DreamWorld
Elsewhere- Tower-Main Lobby
Kami, Blayde and Courtney are covered in blood, blade slashes and cruises as the three are heaving as they were clearly losing steam as they had been fighting a never ending horde of powerful clones that Artur was still churning out as he simply shifts his legs and yawns as Kami looks at him from the corner of her eyes.
Kami: We need to get yo him.
Courtney: No shit...I'm tired of bashing all of these clones.
Blayde: Can you get him?
Kami: Clear me a path and I think I can.
Blayde nods as Courtney sighs and rolls her neck as she grimaces as a wound on her side has opened up.
Courtney: Fuck...can't take much more of this…
Courtney moans as she takes a deep breath and closes her eyes.
Courtney: 90%.
Blayde: Sure you're not overdoing…
Courtney: Don't have a fucking choice now do I…
Artur: I'm bored with this. Finish it.
Courtney charges forward and grabs a clone by its face as she throws him back and into a clump not clones as Blayde swipes his staff along the floor and sends a wave of flame that engulfs the clones and burns them into ashes before Artur grins as he shakes his head but it quickly fades as through the smoke Kami can sailing through, Katana raised up high as she screams and watched as the blade sailed through Artur's chest and came piercing out the back of the chair as Artur goes wide eyes as he looks at Kami and sneers angrily as Courtney fist bumps and watches as Blayde takes the remaining clones out with carefully time hellfire blasts as Kami twists the katana as Artur spits out blood.
Kami: Tell your master I'm coming for him…
Kami pulls the blade out and spins it as she severs his head, Blayde and Courtney looking on shocked as Kami closes her eyes and nods as she begins towards the others
Blayde: Kami!!
Kami's eyes go big as she feels the pain before she sees the blade through her chest as Blayde screamed as Artur grins and turns the Blayde up and then out, Kami looking at Blayde in horror as she was suddenly split in half from her stomach and through her right shoulder as she fell over, her eyes lifeless as Artur steps on her chest as Artur looks between the two as they were in a stunned silence.
Artur: That was a good attempt. However, as long as a single clone exists I can transfer my entire being into said clone. Good try. But, you have lost.
Artur kicks Kami's body as Blayde just shakes.
Artur: She lives...I made sure the wound was clean...no point in her death being a dreamer, she would simply wake up and be right back here. No. I made sure to send her into a state of shock that would immobilize her and keep her from any more bright ideas.
Artur looks at Courtney as she was lunging at him but in doing Artur quickly surrounded her with dozens of Clones as Courtney began to fight them off but as she did the clones began to stab their blades repeatedly all over her, Blayde just watching as Kami kay motionless, her eyes open as she stared through him as Blayde dropped the staff as Courtney was fighting alone, taking the damage and delivering it back but eventually a sword would penetrate, them another, and another, Courtney screaming as she did what she could go fight back but in doing so she is stabbed in careful places as eventually she is immobilized as a dozen blades were stabbed throughout her body as she groaned as Artur grinned and dissipated the clones as the blades stayed inside of Courtney as she looked like a horrific living painting.
Artur: The human body, in both reality and in the dream had a collection of points that control all motor and physical function. Again, killing you would be pointless right now. You'd simply come back to torment me. So I've rendered you immobilized as well. Which leaves me only one pest. One that I don't have to worry about coming back should he be killed…
Artur looks at Blayde who had taken his eyes off of Kami.
Courtney: She's not dead you fool! Get him!
Artur spins his blade and comes towards Blayde as he looks at the fallen staff and shakes his head.
Artur: Have I taken the fight from you?
Artur looks at Blayde with a cocked head as he waits for a reply and gets none.
Artur: I understand. I do. I wouldn't know how I would feel if my creator would be struck down in such a manner before my eyes also. It must feel absolutely horrible... traumatic even... I am not one without mercy so I extend this go you. Join me.
Courtney: Don't you fucking do it! Don't listen to him!
Artur: Why should he!? What would you know of his existence, of mine!? You fight to persevere what was, he fights to protect the one who created him, same as I! We stand on opposite sides only because our creators do. But soon you, much as myself will be as real as any of these Dreamers and users. The world Xander wants will free you from this burden from this irrational attachment. You are not this man. You are a construct of him, devoid of the emotions that he may have had. You will be your own man...free. Join me...join us…
Blayde balls his hand into a fist as Artur doesn't seem to notice.
