Hi everyone. Here's chapter 17. Please e-mail me your comments!! Also feel free to view my webpage at http://spiffy_psycho.tripod.com. They really let me know whether or not this work is worth the effort. Oh yes, there's naughty words and some sex scenes, so if you're under 18.. Well, you know the rules. It's your butt, not mine. ;-) Thanks for reading!
-David.
Chapter 17
Cornelius felt an indescribable pain in his stomach. No, it couldn't be. The was over, and had lasted maybe ten seconds. The ten worst seconds of his young life. It was worse than the ostracism from court when his father had turned his back on his only son. Cor felt his stomach move. It felt like his very essence was lifting through his lungs in slow motion. Up the larynx. Cornelius instincively opened his mouth as the back of his throat felt that bitter taste.. that horrible sound. And the smell! Cornelius had tears dripping down the side of his nose as he vomitted loudly.
The Kopäl chortled as chaortled loudly as the boy fell to the ground with a thud, sobbing and sickened by the reeking scent of his own bile. "Look at the child," they chided loudly. "See how it hides in the dirt! Let us have it join earth permanently!" One Kopäl in front of Cor raised its scimitar, preparing to behead the boy. Do it, Cor thought. Death is a welcome release from this!
"No!" John bellowed, blocking the brute's steel. With a force that didn't seem possible, John thrust Demonsdeath at the center of the brute's chest, which caused the Kopäl to fly back into the caked mud, many yards away. The Kopäl howled as a villager that was hiding nearby ended the brute's parody of existance.
The other Kopäl decided to fight all the more violently after seeing this. John was now giving his all to protect his boy. Cornelius had his head in his hands, sobbing violently. Why gods, why? It wasn't fair! Cornelius grabbed John roughly by his shirt and pulled John down to meet him.
Mwezi howled in pain as a Kopäl had bypassed his deadly double-blade of fire and punched Mwezi in the skull, fracturing it and knocking Mwezi off-balance into the others. As Mwezi was knocked backwards, he fell into the others. The encircling Kopäl parted, and the four wizards, along with Roland, awkwardly fell to the ground.
Too pleased with their own cleverness, the Kopäl failed to notice John and Cornelius huddled on the ground. After Cornelius had grabbed John to the ground, John stupidly gazed into Cor's gaze, both furious and anguished. John did not understand, but his heart broke when he saw the tears drop from Cornelius' sweet, innocent face. "Cornelius," John whispered, brushing his boy's blonde bangs out of his eyes.
"Why?" Cornelius sobbed. "Why would you do such a thing to me? I would gladly give my life for you, and now you happily discard me like a pair of soiled pantaloons! My very soul ached when you are away, and look what you do!"
John still stared at Cornelius with a lack of comprehension of comprehension. What was he talking about? Discard? Steven? Oh.. "Cornelius, I would not discard you. I am here, am I not?"
"That's not enough! I wias nearly killed, and you ignored me for that... southerer," Cor bitterly responded with a strong distaste in his mouth.
"I do not understand," John replied.
"Hello!" Cor snarled, "He's from the icy isles of the south! They eat people there!" John was not convinced. "Oh who cares, anyway! You obviously feel nothing for me, so just.. go. Let the Dark One take over. I do not care anymore. Nothing matters."
"Do not say that," John countered fierecely. "Do not give in! Keep fighting! If we all just give up, what's the reason for ever existing at all? Why bother when all you do is drown in despair and doubt?" John paused a moment looking away, before returning to Cor's gaze. "Now tell me, my boy. Look deep into my eyes and tell me: can you not see how much I love you?"
Cornelius attempted to avert his eyes, but gave in and met John's powerful gaze. Cor cooed and gasped at the amazing, very male strength inherent in that gaze. Cor felt his legs turn to jelly as noticed his growing erection. Take me now, he thought. I need it hard and fast. Don't let go of me. Plunge yourself deep inside me!
