MLTO C4, P5

This is the fifth Part of "MLIV:TO" 's fourth Chapter.
It was released on 08.02.2023,
== Plot ==
After bidding farewell to Cyrus and allowing him to return to his duties as a shaman, Geralt and his allies march onward toward the dreaded Blackflame Mountain- the place where Geralt's father- Adam Kaos- was last sighted,
On their way to the top, they are forced to endure incredible challenges, including one that forces them to deal with the mountain's "guardian", a massive titan with half of a brain, endangering both them and himself with his presence.
At the same time, they will come face to face with one of the most revered people of the world- the unspeakably powerful Light Guardian. And he is not a force to be reckoned with.
Will the heroes become the conquerers of the summit? Or will they plummet into the abyss below their feet, like a mound of stones that is lost in the eternal shadows?
== Story ==
Geralt and his allies begin their journey by arriving at the bottom of the Blackflame Mountain. There, they meet a group of annoyed travelers that are just leaving the mountain behind them.
As if to say that the rewards offered are not worth it, the humans look up at our heroes and shake their heads. The path toward the top is a hard one, and not everyone is able to endure its challenges.
And yet, the fact that there are other people who want to climb the mountain makes Geralt's desire to do the same even stronger. His fire burns brighter than the sun in the sky and he is determined to find his beloved father, even if it will cost him everything. 
He urges his allies to join him on this fateful journey and they do so without any hesitation. The flames of passion are still burning strong. And so is the desire to make an actual difference in this time of chaos.
As the heroes proceed to take the first few steps toward the badlands, a lone sherpa approaches them and offers his services. He seems to think that they are just a bunch of hapless travellers and is unable to take them seriously. However, Geralt turns down the offer, stating that he and his group have gone far to reach this mountain and they wish to do it all by themselves. The sherpa is understandably annoyed by the hero's recklessness, but decides to allow him to pass, confident that he and his group will be strong enough to come face to face with the challenges that await them.
And so, the true journey of Geralt and his allies begins. At their first steps into the mountains, they listen to the forests around them, alert for any sort of danger than can affect their experience. Everything seems to be quiet (at least for now), so they decide to step forward without any fear.
Thanks to a walking stick that the sherpa gave to her when he noticed her condition, Emela is capable of walking on her own, despite being in a rather desperate state of body and soul. She is able to move without the help of Geralt and Dante, although she is still not able to cast her spells very effectively.
"Are you sure that you can make it all the way up there, mighty guardian?"- Aurelia asks her- "Maybe we should've left you in Canonia instead of taking you here."
Emela shakes her head.
"No, dear. I insist."- She responds- "I want to see the glory of the Blackflame Mountain and beat the vile beasts senseless with my own hands. That's an experience of a lifetime, and I don't want to miss it."
Dante sighs.
"As you wish, Emela."- He says- "But keep in mind that we won't be able to protect you very well if you get in trouble."
Emela smiles.
"Oh, don't worry about it."- She says- "I may look weak now, but my powers were left undiminished. I'm still capable of causing a lot of trouble for our enemies."
The four of them proceed without any further discussions. They have managed to develop a mutual state of mind and they are gladly clinging to it, like a group of pure and hopeful children.
As they move further into the mountain, they cannot help but notice that there is danger all around them. The howling of wolves can be heard from the snowy woods, both to the left and right of them, and the feeling of pure cold is becoming more and more prominent with each passing minute. A journey is this place is no joke and the half-buried skulls of fallen travelers are a grim testimonial of the mountain's ability to claim human souls without remorse.
"Ugh. What an awful, despicable weather."- Dante says as he warms his own body with a weak fire spell- "I've faced a lot of anomalies like those, but this is definitely one of the worst that I've experienced. Cold is a truly bad thing for us humans, and it's much worse for a Fire-elemental person like myself."
Aurelia smiles.
"What's wrong, bud?"- She asks him- "Is the weather too... cool for you?"
