By mear reaction I had the staff in my hands “Shell!” the protective barrier formed but instead of stopping Eugin from attacking he shattered it in a single hit, I thought I was going to lose my head but Carter grasped the back of my shirt and started to run “What are you waiting for Ozie an invitation? Move your ass now!” we made a brake for the nearest door, Carter punched it open, but at the end of the hall a bunch of people controlled by the rose titan was walking in our direction, behind us Euging was walking calmly as he knew we were trapped Carter had his back to mine as we weighed our options “we can't hurt the people they are being controlled” “well we cant exactly fight Eugenio or whatever his name was either!” the enemies were closing in on us Eugine was scrapeing the ground with his sword the zombified people were stumbling in our direction “you cured Higen from a possession once right? Can't you do it again?” Carter asked me in an urgent tone. I shook my head. “It was different, Allure hinted to me on what to do.” He looked at the ground and said, “Can you freeze the floor?” “Yes, but what would that-” “Just do it, trust me!” I twirled the staff in my hands and clicked the floor “Freeze!” the floor binate us turned to ice. Carter concentrated and, with a fiery punch, a curtain of mist covered us, the floor broke under us, and we landed on a lower floor of the prison.

  “Mend!” I yelled, and the hole in the floor fixed itself. We stood up and ran looking for a place to hide. Carter pointed at a room labeled “boiler room,” and having no other choice, we entered it and started to barricade the door. Once the entrance was secured, we sat down and breathed, “Why do I always attract murderous psychopaths?” I said exasperated, “First Otis, then that weirdo huntress, and now…” Carter thought for a moment, “Higen but with steroid problems and even crazier?” I lightly hit him on the shoulder. “Hey! Higen is not crazy… he just doesn’t know many things." “And that’s why we like him. What's our plan then?”

  We pulled our phones from our pockets and firstly activated our barriers, then we confirmed that our phones had no reception in this place “I can use my resonance stone to contact Higen” “Yeah try we need the team right now, tell him to bring everything he has, bazooka, tank, the god damn Titanic” I placed the sone in my ear and waited “by the way he doesn’t have a tank in there… but he does have a full piano in there” Carter wanted to say something else but I heard Higens voice in my ear “Ozwald, pray tell, how is your time with Marten being? Is he giving you a hard time?” I shook my head. “I need you to calm down. Are you with the others?” “I′m with Donna, we came to the bakery for some pastries as she is nervous about what could happen, but I told her, she has nothing to wo-” “Eugin the Holy Cross is after us, he has taken over…” I had to think quickly. “Riverview Correctional Facility, Carter and I were driving around, and a signal appeared.”

  There was a silence on the other end for a moment “Hey Ozie, this is Donna, Hig is murmuring something about danger and a trator, we are on our way we′ll bring Niko too” I nodded and looked at Carter “they say they are coming, and apparently Eugin is very bad news, Higen is worried” I told him and grabbed my staff, “Mask” I whispered a tin layer of fog surrounded the door making it difficult to see “what did you do?” Carter asked, “I made an illusion to keep up hidden, we won't be able to fight Eugin, only you and I, we have to stay put until the guys arrive.” I sat next to him again. “Is this how you envisioned this day?” I asked him, “Being scared next to you? A little, yeah.” I was curious, “Why would you be scared? I mean, I get why right now, what would scare you about me?” he sighed and looked away. “Ozwald… I… I know what you… did” I blinked and started to breathe hard “wh… What do you mean?” My voice shook and stuttered; he didn't know; it was an accident, it wasn’t … me. “When we joined Tartaros, Aster told us everything you and Hig did, that included your first interaction with the Alluer of the dark… I know you tried to kill me, Ozie.”

  No…no, no, It wasn't me, I never wanted to, it was a mistake, I kept shaking and trembling as he told me he knew, I never wanted him to know, no, not him I didn’t want anyone to know, it was a moment of weakness I was so angry and mad the staff fell from my hands and clattered on the ground Carter called me but all I was seeing was black, darker and darker, the tase of tar was in my mouth again and I thought I was going to be consumed by it again until I felt a hard hit to my cheek “I said, wake the hell up Voloro!!!” the hit brought me back to reality I started to cry out of shame “I′m sorry, I′m sorry!” I told him and turned around, “It was not… You know I would never… is this why you hate me?” I asked him he sighed “I don’t hate you, but I hate… look at me!” he forcibly turned me around and forced me to look at him “I hate the way you always try to run away from your problems, why wouldn’t you tell me?” he asked me I try to look away but he forced me to keep looking” “I was ashamed!” I told him, between tears, “I don’t hate you, but I was in a horrible place at that time, one that you didn’t help by throwing food at me.” he let go of my face. “I couldn’t tell you, because I couldn’t explain it. What was I supposed to say? Hi Carter, how was your weekend? By the way, I almost stopped your heart. I didn’t know how to bring it up… so I said it during the dance.”

