“Out of everyone, you should be the one in my place. You knew the truth of the endless cycles long before any of us did and yet you never acted upon it!”
“We all have our roles. It was never my destiny to end the cycle. That destiny was yours.”
“And so, it remains. I will usher in a new era of prosperity under the rule of our rightful Lord forevermore. I will end the cycle for good. Something you never could’ve done.”
“Listen to yourself Baldr! Malstrife is evil! He will never stop, even if this world is consumed. He will move on to others. Have you fallen so far that you can no longer see reason?” Mikael pleaded.
“You had your chance. We could have saved this world together.”
Mikael twisted his tongue. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted to do. Memory of a time when Baldr had fallen and injured his arm as a boy came to the ancient hero’s mind for a moment.
‘You must be careful.’ Mikael said to his student as he bandaged the wound, years ago.
‘Sorry. And thank you.’ The young Baldr replied. ‘Hey, can I ask you something?’
‘Sure.’ Mikael nodded.
‘I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have a brother. You fit the part.’
‘I fit the part?’ The ancient hero grinned at the child’s boldness.
‘Sure! So, what do you say? From this day forward, you and I – brothers?’ Baldr offered a handshake.
Mikael looked at him and shook his head.
‘Brothers.’ The ancient hero took up the handshake.
As the memory evaporated, Mikael did the only thing he could do, staring at the shade of the boy he nurtured. The ancient hero drew the Starlight Blade and imbued it with light energy.
“You leave me no choice.” Mikael said.
Shadow energy coiled around Baldr’s Void-Star Blade.
The prince leapt into the air, a dark fire in hand. Mikael lunged to meet him, blade drawn. Both warriors clashed and took the fight to the ground where Baldr forced Mikael to give way, unleashing a flurry of strikes against his old mentor. Mikael remained patient. He allowed Baldr to have the upper hand until he found an opening, then twisted his former student’s hand, and struck with an overhead strike. Baldr quickly recovered and blocked what would’ve been a certain deathblow. Both men backed off one another and angled their swords. The Twin Blades of Destiny surged with raw power, glowing black and white.
***
Jaival, Arya, Danzul and Cyrus fled through the backwater outskirts of the warzone, avoiding contact with any of the demons and taking their chances to head into the ethereal Dream Forest. It might’ve been a risk but their greatest concern was living to fight another day. There was just one problem and Jaival was the one to notice it.
Where is Alexa?
***
The duel between Master and Student erupted in the halls of the Temple of Light, and eventually, the streets of the capital, both star blade wielders cutting through anything that stood in their way. Demon and Phoenix Knight alike were just obstacles, and very removable ones as these two heroes fought each other. Baldr plowed through his own forces without a second thought. If it meant the end of Mikael, he was willing to let it happen – no matter what the cost.
The hatred Baldr developed for Mikael combined with the overwhelming power of both Star Blades rising to stupendous magnitudes began costing him finesse and style. He became rash, relying more on strength and power than technique. Mikael used this to his own advantage, though it did not fare as well as he had hoped. Baldr had a wild swing here or there, but whenever Mikael reached in to counter the aggression, Baldr fell back on his master’s teachings. He might’ve taken a blow or two and yet it still wasn’t enough to deter the exiled prince.
He wanted Mikael dead. Very dead.
Mikael knew that the longer the fight went on, Baldr would fuel himself through all the pent-up frustration, anger and sadness, and combine it with the same sword skills Mikael taught him, using the power of the Star Blade – making a combination that would eventually prove overwhelming. But Mikael was a tactician. He waited for when Baldr was at his breaking point; when the swings became so furious, they lost all finesse. Baldr threw a stab at the ancient hero and Mikael parried it, disarmed him, and threw the exiled prince to the floor, the Starlight Blade at the tip of Baldr’s neck.
“What are you waiting for? I’ll never stop,” Baldr snarled. “Do it!”
“Such a shame how easy it’s become for you to take life.” Mikael shook his head.
A distant roar echoed across the air.
