MLTO C5, P10

This is the tenth and last Part of "MLIV:TO" 's fifth Chapter.
It was released on 20.03.2023.
== Plot ==
After a huge struggle and an intense battle between Good and Evil, the pretentious gang of self-proclaimed vigilantes known as "Avernum's Saviors" has been defeated. Baron Bridges has learned a lesson that will stick around with him during his next life and the criminal activity in Avernum has almost dropped down to zero. A truly spectacular achievement for our heroes, though their troubles are far from over.
During their search in the Baron's office, they discovered that the mighty leader has been planning to deliver materials to a seemingly incomplete portal, somewhere in the mountains on the other side of a large river, in the western side of Avernum. In addition, they soon discovered that Aurelia and Dante- their trusted companions who accompanied them all the way to the Baron's lair- are nowhere to be found. This worries the Kaos siblings even more, but they are forced to carry on with their task, their inner flames fueled by their own grandfather- the legendary hero known as Jared Kaos.
Together, they must come face to face with the bulk of Redmark's army. They must enter a large fortress, located in a place where no human being would dare to climb. And, most importantly, they must prevent the villains from constructing the world's largest portal, meant to transport thousands of imperial soldiers in little more than a few hours.
The stakes are becoming quite high and so are the expectations of their fellow humans. Life becomes more difficult, but the spark of hope is still shining bright. In the face of incoming evil, they shall keep on fighting in the name of every single inhabitant of this world.
Will they overcome their fears and crush the Empire's dreams once and for all?
== Story ==
Jared approaches the lifeless corpse of Baron Bridges. He stares at him, as if he sees something that makes him quite familiar. Quite unique for his job. Then, he sighs and pulls out his sword.
"Before we go, there is one more thing that must be done."- He says- "The people must know that their tormentor is gone. They need proof, and we must be the ones to bestow it upon them."
He tries to cut off the former Baron's head, but Geralt stops him.
"Stop, grandpa! This is not right!"- He exclaims- "Remember how the Baron asked me to put him down? How he almost begged me to end his existence once and for all?"
Jared raises his eyebrow.
"So what?"- He asks- "What does this have to do with the people of Avernum?"
Geralt shakes his head.
"Mr. Bridges was too ashamed to show his face to his fellow Avernites again. He left this world, content that others would not see the monster inside of him. That is why he wanted me to end his suffering- to ease the pain that he had to go through."- He says- "The Baron was not the butcherer, grandpa. He was the victim."
Kaiden shakes his head.
"Geralt, you're speaking nonsense again."- He says- "How could such a bloodthirsty villain ever place himself in a situation similar to those poor people out there? He has never been like them and he will never be. Thus, they need to know that he is gone. That will bring them hope, not harm."
Jared sighs.
"No, Kaiden. Your brother is right."- He says- "All this time, I saw every villain as a source of darkness. A pillar of evil. I was acting like the typical hero. I had an approach that was characterized by many as "holier-than-thou". Many feared me because of how I treated the spawns of evil. But now, I can see that not all who turned to villainy are actually bad. Some of them were just humble warriors who were just trying to do what they thought was right, just like we do right now. The only difference between us is that we are regarded with respect, whereas those poor souls were always mistrusted."
Kaiden stares at him, surprised.
"But they attacked us on the road! They send many assassins to put us down!"- He yells- "Don't you think that you're being too sentimental?"
Jared raises his eyebrow.
"Am I?"- He asks- "Perhaps you should look at yourself. Tell me if you have ever felt this way. Then, if you saw the truth, come here and talk to me."
Kaiden looks at his grandfather.
"But that doesn't make any sense!"
Geralt sighs.
"No, Kai. It makes a lot sense."- He corrects him- "The Baron did all of this because he was afraid that we would turn on him. That we would destroy everything that he ever fought for. He was not evil like Redmark and his lackeys, he was just... confused."
He looks at the late Baron's corpse and sighs.
"We are going to give this man back to his family."- He says- "We do not know who they are, but they deserve to know that he died with his honor intact. Cutting off his head and waving it around in front of a raging crowd will only bring them more shame. It is not fair."
Suddenly, Kaiden has a brief vision of the past. He remembers how his twin sister- Kiara- was regarded as a fool for putting her own brother's life in front of her own, despite the young man's protests that she was just keeping her family's legacy alive. She was always treated as an outsider. Some of them even called her a "fake Kaos". This brought him a lot of rage back then. He even got most of those fools sent to prison because of their words against his beloved twin sister. And yet, nothing changed. Kiara was still gone and so were the sweet memories that he had of her when she was still alive.
Resigned to keep the good of this world, Kaiden smiles sadly and nods.
"I... can see your point. Maybe it's not wise to humiliate those who came before us. In the long run, it's best to be wise and thoughtful, not reckless and judgmental."- He says- "Alright. I'll allow you to bring the Baron back where he belongs. But the rest of the gang will stay here. Unlike him, they were truly bad people, and they'll serve as a grim testimonial to those who want to be like them."
Geralt nods.
"That is true."- He responds- "If it will make you feel a little bit better, I think that I feel the same way. Those fools were too reckless to be scared and they deserved what was coming to them. Most of them, at the very least."
Jared nods.
"And that settles this minor bit of awkward business."- He says- "Once we have the chance, I'll have a caravan bring the man's body back to his family. I'm sure that it will make them sad, but that is just a way of life. Many people have lost relatives in those dark times, and they are no exception."
Kaiden sighs.
"And neither are we?"
Jared raises his eyebrow.
"Are you still upset about Kiara's upbringing, my boy?"- He asks- "Is her absence still shaking you to the core?"
