MLIII C5, P8- "The New Order"

"The New Order" is last Part of *Chapter V*, as well as the final Part of "Miracula Luxia III".

It was released on 20.04.2022.

## Plot

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

Mordred Darkthrop, the evil wizard who has plagued the known lands for so long, has been defeated. For many years, the world will finally rest and forget about his evil influence over them. No longer will he threaten the peace, forged with an iron will and clear mind by many heroes ages ago.

But this is far from the end of this meaningless confrontation. As the city of Underfall falls in ruin, a final defender emerges from the wreckage. A powerful creature, ancient and evil, has been awakened by the evil wizard's will, ready to repel the intruders that severed the link between him and his mighty empire... or die trying to.

The final enemy of the forces of light has finally appeared. But one question still remains unanswered:

***Will our heroes survive the aftermath?***

## Story

Adam is surprised to see that his sister is standing next to him, pointing her weapon at Darkthrop's soul.

"Why are you doing this, Akira?"- He asks her- "I thought that those... umm... people are your family now."

Akira shakes her head.

"Nonsense!"- She says- "They may have rescued me from the darkness and despair that I held in my heart for so long, but they're nothing more than that. Rescuers."

She looks at her brother.

"Although the Akira who you saw back then saw those people as much more than that, I assure you that I'm not the same."- She says- "Back then, I realized that I was hurting my family. Corrupting my homeland. By helping Darkthrop and his henchmen, I strayed further away from my destiny. From my people."

Darkthrop's soul quivers with rage.

"How dare you betray me like this?!"- He yells- "I helped you see the world in a different way. Face your problems without any fear. Allowed you to do whatever you want, at the cost of simply acting as my servant. And this is how you *thank* me?!"

Akira shakes her head.

"Just like the darkness, the light never faded away."- She says to him- "Sure. You may have banished it. But not forever. It was just a matter of time before I truly realized what I was doing and you know it well."

She glares at him.

"I've always felt guilty that I decided to serve you."- She adds- "And now, I can see that I was right to doubt your good intentions."

Darkthrop sighs.

"And yet, you know that you're not in position to oppose me."

Akira grits her teeth.

"Oppose you?"- She asks- "You old crook! You were never supposed to be what you are now. The world is the one that rejected you, not me."

Darkthrop quivers with rage again.

"It's true. I was never loved by anyone, not even my own family."- He says- "When I met you, I thought that you would be better than them. That I would have someone who can always stand by my side and ignore the feelings in their heart. I guess that I spoke too soon. I made a mistake and now, I'm going to correct it."

With that, Darkthrop yells and swoops toward Adam, intending to possess him and use his body to recreate his evil empire.

"It's your fault, Adam Kaos!"- He yells- "You will pay!"

Just as Darkthrop's soul gets closer, Akira stands in its way and takes the hit for her brother.

"Akira!"

Suddenly, the girl's entire body spasms. She falls on her knees and grasps her head with both of her hands.

Screaming, she begs for help as the spirit starts to possess her.

Moments later, she finally realizes that nothing can be done. Mordred is too powerful for her to resist his attempts to get rid of her.

"Brother. I... I'm sorry."- She says- "I guess that I... wasn't good enough."

Adam falls on his knees and shakes his head.

"What do you mean?!"- He asks her- "You are the best sister!"

Akira smiles.

"That's what you like to believe. But keep doing that. Nobody's going to stop you."- She mutters- "But please... remember this. Whatever happens next I... I will always love you. No matter if Darkthrop... takes control of me and... uses me to kill you in cold blood. I'll always remember who we used to be and cherish those memories, forevermore."

She smiles again.

"I'll say hello to aunt Mari from you."

As the spirit of Darkthrop finally gets inside of her mind, it screams and is pushed out of her body.

Surprised, everyone looks at the person who exorcised the evil spirit.

They see Jared.

"I will not allow you to harm my daughter, evil creature!"- He yells- "Begone!"

Darkthrop's spirit turns red.

"You dare to free my puppet, so you must be a strong one."- He says- "Very well, then. I guess that you'll be the first one to taste the feeling of despair."

As the spirit swopps toward Jared, a wave of powerful light magic burns it and throws it back.

"Argh! Fools!"- The spirit yells- "How dare you resist me?!"

Adam takes a step forward and shakes his head.

"Long ago, I hoped that I could see my sister. That I could finally reunite with her. The hours that passed seemed like years for me. It was a painful experience."- He says- "Back then, you nearly stripped me of my only chance to save her and purify her tainted soul. You wanted to use her against me, just because you wanted to exert your nonexistent superiority over us. And then, I finally realized. Every moment that you spend with your loved ones is immensely important, more valuable than diamonds and gold."

Akira's eyes fill with tears as she listens to her brother's speech.

"*My little brother has always cared about me.*"- She says to herself- "*Why was I so foolish to betray him? To let him down?*"

Meanwhile, Adam raises his hands in the air.

"So. In the name of all that is sacred, I will end your reign of terror!"

As the spirit advances upon him, his hands start to glow white. He is preparing a powerful ritual, and he is not to be disturbed.

Emela sees this and stands in Darkthrop's way.

"You have no power here, sinner!"- She yells- "Together, we will send you back to the darkness from whence you came!"

She uses her magic to push it back, holding it at bay for a long time. This allows the young hero to perform the ritual with little to no resistance from his enemy.

Finally, as the light finally starts to drift away, Emela stands back and watches, amazed, as Adam's eyes start to glow again.

"*Clarity. Justice. Selflessness.*"- She says- "*Adam has it all.*"

Tears of joy fall from her eyes.

"*I'm so proud of my boy.*"

Adam attempts to seal Darkthrop's soul, but the evil sorcerer's interference knocks him off-balance and forces him to fall on his knees.

Mordred laughs.

"You claim that you're strong enough to beat me, right?"- He says- "Well, let me tell you this. No matter how brave or determined you may be, that won't be enough!"

As he prepares to finish him off, Akira stands in his way once again and shrouds both herself and her brother with the dark magic that she knows so well.

