MLII C5, P9- "The Price Of Evil"

"The Price Of Evil" is the ninth Part of "Miracula Luxia II". It was released on 13.04.2021.
== Plot ==
Once again, Ess-Kalyn the Manburner has been made vulnerable. John and Annie are free from the spell that she used to control them. Now, she is forced to fend off the invader all by herself. Truly a challenging task.
However, even though she is weakened to the point of exhaustion, she is ready to fight and complete the plan that she has been working on for so long.
It is clear that her end is near. Sooner or later, it will all be over for her.
But her grand plan... is far from over.
== Story ==
Jared stands up and points Demonslayer at her.
"No matter what it takes, I will defeat you!"- He says- "I will prevent you from raining destruction over this world! I will not allow you to hurt anyone!"
Ess-Kalyn turns to him and grins.
"Oh, don't make me laugh!"- She responds- "I've defeated many of your kind's bravest and most determined warriors! What hope do you have against me?!"
Jared is seconds away from attacking her again. He wants to finish her off, as soon as possible.
Allister, however, seems to be interested in the Slithzerikai leader.
"Say, Manburner."- He mutters- "How did you come to be here in the first place? What tragic event forced you to walk towards the wrong path?"
Ess-Kalyn turns to him and raises her eyebrow. She is surprised that someone is asking about her past.
As she begins to speak, Jared decides to lower his weapon and listen. He is interested in hearing why she became a villain and how he can help her out.
However, he is still on his guard. He constantly watches the area around him, aware that there might be Slithzerikai warriors who are waiting for a moment of weakness. He is also listening intently to Ess-Kalyn's story, careful not to miss any important details that might help him and Allister.
"My life, you say? You want to hear a story... about my life?"- She says, her sibilant voice getting calmer and calmer with each passing second.
She sighs.
"Fifty years ago, I was born in the village of Gnass. My father was the chief of the village back then. My mother, bless her soul, was a priest. The three of us lived in harmony with the world around us. We respected our Avernite brothers, both the humans... and the Slithzerikai. I even had the chance to begin my training as a sorceress. It was a great honor, for all of us."
She looks around, as if imagining those past events happening all around her.
"But then, they came! The savage Slithzerikai!"- She continues- "They killed my mother, wounded my father and made me, a young and ambitious Slithzerikai female, an orphan. The way the world saw me after that unfortunate event... it was never the same. Never. The Slithzerikai still respected me as a fellow warrior and mage-in-training. However, there was a certain amount of unease within the humans. As time passed, they started to look at me in the same way they see an enemy. Someone who has hurt them in the past. And they were not wrong. Those barbarians, they attacked Avernum many times. Back when the land was still young. Back when Sss-Thsss was still alive. Back when Avernum was safer from thieves and other miscreants. But those times were over. Nobody wanted to return to that. Nobody, except for me.
She sighs.
"I wanted to stop myself from doing such a thing. I knew what would happen to me if I tried to join the enemy in fighting for a goal that is too futile to achieve. Sometimes, I regret the mistake that I made, the people from my kind that I hurt in the process. I even mourned those whom I was forced to kill personally."
She turns around and looks at the window behind her.
"Still, my opinion didn't matter. My mind was brewing a storm and it was only a matter of time before I had the chance to unleash it upon the unsuspecting world around me."- She continues- "A few more years passed. Humans started to hate me, thinking that my kind was responsible for the diseases that were afflicting them back then. My rage did not subside."
She turns around and looks down.
"And then... "
Ess-Kalyn falls silent, as if trying to remember the rest of the events. For a few seconds, she does not say anything else.
Jared raises his eyebrow.
"And then?"
Ess-Kalyn remember what she is talking about. She looks up, her eyes filled with anger and sorrow.
"And then, I abandoned my loved ones. Or, whoever were spared from the ceaseless destruction, at the very least."- She continues- "When I found out that my fellow Slithzerikai were planning to take over Northern Avernum, I joined them. My friends begged me to stay. They told me that it would me a bad idea to go against those who have been protecting those for so long. But I did not listen. I left them behind, joined the savages and fought alongside them. They were very impressed by the innate abilities that I demonstrated in battle, so much that they took me in as their Captain. Their General. And, finally, as one of their leaders. The time when I was finally named the Manburner."
