MLIII C3, P6- "In Your Head"

"In Your Head" is the sixth Part of "Miracula Luxia III".
It was released on 15.01.2022.
== Plot ==
Our heroes have arrived at the heart of the kingdom. The place where they find ruin after ruin- remains of independent settlements that refused to accept their new overlord and were brutally slain by the forces of darkness.
Most recently, they found a small town near the elven capital. Its mayor was fearful that Torion and his forces would realize that the heroes were in this town, but still accepted them, because he knows that they do not mean any harm to them.
What none of them are aware of yet, however, is the fact that Torion is already one step ahead of his enemies. He has ears all over both kingdoms, courtesy to his servants and allies. So, when he learned that his rebellious son has returned, he was infuriated. 
Thus, he sent a massive force of elven warriors to stop them. Or die trying.
Soon, Adam and his allies will have to face one of their greatest challenges. In order to reach Torion and make him pay for his crimes, they have to face the strongest warriors under his command.
Their chances may be low, but their morale is still high. As long as there is a sun in the sky above, hope will not be lost.
Once again, it is time to fight the Darkness. 
== Story ==
The mayor looks at Adam and his allies once again.
"Say. I've heard a lot of things about you."- He says to them- "Now that we know that you won't attack us, I would like to introduce myself. And I hope that it's the same for you."
Adam gasps.
"Oh! That is right!"- He says and bows- "Please excuse us for our ignorance!"
He looks up and smiles.
"My name is Adam. Adam Kaos."- He says- "I am the son of the legendary Jared Kaos, but I am nothing more than a simple warrior. A young hero who only wishes to help those in need. My heart beats for those unfortunate souls and I would do anything to keep them safe."
The mayor nods.
"The pleasure is mine, young Kaos."- He says- "Your father told me a lot of stories about you."
Adam gasps.
"My father was here?!"- He says- "I have been trying to find him for an entire year! Where is he?"
The mayor shakes his head.
"I would love to tell you everything."- He responds- "However, he told me not to share his whereabouts with anyone. Right now, he's being hunted by Torion and his allies. Since they're after you as well, it would be unwise to endanger him further."
He smiles nervously.
"Just a suggestion."- He adds- "I would never tell a mighty hero like you to, say, forget about your father. But those times are hard for all of us, and he experienced something very... traumatic recently. It's best to leave him alone."
Derion shakes his head.
"It's a shame that a legendary hero like him is forced to suffer as much as us."- He says- "I hope that he's doing well."
The mayor sighs.
"Anyway, it's very rude of me not to introduce myself."- He says- "My name is Ryo Silentfoot. I have been the mayor of this little town for half a century and the people here respect me."
He looks down.
"However, I am nothing more than a mere peon in a time like this."- He adds, defeated- "When the king went mad, he commanded all of the mayors in this kingdom to obey him. Most did, but a few revolted. They were slain, of course. As for me, I had to obey him, out of fear that he would kill me as well."
He sighs.
"My people still need me, you see."- He says- "When we have to face dangers like those, I am the man who guides them. Without my guidance, this place would fall apart. Our little civilization will stagnate. Thus, I am forced to serve... even if I don't like it. I just don't want those poor elves to suffer because of this old man's mistakes."
Derion takes a step forward and shakes his head.
"You are a fool, but I understand your decision."- He admits- "Openly stating your opinion of a monster like my so-called father would be... a fatal mistake, at the very least."
Adam nods.
"Unlike my companion, I completely agree with what you did."- He says- "You took a risk to save your people. To ensure their survival. In my eyes, you are a hero. Few would be smart enough to stay so calm in a situation like this."
Ryo looks at them expectantly
"But now, you're here. You took a risk to come this far and you made it."- He says calmly- "All of the elves in this kingdom believe in you. You will save them from Torion and his allies, right?"
Adam and Derion stare at each other. They clearly don't know what is going to happen next.
However, even when the future does not seem clear, hope and faith will always be by their side.
