MLTO C3, P6

This is the sixth Part of "MLIV:TO" 's third Chapter, as well as the last Part of its first Episode.
It was released on 18.12.2022.
== Plot ==
After listening to a fraction of Shura Kobayashi's story and finding out how he came to be like this, Geralt is forced to step through a portal and face the malevolent spirit in one last battle.
It is clear that the young hero's enemy is far more than he bargained for. Even from afar, his power is undeniable. He is lucky to have survived so far, but he has yet to face his full wrath.
Will he overcome the adversary of Destiny and continue being the hero that this world needs?
== Story ==
Geralt finds himself on the other side of the portal. He is surprised to see that he has been teleported into a giant arena, the domain of darkness within a world of despair.
Surrounded by the spirits of fallen villains who are ready to cheer their champion on, he starts to feel rather alone in this place. Without anyone to support him, it is clear that the young hero has to rely on the abilities that he has acquired along the way.
Still, he is ready for the challenge that has just been bestowed upon him. He bravely steps forward, his eyes burning with raw passion. Fearless and determined, he is ready to battle the fiend that nearly brought an end to his allies.
"Alright, Shura. The curtains have been opened."- He says- "Come here and show your face. Prove that you are not a coward!"
Somewhere from the shadows, he can hear the evil spirit's laughter. He senses his presence, but cannot see him yet. And yet, he is still there, a powerful and undisputed champion of the forces of darkness, ready to mow down everyone who dares to oppose him.
"You ask for me, yet you haven't proven yourself?"- He hears his voice- "Don't be so inpatient, Geralt! There will be a lot of time for us to fight!"
Suddenly, the dark gates in front of him open.
"But not yet!"- Shura continues- "First, you must prove whether you're worthy of standing against me or not!"
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"You want me to prove myself again?"- He asks- "But I have already done that! I already bested you!"
The crowd of spirits gasps. They clearly didn't expect the young hero to retort so fast.
Shura sighs.
"It's true. You have shown yourself to be an exemplary challenger."- He says- "But the warriors of the World of Chaos are unconvinced. They want more blood to be shed... and you are the perfect opportunity for that."
He laughs.
"So, come on!"- He exclaims- "Face the wild beasts that I have gathered for you! Show us whether Man can defeat nature or not!"
Geralt draws his weapon.
"I never said that I wouldn't accept. But, if you wish to see what I have learned so far, then so be it."- He says- "I only have three words to say to you: Bring. It. On."
The crows gasps once again. Geralt's confidence is too much for their wicked beings.
In the distance, Shura laughs again. He is clearly amused by Geralt's will to live.
"Hah! You shall be the tastiest morsel for my servants!"- He exclaims- "Come, my pretties! It's time to feed!"
Suddenly, a pair of shadow lions lunges out of the cage. They bare their teeth at Geralt and pounce on him.
Fortunately, the young hero is capable of beating them back. Using his powers of light, he is able to throw them back. And yet, he is not able to stop them for good, as they pounce back, just like the wild animals that they are. And then, Geralt casts the spell once again, this time hurting them more than he did before.
Wounded and enraged, the lions decide to use their full power on their opponent. They roar viciously, causing Geralt to become disoriented for a few moments. Then., they pounce and start to bite him, nearly ripping off his skin from his bones.
At first, Geralt starts to panic. He fears that he might die to those beasts. He has the bad feeling that he will never see his loved ones ever again. But then, he remembers the one thing that his grandfather taught him before he went on this adventure- Not everything around him is real. Sometimes, the shadows may create mind-altering illusions that can cause the unprepared to fall victim of them.
Seeing that this is one such thing, Geralt stands up and throws the lions back with an incredible force of magic and will. The vile creatures perish moments later and the young hero is left completely unharmed, as the wounds that they inflicted upon him are nothing more than mere hallucinations.
"Argh! You found my secret!"- Shura exclaims- "Fair play, Geralt! But this next challenge shall be far more dangerous for you!"