She looks down again.
"The reason why I have this name is simple. Just like it implies, I have killed many humans, men and women alike. I killed them in front of their families, watched coldly as I made their children orphans and heard them as they screamed in anguish. My heart was stone cold. My soul was uncaring for anyone, but those with whom I fought side by side. I also realized that, no matter how hard I tried to make it otherwise, I followed every order that was given to me by the highest authorities without asking any questions or doubting their wisdom in any way."
She looks up.
"But then, the humans rose against us. We conquered their lands, but they still bottled us in."- She continues- "And then, some of their greatest heroes arrived to stop us. They killed the Shadow. They killed the Invader. And they almost killed me."
She sighs.
"At that moment, I finally realized that the cause was lost. I fled with the few warriors who were under my command, abandoned the great ones to their fate and began to think of another plan to strike back."- She says- "Every day, I was becoming more and more vengeful. As I watched the humans slay my brothers and sisters, I vowed to destroy them and take back what is rightfully ours. Years later, I finally regained my strength. I hired many warriors, a frightening army that could easily destroy a human city. But the problem was that my warriors lacked any enthusiasm. So, I decided to soldier on and find land for us to live in. I found this abandoned island... and I conquered it. I made it our home, killed the solitary monks who tried to drive us out. Secured a permanent place for our kind on the Surface. And then... we lost it. My warriors were killed, our settlements were lying in ruins. You might ask why I stayed with them instead of running away like a coward. Well, it is simple. I realized that I made a mistake in the past... and I wanted to correct it, to prove myself in front of my former allies and show them that I can still be trusted. And so, I found out about the hero who has been performing good deeds for both Avernum and the Surface- Jared Kaos. You. I wanted to get your attention, fight you and show that you are not invulnerable. It seems like that time has finally come, just as I feared."
She stares at Jared for a moment. Her eyes are icy cold, just like her heart.
"And that... is the story of my life."- She mutters.
Jared nods.
"You used to be a good person. The savages killed your parents."- He says- "And then, you decided to side with them? Why? Why did you side with those who killed the ones that you loved the most? You had to fight against them, not alongside them."
Ess-Kalyn nods.
"Yes. At first, I wanted to break free. I wanted to make them pay for the scar that they left, deep within my heart."- She responds- "But then, I realized something that changed my life entirely. Although they were uncivilized, they were still respectful of their allies. As time passed, they turned into a family for me. Every single one of them was special to me, perhaps in their own, unique way. Because of that, I vowed to protect them at all costs."
She begins to cast a spell.
"And I still do."- She continues- "You and your allies killed many of them. And I will not forgive you, no matter how hard you try to convince me otherwise."
Jared shakes his head.
"Ess-Kalyn, I can see the regret in your eyes."- He continues- "I know that you want to change the way you view the world, that you want to treat its citizens like equals, not sworn enemies. I am positive that you can change. So please, reconsider your decisions. Make your way towards the right path and put an end to this pointless war between good and evil. Do not let your emotions overwhelm your sense of judgement. Fight back against the darkness within your soul! Purify it and see the light within! Make it shine and you will see that you can still make things better!"
For a moment, Ess-Kalyn's loyalty towards her kind wavers. The red glow within her eyes fades away. She stops casting spells and rethinks the decisions that she made in her entire life.
Then, she looks down. Tears start to fall from her eyes.
"Maybe... maybe you're right. Maybe I did more harm than good. And when I did, I did not care whom I was hurting and why."- She says- "Everything that I did, it was a horrible! I was the monster! Why didn't I realize that?!"
Allister is surprised. He looks at Jared.
"Well, I'll be. The Manburner has another side of the same coin. And we're talking about her good side!"- He says- "Let's see if we can draw it out."
Jared points at the window behind her.
"It is never too late to change."- He says- "You can still go outside and redeem yourself. You can make this world a better place, for all of us. Make your parents feel proud of you, even though you hurt them with your actions. Believe me, it is still possible."
Ess-Kalyn looks at the window and sees the sun, shining in the sky. For a moment, she considers surrendering and trying to become a good creature.
