MLSB- Part 8

This is the eighth and final Part of "ML: SB"
(The Part also features a timeskip, described in an additional Bonus Part, that happens two years after the Protagonist's demise)
It was released on 12.05.2024.
== Plot ==
The end is close for this fateful story, filled with joy and sadness. Light and Darkness. All of the things that happened led to this moment, this perilous time of the year. And everything seems to be working against Max and his allies. Almost as if Fate itself is mocking them.
But Max is not the type of person to stand down and cry. He'll keep on fighting until his last breath, taking down anyone who dares to break the sacred laws of this world. But this level of devotion poses a great risk, and he might not be able to withstand the aftermath of the decisions that he made along the way.
Will Maxwell Wilson avenge his beloved Leah and bring peace to the world once again?
== Story ==
As the smoke clears, the two figures visible in the middle become more clear. Ben, Kaiden and Sage watch as one of them falls to her knees. One of them is also in his knees, but he seems to be severely wounded. As soon as the final wisps of darkness are gone, it becomes clear that both Max and Abigail survived the blast.
But the heroes should not celebrate yet. Although Abigail remained mostly unharmed, Max is severely wounded- both by the shrapnel and the initial blast itself. From the looks of it, he seems to have second-degree burns all over his back, and first-degree burns everywhere else on the lower part of his body. And yet, he still refuses to give up and betray his allies. As Abigail stands frozen, shocked by everything that happened, Max helps her stand on her feet and the two of them assist each other until they reach the end of the magical barrier's remains.
As Abigail looks back at all the damage that Hannah did to the little town below, her PTSD kicks in once again. She starts to shiver, unable to look away from the ruins. Her eyes are similar to those of a tortured prisoner- lifeless and empty. And her soul is almost broken. Whatever Hannah told her while she was away, it is clear that it had a huge effect on this poor, innocent soul.
"Good to see you, my friends."- Max says and smiles- "I did it. Abi is still alive."
As Kaiden runs forward and takes Abigail away from the heartbreaking scene, Ben rushes to his best friend's aid. With his help, Max is able to reach the end of the mountain. But the damage that he withstood was nowhere near debilitating enough to take him down.
"She might still be alive, but you won't be for long!"- Ben exclaims- "Come on, you hotheaded fool! We've got to go to a hospital! Now!"
Max shakes his head.
"Not until Hannah pays for her crimes."- He says- "She killed all of our friends. She tried to put an end to my sister's whole existence. And when someone tries to harm our big family, even if they were once close to us, we shall bring them to justice."
Seeing that his friend is being relentless once again, Ben finally decides to give in.
"Fine, Max! We'll hunt down Hannah!"- He exclaims- "But if something happens to you, I'll take full responsibility. I won't let the council know that you went on your own."
Max smiles.
"I appreciate it, my friend."- He says- "Let's go."
As the group attempts to escape, they experience a huge dose of bad luck- Hannah is standing in their way. And in her hands, she is holding a very dangerous-looking bazooka. She is determined to prevent them from escaping, and she'll do everything it takes to force them into submission.
"Well, well. Look who decided to join the party."- She says- "Nice to see you, comrades."
Ben raises his eyebrow, shocked by the appearance of his former boss."
"M-Miss Hannah!"- He says- "What are you doing here?"
Hannah smiles.
"What every powerful figure has always wanted, Muppet."- She says- "Those foolish rules have always prevented me from being myself. Now that the Dark Angel, bless his demonic heart, is causing trouble worldwide, I can execute my master plan- out with the old, and on with the new!"
Kaiden shakes his head.
"I didn't think you could do such a thing. You, of all people."- He says- "Don't you realize how many lives were lost during that raid?! You absolute monster!"
Hannah smiles.
"Those lives were meaningless, compared to the plan that I have in mind."- She says- "You should know better, Kaos. We're both cut from the same cloth."
Kaiden clenches his fists.
"Wrong. You and I are nothing alike."- He says- "You use Order and Chaos to manipulate the world. You fight for a dream that prevents others from achieving theirs. I might not be a true angel, but I'm more of an angel than you'll ever be!"
Hannah smiles.
"If you live to see the fruits of your labor."- She says- "Which I, sadly, cannot allow. All the dreams, hopes, friendships, they'll all be shattered right here and right now. I'm sorry, friends. But this is how it has to be."
As Hannah prepares to shoot, Sage takes a step forward. He knows that this action might be fatal for him, but he is willing to do so. After all, Max and his group gave him another chance, even though he never deserved it. He has to pay this tremendous debt.
"We know of your dealings with Monarch, Hannah."- He says- "And we'll make sure that his rule doesn't start in the first place."
