Chapter 11. Third Time's The Charm

  Kael understood it suddenly, it was a provocation from the scarred warrior. He pushed Katrine's headless body away and wiped the tears and vomit from his face with the back of his hand, he also realised he won't wake up. He had to defeat the warrior now, he had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Kael could swear the warrior smiled behind his mask, suddenly everything went white and Kael was blinded by it. When he opened his eyes he found himself in a white, endless plain. He also realised his body was back to normal... But he wore the same clothes during the mag-tech break-in, the black coat with crimson accents, military issued boots, leather gloves, cargo pants and his mask. He swore that he looked like the warrior, but decades younger. The warrior seeing this suddenly said to Kael.

  -"This is the last time we'll fight ‘Heir’... Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide... And you can't wake up unless one of us dies... Be prepared to meet your doom... Kael Riggs..."

  As he finished speaking he drew his "Dual Cursed Swords of Darkness" and rushed towards Kael. Kael, seeing no option but to retaliate, quickly summoned his shadow daggers and blocked the warriors attack, the force was tremendous, even more powerful than the one Mediae showed during his training. He was blown away a couple of tens of meters away from the warrior, when Kael got up the warrior was already there. Kael quickly blocked with his daggers, he decided it's time to push onto the offensive. Kael was now driven by primal rage, he decided to ignore what Mediae said about controlling his anger. He didn't care now, as he pushed the warrior back sparks flew everywhere, the shadow daggers constantly collided with the warrior's swords. Kael's attacks grew clumsy and animalistic, they were fueled by his rage and anger at the warrior. He screamed and whined like a wild animal, his attacks were growing clumsier by every strike. The warrior didn't bother with blocking most of them, he dodged and weaved. It wasn't a fair fight, it was a one sided massacre about to unfold. Suddenly the warrior decided to finish it in one precise strike, when he swung his sword from above something unexpected happened... Kael, this boy blocked his attack. The warrior seeing this swung his other sword in a wide angle, but it was blocked by Kael as well. When the warrior was frozen from the sudden blocks from Kael, the boy spoke in a low dangerous tone.

  -"Don't... Fuck... With... Me... AND YOU BETTER LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE YOU PSYCHOPATH!"

  His voice was shaking with rage, the warrior knowing what was happening used one of the techniques he used on Kael before. Eternal cursed flames, Kael seeing this immediately jumped back to avoid being struck by them. Those flames would burn forever and leave only dust behind, they'd burn through everything. The warrior seeing this sudden move from Karl was dumbfounded, he didn't expect that Kael who was driven by rage and pure animalistic instinct to fight could pull this off. When he was standing there Kael suddenly lunged forward, both of his daggers ready to strike. The warrior blocked it last second, sparks flew everywhere as they resumed their close range combat. Neither side could gain the upper hand, even the warrior who had refined swordsmanship in dual wielding, couldn't break through Kael's rage intensified battle spirit. Suddenly the warrior felt pain shoot through his right arm... That boy... That boy driven by pure animalistic rage and instinct broke through his defence, the warrior surprised by that decided to use his ultimate trump card. If he was about to go down, he'd drag Kael alongside him. He quickly raised his swords high and pointed them at his abdomen, this technique would surely bring down Kael. Before he could even stab himself he felt a bone crushing force on his hands, it was Kael, he threw away his daggers and decided to brawl with the warrior with his pure strength alone. Blood poured out of his nose and started leaking from his right eye, he was pushing himself beyond what his body could handle. Veins in his arms and head bulged as they'd explode any minute, the warrior knew that this truly was a last ditch effort to kill him. Suddenly there was a loud crack, the warriors hands were broken. Before he could do anything, Kael yanked "The Dual Cursed Swords of Darkness' out of his hands.

  -"It burns... IT FUCKING BUUUURNSS! I DON'T CARE IF I'M NOT WORTHY OF YOU, I'LL MAKE YOU RECOGNISE ME AS YOUR WIELDER!"

