MLIV C3, P7- "Remember Me"

"Remember Me" is the seventh and final Part of "Miracula Luxia IV" 's third Chapter.
It was released on 14.06.2022.
== Plot ==
Everything our heroes have done has led up to this pivotal moment. This battle between good and evil, where only the strongest and worthiest shall prevail. A confrontation between some of the greatest forces from both sides, fated to be paved with bloodshed and hatred.
Alcander and his allies have managed to reach World's End. However, their greatest challenge has yet to happen.
Will they make it out alive?
== Story ==
Alcander notices that Nicholas has just turned. And is on his way to attack Silas.
The young boy, unaware of what happens to those who turn into undead, approaches him.
"Grandpa."- He says- "I'm here. Don't worry."
The undead Nick growls.
Fortunately, before he could harm him, Alcander forcefully pulls him away and tackles Nicholas.
"Sorry about what happened, mister."- He says to his undead self- "You deserved better."
Isaac laughs.
"Don't be sad about him."- He says- "In the end, they all become one and the same!"
Alcander angrily attempts to attack him, but is stopped by the undead Nicholas.
The undead creature trips him and attempts to maul him down. However, the young hero manages to push him away and stab him in the chest.
Much to his surprise, the blow does not kill him and he simply stands up again.
"He's still... alive?"- He says- "But how? Normally, this is supposed to kill a man!"
Silas looks at him.
"You don't know the proper way to deal with an undead?"
Alcander shakes his head.
"I've only heard it in the movies, but I never imagined that-- "
Suddenly, he is tackled by the undead Nicholas once again.
"Get him off of me, Silas!"- He yells- "Do something!"
Silas draws his sword and attempts to put down his undead grandfather. However, he soon drops it, incapable of doing such a thing to someone he loves.
"I'm sorry."- He says- "I can't."
As Alcander wonders what is going on, the undead growls and attempts to sink his teeth into his neck.
However, before he could do any harm, he is stabbed through the back of the head and finally put to rest.
Alcander looks up and sees Derion. His sword, long and elegant, is now stained with blood.
"Are you okay, friend?"- He says and lends him a hand- "Come on. We've got to kill that general!"
Alcander stands up and glares at Isaac.
"Isaac! It's all your fault!"- He yells angrily- "Mr. Nicholas could have lived a long and happy life! And you took it all away!"
Isaac smirks.
"Why do you care so much?"- He asks- "He's not part of your family."
Alcander shakes his head.
"That doesn't mean that I should just stand and watch as you kill every innocent person in this world!"- He yells- "I've had enough of you! You're going down!"
Isaac smiles.
"I have no reason to bother with that."- He says- "I have somebody else who does the job for me."
He whistles.
"Lillith, my dear!"- He says- "Get over here!"
Suddenly, a young woman appears and stands beside him. 
There is something about her that seems rather worrying. A malevolent aura radiates from her, like black clouds on a sunny day.
"Why did you call me, father?"
Isaac grins.
"I want you to teach those fools a lesson."- He says- "Let them know that they can't mess with Darkthrop and his people.'
Lilly nods.
"Gotcha, daddy."- She says- "They're not leaving this place alive."
She turns to Alcander.
"Bring it on, hero."
She lunges at him with unbelievable speed, managing to knock down Derion with a single punch and grabbing Alcander by the neck.
However, Alcander refuses to give up. He uses some of his wind magic to push Lilly back and slice her twice with his sword.
Lilly gets up and pulls out a long chain from her pocket.
Before Alcander could react, she leaps behind him and wraps it around his neck.
"This'll be fast, I promise."
Then, she forcibly pulls him back and tightens the chain's grip, succesfully preventing him from striking back.
"You will not... get away with this!"
Lilly smiles.
"Oh, you'll see how wrong you are."
She mercilessly starts to strangle him in front of everyone else.
"Yes. That's how daddy's bad girl does it."- Isaac says and laughs- "It's only a matter of time before his whole body gives out!"
Alcander attempts to retailiate, but the shortage of breath prevents him from taking an action.
"Must... stop... her... "
His eyes start to close.
"Adam... "- He mutters- "I... I'm sorry... "
Lilly laughs.
"This is the time when you should beg me for mercy."- She says- "Not that I'll give you any."
Alcander glares at her.
"Never."
Lilly shrugs.
"Oh well."- She says- "You're making this easier for me."
Then, she strangles him even harder.
"Farewell, Alcander!"
Just before Alcander could spend his last breath, Derion rushes to his aid. He stabs Lilly in the back with his sword, grabs her by the neck and throws her into a nearby building with all of his might.
