried look on her father's face but didn't have time to think about it. "Hi, you don't know me...but I know your daughter, Shari. She's here and she needs your help."

"Shari?" her eye's widened, "My baby is here?" he turned her over, she yelped in pain a trembling hand hovering over her chest. thinking quickly he ripped a cloth from his clothes and bundling it put it in her mouth. "bite this. Do any of you know what happened to this one?"

"She was at the end of the chain," A young ferral gathering his children said looking back sympathetically. "when the earth split we all fell save five, all of us have been dangling in the air since then, accept for her, she...hit the bottom. It's amazing she's still alive. It must have been a 35 foot drop. I wish her well."

"Thankyou furry one, go this place is not safe.

"I wish you and her well. She was, very kind." They dashed off.

He then began to feel her from head to toe, upon his hand touching her chest she screamed through the towel. "Forgive me." He turned to Aly with an utter seriousness. "Shari needs to wait, this woman is dying. I think I can save her, if we perhaps can find a hospital in Pia, maybe with some medical supplies."

Aly stared at her father with new admiration. When she had known him he'd go pale at the sight of blood, now...he was different. Stronger, wiser. His time as a slave had changed him...but for the better. "What should I look for? I don't know anything about internal injuries."

"It should be a white building with a fish beside a star as its symbol, if we hurry we can save her. Or atleast try to save her." He got up, taking to the air.

Aly careful scooped up the woman, she was light! she must not have eaten in a long time, but as she was about to take she felt delicate finger squeeze her arm twice. Shari mother looked at her with weary but strong stare.

"You are friends with Shari, I, am happy she has one. She's so very lonely." She shook her head regretting something, then she reached up and gently stroked Aly's chin.

"Please, young fey take me to my daughter. I know why Bahamut has brought me here now. I, know what I must do in the final moments of my life. Even, Gods chosen ones need their mothers from time to time." She cracked a smile. She made a joke, despite all this, she still manged to jest.

"She needs me now young fey, we can not wait, and, and after I am gone..." She paused gathering her breath, she was struggling to even breath.

"She will need you."

"No!" Aly shook her head desperately. The pain of her own mother's death still fresh. "I know what it's like to lose a mother. After all she's been through, I can't let Shari suffer the same. We can save you...and her!"

"Oh my poor baby." She wasn't speaking about Shari now, now she was speaking to Aly. She reached out and gave her a hug.

"Your mother is not lost, neither will I be , we will see our father in Paradise, and wait eagerly for the day we will see our children again. No one is ever lost my young one, they are only made to wait, to sleep peacfully in the grave. Do what you think is right, but, if this is Shari's doing, then by the time your father has operated, if he is even successful, this world, will be reduced to ruin. Please, take me to her I, I wish to help her."

"She'd never forgive me if i let you die." Aly whispered. How could she choose between thousands....and Shari's own mother. She looked to her father, desperate for a answer to a choice she didn't want to be responsible for. But no avail. It was obvious by the totured look on her father's face, he was still coming to terms with the fact his life long mate was dead. He hadn't known...how could he? It had only been a few days at most. "I'm sorry, Papa." Aly finally made her decision, "Maybe Shari can heal you. I've seen her heal others." Aly got to her feet and began to lift the woman, looking to her father for help.

Her father flew to Aly's side he put a hand on her shoulder. "You have grown stronger then I ever could be." he then looked down at Shari's ailing mother, tenderly and filled with tears. he couldn't help it, he never felt so heart broken over a human. "And you, remind me of my wife, such strength and kindness, I, never knew humans were capable of such nobility." Together the two Fey's lifted her into the air. And flew of towards Shari as fast and as safely as they could.

 

"And what of this sudden feeling?" Shari scoffed. "Your job is simply to record history, so record this, VenShara will die by fire, and then will be buried in ice, and you will record it happening, so that for ever more the Divines will come down and see, the righteous judgment that must be done!"

"Why would the Divines come down to see the fruits of a child's tantrum?" Tsubael said as she retrieved the black book from its place on her hip. "This one will not write such nonsense." Without hesitating, she tossed it into the dark void Shari had opened in the earth. The book plummeted away into nothingness.

She folded her arms. "This one still does not see her. The Shari this one knows has lost a mother, a father, and siblings. The Shari this one knows would grieve, but then she would set about doing everything within her power to ensure no one suffers the same fate. The Shari this one knows does not spread hatred and violence, she treats it and heals it and, in doing so, makes the world a better place."

She continued to stare into Shari's soul as she spoke. "So, I will ask again, where is my Shari? I am her friend, if she will have me. But first, she must drive away this darkness."

 

"So, I will ask again, where is my Shari? I am her friend, if she will have me. But first, she must drive away this darkness."

"She isn't anywhere she right here, I'm right here!" She yelled, the storms and falling away of the earth stopped for a moment. "I'm here, but lost, I'm so lost I, don't knows happening..."

Remeber the pain, let the hatred flow! There that machine kill it! it's corrupting you!

The fires swelled again as the thoughts began to ring, in the god speaker mind. "I, don't want to."

Fine! but she is wrong, how long does she think such pain and suffering should go on for?

"How much pain and suffering should be allowed to happen? when does it end Tusbeal? when can I stop seeing the dead the dying and the sick, does a doctor do surgery for ever? Must it not l end some time? I want to end it, I just want it all to stop, is that so wrong?"

 

"You're no God Speaker."
Samael’s voice sounded in Shari’s head.

A chilling wind blew through the air as The Fallen made himself familiar with the God Speaker’s corrupted mind.

"Who? w-who was that?"Shari began looking around, Tusbeal must have certainly thought she had finally lost it.

"Samael." He replied his tone even. "Ishmael's business partner."

"Fallen scum, show you self that I may destroy you! What do you know about Bahamuts chosen!?"


Samael words had a hint of disgust in them. "I was correct if you're his chosen, then he is not fit to be God. Look around little girl you've caused just as much damage and pain as any fallen scum could."

"They deserve it, these bastards all deserve to feel Gods wrath! As do you. The end must come I am simply bringing judgment."

"They deserve it? I deserve it? You have become no better then any of us!" Samael's voice boomed. "You're using Bahatmut's name to justify your own feelings at the moment. Like any extremist or monster would."
Samael pressed deeper. "You've become so pathetic you're letting a mind mage operate you like a puppet!"
What, are you talking about? I'm, not being controlled." In the physical world Shari stepped back in confusion. In her mind She seemed to shrink, turning from a young woman to a small lost child.

"Why am I?"

Suddenly Samual found him self standing with Shari, beside them a small white flame weakly flickered. Around them, a storm! And waves black and red swirled furiously, the wind howled and lightning flashed, nothing but roiling waters, full of malice.

The flame of light which was more like a candle grew smaller as the wind and waves encroached. but at Samuals words, it flickered, just a bit brighter.

"I'm not being controlled, I, I'm doing Bahamuts will!" She yelled angrily. And with her anger, the storm grew closer to the withering flame.

"They took my family, they, everyone deserves to pay!"
Interesting.......

Samael's gaze locked the flames.

This was most troublesome.

He couldn't be God of destroyed world.

"No you are being controlled by Jeremiah while every person you've met on this journey from Joe, Aly and Bibindoe to Ishmael, Hiddan and even Suzan fight to save Pia and to save you." The Fallen morphed into a shadow version of herself as he circled her.

"Take my hand." The Fallen said stretching it out to her.

Shari looked up at him from her fearful position, legs tucked up to her chest wrapped around by quivering arms.Slowly hesitantly, she reached for his hand, as her finger was about to meet his, Samuals hand was smacked away! Jeremiah, stood between the trembling girl and Samuals smiling. In Shari's mind he looked youthful in fact he was Shari's age, just a kid with young black hair and strong brown eye's. and behind him the storm followed closely, a roil of twisting water lashing out at the delicate flame.

"No Shari, take my hand this man only wish to bully you, you don't want to be bullied do ya?" he said in a child like voice. Shari shook her head, she reached for it.

Samael remained calm as Jeremiah attempted to usurp Shari.

He'd expected it wouldn't be as easy as it had been going.

"Shari!" Samael called out. "Believe this fallen when says he knows a devil in plain sight. If you choose his path over the one I offer. The only thing that will come of it is everything you fought so hard against.....what would your parents think? If not for us do it for them, be good."

She with drew her hand startled by his words.

"Your parents would want you to avenge them. And they certainly wouldn't want you to trust a fallen now would they?"

"I don't know." She said covering her head with her hands, "I'm just so upset, I don't know what to do."

"You don't have to do anything, you've done enough. Just give me control and I'll handle everything." Jeremiah said kindly. "You won't have to suffer any longer."
"Revenge? Really? That's what her parents would want? No Shari"
Samael placed his cold hands on Shari's shoulders.

But still shifted into an image of her mother to make the girl feel more relaxed.

"Your parents would want you to live Shari, live for yourself. Do not be controlled by the likes of others not your friends, not your enemies, not him." The Fallen inclined his head at Jeremiah. "Not even Bahatmut."

Samael placed his hand in front of Shari's again.

But instead embraced the girl in a tight hug.

"Mom?" Shari wanted to hug the fallen back, but was suddenly ripped away by Jeremiah, he glared at him. "That is not your mother, that is a fallen he's tricking you! trust me Shari, I am your only friend. I won't lie to you like that cruel Joe, or this impostor."

Shari wrenched her hand away from Jeremiah, she stepped away from both of them tear freely flowing. "I don't know, what do I do? I want my mother."

"Your family is dead! destroy everything, avenge them."

"No Shari, join me." Samual said still shaped like Shari's mother. The little girl seemed to shrink even smaller, her little white flame now just a small ember, the threatening storm about to devour what was left.

On the out side Tusbeal saw the a internal struggle was taking place. And as Sharis mind was pulled in two direction, so was VenShara pulled, and crumbling.

The land was caving in everywhere! even Pia began to sink into the Abyss of the earth, people screaming running out of the city! They looked up to see, stars falling, dimming fading. and darkness begin to swallow VenShara.

.....

Jeremiah! Suzan burst from hiding Spring Roll and Jakem charged, "You deceived me!" Jeremiah barely evaded her swing. Spring roll followed her ax screamed it's horrid curse! Jeremiah began to bleed, cursing he tapped his staff on the ground, a barrier appeared around him stopping Roll's ax swing.

"I did no such thing Suzan, what I told you was true, Shari can bring back your family."

"You lied!" Suzan cast ghoul storm! summoning her army of undead, the swarmed Jeremiah!

"Shari could never revive the dead! You used me, like your using her. You used me to flush her out, to find her so you could influence her mind, like you did mine when I was grieving! But I'll kill you!"

A blast of fire reduced her ghouls to ash and scorched Suzans skin, she flew back hitting a sand dune.

"Your wrong Suzan, I didn't influence you, you were so desperate to revive your family you didn't need it all I had to do was hint at the possibility and you jumped to the chance. An all too willing pawn, don't try to shift your foolishness on me." He smashed her with a gust of wind, she spun and landed on her side rolling to a stop.

"it's your fault for being so willing."

"Your lying!" Suzan cast burning chains! Jakem too weaved sending a beam of light screaming towards him. Jeremiah took the attacks, smashing the chain and shrugging off the light blast.

"I'll prove it! Your so desperate to revive dead even after Shari spared your miserable life you haven't buried them, and why is that? Because for all your talk, your just a scared little girl, still the same crying child I found that night your family was massacred. Ha, even now you still hope Shari will revive them don't you?"

