MLTO C6, P5

This is the fifth Part of "MLIV:TO" 's sixth and final Chapter.
It was released on 20.04.2023.
== Plot ==
With the help of the warriors of Goznor, Geralt and his allies managed to make their enemies taste the same medicine that they used against them, never to return. However, their task is far from over. The trail of destruction has now spread elsewhere, and it is their job to cleanse the lands from evil again.
In the meantime, they must come to terms with their destiny. Akihiro- Geralt's master- has returned from a long journey, bestowing some wonderful news for the young heroes. Apparently, the Kaos brothers hold an ancient and powerful force known simply as the "Mark of The Phoenix". In order to unlock its true potential, they must come face to face with an ancient alliance of noble knights known as the Sacred Trinity. Only then will the two of them finally be able to match Redmark's strength and defeat his forces once and for all.
Will they be able to take the heat?
== Story ==
Kaiden stares at Geralt and Akihiro, confused about what is going on in front of him. He takes a step forward.
"Umm, excuse me."- He says- "Who are you?"
Akihiro turns to him and smiles.
"I am an ancient master of light. A true warrior of the world."- He says- "Long have I been looking for the most pure souls to succeed me, and I have always been failed by those whom I chose along the way."
He raises his eyebrow.
"But tell me, young samaritan."- He says- "Are you truly pure of heart?"
Kaiden shakes his head.
"My heart's not as pure as you think it is."- He says- "In my years as a do-gooder, I've always been tainted by something, be it the words of a wicked enemy or my own guilt. I've never felt like a true hero... unlike my brother."
Akihiro nods.
"And yet, you still stand by his side. Relentless and powerful."- He says- "Interesting. I shall keep it in mind."
He turns back to Geralt.
"But first, we have to talk about the elephant in the room."- He says- "The good news that will change your lives."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"You have some good news for us?"- He asks- "Is that why you have been gone for so long, master?"
Akihiro nods.
"On my travels, I encountered an ancient order of revered spirits. Defenders of the world. Masters of the Light."- He says- "I spoke to them about your unfortunate condition and how I could help you emerge at the top of the world. They told me about the sacred prophecy of the Mark of The Phoenix- the incredible power of an animal that always rises from the ashes, no matter what. I did not dare to believe it at first, but they spoke so fondly of the previous heroes. Their words convinced me that there is something truly special within you, young Geralt. And that is why I want you to come with me. To the White Chapel, where you can meet them yourself."
Geralt draws his sword and shows it to his master.
"Will they be able to reveal the secret to unlocking this weapon's true power?"
Akihiro smiles.
"Perhaps."- He says- "Who knows? They might even be able to fix it themselves!"
Geralt nods.
"Then the matter is settled."- He says- "If that is what it takes to defeat Redmark, I will gladly visit them."
Akihiro sighs.
"Your rigidity is truly inspiring, young Kaos. I am truly proud that Destiny decided to meet us."- He says- "But words matter little in this dark world. In order to prove that you are a worthy hero, you must back it up with your actions."
Geralt nods.
"And that is what I shall do."- He says- "Do not worry, master. I will not fail you this time."
Akihiro shakes his head.
"But you never did, my child."- He says to him- "You were always so pure. So strong and unbreakable. I have never felt betrayed by you."
He turns to Kaiden.
"I believe that Destiny has called for you too, young Kaos."- He says- "Are you willing to join us?"
Kaiden stares at the Kaos residence behind him and sighs.
"If I decide to come with you, then I must leave my newborns in the hands of someone else. I'm not sure if they can ever be comfortable with that."- He says- "I'm not sure, sir. Our situation is... too complicated."
Akihiro nods.
"You have been hurt by the events of the past. Redmark's demons managed to break you down into a weak mass of uncertainty and guilt."- He says- "But worry not. If you do not want to join us, it is alright. You are better off with your new family, anyway."
Kaiden shakes his head.
"No, sir. I can't just let my brother go to that place alone. I will be joining you, whether you like it or not."- He says- "Besides, I have a duty to the ones who have fallen in this pointless war. My dear Isa would want nothing more than to see me smite the warriors of evil once again. So, I can't say no. And I won't."
Akihiro smiles.
"Then your spirit still burns bright."- He says- "I am glad."
He raises his eyebrow.
"But where are my manners. I never managed to introduce myself to you."- He says- "My name is Akihiro- last warrior of a famed kin. I am pleased to meet you."
Kaiden nods and shakes his hand.
"The pleasure is mine, Mr. Akihiro. My name is Kaiden Kaos."- He says- "Thank you for training my brother for so long."
Akihiro smiles.
"Even though your personalities are so different, I can see that the two of you have a very strong kinship. Two brothers against a world of darkness. That is truly admirable."- He says- "You have a bright future ahead of you, young Kaiden."
Kaiden sighs.
"I'll do my best, sir."
Akihiro nods and turns to Geralt.
"The time to make a difference is running out. Very quickly, too."- He says- "If you want to turn the tables and discover your hidden powers, you must do it soon."
Geralt nods.
"Yes, master. We will be on our way in just a few hours."- He says- "But before we do that, I must return to the rest of my family. We lost a very dear person recently and I must deliver the sad news to my aunt."
Akihiro sighs.
"Yes. The recent calamity has caused many people to lose their loved ones. You are not an exception."- He says- "Go to your aunt and tell her what you need to. I will not interfere."
He looks down.
"After all, it's the least I could do for someone who already lost so much."
Kaiden sighs.
"I'll stay here with Mr. Akihiro, in case more of Redmark's warriors decide to attack us."- He says- "Say hello to aunt Akira from me, okay?"
Geralt nods.
"You got it, Kai."- He says to him- "Stay safe out here."
