MLIV C2, P4- "Fragments Of The Past"

"Fragments Of The Past" is the fourth Chapter of "Miracula Luxia IV" 's second Chapter.
It was released on 26.05.2022.
== Plot ==
After a long journey through the town of Duskwood, searching for the one who has dared to disrupt the peace in a time like this, Adam and his allies unknowingly come face to face with the man who delivered grievous blows at the place's society and brought it down, in the name of his dark master. Together, they managed to put an end to his unspeakable crimes, saving the world from a possible widespread disaster once again.
Even so, their adventures are far from over. The culprit behind the murders may be dead, but the person who orchestrated them and sent him to wreck havoc upon the living is still out there. Still eager to get the gears of chaos moving again. Until they are defeated, the world may not be able to recover from the wound that was inflicted ages ago, when Mordred Darkthrop was still alive.
But this duty has to be put to a halt, as our young hero has a more pressing concern to take care of- his own sister. When she murdered the criminal master known as The Deceiver in cold blood, she felt a guilt so great that it starts to plague her thoughts, make her think that she is unworthy.
In order to unlock the hidden potential within her very being and ease the tedium inside of her head, Adam has to make her remember who she truly is. What she always fought for and what she managed to achieve. In other words, he has to help her see the light again.
While trying to help the person who helped him years ago, Adam will also reunite with a young man who lost everything, yet stood strong in the face of famine and despair. A person who is all too familiar to him. An old friend and associate whom he had always admired for his superior fighting prowess and intellect.
Will the two boys be able to leave the past behind them and reconcile, even though they used to be a little... jealous of each other?
== Story ==
As Adam and Akira prepare to take a walk around Duskwood, Emela steps back and shakes her head.
"Since you're trying to find peace within yourselves, I guess that you don't need me to stay with you."- She says- "Maybe I should, you know, join Mr. Braveheart and plan our next course of action? It's for the best, I think."
Adam looks at her. He is unsure whether he wants to join her and resume his duties once again... or stay with the person who nearly gave her own life away to save him and enjoy whatever free time he has left with her.
Then, he stares back at Akira. He remembers how he struggled to find her for a long time, just to have one last conversation with her. And now, she is here, alive and well.
Having made his decision, he sighs and nods.
"As you wish, Miss Emela."- He says to her- "Please keep the town safe in our absence. We will be back soon."
Emela smiles and pats him on the shoulder.
"A guardian never shies away from her duties!"- She exclaims- "Rest assured that mine are right here, with you! Duskwood will remain the way it is, no matter what kind of forces of evil try to conquer it!"
Adam nods.
"I expect no less from a person like you."- He says- "Farewell."
Having said that, he and Akira enter the inner parts of the town.
As Emela watches the two of them leave, she remembers what Deugan said to her before she joined them:
"I know that you care about this boy, but think upon this. If you truly love him, will you be willing enough to let him go? Will you allow him to face his destiny without your guidance? And, if not, are you ready to become what his own mother and father failed to be?"- His voice is heard within her mind- "But don't sweat it, Em. I know what you've gotten through, just to reunite with him. Your heart is the one that speaks for you. Do you really want to make a difference alongside him? Then follow its trail of light. Show him that you're more than just his master. The boy needs you more than ever, but are you ready to answer his call and be his helping hand?"
Emela clenches her fist. She walks toward Duskwood's docks and stands there, lost in thought.
"I admit it. Once, I embraced the future with open arms. But now, I fear it. I know not of how it will affect our lives, our moral principles. Will it change me, like it changed Adam?"- She says to herself- "I want to let him go. I want to give him the chance to start a new life, without me. However, I fear that I might not have the strength to do such a thing. This child, he's my little angel. The little brother that I've never had. All those years, I taught him how to love and respect others, yet never realized how much he loves and respects me."
She looks up confidently.
"No. I must stay strong."- She says- "I must be there for him. There's no other way."
She raises her still-clenched fist in the air.
