“You were given a second chance and you used it to destroy as much as you could, Gerometus. You have proven to the world that you are unfit to judge your own actions. So now, I will judge you. I will have the strength to do that which you do not.”
“You think so?” seethed the Tyrant. “You think you can stop me? I will obliterate you. Just as I obliterated her.”
Densa knew the Great Tyrant would do this, but his reaction was no easier to control. Rage tore through his body and the power Densa had absorbed from the Skyfather came forth in a wave. Densa roared and flame erupted from him like a geyser of golden heat that flew toward the Tyrant. The Tyrant swung his great weapon in front of him to block the blast, as pure, golden heat engulfed the sword. The Tyrant held it as steady as he could, until the blast was quenched, but when the flame subsided, all could see that the great, white weapon had been reduced to a lump of knobby metal. The Tyrant dropped it to the ground in shock.
“You didn’t take her from me, Gerometus. Nothing can ever take her from me. You think you hurt me?... You didn’t hurt me. Nothing can stop me now.”
“We’ll see about that,” sneered the Tyrant. Again, his electric frame began to hum and glow and grow in size. Again, the Tyrant was preparing for his most powerful attack.
“LITHLILLIAN! NOW!!” cried Densa.
Bounding forward, out from the forest, the great lioness came and leapt off of the edge of the crater. As she flew through the air, the lioness transformed into the sharp and powerful form of the woman of the mountain. She came down and yelled, clenching her hands, ready to swing them like a hammer onto the crater’s floor. Before the Tyrant could react, Lithlillian struck the ground with both hands and the ground quaked as if it were the end of the world. A sound like a thousand claps of thunder ripped the air and all of Ephanlarea was brought to their knees in terror. Suddenly, a crag opened in the crater floor and then the darkness of the crag was filled with wonderful, blue light.
“Mother Earth,” began Densa. “Know that I love you and that I am sorry for all that I have ever done to you. I have ended the reign of the Skyfather. You are free from his apathy and rage. Now take back the power he made you give to the first man. Do this and know that all your creatures will be safe.”
“What? NOOO!!” howled the Great Tyrant as blue light came up from the crag and surrounded him.
In a flash, the electric light was drained from the Tyrant, and he fell to the ground, glowing a dim and vile red that looked like blood. He rose again, after a moment, and clenched his red fists. Without the electric light surrounding him, he was even more monstrous to behold. His skull was too large for his frame and it was covered in a wrinkled, red skin that looked like melted candle wax. His body was grotesquely long and thin and covered in the same disturbing, red flesh.
“I still have power, Densa. You forget what I stole from the Red One. You will still perish before me. All will perish before me.”
Densa shook his head slowly as he looked sadly upon the greatest mistake he ever made. “No, Gerometus. You still do not understand. You have taken from this world more than you or anyone has any right to take. You refuse to make amends for this, continuing to destroy everything you can in the pursuit of more power. You take no responsibility for yourself or for the things you do.”
“And you?” spat the Tyrant. “Do you take responsibility for the things you have done?”
“I do now.”
Densa leapt forward and landed upon the Tyrant’s chest as he stood. Densa was large, but the Tyrant was three times his size, if not more. Densa grabbed the Tyrant’s great skull with both hands, planting his feet into the monstrous being’s chest, and then Densa began to squeeze.
“AAARRRGGHHHH!!” screamed the Tyrant, struggling to break free from Densa’s grasp. “AARRGGHH!!” But it was no use; Densa’s power was now so great that the Tyrant could not hope to break free. He could feel his skull begin to cave as Densa squeezed harder and harder, and soon the Tyrant began to beg for his life. “Please… Please… Father, forgive me… PLEASE!!!”
Densa remembered it all as he held tightly onto the Great Tyrant. He let the memories exit his body like a flowing river, every ounce of pain, every moment of suffering and sadness, every single thing he had loved and hurt and lost, came forth in one perfect moment of clarity, and it gave him strength he had never known. It was for all of the Blues he had known and for all the Murrays and all the Rachaels, for every single person or creature that had had the misfortune of coming across him when he was so weak and wrong. He remembered them all. He remembered his Mother the Moon, he remembered his great friends, Bahknar and Tenturo, and he held in his mind his perfect Iolana. He held her there the longest.