Another one of the gates opens. A shadow paladin, clad in heavy armor and armed with a large greatsword, emerges to the battlefield.
"This brave warrior holds the scars of many battles. He has caused nightmares to many unfortunates and is capable of causing a thousand more."- Shura says- "Now go, my ally! Crush the otherworlder and claim your rightful title!"
The dark paladin does not hesitate to make the first move. He draws his weapon and charges at Geralt. His steps cause the ground around him to shake, terrifying the crowd of spirits around him. His blows tear through the fabric of reality, creating painful projections of pure darkness. 
Geralt is capable of withstanding this imminent threat for a while. However, even his considerable power is not enough to stop him from attacking. He falls to his knees, unable to fight any further than he already has.
"Yes! This is it!"- Shura exclaims- "Now finish him! Banish the light once and for all!"
The dark paladin raises his weapon, intending to slay Geralt with a single blow. 
Geralt tries to fight back, but does not have enough energy to make a move. As he lays helplessly on the ground, his life flashes before his very eyes. Then, he hears the call of a very familiar voice.
"Come on, honey! Fight the shadows like you always have!"
Just as the paladin's blow goes down, Geralt leaps to his feet and avoids it, shocking both the crowd and Shura himself.
"I will not fall victim to the darkness!"- He yells- "Even when I am alone, I will still destroy it!"
Then, he grabs the massive paladin, who turns out to be as light as a feather. 
"This one is for all the innocent people that you have slain!"- He exclaims- "For the light!"
He lunges forward and throws the paladin at Shura. As it turns out, Geralt was somehow able to make him much lighter and cause him to regain his original weight as soon as he strikes the balcony. 
Soon, the entire thing crumbles along with Shura, causing the vile spirit to fall the ground below.
"Argh! No!"- He yells- "How dare you use my powers against me?!"
Geralt sighs.
"Once again, you are being far too predictable."- He says- "You use others to fight for you, yet you never see that it is completely futile."
He points his weapon at him.
"No matter how many of them you send my way, I will still fight back!"- He exclaims- "But you are the one whom I truly want!"
Meanwhile, the dark paladin lets out one last yell and perishes for good, leaving Shura to handle himself in this fight.
Shura clenches his fist.
"Once again, you defy me, even after I showed you the truth so many times."- He says to Geralt- "Why are you doing this? Why are you so persistent?!"
Geralt nods.
"I am doing this because I have a purpose. Unlike you, I do not want to cause chaos to this world. I want to bring order in the purest way possible- by cleansing the world of fiends like you."- He says- "I find my strength in little things that I have done in the past. My family and friends are my source of power, unlike the hatred that rests within that tainted heart of yours."
He points his blade at him again.
"And I never surrender!"
Shura smiles.
"Then so it be."- He says- "At last, I can face you in one last, honorable battle. But be warned that I am far stronger than you had anticipated. I truly hope that you can withstand my power."
Geralt nods.
"Bring it on."- He says- "I am ready."
Like a horde of enraged animals, Shura charges with all of his unrestrained might. He delivers nasty blows to Geralt and disorients him with his magic. It soon turns out that he is right- he has far more bite than bark. And he is ready to use this bite to teach Geralt a lesson that he will never forget.
As he had expected, Geralt is unable to withstand this constant assault of darkness. And yet, he always finds the strength to continue fighting, leaping to his feet when he is brought down and striking Shura when he becomes vulnerable.
The dark spirit is soon annoyed by Geralt's continued survival. He raises his hands and casts a spell, causing everything to go black for Geralt.
"Now, you shall see what we- the beings of darkness are truly capable of."- He says- "Perish, otherworlder!"
As Geralt wonders what is going on, he hears the laughter of Shura's fellow spirits as they begin their attack. Somewhere from the shadows, a spirit strikes the young hero in the back, causing him to fall on his knees. Then, another one trips him. Finally, while on the ground, a third spirit envelops his conscience, causing him to see Shura everywhere.