"We shall conquer Fate itself!"- She yells- "Together!"
Waves roar all around her as the gleam in her eyes grows even brighter. Determination flows in her veins as she screams those words out loud. Her wildest desires revealed, she has now become the herald of a new age, filled with peace and prosperity.
But one must not forget his loved ones- the ones they swore to protect, who gave them the strength to be themselves. Heroes may be strong and determined, but without the people closest to them, they are nothing more than mindless shells that serve the Order.
She turns around.
"Finally. I know what to do."- She says to herself- "And now, it's time to make it happen."
Seeing James's office in the distance, she takes a few steps forward.
"Look out, world."- She says- "This new Emela is ready for action!"
Meanwhile, Adam and Akira explore the rest of Duskwood, amazed by how fast its citizens are rebuilding what they had lost.
"Was it always like this?"- Akira asks.
Adam shakes his head.
"Well, not quite."- He says- "You see, when I came to this place for the first time, it was no different from a barren wasteland. Bandits and former citizens were fighting over this massive patch of land, eager to take a piece of this legendary territory for themselves. Chaos reigned as we came to bring back the order."
He clenches his fist.
"But there was this one man who did not believe in the light. Who had nothing left in his soul, other than ceaseless hatred for the living outside of his own group."- He continues- "I managed to defeat him, but what was the point? He had already lost his ways, given up on being himself. Villainy like his could not be extinguished so easily. So, we were forced to part ways... violently."
Akira raises her eyebrow.
"Was that person Derek, by any chance?"
Adam turns around, surprised.
"You know that Derek was a villain?"- He asks her- "But I never told you about it!"
Akira sighs.
"A few of my scouts happened to be nearby while you and Derek fought. They didn't recognize you, but they saw the man's face. Bloodied, bruised, but still recognizable."- She says- "Discovering his existence was way more than enough to prove my theory that you were still alive. I'm glad that I was not wrong."
Adam nods.
"Both of us lost a lot during those dark times."- He admits- "Let us hope that we never have to suffer like this again."
Akira looks around.
"You know? I think that I finally understand how he feels."- She says- "To think that he's been separated from Mr. Selmae for so many years makes me want to cry myself. And yet, unlike me, he saw the light earlier and fought for the ones who cared about him. Me? I just stood there, helpless and pathetic. I was never meant to become one with the light again, until I found you again."
Adam shakes his head.
"No, Aki. You were always an angel, in both heart and soul."- He says- "Darkthrop is the one to blame for those misfortunes, not your own family or friends."
Akira nods.
"But there's still one question on my mind. Something that has been haunting me for years."- She says- "Was my stepdad always that brilliant and foolish? What if someone else manipulated him into doing the unthinkable? I am still unsure of that."
Adam sighs.
"Aki, I already told you. Lucifer Griffin was a demon in human skin. He was fueled by the hatred and lies that used to corrupt our hearts. Used them against us, just to further his own goals. He was too proud to ever work with anyone, other than himself and only himself."- He says- "Though the chances of him allying himself with a monster like Darkthrop are indeed quite high, it is best not to think about it. He is dead, and has been so for many years. Every moment that we spend thinking of him... is a moment of our precious lives, wasted away."
Akira turns around and takes a look at the nearby ruins of a small tower. In her mind, she imagines herself and her brother, standing on the edge and facing Lucifer Griffin in one last battle.
"Mr. Griffin! You give us no choice!"- Adam yells- "This world has suffered for so long! And you are one of the people who keeps the despair going! In order to save our people, you must be eliminated for good!"
Lucifer laughs.
"And what good would that do, my boy?"- He asks him- "Even if you manage to bring me down, my servants will find out about that. Vengeance runs through their veins even as we speak, but are you aware of what will happen when I'm dead? No, you aren't. You're just too lost to even think about your own safety."
Akira steps forward and grabs him by the neck.
"You foul fiend! I lived for so many years with you, yet you refuse to acknowledge my true family!"- She yells- "Don't you feel ashamed of that?!"