Kaiden smiles solemnly.
"You too, little bro."
Before Geralt leaves, the Kaos brothers embrace each other one more time. Then, Kaiden watches sadly as his brother leaves to do his sacred duty.
"I can see the tiny flames inside of his eyes. The pure heart of a true hero, hidden behind a sea of worries and guilt."- Akihiro says- "Even if I wanted to stop him, I was not going to succeed. He is far too determined to ever change his mind."
Kaiden smiles.
"That's my little bro to you."- He replies- "Geralt has been a pillar of wisdom and light ever since he was a young lad. Always the one to wish condolences to those who lost parts of their families during Redmark's raid. He never said anything bad when he talked about them. Sometimes, I thought that he saw them as a part of our family. An extended one, perhaps? Either way, it was truly inspiring. And it still is."
Akihiro nods.
"Your brother is very precious, young Kaiden."- He says to him- "Protect him with all of your light. He is the hero that shall inherit the world very soon."
Kaiden sighs.
"Believe me, this is exactly what I've been doing for so long."- He says- "I never gave up on him. And I never will."
Meanwhile, Geralt walks up to the Kaos residence. Nearby, he sees his aunt Akira, sitting on a bench. From the looks of it, she already looks very depressed and the news of Linus' demise are not going cheer her up.
"Aunt Akira?"- He says- "Is that you?"
Akira looks up. She blinks a few times, unable to comprehend what is going on. Finally, she watches her nephew sit next to her and hugs him.
"I thought that you were not in this world anymore."- She says- "Thank Helios that he showed you the way back."
Geralt smiles.
"I am glad to see you too, aunt."
Akira looks up.
"So, honey? What have you been up to?"- She asks him- "Are Redmark's people going to give up anytime soon?"
Geralt sighs.
"We are working on it, aunt."- He says- "But the challenges ahead of us are still many. We have yet to discover the power that will bring the emperor to his knees."
Akira smiles sadly.
"I'm sure that you'll do great dear."- She says- "You always have."
Then, she looks down and sighs.
"As for me, I've never felt the same since you and your brother disappeared. Me and your uncle spent all of our free time to look for you. And, believe me, we looked everywhere."- She says- "But we got so careless. So distracted. And that's when Redmark's fiends took advantage of our weakness. While we were out in the wilds with our team, looking for you, that's when they attacked us. Without showing any mercy, they slaughtered almost everyone and took your uncle hostage. I tried to free him, but it was futile- the bonds placed on him were too strong. So, with no other choice, I was forced to run away. Like the coward that I've always been."
Geralt looks at her.
"Speaking of uncle, I have some sad news for you."- He says- "I know that you might cry, but you deserve to know them... "
Akira sighs.
"There's no need for that, honey. I already know."- She says- "Ever since your uncle was captured, I've been crying a lot. For many days and nights, I mourned the love of my life. Even though I had high hopes that someone was going to save him, chances were that my worst fears would eventually come true."
She leans close to her nephew and hugs him again.
"You're the only precious thing I've got left, Geralt."- She says- "Please, don't throw your life away like you always do."
Geralt smiles sadly.
"I am not going anywhere, auntie."- He says- "I promise."
Akira leans back and sighs.
"But tell me, Geralt. His death was not in vain, right?"- She asks- "He did fight for the world until the end, didn't he?"
Geralt nods.
"When we found him, he was emaciated. Helpless. On the verge of going mad."- He says- "But he still got out there. We fought together, side by side against the forces of evil. And if it were not for him, Aurelia and Dante would not be alive right now."
Akira smiles sadly.
"Yes. That's what he always loved to do. Helping people was his greatest perk."- She says- "It's a shame that he'll never be able to do it again. Not from this world, at the very least."
Then, she stands up.
"Judging from your tone, I can tell that you brought him back. I know that you'll never leave a loved one in the lands of evil."- She says- "So, where is he? I want to see him."
Geralt stands up, as well.
"Come with me."- He says- "I will show you."
Geralt leads his aunt to a desolate alley, far from the boistering streets of Silverdale. There, Linus lies on the floor, a peaceful expression on his weary face.
Akira approaches her late husband. She takes his hands in hers, ignoring the fact that they are very cold now. It is clear that the spark of love that started it all is still there, and Akira is not willing to let it fade away.
"Oh, my dear Linus. You're just as beautiful as you were when I met you."- She says- "Life finally managed to separate us from each other. Its dark tendrils took you away from me. But I never stopped loving you. And I'll never love another man as much as I love you. Farewell, my dearest prince."
Geralt is moved to tears by his aunt's speech. Seeing his dear uncle gone for good is truly sad, but seeing his loved one deliver such kind words to the fallen is even more so. However, he soon wipes back the tears, not wanting to look weak in front of his aunt. She has not cried at all during the entire ordeal, and he wants to do the same.
"Are you ready to go, aunt?"
Akira stands up.
"Yes, I am."- She responds- "I'm going to take your uncle with me and have him buried with the highest honors. Until then, why don't you go ahead and play your heroic self once again? I'm sure that there are many others who need your help more than I do."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Are you sure that you are alright, aunt?"- He asks her- "The death of uncle Linus must have been quite traumatizing for you. If you need any help, do not hesitate to ask. I will always be there to help you out."
Akira smiles sadly.
"Don't strain your mind, honey. Thinking about be will only make you forget about all the people you still have yet to make happy."- She says- "Just keep on being yourself. Continue your daddy's legacy. Wherever you are, the humble little creature that is me will always be proud of you."
Tears fall from Geralt's face as he hugs his aunt one last time.
"I love you, aunt Akira."
Akira continues to smile as she hugs him back.
"Me too, dear."- She replies- "Me too."
