"Didn't expect to see me, did you?!" Solomon bellowed, his hideous face radiating a beaming smile that was even more sinister than his voice.
The doctor froze in shock. "What the hell are you?!" He exclaimed, immediately drawing Solomon's attention.
Solomon's fury flared, his face twisting in contempt. "Incompetent buffoon," he growled, his tone scathing. "You fail at even the simplest tasks." With a sudden motion, he hurled an icicle at the doctor's heart and then...
There was no then.
Time seemed to slow down as Robert watched the icicle speed towards the doctor. "I can't let this happen," he thought to himself. "But you can't take over, Poison. Miss Greene would witness the transformation and would definitely freak out!" However, Poison's voice promptly cut through his thoughts. "That man is going to die if you just stand there and keep speculating!" he said, urgency in his voice.
As the icicle drew closer, Robert knew he had to act fast. He had to make a decision - transform and save the doctor, or stay hidden and watch him die.
In a blur of rapid motion, he appeared a few meters away from the doctor, the icicle clutched in his hand. Before anyone could react, he flung the icicle away. Then he looked at Miss Greene, his face serene, before turning his gaze to Solomon.
Slowly, deliberately, Robert transformed into an Earth elemental. Miss Greene's eyes widened in shock as she placed a trembling hand over her mouth. She had never seen anything like this before.
Solomon turned and grinned at Miss Greene. A large ball of ice materialized in his hand and without warning, he hurled it towards her. Before it could hit her, Poison rushed forward and caught the ball with his bare hand. Then, without a word, he grabbed Miss Greene and the doctor and raced out of the X-ray room, towards the hospital lawn.
"Robert will be fine, Miss," Poison said, gently lowering them onto the lush green grass, his voice tinged with apprehension. "You should call the police, and a hospital as well."
Miss Greene gazed into his sandy face, her expression filled with wonder. "Now I know where that metallic rock knife came from," she muttered, her voice calm.
"It's a dagger," Poison replied, giving off a peculiar smile as he turned and ran off with the wind trailing him.
Solomon's face broke into a wicked grin as Poison returned to the x-ray room with remarkable swiftness. But there was no joy in his smile, only resentment and malice.
Poison nonchalantly leaned against the door. "Still haven't gotten over the 'corpse-burning' incident, have you, Solomon?" He asked, a grin splashed across his sandy face.
Solomon guffawed. "You have no idea how much I hate you, Gabor," he growled with a voice full of anger and hatred, and a long icicle materialized in his hands.
"Seems the Icicle is still your favorite basic spell, huh?" Poison asked, as if he was chatting with a good friend. His relaxed stance was in stark contrast to Solomon's rage.
"You're not wrong," Solomon answered, "Yet, you and I know that those who have reached our level of attainment would always prefer... the Elemental morphing ability." And without waiting for a reply, he disappeared into thin air.
Instantly, Poison became alert. "Robert, this is what a battle between Legendary wizards looks like," he said, scanning the room.
"Wizards? You guys were wizards, I mean... real wizards?" Robert's bewildered voice echoed in Poison's mind. "I've always wanted to be one!"
"Mm, convenient," Poison remarked unenthusiastically.
"Well, good luck. I'll be happy to watch as long as I'm not the one getting hurt," Robert said casually, but almost immediately, Poison felt a cold sensation run through him and at the same time, a long icicle exited his chest.
"That's right, a true battle between wizards!" Solomon iterated as Poison collapsed on the ground to reveal his figure standing behind him.
Poison struggled to rise to his feet, but before he could, a terrifying kick from Solomon sent him flying backwards, crashing into the x-ray machine which crumpled under the impact.
"Ooo, I wonder what he's gonna thrust into your chest this time," Robert mocked from inside Poison's head.
An ice ball flew from one end of the room towards Poison but as it was about to slam into his face, he morphed into a cloud of fine dust and dispersed before the attack could hit him.
Solomon materialized on the other side of the room, his countenance illuminated by a wry smile. "Do you imagine hiding will suffice, Gabor?" He mused, "Just as ice bullets unfailingly find their mark, your transgressions will ultimately be your undoing."
He heaved a deep sigh and immediately, the ice crystals that littered the floor of the ward shuddered and hovered in the air.
"Ice bullets!" Poison whispered in alarm, his voice a mere breath of air, he was invisible.
"Ice bullets? What are those?" Robert's voice echoed in his mind, sounding a bit puzzled. Robert didn't seem too concerned, probably because he knew he wouldn't be the one getting hurt.
