MLIII C3, P8- "All My Life"

"All My Life" is the eighth and final Part of "Miracula Luxia III" 's third Chapter.

It was released on 21.01.2022.

## Plot

Having defeated King Torion's advisor, our heroes realize that there is nothing stopping them from confronting the sovereign himself. Every enemy that was preventing them from getting close has been taken care of... and there are few who would dare to stand by the evil king's side in a time like this.

The final battle is near. Derion will finally tell his father how he truly feels about him and Torion will try to take his revenge against his son.

*Who shall prevail in this conflict between two armies?*

## Story

Derion walks next to the advisor whom Adam killed minutes ago. He looks at him and notices that his eyes are still open. Every single trace of life has been drained from them, but they are still filled with shock and unrestrained rage.

He sighs and shakes his head.

"He has always been evil. He worked for my father only because he could gain power that he could use and become stronger."- He says and closes his eyes- "All his life, he was a nuisance to the entire kingdom. He lived as a villain and he died a villain, true to his leader."

He looks around.

"Many of my people have been blinded by my father in the same way."- He says to Adam- "I know that you're always on the side of justice, but please. Spare those people. Unlike my father, they only fight for their survival and I... don't want to see them die. No matter how deranged they are."

Adam nods.

"I will never harm someone who does not harm us first."- He says- "Besides, those people have suffered more than us. It would be cruel to take their lives away."

He turns around and stares at the door to the throne room.

"The only one that I want to get rid of... "- He adds- "... is *him*."

Derion nods.

"I think that we have come to an agreement."

Derion looks at the rest of his allies.

"So."- He says- "Are you ready?"

Everyone nods.

"Your father will pay for torturing the good people of this kingdom."- Jared says- "And we are going to be the bringers of justice."

Derion smiles.

"Well said, sir. Wise as always."- He says and turns around- "Now, it's time to confront my father. Get ready."

Adam nods.

"This is our chance for redemption, everyone."- He says and opens the door- "It will be unwise to waste it."

The six of them enter the throne room. As soon as they do, they notice a gate in front of them.

"A gate?"- Derion says- "I don't remember seeing this before."

Jonathan sighs.

"Looks like your daddy's taking extreme measurements to prevent us from leaving."- He says- "But the bars are not down. Maybe it's malfunctioning?"

Adam shakes his head.

"Not at all."- He says- "What you see here is a perfectly coordinated trap for heroes. And King Torion is planning to use it."

It is clear that our heroes will be trapped if they walk on the other side of the gate. The way to the throne room will be a point of no return.

But they are not afraid. Even if this means that this might be their final battlefield, they are ready to fight until the bitter end.

Adam is the first one who steps through the gate. Soon, Derion joins him.

They look back at their allies and smiles.

"Everything is alright. We are in this together."- He says- "There is no reason to be afraid, so go ahead and-- "

Suddenly, the gate slams shut, trapping the two boys inside.

"What's happening?"- Jared says- "Why did they lock us out?!"

Adam hears laughter in the distance. Someone is clearly enjoying their suffering.

He tries to burn the bars down, but soon realizes that they are impossible to melt. Even with magic.

"I am afraid that we must proceed alone."- He says and sighs- "Please stay out there. We will do the deed and reunite with you. Very soon."

Jared nods.

"Then, we shall await your return."- He says- "We believe in you, children. You can do it."

Emela smiles.

"Those bars can't stop our faith in you."- She says- "Go ahead, dear. Keep in mind that we're in this together. Do not give up!"

Adam smiles back.

"We will never give up."- He says- "Keep on believing, everyone. We will make it out of this mess."

Having said that, he and Derion enter the throne room. Alone.

Once inside, they stare at the throne, hoping to find Torion sitting on it. It does not take long.

The mad king is sitting on his throne, staring at them. His eyes show no fear, at least for now.

"Well, well. Look who has taken the bait."- He says and smiles- "Welcome back, son. It's nice to see you."