Dante glares at her.
"I just want to go to the warm confines of my own home and be surrounded by my family once again."
Emela raises her eyebrow.
"But I thought that you don't like them."- She says- "How come you've changed so much all of a sudden?"
Dante sighs.
"Can you please leave me alone?"- He yells- "Please?!"
Geralt nods.
"I will not take such jokes lightly anymore."- He says- "Leave my poor cousin alone, everyone. He is having an inner meltdown. We're only making it worse."
Aurelia rolls her eyes.
"So this is what we get for trying to light up the mood?"- She asks- "Fine. But I'm only doing it because you said so."
Geralt nods.
"And do not do it again."
As the four of them make their way through the harsh snow, the howling of the wolves becomes even louder. A few moments later, Geralt turns around, alarmed. It is as if he had heard one of the creatures much closer than usual.
"What kind of a mirage is this supposed to be?"- He asks himself- "Is this mountain trying to stop us? Are the wolves supposed to be its... guardians?"
He turns around and looks at Aurelia.
"Did you hear all of this, Aurelia?"
Aurelia raises her eyebrow.
"Hear what?"- She asks- "The wolves?"
Geralt nods.
"Yes!"- He exclaims- "They are very close!"
Aurelia rolls her eyes.
"Oh, Geralt. You're always prone to the danger around you."- She says- "Just keep moving and the terror will soon wear off. Don't let it consume you."
Dante raises his eyebrow.
"Is this supposed to be some kind of illusion? A feeling of deja vu?"- He asks- "Do you think that we're being watched?"
Geralt shakes his head.
"I... I simply don't know!"- He exclaims- "Can we just keep going? Please?"
Dante nods.
"If that will make you feel better, then so be it."
Just as Geralt takes a few steps forward and tries to calm down, he hears another howl from the woods to the left. He turns around and draws his sword just in time as a lone wolf pounces on top of him.
"It was not an illusion!"- Emela exclaims- "It's a reality!"
Just as Geralt struggles with the lone wolf, its pack emerges from the left and right, surrounding our heroes and forcing them to defend themselves for a while.
After a few minutes of splled blood and broken jaws, Geralt and his allies emerge from the battlefield. However, they are now bloodied and exhausted. The battle with those wolves was enough to wear them down, but they still proceed to move forward as if nothing ever happened.
Yes. It is just another day for the grizzled and experienced survivors. Fear is not a thing that exists for them.
A few hours later, the heroes come across theirn first challenge, lying in a small cave in front of them. Since there is no other way to the top other than this one and the woods, the heroes decide not to get mauled to death by wolves and walk into the seemingly warm cave system.
Once they go inside, the weather changes drastically. Although it was freezing cold until now, it suddenly turns blisteringly hot. 
The heroes are unable this suddenly change of temperature and start to fall unconscious. However, a sudden burst of determination leads them to stand back up and ignore the heat as if it wasn't there, continuing to walk toward the strange door at the end of the cave.
Just as they move close to it, the dark torches on the walls suddenly light up. They radiate a feeling of pure dread, as if beckoning our heroes to step forward, toward their doom.
The four of them step forward and inspect the gate. It has no handle. No unlocking mechanism. Just four strange, empty slots.
"What could this mean?"- Aurelia says- "Any guesses?"
Geralt nods.
"The depressions seem to be rather... fang-shaped."- He says- "It seems like we will be forced to fashion something in this size. Four times."
Aurelia raises her eyebrow.
"But what?"
Geralt sighs.
"It remains to be seen."
As the heroes search for something that they can fashion into the shape of a fang, they hear dry chuckling coming from somewhere behind them. When they turn around, they are, understandably, surprised.
The creature that has been stalking them until now is a drake- one of the lesser members of dragonkind. Usually, creatures like those prefer to live in small cave like this one, so it is no surprise to find one of their kind in this cave.
