The End Is A New Beginning

==8. The End Is A New Beginning==
"Come on Little Sparrow, wake up!" My eyes flickered open, and I sat up, stretching. Before me stood Rose. "Mom and Dad have gone out. You've missed saying goodbye. Come on, get up. They won't be back for ages!" She laughed. "It's a beautiful day outside. I've set out some bottles for you, so you can practice shooting. The chickens need rounding up, or we could kill some beetles, or sorts of things." I followed her eagerly out the door. Was this a dream? Was I supposed to play along?
I hurried out the door, and the sight that greeted me was spectacular. Home. This was home. I breathed in deeply, and forgot everything, allowing myself to be a kid again. I took to her bottle shooting challenge. I followed the paths, cut through the grass and flowers, shooting at them. Then I entered the garden, drew out my childish wooden sword and swung freely, smashing the beetles to bits.
Just as I had finished rounding the chickens up, Rose called. "Today was super fun, don't you think, Sparrow?" She yawned. "But I'm worn out. Let's go to bed." Suddenly, I got scared. What if I went to bed, and didn't wake up here in the morning? "Come on, Little Sparrow!" I chased after her, back into the house and up the stairs. She watched me crawl into bed, and like a flame being blown out, I was asleep.
Soft music awoke me. I climbed out of bed and stood at the window, listening, watching. It seemed to be coming from outside the gate. "It's nothing, Sparrow... Come back to bed." I ignored her, and sprinted down the stairs, out of the house. "Please come back to bed, Sparrow!" She ran after me, and I reached the gate, going through. I looked over my shoulder at her. "Don't leave me again! No!" She shrieked, and then everything began to glow red. Black clouds like smoke rolled in above me, and as I ran down the path, there were pieces of broken wood, flames prospering. I kept running towards the music. Finally, I stopped. Among the hell that surrounded me was the music box. I walked up to it slowly, and took it between my hands.
Like that, the whole scene faded.
I was surrounded by impenetrable black. I saw myself as a child, and heard Rose saying, "Castle Fairfax looks so nice in the snow. If only we could live there." Lucien's younger voice intruded. "Perhaps that could be arranged." I heard Rose scream, "No!" Her final word before she died.
My younger self faded, bringing to my view myself as a novice in the real world. Theresa spoke. "For centuries this academy trained the most supremely sons and daughters of Albion, bound together by the blood that flowed in their veins." A moment of silence. Then, "Can you feel the power coursing through you?"
The scene changed again. Now I saw myself about the time Hannah and I had gone to Wellspring. I could hear her sobs: "Father! I could have stopped him!"
I heard the voices of Mad-Dog and Murray next, seeing myself after beating the Crucible. "That was something else. Best Crucible in years!" The other man said, "A classic performance that will be remembered for all time. Or at least, as long as there are people around to remember it."
A certain dread filled my mind when I saw myself dressed in Spire Guard uniform. I heard the Commandant's threat: "Everyone has their breaking point, and I will find yours."
Much to my relief, the memory faded quickly, replacing it with a recent voice. The voice that spoke in the Shadow Court. "The rules cannot be broken. We shall take whoever bears the Dark Seal." Reaver's voice came after. "And looking as youthful and spirited as ever! Aren't you a tricky one. Good for you."
Then I saw my current self, and heard Lucien, "The last time I killed you, it tore my heart out. Of course, you were only a child... But then... So was I."
The black faded into immaculate white. I heard Rose speaking- "You have passed the test. Your rewards are the opportunity to conquer your enemy... And the means to destroy them. Take the box and go to him."
My white abyss wore away, and I found myself standing in the Spire. An uneasy feeling crept up my spine. I took off into a sprint, flying past dead bodies and the eerily familiar walls that I had been isolated in for what seemed like an eternity. I ran straight into a bright light, where Lucien stood in a spot similar to what I had, taking in the energies of the three different Heroes.
