MLTE- Part 5

This is the fifth Part of "ML:TE".
It was released on 08.09.2023.
== Plot ==
William and his comrades are captured by members of the mafia, led by the notorious second-in-command Apori. Forced to act against their will, the four of them are loaded on a caravan (alongside other enemies of the mafia) and led toward their enemies' HQ- the last place that they will ever see. Or so their enemies think.
Thrown between the raging tides, our heroes must find a way to trick their captors and escape with their lives. However, it would seem like that task will not be as easy as they think, due to the fact that the mafia members are skilled and ready for any kind of surprise, at least on the outside.
Will the heroes manage to break through the curtain of villainy?
== Story ==
As Will finally opens his eyes, he mumbles that he needs five more minutes of sleep. However, he soon realizes where he is, freezing for a brief second as his eyes scan every parameter of his tiny prison.
"Hmm. So this is what happened while I was in my dreams."- He says to himself- "Who knew that those mafia freaks could be so... clever."
Geralt chuckles dryly.
"So. You're finally awake."- He says to his nephew- "It took you a while to wake up from that dream."
Will looks at him.
"Why didn't you wake me up, uncle?"
Geralt shrugs.
"Well, you were so calm. So peaceful."- He says- "It would have been a sin for me to strip such a good thing from your life."
Will sighs.
"That makes sense, I guess."
He takes another look around.
"So. They finally managed to capture us?"- He asks- "Where are they leading us? To the capital?"
Alwyn stares at the woodlands outside and shakes his head.
"It would've been much better if they left us in the wilds."- He mutters- "Getting eaten by hungry bears's much better than meeting my father again."
Geralt sighs.
"The situation that we are in is... rather dire."- He says- "From the looks of it, the freaks managed to take us in while we were asleep. Circumstances excluded, it seems like they were responsible for this predicament."
Mysta nods.
"In other words, we're about to become the victims of our own enemies."
Will stares at the iron bars.
"Isn't there a way to break free?"- He asks- "To bribe the guards?"
Geralt shakes his head.
"I tried all kinds of tactics against them. Promises. Bribery. Even a little bit of magic."- He says- "And yet, neither the bars will budge, nor the guards themselves. Both of the things holding us in place are, ironically, built to last. The only way left is forward.
Will becomes enraged by this revelation.
"So, you are saying that... they want us dead?"
Geralt nods.
"Pretty much."
Will decides to take matters in his own hands. He approaches the driver's cabin and grabs him by the clothes.
"Listen here, you no-good outlaws. You made a big mistake by capturing us."- He says- "I don't know anything about your intentions, but I can tell that you are horrible people. And I will make sure that you suffer for hurting my friends!"
The caravan driver shakes his head.
"Talk all you want, my job's clear."- He says- "You want to escape from this? Why don't you try ending it all? See how much I care."
Then, he turns around, proving his point.
"What a jerk!"
Mysta shakes her head.
"Shady fellow."- She says- "Just the type that the mafia freaks would love to hire."
Will sighs.
"So."- He says- "Do we have a plan in mind? Or are we just going to accept our fate?"
Geralt points at some kind of a landmark in the distance.
"See that tunnel over there?"- He says- "The plan is easy. Once the caravan inevitably goes inside, we will make a move that will shake the nearby lands to the core."
Will looks interested.
"When you say "shake to the core", you mean... "
Mysta smiles.
"Oh. You'll see."- She says- "Just sit tight, my friend. A storm's coming up."
As intended, the caravan makes its way into the dark, cave-like tunnel. Almost immediately, the light of the sun fades away, leaving nothing more than darkness behind. The noise made by the caravan is amplified, allowing Mysta to mutter a spell without alerting the driver.
Finally, the girl manages to unleash the spell upon the area ahead of them. However, due to her anger for being captured and her hatred for most members of humankind, she accidentally channels more power into her attack, sending something much more dangerous forward.
The caravan driver manages to lead the caravan out of the tunnel. As soon as he reaches the end, however, he looks up at the giant anomaly, caused by Myst. This is the moment when he finally realizes that Will was speaking the truth.
A massive tornado has been spawned in the area ahead of the mafia caravans. This takes many of them by surprise, consuming them almost instantly as other make futile attempts to escape from the raging tempest.
