MLIV C1, P5- "See The World"

"See The World" is the fifth and and final Part of "Miracula Luxia IV" 's first Chapter.
It was released on 10.05.2022.
== Plot ==
Our heroes have made it out of the mines. Now that the way is clear, the discovery of the true mastermind behind the well-devised plan that would have ended with their eradication would be little more than child's play.
Backed up by his trusty allies, Adam decides to come face to face with Michael McGuire- the man who was foolish enough to challenge a seasoned hero like him. Despite having nothing more than bare fists and gleaming faith at his side, the young hero is more than capable of disposing of this dangerous villain.
And yet, many questions still remain unclear. Who is the man who led Michael to waylaying and capturing innocent vigilantes, all while pretending he is one of them? Why would an entire town be foolish enough to rise against the world's order, knowing that it is only a matter of time before they are put back in line? And, most importantly, is there a way to safely defuse the situation before the curtain of darkness envelops the entire world for good?
Though it is not clear whether there are any proper answers or not, the truth is still out there. In the warm, caring stars.
== Story ==
Adam takes a step forward. And then another.
He takes a look back at his allies and sighs.
"I brought this upon myself. It is my fault that everything went wrong, for all of us."- He mutters to himself- "And now, only I can put an end to this madness."
As he steps closer to his enemy, he looks up.
He is not surprised by whom he sees in front of him.
The person in front of him, however, is quite shocked. Even more so, he is on the verge of going insane.
"How is this possible?!"- Michael yells- "I thought that my guards locked you for good! How come you stand here, alive and well?!"
Adam smiles.
"It comes to light that your so-called "guards" are nothing more than a bunch of airheads who simply follow the orders of their superior and have no free will of their own."- He says- "Face it, McGuire. You never had a good team to begin with. And now, it is moments away from falling apart."
Michael and his bandits draw their guns.
"You really think that you can break the order that we've forged with our own hands?!"- He says- "With what? Your petty hopes and dreams?"
Adam shakes his head.
"Listen, Michael. I do not want a fight."- He says- "I just want to know where he is right now. Then, I will take my friends and you will never see me again. I promise."
Michael raises his eyebrow.
"Who is the person you're speaking of?"
Adam looks at him.
"I think that it should be more than obvious."- He says- "All of the evidence that we collected points out to one person in this chain of command- Modred Darkthrop. And you have been hiding precious information from me, things that may have delayed his awakening and allowed us to prevent it whatsoever."
Michael grits his teeth.
"That old crankhead, huh?"- He asks and shakes his head- "Nope. I've never heard of him."
Adam shakes his head.
"It would be unwise to act against the true order of this world."- He says- "If you have some kind of evidence, speak up. We are here to save the world from the darkness and, by the name of my holy family, I swear to you that we will make sure that all of your people are protected from the incoming disaster."
Michael sighs. He knows that he is backed into a corner and is unable to make any kind of comeback. Or run away before he gets hurt.
Thinking about his choice of words for a while, he finally decides that there is nothing to hide from the boy who defeated the evil wizard once. And is probably going to do it again, truth be told.
However, instead of simply surrendering the information, he decides to go down with a bang instead.
Slowly lowering his gun, he sighs again, this time more dramatically.
"Well, you caught me. I know about this Mordred Darkthrop."- He says- "Around a year ago, some of his servants arrived in this town. Led by a man shrouded in darkness, they announced their intentions to our people. Said that the only way to survive the inevitable is to join them in their dark crusade against the established order and help them restore their evil empire. They claimed that the world is weak and that only the strongest will survive the horrible aftermath. At that time, many people had faith in the light and tried to drive them out of the Nightgrove instead. And yet, those ruthless denizens of darkness didn't give up. They slaughtered those who opposed them and left the others with fear in their hearts. They said that they would return soon, to recruit those who are brave enough to do the right choice. And, when they finally did, many of us firmly decided who we want to join in this time of turmoil. So that, my friend, is how we ended up in this predicament."
Suddenly, he draws his pistol and smirks.
"However, I ain't going to just let you off like that. No, no. I'm merciful, but not that much."- He says- "The servants of Darkthrop want me to report my progress to them. And I plan to send a message, signifying the rise of the darkness."
He fires a single bullet, as a warning.
"With your blood!"
As the rest of the bandits draw their guns, Adam lunges forward. Although unarmed, his skill in avoiding projectiles is truly a sight to see.
When the vagabonds wildly fire their pistols at him, he simply smiles and turns on the other side, catching some of the bullets in mid-air and throwing them back at their senders, piercing them without even trying. Too hard, that is.
