MLTO C6, P7

This is the seventh (and penultimate) Part of "MLIV:TO" 's sixth and last chapter.
It was released on 24.04.2023.
== Plot ==
This pseudo war has gone for long enough. Too many people have lost their lives. Refugees have been scattered around the world, all because of one overly ambitious emperor. Many good folks are starving because of the storm that nearly killed them all. But no longer. Nobody will be allowed to suffer anymore. There is a new road to salvation, one that will reveal the shining future ahead. And the end of the line, the one that has been drawing near for so many months, is now within our heroes' reach.
After witnessing the "death" of his beloved brother Kaiden, Geralt Kaos drops all of the pretense that he is just an innocent child in a dark world. Armed with his knowledge and strong will, and dressed in the eternal light, he travels to Blackcrag Fortress- the capital of the Empire- all by himself. He is tired of having to rely on others to help him take down the emperor, so he is going to take him down with his own two hands. And those who are foolish enough to stand in his way... will feel the wrath of the Immortal One. The judgement of the Heavens.
And so, our young hero makes his way through countless outposts, sundered ruins and broken hopes, just to reach the imperial fool that he has always hated. The battle between Good and Evil has finally reached its climax. Soon, one of them will emerge from the ashes, shining and victorious.
What will be the ending to this epic saga?!
== Story ==
After leaving his allies behind, Geralt starts running. And he continues to run, without a sign of stopping to rest. He runs past the lands that he saved from evil, quickly greeted by the people that he kept alive. But he pays little attention to them, as his primary goal is much farther ahead.
Now that he is far away from any friendly settlement, the young hero runs past the border that leads to the Empire. A patrol of imperial warriors sights him and attempts to apprehend him, but the hero refuses to stop to listen to those petty threats. With a single swing from his legendary weapon, he creates a rift through Time and Space. All of the attacking imperials are easily swallowed by this incredible force, allowing the young hero to proceed with his task.
"Hmph. Despicable as always."- He says to himself- "I would say that this is a good riddance, but I do not want to hurt their fragile feelings. So, I will just go ahead and say nothing. It is for the best, anyway."
He looks back, sad and regretful.
"I am very sorry, my friends. I wish that I could allow you to join me in this final battle."- He says- "But this is my fight, and my fight alone. Redmark was allowed to roam free because of the mistakes that my family made in the past. The duty to take him down is only mine and I do not want to let anyone else get hurt. Too many have fallen victim to his wrath already. I do not want you to be among them."
Then, he sighs, turns around and continues to run past the remains of the imperial patrol, further into the lands of the Empire.
Most of his journey is long and tedious. He has to make his way through dark wastes, creepy forests and semi-abandoned encampments. Most of the enemies that he faces are undead beasts, surly necromancers and somewhat powerful giant serpents. However, he also comes face to face with a dark minotaur- a previously mild-mannered creature that was tainted by the dark magic of the Empire and transformed into a bloodthirsty murderer. The best that Geralt could do to ease its pain is to put it down while he still has the chance, which he does surprisingly quickly.
After getting rid of everything that stands in his path, Geralt starts to run forward again. He makes his way through abandoned outposts, fully armed encampments and the remaining forts of the Empire. Even though most of the soldiers regard him as an enemy, they do not live for long enough to realize that they made a very big mistake.
Now that most of the threats have been taken care of, Geralt is much closer to Blackcrag Fortress- the true heart of the Empire. However, this does not mean that his path to it will not be filled with danger. As soon as he travels a few miles ahead, he comes face to face with the biggest fortress that he has ever seen. From what he could remember during his studies, he correctly assumes that this is Nightmare Keep- the final bastion before the heart of the Empire. There is a huge, impassabe wall that is blocking his way. Archers line the walls of the mighty fortress, aiming their bows at the young hero as he approaches it. From the looks of it, there is no way for him to sneak past the defenses to reach his destination. Climbing the walls is also impossible- they are incredibly slippery, discouraging any who would try to do so. The only option that remains for Geralt... is to fight his way through the final obstacle.
"So. You are locking me outside, just because you think that I am unworthy. Is that so, Redmark?"- Geralt says to himself and takes a few steps back- "Well, this horse is not content with the hay that you placed for him in the Wild West, He wants to feel the joy of seeing the lights of the glorious city with his own eyes. And nobody can stop the gorgeous stallion from achieving his goal."
As the archers prepare to shoot Geralt down, he takes a deep breath. His eyes start to glow white again as he prepares to transform himself into a much mightier animal.
"It... is showtime."
The commander of the keep gives the command to take Geralt down. However, before the archers could do so, Geralt looks up and lets out a very fierce yell. His entire body starts to burn as he transforms into a wolf- one of the wildest and proudest creatures of the Wilds
Terrified but still refusing to back down, the archers start firing their weapons at the young hero. Arrow after arrow, they frantically try to take down this enigma while they still can. However, their efforts prove to be futile, as the mighty white wolf easily runs past the volley of arrows. As a rain of sharp projectiles continues to fall down around him, the spirit of Geralt jumps toward the gates of the keep. 
And then, without a single moment to waste, he crashes into them and destroys them in a single hit.
The horrified warriors climb down and attempt to stop him, but they are far from enough to strike him down. As they continue to fire their arrows at the wolf, his skin easily deflects them, piercing the hearts of many who dared to challenge him. Others are torn apart by the creature's mighty jaws, few of them left on the ground to bleed out and reflect on the mistakes that they made in the past. And the rest of them, well, let's just say that they consider desertion to be the most perfect choice in this current situation, so they pack whatever things they can and run.
