MLIII C4, P2- "Fallen Idols"

"Fallen Idols" is the second Part of "Miracula Luxia III" 's fourth Chapter.
It was released on 02.03.2022.
== Plot ==
The evil that tried to invade the town and slay its remaining residents has been vanquished. Little by little, Adam and Jared managed to eliminate them without attracting the attention of the rest of their allies.
Now, there are very few things left to do- to defeat the leader of this raiding party and free the prisoners within the tower.
But this is far from the only group of evil creatures that they have to prevent from hurting anyone (or anything). Soon, they will realize that there is danger around every corner. That they can never rest well or set their sights elsewhere. That a moment of peace is a clear sign that the enemy is preparing for something much worse.
As the calm before the storm sets in, the two of them prepare to embark on a journey to their endangered homeland- the glorious city of Paris.
== Story ==
As Adam prepares to hit the demon with a powerful light spell, Jared takes the chance to look closer. He notices the runes engraved on his body, his glowing red eyes and, most importantly, his wicked grin.
It only takes him a few moments to realize who they are dealing with.
"Adam! Look out!"- He says to his son- "This creature is no ordinary demon!"
Adam barely manages to dodge the demon's fireballs. He leaps forward and swings his sword at him, but misses.
"What do you mean by that?"
Jared shakes his head.
"I know about them. I fought their leader before."- He says- "What you see right here is a Haakai!"
At first, Adam is not sure whether to believe his father or not. The demon is not that strong, but looks can be deceiving, especially in a time when creatures from the underworld are eager to work together.
He soon sees the strange runes as well. This gives him a good reason to believe that his opponent is not just another creature of the dark.
"A Haakai, huh?"- Adam says and aims his bow at him- "Either way, you are still going to join your comrades in the underworld!"
The demon grins.
"You think that you can tell one of the underworld's highest ranking officials what to do or where to go?"- He says and laughs- "I am Arnon- the demon who came to crush your pathetic human race. And I am not going anywhere until you are all dead!"
Adam shakes his head.
"We are not going anywhere!"
Having said that, he enchants his bow with the power of light and shoots one of his holy arrows at him. Of course, this only angers the mighty demon.
"Why are you still alive?!"- He yells- "I won't allow that!"
Seeing that his enemy is still standing, Arnon hurls a barrage of fireballs at him. A flurry of unholy fire is flying toward Adam.
Jared tries to shield him from the barrage, but Adam stops him.
"This is my chance to redeem myself. Do not try to stop me."- He says- "Go back before you get hurt."
Jared shakes his head.
"I can't just stand here and watch as you struggle to fight this demon!"- He yells- "I want to help!"
Enchanting his sword with the power of water, Adam spins it rapidly, creating a barrier of holy water that protects him from the fireballs with ease.
"If you want to help me out, why don't you go out there and save those people instead?"- He asks him- "As you can see, I am too busy. So, try to open the door and let them out. Please?"
Jared looks at the tower. He can still hear the screams coming from inside. 
The fact that there are people inside changes his mind immediately, but not before he makes Adam promise that he will survive the fight.
"Save the people- save the world!"- They say, in perfect unison.
As Jared rushes to the entrance of the tower, Arnon laughs at him.
"Yes, you fool! Leave your son to things his own way, like you always did before!"- He yells at him- "You're only making this easier for me!"
Adam shoots another arrow at Arnon, forcing him to turn his attention back to him.
"My father is my guardian angel! No matter where I went, he was always there for me! He has slain countless denizens of darkness and I will do the same!"- He defends his father- "You are just jealous because your father never loved you as much as mine!"
Arnon smirks.
"I don't need a father to love me."- He says- "The only thing that I love is power! And, once you are gone, I will become the most powerful and respected demon of this decade! I will become a legend!"
Adam sighs.
"You are very deranged."- He says- "But, in the end, it is your choice whether to fight for your master or abandon him for good. And I cannot change it."
Before Arnon can react, Adam shoots a barrage of holy arrows at him.
Although most of them miss their intended target. a number of them manage to pierce the demon's body. The resulting damage manages to both wound and severely burn his thick skin.
The Haakai flinches for a moment, but does not show any signs of actual pain. He does not scream of attempt to pull them out. 
