Copper Thomas reached the top of the bell tower. "Of course not," he muttered bitterly.. the bell lacked the sacred engravings.
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Breathless and out of options, Rhaine looked at him. "You're a scribe, aren’t you? Scribe!" She gripped the bell and pulled it as close as she could. "Hurry, this thing weighs a ton!"
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Copper quickly pulled out his journal and flipped to the page where he kept his writing lead. But his nerves betrayed him. The last of the lead pieces slipped from his trembling hands and rained down onto the church floor far below. "No!" he cried, frozen with shame. He looked to Rhaine, unable to meet her eyes.
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"What's taking so long?!" Alex shouted from below. The undead had pushed past Jirjin and the bandits. He fought them alone now, the narrow church door helping funnel them—but even with that, he was just one man.
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"I dropped the lead!" Copper yelled back.
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“There’s nothing to write the prayer with!” Rhaine shouted, panic creeping into her voice. The thought that they might lose this battle pressed hard on her.
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Alex drove his sword into the next undead’ s skull and yanked it free. An idea struck him. "Then write the damn thing in blood!" he shouted. Another wave of the undead surged forward, forcing Alex back step by step. "Hurry! I’m being overtaken!" he warned, retreating into the church as he fought.
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Copper grabbed his paring knife. "This’ll work," he muttered, slicing his palm. Wincing from the pain, he dipped his finger in the blood and began to scrawl: Creator, may all who hear this bell be blessed by your voice.
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Below, Alex slammed the door shut at the base of the bell tower and threw his weight against it. "Any time now!" he shouted, straining to keep it closed as fists and claws battered the other side.
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Copper finished the last letter and gave Rhaine a nod. "Here it goes!" she shouted, grabbing the rope and yanking it with all her strength. The great bell began to ring.
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Alex clamped his hands over his ears, but the sound was still deafening. Rhaine curled into a ball, pressing her hands tightly against her head. Copper tried to cover his ears, but the blood from his wounded hand made it impossible. From that moment on, Copper never regained hearing in one ear. Alex slid down against the door, wedging his leg against the wall to brace it. "It’s not working!" he screamed as loud as he could. The bell kept ringing, but each toll grew fainter.
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"What?!" Rhaine shouted back.
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"It’s not working! Do something!"
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The undead began forcing the door open. Despite all his strength, Alex couldn’t hold them back much longer. Rhaine climbed to her feet, stepped toward the bell, and stretched out her hand. She recited the Protection Prayer. For a moment, the bell went still, then it began to vibrate. Magic pulsed through the air, making it tremble around them. Rhaine could feel the raw power stirring inside the bronze.
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Without another word, she turned and tackled Copper down the stairs, just as the bell began to ring on its own.
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Marcus kicked Tyler, who still wore the form of his son, Conner. "Why did you do this, Tyler?!" he shouted, his voice shaking with rage. He pummeled Tyler’s face over and over.
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"Because.. " Tyler tried to speak, only to be cut off by another blow. "That’s.."
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Another punch.
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Tyler caught Marcus’s fist before it landed again. His expression shifted, no longer mocking, just cold. "That’s what I do," he said. "And you know, it’s very rude to punch someone while they’re talking." He was done playing. Tyler shoved Marcus back, hurling him into the side of a building. Bricks cracked from the impact. "Are you even trying to kill me?" Tyler sneered, insulted. He strode forward, grabbed Marcus by the head, and slammed it into the ground. Dirt and debris scattered. "I did all of this for you!" he screamed. "I gave you power beyond your wildest dreams!"
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He struck again.
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"And this is how you repay me? By being weak?!" Tyler’s eyes burned with hate. "I enjoyed killing your family, Marcus! I savored snuffing out your son!" He wrapped his hands around Marcus’s throat and leaned in close. His voice dropped to a whisper.. intimate.
"I loved the taste of your wife's blood."
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Watching the two clash from a distance stood the Crimson Mist. “Do you think Father will win?” Reggie asked. Silence followed. None of them dared answer.
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Then came the voice, It was Master. “Now is the time, children,” said Annihilation. They listened. “Tina, give him the sword. The rest of you, stop Tyler while she does.”
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“Yes, Master.” In a crimson blur, the children flew. They cut through the undead and the bandits with ruthless efficiency. As they reached Marcus, Tina broke away from the group while the others launched themselves at Tyler.
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“What?!” Tyler shouted, ripped away from Marcus mid-attack. The children circled him, their claws tearing into his flesh with every pass. “When did you make new kids?!” he shouted, furious and confused.
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Marcus staggered to his feet. In front of him stood Tina, holding his sword. “I do love you, Father,” she said softly, placing the blade into his hands. “I’ll miss you.” With that, she vanished into the fray.
