The Sinistral War

[12.12.01] » by Marlone

Judgment time with the Dual Blade has come.

Prelude

Maxim sat upon his throne, gazing as if into nothing, motionless. But he did not daydream. He was more closely intent on one thing than any other creature could be. He could see it. He could hear it. He could feel it. Judgment time with the Dual Blade had come once again. His deep blue eyes could see every detail of the last time the Dual Blade had begun to resonate. "Gaia," he said simply, and at his call she appeared.

The dark-haired Sinistral knelt before him. "My Lord."

***

Arek wrapped his arms around Erim's waist and kissed her neck lightly. "Darkling," he whispered into her long blue hair, "Where has Gaia gone?"

Erim pulled away a little and looked into his eyes, "You know I'm not supposed to talk about that..."

He drew her back to him with another kiss. "I promise no one will know. I'm just curious..."

"She's gone on Lord Maxim's orders," Erim whispered, her head resting against his chest, "She didn't tell me much, but I think it may have something to do with the Dual Blade."

Arek kissed her quickly on the lips, and then teleported away.

"Wait..." Erim said, but he was already gone. He was always like that. She knew he used her for her contacts, but that didn't stop her from loving him. She let him use her just so that she could be by his side a few moments more. With a longing sigh, she wiped the tears from her eyes and turned back to her training.

***

"The Dual Blade is resonating," Arek stated.

Gades shrugged. "As it does every hundred years or so. What does it matter? Maxim will never allow any but himself be chosen."

Arek frowned, but before he could rebuke the Apprentice of Destruction, Amon corrected him. "The Dual Blade cannot be controlled," the scholar said, "Even by Maxim. Maxim cannot force it to choose himself again. The Blade will choose whoever it decides is worthy, whether it be Maxim again, or another Sinistral, or even a human." He laughed at that last part. "Although the day a human is found more worthy than a Sinistral of such power is the day the Sinistrals are dust upon the ground."

"Thank you, Amon," Arek said. "The Dual Blade will choose, and it will not be Maxim who is chosen this time around. It will choose a Sinistral who is truly worthy of such power. It will choose me."

After a moment of shocked silence, the other three smiled. "And I suppose if the Sinistral Lord is to fall, his court must fall as well," Daos laughed. "And who better to take their places than their very own apprentices?"

The corners of Arek's mouth showed hints of a smile as his new allies began to think of the power they would gain. "Remember, none but us three must know of this. I will say when the time comes to strike."

Chapter 1: The Elementals

Llare flitted through the corridors, the only sign of her presence while she was moving being a chill breeze. She looked everywhere but looked for nothing, an undecidedness that came hand-in-hand with her sphere of influence, air. That was why she was one of Lord Maxim's best warriors. She had not the fighting ability of her siblings, but she had stealth, speed, and excellent powers of observation.

"We must act soon or it will be too late."

Her wispy ears caught the sound of the conversation and she sailed towards it, her curiosity peeked.

"We must first weaken him."

Llare solidified and put her ear against the door, listening.

"Others will also try to get between us and the Blade."

"Very soon, the Dual Blade will be mine."

In spite of herself, Llare made a noise of startlement as she drew away from the door. That was the voice of Arek, she identified. He, and the others, were plotting against Lord Maxim! How could anyone even think to overthrow and replace such a wonderful leader? She must tell her siblings! They must protect Lord Maxim! She turned to air and flew away as quickly as she could.

***

Amon stepped out into the hall, scanning for where the sound might have come from. If they had been overheard, all might very well be lost. He saw and heard nothing more, and his magic detected not even so much as a mortal anywhere nearby. He felt a cold breeze. He figured out quickly who it had been, and where to find her. She would run to her siblings before anything else, and that would be where the information would stop. "The Elementals will know soon of our goals if they do not already," he said. "We should destroy them before they tell anyone else."

To Arek's satisfaction, Amon looked to him for confirmation before proceeding. He nodded. "Secrecy must be maintained at all costs. They would have been necessary to destroy in time, either way." The four conspirators teleported to the Hall of the Elements.

***

The Hall of the Elements is made up of the same four elements as its inhabitants. The ground was made of dirt and rock, the walls of contained water and fire, and the sky open. It was one of the most fascinating places throughout all of the Sinistral fortress. Few, however, visited the place, for many feared the four unpredictable siblings who lived there.