"I'm over that!"Suzan released her ax's horrid screams, Jeremiah tapped his staff and instantly healed his wounds. He, wasn't even trying. She swung at him! he sent her flying with a blast of lightning taking her magic guard to one third.

"Here's my proof. Shari can revive the dead, but she refuses because it would be taboo, but Suzan, once I take over her mind I will be in control. If you help me, I can make Shari give back you family, all of them. Even sweet Spring Roll."

Suzan stopped in her tracks.What was that...what was she feeling? hope? At this mans words!

"See? Your so emotionally frail, all I had to do is say family and your resolve weakens, humans...they are all this way. weak, frail, needy. But I did not lie then and I'm not now, lend me your power Suzan, I will see your family returned to you I swear it!" he extended his hand, grinning.

Suzy lowered her ax. voices started to argue with in her.

Suzans story​

He's lying to you! You know this, are you so weak willed?

Hessa.

He'll betray you like last time!

Father.

Think of what your doing?!

But, I miss them so...much, so, so, much.

Your insane, it official, the grief drove you mad. didn't it? that's why you keep going back to him.

he took me in when my family was gone, surely, he can't be all bad, surely, maybe.

It was just to condition you! that's how he works, he's a mind mage Remember!

With a trembling hand she slowly reached out her hand, to meet his.
I know, but I, miss them so much. I just want to see them, one last time......

*Smack!*

Suzan fell over, holding her cheek, she looked up. Spring Roll, had, hit her. The girl was still emotionless stone faced as if nothing happened, and yet there was no doubt, The undead girl had struck her own master. Was she malfunctioning? Spring Roll and her locked eye's, Jeremiah stood there slightly confused.

"Spring roll..."

Roll shifted her eye's from Suzan to Jeremiah, her ax raised. moments passed, Suzan just studied Spring Roll like it was the first time she had seen her. She grinned.

"heh, heh, hahahaha, Thank you Spring Roll, I'm sorry." She shook her head. "I nearly fell for it again."

Suzan, glared at Jeremiah. "A friend once told me, that I can't change my past, but I can change my future. I can decide how my story ends."

She lifted her Ax, Jakem and Spring Roll jumped beside her glaring at Jeremiah.

"This is what I have chosen! This is how my story will end! Watch me Tusbeal, I am writing my own story now. This is how I want you to remember me!" And she charged him, with her family behind her. Crying out in righteous fury, weapons raised, fearless in the face of the god speaker before them.

"FOR SHARI! FOR VENSHARA! FOR MY FAMILY!"

Jeremiah, for the first time, looked furious. his mind tricks...failed? against such a fragile woman? What!? WHAT!?

"You will meet you family soon you pitiful woman!" he roared, and then the lightning came down, and consumed her.

......

"welcome home Suzan."A soft voice sounded in the distance, she could feel the warm embrace of multiple hugs. She was smiling, she was happy.

"We've missed you."

...

The lightning shook the sky! the ground rocked violently, Suzan had fallen, her body burnt to a crisp. Jeremiah had taken another,But he was not smiling, he was shaken, Suzan had shaken him. How did she resist? how? HOW?! In his fury he stopped speaking with Shari. he stopped influencing her mind.

In her soul the white ember began to grow.
What am I doing? Wait... What the hell am I doing!?

The chaos of nature began to fade, slowly the land began to repair. She was regaining control!

"NO, you are mine!" Jeremiah flew into the air! he launched into the air sending his strongest mental weaves he could muster smothering her flames, he managed to regain control. But he was slipping, Shari was beginning to resist.

"This is wrong...

This is judgment!

What about mercy?

mercy can't last for ever.

his Mercy endureth forever. isn't that Bahamuts will?

Jeremiah winced, with every though Shari was breaking free. But he still had one trick left.

"Think about your mother. Don't you...want to see her avenged?"

"...."

With this he kept a sliver of control, just enough to return the death of VenShara back on it's course, and yet he had lost all hope of forcing Shari to kill the machine, that's how far his control had slipped, and all thanks to Suzan. Shari's own will, was still growing. He began to sweat, he was too close for her to break free now!

 

Bibindoe nodded, then bolted for the ranks without hesitation. His body flowed into that of his wolf form, and he let out several rough barks. Ten shadowy versions of himself burst from the earth and streaked over the ground, taking formation alongside him until they were a black arrow.

Ten baleful howls caught the attention of the few living soldiers, and then Bibindoe was upon them. "Go! Distract Shari while i seek out her mother!" he yelled at one of his copies, and the shadow nodded before taking off in the direction of the God Speaker. Bibindoe felt some of his speed flag as he gave it to that shadow, for there was no way it could keep Shari busy long if it wasn't faster than she.

Now for her mother... "Split up! Howl if you find anyone who smells like her!" he screeched, and the shadows scattered throughout the army, passing through living bodies as if they were incorporeal. They were usually used to possess or attack enemies, but right now Bibindoe had a bigger concern.

Meanwhile, the shadow-Bibindoe spied Shari, hand outstretched towards a man. Sucking in a huge breath, it let loose the Death Keen, aiming to paralyze her where she stood.

 

The battle had left her behind. Tsubael could see the turmoil in Shari's mind. Although Shari's body had ceased to move, the devastation continued. The battle had moved indoors, into Shari's consciousness, where Tsubael could not follow.

Or can I? she thought, as she retrieved her clockwork scythe. The weapon deployed with a metallic click and the spinning of gears.

There were many eathers she had not yet tapped into. Tsubael's scythe was brimming with power, having absorbed the magicks of many mages this day. Charon, merc, adra, gaia, althea, and nox; all six of its enchantments were shining brightly.

With a twist of the handle, the revolver-like chambers spun and the nox eather engaged. The Scythe's blade began to glow black. Tsubael had never tried this spell before, but there was a first time for everything. She upended the weapon and carved a neat circle around herself. It sliced through the stone as if it were air and left a perfectly circular portal beneath her feet.

For a moment, nothing happened and Tsubael wondered if she'd failed. But, soon, the circle began to glow bright white… and then the glow faded to darkest black, like a hole into oblivion, and she fell into the earth, a bottomless pit of darkness. If Bahamut truly existed, she prayed he would guide her where she was hoping to go.

Your God speaker needs me. Please, guide my steps.

---​

Tsubael couldn't remember falling or landing. She suddenly found herself standing in a place filled with crashing seas. Shari, a childlike Jeremiah, and a shadowy doppelganger stood there.

She took one step forward, but stopped. Something didn't feel right. In he right hand was a golden scepter, topped with a bright blue crystal. Where had her scythe gone? And her hands were different as well. Instead of metal, they were delicate and covered in soft white fur. Tsubeal lifted her hands to her face, found that the mask was gone, and immediately knew what had happened. She'd made it into Shari's mind, but not as her false metal self. This was her true form, before the Inari mages extracted out her soul and trapped it in that steam-powered shell.

She was tall, with a thin delicate frame and the face of a fox, gently smiling. She seemed slightly older than her girlish automaton-form had been, but the blue eyes were very familiar, and unmistakably Tsubael's. A white toga billowed around her as she stepped forward, approaching Shari. Despite the devastation all around them, her white fur seemed to glow faintly white, as if she were a goddess.

The girl needed a mother. That much was certain. The others seemed to think a mother was all about hugs and kindness and happiness. No, a mother's duty was also to protect her child from harm.

As Tsubael approached, it looked as if she might embrace Shari and show her love. Instead, she simply handed her staff to the girl and turned to Jeremiah. There was a motherly, compassionate look on her face, but it abruptly turned to hatred as she stared at him.

In one swift motion, Tsubael picked up the boy, put him over her knee, and began to spank him. "Don’t... you... ever… hurt… her… again," she said with each smack of his bottom.

 

editing

 

"L-Leon!" I said, when I saw him, relief washed over me, I rushed up to him and hugged him tightly. "You idiot, you had me worried sick!" I said, I hadn't really wanted to let on how much the little perv had grown on me. He might have been embarrassing to be around, especially when he was trying to hit on every living being in a five mile radius. But he might be the only family I had left as far as I knew, he was my brother, Leon looked shocked at my actions. "J-Joe..." He said, he hugged me back tightly. "C'mon, let's finish this together." I said smiling, Leon nodded, a determined look coming across his face and we began to prepare among the chaos for our battle between the two of us and Jeremiah...

As the lightning flashed down, striking down Suzan... Jeremiah would see two figures standing side to side, it almost looked like a mirror was showing a cursed or holy reflection of either an angel with a black and white wing or a demon... "Oi Jeremiah, we got a score to settle with ya!" Leon said. "I don't like being used as a tool for a pathetic excuse for a man, especially when I'm used against my friends, my family, and innocent people." I said with a calm and cold demeanor, my icy cold glare piercing straight through Jeremiah.

Jeremiah scoffed. "Leon, Joe It will be an honor destroying you." Jeremiahs flicked to the right, someone else had just entered Shari's mind, He would end this quickly.

"Begone!" A sweeping fire raced towards them

Bibindoe let loose a low bark and stepped out of the crowd, shadows swirling around him. People scattered whenever they caught sight of the werewolf's glowing red eyes, and Bibindoe turned to see Jeremiah, Joe, and Leon confronting one another.

Him! Bibindoe's muzzle curled in rage as he spied the source of Shari's pain. He galloped forward, streaking over the sand like a black arrow, his intent clear.

When Jeremiah cast the spell and sent fire arcing toward Joe and Leon, he never anticipated the black wolf's sudden appearance.

Nor the wall of shadow-copies that planted itself like a wall between him and his target.

"Mind if join in?" the growl was almost playful -as if they were just playing a game that Bibindoe had interrupted.



We looked over at Bibindoe. "Of course." Leon said. "But he's mine to kill, I don't like my name dragged through the mud." I said smirking, at that same moment Leon suddenly flew forward, midway through, his body suddenly erupted in black flames, when the fire disappeared he was surrounded in what looked to be armor completely black, but it appeared that flames were rising off of it, in his hands were a pair of matching swords, the blades, like the armor, emitted flames, completely black on the sword's pommel was a skull with its mouth open, its eyes and mouth glowing red.

At that same moment, I flew high up in the air and launched three beams of nox energy, and three of Althea, they weaved around Leon effortlessly, their target was Jeremiah... two of the beams splintered off and quickly spun behind Jeremiah, trying to hit him from the front and back. "Die, Jeremiiiiaaaah!" I shouted.

Jeremiah rose in the air standing a top a whirling wind. He weathered Joe's attacks and sneered careful not to break his inlfuance over Shari like he did against Suzan. But fighting and manipulating Shari was difficult, he couldn't kill them all instantly quite as easily like he did wit Suzan.

his powerful winds ripped up chunks of from the ground and hurled them at all three! he flew backwards trying to create distance!

Bibindoe dodged to one side to avoid the clods of earth flung at him, then felt a sudden surge of power flood his veins.You!?

I'm not about to let my Host die! You think i want to be locked away in the Eather again after it took so long to get out of there to begin with? Zebennon snarled, and after a brief hesitation, Bibindoe let go of himself. But he would be equally in the fight. Let's do this!
Bibindoe streaked across the ground towards Jeremiah in his wolf form, the Voice of Lost Souls taking shape and bracing his jaw in a tangle of bone and violet gemstone. A Zebennon's power grew all the stronger, black wings took shape behind the wolf, his claws grew longer, his features less mammalian and more reptilian as his teeth grew too large for his mouth to keep hidden. His tail filled out and became a long, mase-like appendage, and he skittered over the sand like a crocodile, ears laid back and eyes glowing. One red. One Yellow.