Kaiden looks down.
"I don't want to talk about it."
Geralt nods.
"And we will not push you further."- He says- "We know how much it hurt you to lose Kiki. Trust me, it hurt me quite a lot. And my heart is still bleeding because of that... cowardly deed."
Kaiden shakes his head.
"We will never forget her sacrifice."
Geralt sighs.
"Indeed, Kai."- He says- "Indeed."
He looks at the nearby hole in the wall.
"Now that we have a final mission on our minds, we must carry it out."- He says- "Travelling to the mountain range in the Abyss will not be easy. There are many miscreants out there and some of them are surely going to attempt to waylay us, being the wealthy and popular adventurers that we are. But that will not stop us from preventing such a major disaster. We must stay strong."
Jared nods.
"The boy speaks the truth, like he always does."- He says- "Let us be on our way."
As the three of them finally leave the hidden lair of "Avernum's Saviors", Geralt remembers something important. It is almost as if he forgot about it, focused as he was, and that he just reminded himself of how serious it truly is.
"By the way, grandpa. I am sure that you heard about this, but I must still tell you."- He says to Jared- "Recently, we came all the way here with Aurelia and Dante. We travelled around Avernum together and came all the way here to stop the Baron. Unfortunately, a flock of especially fearsome bats surprised us and wounded Aurelia. Dante had to stay with her and we were forced to go inside alone. My question is: Do you know if they are still around here?"
Jared raises his eyebrow.
"Aurelia and Dante? You mean the two youths who have burning souls like yours? Hmm."- He says- "When I came all the way here, I saw nobody else but a band of suspicious-looking Avernite warriors. Their leader saluted me and told that the situation is under control. I was forced to believe him, as I was in a hurry and did not have enough time to be suspicious of a high-ranked official. But when I came here, I only found you. I never saw your two friends. At all."
Geralt gasps.
"But then, this means that the band of Avernite soldiers that we met at the entrance were... were... "
Suddenly, Kaiden's attention is diverted somewhere else. He stares at something in the distance and points at it.
"Hey, family!"- He exclaims- "I think that I found the culprits red-handed!"
Jared nods.
"Let us hunt them down."
The three heroes charge forward and discover the same Avernites whom they met earlier. Their clothes are stained with blood and their weapons show signs of recent use. To many people, they might seem like a simple band of tired warriors, looking for new ways to help their nation. However, our heroes know better.
Seeing that their cover has been blown, the warriors draw their weapons and attack without asking any questions. They attempt to defeat our heroes, but the seasoned warriors are prepared for such an act of treachery. Blood is spilled as the Empire warriors who disguised themselves as Avernites receive a proper punishment for their crimes.
Their leader, seeing that his allies have fallen, becomes enraged and drops all pretense of being a loyal soldier of Avernum. He uses his powers to spear through the defenses of our heroes, leaving them quite vulnerable against his future attacks. However, just as he is about to deliver a final blow to Kaiden, Geralt forcefully grabs his weapon and viciously spears him in the chest.
The man coughs blood as he falls on his knees. Geralt wastes no time to grab him by the neck and pull him back up.
"Where are they, you imperial scum?!"- He yells- "Where are my friends?!"
The man shakes his head.
"You'll never... find... them... "
Jared grows tired of having to show mercy to all villains that he meets. Without a warning, he walks forward, draws his blade again and slices off the upper part of the villain's head, swiftly putting him out of his misery.
"And so, another traitor has gotten what he truly deserved."- Kaiden says and sighs- "It was truly a shame, but he was out enemy. He deserved no less."
Jared takes another step forward. He looks quite grim and pale, even more so than the usual Avernite.
"I think that I know what he meant by that."- He says- "I need to talk to both of you about this, but I don't think that this is the right time. We will discuss it later."
Geralt nods.
"I really want to save our friends, but our mission to prevent a massive invasion in the lands of Avernum is, perhaps, our most important one right now."- He says- "We can only hope that they are safe and sound while we continue to fight our enemies. Let us get going. Now."
Stuck between a rock and a hard place, our heroes make the extremely hard choice to continue their adventure instead of attempting to rescue their missing comrades. They travel to the Castle, in the hopes of finding the right portal to the Abyss. However, the portalmaster tells them that someone recently tinkered with the controls while he was gone, ruining their only chance to safely cross the Abyss. Thus, they are forced to travel in a slower way than they usually do- inside of a caravan.
Fortunately, the caravan is rather small and does not draw a lot of attention from the rebellious locals. Few bandit gangs are able to locate and attack them, but our heroes take care of them quite easily. Some of them even carried a few potions that will help them while they're on the road.
As the caravan continues to move toward the western Abyss, Jared stares at his surroundings and sighs.
"Ah, the Abyss. Such a cold and unforgiving place. In my eyes, it is truly the black pearl of Avernum. A land that only traitors and miscreants could ever call their home."- He says- "It's such a shame that so many people around the world regard it as a land of outcasts. Despite the fact that there's a lot of crime inside of it, there is also a hidden beauty that they will never be able to comprehend."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Have you ever been here, grandpa?"
Jared smiles.
"Been? I've been a part of it!"- He exclaims- "On one of my missions in Avernum, I was forced to chase after a notably powerful villain who had just reformed his mighty empire. His name was Farrar and he had lured a very beautiful girl that also happened to be my classmate at the time- the innocent princess known as Akari Minamino. I was forced to see what she became and set sail to put an end to this powerful empire, just to save the poor girl from the clutches of evil."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"You mean Mrs. Minamino?"- He asks- "The one whose voice brought peace to the lands of the Empire and comforted Empress Prazac during her final moments? The person who was regarded as a legend by many people, both in Avernum and on the Surface?"