Lucifer smiles.
"Oh, Akira. Sweet and innocent child. You always think that you can wield the light, yet you were always meant to be within the darkness."- He says to her- "Just accept your fate and join your mother. She's already done it, so what good will it do you to refuse?"
Akira, now infuriated, draws her sword and points it at him.
"I will crush you!"
Lucifer chuckles.
"Give it a try."- He taunts her- "I know you want to."
Akira lifts her blade, attempting to finish what she and her brother started. But then, memories flow through her mind as she remembers how she had to watch her mother die. 
Realizing that she cannot move on, she falls on her knees and drops her weapon.
Lucifer stands up and laughs.
"I told you, child!"- He yells- "Dealing with a demon from the underworld in such a way will only cause you pain!"
Using his dark magic, Lucifer entangles his "daughter" with dark tentacles, immobilizing and strangling her at the same time.
"Griffin... "- Akira mutters- "You're making... a terrible... mistake."
Lucifer smiles.
"No, child."- He says- "The only one who's making a mistake... is you. You shouldn't have met Adam or your father. If you remained a cute, little lamb, then maybe I would have considered sparing you and your mommy, that useless chick which made me feel guilty about what I've done."
Akira shakes her head.
"Don't you dare... talk like that... about my mother."
Lucifer smiles.
"Or what? What will you do?"- He asks her- "Look at yourself, Akira. You let the light consume the darkness within your soul and became the puppet of a greater power. You willingly let yourself become a slave to the Order. A good, little soldier that thinks she's doing good for this world, yet only makes everything worse."
As the tentacles' grip gets even stronger, Akira starts to spew blood. Sweat drips from her eyebrows as she tries to resist her stepfather's influence.
Even though she is on the verge of death, she still manages to smile.
"That's what I've... always... wanted."- She gasps- "The light... will save us... all."
Jared approaches Lucifer angrily. In his left one, he carries his sword and his right one- an orb of light, the beginnings of a spell.
"Leave my daughter alone, you worthless monster!"- He yells- "You want me, right? Then come and get me! I am right here!"
Lucifer clenches his free fist.
"How dare you show your face here, Kaos? Even after I bested you, you still dare to speak against me?"- He says and shakes his head- "Once I'm done with her, I'll show you how much I truly hate you. How much she hates you. I will kill both you and your son!"
Jared tries to say something else, but Akira weakly motions for him to stop.
"No. Do not... fuel his evil."- She says- "We must... stand strong."
As Lucifer continues to choke Akira, he starts to laugh maniacally.
"At last! I can show those imbeciles how powerful I really am!"- He exclaims- "Nobody will be able to question Lucifer Griffin- the Master of Darkness! Nobo-- "
Much to his surprise, someone drives a sword through his chest, piercing his heart in the process.
In his few moments of life, he looks up to see who dared to strike him down.
He sees Adam.
"Adam... Kaos... "
Suddenly, he trips and falls backwards, toward the edge of the tower. There, unable to hold himself together, he plunges to his death.
Adam and Akira stand on top of the tower as the notorious villain falls, crushing his entire body in the process and preventing his possible reanimation.
Akira looks at her brother, surprised and overjoyed.
"Brother! You... you saved my life!"- She says as the tentacles around her neck finally fade away- "But... why did you do that? I always blamed you and dad for my own misfortunes. I never dared to look at you with more than contempt and uncertainty. And yet, you still did it. Why?"
Adam smiles and hugs her.
"I already told you, Aki. As a sibling, I am ready to do anything to protect you from evil."- He says to her- "Times may change. People may grow more and more paranoid, unable to trust each other. Cities may burn and dark empires may rise and fall. But the bond between us will never fade away. As long as we have each other, nothing will ever stand in our way. The power of light will carry us through those dark times. We shall always prevail."
Akira nods.