Derion draws his weapon.

"Stop pretending that you care about me, dad."- He says- "We all know how wicked you are. You can't hide your true intentions from us."

Torion laughs,

"And that's why you'll never be a true part of our family."- He says- "Your rebellious thoughts are breaking the balance."

Derion smirks.

"Says the man who does anything to remain the king."- He says- "Look into the mirror. Don't you see the dark reflection of your soul, the one that reveals how wicked you truly are? If you can't, then you are a fool. Just like all of the elves who believe your lies."

Torion stands up and draws his weapon. He is really angry.

"You think that I'll just take those insults?!"- He yells- "Your mother was the same. She tried to break me down, but I got rid of her. Do you want to meet the same fate?!"

Derion sighs and shakes his head.

"We tried to reason with you, to change your views of the world around us. Like you cared enough to listen."- He says- "The only reason why I'm still talking to you right now is because you are my father. You are the man who is supposed to love me the most. Who would always care about me. And what are you? An insane evildoer who wishes to make money out of the innocents that fight for their lives. A fool who never dares to see the light and only delves into the darkness."

He glares at him.

"Tell me, father."- He continue- "Have you ever cared about *anyone* in your entire life? Are we all the same to you?!"

Torion takes a step back.

"Of course I did!"- He says and tries to defend himself- "I-- "

Derion cuts him off by firing a single arrow next to him.

"Liar!"- He yells and aims his bow at him- "Your heart has always been corrupted and evil! Even in the years when I was nothing more than a harmless child, you still hated me for existing. And you hated my mother in the same way!"

Adam draws his weapon.

"That is enough, Derion."- He says to his friend- "We came here to slay your father. Let us finish the job."

Derion nods.

"Right."- He says- "I'm ready."

He shoots an arrow at his father, but he easily evades it.

Torion laughs.

"So, you brought your insignificant friend with you?"- He says and smiles- "The worthless child whom you protected by killing a large number of my loyal warriors?"

Derion nods.

"Adam is a worthy ally, a caring friend and a righteous companion. I will never abandon him, even if it means that I must risk my own life to keep him safe."- He responds- "Unlike you, he believes in me. He cares about my well-being. And he would never turn against those whom he loves. He is a true hero... *and he will always be!*"

Torion grins and points his sword at Adam.

"Well, *mister True Hero*."- He says- "How about you show me how brave you really are."

Adam prepares to attack.

"Be careful what you wish for."- He says- "Because I can make it come true!"

Having said that, he charges.

Torion smiles and parries his attacks. Then, when he is trying to defend himself, he kicks him in the stomach and sends him flying into a nearby wall.

Derion runs to him.

"Adam!"- He says- "Are you okay?"

Adam nods.

"Take care of him."- He says- "I will join you soon."

Torion laughs.

"How amusing. The two youngsters are caring about each other."- He says and prepares to cast a spell- "You shall perish together!"

Having said that, he casts a powerful spell.

Soon, the entire room grows darker. It becomes hard to look around.

"I can't see!"- Derion says- "It's too dark!"

He catches a glimpse of someone ahead.

"Even so, you still can't hide from me... *father*."

Deciding that it would be worth the risk, he shoots a few arrows. Two of them manage to pierce Torion's stomach and chest.

Now that the caster is wounded, the darkness fades away.

"Gah! You've gotten stronger, kid!"- Torion says and shakes his head- "But this battle is far from over!"

Then, he pulls the arrows out and throws them away.

Derion watches as his father's wounds start to heal at an alarming rate. Soon, there is nearly nothing left of them.

Torion notices his son's interest and laughs.

"Not long ago, I was granted the blessing of the mighty sorcerer known as Mordred Darkthrop. To ensure my survival, he made sure that my wounds would heal much faster than before."- He says- "This is a boon which you will never have, son!"

As Torion continues to laugh, Adam approaches Derion.