A few brave imperial residents decide to help the foul government attempt to repel the mighty beast. Armed with the weapons of the fallen, they push their way through them and attempt to cut the creature's skin. However, their blows are unable to do anything but cause more anger to the young hero and his new form. A few moments later, he decides that he has had enough of this insolence and decides to punish the vile residents for protecting the wrong side. He raises his head in the air and lets out an earth-shattering howl, strong enough to crush the feeble buildings around him and send the foolish residents who dared to attack him falling to their deaths, bringing an end to the settlement's infrastructure and final defense.
And yet, the few remaining defenders of the keep refuse to back down against this mysterious power. The commander of the fort, flanked by his best soldiers, stands in Geralt's way, fearless and unbreakable.
"You think that you can just step into our glorious settlement and ruin it all?!"- He yells- "Bad news, foreign invader! We won't take you lightly! My comrades may be terrified of you, but I'm not!"
Geralt, in his wolf form, shakes his head.
"You should have just followed the example of the wise soldiers whom you deemed beneath your notice, commander."- He growls- "By deciding to stand in my way, you just threw yourself into the dark pit that you adored so much, with no chance of escaping. Your blind eyes have become even blinder, and the heart of darkness that you held within that body of yours has become completely tainted by the shadows of your beloved emperor. I want to spare you, but I cannot. My only choice is to put you down before you cause more trouble."
He draws his weapon, a finely crafted twinblade, made of the finest steel the world could offer.
"So! What are you waiting for?!"- He yells- "Come at me! I'm ready to-- "
Geralt wastes no time to oblige. Now that he is in his wolf form, he easily cuts through the warriors protecting the commander and goes straight to the main victim, forcing the man to protect himself almost immediately.
"Argh! You dark beast!"- The commander yells- "I'll show you what it means to be a true warrior of the empire! En garde!"
He lunges forward and attempts to strike Geralt with the front part of his twinblade, but misses. Then, he tries to strike him again, but the result is the same. The wolf warrior is just too fast, far too determined. Simple blows like those cannot stop him from cutting his way through the darkness.
As the commander prepares for another blow, the wolf grabs the blade with his jaws. The man yells and attempts to push him away, but his power is just too high. And then, the few remaining soldiers hear a loud crunch. But it is not coming from them. The source of the sound are both hands of the commander, the ones that Geralt just broke with his jaws. And then, just as the man screams and lets go of his twinblade, Geralt grabs it with his jaws and, in front of the terrified soldiers, slices the upper part of the commander's head off, watching silently as he plummets to the ground, like a large rock in the middle of an ocean of darkness. Soaked in his own, tainted blood, never to awaken ever again.
"Is there anyone else who wishes to feel the champion's wrath?!"- Geralt growls, still holding the bloody twinblade between his jaws- "Let me warn you! I am much stronger than you think!"
The rest of the living warriors silently step back, allowing Geralt to pass.
"Hmph."- Geralt growls silently- "That's what I thought."
Then, he runs forward and crashes into the wall in front of him, crushing it and sending large pieces flying in the air.
"I will spare you. There is no need to kill everyone else in this place. Not if I can actually avoid it."- He growls and turns around as he reverts back to his human form- "And I hope that you can remember the mercy of Geralt Kaos for all eternity. Few people like you are capable of priding themselves with it."
Having said that, Geralt runs past the ruins of the wall and leaves Nightmare Keep (and its completely broken soldiers) behind him. Blackcrag Fortress is finally within his reach, and all that remains... is for him to approach it.
As Geralt swiftly runs past the obstacles that stand in his way, he encounters a lone patch of grass. In the middle of nowhere, this source of beauty has decided to bloom and spread the light of this world. Very strange and very pleasant.
"It seems like Nature is doing its best to reclaim what Redmark and his people unrightfully took from it many years ago. That is good to know."- He says to himself- "But the force of the earth alone is not enough against this chaotic giant. It needs a little bit more initiative if it is to rise again."
As he marches around the patch of grass, he notices something in the middle of it. A large, white flower, emitting a very pleasant smell.
"Hmm. What is this?"- He says- "How intriguing. I have never felt such a sweet fragrance before."
Although he still has a mission to do, appreciating the good things in this world is still a high priority for him. He bends down, careful not to crush (or pluck) the flower, smells it and smiles. From the look on this face, it is clear that the flower smells just as good as it looks. A welcome change of pace in those dark lands, that's for sure.
"What a wonderful fragnance. It is so pleasing to my human senses."- He says to himself- "If only Kai were here to feel it, too... "
He sighs and stands up.
"Yes, Kai. You are just like a flower in this little world."- He adds- "Whenever I get to smell a flower like this, it always reminds me of you and Kiki."
Making sure that he does not hurt the flower while getting back to his feet, Geralt moves away from the patch of grass and runs toward Blackcrag Fortress- the last stop of his grand journey.
It does not take him long to reach it. Soon, he is at the gates of the mighty fort in the plains, just like he stood in front of Nightmare Keep not too long ago. The soldiers, in all of their boistering arrogance, aim his bows at him while a small squadron of imperial contractors emerge from the open gates.
"So, Geralt Kaos. You've finally arrived to receive your punishment."- Their leader says- "Long have you been a thorn in our ways. An obstacle in our path toward building a new, dark empire. I'm sure that you already know how much of a powerful enemy you've made. Your ingenuity so far has been quite impressive, but this is the day when you finally fall apart."
Geralt shakes his head.
"You do not understand! You never did!"- He yells- "The reason why I came here was not because I simply wanted to ruin everything that you fought for! I am here because you took so much away from me, in such an unrightful way! Do you remember when your cowardly emperor took away my sister? The times when he went out of his way to torture all of those who dared to stand against him? Well, history is about to repeat itself! But this time, I will be the one who burns everything you love down to the bone! And you cannot stop me!"
The contractors draw their weapon.
"If that's what it takes to make you see reason, then so it be."- The leader says- "Once you are dealt with, I'm sure that our leader will bestow the highest honors upon us."