Jared smiles.
"You seem to know about your other grandma, child. I am impressed."- He says- "Anyway, me and her have always had this passive-agressive relationship. She was always jealous of the hero that I became and wanted to be like me. However, the people of those lands tainted her soul and I was forced to fight her, in the hopes of saving her from a fate worse than death. Truly heartbreaking, right?"
He sighs.
"Anyway, I soon went to the city of Spire- the only safe settlement inside of those treacherous lands. I came to see how dirty and desperate the locals were and started to share their feelings. I was given the measly, horrendous food that they had to eat everyday. I was forced to watch as some of them were severely punished for petty burglary and almost killed in the process."- He says and looks down- "It was truly... horrifying. Cruel and undeserved. I hoped to never visit this land again. But now, here I am, on another dangerous mission that might be the end of me."
Then, he smiles.
"But this isn't all that I felt back in the time. When my mission was finally complete, I also felt hope. Joy. Even the sweet, sweet taste of love."- He says- "In fact, this is the place where I had my first kiss. The same girl who was my rival for quite a while became the love of my life. We kissed for many long hours. We wanted to keep it going, young and foolish as we were. We refused to let this beautiful moment stop... "
Kaiden clears his throat.
"Ahem."- He says- "Get to the point, please."
Jared sighs.
"But that time came to an end when I was forced to go back to the Surface to take care of the world's most powerful villain- a strange human being who came from another world. Akari was forced to bring her dead parents back and bury them and my parents did their best to help her out."- He says- "As for me, I continued to defeat our world's most dangerous villains. I became a hero respected by the whole world. And, in the end, I fell in love with another girl and we had your father. The End."
He looks down.
"Of course, I never came to know that Akari- the same girl that I loved for so long- was pregnant with my child. A beautiful daughter, a shining flower in a world of evil. And, believe me, I was truly shocked when I found it out."- He says- "However, as much as I wanted to be with my other family, I was unable to do so. While your aunt was still a little child, I was forced to abandon them and allow another man to take care of my daughter. My career was on the line and your grandmother would have left me if she ever came to know. It was a truly discreet matter, and I had no other choice."
He leans forward and stares at both Geralt and Kaiden.
"In fact, I think that I loved Akari more than your grandmother. She was always so sweet and I... I just couldn't resist."- He adds- "Even though I still deeply love your grandma, I cannot forget about my fallen love. My dear little angel. She meant a lot to me and I just couldn't forget how beautiful she truly was."
Kaiden shakes his head.
"Grandpa."- He says- "I'm sorry about this, but I think that you're a monster. An absolute monster."
Jared sighs.
"Yes, I am. I already know that."- He says- "And I do not expect forgiveness. I know that I will never deserve it."
Geralt looks at his grandfather.
"Well. I know that it was a bad thing, but I still forgive you."- He says- "All of us had to take risks to protect our loved ones. Who knows what kind of horrible things might have happened to them... "
Jared sighs.
"And yet, that did not stop her new husband to punish her for making love with another man. He treated my little Akira very badly and her heart was filled with absolute hatred- not just for the one who brought her in this world, but also for the world itself. The darkness inside of her was always so prominent and she never had the chance to allow the light to cure her. It was very sad to watch."- He says- "However, I managed to reach out to her with the help of your father. He was always so kind to her, understood how she felt, and always showed love to that poor, desperate soul. After she lost her mother, she was always alone with her books, so we were unable to reach out to her. But we eventually did, and she's a wonderful aunt now. And a great mother, of course."
Kaiden raises his eyebrow.
"Do you ever wonder what happened to our father?"- He asks him- "After that disaster, we never saw him again. But we always had the feeling that he's still out there."
Jared smiles.
"Oh, you poor children. Are you still not aware of the truth?"- He says to them- "Your father lives! I saw him while he was bringing your cousin back to Silverdale!"
Both Geralt and Kaiden stare at their grandfather, shocked.
"You mean that our father... "- Both of them say- "... is alive?!"
Jared sighs.
"Unfortunately, he did not stay for long. He was forced to go back into the outside world, as he was still being hunted. Keeping his niece safe was his top priority and he brought her in our care."- He says- "Believe me, I tried to get him to stay, at least for a little longer. I begged him to think about his two sons and see how they would feel if they ever knew the truth. However, his heart was already set on a different path. He was too ashamed to ever see your faces again. So, he was forced to leave, in the hopes that he will not cry anymore."
Kaiden shakes his head.
"I don't know what to think of this."- He says- "Our father survived the entire ordeal and never came to see us, even to say goodbye? I'm so confused."
Geralt sighs.
"I understand what dad had to go through. Being hunted by your worst enemies is something that he never wished to happen to us. And yet, he faced the horror with his own two eyes. It must have been demoralizing, at best."- He says- "But that is completely fine. If dad wants to stay away from us for the time being, so be it. I would never dare to force him to come back, even when our lives depend on it. He has his own life. His own views of the world around us. If he wants to keep the world safe in a different way, I will not stop him. Let him stay out there and be the hero that he has always been to everyone."
Jared nods.
"It makes me happy to see that my boy's offspring have finally realized the reason behind his disappearance. Or, at least, one of them did."- He says- "I hope that the world has not treated you badly, my boys."
Geralt smiles.
"It will not, grandpa."- He responds- "When you are here with us, I know that we'll be alright."
Jared sighs.