"He is a fool if we thinks that we are not prepared for this."- He says and draws his weapon- "Come on, Derion. Let us show him what I mean."

Derion nods and fires another arrow, but not before coating it with potent poison.

Much to his surprise, Torion catches it mid-air and looks at its tip. He smiles.

"Trying to kill me in the cowardly way, hmm?"- He says and snaps the arrow in half- "How foolish!"

Derion smirks.

"I don't need poison to defeat you, father!"- He yells- "I will show you the power of true friendship!"

Having said that, he and Adam leap forward and surprise him by delivering a series of extremely painful blows with their weapons, severely weakening him.

"Enough!"- Torion yells and casts a powerful wind spell that violently pushes them back- "I've been holding my powers back, but you're getting on my nerves! Now it's time to unleash my rage upon you!"

He holds his hands in the air.

"Time to die, you fools!"

Before the two boys can question his intentions, they are forces to leap back and avoid the devastating spell that the mad king is about to cast.

"There's no escape from this!"- He yells- "Get ready!"

Having said that, he unleashes a powerful explosion upon our unsuspecting heroes. They survive, but are badly injured.

Torion laughs.

"See? I *told* you!"- He yells- "I have powers beyond your wildest imagination! And you won't survive them!"

Adam stands up and retrieves his sword from the ground nearby.

"Impossible!"- Torion yells, shocked- "How can this be?!"

Adam looks at him and smiles.

"Our bond will never be broken."- He says- "By doing this, you only made us stronger."

He helps Derion stand up and nods.

"This is the strength that we have gained along the way. The dedication that burns within our hearts."- He continues- "We are the warriors of light! The keepers of faith! The guardians of order who work tirelessly to save our world from the chaos that ensues! We are the saviors of the innocents... and we will fight for them until we die!"

He points his weapon at him.

"As long as there are still people who believe in us, you will never break us down!"

He closes his eyes and begins to cast a spell.

"Derion, give me your strength!"

Derion nods and closes his eyes as well.

Moments later, Adam's skin starts to glow white.

He looks at Torion, his shining, white eyes revealing all the hatred that he has been holding back.

"I never wanted it to end like this, but you forced me to unleash what I have gained."- He says and points his weapon at him- "When I used the Geneforge, I gained untold power. I was afraid of using it against my enemies, because I knew that I would go mad. However, now that my soul has been cleansed by the Light Crystal, I have no fear left in me. This incredible power is finally under my command... and I will use it to end your tyrannical reign once and for all, King Torion!"

Deciding that he has said enough, he charges at Torion and swings his sword at him. The evil king tries to evade the attack, but our hero is too fast.

Torion watches as the mighty weapon pierces his flesh. He is horrified to realize that the light emanating from it is starting to burn it down.

Terrified, he backs away, but is not fast enough to parry the next attack.

"Curse you, Adam Kaos. Your power is unbelievable."- He says as his wounds start to heal- "You may have scratched me, but you will never wound me. You haven't done enough to deserve my respect... and you never will!"

He lifts his sword in the air.

"I shall remain the king of those lands! Nobody will stop me!"- He says- "Once I'm done with you, I will slay the rest of your allies, as well of those who dare to rebel against me! All of them will pay!"

Adam prepares to cast a spell.

"Not as long as I am here!"- He yells- "You will never harm them!"

Torion laughs.

"We'll see about that!'

Having said that, he looks at Derion and points his finger at him.

"My rebellious son! Once again, you have disappointed me!"- He yells- "I was unable to restrain you before. I let you do whatever you want, because I wanted you to learn from your surroundings."

The spell pierces the elven prince.

"No longer!"

Suddenly, Derion is restrained by magical shackles. He tries to break free, but it is no use- they are too powerful.

"Don't worry about me, Adam. I will survive!"- He says to his friend- "Keep on fighting! We must win this battle!"

Adam nods and swings his sword at Torion.

This time, luck is on the mad king's side. He evades the attack and smiles.

