MLIII C5, P6- "It's All The Same"

"It's All The Same" is the sixth Part of "Miracula Luxia III" 's fifth Chapter.

It was released on 14.04.2022.

## Plot

Adam and his allies finally manage to find the way toward their true destination. They cross the Realm of Darkness and track down Mordred Darkthrop, finally meeting the evil sorcerer for the first time.

In the meantime, the young hero is reunited with his dear sister, at long last. However, it is more than clear enough that she is not on the side of justice anymore. Her heart has become corrupted by the darkness within her soul and she came to terms with a fate that she was not supposed to accept in the first place.

As heroes and villains gather to participate in one more final battle, Adam wonders whether he can save his sister before she makes a horrible mistake.

**Onward!**

## Story

As Adam and his allies prepare to make their move, two more people approach them.

As they get closer, Donovan looks at them and gasps.

"Oh my god."- He says- "This... this cannot be."

Adam looks at him.

"Do you recognize them?"

Donovan nods.

"Those people are my friends. Our friends."- He says- "I reckon that you already know one of them, too."

Adam nods.

"You are right."- He says- "So. Derek Darkheart is finally back, I see."

Donovan raises his eyebrow.

"Derek Darkheart?"- He asks- "Like... the bandit leader who nearly destroyed the entire town of Duskwood?"

Adam nods.

"I am afraid that the answer is yes."- He responds- "Not too long ago, me and my father had to fight him. He nearly killed us both. However, in a sheer stroke of luck, I managed to outsmart and defeat him. I showed mercy to him, because I knew that he has a family, just like us. Although I am sure that he still has not changed, I wonder how he will react once we come face to face again."

Donovan smiles.

"You know. Hearing how you spared this untrustworthy man reminds me of the time when me and Sharla were still recruits in Goznor's army."- He says- "Back then, we worked with a few more fellow warriors. One of them was your friend, Mardek. And the other one was your teacher, Emela. We were supposed to defeat a bandit chief who was hiding in a gem mine, thinking that he could find one of the elemental crystals there. But he just fooled himself, as there was nothing more than a bunch of peaceful miners. And he wasn't that much of a skilled artisan in the art of the crystals to begin with. Just a fool with big dreams of glory and grandeur. Anyway, me and Sharla surprised him from the left side, while Mardek, Deugan and Emela sneaked up on him from the right and charged at him, hoping that he wouldn't fight back. As we expected, he did. He fought valiantly, hoping that he could continue his nefarious plan afterwards. And yet, we still brought him to his knees. When that happened, he begged for his life like a coward. He claimed that he would stop committing crimes against the crown. We made a mutual decision to show mercy. But then, Steele entered the room and almost killed him, were it not for Emela's brave deed that left him crippled and weak. Of course, the bandit leader escaped afterwards and was never seen again. And, even after all these years, I still wonder whether he was true to his word. Did he really renounce his antagonistic ways? We will never know."

Adam shakes his head.

"I still cannot believe that you allied yourselves with Steele."- He says- "That wretched man was not worthy of allying with *himself*, let alone anyone else."

Donovan sighs.

"I am so sorry, Adam. We... had no choice."- He responds- "When we were accepted into the royal guard, he was already there. Taunting his fellow warriors. Thinking that he's better than anyone else, that only he deserves to lead the team. Flirting with every girl that he saw. And, believe me when I say that we all loathed him. We all wanted him gone. And yet, he was still an equal. A fellow royal guard. We were supposed to treat him with respect. Hmph. Like that would ever happen."

He smiles.

"Anyway. I heard that you and your allies managed to track him down in Castle Goznor. And then, you crushed him like the demon that he was."- He says- "Tell me, Adam. Are you the one who killed him back then? Did he die by your hand?"

Adam looks down and sighs.

"As much as I would like to say yes, I am afraid that I can never lie about it."- He says- "Yes. We were the ones who defeated Steele. However, we refused to kill him, even after he almost killed us. During the last minutes of his life, he lost his mind and decided to do the deed himself. It is as if he wanted to die in the first place. And yet, we let him. We allowed him to do it. However, I still put him down afterwards. Do you want to know why I did it? Well, it is simple. Nobody deserves to be brought back to unlife as an undead and have his soul trapped in the mortal realm forever like this. Nobody deserves to suffer a fate like this, even villains like Steele. So, I decided to end his pitiful life and put him to rest, away from this place."