"What's the matter, Geralt? Are you seeing... everything?"- Shura says and laughs- "Good! That's how it has to be!"
Geralt attempts to strike at the Shuras, but then he remembers his grandfather's advice again. Striking those creatures is like striking the air. They were never there to begin with.
Concentrating all of the energy that he has left into a single blow, he lets out his fiercest battle cry. His body starts to flash white as the darkness is immediately banished from existence. The spirits who attacked him earlier start to shriek as they are purified by the power of light while Shura himself is nearly obliterated by this blow.
"What is this? You keep fighting back, even though it's all over for you?"- He says- "You surely are a very frustrating individual, Geralt Kaos!"
Geralt looks at him.
"Frustrating?"- He asks- "No! I am pure!"
As the entire world of darkness around the two warriors is dispelled by the power of light, the two of them find themselves on a sundered battlefield. Everywhere around them, they see the souls of all of the people who fought Redmark to regain their freedom. Somewhere in the distance, they also see the skulls of the vile conquerors, still tainted with the darkness which resided within them in life.
"So this is it. The final battlefield."- Shura says- "The arena of lost hope where everyone fights for a common purpose."
Geralt nods.
"And my people's purpose is pure."- He says- "We fight against the vile emperor, even thought it might cost us our lives. This place is the testament of our suffering, the uncertainties that we had to conquer to be here."
Shura laughs.
"And yet, it's also the sign of true despair!"- He exclaims- "Thank you, Geralt! This is the perfect place where you can be defeated!"
Geralt nods.
"I could say the same thing."- He responds- "For you."
Shura rushes toward Geralt, like a demon that was just unleashed from his eternal prison. However, the young hero extends his hand, creating a barrier of light that is strong enough to repel the dark spirit.
"I am sorry, Shura, but that is enough. I have had enough of your trickery."- He says- "Now, it is time for you to feel our wrath!"
Geralt closes his eyes and starts to mutter a spell. Shura tries to attack him again, but is immediately stopped by something else.
Suddenly, the spirits of all of the people who feel victim to the vile spirit's wrath stand beside their savior, They fight back against the one who put an end to them and prepare to take their revenge for what he did to them.
Among the fallen heroes is Ryozo- one of Geralt's closest friends who fell while trying to save the temple from the humanoid force.
"Geralt, we heard your call for help. We understood that you needed it."- He says- "And now, here we are- ready to help you."
Geralt smiles.
"It is good to see you again, my friend."- He says- "Even after you departed from this world, our bond was not broken. And now, it is time to show this fiend what we are capable of."
He looks at the dark spirit in front of him.
"Do you see this, Shura? Do you feel their energy, their lust for revenge?"- He asks him- "I am but a mouthpiece for the lost souls whom you tortured for so long with your actions, but I am strong enough to carry out their wishes."
Shura shakes his head.
"But you are just a human being!"- He yells- "How are you able to connect so well with the Spirit World?!"
Geralt nods.
"It's because I share a bond with a very special person."- He says- "She showed me that love and friendship can transcend beyond the mortal veil, through countless valleys of lost souls. Even though she is not among us anymore, her advice gave me the power to keep on living. And that is exactly what I shall do, in the name of every innocent person, slain unjustly by the powers of darkness!"
He raises his hands in the air, creating a force of light never seen before.
"It is all over for you, Shura of the Dark Flame!"- He yells- "May your spirit finally receive the rest that it deserves and your soul to be sealed away for all eternity! Maybe then, you shall come to respect the light!"
As Geralt blasts the force of holy energy forward, the lost souls raise their hands, as well.
"Farewell, tormentor!"- They yell in unison as it strikes him.
Shura is completely obliterated by the blast. His screams quickly fade away into the night as his entire body shatters into hundreds of pieces.
"What is this... this power?!"- He screams- "No! I am Shura of the Dark Flame! Such power is not supposed to-- "
And then, his dark soul meets the same fate.
"No!"- He screams- "NO!"