"You wretched child!"- Darkthrop yells- "You can't hide from me forever!"

Suddenly, the two of them appear just behind him.

"Oh, Darkthrop!"- Akira says- "I think that it's time for you to hide!"

Akira casts a binding magic, which holds the evil spirit in place for a few seconds.

"Now, brother!"- She yells- "Finish him off!"

Adam nods and casts a sealing spell that hits him almost immediately.

Suddenly, Darkthrop's soul starts to vanish. Motes of light appear around him and consume his entire being, sending it to another dimension.

"Impossible!"- He yells- "Nobody can defeat me- the ancient wizard Mordred Darkthrop."

Akira smiles.

"Except for us, the commoners."- She responds- "Learn your mistake, dark master. Your place is not in this world anymore."

Darkthrop growls.

"Not yet. I won't submit just yet."- He says- "First, I will kill you all. Then, I'll be content!"

Having said that, a small part of his soul rips out and floats out of the cathedral.

Adam and Akira attempt to stop him, but it is too late.

"He is gone."- Adam says- "I failed to... contain him."

Akira shakes her head.

"I can't imagine what he's got in mind for us."- She says- "I guess that we just have to brace for impact."

Adam sighs.

"With everything that we have faced already, I will not be surprised if he turns into a giant dra-- "

Suddenly, Adam's worst fears come true.

In just a few seconds, the entire cathedral starts to fall apart. Our heroes are barely able to escape from the piles of rubble.

"There's a dragon over there!"- Emela yells.

Donovan gasps.

"But how?!"- He yells- "We've already defeated a dragon!"

Melanchion takes a look at the creature in the sky and gasps.

"No! No!"- He says- "This cannot be! I refuse to believe this!"

Adam looks at him.

"What is wrong, my friend?"

Melanchion looks down.

"I thought that it was over."- He says- "I hoped that I would never see him again."

Donovan takes a step forward.

"Just... try to be calm. Don't let fear overtake you."- He says- "Tell us what you know about him. Piece by piece. This puzzle may be hard, but we can still solve it."

Seeing that he has no other choice, Melanchion sighs.

"The creature that you see over there is a dragon of old. One of my greatest rivals, with whom I have fought for many decades."- He says- "His name is Erdam, notoriously known as the Envoy Of The End. He is a part of a rival clan that has been torturing our family for many years. When I was old enough, I realized that I couldn't stand him anymore, so I confronted him when he came to taunt us again. Since I was still young and untrained, it was hard to deflect his attacks. I almost fell in battle. But then, I found out my true purpose in this world. I saw the light and I realized that there was nothing to be afraid of. So, I swooped in the air, burned him with my flames of justice and sent him back into the petty clan from which he came from. Obviously, this was not the end, as Erdam had started to despise me for the humiliation which he received at my hand back then. We fought for a long time, hoping to gain ownership of pieces of land that meant so much to us back then. Our lands became stronger and we grew jealous of each other. And then, when I expected to face him in one last battle, he disappeared from the face of the world. For decades, nobody has ever heard of him. He was easily forgotten. And yet, he never faded away. He was just waiting for the right time to strike."

He glares at Erdam.

"Which, I suppose, is right now."

Erdam descends from the sky and slams his entire body into the ground. The impact shakes our heroes to the core and renews the fear that they once had.

"Well, well. Look who fell off the back of the wagon."- He says- "It's good to see you again, Melanchion."

Melanchion sighs.

"I already know why you're here, old one."- He says- "Stop pretending to care about me."

Erdam smirks.

"Care about you?"- He says and laughs- "Oh, you're just like your mother. So pathetic and positive."

He smiles.

"You were never meant to emerge from that large nest of yours."

Melanchion raises his claw, but Erdam shakes his head.

"There's no point to waste my precious time on a weakling like you."- He says and looks at Adam- "My master told me about the young hero who destroyed Underfall. He asked me to see that he doesn't succeed in his mission. Then, we'll see whether he's still worthy of living his life."

Adam is surprised.

"So, you want... me?"

Erdam grins.

"For longer than time itself, I have been looking for a worthy challenger. One who's not afraid of fighting for his people, even if he has to sacrifice himself."- He says- "Are you good enough?"

Adam draws his weapon.

"I am ready to prove my worth to this world."

Adam's allies prepare to join him, but he stops them.

"I fear that this marks the end of our journey."- He says to them- "You have helped me for as long as you could. But now, it is time for me to help myself."

Donovan shakes his head.

"Have you gone mad?"- He says to him- "You're going to face a massive dragon! Alone!"

Adam sighs.

"I know, Donnie. I know."- He says- "But this does not matter. I would rather face this beast in battle alone, than to risk your lives in a foolish way."

Sharla looks like she is close to crying. However, she is able to exercise some self-control and supress her emotions.

"I... I'm just glad that we've been together for as long as we could."- She says- "It was good to fight side by side with the young hero who became my idol."

Adam smiles.

"I am aware that it does not seem like I care about you, but trust me. I do. I really, really do."- He says- "Every moment that we spent together was golden to me. And, if I ha to relive my life again, I would gladly do it all again, just to see you all one last time."

He sighs.

"Believe me. I want to stay with you and escape this city alive."- He says- "But this is not my choice. This is my fate. And I cannot shy away from it."

He glares at Erdam.

"This is a matter of life and death. None of you are supposed to be here. Not anymore."- He says- "So, make your choice. Do you want to die along with me... or do you want to survive and tell stories of the young man who stopped the Darkthrop invasion?"

Donovan looks at Sharla. Sadness clouds his judgement as he is forced to make one final decision.

Finally, he gives up and sighs.

"As much as I would like to join you, I cannot."- He says- "I made a promise to my little brother. I gave my word that I would live in his name. And I don't want his sacrifice to be in vain."

He sighs again.

"I want to stop you. I want to convince you to join us again."- He adds- "But I can see that it will be futile, since you have already made up your mind."

Sharla takes Adam's hands in hers.

"Adam. I... I know that we haven't been together for long, but I don't want to lose you."- She says to him- "So, promise me that we'll see you again. Pretty please?"