Donovan smiles.

"You spared him?"- He says- "Oh. That is very good to hear. Knowing that you're doing what your father once did is truly invigorating, to be honest."

He notices that the two people have gotten close enough to speak with them and sighs.

"I suppose that our conversation is over."- He says- "Here they are."

Adam takes a step toward them.

"Are you Adam Kaos?"- One of them says to him.

Adam nods.

"Yes. That is me."- He says- "Nice to meet you both."

He looks at the man.

"But I still do not know who you are."- He says- "Have we met before?"

The man smiles and reveals a large mask that he was holding until now.

"Recognize it?"- He asks- "I am the man who has been under this mask for all this time."

Adam gasps.

"You mean that you are... *Lone Wolf?*"- He asks- "Deugan Selmae?!"

Deugan nods and smiles.

"Very perceptive, young man!"- He says- "Seeing that someone remembers who I was back when I wasn't Lone Wolf truly fills my heart with joy."

He looks back at Derek, who is still looking at the ground.

"And this is my older brother- Derek Selmae."- He says- "Or, as you may already know him, Derek Darkheart."

Derek grunts in response.

"We may not know each other, but I heard what my brother tried to do to you."- Deugan says- "I understand that he caused a lot of trouble to the Kaos family. And, as a full representative of our noble family, I came to apologize for his awful actions toward righteous people such as yourselves."

Adam nods and smiles.

"I accept your apology."- He responds- "Besides, Derek is not really a bad person. Deep inside, I knew that there was still some good, waiting to be unleashed. And that is why I decided to spare him instead of ending his life."

Deugan smiles and shakes his hand.

"And that's why I came all the way here with him."- He says- "I wanted to thank you for this kindness. Derek is one of the few people left who are truly dear to me. And, thanks to you, he will live for a while longer. So, thank you. If the opinion of a fellow hero matters to you, then let me tell you this. You are one of a kind. Your actions have made many people feel happy and safe. So, don't let life change you. Be yourself and shine your light in this world of ours. You are amazing!"

Adam smiles.

"It is an honor, sir."- He says- "Saving people and defeating villains is my utmost priority. And I never strayed away from it, no matter how much time passed by."

Deugan nods.

"Me and my brother also came all the way here to offer our aid."- He continues- "We understand that you're going to fight Mordred Darkthrop and we wanted to make sure that his allies don't hurt you."

Adam looks at the evil sorcerer and nods.

"I understand. Fighting this man requires every single warrior that we can get."- He says- "And yet, you still have a family. Parents. Other siblings, maybe. Are you sure that they will not miss you once you step into the flames of darkness?"

Derek draws his sword and stabs the ground with it.

"You showed me mercy when I didn't deserve it. You spared my life, because you believed in me. Because you knew that I could change and be a better person. And here I am, ready to abandon my own people, just to fight a man who made us suffer for so long."- He says- "My sword is at your side, fellow warrior. That's all you need to know."

Deugan nods.

"And so is mine."- He says- "Whenever you say the word, we will make this vile... umm... person pay for his crimes."

Adam smiles.

"Then go ahead and join me."- He says- "Three swords are much better than one, after all."

Deugan nods.

"Lead the way, young hero."

Adam takes a step forward and draws his weapon.

"Do you see this, Darkthrop?!"- He yells- "Unlike you, people respect me, because I am not afraid of doing the right thing! And that is why you will lose!"

Mordred laughs.

"Keep on dreaming, kid!"- He yells- "Once I'm done with all of you, my mighty empire shall rise and shine!"

Deugan shakes his head.

"I'm not sure about either of them."- He says- "So far, you're on the losing side. Not vice versa."

Derek notices a young girl next to Mordred and looks at her.

"She looks like you."- He says to Adam- "A distant relative, perhaps?"

Adam looks down, guilty and sad.

"The person that you see over there is Akira Kaos- my half-sister."- He says- "Born to my father and his classmate named Akari Minamino, she was raised away from him. And, as time passed, she grew to resent him. Although I helped her see the truth with her own eyes not too long ago, the darkness and hatred never left her heart. And, when the time was right, they returned and clouded her sense of judgement. Now, she is this... creature that you see over there. Vile and unpredictable. Loyal only to the man who "rescued" her. I fear that she may never be the same."

Deugan nods.

"Do you think that we have to kill her?"- He wonders aloud- "I know that we still have to fight her, but she looks so... worried. Like you."