Geralt glares at them.
"The only honor that you will receive."- He retorts- "Is getting to fight for what you love. Just like I do."
Suddenly, in front of his confused enemies, he transforms again. But this time, he is going to become something else. A creature that is much more powerful, much more fearsome that what they have ever seen. And the time when he transformed into a wolf to destroy Nightmare Keep will seem like a pleasant memory, compared to what the foolish warriors of Redmark have to face now.
Much to the shock (and amazement) of the warriors, Geralt rises his hands in the air and starts to burn again. Then, he turns into a huge, white phoenix, set ablaze by his own holy fury. And the power that he holds inside of his body can already be felt by his enemies, even as he simply stares down at them.
Many of the warriors decide that it is best if they watch the creature from the inside of the fortress. But the contractors refuse to simply back down. There is money on the head of Geralt Kaos, and they wish to obtain it, no matter what it takes. As the rest of their comrades withdraw, the men draw their weapons and charge.
Geralt watches their futile attempt to take him down and smiles. Or rather, as much as a phoenix could smile. Which is not a lot, truth be told.
"Once again, it is time for me to rain justice upon my enemies."- He says to himself- "I hope that you are watching, everyone. Today, I will make history and defeat the emperor and his army. One soul against the world- Gallant, lionhearted and pure."
As the contractors continue to attack Geralt, his phoenix form flies up, reaching the higher skies in just a few seconds. And then, without wasting any time, he opens his mouth and breathes fire on his enemies. Most of them are burnt to a crisp and those who are lucky enough to survive the initial onslaught perish from the severe burns inflicted upon them seconds later.
Now that this minor obstacle has been destroyed, Geralt continues to wreck havoc among the lines of Redmark by swooping forward and crushing Blackcrag's huge, imposing gate by simply colliding into it. The walls of the mighty fortress do not stand a chance either and are immediately reduced to mounds of rubble by the mighty phoenix and his incredible powers.
Once he swoops inside the fort, the soldiers back away and continue to shoot arrows at him. Others frantically throw their swords, spears and even random rocks on the ground at it while the rest of them simply shriek and run back into their houses. But Geralt is unable to be harmed by such simple tricks. Not anymore. Easily pushing his way through this inadequate defense, he passes through the warriors of Redmark, leaving little more than charred bones and scorching white flames in his wake.
In the middle of the burning fortress, he discovers the last guardians of Redmark- the members of his highest battle circles. A platoon of high mages, dark paladins and members of the emperor's personal guard form a perfect line in front of him, powerful and imposing. And their leader, the treacherous advisor known as Dolion, leads them against the one who is destined to defeat them all.
"You have gone a long way from home, Geralt Kaos. Your adventures have finally led you to our last sanctuary."- Dolion says- "But fear not. The warriors of Redmark are not without mercy. Once your flame finally burns out, we will return you to your family and allow you to be buried with the highest of honors. Our holy leader does not want to make it happen, but I do."
Geralt shakes his head.
"Stand back, Dolion. You are not the one that I want."- He caws- "The people of this world have been tormented for far too long and I, as one of the few guardians left to protect humanity from your tyrannical reign, am here to stop you. Your so-called emperor has destroyed far more lives that you could ever imagine. In my eyes, you are protecting a murderer, thief and liar. But I do not want you to end up the same way as him. I want to give you another chance."
Dolion sighs.
"Then you're just as reckless as your late father. A person that I actually respected."- He says- "There is no pot at the end of the rainbow, Geralt. No matter what you do to stop us, another evil will arise, sooner or later. This is the way of the world. Light and darkness have always existed in here. And yet, they can never coexist. They will never be able to make amends with each other. Believing that you can restore the balance of this world is like bringing a dead person back to life- completely impossible."
Geralt flies in the air.
"Then I will show you just how wrong you are!"
Then, he swoops forward, breaking through the line of combatants with relative ease. Most of them fall victim to the wrath of the mighty phoenix, but Dolion is completely unmoved by this phenomena. He simply takes a few steps back and casts a spell, wrapping the giant phoenix in massive chains. The dark powers are strong enough to drain the energy of the phoenix and make it revert back to its original form- the Geralt that we all know.
Geralt falls to his knees, completely exhausted.
"You're not the chosen one, Geralt. You have never been."- Dolion says- "Surrender and save yourself the trouble of fighting us all. You know the pain as much as we do."
Geralt weakly stands up and shakes his head.
"That... is not going to happen, Dolion."- He responds, relentless until the very end- "If the captain is going down, he goes down alone. The ship remains and, sooner or later, it will bring you all to your knees. Mark my words."
The warriors behind Dolion start to laugh at this seemingly impossible prediction, but Redmark's advisor silences them.
"Hmm. This is interesting."- He says- "And how would your little group of ragged adventurers be able to bring us down, if I may ask?"
Geralt looks up.
"Well."- He says- "They will-- "
Suddenly, everyone hears a loud roar behind them. They turn around and see the largest army of loyalist forces that they have ever seen.
"Oh my god."- Dolion mutters- "This is... it is not possible."
Geralt smiles.
"See, Dolion? I told you."- He says- "Now, it is time for you to... receive your judgement."
A huge army of allied forces pushes their way past the charred remains of Blackcrag's gates. The flags of Goznor, Silverdale, and even the Shining Alliance- one of the strongest (and biggest) armies in the Known Lands, are clearly visible amongst the combatants that decided to aid Geralt in the siege of Blackcrag Fortress.
And then they stop, just a few feet away from the forces of Redmark. Jared emerges from the massive army and glares at Dolion.