Michael is in disbelief over the demise of many of his fellow bandits. He lets out a battle cry, jumps in the air and lands next to Adam, grabbing his arm and aiming his pistol at his forehead.
"You are quite a nuisance to us, kid. But do you know what we do with busy bees like you?"- He asks him.
Adam sighs.
"You do not bless them with delicious honey, do you?"
Michael smiles.
"No, kiddo."- He answers- "We cut off their tiny wings, so they can never buzz again."
Adam shakes his head.
"Well, you will never chop off this little bee's wings!"
Having said that, he grabs Michael's outstretched arm and twists it with all of his might. The resulting impact causes the vigilante to yell out in pain, revealing how pathetic he really is.
Michael takes a deep breath, pushes Adam away and takes a few steps back. His bandits offer to assist him, but he shakes his head.
"There's no need to hurt yourselves, amigos. Back off."- He says- "The boy is mine."
Hesitantly, the bandits stay back, watching as their leader draws his second pistol and grits his teeth.
"After all, it's been so long since I met someone so willing to live. So eager to serve the order without question or pay."- He says to himself- "It is as if God himself sent Adam to be my worthy adversary, to serve as the ultimate challenge, the gate to our common future. Putting an end to his misery will be my greatest victory yet."
He fires another shot at Adam, but the young hero easily avoids it.
Amused by his prolonged survival, Michael decides to take matters in his own hands. Using the terrain to his advantage, he manages to surprise the young hero and whack him in the back with a stick, forcing him to fall down.
Then, he whacks him in the chest again, hoping to deliver some kind of agonizing blow to his adversary. 
And yet, our hero simply takes his blows and watches his movements carefully, all while attempting to prevent him from attacking again. He is unfazed by the fact that those attacks might prove fatal for him.
Seeing a weak point in the vigilante's movement, he grabs a nearby rock and throws it at his stick, easily knocking it out of his hand. Then, as he attempts to pick it up again, he makes his move and leaps to his feet, taking the stick and delivering three fast, but fierce blows to Michael's shoulders.
As a gesture of respect to his opponent, Adam takes a few steps back and bows his head.
"Excellent techniques, my friend."- He says- "A fair battle is only possible with worthy adversaries like us. And you seem to be shining as bright as I am."
Michael, however, seems unfazed. He simply smirks and sighs.
"Tell me, Adam Kaos."- He says to him- "If you're so willing to fight, why don't you use a proper weapon instead of condeming yourself like this?"
Adam shakes his head.
"A true hero does not need a weapon, whether it is in form of a gun or a magical spell."- He responds- "You may have drained me of my most precious ways of defending myself, but there is one thing that I will always have in me... unlike you."
Michael raises his eyebrow.
"Is that so?"- He asks- "Then why don't you say it? I'm all ears."
Adam smiles.
"The power of light, my friend. Within it lie the secrets that truly define man's greatest gifts- hope, faith and friendship."- He responds- "Without it, I am nobody. A stranger in the night, with no purpose or desire. I have walked like this for many years, but now, thanks to the light that has always shined for me, I finally know the secret to eternal peace. In order to save others, you must make amends with the one who defines your very being- yours truly."
He glares at him.
"And when someone dares disrupt the perfect harmony within my mind, I will not take it lightly."
Michael grits his teeth.
"Enough with this philosophical nonsense. It's all just useless trivia to me."- He says and aims his guns at him- "All I need to know is that my guns have got my back. Nothin' else."
Adam smiles and takes a step backwards. Then, he makes a gesture that could only mean one thing- he is beckoning his enemy to come closer.
Angered by his adversary's unbreakable will, Michael loses his composure and jumps into the air.
"You've just made the biggest mistake in your entire life!"- He yells as he descends.
Adam shakes his head.
"I am afraid that you are wrong."- He says- "You are on the losing side, not me."
Having said that, he leaps back, grabs two rocks and carefully aims them at Michael.
Once he gets low enough, he throws them at him, striking his face in a way which he planned from the very start, perfectly disorienting him.
As Michael stumbles back, confused, Adam makes his next move. He dashes toward him at a tremendous speed, jumps in the air and delivers a sharp kick in his jaw.
Then, as he screams in pain, he prepares to serve him the greatest beating of his life.
Jumping back as he wildly fires his pistols, he times the momentum perfectly and kicks him in the face before he could retaliate any futher. Then, when he resorts to raw punches instead, he parries his blows with his own fists and, without even a second of hesitation, he slams a series of powerful strikes into his abdomen.