Suddenly, the palm of his right hand starts to glow red. He presses it against Adam's right shoulder and watches as he screams in pain.

"Remember how you had to fight the creature of the deep? How you were wounded while trying to fend it off? Well, I do!"- He says and laughs- "And this wound will be the one that will cause your demise!"

Derion watches helplessly as Adam stumbles back and tries to stop the pain.

"Coward!"- He yells at his father- "Using someone's weakness against them is *not* the right way to win a battle!"

Torion laughs.

"You can't tell *me* what to do, young man!"

As Adam continues to struggle, Torion starts to cast another spell. This time, it is much deadlier than before.

"I shall plunge your souls into the everlasting darkness!"- He yells- "They will become the food of a much greater being- the legendary devourer of light who shall extinguish the flames of hope that burn in your hearts! You will squirm and scream until there is nothing left of you! And when that happens, you will beg him for mercy! *But he will not listen to you!*"

He grins.

"It is time, children."- He says- "Prepare to meet your end!"

Having said that, he casts the spell that will end their lives.

Suddenly, the entire throne room starts to rumble. Chunks of ceiling fall down, almost hitting Adam and Derion.

And, when they think that it can't get any worse than this, they fall unconscious.

Adam is the first one who opens his eyes. He looks around, confused.

"Where... where are we?"- He wonders- "What is this place?"

He looks down at his wound and realizes that it is fully healed.

"It is gone."- He mutters- "I cannot feel the pain anymore."

He turns around and looks at Derion, who is still unconscious.

"Are you alright, my friend?"- He says, concerned- "Please, wake up!"

Moments later, Derion opens his eyes.

He sighs.

"We're not home, are we?"

Adam shakes his head.

"I do not know where he took us, but this is certainly not home."- He says- "The darkness here is overwhelming."

Derion stands up and looks around.

"I can feel it, too."- He says- "It's as if it wants to enter our hearts and... corrupt them. Make us evil, just like my father."

Adam nods.

"Do not fall victim to it."- He says- "We can make it out. Just keep fighting back."

Derion looks up.

"I... will try to."

As they walk forward, Derion hears the last words of his father and wonders whether he is right or not.

Then he hears them again. And again.

Soon, they become too agonizing to simply ignore.

"I can't do this. I can't."- He mutters- "Mom, I... I'm so sorry."

Adam looks back.

"Derion, is something wrong?"

Derion falls on his knees and sighs.

"I've suffered for way too long, Adam. I can't keep living like this. Not anymore."- He says- "Please, just... just leave me here. I will only drag you into the depths of despair with me. And I... I don't want that. I want you to live a happy life, away from danger. Not to suffer like this because of me."

Adam shakes his head.

"I will never leave a friend behind!"- He says- "No matter what your heart says, I will still believe in you. I will keep fighting until we are out of here. This realm wants to divide us and I think that it is getting close."

He looks at him.

"Do you really want that, Derion?"- He asks him- "Do you really want to let your life end like this, especially after everything that your mother has done for you. Are you going to let her sacrifice be in vain?!"

Derion looks down, unsure what to do.

"I... "- He mutters- "My mother means so much to me, but I... "

He does not get the chance to finish the sentence. A group of shadow warriors attack them.

At the same time, a massive hole opens up below Derion and he starts to fall down.

However, just as he thinks that he is done for, Adam grabs his hand and tries to pull him up.

"Do not give up, Derion!"- He yells- "I will pull you out! I promise!"

Derion shakes his head.

"It's too late for me."- He says, defeated- "Just go. It's not worth it."

He tries to let go, but Adam tightens his grip.

"No way!"- He yells- "When we first met, I met a promise to stand by your side! And I am *not* going to break it!"

As he continues to struggle, he notices something unusual.

The man whose hand he is holding is not Derion, but he still looks very familiar.

"Hold on."- He mutters- "Is that you, uncle?"

He looks at himself and realizes that he has changed as well. His clothes are different, but his personality is the same.