After bidding farewell to his aunt and watching as she slowly stumbles away, Geralt decides to rejoin Kaiden and Akihiro. When he does, he notices that they are just as worried as he is. They must have heard about what Akira said earlier and are unsure how to react.
"Well? How did it go?"- Akihiro asks- "Is the young maiden coping with her recent loss?"
Geralt looks down.
"Umm."- He says- "She... she is... "
Kaiden sighs.
"She didn't take it lightly, did she?"
Geralt shakes his head.
"Aunt Akira was stoic about everything that happened out there, even the demise of uncle Linus."- He says- "She says that she will prepare the funeral herself, but I am still a little unsure whether she's going to have the strength to do it or not."
Akihiro nods.
"A brave maiden, she is. Corrupted by her inner guilt, but still willing to move on and fight for a better future."- He says- "I can see who took care of you in your father's absence. She is a truly worthy soul of light, if a little unsure."
He looks up and smiles.
"But that is not important now. I am sure that she is going to perform her tasks with incredible efficiency."- He adds- "So, why don't we go ahead and do ours? I am sure that it will lift the weight off of our minds, if only for a short time."
Geralt sighs.
"I hate to leave my aunt like this, but I guess that I have no other choice."- He says- "Alright then. Let's head to this so-called White Chapel."
Akihiro smiles.
"That is the spirit, my boy."- He says- "Now that the three of us are here, it is time to begin this pilgrimage. Perhaps the road to light will be even brighter than the force itself."
Kaiden sighs.
"Let's hope that you're right about this."
As the three of them leave, someone opens the door and watches them from afar. Soon, it is clear that the mysterious person is Aurelia. She must have heard our heroes' plan and decided to eavesdrop on them for a little.
"It sounds like Geralt's about to embark on another journey. And he didn't tell me a thing about it."- She says to herself and sighs- "Normally, I would just drop it off. He's always very busy and I don't want to interfere. It's his job, after all. But now, I have a very bad feeling. A vision of the future, maybe? Or just a fear for something that won't happen. Either way, I must go to that White Chapel, in case he gets himself in trouble again."
She looks back at the residence and sighs.
"I'm so sorry, Isa. I really want to attend to your funeral and take care of my nephews."- She adds- "But my duty is elsewhere right now. And if I want to prove my worth to my loved ones, I must be willing to travel everywhere. Even the edge of the world must not scare me."
She emerges from the residence, closing the doors behind her.
"Farewell, family."- She says- "I'll be gone, but not forever."
----Meanwhile, the three heroes have begun their journey to the White Chapel. Sitting on their horses, they stare at the dark horizon ahead of them, wondering how long it will take to reach their destination.
"A truly sad sight, is it not?"- Akihiro says as they pass some ruins- "I have seen many villains who tried to bring harm and misfortune to others. But Redmark is truly one of the worst fools that I have ever seen in my centuries of existence, if not the worst one. He has brought many small settlements to ruin. Many people have become refugees in the past few years. And it is all thanks to people like him."
Geralt looks at him.
"Will those people ever feel true peace again?"
Akihiro smiles.
"Perhaps they will."- He responds- "But only if we bring it to them."
Geralt looks at his brother. He notices that he is already lost in the clouds, far away from the world. He stares at him for a while and sighs.
"What is wrong, Kai?"- He asks him- "Are you feeling sad again?"
Kaiden looks at him and nods.
"I've been thinking about Isa again."- He says- "Her sacrifice allowed our children to be born. But she lost everything in just one night, even her own life. And I think that the fault for that is mine. Nobody else must carry the same burden that I do."
Geralt shakes his head.
"I kept telling this to you back then, and I will tell it again."- He says- "The death of Isabella is not your fault. In fact, no good person is guilty for what happened back there. Redmark is the one who made Isa so worried. He and his warriors are the ones who took her away from us."
Kaiden sighs.
"Perhaps you're right. Maybe I'm not the one to blame for this."- He says- "But am I truly innocent, like most of those people think? Will I ever be able to forgive myself? Can I ever be a true hero again?"
Geralt smiles sadly.
"In my eyes, you are a true hero. No matter what others think about you, you will always be a noble one to me."- He says- "Times change, but we should not. We still have duties to take care of and the people still need our help. We must not let anyone else down."
Kaiden nods.
"I would like to believe that. And I will."- He says- "Thank you, Geralt. You're a real lifesaver."
Geralt smiles.
"I am glad that I helped."
Akihiro looks back at the brothers.
"Well, children. I think that we are here."- He says to them- "From what my ancient eyes can see, the promised chapel is just ahead of us. Your destiny lies ahead, so prepare to disembark your horses and get ready for the worst."
Geralt nods.
"We are ready for everything, master."- He says- "Let's win the trust of this holy alliance. Together."
As the three of them finally get close to the chapel, they get down from their horses, making sure that they leave them in a place where nobody will steal them in their absence. Then, they approach the huge doors of the building and push them open, albeit with a lot of difficulty.
The doors of the chapel open with a powerful creak, so loud that will surely wake up the dead. Or maybe they already are awake. Nobody knows what will happen until they get inside and see what is going on.
When they walk into the welcoming chamber, they feel many eyes staring at them from the shadows. Judging them. Evaluating them. To a normal group of ragged wannabe heroes, this would be truly terrifing and they would run away in an instant. But Geralt and his allies are not affected by this source of magical fear. They simply proceed forward, ognoring the eyes that are silently staring at them.
"This place is much older than I expected."- Kaiden says- "How long has it been since anyone lived in here?"
Akihiro sighs.
"Judging from the interior of this sad little place, I can safely assumethat it has been around three centuries."- He says- "However, nobody in this world will ever know the answer to your question. Not even the ancient spirits themselves are capable of remembering the past so clearly. Some things are best left there, so it will be a good idea not to dig deeper."