Seeing that he's about to get in a lot of trouble, the driver reconsiders his life's choices and wonders if the large reward promised to him is actually worth it. Then, he remembers that his life's most important and leaps out of the caravan, screaming and waving his arms like a complete idiot as he tries to escape from the anomaly, leaving the caravan that he was driving behind without a second thought.
As expected, the driver is one of the first unlucky victims who are consumed by the oversized gust of wind, screaming in fear as he disappears from sight.
"Oopsie!"- Mysta says and chuckles quietly- "Maybe I went a little bit too far?"
Alwyn shakes his head.
"If you call this "going too far", take a look at your creation."- He says- "The road to its core is long and painful."
Will sighs.
"Well, I was not expecting this Monday to go like... this."
Geralt shakes his head.
"Mondays are always like this, kiddo."- He says to him- "Like it or not, we're always prone to danger. And when it finally comes, we become sour and indecisive."
Will looks at him.
"This sounds like a perfect description for every single day in my life."
Geralt sighs.
"You have a point."
As the four heroes wonder how they will escape before their caravan is devoured, a beautiful, slender longsword is launched toward the bars that are holding them inside. Without much trouble, the blade cuts the sturdy iron bars in half, landing in Geralt's hand.
"Ah! My ever-faithful Dreamweaver!"- Geralt exclaims- "I was wondering where you went, buddy!"
Will looks at his uncle and smiles.
"Uncle, your sword just saved our lives."- He says- "We can finally escape with our lives."
Geralt looks at his weapon and smiles.
"Well, I am sure that Dreamweaver appreciates your gratitude."
Mysta raises her eyebrow.
"You talk to your sword as if it were a sentimental being."- She says- "Is this a thing that you humans do often?"
Geralt shakes his head.
"Far from it. Only the craziest of people can pretend to speak to inanimate objects."- He says- "However, forming a bond with the weapon in your hand will make it your friend, no matter if it's alive or not."
He thinks about this for a few seconds.
"Come to think of it, I once read a story about a madman. A faithful leader, like me and my wife, but with a very ruthless attitude. His strikes were so strong that they could pop you like a ballon, and his swears so foul that they can make a sailor's firstborn son blush."- He says- "This happened during the times when my father used to fight a powerful, ancient entity. At that time, an evil necromancer who was allied with the... man... had spawned a hungry horde of undead to take over the world. Some of the people of this world went mad and had to resort to more... unhumane methods. That madman had blood on his hands, belonging both to the former undead... and the ones who were still alive."
Alwyn's eyes widen for a moment.
"This sounds like the beginning of some kind of horror story!"- He says- "Are you sure that it wasn't just some kind of crazy fiction? Or something to that extent?"
Geralt shakes his head.
"My father saw that fool with his own eyes."- He responds- "I assure you. What I said right now is quite real."
Alwyn gasps.
"So the stories can become reality?"- He says- "Impressive! I want to know more about that!"
Mysta sighs.
"How come we're able to talk like this, in the middle of a giant hurricane?"- She says to herself- "Come to think of it, how is the caravan not gone yet?"
Geralt shakes his head.
"I would love to tell you more."- He says- "But our time is limited. We must escape before the timer runs out."
Alwyn raises his eyebrow.
"What timer?"
Geralt shakes his head.
"The timer that will lead us toward our doom."
On that note, the four heroes manage to jump out of the caravan just as it is about to be consumed by the wind. They start to fall down, but Mysta manages to envelop them in a gust of wind, allowing them to descend much slower.
Unfortunately, the magic is only temporary. As soon as it runs out, they start to fall down again. Even worse, the falling speed increases further due to the height, making their inevitable demise even more imminent than it was before.
"Umm, Willy."- Mysta says, concerned- "I don't suppose you have something to save us?"
Will smiles.
"Leave it to me."
Just as the four of them are about to reach the ground, Will casts a brief spell. Suddenly, time drastically slows down, giving our heroes the chance reach the ground without suffering a fatal (or near-fatal) incident.
"Phew! Now that's what I call looking into the eyes of Oblivion!"- Geralt exclaims- "Is everyone alright?"