Adam shakes his head.

"I hope not!"

Derek nods.

"Then we won't."- He says- "Just take the evil sorcerer down and she'll join us."

Adam sighs.

"*If only it were **this** easy...* "

Mordred Darkthrop raises his staff in the air.

"It is time for the final battle! Whoever wins this fight shall emerge a true warrior! But that won't be *you!*"- He yells- "Now, my servants! Heed my call and destroy those pathetic fools! End their resistance once and for all!"

Suddenly, an army of shades appears between him and the heroes. Their ghostly weapons are drawn and they are ready to fight.

"Interesting."- Donovan says- "The old man is using creatures from a time long past, just to protect himself."

Adam nods.

"Or maybe they are just magical projections that originate from his mind?"

Donovan shrugs.

"Do we really have to talk about their origins?"- He says- "They want to kill us! We must defend ourselves!"

Adam points his bow at the incoming shades.

"And defend we shall!"- He yells- "My friends, it is time for us to redeem ourselves. ***Attack!***"

As the shades emit a cacophonic battle cry and charge toward their targets, our heroes stand next to each other and shoot projectiles at them.

Although most of them manage to avoid their attack, a few of the shades are struck by the holy arrows and disappear in a matter of seconds.

"So, they are real shades!"- Adam exclaims- "It seems like the vengeful dead are eager to protect their evil master!"

Donovan nods.

"Just like we will protect you, my friend."- He says- "Rest assured that we will survive, but only if we work together."

Adam nods.

"Of course."- He says- "Working together is my ultimate goal."

Donovan and Sharla swing their spears a few times, let out fierce battle cries and charge.

Meanwhile, Jared and Emela do their best to form a magical shield and protect the rest of their allies from the shades. Even though the creatures of darkness are supposed to pass through it with minimal effort, the magical energy that keeps it alive manages to repulse them.

"Adam. My dear boy."- Jared says to his son- "I... I wanted to tell you something."

Adam nods.

"I am all ears, dad."- He says- "Is there something on your mind?"

Jared nods.

"In fact, I think there is."- He says- "When Akira screamed at me and told me how I was a bad father, I remember how I treated her when she was just a newborn."

Adam raises his eyebrow.

"You met her when she was still a baby?"- He asks him- "But you never told me about that!"

Jared sighs.

"And that's why I always feel guilty about it."- He says- "When Akira was born, Akari brought her to me. Back then, I had just returned from a dangerous mission. I wasn't expecting to see a child, my own child, in her arms. And then, I got angry. I blamed myself for making love with her. And, just as she tried to comfort me, I yelled at her. I told her to get out of my life and just... left before she could say anything else. But then, I heard her cries. I listened to the way she begged me to stay, so we could raise the child together. Since I did not love her anymore, I simply ignored her and ran away, young and foolish as I was."

Adam gasps.

"But that... that is *horrible!*"- He yells- "How could you, dad?! You are a *monster!*"

Jared looks up and starts to cry.

"I know, son. I ***am*** the monster!"- He yells- "Go ahead! Blame me, if you want! Curse me for being so foolish! Leave me to my fate! I refuse to treat you the same way I treated them. I just... want to be a hero one last time. To save many lives and to be a good parent. But, if that is not to be, then I will simply perish, like many generations of heroes did before me."

In the distance, Adam thinks that he can hear Akira smirk.

"Mr. Kaos, you should stop thinking about it."- Emela says to him- "Akira made her choice. She joined the forces of darkness. And now, she is one of them. She let her hatred and guilt become a weapon of destruction. Had she found forgivance in her dark heart, she would have changed. But that is not to be. So, go ahead and love your remaining child as much as you can. Show how much you care for him, just like I always have! Don't be afraid to do the right thing. Turn your back against the cruel past. We know that you can do it. Just continue to believe in yourself and you will succeed."

Jared sighs.

"I guess that I have no choice."- He says- "I hoped to avoid this, but it is clear. My daughter must die. And I will die alongside her."

Adam shakes his head.

"I refuse to lose either one of you!"- He says- "Darkthrop is the true culprit behind our sadness. And, once he is gone, everything will get back to normal!"

Jared draws his weapon.

"Then let us end this pointless conflict."- He says- "Ancient evil or not, I am not afraid!"

However, things get much worse in just a matter of mere minutes.