As she looks up to see who her new enemy is, she gasps.
"King Derion?!"- She exclaims- "But... I thought that you were not a danger to us!"
Derion shakes his head.
"You underestimated us."- He says- "Fatal mistake, I would say."
Using his sword, he rips out a giant chunk of rock from the ground and makes it levitate using the magic at his disposal.
"You tried to kill my friend in a very painful way."- He continues- "So, I will make you feel the pain as well!"
Having said that, he jumps in the air and slams his sword into the rock, throwing it forward and slamming it into Lilly before she could run away.
"Not enough."- She gasps- "Gotta try... harder than that."
Derion smiles.
"Be careful what you wish for."
Suddenly, the building behind Lilly starts to crumble and fall apart. 
The young evildoer tries to run away, but trips and is immediately crushed by tons of rock.
Isaac stares at his daughter's demise, shocked. However, as easily as he was surprised, he also forgets about it.
Sighing, he turns back to Alcander.
"That was just a minor setback."- He says stoically- "I will miss her, but she was just a cog in the dark machine. Nothing else.
Alcander stares at Isaac disgusted.
"So, you're willing to allow your own daughter to die, just to achieve your selfish desires?"- He says and shakes his head- "I wish I hadn't met you."
Isaac nods.
"The feeling is mutual, kid."- He says- "Now, it's time to see whether you're worthy enough of meeting Darkthrop."
He draws his weapon and lunges forward, catching Alcander by surprise and nearly stabbing him in the chest.
"I regret ever spending time with you."- He says- "You're the weakest, must pathetic boy I've ever met. And now, I can see that my assumptions are correct."
Alcander shakes his head.
"You are a monster. A heartless man of steel who can never love someone else, other than himself."- He says- "Sometimes, I wonder how you live on with what you've done. How could you even think about using your daughter or your allies in such a selfish way? Is this really what you want to happen?"
Isaac grits his teeth.
"That's none of your business!"- He yells, frustrated- "You're just an obstacle on my road to greatness!"
With that, he jumps in the air and attempts to slam his sword into Alcander, but the young hero rolls to the right, forcing him to hit solid ground instead.
Suddenly, a jet of water bursts out of the ground, hitting Isaac's face and disorienting him for a moment.
"Agh!"- Isaac exclaims- "That's not enough to keep me down!"
He looks up and realizes that Alcander is gone. Even though the distaction was not enough to finish him off, it still helped in allowing him to get away from the action.
As he wonders where his enemy could be, he is suddenly stabbed in the back by him.
He falls on his knees and turns around.
"Looks like I'm not the only one who uses trickery to get what he wants."- He says- "Well, two can play at this game. So, let me show you how it's done."
He leaps to his feet and uses the shadows around them to sneak behind Alcander and attack him.
At the last moment, Alcander times his move and grabs his hand just as he is about to stab him. Then, he throws him on the ground and slices him in the face twice.
Even though his fresh wounds burn and hurts a lot, Isaac takes pains to not show his suffering. Instead, he simply stands back up and continues to fight as if nothing had happened.
"Impressive. He's supposed to be dead by now, yet he's still in the game."- Alcander says to himself- "How could I deal with such a persistent enemy?"
He looks up and smiles.
"Ah. I see."- He continues- "Villains like him can have power filled to the brim. They may be strong, but they are not invincible. And I shall prove it."
He enchants his feet with the power of feet, becoming more nimble and agile. 
"Ha!"- Isaac exclaims- "I'd like to see you get through this!"
Before Alcander could stop him, he pushes a secret button on a nearby building, triggering a hidden trap that makes a giant, metal box fall on Alcander, trapping him.
Just as the young hero wonders whether it will get any worse, the walls in front of him are pulled back, revealing a pair of flamethrowers that spew treacherous flames at an accelerated rate.
Outside, Isaac laughs.
"I hope that you like how hot it's about to get!"- He exclaims- "Because you're going to melt! Literally!"
Derion tries to dig a way into the box, but soon realizes that it's made of a nearly indestructible material.
"It's hopeless."- He mutters- "This thing's not going down without a fight."
Isaac laughs.
"See?"- He says- "This is the feeling of being unable to do anything!"
Derion raises his eyebrow.
"Can you please elaborate?"
Isaac smiles.
"I could do that."- He says- "However, this means that I'll waste time trying to kill your friend. So, I'll hold my thoughts back for now."
He turns to the metal box.
"How are you holding out back there?"- He asks- "Are you ready to face your destiny... in flames?!"
Alcander nods and smiles.