"Ahh. It seems like more morsels have arrived on this frabjous day."- The creature says- "Well met, dear humans. Would you like to meet the same fate as the rest of your kind?"
Geralt shakes his head.
"We do not wish to become your next food, lizard, and we wish you no harm."- He says- "We just want to get past this gate, but your presence is preventing us from doing so."
The drake chuckles.
"Oh. So you are like the rest of them."- It says and smiles- "Well, I should warn you that many of your kind have met their end here. Many young, ambitious souls have peed their pantaloons and fled for safer lands when they saw what I am capable of."
It smiles.
"So tell me."- It says- "What makes you better than all of those miscreants?"
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Do you want to find out?"
The drake nods.
"With pleasure."
Without another warning, the creature develops a fighting stance and starts to breathe a stream of fireballs in the heroes' direction. However, his attack is not strong enough to bring them down on the spot, as Geralt steps forward and protects his allies by spinning his sword and forming a magical shield.
"This should hold him back for a while, but we still need to find a way to cut through his barrage."- Geralt says- "Any help would be appreciated right now."
Aurelia stares at the raging creature, amazed.
"Well, I've never faced a drake like this before. In fact, I've never faced a live drake at all."- She says- "I can't be of any help right now."
After watching the creature's attack for a while, Dante decides that he is done waiting for a miracle. He shakes his head.
"Argh! Screw this!"- He exclaims and steps forward- "I'm going for it!"
He runs forward and jumps in the air, as if to intercept the drake's attack.
"Dante!"- Geralt exclaims- "What do you think that you are-- "
Suddenly, Dante cuts through the drake's stream of fire with just a single hit. He strikes one of the fireballs with all of his might, sending it right back at its caster and watching as it explodes and sends it flying into a nearby cave wall.
The drake attempts to get up and attack the heroes again. However, Dante's sudden attack left it maimed. It perishes quickly and painfully.
"Serves it right for hunting down innocent visitors!"- Dante exclaims as he sheathes his spear- "It will be much more harmless now."
Emela sighs.
"For all we know, the creature might have been some sort of a protector of this place."- She says- "What if we did a bad thing?"
Dante shakes his head.
"It was hunting the people who came all the way here, almost as if it were for sport."- He says- "Even though most of them were bandits and bounty hunters, some were just innocent travelers. They had no desire for anything else but tourism. And yet, they ended up the same way as everyone else. This is truly unfair."
Geralt shrugs.
"Unfortunately, we cannot change the past... "- He mutters- "... no matter how much we wish to do so."
Aurelia smiles.
"Anyway, it seems like the way to the next level is almost clear."- She says- "Now, we only have to find the solution for this... umm... puzzle!"
Geralt nods.
"And I think that the answer lies in front of our very eyes."- He says- "Keep searching, everyone. I am sure that we're very close."
As the heroes continue to look for clues that will allow them to unlock the gate in front of them, Geralt has a strange sense of deja vu. It is almost as if the spirits of previous warriors are talking to him, whispering secrets about the mountain to him.
He unknowingly approaches the recently deceased drake and inspects it. Then, he kneels and opens its mouth, as if looking for something of importance.
"Umm, Geralt?"- Aurelia asks him- "What are you doing with that beast?"
Geralt looks back at his confused allies.
"As I said earlier, the answer is in front of us."- He says- "The problem is that we were too blind to see it with our own eyes."
Dante raises his eyebrow.
"Answer? Problem?"- He asks- "What in the name of Goznor are you talking about?"
Suddenly, Geralt rips off a fang from the creature's mouth, alarming his allies. And then, he does it again. And again. And once again. Then, he turns back and presents four fangs that he released from the drake's mouth, pure white and still completely intact.
"We did not have to form something in the shape of a fang."- He elaborates- "We were supposed to take those away from our enemy, to serve as proof of our absolute might and unending rigidity."
He hands the three of them to his allies and keeps the last one for himself.