Just for a moment.
Soon, the darkness within her soul begins to crush whatever humanity she has left.
"No! No!"- She screams, holding her head with both of her hands- "I don't want to hurt them anymore! Stop it! Stop it!"
Sadly, her newly awakened self is unable to resist the dark energies that rest within her soul. She soon succumbs to them, unable to drive them away.
Thus, the evil which controls most of her soul takes over her actions. Once again, she becomes the Slithzerikai that she has always been for all these years, a cruel, maniacal sorceress with visions of grandeur.
She turns around, her eyes glowing fiery red. Then, she begins to cast a spell.
"Your offer has been denied, puny human!"- She says and cackles- "I, the Manburner, will never surrender the goal which I've been trying to accomplish for so long! I will defeat you! Then, I will summon the mighty Unbound and destroy your pathetic kind! Prepare youself!"
Unable to talk sense into her anymore, Jared is forced to defend himself.
He manages to avoid a fireball that she hurls at him and responds by throwing a chunk of ceiling at her.
She smiles and spawns a wall of fire in front of her. The chunk melts immediately when it touches it.
"See?"- She says, her fiery red eyes still visible through the raging fire- "Nothing that you do can defeat me! I am undefeatable!"
Jared shrugs.
"We will see about that."
Seeing that Ess-Kalyn is casting fire spells at him, he decides to respond with an element that is effective against it: 
Water.
Without thinking twice about it, he enchants Demonslayer with the element and charges. 
Swinging the blade at the Manburner, he manages to break through her wall of fire and push her back.
However, he soon realizes that she was not hurt by that attack.
Ess-Kalyn laughs.
"That was a good try. But don't think that it can actually weaken me."- She says- "My fire spells are still here. Still strong. Still ready to burn you to the bone!"
Suddenly, she hurls a giant fireball towards Jared. This time, he is unable to avoid it and is thrown back by the massive impact.
As Jared gets up, he sees Allister standing behind Ess-Kalyn, trying to find a sign of weakness.
"Hey, Mr. Allister!"- He says to him.
Allister raises his eyebrow.
"I have an idea!"
Allister smiles. He clearly understands the plan, even though he hasn't heard a single word about it.
He draws his blade and enchants it with the element of Light.
"Say no more, friend!"- He exclaims.
Jared does the same.
Then, both of them point their blades at Ess-Kalyn.
"This is the end!"- Allister says.
"We are not going to hold back!"- Jared yells- "Not anymore!"
Jared pushes Ess-Kalyn out of the way and stands next to Allister. The two of them raise their weapons in the air and form a cross with their blades.
"Sunrise... "
"Oversoul... "
"Ultima!!!"
Before Ess-Kalyn can have the chance to react, they slam the blades of their weapons into the ground simultaneously. A wave of pure, white energy erupts from the ground and strikes Ess-Kalyn.
Suddenly, it is as if the sun itself is rising to fight against her. She is blinded by the dazzling light and forced to take a step back, towards the window.
Still temporarily blinded, she tries to move forward, only for her body to the opposite. Soon, she wakes up and finds herself on the edge of the window.
She steps back up and tries to cast a spell, only to find that both Jared and Allister are gone.
"What the-- "- She says as she looks around in disbelief, only to notice Jared appearing in front of her and striking her with his sword.
Allister appears as well. He prepares to strike.
"This is the end of your tyrannical reign!"- He says.
"You will never hurt the innocent people in this world!"- Jared adds- "Not anymore!"
Both of them swing their blades at her. The impact is storng enough to throw her backwards.
Soon, she finds out that the window behind her is broken and that she is falling down.
"N-nooo!"- She screams as gravity drags her down towards a painful demise.
Jared and Allister look at the area outside, wondering what happened to the Manburner. Soon, they realize that the fight is not over.
They step back as she flies towards them from the ground. Yes, flies.
It seems like she has earned a pair of demonic wings during her time as the Manburner. And now, she is putting them to good use.
She points a black staff at our heroes and laughs maniacally.
"Fools! I am surrounded by fools!"- She yells, her voice sounding more otherwordly than it has ever been- "Even when I am downed, I will still get up and fight back! Your useless techniques have only made me angrier!"