"I understand. You're always so caring, so selfless and kind."- She says- "But... what if we get separated? What if I need your help again? Will you be there for me?"
Adam smiles.
"Of course I will!"- He exclaims confidently- "I fear that you might be afraid of what will happen next. But you should not be. Because, when you think of what we have done, our perfect world that we have always fought for, then you will see that there is nothing to fear."
He smiles again, this time serenely.
"Whenever you are afraid of the dark, think of me. Think of the moments that we shared together."- He says- "I want to be your guiding light. Your guardian angel. Your pillar of hope that shines in the shadows. Your sacred ally that pierces through the mist of hatred and despair. Will you let me be what you need?"
Akira smiles and hugs him back.
"Adam, my little brother."- She says- "You'll always mean everything to me."
Adam smiles.
"And it is the same for me, Aki."
As the dream ends, Akira snaps back to her senses. She rubs her eyes for a few seconds, barely believing what she saw up there.
"Aki?"- Adam says, holding her in his arms- "Aki? Are you alright? Please, answer me!"
Akira blinks a few times.
"Oh, thank goodness!"- He says and hugs her- "I thought that something happened to you!"
Akira looks around.
"What happened?"- She asks- "Why am I like this?"
Adam sighs.
"While I was trying to talk to you, you suddenly blacked out."- He says- "I tried to wake you up with my water magic, but it was futile. I had the bad feeling that I... "
Akira shakes her head.
"I'm so sorry, little brother!"- She says and hugs him back- "Please! Don't suffer because of me!"
Adam looks at the sky above.
"It was about Griffin, wasn't it?"
Akira raises her eyebrow.
"You... know about my dream?"
Adam nods.
"I heard the voices in your mind. They sounded so... real."- He says- "When I entered, I saw how I killed Lucifer Griffin myself. Is this... what was meant to happen?"
Akira nods.
"Yes, it was. I wanted you to kill him and prove yourself to them, not me."- He admits and looks down- "But... I guess that my vengeance burned too deep. I couldn't contain it."
Adam shakes his head.
"There is no room left for regret."- He says- "In order to succeed, we must learn to forget the past and become one with the world itself."
He looks up.
"Griffin was a bad man. But he was not worthy of my time."- He says- "I allowed you to finish him off, because I wanted you to understand that you need to kill to survive. Everytime you hesitate to do the right thing, someone might get hurt. And I do not want you to be like this."
Akira smiles.
"Thank you, brother."- She says- "Thanks to you, I finally opened my mind to the light."
Adam smiles back.
"Of course, Aki."- He says- "I am glad to help."
The two of them walk away from the alleyway of memories and proceed further into the town of Duskwood.
Further ahead, they discover a pleasant-looking garden. Seeing that nobody is around, they enter and sit down on one of the benches.
"What a beautiful place."- Akira says- "Reminds me of home."
Adam nods.
"Yes, it is."- He says- "Those beautiful white flowers remind me of the hope that we lost and found not too long ago. The faith that keeps our souls burning in the night. It is a pleasure to take a moment and appreciate the little things in life, like those."
Akira sighs.
"If only more people thought the same way."- She says- "Then, the world would be a better place."
Adam smiles.
"It already is when you are around."- He says- "You, dear sister, are the most beautiful flower of all."
Akira raises her eyebrow, surprised.
"You think that I am... pretty?"- She asks him- "But the flower that's your sister is close to withering away. It doesn't have the strength to be a sign of hope and beauty again. How is that an inspiration for you?"
Adam smiles serenely.
"Whenever a flower withers, another one takes its place. The cycle of life allows more and more to grow over the fallen and replace their tainted beauty with their own."- He responds- "You are one of those flowers that reminds me of the legendary Phoenix. You may perish, but that is not the end of you, because you always find a way to rise from the ashes, reborn as a new being. But, unlike them, that dark side of yours was just a curtain that hid your true self, the one that has been kept away for far too long. When you were reborn as a good person, it was just to reveal the true Akira, the one who truly cares about family, friends and society. And now, you shine as the flower of redemption- symbol of the unwavering loyalty toward those that you believe in and the determination of those whose hearts were tainted by evil to change the gears of destiny and move on toward a new path. You, my sister, are the herald of a new, happy world, filled with hope and light."