"I know that you are disturbed. Maybe even disgusted. But this is the way of Nature, the proof of our existence."- He says- "So, if you want to survive in this harsh world, you must embrace your inner animal. Because that is what we are- animals. Just like everything else in this world, we are no different."
Emela raises her eyebrow.
"Wow, Geralt."- She says- "You said all of those words like a true hero. Perhaps you really are as smart as they say."
Geralt smiles.
"I am just trying to be a guiding star to everyone."- He says- "Even though I am, sometimes, forced to do awful things like this one."
He approaches the locked gate, fang held in his right hand.
"So."- He says- "Are you ready for the next step of this journey?"
Aurelia nods.
"I'll follow you to the ends of the earth."- She says- "Let's do this. I'm not afraid."
Dante smiles.
"You went through such great lengths, just to help us see the right path. Kudos, Geralt. That was truly impressive."- He says- "If you think that we can do this together, then I'll trust your judgement. We're not alone in this battle. We'll fight together until the end."
Emela sighs.
"It would be nice to spend some time away from the temple. It takes away all the boredom from me."- She says- "Alright, kiddo. Lead the way. We're right behind you."
Geralt nods and inserts the fang into one of the slots. His allies do the same.
When all fangs are in their rightful place, the gate opens, allowing the brave heroes to venture further into the dreaded mountain.
Just as they start to reach the surface once again, they start to hear laughter. It is as if something (or someone) is mocking them, and they are not far away. A true mystery, but perhaps not an unsolvable one.
"Ha-ha! I know that you're in here!"- Something roars- "Come out, little rats!"
As the heroes finally emerge from the cave, they see the creature that has been waiting for them at the top- a titan. Yes. An actual titan. Tall and threatening, like the rest of its powerful kind, it looks down on them. as if it sees them as nothing more than simple insects that must be squished.
And yet, there is something weird about this titan. Even though it is big and strong, its skin is completely green, as if it was the subject of some sort of nearly-lethal experiment that left it much more dangerous than it was before. This is truly disturbing to our heroes, but it is only the least of their worries. The thoughts of getting smashed by the beast are far more prominent.
"Would you look at that! More humans, here to visit old Grung in his lair!"- The creature exclaims- "What you doing here, human things? You want Grung's shiny trinkets, no? But Grung not going to give you anything!"
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"And why would we want your precious valuables, o mighty and respectable creature?"- He asks him- "We are only here because we want to reach the mountain's summit. We wish to find something far more important than mere money."
Grung laughs.
"Har har. You are amusing, little man."- He says- "But Grung not going to let you pass like that, no no. You see, I am chosen as guardian of this land. I punch enemies and determine who is strong enough to survive ordeal."
Emela raises her eyebrow.
"You are a guardian? Really?"- She asks- "It's hard to believe that while looking at you. You don't seem very smart. Or respected."
Grung grins.
"Grung not need big brains or big cheers! All he needs is his cave and his loot!"- He exclaims- "But people disturb Grung! He not happy! He flee from nasty Empire. And then, he runs and runs, until Grung discovers little cave. There, Grung found many creatures. Many brothas and sistas who live like Grung- away from human world. So Grung is accepted into creature society and becomes part of it. Life becomes easier for Grung."
He laughs.
"But that was not end of it!"- He continues- "Years pass and Grung undisturbed. Then guardian of mountains arrives and asks Grung to leave 'cause he disrupting the balance of summit or whatever. Grung said no since this Grung's new home, so guardian is forced to fight. Of course, he was too pathetic. Grung smashed him real good. But then, Grung spared him and left him on top of mountain, to think why he lost to Grung. On that day, Grung was seen as new guardian. A hero to many. Grung lived happily ever after and no human being ever dared to disturb. The end."
Geralt shakes his head. He is either disappointed by the creature's lack of linguistic abilities, or amazed by the fact that it has an actual story to tell.
