MLIV C5, P5- "Out Of The Ashes"

"Out Of The Ashes" is the fifth Part of "Miracula Luxia IV" 's fifth Chapter.
It was released on 31.07.2022.
== Plot ==
Adam managed to complete Erika's last challenge and win her trust. Finally seeing that keeping the Necronomicon in her grounds would only cause pain to the rest of the world, the spirit of Avernum's most powerful Archmage finally relents, willingly allowing Adam to deal with this situation accordingly and devising a plan to him, Emela and her own granddaughter out of the tower before Darkthrop's forces seize it for themselves and condemn them.
Unfortunately, it seems like the evil sorcerer was already one step ahead of them. Now that he knows that Declan is dead and that the dark tome shall never be in his hands again, he decides to make one last, desperate move to save his own skin- burning down the library and leaving no evidence of the athrocities that he nearly committed, hopefully ending the lives of his most sworn enemies in the process.
Will the three heroes emerge from the embers of what used to be the heart of the tower and live to tell the tale?
== Story ==
As Erika prepares to fly away with her magic, Adam takes a step back.
"What's wrong, child?"- She asks him- "You look like you saw a demon or something."
Adam shakes his head.
"All this time, I have been passing through everything. Challenge after challenge, I completed them all and emerged victorious."- He says- "But now, I have to face one of my greatest fears. And it is no joke."
Emela raises her eyebrow.
"A fear? Now, in the middle of a battle?"- She asks- "But you never told me about it! How could we get you out?"
Adam looks down.
"I... I am not sure."- He says- "My whole world seems to be spinning all around me. I cannot tell for sure if I will make it."
Erika realizes that Adam has lost his will to live, just because of a single fear. Deciding to take matters in her own hands, she approaches the boy, inclined to take them all out alive.
"Adam."- She says- "I... I'm sorry for what I'm about to do."
Then, without a warning, she lunges forward and slaps him, shocking Emela.
"Pull yourself together!"- She yells at him- "You're the world's most valued hero! People respect you because you're never afraid of doing the right thing! And you're going to have a meltdown now, when you're so close to the end of your struggle?! Well, let me tell you- this is not how a true hero fights!"
Irritated by the way Erika is treating her student, Emela angrily grabs her and forces her to turn around. Then, while she is still confused, she delivers a sharp punch in her stomach, forcing her to fall on her knees.
"Emela."- Erika mutters as she looks up at her- "What is wrong with you?"
Emela shakes her head.
"You're hurting my boy's feelings."- She says- "He may have made a mistake, but you're just making it worse! And I can't allow this!"
Emela is inclined to hurt the incantatrix even further, but Adam stops her before she can do more damage.
"No, Miss Emela. Please, stop it. There is no need to be angry at a person who is right."- He says- "Miss Erika claims that I am weak and it is true. I really am. But this is not the right way to make a difference!"
He helps Erika stand up and gives her staff back to her.
"Thank you, Adam. I'm glad that you finally understand the meaning behind my rants."- She says- "But you're thinking wrong. I don't claim that you're weak and I never would. You're just a little... confused. You need someone to guide you toward the right path. That's all."
Emela glares at her.
"And you think that you're the one?"
Erika shakes her head.
"Not at all."- She responds humbly- "I just want to give the idea. Hopefully, someone else would listen to me and be the guiding light for Adam."
She turns to Emela and gives her a little wink. Emela rolls her eyes as she looks back Adam.
"So, are you ready to go?"- Emela asks her student- "I know that it's nice to have a small talk, especially after we were separated from each other for so long. However, I fear that we won't have much time left. The room's getting searingly hot and the forces of Darkthrop are surely trying to hunt us down."
Adam nods.
"Indeed, I am."- He says and takes a step forward- "Fears or not, I shall conquer them and prove myself as a fearless warrior of the law whose heart is still pure, even after being tainted for so long."
Then, he takes a few more steps forward and approaches a nearby window. Using Erika's magic, he closes his eyes and feels as if he is a feather in the wind.
"By the great power that has been bestowed upon me, I shall not fail my task!"- He exclaims- "Even the sky itself cannot stop me from being myself!"
And then, without a moment of thought, he takes seven steps back. He runs forward with all his might, jumps from the window, surprising his sister and Balthazar who are standing below.