Adam looks down and sighs.

"I cannot make any promises. Not anymore."- He says- "But keep in mind that I will do my best to keep my soul in this plane of existence. And someday, I will visit you again. We will be happy and free. That is all that matters."

As Adam's allies prepare to leave Underfall, Emela approaches her student and hugs him.

"I still refuse to believe it."- She says- "To think that you would be so infatuated with your sense of justice and light."

She starts to cry.

"My heart is broken, Adam."- She says- "I can't live on without you!"

Adam smiles and hugs her back.

"I know, Miss Emela. It pains me to say that I must leave you."- He says- "And yet, I will never be truly gone from this world. I know that it means little to you right now, bout remember that I will always remain in your soul."

Emela looks down and sighs.

"So, this is how it has to be."- She says- "The forces of evil have taken them all away. And now... now... "

She sighs again and looks up.

"I get it now."- She says- "But before I go, I want to do one last kindness."

Emela closes her eyes and presses the palm of her right hand against Adam's forehead. She mutters a few words as her eyes start to glow light blue.

Suddenly, Adam feels like his mind has been cleared of all uncertainties. Every moment of darkness and despair is gone, replaced with a feeling of complete faith in himself.

"There. No longer will the forces of darkness corrupt you from the inside."- She says to him and opens her eyes- "Now, you shall fight as Adam Kaos- legendary hero and last guardian of the faith. The world depends on you and you must concentrate. So, don't let your mind stray away. Fight the feeling of fear and face it with a clear conscience. Someday, you will realize how important this is for your own survival."

Adam looks at her.

"Miss Emela. I am speechless."- He says- "You did all of this... for me?"

Emela smiles.

"Of course, dear."- She responds- "Now, every moment that you spend will be entirely towards freeing this world from the chains of evil."

She takes a step back.

"Keep being yourself, my dear."- She adds- "And remember that I love you. We love you. And, for as long as this world lasts and even beyond that, we will never stop feeling proud of you. You are our greatest gift from the stars, our shining savior. We will never forget you."

Having said that, she turns back to her allies.

"Come on, everyone!"- She yells- "Let's honor my student's last wish! Let's live on in his name!"

Everyone cheers as they escape the city of Underfall.

Erdam snorts as Adam turns to face him.

"So you drove them all away, even though you needed them so much."- He says- "How humiliating."

Adam shakes his head.

"I would never allow you to hurt them."- He says- "This matter is between you and me."

Erdam smiles.

"Then give me your best shot."- He says- "You will fail. And you know it well."

Adam draws his weapon.

"Your threats do not scare me."- He says- "I can tell that you prove your thesis with brute strength. However, you should rest assured that I will not go down easily."

Erdam grins.

"I'm counting on that!"

Then, he flaps his massive wings and flies up into the sky.

"As the last guardian of Underfall, I hereby challenge you to one last battle!"- He yells- "Will you accept, heir of Kaos?"

Adam nods.

"I, Adam Kaos, have made a promise. Not long ago, I gave my word that I will not leave this evil city until all spawns of evil have been eradicated."- He says- "As the heir of a long line of heroes, I hereby accept your challenge, creature of the dark! I will defend the honor of the world that I live in! I will fight with courage and valor, to prove my thesis that the world will always have heroes by its side, no matter how many must fall to ensure peace and prosperity!"

He raises his sword in the air.

"In the name of all that is sacred, I will defeat you!"- He yells- "Even if I have to die trying!"

Erdam snorts.

"Then go ahead and die already!"

Having said that, he breathes a massive gout of flame toward Adam.

The wicked flames easily engulf the young hero and surround him at all sides. Soon, he is completely hidden by them.

Erdam laughs.

"Foolish youngling!"- He roars- "You really thought that you could face a long-lived and powerful creature such as myself?! You're so dense. Few would dare to even look at me, let alone face me in battle. And, should I turn my gaze upon an unsuspecting victim, they will not survive to see the light again!"

He smiles.

"You may be brave, but you're nothing more than a lucky fool."- He says- "Your abilities may have saved you from my master, but you've still got a long way before you face the master of the ski-- "

All of a sudden, a large magical chain emerges from the flames and wraps itself around the Erdam's muscular neck. Then, before he can escape, it drags him toward the ground below.

From the ground, Adam jumps in the air and strikes Erdam down just as he falls.

Left.

Right.

And, as a cherry on top, a final slash from above.

Erdam is left severely wounded, but still alive. He rises up and snorts.

"You may live, but you're still no better than them."- He says- "Once I'm done with you, the entire world will see that their beloved hero is nothing more than another ambitious mercenary."

Adam is angered by this statement.

"I am no mere mercenary! No aimless adventurer!"- He yells- "I am a valiant hero! I do not kill for coin and strike solely for the good of this world, not to satisfy my own needs! My presence is a blessing to many and my sword strikes with the fury of the sun! I only kill those who dare to threaten the innocent with their foul actions! And, unlike you, I have my friends by my side. And that is more than enough!"

Erdam roars.

"And you think *that* will scare me?! No! It *won't!*"- He yells- "Every good thing ends, sooner or later. Friendship, hope, faith, justice and altruism- they're nothing more than the true weakness of humanity! Only the worthiest of creatures will be able to survive in this world of pain! And you're not one of them!"

Adam glares at him.

"And neither are you!"

Having said that, he watches as Erdam flaps his wings and flies back up in the air.

"No matter what you do, you still can't bring me down!"- Erdam yells- "Give up, kid! It's much easier!"

Adam shakes his head.

"I will never surrender!"

Then, he swiftly climbs a nearby giant rock and points his sword toward him.

"Get ready, dark one!"- He yells- "I am on my way!"

Erdam cackles.

"What? You really think that will work?"- He says- "Flying is impossible, kid! It's all just a futile dream!"

Adam smiles.

"Just because I am a human, it does not mean that I cannot fly high."- He says- "The power of light is on my side. And, for as long as I live my life, I will always strive to reach for the top!"

Having said that, he jumps from the rock.

