Villain's Second Heart: Trapped in A Fantasy Novel (BL)-Chapter 31: Explosive Oberyn

Dinner couldn't have been more awkward.

Oberyn eyed Rav as he struggled through his meal - grilled chicken over salad. Everything tasted divine, but all Oberyn could think about was his revelation earlier.

Rav had been friends with a Harbinger.

The realization gnawed at him from the inside. If that was true, it changed everything he understood about the Great Sage of Clouds.

After all, A Harbinger, much as the name implied, was a bringer of Apocalypse. Was Rav complicitly trying to bring about the end of the world? Is that why he was so eagerly assisting Ezra, now?

Even him...Oberyn was a fugitive of Asteria. Did Rav think that he was recruiting Oberyn to his side?

Even as an enemy of Asteria, Oberyn refused to play the role of a villain. And he refused to let Ezra be sucked into that world as well.

"So, Rav," Oberyn said halfway through his meal. His voice was disdainful - distant.

"Have a thing for Harbingers, do you?"

Rav, tired and focused on his meal, missed the hint of malice in Oberyn's words. The sleepy catboy just rubbed his face, trying not to pass out during dinner.

"I suppose you could say I've known more than a couple Harbingers in my life," Rav chuckled. "Even thought about getting one of those Apocalypse Engines installed in myself, but I decided against it. Even a guy like me would be inconvenienced if suddenly he became a target for every damn Magician in the country."

Oberyn huffed. So he didn't even try to hide his nefarious dealings. His instincts were right - he had found himself directly in the lap of villainy. He couldn't abide this - not for himself, not for Ezra.

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Oberyn rose from the table, still unsteady on his feet. "You would ally yourself with the Apocalypse, then? You would see the world burn just to satisfy your sick desires?"

Rav's sleepy eyes looked up to Oberyn, confused. "What's your little fae boy on about now, Ezra?"

Ezra's head darted back and forth between Oberyn and Rav. He had no idea what was going on, but he could tell Oberyn was getting fired up.

'When isn't he getting fired up about something?' Ezra pouted.

"I thank you for the meal and for your hospitality, but I cannot abide your pursuit of evil. Rav, Sage of the Clouds. I challenge you to a Magician Battle."

"Oberyn, what the hell are you saying!?" Ezra gasped, standing up at the table. "You need to lay back down, you're not thinking straight."

"Oh, my mind is clear," Oberyn hissed, pointing at Rav. "This man has tricked you, Ezra! He's colluding with the enemy - the same people who put that infernal machine in your chest! Your Second Heart is a construct of pure evil, designed to bring about the end of the world. And he's a part of it!"

[Oh, this is getting good.]

The voice of Alcor rang through Ezra's head, disorienting him.

'Agh...shut up, Alcor!'

[The Magician blessed with Explosion Magic is said to be the most powerful of all. But Rav, the Sage of Clouds, has more experience than any Magician alive. How will a fight between them end? They might kill each other.]

Rav refused to stand, glowering at Oberyn from his chair.

"Is that what you think?" he said, his tail twitching agitatedly. "That I am some sort of fan-boy for the end of the world? Hmm?"

"Do you deny it?" Oberyn snarled.

"Can you two just get along?" Ezra pleaded nervously. But they both seemed to ignore him completely.

"Would you believe me if I did, fairy boy? You seem nice and stubborn, just like everyone else from that Asterian cesspool. If you want to fight me, then fight me. But know this - it won't go your way, especially not in that sorry state you're in."

Oberyn's body begins to emit a light glow - different from when he's 'digesting'. This energy is feral, uneven and crackling. The sheer force of explosive might, ready to burst from him in mere seconds.

"Oberyn, don't do this," Ezra panicked. "Rav's a good guy!"

The catboy's eyes locked with Ezra's. "Seems you picked quite the feisty little thing. But if he attacks me, I will defend myself. I won't hold back, not for you. Not even for Alcor."

"You even admit to doing favors for that Harbinger!" Oberyn shouted, enraged by the sound of Alcor's name.

"Oberyn, I said stop!"

Suddenly, a message appeared in front of Ezra.

[Stop Oberyn?

Cost: 10 FP (Total FP: 10)

Yes / No]

The world around him froze still. He glanced around, confused. Neither Oberyn or Rav were moving - it was as if time stopped completely for everything but Ezra.

[So that's how it works.]

The words came from Alcor, who was experiencing Ezra's system in real time, just like him.

'Did...did time just completely stop?'

[Only for a moment. Well, will you stop him, or not?]

Ezra's eyes fixated on the text floating in front of him.

'What does 'Stopping Oberyn' even entail?'

The sinister voice of Alcor cackled in his ear.

[What, indeed?]

Ezra gulped. There was a chance that 'Stopping Oberyn' could cause harm to the Nephilim. If he did that, he'd never be able to forgive himself.

But if he didn't stop this, it seemed a given that Oberyn would attack Rav. Both Rav and Alcor just let Ezra know what a disaster that would be.

Alcor allowed memories of his life to seep into Ezra's mind, he bore witness to the awesome, seemingly unstoppable power of Rav. He saw firsthand how powerful Rav's magic was.

Oberyn was already wounded. There's no way he would survive a battle against Rav.

'Damn it, Oby. Why do you have to be so impulsive!?'

He reached out to the screen, his finger hesitating right before he chose between his two options. But he knew what he had to do.

[Yes]

Time began to flow again, and just as it did, Ezra and Oberyn made eye contact.

"Stop, Oberyn."

And, just as his System indicated, Oberyn was stopped - but in a way that Ezra never could have anticipated.