In the region of Sayang, east of the Arsalan Kingdom, on the last day of the summer of the Blond Moon, two of the most powerful men in Hera faced each other.

They both had the look and the attitude of a caring grandfather. One looked like a classic fellow who’d inspire confidence in his men, and fear in his opponents. The other looked as though his happy days were long past him. A hundred men stood behind him. They were armed and ready for the battle of the century.

“Theo, my dear old friend,” Pontiff Sullivan was the first to speak. “I didn’t think you’d come.”

“Let’s skip the frivolous formalities Sully,” Theo answered. “We both know there’s something in that tree. I was pretty lucky to snatch it from under your nose. I’m not giving it back now.”

“I’d rather not fight you for it,” Sullivan said.

“Where’s Nari?” Theo asked. “She never leaves your side.”

“Don’t try my patience old friend,” Sullivan threatened. “Give us what’s ours, and we’ll leave. We don’t need to turn this place into a battleground.”

“It already has, dear old Sully. I’ve come here to stop you. Perhaps today’s the day one of us finally dies.”

“You can’t beat the Church on your own Theo. Don’t make me do this.”

“Look at us.” Theo smiled. His eyes twinkled, as though he were thinking of some old pleasant memories. “Bickering like foolish children, the bones stay here. I know what she is now. Your plan could’ve worked Sully. Too bad my little spy here ruined it for you.”

“Must we always try to kill each other?” Sullivan asked.

“You try.” Theo smiled. “I only repel your weak attempts. I don’t hate you old friend. It’s a pity you refused to join me back then.”

“Don’t you bring up the past now!”

“She was a necessary sacrifice Sully. I would’ve done it to my own family, you know that.”

Sullivan vanished then appeared behind Stalwart. A sword materialized in Sullivan’s hands and the latter thrust it toward the old man’s nape. The attack missed when Theolonius tilted his head to the side. One step was all it took for the wizard to step away from the attempt on his life.

“Raiya my dear girl,” Theo said. “Take your cat and go inside. Things are about to get out of control here.”

He held his hand above his head. A staff materialized and repelled Sullivan’s next attack.

Raiya’s eyes widened at the sight of the two weapons. Sullivan’s sword had a blue aura around it. It made the weapon look like a phantom, not a solid object. Theolonius’s staff on the other hand, had a fist sized ruby at its tip. It looked as though the metal with which the staff was made had coiled itself around the jewel.

‘They’re both carrying Great Weapons,’ Raiya thought as she slowly retreated. Staying around those two while their weapons clashed was dangerous. They both had contradicting auras. Sully’s sword was pure, although menacing.

‘The sword of justice,’ Raiya suspected.

Theo’s staff was something she’d never seen before. But she recognized it was a Great Weapon from the aura it emitted. Nothing about it felt just or benevolent. It wasn’t there to protect its owner. It was there to devour enemies, the sort of forbidden weapons that are buried deep underneath the ground. Grandpa Stalwart scared her even more.

Raiya retreated and woke her demon companion. ‘Let’s get out of here,’ she said through their psionic link. ‘We can’t stay here when this fight escalates.’

‘Good thinking Raiya,’ Theo’s voice invaded them once more. ‘Take the tree and get west of here. I’ll come for you when this is all over.’

‘They’ve blocked teleportation,’ Raiya informed her leader.

‘Not for long,’ Theo said. Something about the way he said it sent chills down the warlock’s spine. ‘Go now. Hide inside while I bring all their defenses down.’

Raiya ordered her cat to move and both of them strode toward the tree, as fast as their injuries could take them anyway.

“Don’t let them get away!” Pontiff Sullivan ordered his men. “I’ll hold this old man down. Take care of the warlock and BRING ME MY TREASURE!”

“You overestimate your powers Sully,” Theo said.

He jumped away from another swing then vanished. He was standing in front of the warlock. He drew a line on the ground and held his staff to his chest.

“Cross this line and you die a painful death. Stay back and watch, and no harm shall befall you.”

Of course, when you’re part of a group of angry, armed and armored, men, you don’t really take an old man’s advice. Although you should…

He’s in the battle field, keeping the leader you fear busy. He’s old and his skin had wrinkled. This only means he’s survived a great deal more than you did. But you don’t listen since you’re in the heat of the moment.

You cross the line and you know what heat really means.

All those who crossed the line immediately fell to the ground. Their screams echoed through the forest. It sounded like someone who’s been burned alive. They frantically attempted to remove their helmets and armor. It was too hot to wear this kind of stuffy protection anyway.