The orb at the end of the staff starts to glow black. She is going to cast a spell.
"It was a good fight, but all good things shall come to an end. Sooner or later."- She continues- "Now, prepare to feel the power of the Abyss!"
Suddenly, a black ray shoots out of the staff, shattering the ground beneath our heroes.
They manage to step away in time, but not before taking a few hits from her spells.
"She's too strong!"- Allister says, realizing that she is not the same anymore- "Is there any way to defeat such a powerful creature?!"
Jared looks at him.
"I thought that she was just a normal Slithzerikai mage!"- He says to him.
Allister shakes his head.
"She's always had connections to the demon world. Always talked to their leaders, sharing her wicked plans with them. She even managed to recruit a Haakai, one of their revered leaders, to her side. Sure, she may still respect her kind. She's still trying to help 'em out. However, she is not normal. Nor a Slithzerikai. Or, not a true Slithzerikai, at the very least."- He says- "What you see right here, it's her true form. The one that we've always feared, the most wicked side of the coin. In other words, right now... it is the hardest challenge in our lives. One that we must take care of, if we want the world around us to be truly safe."
Jared takes his bow and aims an arrow at Ess-Kalyn.
"No matter whom I have to face to keep this world safe, I will do so. I will not ask any questions... and I will keep fighting, even it means that it will be the end for me."- He says- "Bring it on, creature of the Underworld!"
Ess-Kalyn cackles.
"Always eager to fight your enemies. Always eager to protect the so-called "innocents". How kind of you!"- She says- "Maybe this will change your mind!"
She points her staff at him and fires a ray of dark energy at him. He manages to block the attack with his magical shield, but is forced to take a step back afterwards.
He shoots a few arrows at her. They hit her in the head and torso.
However, she seems to be unaffected by them. She simply pulls them out and throws them away.
She aims her staff at the ground beneath Jared and Allister. Once again, she plans to make them fall to their deaths.
However, the incoming blast is going to be bigger and deadlier than before. When it hits the ground, it completely disintegrates it, throwing both of them back.
As Allister shoots arrows at Ess-Kalyn, Jared devises a plan that will allow him to get closer to her.
Finally, he remembers the tactic that he used in defeating Dorikas a while ago. He manages to channel some of his life energy, enough to send a spiritual message to his mother below.
Moments later, it arrives. She turns to Aleks, very worried.
"Honey, I think that our son is in danger."- She says.
Aleks raises his eyebrow.
"How so?"- He asks her- "I thought that the Manburner already fell to her death! What is going on?"
She starts to float upwards.
"There's no time to explain."- She continues- "He needs my help! I can't let him fight up there, all alone!"
Aleks nods.
"If he needs you to fight beside him, go on."- He says- "I believe in both of you."
Seiko smiles and approaches the broken window as fast as she can.
She floats through Ess-Kalyn and approaches her son.
Once she is beside him, she stares at the Manburner.
"So, this is the infamous Manburner."- She says- "What a horrifying creature. She must be banished from this world, as soon as possible!"
Jared nods and turns to his mother.
"I think that I have a plan. It might work against her and you are the only person who can help me carry it out."- He says to her- "Do you remember Ragnarok, the legendary sword that we used when uncle and great-grandpa were still with us?"
Seiko's eyes light up.
"The sword that we used to defeat Dorikas and his brigands?"- She says- "Of course I do!"
Jared smiles.
"Well, I think that we can smite the Manburner with it."- He continues- "Do you think that we will be able to summon it, all by ourselves?"
Seiko nods.
"Nothing is impossible, son!"- She exclaims- "Let's give it a try!"
Seiko touches the tip of Demonslayer, infusing it with the energy that rests within her soul. The blade begins to glow in a pure, white light.
Once again, it transforms into the legendary blade known as Ragnarok- the one that gave him the strength to slay Dorikas. Maybe it will work again, this time.
"It's time!"- Allister says- "Finish her off!"
Jared nods and runs towards the open window. Ess-Kalyn shoots bolts of dark energy at him, but he slices all of them in half with Ragnarok.
"Impossible!"- She screams- "My attacks are stopped by... by a simple sword?!"
Jared smiles.
