MLIV C2, P6- "One Of Us"

"One Of Us" is the sixth and last Part of "Miracula Luxia IV" 's second Chapter.
It was released on 31.05.2022.
== Plot ==
As the situation finally goes downhill, Adam and his allies are forced to face a new threat, greater than they anticipated. Having survived the revolt of some of the surviving "Darkness of Duskwood" gang members, the hundred undead assault and Linus's ambush, it soon becomes clear that only a brilliant mastermind would be able to devise such a well-thought plan. To be foolhardy enough to orchestrate the defeat of a group of world-renowned heroes and risk the anger of everyone would be a very bad idea, but whoever brought it to life must be more than just an aimless commander or a vindictive victim of a battle long past. And, probably, not a human person and most certainly devoid of rational thoughts.
Linus' "employer" seems to be a very powerful (and dangerous) individual, capable of altering one's thoughts with ease and making them perform questionable deeds across the known lands. Their grasp of ancient magic is a clear sign of someone who has been studying the forbidden arts for a long time, yet is not strong enough to match the power of Mordred Darkthrop himself.
Will the heroes be able to face a thousand year-old master of darkness... and survive?
== Story ==
As Adam and his allies prepare to leave, they hear the undead growling behind them.
"Umm. Adam?"- Akira says- "We're still in danger, you know?"
Adam sighs.
"Of course."- He says- "The battle is not over yet."
He motions for his allies to join him.
"I have a plan in mind. With enough power on my side, I will be able to cast a spell strong enough to decimate those creatures."- He says- "However, I will need your help. Only true unity will be able to save us now."
Akira and Emela seem to doubt this. Such an act of heroism is nearly impossible, after all. If Adam claims that he will be able to do such a thing, then he needs to channel all of the power that he has gained into a single spell- something that is deemed impossible by many spellcasters.
"I don't know, dear."- Emela says- "If this plan backfires at us, then things won't... go well. At all."
Akira nods.
"I hate to say it, but I have to agree with Emela."- She says- "Are you sure that what you're about to do is, you know, failproof?"
Adam stares at them, surprised and disappointed.
"Are you aware that we do not have another choice?"- He responds- "Letting those undead enter the town of Duskwood will result in chaos throughout this region. And this will not be the only thing that we will worry about. Far from it. Once they get the place for themselves, this will grant the one who brought them back to life the chance to spread the fires of darkness even further, razing more and more settlements to the ground. This will make our world vulnerable to another onslaught by Darkthrop and his battalion of loyal fiends and the downfall of society as we know it. The world will not stand a chance if it is weak and divided, so we must do our best to keep it from becoming this way."
Akira and Emela stare at each other and shake their heads. They are still not fully convinced.
As Adam wonders whether he will be forced to fight the creatures all by himself or not, Linus steps in and glares at the women.
"How dare you doubt Adam's ability to save the world?!"- He yells at them- "Doubting each other makes us weak! Turns us into faulty elements, unwanted by society! Do you fail to realize that this is what our enemies want to see?!"
Akira and Emela raise their eyebrows.
"Linus, dear."- Emela says- "No offense, but I don't think we'll be able to so such a thing. A high concentration of holy magic, used in a matter of mere seconds, could be disastrous for us. I... "
Linus shakes his head.
"I will not take no for an answer!"- He yells- "Do whatever you want, but I'm not giving up on my friend!"
Suddenly, he moves close to Adam and places his hand on his shoulder.
"You gave me the strength to fight back against the darkness. You helped me forget the horrible past, when I was too weak to do it myself."- He says to him- "You were the only one who believed in me, even though I tried to kill you many times. And now, it's time for me to believe in you."
He raises his hand in the air.
"Bring it on, dwellers of the shadows!"
Adam is surprised by his friend's act of unwavering loyalty and incredible determination.
"Linus... "
Linus smiles.
"We can do this, Adam."- He says- "Just like the old times, we'll bring the light back to yet another desolate land."
Adam smiles back.
"You are right. How dared I be so blind all this time?"- He says- "I can see it now. The piece of the puzzle that I have been missing... is friendship. The bonds that we built with the people along the way... are the fragments of hope that we have been looking for."
He closes his eyes.
"It is time to redeem ourselves."- He continues- "Once again, the light shall prevail."
Their faith in Adam restored, Akira and Emela join them as well and chant as the undead slowly shamble toward them.
Not long after, Adam's eyes start to glow white.
"I can feel your strength. Your desire. Your anger. Your wishes for a better world."- He says- "In the name of all that is sacred, I shall be your weapon in the face of evil. Together, we can rend through the black curtains. Our names shall be remembered as the ones who stood against the inevitable and inspired others to do the same."
Suddenly, his eyes start to shine.
"I will not let our common dream fade away like this!"
Having said that, he launches a globe of light toward the incoming undead. It starts out small, but quickly grows in size and intensity as it descends toward its intended destination.
Soon, it crashes into the ground, creating a massive explosion. Rays of light pierce the sky as millions of tiny particles ascend toward the heavens.
"Stay strong, everyone."- Adam says as the explosion reaches its climax- "We have already saved the world once. And I believe that we can do it again."
As our heroes close their eyes, they hear the muffled screams of the servants of darkness, brought back into this world by forbidden magic and mindlessly tossing themselves toward the brilliance that the globe of light exudes.
The links between the undead and their master shatter as they are instantly disintegrated by the ensuing explosion, turning into the ashes that they once were.
"I-is it over?"- Emela asks- "I don't think that I can hold myself together much longer."
Adam nods.
"Just a little bit more."- He mutters- "We are almost there... "
Finally, the screams seem to have faded away. The surrounding countryside becomes eerily quiet as the last attackers fall.
Opening his eyes first, Adam scans the horizon and realizes that his plan was a success. 
Everywhere around him, the ashes of many fallen fiends lie, signifying the end of this battle.
Much to everyone else's surprise, nobody else arrives to attack them. The place is completely empty. Just like that, they have managed to end one of the biggest horde attacks known to humankind.
"Impressive."- Akira says- "And I thought that such a thing would be impossible to be executed by a mortal mind... "
Adam smiles.
"Do not underestimate the warriors of justice."- He says- "We can be much more than you think."
Emela takes a look at a pile of ashes. She picks up some of it, sniffs and wrinkles her nose in disgust.
"Ugh."- She says- "They still have the smell of eternal decay latched onto them."
She tosses the ashes away.
"Putrid creatures... "
Adam turns to Linus.
"Well, my friend. You have managed to helped me out and thus, redeemed yourself in my eyes. Thanks to you, I saw the spark of altruism that I had lost long ago."- He says- "In the name of everyone in our group, I hereby welcome you as our newest member. I believe that you will make quite a name for yourself as time goes by. Your courage and valor will be known throughout the world and people will see you as a redeemed man, devoid of the darkness that once tainted his heart."
He smiles.
"So."- He continues- "Do you accept?"
Linus nods.
"With pleasure!"- He says without hesitation- "I've been longing for a chance to prove myself. Now that I can travel with you, I promise that I'll try my best to be a worthy ally and a selfless individual!"
Akira sighs.
"We'll see about that."
As the four of them travel back to Duskwood, Adam turns back to Linus.
"While we still have the chance, I want to ask you something."- He says- "Why did you go to all this trouble to hunt us down, yet gave up in the end? Was it all about desperation? A lust for revenge? I am not sure why you would do such a thing."
Linus sighs.