  He said it in anguish, it hurt him gravely, the swords rejected him and burned his hands. But he didn't care, he gripped the swords tighter and swung them down. They cut clean through, he cut off the warriors arms. Blood flew everywhere staining the pure white space. As Kael finished this, he dropped the swords, his hands were steaming and releasing a black smoke. His palms were burnt to a crisp, his body also gave up. He pushed himself past limits and now he was paying the price, he dropped onto the floor not being able to even move a finger. Suddenly when he looked up the warrior slowly approached him, the blood was pouring out of the places where his arms were, it was clear he'd die any minute. Kael tried to push himself up to fight more, but he couldn't, his body gave up. Suddenly the warrior sat down next to Kael as if nothing happened, like they were best friends all along. The warrior spoke to Kael in a low voice, it didn't do much to hide his pride.

  -"You did it Kael... You defeated your worst enemy... Take off my mask... I want to talk face to face with you..."

  He clumsily reached for the warriors mask. His hand could barely move, when he finally reached the mask and pulled it down... What he saw... Was himself... Definitely older by a decade or two... But it was himself… Kael, seeing this, wanted to fight even harder thinking this was some trick by the scarred warrior, but the warrior instead laughed and said to Kael.

  -"I'm you but without a name... It was erased, I don't remember... The last thing I remember was laying down in a snow forest, the snow was covered in crimson by my enemies and my own blood... You call her Tenebrae now huh? She lost her name as well back there... I don't know why..."

  Kael was so shocked at this reveal, he couldn't understand how his future self was here. It made completely zero sense. He wanted to ask so many questions but he couldn't, his muscles wouldn't respond. The warrior seeing this smiled warmly and stood up, Kael could only lay and watch.

  -"You can do something, you have a choice and I chose the wrong option… You can either give up completely and submit to whatever the hell those sick fucks want, or fight… However if you die you’ll end up like me… The cycle will repeat… You can either suffer and fight your way out of this, or submit… Aghhhhhh my time is running out… Remember Riggs.. You have a choice…"

  Kael hearing this put on a thoughtful expression, he had a choice. Either fight his way to the end and suffer or submit...

  -"Kael my boy... Aghhhh... You earned it, take 'The Dual Cursed Swords of Darkness', they're yours.. You're their rightful owner and wielder... This is the last time we'll see each other... Farewell... Make the right decision..."

  With those words the warrior's body started crumbling, slowly falling apart and turning into dust. Kael wanted to ask him more questions, he wanted more answers... But it was too late, the warrior perished repeating the cycle... Kael grabbed the swords left behind the warrior, they didn't burn his hands now. He truly was their wielder right now, he earned it. And he made the choice, he was sure of it... But suddenly he saw a blinding light, he was probably waking up. When he opened his eye he saw Katrine sitting in his lap shaking his shoulders, he still felt the pain that carried over from fighting the warrior. When he was fully awake, he grabbed Katrine's wrist pulling her hand off his shoulder slowly and gently. Katrine seeing this was confused about what was happening, especially what happened when Kael was sleeping. Kael, seeing the confusion on her face, decided to answer the unspoken question.

  -"I did it... I'm the wielder of 'The Dual Cursed Swords of Darkness', I did it... I finally fucking did it... Besides... What was going on when I was out cold...?"

  Katrine, hearing this started crying and buried her face in his shoulder, she was so happy because Kael not only achieved one of his goals, he was also safe. When Katrine was about to answer Kael, Mediae intruded with the explanation.

  -"While you were sleeping, Master, you suddenly started convulsing and screamed as you saw something horrible. Then blood started pouring out of your nose and your eye socket, Lady Katrine was so terrified that she immediately rushed to you and started trying to wake you up. When she couldn't she decided to perform first aid, meaning she-"

