by I'm Not Mister Mxypltk and T5
"Oooookay..." M'xy said to himself, "...here we go again."
He looked at K'tl, floating in the air, exuding darkness.
M'xy levitated until he reached K'tl's level. If M'xy and K'tl touched each other, their respective energies would repel violently, causing an explosion not good for any of them.
Last time, M'xy had managed to trick K'tl. They had run into each other on the street. They both knew what would happen when they reached the other, but one was blinded by hate, and the other one had a plan. When they got close to each other, M'xy stopped running and extended his aura, making K'tl run into it. The resulting explosion sent K'tl several blocks away from there. But M'xy knew his complete opposite wouldn't fall for the same trick twice.
M'xy started carefully getting closer to K'tl. Perhaps, he thought, he could turn him into a chopstick or something, and this whole thing would be over.
"BOO!" K'tl yelled as he unexpectedly jumped closer to M'xy.
M'xy backed off immediately, but then he realized nothing happened when K'tl almost touched him. No friction.
"Hee hee hee," K'tl laughed, without smiling. "Wasn't expecting that, were you?"
M'xy didn't say a word.
"I bet you're wondering why nothing happened. The answer's pretty simple, actually. We are no longer equals. Our energies don't repel like they used to."
M'xy was actually wondering what one should do with their hands in a situation like this. Keeping them busy while K'tl talked was pretty hard.
"Bet you're wondering how that happened. Pretty simple, again. We are no longer equals, because now I'm better."
M'xy started closing his fingers one at a time, counting them as he did it. He wanted to make sure if it was true what they said about humans having twenty fingers.
"That's right. I'm better. I'm superior. My 'boss' over there has given me all I need to end my mission: a little bit of extra power, enough to kill you."
"I only see ten."
"There's no use in begging for mercy, for I... What did you just say?"
"I only see ten fingers," M'xy said. "I feel ripped off."
"Do you not understand what I have just said to you? Is the fear so great you simply deny the inevitable? Or is it that you are so stupid you can't face the truth?"
"No, I've been listening!" M'xy said. "You said we can touch each other now, didn't you?"
"Yes."
M'xy punched K'tl in the face. K'tl, disoriented, stopped floating and fell.
"You're lucky I'm not that cartoon bunny!" M'xy said, looking down at K'tl lying on the ground. "He would have kissed you in the mouth, that silly bunny!"
K'tl, furious, looked at M'xy and concentrated. One of M'xy's arms exploded.
"M-I-C-K is not gonna like that..." M'xy said. "Now he's got only five fingers."
Back at the house, Naecken was being taken care of by Shirley Francis. And the pain he felt was terrifying. He had never felt anything like it before.
The darkness had arrived, a darkness with a familiar scent. Something within him stirred, a part of him that he had tried to lock away deep inside. But he knew that he had to get up and help his friends, get up and face the darkness that awaited him.
A memory... a name... Lord Kwaiziel... Who was that? It felt familiar, as if he knew someone with that name.
He moaned, and Shirley looked at him with worried eyes. "How are you feeling? Is it painful?" she said, pointing at the flaming wound in his chest.
"Yes, girl... you must get me out of here. Take me to them."
"But you're hurt," she said, backing away as he sat up in bed.
"You MUST take me to them. I know how to defeat the darkness. I have done it before..."
She hesitated but reconsidered. Quickly, she ran out and started her car, then went back for Naecken, who leaned on her lithe body frame, and fell head first into the car, moaning with pain.