I can never forgive myself for the evil things I have done. But I live my life in this moment, knowing what I am, and I live my life in this moment to make amends for it all. I take the responsibility. I do not forgive what I have done. I would never dishonor any of you with that. I owe you the strength to hold myself accountable. I will not simply forgive any of it.
“AARRGGH!” continued the Tyrant in his pain and anguish. He could now feel his very bones coming undone, the pressure upon his head mounting to unbearable levels. “Forgive me! Forgive me! Please, Father. Please! FORGIVE ME!!”
Densa looked his greatest demon squarely in the eyes.
“No.”
An explosion of golden light and flame engulfed Densa and the Tyrant, and with one final snap, Gerometus’ head gave way and his world was suffocated in darkness. Densa fell to the ground with the body of the first man, as it began to dissipate into the air. Wind blew across the crater and Densa’s deed had been done. The Great Tyrant was no more.
Chapter 36: The Way That Cannot Be Seen
Densa rose slowly and looked around at the thousands of faces that watched him from the edge of the massive crater. The world was so silent it seemed as if time had ended. Densa searched through those who dared to come further down into the basin. Few dared to move or speak, fearing their next action might be their last, but Densa soon found Evercloud slowly approaching him. The ancient man took a breath and closed his eyes.
You are almost there, he told himself. You can do what must be done.
Densa opened his eyes and stared at Evercloud with a look of hatred.
“Now to deal with you,” he said, his voice dripping with disdain.
Evercloud stopped his progress, shocked and confused by the Ancient.
“What are you–”
But before Evercloud could utter his shock, he found Densa opening his hands and casting beams of energy from his palms. Unprepared, Evercloud was hit, full force, by the attack. His body was thrown into the air briefly, before he came down, painfully upon the hard earth.
“You’re part of him,” growled Densa. “Son of the Skyfather. I must end you.”
“EVERCLOUD!! NO!” cried Riverpaw, and then the battle began.
Annie flew forth upon the back of Andor, intent on attacking Densa, but he was far too quick for them. With a great wave of his arm, Densa sent a blanket of flame at the great eagle that battered him and dropped him from the air. Evercloud got up from the ground, looking over to where Andor fell. The fire had not left a mark on the eagle, but neither he nor Annie moved as they lay upon the ground. Evercloud returned his gaze to Densa, realizing that his worst fears were coming true. Densa had turned on them.
Riverpaw flew forward like a cannonball, barreling into the Ancient before he could react, but the bear fell back in futility as if he had just tried to fly through a mountain. Riverpaw looked up from the ground in shock at Densa who only laughed.
“Densa, No!” called Evercloud. “What are you doing?”
But Densa ignored Evercloud’s question and his focus remained on Riverpaw. Densa stretched his arms forward and began to raise them into the air slowly. As he did, Riverpaw began to float into the air like a puppet upon a string. The bear writhed and kicked, but was powerless to break free fro
m Densa’s grasp. Then, with one swift motion, Densa cast Riverpaw out of the crater, sending him careening through the air.
Not a second passed before Densa found the spirit daughters of Earth and Sun surrounding him. They were all poised to attack; yet they would never get their chance. Densa roared like a madman and cast an orb that expanded like a bubble around he and Evercloud, preventing anyone from reaching them. He had pinned Evercloud inside a powerful barrier, and now the dark being refocused his attention upon the son of the Skyfather, preparing to release his rage.
“Why are you doing this?” uttered Evercloud as he prepared to meet Densa with force.
“Because this is what I am,” said Densa, his eyes glowing red. “I know that now. I am the destroyer of the light. I am the darkness.”
Densa raised one arm into the air, and in his palm grew a great ball of golden flame. It churned and spun within his hand, and Evercloud had no doubt in his mind what Densa meant to do with it.
