Xavier took two days to get from Ironport to Charon. He ran so quickly and his face was twisted in such fury, that anyone on the path would’ve looked at him and thought death itself had just crossed their path. His clothes still had the black eel blood on them. Xavier stopped once to drink before continuing to run, he took a shortcut through the forest after passing the Silent Tower. When Xavier finally arrived at Charon it was mid-afternoon and he was sweating from the run. The trees were losing their leaves now as it began descending into winter. He went into the “Ashen Inn’’ and asked to stay the night. The Innkeeper was horrified by his appearance and gave him some extra clothes as well. Xavier paid him properly, giving away the rest of his crowns.
Xavier took the longest shower in his life. He was covered in blood, sweat, and tears. He wanted to be clean for what he was about to do, to wash off everything except the scent of the eel. He propped his swords against the bed when he went to sleep. A rumble shook the ground during his dinner, the magic council hadn’t solved the problem, but Xavier had and was going to solve it.
That night a presence invaded his mind during a dream. Xavier awoke in a giant stone caudron that was as hot as the magma that permeated the world. Anyone else might’ve burned up, but he shrugged it off with his own magma magic. Then he saw something in the corner of his eye, “Who’s there?” Xavier inquired.
Who are you and why do you have that sword? a slimy voice echoed in Xavier’s head.
Xavier laughed at the walls around him, “My name is Xavier Bass, your friend killed Raven. I killed them, I will kill you as well before you can harm any others.”
A strange evil chuckling was felt throughout the cauldron of stone. Xavier Bass, you murdered my sister in cold blood and left her body to the fishes. I shall make your death painful and slow, and once you are dead, I will kill your family and all you have worked for, your life will be meaningless.
Xavier snapped awake suddenly. He rolled out of bed and grabbed his two swords, He hurried down the Inn’s stares startling the Innkeeper, “Get everyone out of town!” Xavier shouted at him. He then ran out the doors. It was midnight, the moon was full and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and then the ground shook harder than it had before. The Ashen Volcano began spewing lava as it began erupting and ash clouds came billowing from the top. Cracks were forming in houses and the streets. People had begun screaming.
Xavier began running towards the erupting volcano, and then the volcano exploded at the top as a huge serpentine figure came rearing out of it. It had four large wings made of iron that uncurled from its body as it rose, its head snapped in Xavier’s direction as he continued running towards the volcano. There were two short horns at the top of its head. There you are, little mouse. The voice hissed. The serpent launched itself from the mountain hurling towards Xavier with magma still dripping off of it. The obsidian obelisks glinting off of its back in the moonlight.
Xavier stood his ground before firing a magma beam into its face, the serpent seemed unaffected. Xavier dodged out of the way of the serpent’s first attack with a boost spell.The serpent rammed itself into the ground where he had been. Xavier lightened on the serpent’s back. The sky was becoming black as the moon became covered with ash.
Xavier plunged his swords into the serpent’s head, the sound that erupted from it shattered buildings in Charon nearby. The screaming intensified. The serpent’s skull was too thick for the blades to reach anything vital to survival. The serpent beat its wings and launched itself into the sky at incredible speeds. Xavier held onto the two swords with his entire body, as they gained height falling became increasingly catastrophic to his health. Then they breached the ash clouds, the serpent still flying upwards.
Xavier didn’t have time to admire it though, he had a snake to kill. Xavier took the blades and fired his magic straight into them. The serpent’s head was on fire as he began falling. It snapped around seeing him falling and began diving towards him. It would make sure he died even if he survived the ground. Xavier looked towards the shore, he had to get it away from the populace. He mustered his magic and activated a fly spell to begin heading east. He would go into the whispering forest.
After a point he stopped hearing the sounds of giant iron wings. Xavier turned around to make sure the serpent was still following. It wasn’t anywhere in the sky behind him or on the ground. He realized his mistake too late as the slimy voice entered his mind. DIE! Xavier dropped and the jaw nearly snapped on where from he had been, A tooth had scratched his arm though. Xavier was face to face to the serpent as it was diving from above, it had been gliding on its metal wings waiting. Xavier penciled and began moving towards the ground extremely fast. He felt nauseous. The Serpent must’ve had venom in its teeth Xavier concluded. He had to end this now. They were close to the ocean and far enough away from people, it was time.
Hitting the ground, Xavier took his magic, imbuing his blades and then launching himself straight at the serpent’s open jaws. You fool! Xavier was no fool, he was a Captain of the greatest military force on the planet, he would stand up to that title. As those giant jaws snapped shut behind him and the serpent began rising he spun the blades inside its throat using all the remaining magic he had, The magma spun out in blades cutting through tissue, fat, muscle, iron scales, and bone, he severed the serpent’s head from the inside of its neck. Xavier took his blades and using the rest of his stamina launched him towards the shore as the serpent’s head landed in the water behind him. “Ughhh, what a day,” Xavier sighed, very exhausted. The sun was rising in the west as he landed in the dew soaked grass. The golden sword he had was gone, lost inside the serpent most likely. Xavier turned around seeing the remains of the body had glided out to sea before sinking into the waves.
Xavier fell forward into the dew ladened grass. Raven’s sword was also laying in the grass nearby. Then he remembered there was still venom in his blood. Reaching out towards the serpent he sighed. “I wish I could’ve met my daughter,” then Xavier closed his eyes for the final time as the venom reached his heart.
Elsewhere in Magius
“Xavier killed the entire crew and rowed back thinking you were dead right?” The magic council major questioned.
“That’s right, I managed to find a second row boat in the ruins and row back. He should be hunted down and executed before he hurts anyone else,” Floyd answered.
The magic council major took this information and thought about it, “We’ll find him and interrogate him, Xavier is one of our best, If he doesn’t come out we’ll take his family and that should bring him out.”
“Thank you for listening to me,” Floyd replied, bowing.
Floyd was about to leave when a soldier came barging in. “Sir! Charon has been destroyed!” The soldier was panting, there were way too many stairs, “The volcano has erupted!”
Floyd quickly turned the topic, “Was there anyone there who might’ve caused it?”
“The innkeeper said that there was a man covered in dark blood who used magma magic,” The soldier panted, he then leaned against the wall.
Floyd snapped to the major, “Xavier has already attacked again, we must stop him before he attacks another town!”
“Yes, the hunt will begin right away,” the major sighed then began writing letters.
Places in Magius that gave me this story Idea.