"You thought that the Kaos family was weak! You thought that you could push us around, just like you always did in the past! Well, those times change now! Your empire has been allowed to roam free for far too long... and we will bring it down with our own hands, even if we have to tear all of you apart!"- He yells- "Servant of the dark emperor, hear my words! Your mighty leader is not the only one who can command a powerful army! Our alliance is built on trust, determination, and a common cause! And together, we shall show you what it means to mess with the warriors of light!"
Before, the final warriors of Redmark were mildly scared by Geralt's attack. But now, they are outright terrified. In their years of experience, those trained murderers have never seen a force so strong, so unwavering and resolute. The warriors of the world have united against their empire. And now, they are the ones who are awaiting their impending doom at the hands of their enemies.
Jared wastes no time for pleasantries. He raises his sword in the air and gives the command that will start the Beginning of the End:
"Attack, children of light!"
A massive battle rages in the town square. The warriors of Redmark are surrounded by their enemies on all sides, bottled up like a bunch of worthless animals, slowly hunted down by their biggest enemies- the forest hunters. In fact, the scenario of getting shot down like wild animals is much clearer now, as the allied forces are more than eager to put them all down.
Among the screams and blood, Aurelia runs toward the weakened Geralt and gently pulls him back up.
"This fight's not over yet, my love!"- She exclaims- "The emperor's still in there! We've got to help him!"
Geralt sighs.
"I am sure that the warriors are going to get him."- He says, close to fainting- "My job here is already done."
Aurelia shakes her head.
"Nonsense, Geralt! Stop acting like a little child and stand up!"- She exclaims- "Remember what you promised when you embarked on this adventure for the first time? That you want to be the one who defeats the emperor? Well, are you going to make it happen... or are you going to feed us with empty promises?!"
Geralt looks down.
"But... look at me."- He says- "I expended all of my power. My fire has been burning for way too long. And now, I feel like my entire world is falling apart. I don't think that I can get in there or face the emperor like I wanted to."
Aurelia grins.
"Well, that's why you have me!"- She says- "Sit tight, my love! This will only take a bit!"
Having said that, she tells Geralt to sit. Once he complies, she closes her eyes and touches his forehead. She mutters a few words as her eyes start to glow white. Mystical power flows into Geralt's body, energizing him and sealing all of his little wounds, both on the inside and the outside. Soon, his powers return, and it is all thanks to the young woman who has been infatuated with him for so long.
"Aurelia, you are amazing! Thank you so much!"- He exclaims- "Right now, I really want to kiss you! But I... I... "
He looks at Aurelia and notices that she is smiling.
"Well?"- She says- "Why don't you?"
Geralt smiles serenely.
"I guess that it would not hurt."
Then, he leans close to Aurelia and kisses her on the cheek. This makes her blush almost immediately.
"Oh, Geralt!"- She exclaims- "I didn't know that you really meant it!"
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Well, I guess that I feel the same way."
Aurelia smiles and kisses him back.
"I want to do more than just that, but we both have duties in your hands. We mustn't shy away from them."- She says- "So. What are you waiting for? Go out there and grind that foul emperor like a bunch of tainted cheese! We'll be rooting for you!"
Geralt nods.
"I will not fail you."- He says- "I promise."
Then, the two of them share one last hug, and Geralt approaches the gates of Redmark's palace.
As Aurelia stares at him, still smiling, Marlon approaches his daughter and stands next to her.
"So, dear."- He says and smiles- "Is that your new boyfriend?"
Aurelia looks at him.
"How did you know?"
Marlon smiles.
"Well, I always have a hunch when it comes to love."- He says- "I also felt the same way when your brother and sister fell in love for the first time. It was truly a sight to see, a show of true light in front of my eyes."
Aurelia sighs and nods.
"Yes, dad. And he's all that I have left."- She says- "After we lost... you know who, I've been feeling pretty lonely. So, I've been clinging to Geralt, because he's the only one who's still capable of making me happy."
Marlon nods.
"He may not be the best of the best. But he's still perfect... in his own way."- He says- "I hope that things can work out for you."
Aurelia sighs again.
"Me too, dad."
Meanwhile, Geralt sizes up the walls of the palace, hoping to find signs of a weakness. However, there are none. Whatever materials were used to build the palace, this place was built to last. Even the hero's strongest attacks will not scratch this bunker-like structure.
"Hmm."- He says to himself- "I wonder if there is a secret entrance to-- "
Suddenly, he hears a loud roar. He looks up at the sky and gasps, astounded by what he just saw.
"Could this be?"- He continues- "Am I... dreaming?"
He gently rubs his eyes, just to make sure that everything is real. A few moments later, he realizes that it is. A huge dragon, possibly at least a few centuries old, is flying in the sky above, baring its teeth at the warriors below.
"At last!"- It roars- "I am free to destroy evil again!"
Then, with a powerful swoop, it cuts through the gales like a giant arrow, piercing through the veil of darkness and descending to the ground with incredible speed. Sensing danger from above, Geralt leaps out of the path and watches as the dragon crashes into the gates of the palace and completely destroys its gate, allowing Geralt to enter as it turns its attention at the imperial soldiers nearby,
"Wait a second! I remember this dragon!"- He says to himself as he enters- "This is Melanchion- one of the Kaos family's most powerful allies! He has been a friend of ours for quite a few decades and his aid has helped us win many battles in the past!"
Melanchion the Dragon descends next to the allied forces. He sees Jared and leans down, allowing the mighty hero to pat his scaly head.
"I knew that you would respong to our call, mighty Melanchion."- Jared says to him- "Your wisdom is truly appreciated."
Melanchion nods.
"I have always been a friend of humanity. But you and your family have taught me what it means to fight for something that is truly dear to you."- He responds- "Fight on, brave Kaos. You have my full support."
Jared smiles.
"Much appreciated, my friend."- He says- "Together, we can end this nightmare, at long last."
