Chapter 31 - Mother

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31.

Mother

Auronmar knew what lightning was. He had seen it before during his few visits to the human world. Gahn had even enlightened him with the human's scientific explanation for it once, but this wasn't the human realm. Lightning never danced across the skies of Demon World, yet he saw the rays skittering across the blackness like jagged, yellow snakes darting through dark water.

Blethinette noticed it as well. Her eyes darted up to the sky and confusion fell across her face. Her head circled as she watched the lightning, bare left foot taking a step backward. For a moment, Auronmar thought she might fall.

"Blethinette?" he said.

Her mismatched eyes locked with his and a sneer replaced her awe. She launched at him, her claws extended out. Auronmar knew both of them couldn't sense each other—the two had been taught to keep their power level concealed for the safety of others—but it was going to be easy to counter her attack. There was familiarity in her movements. Auronmar knew she was going to pull back at the last minute and kick his chest instead. It was a move he knew well from their sparing day in another lifetime.

Blethinette's leg muscles tensed. It was the slightest of movements, but Auronmar caught it. His hands went up to catch the kick to his chest, but it never came. Instead, his side erupted with pain and he could've sworn her foot was wedged between his ribs. Her other foot came up and then she kicked his chest, propelling him across the grass.

Auronmar sunk his feet into the ground, the coattail of his white uniform whipping the back of his legs. Before he straightened up from his half–crouch, Blethinette descended on him. He wasn't going to be tricked again. His hands shot and gripped her wrists. He pulled her in and kneed her in the stomach.

She lurched forward, open mouth coughing spittle and blood, making it easy for Auronmar to wrap his hand around her throat. He jumped in the air, taking her with him and teleported in midair to the labyrinth of tree roots that had only a moment ago been a spec in the horizon. Still grasping Blethinette by the throat, he threw her into the mass of roots. Dark bark splintered into the air and dirt swirled across the grass as she smashed into it.

The giant tree moaned. It's jungle of roots shifted, groaned, and came to life with movement. Pieces of barks peeled off from one another as they swirled within each other. The fingers of bark fished inside of themselves for something. When it was found, the roots captured it and presented it to Auronmar who was waiting a few feet away.

Blethinette was wrapped in a husk of bark. Her eyes and nose were the only things exposed. The icy glare of her eyes was aimed at Auronmar.   

He walked up to her. Simply fall into my illusion. It shall be easier.  

"No!" she yelled.

Electric fingers seeped through the roots. They cracked and shriveled away from her, engulfed in flames. Auronmar took a step back, amazed she had countered his illusion with her own. It had been so simple subduing her in one during their last encounter. She floated before him, violet streaks of static sparking around her.

Blethinette's eyes were entirely white. "No! You shall not take—!"

The release of her Magika drowned out the rest. The harsh sweep of billowing air crashed into Auronmar's ears, tearing at his skin and clothes. He felt the wetness of his blood crawling up his skin and curling into the air, guided by Blethinette's created wind.

The demon king lifted his arms and his sleeves tore clean off. Jade ribbons swirled around him and locked together to form a bubble around his body. He teleported away, the green shield healing his gashes as he watched Blethinette's illusion disappear. Her purple electricity was gone and her bare feet were back on solid ground.

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