"WE WILL DESTROY YOU!" they screamed in unison, then opened their jaws and let loose a terrible, metallic howl.

Death Keen! For the song of the dead always precluded the death of those who heard it.

Leon changed course midair and just barely got out of the way of the rocks. "Not gonna be that easy!" He said, he flew back toward Jeremiah, not allowing his speed to diminish, he was going to bury his blades into Jeremiah if that was the last thing that he did.

"...New variable set." I muttered under my breath, I disappeared just as the rock was about to hit me. Jeremiah would feel something, a presence, right above him, if he looked up, he'd see me glaring down at him. "Die, foolish little boy." I said, I sent five more nox beams and five more althea beams at him, they shot toward him at rapid speeds.

Jeremiah crashed to the ground as the nox beam barreled into him, a dreadful howl ripped through his mind, Binidoe lunged forward all of closing in to finish him.

"I am A GOD SPEAKER!" Jeremiah roared, lighting flashed down! it landed right on Jeremiah shielding him, the deadly rays striking everyone else throwing them back. "I will not be toyed with by maggots like you selfs!" He rose in the air fire fell at him commanded all around him, burning lashing out with massive flames.

He then swung his staff, and the rain of fire shot towards them! "Drowned in fire!"

"...A God Speaker...?" I asked, I rose from the ground, standing in front of Leon and Bibindoe, as the fire flew towards us, I didn't budge an inch, my voice even, calm, and cold. "Don't make me laugh... you're nothing but a parasite that lives off of people's suffering, you're a coward that hides behind schemes and uses people for his own gain." I said, the flames got closer, I could feel the heat, ready to turn me into ashes. "J-Joe, get out of the way!" Leon shouted, his wounds were pretty bad, he could barely move without feeling some kind of pain, it was difficult to move properly, I didn't turn to him. "You're far from a God Speaker, you're just a foolish boy, manipulating others, and breaking things to get attention... I'm going to guarantee something for you Jeremiah... you'll fail... no matter what you do, no matter what you say, no matter what scheme you have in store for everyone, you will fail, I'll make sure of that." I said, the pages to my grimoire began flapping around rapidly as two balls of light shot out from the grimoire, at the same time, a beam of nox flew from my back... but... it wasn't at Jeremiah... it was at Leon and Bibindoe!

Leon's eyes widened as the shot flew at him and Bibindoe, just before he could launch himself out of the way, it shot at the ground close by, they weren't caught in the actual explosion, but the force resulting from it sent them flying a few feet, and safely out of the range of the wave of flames that had been coming for them. Leon got up and flinched as the ball of light flew into him and Bibindoe, but instead of pain... he felt refreshed, his wounds stopped throbbing, blood stopped flowing from them, some of the more minor ones disappeared altogether... He looked over at me. "Joe are you insane?!" He shouted, I merely smiled at him and flung my robe off quickly and wrapped it around my grimoire, when I didn't make it through this, they would deserve an explanation, once I was gone... I fired the last nox beam and the other two althea beams, they flew around Jeremiah's fire and at directly at him.

As the flames were about to strike me, I thrust my arms out, the wrapped grimoire floated in front of my outstretched hands, the reddish-orange barrier surrounded me. It began to deflect the flames, some heading toward Jeremiah himself, though they seemed much less powerful than before. "...Leon... thank you." I said, I looked over at him, still smiling. "Because of you, and everyone else... I had a lot of fun in this world... I actually lived... I didn't do what I set out to do... but... I have no regrets... I hope... in the next world, we'll be brothers again, it's really nice whenever that happens... I know I always have someone that will have my back, no matter what." I said, a single tear sliding down my cheek, the barrier began forming cracks. "...Promise me... that you'll stop him... this is my final gift for you... I'll be rooting for you, sorry that I couldn't stick around until the end..." I said. "J-JOE!!!" Leon shouted, the barrier finally shattered and I was enveloped in Jeremiah's flames.

When the onslaught finally came to an end... nothing remained behind besides the grimoire and the robe that had been wrapped around it... Leon walked over to them in a daze and knelt down and picked it up... and he saw something glittering where the robe and grimoire had been... my pendant... it must've fallen off when I took off the robe, with a shaky hand, he picked the pendant up. "...Joe..." He mumbled, he couldn't stop the tears flowing down his cheeks... he slowly rose back to his feet, dropping the grimoire and pendant, a look of pure rage crossing his face. "...I'll... I'LL KILL YOU!" He shouted, the flames from the armor and swords almost completely enveloped him, he flew at Jeremiah quickly. From Jeremiah's point of view, it looked like a giant black ball of fire was flying straight at him, ready to smash into him and end him!

 

Humans were heavy. Their bones solid; filled with all manner of unnecessary weight. Well of course they were never meant to fly, but even now Aly and her father were struggling to carry her. Fire fell from the sky, the earth was splitting, in the distance Shari had fallen to her knees, holding her head. And Jeremiah was engaged in a battle again Joe, Leon and Binidoe, and Suzan's remaining ghouls. Suzan was no where to be seen, Aly feared the worst. But now wasn't the time, Shari was close!

"There she is!" Aloron cried, they whirled their wings and shot towards her. Jeremiah spired through his battle, but fighting and holding Shari's mind was too much, he could do nothing to stop the two feys, but he had back up.

"Zafara!" He yelled.

Aloron looked up, a winged shadow passed over them. he went pale, the vicious sphinx banked left the down shooting towards.

"Aly! go ahead!" he commanded, suddenly flying off towards the sphinx. Now the young fey was carrying all of the weight, her wings strained and fear for her father threatened to over whelm her!

"Papa!" Her cry was lost in the sounds of battle. What could her father do against such a terrible creature. As far as she knew he'd never fought a day in his life. More than anything she wanted to put Shari's mother down, grab her sword and assist the only family she had left. But to do so would mean the destruction of everyone, so she flew on; watching her father out of the corner of her eye.

The old fairy flew directly at the menacing sphinx, utterly fearless. "Come at me little bug." Zafara laughed reaching back with her paw, then swiping forward at him! What chance could the old man against Zafara? Aloron banked right sharply, dropping in altitude the wind from her massive paw nearly knocked him over. With a mighty wing thrust he got up to her face then cast blinding shield! A wall of light surrounded him, shining like the Vensharain sun, she reeled from it, flapping back covering her eyes!

The old fairy's skill was incredible flying above the blinded sphinx, Aloron weaved again. This time vines flew from his palms, it was the same root spell Aly knew, but stronger it tangled her wings, binding them! Suddenly, unable to flap, she fell.

He zoomed after her, his power coming not from strength but speed and skill, he didn't need to over power her, he just needed to out maneuver her, trick her. Flying beside the falling behemoth, Aloron spun, weaving Adra danced, with all his power and skill he blasted her with gale force! A spell of whipped wind; faster than lightning, larger then walls, slamming it into her massive frame, he gritted his teeth. Aloron's attack, though strong, did little to the sphinx's massive girth! Her magic guard was so large and intense that he felt as if he was drowning in her power. But his spell was not meant to damage, no he was smarter then that. The wind caught her tangled wings! They were so massive, like sails, it carried her off! Twirling in the air she landed in a sand dune, crashing through it and sliding on the ground.

Aly felt a fierce pride build within her as she watched. That was her father. A little fairy, kicking that Sphinx's ass. All creatures severely underestimated the might of fairies. Shari's mother slipped a bit, bringing Aly's attention back to the heavy load she was carrying. Sweat trickled down her face, her muscles burned and she still had so far to go.

"A little more!" Aloron said sweating, eyes focused. Before Zafara's eyes could recover, another blast of wind hit her tangle wings, but only managed to push her back a few feet...right into a black chasm, a chasm made by Shari her self.

Zafara's eyes recovered only to realize that she was falling into the earth. Enraged by the fey's annoying tactics she spread her massive wings, but was stopped by a wall of solid rock, In the chasm, she couldn't fly! There wasn't enough room to flap. Now she understood. The fool wasn't trying to damage her, she was much to powerful for that. He merely wanted to disable her. Now stuck in a massive chasm, unable to flap her wings, she realized he had done it. He had out smarted her, and this fact infuriated the proud sphinx.

"Little bug, you think you can out smart Zafara, Venshara's new GODDESS!" She roared, her voice carrying through out the battlefield, shaking the earth. Light surrounded her, "I'll show you!"

Aloron landed beside the hole. He was tired, his wings ached, and the sphinx's power was streaming out of the hole. He was out of tricks, and out of energy. The old fairy looked on at Aly flying desperately to Shari's side.

This is a good ending. He said to himself, To die, fighting for my daughter, for VenShara. Now, I know why Bahamut brought me here. Bad things happen, some times, but they happen for a reason. Isn't that right Shari? Aloron sat down. In his mind he wondered about Shari's mother. What a strong woman. Giving her life for her child, as he was now.

"Bahamut, if you are there, I wonder, are we not your children? Would you give your life for us? Do you love mortals the way I love my daughter?" he shook his head.

"I hope so. If you do, then help us. Have mercy."

The ground exploded! The mad Sphinx basted the Chasm apart with sheer power! " I'll think about it!" Zafara laughed, landing in front of him. She grinned, "How about no." she raised her paw.

Aloron looked back at his daughter. He would die for her...but then something with in him, surged. It was, a will to live? He couldn't explain it, but suddenly the fear of death over came him. No, it wasn't that. "I'm afraid, of causing her more pain." He whispered. How could he die now? Now when Aly had just found him, he couldn't put her through that! Aloron frowned at Zafara, "No! I'll never accept death. But let it take you, let it rip you from your mortal coil, but I'll never welcome it. I can't give up or let it it force me out of this world! Though I'm willing to die for my daughter, I must also live for her!"

"Silence! I am VenShara's God now! And I decide when you die!" She swung her paw.

"Tell me your hidden riddle!" he yelled. The paw suddenly went left, ripping into his side. The old fairy fell over, blood draining from him. But as his vision faded a light fell over him. Heaven. He opened his eyes. Zafara was standing over him glaring. She, had grudgingly healed him. Aloron smiled, "So the legends are true. The sphinx's one weakness. They can't back down from a riddle, you're compelled, Zafara, to tell your riddle now to the one who asks it."

The sphinx sneered lying down bearing her fangs. "You can't kill me now, can you? Why pussy cat?" his grin grew wider.

"Shut it, I will change my mind in an instant!" She was lying, he could see her eye twitch, her tail swing playfully. He had heard the legend long ago; that sphinxs smart though they were were slaves to their nature. They could not resist telling a riddle if asked. So badly did they crave such mind games, they even healed their enemies in order to do it. Zafara was angry, but she also eager, she couldn't hold her scowl, slowly she began to smile.

"I do love riddles." She admitted, her grin turned savage. "But, if you know the legend then you also know the rules, if you guess my riddle wrong...you die."

"And if I guess right, then you must do one act for me. I can ask for anything even your power. Tell me, why are sphinx's bound to such a law?"