As the heroes try to fight back against their enemies, they fail to realize that their true strength lies in their invincibility. Thus, the shades are able to devise a strategy and break through their final defense, crushing their hopes of making a difference into a million pieces.

"There are too many of them!"- Donovan yells- "We are losing the fight!"

Sharla takes a step back.

"Their forces are *infinite!*"- She yells.

Adam shakes his head.

"Do not give up!"- He yells- "We might be outnumbered, but we will still fall with honor. They will never break us down!"

Jared nods.

"Today, we are like the Spartans. We fight for our lives. And we fight for our freedom from the chains of darkness!"- He says- "So, everyone, do not be afraid. The heavens are on our side and so are justice and faith! We will not beg, we will not run away. We may be tired, bruised, outnumbered, but we will still attempt to make our marks in this world. Sure, our flames may be snuffed out. But we will still cause a fire in their hearts!"

Our heroes let out one simultaneous battle cry and charge.

The battle between good and evil is merciless. One after the other, spirits are slain by the forces of justice while their allies continue to strike with their blades. The faces are bloodied and the arms are bruised, but the faith in the Order never fades away. For as long as our heroes live, there is still hope for salvation.

"How interesting."- Mordred says as his servants continue to fight- "I've never seen such a sight before. Hundreds of years ago, I only dreamed of participating in such a battle. And to think that I was so scared of it. Oh, how foolish I was."

He looks at Akira and smiles.

"So, my dear. What do you think?"- He asks her- "Amusing, isn't it?"

Akira watches her brother fight for his life. She remembers the times when they were children, how she promised that she would always protect him from the darkness. And now, she is on the side of evil- the force that she has always despised for so long.

"Why... why are we doing this? Just to satisfy our own desires?"- She mutters- "It's not worth it. We should have just left them alone."

She shakes her head.

"This wasn't meant to happen."- She adds- "It was all just a big misunderstanding."

Mordred raises his eyebrow.

"Is something bothering you, dear?"

Akira snaps back to reality and shakes his head.

"No, sir."- She says- "I am loyal, like I've always been. Seeing those "fools" fight for their lives makes me... makes... me... "

Mordred sighs.

"You need not say more, my girl. I understand."- He says- "Just get ready. Once the time comes, we will have to face them. And they won't be as merciful as I was to you."

Akira pats the weapon on her back.

"Then, I'll be ready."

As more of Darkthrop's undead defenders fall in battle, our heroes realize that there is indeed a weak point in their formation.

"*They may be strong, but they are also very chaotic.*"- Adam says to himself- "*Creatures of the dark are never able to truly work together. And, once this weakness is turned against them, their courage will wasted away. Just like their sanity.*"

He turns to his father.

"I know what to do!"- He says- "Just follow my lead and everything will be fine!"

He lifts his hand in the air.

"Open fire on them!"- He yells- "Surround them with the flames of justice!"

Suddenly, all of his allies turn their attention on the ground around the shades. As the creatures wonder what is going on, they set it on fire,

As the screams of the fallen fade away into the night, Emela looks at Jared and smiles.

"He's got his father's blood."- She says to him- "So brave and determined. I think that your training really made him a brand new person."

Jared smiles.

"I am glad to hear that."

However, their plan backfires when more shades appear and attack them, foiling their plan and putting out the magical fire with their spells.

"It was too good to be true."- Adam says and shakes his head- "Oh, well. I guess that we have to do it in the old-fashioned way."

He draws his weapon.

"With power and bravery."

As the heroes continue to fight their enemies, Aiden looks around. Although he promised that he would be a loyal ally, he is still unsure whether he is capable of redeeming himself in front of the entire world.

Then, he looks at Mordred Darkthrop and everything becomes clear to him.

"That's it!"- He says to himself- "It's the wizard that keeps them going!"

He turns to Adam.

"My friend, I am sorry about abandoning you earlier. I've always felt guilty about doing it and I always wondered how I could possibly repay you for your kindness."- He says- "But now, I can see that there's no other way. I must do it. If I want you to truly believe that I'm worthy, I must face my fears."

He smiles and pats him on the back.

"Don't cry for me when I'm gone, okay?"

Adam gasps and watches as he draws his weapon.

"Aiden, what are you doing?"- He asks him- "This is madness!"

Aiden shakes his head.

"No, my friend."- He says- "This... is Redemption."

Donovan is shocked by his brother's sudden act of bravery. He tries to stop him, but soon realizes that it is futile.