"We came here to stop the one who dares to disrupt the delicate peace that my father created. What he is doing is horrible... and we will not allow him to harm innocent people, just because they refuse to obey him."- Adam says and nods- "It is our duty to help those who have suffered for so long. And we will not give up until the tyrants lie dead before us. That, I will promise without thinking twice."
Ryo smiles and shakes his hand.
"A noble hero like you is truly a sight to see."- He says- "As long as you fight for the good of our kingdoms, you are always welcome here."
Adam smiles.
"And we appreciate your hospitality."
He turns to his allies.
"The matter has been settled."- He says- "Let us rest."
As the four of them explore the town, Ryo accompanies them.
"Your quarters are located at the north part of the town."- He says- "In addition, we have a few key attractions that will catch your eye."
He points at a nearby statue.
"For example, this is the statue of an elven hero of great renown. A true hero among his peers, I must say."- He says- "Not much is known about him. Even his name remains a mystery, to this day. However, it is well-known that he was born in this little town. It has been hundreds of years since he perished in battle, but we still remember his deeds. In a good light."
Derion nods and turns to Adam.
"I have always admired this hero. His heart was always pure, always beating for the good of our kingdom."- He says to him- "Although I am aware that I will never be like him, I still strive to become a savior to my people. And he is the one who gives me the motivation to help those in need, even when it seems to be impossible to do such a thing. In my memories, he will always remain my greatest inspiration. Decades after our journey, I will still tell my children about the elven warrior who risked all to give happiness and safety to those who live in his hometown. In his kingdom. He is truly worthy of such respect."
A few steps ahead, Ryo points at a large rock formation. 
Upon closer inspection, Adam notices a large sword sticking out of it.
"It is elven work, isn't it?"- He asks the mayor- "Its long, delicate blade betrays it."
Ryo nods.
"The finest weapon in the land. A true masterpiece."- He says- "It is known as the "Sword of the Dawn". Centuries ago, it was forged by a renowned blacksmith and used solely by the elven hero you saw earlier. It was his pride and joy, his greatest ally in dark times like those. Like many heroes before him, he slew many evil beasts with the mighty weapon. But the greatest one was a massive, black dragon."
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"I have never met any dragons before."- He says, curious- "Can you tell me more about it?"
Ryo nods.
"Of course."- He responds- "The wicked black dragon, known as Grimmoss, was a being of pure malice. A tireless tyrant who forced everyone to kneel before him. For decades, it has tortured the inhabitants of our kingdom, stealing livestock and slaying innocent civilians. The elven king who lived at time was annoyed by its neverending livespan, so he offered a bounty to whoever would be brave enough to face the beast in battle and put it down for good. Many heroes tried to get rid of the dragon, but none were able to succeed. The creature burned them all. But then, this young hero stepped up. He formed a small band of experienced adventurers and he traveled far and wide, searching for ancient knowledge to defeat the dragon. In the end, he was given this boon of Mother Earth, this mighty tool of justice. Of course, like every other hero before him, he had a lot of trouble with the giant lizard. Most of his allies perished, burned by the flames that it exuded from its mouth, black and vile as they were. Our hero himself was bloodied, wounded, unable to make another move. But then, a miracle happened... and it saved his life. The dragon was distracted, shocked that anyone would dare to interrupt him. And thus, its foolishness led to its eventual demise. One stab was enough for our hero to spill its vile blood on the floor of its own lair and finish what others started decades ago."
He sighs.
"And that is everything."- He says- "Nothing truly impressive. Just a hero, doing his job."
Derion looks at Adam.
"Maybe we'll meet a dragon, too?"- He asks him- "I know that it's hard, but maybe we'll succeed."
Adam sighs.
"Dragons are solitary creatures. Unless you bother them, they will leave you alone."- He says- "I will never raise a weapon against such a powerful beast, unless it gives me a good reason to do so."
Ryo nods.
