MLII C8, P8- "Like A Phoenix"

"Like A Phoenix" is the eighth Part of "Miracula Luxia II" 's eighth Chapter, as well as the cliffhanger before the two endings of the entire Story.
It was released on 14.08.2021.
== Plot ==
After a series of traumatic and heartbreaking events, Jared and his grandfather finally have the chance to fight their sworn enemy- the Haakai overlord known as Grah-Hoth.
All of their hopes and dreams. All of their victories. All of the people that they lost along the way. It all comes down to a single, final battle between the forces of Good and Evil.
Of course, it will not be easy for our heroes to defeat this powerful demon. He has regained all of the power he could possibly use against them. Worse, he is ready to use it, all done with the intention to make them suffer and pay for the mistakes that they made.
As the forces of Good and Evil prepare to fight each other, it is as if the whole world itself has come to a halt. All of the people are watching this phenomenal battle with great interest and fear, hoping that the greatest protector of their home will emerge victorious.
Supplies are running low. Our heroes' morale is constantly going down. The spark of hope is slowly fading away. It is clear that their chances of winning this fight are very low, especially with the dangers that await them on the other side of this plane of existence. However, this fight is far from over. Like Jared's father once said, no one is done for until their last breath has been spent. Until their last ounce of strength has been used up.
Jared and his grandfather must rely solely on the abilities that they have gained along the way, as well as whatever strength they have left to fight. They will not hold back anymore. They will not step back and run away from this great responsibility, from the darkness that is going to engulf the entire world very soon.
No. This is not the time to be a coward. This... is the time to fight!
== Story ==
As Jared charges, Grah-Hoth envelops himself in a magical barrier, attempting to protect himself from the hero's attacks.
"It's no use, Jared."- He says mockingly- "Your moves are pointless. Perhaps you should try to run away instead."
Jared shakes his head.
"Never!"- He yells- "I will never step away! I will defeat you, in the name of my father and every other hero who died before him."
He raises Ragnarok in the air, preparing to smash down the massive shield.
"Die, fiend!"- He yells and swings the blade at the shield.
With a single blow, he manages to crack the shield and fatally wound Grah-Hoth at the same time.
As the demon roars in pain, he stands up. A few moments later, Jared comes to a realization that he is fighting something bigger than he expected.
"Oh... my... god."- He mumbles as he watches the towering demon in both awe and fear.
Meanwhile, Grah-Hoth laughs.
"Your attacks can't damage me, you foolish mortal. They only make me stronger."- He says- "I tried to warn you about that. I tried to tell you that it's foolish to fight someone as strong as me. But you just kept on pushing forward, thinking that you still have a chance to win and save this world. And, because of you, your father is now in the world above us. He is gone. And you are the reason behind his demise."
He smiles.
"There's no other way, Jared."- He says- "Surrender and accept your fate. There's no other salvation, other than the sweet release of death."
Jared shakes his head.
"I made a promise to someone dear to me... and I am going to keep it."- He responds- "I promised that I will fight until the end, that I will show you how a true hero fights his enemies. So, I will not stop chasing you until you are dead... or until I fall apart. There is no other path for me. This is my destiny and I will not shy away from it. Not anymore."
He points Ragnarok at him.
"So, do not think that you can cheat your way out of this fight, foolish rogue."- He continues- "It is either do or die. And there is nothing in-between."
Grah-Hoth laughs.
"Hah! I like your enthusiasm, young one. Your determination is truly invigorating for my wicked soul."- He says- "Now then, where were we? Ah yes. You want to kill me, right? Well, I don't think this is the right place to fight like this. I feel like we need a new arena. A nice change of pace over those shadowy ruins."
Before Jared can ask what he means, Grah-Hoth snaps his fingers. Suddenly, a portal appears behind him.
"If you want to fight me with all of your might and courage, I agree. However, it will be on my terms."- He says- "Step into the black portal and meet me in the last realm that you will ever see. If you're not a total coward, that is!"
He grins and watches as both Jared and Lethal are frozen solid by his gaze.
Making sure that they are unable to chase him immediately, he grins again and steps through the portal that he created.
"Farewell, mortals."- He says as he starts to disappear- "This challenge will be the hardest that you've ever faced! And, most likely, your last one."
