Chapter 19

Merlin had a plan, a plan that his Glimmer had given him. Looking at Hopix, he knew it was dangerous; Hopix’s temper was almost legendary. Merlin smiled when he remembered the first time Glimmer had lost her temper at him. Damn, that hadn’t been a very good day, that was for sure.

Sighing, first Alan had to defeat the last three. Merlin knew that the last two plain mages would be no problem, but this champion was another matter altogether. There had to be something that he could do to help Alan. Snapping his fingers, Merlin concentrated and created a small ball of light. Smiling, he concentrated again and it vanished. ‘There,’ he thought, ‘that might help, a little watchdog.’

Alan rolled over, his head pounding. What the hell was going on? He didn’t think he’d used that much energy as he thought back over all of the last battle. So that was why the water dark mage had been so confident! He’d been trying to drain Alan while he’d been attacking, basically using all of Alan’s power he’d absorbed against Alan. Damn it! No wonder he’d been so weak afterward. Unlike when Merlin gave him his power, the dark mage had actually used up all he took.

Another thing I really need to watch out for, Alan thought as the room stopped spinning. Opening his eyes, Alan looked around the room. Huh, this was a first; he was actually alone. Thinking of Hopix for a moment, his member got uncomfortably hard. Sighing, Alan thought, I’m going to die from just wanting her long before the dark mages finish me.

Getting up, Alan thought he ought to talk to Merlin about the energy-draining spells. Looking all over the sanctuary, Alan started to get a little worried when he didn’t see either Merlin or Hopix. Walking back in, Alan decided to eat before he did another thing. The main problem was he couldn’t eat what the people here did. He’d already had severe cramps from just a taste of the local food on another planet. Shaking his head, he wasn’t really ready for that again.

Alan waved his hand and a few dishes he’d had at the diner appeared before him. The food, piping hot, made his mouth water. Hell yeah! he thought, ‘that’s more like it!’ An hour later, still no Hopix or Merlin; Alan really started to get worried. Reaching out, he soon felt both of them not far from the sanctuary.

Flashing out, Alan appeared next to Merlin, and then his mouth dropped open. What in the hell was going on? Hopix was held suspended in the air in a spread-eagle position, a look of fear on her face ‘til she saw Alan.

“Merlin! What in the hell is going on? I sleep for a few hours and this happens? Talk, old MAN!” Alan roughly grabbed the front of Merlin’s shirt.

Merlin’s face was hurt as he tried to speak. “We had stepped out to get some air. I didn’t think they’d attack; they captured both of us an hour ago. I am unable to move from this spot, as I am afraid you are stuck also.”

Alan scoffed at Merlin and almost ripped the man from where he was stationary. Stepping up, Alan had ripped over half of what was holding Hopix loose when a dark mage appeared.

“Uh, uh, uh. Keep it up and she dies, bastard! You might have defeated the others somewhat easily, but that won’t happen here.” Alan lunged forward, freezing when Hopix screamed. “Sweet, isn’t she? Her screams will fuel my hatred for the human race for centuries. Now then, try to save her and she dies. Move, and she dies. Be a good little boy and stay right there as we eat your soul and power.”

Another dark mage appeared, this one looking like a twisted long-legged bird. Alan had been examining everything when suddenly a smile lit up his face. “So you want me to stand still, okay. Hit me if you can!” Alan growled as his face twisted into a mask of rage.

The second dark mage faltered a moment. Alan smiled more as the dark mage was suddenly a huge ball of flame. The first dark mage looked back at the second, causing Alan to smile more. Waving his hand across the sight of Hopix in front of him, Alan felt her fade and reappear within his shield behind him.

“I knew as soon as I saw you that you would take every advantage you could. You have a lot of power, and you obviously have more brains than the others. Well, you have a little more. Here I thought you had been watching me all this time. I am no simple fool as you thought I was. You are the last of an accursed blight upon this planet. It has been a while, but at last this planet will be free!” Alan shouted as he threw several attacks at the dark mage at the same time.

Diving and twisting, the dark mage wasn’t even aware when Alan appeared directly behind him. “You are dead! I have much more power than you!”

The dark mage was shocked when the dust and smoke cleared and Alan was gone! Reaching out, the dark mage felt nothing of the man. No wait, what!? Turning, the dark mage saw Alan behind him, but how? He’d felt nothing! “You were just outclassed,” Alan said as he made several slashing, flattening, and punching motions. Several cuts appeared, then the dark mage was buffeted, then he was suddenly flying backward, all the breath knocked out of him. Appearing above the bleeding, gasping mage, Alan growled, “Goodbye, you son of a bitch!”

The dark mage screamed as he caught fire and was suddenly flattened to a pulp. There was clapping behind him, making Alan whirl around and fire with all his rage. The champion’s eyes grew large as he increased his shields. What in the hell? It wasn’t enough as the bolts quickly ate through his shields, smashing into his left arm. His own rage building, the champion pointed his right hand at Alan.

“Just for that, you little bitch!” the champion growled out, “I’m going to kill you as slowly as I can!”

“Yeah, right! You and what army, you pathetic little ass! Have fun healing; there is none higher than us here. Though you could beg the dark council, I’m sure they’d love to help you. Oh yeah, that’s right, they aren’t allowed! Go away, little boy!”

The champion growled again, then was gone, though Alan knew he wouldn’t get that far with his injury. Turning, Alan tenderly picked up Hopix, nodded to Merlin, and flashed back to the sanctuary. Alan was just starting to take her into the sanctuary when her eyes briefly opened. “I’m sorry, my love, I’m sorry I haven’t told you who I am. Who my family is. I was so afraid that I would lose you. I love you more than life itself. My mother you have met before, my father you also know.”