The warriors in the shadows silently chime in, as if to reciprocate Akihiro's words.
"Fine. I got it. I won't ask anymore."- Kaiden says- "I was just a little curious. Isn't a worthy scholar supposed to be rewarded with knowledge like this?"
Akihiro sighs.
"Sometimes, curiosity is the greatest poison for the human mind."- He says- "Be careful about what you wish to learn. Sooner or later, it might prove to be your downfall."
Kaiden seems a little shaken by Akihiro's words. However, he soon manages to regain his composure. Such things have never scared him in the past and, even now, he still won't budge.
"If that's the case, then I'll make sure that my enemies suffer the same fate."- He responds- "I won't go down alone."
Akihiro smiles.
"A very thoughtful and coordinated response, young Kaiden."- He says- "Perhaps the spirits did not choose you in vain."
After two of three minutes of walking through the numerous staircases of this seemingly endless chapel, our heroes finally arrive in a secluded, barely lit room. From the looks of it, it seems to be the alliance's shrine, their holy land in the face of the dark world around them. An island of peace and prosperity, away from the nightmares of the Known Lands. And, indeed, once they step inside, they feel much calmer. Their thoughts become much clearer and their eyes can see even further than they did before. Whatever magic this place still contains, it is truly miraculous.
They are so preoccupied with their surroundings that they do not notice the spectral warriors swooping down the corridor. Soon, they are completely surrounded by them, seemingly at their mercy.
"Hail, noble adventurers."- One of them says and steps forward- "You have arrived at the White Chapel- home of the White Trinity and one of the few truly safe places in the Known Lands."
He looks back at his two companions. They nod.
"My name is Sir Edward the Shining. And those are my fellow paladins- Sir Tobyn the Magnificent and Sir Deryk the Brave. We and our ever-faithful knights have been keeping this chapel alive for many centuries."- He says- "So tell us, honored visitors. What is your reason to come all the way here? We are sure that it must be quite noble, but we still need to hear it. Our honor demands it."
Geralt takes a step forward and bows respectfully.
"Hail, noble warriors of a forgotten world. We have arrived at this humble chapel to ask you for assistance."- He says- "The reason why we arrived was because of the calamity which the world is forced to endure. In the name of every good, innocent person in this world, I came to this place to meet my destiny and stop this evil from destroying us all."
Sir Deryk nods.
"Just like the villains of our time."- He mutters- "Nothing has changed. Nothing at all."
Sir Edward looks back and shakes his head.
"Silence, Sir Deryk. This is not the time to be sceptical of our visitors."- He says- "For all we know, this boy might be the one that we are looking for."
He turns around and looks at Geralt.
"Tell us, noble warrior."- He says to him- "Of which foul villain do you speak?"
Geralt sighs.
"He is a descendant of Redmark, sir. A very wicked, deceitful, manipulative and greedy one. Completely unlike his ancestors."- He says- "His immense power is only rivaled by his endless egotism and desire to rule the Known Lands. Many innocent towns have fallen victim to his wrath because they refused to comply to his demands. He shows no mercy to anyone, not even his own people. And yet, he is still revered by his own people. They think that the old Empire has returned and that it is only a matter of time before every province falls under their control."
Sir Edward raises his eyebrow.
"Ah. You must speak of Marcus Titus Redmark- foul and unworthy descendant of the Emperorslayer. Yes, we are aware of his existence."- He says- "It seems like the tides of this... unpredictable family have turned. Once, Erika Redmark was the one who helped a group of Avernites destroy foul Emperor Hawthorne and form the new Empire. She became a hero to many and a villain to the servants of the old world. But it looks like that poor maiden's efforts were in vain, as it is one of her own that renewed the dark Empire's efforts. Truly unfortunate, if you ask me. That family has too much potential. For it to be thrown aside like this... it is truly horrible."
He looks up and nods.
"There is no doubt that Redmark is endangering us all. His rage can swiftly bring the end of a world and the birth of another. If we don't stop him, God himself may punish us by sending another flood to cleanse this world. And this time, he may not be so merciful."- He says- "To prevent us humans from repeating the same mistakes, me and my comrades are willing to aid you in your holy quest. However, we are not fully convinced that you fight for the good of this world. Only a warrior who is truly pure of heart can be able to find us, however, so we are willing to give you a chance to prove yourself. Answer our challenge and we shall see if you are truly the one who will save the world."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"A challenge?"
Sir Edward nods.
"Indeed."- He says- "This is no ordinary deed, I must warn you. Should you choose to accept, you shall be subjected to some of your worst nightmares. You will have to come face to face with your greatest fears. Both the Past and the Future will turn against you and there will be no salvation in sight until you uncover it with your own two hands. Only the worthiest of men can emerge victorious."
He stares at him, as if to evaluate how useful he truly is.
"So, noble warrior."- He says to him- "Do you accept?"
Behind Geralt, Kaiden seems to get a little bit worried. Even Akihiro himself cannot help but feel terrified by the possibility of losing one of his worthiest students. They attempt to make Geralt question the spectral council's motives, but Geralt shakes his head, already sure about his answer."
"There is no time to doubt our own abilities."- He says- "The future is in our hands. And if we want to keep it safe, we must be ready for the worst."
He turns to Sir Edward, fearless and resolute, and nods. Any traces of fear inside of his mind are gone and he is ready for everything.
"I will show you that I am worthy of standing before you, noble paladins!"- He exclaims- "I am ready to back my words with actions!"
Sir Edward nods.
"Then you truly have a little fire inside of you. Few will be able to respond confidently like you did."- He says- "And now, let the challenge... begin!"