As Geralt enters the palace, members of Redmark's royal guard pour out of the rooms around him. They launch spells in his directions, but he defends himself with a magical shield, blocking the worst of the blows with ease. 
Just as the mages start to panic, one of them misfires his spell and accidentally sets one of the banners on fire.
"Oh no! This is not good!"- He yells- "Put it out! Put it out!"
With all of the guards distracted or dead and his way to the final destination clear as a crystal ball, Geralt wastes no time to run past the confused warriors and transform into a smaller phoenix form, flying through the rest of the obstacles and approaching the throne room at a tremendous speed.
With a loud, thunderous crash, Geralt breaks the huge door to the front room and reverts back to his original form. Stepping inside, he sees a lone man on the throne, unguarded by anyone else but himself.
"Marcus Redmark. I knew that I would find you here."- He says and draws his weapon- "You thought that you could hide from justice, but the justice itself is the one that will burn you down."
Marcus stares at Geralt for a few long moments. Then, he stands up and smiles.
"Why, if it isn't the child of the mighty Adam Kaos!"- He exclaims- "It is such a pleasure to see you, young Geralt!"
Geralt shakes his head.
"Do not pretend around me, vile one."- He says- "I already know what you're capable of."
Marcus nods.
"Ah, yes. That spirit. The charisma and endless determination. You're just like the man that I turned to ashes so many years ago."- He says- "But tell me, Geralt? What makes me so guilty? What am I, in your heroic eyes?"
Geralt shakes his head again.
"You are a murderer. Usurper. Traitor. Defiler of the light."- He says- "Everything that you did in your years of reign has been against the world and its inhabitants. Countless settlements have fallen victim of your wrath, just because they wronged you."
Marcus nods.
"Yes. That's true. And I'd love to do it again, just to show them how futile it is to not shake hands with the Empire."- He says- "But what you just said to me, that I'm an usurper, really intrigues me. What makes you think this way?"
Geralt glares at him.
"I saw the book about you."- He says- "People know how much of a traitor you are."
Marcus raises his eyebrow.
"And you chose to believe them? How naive of you."- He says- "I ascended on the throne of the Empire in a most rightful way. I never dared to harm anyone, unless it was necessary to achieve a better future."
He smiles.
"In fact, both of us are fighting for that."- He says- "It's a shame that we won't get to see it together. One of us has to fall behind while the other... emerges victorious."
Geralt continues to glare at him.
"I have read many books about the Empire's conquest and attempts to enslave the world throughout the early years. Emperor Hawthorne was the one who started it all, and the one who ended it when he died."- He says- "Many times, I heard about the rumors that the descendant of Redmark took down an emperor of the Hawthorne dynasty to ascend to the throne. Why would you slay an emperor who never meant anything bad for the Empire?!"
Marcus looks up and laughs.
"Bad? Hah! That emperor never meant anything at all!"- He exclaims- "He was just sitting on his throne, fat and content, knowing that everything in this world is just as good as it could be. He didn't even expect me until the moment I was in front of him. And when I activated the spikes and finished him off with my mighty blade... well, the rest is just history."
Geralt shakes his head.
"And soon, you will be a part of it."
Marcus laughs.
"You don't know how right you are!"- He exclaims- "But be warned. The powers that I have gained throughout the years, they cannot be measured by mere humans. I am a friend to more than just the warriors of our world... or those of them who are willing to listen, anyway. I am a sovereign of the empire who has been trained in the dark arts since a very young age. And I'm ready to use them if I need to."
Geralt draws his weapon. His eyes start to burn white.
"Is that your response? How lame of you."- He says- "Maybe I should teach you some respect, in case you've forgotten how to treat your elders."
Geralt shakes his head.
"You are no elder, you monster."- He says- "You are just a beast in human skin, a horror with the heart of a man. The only reason why others respect you is because of the fear that you injected into their souls. And if you think that you are better than this, you're lying to yourself."
Marcus clenches his fists.
"Enough! The empire will last in its current light, and you will not be here to witness my triumph!"- He exclaims- "Let's fight, heir of Kaos!"
Geralt takes a step forward.
"I thought you would never say that."
Marcus smiles and raises his hands in the air. He calls two spectral warriors, armed with two of the finest blades the evil side of the Spirit World could offer. They stand on each side of their master, ready to protect him.
"Still hiding behind your guardians, I see."- Geralt says and sighs- "You have never been a brave one, Redmark. Forcing others to do your bidding has always been your apex skill. Nothing could be better than that."
Marcus raises his eyebrow.
"You still dare to mock me, even though you're in my domain now?"- He says and smirks- "Maybe you're not quite as righteous as I thought."
Geralt shakes his head.
"There is no point to argue with a blind fool like you."- He says- "Fight me like a man or die like a coward. Those are your only options."
Marcus smiles.
"We shall see about that."
The emperor steps back and fires a few bolts of fire at Geralt, However, the young hero draws his sword and spins around, creating a vortex that is strong enough to push them back to their sender, forcing the specters to take the blow instead of Marcus.
Angered by Geralt's persistence, Marcus draws his staff and steps back toward the magic circle in the middle of the throne room. His eyes glow blood red as he calls upon the forces of darkness to assist him.
"You dared to mess with the holy emperor."- He says- "Now, you must face the mightiest forces of the underworld."
Suddenly, two huge portals appear to the left and right of him. Powerful daemonic creatures attempt to crawl, but only the smallest and weakest of them manage to do so. For now.
Marcus laughs as the imps keep pouring out of the portals that he created with his own hands. Like a mad scientist who is admiring at his own creation, he feels joy as the forces of darkness slowly start to overwhelm Geralt.
"Hah! I told you!"- He exclaims- "You stand no chance against me and my allies! My powers are incredible... and so am I!"