Akira smiles and looks down.
"Do you... really think so?"
Adam nods.
"Without a doubt, I do."
The two of them stare at the sun as it slowly goes down, admiring the beauty of this reformed world together.
"When you said that I remind you of those flowers, I think that I also remembered something myself."- Akira says and smiles- "Do you know what I'm thinking of right now, dear brother?"
Adam looks at her and shrugs.
"Well. Truth be told, I cannot read your mind."- He says- "But I can tell that it is about me. Right?"
Akira grins.
"You know me way too well!"
She looks up at the sun and smiles.
"I may be a flower in this world of ours, but you are the sun. Without your grace and splendor, I would be nothing."- She says- "All this time, you always rose and stood down. You've been here for a long time. And do you know what's the best thing about you, Adam? You never stop shining. Many have tried to extinguish that light of yours, to turn you into a black giant whose heart has been corrupted by the shadows. However, none of them have succeeded... and none of them ever will. You say that I remind you of the legendary Phoenix, but the truth is that you are the Phoenix itself. And nothing will ever change that for me."
Adam smiles.
"Then we shall rise from the ashes together."- He says- "With you by my side, I am sure that this sun will never fade away from existence."
Akira nods.
"Even when Darkthrop rises again?"
Adam nods.
"I am not scared of him. And neither should you."- He says- "Darkthrop may be powerful, but even the days of black stars like his are numbered."
As the two of them continue to watch the world around them, Akira remembers something. A bad memory perhaps?
Either way, it seems to be making her feel uncomfortable.
"Is something wrong, Aki?"- Adam asks her- "If you have something on your mind, do not be afraid to share it with me. I am always on your side."
Akira sighs.
"It's that painful nightmare."- She says- "Again and again, it finds its way into my thoughts, corrupting my entire existence, even as I simply sit around and do nothing. I'm not sure if it will ever go away."
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"Aki. I know that you are worried about this, but it was not your fault."- He says- "You were just confused. Deranged. Darkthrop fed you with lies that seeped their way into your mind. He is the one to blame for that mess, not you."
Akira looks down.
"But it... it just seems so real."- She says- "Sometimes, I see things that I wasn't supposed to see. Nightmares that seem as if they're a part of some kind of alternate reality."
Adam takes her hand in his.
"Tell me everything about this."- He says- "I will try to understand it as best as I can."
Akira nods and looks up.
"You see, it's all about that one moment when I almost ended dad's life. With my own hands. That one time when you saved us both."- She says- "It all seemed normal, at first. But then, it just became so... chaotic. Shadows danced all around me as I screamed for help. And then... I saw it. I saw how you and dad just... just... "
She looks down. Tears start to fall from her eyes.
"I just can't take it!"
Adam nods.
"You are afraid of losing us both."- He says- "While the others mean a lot for you, we are the most important people in your life. Without us, you would never be yourself."
Akira nods.
"It's just survivor's guilt, I guess."- She says- "Even so, everything still seemed so vivid. So real. I felt like I saw all of it with my own eyes, not just past the curtain of my worst fears."
Adam shakes his head.
"Yes. I can tell that she is still suffering from all the pain that she suffered."- He says to himself- "Once again, she needs my help. My utmost support and untainted wisdom. But first, I need to understand what is going on inside of her head."
He looks at her and raises his hand.
"May I see what is going on?"
Akira nods.
"Go ahead."- She says- "Maybe you can make sense of it."
Adam sighs.
"There is only one way to find that out."
Having said that, he touches her forehead with his hand. Moments later, his spirit enters the deepest corners of her thoughts, searching for the one that has been haunting her for so long.