  Before she could finish Katrine shot her a warning look while having her face flushed from embarrassment, she begged Mediae to keep it between themselves and Tenebrae, but she didn't keep her side of the promise and decided to release a bit of truth. Kael, still somewhat confused, didn't get the hint and couldn't care less about it, all it mattered for him was the path he chose and that he now was the rightful wielder of "The Dual Cursed Swords of Darkness". But now he should focus on the path he chose and on the possible hardships he'll have to endure. But it still bothered him what the warrior had said, the warrior was himself but from the future. It seemed that this version of himself chose the path of repeating the cycle, and since he repeated it there was a possibility that endless others have repeated the cycle as well. The thought of it sent shivers down his spine, imagining that another version of him could suffer that way made him extremely anxious, and suffering the same fate as the warrior was even worse. Dying alone and forgotten in a snowy forest from injuries and poison, it was saddening for him, that meeting such fate wasn't that hard. But for now he also decided to pry Katrine off of him and stand up, he smelled the food had been ready for some time and he was hungry. As he entered the kitchen he saw Mediae wrapping the last things up before dinner.

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  -"Master, today's dinner is gonna be a recipe your father had written down on the note. It was a recipe for grilled chicken with cream sauce served on rice. I've tried my best to make it using the recipe, if you have any complaints please say them immediately."

  She bowed down as well when she finished speaking, Kael still had shivers run down his spine remembering the dream he had before the final fight with the warrior. When he sat down and began eating Tenebrae approached him and sat down next to him on the floor.

  -''

  She was right, he wanted it. But not this way, not learning this truth. It was too much for him, too painful. Even though he achieved a major victory in his mind, the loss he suffered was even greater. He still wondered why the warrior only gave him two choices, either a path filled with pain and despair leading to unfathomable reward, or a path filled with joy and happiness ending in loneliness and death... Why can't he forge his own path? It'd be more convenient. Those were his thoughts as he was eating, he was so lost in thought he ignored everyone around him. Suddenly as he was lost in thought he felt a hard smack on his neck, when he looked around he saw Katrine covering her hand. He thought that she hurt herself more than him while delivering the smack.

  -"God damn it Kael, can't you hear me when I call you? I've been standing here for like two minutes trying to get your attention... Ahhh fuck... Besides, do you have a neck made of steel or what!?"

  Kael quickly apologized to her. And explained the situation he experienced, but not fully. He didn't want her to know all the truth of what he has experienced.

  -"The scarred warrior appeared again, I've defeated him and gained the rightful ownership of 'The Dual Cursed Swords of Darkness', but the thing that is bugging me is what he said... Fight my way to the end or submit… I-I’m honestly confused.."

  Katrine hearing this put a thoughtful expression on her face, she tried to make sense of what Kael had said. For her it was weird nevertheless, but she understood the point that Kael was having. He wanted his own choice, not a laid out one by someone else that would lead him to something unoriginal and predictable. He decided to throw away the ordinary and normal stuff once he got reborn in his own darkness, yet it seemed like it was inevitable. But he decided to stand his ground, even if it took mountains of bodies, he'd forge his path. He was confident about his stance on the matter. Suddenly Tenebrae perked up, along with her Mediae suddenly tensed up. Kael, following the decision to test if he truly was the rightful wielder of 'The Dual Cursed Swords of Darkness', as he reaches into the shadow he felt something heavy. Those were indeed those swords, he truly could use them now. As he tensed up ready to fight, he looked over onto Mediae and Tenebrae and decided to ask them.

  -"Oi you two, what the hell's going on...? I don't sense anything, so what's the reason we're all that tensed up and everything else?"

  Mediae ignored his question and summoned her shadow spear, Tenebrae also got into ready position in her wolf form. Kael, still having his question unanswered, decided to go to the front door and check what was going on. As he opened the door he saw nothing, there was nothing there. Besides he didn't sense anything, Tenebrae and Mediae all worked up for seemingly nothing. As he turned around he announced his finds.