As fast as Evercloud could, he dove to the side as Densa’s fireball came screaming past him, exploding against the barrier of energy. Evercloud never lost his footing and leapt at Densa, slashing with his claw. The Ancient couldn’t recover from his own attack in time and took Evercloud’s blow across his face, leaving red streaks across his cheek and chin. But if there was pain, the dark one never let it show. He grabbed Evercloud before he could retreat and pummeled him in the back, sending him flying, to fall and crumple upon the ground.
This is it, thought Evercloud. This is the end.
The man from Gray Mountain lied upon the rocky floor of the crater and listened as Densa’s footsteps grow closer and closer. They were so loud, so heavy; they were the footsteps of doom. Evercloud could hear Densa breathe as he stood over him, preparing to deal the final blow.
“I expected more from you,” uttered the Ancient in his gravely tone. Then he roared and swung his arms down like a hammer toward Evercloud.
This is the end, echoed Evercloud in his own mind.
With every bit of his strength, Evercloud pushed his arms and legs against the earth and jumped straight into the air as Densa’s blow came downward. Missing his target, the Ancient stumbled forward, directly underneath Evercloud as he came down. With all of his weight behind it, Evercloud pushed his golden claw forward and sunk it deep into Densa’s back. Densa’s chest lurched outward, and his legs gave way, but he did not fall. The Ancient looked down and saw the golden blades protruding from his chest. Evercloud stood, holding Densa in the air, impaled upon the weapon of the Everflame.
“It never had to be this way, Densa. It never had to be this way.”
A trickle of blood fell from Densa’s mouth and he released a low and weak laugh.
“I made it this way.”
Densa’s eyes rolled up in his head, and Evercloud felt the being’s weight go heavy on his claw. Evercloud dropped his arm and Densa slid to the ground, the last of the Ancients, the end of an age.
“Bring his body to me,” came a soft voice that emanated in blue light from the crag at the bottom of the crater. Mother Earth called for her adopted son to be returned to her.
Evercloud nodded his head and as he did, he saw that Riverpaw had returned to his side. When Densa had died, the barrier had fallen and the bear was quick to return.
“We’ll take him together,” said Riverpaw. Evercloud nodded solemnly and the two cousins began to drag the Ancient to the crag.
Evercloud climbed down first, and then Riverpaw lowered the body of Densa down after him. They moved into the crag, down through the crack in the earth, until at last they came to the waterfall and the serene pool. They laid Densa’s body at the water’s edge and Riverpaw looked up at the waterfall in awe. Evercloud, his face still etched in sadness, spoke to Earth of her returned son.
“He is yours now. Please know that this is not what any of us wanted.”
“The fault is not yours, Evercloud,” began Mother Earth.
“No,” came a low voice. “It’s mine.”
Evercloud and Riverpaw looked down in shock to see Densa rising from the ground, his wounds healed and his body alive. They backed away and prepared to defend themselves again.
“Don’t,” said Densa. “I was never going to kill you. I was never going to kill any of you.”
“What is going on?” asked Evercloud. “Is this some game?”
“I’m glad you forget things so easily,” chuckled Densa. “I was worried for a while that you wouldn’t play along.”
“Play along?” asked Riverpaw, looking from Densa to Evercloud. “What is he talking about?”
“I still have the Everlife,” said Densa, and suddenly it all became clear to Evercloud and Riverpaw.
“You wanted it to look like I had killed you,” surmised Evercloud. “But why?”
“So I can be free,” said Densa. Evercloud and Riverpaw looked at each other, still confused. “I was never satisfied with the plan we had made, Evercloud. I know that I had agreed to it, but it just never felt right to me. While you and Riverpaw were gone, I retuned here, to Mother, and asked more questions about the prophecy.”
“We had gone over that, Densa.”
“It was a farce, Evercloud. The Skyfather created the prophecy as a way to toy with us. It never had any true meaning. That’s why it all seemed so confusing. That’s why it seemed as if it was always changing. The Skyfather was making it up as he went along to entertain himself. He was a fat, old god, Evercloud. He had lost his purpose… maybe he never had one, I don’t know. He allowed for all of this… yet took responsibility for none of it.”