Very interesting.
"Enough of this nonsense!"- He roars, infuriated, and points his finger at him- "As one of the mightiest generals of the underworld, I have been blessed with unspeakable power. I wanted to hold it back and save it for your father, but you just crossed the line!"
Having said that, he mutters a few words. Both of his hands start to glow black. A fog, as dark as the shadows around them, envelops the sky and obscures the sun.
Adam notices that his heart is beating much faster now. He wonders whether the Haakai managed to place a curse on him... or he is just getting very worried about the possible outcomes.
Moments later, he feels that the despair in his heart is becoming much more prominent. He remembers how he risked the lives of others to reunite with his family and, when he made his dream come true, how he was forced to make one of the hardest choices in his entire life- to abandon them to the ceaseless sands of time, in a desperate attempt to protect them from the servants of evil who are trying to hunt them down.
"He is trying to invade my thoughts. To crush all of my hopes and dreams without even trying."- He says to himself- "I must stay strong. I will not let the darkness corrupt me. I will fight it until the very end!"
Having said that, he closes his eyes and gently places his right hand on his heart. He mutters a few words.
Soon, his skin starts to glow.
"No matter what you do, the darkness shall consume your entire being!"- Arnon yells- "There is no escape! No solace! The only thing that you will ever feel... is despair!"
He grins.
"Why don't you show me your true colors?"- He continues- "I'm sure that you're more than just a hero."
Adam shakes his head.
"Whenever the shadows try to destroy me, I will respond with a broad smile."- He says- "The power of light will always prevail. And, no matter how desperate we may be, we will always strive to achieve our goal."
He glares at the demon as he takes a step forward.
"I will not allow you to exploit my weakness and use it against my friends!"- He yells at him- "If the darkness inside of me cannot be cured, then I will gladly die to protect those dear to me!"
He pulls his hand away from his heart. A small, black flame starts to burn inside of it.
"But I refuse to go down alone!"
Having said that, he fearlessly runs forward. The Haakai tries to take him down with another barrage of fireballs, but Adam easily leaps past them.
Finally, he reaches the demon and touches his chest with his open hand.
Arnon leaps away. Unsure what is going on, he looks down and gasps.
In just a few moment, his chest has started to burn. Holy flames are slowly consuming his corrupted body, causing him severe pain and leaving him nearly breathless.
He tries to put them out, but soon realizes that they are entirely magical. And magical flames, especially ones with the element of Light, are inexorable. Black magic will never put them down... it will only make them stronger.
"But this... this is impossible!"- The Haakai yells- "Nobody is able to resist the Death Curse! Nobody!"
Adam shakes his head.
"Heroes like me will never give in to such cheap, cowardly trickery."- He says stoically- "If you want to defeat us, then do it fair and square. On the battlefield, blade in hand and flame in heart. That is how we fight and how we protect those who are dear to us... unlike you."
Arnon snorts.
"I will show you a fair fight."
As Adam steps back and watches the demon burn to death, the vile creature uses all of his strength to launch a ring of bone-incinerating flames toward him. 
Adam tries to avoid them, but he stops when he hears his aunt's voice.
"There's nothing to fear, my dear. Those flames are just the last attempt of a madman to defeat you."- She says to him- "Accept the heat and resist his hatred. Let it purify your entire being. Allow it to become a part of it. Only then, you will be able to survive this onslaught."
Adam trusts her. He closes his eyes and stands still.
As the flames get closer to him, his entire body screams for him to run away. However, his mind beckons him to stay. Fortunately, the wiser head prevails and he simply accepts the inevitable.
Arnon cackles as the flames of hatred completely engulf the young hero. He thinks that he has won the battle... but he has yet to realize that such an attack will not be enough to stop him.
Meanwhile, Jared tries to open the tower's entrance. 
He enchants his weapon with the power of fire and strikes the handle, but it does not melt. He tries to dispel the barriers that are holding it in place, but he soon realizes that they are too strong... even for someone as experienced as him. He also tries to simply knock it down, but soon realizes that it is unbreakable.
Drops of sweat and blood fall from his eyebrows as he desperately tries to save the innocents that are trapped in there.
"Hang in there, everyone!"- He yells- "I will let you out! Just stay calm and do not go anywhere!"