Zafara bared her fangs and looked back at Aly, "I know what your trying to do fey! You're trying to buy time, I am not stupid! I'll tell you the riddle, you have a minute to answer and if your wrong I kill you and kill your daughter. She can't make it to Shari in that time. I still win."

The old fey also gave a yearning look at Aly, he had to buy more time! But what could he do? The sphinx was right!

"But!" he protested. "If you only give me a minute, then you must by law give me a riddle that is solvable in one minute. Which means you have to make it easy. I warn you sphinx, I am an old fey."

"It matters not! you mortals can not handle even the simplest of sphinx's riddles. Now silence! If you interrupt me during my riddle I can kill you." She opened her mouth, it was now or never.

"But I am much older then human mortals, we fey can live pass 500!"

Furious Zafara raised her paw."You interrupted!"

Technically you hadn't started yet." Aloron countered, and her paw landed beside him shaking the ground, she cursed, he was right.

She glared at him, suddenly not speaking, eyeing him. The old fey was grinning again. His plan was working. Zafara, powerful though she was, was insecure. If he did guess her riddle correct she could lose all of her power. Could she really risk giving him one that was solvable in only a minute? She was more then 1000 years old! She knew that the fey lived long. Even by Ifreet standards, and he had out smarted her in there battle. "You, smug, little INSCECT! I'll give you one of my hardest riddles!"

"How much time do I have to solve it?"

"Five minutes, not a second later!" Zafara huffed. Gazing at his daughter, fading into the smoke and fires, he whispered. "This is all I can do for you baby, please make it by then."

He turned to Zafara. "The riddle now please."

Zafara sat down " The lost tread upon me, seeking the light, many shall fall pulled into the darkness. follow me lost ones, for I am your salvation, and do not tread from me, lest ye turn, do not tread far from me,or you will never be found, yes you will never be found, and then consumed by your own blackness. What, am, I?"

The fey shook his head, he didn't know that, he had no idea what she was talking about. But that was okay, he didn't ask the riddle because he thought he could solve it. hell he was certain the one minute riddle would be unsolvable for him. But he had bought time, and for five minutes she couldn't harm him.

Five minutes, Aly had five minutes.

---

Smoke and ash. Blood and death. That was all Alavina could see as she struggled with her burden. Explosions and screams. Her pulse pounding in her skull. That was all she could hear as flew forward. How long had it been since she'd caught any glimpse of Shari, or her father for that matter? It had likely only been minutes but it felt like hours. The woman she carried was getting heavier by the second. The ground seemed pull her closer and closer till suddenly the ground took her load and the fairy found herself on her knees gasping for air. Her arms and wings quivered with exhaustion. Just a minute. I just need a minute to rest. She took several deep breaths as she waited for her heart to return to a normal pulse.
How many people die every moment you waste? A quiet inner voice asked.
I can't continue. Not yet. I'm too tired. And I don't even know where she is. There's too much smoke...too much chaos.
And who is in the center of that chaos?
Aly looked to her right where Shari's mother lay nearby. Karess' breaths were almost non-existent and she was whiter than a ghost. The human didn't have long. The fairy looked longingly in the direction her father and Zafara had disappeared. Was he still alive? If so, why hadn't he returned to help her.
Stop being selfish! He's distracting the sphinx so you can get to Shari. Get up...move. Time is running out.
Alavina sighed and pushed herself to her feet, then staggered over to dying woman and tried to lift her; but she could barely get Karess into a sitting position; much less into the air. The fairy dropped her head on the woman's shoulder and began to weep tiredly.

"I can't...I can't do it. I don't have any strength left. Bahamut, where are you? Do you even care?" She whispered. "Your servant writhes in pain and those around her suffer as a false god-speaker manipulates her thoughts. Do you care? Or this your way of proclaiming judgement upon us?"

Karess opened her eye's, she slowly reached out her hand, it shook, he placed it on Aly's chest. "Right here." She whispered. then she pointed at her own chest. breathing deeply. "And here."

With great effort, she then pointed to the direction of Shari, "And there also, though hidden by hatred and chaos. Aly, you must...try, he will carry you, as you have carried me. So please."

She took her hand and squeezed it tightly. "He hasn't given up on you, so don't you give up on yourself."

"Why do you think he's even put his hopes in me anyway?" She asked bitterly. "Until recently I hated him with all my being, and I refused to acknowledge him. Even if he does care...I'm the last one person he would put his hope in." Aly got behind Karess, linked her arms under the woman's shoulders and with new found strength lifted her into the air. "But you believe in me...and my papa believe's in me. So...I promise, I'll get you to Shari in time."

Through the whirlwind of fire and dirt Aly flew. And there in the center of the storm, Aly found Shari. The god-speaker was kneeling, her hands on her face as she struggled with her mental torment. "SHARI!" Aly called as she landed in front of her. She moved Karess in front of the god speaker. "Shari, your mother is here. Open your eyes."

 

Brother and Sister

Isa grabbed Ishmeal by his waist and suddenly sprouting Althea wings took off, each flap launching them higher into the air, the sulfurous stench, mixed with blood and iron covered them, what the hell was happening?
"Brother...I know this is an odd time, but I must know, what. What happened to you?"


"I suppose it was an unavoidable question." He replied looking down the burning cities and growing piles of corpses.

"Well a lot of things have happened to me. None of them exactly nice." A sigh escaped his lips. "After Father placed this mark of shame on me." He said pointing at his burned face. "And I was exiled I did what I had to do. I was far to young to be out in these savage lands alone, so Samael kept me alive until I could manage better."

"Father would never do that, father loved us. I, I still can't accept he now gone. I'm so confused, why were you attacking him? Why did he die, what is going on?"

"You know love is a strong word." He pointed out. "You should probably stop being so trusting."
Ishmael have his sister a sad smile. "I attacked him because of what he put me through and what I was forced to endure after he exiled me. Isa you don't remember? All the times when we were kids that I'd be in bed covered in bandages?" He asked. "You don't remember mother and father telling you not to talk with me? They hated me." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Because....well because of Samael, something I had no control over hell I can't even remember the day he first bonded to me, its been so long. But to answer your second question he died because he was greedy."

"That's not true!" She almost yelled it, then slowly shook her head, her eye's hinted at a vague recognition of what he said. she shook her head more vigorously "No, no, That, can't be true. He loved you, I don't remember much before you left, but I clearly remember his weeping for you, he often spoke about your wanderings, musing if you wee still alive, he loved you I know he did I was with hi in his quiet moments. He loved you, he really did. But, he, was also afraid of you. As am I." She said guilt ridden

"That Samual, it's his fault. It's all his fault." her mention of him was filled with great bitterness, her sadness twisted into a deep ugly scowl, one of hatred and anger.

The mention of Samael in such a way caused Izzy's face to turn red his eyes narrow.
"Take that back now!" He commanded. "Take it back or I swear I'll never forgive you!"

"I will not! If it wasn't for him none of this would have happened, we could have had a happy life and father wouldn't be dead! It's all his fault! And I'll destroy him the first chance I get, for your own good!" She shouts right back.

Izzy shook his head.
Her words eating at his very core.

"Happy? HA! The only way I would of been happy is the day Father stopped taking a whip to my back every time I broke a rule." His dark eyes started into her's. "Father was killed before me and Samael could do what we planned. He had nothing to do with it."

He lied

If they hadn't taken over the castle Kyra wouldn't of been able to capitalize.

"And sister I warn you now. You make an enemy of him and I won't be able to help you. He's my friend....my best friend in the entire world." Water formed in his eyes as he spoke. "Only one who ever taught me, who ever listened and was never afraid. More family then anybody our family ever was."

"He's a fallen! he doesn't care about you! If he did he would have left you alone knowing that his presence was bringing you grief, but he didn't, because he wanted to use you fool! He's not family, I'm family, your only family left thanks to him. And I don't care if you hate me to your very core, I will destroy him, not for me, but for you. Because you must be freed from him."

Suddenly a very unexpected question came from her brother.
His tone icy. "Tell me have you ever sold your body?"

"What?"

Izzy laughed.
"You'd be surprised the price both women and men would pay for a boy. Scars or not." His voice matched the grin on his face. "It was a way of making a living while I was growing up in the dessert. At first it was a bit painful you know? Letting people use me but after awhile....well as I got a little older it became a pleasurable experience depending on the costumer."

The smile faded as he recalled the things he did....not just sexual but everything leading up to where he was now.

Samael had been there for him.

Helping him.

Best he could.

"This does have a point to it though.....that's Father's fault. If he didn't have fear and hatred for what was in me then I wouldn't of had to fuck, steal and kill for money. I could of lived in royalty......without being tortured by him day in and day out. Say what you will about Samael but he made me a survivor and for that he's got my friendship."

Isa grimaced at his tale. She looked at him shaking her head. "You have no idea the years I spent searching for you brother, the pain I have endured, how I missed you. You no idea how or why you even got that fallen. He has you captive, dependent on him. And your falling for it" She suddenly flew down, dropping rather roughly on the ground. She landed in front of him.

"Very well, I'll destroy him before you can reach your so called friend. and believe me, I can do that."

Ishmael groaned as he was dropped.
"He needed me to survive. That's all I know." He admitted dust falling from him as he stood up. "But no you won't harm him. I won't let you. For the benefit of you both."

Ishmael gripped his lances of the ground and faced his sister.

His eyes pained as he swallowed.

Why was she so damn stubborn.

"You could choose him over me? No, no you couldn't. I'm not wasting my time fighting you when I have Fallens to kill." She turned her back, and began to walk away, blatantly in defiance of him.

WHAM!!!

A pebble hit Isa smack in the head.

"Where do you think your going baby sister?" He asked picking another pebble up from the ground.

"Going off to kill a Fallen instead of facing me? Of course! You said you were afraid of me."

"Should of known you were still." A smug smile formed on his face. "Chicken." He finished as he whipped the second pebble at her.

"I'm ignoring you!" She yelled trying her best to remain the mature young woman she had grown to be, crossing her arms, her chin held high still walking.

Ishmael stuck both his lances in the ground and ran after her.
His arms in bird form as he circled her.

"Bock, bock , bock, bock!" Chicken noises erupted from him as he mocked her. "People always said I did a great impression of you."

Suddenly he gave a high pitched voice. "Oh I'm Isa and I'm so scared of my big bad older brother. Gonna run away!"

Isa paused. "On second thought, maybe I'll kill you?" She charged him, blade unsheathed but stopped short of his throat. Gazing into his eye's, she cursed. "damn you. You, little...."

And suddenly he found him self in an headlock and taken to the ground, her speed was incredible. The with her other hand balled into a fist, she rubbed her knuckles on his scalped vigorously. "I'll show you who the weaker sibling is now!"

Ishmael was relieved she hadn't put sword through his throat but he let out shout after shout.
As he felt her knuckles into his head.

"OUCH! OUCH!! What the hell Isa for a fat girl you sure are mean!" He teased. "I thought you people were supposed to be jolly, well you are your father's daughter!" He exclaimed and suddenly Isa's feet left the ground as he dropped he on her back.

Izzy pretended to stammer. "Wow.......did you crack the ground?" He asked taking the advantage to kick her sword away.

"I'm not fat, you just used up all your energy getting excited at the maids while they changed." She countered, knocking him off with her wings, then rolling right on top of him, pinning him to the ground.

"You wouldn't have half those scars if you weren't such a damn perv."