Erdam watches with shock and amusement as a pair of small angel wings grow on Adam's back and help him fly up in the air.

As he wonders how this is actually possible, the wings start to grow even further.

Soon, they reach about half of Adam's height, protecting him from the winds that attempt to blow them away.

"An angel, huh?"- Erdam says and smiles- "I've been looking forward to battling you."

Adam smiles.

"Deep inside, there is always a small angel that lives inside our souls."- He says- "It is only a matter of time before its presence is made clear."

Erdam roars.

"Angel or not, this will not change anything."- He says- "Prepare to meet your doom!"

Adam draws his weapon.

"I would love to say the same."- He says- "And yet, I believe that it could be much worse."

He glares at him.

"So, get ready!"- He adds- "I have a lot of news in store for you! And none of them are good!"

Erdam roars again.

"It will be bad news for *you!*"

Having finished exchanging words with Adam, he swiftly flies toward him, flapping his wings and ready to take him down from the sky.

"I am the master of this realm!"- He roars- "I will never be defeated!"

Adam is well-aware of his abilities. As soon as he gets closer, he parries his first attack with his sword and attempts to stab him in the arm.

However, it turns out that he has some powerful protection left.

"*It is as if his scales are made of steel. Even my sword cannot break through them.*"- He says to himself- "*And yet, there must be another way. I **must** keep trying.*"

Adam raises his sword in the air.

"Eternium!"- He yells- "Give me your strength!"

Erdam takes a step back.

"Eternium?!"

He watches in horror as Adam enchants his weapon with the power of water. Then, he prepares to defend himself as he charges toward him, but is easily struck by the blade.

The water seeps into his entire being and easily weakens his indestructible scales.

Then, Adam enchants his weapon with the power of fire, slashing the dragon in the back and melting a large part of his scales, leaving him exposed and vulnerable!"

"Argh!"- He roars- "A smart one, I see. But even that won't be enough!"

Finally, Adam enchants his weapon with the power of light.

"The water that softens your greatest defense. The fire that exposes your true self. And, finally, the light that brings forth a swift end to all evil creatures."- He says- "The three forces of Nature, united against the evil that plagues our lands!"

Erdam roars angrily.

"I will snuff out the light in your soul!"

Having said that, he swings his claws and causes a massive whirlwind that forces Adam to back away for a moment.

This gives the evil dragon a chance to prepare his next attack.

"Prepare yourself, heir of Kaos."- He roars- "I will end your pathetic life!"

Having said that, he flies forward and grabs Adam by the neck with his massive claw.

Then, before the young hero can do anything else, he descends toward the ground with incredible speed and slams him into the earth below.

The impact is strong enough to destroy the rest of the cathedral nearby.

As Erdam prepares to escape, a large chunk of rock hits him in the tail, forcing him to yell out in pain.

Meanwhile, Adam rises from the wreckage once again.

"In my life, I haven't seen anyone with a such an unstoppable will to live. Such a desire to keep their fire burning."- Erdam says to him- "We might be enemies, but I think that I finally realize that you're much more than just a mere human."

Adam sighs.

"I appreciate that."- He says- "However, this fight is not over yet."

Erdam nods.

"I agree."- He says- "Let's end this. Quickly."

Erdam rushes forward and attempts to crush Adam with his tail. Fortunantely, the young hero is able to parry his attack and deliver a sharp blow into the middle of it.

Unfortunately, he is burned by the flame at the end of it, sustaining a painful injury on his right arm.

Meanwhile, Erdam breathes a massive gout of fire at the ground below, forcing Adam to use his water magic to put it out.

As the young hero looks up, Erdam smiles.

"That was a good move, youngling."- He says- "But now, it will get much worse."

Before Adam can make another move, Edram rushes forward. Like a bull charging toward an unsuspecting matador, he prepares to end him once and for all.

However, just as he gets closer, Adam starts to become less substantial, leaving only an afterimage behind. By the time the dragon finally realizes this, it is too late.

Erdam foolishly rushes into the insubstantial creature, his massive head passing right through it and its ethereal body hurting him as he attempts to retreat.

"He's gone!"- Erdam gasps- "How is this possible?!"

Adam appears behind him and smiles.

"Hey!"- He says- "You want to get me, right? I am ready for you!"

Erdam snorts.

"You won't make a fool out of me!"

He rushes forward, only to realize that this is yet another illusion.

Then, he sees Adam somewhere in the distance. He tries to headbutt him, only to be met with the same result.

"Cursed child!"- He roars- "I'll teach you not to mess with me!"

Then, he sees Adam again. He watches as he smiles and flips a switch.

Suddenly, the bridge outside is surrounded by a large pit of lava.

"I'm coming for you, Kaos!"

Then, he flies in the air and slams his entire body into Adam, only to find out that it is yet another illusion.

"Argh!"- He roars- "I knew that it was too good to be true!"

Having destroyed a large part of the gates, he is able to see Adam at the end of the bridge. However, having realized that he is leading him into a trap, he looks down and grins.

"You won't fool me, young one!"- He roars- "Try all you want, but I'm still one step ahead of you!"

Adam smiles and points at something behind him.

"You might want to look back."

Erdam does so, but it is already too late.

As soon as he tries to take a look, the real Adam shoots a barrage of arrows of light at him, piercing his skin and forcing him to fall on the bridge below.

Since he is too heavy for the bridge to hold him up, the entire structure falls apart, sending him flying toward the lava pit below.

Erdam attempts to fly back up, but he is too heavy and tired. His wings won't be able to carry him far enough.

As he collapses into the lava, he notices that both versions of Adam are looking at him.

"Curse you, Kaos!"- He roars in pain as the liquid easily dissolves his thick skin- "I will return! You haven't gotten rid of me yet!"

Then, as Adam wonders whether this is actually true, his head slumps back into the lava and he finally dies.

"Such a mighty creature, fallen victim to Darkthrop's lies."- Adam says and sighs- "Another wasted opportunity. Another wasted life."

Shaking his head, he starts to back away, but is surprised when something massive emerges from the lava.