"Ah, the naivete of the young warriors. The hopes and dreams of the newly sprouted Dreamers. It brings me so much joy to see that such kindhearted souls live inside of our humble family."- He says- "But I advise you to not think too much about it. The world is a harsh place and I will soon be away from you again. But, if it makes you feel better, remember that you carry the sparks of everyone else, be they part of your family or simple friends. You are never alone in your journey toward the Light."
The Kaos siblings are about to ask something, but their grandfather interrupts them.
"Oh! Would you look at that!"- He exclaims- "It looks like the caravan has finally reached its destination! Let's go outside!"
Sure enough, the voice of the caravan master can be heard from the front of the caravan.
"And here we are, folks. The safest docks that lead to the No Man's Land to the west."- He says- "If you're looking for adventure, feel free to disembark. This is your chance to shine."
The three heroes leave the caravan and approach the docks. They pay the dockmaster the humble payment of ten Coins and start looking for a free boat.
As they continue to look, someone gets their attention. They turn around and see a shady-looking man, in his shady-looking boat. He points his finger at the boat and smiles, as if beckoning them to come closer.
"Are you sure that we should trust this person?"- Geralt asks his grandfather- "He looks... dangerous."
Jared sighs.
"We have no other choice, my boy."- He says- "The rest of the boats are full. Only one remains."
Geralt shakes his head.
"Alright. We will join you."- He says- "But we shall remain wary of any signs of treachery."
He looks back at his brother.
"Right, Kai?"
Kaiden nods.
"You got it, little bro."- He says- "I've got your back."
As the heroes jump on the boat, the driver starts to steer it away from the docks. Soon, they are a fair distance away from their starting destination, wondering where the person is taking them.
Soon, they come across a lake of fire. They get a little scared, but the driver simply plunges his boat into it. Surprisingly enough, it turns out that the vessel is fireproof and the lava does not damage it, nor harm the people inside of it.
After a few minutes of boring sailing, the boat takes them to a desolate piece of land, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. The heroes stand up and prepare for another arduous challenge.
"Alright, Mr. Boatman. Thanks for the ride."- Kaiden says and looks at him- "But where are we supposed to go? Any directions?"
As a response, the driver simply chuckles.
"Um, excuse me!"- He exclaims- "I asked you a question!"
The driver continues to chuckle.
"Kaiden."- Jared mutters- "I don't think that person is in their right mind... "
A few seconds later, the driver vanishes from sight, blown away by the hot wind. Under him, the trio finds a hidden explosive, set to activate immediately after the person above disappears.
"Stand back, children!"- Jared yells- "I've got this!"
As the Kaos siblings gather around their grandfather, he casts a powerful spell that envelops them in a large, magical bubble. The three of them watch as the explosive goes off, destroying their only way out of this nightmare and striking their defense.
The trio is thrown back and their magical shield is almost immediately broken. However, they somehow manage to emerge unharmed. A small and seemingly insignificant miracle, but incredibly useful nonetheless.
"Are you alright, family?"- Jared asks- "Is anyone injured?"
Kaiden shakes his head.
"My soul may have been shaken, but my body is still fine."- He says- "Nothing to report here."
Geralt nods.
"Same here, grandpa."- He adds- "We are a little disturbed by this event, but the morale has not dropped by a single point."
Jared smiles.
"That is excellent, my boys."- He says- "But this strange occurence means that we must be careful of who we trust in those unsafe lands. If we are to survive this fateful encounter, we must rely only on each other."
He takes a few steps forward.
"So."- He says- "Are you ready to go?"
Geralt nods.
"You know it, grandpa."
Jared smiles.
"Then lead the way, my boy."- He says- "You are the protagonist of this story, after all."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"What do you mean by that?"
Jared shakes his head.
"Nothing of importance to our mission."- He responds- "Just keep moving. We've got your back."
Our heroes proceed toward their destination. But their path to the top is paved with dangerous locations. From their current vantage point, they see three massive gates, each of them filled with all sorts of traps to prevent them from reaching the end of the trail.
However, all three of them prove to be nothing more than simple obstacles for the well-trained souls of the Kaos family. 
The first gate is filled with all kinds of monsters- bats, goblins, even an orc or two. But the thing that interests them the most is the massive giant on top of the gate. They manage to bring him down with ease and, after executing him, find a small lever that allows them to open the massive gate and proceed toward the next one.
The second gate is in the same place as a giant laboratory, made by some kind of a crazy alchemist. As soon as they get close, vicious-looking blobs of slime start pouring out of the vats and slither toward them without a second thought. Fortunately, Jared and Kaiden manage to keep the vats sealed while Geralt deactivates the controls that release the slimy fiends, killing all of them due to the fact that their connection to the world is broken. They soon discover another lever in one of the open vats and, after quickly cleaning it in a nearby pool of clear water, proceed to open the gate with it and approach the final obstacle.
The third one, of course, is possibly the hardest one. It does not have any monsters (or any devices that create them), but are forced to do a very difficult puzzle that involves doing mathematics to figure out what is the most widespread creature in Avernum. Jared and Kaiden are unable to solve this obvious riddle, but Geralt is capable of facing his own uncertainties to get rid of this obstacle. After a series of hard questions and even harder solutions, Geralt figures out that the creature that is deemed to be the most annoying is, in fact, the one that lives below their feet- the Rat. Thus, the machine grants them the last lever and they use it to open the gate, finally able to reach the fortress at the end of the road.
As the trio continues to march toward the small fort, they cannot help but notice the absence of any sort of wildlife. Even the birds and bats have found safer places to be. Everything is eerily quiet, almost as if they are in a cemetery.