Arek, Gades, Amon, and Daos were on guard as they passed through those halls, expecting that at any instant the four Elementals would attack them. But, as each step passed, there was no sign of them. "Where the hell..?" Gades muttered. They reached the first actual room in the maze of hallways and entered. There were signs that someone had been there recently, but they no longer were.

"Perhaps they've already gone to warn Maxim?" Amon suggested.

At that moment, a humanoid made completely out of earth rose out of the floor. He was a giant being, the largest Sinistral alive. "Perhaps you spoke too soon, brother!" called Daos, stepping to the side of Kdar's first slow strike, which hit the unwary mage.

Unfortunately, a fiery grip awaited Daos. "Argh!" he grunted as Tsareth's touch burned his flesh. Only his enhanced constitution prevented him from being charred on contact.

Amon was hit full force by Kdar's fist, and rose to his feet again, eyes blazing with anger. "You'll suffer for that," he growled, and began casting a spell quickly, before the giant brute of a Sinistral could attack again.

Gades found himself encased in the liquid form of Malia, the Water Elemental. He held his breath and drew his sword. Few knew that to contain someone in water, she was forced to maintain some amount of solidity herself. Gades was one of the people who held that knowledge, and knew that he could hurt her despite her watery form.

Arek looked between the three pairs of combatants, but didn't move to assist any of them. "Llare," he called. "Where have you run off to, little girl?" His taunting had the desired effect. She charged, an intangible bullet, towards him. "I'll not let you harm Lord Maxim!" she screamed like a banshee. Arek raised one hand before him and with it a shield that stopped her in her tracks. In the stillness, she resumed solid form, a form very easily broken by one such as Arek.

"Glacier!" Daos finished his spell and encased Tsareth in ice. Before he could melt his way out, Daos hit the block with a hardwood staff, shattering it in every direction. Each part burned for a moment within the ice, but was extinguished.

Fire and water hit Kdar at once, causing an effect like baking him into a giant clay brick. Kdar had little defense against magic, and, unfortunately for him, that was Amon's greatest strength. Amon stabbed the clay-like Sinistral with his forked staff until it broke apart beyond restoration.

Gades was gasping for breath when his duel finally ended, but he was also standing in an evaporating puddle of water that had once been the Sinistral of Water.

Arek looked around them at the destruction. Water, clay, shards of ice, and a broken wisp of a girl. The Elementals were destroyed; that would not remain unnoticed for long. "It's time to leave," he told the other three. They teleported away.

***

"The Elementals have been destroyed, Lord," Helion said, barely keeping his voice steady, so unnerved he was. He couldn't imagine any Sinistral seeking to destroy another, much less be able to destroy four so powerful as the Elementals. He tried not to show his fear, but Lord Maxim saw it anyway.

"You may go, Helion," Lord Maxim said, "But do not allow anyone else to know of this."

Helion hesitated. "M-my apologies, Lord. I already spoke to Aphrodite on the matter."

Lord Maxim sighed. "What's done is done. You may go." Helion quickly obeyed. Maxim knew the news would pass no further until he allowed it to. Aphrodite was used to keeping things quiet. Though her title was Sinistral of Love, she had influence over many other emotions. This made her someone many turned to for comfort in times of trouble.

But the report of what had happened to the Elementals troubled him. It had been centuries since a Sinistral had slain another, and that had been a very difficult situation to resolve. Now four were dead, and they were not weak by any means. No, there was at least one very powerful murderer, and no one but the dead knew who the killers might be. Gaia, I could truly use your help right now.

He would have to settle for the Mistress of Life and Death's apprentice instead. "Erim," he said.

The young Sinistral appeared before him momentarily and immediately bowed deeply. She quite rightfully feared him, as did most of the younger Sinistrals.

"Gaia is unable to serve right now, therefore you must serve in her place," he told her. She was shaking with surprise, fear, and uncertainty. "There has been a set of deaths I want you to discover the source of. The names of the dead are Kdar, Llare, Tsareth, and Malia."

He could see the whites of her eyes, they were so wide, as she stared at him. Damn. She was so young and unprepared for such a thing, being barely five hundred years old. But it was necessary, with Gaia being gone for an indeterminable amount of time. "Y-yes, L-Lord," she finally managed to respond.

"You may go."

She disappeared with a sloppy teleport that reflected her unbalance. This must be the worst timing ever.

***

Erim was in the lightest level of meditation, trying to call upon the spirit of Llare, Sinistral of Air. She felt the hints of an otherworldly presence, but was not yet able to communicate with it. Just as she felt certain she was about to make contact, she sensed someone teleport into her chamber. She pulled out of her trance and looked to see who was there.