In a few moments, he is completely gone. There is nothing left of him in his plane of existence. Instead, he has traveled somewhere else, far from our heroes' reach.
And the only way to reach him... is through this portal, made with dark, uncontrolled essence.
Once they are free from Grah-Hoth's magic, Jared falls on his knees.
He sighs.
"Once again, Grah-Hoth has managed to escape. He used his amazing magical powers to challenge us, in the hopes that he will be the one who will emerge victorious."- He mutters- "But we will see about that. I have not given up yet. And neither has my grandfather. We will get through this nightmare. just like we have through many more of those before."
Lethal sighs as well.
"Jared, this is not the right time to narrate this whole situation."- He says- "We must enter that portal and fight him before he decides to hurt someone else."
Jared nods.
"I know. I know."- He says and stands up- "All of my hatred. All of my rage. Right now, it is directed towards him. And, once I get the chance, I will unleash it upon him, like a thunderstorm on a rainy day."
Lethal looks down.
"You miss him, don't you?"
Jared raises his eyebrow.
"What do you mean?"
Lethal looks up.
"Look. I know how much you miss your father. I know how much you want him to be with us, to help us in this final battle."- He says- "I hate to break it to you, my child, but we're on our own now. Nobody else will be able to help us. Nobody will dare to enter this place without-- "
Suddenly, two people enter the room and interrupt them.
"Excuse me."- A female voice is heard behind Jared- "Are you Jared Kaos?"
Jared immediately turns around and recognizes the people who have joined them. One of them is Jared's best friend and most loyal companion- John Braveheart.
And the other one is... is...
His memories are a bit foggy, but he soon realizes who is standing next to him. He approaches the young woman and hugs her.
"Auntie Rin! I am so glad to see you again!"- He exclaims- "Where have you been? Why has it taken you so long to find us?"
Rin smiles.
"First of all, I'm thrilled to see you again, my dear. It's been so long!"- She says- "Yes. I have indeed traveled a long way to get here. There's so much that we can talk about. Oh, there are so many stories that I can tell you. It's going to be ama-- "
Then, she looks at Lethal and realizes that she has gone a bit too far.
"But first, we must return to the matter at hand."- She continues- "I learned that Grah-Hoth is currently in this castle. I asked the people of your hometown where you might be and they told me about this place and how to reach it. So, I hopped onto my plane in Avernum and came all the way here while avoiding demons and other... unsightly fiends. And, well, here I am! Ready to fight!"
Jared smiles. Then, he looks down.
"I... I failed to kill him aunt."- He says- "He killed him. And I failed to avenge his demise."
Rin is about to respond. However, she soon sees Aleks's corpse nearby.
She takes his hand in hers and checks for a pulse. Failing to do that, she attempts to do a CPR.
However, she soon sees the blood on his chest. She lifts up his shirt and finds the wound that killed him.
"Oh... oh no. No. This cannot be."- She says and shakes her head- "Is he really... gone?"
Jared nods.
"He is, aunt."- He says- "I... I... "
Rin stands up and hugs him.
"I'm so sorry, nephew."- She says- "Seeing your parents die like this. It must be very painful for you."
Jared does not respond, but the look in his eyes says it all. The sadness in them is clear as a bright day.
"Don't worry."- She continues- "Now that I'm here, everything's going to get better. I will protect you. I promise."
She turns to Lethal and smiles sadly.
"Thank you for taking care of him for so long, dad."- She says to him- "I've heard that you're very important to him. I understand that he also respects you a lot. I'm sure that the three of us can get through this one."
Lethal nods.
"Indeed we will, dear."- He says to her- "I will keep protecting Jared and I hope that you will do the same."
Rin nods.
"I will, dad."- She says- "I will."
Suddenly, all eyes are on John who is standing right next to Rin.
Seeing that the others have taken interest on her companion, Rin decides to introduce him.
"I'm sure that you probably know my new friend."- She says- "In case you don't, I will tell you that his name is John Braveheart. Brave king of Thais, devoted protector and loyal ally. Ever since we met for the first time, he never let me down. And his service is always appreciated."
Jared looks at his best friend.