"Well said, human."- He says- "Perhaps our warriors can learn a thing or two from your patience and virtue."
Adam smiles.
"I am a good student, but I can also be a patient teacher."- He says- "My father has taught me to be both."
Ryo nods and moves forward.
Moments later, he points at the ruins of a small church.
"This place. It will remain as a painful memory, burning in all of us."- He says- "We will never forget what he did."
Derion gasps.
"Wait a minute. This church, I remember it!"- He exclaims- "What did he do to this place? How did this go unanswered?!"
Ryo sighs.
"It happened months ago, when the Darklings started to roam our lands. They attacked and trapped a lot of innocent citizens in that holy place."- He says- "Our warriors tried to kill them before they could cause more trouble, but they... they were too late. But the time they arrived and killed the remaining creatures, the citizens were already dead. Blood was spilled inside that place and the taint... it will never go away, no matter how hard we try to cleanse it.
He looks down.
"It was a sad day."- He adds- "For all of us."
Derion clenches his fist. He is very angry.
"And I know who is responsible for this massacre."- He says- "He will pay for this crime... with his own blood."
He turns to Ryo.
"Mayor, I am sorry for everything that happened to you. Had I arrived before disaster struck, I would have prevented this."- He says and bows- "I will not allow any of you to suffer any further than you already have. When I find my father, I will make sure that he learns of this sin. I promise."
Ryo smiles.
"I can see it now, young Derion. Unlike your father, you are a completely different person."- He says to him- "However, this is not the right time to talk about something like this. Night is coming and we... we need to hurry."
Derion nods.
"As you wish, sir."- He says- "Lead the way."
Ryo leads the heroes to their quarters. 
"This place used to be the barracks where our warriors used to live."- He says- "After the attack, most of them fled and went to live with their families. Others went to live elsewhere in the town. As a result, they were completely abandoned."
He nods.
"But I assure you that it will be a good place for heroes like you."- He says and takes a step back- "Be our guests."
Adam nods and smiles.
"It is very kind of you, sir."- He says- "We appreciate your courtesy."
Derion yawns.
"It was a long day."- He mutters- "It's a good thing that there... is a good place to sleep in."
Aiden nods.
"Finally."- He says- "We're safe for the night."
Jonathan looks around, still unsure what to do next. Even though he is the Shaman of Thais, a renowned spiritual leader and mouthpiece of the Earth itself, this situation is far beyond his level of comprehension. Maybe a good night's sleep will raise his morale.
Adam takes a step forward.
"Our work for today is done."- He says- "Tomorrow, we shall continue our struggles."
He sighs.
"Let us go."
Ryo waves at them as they enter the barracks.
"Good night, heroes."- He says- "Sleep well."
Adam nods.
"Good night to you too, sir."
As he enters the barracks, he notices that his allies are already lying on their beds.
"You must be very tired."- He says- "I can see that."
Derion sighs.
"When we fight my father, it will be worse."
Adam nods.
"Until then, we must rest."- He says- "Good night."
"Good night."- Everyone else says and goes to sleep.
In the middle of the night, Adam wakes up. He sees that his allies are still asleep.
"I hate to leave them like this, but I need to know what is going on."- He says to himself- "Perhaps those books will tell me more about him."
He opens the door and leaves.
Staring into the night, he sees the library that he found earlier.
"There it is."- He mutters- "Now, if I could only get to it... "
He takes a few steps forward, careful not to alert any enemies toward himself. No such thing happens to him.
A few more steps lead him much closer to the library.
He looks at the door and notices that it is not locked.
"So strange."- He mutters- "I am sure that elves are not so careless."
Sighing, he opens the door and enters the library.
On the inside, it looks much smaller. There are few books left on the shelves and the only light that illuminates them is the chandelier above.
"What a sad place."- Adam mutters- "I hope that I can find something useful here."
Thirsty for knowledge, he starts to check the books on the shelves. When he finds something that will not help him out, he carefully leaves it back where he found it.
