The Universe Rings (A Ringing Purpose)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Kenneth knelt beside Halo, pulling her by the shoulders into an embrace. "I-I'm sorry," he whispered.

    Halo emitted sobs into his chest. Kenneth opened his mouth to say something but footsteps clamped on the tile behind him. Kenneth let go of Halo, grabbed her sword and turned toward the noise as he stood.

    A man stood in the middle of the room—not a man—a being who used to be one. He stared at Halo and Kenneth with soulless eyes; he owned no mouth on his pale face, his ears were nowhere to be found and his nose was thin and curved downward. He wore a thin black suit and a few black strands of wispy hair hung from his head down to his shoulders.

Kenneth clenched his sword handle and ran towards Xexile. He tried to stab him, but Xexile teleported behind him. Kenneth swung his sword around and his sword sliced across Xexile's waste but he looked unharmed—the sword went through him like air. Too angry to care, Kenneth slashed his sword at Xexile, but Xexile didn't even flinch.

Halo suddenly stabbed Xexile from behind with the sword Kenneth had been using earlier, but all Xexile did was stare at the blade, pencil-thin eyebrows raised.

Kenneth and Halo backed away from Xexile; Halo behind, and Kenneth in front of him, pointing their swords at him.

To Kenneth's horror, where Xexile's mouth should be, the skin tore open, and he spoke in a voice almost as powerful as the wispy being's, but it held no calming effect, but a hair-raising one. "Children, be careful with your swords. You know they aren't toys. Who gave the impression that a mortal could cut me with ease? I cannot be hurt, unlike you, Kenneth, with your wounds," Xexile continued.

Kenneth scowled.

Xexile said, "Oh, Kenneth, so much chivalry in your young heart." Kenneth swung his sword at Xexile's neck with no effect. Xexile said, "I am but a simple god who only asks for respect."

Halo spoke up, voice shaking, "Respect is earned, not given. And you are no god."

"No god?" Xexile questioned coldly. "What mortal can endure what I have? What mortal can live as long as I have? What mortal can destroy what I can?"

    Halo didn't respond.

    Xexile turned to Kenneth. "Not many mortals can die and live again...but I can ensure that no mortal resurrects twice," he said. "I am a meek god and very little angers me but you have, Kenneth Davis, and all sins come with the price of death."

    Kenneth jutted his jaw. "I'm not planning on dying," he said, willing to keep his voice steady.

    "No one really does," Xexile said, raising the hair on Kenneth's neck.

    Everything before Kenneth disappeared and in a short moment, he stood on a wooden dock. Around him, trees grew high into the sky, and before him rippled a large lake. He'd been here before. He'd gone fishing with his dad.

    Kenneth stepped forward, looking over the edge of the deck. A little boy's face reflected back at him in the water, hair cut short on his head to where the waves weren't noticeable. Kenneth bent over a little further and fell.

    Water crashed in his ears; he tried to scream but water filled his mouth. His arms and legs flailed, hands groping for something to hold but only water. He gasped for breath, but choked—trying again, he only inhaled more water.

    As he sunk, his lungs stung. He flapped his arms desperately, but it was futile. Looking above, the sky's light dimmed to black.

    Kenneth gasped for breath as he sat up on the tiled floor. To his relief, he breathed in oxygen, not water. But his lungs still stung, which didn't make sense. It had only been a memory...a very real and vivid memory.