"John, what are you doing here?"- He asks him- "I thought that you had a new family back in Thais. Don't you have to take care of them right now?"
John nods.
"I do."- He responds- "But my loyalty for you is unwavering. When I heard that you might be in danger, I immediately took the opportunity to help you out when you need me the most. I teamed with your aunt and we fought our way past the guards downstairs. After a long and tiring battle, we finally managed to reach you."
He looks down.
"Though."- He continues- "I regret the fact that we were not fast enough to save Mr. Kaos. I... I'm so sorry."
Jared looks down as well. His eyes fill up with tears.
He is too choked with grief to say anything, so Lethal decides to take the matters in his own hands.
"It's okay, John. We will get though this one, for better or for worse."- He says to him, trying his best to swallow his own grief to talk normally- "Grah-Hoth, he... he took his life away. And then, he ran away and is now trying to hide from us. We must find him as soon as possible."
John draws his weapon.
"Then what are we waiting for?"- He says- "Lead the way into the battle. I'm ready to show this so-called fearsome demon what it means to fight for the right side of the coin!"
Lethal nods.
"Your enthusiasm is noted, my boy."- He says- "However, there is still something that needs to be done."
He pats Jared on the back.
"I know what you're getting through, child. Losing a father in such an unfair way, it must be a nightmare. It's hard to think about something else, let alone move on."- He says- "But there's no time to waste. Grah-Hoth is getting stronger and stronger, even as we speak. And the only time when we can stop him is right now. We must act before he can harm anyone. We must do it for your mother, for your sister, for every single innocent person in this godforsaken world. And, most importantly, for your father who is watching us from the sky and hoping that we can succeed. So, I want to you to stay strong and remember that we will always be with you. We will win this fight. Together."
Jared looks at John and Rin. They nod.
"There's nothing to fear. The darkness is just an illusion of the mind that tries to break you apart."- Rin says- "We know that you can fight it! We know that you can succeed!"
John takes a step forward.
"When we were younger, you taught me that nothing is impossible. That everything can be achieved with the power of true faith, with the determination of a true hero."- He says- "Back then, I was scared that I would lose you as a friend. I ran away, so I could remember how close we are, how much I will always cherish our strong friendship. But this cowardice is over. RIght now. I'm not going anywhere. Not anymore. We're going to go in there and fight the darkness. We shall not surrender to it. We will find a way to destroy it once and for all, so that the world can finally be safe, just like we've always wanted. We're going to be the harbringers of hope who will illuminate the night and ward away the wicked shadows. And it's not just us who will fight the darkness. It is the whole world. Every single person is going to fight beside us. Everyone shall help us defeat this menace and gain the freedom that we've always been dreaming about. This is a time when courage and determination are more valuable than anything in this world... and we're going to use them in our favor! For the sake of keeping this world safe from harm!"
He takes another step forward and places his hand on the shoulder.
"So, stand up and show me that you're not afraid."- He says- "Show me that you're truly the brave hero who defeated so many fearsome enemies just to save our troubled world. That you're truly the ever-faithful companion who has always inspired the people around him, who has always aimed to teach everyone how to care about someone... and how to treat them with proper respect. Show me that that you're capable of being called the Hopebringer."
Suddenly, Jared stands up and draws his weapon. He looks at the portal and glares at it.
Every single drop of fear in his heart is gone. All that has been left behind is the bravery and determination that he's always had.
And, when bravery and determination combine within him, he becomes an unstoppable force of justice that rains it down upon every villain who would be foolish enough to fight him.
"My father's sacrifice will not be in vain. And I will make sure of that."- He says.
Then, he turns around and looks at a nearby window.
"Everyone. I know how much you care about me. I know how much you want me to succeed."- He begins his final speech- "And today, we are being tested by the forces of Darkness. We are being attacked by no other than the Haakai overlord himself. The one who brings devastation upon every single piece of land that he comes across. The who destroys all joy and hope with every step that he takes. This may be our final battle, but we shall fight until the very end. We will keep on shining, no matter how dark things may get. We will fight our way past the armies of Darkness, no matter how many of them there are. And, most importantly, we will win this battle in the name of our sacred world. Our true home that we love and care about. Our freedom has been taken away from those fools... and we shall take it back. They shall pay with their blood for making us cry, for forcing us to face our biggest nightmares. Today is the day when they will feel the wrath of all of us. The day when they will face a force of pure light and unstoppable justice that is stronger than the everlasting Sun itself. The day when we will finally face our destiny."