However, this has an opposite effect on the people inside. The screams do not cease- they only get stronger.
It is at this moment that he hears the growls coming from the inside. He realizes that there are undead in there... and they are slowly exhausting the human survivors.
"Adam!"- He yells- "You need to hurry! The people are in-- "
He looks back and gasps.
"Adam!"
Terrified, he watches as the Haakai prepares to cast another spell to seal his son's fate.
"Regardless whether you're dead or not, you ain't going anywhere!"- He roars- "Bahahahaha!"
As the survivors inside the tower continue to struggle for their lives, Jared falls on his knees.
"No. This cannot be."- He mutters- "Adam, please. Do not give up. I beg you."
Soon, the fumes clear and, where Adam once stood, there is now a small crater, formed by the ring of fire.
"Another hero has fallen."- Arnon says and grins- "Another soul with visions of a better world, reduced to nothing but a pile of ashes."
He turns to Jared and grins again.
"You're next, Kaos."
Jared draws his weapon. It is clear that he is alone now. His son is gone and he is the sole survivor of this battle.
"I... will make you pay, fiend."- He mutters- "You killed my son. This crime... will not go unanswered. Mark my words."
As he prepares to repel the invader with whatever strength he has, he looks back, as if hoping that Adam would emerge.
"It's inevitable, Kaos."- Arnon says- "You're going to-- "
Suddenly, a small knife, enchanted with holy magic, flies forward and pierces Arnon in the back. 
As he looks back, another knife flies forward and pierces him in the side of the neck.
"You fools!"- Arnon roars- "Attempting to sneak up behind me like this? What a pathetic way to get rid of me!"
Furious, he tries to find the person who tried to kill him, but fails.
Moments later, someone emerges from the crater. His blade is drawn.
When Arnon finds out who was hiding in there, he is shocked.
"You!"- He roars- "How are you still alive?!"
Adam emerges from the wreckage, completely unharmed. 
"Son!"- Jared says- "I knew that you made it!"
Adam nods and smiles serenely. Then, he turns to Arnon and glares at him.
"I told you, time and time again."- He says- "You may be strong, but you are not immortal. No matter how much you pretend that you are."
The Haakai charges at him. He tries to stab Adam with his razor sharp claws, but he easily gets out of the way.
As his enemy starts to run out of breath, Adam finally notes his weakness- the power of light.
"The sacred hands of Justice have finally reached you."- He says- "Now, it is time for you to accept your fate."
Arnon shakes his head.
"Never!"- He yells and hurls one last barrage of fireballs at him.
However, this proves to be a fatal mistake. 
As soon as they get close to Adam, he leaps back. Then, he picks up a small buckler and enchants it with the power of water.
Moments later, it gets so cold that it is freezing to the touch.
Arnon watches this scene with an unnerving amount of glee.
"Are you serious?"- He roars at Adam- "You're trying to defend yourself with a puny, little shield?!"
As the massive barrage of fireballs flies toward Adam, he smiles.
"There is only one way to find that out."
At this moment, Arnon notices the failt, white light that is emanating from the buckler. He tries to prevent Adam from using it, but it is too late.
Adam charges toward the searing flames, shield in hand. Every single drop of fear that he once had in his heart is gone. All of the negative emotions that he once had have been replaced with hope. Faith. Courage. Valor.
The flames get closer and closer with each passing second. It is clear that the resulting blast will be inevitable. 
Meanwhile, our hero gets closer to them as well. He selflessly rushes forward, closes his eyes, and... 
*BOOM*
All of the fireballs are easily deflected by the small, enchanted buckler. They change direction and head straight toward their sender.
Arnon realizes that this could be the end of him. He leaps to his feet and tries to escape.
"Do not let him get away!"- Jared says to his son- "If he escapes, he will alert the creatures outside!"
Adam smiles and shakes his head.
"It is alright, dad."- He reassures him- "Everything is under control. Nothing will go wrong."
As the Haakai tries to run away, Adam creates a portal behind him. The fireballs fly into it and emerge from another portal much further ahead.
Realizing that the fireballs are not getting closer, Arnon becomes confident that he will survive. He looks back at Adam and Jared and waves at them.
