MLIII C5, P7- "Votum Futuri"

"Votum Futuri" is the seventh (and penultimate) Part of "Miracula Luxia III" 's last Chapter.
It was released on 18.04.2022.
== Plot ==
Adam and his ever-faithful allies decide to fight Mordred Darkthrop, despite the fact that Akira is on their side now. They defend themselves valiantly against the dark forces, assembling a powerful formation that succeeds in disrupting their union... despite the fact that they lost a dear ally in the process.
Nevertheless, the children of faith manage to corner and destroy Mordred Darkthrop's original body, managing to free his evil spirit and avenge Aiden.
But the evil wizard is not the one who would give up, even when the odds are against him. Instead of simply drifting away into the Afterlife, he uses the power of his Soul Transfer to possess the body of late grand hero Thorvald Soothsayer, forcing the do-gooder to emerge from his eternal rest and serve the dark lord until he is turned to dust.
It is up to our heroes to outsmart the evil wizard (again) and send his soul back into the distant past. The fate of the world rests in their hands. And, as Darkthrop's servants prepare to strike back at our planet's united resistance, their time is getting lower.
Do they have what it takes to defeat this ancient evil once and for all?
There is only one way to find out...
== Story ==
Mordred watches as a large greatsword emerges from the ground in front of him. He picks it up and smiles.
"Ah. I see."- He says- "Even though I fail to analyze this weapon thoroughly, I can sense that it is powerful. Just like this body!"
He grins.
"Adam Kaos."- He says- "Soothslayer would love to tear you apart. Piece by piece."
Adam glares at him.
"And you think that I am still afraid of you?"
Mordred smiles.
"Of course not."- He says- "You're not the wimp I saw many years ago. despite some similarities that still cannot wash away."
Adam's allies try to attack him, but he easily dodges their attacks and traps them all in a giant forcecage.
"There."- He says- "Now we have all the time in the world."
Adam attempts to free his allies, but his efforts are met with strong resistance as the bars send powerful jolts across his body.
"Don't worry about us!"- Donovan yells- "Just try to weaken him! We'll join you soon!"
Adam sighs and turns back to the evil wizard.
"I hate to say this in the heat of a battle like this, but I am interested to hear more about you."- He says- "So, tell me. Why did you bring us all the way over here? Your inclinations seem to be rather... uncertain."
Mordred sighs.
"You just don't understand it, do you?"
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"And what am I supposed to understand?"
Mordred smiles.
"You may have never seen it before, but I will tell you."- He says- "Deep within your veins, there is a power that cannot be withdrawn. Potential that must not be wasted. Somewhere within that mind of of yours lie the secrets of the ancients, waiting to be unlocked by the right person."
Adam glares at him.
"Such things are completely foreign to me!"- He yells- "I fight for the future of our world! I bring hope and faith, no matter where I go! And you expect me to believe that I can master abilities beyond my imagination?! Believe me, even if I could, I would never unleash them. And you know why? It is because, unlike you, I do not fight for power. Because power does not mean anything!"
Mordred smirks.
"Your new legacy is so dense. I wish there was some kind of way to make you believe."- He says- "Oh, well. At least you deserve to know what happened."
He points at the stars above.
"Long ago, before the Kaos family had any true heroes in it, Chaos reigned supreme as the world was torn apart by the forces of darkness. And there, they lied. Your family's ancestors. Fueled by the incredible power of their undiminished potential, they managed to seize the most important lands left and form an indestructible empire. None dared to question their rule, out of fear that they wouldn't live to see the light of the day. And yet, some dared to glare at them wherever they went. Despised them for who they were and dreamed of making the good return in this world."- He says- "And the so-called "savior", even though his name was lost in the sands of time, faced those people in battle. Said that he had enough of their "tyranny" and attacked them right in front of their most trusted servants. Even though that person was slain in battle, his revolt was the key catalyst that led to the downfall of their rule. Many peasants mourned their hero as they rose from their pits, brandishing pitchforks and torches at your family. They drove them out and they were never seen again... until news of your great-grandfather's birth reached the ears of the world."
He sighs.