"Not quite."- He says- "You see, when I tried to break your heart, to make you think that I've turned against my people... that wasn't me. Truth is, there is one person out there who has control over the minds of others. He serves Darkthrop and forces weak-minded individuals to join him. And I had the bad luck of ending up in his line of fire."
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"So. Let me make sense of this."- He says- "You claim that you were possessed by someone else. You were tricked into doing their bidding. Your mind was locked away and you were unable to retrieve the fragments of your sanity. And, were it not for us, you would have stayed this way forever. Is that so?"
Linus smiles.
"Amazing."- He says- "It's like you're reading my mind."
Akira shakes her head.
"That still doesn't explain why you acted so docile the first time we met you."
Linus shrugs.
"Part of me was still infused into that... voodoo doll."- He says- "I knew who you are. I wanted to be good to you. And yet, the darkness was too strong. I couldn't hold back for much longer. And thus, I was forced to watch as you were getting attacked. By my own body! It was so... awful."
Adam sighs.
"We all have our times of duality, Linus."- He says- "It is only a matter of time before your dominant personality wins this seemingly never-ending fight."
He turns toward Duskwood and sighs again.
"I know how it feels."- He says- "Because I experienced things that I would never wish upon anyone else. I saw nightmares, disguised as pleasant dreams. I fought against my own inner demons. And it was only through sheer will and dedication that I managed to banish them from my consciousness for good."
Akira looks at her brother.
"But there are still demons out here."
Adam nods.
"And I am ready to face them as well."
The four of them go back to James's office.
Seeing that he has managed to recover from the Deceiver's murder attempt, they decide to talk to him regarding the current situation of Duskwood.
"I suspected that there would be one who's more intelligent than the man whom we defeated."- He begins- "Still, that guy was one of a kind. He fooled us for so long, presented himself for someone else. He acted like he's more stupid than a box of rocks, while carefully devising his next move. Were it not for his demeanor, the true culprits would have been discovered months ago. Around the dawn of the very first murders, perhaps."
Adam nods.
"Does this mean that you learned something about... the mastermind?"
James nods and looks at his table.
"I found this pack of cards, left behind in his building."- He says- "Seemed like a simple deck, but I knew better. There's magic infused deep within it, hidden from the untrained eye."
He picks up the top card of the deck and presents it to them.
"This is the card meant to represent the one on top. The hero whose role is to restore what others have ruined. To be the solace in other people's lives and the bane of evil. A leader with a clear heart, untainted by evil."- He says- "This... is "The Archangel". And that's supposed to be you, Adam."
He draws another card.
"And then, we have his most trusted companion. The maiden of few words, whose role to help the person dearest to her has grown to protecting the weak."- He says- "Such a card is unmistakably "The Redeemer". Few people would be able to fit this role well, so I'm sure that Akira is the one for it."
And another.
"Keeper of the law. Guardian of the ancient rites. Her, whose life has been troubled by good and evil alike. She, who stood in the lands below our feet for so long, becoming the true manifestation of justice and good will. The one who made a name for herself by challenging others, only to become the victim of their anger and commitment."- He says- "This is the proof of the existence of a card, known simply as "The Eternal Judge". And it could be none other than Emela."
And another.
"A blade of justice, turned aside to serve the vile demons and fulfill its own, foolish desires. A lost soul who has been wandering the badlands for too long, becoming one with them as it fell victim to the darkness within. A candle of hope that burned too bright, only to extinguish itself while trying to make a difference."- He says- "Here, we are talking about "The Fallen One". Linus, that is you. And you still have a long way to go until you can prove destiny otherwise."
Adam sighs.
"You know, this is just a bunch of worthless trivia. Many like to believe this superstitious information, but I am not one of them."- He says- "What I like to believe in, however, is my own desire to make the world better. In order to do it, we may have to turn the gears of destiny toward the light. But I am not afraid. We can do it."
James smiles.
"And that's why some of those things may be true."
He sighs.
"However, this is no time to be trying to comprehend our own destiny."- He says- "We must live up to our own desires. We must keep the planet safe."
He pulls out a map and points a giant castle, marked in the middle.
"Before you arrived, I sent some of my scouts to learn more about the one who sent Linus to kill you. I knew that he couldn't do such a thing all by myself, so I surveyed the information that I was provided."- He says- "Together with them, we managed to find out who was foolish enough to send him all the way here."
He glares at the castle.
"Phaerzon."
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"Um. I beg you pardon?"- He says- "Who is this... person?"
James looks up.
"A true master of evil who has been honing his skills for thousands of years."- He says- "He started off as a simple farmer, but quickly became interested in the forbidden techniques known to his kind. He stole many books that were hidden in simple libraries and used their contents to create an army of undead none even dared to imagine. Were it not for heroes like you, he almost certainly would have conquered the entire world. He was a tyrant. And a sadistic one, on top of that."
He sighs.
"But that ain't the end of his story."- He says- "Once brought back by the black book that he first found, he became a Lich. A being of great power that possesses an innate talent in magery, as well as what we call the dark arts. He was defeated many times, but he resurrected over and over again. However, he wasn't that much of a threat to us. Just another madman with visions of grandeur... until Darkthrop showed up and granted him unspeakable power. Since then, he has been one of humanity's greatest enemies who has been hiding in his keep for many years."
He looks at Adam.
"Tell me, my boy."- He says to him- "Will you be brave enough to defeat this unknown enemy, without our help?"
Adam nods and smiles.
"With my friends by my side, I am sure that I will prevail!"
James nods.
"Wise words, child. And I'm sure that you can back them up with many heroic feats."- He says to him- "But be warned. Many have tried to do the same. They stormed into his castle, thinking that they would emerge victorious, yet fell in battle and joined his undead army. Some of the skulls of those who were lucky enough to not do that are still lying there, undisturbed by anyone."
Adam gasps.
"So, this means that... "
James nods.
"And that brings up my final question."- He says- "Even when you're faced with the sight of death and despair everywhere, will you still be able to be yourself?"
Adam clenches his fist.
"There is only one way to find that out."
He turns to his allies.
"Well. We are about to face one of our greatest enemies yet. Perhaps this might be a mistake, but I refuse to stand back."- He says- "If you want to stay here, safe and sound, then feel free to do so. I will not stop you."
Akira shakes her head.
"Leave you? All alone, in a land with no light and hope?"- She asks him- "Of course not! I am not going to let you sacrifice yourself like that, little brother! You've already helped us so many times, so let us be the ones who help you now."
Emela nods.
"I can sense great evil from that place. It is as if someone is trying to play with our minds, make us weak and divided."- She says- "I will not allow that. We're going to head there as a team."
Adam nods.
"Then the matter is settled."- He says- "Come on, everyone. Off we go."
Having said that, he and his allies leave James's office, heading toward the black castle.
Many hours pass. More and more miles end up behind our heroes as they make their way toward the land of Phaerzon. Forced to climb hills in order to avoid his undead patrols, they end up farther away than they expected, yet still manage to reach their destination.
"Brrr. It's cold in here."- Akira says as they reach the black castle's walls- "It is as if someone's piercing my heart with shards of ice. And I can feel it all."
Adam takes a good look. He realizes that the walls are made of solid obsidian, polished by the tortured souls who are being forced to work for their master. Seemingly indestructible, they stand there, like motionless guards who silently do their duty.
The gate that leads to the inner sactum is, understandably locked. This prevents our heroes from going any further.
"Oh no."- Linus says- "He knew that we were coming."
Emela sighs.
"Maybe there's some kind of back entrance that we can use?"- She says- "Places like those often have secrets that are invisible to common people. Perhaps this is also the case with this one?"