"See ya, heroes!"- He yells and grins- "Mordred Darkthrop will be thrilled to know that you're both ali-- "
Suddenly, a portal opens up in front of him. Ignorant of its presence, he keeps running forward, but is soon struck by a massive barrage of fireballs.
In just a few moments, his charred body is thrown on the ground next to the two heroes.
"We may be alive, Arnon."- Jared says- "But you are not!"
Adam takes a step forward and glares at him as he dies.
"The power of light will always prevail."- He says, triumphantly.
Arnon does not say anything. He simply glares back.
Moments later, he dies from his injuries.
Adam wipes the demon blood from his weapon and sighs.
"Another megalomanical fiend has fallen to the ravages of Time."- He says stoically- "Hopefully, he will realize how foolish he was to challenge the forces of good. In his next life, that is."
However, they don't have time to celebrate their victory. The sounds of pure agony coming from the tower distract them and they focus on freeing the people who are still in there.
"No. There must be a way to do this!"- Adam says to his father- "If we fail to open the door, those people will die!"
Jared shakes his head.
"Unfortunately, Fate has decided that they will not survive this attack."- He says- "Some people are beyond helping. Do not waste your own life away to do something that they could not achieve themselves."
For once, Adam does not listen to his father. He gets close to the tower and starts to inspect it.
As the two of them try to find a secret entrance, the screams get even louder as some of the survivors are mauled to death.
"Any luck?"- Jared asks his son.
Adam shakes his head.
"Whoever made this tower, they built it to last."- He says- "Magic or not, it is impervious. It will be very hard, if not impossible, to gain entry."
He sighs and wipes a tear from his eye.
"I fear that the deaths of those poor innocents may be inexorable."
Meanwhile, Jared inspects the second and third story of the tower, hoping that he could find an escape route.
Soon, he realizes that the last floor's window is open. He listens to the screams and realizes that they're coming from there.
Moments later, a young woman with blonde hair gets close to the window. She seems to be terrified.
It doesn't take her long to find the heroes below her.
"Please! Help me!"- She yells- "There's too many of them! We can't take it!"
Adam tries to open the front door again, but to no avail. It is impossible to get in from there.
A few seconds pass as Adam and Jared desperately try to find a way to get in. Once again, their inhuman efforts are not rewarded with success.
The two of them soon realize that there is nothing they can do. 
Jared shakes his head.
"We are very sorry, young lady!"- He says- "I am afraid that all of our options are cut off!"
The girl takes a few small steps back as the undead get closer to her.
"Please! Save me!"- She yells- "I don't want to die like... like this!"
Jared looks at Adam and shakes his head.
"I know that you want to do something, but we must understand our limits."- He says and sighs- "Come on. We must-- "
Adam takes a step forward and holds his arms out.
"Jump down!"
Both of them are very surprised by his decision.
"What?"- The girl says- "What do you mean?!"
Adam shakes his head.
"Do you want to live or not?!"
The girl looks back at the undead behind her and sighs. She doesn't have another choice.
"Alright! I'll try my best!"- She yells- "Please, be careful!"
Then, without thinking about it again, she jumps down just as one of the undead starts clawing at her feet.
As she falls down, Adam sends his father away.
"Make sure that there are no enemies around us."- He says to him- "I do not want to take my chances."
Jared nods and inspects the area.
Meanwhile, Adam does his best to stay as close to the falling girl as possible. One mistake could be fatal for her... and maybe for him.
Seconds feel like hours for our hero as he continues to stand there. It is a struggle for his pure, innocent heart... and he knows it well.
At the last moment, the wind starts to blow her away.
"No!"- She yells- "No! Please! No!"
Adam takes a few steps back, trying to calculate her falling speed and to find the exact place where she is going to fall. Time is of essence and he has to hurry.
"Close your eyes!"- He yells, trying to comfort her- "Everything will be fine!"
The girl closes her eyes, fearing the worst.
"This is the end of me."- She mutters- "Goodbye, cruel world. It was a good run."
Suddenly, she realizes that she has fallen down.
She opens her eyes, expecting that she would be dead (or worse). Instead, she receives a pleasant surprise.
Despite her worst fears, she is in Adam's arms. He has managed to catch her in time.
She lets out a sigh of relief and hugs him. Then, she swiftly kisses him on the cheek.