He turns to his allies and nods.
"I am ready."- He says- "Let us take back our freedom! Our world!"
All of them cheer in perfect unison.
"This is it!"- Jared says- "Let us go in there and show that demon that we are not afraid at all!"
Having said that, he steps through the portal. His allies do the same.
A few seconds later, they find themselves in a dark realm. Everything is pitch black, except for some lights in the sky that illuminate their way.
Thinking that they might lead them somewhere, our heroes make the decision to follow them. Sure enough, they find what they are looking for.
Grah-Hoth is in the sky above, staring at them and smiling. Below, they see a small army of demons.
As the Haakai descends, the demons draw their weapons and prepare to fight.
"So you've managed to overcome your fears. Excellent"- Grah-Hoth says to Jared- "Perhaps you're not quite as pathetic as I had thought."
Jared glares at him.
"My intentions remain the same. No matter what you do to stop me, there is only one result that is inevitable."- He responds- "I will fight you and your armies of demons with all of my might and show you that the soul of my father still rests within me. Together, we will defeat you!"
Grah-Hoth laughs.
"No matter who you're teaming up with, you will always fail. You're nothing but a child with dreams of grandeur. A young fool who is going to fall into the darkest pits of the Abyss, sooner or later."- He says- "And my army of mighty demons will make sure of it."
Jared smiles.
"Too bad that I have changed, Grah-Hoth. I am no longer the boy that you thought I was."- He says- "Now, I am much stronger and ready to defeat you. Once and for all!"
Grah-Hoth laughs again.
"I'd like to see you try!"- He says- "My army of demons will crush you before you can even reach me!"
Jared draws his weapon.
"That is enough, you vile fiend. Your mockery will never break me down."- He says proudly- "Enough chatting. Now we shall fight!"
He takes a step forward and watches as the demons charge towards him.
"Everyone. Get ready."- He says- "The entire world depends on us. We must stay strong."
Having said that, he and his allies draw their weapons and jump into the battle.
Grah-Hoth watches with amusement as many of his allies are slain by our heroes. Soon, only a small force is left behind to repel them.
A few minutes later, every single one of them has been defeated. The four of them turn their attention towards Grah-Hoth.
It is hard to tell, but it seems like he is grinning. His white teeth are shining like little daggers in the darkness.
"So, you managed to defeat my demons. Impressive, but nothing that you would have usually done."- He says- "Anyway. It's time for you to face a real champion of the Underworld!"
He snaps his fingers. Suddenly, a massive demon appears in front of him and roars.
When he sees our heroes, his reaction takes no delay. He draws his massive sword and charges, intending to crush them before they can do anything.
Fortunately, Jared and Lethal manage to get away before the demon can step on them. Meanwhile, Rin protects John from the demon's attacks and attempts to strike him back.
Watching the heroes desperately struggle against this massive creature is truly an amusement for Grah-Hoth. He takes a step back and watches as the demon continues to wreck havoc among them.
"Yes. Yes. This is the pain that I've always wanted to see in someone's eyes."- He says- "Give me more of your perfect facial expressions. More pain. More suffering. You are so good at it!"
But his plan backfires as soon as he starts to mock them. As soon as they hear his words, they muster the strength to fight back.
Soon, the demon is brought down and easily stabbed in the head by Jared before he can do anything else.
Grah-Hoth shakes his head.
"How sad. You ruined all of the fun."- He says- "Oh well. I still have servants who are more than eager to face you in a battle."
In a few moments, a demon mage appears in front of him.
"I am Balthazar, high mage of the Underworld. Greatest teacher of our wicked students."- He says- "With my powers, I shall bring you to your knees and-- "
Jared clears his throat.
"Stop boasting about yourself and fight us already!"- He yells- "If you are so inclined to kill us, just go ahead and give it a try!"
Balthazar the demon mage smiles and prepares to cast a spell.