"That is a nice story. It is good to know about those who suffered more than we did."- He says, confirming the latter- "But we are in the middle of an important task and time is truly of the essence. We cannot stay here and hear more stories. We have to keep moving."
Grung grins.
"Oh. You moving, alright!"- He exclaims- "You moving to the world up in sky!"
Grabbing his club from a nearby pile of bushes, Grung strikes his chest violently and charges. He slams his club into the ground and causes small earthquakes with each hit, something which is not done by most of titankind. And yet, this strange creature, this self-proclaimed guardian, is causing more trouble to our heroes than any other creature so far.
"Grung smash you real good!"- He exclaims as he continues to strike his way through the heroes' defenses- "You no match for Grung!"
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Oh yes?"- He asks- "Well, how about this for a change?"
He tries to unleash his true magical power onto Grung, but the creature disarms him with a single swing of his club.
"Ouch!"- Aurelia exclaims- "That's got to hurt!"
Dante takes a few steps forward.
"We've got to help him out!"- He exclaims- "Come on, fellow humans! Let's show the beast that we're too big of a spoon for his mouth!"
The three heroes lunge at the titan and attempt to subdue him. Grung laughs and continues to slam the ground with his club, succeeding to knock his enemies off-balance. It all seems to be futile for them, at least from this perspective.
Dante glares at the massive creature.
"We may be outmatched a thousand to one, but there is no fear in our hearts!"- He exclaims- "Feel our wrath, dark one!"
And then, just as the titan is about to clobber him, he cuts through his defense and casts a powerful fire spell. A lance of fire cuts through the titan's chest, forcing a tremendous roar out of him as he staggers back and tries to prevent himself from falling.
"Grung not expect this!"- He exclaims- "Grung thing you good!"
He raises his club.
"But not good enough!"
As he charges at Dante and attempts to clobber him again, Geralt jumps forward and strikes the titan in the neck with his sword, making it back down once again.
"Not so fast, beast of the mountains!"- He exclaims- "I think that you forgot that we are a team! And teams never fall apart!"
Dante smiles.
"Thank you, Geralt."- He says to him- "That was a close one."
Geralt nods.
"Do not mention it."
Grung grasps its chest with his left hand, and his club with the right one. He is clearly shocked that he has been defeated, but continues to keep fighting, despite his current condition. This is a truly an incredible experience that our heroes will never forget.
"Perhaps you truly are hero. Perhaps Grung underestimated you."- He says- "Grung fails to see who good and evil. Grung fought you because you are threat to everyone here. Grung sorry for causing you harm."
Geralt smiles.
"It is alright, Grung. I understand what it feels like to be forced into solitude. I once experienced it myself."- He says- "Does this mean that we can part ways peacefully? Perhaps not like friends, but like equals?"
Grung shakes his head.
"Grung afraid that we can't do that."- He says- "Grung continues to fight until very end!"
Then, he suddenly pulls out his club, roars and charges at Geralt, rage dancing in his blood red eyes. The young hero is shocked by this and steps back, striking Grung with one of his light spells by mistake.
Grung stumbles back once again. However, he doesn't try to stand on the mountain this time. The edge of the cliff is calling him and he cannot resist it anymore. So, he simply allows the inevitable to happen.
"Grung die with no regrets. He lived a good life away from evil Empire and remains a free person."- He says- "Thank you for not dragging Grung back to Grung's masters. Grung appreciates it."
Then, Grung trips and falls, plummeting from the dark mountain like a giant rock.
"Beat all of Empire for Grung!"- He yells- "Grung will be watching!"
And then, Grung falls to the ground below with a very loud thud, never to be seen again.
The heroes stare at this sad scene and shake their heads. This was not what they expected to see today.
"Wow. That was surely... something else."- Emela says- "I hope that Grung will make amends with his past in Heaven. Maybe in his next life, he'll become our ally."
Geralt shakes his head.
"This was not meant to happen."- He says- "I just... wanted to subdue him. He was not entirely evil. I knew it. And yet, I... I still did it."