"Alright. There are many of them, but I should be able to find the right one."- He says- "Now. Where could it be?"
Although he searches the thoughts that remained encoded in her mind, he has a sense of privacy and refrains from rummaging through the ones that are supposed to remain secret... even though he is well aware of them.
Finally, he manages to find a portal that leads toward a dark world. When he touches it with his hand, he senses the scent of evil and despair coming from inside.
"Ah. A casual case of one's sense of guilt and uncertainty. Those two have been haunting her for too long."- He says- "I can feel the darkness radiating from inside. And yet, I am not afraid. I will make my way forward, knowing that I could save her."
He enters the portal and finds himself in the Realm of Darkness. There, he sees three people of interest.
One of them is their father- Jared Kaos. The man who has been the light of hope and justice of this world for many decades, now forced to face the anger of his own family and pay for the mistakes that he made.
The other one is Akira herself. She is dressed in black and her eyes betray an unnerving amount of hatred and fury. Her blade is drawn... and she is pointing it at her own father.
A little farther away, Adam sees himself. A younger, broken version who was unable to stop the inevitable, now being forced to watch as chaos unfolds before his very eyes.
Seeing that Akira is close to killing Jared again, Adam tries to interfere and stop her, but soon realizes that his legs have gone too numb to move anywhere... or maybe they simply refuse to do so. He tries to scream, but his voice turns into a silent whisper, unheard by anyone but himself.
"In here, it feels like I am the only witness of a memory so strong that it can easily incinerate me. An ancient scroll, written and rewritten, that is forced to crumble away into the sands of time. A small, insignificant molecule that never meant anything in this world."- He says to himself- "Is this how it would have ended for us?"
Forced to watch this painful memory, Adam realizes that he has no choice than to do so.
"Akira. I do not know why you would want to do such a thing, but I think that I finally understand it."- Jared says- "Those people, they took you away from us, but they also showed you the way to happiness, if not anything else."
He looks down.
"Let it be this way."- He says- "If I am to fall, so it be. I am just a small, insignificant star in this massive universe. You are the one who shines brighter than me."
Akira smirks.
"Your kinds words won't get to me, old one."- She says to him and takes a step backwards- "If you truly wanted to make a difference, then why didn't you just stay with us when I was born?"
Jared sighs.
"I already told you. I tried my best, but those people wanted to kill both you and Adam."- He says- "Had I not acted fast enough, things would have gone too bad for both of our families. And I did not want to bear such a heavy burden, knowing that my only daughter would have gotten hurt."
Akira shakes her head.
"Liar!"- She yells- "You're just telling me this so you can make it out alive and leave me alone again!"
Jared smiles sadly.
"Maybe I am a complete liar. Maybe I did it because I wanted to save my own family."- He says and points at his chest- "But my love for you is still in there. Even after all those years, I never forgot how much I care about your well-being. You are my little angel and nothing will ever change that."
From a distance, Adam realizes that his father's words are identical to those that Akira told him earlier.
"Little angel."- He repeats his words- "The light of my life."
Then, he looks around, confused.
"Wait. Did I just become the conduit of some kind of a memory."- He says to himself- "It sounded so... vivid. It was as if I was the one who said it."
Akira shakes her head.
"When you left me and mom, you made the biggest mistake in your life."- She says- "And now, you're going to pay for it!"
The other version of Adam tries to stop her, but is too late. Soon, Akira plunges her sword into Jared's chest, mortally wounding him.
Even at the brink of death, Jared does not stop smiling. As blood drips from his wound, he reaches for his daughter's face and gently strokes her cheek.
"You will always mean everything to me."- He says weakly- "My little angel... "
Then, he falls on his knees and closes his eyes. He dies soon after.
"Dad! No!"- Adam screams as he runs forward and holds him in his arms- "No. This cannot be. This must be a horrible nightmare. It must be."
He turns to his sister and shakes his head.
"Akira. You monster."- He mutters- "How could you?"
Akira shakes her head.