Will wipes the dust away from his clothes and sighs.
"Judging by the nightmare that we had to face, we will not be alright for a while."- He says- "But, to answer your question, we are still whole. I think."
Alwyn shakes his head.
"When I ran away from town, I didn't know that I'd get in so much trouble!"- He exclaims- "I didn't sign up for any of this!"
Will shakes his head.
"I know that you are worried, but this is not the right time to give in to your inner fears."- He says- "Heroes are made to last, even under the worst circumstances. We learn to adapt and use the terrain to our advantage. Even the enemies cannot understand the concept of survival like we do."
He stares at him.
"So, if you are a true hero, you should forget about the past and keep fighting for the future."- He adds- "Delving too deep into our past deeds is a certain invitation for more trouble. If you want to avoid it, analyze your thoughts carefully and decide whether you should carry out your plans or not."
Alwyn nods.
"I... will do my best."
Geralt sighs.
"Aside from Alwyn's mild breakdown, is everyone mentally prepared for the rest of this trip?"- He asks- "Thanks to the mafia fools, we managed to get closer to their capital. It is only a matter of time before we find our Bonnie and Clyde."
Will raises his eyebrow.
"When you say Bonnie and Clyde... "
Geralt nods.
"Indeed, my boy."- He says- "I mean Mr. Grayson and his ever-faithful lickspittle Apori."
Alwyn shudders.
"Hearing the name of that no-good elf."- He says- "It gives me the... chills."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"By the way, Alwyn."- He says- "Do you need any help with that chain?"
Alwyn shakes his head.
"You've done way more than you should have."- He says- "Now it's my turn to resist my father's rule."
Will is about to say something, possibly to convince Alwyn not to refuse the help of his allies. However, as soon as he begins to speak, he hears a pained grunt behind him and sees Mysta falling to her knees. Just in time, he manages to keep her from falling, helping her back to her feet as their worried allies look on.
"It's okay. Just some post-effort exhaustion."- Mysta says- "All I need's a little peace and quiet."
Will sighs.
"We all do, Myst."- He says- "Once we get out of here, I will make sure to take you back to your realm. Maybe you will feel better once we-- "
Suddenly, he hears the sounds of galloping. And then, they stop just as quickly as they started. Seconds later, the faint sounds of spellcasting can be heard.
"You might have gotten far, but no farther you will go."- He hears the familiar voice of Apori- "Reveal yourselves and maybe I will show you mercy."
Will turns back to his allies.
"It sounds like the rest of the mafia is hunting us down."- He whispers- "Perhaps we should-- "
Before he's able to share his plan, he feels a strong chill inside of his heart. He watches helplessly as his entire is frozen solid. And the same thing happens to each of his fellow comrades, effectively preventing them from running away again.
"It was very uncustomary of you to run away like that."- Apori says and smiles- "But fear not. Once we take you to our mighty leader, you will see that I was right."
As if stuck in a time capsule, Will and his allies can do nothing but watch as the mafia drags them away, on another caravan.
"Oh, and one more thing."- Apori says- "Don't try to cut your way through the ice. It's meant to be unbreakable and will only cause you pain."
Will attempts to yell at Apori. However, his words are like a faint whisper- disappearing into the wind, unheard by anyone but the smallest of creatures. 
After hearing stories of his uncle fighting many dangerous enemies and encountering some of them himself, this whole situation becomes very humiliating for both of them. Locked up in a very unorthodox way, with no means of escaping, is not their cup of tea. Escaping from this predicament may prove to be trickier than it usually is.
As the caravan heads off, Apori sits on the front seat. He watches the four heroes intently, even though he is completely aware that they cannot get away, even if they wanted to. The reason for that is unknown, but one could easily assume that he is trying to mock them- with his evil, ice-cold demeanor.
"So. What do you know of our plans?"- He asks them- "Does my holy leader tell the truth? Are you really who you seem to be?"
Will does not respond. It is uncertain whether it is because of his inability, or his unwillingness to do so.
"Hmm. I see."- Apori says, seemingly disappointed- "Then I should give you a little bit of... initiative."
Our heroes can only watch as Apori casts a brief spell. Even inside of that icy shell, they can feel the dark, icy tendrils of darkness creeping toward them.