For a moment, Hannah seems to be surprised by Sage's revelation. She wasn't expecting that they would know something about Monarch. But then, she quickly reverts back to her usual attitude and laughs at them.
"Hah! You don't know who you're messing with!"- She exclaims- "Monarch will burn all of you to the ground!"
Sage raises his eyebrow.
"Just like you burned down all of Johnson's dreams?"- He says- "How peculiar. You're such a predictable person, Hannah. First, you claim that you're going to save the world. And the second everyone turns around, you vow to always work against it. Filthy backstabber."
Max and Ben both turn around to look at him.
"Hold up. Please repeat what you said."- Ben says- "Are you implying that Johnny's death wasn't an accident of any kind?"
Sage nods.
"It is no lie, friends."- He says- "When Hannah was in the company of her new boss Monarch, the vile one had her secretary kidnapped and brought to them. I know not how she got rid of him, but it's clear that he's gone. No more Johnson, ladies and gentlemen."
Ben glares at Hannah.
"You filth! Johnny was like a brother to me!"- He yells- "All this time, we worked together to root out the shadows from the face of the earth! And yet, his own loyalty was the one that brought him down! Don't you feel any remorse for what you did?!"
Hurt by Ben's words, Hannah finally snaps.
"Do you think I had a choice?!"- She says- "I was left in the dark. All alone. Had to kill all those troops, with little to no time in my hands. And Johnson's death was the one that hurt the most! Of course I feel bad! But I can't turn back time to say that I'm sorry!'
She shakes her head.
"So I continued to murder people, in the name of the one who unknowingly gave his life for a better world."- She adds- "In his name, I shall cleanse this place. I shall make sure that all servants of good and evil answer to me, then punish them equally. Only then will the Dark Angel learn how determined we are to root him out."
Ben aims his gun at her, his glare still filled with fiery fury. He is like a firestorm- lethal and unforgiving. And, deep inside, it is clear that he shall do his best to make Hannah pay for her crimes against everyone.
"Miss Hannah, you're the worst person I've ever met in my entire life! And I've met a lot of villains like you!"- He exclaims- "I'll make you face our greatest ally- Justice!"
Hannah smiles and aims her bazooka at the entire team.
"Well, I hope that Justice can withstand my new ally- Chaos!"
As the inevitable is about to happen, Sage pushes everyone back.
"No. I won't let you suffer for my mistakes."- He says- "If anyone has to die, it'll be me."
Max shakes his head.
"Nobody is going to suffer today."- He says- "We'll get out of here and expose Hannah to the law. Then, she'll get exactly what she deserves. Nobody has to die to make that dream come true, Sage."
Sage shakes his head.
"For what I allowed to happen back there, I'm not allowed to keep on existing."- He says- "Kid, you did your job. Now it's time for me to do mine."
He nods and smiles.
"See you on the other side, brother."
Then, he readies his gun.
"But I won't go down without a fight."- He adds- "You're screwed, Hannah!"
With a definant dash, Sage rushes forward, jumps in the air and strikes Hannah in the shoulder. The bullet manages to drain a little bit of her blood, weakening her. But she still has enough strength to fight back, so she pushes him back and readies her bazooka.
"And I once thought I could trust you."- She says- "Ta-ta, Sage. Nice try... but you won't break me."
Max has everyone run away from the area as soon as possible. Once again, he shields his sister, covering her eyes so she doesn't see anything. As Kaiden and Ben close their eyes, Max decides to defiantly keep his eyes open, to see Hannah's infected wound and determine how to use this against her in the best way possible.
As he slowly does so, Hannah fires her bazooka. The entire hill is blown to smithereens. Max and his group are lucky enough to escape, but Sage does not share this precious trait. Once the hill goes down, so does he. Once the smoke clears, there is nothing more but the ashes of a former villain, a man who witnessed many crimes and vowed to atone for every single one of them... no matter what it took to do so.
Unfortunately, Sage is not the only one who suffers a bad fate. As a result of the (somewhat close) proximity of the blast, Max is left partially blinded. However, even though he cannot see very well, he can still sense every single drop of her evil. And that's all it takes to motivate him.
"Curse you, Hannah... "
Gently laying his terrified sister on the ground, he grabs Sage's discarded gun and charges at her, prompting her to attack him back. However, he proves to be much more of a threat than Hannah thought. Avoiding every single one of the blasts thanks to his incredible senses, he manages to fire three more shots at Hannah- one in her stomach, another in her right shoulder, and the last one in her chin. And, as an insult to injury, he trips her, repeatedly bashes her face with his gun, then delivers a sharp kick in her skull, sending her off into the ruins of the hill that she deliberately destroyed with her own hands.