Hopix’s skin started to glow. Again, Alan could only stare. What was going on with her? This was a lot like on the other Fairixie world when she had confessed that she wasn’t what she appeared to be. “What are you trying to tell me?” Alan asked her.

“I have denied who I am for so long out of the guilt I have felt. It was a mage I trained that betrayed and enslaved my home. I never allowed myself to grow close to anyone ‘til I met you. Please forgive me, my love.” Here, Hopix’s body started to levitate out of Alan’s arms.

Turning to look at Merlin, the old man was smiling, tears falling from his eyes. “Merlin? What in the hell is going on here?” Merlin only shook his head and motioned toward Hopix.

“Again, my love,” Hopix’s voice stated as it grew louder. “I am sorry I hid it from you. I was so afraid of losing you, even as I am right now.” Her eyes flashed as the glow around her radiated brighter.

Suddenly, the light council appeared, Hopix’s friend Nealiex standing at the front, a proud look on her face as tears streamed down her cheeks. Then the cube in Merlin’s hand flashed, and a vision of the queen appeared next to Nealiex, tears also in her eyes. “Finally,” Alan heard her say.

Floating to an almost standing position, a strange authoritative voice issued from Hopix’s mouth. “For centuries, I have denied who I truly am, what I am. As of today, I can no longer do this.” Here she looked at Alan. “I wish to accept Alan Glanto’s union promise, if after this he still wishes to. Before all assembled, before my family and friends, I now declare myself as Hopimer, First Princess of the Fairixie home world; next in line for the throne.” Here she looked at Alan, “I know you have to decide; you have a day, then either way the waiting ends.”

Hopix, now Hopimer, lowered her voice as she spoke to Alan, “I love you with all that I am, my love. I’ll understand if you reject me.” With that, all but Merlin vanished.

Alan stood there in shock. What in the hell had just happened? Where in the hell had everyone gone, especially Hopix? “Alright, talk, old man. What in the fuck is going on? Why didn’t you give me a hint or something?!”

Sighing, Merlin sat, “I couldn’t, Alan. It is their law. They have to declare and relate all things about themselves. I, especially as an outsider, could say nothing, even if she is my daughter.”

Pissed as hell, Alan growled, about to punch Merlin in the face but struck the wall instead. “What the fuck! Does everyone think that I am a child they have to spare the feelings of? Give me a break!”

“Just tell me one thing, Alan. Do you love my daughter?” Merlin asked, praying that the answer he got wasn’t the wrong one.

“Of course I love her! Christ, what in the hell is up with you people! I’m not a damn machine that can just turn it off and on!” Alan shouted, still pissed.

“Look, Alan, it has...” Merlin started.

“NO! You look, old man! I have an asshole to kill so that these people no longer live in fear. If I die, then problem solved. We aren’t bonded yet, so she’ll survive. If I live? Then I come back here and I kick the shit out of you! Agreed?” Alan said, his eyes flashing with anger.

Merlin smiled. So, Alan wasn’t against his daughter yet. Good, they needed to build on that. “You might find that harder than you think, but you can try, young man.”

“HA!” Alan shouted back over his shoulder as he stormed out of the sanctuary.

The champion smiled as he looked at the clone that Alan had defeated with ease. Turning toward the sanctuary, he felt the ultra-high power spike. Damn, he thought, it felt like that bitch of Alan’s. Appearing outside the sanctuary, the champion’s mouth dropped open as he watched everything. Damn it! She was no longer Hopix! Under the agreement, she was free. Then he smiled. Good, this ought to screw Alan up enough to make him an easier target.

The champion waited a while, then saw an extremely angry Alan leave the sanctuary. Ah! Good, now to declare his right to start the battle.

Appearing in front of Alan, far from the sanctuary, the champion smiled. “I think it’s time to end this, or are you too tired?”

“You really don’t want to do this right now,” Alan warned the man.

“Oh, but I do, you ass wipe. Shall we?” the champion sneered as he started to power up.

“Fine, you’re that eager to die? So be it!” Alan said as the champion mockingly nodded at him.

Alan contacted Merlin, letting him know he was about to start the last battle. He needed to get all the Lobrits to safety under their cities. Alan told the man that he knew he now had the power and needed to hurry; this was going to be extremely messy.

At first, they just threw a few bolts at each other, feeling each other out. Satisfied, the champion suddenly started to fire with increasing power at Alan. Several bolts missed, as Alan thought they might. Flashing out and behind the champion at the last second, the man was shocked as his own attacks hit his shields.

“Nice move, ass wipe. Now then...” the champion started just as Alan let loose an extremely powerful bolt. The champion’s mouth dropped open as he felt the heightened power of it, fueled by Alan’s rage. Hitting his shields, it sliced through, brushing the champion’s left leg. Screaming, he retaliated, smashing Alan’s shields with a myriad of attacks.

It seemed they were going at it for hours. The champion was a little frustrated. Everything he’d learned about Alan was doing no good; he had to resort to something desperate soon if this kept up. The champion could feel his power actually dwindling a bit. No, he thought, I have plenty. Alan will fade long before I do.

Alan wasn’t all that sure he could defeat this little piss ant. Except for the first bolt, Alan had only been fighting the champion to a standstill. Though he’d used a hell of a lot of power, Alan still had a huge reserve if he had to resort to it. As of yet, he thought he was still good, though.