"As you wish, foolish one."- He says- "Prepare to meet your doom!"
Having said that, he unleashes a barrage of flaming pillars upon our heroes.
"His power level is incredible!"- Jared exclaims as the demon continues to cast his spells- "But we are not going to back down. Come on, everyone! Onward!"
He casts a spell and hits the demon with a ray of light, managing to weaken him for a moment.
However, he soon manages to stand up and hurls a fireball at Jared that hits him right in the chest.
As he stumbles back and attempts to recover, both Balthazar and Grah-Hoth laugh.
"The world is full of determined and powerful souls."- Balthazar says- "And you are not one of them!"
Jared stands up and smiles.
"Think again, fiend!"- He yells as John sneaks up behind the demon and attempts to stab him in the back.
Sensing that there is something wrong, the demon mage turns around and immediately hits him with a fireball.
However, John does not back down. Instead of feeling the pain from the attack, he ignores it and pushes forward, teaming up with Jared and bringing the mage to his knees.
He attempts to use a spell to push them away, but he is quickly stabbed in the chest.
Before he can do anything else, John stabs him in the head, finally ending his life.
Having lost one of his mightiest defenders, Grah-Hoth roars in anger.
"How dare you? How dare you kill my servants like this?"- He asks- "How dare you be so strong?!"
Jared shrugs.
"I guess that they are not strong enough to face us."
He points Ragnarok at him.
"Now it is your turn to die!"
Grah-Hoth smiles
"Foolish children. You don't know the true power of the Underworld."- He says- "Allow me to show you what I'm capable of."
Having said that, he takes a step forward and begins to cast a spell.
Soon, the five of them are trapped by a massive cage of black, magical fire.
"Just to make that you won't try to run away."- He says- "Now, the real fun begins!"
He casts a spell on the ground under them and watches as it is set aflame, burning all of those who would be unlucky enough to be stepping on it.
"Agh. This actually hurts!"- John exclaims- "What is this trickery?"
As the four of them get out of the ring of fire, they notice that Grah-Hoth is distracted.
"John!"- Jared yells- "Now!"
The two boys rush forward, intending to take the demon lord by surprise.
Fortunately, their attack seems to have an effect. As they stab him multiple times in the chest, he roars in pain and stumbles back while attempting to push them away.
As they stare awkwardly at each other for a few seconds, Jared notices that something unusual is happening to Grah-Hoth's wounds.
Both of them watch in horror as they seal almost as easily as they appeared.
"Your attacks are impressive, but they are nothing compared to my regenerative abilities."- He says- "I told you. I am immortal. I cannot be hurt by anything and anyone, no matter how hard they try! It is pointless!"
Jared shakes his head.
"From my experience as a hero, I learned that nothing is impossible."- He says- "Your magical trickery will not stop the true forces of justice!"
Grah-Hoth laughs.
"Foolish last words, they are."- He says- "You will all die. And soon, Jared, you will realize that your father's death was actually in vain!"
Jared raises his blade into the air.
"Never!"- He yells- "His sacrifice shall not be in vain! I will defeat you. Mark my words!"
Grah-Hoth smiles.
"Go right ahead, then!"- He says- "See how you can get past me- the true Harbringer of Chaos!"
He hurls a giant fireball at Jared, but he manages to avoid it just in time.
When he tries to strike him, his attacks have no effect. However, they are seemingly weakening the demon- something that can be used in our heroes' favor.
Having discovered one of the demon's many weaknesses, Jared attempts to make use of it. As the creature hurls another massive fireball at him, he uses his sword to reflect it right back at its caster.
As soon as it hits the demon, he is pushed back. Unable to fight back for a while, he stands back and creates another portal.
"Your fate lies past this portal."- He says to Jared- "Come and get me... if you dare!"
Having said that, Grah-Hoth jumps into the portal.
This time, our heroes waste no time to go after him. As soon as he is gone, they step into the portal as well.
However, it is revealed that this whole process was a trap. Soon, both Rin and Lethal are trapped inside a cage made of black flames, unable to get out.
As Jared and John attempt to find a way to free them, Grah-Hoth flies down from above and looks at them.
"This is the least concerning thing about the scenery."- He says.
Jared turns around and raises his eyebrow.