"Ice bullets are an advanced ice magic that can cause wide area damage, but they take a while to cast," Poison explained. "Once they're released, though, thousands of tiny bits of ice will shoot in all directions, perfect for mass killing and finding invisible enemies. The bright side is that it takes 15 seconds to cast, so I've still got 8 seconds to spare, and I've got something special for him," Poison said, still invisible. He waved his left hand in the air and dozens of rock daggers materialized.
Just as Solomon completed the Ice Bullet spell, he noticed a hail of rock daggers hurtling towards him. With lightning-quick reflexes, he crossed his arms, summoning a thick ice wall that materialized mere inches from his face. The rock daggers slammed into the wall with a loud crash, leaving cracks across its surface.
No sooner had the daggers been deflected than a massive boulder crashed into the ice wall, shattering it into a thousand shards. Solomon dodged to the side just in time, avoiding the wreckage. As he landed, he spotted a smaller rock projectile hurtling towards him, which he effortlessly slapped aside.
But that wasn't all...
Before Solomon could react, Poison materialized in front of him, and began to unleash a flurry of ferocious blows that reversed the tide of the battle in an instant. Solomon struggled to defend himself, but Poison's relentless assault quickly overwhelmed him as he struggled desperately to block each strike. Realizing he was in the worst-case scenario, Solomon knew he needed to think swiftly.
With a surge of energy, he dissolved into ice dust and swirled across the room. He re-materialized at a corner some meters away from Poison, who was still searching for him. Without hesitation, he summoned an icicle and launched it at Poison. With a powerful jab, the icicle pierced Poison's sandy left shoulder and caused him to stumble.
Solomon sneered, turning to use the Elemental morphing ability, when a long rock spear suddenly stabbed into his side. The painful blow triggered a roar of rage and agony. Despite his formidable power and ferocity, Solomon knew Poison possessed one crucial advantage: rapid regeneration. However, his own recovery would require a substantial amount of time, and the injury would take a significant toll on his strength.
He glared at Poison, who was struggling to pull the icicle out of his shoulder. He pulled out the rock spear, but instead of attacking Poison, he gathered his might and drove the spear into the floor with unbridled ferocity. The impact sent the room shuddering, and a cacophony of shattering glass erupted as the windows exploded. The force equally caused Poison to stumble backwards. The sound of cracking stone immediately followed, and, right on cue, huge cracks appeared on the floor.
Poison, still trying to comprehend what just happened, looked down with alarm to see a large fissure spreading across the floor. Solomon had destabilized the hospital's foundation!
"Have fun saving them!" Solomon taunted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'll be outside." With that, he turned and dispersed in a gust of wind, knowing fully well that teaching Poison a lesson would have to wait.
"No!" Robert's voice resounded in Poison's mind, "You can't let him leave!"
"I know," Poison replied, his voice calm and determined. "But right now, we have to make sure that no one in this hospital meets their demise today because of us. I'll worry about Solomon later."
"But he's dangerous. He could hurt Miss Greene, the police, and everyone else outside!" Robert cried in Poison's mind, panic rising in his voice.
"You see that spear that Solomon plunged into the floor? It's damage is so severe that this building is gonna collapse. I have to save those inside immediately, and if time still allows, I'll do my best to protect those outside!" Poison yelled back, trying not to panic.
He sat down on the cracking floor in the lotus position and shut his eyes.
"What are you doing?!" Robert's voice demanded in his mind.
"I'm trying to fuse this building back together. Fortunately, my magic energy is Earth-branded, which makes it ideal for that kind of work," Poison replied, his eyes closed in focus. "But damn it!" he exclaimed moments later. "The damage is too extensive. I need to evacuate everyone immediately before this structure collapses."
Robert could feel the building shaking beneath Poison's feet. "How are you going to do that?" he asked, panic rising in his voice.
"How else?" Poison replied calmly.
"What do you mean-"
.....ZOOM....
Like a sports car on the open road, Poison sped off. And then...
As usual, there was no then.
At a rapid pace that nearly blurred, Poison raced through the hospital, generating a whirlwind that rippled through the corridors. With each swift pass, he scooped up individuals and tossed them to safety outside. Within minutes, the building was evacuated, its occupants stunned but unharmed.
Moments later, Poison swiftly relocated to a safer vantage point, ducking behind a flower cluster yards away from the structurally compromised building. He then transformed back into Robert, who immediately felt an overwhelming sense of exhaustion wash over him, leaving his heart pounding, hands trembling, and his breath coming in gasps.
"Are you alright, kid?" Poison's voice filled Robert's mind as he rested a hand on his chest, still breathing heavily.
"I'm fine," Robert managed between breaths. "Just a bit… winded."