"We'll see about that."
Just as the flamethrowers start to spew fire in his direction, he leaps out of the way and makes a mad dash toward the other side of the box. With movements that resemble a brilliant piruette, he dances his way past the flames as they are thrown at him from both the left and the right.
Isaac clenches his fists.
"I should have known you were a tough customer."- He says- "Fine by me. Take this!"
Suddenly, two large blades appear on either sides of Alcander and follow him around. They attempt to strike him down from above, but the young hero jumps out of the way just in time and kicks them in both directions.
The two blades slice through each corner of the east side of the box, weakening its structure.
"It seems like even your best is your worst."- Alcander says- "Come on, Isaac. Using machinery will get you nowhere."
Isaac gasps.
"But... how can this be?"- He mutters- "Those blades, they have the ability to chase their target for miles. I never thought that the program would be so... faulty."
Before he could use another trick, Alcander runs forward and lets out a battle cry.
"I've had enough of your tricks, Isaac!"- He yells- "Here I go! Get ready to feel my anger!"
With that, he charges forward and leaps in the air, raising his leg and kicking the metal wall as hard as possible.
As he retreats back, Isaac looks at the wall and laughs.
"Ha! That was a good one!"- He exclaims- "Now, how about we finish this in a better w-- "
Suddenly, the whole metal wall falls backwards, toward him.
Although it does not manage to reach his entire body, it still traps him and crushes his legs as it falls on top of him.
"Another petty trick, huh?"- He says and shakes his head- "Well, I'm better than that."
He tries to stand up, but soon realizes that he is only able to crawl.
Alcander gets out of the box and shakes his head.
"Surrender while you still can, old man."- He says- "You've lost it all. Your allies. Your home. Your daughter. There's no point to fight for something that is not there anymore."
Isaac shakes his head and angrily points his revolver at him.
"You're nobody to me!"
He fires a few rounds at Alcander, but misses, only making him angrier than he already was.
Without hesitation, Alcander kicks the gun out of Isaac's hand and into the air. 
Before it could fall back in its master's hands, Alcander grabs it and points it at him.
"And now, it looks like you are the the one who will be burned!"
Isaac looks at him, defeated.
"Please! Please spare me!"- He exclaims- "I only had to do this to save my daughter! I wanted to protect her from Darkthrop's rage! Have mercy on me?"
Alcander glares at him.
"And you expect me to believe whatever nonsense you just spewed out?"
Isaac raises his eyebrow.
"What does that mean?"- He asks- "Of course I did it for her! I-- "
Alcander fires a single round at the ground next to him.
"Silence."- He says- "I can see it in your eyes. You're only using the situation at hand to make yourself seem like the good guy and expose me as the monster. You're just trying to save your own skin and blame it all on me."
He glares at him again.
"If you love your daughter so much, then why did you tell her to fight me, when she had no chance of winning?"- He asks- "Why did you condemn her in such a cruel way, unconcerned about her safety? Why did you act like a statue while she expired in front of your eyes?"
He sighs.
"Maybe you just exposed yourself, Isaac."- He says- "You may think that you're a good man, but joining Darkthrop has turned you into the thing you feared the most."
Isaac attempts to retailiate, but Alcander shakes his head.
"I've had enough of your philosophies."- He says- "General or not, you're just another human, lulled by Darkthrop's false sense of security and his promises of a better world. If you were wise enough to realize that he's only using you as his tool for destruction, then you would have avoided this fate and ran away from this place long ago."
Isaac shakes his head.
"Even if I die, I'll do it with no regrets."- He says- "I don't care what happened to those who helped me out. I just wanted to serve my master."
Alcander glares at him and shakes his head.
"Don't worry."- He says- "He will join you soon."
Having said that, he pulls out his gun and unceremoniously shoots Isaac in the skull with his own revolver, shocking all of the servants who came to watch.
"He lived as a villain and died like a fool."- Derion says and sighs- "What a heartbreaking story. I will definitely tell it to my people when I return home, to save them from a similar fate."
Alcander shakes his head.
"It's not his fault he turned into this... thing."- He says- "In his time of despair, nobody was willing to help him out. Everyone was just trying to survive on their own. It was Darkthrop's aid that made him bad."
He looks down.
"And I wasn't there for him."
Derion pats Alcander on the shoulder.
"You want to hear something good. Well, I wanted to say that you did well."- He says- "That monster was not your friend. It was Isaac Darkshade- high-ranking officer of a notorious villain who wants to conquer the world for himself. Putting him out his misery was the wisest thing to do."
Alcander looks up.
