The Wicked End

It had been a little over a full day that I had been tracking him down, and still there was no sign that I'd find him very soon. He had to have known I was after him, otherwise he wouldn't have been so elusive and tricky.

I scoured the city for hours from top to bottom in the stealthiest way possible, steering clear of any enemy souls who would want to attack me while the war continuously raged on. Any other time, I would have been ready to fight them. But if it were to happen now, it would only slow me down during my pursuit, and he would be able to get farther away.

Stopping for a bit of rest in the middle of a dark alley, I leaned against the wall of the building behind me. I fingered the sword that was hung in the sheath around my hip, preparing in case anyone were to find me and draw their weapon.

He has left the city, I heard a whisper cross the foreground of my mind. The voice was muffled, and I couldn't tell if it was friend or foe, and didn't know if I should listen to it or not. Head toward the mountains. He is waiting for you there, it whispered again. I could tell it was male, but it could have very well been Matt's voice invading my mind. Johnny had always told me that when I was with him, Matt could never hurt me or know of my presence. Now that I was alone, surely he would try to dig into my head and fool me, trying to lead me further off the path.

But there was something about the words going through my mind that triggered my gut feeling. Something told me to go to the mountains and continue my search there, whether the messages were friend or foe.

Standing up, I made my way out of the dark alley and snuck my way back out of the city, weeding my way through the suburbs leading to the desert where the white palace stood, surrounded by jagged mountains. Once the palace was in my sight I drew weary, wondering if Matt knew where I was in that very moment, or if he knew of my plans. Hoping that Johnny was able to protect me from afar like he had promised, I continued inching closer to it, furthering the hunt.

Soon I began to notice that all of the people fighting and killing each other didn't even cast a second glance to me as they continued to fight, their swords clashing. It was like they couldn't even see me, didn't even know I was there; I wondered if Johnny had anything to do with it. Not that I minded, it just made my job infinitely easier.

Climbing the mountains in search of him wasn't very heard at first. But once I had to start searching higher and higher up the rocks, it got trickier. There were fewer places to grab onto, and there were a few times where I almost fell, which would have resulted in a bone crunching incident.

I had searched all the way until I was about to reach the rocky spires and cliffs overhanging the white palace, and I stopped. If I crossed onto them, I would be right over the very home of evil and damnation. I didn't know if such a close vicinity to it would still allow Johnny's protection, but there was a sinking feeling in my gut that if I was to find the one I was in search of and destroy him, I would have to go there.

Swallowing my fears, I climbed up onto a ledge, continuing my trek through the towering stones. He could have been hiding anywhere among them, and if such was the case, he knew I was coming and he would be ready for me.

My hands were scraped and bleeding, and there was a cut on my leg also oozing the crimson liquid, the sweat coating my body dinking into the wounds and causing a stinging pain. I noticed what appeared to be a wide, flat ledge a few meters above me, and I calculated where I cold place my hands and feet in order to climb up there and sit for a moment to let my tired body rest. Being careful as I climbed, a slab of rock I placed my foot on to push off of halfway up the climb crumbled apart, and I had to scramble my way sideways to find another foothold before I shoved my way up onto the ledge.

But once I had stood and wiped my brow, I looked up and realized I was not alone. Across from me, against a wall and hiding in the shadows of a large jutting rock overhead, was Brian. Finally, I had found who I was sent to kill.

Stepping out of the shadows, light fell upon his face and I could see the smirk present on his lips. Hastily I grabbed my sword and pulled it out of the hip sheath, getting ready for a sudden attack if he were to give one.

"So... The Lord sends you as the new captain?" he snickered, stopping a good distance away from me, an air of mockery in his voice. "You will fail." Standing my ground, my sword held tightly at the ready, pointed right at him, I opened my mouth to speak.

"That's what you think," I spat back at him, and he only laughed. Without wasting a moment I rushed to him, both hands on my sword as I sliced it through the air, intent on ripping him apart. With lightning fast reflexes, Brian drew his own sword, blocking my blow. Face to face, he stared me down, his face set like stones with the hard look he gave me; I could almost see the death in his eyes.

"You're going to have to try much, much harder than that, Davy," he hissed, and then threw my sword off his in one solid motion, sending me stumbling backwards.

It was tricky trying to fight Brian - he had fast reflexes, faster footwork, and an eye for things I just couldn't see. I felt with every blow my sword made against his, my power drained a little more, Soon I was becoming tired, and I knew it wouldn't take very long for me to step in one wrong direction and meet my end.

My sword clanging against his once more, I pushed off, crossing one foot over the other and turning into a fast spin, shaking his blade off mine and, before he could counter, I used what strength I had to slam the edge of the sword into his bicep, hitting the bone. He momentum of my body moving tore the blade from his flesh, and he just stopped. He didn't cry out in pain or stagger back. The blood began to trickle down the side of his arm and he looked down at it, a look of astonishment in his eyes, but as soon as he wiped some of the blood away with his finger and looked up, all I could see was pure rage.

"Now, that wasn't very nice at all, now was it, Davy?" he growled, his voice rumbling deep through his chest. The growl grew in intensity, and as his body began to shake in anger, the ground underneath us did as well, sending loose rocks flying.

His sword drawn, Brian advanced, moving so fast with his swings that I could barely try to keep up with blocking them. Silently I cursed Johnny for not giving me a shield for this journey.

Brian kept backing me up, further and further, and I knew soon I was going to run out of ledge to stand on and fall to my death. That moment came all too soon, and I felt my left foot step back, my toes hitting the edge and almost sliding off. Brian stopped, his sword pointed at me as he breathed deeply, his pants matching my own.

Fighting for my balance not to fall back, I looked at his sharp face that seemed so unfamiliar to me now, even after years of friendship.

"Did you really think you could win?!" he spat, the tip of his blade threatening to pierce my throat. "I am the second most powerful being in this world! You're no match for power or strength against me. Now," he grinned evilly, "say goodbye."

He took a step forward and I leaned back, trying to keep his blade from slitting my throat, and my balance was thrown off. The grip I had on my sword grew limp and I knew if I didn't let go of it, I would surely fall.

So I let the sword fall, knowing I was now completely defenseless as it tumbled down through the air to the ground hundreds of feet below. My arms flailing, I was able to throw myself forward, my hands clasping Brian's shoulders as I shoved him back. With a growl, Brian drew his sword back and thrust it forward. Gasping, I felt it crack through my ribs and plant itself into my heart. The stabbing pain brought tears to my eyes instantly, and I knew it was the end.

Smiling wickedly Brian twisted the blade, hearing more of my bones crack as he carved a hole through my chest. Choking, I felt my breath fail me.

"It's over.. You've lost," Brian whispered, his voice low and menacing, and then he let out his low, demonic laugh, cackling as he brought his foot up, pushing my in the stomach with it and pulled his sword out harshly. The push he gave me sent me stumbling backwards, and, my eyes open wide in pain, I fell.

The air rushed past me, and I only hoped I would bleed out before I hit the ground, my body surely splattering from the sheer force of my free-fall. I could feel my body picking up speed, the ground looming closer and closer. I knew it was my last moment of life.

Save me, Johnny... one last time.