"Their spirits still live on. I know it!"- He says- "And when I defeat you in battle, I will use my magic to sever the cord that connects your soul to this body. Fill it with tainted knowledge before giving it back to you. And, when I am done, the dark empire that your ancestors created shall be reformed!"
Everyone is surprised by the evil wizard's statement. Even though leaving your physical body for a few hours is entirely possible, severing one's connection to the mortal plane is universally fatal. Once a person leaves this realm, there is no coming back.
"Believe in whatever you want, I am not going anywhere."- Adam says- "You may be ancient, but your powers are not as legendary as they used to be. All time time, I have been analyzing your abilities. Searching for flaws. And then, I finally realized. When you fight an opponent from a time long past, every single second can be a weakness to them,"
Mordred growls.
"Silence!"- He yells and points Soothslayer at him- "Now that I have this body of Thorvald Soothsayer, everything that you say will be simple, useless trivia. You will never defeat me!"
Adam draws his weapon.
"I will overcome my greatest fears and face you in battle once again!"- He yells- "Once I am done, I will make sure that Thorvald's soul is free from your vile grasp. There will be no coming back once I show you the light."
Mordred glares at him.
"I do not obey the light!"- He says- "I destroy it!"
Adam sighs.
"You want something to be destroyed?"- He asks him- "How about I destroy your megalomanical ego instead?!"
Having said that, he charges toward his opponent, taking careful hints of his moments and listening to the sounds hiding in the wind.
Mordred slams his blade into the ground, trying to score a hit as soon as possible. However, he relies on power rather than precision and that is his greatest mistake.
Adam jumps in the air and attempts to strike Mordred down with his special aerial attack, but the evil wizard easily parries it and swings his blade.
The force is strong enough to send the young hero backwards, slamming him into the forcecage and electrocuting him.
But the jolt seems to have given him more power. As he swings his blade, lightning falls from the sky and hits Mordred in the arm, giving the young hero a chance to respond properly and swing his sword with much more determination.
Sparks fly as the two warriors clash their blades against each other. Each moment becomes vital for either of them and they always search for opportunities to make a difference.
Soon, Mordred decides that he has had enough of this nonsense. He casts a powerful spell that allows him to grab Adam and throw him away. Then, he rushes forward, jumps in the air and prepares to execute his opponent.
Just as he thinks that he has won, Adam outsmarts him and forces the evil wizard to hit a giant rock instead. The palm of his hand is pierced by a giant spike and he cannot help but realize that it has gone very deep.
Pulling it out proves to be the most arduous challenge the wizard has ever faced in hundreds of years. Even his magic is not powerful enough to set him free. However, when he finally rips away from the spikes that almost led to his death, his hand starts to get red.
Blood runs down on his greatsword as he makes his next move.
"You're a smart one, Adam Kaos."- He says- "Using the environment against me has never worked for anyone else. And yet, you did it with ease."
Adam smiles.
"That is the way of the true hero!"
Mordred sighs.
"I guess that I still have to teach you a lesson."- He says- "Oh well. Things could have been much better between us."
Using his weapon as a boomerang, Mordred throws it at Adam and manages to unleash his powerful stun-lock ability, creating a vortex of dark thunder and restricting most of Adam's abilities while he is within it.
Adam manages to make his way out of the vortex, but the high pressure leaves him weakened. He leaps away just in time before Mordred can hit him again and manages to throw one of the spikes at his face.
The spike manages to pierce his right cheek, making him very annoyed.
Suddenly, Adam stops and realizes that he is actually hurting his idol's body. Not wishing to inflict any further damage, he withdraws and creates a magical barrier around himself, avoiding his enemy's spells and strikes instead of taking the fight back to him.
"What's wrong, Adam?"- Mordred asks him- "Are you afraid that you'll hurt your favorite hero? Are you uncertain in yourself? Come on! I know you can shine brighter than that!"
Jared leans close to the forcecage, ignoring the constant jolts.
"Keep on believing, son!"- He yells- "The light of justice is at your side! You can do this!"
Adam nods and leaps back as Mordred uses ethereal magic to create three perfect clones of himself.
"This is more than just a simple illusion."- They say in perfect unison- "This is your biggest nightmare!"