As Geralt keeps fighting back against the imps that are attempting to bring him down, he stares at the links of the portals. Apparently, they are connected to the underworld via a stable connection, unlike the ones that Keenan spawned against him and his allies not too long ago. However, all portals have a single weakness- bring enough force down on them and they will fall apart very easily.
"Watch out, Redmark."- He says- "It is more than likely that today will be a big blast."
Marcus raises his eyebrow, trying to understand what Geralt means. Just as he is about to realize it, however, Geralt leaps forward and throws his legendary sword at the nearest portal.
As our hero had suspected, the connection between the portal and the underworld can be severed. His sword cuts its way through the feeble defenses that keep the portal intact and make it explode, destroying both the fiends that were still on the other side and the ones who were in the throne room.
Now that the connection between both portals has been severed, the other portal suffers the same fate as the first one. Both the fresh reinforcements and the one who have yet to arrive are incinerated, leaving Marcus to wonder what went wrong.
But he does not not wonder for long. As soon as he realizes that his plan won't work, he switches to another one. He raises his hands in the air again and quickly spawns a gigantic creature made of fire.
"Do you recognize this creature, Geralt? Well, it's the same one that made your big brother go blind!"- Marcus exclaims and laughs- "Kaiden managed to defeat it with whatever strength he had left at the time. WIll you do the same?"
Geralt glares at the creature as his sword drops back into his hand.
"I am not afraid of Man, nor Beast."- He says- "If they are evil and threaten the good of this world, I will face them with a heart of light."
The flame giant raises his fist and attempts to pummel Geralt. Fortunately, the boy manages to get away in time, but the blow manages to slightly burn his right arm.
After taking a good look at the creature, Geralt's inner anger rises to extreme levels. He has never felt angry at something that is not a human and the fact that his brother went blind because he had to protect him from one of those beasts drives him to the edge of fury.
"Hah! You're just like him!"- Marcus exclaims- "So, what are you going to do, young Kaos? Cry to your mommy? Oh wait, she isn't even here anymo-- "
Suddenly, Geralt lowers his hands and raises them just as fast. He creates a tall torrent of water with his magic, watching the flame titan as he slowly shambles toward it. Then, once he is in the perfect position, he jumps in the air and strikes the torrent with his sword, creating a tsunami so strong that it puts out the titan's left arm.
"Wait!"- Marcus says- "What do you think that you're doing?!"
Geralt glares at him.
"The power of water can heal, but it can also harm. Depending on how you use it, you can either be a great healer or a fearsome fighter."- He says- "Allow me to show you what happens when you combine them!"
Then, he strikes one more time, putting out the titan's remaining arm.
And yet, this is far from the end of the titan's punishment. When the creature attempts to stumble forward one last time, Geralt strikes the torrent with his sword, creating a massive tsunami that easily engulfs it, incinerating a small part of the throne room and putting it down forever.
"This is not possible!"- Marcus exclaims- "The titan was supposed to be my worthiest servant! Why did you strip him away from me?!"
Geralt rises to his feet and smiles.
"Well."- He says- "Maybe you should pick better friends before you mess with-- "
Suddenly, he feels a sharp pain in his head. He looks up and sees that Marcus is standing next to him, grabbing his forehead with the palms of his hands and casting some sort of a spell.
"What are you... doing?"
Marcus smiles.
"Completing the mission that I started four years ago, of course."- He says- "Goodbye, Geralt. You will never awaken again."
Geralt feels his eyes close. He falls to his knees, then on his back. His energy is quickly being drained away and he cannot do anything to stop it.
"Must... continue... to... fight."- He mutters- "The... world... still... needs... me... "
Then, he collapses to the ground and closes his eyes.
And yet, this is not the end of his story. When he awakens, he finds himself in the Spirit World. He sees all of the people that he valiantly tried to protect, staring at him and admiring him.
"So, Geralt. It seems like you got in a bad situation again."- Aalia says and smiles- "How are you doing, love?"
Geralt looks around and raises his eyebrow.
"What is going on, mom?"- He asks her- "Why am I here?"
Aalia shakes her head.
"It seems like Redmark managed to shut down your thoughts and get you killed. A real pity, but it's not irreversible."- She says- "You still have something left to fight for. I can't just let you come here."
Geralt looks at her.
"But what can I do?"- He asks- "When someone leaves this world, they cannot come back. There is no way a soul, even one as strong as me, to pass through the spectral expanses of the Spirit World and go back to the real one."
Aalia sighs.
"Oh, you're just as much of a pessimist as your big brother."- She says- "Look around you, sonny. All of those people came here to cheer you on. When they heard that you were in trouble, they heard my call and arrived to give you the strength to beat the foul emperor back into the earth."
Then, she takes a step forward, takes her son's hands in hers and closes her eyes.
"Your hands are so warm, mom."- Geralt says as he does the same- "How is it possible for me to feel this way?"
Aalia smiles.
"It's the magic of the Spirit World, dear. It converts dream energy into a reality, allowing you to reunite with those that you love so much. Like me. And your uncle."- She says- "But now, we must focus on the task at hand. If we allow Redmark to live, the world that we live in will be in danger. Even your allies will not be able to stop him, no matter how weakened he is now."
Geralt sighs.
"I guess that you are right. The people need me and I need their strength to win this fateful battle."- He says- "Alright, I will do as you say. But I am only doing this because I love you. And I will never stop."
Aalia continues to smile.
"Oh, honey. I've also felt the same way."- She says- "Ever since I saw you for the first time, I knew that you would be the brightest star in the sky. The most brilliant beacon of light in the face of eternal darkness. When I gave birth to you, I felt like Virgin Mary for a few minutes. I knew that my son would be a savior himself, just like God's holiest messenger. And I know that, even now, you spread the light that the mighty gods have given to us, providing those people with the peace that they deserve."