  “I didn’t give you a hard time because I hate you… after that happened, every time I saw you, my hands started to tremble, and I felt afraid, I may have been unaware of your doing but on some level, I knew, and to make the fear stop… to reminded me I was in control I say and did things to you and then” his expression softens and he shrugged “I started to talk with you, whenever you were around Donna or Higen I try, I really did but the shaking was always there, and now we are here” he said and slide down the wall “right… I guess life or death situations really help clear the air, I wanted to tell you but I was afraid” “I could have told you, but, part of me didn’t want to admit I was afraid” I lifted my eyebrow “Was?” he nodded “after today and knowing you for a bit longer I can say, you don’t have a mean bone in your body, I wish you did but you are stupidly nice” he extended his hand “My name is Carter Marten, I play football, I′m a dick, nice to met you” I smiled and shook his hand “I′m Ozwlad Voloro, I like to draw, I′m pessimistic but I′ll try to be better” CLICK the linchpins unclasped and feel to the ground “Really? All we had to do was start over? This sucks!” I rolled my eyes. “No, you dumbass! It was the heart-to-heart!” “I will keep calling you Pipsqueak” I smiled a little “Honestly I think it′s a cute nickname” The speaker started to buzz and Eugien′s voice was audible “Although I could tear this place down I would rather you two to show your faces, so, here is what I′ll do, come to the courtyard you have ten minutes, and if you don’t, we herd a slash and the splatter of blood from the other side “I will execute the criminals and fed them to the Titan” “we need a plan, now!” we started to brainstorm Carter used football analogies for his plans and now that we clear the air he is not dumb or bad he is just him “what if we split up and take the flower down?”

  I proposed, and he shook his head “Ozie, that’s very dangerous, he wants you he will run straight to you to behead you for your incubus ways” I squinted at him “I don’t have incubus ways!” he laughed “you really don’t think friends talk?” my face started to burn, from embarrassment “… I′m going to have a talk with Higen when I see him!” he smiled like a smartass and was about to say something else but then his eyes opened “that’s it!” “what is?” he wrapped me with his arm, “What if one of us gets the old man mad, if we do he will leave the rose unattended, and if we insinuate things like…” he whispered into my ear something and I got flustered “we can kill the Titan, free the people and force him to retreat, and prove we have the best teamwork ever!” “Do I really have to say things like that?” he thought for a second, “Nah, he is old, I think the mere mention of you two kissing will enrage him, so trust your speed and drag him away while I take the rose down.”

  If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  “I have a better plan, Carter. What if…” I whispered into his ear, and he smiled as he looked at me, “You sure pipsqueak?” I nodded, “It will be for the best, and I know you can do it!” “Okay let's show Grampa that we knights of the earth mean business” We got ready and started to make our way to the courtyard, we had to fight our way against some charmed guards and inmates but with a few hits to the neck from Carter they were on the floor, “you save your energy for the boss fight,” Carter said, I know what I have to do, we opened the double doors to the courtyard, Inmates were lined up in front of the Titan, the one that had been cut by Eugin was just been devoured the petals of the flower were more crimson than before “we can do this remember the plan Carter” he nodded arms rise ready for combat, “I do have to say, for you to show thee faces is most intriguing, do thou really care for the fates of this lowlifes?” Eugin said as he got closer to us, “Of course we do.” Carter said, trying to sound tough, “We wouldn’t leave anyone with you am… Sir,” I said, trying not to sound sheepish.

  “… have thou done something? Thou seem less scared. What wicked schemes have the incubus planned?” I smiled and looked at Carter. He blushed and nodded, “Well, wouldn’t you like to know, Gramps?” I flicked my hair. “I swear, are all knights good with their mouths? Because I swear the things Higen can do… I get chills just thinking about it” Eugin′s eyes popped open his hands were fists at his sides as I continued to taunt him, “The things we have done you have no idea, Let's just say he can really take a staff if you know what I mean” I laughed trying to sound like a demon to add to his rage, he stomped on the ground and charged forward we dodged out of the way I give a small salute to Carter “that’s my cue to leave!” and I started to madly dash away from the courtyard, Eugin hot on my trial “Kill this other inconvenience while I destroy that monster limb from limb!!!” he barked and started to scrape the ground behind me with his sword, maybe I over did it.