"*What is going on?*"- He says to himself- "*Who am I?*"

Suddenly, the scenery changes. From a ceaseless void, it turns into a ruined city.

Adam looks around and realizes that there is a demon laughing at them.

"That's right, heroes! Suffer! Scream! Feel the rage as it takes over your entire being!"- He yells- "Soon, both of you will join the rest of your loved ones! There's no escape!"

He looks back and notices that John is getting close to falling down.

"Please, Jared."- He says to him- "Let me go. You must keep fighting. The world needs you, not me."

As if controlled by a sinister being, Adam shakes his head and speaks in a voice that is different from his.

"Heroes never abandon each other, John!"- He says- "We have been friends for so long. And I will not let our friendship end like this!"

He smiles.

"Our bond will always prevail!"- He says- "We will succeed! I promise!"

Having said that, he pulls John out of the hole. The two of them sit on the ground, exhausted.

"Thank you, Jared."- John says and smiles- "You're the best."

Adam smiles back.

"That is what friends are for."- He responds- "We help each other and fight until the end. Our bond will never be broken. By anyone."

John nods.

"Right."- He says- "This is not the end."

Once again, the scenery changes. The ceaseless void returns.

"Our bond. It is the light that shines in the darkness, that gives us a purpose to fight for those whom we love."- He mutters and sighs- "I see it now. Thank you, dad."

He looks at Derion and shakes his head.

"Come on, my friend."- He says to him- "We have a world to save."

Just like that, he pulls him up without another word. No resistance. No denial. He promised his friend that he will save him... and he intends to do so.

As Derion wonders what happened to Adam, the shadow knights approach them. Their blades are drawn and their hearts are filled with malice.

"There's so many of them."- Derion says- "What are we going to do?"

Adam takes a step forward and draws his weapon.

"I will save you, my friend."- He mutters- "Do not lose faith. We are so close."

Derion watches as Adam's skin and eyes start to glow white again.

He points his sword at the shadows and yells:

"Begone, creatures of the dark!"

Suddenly, the void is illuminated by the light that emanates from our hero. The shadows are incinerated by it and Derion's faith is restored.

When the elven prince stands up, it is clear that his determination has returned. He is no longer afraid of the future... or his evil father.

"I'm sorry for doubting you, my friend."- He says to Adam- "Now, I can finally see the light. And it is right in front of me."

Adam nods and smiles.

"We have won the battle and we will certainly win the war."- He says and takes a step forward- "Now, let us finish what we started. The king is waiting."

Derion watches as an orb of light forms ahead of them.

"This is it."- He mutters- "This is our chance."

With newfound vigor, he takes a step forward as well and prepares himself to meet his father. For the second and last time.

As the two heroes walk toward the light, they notice something coalescing in front of them.

Two figures stare at them and smiles.

"It cannot be!"- Derion says, recognizing one of them- "Mother?!"

Fionan, the gorgeous elven maiden, approaches her son and takes his hands in hers.

"My dear Derion."- She says and smiles- "It's been so long."

Derion hugs her and starts to cry.

"I never knew that I would feel this way... until I saw you again."- He says and smiles- "Thank you, mom. I... I'm so happy that you're here with me."

Fionan nods and smiles, hugging him back.

"Oh, my dear. I've always been here. I never left you, even when you forgot about me."- She says- "No matter how far away they are from each other, a mother and her son will never be separated. Even your father knows that very well."

Derion nods.

"I'll make him pay."- He says- "I'll make him pay for what he did to you."

Fionan shakes her head.

"I don't care about him anymore."- She says- "I just want you to live a peaceful life. It's what I'm fighting for."

As Derion and his mother continue to talk to each other, Marinette approaches her nephew and hugs him.

"It's been a long time since I felt the warmth of your soul, dear."- She says and smiles- "I can see that it's still burning bright."

Adam smiles.

"It never stopped shining, aunt."- He says- "Thanks to you, I found the strength to move on and become what I am not."