"Maybe I shouldn't go too fast anymore," Poison said. "Your body may not be able to handle it. I noticed you reacted the same way back during…"
"The football game," Robert cut him off, "I remember. But still, you saved everyone in that hospital. That was amazing!" he said, grinning.
"Thanks," Poison said ecstatically in his head, but his tone changed when he exclaimed, "Oh crap!"
"Crap what?" Robert asked, confused.
"Solomon!"
"Solomon? Where?"
Suddenly, the sound of gunfire filled the air, and Robert caught sight of a frosty wind elemental floating above the hospital grounds, his eyes scanning the people below as the bullets ricocheted off his body. A small hole was visible in his abdomen - clearly, it was the wound inflicted by Poison's rock spear.
"Solomon can fly?" Robert wondered aloud, watching the elemental from behind the flower cluster.
"No he can't," came Poison's reply, "he's using the Elemental morphing ability in such a way that his body is in a liminal state, mid-shift between solid and gas... Nevermind, this shouldn't be our concern right now. Robert, wave your right hand," he commanded suddenly.
"What? Why?" Robert asked, his voice shaking with panic.
"You're about to cast an Earth spell - Rock dagger," Poison replied.
"An Earth spell?" Robert mused, his hand trembling sightly as he obeyed, waving his hand in the air.
"Now visualize a rock dagger," Poison said.
"Alright, I have... Wait... Whoa, I did it!" Robert grinned excitedly as the rock dagger appeared before him. Previously, when he conjured it at the x-ray room, it happened instinctively and out of impulse, but now he actually did it himself.
"Now, focus on the intention to send the dagger towards Solomon with great speed." Poison instructed.
"Alright," Robert closed his eyes, concentrating with all his might. He let out a sudden "Argh!" as the dagger stabbed into his eye. He pulled it out and his eyes healed immediately, leaving no trace behind.
"Now try again."
From his aerial vantage point, Solomon's gaze swept across the crowd below, his expression cold and malicious, causing the onlookers to shudder in fear. Among the throng, he noticed Miss Greene staring up at him, but her expression was strikingly different from that of the terrified onlookers - instead of horror, her face reflected fascination and curiosity.
Solomon's expression twisted in confusion, yet he sneered, his eyes locked onto her. "This should teach Gabor's kid a lesson," he thought to himself, and an over sized ice ball condensed in his palm. "Good riddance, teacher." But just as he was about to launch the spell, he heard a faint whistling sound in the air. Before he could react, a rock dagger struck the hole in his abdomen, sending bits of ice to scatter in every direction.
"Aaarrgh!!!!" He let out a loud roar of pain and anger, before scanning his surroundings briefly. He then morphed into a cloud of ice particles and vanished into the wind.
Then, Robert stepped out from behind the flower cluster, a look of triumph on his face.
"You nailed it, kid! And right on target!" Poison exclaimed, his voice filled with pride.
"Yeah, I did," came Robert's unenthusiastic reply. "But I still don't understand why Solomon is after me," he said. "You're the one who burnt his body or whatever, not me. Why is he hell-bent on ruining my life? You two better settle this soul to soul," Robert sighed as he looked up at the hospital. Its damaged structure held precariously, though remarkably still upright.
"Well, it's not just about desecrating his corpse, but there's also the matter of the Ancestor seal. It holds the power to seal our souls in the unconscious zone, and there's only one of it, making it a coveted prize. If any one of us gets it first the others remain stuck here in the body of their descendants forever. Given our... complicated history, eliminating each other becomes an even more compelling motivation."
"Yeah right," Robert replied half-heartedly. "For the record, I've never really believed any of your stories."
"Really? Even the story about the corpse burning and all?" Poison asked calmly.
"Yes, even that one," Robert said. "Until you're willing to tell me the 'adult friendly' version of events, I'll struggle to believe anything you say about yourself," he paused and added with a hint of sarcasm, "A house crashing down on your father, unconscious zone... totally believable."
Poison chuckled, "You know, for a kid like you who has crazy imaginations flashing through his mind every now and then, you're one hell of a skeptic."
"I guess that's what you get for blatantly refusing to be honest," said Robert, shrugging.
Poison paused for a moment before asking, "What about the Ancestor seal?" his tone becoming apprehensive.
Robert thought for a moment before answering, "Alright, I might believe that one, but I don't believe what you told me about it's purpose."
"Smart kid..."
The silence between them lingered, and as Robert walked towards Miss Greene who was watching the hospital staff clear away the remains of the catastrophe, he couldn't help but wonder what the future held for him and Poison. What would happen if any of his siblings got their hands on the Ancestor seal first? Most especially, Doom... If Poison's stories were true.