And then, he continues to kick him in his weak spot. Jumping high and with no fear, like an olympic medallist, he continuously spins around like a hurricane in a windy season and gives the so-called vigilante more that he could have ever asked for.
Obviously, Michael is beyond insane at this point. As Adam prepares to make his next move, he grabs his arms and violently slams his head into a nearby rock, attempting to finish him off before he could show the same moves again.
And yet, this is far from over, as Adam is still in his fighting prime. 
Once he delivers a third blow, the young hero grabs his arm and twists it again, forcing him to stumble back again.
The broken vigilante looks for help at his fellow bandits, but soon realizes that they already took the wise path out of this mess, leaving the area and deserting their places in his group.
With no hope for salvation left, he angrily aims his pistols at Adam and grins.
"I get it... I get it now. It's every man for himself. I was never meant to be leader. Never worthy of taking my brother's place in this godforsaken wasteland."- He says, clearly deranged and insane- "But I can still... end you. Yes. I won't go down without taking another man with me."
He fires a few warning shots.
"Our true fight begins now!"
Adam continues to avoid his enemy's gunshots, but soon hears the growling coming from nearby. 
Worried, he looks around, only to realize that the undead Ana is loose again. And she is heading in their direction.
Using his incredible reflexes, Adam lunges forward and kicks dust into Michael's eyes. Then, before he could retailiate, he kicks a large pile of sand, blinding him temporarily.
"What... what is this? Some kind of trickery of yours?"- Michael asks and grins- "No matter. I will find you and make you pay. There's no escape."
As the undead Ana makes another step forward, Adam decides that kicking sand into Michael's eyes is not enough to get her attention. Watching his adversary's erratic movements, he approaches him as he takes a few steps forward and kicks him in the foot.
Michael's agonized scream seems to be enough to distract the undead woman. As her living husband pathetically flails around, she lunges at him and grabs him by the neck.
"Ana. Is that you, mi amor?"- He says- "Oh. You're looking kind of... funny."
The undead Ana growls and tightens her grip.
"Ow! There's no need to be so rude!"- Michael yells- "Please behave! I'm the man of this house, not you!"
Then, without thinking twice, he slaps her in the face.
However, this plays a bad trick on him as it only makes his undead wife much angrier.
As he continues to stumble around, she growls menacingly and digs her teeth into his abdomen, causing him to bleed at an alarming rate.
"Ah, but you're too fast. Making love in times like these is not my imagination of a really good time."- He says- "Perhaps you should... oh. Oh."
Before the undead Ana could dig any deeper than she already has, Derek rushes forward and pulls her away.
"Easy now, dear. You almost killed him."- He says to her- "Just stay here. Adam will handle the rest."
Adam sighs and shakes his head.
"I swear to God, Derek."- He mutters to him- "Someday, you will have to let go of her."
Derek shakes his head and watches as Adam pulls Michael up.
Mortally wounded, Michael finally sees the truth with his own eyes. Realizing that he has lost the fight, he has no choice but to cooperate.
"It seems like my road in this dark world is... over. Crashing down into the deepest depths of the underworld."- He says- "I guess that Darkthrop's servants were... wrong. Nobody lives forever. Except for brave heroes like you, of course."
Adam nods.
"You claimed that you saw Darkthrop's servants in town not too long ago."- He says to him- "Is this the truth... or just another blatant lie of yours?"
Michael shakes his head.
"I may have lied to you a lot. Forced you to face your worst nightmares. Tricked you into believing that there's good people in this place. And yet, this is not one of those tricks. What I told you back then... is the truth."- He vehemently disagrees with Adam's accusations- "Yes, that's it. Darkthrop's people arrived. Expressed their hatred for you. Asked us to join them and made those who rebelled against them suffer unfairly. I was foolish enough to believe their lies, even though I knew that they were up to no good."
He smiles.
"And yet, I know that I achieved something truly great."- He adds- "I lured you into this town. Helped you learn the truth. Isn't that enough to make you happy?"
Adam sighs.
"Believe me, none of this would have happened if Darkthrop had remained in the past."- He says- "Many people suffered because of him. And, by trying to stop his wicked schemes, I have a purpose that keeps me awake at night. I give the people a reason to believe, to hope for the future. True, it was impossible to prevent the inevitable. But with people like us, villains like him have nowhere to go, but into the darkness- the place where they truly belong."
Michael laughs dryly.