"Brother, please. Don't do this."- He says to him- "You're the only star in my sky. I don't want you to fade away."

Aiden sighs.

"Even though we are fighting for our freedom, nobody here would be able to get close to the evil wizard without defeating his allies first."- He justifies his actions- "I am doing this, because I want to be a beacon of light. Because I want you to be safe and sound. My sacrifice may not be the most noble one, but I will still do my duty, as a sacred warrior of the Light and Order."

Deugan remembers how he had to leave his allies and fight a massive creature, just to save them from the destruction of their enemies' battleship. He recalls how he barely escaped with his life and how he always felt ashamed about running away from his friends and never daring to show his face to them again. He feels lucky that he is here now and he owes it to all of the people who made his life better.

He turns to Aiden and salutes him.

"It was an honor fighting alongside you, brother."- He says to him- "We'll never forget what you did for us."

Aiden smiles.

"I will never forget you, either."

He turns toward Mordred Darkthrop and lets out one final battle cry.

"Mordred Darkthrop! Servant of the dark!"- He yells- "Today, your reign shall end for good!"

He draws his weapon and charges.

It is an amazing demonstration of speed and agility. Aiden easily pushes his way past the spirits that try to strike him down and sprints toward his opponent, vengeance burning in his eyes.

"It's you and me, evil one!"- He yells- "I will not let you escape!"

As Mordred Darkthrop wonders how he managed to escape, Aiden jumps in the air and sends out a massive shockwave as he slams his blade into the ground.

The massive impact throws both Mordred and Akira back.

"Insolent child!"- Mordred says and prepares to cast a spell- "I will make you pay for your ignorance!"

Akira draws her weapon and attacks Aiden. However, she is easily subdued by him. A few strikes are enough to force her to fall on her knees.

But Aiden does not want to kill her... yet. Instead, he sets his sights on the evil wizard and swings his sword at him.

With incredible power and self-control, he fights against this warrior of darkness without any fear in his heart. The odds are against him, but he still has the power of light on his side. He is a soldier of the new world and he is ready to prove his worth to everyone.

"You and your people made my allies cry! Many glorious cities burned down because of you!"- He yells- "But don't think that we forgot what you did! All this time, we prepared to strike back. And this is the moment when we fight to together, for the common cause to stop your tyrrany!"

Mordred smirks.

"My rule is eternal! I fight to make a perfect world!"- He yells- "And, in this perfect world, foolish rebels like you have nowhere to stay. You will not survive to see it!"

Aiden sighs.

"So be it. Let me die in this place."- He says- "But remember this. If I am not the one who defeats you, then I am sure that the rest of my friends will! I'm sure that Adam, wise and courageous as he is, is plotting your ultimate downfall. And, once I show him that he can fight the darkness, he will stand up and crush your so-called empire!"

Mordred laughs.

"Then go ahead and make me pay!"- He yells- "It doesn't matter. You're all doomed either way!"

Aiden continues to swing his sword at him, creating tiny tremors as he slams it into the ground.

"Strong you certainly are, but you're still no match for my incredible power!"- Mordred says- "So. Do me a favor and fall on your knees. Beg me for your life."

Aiden shakes his head.

"Never!"- He yells- "I would rather die that fuel your madness!"

Mordred smirks.

"Very well, then."

Mordred casts a powerful spell. A wave of pure malice pushes him away and allows the evil wizard to bombard him with a barrage of fireballs.

However, the young hero manages to send them back toward him, destroying his self-confidence and severely wounding him.

"Argh!"- Morded exclaims- "How dare you oppose my rule?!"

Aiden smiles.

"What is wrong?"- He asks him- "Are you afraid that someone with no talent in magic is actually better than you?"

Mordred smirks.

"I'll show you the true extent of my power!"

Then, without thinking twice, he prepares to cast an immensely powerful spell.

"Um, sir?"- Akira says- "Are you sure that we should waste magic like this on him? I feel like he's not worth the trouble!"

Mordred grins.

"It is too late! I've already set my sights on him!"- He yells- "And, when you get Mordred Darkthrop's attention, there is no going back!"

A few seconds later, Mordred launches the spell at Aiden. A massive orb of darkness envelops him and chips away at his sanity.

