Hey...its been a while. Enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 31:
The Guardian
“This is for the ones I love. Problem is I don’t love.”
As Retribution walked, the more his thoughts grew. Retribution began to grow even darker on the inside. He felt disconnected from everything, he felt, free. It was dead silence; even Lia was quite, something rarely ever seen. Retribution tried to end the silence, but he couldn’t, and it bewildered him to no end. With freedom came guilt. But what did he have to be guilty of? He most definitely knew he didn’t care about anything he’s done. But the real question was, why did he feel free? Why would he feel free? He’s a spec among many in the universe, did he feel power? Was he arrogant?
“Guilt is caused through fear.” Retribution heard, stopping him in his tracks. Lia probably didn’t hear it, because she continued to walk, as if nothing had happened.
Lia finally came to a stop she turned back, looking at Retribution. “What's wrong, why did you stop? Something wrong?” She asked in a happy tone.
“Fear that a loved one will die!” The voice said again, still managing to avoid Lia’s ears.
“Nothing.” Retribution answered, starting to walk forward. As he did this Lia ran off. “What the!?” Retribution called in confusedly as he gave chase.
Lia, curved through a corner and into the trees. As Retribution got to where she appeared to have ran off too, but when he got there she was no where in sight. There was no more forest. It seemed to be an abandoned city, it looked to have a one point, been a busy place. Huge highways could be seen from afar. The city seemed sky-less though, only bright golden lights shining up from the seemingly dead city. Still, no sign of Lia.
“Nobody is left” The voice mocked, “No one left to pick up after you, or protect you. Do you even remember the past? Do you remember how you even got here? Of course you don’t, you probably blanked out after that incident at the mansion. You were framed of the Organization’s crimes and locked into that atrocious place for the criminals of the universe. Locked in place where weeks are translated in hours to kill off the criminals in quicker. You believe you were there for ten years when really, it was about three.”
Retribution wanted to move toward the voice, unfortunately, it seemed to have no origin, it came from everywhere. “Show yourself!” Retribution screamed in lunacy.
A large creature showed itself, and by the size of it, Retribution was amazed he hadn’t found it sooner. It seemed to be like a chameleon, its colors shifting into the environment. That couldn’t be the case, as the creatures body reverted to a gold and blue striped torso, legs, and arms, but is head stood out, it looked like a chameleon’s and it was dark orange. His torso was human shaped besides the claws at the ends of his arms and legs. It held something in its hands, it appered to have sting attached to it. “You know” It started. “You’re too easy to string along.” It said, holding its hand out, it had been sitting like it was on a floor.
“What is that?” Retribution rudely asked.
The creature slowly held out his hand, palm up, he then quickly flipped it so what was in his hand fell out. The thing seemed to be attached by strings. Retribution could barely see it, but then as he looked on, it all became clear to him. “Lia!?” Retribution cried.
“Yes.” The creature said slowly. “Do you understand now?” It mocked with an awkward smile on its face. Its huge mouth showing its fangs. It truly looked like a monster of some sort. “I am the so called guardian you’ve been looking for. And this is the girl you’d been ‘traveling’ with. Seriously, I never thought she’d be able to lead you all the way here so easily. With Infero’s help, you’ve completely lost since of time and more importantly your limits.”
The Guardian spoke what seemed to make no possible sense, but in reality, it made perfect since. Retribution’s stomach started to feel as if a bear was trying to claw its way out. Retribution felt weak, but his body felt if it had no limits. This in turn could lead to disasters. As it could force him to overcompensate and kill himself in the process of using magic, which he used quite frequently. “You cheap…” Retribution growled.
“I much prefer not to kill, as it goes against my name. I thought maybe-“The Guardian started, lifting his hand up, taking Lia; he appeared to be playing with her body, like she was some puppet. “You’d quit, and do some thing that won’t get you killed.”
“What did you with her?” Retribution yelled with growing impatience.
“Her who?” The Guardian played dumb.
“Lia!”