"You're just like me. You fight for those who care about you, yet you never seem to be actually recognized by them."- He says- "Day or night, you always wander the lost world, searching for answers. And you always seem to find them. It's pointless to stand in your way when you know what you're doing."
He sighs.
"Anyway, I'm sure that you want to know more about Darkthrop's awakening."- He says- "Alright. I will tell you. However, I will only do it, because I know that it will help my people. I know that your heroism will spare them from his evil, so I'll trust you while I still can."
He looks up at the sky.
"While the dark ones were in town, they stopped by at our local inn and settled down for a drink or two. Few were brave enough to stay close to them, but they always seemed to fear them either way. They never talked about their private affairs in front of us, so I waited until all customers were gone. Sneaked up in the kitchen and watched as they went to get some free food, being Nightgrove's guests. And then, one of them revealed everything. In front of my very eyes. They didn't expect it and neither did I."- He says- "One of the creatures talked about a possible tome related to necromancy, so the other one mentioned a land of old, filled to the brim with magical energy. Not on the surface, that is. Of course, I'm talking about Erika- the ancient Avernite who brought the end of Emperor Hawthorne- and her tower, lost in the middle of nowhere. Obviously, the two of them didn't know the exact location of this place, but the second one reassured his buddy that "the necromancer" will find out soon enough. On another note, it sounds like Erika was fond of necromancy for some reason and held a book in her tower, in case she needs it. That sounds really bad, now that I think of it."
He sighs.
"Anyway."- He continues- "They also spoke of an ancient orb belonging to the evil wizard, forged sometime between his rise to villainy and the birth of his son, whoever it may be. Said that its name is the "Orb of Light"- an ancient tool of creation, part of the dual orbs of chaos that maintain the balance until he returns. And that it's the only thing that holds enough power to sap his connection to the realm of darkness and weaken his influence in our world. Just like Erika's tower, they knew nothing of their whereabouts. However, some of their friends dare to speculate that the town of Hamburg- home of Thais's late queen- might be the right place where the servants of darkness once took it. The tower in the middle might be a clue. That's as far as I know, anyway."
He looks up at Adam.
"Well, that's everything that I can tell you. I hope that it was useful."- He mutters- "Now, I... think that my time here is done. In this world, that is."
As he starts to breathe heavily, he starts to see something exciting, seemingly invisible to Adam and his allies.
"It seems like the poor man has gone mad."- Akira says and shakes her head- "What a shame. If only he were a little wiser."
Adam ignores his sister's words. Instead, he leans closer and looks at Michael.
"I can tell that you can witness the world beyond."- He says- "What do you see?"
Michael's eyes light up for a moment. He smiles.
"The sun there is... brighter. The grass is greener."- He says- "I can see my betrothed, smiling at me on the other side. And the gates of Heaven, so far away, yet so close to me. It feels like I could reach them, if I wanted to."
Adam smiles.
"Someday, you will realize that paradise can be achieved, even in this world."- He says- "In the name of people like you, I will make it happen."
Michael nods.
"Yes. I know that you will."- He says- "Goodbye, kiddo. Take care, will you?"
Adam nods and watches as Michael starts to close his eyes.
However, driven by the pain that never goes away, they open wide again.
Michael shakes his head. He runs his dirty hand down his forehead, sees sweat and shakes his head.
"My sins are too severe. God won't me go without feeling all of the pain that I caused first."- He mutters- "Why must I lie awake here, when everyone's already gone? Stop it. I'm already dead. There's no reason to... torture me like this."
Akira shakes her head.
"Adam. I... I know that we all despise him, but we can't just leave him like this. It's not wise to leave someone when they need you the most."- She says to her brother- "Should we, you know, give him the peace that he deserves?"
Adam sighs, nods and stands up. He grabs one of Michael's pistols and aims it at his forehead.
Shaking his head, he fires a single bullet.
And thus, the deed is done. Michael McGuire- leader of Darkthrop's resistance- has been put to rest. Forevermore.
"Farewell, Mr. McGuire."- He sighs and wipes a tear from his eye- "Even though you never came to saw the light, it was always there. You may have hurt us with your actions, but deep inside, I knew that you just wanted to be a hero to those who believe in you... even though your ways were not quite right. Back then, you started off as an enemy. An outlaw. But, with due time, you became a hero in my eyes."
He bows his head.
"I hope that you have a good life in Heaven."
The rest of Adam's allies shake their heads. They clearly do not think the same way, yet they respect the young hero's words and try to forgive Michael as well.
