Of Ice, Death & Monsters

Chapter 52 : And Those In Ivory Towers

Rook stood, completely gobsmacked at what had just happened. The Contract was burnt away, and Jane was showing power that seemed to rival those who are on the verge of Fated Magick. Even Marian has started to exhibit qualities far beyond the norm of most Magi.

This was all too much for him, and now even the weather in this darn afterlife has begun to darken and become a storm. That doesn't even make sense, there's no matter here, what does it even mean?

But, the important questions were now: Was there any way now of defeating Jane? Was there any way to win? What could they do now-

“Rook, what did you mean by if we killed Jane, then we’d be able to leave?” Godwin asked as he stared at the chaos unfolding right in front of him. Pillars of fire were being shot out, gunshots filled the air, and so much more was simply happening that it felt like he was in a war zone.

The worst of all were the voices. They were like whispers that buzzed in his ears like mosquitoes. He didn't know what they were saying, but they were always just... There. It’s a miracle that they could sit back and watch… But he shouldn’t rely on that for too long.

“The Caretaker, the Spirit empowering Marian, she promised us a safe passageway if we would kill Jane as she travelled along the afterlife.” He turned and found Godwin’s left arm and neck covered in cracks as he sighed.

No wonder he wasn’t acting, Godwin was Shattering. Anymore Magick on his end, and he was going to disappear. Ephitet didn't really have an answer to that. They were still working on it, and that's why using Names and even having them were rare.

“Did she ever give a reason as to why? What exactly is going on with Jane? Do you know why she’s acting like this?”

Godwin gestured ahead to the crazed pyromaniac in the distance. Matthias looked on in horror, extreme, abject horror. It was the same flames on the boat, and the same flames that his brother touted as the key to fixing the world. A baptism in fire, and it was only getting stronger.

“She was blessed by a so-called Harbinger of Destruction. The cult she’s with or…” Rook stared in the distance at Koschei as he fought with the Keepers. “What seems to be left of it began to talk of some kind of great collaboration of all things. A freedom that involves every single being in existence forming into one divine hive mind.”

“A godhead?” Godwin, for once, looked quite concerned at that notion, prompting Matthias to enter into the conversation.

“What’s a godhead?” He could gather from the context, but there was something quite insidious from that title, especially when relating to his brother.

“It’s an idea proposed long ago by ancient Magi about the origins of the world. One of which was a divine unity where all things were originally one being, known as the Godhead. All for one, I never would have guessed Galfania would be one that could have followed such an idea.” Rook sneered as he stared at Jane, gripping his cane tightly.

“And she’s being used as a pawn to perform the unity. She’s planning on heading back to Phorash and burning Ephitet to the very ground. She’s a danger and must be stopped! If only Marian hadn’t gotten her personal vendetta in the way, this would have been done so easily!”

He muttered several curses under his breath, gritting his teeth as he sighed.

“Well, actually, I have a way to get us all out. We were crossing the Nawia so that we could visit Baba Yaga, so that she could send us back to Phorash!”

Rook paused in his thoughts as he turned to face Matthias. “Yes… Of course, it was you. You came from Galfania itself. I remember the reports; you were one of the only things to ever come from it. You were why we finally thought it might be time to go.” A small, erratic chuckle came from his lips as he took a deep sigh.

“Let’s go right now, then. We have no time to waste-”

“No.” Matthias stood firm and shook his head. “We have to get the others too, we’re all in this together.” He stared up at Rook, who began to sneer like a venomous serpent.

“What?! Wait for them all to kill each other?! To kill us?!” He took a step forward and grabbed Matthias by his collar as Godwin tried to get in between them both, only to be shoved aside by Rook’s tail.

The storm continued to surge, splattering raindrops all across the field as Rook’s mind began to hear the cries and wails of all who died on the journey within Galfania. Their screams echoed maddeningly through his head as it felt like his eyes were bulging out of his skull.

'Stop p-please!'

'R-Run!'

'It's getting c-closer!"

'S-Save us!"

“Do you not understand what’s going to happen? That woman is going to burn us alive for an asinine cause! We will all be reduced to less than ash and cinders, scattered across the world! We have to warn Phorash. We need to warn Phorash! Otherwise, we will be her next victims in this Abyssal hellhole!”

He had had enough. There was too much riding on all of this, and if Matthias was the only key out, then he might as well take him.

Matthias, on the other hand, heard the voices he had already failed. Each raindrop that splattered against his face had a call. Each was a voice that burned alive, only to be reincarnated back into Galfania, or those who had chosen to continue in the world, only to be hunted down and eaten up by the terrors within it.

All around him, he saw those he needed to save and needed to help. Maybe there was a way to convince Jane, or maybe another way to save others like Peter, who was in the carnage. He was not going to leave them; he was not going to abandon them.

“L-Let me go! Right now, we can’t leave them here!”

“Yes, we can.” Rook held Matthias down, marching him away from the scene. “You will tell me how to get out now! We are leaving and we will-”

“Gah!” Godwin kicked Rook’s side, causing him to double over as Matthias dropped from his arms.

“G-Griffith?! Why? You are a Magi as well… Jane will kill you, too! She will kill all of us!”