"Brother!"- Akira yells out- "No!"
Just as it seems that Adam is going to fall down, sparkles appear all around him and prevent him from harming himself. Then, he rises in the air and flies away from the burning tower, like a bird that is finally free from its eternal prison.
"Atta boy!"- Emela praises her student- "Now, even the sky has become your playground!"
Rising into the air as well, she flies forward and stands beside him.
"Once again, master and student strike again!"
Seeing that Adam and Emela are finally safe, Erika smiles.
"If only Dari were here to see this show."- She says- "I'm sure that he would've been proud of his fellow heroes."
She looks back at the burning books, remembering how she unknowingly let down her own grandmother and allowed the worst villain mankind has ever known to destroy what few memories were still left of her.
"I'm so sorry, grandma. I wish we could have been able to do something about this arson."- She says- "I won't let this crime go unanswered, though. I promise that I'll find that fiend and bring him to justice once and for all."
Having said that, she flies away just as the entire last floor is engulfed by the magical fire, barely escaping with her own life.
"Are you alright, Miss Erika?"- Adam asks her- "You look rather... gloomy.'
Erika shakes her head.
"It's nothing that you should be worried about."- She assures him- "Although... "
She looks back at the tower and sighs.
"This place has been my home for many decades. I came to see it as my holy sanctuary, my sacred garden of solitude."- She says- "It was the only building that I could ever call my true home. And I had to watch it get vandalized, destroyed, ransacked... "
She sighs again.
"No matter what happens next, it'll never be the same for me."
Emela shakes her head.
"We all lose something important to us, miss."- She says- "In the end, it's the matter of acceptance that decides whether you're ready to move on or not."
Erika nods.
"For the sake of a better future, I must forget what happened today."- She says- "For now, that is."
She stares at the area ahead.
"We must land on a safer ground."- She says, expecting another attack- "We mustn't stand this close to the tower. Not when there's so many of Darkthrop's spies trying to gun us down."
Adam looks at the area below. He does not see anyone.
"What about my sister?"- He asks- "I am sure that she is in danger as well!"
Erika looks at him.
"Is your sister a little girl?"
Adam shakes his head.
"She is not."- He responds- "In fact, she is my older sister. By two years, that is."
Erika nods.
"Then I'm sure that she'll be fine until we return."- She says- "If she's even half as competent and determined as you are, then she can handle our enemies with ease."
Adam looks down.
"Did you hear that, Aki? Please, stay down there!"- He yells at his sister below- "It will not take long! I promise!"
Akira nods.
"Keep up the great work, Adam!"- She yells back- "Don't worry about us! We've got those freaks under control!"
Balthazar smiles.
"Good luck, monsieur Kaos!"- He says- "The future of those lands is in your hands!"
The two of them watch as our heroes fly away, drawing their weapons as a group of darklings approaches them.
"They're here again."- Akira says- "Will they ever stop with this meaningless chase? They know that that they're not going to win, yet they always keep trying!"
Balthazar nods. He points his wand at a nearby darkling and blasts it in the chest with a single hit.
"Just keep on chopping them down."- He says to Akira- "They may be many, but they're still mortal. Once you slay enough of them, their numbers shall be exhausted."
Akira sighs.
"Let's hope that your theory will be proven correct soon."
She turns around and slices five darklings into pieces with just a single hit. Then, she lunges forward and destroys ten more of them with ease.
In the meantime, Donovan and Amelia join them, slaying ten more darklings as they cut their way through the bulk of them.
"Here we are!"- Donovan exclaims- "Is anyone injured?"
Balthazar shakes his head.
"Everything is going according to plan... almost."
Donovan nods and looks around.
"Where's Adam?"- He asks- "Where's my friend?"
Amelia looks up at the burning floor.
"He can't still be in there, can he?"
Akira smiles and shakes her head.
"Adam is alive. That, I assure you."- She responds- "However, he and Emela are in danger. Darkthrop's forces are trying to chase them down and it falls on our shoulders to stop those fiends from reaching them."
Donovan nods.
"Then let's do our part in this conflict."
Akira turns around and points her weapon at a nearby group of darklings.
"Darklings, we'll defeat you all!"- She proclaims vengefully- "And then, we shall send a message to your leader! A message that he'll never forget for as long as he lives!"
