Onestar's hands were wrapped around Colicor's throat, choking the life from the magi. Their battle had been fierce; the once-majestic Spire now laid in ruins around them. Colicor threw Onestar off of him. Now appearing a strong, physical man, Onestar was surprised by Colicor's attack.
Both men got to their feet, gasping for air. Colicor checked his throat. Somehow, during their battle, Onestar cut the magi, and blood was flowing down Colicor's face.
"What is this?" Colicor gasped in surprise and shock. "I'm bleeding, and the wound isn't healing! My cut should already be healed!"
"Will wonders never cease," Onestar taunted. "Here I thought only cold water ran in your veins, magi!"
"What type of creature are you! Answer me! I demand it!"
"Your demands mean nothing to me, Colicor!" With that, Onestar leapt toward the magi, punching Colicor right in the stomach. Onestar's fist connected with something hard against the magi's abdomen. A bone- colored blade fell to the ground. Onestar held his hand, cut from whatever that was he struck.
"Aaarrgh!" Onestar exclaimed, shaking his fist. Colicor reached down, retrieving the blade. He looked at it, then at Onestar. Slowly, Colicor understood what was happening.
"This blade hurt you, samurai," Colicor commented. "I made this blade from my very bone, cutting off my own arm to make it. I used these blades to slay the other magi, and now it hurt you..."
Onestar said nothing, looking at his wounded hand.
"Could this be," Colicor wondered, "that you are magi? Could you be destined to take up the spell instead of the sword?"
"I am samurai, not magi."
"Then what in the name of the seven hells are you!"
Onestar narrowed his focus, looking straight into Colicor's red eyes. "I am the son of Lord Monitor." His voice was low, almost a whisper, but the words were said with such force that it could have toppled the Spire. Colicor's own eyes widened, as the necromancer fell backward in shock.
"Impossible!" Colicor demanded. "Magi are barren."
"I am the son of Monitor, and I am your death." Onestar backhanded his closed, cut fist against Colicor's face, sending the magi reeling backwards. Onestar didn't let up the attack, following up with blow after reeling blow. Finally, Onestar grabbed Colicor from behind, ready to break his neck.
"Have you any last words, slayer of worlds?" Onestar demanded.
"I will not die this day," Colicor replied, his voice weak. "You will!"
With the last ounce of strength he had, Colicor plunged the bone dagger into Onestar's shoulder. The samurai's eyes widened as pain surged through his body. He released Colicor, staggering backwards. Colicor turned to see the samurai. Onestar closed his eyes...
...then opened them again, a smile crossing his lips. He looked down at the dagger and removed it, examining the gold and silver handle.
"Nice toy you have here, Colicor," Onestar said. "Here, catch!"
Onestar threw the dagger straight into Colicor's chest, penetrating his heart. The magi just looked stunned as Onestar stepped back over toward him.
"How..." was all Colicor could say before he fell over onto his back. Within seconds, his skin began to fall away, leaving muscles to blow away with a breeze. A skeleton was all that remained, and moments later, even that became dust.
"I guess it doesn't work on clones," Onestar commented. His words were lost as the Spire of Eternal Thought began to shake. The ground beneath his feet began to shake. From the darkness above him, huge pieces of metal began to shake loose, falling toward the ground below. The samurai rushed over and gathered the crystals Colicor had mentioned, as well as his own blade.
Onestar looked around him at the majesty that once was the Spire of Eternal Thought. Never again, he thought, will the universe see anything like it.
Placing everything in a pouch of his cape, the samurai closed his eyes and disappeared. A huge piece of concrete collapsed down on where he stood.
Outside, the Spire shook violently. Something beneath the ground was causing tremors. Buildings were falling over. The once mighty Port of Freedom became nothing more than kindling for firewood. The majestic Spire of Eternal Thought, in nothing more than a shudder and a whimper, fell in upon itself, dying a silent death.
