Now that Glen regained his consciousness completely, he stared at Wesley. If gazes could kill, Wesley would already be cut to pieces.
Charges of electricity started to gather around Glen, making him look like a lightning god incarnate.
Looking at this scene Wesley knew that he had to hide. Lightning? He had not heard of any other bloodkin being able to control lightning. Was this Glen's unique skill? Why was it not him that gained such a heaven-defying ability!? Why was it always him that got lucky and favoured by the world!?
*BANG*
[Path of Levinbolt: Eye of the Storm]
As the bullet exited the navy's muzzle it left a trail of light behind it. Even Glen was surprised by the potency of his shot.
This was a godd*mn rail gun!
Before Glen could revel in his addicting strength, his legs went limp and the world started to spin around him.
[Auspex: Mirror Reflex] [Obfuscate: Gemini's Mirror] [Dementation: Deny]
Wesley looked at his clone that was blown to smithereens as he breathed heavily. A bloodkin didn't need to breathe anymore but it was just an instinctual reaction from him. This was the first time he came so close to death ever since being embraced.
Seeing that Glen was also tapped out by his own attack, both of them suddenly locked eyes.
Both Glen and Wesley dashed towards to closest blood bag to them and started sucking on their blood while maintaining eye contact.
This was the price they had to pay for using their abilities. For blood magic and haemovoria alike, they had to spend their vitae. For bloodkin like them, the only way to replenish their vitae was to consume blood.
[Path of Ignis: Quinque]
Flames of hell arose behind Glen and circled around them. Creating an arena of flames that no one could escape from!
Despite being the conjurer, even Glen himself was affected by the lure of flames! He was about to turn mad from fear!
Every vampire was afraid of flames and that was their sole weakness aside from the sun. That was why the [Path of Ignis] Eliza invented was so dangerous! Kayle had even banned her from using it ever again.
[Path of Conjuring: Magic of the Smith]
The now-dead husk Glen was holding in his hands turned into another perfect copy of his favourite navy revolver, down to the scratch marks.
"Wesley! Both of us know that only one of us can leave this place alive and that's me! So why don't you just give up and let me blow your brains out?"
Glen pointed his guns towards Wesley. Both of them had refilled their tank and Glen got used to his supernatural senses. Along with the arena of flames he created, there was no way for Wesley to escape. The only way he could get out was if he killed Glen.
"Really? Do you think I would give up after coming this close to winning and achieving everything that I have dreamt off!?"
Wesley couldn't think straight anymore due to his envy. He wanted to eat Glen alive! Separate his flesh piece by piece. Sever his limbs from their tendons!
As Glen got ready to use his blood magic, the situation in front of his eyes suddenly changed.
[Dementation: The Call]
He was standing all by himself in a white world. There was nothing around him and that made him even more vigilant of his surroundings.
"Young man, how about we let things drop?" a voice called to Glen from behind.
When he turned back he saw an old man in his fifties. He was going bald and each one of his hairs was pointing towards another direction. He was wearing a grey suit and glasses just like Eliza. Along with his bushy beard, he was the spitting image of a mad scientist.
"... Gregory Malkav?"
The old man nodded at Glen, indicating that he was right.
"Yes, as fellow agents of chaos how about we both stop here? The Kid made a mistake in targeting you but that was in the past. Now that you have become one of us he will never be able touch you, I will make sure of that myself.
However, don't you ever take this as a sign of weakness! It is not certain who would win if you two fight seriously. I just want the best for our kind.
I know that you are that b*tch Eliza's inheritor so I want to rip you to shreds myself too, but we have to make sacrifices for the greater good."
Seeing that the old man was making excuses for Wesley, Glen couldn't help but laugh at himself.
This old goat was scared. If he was really serious about making peace, he would have stopped Wesley first and then summon him here.
"What's so funny?"
Malkav said as he frowned. This was a weird experience for him. Normally, it would be the other people that wouldn't be able to understand his thoughts, not the other way around.
Looking at Glen with his red eyes, he tched at himself. He was trying to invade Glen's mind but that b*tch Eliza had left a soul sigil on Glen stopping his interference. He could break it but that would give her an excuse to get involved in this fight too. He didn't want to waste his time with that weird lunatic that believed she could control the universe with a wave of her palm.
"Who do you think I am?"
Glen just asked in response to the confused old man. According to the memories he had inherited, Malkav was supposed to be one of the brightest minds among the bloodkin. So he should be able to understand the meaning behind his words.
"...Right, you are the Paragon of Avarice and the kid is your target now. You will never stop until he turns to ashes... *Sigh*... I guess this attempt is a bust as well. I will just wait for the next opportunity"
Seeing the disappointed Old Man, Glen didn't say anything and just watched as the reality around him shattered just like a piece of glass.
Looking at confused Wesley, Glen guessed he also went through a similar experience to him. Maybe just like how Malkav summoned him, Wesley might be summoned by Eliza.
*BANG* *BANG*
[Path of Blood: Blood Spike]
As two crimson bullets left the navies' muzzles the fight between them officially started.
***
It had been hours since the fight between Wesley and Glen had started. The men that were holding Ezekiel had already escaped due to their fear but he still waited patiently for the wall of flames to dissipate.
He didn't know what was going on.
First, there was that weird guy that was strangely obsessed with his old man that could also control zombies. Then he mysteriously defeated Glen in a showdown.
At that moment Ezekiel's worldview had shattered.
How was it possible for Glen to lose?
It was something he could never imagine even in his wildest dreams. Glen was someone that always overcome his adversities.
But then something even more ridiculous happened.
Glen survived the zombies' assault and took control of them. His eye colours changed and he even seemed younger.
He had also gained mysterious abilities like controlling lightning and flames.