The gigantic skeleton of Erdam, still dripping with the lava that dissolved his skin, flies up into the air and descends with tremendous force, throwing Adam back in Underfall.

"I will still haunt you, Adam Kaos!"- He roars- "Even from the grave!"

As the young hero retreats and casts a shielding spell on himself, the skeletal dragon descends from the sky and lands on top of Adam, shattering his magical shield and nearly fracturing his skull.

"I am the master of the skies! The lord of the darkness!"- Erdam roars- "Even when they tear my skin apart, I still stand tall! My brothers may have been strong, but they're nothing compared to me!"

Adam shakes his head and draws his weapon.

"Very well, your majesty."- He says- "It is time for your royal treatment!"

Adam flies up in the sky and jumps of Erdam's back. As the dragon attempts to throw him off, he slashes his bones with Eternium.

However, the blow fails to do any damage. It only makes Erdam angrier than he already was.

"Enough of this!"- He roars- "I'm tired of your will to live!"

Finally, he manages to throw him off.

As Adam gets back up, the skeletal beast roars. Its bones start to glow black and his eyes grow red, filled with malice and contempt.

"A worthless insect, you are!"- He roars- "Determined and powerful, but still an insect!"

Adam glares at him.

"Well, this little insect is about to sting you harder than a horde of wasps!"

Erdam flies in the air.

"We'll take this fight to the skies!"- He roars- "Join me there... if you dare!"

Adam glares at him.

"You know that I will!"- He yells- "I will not rest until you are gone!"

Having said that, he spreads his wings and flies at the same speed as him.

Finally, as they reach a high point in the sky, Erdam looks back at him and twists his skeletal mouth into what looks like a smile.

"You are now in my realm."- He says to him- "And when you're in my realm, you obey my rules!"

Adam shakes his head.

"I obey no villains and miscreants."- He responds- "If I am to obey something, then it will be the Order."

Erdam roars.

"The Order is not what it used to be!"- He roars- "Long ago, they used to hunt down all mythical creatures, dragons included. And now, they pretend like they care about us. They allow us to stay in their lands, unaware that we are still vengeful and bloodthirsty. And what happens when you allow your sworn enemies to roam free? Your cities turn into uninhabitable ruins. Your souls are broken. You become a weak nation with worthless leaders."

He looks at him.

"Tell me, Adam."- He says to him- "Do you still believe in your so-called Order?"

Adam sighs and shakes his head.

"You may be right. The Order is weaker than it was before I was born. Many members are working, just to satisfy their own needs. They want to live their lives, in a peaceful way."- He says- "And yet, I cannot blame them. Many want a peaceful world, devoid of trouble and darkness. A perfect world with no dangers around the corner. But that is not to be. As long as there is light, there will always be a little bit of darkness. Believing that you can destroy it all is futile and I know it well. And I am sure that it is the same for the ones who sent me here."

He glares at him.

"But I will not let them down!"- He yells- "I made a promise that I will serve the Order and fight in the name of the light. And, for as long as I live my life, I will always rise from the ashes. Just like a phoenix!"

Erdam laughs.

"And yet, even phoenixes are not immortal!"

Having said that, he lashes out at Adam and uses some of his incredible dark energy to crush his iron will.

However, such trickery does not work on Adam. The young hero jumps into the air and delivers a massive blow, leaving nasty scratches in Erdam's skeletal body.

"How is this possible?!"- Erdam roars- "How are you always one step of me? What gives you so much power?!"

Adam shakes his head.

"It does not matter what made me so strong. Everything else is just additional trivia that is to be revealed in more peaceful times."- He says- "Right now, my desire to protect my people is the thing that keeps the fire in my heart burning bright!"

Erdam laughs.

"Then I will snuff it out!"- He roars- "Just like I nearly snuffed out the one in your brother's heart!"

Adam is shocked by this revelation.

"Wait!"- He yells- "You know something about Alcander?!"

Erdam nods.

"Not too long ago, your brother came into the city of Underfall. Claimed that he wanted to spare you from a horrible fate."- He says- "He fought Dorgen- the previous guardian of Underfall- and, surprisingly, he won the battle. And yet, as he prepared to face Mordred Darkthrop, I came in his way. I forced him to face me in battle and he accepted. However, he was no match for me. The poor fool didn't realize what he was getting himself into. He fell very easily. It was nothing more than a joke for one such as myself."

Adam glares at him, his eyes filled with insatiable anger.

"Where is he?!"- He yells- "Where is my brother?!"

Erdam chuckles dryly.

"Like I'm supposed to know!"- He says- "The kid realized that he was no match for me and fled with his metaphorical tail behind his back, ashamed that he was not strong enough to face the darkness within this city. I know not of where he went, but I doubt that he went far before the shadows claimed his soul."

Adam shakes his head angrily.

"My brother is one of the dearest people in my life. And you humiliated him like this?!"- He yells- "Rest assured, creature of the dark. I will finish what he started!"

Erdam laughs and prepares to launch another spell.

"Excellent!"- He roars- "I love a good challenge!"

Adam glares at him.

"Then you will get it!"- He says and attacks.

Erdam launches a barrage of fireballs toward Adam, but the young hero easily cuts through them and strikes him with his sword.

Much to the former dragon's dismay, the weapon is already enchanted with the power of light. The essence within burns his bones and causes him great pain, despite the fact that he can no longer feel anything.

"So, this is how you want to fight?"- He says- "Very well, then! Two can play at *this* game!"

Having said that, he raises his claw and forms two more copies of himself, perfect in almost every way.

"This is the power of the ancients, Adam Kaos!"- All three of them roar in unison- "You stand no chance!"

Adam shakes his head.

"Nothing is over until the last breath is spent!"

He valiantly rushes toward them, but is stopped by their combined magic. Attempting to break through their defense, he is struck by the dark energy that floats around them and is temporarily paralyzed.

The three creatures take the chance to burn him with magical fire, strike him with their claws and bite him with their sharp teeth.

However, as Adam backs away, they note that he has remained completely unharmed. No burns. No scratches. No bites.