"Calling me a perv?" He asked shaking his head. "Look at you can't even keep your hands off your own brother you sicko and plus your the one's who pregnant."
Suddenly a dark scowl formed on his face.

"And do want to know how I got these scars?" Suddenly his hand erupted up grasping her hair and yanking her head down till it met his.

CRACK!

"Owe! You bone head, I always knew you were thick." She scowled, then went oddly silent. "Forgive me brother, there is something you should know, about father, about Samual, about me. A truth that has been kept from you about your, our condition."

She sighed. "I, I, actually I'm-"

The sudden splitting of the earth silenced her, black Chasms appeared everywhere the earth crumbling like a house of cards. Alarmed they stood back as as the earth crumbled "Later, I'll tell you. But for now I must go. I, won't kill the fallen yet. For your sake."

She exploded in Athea and light rising into the air, wings of starlight brightening the sky, it was only then Ishmeal noticed it. her wings, they were never weaved, they just...appear. Before he could say anymore, she shot off.

 

Brief bliss​

Jeremiah broke free of Tusbeal in a burst of energy. He glared at her, slowly his anger subsided. “I win, nothing you can do will prevent the death on VenShara now.” He raised his hand, rushing towards them was the violent waves of black water. It cut it’s way in front of Shari and Jeremiah, blocking out the other intruders. She was still weeping, beside her a small candle still glowed, brighter than ever. But still threatened by the swirling black waves of chaos, encroaching ever closer, soaking her feet, lapping at the base of the candle.

“Just focus on your anger, your pain. And soon you will be out of your misery Shari.”

…..

“Shari!” Aly cried, “Look up! Look at your mother, look around you!” Aly suddenly yelped as the ground beneath her feet sudden gave way, falling a few meters. The shattering of rock sounded throughout like a chaotic choir, ushering pure destruction. The Chasms that scarred the land grew larger, like spilled ink they spread across slowly consuming all. Aly could feel the drop in height, she could see the rock walls seeming rising around them as the sank. She felt sick, the power flowing From Shari was weakening, filled with such malice, depression. Perhaps Nature it’s self was destroying it’s self as a result.

Aly shook her, she shook her friend almost violently, and yet Shari wasn’t responding. Was she too late? Her eye’s vacant, cold, spewing the energy of chaos. A crack sounded like lightning, The fey looked up to see the walls around her begin to crumble, one deathly close to landing on her. Every instinct told her to fly, fly now! Leave before she lost everything! She had come too far to die here!

But she didn’t, she stayed kneeling by Shari side, Tusbeal beside her, her eye’s also vacant. “Shari, please. Wake up!” She sobbed.

….

“Feel that? VenShara crumbles! Soon the blackness will spread, to the forest, to Fang pass, to cloud gate mountain EVERYWHERE! VenShara will fall into the inky depths of the reapers path, and then to the black pits of hell, and there is nothing anyone can do about it!” Jeremiah rises in the air his youthful guise replaced by one of power and darkness. He had done it!

“Shari, please”

Through the black waters stormy visage Shari perks up from her weeping. She looks around confused.

“Ignore it my love, it’s not important, just focus on avenging your mother.” Jeremiah scowls.

“Your mother is here! Open your eye’s!”

“What?” Shari body seems to flash to its present age, her eyes open, her tears stop.

….

Aly looks up, the rock wall finally gives way, it falls pebbles and boulders crashing all around her. She would be crushed, in her screams Aly doesn’t notice Shari clutch her mother’s frame, and open her eye’s.

….

Shari is alone, back in her village. There is no one and the village stands as it used to, unscathed, un tampered. A flash, a woman appears before her Karess her mother.

“M-mother? I thought…”

“Say no more Shari.”

The woman takes her into her arms, gently she strokes her hair. With tender love in her eyes she beholds her daughter, now grown sobbing with joy, head buried in her bosom.

“Forgive me, I should have never left you alone, God speaker or not, you’re still human, you’re still just a person. I,I’m so sorry Shari, my love I have failed you as your mother, as your parent.”

“What are you talking about? You were, are a great mother!” She protests looking up at her, suddenly noting the wrinkles on her face.

“No, a good mother would not abandon her child on a mountain top, when I learned you were to be the next prophet I, was so proud. So happy that you would fulfill Bahamuts work, that, I failed to fulfill my own. Forgive me Shari, I was blinded by religion. And because of this, I failed both Bahamut, and you.”

“Nonsense mother. You did what was required by Bahamut, you cannot be blinded by religion, religion is his instrument.”

The tired woman sighed, she looked faded slightly. “Sometimes the greatest obstacle to doing Gods will, is the religion of man. When traditions take priority over love for another, it can become just as destructive to the soul and body as any Fallen, and it’s our tradition that is the reason why I have not seen you these ten years, why you are now so lost. And I am to blame, for being so blind. And now, now that I finally get to see you again, I must go.”

“Mother, you’re fading!” Sharis’ hands went right through her body; she could no longer touch her. And that fact frightened her, “Why are you fading?”

“My body has, expired in the real world, I go to Bahamut now.”

“What! Wait, no!” Shari reached out for her mother vainly, “No you can’t go now, I just found you, please Bahamut don’t take her from me, not yet NOT NOW!” She yelled pleading with him her arms outstretched.

“Shari, listen, listen carefully my daughter, my love, remember this, do not let hatred and sorrow rule you. Please, you must fight against these emotions. Humans are part God part beast we choose which part we feed, and if you feed the beast it will start to consume you, if you let the beast consume you, you will become a beast your self.”

Shari’s eye’s grew wide, as her mother began to deteriorate, rapidly, she didn’t care about all that at the moment, she didn’t care about prophets, or gods or anything. “Mother I can save you! Just hang on! What ever you do!” She yelled.

“Be strong, my love, let God guide you through this, your darkest hour. And, forgive me, please forgive me.” Her voice began to fade.

Suddenly the village was gone, they were back in her mind, Jeremiah Tusbeal, Samuel all standing by, unable to influence her in her state of joy now dwindling to panic.

“I have to wake up, I have to wake up!” she yelled as her mother’s heartfelt apology grew fainter with every utterance.

Jeremiah approached her, his smug look turned to concern. Shari’s mind had suddenly suppressed them all, unable to move or talk they all stood by and watched as the two spoke.

“Shari, you still must-“

Shari shot him a look that could kill. White! The candle exploded into a white flame burning bright like the sun, the storming waters black and cold wiped clean as if never there.

Jeremiah stuttered, “Shari, listen to me.”

She screamed her voice carrying both through her mind and the real world, rocking the very foundations of nature.

“Leave me be Jeremiah!"

All of them instantly felt themselves literally blasted out of her head, landing firmly back where they came.

….

Aly’s screams were drowned out by an explosion of light, the rock, inches away from crushing them shattered, suddenly Tusbeal and Aly found them self in the air, beside them Shari glowing bright. The earth shattering to glass around them, the elements in chaos, all of nature, suddenly froze. They descended, landing on the desecrated sand.

Kneeling in the blood and ash, Shari stared at her mother’s pale face. The woman, was holding her, weak though she had been, managed to hug her, one last time.

Light flowed into her broken body, her bones mended, the rib then pierced her lungs snapped back into place, the internal bleeding vanished. Shari' focused all of her energy, her healing power so bright, Aly and Tusbeal looked away. Moments past, the light faded, Shari held her mother close drawing her near, holding her head a moment, slowly stroking it. A final embrace, a final kiss to her forehead, and finally, she let go. letting her mother finally rest in the freshly washed sand, forever.

The land trembled, slowly it pushed back up, rock faces joining together to form solid land again. Blocking out to dark chasms, the hell unleashed by the sky, faded. Black clouds grew white like snow. The wind grew still. And then, rain. It poured torrents as if the clouds themselves began to weep, the fires of death were doused, the smoke soon had no fuel, and the blood and ash were washed away, soon calm returned.

“She’s over here!” Hiddan called out to Narth and Jakem, who dashed toward her. “Shari, your back I’m gl…oh no.”

Shari slowly lay down her mother on the soft sand, and closed her soulless eye’s. But she shed no tears, not even a huff. Just a cold silence.

“Shari, I’m sorry. We, tried.”

She turned facing them all, stoic her emotions seemingly exhausted beyond response, coldly she mutters. “Where is he? Where is Jeremiah?”

She looked, so cold, almost robotic. Perhaps, it was simply too much for her, all the loss.

“Shari if I may-.”

“I’ll kill him.” She interrupted him almost threateningly. Jeremiahs influence was gone, but hatred still resided in her heart. But this hatred was controlled, and directed all at him.

“Where is he?”







…

 

Joe was gone, jeremiah weathered another blows Joes final attack staggering him a little, but through the searing eather he smiled, another one down. Now the only threat was the demon wolf. Fallen, you shall be next.

A menacing growl throbbed in Bibindoe's chest, and the wolf rose up onto it's hind-legs, fangs gleaming with a sticky coat of blood. Zebbennon and he alike had one goal -to destroy Jeremiah before he could bring about any more harm to this world.

Then the wolf smirked, and Zebbenon was filled with confusion.

What..? What are you doing?

I am going to do what I should have done to begin with. The towering black werewolf sighed, and his body shriveled, muscles shrinking and fur flowing back beneath scarred flesh until a young man stood before Jeremiah. A ring gleamed on Bibindoe's finger.

"You may be old, and you may be clever. But do you know of the Beast tribe's greatest weapons?" Bibindoe sneered, holding up his hand and letting the man look more closely at the ring -the Voice of Lost Souls. A single violet gem glittered between a nest of four minuscule diamonds, all embedded in a silver ring. "I hold one of the two Weapons, the very ones that made my kind infamous for our skill in battle. The Voice of Lost Souls, and the Fang of the Moon. Of the two, the one I bear is the most dangerous, to both the wielder and the target." Then the glint of real madness came to his eyes, and his lips stretched to reveal jagged fangs. "You've hurt more people than one mortals should be expected to, Jermeiah, and now you will pay for it not with your life, but with your soul."

"You should be helping me boy, Isn't it a Fallen's will for the world be thrown into darkness?" Leon lunged at him as he spoke. "Away from me pawn!" he said knocking Leon down with a gale of wind.

Jeremiah pointed to Binidoe wind swirling around him. "You know Shari is terrified of you right? You fight for her, yet she doesn't even see you. Your wasting your time."

Bibindoe cackled in response. "I know -she saw me slaughter my entire tribe right before her eyes!" then his demented laughter cut off abruptly. "And yet she showed me mercy. I don't deserve to live -I should have been put down like the dog that I am. But since she let me live, I have put myself in front of her to become a shield or sword, depending on her will. And do you know what her will is for you now...?" Bibindoe stepped forward, and darkness enshrouded him as the Fallen caught onto his plan. Wings as black as night spread behind him, and another pair of blank white eyes opened just above the boy's. His grin became larger, too large to be natural, filled with darkness, blood, and fangs.

"I do not follow Bahamut. He can do with me as he wishes when I am done. But then, he may not even be able to reach us where we shall go. . ." Bibindoe opened his palm, and black lightning forked out over the sand, creating a ring around Jeremiah and Bibindoe. The lightning hissed and spat, then rose up like a cage, sealing them in. Leon was trapped outside, safe, whereas they were trapped within.