He looks down.
"Why?"- He asks himself aloud- "Why am I such a monster?!"
Aurelia hugs him.
"It's not your fault, dear. Grung surprised you in a way that you never anticipated it."- She says- "Perhaps it was for the best. Grung is finally away from all the carnage that Redmark's warriors are causing. He'll never experience the same horrors ever again."
Geralt shakes his head.
"But what if the rest of our enemies see that as a bad omen?"- He asks- "What if they think that peace is not possible anymore?"
Emela sighs.
"Sometimes, it's best to embrace your inner fire and let it all out. Letting it stay inside of you for so long will only cause you harm."- She says- "Today, you did a good deed. The creature may have lived in solitude, but it was a danger to our society either way. I think that our fellow humans will be praising you instead of criticizing you for your mistakes."
Geralt raists his eyebrow.
"This praise is completely undeserved."- He says- "All that I wanted was to save the world. And now, I only caused more harm."
Emela smiles and puts her hand on Geralt's shoulder.
"Let's just continue our mission for you now, my dear."- She says to him- "And then, we shall get all the rest that we want."
Geralt nods.
"A-alright."- He says reluctantly- "Let us p-proceed... "
The four of them get past the titan's lands and proceed toward the next level- the second to last. There, they encounter nothing more than peaceful wildlife that leaves them alone. A welcome change in this sea of danger, that is for sure.
"Aww! Look at those bunnies!"- Aurelia squeals as she stares at a family of well-fed rabbits that are staring back at her- "They're so adorable!"
Geralt sighs.
"Yes, they are. Very precious."- He says- "Can we get on with our mission, please? I want to see what is at the end of this road.""
Aurelia glares at Geralt.
"You're really lame."
Geralt sighs again.
"I am aware of that."
Just as they prepare to leave, they notice the lone figure that is staring at them. A young man, bathed in pure light. A figure of justice in a world of darkness, watching as the sands of time flow by. His hair is brown like the eternal forest and his eyes are pure white as his very soul. A true warrior of light, if our heroes have ever seen one.
It is almost as if this strange man is very close to our heroes. They almost feel like they actually know who he is. But that is just for a few brief seconds. This feeling soon fades, replaced by a feeling of curiosity.
"So."- The man says- "You finally managed to defeat that sorry excuse for a guardian?"
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Excuse me, but who are you to talk about him like that?"
The man smirks.
"I am the White Phoenix- sworn protector of the Light Temple and an overseer for the rest of the temples."- He introduces himself- "Wherever I go, people see me as the embodiment of pure light. They revere me simply because I am essential to the flow of time. My presence here is sacred, just like those of my fellow guardians."
Emela gasps.
"You're the new Light Guardian?!"- She exclaims- "I never thought that you were so... humble!"
The guardian nods.
"Good to see you too, Water Guardian."- He says- "Not long ago, I noticed that you've been shirking from your duties and thought that you went with your friends again. It seems like I was not wrong."
Emela shakes her head.
"It was a necessary move of mine."
The guardian sighs.
"Just like the rest of Redmark's deeds."
Dante stares at him suspiciously.
"Are you telling us that you support him?"- He asks- "Should we be wary of you?"
The guardian laughs in a harsh, alien tone. Just by hearing his voice, one could tell that he considers Dante's question to be a joke.
"You think that I would ever support this demon of a man? Far from it, my child."- He says- "All that I'm saying is that people have their own goals in our time. Their own futures to build with their own hands. And yet, I'll never be a part of one, as I am only essential to the temple I am assigned to.
He sighs.
"But I am not all the way here just to make small talk with the four of you."- He says- "I went far from my home because I heard about the legend that speaks of the one who will end old, foolish Hawthorne's legacy of evil. I arrived at this mountain to issue a challenge for the one with the purest of souls. And it seems like I just found him."
Then, he stares at Geralt, to prove his point."
"Umm, me?"- He asks- "But I am just a simple hero!"
