Of Good & Evil

XVI. A Clash of Gods

"You're going to kill me, huh?" Nero said with a smirk, "I thought you were the soft, nurturing type. Wouldn't you rather just teach me a lesson or something?"

"Not today," Judais said, his voice full of malice and hatred, "The only thing I have left to teach you is the peace in death."

"Well, you definitely won't be able to do it at that level," Nero said, "I've grown much more powerful than the last time I challenged you."

Nero raised his fists slightly and began gathering his energy. The ground started to tremble and the group were looking about the room as the walls of the dome began to crack under the strain of the palpable energy in the air.

Passion used what little energy she had left to create a barrier around them, as the dome began to collapse, causing debris to fall from the walls and ceiling. When enough debris had fallen and Passion could barely hold the barrier up, Time looked to her and said, "Hold it for just another few seconds." Passion nodded. Time pulled Fantasma's body to them, closed his eyes, and then used the last of his power to phase the group to the outside of the complex about a hundred feet outside the dome they were just in.

"That was as far as I could go," Time said, gasping for breath.

"Damn it, Time," Xenon said weakly, "Now we can't see what's going on insi—"

Just then, an explosion blew open the dome and damaged several nearby domes with it. Nero had apparently powered up fully and was now ready, the red vapor gently flowing off him. Judais stood opposite him, the black flames continuing to rise.

"I've shown you mine," Nero said, "Now you show me yours."

Judais pulled his hood down as he replied in the dark voice he had since he arrived, "So be it."

A shockwave exploded from Judais, blowing the floor, all remnants of the walls, and the rest of the complex away with it, as the flames disappeared from Judais entirely, replaced instead by black lightning. Passion had just managed to put up a defense so that they weren't wiped out with it.

"So much power between the two of them," Time said, his voice trembling slightly.

"And to think," Hardy said weakly, "we get to watch."

When they looked back to Judais, instead of glowing any color, both of his eyes were now solid black. Passion thought he looked possessed, as his power continued growing higher still. Black markings resembling tattoos began appearing on Judais's neck and all down his arms.

"You know," Nero said, looking down at Judais, "I think that if you had given me the same tutelage and guidance you've given so many others, things may have turned out differently between the two of us."

"Your pride always kept you from learning," Judais replied. "Always an excuse."

"You are equally guilty in terms of pride, old friend," Nero said with a laugh.

"If you say so," Judais said.

Nero slowly floated back to the ground, gently landing across from Judais on their now clear battleground. Almost any trace of the compound being there before was gone. All that remained now were small fragments of wall sticking up from the ground, the floors being blasted away when the two raised their power.

The two didn't move at first, simply stared at one another. It seemed to last for several minutes as the group's eyes were locked on both men. Then both seemed to vanish, disappearing from view as the fight began. For a while, all the group could see or hear were things moving through the air at incredible speeds. The sounds echoing through the valley sounded like jets flying overhead as both moved too fast for even Xenon to see.