----While Akira, Balthazar, Donovan and Amelia keep the vile creatures at bay, Adam and his allies fly away from the scene and reach a nearby mountain.
"Perfect."- Erika says- "This place will be our sactuary for the time being."
Emela stares at the area below, deciding whether Darkthrop's forces are close enough for them to be worried. However, she soon decides that it is not worth it. The three of them finally have a moment of respite and it is best to take advantage of it while it's still there.
"I hate standing helpless like this, but it's best to take it easy for a while."- She says to herself- "My boy's finally safe. Darkthrop and his band of outlaws won't bother him for now. And yet, it's my duty to keep him safe, in case another outbreak happens out here."
She turns to Adam and hugs him.
"I missed you so much, kiddo."- She says to him- "I hate to be in a place like this, but being with you makes it all worth it."
Adam smiles and rests his head on Emela's chest.
"Miss Emela, thank you for being so faithful to me."- He says- "If it had not been for you, I would have never found my purpose in life.'
Emela smiles.
"It's always a pleasure to help those in need."- She responds- "But you're the brightest star in my life."
Erika sighs and shakes her head.
"Spare your pleasantries for him for later."- She says to her- "For now, we must find a way to escape before the vagabonds reach us again."
Emela again.
"It's best this way."- She says- "So. Any ideas you've got in mind?"
Erika stares at the lands ahead of the mountain. A small town is barely visible, past the mists that block her view.
"My son's on a mission to the north."- She says- "Sure. It's not the best place for us to stay in, but I think that he'll be able to help us out. If we can find him."
Emela nods.
"What's his name?"
Erika stares ahead and smiles.
"Darius Redmark. The sweetest boy in the whole world which fate itself placed in my care years ago."- She says- "Like me, he's been helping establish a more peaceful society. He's been working non-stop to make a difference. However, he never accepted the safety of the tower. Ever since he took the mantle of a hero, he's been moving from place to place. If he felt that he was endangered, he moved away for a time, hoping that nobody will get hurt in his absence."
She looks up.
"And yet, even after all of those successful missions, he never forgot about me."- She adds- "From the way he's been talking to me, I can tell that I'm always on his mind. Perhaps I'm the reason why he wishes to redeem himself so badly."
Emela smiles.
"Then he's just like me."- She says- "In my time away from Adam, I've also been working hard to be a hero in the eyes of humankind. I never considered any place my home and always moved elsewhere, in the hopes of finding solace at last. And yet, the bond between me and my boy was never broken. We always stayed close to each other, despite being so far away. This is the bond that a parent shares with her child. Adam has been like a son to me, so I can tell how people like you feel when you reunite with the thing you hold so dear."
Erika nods.
"You're a good woman, Emela."- She says- "If we ever make it out of this place alive, I give you my word that I'll let others know of the noble-hearted Water Guardian who let go of everything she had to save a human life."
Emela smiles.
"I'll be eternally grateful if you did."- She responds- "It would be an honor if others are brave enough to follow my lead."
Adam hugs his mentor.
"Miss Emela, I wish there were more people like you."
Emela hugs him back and stares at the town ahead.
"So do I, my dear."
Moments later, something crackles nearby. Adam looks down, realizing that it comes from a walkie talkie in Emela's pocket.
"You are still carrying this with you?"
Emela shrugs and smiles.
"Safety first, I guess."
She grabs the walkie talkie and leans closer.
"Emela, are you listening?"- A familiar voice behind it says- "Mayday! The defenses have been breached!"
Emela raises her eyebrow.
"What's wrong, Donnie?"- She asks- "What's happening out there?"
The walkie talkie crackles again for a second.
"A large group of darklings's heading your way!"- Donovan says- "Watch your backs and ready your weapons! We'll join you soon!"
Emela nods.
"Not a problem."- She says- "Just stay where you are. I'll call you once we're out of danger."
The walkie talkie crackles one last time.
"Stay safe, my friends."
And then, it goes off.
"Blasted fiends!"- Emela says to herself- "We've killed so many of them! Why are they not retreating?"
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"Miss Emela, are they close?"
Emela turns around and shakes her head.
"Not yet."- She responds- "But it won't be long before things get ugly. So, prepare yourself for the worst. Who knows how well they'll be prepared?"
