Chapter Four-To Feel Wrath
Far away from Felnid, the icy mountains were quiet. Snow covered the ground and the only sound for miles was the trudging of footsteps.A formidable man made his way with heavy steps through the thick white plain. He bore a large rucksack which weighed him down;but he kept pushing through the ice,sweeping his unkempt hair out of his eyes. Suddenly, a swooping sound cut through the air. He turned around instinctively. 'Did they really...think that they would catch me in such terrain...?',he thought. The swooping sound rang louder.
'That was closer...they're getting closer...',he thought angrily. He pressed on,stamping faster through the white blanket around him. 'They couldn't have found me...I don't want their blood on my hands...unless they push me...'
Minutes passed and he came to an open space,buried in snow. The area held high and jagged cliffs. 'I can't be ambushed here...it's too easy a spot for them...somehow I need the higher ground...',he said to himself.
The swooping sound rang close to his ear and he swiped angrily. 'They think they can toy with me...but I can't tell how many of them came...' He glanced from left to right,and watched. 'The direction of the wind keeps changing in three different places; straight ahead and to my left and right',he observed. 'It's not looking good...there's three of them...'
He edged closer to the end of the area. The swooping grew loud and sharp; a second later,he was sent slamming into a wall. He collapsed to the floor,there was a loud bang and the snow fell harshly over the ANTIweapon.
He glanced up and saw a gigantic boot that suddenly came into view. Then he threw himself quickly out of the way as it landed. A towering figure stood over him;in the distance,three others watched. But Lock glared at the titan in front of him.''Okay,maybe four...'',he thought.
For a split second, his vision started to blur. He saw a bald head with glaring orange eyes. ''You're willing to take him, Crade?,''called one of the others. The titan looked back,then said confidently,''We have him,Wiccan...he can't pull any tricks now....'' Wiccan looked surprised then she stared as Lock suddenly rolled out of his reach. He quickly stood up and watched each threat. In the distance a trio of people examined him keenly. One was a slender woman who stood tall, dressed in black and white.
Her eyes leered at Lock,as he surveyed her. The second was a young man; he seemed younger and inexperienced and his eyes were full of interest. He was dressed in a blue costume,that held red spheres of different size. They were both standing further away from the most sinister of the group.
She sat cross-legged,and her hair was in bunches,standing erect. There were crescent-shaped symbols underneath her eyes,making strange patterns on her face. But her cold eyes did not stray from the ANTIweapon. 'What's this...heat that's coming from the one sitting down...?',Lock wondered. ''Hey! We have something to do here,so pay attention,''Crade suddenly called. Lock spoke without taking his eyes off the one sitting down. ''I will keep this short...what do you want?'',he said.
The woman in black and white spoke this time. ''We came here for you...but the rumours...are they true? Where...did your strength go...?'' Then Lock grinned. ''Did you miss me? You didn't like the fact that I left your pathetic group...'',he spat and the strangers all gasped. ''We gave everything to you..but you still left us..why?'',Wiccan continued.
''You ...should know better than that. The training you learnt from me...the first rule was to never trust anybody..'',Lock added.
Then the youngest of the strangers walked forward. ''So you're the one that Wiccan spoke of...,''he said. But Wiccan grew angry.''Aerkeen,what are you doing,you are here simply as back-up! Get back behind my line!'',she barked. Without turning back,Aerkeen continued. ''All my training...all my struggles...I get it...It all leads to you now...'',he said softly. The wind started to howl violently and the air grew colder.
Crade backed away as Lock faced the young man. ''I don't even know who you are...but don't do something you'll regret...follow through so when it happens....you know you wanted it to..'',he said calmly.
Aerkeen glowered at him,then said in distress,''Do not talk down...to me..! You...won't be in charge...of what I can...or can't do..!'' Crade suddenly lunged at the distracted Lock; he grabbed his target easily. ''Quickly,Aerkeen..do it! Show him your power!'',the titan barked.
Lock struggled against Crade's strength;then a reddish glint spread on his arm;the wind swept up against them more violently; then Aerkeen sped towards the struggling Lock as the red glint grew a little more.
