Adrex felt good, no, he felt great as he sprinted through the hallways of the castle. His heightened senses were giving him all sorts of information, he was nearing the demon squad and he smiled with his new mouth feeling the oversized teeth there. He rounded the corner and saw the four of them, demons, eyes going wide in surprise and mouths starting to open as he approached, arms spread out wide showing off his clawed hands.
He leapt at the four slicing the neck of one in blinding speed, his claws passing through as if the neck was not there. Adrex landed pivoted and slashed at another's chest, again his claws leaving large cuts but Adrex barely felt anything. He looked at the other two demons stepping back from him as he stood there breathing heavily looking at his clawed hands. One demon made a run for it and Adrex raised his hand and a ball of orange fire hit it in the back. It fell to the ground smoke rising from the hole that had been burnt into it. “Mage fire.” The other hissed and it took a step forward, ready to attack. Adrex reached out with his left hand and grabbed it’s neck at blinding speed. “Sorry, I'm still getting used to this.” Adrex said, before the demon was engulfed in green fire.
Adrex dropped the body and shook his hand before observing it and the bodies. It was so easy now, and he hadn’t even got control of it properly. ‘You need to be careful, Taginnoth has had more time like this, and as you know he was holding back before.’ Athridon said. ‘Though he does not have the combat experience you have, giving you an advantage there.’
‘He also knows defensive magic, something I have not studied.’ Adrex replied to Athridon’s thoughts.
‘I can help you there, but your mind will need to be free from distractions.’ Athridon said.
‘Then I guess it’s time to meet our brother.’ Adrex said.
The door of the great hall opened with a loud bang and crash as they opened with way too much force. Before a black object went flying inside. Taginnoth looked up from his chair as the black object rolled to a stop revealing the head of a demon. “Oh, he’s making a statement.” Taginnoth said standing up and walking down the stairs from the throne. “At least my forces don’t need to keep looking for you.” He said before stopping suddenly.
Adrex walked into the hall and smiled before bowing slightly. “Hello, brother.” He said politely.
“You, you didn’t.” Taginnoth said surprised. “Athridon?”
“No.” Adrex responded. “Not fully.”
Taginnoth went from confused to angry to furious. “You let him use your power, your body? When father hears about this...” Taginnoth said trailing off.
“What? Only way he hears is if you kill me.” Adrex said calmly.
“Very well. Father wasn’t pleased with him either way.”
Taginnoth charged forward, casting several fireballs of demonfire green. Adrex remained calm like Athridon advised and his arms seemed to move on their own the spells appearing without his thought before the fireballs hit the shield and burst apart sending waves of green fire flying. Adrex used this to rush to the side and swing round to intercept Taginnoth’s charge. He leaned forward running faster before darting past and slashing like he did against the four demons, however he aimed lower aiming for the stomach of Taginnoth, he landed and launched himself backwards slashing again before bouncing away behind the other demon.
Taginnoth turned to face him standing tall with no marks covering him, Adrex looked at his hands but didn’t notice anything different. ‘Did I hit him?’ He asked Athridon.
‘I’m guessing he shielded himself.’
“You’ll have to be better than that, Adrex. “I can protect against basic attacks like that all day.”
“Just starting.” Adrex said before he cast a lightning bolt at Taginnoth, who blocked the attack and went to counter except that Adrex had launched himself in closer and started to attack with his claws again.
Taginnoth blocked each attack with small controlled shields but he was still having to take steps back. Adrex slashed hard with his right hand, but the attack bounced off the shield created and Adrex over extended. Taginnoth’s hand clamped down on his wrist, pulling Adrex around in a half circle before throwing him at one of the hall's large pillars. Adrex tumbled through the air as the pillar got closer, reaching out with one hand he sunk his claws in and used his momentum to rotate around the pillar to face Taginnoth, leaving clean claw cuts. Adrex looked at the pillar, the cuts and then down at Taginnoth who was staring up at him with murderous intent. ‘I don’t think physical attacks like that will work at this moment.’ Athridon said.
‘I have an idea that might hurt him.’ Adrex responded.