Much to her surprise, she hears the yells of numerous wretched creatures emerging from the forest below. And it sounds like they're getting much closer.
"We're running out of time!"- Erika exclaims- "We must fly away!"
Emela shakes her head.
"No. We're not going anywhere."- She says- "We've been running for too long. We must fight back."
Both Adam and Erika stare at her, terrified.
"Have you gone mad?!"- Erika yells- "There's three of us and at least a hundred of them! We can't do this!"
Emela pulls out her hand and prepares to cast a spell.
"Not if you're afraid."
As a group of darkling approaches her from the back, she leaps around and blasts them into pieces.
"Well."- She says and turns to Erika- "Are you?"
Erika draws her staff and spins it as a group of darklings approaches her. Then, she unleashes a wave of magical energy, sending the creatures flying down.
"I am the Archmage of Avernum! I've never been afraid of anything and I won't be afraid now!"- She yells- "Bring it!"
Emela smiles.
"That's the spirit."
She gets down on her knees and prepares to descend.
"Okay."- She says- "Down we go!"
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"But you said that we will fight them!"
Emela turns around and smiles.
"We'll do it much better once we're on better ground."- She says- "Darklings aren't very bright. They don't care whether they'll fight us high in the air or low on the ground. All they want's the glory and fame. And that's the biggest mistake they'll ever make."
She slides down.
"Here we come!"
Adam and Erika stare at each other for a few moments. They shrug and decide that it is not worth arguing with Emela, so they slide down alongside her.
As they get close to her, she smiles.
"See?"- She says- "It's not so bad!"
Adam shakes his head.
"Easy for you to say!"
Emela looks down.
"We've got enemies a few miles ahead of us!"- She exclaims- "Brace for impact!"
As they approach the darklings nearby, Emela casts a spell and blasts a way past their barricade with relative ease.
"Mission accomplished."- She says and whistles cheerfully- "Sounds like we'll make it out, after all."
Erika shakes her head.
"I won't be that sure."- She says and points at the area ahead of them- "Look out!"
Too late, they realize that the darklings have placed a magical trap for them. Adam and Emela try to disarm it, but it turns out to be more complicated.
"No!"- Emela yells as the trap explodes and sends them flying.
Fortunately, they fall on the crown of a nearby tree, saving themselves some pain and getting stranded in the process.
"Well, that nightmare's over. I think."- Emela says and looks down- "Unfortunately, not everything went well for us."
Adam raises his eyebrow.
"Do not tell me."
Emela nods.
"We're stranded up on a tree, chased by hundreds of demonic freaks."- She says- "On top of that, my walkie talkie also stopped working. What a great world we're living in."
Adam looks up.
"Well, the sky is still on our side."
Emela gasps.
"Oh! Right!"- She exclaims- "We were blessed with the power of flight! We can escape from here!"
Erika looks down and notices that some of the darklings are preparing to chop down the tree.
"Well. If you want to survive, you better act fast!"- She says- "Go!"
Emela nods and runs forward, flying in the air soon after.
"To the skies!"
Adam and Erika waste no time to escape as well, leaving the darklings below confused and infuriated at the same time. They try to give chase, but soon realize that our heroes are much faster than then, so they decide to take their anger on the group of heroes that just arrived near them- Donovan and his gang.
"Oh no!"- Adam exclaims- "They are in danger!"
He turns back and sends a single ray of light toward the charging darklings, incinerating thirty of them in the process.
However, there are still many of them left, and it is beyond his ability to take them down right now.
"I have done all I could."- He mutters and sighs- "The rest is left to fate."
And then, with great regret, he flies away.
As the three of them fly toward a safer location, Emela spins in the air several times.
"Wow! This is so exciting!"- She says- "I never knew that flying would be such an amazing experience! I'm feeling like a bird right now!"
Adam smiles.
"Many people say that the sky is the limit."- He says- "But what do they know about it? They have never seen it up close with their own eyes!"
Erika nods.
"We can take it even farther beyond."- She says- "Are you interested?"
Adam nods.
"Bring it on."- He says- "High or low, I am not afraid."
Erika smiles.
"That's the spirit of the true Adam Kaos."
Having said that, the three of them fly even higher.
And higher.
And higher.
Finally, they reach a point from which the ground cannot be seen anymore.