However, this does not concern Adam. Approaching the gates, he confidently raises his hand and touches one of the bars.
Suddenly, this steel-clad defender starts to melt away. Bit by bit, the heat of his hand crushes its surface and turns it into a viscous liquid that falls on the floor. Then, as the last of them are finally taken care of, Adam gently brushes the palm of his hand against the rest of the bars, melting them in the same way as he did before.
Soon, all that is left of the gate is a pile of unrecognizable, gray goo.
He turns to Emela and smiles.
"I do not need to know their secrets to know where the weak link is."- He says- "Even a closed gate cannot stop me from completing my mission."
Linus pats Adam on the shoulder.
"Nice one, my friend."- He says- "Now, it's time to make that lich pay."
As our heroes enter the castle, the moans of the fallen sound in the halls. All around them, they hear incomprehensible whispers, perhaps the curses of the fallen who have grown to hate the living.
While the others seemingly neglect this change of scenery, Aalia seems to be utterly terrified. She nervously grabs Adam's hand as they move past the pitch black statues of gargoyles and demons, their expressions fixated on both of them.
"I can feel them. They're everywhere around us."- She says- "Please. Let's hurry."
Adam turns around.
"Is something wrong, my love?"
Aalia shakes her head.
"I... I just want to get this job done faster."- She says- "Walking through a creepy castle's bad for little, feeble me."
Adam smiles.
"Fear not, my dear."- He says- "As long as I stay here with you, there is nothing that can tear us apart. We shall stay strong."
Aalia nods.
"I pray to the heavens that you're right."- She says- "Alright. This is it. Let's defeat that lich for... well... for everyone."
As the five of them move past more of the creepy statues, Adam notices that one of them looks worryingly alive. He leaps back just in time as it shakes dust off of its stone shoulders, pulls its long blade out and lunges at them.
"They're alive!"- Aalia yells- "I knew there was something wrong with them, but... this? I can't take it seriously!"
Akira shakes her head.
"Those are just a few signs of the residual magic that made this place its home."- She says- "Gargoyles are strong, but not invulnerable. Bash them for long enough and they will die like everyone else."
To prove her point, she casts a spell that blinds the creature of stone, draws her sword and stabs it in the chest.
"Umm."- Emela says- "It's still there, you know."
Akira channels a large amount of energy through her weapon, forcing the gargoyle's entire body to crack and explode into hundreds of pieces.
She turns to Emela and smiles.
"I always find a way."
Emela nods.
"It shows."
Just as they think that they defeated the only guardian of the fortress, another gargoyle springs to life. And then another. And another.
As the creatures charge at thesurprised heroes, some of the demon statues also start to move. They cast spells on themselves, breaking the stone that used to hold them together and reveal their true forms.
"Real demons?"- Emela says- "Looks like we're in quite the predicament, huh?"
Adam draws his weapon.
"Keep it up, everyone!"- He yells- "The lich is somewhere out there! We must show him that we are not afraid of his guardians!"
More and more guardians appear in front of our heroes as they fight their way through them with blades and magic. Soon, the grinding sounds that the statues make becomes too unbearable for them.
"This is ridiculous!"- Linus exclaims- "Not only are those statues immune to our magic, they're also able to parry our blows with ease. What are the odds?"
Adam shakes his head.
"Do not give up."- He says- "There must be a way to smite them down."
Moments later, Akira accidentally steps on a hidden pressure plate and triggers a hidden trap. Suddenly, a huge boulder appears and rolls toward them with incredible speed.
As the rest of our heroes attempt to outrun the massive rock, Aalia trips and falls. Realizing that the boulder is just behind her, she screams.
"Aalia! No!"- Adam yells and rushes to her aid- "I will save you!"
Just as the boulder is about to crush Aalia, Adam stands in front of it and manages to stop it from rolling further by using the power of wind to blow it back. However, the rock turns out to be a tough customer and continues to roll, this time toward him.
"I can,.. do it."- He says- "The fate of the world... depends on me."
Akira shakes her head,
"Save yourself, brother!"- She yells- "It's impossible to ward away something this big!"
Having accepted her fate, Aalia hugs Adam as he continues to push the boulder away.
"If I am to die, then I want to die with you!"- She exclaims- "I'm not going to leave you, Adam!"
Adam shakes his head.
"We will not... die."- He says- "Just give me... a bit more time."
Having said that, his magic slowly grows in intensity. Soon, it is able to stop the giant rock from moving whatsoever.
Then, miraculously, it starts to move back. The giant boulder of doom, thought to be the harbringer of despair for our heroes, soon rolls toward the attacking gargoyles and demons, crushing a massive amount of them in the process.
"What a surprise!"- Adam exclaims- "Who knew that rock could actually be beaten by rock?"
Linus smiles.
"This is... a breakthrough!"- He says- "Completely unheard of!"
Unfortunately, as it rolls even further, it lands on the passage that leads outside. Our heroes' only route out of this place is blocked.
"Good job, Adam."- Akira scolds her brother- "Now we're really trapped in here, even though we're still alive."
Adam shakes his head.
"It is unwise to not believe in the possibility that there is another way out."- He says- "Believing that we are doomed for good is as bad as losing your own hope and faith."
Akira nods.
"Of course I believe in that. In my training, I've learned to believe in my own pathfinding skills."- She says- "However, the problem is that the only way left to go through... is forward."
Adam sighs.
"That is what we intended to do, Aki."
Akira smiles.
"Right, Adam. If you think that you can face a lich while knowing how doomed you are, then go right ahead."- She says- "I want to join you, but it's hard to know that we're stranded so deep. So, I wish you good luck. Keep on shining and don't worry abo-- "
Suddenly, a massive barrier separates Adam and Linus from their allies and sends a massive jolt toward Akira's arm as she slightly brushes it into its surface.
"Agh!"- Akira exclaims- "Another obstacle!"
Linus sighs.
"Good job, Akira."- He says- "You and your loud mouth were really helpful."
Akira shakes her head.
"I'm sorry!"
Adam sighs.
"Well. An apology will not solve this problem, you know?"- He says- "Hold on. I will try to bring it down."
He takes a step forward, casts a purifying spell on the barrier, but soon realizes that it is more powerful than he thought. He tries harder, but the malevolent energies keep on resisting his attempts to sanctify it.
Having had enough of his futile attempts, the barrier emits a high energy blast, sending both Adam and Linus back.
"This is bad."- Linus says- "Not only is our only way out blocked by a giant rock, now we're also separated from our friends."
Akira sighs.
"That much is obvious."
Emela looks at the barrier and shakes her head.
"What's going to happen now?"- She asks- "With this barrier in our way, we're just sitting ducks. We can't do anything unless... unless... "
Adam sighs.
"I am sorry, Miss Emela."- He says- "We must go alone."
Emela starts to respond, but soon decides against it. She falls on her knees as tears roll down from her eyes.
"I'm sorry for dragging us into this mess, Emela."- Akira says- "I was so naive."
Emela shakes her head.
"It's not the barrier that I'm worried about. It's Adam himself."- She says- "Without our help, that lich may prove to be too strong for him and Linus. They will end up like everyone else."
She turns to her.
"Is this what we want, Akira?"- She asks her- "Should we really stand here while they suffer?"
Akira tries to comfort her. As she speaks gently, a stone arrow narrowly misses the right side of her neck, sticking into the magical barrier.
"Curses!"- She exclaims- "Those piles of living rock are still here!"
She turns to Adam.
"Don't worry about us. We'll be fine."- She says- "Just head in there and take that fiend for his final ride. We believe in you."