Adam shakes his head.
"It does not matter if there are four or twenty-four of you."- He responds- "Justice will prevail!" 
Determination burning in his eyes, the young hero manages to slip past Darkthrop's clones and study them closely. He divulges their secrets just as he fights them, allowing him to create a perfect diversion himself.
Finally, he decides that he has a plan.
Managing to lead the clones away from their master, he manages to break his control over them. This gives him the chance to get closer to the forcecage.
Meanwhile, Jared charges up a powerful ray of light and pierces all three of the shadow clones at once. One by one, the ethereal beasts fall to the Kaos family's supreme expertise.
"Darkthrop is a wily wretch. Whenever you discover his weakness, he will always find a way to fight back. His abilities are far beyond what we can imagine and, even without them, he is still very dangerous. He will not give up without a fight and will always try to undermine you."- He whispers to his son- "Be careful. You might have brought him down, but he still has some tricks up his sleeve."
Adam nods.
"Leave it to me."- He whispers back- "As a proud defender of this world, I will find a way to exhaust him."
Having said that, he awakens the ancient energy that the Geneforge inserted into his very being and utilizes it against his opponent. Swirling masses of whirlwind surround the evil sorcerer as his entire life circles before his eyes.
Deep inside his mind, he rediscovers how he almost let his son go, before finally deciding that it's not worth it and taking his life away instead.
"Those moments again!"- He says to himself- "What are you trying to imply? That I'm the guilty one?"
He smirks.
"Heh."- He continues- "Like that would ever break me down!"
He swings his sword a few times and grins.
"We are not done yet Adam!"- He says- "My sword has yet to taint your pretty clothes. And, when I'm done, you will find yourself missing something."
Adam sighs.
"It looks like the master of darkness still has a lot to learn."
With a single, well-aimed beam of light, Adam manages to pierce Mordred in the leg and force him to fall on his knees.
"I have always despised you, evil one. You brought the death of many people. Many kindhearted families were disrupted because of your actions."- He says to him- "Do you think that I was unable to hear those children? Do you think that I could simply ignore their pleas for help? Their desires to hear news of your demise? The world hates you, evil wizard. It thinks that you were not supposed to exist in the first place. And, in a world like this, your heinous crimes are unacceptable!"
Mordred smiles.
"It's all because of him, isn't it?"- He asks him- "You miss him. Admit it."
Adam shakes his head.
"It does not matter who motivated me to stand my ground."- He says- "Right now, I am here. As the chosen hero of this world, I am ready to protect those sacred grounds from your foul presence. Your evil is like a vile miasma that seeps into every corner, taints every thought, crushes every hope and dream. Nothing will ever be the same until you are gone. But do not think that I will be the one who will be responsible for it. Even if I fail, your days are still limited. Many heroes are looking for ways to redeem themselves. One of them will hear of you. And then, when you least expect it, you will find yourself away from existence. Forever."
Mordred smiles.
"Oh. I forgot to mention this."- He says- "Gyendal, my greatest servant, is still around here. If you value your life at least a little bit, I advise you to look out."
Just as Adam prepares to draw his weapon again, he is surprised and grabbed by the neck by Gyendal's magical grasp. Then, he is thrown away and struck by the claw's sharp fingernails.
At the same time, a black mist appears in the sky, blocking the moon as it takes its place.
"I thought that you were dead."- Adam says and sighs- "But that does not surprise me. Villains like you are not so well-lived and notoriously powerful if you simply surrender your lives after being defeated fair and square."
Gyendal laughs.
"Adam Kaos!"- He yells- "I've been waiting for this moment ever since you came into our kingdom! I knew that it would be you!"
He bares his teeth.
"And yet, the Darkthrop Dynasty is immortal!"
As Adam prepares to attack back, Gyendal casts a fire spell on a nearby tree. Despite being one of his weakest, it easily burns the trunk of the tree and starts to spread toward the rest of the trees.
Soon, a large part of the nearby forest is engulfed in flames, trapping Adam and forcing him to withdraw further into it.
Mordred and Gyendal laugh.
"Well done, my boy."- Mordred says- "Now. Let's get rid of the rest of those intruders."
Gyendal grins.
