The Last of the Octoudrans

Zyxyz

I was running along the white sands of the Luna Beach. I was running hard, pushing myself, testing my limits, and most of all, trying to understand who I was, and what I was feeling. The sun was setting, dyeing the water a blood red. Later, I saw that this was appropriate, for as I turned to go back, even though I had not achieved my purpose, I spotted a figure standing on the sands not ten feet away. I was startled, for not only had it approached silently, and completely unnoticed, it was also as no other person I had seen before.
It stood, near seven feet in height, wearing clothing as the blackest night I have ever seen. It had a pair of wings, as a raven, sprouting from behind its shoulders, and two arms, both from the upper region of its torso. It stood, facing me on but two legs, which might have seemed normal, but in the presence of its unusual appendages, looked strangely bizarre.
Then it spoke, and its voice was deep and mysteriously dark. It said, "I am who they call Zyxyz, and I am the last of the Octoudrans."
Then, I felt an existence in my mind, as though I was no longer alone with my most private thoughts. I shivered, taking a step to the side, and it is well I did, for at that moment, an arrow passed through the place where I had been but a moment before, though I could see no bow from whence it came.
Zyxyz took a step toward me, covering several feet, and raised its top right hand. The air inside the clenched fingers warped, as water warps when a stone disturbs it. At first it appeared as though light was reflecting off the air, but then it seemed more like Zyxyz had a knife in its hand. Before I had time to react, it took another step toward me, and placed the blade at my throat.
It said, "Your race is as weak and feeble as I had heard in the old stories, yet I had to see for myself. I will not kill you now, for I sense in your mind that you are unhappy in your existence, and it would not please me to kill you thus. I will remain near, however, and the moment it seems as though you are beginning to enjoy the wretched survival you call life, that moment will be your last."
So saying, Zyxyz took a step back from me, and vanished, leaving but a trace of smoke which quickly vanished in the air to show it had ever been there.

The Blood-Grass

As soon as Zyxyz disappeared, I dashed across up the beach, inland, no longer trusting the sea. I found myself in a place I had never encountered before, though I had been in the area many times. There was knee-high grass, waving in the breeze that could still be felt from the sea. For a moment I was tempted to turn back, for it seemed as though there was a danger lurking in the grass, though I had no evidence of this. I pushed my fear aside, and waded out into the sea of grass.
Instantly, I knew I had made a mistake. I felt several stalks of grass wrap around my ankles, and it seemed as though they dragged me to the ground. More grass tied my wrists, and I felt it tighten. For a brief moment I caught a glimpse of my hand, and saw that it was turning purple, and the grass was cutting into my skin deeply, I could see that blood had been drawn. It appeared as though the grass sensed this, more grass began to bind my neck and draw down tight. My vision blurred, I could only see a mere pinprick clearly. I saw Zyxyz floating in the air, laughing. I do not know if this was real or an illusion. But suddenly I felt strength flowing through me. I didn't want to die, not there, not like that. Then, I noticed a light, hovering around my hands. It was more than that, it seemed as though the light was coming through my hands, or even from them. I pulled my arm upward, and the grass parted like it did not even exist. Quickly, I reached toward my neck, and snapped the grass that was strangling me. I felt the life-giving air flow back into my lungs, and the darkness which clouded my vision disappeared. I freed my ankles similarly, and leapt to my feet. I could see the grass, straining to get at me. Quickly, I dove from the field, landing on my hands of golden light, and rolled to my feet.
I looked about me. I was trapped and I knew it. Zyxyz was going to stop me from going anywhere, with its strange power to create, and animate things. For a moment I was tempted to walk back into the field of grass, and let my life end there. I knew I would not, Zyxyz was a challenge, and I would not back down, I would strive against him, and whether in the end he was defeated or I, maybe I would become a little stronger, maybe I would learn a little more about myself.

