Seal of Magic VI

Cerberus whipped its tail around in a mad frenzy, howling in what was clear to be extreme pain. The right side of its body began to crack visibly, even as the other eye glared at Azael and me ferociously.

I looked at the bloody, charred socket where its right eye was supposed to be and smiled. We really got it good, and its body was proof of that. The cracks were steady trying to heal up, but the destruction was much faster than the regeneration.

"Azael, the other eye. We're taking this thing down now, while we still have the chance-"

"We?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

I turned to see Azael sitting on the ground, looking weak and deplorable. There was no reason why this battle should have taken that much for him, except if he was already at the end of his line. One Blood Art technique and the Solar Kannon? Was that what remained of the only sorcerer in the city?

"I can't go on for much longer, Leo. Actually, to be honest, I've been at my limit for over a year now, and I kept prolonging it because I felt the village needed me. I never could have predicted this outcome really, Cerberus being freed and all. The knights of the demonic feretory are very much active in this city, and so, Cerberus is just another cog in the deadly wheel we've found ourselves in..."

He was beginning to sound like Panthera. That resigned, quiet voice - pregnant with a lot to say, the burden of a lot of experience, so many regrets, and yet peace. Peace in the fact that till the end, they did all they could do in the interest of those they loved.

The voice of one who was about to die.

"Azael, you can't be-"

"It was always my wish and dream to be a martyr for Ascelpia. To have my name etched into history as one of our heroes. And also, secretly, to lift the embargo on magic by exorcising Cerberus. But now I can see that this fight has to be left to you, sadly. I will be content with having played a part."

I couldn't believe what I was seeing or hearing. I never had much respect or care for Azael as a person, seeing him as nothing but a nuisance to all who wanted to use magic in the city. Apart from Panthera, I had no respect for any of the other elders. But at that moment; that moment when he was at the door of death, it seemed that he realized his true nature.

And just when I was beginning to understand him too, it was time for him to die.

"I'm going to die now, Leo. But first, I'll give you a shot at ending this battle. The war's not yet over; you should know this better than anyone by now. Like I said, for the knights, Cerberus is just another cog in the wheel. There are many other cogs at their disposal, so you must be able to stand up to the challenge-"

He then stabbed his heart and watched the blood gush out.

Another blood art? And his heart this time... was he really looking for a glorious exit?

"Prepare....yourself to attack... and close your eyes!"

Grabbing Panthera's discarded bow and arrows, I stabbed my palm with the tip of one of the arrows and yelled. "BLOOD ART: SUPERNOVA!"

I felt the vibration in the air that signaled my blood and the orbs had combined.

Azael's voice sounded more hoarse and stronger than it had ever been. "BLOOD ART: SOLAR KANNON!"

I knew to cover my eyes with the crook of my arm this time, even as the sound of the Kannon of heat hitting the earth reached my ears. The intensity was prioritized this time again, and the force of the impact threw me back a bit, but I stood my ground, and as the light shimmered, I opened my left eye and fired.

Cerberus didn't even see them coming, so consumed in its anguish and the extensive burns all over its body. The four arrows maneuvred around to its eyes, and that's when it realized, raising its tail too slow.

"SUPERNOVA!"

The explosion was brighter this time. The power Panthera had transferred to me expressed itself well this time. That second eye was gone too, and the other slide had begun to crack as well.

"You're done for."

It lunged at me one last time, in a fit of fury, but that was a futile effort. Its whole body calcified midair and began to fade rapidly. By the time it reached me, it was just dust.

I fell to the ground, exhausted and dizzy. I had instigated so much blood loss during the battle, so I wasn't surprised.

"Is-is it all over?"

People were beginning to come out of hiding, many crying, others joyful.

"No," I said, smiling weakly. "We're just getting started."

*****

The End.

This drew out longer than I thought it would, but I had so much fun writing so I guess that's okay.

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