"Yesssss, it is the Fallen'ssssss wish to destroy, tear, and rend the world to nothing but shadowsssss! But if it issssss one thing that we cannot sssssstand, it is to be used!" Bibindoe's voice rose an octave, and then he burst out laughing again, head flung back and arms outspread. The ring was glowing with an eerie light.

"Shari! Hear me now! For your sword has struck!" he howled, then slashed at the sand, rending it into a tear of swirling darkness. Soil and grit flowed into the dark abyss as it grew, spreading its ugly tendrils and snaking toward Jeremiah and Bibindoe. If they fell in, they would be swallowed into another realm.

Jeremiah smirked, he strode towards the tendrils gladly and welcomed the abyss, inside the darkness light blasted forth, he was glowing. "I am the god speaker, Bahamut's will is my own. Now perish!" And with mad power he dashed towards Bibinidoe!

Bibindoe roared and switched into wolf form, charging at Jermeiah at the same time. The darkness enveloped him, and the void reached up to grab at him, but he bounded through the tendrils, untouched. His eyes had changed from blood-red to glowing yellow, and the Fallen within the void had recognized what he was. Above the howls of the dead, the tutored who remained trapped in the darkness, a deeper, more terrible thing awoke. And his voice, guttural, rose in a battle song known only to the elite hunters of his kind:

"I am that is- the darkness within.
I am the son of the Black Terra-bin,
I give not mercy, but only war,
I am the son of the darkened Horde!"

"Give me your might, give me your all,
But the terror within is where you shall fall!"

Magic seeped into the air, coiling, writhing as if it was a living thing. Then they clashed. Sparks flew, fire bloomed where there was nothing to feed on it but the sand. Red coated the earth as shallow wounds lashed across the both of them. But neither could make a fell strike -for they were equals in all respect of battle.

After what seemed like hours, the both of them stood panting, the screaming darkness and lightning ringing about them, hungry for their death.

"I . . . will not . . . fail you Shari . . ." Bibindoe choked, blood dribbling down his chin. His whole body was wracked with trembles, and his fur was matted with clods of earth and blood. Most of it his own. "Do you hear me . . . God Speaker . . . I WILL NOT FAIL HER!" His voice was one of obsession, one of unadulterated rage, one of murder.

And one of love.

He was strong. Jeremiah struggled to gain the upper hand, this was the power of the fallen, however, his foe was also very unstable. Indeed there were to battles, one that was physical, and one of the mind, of emotion.

"You already failed her, you couldn't save her family, you couldn't save her from suffering, you could not join her in her mind, and you can not help her now even in her darkest hour."

Jeremiah launched blades of light shaped like cross at him, grinning at the accompanying emotional attack.

The wolf let out a terrible, metallic scream as the light burned into his flesh, but he spread his hind-paws wide, taking the blow. Steam and the stench of burning fur and flesh filled the air. He glared at Jeremiah, eyes blazing, muzzle curled in a defiant snarl.

But then his legs caved out from beneath him, and the wolf collapsed into the sand, his body shrinking back into that of a boy. The Fallen wailed, and Zebbenon receded back deep into the lad's consciousness. I cannot help you anymore! Foolish brat -you have doomed us all!
Bibindoe coughed, trembling as he struggled to rise up again, but a boot slammed him back down. "I will not. . . give . . . up . . ." he rasped.

"It matters not what you do, Shari is finished, and so are you." Jeremiah stalked towards him,hands out stretched, fire coursing through his hand. "Do not fear your friends will join you in the underworld shortly."

Bibindoe spat up blood and groaned, looking up at Jeremiah through bleary eyes. Had he come this far just to fail? Had he fought so hard, only to die and let this monster take over?

The screams emanating from the void diminished, and the darkness slithered toward Bibindoe, pouring back into the ring from whence it had come. His breaths came slow, ragged, and his body lay limp. As if he'd given up.

Then, when Jeremiah came within a mere foot of the boy, he lashed out. Claws extended, Bibinode buried his clawed fingertips deeply into the man's calf and dragged him down to the sand with a sharp jerk. A blast of flame scorched across his chest and throat, burning away flesh and revealing the muscle beneath, and Bibindoe curled back thin lips to reveal now-charred teeth.

"Even when the cobra's head is cut off, it can still bite." he hissed, and a black light shone from the ring, spreading over the ground around them. If Jeremiah looked down, he would see his greatest fear brought to life.

"Give me your might, give me your all, but the terror within is where you shall fall!"Bibindoe whispered again into the old man's ear, then rolled over, intending to drag them both down into the darkness.

 

The guilt ridden.
​

"Shari! Stop this!" Aly cried in frustration. Her wings and legs quivered with exhaustion but somehow she was managing to stand. "Your mother wouldn't want you to go for revenge. Would you dishonor her memory by doing that?"
"But,it's his fault! how, how can you defend him?!" Shari snapped. She quivered in anger.

"I'm not. He deserves justice. But not like this. Not justice fueled by hate and anger." Aly took a step forward and grabbed Shari's hand. "You're the God Speaker, Shari. Kind and merciful. Full of love...do remember that?"

"I'm." She sighed."I'm no God speaker, I'm just a failure." Like melting ice in her, cold anger slowly loosed it's clutches on her mind, or perhaps it was more she pushed it off, finally, and for good. She sighed,sitting down, suddenly exhausted, defeated. She looked up at Aly sadly.

"I'm so sorry." she hung her head.

"No. I'm sorry." She took a seat beside Shari. "If I had been stronger, flown faster, maybe I would have gotten your mother to you in time. Then you wouldn't have had to lose her, like I did."

"No, because of my...foolishness, I nearly killed your father, I, took the lives of so many people for a crime they didn't commit. God didn't take my mother I did, in my blind anger, I have no one to blame but my self."

She relized suddenly. "Shea! ohno... Hiddan."

"I'm okay Shari." Hiddan landed beside them smiling, " you almost got me. and it's not your fault, you were being controlled!"

Shari shook her head again, in a pained voice she admitted. "I let it happen. And, I will not ask forgiveness, I have failed you all, and I have failed God. Not even the life in my veins do I deserve." Hiddan remained silent, he didn't know what to say, how would he comfort her now, in her darkest hour?

"If that's true then I don't deserve to live either!" Aly replied anger. "If you who served Bahamut all your life, is doomed to death because one day of failure...then what hope do I have? I, who hated Bahamut all my life and killed people." The fairy shot to her feet. "If what you say is true, then all your talk about God being merciful and loving is all for naught. If you, the God Speaker, can't even accept Bahamut's forgiveness and mercy then how can I? For I am far worse than you."

A moment of silenced past. Shari mumbled something to her self, then despite everything, she smiled. "This some sort of divine prank, when did the athiest fairy start preaching to the prophet?" She chuckled lightly, and in her laughs the sky seemed to part, the venSharan sun now dipping into the horizon spilling it's rays over the battered land. Shari looked over to her staff, taking hold with a firm grip, she got to her feet. "And to top it off, the Athiest is, hundred percent right, what a fool I am."

Shari finally lifted her head, the scarred and deing battle field would haunt her, she did this it's true. That fact she would never live down, but through all her sin she still lived. And now, more then ever she was needed, once again. "Thank you Aly."

Aly shrugged. "This doesn't mean I've really changed my mind about Bahamut...but I like you better as a God Speaker than a person without hope." She smiled tiredly then suddenly her eyes widened. "Papa! He was going against Zafara!" She jumped into the air and spun around as she looked for a glimpse of either the Sphinx or her father.

.....

"Looks like your time is up." Zafara laughed counting down from ten with her claws tapping erily on the sand.

"I've done my part, and look VenShara lives." The sphinx took a quick glance to the sudden stillness. "You have failed sphinx, in death I win."

"Your wrong, we have not failed, Jeremiah is a very cunning human. we have our plan b's." Five gleamng claws hang over him, "You will not live long enough to see them."

"That's because they will never come to fruition!" Zafara jumped at the booming voice that vibrated her massive bones. From the sky Shari dropped down glaring angrily.

For the first and only time, Zafara looked timid, her tail drooped between her legs, her ears layed flat sticking out of the side of her head which drooped down to her chest.

"Oooh, God speaker...What a surprise, how good to finally meet you."

Shari stormed up to the beast angrily, the clouds returning with a horrible rumble. The otehrs were close behind carried by the wind. "tell me where Jeremiah is, then leave this place, stay and I'll punish you with all my wrath."

Zafara the terrible was reduced to a shivering kitten, Shari's power radiating like a star, her fury just barely kept in check by her new found control.

"Answer me!" She boomed thunder clapping at her voice.

"He's caught up in a battle with the fallen inside the wolf child, just beyond those hills." Shari raised her staff and pointed it at the sphinx.

Zafara mind raced, "Wait, please don't destroy me, it, it was Jeremiah. Yes he used me, like he used all of us."

"You lying!" lighting flashed, this time closer.

Zafara covered her head with her paws, squeezing her eye's shut she hunkered down in a futile attempted at self defense.

The weather calmed, quickly passing.

"Go, if I see you again." Shari muttered.

Zafara opened an eye, then suddenly took off leaping into the air, with a frantic flap disappeared back towards skyline Pyramid.

"Ha look at her run, what a pussy." Aloron laughed, "Ah before you say anything Aly it's not a bad word if taken literally." He beamed at her, tired eyes expressing a joy never before seen.

Aly didn't respond but just jumped into his arms and held him tightly. "Is it over?" She asked, partially to Aloron and partially to Shari.

Shari looked at Aly, then at Tusbeal, then at Hiddan, Narth, Leon. Her mind flashed to Kyra and Suzan, to Altiar, Ishmael, Sylvia, Shea, Schzemer all the people they had met.

"It is over. for you."

her face soft and kind and a little sad turned to determined and slightly bitter. She faced the direction of Jeremiah and Binidoe.

"There is still something I must take care of."

Suddenly a light, Isa wings glowing bright landed behind them all, her brows raised in concern. "Shari? Oh thank heavens your here, I feel relived that the God speaker is taking care of things. uh...whats happening?"

"Princess, I have a request." Shari said blankly looking away.

"Yes? Anything for the God speaker."

"Have these people taken to the safest place in Pia, you and them stay there until, the shaking stops."

"Um...okay, why?"

"Jeremiah, I must defeat him, alone." Shari's expression hardened, not hatred but a look of iron will.

"Can you defeat him alone?" Aly asked worriedly. "If he's not a god speaker then he must be something terrible."

Shari took a nervous breath. "I,I don't know, I feel faint. But if I fight him near any of you, there is a real risk of you getting caught in the cross fires." She clenched her fist.

"I will unleash, all of my power if I have to, I can't afford to protect anyone if I do. That is why, I must go alone lest I destroy one of you in the heat of battle."

Shari looked at them all, pleadingly. "Will you heed me?"

 

"Will you heed me?"

"No probably not, even though were all gonna die!" A voice shouted as Ishmael's approaching form became visible.

His chest heaving in and out his face red.

Stupid Issa and her stupid wings.

She got some explaining to do and speaking of explaining things......just where the hell is Samael!?

His eyes zoned in on Shari.

Did he?

No didn't look like he was in there....just looks like Shari. A Shari that seems to be glaring him.

But he still couldn't be sure.

"No matter what it is." He yawned. "They will pretend to listen you and then defy you. Its kinda become a ritualistic practice among us."

His gaze flickered to Isa giving Shari a chance to let his words sink in.

"And you sister..." He said shaking his head. "I want answers."

He'd cut to the point.