"Arek," she said quietly, rising to her feet. He took her in his arms and lowered his face to kiss her. She looked into his eyes, and instead of feeling the affection and desire she had for him, she felt something entirely different.

Pain. Hatred. Fear.

She gasped from the intensity. That's not me!

"Darkling?" Arek asked, "What troubles you?"

"Th-the spirit -- I-I think she's t-talking to me," Erim could barely form a sentence. "Llare - she -" She stared at Arek with realization and shuddered away from him. "You -- It's not true, is it? You never killed -"

"It was necessary," he stated.

Tears flowed down her cheeks. "B-but why?"

Arek drew her into his arms in a comforting embrace. "I know it must be difficult for such a kind-hearted girl as you to understand. They were an unfortunate casualty of Maxim's treachery. Maxim is trying to control the Dual Blade. He has grown corrupt in his time as ruler and must be stopped."

Erim heard the lies and knew them as such, but refused to think of the alternative. He couldn't be a cold-blooded killer who would simply destroy the Elementals. She blocked the thoughts and images coming from the Wind Elemental.

"I had not wanted to involve you in this, but now that you know, I cannot prevent it," Arek said. "Darkling, will you help me to stop Maxim in his evil intentions?"

Erim raised her eyes to his, shaking involuntarily still. Slowly, she nodded. "Y-yes. I'll help you."

Arek smiled and kissed her. Erim wrapped her arms around him, trying to keep him there with her. "Thank you, Darkling," he whispered and then she held nothing but air. It was then that she finally broke down and truly wept.

Chapter 2: Love and War

"It is finished," spoke Daos with a smile, madness gleaming in his eyes. "The Lesser Sinistrals have been banished to the mortal realm."

Arek nodded, "Good. Now the only thing standing between us and the Dual Blade are our own Masters." He watched his allies look at each other in turn. He expected that they would not look forward to challenging their masters, for they were merely the apprentices. But greed for power would provide them with the incentive they needed. "Then let the games truly begin."

***

Maxim had sent for the young Sinistral and was just starting to wonder at the delay when he felt the magical shimmer from her teleport. He looked at the pale girl; she seemed a bit unbalanced. He kept forgetting how young she was, at only a few centuries, to have such a mission as he had assigned her. "Have you discovered the identity of the Elementals' murderer?" he asked, wasting no time getting to the point.

She nodded stiffly. "I have."

A pause sat in the air for a moment. "Well, who?" Maxim demanded.

Erim opened her mouth, but another's words came from behind her. "It was I, my lord," said Arik, stepping out from behind a pillar with a smile. "But not to worry. Theirs will hardly be the last death."

Maxim's eyes narrowed. He could have guessed that Arik was the culprit, but how had he coaxed Erim into helping him? He noted the tone in her voice when she said Arik's name and inwardly cursed. He had seduced the idiot girl! But for now, Maxim had more important matters to attend to.

"The punishment for committing such evil is death, boy," he said, rising to his feet.

Arik smiled more broadly and began to draw upon his magic. "We'll just have to see who it is who feels that punishment today, old man."

At that, the battle of magics began. Maxim guessed that his three generals would already be too occupied to come to his aid if needed. Arik wasn't stupid enough to stage a coup without allies, unfortunately.

Erim watched in horror the battle between her lord and her love. She didn't want for any of this to be happening; yet she could do nothing to prevent it. Elsewhere in the castle, Gades, Amon and Daos were fighting their own fights for superiority. It was all so horrible.

How much blood must be shed before this was can end? She had the distinct impression - was it foresight? - that it would be many more centuries before peace returned to their land.

Maxim threw spell after spell at Arik, and Arik countered with every spell he knew. Some were mirrored back upon their caster, and most hit their target. Each combatant was slowly being worn down. It looked as though neither was more powerful.

"Erim," Arik said in a ragged gasp. "Help me so we can be together forever."

Erim hesitated. Wasn't this all wrong? Could she really help to kill her lord?

"Please, my love..."

Those words - ones she had so longed to hear - convinced her. Drawing upon her own magic, she raised her hand and cast the spell. "Champion."

With new strength, Arik suddenly had the advantage. He launched an all-out assault of magic upon Maxim and laughed with glee at the sight of the once great lord falling to his knees. Then, for true humiliation in death, Arik drew so mundane a weapon as a steel sword and with it removed Maxim's head. It rolled across the floor and the body collapsed.

Erim broke into tears. She was to blame for such a tragedy. A great era was at a close.