As the last fragments of what used to be Shura the Dark Flame vanish into the void where they belong, Geralt turns around and bows to the lost souls.
"My friends. Despite all odds, we finally did it. Shura of the Dark Flame is no more and it is all thanks to us."- He says- "And yet, I never could have done without any of you. Without your help, I never could have prevailed in this fight. So, thank you for risking your lives to come here and aid me when I needed you the most. You are the most honorable warriors I have ever met and I will always remember our great victory over the shadows."
The portal leading out of those ruins opens behind Geralt. He takes a few steps back and bows one last time.
"But now, I must depart and return back into the real world."- He adds- "I wish you very happy lives in Heaven, despite the fact that the dark spirit stripped them away when you were still alive. Farewell, everyone! I shall always respect you!"
The spirits wave at him as they start to fade away.
"Farewell, Geralt!"- Ryozo exclaims- "Thank you for keeping our dream alive!"
Geralt steps through the portal and finds himself in the location where his journey started- the temple.
Just as he arrives, Aaron and Akihiro slay another group of hostile spirits that was attacking them. It seems like his allies have been doing well in his absence.
"He's back!"- Aurelia exclaims- "Geralt's back!"
As Aurelia rushes forward to hug him, Jared approaches his grandson and pats him on the shoulder.
"So, you returned from this perilous journey. I had no doubt that you would succeed, but I still had my fears."- He says- "But tell us what we need to know. Is Shura the Dark Flame gone for good? Is his spirit going to torture us for any longer?"
Geralt smiles.
"With a clear conscience, I say that the one known as Shura Kobayashi has been put to rest. His soul now lingers within the eternal darkness, never to return again."- He says- "But I did not do it alone. I had all of the lost souls by my side, and I sensed that you were there with me, too."
Jared nods.
"It is true. We never abandoned you, even as we fought the dark spirits that Shura sent here."- He says- "Since this is all over, it means that we have to rebuild. There is no time to celebrate. The damage that those fiends did to this temple is considerable and we must make sure that it is repaired soon."
He sighs.
"But that is not the biggest concern for us. Redmark is still out there, still the powerful and undisputed emperor. The death of Shura caused a grievous blow for him and his army, meaning that it is time for us to make the final move."- He adds- "So. Are you ready to make that traitor pay for his crimes?"
Geralt looks around.
"I... I... "
He sighs.
"No."- He responds- "I am not."
Everyone gasps.
"What?"- Jared asks- "Why not?"
Geralt sighs again.
"Because I have gone through way too much. I am feeling exhausted and I need some free time."- He says- "I cannot be ready for the worst unless I am in my best shape, you know. So, I must take a break."
Jared nods.
"Of course. I understand."- He says- "Your mother instructed me to leave you be, should you want to rest from this ordeal. And I shall do that, not because I want to listen to her, but because I know that it is the best for you."
He looks up at him.
"But where will you go, if you don't mind me asking?"
Geralt looks at the garden outside.
"I shall make my way through the unexplored lands. Find a new territory where I shall feel peace."- He says- "But I will not be alone. Aurelia promised to join me on this journey, so I shall allow her to join me again."
Aurelia jumps up and down, excited that she is going on another adventure.
"Yes! Wonderful!"- She exclaims- "I'm ready to go wherever you're going, my dear!"
Jared raises his eyebrow.
"But... her father... "
He sighs.
"Ah, whatever."- He says- "I can tell him that she's going to be away for a while longer. He will not mind."
He smiles and hugs his grandson.
"I wish you good luck in your future endeavors, my boy."- He says- "You make our family so proud. Keep on shining, we are with you."
Geralt smiles back.
"Thank you, grandpa. I will miss you."- He says- "But I will be back. I promise!"
Jared nods.
"I'm sure that you will, my boy."- He responds- "And we will be waiting for you."
== Trivia ==
* Part 5 and Part 6 of "MLIV:TO" 's third Chapter are the first ones to be released on the same day (18.12.2022).