The crystal bark cracked from the black aura of death coming from the approaching threat. The grass shattered under his bandaged feet, and his tattered black pants smashed through the prismatic undergrowth. Long black hair flowed down to his waist and wrapped in bandages from pants to his eyes.
"What is that horrible smelling creature Diagon?" Steel asked as he straightened tall.
"That is Marasume, The Dark Blade. He is one of Beradock's Generals and should be attacking Medora, Belzenrog must have sent him. Does that evil god ever get tired of being punished?" In the last part, Diagon seemed to muse it himself.
"Bera? Who? Doesn't matter, Kade, stay back and..."
But covered in the silver of Kade's blade, Stell ran with her directly at Marasume.
She rode atop Stell as he charged at Marasume, and I could see the knife humming in Kade's hand. Don't think, Dak, act. I began to create a cyclone marble, but I stopped and cast my hand towards Marasume.
"Wall of ice!" I yelled as the bandaged figure brought up his hand in a slashing motion towards the two running at him.
A thick and curving wall creates a half cocoon of ice that made Stell stop. The gesture from Marasume releases a black blade of something so dark that it distorted anything with color in its path. The wave slammed into the ice, and I poured more magic into the shield, but it wasn't enough.
I tried to yell for them to move, but Diagon was faster, streaking in and bouncing back with the two in his arms. The black wave sheared the ice cocoon and then dissipated. So, he was using some dark infused vibrating blade.
"Diagon, protect them, I will hold him off," I say, stepping forward, and Stell tried to protest, but Diagon put his arm up and shook his head at Stell.
I wasted no time and magically boosted myself directly at the killer. My hand began to hum as a sword vibrated into focus and then filled with light. Marasume slashed his hand forwards to release another dark wave when I was still twenty feet away.
Pulling at the energy of light, my hand went up, and the brilliant humming blade met the lightless wave and stopped it. The wave ceased, and dark and light met as I came face to face with Marasume. His eyes were devoid of color, and he hisses at me.
That was rude, but I had no time to educate this monster on the proper edicate of a greeting. Wave after black wave rushed at me and I met each one with my own blade of brilliant light, but it just wasn't enough.
Marasume was able to push me back and immediately came at me, but I boosted into the air, dropping a marble cyclone in his path. He partially blocked the blast, but I only needed an opening. I boosted directly for him, a vibrating sword of light extended.
At the last second, he parried my sword and rolled back, using his feet to launch me farther. I hit a tree and was partially winded. One of my ribs might have cracked, I was starting to have trouble breathing.
I used a small boost to get onto my feet to see him coming at me, and I could see a feverous smile pushing through the bandages. It was the razor-sharp smile of a predator excited.
Marasume let blades of darkness fly at me as he closed the distance. I charged into them, slicing through each one. Arcane sparks flew off our blades and a shower of purple and blue. Both of us were forced back, and both of us were out of breath, but I was gasping.
------
Somewhere in the middle of Nowhere, two gods sat in lawn chairs on a beach paved into the water. No sand was in sight; instead, black asphalt radiated heat as they drank their drinks. Cool water lapped at their feet.
"Don't you think that one is a bit dangerous to be sending?" Kira asked Belzenrog while in a yellow sundress.
"He won't kill him, I'm not allowed, and I paid my price for my interference. Maybe the Runt will stop challenging me so much with his flying like it's nothing," fumed Belzenrog as he stood up and paced.
"Well, I have a surprise for Mr. Dak. I think he needs another companion," as Kira finished her little announcement, the sound of loud beeping could be heard coming towards her.
Kira looked up and to the right of her chair to see a massive construction-grade pavement roller moving slowly but surely toward her. Kira shrieked and tried to get up, but she was attached to the chair. She watched in horror as the roller got nearer.
"Why!? What did I do?" Kira pleaded to the sky as she continued to struggle in vain.
"What did you do?" Belzenrog asked in rage.
"I sent his heartthrob from his homeworld to help," Kira protested as the hummer of the engine rolled closer.
"In the middle of a fight? To distract him? What if Marasume kills him by accident because The Traveler is distracted? What do you think It will do then? We will both be thrown into Eternity according to Diagon!"
------
Five more exchanged, and I'm starting to lose strength. This Marasume is fast, and he isn't slowing down, but I am. I go to boost towards him again, and then something red catches my eye.
A red-figure falls out of Nowhere, and I recognize the sounds of her magic the second she falls from the breach in reality. It's like the burning melody of a crackling fire, that set my heart on alight with passion. She was here.
Seeing my reaction, Marasume immediately turned his attack on Ruby as she tried to stand up. I burst with magic, and threw myself in front of her, taking part of the black wave in the back of my arm.
Pain sears into my arms as my glowing blade disappears. I fall to the ground in front of Ruby, trying not to scream out. She is up and rushes to my side, putting her hands on my bleeding mess of an arm. The cut looked burned, and Ruby put her hands over it. The smell of my own flesh burning caused me to blackout.
-----
[Third person perspective]
Ruby sears Dak's flesh on his arm to stop the bleeding as his screams rip right through her. He finally passes out, and Ruby seals the rest of the wound. The strange man with black hair in bandages doesn't move; instead, he tilts his head to the left.
The hot tears that streamed down her face evaporated in hisses of steam. Ruby stepped forward, and a red book appeared, burning with flames. The book opens in front of her as she walks, and a fire starts to wreath her body. The air becomes so hot that everything within ten feet of her melts into puddles of colored glass.
Marasume dashed forwards to attack Ruby, but as his hand raised, he reached within ten feet of her. The bandages and hair disintegrated as Marasume hit the heat barrier. His flesh began to bubble within eight feet, and he tried to back away, but she stepped closer.
Diagon had leaped forwards and retrieved Dak, returning to the panicking Stell and Kade. Diagon wasn't sure who this Ruby was, but she was the traveler's friend, and she was helping. Diagon watched as she stepped forward to Marasume, who was now trying to retreat, but all hope for this creature had disappeared when he hurt Dak.
Ruby advanced until she was standing in front of the burned corpse of General Marasume. His body was ashes soon. She released the magic she was holding, and the wind dispersed the body. Ruby turned around and ran back to the group. Dak and Stell could create all types of magic, a rare ability, Ruby ability all stem from fire, but she was far more adept with it.
------
Coughing, I can hear voices around me, and then I see a bright light, and I try to pull away. This action makes pain rip through my arm, and I felt like puking. When the bright light touches my skin, warmth floods my arm, and soon, my entire body. The pain in my arm is almost gone. A headache replaces it along with a dry taste in my mouth.
"Can you hear me, Dak?"
"So it wasn't just my imagination, it was you," I mumble as I try to sit up, but soft and gentle hands push me back down.
"Yes, silly, it is me. I'm not sure how I got here, but I will take care of you. Just close your eyes now, and I will watch over you," Ruby says as she strokes my hair as she strokes my head.
She was laying with me on a blanket, and I could smell fire mixed with the smell of the perfume she wore so often when I was home. My mind pulled back to Ruby's being here, and my heart started to race while I tried to get up in panic again. Ruby gently tells me not to worry about Mr. Bandages and kisses me on the cheek, snuggling into me. The last words I heard were, "I missed you."