"Do you think he... would have changed if we spared him instead?"
Derion shakes his head.
"I've seen many villains like him. And, after years of fighting, I learned one thing."- He says- "When one gives in to the chains of darkness, they turn into someone else. And there's no way that could ever change again."
He turns to the darklings who are watching them.
"Villains like those have given up on hope and faith, replacing them with petty desires for power, glory and wealth beyond telling."- He continues- "Even if some of them fall in battle, they don't care whatsoever. In their minds, serving their dark master is all that matters. Nothing else could ever replace that feeling of dark loyalty."
He turns to Isaac's corpse and gives it a sharp kick.
"And I think that our friend over here would have felt the same way."- He says- "If he was still capable of talking, that is."
Alcander stands up and clenches his fists.
"Then, I'll do my best to put their souls to rest."- He says- "It's the least I could do to save my brother."
Derion nods.
"I heard that you want to redeem yourself."- He says and points at a nearby building- "Well, I think that this is the right time for that."
Alcander looks up and sees a familiar face.
"You!"- He exclaims- "You're the man from my dreams!"
The mysterious person standing on top of the building smiles and jumps down.
Landing on the ground unharmed, he lifts his hood and reveals his face.
"You must be Vexor."- Derion says- "You went through all that trouble to hide behind your undead army, only too see it fall apart. Well, how does it feel?"
Vexor smiles again.
"My undead army is infinite."- He says- "So long as there is magic in the spirit world, I shall be undefeatable. And you're only wasting your time."
With that, he summons two large, undead bodyguards.
"Make them suffer."
The undead bodyguards approach Alcander and Derion, but the two men slice them down with a single blow.
As they vanish, part of their spiritual energy returns in Vexor's soul.
"So this is why he's so persistent."- Alcander says- "When one of his undead servants perishes, its energy does not fade way. Instead, it returns to its sender and empowers him even further."
Vexor laughs.
"You're catching up, at last!"- He says and grins- "Maybe you're not so useless, after all!"
He smiles and claps his hands a few times.
"I have to admit. You're much more resilient that those who fell before you."- He says- "That just means that you will be a much better servant!"
Alcander shakes his head.
"I will never serve you monster!"- He yells- "Neither in life, nor in death!"
Vexor smiles.
"Maybe you say that now."- He replies- "But your undead self will claim otherwise."
With that he casts another spell, this time much more intense than the previous one.
Suddenly, a giant zombie emerges from the ground. A titan of a man, with the strength to shake the ground below Alcander's feet and make him fall in the deep chasms below.
Vexor smiles.
"You might have handled my previous allies, but this one's no match for you."- He says- "Face it, Alcander. This is the end for you."
Alcander smiles.
"You are underestimating me, just like your friend."
Having said that he turns to the undead man and easily blocks his attack with his sword. Then, he climbs on top of his sword and is thrown into the air by the man.
As he falls, he throws his sword toward the undead man, slicing his head a few times and putting him down with just a few blows, falling on his corpse as he collapses.
Vexor quivers in anger.
"Argh! You persistent wretch!"- He exclaims and smirks- "Fine. If you really want to face me like a man, then we'll do it my way!"
With that, he claps his hands again and vanishes.
Even though he is gone, our heroes can still sense him on the building above them.
"He's there. I can feel it."- Derion says- "But... how could we reach him."
Alcander smiles.
"Easily, that's how."- He says- "A single building will not stop me from helping my brother!"
Having said that, he enchants his feet with the power of wind again.
Just as Derion wonders what he is about to do, Alcander leaps in the air and performs a lion's jump, easily vaulting over the entire building and landing on top.
"Now this... is just ridiculous."- Derion says and smiles- "But I love it."
Alcander draws his weapon and watches Vexor from a distance.
"Your time in this world is limited, necromancer."
Vexor smiles.
"And so is yours."
Alcander glares at him and shakes his head.
"Then I'll just take you with me, wise one."
Vexor casts a spell on the ground around him. Suddenly, undead hands emerge from below, holding weapons and hitting everything close to them, including their own kind.
"I'd like to see you get through that."
Alcander smiles.
"You want me to... put them to rest again?"- He says- "This is child's play."
With that, he casts a spell on the ground himself.
"Tainted creatures of the earth, vanish from existence and rid the world of your foul miasma!"
Suddenly, the ground flashes brightly. The pained moans of the undead below fade away into the night as they are purified by the holy magic.
"Impossible!"- Vexor exclaims- "My undead were meant to last!"
Alcander shakes his head and winces back.
