His eyes fell wide in horror, still glowing in his skull as he pushed up against the sucking waves with the current of his kicking. It was not the horror most people have, the fear that their lives are suddenly in danger. The fear that they are about to be snatched away from all they know and fall into the greatest unknown. No. Solomon was horrified, but not because of death. Not because he feared the unknown. His attack had fizzled out over some invisible shield upon Luc's skin. He was powerless against the mage, there was nothing he could do to wound him. He was like a child trying to move a wall of stone. Never before had he felt so helpless. It was a feeling that made his stomach turn all the way around inside of him. Not only that, but for what reasons did he put himself on the headsman's block?

Luc mocked him once more as he all-powerfully floated closer to him. Showing not only his scorn, but also his uninterested enthusiasm as to why Solomon had come in the first place. He believed Solomon to be a bounty hunter, or hired assassin. Obviously Luc had someone out there who wanted him dead, but that was not why he was here. He had come on his own whim. He had been sent by the two old sages, but not for any amount of money or any other material reward. They instructed him that to get what he wanted he'd have to kill Luc Kraus. Murder was his only option now. To get his life back he had to take another's.

"My reasons were not selfish. I needed this, I want it all to end." Solomon said. Even though Luc could hear his agitated words, it was not him he directed the answer to. Inside of him, his other half was finally beginning to catch up with him. He was running out of places to flee from his other, ‘better’, half. It was getting harder and harder to hide his cruel motives. This was all a sham, these men were using him for their own schemes. They had something bigger in mind that they needed muscle to do, and he had known that for some time now. What kind of men who wanted to help him would get him to steal and murder?

No. Solomon silently protested. No, it isn't true. I won't let it be true. His eyes burned still, and as Luc smugly placed himself several feet overhead Solomon's hatred began to burn even stronger. He was being used, mocked, and tortured from every side. Luc Kraus toyed with him some more now that he floated there in safety. He moved the waves around him, pulling him from one side to another like he was a boy he wanted to see drowned for his own pleasures.

...I will not go down. Solomon sputtered, exhaling a breath of water that had surged into his mouth. The cold salt burned his eyes and his hair nearly froze in the winds. Nevertheless, he was not going to let himself fall. Even if Luc, in his own way, was giving him an opportunity to account for his actions, Solomon didn't want it. He'd submitted to too many people now. He had been nothing for far too long now.

The waves turning him around and around in place, Solomon pulled all his focus back inside himself. If Luc thought he could let all of his attacks just roll over him, he had another think coming. He focussed inside himself, on the blue swell of light that sat pulsing inside his mind. His life essence, his energy core. With each beat of his heart it pulsed and flickered, and as his voice began to grow, and his teeth gritted, all the while the colours began to flourish and billow out to fill his vision. The Eradication beam was his strongest move. He had seen it chip away stone, dissolve steel armour and expose patches of bone. Even though there was a chance Luc could dodge to either side, or his shield could potentially devour it, it did not matter to Solomon. Not like this. He had to show Luc what he was made of. He was a fighter, and would fight until death took him. Death was his hope now. Death was what he deserved.

The energy pulsed within him. His voice rumbling inside his chest like a constant drum, and his fists closed so tight that the water could not even sneak inside. The power made his body quiver, if ever so slightly, and with his eyes burning in furry and his teeth nearly crushing one another he brought his right fist down to his belt. He didn't say a word as his fist began to tremble, and the pressure of the beam began to push his throbbing fingers apart from one another. He just kicked up with his legs, breaking through Luc's little torrent of waves. His voice thundered up towards the floating man, as if his deep winded screech was the assault and not the energy. In only a second his palm was shoved out in front of him, and a flash of blinding light preceded the beam.

The energy poured forth from Solomon like a great river that has finally destroyed it's dam. He heard nothing but his own voice, roaring on through his body. He could see nothing but the brilliant blue, nearly white, beam as it spread widely from his palm and up towards the near flying foe. As the power left him and his body could no longer sustain his cries the light began to flicker out from his eyes, and his legs let him fall back into the waters.