"Impressive. Even though he suffered life-threatening injuries and witnessed horrible events, Max still managed to emerge on top of the food chain, like the king of the field that he is."- Kaiden says to himself- "I'll have to take notes. This is truly spectacular... "
As Hannah stands back to her feet and attempts to fire her bazooka again, Max smiles and fires his gun at her. The bullet strikes the bazooka square in the middle, cracking it a little bit.
Hannah looks down at her mighty weapon of destruction and laughs.
"Hah! Nice one, Max!"- She exclaims- "You can't even break the skull of a mouse with that one!"
Max, however, continues to smile.
"I'm afraid that you are wrong, my dear Hannah."- He says- "Maybe you should look closer before judging her subordinates."
Seeing what his best friend is up to, Ben grins.
"Yeah, demon gal!"- He exclaims- "Look upon your defeat!"
As Hannah decides to look at what her former comrades are pointing out, she sees that her bazooka has just broken in half. It explodes in her hands, sending her back into a nearby rock and nearly breaking her back. Her skull also suffered a terrible injury, although not as severe as the one that Max delivered- in an emotional aspect.
And yet, Hannah is far from gone. Even though her spirit is broken, her body lives on. She runs to her discarded, charred back and frantically tries to find something to help her out. As she does so, Max instantly senses her bad intentions.
"There!"- He says- "The bag!"
He tosses the gun to Ben, who swiftly fires several shots at Hannah. But the former GA dances around like a not-so-fancy ballerina, avoiding his attempts to put her down with the power of wind. And then, when he least expects it, she sends forth a giant orb of light, catching all of the members (except for Maxwell) by surprise and pushing them back with tremendous magical strength- Ben included.
Max watches as she picks up something from her bag and shakes his head.
"Don't you have any honor left, Hannah?"- He asks her- "What are you even fighting for?"
Hannah smiles.
"My dear Maxwell, I've always been fighting for myself. All the things I did. All the people I brought to justice. The cities that I burned as the world fell in the hands of evil. It goes to show that I never cared about any of you."- She says- "Once, I felt a lot of remorse about what I was doing. Especially poor, defenseless Leah. I turned her into a short-lived firework... and I didn't know how to feel about it. So, I tried to be nicer to all of you. Some of those people found my new behavior suspicious, and they were probably right to think so. Others were foolish enough to believe that I was being genuine. But, regardless of my feelings, I was always the queen. And no one shall dethrone me."
Max smiles knowingly, aware of how wrong she truly is.
"Except for Life itself."
Hannah snaps once again.
"Argh! You've always been such a nuisance!"- She yells- "Maybe a nice "cure" will shut you up!"
Before anyone can do (or even say) anything against her, Hannah charges forward with madness in her heart. Max attempts to get away, but she uses all of her strength to overpower him. However, with his last bits of strength, he manages to use a taser hidden in his pocket to electrocute her. The resulting shock, both inner and outer, causes her to fall back and frantically get away. It is as if she knows that Max is far too strong for her to handle. Or maybe she is just being an irredeemable coward once again. Either way, she flees the scene, allowing the group to lick their own wounds and walk away.
"Whew! What a crazy battle this has been!"- Ben says and sighs- "Still, we lost a comrade of ours. This could've been prevented."
Max sighs.
"Sage wanted to face punishment for the heinous deeds that he was responsible for. And yet, he also delivered punishment to Hannah."- He says- "If it hadn't been for that little wound, she was going to overwhelm us."
Ben smiles.
"I'm just glad everyone else is fine."- He says- "We'll make sure to collect Sage's remains as quickly as possible. Maybe we should ship them to his family, wherever they may be. He may have been a villain, but he definitely died a hero."
Max nods.
"And that's why we won't let his sacrifice go to waste."- He says- "Hannah will pay for what she did. Someday."
As Ben approaches the remains of the hill to collect Sage's remains, Kaiden stares at the ruins. He remembers how he ended up in a similar situation, and survived to the end of it. He pays his respect to Sage by leaving one of his many medals where he perished- a sign of respect between two warriors of different kinds.
"He was a fool, but his heart was on the right path."- He says and looks up at the afternoon sky- "Once, I was just like him. Cornered, desperate and unfathomable. It was a truly glorious moment, a once in a lifetime experience. And the way my own life flashed before my eyes... it was terrifying, yet educational. Had I not trusted my instincts once again, it could've been me on a hill like this one.'
Ben looks at him.
"Who did you fight, though?"
Kaiden smiles.
