xinoehp512

Ruin, with Withy's help, had at last escaped Michael's prison. Unfortunately, Withy had usurped the power as payment. Xinoehp sat in the midst of darkness, completely encircled by the vortex of shadows. His lantern had faded to a mere glimmer now. Only a few sparks remained. Soon enough, even those would be gone. He knew what would happen when the sparks faded. At this point, he almost didn't care. ---- With a horrible screech of triumph, the withergeists descended- scratching, biting, corrupting. Darkness spread in vine-like tendrils all over Sophie's form, striving hungrily to reach her heart and corrupt her entirely. One of us... they hissed. Usss... * Hundreds of withergeists pulled at Astral as she dove even deeper into the vortex, draining and weakening her with every touch. Her form, already fairly blurry at best, was now almost as transparent as the withergeists. But no matter how much the withergeists scrabbled at her, they couldn't corrupt her. She was corrupted. There was nothing more they could do. Or was there? Even as she ran across the cold hard ground, pushing her way through the cloud of darkness, she felt a cold touch on her heart. And then another. For as destructive and coldhearted as she'd become, there was still a sliver of humanity left deep within her free of dark influence. And as the withergeists flowed through her, they attacked it, trying to unbind her from humanity. * Aqua trembled in her hiding place in one of the holes in the mountainside. Withergeists on the mountain, withergeists surrounding the mountain... there was nowhere to hide. Except here. She recited a silent, desperate mantra for safety, over and over, as if the repetition would make it real. But as she saw the tendrils of darkness curling around the entrance, she felt her fragile hope crack. Come on, Sophie! she thought desperately as the first withergeist peeled over the edge. ---- Something clattered on the stone. Xinoehp looked up from the lantern slowly, almost afraid of what it might be. But it was just a spear, one with a metal shaft and a crystal spearhead. He was sure he'd never seen it before, but something about it called him. He stood up, fighting the darkness-induced lethargy, and walked over to the spear. Then he picked it up. At first, nothing happened. Then, after a moment, he became aware of... something. A reserve, holding some sort of power. Cautiously, he reached out and touched it. Light. Blinding, brilliant light. Hidden deep, deep within... ...but ready to come out whenever the need was greatest. Behind him, the last sparks in the lantern faded. But, for the first time since he'd come here, he saw a future other than darkness. As the vortex collapsed, withergeists screeching triumphant calls, he raised the shimmering spear. Then he swung. ---- Deep inside the vortex, a flash of light pulsed outwards. It washed over the withergeists, and they screamed as their essence was dissolved. It washed over Astral, burning her darkened soul even as it saved it. It washed over Sophie, vaporizing the vines of shadowed corruption across her form. It washed past Aqua, hiding in her hole, and she knew that hope was not yet lost. But the conflict was not yet over. And the hardest challenge yet was only just beginning. With a sound like a thousand voices calling out in torment, Witherlord Withy the Great, Master of Shadows, landed on the summit. Hello, he said with a twisted grin. "Congratulations," he spoke in a hissing chuckle. "You have earned your place." Hundreds of withergeists drifted out of the walls, the floor, the ceiling- everywhere. All of them converging on Jimmy. All whispering one thing. One of uss... of usss... ussss...

Aqua hovered anxiously a safe distance away. Only a few steps, she called. Then throw it!

Get it to the center! called Aqua over the din of whispers. But don't let them touch you!

But even as she raised her sword to swing again, the withergeists she had cut through reformed. They laughed their twisted laugh, mocking her, calling her... Help us, they whispered. They swirled around her hands, pulling at her essence. Join us... they moaned. The sky darkens. The temperature plummets. A cold wind blows across the mountaintop. The cloud of shadows is closer now. You can see the leader now, a human figure clothed in black. In moments he will arrive.

In seconds, she had reached the top. In front of her was a towering vortex of withergeists.

Immersed in her work, Abigail almost missed the strangled gasp that came from behind her. "A... Abi...?" "What?" she asked, not bothering to look up. "Nictren... the guard... in the room..." Roger's voice rose in pitch and faded in volume as he spoke, giving the impression he was about to dissolve into hysteria at any moment. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no..." "What?" asked Abigail, sitting up and spinning her seat around to face the cameras. "Did something..." Her voice trailed off as she saw the screen. Red, was her first, stupid thought. I hate red. And they've gone and decorated the whole office red, red, red...

Withy flew across the landscape now, gathering speed with each passing second. He could see the mountaintop clearly now, and the figures like specks of dust trying desperately to ascend. Not today, fools, he thought, and accelerated even faster. The landscape darkened as the clouds thickened. Lightning flashed, and thunder rumbled, but no rain fell.

Granted. Instead the bane will go to you instead. I wish for a good work ethic.

Aqua glanced back nervously at the dark horizon as the trio began their final ascent. The withergeists were far off, yet- but how much longer until they arrived? Long enough, she thought. I hope...

At that moment, the trio rounded an outcropping and saw the mountain's peak for the first time. A swirling column of dark, ghostly figures rose from the ground at the summit. Through their dark haze, one could just barely make out the silhouette of a figure kneeling in the center. In there, said Aqua, strangely subdued. Enough with the hypotheticals and similes. Brightness Warrior became a cat.

Pheonix's grin widened. "Even better," he said. "I'm going to show you."

"Explore, mostly," said Pheonix. "We've found a few things that look like they should be gates, but none seem to be working. But maybe there's a functional one hidden around here somewhere." He paused and grinned. "But those aren't the only things we've found."

The Dark Voice is actually a withergeist under Withy's control. We're almost there, said Aqua. Just to the top of the mountain. Y'know, I think we've made it!

No clue, said Aqua dispassionately. Silence works in mysterious ways.

Right, so he's not going to hurt you, explained Aqua in an exaggerated fashion, as if she were speaking to a three-year-old.

Oh yeah, Silence gets pissed when people screw with the rules, explained Aqua with an almost bored tone. He wouldn't hurt us, don't worry.

The clouds above echoed the Silent thunder below, as if to remind everyone they were still there.

There was a flash of violet lighting and a rumble of thunder. The thermonuke vanished before it exploded.

Granted. You are now a dog lover. I wish for Silence.

A thermonuke so small it barely made a grain of sand jump.

GRANTED BUT NO ONE CAN USE ANY PUNCTUATION EITHER I WISH FOR THIS TO END WITHIN FIVE POSTS

Them being the Whovians, inhabitants of Whoton.

Him being the Galactic Emperor, the final boss of the game Astral Fights.