The Elemental Chain Saga Book Two: Dragons Ascending

Chapter Twenty: Greg's Last Stand

He slowly stood, blood running down the front of his shirt. He coughed and blood splattered on the ground. He wiped his chin with the back of his hand.

Greg looked over at Xensor. His body was sprawled spread-eagle on the ground. Greg slowly walked over and kneeled down to cheek his pulse. Nothing. Greg stood and stepped back and, as he looked down at his bloody body, he didn't feel resentful for killing him at all. Sure, maybe he might have compromised his undercover mission, but he could make an alibi or an excuse, and he had killed one of the members of the Council of Three. Now all he had to deal with was vying his innocence. Greg allowed himself to recover and think.

And then his plan hatched.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Well, well, Gregory, you really are something" a deep voice laughed softly.

Greg stood off to the cloaked man's side as he examined Xensor's body. The leader of the Andanobians, Greg thought solemnly. Of course he would want to see how his right hand man was taken out...

The amber cloaked leader stood up slowly and then looked at Greg. At least Greg thought he was looking at him, his face was hidden in the shadow of his cowl. "Explain one more time what happened?"

"It happened just like I told you," Greg tried. The leader laughed hollowly "Humor me."

"I walked in and Xensor was ready for me, his obsidian knife raised, pointing at my throat. He was angry about the portal, swearing, saying that we all could have died. That I was a disgrace. He lunged at me and I pulled out my staff and defended myself. He beat me down with his shadow magic but I fought back and, well, I killed him in self defense." Greg waited.

His back was turned to Greg, but Greg felt his eyes looking at him indirectly, watching him. Greg tried to play calm, keep his mind a blank slate. Finally, the figure spoke.

And he said, still turned away "Xensor was a hateful one, even before his brother was killed, taken from this world by those damn Alerdreamians. But this, attacking you out of the spite that he could have died, hmm..."

Greg still stood stock still, waiting until the leader was done talking before he said or did anything.

The leader waved his hand in a circle above Xensor and the light distorted around his crumpled body. The fragments of light shifted and swirled until a blurred image of Xensor stood. Greg resisted the urge to flee. The amber robed Andanobii waved his hand and Xensor's actions were reversed until Greg saw him walk in the room. "Let us watch the Image, and see what happened here."

Greg watched in horror as Xensor, or his Image, spoke, knife pointing at where Greg had been. His lips moved but no words came out. Thank goodness, Greg thought with a relieved sigh. But what did happen shocked Greg back into the moment. Greg saw as Xensor's knife was smacked from his hand and saw him dive for it. He saw as Xensor was punched in the stomach by wind and he flew across the room, slamming against the far wall.

The only real Andanobian in the room turned to Greg. Greg took a step back in fear, stealthily reaching for his staff in case things got violent. Then he turned away and watched Xensor fight what seemed to be the air, but what Greg knew was himself.

The Andanobii watched Xensor viciously attack. Greg remembered vividly how much it hurt to get slammed into the bed and then slashed up by shadows. Then it happened, Greg's comeback. He saw as blades of wind flew at Xensor and how he quickly raised a shield of energy. He looked away from the scene and tried to gauge the Andanobian's thoughts. Finally, his deep voice spoke out as he watched the end of the battle, his hand coming up to dissipate the Image. The light broke apart, filtering back into the air.