  -"There's nothing there you two dumb fucks, why the hell are you all worked up? Can't you answer me? Hello!? God fucking damnit-"

  Before he finished speaking he felt a sudden shift in the atmosphere, it got denser than before. It was so heavy Kael felt like it was nearly crushing him. When he looked around he saw that Tenebrae and Mediae had similar reactions, only one who didn't react was Katrine. Since she couldn't sense magical power at all, even though it was partially restored in the world, she felt as if nothing was wrong. Kael decided to double check what was happening outside again. What he saw was a convoy that clearly belonged to those who worked on mag-tech, SUV-s, Humvees and a large truck that was clearly transporting something. The Humvees had .50 cal machine guns on top, and the SUV's had tainted windows so nobody could see who's or what's inside. The truck was clearly heavily armoured and armed. When it rolled by the house, Mediae and Kael both fell to their knees and started breathing heavily, that ominous feeling, that disgusting aura. The only one who barely held on was Tenebrae, but Kael also saw that Katrine was now visibly sweating as well, it wasn't due to his and Mediae's reaction, it was due to whatever the hell was inside that truck. Kael even tried to compare it to the warrior's killing intent, or when he first met Mediae, none came close to this. Whatever the hell it was, it sure was strong to the point where even Tenebrae barely held on from the sheer pressure. Kael suddenly felt his eyelids grow heavy and his breathing got laboured, he couldn't believe that the sheer pressure from the truck was making him pass out. He still wasn't experienced in magical power or its properties so it'd be no wonder if he was the only one reacting this way, but Mediae had a similar reaction to him even though she was indefinitely stronger. Even Katrine, who had no magical power even after its partial restoration in the world, felt the sheer pressure. It was disgusting for Kael and everyone else, he slumped from his knees onto his side, he couldn't breathe. Worst of all, the truck suddenly stopped in front of their house, meaning that they'd be exposed to this crushing pressure for a longer period of time. Katrine, seeing that she can't do much, decided to do something stupid, so she quickly rushed out of the house. Kael tried to stop her but it was too late, she rushed out. When he pushed himself up to see through the window what he saw scared him to death. All the gunners in the Humvees pointed the machine guns at her, even people in what seemed to be special forces outfits rushed out the SUV-s and pointed their guns at her. Katrine, seeing this, froze for a moment but decided to take a deep breath and show them how loud and annoying a 16 year old can be.

  -"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU ALL DOING!? MY DAD'S TERMINALLY ILL AND ALL HE FUCKING NEEDS IS YOUR SONS OF BITCHES HERE! GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY FRONT LAWN BEFORE I FORCE YOU OUT OF HERE, GET. THE. FUCK. OUT!!!"

  Hearing her screaming even the neighbours looked out their windows to see the commotion, the people from mag-tech hearing her froze in place, they didn't know what to do. Suddenly the people in special forces outfits backed off and got back into the SUV-s while apologising, the gunners also took the machine guns off of her. Once they all got back into position they drove off quicker than they've driven before, it was clear they didn't want a potential slip up of killing an "terminally old man". When Katrine quickly rushed back inside to check on everyone, she saw that Tenebrae and Mediae started feeling better. When she looked over onto Kael she saw he was passed out cold on the floor, she quickly rushed to his side and started shaking his shoulders to wake him up. After a couple of seconds of shaking Kael's shoulders he finally woke up, when he opened his eye and looked onto Katrine he smiled.

  -"Thanks Kat... I owe you once again... Aghh fuuuuuck... I feel like shit, Mediae, Tenebrae you felt it too? Fucking hell what the hell was it?"

  Tenebrae and Mediae, hearing this nodded slowly, they didn't know what the hell was that as well, the aura and everything else about it wasn't similar to either of them. They've sensed wicked and disgusting things and beings before, but that beats it all. Even Katrine felt it, not as strongly as the rest but still.

  -"Kael... I felt it too... I mean... Not as hard as you all... But holy shit... What the hell was that!? I've been intimidated before, but this? What the fuck was that!?"

  Kael was speechless, he saw that Katrine was sweating for some reason, but now that she confirmed it herself made him feel like whatever the hell it was, it was extremely dangerous to be kept so safe. He then remembered that Mediae mentioned that one of the Royal Guard besides her is alive, but missing. He also started speculating that they could be transporting the missing member, and due to their rage and similar circumstances, emitted such an ominous aura. Kael slowly pushed himself up with the help of Katrine and slowly made his way to the couch. When he crashed down on the couch he took a couple of deep breaths trying to calm down, suddenly he turned to Mediae and decided to question her.