Adam realizes that he has to leave his friends to the approaching statues.
"But Aki!"- He exclaims- "I cannot do this! Not when you are in danger!"
Akira shakes her head.
"This is not a request, dear brother. This is an order."- She says- "Do you really want to disobey it?"
Adam sighs.
"Of course not. I would never disobey an order from a superior."- He says- "But this is an emergency. I want to help you out. Is there no other way to get rid of this barrier?"
Emela smiles.
"As the guardian of the world, I vow to protect those fair maidens with my life."- She says- "Rest assured of that, dear. Under my command, all of us will survive."
She stares into his eye.
"Are you willing to trust me?"
Adam sighs and nods.
"I have no other choice."- He says- "Very well, Miss Emela. I hope that you are right."
Then, he turns to Linus.
"We have no time to waste."- He says- "Plain and simple, we must find the lich before he finds us."
Linus smiles.
"Well, it won't be hard to find him."- He says sarcastically- "The door to his halls is right there. It won't take long to find him."
Then, he sighs.
"The hard part is surviving this encounter."
Adam nods.
"It is our duty to do so, even when the situation is too dire for us."- He says- "Stand by my side and we shall find the victory that we crave for."
He turns back to Emela.
"Good luck, Miss Emela."- He says- "I hope that we can meet again."
Emela smiles and nods.
"Same to you, little Adam."- She says- "It's been an honor fighting alongside you, even though it was for such a short time."
As Adam and Linus enter the inner chambers of the castle, Emela points her wand at the nearest gargoyle and shoots it down.
"Alright, ladies. Our gentlemen need us more than ever, so what are we waiting for?"- She says- "Get moving!"
All three of the girls raise their weapons in the air.
"For the light!"
As they fight the gargoyles and demons off, Akira looks back at Emela and sees that she is smiling.
"What is this, Emela?"- She asks her- "Some kind of sign of... pride? Joy?"
Emela shakes her head and smiles.
"I'm just glad that I finally had the chance to see him in battle for the first time."- She says- "It's so... majestic."
Akira grins.
"I know, right?"- She responds- "My brother's amazing!"
She turns back to their enemies and sighs.
"And now, it's time for us to finish what he started."- She says- "Let's go, ladies!"
----Adam and Linus step into the halls of darkness, blades in their hands and hope in their souls.
"Somewhere in here, an ancient and evil creature has been operating in secret. The malevolence radiating from the walls is a sign of that, even to the untrained eye."- Adam says to himself- "The only way to stop him is if we step into the dark ourselves. We must keep our minds clear and devoid of any sinister thoughts. It is our only chance to stand up to a creature with the ability to... to... "
He shakes his head.
"Even from here, I can tell that he is up to no good. The malevolent energy inside of him is very powerful, but I can resist it... for now."- He continues- "We must move on."
He turns to Linus, who looks a little nervous.
"So, my friend."- He says to him- "Are you ready to meet your... employer?"
Linus shakes his head.
"Former employer. I don't want to be associated with him ever again."- He responds- "Yes, I am. And when I get my hands on him, let's just say that the magic that's holding his entire body together won't be enough to resist my blows."
Adam sighs.
"Let us hope that we can reach him in time."
As the two heroes walk into the dimly lit halls, they notice something ominous in the background.
Seeing a skull mounted on a pole, Linus leaps back, alarmed.
"Linus?"- Adam says- "Is everything alright?"
Linus takes a look at the skull, hoping that it is not real. He touches it with his hand and feels the bone scraping against it.
At the same time, he sees that they are surrounded by more of those poles.
"They're all... real."- He says- "We're in a real life nightmare. And it's so... creepy."
Adam shakes his head.
"I understand that you are worried, but we must stand strong."- He says- "Phaerzon wants to weaken us. We must not allow him to do it, for it will be the end of us."
Linus continues to look around.
"I just... don't know how to feel about those poor souls."- He says- "All of them came here, hoping that they could be heroes like us. They all had families, friends, loved ones. And yet, they gave it all away, becoming the victims of a madman who wants to enslave mankind. It's not something that their relatives would want to hear."
Adam sighs.
"Someday, those people shall be remembered as the saints of the new world. The ones who fell in the name of our future, sanctified by the New Order."- He says- "Until then, they shall remain here as the signs of our own mortality. And, if we do not do our best to survive, then there is a good chance that we might end up like them."
He turns to him.
"Promise me that you will stand tall in the face of imminent doom, even when it seems impossible to do so."
Linus nods.
"I... will do my best."
As the two of them walk past the skulls, the air grows even colder that it was before. Everywhere around them, a viscous red substance appears on the ground. With each passing step, more of it appears.
"Oh my."- Adam says- "This is a little bit more disturbing than I expected."
Linus shakes in fear.
"My worst fears have come alive."- He mutters- "Those mistakes, they're haunting me. I'm getting what I deserve. Is this what's meant to happen?"
Adam turns to Linus. He notices that he is terrified and grabs him by both shoulders.
"Pull yourself together, Linus!"- He yells- "We are never going to reach the lich if you keep panicking like this!"
Linus shakes his head.
"But... my worst fears... "
Adam shakes his head.
"I know that you are worried, but this is not the time to be weak and scared!"- He yells- "Come on! We are almost there!"
With the help of Adam, Linus manages to get past the piles of red substance and emerges into a large, dark-looking room.
"Well, here we are."- Adam says- "The lich's hall."
Linus looks around.
"Hmm."- He says- "It looks different from when I first saw it."
Adam shakes his head.
"Perhaps he did not want you to see him for who he truly is."- He says- "Liches can play incredibly sophisticated trickery on the mind, if you are not prepared. You might have seen all kinds of lies in front of you."
Linus nods.
"And could this be, you know, a mirage?"
Adam shrugs.
"We will never know until we take our first steps."
Having said that, Adam takes his first step into the hall.
Immediately, he is hit by a wave of insecurity and nausea. However, unlike Linus, he manages to easily resist those cowardly attempts of clouding his mind.
"Phaerzon, I know that you are in here!"- He yells- "Show yourself, you malignant overlord!"
Somewhere in the distance, he hears dry laughter.
"He's nearby."- Linus mutters- "I can feel his evil."
Adam nods.
"It is nothing impressive."- He says- "I have faced worse."
Linus shakes his head.
"Be careful, Adam."- He says to his friend- "Underestimating a lord of the dead could be bad news for us."
Adam nods.
"I have never underestimated my opponents before."- He responds- "And I never will."
He draws his weapon.
"I will treat them with respect and I hope that they will do the same."
As he walks further into the hall, he notices that Linus is close to the edge of a chasm.
He prepares to scream his name, but soon realizes that something is not quite right. He blinks a few times, soon realizing that this is just an illusion.
"It seems like our friend is playing tricks on my mind."- He says to himself- "But that is not enough to make me give up."
Someone chuckles.
"Rest assured that it's the least I can do."- He hears a malevolent voice inside of his mind- "Soon, you will give up. Like everyone else before you."
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"Wait."- He mutters- "He could read my mind?"
He shakes his head.
"I will not let him hear what I am saying."- He mutters- "From now on, I will close my mind to his trickery. I will not let him manipulate me."
Suddenly, everything becomes very dark. A small mote of light spawns in front of them, illuminating a small area ahead.
"Ugh. There's so much evil in here."- Linus says- "It feels like we're in a dark box, with no escape route anywhere nearby. It makes me want to gag."
Adam smiles.
"Enough to make you pee your pants?"
Linus glares at him.