In addition, he is very silent. Even though there is nobody here, he still abides to the universal laws without thinking twice.
"Very well, Darkthrop."- He mutters- "What are you hiding from us?"
It doesn't take him long to find a book that describes the origins of the evil sorcerer.
" "Mordred Darkthrop- The Unstoppable Evil"? "- He mutters- "How intriguing. Let me see it."
Although the book can be found easily by everyone who visits this library, there are no signs of recent use. In fact, it seems like everyone is afraid of the knowledge that they might find within.
Still, this does not stop Adam. The studious hero absorbs the knowledge within and soon realizes that he is dealing with more than a mere, wicked sorcerer.
"Impressive."- He mutters- "He put so much work into conquering the world, spent so many hours creating the four orbs. And yet, he was slain by the one whom he trusted the most? Oh, how the tables have turned."
It turns out that Mordred Darkthrop started out as a completely normal scholar. A well-known student who was always known as the quiet child. Years after he graduated from his university, he started to study the arts of ancient magic- an unpopular subject among his peers. Even though he was warned by his overprotective parents, he never listened to them, spending hour after hour to learn the secrets of the ancients. It took him ten years to find the greatest secret of those who came before him- their practice of forbidden, dark magic. Soon, he became a scholar who practiced those arts... until he was kicked out of his parents' home and forced to find a new place to live. After leaving, he started to live in a small, dark cave. Years later, he formed his own keep where he lived for the rest of his life. During that time, he met his wife, married her and had one child- the one known as Tunsten. As his child grew, he continued to study the dark magic within the scrolls that he found and soon, his mind becomes corrupted by it. Thus, he developed a sense of grandeur and desired to use the powers of darkness to conquer the world. With the help of his most trusted servants, he formed a powerful army and took the Kingdom of Thais by surprise. After he killed the king and queen, he set his sights on conquering the kingdoms to the west and east. His plan was perfect, his intentions- clear. Nobody was able to stop him from conquering the world... until his son finally realized what his father is doing. 
Suspecting treachery from within, the evil sorcerer hid deep within his tower, creating four powerful orbs that would allow one of his descendants to finish what he started. Leaving one final message behind, he came face to face with the traitor, who turned out to be his own son. After murdering his own father, he also killed himself, intending to end the Darkthrop legacy once and for all.
Unbeknownst to him, his wife was still alive. She was running away, scared of her father-in-law's servants. Worst of all, she was pregnant with Tunsten's child. When she was discovered, she used a portion of her magic to whisk herself away and save both herself and her future child.
And that is how the story goes. Day after day, the world awaits the descendant of Darkthrop to arise and take back what is rightfully his. Or so it says.
"The heir of Darkthrop? This is nonsense!"- Adam mutters- "Nobody would dare to be tainted by this evil man's tricks!"
He looks back and sees a spectre, coalescing behind him.
"So."- It says- "You finally found the secret?"
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"Secret?"- He mutters- "Who are you? What do you want?"
The spectre nods. It starts to become more substantial.
Adam looks closer. Then, he gasps.
"Aunt Nox?!"
Nox smiles.
"Not quite."- She says- "I am the evil part of her. The one which your aunt Uma banished a long time ago."
Adam draws his weapon.
"Are you here to mock me?"- He says- "If so, you will soon find out that such trickery tends to be ignored."
Nox smiles.
"Oh. I've already given up on mocking heroes like you."- He says- "All I want to tell you is that you should trust no one. Not even your own family."
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"And why should I believe you?"- He asks her.
Nox nods.
"You will find out."- She says stoically- "Soon enough."
Then, she starts to disappear.
"Hold on!"- Adam says- "I need more answers! Do not leave!"
The evil Nox ignores him. She simply fades away.
"Oh well."- Adam mutters and sighs- "It was worth a shot."
He continues to read the book and soon realizes that the Darkthrop are related to a single family. Its warriors used to be more than just brothers-in-arms.