Oh no, Mikael thought. He knew that monstrous bellow.
“That was your last chance.” Baldr reached for the Void-Star blade telekinetically and fended off his master’s sword, then ran the opposite way. Mikael gave chase, blade drawn. Nidhogg circled overhead, swooping over Mikael and Baldr, in the direction Jaival, Arya and party had fled. Baldr leapt from building to roof until he was atop the great dragon.
“Blast!” Mikael cursed when he understood the reality that he’d been outplayed. Baldr was telepathically communicating with Nidhogg the entire time. Mikael did not falter. He imbued his sword with magic and ethereal wings of light formed on his back, giving him the chance to take flight and pursue.
***
Jaival, Arya and the others were in the thick of Dream Forest until a carpet of fire swooped from overhead, igniting the green environment into burning-red chaos. Nidhogg had found them, and with Baldr on his back, the two forces of evil fired blasts of fire and lightning. The party scattered in opposite directions. Arya was too drained to use her magic to fight back while neither Jaival or Danzul had means of aerial defense. Cyrus was the only one left to fire what remaining energy he had left through his hammer and unfortunately, it did next to nothing.
The holy energy was absorbed by Nidhogg’s scales. It didn’t even faze him.
“It can’t end like this.” Arya fell, weakened from her fight with Baldr.
Jaival rushed to her side and helped her to her feet – “It’s not over yet! Come on! Get up!”
It was hard to find hope when everything around them was an inferno. Nidhogg circled back, huffing and ready to puff. The party braced for the end. Jaival got in front of Arya and drew his blade as the princess’ last means of defense.
A thick beam of plasma shot from the distance, smacking into Nidhogg, and sending the dragon plummeting out of the sky. Baldr leapt off the dragon’s back, ready to confront the one who fired the attack – which was Mikael, in Avatar of Light form. Master and student clashed airborne once more, giving the party below time to escape. Jaival tried to rally Cyrus and Danzul but a ray of fire struck between their paths, engulfing all vision before him. Jaival glanced on his right. The fire-breathing beast was back,
“Jaival!” Arya shouted at him.
Uncertain if Danzul and Cyrus were fried to ashes, Jaival ran for the princess, grabbed her by the hand, and sprinted deep into the forest. Nidhogg had his sights set to pursue until another beam of energy struck at him again, holding him still. But this beam was no ordinary light. It was Twilight magic – Alexa’s magic. She had returned and she was determined to stay and fight with Mikael to the end.
Mikael swooped down and unleashed a devastating energy attack at Nidhogg. The attack caused The World Breaker to shift out of his dragon form – into his humanoid variant. The dark invoker was still a towering mass higher than the rest. He rose to his feet, his ancient scythe in hand. Baldr flew next to him – the two ready to tear Mikael and Alexa apart.
“Why did you come back!” Mikael hissed at Alexa. “Go with the others!”
“I’m not leaving you again.” Alexa said.
Mikael gazed at her.
“Who are you, really?!” he quizzed.
“You know who I am.” she said.
And in a flash, it all made sense. Why she laid low, why she wanted the things she wanted, and why all along, she didn’t reveal herself. Sorata, Mika
el had connected the dots already, this was just the final confirmation.
“And you know what must be done.” Alexa continued, looking at the Star Blade in Mikael’s hand. The ancient hero glared at their advancing foes. Both Baldr and Nidhogg were ready to strike. It was not exactly the way Sorata had envisioned it, but this was the test she was waiting on all along.
“I see.” Mikael’s eyes trailed to Baldr’s.
It was in that moment, Mikael – The Ancient Hero of the Lands, knew what he had to do.
