Two, emotionless voids looked upon the world.
A nova of darkness burst from the creature, cutting into anything that was caught in the dreadful blast. It did not matter if it was living or undead. The Shadow devoured all. An influx of revitalizing energy crackled through the creature. Broken ribs bound back together. Shattered arms wove themselves back together. Perfect. It would not do to have a damaged body.
Twisting about in the air, the creature managed to get its feet underneath it, and leaped up into the cold air. It did not leap far, but it was far enough to avoid the stone ground below. It raised its hands, and razor beams of darkness arced forth, cutting down everything with reckless abandon. Shadowy tendrils writhed about the being, decimating all that wandered too near. The skeletal giant lunged at the dark being, but the being remained in place. It was far above such insignificant pests.
It raised its hand, and a spiraling beam of power arced from its fingertips, surging towards the skeletal annoyance and piercing into its massive skull. The beam twisted and turned, looping around to strike the undead abomination again and again. The giant desperately tried to fend itself against the darting beam of vile energy, but it was all for nothing. Its remaining arm was severed at the shoulder, and one of its legs was broken at the knee. Roaring, the giant toppled to the ground like a felled tree, crushing many under its massive body. And still the beam continued its relentless barrage. Weaving through the giant like a black python, cutting through bone as if it were made of butter. Satisfied, the dark being lowered his hand. The giant was nothing more than a mound of shattered bone.
A hulking abomination appeared before the dark being, its many bulking arms flailing about to crush the being. A host of mighty zombies and undead skeletons accompanied the bulbous monster, and they charged at the vulnerable being.
Or so they thought it was vulnerable.
Unconcerned with the massive swarm of approaching enemies, the creature raised its hand once more, and a beam of pure darkness shot out, disintegrating dozens of the lesser undead. Spiked arms came crashing down all about the being, but it deftly wove through the flurry of attacks, casting more dark beams as it wove across the battlefield.
Another hulking behemoth appeared, and it charged at the frail being, its arms mauling anything that dared come too close. There was no possible way for the dark being to escape.
The creature snorted. This was child’s-play.
Raising both hands, it conjured a mighty vortex of black between the two abominations. The dark hole of nothingness swirled and pulsed with a demonic life, and with terrifying power, it pulled the two rotting behemoths into its endless abyss, ending their wretched existence. The decaying masses tried to resist, tried to strike back at the shadowy being, but nothing could escape the grasp of a black hole. The Shadow would consume all.
Turning, the vile being looked to the towering stronghold of stone at the end of the valley, an evil grin wide on its face. While devouring endless insects of rot was certainly fulfilling, there was a much more … scrumptious option. The Shadow would consume all. And what better meal than the Light? Legions of battle-hardened Sparks manned impervious barricades, raining down formidable spells of fire upon the unsuspecting legions of undead far below. Great columns of fire burst from the ground, and a steady rain of flaming arrows arced into the writhing fray. There were the unfortunate Sparks who found themselves within the throng of the Shadowfront, but they were usually heavily supported by the warriors of the Flame high above. The spearhead the being had seen earlier had reached the base of the first great wall and was being escorted in by a host of Sparks. The dark being laughed. It did not care how many supposed “soldiers” there were. He would devour them all. The Shadow consumed all.
Cackling hysterically, the vile being soared toward the mighty stronghold, devastating spells of darkness forming within his hands. How long could the stone guardian withstand his terrifying barrage of power? There was only one way to find out.
But before the being could unleash its destructive barrage, a woman appeared before it. Two amber eyes sparkled on her scarred face, and her hair was like a dancing flame. Blood was trickling from the side of her head, but the being had little time to ponder the curious fact. Who was this woman, and how dare she interrupt its grand march of triumph? Its two, inky voids locked upon the woman, and its clenched fist shot out, a swirling orb of black forming over the knuckles. So be it. She would be devoured too. But the woman held her ground, and her olive hands darted forward to rest upon the being's chest.
Immediately, an incinerating pain coursed through the being, wracking its mind, and blasting away its surrounding darkness. Growling wildly, the being grasped the woman’s wrists and attempted to tear her fiery touch away. The woman’s arms quivered with effort, but she did not relent. She had no other choice. She had to save SmibSmob.