"You rely on those who unwillingly give away their own lives to keep you alive, yet you give all the credit to yourself."- He says- "Maybe you should flip the coin and try to understand how they feel."
Vexor shakes his head.
"I've long since given up on trying to feel."- He admits- "Right now, I only wish to see the downfall of civilization."
Alcander raises hie eyebrow.
"But this means that you will fall along with them."
Vexor grins.
"Not necessarily."- He says- "When the undead sense that I am their maker, they leave me alone. Not a single one of them has ever dared to lay a hand on me. My plan is perfect and so are the servants who do the job in my name."
Alcander smiles.
"Well, maybe you should predict this then!"
Having said that, he casts a spell and pierces Vexor in the arm with a ray of light.
Suddenly, the necromancer's starts to burn slightly. He tries to ignore it, but the pain is too persistent."
"Seems like you managed to find my weak point."- Vexor mutters- "Fine. Then, if you want to fight fair, I shall accept your challenge."
He pulls out a pair of daggers and lunges at him, but the young man easily leaps out of harm's way.
"Stop resisting!"- Vexor yells, frustrated- "You can't survive!"
Alcander shakes his head.
"I'm not going to give you the pleasure of watching me squirm, dark one."
As the two of them continue to fight, the rest of the team joins Derion below, having killed all of the undead and survived the battle.
"Is that Al?"- Donovan says- "What in the world is he doing?!"
Derion sighs.
"Fighting for his life."- He says- "And for those of many others."
Amelia places her right hand next to her chest as she is forced to watch helplessly.
"Come on, honey."- She says to herself- "Show them that you're more than just a man lost in the wilds. Make your family proud. Make us proud."
In the ensuing struggle, Vexor manages to lift Alcander's right sleeve slightly.
He notices a small wound on his arm and laughs.
"So, you really are marked by them!"- He exclaims- "What a shame! Nobody gets through that!"
Alcander smiles.
"You are wrong."- He says- "Many others have given up and succumbed to it, but I have a purpose. I won't let it taint and corrupt me."
Vexor grins.
"Then, maybe I should do it for you!"
Before Alcander could react. Vexor mutters a few words. As the palm of his hand starts to glow with a black light, he lunges forward and presses it against Alcander's arm.
Alcander lets out a yell of pain, immedately pulling his hand away. However, the damage is already done. He was tainted by Vexor's dark magic.
He watches as his wound starts to glow black.
"What... have you done to me?"
Vexor laughs.
"Just a small fraction of my power, set into motion."- He says- "Don't worry, it won't kill you. Not yet, that is."
He smiles.
"Savor whatever time you still have left, for it will be your last!"
Alcander draws his weapon and stumbles toward him.
"I'm not going anywhere."- He says- "Not when you're still around."
Vexor raises his eyebrow.
"You plan to do... something?"- He says and chuckles- "Look at yourself. You're a dead man walking. It'll be a matter of time before your body gives out and you join my pets. Your entire operation is worthless!"
Alcander shakes his head.
"I made a promise to my brother. Even as I fall, I will fight back. Until my last breath, I will defy the chaos and strive to reach the order."-He says- "And I will not let you tell me what to do!"
Suddenly, he leaps forward and quickly approaches the surprised necromancer.
"I shall slay you, Vexor!"- He yells- "In the name of everyone that you hurt, get lost!"
As he prepares to strike, memories of the times that he spent with his siblings swirl through his mind.
It feels like a whole lifetime of adventures, lessons, ups and downs were carefully placed and arranged, to give him the feeling of a perfect world.
"Look on the bright side."- He hears Adam's voice- "Even if you lose, there is still something that you have learned. Something that you have done right."
Alcander nods.
"Adam, I miss you."
He hears Adam's voice again.
"In my time as a hero, I have never seen someone as determined as you."
Alcander's eyes fill with tears.
"You helped me become the man that I only dared to dream of."- He says- "You define me so well. Without you, my world would be incomplete."
He hears his voice, this time in a slightly different tone.
"Heroes may come and go, but bonds are eternal."- He says- "The people that we fight for, they are the true artifacts of this world."
Alcander smiles.
"Thank you."- He says- "And this final blow, it's all for you."
Having said that, he charges as Vexor and kicks him in the face.
The necromancer stumbles back and falls from the building, screaming as he descends with incredible speed.
Alcander watches as he falls and smiles. He winces back from the pain, so he doesn't see whether Vexor made it or not.
Meanwhile, Vexor manages to land on a tree below and survives. He climbs down, holding his fresh wound as he escapes from the battle.
"Curse you, Kaos."- He says weakly- "One day, I'll make your brother pay for this... insolence."