"A man who claimed to be the sole survivor of the Old Kaos Family, though he was nothing more than another power-hungry villain. His eyes were colder than a thousand icebergs, and his words burned more than a thousand suns."- He says- "Keenan Kaos was his name. A glorious one, thought not meant for a fool like him. Me and my brother fought him and he nearly destroyed our world."
Ben raises his eyebrow.
"Then?"- He asks- "What did you do?"
Kaiden continues to smile, reminiscing the memories that made him the mighty warrior that he is now.
"I sent him back into the stars where he belongs."- He says- "The Almighty One was his judge once he went up there. And, believe me, he did not treat him unfairly."
Ben's eyes get a little wider.
"My goodness."- He mutters- "So, this means... "
Kaiden sighs.
"Even Limbo was not enough for a man like him."- He says- "But Limbo was what he wanted. And Limbo erased what little remained of him. So was the fate of a man more dangerous than Emperor Redmark himself."
Ben nods.
"Speaking of Redmark, did you hear this?"- He says- "They say that two of his niblings managed to emerge into the general public recently. Yet, both of them are not like him. One of them is very nice, and the other... not quite nice. Do you think that they can atone for Redmark's many sins?"
Kaiden shakes his head.
"No amount of kindness shall make me forget about the things that Redmark did to my family."- He says- "It pains me to say this, but those kids are doomed to fall-- "
Suddenly, a young and beautiful girl with gorgeous red hair approaches the group. She approaches Kaiden in particular and shakes his hand.
"Are you Mr. Kaiden Kaos? Willy's daddy?!"- She says and grins- "Ooh! It's so nice to meet you, mister! What a coincidence that this is where we meet for the first time!"
Kaiden raises his eyebrow, curious and surprised at the same time.
"Excuse me lady, but who are you?"- He asks- "You seem rather familiar, but I haven't seen you before."
The girl looks up and smiles.
"Well, I'm your future daughter-in-law! My name is Alicia Redmark!"- She exclaims- "Willy told me so much about you! He said that he thought that you were gone! Wait until I tell him what I saw today! He's gonna be so happy!"
Kaiden looks more surprised than usual.
"Wait. Will? My son survived?"- He says to himself- "So, this means... my family... they never forgot about me, did they?"
But then, he remembers how dangerous it is for Alicia to blow his cover and tell everyone that Kaiden Kaos is alive. He reflexively reaches for his gun, but he decides not to use it, glaring at her in a threatening manner instead.
Words alone seem to make Alicia's cheerful attitude vanish in an instant. Seeing Kaiden's face tells her one thing- "If you tell anyone, I won't be happy". And she definitely doesn't want her beloved Will's father to be unhappy.
"Can I ask you for your blessing, at least?"
Kaiden sighs.
"You can have it."- He responds- "Time will tell whether you're worthy or not."
Alicia hops up and down in excitement. For a second, Kaiden thinks that she's going to bring the rest of the hill. Thankfully, that fails to happen.
"Listen, kid. I don't know how you knew that it's me. All I want is for you to keep this meeting between us. You may not be able to forget who I am, but at least try to forget that you met me here."- He says- "It's not for my own good, though. Right now, I have many enemies. I don't want Will to share them."
Alicia looks down, clearly guilty that she even suggested such a thing.
"Okay. I get it."- She says- "Sorry, Mr. Kaos. I'll try to be a better girl next time."
Kaiden smiles.
"Atta girl."- He says- "It's good to meet you. Me and your family had some bad blood recently, but I'm glad you're getting along with my son."
As Kaiden and Alicia talk amicably, Max feels a sharp pain in his neck. And then, he notices one barely noticable feature- a drop of tainted blood. As his eyes slowly start to turn black, he falls to his knees. But, instead of simply collapsing, he fights against whatever is trying to bring him down until the very end.
"Max? What's happening?"- Ben says and approaches his friend- "You're acting weird. What in the world's happening to you?"
And then, he notices the wound on Max's neck.
"No!"- He exclaims- "Hannah got him! He's wounded!"
As Max slowly loses consciousness, Ben grabs him by the shoulder and helps him stand up. He barks orders at the rest of the team, telling them to call an ambulance. And then, he attempts to purify the wound with the resources that he brought with him.
"By the thousand gods! Isn't there someplace we can take you?"- He says- "Come on. We've got to go somewhere."
As Max continues to close his eyes, Ben attempts to keep him up.
"It's okay, bud. It ain't your fault. Just a simple mistake, that's all."- He says- "We'll get you out of this one, you hear me?!"
Max hears Ben's words, smiles and nods, then falls fully unconscious in his best friend's arms.