"I'm not doing that again!"- He yells- "Those times are over!"
Adam shrugs.
"Well, you might want to see what is in front of you before arguing with me."
Linus turns around and gasps. He takes a few steps back, surprised.
"It's him. My employer"- He whispers to Adam- "What's our next move?"
Adam draws his weapon.
"Patience, my friend."- He whispers- "In order to defeat him, we must stay calm."
As the two of them sneak closer, they hear the lich's dry laugh.
"Well, would you look at that."- He mutters- "Someone's trying to disturb me again."
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"Umm."- He says- "Come again?"
The lich turns around and smiles.
"I sensed the power within you the moment when you stepped into my keep."- He says- "You were never hidden from me."
Adam sighs.
"I expected as much from a creature like you."
The lich smiles.
"Are you aware of what you've just gotten yourself into?"- He asks him- "My power knows no limits. My armies of undead are infinite. I am beyond those that you might have faced in battle before."
Adam nods.
"You think that I am not aware of the Lord of the Dead? That I simply stumbled in here, unaware of my surroundings?"- He says and shakes his head- "There are no coincidences in life, my friend. Destiny has decided that we should meet. And I am only doing my part in it."
The lich chuckles.
"I can tell that you're no simple-minded fool, like those who came before you."- He says- "What brings you here, hero?"
Adam glares at him.
"I felt the calls of despair. I saw the pain of my people."- He says- "I knew that you were responsible for all of it. So, I came to make you pay."
The lich smirks.
"Oh yes? So what if I, the great Phaerzon, lord of the promised land, I am the one that you're looking for?"- He asks him- "How can you possible take care of me?"
Adam smiles and raises the palm of his hand. A small flame appears inside of it, suggesting a possible solution.
"I see. You're one of them, then."- He says- "But tell me more about yourself. Are you, perhaps, the son of a hero whom I've only seen in my dreams? Are you the one whose name is spoken by the prophets, the one who is destined to banish Master Darkthrop from this realm?"
Adam nods.
"Very perceptive of you, sir."- He replies- "I am known as Adam Kaos and I have protected those lands from evil beings like you for many years. Many villains have fallen by my hand. I am the messenger of justice and the harbringer of hope. My light is the brightest in this world. So, I will not allow you to enslave this world and kill my friends!"
Phaerzon laughs.
"Oh, you're so amusing, kid!"- He exclaims- "Perhaps... I can make you dance for me."
Suddenly, the lich stares into Adam's eyes. His stare alone holds the power of thousands of souls, consumed by him. Cold, cruel and uncaring, just like its user.
"Yes. Now you're under my control."- Phaerzon says- "You will do whatever I say, without question or pay. Do you understand that?"
Adam tilts his mouth to one side, as if he is angry.
"I will not give in to your little tricks, fiend."
Having said that, he forces him to stand back by casting a light-elemental spell that illuminates the room.
"Argh! The light!"- Phaerzon exclaims- "Anything but that!"
As he comes back to his senses, Adam is still standing there. However, his eyes are normal again.
"Did you really think that your mind games will be able to rewrite my being?"- He asks him- "You should try harder than that."
Phaerzon smirks.
"Foolish child. You're testing my patience."- He says- "Perhaps I should introduce you to some of my new... friends."
Suddenly, a large group of powerful undead bursts its way into the hall. Their eyes are blood red and their claws are sharp.
Phaerzon laughs.
"Those creatures are mindlessly effective. They do their job without much effort and never rebel against me."- He says and looks at Linus- "Unlike that little traitor over there."
Linus clenches his fist.
"You created those abominations?!"- He yells- "You will pay for this!"
Phaerzon shrugs.
"Ah, yes. I will pay."- He says- "However, in the end, you will be the ones to pay the ultimate price."
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"And that is?"
The lich smiles.
"Your demise, of course."
He snaps his fingers.
"Enough of this. I've got other things to do."- He says- "Take care of them, my pretties."
Suddenly, the undead's growls turn into roars as they lunge toward Adam and Linus.
While the two boys fight for their lives, Phaerzon takes this rare opportunity to slip away and drink some wine.
"Hahaha."- He says- "That will show them how dangerous it is to mess with me."
As Adam and Linus continue to fight, Linus turns to his friend and shakes his head.
"Adam. I'm sorry for what I'm about to do."- He says- "It's necessary. I can't let you suffer along with me."
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"Linus?"- He says- "What in the world are you doing?"
Linus smiles.
"Trust me."- He replies- "I've got it under control."
As the undead pounce at him, he emits a powerful fire aura that pushes them back. His eyes turn orange as the blade of his weapon turns into living flame.
"Linus!"- Adam exclaims- "I cannot believe it!"
Linus smiles.
"I told you, Adam. I had a lot of hidden potential within me."- He says- "And now, it's time to use it."
As he pounces back at the undead and burns them down with his flaming sword, he turns back to Adam.
"Now go!"- He yells- "Phaerzon is over there! You must defeat him, for the good of humankind!"
Adam nods.
"I have confidence in you, my friend."- He says and takes a step back- "Good luck. I will see you again soon."
Linus smiles.
"I'm sure that you don't need me to wish you good luck. You've already got it with you."- He says- "So, just remember that I believe in you."
Adam smiles back.
"And so do I."
Having said that, he pats him on the shoulder one last time and runs toward Phaerzon.
"So. You abandoned your little friend, just to have one last battle with me."- The lich says and smiles- "How noble of him. To throw himself into the pyres of darkness, just to save his little friend. Yes. I can feel the tears running down my face."
Adam glares at him.
"Linus is a very noble man! I will not let his sacrifice be in vain!"- He yells and points his blade at him- "I will end your reign of terror, here and now!"
Phaerzon chuckles.
"Perhaps you should first conquer your own past."
As Adam wonders what he is saying, the lich waves his hands. Suddenly, the world around them changes, as they are transported somewhere else.
Adam looks around, surprised.
"The Realm of Darkness?"- He asks- "Why is this kingdom of nothingness your idea of an ideal battleground?"
Phaerzon smiles.
"Here, my dark powers are at their highest. You stand no chance against me."- He says- "And, while we fight, nobody can hear your screams. Not even the ones in your mind."
Suddenly, Adam hears the disembodied voice of his aunt.
"Adam?"- She says- "Are you still... there?"
Adam looks around.
"Aunt! Our bond is fading!"- He says- "I cannot hear you!"
"This is not true. Our bond will never be broken."- Marinette says- "Just keep on fighting. I... will be... with you... "
Suddenly, her voice fades away.
As Adam wonders what happened to her, Phaerzon laughs.
"How amusing! A hero and his aunt, trying to keep their precious bond intact!"- He says- "Well, what will you do to make it happen?"
Adam draws his weapon.
"I will fight to keep her memories intact!"- He yells- "Prepare yourself, creature of the dark! I shall expel you from this world!"
Phaerzon laughs. In an instant, he uses his magic to form a tall wooden staff, enchanted with dark energy.
"Challenging the lord of the dead was your first and last mistake!"- He yells- "Now, I will consume your entire being!"
Instead of lunging at his target, like he usually does, Adam silently stands back and evaluates his enemy's abilities. He searches him for any weaknesses, but fails to find any.
Then, he shakes his head. It does not matter whether a villain has any weaknesses or not. There is one thing known about all of them:
No matter how old and powerful they may be, they are still not invulnerable.
Phaerzon smiles.
"Smart one, you are."- He says- "Very well. Let the chaos commence."