With that, he disappears into the mist, unseen by anyone else.
On top of the building, Alcander walks backwards and stands at the ledge on the other side.
"It is done, my friends."- He says weakly- "Vexor is gone. He shall no longer torment the living and the dead with his foul presence."
Everyone cheers for him.
"Well done, my friend."- Derion says from below- "In the name of all of the people who stood up for you, I congratulate you for facing your fears at last."
Alcander smiles and feels his entire body give out for a second. Then, he involuntarily stumbles off the ledge of the building and falls down.
Everyone below panics. They wonder what to do.
"Keep it together, everyone."- Derion says- "Alcander wants us to be strong. So, that is what we're going to be."
He stands below Alcander and raises his hands in the air.
"Come on!"- He yells- "If you want to save his life, make an effort!"
Suddenly, everyone else joins him, managing to catch him just in time before he crashes into the ground.
"Well, that was unexpected."- Alcander mutters- "Thank you, everyone. I'm glad you're finally able to... work together."
Donovan looks at him.
"What happened to you over there, my friend?"- He asks him- "Did you get hurt?"
Alcander shakes his head.
"No. I was just... doing my best to survive."- He says- "I was condemned to perish either way. He just made it go... faster."
To prove his point, he lifts the right sleeve of his shirt and reveals a large bite wound.
Everyone gasps, barely believing what is going on.
"But... I thought that you would be fine!"- Amelia says, tears falling from her eyes- "Why do you have to do this to me?"
Alcander shakes his head.
"I'm sorry, my dear."- He says- "I really am."
He looks up at Nelson, who seems to be deeply saddened by his employer's condition.
"Nelson, can you bring everyone else outside."- He asks him- "I want to spend my last moments with my people."
Nelson nods.
"As you wish, sir."- He replies- "Your wish shall be granted."
Having said that, he turns to the rest of the sailors.
"Alright, boys. You heard the boss."- He says to them- "Pack your things and get out."
The sailors look at their employer one last time, sigh and head out of World's End along with Nelson.
"Why did you do this, Alcander?"- Derion asks him- "I thought that they were your crew."
Alcander sighs.
"I just wanted to... protect them."- He says- "In this state, I feel very weak. Very vulnerable. I want them to remember me as the strong, daring and brave warrior who saved them from the tyrant who was treating them like a bunch of slaves, not a man who had no other choice than to redeem himself for them."
Derion nods.
"I see."- He replies- "Very noble of you, I guess."
Alcander turns to Donovan.
"Donnie, we did it. We managed to break through the veil of darkness and fight for the Order."- He says- "You'll be a hero again. Isn't it amazing?"
Donovan shakes his head.
"It is, but it won't be the same without you."- He says- "We tried to keep you safe, but it turns out that it was only a temporary salvation for your soul. So, this means that it was all... futile. For us. For them. For everyone."
Alcander smiles.
"Aw. Cheer up, buddy."- He says- "I may be fading away, but the memory of me will never be erased. As long as there are people who are willing to keep it alive, I will always be here with you."
Donovan sighs.
"That's what we all want to hear."- He says- "But the truth, it may not be the same as we think."
Jon sighs.
"How did you get bitten, Al?"- He asks him- "Last time I saw you, you looked perfectly fine to me."
Alcander looks at him."
"I got attacked by the undead when I was travelling to Goznor. I struggled with them and almost got killed, but they overwhelmed me. Back then, I did not know how to truly put them down, so I simply waved my sword at them. But then, I managed to slice their heads down, killing them just before they could do serious damage to me."- He says- "But the damage was already done. When I looked down, I saw it. It was there, sitting on my skin and draining the life out of me. So, I knew that I had to spend my time wisely, with the people I truly care about."
He nods at his allies.
"I came all the way here, because I thought that I would do a good thing for the world one last time."- He continues- "And, thanks to you, I finally did."
Donovan salutes him.
"It was an honor to fight alongside you."
Amelia approaches him and takes his hands in hers.
"I don't want to lose you. I can't take it."- She says and looks down- "But... it's the way of life. I can't change it. Not now, not ever."
Alcander nods and smiles, seemingly understanding the message that she's trying to send.
"I love you too, Amelia."
Amelia smiles and kisses him on the cheek.
"I have no regrets, my love."- She says- "I will always love you."
Donovan looks at him.
"Now that you've said goodbye to them, is there something you wish to do before you... depart?"
Alcander nods.
"Do you have a pen and paper?"
Donovan raises his eyebrow.
"Pen and paper? Why?"- He asks- "Do you want to write your will?"