Time passes. The screams of both heroes and villains can be heard. Order slowly turns into chaos as the Hannah prepares to execute her plan. But Max and his allies manage to escape from her reach. Even her best efforts are insufficient when it comes to discovering their exact position. So, in the end, Hannah ceases her search and focuses on more important matters, such as making the entire army fall to its knees.
During this brief respite, Ben and the rest of the team take the unconscious Maxwell to an undisclosed location, away from the chaos and turmoil. And when he wakes up, he finds that he is far away from civilization overall.
"Hmph. Good morning, everyone."- He says and coughs- "Where did the winds take us this time?"
Ben shakes his head.
"We tried to take you back to a nearby town. However, the forces of Hannah were already on the hunt. It was difficult enough to avoid them, let alone get past them."- He says- "So, until we can get a call from the remaining forces at the HQ, we stationed outselves in a secluded cave. Don't worry- it's far away from both Hannah and any other kind of monster that would try to harm you."
Max chuckles.
"I'm afraid that it's too late, o faithful friend of mine."- He says- "Take a look at me. See the spark in my eyes. Do you think that the Phoenix can rise a second time?"
Ben is confused by his best friend's grim remark, but decides to follow his orders, like the good soldier that he truly is. When he does so, he finally notices how dire Max's situation has become. The young general's face is very pale and covered in sweat, and his eyes are blood red. If the poison has not reached his heart, it will soon. And when that happens, his chances of survival will be snuffed out- like a candle in a pool of water.
But the ever-faithful young warrior refuses to give up on his closest friend. After nearly losing the love of his life, he has become much stronger. And this sudden fountain of strength and courage gives him the power to believe, and keep on believing.
"That's not true. There must be some way to save you."- He says- "Come on, Max. You're far too young to die. You and I still have our lives ahead of us. I know that things have been tough so far, but I know that we'll make it. I believe in you, so please- don't stop believing in yourself. Giving up's not worth it."
Max shakes his head.
"Think about it, Ben. Hannah- the highest member of the military ranks- is now our enemy. She has both the military and the world of villains on her side."- He says- "Sometimes, the best way to deal with something is to allow Fate to decide it for you. Fate decided that I'm not fit for this world, but I'm sure that you'll be around for much longer."
Ben looks at him. His normally calm and calculating eyes are now filled with both a desire for vengeance and to protect what he still has left. Life has scarred him deeply, but he still carries on. 
"No, Max. You should think about it."- He says- "Remember the oath that we made when we became friends- that we would never surrender, even if the odds are not in our favor? What about the people that we keep fighting for? What would they say if they saw you like this?!"
Then, he notices Abigail, who is standing right beside him. Right now, she is on the verge of breaking down. However, instead, she silently keeps her emotions under control. She kneels next to her brother and rests her head on his loving heart, lending him her strength so he could keep on existing.
"See? It's not worth acting like a coward!"- Ben adds- "Especially when people still love you!"
Max looks down.
"What about Leah?"- He asks- "She also refused to give up. She tried to fight against the darkness. But did that save her from destruction? And that's before Hannah went rogue, and that mad sorcerer resurfaced. Even if she did survive until now, were we going to keep her safe at all costs?"
This sudden question leaves Ben speechless (and, seemingly, frozen) for a few seconds. Leah was just as dear to him as she was to Max. Her demise deeply scarred him, as he believed that she would emerge victorious after her encounter with whatever forces were burning down their hometown. The fact that Max keeps mentioning her makes him remember some of the most horrible memories, stored deep within the darkest corners of his mind. And when he starts thinking about them again... he cannot stop thinking.
"Don't worry. We'll find help for you as soon as possible."- He says- "Abi, can you stay with your big brother for the time being. Please, babe. I need you to protect him while we're gone."
Abigail nods and lays next to her brother. If this is not a clear answer, nothing else will be.
"Alright then. Over and out."- Ben says and salutes them- "Take care, brave ones."
And so, Ben and the rest of the team (except for Kaiden, who decides to stay behind instead) head out into the woods outside, leaving this safe territory in order to find someone to cure Maxwell and bring him back to his feet. As they do so, Alicia enters the cave and sadly approaches the tattered remnants of the group. As she does so, Kaiden rushes forward and embraces her, relieved that she made it back.
Right now, all of them look like the charred remains of a house- burned to the bone, broken and useless. And, if something is not done, their hopes will be gone for good. 
"I thought that Hannah's forces kidnapped you."- Kaiden says- "What happened, dear? Any news?"
Alicia shakes her head.
"None at the moment."- She says- "Hannah's forces are still in the process of retreat. And it seems like that Monarch guy is up to no good."
Kaiden sighs.