Suddenly, he summons three black tentacles that grab Adam and drag him toward a dark chasm. However, Adam slices all three of them with a single swing from his sword and uses his light magic to strike Phaerzon in the foot.
"Gah. I thought that this might work."- The lich mutters- "It works on most of my victims."
He sighs and shrugs.
"Oh well."- He says- "Looks like I need to extend the rest of my magic to crush you."
Having said that, he uses a portion of his magic to form three phantoms. As they rise from the ground, they draw their weapons and prepare to fight.
"Your skills are impressive, young one. But this is the end."- He says- "My spirits shall make sure of that."
Hearing the word "spirit" makes Adam very angry. He lunges toward the nearest ghost and slashes it down into small bits of ectoplasm.
Then, as the second one attacks him, he uses his sword as a boomerang, slicing its ethereal body in half and banishing it from this world.
As the third one surprises him from behind and stabs him in the back with its blade, Adam simply smiles.
"Is that all you can do?"
Then, before the phantom can do anything else, he turns around and forms a small part of the light energy within him into a bow. Moments later, he shoots three spectral arrows at the creature, piercing and killing it in a matter of seconds.
As the final ghost's ear-piercing wail fades away into the night, Phaerzon becomes annoyed. Not just by Adam's prolonged survival, but by the weakness of his minions.
"Agh. They failed me, too."- He says- "Whatever I do against you, it doesn't work. Why are you so resilient, young one?!"
Adam turns around and points his sword at him.
"If you are truly powerful as you claim to be, why don't you come down here and fight me like a man?"
Phaerzon smirks.
"Clever words for someone who has been living his entire life so leisurely, being protected by his own people."- He says and jumps down- "Very well, hero. If you want to condemn yourself like this, so it be. I'm not in control of this realm, anyway."
Suddenly, a pair of tentacles appears to the left and right of him, ready to grab Adam's feet and drag him into the deepest depths of oblivion.
"Hiding behind your lackeys will not help you achieve anything, you know?"- Adam says to him- "True warriors achieve their goals with courage and valor. Cowards are only rewarded with contempt by everyone and deemed unworthy. Do you really want to be the laughing stock of generations ahead, just because you refused to face me fair and square?"
Phaerzon smiles.
"I suppose that you have a point, boy."- He says- "Standing behind those blokes has been my job for centuries. Lately, it became quite a nuisance."
He turns to his tentacles.
"Back into the ground."- He says- "I'll take care of the kid."
The tentacles willingly disappear.
Now defenseless, Phaerzon turns around and smiles.
"I hope that you're not fooled of my... meek appearance."- He says- "Don't underestimate your enemies, kid. This could lead to serious consequences."
Adam nods.
"I already know that."
Having said that, he lunges at the lich as he shoots needles of ice at him, expertly dodging them and swinging some back at their master.
"Well, I'll be."- Phaerzon says, amused, as some of his own weapons fly all around him- "You're quite the talented one."
His fingertips start to emit a fiery aura.
"It would be a shame if your talent... was whisked away by someone."
As Adam makes his way through the ice, Phaerzon heats up the situation by casting a fire spell, incinerating the shards and engulfing Adam in its temporary glory.
Phaerzon laughs.
"Is that all?"- He says- "How pathetic."
As he turns away, he senses a great danger sitting behind him. Before he could do anything, he is stabbed in the head by Adam.
Adam watches the evil lich fall to the ground. However, just as he tries to inspect him for additional information, his eyes spring back to life and he stands up.
"Ah. But that will not work on me."- He says- "As a lich, one of the most powerful of the undead, I have the ability to shift my own mind in and out of reality."
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"Impressive."
Phaerzon chuckles.
"I think that I'm not worthy of facing you in this form of mine."- He says as his entire body starts to melt- "Now, you shall meet the true me. The true master of darkness."
He smiles.
"Be honored."- He says- "Few are lucky enough to meet me in person, let alone survive the encounter... "
As Adam steps back, a new being rises from the ashes of what used to be the old Phaerzon.
The new creature going by this name is a horrible beast from the underworld. His hair in unkempt and wild, his teeth are sharper than knives. And his eyes, his eyes betray the signs of a true madman, a fearsome fiend who slowly lost his own sanity, in lieu of gaining incredible power.
"What... is this?"- Adam says- "Some kind of trick?"
Phaerzon smiles.
"It is no trick, hero."- He says to him- "Just your biggest nightmare."
Having said that, he stares into Adam's soul and evaluates his weaknesses.
"Yes. You have a fear of losing those dear to you."- He says- "Understandable, but pathetic. Few will be able to survive like this in this ever-changing world. And you won't be one of them."
Adam glares at him.
"You have no right to tell me what I should be!"- He yells- "I have gotten through so much. Lost so many friends. Who do you think you are, barging into my life an trying to make it into a nightmare?!"
Phaerzon smiles.
"Remember."- He says- "Pride won't get you anywhere."
Adam shakes his head.
"What I have in my heart is not pride."- He says- "It is a sense of selflessness. And it will never be crushed by the likes of you!"
Having said that, he lunges at him, but is stopped by a magical barrier.
He recognizes it as one of the magical walls that separated him and Linus from their allies.
Phaerzon watches with amusement.
"Yes, little morsel. Keep fighting. Keep on being so foolish."- He says- "In the end, all that will be left of you is the spark of life that's been keeping you around for so long."
Adam shakes his head. He places the palm of his hand, unfazed by the jolts of energy that run through it.
"I am not afraid!"- He yells- "I will win this battle!"
Suddenly, he channels a massive amount of magical energy into the barrier, creating a shockwave so powerful that it manages to knock the mighty lich to his knees.
As the lord of darkness stands up, he is shocked to see the fragments of the barrier around Adam. The young hero has managed to break it open, facing his own fears without a single drop of insecurity.
"What?"- He says- "But... my barriers are supposed to keep you out, not pull you in!"
Adam smiles.
"Sometimes, magic can have unexpected results."- He tells him- "Perhaps you should... limit yourself and try to live a life without it."
He smiles again.
"Oh, wait. You cannot do that."- He adds- "Liches are kept alive by residual dark magic. Cutting your bond to it will be fatal. For you, that is."
Phaerzon roars.
"I've had enough of you, little human!"- He yells- "I will mae you squirm as you fall victim to my spells! Your demise is inevitable, you hear me?!"
Having said that, he casts a spell on him.
Suddenly, the young hero feels a spasm in his own heart. He realizes that the energy within is slowly fading away.
Phaerzon smiles.
"This is the power of my curse!"- He says- "Everyone who is touched by the kiss of doom shall feel their own life flash before their eyes! Their last moments shall be spend screaming for their loved ones, although it will be too late to save them! None can escape the sweet embrace of the underworld!"
As Adam tries to keep himself alive, he shakes his head.
"It does not... matter."- He says- "Heroes fight valiantly until the end. I will not... ugh... let you taint my soul."
The lich smiles.
"I'm surprised that you still have the strength to speak, even though you're seconds away from your doom."- He says- "So. What are your last words?"
Adam shakes his head defiantly. He refuses to fuel his madness even further.
"Brave and silent all the way, are we?"- Phaerzon says and chuckles- "It doesn't matter. You've lost either way."
Having said that, he snaps his fingers and watches as Adam falls on the ground. He waits for a few seconds, approaches his body and smiles.
"At long last."- He says- "Adam Kaos, herald of the white light, is gone for good."
He grins.
"It almost feels like a dream. A pleasant image of the future, the one when I shall be the unquestioned ruler of the dark."- He says- "Dare I dream of this?"