"Impossible!"- The three of them roar- "Nobody can survive my onslaught!"

Adam smiles.

"Well, there is one who still can."- He says- "Keep those memories burning into your mind, as they will be the last things that you will ever see."

Adam sheathes his blade and waves his hands in the air.

Suddenly, a massive lasso of light appears in his hand.

"Prepare to get tamed, wild one!"

Having said that, he whips the skeletal dragons with his magical lasso. The swing is strong enough to break through their shadows and pierce through their defense, separating them from each other.

Adam rushes toward one of the enemies. Using his magical lasso, he wraps it around one of the dragons, pulls it closer and strikes it in the chest with a powerful might spell.

A beam of light shatters the skeletal creature into a lot of massive pieces just as it tries to get away.

"This is not over!"- The rest of them yell.

Adam shakes his head.

"This battle was over before it even started."

As the dragons charge toward him, he forms a small, magical shield and holds it with his hand, deflecting their blows and slamming them backwards.

Just as the second dragon recovers from the attack, Adam climbs on top of him and violently slams his magical shield into the creature's skull, shattering it but also shattering the top of the skull.

"Ouch."- The skeletal dragon mutters as his entire skull cracks and splits in two.

The original version of Erdam watches in horror as the headless body of his clone falls on the ground, dead.

"Those clones were nothing more than pathetic imitations of myself!"- He roars- "Even though you managed to get rid of them, I am still here! And I'm much worse than you think I am!"

Adam raises his sword in their air. A massive thunder hits it and electrifies its surface, giving it a rather impressive appearance.

"In the name of my people, I will banish you from this world!"

Then, before Erdam could taunt him again, he jumps in the air and slams his weapon into the dragon's shoulder just as he descends, shattering some of them in the process.

Of course, such an attack is more than capable enough of causing great pain to the dragon. However, it is not enough to bring him down.

"Rragh!"- He roars- "I'm not going anywhere! I'm still here!"

Having said that, he quickly falls into an incoherent rage. Berserked and enraged, he wildly swings his claws at Adam, launching a wide variety of powerful spells and slowly clawing his way past the young hero's defense.

Finally, as he cuts through the last layer of Adam's magical shield, he laughs.

"I've done it! I've defeated Adam Kaos!"- He roars- "Look at me, Darkthrop! I am the mightiest dragon in the world!"

Just as Adam thinks that there is no way to escape from this madman, he remembers how he defeated many enemies much more powerful than him as he tried to find Underfall.

"*I may be a child, but I refuse to be defeated by a egotistical fool like him!*"- He says to himself- "*I just need a chance. A single flaw. And then, I can make it happen.*"

As Erdam prepares to claw him to death, Adam stumbles back and casts one final, powerful spell.

A massive blade appears out of thin air and strikes Erdam right in the chest.

Erdam's entire body slumps to the ground below, with Adam joining him moments later.

"Not yet, Kaos!"- He roars, weakly stumbling toward his enemy- "I will not die! I shall emerge victorious!"

Just as he gets close enough to claw at Adam's feet, the young hero jumps up and drives his sword through the creature's massive skull.

"Heh."- Erdam says- "That was *nothing*."

Adam smiles.

"On the contrary."- He responds- "That was *everything* that I needed."

Before Erdam can actually respond, his entire skeletal body explodes.

Bits of big and small dragon femur fly everywhere as Adam triumphantly stands up and pulls his sword out of the creature's fractured skull.

"I warned you that you would fall in battle. Yet, you refused to listen. And, even in death, you continued to pursue me."- He says- "Now, you lived long enough to see that you were wrong."

Just as Adam prepares to leave, he realizes that Erdam, in a desperate attempt to get rid of him, set the entire city on fire. Earthquakes shatter the ground around him as the vile flames get closer and closer.

He looks up at the gates of the city, only to realize that it is too late. The entire place is falling apart and there is nothing he can do.

Attempting to flee from the scene, the young hero is crushed by a pile of fallen rubble. His right arm is lightly burned by the approaching flames.

This is when Adam finally realizes that everything is over for him.

"*I guess that this is it.*"- He says to himself, barely conscious- "*I have won the battle, but at the cost of my own life.*"

He smiles.

"*Let it be this way.*"- He continues- "*As long as my loved ones still live, I am happy to die right here.*"

He starts to close his eyes just as more rubble starts to fly from above.

"Farewell, everyone."- He says- "I will miss you."

Having said that, he finally falls unconscious.

Somewhere in the distance, a mysterious stranger rides on her horse, attempting to get to the city as soon as possible.

"Come on, Moonlight! We've got to save my brother!"- She yells- "Go faster! The world depends on us!"

As the horse dashes wildly towards the burning, abandoned city, the face of Akira flashes from under the stranger's black hood.

Adam's sister has returned. And she is not going anywhere until she gets her brother back.

Seeing the lava just ahead, the horse gets spooked, but Akira forces it to continue running.

"There's no time for fear!"- She yells- "Listen to my commands and you'll be okay!"

The horse realizes that something is at stake and, just as they get closer, it bravely jumps past the fiery pit of demise below.

"Well done, dear."- Akira says- "We're almost there."

As Akira enters the city, she notices the bits of bone scattered everywhere and realizes that her brother has won the battle.

However, Adam is nowhere to be found.

"Where did he go?"- Akira wonders- "Is he already gone?"

Then, she sees someone under the wreckage, barely breathing.

"Adam!"- She yells and rushes toward him- "Adam! Are you alright?"

Using her incredible strength, she manages to pull him out.

She touches his cheek and realizes that he still lives.

"He's alive!"- She says to herself- "I can still save him!"

She turns back to her horse and places him on its back.

"Ready, Moonlight?"- She asks it- "It's time for us to save the life of the one who saved me."

The horse neighs in approval.

"Great!"- She exclaims- "Then let's do this!"

Akira rides her horse out of the wreckage, just as the fire finally engulfs the entire city.

She sees the pit up ahead.