"In other words, no chance for retailiation? What a shame."- He says- "Did you find any signs of civilization, at the very least?"
Alicia looks grim and shaken.
"I did. But... it's not what you'd expect."- She says- "What I found was once a caravan, now the pitiful remains of it. Every single member was brutally slaughtered, and Hannah's emblem was scratched into the remains of their vehicle. From what I discovered, it seems like those poor folks made the mistake of trading once with the army, probably in the hopes of making enough money to escape from this bloody bathwater. And Hannah, in all of her insolence, decided that they were too dangerous to be allowed to live, so she sent a squad of "warriors" to kill them. 
She sighs.
"I found a few of their killers, still searching for supplies that were no longer there. Even though I don't like fighting, my heart was filled with rage. I was outmatched and nearly overpowered, but I managed to use my brother's greatsword to slaughter each of them. I don't know if that makes me as bad as them, but at least I managed to avenge the poor merchants."- She adds- "And the worst thing is- I soon discovered that each merchant, as well as the caravan master, was allowed to reanimate. Among the undead were a few simple folks, likely some unfortunate souls that wanted to hitch a ride on the caravan at the worst time possible. And I... I just didn't want to leave them like that, so I put them out of their misery. Though both the merchants and soldiers were carrying supplies, I decided to leave almost everything alone. Except for... this."
She pulls out a small vial from her pocket, filled with a strange white liquid. Likely used for medicinal purposes.
"It's some kind of a very powerful curing ointment, sealed inside of a potion bottle. It says that, once applied, it will miraculously remove any kind of ailment."- She says- "When I learned of Max's condition, I decided that it should be brought back here. So, here I am."
Kaiden smiles and pats her on the shoulder.
"I can see why my son values you so much. You're such a precious little gemstone, young Alicia."- He says- "Now, I think that we should apply it to Max's infected wounds. The sooner we get rid of the toxins inside of him- the better it will be for him."
Alicia grins.
"Gotcha!"- She exclaims- "In the name of the crimson gods, we shall save Mr. Max from the darkness!"
Kaiden and Alicia carefully apply the liquid on Max's initial wound, as well as the ones that opened shortly after his condition got worse. As expected, many of them quickly close, pouring the poison inside of them out of Max's body. However, the main wound turns out to be very persistent. Though the ointment is clearly a very powerful one, it is not strong enough to completely remove the wicked poison.
"Even this wasn't enough?!"- Alicia yells, clearly frustrated- "Then what is?! What do we need to do to save Max?!"
Kaiden shakes his head.
"Calm down, sweetheart. There's no need to be angry."- He says- "Maybe the conconction takes time when applied to a major wound. From experience, I know that it takes long for injuries like those to heal completely."
Alicia shakes her head.
"I hope that Benjamin and his friends find something to help Max out."- She says- "Otherwise... "
Suddenly, the group hears some muffled speech just outside the cave. That's when they come to a final conclusion- Hannah and her forces never stopped hunting them. They were just waiting for the group to get divided, so they could easily pick each team apart- like scraps of meat on a gnawed bone. And it seems like they are very close.
"So Hannah and her goons finally found us?"- Kaiden says and rises to his feet- "Alicia, stay here and protect my friends. I'm going to go out there and teach those insolent freaks a little lesson- never underestimate a cornered rat."
Alicia and Abigail listen as Kaiden charges outside, knocking down two of the approaching raiders and mercilessly filling their bodies with bullets from his assault rifle. Then, as the rest of warriors corner him, he lets out a defiant yell and starts to shoot like a madman. Though Kaiden began his new journey as a coward, any witness can say one thing- no matter what he thinks now, his bravery is always admirable. And so is his desire to protect his loved ones.
"What a legendary man."- Alicia mutters- "Once this is over, I'll make sure to pray to his statue back in Silverdale. He looks just as majestic as he was shown there. Amazing... "
Max looks up.
"So. I heard that my good friend has a son. Or rather, two of them."- He says- "Tell me. What do you know about those young heroes?"
Alicia sighs.
"It's true. I met William, and he's the love of my life. But his brother Quinn, I've never met. He left the town shortly before me and Willy met, and hasn't returned ever since."- She says- "I wish to meet him. But, at the same time, I don't think I'm ready for it."
Suddenly, her eyes fill with joy and love. The sole thought of her beloved William Kaos fills her heart with light.