Alcander shakes his head.
"Not quite."- He replies- "I just want to... pour my heart out. One last time."
Donovan nods and picks up a large piece of paper from his pack. Then, he grabs a pen and gives them both to Alcander.
"If that is what you wish, then here you go."- He says- "I'm glad that I was able to help a friend."
Alcander smiles.
"Thank you."
Then, he starts to write his last words on the paper. He starts out normal, but his writing starts to get a little shaky around the end.
Finally, after about half an hour of hard work, he leaves the pen on the ground and smiles.
"There,"- He says- "Now, can you deliver it to someone else?"
Donovan raises his eyebrow.
"And who could that be?"
Alcander smiles.
"Someone very important to me."- He says- "The one who better than everyone else. At least in my humble opinion."
Donovan nods and rolls up the freshly used scroll.
"Of course, my friend. I understand it."- He says, seemingly recognizing the person he is talking about- "Then, I shall not rest until this message is delivered to them."
Alcander nods.
"Guard it with your life."- He says to him- "Who knows when you will see him again?"
Donovan nods.
"I will see him again."- He says confidently- "You have my word."
Alcander nods and lays on the ground below.
"Then it is time for me to go."- He says- "My time in this world is over. My mission is done. I can finally... rest in peace... "
With that, Alcander closes his eyes and succumbs to the infection inside of his body. A true hero to the last breath, he doesn't even dare to show the pain. He just passes out, falls limp and perishes, quietly and innocently.
"Oh, my Alcander."- Amelia says and holds him in her arms- "Oh, my little angel. I can't believe it."
As Amelia starts to cry, Donovan shakes his head and approaches his fallen friend.
Suddenly, his skin starts to turn gray, indicating that he will turn soon.
Seeing that his friend will turn into a monster, Donovan raises his spear and gently brings it down upon Alcander's skull, preventing the inevitable and preserving his body.
"It is done."- He mutters- "After everything that we did, this journey is... over."
He sighs.
"We must be strong, everyone."- He says- "If not for the others, then for him."
He looks at his allies.
"He fought in the name of all goodness in this world. Proved himself as a true samaritan. Brought the light back into our lives"- He says- "And this is only a small portion of what he has done for us."
He looks down.
"So, let us spend a moment of silence to honor our fallen hero."
Everyone else looks down as well, silencing their own whimpering and respecting the one who risked everything to keep them safe.
Then, as they look back up, they realize that they have to live in a world with one less fellow hero.
Realizing that the darklings and undead are closing in on them, Donovan stands up and prepares to cast a spell.
"We must go."- He says- "Now."
Amelia shakes her head.
"What about Al?"- She says- "We can't just leave him in enemy lands like this!"
Donovan sighs.
"I'm sorry, Amelia."- He says- "Time is running out. If we don't get away, then we'll soon end up like him."
Amelia glares at him.
"I'm not going anywhere!"- She yells- "Not without my beloved!"
Donovan looks at her, surprised. He has never seen her so determined to protect something of hers. Even her bond with Sharla is no match for the one that she has with Alcander.
"Look, Amelia. I know that you want him to be by your side forever, but this is not possible."- He says- "Sharla is worried about you. And if we don;t bring you back, she'll be infuriated."
Amelia shakes her head.
"I don't care about my sister!"- She yells- "I'd rather die alongside him than to suffer the indignity of returning alive and empty-handed!"
Donovan, Jon and Derion stare at each other. They clearly have no other ideas how to deal with her.
Donovan sighs and grabs Alcander's corpse.
"Al said it himself. No man shall be left behind."- He says- "And we shall continue his legacy."
He turns to his allies.
"Come on!"- He says- "Get moving!"
With that, he and the others leave the city before the darklings return, managing to avoid their patrols and escape into the surrounding countryside.
As they walk through the wastelands, they see something peculiar in the distance.
"Is that a prison caravan?"- Jon says- "Where are they going?"
Derion glares at it.
"To World's End, I dare to assume."- He says- "No matter what they're trying to do, they're carrying prisoners with them. Innocent people, captured by Darkthrop's madmen just for their entertainment. And we have to stop them."
Amelia nods.
"This seems dangerous."- She says- "What would Al do, if he was still here?"
Donovan raises his spear.
"He wasn't afraid of doing the right thing."- He says- "And neither are we!"
Our allies charge toward the prisoner caravan, surprising the guards and bringing them down with a combination of blades and magic, effectively preventing anyone from helping them out.
Then, they approach the newly abandoned caravan and shatter the bars, allowing the prisoners to emerge.