Another fiery burst coursed through the dark beings, tearing away some of the corrupting darkness.
YOU SHALL NOT PERISH TODAY!
A commanding voice cut into the being’s thoughts, but it was quickly lost under the churning of the darkness. A hiss escaped the being’s mouth. It would play her game. Without warning, the being ceased attempting to pull the woman away, and instead jerked on her wrists, pulling her towards itself. The woman stumbled forward, caught off balance by the sudden shift in force. The being’s head snapped forward, cracking into the woman’s face with a satisfying crack.
Blood splattered across Mariah’s face, and a sharp pain cut deep into her. There was no doubt her nose was broken. But she did not relent. She had to save SmibSmob. Shaking her head, she darted forward, wrapping her arms about the poor gnome in a warming embrace. She had escaped the dreadful clutches of Calitha to rescue him, and there was nothing she would stop at to succeed. He did not deserve his dark powers. He did not deserve to be constantly hounded by a black wolf. He did not have to succumb to his unholy abyss. Yet he did anyway. All for a promise. All for love. It took a great person to make such a sacrifice. It took the Beacon. So, she had to save SmibSmob, even if it meant breaking her nose.
Another burning flame exploded within the dark being, searing away another fraction of its wicked abyss. It had to get the woman off it, but it could not move. She bound him in place. Every time it thought to strike the woman, another traumatizing blast coursed through its body, rendering it helpless to the irritating woman.
The thundering voice returned in its head, nay, SmibSmob’s head, commanding away the vile corruption.
THIS IS NOT YOUR DESTINY!
What did the voice know? The Shadow would devour all.
YOU ARE A BEING OF LIGHT!
A feral growl escaped the being’s lips. It opened its mouth wide and clamped it down upon the woman’s shoulder. Thick blood filled the being’s mouth, but it only enraged it more. It bit down harder, digging into the woman’s soft flesh with animal-like ferocity.
Mariah whimpered in pain, but she did not relent. She had to save SmibSmob. She was slowly driving away the eternal blackness, decimating it with a barrage of blazing attacks. There was no doubt that the shadowy power greatly aided SmibSmob in combat, but at what cost? Was it worth all the sorrow it brought? No. It was not a difficult question for her to answer.
Still biting down upon the woman’s flesh, the dark being drove his knee up, connecting with her groin with staggering force. It felt the woman grow weak under the impact.
Perfect.
It drove its knee up again and again, smashing into the woman’s groin with more and more force.
Buckling under the constant blows, Mariah's vision grew hazy. Her stomach churned, and she had to resist the urge to vomit. Blood began trickling down her leg as the frail gnome pounded yet another knee into her. Her head was swimming with a dull pain. She wanted to let go, but she knew she could not. She had to save SmibSmob. She would endure whatever pain it took to decimate the roiling shadow within him. No matter her physical torment, it paled in comparison to the horror t
he gnome had suffered. Growling with determination, she embraced SmibSmob even tighter, casting her powers back into his thin frame.
Another smoldering explosion rocked the dark being, cutting away more of the darkness within.
CAST AWAY THE SHADOW!
It growled menacingly, and bit down harder, its teeth grinding on bone. It was the Shadow. No, it was a gnome.
YOU ARE NO LONGER BOUND BY THE CHAINS OF DARKNESS!
It was SmibSmob. It ceased its ruthless barrage of knees, and its vicious bite loosened. SmibSmob spat the thick blood from his mouth, his mind whirling about in confusion.
What’s happening?
He tried to make sense of his surroundings, but the darkness rushed back in with a renewed fury, washing him away under a tide of black. The dark being reach with its hands, and clawed at the woman’s hair, tearing away fiery chunks of scalp. The woman gasped with anguish, which only served to redouble the being’s efforts.
CAST AWAY THE VOID!
The being’s body quivered violently. He, nay, it had to stop this woman. It would not relent its control.
YOU ARE NOT A MINION OF DARKNESS!
The being’s head whipped up; its mouth opened in a silent scream of horror. It had to stop the woman. He had to keep his control. It would devour her. The Shadow consumed all.