"But my dear Willy, he's the best hero you've ever seen. Even before we met, he was a well-known hero in the Known Lands. People revered him,, but they always failed to understand him. Sometimes, I feel the same way. He's quite the mystery of the Kaos family, you see."- She says- "Will is responsible for many heroic feats, many of them recognized by the people of the world. For example, did you know that we once had to fight a very dangerous group of outlaws? Mr. Kaos learned of their exploits and deemed them extremely powerful and likely to tear us apart. We tried to flee from them, but Will refused to leave them behind. In his eyes, such a group is likely to cause a nationwide disaster. He was surrounded by them, likely to be slain without out help. However, by the time we ran back to assist him, Willy managed to kill every single one of them. I repeat- every single one. And the best thing is- one of his hands was still tied behind his back. They probably tried to capture him, but he refused to give in. And he was just there, waiting for us, wiping the sweat from his forehead. And the way he looked at us, it was if he was saying "Nice to see you again. But I'm already done.". Amazing, hmm?"
Max smiles weakly.
"What an interesting story."- He says- "Mr. Will is a truly brave and honorable man. The way he fights for the good of this world is incredible. What a great kid."
Alicia grins.
"I know, right?"- She says- "And there's more. Once, we tried to climb an icy mountain together. The entire ground was covered in thich ice. It would have taken us days, if not weeks, to get to the top. But Will, wise and brave as he was, saw a method in the madness. When all of our allies were distracted by the wildlife all around us, he used his magic to blow a path forward. It was a daring dance of fire, a magnificent show of light. At that moment, even Nature itself was amazed by my dear Willy's determination to uncover the truth and save the world. Back then, no beast dared to attack us. The lands were eerily quiet. And when we made it to the top, we felt like the Kings and Queens of the New World!"
Max grins weakly.
"How sweet of him to do so."- He says- "William is a truly talented young man. I would love to meet him and see how amazing he truly is. But maybe that will happen in another life. Who knows?"
Alicia shakes her head.
"Oh no. Don't you dare. Don't even think about it!"- She exclaims- "Come on, Mr. Maxwell. From what I heard, you were one of the finest units in the army. All of the soldiers respected and revered you. You were a worldwide legend, even if you didn't know it. And now, when a certain toxin's tainting your brain, you start to think about the most grim scenarios. What would the soldiers say about you? Do you really want them to lose another superior?"
Max shakes his head.
"It will be a lesson for them."- He responds- "Once we're gone, they'll be forced to fend for themselves. That doesn't mean that I don't want to protect them, but look at me. How can a person who's inches away from the plank able to keep his own soldiers away from the sea?"
Alicia pulls out a small walkie talkie and hands it to him.
"Maybe you should issue a broadcast. Try to find help as soon as possible."- She says- "The radio tower nearby's not the best source of transmission, but I'm sure that it'll be good enough. So, come on. It's our last chance to help you survive!"
Max sighs.
"I'll do it. But only because I want my troops to know the truth."- He says- "Stand back. I got this."
With Abigail and Alicia's help, Max manages to rise back to his feet. Though he is always prone to falling back down, he decides to keep on going. He slowly shambles to the end of the cave, and begins to speak.
"Ladies and gentlemen. Brothers and sisters. My brave comrades. Right now, we are in a stalemate with a powerful force. A merciless killer who will stop at nothing to get her vengeance and slaughter every single member of the military, and those who dare to oppose her. And the perpetrator is none other than GA Hannah herself- once the highest-ranked member of our brave society. I want you to know that she is responsible for everything that happened to the lands around us. The HQ. The burned villages and destroyed caravans. All of them were obliterated by her, and she didn't break a sweat. Many people fell victim to this mighty army, and I'm soon going to become one of them. So, listen closely- no matter what you're doing right now, don't you dare give up. Remember- where there is darkness, there's also light. Wherever there's evil, there is also good. And if all of you unite against the enemy and her seemingly neverending troops, I know that we can take her down. Above and beyond. Reach for the heavens, and don't be afraid. This is General Maxwell Wilson, signing out for the last time."
As tears fall from the eyes of both Alicia and Abigail, Max lays the radio on a rock. His strength fully drained, he collapses back to his original spot. His skin is now pure white, and his eyes have gone black- a sure sign that the poison has finally reached the brave and selfless general's heart.
"Good night, you two."- He says and hugs them- "I'll miss you."
Abigail looks down. Though almost mute, she is still able to express her feelings.
"Max. My dear big bro."- She mutters- "I... love you."
Max tears up and smiles.
"I love you too, my dear little sis."- He says- "Don't... give up on your dreams. Become the best journalist this world has ever known. And if the world forgets about me, don't worry. As long as you still remember me, my soul shall live on."
Before Abigail can say anything else, Kaiden quickly stumbles into the cave. From the looks of it, he seems to be in a very bad situation. Bloody, battered, and tired. Even he, powerful and determined as he is, cannot ward off Hannah's soldiers.