However, just as the evil wizard thinks that he has won, Aiden uses the fragments of ethereal magic in his sword to slice the orb of malice in half with minimal effort,

"Impressive!"- Mordred says- "It looks like you're truly a worthy one! When the spirits said that a mighty hero would arrive and fight me with courage and valor, they did not lie. Here, I see someone who shirked all of the hopes and dreams that he had left, just to protect his loved ones. And to thing that there would be someone who knows what he's doing."

He smiles.

"Even so, there's still one more challenge left for you."- He says- "You want to redeem yourself? Then go ahead and defeat my army!"

He makes a motion with his hand and suddenly, all of the spirits turn their attention to him.

As they raise their ghostly weapons and prepare to shoot him down, Aiden notices that someone is running toward him.

"Ah. The young savior of the world."- Mordred says- "How amusing. He came all the way here, just to stand by your side."

Adam draws his weapon.

"Leave my friend alone, you foul sorcerer!"

Mordred laughs.

"Then go ahead and save him... if you can!"

As Adam rushes to join Aiden, Mordred feels a sharp pain in his stomach.

He looks down and realizes that Aiden managed to stab him. The wound is not that big, but it hurts a lot, so it is safe to assume that it cuts deep under his skin.

"*Curse you, Aiden Gonoru.*"- He says to himself- "*When I first met you, I thought that you were just like your father- a mere servant of a mighty kingdom. But then, you showed me how much you grew up. Fought me with all your might. You even managed to make me a little afraid of you.*"

He sighs.

"*Still, it doesn't matter.*"- He continues- "*You will die, but it won't be by **my** hand. I won't be bothered by your desire for revenge or how much you wish to become like your brother. There is no need for me to expend my energy in defeating one such as yourself.*"

He watches with great interest as Adam accidentally stands between the line of fire, allowing the ghostly archers to strike him down instead.

"I am here, my friend!"- He yells- "We can do this! Together!"

Aiden watches, shocked, as a barrage of arrows flies toward Adam's back. And he is not willing to get away.

"Adam!"- He yells- "Look out!"

Then, just as he is about to get killed, Aiden throws him out of the way and gets struck instead.

Although most of the arrows manage to miss him, a few of them pierce his stomach and arms, leaving him alive but gravely wounded.

"Aiden!"- Donovan yells in the distance- "NO!"

As Adam and Donovan rush to his side, Mordred laughs.

"Yes!"- He says- "It's all according to plan!"

Aiden coughs blood as his brother removes the tainted arrows from his body. He realizes that he doesn't have a lot of time left in this world, so he weakly looks up at the people dear to him and smiles.

"I did it, didn't I?"- He says- "I saved you both. You'll continue to fight... in my name."

Adam shakes his head.

"Do not say that!"- He says- "We refuse to lose you! You are going to live! I promise!"

Then, he uses some of his healing magic, in a futile attempt to seal the wounds.

Although he is able to stop the bleeding, he soon realizes that they cut deeper than he thought. Even though he was able to stop Aiden from bleeding out, the arrows were still enchanted with the powers of darkness and thus, able to spread an infection deep within his fragile body.

"Don't do it. You're only wasting your energy."- Aiden mutters- "I made my choice. I let myself get in the way of the darkness. Now, this is the price that I'm willing to pay."

Donovan looks down. He is traumatized by the fact that he has to lose his brother- the only person left that he can call a member of his family.

"*I have always feared that this would happen. I warned myself and did many things, just to prevent it.*"- He says to himself- "*And yet, I was still powerless. I never understood that some things are inevitable. But why? Why does everyone I love have to die, just so I can live on?!*"

Aiden looks at Donovan and smiles.

"Remember when we had to face dad in battle? When that spirit possessed him and we had to kill him, just to free his soul?"- He asks him- "Well. I think that I finally understand what he meant. Death is just another part of the cycle of life. It is something that comes naturally, whether you want it or not. It doesn't matter how you die, you still reach the Heavens and are judged whether you're worthy or not."

Donovan shakes his head, tears rolling from his eyes.

"I just can't understand it!"- He says- "Was I truly such a bad brother?!"

Aiden smiles.

"No. You were the *best* brother a boy like myself could wish for."- He says- "Even though I never met you until our father died, I always felt the bond that made us feel more than just two friends in this world. I understood that I meant a lot to all of you, that you felt like you lost me for good when I disappeared. And then, destiny reunited us. We never knew that we could meet again, until we did. It's truly an ironic twist of fate, isn't it?"

Donovan looks down.