"Trust me, brother. You would have done the same."- She says- "In this world, there's only one thing that truly matters. Survival. Family and friends are nothing more than obstacles in your way. They make you weak, dependant. Once, I let myself become sentimental, sympathetic to their pleas. But now, I can finally see how this doesn't matter anymore. Do you know what my motto is? It's either to watch them be weak or become weak yourself. That's the truth, no matter how twisted it may be."
Adam stands up and angrily draws his weapon.
"I will make you swallow those words back, you fiend!"
He swings his blade at Akira, only for her to leap back and shake her head.
"You've gotten weak, brother."- She says- "Letting sentimentality corrupt your mind has made you into a living puppet."
Adam shakes his head.
"The only puppet that I see here is you!"
Akira smirks.
"Darkthrop has great plans for me."- She says- "Once I help him conquer the world, he will let me be his queen. His most trusted advisor. I have a future in this place!"
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"And you think that it will actually happen?"- He asks her- "Do not be so dense, sister. Once Darkthrop has everything that he needs, he will eliminate you, just like he eliminated many others whom he deemed unworthy. You are just a toy in his hands, bent to his will and acting in his name. If you truly have a mind of your own, then use it and try to understand what I just said to you!"
Akira shakes her head.
"You're just as much of a liar as our father!"- She yells- "Words like those will never break me, no matter how hard you try."
As the two of them continue to fight, a flash of light blinds them both as a new person joins the realm.
Upon closer inspection, Adam realizes that it is Mordred Darkthrop himself. The evil wizard, shrouded by the darkness in his heart, appears behind Akira and raises his hand.
"Stop it, Akira."- He says- "I've had enough of this."
Akira turns around, surprised.
"Master! I... I wasn't expecting this!"- She exclaims- "But why? Why do you want me to stop?"
Mordred shakes his head.
"I heard how you pretend to accept your fate. You claim that you're loyal to me, but I know that it's nothing more than a lie."- He says- "You killed your father. But it was not because you wanted to prove your loyalty. You did it, because you wanted to avenge the person who died saving you many years ago, thinking that he is the one to blame. This shows me that you're too selfish to ever be trusted."
Akira falls on her knees.
"Please, master! Please, give me another chance!"- She says- "I promise that I won't fail you again!"
Mordred shakes his head. He points his staff at her.
"I took you in with open arms, and this is how you thank me?"- He says to her- "Well, you should understand that I have another side of the coin that represents my soul. And you just unleashed it."
Adam stands in front of his sister and draws his weapon.
"I will not allow you to hurt my sister!"- He yells- "I will protect her with my life!"
Akira looks up.
"Brother... "
Adam glares at Mordred.
"I will not give up on her, do you hear me?!"- He yells- "You will never divide us again!"
Mordred chuckles and easily pushes Adam, casting a binding spell to prevent him from interfering.
"You are next."- He whispers to him as he prepares to cast one final spell on Akira.
Akira closes her eyes, finally accepting her own fate.
"I should have expected that. Killing my father would not come without any consequences."- She mutters- "I am very sorry, dad, little brother. I love you both. Please... forgive me for my sins."
Adam tries to intercept the blow, but the spell holding him immobile is still active.
"Akira! No!"- He yells- "Get away from there! You will die!"
Akira shakes her head.
"That's how I want it to be."- She says- "Farewell, my dear brother."
Although the younger Adam is unable to do anything, the spell binding his true self finally wears off. 
"Begone, bright one!"
Just as he prepares to shoot a fireball at her, Adam rushes forward with incredible speed and tackles him away from her. Then, before he can do anything else, he strikes him with a ray of light.
As Darkthrop chokes on his own blood, the spell holding the younger Adam in place wears off as well. He stands by his sister's side and watches as the evil wizard slowly perishes.
"You're making a mistake, hero."- Mordred says to the real Adam- "Helping those people will not achieve... anything."
Adam shakes his head.