Although Michael is finally dead, his influence over our heroes' magical skills is still strong. Despite their best attempts to ward the evil away from their minds, it is clear that it is still impossible to do so. Not without finding the source, at the very least.
"Minute after minute, my life keeps flashing before my eyes. I feel like I am going to collapse. It is as if every single drop of my energy is being drained away from me."- Adam says to himself- "If we fail to stop whatever malice is in the air, I fear that this might be the end of me. Once I fall, the others will not last for much longer."
He turns to Akira as she approaches him.
"So."- He says to her- "Did you find any clues about where this... black magic is coming from?"
Akira sighs and shakes her head.
"Still nothing, I'm afraid."
Adam blinks a few times.
"Oh, well."- He says- "At least we have some time to look around."
The four of them explore the surrounding area, hoping to find something of interest. Unfortunately, there is no such luck. Wherever the anti-magical field's source is supposed to be, it is very well-hidden from the prying eyes of heroes like them.
"It doesn't matter where we go, the feeling of unease isn't going away!"- Jon exclaims- "What are we supposed to do?"
Adam takes a few steps forward. Then, he looks down and sighs.
"In order to purify our own souls and face our fears with a clear conscience, we must march forward and succeed where others have failed."- He says- "Such minor enchantments are not strong enough to break our will to fight. We shall prevail over this chaos, but only if we stay strong. The uncertainty that tries to taint our minds is powerful, but we can still stay on top."
He smiles.
"So, let us continue."
On Adam's command, he and his allies continue to scan the horizon, carefully inspecting everything around them. Neither tree, nor rock are left unexplored as the young heroes valiantly fight to claim back what is rightfully theirs.
And soon, their efforts are rewarded.
When Adam gets closer to a large rock, he feels a sudden, sharp pain in his head. Perhaps it's just a headache, caused by the tiresome adventures that he has been a part of in the past few years. Or maybe it is something more... elaborate.
Signalling the source of the nuisance to his allies, the four of them move the large rock together.
What they see afterwards is quite a surprise.
"A secret passage, away from the people who live in this place?"- Akira says- "Who would have known?"
Adam smiles.
"Apart from the ones who built it, that is?"
Akira sighs.
"Yeah."- She says- "Right."
Once the four of them stumble into the tainted grounds below, a wave of nausea hits them almost immediately. At the same time, the light gets dim and they are only able to see what is right in front of them.
Quickly analyzing his surroundings, Adam discovers a small box of matches, carelessly tossed on the ground. 
"There's only one left."- Akira says, taking a peek at the box as Adam opens it- "What a shame."
Adam smiles.
"Well, there is no need to worry."- He says- "One will be good enough."
Having said that, he grabs the only match in the box, looks at the unlit candles ahead, smiles again and tosses the match with all his might.
As expected, the first candle that it touches starts to emit a brilliant white light, illuminating a small portion of the passage.
But that is not the end of it.
Once it is bright enough, part of the flame leans closer to the next unlit candle and lights it, spreading the light even further with each passing second.
One after the other, each candle light up and starts to shine in its own light, illuminating the passage and allowing our heroes to get past the darkness without any issues.
"Little brother. I had no doubt that you had a plan."- She admits- "However, what you just did was... unthinkable."
Adam smiles.
"It is my job to bring light into this world."- He responds- "I am glad to see that our hope is still shining bright."
The four of them walk down the well-lit passage, down into a small chamber.
In the middle, they see a small, black orb. Pure malice radiates from it, creating a feeling of unease that never seems to go away.
"Ugh. My head hurts."- Akira says- "Can we get rid of it... umm... faster?"
Adam shakes his head.
"As much as I want to simply vandalise this place, I fear that I cannot bring myself to do it. Not yet, at least."- He says- "There is some kind of residual magic hidden in here. And its source is not the orb itself, but a person somewhere in the distance. Someone who has an innate talent in casting black magic. After regaining what was lost to us, I will use my abilities to trace the lingering malice all around us back to its host, in the hopes that we can learn more about Darkthrop's awakening."
He turns to his allies and smiles.
"So."- He continues- "Who is with me?"
His allies nod, step back and watch as Adam mutters a few words.
Drawing from the white magic hidden deep within, he is able to focus it and safely direct it out, in the form of small, white wisps.
Suddenly, motes of light reenter the souls of their original owners, allowing them to cast spells again.
"At last."- Akira says and smiles- "I can feel alive once again."
She turns to Adam and smiles.
"But I've always felt truly alive when I was with you, little brother."
Adam smiles back and looks at the orb.