"Oh, my valiant hero! My radiant savior!"- She praises him- "You've saved me!"
Adam smiles.
"It was a pleasure to save you, milady."- He says- "You are gorgeous."
The girl blushes and looks back. She sees the undead fall from the window.
"How foolish of them."- She says and shakes her head- "Their undead brains can't comprehend how dangerous it is for them."
Adam sighs.
"Undead are mindless and fierce monstrosities."- He says- "They will pursue you to the end of the earth, even if it means that they will perish."
Then, much to their surprise, they rise again. It is as if nothing happened to them during the fall.
"Incredible!"- Adam says- "They are still alive!"
Jared shakes his head.
"They are very resilient."- He says- "Only a strong injury in the head will wipe them out."
As they slowly shamble toward them, Adam gently leaves the girl to sit on a rock.
"Stand here, my dear."- He says- "I will take care of them."
The girl blushes and smiles.
"I'm sure of it."
Adam and Jared draw their weapons and face the undead in battle.
Although the creatures are very strong, a single stab in the head is enough to put them down. Soon, most of the vile creatures are dead. Again.
As the three of them prepare to leave, two more undead approach them. 
When the girl sees them, she bursts into tears. She seemed to recognize the rest of the undead, but seeing what they have become makes her feel even more sorrowful than she was before.
"Bartholio... Vennie... "- She mutters- "No! This is not true! It's just a nightmare! A nightmare!"
Adam and his father exchange worried looks. Seeing how desperate this poor maiden has become fills their hearts with sorrow.
"Poor child."- Jared says- "I can see it now. Back there, she was not just fighting for her life. She was trying to pull her friends out of that mess... but the horrors must have separated them from each other. And you know what they say- When the darkness manages to separate you, it will only be a matter of time before you fall victim to it. One by one, your most trusted allies will perish... and you cannot help, but watch helplessly."
Adam nods.
"I am glad that we managed to save her before she abandoned all hope."- He says- "Losing someone dear to you is... terrifying, to say at the very least. Such an experience is traumatizing, to both the mind and the soul. It is something that no one should ever experience, for it will be engraved in their hearts forever."
Adam's words remind his father of the time when he fought the "Order of the Black Fist" in the lands of Avernum. He remembers how he and his allies entered their final stronghold, how they made their way past countless of vile creatures- denizens of the opaque darkness that tried to cloud their minds. And, most importantly, the final battle with the gang's leaders- the infamous, ancient Strigas known as "The Crones"- and the moment when he lost someone important to him. Someone for whom he was ready to risk his own life, yet had to watch him perish in battle in his name.
To the merciless sands of time, he was just another unfortunate soul. But to Jared, he was a saint. A warrior of faith. A teacher whose lessons have made him a better person, a determined hero, a hopeful savior.
Remembering those traumatic events causes Jared great pain. He looks down and clenches his fist.
"Uncle... "- He says to himself- "Why did you have to leave me alone?"
Moments later, he looks up and sees his son's worried expression. He sighs and shakes his head.
"Fighting those fiends does not come without a cost, my dear Adam."- He says to him- "Sometimes, you are forced to lose someone important to you. Only then, you will understand how truly valuable every creature's life is to us. And, when that happens, you will realize that we are fighting for much more than just saving the world. We are rebelling against the darkness because we made an oath. And that oath must not be broken. We must keep it alive, at all costs."
Adam points at the undead, who are slowly shambling toward them.
"Umm, dad."- He says- "I hate to interrupt your inspiring speech, but those creatures are getting closer!"
Jared nods and draws his weapon.
"I understand."- He responds- "Let's take care of them, then."
As the undead get close to them, Adam evaluates their strengths and weaknesses. A single look is enough for him to recognize them.
While preparing to fend the undead off, he remembers the time when he met three young heroes in Canonia, the time when he used to be Emela's apprentice. Their leader- a strong and capable warrior- introduced himself as Bartholio Strongarm. The agile and skilled thief (who was supposedly Batholio's right-hand man) said that his name is Vennie Vici. As for the gorgeous, blonde-haired healer, the one whom he tries to protect from her former companions, he clearly remembers that she was not willing to share her name, but Bartholio revealed that it is Aalia Kitregis.