As soon as they removed their helmets, the others stopped right in their tracks. They looked at their comrades then threw their weapons down and started backing away. The ones unfortunate enough to have crossed the line were still screaming, rolling on the ground and trying to fight off the pain.

Their skin had started peeling off, revealing the boiling muscle tissue underneath. Their eyes fell off their sockets. Their hearts would soon stop, but not before their kidneys and lungs fail first. The first step of their agony was pain, and the sound of their howling. The second step was faint whining. They all fell to the ground, struggling to breathe, wheezing. Then there was silence.

Sullivan materialized in front of the line his old friend had drawn.

“You can control the light now?”

“I don’t control anything Sully,” Theo answered. “That’s what you fail to understand. That’s what led your heart to quiver and give up. You don’t control magic. You let it flow through you. You use it to your ends, but – you – just – don’t – try – to – control – it.”

“I’m in no mood for your lectures Theo.” Sully said then turned to his men who were still backing away. “He’s just one man,” he said. “Don’t let this little show intimidate you! I’ll keep him busy, go get the bones!”

Sullivan charged, sword in hand and past the line. His skin didn’t burn, but that was due to his strong spirit and ample Essence. He could fight the effect of the spell using his own aura. The others couldn’t do the same unless he managed to keep the old man busy enough to forget about the spell’s area of effect.

Theolonius, however, wasn’t a man who could be fooled easily. He dodged the Pontiff’s first swing by jumping in the air. He remained there, floating, his staff in both hands and brought toward his chest, as though he were hugging it.

“Use your miracles Pontiff!” Theo said. “You can’t win without your strong spells and the gift of Dhobor.”

Sullivan knew, however, that he couldn’t use his strong spells without obliterating his own men.

“I’ll make it easier for you,” Theo said. “This staff here, I stole from Omega, long ago.”

“Theo don’t!” Sullivan said. He’d understood what the staff was the moment Theo said the name Omega.

Grandpa Stalwart was now holding the staff in one hand, examining it like an appraiser examines some old artifact. “It feeds on fear, you see. And your men now fear me. They fear the heat that could burn them from the inside. They don’t know they haven’t known what true fear feels like though. How about we show them huh? Old friend?”

Sullivan flew to meet his old friend in the air, but it was too late. Theolonius let go of the staff whose ruby glowed brightly. It felt like it could sense the others’ presence. It soared through the air then landed among the fleeing paladins, High Priests and Priests. A sudden explosion blew the trees off their roots and caused a red orb, large enough to accommodate a thousand men, to form.

Everyone caught within its radius was immobilized. Utar and Sam, who’d stayed behind earlier, had just arrived at the place of carnage. They watched in horror as the men inside the orb were hit by constant red sparks that went through their bodies without injuring them. It looked as though lightning was zapping through them.

“It’ll be over soon,” Theolonius told his friend. “You can go all out now. You don’t need to worry about their safety, oh benevolent leader!”

Sullivan took one final look at his men. Realizing there was no saving them, the Pontiff landed and brought his sword to the air. “You might have stolen some of our secrets Theo,” he said. “But you can’t match our faith. Dhobor is a sympathetic god, but what you get in return for his help only depends on your faith.”

“Oh spare me the theatrics and get on with it,” Theolonius snapped. “I want to see why you betrayed me. Show me the power that Dhobor promised.”

Meanwhile, Raiya was watching the fight from inside the tree vessel.

‘He’s provoking the Pontiff to see what kind of power the Church holds,’ Sisha told her.

‘He’s crazy,’ Raiya answered. ‘He’ll destroy us all!’

‘Do you know why the demon king never fights Stalwart?’ Sisha asked.

‘Because he’s a madman?’ Raiya said.

‘Mad man or genius,’ Sisha replied. ‘What’s the difference? He can learn everything about a spell by just seeing it once. You call him a thief. The king calls him the greatest wizard in history. He’d rather go to war against Dhobor than fight one on one against Stalwart.’

‘What if he dies observing the Pontiff’s miracle?’ Raiya asked.

‘Then he dies,’ Sisha replied. ‘Why do you think the king was against our alliance? He knew you worked for him. He told me to always fear the man, never fight him, for fighting him meant divulging our secrets to a madman, a thief, a genius.

‘You heard him call all forms of extraordinary display of power ‘magic’. He firmly believes it. He might be right. It takes talent and a degree of craziness to combine all elements. A normal mind can’t take all knowledge and stay sane. Perhaps he’s insane, and I hope for our sake that he is. Because if he’s not, then the bones we’re giving him will be the end of us all. The Eternal Moon will embrace him, and we’ll all die.’