  -"Hey Mediae, you said the last member of the royal guard is alive but missing right? Tell me how they were during the heat of battle or when they were angry, let's say Tenebrae went missing or whatever..."

  He tried to connect the spare dots he had at his hands, even if it was as small as when someone smiled, it was enough for him. Mediae hearing his question put on a thoughtful expression, as if to remember how the member of the royal guard was back then. Suddenly she approached Kael with a serious face.

  -"They were somewhat... Fanatical... When Mistress Tenebrae did something that hurt her or she's gone, even missing for a while, they'd explode like what you call today a 'nuclear missile'. They could decimate entire armies when Mistress Tenebrae was even threatened by them... They were truly scary..."

  Hearing the word "scary" from her mouth made Kael have chills run down his spine, the usually stoic and calm Mediae said something is scary. He saw her angry before, but he never saw her be terrified. He started connecting the dots, fanatical, dangerous, beast on the battlefield for Tenebrae... He thought to himself that this whole situation was strange, too strange even… As he was lost in thought, Tenebrae also seemed to be thinking about something. It wasn't clear what she was thinking but she seemed to catch on to what Kael was thinking and considered the possibility of that scenario, after all from what Mediae stated it was only a possibility in Kael's mind. As they were thinking about the possibilities of whatever the hell it was in that truck, the front door opened and his father walked in.

  -"What the hell's going on in here? What are you all thinking about...? I mean you've probably seen that mag-tech convoy previously, I wonder what was inside of it... I got chills when I rolled by..."

  Kael hearing his father perked up immediately, it meant his father saw this too. He immediately stood up and made his way to his father.

  -"Dad, do you have contact with Mark? I need to know something, it's very important... Please, do you have contact with him?"

  Katrine, hearing her father's name looking away, she still was hurt that her father had to escape and leave her behind for her safety. Even though the intention was good, it was a necessary evil. Xavier hearing his son's question took a deep breath and nodded, he knew immediately what his son wanted to know. As Kael was about to tell him what exactly his father finished for him.

  -"I think Mark will manage to find out what that convoy was transporting, it'd be no biggie... But the problem is... He'd have to be gone for even longer... Katrine, are you fine with this...?"

  When everyone looked onto Katrine she felt heavy pressure on her shoulders, it was her decision to either help Kael or her father. Two extremely important people to her, and she wanted both to be happy and safe. But she had to make a decision, either Kael or her father, future or the past, family or friend... If she opposed it, it meant Kael would lose his chance at finding out what was in the truck. If she agreed to it, her father would be gone for longer. Both had their positives and negatives... As Katrine took a deep breath she made her decision...

  -"Call my dad, ask him to find out whatever the hell was in that convoy..."

  Kael hearing this was both happy and sad, he would find out what was in that convoy, but from the other side, her dad would be gone for longer. He knew it was an extremely hard decision to make, even for Katrine. Not many people can decide so easily between family and important matters, but she chose what she believed was the better option. Xavier, hearing this nodded immediately and went into his bedroom to call Mark in peace, after all they had not only this topic to discuss, but also small matters like fatherly things. As he walked down Katrine immediately fell to her knees, she couldn't help herself but cry. She knew she probably made the right decision, but the thought of her father being absent for longer was crushing. Her only family she had left would be gone because of her "selfishness", it was heartbreaking for her. Suddenly she felt an arm on her shoulder, when she looked up she saw it was Kael. She suddenly noticed something strange, the parallel she could only recognise for some reason. She suddenly lunged forward and wrapped her hands around him crying into his shirt. Kael was shocked at first and wanted to pry her off, but when he looked over onto Mediae and Tenebrae they were shaking their heads. It was clear she needed to let this emotion out even if it was on Kael, he had comforted Katrine before, when her dad was suddenly gone for 3 days. This was different, probably even more heartbreaking and heavy for her to suffer alone. She needed someone to support her and lift her up, in her eyes it was Kael.