"I think that we're not alone in here, my boys. I've seen too many sources of trouble to stay calm about this one."- Jared says- "Get ready. Everything may soon get bloody. Very bloody."
Sure enough, when they reach the gates of the fort, a small group of armed warriors approaches them. They do not belong to the Avernum army, but they don't seem to hail from the Empire, either. However, something makes our heroes suspect that they are far more dangerous than they seem to be.
Their leader- someone that all three of them recognize- approaches the heroes and takes a good look at them. Then, he shakes his head.
"Didn't I tell you to not poke your nose where you don't belong?"- He asks them- "You've gone too far from home, heroes. This is our domain. And you are not welcome."
Geralt shakes his head.
"Go away, Andras."- He says to him- "You are the invader here, not us. And we shall prove it by putting an end to your grand plan. Even the Emperor will hear of your utter failure. Mark my words."
Andras smirks.
"Hah. I'd like to see you try."- He says- "Our gates are made from the finest steel. Our walls are made from stone blocks that were hauled from the most dangerous, most promising places. They are very durable and will always last, no matter what you do."
Jared sighs.
"Somehow, I highly doubt that your claim will be proven true."- He responds- "Have you ever thought about how many walls we have broken? How many villains we brought down? What makes you any better than them?"
Andras shakes his head.
"Our great portal is aided by many imperial warriors on the Surface. They come in and out, bring precious supplies and make our little settlement stronger."- He says- "Soon, we'll be more powerful than everyone in those lands. And you won't be able to stop us."
He coughs.
"But that's not the reason why I came all the way here."- He says- "My heart has always been cold, but I recently felt... pity for you. To some extent. I know how far you've gone and I'm aware that you value the lives of your own family. So, I want to make a deal with you. Maybe both of our parties can benefit from it."
Geralt sighs.
"A mighty warrior like you dares to make a deal with the world's destined heroes?"- He asks- "How bad could that be?"
Andras coughs again.
"Anyway, I wanted to ask you to leave this place. As soon as possible."- He says- "Don't cause more trouble than we already have. If you do that, I assure you that you will escape with your lives. And that's my deal."
Jared raises his eyebrow.
"You ask us to do something that no true hero would ever do."- He says- "Are you even aware of how much trouble you would get into if you allow your master's worst enemies to roam free and cause more havoc to your army?"
Andras smiles.
"We don't care about the ones on the Surface."- He says- "Our people in Avernum are the ones who matter the most. Everyone else is foreign to us."
Jared smiles, as well.
"In that case, we accept your deal!"- He exclaims- "If it's peace that you want, it is peace that you will get!"
Both Geralt and Kaiden stare at their grandfather, shocked by his decision.
"Grandpa, what are you talking about?!"- Geralt exclaims- "What are you doing?!"
Jared leans closer to Geralt.
"Stay calm, my boy."- He whispers- "Grandpa has a plan."
He turns to Andras.
"Anyway, we agree with you. It's best if we leave this completely harmless, totally indestructible fort alone. We don't stand a chance against any of your mighty warriors and you, their undisputed leader, would just finish us all off."- He says to him- "Although it never looks like it, we value our own lives, too. So, we'll just leave you alone. You can do whatever illegal activities that you'd like. Nobody will stop you."
Kaiden leans close to his brother.
"I think that our grandfather has gone completely mad."- He whispers to him- "Should we make a run for it?"
Geralt shakes his head.
"It is best to stay calm, for now."- He whispers back- "I hate this as much as you do, but grandpa is the wiser head of the group. If he thinks that he can talk those fools down, then so be it."
Kaiden sighs.
"Fine."- He whispers- "But I don't like this."
Andras raises his eyebrow.
"What's the catch, old timer?"
Jared smiles.
"There is none."- He responds- "We just want to live."
Andras sighs.
"Okay then. Leave."- He says- "And don't come back. Ever."
Jared continues to smile.
"Your wish shall be granted."- He says to him- "Now, I'm sure that you've got more important things to do than to deal with us. Why don't you get back to them?"
Andras sighs again.
"Alright then."- He says- "See you never."
Andras and his team depart, allowing Geralt and his allies to leave. The three of them move away a little bit and continue to move until the imperial warriors are well out of sight. Then, they turn back and continue to approach the fort.
"Wow. That was a good bit of trickery."- Geralt says- "Nice one, grandpa."
Jared smiles.
"When a true hero wants to complete his mission, he always finds new ways to trick his opponents."- He says- "For me, it is just that simple. And I'm sure that it is the same for you."
The three of them get close to the gates of the fort. Archers line up on the walls and aim their bows at them, as if they are preparing to hunt down innocent prey. They have the dented armor and painful scars of old campaigners and their eyes are filled with burning fury.
"Nobody has time to deal with a bunch of retired nitwits!"- Geralt exclaims and steps forward- "Stand back! This is going to be dangerous!"
Kaiden sighs.
"We would never want it otherwise."
As the old archers start shooting at him, Geralt casts a powerful spell and forms a tiny fireball with his magic. Soon, the ball of fire starts to grow, but does not become very big, much to the dismay of his allies.
When the warriors above him see the small fireball, they start to laugh. They underestimate the power of this young hero and think that he will just burn himself.
"Do not judge a book by its cover."- Geralt says- "Because the contents inside of it... are far more dangerous!"
Then, in front of the eyes of his friends and enemies, he releases the small fireball. Surprisingly, it quickly grows in intensity as soon as it hits the wall, creating a massive opening and throwing the archers on the walls into the sky.
As the old warriors fall to their deaths, Geralt stares at his surroundings and sighs.
"They fought for their old empire and they died for it."- He says- "At least they went out with a boom."