  Eugine chased me through the facility raging and cutting anything in his warpath, “Oh come one gramps, I didn’t even tell you the good parts!” thank god for my speed otherwise I would be dead on the ground, Eugin is no push over either he is closing the distance quickly “once I lay my hand on you I will tear that tongue of your form your mouth!” I kicked open the next set of doors leading to the kitchen and dining area. I had to stop dead in my tracks when I noticed this was a dead end. “This chase, like your life, is over!” Eugine yelled, with one swing of his claymore he collapsed the roof over the door trapping us inside, I swallowed and composed myself for the fight, Eugin raised an eyebrow “Why haven’t thou used your divine words?” he asked and raised his claymore and started to approach “well maybe I want to keep my strength for the fight” he laughed “you know your pitiful powers won't work on me, the nobody has seen to that” I walked closer “well gramps you got me, you want my head? Come and take it!” he swung his sword expecting to be repelled by a shield or an incoming attack “What!?!” I let go of the staff and blocked with my bear forearm, taking advantage of the burst of flames. I punched Euging in his gut, forcing him to take a step back.

  “How? Thou hast not uttered any word!!!” I returned to my fighting stance. “Well, Gramps, looks like you need some new prescription glasses!” I took off the linchpin Ozwald had enchanted before we left the boiler room, returning to my beautiful face and height. Once when and if I get out of this, I will hit Ozie for putting that dumb face with my appearance, but for now, I need to focus on keeping myself alive. “Thou trick me!” “hell yeah, we did. You need to work on your anger issues,” he threw himself at me, barking angrily at how much of an evil fiend I was, and bal bal bal, come on, Ozie, take down the titan before he kills me!

  “That… THAT IDIOT!!!” I took off my linchpin and turned back into me. I started to stomp on it, “he said he was just going to say we kiss and now he… he… ARGHHHHHUU!!!” I yelled “RESTRAIN” as golden chains bound the people getting close to me, my head still filled with rage at the comments Carter made, the titan roared, and a few rots with roses launched towards me, “Incinerate!” I pointed to the roots with my staff, and they quickly caught fire and turned to ashes. “I will be dealing with you right now!” I jumped out of the reach of the vines, with it′s size a normal divine word wouldn′t be enough I needed more power than normal, I cast a shield around me to give me time to chant after the dance I had been putting more time and energy into training and the fruit of that work will be the next step into being a melodist, a sorcerer can use basic divine words, while melodist can use an advanced version of them, while me yelling incinerate will have a good effect for the fight, a melodist can cast it in a more powerful way, however, I am ready to use this kind of power I don’t know how much I can keep it up, but I must try it, for if I don’t Carter will be killed by Eugin and I will not let that happen not when we patched thing up, its time to unleash a divine incantation.

  I closed my eyes and started to think of the effect I needed, I pictured the titan turning to cinders, keeping the hostages safe from the fire, I started to smell brimstone and coal, and all I had to do was come up with the incantation, the roots started to hit the shield and I know I don’t have much time before they pierce through “You who are borne of malice and pain” the roots and people trying to break down the barrier were still outside “pitiful, twisted being of dark emotions” the shield started to brake apart a root cut my cheek but didn’t broke my concentration “by the pure fire bind to my will I bid thee” the shield shattered the attacks were sure to follow, I opened my eyes and finish the incantation “return to the calderon form where you come, INFERNO!!!”

  The fire was violent and intense, immediately surrounding the titan and encasing it into a vortex of flames, it trashed around trying to put itself out but to no avail, it kept burning and crying, but the fire was also affecting me, and my barriers were breaking and my arms started to quickly corrode the second I burn or it burns is the second the fight would be over, the flowers and vines controlling the innocents were burned as well, they fall to the ground unconscious and unharmed, I need to hold up just a little bit more, if only I could cool myself down, “Ozie I got you dude!” Niko used his mirror to shoot cold water at me, “Niko!!!” allowing me to withstand the heat. “Ozwald, where′s Marten and Eugin?” Higen asked. I pointed with my head. Higen looked at Donna, she nodded, and they both sprinted to help him. With Niko′s support, the titan was fully consumed by the fire as the bright green core landed where it used to be. I used the staff for support. Niko came closer. “You okay?” “Just… tired… diven incantations… are difficult.” Niko smiled and picked the core up. “You were really cool tho.”

  “What's wrong? You stopped your rants now that your are wounded?” this old man is tough he broke my barriers and I haven’t been able to land a hit on him, the next time he cuts me it will be for real, not only that, blocking his hits is tarnishing my shackle quickly, a golden ring appeared in my nose and I can fell a painful horn commig out of my head at this rate I will be turned into a titan “monster… all of you are monster!” he went for the attack “Eugin… we must retrieve, your titan has been destroy and we do not want to fight Tartaros just yet” the voice of that stuck up man appeared as Otis the nobody appeared “pittifull, fighting for those that will tunri you into a monster” he said to me I wanted to brake his glasses with my fist but I couldn’t move, Eugin sighed and angrily walked to the rift Otis had opened “this is not over, I will save my knight form that sinful person” I lifted my hand and flipped him off as they left, Donna kicked the door and the debrie out of her way, she ran to em and gave me a hug, “babe what′s wrong? Where is that horrible man so I can stick my heel into his eye?” I loved it when she would murder for me. We walked out of the place and soon got help. It's good to know we are a better team now.