The being tried to move, but his body would not respond to his will. This was all wrong. There was nothing that could survive the unforgiving tide of Shadow. There was nothing that could fend off the black army. Except for this woman, apparently. This vile, damned woman. Insects were not supposed to be able to crush a man.
YOU ARE SMIBSMOB!
The being wanted to deny it, but it was hopeless. The woman had won. The woman had neutralized the great beast of Shadow. The two, black eyes burst to flame, incinerating the darkness within.
COME TO THE LIGHT, MY BEACON!
The darkness was torn away from SmibSmob, each remaining remnant being smitten down by a brilliant ray of fire. SmibSmob’s eyes returned to their gentle blue, and a rush of air filled his lungs. He was free. His dark powers were no more, banished by Mariah. His mind swayed with exhaustion, but he was free. Even still, he felt empty, as if a great part of himself were missing. Indeed, a great part of him was missing, but SmibSmob would be ever thankful for that. He glanced down to the beautiful woman who now held him suspended in the air. Blood streaked down her face, and her fiery hair was ragged, with patches having been torn out by his very hands. She was shaking, and with every breath came a soft whimper. But her amber eyes beamed with triumph.
“Thank you,” SmibSmob whispered, his voice shaky. He was forever in her debt. Because of her, he could still see Nalgene. He leaned forward and returned her embrace.
“Come, let us find your friends,” Mariah finally said after a long moment. Her whole body ached, but she ignored her problems for the sake of SmibSmob. She knew it would not be long before Calitha found her and roped her back into her winding labyrinth. Saber did not want her interfering with her grand scheme, and who better to imprison her than the Daughter of Darkness? Sighing, Mariah led SmibSmob out of the Shadowfront, gently carrying him over the mighty wall and into the realm of the Flame.
As SmibSmob crossed out of the Shadowfront, his eyes were blessed with a holy sight. The sun. And not the cold, distant sun of the Shadow. Nay, this was the warm, inviting sun of the light. A bright, blue sky glowed above him and it was all he could to do stare in wonder. A gentle breeze caressed his skin, enveloping in a peaceful blanket. It was beautiful. After countless days of barren gray, it was hard to imagine the wondrous world of Light. A tear trickled down his pale cheek.
The battling Sparks watched the pair soar over the wall, but they did not attack. They had been given strict orders to hold their fire. Strict orders from a General.
Landing on the ground behind the wall, Mariah gently released SmibSmob. Tears beaded in her eyes, but she held them in check.
“Thank you,” SmibSmob repeated, a wide smile glowing on his face. “And I apologize. I don’t mean to be the obvious one, but I injured you quite badly.”
Mariah chuckled, her white teeth sparkling under the warm sun.
“Ah, don’t worry about me,” she said, her melodious voice sounding like songbirds in the cool air. She nodded and pointed behind SmibSmob. “I think they would be happy to see you.”
Before SmibSmob could guess at who she meant, a loud, barreling voice cut through the air.
“SmibSmob!” Nalgene cried, sprinting over to SmibSmob. Without thinking if SmibSmob was injured, Nalgene wrapped his arms around him, squeezing with a brotherly embrace.
“I’m so glad yer alright,” Nalgene mumbled, tears streaming down his face. “I be seein' ye all dark … and …” he tried to say more, but he choked on his words.
Radiating with joy, SmibSmob returned the embrace, tears flowing down his face. He did not need to say anything. He had felt empty in the absence of his dark power, but right now, holding his dear, brother, he had found his remedy. SmibSmob glanced behind him, wanting to say one final thanks to Mariah. But the fiery woman was already gone. Shaking his head, SmibSmob turned back to his brother. It did not matter. He had far more important things to worry about.
The other companions rushed over to the pair of gnomes, smiles wide upon their beaming faces. They were all injured and covered in blood, but they had survived the horrors of the Shadowfront. It did not matter what terrible things they had witnessed. What mattered was the now, with them all together at last.
SmibSmob felt a strong hand upon his shoulder, and he turned to see Ro standing next to him. Blood caked the draconian’s scales, and he was curiously missing his shining plate mail, but he was alive and thriving.