"What do you mean by that?"
Grah-Hoth sighs.
"Look around, you fools!"- He yells- "Witness how much your precious world is going to change soon!"
As Jared and John look around, they notice that they are back in Paris.
However, the streets are empty. There is no one left, other than the rampaging demons who are wrecking havoc on them and destroying everything that the human population has ever made.
People lie dead on the streets as others run away in fear. Meanwhile, others are being crushed by the massive creatures who throw them around as if they are a bunch of toys.
Grah-Hoth laughs.
"This is the perfect scenery for your end, Jared Kaos!"- He yells- "Now, prepare yourself. There's still one thing left for me to do. And I'll do it."
Having said that, he attacks Jared and John before they can have the chance to free their allies.
However, the boys are hardened from the ir last battle with the overlord. They manage to repel his attacks and strike him as many times as possible.
As the demon lord flaps his massive wings and throws them back, a massive hole opens behind them.
"Jared! Watch out!"- Lethal yells as Grah-Hoth approaches them.
Once he is close enough, he smiles.
"I've got to admit it. You are indeed a worthy opponent, a much more interesting mortal vessel than any I've ever seen in my life."- He says- "However, all things must come to an end. Even heroes who are respected and loved by everyone. Even they must die. And this is the moment when one of them shall walk towards another life of eternal pain!"
Having said that, he pushes both Jared and John off the ledge and lets them seemingly fall to their deaths.
"No!"- Rin yells- "Children!"
Grah-Hoth laughs.
"It seems like your mightiest guardian angels are finally gone. They were such a nuisance."- He says and approaches them- "Now, where were we? Ah yes. Here comes the part when I will torture you and extract every piece of explanation from your feeble minds."
As Grah-Hoth continues to laugh, Jared and John try to hold on to a ledge below the ground.
"It's no use."- John says- "If we want at least one of us to make it out, one of us must make a sacrifice."
Jared gasps.
"No! I refuse!"- He yells- "I will not let this happen! Both of us will make it out! Rest assured of it!"
John smiles and shakes his head.
"I would love to dream about it."- He says- "However, it's too late. I've already made the choice. I will be the one to give you this chance to survive."
Jared shakes his head.
"I refuse to let go. I will drag you out of this hole, even if it is the last thing that I will do."- He says- "We are friends. And friends do not abandon each other."
John sighs.
"I know, but the burden is too heavy for someone like me."- He says- "You're the hero. You're the one who's strong enough to beat the darkness. And you're the one who's capable enough of saving this world from evil."
He smiles and slowly lets go of his hand.
"I'm sorry, Jared. I hope that you can forgive me one day."- He says- "Our friendship will last forever. It will burn bright as the sun itself. It's just that... I won't be around anymore. That's all."
He is close to slipping out.
"Farewell, my friend."- He says- "I know that you will succeed."
Before he can fall off, however, he feels someone grabbing his hand. Jared has managed to save him in the last moment.
"I already told you. True friends do not give up on each other, no matter how dire things may seem."- He says- "Now, come on. We have a long way forward. Let us take the first step towards freedom by getting out of here."
Having said that, he struggles to grab onto a nearby ledge with his other hand. However, it is clear that he will not succeed. Soon, the two of them will fall down.
Just as they are about to fall down, something incredible happens. A pair of wings appear on Jared's back and slowly lift him in the air.
"So."- John says- "You are... an angel?"
Jared nods.
"Perhaps."- He says.
Suddenly, another pair of wings appears on his back, carrying him even further.
And then another.
And then yet another.
John gasps.
"Wait a minute."- He says- "This means that you're one of those angels!"
Jared nods and smiles.
"My people, they are the Angels of Hope. The true harbringers of light who illuminate everything in this world."- He says- "I came here to understand the feeling of having an actual family. Of having friends who will respect me and care about me. And I stayed, because I wanted to protect people like you from harm. I am not a special kind of person and I am going to use this to my advantage to defeat the evil that is endangering our world.
John nods.
"Let's do this."- He says- "I'm ready to fight beside you, no matter who you are. We shall always fight to keep our friendship alive.
Jared smiles.
"That is the spirit!"- He exclaims- "Now, there is one last matter that needs to be settled.