Roland and the wizards had quickly become discoordinated. The Kopäl had not given them a moment to recover, dragging them about 50 yards away. The Kopäl surrounded the fallen, beginning attempts of massacre. Most of the brutes attacked with their brutish instrincts, kicking and hitting the fallen warriors. When any of the fallen attempted to stand, a Kopäl would happily kick, punch or kick him down. The wizards' magickal had been removed and laid haphazardly in a pile far from reach.
Many Kopäl had Roland and the high mages' arms pinned to the ground, ready to be struck.
John and Cor held each other tightly. "I will not leav you," John promised. Cornelius was not completely assured, but let it rest for the moment. He was sure that he and John would have a long discussion when this was over. If it ever ended. But looking over at Venes, he could understand --
"John!" Cornelius exclaimed in alarm. John realized the situation as Corelius cried, "they are gone!" Too caught up in a reverie as usual, John thought. How could he have not noticed the skirmish? How could he be so blind? And there was blood on the ground. With a dertermined look, John pulled Cornelius up by his hindquarters. Cor moaned happily. Touch me there, sir, Cornelius thought.
"Come, boy," John commanded.
Gladly, was the silent response.
"Wait," commanded a Kopäl. "There were more humans, me think. We have one, two, uh.."
"Four," offered another.
"No, no, no! Tree!" responded a third.
"Ah, yes," contined the first Kopäl. "Tree, Five, Fort!"
"That leaves..." the second Kopäl continued.
"Us!" John bellowed, attacking several Kopäl with beams of power at their unprotected backsides. Three brutes lay dead. Thirty-six to go, thought Cor. With determination, John fought off as many brutes as he could.
The wizards were deeply bruised and beaten, all unconscious. Roland had many scratches, but was semi-conscious. Nearby, Cor was bravely fighting off several brutes. "Son," Roland wheezed, "You make me proud." Cor smiled happily. Finally, after all these years, his father had finally shown kindness to his only son. These brutes are tough, Cor thought. Their vests.. Oh Goddess! Human flesh!
As Cor held back a brute's weapons with Lifeshield, he grabbed the fleshy best with disgust, tearing it off the Kopäl. It growled in anger. Cornelius smirked as Lifeshield blasted the creature to its death. "John!" Cornelius called excitedly, "attack everywhere but the vests. They absorb our magic!"
John nodded in response as he blasted a brute in its head. Thirty-four. Cornelius finished off another two brutes as Roland struggled to his feet. A Kopäl prepared to bury his knife into Roland's heart, but Cor was too swift with Lifeshield. The brute's dismembered head dropped to the ground in a loud clump.
"Thanks, son," Roland panted, pulling his shortsword out of a brute. John now saw the fallen wizards as he had destroyed the five Kopäl trying to guard them. John fell to his knees in despair.
The battle no longer mattered. It was like looking at Steven's lifeless body all over again, yet it was worse. And then a flash of Melinda appeared in John's mond. Everyone he loved ended up dead.
Cornelius! John ran to meet his lover. He had had enough of these Kopäl. "Cor," John said, "let's finish this." Cornelius nodded.
Roland painfully moved towards the pair. "I will not leave my son." John shrugged carelessly. Cor and John stood next to each other as Roland leaned on their shoulders. They tried to attack the brutes, but nothing happened. The remaining Kopäl marched menacingly towards the Two Chosen by the Goddess. Demonsdeath then sang:
"I am health and I am pain. He takes away, yet I add to thy gain. You must learn to end your hate, or the Dark One will break through the gate. Things are not as they appear. Life is grand, and better sans fear."
John and Cor remembered, and released all anger, worries and tensions. They equalled their candlepower and felt stronger than ever. Roland's presence made it feel as though the awesome strength of the Goddess was pouring through them. A moment of silence ensued, and then twenty-six Kopäl had their bodies torn open, with dust pouring out. The Kopäl were destroyed.
John and Cor quickly separated, holding Roland. He was weak after the draining experience of being center. Cor say with his father, silently waiting for his surviving parent to catch up on seventeen years.
John walked away silently, surveying the wizards. No matter how powerful you are, he thought, you can always wind up like this. All this pain, all this death. John was overwhelmed as the tears formed in his eyes. With what strength was left in his body, John slowly started the healing process on the four wizards before collapsing into a heap on the ground.
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