Loyalty: Book 4 Ch. 11

Chapter Eleven

"You..." was basically the general mood of the room. I didn't even know that could be a mood, but it definitely felt like it.

"You think we'll just trust you?" Rosie said.

"I'd hope so. If Patricius were standing here now, he'd trust me. He knows the truth. Magnus also knows the truth, because he fought this foe long before any of your ancestors were an ache in their father's crotch."

"Objection your honor," M said as he raised his hand, "I have no ancestors."

"Must've been a b**** of a headache then," Gwenladon commented.

"Pour cool water onto burned area," Alex said with a chuckle.

"Shh," I hissed. Alex gave me a face in reply.

"Do I have everyone's attention?" Darkrai asked. "Good. This will be a long story."

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---November 3, 2012---

(Darkrai's POV)

So it came to this. In a month and a half, this world would come to an end. It would be ended by the hand I could not control since time immemorial. I'd been trapped in my own mind, watching as Evil Incarnate did his will with my body, for more than a thousand years.

"It is almost time. Your form has served me well." His voice came from behind. A voice full of hatred and deception, but at the same time, so tempting to listen to.

"I doubt it will serve you much longer, especially if you continue on this path."

"You have faith in them, don't you? You think they can save the world? I thought you'd know best of all; light and dark are two sides of a coin."

"Yes, but the dawn will always dispel the dark," I responded.

"Just as the dusk drowns out the light. It is an eternal cycle, and a wretched one at that. This time, I intend to change that."

"Once Patrick figures out the deception, he will act upon it."

"I've no doubt of it. But I want him to play right into my hands."

"It will never work. You'll have to pry those keys from their dead hands."

"Which I will gladly do. Be ready to see the world you loved end. It'll be beautiful."

"Good luck with that," I said with disgust. Already, he was on the move, heading for my ancient home of Spiritus. By now, Patrick was already looking the Trinity Bridge keys. Evil may find them, but he would never wield them.

I watched as he collected his two henchmen, the hideous Kurai, and whatever Deriw was. They knew what was happening; he was ready to finish this. All I could do was hope Patrick could last against this force.

Within mere hours, they'd found Spiritus, and even found Patrick and his group.

"So these are the keys..." I heard Patrick say.

"Excellent work leader of Loyalty. I see you've found that which is rightfully mine," Evil spoke up.

"Darkrai...I hate to disappoint...but you are not worthy of such weapons."

"And I say you are wrong to believe so."

He turned to face them. "You honestly believe you can wield these?"

"I know I can. I will take them for myself, and finish my work in the past. For so long, I sought these out. But thanks to you, you lead me right to them. I no longer require you." He looked to Deriw and Kurai. "Dispose of them."

"Over my dead body," Patrick said. I only wish he hadn't said that, because these two were perfectly capable of doing so.

"That's what we plan to do," Kurai commented, his wicked grin across his face.

"I'd love to see you try." Kurai rushed Patrick, like usual, and was quickly subdued. "Will you ever learn? You're not strong enough."

"NO! I AM THE GOD OF HELL!"

Patrick brought his foot up into his chin. "Gwenladon...you know what to do."

By this time, Gwenladon had gained the Spatii key. He walked over to Kurai's limp form. "Enjoy hell you motherf******," he said as he brought the key down on Kurai's neck, disintegrating his body. "I really like this thing." So this was the power of the keys...

"I imagine so. Who's next?"

Deriw chuckled in his digital voice. "I will be much more of a challenge than Kurai ever was."

Aura was already a step ahead of Patrick, the Temporalibus key in hand. "Doubtful."

Just before Deriw reached him, Aura put the key through Deriw. "As if that would stop me."

"No, but a meteorite about 65 million years ago will," Gwenladon said as he brought his key to Deriw's side.

"Good idea," Aura said, getting a good understanding of what was happening. With a twist of his key, Deriw also disappeared.

Now it was just Patrick and Evil. I smiled inwardly. Maybe this would work. "You're two best, gone in just a few minutes. Kurai is probably stuck in Earth's outer core, while Deriw was struck by a meteorite 65 million years ago. To be specific, the one that killed the dinos. Neither are coming back."

"Damn you..." Evil flew for Patrick, but he did a backflip, grabbing the Querere key as he did.

"I wonder what this does." He gathered his group to himself, and they were surrounded by a dark bubble, then vanished from sight. Neither Evil, nor myself was expecting this.

"How? Where did they go?!"

"Give it up. You can't win against him."

"I will win." He quickly made for that ancient throne room, the very same where I'd watched my best friend sacrifice himself in an attempt to kill Evil. I keep wishing he'd succeeded that day, even if it meant my demise. The day when Evil took hold of me was the day when I knew I was doomed to die by the hand of a friend, or even his descendants.

For a thousand years, I was a prisoner in my own mind. It was no longer my body. I was just a spectator. I'd lived with that fact for so long, I didn't even call my former body my own anymore.