Marinette shakes her head.

"Don't forget about your father."- She says and smiles again- "He raised a legendary hero. And he's also proud of you."

Adam nods.

"Yes."- He says- "I cannot wait to see him again."

Marinette sighs.

"So do I."- She says- "He is so sweet and caring."

After Derion tells his mother about Adam, she approaches him and smiles.

"You must be Adam Kaos, the legendary hero who saved my child from his father."- She says- "Is that so, dear?"

Adam nods.

"Ever since I met him, Derion has been very dear to me. He is a virtuous ally and a loyal friend."- He says- "Together, we fight for the good of this world."

Fionan smiles again. Then, she shakes his hand.

"That's right, my dear! Keep on shining! Show those villains that you're not afraid!"- She says- "I've always admired the courage of your family. And I can see that you're just like them- smart and brave. Valiant and virtuous. Your soul burns brighter than the sun itself and you always fight for those who deserve to live."

She nods.

"You have done well."- She continues- "Now, go out there and defeat the evil that's waiting for you! Bring his tyranny to an end!"

She watches as the two heroes prepare to leave.

"Oh, and thank you."- She says and smiles- "For saving my child."

Adam smiles back.

"It was a pleasure, miss."- He responds- "Now, I am afraid that we have to go. In our absence, King Torion may be devising a plan that will destroy the entire kingdom. We must stop him before it happens."

Fionan and Marinette nod.

"We believe in you, dear."- Marinette says- "Show them the power of the Kaos family!"

Having said that, she and Fionan vanish.

"It is time, my friend."- Adam says- "To make your father pay for his crimes."

The two of them step into the portal and find themselves back in the real world.

As they stand up, Torion gasps and takes a step back.

"This... this is impossible!"- He yells- "Nobody leaves the realm of darkness!"

Adam draws his weapon.

"You dared to ruin the balance that we created with our own hands."- He says- "And now, you will feel our wrath!"

Suddenly, the eyes of both Adam and Derion start to glow white. Their weapons start to shine and they become much faster.

They lift their swords in the air simultaneously.

"This is the end of the line for you, evil king!"- They say- "The light has prevailed once again!"

Having said that, they leap toward him.

Torion tries to protect himself with a magical barrier, but the two heroes easily shatter it into hundreds of pieces that vanish when they touch the ground.

"I refuse to lose!"- He yells- "I am King Torion, master of the elven kingdom! And I will not-- "

Suddenly, he feels something piercing its way into his chest. He looks down and sees that Derion has managed to stab him.

Realizing that there is no way to recover from such a devastating blow, he looks at his son.

"Your weapon. It's so... cold."- He mutters- "Is this how my reign ends? Is this how I die?"

He falls on his knees.

"I... can see it now. You wanted to avenge your mother."- He says- "You want to become a king because she... thinks that you're better than me."

Derion shakes his head.

"It is not my desire to become the king, father. I have never wanted to be like you."- He says- "However, those people need a savior. Someone who can make the right decisions in a time like this. Someone who will be the light in the darkness. You have never been any of those, so I have to step in."

He looks at his father.

"It's not my choice, father."- He continues- "It's the choice of my heart."

Torion smiles and coughs some blood on the floor.

"Then go ahead. Give it a try."- He mutters- "You'll soon realize how hard it is to... to... "

Moments later, he slumps on the ground and dies.

Derion looks at his father and shakes his head.

"Father. I... I wish that I had the chance to change you. I wish that we could have lived a better life, as a happy family."- He says- "It didn't have to end like... this."

He kneels down and gently closes his eyes.

"Forgive me, father."

He stands up and looks at Adam.

"We did it, my friend. We defeated my father."- He says- "The kingdom is safe, at long last."

Adam smiles and pats him on the shoulder.

"Yes, we did! We won the battle... and the war!"- He responds- "Now, there is only one thing left to do."