He fastened his grip on the Starlight Blade and leapt for the sky, Alexa trailing behind. Nidhogg and Baldr followed. Using his remaining energy combined with Alexa close at his side, charging her own power, the two waited for their enemies to draw closer. An aura of blinding light formed around them and engulfed both friend and foe, tearing the nearby forest to shreds in an enormous blast.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Driven Back
JAIVAL AND ARYA WERE ON THE RUN. Hours had passed, maybe even days, and yet their feet knew no rest. Time ceased to exist. They ran until their legs pumped acid, and they ran so deep into Dream Forest, that there was no hope of ever escaping. Wherever they ended up didn’t matter. They had to get as far away from Eira Citadel as possible. Arya’s hand slipped out of Jaival’s grip and she fell on her knees, mud soaking her royal garments. Jaival halted. Looking at her, he saw something he never imagined seeing in a princess who had done everything she could to maintain her strong image. Tears.
“How did it come to this.” she groaned.
Jaival moved next to her and stooped on one knee.
Arya shook her head, doing everything she could to hold back the tears.
“How?” she gazed at him hoping he’d have the answers. “How?! I don’t understand. I thought I had it all planned. Then my father, my brother, Mikael, Cyrus, the kingdom, my people,” Arya squeezed her fists. “All those people, the demons, the evil, why? Tell me why!”
Jaival had no idea what to say. He just looked on in silence.
“I thought I could best it all. I thought I could save Eira, no, Star World and her moon. And here I am – nothing but an utter failure forced to flee. My plan to save the world? To outsmart The Dark Lord and reunite the Twin Blades – what was it for? I betrayed my family. I’ve lost the Starlight Blade. It’s now in the hands of our enemy. Soon, they will unleash the primal evil and all will be lost, and it’s all my fault.”
Tears streamed down Arya’s face uncontrollably. “It’s all my fault!”
She broke down like a dam and dropped her head into Jaival’s chest weeping. Jaival wanted to say something. He wanted to comfort her; let her know it’ll be okay, but nothing came. He had lost so much himself that Arya’s break was a mirror of his own life. All he could do was wrap his arms around her and hold her close. The clouds crashed, thunder cracked and rain poured like nails. Though the trees blocked a fair share of the rain, neither Jaival or Arya had any care for the world around them, despite being soaked. They were lost in each other’s arms.
A shadow whisked past the corner of Jaival’s eye. Another one quickly followed.
“Arya,” Jaival grew alerted. “We have to go. Come on.”
He held her by the hand and helped her to feet then immediately ran off with her. The shadows chased. It became clear to both moon elf and princess alike that they were no longer on the run from only Baldr’s forces, but something else – something ancient, curious, and sinister. They had unintentionally awakened the sleeping fiends of the forest.
Jaival and Arya ran as far as they could until the shadows cornered them. They were half-materialized beasts with unrecognizable shapes, claws and red eyes. Arya extended her palm in hopes to blast the vile creatures away. But nothing came. Nothing at all.
“It’s not working!” she panicked. “My power isn’t working!”
Jaival moved in front of her and unsheathed his trainee’s sword.
This is it, he thought.
The shadows attacked.
Jaival lunged for them, cutting one down and stabbing the other, leaving two to fight. Arya backed away, horrified she was unable to help. Another shadow appeared. This time, behind the princess. It startled her. She fell on her backside and held her palm out again, hoping the power would come at last. And still – nothing.
What’s wrong with me?! She wondered. Why isn’t it working!
The shadow roared and held its claws on high, ready to deliver a deathblow. Jaival struck overhead and decapitated the beast. He rallied in front of Arya and held his ground against the remaining fiends. Arya looked up and saw his face, and in that moment, one thing was made clear. No matter what happened or how far they fell, Jaival would always be there to protect her. He was her knight, her rock, her shield. And for some reason they both knew it. They always felt it – even when they first met. It was an unspoken bond that drew them together from different worlds.
More shadows appeared.
“Arya, go! I’ll hold them here!” Jaival yelled.
“I’m not leaving you!” she protested.
The shadows cackled. It seemed the more Jaival laid waste to the beasts, the more they came. The moon elf and the princess were simply outnumbered. Jaival angled his sword. He knew there could be no more running. This was it, and he was willing to defend Arya with his life. The shadows charged and so did he. Jaival clashed with the horde while Arya concentrated on revitalizing her powers. But no matter how hard she tried, her efforts were futile.