The guardian smirks.
"A true hero is always humble, always kindhearted and free of evil. He has vast knowledge of this world and his heart is truly pure."- He says- "And yet, you are still not perfect in my eyes. Still incomplete. Thus, I am forced to fight you, to see whether you are truly strong enough for what comes next."
Geralt shakes his head.
"But I do not want to fight you!"- He exclaims- "I have already done enough damage for one day!"
The guardian glares at him.
"You have no choice in this matter!"- He yells- "Fight me or die!"
The rest of Geralt's allies stare at each other as the guardian charges.
"Umm."- Dante says- "Should we help Geralt out?"
Aurelia nods.
"Of course we should!"- She exclaims- "He's our leader! Our sacred, kind leader! We can't just let him risk his own life like that!"
She tries to join the battle herself, but Emela pulls her back, stopping her.
"No, Aurelia. Leave the boy to his own fate."- She says- "The Light Guardian wants to test him, not us. We're not worthy enough in his eyes."
Tears appear on Aurelia's eyes as she continues to speak.
"But... but... "- She stutters- "We can't just let him die!"
Emela shakes her head.
"We won't allow it."- She says- "As soon as he reaches his limit, we'll tell him to stop. I'm sure that he'll understand."
Aurelia sighs.
"O-okay."- She says- "I'll do as you say, miss."
Emela smiles.
"That's a good girl."
In the meantime, Geralt struggles with the guardian. He envelops himself in a magical shield and does his best to repel his attacks. However, even his tremendous efforts are not enough to stop this force of true light. Left and right, he is being struck by his savage blows and has no chance to defend himself again.
Just as Geralt is about to succumb to his wounds, however, the guardian stops. Then, he takes a few steps back and heals Geralt, saving his life.
"The test has been completed."- He says- "I deem you worthy of being a true hero."
Then, he points his extremely sharp weapon toward him.
"But can you stand back up?"- He asks- "Are you strong enough to conquer your own fears?"
Seeing that Geralt is still in danger, Aurelia rushes forward and grabs the guardian's arm.
"Please, mister guardian! Don't kill my friend!"- She yells, tears falling from her eyes as she speaks- "You don't understand the horrible things that he's been though! He's been trying to find his father for years and he simply wants to see him again! Please! Give him another chance!"
The guardian is seemingly surprised by Aurelia's statement.
"He's looking for... his father?"
For a few seconds, the guardian looks down at the weakened Geralt, He smiles at him, like a parent that is very proud of his child. A feeling of peace washes over him as he continues to stare at the young hero as if he were his child, his heart filled with love and care.
But then, the feeling stops. The guardian reverts back to his old self and looks back at Aurelia. He puts his hand on her shoulder and nods.
"Thanks for that, young lady."- He says- "I needed it."
Aurelia smiles.
"Well, I'm glad that I helped!"
She looks up at him.
"This means that you'll spare my friend, right?"
The guardian nods.
"Of couse, my child."- He says- "I would never dare to murder a true hero like him."
As the two of them step back, Geralt rises to his feet, ready to fight again. However, he soon sees the guardian a few steps away from him, his sword sheathed.
"Wait."- He says- "Why are you stepping down?"
The guardian shakes his head.
"There is no need to struggle anymore. You already won."- He says- "I came here to test you, to discover your true potential. I can see it now."
Having said that, he turns around and starts to walk away.
"Farewell, young Kaos. Thank you for enlightening my existence."- He says- "I hope that we can meet again soon."
Geralt nods.
"The pleasure was mine, o sacred guardian."- He says- "May our paths cross again."
Now that the guardian is out of sight, Aurelia rushes forward and hugs Geralt.
"Oh, Geralt! Thank goodness!"- She exclaims as she starts to cry- "I thought that I was going to lose you! Really, I did!"
Geralt smiles.
"Well, I am still here."- He says- "What are you crying about?"
