Zeroth Knight

For Thee: Domnis Lux (3)

The sound of their ship taking off snaps me out of my reverie. It had been so long since I thought back to that day. I move my hands with the spell, and reach forth to the heavens. I find the biggest thing I can manage – an asteroid.

"This should do just fine, you bastards!"

With every last bit of energy I can muster, I pull it out of the heavens. It moves faster than anyone could imagine, its size alone makes it look so slow. Its massive form breaks free from the crack in space I made. I pant heavily while watching it come through.

I half-believed I wouldn't have been able to do this. This is maddening, impossible really. I would be unable to use spells again for an entire human lifetime after this. Well, all sans one – the last one, the one hidden under my skin.

As the Beta approach ever-closer to the top of the tower, I reach deep into the cracks beneath my skin and rip forth mana in its purest state. I sculpt it into its d.e.s.i.r.ed form and fuse it with my barrier spell. The barrier forms a dome around us and I drop to my knees. My heart feels like it might explode. It really just might.

I look across the horizon to the ship they boarded. With my magik, it is child's play to see them, to see my Lord struggling so pathetically to save me, but that is all I ever needed.

All I ever wanted was to be useful to her.

This pain of mine is nothing compared to what she's been through, what she will continue to go through. I only hope that next time, I am worthy enough to remember it all again.

I look up toward the meteor as it makes its way to us. The forests around the Academy, this wonderful place that I spent so long helping build and refine, all catch fire and are blown away. My hearing picks up the voice of the faux-Zeroth.

The meteor closes in evermore, a few feet away from me now. My hair catches fire and my skin begins to slough off. My skin completely erupts. I'm completely wiped out, much the same way as the Beta. Near the end, I hear that man mention something: they plan to meet with the One King.

I see. My Lord, ever one step ahead. It seems I have one job left to do.

At that moment, the meteor makes contact with me, and the entire world disappears in a flaming-hot void of light.