"No."- He mutters- "This... this cannot be."
The truth is here, but Adam is trying to ignore it. 
Out of fear, he drops the book on the floor.
"The family described in here is... mine?"- He mutters- "No. There must be some kind of mistake. There must be."
Then, he starts to hear the words of the ancients. Most of them are unclear to him, but one sentence burns in his mind:
"Heir of Kaos, your time has come."
Adam falls on his knees.
"I will not give in."- He says- "I will not."
Moments later, the feeling of dread subsides. Soon, it is replaced by joy and comfort.
"What is this?"- Adam mutters- "I can feel... something familiar."
He looks up and sees the spirit of his late aunt.
"Adam, my dearest."- She says to him- "Here you are."
Adam stands up and hugs her.
"Auntie."- He says- "You... you helped me again."
Marinette smiles.
"Of course I did, dear. Your safety is important to me."- She says to him- "I'll never let those wicked creatures taint your mind with their lies."
Adam shakes his head.
"But why?"- He asks- "Why did they talk to me?'
Marinette sighs.
"They don't know who you are."- She says- "They think you're... her."
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"There is... another Kaos?"- He says- "Who is she?"
Marinette looks down.
"The Kaos that they're looking for... "- She mutters- "... is your sister."
Adam gasps.
"Impossible."- He says and shakes his head- "My sister would never hurt anyone or anything. She has changed a lot!"
Marinette shakes her head.
"That's not what they think, though."- She says- "When Darkthrop's servants took her in, they considered her their next queen. And now, she leads them toward a darker future. One that is filled with despair, with no joy or hope for anyone."
She looks at her nephew.
"She... is not the same."- She says- "Not anymore."
Adam looks down.
"Is there anything that I can do to save her?"
Marinette nods.
"Sever the strings between her and the Realm of Darkness. Defeat her in battle and force her to kneel before you."- She responds- "If that does not work, you must... you must... "
She wipes a tear from her eye.
"Kill her."
Having said that, she waves goodbye and starts to disappear.
"Remember that I love you, dear!"- She says- "No matter what you do, I'll always stay by your side!"
Adam is left alone, tired and confused.
"My sister is working... with them?"- He mutters- "All this time?"
He shakes his head.
"Aunt Nox was right."- He continues- "Akira never forgot how dad abandoned her and Miss Minamino. She tried to cope with her mother's death, but she never got over it. And the evil in her heart... it was always there. It never left her. It patiently waited for her to succumb to her own emotions and claim her heart for itself. And now... now... "
He sighs.
"No. I must stay strong. I must keep fighting."- He mutters- "A fight against my sister seems to be inevitable, but I will not give up. Even if I must... do something bad to her."
He falls on his knees.
"Why?"- He says- "Why must the worst things happen to them?"
Just as he stands up, he hears screaming.
"Wait."- He mutters- "What is going on?"
He runs outside and notices that his allies have left the barracks as well.
"Adam! Here you are!"- Jonathan says- "Where have you been?"
Adam shakes his head.
"That is of no importance."- He says- "So. What is happening?"
Jonathan points at a large group of warriors who are approaching the town.
"Looks like Torion's lackeys found us."- He says- "We're under attack."
Without another word, the four of them agree to move outside and protect the townsfolk before anything bad happens to them.
The warriors fire a few warning shots, as if telling them to back off.
When their attempt to scare their opponents fails, they run forward. Their blades are drawn.
There is no attempt to intimidate their opponents. No mockery. When they get close enough, they attack.
As our heroes try to fend them off alone, they notice that the group of elven warriors is getting larger. More elves arrive to help their friends.
A minute later, the size of this group of vagabonds is equal to that of an entire army. Maybe even two.
"They are too organized."- Adam says- "We must split them apart."
Jonathan nods.
"I got this!"
He uses a powerful earth spell and divides the army in two smaller groups, each one fought by two of the heroes.