Then Wiccan shouted,''Aerkeen, you won't be the one to bring him back...it will be me..!''
Suddenly Lock broke free of Crade's grip;he kicked the titan who slammed into a heap metres away whilst Aerkeen stopped abruptly. The ANTIweapon launched himself at Crade;then the titan beat his chest like a gorilla,and readied himself. Crade threw a punch at his foe but Lock dodged easily.
The ground trembled as Lock moved quickly towards Crade, then he put his hand on the titan's shoulder. ''You dare...to put your hands on ME...you should know your place. You know nothing of strength...you would all be nothing without what I taught you...'',he said angrily. He pushed him easily and he hurtled towards the wall.
But Aerkeen suddenly landed a heavy blow on Lock;then the ANTIweapon tumbled forwards. ''You won't escape here...I must bury you...all my training..it won't be for nothing...'',said Aerkeen deserately. He sped up again towards his enemy;the wind slashed against their faces as Aerkeen swiped viciously at Lock;with that,a look of fear covered Wiccan's face. 'Where..is this anger coming from...?',she thought. Then she ran and helped Crade to his feet.
The wind swooped then cracked each time Aerkeen struck Lock. Crade and Wiccan stood,watching in terror. Meanwhile, the fourth stranger stood up. Her cold eyes fixed on the two fought. ''We need to go..,''she said instantly.
Then Crade spun quickly. ''What do you mean,Kyldra? Can't you see...we're winning...!'',he exclaimed. ''I'm warning you,we need to go right now'',Kyldra continued. ''Something is wrong...Lock is an ANTIweapon...he has decades of experience in battle...Aerkeen is only 16 years old...and he has no real command of his power...the tide will change soon...'',she said morbidly.
She stood up quickly,then there was a great red light that blinded the trio. A body came flying towards them,which landed in a slump past them. The light died away and Lock was nowhere to seen.
''Where did he go...is Aerkeen...is he d---?!'',said Crade urgently,as the last word died in his throat. Then Wiccan and Kyldra looked at the slumped person. ''What happened to him...what happened to Aerkeen...?!!'',Wiccan said desperately.
Another red light blinded them again,then Lock reappeared. He stood,bloodied and beaten, but a wispy,reddish tinge ran around his arm. ''If we do not leave then...we have to kill him'',Kyldra said with finality.
''Stop wasting time or we won't survive this day! Quickly, Wiccan!'' But she was too late; Crade ran at the injured man; Lock somehow dodged him easily and the tinge glowed.
Punches flew from Crade; the ANTIweapon stepped back quickly. Then he struck Crade and the titan was sent away,his body landing hard against the wall. A crack sounded; he fell to the ground. His eyes stared blankly as he laid completely still. ''What...what did you do...?!'',Wiccan said in an anguished voice.
A black and white glow surrounded her,as she walked towards. Kyldra suddenly cried out,"DON'T go towards him...! He's using...!'' But she ran out of time as Lock charged at Wiccan, grabbing her by the neck. ''You should have ran....when she warned you....'',he whispered. The reddish tinge wrapped around his arm,like a snake.
He threw her at the wall and she landed next to Crade. A great thud echoed as Wiccan groaned,then she struggled to her feet. ''You were..our teacher...why do you do this to us...? We need...your order...'',she said desperately. ''Crade idolised you...but you left us...we were like..family...''
But the reddish tinge glowed in his eyes. ''You speak of family. But you were never a part of mine.With time, I suddenly saw you all as weak...,'',he said coldly, and he stepped towards her. They were face to face;a split second later, a fist flew and she landed on the floor.
She screamed in pain,clutching her stomach.
Meanwhile,Aerkeen came back to his senses. 'What...did he do...to me...?',he thought as he stood up,holding his side. Blood leaked as he watched Lock.
Then the ANTIweapon glared at him. ''Why are you standing up...? You're so determined to beat me...but why? Well,I will tell you...it's because you,as a person,are nothing'',he asked confidently.
The young man looked at Wiccan,lying idle against Crade,her head bowed in defeat. ''That woman...she did so much for me...and she always told me that I was born for something more..,'' he said defiantly.