Aurelia looks at him.
"It's just that I... I... "- She says and rests her head on Geralt's right shoulder- "I missed you so much. To see you being taken away from me again... I could not bear it. Not anymore."
Geralt smiles and hugs her back.
"I missed you too, Auri."
Aurelia's eyes light up.
"Yes. I can see it now."- She says- "You really do like me. It's just that you're shy about it."
Geralt smiles.
"Well, I guess that might be true."- He says- "I do like you as my partner. And maybe something else."
Aurelia raises her eyebrow.
"Something... else?"
Geralt continues to smile.
"Yes."- He says, but does not elaborate- "Something else."
Emela and Dante stare at the two, expecting them to do something unexpected at any moment. However, they only embrace each other again, disappointing them slightly.
"Well, Geralt. Our work's almost done."- Emela says- "Are you ready to make it to the top of the food chain?"
Geralt smiles and nods.
"My group is still here, and so am I. Together, we conquered our own fears and made it to the summit."- He says- "Let us proceed and get our rightful reward."
The four of them continue toward the path that leads to the top. Surprisingly, it is much more peaceful than the badlands below. Despite the mountain's unfortunate name, there are no more dangers present. The howling of wolves cannot be heard anymore and the only sounds left are the chirping of birds and the flowing of a nearby river. The lands below may have been cold and unwelcoming, but the ones above are a true paradise. It almost feels like they discovered Heaven itself.
Once they arrive at the final summit, they come face to face with the true guardian of the mountain- a magical golem made of solid rock. His entire body radiates power and confidence. How Grung managed to defeat such a powerful creature is completely unknown and it will likely remain that way.
When the creature sees that visitors have arrived, it rises to its feet and bows.
"I thought that help might arrive sooner or later, but I never expected it to be you."- He says- "Greetings, mighty heroes. Welcome to the Blackflame Mountains, place of pure solitude that holds a very unfortunate name."
Geralt bows back to it.
"Greetings, sacred guardian. We have defeated the foul titan in the lands below. You can reclaim your title soon."- He says- "But we are here for something else. Something has been on our minds for a while and we need to know the answers for it."
The guardian smiles.
"Ask away, brave protectors of the world."- He says- "I can tell you everything that you want to know. It's the least that I could do for you."
Geralt looks around nervously.
"Well."- He says- "I... "
Suddenly, something starts beeping in Emela's pocket. She pulls the object that emits the sound, revealing it to be a small, blue crystal.
"It seems like something's going on at the temple while I'm gone."- She says- "What could possibly be-- "
And then, she sees two mysterious figures opening the doors that lead to the temple. In a few moments, she becomes very concerned.
"Oh... oh no. No."- She says- "This is not right. This is meant to be some sort of mistake. An illusion."
Geralt looks at Emela.
"Miss Emela, what is going on?"
Emela continues to stare at the small crystal.
"Geralt, my dear. We need to return to the water temple."- She says to him- "Immediately."
Geralt gasps.
"But... I was just about to ask the guardian an important question!"
The guardian smiles.
"It is alright, brave heroes. Saving the world from those who wish to defile it is a much more important task."- It says- "I shall be waiting for you up here, in the hopes that you will return someday."
Then, he steps back, revealing a small teleporter.
"Before you go, I want to introduce you to the magical teleporter that the mountain's most powerful wizards installed a few decades ago."- It continues- "It is a wonder of the modern world and can be used only by the worthiest of heroes, those who are like you. Feel free to use it back and forth, you've earned it."
Geralt nods.
"Thank you for everything, mighty guardian."- He says- "Even though I did not learn what I wanted to know, I gained valuable knowledge today. Now, I feel a little wiser and I think that I can finally understand our common world."
As the four of them step through the portal, he looks back and smiles.
"We will return soon."- He says- "We promise."
The guardian smiles back.
"And I shall await your return."- It says- "Farewell, heroes. May you have a safe journey, no matter where you go."