He took notice of me soon. "Your power is astounding. Twice you have cheated death. Yet your abilities are trivial compared to the infinite power of the Spire, which will soon be mine! Now... Sleep." I had almost forgotten the music box between my hands. I thrust it forward, keeping it in my grasp. "What? What is that? What are you doing? Do you really think a mere trinket will save you? Do you think anything can?" The music began to play. "Stop! Think about what you are doing! I will put an end to chaos!"
"Stop now you fool! You insect! I command you to stop!" He raged on as the music cut off the energy beams of the Heroes. I didn't budge, and I felt good. "Sleep! I command you to sleep! Sleep!" A white light began to bubble up, and soon it consumed us. It faded as the music stopped. And Lucien stood up. "Do you consider that a victory? You are merely destroying the inevitable. All that you have struggled for will crumble-" Before I had realized what I was doing, I heard the click of my crossbow, then I saw his eyes widen, he clutched the side of his chest. A step and a half backwards, he fell.
"I thought he would never shut up," Reaver complained, and I almost smiled. I looked to Hammer, who tried to sit up.
"Lucien's... Dead. So... What happens now?" It was a good question. I had avenged Rose by killing Lucien. That had been the whole goal. And all the questing I had to do to get that far was behind me. Slowly all the Heroes stood, finding their footing. The light of a Cullis Gate began to evaporate from the center plate. There was Theresa.
"Now?" Theresa asked. "Hero, it is time you gained your reward, your gift for saving the world from a madman's selfish dream. The Spire has awakened. And it still has the power to grant one wish... Yours. Come. Take my hand." Her tone changed to gentleness. "It's alright, Sparrow. Don't be afraid."
My world went white again, and in front of me, I saw Theresa, standing among the nothingness. "Theresa, before you ask me what I choose... Where is Phoebe?"
"She was killed by one of Lucien's men, Hero." I felt my stomach tighten. "Because she was taken of her immortality. Phoebe is a Witch," That caught my attention and I began to recall something about a witch in Bloodstone... "From a place called the Black City. All who go there become immortal. I know of her. She was born here, in Albion."
"How do you know so much about her?" I stammered out. "How..."
"Because I was born in the same town she was. I used to play with her when we were children. Until she was taken to the Black City." Theresa explained.
"Taken? Born at the same time? What are you talking about? Theresa, how old are you?" I demanded.
Not answering my real question, she said instead: "Old enough to be the older sister of the Hero of Oakvale." I had vaguely heard of that Hero. "And Phoebe could tell you about it. Actually, she may even show you it. And, perhaps one of your ancestors."
Before I could ask anything else, ask if we were somehow related to each other, she continued, changing the topic entirely. "You stand in the heart of the Spire, as the Archon of the Old Kingdom did thousands of years ago. Now it is your turn. Choose wisely, for it will affect all of Albion." She paused for a moment, and then went on: "Sacrifice. You may choose to revive all those who died in the Spire's Making. It is a selfless gift, your only reward will be the gratitude of Albion. Love. Those dearest to you- even your faithful dog- will be restored to life." With each choice so far, a card was placed in front of me. "But their lives come at the cost of the countless innocents who died in building the Spire. Or wealth. More gold than you can imagine, to spend on whatever pleases you. But any you loved, and all the Spire's prisoners, will remain dead, and will not witness your new found affluance." Theresa was monotone in her next question: "What will you choose?"
I had to think. Selflessness. I had given everything I had so far in life for others... Should I continue? The gold was certainly out of the question, I didn't care for wealth. But love... To bring back all the ones I love. Rose... Marten... Phoebe. I had to make a choice... "I choose love," I said quietly.
"So be it." Suddenly, the whole place felt like it was moving and I heard the crashes of thunder and maybe hints of lightning in the bleakly clouded sky. The Spire began to glow within, and that white flash attacked again. I stumbled in place, though I couldn't feel the ground, when all the energy that had built up exploded in a giant force push. When the white cleared, Theresa spoke: "When you return, your furry little friend will be waiting for you. And any who might declare you selfish or callous, any who themselves lost family to this place, will know that given such a choice, they might well have done the same." Theresa said, and again, white consumed us. She didn't say anything about Rose or Phoebe. The white soaked back into color, and we were once again with Hannah, Garth, and Reaver.