What had they been hiding from him?

Where the hell did those wings come from? His teeth bared at her. "But, it will have to wait it seems."

 

"Will you heed me?"

Szmierc looked at the little girl. It was almost touching, seeing the remorseful prophet attempt, once again, to save as many as she could. Redemption. The concept was... foreign. Within his cold heart, Szmierc felt something rising. It was welling up, unstoppable, immutable, inevitable. It was... it was...

Laughter. Szmierc smiled devilishly as he suppressed his snickers. "No," he said simply. "I wouldn't missssssomething like that for my life."

 

Leon smirked. "No way, it's against my moral code to let a cute person run off to fight alone! Then I'd never have a chance since they might be dead!" He said grinning, giving Shari a thumbs up, then winced, expecting to receive a hit from behind from Joe. He looked over his shoulder at my discarded robe and grimoire. "...No, I'm definitely not letting you fight that bastard alone, I have a big score to settle with him..." He said, his demeanor growing cold, he wanted revenge on the man that took his brother, his only connection to his biological mother away.

 

The next Godspeaker​

Shari sighed, she should have seen this coming, the others were hell bent on coming with her even after all she had done. It moved her wounded heart. The desire to protect them impossible though it maybe grew even larger. Shari turned to face the blackness that was Jeremiah and Binidoes struggle, the old prophets power was immense and she was drained. The chilling thought wafted through her mind, she may not win this, she may not even live through it.

"Tusbeal." She suddenly called, "I, I have a favor to ask."

After her bizarre out-of-body experience, Tsubael felt like a tin can… which was strange. She had inhabited this body for centuries and never felt 'unnatural,' but now she felt as if she were in a metal cage. These arms, these legs, this face… none of it was hers. She wanted to tear it all off but, if she did, what would be left?

She was staring at the ground, at her two metal feet, when she realized someone was talking to her. Shari had asked a question. Tsubael took a moment to rewind her processors, and repeat the statement, to realize what Shari had said.

"'Tsubael, I, I have a favor to ask,'" she said, replaying the recording, complete with Shari's voice. Tsubael blinked and then answered in her own voice: "submit your query and this one will formulate an appropriate response."

Shari chuckled at her response. "Glad to see you haven't changed." She stepped over to Tusbeal slightly nervous, eye's looking at her quivering hands. When they were face to face shari stared deep into her eye's, as if searching.

"Firstly...thank you, for helping me. If it wasn't for you I would have lost my will completely. I'll be truthful when I first met you I thought you were just a doll, but now, now I'm convinced you are a person just as much as me." She gave a faint smile.

"When, when a God speaker passes on, she selects one to...take over for her. Traditionally it is a human who shows true virtue of some sort. I, always wondered who I would choose, but I figured it would happened when I am old and grey, I imagined it probably be a man who was strong and right. But that is not my fate, I will not grow old, and you are not human, and no man."

A swooshed in like a cold front, the two staring at each other, could it really be? Was Shari really about to ask this? "Would you be willing to, become the next prophet, after I am...gone? I, can think of no better person, but you have every right to refuse, if you wish." Shari slightly rushed that last part, then held her breath.

Tsubael considered the request for a moment which, for her, was a very long time. Her brain processed millions of queries and variables in an instant. Though it only seemed like a fraction of a second to everyone else there, to Tsubael it was an eternity.

Actually, it was more like a year or so. A year, compressed into about 0.473 sec.

The obvious answer was 'yes.' Shari was the person she admired most, the person she loved. Only Hessa had come anywhere close. Tsubael loved Hessa because Hessa had accepted her, even when Hessa didn't like her. There was something very endearing about the way humans constantly contradicted themselves.

Mercy was, itself, a contradiction. If Tsubael were to judge Shari by her actions, she would conclude that Shari was an absolute fool. Zafara and the king deserved to live? Jeremiah and the invading army deserved to die? A fox's soul, in a tin can, deserved to be the next God speaker? Mercy was all about sparing people from the fate they deserved.

If that was true, Shari was the most merciful person Tsubael had ever known. If that was true, Tsubael was absolutely correct in her belief that she didn't deserve to be Shari's successor. If all of that was true, it was simply more reason to accept. The God speaker of Mercy was, by definition, a person undeserving of the title.

"I accept," Tsubael said 0.473 seconds after Shari asked the question.

"I understand it going to be quite the burden but...wait, what?" Did she just accept so suddenly? Shari put her hands on her hips shaking her head, "this is not something to be taken lightly Tusbeal, I am asking you to give up your life for the sake of others, you will bear a great and heavy burden. Are you certain?"

"This one is capable of bearing approximately 483 pounds," Tsubael said. She stared at Shari, and then nodded, to prove she was no longer joking: "I am certain."

A satisfied smile grew across her face, she hugged Tusbeals metal frame squeezing her, she didn't mind her rough exterior on her warm soft flesh. "Thank you, I am sorry I can not teach you the ways of the Prophets or perform the proper ceremony, we don't have time for that. So this will have to be a little informal." Shari put her hand on Tusbeal for head, a sudden flash of light, Shari's eye's glowed white for a brief moment. After the light dimmed Shari said suddenly more weary in voice and strength.

"I here by dub thee Tusbeal, Prophet of wisdom, after I am gone, you most lead these people, to a better life." Shari patted her on her shoulder, then with a tired sigh turned to face the horrible power coming from Jeremiahs and Binidoes struggle. Lightning flashed though no clouds produced it, seven times just like on that faithful day, echoing through out all VenShara. "Your will soon manifest the ability to work miracles, you may have to figure it out on your own I, I must face my fate. Good luck my friends."

"We are coming with you!" Hiddan said stubbornly. Shari said nothing, suddenly she shot off into the sky and towards the blackness, a wall of earth ripped open in front of them and pushed shooting to the sky, as high as the castle walls of Pia, blocking them off.

Hiddan cursed, "still always trying to do things by yourself, that's the mistake Joe made."

He glanced at Tusbeal, "So fox bot, now that you are oh so wise how about you start by teaching Shari the definition of stubbornness?" And with that he grabbed the rock wall, and began to climb. "Or is that not Bahamuts will?"

Tsubael reached up, caught Hiddan by his shirt tail, and yanked him off of the rock wall. "Shari said not to interfere," she said, still holding him. "You will not interfere. Can you not see that your presence would distract and weaken her? Can you not see your presence is exactly what Jeremiah wants? You are an ant, trying to join a fight between giants."

She released Hiddan and looked to the others. "This one believes we should observe and offer moral support. But physical intervention would be... unwise."

 

"This one believes we should observe and offer moral support. But physical intervention would be... unwise."

"Didn't you hear her!?" Aly exclaimed in a sudden fit of panic. "She's going to go fight that monster...by herself. He's going to kill her...and she knows it! How can we not do anything but stand by and watch her die?" Aly looked up at the wall, every muscle in her wings quivering with the desire to fly over the wall to Shari. The god speaker had been the first friend that the young fairy was willing to die for. The thought losing such a friend, after all they'd been through, was unbearable. Bahamut, if you let her die I swear I'll hate you forever. Aly swore silently. For if you don't care enough to save your faithful servant...then how can I believe you'd care about me.

 

"Didn't you hear her!?" Aly exclaimed in a sudden fit of panic. "She's going to go fight that monster...by herself. He's going to kill her...and she knows it! How can we not do anything but stand by and watch her die?"

"This one's hearing is functioning properly," Tsubael said calmly. "Shari's death is not assured. The odds are clearly stacked against her but this one feels our presence would not improve those odds. Quite the contrary."

Tsubael raised her scythe and its revolver switched to nox eather. It began to glow with dark energy as she stepped toward the wall, blanded the blade in the stone and carved a smooth circle, large enough for a person to walk through.

"The odds are against her, but this one has no intention of allowing those odds to become worse," she said as the circle began to fade to black. It looked like a portal into oblivion, but was actually just a doorway to the other side of the rock wall. "Rather than blindly jump in, I propose we watch and wait for an opening, and, if necessary, ensure no one else intervenes."

 

Mercy vs Judgment

​

Part1 Binidoes sacrifice, denied


A trap! Jeremiah found himself slowly pulled inside some blackness, he struggled to free himself, but the fallens power was too much to simply walk away from. They began to sink, into a darkness foreign to him. Binidoe was slowly being consumed, sacrificing himself for Shari, the girl who had saved him from himself, who had shown him mercy. He would trap Jeremiah here in his ultimate spell, at the cost of his own life if need be, and he was at peace with this.

But his peace, was soon shattered. A bright light shone from above him, he couldn't see what was happening, such power, such warmth, next thing he remembered was a gentle hand on his chest, and that same familiar voice.


“ I spared your life not but a few days ago, and I will not have you throw it away on my account.”


At that he felt his wounds healing, he felt his body rising and the nox disappear. He was moved with in his heart, Shari, she was here, saving him again, his heart soared to hear her well again to see her care, but then it sank like a stone. By removing his spell, she would also spare Jeremiah, the one chance to trap him, lock him away forever would be lost, for his sake. Warm sand tingled his body, he was back, back in VenShara alive though weakened, kneeling above him a stern looking Shari, bags under her eye’s hair a wild mess, thin and clearly exhausted beyond measure. Yet her voice was full of strength renewed.


“I thought I sealed you? do not bother this child again Fallen or I swear on Bahamuts name I will remove you.” And she flooded Binidoes body and mind with another large dose of purifying light, his skin radiated glowing like a pale moon before quietly dimming. She gave the weary boy a few gentle strokes on his bloodied head, then gently laid it down on her own cloak. “You’ve done enough, I thank you, please rest. I will take it from here.”


“Damn you woman.” Jeremiah brushed nox wisps from his cloak and sand from his beard, “I didn't realize the psychological effect of seeing your own mother would be so great, I almost had you. *Tsk* how did she even survive? I thought I killed her along with your damned village.” He shook his head, then grinned, well then God speaker of Mercy what will it be? Surely you know you can not win in your state.”


Shari said nothing, she just glared, ignoring the subtle trembling of her body, the shakiness of her legs.


“But even now all hope is not lost.” he began to circle her the corners of his lips upturned. “I can still have you if only you let go of your pride, join me Shari, let us bring judgment together, let us punish this disgusting world of sinners!”


“You are Luscious herself, the queen of all fallens, you must be. I see through you Jeremiah.”


The old prophet stopped circling, his brow raised, upturned lips spread into a laugh. “Lucious!? ha ha ha! Oh Shari, you wound me! To be put on the level of evil as that being? queen of Fallens? No you are mistaken, I will bring judgment even on her. I am Jeremiah, Prophet of gods JUDGMENT! and doer of his will, and this time his will is to end everything. You yourself must see this.”


“I see only the fog of your delusion! You are no God speaker, if you were you would destroy VenShara your self! But you haven't, because for all your power you can’t! You need me Jeremiah, you can’t kill me… because if you do I win.”


Jeremiah cheerful face twisted in anger, his fist squeezed the old staff in his hand. “Woman, do not think yourself so highly!” Flame spewed from his staff, Shari covered Binidoe taking the blast of heat and flame that would surely incinerate his fragile state. “You understand nothing Shari, I can end this world whenever I wanted and I’ll do it after I am finished with you!”


He had to save him get him to a safe place, summoning the earths might she covered Binidoe in a stone shield, “Stay here, I, can’t protect you and fight at the same time.” she said softly as the energy from Jeremiahs flames began to heat their earthen refuge, till it glowed.