Artur: Together, we will serve Xander as his left and right hand...and we will…
Artur looks down as he sees the blues flames rising and he quickly jumps away as a geyser of blue flames erupt from the floor beneath Blayde as Artur begins to instantly sweat as he can hear Blayde's voice carrying through the geyser.
Blayde: You speak to me about freedom yet, only offer me up to serve another. You're no freer then I am...and thus my choice to protect her...is my own…
A foot steps through flames and we see only Blayde's head as the entirety of his body was now in the shape of a body but was nothing but hell flames as Blayde reached down and grabbed the staff which instantly ignored and turned into a Trident as Artur spins his sword as he then quickly drew his pistol and fired into the body of Blayde but the bullets never reach as they melt before making any contact as Artur sneers and places his pistol in the holster before he begins creating dozens of Clones again.
Blayde: Coward!
Blayde throws the Trident into the ground at the feet of the clones and the residual flames cause them all to melt into ashes as Artur watches horrified as Blayde holds a hand out and the Trident returns to his hands as he takes a step towards Artur.
Blayde: You want to talk about how I am a construct...a shell...a visage for someone long gone...that may be true... but you know as well anyone, that an Echo has its own free will here...so you're wrong. As you chose to loyally follow your creator…(looking at Kami) I chose to fight for mine...for I love her...not as him...but for me.
Blayde spins the Trident and creates a spinning wheel of hell flames.
Blayde: And for hurting her you shall be erased from this world!
Blayde sends the wheel sailing at Artur who dodges it but in doing so the blast destroyed the entire back wall that blows debris and chunks of the tower outside to the ongoing chaos as Artur creates clones to take the brunt of Blayde's wild swings that send lines of flame sailing at Artur as Artur looks for an opening, Artur eventually creating a set of Clones that charge Blayde, Blayde stabbing both as he throws them aside but leaves himself open ad Artur slashes at him but watched as his sword merely melts before landing any contact, Artur looking horrified as he jumps back and rematerializes the blade as Blayde slowly turns to face him as Artur looks absolutely at a loss of what he could do.
Artur: You... you're a monster…
Blayde: And you're no longer longed for this world…
Artur watched as fire erupt all around him as he tried to use his super speed to get away, but was cut off everywhere he went as he was boxed inside with Blayde, Blayde tossing the Trident ad Artur blocked with sword but in doing so the sword melted on impactful ad the Trident blades struck through Artur's chest as Artur howled as Blayde watched as Artur went to touch the Trident but his hands disintegrated as he screams as Blayde watched with a tilted gaze as Artur slowly began to melt away, his skin melting from his body as Blayde watched satisfied as Artur cries out suddenly and angrily
Artur: Remember this moment! remember this as the moment you chose to ignore my hand of clemency...you shall never know weakness from me again!
Blayde snaps his fingers and Artur screams as he explodes into nothing but ashes as the flaming prison dissipated around him as Blayde looks about as the burning flames around him disappeared and he fell to a knee as he seemed completely drained as he collected himself a few moments later and came over to Courtney who was freed of the excessive swords as her wounds had closed up a bit.
Blayde: You okay?
Courtney: Had to go to 95% to close the wounds...fucking way to close…
Blayde nods as he goes to Kami as he looks at her face and cradles her as Courtney stands as she rubs her neck and looks to see Braxton and Wesley rolling in as she nods and turns and quickly slams her fist into the side of Blayde's temple.
Braxton and Wes come over as Courtney watches as Blayde laid out across from Kami as Courtney stops Wes as he was preparing to stab them.
Courtney: No...leave them.
Braxton: What, why?
Courtney: If Ian fails to stop Xander we're going to need them.
Braxton: They're not gonna be on our side…
Courtney: I don't think sides are gonna matter much...I'm nearly tapped out and we're going to need to be ready. Let's go..
Braxton sighs as he follows Courtney as Wesley just turns and stridently follows as not far, Tegan and Artur watch from the top of the first floor.
Flashback
We see Artur creating clones and in doing so we see Tegan standing by the stairs, Tegan nodding for Artur to follow her as he watched ad Blayde kept attacking at the clones and the now rendered Illusion that she created, Artur sneering angrily as he followed her up and watched everything that unfolded after.
Present
Artur grabs his rifle but Tegan lowers it.
Tegan: He won. Fair and square.
Artur sneers angrily as he puts it away and begins up the stairs as Tegan falls in close behind him as Kami and Blayde may unconscious together on the floor below.
End of chapter.