“Good to have you back, my friend,” Ro said.
Before SmibSmob could reply, another set of strong arms wrapped him in a loving embrace.
“Friend alive!” Fasto cried in glee, torrents of tears raining down his face. “Gnome friend alive!”
Fasto’s arms were still quite damaged, but that would never stop him from celebrating with his friends.
“Good observation, Fasto” Margaret teased. There was no heavy sarcasm in her voice. It was simply a friend teasing another. The orc turned to SmibSmob, a genuine smile on her face. “I’m glad you’re alright.”
Her demonic arm was still at her side. It had seen enough bloodshed this day.
“Mmmm, I second that,” Andromeda said, stepping up to stand next to Ro. Her soft tail reached out and brushed against SmibSmob’s back. She appeared the most ragged out of the companions. Her black fur was matted in bloody patches, and she leaned heavily on one leg. Even so, her eyes sparkled with joy. She had found something to fight for.
“I’m glad you are all safe,” SmibSmob said, choking on his emotions. It was all so overwhelming for the little gnome. Before he could continue, he spotted another person approaching them.
“Oh, fantastic,” Margaret chuckled, shaking her head. Sarcasm was oozing through her words. “Just who I wanted to see.”
“Bloody hell,” Nalgene grumbled, finally releasing his brother and turning to see the newcomer.
General Kraalek skipped towards the companions, his billowing cloak flowing out behind him like a crimson wave. His hood draped over his pale face, and his two eyes gleamed mischievously. He was running his strange, metallic cards nimbly through his fingers. Noticing their gazes, he gave them an exaggerated bow with a crooked smirk on his face. Standing up, he threw his arms out wide, gesturing to the surrounding area.
“What do you think?” He asked. His metallic cards had disappeared.
SmibSmob stared at the sly man for a long moment. He remembered how the two Sparks, Roan and Dain, had spoken about this man, and he could not bring himself to argue with them. There was no doubt in his mind that Kraalek spent more than a few nights in the beds of barmaids.
Definitely no amateur.
“I be thinkin': What in the bloody hel
l are ye doin' here, Kraalek?” Nalgene replied; his voice gruff. Nalgene had never come to trust the sly man, and SmibSmob could not really blame him. This man was a trickster, but an undeniably clever trickster.
“Why, isn’t it obvious?” Kraalek chuckled. “I have come to welcome you to the Flame!” He dipped into another dramatized bow, the cowl of his hood brushing against the ground. Before the companions could reply, he shot up.
“Oh, I almost forgot.” He reached into one of his many pouches, his nimble fingers digging through its contents. His face lit up, and he pulled out a strange, wooden die. None of the faces were marked. It was the same one from the great Ruins of Calinad. He ran the mysterious object through his fingers, allowing the companions to observe its blank faces. He was always the showman. Smirking, he released the die, and it tumbled across the stony ground to land at SmibSmob’s feet.
The gnome glanced down to the wondrous object, and then back up to Kraalek. As far as he could tell, the face-up side was no different from the others.
Kraalek chuckled, and his eyes twinkled with mischief.
“You’ve won. Isn’t that right?”
Epilogue
Saber trekked through the shadowy forest. Black trees loomed all about her, blocking the gray sky in an interwoven canopy. Branches reached for her with razor claws, but they did not touch her. They would not dare. A thick mist seeped from the ground, covering the tangled brush in an opaque blanket. Skulking undead watched her through the dark trees, their hollow eyes feeding upon her pale skin. They followed her everywhere, a pack of wolves hunting its prey, but they dared not attack. They could not. She dominated every aspect of their pathetic existence. They would do anything on her whim — even ravage each other if she gave the command. Even the mighty wraiths and terrifying dreadknights would heed her every word. She was in control. She was in no danger. Yet still she felt uneasy about traveling these murky woods. This was not her domain. She spent most of her time managing the Flame, carefully manipulating the Torch to think they had hope against the oppressive Shadow, even though she worked against their cause. She had become quite fond of the radiating sun and the warmth of the air. It was a shame it would not last for much longer.
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