"This is not true, just like you."- He says- "When I finally get the chance to lay my hands on you, I will gladly make you see the light. And then, you will realize that all of the people that I saved shall be the heralds of a new world, a place that you will never be a part of."
Mordred smiles.
"Keep on believing that, child."- He says- "Hope is all you've got... left... "
At last, Mordred Darkthrop collapses on the ground and perishes.
As Adam looks back, he realizes that both his younger self and Akira are looking at him in a way that indicates that they trust him. Their eyes are filled with hope and they are... smiling.
"I don't know who you are, but you just made the impossible happen."- She says- "To whom do I owe my gratitude?"
Adam takes a step forward and smiles.
"I am just a lone traveler who has seen the future and came back to tell the tale."- He says- "I would love to talk your ears off, but I have a duty to take care of. A hero's responsibilities are neither too few, nor too many. However, they remain a part of him for as long as he lives.
Adam's younger self nods.
"What you just did for us, we will not forget it."- He says- "Thank you, o noble one!"
As Adam fades away, he approaches his younger self and places his hand on his shoulder, smiling as he does so.
"You make a good Other."
Then, he disappears and travels back to the real world.
He notices that he is still sitting on the bench. An hour has passed since he went inside Akira's mind to ease her tedium and he feels very tired.
Akira herself has fallen asleep in his lap. Having her nightmares erased completely must have been tiring for her.
"She is so peaceful. So happy and calm."- Adam says to himself- "I hope that I could be the same way."
Adam wants to stay on the bench and spend the night with his sister. However, the arrival of a mysterious individual forces him to stand up.
As he slowly lays Akira on the bench, the person approaches him.
Taking a good look, Adam realizes that he is a man in his early 20s, just like him. His hair is fiery red and he has ambition in his eyes.
"Excuse me."- The young man says- "Are you Adam Kaos?"
Adam nods.
"If he is the one whom you are looking for, then yes. You have just found him."- He says- "But you seem rather... familiar. It is almost as if I have known you for a long time. What is your name?"
The man smiles.
"You wouldn't forget an old friend, would you?"- He says- "Yes. My name is Linus. We've known each other ever since we were little."
Adam is shocked to see Linus again. He is barely able to comprehend that the good friend that he lost years ago is standing here, alive and well.
He leans forward and hugs him.
"I knew that you were alive!"- He exclaims- "I had so much faith in you!"
Linus smiles.
"I heard that you became a hero. That's good."- He says- "You were always meant to be this way. I'm glad to see that you finally faced your destiny."
As Akira wakes up, she looks at her brother and notices that he is talking to Linus.
"What is going on, Adam?"- She asks him- "Who is this person?"
Adam turns to her and smiles.
"Aki, you will not believe this!"- He exclaims- "Linus is here! He finally came back!"
Akira looks at Linus and smiles.
"Well, that's a pleasant surprise."- She says- "What brings you here, old friend?"
Linus nods.
"I'm here to reminisce some old memories and help people in need."- He responds- "Do you want to join me?"
Adam and Akira stare at each other for a second, evaluating his offer. 
Realizing that they need as many allies as they can in times like those, they nod.
"Alright, Linus. We accept."- He says- "Where are we headed next?"
Linus smiles serenely.
"Anywhere you want us to go."- He says- "You're the leader, after all."
As the three of them leave the garden behind, the sun finally sets down. Night falls.
"It's a good thing that I found you both, Adam."- Linus says to his friend.
Adam smiles.
"I think so too, Linus."- He responds- "Welcome back."
== Trivia ==
* The name of this Chapter is meant to show that the characters have not forgotten about their common past, especially Adam and Akira.
** In addition, it is also a reference to Akira's dreams (and nightmares) in this Part, as well as the memories of Adam's childhood friend and former classmate- Linus.
* The words that Adam says to his former self (You make a good Other.) are a reference to the conversation between Sora and Roxas during the former's adventures in The World That Never Was. Roxas says the same words to Sora before disappearing.