Sir Edward raises his translucent hand. He summons a powerful spell that clouds the three of them, Geralt and his allies, as well as the spectral warriors around them. Soon, they are going to be whisked away into another world.
At the same time, Aurelia runs into the chapel and stares at her surroundings.
"So this is the White Chapel. A land of goodness where Geralt's supposed to prove himself. What a wonderfully ominous place."- She says to herself and sighs- "There seems to be a bit of holy magic around here, but it's so faint. I wonder if I can ever find it, let alone understand it."
She looks up.
"But what is this? A sudden surge of magical energy?"- She adds- "And it's coming from... upstairs!"
As she runs up to the second floor, she arrives just in time to see everyone start to disappear. 
"Is that... Geralt?!"
Determined to keep her companion safe from the forces of evil, Aurelia runs forward. She dashes toward the ritual as fast as she can, hoping to aid Geralt in his time of need. Just like the young hero himself, her fears are long gone. She is ready to fight her enemies, no matter how strong they may be.
"Here I am, my love- She exclaims- "Don't worry! I'll keep you safe!"
Having said that, she disappears into the mist along with everyone else.
----A few seconds later, Geralt and his allies appear in another dimension. Surrounded by the spirits of the White Trinity and their allies, they take a look around, surprised by this sudden change of scenery.
"So. We arrived."- Geralt says- "What is the catch?"
Sir Edward shakes his head.
"There is no catch, noble warrior."- He says- "Ever since we parted ways with the real world, this has been our true domain."
He takes a look around himself and smiles.
"Ah, yes. You can still hear the sounds of the happy souls. The power of the higher beings in here is so omnipresent."- He says- "This is truly a paradise for those who did well in life. A great reward for the worthy souls."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Forgive me for chiming in, but I cannot hear anything."
Sir Edward shakes his head.
"Only spirits like us can see other spirits. Or see them."- He says- "You are a talented one, but you still have a long way to go."
He turns around and looks at him.
"But that shall be left for your future self to decide. The rest is left to us."- He says- "So, tell me. Are you ready?"
Geralt clenches his fists.
"I am ready to spread the light!"
Sir Edward smiles.
"Good."- He says- "Then let us begin. Best of luck to you."
As Sir Edward continues to chant, Aurelia stands behind the circle of spirits. Fearful of what is coming next and careful to not be seen by them, she hides in the ectoplasmic mist around them, patiently watching them from afar.
Sir Tobyn looks around. It is almost as if he actually heard her and is on the lookout for any intruders.
"Oh no!"- Aurelia says to herself- "Did he see me?!"
The spectral knight turns around and says something to Sir Edward. However, he shakes his head and dismisses his concerns. He is too engrossed in his job to worry about anything else.
"Phew."- She adds- "That was a close one! I thought that I was toast!"
Meanwhile, Sir Edward whisks Geralt and Edward's souls away. They are taken to another part of the Spirit Realm, a place where their morals and abilities shall be tested. They look around and see Sir Edward watching them from a small distance away.
"The first challenge will test your intelligence, patience and wisdom. What kind of an aftermath you will experience depends on you."- He says- "So. Let us begin."
Suddenly, a huge gate appears in front of the two boys as a huge wall forms around it. Five levers appear on the walls, seemingly beckoning the two brothers to come closer and pull them.
But this is not the entire challenge. When they stare more intently, they notice four more gates behind the first one. Whatever happens next, it will be the ultimate challenge for their minds.
"One gate and five levers. The fate of two young heroes lies beyond."- He says- "Can you best those who fell along the way?"
Geralt and Kaiden stare at each other. Even though they are still at the first challenge, they are still feeling very conflicted. They are unsure how to act, and Kaiden looks like he is simply going to walk away.
"Ugh. A gate puzzle."- He says- "I've never been a fan of those."
Geralt smiles.
"Do not worry, Kai. I have this challenge in the bag."- He says- "Watch closely. You might be able to learn something from my moves."
Having said that, he approaches the levers and starts pulling them in a specific order. Although it does seem a little random at first, his combination allows the first three gates to open in little more than just five seconds. Then, he works on the second combination and pulls the levers in a surpisingly effective pattern, surprising both Kaiden and Sir Edward in the process.
Soon, all five gates are open. The portal on the other side is activated, allowing our heroes to escape.
"Well done, young samaritan. This was an impressive show of determination and intelligence. Few would be able to pride themselves with such fast maneuvers."- He says to Geralt- "But the worst is still ahead of you. So, come on. Jump into the portal and face your fears."
Geralt smiles.
"Yes! We did it!"- He exclaims- "What are we waiting for, Kai? Let's go!"
Kaiden sighs.
"Yes, Geralt."- He says- "Let's do this."
As the two step through the portal beyond the massive walls, they find themselves in a sundered battlefield. Sir Edward stands on top of a small cliff, watching the two youths from above.
"And here it is, noble challengers. The next set of trials for you to endure."- He says- "Whenever you are ready, we shall continue."
Geralt looks around to make sure that nothing will attack them immediately. Then he nods.
"Release the horrors."- He says- "We are ready."
Sir Edward nods.
"Then let us begin."
Suddenly, dark portal start to appear all around our heroes. Mysterious, goo-like creatures emerge from them and crawl their way to the two of them, forcing the boys to draw their weapons to push them back.
Initially, they seem to be doing very well. The creatures are weak and unable to coordinate their movements, allowing the two heroes to slay them before they could even do anything. Others manage to grab their feet and attempt to reel them into the darkness, but are also annihilated by them. However, as soon as they think that nothing else is going to attack them, the dark beasts around them merge together, forming bigger and much more dangerous versions of themselves.
