The Time Cranium

Chapter 30- Battle Ends

"Eat this, you crusty old demon!"

Steve energy joined Seth's own, launching Burton into the bookcases!
"Hurgh!!" Books toppled over him, and he twitched feebly beneath them!"

"Let's deal the final blow, Seth!"

Moon Magic swirled around Steve, Seth called upon the Sun Magic rolling at his core!"

"It's over!"

"Suck it, Burton!"

"And don't you dare try to hurt anyone else ever again!"

Their energies combined in midair, twining together and fracturing into a million colors! It lifts Burton off his feet and slammed him against the archway!

"NOOOOOOOO!" he landed with a sick crunch amidst the rubble, barely stirring.

<You have enough strength for final word with Burton!>

"As the refractionary energy leaves Seth body, you walked over to Burton. His body broken, and his strength rattled through his teeth.

"Don't look... so smug..."

"I don't feel smug. I feel sad that you've ruined so many lives, and angry that you've hurt the people I love. You've killed Prof Stephen. You have killed Steve foster parents. You killed Professor Morgan. You killed ATLs and at the end of the day, it was for nothing. You have gained nothing, and everyone else lost."

"Save the sob story... I don't regret my pursuit of true power..."

"Yet, in the end, you're powerless. And you're going to die knowing it. But first, I want answers."

"Tell me... What did you do our bloodlines."

"Oh, those weaklings?"

"Don't you dare call them that." Steve cut him off. Burton break into wheezing laughter that turns into violent coughing. Blood splattered down his front.

"Prof Stephen was no match for me. Agim, on the other hand, was the surprise. He had a fierceness in his"

"Is he--"

"Oh, he will fail in the end, make no mistake of it, oh, how he begged me to spare you and Steve."

"So Agim knows your evil deeds and plans?" Seth asked.

"Absolutely correct! He promised me great things should I honor him wishes. Power untold, he said. I saw right through him."

"I've heard enough." Sun energy swirled around Seth like a blanket, making him felt safe and warm as he contemplate his final task. "I can't believe this is finally the end. After being hunted by you for so long, this while, we'll finally be free..." Steve put a hand on Seth shoulder, lending him support... and Seth's energy spikes, pulling him into a vision! He staggered as the vision faded, leaving his head swimming.

"What in the world--"

"Do you really think this will be over just because you've defeated me? You have no idea of your importance, of the people who will want to use you, of the fate that comes with being as powerful as you are. This isn't the end, child. This is only the catalyst--"

"Shut up!" Seth shout at him and lift his hand to cast the final blow...but hesitate. Even as he looked into Burton's bloodshot eyes, he couldn't called upon his magic to end things.

"Stupid child, too soft to see things through."

"He isn't stupid. The reason Seth hasn't killed you yet is because he's good, which you'll never understand."

He looked over at Steve, who nodded at him. "I know you said you'd kill him, Seth. But if you can't handle that, I'll do it for you. You don't need his blood on your hands."

"I... end him. I said I would, and I'm going to follow through." He glared down at Burton, his disgust feeling his rage. "You don't deserve to breathe a moment longer, Burton. And I'll rest easy knowing that your final moments were spent pathetic and broken like the trash that you are." as he looked down at Burton ruined form, magic surges through him, but it wasn't Sun Magic. His secondary Attunement rears up!

"Finish him! Good riddance, Burton." The metal on Burton's clothing melts down and then flows up over him, encasing his face in molten armor! His flesh sizzles and melts as the metal slowly spreads, consuming him! "HAAAAAAA!!!"

As Seth magic fully envelopes him, a bright light flares out over the lab!

"RRRRAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" as his screams die out, Seth thought he catches a whisper... "You have no idea... what you've started..."

The light faded, and Burton crumbles to dust before Seth.

<You finished Burton off with your secondary Attunement!>

"That's it, then. The end." Steve walked away, and he stared at Burton's ashes for a while. "It's over... it's really over..." Some time later, Steve taps him on the shoulder, he shook himself, trying to process everything that just happened.