Kaiden chuckles dryly.
"Heh."- He says- "A boom."
Jared smiles.
"Our adventures led us to this place. And now, it is open for us."- He says- "Shall we ignore the man's warning and enter anyway?"
The Kaos siblings look at their grandfather. He chuckles.
"Of course we would!"- He exclaims- "Let's get in there!"
As the trio finally enters the fort, they realize that it is completely empty. Aside from the warriors that they killed earlier, there is nobody else in here. They check all the possible locations that they can- the barracks, the dining room, the training grounds. Even the smithy is not spared by them. However, they soon come to the realization that the fort is truly abandoned.
"Do you think that those fools gave up on building this fort so easily?"- Kaiden asks- "Or are we just flipping the coin again?"
Jared shakes his head.
"Whenever there is a situation like this one, everyone knows that a disaster is bound to happen."- He says- "So, I advise you to keep your eyes open. Don't miss a single detail. Know that we are always in danger, no matter how far we go."
The trio approaches the giant portal in the middle of the fort. When they get close, they start to feel strange vibrations. It is almost as if the portal itself is beckoning them to step through it and join the warriors above. A feeling of malice and dread unlike anything that our heroes have ever felt washes over them. However, they manage to find the strength to get away from the unstable thing. Going inside of it right now would be a very bad idea, and they know it well.
Geralt pulls out his weapon and pokes the frames of the portal. He stabs it a few times, kicks its surface and tests its durability. Finally, he looks back and sighs.
"This portal is the most powerful creation of mankind that I have ever seen. Our blows will never be able to affect it."- He says- "However, I have the feeling that the controls that keep it running are nearby. If we manage to turn it off, maybe we will have a chance to stop this madness."
Jared nods.
"Then what are we waiting for?"- He says- "Let's get going."
The three of them search the fort for a little while and soon find a small tower to the left of the portal. They read the sign next to its door and realize that it leads to the control room. They waste no time to enter it.
When they get inside, the same feeling of dread washes over them. It is almost as if the place is haunted by a sinister force and is trying to repel them with dark magic. However, our heroes are resolute in their mission to put an end to this gigantic monstrosity and push their way through the darkness, going straight for the lights upstairs without a second thought.
Soon, they come face to face with the same controls that operate the portal below. They stare at a nearby window and get a good look at the giant piece of magical machinery from another vantage point.
"Yes. This is it."- Geralt says- "Our only chance to make a difference is to blow up the portal."
Kaiden looks at him.
"Blow up the portal?"- He asks- "Are you serious?!"
Geralt stares back. He seems to be very determined. Very resolute.
"I have never been more serious, Kai."
He sits near the only active control panel.
"But first, we need to make sure that we are able to survive the aftermath ourselves."- He says- "Turn the second, fourth and sixth switch on the wall to the left of you."
Kaiden does so.
"Then push the button below them."
Done.
"Excellent."- He says- "Now our work can finally begin."
As Geralt continues to work on the control panel, he and his allies start to hear shouting coming from downstairs. Apparently, a band of imperial warriors finally emerged from hiding and has managed to bottle them in.
"There are a lot of warriors down there, Geralt!"- Kaiden exclaims- "What should we do?!"
Geralt looks at the approaching enemies, then back at the panel.
"Just distract them for a while!"- He exclaims- "I will handle the rest!"
As Geralt continues to do his job, one of the enemies manages to sneak past his family. He tries to attack him, but the young hero avoids his blow, grabs him and bashes his head into one of the nearby inactive panels until he perishes.
"That should teach you a valuable lesson."- He says- "To not mess with a hero while he is working."
Then, he returns to the active control panel, even more determined than he was before.
As the sounds of battle echo to Geralt, he continues to analyze the controls of the panel.Even though he has not studied a lot about them, he can make a vague description of each one inside of his own mind. This helps him ward away any confusion that is caused by dangerous actions like those.
It takes quite a while to understand which buttons are going to be useful, but Geralt manages to find his way through the seemingly complicated panel. He pulls a few levers, pushes a few buttons, and soon, the light on top of the panel turns yellow.
"Alright, everyone."- He mutters- "It's showtime."
Geralt uses the controls to divert most of the energy stored inside of the cables to another destination of relative importance- the walls and gates of the fort. This allows him to make the inevitable explosion far less massive. allowing anyone who is just outside the keep to survive the aftermath. 
Or so it would seem. Nobody knows what will happen until it actually happens.
"If I actually manage to make this work, then I am going to be responsible for the biggest downfall of the Empire in history."- He says to himself- "No matter how hard their emperor tries, they cannot come back from this one. Nothing will be worse than the failure of such a magnificent and terrifying plan."
Once he manages to switch the cables and cause the power to divert elsewhere, Geralt stares at the fruits of his success. All around him, the walls start to crackle. And so the ones downstairs. Even the imperial warriors can feel that their precious portal is about to be forcefully dismantled. And yet, they cannot do anything about it.
"Hey, Kai."- He says to his brother as he approaches him- "Do you want to do the honors?"
Kaiden raises his eyebrow.
"The honors for what?"
Geralt stands.
"To deal the finishing blow, of course."
Kaiden nods.
"As you wish."
Kaiden approaches the still-active panel and stares at it for a while. Something about this piece of complicated machinery seemingly reminds him of the time that he spent at school, but he cannot find out why. Then, without a moment of hesitation, he pulls out his massive greatsword and delivers a sharp blow to the panel, slicing it in two and causing a tiny explosion.
"Nice work!"- He exclaims- "Now do the same to the rest of them!"