"There's no irony in losing someone dear to you."- He says- "Life wants to separate us, but I don't want to lose you! Is there truly no other way to keep you by my side?"

Aiden sighs.

"Believe me. I want to stay with you and keep on fighting."- He says- "But there's no other way. Just don't... do not weep for me. It will only make my sacrifice look less noble than it already is. No, it's not because I'm a heartless creature of anything. I just... don't want to see you cry. That is all."

Adam shakes his head.

"In my life, I have never felt this sad. Even after I learned of my aunt's sacrifice, I still felt the same feeling of emptiness in my heart. But I never imagined... that I would actually feel so desperate to save someone like you."- He says- "Aiden, my friend. All this time, I felt like you were *my* brother. Wherever we went, I always felt like you truly cared about me. And when I needed you the most, you were there. You have always supported me through the worst times, told me to smile whenever I was down. And yet, I never truly appreciated our friendship. I always ignored you and pretended that you were just another ally of mine. But that was not the right thing to do. I still deeply regret the times when I yelled at you, just because you wanted to do something reckless. However, I always saw the way you tried to redeem yourself. How you always dreamed of being like us. I always tried to cheer you on, despite our different views in heroism. And then, I remember how I always feared that you might do the right thing, but risk your own life in the process. I knew that day would come, but I was so ignorant. So cheerful."

He looks down and closes his eyes for a moment. Tears start to fall down from them.

"And then... then, I remember the words that my father said to me when I was younger."- He continues- "You will never truly appreciate someone's presence until they are gone from this world."

Aiden sighs and pats him on the shoulder.

"I did this because I wanted you to beat Darkthrop. To stop him, once and for all."- He says- "Is that so? You won't let my sacrifice be in vain, right?"

Adam smiles sadly and nods.

"Of course I will defeat him!"- He says- "I will win this fight in your name!"

Aiden smiles.

"That is all that I want to know."- He says- "Farewell, Donnie and Adam. See you on the other side."

Then, just as Adam attempts to heal him again, he closes his eyes and passes away peacefully in his brother's arms.

"Aiden, no! Don't leave me!"- He says- "I can't go on without you!"

He hugs his brother as the rest of their allies watch them sadly from a distance.

"Why, god? Why?!"- He asks the one above- "Why must we suffer like this?!"

Adam looks down and shakes his head.

"*And just like that, he is gone.*"- He says to himself- "*Aiden Gonoru. My loyal friend. My ardent ally. My true brother-in-arms. He has fallen victim to the forces of darkness, just because he wanted to save someone dear to him. And yet, he did it because he wanted to keep the promise that he made. I guess that he finally did it.*"

He sighs.

"Rest in peace, my friend."- He says- "We will never forget you."

Then, he stands up and glares at Mordred Darkthrop. Anger clouds his judgement as he draws his weapon again.

"Mordred Darkthrop! You foul beast of the dark!"- He yells at him- "What you and your friends just did is *unacceptable*! And, believe me, I will make you *pay* for it!"

Mordred smiles.

"Oh, how sad I am about your friend. I feel the tears running down. How *tragic*."- He says and shakes his head- "Very well. Then, why don't you go ahead and-- "

Adam leaves him no chance to continue. He charges and easily breaks through his defence.

Akira tries to stop her brother, but is stopped by a vengeful Donovan.

"You killed my brother!"- He yells- "Now I will kill *you!*"

As the two heroes fight the evil sorcerer and his closest servant, Jared and his allies fight for their lives, trying to keep the army of spirits at bay.

"Do you need a hand?"- A voice comes from behind them.

Jared looks back, alarmed, and notices that Aleks and his army of human warriors have just joined the fight.

The tides are turned soon enough as the warriors bravely stand between the creatures of darkness and slay them with ease.

"Is everyone okay?"- Aleks says to his son.

Jared looks at Aiden's corpse and, with guilt and sadness in his eyes, shakes his head.

"You came too late."- He says- "He... didn't make it."

Aleks stares ahead and gasps when he sees that Aiden is the one who fell in battle.

"So. It was... Aiden?"- He says, barely believing what he is seeing- "But he was such a good kid!"

Jared sighs.

"Life doesn't care whether you are good or not."- He says- "There is no surprise. It just had to happen."

Sharla shakes her head.

"I feel like we could have prevented it."

Jared sighs.