"I would love to."
Meanwhile, Adam fights for his life as the magical flames slowly get closer to him. Nearly every surface below becomes a hazard for him as the flames continue to do their job.
"Is this the uncertainty that they mentioned?"- He says to himself- "Am I truly destined to die like this?"
Then, he remembers that it does not matter. Destiny or not, nothing is over until he has taken his last breath.
However, the flames continue to get closer. Soon, he starts to choke and run out of air to breathe.
"I only have a single chance."- He mutters- "If only I could... could... "
Then, he watches as a large orb of light appears in his hands.
"Do your job, little one."- He mutters- "My hopes and prayers travel with you."
As the orb starts to ascend, Emela gets closer. She has managed to escape from the forcecage and rush to Adam's side, but soon realizes that he is not here.
"Poor Adam."- She says- "Where could he be?"
Then, she notices the orb.
"A call for help."- She says- "I can feel his energy. He must be nearby."
Only water magic is able to truly extinguish magical fire. So, Emela gets to work and easily disrupts the field that Gyendal created, thus freeing Adam and saving him from burning to a crisp.
"There you are!"- Emela says and hugs her protege- "You're a strong one! Surviving a magical fire takes a lot of hard work and concentration. But you perfected it. Even without my help, you still would have found a way out!"
Adam sighs and looks down.
"What is the point?"- He says- "Now that I have to deal with both of them, there is no way I could do anything. They are just too powerful. Too arrogant and unable to back down. The sheer thought of seeing my family die because of them fills me with fear."
Emela smiles.
"I understand. Uncertainty is a determining factor, but it could also be bad news if you let it scrape at your soul."- She says- "You see, Mordred is right. Even though you fail to see it, there is a hidden potential within that young body of yours. Few will be able to explain it, because their talents are nowhere near yours. Even so, you can still use it for good. But the question is: are you willing to risk everything you have, just to make it happen?"
Adam looks down.
"Saving those people is my greatest task. I am a warrior of faith with a clear conscience."- He says- "And yet, I still see the civilization as it strives to improve. I get inspired to do so myself. Maybe it is worth it, but I will never know until I try."
Emela smiles.
"Your battle prowess is truly incredible."- She says- "But now, it's time for us to take it to the next level."
She stares into Adam's eyes.
"Focus the light within your soul. Cleanse the faulty elements and understand your true self."- She says- "Only then, you will see the key to eternal peace. The power that defines you best."
Adam closes his eyes. He remembers all of the times when he honed his skills. How he humiliated and, at times, hurt himself.
"Back then, I was young and unsure in myself. I did not know how to tie the knots of fate and use them in my favor."- He says to himself- "Those times are over. Now, I finally understand my true purpose and I am ready to unlock the true power that I gained."
As Adam continues to pray to the sacred gods above, a pair of small angel wings appear on his back. However, they soon grow bigger and stronger.
Emela gasps.
"Amazing!"- She exclaims- "So you are one of them!"
Adam smiles.
"I may be a human, but I have a clear connection to the astral realms."- He says- "And, when someone tries to disrupt world peace, I can call upon their power to cleanse their souls."
His eyes start to glow white. His skin starts to shine and his clothes turn pure white.
A few seconds later, the transformation is complete.
Adam looks at Emela and smiles.
"Miss Emela, thank you for believing in me."- He says- "Now, there is only one thing left to do."
Emela nods and smiles.
"Go ahead, then!"- She says- "The heavens await your sacred judgement!"
Adam smiles.
"We are the hope for the future!"- He says- "Together, our bond is unbreakable!"
As he flies off, Emela cannot help but admire how determined he has become to win this fight. In the name of everyone.
"Righteous, isn't he?"- Mari appears and says- "My nephew is one of the most kindhearted humans in the known lands. Although he may be a little confused sometimes, he still does his job well and makes us all proud. I am glad that I stayed for a while, to meet him and inspire him. It's an honor for me to be his aunt."
Emela smiles.
"I know, Mrs. Agreste. He is wonderful."- She says- "When I took him under my wing, I believed that he would become a great hero someday. I'm glad that my prayers have been answered, at long last."
Mari nods.