‘Yes, that might work.’ Athridon said.
Adrex looked over to the pillar across the hall and leapt towards it, the enhanced strength from Athridon allowing him to make the jump with ease. He sunk his claws in to stop himself falling before leaping to another pillar. This time he used his claws to slide down slightly before a fireball exploded above him destroying part of the pillar. He looked up as the black stone rained down, then jumped to another, climbing this time to avoid a burst of lightning that Taginnoth cast towards him.
He did this to three more pillars before he used his claws to slide down the final pillar and jump towards the throne, vaulting over it and landing on the bottom step. Taginnoth had both hands raised and Adrex let Athridon take control to cast the shield, just in time as a surging wave of green fire flowed towards Adrex before hitting the shield and splitting either side of him. Adrex observed the shield was pointed to deflect and withstand the force.
Taginnoth let out a howl and the fire died away to reveal Taginnoth now within striking distance. He brought down both fists in a hammer blow which Adrex dodged by leaping back up to the foot of the throne, then came the two handed cross slash that Adrex again dodged by jumping on the throne. Taginnoth followed this up with a straight right handed punch that Adrex dodged by back-springing and vaulting over the throne, which shattered into black stone seconds later as Taginnoth burst through the back of it only to see Adrex grinning as the trap spells activated and six bolts of lightning came down from the pillars to strike Taginnoth who was standing on the final mark that Adrex had left when he landed while dodging.
Taginnoth screamed and Adrex cast a massive fireball of demonfire from close range that sent the demon reeling back, Adrex leapt after him to press the advantage only to receive a chunk of black stone to the face. Adrex landed heavily, and tried to stand as a second chunk hit his shoulder and he reeled backwards before Athridon raised a shield to block the third chunk. Taginnoth stood, face wracked with pain and blood seeping from wounds, holding a chunk of throne, which he hurled at Adrex’s shield. It stopped it but the shield burst and the Demon again charged. Adrex stood, shakily, before he got kicked through the remainder of the throne and rolled to a stop as Taginnoth leapt towards him. Adrex scrambled out of the way, blocking a flailing arm from Taginnoth that still sent him tumbling through the air and he hit the base of one of the pillars. Lights flashed in his vision and he struggled to stand before collapsing to one knee. ‘Ouch.’ Adrex thought.
‘I think he might have broken a rib or two.’ Athridon replied.
‘We need to finish this then, he probably can’t take much more either.’
‘Watch Out!’ Athridon screamed.
Adrex crouched under the double fisted side strike aimed at his head then dove to the side rolling. He tried to stand and struggled as Taginnoth charged at him again in a blind fury. Then it clicked for Adrex and Athridon. They cast a fireball at the demon's head that slowed down his charge before summoning a sword of fire green magic. They sidestepped the charge of Taginnoth slicing as they did so. The demon howled in pain before turning to strike them down only to find the point of the sword burying itself in his chest as he impaled himself in his charge.
Both Demon’s stood still looking at the sword buried half deep, before Taginnoth slumped to his knees. The sword vanished as Adrex released the magic and Taginnoth bowed his head, before he collapsed sideways. Adrex took a few steps back before he too stumbled to one knee. ‘He...He’s dead.’ Adrex thought.
He didn’t notice but Athridon had grown slightly larger in his mind's eye. ‘I can’t imprison you like you did me, but I can still hold you back.’ The Demon said.
Chains wrapped around Adrex allowing the demon to step into control. ‘Now that I let you defeat my brother I can escape Father too.’ Athridon said, ‘He will not be pleased.’
‘Athridon, don’t do this!’ Adrex yelled, but the Demon ignored him.
Athridon stood shakily, the body was injured but his magic was already healing the most serious injuries. He turned to walk towards the main doors just as Taginnoth’s demons walked in. They took one look at the room with the destroyed throne, fires burning in places and their lords dead body and charged. Athridon bolted for the back door, casting a push spell at the door which exploded into the staircase. Athridon cast a couple of traps as he ran down the stairs two or three at a time before exiting into the former King’s guards armoury. He rushed through into the hallway and with no other thought leapt out the window.