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Tyler had enough. “Enough!” he roared, waving his hand.
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The children froze in midair, trapped by an invisible force. Tyler turned his hand slowly, forming a fist. With every inch it closed, the children screamed in agony.
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“There was never an ending,” Tyler said, glaring at Marcus, “where you had children.” He closed his fist. The screams ended. The Crimson Mist, his children, looked to Marcus one last time.
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“Father…” they cried.
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And then they exploded in a rush of blood and broken sound.
That was it.
Tyler had crossed the final line.
The fragments of Conner that he saw in the Crimson Mist, The moments that they brought him some measure of peace, it was all gone. Once again, Tyler had taken everything from him. All the time, his fighting against losing control, it was all for naught. Once again the blood of his child was on his hand. The Seed of Annihilation within Marcus had bloomed. His mind broke past the threshold of pain. There was no holding back. No resisting the Hunger. Without hesitation, Marcus transformed his blade into the green vapor.. and drove it through Tyler’s chest.
---
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Melissa trembled, gripped by pain and fear, her hands clutching the empty sockets where her eyes had once been. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry," she sobbed, her voice broken and breathless.
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Elle knelt beside her, gently whispering, "Forget and heal."
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Melissa’s cries stopped. The pain faded. Slowly, she rose to her feet—and realized she could see. Her eyes were whole again. The agony was gone, like a dream washed away by morning light. “What happened?” she asked, dazed. Her thoughts were muddled. “Why was I on the floor?”
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Elle didn’t look at her. She returned to the window, speaking calmly. “You saw Marcus. You became hysterical. I guess… you couldn’t handle what you saw.”
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“Marcus Obsidian is here?!” Melissa shouted, rushing to the window. “We have to do something!”
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Elle gave a small nod. “People are doing something. They’re fighting to live. Finding courage they didn’t know they had. Pushing past their limits.” She motioned for Melissa to join her. “We’re safe here.”
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Melissa had harbored suspicions about Elle before. But now, strangely, they had vanished. A warm, unwavering trust filled her chest.. irrational, yet overwhelming. “I… I believe you,” Melissa said softly, stepping up beside her. Together, they looked down into the chaos. Survivors clashed with the undead in the streets. Marcus and Tyler fought.
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“You know,” Elle said, her voice light and dreamy, “it was always going to happen here.”
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Melissa turned to her. “What do you mean?”
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“River Hallow,” Elle replied. “With its secrets, it stands in defiance of the Church. And once the Church found out… they’d destroy any spark of rebellion.” Her tone shifted, returning to that of a small girl. “People kill and survive in the name of the Creator. River Hallow is the perfect place to start.”
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“Start what?” Melissa asked, still trying to make sense of everything. Her new eyes buzzed faintly, as if charged with unseen energy.
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Elle rested her chin on her hands against the window sill. “The Age of Annihilation.”
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And then, the church bell rang.
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---
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In Trendell, Brother Orion is brought back into the Council Chambers. He slowly made his way to the accused table. Brother Constance leaned in, " I'm sorry Brother Orion, I don't think this will be good." He said. A mix of regret and disappointment came over his face. There was no hiding how he felt.
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Brother Orion shook his head," You did your best Constance, I hold no fault for you. It impossible for a person to resist the will of the Creator, if it is meant for me to die today, I absolve you of any guilt you may feel."
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Brother Constance nodded, they did not have to wait long before the High Council returned to their Chamber. "We have reached a verdict." Grand Father Lewiston said. Silence came over the room, "Will the accused please rise."
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Brother Constance helped Orion to his feet. He kept a hand on his shoulder, for what it was worth, he was there for Orion. "I'm sorry Orion." he said. Orion stayed silent, but nodded in thanks to Constance.
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"In my years of service to the Creator," Lewiston said, a look of disgust came over his face, "I have never heard a member of the church so blatantly disregard orders from the council. In this rebellion to our order, the Accused placed countless lives in danger. The Accused also covered up the transgressions of another of our clergy! The audacity of these actions!" Lewiston yelled.
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Brother Constance held his head low with shame, he knew the church cared more about making an example than actual justice.
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Lewiston calmed himself, " I shames me every time one of our cloth falls so low." He said, he took a moment. " Orion, The Council finds you guilty of the charges against you."
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Orion's leg flared with pain, the sudden rush brought Orion crashing into the desk. Constance tried to hold him steady, but the pain was too great, Orion fell to the floor.
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"How dare you poison these proceedings with your antics!" Lewiston screamed. "Have some decency, stand and take your punishment!"
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