Inside of the ice, Will lets out a scream, unheard by anyone but him. And then, his eyes go white as he starts to experience a movie-like set of nightmares, meant to crush his soul and turn him into an emotionless puppet, subservient to the dark mafia boss.
"Ah. So your biggest fear is to be left alone in the dark, without your loved ones to guide you. How ominous."- Apori says- "As for you, Alwyn, you're worried about your... aunt's well-being. Delia, was it? Well, I'll make sure that the mafia pays her a visit, wherever she may be."
Even though he is frozen solid, Alwyn can still hear Apori's words. Much to the elf's surprise, he clenches both of his fists, a clear sign of rage and frustration. Being tortured is one thing for him, but listening to Apori's threats clearly sends him on the edge. His usually calm attitude turns into a tornado of blazing fury.
It is quite fortunate for Apori that he is still frozen. Otherwise, he would be in a lot of trouble.
"Human emotions are always so... worthless. The bonds that you form with each other, they are meant to break, sooner or later."- He says- "Mark my words, my friends. No matter if you survive or not, you will soon come face to face with the horrors that lie beyond your mistakes. The black curtain shall cover your light and snuff it out."
Will glares at Apori, as if to say "Dream on, you fool." .
"But I am getting tired of this one-sided banter."- Apori says and looks back- "We have a long road ahead of us. Nothing will be achieved by simply talking to a bunch of-- "
Just as he is about to insult the heroes again, Apori hears something running behind him. Too late, he realizes that a giant wolf is chasing the caravans. Its movement speed is faster than that of its future victims, and there is no hope for escaping.
In a futile attempt to push the creature back, Apori stands up and starts to launch dark bolts toward it. However, the beast simply devours them and hurls them back at him, mildly wounding him as he cowers further into the caravan.
As he accidentally looks at the four frozen heroes, he sees the smiles on their faces. Apparently, a backup plan was considered from the start, and this is the perfect moment to unleash it upon the unsuspecting elf and his dark posse.
"You... "- He mutters- "... what kind of friends do you have?!"
Will continues to smile, as if to say "Dangerous ones." .
As Apori continues to stare at the frozen heroes, the giant wolf finally reaches his enemies. Without a moment of hesitation, he jumps in the air and stomps four of the caravans with a single blow. All of the guards inside are slaughtered and the prisoners are freed. 
Then, not wasting any time, the creature uses its massive claw to shatter the last caravan in pieces, sending Apori flying in the air. Then, much to the elf's surprise, the giant wolf jumps in the air and starts to slash him with his giant claws, leaving deep scratches on the creature's elegant body.
Apori is annoyed by the wolf's interference. It summons a group of dark spirits, attempting to overwhelm him. However, just as soon as they appear in this world, they also vanish from it. The wolf devours them, making sure that Apori hears their pained screams as they descend back into the underworld.
Deciding that it's not worth giving in to fear, he forms a large trident-like weapon, made of pure darkness. As the creature attempts to devour him whole, he pins the weapon between his jaws and pushes as much as he can. Much to the surprise of both combatants, one of the wolf teeth falls off- a piece of his body, almost as big as an entire sword. Apori uses the moment of surprise to grab the tooth and stab the giant wolf in the ribs, making it fall down faster than him.
However, as if he wants to steal the fiendish elf's last laugh, the wolf grabs him by the feet and shakes his head.
"I'm afraid there is no easy way out of this one, servant of the twilight."
Apori, as expected, is shocked.
"Wait!"- He exclaims- "You can ta-- "
Then, without another word, he descends to the ground as quickly as he can, slamming the screeching Apori into the dirt as soon as he reaches it. The result is catastrophic for the elven high mage- many bones in his body are broken, and many of them are close to that state. His face is a mess of despised emotions and the palms of his hands crackle with the residual energy of the spell that he casted during the battle, weakened and soft.
"In the language of the human beings."- The wolf says and smiles- "This is a K.O!"
Apori looks up weakly, seemingly defeated.
"In my years of experience, I never thought that I might be defeated by the likes of... a wolf. A talking wolf, no less."- Apori says and sighs- "What have I done to deserve this?"