As Grah-Hoth continues to torture Rin and Lethal, something makes him turn around.
He stares in shock as Jared and John appear back on the surface.
"What... what just happened?"- He asks- "How did you manage to survive?! You were doomed to die. Doomed. It was foretold by the ancient deities of the Underworld!"
Jared smiles.
"We are not bound by the laws of Fate."- He says- "We forge our own destiny and we fight to make our dreams a reality. Nothing can stop us, not even the clutches of Death itself! When we fall down, we will rise back up. Just like a Phoenix!"
Grah-Hoth shakes his head. Soon, his eyes betray a single emotion that he has never shown before- fear.
"This is impossible. You were supposed to die. There was no chance for neither of you to survive."- He says, terrified- "Why did you refuse to fall down? Why did you refuse to come in terms with your own fates?!"
John shakes his head.
"Like a good friend of mine once said."- He says while looking at Jared- "Heroes always get remember. But you know legends never die."
Jared nods.
"Well said, John."- He says- "Now, let us teach this unholy creature the true meaning of brave warriors!"
John nods and draws his weapon.
"Here we go!"- He yells and charges along with him.
While the two boys fight Grah-Hoth, Lethal looks at Rin.
"You know."- He says- "I've always thought about my grandson's spirit animal. I never knew which one would suit him best. But now, I know it."
He smiles.
"My grandson's spirit animal... is the legendary Phoenix."- He continues- "The Phoenix has two elements- the Light of Creation... and the Fire of Justice. Both of those are possessed by this child. Both of them are used whenever he fights evil and tries to save this world from something horrible. The Justice is used to purge the impurities, while the Creation is used to mend the wounds that have been made, both in our bodies... and within our souls."
He smiles again.
"But, what is truly the key to all of his victories... is the Phoenix's ultimate ability."- He says- "He always rises from the ashes, no matter what happens to him. So many times, he almost died. He risked his life to protect those dear to him. However, he still made it out. He was still blessed with the Gift of Life, no matter how much he tried to deny it and have it taken away from him. No matter how many times he was backed into a corner, he still stood up and managed to fight his way out. He managed to make his mark in this world of ours, no matter how young he is."
Rin nods.
"It's true."- She says- "It's almost as if he is the reincarnation of the Phoenix itself."
She looks at Jared and smiles.
"I always knew that the true force of Hope is in our family."
Lethal smiles as well.
"Me too, dear."- He says- "Me too."
Meanwhile, Jared and John manage to trap Grah-Hoth. Wounded and bruised, he tries to kill them again, but jumps back as soon as they attempt to kill him themselves.
This gives him enough time to look at Jared. When he sees his wings, he gasps.
"This cannot be!"- He yells- "You are. You... are... "
Jared nods.
"I am one of the kind and brave guardian angels who came to this world to get rid of chaotic elements like you."- He says- "I came here to protect the innocents from those who would be foolish enough to harm them. I protected many people from villains like you. And I will gladly do it again!"
Grah-Hoth takes a step back. While he was mildly terrified a while ago, now it is much more different.
Now, he is completely terrified.
"I'm sure that we can talk about this, young hero."- He says, trying to sound as friendly as possible- "Let's make a deal. I will leave your people alone and you can give me a tribute of three caravans worth of supplies per year. What do you say?"
Jared smirks.
"And to leave a dangerous creature like you to roam around freely in our lands. To make such a big mistake and then regret it for my entire life?"- He says- "You are in no position to make demands, creature of the dark. Your actions have said it all. Every single one of them has declared your intentions. I can tell that you have already chosen your side of this war. And I am not willing to give you a second chance, especially after causing so much harm."
He points Ragnarok and Demonslayer at him.
"Creatures like you deserve to burn in the hottest depths of the Underworld."- He says- "But you are going to be sent to a place that is far worse!"
Suddenly, John kicks him in the foot and stabs it, rendering Grah-Hoth unable to fight back.
"You foolish humans!"- Grah-Hoth yells after realizing that he will not be spared- "This battle is not over! All of you shall die! My servants will make sure of it!"
John smirks.
"That's the biggest lie I've ever heard in my life."- He says and stabs him in the other foot.