However, even though they are divided, the elves do not back down. As the archers continue to shoot at their enemies, the warriors strike them with their weapons and weaken them.
Soon, our heroes are too weak to fight back,
"Do not give up, everyone."- Adam encourages his allies- "No matter how many they are, we must stay united!"
Derion draws his sword and stabs three of the elven warriors, watching as they fall on the ground.
"I am not scared of you, traitors."- He says- "You and your leader will pay for your crimes!"
As the elves start to close in, they hear something roaring behind them.
Soon, a massive flood drowns a large portion of them, as well as their reinforcements, leaving only a small squad of warriors behind.
Our heroes wonder who is responsible for this. Soon, they see someone approaching them.
They draw their weapons, but Adam stops them. Then, he steps forward and smiles.
"Miss Emela!"
The person who saved them is Emela- Adam's teacher.
As she runs forward, she suddenly stops and falls on her knees.
"I saved... your... life."- She says to Adam as he tries to help her out.
Jonathan moves closer and inspects Emela. Seeing the problem that is dragging her down, he gasps.
"She's wounded!"- He says.
Adam looks at him.
"Is she going to be alright?"
Jonathan sighs.
"I hope so."- He says- "Now go. There are still a few survivors. Take care of them.
Adam looks at the small army of elven warriors that is approaching him. He cannot hold his anger back any longer.
"You... dared to harm my teacher?!"- He yells and begins to cast a spell- "I will make you pay!"
With each passing second, the spell becomes more intense. His eyes become pearl white.
Moments later, a pair of small angel wings appears on his back.
"I have had enough of you!"- He yells- "Begone, fiends!"
Having said that, he charges at them.
They try to defend themselves from his wrath, but it is too much. As soon as he steps in, he obliterates a large portion of the once mighty army of warriors.
It is at this moment that we witness the power that he received from the Geneforge. When he touched it, he turned into a completely different person. Perhaps like a demigod. The Light Crystal further enhanced those incredible powers and now, their strength is beyond imagination.
"In the name of all that is sacred, leave my friends alone!"- Adam yells as he finally casts the spell.
However, said spell is not meant to hurt the opponent. In fact, it is intended to bless our hero with the power of gods.
With an earth-shattering scream that pierces the night, Adam flies into the air and draws his bow. Once he is far enough, he fires a regular-looking arrow at his enemies, watching as the ground below is obliterated in the process.
A massive explosion of pure light destroys his enemies and leaves whoever survived its impact gravely wounded.
As Adam descends, his eyes return to normal. He has won the battle.
He looks around and sighs.
"You forced me to unleash the rage that I held back for so long."- He mutters and shakes his head- "And now, you met your demise. How unfortunate."
He takes a step back.
"I hope that this serves as a lesson to those who would dare to mess with us."
Seeing that his teacher is still in trouble, he runs back to her and stabs two elves that are trying to kill her.
"Miss Emela! You are safe!"- He says and hugs her- "I missed you so much!"
Emela smiles and hugs him back.
"Well met, dear."- She says- "So did I. It's been too long."
Adam looks at her.
"But how did you make it all the way here?"- He asks her- "Very few people dare to cross the border between both kingdoms, let alone lone people like you."
Emela smiles.
"I may be the Water Guardian, but I am no fool."- She says and stares at something in the distance- "I was not alone."
As the night falls, another person approaches them. Like Emela, he looks very familiar.
When he gets close enough, Adam gasps.
"Dad!"- He says- "It is you!"
Jared takes a step forward and smiles.
"Adam. My dearest child."- He says- "I am finally home."
== Trivia ==
* "In Your Head" is a reference to both the chorus and the lyrics of a popular song by The Cranberries- "Zombie".
** In addition, it describes the problems that Adam has experienced ever since he had to leave his own family behind and how he has managed to keep them locked in his own head. He knows that, should he share them with someone else, they would become their problems as well. And he does not want that. Not at all.