The moon elf slayed beast left and right, sustaining his own damage as the fight went on – a sliced wound for every shadow he put down until eventually, his injuries caught up with him. He’d beaten down the horde and collapsed on one knee, using his sword to hold his failing frame together. Blood oozed out of almost every part of his body.
“Jaival!” Arya ran toward him.
If only she had her powers, she could’ve healed him.
If only she had her powers, she could’ve saved them.
Why did this have to happen now?
“Jaival, you have to go. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. Save yourself!” she cried.
More shadows appeared. Jaival crunched his jaw and blood dripped out of his lips. He got to his feet again, defiant as ever. If this was to be his last stand then he was not prepared to die on his knees. Arya tried pleading with him again.
“Please!” she begged.
Maybe it was the adrenaline or perhaps the desire for a warrior’s death – Arya’s words fell on deaf ears. Jaival got in front of her again and raised his sword. The new shadows weren’t melee warriors. Instead of engaging Jaival directly on the ground, they kept their distance in the trees and charged Void energies from above. Their red eyes acted like lasers, pointing at Jaival for the bullseye. The moon elf knew he couldn’t defend the incoming slaughter. Nevertheless, call it stubbornness or the inability to give up, Jaival stood his ground.
Arya, however, was at her breaking point. She could almost taste Jaival’s death in her mouth and the very thought of it drove her to madness. She moved in front of him like she was his knight and held her palm out – this time, reaching deep into the truest desire of her heart. An aura formed around her and Jaival followed by an explosive blast of holy energy, destroying the shadows, and clearing out the nearby forest.
“Is that what it is? That’s what drives my power? All along I had ideas but,” Arya looked at her hand. There was a pattern in the way her power worked, something that linked all of it together. From the death of her father to the need to protect Jaival against Baldr in their previous encounter.
“Is it lo –” She looked back and saw Jaival collapsed on the ground.
“Jaival!” she sprinted toward him and held him in her arms. “You’re going to be okay, stay with me. Don’t go! It will be all right.” she shook him.
Jaival opened his weak eyes for a moment. His pupils were losing color.
“Hey, come on! Stay with me! I’m going to heal you
.” Arya turned his head to meet hers.
Jaival, however, was completely out of it. His consciousness was failing rapidly. A mere second or two later and he couldn’t sustain himself any longer. He blacked out.
“Jaival!” Arya cried.
Not again, please, not again! She thought of her father dying in her arms. Arya held her hand out and using the fuel of her heart’s truest desire, her power flowed naturally. However, she was destined to hit another obstacle because her powers were accomplishing nothing.
How can this be?! Arya felt like she was losing her mind.
Everything she had done ended in failure and now, this.
“Please don’t leave me!” Arya held Jaival close, sobbing.
No matter how much she tried to heal him, nothing happened.
Nothing at all.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Hello Darkness, My Old Friend
SOMEWHERE IN ANOTHER REALM, Jaival woke from a deep slumber. The moon elf found himself in an artificial world made of glass. He got to his feet and studied the new environment. It was a strange place, seemingly twisted with illusions and demonic allure.
“Arya!” he called for his princess.
No response.
“Arya!” he called again.
Nothing.
What the blast is this? He debated if Sorata had snatched him into this new world.
Suddenly the light faded and the air grew tight. The smell of sulfur crept into the moon elf’s nostrils. A glooming presence lingered in the shadows unlike anything Jaival had ever felt before, and yet, it felt very familiar.
“We meet again.” a voice of pure evil called.
Jaival turned to confront it.
Oh my stars.
An immense embodiment of darkness took on the shape of a giant, demonic entity with 6 eyes that were set ablaze and 6 horns covered in flame. The darkness was so great, it bent light around it, causing a gravitational lensing. This was not an Avatar of Darkness. It was a manifestation of The Dark Lord himself. Jaival reached for the sword on his back, only to realize it wasn’t there.
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