Overpowered by their enemies, Geralt and Kaiden fall on their knees as the monsters around their feet attempt to swallow and/or drag them away. It almost seems like some unfortunate soul's nightmare come true. Fortunately, it is not either of our heroes.
But that does not mean that they won't be taken down by those... creatures.
"Well, this is unexpected."- Kaiden says and sighs- "Defeated by a bunch of shadow monsters? Now this is something that I didn't want to see with my own eyes."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"Wait a minute."- He says- "Did you just say... shadow monsters?"
Kaiden nods.
"Umm, yes. I did."- He says- "Why are you asking?"
Geralt smiles and stands up.
"I have an idea!"
Then, without thinking twice, he pulls a small item out of his pocket and raises it in the air. It is the same crystal rose that he has been carrying around for a few months. An item that was lost for a while, but is in the hands of its rightful owner once again.
As the dark creatures continue to crawl toward them, the crystal rose in Geralt's hand starts to shine. A pleasant, bright light starts to emerge from it, pushing the vile beasts back into their domains. When they attempt to fight it, the rose's light disintegrates them, leaving nothing more than small remnants of the shadows that compromised them when they were still alive.
And it does not stop there. As the shadows are pushed back where they belong, the crystal rose's light begins to enter the dark portals around our heroes. It overloads them with light magic, disintegrating the darkness within and making them very unstable. Soon, all of the portals explode at once, but none of them manage to harm either of the Kaos brothers. Both of them are kept safe by the rose's light, protected until it finally stops.
From the nearby hill, Sir Edward applauds our hero. As they look back at him, he smiles and nods.
"Yes! This was incredible!"- He exclaims- "A single item that holds so much light within itself! Who could have thought that it would be strong enough to banish the shadows for good?"
He stands up and stops clapping.
"And so, another challenge was completed. Your faith in the rose was justified, just like the faith in your loved ones. I am convinced that you have a lot of it, inside of your pure, little soul."- He says- "And yet, you still have a lot of work to do. Your worst fears have yet to unfold in front of you."
He mutters a few words and casts a spell, forming another portal in just a few seconds.
"Whenever you are ready."
Geralt and Kaiden stare at each other.
"Wow. I can't believe that we survived this one."- He says- "For a second, I thought that we were going to become nightmare fuel!"
Geralt shakes his head.
"There is no nightmare that will be able to consume us, no matter how strong it may be."- He says- "The power of faith has always given us a chance in this world. Without it, we were like stones in the river, unable to float back up. This is why we are not like the other heroes, whether we like to believe it or not."
Kaiden raises his eyebrow.
"Well?"- He says- "Do you?"
Geralt says.
"I remain neutral on this subject."- He says- "I would never dare to brag about myself. I allow others to praise me, not the other way around."
Kaiden nods.
"Same here, little bro."
They look around and see the portal in front of them. Remembering that they still have a job to do, they step inside, ready to embrace the next challenge with whatever powers they still have left.
For their third challenge, they are separated from each other and taken to two different mini-realms. Geralt finds himself in a realm of lava and is practically surrounded by it. He almost faints from the massive heat, but manages to stay conscious enough to pull himself away from it.
"Enjoying the heat? Or are you feeling a little miserable?"- Sir Edward says and smiles- "Do not worry. Once you get to know the next challenge, you will understand what has to be done."
Geralt nods.
"I... suppose that you are right."- He says- "So. What must I do here?"
Sir Edward simply smiles and fades away. 
"Hmph."- Geralt mutters- "So much for that part."
As Geralt starts to explore the mini-realm, he comes across a large chest. It is filled with a lot of gold and precious gems, barely able to hold them in. A source of wonderful riches, powerful enough to make even the most humble person drool excitedly.
"Hmm. This one must have all kinds of good stuff inside of it."- He says to himself- "But is the treasure inside of it real to human beings like me? Will I be able to benefit from it? And the most important question- Is it worth it?"
As he starts to question his decisions so far, he takes a look around himself. His jaw drops as he realizes that there are many more chests around them. All of them are filled with precious loot, glittering in the dark as Geralt watches from afar. In fact, it is almost as if they are beckoning the young hero to help himself and allow his greed to fester inside of his pure soul.
"Must... resist... the temptation... "- He mutters as his hand slowly pulls closer to the nearby chest- "Greed... is... for... the weak... "
Suddenly, a child's scream can be heard, making Geralt jump back to his feet. It is is coming from nearby, but he cannot tell where he is just yet.
"What is happening in this world?"- He says to himself- "First, it tries to tempt me into committing a sin. And then, it tries to surprise me with something else. What a weird world this is."
And then, he hears another scream. That is when he finally realizes that this is quite real. A burning orphanage, filled with precious little children, is ahead of him. The screams of those poor, little souls can be heard from the inside of it.
"What was I thinking?!"- He yells- "Those people are in danger! I must help them out!"
Having said that, he jumps to his feet, grabs his weapon and kicks the tempting treasure chest into the lava, disintegrating its contents in just a few seconds. Then, he runs forward and does the same thing to the rest of the chests lined up in front of him, proving the hypothesis that a true hero does not fight for money or mere trinkets.
Once he carefully jumps across the semi-ruined bridge, he runs toward the burning oprhanage as fast as he could. He breaks through the burned door and descends into the place of nightmares, coming out with a child in his arms soon after. And then, he does the same thing again, carrying two little children away from the flames.
And then, he does it again. And again. His determination to save the poor people and his loyalty toward them are truly unwavering, even if it is just for the challenge of an ancient alliance of powerful spirits.
As the rescued children sit outside, Geralt brings out more of them out. And then, he goes back into the fire to save ones that are still on the higher floor. In just a few minutes of hard work, he manages to bring them all out of the darkness and into the light.
