"I'll have you both laid out if you fight in the audience chamber. Actually you three, I know you'd jump in to help Jessica, kid." Thomas said, glancing at Markus
Enrique and Jessica suddenly lost their voices. Thomas had already fought both of them in the past, one at a time that was but the outcome wouldn't have changed.
Markus meanwhile looked toward Thomas.
"Not all masters are made alike boy." Thomas said
In that moment Markus's throat got extremely dry like he had walked a desert.
"Scram." He commanded
Markus only tensed up
In the next moment, he was outside the audience hall. In Jessica's arms.
"Its unwise to test your luck. If you think you can take on a master then why didn't you escape Jaaku? Don't forget how weak you are in the grand scheme of things." Jessica said
"I could have killed him…" Markus said as she turned around
"What are you saying?" Jessica asked
"He entered my mental plain. I could have drowned him in celestial energy… his soul would've collapsed under its weight… or so Anax said." Markus answered
"How did he enter your mental plain?" She asked
"It's… complicated. Eye contact to begin with. But I think we need to be completely focused on each other. And then I need to do something to pull them in." Markus explained
"… try it on me." Jessica said
"What!?" Markus exclaimed
Jessica grabbed his face and looked him in the eyes.
"Do it." She said
Markus' eyes locked in with hers and then began to shine brightly. His blue eyes lit up the world and then…
"Where am I?" Jessica asked, confused as she found herself in a dark void
"Sorry— I forgot to create something." Markus' voice rang within the void
Then the void distorted and colours flowed into her vision before they took shape. They were in the hall outside the audience chamber.
"What just happened?" Jessica asked
"This is the mental plain." Markus replied
"No… we're in the royal palace. Ugh why do I believe the words of a fourteen year old kid. Come on, let's get you in your room." Jessica said
"I'm serious. We can't go anywhere unless I decide to make another place." Markus said
"So if I open this door—" Jessica said, pointing to the door to the audience chamber
"Do it—" Markus said
She sighed and went to push the massive door open.
It did not budge.
"What gives—" she said enhancing herself with all her might now
Then she pushed against the door.
And nothing.
"I told you." Markus said
"You really should stop bringing masters in here." A man's voice resounded
Then at the end of the hall, a tall man in a black court suit appeared out of thin air and slowly walked toward Markus and Jessica. His steps echoed as he approached.
"You must be Emperor Anax." Jessica said
"I see that no introductions are necessary." Anax replied
"I'm honored that an emperor knows about me." Jessica said sarcastically
"Why did you manifest?" Markus asked Anax
"I wanted to stretch my legs. It's not often you're in here creating places." Anax replied
Markus sighed
"If you could do all of this… then why didn't you kill Jaaku?" Jessica asked
"… there were too many elites." Markus said weakly
"You're more than capable of escaping elites." Jessica said
Markus remained silent, not meeting her gaze
"He was scared. Scared that he would become like me, if he used celestial energy to kill. Being an emperor of creation made him think his powers shouldn't be used to harm others. Power is power. It's quite senseless to restrict its use based on morality." Anax said
"If you hadn't used your powers to single handedly make people's lives miserable maybe you wouldn't have been stripped of your power and killed." Markus retorted
"By your logic I merely followed the nature of my powers. But why do you pretend to do the same? For a wind attuned person you've used your powers to bind people several times. Isn't the wind the element of freedom? How dare you use the element of freedom to rob others of theirs?" Anax asked
"That's different! I did it because I was defending myself—" Markus said
"And killing Jaaku who had been keeping you prisoner and torturing you on the daily wouldn't have been self defence?" Anax asked
Markus wanted to say something. But couldn't.
"You didn't kill him because of your morality. You did it because you were afraid to kill him. Because you were afraid that you would become like me." Anax mocked
"Shut up—" Markus shouted
The world around them changed. They were now in the dungeons below the royal palace. Anax was bound in a squalid cell and chained up whilst Markus was outside with Jessica.
"Oh? Why couldn't you do this to Jaaku? Instead you just left him in the void and kicked him out soon after!" Anax mocked
"Silence wretch. Children should not be asked to kill. Do not impose your corrupted views on him." Jessica cursed
"He stopped being a child the day he decided to put his trust in that scheming bastard's descendants. He just became a fool!" Anax shouted in mockery
"I SAID SHUT UP!" Markus shouted
The realm shook as celestial energy enveloped Anax. Then he vanished.
Or rather… was vanquished.
"So you are capable of using it to harm." A voice from beyond the constructed realm said, chuckling
"What did you do…?" Jessica asked Markus
"… I'm not sure… I… just wanted him to stop…" Markus said in shock
"Celestial energy followed your will, and now I can't manifest without being hunted down by it. If you had shown such wrath against Jaaku his soul would've shattered. But instead you were scared you would kill him. You must see me as a ghost from children's stories then. Would you kill me?" Anax asked
"Stop playing with my mind, Anax." Markus said
As his words echoed, the world crumbled and Jessica found herself back in the hall outside the audience hall.
"Spirits… just what did I see…" Jessica said in disbelief
"Welcome to life in my head… one of these days I'll figure out how to shut him up." Markus said with a sigh
"Is this… real?" Jessica asked
"Do you hear him?" Markus asked
"No?" Jessica replied
"Then you're in the real world." Markus replied
"Let's get you rested up." Jessica said, leading the way
"Sure." Markus said, following her
As they walked to his room, she asked him:
"You two seem at odds with each other. What happened?" Jessica asked
"I he had only helped me to gain my trust. It was all for his own benefit— helping me was just the means." Markus said quietly
"How did you figure it out? He's not someone who would just tell you." Jessica asked
"He was teaching me how to protect myself… soon after the Crystal her majesty used on me failed. And when I was embraced by celestial energy… I realised I could feel the world around me. All of it… including emotions… intentions… and then I felt it… malice." Markus said, sighing
"You thought you had an allie close to you… but in truth…" Jessica said
"He would have stabbed me in the back the second he could have taken control of my and the energy I possess." Markus said, opening the door to his room
"Goodnight, Markus."
"Goodnight… Master Jessica." Markus said, closing the door behind him