The Man in black

You know what i'm going to put here don't you? you should..

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Chapter Twenty-Two
A Toast


Peyton's hand slid instinctively to his sword, but when he went to grab he felt nothing.
He sighed, "Shit.."

The man laughed at his misfortune, "It would not matter anyway.. you will die before
you have a chance to strike!"
They both rushed him, changing sides to strike out forward.
Peyton bounded over them and spun around only to find them waiting as he landed.
The man and woman kept up their attacks, leaving him little room for error.
If he slipped he would be sceward and probably perish.
Midna spoke to him, ~Hey, keep it up, i'll go get your weapon..
just don't die before I get back!~
Midna flew out of his shadow and up to the room, melting through the door.
The man had been shocked and followed Midna's ascent.
His companion followed wherever his gaze was.
Peyton saw an opening..

He crossed his arms and through them out, sending a shockwave outward, blasting the two away.
The man fell unhurt but the woman was not so lucky.
The woman's head hit the wall and she fell forward, her unblinking eyes closing at last.
The woman smashed into the ground face-first and blood pooled under her head.
The man called out to the girl before rushing to help her.
He held the womans body in his arms, saying
"My dear Amy.. are you alright?"
When she did not respond he let out a cry of anguish and jumped to his feet, pointign at Peyton.
"You filthy worm! how dare you strike her?!" the man screamed.
The man rushed forward, his rapier lashing out at him.

Peyton jumped back and away, sliding out of the way of the mans quick thrusts.
Midna floated down with some difficulty, her hair-hand gripping his sword.
It slipped from her hands and fell blade first towards them.
~oopsie!~
The man was rushing once more when the blade fell between him, the man saw his face in the gleam.
Peyton gripped the blades hilt and hefted it behind him, grinning.
"What was that you were saying?" Peyton said, raising the blade to the man.
The man growled at him before composing himself.
"I believe it's time for my exit, fare well!"
The man scooped up his fallen companion and ran for the nearest window.
Peyton threw the Coccoon towards them.
"You coward! You won't get away!"
The man smashed through the window and fell.
When Peyton looked out the window, they were gone. He pulled his blade of
of the wall and put it on his back.

Peyton searched frantically but could not find Tira or Link.. where were they?
He ran up the stairs and through the double doors towards Ivy's chambers.
When he turned the doorknob he found the door locked.. she must still be in there.
Peyton took a step back and kicked the door, sending it crashing open and chunks
of door flying. Ivy shot up straight, she had been sleeping soundly.
She looked at him groggily, "Oh.. do you have to be so loud?
Link sat up next to her, scratching his head.
So thats where he had been..

He rushed with them through the Mansion.
They found Tira passed out with a bottle in her hand.
When they had everyone in check they made another
"rope" and flung it out the open window.
Link and Ivy looked at him oddly.. there wasn't anything to fasten it to.
He tied it around his waist and pressed a foot up against the wall.

Peyton glare at them, "Get going, now!"
Ivy shook her head, "You fool.. there's no way for you to get out if
you're the anchor!"
"I do not die so easily Ivy" , adding a wink.
She sighed and climbed down the rope.
Peyto nturned to Link.
"Take Tira and climb down.."
Link looked at him helplessly, "but what about you? how will you escape?"
Peyton shook his head, "As I told Ivy, I do not die easily.. for the most part"
Link nodded and climbed down the rope with Tira slung over his shoulder.

Peyton untied the rope when they were on the ground.
He heard footsteps behind him.
Peyton sighed heavily, "This is getting a little old, Cleon.."
He turned around to face the Butcher only to see him walk into a wall of flames.
Peyton would not let him escape too!

He dashed through the flames after him, running down a long hallway.
The hallway grey dark and dim as his footsteps now reverberated off
a cobblestone street instead of a marble floor.
He looked down to see if his assumptio nwas correct.
It indeed was.. he now ran on a cobblestone street surrounded by burning buildings.
He was running back into Armindale!

He reached the castle.. Peasants and nobles alike were running in terror as soldiers
chased them down to slaughter them.
The smell of death was strong in the air as he approached the throne room.
Bodies were strown about he once glorous throne room.
Cleon sat on a broken throne, surrounded by chained women.
Cleon motioned to them, "You remember these fine women do you not?
We met them at the party!" Cleon laughed.

Peyton stared in horror.. it was the women Cleon had seduced.. he had
taken their very souls to this place!
Once every few moments one of the women would cry out "Master Cleon!"
He could not take this anymore..

Peyton ran forward, pulling the Coccoon free and jumping at Cleon, attempting to cut
the demon in half and end this.
Cleon merely lashed out with his normal hand, hitting him with a stronger shockwave than
Peyton could even muster.
Peyton slammed into the floor and skidded, coming up with a flip after he stopped.
Cleon stood up from the throne and walked towards him.
The women he had enslaved cried out for him and reached to grasp his leg.

Cleon stood before him, grinnign wickedly.
"This has gone on long enough old friend.. I will be taking my body back now.."
Cleon came down with the Soul Edge on him.
Peyton blocked it with the Coccoon, which blocked the initial attack but cracked in the process.
Cleon eyed the weapon suspiciously, "hmm.. it survived did it? It will not a second time!"
Cleon was indeed right, for the next attack shattered the blade at the hilt, sending bits to the floor.
The Butcher held Soul Edge above his head.
"Time to die!"

Both of the men heard giggling.
~Afraid not~
Midna flew out of the darkness and hit the unsuspecting Cleon in the face
with her own dark energies, Cleon screamed and held his face with his grotesque hand.
Midna wagged her finger at the enraged Cleon.
~tsk tsk.. such a shame.. and you had such a pretty face too!~

Cleon pulled his hand away to reveal a disfiguring burn on half of his face.
Cleon just smiled at her, "You shall pay for that imp-bitch.. I believe I will
make you my own little concubine.. how does that tickle you bitch?!"
Midna cackled at his threat, ~Go ahead and try~
Cleon slashed at her with Soul edge only to have her keep dissapearing and reapearing.

Peyton bent down slowly and picked up a large shard of his broken blade, holding it
in two hands and rushing forward. Cleon turned to him and raised his arm to attack.
Peyton went under the attack and shoved the shard deep into the Butcher, impaling him.

Cleon staggered backward and clutched his stomach, falling over with a horrible wail.
Midna floated over to him, grinning.
~well.. he wasn't all that tough was he?~
She pulled on his arm to try and get him to leave but he wouldn't move.
Peyton kept his eyes locked on Cleon.

Cleon rose back up, floating to stand before them.
The Butcher laughed to himself, pulling the shard free and slamming it into the ground.
Cleon smiled, "I believe that was enough time.. hahahaha"
Cleon dissolved into the darkness.

The vision of Armindale faded to be replaced by the mansion again.
Flames completely engulfed the ballroom except for a small area in the middle in which he stood.
Cleon had doomed him.

Peyton sat in the fire at the Piano, gazing at the fires that would soon claim him..
Was this how it was finally going to end?
~It will be ok.. close your eyes~

Tira, Link, Ivy and her guests stood outside the Mansion staring at it.
Tira's grin faded as the building groaned and collapsed, crushing down into a pile
of burning debris.
Ivy sighed, "There goes another one.."
Link looked at the fire sadly.
Everyone left the fire behind save for Tira, she stood staring at the flames
waiting for Peyton to come out..

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