"*With the two of us on Moonlight, it's going to be nearly impossible for her to jump across.*"- She says to herself- "*And yet, there's still hope for us. I won't give up on him, not after everything that he sacrificed in my name.*"

She looks down at her horse.

"Moonlight, my dear."- She says- "I want you to know that I love you, no matter what happens next."

The horse neighs, confused.

"I know, dear."- She says- "It's a tough choice, but I can't risk my brother's life. Not when there's a chance that he could make it."

She jumps down from her horse just as it gets closer to the lava.

"Jump, Moonlight! Jump and don't look back!"- She yells- "Bring Adam to my family! They will take care of him!"

The horse neighs sadly as it jumps across, looking back at its master one last time before it disappears into the mist.

Akira smiles.

"There we go. He's finally safe."- She says- "Thank you, brother. You made me a better person. Without you, I would never be able to be myself."

She turns to the last intact gate out of Underfall.

"I think that it's time for me to leave as well."- She says- "This place is going to collapse on me. And I don't want to die, not when Adam's still out there."

Having said that, she draws her weapon and escapes the burning city just as the walls burst into flames, barely saving her own life.

As she runs away, she trips and falls on the ground. While trying to stand up, she notices that her hands are covered in blood.

Realizing that this is her brother's blood and not hers, she falls on her knees and starts to cry.

"Why was I so ignorant? So foolish?"- She says- "My brother could have died back there! My brother! My savior and only light in life! And it's all because of me!"

She sighs.

"I'm such a bad sister!"- She continues- "Am I even worthy of existing in this world?!"

As she bends down to pick up her sword, she feels the irresistible urge to plunge it into her chest.

"I can't do this anymore."- She says- "The world would be... better without me."

As the blade gets closer to ending her life, she hears something in the distance.

Looking up, she sees that a small group of darklings has discovered her and are closing in on her.

Seeing that she has been given another chance to redeem herself, she stands up and paints her face with the blood of her brother.

"Here we go, my dear brother."- She says as she prepares to fight- "Together, we can conquer our fears."

She draws her weapon.

"It's showtime!"

A few days later, Adam opens his eyes. He sees that he is no longer in the ruins of Underfall.

Best of all, he realizes that he is still alive.

"I cannot believe it."- He mutters- "How did I make it?"

He feels a sharp pain in the back of his head. He touches it and realizes that he is bandaged.

"It still hurts a lot, but I think that I will be alright."- He mutters- "And yet, someone risked their life to bring my all the way here, in the safety of this place. Who would dare to do such a thing?"

As he weakly stands up, he climbs down the stairs and opens the door that leads outside.

Emela notices that he is finally awake and hugs him.

"Thank the gods!"- She exclaims- "Your father was right! You are still alive!"

Adam smiles.

"I guess that I should count myself lucky for escaping that ruin."- He says- "How is everyone else?"

Emela sighs.

"Oh, it's quite complicated."- She says- "Even though we escaped together, Donovan and Sharla were too ashamed to stay with us. They bid us farewell and left toward the Kingdom of Thais, hoping to deliver the news of your total victory over Darkthrop and his servants. As for Melanchion, he wanted to stay with us, but his duties dragged him away from us. So, we had to say goodbye to him as well."

Adam nods.

"What about my father and sister?"- He asks- "Are they still here?"

Emela smiles and looks at Jared in the distance. He smiles back.

"Your daddy's still here, thank goodness. He protected us while we escaped the city, but became very tired."- She says- "As for your sister, well... she... "

Adam looks at her, worried.

"What happened to her?"- He asks her- "Please tell me that she is alright!"

Jared approaches the two of them and stares at Emela.

The two of them look back at Adam and shake their heads.

"Akira was the one who saved you from that city. She took her horse outside and rode it toward the place as fast as she could."- He says to him- "We know not of what happened out there, but it seems like not everything went well for her. When we found you, it was just the horse who carried you all the way over here. Unfortunately, Akira herself was nowhere to be found."

Adam gasps.

"She must be in danger!"- He says- "We must find her!"

Suddenly, he feels weak and slumps on a nearby bench.

"Easy, dear."- Emela says- "Your emotions have gone astray."

Adam shakes his head.

"I do not mind."- He says- "She saved my life, so I want to save hers. We must go to Underfall as soon as possible."

Jared smiles sadly.

"Rest assured that we are doing everything to bring her back."- He says- "And yet, our chances are still low. Our hopes are high, but we are not entirely optimistic."

As the three of them wonder what to do, two horses approach them from a distance.

Donovan and Sharla park them nearby and join the three of them.

Realizing that Adam is still alive, they hug him.

"We heard what happened."- Donovan says- "Akira is a hero. It's a miracle that she kept you alive."

Adam nods.

"Yes, she was."- He says- "I am so glad to see you both again."

Donovan smiles.

"And so are we."- He responds- "Times have been hard for us. Ever since we escaped, things went downhill."

Adam nods.

"Tell me everything."- He says- "I would love to help however I can."

Donovan sighs.

"Well. For starters, Vehrn heard of Aiden's death. Fearing that the same might happen to him, he stepped down, leaving me as the sole heir for the throne. Thus, I became the king of Goznor. Once again, I am royalty... despite not deserving it."- He says- "In addition, I went back to Underfall a few days ago with your father, searching for the ones who died back there. Aiden's body was still there, but your sister was gone. It is as she never went there. No signs of her were left behind."

Adam sighs.

"I understand."- He says- "So. What will you do now?"

Donovan looks at him, as if he already knows.

"Is it not already obvious?"- He asks him- "I'm the king of Goznor. I must take care of my people, my kingdom."

He smiles.

"And Sharla, my queen, will accompany me toward the path to world peace."

Sharla smiles back and looks at Adam.

"Um. I hate to ask this, but I still feel like this battle is not over."- She says- "Are you sure that Darkthrop is dead? That he won't come back?"

Adam sighs and shakes his head.

"To be honest, I am not sure."- He says- "I can still hear his voice in my mind, beckoning me to go back where we started. But I do not want to. I am not ready to face my destiny again, not yet."

Donovan nods.