"You're not going in," Evil said. He had appeared behind them.

"I think we are. We already took the keys you desire; why not just give up?"

"Because I want this world gone, and the only way to do that is to destroy you and Loyalty."

"Very well. You and me, right now. Guys, you might want to back up. Bring it."

He floated slowly over to Patrick. "I wonder something...have you noticed a certain...silence?"

"Silence?"

"Yes...you're ancestor...has he spoken to you?"

"No..."

"Do you know why that is?"

"What, you killed him?"

"No. He crushed himself when he buried Spiritus." He made a single, fluid movement, effectively pinning Patrick to the wall.

"Heh. As if." He pushed himself off the wall, shoving Evil away.

"How sure are you? Did you ever meet Patricius in person? It was only ever in your dreams, was it not?"

"Now you're just making me determined to get through that door." He lashed out again, bringing a few solid punches to Evil's head.

He kicked the doors in, entering into the throne room. Evil lashed out again, forming a blade in hand.

Patrick brought his key to meet Evil's blade, breaking it. But I was focused on the end of the throne room. I knew who was under there. It was the man I'd called friend so long ago. "It's over now." Patrick faced where I was looking. "Okay, so one person died in here. So?"

"That...that is Patricius," Evil said with a dark laugh.

Patrick inspected further, and found it true. "No..."NO!!"

I dropped the rock down. "The whole time...I was talking to you," Evil said. "It was a clever ploy to get you here, so I could take the keys for myself. Patricius is dead."

"You bastard...you desecrated his memory...for the sake of your own desires...let's take this somewhere more personal." Both Patrick and Gwenladon teamed up on Evil, Gwenladon's key biting into his side. Patrick grabbed hold of Evil, and they both warped to the final battlefield.

Suddenly, they were both thrown to the ground, lightning all around and the rain pouring down.

"No! You insolent fool! How dare you deny me my right?!" Evil was furious. He believed the keys were his right.

"It is not your right, nor will it ever be. To wield these keys is a privilege."

"ENOUGH!! You die here now." And so the final battle for the fate of the Earth began.

He summoned a wicked sword, not unlike the first. However, it was without fear; much more dangerous. Evil was ready to kill him.

By now, they were both soaked from the rain, making it even more risky. If the lightning struck anywhere near us, we were dead. But still, we continued to fight.

Evil kept attacking, faster and faster. His attack was unforgiving, without pity or fear; he was an animal. Eventually, Patrick was on my back, panting and bleeding, his key far from reach. He held his sword at Patrick's throat.

"I win." Evil said to me. Suddenly, the key that Patrick had obtained was protruding from Evil's midsection. I smiled to myself. Evil turned to face the unknown attacker. There stood a figure in the lightning sky, a crimson cape flowing behind him; Patricius.

"How...how can you be alive..."

"The keys waking up brought about my rebirth. Although, it is only temporary. I merely wished to save my descendant from the likes of you."

"You came back...to save me...thank you."

"Finish what I never did. Finish it, here now."

"I will," Patrick said.

Patricius' form began to fade, his aura transferring to Patrick.

Evil turned back to Patrick. I could feel his anger, his hatred. Before he could do anything, Patrick put a sword in his heart. Only now, I could slightly feel it. It started as a dull pain, and I knew it would quickly turn to agony.

"No...my victory...my beautiful triumph...where is it?"

"No where," Patrick answered.

"Wrong," he croaked. He took the sword out, worsening the pain, and put it through Patrick.

"NO!!" I screamed in vain.

"I...won..," Evil said. With that, Evil left his body, returning it to me. I was in control for mere seconds. I fell upon the ground. Just before I died, I saw Patrick fall, his sword through him.

A single tear fell upon the ground. It wasn't over...

The strange thing was, I woke up. I had died...so why was I here? I looked around. I was back upon that mound of granite...what was it called? Devil's Rock? Something of the like. When I looked down, however, I saw why I was awake.

Apparently, my body had been burned, as I was forming together from ashes. I realized that my heart wasn't beating. I was cold. I was dead. No. A Living Aurai. My anger at Evil...it brought me back.

I wandered for a while, searching for the home of Loyalty, so I could see whether or not Patrick really died. I was prepared for the worst.

I finally found the base. I took to the shadows, and went in under the door.

The base was quiet. Nothing really moved about, despite the broad daylight. I looked about until I saw Patrick on the couch. He was alive.

I watched as Mary quietly brought him a small lunch, trying not to disturb him as she went. I smiled to myself. At least there's someone looking after him...

I left swiftly. Maybe I could continue the fight on my own...

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(Finn's POV)

"But I was wrong of course. I couldn't fight him on my own. He could no longer kill me, but I didn't stand a chance. It took me so long to find him, and when I did, he was that much stronger. I even tried to find Patrick, but he had already died...but now, we have a chance to set things right. We can bring him back."

"How?"

"Change the past. He'll tell you otherwise, but history can be rewritten."