She coughs and shakes her head.
"But that's not the main reason why we're here."- She is quick to add- "Let us continue."
Mother and son begin to chant an ancient incantation, meant to reconnect a recently deceased person with their own body. They use all of their power to open a portal to the real world and allow Geralt to return to his rightful place.
"Umm, mom."- Geralt says- "I think that my hands are starting to burn."
Aalia smiles.
"It means that it's working!"- She exclaims- "Keep chanting! I can see the road to our planet!"
As the two of them continue to chant, spectral creatures appear around them. Even without looking at them, they realize what they are- banshees.
"Warriors of the heavens!"- Aalia exclaims- "Protect us from the vile one and his ill intentions!"
The spirits around them draw their weapon and face the banshees in battle as Geralt and Aalia continue to chant. Even though the portal in front of them looks a little dim, it is slowly going stronger. Soon, it is completed.
As the screams of both the friendly warriors and the banshees echo throughout the Spirit World, Geralt and his mother open their eyes. The young hero stares at the portal in front of him and shakes his head.
"I guess that this is it. No more wandering in the past for me."- He says and sighs- "It is time for me to... return to the struggle. Defeat the emperor. Live my life."
Aalia smiles sadly.
"Oh, my dear. I know how it feels to be separated from the people that you love."- She says- "When I met your dad for the first time, I felt like he was everything to me. I can still remember the burning tower, my poor allies who perished and reanimated during our futile defense. I was the only survivor of that dangerous time, and I still failed them all. I've regretted my decisions ever since then."
She looks at her son and places her hand on his shoulder.
"But you shouldn't be afraid! You have so much to live for!"- She exclaims- "Even if life itself throws you in the way of danger, continue to face it with a smile. Because somewhere out there, a kindred spirit is watching you and wishing you well. So go on, with the best wishes from all of those that you failed to protect. Even though we're gone for good, that doesn't mean that we're not grateful toward you. As for me, I just cannot help but adore you. In your face, I can see the little angel that I raised with all of my love. And I... I don't want to lose you."
Geralt nods.
"I will go out there and make you proud."- He says- "Thank you, mom. You are the best."
As Geralt turns around, Aalia stops him.
"Before you go, I want to tell you something about Aurelia."- She says- "You know, Governor Marlon's little lady. The one who really loves you."
Geralt turns around and raises his eyebrow.
"You think that she actually loves me?"- He asks- "Isn't this just an aimless infatuation?"
Aalia looks at her son, surprised.
"You still refuse to believe that she's the one for you?"- She says and chuckles- "But my dear! She's the sweetest lady I've ever seen! Her love for you is brighter than a thousand suns! And the ways that she used to tell you how much she cares about you, I can't even start to describe them! Aurelia's more than just a simple girl in a world of darkness. She is the young maiden that's meant to be your angel, just like you're meant to be the angel for the rest of the world!"
Geralt nods.
"It is true. I have always felt the same way about her."- He says- "But I always thought that she deserves someone else. Someone who is better than me. Why would she fall in love with someone who is always so busy and ignorant?"
Aalia smiles.
"Well, maybe she finds you attractive this way. Maybe she thinks that having a boy like you by her side will be more challenging, more interesting for her."- She says- "But that's just my theory. Maybe she's just as innocent as I think, and she just wants someone who will truly love her back. Like you, of course."
Then, she shakes her head.
"But enough of that, That's not why I wanted to talk to you."- She says- "The reason I pulled you back... is because I wanted to give you permission."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Permission?"- He asks- "For what?"
Aalia smiles.
"To marry her, of course!"
Geralt gasps.
"You want me to marry Aurelia?!"
Aalia shakes her head.
"Truth be told, I'll never give you to another girl. She's the perfect one for you."- She says- "So, go ahead! Take your old mother's advice and use it to forge your own future! Make me proud of my humble, little angel!"
Geralt looks at Aalia. Tears start to fall from his eyes.
"Mama... "
Then, he leans forward and hugs her.
"I will, mom. I will marry her."- He says tearfully- "Thank you for everything. I love you."
Aalia smiles and hugs her son back.
"I love you too, my dearest little cupcake."- She says- "Now, my sweet little child, the road to the light awaits you. This is your chance to shine again. Take it while you still can. The world needs a hero to survive until the end of the night. Will you be the one?"
Geralt nods.
"I will not fail you, mom."
Aalia continues to smile.
"I know that you won't,"- She replies- "Goodbye, love. See you on the other side."
Geralt waves at his mother as he enters the portal, thrilled that he got to see her one last time before he goes back to the real world. Once he arrives there, he opens his eyes (now glowing white) and swiftly stands on his feet. Then, he glares at Marcus and blasts him with a powerful light spell, nearly throwing him off the ledge as the crowd below his feet begins to cheer.
Apparently, the emperor was trying to give some sort of a demoralizing speed, paired with the fact that Geralt is dead. This was supposed to break everyone down and make them easy targets for the remnants of his army. However, this was not enough to make the warriors of light fall apart and the only one who is going to suffer this fate... is him.
Marcus looks back at Geralt. Horrified by this sight, he point at him, his hands trembling from the terror inside of his soul.
"You... were supposed to be dead! Disposed of! Erased from this world!"- He yells- "How can you still be alive?!"
Geralt smiles.
"I have some friends in high places."- He says- "Unlike you, Mr. Loner."
Marcus stands up and clenches his fists.
"Oh, I'll show you what it means to be a loner!"- He yells- "I'll destroy everything that you love until you're all alone in this world!"
Geralt draws his weapon.
"Bring it on, destroyer of dreams."
Suddenly, Marcus's wrath grows to incredible levels. His entire body turns black as it quickly turns much bigger than it was before. At first, this terrifies Geralt, but he soon remembers what his mother tried to imply- the horrors of this world are just illusions, made by the human mind to challenge it. And this is the biggest challenge yet.