“Maybe… Maybe we deserve to die… Maybe, it’s what we are Destined to do.” 

For Godwin, when he heard each cry, each lament, it reminded him of all those back at Phorash, all those he watched be reduced to nothing more than experiments. All those whom he could have helped if he had simply stepped in. It was absurd what they’ve done, but Jane did not deserve to burn it all down, yes, but if Ephitet had their way, they would simply double down and ruin even more lives.

“Are… Are you fucking crazy? Destined to do? You’re mad, all of you! All of you are insane! I’m the only reasonable person here. You all are caught up in your own stupidity. I am trying to save us all. Now you will lead me to whatever you can to get us out of here right now!”

Claws grew from his fingertips as he snarled, a forked tongue slinking out of his mouth as he pointed at Matthia. The screams of terror chanted over and over in his head, banging like drums as his entire body shook, each rain drop was another yell, another gasp of life that endlessly dripped against his body.

“I’m sorry, Rook. I will not leave anyone behind.”

“You… stupid child. Then I’ll simply have to drag you kicking and screaming until you have no choice but to escape!”

Rook went on all fours, mimicking Marian’s pose as he swirled his right arm clockwise, gaining blazing speed as his entire body was boosted by green sprites, racing forward towards Matthias. But the catboy did the exact same thing, blitzing ahead and grabbing Rook by the throat, slamming him onto the ground before flipping away. He had more experience in combat than Rook ever could.

“Please don’t do this! I don’t want to fight!”

“And I don’t want to die!” Rook roared out, standing up as he yelled out a Vocalization.

"The Spirits Bring The Hope I Require!"

All around him, glowing sprites began to manifest, circling around his body before he made a claw-like motion with his hand, summoning several pixie-like sprites to completely wrap around Matthias’s neck, trying to choke him out.

While there was no oxygen needed, Rook’s overwhelming desire began to dwindle as a feeling of submission washed over him, forcing him to stop resisting as he felt all hope slip through.

Godwin ran up, using Rook’s cane, he tried to whack him as if it were a baseball bat, yet it was caught by the lizard man’s tail before he swatted him away. “Godwin, why do you insist on this madness? You know what the Choir is like. If they manage to get a hold of this power… Phorash will simply be in ruins in no time. Many don’t deserve to die, even if you claim we do.”

“Maybe… But I’m not going to leave them here.”

“Fine, I’ll leave you then.” 

He activated yet another spell. The Performance Arts of Stasis. Rook became completely still, focusing on Godwin. Instantly, several large, sprite-like tendrils wrapped around the Professor, holding him in place, making him unable to move as long as Rook held his composure.

But Godwin could see the cracks beginning to form quite literally. As Rook’s scaly body began to open up, fissures upon his skin appeared as he started to crack apart. He knew he couldn’t hold on to two spells at once, especially in his condition, so he let Matthias down, staring back at Godwin before he made his move, thwacking his fellow Magi away with his tail.

“If I have to be the only one to come back alive, then so be it. I would rather be alive than dead. And I would rather ensure that my legacy and my people live on. Enjoy burning forever.”

Rook sneered at Godwin before walking over to Matthias, who was struggling to get up from the ground. “If you still do not comply, I am very much more than willing to drag you along the way.”

Matthias struggled back up, shaking his head. He was about to speak, but Rook simply grabbed him by the throat, his will and power sapped away without any mercy whatsoever as Matthias stared back into Rook, pleading with him to stop.

However, he couldn’t stop; he wouldn’t stop. If he wanted to live, if he wanted to go on. He had to go on no matter what. So he held Matthias still, turning around to march away from the battlefield, nearing the Kalimov Bridge, the only landmark safe.

“We just need to step away, make sure they can’t find us. Make sure they won’t be able to-”

Thwack

Faster than he could notice. He felt an immense pain coursing throughout his body as he dropped Matthias, looking up to find Godwin, his right arm now shattering as well, as he must have used the Performance Art of Speed.

“Y-You bastard!” Rook leapt at Godwin, repeatedly scratching away at his body as fury overtook him completely. 

He poured out his rage, his desire, his fear into each and every blow, swiping away at Godwin with unending malice, each scratch digging in, cutting into his very being, as, instead of wounds, he could feel his body start to fade away, joining the Smorodina slowly.

“I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you! Stop ruining the only chance I have to live!” He yelled out loud as he wrapped his hands around Godwin’s neck.

Yet, it was all for nought. Matthias had finally stumbled back up, watching his friend being brutalized; he couldn't take it anymore. “S-Stop!” He pounced on Rook, kicking and flailing against his body, pushing and slashing away at him.

“Y-you- I’ll- Gah.”

And Matthias pushed him down… But, not to the ground, as Rook had walked to the Kalimov bridge, right beside the Smorodina River, and that is where he fell, tumbling down into the fiery and watery depths before Matthias could realize his mistake.

Rook landed within the river of souls. He felt his whole body torn apart, completely and agonizingly, as if he were scrubbed clean with sandpaper. His spirit now joined with the billions of others, screaming into the sky in an orchestra of despair.