Tales of Cobardon

Chapter XXI

Taperend

He, Trevan, Demzan and Hapem were the only living across. "That's the best I could do," the spirit announced before sputtering out. Hapen looked down for a moment. "I believe you," he said before looking back up with something unnatural gleaming in his eyes.

Taperend watched at the uncanny horror as the skin on Hapem's face ripped to expose gaping cracks, expanding and on the verge to tear Hapem's skin apart. Through the cracks beamed blinding light. Hapem's skin, throughout his tiny body, stretched and ruptured with an eerie, morrish crack. Light infiltrated the battlefield, but no blood spilt from the ... Hapem's bones lengthened, arms widened, he grew larger within a second till he towered over Taperend. Now there was only a skeleton of a grown man where Hapem had stood. Flesh still clung to the gleaming bones; an arrow floated between his throat, half-way through the neck. It turned with a ghastly smile towards Demzan and said, "Remember me!" 

Something clicked! He recognised the face, though skeletal. Arthur's son, Hapem's brother! Robert!

He heard bone-chilling clicking and snapping mutters. He looked beyond Robert to see an army of undead soldiers rise behind Robert — their face's filled with hatred, engulfing all of Taperend's courage.

Something burned within him. Worst was Robert's eyes — shining, fluorescent blue.

He felt immense heat rise within. It was suffocating. The faced up and gasped. The heat increased and he felt his skin burn. He looked down and saw his skin glowing a consuming yellow. Taperend let go all resistance, his shields came crashing down and he felt flood gates open ... but the flood was of fire!

A fiery, belligerent ball of flame surrounded him, emancipating from him. His mouth opened and fire burst. The fire was in him, he was the fire — it blew from his nostrils, seeped in place of sweat, shone and filled his eyes. 

His eyes were a bright red, blinding any man who dared look within. It was all involuntary. His skin was charred, eyes melted, yet, he felt no heat!

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Trevan

A massive, aflame crater surrounded Taperend. Two gods had entered, two still left.

His eyes flung to Demzan. Colour drained out of his voice; luck had declared itself Trevan's greatest enemy. The Blade of Darkness was firmly gripped in Demzan's hand. He saw no hope, Oskcopa had taken control. Only one of the two brothers would survive and mostly all gods would live. It was inevitable! His mind leapt from wrath for the immortal gods, especially Raguela, to the sad acceptance of this brutal reality. The thoughts stopped jumping and settled on acceptance. 

Demzan's arms morphed and melted and merged into the sword of Darkness held by his brother's arm. His whole being wreathed in veiled shadows. Rugged shadows alike tiny vines and flaps outlined his body faintly. His eyes shown shafts of shadows like a torch shined light in a dark room. The eyes were the only thing evident, deep in the abyssal trenches of the darkness. The depth was tangible, sheathing his face and destroying his identity.

Trevan spread his hands, embracing the power. He felt his heart pumping faster, an internal scream getting louder by second and ... BAAM! It hit him like a mountain — ehe naked, colossal power surging and ebbing in his veins. White, purifying, cleansing light poured out of his eyes. Angelic wings sprouted out his back. 

His eyes shone a ghastly white — completely inhumane!

All gods were now in the arena!