Maleficus

"Of course. Do you think I would allow you to keep them?" Charles growled shrugging off its touch. Thrusting out his staff, spinning around forming a circle of protection as he readied himself for his assault. "Now release them or face destruction!"

"Oh, such confidence for one so young," it cooed as it drifted around him looking for any weakness it could exploit. "Here take them if you can." Waving its arm feeling the fabric of reality fold in on itself. Suspended between the stone pillars the tar like substance held them aloft, hanging across from one another, Charles had a suspicion he was meant to choose which one he was meant to save. Catching the slight movement as his friends and family moved into position waiting on his signal to free his mother and aunt. It was all up to him to keep the creature's attention long enough for them to escape safely without getting himself killed in the process. "Now come, let us dance our fateful battle," it said, before launching itself at him. Catching its outstretched hands with his staff listening to its skin burn underneath the touch of his staff. Its howl of pain resounded throughout the night air as Charles struggled against its overwhelming strength.

"Adolebitque!" Charles grunted trying to keep from being torn to shreds by its pestilence filled nails. The world around him shuddered as the beast burst into flame, clawing at its robes as the holy flame ate away its dark essence. His eyes flickering over as they cut his aunt free from the spell the creature had encased her in. Hearing his mother's body drop to the ground, smiling inwardly knowing half of their plan was going their way.

"Charles!" His father called out with his mother in his arms. "You finish this here and now! You better not get yourself killed in doing so," Steven said, looking at his son in the light of the flame before moving off to a safe distance.

Steeling his body, feeling the flow of the stream in turmoil, wondering if he could keep true to his father's words. An idea struck him out of the blue, he didn't know if it would destroy the beast or only delay the inevitable. Sending his staff spinning around him, feeling the flow of the stream centering on him as his staff increased in speed. Filling his body with its white hot light, Charles felt feverish as the will of the arcane bent around him.

"Ego Sum Sage, Ego Sum, Vos Revertetur Unde Veristis!" Charles shouted out, focusing all of his might on the creature. His head snapped backwards as the flow of the stream erupted from the center of his chest. Engulfing his foe in its blinding light, eating away at its body piece by piece, returning it back to where it was spawned from. As the last wisp of the creature's essence faded into the ether, crumbling to the ground, feeling his body drained of every ounce of energy he had. Steam drifting off his weary body, his staff wobbled a few inches in the air before dropping back to the ground.

"Charles! Charles!" His mother's voice calling out to him as she raced through the structure. Groaning as she barreled into him wrapping her arms around her son before checking if he was injured from his ordeal.

"So, the Sage has won once again," Vena said, smiling proudly at her former student.

"No," Charles said wearily, shaking his head. "I've only stopped it for now, I can feel it out there, trying to reconstitute itself before challenging me again. The battle still rages on, it's only a matter of time before it shows itself once again."

The End