He smiles again and turns away.
"It doesn't matter."
He raises his hands in the air.
"Yes, citizens of the world! Your last guardian has fallen!"- He roars- "The last light of hope has been extinguished! You stand no chance against us- the warriors of darkness!"
He turns around and looks at Adam again.
"Come on! I dare you to send more like him!"- He yells- "I shall take them all on, for I am the master of-- "
Suddenly, a wave of pure light hits him and pushes him away. Then, as it clears, he watches as the silhouette of Adam watches him from a distance.
"Impossible! You were supposed to be gone!"- He yells- "How could a simpleton like you be able to defy those principles with such ease?"
Adam smiles.
"Perhaps I am the chosen one."- He says as his eyes start to glow pearl white- "And you are just another obstacle in my way!"
Before Phaerzon could have the chance to react, Adam lunges forward and raises his arm. A massive ray of light, impressive in many ways, pierces through the vile lich's body, mortally wounding him and preventing him from casting any of his magic ever again.
Brilliant motes of light dance around Adam as the shadows around him are turned into light. The screams and moans of the tortured souls Phaerzon kept as his pets are soon replaced by a choir of singing angels. And, all this time, the lich is forced to watch while slowly perishing.
"No! This cannot be!"- Phaerzon screams- "I am the master of darkness! I can't be humiliated like this!"
Adam shakes his head.
"Accept your defeat with dignity, dark one!"- He yells- "Your centuries of tyranny are over!"
Phaerzon's eyes grow wide as he comes face to face with reality.
"CURSE YOU!"
A brilliant wave of light incinerates him, leaving nothing but a big pile of pitch black ashes behind in its wake.
Just as Adam thinks this ordeal is over, however, he realizes that he is transported somewhere else.
"The Realm of Light!"- He exclaims- "But... why? Why am I here?"
A holy spirit appears in front of him.
"Welcome, Adam Kaos."- He says- "We have been expecting you."
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"Me?"- He asks- "But... why me?"
The spirit smiles.
"We have heard of your heroic feats in the real world. We saw how you defeated those villains."- He says- "Thus, we decided to grant you a clear vision of the one whose soul you managed to purify, even though it was completely tainted and beyond salvation. The one who has been living for thousands of years, yet made the fatal mistake of underestimating a true warrior of light."
He touches his forehead with his ghostly hand.
"And now, you shall know the name of the man whose soul was lost in the shadows. The one who worked with Darkthrop, just to make a name for himself."- He says- "Patrick Marshall!"
Suddenly, Adam watches an entire lifetime flash before his own eyes. He sees a young Phaerzon, in his mortal form, staying in his father's farm and learning how to control the power within. The next moment, he sees his older self, holding a black book and smiling as he learns how to control his own minions and bring them back from the dead, just to satisfy his own selfish desires.
"So. This is it."- He says to himself- "The life of Phaerzon was nothing special. Just a slow descent into madness, fueled by his desire for revenge on humankind."
He sighs.
"He is just like that one necromancer that I dreamed of."- He continues- "Only older and crazier."
He continues to watch as Phaerzon slowly builds his own dark empire. Just like Mordred Darkthrop, he has his own minions that do his bidding, his own warriors to conquer the known lands without a question and a massive castle on top of his head. Oddly, the black castle seems to be awfully familia, but that is of no concern right now.
The story gets closer to its climax as a group of heroes like Adam and his allies enter the keep and slay his minions. Slowly but surely, they make their way into the halls of the dark one and challenge him to one last battle. Although three of the four fall in battle, killing each other for the pleasure of this horrible person, the last one manages to resist his trickery and plunges his weapon into the madman's chest, draining the tainted blood out of his body as he finally realizes that heroes should not be underestimated.
After his demise, Phaerzon is revived by the black magic he cherished so much. He is brought back as a lich- lord of the undead and destroyer of Order. Descending back into the known, he finds the remaining hero and makes him pay by slaying him with his own hands and turning his lifeless body into an undead- the first one since the being, now known as Phaerzon, is reborn. He laughs as the rest of the undead join him and the vision ends.
"Well, that was depressing."- Adam says- "Wasn't there supposed to be some kind of... umm... good ending?"
The spirit smiles.
"Take a look for yourself."- He says- "His defeat at your hands was the good ending everyone deserved."
Adam rewatches the moments that he spent piercing Phaerzon and turning him into nothingness, dark particles that have nowhere else to go.
"Now that you know about Phaerzon's life before and after his transformation, tell me this."- The spirit says- "What did you learn from it?"
Adam smiles.
"I learned that black magic was forbidden since the ancient times and it is always meant to be."- He says- "If it falls into the wrong hands, it might lead to the creation of mad fools like Phaerzon. So, those who dare to disrupt those sacred laws should be severely punished."
The spirit smiles.
"Bravo! You are an exemplary listener!"- He says- "Now, what shall be your next move?"
Adam takes a step forward.
"I shall return to my home and continue changing the lives of others."- He says- "My duty is to protect the weak and my greatest reward is to see them smile."
The spirit nods.
"And what shall be your greatest weapons, in times of need?"
Adam smiles.
"Brilliant Hope, Majestic Faith and Eternal Friendship."- He responds proudly- "Without them, I am nobody."
Having said that, he leaves the realm of light and returns to the real world.
"Well done, Adam Kaos."- He hears the spirit's voice inside of his mind- "You have passed the test."
Suddenly, he appears in Phaerzon's halls. He sees himself, sword in hand, having fallen on his knees after defeating the lich.
And his remains, they are still there. Untouched by anything and anyone.
Adam watches as a small, black soul emerges from them. It radiates pure hatred and is the incarnation of Phaerzon's most terrible traits.
Suddenly, it floats up and passes throught the ceiling, never to be seen again.
"Phaerzon is not gone yet."- Adam says to himself- "For as long as his soul is left to linger out there, I have no doubt that he will emerge again, be it years, decades or even centuries from now."
He stands up.
"I must find a way to finish him off... for good."
Moments later, he is joined by Linus, who has managed to defeat all of the undead by himself.
"Well, here we are again! Alone together!"- He says to Adam- "So. How did it go?"
Adam looks at the ceiling, concerned.
"He's still out there, isn't he?"
Adam nods.
"Although it seems like I killed him, I only managed to separate his soul from his body."- He says- "The lich is still alive and will come back if we do not stop him."
Linus sighs.
"I think that I found something on top of the castle. A tomb, of some sort."- He says- "I tried to open it, but to no avail. It's impervious to all my blows and I... I don't know how to take care of it."
Adam nods
"Lead the way, my friend."- He says- "We shall handle this together."
The two of them climb the stairs that lead toward the castle's highest floor. Soon after arriving, they are struck by a wave of malevolence.
It is as if someone is telling them to stand back. Preventing them from reaching a sacred sanctum.
However, Adam refuses to give up. He pushes past the darkness and reaches a large tomb.
Although it seems like a normal resting place for some revered person, the young hero knows better. Dispelling the defenses that keep it protected, he attempts to open it, but soon realizes that the palms of his hand are nearly frozen solid. Alarmed, he pulls them away.
"It seems like we have a severe case of haunting here."- He says to Linus- "Whoever is resting here, they are using their black magic to protect this castle."
Linus nods.
"So, this is why we were attacked by those statues earlier?"
Adam nods.
"Most of the sentries in this place are connected to this altar-like tomb."- He says- "Once we cut off the magic from its source, everything should go back to normal."
He holds his hands close to it, but not close enough for them to get frozen again.