"Fair enough. After what you had to face back there, it's a good idea to allow you to rest."

He looks back at the horses and sighs.

"We have to go."- He says- "But before we go, we have a surprise for you."

He motions for Sharla to take something from the horse's back. Sharla does so and hands it to Adam.

The young hero looks down and realizes that it is a baby.

"This child is so beautiful."- He says- "It looks just like my sister."

Donovan smiles.

"Not too long ago, we found a small hut not too far from Underfall. We were informed that Akira would be in there. And yet, nobody was in there."- He says- "When we entered the house, we saw this child, lying in his crib. Nearby, there was a message left behind by Akira. It informed us that she left before we could find her and helped us realize that she was worried about you. Feeling like her child would be better in your hands, she left it there, hoping that we could bring it back to you."

He smiles again.

"And here you are, with your nephew."- He says- "Hopefully, you know how to take care of him."

Adam nods and looks down at his nephew.

"Hello, little one."- He says- "Do not be scared. You are safe."

The child senses that he is close to him. It falls asleep in his arms.

"This is so adorable!"- Sharla says- "Uncle and nephew, meeting for the first time!"

Donovan sighs.

"Now that you know what happened back there, I'm afraid that we must leave."- He says- "But I want to know whether you truly want to stay here. We can take you to Goznor with us, if you want to. You'll be safe. As the ruler of the kingdom, I promise it."

Adam starts to respond, but feels weak and slumbs backwards.

Emela looks at him sadly and shakes her head.

"Sorry, Donovan. I'm afraid that Adam can't go anywhere."- She says to him- "I left my job as the Water Guardian to protect him. And I don't want anyone else to interfere. I appreciate your concern, but there's a long road ahead of us. We can't stray too far from it."

Donovan sighs.

"I understand, Emela."- He says- "Then, I bid you farewell. I hope to see all of you again."

Sharla nods.

"Me too!"- She adds- "See you soon!"

As Donovan and Sharla climb on their horses, tears appear in the new king's eyes. He looks back at Adam and smiles.

"This is not the end of our friendship, though!"- He says- "We promise to visit you soon!"

Sharla nods.

"We'll be back before you know it!"

Adam smiles and nods.

"Then, I will eagerly await your return."- He says- "Stay safe, both of you."

Donovan smiles.

"Farewell, Adam."- He says- "Good luck in your future endeavors."

Having said that, the two of them leave their friends alone.

"By the way, Miss Emela."- Adam says- "Why did you refuse to be the Water Guardian. Isn't it supposed to be an honor for you?"

Emela sighs.

"When a Water Guardian is chosen, he or she serves for life. Nothing and nobody can change this sacred law, no matter how hard they try."- She says- "And yet, my duty to protect you from evil is not over. And it is much more important that the crystal. Believe me, you're much more important to me and, when I was given the chance to make a choice, I had already made up my mind."

She smiles.

"I chose to take care of you, because you mean everything to me."- She says- "To you, I might be just another weirdo. A strange woman whom you can't understand. But for me, you are my star. My light in those dark times. I didn't want to leave you like this, so I brought it upon myself to prepare you for the horrors that you have yet to face."

Adam hugs her.

"I would never say that, Miss Emela."- He says- "All this time, you meant everything to me, too. And you still do. Nothing has changed."

He turns to his father.

"Miss Emela said that she will be taking care of me."- He says- "So, does this mean that you will have to leave again?"

Jared sighs.

"I am afraid so."

Tears fall from Adam's eyes as he realizes that his father will be gone soon. He hugs him and shakes his head.

"I hoped that all of us could reunite and be happy. I wanted to see you again."- He says- "And yet, I failed to realize that this could never happen. It all happened because of me. I failed my duty as a son, brother and friend."

Jared smiles.

"No. You are still the legendary hero Adam Kaos. You never failed anything."- He says- "It was thanks to you that Darkthrop and his forces were defeated. Many people are still alive because you did the right think in time. And, most importantly, you never gave up. That is what makes you a hero."

He places his hands on his son's shoulders.

"Someday, you will realize that I am right about this."- He says- "Until then, however, I must leave you to contemplate. The battles that we won out there have taken a toll on you and I do not want you to get hurt. So, I will leave and hope that you recover soon."

He hugs Adam.

"Stay safe, child."- He says- "I will keep looking for your sister. And when the right time comes, we will be reunited."

He bids farewell to him and Emela and leaves the place.

"So. We're alone now."- Emela says- "What do you want to do next?"

Adam sighs.

"I cannot rest. Not even for a second."- He says- "Until I find my sister, I can never be the same again."

Emela smiles.

"Then don't be!"- She says- "Your sister sacrificed everything she had, just so you could be happy. I don't want her sacrifice to be in vain."

He sighs.

"And that is why I want to bring her back."- He responds- "Nothing will stop me from finding the broken pieces of the puzzle that is my family."

Emela smiles.

"I will help you."- She says- "Together, we will make your dream come true."

Adam nods.

"Together?"

Emela smiles again.

"Yes."- She says- "Together."

And so, the battle between Good and Evil ends. The evil wizard has been locked away, at a great cost. Many would say that this confrontation meant nothing, but this is not true. Although Darkthrop will likely awaken again, Adam's actions are the key catalyst that weakened his power greatly. Much of his strength faded away, along with the dragon Erdam. And it is all thanks to our young hero.

But this does not mean that everything is over. Just because Adam managed to win, the evil wizard still has hatred left in his heart. And, for as long as his soul still exists somewhere, there is much to be desired. Thus, Adam has to train hard in order to defeat his enemies, if he is to keep the world peace intact.

Soon, Adam will have to face the darkness again. He will prepare well and be rewarded with the knowledge that he has seeked for so long. He will face many troubles and feel despair as he tries to bring the light back to this world. But this does not matter. As long as there are still heroes like him out there, there is nothing to be afraid of.

The path to a brighter future is filled with good intentions, but it is also paved with shadows and insecuritires. There is little doubt that things will get much worse. But the flames of justice are still burning bright. And together, our heroes are unbeatable.

***Onward!***