"Oh my god. No."- He mutters- "This was not meant to happen."
The undead who still wears his plate armor (whom Adam easily identifies as the late Bartholio Strongarm) is the first to come into range. Reckless and determined, just like he was in life, he tries to make his way past the obstacles and drain Adam's blood.
Fortunately, the young hero is well-prepared to fight such a dangerous threat. He infuses his blade with the power of light and tackles the undead Bartholio, leaving Jared to take care of Vennie.
Although the undead knight is very hard to kill, this does not stop Adam from trying to find his weakness. Noticing that he is much slower than his undead friend, he patiently waits for him to get closer. Then, he trips him and, while he is still stunned by the fall, unceremoniously stabs him in the head.
As the undead Bartholio meets his demise, the girl screams in pain and leaps to her feet. In the process, she drops something from her hand.
Adam sees it and bends down to pick it up. When he does that, he takes a look at it and realizes that the people in there look very similar to the undead that he and his father just killed.
"From the look on your face, I can tell that you knew them well, in life."- He calmly says to her- "Is that so?"
She nods.
"They... *sniff*... used to be my friends. My ever-faithful companions who always cared about me."- She says- "Seeing them like this makes me... me... "
She sits down and starts to cry.
Adam kneels and hugs her, hoping that his soothing words can comfort her bleeding soul. Such a noble action makes him the prime target for Bartholio's ravenous, undead companion, who turns away from Jared and grabs him by the shirt.
Adam tries to kick him away, but to no avail. Whenever someone reanimates into an undead, they become much stronger... no matter how powerful they were in life. This seems to be the case for the unfortunate victim known as Vennie.
The young hero mightily attempts to force his sword through the fiendish creature's brain, but soon realizes that he is getting weaker.
"Must... not.. give up... "- He mutters- "The fate of the world... rests on me... "
During this moment of weakness, he accidentally lets his guard down slightly. This allows the undead thief to tackle him and grab his shirt again.
Moments later, both of them lose their balance and fall on the ground.
At first it seems like Adam is going to be killed by this vile creature. However, Jared rushes to his aid just in time. Using whatever strength he has left, he rips Vennie away from Adam and throws him away.
As the undead thief stands up again, he tries to put him down, but finds himself unable to do that. Instead, he pins him to a nearby wall with his sword and looks at Adam.
"I want to do it, but I cannot."- He says to him- "Those people were your friends, Adam. I think that it will be better for all of us if you take them down yourself."
Adam looks at the struggling undead and sighs. He draws his sword and approaches it.
"I am very sorry for what happened to you back there."- He says- "You deserved better. All of you."
With that, he stabs him in the head and ends his life for good.
Once the deed is done, he senses that Aalia is standing behind him.
"It is done, Aalia."- He says stoically- "Your friends have been laid to rest."
Aalia tries to respond, but soon breaks down and starts to cry.
Adam turns around and hugs her.
"Do not worry, my dear."- He says to her- "I am still here. I will not leave you alone."
Aalia hugs him back.
"Please don't leave me!"- She says to him- "You're my only hope!"
As Adam and Aalia continue to hug, Jared turns around and inspects the corpses of Bartholio and Vennie, now freed from the malevolent spirits that used to possess them.
"Another band of foolhardy adventurers who desperately seeked glory and wealth, only to be separated from each other by the shackles of life."- He says to himself and shakes his head- "We came here too late. What a shame."
Adam looks up and realizes that a small band of wandering goblins is starting to swarm the tower, thinking that they can find some easy loot in there.
He turns to Aalia.
"I know that you want to stay here, but it is too late. There is little else we can do now."- He says to her- "It is best for us to leave while we still can."
He tries to gently take her hand in his, but she shakes her head.
"I'm not going anywhere."- She says- "Not until I know that they'll rest in peace."
Jared nods.
"We understand."- He says- "Then let us do you another favor."
He turns to his son.
"There is one last thing left for us to do."- He says to him- "Are you ready?"
Adam nods and smiles sadly.
"Of course, dad."- He responds- "Let us bring peace to their minds and souls, once and for all."
== Trivia ==
* This Part marks Jason Kaos's first mention in "Miracula Luxia III", as well as the "Miracula Luxia" series's Second Duology.