As they prepare to leave, a small group of royal guards pushes their way through the open gate.

"Your Majesty, we have arrived!"- One of them says- "We are ready to slay the... "

They look at Adam and Derion, surprised. Then, they look down at Torion.

"Prince Derion, you have returned."

Derion sighs.

"Well, here I am."- He says- "I am sorry for what happened here. My father was a fool and we had to take care of him. Every traitor must be punished for their mistakes, even those of my own family."

The warriors bow to him.

"Seeing that you have slain your evil father, we realize that you are the new king."- One of them says- "Long live King Derion of the Elven Kingdom!"

The other warriors nod.

"Long live the king!"

Derion nods.

"Thank you for your loyalty, brave soldiers."- He says to them- "Now, I want you to gather all of the citizens of our capital. Let them know what I have done. Tell them that the elven kingdom has a new sovereign."

The warriors salute him.

"Yes, sir!"- They say and leave the throne room.

Adam looks at the gate and smiles.

"Now that the king is dead, the gate will remain in this position."- He says- "We are free."

Derion nods and bends down. He picks up the bloody crown of his father and cleans it up.

"His crimes have been paid with blood."- He says- "Even so, I still feel guilty about taking his life away."

Adam shakes his head.

"I know how it feels. Taking the life of your own father away is... not easy."- He says- "But he was an evil man. He brought this upon himself. And, now that he is gone, the kingdom will finally see the light."

Derion smiles.

"Of course."- He says and takes a step forward- "Now, let us introduce ourselves to the kingdom. It is waiting for our arrival and I don't want to keep it waiting."

Adam smiles as well.

"Go ahead, King Derion."- He says- "I will gladly stand by your side."

Adam and Derion leave the throne room and approach the exit from which they came from.

Once they are on the other side, they see a huge crowd of citizens waiting for them. It seems like news travel fast in this kingdom.

Among the crowd, Adam notices his friends and family. All of them are smiling.

"Citizens of the elven kingdom."- Derion begins- "Today has been a hard day for all of us. Many people perished in this meaningless war between humans and elves. Many were blinded by the dark light of Mordred Darkthop. But that does not matter, because it is finally over. Nobody will bother to ruin the peace that we have created. We have won."

He clears his throat.

"Many of you would recognize me as the son of King Torion. The young man who ran away from him, because he was ashamed of his actions. Because he was terrified of what he has become."- He says- "I may have been a rebel, but I never stopped thinking about you. I fought my enemies, because I wanted to keep you safe. I travelled to distant lands, because I wanted to know more about our allies. And when I returned, I expected to never see the light of the day again. I thought that my life was over, for good. But I am still alive, still breathing. And it is all thanks to all of you, brave citizens who never stopped believing in me."

He smiles.

"Now, I stand here as your king. As your savior. I will save you from the darkness and I will not stop until it is gone from our world."- He says- "Many of you may not approve of me. You may think that I am young and incompetent. Weak and dependant. I may not be the perfect sovereign for our beautiful kingdom, but I will do my best to ensure our survival. To stop the chaos that threatens everything that we love."

He lifts his sword in the air.

"Today, a new age of peace and prosperity shall begin. We shall become more powerful, more united. Together, we shall redeem ourselves to the world and show them that we are worthy of being called its allies."- He says- "Be happy, my friends. Our kingdom has a new savior!"

The crowd cheers for their new king. Then, they bow to him.

"Incredible."- Adam says and gasps- "To see so many people showing you the respect that you deserve... it is truly inspiring.

Derion looks at him and smiles.

"And it's all thanks to you, my friend."- He says to him- "Without you, our world would never feel this safe and I wouldn't be standing here with you."

He turns to the crowd.

"Everyone, this is Adam Kaos. He is a young hero who decided to accompany me to the capital and help me defeat my evil father."- He says- "He risked his own life to save us from the darkness. So, please give him the respect that he deserves."

The crowd cheers for Adam and applauds him.