"Girls! This is an emergency! The soldiers are much more than I had anticipated, and we're in big trouble!"- He exclaims- "Alicia, I want you to come with me! You too, Abigail! Yes, I know that you want to protect your brother, but we need every warrior that we can get! Over and out! Let's go!"
As the three of them reach for the exit and seal it with a giant gate, Abigail looks back at her brother. He is staring at the ceiling, but is not gone yet. Part of her wants to run back to him and comfort him during his final moments. But the rest of her knows that he will be disappointed in her if she does so. Max wants his sister to forget about his condition and keep on fighting. And she does not want to betray his trust. So, with deep regret, she leaves him behind. 
Max remains completely alone in the cave. He continues to stare up at the ceiling, reminiscing all of the good times that he had.
"So this is how it feels to be truly alone."- He mutters- "I was born alone in this cruel, unforgiving world. And I shall also perish alone. My rise and fall- they're both the same. Here with all of my friends and family, but completely alone in my mind."
He looks up at the ceiling again. This time, it is completely gone, replaced by a rainy sky. And up there, in the shape of an ethereal being, he hallucinates three people. First, he sees his beloved Leah- young and untainted. Then, he sees Johnson- the military secretary who has seen him as a hero, and vice versa. And, last but not least, he sees GA Hannah- the person he once trusted, but is unable to trust anymore.
"Just you wait, Hannah. Once Ben and the rest of the group get out of here, you'll be casted into the deepest depths of the underworld."- He says and smiles- "And, once you're there, Monarch won't be able to bail you out."
His black eyes suddenly start to lose their focus. The light inside of them slowly fades away. Whatever remains of Max's soul will soon be gone, and he knows it well. So, he better make his prayers and leave a clean person.
"All of my hopes and dreams, they will never join me. As long as those people are still out here... they shall live on alongside them."- He says- "That's all, folks. The show is finally over. My friends, I... wish you the best this world has to offer. Don't give up, I beg you."
As the last fragments of light fade away, Max gently lays himself on the ground and smiles.
"Send me an angel. I am ready."- He says, for the last time- "Over... and out."
And so, he finally slumps to the ground. His body is still here, but his soul is gone for good. Despite the incredible efforts of all of his friends, they were still unable to keep him alive. But at least it was a peaceful departure.
This is the end of Maxwell Wilson's story, but not that of his brothers and sisters. Soon, Ben and his allies come back, having brought a platoon of allied forces along with themselves. The invaders are surprised from behind and easily slaughtered. However, one of the rogue warriors pushes his way past the forces and breaks the gate open. When he does so, he immediately runs into the chamber where Max is kept. 
Once he is inside, he prepares to execute Maxwell. However, he soon comes to the realization that he is already gone. Understandably, he is shocked, as Hannah assured each one of her subordinates that Maxwell is strong and would survive, no matter what happens to him. This moment distracts him for a few moments, allowing Ben to grab Kaiden's discarded assault rifle and fire its last round into the back of the man's head, killing him almost instantly.
Ben himself soon enters the cave to check up on his best friend. The sight of his lifeless body leaves him completely speechless, much like Abigail herself. Alicia falls on her knees and bursts into tears, and Kaiden just stands there, shocked by the fact that his longtime friend is actually gone. And this is not some kind of a trick, not an intricate illusion meant to deceive the group. This is the truth, plain and simple. Maxwell is gone, and there is nothing else they could do for him.
As a last act of mercy, Ben draws his revolver and aims it at his best friend's skull. As his body gets even paler than it was before, he fires a single round, sparing him from a miserable life as an Undead. And then, he and Abigail embrace, silently shedding tears as the Sun defeats the Moon and brings light back to the world once again.
"So, this is what grandpa meant back then. The birth of a new life does not come without a cost. A burning sacrifice needs to be made. And that leads to the end of another life."- Kaiden says to himself- "Maxwell was one of the most selfless warriors I've ever had the chance to work with. He was so kind, quirky, and pretty serious about his job. He never let anyone down, and he always fought for the right side. Sure, he was a little hotheaded, but his heart was always in the right place. And right now, he is away from this world. This suffering. Today, life shall start anew, but without him to illuminate our lives. Farewell, dear Maxwell Wilson. May you have a good life in Heaven."
(To Be Continued)
== Trivia ==
* This is the final Part when Maxwell serves as a Protagonist (but not the last one when he is mentioned by other characters).
* During the early development of this Part, it was intended to include an additional snippet of lore, related to the time after the events in the main story. However, after careful consideration, it was decided that it should be included in a separate Part instead.
** Said Part is now known as Part 8.1- "Between Angels And Demons".