Just like Glen, Wesley also had mysterious abilities. He could move inhumanely fast and create copies of himself while going invisible.
Ezekiel had too many things to ask Glen once he killed Wesley and come to free him.
Now that both parties had supernatural abilities he had no doubt that it would result in Glen's victory.
As he kept waiting patiently, finally, the wall of flames disappeared.
In front of Ezekiel stood a beaten down Glen. There was not a single piece of flesh on his body that wasn't bleeding.
However, seeing Ezekiel safe and sound he just smiled. He came over and undid his bindings.
"Old man what the heck was that display! I didn't know you were a wizard? Were you planning on hiding this from me?" Ezekiel asked sarcastically to defuse the awkward situation. He knew that this was his fault and the old man got hurt because of him again.
As the sun started to rise little by little over the horizon. Glen donned a serious face.
"Ezekiel, listen to me carefully. I won't explain this twice"
"What's with the serious expression old man? Forget about that, we have to treat you first. You look like sh*t"
"Listen!"
Ezekiel finally stopped his attempts of trying to help Glen and took a closer look at his face which was strangely familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.
"Okay?"
"Under Gisebelle saddle there is a letter. Take it to a man named Levi Wade in Ivorstead. You should remember him. He was one of the priests that came to help your town back then. He will take care of you. If you want to cross the ocean he can help you leave, or if you want to get stronger he can train you. The choice is up to you"
Ezekiel was startled by Glen's words. Why was he talking like he didn't have long to live? Even though he looked beat up, he still looked like he could live a long time.
"I don't understand what-"
"I don't need you to understand. The world is about to be embroiled in chaos. The zombies will soon disappear, but they were just a cursor for what's about to come. If you want to live, you have to be strong. But I would also understand if you want to hide just like I did."
"Are you leaving me? Is that because I didn't listen to you? I promise you old man, it won't happen again! So please don't leave me"
Looking at Ezekiel that was crying and hugging him, there was a bitter smile on Glen's face. The first rays of daylight had already pierced the clouds and smoke started to rise all over his body. He was slowly turning into ashes. This was not a fate that he could overcome.
Glen took off his green scarf and tied it around Ezekiel's neck. It was a legacy from his stepfather Wiley and now it belonged to Ezekiel, like the passing of a torch from one generation to another, the scarf had found itself a new owner.
"The road ahead will be arduous and cold. Let this scarf keep you warm on your journey instead of me. Take good care of it, it was a family heirloom. Speaking of heirlooms take this as well. I won't need it where I will go"
Glen took out his partner that accompanied him for years, his navy revolver. He left it to Ezekiel's hands.
"What's going on Old Man? Why are you on fire!?"
"It's okay, I am a wizard remember? I am just using a teleportation spell that will turn me into ashes and take me to my destination with the wind. Kid... I am really happy that have I met you"
As Glen uttered his last words, his body was finally completely engulfed in flames reducing it to ashes. However, he didn't change his expression one bit despite the unbearable pain. He was still smiling while looking at the boy.
That was the day Glen 'Night Rider' Rhodes died.
***
Looking at Glen that was reduced to ashes, Lilia finally set Ms Wright free under her feet.
"How dare you stop me!? What if something went terribly wrong and the protagonist's path changed!? We needed to kill him before he could say anything that could impact the progression of the storyline!"
"But he didn't say anything of the sorts, did he? That was just the final goodbye of a father. He deserved it, after everything he had done. I could see his intention to die from the moment he stepped out of the flames"
Lilia didn't look disturbed by Ms Wright's questions.
"Just because of that? You put our whole world into danger just because of that!? When we get back, I will make sure you never step foot into another world ever again. Mark my words!"
With her last words, Ms Wright turned into particles and vanished from the face of this earth.
"What would you know? He was a man with a warm heart..." Lilia muttered to herself as she disappeared as well.
***
Looking at Glen's remains the mysterious man clicked his tongue. This experiment was a failure as well.
After meeting Glen and researching about him, the man was sure. Glen was a protagonist. But he was not the protagonist of this world.
Yes, if this world was a book Ezekiel would be its protagonist.
But there are certain situations where another protagonist would exist before them, majorly affecting the worldview.
Yes, he was talking about the existence of a prequel!
If Ezekiel was the world's current protagonist, Glen would be the protagonist of the prequel.
However, a world could not support two such people. So one of them was always destined to die and that was usually the prequel's protagonist.
Wesley was right. Glen's fate was to die at Rionel's Keep. If not for his interference that is.
You see, every protagonist had a duty they were destined to fulfil.
Glen's destiny was to protect this world's residents and keep them safe, at least until the next protagonist Ezekiel could mature.
And he had done a splendid job of that.
If not for his arrangements, the current population of the continent would be at least 90% less than it was now. His know how of how to handle zombies let countless people tide through these hard times.
That was when he had an idea. What would happen if the prequel's protagonist didn't die? Would he swallow Ezekiel's fate and become the new protagonist of the world? Or would his fate be swallowed by Ezekiel instead?
As he said, two protagonists can not live in a world at the same time. One of them is always bound to die because the world only has so much love to give.
The result of the experiment was, it was possible for the prequel's protagonist to devour the current one's fate.
He was made sure of that when Glen miraculously got the powers of Paragon of Avarice, a major villain!
However, Glen decided to give up his powers in exchange for Ezekiel's safety after deeming himself too dangerous for the world and opted to kill himself. He was this close to swallowing Ezekiel's fate!
As a result of Glen's choice, the storyline became easier for Ezekiel to overcome instead. Now there were only 5 major villains left for him to fight against, instead of the original 7.
That was why this experiment was a failure.
Oh well, there were still other worlds that he could mess around with. He didn't have to stick around any longer in this one.
So the mysterious man disappeared just like the teacher and student duo.