As the Haakai overlord watches Jared, he brandishes both of his weapons and points them at him.
"This is for all of the people that you have hurt in the past!"- He yells- "This is for those who fell bravely in battle. For those whose lives were ruined because of you. And, most importantly, for those who did not deserve to die like this!"
As he tries to stab him, Grah-Hoth uses up his last reserves of magical energy and attempts to weaken Jared's body.
Suddenly, he falls to his knees and begins to feel a lot of pain in his chest as Grah-Hoth's magic attempts to stop his heart from beating.
"See? I told you!"- Grah-Hoth yells- "I am eternal! You can never defeat me!"
However, the pain ends just as soon as it happened. In a few moments, Jared quickly stands up and smiles.
Grah-Hoth is, understandably, horrified.
"How?! How is this possible?!"- He screams- "Why are you refusing to die?!"
Jared smiles again.
"The spirit of the Phoenix lives within me."- He says- "And, as long as it is in there, I will never give up. I will always stand up and fight back. I will never die, no matter how hard you try to kill me. Because I am immortal."
He draws both of his weapons.
"And the only one who is going to turn into ashes."- He mutters- "Is you."
He stabs him with both Ragnarok and Demonslayer and watches as the demon slowly dissolves.
"This... this is not how it was meant to be! This is... impossible!"- Grah-Hoth screams- "I am Grah-Hoth- Master of the Underworld! Lord of everything above the ground! I cannot be defeated! I am the one who is... who is-- "
Suddenly, his entire body is set ablaze. In just a few moments, what was once the mighty demon lord Grah-Hoth has become a pile of useless black ashes.
And with that, the story of Grah-Hoth has finally ended. Jared's prophecy has come true. He no longer exists in this world... and we have our brave hero Jared Kaos to thank for this.
Meanwhile, Jared walks up to his aunt and his grandfather and easily frees them from their fiery prison by dispelling the barrier that holds it intact.
Rin stands up and hugs her nephew.
"You're so amazing, dear!"- She says to him- "I love it how you just brought him on his knees. How you made him beg for his life. It was truly a heartwarming moment for me."
Jared smiles.
"Just another day of Jared Kaos's life."- He responds- "And I love it."
Lethal looks at the city around them.
"To think that this would have been the fate of our home."- He says- "It is truly unsettling."
John sighs.
"I know, sir."- He says- "But we managed to avoid it. And that's all that matters right now."
Lethal nods.
"What you boys did back there, it was a miracle that none of us have ever expected to happen."- He says- "You're truly fit to be the heroes of this world."
John smiles.
"It's a good day to be a hero!"- He says.
Lethal smiles and nods.
"Yes."- He responds- "Yes, it is."
A few moments later, a portal opens up in front of them. This time, it is a white one- a sign that someone is trying to rescue them.
"Looks like our way out has finally appeared."- Lethal says and takes a step forward- "Come on, everyone. It is time to go home."
As he, Rin and John eagerly approach the portal and enter it, Jared looks around the city one last time.
"I am glad that I saved the world from something horrible like this."- He says to himself- "No one deserves to witness so much death and destruction in just one place."
As he looks at the portal, he notices that it is flickering.
"Jared!"- He hears Erika's voice on the other side- "Hurry up! I can't hold it open for much longer!"
As Jared runs towards the portal, he realizes that it is getting too late. He tries to get in, but he fails.
The portal closes and he is left alone in the ruins of his home.
"Oh no."- He says- "This is not good."
Suddenly, another portal opens up behind him. He feels a strange sensation, as if someone is trying to grab his hand.
When he looks around, he realizes that it is Meggy.
"I'm not giving up on you, Jared."- She says- "Come on. Don't give up."
Realizing that he is getting weaker, he grabs Meggy's hand.
"Take me out of here, Meggy."- He says.
Meggy nods.
"I will."- She responds- "Here we go!"
She uses a huge amount of her strength to pull him in. As soon as she does, the portal closes.
As he looks around to see where he is, he realizes that he is in the Kaos residence. However, the only one who is currently with him is Meggy.
Meanwhile, she takes a good look at him, making sure that he is not hurt.
"Welcome back, my love."- She says and smiles.