As the emperor's strength and size continue to grow, Geralt uses his magic to make his body turn white and grow bigger himself. Soon, both of them manage to knock down the roof of the palace, making it fall down and crush a few imperial soldiers that were standing nearby.
"Is that a titan?"- Aurelia asks.
"Or maybe a shining colossus?"- Donovan adds.
Jared stares at the two giants and gasps.
"No!"- He exclaims- "It is Geralt!"
The two giants soon take shape. One of them turns into a massive daemon, and the other- into a giant angel. Both of them arm themselves with weapon and will in the calm before the storm, knowing that this battle will knock the entire city away.
And so, the Archangel and the Archfiend stare each other down, eager for a chance to initiate a fight that will end it all. 
"You dared to challenge me. You destroyed my empire, brought everything to ruin."- The demon says- "But your light was never strong enough. You were always inferior to the powers of darkness. Admit it already."
The angel shakes his head.
"I will never admit anything to a fiend such as yourself."- He says- "If you really want my pardon, you will get it... once I shine my light upon you!"
Infuriated, the demon takes a step back and forms an infernal trident in the palm of his hand. Then, he throws it at the angel, but the creature manages to swoop it away by using its wings, sending it flying into a nearby building and destroying it.
"Oh yeah?"- The demon says and laughs as more tridents appear in his hands- "Let's see how you'll fare against the mother of all nightmares!"
Having said that, the demon starts throwing more tridents. The ground below his feet is set on fire as the destruction continues to spread everywhere. Both imperials and allied forces are slain by the battle between the two of them and there is no sign that either of them will stop.
"This is taking too long!"- The angel exclaims- "Let us take this to the skies... if you dare!"
The demon laughs.
"Bring it on, holy one!"
Both the Archangel and the Archfiend fly to the sky at the same time. They continue to stare each other down as they prepare their next move, the angel preparing his holy sword, and the demon- his unholy trident.
"The power of darkness has always reigned surpeme!"- The demon yells- "Do you really think that you can change it?"
The angel points his weapon at him.
"Do you want to see the answer for yourself?"
The demon nods.
"It's on, angel of Kaos."
Both the angel and the demon start attacking each other at the same time. The sky turns dark and meteors start to fall down as the forces of Light and Darkness engage in one final battle against each other.
"Is this what the end of the world feels like?"- Aurelia says and takes a step back- "If so, I don't think that I can stay here for much longer!"
Jared nods.
"Our role in this world has been temporarily diminished."- He says- "It is the responsibility of the higher powers to save us from the apocalypse now. And Geralt is in the middle of this."
Aurelia looks at him.
"Is Geralt going to be okay?!"
Jared sighs.
"I really hope so!"
As the angel and demon continue to fight, the evil one finds a way to weaken his opponent. Once a passing meteor comes by, he tackles him and sends him toward it, wounding him and making him plummet to the ground below.
"Hah!"- The demon exclaims- "I win again!"
However, the angel stops just a few feet away from the earth. He spreads his wings and flies back in the air, confusing and angering the demon.
"Why do you refuse to die?!"
The angel shakes his head.
"You refused to accept the ways of our world. You denied the power of light and usurped the throne for your own evil intentions."- He says- "Perhaps I was too soft with you, Redmark. I should have killed you when I was still a child."
The demon laughs.
"Kill me? You were still so young, so untrained!"- He exclaims- "You couldn't even hurt a fly!"
The angel glares at him.
"And yet, I still defeated one of your most powerful generals."
The demon stops laughing and starts to glare.
"That was just pure coincidence!"- He yells- "You had friends by your side! You were not alone!"
The angel nods.
"That is the point, Redmark!"- He yells- "Having allies is what gives you the power to overcome your fears! And you have none!"
Having said that, the angel swoops toward the demon. The mighty fiend tries to fly away, but the angel easily catches up with him. Then, he tackles him, grabs him by the neck and descends toward the ground at an incredible speed.
Everyone jumps away as the angel and demon crash into the ground, creating an earthquake so strong that it can be heard everywhere in the world, A massive shockwave hits the area around Blackcrag Fortress, destroying all of the buildings that are still standing but not harming anyone.
As the angel and demon revert back to their original forms, Geralt approaches Marcus. Now that the emperor is badly wounded, he has no trouble to grab him by the neck and lift him up.
"This is it, Redmark."- He says- "You have lost."
Then, he throws him back on the ground and watches as he stands back up.
"Master! No!"- Dolion yells- "This can't be happening! Our empire cannot fall!"
The allied forces approach Dolion and glare at him.
"Do you really want this, advisor?"- Jared asks him- "Are you truly willing to throw your life away like this?"
Dolion shakes his head.
"I will never submit to you, loyalist fools."- He says to them- "I will fight you all until the end."
Then, Geralt approaches Dolion as well. He glares at him as his eyes start to glow (and flash) white, terrifying the emperor's advisor almost immediately.
"Okay! Okay!"- He exclaims- "I surrender! I surrender!"
Jared smiles.
"That's a good boy."
Geralt turns his attention back on Marcus. He looks down, finally realizing that his mighty empire has fallen.
"So. You've finally won the battle. Despite my best efforts, I still didn't manage to crush you."- He says and lowers his head- "Just finish me off already. I want it to be over as soon as possible."
Geralt raises his sword in the air. He is about to execute the emperor for his crimes. However, he soon looks back at the emperor and thinks better of it.
"No, Redmark. You will not die here."- He says and sheathes his sword- "The people of the world want to see your face. I will show it to them."
Marcus looks up,
"But... why?"
Geralt sighs.
"You will continue to live."- He says- "But not for long."