"So."- Erika says- "Are you liking the heat?"
Adam smiles.
"Of course, I am!"- He exclaims- "My very soul resonates with it."
He looks down.
"And I am ready to let the fire burn even brighter!"
Having said that, he swoops down from the air, like a ferocious falcon that is descending toward its unsuspecting prey.
"I am Adam Kaos!"- He says confidently- "The sky is my canvas! I know no limit!"
While flying down, he passes a small plane, full of confused passengers. They all watch him with awe, amazed by what they are seeing.
"Is that Adam Kaos- our guardian angel?"- One of the passengers asks.
"It's him!"- Another one exclaims- "He's here to save us!"
"Oh, he's so gorgeous!"- A female passenger says- "I wish there were more like him!"
It takes a while for Adam to reach the ground, but when he does, he lands in a very graceful manner.
A group of humans notices him and gets closer, staring at him with great interest.
Then they realize who it is.
"Adam Kaos!"- Some of them yell- "Adam Kaos!"
Emela and Erika descend a few moments afterwards. They stand between him and the crowd.
"Easy now, everyone."- Emela says- "Adam's gone through a lot recently. Give him a break."
Erika nods.
"Nothing to see here."- She says- "Please leave. Now."
The people sigh and turn away. The crowd soon disperses, leaving them alone in the middle of town.
Before they leave, however, Adam cannot help but overhear that some of them are calling him "a fallen star"
"Could I really be a star to them?"- He says to himself- "I am not doing anything really impressive, but they still regard me as their champion."
Emela smiles.
"Well, who would have known that we're so famous?"- She says and giggles- "What a great moment."
She turns to Adam, still smiling.
"Well, Mister Hero."- She says- "How are you feeling?"
Adam sighs.
"Confused. Astounded. Inspired."- He says- "I feel like I can do anything, now that the people of this world are on my side again."
Emela smiles.
"But they've always been on your side!"- She exclaims- "They never gave you up!"
Adam nods.
"Of course."
He turns to Erika and notices that she is betraying no emotion, despite being subjected to a long line of pain and suffering.
"You do not seem to care about what happened to your tower that much."- He says- "What happened to the knowledge? To the hidden power? The memories of your grandmother- Erika Redmark?"
Erika shakes her head.
"To be honest, all of those works were just nearly meaningless trivia to me."- She says- "They were all getting dusty and misused, anyway."
She sighs.
"I just wish those vandals hadn't destroyed them all."
Adam nods.
"What about the Necronomicon?"- He asks- "Is it gone forever?"
Erika hesitates to answer, for a moment. Then, she realizes that it is unwise to hold anything away from a hero like him. She sighs and pulls something out of her back.
"The book never burned away."- She says- "I carried it with me."
When she shows it, Adam realizes that it is an evil-looking tome, Its cover is pitch black, resonating with the content that are written on its pages.
"You... had the Necronomicon all along?"
Erika nods.
"I thought that I could use it to control the undead. I wanted to make them destroy each other, in the hopes that they could've left us alone in the process."- She says- "Oh, how foolish I've been. I never knew that those fiends can never be controlled- by anything... and anyone."
Adam extends his hand.
"Give it to me, Miss Erika."- He says- "A book of the underworld like this one is not supposed to exist. It is our duty to destroy them at all cost if we are to survive."
Erika is about to do so. However, she soon has a change of mind and shakes her head.
"What if we're making a mistake?"- She asks- "What if we can control them?"
Adam shakes his head.
"You already said it yourself. Nobody can control the undead, ever."- He says- "Please. Listen to the voice of reason and try to understand how grave our situation really is."
Emela nods.
"Hundred of darklings are on our trail. If we don't act fast, they might still be able to recover the book."- She says- "This tome will only do harm if it ends up in the hands of Darkthrop. You know it as well as I do."
Erika takes a step back.
"But I... "- She mutters- "I can't... do this. Not... when he's still out there."
Then, she turns around and tries to flee.
"Miss Erika!"- Adam yells, running after her- "Come back! Please!"
Erika shakes her head.
"I'm sorry!"- She says- "I have to do this! For the sake of our future!"
As she runs away, Donovan's group appears in town.
"Donnie!"- Adam yells- "Stop her!"
Erika tries to go further, but Donovan stands in her way.