Once outside, the children stare at the burning orphanage. Their eyes fill up with tears and they are on the verge of crying.
"Oh no! I am very sorry!"- Geralt exclaims- "If this makes you feel better, I want you to know that you still have me! I will not abandon you!"
Having said that, he approaches the sad children and hugs them all. Then, he feels a cold embrace running down his spine as they hug him back. It is a strange, but very comforting occurence, both for the children and for Geralt himself.
As Geralt continues to hug the children, they turn into clouds of white mist and disappear. While he watches them leave, he hears someone crying behind him. Turning around, he sees Sir Edward, seemingly moved to tears by Geralt's noble deed.
"My boy, I've never seen anyone who would care so much about people that he had never met in his life."- He says- "All of those beautiful children were so innocent. They were forced to accept their new lives as orphans, but they never lost their lives in the fire. None of them did. All of them were comforted when they lost everything that was dear to them, even though they had to live in a much darker world. And it was all thanks to you, Geralt Kaos."
Geralt smiles.
"Aw, shucks."- He says- "I just tried to be a good samaritan."
Sir Edward.
"And believe me, you were."- He says- "It almost makes me feel bad to say that there is one more challenge ahead of you to complete. Almost."
He casts another spell, opening yet another portal behind him.
"Whenever you are ready, step inside."
Geralt raises his eyebrow.
"What about my brother?!"
Sir Kaiden nods.
"He also managed to complete the challenge, albeit in a not so... noble way."- He says- "But he did. And he will join you on the next one."
Geralt lets out a sigh of relief.
"That is good to know."- He says- "Thank you."
Sir Edward nods and watches as Geralt steps into the portal. His eyes are still filled with ghostly tears, but he is managing to compose himself. Slowly.
Once Geralt is on the other side, he realizes that Kaiden is back with him. He looks at his brother and hugs him.
"I missed you so much, Kai."
Kaiden smiles.
"It's not like I've been gone for a very long time."- He says- "But it's alright. I love you, too."
The two brothers stare at their next challenge. They soon realize that they are back in the main part of the Spirit World. The ghosts from before are surrounding them again and the White Trinity is, once again, at its fullest. 
The three of them stare at our heroes, seemingly satisfied with the results of their hard work.
"Noble heroes, we found out that you are much more than just a bunch of wannabe do-gooders who have fancy names and think that they are better than those who came before them. You are truly pure of heart and soul, untainted by the shadows of the world around you."- Sir Edward says- "The only thing that we have left for you... is your greatest challenge- to come face to face with your own fears. Literally."
Suddenly, Sir Edward forms a familiar scene with his magic. His moves are elegant and precise, like the stroke of a pen, turning darkness into light and people into vague figures. Soon, he manages to recreate one of the most fateful moments of our heroes' lives- the one that started it all.
"Oh my Helios!"- Geralt says to himself- "Could that be... Silverdale?"
True to his suspicions, the settlement reveals itself to be the city of Silverdale- the capital of the region where the three Kaos siblings grew up. In the center of it, he sees the forces of evil, razing everything to the ground. The darkness is slowly creeping closer and the people are frantically trying to run away. But his eyes do not remain on them for long- they are focused elsewhere.
In just a few moments, the scene turns around, revealing two children who are attempting to run away from the enemy soldiers. Both Geralt and Kaiden immediately recognize them- they are Kiara and Geralt.
Geralt hears the same words that he said to his sister four years ago. He comes to the realization that he was much more scared than he thought. He was trying to convince her to come with him, but his efforts were met with futility. Kiara was far too resolute, way too stubborn to ever be convinced.
"So, this was all meant to be?"- He mutters- "I had... no chance to save her?"
And then, the screams around him become much louder. He falls to his knees as he slowly loses his mind to the flames around him. Everything on that scene feels to real and he is unable to prevent it.
"Hey, Geralt! Are you okay?!"- Kaiden says as he attempts to break his brother from his trance- "Come on, little bro! Snap out of it! Please!"
Geralt is unable to hear his brother's words. His eyes get wider as he experiences all of those horrible events anew. Helpless and deceived, he stands motionless as the fires of vengeance slowly consume all of the courage that he showed at the beginning.
Meanwhile, a perfect imitation of Marcus Redmark appears in front of him. As Geralt continues to stand on his knees, he starts to laugh, clearly mocking Geralt's inability to forget the past. A truly horrible thing to happen in a time like this, but a part of the challenge nonetheless.
"The mistakes of the past have been haunting you, young warrior. They always have."- Sir Edward says- "Can you finally come to terms with them?"
Just as the White Trinity thinks that Geralt will be unable to get away from this one, they hear the voice of a young female behind the circle of spirits.
"Stop right there!"
Everyone turns around to see Aurelia. She walks forward and steps into the inner circle as the spirits allow her to pass.
"Is this what the mighty Geralt Kaos has been turned into?"- She says- "Come on, dearest! I know that you're better than this! You've always been!"
Sir Tobyn looks at her.
"Miss, this is a private ceremony!"- He exclaims- "You are not supposed to be here!"
Aurelia glares at him.
"Have I asked you for your opinion?!"- She yells- "No! I don't think so!"
The three spectral knights take a few steps back. They have never seen such determination inside of a woman, not even during their own times.
Sir Tobyn attempts to retaliate against Aurelia, but Sir Edward stops him. 
"No, Sir Tobyn. That is enough."- He says- "Let the gorgeous maiden speak. She may be able to reveal something to us."
Seemingly intrigued by Aurelia's will, he takes a step forward.
"Please continue, young one."- He says- "Let's see if you will be able to break your way through his soul."
Aurelia nods and looks at Geralt.