"Now that we have what we lost, it is only a matter of time before the true culprit behind this attack is found."- He says- "And this orb will show us the way."
Peering deep into the orb, Adam notices a small crack on top if it. In just a few moments, it grows larger and runs deeper and deeper.
Thinking fast and using some of his magic, Adam manages to seal it before it can break in two. However, the spell is only temporary and it will soon crack again.
"If we want to learn something from this mess, we have to hurry."
The four of them peer deep into the orb, analyzing its contents. However, they soon realize that their time is running out.
The orb's safety mechanism is inevitable. Apparently, slowing it down only makes it worse. Thus, Adam has no choice but to copy whatever information he could before it forcibly shuts down by itself.
Just as it finally breaks, he sees a single word spell out in front of him, shrouded in black mist:
DARKTHROP...
Realizing who was responsible for this mess, Adam shakes his head and falls on his knees.
Akira hurries to his side and helps him stand up.
"Brother!"- She says- "Brother! What did you see?"
Adam turns to her and sighs. His eyes are unfocused, his gaze is cold and distant.
"I thought that he was gone from this world. At least for the time being."- He mutters- "And yet, he was always here. Watching us. Evaluating our fears and weaknesses. Waiting for the right time to strike again."
He shakes his head.
"Is there no place that is truly safe from him?!"
Jon and Derek stare at each other, shocked. They never knew that Mordred Darkthrop had such a large influence, able to reach them even in the smallest town. Even in the most insignificant settlement.
And that is when they finally realize...
When the Master of Darkness marks you, there is no turning back. 
Adam stands up and shakes the dust away from his clothes.
"We have to get away from this place. Now."- He says- "Bury Mr. McGuire's body and prepare yourself for a long, hard journey. Things will get very bad soon enough."
Having said that, he walks back outside, followed by all three of his allies.
They approach the corpse of Michael and move it a little bit.
As they prepare for the "ceremony", Adam shakes his head.
"So many lives were lost, just because of a madman who wants to rule the world."- He says to himself- "In his path to conquest, he made so many promises. Lied to so many innocent souls, turning them toward villainy. Corrupting their minds with a perfect world, free from all kinds of trouble. He tried to fool the world, yet he never realized that the only person whom he has always fooled from the very start... is himself."
After a few minutes of awkward silence and a quick burial of the fallen, Adam regroups with his remaining allies and plans his next move.
"So. What should we do next?"- Akira says- "I know that Michael said that Erika's tower is where we must look. And yet, I feel like there might be better places to be than that... dungeon of doom."
Adam sighs.
"I know, Aki. Everyone wants to stay at home and dream of being heroes all day."- He says- "However, not everything is guns and roses. Sometimes, you have to take the dust in the eyes and blindly search for the light, just so you can achieve something that is worth the effort."
He looks at the road ahead.
"Mr. McGuire was clear."- He adds- "If we want to find the answers to this puzzle, we must find the remnants of this ancient place."
As they prepare to leave Nightgrove for good, a single figure approaches them.
Weakened by the long road, she stands next to Adam, falls on her knees for a moment and takes a few deep breaths.
"Miss Emela!"- Adam says and helps her stand up- "I am so glad to see you again!"
Emela smiles sadly, clearly excited to see the boy she took under her care many years ago. 
And yet, this is not the time to feel sentimental. She shakes her head and points at the road behind her.
"Adam, you must come with me immediately."- She says- "Your mother just arrived in town. And she... she's not feeling well. Something's killing her from the inside and we cannot stop it."
She looks up at him.
"You're the only one who can help us out now."- She says- "Please, hurry. Time is running out and I fear what would happen if we slow down."
Taking heed of Emela's words, Adam and his allies quickly pack their things and travel to the town that Adam himself calls his home.
There, they approach the house which Adam used to live in not too long ago. They quickly climb on the second floor and find an unconscious Meggy laying on one of the beds.
"Mom!"- Adam says and runs up to her- "I am back, mom. Do not worry. Everything will be fine."
He looks up at her.
"Mom?"
Suddenly, a black mist envelops her, throwing him back and preventing him from coming closer again.
"What is this?"- Akira asks- "Some kind of... black magic?"
Emela sighs.
"I'm afraid so."- She says- "Whoever cast the spell, he or she must be very powerful. And ancient."
Jon nods.
"Maybe you're right."- He says- "But... who could be so foolish to do such a thing? To an innocent person, no less."
Adam himself is shocked that his mother is in such a bad condition. Taking her hand in his, he shakes his head and looks down as tears fall from his eyes.