"Normally, I'd never strike a woman. But you've proven yourself to be more dangerous than we had anticipated."- He says and shakes his head- "I'm sorry, Archmage Erika, but your foolishness ends here and now."
Before she can try to defend herself, he smacks her in the head with his staff, knocking her unconscious with just one hit.
"There."- He says coldly- "The deed is done."
As soon as Erika falls, the Necronomicon falls out of her bloodstained hands, landing on the grass below her.
Akira approaches her and sighs.
"What a spineless coward."
She looks up at Adam as she gets closer.
"Was she actually a traitor?"
Adam shakes his head.
"I do not think so. She did not act quite like one."- He says- "From the way she spoke, I saw that she wanted to protect someone dear to her, yet never had the chance to do so. Thus, she became desperate and tried to steal the book, in the hopes to keep him safe and sound throughout Darkthrop's invasion."
Akira nods.
"Her son, I would assume."- She says stoically- "I see. If I were her, I would have done the same."
She shakes her head.
"But this is not to be."- She says- "What should we do with her, now that she's not a problem to us anymore?"
Adam stares at the tower ahead. He sees that the last floor is still burning, the flames being perfectly visible through the dark mist.
"Take her back to the tower and regroup with the avernite warriors that are approaching."- He says- "Tell them that Adam Kaos will take care of everything else."
He bows his head.
"That is all."- He adds- "You may go."
As Donovan and Amelia back away, Akira shakes her head.
"The others are free to go whatever they want to, but I'm not leaving."- She says- "If you don't remember the oath that we made many years ago, then allow me to remind you of it. You once promised that we'll always be together and that we'll never be alone, even in the darkest of days. All those years, I kept that memory burning in my mind and never let go of my desire to be with you again. I was faithful to the one who saved my life, so I expect him to do the same."
She nods.
"Like it or not, I'm here to stay."- She adds- "Donovan and Amelia will do well, even without me to guide them."
Balthazar takes a step forward.
"What about me?"
Akira turns to him.
"Try to find more clues about the shameless vagrant that's harassing this town."- She says- "I feel like we're getting close to discovering his true identity."
Balthazar bows and backs away.
"Shameless vagrant?"- Adam asks- "Did you become some kind of private investigator?"
Akira smiles, as if she knew that he would ask.
"Something like that.'
Adam nods.
"But how would that help us get closer to Darkthrop?"
Akira looks down.
"Perhaps this vagabond isn't connected to the tyrant who destroyed our lands. Perhaps he's just a crazed monster in human skin."- She says- "But he's as guilty as everyone else we've fought. And, in my experience as a servant of the dark, I know well that letting pure-blooded bandits like those alive will only cause trouble for us in the future, no matter if they change or not."
Adam nods.
"Of course. I understand your determination."- He says- "If it makes you feel better, then we shall focus our attention toward this villain. We shall expose him and bring him to justice, in the name of the sacred law."
Akira nods.
"And expose him, we shall."- She says- "But first, we need to get rid of that book. Forever."
Adam approaches them and takes the black tome in his hands.
"The Necronomicon- a book of pure evil that was used by Erika Redmark for god knows what kind of questionable deeds. A tool of destruction that could have been way too useful if it ended up in the right hands."- He says- "Such a weapon could have brought a lot more meaningless destruction and united the undead against the people of our world. Hordes of them would have swarmed us and crushed our only hope for salvation. But that is not to be, because it all ends here!"
Having said that, he throws the book on the ground and prepares to burn it down with a fire spell. However, midway through the process, it starts to glow, showing Adam visions of a better world and trying to tempt him into doing the wrong thing.
However, Adam has been trained to resist such trickery. He easily shrugs off the feeling of unease and raises his sword.
"Stop playing with my mind!"- He yells as his sword is set ablaze by the fire within his very soul.
Then, with a single swing, he slices the obscure tome in two and sets it on fire. But he does not stop there. With uncontrolled fury in his pure heart, he strikes again, and again, until all that is left are a few charred pieces that soon turn into ashes.
"And thus, we have denied Darkthrop yet another chance to conquer our world."- Akira says- "Well done, everyone. The deed is done."
As Emela helps her student stand back up, he looks at the nearby town, noticing someone staring at them from a distance.
"Tyrant of the tower."- He says- "You are next."