"Don't you remember the promise that we made a long time ago? That you would always fight for the good of this world, even if it came crashing down into you. Well, this is a challenge that will prove how serious you were back then!"- She yells- "So, stop being so weak! Get back to your feet and stop being such a wussy baby! Even the mighty titans know how unbreakable you are, so how about you do me a favor and act like a real man?!"
Suddenly, Geralt stands on his feet. He looks back at Aurelia, gently takes her hand and kisses it, as if to say a big thank you to her. Then, he draws his sword, lets out a very fierce battle cry and charges, cutting his way through the imperial soldiers and easily getting to their leader- Emperor Redmark. The spectral warrior draws his blade and attempts to stab him, but Geralt uses a debilitating spell to weaken him, preventing him from performing his next move in a quick way. Then, he strikes forth with his sword, slaying the spirit of Redmark and emerging victorious, at long last.
The White Trinity steps forward and applauds him. Then, the spirits around them do the same thing. They are truly amazed that Geralt managed to face his own fears and emerge alive and well. In their eyes, it is truly a miracle.
"Little, noble hero. In my years as a guardian of the world, I have never seen someone whose blade can strike so true. Whose heart can be so pure and his actions- so justified. What you did back there, it was truly a sight to see. I only wish the rest of our allies could see it with their own eyes."- Sir Edward- "So this is what we have been missing. True friendship. The bonds that we formed along the way were the power that brought us into the light. Thank you for making us remember what we used to be."
Geralt bows to them.
"It has been an honor for us to take a part in your challenge."- He says- "We shall do our duties with the purest intentions."
Sir Edward nods.
"And I am sure that you will make those words come true, young Kaos. Your family used to be so chaotic. So lawless and deprived of any morals known to man. But thanks to you, there is finally a ray of light that will change it all for good."- He says- "But first, I must give you your reward."
As Aurelia hugs Geralt, the three of them are teleported back into the chapel. Akihiro is surprised to see Aurelia, but decides that it is much wiser to say nothing, especially when he realizes that she was the one who helped Geralt overcome his greatest fears.
"First, I will give you a special parchment. It can only be read by the patriarch of the Kaos family, the oldest and wisest soul left behind by the calamity."- Sir Edward says and writes something on a fine vellum scroll. The words that he writes start to glow in a pleasant white light almost immediately. Even from afar, Geralt can feel the incredible magic hidden within them- "Once the deed is done, Redmark will be stripped of his precious defenses. The guardians of old will no longer be able to stop him from being slain and it shall be possible for you to do the deed. The rest of the work, it is up to you."
Then, he approaches Geralt and hands him the scroll.
"Next up, I will grant you a powerful gift."- He says- "Show me the blade whose true power you wish to reveal."
Geralt draws his sword and shows it to him. Sir Edward inspects it and nods.
"An easy job, it will be."- He says- "Provided that you have the right material, of course."
Geralt presents the large chunk of mysterious metal that he discovered when he was younger. Sir Edward smiles.
"Yes! This is the same item that I saw in my dreams!"- He says- "Now, prepare yourself! This will be an incredible honor!"
Having said that, Sir Edward closes his eyes and mutters a few words. His eyes and hands start to glow white as he slowly fuses the unfinished sword with the powerful metal. Light essence infuses the powerful weapon as it is empowered by the hidden power inside of itself. 
Then, Geralt is prompted to rise it in the air. He does so and watches, amazed, at it starts to shine and glow white at the same time. Like a show of blinking lights, his weapon pierces the darkness of the night, creating a vortex of emotions inside of everyone who is lucky enough to witness this rare event.
"And here we are! The work is done!"- Sir Edward exclaims- "Together, we were able to create the perfect weapon of light!"
He looks at Geralt and raises his eyebrow.
"But what shall its name be?"
Geralt smiles.
"I shall name it Starshine, just like the weapon that I saw in my dreams."
Sir Edward nods.
"Hmm. Starshine."- He says- "What a exquisite name for such a glorious weapon. Well chosen, noble hero."
Then, he bows to Geralt.
"It is more than clear than you are truly the one that we saw in our dreams. The prophecy was true and we are truly sorry that we did not believe it when we heard it for the first time."- He says- "As a reward for your inhuman efforts, young Kaos, we shall reward you with our aid. Together, we of the White Trinity shall rally the forces of the Spirit World and use them to drive the foul imperials back into their filthy capital, all in the name of the sacred Light."
Not wasting any time, he pulls out his spectral sword and touches both of Geralt 's shoulders with it.
"I am also proud to say that I shall proclaim you the champion of our humble, little order."- He adds- "From now, you shall be known to the world as Sir Geralt Kaos. Your light shall shine brighter than a thousand suns and you will be driven forward by the purest of intentions. The good people of this world will revere you and the villains who seek to defile everything that we fought for shall tremble when they hear your name. Long will you be remembered by those who fight for the good of this world, and they will be the ones who will always sing songs about you and remember you in a good light."
Then, Sir Edward salutes him.
"So, go right ahead! Your path, it is clear!"- He exclaims- "Long is the road to the heavens. But with allies like those, you will never lose the fight, nor the war."
As the four of them leave the White Chapel, the holy knights salute them one more time. It is clear that Geralt just earned their respect and that he has gained some very powerful allies. Redmark should be careful, because he just made a lot of enemies in the Spirit World. And he may not be able to defeat those very easily.
Our heroes manage to emerge from the chapel alive and well, excited that their efforts were not in vain. Just as they think about their next move, though, they are intercepted by a lone, cloaked figure.
"Umm, yes?"- Geralt says- "Can we... help you?"
The man behind the hood smiles.
"Why, yes. Of course you can."- He says- "I want you to help me... get rid of you forever!"