"Mom, please listen to me."- He says- "You will survive this ordeal. I am certain that your light shall prevail over them. Do not surrender. We are with you!"
Much to everyone's surprise, Meggy slowly opens her eyes and weakly looks up at her son.
"Adam?"- She says, nearly powerless- "Is that you, sweetie?"
Seeing that her suspicions were correct, she smiles.
"Come closer, dear."- She says- "I'm not feeling so well."
Adam takes his mother's hand in his again. He leans closer and smiles sadly.
"Mom, we did it. We stopped the villains at Nightgrove."- He says- "With our combined strength and knowledge, we prevailed in this neverending disaster. We worked hard and achieved our common goal."
Meggy smiles.
"Of course, my dear. I had no doubt that you could make them see the light."- She says- "You have your father's spirit, after all. It's unbrekable, just like you."
Akira leans closer and holds her other hand.
"Mom, I finally faced my fears and joined Adam again."- She says- "In my life, I've never felt so hopeful. And it's all because of you. Your advice gave me the strength to move on with my life and now, I feel like I have a reason to fight for someone."
Meggy nods.
"See, my dear? It's not so hard to make the right choice. You just have to seek the light within your soul, unleash it and see how brilliant it truly is."- She says weakly- "I'm glad that you finally understood what I meant by that."
Adam shakes his head.
"What happened to you while we were absent?"- He asks her- "Did someone hurt you?"
Meggy smiles sadly and shakes her head.
"Fear not, dear. Nobody dared to lay their dirty hands on me. I was just too... strong for them."- She responds- "But, I can still feel something. Inside of me. It's like a drain inside my soul, absorbing my thoughts and keeping it dry. I've never felt so... powerless."
Adam nods.
"We will save you, mom! I promise!"- He says, without a doubt- "Once we find the man responsible for this crime, we will show no mercy toward him. Our family shall be whole again, very soon!"
Meggy smiles and shakes her head.
"I appeciate your kindness, dear. It's very noble of you, thinking about your mama in such a nice way."- She says- "And yet, I'm not the important one here. Evil is stirring in the outside world and the people need you again. You don't want to let them down, do you?"
Adam shakes his head.
"But mom!"- He protests- "I do not want to... "
Meggy places her finger on his mouth.
"Shh. Don't strain your mind with my troubles. I know that you are far too busy for them."- She says weakly- "Instead, why don't you try to explore the known lands now? See the grace of our majestic world with a new pair of fresh, innocent and bright eyes? Face your destiny with a clear heart. Only then I will feel happy that you're doing the right thing. Nothing else will do it for me. Remember it well."
Adam looks down, defeated.
"I did not want this to happen, mom."- He says- "We were such a happy family, back when he was not around. Why was the world so cruel to us?"
Meggy smiles sadly, as if expecting him to already know the response.
"It's destiny, sweetie. It always plays tricks on us. But there's one thing that always makes you think."- She says- "We, the humans, are like sticks near a pyre. When one strays too far, the stick breaks alone. But what happens when we stay together? Yes. It's impossible to break those sticks, because they're a force like no other. Throw them into the pyre if you want, but there is no way to tear them apart from each other. It is what me and your father have been striving to do and what we've been dreaming to teach you when you finally became a hero. And, seeing what you've achieved so far, I think that you're strong enough to withstand the pain and suffering. Even the strongest axe cannot make you, the largest tree in this forest of fools, to fall down, defeated. You're able to face the darkness, no matter what it throws at you."
She smiles.
"I fear that it's too late for me, dear."- She says- "So, do me a favor and continue fighting out there. Shine your light in this world, like your father once did before you. Carve your name into the shining stars above and listen as the minstrels sing songs about your courage and valor. Make me a proud mom, just like you always have. Okay?"
Adam starts to say something, but soon realizes that his mother has already closed her eyes and fallen limp. The curse returns and pushes him back.
"Mom! Mom!"- He yells and gets as close as possible- "Mom, are you still there? Please, say something! Do not leave us! I beg you!"
Akira attempts to help her brother, but her soul is soon struck by a massive wave of emotions. She has no other choice than to step back, tears falling from her eyes as she does so. The pain of losing someone important is, of course, all too familiar for her and it would be too painful to experience it again.
As Jon and Derek shake their heads, unable to help either, Emela rushes forward and uses a sealing spell to banish the darkness away from Adam.
"Begone, you foul miasma!"- She yells- "Return to the darkness from whence you arrived!"
With that, the dark magic fades away, allowing Adam to see his mother one last time.