Kaiden is more than happy enough to oblige. Nothing would bring him more joy than destroying the hard work of his sworn enemies. A swing there and a stab there, and soon, the entire system is forced to shut down, unable to take the young hero's blows anymore.
"Oh, yes. It's beautiful."- Kaiden says and grims as he admires his handiwork- "This will surely leave a scar. Or maybe a few sca-- "
Suddenly, the entire tower starts to shake violently. With the system's total collapse, the machinery all around them is starting to fall apart. And so does the entire settlement.
"Boys, I think that you've done enough!"- Jared yells- "Grab your things and run for your lives!"
The three of them quickly push their way through the confused imperial warriors as the tower continues to shake. They barely make it out as they finally start to hear the sounds of crackling coming from the massive portal.
"You've done a good job, my boy. The portal's destruction won't cause as much damage to the landscape."- Jared says to Geralt- "However, it will still take the keep down with itself. So, it's best for us to not be in here. If we can avoid it, then it's best to keep going."
Kaiden looks at his brother. Then, he smiles.
"You know, Kia would have been very proud with your ability to take control of almost anything, be it a machine, battle or something else."- He says- "She loved to take charge herself, just like Isa does now, and she would've been happy to join you as you brought a swift end to those fools."
As the three of them watch, a band of angry warriors runs toward them. They recognize them as the same band that they met outside a while ago.
"We don't have time to deal with those outlaws!"- Jared yells- "Run and keep running!"
Geralt and his allies push their way through the rubble as the walls of the buildings around them start to collapse, their enemies continuing to give chase. They realize that they are far too slow and that they'll be unable to escape from the place alive, so they search for a way to run away faster.
Soon, they discover two terrified-looking horses, locked inside of their stables. The heroes bash the locks down and take them out, climbing on them as soon as the warriors get closer.
"Come on, Geralt! Jump on the horse!"- Kaiden exclaims- "You helped me out once, so it's my turn to do the same!"
As Geralt joins his brother on one of the horses, the creatures start running away from the scene. The warriors are unable to catch up with them are are left behind as one of the supply portals explodes.
Thankfully, nothing else gets in the way of our heroes as they continue to make their way through this mess. Not until the gates, at the very least. As soon as they get close to them, a lone man jumps out of the bushes and scares both of the horses.
"You'll never escape this place alive!"- He screams as he starts to fire arrows at them.
Our heroes quickly recognize the villain who is trying to stop them. It is Andras- the Empire's last general. And he is very, very angry.
"Oh, no! Not this weirdo again!"- Kaiden exclaims- "Come on, family! We're almost out of this one!"
As the trio continues to run, Andras takes a lucky shot and strikes Geralt in the shoulder. The young hero stumbles and falls from the horse as his family continues to make their escape.
Kaiden turns back and attempts to pull Geralt back. However, the boy shakes his head and waves him away.
"There is no need to worry about me, Kai. I have already done enough."- He says- "Get out of this place. I will handle the rest."
Kaiden shakes his head.
"I'm not going anywhere without you!"
Geralt sighs.
"It is not a matter of going somewhere or not. All that matters now is survival, and it is just within your grasp."- He says- "Now go! Do not make me repeat myself!"
Jared sighs.
"Let your brother go, Kaiden."- He says to him- "He is reckless, but he is smart and very brave. He will make it out of this one."
Reluctantly, Kaiden is forced to leave his brother behind. As he and Jared continue to run, Geralt picks up his weapon and parries Andras's next attack. 
The villain continues to shoot at Geralt, but the young hero lunges forward and delivers a very precise slash with his sword, snapping the large bow in half and shocking Andras.
"If I'm going down, you're going down with me!"- He yells- "Get over here!"
Geralt shakes his head.
"The only one who is going down is you."- He says to him- "And I will make sure of that."
As the two of them continue to fight for their lives, they start to hear the crackling of the portal from their vantage point. Soon, it gets much louder, indicating that it is about to create a massive explosion as it finally falls apart.
"Hah! This is the end!"- Andras yells- "How does it feel to be on the losing side, huh? Huh?!"
Geralt smiles sadly.
"In fact, you are the one who is about to lose everything."
Andras smirks.
"We'll see about that."
The two of them start to run away from the portal, continuing to fight each other even as they try to escape from this nightmare. Swords continue to clash as the fires inside of their souls keep burning even brighter. A battle so intense, seen only in the finest of movies, is now happening before Geralt's eyes. And it makes his blood boil.
As the giant portal finally explodes, Geralt takes a look at Andras and shakes his head.
"I am very sorry about this."
Andras raises his eyebrow.
"What?!"
Geralt climbs on top of his head and makes a leap of faith, sending Andras to the ground.
"No!"- He screams- "Impossible!!!"
As he continues to fly forward, Geralt looks back and shakes his head.
"Again, I am very sorry!"- He exclaims- "I hope that you can forgive me!"
Andras shakes his head.
"I'll never forgive you!"
Geralt nods.
"I thought so!"
As the incoming explosion finally engulfs Andras, Geralt continues to fly forward. Soon, the impact sends him flying over the wall, soaring through the sky like a majestic eagle. However, the feeling of childlike glee soon becomes terror when he starts to inevitably fall down.
"Well. This is it."- He says to himself and sighs- "Come on, Geralt. You can do it."
Analyzing the distance between him and the earth and his falling speed, Geralt is able to use his magic to temporarily strengthen his own body and survive the worst of the fall without catastrophic consequences.
In front of this eyes of his surprised family, he slams down into the earth like a powerful golem, creating an earthquake so strong that it finishes the job of taking down the nearby fort.