"This is the strength of our friendship, the undying flames of justice that roar within our hearts!"- He says- "Now, prepare yourself. To feel the power... of Light!"
Once he is near the edge, he jumps in the air without any fear. He swings his sword at Ess-Kalyn, disintegrating her staff and setting her on fire.
"What is this?"- She says- "This... this cannot be!"
Jared smiles again.
"Believe it!"- He says- "Nobody, and I mean nobody, is invulnerable! Take that in mind, during the last few seconds of your wicked life!"
He swings Ragnarok at her, once again. And then again. And again.
He delivers a series of merciless, accurate swings which penetrate the Manburner's delicate skin as she shrieks in agony.
Ess-Kalyn, in her last moments, finally realizes that Jared is a force that should always be reckoned with. A hero who is both feared... and respected.
And, most importantly, he does not take a threat like Ess-Kalyn herself lightly. He fights with all his might, just like now.
"Maybe... maybe I underestimated you, kid."- She mutters, her voice becoming normal for a few seconds- "Maybe you're not weak, after all... "
Jared swings Ragnarok for the last time and delivers the final, decisive blow. The one that shatters the Manburner into a million pieces and disintegrates them as she screams. The last pieces explode violently and completely destroy the furniture within Ess-Kalyn's throne room.
Our hero seems to be unaffected by this sudden explosion. After slaying the Manburner for good, he performs a backflip and lands right into the room from which he jumped to perform this noble (and bold) deed.
Allister nods and smiles.
"Such a brave, determined warrior. Always fighting for the good of everyone and never ceasing to believe that you will succeed."- He says- "Yes. You are just like your gramps. I'm proud of you, kid."
Jared nods and smiles.
A few moments later, two spirits appear in front of them. They are polar opposites of each other. 
One of them is shining in a beautiful, white light. The other is enveloped in dark, chaotic energy. And, most importantly, both of them are Slithzerikai.
Jared recognizes them immediately as the two sides of Ess-Kalyn, the Manburner. One of them smiles at Jared while the other approaches the dark altar.
"Thank you, Jared Kaos. You have finally freed me from the darkness that was inside me."- She says- "I am forever in your debt, young hero."
Jared smiles.
"I knew that you are a good person!"- He responds- "I am glad that I helped you see the Light again!"
Both Jared and Ess-Kalyn notice that the Manburner is growing angrier.
Finally, she snaps and says:
"Enough! If I cannot use the hero's soul to fulfill my plan, then I will use mine!"
She raises her ghostly hands in the air.
"O Dark God, take my soul as a sacrifice to my greatest creation!"- She yells- "Allow me to become one with the one that is most precious to me and lend him my power! Give him the strength that he needs to destroy this pathetic world for good!"
She turns to Jared and his allies.
"The Darkness shall rise again! And this time, you shall be defeated!"- She yells- "There is no escape from it! Not anymore!"
Both Jared and Ess-Kalyn try to stop her. They attack her, but fail to do any damage.
Soon, she manages to complete the unholy ritual. Her soul begins to fade away.
"O Unholy One. You, who are above all peasants below you!"- She says- "Rise up and conquer this world! Spread the darkness, make them desperate and crush their hopes into pieces. Show them the true power of Darkness, the one that shall be the end of them! Make them feel the pain. Plant a seed of mistrust within their feeble minds, fragments of fear that can never be pulled out!"
She raises her hands in the air once again.
"Stand up and crush the light! Make them fear you! Let them hear your name and scream it out in anguish... "- She yells- "... Unbound Ultima!"
Just as the Manburner is about to fade away completely, Ess-Kalyn manages to use the rest of her energy to break her spell.
Unfortunately, she does not succeed. However, the attack leaves a massive, invisible flaw within the creature that she is trying to create. One that cannot be noticed by a mortal eye.
One that is not noticed by the Manburner.
"This, is the Beginning... "- she screams as the last fragments of her spirit fade away and fuse with the newly created Unbound- "... of the End!"
== Trivia ==
* This Part (As well as the previous one) are a reference to the lyrics of a song by "Avenged Sevenfold" that is known as "Nightmare", namely the beginning of its chorus ("You should've known/The price of evil.")