"I would have gladly crushed those treacherous spirits into bits of ectoplasm with my own hands, were it not for those fools who decided to serve their dark master and stand in their way."- He says- "I deeply regret that I was not there. But there is no turning back. Not anymore."

Aleks notices that his grandson is fighting the evil sorcerer.

"We've got to help Adam!"- He says- "If he fights the sorcerer alone, he might lose!"

Jared smiles.

"Relax, dad."- He says- "Just because he is young, it does not mean that he will fall easily."

He watches how he easily avoids the sorcerer's barrage of fireballs and smiles again.

"How gracious."- He adds- "Back when I was young, I fought just like him. Courage and valor were always burning in my heart."

Aleks smiles.

"Heroism runs deep in our new family, no matter if it's in you, me or him."- He says- "Many people would say that it is just a mere coincidence, but I think that it's much more than just that. He has his father's blood- pure and sacred. And, when he finally conquers his own fears, the world will finally learn the name of the mythical hero known as Adam Kaos."

Meanwhile, Adam attacks Mordred just as the ghostly archers prepare to shoot again.

"Adam, what are you doing?!"- Donovan yells- "Stop! Don't let my brother's sacrifice be in vain!"

Mordred laughs.

"It will be in vain!"

He unleashes an arc of pure darkness, intending to end his life before he could do anything else.

The arc easily pierces Adam's heart and leaves him weak and unable to fight.

"Adam!"- Donovan cries out- "Not you, too!"

Mordred laughs.

"Don't you see this, Donovan?"- He asks him- "Everyone you love will die. It's just a matter of time!"

However, it soon turns out that Adam is actually just a magical projection that disappears soon after being struck.

Then, the arc continues to fly toward the ghostly archers. They try to shoot it down, but soon get blown up by the intense magical energy.

As they scream and vanish, a large number of their arrows fly toward the unsuspecting sorcerer, piercing him in the chest, neck and legs.

"How is this possible?!"- Mordred yells, barely able to get away- "You were supposed to be dead!"

Adam appears again and draws his weapon, enchanting it with the power of light once again.

Then, without any hesitation, he lunges forward and slices his arm, burning a small part of his demonic skin.

"This one is for Aiden!"

He lunges forward again and stabs him in the chest.

"And this one!"

Then, he slices his stomach, creating a massive wound.

"And this one, too!"

He jumps in the air.

"And, finally, *this one!*"

Just as the evil sorcerer tries to get away, he slams his sword into the ground, sending a shockwave that throws him back and slams his head violently into a giant rock.

"Master!"- Akira yells.

She tries to run toward him, but Donovan grabs her by the arm.

"You're not going anywhere, Akira!"- He yells- "You will meet the same fate!"

Bloodied and bruised, Mordred Darkthrop attempts to get up, but he is too tired do be a threat to anyone else.

"It seems like I have no choice."- He says- "I must use this item, for the sake of my empire."

He holds up the amulet around his neck.

"With the power of darkness that has been given to me, I transfer my soul to another being!"- He yells- "Together, we shall rain destruction upon our foolish enemies... *and rule the world!*"

Adam and Donovan try to stop him, only to be thrown back by a wave of dark energy.

"Not yet, you fools!"- Mordred yells- "Now observe, as I unleash my true power!"

Suddenly, a cloud of black mist emerges from Mordred's body and floats away as his previous host slumps on the ground.

Then, somewhere in the distance, they see a faint light that grows in intensity with each passing second.

"It happened!"- Melanchion says, alarmed- "Mordred Darkthrop used his Soul Transfer! Now, he will be much more powerful than ever!"

Jared stares ahead.

"Is it reversible?"

Melanchion shakes his head.

"I am afraid not."- He says- "Only death will seal his soul for good."

Just as everyone prepares for battle, a massive man jumps in the air and lands right next to Adam and Donovan.

"Wait a minute!"- Donovan says- "I recognize this person!"

Adam gasps.

"No."- He mutters- "This... this cannot be."

Mordred Darkthrop, now in his new host, laughs maniacally.

"Behold, pathetic mortals!"- He yells- "Now, I am Thorvald Soothsayer- the destroyer of humanity! ***And nothing will ever stop me!***"

## Trivia

* Last appearance of Aiden Gonoru (*In "Miracula Luxia III"*).
* The title of this Part is a reference to the beginning of a popular song by Bon Jovi- "*Wanted Dead Or Alive*" ("***It's all the same**/Only the names will change/Every day/It seems we're wasting away*").