Arik wiped away her tears. "None of that, darkling. This evening's task is far from through."

She stared at him through her tears, disbelieving. Was this still not enough?

The others appeared one by one in the throne room. Daos kicked Maxim's head against the wall while the others looked appreciatively at the rest of the corpse. "What's next, boss?" asked Gades.

"Claim the Dual Blade, of course," Arik replied. "The three sisters still guard the blade, and Gaia as well. The three of you must kill the sisters to make the shield fall, and I will go inside for the sword."

Amon nodded towards Erim. "What about her?"

"Erim will accompany me."

***

Erim sensed when the life forces of the sisters were snuffed out. That was when the barrier fell. She nodded to Arik, indicating that it was done. He walked through the doorway that had been blocked by an invisible shield just a moment before. Erim followed just a step behind.

This place was one part of the Sinistral realm that she had never seen before. Few ever did - it was so well guarded. It looked so much like the rest of the palace, but the aura, the feel, of it was very different. She could feel the Dual Blade's song, so warm and beautiful. But she thought there was a hint of sadness to it.

They had reached another door. Behind that door was the Dual Blade, and Gaia. "Are you ready?"

How could anyone be ready for something such as this? But she slowly nodded. Arik opened the door and together they stepped inside.

Gaia sat on a meditation rug in the middle of the room. Behind her, the Dual Blade hung on the mantle on the wall. As the entered, Gaia's eyes opened and she rose to her feet.

Erim was met with a piercing gaze that she tried not to shrink away from. "This is how you choose to betray your own people, Erim?" said the elder Sinistral, "For lust? I am ashamed to have trained such a weakling. But now it is I who stands between you and the Dual Blade."

Arik blasted Gaia to the side and went past her, going straight to where the Dual Blade hung on the wall. He grabbed it in his right hand and let out a blood-curdling scream, throwing the blade away from him. He stared, aghast, at the black and red burn marks on the palm of his hand.

The Dual Blade skidded across the floor to Erim's feet. She backed away fearfully. If it had done such a thing to Arik, what might it do to her?

Gaia rose to her feet again and began to cast a spell, targeted at the still distracted Arik. Erim's eyes widened. She couldn't let Arik be killed! He was still too weakened from his battle with Maxim to survive another such attack.

Erim picked up the Dual Blade and stepped between Gaia and Arik. Gaia threw her spell, and Erim caught it on the blade. She swung the Dual Blade, sending the spell back upon Gaia, amplified.

Gaia glared at her former apprentice piercingly. "With my dying breath, I curse you. You are cursed to always outlive all of those around you. You will watch again and again as any person you have called friend withers before your gaze."

Erim tore her eyes away. "Enough!" She raised the Dual Blade and ran it through the once Sinistral of Life and Death with the full fury of her power and the Blade as one. Gaia sank to the ground, blood spilling from the wound. As the last essence of life left Gaia, Erim heard a faint whisper that made her shiver. "You are now the Sinistral of Death."

Arek smiled triumphantly. It was done. He had destroyed all obstacles, and would now reign supreme. But the Dual Blade had not chosen him. The true ruler must be chosen by the Dual Blade, and yet it had not chosen him. His eyes blazed with anger as he gazed at Erim, standing before him with Dual Blade in hand. How dare it choose her, such a weak woman. How dare she accept it. He should destroy her for such insult.

But as he raised his hand to attack, a still logical part of his mind stopped him. No one else knows that she was chosen. "Darkling," he whispered in her ear, "There is no more need of the Dual Blade now. Return it to its resting place until judgment time comes again."

Erim broke out of a daze when she heard him speak. Her grip on the Blade tightened, feeling the rush of energy that flowed through it. Should she? Could she give it up? And then she felt the song end. The Blade had stopped resonating, and power stopped flowing through it. It had finished its task, she sensed, and would be nothing more than a simple sword until the next judgment.

Realizing that Arek still stood there, staring at her, she nodded slowly. She placed the Blade on the mantle where it had hung before. "I-It is over now," she said unsteadily. She turned to Arek for support, but he turned expressionlessly and walked away. As he disappeared down the hallway, her legs gave way under her. "A-Arek..." she whispered, calling to him, but he did not look back at her.

Is this human love? Such a thing is unknown to us.

Author's Note: Obviously some of the Sinistrals were made up, based on a character in Lufia 2 wondering why only the evil super beings came to earth. Most of the Sinistrals are ones you know from the games, and the rest... make of them what you will. :-)