"We heard everything," Hannah said softly, and I noticed we were back in the part of the Spire where the Heroes were.
"Yes, a wish was made, and the world will suffer its consequence." Theresa replied, making me feel uncomfortable. It hadn't been an easy thing to wish.
"I'd give anything to bring back someone I love." Hannah was fighting back tears, I could tell.
Reaver groaned, "Oh, I think I might be ill..." We all ignored him and I looked back to Hannah, wishing she knew how sorry I was.
Her voice got a little quieter: "But you could have brought back thousands... Victims of this horrible place... They had families too..."
Garth intruded. "It was his decision. Let him live with it." I felt the sting of their words.
Hannah wasn't through though, she snapped back. "If you care so little about life, why didn't you take the money?"
For once, I was thankful for Reaver trying to change the topic at hand. "Yes, yes, yes... But on to more important matters: what about me? What do I get?" he chuckled smugly. "Cash would be nice."
"That is up to you. I can send you anywhere from here." Theresa said solemnly. "What do you wish?"
"I would like to return home. To Samarkand." Garth said almost instantly.
"Ooh, I've never been to Samarkand." Reaver asked, and said. "Hot nights, exotic substances, and... Uninhibited people."
Garth turned Reaver's way: "It's nothing like that."
Reaver chortled, grinning like a rich fool. "Trust me. I'll find the exciting bits."
I could tell by the look on Garth's face he didn't like the idea. "Fine. But stay out of my way." He turned to Hannah. "Hammer?"
Hannah shook her head, and it was obvious she was still very upset. Who wasn't, though? "No, I'm done." Then she turned to me, and I braced myself for more harsh words. "I know why we got attacked in the cave, the day we met. You brought those hollow men in with you. Two monks would have found nothing, but a warrior finds battle. Always." She turned back to Theresa. "I want to go up north, study with those warrior monks. I was so sick of avoiding violence... Now I'm sick of causing it."
Reaver, of course, had to pitch in his delightful farewell: "Goodbye, Hero. I simply can't thank you enough for dragging me into this mess." Something must have flickered in his mind, because he added: "Oh- I should tell you. I do have to make the occasional sojourn back to Albion. I have an obligation to some friends in Wraithmarsh." He disappeared in a Cullis Gate-like glow.
Garth looked me in the eye. "I had my doubts about you at first. But I'm glad we met. And we shall meet again. You can count on it." I smiled a little. At least Garth wasn't being entirely cold. One goodbye like that was enough for me. I lifted one hand to wave as he disappeared in the glow.
For the final time, Hannah turned to me. "Guess I'll leave Albion to you," her words were very cold now. "Not like I can do anything about it." Then she surprised me, her voice lightened. "You did some amazing things. Shame about all the rotten stuff. I guess this will be our last goodbye." Then she smiled, just barely. "Take care of yourself." As Hannah disappeared, Theresa spoke.
"Farewell, Hammer. And now it is time for you to leave," I knew she was talking to me. "The world is yours to enjoy. But," Her lips bent in a crooked smile. "The Spire is mine. Begone." A hopefully final flash of white, and then I found myself on the docks in Oakfield. Marten's bark caught my attention, and I lunged to his level as he sprinted to me. I laid on the docks with him, wrestling and hugging him.
Eagerly, after I had sat up on my knees, I looked around for Rose and Phoebe, but my spirits fell when I found that neither were there with us. "I don't understand, Marten. Where are they? The wish said that it would bring back the ones I love." I was happier than ever to see Marten, but at the same time, I had never felt so alone in my life. Tears rimmed my eyes, and I let them go. Marten whimpered and I felt him put his furry head against my chest. I rested my head on his, one hand gripping his collar tightly. My only friend in the world, again. I wasn't letting go.