Jeremiah walked closer his fire growing more intense bright stronger, he noticed the grains of sand beneath his feet rustle too late, a rocky spire shot up like an upturned needle impacting his chest, his magic guard strained slightly and he was thrown aside.


He caught himself to see Shari walk through his flames eye’s locked on him, “ Enough, that will be the last lie you tell, I swear on all that is good I will not rest till VenShara is in the sheltered harbor of Gods mercy once again. I will prove to you Bahamuts will, by vanquishing you here I will affirm what I know to be true.” She closed her eye’s stretching out her staff, she said a small prayer. “That his mercy lasts for ever more, may it fall on me in this my darkest hour.”


“This is not your darkest hour, yours, I will show you shortly!” and the battle began in earnest. nature seemed to split, on Sharis side lightning flashed and winds howled, on Jeremiahs fires roared and the earth shook.


……

Part2

Bahamuts struggle Manifest

Curses and blessing fell like rain on as the two exchanged ailments and disease attacking each others health directly with plague and sickness, dust kicked up from Shari rolled over jermiah for each grain a hideous boil began to grow, each pulsation felt like a twisted knife struck deep, he cried out in agony and let the pain fuel his rage. Red eather returned the favour hitting her chest, she bent over hurling blood. Both healed himself instantly were at it again, curse of leprosy descended on Shari, blocked by a spell shield. She readied her next curse but jeremiah was quick hitting her again with an inky substance, instantly she lost her sight and her curse missed. she realed summoning her power and restoring her sight, looking forward to see Jeremiah was gone! She looked to her right, she was struck from the left, this time buy large strings of lightning, her body seized, up such pain! She felt as if she was going into shock! A ball of flame followed, she raised the eather in her magic guard, which helped block the pain from the lightning but she couldn’t focus enough to evade, the ball of flames carried her several yards away. Jeremiah raised his hand smiling contently eather swirled around them.


Her magic guard was at only a third of it’s power, several time more powerful than the average mortal but still far below his. Pain from his spells was intense, the blood loss, the energy used to combat the opposing army, it was all too much. She felt like giving up, but only for an instant. “Too many people are counting on me.” she muttered, “Bahamut give me strength.”


She waved at him as he loosed the pent up eather around his hand, the earth beneath him opened and he fell, his ball of lightning and fire impacted the walls of the pit and detonated in his face, white out shined the sun, the white of his own attack that consuming him!


He was tossed in the air. Time slowed as Shari instantly gathered together her remaining power and unleashed it on the stunned prophet, in one cry of anger, all the hatred and sorrow in her heart, all the pain she burned, turning it into energy for her final assault.


Lightning crackled down slamming him to the ground! Rock shot up underneath him sandwiching him between the two elements, hidden by the blasts of rock dusts and sparks he was none the less thrown by the whirling of a sudden tornado which caught him, he spun helplessly inside, trying vainly to process what was happening, trying to recover! Shari barrage the tornado with a rain of lightning each strike shook the ground. The winds slammed him back down, his world was spinning spinning.


Her last her biggest display of power she slammed her staff on the ground, and beneath the dazed prophet the earth was pulverized, a massive blast, a wall of fire that bloomed like some mushroom billowed up into the sky. Touching it’s ceiling it’s heat could be felt from Pia, it’s light from cloud gate mountain. The eruption of fire and Magma generated their own winds, which shrouded the blast in it’s own sand storm and knocked even their conjurer off her feet.


She fell on her back, arms out spread, sand hot and glowing showered over her, pricking at what was left of her magic guard. In the burning winds and flying sand she lay, and then sleep began to creep into her mind. She was so tired, that wasn't even the word for it. She felt heavy as if the Tusbeal was sitting on her. “I’m at my limit, that, no one could survive that.” She looked over to where Binidoe was, she had sent his little capsule underground when the battle began, it raised to the surface, red hot, but unharmed.


her eye’s began to close, “It, is finished.”


“It is not finished.” The voice ripped her mind from the coming sleep and peace she was so close to having. No, it couldn't be, she lifted her head.


The body of Zafara lay charred and scorched, beside it, a being disfigured from burns steadied himself on one knee, his beard scorched and blackened. “Incredible, even in your weakened state, you, almost beat me.” he coughed, standing.


“Even when Zafara flew in and used all her power to protect me, you destroyed her spell shield, all of her magic guard and almost all of mine in one blow, I truly stood no chance if you were at full strength. heh, but that’s why I wore you out first.”


Shari didn't have the energy to feel frustrated, or disappointed, her head just fell back, her eye’s looking up at the smoked filled sky.


“So in the end I failed. and I have no tears left to cry.” her vision faded, when it returned Jeremiah trembling stood over her staff pointed at her chest. She shut her eye’s, but the end did not come as swiftly as she imagined. After a moment she opened them, she looked at him, she was stunned. Jeremiah, her enemy, was...crying? His hand covered his eye’s, tears streamed down his wrinkled cheeks as he quietly sobbed. “What, is bringing these tears? you can end me, victory is yours.”


“Indeed it is but,I do not want to destroy you.”


Shari was at a loss, this man, he must be mad. “I don’t understand. Jeremiah, he who would cry over his enemies must have some good in them, you surely you are void of such good, so why do I see tears on your face, why do you now look like just a sad old man. Tell me, who or what are you truthfully?”


“I have told you many lies Shari, but what I said about our past is true, we are both prophets, and we were once wedded, though it did not last long. You see, this is not the first time we have done battle.”


Images played through her head, he was showing her something, past lives thousands upon thousands of them suddenly rushed through her mind images of a past forgotten that stretched even to when VenShara was lush and green. “ We Shari are concepts given form, mercy and judgment in the flesh and there were others. love, wisdom, truth, all of us God speakers are in truth concepts born from his will and we live out different sides of him in our lives. Every cycle Bahamut see's the sin of mortal kind, and struggles to decide whether humanity should be punished for their sins with judgment, or shown mercy. and each time his internal struggle reaches it’s climax it is played out in this world by us, the prophet of mercy, and of judgment. We are physical manifestations of the conflict with in his own heart. He both loves us, and is repulsed by our sins. And every time he struggles, we do battle, and in every battle, you Shari, mercy has won out. And mortals have been allowed to live for another cycle. Last time I met you we fell in love before either of us knew what we were. For us our marriage ended when our destinies where revealed, the mortals of venshara, Vendezian and the other continents had grown so rife with wickedness, once again the fate of whether they should continue to exist came into question and we were once again at the center of it.”

Jeremiah looked at her, both endearingly and with a hint of anger. “I believed mortals should be destroyed, countless cycles of pain and suffering, war, racism, murder, rape, all of it repeating, all of it continuing in an endless circle. when will it end? How long will humans continue to be allowed to abuse the planet and each other? If there was any proof God doesn't care about us his creations, it is the fact he has not destroyed us for harming his world so ruthlessly. The Vendezians have drained their world of eather, killing countless magical beings, they slaughtered beings known as half elves out of fear and hate, and kill those without magic, Zalium has enslaved an entire race of beasts, VenShara has mortals constantly and stealing water, letting countless die of their own! All of them, all of them deserve judgment, and I was certain that it was his will to end them! But you Shari, you would not listen you insisted that these mortals,deserve another chance, that humans should be forgiven of their sins and allowed to live on abusing everything they see. We did battle once again, and like before, you won.”


He grinned, “But not this time, this time Bahamut has had enough, he has shown me this, this time VenShara dies! and the endless cycle of pain and hatred will finally end, in it’s wake a peaceful world with animals and fairies, dragons, flowers, wind seers life, all of whom do not know our evil ways. And it is this world I want to spend my last days, and I had hoped with you by my side.” He his frown grew.


“But I know you my love, though you are in another body, though you have different parents and a different past, I knew you would oppose me, I know you would fight me to the death in order to protect these sinful beings.”


Sharis’ eyes grew wide as she for the first time began to understand. “So you tried to get me on your side, by taking over my mind.”


He nodded, “yes, since I could never beat you,I thought by filling you with the same hatred that burns with in me, you would turn, I thought that if you saw the wickedness of humanity first hand, if you lost your family to them you would join me in bring judgment upon them. But, you are as stubborn as a mule, as always. Now you understand, everything I have done was done for you my love, so we could be together after the end of all. And, it is not too late, you can still join me, lets us end this cycle of pain together.” he stretched out his hand, he hopeful.


Shari studied him with a new found understanding, even now hatred marred her heart, but it’s icy hold began to melt as the memories of their time together in lives past flooded her. “I, see now, I remember now. Jeremiah, despite everything you have done, I do not hate you, and now, I care for you as I do the others.”


her words, gave his heart wings, his old eyes brightened. “but, I will not join you.” and it all came crashing down.


“Why not!” he yelled in frustration.


“Because, it is not bahmu- no, because it is wrong.” He stepped back his joyous face twisted in rage. “Jeremiah, hear what I say. This world is cruel, and mortals are faulted humans especially it’s true, but, they also have some good in them.”


“The good does not outweigh the bad!” he countered.


“Perphaps it doesn't, believe me Jeremiah I have seen wickedness with my own eye’s, mortals do not deserve, yet another second chance, if they are given one, they will most likely fail.”


“So why give them one?” he hissed.


“Because Jeremiah, we love them, it is given to mortals because they are loved, not because they are perfect, or righteous. We show mercy to the undeserving, because their sins do not and should not outweigh the value we put on their lives, we are supposed to love them, just as Bahamut loves us. From the king to the slave we are all undeserving of mercy, there is not human alive who is not guilty of causing pain not one, not even me! But because God loves us he, and because he shows mercy to us everyday, we must show mercy to others especially those who have wronged us or do wrong. And we do it, because we love them. That is all God asks of us Jeremiah, he doesn't care about ceremonies or traditions, holy books or vain prayers, statues or temples to his name or condemning sinners to hell fire, he just wants us to love one another. That’s it, that’s all there is to it, that is why we exist. and I intend to do just that, even to the end of my life. If God has had enough, and destroys the world, that is his business not ours. But I will still love, for that is what I am to do.” She smiled at him, “to love all, even you my friend is the meaning of life. Amen.”


A warm wind blew, Jeremiah stood silently contemplating her words. he stared at his sandals, and gripped his staff even tighter. “I do not love them. and anyone who loves humanity unconditionally, is a fool.” He raised his staff in the air and clouds gathered, but these ones were not black but grey, they covered the sky and a chilling wind blew. “I will signal VenShara’s end my self, this is Bahamuts will, VenShara the world of fire, will end in ice.” And that a chilling wind blew, a strange white fluff a lighted on Sharis cheek, soft but frightfully cold.


Then he pointed his staff At Shari’s chest, “The end has begun, all that is left is to get rid of you, the only prophet left who can reverse this spell. So much for Bahamuts love.”


“Indeed, there were no more prophets left when I became one.”there was a twinkle in her eye, he didn’t know.


“Nor will there be any other, for I am the last.”Jeremiah grinned as eather swarmed around his staff.


“The last prophet.” Shari’s mind flashed to Tusbeal, Jeremiah caught in Binidoes trap, had not seen the seven lightning bolts. he did not know. “Humanities hopes then lies with you, Prophet of wisdom.”


Her body seized up, again as lightning poured into her body, her magic guard strained to keep her alive, and was rapidly depleting.