The Tempest

There are few things in this world as frightening as being at sea in a storm. I had seen the wrath of the sea before, and what it could do to anyone who tested their might against it. I noticed that black clouds were rolling in, that the wind was becoming stronger, and that the distant waves were growing taller. Maybe it was because of my near-death with the field of grass, or maybe I would have sensed it anyway, but I knew that there was something unnatural about this storm. Suddenly, the wind, which had been blowing in my face moments before as I faced the sea, abruptly changed direction, and I was almost blown over. Then, there was a gust of wind, stronger than anything I had ever experienced or even heard of, lifted me off my feet, and flung me out to sea.
For a moment, I flew through the air, the salt and water stinging my eyes, and the next I struck the water. The force of the blow drove the air from my lungs, and the pain of striking the water filled my every thought. Then I was under the water, and it was strangely silent, the howling of the tempest and the breaking of the waves became quiet instantly. For a moment I could not tell if I was sinking, or remaining suspended in the water, as I was stunned by the power of striking the water, a second later, I hit the sandy bottom. My jumbled thoughts became clear, and I fought the water, desperate to reach the surface. Just as I was about to inhale, air or no, I splashed clear to the surface. I gasped, and breathed in. Then, I found that I could hear again, for the wind was once again wailing in my ears.
I also noticed that I was much farther down the coast than I was when I had entered the water. This part of Luna beach was not composed of soft sand, but rather gathered into coarse rocks at the base of a steep precipice. I felt the sea rise beneath me, as if it had an intelligence all its own, and throw me forward. For an instant I was airborne again, a sensation I had experienced what seemed like mere moments before. Then I crashed into the rocks, and all coherent thought left my head.

The Game

I came to my senses slowly, and the first thought I had was that I should not be having any thoughts, that I should be dead. I remembered the last few moments that I could remember, and recalled the strength and speed at which I had been hurled into the rocks. The very last thing I could recollect was a golden light in my eyes, no other details. I opened my eyes, and found Zyxyz staring at me. I closed my eyes again. There was no use in trying anymore, I had given up. Then Zyxyz spoke.
It said, "Perhaps there is more to you than I realized at first. You seem to have power in you, some trifle that could maybe be of use to me."
Zyxyz paused and I realized that he was waiting for a response. I said, "Yes, I could well be that I have power, and perhaps it is no mere trifle, for I have survived your attempts at destroying me."
Zyxyz expression darkened, and he leaned in closer to me, "Make no mistake", he said, "There is nothing I would enjoy more than annihilating you. If you persist in conversing in a tone that I deem lacks a certain amount of respect, I will kill you." Zyxyz paused, and appeared to be thinking. At last he said, "Very well, we will play a game."
This statement was one of the last things I had expected to hear, and I was startled. Zyxyz continued, "We will risk your future, and my involvement in it, on a simple game. To be more precise it will be a contest of combating. I know you could never hope to match my abilities, so I will create a creature for you to fight. If you win, I will leave you, but if my creature wins, I will kill you."
I grimaced, the contest was definitely slanted in his favor, however I had nothing to lose. I agreed. Zyxyz strode off a few paces away, and held two of its arms upward, and two outward before it. The air shimmered, the same way it had when it created the knife, and suddenly there stood a mighty creature, the likes of which I couldn't have imagined. It was shaped like a wolf, except about four times as big as usual wolves. It had a serpent-like head, and two bat wings sprouting out of its back.
Zyxyz turned back toward me and smiled. "Let the game begin!" he cried.
Instantly the creature leapt toward me, covering the yards between us in a single bound. One of its wings flew out, striking me in my arm. I was thrown to the ground. The creature struck with its fangs, and I turned away just in time. The fangs buried themselves in the ground beside me.
I felt a strength arise in me, and I looked at my hands. They turned golden as they had before. Suddenly I knew what to do, even though I had no reason for the idea. Confidently, I raised one hand, and struck the beast a mighty blow in one of its serpent eyes. It roared, and whipped its head backward, scattering grains of sand through the air. I jumped up, but my foot caught a nub of stone, and luckily I was sent sprawling. I say luckily, because at that moment, a blast of fire erupted from the creature's mouth, and I felt the heat as it grazed my arm. I turned toward the beast, just as it loosed another eruption of flames. I closed my eyes and threw up my arms in an attempt to defend myself, and though normally this would have done no more than incinerated my hands an instant before the rest of me, the golden light on my hands somehow reflected the fire, and it was thrown back toward the creature. There was a massive roar as the fireball struck it, and then all was quiet. I glanced up to find that the creature had disappeared as if it had never been there.
Zyxyz stood to one side, shaking its head, as if in disbelief. It looked toward me and smiled. I did not understand its apparent mirth, until it explained, "You fought well human; your power is the force of good. But that is but one of the differences between good and evil, you conflict fairly. I lie. I will haunt you for the rest of your life, I will strike anyone around you, anyone who knows you, anyone whom you love, or who loves you. And then, when you least expect, you will find me waiting for you. And you will die."
So saying, it disappeared, leaving me wondering. To this day I have fought it bitterly, the struggle never ceases. Sometimes I seem to be succeeding, and then it will be back, stronger than ever. I will not let anything happen to the ones I care about, so I am still here, and maybe I always will be, waiting for it, whenever it comes back.