Once he gets close enough, he leans close to her and places his head near her heart, hoping to hear something.
And then, he hears it. A sign of hope. A chance for redemption.
"She is still there!"- He exclaims- "We can still save her!"
Akira is overjoyed. She leans forward and hugs them both.
"This is the power of our family!"- She says- "We never surrender to the dark, no matter what we have to face!"
As the two of them stand up, Emela looks at Adam and sighs.
"Well, now you know that something's wrong with her."- She says- "Any idea what it might actually be? I'm out of any, so it's your turn to give it a try."
Adam turns to his mother and sighs. He takes her hand in his, still overjoyed that there are signs of life left within her soul.
"I already know what that is. Many people have told me about it, yet I never imagined that it would happen to me."- He says- "This is the curse of Darkthrop- a dark spell that is used by the evil wizard on those who are weak of heart. Once per century, he picks someone who is doomed to face the inevitable and makes sure that nobody else interferes with it. thus casting the curtain of darkness that envelops my mother. Once there, the dark magic inside of her slowly drains her energy, bit by bit, until she is completely vulnerable. No cure will be able to stop it, so there is only one thing we must do now."
Everyone else looks up at Adam. They are clearly interested in his plan.
"We must find Darkthrop and slay him again. Seal his soul into the netherrealms before it is too late for my mother."- He says- "So. Who is with me?"
Akira nods.
"I'll always be by your side, brother. No matter what happens next."- She says- "Especially if it means that we can save our poor, innocent mother from the jaws of that ruthless tyrant. I'm ready to do my best."
Emela smiles.
"Well. I guess that it wouldn't hurt to join you myself, would it?"- She says- "It's been so long since I went on a real adventure. I've been craving for a chance to make a difference again. Let's see whether I'll be capable of using what I knew back then."
Adam smiles and nods.
"I am glad that you are showing such enthusiasm. It makes me very happy."- He says- "And yet, I am still worried about my mother? What if some of Darkthrop's spies break in and take her away from us?"
Jon takes a step forward and shakes his head.
"I would never allow such a thing. Not to my aunt, who has always cared about me."- He says- "I will gladly protect her with my life, Adam. Mark my words!"
Derek nods.
"You and your people helped me out when I needed you the most. Made me believe that there is a future ahead of us. Together, we fought the warriors of evil and won."- He says- "I can see that this woman needs our help, too. So, I won't hesitate to redeem myself again. Your mother shall be safe and sound."
Reassured by his cousin and Derek, Adam finally has enough confidence to continue. He stands up and smiles.
"Thank you, everyone."- He says and wipes a tear from his eye- "Together, we are the order. We will bring solace to this broken world and restore the peace that everyone has sought for so long. Our hopes and prayers will get us through the worst times and I am sure that we shall prevail."
He nods.
"We are going to leave now."- He says- "Farewell and good luck."
As Adam, Akira and Emela leave the town behind, Emela turns to Adam and shakes her head.
"What you said about Erika is truly disturbing."- She says to him- "To think that this hot-tempered sorceress has a tome about necromancy in her massive library is... unthinkable. Nobody sane would ever do such a thing."
Adam sighs.
"And that is why we have to take care of it."
Emela nods.
"Are you sure that you're up for the task?"- She asks him- "You may leave, if you want to. It's okay to take a break before the inevitable."
Adam shakes his head.
"No, Miss Emela. Finding the tome is fundamental to stopping Darkthrop's plans and I refuse to take a break, not when the world still needs me."- He responds- "We will go out there and prevent the inevitable from happening together. Period."
Emela smiles and hugs him.
"Your courage and valor have always been such a motivation to me. I know that I can't stop you, yet always care enough to tell you what to do."- She says- "Alright, my dear. If you and Akira want to go out there, so would I. I don't care what happens next, as long as I am with you."
Adam and Akira nod.
"It is the same for us, Miss Emela."- Adam says and stares at the road ahead- "Now, it is time to be heroes. Once again."
He draws his blade and rises it in the air.
"Onward!"
== Trivia ==
* The title of this Part ("See The World") is a reference to some of the most prominent words that Meggy said to her son during this Part ("Instead, why don't you try to explore the known lands now?/See the grace of our majestic world with a new pair of fresh, innocent and bright eyes?/Face your destiny with a clear heart./Only then I will feel happy that you're doing the right thing./Nothing else will do it for me./Remember it well.").
** In addition, it is also a reference to a original song by Hololive VTuber/Vsinger IRyS that goes by the same name and serves as a large inspiration to the plot of this Part.