The wolf shakes his head.
"Hmph."- He says- "You deserved worse."
Temporarily ignoring the elven wizard, the giant wolf approaches the still-frozen heroes. He shakes his head and breathes fire, easily destroying the so-called "unbreakable" barrier of ice and allowing them to move and breathe once again.
"Indestructable? Almighty? Boy, your words are worth a good laugh."- The giant wolf says and chuckles- "In my life, I have seen goblins who were able to put up a better fight than you ever will. And, unlike them, your stench is on the inside. Your soul smells like a thousand rotten eggs, piled up in the deepest, darkest pit in the underworld."
Will stands up and points at Apori.
"And your breath smells like failure."- He adds- "The failure that you are!"
The wolf smiles.
"Well said, William."- He says- "I am glad that I chose well when I decided to help you."
Will smiles back.
"The honor is mine, supreme guardian Osmond."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Wait. This is Osmond, the guardian of the Darkheart Temple and the Scroll of The Exiled?"- He asks- "I can see that it's him. The energies between both of them are exactly the same. However, the way he looks is... quite different."
Osmond nods.
"Ever since this boy showed me the way of the true hero, I have been pondering my choices. How I came to me. My purpose in this world. And, most importantly, if it is worth shying away from the human beings or not."- He says- "However, honor demanded that I should help my ardent savior. To give him the motivation to defeat the fiends that plague his life. When I came here, it was not without a purpose. I came here to fight... and fight I shall."
Then, he stoically approaches the downed Apori, his stare as terrifying as a thousand glares.
"What say you, worm?"- He asks him- "Do the gods above favor you like he favors this young man? Are you aware of your own mortality now?"
Apori does a good show of self restraint, even though his eyes are filled with silent, endless hatred.
"I see."- He says- "Then make sure to remember this- your endless persistence shall be your most humiliating downfall."
Then, he bows his head.
"But the first one to endure humiliation... is yours truly."- He adds- "My purpose is done. This world remains in the hands of the noble heroes. Your efforts will be... futile, worm."
Shocked, Will takes a good look at Osmond's dark fur. That is when he realizes that the giant wolf has been struck by a giant arrow, made of dark energy. Black blood is seeping out of it as his entire body begins to disintegrate.
"Battling the enemies of this world does not come without a price. I realized it not long after I left the safety of my temple."- He says- "But the fame that burns bright, it cannot be taken away from the good people. It may stop burning for a while, but never forever. As long as there are people capable of rekindling it to its former glory, the flame of hope shall never be completely extinguished. No matter how much the world changes for the worse, there will always be someone to change it... for good."
Then. he looks at the boy who changed his life, his dark eyes piercing their way through his bright soul once again.
"And you. The one that I will never forget."- He says- "What you did out here, it was a borderline miracle. You are the one who can decide the fate of the two worlds. You, the one who keeps the world's chalice in its rightful place, are the one who is meant to make evil regret again."
Osmond's eyes start to close as the last fragments of him start to fade away.
"Believe in the Light... "
As the final remnants of the mighty wolf vanish from existence, Will is left behind a little bit of stardust in his hands. He looks down, clearly shaken by the loss of a dear friend. A creature that was once unable to trust him, now loyal and faithful without a doubt.
"Osmond."- He says with little emotion- "Everything that you sacrificed to make your mark in the world that shunned you, everything that you did to light the spark of hope once again, it will not be forgotten. Never again will the ice-cold feelings of a villain hurt us again."
And then, he glares at Apori, his eyes filled with immense fury. He approaches him and grabs him by the beck.
"I knew that it was you all along!"- He yells- "You were the one who maimed him!"
Apori snorts.
"So what?"- He says- "Even if I did, you have no right to call me out."
Will continues to glare at him.
"Mark my words, servant of oblivion. Sooner or later, I will send you back into the underworld. But before that happens, I will make you witness all of your sins anew, remind you of the mistake that you are."- He says- "And when you finally reach the black gates, the exiled one will not be as merciful as I will be. Let that sink in."
Dropping him to the ground, he draws his weapon and points it at him.
"Now get ready."- He adds- "I want to kill you, but not without a fair fight. Prepare to defend yourself."