Adam wipes a tear from his eye.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."- He says- "I am so happy."

Derion smiles.

"And so am I."

He watches as Adam reunites with his friends and family.

"I thank you for helping me out, my friends. However, I am afraid that this is the end of my adventuring career."- He says to them- "As you can see, the entire kingdom is expecting a strong and virtuous leader. And I'm afraid that I can't be one when I'm away from them. I must stay here and protect them, whatever it takes."

Adam smiles.

"It is okay, Derion. We understand what you must do."- He says- "However, we must be on our way. Mordred Darkthrop is still out there and we must defeat him as soon as possible, with or without you."

Derion sighs.

"I know."- He says- "As much as I would like to ask you to stay with me, I know that you'll never call this place your home. It's out there and it would be unwise of me to keep you away from it. So, go ahead and continue fighting in the name of peace. No matter where you go, I will always support you."

Then, he hugs him.

"Farewell, my friend."- He says- "I will miss you."

Adam smiles and hugs him back.

"And so will I."

As Adam and his allies leave, Derion waves at them. He clearly wants to join them on their adventure outside of the elven kingdom, but his duties prevent him from doing so. Thus, he watches sadly as they go.

On their way to the border, three people run toward Adam and his allies. They stop and look at them.

"Gloria!"- Jonathan says and runs to hug her.

Gloria smiles and hugs him back.

"Here you are, Jon!"- She says- "We're finally reunited!"

Adam, Mardek and Elwyen stare at each other and smile.

"Adam."- Jon says to his cousin and smiles- "I finally found her."

Adam nods.

"I am very happy for you, Jon."

Jon turns to Gloria.

"My love, we have won the war."- He says proudly- "Your captor is dead."

Gloria smiles.

"We escaped before we could witness your deed, but we heard what happened."- She says- "You did a good thing out there and we're proud of you."

Jonathan looks at Gloria. He clearly wants to stay with her, but realizes that his cousin still needs his help.

He turns around.

"Adam, what do you think?"- He asks him- "Should I stay with you... or should I go with them?"

Adam sighs.

"Listen to your heart, Jon."- He says- "Only it will be able to tell you what you must do."

Jon closes his eyes. He tries to find an answer and soon receives it.

He opens his eyes and looks at Gloria. Tears fall from his eyes as he takes her in his arms.

"Gloria, I... I want you to leave this place."- He says- "Go with Mardek and Elwyen and return to Canonia. I love you, but I want to keep you safe. So, I decided that you need to return. Please, listen to me and do as I say. I promise that everything will be fine."

Gloria smiles and nods.

"I understand, my dear. You're going out there to fight those who threaten us and you don't want me to suffer because of them."- She says- "I see how it is. I will step back and let you join Adam and his friends. But that doesn't mean that I'm not worried about you."

She smiles again.

"Still, I wish you good luck."- She continues- "May the gods above light your path and take you home when the deed is done."

Emela nods.

"I'm afraid that I'll have to go, too. They won't be able to survive the journey alone."- She says and looks at Adam and Aiden- "Children, I know that you'll do the right thing. You've always done that. But please remember that some enemies are best left alone. Focus on the true threats and leave the rest alone. I'm sure that they'll learn how wrong they are. Soon enough."

Adam nods and smiles.

"We got it. Thank you, Miss Emela!"- He says and hugs her- "I will miss you. A lot."

Emela wipes a tear from her eye and smiles.

"Good luck, my dear student."- She says to him- "With the newfound power that you've gained, I'm certain that you'll make Darkthrop pay. And I'll pray for you, every day."

After saying goodbye to the rest of his friends, Adam leaves the area with his allies and begins a new adventure.

"So, Adam."- His father says- "Where shall we go next?"

Adam stares at the sun ahead of him and smiles.

"North."- He says- "Definitely north."

## Trivia

* "*All My Life*" is a reference to the lyrics of a popular song by "*Sonata Arctica*" known as "***Blinded No More***".