"I want you to repeat what I am saying."- He says to Linus- "Thanks to this ritual, we will be able to draw out whatever evil spirits are inside."
With the help of his friend, Adam uses a sanctifying spell to purify the surface of the tomb. Then, he channels a massive wave of light energy into it and watches as a small, black wisp emerges from it.
As he continues watching it, the wisp slowly grows larger and larger. Soon, it turns into a phantom with a face that he recognizes.
"You will not stop me!"- The spirit of Phaerzon yells- "I shall be here forever! Nothing will ever work!"
Adam shakes his head.
"You are wrong!"- He yells- "With the power of light, anything is possible!"
Having said that, he continues to chant and channel more energy into the phantom.
"What... what do you think you're doing?"- Phaerzon's spirit gasps- "My link to the real world! It's... breaking down... "
Adam smiles.
"Nobody is undefeatable, Phaerzon!"- He says- "Every single being of malice must be brought to justice! And you are no different!"
Suddenly, part of Phaerzon's spirit breaks apart from him, exorcized by Adam. Slowly but surely, the malevolent spirit is losing his strength.
"No! This cannot be!"- He yells- "I can't be purified! I refuse to go anywhere else!"
Adam shakes his head.
"I told you, time and time again."- He says- "I will not give up on this world!"
Suddenly, the spirit of Phaerzon is finally destroyed. With a final, desperate scream, the remnants of what was once a powerful and influential creature of the dark fades away into the dawn, banished from this world forevermore.
Adam falls on his knees exhausted.
"We... did it."- He mutters- "I cannot believe it."
Linus smiles.
"It's all thanks to you, Adam."- He says- "The people don't realize it yet, but they're clearly in your debt, especially after what you just did for them."
Adam smiles.
"I do not want them to be in my debt."- He replies- "I just want them to be happy. That is what truly matters to me."
He opens the tomb and realizes that something incredibly powerful is hidden inside.
"Oh my god!"- He exclaims- "Could this be? The item that we have been looking for?"
Linus gasps.
"No way!"
Adam picks up the legendary artifact and reverently holds it in its hands.
He holds it up at the sun. As its rays touch it, it starts to shine in a beautiful, white light.
"Linus."- Adam says- "The Orb of Light is ours."
Linus smiles.
"What a discovery!"- He exclaims- "I... wouldn't have known that it would be hidden in such a well-protected place!"
Adam nods.
"It does not matter anymore. We are holding hope itself in our hands now."- He says- "With this item on our side, the light shall truly prevail."
He turns to his friend.
"So."- He says- "Are you ready to save our friends?"
Linus smiles.
"Bring it on!"- He exclaims- "When you're around here, I'm not afraid of anything!"
As the two heroes descend back into the dark castle, they realize that the scenery has changed. The ominous feeling of eternal despair has faded away and has been replaced by a warm breeze. The black walls of the castle have faded away, making way for silver-colored walls.
In other words, it is beautiful.
"Hah! So you finally did it!"- They hear a voice coming from above them- "I knew that Phaerzon would fall, but by your hand? I never thought that you would ever bother to help those people out!"
As the mysterious person starts to clap, Adam looks up and sees him, accompanied by two massive undead.
Realizing that he has seen him before, he gasps.
"Wait! I know you!"- He exclaims- "You are the man from my dreams!"
The man smiles.
"Oh. So you've been dreaming of me? How interesting."- He says- "Anyway. My name is Vexor. I have been watching your progress and just wanted to congratulate you."
Linus glares at him.
"Okay. Spill your secrets, necromancer."- He says to him- "You're here because you want to get rid of us. Is that true?"
Vexor smiles.
"Very perceptive, friend. Perhaps you're truly capable of revealing one's true self."- He says- "This does not matter though, for I have your friends hostage."
He has his people bring three women with him.
"Aki! Aalia! Miss Emela!"- Adam yells- "What have you done to them?"
Vexor smiles.
"Nothing yet. They're not undead, are they?"- He says and chuckles- "Anyway. I brought them here so they could watch you die."
Akira lunges forward, but is restrained by one of the guards.
"Adam! Save yourselves!"- She yells- "It's too late for us! We can't-- "
The undead guard points his sword at her neck.
"Heh."- Vexor says- "That will shut her up."
Adam shakes his head.
"You monster! Let them go!"- He yells- "If you want me, then why are you using trickery to achieve your goal?"
Vexor shakes his head.
"Silence, hero."- He says- "I know of your motives. You trick others into believing they could redeem themselves and then convince them to fight alongside you. Well, those three will fight for you no longer."
He turns to the undead guards.
"Seal their mouths."
The guards comply. Soon, all Adam and Linus could hear are their muffled voices.
"And now, let the fun begin!"- Vexor says and makes a chopping motion with his hand- "It's feeding time!"
Suddenly, the entire room is filled with undead who easily swarm Adam and Linus.
"Oh no! There's too many of them!"- Linus exclaims as he fights them off- "If you're going to do something Adam, then it's best if you do it now!"
Adam nods and pulls out the orb that he recovered earlier.
Vexor recognizes the ancient artifact immediately. He gasps and leaps back, terrified.
"No! Not the Orb of Light!"- He yells- "This is impossible!"
Suddenly, all of the undead around Adam and Linus disintegrate and turn into ashes.
Using the chaos that Adam caused as a distraction, Akira manages to free herself from her bonds and angrily bites the undead guard's finger off. However, she has no time to save anyone else, as the other guard lunges at her and attempts to slam her with his giant axe.
Leaping down from the platform, Akira reunites with Adam and Linus and watches as Linus angrily moves away.
"No!"- Adam yells and attempts to climb the platform- "We must save them!"
Akira shakes her head and pulls him away.
"It's no use. We're too tired to fight back against Vexor."- She says- "Besides, they can defend themselves. I'm sure that they'll be fine."
Forced to choose between the captives and his free allies, Adam sighs and regretfully chooses to stay with them.
As they leave the castle, it slowly starts to sink back into the earth. Soon, there will be no evidence left of it.
"We... we survived this ordeal."- Akira says, panting- "Somehow."
Adam smiles.
"Together, we made it out."- He says and hugs her- "I am glad that we are still together."
Linus leans forward.
"Umm."- He says- "What about me?"
Adam smiles and hugs him as well.
"You were one of us, too."- He says- "Thanks to you, I managed to defeat the lich. And, believe me, I am very grateful for that."
As the three of them stare at the sunrise, they sigh.
"Duskwood is safe. And so is the world, for now."- Linus says- "However, we don't have a clear goal in mind yet. What do we have to do next, I wonder?"
Adam smiles and pulls out a scroll.
"Maybe this should give you a hint."
He shows Linus a scroll that he recovered from the ruins.
"It's written in some kind of ancient language, probably latin."- He says- "What is it supposed to say?"
Adam nods.
"He who becomes one with his own dreams shall gain access to untold power, unbreakable will and bonds that last for an eternity."- He reads it- "Once dreams and reality are connected to each other, the gates of heaven shall be revealed. And, when two become one, the world will finally know true peace."
Linus raises his eyebrow.
"This means that we must go to the dream world?!"- He exclaims- "Awesome! I am in!"
Akira smiles.
"And so am I."- She adds- "Going into a place like this will be quite a challenge for us, but I've got faith in you, little brother. I know that we can recover that item, together."
Adam nods.
"Then our goal has been made clear."- He says- "Travelling to the realm of dreams will be our greatest feat yet, but it shall make us much more pure."
Having said that, the three of them walk into the sunset, ready to redeem themselves once more.