“But the Earth,” said Evercloud.
“I was a slave to the Skyfather, Evercloud,” chimed Mother Earth. “He held great power over me. I was forced to perpetuate his lies or face his wrath. I never wanted to. I felt helpless.”
“When I discovered the pathetic truth of our great Skyfather,” continued Densa, “I knew it was he who had to be defeated. It wasn’t until Tenturo returned and told us of how the Tyrant had gained the red planet’s power, that I realized how I might be able to destroy him.”
“But without the sun,” said Riverpaw, “we’ll all die.”
“That is true, my son.”
Riverpaw and Evercloud turned to see two bears slowly emerging from the shadows. They seemed to glow with blue light, as if they were ghosts. Riverpaw squinted his eyes, but as he refocused, his heart grew heavy with pain.
“Dad?”
The form of Whiteclaw and Autumnbreeze walked out onto the bank to stand before their son.
“Yes, Riverpaw. We wanted to say goodbye to you… for now.”
“But… Mom?” questioned Riverpaw. The bear looked to Evercloud. “But Tenturo said…”
“He must’ve been speaking of only my parents,” concluded Evercloud. “I’m sorry, Riverpaw. I swear, I thought your mother was still alive.”
Riverpaw’s head swiveled and tears welled in his eyes.
“It’s all right, my son,” calmed Autumnbreeze. “I am where I belong now; with your father. I couldn’t bear to be apart from him any longer.”
“But what about me?” asked Riverpaw. “I need you still. I need you here.”
“Riverpaw, you have grown into a great bear,” said Whiteclaw. “I am proud that you are my son and I know you will continue to lead our people. You learned everything I ever taught you. That was our purpose, your mother and I. We had decided that long ago, though not in such defined terms. Every ounce of energy we ever gave was to help you grow into the bear you have become. We succeeded. We are so very proud of you.”
“Yes,” added Autumnbreeze. “You have made us proud, and you will honor our memory well. I know this is hard, Riverpaw. But you must understand you will never be without our love, just as we will never be without yours. Some bonds are unbreakable, some things truly last forever. We may not be together the way we used to, but we will always be connected in a way that cannot be seen. You will know it’s there; you will a
lways feel it in your heart.”
“I don’t know if I can do it alone,” said Riverpaw.
“You can,” said Autumnbreeze. “You will. You are stronger than your father or I ever were. You will continue to grow and soon, you will begin a family of your own. You will share your life with others, my son. You will make new bonds. Then, you will understand why I need to be with your father. Just know that we will always love you. That never changes.”
Evercloud turned to Densa.
“That’s why you needed me to kill you, isn’t it? That’s what you mean by being free?”
“I never wanted anything but this, Evercloud. To be a man, and have everything that comes with it. To find happiness, know love, fulfill my purpose, and in the end, be free from the world. This is my chance to escape. I’ve made amends. I freed Mother Earth and I’ve destroyed the Tyrant. Let me destroy myself now.”
“You would be a hero if you stayed,” said Evercloud. “You would be the greatest of us.”
“I don’t want that, Evercloud. I don’t want to be greater than anyone. I don’t want to have power over other men. I just wanted a world where everyone was as accountable as we are. If I stay… that can’t happen. So, I need to leave… I just want to be free.”
Densa looked to his side and Iolana came forth, glowing blue with such beauty that the air seemed to sing. She smiled and waved and for the first time ever, Evercloud saw Densa smile. He walked into the water and Whiteclaw and Autumnbreeze began to follow. The bears continued toward the falls and disappeared behind the water, but Densa turned, waist deep in water, and looked at Evercloud.
“Take this,” Densa held his hands out and suddenly, a white light grew all around. A large orb formed in his cupped hands and floated toward Evercloud. The orb was like a large pearl, but it glowed so beautifully, Evercloud knew it could only be one thing: the Everlife. As it left Densa’s hands, the ancient one turned blue, just as Iolana and the bears were. He was ready to pass through the falls, with his love, forever.
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