The three of them leap away just as the explosion destroys everything inside of the fort, bringing the Empire's dream to conquer Avernum again to a swift, painful and very bloody end. A job well done, although it was also very risky. And dangerous.
"Geralt, my brother. From now on, I will see you with different eyes. You grew so much today, and it shows."- Kaiden says and smiles- "What you did out here was spectacular and it will surely be heard by the entire world in due time. So take pride, my little bro, because you're a true hero now!"
Jared nods.
"I could not agree more with your brother, little Geralt. You might be young, but you carry the essence of a true hero inside of your soul. And what you did today just zipped the mouth of every single non-believer out there."- He says- "The only thing that remains now... is to get out of here and track down Redmark's stronghold. It won't be long before the captain falls alongside his ship, and I know that you'll make sure of that."
Geralt sighs.
"And yet, we could have done so much to prevent this nightmare from happening."- He says- "Had we been more careful, we could have avoided such a widespread disaster. Maybe the people of Avernum were going to be happier."
Jared shakes his head.
"It's best if you don't strain your mind with topics like those."- He says- "Just savor your victory. It will not be your last."
As the trio starts to walk away from the ruins of the fort, the corpse of a nearly charred human falls in front of them. Even in his emaciated state, it is easy for them to recognize Andras- the last general of the Empire who tried to make a last stand for his people. Now, he has finally joined the victims that he was unable to save, his soul finally at peace.
Or maybe this is just an illusion. Maybe he perished with a lot of regrets. Either way, he is gone. And he is not a problem for our heroes anymore. Not in his lifeless state, that is.
"Geralt. I know what you're thinking."- Kaiden says to his brother- "It's not worth it. Don't waste your energy."
Geralt sighs.
"I am sorry, Kai. It must be done."- He responds- "Even villains like him do not deserve to become undead."
With that thought in mind, Geralt draws his beautiful sword and plunges it into the charred man's head, putting him down for good and saving others from the trouble to put him down later. 
It's a win-win situation and they are happy about it. Or as happy as they can be. Which is not much.
Their mission in Avernum finally done, our heroes are finally able to focus on their true mission- going back to the Surface and finishing what they had already started. And it does not take a scientist to find out that the end of the line is very close.
Just as they start to make it out, however, they realize that the vessel that took them here is gone and they cannot escape. However, Jared devises a smart plan to put the lava around the team to their disposal. Using his water magic, he manages to create a large bridge of obsidian, allowing the group to cross the lake of lava safely.
"Umm."- Kaiden says- "I don't think that this is supposed to happen."
Geralt smiles.
"Nature can surprise us in many different ways."- He says- "And this is just one of them."
Jared looks back at his grandchildren.
"So, boys."- He says- "Are you ready to go back?"
Geralt nods.
"You bet."- He says- "I don't know how long it will take for us to discover civilization, but let us keep moving while we still can."
Jared sighs.
"Well said, my boy."- He says- "Our path is clear. Let's get moving."
Our heroes cross the obsidian bridge and step on an island to the west of the one where they landed. A while later, they discover the ruins of an ancient fort. While poking around for useful artifacts, the three of them discover a perfectly intact portal pylon. Somehow, the wizards of Avernum came all the way over here and left this little miracle to save whoever gets stuck... if they manage to find it, that is.
"Do you think that it still works?"- Kaiden asks.
Geralt smiles sadly.
"Well, there is only one way to find that out."
The three heroes touch the pylon and think about their desired destination- The Castle. Soon, they are teleported away from the blisteringly hot islands and arrive in the safe confines of the Castle's portal room. The portalmaster greets them, incredibly surprised that they made it out, and informs them that the villain attacks on the capital have completely ceased. Apparently, the actions of our heroes have unraveled a flaw in Redmark's plans and the Avernites were able to attack his seemingly undefeatable army back, scaring them off in the process.
Jared and his grandchildren take the portal that leads them to the Great Portal- the piece of machinery that will lead them back to the Surface. Once there, the man watches as his boys approach the massive portal. He smiles and gives them a wave.
"Wait, grandpa!"- Geralt exclaims- "Why are you staying there?"
Jared continues to smiles.
"The people of Avernum need a hero. And I must try to be one of them."- He says- "Unfortunately, my journey with you is over. But don't be sad. We have so many memories to cherish, and I'm sure that there will be many more in the years to come."
He approaches them.
"So, go out there and make everything right."- He adds- "Make this old man smile once again."
Geralt is barely able to hold back tears. Seeing his grandfather in battle was truly glorious and he wants to keep seeing it. However, he knows that this is the end of the line and that he and Kaiden have to proceed alone.
"We will, grandpa."- He says, with tears in his eyes- "We will do it. For you."
Jared smiles.
"I'm proud of you, my boys."- He says- "Your heroism warms my heart. It makes me feel like the happiest grandfather."
He briefly hugs them and watches as they prepare to enter the portal.
"And say hello to your grandma from me!"- He exclaims- "Okay?!"
Geralt looks back and nods.
"Yes, grandpa!"- He exclaims- "We will!"
As they prepare to leave, Jared smiles again.
"And take a little break before you embark on another adventure."- He says- "The road ahead is still a long one. You need all the energy that you can get."
Kaiden nods.
"You got it, grandpa."- He says- "I'll make sure of that."
Jared smiles.
"See that you do, my boys."
When the boys finally step into the portal, Jared lets out a sigh of relief. His grandchildren have an actual goal on their minds and they are working together to achieve it. This is truly a great achievement for the old hero. Its presence makes him feel much happier.
"I should get going."- He mutters to himself as he walks away, ready to save the nation that welcomed him with open arms many years ago.