The Sorcerer turned to leave the bloody arena. People screamed: "What's happening?!"
Suddenly, he froze. A terrifying power – cold and dark like a devil's breath – pulsed behind him. He slowly looked back at Kael's headless body.
Something's wrong…
In Kael's Mind:
A black shadow smiled at Kael's spirit. Its teeth were sharp like knives.
Kael thought: Anis? Is that you?
The shadow gave a death stare… then vanished. Kael felt lost.
A voice echoed: "This is your true self. A monster even monsters fear."
Then – Kael's spirit vanished too.
Reality:
The Sorcerer walked toward Kael's body, his hands shaking. King Aldric yelled: "He's dead! Just burn the body!"
BOOOOM!
Black lightning split the sky! It struck Kael's body like a spear!
The blast threw the Sorcerer, King, and everyone else backward!
A knight screamed: "Something's coming!"
Thick black smoke covered the whole arena. No one could see.
The Sorcerer waved his hands: "CLEANSING GALE!"
Wind blew the smoke away.
Silence.
The Sorcerer searched for Kael's body.
WHOOSH!
Kael stood behind him – covered in crackling black lightning. His eyes glowed red.
Too fast! The Sorcerer jumped back – but not fast enough.
SLICE! SLICE!
Kael's dark energy cut off the Sorcerer's hands! They fell to the ground.
Kael looked at his own black-energy hands: "This feeling… I like it."
He appeared in front of the Sorcerer. PUNCH–PUNCH–PUNCH!
100,000 punches in one second! The Sorcerer's bones shattered like glass!
Black energy spread from Kael. The stone ground cracked and turned to dust.
Hunters and knights ran screaming: "HE'S GOING TO KILL US ALL!"
One hunter cried: "Can… can he beat a Sorcerer?!"
Kael formed a black flame sword. Lightning danced around him. He grabbed the Sorcerer's throat.
"YOU…!" Kael's voice was deep and cold. "Do you think I'm a MONSTER?"
The Sorcerer smiled, blood dripping from his mouth. "Yes."
William (healed but weak) grabbed Kael's leg: "STOP! You're HUMAN! I know it!"
Kael's dark eyes glared: "Liar."
WHOOSH! Black energy blades stabbed William everywhere!
William coughed blood: "Please… don't… become this…"
Kael punched him. William fell silent.
The Sorcerer tried to whisper a spell. He's not Kael anymore…
But Kael's hand plunged into the Sorcerer's chest! "GOT YOU."
Kael used MORBID GENESIS:
The Sorcerer's mind broke:
He saw his dead sister. She screamed: "WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE ME?"
The blue-flame monster (looking like Kael) cut off her head… and ate it!
The monster laughed: "YOUR FAULT!"
The Sorcerer raged: "ABYSSAL CONVERGENCE!"
A black hole of energy formed – but Kael just waved it away!
"WORLD-SERPENT'S MAW!" The Sorcerer screamed.
A giant shadow snake appeared… but Kael stared it down. It vanished!
The Sorcerer ran in panic: I have to escape!
He blinked – and was back in the arena. Kael stood before him, covered in black power.
"You survived? Interesting," Kael hissed.
"400 CLONES!" Kael yelled.
POOF! POOF! POOF!
Four hundred dark-energy Kael copies appeared! They began killing hunters and knights!
Erec (newly healed) tried to fight. SLASH! A clone cut off his leg!
"NOO!" Erec collapsed.
The Sorcerer begged: "KILL ME INSTEAD! LEAVE THEM!"
Kael raised a black flame sword: "ETERNAL SLASH!"
The Sorcerer dodged – barely.
Suddenly – Kael heard voices:
Maria's giggle: "Big bro!"
Emma's kind words: "Come anytime."
Kael's dark energy flickered. His red eyes faded to blue.
He looked around – bodies, blood, terrified faces.
"What… happened here?" Kael whispered, confused.
The Sorcerer saw his chance. He hid his power and lied: "You lost control! You tried to kill us!"
King Aldric sighed in relief.
As Kael's dark power vanished…
PUNCH!
The Sorcerer hit Kael's stomach with god-like force!
BOOM! The punch split the clouds above!
Kael collapsed, unconscious.
Healers rushed to help the injured.
One knight drew his sword: "DIE, MONSTER!" He tried to stab Kael.
The Sorcerer grabbed the knight's blade: "Touch him… and you die."
Other knights and hunters yelled:
"Why spare him?!"
"He slaughtered us!"
One hunter screamed: "What's wrong with you, Sorcerer?!"
SLICE!
The Sorcerer cut off the hunter's head without looking.
Silence fell.
The Sorcerer lifted unconscious Kael onto his shoulder.
As he walked away, hunters and knights tried to block him.
SLASH! ZAP!
The Sorcerer killed anyone who came close – knights, hunters, it didn't matter.
King Aldric stood up, face pale with fear: "WHERE ARE YOU TAKING HIM?! ARE YOU SPARING THAT MONSTER?!"
The Sorcerer didn't answer. He walked into the shadows, carrying the boy who had become a devil… and then become human again.
(Chapter 23 Fin)