“Oh her?” The Guardian said, holding Lia out towards him. “The puppet?”
“Grr, the person.” Retribution yelled, having enough of the Guardians sarcastic attitude; Retribution used fire magic towards his feet to create an explosion to launch himself at the Guardian at the heightened speed. The Guardian flicked Lia at Retribution as he flew towards him. Retribution curved out of the way of Lia; guilt ran through what was left of his heart. If there even was anything left. Retribution then quickly turned his attention back towards the Guardian; fire spurred out of his fist as it smashed into the head of the Guardian. “You’re made of steel!?” Retribution howled, his voice echoing through the city. The Guardian then plucked Retribution off of his head, balled him up in his hand; and after a second of enjoying Retribution’s muffled shrieking, flicked him out of his hand, sending him flying across the city. Retribution smashed into a building, but that wouldn’t stop him, he kept flying until he landed on top off another building, sliding the end off it and hitting air vent, almost destroying it. Retribution got up, he felt no pain, but he could tell his body was strained, as if he used all his power for something that should’ve been effort-less.
“I’ll still be willing to forgive and forget, if you turn back now. I’ll even give you back your little girlfriend, no strings attached.” The Guardian offered, some what mockingly.
“Over my dead body!” Retribution refused
“There will be a dead body.” The Guardian replied, modestly disappointed. Retribution lunged at the Guardian once again. But when he closed in, he used blizzard magic. It smashed into the Guardian. Mist was flung through the air, it completely clouded the sky. Retribution’s vision of the Guardian was gone, but he felt something; something terrible. Just then, he felt a colossal fist strike him from behind, and drive him down, into the ground. Retribution pushed up, trying to lift the fist off of him. As Retribution lifted the fist, he felt it come off of him. The air was still clouded with mist; Retribution couldn’t even see his hand in front of him.
“Did I do this much?” Retribution asked himself. “It was only meant to be regular magic.” The Guardian seemed to see through it all, he smashed his fist on top of Retribution, then immediately used electric magic. The Guardian felt as if he had hit nothing. He looked down to find the Retribution was gone. Retribution seemed to land on top of the Guardian, and used his most trusted magic, flare, a magic that can only be controlled by the thoughts in someone’s mind. Retribution smacked his hands on the top of the Guardian’s head and use flare, a bright light shined as the powerful magic struck the Guardian. As the light faded, so did the heavy mist Retribution once again, had lost track of the Guardian. “That thing is too big to be moving this fast. Where are you!?” Retribution demanded, expecting a quick counterstrike from the Guardian; Retribution leaped high into the pitch black sky. “Could it even be called a sky? It was more of roof; the light from the city seems to illuminate this place. Maybe at one point this place thrived.” Retribution thought to himself as he rose into the sky. The wind broke like glass as the Guardian threw his fist at Retribution. Retribution revolved in a circular method, evading the fist by an inch. The furious wind cut Retribution’s face, a light cut, but it felt like it was digging into Retribution’s face.
“Come on.” The Guardian teased. “With all those threats, I thought you’d be a challenge.” The Guardian effortlessly threw punches at Retribution for Retribution to dodge them. The Guardian didn’t take Retribution seriously at all; he hadn’t even used a fraction of his power, while Retribution was practically devouring his.
“You’d think with the lose of limits, I’d be doing more damage.” Retribution said to himself as he leaped out of the way of one of the Guardian fists. “But I seem to be doing less. Maybe one last try…” Retribution said as he leaped once again; he overshot the building he was on and accidentally, jumped off; smashing into the ground.
The Guardian plucked Retribution off the ground with two of his sharp claws. “This is the end.” The Guardian said he prepared to end Retribution.
“Not yet!” Retribution said as he smashed his fist against the Guardian’s, making his surprised fist lose grip of Retribution. “Ultima!” Retribution yelled, but the as the flare went up, it went out, the magic had failed.
“Good try.” The Guardian said as he smashed his slightly furious fist into Retribution.
“Is this the end?” Retribution ended, losing consciousness.