Much to Jon's surprise, the people who join them are very familiar to him.
"Aalia! Emela!"- He exclaims- "What are you doing here?"
Emela shrugs.
"We let ourselves enter the lion's mouth and almost got eaten."- She says- "Bad luck, I guess."
Donovan approaches Emela and hugs her.
"I'm so glad to see you again."- He says- "When you left us, we thought that we lost you forever."
Emela smiles.
"Nobody's gone until they're gone, Donnie."- She says- "So long as there's still a spark left, we're not giving up."
She sighs.
"We heard that you were coming, but never imagined that you'd be here so fast."- She says- "How did you make it all the way here?"
Donovan nods back at World's End.
"We went in there, led by a brave hero who illuminated our path to victory."- He says- "When we emerged, we saw you and helped you out, just like he always wanted."
Emela nods.
"And what happened to him?"
Donovan looks down.
"Well. He... he's not quite well, shall we say."- He says- "It's hard to explain in a place like this."
Emela suspects that something is wrong and looks back.
She sees Alcander's corpse and her eyes widen for a moment.
"Oh dear. Oh, no."- She mutters- "This is bad news for poor Adam."
Donovan sighs.
"We tried our best, but he was already marked for death."- He says- "Even if Vexor didn't hurt him, it was only a matter of time before he succumbed to it."
Upon hearing Vexor's name, Emela becomes infuriated. With no hesitation, she turns back at the prison caravan, grabs a hammer and angrily smashes it down.
"Well."- Donovan says- "That's very unorthodox of you, Emela."
Emela shakes her head.
"I don't care!"
Soon, her job is done. The caravan is completely destroyed.
Emela throws the hammer at the ground and spits at the wreckage.
"And I'll do something way worse than this once I see him again!"- She says as she turns around.
Derion leans close to Donovan.
"Remind me to never mess with her again."- He whispers to him- "She's a dangerous one."
Donovan looks at Emela and smiles sadly.
"I hate to break your party, but we've got to flee to safety."- He says- "Darkthrop's forces are closing in. And we're at the center of the conflict. If we don't leave soon, we might... "
Emela sighs.
"Yeah, yeah. I got it."- She replies- "Just spare me your pleasantries and get us out of here before I lose my mind again."
----Somewhere in the distance, Akira watches the sky as her brother falls asleep.
"Alcander. It's been too long."- She says- "Where are you? What is on your innocent mind?"
She stares at the stars and sees something strange.
"Hold on. Something... is wrong."- She says- "What is this feeling? Of dread? Hopelessness?"
A single tear falls from her right eye as she realizes the truth.
"No. This cannot be."- She says quietly- "The stars must be trying to fool me. There's no such thing. He's too strong to fall like that."
Moments later, she looks down and sighs, defeated.
"So this is how it has to be."- She mutters- "Make us do all this hard work and then force the truth onto us. Consume our hope like a wildfire."
Tears start falling from her eyes as she finally realizes how harsh reality could be.
"Whether I like it or not, I know what happened. I understand how he felt and how he fell. I saw it all, as if in the blink of an eye."- She says to herself and looks at Adam- "But I can't tell him about it. Not in a time when we actually have hope for a change."
She shakes her head.
"Even so, I don't want to hurt him with this knowledge."- She continues- "Knowing that he's not among us anymore would be heartbreaking for him. I can't bear seeing him in such a helpless state. It breaks my heart to see him suffer."
She looks up at the stars and sighs.
"Maybe someday, I will have the courage to act."- She says- "But, until then. I must be strong. And I must make sure that he's strong, too."
She clenches her fist.
"Rest easy, dear brother."- She says- "We shall continue your legacy. Whatever it takes."
----
And so, the adventure of the brave and young heroic soul Alcander Kaos has come to an end. Ever all that he has done, he still had to pay the ultimate cost for all of his kindness. And now, he is floating in Heaven, happy and free.
But the struggles of his allies on the planet below have not ended yet. He may have left the mortal realm, but they still have yet to suffer even further. As their enemies grow even more dangerous than they were before, they have to find new ways to eliminate them, each one more demanding than the last.
As for Adam himself, it will be a hard journey toward World's End. However, with his with allies and the strength of the ancients on his side, there is no way that he will surrender. But the news of his brother's demise, they are inevitable. And it is only a matter of time before he learns what happened on that fateful encounter... 
Without Alcander, the future will never be the same. Even though our heroes are trying to make it bright, it will always be a little bit dark. But the memories that he left behind, they shall be the sparks of life that never fade away.
Once again, it is time to be heroes, even when everything is falling apart.
Onward!