''I know better than to let her down...!'' A murderous gaze spread across Lock's eyes, but it was too late; the wind howled viciously; the young man sped at Lock; he punched harshly, and the wind swooped; there was a boom; then Lock was pushed back.
They punched each other as the ground below them shifted. Suddenly, Lock was pushed backwards harshly. A look of triumph spread on Aerkeen's face. ''I'm...I'm winning...'',he thought and he began to punch faster.
Then the ANTIweapon slowed down,and began blocking the incoming attacks. 'It's disgusting...that this...CHILD...is still standing...it's...almost...embarassing...i need to end him...so he knows what it feels like...to lose to an ANTIweapon...!',Lock thought angrily. Triumph turned to fear,as the young man desperately punched faster. 'I...can...I can...beat him...I'm almost there...',he told himself desperately. Suddenly the punches stopped,and Aerkeen held his side;blood leaked gently from his sde. He slumped to his knees.
'I'm...I'm still...I'm still....winning....I...can...beat...him',he mused to himself. Lock then walked up to the young man,and turned his body towards his two unconscious comrades. ''Now...you're going to see something special..and after this...you will..know your place...'',he whispered.
Aerkeen's face grew angry as Lock walked towards Crade and Wiccan,who were still idle. ''You were foolish to follow me...and you need to learn why...'',he said;with that,he pressed his hand to Crade's head and pushed it to the ground.
There was an almighty crack; a crimson tinge flickered then disappeared and Crade's face flattened against the snow.
He moved on to Wiccan and stared into her eyes. Tears fell from them as Lock spoke. ''You grew weaker the moment your attachment to me grew stronger...'' But Wiccan began to plead. ''Please...we...needed...a lead...a...leader...'',she stammered. ''Welll...you won't need one any more...my family awaits me elsewhere...and I will meet them...'' Then the injured woman's eyes lit up.
''Master...please...you can't pretend any..anymore...they're...'',she said,then there was a red flash; Aerkeen quickly shut his eyes,as the red tinge slithered around Lock's arm;he threw a punch;another red light filled the area,and Wiccan collapsed to the floor,the light in her eyes completely gone.
The young man opened them again just as Lock started walking towards him. Aerkeen's eyes fluttered,then closed,and he knew no more.
Hours passed and the ANTIweapon struggled to the end of a snowy valley,when the path suddenly disappeared.
A wall of snow stood high above Lock,but he stopped then rolled up his sleeve. The red tinge his arm held travelled in and out of it,but the skin itself was heavily burnt. ''WRATH...what a powerful thing you are...Roem never told me what exactly it is that you can do...but one day, I hope to find out..but I must find Saphira..''
A second later,he roared as his arm began to singe heavily,even in the cold air. He grabbed it quickly,then looked around. 'This pain...it seems the Ten Year Wait is beginning....',he thought. Suddenly frantic footsteps sounded from behind him.
He turned to see Aerkeen,heavily beaten, leaving a trail of blood behind him. ''You actually...you actually did it...'',he panted. ''You did it..and...you...you left...left them there...''For the first time, Lock was impressed. ''You are a strong one,aren't you? Even after how badly I beat you,you still followed me...'' Tears fell from Aerkeen's eyes as the ANTIweapon walked towards him slowly. ''I know...that you...are...the..end goal...I have...to..destroy...everything...you stand...for....'' Then he groaned in pain.Lock stood inches from his face as he said,''...but didn't Wiccan ever tell you...that the hand that helps you...could be the one that ruins you...?''
The red light shone violently;Aerkeen shrieked; there was a powerful blast and the young man was sent flying into the sky.
He went higher and higher then disappeared amongst the clouds.
The sky glowed with a crimson shine and Lock's arm burned harshly,then he finally collapsed to the ground,exhausted. His eyes closed slowly as a photograph tumbled out of his bag,showing a young man and woman,holding a young child. Their eyes glinted as they held each other close.
The wall behind him melted and there was a cloud of steam spreading around him. Amidst the cloudy area,footsteps approached, and a woman with lilac eyes picked up the photograph.