"That makes two of us."
As Adam descends from the sky, Mordred and Gyendal get startled and draw their weapons.
"This cannot be!"- Mordred yells- "You were supposed to perish in those flames! Nobody survives our magic!"
Adam smiles.
"Your petty flickers of light only made me stronger. I fought back and was rewarded with the boon of life."- He responds- "Once again, I made it out alive."
He points his finger at them.
"I know your weakness, Darkthrop!"
Mordred gasps.
"A weakness?!"- He yells- "But my body is perfect!"
Adam shakes his head.
"Maybe it was perfect in life."- He says- "However, like every body that you may have used before, there are many flaws that you cannot notice without a keen eye. Despite being a powerful sorcerer, you still failed to take a hint. And now, you will witness it with your own eyes.
Gyendal glares at him.
"Liar!"- He yells- "My master can never be defeated! He is eternal!"
Adam smiles.
"We will see about that."
He raises his hands in the air.
"With the power given to me, I call upon... The Eternal Sun!"
Suddenly, the sky shatters as a massive sword of holy energy pierces the sky and tears through the veil of darkness and despair.
In a matter of seconds, a large version of the Sun appears there, illuminating all of the known lands below.
The changes in scenery are instant.
Many of Darkthrop's servants are burned by the sunlight. If they are not incinerated immediately, then it is worse for them, as it quickly burns their demonic skin.
Gyendal, as a vampire, is also affected by this. As his skin starts to burn, he yells in pain and reaches for his sword.
"I will not go down without a fight!"- He screams- "I will fight you! Until I fall!"
Then, he lunges at Adam, malice burning in his evil eyes.
"And yet, you still refuse to see the truth."- Adam says and sighs- "Very well. Then, allow me to give you a mirror so you can see yourself!"
Having said that, he lifts his hand and swiftly raises it down.
In just a matter of a few moments, the giant blade of light shatters the remaining darkness and rends its way into the ground below.
Gyendal is pierced in the back as he tries to make another move.
"Argh!"- He yells- "It hurts! How... how dare you?!"
Adam glares at him.
"This is my revenge!"- He yells- "You took Aiden away from me! Justice demands that you pay for that. And I will make you pay!"
Gyendal screams wildly as his vampiric body is easily incinerated by the deadly conbination of the sun and holy blade, turning the once mighty vampire lord into a pile of useless ash, unimportant to anyone.
Meanwhile, Mordred struggles to stay awake. The sun's rays fail to kill him, but he is greatly weakened.
"Somewhere within Thorvald's body, I can still hear his spirit, lingering restlessly as his entire being is used against his will."- Adam says- "But I will not allow that! Mighty heroes like him are supposed to rest in peace! Disrupting his peaceful sleep was only one of the steps toward your demise!"
He raises his sword, now enchanted with intense light energy.
"Give me your strength, o great one!"- He yells- "Together, we will be stronger!"
As the spirit of Thorvald holds the sword alongside Adam, it pierces through his body, putting him down and releasing Darkthrop's evil spirit.
Meanwhile, the scenery changes again. Now that Mordred Darkthrop has been defeated, our heroes are brought back to Underfall's cathedral- the place where it all started.
"It is over, Darkthrop."- Adam says- "Now that your soul is free, you have nowhere else to go."
Mordred's soul laughs.
"Even as a soul, I am still powerful!"- He yells- "My genius cannot be stopped!"
As the two of them prepare to fight one last time, Akira steps between them. 
Unsure who she wants to help, she simply watches as the events are about to unfold.
"What are you doing, child?"- Mordred asks her- "I don't care if he is your brother. End his life!"
Adam shakes his head.
"If it has to be this way, then so be it."- He says- "I am glad that I will fall by your hand."
At first, Akira prepares to stab Adam. But then, her hands start to tremble uncontrollably.
Then, she turns toward her former master.
"Darkthrop!"- She yells- "I've had enough of your lies!"
Then, she makes her move, determined and confident that she is doing the right thing.
== Trivia ==
* The title of this Part ("Votum Futuri") is in Latin. In English, it roughly translates as "Hope For The Future".
** Alternatively, it also means "Wish For The Future".